Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Choice of Roads ❯ Blind Exit ( Chapter 12 )

Author's Note: I have some major issues with this chapter, but after agonizing over it for a couple of weeks, I've decided that I'm just going to leave it the way it is. Bombs away!

Chapter Summary: "This is the way the world ends, not with a bang but a whimper."

- T.S. Eliot, "The Hollow Men"

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I don't own Inuyasha. The slave outfit hurts, I just got my tuition statement for next term, and my water heater isn't working properly. Happy holidays!

Warning: Rated R for language and adult situations.

-Chapter 12: Blind Exit-

*If you wish that your life was a fairytale, you obviously haven't read the original stories.*

This was the end. They had finally taken enough of the shards that Naraku had been unable to conceal his location any longer. They had had two undetected days to prepare a plan, the conclusion of which was that they somehow needed to get in one mortal blow to his life source before he had a chance to regenerate. Now, they were finally fighting the monster in the flesh.

It wasn't going well.

Kenshin watched the tall demon clinically dispatching Naraku's henchmen. Sesshoumaru was beautiful to watch in a fight and seemed to be completely ignoring the occasional glares thrown his way by Inuyasha. He had been surprised when the dog demon had appeared the day before the battle- no one had ever mentioned that Inuyasha had a brother. He had been even more surprised when, despite the antagonism they obviously felt for each other, they had coolly and civilly worked together on the strategy for the fight. Kagome had not explained their hatred, but she had told him that they had worked out a truce a few years back to last until they had defeated Naraku.

The way things were going, that truce might never end. Everyone was fighting well, working seamlessly together, but there were too many monsters and nobody was even getting close to Naraku himself.

He looked over at Kagome who was effortlessly purifying the demons around her. But he was both her friend and her lover. Even from a distance he could see the fine, tell-tale shake of her hands that indicated exhaustion.

Kenshin made a resolution in his heart. Shippo had been left with the girl that followed Sesshoumaru- if Kagome survived the battle she could build a life with her son. Kenshin would make sure that she had a chance at that life.

Kenshin found that calm center that made him the Hitokiri Battousai and jumped in the air. He used all of his speed and agility not to fight the monsters in his way but to pass through them, working his way to the true goal. Somewhere along the way he passed the dead woman. Her face was completely expressionless, but he still heard her as he sped past. "Aim for his heart."

And that was what he did.

-###-

When he opened his eyes again he saw the most beautiful face in the world pressed against his shoulder.

"You stupid, stupid man. Don't you ever do that again." Their kiss felt like she was trying to push herself into him and only ended when Inuyasha cleared his throat.

It seemed that although Kenshin had escaped major injury, Naraku's final miasmic blast had knocked Sango into a coma and shattered Miroku's legs and three of his ribs. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru both had broken arms and some deep wounds that would have been fatal for non-youkai. Kirara and Kagome were only bruised as they had been protected by a falling youkai corpse, as Naraku's body had probably protected Kenshin. Although everyone would survive, Kikyo was the only one of the group who looked untouched.

Sesshoumaru left almost immediately. Miroku's attention was completely centered on Sango. It seemed that the rest of the group would have to make the decisions about the jewel. To Kenshin's annoyance, he apparently wasn't considered part of the rest of the group. Kagome gave him an apologetic look, but moved to talk to the others privately.

There was a quiet conversation between Kikyo, Kagome and Inuyasha before Inuyasha turned to the group.

"We've decided that Kagome will take back the jewel when it is completed. There's a reason that none of the guardians wished on the jewel. Unless we can figure out a wish that won't somehow cause destruction and is truly selfless, the jewel is safer with Kagome. My wish will… no longer be necessary." Something of the hell he was going through flashed in Inuyasha's eyes and Kenshin pitied the hanyou for the first time.

Kikyo handed Kagome the shards she had removed from Naraku and Kenshin could see a brief kinship in their faces before they looked away. He watched with pride and awe as Kagome purified the shards, joined them in a pulsing ball and somehow pushed them through her clothing into the scar on her hip.

He was about to ask her if she was all right when his hands started to disappear.

His purpose, he realized with a wave of horror, had been to help complete the jewel.

The jewel was complete.

He could see the confusion and dawning understanding in Kagome's eyes. She reached out to him and pulled him against her. The world in front of him started to become blurry, but her voice was very clear in his mind. "I love you. No matter what happens, I want you to live. I want you to love and find a family."

He didn't even have time to say that he loved her before the world completely disappeared.

When his vision cleared, he found himself on the same road he had been on a year ago when he had made his mocking request of the gods.

It was empty.

Quick Author's Note: This isn't the end. So please- no death threats.

-###-

-Reviewer Responses-

Somnambulicious: Good call on the "Jaws" theme. I'm glad that you think that Inuyasha was in character- I've been trying not to overplay things for the last couple of chapters so that the last chapter would make sense :) Mmmm.... Shigure... Got to love those ambiguously evil bishounen! Hiei. And Sesshoumaru. I so have a new OTP! Ice Kings unite! And hentainess is good. Display away! On a completely side note, I noticed that you mentioned that FFNet wasn't working properly on Safari. I'm going out on a limb and assuming that you're a Mac user like me. After their last big update, FFNet stopped working on both Internet Explorer and Safari for me, but I found that Firefox allowed me to use the editor. If you really want to go to the trouble of downloading it, it's a pretty good browser. Good to hear from you again!

FataLFelineOfTheNight: I think that it wasn't good of them to treat Kagome like a little kid either. But I think that they are starting to get over it though :) I hope that you enjoy the new chapter!

mysterylady_tx: Yah- I don't like Inuyasha being a jerk for no reason and I wasn't big on beating up Kenshin either :) I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter and I hope that you continue to enjoy the story.

Mesuno_kitsune: -Off topic- Oo! Seme/uke debate! Well, I can see the Rurouni personality as uke. Battousai? Not so much :) -On topic- I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter and I enjoyed reading your review :)

nani-chan LC: I'm delighted that you're hooked on RK/IY crossovers and I'm glad that you think that everyone was in-character. Thank you for reviewing!

Kage Hogosha: I'm glad that you enjoyed the curve and I appreciate you taking the time to review again :)

Kin-chan Pandun, Unable to sign in: Looking back at the chapter, I can easily see how you would have gotten confused. Unfortunately, I couldn't really think of a good way to rewrite it, so I figured that I would just explain it. Basically Kagome is talking to Inuyasha, after she finishes talking to Inuyasha she goes to where Kenshin is waiting for her. Because Kenshin is pretty considerate, he was waiting for her just out of hearing range, so that he wouldn't overhear her. Once she reaches Kenshin, Kagome proposes marriage to him. I hope that that clears things up!

­-Updated 12-12-04-