Twist of Fate

Hey guys, hope you enjoy this story =D This is a Miroku/Kagome story, I really do adore this pairing, sadly there don't seem to be many stories with it though, so I've decided to add mine to it =D

I have quite a bit of this planned out and it seems promising to actually be completed =O so do review =3

Hope you enjoy it! Also a thankyou to my good friend xXThedoctorxX for helping me get this out 3

Please R&R!

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own Inuyasha, all rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

"We won..." Inuyasha choked out as he rested the tip of Tetsuaiga in the ground in front of his feet, he felt himself tremble slightly and sagged ungracefully against the sword in relief

Kagome panted as her arms shook from holding her bow taut for so long. Not being able to take much more strain, she let the bow and the quiver on her back with only two remaining arrows drop to the ground with a clatter, her arms aching.

She felt her eyes well up. They had done it, they had defeated Naraku, and they made it. After so long, after three long years, they had defeated their enemy. She felt numb.

The adrenaline rush that had kept her going through the battle quickly faded away to pain as she brushed her arm against her ribs, her breath hitched in an attempt to hold in her moan of pain. Instead her eyes darted around the battlefield for Shippo, she felt relief wash over her when as stepped out of the forest and looked around at the group.

Seeing her, he gave her a smile that seemed to brighten up the area as if there was no gore and gave her a quick grin before dashing over to Kirara, who was in her smaller form, licking some of her wounds.

Her smile wavered into a frown as her eyes came over Inuyasha, where did they stand now? Everything was over now, their quest had ended. She had loved him for so long, since the start, she did still love him, but what did he feel for her? All the years they had been travelling, he had still gone to Kikyo at any chance he had gotten... Was she just to go back to her time and try and forget everything that took place these last few years?

Kagome shook her head quickly, making her slightly lightheaded, 'I must be more injured than I thought' with that thought she looked at her left arm which had five distinct claws marks raked through her skin. Blood was pooling on the ground beside her feet, having been trailing down off her arm. 'When did this happen?' she wondered in puzzlement as she examined the claw marks carefully.

She held her hand to the wound, putting pressure on the wounds to try and stop the bleeding, being mindful of her side which would most likely be bruised from the kick she got from a hoofed youkai.

Kagome's head shot up 'The Shikon no Tama!' Her frown deepened as she made her way to the remains of the devious hanyou Naraku, being mindful of the strewn bodies of deceased youkai, , the only remains being his baboon pelt, ash...and the Shikon No Tama. She bent down and grazed her knuckles over the ash, shuddering in distaste, to uncover the jewel, she looked on as it seemed to gleam at her even though it was half-complete, pure black and covered with ashes.

She plucked it from the remains and watched as it quickly turned pink and the ash that had coated it, disappeared as if it wasn't there to being with and as if it wasn't just pure black and full of taint just moments before.

Kagome's hands seemed to shake as she pulled the glass of shards that she contained around her neck as a necklace, out from under her school blouse. She held it in front of her and watched as the Shikon shards in her glass container and the half-complete tama in her hands seemed to glow at their nearness.

She tilted the jar and watched transfixed, as the shards that herself and her friends used so much sweat, blood and pain to collect, fuse together in a flash of pink, creating another half of the jewel.

Kagome unknowingly had tears running down her cheeks, she inhaled deeply and with one half in each palm, she then put the two of her hands together, cupping the two halves of the jewel.

Both her and unknowingly to her, Inuyasha watched, as bright pink light flashed between her fingers, as the jewel fused together, slowly and painstakingly she opened her hands to reveal the complete Shikon No Tama, the first time in three years since it had been whole.

The small, seemingly harmless trinket that had claimed many lives, destroyed families, friendships and loves...

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha from the corner of her eye, seeing his eyes transfixed upon the jewel, she closed her hands over it once again, shielding the jewel from intense his gaze, and debated what to do.

'I promised it to Inuyasha, for him to wish to be a full youkai, but...' she let her eyes sway back to her enclosed hands, 'I don't want him to destroy himself turning full youkai...or anyone else, he always loses himself as it is when he doesn't have the Tetsuaiga at his side...it would be a selfish wish...'

She sighed as she shakily stood up from her kneeled position and tucked the jewel away in her skirt pocket, Inuyasha's eyes met hers briefly before he glanced away.

She sighed at the awkwardness of it all as she subconsciously rubbed her chest, above her heart.

Her head snapped up at the sound of someone falling, her eyes widened at the site of her crumpled on the ground 'Sango!' she watched as a few tears rolled down her friends cheeks in an effort to contain a sob that wanted to break through. Her eyes softened at the sight of Sango as worry bubbled within her.

Sango was, in Kagome's opinion, one of the strongest person ,both physically and mentally, so it broke her heart seeing the girl this way. She desperately hoped that her friend would find Kohaku alive and well, but somehow she had doubts, and she hoped it didn't break her friends' heart too badly.

Kagome felt tears prick her eyes, why couldn't her and the group have a happy ending for once?

Sango fell to her knees in anguish, what of her brother? Was he dead? He had only made a short appearance in the battle against them. Not long into it he had quickly collapsed, though no damage was dealt on him, he had looked so pale and collapsed, but he had quickly gotten up on wobbly legs and left.

Kohaku...

With that thought Sango gave a quick glance at the weary group, her eyes connecting with Kagome's understanding blue orbs, with a nod from the futuristic miko, Sango shot off into the dark foliage of the forest in search of her brother.

Her little brother.

'I'll find you Kohaku...'

"Good luck Sango-chan, be safe" Kagome whispered, wishing her sister the best of luck. Kagome sighed even with the battle won, there was always something happening to disrupt any peace. Kagome looked over at the remains of the hanyou that had caused all this heartache and a thought struck her.

'Miroku!' she thought gleefully as she snapped her head towards him and smiled 'The Kazaana should be gone, he and Sango can...' her mind halted at the look of pure desperation on the Monk face as he stared, transfixed, at his cursed hand.

Kagome bit her lip worriedly, was he okay?

"Miroku-sama?" she timidly called, unsure if her would even hear her with the trance-like state he was in, shouldn't he be happy?

'Maybe he's in shock?' she thought hopefully to herself as she walked towards him.

Sure enough, he didn't acknowledge her, he continued to stare at his hand, as if his world ended.

Kagome felt something well in her throat causing her to gulp to relieve the pressure as tears pricked her eyes, as her worry and desperation mounted and built up with her other current pent up emotions at the look on his face.

"Miroku-sama?" she tried again this time, her voice sounding a tad watery as she ventured closer to him, she sighed when she was once again, ignored. Kagome looked over to Inuyasha, who wasn't paying attention to anything that was happening as he teased Shippo for being a coward and Shippo yelling back at him. She shook her head fondly 'Boys'. Her gaze went back to Miroku.

With determination, not liking the look of seemingly resignation on his face as he deep violet eyes dulled, she reached out and placed her small hand over his large one, his cursed hand. His head snapped up towards her as he unconsciously brought his hand closer to himself, bringing her along with it.

"Miroku-sama, what's wrong?" she asked politely, trying to gauge his reaction.

Miroku gave a deep sigh, his eyes once again falling to his hand, unsure of how to feel with her hand placed on his cursed one, when at any moment it could destroy anyone one near him, he was a ticking time bomb.

Kagome, catching his drift, gazed into his eyes, shock written clearly on her features "How...?" she questioned as she worried her bottom lip. Naraku was dead, why was the curse still placed on him?

This was meant to be a momentous occasion and yet of course there was always something to squash it down, leaving them to hope for it once more.

Miroku gave her forced quirk of his lips.

"Oi! Get a move on you two, we gotta go and get Sango! " Came the voice of the brash hanyou as he crossed his arms and waited impatiently for them to hurry up, he glanced at them curiously with narrowed eyes seeing Kagome holding the lechers hand

Shippo and Kirara hopped up and slowly made their way to him, Kirara being mindful of her injuries and Shippo making sure she didn't get injured any further.

Kagome sighed at the hanyou's impatience, wishing Inuyasha would just wait, while she was worried about Sango, Miroku in her mind had more right to be more worried over. Any minute that hand could make him easily disappear from the land of the living, just as his father before him.

It was a scary thought.

"Miroku-sama?" Kagome called once again to regain his attention, tugging on his cursed hand slightly, he slowly met her eyes with his own and she gave him a bright smile, confusing him.

"Miroku-sama, I promise we'll do everything we can to get rid of it, you just have to have faith, we won't leave you" she said in a determined but quiet voice.

Miroku was shocked, how could this girl, who before coming here three years ago knew nothing of the horrors that this Era brought, could still be so compassionate.

Unknowingly to him, he gave a shaky nod to her, Kagome gave him another bright smile and closed her hand over his, keeping the Kazaana from his vision and held his hand, and made her way in the direction of Inuyasha, dragging him along to follow the rest of her friends.

Miroku stared at their entwined hands as she than caught up with the rest of the group and went on search for Sango. He then slowly lifted his eyes, watching the back of her head as they made their way through the foliage, determined to find Sango. He felt her grip on his hand tighten as he stumbled slightly, making sure he didn't fall and gave her a small look of awe.

To think, under the circumstances that they met, she was still so kind and thoughtful, and always so forgiving.

"Miroku-sama, I promise we'll do everything we can to get rid of it, you just have to have faith, we won't leave you"

Miroku gave a small smile, somewhat glad he wouldn't be alone ' Thankyou...Kagome-sama...for everything'.

He wouldn't be alone.

End

Thanks for reading^^ Hope you enjoyed it =D Please R&R!