NG: Hi everyone. I know good and well I should be working on LCII but this idea just came to me and I had to write it and being the generous person I am, I decided to share it with everyone. This is a one-shot. It's my first time writing angst, or attempting to I should say and I hope I did well. Read and enjoy.

Warning: Character death and lots of angst.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Christina Aguilera's 'Reflections'.

I don't own Inuyasha or Christina Aguilera's Reflections.

NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NGNG NG Forever NGNG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG

He laughed. It was a sound that had become so foreign to his lips since the day she left him, the day she was brutally ripped from this world she had lived to protect. He laughed again, a laugh void of humor, yet deep with emotion. This would be the day, the day he fulfilled his promise to a lost love.

His plan was perfect. Everyday after the final battle where he'd lost so much, he would come here. His sanctuary, her resting place, a safe haven from the harsh reality of life. For days at a time he would disappear, only to return as heavy hearted as he left.

Of course, his friends worried for him. They would constantly speak in whispered hushes when they thought he was away. He could vaguely remember a conversation, which he had overheard.

"Miroku, do you think he'll be alright?" The monk turned to his female companion, a small smile of comfort etched into his features.

"Inuyasha will be fine, koi. He is a warrior, he shall recover."

"…Yes, but she was his heart."

The two had found each other during that last battle, in the sense that they realized their love for one another, gaining what he had lost that same day. He envied them. Their lives were just beginning where his ended before it started. This was the longest he had been away, but they wouldn't worry. These trips had become a routine for him.

He would stay where she slept an eternal sleep he'd pray each night she'd awaken from. He prayed that she would wake up again and smile that special smile just for him. That smile so full of warmth, caring, understanding, love. She was his heart, his world and his peace. She had done what was thought to be impossible. She healed his heart.

He admitted later on that he had a strong attraction to her from the start, but never believed that it would blossom into love. He remembered the first time he had fallen for her.

NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG Flashback NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG

It was the night of the new moon. All others in the camp were asleep after a hard day of battle. She snuck off in the night, hoping to evade his senses and gain time for herself. But her plans were foiled, unknown to her that though he was in his weaker state, he was still on the alert.

She traveled through the forest, far enough to have some privacy, but close enough to be safe. He stealthily followed her and watched her as she gazed upon the starlit sky, her eyes reflecting the twinkling of the nighttime nightlights. She sat by a lake; its still waters the exact opposite of the turmoil inside her heart. She swept a delicate hand over the lake's surface, disturbing the image of her reflection. And to his surprise, she began to sing.

Look at me

You may think you see who I really am

But you'll never know me

Everyday, it's as if I play a part

Now I see if I wear a mask I can fool the world

But I cannot fool my heart

She sang softly and sweetly, her feelings pouring into each note. 'She's beautiful.' he thought. He inwardly cursed this night, for his human hearing could not capture her voice as clearly as he would have liked. The words were unfamiliar to him. 'Must be from the future.' He listened as she continued with the chorus.

Who is that girl I see

Staring straight back at me

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

He nearly gasped in realization. 'She's been pretending this whole time and feels as if she isn't true to herself, just like me.

I am now in a world where I have to hide my heart

And what I believe in

But somehow I will show the world what's inside my heart

And be loved for who I am

'She's looking to be accepted for who she is. She's looking…to be loved.'

Who is that girl I see

Staring straight back at me

Why is my reflection someone I don't know?

Must I pretend that I'm someone else for all time?

When will my reflection show who I am inside?

There's a heart that wants to be free to fly

That burns with a need to know the reason why

Why must we all conceal

What we think how we feel

Must there be a secret me I'm forced to hide?

I won't pretend that I'm someone else for all time

When will my reflection show who I am inside

When will my reflection show who I am inside

She ended her sweet melody with a note so quiet yet pure enough to linger in his heart forever. A single tear escaped her eye yet she did not bother to remove it from her cheek.

"That was beautiful." he whispered, revealing himself from the concealment provided by the tree. He received a startled gasp and a look of shock and anger.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing here?" she asked seeming hurt. He had invaded on her private moment.

"I'm sorry, I was just...that was…I mean…you're beautiful." He blushed stammering over his words.

"What?" His eyes widened in realization of what he had said and he quickly corrected himself.

"That song was nice." This time it was her turn to blush, a blush that accented her pale skin in such a cute way.

"Thank you. But why are you here?" He stopped to ask himself that question coming up with a blank.

"Umm, I'm not really sure." An awkward silence passed between the two for neither could come up with anything to say that would relieve the tension. Finally she spoke.

"Would you like to join me?" He nodded a yes to her invitation and sat beside her. They gazed at the stars together in a comfortable silence, until she began to hum. She seemed unaware that she was even doing it, which made it all the more sweeter. He didn't know if it was a result of this being his human night, or if he might have eaten something he shouldn't have, but her mere presence awakened a feeling deep within him that he had thought died with Kikyou.

"What does it mean?"

"Hmm?" She turned to him with a look of puzzlement. "What does what mean?"

"That song you were singing."

She blushed cutely. "I hoped you hadn't heard me. I'm not very good."

He immediately wished to object, but thought better of it. He did have an image to maintain. Though in the future, he would regret having not corrected her. A silence passed between them before she decided to answer his question.

"It's about being in a world where you feel you can't be true to who you are, where you feel you constantly have to meet the standards of those around you to a point where you can't tell who you are anymore."

"Is that how you feel?" She took a moment to think on that question.

"I used to, before I met you."

"Me?"

"Yeah and everyone else." she said quickly attempting to correct her mistake. "Before I met you all, I'd always felt that something in my life was missing. As if I couldn't tell who I really was until I met you. But ever since we started this quest together, I felt I could be who I wanted without any restraint. Back at my home, my running around Japan killing demons is frowned upon. But like the song says, now my heart is free to fly."

She smiled at him and stood up offering her hand. He took it hesitantly and stood. "I'm, uh, ready to go back now, if that's alright with you I mean. I'm getting a little sleepy." He nodded his head.

"Sure." They stared at each other for a while before either spoke again.

"It was really sweet of you to stay with me. I'm glad to have seen the side of you, you like to hide so much. …It was…nice." She turned around slowly to leave, but felt a tug on her hand. She blushed in realization. They had been holding hands the whole time. Slowly she released his hand and made towards camp.

He watched her leave already missing the warmth she brought him. He figured that these feelings would leave along with his human weakness, but along with the rising of the sun came a mixture of conflicting emotions he'd hoped to never feel again, a feeling he would later call love.

NGNG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG End of Flashback NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG NG

That was the day he fell in love with her, though it took him a long time to admit it, not only to her, but also to himself. The day he had told her was forever engraved in his heart. She had smiled, and cried, and laughed all at once. It was wonderful to see her so happy, and even better to know that he had made her that happy. She confessed that day that she had loved him too, for a very long time and they shared their first kiss that day along with so much more. And he knew then for certain that he loved her, that they were meant to be.

One night, months after they had gotten together, they lay there under stars, him embracing her with a gentle hold reserved only for her, and he wondered how he had gotten so lucky. Here was this woman so beautiful and perfect. He often wondered why she had chosen him and that night, she had told him.

"I love you because you're you. You're courageous, proud, lovable and just plain wonderful."

She had smiled and kissed him and asked him the same. Why did he love her? There were so many answers to that question that he had a hard time picking what to say. He loved her for her strength, her independence, her courage, her honesty, her loyalty, her beauty, her intelligence, and her kind and caring heart. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she laughed, the way she would always come to him when she needed comfort, and always stood by his side no matter what. She trusted him unconditionally and loved him for who he was. She never tried to change him, in any way and he loved her for it. He had told her this, and she nearly cried with joy.

"Inu-kun, promise me we'll be together forever." He looked down upon her then and gave her a smile so rarely seen by others.

"I promise, forever."

It was that promise he would keep this day. He had never broken a promise to her before and he certainly wouldn't start now. He removed his signature weapon from its sheath. It transformed as soon as it was removed, the blade shining in the morning sun. And he began to laugh, a hysterical laughter that if one were to happen upon him they would think he were insane. He laughed until he cried and cried until he sobbed. Tears streaming down his face as he struggled to stop but found that he couldn't. It hurt. It hurt so much when she left him.

"I am sorry my love."

His head rose with a snap and his eyes widened in surprise. A gentle hand reached to wipe away the traces of his sorrow. The touch was so gentle he hardly believed it real. Maybe it wasn't.

"Do not cry. We will be together again as you promised."

He nodded his head as her touch left his face and disappeared completely. He lifted the blade to his wrist slicing a clean cut, barely wincing as his life giving substance drained slowly from his arm. He did the same with its twin watching as the red liquid pooled around him.

"To you who have set me free and healed my heart. You showed me how this world isn't as cruel as it may seem. My mate, my life, my love, I will see you soon."

His breathing became labored and his vision blurred. The pain was slow and agonizing but was nothing compared to the weeks of torture without her by his side. He could feel his demon blood attempting to heal him, but he refused to be separated from his mate any longer. It became harder to breathe, harder to think, but he was happier than he had been in weeks.

"I'm coming." With his final breath, he spoke the name of the woman who had stolen his heart and renewed his soul.

"Sango." And he slept forever in the arms of his love.

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NG: Bet you weren't expecting that. If you're wondering about the pairing, check my bio. If you're wondering about anything else, leave a review! I hope you liked! TTFN Bet you weren't expecting that. If you're wondering about the pairing, check my bio. If you're wondering about anything else, leave a review! I hope you liked! TTFN

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10/12/04

NG: Hi, people just wanted to add something on for all those who may be confused. I purposely wrote certain things just to confuse you all. I'm evil, I know.

Anyway, when it says that the song must be from the future, I purposely put that so that you would think it was Kagome, when in reality it was Sango. Kagome taught Sango the song and Inuyasha knew that it wasn't anything from his time, so he said that.

Another part, where it says that 'Back at my home, my running around Japan killing demons is frowned upon.' I did that on purpose too. Sango is talking about her village and how a female demon exterminator is not really accepted in the way a male demon exterminator is, and that's why it is frowned upon. I didn't say my village, because that would be a dead giveaway.

I hope that cleared up some things for all of you and I'd like to congratulate Dark Moon1 for catching both of those confusing details! I'd also like to thank anime09 for reviewing. All other reviews will be mentioned in a separate section. (Chapter 2- Review Response)