Ch. 2

me: seven reviews already?! I luv you guys!!!

Kikyo:...how can you love people who HATE kikyo?!

me: heh, very easily. They give me reviews! Anyways, heres the answer to some of your questions...btw, thanks for the cookie, darthbane! And thank you soo much, Inu Faceness, for being a faithful reader! Anyways, ok, here's the deal. I don't hate or like Kikyo. She's just...there, lol. In fact, I tried to write this fanfic the other way around, with Kikyo shooting Kagome, but it didn't work. Kikyo is too brave, while Kagome on the other hand is still young and.. -ahem- stupid. And the battle wounds Kikyo is talking about is basically just how much InuYasha gets hurt trying to protect Kagome. Ya know what im saying? And no, Naraku isn't defeated. Last, I know that there's some technicalities about how Kikyo has Kagome's soul and stuff, but im choosing not to get into it. I could, but it'd be quite a boring chapter.

Kikyo: are you done?

me: yesh anyways, hope you like the next chappie, and PLEASE read and review!

To Kagome, the arrow moved in slow motion, piercing through the evil aura of the air. . A cold sweat ran down her forehead as she considered the chances.

If I miss, Kikyo's gonna be mad that I shot at her, and she'll kill me! But if I hit her, I'll be the one doing the killing, and I have no idea how I could ever face InuYasha again after that... These thoughts ran through Kagome's mind as the arrow flew closer. She shut her eyes, too afraid to see what would happen.

A gasp of pain and a soft thump sounded as the arrow hit Kikyo square in the chest. Kagome was still covering her face with her hands as Kikyo released InuYasha and hit the ground.

"K-Kikyo...?" Kagome asked, opening her brown eyes slowly and tentatively. The sight was pitiful, with the undead miko laying listlessly on the ground with the arrow in her chest. Kikyo looked up at her, and Kagome braced herself for the hate and cruel words that were sure to come.

"T-Thank...you...." Kikyo whispered. Kagome blinked.

"For what?" she asked, puzzled. How on earth could someone be thanking their...murderer?

"For not...letting me h-hurt...InuYasha." Kikyo choked out the words and looked down at her chest. There was no blood, but she seemed to be fading slowly. She glanced over at InuYasha, a look of longing crossed her chalk-white face.

"Kikyo..." Kagome said, definite tears in her voice. "I am so sorry."

"Don't...be. It's all f-for the best. I could never...l-love him...the way you do..." Kikyo smiled shakily. "And I-" A gasp cut off her last words as her eyes rolled back into her head. A wave of pain seemed to wash over her as she turned to dust, only her gray bones and miko's clothes remaining. Kagome watched this, a look of sadness and horror crossing her face. She put her bow down and dropped to her knees in front of the heap of bones and clothes, burying her face in her hands.

"Kagome?"

Kagome jumped at the sound of her name. She turned around, only to see a very confused and dirt streaked hanyou.

"InuYasha!" Kagome jumped up quickly. What was he going to say when he saw the remains? "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Where's Kikyo, did she hurt you?" He walked over to her, stopping short when he saw the bones. Painful understanding showed on every inch of his face as he stared at the pile. His eyes shifted to the bow right next to Kagome, and he understood at once. His glare pierced her heart. Never had she seen such a look on his face.

"You...killed her," he said. "You...a wench from modern day times...killed Kikyo. The most powerful priestess in Japan was murdered by you."

"I didn't mean to!" Kagome cried. It was absolutely necessary that InuYasha understood this. "I would never kill her, InuYasha! She was taking you to hell! She was murdering you!"

InuYasha turned away, his head shaking slowly.

"W-what?" Kagome asked, taken aback. "You knew?"

"Yes! Do you think I'm so stupid, that I don't know exactly what Kikyo's up to? Keh, I can't believe you'd give me so little credit."

"But doesn't that mean...that you wanted to go?"

InuYasha looked away again. Kagome watched him, her gaze apathetic. He finally stood and carefully gathered the bones and clothes.

"I think its best if you went home now." He said slowly.

"Answer my question!!" Kagome said forcefully. InuYasha scowled.

"Leave...now..." He said again.

"InuYasha!" Kagome said angrily. "I am not moving an inch unless you tell me now! Did you want to go with Kikyo?!" InuYasha's eyes were shaded, and when he looked up, they were so angry that Kagome had to step back.

"You've caused enough damage for one day!! I don't want to even look at you!" The hanyou's look was enough to crack stone; even Naraku would fear him. Kagome looked at him again, her gaze nervous and pleading.

"Please InuYasha...it was a mistake..."

"Mistake?" He laughed madly. "Mistake?! A woman is dead because of your mistake! My Kikyo-" he stopped abruptly.

"Your Kikyo...?" Kagome said softly. "Well, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was possible to be in love with something that's just grave soil and bones."

And with that, she turned and walked toward the well.

Without even shedding a tear.

And she never looked back.