Demon Body, Human Heart By: DemonSaya

Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!

Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves, demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you flamed ^_^

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Chapter 15: The Beginning of the End

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Kagome woke to the feel of a toe in her side, kicking her rather harshly. She winced, opening one eye and peering up at the person who'd awoken her so rudely. It was Naraku, who was wearing a look of disdain, his eyes sneering. She sat, tightening the yukata around her. "Go away..." She grumbled.

"Ah, but your beloved arrives." He sneered, then snapped his fingers, and a young boy by the name of Kohaku appeared, and helped Kagome stand. "We have to have you prepared, don't we?"

Kagome didn't like the sounds of that.

Kohaku took Kagome into a small room with a mirror and some water, as well as a very lovely white kimono. She had seen such kimono's on princesses in this time. Not that she'd seen more than one princess that was actually alive. No, the last princess she'd seen wearing a white kimono like this was a dead one, which told her quickly this was no wedding kimono.

It was meant to be her death shroud.

She shivered, washing her hair and face, cleaning the stench of the dungeon from her skin. Even if she was going to die today, she was not going to smell bad. When she was clean, she glanced towards the boy who was looking out the window without expression as she pulled the single white kimono around herself. The under yukata kept her parts from being shown, as the kimono had two fasteners, one just above her breasts and the other just below her navel. The kimono didn't fold over, rather it was meant to be more like a cloak than an actual kimono.

She ran her fingers over the silk, her eyes angry. She had no intention of dying like a weak little princess. She'd lived this long, and there was no way she was just going to do what Naraku and Kikyou expected of her. Besides, Inuyasha was pure of heart, too. He would survive.

The question was, would Naraku and Kikyou?

Naraku she was almost certain it would destroy, after all, he'd been born from the heart of an evil human. Kikyou, however, had been pure once. If any purity remained, Kikyou would no doubt survive as well.

Worriedly, she ran the comb through her hair, remembering a similar comb. Yet, as she held the red death comb, she noticed it was glowing faintly white. Looking in the mirror, she realized she was as well. Her eyes softened and she wondered if Inuyasha knew what was happening to her. Would he hate her now? Or would he fear her?

She heard a great crash and ran towards the door. It opened and a hand roughly grapped her, yanking her out and dragging her down the hall.

It was Kikyou, who had obviously gotten past her fear of her soul being taken. She had a shikon no tama embeded in her neck, which obviously made it easier for her to be near the younger incarnation.

When they reached the center room, Kagome saw Inuyasha standing in front with Miroku, Sango, Sesshoumaru, and Shippou behind him. All of them were wearing expressions of fierce determination. "Inuyasha!" Kagome called out to him, and when he looked towards her, she saw there was joy in his eyes.

She was alright...she was okay...that ran through his mind over and over when he saw her. It had been too long since he'd seen her. Too long without her. His eyes went to the person holding Kagome, and shock silenced him. It was Kikyou.

Then his eyes narrowed. "Let her go." He said in a deadly calm voice.

Naraku and Kikyou sneered. "Are you sure you want her?" Kikyou asked, her voice silky. "She will kill you when her powers awaken. She's not strong enough to survive their awakening. Surely you wouldn't want a woman...who'd been spoiled by another man..."

Inuyasha saw Kagome's eyes and saw the fear in them and wondered what she was afraid of. "I came for Kagome, and I'm not leaving without her." He said softly. The fear in her eyes was tearing him apart. He couldn't stand to see the frightened look in her eyes.

Kikyou's eyes narrowed in anger. She threw Kagome in a cage, locking the door. "If you want her...come and get her..." She said, drawing her bow and knotching an arrow in the string.

Inuyasha's eyes saddened and turned his eyes to Kagome. "I-I'm sorry, Kagome." He said softly. "It looks like it's going to take some time before I can get you out..."

Her heart throbbed at the pain in his eyes and knew he was upset because of Kikyou's betrayal. "It's okay..." She murmered, smiling at him tenderly.

Inuyasha glanced towards his brother. "I'll keep Naraku and Kikyou busy..." he said softly. "I need you to get her out."

Sesshomaru nodded shortly, watching his brother leap recklessly towards Naraku and immediately decided he would have to teach his brother to fight after this was all over.

Kagome watched her love leap towards their greatest enemy, his eyes blazing in anger, and Tetsusaiga drawn threateningly. A moment later, she saw Sesshoumaru approaching the cage she was in.

"Get down." He commanded.

She dropped to her belly seconds before the door exploded backwards and practically disintegrated against the back of the cage. "KYAAA!" Kagome shrieked. A hand pulled her to her feet, and dusted her off.

"You are uninjured?"

She looked at him in confused shock. "Eh...um...no...I mean, yes...I mean..." She shook the cobwebs from her head. "I'm not hurt."

He nodded shortly, then set her on the ground before joining Miroku and Inuyasha in the fight.

Sango ran towards her, embracing her tightly. "You're okay!" The older girl whispered happily.

Kagome nodded. "Let's help thm."

Sango nodded and grinned.

While Kagome was reunited with Sango, Inuyasha was taking a beating from Naraku and Kikyou. His fire-rat coat was now practically shredded. He still fought passionately, despite bleeding from several places on his body, and in spite of being terribly worried about Kagome.

A soft voice spoke in his ear. "She is unspoiled."

He glanced towards his brother as the youkai joined him in battle. "How do you know?"

"She smells of only you. No other youkai has touched her."

Inuyasha nodded, still fighting. He felt something pierce his shoulder and let out a yelp. He saw the arrow sticking from his shoulder and turned, lunging for Kikyou. He had to get her out of the way first. She was the danger at the moment. Her and her arrows could strike from farther away.

Her eyes widened as she realized his intention and in under a moment, an arrow was aimed at his chest.

Inuyasha stopped, his eyes angered. "You betrayed me." He accused gently.

"I did it for you..." She said softly. "If the girl was died, you would come back to me...you would follow me in death and I could sleep peacefully." She smiled her eyes showing a madness. "Why did you choose her? I'm more beautiful, I'm more graceful. I'm everything she's not."

Inuyasha closed his eyes, his mind running through possible answers. It didn't matter what he said, she would try to kill him anyways. So he settled for the truth. She was his first love, so she deserved nothing less, even if her jealousy had turned to madness. "Because she is nothing you are." He said softly. "She taught me to smile, and laugh...she gave me friends, and those friends...are my family now." His eyes widened slightly. "She loves me as I am...and doesn't want me to become a human just for the sake of the jewel..."

Her eyes narrowed and she let out an animal-like shriek. In less than a moment, she released the arrow, and it struck him hard in the right side of his chest.

Inuyasha felt Naraku punch through his stomach at the same moment and cried out in pain. He fell between them, feeling his life blood seeping from inside of him.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed, running towards him.

She was beaten only by Sesshoumaru, who stood like a guard dog over his brother and kept them from harming him more. He growled at Kikyou and Naraku who now stood side-by-side as Miroku and Sango joined him, with Kirara and Shippou at their sides.

Kagome carefully drug Inuyasha away from them, her eyes filled with pained tears. He couldn't leave her. She had to protect him from them. She had to keep him safe. She gently caressed his face, touching the wound in his chest and crying softly. "Inuyasha..." She whispered, her face pained. "Don't you dare die...you can't leave me...please...please..."

He opened his eyes painfully. "Kagome...run away..." He whispered, his voice pained. "I'll be okay...just get outta here..." He lifted his hand, cupping her face. "Kagome, please, you have to leave..."

She heard the fight going on behind her, and ignored it. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered except the demon who's head rested in her lap and who's blood seeped from his body far too quickly. "No...Not without you..." She leaned down, kissing his lips. "I can't go on without you...please, Inuyasha, don't leave me alone..." She stroked his face, tears rolling down her own. "I love you, please...we were going to be happy together, remember?" She wrapped her hand around his tightly.

He gave her a pained smile. "I was always happy when I was with you..." he whispered, then his eyes closed and his body went limp as he slipped into blessed unconsiousness.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. "Dammit, open your eyes! Don't you dare leave me!" She saw his chest rising and falling and lay beside him, resting her head against his shoulder. She didn't notice the glow begin to brighten.

Everyone else, however, did.

Naraku and Kikyou stood side by side, a swirl of Miasma knocking everyone away. Slowly they approached the prone forms of Inuyasha and the glowing Kagome.

Sesshoumaru forced his eyes open, ignoring the pain in his body from the poison. He wasn't going to miss this. Her power was cresting. He would see it once more before he died, even if he died now.

Miroku crept towards Sango and Shippou, Kirara beside him, and helped the demon hutress and fox cub sit to see what was happening across the room. He winced as Sango leaned heavily against his chest. He could feel the power from Kagome increasing rapidly, almost out of her control.

Sango watched the glow emenating from around her friends swell and widen, power extruding from the poor young girls every pore. "Kagome..." She whispered in worry.

Naraku realized what was happening and quickly drew a sword. "Move aside, girl."

Kagome lifted her eyes to look at them, completely unafraid. It was beginning, and they were afraid of it. That was the one ace card she held in her hand. She couldn't release it and let them destroy Inuyasha. "Never..." She whispered.

Inuyasha cracked his eyes, shocked to see the glow surrounding her, amazed at the lack of fear in her eyes. He knew she knew she could die, he could sense it in her heart, feel it in the tremble of her hands, yet she wasn't yeilding to them.

"Kill her, Naraku. She isn't going to let us at him." Kikyou said angrily. "Kill her and be done with it!"

Naraku arched an eyebrow. "Move girl, or you shall die and you will not be able to save him."

Kagome twitched in fear, and then smiled a sweet smile, looking down at Inuyasha. It would be better to die, rather than live without him.

"Kagome, move..." Inuyasha gasped, his eyes pained. He didn't want her to die. He couldn't live without her. If she died, so would his heart.

Tears filled Kagome's eyes and the glow widened even more. She couldn't hold it back much longer. "I can't." She whispered. "I will never leave you." She saw Naraku drawing the sword and raising it over his head while Kikyou prepared another bow. With a soft cry, she threw her body onto Inuyasha's, preparing herself for the sweet release of death.

Inuyasha saw the love in her eyes and knew she fully intended to die with him if he was going to. He folded her into a warm embrace, his eyes closing. "I love you, Kagome..." He whispered against her ear.

Kagome's eyes snapped open and light exploded from her body, filling the room with pure white and overflowing, spreading across the land, covering the entire landscape with pure light.

Kouga in the hills saw it explode and was knocked backwards by the force of it. The demons he'd been fighting evaporated in an explosion of dust, then it continued to spread.

Kaede in the village saw it next, watching as green covered the village just as if it had rained all season. She looked around in subject amazement as the light continued to spread, seeping through the well and into Kagome's time as well, exploding across her time as well.

Kaede's eyes narrowed in worry. There was only one explanation for light, this wave of power.

Kagome's powers had awakened.

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Author's notes: BWAHAHAHA! Evil, ain't I. Sorry if this chapter doesn't make much sense. I was a tad tipsy when I wrote it. Made me glad I had the plan wrote out already. If there are any spelling errors, I blame it on my very poorly working mind. I'd planned to make this longer, but I suck at writing fights. Anyways, next chapter it's all over. Stay tuned!