The Beginning of the End

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha, but you knew that didn't you?

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"InuYasha" Kagome shrieked, running to him, bounding past the dead body of Naraku. Her arrow stood like a flag, tall and true, buried deep into Naraku's spider scar. Blood covered the ground; its sweet, sticky essence enveloped the body and carried it away into a raging river, now died a bold crimson.

He looked up from were he lay upon a wooden beam, thrown there from Naraku's final attack. He saw her running towards him, her ridiculous clothes in tatters, scratches all over, sweat soaked from hours of grueling battle. As beauty incarnated smothered him with her body he choked. His eyes wide, Tetsigia fell from his strong, tight grip and he wrapped his love up in his arms hugging her close.

She wanted to stay like this forever. Wrapped in her lovers arms, the world finally at peace. She sighed softly. "I love you"

Whisss. A hiss brought her screaming back from paradise. This sound she knew all to well, she herself creating it one time to many. An arrow had left its bow, now it was coming closer, closer, like a mad bull to the red cloth.

"Kagome!"

Thud. The arrow hit home, the sound of it burying deep into flesh reverberated across the grounds.

To her horror, her eyes opened. Was it a nightmare? This reality couldn't be real! Staring into the depths of her soul, was her lover, her friend, her protects.

"What…"

The pain was familiar but so much rawer. He watched as the wooden arrow zoomed towards an unsuspecting Kagome. At the last second, he tightened his hold on her and rolled, shielding his love with his body.

The blood poured from the new wound as it embedded itself into his back. 'Damn it!' Already he had lost too much blood, spent too much strength on the previous battle against Naraku.

He smiled weakly at her. "Here I go, always having to save you" he chuckled, and then coughed leaving speckles of blood in her hair, where his head had fallen.

Kagome cried out in pain. "InuYasha! You stupid idiot. Think before your act!" She yelled beating her hands against his back.

His vision was blurred. Some wear in his subconscious he was aware he was being moved. He heard his heartbeat thumping in his ears. Tha-thump, Tha-thump, Tha-thump. Slowly it slowed down. "Where was she?" He grunted as the arrow was pulled from his back.

InuYasha eyes swarmed, where was Kagome? Was she ok?

"Kagome … where … I …. Love…"

The fatal arrow was held in her hand. She discarded like poison. She could hear his shallow breathing and her eyes clouded with tears. This was it. After this there would be no bringing him back.

"Kagome … where … I … love …"

She felt his hand at her cheek and she held it their. "Shh" she said "Don't talk, you need to get better" In her heart, though, she knew that the arrow was fatal.

InuYasha grunted. "No" his voice was soft, hardly heard, but his words thundered in her brain. Blood came in a slow trickle from his mouth though he continued to talk.

"We did … it. Feh … wasn't too … hard … I'm not … gonna … make … it … Kagome I love you."

And with that his eyes clouded over and InuYasha died happy.

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