Author's Note: There's a lot of swearing in this. Kouga and Inu-Yasha are generally like that around each other, right? Eh, if that sort of thing bothers you, my apologies.

Please, please, PLEASE review this time. It would mean everything to me to see what you guys thought. You could flame me to hell for all I care, but anything is better than near silence. *offers ramen and sake* Pretty please?

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"What the hell happened to her, you stupid mutt!?" Kouga's features, merely rugged before, were now contorted with rage. He'd been near the village when he smelled the mingled aroma of his woman with that lousy son of a bitch who always tagged along so insistently. He'd never understand how she could stand that stupid, two-timing, mindless hanyou. He couldn't even manage to protect her properly. If nothing else, he could provide that for her.

"I didn't do anything, you mangy wolf! Get the hell away." Inu-Yasha flexed his claws, grinning menacingly.

"You didn't do anything! That's bullshit! You couldn't even manage to protect her. If it had been just one arrow, she would have lived! But no, you couldn't even do that. You're nothing but a useless half-breed.." Kouga rambled on, glaring at Inu-Yasha with deeper loathing than he'd felt for anyone before. Even Naraku, whose own sins were nearly as tremendous. Naraku, however, made no promises about protecting anyone. Any real promises, anyhow. Inu-Yasha supposedly loved this woman, not as much as he did, of course, but nonetheless. Killing without feeling is one thing, but standing by as someone important and special was killed without doing a goddamn thing..

"Half-breed, huh? I may be just a hanyou, but if you didn't have those jewel shards, I'd kick your youkai ass!"

"Wanna try me?"

"Boys, please! Would ye stop if only for Kagome's sake, just this once?" Kaede yelled from within the hut, her voice strained and exhausted. She'd been working on the medicine for days now. All her time was devoted to Kagome, who'd been unconscious the entire time. Miroku, Shippou, Kirara, and Sango all wandered aimlessly through the village, coming into Kagome's room often. Their hope was waning, however, for Kagome's healthy awakening. Kaede never left unless it was absolutely necessary.

Inu-Yasha had sat faithfully by her side the entire time, trying to be hopeful and optimistic for her sake. That's what she would do with him, wouldn't it? She'd sit by him, taking care of him without a second thought, trying to be cheerful for him. Kouga's presence was the only thing that had drawn him outside in all that time.

He felt horrible. Of all the things, Kouga wasn't worth that.

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"Houshi-sama?" Miroku near about jumped out of his skin, but was instantly relieved hearing that it was spoken with Sango's delicate voice. "May I speak to you for a minute?"

"Hai."

"Do you think Kagome will really make it?" Sango plopped down beside Miroku, subconsciously making sure to leave a good amount of space between the two of him, placing her weapon in that space. Miroku was slightly disappointed, but for once, he was truly not in the mood to run his hands along Sango's body.

"I wish I knew, Sango." He sighed. He wanted to tell her what she wanted, what she needed, to hear. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He'd been trying to tell himself that for the past few days, but if he couldn't buy his own lies, Sango would definitely see through them. She was intelligent and perceptive, and he did not see any point in trying to fool her.

Sango wrapped her arms around her legs, pulling them close against her chest. "I'm worried, Miroku. After losing my family, I had to be strong, you know? I couldn't be weak, I couldn't be vulnerable, I couldn't be emotional. You have to be tough when you're the only one really left. Without really realizing it, I let down my guard. Took everything for granted again. I can't do this a second time, Miroku?"

"Do what?"

"Lose someone I loved again."

"Kagome is a strong girl, Sango. Though the situation is grim and the outcome doesn't look much better, she is quite capable of surviving beyond this. We can only trust that she will be able to."

Sango nodded, but it was apparent she was not comforted. They were silent. There was nothing really to say. Miroku stared out from his spot on the hill, overlooking the top of their village. The laughter of children, the soft scraping of plowed dirt, sparkling, crystalline waster splashing as fish swam about, birds singing happily from the tops of leafy, green trees. It was so peaceful, so wonderfully fulfilling.

Why couldn't it be like that for them? Inu-Yasha, Sango, Shippou, Kagome, himself had all suffered a great deal and no doubt would suffer more. Miroku stood up and walked behind Sango, sitting in the unclaimed spot on the other side of her. She looked up in shock. 'If you try something at a time like this, I promise you you'll regret the day--'

No, instead, Miroku's intentions were good ones. Without thinking about his actions, her warpped his arm around Sango's shoulders. "It's going to be okay, Sango, I know it will. I have faith in them all and their ability to persevere. Kaede is a talented and experienced priestess. She is in good hands. Besides, Inu-Yasha would never let anything happen to Kagome." He laughed softly, thinking of Inu-Yasha's overbearing behavior. She was safer with him than she could ever be.

"Thank you, Miroku." She placed her head on Miroku's shoulder, surprising them both. A faint blush appeared across his face.

'Wait.." Miroku was dumbfounded. She was sitting right here, next to him, practically inviting unwanted sexual attention! She knew him well enough by now that if she wanted to be left untouched, her moves were not wise ones. But, he found that he still had no desire to tease Sango. He was a flirt, toying with emotion and the affection of women without ever really caring about how the other felt. How the other REALLY felt. With Sango, everything changed. Even just having her lean against him was enough to keep him happy. For now, that is..

"Do you really trust me this much, Sango?"

Sango knew exactly what he meant. "Yes, Miroku. Right now, I do."

He smiled, pleased. "Sango?"

"Hmm?"

"You know that I would do anything to protect you, like Inu-Yasha would Kagome. I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm here for you, no matter what, Sango." Taken back by his words, Sango looked up at him in surprise. He moved closer, kissing her lightly on the forehead, and stood up, ready to leave.

Sango's face was still pink with embarassment and pleasure. She grabbed his arm before he could leave. His action had left her just what she thought she could never be: vulnerable, emotional. Sudden tears that had been locked up over the last several day came pouring out down her cheeks. "Then stay with me, just for a little while."

It was tearing him apart to see Sango so unhappy. He gently reclaimed his spot beside her, holding her close to him while she cried. He'd comfort her, nothing more, for now. It was what she needed.

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Kouga leaned against the back of the wall, never taking his eyes from Kagome. At first glance, she really did look dead. Mutt face was sitting too close to her, as he always did, watching over her as well. Kaede had given Kagome her medicine. From what they could tell, her condition hadn't really changed that much. Kouga had been there for hours now, in his stationary position against the wall of the hut. He sighed heavily.

"I'm going out for a minute or two, Inu-koro. Don't you dare lay a claw on my Kagome, or you'll be the next meal for my pack."

"Keh!" Before leaving, Kouga noted pessimistically that even Inu-Yasha was too downcast to reply with heart.

Inu-Yasha's honey colored orbs were locked on Kagome. She was cold to touch, but she was sweating furiously. Sometimes her brows would knit together, as though she was having a nightmare. That, unfortunately, was one of the few movements he would make.

He brushed her soft hair out of her face so he could see her better. "Kagome.." he whispered gently. "Kagome, don't die on me. You can't die on me!" His voice raised slightly in volume.

"I never wanted to admit it before, but I need you. Not just for the shards or your miko power. But because you're you. You're the first person I ever trusted, the first person who'd ever cried for me, the first person I could really talk to. You stayed by my side through everything: Naraku, my transformations, death, destruction, even Kikyou. You can't die on me now.

"Please live Kagome, live for me." His voice was raspy now. Tears pricked at the back of his eyes, sliding down his face. For the second time in his life, he cried. And for Kagome. Tear after tear fell on her face, but even then she didn't stir.

--

"Kagome, it's time."

"Time?" Kagome didn't understand what on earth they were talking about. Or what was even going on. She couldn't see anything, she couldn't move, and she couldn't feel only here. "Time for what?" She couldn't speak, either, she merely thought it. But it didn't seem to matter here.

"Time to go."

"Go where?" she thought at the voice.

"You're done here." It answered unhelpfully.

"Done WHERE?" What was where? She didn't remember anything at all. "Why am I here?"

"You're here because you're done there. It's time to go now." This voice was rather redundant. What was going on--

Kikyou's arrow, home in her own time, Inu-Yasha had come, Hojo standing in front of her, Inu-Yasha telling Kikyou he didn't love her anymore, all the blood, and then the black. This.

"You're done with this world, Kagome, and it's time to move on. You wonder why you do not see, do not feel, do not move. You will rest here like this until you're next life, or until you're brought to Heaven." There was a long silence.

'Cold. Why is it suddenly so cold?' Kagome wondered. 'Doesn't that contradict what it just said? The cold formed itself into specific shapes, liquid in form and a slightly burning sensation. They were...what were they?

"They are tears, Kagome. You are feeling tears."

"It's time."

"Wait! No, I can't go!" Kagome pleaded. "I can't go, I'm not ready to go! There's so much left to do, unfinished business. School, Mom, Souta, There's Inu-Yasha! I need to see him again, please, don't take him away from me just yet. Please?"

"It's time."

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Whatdidja think? I know it was long. But ya know how you get going at two in the morning and you have to finish and there's so much you wanna say? Well, it's half past now... *twitch* So please forgive me for the length. I really would appreciate reviews..