Author's Notes: Thank you everyone! I won for the Elimination Nomination! You don't know how happy I was. Thank you for everyone's support…I'm so sorry I haven't been writing for months…I've been having a lot of trauma in my life, such as mentally recovering from a car crash that emotionally wrecked me and my sense of priorities. School and its tasks have been a tiring, endless metronome, and what can I say, I just seemed to lost the spark and inspiration for writing. I won't ask for your forgiveness because there really is nothing I can do to make up for it, and the only person who can really perceive the extent of my emotions and thoughts is myself, so I do not ask that you all accept my excuses, but to at least respect them. I'm sorry.

But anyway, once more, thank you for being patient with me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter, which is practically the climax of the ending and the final battle. If you don't, then I'm sorry (again).

P.S. If anyone is confused about the beginning of the chapter, reread the last part of the chapter prior to this one.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. This is the second to last chapter, darn you.

Behind the Masquerade

The Price of High Stakes

It was a whirl of emotions he could hardly decipher, as he stood in his spot and watched the smile on Kikyou's face slowly waver. Was she going to cry now? Was she happy he had vowed to her? But whatever she felt, all he knew was that he felt regret. It was the most evident feeling he was aware of, and it tore at every fiber of his being, slowly allowing the pain and agony to ignite into a curtain of fire that wrapped around the very core of his soul. He had been wrong. It wasn't possible to learn to love someone. No one could ever learn to if the heart was somewhere else, and he knew---he finally understood---that even if Kagome hadn't accepted him, he had found the one person he couldn't live without.

As cheesy as it may sound, or maybe how ironic during his wedding, he only could love Kagome, and to learn to love someone else was impossible. He had made the biggest mistake of his life, and had carried through with it even when he had received warnings from everyone around him.

He could hardly hear the priest telling Kikyou to say something to the man standing before her, because all the noises and sounds seemed to be drowned out in a low roar that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. All he could see in front of him was Kikyou, who was gazing at him calmly and nonchalantly. Hadn't she just been smiling a moment ago?

It wasn't so bad though, was it? He was marrying Kikyou---someone who would love him, or so she claimed. Kagome had told him she didn't love him, and although everything had happened so fast and soon, a small part of him tried to believe that everything would turn out fine in the end. Everything always turned out fine in the bitter end…didn't it?

Didn't it?

No, not in reality.

A single tear appeared from his eye before he had time to register its existence and made its way down his cheek, the icy liquid trailing down his skin and leaving behind a trace of wetness. It was so sudden and stealthy in its appearance that only Kikyou could see its glistening drop from their distance, and even though it was only Kikyou, Inuyasha felt vulnerable. He was crying. Lifting up his hand to hastily wipe it away, Kikyou was faster.

She instantly moved her hand to cover his cheek, using her thumb to rub away the moisture. The small smile returned to her face as she gazed almost serenely at Inuyasha, her finger seeming to try and offer its comfort to him. She took one step closer to him as she sighed.

"Tell me Inuyasha, are those tears of joy…or sadness?" she whispered in such a low voice so that only the hanyou could hear her. Her thumb stopped its ministrations as she brought her hand away from him, her eyes hardening slightly. "And tell me, did you really mean everything you said in your vow? Or were they only words you thought necessary to tell me? Were they lies?"

Almost silent chattering began to take place amongst the guests as they strained to hear the young woman talk to her husband, curiosity being the nature of all humans and demons alike. However, the two young couple didn't seem to take much notice of this as Kikyou kept Inuyasha's gaze entranced in her own, her voice a soothing sedative to the mixed emotions inside of him.

"Inuyasha, answer me," the princess demanded, her voice hard now as she pulled him closer to her, her breath brushing over his lips. Her eyes narrowed as she brought both her hands up to cup his face. "Tell me Inuyasha, do you love me? Would you ever learn to love me?"

He stared down at her, her eyes a strange shade of gray to the bright brilliance that was his Kagome's. Even in such a situation and moment, he could only find himself comparing his wife to the woman he loved. Was there really such a difference between the two? But to him, Kagome made all the difference. "No…" Inuyasha breathed lightly, never breaking their eye contact. "I don't…and I never will. I'm sorry."

Kikyou smirked resentfully and brought his face down to hers, crushing his lips to hers as she tried to show him all her frustrations and pains at his confession at the moment. It would have looked passionate to the onlookers, but to Inuyasha, he knew it was just an act of desperation. He was being selfish too, wasn't he? How did Kikyou feel at the moment, knowing that her husband was in love with someone else? Perhaps some people who were biased on the situation would say all is fair in love and war, but when it wasn't the 'good guy' who won, they instantly turned into hypocrites and aimed all their hatred on the antagonist. He had read it countless times in fairy tales when he was younger. It was all a matter of opinion and favoritism because everyone always cheered when the 'good guys' won, never once stopping to take a moment to think about how the 'bad guys' felt. Everyone was the same in reality…it was all a matter of who fell into the enticement of hatred and revenge, and those who preferred to wallow in depression and grief. It was impossible to label a person 'good' or 'evil' and that was why he knew he couldn't call Kikyou the evil one in the whole love triangle because she was just another person caught in the web.

She pulled away, a tear escaping from her eyelashes as she took her hands away from his face, only to return one to it when she slapped him coldly across the cheeks. She bit her lips, her vision turning misty as she yelled out, loud enough so that everything in the room could hear, "I will never marry you, Kamiya Inuyasha! Do you think I had no feelings when you decided to marry me out of duty?! Well you were wrong!"

A few more tears ran down her cheeks as she collapsed against him, feeling the entire situation the past few weeks catching up on her and leaving her feeling sick. She went back to whispering, "I thought that maybe by the time we marry, you could at least accept learning to eventually love me …but I was as wrong as you. My own selfish desires blinded me from the obvious. You could never learn to love me, could you?"

Feeling strangely regretful at having caused the woman pain, Inuyasha hugged Kikyou as he allowed her to cry pitifully into his wedding kimono. "I'm sorry…" he mumbled again, not really knowing what to say when a woman was crying. It felt so foreign knowing it was him who was making her cry, and also guilty that he never stopped once to wonder how Kikyou would feel knowing that he was only marrying her because he had to. Kikyou was a hard person to understand, but she was human nonetheless.

"This is all so confusing and so utterly crazy. I was so dumb, so stupid, to accept Kagome's proposal. I'm not perfect. I am anything but…and now, kami, what now? She's dead by now…I'm selfish. I'm so selfish!" Kikyou found her knees feeling weak as she slowly slid down Inuyasha's body, before crumpling down in a heap on the ground as she moved her sleeves up to her face to cover her make-up running horrendously.

"What…?" Inuyasha breathed in a whisper as he found his body mechanically lowering itself to Kikyou's level as she sobbed. He ignored the fact that the whispers had blown to full-out cries of outrage, the guests being angry since they had come to see a wedding, but experienced a scene of drama instead. Inuyasha didn't take any notice of this as he caught Kikyou by the shoulders, shaking her slightly as he slowly came into realization that there was more to this than he had first thought. "Kikyou, tell me, what did you mean?!"

Kikyou gazed at him from under her lashes as she tried to control her crying. Taking in a deep, shuddering breath, she said, "She wanted me to marry you, no matter what happened. She told me that she had a duty to everyone here, and she admitted to loving you. She didn't want to see you hurt…she didn't want to see any of us hurt. Naraku is manipulating her…again. He's making her betray you all…she was to steal the Shikon no Tama and give him the ultimate power…in exchange that he would not hurt any of us. That's why she's been acting strange all this time…she was going to have to betray you. Don't you see it's my fault!? She told me, but my selfish desires blinded me to the fact that she was going to die. She won't get through this alive…Naraku won't let her! Kami, Inuyasha, please…I know I haven't been the nicest to her and I've been contradictory more than once in my words and actions, but she is my sister, and I can't…I won't let her die, not again!" By now, Kikyou was holding onto his hand tightly, the tears still rolling down her cheek.

"I don't want to make any more mistakes or cause any more pain…find her, Inuyasha, save her! Please…save Kagome from any more mistakes…from all of us from making any more mistakes…"

Inuyasha stayed quiet for a moment as he absorbed everything Kikyou had just said, before he squeezed Kikyou's hand slightly in comfort. "I will," he whispered gently and let go of her hand, the warmth of his flesh leaving hers as he turned away without a second look and bounded towards the doors.

However, someone blocked Inuyasha's exit as they gazed indifferently at the hanyou. "Don't make this situation any worse than it can possibly get," Sesshoumaru announced, his cold golden eyes hard as he confronted his younger brother. "Stop with your drama."

"Shut up," Inuyasha hissed as he skid to a halt and sent a sharp scowl back to the older sibling, before continuing, "And get out of my way."

"What do you intend to do? Follow her? She's dead by now."

Inuyasha gave Sesshoumaru a critical glare. "You knew," he accused, his fangs showing as his scowl grew deeper. "You bastard."

"Doesn't her actions convey a thousand words? You are blind, little brother."

Inuyasha cracked his claws in a threatening manner, a growl reverberating in his throat as he felt insulted by the comment.

Sesshoumaru almost gave a sarcastic smirk as he cracked his own knuckles, although he took a step away from the door. "Find her if you wish. But she has her reasons, and it is best not to get caught up in them."

Inuyasha sneered as he walked towards the door, traveling past his older brother. "You just don't understand what it means to lose someone."

"And you don't understand what is best for the kingdom," Sesshoumaru answered calmly, keeping eye contact with Inuyasha as the hanyou drifted past him, a determined expression on his face.

"Duty to what we are…" Inuyasha grumbled, sounding repulsed by those words, "Is what made me lose her in the first place."

"You are a fool, Inuyasha."

In response however, Inuyasha simply grinned as he fled into the corridors and disappeared into the darkness, feeling for the first time in a long while, that he had made the right choice.

---

"Because I love him too."

Kagura shook her head, almost miserably. "Tragedy," she whispered to the human girl, before drifting over to take her place beside Naraku's side, her mask of unconcern on her face again.

Kagome felt slightly saddened at Kagura's words, but didn't let the impact show on her expressions as she gazed almost placidly over at Naraku, her hands clenched over the jewel he had been seeking for. She almost felt slightly calm in her current situation, and it was a strange feeling, almost as if she was accepting her punishment. She just wished she knew what her crime was.

"Hello Kagome," he greeted, an evil smile evident on his lips. "I've been waiting for you."

She only somewhat raised her eyebrow as an acknowledgement that she had heard him. The man only gave her the creeps every time she saw him, and being in his presence was like meeting the devil himself. Kagome had no doubts that when Naraku went down to the other life down beneath the earth, they would be having some troubles containing the monstrosity. But he had caused enough problems in this world already, and she felt that it was her obligation to bring the bastard down with her.

"I see you brought what you were sent to get," he idly commented, his gaze shifting down to the object clasped in the young woman's hand. "Hand it over," he commanded.

"First however," Kagome interjected, taking a step away from Naraku, although they already had a great amount of distance between them. "I want to know some answers."

Naraku chuckled, as he dismissed Kagura from his side and then turned his attention back to the princess. "I suppose that's fair enough. What would you like to know?"

Kagome felt herself sighing as she gazed off over the cliffs, seeing the dark ocean below sparkle in its nighttime beauty. She felt a little sick as it brought back memories of the time she had confronted Inuyasha on the beach during his time of the month, and met in combat with Naraku's henchman. However, Inuyasha had always tried to protect her, hadn't he?

"Why do you want this jewel?" she asked, careful in the instigation of her questioning. She had to find out something first without being detected of her plan.

Naraku almost looked irritated by the question, considering he knew she already knew he wanted it for his own reasons. "For power. For complete and absolute power," he answered simply, his gaze never once off of her.

"The jewel can give you such powers?" she continued. She already knew it could, but she had to know about something else…she needed to.

"The jewel can grant the desires of anyone that has its hands on it. Really, it can even grant yours, Kagome, but you can't wish for my death. It'll only grant you power, but don't even try now because I can rip off that pretty little head of yours before you even wish for that."

Kagome laughed, almost cynically. "I could have wished for the power to destroy you before then."

"But I have always been watching you…and to have such a yearning, you'll only defile the jewel. Look at it even now, it's not even completely pure because your heart continues to beat with selfish desires. I'm pretty sure you already know all this. Why want to know again?"

Kagome looked away from the ocean, zeroing her eye contact with the man in front of her. "Unlike you however, I am not compelled to cheat my way into attaining my desires, no matter how selfish. I would not use this thing to further corrupt the world."

Naraku smirked as he asked, "And you believe that's your sole redeeming action?"

"I can not redeem myself, but I do know when to stop." Kagome brushed away a stray lock of hair that had flown in front of her face while talking, and exhaled in a deep breath. "Nothing can compensate for what I have done to everyone."

Naraku laughed, a cruel and cold sound against the night calm. "Then what will you do, my dear, after you hand over that jewel?"

Kagome's lips slightly slanted up as she whispered, "I don't know."

"You are a very blind person."

Kagome stayed quiet as she closed her eyes and allowed the wind to caress her skin and throw her hair towards her face. She felt the substance tickle at her flesh and trying to soothe her and she wondered, was this Kagura trying to offer some comfort?

"Hand it over, Kagome darling," Naraku suddenly ordered, seemingly exasperated at her time-consuming actions as he held out his hand. His dark gaze seemed more wicked as he eyed the jewel hungrily, already seeming to feel its power in his hands. "You've wasted enough of my time."

Kagome opened her eyes at the sound of his voice, and stared intently at the demon in front of her. She opened her mouth to speak, feeling her own voice tumble out in uncertainty, "You promise that they will all be safe, right?"

"Of course."

His answer had been so hasty, as if it was merely a necessity to say in the process of obtaining the Shikon no Tama. Kagome felt hesitant. Was she ready? Was she ever ready? What path would she take now…?

"Fine."

She stayed in her spot next to the cliff's side while Naraku advanced upon her, ogling at the jewel as he reached out for it. "Give it to me," he commanded, his eyes flashing a shade of crimson as he felt himself closing into the object that could grant all of his malicious dreams and desires. Once he had that in his hands, he would have absolute power, and there would be no one standing in his way. He could accomplish anything. He would be the living Devil himself.

However, where there is darkness, there must be light.

"Kagome! Kagome!!"

Kagome whipped her head around out of reflex, hearing the familiar voice call out her name. Could it be…?

"KAGOME!!"

Her heart skipped a beat. Why did he come? Wasn't he supposed to be at his marriage? Wasn't he supposed to be in the bedroom with his new wife? Why was he here…!? "Inuyasha…" she whispered, feeling the name tug at her heartstrings as she eyed a dark figure race his way across the sand. He was coming this way, looking for her.

It seemed Kagome wasn't the only one hearing the faint call. "Damn it! Girl, give me the jewel," Naraku roared as he made a swipe for the ball, a sudden dread growing in his chest. He hadn't planned on the half breed appearing to thwart his plans. It was supposed to be flawless. Hadn't the two been so sightless to each other's feelings that everything would have gone horribly wrong in the end?

However, Kagome retracted her hand as an effect of her turning her body back to face her enemy and Naraku's hand met thin air. A bittersweet smile appeared on her face as she eyed the spite and malice in the man's expressions, confirming her suspicions that he would not keep to his promise. He would kill Inuyasha if the hanyou stood in his way of attaining the Shikon no Tama.

"You liar," she whispered before she took a step back, exposing her arms to the open air and feeling her body stagger back.

"Don't!" Naraku virtually snarled as he watched in horror as she descended back towards the wide expanse of air.

Kagome couldn't have missed the fear in his eyes even if she was half blind.

"Afraid I might die?" she said as her smile grew into one of understanding and verification, almost an action of mockery as she felt her feet leave the last secure ground her whole body could receive. Air whipped her hair in front of her face and before she knew it, she was in a free fall.

Naraku roared in pure rage as two grotesque arms burst out from the back of his kimono, the black flesh a camouflage to the night. His eyes had turned red as he shot one of his skeletal hands down after Kagome, but only to decline further and aim for another target. The target saw the attack coming before he even had to worry, and unsheathed his sword from the scabbard he had carefully hidden under his wedding attire. He had told himself it was better cautious than sorry.

In one swing, he had easily detached the hands from the arms, and did a somersault as he ascended back towards one of the flaying appendages, landing along the outstretched flesh and seeing the girl falling towards him. What the hell was she thinking to fall like that? Did she really believe he would catch her?

Running along the right limb, he could see that the hands had regenerated themselves and were aiming for him once again. This time, he bounced himself up, twirling in continuous 360's as he cut off the arm in a graceful arc, before extending out his other arm.

Kagome fell perfectly into them, and although her weight slowed him down slightly, his otherworldly strength still allowed him to fight against the pull and continue ascending on the limb. Drawing the girl towards his body, he used the one arm to protect her small frame as he quickly jumped the rest of the way up the cliff, soaring a good few meters over the cliff before landing gracefully onto the ground, his arm still wrapped protectively over Kagome.

He could feel her clutching onto him, her body seemingly so frail compared to his strong build. A 00warmth spread over him as he realized he hadn't been too late, she was safe, and he had gotten there on time. A comfort rushed over him as he continued to eye the enemy, holding his sword in a defensive stance in front of him.

"You'll regret this," he growled out, his eyes pitiless as his instincts told him to destroy the adversary who had dared to even come close to what was his.

Naraku, who had appeared almost afraid before, had calmed himself and his eyes were back to their deep, menacing color, the ghastly arms retracting back into his body. The same vindictive smile was set upon his lips once more as he stared at the couple before him, a sort of twisted amusement reflected in his glance. "I will?" he shot back coolly, not showing any signs of attacking.

"You will," Inuyasha snarled in a low voice that was filled with the promise of pain.

Naraku's eyes narrowed in absolute, masochistic delight, his grin growing wider. "Come and get me then, half-breed," he offered, opening up his arms as an invitation.

Inuyasha slowly pulled Kagome away from his body, feeling her hesitant on leaving his warmth. What had that monster done to her during the time he hadn't been here? What was going on really? A thousand questions ran through his head, but none were spoken, as he lowered her gently to the ground, their eyes connecting for a single intense moment, reflective of longing, suffering, and need. "I'll deal with you later," he whispered, his eyes burning into hers. She didn't answer.

Allowing his hand to unwrap itself from her small waist, Inuyasha set his eyes on his prey, feeling anger and frustration beginning to mix dangerously. He had dealt with this guy before, and he was irritated he hadn't truly killed him. This was the man responsible for everything that had occurred for so long, and he was smirking triumphantly as well. If he didn't kill the demon, then he wasn't the prince of the Komiya kingdom. "You're dead," he hissed, before launching at his prey.

"Fools will be fools," Naraku replied nonchalantly, and put his arm up, as Inuyasha closed in their distance. The smirk was still there on his face as he felt a barrier bounce the pathetic boy away from him, causing the hanyou to skid back a few meters. "Once blind, always blind. The stakes are high, are you willing to lose?"

"You think this is a gamble!?" Inuyasha roared, launching at the barrier again, attempting to slice it apart, although it was futile and he was reflected back once more.

"Life is a gamble, you foolish boy. You bet on something, and you either win or lose. Depending on the situation, some stakes are higher…and this is a matter which you can not afford to lose." Naraku's eyes twinkled in its sadistic pleasure. "But you will…no matter what." He lowered his arm and the barrier disappeared, allowing a wide opening for the hanyou to attack. "Take a chance, take a gamble."

"You are a twisted monster," Inuyasha growled, raising Tetsusaiga once more, ready to truly fight with Naraku---an all or nothing gamble. "But you're the one who'll lose something…your life!"

Naraku smiled as he withdrew a sword from under his robes, and answered, "More than one person will be losing their life today if you win."

The two came together in a clash of metal, their auras mixing in a whirl of aggression and assault, one with a smug expression on his face and the other strained with exertion. One knew he had an unfair advantage and knew a secret that will devastate, while the other was clueless.

Using the repellant force of their two swords, Inuyasha flipped away from Naraku, before bouncing right back in a straight cut towards the man's heart. Inuyasha could only see a faint taunting smirk on the demon's face before he moved so fast the hanyou didn't have time to register that he was gone until he felt something slice across his back and pain blossom in its path.

He fell towards the ground, rolling a few times before coming to a stop, feeling the full effect of the attack as he forced his sword into the ground and pulled himself up, his fangs glinting in the moonlight as his eyes sought for Naraku. A sudden instinct forced him to pull his sword up protectively above him, mere seconds before metal contacted once more and sparks flew. Inuyasha grinded his teeth together as he pushed the man away from him, with a rapid retaliation that sliced off a mere three pieces of the other man's hair.

Naraku flipped gracefully in the air and landed lightly on his feet, his sword still slightly red from the blood it had drawn from the deep cut across Inuyasha's back. The almost arrogant smirk on his face boiled Inuyasha's blood once more, and the hanyou was first to assault again.

Naraku simply let himself be pushed to the ground, allowing the Inuyasha to push the sword towards his neck, the smirk ever evident on his face. "Want to kill me, Inuyasha?" he whispered delightfully, his voice trailing on a light, airy tone.

"I will slice you into little pieces," Inuyasha hissed, using all his strength to push his sword towards the enemy's neck. "You will die."

Naraku let Tetsusaiga ever slightly slant down to slice a small cut on his neck, before he cackled in Inuyasha's face, and said, "Kill me then, but I'll let you on a little secret."

"I won't listen to your plea for mercy," Inuyasha snarled, his eyes intent on slicing the man's neck off, hot blood pumping throughout his body. He was so close to ending everything once and for all... just one more intense push and Naraku was dead, and everything would be over.

Naraku had never looked more malicious than the moment he spoke the words in a lighthearted tone, almost mockingly up at Inuyasha, "Kagome's life is connected to mine."

Something shattered amongst the anger pumping through every artery and vein of the hanyou, like a mirror shattering with the pieces falling in slow motion to the ground. His eyes widened, and his hold on his sword weakened as the truth was slowly injected into him like poison. Naraku pushed his sword away, which Inuyasha barely registered, and gave him a new slice across the chest that Inuyasha could scarcely feel compared to the cold, harsh truth that had just been revealed to him.

Turning his bewildered gaze towards Kagome who had been sitting just a few meters from the fighting, he saw the apology and pain reflected in her eyes. Yes, he finally realized her eyes had always betrayed every single emotion in her, and now, they told him that Naraku was speaking the truth. He was fighting something he could never win in.

He felt despair grip his heart as the other man gave him another injury, jamming his sword into the hanyou's shoulder and then cruelly pulling it out, allowing the blood to escape in a crimson arc, flowing with the course of the sword. Inuyasha shoved the sword into the ground as he felt his knees give in and he dropped to the ground, feeling the blood stain scarlet against the white of the wedding attire he had been wearing. All the fight in him had left his body, leaving him with a feeling of hopelessness. He had come so confident, but learning the truth made all his plans impossible. He was going to lose.

Feeling Naraku approach him, a slender arm grabbed him by the front of his kimono and threw him across the cliff which had momentarily been a battlefield, leaving him at the other end of where Kagome had been and Tetsusaiga laying where he had shoved it into the ground. He gazed at her, seeing the desperation in her eyes, as another more sinister form approached. "Kagome…" he whispered, feeling as if it would be the last time he ever said her name. She had died for him before, hadn't she? It would only be right to repay that action. He closed his eyes as he felt the cold metal slide almost teasingly under the hanyou's neck, a ominous laughter erupting from the form towering over him.

"No more fight? Pathetic half-breed. Is she really so important you'll sacrifice your life for her? She was going to betray you." Naraku snickered, anticipating the moment he could finally slice off the head of this annoying pest. "You humans and your pathetic emotions."

Naraku played around with his sword again, relishing completely in this moment. It gave him great pleasure to win, no matter how much of an advantage he had held.

"You gambled, and you lost. The price to pay is your life."

Inuyasha closed his eyes, awaiting the moment he would feel the metal slice him away his life. The last image in his head was of Kagome, the moment when she had truly smiled at him, and had been the most beautiful thing he had ever met.

---

Kagome had watched their battle, trying to find the words to tell him---he was going to lose, why had he come? It made things so much harder.

She felt like crying, but she knew she wouldn't. She was all out of tears. She watched them, a hand over her aching heart. She wondered if Inuyasha could understand her pain if he knew---it was killing her.

She watched him almost winning against Naraku---she knew why Naraku continued to look so smug. Inuyasha would never kill him if he knew Naraku was connected to her. There he goes, he had looked at her, some sense of confusion and panic in those golden eyes. It pained her.

She winced when Naraku hurt him again, looking so superior. Her hand clenched tighter over the Shikon no Tama, which had started all her joys and pain. This object had been the reason she was betraying Inuyasha, and it was the reason Naraku was slowly working towards killing him. She felt a strange sort of anger towards it, feeling it pulse in her hands. It wanted her to use it for her own gain, and to taint it with selfish desires. It wanted her to wish her separation from Naraku, but then it would still end up with Inuyasha dead in the current situation. It wanted her to wish for Naraku's death, which would only defile it with more hatred because of her desire for his demise.

She knew. Kagome knew. There was that third path---the one that demanded the sacrifice of her life once more. Naraku had attempted to hide the fact from her---that their connection wasn't a one way street. If he died, she would too, but if she died, then so would he. She knew that he must have been planning to get rid of that aspect of their connection once he attained the Shikon no Tama, but he hadn't yet...so was she willing to do this for Inuyasha?

She watched Naraku throw Inuyasha across to the other side of the cliff---he felt so far, which he and her had always been. They had a connection, but it had been so forbidden that in the end, they would be miles apart without the chance to make up for her mistakes. She had been a foolish girl all along to attempt to hurt the one she loves. Seeing him gaze longingly at her, she felt something overwhelm her. She heard her heart beat painfully, she felt her fingers itch, and the impulsive urge to complete what she had planned to do. Somewhere, Kagura would be waiting for the moment. She herself was waiting for the moment.

Yes, she had to. She must. It was the only method left.

Feeling adrenaline rush through her body, Kagome crawled over to Inuyasha's sword, using all her strength to pull the rusted sword out of the ground. She felt a strange force driving her, and with one hand holding the sword, and the other clenching the jewel tightly, she lift the blade to her neck, closing her eyes in acceptance.

---

Inuyasha never felt the blow. He never felt the life force drain from his body. He couldn't go through what Kagome had gone through for him. Waiting, almost anticipating death, it never came. Instead, a masculine cry of what was a mixture of pain, outrage, and anger split the air. The hanyou snapped his eyes open.

He felt Naraku's life force slowly dissipating, the demon's eyes bewildered with rage and agony. His attention was no longer on Inuyasha, but on the only other living being close by. Inuyasha gazed over at Kagome, and felt his world collapsing as he saw her kneeling on the ground, her eyes unfocused while holding his own rusted sword with blood dripping slowly down its length. Another look saw a crimson line on her neck.

Inuyasha's world crumbled, cracked, and exploded.

A roaring sound initiated.

He felt the same terror he had experienced when he had been too late to save her.

His heart felt pain, his body felt pain, his soul felt pain.

A icy coldness settled in the empty void inside of him.

No…

No…!

"YOU!" Naraku roared, feeling his life disappearing with every second passing. He walked towards her, a maniacal rage evident in his dark eyes. "HOW COULD YOU! GIVE ME THE SHIKON NO TAMA!"

Kagome smiled, her eyes glassy as she held the jewel towards her heart, feeling a strange sort of peacefulness settle over her. She felt that the job she had been sent back from escaping death had finally been accomplished. She was going to bring him down with her.

"GIVE ME IT! POWER! GIVE ME POWER!" Naraku bellowed, fear settling in his heart as he felt a weakness sink into the very depth of his core. If he only had the jewel, he would be immortal! He wouldn't die! If only…!

"Die…" Kagome whispered, before closing her eyes and whispering words under her breath, making a wish that was unselfish and pure. The jewel slowly disintegrated in her fingers, and she felt complete as she sensed the power leave her fingertips. She opened her eyes slightly to see Naraku screaming in pain and agony, his body disappearing, before letting her gaze slip over to Inuyasha, seeing the exact same emotions she had witnessed once before.

Her mouth moved in a silent fluid motion, whispering the words, I'm sorry, as she felt her own life leave her body. She smiled serenely, feeling that it was bittersweet that Inuyasha was always the last thing she saw before she died.

I love you, Inuyasha…

That was her last thought as she fell forward silently and closed her eyes.

---

It was a cruel repeat of past events. Why? Why did he have to watch? Why did he always have to watch? He felt the acceptance of death leave him. He hadn't died. She had died for him…again. He couldn't feel anger, pain, or anything anymore. An indifferent emotion settled over him as he felt his eyes trained on the fallen angel, looking like she had simply collapsed on the ground.

He got up weakly from his position, thick liquid dripping from his wounds to make a path of blood as he slowly worked his way towards her. His eyes were glazed with that apathetic gaze, and when he made his way to the woman he had worked so hard to save, but failed---again---in the attempt, he crumpled to his knees. His hands mechanically went to her still warm body, pulling it into his lap and turning her around so that her face was directed towards his. He watched how peaceful she looked in the moment, and a force gripped powerfully over his heart. She looked like she was simply sleeping, and would wake up any moment.

He didn't cry. There were no tears. What had happened was so passionate that tears would not be enough to demonstrate how he felt. There were no words to explain how he felt at that very moment, while he was looking down at her face. He would never be able to explain how he felt because once expressed through words, it was a little distorted and unclear, and it would seem foolish.

He felt himself letting his breath out in a shudder, as the silence continued, with the clouds above slowly moving over the world, oblivious to what had just transpired. The rest of the world was unaware of how they had just lost a real live angel to evil. But he knew---he knew he had just lost the one he couldn't live without.

Seconds, minutes, maybe even an hour passed as the hanyou sat there with the girl in his lap, his gaze never once leaving her eyes, his hand never once letting go of her own when he held them.

It was indescribable how he exactly felt at that moment, but little did the hanyou know, that sometimes, people go through unmeasured amounts of pain to understand the meaning of life and the value of love. Although miracles happen for few, little would Inuyasha have known that it would happen for him tonight.

From the darkness, a form materialized, a sword evident near the form's waist. He traveled lightly, before stopping to stare down at the hanyou holding his fallen love. His eyes narrowed.

"How foolish your emotions are."

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A/N: Wow, I wrote a lot. It may seem pretty repetitive, and I must apologize for that, but I certainly didn't leave you on a life-threatening cliffhanger. I could have chosen not to reveal the last few parts, and it would never have foreshadowed anything. I felt that I've been real evil throughout the story, so I must give you readers a break.

The next chapter is the last one, sort of a conclusion-chapter-epilogue sort of thing. It'll tie everything together. Just one more, peoples! Thank you for your patience and encouragement thus far. You guys are too kind.