Disclaimer: R-U-M-I-K-O! T-A-K-A-H-A-S-H-I! Now! What does that spell? RUMIKO TAKAHASHI!!!!!! And she owns the show Inuyasha…Not me…Arigatou.

Love Me as I Am

Chapter 57- In the Footsteps of Romeo and Juliet

After some whispering Inuyasha shot up and away from the group.

"That's IT?! Geez Sango! Kuneau could have come up with something better than that and she can't even walk yet!"

"I wasn't finished…" growled Sango through clenched teeth. She could be awfully scary when ticked off.

Inuyasha stepped back about 10 feet just to be safe.

"Okay, what next?"

'Note to self: Never jump to conclusions of upset Sango in anyway…especially when she's pregnant…'

~*~*~

"W-where is he?"

Kunara stirred against Rin and lifted her head, rubbing her eyes and blinking.

"Lord Sesshomaru…where did he go?"

Rin sighed and looked out the window.

"He'll be back…trust me…"

Kunara climbed out of Rin's lap and walked slowly over to the window, her bare feet padding across the floor.

'Come back alive…'

~*~*~

Kagome was keeping Naraku busy and was doing an exceptional job of it. That is…until he realized Sango was gone.

"That fool. She doesn't realize that it doesn't matter if she tells them. I've already captured you."

"Feh. As if THAT matters."

"Inuyasha!"

"Well HEY Kagome. How ya DOIN'?"

Kagome blinked in confusion but decided to play along.

"How do you THINK I'm doing sweetie? I'm tied to this tree and these ropes are oh so very tight." Replied Kagome every so sweetly.

"You sicken me." Muttered Naraku.

"Oh really? Now why do I find that so interesting? Oh yeah! Maybe it's cause you kidnapped our WIVES. How much sicker can you GET?"

While Inuyasha kept Naraku busy Sango waddled her way around the tree to untie the girls, using the blade she conveniently kept concealed under some bandages on her arm. First she freed Trinity, then Suki. But she couldn't free Kagome. She was on the front of the tree within Naraku's eyesight.

'Don't be stupid! Don't be stupid! Don't be stupid!' Kagome pleaded to Inuyasha silently.

"Hold on tight Kagome." Inuyasha announced, a valiant, knight like tone in place.

'He's not usually this cocky…no wait…yes he is. But is this part of the plan?'

"Yeah…I'll just um…stay right here…stuck to this tree if that's okay with you…um…sweetie."

Inuyasha smirked and charged Naraku right as Naraku transformed into his true form. They were quite used to it after fighting him once before in that form in the castle of illusions.

Kagome cringed. His earth tone tentacles had sprouted again and were violently flapping, reaching out for anything and everything, destroying trees around the group and narrowly missing Sango, Trinity, and Suki. Sango squealed and ducked taking the other two with her. She had a hard time but managed to stand up right after the tentacle flew over her. She nodded at Miroku who threw hiraikotsu to her, now taking his own staff in both his hands to ward off the other tentacles.

"Fools. You think you can defeat me. But how do you expect to defeat a demon with the strength of a thousand demons? Soon to be more…"

"Ugh. Now you want to absorb me? I thought you had had enough with the human species. After all, I myself am only a half-human."

"Not you." Naraku's tone had grown less deep and he seemed calmer and almost depressed as he seemed to ponder what Inuyasha had said.

"No…this worthless body has given me nothing but pain. I live to be the greatest of all demons and nothing more. I do not wish to further curse myself by absorbing mere humans."

"Feh."

Without sensing his presence Sesshomaru appeared behind Naraku and administered him a sharp blow to the head. It was clear that Naraku was unmatched even with his strength as he flew down towards the ground pulling himself up. One of his tentacles wrapped around Sesshomaru's arm and attempted to engulf him but of course the attempt was futile and Sesshomaru merely scoffed at him, pulling away and slashing the tentacle to bits, his poison easily decintigrating it.

"To think that in all these years the all powerful Naraku has become soft. Was it, per chance, your lovely Kikyo that had been coming up with your attack plans? Her cunning way and clever abilities must have come in handy. And now, that you no longer have her…you are nothing…"

Naraku stared at Sesshomaru with the most incredulous look of surprise upon his face as Sesshomaru advanced.

"You've fallen from your pedestal Naraku. You have nothing left. Even your young daughter has turned against you."

"I would pity you Naraku…but I'm afraid after what you put Kikyo and I through…and Kagome as well…I can't do that." Admitted Inuyasha.

"It was all for your own benefit. You know how much easier it would have been if you had just asked Kikyo in the first place?"

Total and utter shock hit everyone as Naraku transformed back to his more human-like form and stared at them. For the first time ever he actually seemed human. The person they were seeing before them wasn't Naraku at all, but Onigumo in the young prince's body. The injured Onigumo's heart still beat fast within Naraku after 67 years and it couldn't be calmed.

"Nara…ku…" whispered Kagome as she watched stray demons leave his body.

"Don't call me that…"

Silence took over as Naraku drew his sword from its sheath. At first it looked as if he would strike Sesshomaru or Inuyasha but as they waited he turned it towards himself.

'I'll be with you soon…Kikyo…'

And before anyone could move to stop him…he had taken his own life.

Trinity, being the sensitive young girl that she was couldn't bear to look and had broken down crying in Kanaye's arms. Suddenly Kanaye felt bad from bringing her. Sure she could fight, but only then did he realize her feelings were too gentle and fragile for this kind of thing.

'She'll make a good mother some…holy crap! I think I know!'

Kanaye, thinking he had solved the mystery of Trinity's smell decided to keep it to himself for the time being.

~*~*~

"He took his own life…so that he could be with Kikyo…" said Kagome, forcing herself to look at the fallen Naraku as she held Inuyasha's hand.

"He truly did love Kikyo." Replied Inuyasha in awe.

~*~*~

"It's gone! Oh Miroku!"

Sango threw her arms around Miroku's neck and nearly toppled him over, due to her weight. She rubbed noses with him.

"But you do realize…you're even more worthless in battle now than you were before…"

Miroku smiled as she butterfly kissed him.

"That's alright. I was useless then and I'll be a bit more useless now. As long as you'll still have me no matter how bad a fighter I am."

~*~*~

Trinity, in all her crying hadn't even noticed the slight tingling sensation in the palm of her right hand. Kanaye had over heard Miroku and Sango's conversation due to his extremely sensitive ears and lifted her hand, with eyes wide due to habit, taking the wrappings and prayer beads off. He ran his fingers over her entirely intact palm.

"Kanaye…"

"Naraku's dead…you're free…I-I don't believe it."

His disbelief was cute, especially to Trinity who smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, staring into his eyes.

"Hey now…I'm supposed to be the one in disbelief." She said, half giggling as she buried her face in the crook of his neck.

"Kanaye…I love you."

"I love you too Trinity."

And before anyone knew it they were kissing like there was no tomorrow, though now everyone knew with Naraku gone and no other enemies to speak of that there most certainly would be a tomorrow.

"They act like all happily married couples should act…don't they? Kagome asked Inuyasha as she looked up at him.

"Amateurs."

Kagome blinked as Inuyasha leaned down and pressed his lips passionately against hers, running his clawed fingers through her hair.

'Amateurs of course.'

The heat of the chaste kiss was more powerful then Kagome had felt in a long while. After all, it was partly Naraku's fault she had even met Inuyasha. Kagome moaned a bit into Inuyasha's mouth as she continued to kiss him. Maybe now that Naraku was gone their life would be a little more, god forbid, normal from now on.

Kagome removed her hands from his neck and repositioned them around his waist, pulling away slowly from him and laying her head on his chest.

"I hope he and Kikyo will be happy wherever they are."

Inuyasha nodded slightly and looked up at the sky.

'Goodbye Kikyo.'

~*~*~ Okay, that chapter may have been a bit depressing…I'm not sure. It kinda was to me. Tell me what you think. Also, it may seem like this chapter means the end…but if that's what you think, you don't know how wrong you are. I'm thinking somewhere around 3 or 4 more depending on how much more I decide to write and how descriptive I get. For those of you that really really don't want this story to end there has to come an end to everything. I love to hear from you though so if you're a person that doesn't usually review this story than please do. You guys' and girls' reviews really make my day. Of course, since it's been a little while since I've updated I really haven't gotten too many reviews this week. I'm sorry for the late update but I've been wicked busy with school and stuff. I hope you guys will forgive me. I'll try to update sooner next time. Until next time, ja ne minna-san! ~*~*~ Miyu