Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine. He's Kagome's. Ok?

Hey... I'm sorry bout the fluff... I was going to put up a bunch of fluff, but that chapter just wasn't the place to put it. I'm sorry!!!!!! Screams and ducks as angry reviewers pelt with tomatoes ok, here, I'll give you some fluff here, on Kagome's part (I don't think Inuyasha's in the mood of feeling right now...)

Forever

Chapter 6: Pursuit

Branches, trees, twigs, leaves... Knees cut, skin burning, eyes blurred and tired. Kagome crawled with weariness that dragged her along. Strength had long surrendered its throne to weariness. Weariness and guilt was all Kagome had now. And that ominous feeling of haste, that fear that drove her.

And her love.

She needed Inuyasha. She needed him here, with her. A luxury Kagome could neither deserve nor afford. He was dead now, because of her. But he would return to her. His brother would help. She'd find Sesshomaru, convince him to save his own brother...

And then they'd destroy Naraku.

Naraku... such evil imprisoned in one single form, one body... It was inhuman. Kagome almost laughed just then. Naraku really wasn't human. He was a demon. Of course... her ignorance was growing too much to tolerate lately.

Kagome's smile faded as she found herself at the top of a hill. It was a large hill; Kagome lay above the forest, and could see the far away horizon. And the village.

And Inuyasha.

Dead. What if they buried him? She'd not be able to bring him back buried in the ground... Kagome looked up to the west, where the sun was just setting slowly.

She had to be hasty.

As she hastened to stand, Kagome's weak knees shook, and she fell. The ground was hard, cold, soggy... Her cheek burned with pain as she hit something sharp. A stone... A sharp stone had embedded itself in her cheek, drawing blood as it pushed into her skin, splitting her cheek. But Kagome didn't care. She had to find Sesshomaru. She had to find Inuyasha.

Kagome tried to stand again, but fell once more. At once her arms tried to grasp something to hold on to – dirt, rocks, branches, trees – but her efforts were in vain. Kagome began to fall down the rocky hill, rocks hitting her, stabbing her, cutting her... She was a wreck. A failure.

As Kagome leaned on a rock after her fall, scrunched up in pain, she heard a melody. A flute piping the night. The Soul Piper... And she remembered that little girl who had died in a fire. She remembered saving her soul, she remembered Inuyasha there with her, being his old arrogant self.

And she remembered Inuyasha, human. That night he'd become human, that night she'd found out. And that night he'd spent in her lap, so vulnerable, so helpless, so... lovable.

And the first time he'd spoken her name... It was as if he'd purified it, let her name mean more.

She'd not be here without him. She'd not be sitting in the dirt, watching helplessly as the night unfolded.

She would be in her time, leading a normal life.

She wouldn't have loved.

Somehow, though Kagome knew not why, she felt a new strength. A new light shone for her. A new hope. Somehow those memories had healed her wounds, though the scars upon her remained, and stung as always.

But something had changed in her mind, her way of thinking. And she stood.

Taking one shaking, hesitant step after another, Kagome found herself in the forest again. The forest where she knew Sesshomaru would find her.

And she stood.

And she called.

Her shouts at first came softly, frightened summons from a withered priestess. But they grew, echoing through the silence of the dead forest. Kagome stopped her shrieks. Sesshomaru's presence was near.

He drew up behind her, and Kagome turned at the sound of his swaying cloak. He was an emblem of kings, of rulers long gone. He held the air of royalty, of knowledge, of intelligence. His eyes narrowed at Kagome, long white hair swaying in the wind. For long he stared at her, eyes peering not at her, but into her. At length he spoke.

"Why have you come?" his voice, soft as it was, echoed gently. The trees whispered his words to one another, fearfully passing the question about.

"I... I need your help. Tenseiga's help." Her voice was cracked, hoarse with fear, yet strong with hope.

"I see. What for?"

"Inu... Inuyasha."

Sesshomaru drew Tenseiga, and gazed at his sword awhile before making his decision.

"Very well," said he, sheathing his sword. "So long as I receive a reward in return."

Kagome froze. Reward? What reward could she give that Sesshomaru would deem worthy of his use?

"I have nothing..." she replied, and glanced at Sesshomaru.

The demon smiled, and stepped to Kagome.

"I suppose it would not hurt to help my little brother... just this once. His honour will be diminished after I restore him..." he froze, and looked to Kagome sharply. His face was solemn. "How long has he been dead?" he asked.

"Two days at least..." Kagome replied, fear weaving into her voice.

Sesshomaru looked restless. He grabbed Kagome and jumped into the air, nearly flying towards the village.

"Then we have little time." He explained as Sesshomaru carried the human over the forest.

Miroku

They hadn't buried the hanyou yet. Kaede was examining the dagger, while Sango and Miroku guarded Inuyasha's hut. He was dead. Dead! How could Naraku have gotten so close to him? So close... Had he used an illusion, to deceive him? Had Naraku conjured an imitation of Kagome and fooled Inuyasha?

No... Inuyasha would have smelled the illusion. Then how...?

A flash of white streaked across the sky, and landed before them. It was Sesshomaru.

Miroku was about to open his wind tunnel when he spotted something in the demon's arms. Kagome...

She was burnt, weathered, her clothing ripped. And yet such hope burned in Kagome's eyes, such a flame of hope, which made Miroku leave them be.

Kagome stepped up to Sango, and whispered something in her ear. The exterminator nodded and let Sesshomaru into the hut.

Kagome followed the demon. Sango came after Kagome, and Miroku entered shortly after that.

Kagome POV

My heart pounded. It pounded hard. I couldn't breathe as we entered the hut. There lay Inuyasha. Sweet, gentle Inuyasha, his face cold, his lips blue. Oh, how I wanted to kiss those lips, warm that cold...

But Sesshomaru's job was more important.

With a flourish of his hand, the demon drew his sword, Tenseiga. The sword that brought the dead back to life. I prayed silently that it was not too late.

If it was too late, I knew not what would happen. I would fall, that was sure. I would die, kill myself for there would be no further reason to my life. I fell on my knees as Sesshomaru held his sword over Inuyasha, succumbing to weakness.

I clutched the damp floor of the hut, fear clutching the dirt alongside me.

Sesshomaru swung, hitting Inuyasha's stomach. I heard the demon growl, muttering something that sounded much like, "Cursed demons latch on to anything dead... they've almost taken away his soul!"

He swung again, and again, and again... the motion repeating until I felt the hits, until I saw the demons, those dirty little demons sucking at Inuyasha's soul, stealing him bit by bit.

And then the last was gone.

Sesshomaru sheathed his sword and nodded. I wasn't sure what for... was it a nod that his work was complete, and that Inuyasha would live? Was it a hopeless nod, confirming his thoughts of failure?

He left the hut, and motioned for Sango and Miroku to follow. So they did.

But I didn't notice. I sat there, helpless, staring at Inuyasha, hoping, praying that he would live. He remained still. His lips were still blue. He was gone...

Just as I began to lose hope, he twitched. His mouth opened, and Inuyasha breathed. And coughed. Blood stained his lips. But he was no longer so cold. I stood, and shaking, walked up to him. Placing a hand on his chest, I felt his heartbeat quickening, pumping blood through his body. He was alive...

My heart returned.

His eyes opened. His precious golden eyes looked... at me. A smile traced his lips, and he coughed again. I felt his throat constricting.

I felt tears burn my eyes again.

He sat up slowly, still weak from death. He gazed at me awhile, confusion riddling his eyes. And so he spoke.

"What happened?" asked Inuyasha. Softly, gently he stroked my cheek. I caught his hand.

"You're cold." I replied, avoiding his eyes.

"What happened?" he repeated, raising my face to his by my chin. "Please tell me."

He was so innocent, and I loved him so...

"I... I killed you. I... Naraku... Dagger in your back..." I couldn't speak any longer. The pain it brought, just thinking of my treachery, was enough to drive me mad. Which I was already, which I'd become so long ago.

Inuyasha's eyes sparked anger for a moment, then hurt, and then forgiveness. He embraced me warmly, and whispered to my ear, "You are forgiven."

He was so warm... so gentle, so kind. So loving... He was strong, weak when he needed to be. And so honest. I knew he spoke truth when he spoke it. He'd never lie to me. And as he pulled back to gaze at me again, I felt a happiness beyond any I would find elsewhere.

Despite my wounds, I felt new. It was a new world, a new view on the old one... And a new beginning.

I drew closer to him, touching my forehead with his. He smiled sweetly, almost painfully.

"Kikyo doesn't love me."

I smiled in return, his face close to mine, his tears on my cheeks.

"No," I replied, "But I do."

He looked up, gaze catching mine.

He crushed my lips in reply. I smiled through our kiss, tears of pure joy falling from my eyes.

He was back.

He loved me.

That's all for this chapter, peeps. I hope that counted as fluff to you... wipes tear from eye it did to me... R&R!