A/N Okay, here it is as promised the last chapter of Sacrifice. It is shorter than the other two, but I think it ends it well. I would like to thank everyone for supporting me with this story. You all have been wonderful, bringing me into double digits with only two chapters, my personal best yet. I've have a tough time with FF.net during the last year, but I feel that I might be able to now grow and expand into it through the years, and I have you to thank for that. Here are my FOUR reviews for the last chapter:

CrAyOnStAstELIkEpUrple: Hooray! My first repeat reviewer! So glad you like it, I was worrying the second chapter wouldn't be as good cause I wrote the first over a span of like four months and the second over about three days. Here's the final chapter, I hope you enjoy!

megu-sama: It's a quick update! Really happy to see another person liked it.

.jaded-: Though I'm a very angsty person, I wouldn't end a story mid way like that. Here's the final chapter! Hope you enjoy.

Lady Mom: My last reviewer! So happy you liked the writing. I was fearing that people would be angry at me for using Kouga in such a way, or they would be turned away by the drama and rape scenes of the second chapter compared to the more upbeat depression of the first. Yep, it is going to be three chapters, so I hope you enjoy the final chapter.

Sacrifice

By Pale Moonlight

Kikyo yawned as she ignored the throbbing in her head and sat up in her bed. For a split second, she debated why she was awake, before her brain turned on and it hit her, doorbell. Sluggishly crawling out of her comforter, and slipping into her black, silky slippers, she disputed who could be at the door.

At first Kikyo thought it to be Naraku, a troubling old flame who had been the very reason for her break with Inuyasha, and the very reason she'd been forced back into this hell hold of a house to wait on Inuyasha to come back. Arriving at her mirror, she undid the major tangles of her long, raven hair and grabbed her aged robe, wrapping it around herself.

"Hello?" she called out, staring into the dark abyss of the night outside the doorway. There was no one, only a biting wind and moonless sky. Damn neighborhood boys, she thought as she stepped unto the decaying patio, hoping the arctic air would clear her mind. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted something.

The deep black doorbell, the one that shone without light and remained same without reason, had something swinging around its form. It shimmered in the lack of light, and as Kikyo lowered her gaze, she saw the familiar working of silver and pinkish shard of the fabled Shikon Jewel. So he has decided. At least I can leave now. Kikyo reached out and refastened the necklace, still warm around her neck. There was work to do, so Kikyo left her sorrow and her sleepiness on the front porch as she walked back inside.

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Inuyasha raced through town, stopping occasionally, sniffing the concrete, not in a mood to care who saw him act in such a doggish way. Faintly he could smell her, Kagome's scent was far away and faint, but he could smell her. Oh, why had he ever been such a damn fool? As he stood back up and started running again, but new scent stopped him dead in his tracks. Blood, lots of it. All Kagome's. And even feebler, there was a smell of Kouga. That bastard. Inuyasha ran even faster.

The scent led him through town, back past the train station, and into the deep quarters of downtown. His brain gave him no time to celebrate as he arrived at the place where Kagome was to be in. Dear God.

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"Kouga! PLEASE!" cried Kagome, forcing him away, wrapping her arms around herself in the chilling night air. She could no longer control herself; her tears could not be stopped. Rubbing her arms against her frigid skin, she backed up.

Hurt flared in Kouga's eyes. "Kagome…" he muttered reaching out his hand to her, slowly lifting himself up. Kagome shivered, but stopped in her tracks. "Kagome," he again said softly, finally reaching his two feet, "I told you not to DEFIY ME!" Kouga's hand again meet Kagome's face, knocking her back on the tearing, lifeless form of the sidewalk. Blood ran in her eyes, she could barely think over the ringing in her head.

"Don't you remember what day it is?" he cooed, lifting her head slowly off the ground inches away from his face, "A year ago today, you thought you were rid of me. You fired up your big bad boyfriend Inuyasha to come humiliate me in front of my pack. In spite of that, you're all I thought about for a year, waiting to see you again. And now that you're mine again, you don't want to play do you?"

"Kouga," mumbled Kagome with the last of her breath.

"SILENCE!" yelled Kouga, dropping her head back onto the concrete, "You don't want to play Kagome, well then I'm in debt of a gift. It's the thought that counts, doesn't it?" he raised his knife, "Happy damn Anniversary!"

Kagome opened her eyes, watching with must be the last minute of her life Kouga raise the knife higher, and higher, a mad shim glowing in his eyes. Inuyasha, I'm sorry.

In half an instant, Kouga was off her, swirling down around the concrete, tumbling till he hit the remains of the park bench. Though fuzzy eyes, Kagome looked left and saw a tall figure, white against the night, amber eyes burning with passion.

"In-Inuyasha?" she croaked.

He looked down to her, his eyes widening and watering as he looked over her form. Her body was as he'd never seen it, broken, torn, tossed away against the stones of the ground. She looked so frail, so pale, with so much blood surrounding her. "Kagome?" He asked as he pulled her up into him, cupping her face in his hands.

With a strike, Kagome was again on the ground, splashing back into the ever-growing pool of blood around her head. She could no longer see Inuyasha, only the blurring form of the park around her. Carefully, she lifted herself up.

"Stay away from Kagome, dog-turd!" snarled Kouga, venom laced in his words.

"You leave her alone, you bastard!" growled Inuyasha, leaping off the ground.

Both dashed at each other, fists raised. Kagome shielded her eyes from the impact, but heard the shattering sound of fist against skin. As she opened her eyes, the scene played out before her. Inuyasha swung at Kouga, who blocked, aiming a high kick Inuyasha's way. Grabbing his foot, Inuyasha flipped Kouga over. After the initial impact with the ground, Kouga snarled, and rushed at Inuyasha, grabbing his throat and wildly strangling him. Inuyasha pushed him back at first, but Kouga's claws dug deeply into Inuyasha's flesh, making him lose blood left and right. No longer able to breathe, Inuyasha kneeled down on one knee, desperately clawing away at Kouga, tearing at his arms, face, whatever was in sight he would tear at. Kouga's hands held firm, and he laughed while screaming, "DIE, YOU PITYFUL HANYOU!"

Inuyasha was on the verge of blacking out, when Kouga released him, and fell down on top of him. Tossing aside Kouga's body, Inuyasha heeled over, tried to regain the flow of air through his lungs. A soft moan, then a whimper filled the air, and Inuyasha turned around.

Kagome stood behind him, pale, eyes wide with terror and wooden plank bloody in her hands.

"I killed him," she moaned, dropping the plank, collapsing down to her knees, "He was going to kill you, but I didn't want to… How could I have killed him?"

Tediously limping over, Inuyasha stooped down before her. Kagome merely turned aside, crying fiercely away from him. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, steadying her shaking form. She sat quiet in his arms for a while, before whimpering, "Why did you follow me, you moron?"

"Kagome, I, I love you," said Inuyasha, rubbing his face into her hair.

"No you don't!" yelled Kagome, breaking his embrace and standing up, "You're supposed to be with Kikyo! I'm just some stupid replacement till you can return to her! You stupid, you idiotic man! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Kagome struggled through her yells with sobs, till she could no longer yell at him.

Inuyasha just stood there, and gently placed his jacket over her shaking shoulders.

"Oomph," he cried as Kagome rushed into his chest, hugging his waist, burring deep into his stomach. Her tears stained his shirt, but Inuyasha stood there, whispering down to her.

"Do you really love me?" asked Kagome, looking down onto the sidewalk, still trembling in the night.

Inuyasha raised his head up and peered deeply into her watery blue eyes. Amber and blue meet, as they did so many moons ago.

"Yes, now come on. I'll take you home."

A/N And now, in all favor to people who wanted a sad ending….

"Mommy, what are you thinking of?"

Kagome was temporally thrown out of her train of thought as she looked down to Ember. Her fierce yellow eyes were starting at her; her face was crooked to the side, making her long black hair frame her thin face and brown, wolfish ears.

"Nothing. I was just looking out of the window. We're almost at our stop. You didn't take anything out of your backpack, right?"

"No, of course not Mommy," said Ember, sliding back to her train seat besides her mother, reaching under the other chair to grab her backpack.

They were quiet for a second, Ember fidgeting with her backpack straps, and Kagome starting out the window again.

"Mommy, why are we moving again?" asked Ember, gazing up at her.

"Cause they spotted Kouga outside our old town. Remember, we can't stay anywhere where Kouga is. We can't have him find us."

"Stupid Daddy," responded Ember, turning away to the door. Kagome's heart cringed. Though she'd never met Kouga, and she knew the stories and coincidences of her birth, Kouga was the closest thing Ember would ever have to a father figure. Kagome felt moisture grow in her eyes, she would just have to get used to that, she supposed.

The train finally heaved to a stop, and Kagome took down their luggage from above their heads. Both her and Ember could fit both of there belongings into one suitcase, they were always on the move, always traveling from place and place, and always hoping for the news that Kouga had been caught. Kagome grabbed Ember's free hand, and led her out into the station.

People rushed past the two, most ignoring the young mother and her daughter, some stopping and marveling at how young Kagome seemed, but all walking past and trying to ignore the two people. As Kagome hurried Ember to the next train they were to get on, a flash of silver gleamed in the corner of her eye. Ignoring better judgement, she turned around. The same haunting amber eyes meet hers, and shame and panic ran through her brain.

"Come on, Ember!" she cried, racing to the next train. She could hear his footsteps behind her, and his voice softly called out, "KAGOME!" through the crowded station. But people played a key role in separating the two, and Kagome was sure she'd lost him as she hastily rushed into Ember and her seats. She pulled down the blinds and collapsed into her seat, breathing hard the firm, packed air of the train.

"Momma, who was that man? The hanyou, the one who knew your name back there?"

"No one," said Kagome, forcing herself not to cry in front of Ember, "he was no one."

I started this story on a trip to Texas out of boredom. I was listening to my sister's CD's, and I thought I would try out her Kelly Clarkson CD, to see how much it sucked. I came to find it wasn't to bad, and one song stood out that I could not make sense of. As I listening to it over and over again, I thought of a story to it. My stasis on FF.net was bad then, four stories, all I was taking forever to update with, I was wanting to get out of the whole thing all together. For my New Year's Resolution, I erased my past and started out new and fresh with this story. Thanks to all of you out there, it has been a success and I now am able to happily put out Deep Blue. With the closing of this story, there is an opening for new ideas to come. I think I'll stay with one or two shots for a while, I've come to like them. I would like to thank all out there who read, who reviewed, or even just looked over this story. You all are great, and there is so much for me to thank you for. I only hope I can repay you with much great entertainment in the future. Thank you!

Your Faithful Authoress,

Pale Moonlight