Second Chances, an inuyasha fanfic

Second Chances
By: Charlie

Summary: One-shot IxK Inuyasha regretted the thing he had done – he had lost all his comrades because of it. Especially the bright, young, and loving girl he had come to love in return. Losing her again, this time directly having to kill her, it was too much to bear. The jewel dimmed in comparison to the promise of what would have been if he hadn't said those stupid words.

A/n: Don't get mad at me. –cowers- It's just a one-shot. I'll update my other stories soon… oo;

'thoughts'

"speaking"

flashbacks

Inuyasha stood staring at the seemingly colorless grass.

Everything was slowly seeping away from him lately, even the simple things you took for granted. Everything had turned black and white. The world seemed to go so much slower.

The jewel didn't even add an ounce of joy for him. It seemed useless.

Clenching the now completed jewel in his hand, he walked past the bloodied area where Naraku was defeated and dragged to hell, his eyes never straying from the point just beyond.

"Kagome…what happened to you?" he muttered. "What did I bring you to do…?"

He kneeled down, looking into cold eyes, stroking dull hair.

It was horrible seeing her lifeless body once, why was he being forced to see it again?

'You weren't forced to!' a voice whispered ferociously in his head. 'You killed her!'

"It was an accident… that wasn't… she was so… cold…"

Inuyasha knew that she had already died once, was surprised to find her alive again, and had been filled with joy then dread when he had saw her again many year later, only to find out she was working as an assassin for Naraku.

Laughing bitterly, he looked at the jewel.

"What cruel things people do to get a stupid piece of a stupid little jewel… a stupid wish…"

It could have all been avoided if he hadn't been so stupid himself… If he hadn't been so blind…

"Kagome, I could've won that fight if you hadn't interrupted!"

"Well, we won it in the end, didn't we?"

"Feh, after you and me both almost getting killed."

"And I didn't interrupt, Inuyasha! I was saving your butt!"

"Saving my butt by… what exactly? Hitting a tree that was thirty miles away instead of the target?"

"What are you implying, Inuyasha?"

"…Maybe you should train better?"

"And…?"

"And at least try to hit the target?"

Kagome's eyes burned with fury as she looked at Inuyasha, the group having stopped a while ago when they started arguing. All attempts to stop them were thwarted when Miroku almost got his head chopped off when he told Inuyasha that he was being quite harsh to Kagome.

"I was trying to hit the target, Inuyasha."

"Try harder!"

Inuyasha stomped on, and muttered something that the Miko heard. And instead of burning with more rage and hatred, they turned blue-gray with hurt and sadness.

"Kikyou wouldn't ever miss her target…"

"Inuyasha, is that what you think of me? A horrible replacement for Kikyou…? A copy gone wrong…?"

Inuyasha turned, amber eyes widened in surprise and regret.

"I-I… I didn't mean… I didn't mean that…"

"What, Inuyasha? That I was useless? That Kikyou would have done better than me? That she is better than me? What if I told you I already knew that, Inuyasha? What if I told you I already knew I was a worthless idiot?"

Having this said, she turned around and ran, not knowing where she was going and not caring. The forest looked like a good place to let out her pent up hurt. Her tears. She didn't want Inuyasha to see how much hurt he had caused her.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha watched with shock as Kagome's back slowly became farther and farther as she disappeared into the forest. He was rooted to the spot, not knowing what to do. Miroku and Sango stood also, with cheerless looks on their face, mourning for the hurt of their friend.

Just as Inuyasha was on the verge of deciding whether or not to go on and brood or try to find Kagome and apologize – which was going to be really hard for him – a series of high pitched wails could be heard, indicating the owner was in deep agony and pain.

Inuyasha froze with fear as he recognized the voice as being Kagome's; never once had he thought of her safety in the forest.

He looked down at the ground where Kagome once stood.

Her bow and arrow sat was still there.

Which meant, no protection.

"Kagome!" he yelled out desperately, following the sound of her voice.

He soon lost his lead on sound, however, when Kagome's wailing stopped suddenly, leaving behind eerie silence.

"Kagome, you can't be gone… you promised you'd stay by me…"

Stopping dead, he looked into the clearing, refusing to believe what was happening. Refusing to believe what happened.

Refusing to believe that Kagome was dead; that she was just sleeping.

"You promised…" he choked out hoarsely, dropping to his knees.

Inuyasha coarsely wiped away the tears that had begun to make their way down his face. Five years since it happened, and yet it hurt so much.

He'd never thought back to it afterwards. Well, after about a year or two maybe. Instead of thinking about it, and letting the wound heal, he found guilt consuming him. He didn't blame himself though, no… no. Instead, he blamed other things. Kagome, Kagome's stupidness… even going as far as to blame Miroku and Sango for not going after her.

Which, of course, only drove them away from him, leaving him with bitter memories of the girl he loved but didn't admit to it, and the realization he had no one to travel with; no friends.

No one to turn to for comfort.

He now knew it was his fault. He was stupid back then. Depression consumed him back then, but he didn't stop his quest. His mind kept going back to Kagome's lifeless body; the sparkling eyes no longer alive with love. He forced himself on, however. In Kagome's name he would become a full-fledged demon and kill Naraku once and for all.

Then… the rumors started. He passed them off as just that, rumors, but he found himself asking how strangers could know Kagome's name? A simple Miko from the future?

They spoke of a Miko indebted to a powerful hanyou for reviving her, now working for him. He heard that she was now an assassin; but he, of course, refused to believe it. Kagome was full of love and kindness; never could she possess the hate and bitterness an assassin held in their heart.

Inuyasha again looked at Kagome's lifeless body, now in the present, and wondered how he could've been so… so…

Idiotic.

Kagome wasn't the idiot then; he was.

Not bothering to check out the rumors, he headed on, collecting jewel shards. It was the one thing that connected him to Kagome, were his thought then.

It had taken a long time, he mused, but he had finally collected them and come to terms with Kagome being dead. He didn't like it at all, he hated it in fact, but he accepted – finally – that it was his fault.

Which brought him to yet another painful memory - this one being as fresh as that morning.

Inuyasha sat cross-legged, unblinking. His mind was yet again going back to the day that she had died.

But, then again, what day had his mind not wandered to this disastrous event?

Which also led to the rumors – those dreaded rumors.

'I think Kami's punishing me.' He thought bitterly. 'Not that I don't deserve it – the rumors just lead to more thoughts about Kagome. Which leads to more pain for myself.'

'But… what if the rumors are true…? Then could she be… alive?'

Hope. Twisted hope.

Sighing, he absentmindedly chewed on some meat. If only he could go back to that day with the knowledge he knew now.

Things could be much different.

But there was no way to go back…

Finishing his meat, he stood up.

He was going on leads from Naraku, who had the only jewels he needed to complete the jewel.

He would finally make Kagome proud by turning full demon, defeating Naraku at the same time.

Killing two birds with one stone.

He heard rustling behind him, and he jerked upwards, looking back to nothing.

Sniffing, he tried to figure out what the source of the noise was – or who had made the noise.

"Kukuku…"

"Naraku…" he muttered harshly, turning around to face the baboon clad man.

Well, he thought it was the real thing. It smelled strong enough. Although, he could be wrong. Naraku's decoys were always full of surprises.

"You know, Naraku," he said in a smug tone. "The need for big entrances will one day be your downfall."

Naraku scowled for a second, but instead of getting angry, like Inuyasha intended to make him, he just went back to sneering.

"Oh Inuyasha… dear Inuyasha… how naïve and stupid of you."

Confused, he cautiously backed up away from the man. Why wasn't he making any move to attack? Narrowing his eyes, he waited for Naraku's next move.

"Where is your wench, Inuyasha? The brat… oh, what was her name…? Kaguyu? Kagume? Kagi-"

"Kagome." Inuyasha ground out between his clenched teeth. "Fuckin' bastard."

"Is this a sensitive topic for you, Inuyasha?" he asked lightly.

'What is he up to?'

Growling, Inuyasha stepped forward, drawing out his Tetsusaiga.

"Now, now Inuyasha. Patience is the key."

"Since when have I practiced patience, bastard!"

"Well, you should learn. Before getting to me, you must defeat my… assistant."

"Your assistant, huh? Bring on the stupid idiot who was smart enough to join you." Inuyasha said arrogantly, crossing his arms.

Naraku, surprisingly, kept smirking, beckoning to someone behind him that Inuyasha couldn't see.

"My pet, come and defeat our greatest foe."

He turned to Inuyasha, confidently.

"Oh, Inuyasha. How great it is to see you eat your words."

On guard, Inuyasha waited until the guy behind Naraku came into full view. He thought it sick that Naraku would call a guy his pet, but he brushed the thought aside quickly. Inuyasha turned to see who this "guy" was Naraku was going on about, stumbling forward with shock as he saw who it was.

"Kagome…?" he whispered, moving gingerly forward.

Not caring about Naraku anymore, he anxiously increased his speed toward the one he loved, who was supposedly deceased.

But, if she was dead, how was she before him?

Thinking of the rumors, he stopped.

'No, she's the same old Kagome…' his mind declared stubbornly.

He continued to hurry on, and when he came to be five feet in front of her, he stopped.

"Kagome!" he choked out, unaware and not caring he had tears in his eyes. "Kago-"

Inuyasha stopped when he saw her eyes.

No recognition, no light, no nothing.

It was like a walking corpse.

Kagome smiled, but it was nothing like her loving smile. It was cold and heartless. Bitter.

"You're… not… Kagome…"

"Oh, Inuyasha. How wrong you are. For this is Kagome. I just made a few… adjustments."

Inuyasha whipped his head over to the forgotten Naraku, eyes full of fire.

"What did you do to Kagome!" he yelled.

Laughing, Naraku went over to Kagome and wrapped his arms around her.

Kagome looked at him with adoration so strong, it tore Inuyasha's heart.

"See, Inuyasha, after you abandoned her to be killed, I stumbled into this beautiful, poor Miko girl. I decided to revive her and make her my… underling. But I very well couldn't with her idiotic love for you. So, somehow she managed to… forget you. Afterwards, I taught her all about killing and the bitter world we now live in."

"And what a killer I've become, ne? Naraku?" Kagome voiced in a smooth, cold, and uncaring voice.

"Yes my pet. I am so very proud."

Inuyasha was sick and heartbroken. Kagome was alive, but… she wasn't.

Oh, how much had he wished to be able to see her one last time before?

But not like this.

This was horrible.

"My pet will destroy you, Inuyasha. Which will never allow you to get to me and the rest of the jewel shards."

"Now, Naraku?"

"Not yet." He whispered, stroking her hair.

"Step away from her Naraku, and deal with me like a man, you bastard!"

"Now, now, Inuyasha. Patience."

Stepping away from Kagome, he began to tell her that it was time to begin their battle, but a battle cry cut him off.

"Wind Scar!"

To Inuyasha's horror, Kagome stepped in front of Naraku, giving herself as a sacrifice for her "master's" life.

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha yelled out as a sick sound occurred. Opening his eyes when he smelled the strong smell of blood, he prayed to Kami that by some miracle she could survive. He looked in the direction he aimed the attack at.

Giving out a strangled cry, he stumbled forward.

"No, Kagome… no… no… it was so hard the first time… not… again…"

Inuyasha looked down at the still Kagome, a big gash through the front of her body. Massive blood was still pouring out; making Inuyasha gag and swallow back more tears.

Inuyasha heard Naraku sigh. "Well, another assistant lost. They're going fast these days."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed red, and he stood up, shakily but steadily, and faced Naraku.

"Naraku, I will get revenge for this. For Kagome. I will kill you!"

Inuyasha had found out that Naraku was the real thing, and in his anger, defeated him. Naraku had estimated that Kagome would be Inuyasha's downfall, and didn't think she would fall so easily.

Which brought him to now, several hours later.

Inuyasha didn't feel inclined to do anything anymore. Now that he had seen Kagome die twice – had seen her once sparkling eyes cold and dead – he didn't feel inclined to do… anything.

If only he had a second chance.

If only he had a chance to make it all right again.

'You idiot…' the voice yelled in his head.

"Would you stop already?" he told the voice jadedly. "I already know I'm an idiot. Why do you keep reminding me!"

'The jewel!'

"What about the jewel?"

He didn't care he was talking to himself – the voice full of hope restored his own.

'One whole jewel equals?'

"Trouble?"

'No! Kami, you are dense.'

Getting agitated, he tried to figure out a way to shut up the voice without hurting himself.

Nope. Impossible.

"What are you getting at?"

'The wish, you moron!'

Inuyasha laughed sadly as the voice began to take on Kagome's voice. Then it hit him.

Kagome + jewel + wish another chance!

"You know what? I could wish that I knew what happened so I could stop it, and could go back and fix everything!"

'Duh.'

"Shut up." He growled, still smiling.

He could finally stop seeing her in his memories and start seeing her in flesh and blood.

And the determination in his heart was so strong – and he willed it to happen so much stronger than becoming a full demon – that it came true. For the key to having your wish granted was to have a pure heart, good intentions, and a heart full of love.

And after all this, this was exactly what Inuyasha had.

And he knew he would never take advantage of Kagome again.

If nothing else, he would promise her that.

A blinding light surrounded him, and Inuyasha looked around as he was mysteriously back around his comrades, living the memory of the day he messed up. The memory he yearned to change so much.

He became aware of a voice so full of hurt as he listened on.

'Kagome… it's Kagome! She's alive… the wish came true! I can fix this… I can undo all the damage I've caused. I can undo the hurt.'

Instead of standing there, watching everything unfold, he knew what he had to do this time.

"Kagome…" he said tenderly, moving towards her.

Kagome was shocked to find the emotion and caring shining through his voice. Wasn't he yelling at her a minute ago about how stupid and useless she was?

Even more surprised was she when he enveloped her in a hug.

Miroku and Sango's mouths dropped to the floor.

"Kagome…" Her scent was so calming. He tipped her head back, looking into her eyes. Wiping her tears, he smiled at the sparkle in her eyes.

Oh, how he missed her and her beautiful eyes.

"I-Inuyasha?"

"Kagome, you are nothing short of amazing. You are beautiful, smart, and… you make my heart keep beating. I would… be lost without you. You aren't useless at all. You're not a copy. You're you. And I… care about the you you are.

"Oh, Inuyasha…"

"Kagome…" he whispered again, this time going on to say more. Swallowing, he continued. "You know how you said you would stay with me? No matter what?"

Miroku and Sango slipped away, acknowledging that this was a sacred moment for the couple.

"Y-yes…" she said, confused, surprised and warmed by his tenderness.

"Well, I want to make that same promise to you, Kagome. I… I don't ever want to leave you again. I… need you."

"Oh, Inuyasha… why?"

"I finally figured out that you shouldn't take good things for granted. Instead, you should cherish them."

"Inuyasha…"

"Kagome…" he smirked, overwhelmed with joy that this girl was still before him, radiating with joy he caused.

"You'll always be my wench, Kagome. No escaping now." He told her jokingly, but meaningfully.

Laughing, Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, seeing wisdom and understanding in his eyes.

Not knowing where he got it from, but appreciative he finally got it after all his bitter moments and all the hurt, she wrapped her arms around his waist, determined to never let him go.

And Inuyasha thanked every star in the sky for second chances, for without them, he never would've ended up with this beautiful, amazing girl.

For without them, he wouldn't of been able to gain his one and only life back.

The colors were now coming back, and everything was black and white no more.

His world was slowly gaining back its speed; starting to spin again.

-The End-

A/n: Yayyy! I finished it in two days. That's an accomplishment for me. Now for the joy of going back and editing the whole thing. Great. -.- Oh, I kinda rushed the ending, so I'm sorry if it's bad. I liked the just of it, though.

Review pleeeease?