Chapter Thirteen: The Point of No Return

Kagome sits outside in the snow looking up to the sky. Inuyasha walks out of the hut and sees her. The sunrise light dances on her skin softly. A small breeze plays with her hair. "Kagome, why are you out here?" she sighs and turns around slowly, but doesn't answer. Inuyasha sits down beside her. "You're going to get sick if you stay out here." he takes off his robe and puts it over her shoulders. She bites down on her bottom lip trying to hold back the tears.

She leans her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes. "Inuyasha... let me stay like this... just for a little longer..." he nods and lays his cheek on her head. Kagome bites into her lip harder and it starts to bleed. Her tears escape and slide down her face.

Inuyasha's heart gets heavy and he sighs, "Kagome... please don't cry..." he squeezes her. "Please stop crying..."

Kagome opens her eyes slowly, "Inuyasha... I am sorry..."

"For what? You didn't do anything."

"I am in the way... I shouldn't be here in this time... I shouldn't be here with you..." more tears form, "I.. I am in the way.. of you and Kikyo... you should be protecting her... not me... I am not important..."

Inuyasha squeezes her tighter, "Don't say that. Its not true... y-you are important... very important... Kagome.." he takes in the scent of her hair and smiles softly. "Kagome... do you remember... when Koga had stabbed me... remember how I was holding flowers?" he pauses and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Those flowers were for you..." he blushes, "I had been planning to... well... I was planning on giving you those flowers when you awoke... and I wanted to talk to you... "

"About what?"

"Kagome... I-" Inuyasha quickly turns around and sees Chiyo with tears in her eyes. He smiles at her and walks to her. He kneels down, "Uh... Chiyo, what's wrong?"

Chiyo throws her arms around his neck and cries. "Daddy... are you going to let Mommy die?"

Inuyasha's eyes widen, he pulls her away. "What makes you think that?"

"Mommy told me you loved Kikyo... and you were going to go to hell with her... "

"Chiyo.." he squeezes her tightly but she pushes him away.

She looks to Kagome then to Inuyasha. "You are going to let Mommy die aren't you? Because... because you still love Kikyo... you don't really love Mommy you only see Kikyo... you don't care if Mommy dies... you only care about a women you can never be with!" tears slide down her face and she runs off into the forest.

"Chiyo! Wait!" Inuyasha panics and starts to run after her, but Kagome runs ahead of him. "Kagome?"

"She is my daughter too... I know how she feels... she might listen to me." Kagome runs faster and disappears into the trees. Inuyasha stops running and looks back. Maruso is leaning against a tree.

He looks to his father and nods his head slightly. "I know where Chiyo is going... we have to follow them..."

Aki walks to Inuyasha and Maruso. "You have to bring me with! I want to see me dad!"

Maruso sighs, "We have to bring you with anyway, chill... lets go." Maruso follows his sister's and mother's scent through the forest. Aki looks up to Inuyasha and smiles then runs after Maruso.

Inuyasha sighs, "Tonight is the new moon..."

Artemis drops a large orb in a women's hands. He smiles slightly, "Here.. I give you the Orb of Destiny and then you have to give me Kagome's soul, as promised." he rubs the tips of his fingers around the hilt of his sword.

The women takes notice, "Now, now there is no need for that. Take her soul, with the orb I have no need for it." she hands him a large gem with Kagome's soul inside.

"Thanks, the Queen shall be pleased."

"I don't care about the Queen. But I do wish to know something before you leave."

"What is it?"

"What are you going to do with Kagome's soul?"

"That does not concern you." he turns to leave.

"Wait." he glances back at her. "Why are you alive? Don't you wish to die? So then you can be with Sumiko."

"Kikyo, why are you alive? Why don't you wish to die? Why don't you ask yourself, you know the answers." he turns into his demon form and walks away.

Kikyo glares then walks out of the forest and into the clearing. Demons made from pure darkness run pass her toward Inuyasha's and Koga's future self. She follows them, but stops when she sees a light. "That light... its coming from Kagome's body..." She disappears and then reappears in front of the lake. Large flat stones lead to a small isolated piece of land in the middle of the lake. A giant tree stands in the middle of it. Kagome's body lays on the roots of the trees. Kikyo spots a mirror on the tree. She walks on the stones to the island then stands next to Kagome. She places her hand over Kagome's heart, it beats. "How is she still alive!" She looks to the mirror and touches the glass. A stick cracks behind her, she jumps and turns around. Inuyasha stares at her with hate burning in his eyes. Kikyo pulls out a dagger and holds it to Kagome's neck.

Inuyasha growls and backs up, "Kikyo... I am not going to forgive you for this... this time you will die."

"Inuyasha... you are going to betray me, again?"

"I have never betrayed... I was only trying to set you free. So you no longer have to wander the world and suffer... But this time, I am going to kill you and I will not show you any mercy."

"Kagome does mean more to you then I... I am nothing to you in this time..."

Inuyasha looks at her questioningly, "In this time?" He searches her eyes for an answer, "You aren't from this time... are you? You found a way to get to past."

"The present. To me, this is the future... and I don't like it." she pulls back her arrow and aims at his heart. "So... in the future you kill me... and you marry this girl... and you have children... I don't want this to happen. I want you to come to burn in hell with me." The arrow flies into his chest. He drops to one knee and glares at her. Inuyasha then jumps up and pushes her against the tree. Her head hits the mirror causing it to shatter. She tries to stop his claws from digging into her shoulders, but he is stronger here then he is in the present. She places her hands on the arrow and pushes it deeper into his chest. He winces then lets go of her and backs away. Kikyo drops to the ground and glares at him. "Inuyasha... I hate you more then I can bare... but yet... I love you more then I can bare..." she disappears with her soul collectors.

Inuyasha crawls over to Kagome's body and lays his head on her stomach. "Kagome... I love you... I am sorry... but if you wake up... I might not be alive... " he pulls out a locket from his white kimono and places over her heart. "Maybe... we still have a chance... our children might make it back...until then... I guess... this is good-bye..." his eyes close slowly. He whispers one last thing, "Please... forgive.." he passes out.

"Chiyo! Come back!" Kagome runs through the forest and stops when they reach a small house. Most of the house is on fire along with some trees next to it. Chiyo scans the area then starts to run again. Kagome gasps and leaps at her feet, he catches her knocking her to the ground. "Chiyo wait a sec!" Kagome pulls her over into an embrace. "Chiyo... don't run from me... please.." Chiyo starts to cry and buries her face into her chest. Inuyasha, Aki, and Maruso form a circle around them and sniff the air.

Inuyasha growls, "There are demons everywhere here..."

Maruso looks to him, "This is our home... you see why we brought you here. You need to help change it back to the way it was before."

Chiyo peeps up, "Yeah... Kikyoless." she hides her face.

Aki gasps, "I picked up my dad's scent! He is near by!" Aki panics and rushes pass Inuyasha. Koga drags himself out of the burning house. He sees Aki and smiles slightly. He drops to the ground, blood dripping from his side. A large black demon leaps out in front of him. Aki screams and falls back. Kagome picks up Chiyo and pushes her into Inuyasha's arms. She pulls out her bow and arrows. She aims an arrow at the demon and lets go. The arrow flies into the demon's head, killing it instantly. Aki crawls over to her dad and whips the blood from his face. "Daddy... wake up..." he doesn't move. "Daddy.. please... wake up..." Aki's eyes fill with tears. "Daddy.. please don't leave me... don't leave me like Mom left us... please..." she cries softly. Inuyasha sets Chiyo down and walks over to them. His ears lay flat on his head and he turns to Kagome. Kagome gasps and shakes her head no. Inuyasha looks to the ground then kneels down.

"Aki... you can't stay here... lets take you somewhere safe."

"No! I am staying here! Besides... there is no where safe here..." Another demon runs out from the bushes toward them. Inuyasha pulls out his sword and cuts it in half.

Maruso walks over, "Dad... I can stay here with Aki... I think I smell Miroku and Sango's children... they can stay with us. Together, we can protect each other."

"Maruso... I..I don't know... I don't want to-" Inuyasha jumps when he hears Kagome scream. He turns and sees her laying on the ground in a puddle of blood. Artemis stands next to her looking down at Chiyo. Inuyasha heart stops when he sees Kikyo standing next to him. "...Kikyo.."

She laughs at him, "Inuyasha... whats wrong? Why can't you move? Come over here and attack me, like your future self did."

"Kikyo... please tell me you aren't helping Serenity."

"What if I am? Are you going to kill me?"

Chiyo jumps up growling, "He might not, but I will! I hate you Kikyo! My daddy told me what you tried to do! Like my daddy, I will not forgive you!"