A/N: Hey all! Welcome to the last chapter of this story! It's been a long, LONG road, and I thank you all for sticking with me through it. Again, sorry I scared some of you by making you think the last chapter was the final chapter, but... I am a busy girl. And hey, today's my birthday (4 Oct), so it's like a present to me that it's finally finished, and a present to you all that I'm posting it today!

Really quickly, I'd like to let you all know that I'm planning on writing a vent S/K fic, where I use some of the horrible, overused, ooc cliches- if not all of them- and writing a terrible fic, that will hopefully convince readers of how low the bar is set on S/K fics. There may be spelling errors, and super-inconsistencies, but hopefully since I've done such hard work on this monster of a story, that gives me poetic license to break all the literary rules. (Go e.e. cummings!) .. and again, if you see words bunched up in this chapter, blame the ff . net editor! I put spaces in my work!

Disclaimer: I do not own inu yasha or his friends or his enemies- or in fact, anyone who he's ever met! I do own this story, and I do own up to the fact that this is a short epilogue chapter.

Previously: Well, I think we all remember what happened- at least by your reviews, you were so upset, that I'm sure you haven't forgotten.

chapter 31: the circle of life
It happened over a few decades. Kagome faithfully visited Miroku, Sango and their children, along with Shippou, Kohaku, and Kirara. Every time, however, she was greeted with the news that no one had seen Inu Yasha. Finally, after 20 years, Kagome received different information. They had seen Inu Yasha.

"How was he?" she had asked. Miroku and Sango smiled nervously, but Kagome wasn't deceived. "He wasn't the same, was he?" They shook their heads. It was even more disturbing when the couple, now in their forties, told her sadly that he had made no inquiries as to her well-being. The mate of Sesshoumaru couldn't help but show her grief and disappointment that Inu Yasha seemed to have forgotten her. Little did she know that wasn't the case. In fact, it was for the very opposite reason that he hadn't made inquiries. He still hadn't recovered from the blow she had delivered to him those 20 years past.

Over the course of seventy years of marriage to Sesshoumaru, Kagome became more wary of her mate and his ways. She had become jaded by life to some extent, and no longer had the naïve fire in her eyes that she had when she first began her adventures in the Sengoku Jidai. She hadn't made much progress in helping Sesshoumaru become more emotive- although he was quite a bit more talkative with her than he had been in the past. Many times she wondered what would've happen had she mated with Inu Yasha instead. Both Miroku and Sango had passed on nearly 30 years ago. Kagome still visited with Satoru- the child she was closest to- but she hesitated to visit others in the now growing taijiya village.

Now, seventy years after Sesshoumaru marked her, Kagome remembered a time about 35 years ago when Sango asked her something that made her think more seriously about her life, and to put any false notions behind her.

"Kagome," the wrinkled grandmother addressed her friend, "Are you happy?" Kagome's eyes teared up when she heard the question. Could she say she was really happy? Kagome wasn't certain. And that in and of itself was enough. Sango shook her head slowly, as a way of telling Kagome that if she truly was happy, she would be able to answer that question in no time flat.

"I'm happy, for the most part," Kagome told Sango truthfully. "It's only sometimes when I think about what might have happened if I stayed with Inu Yasha and have my doubts," Kagome sighed. Looking back on things now, those six years with Inu Yasha seemed like a dream- a very short dream. The miko hanyou realized that there was no going back after her mating to Sesshoumaru, and so she tried to force thoughts of Inu Yasha from her mind. What she tried to force from her mind even more was the lingering doubt of whether or not her relationship with Sesshoumaru was worth the hurt she caused Inu Yasha. And what had become of Inu Yasha now? She could only guess. Every time she contemplated these things, however, she was never completely truthful with herself; instead, she sugar-coated her ideas and guesses. After all, what good would it do to think about what couldn't be changed?

Around 50 years ago- at the time when she found that Inu Yasha hadn't asked about her- Kagome discovered one of Sesshoumaru's secrets: he considered her to be his trophy of a victory over Inu Yasha. She had been disgusted with the idea, and actually withdrew from her mate for a few weeks to sort things out. Eventually, however, Kagome recovered, and went back to Sesshoumaru, not knowing what else there was for her to do. Slowly, she began to notice quirks that Sesshoumaru had, and discovered ways to use those quirks to her own advantage. Playing upon his pride was one of Kagome's sure-fire ways of getting what she wanted from her mate. Sesshoumaru realized this, but said nothing- if anything, he commended her shrewdness. The ability to accomplish both his purposes and hers was not an easy task, and yet she found a way to do so when her will was strong enough.

Finally taking her side by Sesshoumaru, they patrolled his domain and met with his various vassals. Now, on a day half a century later, they met with a vassal who was in charge of a large portion of the eastern border. This vassal brought news of commotion in the eastern lands. The cause of the commotion was none other than Inu Yasha. According to the eastern lord, Inu Yasha had become something of a menace- ravaging all youkai who challenged him, and mercilessly fighting on the behalf of humans. He had also vanquished every youkai he could find who fed on the flesh of mankind. Kagome couldn't disagree with his actions concerning those reasons, but because he was decimating the eastern youkai population, it was causing problems for the youkai economy. Inu Yasha had grown powerful, and even an army of well-trained youkai soldiers was no match for him.

The fact that Inu Yasha was causing economic distress for the youkai world troubled Kagome greatly; she knew deep in her heart that if she had stayed with Inu Yasha, this intra-provincial threat would not exist. It wasn't necessarily that she cared about the youkai economy- she just couldn't believe that Inu Yasha had become so infamous for that reason. She would have much rather heard that he was doing well, and had a family. After the meeting, when she and Sesshoumaru were alone, she offered to attempt to remedy the problem herself, playing on Sesshoumaru's desire to gloat his victory in mating her over his brother's head. At first the taiyoukai was opposed to the idea, considering that Kagome would be unsupervised with the one who would have been her mate. On second thought however, the idea of Kagome going to visit Inu Yasha on his behalf and opposing Inu Yasha herself was appealing. He agreed, and after he spoke with the lord of the East, a victorious Kagome left on her mission. Sesshoumaru had told the eastern lord that it wasn't a matter of political power that he wished to aid his neighbor; but rather a personal vendetta. Agreeing that he would owe Sesshoumaru no debt, he assented to the aid of the West. It was for this reason- and this reason only- that the eastern lord had allowed Kagome to enter his lands in an effort to control the growing threat to his kingdom.

Kagome searched for Inu Yasha, using her youkai capabilities. She was now as agile and quick as Sesshoumaru, and only lacked the power of his brute strength. When she found Inu Yasha, he was resting in a tree. He looked much the same as when she first saw him sealed to the Goshinboku, but somehow his facial features were harder. He had lost the softness that she had grown so used to. She landed on his branch, and sat in front of him. Slowly, Inu Yasha opened his eyes. When he did, his expression was like he was looking at a ghost.

"Kagome?" he asked, almost in disbelief. After a moment, he smelled her scent on the air. Immediately, his face changed from disbelief to a hard expression.

Kagome explained her reason for being there- a plea for him to halt his unnecessary killings. "Keh… so, you've changed," Inu Yasha spat. "What happened to your values, Kagome? Tell me- what am I doing wrong? Killing those youkai who prey on the helpless? Accepting open challenges from bloodthirsty youkai?" Inu Yasha's gaze flitted to the ground of the trees surrounding them, and then his golden eyes fixed upon Kagome. She wasn't shocked; rather, she recognized the truth in the questions her former companion asked her. Kagome looked deeply into his eyes. They weren't the eyes of a killer, but rather of someone who had given up on life, and was desperately seeking something to live for. While he was known in human and youkai societies, he had withdrawn himself from both, and decided to live on his own- only killing those youkai who opposed his own integral sense of honor as well as those who challenged him to death matches in order to test their strength. "There was a time when I would have listened to you," he told her plainly, a cool veil over his voice. "Why did you choose Sesshoumaru? Was it power?" Inu Yasha let out something like a sigh- it had the tone of both cynicism and hopelessness. "Keh, I thought differently of you, Kagome."

"Inu Yasha," she said, almost taken aback at his words, "By the time I realized what I had done, it was too late. Even now," she looked at him, remembering the Inu Yasha he used to be, "even now I never could have realized what you would become." She turned her cheek toward him. "I can't believe this is it."

"Keh, get used to disappointment," he told her. "I have," he whispered afterwards. Although Inu Yasha would never admit it to himself, there was still something in his being that cried out to Kagome. He… still loved her, even after all this time. "I …" Inu Yasha trailed off. He wanted to tell her about how strong he had become, that she had made a mistake, choosing his brother. He wanted to ask her whether or not Sesshoumaru showed her the devotion that he had for the years before her decision. And while Inu Yasha couldn't become as rude and ruthless as his brother- yes, he had heard about the atrocities Sesshoumaru committed to the vassals that displeased him- he could at least become as powerful. Did Kagome still believe that she could change Sesshoumaru? Why was she ignoring Sesshoumaru's immoral behavior and yet coming after him? These were all things he wanted to ask her- and yet, he couldn't bring himself to do so.

"You were always strong, Inu Yasha," she told him, looking him straight in the eye. "I've always had faith in you."

"Then… then why did you have to betray me!.?" He stood up, and put a hand behind him, on the trunk of the tree. ' I trusted you too, Kagome… but for what? Trust is never rewarded.' "For you, Kagome…" he trailed off.

"What?"

"For you, I didn't fight my brother. But now… now it's been long enough. I'm as strong as Sesshoumaru, and I'll show everyone that a youkai… no, that a hanyou like me is capable of wielding just as much power as a pureblood youkai!"

"Inu…Yasha…" Kagome looked at him, and sensed his youryoku. He was right- he had just as much as Sesshoumaru. The question was whether or not he had the agility and speed and training that his older brother had. And his remark- did he still consider himself a hanyou? She took in a breath. No, he smelled completely like a youkai. Unless news of his relations -both of their kinship and the integration ritual- with Sesshoumaru had reached the East, there was no way that anyone could have known he was originally a hanyou. Why did that insecurity rise up again? Was it because of her…betrayal? Kagome shuddered inwardly, thinking that she could have done such a terrible thing to the one who had once meant so much to her.

"I'll stop ruining the economy, as you put it. Butjust watch, Kagome. I'll prove that I'm stronger than your mate. Ja," And with that, Inu Yasha darted off through the branches of the trees. Kagome watched as he left, and sighed as she began her own journey back home to the West. That was when it hit her.

Inu Yasha had replaced the rosary.

Eventually, after several more decades, word came from the east concerning the fall of the youkai lord. He fell to one named Inu Yasha of the inu youkai clan. The South and the North lords looked on with confusion and fear, lest the two taiyoukai kinsmen become allies and thereby conquer the entire region. After a few months, however, it was clear that Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha were not interested in any such thing.

Over time, the rivalry and ongoing war between the East and the West became old hat. It was now the year 1800, and the war was over 200 years old. It was at this time that every miko and houshi in Nippon had finally become frustrated and fed up with the needless human killings and the youkai running around in broad daylight. They held a meeting in what is now Tokyo- calling forth their spiritual powers. As one body, these powerful humans created a massive reiki wave that ran over the entire world.

The power of their combined reiki made the purity of Mt. Hakurei seem like a joke. In one fell swoop, the entire youkai population was purified. Anyone whose blood was infested with that of youkai origin immediately disappeared and dispersed itself into oblivion; the only ones whose souls were spared were those with human souls- hanyous and those whose bodies contained at least some portion of human blood. While their bodies were erased from this world, their souls were granted the passage of reincarnation.

It was on this very day, just under 200 years later, that Higurashi Kagome came into this world- her story and life to be relived- affecting the past and creating an unbreakable circle of time.

Owari (the end)

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A/N: Yay! So that's it! I know I could've written some more stuff, but.. well, actually I couldn't, considering the time crunches that I've been having to deal with, what with school and work and all the crazy hoops they make you jump through to become a full-on teacher.

Again, thank you to all my faithful reviewers, and I'm so glad that you finished this story with me! I hope you all have a great day, and I really hope that you will remember this story later on down the road! It's also my wish that you have a better understanding of what is more likely to happen in S/K stories than what you can typically find on this site. Thanks again!

-karen

Reviewer Responses:

Beulah Page: haha, yeah, I figured that people would y'know, read the author's note instead of careening straight into the alternate ending. And well, obviously, if they liked the first ending, they shouldn't read the alternate. But people can't really be prevented from reading it- even if you warn 'em. Haha! I don't think this story really warrants something as cool as a chat room, though! ((blush)) I remember reading this thing on instincts, where the strong desire to mate with the strong- and I think it's a general concept that guys like strong, capable girls- as long as they're able to show off their abilities once in awhile. That's why S-dono likes Kagome being strong... and he's still stronger than she is, so he doesn't mind.

Nilee: heh, yeah, it's cool reviewers are reading reviewer's comments. Glad you got the whole "rin in a woman's body" thing. I really really subtly hinted at it, so it's cool you picked it up. Hehe.. you guys give me satisfaction in writing!

destinyheart15: haha, yeah, I've gotta go read the original ending again now that it's all over.

AnimeSiren: Yes, I agree with you completely. However, in order to make some kind of alternate ending to please the masses... this is what had to happen. In this ending, she is taken up with her emotions, and not able to think completely clearly. Probably you, like too few others, believe that Kagome and Inu Yasha is the only rational coupling (as opposed to S/K or M/K or K/K...etc).

TakaraDaiya: how's that for ending the story? hehe..

Thanks also go out to: FallenAngel3691, kyasarinyume07, sarah h, candace, Sesshoumaru's HOT (thanks for checkin' out all my other stuff, yo!), kitsune ninja, Magick, Darkness Rises (no. not in this ending, there isn't...), Jessica01, EmoChicka, toxiclollipop (did I forget you? I'm so sorry!.! I respond to the reviews and then delete them from my mailbox, so... I don't remember if you reviewed the last chap. I'm sorry!), Tracy J, Yessika, kandy42, Lady Kjerston of the Western..., wawa1981, Moon's Rain, sheenachi, imafork01, AmberEyed, Rosie, NicoleP (stick to the original ending, yo), duckgirl566, Hoshiko Shinomori (glad I could help!), Zookie Moon princess, hermonine, Aaliyah starnight, Yoko Jubei, InuyashaGal (thank you!), Bethany A, Lady-Sess08, YuriTheDragonDemoness, and whimsy (you have my utmost respect and appreciation for all your help).

Author's comments:

I would also like to state my beliefs concerning the rampant S/K fics that can be found on this site-

First of all, Sesshoumaru isn't a nice guy. In the anime, he is NEVER portrayed as a nice guy. Inu Yasha is NEVER portrayed as someone who would even come close to forcing himself on a girl (i.e. he will never rape Kagome- in a drunken stupor, no less). Inu Yasha also never calls Kagome a "replacement for Kikyou". There are so many things that almost all the writers of S/K fics use in their stories that have become something like accepted falsehoods. So I encourage you all to keep your eyes open and your minds working when you read those stories. In the real IY world, Sesshoumaru would not hesitate to kill Kagome at any cost, and is nowhere near the kind of happy-go-lucky guy underneath his cold, hard exterior that many authors make him out to be.

The one thing that bothers me about S/K fics is that most of them make Inu Yasha out to be the bad guy, or some crazed lunatic, or whatever- and many of us "thinkers" believe that it's because the writers are really just wanting to place themselves in Kagome's shoes. There is also no way in a real S/K story that everyone can be happy. Inu Yasha will probably never get over the fact that Kagome left him- especially because he trusted her so completely. He might just have to stick to hanyous when he goes looking for a mate. Of course, I have a theory that most hanyous are sterile... so there's really no reason for a mate other than companionship.

Here is a list of cliches found in most (including mine- I'm cliche #4) S/K fics... just so you know. This is compliments of whimsy (with minor additions/alterations/cuts by me):

Cliched plots -

1) Kagome and InuYasha have an argument, she runs off, and is found by Sess who whisks her off to his castle. Just why Kagome would readily go with Sess given what she has seen of him (battling InuYasha and trying to take his inheritance, having evil sword toukijin made and easily wielding it, and trying to kill her at least once) is never explained.

2) A similar and as overused plot has Kagome coming across InuYasha and Kikyou together and again running off and encountering Sess and same arguments as above.

3) Sess kidnaps/blackmails/rapes Kagome, takes her to his castle, treats her as a possession, seduces her, make her pregnant, and true love follows (regardless of any prior feelings she has towards InuYasha and without any guilt or regard for her friends). Just why Kagome falls in love with her captor is never explained.

4) Sess asks Kagome to come to his castle to teach Rin. She does and they fall in love. Kagome never inquires as to why Sess picks her. Why would she trust Sess? And why does she so readily abandon her friends and the quest for the shards to teach/babysit Rin?

Note that the authors usually try to shuffle InuYasha out of the main action of the story as fast as possible.

Cliched plot devices and standard OOC character behavior -

1) Sess is always irresistable and is so obviously superior to InuYasha in every way that of course Kagome will choose him if given a choice.

2) Sess is especially irresistable when committing antisocial acts such as kidnapping and blackmail

3) Any antisocial acts by InuYasha are despicable, never romantic

4) If Sess saves Kagome's life once, that is more heroic and romantic than any number of times that InuYasha has done the same

5) Kagome will always succumb to Sess and have wild sex with him within days or even hours of being offered the opportunity

5a) With regard to rule 2, rape will still turn out to be romantic and a wonderfully erotic experience

6) Kagome never uses birth control

7) Kagome will always run to Sess rather than go home after a fight with InuYasha

8) Sess has never really tried to kill her

9) InuYasha is secretly trying to kill her, or at least plans to, to aid Kikyou (rule 9 is optional)

10) InuYasha will not merely choose to be with Kikyou, he will make his choice known to Kagome in the harshest most demeaning manner possible

11) InuYasha has never had any real affection for Kagome, no matter what the manga or anime says.

12) Any verbal altercation with InuYasha is a far more terrible offense than any physical acts committed by Sess (see rule 2)

13) There is really a wonderful warm fuzzy considerate and gentle person under the cold exterior who would never do anything such as trying to kill his brother and steal his inheritance, have an evil sword forged by an outcast swordsmith made from parts of a nasty incarnation of Naraku, or kill others (or have his servant kill them) with no remorse or the slightest qualm.

14) If Kagome is becomes or is discovered to be far more powerful than shown in the series, e.g. Midoriko passes on her power and knowledge to Kagome, her father is really a demon lord (and she somehow is a hanyou without the drawbacks seen in others), both parents are youkai and her father is again a demon lord, then she will inevitably end up with Sess since she is far too good for the likes of a rude unsophisticated impoverished hanyou who repeatedly risks his life for her.

Thanks for reading my story "Sesshoumaru's Heart" !.! I hope to see your names sometime in the future!