Thunder began to rumble lowly as a storm began to pound the earth. Miroku held his crying fiance in his arms as she sobbed, her tears mixing with the rain, soaking his kimono. Her shoulders shook as she cried for her best friend.

Shippo walked closer to Kagome and Inuyasha. He looked up at Inuyasha. He was holding Kagome tightly, her blood mixing in the rain on the ground. They were all in shock and hurting. What was Inuyasha going to tell Kagome's family? What was he going to do with Kagome's body?

Inuyasha separated from Kagome and he looked at her face, her dead chocolate-brown eyes looking at him.

'First, I lose Kikyo. And even though that hurt and it upset me, it was okay, because I had you. I could let her go. Let her be in peace. But I can't lose you Kagome. I can't lose you like this. We were supposed to grow together and be together. You were supposed to live with me until we died. I'm never going to see you again, Kagome. How am I going to tell your family that I failed to protect you?'

Inuyasha gritted his teeth together, trying to fight off the sobs that were ripping up his chest. "I am so sorry Kagome. I couldn't protect you." he whispered. "Inuyasha, look." said Sango. Inuyasha looked down.

There next to him was the Shikon Jewel. And it was complete. Inuyasha looked at it. That must have been what Kagome grabbed when Naraku attacked her in the air. Miroku walked over and picked it up.

"I can't completely seal it but I can keep the evil at bay at least." said Miroku as he walked back over to the others. "What do we do with it?" asked Shippo. Inuyasha laid Kagome down. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked.

They all looked at him. "We use it to bring Kagome back." he said. They all looked at him in shock. "We can't do that! Have you learned nothing!? This isn't something that Kagome deserves!" yelled Miroku.

"What's the alternative!? Kagome stays dead!? How could that be better than bringing her back!? Why can't we use the jewel to bring her back!? She deserves to live!" he cried.

"She doesn't deserve to be brought back this way. She would be brought back but she wouldn't be alive. Would you want Kagome to live the way that Kikyo did? Counting on the souls of the dead to stay alive? How is that fair to her?" asked Sango.

"You have seen what the jewel does to people. And that is not something that you want for Kagome. Kikyo and Kohaku both struggled and suffered after being brought back to life. She deserves to rest in peace after all she has done for us!" yelled Sango.

Inuyasha looked at them and then back to Kagome. They were right. He couldn't do it to her. Not to the woman he loved more than anything. He couldn't watch her suffer like that. "Wait." said Miroku. They looked at him.

"What about Sesshomaru? He has the Tensaiga. Maybe he can bring her back." said Miroku. "He wouldn't do anything to help me. He hates me." said Inuyasha. "I'm not even good enough to be called his brother." said Inuyasha scoffing.

"Isn't it worth asking?" asked Miroku. Inuyasha shut Kagome's eyes. He looked at his friends and nodded. "Let's go. But we need to keep the jewel under wraps. We don't need to be attacked and have it taken again." they all nodded.

Inuyasha picked up Kagome bridal style and they took off running. They hoped they could find Sesshomaru before Kagome stayed dead too long. They didnt have to look long. They stopped a few steps away.

There stood Sesshomaru standing at the end of a cliff, looking over. He turned and looked at Inuyasha. "Sesshomaru." said Inuyasha. "Is it true?" he asked, walking toward the group. "Naraku is dead?" he asked. Inuyasha stood there, looking at his brother.

"His scent doesn't exist anymore. Did you all kill him?" He asked. Inuyasha nodded. "And the girl died in the battle?" he asked. Inuyasha nodded, mutely. "Sesshomaru." said Inuyasha, his hair covering his eyes.

Sesshomaru turned to look at his brother. "I came here to ask you for a favor. I came here to ask you to use Tensaiga on Kagome. Bring her back. Please." he asked. Sesshomaru stayed quiet.

"What makes you think that Lord Sesshomaru would actually help that stupid girl!? Let alone you! What's in it for him!?" demanded the little imp demon.

"Jaken!" he stopped and looked at Sesshomaru. "Enough." he said. Jaken backed away and went to stand by Rin. Sesshomaru looked at his brother. He was covered in blood. He saw the hopelessness in his eyes.

"Tensaiga was restless, pulsating. It brought me here. I didn't understand. Now I do." Inuyasha looked at his brother. "Tensaiga was trying to tell me that that girl was dead." Inuyasha flinched. "Inuyasha." he looked up.

"I will bring back the girl. On one condition." Inuyasha nodded. "You are at my disposal. When you're needed in battle you come. No questions asked." Inuyasha nodded.

"Whenever you need me, however many times you need me, I will be there. I will be your weapon if I have to. Just please bring back Kagome." he said.

Sesshomaru nodded. Inuyasha walked forward and laid Kagome gently on the ground. Sesshomaru walked over, and unsheathed his sword. He cut the messengers from the other world. No one made a sound or moved. Inuyasha's heart sped up when he heard it.

Kagome's heart was beating. She gasped as she breathed her first breath. Inuyasha walked over and picked her up, hugging her to him. He looked at his brother. "I owe you." he said. Sesshomaru nodded.

"Inuyasha, there will come a day when I ask you for what you owe me." Inuyasha nodded. "Okay, deal." Sesshomaru nodded and walked away, the imp and little girl following after him.

Kagome's eyes opened and she looked at the hanyou. "Inuyasha." she said lovingly. Inuyasha smiled and hugged her tightly to him. They separated and she looked at the others. "Everyone." She said with a smile on her face.

They all smiled. "You're alive." said Inuyasha, full of relief. Kagome turned and hugged him tightly.

REWRITTEN FEBRUARY 2024