InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Through the Rose Colored Lenses ❯ Final Farewell ( Chapter 25 )

Disclaimer: If, after 25 CH, you don't know he doesn't belong to me, then you got issues.

Through the Rose Colored Lenses

Ch. 25

By Sailor Scribe

"Kagome!"

"Inu Yasha?" She whispered as the darkness enveloped her. "I'm coming to you."

"Get away from her you bastard!"

"What?" A confused Kagome forced her eyes open and tried to focus on the figure in front of the rising sun.

"So you finally joined us, Inu Yasha. I am afraid you are too late. Your spy is dead; your miko is too hurt to fight, and you were never a match for me!" Naraku chuckled.

"Inu Yasha?" Kagome gasped as the sun rose high enough for her to see golden eyes and furry white dog ears.

"Back away from her, Naraku." Inu Yasha lifted his sword towards Naraku.

"So you can have a clear shot at me? I think not!"

"Inu Yasha…you're alive?" The hanyou shifted his gaze to the semi-conscious miko on the floor. Giving her a quick reassuring smirk, he said,

"Yeah, it takes a little more than a few bombs to take out an Inu youkai, even if I am a hanyou."

"You're alive!" Kagome was trying to stand; she needed to touch him, hold him, and strangle him for the pain he put her through. A tentacle slammed her into the ground.

"You are not to move." Naraku growled.

"Kagome!" Inu Yasha growled and lifted his sword screaming, "Kaze no Kizu!" The wound of the wind raced towards Naraku, who blocked the attack, but not without sacrificing a few appendages, including the one that was holding Kagome down. Using the attack as a distraction, Inu Yasha jumped in front of his girlfriend, determined to protect her with his life. The evil hanyou laughed and his eyes burned as he called on his army to rise once again. The dead demons Kagome had previously eliminated regenerated and began moving towards them. Kagome struggled to stand up; she refused to sit helpless while Inu Yasha did all the work. The dead demon army approached them at an unnerving slow pace.

"Stay down." Inu Yasha warned.

"And let you have all the fun? Never." She finally made it to her feet, though she was still wobbly.

"Do you two truly believe you can defeat me and my army by yourselves?" Naraku chuckled.

"Hiraikotsu!"

"Kazanna!"

"Hey, Inu Kurro, you give lousy directions!" Kouga complained as he ripped the head's off a few nearby shadow youkai, while Sango and Miroku rushed the undead.

"Who said we were alone?" Inu Yasha smirked.

"In all these years, you haven't changed." Naraku chuckled. "You still aren't man enough to protect your woman. You failed your wife, and now you will fail her reincarnation."

"What is he talking about, Inu Yasha? What wife?" The color from Inu Yasha's face drained at Kagome's question.

"Don't tell me you haven't told her, Inu Yasha?" Naraku laughed smugly. "Don't tell me you didn't tell her that you were married to Kikyo, who just happens to be her pre-incarnation." Kagome found it hard to swallow. Maybe it was the last blow she received to her head, but, she now had the sinking feeling that for once, Naraku was telling the truth. "Oh, don't tell me Kagome you truly believed he wanted you for you. Why would anyone what a skinny weakling like you, unless it is as a cheap replacement."

"That isn't true!" Inu Yasha growled in anger. "I love you for you, not because of Kikyo."

"Kikyo? Kaede's Kikyo? So, he isn't lying?" Through the selective hearing of her pain and concussion, Kagome failed to notice his admission.

"He's twisting things! That's not how it happened." The salty scent of the quiet tears that were running down her cheeks reached Inu Yasha, as he mentally cursed.

"But it is. He found you just like I did: searching for her soul. The entire family's interest in you was based on Kikyo, on who you once were. Do you truly believe Sesshomaru thought your work had any promise? Did you fall for the kitsune's tricks? Perhaps it was the old man's charm? Did you find in him the father you lost like he found the replacement for his dead daughter-in-law?" Naraku smirked as he saw the girl's face fall, hiding underneath her dark hair. He was getting to her.

"Stop lying!" Inu Yasha swung his sword slicing away his tentacles. "We love her! And your words can't change that!"

"Inu Yasha!" Her voice was a soft breeze of a whisper. "Attack with me."

Naraku's eyes open in disbelief. She couldn't trust him, not the way the jewel was flickering. He stared at the illuminated glow for too long, missing Inu Yasha's war cry and Kagome's miko blast. The two energies molded with each other ripped through his body. Naraku stood perfectly still as he felt the purifying effects of the miko energy. All that was left was his head and the eight spider legs that protruded from his neck. This wasn't over yet.

"Still can't defeat me Inu Yasha! You couldn't do it when I killed Kikyo, you can't do it now!"

"Nani? What are you mumbling about? Kikyo died of cancer!"

"Kikyo died of a lethal dose of arsenic. If she wasn't going to be mine, then she wasn't going to be anyone else's! I bet you now whish you hadn't made her take her medicine…didn't you smell the poison in the needle? Didn't you care?" Naraku laughed as he saw the girl flinch. The hanyou's anger was acceptable, if it caused the girl to lose all trust in him.

Inu Yasha screamed as he attacked once again, this time Kagome raised her head in defiance, eyes glowing white with the power of the Shikon. "Inu Yasha, now!"

"Kaze no Kizu!" As the wound of the wind rushed to meat the retreating spider, Kagome forced her energy to mold into a bow and arrow. She shot, the pink arrow, which turned white as combined with Inu Yasha's attack. It cracked through Naraku's thick skull finally purifying the ancient evil as his screams of agony echoed through in their ear canals. For a second time in less than a day, the warehouse was illuminated with a blinding white light, which soon faded, surprisingly not harming anyone's eyesight. Inu Yasha took the scene in: Naraku had been turned to ashes; his undead army was fully dead: his friends were alive; Sesshomaru, who finally made it, was reviving Yura and Bankotsu with his sword, and the miko he loved was alive. It was a pretty good ending.

"Kagome?" He moved towards her, but she stepped back.

"Don't come near me!" The tears were evident in her voice, as the Shikon gave an unsteady glow.

"Kagome…I don't understand. You didn't believe him, did you?"

"You lied to me!"

"I never lied…I just didn't want you to jump to the wrong conclusion, like now!"

"I'm a big girl Inu Yasha! Couldn't you trust me?"

"It's not that simple!"

"Yes it is, Inu Yasha!" She planted her feet firmly on the ground and held her fist tightly.

"I was afraid of losing you!"

"Losing me? You were afraid of losing me? So instead you don't trust me to know your night of the month, or that you have a spy in Naraku's organization, or that you were married to my previous incarnation!" Kagome's voice kept rising with her anger. Soon, their companions were staring at the scene with a sense of dread. "You expect for me to trust you with my heart, when you don't trust me with BASIC information."

"Kagome, I was going to tell you."

"When? When we were married? When we had grandchildren, or were you just waiting to have me alone on my deathbed, Inu Yasha?"

"I don't know!" Inu Yasha yelled back, afraid of where this conversation was heading. Whispering, he continued, "I just wanted to hold on to you for as long as possible."

"With lies and omitted truths? I don't know was worse, Inu Yasha, what you did, or that I fell for it. I should have realized it sooner. A playboy like you could never be serious about a relationship!"

Inu Yasha growled, and, with one leap, he was by her side holding her close to him. "I'm fucking serious about this!"

"No you're not! How the fuck didn't I see this sooner?"

"Kagome…"

"No Inu Yasha, you listen to me! I fucking loved you…somehow between the kisses and the illusions, you made me fall in love with you! But now, I realize I fell in love with a lie. I wouldn't have left Inu Yasha…I might have resisted a bit more at first, but damn this feeling! I could never have stayed away from you, but now…not now! I never want to see you again!" Kagome's tearstained words cut through his heart.

"Kagome, no…"

"Let me go!" Her hands glowed white as the magic left her fingers and shot through Inu Yasha. He grimaced in pain, but would not let her go. He couldn't afford to. He stared in disbelief as his claws retracted into normal human nails and he felt his fangs turn into canines. With one final push, Kagome was free. "Don't come near me, Inu Yasha. We're through!" With that final declaration, Kagome rushed out of the warehouse following the sounds of the approaching sirens, leaving a very stunned human looking hanyou behind.

*** One Month Later ***

"Kagome!" Hojo smiled from his table as he signaled his friend to join him. It was the beginnings of fall, and he was sitting outside of the Mnenoch Café observing the leaves change color. "I'm glad you could make it."

"So am I." She sat down giving him her well practice smile, the one she had worn the past month to convince the world she was fine. The waitress came back and she brought her a cup of tea.

"How's Souta doing in school?"

"Just fine, he tried out for the soccer team, and made varsity. He was so happy."

"I'm not surprised, after making that miraculous comeback on the final game. He managed to block all the penalty shots."

She replied with a nostalgic smile. "Yes, I'm glad I was able to get him to the game in time to play. I think he holds that trophy more sacred than the God's tree." Hojo gave her a warm smile.

"How's the hospital?"

"I'm on the psych ward, now. It's…different."

"Not your calling?"

"No, and neither was the ER. I think pediatrician is what I was best at, which is why this opportunity in Paris is perfect." Kagome lowered her gaze.

"Did you ask Sesshomaru?"

"Yes, and he agreed." Hojo sighed in relief, but his friend did not look any happier than when he had seen her a few days earlier. Placing his hand over hers, he asked,

"Kagome, what really happened between you and Inu Yasha in that warehouse?" She looked up in surprise.

"I already told you."

"No, you told me the edited version. Kagome, I worked in the ER for six months…I know about youkai. You can't be a doctor and not notice." He smiled. She sighed. She hadn't told anyone, not even Sango, who was there. But, this was Hojo, wonderful, caring Hojo. She took a deep breath and began.

"Wow, that must have been difficult!" Hojo smiled lovingly after she was done.

"It was…I could have forgiven him not sharing his night of the month, even not telling me about the spy, but…Kikyo…that I can't forgive him not telling me he was married. Not telling me who she was…"

"I understand where you are coming from, but maybe you should hear him out."

"So he can twist the truth around? I'll pass, thank you."

"Kagome, the man survived three explosions, rushed in a car full of impatient humans to your rescue, stopped to pick up Souta on the way, risked his neck, asked his greatest rival for help, and told you he loved you…I think he deserves a chance to speak to you before you leave."

"First of all, he wasn't in any explosion. Not even the subsequent ones that were set to destroy the mansion. Fortunately for him, Detective Hiiroku wanted to throw Naraku off, so he posed as Inu Yasha."

"I remember him…He left the hospital a week later accompanied by a very pretty colleague."

"The other two explosions weren't enough to bring down the mansion, and besides some structural damage, nothing happened. Secondly, if he was in a car of impatient humans it was because as soon as he was sure no one had died, he tried to run out with the car without waiting for them. Third, he picked up Souta, because he waved him down, causing the car to crash because as usual, Inu Yasha was speeding without watching the road. It took him two hours, almost three, to get to the warehouse on foot because he was too impatient to wait for the police…"

"Who arrived too late to help." Hojo added as Kagome counted down the reasons on her fingers. She continued without hesitating,

"And if he risked his neck is because he is an idiot and that's what he does best! Fifth, if he called Kouga it was in a moment of weakness from his human mind. Finally, as for telling me he loved me…" Kagome sighed and relaxed her shoulders and hands as she held back the tears. "How can I trust him?"

"Has he tried to talk to you since?"

"Hai, everyday…"

"That sounds like proof."

"That he can't accept losing?"

Hojo sighed as he searched for strength. What he was about to say wasn't easy…he could lose her friendship forever, in more ways than one.

"Is it he or you that can't accept losing?"

"Nani?"

"Higurashi, we've known each other since the eighth grade…I know you a little better than that. Are you sure that you aren't pushing Inu Yasha away, not because you don't trust him, but because you are afraid of losing him?"

"What are you rambling about?"

"You are being unfair to Inu Yasha because you already felt the pain of losing him once…you don't want to go through that again, which is very cowardly of you Higurashi!"

"Hojo…I think working in the loony bin has affected you in the wrong way!" She turned away before she finished to herself, "but you're absolutely right."

*** ***

"Inu Yasha?" Sesshomaru entered the dark room noticing the shades were drawn. His brother sat on the corner, staring at an old box. "Miroku called. He wanted to know if you would like to go with him to Fire and Ice tonight for a guys' night out. He would actually pay."

"She was beautiful." He replied.

"You aren't planning on wasting way in here, are you? You have a son that is worried about you, and a lecherous friend that is lost without your guidance." He paused before continuing, "You are a fool if you let her go."

"Did she give you a message for me?"

"No. She just asked to be transferred to Paris."

"What did I do wrong? Why didn't she give me a second chance?"

"Some mistakes can't be forgiven." The hanyou sighed in response. "What do you plan to do?"

"For the past month, I've sent her flowers every day, left her pitiful messages on her machine, serenaded her, gotten Souta to hate me for making his sister cry…and it's been all for nothing."

"Are you giving up?" He failed to answer. Sesshomaru turned to leave and with a sigh, "She leaves September 25th at three thirty in the morning…I'm going to drive her, if you care." He left his brother to his solitude.

Inu Yasha looked down at the box and pulled out the picture of his wife. "I'm sorry Kikyo…I have been hiding you, as if I was ashamed of you…all this time, I was ashamed of me…for not being able to save you. I know you came back to me, but I also understand that she isn't you, but that doesn't mean I didn't fall in love with her. We are, after all, soul mates. I hope you don't mind, but I got her a different ring, one suited for her…I knew you would understand. I hope your spirit is at rest within her." Inu Yasha placed the picture in a frame and left to put it over his fireplace, next to the rest of the pictures of his family.

*** ***

"Do you think you have enough clothes?" Sango asked as she helped Kagome zip her duffle bag.

"Yes, I'm only going for three months."

"Three months is a long time for one duffle bag." Sango protested.

"It's Paris…I'm supposed to bring little clothes and come back with allot." The girls laughed like they hadn't in a month.

"Will you be back in time for Mercedes and Carlos's wedding?"

"I get back the day before."

"Is Souta all set with Kaede watching him for the next few months?"

"He's being really brave…he hasn't even complained once, though I can tell he misses him."

"Do you?" The older girl inquired.

"I would be lying if I said no…Do you want to know a secret?" She waited for her friend to nod before continuing. "I have kept one flower from each bouquet he's sent me…cherry blossoms, my favorite."

"You love him."

"That's why I need to go Sango…"

"You're running away!"

"I'm trying to find myself." Kagome protested. "As silly as this sounds considering all the work I have to do while I'm there, this will be my first vacation since my mother died…I'm exhausted, Sango." The two friends hugged as Kagome began to cry. "I miss her."

"So do I."

"She would have the answers…she would know what to say. That's why I'm going, so I can find the answers."

"I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you too." The two friends hugged and let out a nice long cry.

"Nee-chan."

"Souta, why aren't you in bed? It's late!" Kagome protested as her brother stood on the entrance of her room with a stoic face.

"Sesshomaru is downstairs."

"Thank you." She stood up and grabbed her bag. She hugged her friend good-bye and then turned to her brother. She opened her arms and he rushed into them, crying.

"Promise you'll come back! Promise you won't leave forever life ji-chan and mom and dad! Promise!" Souta buried his face and tears in his sisters blue shirt.

"I'll be back before you know it."

"Promise!"

"I promise." Souta pulled away and wiped his tears with the back of his hand as Kagome made her way down the steps to say good bye to her miko mentor.

"If it is any consolation to ye," Kaede whispered as he held her surrogate granddaughter in a tight embrace, "he is suffering for ye as well." Kagome tried to stop the tears from flowing, but was unsuccessful. The old woman brushed them away with her thumb. "May the goddess guide ye safely to where ye need to be."

"Ditto." She walked, much like a zombie towards the Inu youkai. "I'm ready…I just need to make my peace with the God's tree first." Sesshomaru took her bag and led her outside. He put the bag in the back of his silver jaguar as Kagome approached the tree. So many memories flashed before her eyes before she touched its holly bark. "I will miss you most of all…well, after him that is." The jewel and the tree began to glow lightly as their auras soothed the young miko before she left.

"Have you thought this through?" Sesshomaru asked once they were on their way to the airport.

"It is my only option…I managed to avoid working with him for a month, I can't continue to do it without breeching my contract."

"So you plan to forget him in Paris?"

"I'll never forget him."

"Then why leave?"

"So he can forget me…it's more than enough time for him to move one and revert to finding his flavor of the week, don't you think?"

"You underestimate him, and his love for you." Sesshomaru growled in disapproval.

"He loves Kikyo, not me."

"His soul is linked to Kikyo's, which also happens to be yours. His heart, though he may still love her for we never stop loving them because they die, belongs to you."

"You miss her, Rin's mother, don't you?"

"Hai, and Kagura understands. Sakura was a wonderful woman, whom I will always hold dear in my heart."

"How is Kagura handling taking over her father's estate?"

"Very well, but since she renounced her father, she is only setting it up as a trust to pass to Kanna when she turns eighteen."

"Could you do me a favor? Could you give this to Shippo? I wanted to say goodbye in person, but…"

"Inu Yasha." Sesshomaru finished as she placed the envelope with a picture of herself with the kit on the backseat.

"He will miss you the most…next to Inu Yasha. Neither has really eaten in a month. Not even ramen." This last comment caught Kagome by surprise.

"Tell him I love him...and I will see him when I come back."

"Inu Yasha?"

"No, Shippo."

With that they arrived at the airport and quickly checked her bag. They sat in the cafeteria drinking tea while they waited for Hojo.

"This is the information of the hotel where you will be staying at until we set up your apartment." He handed her a folder, which she quickly examined. "I also left you a contact sheet and some Euros, in case you get hungry before you make it to the hotel.

"Thank you…Sesshomaru, I owe you so much. I'm forever in your debt."

"You have repaid me well with your service to me. Inu Yasha told me what Naraku said…it isn't true. You have talent. Kikyo's reincarnation or not, I would not have invested so much time and money in you unless you had talent." Kagome smiled at her stoic companion.

"Thank you." She smiled happy tears for the first time in a long time. Hojo chose that time to arrive.

"We can go in now, if you like." Like always, he was unaware of interrupting an intimate moment. Sesshomaru walked them to the metal detectors where Hojo handed his ticket and passed quietly. After saying another goodbye, Kagome set off the alarms. She was quickly pulled aside to find out it was the Shikon no Tama. "Even the jewel knows you shouldn't leave." Hojo mentioned.

"Kagome!" The pair turned towards the loud scream to see a crazed hanyou pushing his way past security in order to see her.

"Inu Yasha?" She whispered shaking her head in disbelief. He had managed to get a foot from her when a security guard was able to hold him back.

"You are not allowed here without a ticket sir." The youkai explained.

"I don't care! Kagome!" Trying to avoid the inevitable scene, Kagome approached him.

"What do you want Inu Yasha?" Her eyes were red from crying, but blazing with fury, and her cheeks were flushed from the embarrassment. She was beautiful.

"You can't leave."

"Yes I can."

"No…don't you understand! Let go of me you bastard!" Inu Yasha struggled against the guard enough to free one arm.

"Inu Yasha, I…"

"I love you, Kagome Higurashi." He said dropping to one knee.

"You belong to me, like I belong to you." He pulled out a black velvet box. Her breath got caught in her chest…he wasn't…he wouldn't dare to.

"Marry me." He finish exposing the princess cut yellow diamond.

"Inu Yasha," tears began to flow freely down her face causing his ears to sink underneath his hat, "don't you understand…I can't. I need to leave. I'm sorry, but I can't!" She turned around and walked away tears freely falling down her face as the hanyou screamed her name, knowing what the god's already knew: she would never voluntarily walk into his life again!

*** ***

Wow, that was a hard chapter to write…kept crying. ::turns and sees angry reviewers:: What? Inu Yasha and I reconciled our monetary differences. Thank you all the reviewers who donated virtual money. ::sees smoke coming out of reviewers' ears:: Oh, the purifying thing…well Meche Benz is sick. She has Vertigo due to the fact that her ear infection caused her inner ear to flood with fluid…long story short, doctor gave her medicine that provokes asthma attacks, so she can't take; therefore, she isn't correcting this chapter. I purified him to make her feel better. For those of you that don't know, she has been asking for his purification since I put it in the summary. ::reviewers grab the pitchforks and begin to approach like the creatures from Dawn of the Dead:: The Paris thing…well, this turn was planned from the very beginning. Remember, she tells the lady that she is getting married Sept. 26th, the day she met her boyfriend. Of course they met in the city of love! But before you kill me…read the summary. Do you think I am evil enough to change the story around last minute just to annoy you? ::reviewers nod frantically:: Have faith. I've told a good story up to now, and plan to end it well. Remember, this is a romance novel. Same rules apply. So before you killed me, remember….this is a fourteen-page update, and the next chapter is the finale.

Some of you asked where did I originally planned to end the last chapter…I was going to end it with the end of the fight of Kagome and Inu Yasha, so yes, it still would have been a cliff hanger. Thank you for your wonderful reviews. Meche has asked for a final blooper chapter…I think I will make her happy since she has been so sick lately. Aren't I a wonderful roommate?