Disclaimer: Yada yada yada. . . no
If You Only Knew: Chapter 11
A soft breeze played across his face, bringing the answer straight to his senses. 'Kikyou. . .' Then the tainted bitterness of the wind etched a hole into his heart the second he also recognized what was happening. "Kagome!" He grounded and ran full speed to the well. A little ways away, he could make out the figure of Kikyou walking towards Kagome's fallen one, another arrow in the notch of her bow.
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Kagome felt her chest tighten painfully with each desperate breath. One arm held her up from the ground, while her other hand rested around the shaft of the arrow as she attempted to stop the blood flow. Her abdomen burned, and she gulped for air, which had been knocked out of her by the attack. She looked up at the dead miko, who was approaching her. With forced breath, she asked simply, "Why?"
Kikyou stepped before the girl who showed no fear still, even with the arrow protruding from her stomach. She reached down into Kagome's shirt and pulled out the nearly complete Shikon no Tama. "You should've stayed in your own time. You don't belong here, so I'm removing you from my way. And you won't be needing the jewel anymore." She took a shard from inside her kimono and formed the now complete Shikon no Tama.
Kagome gasped, "Where. . . where did you. . . get that shard?" It hurt to talk, but the truth hurt more. She had to have taken it from Kohaku. 'Oh, Sango!'
"I paid a visit to my sister's home. I knew the last shard resided in that brat Naraku used all that time. Your friends didn't put up much of a fight, however." Kikyou smirked at her, determined to crush her in every way. "Now that I have the complete jewel again, I will destroy it." She backed up a couple feet and readied her bow. "You never were anything more than my duplicate. A pathetic copy. How dare you think you could have Inuyasha's heart, when it belongs to me. Now die."
Inuyasha saw Kikyou draw her bow, and he took the last leap into the clearing. "Kikyou!"
The dead miko turned her attention briefly to the hanyou. "I'm making sure nothing else gets in our way, Inuyasha. It is time for you to keep your promise to me."
"No." Both Inuyasha's and Kikyou's attention turned back to Kagome. "You cannot. . . take him. . . to hell. I . . ." She forced herself to stand, taking slow deep breaths. "I will not let you. Let him go. He was given a second chance at life. . ." She looked at him and then back at Kikyou. "And at love."
Inuyasha watched Kagome stand up against Kikyou, even in her condition, and felt slight admiration in her determination. What took him aback more was the last part. 'Did she just say she loved me?'
"He belongs to me!" Kikyou let her second arrow fly, piercing Kagome in the right side of her chest, near the shoulder, throwing her back on the ground.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha, while holding his chest as he too felt the shot, ran to her side as she was trying to stand again. "Kagome! Stop moving! You're making yourself bleed heavier." He pushed her back down, although gently. She could barely talk, but whispered, "Inu. . . Yasha. . . sorry. . . so sorry." A coughing fit hit her and he panicked. 'Shit! What am I supposed to do?' He heard the twang of the bow as another arrow came whizzing towards Kagome. Reflexively, he knocked it out the air. Turning around, he faced the assailant.
"Kikyou. Why?" He growled and his voice got louder with each word. "Why did you hurt her? She had nothing to do with this!" Inuyasha was surprised to find he could probably rip her apart at that very moment with no remorse. (Gee, didn't we have a clue?:)
Kikyou held out her hand, which contained the jewel. "Come with me now, Inuyasha. I have the jewel. We can be together now without anyone getting in our way."
Inuyasha saw the complete Shikon no Tama right there before his eyes, but his desire was not to have it. He wanted to settle this and get Kagome to Kaede before she got any worse. He glanced back at her. She was still lying on the ground, though conscious, and breathing raggedly. "I will not go with you. I no longer owe you anything. My duty to you is done. Naraku is dead."
She readied another arrow. "You dare betray me again? For my reincarnation? Then so be it. Die Inuyasha!" Kikyou drew her bow.
Inuyasha didn't have time to brace himself. She let go of the arrow, its tip glowing with the purple hue, and he watched it in seemingly slow motion. Suddenly, Kagome was in front of him and a blast of lavender surrounded them, blinding him momentarily.
Kagome saw that Kikyou now aimed to kill him. She wouldn't let her take his life, not while she was still alive. She mustered her strength to get in front of him. Where the energy came from, she had no idea, but she managed to form a protective shield that reflected the arrow. It disintegrated into the air, and a powerful beam shot out and hit Kikyou, causing her to scream out. She faded away until nothing but a kimono with earth and bones remained. Her last word was his name. One soft whisper upon his ears.
When the glow faded, Kagome collapsed into his arms and white balls of light rushed into her body. He looked before them to see the remains of the miko. 'Kikyou. Rest peacefully.' The Shikon no Tama rolled by his feet, but he didn't bother to pick it up. His attention switched back to Kagome.
"Inu. . ." She tried to keep her eyes open. It felt as if all her energy was drained from her body.
"Stupid girl. Don't talk and save your strength." He didn't know what to do, because he was afraid to move her for fear of excessive blood loss. She really shouldn't have been awake, but with his own blood flowing through her, she could hold on that much longer. Here he was, holding her in his arms again, bleeding and wounded. His heart tore to see her face contort in pain.
"I killed her. I'm. . . sorry." Kagome knew he'd be upset, even if she was protecting him.
"It doesn't matter. Shut up and stop moving for a minute." He laid her down and kneeled at her side. "I have break the shafts, but I'm leaving the rest in to try and keep you from bleeding too much." Kagome nodded, and he did as he said he would.
She could hardly feel her body anymore, so she barely flinched as he broke the two arrows. She knew she didn't have a lot of time. Kagome found her voice, though it was barely audible. "Inuyasha. Thank you."
"For what? I said stop. . ." She put her finger to his lips and smiled.
"For everything. This whole experience was the best thing to ever happen to me." She shifted so she could sit up. "Find happiness Inuyasha. You deserve to be happy. Use the Shikon no Tama and become a full demon, or whatever is in your heart."
"Stop talking stupid! You act like you're dying or something!" He pulled her into his lap so she wouldn't have to strain to keep herself up. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to his chest. 'I can't let her die.' He felt her small hands reach up around his neck. "Wha. . ."
Kagome slipped her fingers around the subduing necklace.
His hand clasped over hers. "What are you doing?"
"Taking off the necklace."
Inuyasha shook his head.
"Don't you want it off? You hate this thing."
He removed her hands from the chain. "I've kind of gotten used to it."
Kagome smiled but another coughing fit overtook her body. His arms tightened around her. She could taste the blood in her mouth, and her head was spinning. She knew she should be scared, but she wasn't as long as he was here with her. Her eyes were drifting closed, and she was losing the battle of keeping alert.
Inuyasha saw her eyes fluttering shut and it felt like a hand took hold of his heart and squeezed. "Kagome? Kagome, you have to stay awake!" He shook her lightly. "You have to hold on." He started to stand. "I have to get her back to the village.' He grabbed the jewel and started running as fast as he could.
She forced her eyes open. "Inuyasha." Tears began to fall down her face.
He saw the tears and stopped at her statement of his name. The faraway look in her eyes frightened him. He couldn't admit that she was dying. He wouldn't come to terms with it. There was no limit on how far he'd go to stop it from happening. But here she was, struggling to breathe and keep consciousness. It was tearing him apart inside. He wanted to kill Kikyou twenty times over.
She smiled at him. The worry was clear in his features, and she wished she could see him smile, just once. "Take care. . . of our friends. I should've told you. . . I never got . . . the chance. I love. . .you."
He couldn't believe his ears. She'd said she loved him! He wanted to respond, and he'd meant to, but she started convulsing. "Kagome!" He dropped to his knees with her against his chest and his arms wove tight around her. He held on to her until he felt it stop. When he looked at her face, her eyes were closed and her breathing had stopped. Inuyasha crushed her back against him and let out a soul-chilling howl. It didn't matter who saw, nor did he care about being weak. He let tears that hadn't been shed since he was a young pup fall.
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(a/n) THIS IS NOT THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A cliffhanger, but not the end, I promise! R&R! By the way, if I could get more reviews that would be cool. They've gotten fewer as the chapters went on. I really tried not to bore you guys! Poor Inuyasha! I feel so bad, but I will make him smile! If only one time, it will happen!
If You Only Knew: Chapter 11
A soft breeze played across his face, bringing the answer straight to his senses. 'Kikyou. . .' Then the tainted bitterness of the wind etched a hole into his heart the second he also recognized what was happening. "Kagome!" He grounded and ran full speed to the well. A little ways away, he could make out the figure of Kikyou walking towards Kagome's fallen one, another arrow in the notch of her bow.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kagome felt her chest tighten painfully with each desperate breath. One arm held her up from the ground, while her other hand rested around the shaft of the arrow as she attempted to stop the blood flow. Her abdomen burned, and she gulped for air, which had been knocked out of her by the attack. She looked up at the dead miko, who was approaching her. With forced breath, she asked simply, "Why?"
Kikyou stepped before the girl who showed no fear still, even with the arrow protruding from her stomach. She reached down into Kagome's shirt and pulled out the nearly complete Shikon no Tama. "You should've stayed in your own time. You don't belong here, so I'm removing you from my way. And you won't be needing the jewel anymore." She took a shard from inside her kimono and formed the now complete Shikon no Tama.
Kagome gasped, "Where. . . where did you. . . get that shard?" It hurt to talk, but the truth hurt more. She had to have taken it from Kohaku. 'Oh, Sango!'
"I paid a visit to my sister's home. I knew the last shard resided in that brat Naraku used all that time. Your friends didn't put up much of a fight, however." Kikyou smirked at her, determined to crush her in every way. "Now that I have the complete jewel again, I will destroy it." She backed up a couple feet and readied her bow. "You never were anything more than my duplicate. A pathetic copy. How dare you think you could have Inuyasha's heart, when it belongs to me. Now die."
Inuyasha saw Kikyou draw her bow, and he took the last leap into the clearing. "Kikyou!"
The dead miko turned her attention briefly to the hanyou. "I'm making sure nothing else gets in our way, Inuyasha. It is time for you to keep your promise to me."
"No." Both Inuyasha's and Kikyou's attention turned back to Kagome. "You cannot. . . take him. . . to hell. I . . ." She forced herself to stand, taking slow deep breaths. "I will not let you. Let him go. He was given a second chance at life. . ." She looked at him and then back at Kikyou. "And at love."
Inuyasha watched Kagome stand up against Kikyou, even in her condition, and felt slight admiration in her determination. What took him aback more was the last part. 'Did she just say she loved me?'
"He belongs to me!" Kikyou let her second arrow fly, piercing Kagome in the right side of her chest, near the shoulder, throwing her back on the ground.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha, while holding his chest as he too felt the shot, ran to her side as she was trying to stand again. "Kagome! Stop moving! You're making yourself bleed heavier." He pushed her back down, although gently. She could barely talk, but whispered, "Inu. . . Yasha. . . sorry. . . so sorry." A coughing fit hit her and he panicked. 'Shit! What am I supposed to do?' He heard the twang of the bow as another arrow came whizzing towards Kagome. Reflexively, he knocked it out the air. Turning around, he faced the assailant.
"Kikyou. Why?" He growled and his voice got louder with each word. "Why did you hurt her? She had nothing to do with this!" Inuyasha was surprised to find he could probably rip her apart at that very moment with no remorse. (Gee, didn't we have a clue?:)
Kikyou held out her hand, which contained the jewel. "Come with me now, Inuyasha. I have the jewel. We can be together now without anyone getting in our way."
Inuyasha saw the complete Shikon no Tama right there before his eyes, but his desire was not to have it. He wanted to settle this and get Kagome to Kaede before she got any worse. He glanced back at her. She was still lying on the ground, though conscious, and breathing raggedly. "I will not go with you. I no longer owe you anything. My duty to you is done. Naraku is dead."
She readied another arrow. "You dare betray me again? For my reincarnation? Then so be it. Die Inuyasha!" Kikyou drew her bow.
Inuyasha didn't have time to brace himself. She let go of the arrow, its tip glowing with the purple hue, and he watched it in seemingly slow motion. Suddenly, Kagome was in front of him and a blast of lavender surrounded them, blinding him momentarily.
Kagome saw that Kikyou now aimed to kill him. She wouldn't let her take his life, not while she was still alive. She mustered her strength to get in front of him. Where the energy came from, she had no idea, but she managed to form a protective shield that reflected the arrow. It disintegrated into the air, and a powerful beam shot out and hit Kikyou, causing her to scream out. She faded away until nothing but a kimono with earth and bones remained. Her last word was his name. One soft whisper upon his ears.
When the glow faded, Kagome collapsed into his arms and white balls of light rushed into her body. He looked before them to see the remains of the miko. 'Kikyou. Rest peacefully.' The Shikon no Tama rolled by his feet, but he didn't bother to pick it up. His attention switched back to Kagome.
"Inu. . ." She tried to keep her eyes open. It felt as if all her energy was drained from her body.
"Stupid girl. Don't talk and save your strength." He didn't know what to do, because he was afraid to move her for fear of excessive blood loss. She really shouldn't have been awake, but with his own blood flowing through her, she could hold on that much longer. Here he was, holding her in his arms again, bleeding and wounded. His heart tore to see her face contort in pain.
"I killed her. I'm. . . sorry." Kagome knew he'd be upset, even if she was protecting him.
"It doesn't matter. Shut up and stop moving for a minute." He laid her down and kneeled at her side. "I have break the shafts, but I'm leaving the rest in to try and keep you from bleeding too much." Kagome nodded, and he did as he said he would.
She could hardly feel her body anymore, so she barely flinched as he broke the two arrows. She knew she didn't have a lot of time. Kagome found her voice, though it was barely audible. "Inuyasha. Thank you."
"For what? I said stop. . ." She put her finger to his lips and smiled.
"For everything. This whole experience was the best thing to ever happen to me." She shifted so she could sit up. "Find happiness Inuyasha. You deserve to be happy. Use the Shikon no Tama and become a full demon, or whatever is in your heart."
"Stop talking stupid! You act like you're dying or something!" He pulled her into his lap so she wouldn't have to strain to keep herself up. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her waist and held her to his chest. 'I can't let her die.' He felt her small hands reach up around his neck. "Wha. . ."
Kagome slipped her fingers around the subduing necklace.
His hand clasped over hers. "What are you doing?"
"Taking off the necklace."
Inuyasha shook his head.
"Don't you want it off? You hate this thing."
He removed her hands from the chain. "I've kind of gotten used to it."
Kagome smiled but another coughing fit overtook her body. His arms tightened around her. She could taste the blood in her mouth, and her head was spinning. She knew she should be scared, but she wasn't as long as he was here with her. Her eyes were drifting closed, and she was losing the battle of keeping alert.
Inuyasha saw her eyes fluttering shut and it felt like a hand took hold of his heart and squeezed. "Kagome? Kagome, you have to stay awake!" He shook her lightly. "You have to hold on." He started to stand. "I have to get her back to the village.' He grabbed the jewel and started running as fast as he could.
She forced her eyes open. "Inuyasha." Tears began to fall down her face.
He saw the tears and stopped at her statement of his name. The faraway look in her eyes frightened him. He couldn't admit that she was dying. He wouldn't come to terms with it. There was no limit on how far he'd go to stop it from happening. But here she was, struggling to breathe and keep consciousness. It was tearing him apart inside. He wanted to kill Kikyou twenty times over.
She smiled at him. The worry was clear in his features, and she wished she could see him smile, just once. "Take care. . . of our friends. I should've told you. . . I never got . . . the chance. I love. . .you."
He couldn't believe his ears. She'd said she loved him! He wanted to respond, and he'd meant to, but she started convulsing. "Kagome!" He dropped to his knees with her against his chest and his arms wove tight around her. He held on to her until he felt it stop. When he looked at her face, her eyes were closed and her breathing had stopped. Inuyasha crushed her back against him and let out a soul-chilling howl. It didn't matter who saw, nor did he care about being weak. He let tears that hadn't been shed since he was a young pup fall.
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(a/n) THIS IS NOT THE END!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A cliffhanger, but not the end, I promise! R&R! By the way, if I could get more reviews that would be cool. They've gotten fewer as the chapters went on. I really tried not to bore you guys! Poor Inuyasha! I feel so bad, but I will make him smile! If only one time, it will happen!