InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Complete ❯ Chapter 1

Author's Notes: One-shot. This little idea has been in my head and I needed to get it out. This was largely inspired by Ookami-chan and Sandra E's M/K stories. Enjoy.

Complete

The stars had become little white specks in the ever darkening sky. Clouds were no where to be found and crickets chirped their lulling songs. Fireflies-or what could be classified as fireflies, if in fact fireflies did exist in Japan-buzzed around a young woman.

Peace.

It was this peace she had fought for. It was this peace she had died for, that everyone had died for. Not necessarily in the literal sense-dying-but everyone had lost something or someone dear to them. Something that had made them want to get up in the morning and face everything coming their way. Now they all had to depend on one another to keep each other sane. Though, they didn't seem to be doing a very good job of it.

Shippou endlessly hassled an extremely frazzled Inuyasha any chance he had. Inuyasha in retaliation would beat him up. Then She would join the fray ending it all with a simple one syllable word. At least that was how it used to be… Inuyasha's rosary had been removed not more than a week ago and all the while Shippou protested with his trademark, melodramatic 'But he'll kill me, Kagome!'

Sango was having a particularly hard time dealing with the death of her brother, Kohaku. Likewise, Inuyasha was dealing with Kikyo's death. Both Kikyo and Kohaku had been murdered by Naraku in his last battle. The fighters had taken comfort in each other, knowing the grief each shared. It was a "secret" affair, yet it was known by all those in the group.

The young woman stretched her arms and placed her hands behind her head. She wasn't sad about loosing the love of her life to another. It was just the way Fate wanted it. Plus, a new life meant a new love.

Her gaze scanned the vast landscape before her. It was really beautiful at night when there was a sliver of the moon's light to shine on the land below. It gave it an unearthly feel.

"Beautiful…" she whispered softly. She sighed with content and closed her eyes. If she listened hard enough she could hear Inuyasha's shouts of anger from the village, Shippou's pleas of mercy. She sighed again, this time somewhat annoyed. If the two didn't stop soon the whole village would be out to get them. "Idiots…"

But the woman remained, sitting there staring off into space. Her gaze focused on a hideous scare traveling up her leg. She shuddered slightly and sucked in a sharp breath. It was hard trying to keep all the horrid memories at bay. The death, the blood, the screams… the death…

She had lost a part of herself and yet gained the part she had lost years before. She was the only one who had literally died in the battle and still survived. She found it strange that she was the only one the divine Gods had chosen to live again. She believed Sango's brother and the dead miko deserved it more than she did.

A tentative hand reached out, fingers tracing the lengthy scar to the hem of her skirt. She continued to move it up until she reached her abdomen. With shaking fingers she lifted up her shirt to reveal a nasty, twisted, circle of scarred flesh.

She had been killed; rammed right through the belly by one of Naraku's puppets. But before she followed the light in the never-ending tunnel she purified the puppet; not only the one puppet, but all of them leading to Naraku. His puppets shared a link with him and it was the link that had destroyed him.

When she was revived by Sesshoumaru's sword she felt complete; extremely guilty, but complete. She had her soul back. It felt nice knowing that she wasn't just half a person anymore. It hurt more than anything else, though. Knowing someone had died to give that feeling of completeness to her. It hurt so much… And she was still so very incomplete.

She drew in another sharp, shaky breath fighting the tears threatening to come. "No… I promised," she whispered. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry." She closed her eyes tight, wishing the emotions to fade away.

There was rustling nearby, the rustling of cloth. She ignored it.

"Kagome…?" a male voice asked uncertainly.

She drew in air, focusing her mind on the voice and the man beside her. "Yeah?" came her weak reply.

There was more rustling, a second later soft calloused fingers brushed her cheeks. It was then she realized her attempts to avoid crying were fruitless. She lethargically opened her eyes to see vivid rich violent eyes swimming with dark purple. His eyes were full of concern and love. Her body started to tingle from her cheek through her whole body. She chocked back a sob, trying to stay remotely in control.

"Kagome?"

She whimpered. Strong arms wrapped around her and brought her into the man's embrace. He whispered no words of comfort or voiced attempts to hush her pain. Like every night since the battle he would hold her silently rocking her back and forth until she stopped. He didn't mind. This had become a ritual for both of them, finding comfort in each other's embrace. Both shared similar feelings, similar events; he had been dying his whole life and she had died. But both were given a second chance in life, and as much as it hurt and as much as they felt separated from the lively world around them, they made sure they lived each day to the fullest.

Sniffling the woman pulled away from him. "Thank you, Miroku."

He smiled sadly. "Anything to make you feel happy, Kagome." She matched his smile. Making herself comfortable in his lap, she curled up to his chest.

"I can hear your heart beat… It makes feel alive." She felt him nod.

Lightly she traced a hand down his arm to his forearm and met is rosary beads. He allowed her to trace the beads around his hand and fingers. It was the first time anyone ever came close to his Kazaana.

"Why-?" She started to ask.

"Habit-"

"Bull." He stayed silent. She traced over his palm. "It's not gone, is it?" She felt him suck in a deep breath. "Give me the truth."

He sighed. "No… It's still there."

"But we-"

"I know…"

"He's dead," she met his eyes. "I made sure of that."

"That's not the reason."

"Then why?"

"I don't know…" His voice trailed off weakly.

"I'm sorry," she stated her gaze moving back to his palm.

"Don't be."

They sat in silence again, looking up at the stars. Her palm covered his.

It started as an itch, a tingly feeling in the hand she was holding. Slowly it crept up his arm gaining speed and heat and feeling. He sent a questioning glance to his hand. It was glowing. Her hand was glowing with his. He could feel her miko energy surrounding them. What was happening?

"Kagome?"

"Shh…" she smiled as she met his eyes. "Relax."

He could feel it, the Kazaana, closing. The feeling spread through his body as the glow spread over the two them. She was purifying him. He smiled. She was purifying him. Soon the glow died away and all that was left was the complete tingly feeling. He no longer felt void, half alive. He looked at her thousands of questions dancing in his eyes.

"You're complete, now… like me." She smiled, one of the first to reach her eyes in months; the first time since the battle. She kissed his cheek and stood up. She was solemn again. "We should head back."

Sad that she left his embrace, he grunted and stood up. They stood there staring at each other, letting the other feel complete and sadly happy and hopeful. She left his gaze and reached down to his rosary covered palm and started freeing the beads. He grabbed her wrist.

She looked at him, confused.

"Don't," he swallowed. "What if it's not gone?"

She smiled. "Naïve little monk."

He snorted. "Little my ass."

She laughed. She continued to free the beads. When she was done she let them drop to the forest floor clinking together. He held his breath. Patiently, and with agonizing slowness, she pulled away the fabric covering his hand. He let out a breath of relief. There was no Kazaana.

"See." She brought his palm to her lips. She kissed it with a feather touch. "Complete."

"But still so very incomplete, Kagome."

He forced his gaze away from his hand to look at her in the moon's sliver of light. She was nervous, her hands were restless. Her fingers found the jewel that hung around her neck. Incomplete-still so very incomplete. She scowled slightly. He noticed.

"Do you think we'll ever complete it?"

"No," she stated matter-of-factly. He raised an eyebrow. "Shards have appeared in my time, that means it was either completed and then broken again, or it was never completed in the first place." She paused, letting him soak her words. "I move for the latter."

"If it's never completed then your quest never finished."

"I don't mind. As long as you… and every one else are there by my side."

He smiled at her. His fingers traced patterns on her arm. Electricity shot between them. He moved his purified hand to her face. His fingers danced across her cheek with perfect experience. Her eye-lids fluttered shut as he moved closer to her. Then she was no longer there in front of him, smiling. Startled, he looked around and found her on the ground, sitting, staring off into space.

"I can't…" she managed through tears. "I don't want to hurt."

"You won't." He sat next to her wrapping her in his arms. "I won't let you hurt. I won't hurt you, Kagome. You mean too much to me."

"I'm afraid of loosing you."

"And I you." He brought her closer to him. "Didn't you say once 'it is better to have loved and lost then never have loved at all?'"

"Yeah."

"Then love me as I love you."

He brought his lips to hers in a feather touch, barely brushing hers. It was a chaste kiss but it held everything that had been built up over the years. All the emotion he felt, all his love flooded into that kiss. Then he pulled away. Her eyes were wide. Moments later her eyes crinkled to pools of happiness as she smiled fondly at him.

"A new life demands a new love, right?" She whispered. He nodded. She brought her lips to his. They stayed that way enjoying each other's embrace, drowning in their love. They pulled away greedily drinking the air so desperately needed. Foreheads rested against one another. She gave him a small butterfly kiss on the corner of his lips stood up.

"We need to get back."

Shouts from Inuyasha and Shippou floated to their ears.

"I'd really like to kiss you again."

"'Course you would. Now shut-up and walk my dear, dear, beloved monk."

As she walked beside him on the path, she realized this is what they had fought for. Peace and love. They fought for love.

~Fin~

Author's Notes: Like it? I sure do. This is the first time I've written in this style. It's a little different then what I'm used to, but that is just how the story turned out.