Okay, I'm back! Or, well, I guess I never really left, since I just wandered after posting the last chapter and now I'm back at my story again, and I felt like continuing… after all, the story's pretty much finished, and I wouldn't want to keep you waiting.
By the way, thanks to MoonKitii for reviewing… heh, I like my story, too! Lol.
Shadow-Seeker-13, thanks for reviewing! You're right, Sesshie is awesome. I couldn't resist! Heh...
HahaI'mBetterThanYou, thanks for reviewing again! I love Sesshie, and I'll take any excuse I can get to put him on the spotlight. It compliments his eyes. lol… And sorry about the Chapter 12 thing! I did do a lot of changing with Chapter 12, as it kept messing up every time I posted it. It was very frustrating – every time I fixed the problem, a new one showed up, and it was always just important enough that I had to fix it… the first one that I found was when they all came out and fought Naraku, and I'd forgotten Kohaku completely! I felt bad for the poor kid… so I put him in, and then it got confused when I tried to replace the chapter, and added in all these typos and stuff like that… sorry if it caused anyone confusion, but I'm done now, I promise! No more updating 12. Let me warn you, though, I may have to go back and redo a few of the old chapters – not what's in them, but some typos people have pointed out that could get confusing. I'll wait until after the story's over, though.
Okay, back to the story.
So where was I… they beat Naraku, right? Yeah, Sesshie did. Yay Sesshie!
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for… le romance.
Yep, up next is the romance chapter, probably the next-to-last, since I've got a basic idea of how I want the fic to end, and it's got its own chapter. So, welcome to the next-to-last chapter of Living for Love, and enjoy!
Joy and delight was the mood that evening, and they built a giant fire, roasting meat that Kouga and Inuyasha had found. All of them were still weary from the fight, but had unanimously agreed that some sort of celebration was necessary.
"To the end of Naraku," Kagome said when she'd given out cups of spring water to them all.
"To the end of Naraku," they repeated happily, and drank the cups dry.
Kohaku and Sango were laughing with one another and playing with Kirara as though they hadn't a care in the world. Inuyasha and Kagome sat side by side, talking animatedly with Kagura, Kouga, and Raori. Shippo was bouncing from group to group, a grin on his face.
Miroku was dancing around the fire, having torn the coverings off his cursed hand and thrown them onto the fire. He was waving the spotless palm about in the air, laughing and twirling until he grew dizzy and tripped, falling to the ground next to Sango and Kohaku. The group laughed good-naturedly at the monk's expense as he lay back, a frown on his face but another smile in his eyes as he glared playfully at them.
Sesshomaru and Takinoshi were the quietest ones there, but even they had slight smiles on their faces. They watched the others, enjoying the festive mood and sitting in companionable silence. As their personalities would suggest, they were none to join in the laughing and cheering, but their hearts had lifted with hope anew all the same, and they had as much cause to celebrate as any.
Takinoshi had his two jewel shards in his hands and was turning them over, looking down at them thoughtfully as they shone a soft pink in the firelight.
So much pain and suffering and sorrow, he thought, over such a thing. It should have been destroyed long ago. No demon – no, not even a human – should wield such a powerful evil. Never again must it fall into the hands of those who would abuse it.
The taiyoukai glanced up as Kouga approached Kagome. One surprise they'd gotten was when Kouga stood calmly in front of Kagome and told her that he was denouncing her as his woman, and since then he'd gone up a step in Inuyasha's eyes. It had been a moment of amusement, and although Kagome's heartfelt thanks made the wolf go slightly red, he didn't take it back.
Now, as the wolf knelt beside Kagome, Takinoshi could see that he held his two shards in his hand.
"I figured you'd want these," he said gruffly, offering them to her.
"Thanks, Kouga!" Kagome said with a bright smile, taking them from him and adding them to the rest of the jewel, which was nearly completed. With the shards Naraku had left behind, they had only two missing – the ones, Takinoshi realized, that were sitting in his hand at that very moment.
His thoughts raced, and the darker side of him whispered foul things into his ear, reminding him that the power that lay in those shards would make him the greatest taiyoukai ever to rule. For a moment, he considered this, and his eyes grew cloudy as his imagination eagerly provided him with images of the grandeur and riches such power would reap. Just as quickly, his eyes traveled down to the jewel shards once more, and in them he saw suddenly the same power in a different light.
The jewel would corrupt him, feed him with hatred and malice, poisoning his heart as it had Naraku's. For all it was revered as the Sacred Jewel, there was really nothing in it to worship. It was a thing of evil.
No, he realized suddenly, not a thing of evil. The Shikon Jewel was put here for the very purpose it has just fulfilled: to prove that power is not all that matters, and that too much can be dangerously intoxicating, and will inevitably destroy the one who seeks it. I am only grateful that I saw this and realized its true meaning before it took me into its foul grasp, as well.
"It is a gift," he said suddenly, his voice soft and hushed.
They all turned to look at him and saw him inspecting the shards. Instantly, their hearts sank, for they mistook his words to be those of want, and the look in his eyes to be that of lust.
Kagome swallowed, wondering if it really was over, after all. They'd assumed, after Takinoshi agreed to help them, that he would remain their ally, but what if they'd been wrong? Could they really trust him? Would he give up his shards, and do the right thing… or would he, too, fall into the jewel's grasp?
Takinoshi looked up from the precious shards and saw Kagome's look of horror.
Understanding that his words could have meant something else, he rose, moving silently towards her, shards in hand. Inuyasha rose slightly from his seat, hand on Tetsusaiga, but Takinoshi gave him a reassuring glance and he slowly sank back down onto his seat. The taiyoukai knelt before Kagome and opened his hand once more, revealing the two glittering shards.
Kagome glanced down into his hand and back up at him, confused.
"I believe that now, at the end, I understand," he said with a gentle smile. "The jewel was not brought into the world as a source of power for those who would use it. It is a gift for those who would seek to understand it. I have, and I want no part of it."
Kagome's relief was obvious, and she gave him a thankful grin.
Takinoshi's eyes softened as he fingered the shards, still kneeling before her. "It would be so easy to simply take these shards and use them for my own purposes. Even now, their influence whispers dark thoughts into my mind, and I am compelled to do so, but I would not dare. Naraku thought in that fashion, and look what happened to him. He descended fully into a darkness of which the only escape was death. That is a path I cannot, and will not, follow. It is strange to me, that such a pure, perfect thing could instill so much corruptness in a person, but it is as clear to me now as anything."
The demon held out his clawed hand towards her, fixing his eyes on hers and offering her the shards.
"Take them," he said, and the words seemed to her less of an order and more of a request. "Take them, that I need not concern myself with them any longer."
Kagome did so, putting them in the pocket of her uniform.
Takinoshi cocked his head. "Why do you not fuse them with the rest of the jewel?"
"I want to wait until we get back to Kaede's village," she replied. "It's where this whole thing started, and the head miko, Kaede, is a great friend of ours. She'll want to be there when the jewel is completed. Besides…"
Inuyasha glanced at her sadly, already knowing what she was going to say.
"What?" Kagura prompted, confused.
"I have no idea what'll happen to the well," Kagome mumbled sadly. "It might close, and I have to figure out where I'm gonna stay if it does."
"What do you mean?" Takinoshi asked, still confused. "Of what well do you speak?"
Kagome's eyes widened. "Oh, I forgot you didn't know about it," she said, glancing around at them. "Neither does Kagura, or Raori, or Sesshomaru, or Kohaku… and what about you, Kouga?"
"I have no idea what you're babbling on about," he shrugged.
Kagome swallowed, wondering how they would take the news. "Well," she said hesitantly, "I guess the first thing you need to know is that I'm not from around here. I'm… I'm kinda… I'm from the future," she blurted out.
Kouga blinked in confusion, and Takinoshi exchanged a startled glance with Kagura. Kohaku looked up at his sister in surprise, and she nodded, confirming Kagome's story. Raori raised her eyebrows in surprise, glancing at Sesshomaru, who also had the slightest look of astonishment on his face.
Kagome barreled through her story, on a roll now that she'd gotten the hardest part out. "I live five hundred years in the future with my family at a shrine. One day our cat went down by the old well, and when I went in after it, I got pulled in by a centipede demon. We were sucked back through time, and I ended up in another well in the Forest of Inuyasha here, in the Sengoku Jidai. It turns out I'm the reincarnation of Kikyo, and the jewel that was burned with her body was under my skin in my side when I got here. I met Inuyasha, and when the jewel broke, we set out to find the pieces together."
"So… you can travel back and forth through time in a well?" Raori asked finally.
Kagome nodded. "Yeah."
The six exchanged looks again. "Well," Kohaku said finally, "that's rather… strange."
With a sigh, Kagome agreed. "Yeah, guess so. Only problem is, Kaede thinks I was only allowed to travel back and forth because the jewel needed its protector to gather the pieces. We're not sure if the well will still work after all the shards are put back together. If we do fuse them all into one, I want to at least have had time to decide what I want to do – I mean, I love it here and all, but I have family on the other side of the well."
Inuyasha's ears drooped sadly at this, and Kagome gave him a slightly teary smile. "Come on," she said, and pulled him to his feet. "Cheer up. Let's go for a walk."
With a sigh, the hanyou agreed, and the two strode from the clearing hand in hand.
The others fell silent, still slightly surprised at the news that the miko wasn't even from the same time period as them. Well, I suppose it does make sense, Raori thought as she watched the two vanish into the forest. She does have an otherworldly look about her, and it has always been obvious that she is different.
Kagura considered the idea for only a moment before accepting and forgetting it. Doesn't really matter where she's from, the wind mistress reasoned. I mean, I come from Naraku himself, but that's no way to judge me. If the girl's from the future, she's from the future.
Her red eyes turned to Miroku, who was sitting beside her. The monk kept stealing glances at Sango, who was still talking softly to Kohaku. Every time she looked down at her brother, he snuck a look at her, and the wind demon saw that he was admiring her.
Kagura almost laughed aloud. Miroku's obsession with Sango was so obvious she was amazed Sango hadn't noticed it yet.
Shaking her head slightly, she got to her feet, giving Kouga a pointed look and nodding to the woods. "Let's go for a walk," she said, and he looked at her in confusion, but understood when she jerked her head towards Miroku. The wolf nodded and got to his feet.
"Sure. Takinoshi, want to come with?"
Takinoshi glanced at Miroku for a moment, and they saw a light of amusement in his eyes. The powerful, dark demon got to his feet, moving towards Kagura and shaking his head at her. "I will accompany you," he said, and then, in a softer voice, "Very discreet."
Kagura smirked and glanced them over. "Anyone else want to stretch their legs?"
Kohaku hesitated, meeting her gaze. He glanced pointedly at Miroku and Sango and turned back to her. She snorted quietly. Even the kid had noticed, she observed. That was really sad.
"Come on, kid," she nodded.
Kohaku rose, leaving behind his sister and following as they left the camp and went for a walk.
Sesshomaru, Raori, Shippo, and Kirara were left to themselves. Sesshomaru didn't move, but sat in silence, not sparing the departing group a glance.
Raori moved to sit beside him and spoke in a voice so soft that the humans couldn't hear it and his demonic hearing had to strain to make it out. "Come," she said softly, her eyes asking him to follow her. "Let us also go for a walk through the woods."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Why is everyone so bent on walking?" he said quietly.
Raori glanced at the monk and taiji-ya, who were blushingly avoiding each others' gazes. "Look at them," she murmured with a soft laugh. "They are in love, and they know it. The least you can do is give them the privacy to act upon that love. With the rest of us gone, they will be free to tell one another of their affections."
Sesshomaru sighed, but rose, turning away towards the forest in a direction none of the others had taken. Raori gave him a thankful look and followed, glancing back at the others. Miroku and Sango were now alone, as Kirara and Shippo had already fallen asleep against one another, completely drained from the fight with Naraku and the merry celebration that had followed.
Turning their backs on the clearing, the two taiyoukai walked away, leaving Sango and Miroku to themselves.
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Inuyasha sighed when they were out of earshot of the clearing and turned to Kagome. She was already facing him, and he was horrified to find that she was crying.
Gently, he reached out a hand and wiped the tears away, gathering her in his arms and holding her close to him. Kagome put her arms around him, sobbing silently into his haori. Inuyasha stood in silence, grimly comforting her and himself at the same time. Naraku was gone – they should have been so much happier. It was as though fate had it in for them, and wouldn't spare them a minute's rest from problems.
His heart ached for Kagome, who would have to decide whether to leave behind all the friends she had made and the one she loved above any other, or to abandon the life she had lived for so long and leave her family alone. The poor girl, he realized, had two families – the ones who had grown to love her so much and appreciated her in every way, and the ones who had raised her and been there for her since she was born.
How could anyone make the choice between two families? Here she had love in Inuyasha, and Shippo was as her son, and Sango and Miroku were as her sister and brother – but she had a blood family to worry about, and that was as much an obligation to her as her feudal-age family was.
Kagome finally broke away, her tears replaced by a smile. "You know what?" she said optimistically. "I'm just not going to worry about it. I can wait until we get back to Kaede to do that. For now, I'm going to be happy, and grateful for what I've got. Naraku's gone, and I'm just going to enjoy that."
Inuyasha smiled at her, yet again surprised by the seemingly endless enthusiasm that raged inside her.
Kagome drew back slightly, studying him and noticing that the smile didn't reach his eyes – instead, there was a tired, sad look in them, and she knew immediately what it was.
"Kikyo?" she asked gently.
Inuyasha lowered his eyes. "I'm glad that she's finally moved on, but… I owe her so much, Kagome, and I just wish there was something I could do for her."
Kagome sighed, gently kissing his cheek. "I understand. But Naraku is gone, isn't he? Kikyo can rest in peace now, and maybe someday you two will see each other again." She gave Inuyasha a gentle smile full of hope and love, and he realized that she was right, that now was not a time to dwell in the past or the future, but to enjoy the present while it lasted.
"You're right," he agreed, holding her tighter to him. "Kikyo would've wanted me to be happy."
Kagome sighed. True, Kikyo had proven herself and helped them in the end, but she couldn't help but feel that old, familiar sorrow whenever Inuyasha mentioned her. She lowered her gaze, not wanting to ask the question on her mind, but knowing at the same time that it would bother her forever if she didn't.
"Inuyasha," she said slowly, "when I'm with you, do you… do you see me as Kikyo, or Kagome?"
Inuyasha's attention snapped to her and his eyes widened slightly. He hooked a gentle finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Kagome," he scolded softly, "I know that, back in the beginning, I saw you as the reincarnation of Kikyo. I know that, and I'm sorry. I never saw you as yourself, only as a remnant of someone I'd loved long ago. I never appreciated you in your own, unique way, and I made it painfully obvious." He sighed and tilted his forehead against hers. "That was wrong, and I hate myself for doing it."
Kagome listened in surprise to his heartfelt speech. Inuyasha met her gaze, his own begging her to believe him. "I've learned, Kagome, and there were way too many 'sits' along the way. Kagome is Kagome. Kikyo is Kikyo. And I want to be with Kagome."
The girl's eyes clouded with tears. Inuyasha's ears flattened slightly and he swallowed. "Please," he said to her gently, "don't cry." He gave her a soft kiss in an effort to calm her down.
Kagome burst into tears, clutching him for all she was worth. It wasn't her fault – no one had ever said anything that beautiful to her before, and she was so amazed at the one who'd said it that she couldn't help but sob at how wonderful it was. She loved Inuyasha far more than she'd ever thought she could, and hearing such heartfelt words from the hanyou himself was such a relief to her that, for a moment, she could hardly breathe.
As the confused hanyou stroked her hair, trying to get her to stop crying and wondering what he'd said to hurt her this time (not realizing they were happy tears), Kagome tilted her head up and whispered in his ear.
"I love you…"
Inuyasha's arms tightened around her slightly. "I love you, too, Kagome," he murmured, and out of those five words, the one that meant the most to her was her name, which was spoken from his lips with such overwhelming love that she knew without a doubt she could trust him.
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Sesshomaru and Raori walked in a comfortable silence for a while, neither speaking, neither finding a reason to speak. The night bathed the forest in a dark serenity, and they walked side by side under the moonlight, enjoying the wonderful calm that had come over the world.
At last, Raori spoke, her voice soft upon the air. "So what will you do, now that it is over?"
Sesshomaru hesitated a moment. "I will go back to my lands," he replied quietly, not meeting her gaze. "I will continue to rule as I always have."
Raori looked up at him. "For some reason, you don't sound particularly happy about that."
Sesshomaru sighed. "I have put it off for far too long now. When I was seeking Naraku, I had an excuse, but now I have none. As Lord of the Western Lands, I am expected to claim a mate."
Raori raised her eyebrows. "Perhaps I am mistaken, but you don't sound happy about that, either."
Sesshomaru clenched his fists tightly. "It is what my people expect of me," he said, "and I accept that my position requires me to produce an heir. However…" he paused, and met her curious gaze. "To claim a mate is the last thing I wish to have to do when I return home."
She didn't speak, but waited for him to finish, wondering at his reasoning.
Sesshomaru didn't lower his eyes again, however much he found himself wanting to. His golden eyes gazed into her silver ones as he mustered up what strength in spirit he had and spoke. "I do not wish to be forced to claim a mate, when I already hold love for another."
Raori's eyes widened. Of all the things he could have said, that was the one she had least expected.
"Oh?" she managed finally. "When did this happen?"
Sesshomaru paused, searching her eyes, and answered truthfully. "I do not know."
"Well, have you spoken of it with her yet?" Raori questioned.
The demon lord stopped walking and stood in silence. Raori paused, turning to face him and realizing that he was unsure of himself. He didn't answer her, but stared into space, obviously deep in thought. As she considered him, the demoness suddenly realized – with a shock, I might add – why Sesshomaru seemed so nervous.
Me, she thought, eyes widening slightly. He is in love with me.
Raori had certainly not been prepared for such a revelation, but as she thought about the situation, she realized that she welcomed it. When it had happened, she knew not, but as she gazed at Sesshomaru and looked past the cold front he kept up, she realized that she loved him back. Slowly, she tested the idea, running it through her mind. When she had first met him, he had been as icy as anything, with an expression that said 'back off.' What had changed? When had she begun to see him as a friend? As more than a friend?
Slowly, Sesshomaru raised his eyes to hers, almost afraid of what he might find.
Raori was smiling, her eyes softened slightly as she gazed trustingly at him. He hesitated, not knowing what the expression meant. Was she merely happy that he had found love? Was she amused? What did she think of him?
Sesshomaru gazed at her uncertainly, waiting for her to speak.
"You know," Raori said softly, "you really ought to tell her before you resign yourself to claiming another as your mate. One never knows; perhaps she would accept to become your mate if you asked her."
Not realizing she had figured it out, Sesshomaru swallowed and lowered his eyes, realizing that she was right. He would have to tell her, even if the possibility of her accepting him was remote. It was something he would never have dreamed he would have to do – admit his love for another – but he'd gotten himself into the situation by falling in love with her in the first place, and now he owed it to her to at least tell her. He would never forgive himself if he didn't.
"Raori," he started, feeling nervousness take ahold of him, "you are right. I…"
The demoness smirked slightly to herself. She knew it was hard for him, as he had never had to deal with the emotions he had within him, but she wasn't going to attempt to make it any easier. This was something he would have to do himself, and she wouldn't help him. Besides, she laughed inwardly, it's not every day you see the great Lord Sesshomaru so unsure. I will have to remember this moment and store it away to tease him with in the future. Her own thoughts rang in her head and her smile widened. Future… yes, I do want my future to include him. I do not know how it came to pass that the two of us fell for one another, but something tells me it will turn out all right in the end.
So absorbed in her own thoughts was she that she almost missed what he said. Sesshomaru's voice was soft, quiet, almost shy. "I love you," he said under his breath.
What has happened to me? he thought in surprise. Once, those would be the three least likely words to ever escape me, and now I say them with such… love.
His attention snapped back to Raori, who was smiling at him, her eyes telling him how proud she was that he had found it in him to tell her. At once, he realized what he had not before, and narrowed his eyes at her. "You knew," he stated shortly.
Raori's smile widened slightly. "You are harder than the monk to read, I give you that, but I can still see it in your eyes."
Sesshomaru glared at her. "And you let me suffer having to speak my heart to you anyway?"
Raori laughed lightheartedly, shaking her head at him. "I wouldn't have wanted to ruin the moment," she said softly, and leaned up to kiss her taiyoukai.
Sesshomaru was surprised, having been unprepared for the sudden contact, but did not pull away. Rather, he slid his arms around her waist, closing his eyes and accepting the feeling that he had attempted to deny for so long. As her arms wound around his neck and she deepened the kiss, he realized that his life could not have been more perfect. Naraku was gone, Inuyasha was no longer his enemy, and Raori was contently nestled in his arms. Could his life possibly be any better?
"I love you, too, Sesshomaru," Raori murmured softly in his ear a moment later.
Well, maybe it could.
Sesshomaru nuzzled her neck and sighed happily… happily. It was probably the first time the adverb had been used to describe him, and he found that 'happy' wasn't so bad after all.
Quietly, he spoke against her skin. "We still have not resolved the issue of my needing a mate."
Raori smiled and claimed his lips again. "You don't even have to ask," she murmured back, already knowing her answer and content with it.
Sesshomaru smiled down at her, and she gazed up at him, drinking in his achingly beautiful features that were even more wondrous when he smiled. "The western and far southern lands shall be joined," he said proudly, "and prosperity shall rule over the darkness that Naraku has cast over them."
Raori tilted her forehead against his, her eyes shining brightly in the moonlight. "At long last," she said, her voice strong and firm, "there shall be peace."
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Miroku hesitantly glanced up at Sango. He knew he'd have to tell her of his feelings sometime, and now was as good a time as any, especially since the demons had so courteously left them alone with one another.
When he glanced back down at his feet, Sango looked up at him out of the corner of her eye. He was quiet, and he was keeping his hands to himself, a rare occasion for such a dedicated lech. As she hesitated, he looked up at her, and she saw a strange look in his eyes.
Before he could speak, Sango lowered her eyes again and attempted to break the uncomfortable silence. "So, the curse is gone," she commented, nodding to his hand.
Miroku nodded thoughtfully, rubbing his palm. "Yes."
Sango smiled. "I'll bet you're glad."
The monk returned her smile. "I am. There is much to live for that I would have regretted leaving behind." You, he thought with a desperate pang of love, but didn't dare voice his thoughts. Cursing his cowardice, he fell silent, waiting for her to speak.
"Well," Sango said after a moment, "now that I have Kohaku back, I thought we would go to our village and pay our respects to our friends and family, but… after that, I don't know what we'll do."
Miroku nodded. "I understand. My entire life, I have sought Naraku, and now that he is gone, I realize I have no idea what to do next. I have my life ahead of me, but I've been so caught up in our journey that I hadn't thought how I meant to spend it."
Sango looked at him in surprise. "I know exactly what you mean," she nodded. "I mean, life with my family and village was wonderful, and I'd give anything to have that back, but… they're gone, and I have to accept that." She took a deep breath and Miroku gave her a sad look. "Now I don't know what we'll do. Naraku is gone, but there's no way I can just go back to the life I had before he appeared."
Miroku hesitated. "I do not know what I will do, either. I certainly know would I would like to do, but it hardly seems possible that it would work out as I imagine."
Sango glanced up at him curiously. "And what do you imagine?"
The monk looked at her a moment before lowering his eyes. "Well, during this whole… adventure," he said awkwardly, "I've… fallen in love."
Sango's eyes widened and her thoughts raced. Who? she thought frantically. Koharu? This isn't about her, is it? He did seem to like her quite a bit, back when she found him and told him she was ready to bear his children… he's not… he's not going back to her, is he?
Miroku sighed, propping his head up on his hands. "I know what I want to happen. I want to live the rest of my life with her, and never have to worry about anything again. But any fool would know that is too good to be true." He smiled wryly. "It is more likely I will grow up alone and childless as an old hermit."
Sango laughed aloud at the thought. Miroku, childless? He was bound to end up with hordes of kids if his lecherous attitude didn't change.
Miroku looked slightly surprised at her laugh, and she smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Miroku," she apologized. "Please, go on. What's this girl like?"
Deep down in her heart, Sango knew that she loved Miroku, but had already accepted the fact that he would never love her back. Who was she to claim his heart? She wasn't feminine at all, but covered in scars. The monk would never fall for her, she assured herself, pushing the thought from her mind and listening politely as Miroku spoke, his voice slightly unsteady.
"Well," he started, "she is hard to describe. She is beautiful, but sad… her smile is the most glorious thing I've ever laid eyes on, and I would do anything see it light up her face." He paused, looking into Sango's eyes.
Sango was dumbstruck, never having expected such from him. She would have thought the lech inside of him would show, but he spoke with words that rang with innocence. Whoever he loved, it wasn't for her body, but for who he saw inside of her. This made her cheer up slightly. Whoever she was, she was lucky.
"What's her name?" Sango asked innocently.
"Uh," Miroku swallowed nervously, catching her eyes in a pleading stare. She cocked her head, waiting for him to finish. "She's…"
"Come on," Sango laughed. "It's not that hard."
Suddenly Miroku could stand it no longer. He was sitting just across from her, and all he would have to do would be lean forward just a tiny bit…
His lips brushed lightly against hers, barely connecting, but the spark that flashed inside both of them was strong. Sango felt her heart speed up and a wide blush shot across her face as she stared at him in shock. What was he trying to tell her? That the woman he'd been talking about – the one he had complimented so gracefully – was her? As much as she wished that were true, she could hardly believe it.
But then she thought back, and considered all the times he had truly been there for her. Miroku wasn't really the kind of person he seemed like at first. The part of him she loved was sensitive and kind-hearted. If she looked past the lecher and into Miroku's heart, she would find time and time again that there was so much more to him.
Miroku was watching her for a sign of a slap or a yell. Instead, his eyes widened when she cupped his cheek in her hand, leaning into him and kissing him back.
He responded instantly, moving to sit beside her and putting an arm around her to hold her close. Sango's arm snaked around his neck as she closed her eyes, feeling herself truly relax in his arms. Miroku smiled against her, stroking her hair gently, and tilted his head so their noses were touching.
At last, they broke apart, their breathing ragged as they basked in the moment, smiling slightly. Sango gazed up into Miroku's eyes, which had softened and shone with love. The monk tenderly kissed her forehead, drawing her closer to him. Sango sighed, leaning her head against his shoulder and burying her face in his neck, listening to his heartbeat as it gently pounded in his chest.
The silence was quite enjoyable, and they rested against one another contentedly until Miroku finally broke the silence. "Sango," he said softly, finding that his confidence had returned, "I love you."
Sango pulled back slightly and gazed up at him, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "Oh, Miroku," she choked out, "I love you, too… so much…"
Miroku kissed her again, resting his forehead against hers.
It was all she ever could have wanted, and much more. After so long, hiding her feelings and convincing herself that he could never return them, she had found the love she'd longed for. And to make things even more perfect, they had forever to enjoy that newfound love.
Life was good.
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When Kohaku, Kagura, Kouga, and Takinoshi returned, it was to find that they were the last ones. They had walked for a while through the woods, keeping their thoughts to themselves and moving in companionable silence through the shadows. Now, as they approached the clearing once more, it was to find that the various couples had returned and were seated around the crackling fire, already asleep.
Kohaku smirked and went to lie beside Sango and Miroku. The monk had his arm around Kohaku's sister, and she was leaning on him with a content smile on her face as she slept. The boy lay down with a yawn and drifted off, still amused that it had taken them so long.
Kouga sighed, shooting Inuyasha a glare. The hanyou was asleep in a tree with Kagome in his arms. When the wolf growled softly at them, the dog's ears twitched, but Inuyasha didn't wake, and his arms tightened slightly around the girl. Kouga flopped down, ignoring them, and was asleep within minutes.
Kagura and Takinoshi glanced at one another, smiling at the last spectacle.
Sesshomaru and Raori were seated at the outer edge of the clearing, fast asleep. The lord's arms were fastened around her waist. The lady's back rested against him, and her head was tucked under his chin. They made an adorable sight, and Kagura nodded in satisfaction that they, too, had finally managed to take ahold of the happiness that had awaited them.
Silently, so as not to wake the groups, Kagura and Takinoshi settled down. The wind-mistress slept, weary from such a long time without sleep and such a hard fight with Naraku.
Takinoshi remained awake, his dark eyes glancing over them all. Throughout the night, he sat without moving, intent on protecting those who had done so much for him when he had wronged them so. The morning came, and he watched it calmly, his heart overflowing with an indescribable joy to be alive and witness the dawning of a new day, a day free of evil.
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They departed the next morning, heading for Kaede's village. There was no hurry, and they took their time, all of them much more light-hearted than before. Inuyasha led them, Kagome at his side, and the others followed in their stead. Miroku and Sango seemed inseparable, and he didn't let his hand stray where it shouldn't, not once. When Sango noticed Kohaku glancing at them and turned her eyes on him, he gave her an encouraging smile and a wink. She grinned back, happy that he was all right with her choice. Sesshomaru rarely left Raori's side, and although neither spoke, they were content in merely being with one another.
Kagura and Takinoshi brought up the rear with Kouga. The three demons spoke amongst themselves, having nothing better to do. The journey was long, and took them a full week, but none of them minded.
As they neared the village, Kaede came to meet them, expecting to find the usual group. She froze when she saw Sesshomaru, her hand unconsciously creeping towards her bow.
The taiyoukai bowed his head to her slightly. "I do not come seeking a fight," he reassured her.
Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, he's here with us. He helped us beat Naraku."
Kaede's eyes widened. "Do ye mean…"
Kagome laughed delightedly and ran to hug the old woman. "Yep! Naraku's gone! We finally defeated him! Isn't it so wonderful? He's finally gone!"
Kaede looked shocked. "I did not expect ye to return with such good news."
Kagome couldn't wipe the grin from her face. "We had some help from some very generous people. Kaede, these are our friends – I don't think you've met any of them. Kouga, Kagura, Kohaku, Raori, and Takinoshi. They all helped us, and we owe them everything. We couldn't have done it without them."
Kaede bowed to them and they returned the gesture. The old priestess turned to Kagome. "The jewel—" she started.
Kagome fished out the last two pieces and held them up. "Is complete," she finished for Kaede. "I waited to put it together entirely, 'cause I'm not sure what'll happen to the well."
Kaede nodded grimly. "Aye, that is a problem ye must now face. It is uncertain whether the well will allow ye to continue to pass between the two times. If I were ye, I would go and explain the situation to your family, Kagome. Perhaps they can help ye decide."
Kagome nodded. "Thanks, Kaede."
The old woman moved aside with a smile. "Go, child."
Kagome glanced back at the others. "You guys want to stay here?"
"I would like to see this mysterious well of yours," Raori said curiously.
Sesshomaru nodded. Kagome agreed and led the way down towards the clearing. In the end, they all followed her. Kaede watched them go, smiling. The news they had brought back was a shock to her, but a welcome one.
"Now, dear sister," she said softly into the air, "you may rest in peace."
The group emerged into the clearing and made their way to the well. Kagome shifted her pack on her back and glanced at them. "I'll be gone a while," she informed them. "Inuyasha, will you do me a favor and tell Kaede what's going on? She'd like to hear our story, and I don't want you to wait until I get back. I'll come back sometime tomorrow, as soon as I can."
The hanyou nodded, and she hopped up onto the lip of the well. The group watched as she leaped in, falling down into the depths. A bright flash of light lit the inside of the well, and when it faded, she was gone.
"Extraordinary," Takinoshi murmured. Raori nodded her agreement, examining the well.
"Come on," Inuyasha said, turning back towards the village. "Let's go."
They followed him back and were greeted by Kaede once more. Inuyasha took a while to tell her the story of their adventure, and she listened silently, absorbing the information. When he had finished, she took them to their rooms and bade them a good night's rest.
The old priestess remained awake an hour or two later, considering what Inuyasha had told her.
"Naraku," she said finally, narrowing her eyes. "At last, he is gone." She glanced out her window at the forest where she had first found Kagome and sighed. The girl had done so much for them – it was her pure heart and fierce determination that had brought them all together, and yet for all she had done, she asked nothing in return.
"Who would have thought?" Kaede mused. "A girl from the future has become the savior of the past."
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When Kagome returned the next day, sometime in the early afternoon, it was to find them all sitting around the well eating lunch and waiting for her.
"Oomph!" she grunted, leaning over the side of the well and meeting their surprised gazes with a smile. "Hey, guys."
Inuyasha smiled in response and got up, helping her out of the well. Kagome brushed off the dirt from the well and plunked herself down beside Sango. Her friend offered her some fruit and she took it with a smile. Inuyasha sat beside her and Shippo settled in her lap as she relaxed.
"You seem awfully cheerful," Kouga commented.
Kagome nodded, biting into the apple. "I talked to my family all last night, and at first they were all really sad, but they all agreed unanimously on what I would have to do." She swallowed the bite and glanced at Inuyasha, who looked nervous, as though afraid of what she would say. "I'm staying here."
The hanyou relaxed visibly and let out a relieved sigh.
"Your family supported that?" Miroku asked, raising his eyebrows. "They must care greatly for you."
Kagome nodded, sitting back against the side of the well and taking another bite from the apple as she gazed into space, obviously both sad and happy. "They do. I'm going to miss them a lot."
They finished the meal in silence, and finally Kagome rose, brushing off her skirt and giving them a bright smile. "Come on," she said optimistically. "What's done is done, and I've decided. I'm not going to sit around and mope all day. Let's go back. We'll have to complete the jewel sooner or later, and I don't want to wait much longer. You ready?"
They nodded, packing away their lunch and following as she led the way back.
"Kagome," Kaede greeted the girl. "Ye have decided?"
"I'm staying here," Kagome nodded decisively.
Kaede smiled at her. "I am glad; I would have been sorry to see ye go, Kagome. Come; it is time."
They gathered together in the wide clearing Kaede had prepared. Spells had been placed around them on the trees to ensure that no one interrupt the process. Kagome took her place in front of them, holding the jewel in one hand and the final two shards in the other.
Kaede stood before her. "Do it," she nodded when they had all taken their places in a semicircle around the two mikos. Kagome looked up at the old woman, and then around the group of her friends, silently thanking them all for coming so far with her. They gazed back at her with gentle smiles, and she closed her eyes, holding up her hands and gently willing the jewel to become complete.
The light that flashed through their minds was bright and powerful. None of them moved from their place, but in their mind's eye they could each see the same thing – the completed jewel, spinning furiously before them.
Miroku jumped slightly in surprise as he heard a voice echo inside his head.
"Honorable houshi," it said softly, "you have braved many dangers and never left Kagome's side. The world owes you for your courage and strength of heart. The completed jewel holds the power to grant wishes – this I am sure you know. As is the selflessness of Kagome's heart, she has asked that it be your wishes, the wishes of her friends, that be granted. What do you desire, Miroku?"
The monk closed his eyes, and his mind raced with the possibilities, but he pushed them away. "I have Sango now," he informed the gentle voice. "All that I desire I have already. Use my wish to help one who needs it."
The voice softened. "You, also, are selfless. Your generosity shall be remembered. Farewell, Miroku."
The strange, disembodied voice moved to Sango, who replied in the same fashion. She had Kohaku back, and Miroku to be by her side as long as they both may live. She had no wants or needs that the jewel could grant. She gave up her wish, asking the voice of the jewel to use it for someone else.
Kohaku also gave up his wish; he had Sango, and that was enough for him. Kaede immediately followed his example, asking for it to use her wish to grant what the others might ask for. Kagura told the voice the same. Her freedom was all she had sought, and it was hers now. Raori and Sesshomaru refused, as well, claiming that as long as they had one another, there was nothing more the jewel could give. Takinoshi considered the offer for a moment before smiling slightly and shaking his head.
"They have all refused," he said softly. "You do not even have to tell me that; I could have guessed it. They are more than I first took them to be, and I have found friends in them all. I have all that I could wish for. Great wealth, power, and status… I want none of these. I am a taiyoukai, and I will take what I am given without complaint."
The voice passed on to Shippo, who sat on Inuyasha's shoulder. The kit listened as the voice spoke, and sat completely still, his mind immediately going back to his parents.
No, he told himself just as quickly. They are gone, and I cannot bring them back. We defeated the Thunder Brothers. They can rest in peace now. I have a family here; Kagome is my mother, and I guess you could say that Inuyasha is my father. I have everything I could want. But… what about Inuyasha?
The kitsune spoke to the voice firmly. "I don't want to use my wish. Give it to Inuyasha. He's not always been the nicest guy, but he has always been there for me, whether he'd admit it or not. Deep down I know he's not so bad. Give my wish to him."
The voice turned, at long last, to Inuyasha.
"You are lucky to have such friends," it said softly. "All of them, even the kitsune on your shoulder, have given up their wishes. The kitsune asked that they be passed to you. What would you wish for, Inuyasha?"
The hanyou swallowed. "I don't want anything for myself," he told the voice. "Kagome loves me, and that's all I could ever ask for, but… I'm a half-demon," he finished sadly. "And Kagome is human. If things stay like they are, she'll get old and die before I even start getting gray hair."
The voice softened. "That is unfortunate. What would you wish, then?"
Inuyasha clenched his fists, having already made up his mind. "Human," he said softly. "I want to become human."
The voice of the jewel strengthened with power. "So be it."
Light filled the clearing briefly, and they all shielded their eyes.
Kagome almost yelped in surprise as the voice rang through her mind. "And you, Kagome?" it said softly. "What would you wish of the jewel that you have given everything to complete?"
"Nothing," she replied quietly. "I want nothing."
The jewel pulsed slightly and the voice spoke once more. "Your friends did not use their wishes, but gave them up. The kitsune asked that they be given to Inuyasha. The hanyou has made his wish."
Kagome nodded. "I want nothing for myself," she told the voice. "Only…"
"Go on."
"The entire reason this adventure started was because of the jewel," she said quietly. "It is the cause of all this pain. I wish… I wish that the jewel would disappear, and that it would never return."
The voice had an approving tone to it. "It is done."
Light flashed once more, and they opened their eyes.
Where the jewel had sat in Kagome's hands, now it was gone. They looked at her, and she slowly turned her eyes on Inuyasha, expecting to find a full demon standing there.
Inuyasha was testing his teeth, which were no longer fangs. His hair had turned black once more, and his ears were gone from the top of his head. As they watched, stunned, he glanced at his hand, which was free of claws. "How do you humans manage it?" he asked, looking up at Sango and Miroku.
"You'll get used to it," Miroku laughed, delighted at the choice the hanyou had made.
Kagome was staring at Inuyasha, her mouth hanging open. The others glanced at one another, amused, and Kaede quietly led them away, giving Kagome and Inuyasha some privacy.
Kagome approached him, eyes wide. "Inu…yasha?" she asked hesitantly.
The hanyou-turned-human smiled at her gently. "Yeah," he nodded.
"You… you turned… human," she managed.
Inuyasha nodded. "I did," he said firmly, and she laughed, running to him and throwing her arms around his neck. He grinned, twirling her around and setting her firmly on the ground, giving her a gentle kiss that she returned with all the love in her heart.
And so our tale finally comes to an end. Inuyasha and Kagome settled down in Kaede's village. Together, they adopted Shippo and raised a family of their own. Miroku and Sango did the same, though their sense of adventure never truly left them. Kohaku didn't remain with his sister, but ventured abroad, though he came often to visit his older sister and stay a while with her family. Kouga returned to his tribe and picked up his life where he had left off, though he did come around to visit Kagome once in a while. Kagura stayed not in one place, but traveled always, moving as swift and free as the wind. Takinoshi returned to his lands, where he could live as he saw fit, though he always had an alliance with Sesshomaru and Raori, and in times of trouble that followed, he was their ally and stood with them no matter the circumstance. Sesshomaru had announced to his lands that Raori was to be his mate, and they met her warmly, seeing that she would be a wonderful Lady of the Western Lands. The west and the far south were, indeed, joined together, and for many, many years in the future, there was indeed peace.
No, it's not completely finished yet – I have one last short chapter in mind. That will be the last one, I promise, and I'm writing it right now. It's already half done! Promise!