Stay Chapter 9: Finally, It's Over, an inuyasha fanfic

A/N: Wow! I received a tremendous outcome from my reviewers!!! I'm very glad with your reviews!!! jumps around the room happily I wouldn't be thanking my reviewers individually for now because I don't have much time. But still, I want to thank all of those wonderful people who reviewed and even bigger thanks to those who placed my story and me in the list of their favorite stories/author. I always get excited when I know that people really liked my story so much! -

By the way, remember when I asked you for an idea on how I will continue the story? Actually I already have the next chapter on my mind but still I would like to know what readers think… And guess what! Someone got so close to my idea but still my idea has a greater twist that will make the story more exciting! Hope you'll like it. After you read this chapter, I'm sure the one who suggested the idea close to mine will already know that I'm talking about her. Hint hint hint! -

Disclaimer: I never liked writing this part but I can't skip this part either. Oh well, better say it already so I can go on with the chapter. Don't sue me. Why? 'Cause I know that I don't own Inuyasha and I'm not claiming it! Just borrowed them from Ms. Takahashi to have this story.

Chapter 9

Finally, It's Over

Kagome's face grew stern as she tried to pierce her sword harder to Inuyasha's chest.

"I said die!" Kagome shouted, her eyes burning with anger.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried out. "Snap out of it!"

"Fool!" Naraku said, smirking. "She's under my control. She won't hear you."

Inuyasha ignored Naraku and looked straight into Kagome's eyes. "Kagome, please. Please wake up!"

Inuyasha! I can't control my body. Inuyasha heard Kagome say in his mind. You've got to fight or I might… I might… Her voice was now quivering. Fear could be traced in her voice.

"You won't be killing me, Kagome." Inuyasha assured Kagome, holding the sword's blade tighter in his hands. Blood started to ooze from his hands as he held the blade. "I'll save you!" Inuyasha said, snatching the sword from her hands and throwing it aside. Upon being pierced on the ground, the icicle sword turned back into a silver baton.

Kagome quickly jumped away from Inuyasha, slightly growling. "Bastard!" She hissed.

Inuyasha slowly sat up; his breathing was heavy because of the rough beating he had received. "Kagome, I promise you. I will save you!" He said, standing up and walking slowly towards Kagome, clasping his wounded right arm. "Believe in me." He added, dragging his feet to walk further towards Kagome.

Kagome stepped back, slightly growling. "Don't come near me!" She ordered threateningly to Inuyasha. She glanced sideways to search for her baton. It was too far for her to reach. She was cornered and she was weaponless.

Inuyasha didn't seem to hear Kagome's words. He continued to approach Kagome.

Kagome seemed to be rooted to the ground. Her body didn't want to move anymore no matter how hard she tried to command it to move.

Soon, Inuyasha was standing face to face with Kagome. His eyes were looking at hers with complete determination. "I know you want to return to your old self, Kagome." Inuyasha said, pulling Kagome towards him all of a sudden. "Please come back to me." He said pleadingly, hugging her tighter.

"Inu… yasha…" Kagome whispered softly to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha's heart skipped a beat. He wasn't imagining it. He heard Kagome's voice not in his mind. Did she finally return to normal?

Inuyasha gently broke the hug to look at Kagome. "Kagome?" Inuyasha asked uncertainly, looking at her eyes with joy and uncertainty. "Is that you?" He asked.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said, looking back at Inuyasha. She stepped back from Inuyasha, looking sorry at him. "I'm sorry…"

"What do you mean, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, trying to approach her.

"Don't come near me…" Kagome said, tears welling in her eyes. "I might hurt you again if you come near me." She explained, taking another step backwards.

"Stupid wench!" Inuyasha muttered. "I don't give a damn about that! What do you want me to do? Just leave you like that?!" Inuyasha grumbled. "Didn't you just hear me a while ago?! I told you I'd save you!"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome looked at him, looking greatly moved by his words.

"If you really want to save me…" Kagome paused and turned her back at Inuyasha, walking towards her baton. She drew it from the ground and grasped it tightly.

Inuyasha walked towards Kagome, puzzled by her sudden silence. "Kagome…?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome turned around to face Inuyasha, looking straight into his golden eyes. "If you really want to save me, then—" She quickly changed her baton back to a crystal ice sword and stabbed it into Inuyasha's stomach. "Die!" Kagome cried, hatred filled her eyes so much.

Inuyasha!!!! Kagome's worried cry rang inside Inuyasha's head.

"Kagome?!" Inuyasha said, wincing in pain as blood started to seep out of his wound. He quickly placed his left hand on his stomach to stop the blood from trickling. "Shit! Naraku's still controlling Kagome!" Inuyasha thought.

"Annoying girl." Naraku said. "Always messing up with my plans." He glared at Kagome's direction.

Kagome smirked as she watched Inuyasha's pained face. "Does it hurt, Inuyasha?" She asked disdainfully, returning her weapon to its baton form.

Inuyasha winced again as he felt his strength slowly leaving his body. "Damn it," cursed Inuyasha. "My body's lost so much blood."

Kagome began to laugh at Inuyasha's pathetic state. "That's what you get for wanting to save me!" She said, smirking at Inuyasha.

"Fool!" Inuyasha said, forcing his body to stay standing. "Who said that I wanted to save you?" He asked. "I said I would save Kagome. Not YOU!!!" Inuyasha shouted, looking at Kagome with angry eyes.

Kagome laughed again. "What are you talking about Inuyasha?" She asked, pointing her baton at Inuyasha. "I am Kagome. Can't you see that?"

Inuyasha's youki began to strengthen. He clenched his fists tightly; his eyes began to darken even more in anger. "Don't you dare compare yourself with Kagome." Inuyasha growled. "Even though you may be using her body, you will never be like her—in any aspect!"

"Just the same." Kagome shrugged. "While I'm using her body, I am her—whether you like it or not." Kagome's heart suddenly stopped beating. She looked troubled about something. "What's this?! The crystal is cracking?!" Kagome thought, looking down at the round purple pendant of her necklace.

"Why can't she stop being a nuisance to me?" Naraku murmured under his breath.

"What's happening to her?" Inuyasha thought curiously, looking at her. "She seemed to be worried about something." He looked at Kagome worriedly. "Kagome, how can I save you? How?" Inuyasha continued to think of a way to help Kagome.

Inuyasha! Inuyasha suddenly heard Kagome's voice inside his head again.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's mind cried in relief. Hearing her voice seemed to give his troubled mind some peace. "You're all right…" Inuyasha thought, his heart relaxing a little.

Kagome began to walk towards Inuyasha slowly.

"Inuyasha…" She softly murmured, tears began to flow from her brown eyes. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking at the wound she caused on his stomach.

Inuyasha smiled softly and placed his hand on Kagome's cheek to wipe off her tears. "Will you stop crying? This scratches are nothing." He told Kagome. His blood was smeared on Kagome's pale cheek.

"I'm sorry," Kagome said, looking at Inuyasha's eyes guiltily.

"It's all right, Kagome." Inuyasha said. "It's over."

Kagome stepped back away from Inuyasha again. "No, Inuyasha, it's not." She said fearfully. "She's still inside my body."

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked, looking perplexed.

"She's just lost consciousness; I don't know when she's going to take over me again." Her face was filled with fear. "You've got to listen to me carefully." She told Inuyasha. She held her baton in front of Inuyasha and looked at him. "Destroy the crystal, Inuyasha. If you'll destroy it, at least, she wouldn't be that strong anymore if she'd take over me again. You can destroy her easily by then."

"I won't destroy her while she's inside your body." Inuyasha protested, slashing the stone easily with his claws.

After the glass ball had been broken, tiny ice shards were scattered on the ground. Kagome's jewels and other accessories that were made out of ice were also shattered into pieces—all of her accessories except for the necklace around her neck.

Kagome glanced at Naraku's direction to see his reaction. Far from Kagome's expected look, Naraku didn't look a bit close to looking annoyed. Instead, he looked like he was waiting for her to continue her actions. "Weird. He's not making any move to stop me?" Kagome thought, slightly getting worried about her plan. Her mind suddenly remembered what Naraku told her about destroying the necklace.

Naraku smirked. "You can't destroy that. I told you it suppresses your power." Naraku said, still looking relaxed. "And if you destroy it, I'm sure you'll regret it. It's better to have that necklace than to destroy it." He added, looking nastily at Kagome.

"I still can't understand what he means by that." Kagome thought. "Maybe it's better if I wouldn't destroy the necklace anymore—but…" Kagome looked at Inuyasha's worried face. "Inuyasha…"

"Anything wrong?" Inuyasha said, looking worriedly at her.

Kagome shook her head and gave out a small smile to assure Inuyasha. "Nothing." She said. "But then Inuyasha will get hurt again if I don't stop her." Kagome thought sadly as she remembered the pained expression on Inuyasha's face when she had pierced him with her sword. "No, I wouldn't want Inuyasha to suffer anymore…"

"Inuyasha, slash the necklace on my neck." Kagome said determinedly.

Inuyasha nodded then slashed it—but the necklace didn't break. It only glowed its usual purple light.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome with a raised eyebrow. "No effect." He told Kagome.

"It's too strong…" Kagome thought, biting her lower lip. She looked around and her eyes saw Tetsusaiga pierced on the ground nearby. "Perhaps…" She looked at Inuyasha and said, "Inuyasha, use the Tetsusaiga on the necklace."

"What?!" Inuyasha said, looking at her with a horrified expression on his face.

"I said slash—"

"I heard you but—are you serious?!" Inuyasha said, his voice told Kagome he was against the idea. "What if I suddenly lose control of Tetsusaiga and I slashed your neck together with that damn necklace?!"

"Then, I guess, that will be the end for me." Kagome said, shrugging.

"What's with you?" Inuyasha said, pouting his lips. "Aren't you even scared, I might kill you?!"

"You weren't scared when I was about to kill you!" Kagome pointed out.

"Because I know that you wouldn't do that if you weren't controlled by that bastard!" Inuyasha replied, throwing a quick glare at Naraku then rested his eyes back at Kagome's face.

"Inuyasha, we don't have time to argue." Kagome reminded him. "Just believe in yourself and think that if you slash my neck you won't have any shard detector anymore. I'm sure you wouldn't want to lose your shard detector, right?"

Inuyasha's face suddenly changed its expression—like he wanted to tell Kagome something.

"So?" Kagome said.

"I'll do it." Inuyasha finally answered. He summoned Tetsusaiga through its scabbard and transformed it. He positioned his sword a little away from Kagome's neck and swallowed.

"Good." Kagome said, smiling at Inuyasha. She closed her eyes and said, "Just relax and do it."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha's mind was really against doing it but then he knew that Kagome would be suffering more if he wouldn't do it.

Inuyasha focused his eyes on the necklace around Kagome's neck. His heart was beating faster and faster.

Kagome took a peek at Inuyasha. He looked really nervous. "Don't worry, I know you can do it. I trust you." She said, closing her eyes once more.

"I wouldn't do it if I were you, Inuyasha." Naraku said, still doing nothing but watching them from a short distance.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha said.

Slash! The necklace broke and fell to the ground. Kagome looked at her neck and smiled in relief when she saw that she was still in one piece. Actually, she was a bit scared too. The round pendant was already broken, revealing three Shikon shards.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome, relief flooding his heart. "I did it." He said, sighing in relief.

"Yeah," agreed Kagome, nodding. She bent down to pick up the shards on the ground. "Finally, it's over."

"Kagome!" Shippou happily jumped to Kagome's arms and hugged her. "You're back!"

"Shippou-chan!" Kagome cried happily. "I'm glad to see you!"

"Kagome-sama, welcome back." Miroku said, smiling.

"Thank you," said Kagome. She looked around to look for Naraku but he was nowhere in sight. "What does he mean when he said it's better if I wore the necklace than take it off?" Kagome thought. "Probably a prank just to scare me…"

"Kagome-chan, what's the matter?" Sango asked, looking at her worriedly.

"Nothing," replied Kagome, smiling at Sango. Her eyes suddenly shifted to the girl beside Sango that was glaring at her.

"Don't act so innocently, murderer!" Hikari said, still glaring at Kagome.

"Hey! Don't call Kagome a murderer!" Inuyasha said, throwing a glare at Hikari.

"You shouldn't be saying that to her, Hikari." Sango said. "She's not herself at that time."

"It's just the same. It was my body who did those crimes…" Kagome said, bowing her head. "Forgive me."

"Forgiveness?" Hikari said, tears brimming in her eyes. "Do you think you deserve that after killing so many helpless people?!"

Kagome looked at Hikari, her eyes looked pained. "I didn't kill them." She said.

"Liar." Hikari said, glaring more and more.

"I'm telling the truth." Kagome said, looking at the tiny ice shards on the ground.

The shards began to grow larger and larger.

"Move away!" Kagome said, pulling Hikari to run with her.

The ice shards only stopped growing when they were as big as humans.

Hikari snatched her hand away from Kagome's hand. "Don't touch me!" She shouted.

Kagome looked at her and told her, "Look at those ice blocks closely."

Hikari looked at them closely. The others did the same.

Theirs eyes suddenly widened at what they saw. There were villagers trapped inside the blocks of ice!

Hikari ran towards one of the ice blocks and began to cry again. "Father…" She said.

"Don't worry," Kagome said. "They're alive. The ice will be melting soon and you can already get your father back." She told Hikari. "And the rest of your fellow villagers..."

"But I saw the Ice Lady kill our fellow villagers." Hikari said.

Kagome shook her head side to side. "I made the Ice Lady think that she was killing them but actually, she never killed anyone. She never noticed that I had my consciousness from time to time so I made sure she didn't kill them and made her trap them on ice shards to heal their wounds. They might still be weak for now but I'm sure they're all alive." Kagome explained to Hikari.

Hikari only looked at Kagome but didn't say anything.

Kagome knelt down in front of Hikari. "I know I still hurt them so please forgive me. I'll do anything just for you to forgive me." Kagome bowed her head as hot tears began to fall down from her eyes. "I'm really sorry…"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha looked at Kagome with sorrowful eyes. "You have to suffer just because of that bastard… Naraku… I'll surely kill him one of these days…"

"Kagome,"

Kagome looked up to face Hikari; Hikari's hand was resting on Kagome's shoulder.

"Don't be sorry for the crime you haven't done." Hikari said. "I know you were just being controlled back then. Please forgive me for saying bad things about you. Let's just forget it and maybe—we can be friends?" Hikari extended her hand to her and smiled.

Kagome brushed her tears away and took Hikari's hand. "I'd like that very much. Thank you." She said, also smiling as she stood up.

Inuyasha felt glad that everything was turning out fine. Kagome was finally back.

"Kagome! The ice has finally melted!" Shippou said cheerfully.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha. "Can you help us carry the villagers to some comfortable place where they can rest?" She asked, wearing her usual warm smile.

"Keh!" Inuyasha grumbled. "You can't do anything on your own, could you?"

Kagome smiled faintly at Inuyasha. "I guess s—" Kagome suddenly felt dizzy that she began to collapse absentmindedly to the ground.

Fortunately, Inuyasha was there to catch her just in time. Inuyasha looked worriedly at Kagome in his arms. "Hey! Kagome! Kagome!" He said, trying to wake her up.

Hikari and the others quickly hurried to Kagome's side to check on her.

"Is she all right?" Hikari asked.

Inuyasha held Kagome's cheek lightly. "Wake up, Kagome!" He said.

Kagome's eyes slowly opened and looked at Inuyasha weakly. "Inuyasha?" She said, seeing the worried look on Inuyasha's face. "I feel so weak... I think I need to rest for a while…" She said then smiled a little before closing her eyes again.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha murmured worriedly.

A/N: That's it! Another cliffie!!! Hehehe… You should review okay? Even just to tell me that you hate the cliffie. Hey, to those who will review… Please make it longer so I'll enjoy reading it more! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!! You must do that for me! I updated so you better review! Another chapter down. Please include in your review the answer to this question… I already have an idea of the next chapter but still I don't know where it will happen. Should Inuyasha's gang stay in that village and face those villagers who are angry at Kagome? Or should they return to Kaede-baachan's place for a comfortable rest for Kagome? It's also more romantic there… What do you think???? Review please!