Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha. That goes to Rumiko Takahashi. Smart Lady. Smart, smart lady.

*~*~*~*

If I had no more time
No more time left to be here
Would you cherish what we had?

Was it everything that you were looking for?

It was happening. It was really happening. And there wasn't anything I could do to stop it. Not now—not this time, this time; it was beyond me.

Who could have known that in the end I'd have to go to hell anyways? Who could have imagined? More importantly, who could have told her—my koishii, my beloved Kagome, that all she would fight for would be in vain? Who…?

I'm confused. I'm so fucking confused. I don't want to leave. That I know. I've come to realize that I never loved Kikyou, and I have a feeling that she never truly loved me either. I now know that what I felt was loneliness—the need for companionship, to want to know that you aren't going to die alone. Now I know I won't.

There isn't anything I wouldn't do for Kagome. She is everything to me. I know this now. I wish I'd known sooner. Two days ago, Midoriko appeared to us, not long after we defeated Naraku, and told us that if we truly wished for the jewel to disappear from this earth, then we would need to sacrifice something in its name to offset the battle that raged within it. She told us that we needed something to cancel out the violence—an example of peace between youkai and ningen. We thought long and hard before Kagome timidly gave her answer. It was uttered so softly, barely a whisper, that even with my advanced hearing, it was difficult to hear. It was one word, who could have known it held my future?

"Hanyou."

I've never seen Kagome look like that. My beautiful Kagome, she looked so, sad. Of course just saying sad is an understatement, but I do not have words to describe the look on her face. I remember how my breath seemed to stop as Sango asked her to clarify. My Kagome explained, bless her, she's such a smart girl.

"Hanyou. A single being containing a peaceful mix of youkai and ningen. Just as cold neutralizes hot, the ningen neutralizes the youkai, creating one warmth."

Her voice was still a whisper, and as comprehension dawned on the others' faces, I waited for the dreaded question to be asked.

"Can it be any hanyou?"

I snorted. Come on Miroku, aren't you supposed to be the embodiment of wisdom? Midoriko's answer came in the form of a head shake in the negative.

"He must be strong, and courageous. He must know both his ningen and youkai sides well."

She turned to me then, and I knew, I just knew. I'm sure there was more terror on my face then, than I'd ever cared to show in my life.

"InuYasha." She said, her soft voice heavy with the burden of the words yet to be spoken.

"It is up to ye, hanyou, for the jewel calls to you to destroy it."

I remember Kagome sinking to the ground in a fit of sobs, and though everyone wanted to—nobody moved to comfort her.

"Two moons, InuYasha, I give ye two moons time to do what ye must. We will meet again at sunset before the third moon."

And then she was gone.

*~*~*~*

I'd gone immediately to Goshinboku, it was always my source of calm. The others were comforting each other. I knew I was going to be taken from the most important people in my life—and Kagome. We'd all gone to sleep, hoping to wake up the next morning to discover this was all some terrible nightmare.

Of course it was no such thing. Now I had one full day left, I was to leave this world at sunset the next day. We spent the day talking, the houshi and the taijiya, and even the runt told me how glad they were to have had my friendship—even going so far as to claim me as family. And though I tried to stop them, my tears betrayed me and I cried. We all cried.

Day turned to night, and I sat staring at the last full moon I'd see. I could hear her approaching. Smell her soothing scent, even before I could see her. Instead of speaking to me like I'd assumed she'd come to do, instead she simply sat by my side. We sat like that, side by side, staring at the sky for the longest time. Then she spoke. And when she did—I wished she hadn't.

"I love you, you know." She'd said. Her voice was barely there again. She'd cried the most today.

"I know." I replied—because it was true, no matter how much it hurt me to say. Then she surprised me for the second time that night. She reached up, and had gently tugged my face towards hers. Her eyes shone with unshed tears, the moonlight made them glow and they slowly drifted shut as she brought her lips to mine. I made no move to stop her.

If I couldn't feel your touch

And no longer were you with me

I'd be wishing you were here
To be everything that I'd be looking for
I don't wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don't wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
'Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed.

She continued to kiss me, her lips were soft, but insistent and I couldn't stop myself from reciprocating. My arms wrapped around her and I pulled her into my lap, holding her close as I kissed her back. I put all my unsaid words, my hidden feelings, my pent up emotions, all of my love into that kiss and I know she felt it. My hands threaded through her hair, and she ran her hands up and down my back in an effort to quell some of my fears and offer me some comfort.

So every time you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you'll never see me again

Every time you touch me

Touch me like this is the last time
Promise that you'll love me
Love me like you'll never see me again.

Her next words were just as soft spoken as the others, but they shocked me the most.

"Please, InuYasha—make love to me"

I froze. There were so many things. Gods, so many things that I wanted to do in that moment, but all I could bring myself to do was kiss her with all my heart and soul, and hope that she'd get the message. She got it loud and clear. Of course she did. She's my Kagome. Our kisses became more passionate, and though I knew this would only complicate things, I couldn't help but want to indulge myself in this long awaited fantasy.

How many really know what love is?

Millions never will

Do you know until you lose it

That it's everything that we are looking for

I stripped off my red haori and spread it on the ground behind her in an attempt to make the grass and dirt more comfortable. She gave me a shy smile as I lowered her to the ground, losing myself in a sea of striking cobalt. Those cobalt eyes—ever expressive, were overflowing with love. And it was all for me. I gave her a small smile in return.

Was this what it felt like to feel loved? I wondered vaguely as her lips returned to mine, and my hand crept up to fondle a breast. Soon enough, I crave skin to skin contact and I make a clean cut down her blouse and toss it away somewhere. She sits up and removes her breast binding contraption before shyly reaching to undo the ties to my juban, before pushing it off my shoulders and placing it next to us. I take a moment to admire her beauty, before trailing kissed down her jaw, to her neck before suckling on a dusky nipple. I watch her silently as I continue to tease her breasts—her head is thrown back, her mouth open in wordless pleasure, and her raven hair is spread about us wildly.

I don't wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don't wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me

'Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed.

I was questioning my sanity by the time I reached her womanhood, which was already slick with her juices, and the scent of her arousal was like fuel to my fire. I gave a tentative lick and before I knew it I was feasting like I hadn't eaten in days. Her mewls and moans only spurred me on and it all culminated when she finally fell, her orgasm washed over her and I watched her face intently, amazed at the expression of absolute euphoria that was present there.

I don't remember stripping out of my hakama and fundoshi, only that I was hard, ready, and in between her legs before she had come down from her high. When her eyes finally focused, I knew she could feel me pressing against her sex, and I waited for her to give me some sort of sign to continue, giving her one last chance to back out. She smiled and nodded, and with a quick snap of my hips I was buried within her. She cried out at the sudden intrusion, I had felt her maidenhead break and I knew she had to have felt some sort of pain, so I focused my attention on her breasts to give her time to adjust to the feeling.

I knew she was ready when she thrust her hips gently against mine, and I reciprocated the action, drawing myself out of her as far as possible before sliding back in. We both groaned, and soon enough I was pounding into her as she groaned and gasped erotic versions of my name into one of my ears, and I was growling and grunting at the feeling of being inside her. Her blunt human nails scratched unknown paths down my back and her legs wrapped around my hips in an attempt to bring her closer to her previously experienced euphoria. I sped up my thrusts, giving it to her harder and faster until she cried out from the pleasure, her body convulsing around mine, squeezing my cock as her orgasm overtook her.

I gave a couple more thrusts before I joined her. My cock throbbed in release and I saw white—blinded by the intensity of my own release. When I opened my eyes again, she was looking up at me smiling softly. I gave her a small smile of my own before I rolled to the side, bringing her to lie on my chest, her head buried in between my chin and my shoulder. I finally felt at peace. I just wished it would last.

Promise that you'll love me

Love me like you'll never see me again.

"Kagome?" I questioned. She grunted a little in response.

"I love you too you know." I felt her smile against me, as she replied.

"I know."

*~*~*~*

I'd woken the next morning with Kagome in my arms, and we'd made love once more before returning to camp. I couldn't help but feel despair over our situation. We'd finally found each other, and now we were going to lose each other. The rest of my day was spent attempting to meditate to clear my mind and make my journey easier. I went to Kagome's time, and said my goodbyes. They were almost like my own family, and it saddened me that I was leaving them. I couldn't help but feel like I'd let them down.

It was nearing sunset. Kagome had informed the others of her decision to leave after I was gone. They were upset, but they knew—she couldn't stay here without me. Besides, who knows if after the jewel is gone, she'd be allowed to stay in this time?

A familiar being appeared and I hugged Kagome close to me, trying to prevent the inevitable.

"InuYasha the hanyou" She said. "It is time."

I looked pathetic. I know I did. I couldn't stop the tears as the made tracks down my face, my ears drooped and my shoulders were slumped. I gave each of my friends a hug, telling them each what they meant to me, Sango—the sister I never had, Miroku—a better brother than the one I actually had, Shippou—my adopted son, and finally Kagome—my mate, my love, my everything. I gave her a kiss filled with everything I was feeling, desperation, anger, grief, love. It was all there. Then I turned to the ethereal looking being that stood encased in light, some four feet above us. She held out her hand to me, and with one last longing look at the people that meant the most to me in the world, I placed my hand in hers.

Then they were gone. Everything was gone. Gone was the life I'd once called my own, my life was different now, spent devoted to the Shikon no Tama. Fate is cruel, I'd decided. But there was nothing I could do about it now. I still can't help but think…

…If only we'd known…