The crying had stopped for the most part. Everywhere he looked were red puffy eyes, well almost. He looked at his half brother. He was still here. Why? He didn't fucking care anymore. She was gone, and that was all that mattered. All they had been through, all they had fought for and against, all built up to this moment, and it wasn't what they had expected. If he had known… what? What did it matter anymore? It was all over and she was fucking dead now.
He clenched his hand into a fist not wincing when his claws pierced the skin, and growled in his frustration. Four fucking years, and for what? For the final battle with Naraku to end like this? It wasn't worth it, not one bit.
He looked to the jewel in his hand, complete. It shone pink, and innocence. He hated it. She was dead because of it. He didn't care if he had never met her without it. She was better off alive, than have known him. She was supposed to live, and have babies, not be cold at nineteen.
His head snapped up to his brother just standing there with his hand on the pommel of his father's fang. "Bastard!" He knew he had his brothers attention even if he was still looking at her corpse. "Don't just stand there! Fucking save her!"
His voice was emotionless, his eyes spoke little more. "I cannot."
"Why the fuck not?!" Inuyasha screamed at him.
Sango, Shippou, or Miroku didn't look up. They were too heartbroken, but Kikyou wasn't. She stepped forward.
"Because her soul hasn't moved on. It's in me now."
Inuyasha stared at her dumbfounded. What the hell was going on?! What the fuck had happened. He winced as that thought brought forth the memory of her killing blow.
She watched as her friends were all tiring from this hellish battle. She knew it had to end soon. She focused on Naraku, and saw it. An opening, after he fended off an attack from Sesshomaru he left himself open as he fended one off from Inuyasha and Kikyou. She had one arrow left so she had to make it count. She strung it, and aimed. She pooled every bit of her power, love, hate, and desire into that arrow. It glowed so brightly as she unleashed her attack, but she could savor it. Naraku must have known this was it for him. He stopped defending himself, and shot all this tentacles at her. As her arrow pierced his flesh his tentacles pierced her. She killed him, and purified the now whole jewel in his body, and he killed her.
He dropped to his knees. He had failed her. He saw what was happening, and tried to reach her, but he was too slow. He was tired. He cussed at himself. She was dead because he was too slow. He looked up at Kikyou with a pleading expression. "If you- let go would he be able to…"
Kikyou looked at the demon lord. She read his expression easier than anyone else here. He was in shock. He too had come to be attached to her reincarnation. She looked at Inuyasha. She didn't blame him for what he was asking of her. She knew he only promised to go to hell with her because once he felt he failed her, the only one to show him kindness. But Kagome had healed him in a way that she never could have. Even she had fallen for the girl's lovable personality. She wasn't supposed to be walking this plane, she would move on so the girl could live.
"Lord is it possible?"
Sesshomaru gripped his healing sword even tighter. "There are no harvesters of death."
Kikyou suddenly hated that she couldn't cry as understanding filled her. Inuyasha saw her expression, and nearly lost it himself. "What does that mean?" His voice cracked and broke.
"She isn't from this world. The harvesters must be looking for her in her world not ours."
Inuyasha waited, but she explained no more. "What does that mean?" But he knew; he could see it in Kikyou's eyes, and the way his brother gripped the sword starring intently. Kagome was dead, and there was no way to save her.
"Her body will not rot. Her soul cannot be returned. We cannot save her. We cannot resurrect her. She is gone- forever."
"NO!" Inuyasha shot to his feet, as tears began anew from his companions. He gripped the jewel tightly, and looked at Kikyou with a fierce expression. "She won't die. I won't let her." He held up the jewel before him. "Hey ya damned jewel, I wish Kagome alive, and that she will live a long life, even if that means that she will never pass through the well."
The jewel shone brightly, and all eyes were riveted to Inuyasha whom glared at the jewel.
Midoriko was suddenly there. "A truly selfless wish, but still selfish. This was her destiny, would you forsake that?"
"Yes." Inuyasha growled out.
"Then so be it." She was gone. The jewel flashed.
Some five hundred years later
"Souta! What are you doing? We're gonna be late for school!" The black haired girl bounded down the steps of the house. She ran to where her brother was peering into the well house. "Come on!"
"Buyo went down there." He told her pointing.
"Oh! I'll get him." She went down the steps warily. She felt an omniscient moment, like she was expecting something to grab her. She scooped up her cat, and then paused. This all felt familiar, yet she wasn't sure why. The moment passed, and she ran up the stairs, and to the house. She deposited her cat inside, and closed the door so he wouldn't get out again. She pause by the god tree, and looked at the boy wondering once more why the vines never covered him over. She felt like something was wrong, but she couldn't place it.
"Kagome!"
She looked to her brother and ran to school. She couldn't be late again.
Four years earlier
Deep in the woods a white haired boy with dog ears was pinned to a tree. He looked to be sleeping, but his head came up, and his eyes opened. Something passed through those ambers pools. "It's not worth the price." He whispered seemingly to no one. He smiled knowing the time had passed, and she would live. He would never know her, but she would live. Then he bowed his head once more, letting his eyes drift closed, a small smile gracing his face, and drifted into eternal slumber.
