AN:Finally Chapter Six is up! I'm such a slow poke! Forgive me grovels Anyways last time Kikyou and Inuyasha were half way into Hell. Does that get your memory going again? Oh, and I'm deeply sorry if this fic seems like one of those 'Inuyasha leaves for Kikyou making Kagome run to Sesshoumaru' type of thing! Well, on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: Do not mock me, dammit.

Use To Love You

Chapter Six: Loss

Souls flew all around Inuyasha and Kikyou who were half way into the ground. Kagome was scared. She feared that this time, her voice would not be able to draw Inuyasha away from the trance. Looking deep inside his eyes, she realized that he was in no trance. His eyes seemed to be filled with sadness and regret for leaving everyone, especially Kagome. He cast Kagome one last look of regret to Kagome, until he disappeared under the ground with Kikyou embracing him. Only one word kept passing through her mind. 'Why...Why...Why...' Dropping to her knees, she sat there motionless. Inuyasha was gone. Forever. And she couldn't do anything to stop it. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou came running when they heard Kagome's screams. Sango gasped when she saw the crater before them. Then it hit her. Inuyasha and Kikyou were the two missing from the group. 'Oh no...poor Kagome!' She clutched her chest, feeling horrible. It seemed like there was nothing she could do for Kagome. Saying everything would be okay would be so pointless. Sango knew that Kagome harbored feelings for Inuyasha, but now that he was gone, what would she do? Mope around forever? She shook her head sadly, thinking of what would become of Kagome.

Miroku put a hand on Sango's shoulder, understanding that she felt horrible because Kagome was alone. He too, felt miserable. Mentally, he cursed Inuyasha for leaving Kagome like that. Didn't he understand what an effect it would have on Kagome's life? Was he too damn blind to realize that Kagome loved him more than life itself! He gritted his teeth, frustrated with Inuyasha's decision. Shippou sat on Miroku's shoulder, not really sure what to do. It was too much to see Kagome like that, her sapphire eyes, burned out like a flame that had been doused with water. Even Kirara had a sorrowful look on her face.

Sesshoumaru knelt down beside Kagome, trying to comfort her to the best of his abilities. Deep inside, he was enraged that Inuyasha would do such a thing. Didn't he feel anything for Kagome? Sesshoumaru put his arm around her shoulder, and tried to tell her that everything would be okay, even though he knew that was just wishful thinking. As emotionless as he seemed to be, he felt horrible, knowing Kagome's heart had been broken. For an instant, he almost feared she would give up on life, which then brought the memory where he had actually killed her. He winced when that memory floated back to him, but he pushed it into the back of his mind, knowing this was not the time to be thinking of that. What mattered right now, was to make sure Kagome was okay, and could deal with Inuyasha's abscence.

Kagome's mind was whirling in a huge tornado one moment, and the next, it had just come to a halt. This was happening all to fast. Inuyasha was gone, she was alone, and everyone around her was basically mourning for her. Why? For some reason, nothing seemed to make sense to her. Everything was like a messed up jigsaw puzzle. She needed to get up and pick up the pieces and get them back into order, but she couldn't. She just felt helpless.

Sesshoumaru smelled something salty. He looked at Kagome and found the source of it.

A lone tear had rolled down her cheek.

Naraku looked into Kanna's mirror, seeing the distraught Kagome. His plan did not go the way he had planned it to. Kikyou was not supposed to have left this world with Inuyasha. His lips curved upward. Then again, two people he despised had been erased from the world of the living. But even then, he still had to deal with the rest of them. Who would his next victim be? The monk? Perhaps the exterminator. He waved Kanna away, and glanced at the door. A shaded figure stood outside, waiting patiently.

Yes...the exterminator would be next.

No one could sleep that night. Kagome kept praying to herself over and over that it was one, big nightmare. But no matter how many times she did so, reality struck her hard. 'This isn't happening to me...it isn't!', her mind screamed. But deep inside her heart, she knew it was true. She needed to move on, and find new love. It's not like her whole life revolved around Inuyasha and depended on it, like it was her air source. Then again, maybe her life did revolve around him. Maybe she did need him around to feel alive herself. But what could she do when she was gone? Would she too, die? She already saw what the crossroads looked like...but, did she really want to go back there again? It was so peaceful...maybe that was the way to go. Maybe she should just end it all now again.

Picking up one of her arrows, she held it up, high above her chest. Taking in a deep breath, she was about to plunge it in, when a quick swipe knocked the arrow from her hand.

"Stop." She looked up in confusion, and then saw it was Sesshoumaru who had stopped her. "Why did you stop me! I could have gotten away from this mess", she practically screamed. A little too much for his sensitive ears. He winced a little, but stood his ground. "You want to die so that you can just run away from your problems? That's the coward's way out, Kagome." Tears were streaming down her face when she heard this. 'I am being a coward, aren't I?', she thought sadly to herself. Sesshoumaru knelt down, so he was eye level with her. He took up his clawed finger and wiped away a stray tear from her eyes. "Don't run away from this." Slowly, he got up, and left her sitting there.

She brought up a hand to her cheek that he had touched, and sighed. Those words he spoke were true. She couldn't run away from this, no matter how hard she tried. Because sooner or later, it'd come back to haunt her, even in death. Now Kagome was truly ashamed of herself. 'I was given a second chance at life...why waste it? Besides, I can find new love...can't I?' That reminded her of Sesshoumaru's actions again. Yes, she was slowly falling for him, but the incident with Inuyasha kept pulling her back, almost forbidding her to go near Sesshoumaru. Even then, if she hadn't been pulled back, it'd still feel wrong to fall in love with him. It'd be like she was betraying Inuyasha. But, she had the liberty to fall in love again, didn't she! After all, why did he leave with Kikyou? Feeling so confused, she drifted off into sleep, hoping that she could wipe away all the worries and fears.

"Kagome...Kagome...wake up"

Kagome groaned a little, and shoved away the hand that was shaking her. "I'll be up in a second mom...ten more minutes...or hours..." Sango rolled her eyes slightly. "Kagome! It's me! Sango" Kagome slowly opened her eyes, seeing Sango's blurry image hovering above her. "Sango..." Kagome threw aside her sleeping bag covers, and stood up. "How long have I been sleeping? Where is Inuyasha" Sango looked at her sadly. "It's been a couple of hours, Kagome. And...Inuyasha's gone." Kagome's eyes were about to fill with tears, when she heard Sango say Inuyasha was gone. 'So it was true...' Kagome turned away from Sango, and wiped away the tears that began to surface. She turned around to face Sango and gave a wistful smile. "Well...I guess we need to pack up and continue our hunt for the shikon shards, ne" Sango was about to cry. "How can you say that Kagome! How can you just pretend that nothing happened! YOU ARE LIKE THIS BECAUSE YOU LOST INUYASHA" Kagome cringed. "There isn't anything I can do, Sango.", she said, surprisingly calm.

When those words escaped her lips, Kagome felt like she was lying to herself. 'Maybe I could have done something about it...it could've been that maybe...I chose not to...' That thought horrified her. She couldn't be that heartless! But, maybe she wanted Inuyasha and Kikyou to be happy together. Maybe she was too scared to do anything about it.

"I'm sorry Sango...I really am. But, maybe this happened because it needed to...and..." Sango nodded her head, still a little upset.

The group had been walking in silence. It wasn't a comforting silence, but a tense one. No one knew what to say to each other. They couldn't just say 'Oh yes! We can move on! Things will get better!'. No, they were not that optimistic. Even the cheerful sunshine and the birds with their melodious singing could brighten up their day.

Sango had her head hanging down to the floor, all of a sudden finding interest in her worn out sandals and the dirt road. Her eyes widened, when she saw a stream of red liquid settling in the road.

She bent down, studying the blood, trying to figure out if it was fresh or not. It was. Miroku stopped, seeing Sango pause and kneel down. He too, had a look of shock on his face. Farther down the road, the blood became more and more. Sango ran forward, wanting to find the source of this. Miroku, Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and Shippou all chased her, wondering what could have caused this. When they caught up with her, they too, stood frozen. Sango was about to let her tears flow, seeing the source. She uttered a single word.

"Kohaku..."

It was like a black pit. Darkness engulfed every way Inuyasha looked. He knew he was dead. Dead with Kikyou. Kikyou! He looked around frantically, worried about her.

"I'm right here, Inuyasha.", Kikyou's voice echoed. Inuyasha spun around, with a relieved smile on his face. "There you are! I was worried..." Kikyou gave a small smile. "You won't have to worry about me ever again..."

Kikyou and Inuyasha embraced each other in the dark depths of Hell.

"Kohaku...Kohaku, why"

Kohaku's eyes held no emotion. His mouth did not move. He stood there, with his sickle clutched in his right hand. Sango was trying to avoid the fact that Kohaku was innocent, but she failed. For blood was dripping from the sickle.

"I will continue to do as my Lord Naraku commands me to...", he said in a monotone voice.

Sango shook her head. "Why Kohaku! Don't you even remember me! Sango! Your older sister! I love you so much Kohaku! Please, don't listen to Naraku! He's tricking you Kohaku...tricking you into becoming a cold-blooded killer" Sango was saying everything she could to convince Kohaku how he was being decieved. 'Oh please Kohaku, get away from that creep! He's just using you!' Kohaku looked up at her, his eyes flickering. Sango wanted to run up and hug him, feeling so sorry for the poor boy. He was battling against Naraku. He wanted to be out of his grasp, but Naraku was too strong.

"S-Sango...what's h-hap-happening to me...", he whispered, in a scared tone. Sango ran over to him, and hugged him tightly. "Try to remember Kohaku! If you do, we can get you away from this monster..please...remember" Small flashes of his past came to his mind, but it wasn't enough to stop Naraku.

Slowly, Kohaku raised the sickle above Sango, ready to plunge it in her back. Miroku saw what Kohaku was about to do. Quickly, he ran towards the two, and knocked Kohaku away. Sango looked startled for a moment, until she saw Miroku's arm dripping with blood. "Oh Miroku...I'm so sorry" Tears flowed down her face as she got up to chase Kohaku who was trying to get away from the scene. Kirara transformed into her sabertooth like form, and Sango jumped on her back. She couldn't let Kohaku's mind be played around with by Naraku.

'I'll kill you Naraku! YOU WILL DIE!'

AN: Blah blah blah, I know, short chapter, don't gripe to me about it! XP

Reiko: She's a grouch. -pokes with stick-

Me-explodes-