InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hope for a Better Future ❯ Always be with You ( Chapter 24 )

Thanks to Seiya and Jaymster for reviewing. Hope u enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 24: Always Be with You

A peaceful day passed, as Sakura and Sesshoumaru sat together under a tree near Kaede's village. Kikyo had made her decision to rest in peace since Naraku was already dead. She had no intention to bring Inuyasha to the other world with her because she found that Inuyasha was now bound to another which was not her anymore. She was happy to see he had finally able to trust people. Before Kagome and Kaede did a prayer and spell to put her back to rest, Kikyo's peaceful and happy smile will never be forgotten as she slowly vanished from the world.

The shard in Kohaku's back was taken out so that the Shikono Tama could be hold again. Sesshoumaru had done a favour and revived him, now he lived with Sango and was playing with Rin and Shippo in the village finally regaining his memories and trying to forget his painful pass.

Kouga had returned the remaining two shards in his legs to Kagome and had returned back to his homeland. He became a powerful leader and his lands were finally peaceful. As for Kagura, Kanna and Xiaran were never heard from again.

Sesshoumaru had his arms around Sakura as she sat in between his legs leaning down on him. Kagome and Inuyasha were taking a walk in the wood together and Miroku and Sango was sitting outside of Kaede's hut talking.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, you really want me to stay with you?" Sakura asked after a moment of peaceful silent passed.

"Hai," Sesshoumaru whispered softly burying his face in her hair. "I want you to take my palace and lands as your home…"

Sakura smiled softly.

Sesshoumaru pulled away from her slightly when she didn't answer and gently lifted her chin to turn her head around so he could look at her.

"Don't you want to?"

"Of course I will be happy to…" Sakura smiled softly but her smile wilt slowly. "But tomorrow, Kagome will be performing the spell to destroy the Shikono Tama from this world so that no evil will get their hands on it again. I wonder if after the Shikono Tama is destroyed will Kagome and I be able to stay here…?"

"Sakura," Sesshoumaru looked into her eyes intently. "No matter what happened I promise you I will always be with you."

"Really?" Sakura whispered back.

"I promised you, no matter what it takes, how long it takes, even if I have to reincarnate into a human body, I will find you." Sesshoumaru said earnestly. "I promise…"

"You hate humans…" Sakura smiled.

"You thought me differently." Sesshoumaru smiled gently in returned.

Leaning down towards her, Sesshoumaru caught Sakura's lips in a deep and demanding kiss that took all her breath away. Holding her close to him, he thought he would never let her go when they heard Rin's voice. Sakura pulled herself away from the kiss and turned to look at Rin who came running through the trees.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sakura-neechan!"" Rin cried. "See what Rin got!"

Sesshoumaru who thought he would smashed the tree into bits for being interrupted held in his anger when he saw Rin running up towards them with her fists in the air. When she reached them she held out her hand and opened her palm showing them two beautiful identical carved rings.

"Where did you get those Rin?" Sakura asked wonderingly.

"A traveler gave them to me…" Rin smiled. "I helped him when he fell into the river, so in return he gave them to me. He said that it is a couple's rings. When two persons wear the same ring they will be together forever. So I was thinking of giving this to Sesshoumaru-sama and Sakura-neechan so that you both can be together forever."

Sakura blinked, it was a western believe. The person who gave Rin that must be a westerner from another place. Rin held out both those rings and dropped it into Sesshoumaru's palm before she turned and ran off towards the village.

"The village children, Shippo and Kohaku want to play tag…" Rin cried as she run off. "I'll be in the village."

"I never knew they have believes like this in the pass…" Sakura giggled.

"So what are we suppose to do with this." Sesshoumaru asked looking down at the rings Rin had left in his palm.

Sakura got up and turned around to face Sesshoumaru with a slight smile. Taking a bigger ring from his palm she slipped it into his fourth finger on his left hand. Surprisingly the ring fit him perfectly.

"There," Sakura said looking up at Sesshoumaru surprised face. "You will have to do the same…"

Not knowing why, Sesshoumaru just did as what Sakura had done. He slipped the other ring into her left fourth finger. Laughing softly, Sakura flung her arms around Sesshoumaru's neck and kissed him on the lips taking him by surprised. Slowly he embraced her and deepened the kiss. It seemed like eternity when they finally broke apart.

"In my time, this is how a man and woman becomes, husband and wife." Sakura explained. "In another word of saying, er… mate in your term?"

"Do you want to know what we do to take someone to be their mate for eternity?" Sesshoumaru whispered huskily grabbing her by her waist and pulled her towards the ground. Sakura lay on the ground looking up at Sesshoumaru who leaned down on her.

"Huh?" Sakura blushed.

"I would have to make love to you…" Sesshoumaru whispered in her ears. "And mark you as mind…"

Sakura gasped. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Before they could do anything else, Sesshoumaru heard footsteps behind them and he got up pulling Sakura up along with him. It was Inuyasha and Kagome appearing from the forest. Sesshoumaru thought and sighed inwardly; nothing seemed to be going his way today.

"What are you both doing?" Inuyasha asked narrowing his eyes at his half brother.

Sesshoumaru remained silent as he glared at Inuyasha in returned.

"It's almost dark, let's head back to the village…" Kagome said uneasily hoping that they don't start fighting again. "Sakura, I need to talk to you."

Grabbing her cousin's arm into hers, Kagome dragged Sakura away as they both head towards the village leaving both the siblings glaring at each other. However, knowing that they had no reason to fight with each other anymore, they followed the two girls quietly.

When they reached Kaede's hut, Kagome turned over to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru with a slight frowned on her face.

"Don't you both try following us…" Kagome told them. "I want to speak to Sakura alone."

Sakura turned back to looked at Sesshoumaru who narrowed his eyes not liking the idea of letting Sakura out of his sight but Sakura could only give him a shrug in return.

Kagome and Sakura walked away from Kaede's hut making their way towards the river. She didn't talk to Sakura when they reached the edge of the river as she let her cousin's arm go and walked over to the bank looking into the waters. Sakura tilt her head slightly watching her cousin wonderingly.

"Sakura, if you could stay here for the rest of your life would you stay?" Kagome asked softly her back facing her cousin as she still stared into the river water. "I mean, even you have me as your family would you rather stay with Sesshoumaru?"

"Eh?" Sakura raised her eyebrows. She never expected Kagome to ask her that question.

Slowly Kagome turned over to look at Sakura sadly. "We practically grew up together." She continued when Sakura didn't answer. "When you came to stay I really thought we could take the High School entrance test together and both of us entering the same school and be in the same class… but knowing that you are a scholarship student I sometimes wonder if I could be in the same class as you do…"

"Kagome, what are you trying to tell me?" Sakura asked looking worriedly at her cousin. "Are you feeling alright? You're talking weird today…"

"Inuyasha asked me to stay with him…" Kagome turned away from her cousin and stared up the darkening sky. "He wants me to be his mate…"

Sakura blinked but remained silent.

"But tomorrow, I'll have to perform the ceremony to destroy Shikono Tama from this world…" Kagome said softly. "I wonder if after it is destroyed, could both of us still stay in the pass with the two people we cared about…"

"Kagome, even if we can't, its not our choice isn't it." Sakura said softly and sadly.

"But…" Kagome turned around to face Sakura with tears in her eyes she ran over to Sakura and flung her arms around her neck. "It hurts to think I won't be able to see Inuyasha again!"

"It hurts me too…" Sakura whispered stroking Kagome's hair gently. "After my whole family died, and now the possibility to be with the person that cared about me is really slim, it hurts me real bad too…"

"What am I to do?" Kagome looked up at Sakura in her tear filled eyes. "I don't know if I could destroy the Shikono Tama…"

"It's your responsibility Kagome…" Sakura said gently. "You have to face it…"

"I hate it…"

"Nothing in our life is easy…" Sakura smiled softly. "We just have to face it bravely. Be strong Kagome… sometimes I can't keep protecting you, you know…"

"Hey," Kagome turned to her cousin pretending to be angry. "You promise me, you will protect me forever…"

"I guess its Inuyasha's job to do that now…" Sakura teased and Kagome blushed. "Ah… you're blushing."

"No, I'm not…" Kagome quickly turned away from her cousin.

Sakura turned away from her cousin and looked up the sky suddenly lighting up with stars as the sun as completely set and the moon was up. She smiled slightly wondering when she would be able to see such brightly lit stars again if she and Kagome will never be able to come back here again.

"You know, we still have each other…" Sakura said softly keeping her eyes on the stars. "We will take the same entrance exam goes to the same High School and look out for each other. Everything will be just fine."

"Is it true?" Kagome replied softly. "You are always stronger than I am… I wonder if I could make it ,I had miss so much school and every time when I take the test in class, I usually flunk the paper, I am beginning to wonder if I would be able to go to the top school… are you sure you will come to the same High School as me?"

"Baka…" Sakura smiled turning her head slightly to face her cousin with a radiant smile and wink. "Of course you will be able to make it and of course I will go to the same High School as you. I had been looking out for you ever since we were kids right…"

"Sakura!!!!" Kagome cried happily jumping at Sakura flinging her arms around her shoulder from the back and throwing all her weight on her.

"EIYAAAAAKKK!!!!" Sakura cried as she crashed forward to the ground face down. Looking up slightly from the ground she rubbed her nose with one of her hand. "Ita…ta…ta…tai…"

"We will always look out for each other!" Kagome repeated happily.

"You mean I will always look out for you…" Sakura teased with a smile as she looked around at her cousin who laid at her back her arms still around her shoulders.

"What is that suppose to mean…" Kagome frowned slightly.

Both of them smile at each other and began laughing then.

Everything will be fine… Kagome thought happily.

I only hope for a much better future that's all… Sakura thought.

Not far from them unaware by the girls, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stood behind the trees listening to their conversation. Never did they know that both of them were this close. Sesshoumaru watched them slightly jealous at the relationship they shared even though he knew that these feelings were ridiculous because Kagome was after all Sakura's cousin. It was not surprising that they were close.

"Sesshoumaru, what are you going to say to Sakura?" Inuyasha asked looking slightly upset at both the girls.

"What do you mean?"

"I was thinking to ask Kagome not to destroy the Shikono Tama… but… it seemed like the impossible thing to tell her to do…" Inuyasha said softly. "You want Sakura to stay too don't you…?"

"If she had to go, I won't force her to stay…" Sesshoumaru said emotionlessly. "She belongs in her time, so does Kagome…"

"But…" Inuyasha whispered sadly.

"Only thing I could promise her is that, I will find her…" Sesshoumaru continued. Inuyasha looked up at his half brother in surprised. "No matter how long it takes, what I have to reincarnate into, how much I have to changed, I will find her."

"Even if you have to be human?" Inuyasha asked surprised at his half brother's answer.

"Hai…" Sesshoumaru answered. "I make a vow now that I will find her no matter what happens…"

Inuyasha looked at his half brother determination and smiled softly.

"It will make the two of us then…" Inuyasha said.

The next morning, Sakura woke up earlier than the rest of the group and decided to take a walk before the ceremony starts. Getting up slowly and cautiously she tip toed out from the hut making sure she didn't wake anyone. However, she wasn't that successful for Sesshoumaru stirred immediately when she did. Not wanting to let her know he was awake he remained where he was and watched her walked out the hut slowly wondering what she was up to.

Sakura stretched and took a deep breath taking in the cooling air; slowly she began walking away from the hut towards the river. At the bank she knelt down and taking hand full of water began splashing her face with the cool clean river water.

"Never thought you will be up so early." Sesshoumaru spoke behind her.

It took her so much of a surprised she miss a footing while getting up and was about to fall into the river when Sesshoumaru's arms encircled her waist to pull her back towards him. She looked up at him slightly abashed.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Sakura said softly. "Ohayo…"

Without answering her, he plunged down towards her and captured her lips with his. Sakura's eyes widened staring back at Sesshoumaru who had his eyes closed deepening his kiss. Slowly Sakura closed her eyes giving in all her senses kissing him in return. When they finally drew apart both of them were breathless staring into each other eyes.

"I want you to remember one thing; I will always be with you…" Sesshoumaru whispered. In a distance with his demon ears he could hear the preparation going on. "The ceremony is about to begin, we better head back…"

"Hai…" Sakura replied softly.

They walked back together, and saw Kagome in a miko clothing was standing in a circle Kaede had drawn and holding in her palm was the Shikono Tama. Sakura looked at Kagome sadly, when she saw a single tear lingering in Kagome's eyes. She knew what will happened when she destroy the Shikono Tama. Sakura turned to look at Sesshoumaru fearfully. She had no intentions to leave him too. But getting out of his arm slowly she walked over to Kagome, standing next to Kagome for she need all her support from her now.

Soon the ceremony began as Kagome began to chant a prayer. Gradually a bright pink light started to illuminate around them as the Shikono Tama began to vanish slowly. Sakura never took her eyes off from Sesshoumaru, as she stared at him with fear, Sesshoumaru could only look back at her slightly upset. As the Shikono Tama vanished, the light around Kagome and Sakura didn't vanished as it started to consume them as it slowly dimmed. They began to vanish with the light as Kagome stared at Inuyasha with outmost horror. Sakura looked back at Sesshoumaru sadly.

"Aishiteru…" Sakura whispered looking at Sesshoumaru as she held on to the sobbing Kagome in her arms as the completely vanished from the place.

Sakura felt like she was floating in the air, it was like the feeling when they travel through the bone eaters well. Everything around them was dark with sparkled of pink light as they felt like they were floating upwards. Kagome held onto Sakura her face buried on her chest as Sakura hugged her tightly in returned. She could feel Kagome's tears soaking through her clothes as she continued to sob controllably. She hoped time would be able to heal her wounded cousin.

Something sparkled on her left hand as she stared down at it, it was the ring Sesshoumaru had worn on her fourth finger, as a single tear appear beneath her eyelids. She hoped what Sesshoumaru told her, that he will find her no matter what happened, would come true…

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FIRST DAY OF HIGH SCHOOL…

Kagome looked up at the huge white building wearing her new high school uniform, which requires a green blazer, a blue tie and a dark navy blue pleated skirt. She had passed her entrance examination with flying colours, and she was place in the top class of her form. Staring dazedly at the building she smiled sadly thinking about Inuyasha.

"I had done it," Kagome whispered remembering one time when Inuyasha had companied her during an exam and she had done really well in it. It had felt as if he was doing the same thing. "I had passed the exams with high expectation."

"Hey Kagome, what are you doing?" Sakura cried cheerfully running up to her in the same uniform. "Come on or we will be late for class on our very first day!"

"I can't believe you flunk you exams for first class!" Kagome replied when Sakura walked up. "I was really thinking we will be in the same class…"

"Well, I guess geniuses sometimes screws up!" Sakura shrug optimistically. "Anyways, I'm in the class next to yours… and we have Physical Education classes together…"

"I guess…" Kagome smiled softly.

She always wondered how Sakura could be always so cheerful. Sometimes she wondered if Sakura was sad, and was holding back her feelings in her heart so that she wouldn't worry about her. Looking side ways at her carefree cousin, Kagome sighed inwardly. Both of them had changed so much after what had happened. However her thoughts were interrupted when they heard some students talking to a boy not far from them.

"Why do you wear that rosary?" One of the students asked a boy who had his back at Kagome and Sakura.

"I had them ever since I was really young…" the boy answered. "I guess it is for good luck…"

"Excuse me…" Kagome said for the boy was blocking their way to get to class.

"Oh, sorry…" The boy answered turning around to face Kagome.

Kagome stopped on the spot staring at the boy with her eyes wide opened. The boy looked so much like Inuyasha when he was in the human form. Sakura who had hardly seen Inuyasha in a human form before though could also see the striking resemblance of him, stopped short on her place her mouth nearly dropped opened. He even had those rosary Kaede put on him around his neck.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered not believing her eyes.

His hair was short and he looked like a normal high school boy wearing the same uniform as all the other boys. He tilted his head slightly looking back at Kagome with wondering eyes.

"Have I met you before?" He asked.

"Huh?" Kagome shook herself from the trance. "I'm Kagome Higurashi… a new student here…"

"I'm new here too." The boy smiled. "I'm Yash Takashi. Nice to meet you. Are you sure we never met before?"

Kagome smiled, as she followed that boy down the corridor forgetting all about Sakura.

"This is unbelievable…" Sakura whispered staring at her cousin walking away with the boy who looked like Inuyasha forgetting about her. "I'm going to have a nice time in High School here…"

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For laugh

Sakura: Moh! Ray… I'm going to kill you…

Ray: What!!!!

Sakura: How can Kagome be like that!

Ray: Hey your cousin forgets about you, you want to kill me that is just not right!

Sakura: I just feel like throwing something!!!!!!

Ray: Calm down… everything will turn out all right. You will see.

Sakura: What makes you so sure…?

Ray: Sesshoumaru never breaks a promise before… (She gave her a wink)

Sakura: (Blinked not understanding)

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Another chapter and the story is completed…. I'm already working on the last chapter… be patient with me ya… will put it up soon…. ^_^

The Final Chapter: The Light of Rebirth