'I don't understand! why won't she give up?' Naraku thought as he watched the miko once again rise to her feet. Kagome had sustained many injuries, enough to knock out or even kill an average human, but she still woundn't accept defeat. Naraku had placed some sort of a spell on her friends and so they now lay vunreable and unconcious on the ground, leaving only her to defend them. Again Naraku wondered what was keeping her going, couldn't she see it was pointless? He'll always win in the end, and she knew it too, so why? Seeing Kagome had fully risen to her feet and was bracing to be attacked again, he decied to press the question. "why is it you protect then with such a passion? you know you can't defeat me. why even try?" he hissed. Kagome looked into Naraku's eyes, he flinched slightly at the look in them, no not hate...they had almost a soft look to them. "because I love them" she said quietly. This confused him a bit, he'd never understood human emotions, chuckling slightly he looked at her half amused, half questioning. "and what is, love, as you call it?" he asked. She pondered this for a second, even she wasn't quite sure how to explain it, but thinking over her past and all her memories of her family and friends, she knew what to say. looking up at Naraku again, she began to speak. '' there are thousands of ways to love someone..." she began slowly. "between a boy and a girl, a parent and their child, between friends, or even a teacher and a student. No matter what way, as long as love is there, all you want is to be with that person, to talk to them, to share feelings......just to be around them. Sometimes love might make you do somthing you'll regret or put yourself in danger, but it also gives you strength, knowing you can see that someone again or that you're keeping them safe will give you strength beyond your wildest dreams....because you're protecting Love, the feeling inside of you too." after taking a breathe and thinking a second more she began again. "but possibly the most wonderful thing about love is when you love someone, no matter what they say to you or what they do will keep you from loving them. Love is unconditional. Whatever happens, whether they hate you or try to hurt you, you'll love them. Even you might do things you'll regret, but in the end nothing will keep you from them......because love is the flame the never dies." her words seem to resonate in the air around them. Clenching her fists, Kagome looked into Naraku's eyes, a fire burning within them. Feeling it flow in her very blood, she spoke once agian, but this time more firm and resolved, "these are my friends and I LOVE them... and I will spill my blood protecting them until my veins run dry!!!" with no doubt in her mind, without waiting for Naraku's answer she lauched her self at him, unafraid because she knew she would be safe, she knew her feelings for them would protect her, she knew the meaning of love.