†{ A Rose by Any Other Name… }†
x{ 11: Marigold}x
-•°•°•-
Blood boiled and toiled while the time that tortured and twisted the tattered dame dangled on, so many thoughts raged around in her hectic, hazy mind—what could she do? What should she do? Scream? Then those that she wanted to save would be drawn into her dangerous damned world and the demons that lingered within it, around it, all about it.
That… she couldn't do, though the tears that threatened to overwhelm her shut lids beckoned for her to do just that.
Someone… stop this… save me, she was weak. Weak. She loathed that aspect about herself the most, but it was the truth—she was always the weak link no matter what it came to. She had gotten better from the completely useless school girl she once was, the one that screamed out Inuyasha's name as he fought for her, she had grown, matured, and became stronger around her family, fierce friends, and through all the trials and tribulations she was thrust into… but she was what destroyed them, her weakness.
If she had no heart, she would have been perfect but the fickle bitch always got in the way, always stopped her from doing what needed to be done.
Her father had always scolded her about that… he was right.
Her mind ached to be anywhere but there, she shut her eyes so she would not see her brother's body—but not really him—violate her, she wished she could do what all those who were abused said they could, separate their soul from their body and pretend they were not there.
It didn't happen… she'd give her soul away for so much at that one moment.
Hands drifted up her body before a burst broke in, a growl, and a yank got her to weakly open her eyes when a struggle—a hanyou and a possessed body. The latter was thrown out of the inn room followed by the red draped hot-head.
"What the hell were you doing?"
"My, my," the demon cooed as he thumbed away the dripping blood from his lip as his playful auburns moved to the shaking girl that walked to the busted door. "You have a new hero, how fun!"
Her jaw opened only vaguely, her head shook so slightly, but nothing could be said—there went her world. Was that worse than death?
Would she rather him… be dead? That bastardized four letter word to be true?
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Inuyasha snarled to snatch the possessor's attention back, "huh?"
"We are going to have so much fun together," the man gigantically grinned in return, "so much. I get shivers just thinking about all the other curses I could—will—place on you. Until then," he waved his hand and let his gaze go back to the still stunned damsel ever so deep in distress, "I will see you later, my dear, precious, sister, and we'll pick up where we left off."
"Hey!" Inuyasha grunted as he grabbed the man by the collar, "I'm talking to you!"
"Not anymore," he whispered back before a swirl of somber smoke blew out of the entire village to brush by them. Inuyasha let go to cover his face and Kagome shut her eyes to avoid what horrors might have come. Once they both opened their eyes to look around at the settled scenery Damian was gone.
After the initial confusion left Inuyasha's senses returned enough for him to spin around and start his shouting all over again, "what the hell was that! Aren't you siblings!"
She took a shaky breath in before she grasped the walls enough to walk out of the room and stumble down to the hot-headed hanyou, "I…" she tried to start but before he could curse her for her stutters she threw arms around his neck and tears exploded to stream down her cheek.
That, of course, shocked him into silence and a rigid stance. After a while of her balling not ending he reluctantly, halfheartedly patted her on the back, "it's… OK?" He guessed that was what she was aiming for.
"Thank you!" She gasped for air as she pulled away to look up at him with watery eyes, still leaking out from her corners, "thank you, thank you, thank you."
So… she didn't want whatever was going on to happen? He guessed, then again, how many sisters willingly let their brother place a hand upon their mouth, pin her arms above her heads and… obviously have disgusting intentions? She did look a bit terrified if he thought about it for a bit, "Kagome… what the hell's going on?"
For once, he didn't sound mad, for once, his face was clear of contoured anger, for once, there was earnest concern on his frowning face.
She took another rickety breath in as she whipped away the tears, "I… I'll tell you everything," she sniffled, "I will…"
"Good."
"But," she paused, "will you do me a favor first?"
Wearily he nodded, if she truly didn't look so torn, so tired, and frail he might have disagreed, he would have demanded answers first but he had to tighten his grip to keep the faint female from letting her weak knees give out.
When was the last time he had seen her so… vulnerable? After the demon had left her she was just worn, but this time she was… broken.
"Take me back to the psychic, please," she hadn't the strength to make it through the forest—not that she could even find her way. Reluctantly he agreed and squatted down so that she could climb onto his back before he took off to speed through the forest until they hit the area where there were no vegetation and just dead trees, a bit more and they reached the clear circle with the hut in the center. There, he set her down so that they could knock on the door—though; they couldn't before it opened up so that the arrogant lady could be seen.
"Well, you look like hell," she smirked, "I knew you'd return."
"Did you know," Kagome mocked meekly, "you… you lied."
"No, come in, let's talk, but hanyou, wait out here," she ordered as she stepped aside so the fractured maiden from the future could enter into the hut before she shut the door in the confused Inuyasha's face and walked over to sit at her candle lit table.
"You said… you said I could save him," she tried to sass, to hiss, but it came out all wrong, wrecked. "You said if I chose I could save him… I chose him, you lied. You knew he was possessed and you didn't even—"
"No," she countered swiftly, "you ran away before I could tell you. I was warning you when you sprinted out of her like hell fire was chasing you. If only you stayed longer I could have spared your traumatic near-rape experience."
"You are a fucking liar," she cursed, "you said I could—"
"And you can," she asserted clearly, "and I will tell you exactly how to but…"
"But?" She sighed as she slowly walked over to kneel down on the opposite side of the table, "but… what?"
"You must admit that I am not a fraud, that I have true power," she grinned, "praise my power, too."
She had to bite her tongue to keep from insulting her, she had to narrow her eyes to keep her composure, but if it could save… if there was even a glimpse of hope… she'd give up her dignity.
"You… are not a fraud," she barely managed to get out between clenched teeth, "you are… powerful, very… powerful. You are a real psychic."
"You believe in my power," she instructed.
"Yes," she grunted, "I believe in… your power."
"Grand," she smiled brightly, "now, like I said, you can only save one. So are you sure you still want that one to be your dear half-brother? Or would you like to change your answer to the half-demon? Personally, I don't understand your interest there… he is what he is."
"A good person," Kagome stressed.
"Mm-hm, sure, so would you rather save your possible lover or your certain brother? One has to die to keep the other alive, so which?"
That was when her mind went on the fritz, when it overloaded so much she needed to pause. How could she pick? Her heart even went blank at the prospect—it was too hard of a decision. But she had before, and she would again, because blood was thicker than water… blood bound her to Damian, along with wonderful memories and so much more.
He was her brother… her brother, her blood, hers. And why was he stuck in the position he was? Because of her, because of his conviction to protect her, and he had done so nobly for so long—the very thought made her unblinking eyes blur once more.
"My," she took a breath in as she blinked away the tears, freely letting them fall, "brother."
"That's what I thought," the psychic proclaimed, "you must let the hanyou die then."
"What… do you mean?"
"You know you are a cursed in more way than one," she couldn't help but taunt some, "the one that was implied to your soul because Kikyou also asserted that no happiness would be found on the grounds of love which made you star-crossed lovers which means nothing good."
"How about you just tell me what I need to do," she muttered.
"You really didn't figure it out?" She inquired as she leaned forward, "that your brother shares the same soul as…?"
"As?"
"That hanyou you hold so dear, silly," she stated, "see, fate doesn't want you two together so what does it do? It brings you two back together as blood so that you could not do anything naughty-naughty."
"What?" She sighed as her brows flexed together, her mind was overworked it didn't work properly.
"What you must do first is exorcise the demon from your brother—"
"The only ways to do that would mean he dies, so, let me get this straight," she hissed, "you want me to let them both do? Yeah, sounds fucking fantastic."
"Yes, your brother will die, but once Inuyasha is gone his soul would go to your brother's body, and it's the mind that carries the memories, the soul only carries the person's essence, that way your brother would be whole once more." She frowned at the flexed brow, confound stare she got in return, "it's simple. You get rid of the demon from your brother, he dies temporarily, Inuyasha dies, and then you make his soul go to Damian's body and your brother is back from the dead. No souls have to be sold."
She allowed herself a few moments to let the thought sink in before a question wiggled its way through the haze, "how do I get one soul to… the other?"
"Oh, please," she laughed, "you know how to do that, don't you?"
For another second or two she just stared blankly before she nodded and looked over to the corner in which the psychic pointed. With her eyes widened right away she leaped up to run over and pick up the bag she had forgotten—how the hell could she do that? Swiftly she dug through the bag to look make sure the essentials were still there—her hair ornament and knife. A sigh of relief let her lips.
"You may leave," the psychic waved away, "I've told you all I can."
"Where's Damian?" Kagome questioned.
"I can't say, earlier the demon wanted you to find him, now its masking its presence. It's planning something… at least one of your comrades is going to die if a skirmish starts between them and the demons from another world, you do understand that, don't you?"
She didn't bother to reply to that before she walked out to see the bothered boy walking around in a circle, an irked expression and his arms folded against his chest as he scuffed about this and that under his breath.
"Now will you tell me what's going on?" He growled once he noticed her blank stare.
Who the fuck really knew all that was going on? Her mind was shut off, common sense went out the window, her heart was torn into too many directions to even be able to whisper what was the best track to follow, so she just stared as he walked up to her.
"Kagome," he scowled, "tell me."
Instead, she gently dropped her bag upon the ground and lifted her hands up to cup his face. Without warning, without anything, she leaned forward to press her lips to his. His eyes widened from the action, then she pulled away, that silenced him. He couldn't even think to say anything else.
So she kissed him again, that time longer, that time something gave her heart a jump start.
"Wait," Inuyasha declared as he pushed her away, "wait…"
"Why?" She whispered back, that seemed to puzzle him enough so she pulled him back, slid her hands off his face and around his neck to pull him into a deeper lip-lock session. It was fairly obvious she had the upper hand, she knew what she was doing more, she was the one that pried his lips apart to insert her tongue and make him lightly cringe from the shock.
Then he gave in, whatever was making him hesitant disappeared. He let the fire that engulfed his heart consume him as he wrapped his arms around her waist and backed her into the wooden post of the hut that kept the porch's roof up.
Why were they doing that? Why kiss? He hadn't an idea… she probably didn't have much on an inclination either but neither were complaining. She wrapped a leg around his as he began to kiss her back with full intent, her hands ran through his hair as she tugged on his lower lip to spark a small growl that vibrated from his chest to hers as his hands moved lower to her, grasped her and lifted up enough that she could wrap her legs all around his waist and pull him closer.
That was when something caught his loose attention, enough that his eyes flickered open to glance to figure out what it was. That stopped the kiss to stare up at the gleaming, flying shikigami that only meant one thing… a certain someone wanted to see him.
"Don't," Kagome whispered, weakly winning his gaze back with a pout. She leaned enough to say in a sweet hush into his sensitive ears, "stay with me."
Her words sent a shiver down his entire body but it didn't convince him fully, his golden gaze still flickered back to the shikigami. It was her second whispered request and nibble upon his ear that made his eyes shut and breathe hasten, "staaay."
For a while he buried his face in her chest, to inhale her sweet scent that he missed, to feel her warmth, her softness as she paid attention to his sensitive triangles.
A low, almost silent moan left his lips before she pulled his face up to kiss him once more. Their lips mingled, their tongues tangled, her hands flirted around him, and his moved around her thighs, her bum, and pressed their bodies closer.
His ear twitched.
Was there any real rhyme or reason behind why, all of a sudden, the fractured fair female gave up her determination to not do exactly what she was doing? Lips meshed and mangled together as their faces tilted and pressed to the other, hands wandered all about, up and down and back to his collar to jerk him closer to explore new regions of his mouth. It was simple. There was none.
The truth of that matter was simple; her already overloaded brain was on the verge of a breakdown. The reality was rough; she had been given hope—unabridged, high-soaring hope—only for it to be yanked away, shattered, and ripped into her. The cause was clear, her heart ached in every which way possible and the fickle thing had never been much help to start out with.
So she gave up, gave in, and shut off her battered brain, turned away from her wayward heart, and let go of the scar in her soul that destroyed hope left and did the one thing that she had been thinking about for so long—the one thing that made everything just stop. The one thing that made her live in the moment and ignore everything else around her.
She kissed him.
His ear twitched.
What was he doing? After all the pain she caused him, after abandoning him, why was he pressing his body to hers, why was he on fire from her touch, from her lips, from all of her? He felt things boil and threaten to overflow that he didn't even know existed. They broke their kiss for only a second so they could part enough for Kagome to slip off her leather jacket and be more exposed—more skin to taunt and play with.
The answer—he missed her. He. Missed. Her.
She hurt him—perhaps destroyed a part of him—but he never forgot her, he never let go of the feelings she gave him, just ignored them. He lov—no.
He wouldn't let his mind go there as his lips moved up her neck, as her body arched towards his, as her hands roamed through his mane and her lips let out a little moan all her own. He liked the feeling he got with her against him, too. It proved she was still there—perhaps she wouldn't leave again? Perhaps that was what it meant?
His ear twitched.
Their lips met again so she could take control of the kiss once more—she knew what she was doing more so than him. Even with a mind focusing on little else then all that was her—her soft skin, her sweet scent—he could still feel rage and take the time to hate whoever had taught her how to do all that she was. Whoever the bastard was that got to kiss her before him.
If he met that guy, he'd kill him.
His ear twitched.
With a grunt morphed sigh he tore away from her—and it was oh, so hard to do—to let her drop to the ground, gently, and pulled away all the way to turn around and run a hand through his disarrayed hair.
"Inu... yasha?" Kagome muttered as her brows flexed together, she hadn't much time to fret before a few familiar figures came into sight in the distance. Ah, he heard them coming. Kagome acknowledged as she picked up her jacket, slipped it back on, and then put her back over her shoulder.
"You are going to tell me everything, right?" Inuyasha managed to say but couldn't turn around to look at her.
Oh... I did say I'd do that... didn't I? If he helped her... he'd die.
Even if it had nothing to do with saving Damian, he'd die. The demons that sought her, the demons that wanted to kill her, were different than the ones he was accustomed to fighting. He had too much of a conscious, he couldn't do it. But...
But if he died... Damian would be saved. Her heart sank at the thought for so many reasons—it was betrayal to Inuyasha but she'd be betraying Damian if she didn't do everything in her power to save him.
If the tables were turned, if Damian loved some dearly—more than his own life—but had to sacrifice her in order to save Kagome's life, would he?
Without a doubt.
And she did love Damian, he was her brother, her blood, her everything for three long years. For three years while her father brought her some joy, mostly misery with his stern stances and difficult to reach heart, her brother was there to make her laugh and smile. Her brother was her brother—how could she deny him? How could she turn her back on him the very moment he needed her most? How? For Inuyasha, for a man she did love—there was no use in denying that—but... he wasn't blood. She loved them both... but only one was blood. Only one was her brother.
Family trumped everything.
"Yes," she meekly murmured just in time, their companions came into the clearing. She'd tell him everything... she'd let him help, and if he died along the way then... well, she'd save Damian.
"Good," Inuyasha mumbled back before Tamako rushed up towards him, "hey."
"You shouldn't wander off without telling someone, Inuyasha!" She scolded with a smack to his upper arm, "we were worried when we noticed you two were gone."
"Sorry," he muttered with a glance away. He couldn't look at her... not then. He was a fuck-up, a real dog. Could he be loyal to any women? When it came to Kagome there was Kikyou, when it came to Kikyou there was Kagome, when it came to Tamako there was both.
"What are you two doing back here?" Miroku inquired to Kagome as he walked up to her, to which she just shook her head.
Inuyasha's gaze flickered up to the sky, to see the shikigami that had been trying to gain his attention all the time, "I gotta go."
"Right," Tamako sighed as her eyes followed his. "Come back soon...?"
"I will," he assured before he leaped off to follow the sky-serpent somewhere.
"What's going on? Why did you two come here again?" Sango asked as she folded her arms and gave Kagome a peculiar look, "you obviously don't like psychics so why return to one? What good—?"
"You know what, Sango?" Kagome snapped, "leave me alone! It's one thing after another with you! I'm sorry I left without a goodbye, I'm sorry I was gone for three years but, hey, newsflashes! I have a completely separate life from the one I have here! Other things matter to me, too! You've been! You've been such a! You've been such a bitch since I returned!
"I don't get it, what exactly is it that you think I've done to you in particular that deserves such a rude attitude in response, huh? Shippou's forgiven me! Miroku's forgiven me! Hell, even Inuyasha—who I obviously hurt far more!—treats me better! I'm sick of you! Leave me the alone or go to hell, either way I don't want to deal with you anymore!"
Oh, to rant felt so good. With a sigh she spun around and strutted off to leave the stunned Sango, traumatized Tamako, and mesmerized Miroku behind. She needed time.
Time to think…
x-•°•°•-x
Air gasped in and out of her lungs in accordance with the sobs that shook her. She didn't even notice the mild-tempered monk walk up beside her to sit down.
"Kagome," Miroku whispered as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "what's wrong?"
She just shook her head.
"I would ask if it has something to do with Inuyasha going to see Kikyou but… you didn't react like this last time. I would wonder if it has anything to do with what you said to Sango but… whatever is bothering you is why you exploded, hm? Or… does it have to do with why your brother is suddenly gone?"
To that, she nodded before she thrust herself onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck to cry into his shoulder. For a moment he was at a loss of what he should do, but then he thought better of it and wrapped his arms gently around her to allow her all the time she needed until she could sniffle away the tears and form words once more.
"I hate crying, I don't cry as much as I used to… not over stupid things anymore," she weakly explained as she whipped her eyes clear.
"Kagome, there is no shame in crying," Miroku assured.
"You are just trying to make me feel better," less weak—wasn't that what crying was always attached to? What strong person shed tears?
"No, it's true," he kept up as he brushed a few stray tears away from her cheek, "I cry sometimes."
"Sure you do," she muttered.
"I do. The day Michio was born, for joy, the day Mio died, for sorrow, at night when I was certain my death would come soon and I would be leaving Michio alone, for fear."
"Thank you," she whispered with a weak smile.
"Will you tell me what is the matter? Where is your brother…?"
"I…"
"What is the matter, what is going on?"
She couldn't tell Miroku so she pressed her lips. He was one person she was positive she could never allow to be harmed while helping her, "I love you, Miroku," she murmured, "like a brother."
He smiled at that, but couldn't think what relevance that had—she was trying to avoid the situation. "I care a great deal for you, as well, like the younger sister I never had. That is why your well-being—"
"I love you, so I won't tell you what's going on," she stated simply. "I…" she was the downfall of her own blood, the boy that was truly her brother, so how could she risk the same for Miroku?
Yet she could risk Inuyasha…? Would she really?
"I want you to be safe, I want you to be… safe," she muttered as her eyes shifted away. He sighed and nodded, not willing to argue with a clearly disturbed damsel; instead he just lingered around as she stared, comatose around.
She felt as if she was in a coma for the two days the followed without a word from a certain hanyou.
But, on the bright side, she knew what she had to do and accepted it the best she could.
There was no black and white answer, nothing would make her feel better, neither would give her full and complete peace but one would make it OK… sort of.
x-•°•°•-x
Was it vindictive? Maybe. Was it the right thing to do? Perhaps. Should she have without consulting a hanyou that had been absent for two days straight? Probably not. Did she anyway?
Yep.
She requested some time alone with Tamako, avoiding Sango at all costs—once her senses came back to her even a small bit she realized maybe that shouting wasn't her best idea. So they walked together away from the camp to have a private conversation.
"If you are worried about Inuyasha," Tamako began, "I am too… he usually doesn't stay away this long. If it goes by another day, we have to find him."
"I agree," she muttered, if she hadn't lost track of time in her comatose state she would have insisted they do so sooner but her mind had finally settled down enough for her grasp reality once more and realized how many days had passed. "I think we should go find him tonight, actually."
"I would like that," Tamako sighed with relief, "if you can convince Miroku-sama—"
"I can, no worries there," she assured as she stopped their walk to turn and look Tamako in the eyes. "I need to tell you something."
"I assumed so," Tamako smiled weakly, "what…?"
"I," she sighed heavily as she looked away then back, "suppose I lied to you earlier."
"About…?"
"That whole not going to try and win Inuyasha's affections back… I didn't necessarily mean to, but…"
"What?" Tamako asked as her brows flexed together.
"I… might have kissed him," she murmured and cringed at the blank look she received before the narrowed eyes.
"You mean about the curse?"
"Nope," she muttered.
"Wh… when?"
"The other night," she nodded, "I was kinda stressed and then… it seemed like a good idea at the time."
"And… he… did what?"
Kissed her back, a lot, but did she need to add that? No. "Noticed the shikigami," that was the truth, though he ignored it upon her request.
Tamako nodded some before she took a sharp breath in and looked away, "I see."
"I don't know if I could honestly say I won't try to do it again…" she knew that question was to come.
"Are you going to stay in this world, this time, or return to yours?" Tamako inquired, "do you plan to not leave him again? Can you admit you love him? That you don't want to stay or might you hurt him again? I'm staying. I'm not leaving this world. I'm here. I love him. I wouldn't abandon him. So… why do you want to ruin that? Why do you want to hurt him again?"
That stung, but it was true, did she have a good answer to that? No.
Could she say she wanted the best in the world for Inuyasha, that she would never hurt him again, that she could place him above anything else in her world like Tamako? No, no, no and more no.
"I don't know," was all Kagome could say in return with a shrug. To that, Tamako just pressed her lips together and exhaled sharply before turning around and walking away.
Really… Kagome would have felt better if the girl had slapped her instead of giving her such a cold, disappointed, distaste stare before she turned away to walk off.
x-•°•°•-x
That handsome, happy looking man from the future whose body was out of his own control and in that of a deadly yet carefree demon walked through the just blooming flower field to find a smiling, giggling, girl who turned her head to look up at him when he was too close—her two headed dragon pet showed him how displeased they were of his presence. But all it took was a swift, flickering, glare to it to silence its growl and make it step away.
Then his peaceful, smiling, façade was put back on as he knelt down before the young girl, "hello, what is your name?"
"Rin, what is your name?" She replied with a tilt of her head, "my lord is not going to be happy when he returns if he sees Rin talking to a stranger."
"But I'm a friendly stranger," he assured as he picked a flower and handed it to her so she could finish her crown she was creating, "do you remember Kagome-san?"
"My lord's brother's friend," she responded, "I like her! She was very nice to Rin, but she left."
"She's back," he whispered, "you can trust her, can't you?"
"Oh, yes, Kagome-san is very helpful and kind!"
"Then you can trust me, I'm her older brother, Damian."
"Damian," Rin repeated, "what an odd name."
"To match my funny clothes," he teased as he pulled on his blue collar, which won him a giggle, "tell me about this person you call your lord."
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin chimed, "oh, mi'lord is a great demon, very powerful, and amazing! He is so kind to Rin and has been for many years now, he saved Rin."
"It sounds like Rin loves lord Sesshomaru very much," Damian coaxed, "is that it?"
She just blushed and looked away trying to hide her smile.
"Some think he is cold," Rin continued meekly, "that Lord Sesshomaru is not a nice person but he is… I just think he is sad sometimes."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Rin thinks that Lord Sesshomaru misses his father and because he is not around anymore, that they no longer can talk, that he is not happy. They were together for a very long time because Lord Sesshomaru is immortal, so he is very old."
"Oh, is that so? Tell me, Rin-chan, what would you do to make him happy?"
"Anything!"
"Anything?" Damian drew out.
"Anything!" Rin nodded.
"I can make Lord Sesshomaru's wish come true, then, but it will be at a price."
"How would you be able to do that?"
"Just true me," he winked, "but you'll have to do me a favor in the future, alright?"
"Alright," if it made her lord happy, she'd do anything.
"Then give me your hand," he held his out and waited for her to reluctantly do so, so they could shake.
"Ow!" Rin whined once he let go to see a prick of blood.
"It's alright," Damian assured as he lifted his hand up to lick away the few drops of her blood that was upon his hand, "it's just what is needed to seal the deal. I will see you soon, Rin-chan."
"Rin's confused…" she murmured as she watched the stranger walk away, just in the nick of time, too. Her lord return with Jaken to retrieve her.
"What is the matter, Rin?" Sesshomaru inquired when he saw the weary look she gave in the direction of which Damian left.
"Nothing," she replied as she shrugged, there was no need to worry her loved lord over it, anyway.
{~¤°•.¤°•.¤°•.¤°•.¤°•.~}
Swirling souls of the damned weaved around, avoiding being torn apart over and over again to feel the agony no body to endure. Through the cries of pain that no mortal could hear a sight wandered around until the proper one was locked and ripped out of its spot up, up, up to the light that had been long forgotten.
All while another petal perished.
A/N: OK, before people get all upset and rant. Take a moment. Stop. Think about it. Kagome is obviously on an emotional overload, I tried to convey that the best I could. And, if you haven't figured this much out on your own, blood v. water is kind of a theme here. And as a realist myself (I suppose some would say pessimist) I think that, whether she commits to following it through or not, she would pick her brother. He is blood, he is her brother. If you have a brother I'm certain you'd understand, if not agree. Yes, she loves Inuyasha and their love is eternal and they are meant to be and blah blah blah-all that lovely fairytale stuff. You'll just have to wait and see what happens, until then, try to understand.
Thank you for all the reviews! Really, it's wonderful. I can't tell you how happy I am :)
Marigold: affection, pain and grief (I don't think I've picked one that sums up the chapter so well yet, I'm rather proud of myself)