A one shot I wrote for a Live Journal contest

Title: Kagome's Decision
Author: KittyB78
Rating: T
Word Count: 529

Character(s): Kagome/Inuyasha/Kikyo
Summary: Kagome watches Inuyasha and Kikyo together.

Kagome watched from behind a tree as Inuyasha and Kikyo shared a warm embrace. 'Don't Inuyasha,' She wanted to cry out to him, but the words dies in her throat. Her nails bit into the bark of the tree and her jaw tensed as she watched the lovers kiss each other passionately.

As much as she wanted to look away, she just couldn't. Something made her watch as they held each other tenderly. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip. It was as if her feet were rooted in place. They simply refused to obey her command to move.

She caught them tearing at each others clothes before tears blurred her vision. Her heart squeezed painfully in her chest. Her hand pressed tightly to her lips to muffle her agonized whimper. 'Not again.'

She shoved her hands over her ears trying to drown out the chorus of their moans. Tears continued to flow down her cheeks. 'Why? Why am I not good enough for you, Inuyasha?'

Finally able to move Kagome spun on her heel and ran away as fast as her legs would carry her. Her arms blocked most of the branches that tried to slap her in the face. Other branches tore at her clothes and legs but she didn't care.

All she felt was a consuming sadness and anger. 'Damn. Why did I have to fall for someone who will never return my feelings?' Adrenaline gave her a boost in speed and she raced through the woods to wherever her feet would lead her.

Her legs burned and her lungs felt like they were going to burst. But none of that compared to the pain inside her heart as it shattered into millions of pieces.

She fell to her knees and dug her nails through the dirt and grass. 'Why must I be second best?' Her hands balled into fists and pummeled the ground. "Why?" she cried over and over. Her shoulders shook with the intensity of her sobs.

She thought back to all she had stood by him through and sighed heavily. 'I can't leave him, no matter how much it hurts.' Her chin quivered. 'Kikyo will always be first in his life. I know that now. But still, I can't leave.'

She wiped her tears away with a shaky hand and then hugged her knees to her chest. 'I can still be Inuyasha's friend, but I will have to find someone else to love romantically.'

She sighed deeply and stared up at the sky. 'Someday I will find a man who will return my feelings and put me first in his life.' Her hand settled over her heart and she took a deep breath. 'Until then I just have to hang in there.'

She took a deep breath and released her legs, lounging back on the grass. Her fingers absentmindedly plucked a blade of grass and began twirling it. 'He's out there somewhere looking for me too. I just have to be patient until we find each other.'

She stared up and the sky and a sad smile crossed her lips. 'Be happy with Kikyo, Inuyasha.' She released the blade of grass and watched as it was carried away by a gust of wind.