Disclaimer: see chapter 1.

Releasing Your Heart: An Emptiness Inside

by arisu-the-pink

Kagome paced, Sango sighed, and Mikoku stirred the pot of breakfast grain.

"Kagome-chan, I'm sure he will return soon, please try to relax." Sango poured a ladle from the pot of simmering food into a bowl and held it out to the pacing girl. Kagome accepted it reluctantly. "You'll need a good breakfast before we set out for Mount Hakurei."

"Miroku's cooking isn't quite as good as yours, Kagome," Shippou piped up, "but for a man, it's pretty decent."

"Hey!" Miroku's eyes narrowed at his wounded pride. "If you'd prefer to do the cooking from now on--" he shook the ladel at the small fox, "then feel free."

"I think I'll go take a bath," Kagome announced, leaving her uneaten porridge on a tree stump. If I have to wait here for him to return, at least I can clean off the grease from my hair.

She strolled down the stream until she came to a fairly secluded and sheltered section before removing all but her undergarments. Her modesty was tempered by the knowledge that Miroku was busy with breakfast, and Sango would notice if he left camp for a peeping expedition. She stepped into the chilled water, cringing as it crept higher and higher toward her breasts, and gave a small squeal as the sensitive tissue there was completely submerged. Taking a deep breath, she dove under the water. What could Inuyasha be doing, she wondered.

Her question was answered when she rose above the water's surface.

"INUYASHA!"

He turned away quickly feeling heat rising to his face and, to his chagrin, other regions of his body.

"I didn't come to peep at you so don't sit me," he growled.

Kagome softened, then climbed from the water's edge to find her clothes. She hadn't thought to bring a towel, so she resigned herself to wearing moist clothing. "I wasn't going to," she answered him.

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and turned slightly, relieved to see that she was fully clothed even if her shirt clung to her skin in a very enticing manner. Don't go there, Inuyasha warned himself. Jumping down from his perch in a nearby tree, he put his hands on his hips. "I need to speak to you. In private."

Kagome glanced around them, confused. "I don't see anyone here..."

Taking her arm, Inuyasha fairly dragged her off toward a group of trees. "It's too close," he huffed, "I don't want anyone interrupting."

Interrupting what?

He stopped at the center of a small clearing surrounded by dark trees. Kagome recognized this place from the first night Inuyasha's human form was revealed to her. The memory of that night and her fear for his life sent butterflies into her stomach, and her heart beat rapidly.

After releasing her hand, Inuyasha took a few steps away, leaving her alone at the center of the clearing. I should have thought about the words first, he realized. Too late for that now. Just get it over with, quickly, before you lose your nerve.

"Inu--"

"Kagome, quiet." He regretted the harsh timbre when he heard her gasp. This was not the time to be rude.

He wanted to be strong. To tell her face-to-face and show her his resolve, leaving her no doubt and no confusion. He wanted her to move on with a clear conscience even if he had to be cruel to accomplish that goal. At that moment however, he could not look at her. "I was with Kikyou," he spoke so quietly it was almost a whisper. Inuyasha paused, awaiting her reprisal or the familiar raging "Osuwari!"

She remained silent.

The stillness between them spread like Naraku's jaki, forcing Inuyasha to continue. "Kikyou... is alive again."

"I already know that," Kagome shot back, barely concealing her irritation.

"No, I mean, she has been fully restored." When Kagome did not respond, Inuyasha finally turned to see her. The revelation slowly revealed itself in her expression as a wash of understanding, then fear, then anger before melting back into complacency. He was dumbfounded.

"Then," Kagome began slowly, "you two can finally be together as you were meant to be." She let the words hang in the air between them for a while, both pondering their full impact. Before he realized it, Kagome was standing directly before him, gazing into his eyes.

"I always knew this day would come," she admitted sadly. "As I told you beside the Bone Eater's Well, I cannot hope to compete with Kikyou. I want to be with you--"

"You still can!" Inuyasha interrupted, unable to escape the hold she had on his eyes.

"--but it would be wrong," she finished. Inuyasha felt his heart stop, finally admitting to himself the truth in her words. He continued to hold fast in her gaze, and came to a startling realization.

This is Kagome. I don't see Kikyou in her eyes, I see only Kagome.

Before, unbidden, a part of him always sought out the familiarity of Kikyou's features in her younger reincarnation. Her dark hair, the shine of her eyes, or the way her lips were just so. Maybe I am making a mistake...

Kagome released him from the trance, stepping back and turning her stare toward the ground. "I will want to say goodbye to Shippo-chan, Sango-chan and Miroku-sama," she stated firmly. "And I will have Sango-chan bring the shards to Kaede. She can decide their fate." She will give them to Kikyou, Kagome thought to herself as she realized that Kikyou would likely be taking her place on the journey.

As if he'd read her mind, Inuyasha's eyes widened and he took hold of her arm almost painfully. "You don't -- you don't have to go," he offered meekly. "Your archery skills are improving, you're always cheering up the others and I'll mis-"

He stopped. That was close. "I'll miss having ramen for dinner," he covered.

Pulling her arm from his grasp drew a small amount of blood from Inuyasha's sharp claws. Kagome was shocked by the open and almost passionate way Inuyasha was speaking to her.

"We should return to the camp," she said simply, turning toward the edge of the clearing. "You all have quite a journey ahead and you should set out before the noon sun." Sparing not a glance in the hanyou's direction, Kagome took off at a fast pace, praying he could not smell the tears that threatened to spill down her cheeks. I will not cry in front of him, she vowed.

"Kagome, wait," Inuyasha called after her, a hint of annoyance touching his formerly softened tone. Why is she so calm? I thought she promised to stay with me until the end? Keh, maybe I was right after all.

She stopped, turning swiftly around. "What?" She too was annoyed. Why does he have to drag this out? He's getting what he wants, does he want to see me cry too?

Inuyasha tossed the red velvet bag at her, then crossed his arms in a defiant pose. "That's the rest of your soul," he revealed casually, as though speaking of the bag itself. "Kikyo has her own, yours was released. All you have to do is touch it."

Kagome looked down at the small pouch before gingerly opening its tie and peering inside. Her soul looked -- it looked like the Shikon-no-tama, which made sense. After all, the Jewel of the Four Souls was just that -- a jewel of souls. This particular orb was a bit smaller. She closed the bag again, took in a deep breath and studied the hanyou standing several yards away. The petulant glare on his face remained. "Send Kikyo my regards, Inuyasha." Then she continued on her way.

* * * *

"Kagome-chan," Sango hugged the younger girl tightly, her eyes burning with unshed tears.

"Don't go!" pled Shippou. His face then screwed into one of childish anger. "That jerk has to let you stay! You're part of our pack!"

Kagome smiled sadly, patting him on the head. "He didn't ask me to leave, Shippo-chan. It's just something I have to do. Kikyou is an expert miko. She'll be far more helpful in gathering the shards."

"Let me come with you, then," the kitsune begged. "I'll be good, I promise."

Kagome indulged the idea for a moment, considering how nice it would be to have something left of her adventures. After all, the young fox demon had no parents and saw her as his mother. In the end, common sense won out. "I'm sorry, Shippou, but that just isn't possible. Sango-chan will take good care of you, right?"

Sango nodded, and opened up her arms for the little fox. "Come Shippou-chan, let's be brave now."

He skulked away from Kagome, leaving only Miroku to say his good-byes. "You are making a wise decision," the monk sagely answered her unspoken question. He held out a hand to her, the formality melting into friendship. "Take care of yourself, Kagome-sama. We'll keep an eye on him for you." Kagome realized he wasn't referring to Shippou, but to Inuyasha.

"Thank you," she whispered. Only one thing left to do. Reopening the velvet pouch, Kagome poured it's sole content into her palm, and waited. At first, nothing happened, and she worried that her soul was refusing to join her again. Moments later however, the orb started to glow and pulsate gently, and a mote of white light sailed from the sky toward her. She closed her eyes as the soul entered her body through the heart, opening them again after the light died. She still felt empty.

The well beckoned. Reaching for her backpack, Kagome jumped into it's depth for the last time.

* * * *

The campfire was the only animated thing in the camp that night. Sango idly stroked Kirara's fur, but the demon cat did not purr. Miroku stared into the jumping flames, his expression unreadable and Shippou napped in a tree branch above the trio.

"He didn't even see her off," Sango noted with a hint of annoyance.

"I'm sure they said their goodbyes," Miroku replied. "He probably felt it would be easier this way." He paused, eyebrows knit in consternation. "Sango, we may have to continue on our own. Inuyasha has not returned since last night; it's possible he will stay behind with Kikyou."

Sango nodded slightly. "Kagome seemed to think Kikyou would simply take her place. If she does, I'm not sure if I could--" she hesitated, choosing her words carefully, "it would feel like a betrayal," she finally finished. "But we have a long journey ahead, and even together we aren't strong enough to fight Naraku alone."

"If he still wants the Shikon-no-tama and revenge against Naraku, then Inuyasha will set out again. Should he ask us to join him, I will not refuse." Miroku threw the branch he'd been tending the fire with into the blaze. "Besides, I promised Kagome we would watch over him."

The humans each stood and retreated from the fire to their own bedrolls, the sadness of the day weakening their bodies. Shippou, who'd only been feigning sleep, sniffled back a tear. His stomach protested his skipped dinner, but the kitsune ignored the rumble. Kagome was gone forever, and he had no desire to see her replacement. Yet, he would be alone in the world without the rest of his friends, and knew that he would follow wherever they went. Kagome, please come back, he whimpered to the stars above him. We miss you so much. The sky refused to answer, and eventually sleep took him from the conscious world again.