"KAGOME!"

InuYasha's cry shattered through the silent forest. A flock of birds fled the trees, frightened by the earth-shattering scream. Sango, Miroku and Shippo watched helplessly as the demon's spear pierced their friend's flesh.

"Inu… Yasha…" Kagome whispered as she felt Sanjitosama's arm force its way through her belly. She choked on her own words as she collapsed into InuYasha's arms. The demon's arm retracted and returned to its original form.

"Kagome," InuYasha murmured. He could feel her blood soaking his already blood-stained clothes, and the smell was overpowering. He held her close and whispered so only she could her. "Hold on. Please hold on for me."

"Foolish human," Sanjitosama laughed. The girl's blood dripped from his arm and formed a small pool where he stood. Naraku would be displeased to hear the girl was dead. "She was not intended to die."

"SHE'S NOT GOING TO DIE!" InuYasha screamed as he stood to face the demon. Suddenly he was able to overcome the demonic aura. Sango and Shippo rushed to Kagome's side while Miroku stood alongside his half-demon companion. InuYasha growled as he mustered the strength he could not gather only moments before.

"She will," Sanjitosama mused. "And you will soon join her." Once again his arm began to contort, this time into a blood-stained sword. Kagome's blood marred the new weapon, and InuYasha could not force away the horrifying scent. He stepped towards the demon, but rather than draw Tetsusaiga, he allowed the weapon to drop at his feet.

"Damn you," InuYasha whispered.

"InuYasha-" Miroku started, but stopped as he realized what he intended to do. InuYasha stood frozen for a moment, never taking his eyes off his enemy. Suddenly his head began to pulse. He growled and ignored the pain, his demon's blood surging through his veins. He felt his claws and fangs rip further out of his skin. His friend's watched, too terrified to tear their eyes away.

"What," Shippo managed through cries. "What is he doing?"

"He wants to lose control," Sango whispered, almost in awe. She stroked Kagome's hair as she lay in her lap. "He's allowing the demon blood to take over."

"Inu… Yasha," Kagome muttered. She coughed as she spoke, blood filling her mouth. It hurt to move; to speak. Even to breathe.

"Fool," Sanjitosama laughed. "Without your sword you are useless. What chance can you, a mere half-demon, have against me?" But even as he spoke, Sanjitosama knew something was different. The half-demon's scent… It smelled almost… pure… "Impossible," the demon whispered.

InuYasha glared at Sanjitosama, his eyes as red as the blood that stained the ground. He let out a horrifying growl as he lunged at the demon.

"No!" he cried out before InuYasha's claws tore through his throat. The demon stood in shock, as InuYasha's claws continued to slice through his flesh. Before he had a chance to retaliate, InuYasha's fist plunged deep into Sanjitosama's chest and tore out the demon's heart. But how…the demon thought before collapsing into the ground. His flesh soon disintegrated, then disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Everyone stood silent, as InuYasha turned to face them. He was drenched in blood, a horrific combination of Kagome's and Sanjitosama's, as well as his own.

"InuYasha?" Miroku asked, the first to break the silence. He did not respond, his eyes still ablaze with anger and hatred. Miroku moved protectively in front of Shippo and Sango, who still held Kagome in her arms. "InuYasha," Miroku tried again. This time he responded with a snarl, barring his fangs at the monk. Just as Miroku was certain InuYasha would attack, a faint voice seemed to startle him.

"Inu-" Kagome choked. "InuYasha…" The sound of her voice seemed to awaken something within him, as InuYasha hunched over, growling as the demon subsided. He stood still for a moment, as if attempting to regain his composure.

"Kagome," he whispered, rushing to her side. Sango watched teary-eyed as InuYasha lifted the girl from her lap. "Kagome, it's ok. It's over."

"I- I can't see you," Kagome whimpered. Using all of her strength she lifted a hand to InuYasha's face. She was startled as a single tear slid down her fingers. "You're crying. Don't cry…"

"You idiot!" he yelled at her, unable to control his anger. Tears now flowed freely down his face and he no longer cared. "Why did you do that? Why would you deliberately hurt yourself?" Even as he spoke InuYasha knew why she had done it. After all, he himself had done it so many times for her before.

"I couldn't… I couldn't watch you die," she answered, choking again on her words. "At least this way it's not you-"

"Don't be stupid!" he interrupted. "Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine. We'll go back to your time. They have medicine… They can fix you…" InuYasha trailed off. The smell of her blood filled his nostrils, and his desperate words failed in even fooling himself. InuYasha hung his head in shame. Shame that he had not protected her, shame that it had not been him instead.

"It's ok," Kagome mumbled, as if reading his mind. She took a deep breath, but instead of air her blood filled her lungs. She coughed again, in a futile attempt to clear her throat. "Promise you won't forget about me," she begged, closing her eyes.

He wanted to cry out to her. Of course I won't forget you. How could I forget the woman I love? How could I possibly forget the only person who loved me exactly the way I am? "Don't be such an idiot!" he yelled instead. His voice cracked with disappointment in himself. Even now, as she lay almost lifeless in his arms, he could not tell her how he felt.

"InuYasha," she whispered, her hand falling from his face. "I love…" Her voice trailed off, and InuYasha could no longer hear her faint heartbeat.

"Kagome?" he asked, sounding suddenly like a lost child. "Kagome!" He shook her in his arms, desperately trying to revive her. Their friends watched sadly as Kagome took her last breath. InuYasha gripped her lifeless body desperately, screaming her name over and over. Miroku placed a hand on the half-demon's shoulder as he spoke.

"Kagome was…" he paused, suddenly unable to put it into words. How could he? How could he possibly describe the impact she had had on all of their lives? "She was a good friend," he finally whispered. The words were so inadequate, and he hung his head.

"She was," Sango whispered from behind him. She slipped her hand into Miroku's and gave it a gentle squeeze. Miroku almost smiled at the magnitude of her simple gesture.

"InuYasha?" Shippo said quietly, placing an arm on the lifeless girl in InuYasha's arms. "Are you ok?"

"What kind of stupid question is that?" he screamed. Shippo jumped back in fright, hiding behind Sango's legs.

"Perhaps," Miroku started, unsure of how to say what he needed to say. "Perhaps you should take her back to her own time. So her family… So she can have a proper funeral…" His voice trailed off.

"There's not going to be a funeral!" InuYasha snapped.

"But InuYasha, if you want her soul to be at peace-"

"I said no! She's not leaving me!" InuYasha stood up, cradling Kagome's body in his arms.

"What are you-?" Miroku demanded, as InuYasha began to walk away with their friend's blood-soaked body.

"I told you," InuYasha barked. "I'm not letting her leave me!" He quickened his pace as he continued off into the forest.

"InuYasha!" Miroku yelled as he started after him. He stopped when a soft hand touched his shoulder.

"Let him be," Sango murmured. "Let him say goodbye when he's ready." Miroku sighed, then nodded. Only then did he feel the tears on his own face. He looked at Sango as she tried to comfort Shippo. What would I do? he asked himself. If it had been… He shook his head, unable to even think it.

He turned again to where InuYasha had run off with Kagome. Perhaps it really was best to let him be.


A/N: OMFG, I killed Kagome! What's next? Well... I'm not telling. ;) Kukuku... Next chapter will be posted after I get feedback form five people... And yes, I am aware that I'm evil...