InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Only While Human ❯ Ending/ A Loving Memory ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha! I only own the story! But wouldn't it be good if I did own the show? Or the manga? Hmm… Anyway, I hope you enjoy! This kinda took me a long time to write. But besides my meaningless rambling, Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

NOTE: Enjoy! Sorry if this gets confusing! This is the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy it! I know this really confused some of you being that it seemed like a lot of time had passed, but sometimes the moon does come out quite early… And then the sun comes up about mid-morning. I'll say this entire story took place somewhere from 10:00 at night to about 2 in the morning.

Another note: I apologize for the long size, I started and I couldn't stop writing!

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Only While Human

Chapter Seven: Ending/A Loving Memory

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No w standing in front of the debris, Miroku and Inuyasha were walking up what was left of the hut's steps, pushing aside wooden boards in search of finding anything of their values.

Inuyasha smiled to himself as he saw a yellow object in the corner of his eye. The object had been piled under some rubble. Turning, he pushed aside some boards, reaching for a strap that came off of the item. "It… It's Kagome's book bag," he said softly as he held it up and examined it closely, almost falling over from the weight. Thankfully Kagome's arrows were latched onto her book bag, making them one less thing to search for. Besides from being dusty, the large yellow book bag was torn in many places, some pockets hanging open. Thinking he'd better let Kagome sort through the items herself, Inuyasha heaved the backpack over his shoulder as he turned to Miroku, who seemed off in a daze.

"…All of Sango's hard work, now it's all destroyed," Miroku said barely above a whisper, staring at Sangos boomerang. Like Kagome's book bag, Sango's boomerang was covered in patches of dirt, not even looking like it had just been polished. It was also cracked in half, along with being dented in many places. "Inuyasha, help me carry this outside." Inuyasha nodded.

After a couple minutes of trying, the boys were finally able to pick up the two large heavy halves of the boomerang and drag them outside. Wiping sweat from their brows, Inuyasha also leaned over to his right and dropped Kagome's bag off. Looking upwards, they could see that Sango had been having a conversation with the -now awake- Kagome. As the girls started laughing, Inuyasha and Miroku smiled at one another before going back into the rubble.

Searching, Miroku grew confused as he couldn't seem to find anything. "Hey, what are we still looking for?" he asked.

"Well," Inuyasha started. "we still have to find my Tetsaiga, along with your staff. And, if we're lucky, we might be able to find Shippo's paper and all that other little shit he uses."

"What about our fragment pieces of the Shikon no Tama?"

"I'm pretty sure Kagome has them, when I was laying her down in the grass outside earlier I saw her necklace of the jewel she has."

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"Re ally?" Kagome asked, sitting up and leaning against a rock. "Inuyasha actually carried me out here and laid me down?"

"Yep. It was really sweet, if only you were awake to see it! Miroku and me were suspicious that he was going to kiss you or something. And whenever we simply asked him to talk about it, he just ran off with his face red with embarrassment!"

Kagome smiled to herself, looking down as her own face became hot and changed color. She then softly took her fragments on her Shikon no Tama necklace in between her index finger and thumb, lightly rubbing over the half-completed sphere. "I would've never been able to get this far or to do so many things if it wasn't for him…"

Suddenly, Shippo stood and walked over to the girls, Kirara looking up at Shippo but only mewing before she put her head back down. "Yeah, Kagome!" he said. "Inuyasha really is in love with you, it doesn't take a really smart person to figure that out."

Kagome laughed, petting the kitsune on the head. "Thanks Shippo. And I know that Inuyasha has feelings for me, I'm just worried still about…"

"Kikyo?" Sango finished for her. "Of course you're worried about Kikyo. You know Inuyasha's true feelings for her but not for you… And that worries you, correct? You're afraid that in the end he will choose Kikyo over you and go to hell with her?"

"Gee, Sango. Thanks for putting it nicely," Kagome said, sarcastically.

"Sango!" Shippo hissed, jumping and lightly hitting her in the back of the head with his right hand. "Don't talk about her!"

"It's okay, Shippo. I don't mind talking about Kikyo, although it does give me a little amount of pain in my chest, like if she's clutching my heart or something."

"Well, you two do share the same soul…" Sango stated, picking Kirara up into her arms.

"Yes, I know that. But it still doesn't make any sense to me why I'm so uncomfortable around her."

"It's because of Inuyasha, Kagome!" Shippo screamed, jumping onto Kagome's head. "It's just like Sango already said!"

"No," Kagome whispered under her breath, almost literally smacking Shippo into the ground as she tried 'gently' to put him back on the ground. "Inuyasha can't pick Kikyo… he wouldn't."

Sango simply blinked as Kagome seemed to send out a thread, Shippo hiding behind Sango.

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Mi nutes later…

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The boys came back, both of them practically exhausted from bringing up the two halves of Sango's boomerang up the hill.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, happy that she really was back to her normal self. And although he was already out of breath, he ran over to Kagome and dropped down to his knees, pulling her in a tight embrace.

Miroku smiled over to Sango as he saw Inuyasha's arms go around Kagome, only to sigh as Sango wasn't even looking in his direction. She was too busy petting Kirara and looking at Kagome and Inuyasha. 'If only I could be treated like that…' she thought.

"Inu… Inuyasha?" Kagome slowly spoke, happy and confused at the same time. 'Did he think I'm this weak or something? Jeez, I wouldn't die this easy!' forcing back a 'Sit,' Kagome took a deep breath as she returned him embrace, wrapping her arms around him. "Inuyasha," she repeated again. "What's the matter? Did you find everything?"

"I was…worried." Inuyasha whispered, leaving Kagome's face flustered as she looked over to Miroku.

"We've found your book bag along with your bow and arrows and Sango's boomerang which had been split in half. We are going to head back in the daytime to find my staff, Inuyasha's Tetsaiga and sheath, and possibly Shippo's items."

Kagome nodded, breaking her and Inuyasha's embrace as she quickly stood, running over to her large yellow book bag, rummaging through what was left of the pockets, pulling out her pajamas. Smiling, she looked at Sango quickly before running ducking behind some bushes after passing a sleeping Shippo and Kirara, going to change.

Miroku finally laid down on his stomach in the grass, propping up his head by putting his elbows onto the soft soil and resting his chin on the backs of his palms. He looked over to Sango, then to Inuyasha. "So…" he started, voice smooth. "Inuyasha, you love her, don't you?" seeing a confused look upon Inuyasha's face, Miroku laughed. "Kagome… You love her, right?"

"What?!" gasped a surprised Inuyasha, almost panicking as he heard the word 'love.' Miroku then gave him a stern look, not moving from his spot in the grass. "Fine, I really like Kagome, okay?" Inuyasha said simply, just coming out as an understandable mumble.

"Really like her?" Sango asked. "How much is 'really?' We'd really like to know, though!"

"You really want to hear it, dontcha? You want me to say it aloud!" Inuyasha screamed, fists clenching at his sides.

"Yes!" Miroku and Sango shouted in unison.

"Fine! I…"

"I'm back!" Kagome called out, announcing her arrival as she smiled at Sango and Miroku, running up to Inuyasha. She had on her yellow tank top with spaghetti straps that had a cat face on it, much like her own cat Buyo, with the word 'S.H.A.M.' on it, along with light blue pajama pants with the word 'Meow' written all over them, sizes and colors different for each one. "What's up?"

"Kagome! I… well, um… nothing, I guess." Inuyasha said quickly, his voice shaky.

With a questioned look on her face, Kagome sighed as she rummaged through her book bag once again, pulling out a flashlight, afterwards plopping down on the grass beside Miroku. "It's so dark here, I could hardly see earlier."

"Then… We should probably go and get some rest, it's only a few hours till the sun comes up," Sango said, looking over at Miroku, trying to hint to let Kagome and Inuyasha alone,

"Yes," Miroku started as he rolled over onto his back and stood up. Ignoring the weird looks he was getting from rolling over, he folded his arms across his chest and into the sleeves of his robe. "But where should we set up camp? If I'm correct we don't have anything because they were all left in that collapsing."

"I have some pillows, towels and blankets in my backpack but that's all," Kagome spoke up, frowning. But before she could get an answer, Miroku was already walking away into a wooded area, a sleeping Shippo in his arms.

"No you guys, stay here!" Inuyasha called out, coming from behind to Miroku and pulling the back of his robes, almost making him fall back in the process.

Sango looked over to Kagome, she seemed okay with the idea, as she was in her book bag pulling out some blankets and putting them down on the grass. Sango shrugged as she walked over to Kagome, giving her a helping hand.

Miroku set down Shippo on one of the smaller blankets, sitting down on another blanket close by, leaving his back against a fallen tree trunk. Sango sat beside him, while across from them Kagome and Inuyasha sat down. "Goodnight everyone," Miroku said lightly as he laid down, closing his eyes. "I still want to catch some sleep. I don't want to be tired later on."

Everyone wished Miroku a good rest, as well as Sango as she laid down second, followed by Kagome. Inuyasha, however, was still awake, staring down at Kagome and, from time to time, cautiously glancing around the area.

About half an hour later, Kagome awoke with a gasp, almost screaming as she saw Inuyasha staring at her.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled in both surprise and fear, for it had been so sudden and he didn't like the tone of her voice. What was happening now, it reminded Inuyasha of earlier she couldn't move. "Wha… What's the matter? What happened? You okay?"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said lightly, sobbing. "I just had… another nightmare. *Sob* It was exactly like the one I had gotten from *Sniff* N… Naraku's Illusionary Death spell."

"Exactly like Naraku's… What happened, Kagome?" Inuyasha said, his voice firm, although he was quite curious since he had thought that Kagome was never affected by the Illusionary Death spell. Kagome had only been about ten feet away from him, and it was then that Inuyasha moved slightly over, motioning for Kagome to sit beside him.

Nodding, Kagome crawled over beside Inuyasha, hugging her knees after she had gotten beside him. "You and Kikyo… You two were kissing, you were in love with each other… And no matter *sob* how many times I tried to get your attention, *Sniff* you would just ignore me!" Kagome's eyes were getting red from crying, and she just couldn't stop the tears from falling.

Inuyasha gasped. 'So this is what she was all worked up about back then…' he thought, slightly chucking a bit afterwards at his own stupidity, kicking himself inside for not doing anything back then. Kagome looked up at him in confusion, and he just shook his head as he hugged Kagome close, for both comfort and protection. He knew that Kagome needed to know something important. "Do you really think Kikyo could ever find herself back into that special place in my heart? That damn woman sealed me to that sacred tree over fifty years ago, and she still hates me for slaying her, hates me for doing something I never did. Feh, and she refuses to take any liking to me although she knows it was all Naraku's fault we betrayed and staged one another! She'll continue her hatred for me until either I die or she leaves this world once and for all, and I've finally moved away from her. I'm trying to get it through to myself that I'm fine with her hating me. I'm sure you knew what my childhood was like from Myouga telling you, it was horrible. I was always left alone because people were afraid of me, and on my 'weak' nights I just hid in a village for a night since that was the only time I blended in anywhere, the rest of my life making it on my own. But then… After I met Kikyo, I did end up falling in love with her. But, after the twist of events on what you're aware of, I now feel no attraction for her now, none at all… She no longer resides in that special place of my heart now… You do." Inuyasha said, really not believing he was letting everything spill so easily. He smiled down at Kagome who was in his arms, brushing away some hair out of her face again as he kissed her forehead.

"W…What?"

"I've already said it before, Kagome. Kikyo and me had little trust between each other, although I thought it was strong at the time. But now, I'm dealing with it. I know you don't like to talk about Kikyo, especially like this. But…" Inuyasha was cut off as Kagome finished his sentence, changing it to make her own.

"But, you have to decide whether or not you want her in your life, Inuyasha." Inuyasha gasped as her words sunk in, knowing what was the best thing to do. "Every single time you hear her name you practically start moping around then get all belligerent going around looking for her! I don't like it whenever you two go off and have those meetings because when you're alone she practically seduces you! And, one day, she's going to end up killing you after you agree to go to hell with her!"

Sango and Miroku, still awake, didn't want to blow their cover as they kept quiet, although they were hearing everything, both frowning. (A/N: Sango and Miroku weren't laying that far apart from each other, they had been sharing a blanket since Kagome only had two besides the small ones that everyone sat on. They had been facing each other, and literally had small conversations from time to time, but not that often.)

Since Kagome had started talking, Inuyasha had looked away. Kagome, a little pissed off, grabbed one of his black strands of hair, forcing him to look at her. She had a little difficulty since she was still in his lap, but it still worked all the same. Looking into his eyes, she saw that Inuyasha was in deep thought, considering what he should do. "None of us like you being a two-timer, especially if you're the one who wanted me to stay! You're exactly like Miroku sometimes!"

Sango tried her hardest not to burst out laughing, she couldn't agree with Kagome more! Miroku, however, had to try his hardest not to scream out in anger. Instead he had grabbed Sango's hand and squeezed it hard. Sango slightly squinted for a second, then let Miroku continue to hold her hand after he was done squeezing. 'at least this is better than other things he does…' Sango thought.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed.

"I'm thinking!" he snapped back. Kagome could tell he was still in deep thought from the look in his eyes. After many minutes, Kagome gasped in surprise once again as Inuyasha embraced her tightly. "Why should I be in love with someone who's not even alive?" Inuyasha asked himself. "It's pointless, especially if the love is just one-sided, the other person just wanting to see you dead after displaying false emotions. I want to be with you, Kagome. You and only you."

Eyes wide, Kagome giggled as Inuyasha kissed her softly, still amazed by everything he had said. She returned his kiss, Inuyasha breaking it after a few seconds. Kagome was surprised as she felt Inuyasha pick her up and sit her on the ground as he stood up, walking to the opposite side of their resting place. Leaning down, Inuyasha yanked the blanket off Sango and Miroku, laughing as he saw their linked hands. "Surprise!" he yelled. "I knew you two were spying on us by pretending to be asleep the entire time!"

Sango's face became a dark shade of red, trying her hardest to yank her hand away from Miroku's, only to fail in the attempt.

"Ah, so you really are the sly one," Miroku breathed.

"Who cares about being sly? At the moment I may not have my good ears or nose, but you can always sense when someone is watching you. And, why are you so surprised now? We've seen you two spying on us lots of times!" Inuyasha said, folding his arms across his chest, smiling as he saw Kagome stand and walk beside him.

"You've… Seen us?" Sango asked, sitting up.

"Yes, we have, Sango." Kagome started, finishing off with a laugh. "We've seen you and Miroku spying on us a lot of times, we're just surprised you didn't say anything sooner!" Grabbing Inuyasha's hand, Kagome smiled up at him before looking back at her other friends. "Me and Inuyasha have had a relationship for quite a long time now, we really don't care who sees us. It's just that Inuyasha has his moments where he goes off after Kikyo… And I wanted him to choose…" she squeezed his hand. "Which he finally did."

Miroku smiled over to Sango, nodding his head as he squeezed her hand as well. "Should we get some sleep now?" he asked, looking over at the fast-asleep Shippo and Kirara. "Inuyasha will have his hanyou characteristics back in a couple hours, and chances are we'll run into another demon attack, and it would be a good thing to be well rested."

Sango nodded, laying down once again, laughing as she noticed that she had pulled Miroku down with her. Inuyasha and Kagome looked at one another and shrugged, Kagome then turning around and dragging Inuyasha back to where their 'bedding' was set up.

It didn't take long for Kagome to fall asleep again, the only difference now that she was laying in Inuyasha's arms, her blanket wrapped around the two. Inuyasha smiled down at the sleeping Kagome, feeling his face go soft as he saw her soft face, at the time seeming like not having a care in the world. Brushing hair out of her face as he slightly kissed her forehead, Inuyasha tightened his grip around Kagome. "Kagome… I don't know what I can do for you, but I'll always be by your side… I love you, and I always will."

~~~The end!~~~

Yes, a corny ending, but what can ya do? *Laughs* I like to end my stories sweetly! Anyway, how'd you like it? Please review! And, in case your wondering, part of Inuyasha's last line is what Kagome things at the end of "Return To The Place Where We First Met," right after Inuyasha wrapped his claws around Kagome's hand. (I hope you know what I'm talking about, that looks really confusing because of how I typed it…)

Until next time,

Ja ne!

-Cindy Kay Sloop