Disclaimer: Plot is mine, Inuyasha characters are not!
Well, how is everyone? I hope everyones having a great day! I' glad you've made it this far, so please, read on to see what happens, and plus, DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! -pleasent smile-
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Chapter 11
"Father, we did as you asked and killed the human. Inuyasha has never been more angry," Amaya said proudly, standing before him next to Hikari.
"Yes, but what else?" Akakios demanded. No one could keep anything from him.
Hikari suddenly looked a little nervous, "I injured the slayer father."
Akakios looked away from her and to Kikyo who he had summoned to him, "Kikyo...what a pleasant surprise. Come in and take a seat. I've come to the point where I need your assistence."
She glared at him but did as he said, "What is it, Akakios, I have the injured to take care of. Don't waste my time."
He chuckled, "Oh, Kikyo, I wouldn't do that. You're a big part of this."
Kikyo eyed him suspiciously, "And how is that?"
"You'll be responsible for spliting the remaining members of the group apart. Make them go seperate ways."
"Remaining members?" Kikyo questioned in genuine surprise.
Akakios gave her a smile, "My daughters succeeded in killing your reincarnation."
She looked at him in disbelief, "That was your first mistake, Akakios. If you killed her, Inuyasha will not stop until you are dead, and even if you didn't, he will still kill you for trying."
"We'll just let him try, now won't we...are you ready for your instructions?"
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Miroku opened his eyes and sat up, only to see something that greatly disturbed him. Inuyasha was crying over a limp Kagome who he clutched in his arms.
He had never seen something that got to him more, even seeing Sango being hurt as badly as she had been.
This, what he saw before him was not right. This was Inuyasha, the half-demon who showed rarely any emotion other than anger, and now he was sobbing into Kagome's hair.
What was worse than that was that it could only mean one thing, that Kagome was dead. Her skin was turned to a very very light blue, and her eyes were closed.
Miroku stepped closer, whispering, "Inuyasha, is she..."
"Shut up! Just shut up!" His voice was so full of grief, of anguish, of misery, that Miroku stopped in his tracks. This wasn't the Inuyasha he knew, this one was detached.
Inuyasha looked unstable, and Miroku feared he would snap if he came any closer.
'What has happened? Why is Kagome dead? Where are Sango and the others?' A constant flow of questions flooded his mind.
Kagome just couldn't be dead. She was what held them together. Would they fall apart? Would Inuyasha distance himself from the rest of them?
After a long while, there were no longer sounds coming from the half-demon and he barely moved as he said, "They'll all die! I'll kill every bastard that has ever hurt her!"
Miroku flinched at his tone, then watched Inuyasha stand with Kagome craddled in his arms, and start to walk into the trees.
Miroku followed after grabbing Kagome's bag, not to spy, but hoping he was returning to where they had made camp. He didn't know what to say, so he said nothing. Shock had taken over and he felt as if he was in a terrible nightmare.
"Sango?" Miroku urged, wanting to get just a clue if she was alright.
Inuyasha didn't stop but responded with an empty voice, "Fine."
He felt hollow and weak...but, she was his only weakness, wasn't she? He couldn't understand any of it, he couldn't see the point, he couldn't see why it had to happen. How many times had he come so close to losing her? And now, he had, because of himself, because he couldn't protect her. He had never imagined it would hurt so much.
He finally told her he loved her, but it had been too late.
'Kagome...I just...I...I can't be happy without you!'
Because Inuyasha refused to run, they didn't reach the camp until after the sun had risen. Sango was sitting up, eating fish that Kirara must have gone out and caught.
"Inuyasha!" She cried and paying no attention to her injury, got her her feet, stumbling to where Inuyasha held Kagome in his arms, "What happened? Why...how..."
The slayer looked taken aback, shaking her head disbelievingly, as tears came to her eyes.
Shippo ran over to see what was going on, jumping onto Inuyasha's shoulder, "Hey, what's wrong with Kagome?"
The little fox-demon stopped talking, realitly sinking in, "Kagome!"
"She's not going to answer you."
Inuyasha's harshness made Shippo jump into Miroku's arms.
Sango sat, burrying her head in her hands as she sobbed silently in sorrow. Miroku in turn went to her and gave her what support he could.
"Who did it?" Kohaku asked, looking just as unhappy as Shippo, how was trying his hardest not to cry.
'What are we going to do? I can't burry her...I just can't, there's got to be something we can do. There just has to be.'
Inuyasha was going through all the possibilities in his head. He woul not just let this happen, there had to be some way to change what had happened.
Shippo dug through Kagome's bag looking for the tissues she kept in there, but instead of them, his little hands came around the wooden box holding the demon necklace.
"H-hey...what about this..."
Every pair of eyes wet to Shippo, and Miroku's eyes brightened, "Maybe...maybe it might..."
"Out with it monk!" Inuyasha growled, the faintest bit of hope touching his heart.
Miroku grabbed the box and thought back to what he had heard about it, "Inuyasha, this necklace might be able to bring her back...but I don't know..."
Inuyasha refused to speak and took the box quietly in one hand, careful not to drop the lifeless Kagome then turned around to walk back into the woods.
He had to be alone to do this. He couldn't let the others see anything he would do if it worked or didn't work. It had to be him and Kagome, no one else.
The things he might say, the weakness he might show needed to be private, and he knew his friends wouldn't dare follow.
Everything around Inuyasha seemed lifeless, the trees the plants, and even the grass under his feet.
'My Kagome...I've been so stupid...for so long, I thought I loved Kikyo, but, I never felt like this about her. I never felt the things I do now with you when I looked at Kikyo. I was so blind and weak!'
He remembered the time Kagome had caught him with Kikyo in Inuyasha's Forrest, and ran home crying, but she had come back, and even though she knew at the time he had chosen Kikyo, she had asked to stay with him. She had said the one thing her and Kikyo had in common were their desire to be with him, with Inuyasha.
In a patch of thick grass, Inuyasha sat with kagome still pulled tightly against him.
In his hands, Inuyasha held the most precious item he had ever had.
If it worked, he would take back calling it ugly, he would take back so many things, and he would ask Kagome to be his mate.
Inuyasha lifted her up and slowly drapped the necklace around her frighteningly pale neck. For only a second, it glowed a pure white, then went back to normal.
He waited and he prayed it would work, holding her as tight as he possibly could, 'Please, Kagome...please come back to me...'
Without any warning, kagome took in a deep breath of air, gasping and clinging to Inuyasha, who called to her, "Kagome! Your alright! I'm here with you...I won't ever leave you...please don't ever leave me again..."
Kagome shrunk into him, drawing in his warmth, feeling so cold, but his body slowly and surely warmed her and she started to breath more slowly, 'But...I was dead...'
Around her neck she felt the heaviness of stones and knew what had happened. She really had died, but Inuyasha had brought her back using the necklace...
He way he was looking at her made her blush. He was holding her tightly, but it didn't bother her, because he was making her warm again.
"Inuyasha...I was so afraid! I was so afraid you'd be alone! I love you Inuyasha, and I want to be with you!"
He was shocked by her out-burst, but it warmed his heart that had been colder in the last few hours than it had ever been., "Kagome...I'm so happy you're alive..."
He hugged her again, and was squeezed back, then they kissed, both of their scences being overwhelmed by eachother, and as they kissed, Inuyasha was glad he had made the decision to go by himself.
Kagome felt so comfortable in Inuyasha's lap, so safe, and was so glad she hadn't died. They had an journey to finish, and Kagome would finish it along side her friends.
"Kagome..." Inuyasha whispered breathlessly in her ear, his voice sounding strained.
She snuggled against him as she lifted her chin so her eyes were on his, "What is it Inuyasha? What's wrong?"
Something be wrong? No, Inuyasha didn't think anything could be more perfect, he just wasn't he could control himself if they kept kissing the way they were. It was hard enough what she looked at him innocently the way she was.
"Nothings wrong, not anymore. Kagome...will you stay here with me? I know you'd have to leave your family and friends in your time but...I just...you died Kagome, and I felt like I was dying too. I want..."
Inuyasha listened to himself talk, listened to himself try to explain, and let himself be open with Kagome, "...its hard to tell you this, because I'm not used to it, but I learned that I can't live without you...and..."
Kagome looked up at him, so far hiding her surprise that he was being so open. No doubt he'd turn grouchy again later, "Inuyasha, I-"
Inuyasha talked mentaly to himself, 'You swore you'd do it, you swore you'd ask her...'
"Wait! I have to do this!" Inuyasha yelled at her as he brought her with him as he stood, making sure she was steady on her feet before turning away from her to hide his face, "Kagome, if you want to...would you...be my mate?"
Kagome was shocked to say the least, not believing he had really asked her without her pushing him. He turned to see that look and started walking away, saying, "Nevermind, just forget it, it was stupid."
Kagome walked after him on her own, her ankle having been healed also by the necklace, "Inuyasha, wait! Don't you want an answer?"
He paused, startled that for once, she was the one yelling after him.
A blush crept over Kagome's cheeks as she stared at Inuyasha, who she loved like no one else, and walked ahead of him to stand facing him, "Inuyasha, I've told you before that I can't live without you. It was always you that was holding back or following Kikyo. But that doesn't matter anymore, because I love you Inuyasha, and I want to stay with you forever."
'Is she serious? Does she really want to be my mate?' Inuyasha wondered astonished.
He crushed her against himself again and kissed her hard, happier than he had ever been in his whole life.
Pulling away to look at him, she smiled and rested her cheek against his shoulder. She knew she would have to say goodbye to Mama, Sota, and Gramps, but, this was where she belonged, right here in Inuyasha's arms.
"Hey, lets get back. The others will be glad you're alright," Inuyasha declared while helping her onto his back, although he wanted to keep her to himself for a little while longer. She needed to rest though, because they had to leave the next day. Inuyasha had a score to settle.
"Miroku and Sango are ok then?" Kagome questioned, also sad to be going back.
"Yeah their fine."
Kagome's heart was warm and happy, thrilled that Inuyasha really did love her, "Are we going to tell them about us?"
"After all of this is over, yes, but until then, we have to stay focused, or you'll get killed again and there will be nothing to bring you back."
Just thinking about the possibility made Inuyasha go cold.
'I owe the runt,' Inuyasha thought about Shippo, 'I don't think I would have thought of the necklace if it wasn't for him.'
"What do you mean, 'stay focused'?"
"I mean no doing what we just did of course. I'm not loosing you again!" Inuyasha yelled as if she was out of her mind.
"Fine, if that's the way you want it," Kagome sighed, knowing he would regret it, and wasn't in the mood to argue with him for once.
"What does that mean?" Inuyasha snapped.
Resting her head against his back as he ran, Kagome let out a sigh, "There's no need to get mad at ME. It was YOUR idea."
"Feh," Replied the now grouchy Inuyasha, "Whatever."
'It doesn't matter. He's being that way to make up for whatever he said or did when I died. The rest of us will definatly get mad at him these next few days...' Kagome thought but smiled inwardly.
Yes, it would be hard for her to leave her family in her time, but now she could continue her life with Inuyasha, where she needed to be. She would never be happy without Inuyasha in her life, and knew that.
Finally, after so long, she knew he truely did love her.
Finally, he had admitted he wanted her to stay with him and be his mate.
Kagome felt tired and weak, but she was happy...
Inuyasha walked out of the trees with Kagome on his back. He had decided to walk once she had fallen to sleep, her expression soft and for once in a long while, peaceful.
All eyes came to Inuyasha, who wasn't smiling, and Miroku pulled Sango with him as he stepped back, taking that as a sign it hadn't worked and not so sure what Inuyasha might do.
"Inuyasha..." Sango stepped forward pleadingly as if begging him to tell her it was alright.
Softly and gently, Inuyasha brought Kagome around so she was craddled in his arms, then he told Sango, "She's asleep."
Everyone seemed to sigh at the same time, like they had finally been given breath.
"Do you know what that means, Inuyasha? Kagome now has a lifespan close to as long as yours. She can't live in her time anymore."
Inuyasha shrugged as he sat down with Kagome safely in his lap, "I know, we already talked about it...Sango, how are you?"
The demon exterminator looked surprised by his concern at first then smiled and said, "I've been better, Inuyasha, but thank you for asking."
Inuyasha was looking down at Kagome already, completely content to let her rest, but Shippo came walking over then reached out as if to touch Kagome, then Inuyasha growled, "You better not wake her up."
Shippo drew his hand back, not wanting to wake her up, although she seemed to be sleeping soundly.
Sango looked at Inuyasha and Kagome and couldn't help but smile. Her friend was alive, and it looked like she had finally gotten the one thing, the one person she had always wanted.
'We've all lived another day...' Sango thought to herself.
"Sango, you have today to rest then we're leaving tomorrow."
She nodded at Inuyasha in responce to his gruff comand, not holding it against him. She was sure he was still upset about Kagome having died, and why wouldn't he? He loved Kagome which even Miroku couldn't help but see.
Inuyasha glared at all of them, feeling their gazes on him. So what if he was holding Kagome? So what if he was staring at her?
'Its not like its their business. Kagome's agreed to be my mate. That's all that matters,' Inuyasha said grudgingly to himself and resumed keeping watch over her sleeping form, 'I'll kill those demons for hurting you, Kagome...they won't ever hurt you again.'
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Well, what did you think? Did you REALLY think I would kill her? Come on now, all that earlier fluff for nothing? I don't think so!
Not to mention, I'm a sucker for happy endings. Sad ending just depress me.
I would really like reviews!