To Protect the One I Love

Author's Notes:  Well, my story is coming to an end, but the tale will live on in the sequel.  I hope you all enjoyed it, cause I know I did.  So please enjoy the final battle of Inuyasha versus Subaru no Oni!

Sacrifice of Love

            "Naraku!?  You knew Naraku?"  Inuyasha questioned.

            "Knew?  So you're the brat that finally put an end to Naraku?  A pity."  Subaru no Oni commented.  "Yes, I knew him.  After the Shikon no Tama was destroyed by Kikyo's reincarnation, Naraku had me collect the shards for him."

            Inuyasha's eyes widened.  "So you're the reason he collected so many so fast!  Damn you!"

            Subaru no Oni laughed.  "Does any of that matter now?  I believe you have more important things to worry about now, half-breed."  To emphasize his point, the ward papers glowed again, causing Kagome to cry out.

            "Kagome!"  Inuyasha growled.

            The oni's jyaki increased and he spread his lips in a wide grin.  "Soon, she will be nothing but a mere memory, and I will tear the jewel from her cold dead body."

            Inuyasha growled.  "I won't let that happen!"  He rushed forward and swung at the oni over and over again, but the youkai was able to block every blow.

            "You cannot prevent it!"  Subaru no Oni countered and punched Inuyasha in the chest with his massive fist.

            The hanyou flew back and landed on his stomach.  As he struggled to get up, he saw Kagome was barely keeping her eyes open now.  "K-Kagome…" Finally having enough strength, he jumped to his feet and ran straight towards the ogre.

            "Oh?  One last attempt to save the one you love?"  Subaru no Oni pulled his club arm back ready to strike, when Inuyasha pushed off the ground suddenly and jumped high into the air.  Narrowing his eyes, the oni glowed blue and the miko bound to him cried out once more before she collapsed against the tree.

            "Kagome!"  Inuyasha was momentarily distracted and turned his head to see her go limp.

            "You should watch who you're fighting, hanyou!"  Subaru no Oni swung his might club and landed a powerful hit on Inuyasha's right side. 

There was a crack and the dog demon wasn't sure if it was his arm or his head.  He landed on one knee and clutched his broken sword arm as blood streamed down his face.

Coming up with a left uppercut, the oni caught Inuyasha's chin and launched him back into the dirt.

"Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha!"

From the air in the distance, Sango and the gang saw Inuyasha go down.

"Well, it looks like Kagome's back to normal, but now we've got bigger problems!"  Shippo watched worriedly.

Walking up to Kagome, Subaru no Oni laughed.  "Have you no more energy to spare miko?"  He asked.

Inuyasha was barely able to open one eye to see the monster next to Kagome.

"Well, then, I've no more use of you."  Subaru no Oni pulled back his four-inch claws and ran them up underneath Kagome's ribs.  Her eyes went wide, but the only sound that came out was a grunt.  Blood trickled out the corners of her mouth.

"K-KAGOME!!"  Inuyasha shouted.

"Come on!"  Miroku jumped off Kirara and ran forward towards the monster.

"Hiraikotsu!"  Sango threw the youkai bone boomerang forward.

Shippo jumped up and used hiraikotsu as leverage, throwing himself into the air.  "Kitsune bi!"  His green foxfire lit up around the boomerang and as it came at the oni, he moved to dodge it.  But when the side grazed him, he was engulfed in the superheated magical flame.

Miroku began battle with the oni, soon joined by Sango and Shippo, all fighting to buy Inuyasha some time.

Struggling to his feet, he used the rusty form of Tetsusaiga as a crutch to make his way to Kagome.  Her eyes were closed and the enchantment was the only thing holding her upright.

"K-Kagome."  Inuyasha made it to her and reached up to her face.  There were four puncture wounds in her stomach and they were bleeding profusely.  Her skirt and legs were saturated with her blood.  "Come on, Kagome.  This…this is no time to joke."  His throat was dry and constricted.  "D-do you remember, when I told you if you were going to die, then die and if you weren't then don't?  It was right after I defeated the thunder brothers.  Well, I was lying.  I'm even more scared to live without you then I was then."  His eyes watered up like only one other time he could remember that involved the human girl.  "So come on and opened your eyes.  For me?  Kagome?"  When she gave no response, he clutched at her shirt and screamed, "Please, Kagome!  Just open your eyes!"

Subaru batted Sango aside with his club and kicked Shippo away from him.  When Miroku tried to hit him with his staff, he shoulder rushed him and knocked the monk to the ground.  "See?  No matter how hard you might've tried, you two could never have stayed together.  You should be thankful I relieved you of such baggage."  He laughed.

Inuyasha clutched the sword in his left hand and turned with tear brimmed eyes to glare at the monstrosity.  "How dare you."  He raised the sword up in his right hand and it once again transformed into the mighty dog fang.  "I will kill you for what you've done."

"I'd love to see you try."  The oni urged.

Inuyasha cried out his love's name in a fierce battle cry and ran at the monster head on.  He swung wildly with his sword, but the oni blocked and blocked, all the while laughing at Inuyasha's loss and pain.

"Kazu no Kizu!"  Inuyasha released his wind scar, but Subaru no Oni caught his hand and stopped him mid-swing.  Without his other arm to deflect, the ogre hit Inuyasha in the side of the head with his club, opening the gash that was already there wider.

When he threw Inuyasha to the ground, the only movement the hanyou made was a small groan and a twitch of the leg as pain racked his mind and body.

Stalking over his limp form, Subaru lifted the weakened dog demon with one hand and threw down his club with the other.  "Now you will see the price of defying me!"  Pulling his arm back, the oni grinned.  "I will send you to your grave the same way I did your love!"

Miroku watched all this from afar as he struggled to get to his feet.  Sango and Shippo were still out cold.  "Inuaysha!"

Inuyasha's black blood splattered his fire rat robe and all over the smiling face of Subaru no Oni.  When he pulled his hand back out of the hanyou's stomach, Inuyasha's eyes lost their glaze and went to a dull, dark gold.  He dropped the hanyou without so much of a thought and picked up his club.  "Now, there's only one more thing left to do."  He said as he turned to the dead miko.

"Inuyasha!  Get up!"  Miroku urged. 

But the hanyou lay there still.  Tetsusaiga inches from his hand…

"Inuyasha?  Inuyasha, you have to get up."

Inuyasha lay still on the ground.  "Why?  What's left there for me when you're gone?"  He knew it was Kagome, but it still pained him to hear her sweet song voice.

"Inuyasha you have to be strong and not think about that right now."  She urged.  "There are a lot of people who still need you."

"I want to stay here with you.  Please, just let me die so we can be on this plane, together!"  His tears threatened to fall but he refused to open his eyes.  He didn't want to open his eyes and see her face, knowing he failed her.

"I don't blame you, Inuyasha.  But you can defeat him if you believe in yourself.  If you don't, he will obtain the Shikon no Tama and defile it."

"No!  I failed you!  How can I live with myself when you can't be with me?"  He wouldn't go back. 

"The day has come Inuyasha.  You are ready to become what you've always dreamed."

"Eh?"  This did make him look up in surprise.  And just as he suspected, there was Kagome kneeling before him.

"Put Tetsusaiga aside and have confidence in yourself.  It's the only way you will be able to defeat him."

"But what about you?"  He asked.

"As long as you remember all the times we shared, we will always be together."  She leaned forward and pointed to his heart.  "Right here."

"Kagome…"

Subaru no Oni was mere feet from his goal when a rise in power brought his attention to the seemingly dead hanyou.  "What's this?"

Miroku's eye's widened.  This aura…I've felt it once before.

Inuyasha, with a great amount of effort, stood on his feet and sheathed Tetsusaiga once again.  "Miroku, hold onto this for me."  He tossed the rusty sword and sheath to the monk, and it landed before him in a clatter.

"Now you wish to face me without a sword?  You're stupidity knows no bounds!"  Subaru no Oni laughed.  "I don't know how Naraku was defeated by a reckless weakling like you!"

Inuyasha's jyaki continued to increase and slowly his claws elongated, his fangs grew longer, and the air around him became so hot, that his hair began dancing on the updrafts.  "I am ready."  He said with closed eyes.  A devilish smile broke across his face and when he opened his eyes, they flashed a hellish red.  "This is the end for you, oni."  His voice was even darker than before.

Nani?  His aura is more like a youkai's now.  Gritting his teeth, Subaru no Oni charged in with his club and swung at the still standing form on Demon Inuyasha.

But he was far too slow for Inuyasha now.  Jumping up, Inuyasha landed on the club as it came swinging at him and pushed off it, landing behind the crazed ogre.  He slashed down with his claws and opened four long gashes in Subaru no Oni's back.

The oni cried out and spun around, trying to club him again.  This time, Inuyasha jumped into the air and his claws glowed yellow.  "This is for Kagome!"  He shouted, bringing down his claws, he fired off the most powerful Sankon Tessou Miroku had ever seen.

As he was engulfed by the massive attack, the monster's voice could be heard.  "Just wait!  I may be defeated, but you have yet to face Naraku's one and only true son!  He will send you to hell with the rest of us, half-breed!!"  Subaru no Oni's club, along with the rest of his body, vaporized without so much of a trace.

When Inuyasha landed, the monk was worried.  Although Demon Inuyasha was always a great ally in battle, he quickly lost control to the demon blood racing within him.  But when he knelt before Miroku, the monk could strangely tell that he was in no danger whatsoever.  "Inuyasha?"

"Miroku, how are the others?"  He asked slowly.

Gasping, the monk looked over and saw both Sango and Shippo were unconscious but otherwise fine.  "I think they'll recover."

"Good, I'm glad."  He stood up once more and turned towards the tree – towards Kagome.

"Inuyasha!?" Miroku shouted in worry.

Although Subaru no Oni was gone, the enchantments were slow to break.  When their blue glow faded, Inuyasha was there to catch the body of his love as she tumbled to the ground.

When he held her in his arms, he lowered to his knees.  Kagome's face looked like she was sleeping, but he knew her spirit was no longer there.  With his demonic vision, he too could see the Shikon no Tama glowing within her.

Coming up behind the dog youkai, Miroku carried Sango and Shippo in front of him.  "Inuyasha, when Kagome's grief consumed her, the jewel took control and that's why she didn't recognized you.  Whatever you did to bring her back purified not only her heart but her soul as well.  It was what brought her back to you."

"It was our love."  He murmured sadly.  And my love will always be with you, sweet Kagome.  But as he held her tighter and tighter, he didn't want to accept the fact that she was gone.  If only there had been a way for me to give her energy, she might've been strong enough to withstand Subaru's spell.

Do you feel for this miko, youkai?

Inuyasha's eyes widened.  Inside Kagome, Demon Inuyasha could see the jewel glow with each word.  I-I love her with all that I am and more.

Now that you have obtained your greatest desire, will you find the happiness you have always dreamed of?

NO!  Inuyasha's mind screamed.  Nothing will be the same without Kagome.  She was as much a part of me as I was to her.  I once thought being a true demon was what I wanted, but not anymore.  I would trade it all if I could just have Kagome by my side!

Do you promise to protect her from harm as she performs her duties as Guardian of the Shikon no Tama?  Do you promise not to give into your greed and seek its power for personal gain and see to it no evil ever claims it?

Inuyasha blinked in confusion.  Can you save her?

Do you swear?

Yes!  Anything, just please, don't let her die on me!

Then let it be done…

Inuyasha's aura began to flicker and Miroku knowingly stepped back.  Inuyasha felt his heart beat throughout his entire body, but also felt his body drain of demonic energy.  Slowly his fangs retracted, along with his nails, and his eyes regained their golden color.

The process left him breathing heavily, completely exhausted, and ready to pass out himself, but he had to see…

In his arms, Kagome's wounds slowly healed up and although scars remained, no more blood escaped her body.  With a moan, Kagome opened her eyes weakly and looked up smiling at Inuyasha.  "I knew you could do it."

Inuyasha's tears escaped maybe two at a time, but he buried himself in her hair and held her close.  "Stupid idiot!  Don't you ever do that to me again!"

She smiled and laughed lightly, giving him a hug back.  "I'll try not to."  But she was tired and weak and slowly closed her eyes again.

When Inuyasha pulled back, the tears were gone and he smiled.  "I'm glad you're okay."  Then he too closed his eyes and passed out.

Behind him, Miroku sighed and looked over exasperatedly at an approaching Kirara.  "Great, now we have to carry them all back."

Kirara roared an agreement and snorted in discontent.  Somehow it always came down to this.  When would these humans learn not to get their asses kicked without someone else to get them home?

A month later, Kagome and Inuyasha helped Kagome's mother around the house, insisting she not do anymore cleaning or cooking until she fully recovered.  The hospital had released her friends and family recently and Kagome was back to her old self.  Inuyasha had no complaints either, because if he didn't have Kagome's mother's steak to eat, there was always an abundance of ramen he could get his miko to make for him…over and over again.  For breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

But when they were all seated in the family room, Kagome said she had an announcement. 

"What is it Kagome?"

Sitting across from her family, Kagome looked over at Inuyasha.  He was leaning against the wall, but gave her a nod of encouragement.

"Everything that happened recently was because youkai and those with evil in their hearts were after the Shikon no Tama.  As its protector and host they targeted me.  When I made the wish for my friends to come here, I unknowingly merged the two worlds and gave that evil a way here.  Now, I have to undo what I have done."  So far it seemed her family was following her.

Taking a deep breath, she continued.  "I'm going to be sealing the well permanently, but in order to do that, I had to decide which world was truly my home now.  After so many years, I actually felt like I belonged to both of them."  She held her mother's hand and squeezed it.  "I came to the decision that although I love you and grandpa and Souta, that I have friends that live in the other world that mean the world to me too.  But that's not why I felt I can't stay here with you."

Kagome's mother's eyes watered up.  "Kagome?"

"Mama, more evil will come.  Even if we don't know they exist now, there are youkai and evil spirits that live in this world too.  And they will always be after the power that resides inside me: the power of the Shikon no Tama."  She looked down sadly.  "I won't let you or anyone else I care for get hurt because of me."

"Kagome, we understand."  Mama said.

Kagome gasped and looked up.  Both grandpa and Souta nodded.

"I know Inu-oniichan will always protect you."  Her brother gave a thumbs up.

Kagome's eyes watered up and she hugged her mother.  "Mama, I'm going to miss you!"

"But you'll always be my daughter, no matter what world you live in.  I will always think of you."  Came the motherly reply.  Pulling away, her mother smiled.  "Now, how about I make one last snack while you pack?"

Rolling her eyes, Kagome smiled back.  "Mama, I don't want you to strain yourself."

Standing up, her mother winked.  "But what's the use of being alive if I can't do what I love most?"  Then she disappeared into the kitchen.

"Come on, Inu-oniichan!  I'll help you pack neechan's things!"  Souta grabbed Inuyasha's arm and pulled him up the stairs.

"O-Oi!  Who said I was helping!"  He replied.

Kagome giggled and decided to help her mother in the kitchen.

Upstairs, Inuyasha picked up whatever was nearby and threw it uncaringly into one of the boxes Souta had brought in.

"You know, even though Kouga-niichan's pretty cool…" He turned to the hanyou with a big smile.  "You'll always be the best Inuyasha!"
            This caught the hanyou off guard, but he smiled and gave a thumbs up.  "All right!  Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Kagome stood at the edge of the well, most of her things already in the other world.  Now all that was left was to seal the well from this side and jump through.  She had said her goodbyes and closed the shed door behind her for the last time.  She had asked her family to explain everything that had happened to her friends and prayed they understood.

"You ready?"  Inuyasha asked slowly.  He knew this was a difficult time for her.

Nodding, Kagome tried to hide her tears in the dark.  "Yeah."

Coming up to her, Inuyasha wrapped one arm around her and pulled her into a hug.  "It's okay to cry.  This is your family."

She nodded and a few tears fell out, but she pulled away and shook her head.  "I have a new family now." 

That made Inuyasha smile and together they got on top of the well.  Taking four wards out of her pocket that Miroku had given her, Kagome threw one on each side of the well.  "It's strange that this is the last time we'll be going through the well together."

"Better for me.  Now I don't have to drag your ass back after you take those stupid tests!"  Inuyasha replied.

Kagome giggled.  "Yeah, that's true."  Then she closed her eyes and jumped through to Feudal Japan.

On the other side, Sango, Miroku and Shippo awaited the couple.  When they emerged, Miroku threw four more wards on all four sides of the well.  "It's all up to you now, Kagome-sama."

Kagome nodded and knelt before the well, folding her hands in prayer.  Her body glowed pink and the top of the well formed an invisible force field that only she could see.  "Now, no evil shall harm anyone on the other side, anymore."  And now that I can be with Inuyasha forever, everything seems okay on this side too.  While she was healing, Kaede told her something very important, although she made it into a really long explanation.  What the miko got out of it was that since Kagome was the protector of the jewel now, she would have an extended life.  Kaede said her sister knew this too but didn't want it and instead asked Inuyasha to become human.  With Kagome, though, she was all too happy to live as long as he did – as long as they were together.

Offering her a hands up, Inuyasha pulled Kagome close.  "They'll always be in your heart."

"Hey, I told you that."  She poked him on the stomach, making him squirm.

"Come on, we're gonna be late for wimpy wolf's gathering."  Inuyasha offered Kagome a piggyback ride, which she took with a smile.

"What, you afraid of Kouga now?"  She asked.

Inuyasha scoffed.  "Him?  No way, but now that he has a mate, I'm afraid she'll come after me more than anything."

Kagome giggled and turned to Miroku.  "We'll be back in a couple of days."  She winked and they were off.

"Is it me, or is Inuyasha being really protective these last few weeks?"  Sango asked.

"Yeah, he's been like a watchdog the entire time."  Shippo agreed.

Miroku lowered his head and said in a serious tone.  "I think it has something to do with what Subaru said before he was destroyed."  Turning to his companions he continued.  "He said something about Naraku's one and only true son."

Both gasped.  "Naraku…?"  Sango managed.

"Had a son?  With who?"  Shippo wondered.

"I don't know, but if he really did and that youkai is still out there, Kagome's not out of the woods yet."

When Inuyasha and Kagome got to Kouga's den, a litter of six puppies ran at them and clobbered them to the ground.

"W-what the hell!?"  Inuyasha shouted.

Kagome giggled.  "They're so cute!"

Ayame came running out of the cave and sighed when she saw it was her friends.  "Sorry, sometimes it's hard to keep track of them all!"

"These are yours!?"  Kagome gasped.

"Ours, thank you very much."  Kouga corrected, coming out behind Ayame.

"I thought they looked ugly!"  Inuyasha laughed.

Kouga was already fuming.  "What was that!"  He tackled the hanyou, be carefully not to harm his kin, and the two began wrestling.

"My gosh, you guys didn't waste any time!"  Kagome scratched behind the ear of one and rubbed the belly of another.  They all were gray and covered in fur, just like wolf puppies should be.

"Well, for youkai like us, it only takes three weeks.  They do most of their growing after birth."  Ayame explained.

"Wow, for humans it takes nine months."  Kagome said.  "I wonder how long hanyou's are pregnant for."

Ayame shrugged and sighed when she saw Kouga fighting with Inuyasha.  "Man, he's a father and he still acts like before!  When will he grow up?"  She wondered.

"I don't think they ever do."  The miko replied.  "That's why I brought this."  She handed the wolven female something and whispered in her ear.  Then she turned to the fighting duo.  "Inuyasha!  Osuwari!"

SMACK!

Inuyasha fell face first into the dirt, while Kouga jumped away to safety.  His puppies rushed in to finish the job with the hanyou.  "H-hey, get off of me!"

"Kouga?  Could you come here for a moment?"  Ayame asked in a sweet voice.

"Eh?"  The wolf leader came over and Ayame showed him the necklace. 

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"Um, I guess?"  Kouga answered.

"Try it on!"  Ayame lifted it above his head and slowly brought it down around his neck.

When Inuyasha saw this, he gasped.  "Take it off!  If you value your life and freedom at all man, take it off!"  He begged his rival.

"Inuyasha!  Osuwari!"  Kagome quieted him.

"What's this?"  Kouga fingered the beads.

"A present."  Ayame's smile grew.  "Kouga?  Osuwari!"

Suddenly the beads lit up and Kouga was slammed into the ground just like Inuyasha.  "W-What the hell!?"

Inuyasha sighed and crossed his arms, trying his best to ignore the puppies.  "I warned you."

"You could've told me sooner, asshole!"  Kouga shouted in anger.

"Kagome didn't tell me okay, dumbass!"

Suddenly, the two boys were at it again and the puppies ran to their mother and the miko's side.  The two girls looked at each other and smiled before shouting, "OSUWARI!"

Both boys smacked into the ground and lay there with upset faces.  "This is the beginning of the end for you, man.  I'm telling you."  The hanyou warned.

"Oh great…"

A little while later, Kagome and Inuyasha sat beneath Goshinboku.  Inuyasha had his head in Kagome's lap as she fingered his long silver hair and rubbed his ears.  "Inuyasha?  Can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"  Inuyasha was so relaxed as her fingers rubbed his sensitive ears.

"What happened back with Subaru?"  With everything that had been going on, Kagome hadn't had time to ask him about it yet.

Slowly, Inuyasha opened his eyes.  "Well, you were right, I was ready.  But even having fulfilled my dream of becoming a full demon, all I wanted was to have you with me again.  It seemed a fair trade."

Kagome's eyes widened.  "So, you can't become full demon anymore?"

Inuyasha smiled.  "It's okay.  As long as I have you, I have all I'll ever need."

This made Kagome smile too.  Satisfied she went back to playing with his ears.  "Inuyasha?  Didn't you think Kouga and Ayame's puppies were cute?"

This made the hanyou scoff.  "No way.  A bunch of mutts they are."

Kagome laughed.  "Funny, I've heard you called the same thing before."

"Hey!"  Inuyasha protested.  "By the way, why do you ask?"

Kagome shrugged.  "I always wondered about having little hanyous running around, causing trouble like you did when you were their age."  Then she remembered.  "Hey, Inuyasha?  How long are hanyou's pregnant for?"

His eyes went wide.  "W-why are you asking me?  How should I know!?"

"Well, I was just thinking about when you're mother had you is all!"  She lied.

Thinking back Inuyasha tried to remember.  "I think she said about six months."  Then it finally clicked for the dense dog demon.  "Kagome…d-do you want to have kids?"

Shrugging shyly, Kagome looked away to hide her blush.  "Not anytime soon or anything.  Just seeing Kouga's kids got me thinking, and Miroku always asking woman if they want to bare his children.  And then how him and Sango are always…"

Pulling her arm, Inuyasha shut her up with a deep kiss on the lips.  At first Kagome's eyes went wide, but then she wrapped her arms around him and kissed back.  Slowly, Inuyasha laid her back against the grass and the rest is secret to all, except Goshinboku – the guardian of the forest and the guardian of all.

Author's notes:  Sigh Well that's it.  I've given some hints as to the sequel, but I haven't thought the plot line out just yet.  Save my name or keep looking for updates.  It'll be under another title, as soon as I think of one.  And if you're really curious, e-mail me and I'll happily tell you where I am in the planning.  It's been great and thank you everyone!  Hope to see you at the sequel!