InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Second Chance At Love ❯ More Ugly Truths, A Broken Heart ( Chapter 2 )

Author's Note: Forgot usual disclaimer...

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha....Its owned by Romiko Takahashi, (did I spell that right??) Hm.

On with the story.....

Author Note: This chapter begins with the two men at the point where Kagome first ran off in Ch, 1

Chapter 2 More Ugly Truths/ A Broken Heart

~*~Back at the Campsite~*~

Inuyasha kept his head bowed as he made the statement that only the houshi could hear.

"I just don't know what to do... Kami-sama I hurt her again.

"Yes. Why do you continue to do so, Inuyasha?" asked Mirouku. "Kagome is a wonderful girl, she doesn't deserve this. She is the least person who deserves this"

"I know." Inuyasha had told himself the same things over and over. But, he didn't want to make promises to her that he couldn't keep. He already had one to Kikyo that he didn't want to keep. He didn't want to do that to her. Not Kagome. He didn't want to loose her either, but he knew sooner or later he was going to have to let her go.

He tried to comfort himself with the thought that this wasn't her world and that one way or another she was going to leave him. He tried to tell himself that this was the best way. Less pain... on both sides, he said to himself. Somehow, he keeps messing up though. He knew why he was messing up though. He was messing up because he wanted to tell her how he felt. He wanted to tell her he loved her and see the smile that would light her face.

Inuyasha couldn't do it though, because he still had every intention of going to hell with Kikyo. He owed her that. He wouldn't break his vow... not even for his heart.

Inuyasha looked up at the houshi that had become the closes thing to a friend he ever had and said the one thing he wouldn't say to anyone else.

"I hurt her Mirouku, and I know I'm going to do it again when I go to Hell with Kikyo. That makes me hurt."

Mirouku, putting a hand on the hanyou's shoulder squeezed it as he said, "I know my friend. Gomen ne. I wish I could do something to help you both, but I'm afraid your answer is the one thing you won't do... or not soon enough for it to make a difference."

With that said the young houshi walked off to give his friend sometime to himself.

****************

Kagome arrived back at the campsite and sighed in resignation for what she was about to do. It could not be helped though. She spotted Inuyasha sitting in the same spot that he was sitting in, when she'd walked off... except now he was alone. She had no idea where Shippou, Kirara and Mirouku went, but she was glad that she had Inuyasha alone.

Kagome took a deep breath then took a seat on the ground beside him. Inuyasha jumped at the contact. He must have been really deep in thought to not have detected her scent coming, she thought to herself. Probably about Kikyo she added sadly.

"Inuyasha? We need to talk?" She said softly. She watched him nod his agreement.

So, it was going to happen now, hm. She was going to tell him she was leaving him, going back home. Inuyasha thought to himself sadly. He knew she had the power in her, as a miko, to go home. She needed the Shikon no Tama to come back though. He guessed she decided it wasn't necessary since she wasn't planning on coming back. He wanted to beg her to stay. He wouldn't though.

"I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer me honestly. Can you do that?" she asked quietly.

"Hai, I can do that Kagome." He looked her straight in the eyes. "Ask me your question."

"Why do you want to go to Hell with Kikyo?"

"You know the answer to that. She died because of me. I owe her that much. A life for a life"

"Why do Naraku not owe her, instead of you? You were tricked too, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha had no answer for that so, he said nothing at all.

Kagome sighed as she looked down at her hands folded in her lap. She felt the tears pricking the back of her eyes, but she wouldn't shed them. Not yet. She was going to get this said first, if it killed her. Kagome took a steadying breath and said what she'd come back to say.

"Inuyasha, I have something I need to say to you and I need you to be quiet and not interrupt me until I'm finished. Just listen. Will you do this for me?"

"Hai, Kagome... I... yes," he was about to say `he'd do anything for her', but then he figured that wouldn't have been entirely true. She could have asked him not to go, though he knew Kagome wouldn't do that, than he would have had to refuse.

"Arigatou..." she sighed one last time and pushed the tears back as she focused her eyes on her hands and her mind on her thoughts. "You tell me that you are going to follow a woman to hell, a woman, who has tried everything to kill you and me, because you say you owe her that for her life. You know the trick that was played upon you both. That Naraku turned you against each other and in doing so sealed your fates. But, do you know why his planned worked so well? It worked because what you and Kikyo had wasn't love."

She saw his eyes go dark with anger at her words, but he did not interrupt. Maybe out of curiosity at where she was going with this. Whatever the reason she was grateful and continued, "Kikyo was unhappy with her life, and you were also with yours. You both were out to change something. She wanted a normal life, free of the burden of the Shikon no Tama and you wanted to be a full youkai. She saw her answer in you, if she could make you change your wish to something... better, and you saw yours in her and the jewel she protected. But, you see Inuyasha, before you can love someone else you have to love yourself first. Then, and only then, can you have the utmost faith in yourself, in your love, and in each other. If you had this, Naraku would never have been able to make her believe you would try to kill her for the stone, and vice versa. With love comes trust. Remember, we went through the same thing once. No matter what I saw with my eyes, my heart knew right."

She paused as the tears started to leak down her face, to wipe them away. With a sniffle she continued, she had to get this said. "You see, if she loved you, you wouldn't owe her anything because love is giving without expecting anything in return. I know you don't understand this, but I pray one day you will. I also hope and pray that when that love comes to you again, a love like mine or stronger, that you open up to it. That you give everything you have and when you think you have no more to give, you see that you do. There was a time when I wished and hoped it would be me and you, but I can't put my life on hold," she gave him a rueful little smile as she continued, "after all, I'm only human."

Kagome leaned forward at that and pressed her lips softly against his cheek. Then she gave him a watery smile as the tears she fought to hold back spilled uncontrollably down her face. "Gomen ne, koishi,' she said through her tears as she stared through watery eyes at his amber ones, that were bright with unshed tears. "From this day forward, friends, is all we will ever be. Aishiteru, Inuyasha."

With that Kagome jumped to her feet and ran away as fast as she could as Inuyasha watched, he whispered.

"Aishiteru, Kagome. Koishi."

Four pair of sad eyes watched the couple until the girl ran off into the forest, from a safe distance away.

Unbeknownst to the sad couple and the nosey friends, another pair of amber eyes and dog-youkai ears, watched and listened to their entire conversation. But, these eyes heated with anger.

"Baka!" Whispered the intruder as he went to follow after the runaway miko.