It was during the final battle for the shikon jewel where the Inu-gang stood before Naraku and thousands of demons in a large open field. Sesshomaru and Kouga's tribe stood beside the gang, ready for battle. Surprisingly Kikyo stood with them as well.
Naraku let out a chuckle and sent his demons out for them. The battle raged on for what seemed like weeks. Kagome watched as her friends dropped left and right. First, Miroku went. He sucked as many demons as he could, poisonous or non-poisonous. Sango was next, she had been left defenseless after throwing her giant boomerang and wasn't able to draw her sword fast enough before a few hundred demons were on her.
Kagome forced the tears back as she watched Sango crawl towards Miroku with her last remaining strength. Blood filled tears streamed down her face as she wrapped her hand around Miroku's. And then she took her last breath.
"Kagome!" a frantic voice screamed. Kagome's head snapped to Naraku who held Shippo in one of his tentacles above his head. "Help me!" he screamed as he struggled in Naraku's tightening grasp. Kagome quickly launched in arrow at Naraku, but one of the demons took the arrow instead.
Naraku let out a loud laugh. "What are you going to do miko!?" he grinned down at her. "How should I kill him? Snap his tiny neck? Or maybe…"
"No! Don't!" she screamed as Naraku shoved a tentacle through his heart and ripped it from his tiny chest. "Shippo!" Naraku let out a manically laughter as he tossed Shippo's dead body in front of her.
"You bastard!" Inuyasha threw a wind scar in his direction but Naraku merely just regenerated his body. Kagome looked around the battlefield in a haze. Miroku and Sango's bodies laid on the ground, Sesshomaru seemed to be wearing down a little bit at. Kouga was bleeding from several wounds that littered his body. Inuyasha was huffing and puffing, looking as if he could barely lift his sword. Kikyo was running low on arrows. And finally she looked at her feet where Shippo lay. A hole in his chest where his heart used to be. His face showed pure terror.
Shippo was the last straw. She slowly looked up at Naraku, the glare in her eyes wiped the the smile off of Naraku's face. The battle seemed to stop as her anger and sorrow spilled out of her body which began glowing. Any demon that was stupid enough to try and attack were merely turned to ash.
"Tch." Naraku sent a few of his tentacles in her direction, but they all met the same fate those demons did.
"Naraku…" she growled. Her voice was low as she reached back and drew an arrow from her quiver. Her deadly glare never left his red eyes. Kagome nocked her arrow into her bow and drew the bowstring back. She filled that single arrow with every ounce of energy she had. The glow that seemed to surround her was channeled into that single arrow. Naraku took this advantage and used the last of his tentacles to attack her. Just as she released her arrow, the six tentacles pierced through various parts of her body.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled out, reaching for her as her body dropped to the ground.
The moment the arrow touched the vile half demon, he disintegrated into a pile of ash. Naraku screaming the whole time as he watched his own body turn to ash. The only thing left was his half of the shikon jewel, tainted by his touch.
Sesshomaru plucked it from the ground, examining the jewel for a few moments before bringing it to the fallen priestess in Inuyasha's arms. Kikyo and Kouga and his tribe stood around Kagome as they watched her.
Kagome smiled at the demon lord as he kneeled by her side and handed her the jewel. The moment it made contact with her skin, it instantly purified, returning to its brilliant pink color. She joined the two halves together and in the center of her palm rested the fully restored shikon jewel.
"Sesshomaru…" she whispered. Without his demonic hearing, he was sure he wouldn't have heard her speak his name.
The demon lord took her pale hand into his own. "Yes?"
"Please… Revive them." she motioned towards Sango and Miroku who lay still on the battlefield. Hundreds of demons littered all around them.
"If it is what you wish, then I will bring the slayer and monk back to the land of the living." He felt her gently squeeze his hand.
"I didn't want it to end this way." she smiled up the demon lord. "I was looking forward to your request."
"As was I. You would have made a perfect ruler of the Western Lands."
A month prior to the final battle, Sesshomaru had approached the inu-gang wanting to speak with Kagome alone.
(Flashback)
"What do you want Sesshomaru!?" Inuyasha barked as he drew his sword upon seeing Sesshomaru enter their campsite. His golden gaze swept across the camp before resting on Kagome.
"I wish to speak to the priestess." his eyes flickered to Inuyasha for a moment before returning his gaze back to her. "Alone."
"Like hell I'm going to allow her to be along with you!" Inuyasha raised his sword, ready to release his wind scar.
"Sit." Kagome stood up from her sleeping bag. Inuyasha kissed the dirt. "Now he's only here to talk. If he wanted to attack, he would have done so earlier. So SIT and be a good boy." Inuyash let out a growl as Sesshomaru turned and walked away from the camp. She followed him aways from the camp, making sure they were out of earshot of both Inuyasha and Shippo.
He stopped and turned towards her. "I have a proposal."
Kagome's eyebrows shot in the air. "I'm listening."
"You are undoubtedly a very powerful priestess whether you realize it or not. You are untrained in controlling and honing your powers. I have a great respect for you priestess and that is why you are the only one I can ask this of."
Kagome blinked as Sesshomaru paused.
"Tell me, what do you plan on doing after Naraku is defeated? Do you plan on living with my half brother and his dead lover?" he suddenly asked.
"Well, I was planning to stick around for a little while before returning home and sealing the well up for good." she said.
"I see." Another pause before he continued. "I, Sesshomaru of The Western Lands, propose that you join me in ruling the Western Lands."
A pregnant pause. Kagome carefully deciphered his words before heat rose to her cheeks. "A-are you asking me to m-m-marry you!?"
"To put it in human terms, you are correct." he nodded his head.
"B-but, why!?"
Sesshomaru let out a sigh. "As I had said before, you are a very powerful priestess. If trained properly then you could prove to be quite the asset to upcoming conflicts. Of course, Rin would need a mother figure as she grows older. She will need a woman to explain the changes her body will go through."
"B-but what about the whole mating thing?"
"I would, of course, mark you as my mate. Other male demons will be unable to pursue you as a potential mate. There has been… talk among some of the higher ranking men about pursuing you as a potential mate." Sesshomaru closed his eyes. "As my mate, you would share my lifespan. Having the Shikon Jewel in your possession, it would be quite dangerous for you to continue endangering your… friends. Sooner or later, another enemy could arise and possibly be an even more threat than the current Naraku. In exchange for you agreeing to my proposal, I will keep your friends safe."
"Okay…." She swallowed thickly. "What about an Heir?" she questioned.
The corners of Sesshomaru's mouth twitched a little. "That can be discussed at a later time."
Kagome nodded. She went over everything she said before making her final decision. "I, the Shikon Miko, has decided to accept your proposal in exchange for the safety of my friends, which include Inuyasha."
"Very well." and the two of them made a blood oath.
(End Flashback)
"I will continue to honor our agreement. Your friend will be kept under my protection." he assured her.
"Thank you Sesshomaru." she gave him another weak smile. "Perhaps, with time, I could have grown to love you, ya know."
Sesshomaru leaned down to place his lips on her forehead. "And I you." he whispered as he tenderly kissed her forehead as the priestess took her last breath. Inuyasha could only watch the exchange between his best friend and bastard half brother.
Sesshomaru gracefully rose to his feet, his eyes never leaving her face. "You deserve a better life than this." he spoke to her dead body. "You deserve to a better life than this. A life where you could have found someone who would truly love you, Kagome. You deserved much better than this hell." his hand wrapped around the hilt of Tenseiga as he approached the slayer and the monk. Any longer and those demons would have been off with their souls. After reviving them, he turned and walked away. "You and your companions are welcomed in my Palace. A room will be set up for you for when you arrive." He threw over his shoulder before disappearing.
That night, everyone mourned for both Kagome and Shippo. Sango and Miroku had awoke a few hours after Sesshomaru's departure. Inuyasha filled them in. Kouga and his tribe stayed in the village a little while longer before returning home. Kikyo had suggested burning her body, along with the shikon, and spreading her ashes so that she may never be revived like Kikyo had. The others seemed to agree.