Well, here it is! The last chapter of my story. Please read on, comments always appreciated, and I still do not own Inuyasha. (I submitted it early because so many people asked. Hope you enjoy!)
The Resolution
By: Sable19
Kagome felt broken inside. She had felt like this when she saw Inuyasha with Kikyo, but this was worse. She didn't want to do anything, say anything; she just wanted to be left alone. She sat by the fire in Kaede's hut by herself, hugging her knees to her chest. She couldn't get Sesshomaru's face out of her mind, and she couldn't forget his lips on her cheeks.
Why would he tell her to stay with Inuyasha? She felt that she had let herself get carried away. Maybe he didn't care for her the way she cared for him. Maybe the kiss had been something that didn't mean anything to him at all. She wasn't sure; after all, things were different for demons than for humans. Kagome buried her face into her knees and cried again.
Outside, Inuyasha and his friends were sitting on the hill watching the hut.
"I don't understand it," Miroku said, folding his legs and putting his hands in his lap. "It feels like Kagome has given up, and that's not like her. What could have happened?"
"Inuyasha, what do you think?" Sango asked, looking at her half demon friend.
Inuyasha looked furious. "It's simple. He turned her away."
Shippo looked very confused. Sango looked worried. Miroku looked sad. "Wait, who turned her away?" Shippo asked, looking from face to face.
Inuyasha jumped into the tree and settled down on a low branch. Sango watched him, then answered Shippo's question. "Sesshomaru did."
"Sesshomaru? Turned her away? From what?" Shippo couldn't understand why his so strong friend was suddenly so down.
"She loves him," Inuyasha's voice traveled down to them. Sango closed her eyes as Miroku and Shippo looked up at Inuyasha sharply. Things became clear to Miroku, but Shippo was still a bit confused.
"No way! Kagome loves Inuyasha! It's obvious to everyone! How can she love Sesshomaru? He's tried to kill her on several occasions and made it clear he hates humans. How can you love someone like that?"
Sango looked over at Miroku. "You can't help who you fall in love with," she said, and Miroku smiled at her softly. Shippo sighed and shrugged. He was still very young so he didn't understand it. But he knew that his father had loved his mother very much, and he wanted the same thing for his friends. "I think Sesshomaru should have his head beaten in," he remarked, making his friends laugh.
Inuyasha sighed. He looked out over the fields and woods. He was about to go into the hut when a scent hit his nose. He recognized it right away as Kikyo. His eyes searched until he saw her, and he jumped down from the tree. He rushed over the fields and into the woods, following his nose and looking in all directions for the dead miko.
After a few minutes he spotted her, standing next to the tree she pinned him against 50 years ago. He stopped a few feet away from her and watched her for a minute. He could see Kagome's face in her soft features, but her maturity and gentleness was what made her different from Kagome. That was part of what had attracted Inuyasha to her, and she wouldn't be Kikyo otherwise.
"Inuyasha, you hide in the forest when you want to come talk to me. You know I will not attack you when you cannot see me. Come out into the open properly," Kikyo said softly, not bothering to turn around. Inuyasha took a few steps toward her but kept his distance. "Inuyasha, I will not attack you this day. Tell me what is on your mind."
Inuyasha sighed. He could trust that Kikyo wouldn't hurt him. He cast his eyes down to the ground. "I've lost Kagome," he said sadly.
This caught Kikyo's attention. She turned to face him, not saying a word but reading his expression carefully. She sat down on a very large root and motioned for him to sit next to her, which he did.
"Kagome doesn't love me," he continued. "I think I pushed her away too much with my love for you. She let her feelings wander and they hooked on someone dangerous. Now she's hurting and this time, I can't protect her. She can't even protect herself. I want to hurt him, to put my claws around his neck and squeeze, but it would only hurt her more. I don't know what to do Kikyo."
Kikyo blinked. She couldn't believe her reincarnation could feel anything for anyone except Inuyasha. She knew in her heart that Inuyasha would be her one and only love. But as she thought back over the adventures they had shared she remembered the several times Kagome had shouted that she was not Kikyo, that she and Kikyo were two different people. She realized those words rang truer now more than ever before.
"Who does she love now?" Kikyo asked.
Inuyasha looked defeated. "Sesshomaru," he said softly. Kikyo's face read surprise for a moment. Not Inuyasha's brother, the one who hated humans?
Inuyasha glanced up at Kikyo's face and chuckled at her expression. "Yea, that's how I felt too, when I first figured it out. I figured he would look down at her, kind of push her away I guess, but he didn't. I know I shouldn't have been spying, but damn it I didn't want him to seriously hurt her. I think Sesshomaru cares more than he wants to, and it's scaring the shit out of him. He can't stop thinking about Father and how loving Mother caused him to die.
"Sesshomaru believes that caring for Rin is okay, because she is a little girl, like a daughter to him. He loves her but not in the same way. To him, loving Kagome could mean his downfall. He doesn't understand that having someone to love and protect makes you stronger, not weaker. I wish I could explain it to him, but he has to figure it out on his own, otherwise it won't mean anything to him."
Kikyo nodded her agreement. "But you cannot change her mind, can you? He is stubborn, but look at how he was when Kagome first got here. He is more open now, and more willing to tolerate what annoys him. I believe Kagome will be able to get through to him. But what about you, Inuyasha? Do Kagome's feelings not hurt you?"
Inuyasha looked up at her and into her eyes. He smiled sadly. "Loving someone means you want them to be happy, no matter what."
The days flew by. Inuyasha and his group spent time hunting down jewel shards and fighting against Naraku and his henchmen. This kept Kagome's mind off of Sesshomaru, for the most part. She spent a lot of time looking off into space, and she was depressed all the time. She still cried at night. She would never admit it to anyone, but they heard her. They hadn't seen Sesshomaru since that day at the well.
Sesshomaru, on the other hand, couldn't get Kagome out of his mind. Her face came into his mind whenever he paused for a moment, and he couldn't shake her away. He tried on several occasions to throw away the necklace but could never manage it. It was his only link to this young human girl, and though he knew he shouldn't care, he didn't want to break that.
Rin seemed to know something was wrong. Day after day she spent time in her lord's room with him, hoping to make him feel better, but he never said a word. Jaken had long since given up and spent his time taking care of matters around the castle. Rin did not quit so easily and refused to accept that her lord wanted time alone. Though only a child, even she could see he needed to talk about what was bothering him.
After countless days had passed, he finally turned to the little girl. "Rin, why do you wait here day after day? You should be spending your time doing things you want to do."
Rin smiled at him. "Lord Sesshomaru, you saved my life. Not once, but several times. What sort of a friend would I be if I couldn't return the favor?"
Sesshomaru thought about this for a second. "How are you saving my life?"
"Do you really want me to tell you?" Sesshomaru nodded slowly. "Then please listen my lord, and do not interrupt. I am so young that I do not have many memories of my parents, and that hurts in my heart. But what I do remember about them is that they loved each other very much. My father and brothers were killed first, protecting my mother and me from the bandits. My mother died to save me. That did not make them weak. That made them strong.
"Lord Sesshomaru, you believe love is a weak asset that you cannot afford to have. But it is an asset you cannot afford to let yourself lose. Love makes life worth living, for mortal and demon alike. If you do not find someone to love, you will die a death more horrible than the one your father did. He was a powerful demon who loved a mortal woman with everything he had. That is what made him powerful.
"One day I will be gone from you, whether by my own will or my death. What will you do then? You will be alone again. I do not want you to be alone but I cannot make your decisions for you."
Rin stood up and started to leave the room. At the door she turned to look at him once more. "I love you, Lord Sesshomaru. I know I have never told you, but I do. The thought of losing you makes me feel empty inside. Now stop and think of how Kagome must be feeling." She left the room, and Sesshomaru listened to her footsteps down the hall as her words rang clear through his head.
Sesshomaru didn't move for a long time. He couldn't believe how much this little girl had made sense to him. As night descended on him he closed his eyes and pictured Kagome's face. He felt the familiar warmth in his heart and was relieved by it. Then, he pictured his life without her. The warmth disappeared and a cold emptiness filled him from head to toe. He felt alone and betrayed, but not angry. Just sad.
Sesshomaru quickly left his room. "Jaken!" he called as he headed down the various hallways to get to the front of the castle. The small demon appeared behind him moments later. "Yes, my lord?"
"I am leaving on an errand. You will stay here with Rin and protect her. Do you understand?" Jaken nodded, afraid to get on the bad side of his lord. He watched as Sesshomaru left the castle and headed in the direction of that cursed village. He realized Lord Sesshomaru was going to talk to that mortal girl, and he sighed. What had happened to his lord?
At the village, Kaede was pulling weeds from her herb garden when she heard steps behind her. She turned and was not really surprised to see the demon lord standing behind her. She got to her feet as quickly as she could and looked him in the face. She was angry at this demon for hurting Kagome.
"I am looking for the one called Kagome. Is she here?" Sesshomaru asked, trying to not scare this older priestess. But he sensed no fear from this woman, just anger.
"What do ye wish with her now? Can ye not see ye have hurt her enough? She is out with Inuyasha and her friends, looking for another shard. She will be back later tonight, if you wish to wait, or you can go find the group. It makes no difference to me, but do not startle the villagers."
Sesshomaru turned to leave, but the old woman's voice stopped him. "Take heed, Sesshomaru, that if you have no intention of making Kagome happy you had better tell her right away. You have not only hurt her but her friends as well, and they will protect her from anything, including you."
Sesshomaru made no sound and disappeared from her view. She smiled to herself; if Sesshomaru came into the village to look for her, he must have realized his feelings. He wouldn't hurt her anymore.
Sesshomaru spent most of the day out looking for the group. He found them resting in an open field, but he didn't just walk up to them. He watched them from a distance. He stayed downwind so Inuyasha wouldn't smell him; he didn't want them to see him yet. His eyes traveled from face to face, and finally rested on the young woman who had caused him so much joy and pain.
Kagome smiled at her friends and took another drink of her juice. She listened with half an ear as her friends planned their next move. They had obtained four more shards of the jewel, but they knew Naraku would be after them soon enough. She knew she was in danger, but her heart just didn't seem to care anymore. She only wanted to see Sesshomaru, even if it was just for a moment. She would be happy with that. His face flashed in her mind, and tears cascaded down her cheeks for the third time that day. Inuyasha and the rest of them noticed and watched her with sad eyes.
Sesshomaru couldn't seem to breathe. This young girl was crying. Why? Voices drifted up to him.
"Kagome," Inuyasha said, sitting down next to her. "You can't keep doing this to yourself. He made his choice, and you have to accept it. I know it's hard, but you can do it."
"I have accepted it," she replied brokenly. "I know Sesshomaru doesn't love me like I love him. But it hurts so much. He never gave me a reason; he just left. I miss him. Before we would at least see him when we were fighting, but now I just feel I will never see him again. Why do I have to love him?" Kagome broke into sobs, and Inuyasha could do nothing but hold her. Sango had tears running down her face for her friend, and Miroku had his arm around her shoulders to make her feel better. Shippo wanted to be strong, so he wasn't allowing his tears to show, but he did jump into Kagome's lap and try to hug her.
Sesshomaru watched the group and for the first time in his life, he felt guilty. He felt horrible for what he had done, and more so for that young lady who had never given him anything but kindness and respect. Even when fighting him she had fought fair, and she had never held anything against him. How could he do this? He had heard enough. He quickly made his way to the group.
Inuyasha heard him first. He growled as his brother approached. Kagome felt his presence but was afraid to look up.
"What do you want?" the half demon snarled. Sango, Miroku and Shippo stood up and left them alone. This was not their fight.
"I want to talk to her, not you, little brother," Sesshomaru answered.
Inuyasha was on his feet in moments and walked to stand directly in front of Sesshomaru. He didn't say anything for a moment, but his anger got the better of him. He punched the normally alert demon in his face, full force, and was satisfied when Sesshomaru lost his footing. He grinning down at Sesshomaru in satisfaction.
"Inuyasha, leave him alone," Kagome's voice reached his ears. He turned to see the young woman hadn't moved but she had stopped crying. Inuyasha nodded to her, then turned back to his brother. "Listen to me you asshole," he said with a great deal of venom in his voice. "If you even think about hurting Kagome again I will kill you myself." With that he turned and left them alone, joining his friends on a close by hill.
Sesshomaru stood up and looked down at the young miko, who still hadn't moved. He wasn't sure what to say. Finally, after a few minutes of silence, he simply offered his hand to Kagome. She looked up at him, her face still streaked with tears, and took it. He pulled her to her feet and they looked into each other's eyes for a few minutes.
"Why?" was all she asked.
"Kagome, Inuyasha can protect you much better than I can. I have to take care of Rin and that's a large responsibility in itself. I know you are strong, but there on demons out there stronger than what you can take care of. If I turned my back for one moment to look after Rin, something could happen to you. I don't want that to happen. I want you to stay with Inuyasha; he has always been able to protect you from anything."
"Also, you have a very powerful demon after you. If he finds out our feelings he will use it against us, and we will be forced to suffer through more pain. At least, at this rate, we still have a chance!"
Kagome nodded her understanding. "Will we ever be together?" she asked softly. Sesshomaru heard the pain in her voice and placed his palm on her cheek. He brushed away her tears with his thumb and for the first time, smiled a very gentle smile at her.
"We will," he answered. "As soon as the greatest threat, Naraku, has been taken care of, and the Jewel of Four Souls has been destroyed or used properly. Then you will be free to make the choice of what you want to do. I will not tear you away form your family or friends; I do not want to hold you captive. But I will tell you one thing, Kagome." She looked hopeful. "I love you."
Kagome closed her eyes as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. She smiled a sad smile and placed her hand on top of his. "And I you." She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He, in return embraced her, and held her tightly. They refused to budge for a long time.
Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and Shippo watched from the hilltop. "So she will be happy now, right?" Shippo asked, looking up at Inuyasha.
Inuyasha watched them for a moment, then turned his head to the west. In the distance he could see the small figure of Kikyo, watching them. "I think, soon, we will all be happy," he replied. A smile tugged at his lips.
7 months later…
"Kagome! Move!" Inuyasha shouted, blocking the wind attacks from Kagura. His voice was wasted, however; Kagome was already gone. Inuyasha once again marveled at the growth that had taken over his friend.
In the past seven months Kagome had seemed like a woman possessed. She tracked down the rest of the jewel chards that Naraku didn't have and collected them in her small bottle. She had even managed to get the ones Koga had, though she refused to tell anyone how. The only other shard that was still in Kohaku, and Kagome had left it there because he was a great asset in their battles.
Her powers had grown to rival Kikyo's as well. She could break barriers wit her arrows, she could create shields with her bow as Miroku did with his staff, and she had taken down some demons that even Inuyasha had had problems with. Her greatest skill, however, was one that even Kikyo hadn't obtained before her tragic death; she could control her arrows once they were released from her bow.
Kagome fired an arrow and used her powers to move it around the castle several times before locating a target. She had it fly around Naraku, who had been expecting it, and fly straight through the heart of Kanna. The small girl didn't make a sound; her eyes widened and she fell to the ground, her eyes and mirror dark. Naraku cried out in fury as another of his warriors fell. She shot tentacles at Kagome, but she created a barrier and they were cast off in another direction. Kagome watched her friends from the corners of her eyes. To her left Inuyasha and his group were fighting Kagura and her wind. They seemed to have scored a few hit, as her robes were stained with blood.
To her right she watched with great fear as Sesshomaru fought against Hakudoshi. Sesshomaru was doing fine, but not gaining any ground. He did glance over at Kagome when she looked at him, and though his expression didn't change, she could have sworn he was telling her he was enjoying himself. Kagome giggled in spite of herself; she knew Rin was taken care of, and that she could finish her plan with no problems.
Kagome fired another arrow and it flew directly at Naraku. He shielded himself with his arms and many body parts, but cried out in surprise when it flew around him and into his castle. It flew from room to room, breaking down walls as it went. Though Kagome couldn't see through her arrow, she could in fact feel everything around it. And right now she was searching for something. Where was it?
Inuyasha was watching her out of the corner of his eye. He was keeping Kagura busy, but at her signal, he would take the plan to the next step. After a few moments she nodded ever so slightly, and Inuyasha took his cue. He sailed past Kagura and directly at Naraku. "Come here you slimy piece of shit!" he yelled, pointing Tessaiga directly at Naraku's through. Naraku grinned and knocked him away with his long tail.
"I found it!" Kagome cried, getting everyone's attention.
"DO IT NOW!" Inuyasha screamed as loud as he could, regaining his footing and flying at Naraku again. Naraku yelled at in anger and aimed for Kagome. She saw it coming and directly her arrow straight down. Down into Naraku's true heart. It pierced through the small child like lump of flesh. The child cried in agony, then melted down to become nothing more than a red and white liquid. She cried in joy just as Naraku's attack flew closer.
Inuyasha sliced through the now defenseless Naraku and took his body in half. He jumped back and unleashed the Wind Scar, tearing the already defeated Naraku into pieces. As he disintegrated his tail never flew off course; it headed directly for Kagome. She didn't have time to move, even with her improved speed. She put an arrow in her bow, but before she could fire it, the tail was inches in front of her.
"Kagome!!" Inuyasha cried out as the tail hit its mark and a great cloud of dust and dirt flew into the air. He rushed to the spot to get his friend, only to find it empty. He looked around in horror, afraid the tail may have knocked Kagome a long distance back. But he sighed with relief as he looked to his left.
Sesshomaru stood there, Kagome in his arms. She had her eyes closed and didn't seem to notice what had happened. "Kagome! Are you okay?" Inuyasha called out to her. She opened one eye and looked around, then glanced up at Sesshomaru. Her face flushed as he smiled down at her, and she still couldn't believe that this once savage demon had turned into one of her best friends. No wonder she loved him so much.
Sesshomaru set her down as her friends ran over to her. Kagura hadn't been defeated, but she had stopped fighting the minute Naraku was kill. Hakudoshi had been distracted by Naraku's sudden death, and that had left him open to Sesshomaru's attacks. He lay dead a few feet away, his empty eyes staring into the star filled sky. As Inuyasha checked over Kagome for injuries, they were approached by two people. One was Kagura, and the other, Kohaku.
Kohaku asked to speak to Sango alone, and they left. Kagura held her hands up in front of her. "I do not want to fight with you anymore," she said. She placed on hand on her chest. "I have my heart back, and I can be free now. I will not bother you again. You are formidable opponents, and I don't think I could win. Besides, I think you'll want this." She held out her hand, and in it was the Jewel shard that Naraku had possessed. Kagome took it from her, and it purified in her hands. She smiled at the young woman who had finally won the freedom she so desired.
"Will we ever see you again?"
Kagura smiled as the winds picked up, and she rose above them on her giant feather. "Undoubtedly." She flew away, waving to them as she flew out of sight.
Kagome smiled for her friend. They had finally won. She pulled out the shards she had on her and held them in her right hand. The bigger jewel Naraku had had was in her left. She clasped her hands together and closed her hands in concentration. A pink light glowed around her hands for a moment, then her hands opened to reveal an almost complete jewel. It seemed only one piece was missing.
Sango returned to them then, her face streaked with tears. Kagome looked at her with sad eyes. "Here," Sango said, holding out the last jewel shard. The group gasped as they realized where it had come from.
Sango just smiled sadly. "He had decided a long time ago that he wanted to enjoy he afterlife in peace. He gave it up of his own free will. And I will be alright. I will see him along with the rest of my family someday." Kagome hugged her friend tightly, then added the jewel shard to the large jewel. The jewel gave off a large pink glow for a few minutes, causing them to shield their eyes until it faded. When they could finally see again, they smiled in satisfaction at the now complete jewel in Kagome's hands. Their quest was over.
Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, who shook his head. She nodded and turned to her friends. Inuyasha was watching her with a smile, Sango was drying her still wet eyes, Miroku was examining his healed hand, and Shippo was dancing happily with Kilala. She grinned at them all. "Come on, let's go home!" The all shouted their agreements.
A few days later, everyone was healed and happy. Kagome had handed the jewel over to Kikyo, who said she already knew what do with it. She wouldn't tell anyone what it was, but she assured them it was a pure wish. Miroku and Sango were planning their wedding, and Shippo had decided to go out on his own and find other kitsunes to live with. Kagome was going to miss them all, since she knew she wouldn't be staying with them anymore.
Kagome gathered her bag and stood up. "I will be back by this evening," she informed everyone. "I'm going home to tell my family goodbye." She waved and left the hut. She spotted Inuyasha in his usual spot, which was sitting in the branches of the sacred tree. But he wasn't alone; sitting next to him, resting against him, was Kikyo. She smiled up at them and waved, then ran to the well and jumped in.
Immerging from the other side, Kagome went straight into her house. She knew since it was a weekend that her family would all be home. And she was right; she found them all in the kitchen, getting ready to eat lunch. They were surprised to see her; she hadn't been home lately. She laughed and told them about the battle with Naraku, and how the jewel had finally been put back together.
Kagome's mom smiled at her daughter, but her eyes were sad. She was about to lose her daughter. Sota and Grandfather didn't seem to notice, however. "Does that mean you will be coming home now, Kagome?" the older man asked, helping himself to some pickles that were sitting on the table.
Kagome took a drink, then set her cup down. She smiled at her family. She loved them so much and it would be hard to leave. But she had to follow her heart. "No, grandpa, I'm not coming home," she answered. Both his and Sota's faces fell.
"But, why Sis?" Sota asked. He looked ready to cry, and Kagome rushed to his side.
"Oh Sota, I'm not going away forever! I'm just not coming home to stay either. I've been confused ever since this journey started about where I belong, and I finally found my place. But it's not here; it's in the Feudal era, with someone I love. But I could never leave you for good! So long as you are here I will come back to see you. But you can't let anyone cover the well, otherwise I won't ever be able to get through, okay? Can I trust you to do that?" Sota nodded, rubbing his wet eyes.
"We will miss you Kagome," her mother said. Kagome stood up and hugged her mom tightly. "You will always have a place here, you know that. So come back whenever you want. And if you have children, I want to see them, understand?" Kagome blushed and nodded, giggling. She wasn't sure if Sesshomaru wanted children or not. "And make sure you come back for Christmas."
Kagome laughed and sat down to enjoy her lunch. As she ate, she told them all about her battles, her friends, and Sesshomaru. It was easy to tell she was in love; her eyes glowed and she smiled softly when she mentioned his name. Kagome's mom watched her with happiness overflowing her heart; she had felt the same way about Kagome's father, and she had wanted nothing more than for Kagome to know that kind of love. Her wish had been granted.
As evening drug on, Kagome hugged and kissed her family goodbye. She gave her mom notes to give to all her friends, since she wouldn't be back for a long time. She had to get settled into her new life. Her grandfather wept as she left the house, and Sota ran out after her. "Sis! Wait!" he cried.
Kagome stopped and bent down to give him a big hug. "I will miss you," he said. "Promise me you won't forget me?" Kagome ruffled his hair. "Not on your life squirt." He laughed and waved goodbye as she headed into the well house and jumped into the well. Kagome smiled when she saw the familiar blue light surround her. She felt like she was finally going home for good, to a place where she belonged completely.
Kagome landed softly on the ground and looked up. She saw a clear blue sky with a few birds flying overhead. She climbed quickly out and ran to the village. She was greeted at the entrance by Inuyasha and Kikyo, and she hugged them both.
"Hey guys. I'm about to leave, just wanted to say goodbye. Is everything okay?" Inuyasha smiled and put his arm around Kikyo's waist.
"Everything is fine Kagome," he said happily. "I wanted to wish you luck, and tell you thank you for everything. We are all happy now, and we can now enjoy life the way we were supposed to. Will you come back to see us?" Kagome nodded. Her eyes filled with tears as she watched her friends walk away, hand in hand. Inuyasha had finally found happiness, and that was worth all the pain and suffering she had been through. She silently wished them all the best as she headed into Kaede's hut.
There she found Miroku and Sango with all their stuff packed into bags. They were getting ready to leave and go back to Miroku's family shrine. Kagome hugged them both tightly and wished them luck. She reminded them that she would be at Sesshomaru's castle, should they ever need her or want to visit. They nodded, waved, and left. Shippo hugged Kagome tightly before rushing out to join them; they were going to drop him off at a place where he knew some orphaned kitsune lived.
Kagome brushed a tear from her eye and turned to the priestess Kaede. She wasn't sure what to say to this older woman who had helped her in so many ways, and that she loved like an older sister. Kaede nodded her understand and smiled gently. "I will miss ye too, Kagome," she said softly. "Ye have become your own woman, and I am very proud of you for that. Do not forget who ye are, ever." Kagome nodded and hugged Kaede with everything she had in her.
"I will come back to see you," she said, then left the hut. She jumped on her bike and started to pedal out of the village. When she passed the very last field she turned and looked back. She could see Inuyasha and Kikyo waving to her. She waved back, then sped off into the woods. She was going to find her Sesshomaru. She pedaled for a long time before she saw the castle ahead of her. She stopped short of the gate and swallowed. Should she just go in or should she wait here?
The question was answered when Rin ran from inside the castle to greet Kagome. She smiled and jumped up and down as Kagome climbed off the bike and rested it against the gate. "Kagome! You're here! I was waiting all day long for you!" Kagome smiled down at the little girl and picked her up, swinging her high in the air.
"Yup, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere anytime soon! Are you my welcome party?"
"Yup! Come on; I get to show you where your room is and where to put your stuff. Hurry!" Rin pulled at her hands and dragged her into the castle. She told Kagome that the bike would be moved into the castle and put somewhere safe by the servants who worked in the castle. Kagome nodded and let Rin guide her through the long hallways.
"Here you go!" Rin said, opening a door and pushing Kagome through. She looked around to find a very plain room; there was a table, a few chairs, and a small dresser. She couldn't see a bed anywhere, and when she mentioned this to Rin, the small girl just smiled at her. "Hurry, put away your stuff away, because I want you to come with me to my flower meadow! Okay?" Before she could answer, Rin was gone.
Kagome stood still for a moment, then shrugged and unpacked her bag. She put all of her clothes away and was closing the last drawer when Rin reappeared. Assuring Rin that she was done, she let the little girl lead her out of the castle and to the meadow. Kagome's eyes widened when she saw how big the meadow was, and how many flowers there were. She could fit her high school building here!
Rin giggled and started making flower wreaths. After a moment, Kagome joined her. They spent a long time playing in the flowers; making wreaths, rings, and anything else Rin could think of. Kagome hadn't had so much fun in a long time, and she was laughing so hard by the time the sky started to darken that her sides were hurting.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried out suddenly, getting up and running behind Kagome. She sat still for a moment, then stood up and turned around to face the demon she loved. She raised her eyes from the ground until they reached his golden eyes, and she swallowed again. He was just looking at her while Rin told him all about their afternoon.
"Rin, please go back to the castle and tell Jaken to get dinner started," Sesshomaru said quietly to the little girl, who nodded and took off for the castle. His eyes never left Kagome, and after a moment he took a few steps toward her. He looked down at her smiling face. "So you are here. Is it for good?"
"As long as you want me here," she replied softly.
Sesshomaru smiled. "Then you will be here forever. Here, give me your hand."
Kagome complied and raised her right hand. Sesshomaru took it gently into hers and pulled a small box from his pocket. Kagome recognized it as the one his locket had been in. He opened it up and took something out. Kagome couldn't see what it was, but a moment later he slipped something on her finger. She looked down at her hand and her eyes widened in delight.
On her finger was a small silver band, a ring. It felt snug and comfortable on her hand, and when she looked closely at it, she could see some very faint etchings on it. There were three pictures, side by side; one of Sesshomaru, one of Rin, and one of her. She and Rin were smiling while Sesshomaru was watching them, a gentle look on his face. Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, her voice lost.
"You gave me a locket," he said, fingering the small piece of medal that hung around his throat. "I gave you a ring. We are now bound to each other. For as long as you want to wear that ring, it will stay on your finger. And as long as it does, your life span shall equal mine. You will not be immortal, but you will not die of old age until I do." Kagome smiled up at him and nodded.
Sesshomaru took in her features once more. He noticed her eyes were shining now, with love for him. He touched his fingers to her cheek, her nose, then her mouth before moving them down to rest on her shoulders. As he leaned down to her, she tilted her head back to meet him. And, for the first time, their lips brushed against each other. It was a soft kiss, undemanding yet unyielding, as if Sesshomaru wasn't sure what to do next but he knew he didn't want to stop.
Kagome pressed her lips firmly against his and kissed him back. Her lips caught his as her arms moved up his chest and around his neck. Sesshomaru sunk into her embracing, moving his hands to circle her waist. He pulled him to her as the kiss stretched on and on. Kagome opened her mouth to invite him in, and his tongue explored her.
When they could breathe no more, Sesshomaru pulled back. Kagome stayed where she was, breathing heavily. She opened her eyes and looked dreamily up at him. "Wow," she whispered, and he smiled. A sudden image of his dad flashed through his mind, asking him, once again, if he had someone to protect. 'Yes, Father,' he answered in his mind, looking down at the woman who had taken over his heart. 'I not only will protect her, but I love her, and she loves me. I hope we are as happy as you were.'
The End
That's it! I hope you liked it. Please let me know if you did. I'll be starting on another one sometime this week, so keep an eye out for it! So long everyone!