InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hope for a Better Future ❯ Tears...meaning of Love ( Chapter 23 )

Thank you Seiya and Lover-girl for reviewing!!!! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 23: Tears… meaning of love…

Sakura watched Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha fighting with Naraku with difficultly. She had blamed herself for what had happened. If she wasn't so weak, she wouldn't had let the Cobra Demon take control of her body and none of this would had happened, but it was too late. Everything for her was always too late. Tears began to blur her vision as she smiled sadly at Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru stalled on the spot for a moment when he saw Sakura looking at him that way. Gradually a bright white light appeared and he transformed himself back to his human form. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched Sakura wondering what had she had in mind.

"Kouga, I have to get to my cousin…" Kagome whispered to him. "Can you cover me from Kagura?"

"No problem…" Kouga smirked. "Leave it to me…"

Kouga distracted Kagura while he let Kagome run off towards her cousin. When Kagura realized what he was doing he had already trapped her in between the demons with Sango and Miroku. The three of them team up as they fought against her and the demons.

"Sakura hang on!!!!" Kagome cried as she aimed her holy arrow at Naraku.

Sakura turned to her cousin then and blinked. Slowly she gave her a weary smile. The smile that took Sesshoumaru by surprised and it had also taken Kagome by surprise too. Kagome stopped on the spot for a moment staring at her cousin worriedly.

"Sakura?" Kagome whispered.

"Kagome, you never change," Sakura whispered. "Always been a baka…"

Kagome blinked lowering her arrow and bow.

"After what I had done, you still trust me…" Sakura continued as she kept that sad weary smile on her face. "I had always wanted to be like you, so carefree, so forgiving, and always so happy… but…"

"What are you talking about Sakura?" Kagome said softly.

"After my family died, I felt like I don't belong anywhere…" Sakura said as tears trickled down her face. "When I came to stay with you, I thought we will always be like the same, but I was so wrong. You were hiding something from me… even though you always say that we had no secrets from each other…"

"I don't understand…" Kagome looked at Sakura sadly. "Sakura…"

"You were hiding about traveling through the pass from me!" Sakura choked as tears continued to fall. "At first I was angry, but I always couldn't stay angry at you for long. My only hope that we will always be together vanished when I was brought here without meaning too… I only wanted to have a normal life and be happy! Maybe that is because I chose to be a Demon to forget my pain… I was hiding from it all this time! But now, I finally understand one thing. Hiding and running from it will never change anything and I am to blame for what is happening now."

"Sakura no one is blaming you!" Kagome shouted at her cousin.

Sakura remained silent as she smiled sadly at her before she turned her attention to Naraku, her eyes filled with hatred. Before anyone could stop what she was doing, few snakes appeared from her body as they attacked her. They slashed through her body and hit Naraku who was standing behind her. It had also taken him by surprised and didn't manage to get away at the last minute the snakes plunged through him as well.

Everyone watched the scene with outmost horror on their faces. Naraku quickly let go of Sakura as he staggered backwards. Without warning snakes just start appearing from Sakura's body attacking him as they plunged themselves through his body, at the same time, out of nowhere, a purifying arrow flew across the scene and hit Naraku on the chess. They turned to the direction where the arrow had come and saw Kikyo not far from them on the hill side her bow raised as she stared down at Naraku.

"Damn…" Naraku whispered staring at Kikyo and then at Sakura who now faced him.

Even though she was injured she still held her ground, walking towards Naraku as her snakes slithered around her, she closed the distance with him as her snakes coiled around him. Wind was blowing strongly as both of them lifted into the air, a strange red light glow around them.

"I won't forgive you for hurting my friends and family!" Sakura cried as the snakes started to coil around Naraku wounded body. "Whatever you had taken from my cousin… GIVE IT BACK!!!!!!"

Everyone watched them with their eyes wide opened. Sesshoumaru wanted to get closer but the wind blowing around them was preventing him to go any closer to Sakura. All he could do was watched as Sakura consume Naraku with the snakes around him. Slowly both of them exploded in the red light, and the light gradually dimmed, they saw Sakura, who had turned back into her human form, flew down from the air slowly and landed on her feet safely and Naraku had totally disappeared. Though they could see the wound she had inflicted on herself was so deep blood kept seeping through her clothes and it was already drenched with her blood. She clutched something in her hands.

Slowly she opened her eyes to look at Kagome with a small smile on her face. Slowly she opened her palm and on her palm was an almost completed Shikono Tama that Naraku had stolen from Kagome. The Shikono Tama flew out of her palms slowly towards Kagome who held up both her hands as it landed safely on her palms. Kagome then looked up from the Shikono Tama to see Sakura smiling at her jadedly.

"I was thinking of going to the same High School as you…" Sakura said softly. "We will be taking the same entrance exam… but…"

Sakura paused for a second to take a deep breath.

"It doesn't matter anymore…" She continued. "I'm so tired…"

Kagome watched another tear slid from Sakura's eyes as she shut her eyes slowly.

"Sayonara…" she whispered.

Kagome's eyes widened with shock, when Sakura fell back and landed on the ground as life was totally gone from her. Sesshoumaru thought his heart stopped when he watched Sakura sprawled on the ground motionless. His mind screaming that this wasn't happening!

"Sakura!!!!!" Kagome yelled running towards her cousin.

Sesshoumaru dashed forward too, his hand at the hilt of his Tenseiga.

Kagome lifted her cousin up into her arms as tears started to fall.

"No," She shook her head.

Kouga and the others turned to attention to them sadly. Kagura stopped fighting too, as she took a deep breath blinking touching her heart. She blinked slightly and looked down at her body.

"It has returned…" She whispered.

"Naraku is dead…" Kanna whispered appearing suddenly still holding onto her mirror with a small smile on her face. "Our hearts had returned."

"I guess you are right…" Kagura whispered. "I can see we have no need to fight them now, that Naraku is dead…"

Kanna remained silent watching Kagura.

"Let's go home what do you say?" Kagura smiled softly as she took a feather out from her bun.

"Hai…" Kanna nodded once.

Transforming her feather, both Kagura and Kanna was lifted up into the darkening sky and disappeared from sight.

"Hey, they are getting away!" Kouga shouted angrily.

"Let them," Miroku said. "They were only used by Naraku. Now that he is dead, they had no reason to continue fighting with us."

They turned their attention back to Kagome and her cousin. Sesshoumaru walked up to them as he unsheathed his tenseiga.

"Stand back…" Sesshoumaru said raising his tenseiga over Sakura's body. His heart raced slightly as he felt his sword feeling oddly light and it would usually pulse when it was about to bring someone back to life but it felt dead in his hand. He slashed through her body once and her wounds on her body started to heal but there was still no sign of life from her. Sesshoumaru frowned slightly and was about a try again when someone spoke.

"It won't work…" He then heard a cold emotionless voice said beside him. He turned to see Kikyo standing not far from him. "Her soul's gone when she destroyed Naraku. Just like how the Goddess of Phoenix sealed the Cobra Demon…"

"That is a lie…" Kagome cried.

Sesshoumaru knelt down next to Sakura and pulled her out of Kagome's grasped into his. The person who had thought him how to love couldn't die just like that. He wouldn't let her, to everyone's surprise, a tear slide down Sesshoumaru's face.

"But there is a way to bring her back…" Kikyo said after a short silence, when everyone stared at Sesshoumaru flabbergasted that the cold Demon Lord was shedding tears.

"I will do anything to bring her back." Sesshoumaru said softly hugging her body close to his as his tear trickled off his face down his chin dropping on Sakura's cheeks. "What is it I have to do?"

"Sakura is trapped between the dimension of life and death…" Kikyo explained. "There is a spell that will be able to bring you there to get her back but…"

Sesshoumaru turned to look at Kikyo his expression void from all feelings though tears were still visible from his eyes. Kikyo took a deep breath.

"But if you fail, Sakura will be gone forever…" Kikyo said.

"I'll bring her back no matter what, what must I do?" Sesshoumaru said getting up to his feet carrying Sakura in his arms in a bridal way. She lay limply on his chess both her arms hung lifelessly next to her.

"You don't have to do anything." Kikyo said. "But I need Kagome's help to bring you to the other dimension…"

"What must I do?" Kagome asked.

"I need you to use the Shikono Tama and pray with me…" Kikyo said softly. "Sesshoumaru I need you to sit down with Sakura lay in front of you."

Slowly Sesshoumaru knelt down and put Sakura gently on the ground. Kagome and Kikyo stood before him both of them holding onto the Shikono Tama their eyes closed and began praying. A pink light started to illuminate from them and the four of them were consumed by a bright light.

Sesshoumaru watched his surroundings disappeared and suddenly he was standing in very dark empty surroundings. He looked around and still he saw nothing. Suddenly he heard children's laughter and he turned to the direction to see two little children sitting on two funny looking seats that were tied up with two ropes at each side. The two children were laughing as they swung on their seats to and fro. Sesshoumaru stood on the spot watching them. One of them had long straight brown hair the other girl had wavy dark charcoal black hair.

"Kagome, I raised you the ice-cream trunk!" The little girl with long straight brown hair said as she jumped off from her the swing.

Kagome? Sesshoumaru thought frowning slightly watching that girl who was running off.

"Ah!" Kagome cried trying to get off the swing. "Wait for me!!!!"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened then, he then realized he was standing in Sakura's memories that little girl with long straight brown hair was Sakura when she was much younger. Suddenly that vision vanished and another vision came to view. This time they were much older and Sesshoumaru can recognized her then. Sakura with her hair still long down her waist was walking with Kagome at a crowded street.

"You really have to go to New York?" Kagome asked sadly.

"Hey, what is with the sour face?" Sakura smiled cheerfully. "It's not like I'm going there and never coming back!"

"But you won't be visiting me as often anymore!" Kagome cried.

"I will always write to you." Sakura said trying to cheer her cousin up.

"It won't be the same." Kagome said sadly.

"I promise you will always come to visit you during my holidays…" Sakura tried again.

"Really?" Kagome brightened up turning over to Sakura happily.

"Baka…" Sakura laughed shoving her cousin playfully. "Of course I will, look at you so happy all of a sudden when I say I will come…"

"Sakura!!!!" Kagome cried happily suddenly flinging her arms around her cousin and jumping at her taking her by surprise.

"WHAAAA!!!!" Sakura cried as she fell back onto the hard ground when Kagome flung all her weight at her.

"You promise, you will come back to see me?" Kagome said again.

"Hai, hai," Sakura smiled. "Baka, I said I will…"

They both laughed ignoring the stares they got from other people who were walking by.

That vision vanished and Sesshoumaru was standing in darkness again. He didn't understand why he was seeing her memories; all he wanted was to try find her and try to get her back to reality. He looked around the dark environment again and out of a sudden, the surroundings changed gradually as darkness started to disappear and buildings he had seen when he went to the future appeared in front of him. He watched a huge red brick building emerge before with a high tower and a clock on it. He blinked, finding that building looking very familiar. He titled his head slightly trying to remember where he had seen it before. When he saw lots of other teenagers like Sakura walking out the building wearing the same clothes as she always had on; his mind clicked. It was the school Sakura had told him about, and he had seen pictures of it when he was in her room.

"So, Sakura why don't you stay?"

Sesshoumaru suddenly someone spoke her name and he whirled around to see Sakura walking out the building from another direction with two other girls. He couldn't understand a single word they say because they were speaking in English but he still kept his eyes on her.

"I always go home on my holidays you know that…" Sakura smiled.

"Well, it will be so much fun to go on a holiday together…" The girl said. "Come on, come with us…"

"I can't…" Sakura said softly.

Suddenly all the other students vanished from the place leaving Sakura in the middle of the place looking sad and lost. She blinked as she stared up the sky wonderingly.

"Why am I here?" She spoke out loud.

Sesshoumaru reached out towards her slowly, but suddenly she vanished and so did all the surroundings. He nearly stumbled as he whirled around trying to find Sakura. Another surrounding appeared as quickly as the other disappeared. This time he was standing in a Shrine that looked very much like Kagome's home when he visited the future. He saw Sakura lonely figure as he stood in front of a chalet holding three urns in her arms as she walked into the chalet slowly.

He made his way over to her slowly and looked inside, to see the chalet was a place where all her ancestors wooden name plates were placed. There was no way for him to reach out towards her; his voice didn't seem to be working at all. He tried to speak but no voice came out. He frowned as he reached out towards her again. He watched her place the three urns on an alter and bow three times staring at them sadly.

This time to his surprise, Sakura turned to look at him.

"Who are you?" Sakura asked him.

Sesshoumaru stood on the spot feeling as if a knife had pierced through his heart. Sakura couldn't remember him. Something he never thought that would happen. Slowly he reached out towards her but Sakura could only incline her head and watched him with wonder. Her eyes looked daze and faraway as she stared at him like life had already gone from her.

"Why have you come?" She asked again.

"I'm here to bring you home…" Sesshoumaru whispered finally able to speak.

"I am home…" Sakura replied.

"No you are not," Sesshoumaru raised his hand towards her trying to reach for her but she took a step back away from him. "You are trapped in your memories thinking that you're home, I'm here to bring you back to your real home… a place where people still cares about you…"

"Real home?" Sakura repeated softly. "People who cares?"

"You told me that, humans are strong because they are always bound with love." Sesshoumaru continued when he saw Sakura was listening to him. "You told me that, even how difficult life is they still strive to go on, because they have their family and friends who love them and care for them waiting for them to go home…"

Sakura blinked trying to think what Sesshoumaru had just said. A slight emotion flashed across her daze lifeless eyes and Sesshoumaru's heart lifted slightly to see some reaction from her and quickly continued.

"I'm here to bring you to that place." Sesshoumaru reached out his hand towards her. "Let me bring you home…"

"Why do you want to do that?" Sakura asked still not understanding.

Slowly Sesshoumaru raised both his arms to welcome Sakura back to him. Hoping in his heart she would come back to him. It aches to see Sakura had forgotten about him, about love and about a hope for a home that truly welcome her.

"Because, I now understand what is the meaning of love." Sesshoumaru whispered. "You thought me how to love, Sakura, aishiteru…"

Sakura gasped softly staring at Sesshoumaru after hearing him saying that. Tears emerged from Sakura eyes gradually, as the daze look in her eyes disappeared and the light of life came back into her eyes.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Sakura whispered.

Sesshoumaru couldn't imagine how he could be so happy to hear Sakura calling him that again, he smiled softly as Sakura ran into his arms. Feeling secured, as his arms encircled her in a tight embrace.

"Let's go home," Sesshoumaru whispered in her ear.

"Hai," Sakura smiled. "Sesshoumaru-sama…"

Kagome and Kikyo opened their eyes slowly when they left Sakura's life force returned. Slowly they turned over to Sakura body hopefully. Sesshoumaru who sat next to her opened his eyes slowly looking down at her body hoping what he had done was successful. Everyone waited patiently as Sakura opened her eyes gradually.

"Sakura…" Kagome smiled happily to see that she was alright.

She looked over to Kagome and smiled softly before she turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru picked her up into his arms gently with a gentle smile on his face.

"Arigatou, Sesshoumaru-sama…" Sakura whispered.

"Iya," Sesshoumaru whispered hugging her towards him. "I should be the one who should say that."

Sakura smiled closing her eyes and hug him in returned.

"Aishiteru…" Sakura whispered into his ears.

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For Laugh

Ray: Yes…. (Jumping up from the chair and stretched) After this going off for vacation man!!!! Working with a troublesome lot is not easy…

Sesshoumaru: Who is the troublesome lot?

Ray: AHhhh!!!! (Sweat drop turning to look at him) Why do you like to turn up so suddenly?

Sesshoumaru: Because I am able to catch all the things you say…

Ray: I didn't say anything…

Sesshoumaru: Really?

Ray: This will be the last time I ever work with you…

Sesshoumaru: Really, I was thinking of another story for you.

Ray: Huh? (Staring at him disbelievingly)

Sesshoumaru: (Look away from Ray to read on her laptop) Well, you did really well in this, so I was thinking that I should award you with another long story.

WHAMP!!!!

Sesshoumaru: (Turned to Ray's direction) Ray?

Looked down at saw Ray had already fainted…

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Hey it is not the ending yet okies… I'll post the next chapter up soon. Though the story is about to end… Another two more chapters maybe… Be patient ya…

Coming chapter: Always Be with You.