Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Summery: Fuck it. You know the summery by now.

Chapter Seventeen: Life Goes On

The next day, I awoke after everyone had left for work and school. I went to the sliding glass door like I did the day before. I looked at all the sun kissed things in our yard. I glanced at the calendar and had to do a double take. My eighteenth birthday was a week away. At first I didn't believe it but as I walked closer there was no mistaken the black circle with "Kagome's 18th" written in it. It was my mother's handwriting. The whole world seemed beautiful all at once.

Soon I would be free. I would be free from it all. I stood outside and tilted my head back. Inuyasha was a lesson I had to learn. A heart break I needed to make me a better person.

The week before my eighteenth birthday went by without any incident. Naraku kept his distance, treating me as if I wasn't there. I think he thought that I might've told someone about what he did, that I was no longer afraid. Truth was, I wasn't afraid anymore. The realization of freedom cleansed my soul and I was able to breath for the first time in my life. Take the kinds of breaths that make you glad to be alive.

Weeks turned into months.

Inuyasha left me be, eventually dropping out of school and moving away to Okinawa. I heard from Kouga that Kikyo was in Okinawa. I smiled. Inuyasha was still in love. He knew here longer. I wanted him to be happy and for him to be truly happy he'd need to be with Kikyo, not me. I was fine with that. I'm just glad I got to know him.

Miroku and Kouga followed Inuyasha, along with Sango, to Okinawa. I was invited to go with them. They came in a storage truck and stood on my front lawn. Inuyasha was amongst them but I didn't glance much at him.

"Come with us, Kagome. The boys want to start a band for real and try to get discovered! Isn't that great?" Sango had said.

"Yeah it really is, guys." I said with my hands in my jeans. I smiled for them. They had been friends since their childhoods, probably. It had to be just them. I didn't want to interfere. Plus, I had found a job at the local library and I'd be getting the money from my Dad's life insurance soon anyway. I'd have enough money to leave this place for good. But I had other plans for my future in mind. I would first, need to graduate.

"We want you to come." Kouga said.

"Thanks for offering guys but I'm not quite finished here yet." I said with a smile. Then, I passed hugs around. They piled into the truck, all but Inuyasha. He stood by the door, eyeing me. I kept my eyes on his. He winked without a smile and climbed into the truck and they drove off, me standing on the tree lawn and waving them off.

I didn't know what the future held but I knew that whatever fate decided to throw my way I would be ready. I have Inuyasha to thank for that. I smiled. As far as my past goes…

I have no regrets.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

I totally ran out of idea's for this story. So I had to end it. I don't know if this last chapter will make any sense, probably not, please don't flame me. I never actually finish chapter stories and I decided to leave this one at a not so happy ending. I figure the guy always gets the girl, so I didn't want this story to be the same way. Watch out for a sequel, you never know when I'll feel ambitious ;).

Thanks for reading and please review.

DBDOC