I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA!

I would like to thank Ichimu for being such a wonderful Beta for me. You ROCK! and also thanks to Resmiranda, your stories helped me a lot with how this turned out. These two are really wonderful writers and you should check their stuff out immediatley!

I warn you now this story is dark and has a SAD ending if this does not appeal to you do not read!

Desperation

It was almost enough to hear his cries of pain, almost enough to see the anguish in his eyes, almost enough to hear him crying her name…almost. None of it was truly enough to quench the burning pain in her soul, but at least she would soon possess the sweet unconsciousness of eternity…at last she could rest in a realm where emotions no longer held sway.

The half brothers were fighting again, just as they had a thousand times before. This time, however, she's had enough and decided to act. Throwing herself between them, she was just in time to catch the blow from the Hanyou's sword.

She gasped at the feeling of her flesh separating. She looked down and stared at the gaping wound that now ran from her should down to her hip. 'How strange,' she thought. She felt nothing more than a numbing cold. Then the pain hit, searing and intense…yet sweetly tangible, something that could be understood and explain—unlike the emotional maelstrom that had raged within her for so long. As she looked up the world around her seemed brighter, more intense, and the gaze from his amber eyes was almost more than she could bear.

Then, mercifully, the edges of her world began to blur and everything went dark.

He watched in horror as she jumped in front of him. Powerless to stop the downward swing of his blade, he was forced to endure it as his sword tore through her tender flesh effortlessly. He stood in shock at the sight of what he had done; his trembling hands dropped the sword as her name tore itself from his throat.

She looked at him then and a small, sad smile graced her lips for a moment. Then, she swayed and fell to the ground, surrounded by a crimson pool. The scent of her blood was more than he could bear; turning, he ran through the forest, pushing himself further and further, trying to get as far as he could from her. At last, he collapsed at the foot of the Goshinboku, exhausted, his body heaving with sobs. When he finally rose from the dirt, the elder Miko stood beside him, waiting…

The Youkai knelt beside her body, confused at what he had seen. She had acted in his defense as his brother's sword worked against its nature and took a human life. Meanwhile, his own sword had hung mute at his side.

"Why?" he asked. "I never asked for your help. Why did you do this?"

"I wanted it to end."

The reply came so low he could barely hear it. Then, smiling softly, she closed her eyes for the last time. Her warm scent was suddenly obscured by death and still his sword was silent.

He stayed there beside her for a long time, strange, bitter tears falling down his cheeks. Mourningthe Miko he had hated, theMiko who had loved his brother. When at last he turned to go, he left behind him a fresh grave marked by a rusty katana.