Falling Apart

Kagome saw the blast coming. She saw Inuyasha and Kikyou standing but a yard away, and she knew that if he had cared enough that he could have saved her from it. She stared at the oncoming blast with a kind of sick curiosity, wondering what it would be like to be ripped to shreds like a rag doll. She found it very difficult to care. A strange apathy had taken over her consciousness ever since Kikyou had spoken those devastating words to Inuyasha. Their love can do anything, she thought sadly. The love of Kikyou and Inuyasha. That love can do anything. She had thought it and then immediately let the apathy take over. She tried to distance herself form what she knew was true. She didn't want to admit that she had lost. She would rather let herself die.

It seemed to take eternity for the blades of enchanted wind to reach her. Kagome almost couldn't stand the waiting as it all went by in slow motion. She anticipated the pain of those blades of wind ripping into her skin. She fell to her knees. She closed her eyes and waited as rain began to pour from a previously clear sky.

That's why it came as a shock to her when Sango's Hiraikotsu hurtled in front of her, blocking the majority of the brutal onslaught. "Kagome, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" She yelled as the remainder of the wind blades cut into Kagome's arms.

Kagome looked at Sango blankly. I was thinking that I want to die, she wanted to say, but she didn't. All she did was smile at Sango and say "I'm sorry."

Sango gave her a curious look, but there was no time to respond. "Inuyasha, slice her with the Tetsusaiga!" Sango called to him desperately.

Inuyasha glanced at her. "I was already on it! Kaze no Kizu!" He swung the sword with all of his strength, severing Kagura's body in half.

Kagura felt it as her stomach was sliced in half. She felt it as her entrails pulled apart. She felt it as her mind began to darken with death. She felt it: sadness.

I was not sadness at leaving this world, nor was it remorse at what she had done. She did not feel her usual hatred for Naraku, nor did she feel any dislike of Inuyasha. Her mind held only one thought: I wish I could have seen him one more time…

Kagome watched Kagura die with mixed feelings. Kagura had been an enemy, and a bitter one at that. She had done so many terrible things to them. It was unforgivable. Yet, as Kagura's torn body fell to the ground Kagome could not help but feel pity for her, and as Kagura whispered her last, Kagome felt a surge of pity.

"Shes-shou-ma-ru."

It occurred to Kagome this could some day be her, lying on the ground, dying, with nothing but an unrequited love. Kagome had to look at Kagura in a new light. They were so alike. To think that they both had an unrequited love. To think that they both had emotions that strong. Kagome felt a pang of regret as Kagura breathed her last. It was so sad and yet she could do so little. Kagura may have had human feelings and she may have felt love, however, Kagome could feel nothing more than a pang of regret. Vengeance is as much a part of human nature as empathy.

A distant buzzing in the distance brought Kagome back to reality. They all recognized the sound of Naraku's Saimyoushou. They descended from the heavens to gather Kagura's shattered body. Kagome knew that they would be sent back to Naraku, but for what reason she did not know.

She tried not to think at that moment. She didn't want to move from where she had fallen. Blood coursed down her arms in warm rivulets. The pain held her grounded in a reality she did not want to be in.

Kikyou and Inuyasha.

Kikyou stood there, her eyes still ablaze with exhilaration at the death of one of her foes. Inuyasha stood with his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her tight to him. Kagome didn't want to see that. She didn't want to see that woman in Inuyasha's arms.

Don't let this be, she prayed silently to whatever god might be listening, don't let this be!

Sango saw the desperation in her friend's face. She knew what Kagome had endured better that anyone else. She knew of the sacrifices that she had made. Sango had heard her at night, sobbing. Sobbing for Inuyasha, and the love that she didn't believe that she could ever have, and now she was fallen on the ground, holding back tears. Shoving aside her own pain, Sango reached out a hand to comfort her, but it was too late. Kagome was already running away, off into the forest, alone, into to pouring rain.

Disclaimer: NOT MINE!!! (though I wish they were!) *cries*

Note: I just wanted to say why I was writing this thing. Okay, so I love Inuyasha, and I love EVERYONE in Inuyasha with the exception of Jaken, because it (I refuse to give it a gender) is annoying and needs to die (I also dislike those random creepy and ugly bad guys that pop up, do something evil, and are never seen again, but we're talking main characters here). If anyone happens to read this and dislikes the characterization of anyone, or what happens to them, I am extremely sorry. I'm writing this because I wanted to have fun with the Inuyasha cast, and this seemed the best way to do it! ^_^