Chapter Three

Kagome stood before the person she was reincarnated from, scared about the things that were so close to happening if the Shikon jewel was placed in her possession. Who knew what Kikyou might wish for?

Everything was going so fast that no one could comprehend what was happening before his or her eyes. Sango and Miroku had began clutching each other in sheer terror and Inuyasha stood, rooted to the spot, afraid that Kikyou would blast Kagome into oblivion if she stepped any closer to her. He had to force himself not to move, or else he might cause Kagome much unwanted pain and she didn't deserve that.

Kagome's head was down and more tears slid down her cheeks. The Shikon jewel was pulsing violently in her hand and she knew then what she had to do. She breathed in, expanding her lungs and then exhaled a painful bit of air. The heartache that was going through her blood now was the most pain she's ever been in her life, and she knew that she didn't belong here. This was Kikyou's time. Kagome's time was in the future, as Kikyou's reincarnation. They both knew that they could not stay in the same world together. It just wasn't right.

Kikyou stood before Kagome, watching her battle internally with herself, eyes full of pain. Her anger for Inuyasha still ran through her blood, but she did love him as much as this Kagome girl did. They both understood each other's heartache, even though they loathed each other. All the pain in the world coursed through the two priestesses, physical and emotional. Both loved the man behind them, but they knew only one could have him.

Kikyou's dark eyes began shinning over with muddy tears. Her clay body wasn't going to hold out much longer, but the soul that resided inside her was enough to keep her going. Everything was sad today, but not much longer and she would be reunited with her love in death and everything would be fine again.

Kagome raised her head to meet with Kikyou's gaze, and the moment they set eyes on eyes, deep anger and hatred disintegrated like evanescence in the wind. Kagome outstretched her hand and allowed Kikyou to take it.

Kikyou grabbed hold of the tiny purple ball and held it in her palm. It began to pulse like a heartbeat and when she closed her hand around it, everything, anger and hatred, seemed to fall apart and a warm feeling filled her tired muddy corpse.

Kagome stepped back once and watched Kikyou's face contort into a happy feeling. But it seemed that the moment the Shikon jewel left her hand, all sadness filled her blood-ridden veins and everything seemed to crash down on her. She shook violently while liquid ice filled her body like an avalanche rolling down a steep hill. The warm night sky seemed to suddenly freeze over everyone and nothing was safe from Kikyou's wrath, until Kikyou looked up from the jewel in her hand to face Kagome one last time.

"You give this to me, even though I tried to ride myself of you for years now?"

Kagome let a low sob escape her mouth and she nodded. "You have the jewel now. It belonged to you first and it belongs to you now."

Kikyou's body soon began to fill with the same ice feeling as Kagome. All the happiness that she had felt just moment before were flushed from her body faster than the speed of light, leaving her with the same sadness. Her eyes began to leak muddy tears once again and she clutched the innocent jewel to her breast as if it were the most precious thing in existence. Her voice called out to Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha! Why did you not wish on it? Why are you not human or full demon?"

Inuyasha looked at Kikyou with emotionless eyes. The gold shimmered and twinkled while the moonlight hit his downcast face. "I like myself they way I am. Demons and humans may not accept me, but I am accepted by my true friends. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and my adopted son, Shippou."

Just out from behind Inuyasha, a small cry was heard. It was Shippou. His little hands were pressed onto his face and his crying could be heard for miles. Inuyasha smiled weakly at the little kit and turned to picked him up, giving him a gently hug and walking over to Kagome. "Hey runt, don't worry. Kagome will watch over you. She's your mother, you know?"

Shippou sobbed but nodded his head sadly. Kagome took him from Inuyasha and held him securely to her chest. Her eyes moved back to Kikyou. "Whatever you wish for, Kikyou, don't take my son from me. I can't live without him." Shippou clung to the front of Kagome's shirt and cried silently. Kagome hugged him ever tighter.

Kikyou watched the mother and son embrace each other and she nodded. Nothing would separate them. She knew because she'd always wanted to have a son of her own. She couldn't take that away even if she wanted too.

"You love him like a son, so you shall have him as a son." Kikyou may have sounded angry, but everyone knew she wasn't.

Sango tried to go over to Kagome and comfort her, but Miroku stopped her in her tracks, wrapping the weeping woman in his arms. Sango fought him weakly but she gave in and buried her head in his chest and cried heavily waiting for her best friend in the world to be blasted away forever, and not being able to do anything about it.

Inuyasha watched Kagome and Shippou hold each other for dear life and he wanted to tear his heart out at seeing them hurt like this. Kikyou watching him watch them in sympathy. She knew then, what wish she wanted to grant from the jewel. It wasn't going to be easy, but she knew she had to do it, for herself and Inuyasha's sake as well as his friends.

Kikyou clutched the jewel tightly watching Inuyasha standing there, waiting for her to make her wish. She motioned Inuyasha to come to her and he did, without hesitation. He now knew his fate and would accept it, to make his Kikyou rest in peace.

Inuyasha stopped just before Kikyou and reached out to embrace her. He held her fiercely, trying to block out the sounds of his weeping friends. He leaned down to Kikyou's ear and whispered sadly to her, "Do what you have to do. I am ready." His head buried in her shoulder and Kikyou wrapped her arms around him as well. She firmly squeezed the Shikon jewel and she let her wish run through her mind.

Sango and Miroku closed their eyes tightly, afraid to watch the whole thing happen before their eyes. A warm heat moved through their bodies and in an instant, they were gone.

Kagome and Shippou held each other tighter as they watched their friends disappear. The ground beneath their feet began to quake and the earth opened up all of a sudden. They were consumed by the fires of hell and brought into a warm purple light of home.

Just as Kagome and Shippou fell into the earth and clay, Inuyasha and Kikyou's bodies fell deep into the flames of hells fire and were then embraced by white lights. Hell had denied then entrance and Heaven accepted them with opened arms. As their embrace let go, Inuyasha looked down upon the earth from the breeze and whispered into the wind. "I will always love you, Kagome..."