A/N: Okay guys, this story has had a great run but all things must end. This is the last chapter of Just a Mistake.
Chapter 30
The sun rose warm and soft over Sesshoumaru's lands. Inuyasha stepped out onto the balcony of the taiyoukai's study and stretched.
They had been talking all night, figuring out the best way to take out Naraku once and for all.
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, knowing that the mere sound of it drove his half-brother crazy. Even now he could feel Sesshoumaru's killing stare blister the back of his neck.
"Inuyasha, you will stop that irritating noise at once." 'What? I...I've said this before...'
Inuyasha laughed. "Oi, baka! Keep your hakamas on. I'm almost finished." He reached up and gave his neck a good crack. Immediately, Sesshoumaru's growls filled the air. Inuyasha laughed again.
But when he turned around to face his brother, his face was quite serious. "After this is over, I get the jewel and take Kagome off your hands, ne?"
Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. "I cannot fathom why you want this filthy onna. She is too short, disobedient and irritating. The very thought of her touching me makes my skin crawl."
'Wait...this is...familiar...why is this so familiar? Have I said this before?'
Inuyasha glared at him, then shrugged. "Well, whatever floats your boat. To me, she's the sweetest thing since chocolate. And ramen. Yeah, and ramen." Inuyasha's eyes closed blissfully and his stomach growled softly.
Sesshoumaru tilted his perfect head to the side and stared at the hanyou as if he were a specimen in a bottle. "What is choc-oh-lat? Sounds filthy." Ramen he HAD heard of before. He had actually seen Inuyasha eat some of it before and it had made his stomach turn. Whether or not it was because of the way it looked or the way Inuyasha looked while devouring it was debatable.
'Chocolate? Kagome loves chocolate...Kagome!'
Inuyasha wondered, and not for the first time, why Sesshoumaru did not desire the Shikon for himself. It seemed that he and Kagome were the only two people he knew that had no desire to possess it.
Sesshoumaru stood and grabbed his sword, the Tokijin. He reached for Tensaiga as well but paused, his hand in mid-air. Something was telling him to take it with him.
He picked it up and slid it into his belt.
Flying towards Inuyasha's Forest, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha saw the signal over the tree tops.
Something was wrong, Sesshoumaru thought, dropping Inuyasha and speeding towards the intended battle destination.
'Kagome...something is very wrong with Kagome...'
Inuyasha was really worried. Why had Kirara given the signal so early? She wasn't supposed to do it until he gave the signal. Who else could possibly have known about---- He stopped, sniffed the air and knew. Oh no! It was Kagome! Kagome must have found out!
Inuyasha's speed picked up. He knew Kagome was in trouble and he HAD to be there with her!
Sesshoumaru had already come to the same conclusion Inuyasha had. He could smell the miko's sweet rose and lily scent, laced with tension and fear. Was she actually fool enough to take on Naraku herself? Yes, it seems so...
'This! I have been here before! Something terrible will happen today!'
He could see from where he was, the droves of youkai descending towards to the very spot where he and Inuyasha were to have battled Naraku.
But now there was another scent emanating from her that...disconcerted him. He had no clue to what it was, so he ignored it.
'No! Don't ignore this scent! It's...it's my child! Mine and Kagome's child!'
Sesshoumaru sped off, determined to get to her. He knew...finally, he knew. He remembered. He had wished for another chance to make it right. He would not fail her this time...
They were still too far away. Inuyasha cursed his slow hanyou body. "Chikusho!" Inuyasha roared. Never had Inuyasha felt such fear for his little Kagome. There she was, facing Naraku and his army alone...damn it, why was he so damned slow?
Sesshoumaru felt her tense. She knew they were coming. 'Yes, koishii. I am coming...'
He used their bond to read her thoughts. He had only caught a glimpse when she slammed her mind shut against him. Sesshoumaru felt his youkai growl but that did not deter him. He could not let her keep him away from her.
As they raced through the forest, Inuyasha noticed Sesshoumaru's pallor and reddening eyes. He was instantly unsettled. "What the hell's going on Sesshoumaru? What do you see?" he shouted.
The taiyoukai's pinched face struck fear into his younger brother. "Kagome is going to kill herself! I must get to her!"
Already he could feel his youkai howl in fear for its mate. 'Get her! Go get her!' it roared desperately at Sesshoumaru. "Hurry!"
"Suicide? SUICIDE!" Inuyasha raved, watching Kagome with a horrified, tear-filled expression. "Kagome!" he screamed. "KAGOME!"
Not caring as the deadly pink light shot towards them, Inuyasha leapt forward, in a desperate attempt to get to his Kagome.
He gasped as he was stopped mid-leap and dragged upwards past the treetops. "Nani?" he growled. He realized that Sesshoumaru had caught him by the waist and yanked him up, away from the purifying energy. Sesshoumaru, in an act of unprecedented kindness, had wrapped his tail around his little half-brother, pulling him upwards.
"Let me go! Damn you Sesshoumaru! You may not have loved her, but I did!" he cried, swinging uselessly at the taiyoukai.
Sesshoumaru only held Inuyasha further away from him. Swiftly, he grabbed the tensaiga and threw it at his brother. "It will protect you, Inuyasha. Don't worry. I will bring Kagome back to us unharmed."
The powerful blast raced in all directions below them, slamming with such force into Naraku and his drones that some of the weaker, smaller youkai were blasted to bits before being purified. Naraku himself was being eaten alive by the energy and was soon dissolved into nothingness.
A piercing howl rent the air, causing Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru to turn their heads and see.
The brothers watched as Kagome as she fell backwards onto the ground screaming, her miko energy still shooting from her body. It completely covered her, burning her youkai flesh, hissing and sizzling.
Sesshoumaru could feel her mind and soul detach themselves as her life left her. He knew it would be over soon...
He threw Inuyasha away from him and dove down to Kagome. He wouldn't lose her again...please, Kami, not again...
The purifying energy slammed into him but he would not back down. He fought his way down to her, ignoring the nauseating scent of his own burning flesh in his nostrils.
"Kagome...no..." Inuyasha breathed as he rested in a treetop that caught him as he fell. "Please Kami, no..." Never had he felt so helpless. All he could do was watch her die beneath him.
Sesshoumaru made it to her and grabbed her. The energy was killing him, he knew. He wouldn't last long like this.
In his arms, her body began to vibrate. Her mouth opened and those voices he had heard from somewhere in time began to speak with her voice.
"Sesshoumaru-sama. You have passed the test. You have risked your own life to save hers and that of her unborn child. She shall be yours once more."
The pink light raced back into her body, healing their burned and scorched youkai flesh. She was alive.
Sesshoumaru realized that Kagome was as she had been...long, black and silver striped hair, lilac markings on her cheeks, pale, lilac-hued crescent moon on her smooth forehead...and pregnant. With his child.
He laughed and held her unconscious body to his chest. "My love," he crooned softly to her. "My little love."
Two of Kagome's friends came running up to them. He turned and looked at them. Worry and fear were plastered all over their faces.
"Kagome-sama!" the houshi cried out. "What have you done to her, Sesshoumaru?"
Sesshoumaru shook his head as a familiar figure walked up to the little group. He narrowed his eyes at the man. "You," he said to the dark-haired intruder. "You are Kagome's protector, are you not?"
The tall, slender, pointy-eared young man looked slightly surprised but nodded. "So, how much do you remember, Sesshoumaru-sama?"
Sesshoumaru glared at him. "Not much. How much do YOU remember?"
Hiro shook his head. "It is not important. What IS important is that you passed the test, ne?"
The taiyoukai only held Kagome closer. "Ii. And make sure that hentai brother of yours never crosses into my lands."
Hiro nodded. He turned to go but stopped and looked back at Sesshoumaru. "The twins are still alive, Sesshoumaru-sama. The relationship between elves and mikos will remain the same. Kagome has provided us with two powerful additions to our people and for that, we are grateful." He bowed once more, before the wind picked him up and carried him away.
Sesshoumaru watched him go. Kagome's and Yuki's children may still live, but she was carrying his child now and she was still his mate. Nothing would change that.
Kouga, Shippo and Kirara returned to Kaede's village when they saw Kagome's purifying energy being pulled back. They came rushing back, worried out of their minds.
Kouga sat on Kirara's back, wondering what they were doing back here. A moment ago, he was watching an enormous tornado barrel down on Sesshoumaru...and Kagome flung herself into it.
He shook his head. I guess he could consider himself lucky. He hadn't mated Ayame yet. Knowing the things he did, he wouldn't ever do it.
Everyone was gathered in the village. Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Kouga all sat outside of Kaede's hut, waiting for the word from Sesshoumaru that Kagome would be alright.
Kouga looked around. He knew that no one remembered what had just happened. He knew that Sesshoumaru knew it too. Before they had all gathered together, he had taken a walk in the forest to see Hiro.
They had been pulled back to this time because of Sesshoumaru, Hiro had said. When Kouga asked why, Hiro shook his head.
"That answer is for Sesshoumaru only. He wished for another chance with Kagome. The Shikon had finally deemed him worthy of her. As for why everyone else was pulled back as well, I do not know." Hiro looked away and sighed. Kouga had only nodded and taken off back to the village.
Finally, Sesshoumaru stepped out of the hut, bending over at the waist in order to do so. All eyes turned to him, all asking the same question.
"Kagome will recover. There has been a...a misunderstanding between us. She will not leave my side, ever again." He looked past them into the trees, where a robed figure stood, silently watching them.
Hiro nodded solemnly to Sesshoumaru. He would make an excellent husband for Kagome and a wonderful father for their coming child. The Shikon was finally settled and would not bother them for a long time.
No longer would Sesshoumaru look down on the little miko as being beneath him. No longer would she be inferior in his eyes.
No longer would she be just a mistake.
THE END.
Thanks to everyone who contributed to this story and to everyone who read and reviewed.
I love you all, my dear fans. You've kept me going and going, with the desire to keep posting even though I hated the chapters I wrote.
Peace!
RavenSkyeBlackhawk