Hey I'm back!  So…  the plot thickens and the anticipation grows!! MUAHAHAHA!!!  Are you guys ready to kill me yet? 

Disclaimer:  I don't own Sesshoumaru... sniff... I wish I did…

Chapter 17: 

Inuyasha quietly watched his mother.  She was sitting in a proper ladylike way, sowing some of his torn clothing.  The dim candle flickered in the darkness, emitting enough light to see the stitches.  His mother was aging by the day and was becoming tried by the second. 

"If you're going to watch me, you might as well come out and stare at me."  Jun said quietly.  Her eyes were still on the stitches.  Inuyasha blinked in surprise.  He stepped out from behind the door, facing his mother like a man. 

"What do you want, Inuyasha?"  His mother asked sharply, keeping her focus on her work.

"I want to ask you a question."  Inuyasha said. 

"Well go on." 

"I want to know if you threatened Kikyou."  Inuyasha forced himself to ask. 

There was a long silence before his mother answered.  It seemed she was asking herself whether she should tell him or not. 

"Yes, I did."  His mother stated.  Inuyasha was about to say something but she cut him off.  "She wanted to take you away from me.  She didn't want you to fulfill your destiny."  She put down her needle and thread and faced Inuyasha.   "The destiny to be KING!"  She said with power.  "She knew if you were king you would belong to the people and not just her.  She's selfish Inuyasha, the girl is selfish and she's willing to do anything to keep you.  I just simply got rid of her before she manipulated you.  I did it for you Inuyasha."  The last sentence rang in Inuyasha's head. 

"For me…"  Inuyasha repeated.  Jun smirked to herself.  She lifted her head and instantly her expression was changed to tears. 

"You're my baby, Inuyasha.  I only want the best for you.  I didn't want you to get sidetracked."  Jun whimpered into her son's heart.  Inuyasha moved and came to the floor.  He embraced his mother's legs. 

"I love you mother."  Inuyasha whispered.  Jun stroked his hair lovingly. 

"I love you to my big, strong, warrior."  Jun smiled.  It wasn't an evil smile but it was a warm, affectionate smile.  She loved her son because part of her and her dead love was in him. 

Inuyasha pulled away form his mother.  "I have to go clear things up.  Don't worry about me."  He stood up and walked out.   

"I hope he's not going back to Kikyou."  Jun said bitterly.  That little tramp probably told Inuyasha.  Well, Jun never forgot about what she told her years ago.  She threatened her that if she kept bothering Inuyasha, she would get it.  Jun narrowed her eyes as she held the exact dagger she held in her hand when she threaten Kikyou.  A gust of wind blew into the room and the candle died away. 

~*-~*-~*-~*-

Inuyasha ran through the forest with rage.  He howled at the pain his head that was being caused by all the thought is his head.  He couldn't straighten them out anymore.  He couldn't think them out.  Everything was a huge blur in his mind.  It was all a homogenous mixture in his brain.  Everything blended together.  The darkness crept into his mind, leading him to the one place he knew well as a kid. 

~*-~*~-*~-

"Jin, you surprised me."  Kikyou relaxed at the sight of her fellow member. 

"Oh, the tough Kikyou gets scared?"  Jin laughed as he teased Kikyou. 

"No... You just surprised me!"  Kikyou snapped as she took out some tea.  She motioned the tea at Jin.  He nodded as approval.  Kikyou then boiled some water for the tea. 

"What's on your mind lately, Kikyou?"  Jin asked as he received the cup of tea form Kikyou. 

"Nothing really…"  Kikyou trailed off into the fire pit in the middle of the room. 

"There's definitely something."  Jin sipped the tea as he watched his childhood friend's face. 

Inuyasha crept at the Kikyou's window.  She was talking to somebody, a man.  Kikyou was talking to a man inside her hut.  Inuyasha watched and listened to their conversation.

"Well, I'm afraid that this woman will come and fulfill her threat she gave to me years ago."  Kikyou sighed.  Her face was perplexed as she gazed at the fire. 

"Who is this woman and why did she threaten you?"  Jin asked.

"I love this man whose mother is that woman.  She thought I was holding him back from training he was undergoing.  Plus she didn't want an orphaned daughter in law like me.  He's a prince and I'm a mere human.  One day she confronted me and told me to go far from here.  If I didn't she would scar my face permanently.  It was either stay and humiliate myself or go."  Kikyou said sadly.  She held back form tears.

"I would have stayed."  Jin said.

"I didn't ask for your opinion.  Besides who would want to love a hideous beast?"  Kikyou looked away, holding her face as if she had permanent scars on it. 

"I do."  Jin said softly.  "I would love a hideous beast if it was you because you would be beautiful to me in any way."

Kikyou continued to look away.  She hung her head low in shock.  She was in utter surprise. 

Inuyasha gripped the window sill.  That guy was admitting his love for Kikyou and to make it worse she could say she loved him.  How could he have been so naïve?  How could he let Kikyou go?  Now he was about to lose her to this stranger. 

"I don't know what to say."  Kikyou stuttered.  She didn't want to look in his eyes, afraid that if she did she would be caught in his love. 

"Say you love me, Kikyou."  Jin reached over and held Kikyou's hand.  With the other hand he tipped her head to meet his eyes.  Kikyou stared into his piercing eyes, the eyes of the one friend she had kept since she left Inuyasha.

"I-  I-  I-.."  Kikyou stumbled all over her words.  Finally with full of emotion, "I can't!  I can't!"  Kikyou jerked away from his grasps.      

"Kikyou… why not?"  Jin asked, he looked hurt and confused.  He reached out for her but she backed away.

"Because."  Kikyou looked away.

"You still haven't let that man go have you?  He still lingers in your head."  Jin said sullenly.

Kikyou nodded numbly.  "I'm sorry."  She croaked.

"It's alright.  Listen, I want you to think it through.  I just want you to know, I'll always love you.  I want to help you forget him."  He grabbed Kikyou hand.  "Can't you see he's added so much grief to your life!"  He cried. 

Kikyou started to cry.  She sobbed as Jin cradled her in his arms. 

"You've gotten worse since you came back.  What happened to the girl who gave me her food when I was hungry?  What happened to her?"  Jin asked as he buried his face into Kikyou's hair. 

"Jin."  Kikyou pushed away form his embrace.  "I need time to think.  Please just leave."  Kikyou pushed him toward the door.

"I'll be around and I'll always be there when you need a shoulder to cry on."  Jin said as he walked out and into the night.  Kikyou close the door as he left.  She fell to the floor in exhaustion.  All the emotions drained her soul but she still had the pain to cry.  She hugged to legs close to her body.  "Inuyasha."  Kikyou croaked.

Inuyasha hopped into the hut through the window.  Kikyou jumped out, startled.  "How?"  Kikyou started.

"I'm sorry."  Inuyasha whispered.  He stood only a few feet form Kikyou but he seemed to close for Kikyou's comfort.

"Why?  I should be the sorry one!"  Kikyou whimpered. 

"No, I'm such and idiot.  I let you go."  Inuyasha growled sadly. 

"No… I am… I should have never come back."  Kikyou turned away from Inuyasha.  She didn't want to look at his eyes either.  She was afraid she might collapse in pain.  She knew how badly she wanted to be captivated by his eyes but she refrained from doing so.

"I think you should forget about me and go to that man."  Inuyasha said firmly. 

Kikyou stared at him in disbelief.  "You want me to?"  She asked. 

"Yes." 

That one word stung Kikyou more than a thousand words. 

"If you want me to."  Kikyou said trailing off into the darkness.

"No, you deserve him.  I don't deserve a woman like you.  I can't satisfy your happiness.  He loves you so much.  He wasn't the one who hurt you this much."   Inuyasha was blown away by his words.  He never opened himself this much.  It seemed Kikyou was as astonished as he was.

"What are you talking about?  He can never mean as much as you do to me!"  Kikyou cried as she stepped toward Inuyasha.   

"Kikyou…"  Inuyasha breathed.  He looked at Kikyou's face. "I'm so confused." 

"I am to…"  Kikyou admitted.  "I can't deal with anything anymore.  Its just black to me."

There was a moment of silence until Inuyasha moved forwards and embraced Kikyou.  Kikyou leaned into his arms, closing her eyes gently as she drifted into a place far away from where she was at the moment.

~*-~*-~*-~*-~*-

Kagome gripped a large cloak as she thought about the spell.  She made up her mind.  There was only one thing to do.  At least, it was the only thing she could think of in such a short time.  

Kagome gathered all her ingredients and started the preparation.  She recalled the spell Lady Kaede had taught her. Kagome inhaled the fresh herbs she had picked. Kagome put away her things and headed towards the Queen's quarters.  She would have to go see the Queen for the last time.

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Ok.. I have to go now.. sorry for such a bad cliffhanger.. I promise a soon update! Don't kill me! You'll never find out what happens to Kagome!!!!