A/N I'm back! I know, I take forever to do things! :S Anyways, my goal is to have chapter 5 up by the end of this week! Hopefully it will actually happen.

Anyways, please enjoy! :D

CHAPTER 4

Kagome's POV

Pain. The first thing my mind registers. I try to move, but that just increases the pain ten fold, so I lay as still as possible, trying to breath as shallowly as possible. It was one of those revelations where you know you are going to die. I knew it with my whole being that I would not make it. I hoped that at least everyone else did.

That's when I sense the other people in the room. I turn to head, despite the almost crippling pain it cause. My heart plummets as I see the three other people in the room. Two in critical condition and the third, looking as haggard as the other two, just sitting there. I try to say their names, but only a strangle cry leaves my lips.

"Rest child," Kaede scolds from her sitting place in the corner of the hut, but I see the pity in her eyes. I wish she didn't have to see me like this. I try to smile at her, to alleviate the worry and sadness evident in her stature. It doesn't work. That can only mean it's worse than what I originally thought. I breath deeply to talk again, only to start choking. My hand automatically goes to my throat.

Gone, almost my whole body is gone. I use to have a hand, now I only have a stump, and my throat is ripped to shreds, I'm surprised I'm still alive. But even that was changing. My lungs are given out. I can feel my heart beat slow; feel as it stutters, as it stops once or twice.

That's when they came in. My eyes lock with Sesshomaru's as he pulls out his sword.

"Save them." I rasp, then, with those last words on my lips, I can feel the darkness creep up into my vision. And I sigh as I let myself succumb to it.

Sesshomaru's POV

"Save them." The last things she says to anyone, and she tells me to save the others. How pitiful, yet how completely like her. I turn towards Sango first, my sword poised to strike the demons.

"WHAT?" Inuyasha screeches at me. "You're going to listen to her?"

"It matters not in what order I save them, Inuyasha." I tell him sternly. "They will all get saved anyways."

He sulks away into the corner, watching me sullenly. I once again bring my sword near the dead slayer, only to realize something.

"The soul-carrying demons from the Netherworld are not present. She has been dead once before and was brought back. I cannot save her." I tell then emotionlessly.

The monk gets up angrily and even I, the great Sesshomaru, is scared of that look in his eye for a moment. Then he storms out of the hut and into the surrounding forest. Even Inuyasha looks downtrodden. But he still has a hope in his eyes that had left the young monk's; the hope I could save the one he loves.

I keep true to her word as I walk to the next injured being. Koga. He had rushed in before Inuyasha and thus had been hit with a large amount of Kagome's spiritual energy. My sword seems almost wary of the energy that had attacked Koga, sensing the amount of destruction it was capable of. Sighing I once again go to save someone. Yet, once again, nothing happens.

I growl in frustration at my sword. Why was it not working? Inuyasha thought it would be a great moment to stand up and blatantly points out the obvious.

"Your sword ain't doing it's job right! It's supposed to save people."

"I know," was all I said.

Staring at my sword in frustration, I finally give up on Koga as well and move to Kagome. For some reason the thought of not saving Kagome almost saddens me, then I pushed it away.

Walking towards Kagome my sword sings. A blinding blue light flows from my sword and merges with her pale pink light, wrapping her in a cocoon of it. And, without even swinging my sword, Kagome's eyes open.

Miroku's POV

Dead. She was dead, and with her my happiness is dead as well. My life wasn't worth much to begin with. And now with her gone, is it even worth it anymore? I can't answer that question.

I wanted to hurt Sesshomaru, wanted to make him hurt until he knew what it was like to lose the woman you love. But that would be suicide. Sango wouldn't want that, she would want me to live.

Besides, I have Kohaku to watch over now. He's free from Naraku after all. I storm off into the forest, intent on destroying something, on getting rid of all this pent up energy. I had gotten fairly deep into the forest when I notice Kohaku. He's sitting on a rock jutting out over a stream, weeping. He heard too of course. I curse myself for not thinking of the little boy who only had his sister. Now even she was gone.

"Kohaku," I breath, placing my hand on his shoulder. He jerks his arm away from my touch. Then he looks up at me with hate and betrayal in his eyes.

"Why didn't you save her? It should be you dead! Not her!"

Then heart-wracking sobs over take his body as he crumples in on himself.

I stand there speechless, because he's right of course! I'm a monk, sure, but I'm not exactly the cleanest man around, Sango was a saint compared to me, and yet, I'm the one who lived. It isn't fair, and then I let myself silently cry, as I walk away from Kohaku. I didn't see the demon until it was too late.

i got stabbed through the gut, but I manage to hit it with my staff and then seal it with my sutra. As it withers and dies I collapse from the pain. Blood starts to seep out of my lips as I lie down. As the darkness closes in, I smile. Sango is waiting for me, and I never want to leave her side again.

Sesshomaru POV

Kagome is lifted up into the air, the light swirling around her, making it look like she was sleeping with a cocoon of blankets. Then, as soon as it starts, it stops. She falls limply to the ground before either Inuyasha or I can react. She lays in a heap, unmoving, while both Inuyasha and I hold our breath, my sword is held limply in my hand, still slightly thrumming with energy.

She stirs and Inuyasha lets out a strangled cry in relief, tears threatening to leave his eyes. Even I let out a breath of relief. For some reason she couldn't die. Not Kagome. I abruptly turn to leave. I can not get attached to Inuyasha's wench! . . . To Kagome.

I was in the doorway when I hear her say something to me, not Inuyasha, me.

"Sesshomaru," she says weakly. "Thank you. For everything."

I was unable to save her friends and she saved my life, yet she's thanking me. I hold back the urge to roll my eyes and merely nod towards her before I walk out of the hut and the small town. I need to get back to Rin and Ah-Un.

As soon as I am far enough into Inuyasha's Forest (I actually find that they named the forest after him slightly ironic) I immediately take flight, heading east, towards the cliffs in the far off distance. Yet my minds cannot help but wander to a recently brought back to life priestess, who, I'm positive, saved my life.

Kagome's POV

I thought I was a goner. Dead. But then, that pure energy wrapped around me. It enveloped me. After I awoke, I immediately knew it was Sesshomaru. Thanking him didn't seem nearly enough, yet it was all I could do.

Why me? Will I ever know? Did I deserve to live more so than Sango or Koga? What made my life worth anymore than theirs?

I wish I knew the answer.

I limply sty in Inuyasha's arms, feeling downright exhausted. Looking into his amber eyes I notice they're filled with tears. I lift my shaking hands to cradle his face, wiping his tears away with my thumbs.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

"Damn it Kagome! It's not your fault! I'm the one who is supposed to protect everyone! I'm suppose to keep you all from danger!" Inuyasha explodes, screaming. "It's me. Not you. It was never suppose to be you. It was my responsibility." He whispers to me brokenly.

He gets up quickly, leaving the hut. Leaving me sitting there alone. That's when I allow myself to cry. Wondering if I'm going to lose everything. I can't just leave Inuyasha to go back to my side, for he would surely destroy himself. But, can I stop him from doing that anyways? And what of Miroku?

I just cry for what not only what we have lost, but for what the world has lost. For no one else will ever know of the compassionate and beautiful slayer, nor of the stubborn and kind wolf.

A/N So please tell me. Kagome and Inuyasha or Kagome and Sesshomaru?

Not going to lie, I personally always liked her better with Sesshomaru, but it's my faithful readers' choices! :)