Prologue: The Ending
Kagome lay on the somewhat uncomfortable floor of Keade's hut. She silently thought about the people she was leaving behind. She was planning to go home for good tomorrow. She didn't want to leave, but she really didn't belong here in the feudal era. She still had a family, and schoolwork to catch up on. She couldn't just forget about the first fifteen years of her life. But then again she couldn't just forget the last three could she?
Kagome turned over in her sleeping bag to look out the small, wooden framed, window at the moon. She stared at the glowing orb of light for minutes. She couldn't seem to tear her eyes from it. It was as if she was in a trance.
She stared at it a moment more before she blinked and thought it reminded her of the Shikon No Tama.
Unconsciously, Kagome reached up to touch the glowing pink sphere that now hung around her neck. Memories came flooding back to her. Memories of the last months with her companions. The battle with Naraku, in which the jewel once again became whole, the day when Sango had a beautiful baby boy with Miroku, and the day Inuyasha had said the three most wonderful words she would ever hear, "I love you".
Kagome's thoughts once again traveled to the battle with Naraku. It was a difficult battle yet not what they had expected.
Flashback" Naraku, show yourself! Come out and fight like a man!" Inuyasha shouted more threats and challenges, but Naraku never showed his face. Kagome stayed behind Inuyasha for protection, although she had a growing feeling she was going to be doing the protecting for now.
She looked around feeling guilty she had left Sango and Miroku to fight Kagura alone. But she couldn't let a mortal Inuyasha fight Naraku. 'That battle would be over before it even started', Kagome thought to herself.
While Inuyasha yelled a bit more, Kagome turned around to see if her friends had caught up yet. Instead of Sango and Miroku she saw a giant tentacle coming straight at Inuyasha and herself!
She jumped on Inuyasha to put him out of the way of danger, as the tentacle whizzed passed both of their heads.
" Th-thanks Kagome." A shocked Inuyasha stuttered. He found his way to his feet and looked around for the source of the weapon. Inuyasha slowly turned around and met the gaze of a baboon pelt. Naraku.
Inuyasha made a disgusted look as he said, " Well Naraku looks like you came to join us after all. Took you long enough." Naraku laughed at Inuyasha for showing himself in his human state and launched another spear-like tentacle at him.
Once again, Inuyasha had dogged it with the greatest of ease. His eyes landed on Kagome. He didn't want her to get hurt. He didn't care if he died tonight but he would kill himself if he let harm come to the girl he loved. "Kagome! Go hide. I don't want you to get hurt!" Inuyasha truly did have feelings for Kagome, and Kagome had feelings for him. They hadn't told each other but they knew how one another felt.
Kagome did as she was told as she watched Inuyasha fight. Her stomach churned. She had to do something or Inuyasha was going to get hurt, and he was in his human form, which made her worry even more. Her eyes darted form one place to another looking for somewhere to go.
Then she saw it. She would wait until Naraku was totally distracted, then she would shoot him with on of her arrows. She would make sure she had a clear shot of his chest. She didn't want it to be like the other times when she had hit an arm or some other appendage and he ended up escaping. It was a brilliant plan if she thought so herself.
Meanwhile…
" Miroku watch out!" Sango shout as she threw her boomerang at Kagura, again. Miroku jumped out of the way as he was directed as the boomerang grazed the wind sorceress arm. Sango went to catch the giant weapon she had thrown but as it came back Kagura intercepted it.
Sango stood in front of demon waiting for the right moment to retrieve the weapon, and she took a step forward Kagura broke her hiraikotsu in half.
Sango gasped, and reached for the sword that hung loosely at her side. " You will pay for that!" Threatened the demon slayer. She lunged forward to attack but was held back by a force. She looked back to see Miroku's hand firmly grasping her shoulder.
" Listen." He instructed. Sango stopped but heard nothing. All the heard was the trio's breathing then a scream pierced the moment's tranquility. Her eyes widened.
"That was Kagome!" She realized. " She's in trouble!" Sango sheathed her sword and ran in the direction of the miko's distress.
Back with Inuyasha…
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's concerned voice rattled with fear as she rushed to the now bleeding human's side. Inuyasha crouched holding his right arm, which held a gash from a razor sharp tentacle. Kagome kneeled to inspect the damage of the wound.
Inuyasha cringed when Kagome gently took his arm. "Heh, this is nothing but a scratch, Kagome." Inuyasha laughed.
"Maybe for a demon it is, but you're human tonight Inuyasha and you're ganna hurt yourself. And I can't watch you fight anymore. I have to help."
Kagome stood and looked at Naraku with a look of pure hate. Her eyes flashed with anger. Kagome slowly reached for an arrow as she spoke. "Naraku, I despise you. I loathe everything about you. You are a truly despicable man, and you give demons a bad name." Kagome spoke in a low, slow voice, enunciating as she went on. "I'm tired of having to fight you. I'm tired of looking at you, I'm tired of hearing your voice, and most of all I'm tired of you hurting the people around me." Kagome pulled the arrow back but didn't let go. She took a dramatic pause and went on. "They are kind, innocent people who had wonderful families and careers ahead of them and you took those futures away." Kagome released the arrow and watched it fly. " So now I'll take yours!" She bellowed as she watched the arrow grow a pink light around it. She waited, anticipated the arrows contact with Naraku's unworthy body. She knew this kind of death was too good for him but it was what she could do.
Sango and Miroku ran through the gates of the castle just in time to see pink light over take Naraku's body. There was no sound, no movement. No one dared breath until the light dissipated, leaving a pile of tainted jewel shards on the ground.
End FlashbackKagome smiled remembering how afterwards Inuyasha had flung his good arm around her thanking her for what she had done, and when he backed away from her she saw tears rolled freely down his dirty face. She had asked, ' "Why do you cry Inuyasha?" And he responded, "The Nightmare is over."
It once again brought tears to her eyes. It was only a short time after that they learned of Sango and Miroku's expectancy. Kagome had promised Sango she wouldn't leave for home until after the baby was born. And Kagome, true to her word, had stayed.
But now that the baby was here, a boy named Kie, and Kagome had no reason to stay. She knew she had to go home. Her family eagerly awaited her return. As did her friends and school.
Kagome gracefully and quietly got up to find her way outside. She exited the hut and headed for Inuyasha's forest. It wasn't long before she reached a large tree with a mark resembling a scare on its trunk. She ran her fingers over the tree's rough, aged bark. She pulled away to admire its beauty when a sound startled her from behind.
She turned to see a boy with silver hair and dog-ears. Kagome smiled at the sight of him. "What are you doing up?" She gingerly walked over to him and laid her hands on his chest.
"I should be asking you the same question." He looked at her intently. "Why are you up anyways? I thought I wore you out tonight. I know I was tired after all of that." She looked away and blushed. This was the night that she had given him her innocence, as he had given her, his as well. She decided to change the subject. But before she got the chance Inuyasha did.
"I don't want you to leave, Kagome. I don't know why you have to anyway!" Kagome broke the hold he had on her and walked back over to the God tree.
"I'm leaving because my family needs me. And I want to graduate high school." She informed him. Kagome turned around to look at the hanyou. He looked as if he about to cry. But Kagome knew better then that. It took a lot to make Inuyasha cry.
"Kagome, you know I love you, right?" The girl nodded still leaning on the old god tree. "Then let me ask you something." He walked up to her and held her face in his hands, smoothing her skin with his thumbs. "Is this really what you want? To live back there, without Sango, Miroku, and me? "
Kagome looked deep in thought for a long time, carefully weighing the pros and cons of the situation. She finally decided. " Yes, this is what I want."
"Then far be it from me to stop you." Inuyasha turned around hastily, almost tripping in the process.
"Inuyasha, wait." Kagome reached out a gentle hand to stop him, but he was out of reach. "Don't act like this," She urged. She already felt bad enough about leaving. She didn't need his attitude to make her feel guilty.
Inuyasha stopped. He didn't move anything but his head. He turned it lightly to the side and said, "I'm not acting like anything. I just want you to be happy, that's all." Then he slowly walked away.
Kagome sighed. When she wanted to change the subject, she didn't want it to be like this. The girl sat at the base of the tree. She knew Inuyasha wasn't mad at her; this was just his way of dealing with grief. She rested her head on the tree trunk behind her, slowly closing her eyes. That's how she stayed for the rest of the night. Drifting between the dream world and reality, letting the sounds of the dark soothe her.
000
The next day, Kagome sat on the lip of the well saying sorrowful good-byes. She looked around at everybody, taking in and preserving their image for she would never see them again. She noted the change in everybody. Miroku's loyalty, Sango's outlook on life, and Inuyasha's attitude had majorly improved. She smiled at the thought of some of they ways she might have change over the last three years.
Sango took a step forward, the baby, Kie, pressed lightly on her chest. She had tears in her eyes. "Kagome I have always thought of you as a sister to me and after loosing Kohaku this is very hard. " Kagome remembered finding Kohaku's lifeless body inside Naraku's castle. Sango hadn't cried which she though was terribly brave of Sango, but then she remembered Sango's remark. "Today my little brother's soul is set free. His spirit died long ago." And it was true. The Kohaku that Sango knew and loved died the instant Naraku took over him.
Kagome's thoughts were interrupted by Sango's voice. "It's going to be tough without you here. I'll miss you dearly, Kagome and I'll never, never forget you." The young demon slayer gave Kagome a tight squeeze without trying to smash the sleeping infant in her arms. Sango fought off hysteria with difficulty as she watched he husband approach the miko next.
"Kagome you have taught each and everyone of us something of great importance and have made a lasting impression on all of our lives. Your presence will truly be missed." Miroku concluded and gave her a gentle embrace; one a good friend would give to another. Yes he truly has changed, Kagome thought.
Kagome was finding it harder and harder not to cry with each word her friends said. She wasn't sure if she could make it without crying.
Inuyasha slowly walked toward the woman who was leaving him. He wanted her to be happy and if this was the only way, then so be it. He just couldn't help but feel a little betrayed.
He now stood in front of her, gazing deeply into her soft eyes. The sparkle of tears almost made them seem mystical. Kami, how he was going to miss those eyes.
Kagome took a deep breath as though to control her emotions. Inuyasha stood in front of her; his face as hard as stone. She reached her hand up to touch his face, and right as her skin made contact with his he melted. His eyes became soft and his muscles relaxed.
"Are you sure you don't want your wish?" She asked for the millionth time. She had reabsorbed the jewel about a month ago.
"I'm sure," he replied. "I'm to strong as a demon and to weak as a human. I'm fine the way I am." He has sounded so informative and so sure of himself. It made Kagome very proud.
"I'm glad you finally see what I see, Inuyasha. I love you just the way you are. I don't think I could love you any more if you were all demon or all human." She smiled slightly, cocked her head a bit, and took her hand off of his face.
Inuyasha guided her into a light kiss by taking her chin; it didn't last long before Kagome broke away and looked at him somewhat angrily.
"Inuyasha if this is your way of trying to get me to stay, it's not going to work."
"Damn, woman."
"Inuyasha, please don't make this harder than it already is. It's for the best. Okay?" She was struggling not to cry. The tears burned her eyes but she let only one escape.
Inuyasha used his thumb to wipe the tear away. "Is it really?" Deep down he knew she wanted to stay and there was no doubt that he wanted her to stay.
"Inuyasha please! You're making this very hard! I love you. Let's just leave it at that!" With the final words she pulled him into a very deep, very passionate kiss. She poured every ounce of emotion she had into that one single kiss. She made sure that he knew that she loved with all of her heart and soul. When she pulled away, she stepped backward until she felt the lip of the well on the back of her legs, and sat down. She took one last look as each one of her friends one last time. Tears found their way to her cheeks. She hadn't realized how hard leaving would be. Then she blew Inuyasha a kiss and fell backwards into the black nothingness of the bone eaters well.