Deceitful Time
Chapter Twenty-Nine: Terminated
Note: Half of this will be in first-person POV, you've been warned.

"No!" Kagome cried out again as she crawled over to the far too still Inuyasha. He was… was Inuyasha! He couldn't just stay down like, no matter what happened he got up after an attack, he… he had to be OK. She could feel the tears drip down from her eyes but she couldn't register them. Her hand simply shook as she reached out to touch his cheek that was warm, it was warm he couldn't be dead, "Inuyasha, you have to get up. You have to get up now… come on, you have to get up."

But no matter how much she shoved his shoulders he wouldn't budge, her haori had been dirtied throughout the fight but nothing soaked it like his blood… the blood that wouldn't stop pooling around him. "Get up, Inuyasha!"

"Kagome," Shiro whispered as he grabbed one of her arms, "stop, he's gone. You have to stay behind me."

"He's not gone!" She screamed back as she tried to pry her arm out of his hands as she gripped his red suikan in her hands as if she were to let it go then… then he would disappear, then he'd really be… "Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"

That malice filled chuckle they all knew far too well broke out, stilling the demons that were still trying their utmost to kill the now four fighters that slowly formed another circle around their weaken companion and fallen friend.

"One down, four to go," Naraku gloated, "how does it feel? The fucking half-breed is dead finally."

"You monster!" Kagome shouted with all the power she had as Shiro wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his embrace but it didn't stop her shaking body or the tears that refused to cease, "we're going to kill you! You coward! You pathetic monster! You can't even fight us yourself! You have to use all these damn demons to shield yourself! You have no power! You are nothing with the shikon shards! You disgusting half-human! You are such scum! Kikyou should have killed you when you were a human! She shouldn't have spared you! You're too pathetic!"

It were her final series of words that struck anger in the beast and summoned his growl as he parted the demons to enter into sight, his arm still stained with the dead half-demon's blood as he struck at Kagome. Shiro leaped out of the way for the attack to only strike against the wall, "take her," he requested as he set her down next to Sango, "make sure nothing happens to her."

"I promise," Sango nodded as she pried her mournful mahoganies away from their friend that… that just couldn't be dead. It was Inuyasha, he was so stubborn, so resilient, he always made his way through a battle but… but this time he wouldn't? No… no, it just couldn't be, she looked to Miroku who's grasp on his staff had tightened. Sorrow was not what consumed her beloved monk, anger coursed through his veins as his violent violets moved from his closest friend's deceased body to the hell bound demon that had already taken too much from him.

He refused to stay behind and Shiro openly welcomed the aid, though no words were really spared as they headed towards the demon. Shiro paused only long enough beside his past-self to steal the sword from his lifeless hands—it was the most chilling thing he had ever come across to see one's self lying there dead… he didn't dare wonder how he was still there when he was also lying their dead. He just took the sword in both hands and hoped desperately that it would convert for him. Years, decades, had passed since he unsheathed the very same sword he kept at home… it had been longer since the sword transformed for him.

Who knew why but as he charged at the grinning demon the Tessaiga glowed as it grew in size, it had been too long though for him to summon up all its power as he struck at the demon. It was sharp, though, and that's all that mattered as he danced around with Naraku and the monk. The demons that had been stalled by their master were brought back to action most focusing on those who tried to kill their leader but some still tried to destroy the girls—as if that was going to happen when they were so angry.

Neither of the combatants truly noticed that the harder they fought and leaped around the farther they were separated from the women they loved dearly. All that mattered in that moment was the demon in front of them that they would kill, the demon that struck at the full-demon and hit him right in the gut as he worded off some of the smaller demons. It only got a grunt of him, he had far worse. It took one turn to chop off the evil extremity that had killed his younger-self.

A smaller demon ripped through his shoulder as he cut off one of the legs of Naraku and Miroku opened his wind tunnel to suck away some of the cretins that got in their way. A surge struck Shiro in the side before he was able to let out of his own from his sword to tear at the nuisance that had ruined all of their lives time after time.

It was an endless mingling of blood, flesh, claws, fangs, bursts of power, and opened voids that consumed them as their female counterparts fought with the smaller demon. Sango had spared a sword to Kagome, only a few times though had she ever had time to teach her friend how to use the katana properly but it seemed to work well enough to protect her. After all, a broken heart and throbbing anger was always the best source of energy. Strike after strike they tore through the demons… she tried her best not to look over to the body of the man she loved…

He shouldn't be dead. She should.

Tears blurred her vision but Sango knew of her friends disadvantage and never once allowed a demon to take advantage of that.

"We have to get to them," Kagome choked as she felt wood tap against her heel, "I have an idea."

"OK," Sango whispered as she took a deep breath and threw her weapon—which had served them well as shield—to create a temporary tunnel for them to run through. She grasped the weapon that was on its way of returning to her just in time to block an assault from her right as Kagome continued forward, "wait!"

But she wouldn't listen as she felt a set of claws tear through her shoulder, it didn't matter, she'd feel the pain later as she grasped the arrow she had picked up in her hand as if it was the key to her own life. She saw Shiro get hit by a direct attack from Naraku right before he returned the favor, Miroku was dealing with the minor demons.

It was her chance, all were far too consumed with what was going on with themselves to notice a she ran and ran with all her might. She jumped then, stepping on a smaller demon to leap higher then grasped the arrow in both her hands—she'd do it, this would be the end.

She had to make this the end…

With all her ache she summoned every bit of power that was within her soul—from every single space, even the deepest—and slammed the arrow down right where the mass of shards were placed within Naraku. A painstaking cry echoed about, shaking the stone that was about them.

That was it… she had done it. The demon's heart was gone, the shards were expelled from his body. He finally perished for all the sins he committed. Not a single soul cried for him.

"Bastard," Kagome whispered below her breath as she fell to the ground with no grace whatsoever she only lingered there a moment as she heard the wind tunnel that Miroku had opened to suck up all the little demons die down, she slowly looked up to see him marvel at his hand.

That meant… she had done it.

"Kagome…" Shiro muttered but she didn't wait for him to come help her up, she pushed herself off the ground and sprinted back to fall to her knees next to her… almost lover. Her sobs were stuck in her throat as she fell down upon his back and grasped his red suikan into hand. The suikan that had protected her so much… why couldn't it this time?

Now, she let her tears and shaking sobs take her fully. "Inuyasha… no… no…" he couldn't be dead. No. She'd rather it be her. She never thought… he'd be the one to die. He was just so… divine almost, so unstoppable that who would have thought he could ever die?

She could hear footsteps beside her, she knew without bothering to pry herself away that it was Shiro. She was fine, the only blood of hers he could smell was a minor amount. Her head was bashed but she'd live, her shoulder would scab but she would be fine. That's… all that mattered as he fell to his knee and grabbed at his gut that had been gashed far deeper than he originally thought.

Maybe… fate had changed its mind; maybe it would just accept his death instead of hers. He could live with that… he could die happily with that knowledge as his shoulder slammed against the cold stone.

That sound forced her to weakly look away from Inuyasha and look over to Shiro as… no, his own blood began to flow out of him and mix with his former self's pool of drying red liquid.

"Sh… Shiro…?" she muttered as she turned away from Inuyasha to crawl over to him and pull his limp body into her arms. No.

No.

No.

It was not fair. No. No. Not both of them… no. She was wrong to run back and forth between the two but she did not deserve to live without both of them. "No…" she shook her head fervently as she held him tighter, "Shiro, you're going to be OK? Right? You are just sort of hurt, right? We're going to get out of this mess and I'm going to nurse you back to health. You are going to be OK."

He loved to hear her shaky confidence as she pressed her lips upon his forehead, "yeah… I'll be fine."

What a lie, how could she believe his meek murmur? She swallowed heavily as a set of footsteps headed towards them.

"Shiro?" Miroku inquired as he knelt down next to Kagome for more reasons than one—his wounds, his sorrow, his exhaustion.

"This isn't…" Sango whispered as she knelt behind Miroku and leaned her head against Miroku's back as she grasped at his purple clothe. Miroku let his now freed hand wonder behind his back and open so Sango could drop the large fragment of the shikon jewel that they had retrieved from Naraku's quickly decaying body and the rest of the shards that Sango had kept with her as Kagome was away.

"Lady Kagome," Miroku mumbled as he handed her the fragments that she barely allowed herself to let go of Shiro with one hand and take. She clasped them in her hand and in an instant they purified and became whole for the first time in so long… she held it to her heart as she felt Shiro rest his head against her shoulder.

Could she use it to bring Inuyasha back and kept Shiro alive or… or would that be a selfish wish? Would that taint the jewel even if she made the wish? Something in her soul said it would be but… but she'd ignore it, she'd make it anyway but again that pang pulsed through her…

Don't.

She would anyway.

Don't.

She refused, she had to, how could she go on without them? She might end up choosing one over the other if she must but she couldn't let either die.

Don't.

She clasped the whole jewel in hand once more as she closed her eyes, preparing herself for what she had to do but… then she felt Shiro's hand grasp around hers. She opened her hazels to meet with his dulling golden gaze.

"Don't," he repeated what the voice told her… "not for me at least."

"What?" She whispered but he had such… surreal peace on his face even in his dying moments, how?

"I love you," he stated sincerely, "this is better than last time… this is time we get to say goodbye. I never got to before… I'm fine with this. I've lived long enough. You're alive; you'll live on… that's all that matters. I've already used the shikon once anyway…"

"No, this is not OK," she countered, blinking away the tears in her eyes, "please, please…"

"No, Kagome," he lifted his hand from her hand to cup her face and stroke the stream that was clearing a path down her dirt and blood covered cheek. "Bring him back if you want, be with him… that's what supposed to happen."

"No," she whined as she pressed her lips to his forehead to mumbled against his skin, "please… Shiro… I can't let you die when I can stop it."

"You can't," he coughed deeply, a drip of blood moved down his lips. "Only…" he sucked in some air, "the shikon can. Just… use it on him."

She pressed her lips so tightly together that they became white for a bit as she nodded, she… loved him. If she loved someone shouldn't she allow them to go if they wanted to…? She closed her eyes as she nodded to him again. "Shiro…"

"It's OK," he whispered as he relaxed in her embrace. He was truly alright for with this… who wouldn't want to die in the arms of the one they lived? After all, wouldn't she use the shikon to bring Inuyasha back and then… she wouldn't be alone. She wouldn't have to be torn between the choice of which to stay with—shouldn't it be him? The one that lied dead beside them? Yes… he was certain of that. His Kagome had died… and now he'd join her in whatever was hidden in the unknown void of death.

"Shiro," she whispered as she wrapped her arms around him, clenching the shikon in her hand tighter and she hugged him like there would be no tomorrow because… there would be no tomorrow, not for them. "Let's make a promise, OK?"

"Sure, anything," he tried his best to hide the pain in his voice but she heard it and let her embrace go a bit more.

"Let's…" she paused for a bit, what should it be? She felt like it was right to say that… as she closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his something just came out, in a calm, flowing, lull, "that this won't be the end. That we'll never have an end… no matter what. We'll find each other again, and again, and again, in every life."

"In another life we'll be together again," he assured. He wanted that. Their souls to find each other life after life, no matter what, so they could always be together, she pulled away only a bit and he gave her the weakest smile as he nodded, "I promise."

"I promise, too," she didn't know how that would happened, she didn't know how to keep her promise, but it didn't matter. She would. They kissed, one last time before he stolen away by the afterlife.

She gasped for air as she tried her utmost to pull herself together and keep the tears at bay as she lied Shiro down, she could linger there for a bit and look down at the man she loved so dearly… more than the other Inuyasha? In one way, yes, yes very much more but in another—in an innocent way—she loved the one who was far too still behind her.

She took another breath, affirming that somehow fate had let her go, that she was alive as she pulled her hands together and pressed them to her heart as she closed her eyes. There was no 'don't' that told her not to make her wish…

{xoxoxoxoxo}

~ Months Later ~

I can't say I really counted the months that have passed since that dreadful day… night? It was dawn, when the sun finally found a way to raise up from the other side of the world slowly but it was not yet day, most of the sky was still tainted with darkness, but it was not truly night, either, since the rays from the sun combat against the vial that fought so hard not to vanish from the sky.

In school I learned about the Maya's and their thoughts on the sun, I can't help but think about that each and every day as I sit and watch the sun rise. They believed that the sun went on a journey each time it disappeared from the sky, that there was actually a chance that it would not raise the next day. It would leave their sight to fight its way through the underworld, I can relate to them and their mild dread that every day might be their last. I… I want to cry every time I see that sight. I don't know why I'm still alive… I don't know what reason I have for being here.

The well is still sealed, I try each day to go through it but I can't. Am I meant to just stay here? Why? What is there here for me? Nothing… yes, nothing. I pressed my lips together as I blinked away the terrible tinge that I knew so well now. I don't mean to cry so much but… my heart aches so badly. Is this how Shiro thought felt each day after I died? Well… the other Kagome? I can't imagine how he was able to go through five hundred years of this misery. No wonder he asked Chiyoko to erase me from his memories…

Chiyoko, Akiko, Mimiko… they must all wonder where he is. I wish that I could get back through the well to tell them… didn't Chiyoko once tell me that Shiro could vanish or a year and it would be normal? Would they… think that he was OK? How long would it take before they realized that they'd never see their beloved friend again… I'm sorry, Chiyoko, he's not coming back… It's my fault. I should have been the one to die.

Is that selfish of me? To wish that I had been in their place? Then one of them or both could feel this pain instead of me?

The shikon jewel was gone… it was gone when I opened my hands and in all these months I have not sensed it once.

Since it was gone… it meant that I couldn't make my wish that I couldn't bring him back. I wanted to, so badly, I wanted to spend the rest of my life in the feudal era with him. I would have happily done that but… he gone, he's been gone all this time.

My days were consistently the same, I woke up before dawn, I walked to their graves and watched as the sun rose, my knees tightly grasped to my chest as I looked from the glare in the sky down to the two graves for the same man… one for Shiro, the other for Inuyasha. I loved them both. Why could I have one? Why couldn't we be together?

I sighed as I got up and headed back to the village for breakfast, if I wasn't there in time to help prepare the meal Sango would come looking for me frantically. Did she think that I'd do something silly and hurt myself? Of course not. Never, I would never ever do that when those who I loved most had saved me. One man I cherished desperately had waited five hundred years to make sure I lived. Another man that had enchanted my heart had protected me and been hurt time after time to make sure I lived to see the next day even if he might not. I could never give up life; though it is painful it is precious and I refuse to give up on it.

"Good morning, Sango," I greeted with my joyful smile, the one I put on just for my dearest friends. She knew it was fake, but she smiled the same back to me.

"Kagome," she whispered as she motioned for me to come closer, I suppose she didn't want to wake Shippou or Kirara. I knew it would deeply scar Shippou to hear that Inuyasha would not come back… I don't think Shippou ever felt like Inuyasha was a father or anything but they were like… brothers, constantly bickering brothers. Inuyasha was the oldest one, just barely, but he protected Shippou… he cried almost more than me but I was perfectly fine holding Shippou as we both sobbed our hearts out. He's given up on tears though and seemingly moved on to play with the local children, he's been talking about going to take some demon exercise to become a full blown, powerful, demon. I'm happy for him.

"Yes?" I hushed back as I leaned over to her.

She paused some before her smile widened almost too much, "I'm… I'm," she grinned more as she pressed her hands together, "with child. Miroku and I will soon have a family."

"Sango!" I gasped; I couldn't help but hug her tightly and giggle with her. Quite possibly the greatest moment the entire time I was stuck in the past was when Miroku and Sango had their little but beautiful ceremony. I couldn't help but envy them though… they would be husband and wife when I never would… why would I bother if I could not be with the only person I ever loved—future or past part of him? Now they get to have children together like Inuyasha and I never would… though, we were sort of supposed to, at least in Shiro's time…

Kohaku was found, too, quickly after Naraku's death and happy to rejoin Sango, he was at the ceremony, too, and even cried for his sister. It was precious… it made me miss my little brother…

I miss my family. I want them to know I'm OK. They must be so worried…

"I want them to know I'm OK," I whispered to the twin stone symbols once more, I visit this countless times and grasp at the ground that now sprouted grass. How can life come from a place that marked death? I bit my lips together as I closed my eyes, "I really want to see my mother again… my grandpa, my brother, everyone… I miss them. I miss Ayumi, Eri," I smiled lightly, "I even sort of miss Hojo. I miss everyone…"

Always, always, I wanted for a reply but there never was one… sometimes I'd close my eyes and feel the wind brush against my cheek almost as if someone was trying to whip my tears away and I'd smile. I don't know if it's him—when they are gone, they're the same soul, right?—but it gives me comfort. I want to believe it is them.

"I love you," I whispered as I dragged my fingertips across the top of the ground, "I miss you, too."

Then a cry split through the valley I sat in, the birds fluttered about from the trees that weren't too far away.

What was wrong? I had to leap up and run towards the village as fast as my legs could take me.

A demon! A demon was attack the village—no! This was the worst time possible! I rushed to the hut that I resided in with Kaede to get my bow and arrows. Miroku was away at the next village over helping them with a minor demon problem, so he could get rice and other necessities for the family that Sango had blissfully told him they were about to form. Even as I ran out to face the demon I smiled at the thought of Miroku flipping out when he found out he would finally be a father. I can't imagine how happy he would be… truly, I couldn't.

I prepared an arrow and shot it out at the demon, killing it on contact.

Well… that was easier than I thought. "Sango!" I shouted as I ran towards her, "you shouldn't be doing this!"

"I know," she muttered with a frown, I bet it's really hard for her to put away her demon slaying material and let others protect her. She wasn't showing yet, so I guess if she's going to pretend to still be a slayer now's better than latter.

"Kagome!" Sango gasped as she threw her weapon towards another demon that was crawling its way over to us. It struck it and killed it but not its final comrade that lurched towards us.

It was so close… to close. I couldn't shot an arrow in time to save Sango. I couldn't… save Sango.

No. I could. I will. I jumped in front of the attack and took it for my friend that could have a family, would have a family… I couldn't breath as the demon pierced through my chest but… I wouldn't go down without a fight; I grasped the demon with my final strength and let out all the power I had left.

As I fell to my knees I and to the side, feeling the warmth flow out of my with my blood, I could see the demon fade to nothing. I could hear Sango cry out my name but at the same time I couldn't really…

"Don't… feel… bad…" I managed before I coughed up blood.

It's just my time to go… In the end, my soul expired for this lifetime... I was destined to die young. There really is no changing the thread of fate and I don't think I'd have it any other way.

I'm sorry Inuyasha... was my final thought as I closed my eyes and let my lips curl into a smile.

A/N: Anyone who has read my other stories probably can guess how hard it has been for me to not just randomly go into first-person POV. I couldn't take it anymore, sorry, I just had to do it.

I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far and continue to review. And yes, the story is not done, there is one more chapter left.

By the way, I edited this chapter and then when I pressed the 'save' button it told me I needed to re-log in so I was super pissed and only fixed a few things before I posted it. I'll come back to it later and fix it... probably.