A/N: Thankfully, my massive migraine of DOoOoOm!1!one! finally went away, so I am able to update this chapter. You know, it probably came about because of too much Final Fantasy…

So, this being the second to last chapter, I should let you know that THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL. Even though I wasn't sure about it at first, I knew that it was going to be demanded anyway.

(And unlike the 1st trilogy, this one is not just a continuation of their lives, but a continuation of the story…sorta…You'll get what I mean after this story's over.)

Chapter 29: Sorry

Kagome shook with fear as she looked on Inuyasha, in his full youkai form. He was no longer the youkai he had been in the cave; any hint of his old self had left his eyes. The gleam of bloodlust had once again risen in him, making an eerie grin cross his face as he flexed his claws, coming closer to her.

Gasping, Kagome slowly backed away on the ground as youkai Inuyasha walked towards her, his intent plain. "Inuyasha?" she whispered, fear in her brown eyes. In an instant, she saw the swipe of his claw, and she darted out of the way just in time. "Inuyasha!" she cried again, turning and looking back at him as he growled, raising his claws once more.

"Inuyasha, please!" she begged. His smile became wider as he slashed at her again, catching her shirt and shredding bottom half of it, so the scars on her stomach and back were visible. "Inuyasha!" she cried once more, hoping that her lover would respond.

But he didn't. An unknown rage drove him on, making him want to enjoy the killing of this girl. Her screams made him want to laugh, her pleas only adding to the pleasure as he slashed at her once more, narrowly missing on purpose. It only added to the fun.

Inuyasha…he really wants to kill me! Kagome thought, panic flooding through her mind. But, he can't! Before he didn't want to, why now? "Inuyasha, remember me! Please, remember who I am! Don't let the youkai take over you, fight it!"

Youkai Inuyasha only let out a cackle. "Baka." He said, his voice low and deep. His claws flew once again, Kagome turning away in the nick of time. They grazed her cheek, making a straight cut across it. But with that, she lost her balance and her arms gave way, making her fall on the ground. Inuyasha loomed over her, his eyes flashing with his enjoyment. He pinned her down with one hand, the other raised above her in attack position.

Kagome froze in fear, the only sound coming from her was the soft gasp of, "Inu…yasha?" as she stared up at him, ready for him to make his move. The hand raised in the air, the hand about to kill her, was the one with the scar from their mating; a scar that he had said symbolized their everlasting love. The last thing she would ever see was that scar, his love, betraying her.

A single tear fell from her misty eyes, followed by another. Inuyasha, he's really going to kill me! "Inuyasha!" she said in an alarmed whisper, unable to say any more.

"Kagome-chan!" came the voice of her salvation. Inuyasha immediately turned around, seeing Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Kirara coming after them.

Inuyasha immediately jumped up, snarling at the intrusion, the others gasping at seeing Inuyasha once again in his youkai form. He readied his claws once again, growling madly at the others.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled surprised. "He's a youkai again! Kagome-sama, how did he—?"

He was cut off when Inuyasha, letting out a fierce growl, lunged at the monk, who immediately used his staff to block the blow. Inuyasha jumped back, giving a slight yelp in pain as his hands touched the staff, but that did not hinder him from attacking. "Houshi-sama!" Sango cried, her eyes full of fear for her beloved.

Miroku blocked Inuyasha's advances once again, using the staff to force Inuyasha, backward. "Sango, I'll be fine! You help Kagome-sama!" Inuyasha was pushed back, but he immediately jumped towards Miroku, and in one swift motion, knocked the staff from the monk's hands. Given only a second, Miroku threw an ofuda, hitting Inuyasha squarely in the chestand making him fall backwards, howling in the pain of the holy powers. As Inuyasha tore off the holy sutra, The monk regained his staff and continued the fight.

Meanwhile, Sango ran up to Kagome. "Kagome-chan!" she said, helping her friend to her feet. "Are you all right?"

Kagome nodded. "He didn't hurt me. I was lucky, but...Sango-chan, how could this happen?" she whimpered, staring at her with tearing eyes. "I thought he was…I had finally thought that it was all over…I thought that he would finally be okay, and now—!"

As Kagome stood on the edge of bursting into tears. The youkai exterminator looked back to see Miroku being pushed back into the forest by Inuyasha, both of them fighting furiously. "Shippou, you stay with Kagome-chan." Sango ordered, taking off towards them. She yelled, "Kirara!" and the nekomata followed, transforming into her large state with a flash of fire.

Sango and Kirara had been gone for a few minutes, when Kagome wiped away her tears, her eyes glancing at the clouded sun. If he doesn't turn back, Inuyasha will kill them…he's in his youkai form now, he'll kill everyone he comes in contact with, because he can't stop himself.

She turned back to the kitsune, her face expressionless. "Come on, Shippou-chan." said Kagome in a depressed, dead voice.

Shippou was surprised. "Huh? But Sango said to stay here—"

Shaking her head, Kagome replied, "It doesn't matter what she said. It doesn't matter what anyone says anymore." Her sad eyes glanced towards the forest to where they had gone. "I made this mess. And it's my job to clean it up."

"Houshi-sama!" Sango cried, running into the forest, hearing the sounds of Miroku and Inuyasha locked in combat. She turned, and found them trapped in a fierce duel underneath Goshinboku. It was plain that Miroku was starting to get fatigued by trying to keep up with Inuyasha's pace. His swings of the staff were becoming seconds slower, he was barely able to dodge from Inuyasha's blows, only out of the way by a split second.

Sango instantly released the hidden pop up dagger from her wrist and joined in the fight, Kirara following. Kirara jumped, and pounced on Inuyasha, but was thrown backward with a snarl from the youkai. The nekomata hit a tree with a yelp of pain, and fell to the ground, transforming back into her smaller form.

"Inuyasha!" yelled Sango, as she darted forward, parrying Inuyasha's blows with the dagger, and slashing at him whenever she could. Miroku continued to fight with his staff, and occasionally the sutras. They were able to hold off him off for a while.

But no matter how hard the two humans fought, youkai Inuyasha was stronger. When he gained an opening, Inuyasha slashed at the monk, satisfied when he heard Miroku's cry of pain as he fell to the ground, clutching at his chest. "Houshi-sama!" Sango gasped, glancing back at him lying in the dirt in pain. With a cry of fury, she lunged at Inuyasha, but with his claws strong enough to shatter iron, he swiftly ripped right through the dagger, cutting it off near the hilt. He punched her hard in the stomach, and Sango fell to the ground, beside Miroku.

As Inuyasha chuckled, his red eyes flashing as he looked upon the two humans before him, defenseless against the strike of his claws, Kagome ran into the clearing. She gasped, putting a hand over her mouth as she looked on the scene. Inuyasha…he's really going to finish them off!

She ran up to him. "Inuyasha!" she cried, grabbing on to his shoulders. "Don't do it, Inuyasha! Please, remember who you are! Don't let your youkai side take over!"

With a growl of annoyance, he pushed her aside, Kagome falling down into the dirt. Inuyasha turned away from her, back to the wounded monk and youkai exterminator. I have to try again! Kagome jumped back up, tears forming in her eyes. "Inuyasha," she said, grabbing hold of him once more. "Don't you remember anything? About me, or who you are? Inuyasha, remember! Don't kill them! Please remember! Inuyasha!" A tear rolled down her cheek and fell onto the ground, others threatening to spill as she begged him. Her eyes looked into his, those crimson eyes she had seen so many times. In the cave, she had begun not to notice them, when he started returning to his normal state. But now, they could send shivers up her spine at the coldness they held.

But Kagome's words had no effect. Inuyasha gave a fierce snarl, his eyes flashing red in anger, as he shoved her off harder, Kagome landing hard several feet away. She landed facedown in the grass, her hair spilled over her head, covering up the tears that started to leak as she shook in internal pain. He's really not there anymore…he can't hear me…Inuyasha's completely gone, and he's never coming back this time…

She lifted her head up, wet with her tears, and saw him looming over Sango and Miroku. They were helpless against him, and Kagome knew he wouldn't hesitate to kill her friends. It wasn't supposed to be this way, not like this…This is all my fault! She thought, whimpering as the tears came without stopping. They're going to die all because of me! If I hadn't given in, none of this would have happened!

Kagome felt something stir within her chest. Huh? She looked down. She was glowing slightly. The glow within her was a bright shade of pink. My miko powers! She gasped. They've returned? But…why? She heard a fierce growl and looked back up to Inuyasha.

As her eyes fell upon her former lover, the man she loved, and who had now changed to the man she feared most, Kagome remembered the words of Kikyou, "Because you have created the problem, you have to take responsibility."

A sharp breath caught in Kagome's throat as she recalled the rest of what the miko had said, "You have only one option…"

Kagome let out a soft whisper, tears staining her face, "No, I can't…"

"If he endangered your life, what would you do? What about the lives of your friends? Or the innocent villagers, like the ones he slew mercilessly days ago?"

Kagome lifted her left hand, shaking in her instability. She glanced at the mating scar, remembering his kisses, his love, everything that she knew she could never have now. "Inuyasha, I want to save you, but…"

"Would you endanger them all, to a youkai possibly worse than Naraku, only because you cannot let go of the memory of the one you loved?"

Looking back at Inuyasha, seeing him laugh as Miroku and Sango nearly dodged his blows, she knew none of them would live much longer if this kept up. Inuyasha would kill them all, then return to the village, annihilating them. He would kill everything, never stopping until he was dead. He would only be a youkai of destruction to everything he met, a worse youkai than Naraku.

And this is all because of me…Kagome blinked away a tear, her heart beginning to shatter.

"Because you have created the problem, you have to take responsibility." Kikyou had said. "Would you endanger them all, to a youkai possibly worse than Naraku, only because you cannot let go of the memory of the one you loved?"

Kagome looked up once more at Inuyasha, her friend, her lover, and now her enemy, and made up her mind. She stood up, her eyes full of determination, yet still leaking tears, and began to walk towards him slowly. Memories flooded into her brain, happy memories of Inuyasha--

...She saw the day they first met, with him being sealed by Kikyou's arrow to the tree they were beneath now, Goshinboku. There were so many times he had saved her as time went on,when he hadshown her how he really felt about her, but never said it outloud…

…Their first kiss, though accidental, when she had thought he was dead because of the Numa-eki. That was the first time they had touched lips, and she didn't know then how many others times she would feel the gentleness of his kisses, the warmth of his embrace…

…When they had finally, after so long, became a couple. Inuyasha had said, "Don't say you're sorry, Kagome. Because then, I'll have to say sorry too." And then he had kissed her, and she kissed him back, feeling the complete bliss and being loved by him…

A tear fell from Kagome's eyes as shecontinued towards him, not daring to stop. Inuyasha, I'm sorry!

…She remembered when he was human, and he had asked her what she saw when she thought of the future. "When I look to the future, I only see you." If only that could have been true…

…How long she had waited for Inuyasha to say those three little words, but he never told her until that night, "I love you." He had only said it to her a few times, but each time was enough to warm her heart. "Please Kagome, will you be my mate?" That same night they had made love, giving in to their passions and their desires. One night of love had spawned the worst pain Kagome had ever felt…

Why did that night have to turn out so wrong? Kagome wondered, biting her lip in inner torment as she reached up towards Inuyasha.

…When Inuyasha had been a youkai, at first she had been afraid, but slowly, she knew that he still had his hanyou mind within him. Kagome had known that she could bring him back if she begged hard enough, and she did. She had thought that the nightmare was over, that he was finally back to normal, that they could finally enjoy their love without having to worry anymore…

Her eyes were unable to stem the flow of tears, her heart felt as if it was ripped out of her chest, her hands were unable to stop shaking as she came closer to a confused youkai Inuyasha. Kagome slowly, almost unwillingly, grabbed hold of his arms, drawing her closer into his embrace, one last time.

…How Kagome loved being in Inuyasha's arms, she loved hearing his voice speak softly to her, telling her how much he loved her. And when he kissed her, touched her, and made her feel loved, it was the best feeling she ever had in her life. His kisses still lingered on her lips, she could still feel his arms wrapped around her as he pulled her close. But Inuyasha would never love her like that again…

Inuyasha's crimson eyes stared at her, with confusion on his face. He wanted to swipe her off, but he couldn't. The look of her eyes, so pained and full of tears, was enough to make him keep staring. Inuyasha wondered why at the look of her eyes, he suddenly felt a sinking feeling in his chest.

Kagome started shaking, knowing what she had to do. But she hesitated, just wanting to remember being in his arms once more. She reached up on her toes, whispering to Inuyasha, her heart breaking as she spoke, "Inuyasha, I love you…" More tears erupted from her eyes as she squeezed them shut, "I'm sorry…"

She pressed her lips against his, forcefully, hungrily, wanting that love once more. But it wasn't the same; it wasn't her Inuyasha, it was his youkai form that wouldn't hesitate to kill everyone in sight. A tear transferred from her cheek to his as Kagome kissed him, feeling sadder than she ever had been in her life. Inuyasha! She cried in her mind, as she felt claws dig into her arms, trying to push her off.

And that's when it happened.

In one blast of energy, Kagome ejected all of her miko powers of purification. The clearing was bathed in a soft pink light as her friends gasped, and as she felt Inuyasha shrink back, yelling in pain. The swirling light enveloped them, as Kagome fell on to the ground, eyes leaking tears as she watched his pain. He twitched as the light entered into his body, crying out as it worked its way into his soul.

Kagome looked away, her eyes shut in horror as she heard him cry out, and then go silent, not wanting to look back, until—

"Kagome…" She knew that voice!

Turning abruptly, Kagome saw what she never thought she'd see again, the only one she loved, hanyou Inuyasha, standing in front of her, crimson eyes and purple stripes gone. She gasped, hands over her mouth, and tears in her eyes as she saw him, his hair whipping around while the pink light swirled around him, his amber eyes reflecting only his lover for her. He repeated sweetly, "Kagome…"

Then all went white.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called running towards her in the sunny, flowery meadow, his arms open wide for her form.

Kagome ran into his embrace, as she said, "Inuyasha.", looking up at him once more.

Inuyasha's amber eyes twinkled as he looked upon her, the girl he loved, and he murmured, "Kagome, we're finally together."

Kagome nodded, a wide smile on her face as he told her sweetly, "I love you."

She replied without hesitation, "I love you too, Inuyasha."

Inuyashalowered his head and kissed her, once more, picking her up in his arms and twirling her around, both of them laughing when he put her back down and they broke the kiss.

Looking back in one another's eyes, knowing only their everlasting love, they came together and kissed once more, their passions coursing through their bodies. This kiss was their sweetest, pouring out all of their love for each other within it. It was the kiss of joy, a kiss of relief in their survival after the battle. The kiss that proved, once and for all, that they were meant to be together forever.

The white light instantly faded from Kagome's eyes as she saw Inuyasha, the man she loved, fall slowly to the ground, his white hair fluttering behind him, and land gently on the ground, lifeless.

A/N: Before you assume anything, (or attempt to kill me), read the last chapter.