As promised, all shall be explained in this chapter! Hopefully, you guys will forgive me for not updating sooner (been moving again). So, here you go!
--
Inuyasha raised his head slowly and turned toward the other villagers going about their merry way. Why did everything suddenly look so much darker to him? A sudden pulse at his hip refocused his attention on the steel cleaving fang at his side, watching in confusion as it began to rattle violently from within its sheath, demanding to be released from its casings. "Tetsusaiga…?" He breathed out in confusion. He pulled it out of its scabbard, though much to his shock, the Black Tetsusaiga was what greeted him. "I don't understand…" he muttered, gasping in surprise as the fang lurched forward, trembling greatly in his hands as he stumbled to compose himself. "What's going on…?" before he was able to finish his train of thought, a speck of light shone brilliantly in the distance, in the direction Tetsusaiga was still urging its master to go.
At first, he questioned why Tetsusaiga would demand a meidou to appear here and now; and it's not like he was still in the meidou Kagome had been sucked into-
…on second thought…
Slowly, the pieces were lining up; Kagome's acting out of character, the shape-shifter taking his mother's form and saying those things, the villagers and his friends all oblivious to how Kagome vanished, the disappearing well, the girl's hand going through the wood…
…he WAS still in the meidou!
As if to confirm this, his father's heirloom gave another demanding jerk toward the speck of light in the distance. The pain he had endured for three days morphed into pure blind rage at the thought that Kagome –the real one- was still somewhere in the same meidou, being put through Kamis knew what, and he had been sitting here, falling for the jewel's tricks completely and inarguably.
Tetsusaiga began to tremble from more than just its own doing at this point, even as he poised the sword high into the air, the blade was noticeably quivering, as was its wielder. Even as he charged into the meidou rip he had created, his thoughts were focused once more on finding Kagome, and keeping her safe as he had promised to.
He nearly stumbled when he landed right before a teary-eyed, clearly equally as shocked Kagome. The poor girl was trembling almost to the point of uncontrollable, clearly upset at whatever had taken place in his absence. "Inuyasha…I…" she whispered, stepping forward gingerly, as if to test his existence, to see if he was truly there. Apparently satisfied that it was indeed him, she wrapped her arms wholly around him and practically sagged against him, emotionally spent. His free arm didn't hesitate to wrap around her and clutch her against him as he rested his head against hers, his weary eyes eclipsed from his lids in relief. "I wanted to be with you…" he heard her murmur against the fabric of his kimono. Not very good with words (much less expressions) he settled for pulling her a bit closer and nuzzling her hair a bit.
She turned in his arms (though never entirely left them) and spoke out to the jewel hovering before them. "I know what to wish for now. Shikon-no-Tama, disappear!" She cried, her voice echoing with surety and valor. Both teens couldn't keep the victory out of their spirits as the jewel, that one sole object of solidified pain, suffering, and anguish, gave off one last weak glint of malice before crumbling into a useless pile of something that once was, something that could never be ever again.
Another few moments of silence later, Inuyasha was the one to hesitantly speak, almost as if he were afraid that should he utter a word, the jewel would reassemble itself, "We need to get out of here," she nodded, stepping back from him and looking up at him with a sheepish smile.
"You lead the way," he nodded, slipping his hand over hers, giving her a tug as a signal to follow him. She said nothing, only continued behind him as they aimlessly walked on into the abyss.
Never had either of them imagined their victory would be so silent, so ominous as the one they had achieved; the quiet that surrounded them was thicker than any fog, heavier than any emotional burden, and more frightening than any number of demons the pair could recall on the adventure leading up to this moment.
Exactly how long they were walking in the emptiness, neither could be certain, but their feet had miraculously carried them to a distant light, reminiscent of the "light at the end of the tunnel" that death had always been described as. Not knowing any other way they could possibly go, they continued to follow the beacon ahead of them. This orb of pure white abyss eventually rushed up to meet them, consume them, and ultimately, take them away from that hell that was once the domain of the Sacred Jewel.
One may imagine the pair's shock when they were greeted with the sight of Kagome's family in the well house, all in tears as they frantically called out to Kagome, unable to see her, their concern obvious as day. Unable to handle seeing her family suffering any further, Kagome immediately rushed over to them, letting go of Inuyasha's hand as she did so. No sooner than she had, her mother looked up in time to see her daughter kneel before her already kneeling self and embrace her.
The looks of relief on the family's faces were not missed by the hanyou observing them.
He stared at the reunited family in shock, then back at the neglected hand Kagome had let go of, then back at Kagome's family. He suddenly had never felt so alone in the world, so empty, so completely and totally isolated than when he stood there, one foot in each world, as he watched the woman of his dreams let go of him. He looked back at the group of them, so happy together, so relieved…
…and he was the outsider looking in once more.
He did not blame them at all; how could he, when he had been just as worried as Kagome? Nor could he put the blame on Kagome; what reason would he have when she truly did not know if she would ever see them again? It was then, in that moment, that he knew the blame could be passed to no one but him.
If he hadn't kept Kagome away from them so much, they wouldn't have worried. If he hadn't been so incredibly cold, so callous to Kagome, she wouldn't be so glad to be rid of him. If he had been a bit more open, a bit more understanding, she wouldn't have blamed him for acting the way he did. If he hadn't picked so many meaningless fights with her, she wouldn't want to get away from him so much.
If he had loved her the way he wanted to, she might not have left so eagerly.
But that was far too many 'ifs,' far too many mistakes, far too many chances he had turned away because of his own fears, because of his incapability to act human, if only a little. And now Kagome had let him go, silently, and chosen this world over his.
Again, he couldn't really blame her.
He turned, fully prepared to give her what she deserved- her life back. He figured a silent goodbye would be a bit easier…albeit he would be throwing away his last chance to make things right, so show her how much she mattered…
Another 'if.'
"Inuyasha…?" His fists clenched as hesitation pulled at him when she called out questioningly at him. 'Don't turn around,' his mind begged him. 'If you have to look at her, and tell her goodbye to her face, you'll never be able to leave, you'll never be able to make her happy…not that you ever could…' Really, she was just better off without him. He swallowed hard but remained steadfast in his decision. Though his heart would never be whole again, though he would never be able to smile without her, though he would never be complete with her absence, and though he would never be able to move on…
…he left her.