"Father forgive me, I tried not to do it
Turned over a new leaf and tore right through it."
It's a Sin (The Cruxshadows)

When the Fog Lifts

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Stressed
He had been standing the shadows as he watched the scene replay in his mind. There she had been in the darkness kissing him. She molded to his body and he wondered if they would ever look that right. His silver hair danced around her as he moved his lips against her. Kuronue had heard the soft promise she made to him. It stung him that she would do that…to him. She had sworn that she wouldn't do that to him. He didn't fully believe her and he knew he was right. It hurt him to be right about this.

His indigo eyes reflected the pain he felt about this. Kuronue hated that hanyou for coming back and ruining his chance with her. The hate he felt caused his eyes to flash crimson. He watched her body crumple to the floor as the blood pooled around her. Panic flashed through him as he stepped out of the shadows. He heard the words he whispered to his Miko and knew that they were bull. She wasn't helping him by dying because her death was tearing at him. The thought of her wanting to die tore at him. Inuyasha stood up and stared down at the Miko.

"I will drag us both to hell," Inuyasha promised as he stared down at her.

Inuyasha chuckled and turned his gaze to Kuronue. He smirked when he saw the bat's conflicted emotions. It would work because his emotions were weak. Emotions were the downfall to everything. It had led the Miko to her downfall and now it would lead the bat to his downfall.

"How does it feel?" Inuyasha sneered as he gazed at the youkai.

Kuronue stepped out of the shadows and decided to hate the hanyou. It was the easiest thing to do at this point. His eyes darkened as crimson leaked into the whiteness of his eyes. Inuyasha smirked as he watched the rage consume the youkai.

"Get away from her," Kuronue growled.

"Does it hurt?" Inuyasha jeered with a scowl.

"Leave her!" Kuronue growled as he prepared to attack.

"It must hurt to know that she would rather die with me then live with you," Inuyasha taunted.

Kuronue tensed and felt the truth. It did hurt to know that she was still lost in the past. Kuronue looked down at her form and met her orbs. She was watching him with a dazed look. Regret was the emotion that was in her eyes. Kuronue wondered what she regretted as she gazed at him.

"It does hurt," Kuronue admitted as guilt leaked into her scent.

"You should just let her die. We all died long ago," Inuyasha stated.

"She lived," Kuronue pointed out.

"She died the day I day died. We are already dead and do not belong here. You are the one that also doesn't belong in our world," Inuyasha explained. "You have no place with her when is destined to die."

"She will not die," Kuronue firmly said.

"She didn't tell you?" Inuyasha asked in fake concern. Kuronue's eyebrows furrowed.

"What is it?" Kuronue growled. He could feel his lust for blood rising.

"Once the Tama is destroyed then she will die," Inuyasha informed.

"That is your burden," Kuronue mumbled to her as her eyes closed.

"She wants to keep you from the pain," Inuyasha simply said.

"I don't need you to shelter me!" Kuronue growled as she felt everything fading.

"I will take her death since she has no life," Inuyasha stoically said as a blue ring of light surrounded her and Inuyasha.

"I will kill you for this," Kuronue growled as his eyes bled red.

Inuyasha's smirk fell as the enraged youkai attacked him. Kuronue's claws lengthened as he soared toward Inuyasha. They fell to the ground and Kuronue went for the hanyou's throat. Inuyasha gripped the youkai around the wrists and grunted as he held off the attack. Kuronue's wings flapped as he desperately fought to reach Inuyasha's throat. Kuronue growled as his attacked failed. Before Inuyasha could react, Kuronue lowered his head and bit into Inuyasha's wrist. His mouth tore a chuck of his body out.

Inuyasha cursed as kicked the bat away. He griped his wrist in an attempt to keep his soul from escaping. Kuronue lunged again after he spat the fake flesh from his mouth. He slashed at the hanyou repeatedly as Inuyasha dodged. Kagome groaned as she lazily turned her gaze to Kuronue. His fierce features startled her tired form. She had never seen him in a youkai rage. His crimson eyes really showed how pale his skin was. The crimson eyes really made him look like something from hell. Inuyasha attacked and Kuronue spun away from the attack. He hissed when the claws tore the thin leather of his wing.

Kagome forced her arm to rise up and nothing happened. She began to mouth words to try and stop the fight. Kagome watched as Inuyasha's claws bit into his chest and she winced. Tears formed in her eyes as she watched the fight.

"Osuwari," Kagome whispered.

Nothing happened and she cried as she watched Kuronue get slashed again. Kagome could feel her body struggling to live. She did want to live; she had a reason to live. There were still things to do.

"Osuwari," Kagome weakly said with determination.

A glow filled the room and her pupils widened. Inuyasha crashed to the ground and his claws missed Kuronue's throat. Kuronue turned to Kagome and rushed to her. Kagome could see the hesitation to touch her. She didn't blame if he hated her.

"Kagome," Kuronue whispered as if unsure what to do. He couldn't leave her to die. No matter how much she wanted to die, he would be selfish and keep her to himself.

"Live…for you," Kagome whispered in broken words.

"Why aren't you healing?" Kuronue questioned as he brushed her hair out of her face.

"Can't," Kagome replied with an ironic laugh.

"I don't want you to die," Kuronue whispered as he ran his claws along her face.

The crimson in his eyes had slowly receded to the familiar indigo. Kagome smiled at him happy to have these moments with him.

"Last…moments," Kagome teased with dreadful truth.

Kuronue's frowned deepened as he held onto her cheek. He was afraid to move her and cause more damage. Inuyasha stood up and laughed as he brushed himself off.

"As long as she dies, then I am happy," Inuyasha admitted.

Heavy footfalls echoed through the halls and Keiko stepped from the darkness. Inuyasha frowned, but grabbed her wrist. It was time to go because they had done what need be. Miasma surrounded them and they vanished from the castle. Yusuke cursed when as he watched Keiko slip from his grasp. He was happy to know that she recognized something of him. His eyes turned to broken figure on the floor.

"What the hell happened?" Yusuke shouted as he ran over.

"Inuyasha," Kuronue simply said.

"Those are deep, she's going to die," Yusuke said as he watched her breathing become shallow.

Kuwabara had sensed something strange as he walked through the halls. They seemed to have no end. They kept going on with each step he took. Kuwabara growled when he realized he had passed the same door fifteen times. His eyes narrowed as he searched for a way out. Nothing came up as he glanced around the hall. He walked over to the door and twisted the knob. It creaked open and revealed a meditating figure. Kuwabara recognized the woman as one of the souls. Her golden outfit immediately told him that this was pride.

"It's a shame that the weakest one finds me," Pride drawled, as her eyes remained shut.

"My pride will not blind me to your taunts," Kuwabara warned as she smirked.

"You have no pride. That is why the others think you are stupid," Pride teased.

"I don't need acceptance," Kuwabara simply said.

"It must wound you to know that you're the butt of everything," Pride mocked.

"If it bothered me then I would speak up," Kuwabara replied.

"To think that you have found me and will do nothing. Your honor code prevents you from fighting a girl," Pride ridiculed.

The spirit sword materialized in his hand and he stepped closer to her. His eyes reflected the regret he felt. It hurt him to know that he would have to attack something that looked like a female. Pride's eyes snapped open as she felt something pierce her. Her eyes traveled to the sword sticking into her chest and out of her back.

"You are not a woman, you are just a twisted soul," Kuwabara reassured himself he pulled the sword to the side.

Pride laughed as her body turned into a blackened orb and shot off. The spirit sword vanished and Kuwabara knew that nobody would believe he easily defeated a dark soul. They most likely would call it a fluke, but he didn't care. He knew the truth and that was all that mattered. Kuwabara walked out of the room and shut the door. Guilt was already pressing down on his soul. He noticed that the hallway appeared normal. Kuwabara then noticed the figures kneeling on the floor. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It looked like Yusuke and Kuronue were covering something.

Another door opened and Kurama stepped out of his room. They made eye contact before Kuwabara started to walk toward the other two. Kurama's emerald eyes followed Kuwabara before he smelt the faint scent of blood. He took off running and slid to a stop beside Kuronue.

"What happened?" Kurama worriedly asked.

"Inuyasha," Kuronue whispered with hate.

"She's lost to much blood," Kurama growled as he noticed her color fading fast.

Footsteps ran towards them and pushed them out of the way. Shippo's frantic form tapped Kagome on her cheek to keep her from passing out. He inhaled the air and growled as he gazed upon his mother's broken form.

"How the hell could you let him do this to you?" Shippo demanded as he pressed his hand to the wound.

"Are there any healers in the castle?" Kurama calmly asked.

"No," Shippo growled.

"Sorry," Kagome mouthed to him.

"Don't worry, when you die we'll use Tenseiga," Shippo assured with a watery smile.

"No," Kagome whispered.

"You want to die!" Shippo shouted.

"The Miko means that sword won't work," Sesshoumaru calmly said.

"Why?" Kuronue whispered.

"It does not recognize her as human or youkai. It will not work," Sesshoumaru explained.

"She really is going to die," Shippo mumbled.

"Where's that soul?" Kuwabara questioned as he glanced around the hallway.

"Idiot," Hiei grumbled as he walked toward them. "You didn't contain it."

Hiei opened his fist and the soul floated over to Kagome. It hovered over her form before it turned a pure white. It lowered and sunk into her chest. The light that the soul emitted faded as it fully vanished. Kagome's eyes fully opened and she could feel the Tama slowly becoming one within her. She tapped into that power and a soft powder blue light surrounded her. The gashes on her chest stitched together and the puddle of blood slowly receded back into her.

"One more," Kagome whispered as she sat up.

She winced since the wounds were still tender. If she were at her full power then she would be as if she were never injured. Shippo instantly embraced her and she didn't relax. Kagome now knew how Inuyasha felt when Kikyo and her were both around. This was going to be fun.

"Are you okay?" Kuronue hesitantly asked.

"Peachy," Kagome whispered as they both avoided eye contact.

"I'm going back to the room," Kuronue stoically said before he stood up.

Kagome's face showed her sorrow as she gazed at his back. He slowly walked down the hallway and each step was softly killing her. Her eyes filled with tears and she covered her eyes with one hand. This was something that couldn't be ignored. Shippo held her and placed his mouth next to her ear.

"What happened?" Shippo whispered.

"History replayed," Kagome whimpered. Shippo nodded in understanding as she buried her face in his shoulder. For the first time in a while she truly sobbed her eyes out.

Author's Note:

Nothing much...this story only has about ten chapters left
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