AN: Yay ppl like it! I might do a comedy later…

Thanks Bloody Chaos, I'll R&R soon

Icygirl2 I'm glad to know you like it, but don't get too addicted, I have distractions so I may have chapters up quick or slow, I don't know myself…

InuAcosta, I'm writing as fast as my brain will allow for now, so I hope it didn't take too long.

And finally, Nightfall2525, Sesshoumaru AND Inuyasha? I don't think both, while it may be possible due to the subject matter… I'm not big on bigamy.

………………

Earlier:

"Sango… We should go, the battlefield is no place for a funeral." Inuyasha said slightly out of character to his normal non-caring nature.

Kagome turned and looked across the crater, she had tears in her eyes as well when she said, "All of you, Kouga, Sesshoumaru, and Kagura… Thank you…" She turned back and she walked slowly to where Inuyasha and Miroku were trying to comfort Sango. "We… we should go… and tell Shippou and Kirara we're alright." she said slowly, "and I'm sorry…"

………….

"You're alright!" Shippou cried joyfully, "Hey what's wrong Sango?" He stared at the scene, his happiness waning as he saw Kohaku in her arms.

"Kohaku…" was all Sango could manage at the time.

"He didn't make it." Kagome finished for her. She looked at her sobbing friend. None of them knew that he had saved them all. "Oh!" Kagome said, "Sango, I'll be right back, I have to get the shikon no tama, will you be ok?"

Stupid question… Kagome ran back to the battle site, hoping they would not have left yet. Inuyasha stayed behind.

He staggered himself over to her and helped her lift Kohaku onto Kirara before saying, "… Sango, at least… At least he can be free now…" His voice was quiet and labored. He was surprised himself as he felt a single tear escape his eye.

"Thank you… Inuyasha…" she had stopped crying now, having no more tears to spill. "You got him back, like you said… you would…" she said shaking a bit, looking up at him from her spot on the ground. Inuyasha recalled his conversation, he had told her he would get Kohaku back no matter what, but what he'd meant at the time was that he would get him back alive.

Kagome walked up the bank leading to the crater where Naraku had once been. She was surprised to see that no one had left, more surprising was that, for the moment, they were discussing the events leading to his destruction. Granted they were not getting along as friends would, but it was a start at least. "Kouga, I hate to be more of a burden to you and your pack, but I need to complete the jewel. Can I have your shards?" She said not completely sure what to expect.

"What? These babies weren't easy to come by ya know! Aah what the hell, here.." he said with some slight hesitation.

Sesshoumaru held out his hand, but didn't look her in the eyes. "Sesshoumaru? You were collecting them too?" Kagome said slightly shocked. He said nothing in return. "Thank you." she said taking the shards in hand from them both.

Sesshoumaru turn away from her and said, "Take them and destroy the accused jewel that gives a hanyou such power." He promptly walked away. 'I must check on Rin…' he thought.

Kagura watched, but also said nothing. She turned to Kagome saying, "I'm finally free… Don't forget about the crater…" She pulled a feather from her hair and flew away. Kouga shortly followed. After rounding up the last jewel shards she returned to the others. Sango had stopped crying, but she looked very sullen.

They arrived at Kaede's village, and began to prepare for the funerary rituals of Kohaku. "Fair well did ye, Inuyasha?" she asked giving Sango her silence to grieve.

"You could put it that way… or not." He said with a disheartened sigh. He left the hut and began to make his way to his tree, but was stopped by Kagome.

"I can't leave alone…" she said "I want you to have the shikon no tama, but I have to give it to you in my era. Then you can return with it and I won't be able to use the well anymore." She had tears running down her face when she said, "I can't say goodbye to everyone… It's just too hard" so then they left.

Days passed after he returned, and they agreed that a long goodbye would have only made things worse…

Inuyasha sat in his tree thinking to himself, 'So… I have the jewel now, but what do I do with it? Do I become a full-blooded youkai? Do I use it to become human? Keh! Why can't I decide now…? I was so sure I wanted to be a youkai before, but now…' He recalled what Kagome had said before he left her.

"Here… take the shikon no tama…" she handed it to him sighing. "I don't care what you use it for, but do something good with it, so you won't regret it… I'll miss you, Inuyasha" she said before pushing him down the well and sealing the doors.

His thoughts were interrupted by Sango looking up at him saying, "Inuyasha… do you mind talking for a bit?" He asked what was the matter and jumped down. She blushed slightly as she said, "Can I… Do you mind if I bury Kohaku here, under you tree." He looked confused before she finished, "I thought it would be fitting since you convinced me to keep fighting for him… and helped me get him back…" He was turning red a bit, even if only from the thought of such an honorable gesture. She continued more "And because…" but then she started to loose it. She fell to her knees, and he could smell the salty tears running down her face.

"Sango… It's okay. I would be honored" he said, with unnatural amounts of emotion creeping back into his voice. "Oi, Sango," he said as she began to walk off, "What do you think I should do with it? The shikon no tama I mean. Should I use it to become a youkai or a human?"

She looked up at him, she honestly did not think he would have cared about her thoughts. She looked back at him and said, " I once told Miroku, that I would stay with you to the end no matter what you became. Inuyasha, do what you think will make you happy." For a brief moment she had looked a bit happy, but it faded and she walked heavily away.

'What will make me happy huh? What would make me happy…? Well I would be if she wasn't so sad, but I can't do anything to help with that that I'm not doing already… Or can I?' Inuyasha considered her words, and went to sleep on it in his lofty perch on the tree.

The next morning…

"Miroku, have you seen Inuyasha?" Sango said acting a bit better than she had been for the last few days.

He was genuinely glad to see her cheering up and said, "I saw him, but he's barricaded in Kaede's hut, He said he'd decided what to do with the jewel…"

Her face darkened a bit when she replied, "Oh… I wanted him to help with the burial. I was going to ask him to say a few rights with us… but I guess I'll have to perform the burial rights without him…" She was acting sullen again.

"Bury who? Sister, did someone die?" She thought she was hearing things when she spun around to see him there… Kohaku… He looked at her, and she passed out…

…..

…sango…

…Sango…

"Sango?" Came a voice from the darkness.

"Oi Sango! Quit loafin' around and get up!" another voice said with sarcasm saturated through it.

"Inu…yasha…?" she opened her eyes, the light was blinding, but she could make out 3 figures looking down at her. They finally came into focus as Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippou.

Shippou had a big grin on his face. "Hey Sango you alright now?" he said.

"I think so, but my head hurts… I thought I saw Kohaku, and I guess I fainted…" she said as her head began to pound.

"Ehk!" Inuyasha squirmed. "Well, anyway like Miroku said, I decided to use the shikon no tama." He said giving her the run down of the day.

"But what did you use it for? You look the same as you always did, Inuyasha." she asked inquisitively, "Did you wish to stay in your normal form for good without transforming anymore?"

"Hmm that would have been a good wish, but too late now…" he said getting distracted slightly, "Nah, I decided I'd be happy as long as you wouldn't be sad anymore… I guessed we all would too…"

It wasn't like Inuyasha to beat around the bush like this he was hiding something, "Okay so what did you wish for?" She was slightly annoyed.

"Well you could say it was this…" Inuyasha said moving away from the door he'd been blocking.

Kohaku walked in and set a wet rag on her forehead. "Are you awake now, Sister?" he asked.

She looked at him, blinked, and he was there still. "I-Iinuyasha?" she turned.

"I was surprised too, he thought of it in his sleep." Miroku said he had a big smile on his face, and his eyes were closed.

Inuyasha looked at his joyous expression, and whacked him on the head saying, "Don't think I forgot that look monk." Sango was confused for a moment, then she saw his left hand pointing to his head, and his right nearly implanted on her thigh. "Don't you think you can stop that now that your curse is gone?" Inuyasha said dissatisfied with his companion's actions.

"Eh, I guess you're right Inuyasha…" he looked at Sango and said, "Actually, I have to cancel our arrangement, Sango. Sorry but I haven't been the greatest monk so far have I? So, I've decided to take some time and finish my training at Mushin temple, to cleanse my soul. I hope that doesn't upset you too much. I'll be leaving in a few days."

He took leave of the hut.

"Hey, why don't you and your brother catch up for a while…" Inuyasha said leaving as well.

"Kohaku… I've missed you…" Sango said with tears in her eyes.

…………..

AN: So that's chapter 2 R&R etc. If anyone starts to not understand my writing, tell me, cause I have very vivid thoughts while writing this, and I may forget to write a few details in… I'm already starting on chapter 3 but it may take a while…