Inuyasha drifted in and out of consciousness for a while. His head throbbed, and every muscle in his body screamed with the even the thought of moving. The taste of dirt and that corrosive black power filled his mouth, but he made no move to do anything about it. He was not gravely injured mind his pride, his heart, and the bruise throbbing on his chest, but all of the determination and ambition had left him. He was vaguely aware of voices coming from where Kagome and Sesshomaru had been, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. He drifted back out of consciousness, into the sweet dark arms of oblivion.

Kagome filled his mind. Smiling, laughing, crying, yelling. She was everywhere, and she was nowhere. Then she stood before him, her ethereal lips brushing against his so lightly, but when he reached to pull her closer in she had disappeared just out of sight. He followed her scent, expecting her to be waiting for him somewhere in the darkness, but there was only her scent.

He heard her laugh, but something was off. He ran towards the sound and found Sango lying on the ground, blood bubbling from her mouth as she tried to speak. He knelt down next to her and gathered her in his arms, looking for the source of her injuries, but there was no wound to explain the pool of blood she lay in.

'Inu…yasha…you have to save…Kagome. Kill…him…" She choked out, drawing in a final wracking breath. Her body stilled, the light gone from her eyes and she faded away into blackness as well. Inuyasha's arms went limp with nothing left of the slayer to hold. He heard her laughter again, now placing why it was wrong in his memory. She was laughing with that same cruelty that poisoned her every word right before she betrayed him.

'SANGO! KAGOME?' He ran, groping in the darkness for something, anything. It constricted around him like a cage and panic infected his mind.

'KAGOME!' He screamed, tearing through the darkness. And then she was there smirking at him and piercing his soul with those terrible eyes. Sesshomaru stood behind her, a victorious sneer on his lips. Kagome's smirk twisted into a contended one as she leaned against the chest of his half-brother, but her voice was laced with acid as she addressed him.

'Why are you here? I don't need you anymore. I found someone who can take care of me. He's everything you've always wanted to become and what you'll never be. Go away, Inuyasha. You're not wanted here.'

Sesshomaru put an arm around her, and they turned away. Inuyasha was seething with rage and hurt.

'I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU, SESSHOMARU.' The darkness got tighter and tighter until there was nothing but black.

He opened his glowing crimson eyes and saw Sesshomaru. Nothing else processed but the absolute need to end him and to destroy every trace that he had ever walked this earth.


"Come now, girl. Don't be dramatic." Sesshomaru hissed. Her request had taken him completely aback, and the sacrifice she was willing to make to save innocent lives from her own weakness pulled at something buried deep within him. More than anything though, he was angry she had elicited such a strong reaction from him with only two words.

"While that's very noble of you, if you die before we seal that power to you, then it will be unleashed all over again. The effort of thousands of years of suppressing this evil will be for naught." Totosai raised his eyes to the demon lord. "But she is right. She will not make it on her own. You are the only one with enough power to even hope to control her." Totosai's voice instantly snapped him out of his stupor, and he glared at the other demon.

"She is not this Sesshomaru's responsibility." Sesshomaru heard her snicker. Black pools met golden orbs, glowing with a triumphant light at the concept of the possible freedom.

"That's right, Sesshomaru," she purred, "I am not. I'll find my own way." she giggled darkly.

"Hn." His eyes raked her body with his usual contemptuous expression. Totosai was trying to burn holes in Sesshomaru with his gaze, realizing the decision that he had made.

'No, don't let me leave. Please, I'm begging you. I'm lying. I'll hurt people.' Kagome tried to scream at him, but the words never left her mouth. The shifting of power set the back of her neck tingling, and it took her a moment to realize that it was not her power that she was feeling. Three things happened at once, Sesshomaru turned on heel to leave her to her own devices, Inuyasha sent Wind Scar ripping towards Sesshomaru, and it felt like time slowed around Kagome as pure instinct willed her body into motion. She flung herself in front of the youkai lord glimpsing the first true expression of shock she had ever seen on his face as her power surged forth, forming a barrier around the two of them as the chaos of the Wind Scar raged around them.

'She's…protecting me…' Where her purity had burned him before, this felt like warm waves washing over him. She gave him a pleading look before her face contorted in pain, and the pink energy shielding them flickered and then disappeared completely. The rage of the attack sent her flying into him, barreling him over onto his back. The ferocious winds finally died down, and Sesshomaru looked around. Totosai was already on his cow speeding away.

"WHY ARE ALL OF YOU TRYING TO KILL ME? WHAT THE HELL. MYOGA, LET'S GO... Myoga? YOU COWARD. WHEN I FIND YOU..." His threats faded off as he and his cow flew out of earshot.

'Idiots.' He watched them leave with contempt in his eyes, and then looked down at the girl lying next to him. Deep scores in her back spilled her blood into the torn earth. She whimpered as she moved to sit up, but her eyes were their normal deep brown as she looked over at him.

"I'm glad…you're okay." She gave him a little half smile. He resisted the urge to bear his fangs at her.

"That was unnecessary, wench," he snarled, but she had no time to respond.

"I'LL KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD." Inuyasha came leaping through the clearing dust, his eyes as red as blood.

"SIT BOY!" He slammed to the earth. Sesshomaru moved to him so quickly he was just a blur of white before Inuyasha was dangling a foot off the ground by his neck.

"Sesshomaru, stop!" Kagome choked out. Inuyasha clawed at the youkai's hand as it flexed tighter.

"SESSHOMARU." She screamed, struggling to stand. His mouth twisted in disgust as he flung the hanyo to the ground. Kagome stumbled to him and knelt by his side as he choked in desperately needed air. Blood ran down her back and legs from the claws of the wind scar, and her vision started to blur.

"Inuyasha, I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you." She touched his chest gently, but he flinched away

"Why did you protect him?" His voice was icy, and his amber eyes were flinty with anger, flicking between her and the ice prince standing a few yards away watching them.

"I don't have time to explain. You need to get away from me. I can't stay with you, I'll hurt you. Take Sango back to Kaede and make sure…make sure she's alright." She begged, growing dizzier from blood loss and gritting her teeth at the pain. It was getting harder and harder to maintain her control, the demonic power within her biding its time as she quickly weakened. He growled low in his chest and refused to look at her. She grabbed his face and turned it towards her. "Inuyasha, answer me, please."

"I have to protect you." In that moment she knew he was too stubborn. He was not going to leave her.

"I'll be okay on my own. I promise." She forced a smile. He was unconvinced.

"I won't leave you unprotected, Kagome, so just drop it would ya? I'm coming with you to wherever you're going."

'How do I get him to leave?' She racked her brain desperately, and then an icy voice filled her head and gave her goose bumps, echoed by other voices she did not know.

Hurt him. Hurt him. He'll go away. Hurt him. Scar him. Break him. Tear out his HEART.

The last word was a roar, echoing in her ears. She looked to Inuyasha with eyes black as coal.

"I don't need your protection, mutt. You couldn't stop me even if you tried. If you follow me, I will kill you, and I will love it. I don't need you anymore. I found someone better suited." She turned to Sesshomaru. "A life for a life, I saved you. You owe me." His eyes narrowed at her, but he said nothing. She turned to Inuyasha, his face a mask of pain.

"But…Kagome…"

"SHUT UP. Leave, before I change my mind and eviscerate you." He made no move to leave, tears in his eyes as he gaped at her. Her heart ached and all she wanted to do was take him in her arms and reassure him, but that wasn't possible. "NOW!" She snarled, standing and walking to Sesshomaru's side, trying to appear steady on her feet. She looked up at him, pleading silently that he would come with her as tears streamed down her face. His eyes were cold, but he turned and walked away into the trees. She followed, forcing herself not to look back. The voice in her head was cackling as she heard Inuyasha sob, before his energy dissipated as he raced off in the direction of the village Kaede lived in. As soon as she was positive he was far enough away, she let herself weep. Sesshomaru had stopped a few feet away, glaring at her.

"You can leave. I know you don't want to babysit me. I just couldn't have him follow me. I'd kill him. I couldn't bear that. I couldn't…" Her eyes rolled back in her head and her knees gave out beneath her. Sesshomaru caught her, cradling her in his arms. He adjusted her position to avoid putting pressure on the raw flesh of her back. Her head ended up nestled against his shoulder, her hand gripping the cloth of his hakima. He sighed, wondering how the hell he ended up in this position.

"A life for a life, miko," he told the unconscious girl as they disappeared in a blur towards whatever was to come.