Black clouds hung over the forest, it’s trees leaves all fallen off and the dirt below left cold, winters first snow ready to fall within days. A loud wind blew over, causing the branches to creak, and some even to fall in its violent wake. In the dark forests depths is where the hanyou stood, blocking powerful attacks from a familiar foe. The half-demon’s once bright silver hair was matted with dirt and blood, plastered to his cheek. He looked back, worried about his companion, the only one left alive, the only one he could protect. The girl stood, watching with pained eyes as her dark raven tresses were whipped around by the aggressive wind. For a brief moment her dark eyes met his deep amber ones, and they could not break away. Her gaze was pleading, as was his. He gave her a reluctant smile as though to say it would be alright. She would be alright, even if he would not…

Naraku shot one of his tentacles through InuYasha ‘s chest, pinning him momentarily to a tree before ripping it out, causing his gaze to break with Kagome’s. He slid down the trees base, leaving a trail of blood on it’s bark. Kagome had been knocked down moments earlier and had a hard time gaining her breath, especially after watching InuYasha get hit over and over by Naraku’s attacks.

Naraku turned to her, grinning as one of his tentacle arms darted forward and pierced through her shoulder. She screamed, falling back down the to ground, watching in horror as the blood soaked through the torn fabric of her school uniform. With much needed force, she opened her eyes to see her dear friend the taijya laying in a pool of her own blood, most obviously dead, next to Kirara, who was barely hanging onto life, her once soft tawny-yellow fur stained and clumped with blood. Kagome looked to the other side to see the purple and indigo robes of the monk, also stained with a vast amount of his bodily fluids .

She whimpered, pulling herself along the grass when someone stepped on her neck, barely allowing even the smallest bit of air into her lungs.

“Trying to save your pathetic self?” Naraku chuckled, digging his heel into her jugular. Kagome could feel the vertebrae in her neck ready to crack under the pressure.

She let out a small whimper, her voice barely audible even to the ears of a demon, and doubted anyone could hear her, or that she would be saved. “P-please…”

“Please?” Naraku repeated. “As though that would allow me to stop…” She felt his heel press harder on the delicate flesh of her neck.

Kagome clenched her eyes shut tight, waiting for the unbearable wait to stop, when she felt the pressure on her neck suddenly release, all to quickly. She sat up, hacking and coughing, gasping for breath. She rubbed her throat, and willed herself to turn and see the cause for the delay in his attack. To her surprise, Naraku was laying down, his eyes rolled back and laying in a pool of his dark, youkai blood. She felt a tear sting her eye as the wound at her should began to throb in pain. She heard the sound of feet in the grass and looked up to see Sesshoumaru, the last person she would’ve expected seeing, but at the same time was so grateful.

He re-sheathed his sword and turned, walking to the tree his brother was laying at, and could tell by the hanyou’s scent that he was still alive. “Sesshou…” InuYasha groaned, taking the time to place his bloodied hand on the hilt of his sword. “Did you…”

“I killed him.” Sesshoumaru said. “But you, brother, are not long for this world.”

“I know,” he coughed, blood rising from his lips, “if you could…” he looked off to where Kagome was, sitting and watching the two, crying unbearably. “If you could take care of her, I’d be… grateful…” He pulled the Tetsusaiga from the tie at his hip and handed it to the tall youkai. “And you can keep this. I’m sure if you can take care of her, you’ll be able to use it.”

Sesshoumaru looked at the sword in befuddlement, but reached forward and clasped it. This time there was no spark nor burn to his palm. Was he able to hold it because his brother willingly handed it forward, or was it because Sesshoumaru, whether he knew it or not, would watch after the girl?

“You were such… an ass,” InuYasha smiled weakly, “but I’m sure if things were different long ago, you would’ve been an alright brother…” With that, he closed his deep golden eyes. Sesshoumaru watched, almost pained by his brothers words and actions. Was it sorrow he felt? Or regret? He did not know, but he stepped away from the hanyou, not wishing to look at his brothers saddened face and bloodied body any longer. His eyes broke contact as he turned back to Kagome, who had stood up, still weeping.

“Inu…” She choked out, her eyes locked on the half-demon. She brought a trembling hand to her mouth and let out a choked sob, losing all her strength and falling to her knees. “Why!” She cried. “If you had to die, why couldn’t I go with you!” She held the completed Shikon-no-Tama in her hand. She felt the hot tears sting her eyes and roll down her cheek, and the anger welled up inside her. She threw the jewel at a tree, so angry she had ever had it in her body, that she had broken it, that she had completed it. “I would’ve been happy… if I could’ve searched for the shards with you… forever… I didn’t want it to end…” She punched the ground, skinning her knuckles.

Sesshoumaru approached her. “Ningen,” he said, “let’s go.”

She looked up, and for a split moment, could see InuYasha’s image in the youkai. His long silver hair, his golden eyes… his dog ears… and that was enough to cause her to break down again. “Please… don’t make me leave him…” She whispered, digging her fingers into the dirt.

Sesshoumaru sighed irritated, and leaned down, looping an arm around her stomach and throwing her over his shoulder. She cried, clutching the white fabric of his haori, her tears soaking through and reaching his skin. After a long time, her sobbing eased, and she had fallen asleep on the youkai’s shoulder as he began the trek to return to his castle.