Ahhh!!! You guys I started this chapter and was about a sentence away from finishing when my doc. Screwed up and deleted the whole thing!! I'm so mad about that. Hopefully I can remember most of what I originally typed. Anyways. Here's the last chapter. R
The moment she let that arrow fly she knew what she was doing. She was ending the life of the very one she had strived so hard to save. The scream that had split from her lips was like the cry of a banshee.
Once the dust and debris had cleared they could see well their friend. Inu Yasha lay on the ground grasping the Shikon No Tama in his hand. The jewel had extended his life for just a few moments to grant him time to say his goodbyes. There was, however, nothing left of Naraku. His whole being had been destroyed, which was for the better.
Kagome was the first to fall out of her shock. She dropped her bow to the ground and quickly ran to Inu Yasha's side. She knelt down beside him and took hold of his hand. The hanyou looked up at her, his golden amber eyes slowly dimming.
"Ka…Kagome…" He mumbled.
"Shh, it's ok. Rest Inu Yasha." She muttered through her sobs.
"Kagome…I'm sorry."
"Sorry..for what?" She asked baffled.
By now the other three friends had gathered around the two. They stood a few feet back in respect for their friends privacy. All hearts were pounding in their chests.
"I'm sorry for all those things I've done to you in the past. All the times I called you a wench, an idiot, a worthless jewel detector. I never meant any of those things Kagome. Not once. I said it all to hide myself from what I truly felt. I have felt awful about what I've done. For this I am sorry." He mumbled.
"It's alright Inu Yash--"
"Shh, let me finish," He said as he raised a finger to her lips, "For this I am sorry. However, there is something I feel even more grief about. And that is the fact that never once did I ever tell you how much I love you. You mean everything to me Kagome. If it had not been for you I would be nothing. I have cared for you each moment of every day. In those ten years you've been gone I went mad. I went mad not being able to see your beautiful face, your glowing eyes, shining smile, silky raven hair, your jasmine scent, but most of all I missed your presence. I have felt guilty all my life for never telling you how much I truly cared for you. So here it is. Kagome Higurashi, I love you."
Words could not express the way she felt. Her heart was thumping, her mind racing. Never had anyone confessed such things to her. Kagome brought up the hand of the hanyou and rested on the side of her cold pale face. Tears rolled down her cheeks and fell onto his hand. With his thumb he tried to wipe away the ones he could.
"Oh Inu Yasha….I have felt the same. From the moment I met you there on that accursed tree I knew I would never leave your side. I have always loved you, though I would never admit it to anyone. Not even myself. I am only sorry that I have waited this long to tell you. It has taken death itself to convince me to tell you. Inu Yasha I love you." She sobbed.
Within that moment of confession the two became united into one. Inu Yasha reached his hand up and rested it on the back of her head. He stroked at her hair softly as he pulled her down to him. When their lips met all the world went still. It was not a kiss that you would think would happen. No, it was rough and dry. It was strange and awkward. However, when their lips met neither could comprehend it's strange wonders. The kiss lasted only a few seconds before each parted their mouths and allowed their tongues to venture into one another. They wrapped around one another sanctifying the precious moment. It was Kagome who finally pulled away from the kiss. She stared down at Inu Yasha and watched as two of her own tears fell onto his face and slid down his cheek.
Inu Yasha stared up at Kagome. He once again placed his hand on her cheek. Her hand rose to meet his and held it there. It was the only warmth she had in this cold lonely world.
"Kagome promise me when you go back you won't let me wait ten years to confess my love to you. I don't want to be without you that long ever again." He asked.
Kagome nodded before choking out, "I promise."
Inu Yasha smiled and took in a deep breath.
"Now go on you silly girl and go back through the Well." He muttered.
After his last words were spoken his eyes slowly closed and his hand fell limp from Kagome's face. Death had taken him into his arms. All in one the flood of tears came to her. She fell onto his body and wept into him. She wept and wept until it seemed no more tears could be cried.
Sango was the first to move from their group to comfort Kagome. She got down on her knee's beside the young woman and held out her arms. Kagome looked up at her and scrunched up her face as tears started to return. She fell into the older woman's grasp and wept into her chest. She clung tightly to her clothes. Sango could understand what it was like to watch the one you love die. She could not, however, even imagine what it was like to be the one who caused their death.
She held Kagome in her arms for well over an hour before the girl finally rose to her feet. She staggered slightly but refused any help. She wiped at her eyes although it had been awhile since tears had actually fallen from them. Her face was red and puffy from her crying. But she didn't really care.
"I'm not leaving until we bury him." She stated.
No one questioned her. Nor did anyone try to argue with her.
It was Kouga who carried the body. He wasn't really all that heavy. But, that's what happens when you live for ten years feeling sick all the time.
Shippou carried the two girls so they could move along quicker. No one need ask where they were going. They all sort of just knew.
It took three days of non-stop running before they finally reached their destination. The Sacred Tree. The very spot they had first met would now be where they would depart.
As Shippou and Kouga dug an oval hole the two girls wandered off to pick flowers. Kagome smiled softly as she stared down at her beautiful hand of blooming flowers.
"Forget Me Not." She sighed.
"What's that Kagome?" Sango asked. It was the first time in awhile she'd heard her friend speak.
"These flowers, their called… Forget Me Not." She said.
Once they were finished picking flowers the group stood around the hole. Shippou and Kouga gently laid him down into the hole.
It was Kagome who said a few words for the seemingly sleeping hanyou. She mostly told of her undying love for him and how he would never ever be forgotten. She ended it all with a small prayers to the Spirits.
Once he was well buried and the dirt was packed down nice and even Kagome knelt beside the grave. She dug a small little hole and placed the root of the flowers in it. She patted them in and blessed them with a small kiss. No one would ever forget.
It was then that she turned around and headed for the Well. The three others followed not to far behind her. They were all waiting to give there last goodbyes to the girl they had all befriended.
Kagome stared down into the well and it's unwelcoming darkness. She stared into the depths, hoping maybe, to see him come jumping out of it just as he had hoped so many times about her.
Slowly she turned around, tears stung the corners of her eyes.
"Well you guys, I guess this is goodbye." She muttered.
"Naw, with us Kagome it's never goodbye. You could never truly leave us even if you tried to. We'd only hunt ya down in the end." Shippou chuckled softly.
He was trying to make her happy and she appreciated it.
"See you Kagome my dearest friend. I love you so much and my blessings are with you till the end." Sango said as she bowed to her friend then by a sudden impulse hugged her tightly.
It was Kouga who spoke last.
"See ya later Lady Kagome. I wish you luck on your….our journeys." He said with a nod.
Kagome smiled at them all. These people were her friends, no, her life mates. They would all be with her until the very end of her days. No doubt about that.
"Goodbye you guys. I shall promise to make all your lives better. To never leave you Shippou, to never allow Miroku or Kirara to fall into death's hands, and to somehow someway bring back your pack Kouga." She promised. It was one she meant to keep, no matter what.
"Goodbye Kagome." They all chorused.
With that Kagome nodded to her friends, grabbed the Well railing and pulled herself forward. She jumped down into the darkness that was the Bone Eater's Well. Soon to her great relief a warm celestial glow consumed her body.
Her feet touched ground within a matter of seconds. She stared up and a ladder met her eyes. She grabbed hold of it and pulled herself up out of the Well. She was back in her own time. Or at least, so it seemed. She ran to the door and peered out. There was Grandpa sweeping the steps as he had been the day she'd left home.
She was about to burst through the door and run to her family and hug each and every one of them when the Sacred Tree caught her gaze. She stared at it wondering how it had caught her attention so suddenly. Then her eyes met the giant flowerbed of Forget Me Not's at the base of the tree. She had not yet gone back to the past and so Inu Yasha's bones still lay there at the foot of that tree. Kagome's heart wrenched as if someone was twisting it in their hand.
She quickly turned around and leapt into the Well. She would not allow that future be the one that was to come. The celestial glow consumed her once again and she welcomed it. It was warming and promised her peace.
Her stomach was tumbling with fear that she would only be brought back to the time she had just left. Her fear was destroyed however when she landed and was greeted by the sounds of birds chirping. She looked up to see a beautiful blue sky. Green unthorned ivy covered the Well, it's leaves young and bountiful.
She grabbed hold of the strong plant and pulled herself to the Well's opening. She lunged herself out of the Well and onto the soft grassy ground. She stared around her. It was simply beautifully breath-taking. It was just way to good to be true. Birds sung, butterflies fluttered, the breeze blue and the sky was a boundless ocean of blue.
Kagome rose to her feet and quickly began running through the forest. When she reached it's edge and saw the village ahead of her her heart nearly burst from her chest. Smoke rose from the hut that was Kaede's. She was home again, back where she belonged. With her friends and loved ones to guide and protect her. For her to guide and protect them.
She ran as fast as her legs would take her. It was fast, but to her, not fast enough. She wanted nothing more then to see his face, touch his skin, hear his voi--
"Kagome why are you in such a hurry?" A familiar voice asked.
Kagome whipped around on both heels to greet who she knew was there. There he was standing in all his arrogant glory. He was just as handsome and haughty as he had been when she'd left him.
"Oh Inu Yasha!" She cried and ran to him.
She wrapped her arms around him tightly and refused to let go. Inu Yasha himself was baffled beyond reason. He merely stood there not sure what to do. He had the woman of his dreams in his arms, though he would not tell her that.
"Kagome what's gotten into you?" He asked finally.
She released her grip on him remembering that he knew none of what had happened. It was, after all, future events. She would not let them become reality though. Never would she leave her friends. Not ever.
She shook her head gently and grabbed hold of his hand.
"Forget it. I'll explain some day. Come on, let's get to the village I'm very eager to see the gang." She sung.
She pulled him forward not really giving him time to think about what she'd said nor time to ask questions. She was pulling him along at a running pace. She wanted to see them so badly.
When she finally did reach the hut she burst through the door. When she saw all their smiling, laughing faces, it was as if she was about to break down and cry once more.
Shippou jumped from his place beside Kirara into Kagome's arms. He snuggled up close to her and clung tightly. He had missed his mother dearly.
"Did you bring me any treats?" The young Kitsune asked.
Kagome shook her head as she hugged the little fox.
"No I didn't, sorry. I'll return later and grab some for you."
"Hey Kagome, your just in time. After you left last night--,"
"That's right, it's only been a day…"
"We began to discuss what we would wish for if we could use the Shikon No Tama." Sango said while giggling.
"Miroku of course chose to wish for a palace full of beautiful woman." She said and shot a death glare at the Monk.
"What!? Can you blame a guy!" He laughed.
"I would wish for my family and village to return and Shippou said he'd wish for his father back. We all know Inu Yasha wants to be full demon. So what about you Kagome? What would you wish for?" she asked.
She didn't even need to think to answer that question. It was as simple as answering someone who had asked her name. She looked up at the hanyou at her side and smiled with a happiness she had not felt in what seemed like ages. Never again would she allow time to pass her by.
"To be with Inu Yasha forever, of course." She sung, her eyes glowing with pure bliss.
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THE END!! Wahoo! It's done…wait, that's sad. Twas a good story. You guys have been the greatest ever! Thanks so much. And keep an eye out for my Name I'm going to be working on a lot of new fics. Also I might redo the first few chappies of this story. That's a maybe. I will be makin new fics though! So keep dem peepers open! R&R! And guess what? THE END!!!