Inu-yasha and Kagome both awoke to the terrible realization that Kikyo, Inu-yasha's first love and Kagome's past incarnation, has died. Without saying a word to one another, the pair leave to go talk to Miroku and Sango, who were both sitting by the waterfall with a forlorn look on their faces. Inu-yasha and Kagome both walked out to sit by them.
"Good morning…from the looks on your faces, I believe your dreams also bore a message. The same ours did, I believe." Miroku said, his hand on Sango's shoulder, who was looking at the ground.
"Do you mean that you also dreamt that…Kikyo died?" Kagome asked to the other three, slightly shocked. But secretly, she knew that they would also know. For better or worse, Kikyo had left an imprint on their lives forever. Her being gone had a deep effect on all of them. They all nodded solemnly, and everyone was silent.
"WAGH!" Shippo suddenly came charging through the bushes, ridding a frantic looking Kirara. For a minute, Kagome wondered when he got away. Had he been gone the whole time? Inu-yasha looked confused as well. Miroku and Sango, however, were acting much more worried.
"Kirara! Where have you been? We've been so worried about you!" Sango scolded the cat demon, who turned back to her regular form and mewed.
Shippo looked more then a little put-off that no one seemed in a fuss over him, but said, "Well, two nights ago I was coming over to let you know that Inu-yasha and Kagome were coming to visit. But then Kirara woke up and turned big. Then she ran off, after grabbing me. Then she went off on her own a little. Last night, after I had an odd dream about Kikyo," he noticed that everyone's faces looked sad when he mentioned her, "Kirara came back and brought me here."
Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Inu-yasha all had a thoughtful look on their faces as they recapped everything that Shippo just said. It all seemed very odd, and it sounded like Kirara may have killed Kikyo. But Inu-yasha didn't smell Kikyo's blood on her, so it couldn't have been that. So he simply said, "Feh, what's the matter with you, running off on your own?" Then he may have muttered something like 'stupid whelp'… Also, the baby started to cry.
That broke the ice and everyone seemed more relaxed after this. Sango went inside to tend to Matsu, and after a moment's hesitation Miroku went after her. Kirara and Shippo left to go play together, leaving Inu-yasha and Kagome alone.
After a while, Inu-yasha murmured, "They sure look happy together…" Obviously, he was talking about Miroku and Sango. From a window, you could see Sango gently cradling the little boy, and Miroku had his arm around her waist, watching protectively over their son.
"Yeah, they must really love each other." Kagome said in a hushed tone. Inu-yasha looked odd, and he gazed at her for a moment before taking her hand in his.
"Kagome, there's something I want to talk to you about. Please come with me." He led her a little ways into the forest, her not resisting in the slightest. When they were far enough in, Inu-yasha took both of Kagome's hands in his. He got that look in his eye, the same one that Miroku used to get before asking a girl to bare his child.
"Kagome…this is really hard for me to say, but…" Immediately, Kagome assumed that he was going to tell her that he needed to get away from her. It would be too hard, she figured, for him to be constantly around someone who looked just like the woman he loved, who had now died.
"Maybe you shouldn't say it, then." Kagome responded, trying to get him to stop. She didn't want him to leave her; she wanted to always be next to him.
"I have to. Kagome…I love you." He managed to say, with some difficulty. For a moment, Kagome didn't say anything, her look totally blank. Oh crap. I knew I shouldn't have told her. She must hate me now. Inu-yasha thought that her silence meant that she didn't love him back, and started to pull away, embarrassed and ashamed of himself.
"Do-do you mean that?" Kagome asked before he got the chance to pull away completely. In truth, she had simply been in shock. Surely it must be a joke…how cruel of him to joke around like that!
"Of course I do, baka! Why else would I be out here making a fool of myself like this?" This made all of her doubts flee. If he could get this angry over something like this, he must be telling the truth. But then he softened, a sad look in his eyes, and said, "So, I guess that…you don't…"
"But, Inu-yasha…I do. I love you, too." Kagome said, starting to cry out of happiness. She had loved him for so long…and she thought that he did too. But now, it was the first time that he ever admitted it to her. Inu-yasha looked significantly happier, the saddened look gone from his eyes.
Slowly, he drew her close to him, and she stood on tiptoes to reach as they drew together for a kiss. That moment, when their lips touched, seemed to stay still for an eternity. It was deep and passionate, and neither one wanted it to end. When it did, they both looked at each other, smiling, and embraced once more.
In the bushes…"Finally! It took them long enough!" Sango whispered to Miroku.
"I'm glad that Inu-yasha managed to tell her, especially after Kikyo." He said, smiling.
For once, Shippo had something wise to say. "Maybe it's because of her death that Inu-yasha confessed."
Sango, Miroku, and even Kirara stared at him in awe. "I think you're right." Miroku said. "Now that Kikyo's gone, Inu-yasha doesn't have to worry about betraying one or the other. That's why he never told Kagome before. He didn't want to break her heart."
Yup, here's the confession scene that you all wanted so badly. Next chapter- we go seven years into the future. The shadow demon has grown strong enough to try and claim the Shikon Jewel for himself. Also, Kagome and Inu-yasha have a child now. There will be a flashback to the day of the baby's birth, because it is REALLY important. Also, thanks, my trusty reviewers. I hope you enjoyed the confession chapter.