A/N IMPORTANT! ALL REVIEWERS, PLEASE CHECK OUT THE AUTHOR'S NOTE AT THE END OF THE STORY! (you can finish readin this chapter first, though XD) lol, thanks! :D
Epilogue – Graduation
Two years later…
His amber eyes scanned the crowd, looking for her. But he couldn't find her. He knew he wouldn't be able to.
He dropped his head, and sighed.
"Hey, dude!" Miroku clapped him on his shoulder. He noticed Inuyasha's face. "What's up?"
Inuyasha scowled at him. "One guess."
Miroku thought for a second, before his expression wavered. "I'm sorry dude. I should have thought…"
"Yeah, well. It's ok," Inuyasha sighed again.
"Still, this is a happy occasion," Miroku told him seriously. "We're graduating. The torture is finally over! We're free citizens, baby!"
"Why am I listening to you?"
"I have no idea, but you're an idiot for it."
Inuyasha nodded. "I know. How's Sango?"
The familiar, lecherous grin spread across Miroku's face. "I could give you details, if you want."
"Please don't."
"Very well, then. She's fine. Better than fine."
"Good. I'm happy for you guys."
He looked through the hall of graduates again, not really sure what he was looking for. A sign, maybe. Something.
Koga came sauntering up to join the duo. "Wassup?"
Inuyasha winced. "Koga, I believe we've had a talk about your slang before, haven't we? It all boils down to this: cut out the crap!"
Koga shrugged, unconcerned. "Whatever. How you guys doin'?"
"I'm good, my man," Miroku said, slapping Koga's hand.
"And you, Yash?"
Inuyasha growled at him. "Bite me."
"My guess is that someone's not in a good mood today," Koga observed.
"Yeah, and guess why!"
Koga's face dropped somewhat. "Oh. Right. Sorry, man."
"Whatever."
Inuyasha turned back to the hall, which was filled with the entire sixth form, all dressed in ugly black polyester robes and donning… interesting black square caps. They all looked a bit like deformed penguins, with their white shirts underneath. He spotted Sango having an avid conversation with Ayame in the corner of the room, laughing as the wolf demon made some sly remark.
Kagome wasn't with them.
It had been two years since the incident at the shrine. Two whole years. Two years since Kagome had burnt Naraku to death with her two glowing hands. Two years since he had blasted Kikyo, literally, to pieces. Two years since she had fallen. Two years since he had crouched by Kagome's side, begging for her to wake up. Two years since…
"Crap crap crap, I'm late! Sorry sorry sorry! I'm here! Oh God, did I miss it?! I would have been here earlier, but someone smashed my alarm clock against the wall! It wasn't me, I swear it wasn't me! Wah!"
The last cry was cut off, as she fell forwards. She would have landed flat on her face, had she not been caught by Inuyasha.
She looked up sheepishly.
"Sorry,"
"Keh," he said, a grin spreading across his face. "You should learn to stay on both feet, wench."
"Why?" she asked, looking up at him and pouting. "Won't you always be around to catch me?"
"You know it," he said.
Inuyasha lifted her up and kissed her full on the lips.
His Kagome.
He had been so afraid he had lost her on that day.
When they finally broke apart she looked up at him, a mischievous grin on her face. Coyly, she ran a hand up to play with a strand of his hair.
"So, does this mean you forgive me for being late?"
He took her hand away from his silver locks and held it securely in his, smiling genuinely at the love of his life.
"How could I not forgive such an adorable face?" he asked her simply.
She squealed with delight, and stood on tiptoes to kiss him again.
"Ok you two, break it up!" came Koga's voice. "Inuyasha, that's my baby sister whose virtue you are stealing there."
They took no notice until four pairs of hands forcefully drew them apart.
"So, Kagome, you finally decided to turn up to your own graduation, did you?" Sango asked scathingly. Then she grinned. "At least you made an entrance!"
"Yeah," Miroku chimed in. "You have no idea how worried Inuyasha was about you!"
"Shit it you twit," Inuyasha grumbled. But he couldn't help smiling. Kagome looked so… happy. The light in her eyes shone, and she practically bounced on her toes. Her beautiful face was lit up with the joy within her, and when she looked at him, he could feel the warmth and love radiating from her.
God, he was so happy.
A voice barked from the front of the hall.
"Students, please line up! Boys on the left, girls on the right!"
Inuyasha pulled Kagome to him for one last kiss before he was dragged away by his so-called friends.
"Love you," he whispered.
"Love you too," she murmured back.
…
Inuyasha approached the podium, and took a deep breath. He looked down at the rows of people in front of him.
There they were, in the front row. Koga. Ayame. Miroku. Sango. And Kagome. They were all grinning at him, and Kagome waved at him cheerily.
Behind the rows of students, was the families. He saw his own mother and father sitting with Kagome's mother and brother. Sesshomaru and Kagura were one row behind, Sesshomaru with a hyper, squirming Rin on his lap, and Kagura cradling an eighteen-month Hakudoshi.
He cleared his throat.
"Hey guys," he began. "Ok, I've come up here today to talk about you lot and how amazingly you've done and all that crap. To be frank, I don't really know what I'm gonna say other than well done. It's our time now, classmates. We can go out there and cause hell!"
This was greeted with a cheer from the students, and a somewhat nervous murmur from the adults.
Inuyasha waited until the shouts had died down, before resuming his speech.
"Ok, well, since this is the last in a long line of speeches you've all had to endure, I'm gonna keep it short and sweet. You guys did great. Really. I'm just gonna give some shout-outs to some really amazing people here today. I know it's against protocol, and I'm fairly sure I'm gonna get chewed out for this later, but I don't really care. So, here goes,"
He took a deep breath.
"First, to Koga. You've been a good friend to me. Aside from the weird slang you use every once in a while, you seem a pretty decent guy. God knows how you got a girl like Ayame to love you, but hats off to you, and I hope you'll be very happy together.
"Second, to Ayame. I still haven't forgiven you for all the times you threw me in the swimming pool. But you were always there when I needed you, and I'll never forget that. You deserve a lot better than Koga, and God knows why you chose him, but you two will be great together. Live long and be happy, and punish Koga every time he's an idiot. So I expect to see him in plaster a lot of the time. Go out there, and use your big heart to make people happy.
"Next, to Miroku. I've known you since we were toddlers in the sandbox, and even though you're a lecher and a pervert, you're a good friend. You have no sense of direction, and you need to remember that an Ordnance Survey Map has two sides to it. But you have Sango for that. You two love and deserve each other, and I expect to be the Godfather of your kids.
"To Sango: girl, you're amazing. You're a great fighter – I still have bruises from the Power Assessment in Games – and a great friend. You're loyal and amazing. You, like that halfwit you love so much, have no sense of direction, so I will never be going on a road trip with you, but I do expect to meet you at the destination and be able to laugh at how late you are. You have been there ever since I've known you, and you deserve happiness. And I personally am going to see to it that this lecher gives it to you. Good luck, and make the world a better place with your smile."
Finally, this was it. He looked at Kagome's smiling face, and took another breath. He could do this.
"And, last but not least, to the beautiful Kagome Higurashi. Kagome, you have had a hard time of it the past few years. You blamed yourself for the sick mind of other people. And you shouldn't have done. You called your gift a curse. You have been through more than I would ever wish on anyone, and you have come out of it this beautiful, mature woman, who still has a light in her eyes and a grin on her face. I love you, my mate. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. And that's why I am standing up here, making this speech today." He reached inside his pocket, and produced a small velvet box. Popping the lid, he opened it to reveal…
A ring.
"Kagome Higurashi, here, on the greatest day of your life so far, I ask you, in front of all your friends and family, will you marry me?"
The smile slid from her face. For a second, a whole second, he thought she would say no.
But her smile returned with a vengeance. A great grin spread itself across her face, and she jumped up with tears in her eyes. She raced onto the stage and stood in front of him, catching him in her embrace.
"Of course I will!" she said to him, her heart in her voice.
He grinned, gently detached himself from her, and slid down on one knee in front of her. Taking her hand, he slipped the ring on her finger.
"Forever and always," he said, pressing her now adorned hand against his heart.
"Forever and always," she replied, and knelt down, pressing her lips to his.
They were together. And nothing and no one could break apart their love.
Forever and always.
...
Kagome kneeled in the grass, placing a single white rose in front of the stone grave.
She cleared her throat, and looked down, twiddling the ring round her finger.
"Hey, dad. I just... I kinda just wanted to talk to you. Before the wedding. Souta's giving me away, so you don't have to worry about that. It would be really great if you and Jii-chan could be there for me though. It would mean a lot.
"I guess... I didn't really have a purpose coming here today, other than to say hi and ask how you and Jii-chan were. I hope you're ok. Kikyo and Naraku are burning in hell, so I won't worry about them harassing you.
"I hope you're happy, dad. I love you, and I miss you. It kills me that you won't be there to walk me down the aisle, but I know you'll be watching. Thanks for everything, daddy."
Kagome began to stand, but a clawed hand on her shoulder stopped her. She looked up into the golden eyes of the one she loved.
"Mind if I say a few words?" he asked, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards into a smile.
Kagome swallowed, and shook her head.
He nodded, and sat down beside her, before clearing his own throat.
"Hello there, Mr Higurashi. My name is Inuyasha, and I'm your daughter's fiance. I came to ask your permission for your daughter's hand in marriage. I know I'm kind of late, but I was hoping you would overlook that. I love your daughter with everything I have, and I promise you I will make her happy as my wife."
The wind stirred in the trees. A single petal came detached from her father's rose and landed in front of the young couple.
"Well, Kagome? What do you think?" Inuyasha asked anxiously.
She laughed. "I think he's alright with it."
She stood up, and took the hanyou's hand. "Come on. We still have to finish decorating for tomorrow. And Sango is going to drag me into that dress again."
"Do you really mind so much?"
"As if I would mind!" she grinned.
He smiled. "I can't wait to see you in it."
She laughed, tilting back her head. "I'll be the one in white."
The couple walked away from her father's grave, swinging their joined hands between them... to a new life. One where they would be together.
Forever and always.
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GUYS, IT IS FINALLY OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOT!!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bumblezee - Ohayo, oh flying monkey of the sun high in the sky on the afternoon of the chocolate picking!
Lol I admire you! you go girl! can't wait to read more of any of the fics you come up with! keep it coming, bumble!
another movie that i find tres confusing... the dark knight! dunno why, but the whole joker thingy i don't get... still terrified me though! lol!
i know, i'm gonna miss you too! :( still, i have the first chapter of another story which i may be uploading tonight... don't tell anyone though! (looks around secretively)
dum dum dum! i hope you like this as an ending!
don't worry, she's alive!
cya soon!
love libra
xx (etc XD)
Namike - here is the ending! enjoy!!
Sassybratt - aw, thanks! :D i know, i think i could have done... maybe next time! lol, here ya go! the ending!
BlackMagicWhiteMagic - lol, tried to keep it going for an extra day, but i couldn't do it!!
Shichinintai's girl - lol, thanks! :D enjoy!!
brinaalee - eek, grounded! good luck! here it is, all updated! enjoy!
words unheard - thanks so much! here's the ending! woot woot!
Mistyfire - happy ending! ta da!
completeandtotalrandomness - don't worry, this is no braveheart! dum dum dum! she's alive! lol, hope you enjoyed the ending!
dangitsesshomaru - thanks! am always worried writing fight scenes! sorry, she's alive XD and i couldn't put off the update! it was killing me, lol!
reader238 - you were right, lol! hope you enjoyed!
Xalainu - close, and a good idea! sorry, i had already written it!
kouga's older woman - thanks :D glad you liked it! here's the ending!!
myInuYasha15 - dum dum dum! hope ya enjoyed!
MariisCa - lol, glad you liked!! please enjoy, right at the end!!
tazzels - thanks! and ta da, live kagome!!
mkblackrose - aw, thanks, that's so sweet! I hope ya enjoy, here's the ending!!
it's the ending, guys! thanks for all your support, and i owe you all!!!!!
Libra Sorceress xx