This was it this was the final battle; all the years of scouring the dangerous country side of feudal Japan has trained us and strengthened us for this very moment in history. The same history that would be lost to the humans and only told through drastically mutated stories to scare little children into obedience. The final battle with Naraku, every one who had ever fell victim to Naraku's cruelty and devious plots for the Shikon jewel arrived to take part in his down fall. Even the great Taiyoukai of the western lands Lord Sesshomaru came forth.

Koga busied himself with Kagura and Ayame, despite Koga's rude behavior and resentment, stood by his side and helped where she could. Even Kikyo showed, her first victim had been Kana and she fell easy enough; though her only means of defense was a simple mirror that could steal ones soul it could not stand up to the strength of the dead miko's purifying powers. Sango fought her younger brother Kohaku, who had fallen under Naraku's control so many years ago. Miroku was fending off one of Naraku's newest creations, he called himself Kotaro and Kilala helped him. Shippo was left in the sanctuary of the forest along with Sesshomaru's ward Rin, his vassal Jaken and his two-headed dragon AwUn.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru took turns fighting Naraku; actually more like pushed each other out of the way so that they could fight him; just as they had done against Sounga. And that left me Kagome Higurashi, your not so average 18-year-old high school graduate. I stood there in the center of the courtyard with my bow drawn tight and my aim trying to find an opening to pierce through Narakus rotting heart and where the remain shards of the Shikon jewel lay. Koga had given me his remaining jewel shards, saying that he no longer needed them. I was most proud of him at that moment, as he handed me the shards and I realized just how brave he actually was and noble, always the noble one.

Focusing on my goal at hand, I watched Naraku intently focusing all my sense on my one target, which turned to big the biggest mistake I could have ever made in my short, pathetic human life. An incredible, forceful pain shot through my body, blinding me, making me loose my focus and let go of my arrow. I watched in Horror as silent tears of pain washed down my face as my arrow, glowing brilliantly with my purifying powers flying towards Inuyasha. Thankful to every god in existence Sesshomaru noticed the arrow and managed to pull Inuyasha out of the way just as it flew past his ear and straight into Narakus' heart. There was an explosion of light as Narakus' body faded into nothing and the Shikon no Tama was ripped from his heart, Kotaro burst into blue flames turning into dust and blowing away in the wind. Kagura, taken by surprise at Naraku's demise let down her guard for just a moment leaving Koga with his only chance and he took it, killing Kagura quickly and painlessly.

My legs grew week, I feel to my knees, looking down at the pain I noticed it was an arrow. My body convulsed around it, I quickly bite my lip to keep from screaming… it just hurt so bad, I had never felt anything like it. I looked over my shoulder at Kikyo, who stood there like a beacon glowing softly as dust or fog pooled around her, she seemed like a goddess or some unknown guardian but I knew she wasn't. She held another arrow back tightly then let go of it, the arrow hit its mark just above the first arrow. Another wave of nauseous pain swept through me, blood filled my mouth and dripped from the corner of my lips warm and metallic at that moment I through up. The acid burning my throat, adding to my suffering, turning away from Kikyo, I heard Inuyasha growl softly looking towards him I saw him touch his white ear, that was covered in blood.

"What the hell," he growled, "Kagome!" he shouted at me angrily. I felt hurt that he would be so made at me while I was suffering but he hadn't turned to look at me but then he did. His features turned from anger to worry and in fear in less then a millisecond, and he was at my side even quicker. "What happened?" He asked desperately. I tried to tell him that I was ok, but I wasn't able to form my words, they were caught in my burning throat, locked away. He looked over my wounds and when he saw the arrows protruding from my stomach realization light his eyes and he knew, I tried to tell him no, that I was alright it wasn't her fault, I should have been more careful, but it seemed stupid and senseless, it was her fault, all of it was. Kikyo, just as I thought her name, Inuyasha shouted it, but it was different it wasn't pleading or in anguish it was anger, unrelenting and pure. I looked over at her, watching as she looked at Inuyasha coldly and hitched another arrow pointing it at Inuyasha or was she pointing it at me again? I couldn't tell, my vision was blurring with unshed tears; I was in so much pain I couldn't cry.

Then quicker then lighting there was a flash of silver and Kikyo turned back to grave soil and clay, which she had been reborn from and there stood Sesshomaru pristine and arrogant, Tenseiga drawn and glowing softly. "Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha asked. The Demon lord simply looked at him blankly, his eyes drifted to Inuyasha then myself, we looked at each other for a few moments and I could tell, even through my tear filled eyes, that something about him had changed…maybe he had grown my respect for Inuyasha or maybe all of us but my concentration was lost as another wave of blinding pain rippled through my body. I closed my eyes, breaking the connection between us, I bite my lip once more but entirely against my wishes a small pathetic moan of pain left my lips. I could feel Inuyasha wrap his warm arms around me; oddly it gave me some comfort from the pain.

"Tenseiga." He replied simply to Inuyasha. Hearing his voice I was only to open one eye as I looked at him, the tears had gone from the vision finally flowing freely down my cheeks. He quickly sheathed his sword and without another word or more of an explanation he turned and left, so Sesshomaru like, always the cold, uncaring Demon Lord, but I knew there was something more. Feeling weak and tired I turned towards Inuyasha, leaning my head against his shoulder and in turn he held me tighter; feeling an odd pull I looked down at the ground and there was the Shikon Jewel waiting patiently for me.

"Inuyasha," I managed to whisper, with that I had his complete attention.

"Kagome, what is it?" He asked, it was nice to hear him say my name…odd that I would think of something so stupid at an important junction like this.

"The, jewel." I managed to say as I began coughing up blood, the action causing the pain in my stomach to worsen as the muscles tightened around the arrows. Worry creased his brow as he grabbed the Jewel and handed it to me, I managed to stop coughing and grab the jewel. "Can you, get the other, shards?" I asked pausing as I tried to fight the pain away.

"Yeah." Inuyasha replied softly, his ears flattening against his head; his bleeding ear staining the rest of his hair.

"I'm sorry, your ear, I'm sorry." I commented off handedly as he grabbed the jewel shards.

"It's nothing don't worry, here." He told me as he handed me the shards. I put the shards into the rest of the jewel, I soft pinkish light emitted from the jewel and it was once more whole. I looked down at the jewel, knowing what I had to do, what had to be done; a wish, a wish needed to be made… but what? What should I wish for, what needed to be wished for? Should I even make the wish, or should Inuyasha or maybe Sango or Miroku, what about Shippo? I looked away from the jewel to Inuyasha who was looking at the completed jewel but then he turned to look at me, I must have had questioning eyes for he looked at me and seemed to understand something.

"You make the wish Kagome, you're the only one pure enough to make it and not corrupt the jewel." Inuyasha told me, but it seemed that wasn't the real reason why he wanted me to make the wish. I focused my attention back on the jewel, it was warm in my hands and I could feel its powering washing over my in gentle waves, I wondered if Inuyasha could feel it as well. My mind began swirling with wishes, should I wish for Inuyasha to become fool demon? Should I wish for him to become human or maybe I should wish for Kikyo to be alive once more? Should I wish for Sango's brother and village to be resurrected or maybe just Kohaku? What about Shippo? Should I wish for his parents to come back or maybe Mirokus father to come back? Or even Sesshomaru should I wish for him to have his arm back? What about myself? Could I wish for myself or would that make the Shikon jewel become tainted black again? No! I had it the perfect wish, for every one!
"I wish," I began but my words caught in my throat; Inuyasha waited intently his golden eyes swirling viciously as he watched me. All of a sudden I became so weak, I couldn't hold myself any more, I fell completely limp in Inuyasha's arms. I could feel a heavy weight pressing against my chest and I became extremely cold, I had never been so cold in my life and tired I felt so tired. I just wanted to sleep, my heart fastened but my breathing slowed I could hear Inuyasha calling to me but for the life of me I couldn't answer him, but I knew what he wanted he wanted me to make the wish…didn't he? Or maybe he wanted something else, I couldn't tell so with my last bits of strength I made the wish.

"I wish, for every ones wish."

I was in darkness, complete darkness and I was falling, it felt as If I had been falling forever a sort of Alice in wonderland feeling came over me, I wasn't sad or scared, I didn't feel lonely or angry I just, was…no emotions no pain nothing, I was as empty as the darkness around me. I knew I was dead and there was nothing I could do, I was nothing. I didn't matter any more. Some where a light flickered, kind of like lightening, since I didn't have any plans I went towards it, I don't know how I went towards it I just knew I was getting closer to it, it was a very curious feeling. When I reached it I stepped into the light and come out I was standing on the battle field, I saw every one standing there Miroku next to Sango, who was down on her knees holding onto Kohaku tightly tears streaming down her face. Looking around I saw Inuyasha standing somberly, looking at the ground at two bloody arrows, looking down at myself I noticed that I was healed, and that those were my arrows or well the arrows that Kikyo had killed me with. His ear seemed to have stopped bleeding, all the red in his hair looked awkward and I decided that Inuyasha would not make a good red head. His Fire rat Haori was covered in a darker shade of red and I realized it was my blood; a shiver went up my spine. There beside Inuyasha was my little Shippo, not a single tear in his eyes as he stared mournfully at the arrows, he was being so strong I was so proud of him at that moment prouder then I ever could be. I didn't understand why I was there, I shouldn't have been there…It didn't seem right, it seemed like a cruel joke to be back here seeing ever one happy when I myself was dead. Not able to take it any more I turned to leave, a strong wind whipped through the battleground stirring up dust and other bits of debris, I continued on my way when I heard a deep penetrating growl. It was something I had never heard before, turning around I noticed it came from Inuyasha, it was so feral and primitive; a wave of fear swept through me. Then his eyes turned from the arrows straight at me, they pierced through my soul, burning me it seemed making me freeze. Then he took a few steps toward me, I was wondering why it was possible he could see me I was dead; you weren't suppose to see the dead…were you?

"AND where the HELL do you think YOU'RE going?" he demanded a deep scowl on his face and I was scared, but I noticed there was a hint of a wry smile that he was trying desperately to hide.

"Umm," I stumbled with my words not sure what exactly to say.

"Umm? Where the HELL is Umm?" He growled, still trying to hide to smile on his face at seeing her alive.

" I don't know, how can you see me? I'm supposed to be dead! Aren't I?" I asked him desperately.
"Kagome!" Shippo squealed as he ran towards her as fast as his little fox legs would let him as he came near he jumped towards me and just as he was about to land in my arms he was stopped abruptly in mid air. Looking for what had stopped him he saw Inuyasha holding his tail, and the dog demon wasn't even looking at him he just kept his eyes on me, a weird dreamy look in them. Before Shippo could protest Inuyasha dropped him to the ground and hugged me as tightly as he could without killing me.

"Not if I don't want you to be." He whispered to me softly.

"I don't understand." I told him as I hugged him in return, hoping he would never let go of me again.

"You wished for every ones wish to come true. My only wish was for you."

THE END!