Disclaimer: Takahashi Rumiko wa InuYasha ga arimasu. Twiknham wa souzouryoku ga arimasu.
Sesshomaru gently touched her shoulder, startling her. "There is a reason I ask this, Kagome. What is your last memory of InuYasha?" Without looking up, Kagome quietly began retelling her final memory.
"We had defeated Naraku, and Kohaku and Koga had given us their shards so that we could complete the Shikon no Tama, or Jewel of Four Souls. Miroku's Kazaana, or Wind Tunnel, had healed, and we had just finished returning from his wedding ceremony to Sango. Shippo had decided to stay with those two, having finally reached his teenage years, and Kirara was enjoying the peace." Kagome took a sip of her water, and Sesshomaru knew she was caressing the memories in her mind like a master shooter would lovingly touch all of his best marbles.
"InuYasha and I set off on our own. Kikyo had finally been able to pass on to the next world, and InuYasha was finally able to let go of the burden of caring for her. We spent several long days and nights talking about his feelings for Kikyo, and why he had not allowed himself to grow closer to me." A tear rolled down her face, and Sesshomaru gently gathered it, unnoticed. It shimmered in the light, and he thought of someone else whose tears had held the power to touch his soul.
"Kaede had talked with us about what it would take to reform the Shikon no Tama, and we both decided that it would have to be done. InuYasha had some very hard decisions to make. Did he become a youkai, or a human? Whichever decision he made, there would be sacrifices. I could take the Jewel back with me, but my bloodline would forever be threatened with a youkai coming through time to find it. Finally, after many nights of sitting in his tree and thinking, InuYasha decided to become a human and return to my time with me." Kagome pushed back her uneaten food and looked at Sesshomaru. "Can we sit by the fire? I can not eat any more."
Sesshomaru didn't tell her that she hadn't eaten anything to begin with, but stood and walked over to the leather chairs. He flipped the switch to turn the fireplace on, then poured two glasses of cognac, handing one to Kagome as he sat. She took a deep draught as she sat down, and they both looked into the flames for a few minutes as she gathered herself to continue.
"Putting the Shikon no Tama together was easy, purifying it was easy. InuYasha then held it in his hand and thought to his very heart about what he wanted. He wanted to be a human so he could live in my time." She sat still, remembering. "The light was beautiful, I'd never seen the Shikon no Tama glow so brilliantly and pure."
"When the light faded, the Shikon no Tama was gone, and I was looking at a man who had silver hair, and normal ears and hands. He drew Tessaiga, and nothing happened. He was ecstatic." Kagome smiled sadly. "We stayed up all night, sitting on the hill. Both of us together; but in our own thoughts. We were remembering those things that we would be leaving behind, and to whom we would be forever saying our farewells. Miroku and Sango knew of the decisions to be made, and had said their farewells, knowing in their hearts what our decisions would be."
"As the first light of dawn came over the mountains, InuYasha took my hand, and we went down the hill to say goodbye to Kaede-jiji and Myoga-jiji, and gather my belongings. It was a sad parting, but we all knew that it was the right decision. InuYasha and I walked to the well, hand-in-hand. We were both worried about the future, but we were also certain in our path. When we reached the well, InuYasha stopped and looked at me.
'Keh, are you sure I can live in your world?' He looked worried.
I ran my free hand gently through his hair. 'No dog ears, you are just a normal human.'
'A normal human…I always thought being a human was a weakness. You've taught me differently. It sounds like a wonderful thing. Let's go.'
Together we stepped onto the edge of the well, and jumped."
Kagome looked over at Sesshomaru with tears in her eyes. "Please…"
"No, you cannot stop." His face was hard; his eyes glittered like shards of glass.
Kagome took a gulp of cognac, gasping and coughing as it burned. "You are a cold, heartless bastard."
"I'm a cold bastard, yes. However, my heart continues to beat in my chest, irregardless of my desire that it would stop." Kagome blinked and looked at him through teary eyes. "If you will finish your memory, I will tell you one of my own, the one that I have lived with for many ages past."
"Fine. You won't let me leave until I do, and I have to believe that there is a reason you're wanting me to dig through the bloody tatters of my heart."
Sesshomaru sighed. "So dramatic, humans. You are free to leave. But I tell you that tonight may prove to be healing for both of us." Kagome blinked at him owlishly and he grimaced. "Why do all females automatically assume I mean something perverted by that? I told you when you arrived that I was not going to seduce you. I am not attracted to you, Kagome. My heart continues to beat in my chest; but it died years ago. I have no more feelings of that nature."
Kagome took a ragged breath, and continued. "InuYasha and I both jumped into the well, but only I came out on the other side. For whatever reason, InuYasha was unable to pass through time with me once he became human." She was silent for a moment, and then continued. "I ran to Shimboku, and InuYasha must have done the same. We spoke to each other, shared our hearts. Then time sealed us away, and I was no longer able to hear him. That was ten years ago." She stared into the fire. Sesshomaru was also silent, giving her time to compose herself.