I Love you Mommy

By

Archerelf

I don't own Inuyasha etc. If I did I wouldn't be sitting here crying while writing this. I want his ears….

Tension filled the humid air as the final battle with Naraku raged on. The rain was pouring down in sheets and making for a very wet and dangerous battleground. Inuyasha had hit Naraku several times with combinations of the Backlash Wave and the Wind Scar. Sango was content enough to cut off several legs and wound the monster several times with her sword across his chest before she had been beaten back. Kagome's arrows were whizzing past them a all at incredible speed and accuracy. She had hit him several times and purified the beast in numerous spots. She kept missing the heart though. All of them had maintained several injuries. Miroku's arm (not the one with the wind tunnel) had received a deep gash. Sango managed to crudely wrap it enough so that he could return to the battlefield. Inuyasha had been especially annoyed with Naraku. This time he wouldn't escape. A wound across the ribs had irritated him and when Kagome's leg was punctured, he had had enough. She wrapped herself up quickly and scanned the battlefield. While Miroku maintained a distraction, Inuyasha and Sango would simultaneously hit him over and over till hopefully he died. But there was one person who she didn't see. Shippo. The little kit had been everywhere, catching people and giving off little distractions. She finally spotted him near Inuyasha's left leg. Naraku retreated a few yards and the friends regrouped for the final attack. The plan was, keep hitting him until Kagome summoned up the last of her miko energy and through one last arrow, hit and purify him. It had been a big night last night. Each one of them had their own little ritual, as homage for the destruction that he wrecked upon their lives. Sango had painted Kohaku's and her father's names neatly on her Hiraikotsu. Miroku had written up extra sutras, and said extra prayers. Kagome had restocked her first aid kit and made sure everyone was comfortable. Inuyasha simply sat in his tree until Kagome and Shippo joined him.

"Hey Inuyasha?", Shippo had ventured timidly.

Inuyasha's head had snapped around and he stared curiously at the little kitsune.

"What is it?"

"Are we gonna be ok tomorrow?"

"Yup. And I got something for ya, after the battle."

"Really Inuyasha?" The little fox demon seemed energized by this. By Kagome's suggestion, Inuyasha had a few pieces of candy stashed away for him.

Kagome smiled. The little demon had said a few extra prayers for his deceased family members and requested that Kagome been there with him. She was his mom, and had been since the incidents with the Thunder Brothers. She comforted him, fed him, protected him from everything. Including Inuyasha. He had always been like the dad he no longer had. They had all been his family. But Kagome, she was his mom. There was no doubt of the bonds of love. He was just a little kid.

"OK guys. This is the last strike. If we can't hit him hard enough, he's going down. LETS GO!" Inuyasha was shouting into the wind. As Kagome took aim, Miroku, Sango and Inuyasha hit Naraku at once. Shippo threw a few of his Fox Fire's at him and retreated momentarily. Inuyasha stepped forward and using the last vestiges of rage inside of him summoned a monstrous Wind Scar.

"KAZE NO KIZU!" he screamed into the echoing wind. At the same time, Kagome loosed her arrow. The arrow struck square in the heart of Naraku and the wind scar finished him off for good. But before he had been hit Naraku had looked away. His target had been the little kitsune throwing painful little scourges of fire at his legs. If he wasn't long for this world, Naraku figured he might as well inflict as much pain as he could to them. As his remnants were pitching forward Naraku sharpened one of his remaining spider legs into a sharp point and infused it with poison. The little kitsune had no chance to run away far.

"MOMMY!"

Kagome turned and saw Shippo's fragile body being pierced. Her brain recognized before her body did. And as his limp body fell forward Kagome ran towards him and caught him. Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise and anger and he ran as fast as he could towards the remains of the monster. Pushing the leg away and severing it as close as could be without hitting the little boy, Inuyasha looked dejectedly at the fox. His heart, his little heart had been struck. The poison was seeping into his bloodstream was killing him, and if not that, a direct wound to the heart most certainly would.

The little kit gasped for breath as Kagome held him in her hands, weeping.

"Momma?", Shippo asked quietly.

"Oh Shippo.. You were so brave.." Kagome was past caring about anything around her. Inuyasha knelt beside her and wiped some of the rain off of his forehead. Shippo was like a baby brother to him. Annoying but cute. And the life was draining out of him fast. Sango and Miroku just watched in horror a few yards away. Sango turned to Miroku crying and started to hug him.

" Inu..Inuyasha?" Shippo started again.

"What is it Shippo? Its gonna be ok. We'll help you.." Inuyasha trailed off, knowing they were past curing him. Kagome was cradling him in her arms and rocking him back and forth like a baby. He was a baby. He was her baby. Her little baby boy. So full of life and spirit. Now gone. Gone away.

"Don't…cry...Kagome. Don't …cry for me...Mommy. I'll be ok…I'll be with Mom and Dad again…we'll watch over you. I'm glad that you are here with me….Here at the end of all things.

Shippo flinched in pain but continued on.

"Inuyasha?…Take good…care of Kagome and the others. Say bye to Kirara for me. Use well the days… I love you all very much. "

Now gasping heavily Shippo's body curled up. But his last words were to Kagome.

"Kagome? I love you Mommy."

The tiny kits eyes fluttered up and down. His breaths became fewer and fewer and then, he was gone.

Kagome's heart burst in pain as the fox demon's hand lay quietly at his bruised side. His body was broken. His spirit was gone, go to the halls of his family. Kagome couldn't stop crying and she wouldn't let go of him. Her baby boy was gone. Inuyasha's eyes spilled over with silent tears as he gently took Shippo's body from Kagome. Inuyasha looked at the fox. He seemed to be only sleeping to the untrained eye. Kagome simply laid down on the grass and cried. Shippo was gone away from her. Inuyasha took a final look at the fox, and gave him a gentle hug. Sango and Miroku came forth doing similarly. The three of them looked over at Kagome. They each knew she wasn't going to get over this for a while. They had been a foster family to him. Sango cradled him for a while, while Miroku slowly helped her to her feet. Sango's tears fell in swarms around him. When Kohaku hadn't been there Shippo was always running around to make her feel better. Inuyasha gathered Kagome in his arms and they all slowly headed back towards the village. Just for the night, Kagome wrapped up the fox in her sleeping bag, almost trying to preserve his memory forever. She hadn't stopped crying and wouldn't for a while. This pain was immense. Something so alive and cheerful an hour ago was no longer with them. Inuyasha simply let Kagome sleep in his arms that night. Sango had likewise, fallen asleep on Miroku's shoulder. The paint on her boomerang slowly dripped off, smearing black onto the ground. Miroku stared at his palm. His wind tunnel was gone but he would have traded a thousand lifetimes with it to have Sango and Kagome stop crying. He would have traded anything to get Shippo back. Miroku laid his head again Sango's sleeping form. He almost felt like he was alone and the three people around him were strangers. He was without a brother. Miroku glanced over at Inuyasha. The hanyou just seemed hollow. Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome. She had passed out in exhaustion. Her cheeks were stained with dirt and tears and she slept fitfully. In her head she just kept replaying the scene over and over again.

" I love you Mommy."

His words echoed over and over.

" I love you Mommy."

" I love you Mommy."….

Inuyasha stood up, careful not to disturb Kagome. As the red dawn rose the in Eastern sky, he trudged forward to get supplies for a funeral. Miroku similarly rose and started a small fire outside. He peered up. The skies seemed so peaceful but Miroku knew better. He watched Inuyasha trudge off. Shippo had always tagged along to the hanyou. Inuyasha turned and looked down at his right side, almost in a second nature, expecting the little fox demon to show up, running as fast as his little legs could go. But his tracks were nonexistent. Wandering into the fields, Inuyasha picked up wood, flowers and the necessities for a grave. It reminded him of his mother. That day when she was buried, he stayed there for hours, gathering flowers, thinking about her and crying. He swore after that day he wouldn't cry again. That promise was easily broken. He considered this a special occasion.

Noon rose in the sky. The sky was blue and clear with only a few hints of puffy clouds swarming like dragons in the sky. It was a perfect day. A day Shippo would have loved. Later at night, he would go swimming while the girls bathed and run around with Inuyasha and Miroku. Close to a sakura tree on the outskirts of Kaede's village, they laid the little Kitsune to rest. Kagome had gathered more flowers and laid them at the base of the grave. The candy Inuyasha had promised Shippo lay uneaten in his pocket, deep in the earth. Kagome laid a arrow in the grave, to remember his bravery with. Sango put a shell Kohaku had given her years ago in it just to remember his playfulness. Miroku's prayer beads lay to rest. He didn't need them anymore. He could remember to this day how the little fox demon tugged on them when he wanted Miroku's attention. Miroku said the farewell prayers but each was lost in their own memories. No one wanted to let go. They still had a mission to fulfill. They had to finish the shard but they would never forget him. Inuyasha gathered the silently crying girl into his arms. He spoke quietly. Being to loud would have served to disturb the moment of peace.

"Shippo…he would want us to be happy.. He would want us to keep going on. He's in a better place now. He loved all us...we were his family. We're never going to forget him. Every time I look up at the sun, I'll see him smiling and waving. He's never actually going to leave us."

In surprise they all looked at him. Miroku nodded briefly. Sango rested her head on his shoulder. Inuyasha pulled Kagome into a hug and dried her tears.

"We'll never forget you Shippo."

Kagome looked up at the blinding sun, briefly shielding her eyes.

"I love you too, my baby boy."