And so we continue.....

"What's the question, Rin?" asked Kagome.

"Well…Do you truly plan on using the Shikon No Tama to unravel what you have created? What I mean to say is, do you truly want to wish yourself…dead?" Rin gulped and stared at Kagome.

"Yes. I know now that Inuyasha would be better off without me. I will use the Jewel to make everyone I encountered in the Feudal Era forget about me. After that…I truly don't wish to go back to my own Era so I will have to perish. There is nothing for me in either Era anymore, whether I wish it or not," whispered Kagome in reply. It pained her to think about it.

"What about Inuyasha though? I know you love him and he loves you. Why would you kill yourself if someone cares so deeply for you?" asked Rin. She would never kill herself as long as she had Lord Sesshomaru around.

"He only sees me as Kikyo's reincarnation, nothing more. Plus, if I am gone, Inuyasha can find another young pretty to cling himself to. I was nothing but a Jewel Detector and his lost love to him…and I never will be anything more." Tears streamed freely down her cheeks and her hair hid her eyes as she thought more and more about it.

"Kagome…" Rin placed a hand on her shoulder and then looked at the ground. How anyone could think about themselves like that was a mystery to her. But Kagome didn't have the type of life she had. Kagome didn't have Sesshomaru to love her. Rin now saw what she had to do.

"Come with us, Kagome. You could be my big sister and we could travel together. I don't want you to die," said Rin.

"Thank you, Rin. I will always see you as a younger sister, but I have to do what I have to do. For Inuyasha and for myself." Kagome stood and walked away, tears still streaming down her face.

POOF

Walking into the Forest of Inuyasha, she made her way to the Sacred Tree, where Inuyasha was pinned. Stopping only a few feet from the tree, she gazed up at him, love shinning in her tear stained eyes.

"You can stop the pain if you will it all away, girl. That is all there is to it," whispered a voice from the shadows. Kagome turned; already knowing whom the voice belonged to.

"I cannot will the pain away, Sesshomaru. It's too much," murmured Kagome, fresh tears appearing in her eyes. Sesshomaru stepped out of the shadows and regarded Kagome with something other then cold eyes. Kagome broke down again, tears streaming down her face. She felt a hand on her chin and was surprised when Sesshomaru lifted her eyes to his.

"I still do not understand human emotions, but it pains Rin to see you this way. If it helps, I will allow you to accompany us. You truly cared for my brother, didn't you?"

Kagome nodded and Sesshomaru dropped his hand, still staring at her. Turning back to the tree, she watched Inuyasha before moving forward.

"I don't know if I should do this. Is it the right choice? Or am I being led to this belief?" asked Kagome. Sesshomaru walked up beside her.

"What you do isn't a choice of someone else. It is our own choice, though sometimes you wish a different outcome, the choices we make are our own. Do what you see fit, Kagome, and you will find what you want."

"Rin tells me she has helped you love humans once again. Is this true?" asked Kagome. She wiped away her tears and turned to face Sesshomaru. He was looking at the sky, eyes searching.

"They come," whispered Sesshomaru and grabbed her by the waist as a demon tail slammed into the ground where she had once been. Turning back, he withdrew Tokijin and faced the giant demon.

A large serpent reared up, hissing and spitting. Sesshomaru twirled and sliced the demon down the middle, felling it in an instant. Kagome looked for some sort of weapon and was surprised to find her bow and quiver only a few feet from her. Notching an arrow, she pointed it at the sky. She could sense the demons coming, hordes of them and the leader had two Jewel Shards.

Firing her arrow, it gathered power and soon it was a blazing ball of blue flame. Slamming into the front of the demons, it tore through the section, burning demons and purifying some of the larger ones.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru was felling demon after demon as they piled up on him. Soon, he was buried deep in carcasses and some live demons. A small tornado of miasma engulfed him and he changed to his full demon form, the large Dog Demon, Fluffy.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" shouted a voice from the trees. Rin ran out with Jaken trailing. She saw Kagome firing her arrows and ran towards her, another full quiver in her hands. A Wolf Demon saw her running and turned from his battle with Fluffy to chase down the girl. Rin saw it coming and ran faster, hoping to get to Kagome before the Wolf Demon got her. Fluffy bit into another Serpent Demon and turned. He saw the Wolf Demon rushing towards Rin and his eyes widened. He wouldn't be able to reach her in time. If he didn't…lunging forward, he managed to jump in front of Rin, large paws shielding her as the Wolf Demon bit deep into his paw. Snarling, Fluffy bit off its head and then looked down at Rin. Her eyes were wide in fear and Fluffy transformed back into his other form.

"You're not hurt?" asked Sesshomaru, looking down at the girl who was lying on the ground, arms wrapped around her head, eyes wide in fear.

"No. Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin uncurled and hugged Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru was surprised but smiled as he patted her small back.

Kagome saw Rin embrace Sesshomaru and smiled slightly. She had wished to embrace Inuyasha so many times, though she had hardly managed anything near what she had dreamed. Firing her last arrow, she aimed it at the large Bat Demon hovering above her. It exploded into red sparks and the two Shikon Shards flew from its body. Kagome caught them as they fell and slung her bow over her shoulder. Walking over to Sesshomaru and Rin, she kneeled down.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru. You saved me as well. Do you have the ten Jewel Shards Rin had told me about?" asked Kagome. Rin smiled as she still clung to Sesshomaru and he pulled out the ten Shards Rin had mentioned.

"I believe there are five more. You have collected two, so all that remains are three. I believe you know who holds them?" Kagome nodded. "I hope you find what you desire, Kagome. You have my respect." Bowing his head to her, he stood and walked away, Rin clinging to his hand. Jaken was sitting in the bush, rubbing his head. Rin looked back at Kagome, fear in her eyes and Kagome waved good-bye to her. Remembering one last thing, she called out to Sesshomaru.

"The sword!" shouted Kagome. Sesshomaru looked back at her and shook his head. The trio disappeared into the shadows and once more Kagome was left alone.

POOF

"This female demon must be stopped at all costs," said the old priestess at the village. She was surrounded by the villagers and some whispered of this new threat.

"But, Lady Kaede, what if it is young Kagome or Priestess Kikyo?" voiced one villager.

"I witnessed young Kagome's own returnal to her Era. It cannot be her. My sister is no longer human, bound to the life of a soul collector, so it is nay her," said Kaede. Shippo sat beside her, eyes worried. Kaede had turned away too soon to see the hands grasping the edge of the well, but Shippo had seen. He had a feeling it was Kagome collecting the Jewel Shards. But he knew the village wouldn't believe him.

"Then how do we dispose of her?" asked a young woman.

"We set a trap. Luckily, we have Shippo to help us trap the demon. He will create a barrier to alert us when someone or something passes through the barrier. That way, we will know when the demon passes through," explained Kaede. Shippo nodded slowly.

"I have already set up the barrier and found out that the demon goes to see Inuyasha many times a day. If we can catch her off guard…" That was another thing that bothered Shippo. Inuyasha being bound to the Sacred Tree was no coincidence and Kagome would visit him everyday, in hopes he would come back to her. If the female demon was Kagome then they were making a horrible mistake.

"Then we shall kill the female demon tonight, when she visits Inuyasha again," roared a villager. The others took up his cheer and Kaede sighed. This was going to be an eventful night.

POOF

Kagome stopped on the road and rolled her shoulders. She had been walking for most of the day and she wanted to see Inuyasha again before nightfall. Looking up, she saw the giant waterfall that Kouga and his clan lived near and walked over to it. She had her bow strapped over her shoulder and a full quiver on her hip.

"Kouga! Kouga! It's Kagome!" shouted one of the guards. Kagome winced. She had hoped to see Kouga alone but that plan was foiled now.

A young man stepped out of the cave entrance, hand on the wall. He had long brown hair tied back into a ponytail. He had blue eyes and wore armour on his chest. Kagome could see the shimmering of the Jewel Shards in his legs and arm. She didn't want to take them from him, but the sooner the better.

"Kagome. It is you. How you doing?" asked Kouga, walking towards her. Kagome pulled out an arrow slowly and when he was only a few feet away, she notched her arrow and shot in one swift movement. Kouga was too shocked to move away from the arrow and it hit him in the leg, where the Jewel Shard resided. Just as he was recovering from the first shock, another arrow had left Kagome's bow and struck his other leg. They both fell out onto the ground behind him and he fell to the ground, eyes wide in shock.

Kagome stepped forward and stabbed his arm with her arrow. Taking the Shard from his arm, she collected the other two and pushed them onto the Shikon No Tama around her neck. It forged into the now complete Jewel and Kagome began to bandage his wounds.

"Kagome?" murmured Kouga. "Why…why did you take my Jewel Shards?"

"Because I don't belong," said Kagome, tying off the last bandage. She stood and walked away, not looking back. Tonight, he would come back and she would be freed.

POOF

Night came quickly and Kagome entered the forest. She saw the barrier put up by someone but passed through it without a glance. She only saw the Tree and its inhabitant.

"She's here, Kaede," whispered Shippo. Kaede nodded and beckoned to the archers. They lifted their bows and aimed at the tree.

A young woman came out of the bushes to the right, eyes intent on the tree. Her hair was black and hung in waves to the middle of her back. She wore the same clothing as Kikyo and Kaede closed her eyes. The woman walked over to the tree and touched the fletched arrow. Taking something from her neck, Kaede realized it was the Shikon No Tama; the complete Shikon No Tama.

"She has completed it! On my signal, kill her," whispered Kaede.

Kagome touched the fletched arrow lightly and then pulled the Jewel from its chain. Holding it up to the light, she felt tears in her eyes. This would be the last time she saw Inuyasha, and she meant to see him alive. Holding the Jewel up, she put her hand on the arrow and prepared to pull. That was when Kaede signalled.

The Final Chaper is next. I really hope you like it! O.o