The Final Goodbye by Onizumi Daisuke

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story. Inuyasha and company are owned by Rumiko Takahashi & Viz Media. This story and the emotions wrought within are from my mind. This story was written about 2-3 years ago, but I was not posting any of my writings for public view, so now is its chance. I hope that you enjoy it. I did write this before I knew about the actual ending(s), so my end doesn't entirely match up with the official end. Also, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed my first story, Drunken Wonder, as well as any reviers for this story. I do greatly appreciate the support.

Author's Note Additional: I do apologize if some of this seems ran together. I generally write pauses into my stories, but the document manager keeps changing my formatting. It's squeezing all my pauses down to non-existence.

Synopsis: Kagome and Inuyasha have to leave once again to battle the demon, Naraku. But will her mother be able to let her go, likely, to her death? Written from her mother's perspective.

I hear Kagome come into the house, leaving her shoes by the door and dropping her book bag to the floor.

"Whew, home at last. What a day," she sighs to herself. "Mom, I'm Home!"

"Hello Kagome," I answer, coming from the kitchen. "Dinner's almost done, Dear, would you set the table?"

"Sure, Mom, we might want to set a place for Inuyasha too, he'll probably be here anytime," she says as she rounds the corner into the kitchen.

"Oh," she stops abruptly. Inuyasha has beaten her here. He is standing next to me, using his claws to shred vegetables. As if that isn't strange enough, he's wearing her yellow apron with a chicken on it. She tries hard to stifle a laugh, but it comes out a strange, choked giggle anyway.

Inuyasha stiffens and glares at her, "What?"

"Nothing, nothing," she tries to calm her giggling. "You just surprised me is all…"

He just growls at her, "Look, I didn't wanna wear this stupid thing, your mom made me!"

"It's alright, Inuyasha," she puts her hand on his arm. "It's not bad, you just surprised me, honestly." She smiles into his eyes and he relaxes and resumes his shredding.

I sit back, stirring my pot and watching the two interact, smiling to myself. My daughter had always been such a sweet child, but who knew she would grow to calm a demon with only a look and a few words of comfort? I am truly amazed.

As Kagome lays out the place settings she tells me their plan, "Mama, we have to go back tonight, shortly after dinner. I just need to gather some supplies, first."

"Oh, so soon? You've only been here two days?" I hear my voice a little saddened.

"Yeah, see, when I came back, Inuyasha and the others went hunting for Naraku's whereabouts. When they found him, Inuyasha was to leave them there to keep an eye out for any move he made, and come here to get me," she continues nervously.

"Okay," I noticed her tenseness and am listening for any small detail I need to hear.

"You see, Naraku has almost the entire jewel now," she turns and leaning against the table, faces me.

"Koga, the wolf demon, still has his two and I have one," she continues staring down at the vial containing the single shard that hangs from her neck, where she nervously fiddles with it.

"And Sango's brother Kohaku has one, but Naraku controls him with it, so it's only a matter of time before he takes it…"

Inuyasha comes up and stands near Kagome, willing her his strength to face me.

Kagome, steeling herself, raises up to fully face my worried, questioning stare. "We have to destroy him now. This can't go on any longer."

"So we're going to fight him tomorrow, and it'll probably be big… We may not come back…" she finishes, staring at me, hoping I understand.

I feel my knees go week and reach out a hand to steady myself. Before I realize it though, a surprised Inuyasha has caught me and is guiding me to the nearest seat.

"You okay?" he asks carefully.

"Mama?" Kagome asks worriedly, kneeling in front of me.

"Yes… I think…" I said softly. After staring into my daughter's worried face, my precious daughter, I find my voice, "Is there no one else? No one who can do this instead of you?"

Kagome's eyes tear up as she answers, "No Mama, I'm the only one who can do it." She glances at Inuyasha. "Kikyo can see the shards, but she's in hiding. We don't know where to find her."

She swallows; it seemed it was getting hard for her to not cry, "And I'm the one who broke the jewel in the first place; it's only right that I be the one to fix things."

"I see…" I whisper, mostly to myself.

"Nothing will happen to Kagome," Inuyasha says sternly, stepping before me. "I won't let it."

I merely nod my head and sigh.

Kagome gives him a questioning glance before turning back. "Mama?"

-"Hi, Mom! I'm home!"

Nobody has heard the door as Souta comes rushing happily in stopping dead in his tracks before us. "Hey, what's going on? Is something wrong? Mom? Sis? Inuyasha? What's -?"

I sigh, raising my head and trying to smile despite my tears, "It's alright, Souta, honey. Why don't you go get washed up for dinner?" "O-kay…" the boy walks away slowly, looking over his shoulder at us.

After he has left earshot, I turn to face Kagome – and the nearby Inuyasha – "Alright, I suppose there's nothing I could do to stop you," I concede. "You do what you have to, okay?" I say through a choked sob.

Kagome, relieved, jumps up and hugs me. "Thank you," she says. "Thank you for understanding, Mama."

"Now," I say, standing with a small, loving smile, "let's eat before it gets cold…"

The tension drops drastically as out family – mother, grandfather, siblings, and half-demon – eat dinner in relative peace.

While I am cleaning the dishes and putting away the left-overs, Kagome and Inuyasha have disappeared to her room to gather whatever supplies she feels they need for their battle.

'Battle,' I think quietly to myself. 'Just a few short years ago I never would have thought to put that word in the same sentence as my dear Kagome…"

'Actually, even though I knew she was fighting demons, she, Inuyasha, and their friends, together, it still has never really clicked that she was in battle…

'Guess I'm just naive…' I haven't even noticed that I am out of dishes to wash, only standing before the sink, dumbfounded.

I snap out of it when I hear Inuyasha.

"Would you just let me carry it? You know you're not going to be able to wear that heavy thing while fighting Naraku!"

"It doesn't matter! I'll leave it at Kaede's if I have to!"

Grabbing a towel to dry my hands, I meet them at the bottom of the stairs.

"Everything ready?" I ask. 'No! Stop them! Don't let her go off to die like this' my inner voice screams at me.

"Yes, Mama," Kagome smiles at me.

Nodding my head, I lead the way to the living room, where Souta and Grampa are waiting to say goodbye, like usual.

I stand next to Souta and wait for it… The Final Goodbye.

Kagome comes to me, hugging me tightly. "I love you, Mama…"

"I love you too, baby…" 'No! Please!'

"Thank you… for everything," she whispers in my ear before drawing back and smiling at me. Smiling like everything will be fine, even though she may never come back…

Inuyasha, shadowing Kagome, merely nods at me, "Take care."

I smile at the simplicity of it. Truly a man of few words. A strong man. Perfect for my Kagome. "You too, be careful."

Kagome kneels down to hug Souta. "I love you, little brother."

The surprised boy barely hugs her back, "Uh, I love you too, Sis."

Inuyasha rumples his hair – a trait I think he picked up from Kagome – and smiles, "Be good, Kid."

"Sure thing, Inuyasha," he laughs as he tries futilely to fix his hair.

"Grampa," Kagome says, "thank you for telling me all those old stories, even if I wasn't really listening." She smiles and hugs him. "I love you."

"Of course, Kagome," Grampa answers, slightly confused himself. "I love you too, girl. Come back soon."

"Okay," Kagome nearly choked. I'm on the verge of tears myself.

Inuyasha stands before Grampa, who looks up at him with a slight scowl.

"Old man," he says and gives a slight bow.

Wide-eyed, Grampa returns the gesture. And with one last smile and wave, Kagome and Inuyasha leave for the well, to the deadly, dangerous past, maybe never to return.

We just stand there…

"That was odd…" Souta says.

"Mm-hmm," Grampa agrees.

'Go!'

"I'll be right back. I forgot to tell her something," I call to Grampa and Souta as I run out the door.

I run across the muddy grounds – 'When did it rain?' I almost think.

I run, afraid I'm too late. I throw open the well house door to see Kagome sitting on the well, legs over the side. Inuyasha stands next to her, holding her bag over his shoulder.

They both stare at me.

"Mama?" she asks. "What is it?" She stands back up.

Panting – both from my running and my fear – I motion for them to come closer.

Exchanging unreadable looks, they climb the stairs to the landing where I am leaning against the rail.

Once close enough, I grab Kagome and pull her to me, hugging her with all my strength. "I'm sorry," I sob. "I couldn't let you go like that.

"But Mama - ?" she started.

"No, I have to tell you first," I nearly yell at her.

Drawing back, I look at her square in the eye. "Kagome, you're my only daughter, my precious baby girl, and I want you to always be safe."

She's tearing up now too, seeing how frantic I've become. Inuyasha seems unsure, like he wants to pull her away from me. To keep her crazed mother from hurting her with all my nonsense.

"But," I continue. "I now see the strong, beautiful woman you've become. You can overcome anything. Anything, Kagome. I know you can. So I won't keep you, can't keep you from this. I just ask one thing…" It's so hard, letting her go like this.

"Please, Kagome, try to come back to me, to us. We're your family, and we love you very, very much." I hear myself sobbing now.

"Do what you must. Succeed. Defeat the evil," I feel myself softening, seeming less and less insane, "and then return to us safely…"

Teary-eyed, she nods, then throws herself into my arms. "Okay, I'll do what I can. Thank you, Mama, so much…"

I hold her closely, gently petting her dark hair. I see Inuyasha stir and motion for him to come closer.

I pull him into the embrace too, hugging them both. "And you," I said to him. "You are strong. Together you will defeat this monster." I stare into his golden eyes as I speak – even now they seem so guarded.

"But I want to see you back here again too."

I see the surprise, even if he thinks it's hidden.

"You're family too, Inuyasha. We all care for you and want to see you well."

He's openly surprised now, mouth agape and eyes blinking at me.

"Do not rush blindly into the fight, Inuyasha. Be careful and keep your wits about you." I'm crying again.

"I love you as if you were my own son, Inuyasha," I said, swallowing a lump in my throat. "And it would pain me very much to never see you again, so you come back here. You hear me?" I add sternly, motherly.

Speechless, he leans his head to my shoulder, like Kagome's and embraces me.

I almost think I hear a sob as he whispers, "Thank you… mama…"

Sighing, I give one last tight squeeze before releasing them both.

"Now, I'll be praying for your success and safety from here," I say, guiding them back towards the stairs and watching them slowly descend. "So you two focus on what you have to do, and let nothing stop you. I will see you when you return."

They both nod quietly and Kagome readies herself to jump once again. She looks up at me and smiles, "Bye mom, I'll see you soon, okay?"

I nod and she jumps into the well, into the murky darkness and the mysterious feudal past, followed closely by the still-silent Inuyasha.

I say a prayer for them before I walk back out into the night air. Feeling a chill near my neck, I look to see a damp area on my shoulders where the two had leaned against me. 'Tears,' I realize, form not only Kagome, my beloved daughter, but from Inuyasha as well, the half demon I had come to think of as a son-in-law.

I walk back inside, and spend the night in a restless sleep.

Three days have passed since they left. I have dutifully been praying for their safety and success repeatedly throughout the days.

Grampa and Souta have finally convinced me to tell them what was going on. Naturally, they were both appalled to find out that Kagome had decided not to tell them. But I have insisted that she had thought it for the best. They would have tried to stop her, after all, and she had to go, regardless.

But now that they knew, they joined me in prayers throughout the day. But although I understand and believe in them, I have been worrying anyway.

But today… Today I feel a darkness, a shadow coming over my heart. A foreboding, if you will, that I have only felt once previously. And that was the day before my beloved husband had died, taken suddenly by his sickness.

After sending Souta to school, I spend the entire morning in prayer before getting a late start on my house duties in the afternoon. Come nightfall, after dinner, I feel the shadow darken to a near blackness that envelops my heart, stifling me.

I can take it no more!

My prayers do not seem to be enough like this. I rush to the storehouse and gather everything I need. The paper and materials needed to make protective sutras, power-enhancing charms, sacred amulets, binding cord, spiritual anchors, and my old priestess garb from before I married.

I spend all night at the shrine, praying over these items and for the well-being of my loved ones.

Come dawn of the fourth day, when darkness' powers are diminished by the purity of sunlight, I set up my paper charms, hanging from the binding cord in a circle around myself, before the sacred tree.

Now dressed as a shrine maiden, I burn incense and pour sake as offering to the gods as I light the protective sutras and pray that their power be passed to the ones embattled five hundred years in the past. I have wound strands of both Kagome's and Inuyasha's hair around the anchors to help focus my prayers to them.

When they awaken, Souta and Grampa, sensing my sudden worry, join my efforts as they can before tending to their duties. Souta goes to school. Grampa tends the shrine.

And I pray.

Understanding my desperation, Grampa takes care of the house and Souta as well, preparing simple meals and making him complete his homework.

I still pray.

I feel myself weakening. The darkness has subsided some, but that scares me. It's been three more days and I still pray, although I've gone back to preparing the meals after Grampa nearly caught the kitchen curtains on fire.

I'm kneeling before the tree, incense surrounding me, sutras nearly gone. Tears stream down my face as I more plead than pray for someone – ANYONE - to save them and keep them strong.

Out the corner of my eye, I see Inuyasha and Kagome standing in the now open doorway to the well house. I think it's just my imagination again. I've been hearing their voices, calling out and seeing half-real images of them, wounded, for the past couple of days.

Only this time when I turn my head, their fuzzy images get clearer. They're really there. Battered, and obviously injured, they stare back at me. Kagome leaning into Inuyasha for support. He holding her, but seeming to need her for his own steadiness as well.

"Ka- Kagome? Inuyasha?" New tears overflow my eyes as I run to them.

I embrace them both, trying not to aggravate any wounds, but still needing to feel them, to know they're real.

"Thank God you made it," I hear myself repeating.

"Mama, what are you doing?" she asks me, looking at my clothes and the scattered pieces of burned sutras all over the ground.

"Praying, honey," I sigh. "Praying for you both."

I kiss both their cheeks and gently pull them with me. "Come, come inside, Grampa must know you're here as well. Souta shouldn't be home for a few hours still.

They slowly follow me into the house, Kagome limping on a heavily-bandaged leg and Inuyasha apparently nursing an injury to his chest.

"I'm sorry Mama," Kagome says as we neared the house. "But we can only stay for a little while tonight. We need medicines and bandages… There are so many injuries…"

I turn to look at them and for the first time realized they seem clouded by grief, by loss. I lay my hand on her shoulder and she winces a little.

"Your friends," I ask, "they are injured?"

Closing her eyes Kagome nods, "Many injuries." Inuyasha tightens his grip on her waist. "Some are gone…" she finishes, tears running down her pale cheeks.

"Alright, honey," I sooth. "I'll get it, you just tell me anything you need."

She gives me a weak smile and we go inside to find Grampa.

I have managed to get everything Kagome had asked for – ointments, burn creams, antibiotic, pain medication, anti-venom, antiseptic wash, and plenty of bandages. So much that the cashier had eyed me suspiciously until I said I was teaching my niece and nephew about medical aid. I was even able to get some prescription pain killers from an elderly neighbor who'd never really liked medications.

When I arrive back at our steps, I meet Souta, just arriving from school. He helps me carry the bags up and I tell him that his sister and Inuyasha are back, but to be careful, they are both hurt pretty badly.

After a big meal and some rest, Kagome and Inuyasha tell us about the battle for their survival and the fate of the world.

Souta and I sit on a floor cushion and a kitchen chair next to Grampa's padded recliner across from Kagome and Inuyasha, who leaned against each other on the sofa in our living room.

With a sigh Kagome starts to tell us, "Well, Naraku had tried to flee, so we spent the first day trying to follow Miroku and Sango's scent as they trailed Naraku. When we finally got there, he'd amassed a great horde of demons to fight for him.

She pauses here, drinking her tea. I think she needs to remind herself that she was actually at home remembering.

"There were so many demons, hundreds, maybe thousands, you couldn't see the sky, or the ground. Only the moving bodies of the demons as they moved around each other…"

Inuyasha picks up the story for her, "We fought the demons, killing as many as we could, trying to get to Naraku."

"We didn't know if at first," Kagome continues, "but Koga, the wolf demon, and a few of his comrades were advancing from the other side. So we all finally made it through at the same time. We all fought against Naraku together, giving it everything we had."

Inuyasha growls, "No matter how many times we destroyed his body, the bastard just kept reforming." He had his hand clenched tightly into a fist.

Kagome nods, apparently allowing him his frustration.

"How long did you fight?" I ask from my seat.

"All day, all night…" Kagome answers. "But we were getting tired, making mistakes… That's when things got really bad."

'The third day,' I think to myself. 'When I felt it…'

"Yeah," Inuyasha starts. "Miroku got poisoned by the saimyosho…"

"Sango threw her hiraikotsu, but Naraku had actually caught it. He broke it in half and threw the pieces at the wolf demons, killing at least one of them…" Kagome sobs.

"Then Miroku fell," she whispers. "He was succumbing to the poison already in him. I tried to get the anti-venom from the bag, but the demons had shredded it and scattered the stuff everywhere… I couldn't do anything to help," she cries. "He just died there before me…"

"Sango was furious," Inuyasha holds Kagome's arm. "Without her hiraikotsu, she hacked blindly at Naraku with her sword.

"He caught hold of her, and held her still, wanting her to see as he removed Kohaku's shard, killing him."

Kagome, in a tear-filled haze, picks up the story, "She screamed for her brother as Naraku let her go, dropping her to the ground. We were losing, our friends dieing around us…"

Inuyasha stiffens as he speaks, "That's when Kagome got hurt…"

We all three gasp.

"She was grabbed on the leg by some demon's tentacle. It yanked her off her feet, hurting her shoulder and arm where she landed."

I watch as she gently touches the bandage around her leg. "Turns out the demon could create acid. I killed it when I struck it with my bow, but not before it burned me. Sango has similar burns around her waist from where Naraku had grabbed her."

"I ran to her," Inuyasha says angrily. "I ran to help her, and Naraku caught me. He stabbed me through the back as I ran, leaving behind his awful miasma in my chest." He rubbed idly at the wound hidden from us by his clothes, but betrayed still by a small bloodstain.

"That's when I thought it was all over," Kagome puts her hand on Inuyasha's, over his wound. "We were both hurt as was Sango, Miroku was dead, all the wolves were dead, Shippo was unconscious. The only two still fit to fight were Koga, the wolf prince, and Kilala, Sango's demon cat. But Koga was soon run through, and Kilala knocked away, unconscious as well."

"Mama?" she suddenly asks.

I snap out of my trance, "Yes Dear?"

"When did you start praying outside – by the sacred tree?"

"Well, um, I guess it was four days ago, right, Grampa?" I look to him for confirmation.

"Yes, it was," he agreed. "She said she felt a darkness looming over her heart and had to pray more strongly for you both. She did nothing but pray for the first two days and nights."

"Oh, thank you mama," Kagome says happily. "Your prayers cam through; they guided our aid!"

"But you mean?" Inuyasha looks confusedly at Kagome.

"Remember? Just then, as we were all about to be killed, a sacred arrow flew through the air, striking Naraku. Kikyo's arrow. Kikyo, who had been hiding from Naraku, came to help defeat him."

"Yeah…" Inuyasha still looks confused.

"Then out of nowhere came your brother, Sesshomaru!" Apparently something had clicked in her head that none of us were following.

"Ugg… Anyway," she continues, rolling her eyes at the four of us. "With their help, we finally destroyed Naraku."

"Really?" I asked. 'Thank god!'

"Yes, Sesshomaru revived Miroku with his Tenseiga, then moved on to Kohaku, but he had been living off the jewel shard's power for so long, the body just couldn't revive. I'm glad Sango wasn't awake to see that part; you could see the soul trying to attach… but just couldn't…" she trails off sadly again.

"Oh my…" I vaguely hear myself whisper.

"But Naraku had seen the power of Sesshomaru's sword, and decided to keep him from reviving anyone else. He attacked Sesshomaru, wrenching the sword away and breaking it."

"We kept fighting," Inuyasha resumes. "Kagome's and Kikyo's arrows weakened Naraku, and Sesshomaru and I were able to drive him back some, away from Sango and Kilala, just enough for Miroku to open his wind tunnel."

"Yes," Kagome says, smiling at Inuyasha. "At least that was fitting. He was sucked into the very wind tunnel that he had cursed Miroku's grandfather with."

"When it was all over, Sesshomaru had said that he had felt a calling and had decided to answer. He had heard a faint voice calling for him to come. And Kikyo had said the same. She said she felt the presence of another priestess asking for her aid. She followed the presence back to us and our battle." She pauses to look blatantly at Inuyasha. "Don't you see? The voice. The calling. It was Mama… Her prayers came through, leading others to our aid… and our victory."

Inuyasha looks like she had smacked him or something. I swear I could see the wheels turning in his head.

"Thank you," he quietly says to me. "Thank you for your prayers and your assistance."

"Um," I respond nervously. "You're welcome dear… I'm just glad I could help."

Kagome turns back to us, "Unfortunately, Naraku was a truly evil being and his body was filled with miasma. So although the wind tunnel has now disappeared, Miroku was poisoned again through its use. So we need to take the medicines back to aid our friends."

"Yes, of course," I respond quickly. "I have them all ready for you, but will you two be able to carry them?"

"Feh."

Glancing at Inuyasha, Kagome answers, "We'll just have to, Mama."

"Alright, I'll go get some bags for you to carry it in…"

I retrieve Kagome's regular school bag and one of my largest shopping bags for the supplies and return to hear the end of the conversation within.

" –But Kagome, why?" Grampa asks accusingly.

"I'm sorry, Grampa…" Kagome answers sadly. "I just didn't want you two to worry. I only told Mom because I had to tell somebody…"

"I just whish you would've-"

"Now Grampa," I stride in, hearing Inuyasha's defensive growl. "I told you, Kagome knew what she was doing. It was for your own good; now leave her alone about it."

He just grumbled and sat huffily in his chair, staring out the window.

I smile softly at Kagome and Inuyasha as I try to divide the supplies up equally between the two bags.

When finished, I judge the weight of the two bags. "Well, one's a little heavier…"

"I'll take that one," Inuyasha says quickly, standing, and leaving no room for argument.

He and I help Kagome raise hers to her shoulder. It is too awkward on just her good shoulder and put too much weight on her injured leg of the same side, so I transfer a few things to Inuyasha's bag – at his behest – and pad the right shoulder strap with a folded hand towel to relieve some of the pressure on her wound.

Now that Inuyasha's bag is a little heavier, he winces, trying to raise it, so I help him too. We three walk outside to the well house where I hug them each gently – trying not to elicit any extra pain.

We say our goodbyes, and I tell them how utterly proud of both of them I am.

My dears.

It suddenly hits me that that was the first time they've ever actually told me what happens when they fight demons. 'Thank god it's the last battle against that evil.'

I smile as I watch the two slowly descend the stairs and lower themselves into the well. They fall, once again, into the murky darkness and the mysterious feudal past.

And yet I smile.

For this time I know I shall see them again.

My children.

37

The Final Goodbye