Reluctant Passion

-Chapter One-

~ Remembrance ~

' It is said when the soul feels timid towards another, their may be a valid reason for its choosing against gaining the closeness it once had toward it in another life upon a chance meeting in another, for the scars it still bears in consequence of it , even though neither have any recollection of it .. Still the soul carries the emotions that were at one time tied to them , ever since they parted from each others side, within the last time , they met..'

~The Feudal Era~

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Inuyasha , and Kagome, traveled alongside Kirara towards the last fragment of the shikon jewel , and along with it was the inevitable meeting with the vile hanyou, their enemy Naraku.. It had been several days since any other sights of demons were encountered , and this was no doubt putting strain on all of them as to the possible reasons why, but deep down they knew, it was their enemy being the cause. This piece of information placed all of them on edge slightly , knowing that the day they waited for would soon come to pass, and although it was one desired , but it also brought fear they may not survive with or without completing the task they came for.

All was fairly quiet between them , not much to be said after the night before, as after the discovery was made once a large piece of the jewel was obtained over the past , even though now it was in Naraku's hands , curteously from Kikyo , and now with only needing one left they knew where it may be Naraku was sure to follow. Now that their path had been set along the way soon joined them with Kouga's clan ,and Inuyasha's brother Sesshomeru. Once Kagome's keen senses picked up the trail of where the last one hid , the group set of towards the ever growing darkness ebbing off the tainted larger part reaching out for the final pure shard , and Naraku's evil presence almost overpowering it all.

Once they had made it within the spot curiously within Inuyasha's forest , and even more so with a little forced assistance from the hanyou in the group for the assurance of Kagome's safety , as Naraku had her now within his possesion, as well as threntening her life unless Inuyasha retrieved the shard within the well's abyss. The hanyou spared no time in leaping in , ignoring the gasps of the others, until the shard and himself was back on the other side to find the cause. Although it was too late because the same tenticle that plunged through Kagome's flesh had quickly snagged the shard from the hanyous grasp on the way back to its master Naraku.

Kagome lay their collasped on the ground with her eyes fading with the life carried by her soul in this life , while the others declared war upon their enemy , and Kirara with Shippo's help dragged Kagome's body to safety. Over time through Kagome's eyes everything began to blurr as the memories held within this life began to play itself out through the glimmer of dying speckled lights started to dim within the corners of her eyes. No longer was she seeing what was occuring in the present , but the vivid pictures of the past , and the ones specifically involving them , her family , with the loves of the feudal era. Some were happy , others brought pain, but one lingered within her mind for the longest time , and in the end was her friend , only closest confort as she past on.

~For Kagome could now let herself go without any regrets , even if Inuyasha didn't , at least that she died knowing that Kagome did in fact love the hanyou , very much..~

It was the one night , which they thought would be their last , and one they chose to speak what needed to be said unless none of them came out of this alive..

~A Night Of Letting Go~

"Inu.. Yasha ?"

" Ye.. Yes Kagome? Is something wrong..?"

" Nothing's wrong Inu Yasha .. I just .. I mean I wanted ..No I need to tell you something before the time may pass where I may not be able to , Iwe may not live through this.."

"Kagome , don't say that ! You will be alive and well after this I promise you over my dead body I will let you die .. " Inuyasha spat loudly without knowing particularly why this affected him so , as the pain in his chest sprung forth painfully spuring inside him before Kagome interupted , and bringing his attention back to the girl in front of him

" Wait , please ! Just hear me out , none of us know what this end of things may bring , and because of this let me just say it regardless so I won't have to later.. You don't owe me anything , Inuyasha, but I do need to say this one thing , and then I will leave you alone..."Kagome cried

" Whatever! Keh.. Well spit it out then already wench!"

" I need you to know that even though you may not share my feelings but .. I love you , I always had , and in the end I only want your happiness Inuyasha.. I do hope once this is over that I will able to see that you get it! That's all .. Goodnight Inuyasha..." Kagome whispered loudly knowing that the hanyou would hear but wanted to make sure it stayed just where it belonged with them , because she knew hid heart belonged with someone else..

Kikyo.

Though what she didn't hear or see because her eyes where now facing the ground through it all and only looked quickly at him afterwards before saying farewell, missed the opportunity of his hilarious reaction to her confession.. His mouth kept moving like it was a fly trap looking for its next ,meal , but he was only trying to speak .Say one word to her as she turned and walked away , almost in fear to his response to what she said . Once she was only a blurr in the dark , his gaping expression relaxed a little that he was able to finally say one word, and it was that of the girl's name..

"Kagome..."

Once the hanyou followed her path to where the others were before loosing his nerve to say what he needed to as well to her , and the others in the group , Inuyasha was disapointed to find that both ,Kagome joining with Sango left to go to the nearby springs.

~ On The Outside ~

The battle raged on in great explosions searing with enormous power , but so was the casualties once the final stand was also great. Sesshomeru, Inuyasha , Kouga , and Kikyo were the last of the survivors opposing the enemy , leaving the others dead or bleeding to death on the cold , harsh grounds. Scattered remains of their comrades bodies to where you couldn't see where the ground ever started and where the courspe's began , because within sight, there was no ground only a vast sea of bodies.

Kikyo, now with the Shikon Jewel clasped within her fingers, thrown from one of Naraku's severed body parts before he could retrieve it, began the task of purifing it, while the others still fought to destroy the bastard. A piecing scream came from the spot that Naraku stood, and as Kagome was now at the ground at his feet , with her arms wrapping around him , a barrier also formed around them as well, while Shippo , and Kirara worriedly watched , wondering if their decision to help her was the right one..

The light filled the area , almost blindingly, as Naraku fough against it's captor , because it's purity emersing him , was also eating him alive, and whole. Suddenly a burst of light shot from it , then disappearing quickly as it came , only leaving the dust carried by the gentle winds as though it was merely falling leaves in the fall, but with some fragments of colored specks of green white and blue within it, they knew amongst it also brought the remains of Kagome , and Naraku. Inuyasha stood there in shock and denial as he continued watching things play out , as though it was just a dream , a nightmare he could't presently wake from.

It was until , unbeknownst to him, himself , Inuyasha's eyes final settled on one of the chosen hues his once hanyou eyes flickered between , and instead of landing on which was a tell tale of the hanyou they loved decided on the much sinister intent of the bloody crimson, and was glaring intently on the others still standing , watching him. Soon as the bloodlust took over in the creature's grief , complete , and utter madness took over in its wake , making everyone appear as a threat. With one swipe , and a quick leap struck down the priestess Kikyo , with no possible way to bring her back , since he tore the soul collectors with those same claws until the no longer existed in any form. The same fate was bestowed on Kouga quartered , and thrown into carelessly thrown sections as the demon within , and assuming control at the moment grew ever more excited over the amounts of blood caking into his fingertips, down the flesh of his..

Thrilled with maniacal glee , as his craving for blood only heightened , and turned towards his brother Sesshomaru, only to him it wasn't him ,or else his joy would be doubled, actually to him was just another demon like Naraku, and who in the end was also at fault for his loss of his lifemate, Kagome. Though once Inuyasha 's body felt the tremors from something piercing deeply within his chest, and his eyes began to fade to his normal amber, the hanyou discovered in fact the demon had missed in predicting the ations of his brother, and his sorrows were once again returned to him , as he gasped..

" A ri ga to u ... Otouto , Onegai" ( Thankyou.. Brother, Sorry..)Inuyasha gasped as his brother , Sesshomeru nodded and laid him to the ground..

" Ja'ne chiisai Otouto" ( Farewell Little Brother) Sesshomeru spoken softly before walking away

Inuyasha through knowingly couldn't move his body but searched with his eyes until his sight fell on lingering green shred of cloth currently being tossed overhead by the light wind's breeze . Looking at it slightly , making his voice be known , to say the words , he longed to find to speak to her for so long , and now it was too late , at least until he'd find her again..

" Onegai Kagome , Aishiteru ..Watashi wa mōichido, mōichido anata o mitsukeru koto o o yakusoku shimasu" ( Sorry Kagome, I love you.. I promise you to find you again once more)

~ Same Soul , Different Path's ,Meet Once More~

Shaken awake from sleep , hearing those same words that haunted her for quite some time , and not that those words were anything but devoting in the love spoken within them, but for some reason it also brought on fear for the now 27 year old woman.

" Onegai Kagome , Aishiteru ..Watashi wa mōichido, mōichido anata o mitsukeru koto o o yakusoku shimasu" Chanted softly within her mind repeatively like a mantra

Never had she found out whom this Kagome was , or even if if was purely for the sake of her imagination within her dream that it suddenly made up this so called girl , but something told her it wasn't that easy, as nothing in her life was. Sure she was a good student, got good grades , and for the most part hung around with her small pack of friends , had a good job, but that was just it she shied away from getting to close to anyone . The only ones that she allowed were those that were forcefully introduced as children by their parents, and that was it, anyone else was shut out.

Finally giving up on being able to go to sleep , seeing it was about time to start her day , rose from her bed , and then gathering her things , heading towards the shower. Afterwards fetching a quick cup of coffee to take with her, and a muffin to eat on the way, the woman headed towards the subway. Once on , finding no where to sit she stood , and awaited for the already tediously painful trip to work to finally end. Though today her day was only started to begin, as she came to noticed the subway train suddenly was forced to stop in a screaming hault . Thrown back aways with her coffee now abandoned , spilled on everywhere it reached , being tossed as well, and finding herself now on the floor on top of another , a male to be exact..

Once his voice spoken over the chaos , when he assisted to right them upon their feet , and their eyes met , something passed between them as soon as the moment came.

" Ah Um , Let me help you .. Are you alright?" the voice softly spoken brought back words spoken a long time ago , lasting for a lifetime :

" Onegai Kagome , Aishiteru ..Watashi wa mōichido, mōichido anata o mitsukeru koto o o yakusoku shimasu"

" Oh , you didn't have too but thankyou..I am fine.. I must be going now .. "the woman frantically said while hurrying to the front as the subway car began once again to move

Watching her walk away , gave way something within his mind , flickering , teasing , as to what the brief meeting with the wench was about , and why did he feel strong foreign feelings for the stranger he hardly knew , as though he knew her for a time, even loved her, but he knew it was impossible . Though it was something he couldn't readily ignore either so the man decided to do the only thing he could think of , get close to her , and if nothing else fails follow her around until anything clicked as to who she was.

The woman looked back to find the man still peering at her in a unknowingly familar scowl , as though from her the man sought something just by looking throught her eyes, it was something she didn't quite like. Hopefully at the next stop she could just leave , and go away , never see that gaze upon her again, for it scared her as it might , could mean , but unfortunately it wan't what the male looking at her had in mind...

TBC...