Dead.
It was just that easy.
Kagome had never thought once in a million years that he would fall. Even when he fought adversaries hundreds of times more powerful than he, she always had a place in her heart where she knew that he would survive.
But this time, she had felt different.
This time, he had not returned.
She fully expected to see the cocky smile on his face as he walked away from the corpse, swinging the sword over his shoulder and giving Miroku a fanged grin. Sure, he would be a little beat up, but that was nothing that a little rest could not cure…
Seeing the fountain of blood shoot into the sky from the slash of the Tetsusaiga, she knew that he had won. From where they had been sheltered on the other side of the rise, she jumped to her feet and ran towards him.
He stood stock-still, over the humanoid form of the demon. His feet fell in a thick pool of blood, not all of it full-demon.
She yelled his name happily. He had done it, saved an entire village from a demon that threatened to devour them all. Miroku was still recovering from the wound in the hellhole, while Sango and Shippo were protecting the villagers themselves from the demon's goons.
She came within twenty feet of him when he began to crumble.
Kagome froze in place, watching the Tetsusaiga, looking like any normal sword, fall to the ground, clattering and splashing a little in the red and black liquids that mingled on the ground.
His leg strength failed him and he fell to his knees. By now, Miroku was by her side, then he had run past, to try to help.
The battle-victor began to fall backwards, but the monk was there to catch him, cradling his head. Kagome found her senses and ran to their sides, her heart beating like an overactive drum.
Blood flowed from his lips as he worked his mouth, trying to speak, "Ka—Kago—me…"
"Shh! Shh, don't speak!" She gripped the Shikon Shard that hung around her neck, praying that the power would somehow heal him, would somehow save his life.
Nothing happened.
"Ka-gome…" He wheezed, gasping for air, trying to fill a punctured lung, "I always—knew…end like this…"
"Don't talk like that!" Miroku snapped, "You are going to be fine!"
"Miroku! Kagome!" Sango and Shippo ran over the rise, "The zombies did on their own. He defeated him—"
"Sango, can you help him?" Kagome pleaded.
The lady exterminator knelt beside him, her fingers probing the wounds. When one hand slid too close to the bottom of his ribcage, he held his breath in pain. She slid her hands under his tunic and carefully felt the injury.
She shook her head.
"There's nothing we can do…"
"No! No! There has to be something!" Kagome shrieked in fear and anger.
"Kagome…shut up…" He whispered, raising one bloodied hand to reach for her cheek. He saw what stained it and let it fall back to the ground rather than pass it on to her skin, but she grabbed his hand, "Listen…to me…"
"What is it?" Her voice grew strangely calm as she pressed his cold, sticky hand against her cheek.
"I thought—that I'd…" He sucked in a breath, "Have to be…human…in order to—to…love…" His claws did not come close to scratching her skin, so gently did he touch her face.
He sucked in another breath, but this one was labored and difficult. Miroku braced his body as he struggled for air.
"Yes…?" She prompted him quietly.
"…you. I…love you…Kagome…" He struggled to get the words out, even as his hair began to shift and morph with the falling sunset. That night was the new moon, the one night that he became human.
"Hold on, just a little longer," She pleaded, holding his hand against her face, "If you can become fully human—maybe—"
"Just listen…" His breathing was ragged, and it made her start to cry, "Don't cry…I love…you, Kagome…not Kikyo…she's dead…" He chuckled painfully, "I guess…that I…won't be seeing you…ever again…"
"No…no, don't say that! We'll be together, I promise!" Her tears mingled with the bloods on his hand.
"Stupid…" He raised his other hand to his heart as his claws disappeared and the black began to shimmer throughout his white hair, "They don't let…demons into…heaven…"
"You aren't demon," She half-smiled, half-sobbed, reaching into a long forgotten pocket of her skirt, pulling out a small hand mirror. She held it in front of his face, "You're human now, just human…"
"I'm sorry…that I didn't do better…" His words became forced phrases, "I'm sorry…I died…and I'm sorry…"
His hand fell limp in her grip.
"I'm sorry that I could never give you the love you wanted."
This last sentence stole his energy. Kagome held his hand to her heart, weeping heavily, "No! No, God. No, it can't be…not him…please…"
He lay back in Miroku's grip, his eyes glancing between him and the stars, "Miroku…tell everyone…thank you…"
Kagome felt the last bit of warmth pass from his body into hers as his hand lost all strength. The Shikon Shard began to glow as it became white, the human sacrifice and the human heart added to its power, making it stronger.
No matter how hard she wished, Kagome couldn't bring him back. Her heart shattered when Mr. Raccoon, an old friend, peeked over the ridge with a crowd of villagers, asking if the master was all right. She did not have the heart so tell him, but he understood, the way she cradled the body in her arms.
Miroku, freed from holding the form, stood and turned his head towards the villagers. They all saw tears coursing down his cheeks as he tried to regain his composure. Sango came up beside him and rested her hand on his shoulder.
"Dear people, we ask a small favor," Lady Sango's voice broke, "One of ours has fallen. We ask that we be allow to bury him."
An old woman of ninety-seven, with hair as white as snow and a walking stick to lean on stepped forward, her footsteps uncertain and shuffling, but her voice was strong, "A place of honor will he have among our people."
She used the staff to point through the night darkness, through the torchlight to a tree that was covered in vines and fruit. Four torches lit the area day and night, "There, a place set apart and sanctified by the gods for a time such as this."
Sango thanked her quietly and turned to Kagome, but she would not release the body, even though she sat in a puddle of bloods. Eventually, as the night wore on and songs of sorrow and mourning filtered over the rise from the village, they convinced her to move.
Miroku approached her hours later, "Kagome, please, let us honor him."
"Wait just a few more minutes…" She whispered, her cheek pressed against his, "The sun will rise soon…don't bury him yet…give him time…"
"Lady Kagome…" Shippo crouched by her side, "It's over…"
"No!" She snapped, like a dog protecting his home, "I won't let you take him from me! I won't!"
They were forced to wait.
The sun began to rise, and everyone sat quietly around Kagome as she cradled the form of her dead hero. Miroku sighed in disappointment as the rays of sunshine shone on his face, his pale white face…and nothing changed.
Kagome buried her face in his tunic and sobbed.
Sango glanced at Miroku and Shippo, who exchanged looks of sadness with the others.
Black slowly…slowly changed to white…blood-covered white. Claws replaced nails…Kagome noticed none of this, but Miroku did.
She nearly shrieked with happiness as his body bucked suddenly as he fought with himself, struggling for air. Kagome held him tightly until the convulsions passed and his eyes opened.
"Kagome…?"
"You're alive! I knew it! I just knew that you've survive!" She held him gently, but tightly, "I love you so much! Never leave me again! I love you…"
The look of bewilderment passed from his face and he raised shaky arms to embrace her back, tightly, being careful not to hurt her. His voice was soft as he spoke, "I love you, Kagome."
Miroku smiled, "Welcome back, Inu-Yasha…"