Standard disclaimer applies.

Thanks for all the responses! Here's the final chapter, I hope I don't disappoint!

In case of any confusion, I once again tried to weave the actual episode in with the chapter. But I didn't know the script, just a general description. I'd tell you what really happened, because last chapter was in no shape or form what really happened in the manga/anime, but I think that's one spoiler I won't reveal. If you really want to know (no script, just general description) look it up on Wikipedia. Someone recently did a fully loaded update.

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My Sixth Sense

Chapter Fifteen: My Sixth Sense

By: Luna

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Life, as I knew it, moved on.

I was still considered a ghost hunter. Reika (and now Kagura) still thought that I ate like an ungraceful pig when someone woke me up too early and I needed a sugar rush.

Sesshoumaru still ignored Kagura, for he had mistakenly assumed Kagura had went to his house for him, which of course caused her to curse unlady-like words in the demons face before gathering her belongings – and me – and going to her own mansion to lick her wounds with a jug of chocolate ice cream and whip cream. I had been sworn to secrecy to never reveal the demoness' penchant for chocolate.

Sesshoumaru, after all, was a dog.

Souta went on to his senior year in high school, already breaking hearts with his boyish good looks. Mother and I got along better for some reason, and I wasn't going to risk asking what caused the change just in case I jinxed myself. I was, after all, extremely unlucky. Grandpa still hid his sweets from mother, yelling at her every time he was caught that at his age if he hadn't gotten diabetes yet, he never will. At the reminder, however, I had guiltily stopped buying him more sugar. Surely the amounts he inhaled daily were not good for him, and he was getting old.

Right now, I had the unfortunate business of being the receiver of such pathetic looks from my grandfather, I was sure I was about to go mad and just buy him some damn candy so he'd stop looking at me like that.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" He asked so solemnly; so sadly, that I actually wavered as I packed folded laundry into my overnight bag.

"Eh heh, what are you saying, Jii-chan?" I hedged, moving slightly away from him as his expression turned even more pitiful.

"You don't bring me sweets anymore. You've sided with your mother against me. Even Souta won't look me in the eyes anymore." He bemoaned, looking down at his hands as if he were dwindling away.

I edged a bit more away from him, feeling myself weaken. "Souta doesn't look you in the eyes because you won't stop looking at him like you're looking at me right now. S-stop it, Jii-chan!"

Sensing impeding victory, the old man sidled up to me even more. "Stop what? I'm just a lonely old man, wasting away under his family's negligence."

I was saved, thank God, when the front door slammed open and Souta hollered his presence. I sighed in relief and made a dash downstairs, my laundry bag hefted over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes as I shouted before I slammed the door shut. "Good to see ya love ya bye!"

Souta had taken one look at me and escaped with me out the front door before grandpa could start on him too. He looked sidelong at me, a thoughtful look on his face. "Gonna try again?"

I sniffed as if the thought that I'd give up was insulting. Which, of course, it really was. "Of course I am. He's not going to escape me so easily this time."

He, of course, being Inuyasha. The blasted man had been avoiding me like the plague. Luckily when Sesshoumaru saw how I was 'torturing' his younger brother, he practically gave me the key to his house, warning me to only use it if he wasn't in attendance. Inuyasha, the idiot, seemed to rather claw at the walls than spend time with me, and though I'd never admit, the jerk was really starting to hurt my feelings.

Why was he avoiding me? Weren't we in love? Or at least in strong like?

Seeing my despondent look, Souta nudged me with an elbow before slinging an arm around my shoulders. Goodness, he was getting so tall. "Don't worry, Kagome, he'll come around eventually. I don't know how he was before, but I remember how you were when you were with him, and you don't fall in love with someone and fight so hard if that someone didn't love you back."

I frowned a little, not liking what he was implying. "Souta, I'd want to help them even if I wasn't in love with them."

He gave me another side look and didn't comment for a moment. Then he sighed. "I'm sure you would have helped, but I'm wondering if you really would have gone through all the trouble. You know, having those weird dreams, almost getting killed, getting kidnapped – almost getting killed again. Sorry, but I'm not too sure you would have pursued it after the first threat on your life."

I kept quiet, hurt at Souta's words. But I couldn't exactly dispute him, because I was honestly at a loss myself. I was not a strong person; I bruise easily, and I scare easily too. It might be true that I had my moments of bravery, but it was obvious to everyone that, when it came down to it… I was very much a coward.

And I have never felt so ashamed.

I wondered if maybe that was the reason Inuyasha was so resistant to me. If maybe he remembered my cowardice and was turned away from it. Or maybe he just hated me on a deeper level for turning him into something he no longer wanted to be: human.

I stopped, suddenly sick to my stomach and ignored the worried look Souta sent me. That was it. It had to be it. He resented me. There could be no other explanation than that, for I did not believe – refused to believe – that he would ignore me otherwise. Any other option just hurt too much to consider.

I smiled wanly when Souta voiced his concern, but I ignored him and continued my way down the house stairs and towards the rail instead of taking a cab. Still, when I stood in front of Sesshoumaru's mansion, I wavered. Inuyasha did not remember me, and it almost seemed as if he never would. Even if he did remember me, from the way he was acting it was as if he really didn't want to be near me.

At first I had thought he had been joking. I mean, come on, Inuyasha not wanting to even look at me? He might have disappeared from time to time, but while we were together it seemed his favorite past time had been to merely sit beside me and watch me while I rested. But this Inuyasha…

I cried a little, remembering Inuyasha's expression every day I had shown up for these last couple of months. He did not want me to be there. I, of course, pretended I wasn't effected, telling everyone it would be just like a battle and I'd just have to continually beat at the walls before he let me in… when in reality I knew it was nowhere close. Inuyasha – this Inuyasha – did not want me.

I palmed the key, fiddling with the bell I had wrapped around the end so I'd never lose it, and slowly traced the mansion walls with my eyes. I loved Inuyasha. I loved his past, I loved his present, and I loved the strong man he had become even in his years of ghostly isolation. I loved his hanyou ears and golden eyes, and I loved too the dark hair and violet eyes he now had. I may not be able to grow old with him like my past and current self wanted, but I at least had the strength to turn away, even when I didn't want to.

Kikyo had wished him to be happy. I had wished him to be happy and alive, to be with me in any way that was possible. It seems both our futures with him had stopped after those wishes, and us being together just wasn't meant to be. My eyes caught at a shadow watching me from behind one of the glasses, but I couldn't tell who it was because the reflection was too hazy. I smiled as cheerfully as I could even when I felt tears start to streak down my cheeks, before I took the key and chucked it over the massive gates protecting Sesshoumaru's home, and I watched it land and watched the sun reflect off of it while lying in the grass. Then I took a deep breath and let it out slowly and was finally, finally, able to say, "Goodbye… Inuyasha."

I didn't mean it. Of course I didn't mean it. I didn't want to say goodbye anymore than he wanted me to be near him, and yet I knew it had to be done. I'm done with begging. I'm done with feeling hurt at every rejection. It was time to man up and do the right thing, even if the right thing was the last thing I really wanted to do.

I made sure I didn't look back, and didn't let my shoulders fall until I was encased in Sango's arms at the shrine, crying my eyes out and hating myself for it. Sango stroked my hair and even rocked me a little, her cheek rested atop my head. We were sitting in the living room where she and Miroku had been watching TV when I had suddenly burst inside and went straight into Sango's arms. Miroku had quietly excused himself and left us to ourselves.

"What happened?" Sango asked in that quiet, serious voice of hers.

"I let him go." I hiccupped. "Sango, I finally let him go."

She said nothing – what could she say? – and stroked my hair until I stopped crying. I straightened and gave her a watery smile, and she stood and made her way to the door. "Let me make us some tea. I'll have Miroku leave and I'll call Reika and Kagura and we'll have a girls night in, and we can bash men all night until we're satisfied. How's that?"

I smiled. "It sounds wonderful. You're the best, Sango."

Sango smiled and disappeared to the kitchen. I wandered around the room and looked at all her family photos. I smiled at the ones with her and Miroku, some silly, some serious. I wondered at the picture of a young boy, his face tan and freckled, standing next to a tall, strong man with broad shoulders and arms and fists the size of hams. I saw Sango in both of them, and knew this had to be her father and younger brother, both deceased.

Sango seemed to be taking a long time, so when I discovered her home videos I only felt a little guilty when I popped one in and watched it flash on the screen. They were in the park, and I think it was when Miroku was proposing to her because he kept on shooting nervous glances to the camera man, obviously hidden because the bottom half of Sango was hidden by leaves. They were in the middle of an argument, and I wondered about what.

"I can't believe you! You stuffed food in your pants!" She ranted while Miroku stood in front of her with his hands in his pockets and a sheepish grin on his face.

He tried for innocent when he said, "I'm your boyfriend! You're supposed to support me no matter what's in my pants!"

I snorted on a laugh and watched as Sango fought back a grin before glaring at her boyfriend. "Soon to be ex-boyfriend if you keep that up. I'm going to start pretending I don't know you if you keep that up!"

"Do you know what I think?" Miroku said with a smile and took a step towards her.

"If I said yes do you still have to tell me?" She asked dryly, her stance softening with every inch he crept closer to her.

"I think you should marry me, then we'll be stuck together forever and you can't pretend you don't know me." He said this as he pulled out something from his pocket. I couldn't see the design, but it glinted in the sunlight.

Sango gasped, her eyes tearing up. "A-are you serious?"

"Sango, you are the only woman I have ever told I love you. You are the only one I ever will." Then he stopped, gave her a lopsided smile, and shrugged. "Well, except for my mom, of course. Won't you marry me?"

She cried and threw her arms around his neck while screaming, "Yes!"

I shut off the TV, jealous and sad.

I heard someone come in, and I turned with a smile. "Sango, why didn't you tell me Miroku could be so roman…tic?"

Inuyasha stood there, his hands in his pockets and an uncomfortable look on his face. I stood frozen. Not because I couldn't move, but because I didn't want to. If I did, I'd start crying, and then he'd be even more uncomfortable. Why was he here?

He scuffed his feet against the carpet, shifted. "Sorry. I kind of barged in."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and managed a shaky smile. "Sango went to get tea. Would you like a seat? She'll be back shortly."

He went to sit down at the couch I gestured to, but then thought better of it and stood awkwardly just a few short feet away. I looked around, desperate for an escape, and was relieved when Sango finally came in. She stopped, surprised when she saw Inuyasha. "Oh… I didn't know Miroku let you in."

"He didn't. Not really. Sorry, I let myself in." Inuyasha repeated, obviously uncomfortable and shooting me looks I didnt know how to interpret.

If there was a word for the look Sango was giving Inuyasha, I'd say it was glacier. "Then you can let yourself out. I do not like trespassers."

When he moved to leave, the tea cups on her tray suddenly shattered, and she dropped the tray as if it burned. We both turned to look at Inuyasha, and he jumped back as if we were going to hit him.

"It wasn't me!" He yelped, stumbling a little when the corner of the coffee table jammed into the back of his calf.

I looked around slowly, and finally saw someone who had been here all along. Kohaku. The little boy in the photographs. He looked so angry, yet so sad. I kept my eyes on him, afraid he'd disappear. "So it was you." I said calmly. "It had been you all along."

Sango froze. Inuyasha froze. Everyone watched me while I spoke. Kohaku sniffled ghostly tears. "She's going to forget about me. She's with that stupid Miroku, and she's going to be happy and forget I ever existed. I'm not going to leave and let her forget all about me!"

I stepped closer, my eyes softening, and knelt down until I was eye level. "Kohaku, she couldn't forget you even if she tried. She loves you. She always will. Don't you love her? Don't you wish for her to be happy?"

He wavered, and I knew he didn't want to be here any longer. He had probably thought that for a while now since nothing had been broken these last few months, and he was finally showing himself to me. I think he kept himself hidden because he didnt want to leave, but even ghosts get lonely. I don't think he wants to be alone anymore. He avoided my eyes only to look up at his older sister, standing frozen with tears in her eyes. He looked at me. "Will he make her happy?"

"He already does. Every day, he makes her happy." I thought of Inuyasha and everything I was willing to go through just for him.

"Just the thought of him makes her smile. He's willing to do anything for her… even to the point of letting her go. Let her be happy, Kohaku." I said, but he was already gone.

I cleared my throat and stood to give Sango a hug. "It's all right now, Sango. He wants you to be happy."

"He's… he's gone onto heaven?" She asked tearfully. She shook her head, clearly overwhelmed. "All this time... it had been Kohaku. And just like that he... disappeared?" She looked at me so worriedly I wanted to hug her. "He is in heaven, isn't he?"

I wondered if that was where you go when you die, but smiled and said, "Yes."

"Excuse me, Kagome, but I'll… I'll be right back." She practically flew out the door.

I heard a throat clear, and I stiffened when I remembered Inuyasha was still in the room. I had been hoping he had been a flight of fancy and he wasn't standing there, testing my willpower. Didn't he know how close I was to breaking…?

"I saw you today." He started. "I'm sorry I made you cry."

"It's all right, Inuyasha." I said dully, forcing a smile to my face. It wouldn't be the first time. But I didn't say that.

He didn't seem to know what to else to say, and I certainly wasn't going to chime in, so he scuffed his foot again and cleared his throat. "Sesshoumaru said that I'm 'human' because of a wish some dead girl I used to date back in the day made, and because of a wish you made, and whatever the hell you wished on confused to two wishes because you two are the same person and so it granted it to how it thought you wanted it to go… or some sort of mumbo jumbo. He says he doesn't know why I can't remember anything, and wanted to know why it couldn't wish away stupidity as well." He looked irritated as he said that, and I wanted to laugh because I could just imagine Sesshoumaru saying that in his oh-I'm-so-superior tone of voice.

"I guess that makes sense." I said, still not sure if I should say more. He started speaking again, his words so rushed I could barely make sense of them.

"Yeah well… I just wanted to say that I saw you outside the mansion, and I knew that you told me good bye and I…" He stopped only to glare at the ground.

I held my breath. "You what?"

He shrugged. "I guess I kind of freaked when I thought you wouldn't come by to bug me anymore."

He saw my hopeful expression and warned me with a hand held up. "Now I'm not saying jump all over me or anything. I'm just saying, you know, it's all right if you still want to bug me…. If you want to, anyways."

"R-really?" I was almost ashamed my voice cracked, but I was getting too happy and hopeful to care.

"All I'm saying is that I kind of liked it when you were around, and I didn't know why so I tried to get away. But then I couldn't sit still when you weren't there and really wanted you to be. I see your face in my dreams, and it annoys the shit out of me, so… I'm just saying… if you want to bug me again every now and then… I suppose it's okay."

That's so like Inuyasha, I could almost cry. In fact, I had to make myself stop before I really embarrassed myself. I stepped a little closer, my heart beating so hard I thought it would explode. "Can I… bug you for a date?"

His lips twitched. "I suppose."

I stepped a little closer, and whispered when I got real close. "Can I… bug you for a hug? Just a little one?"

It was he that reached out and wrapped his arms around me, and I heard and felt him breath out a shuddering sigh of relief, as if he wanted to do that for a very long time. "Yeah."

This was it. Our progress would be slow, maybe painful, but I think in the end it would be worth it. He doesn't remember everything, and I shouldn't have jumped at him with the expectation that he would. I felt his hand run down my hair, heard him breath in deep, and then I laid my head on Inuyasha's chest and listened to one sound in the world I will never grow tired of:

Inuyasha's heart, beating next to mine.

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That's the end folks. What do you think? Please remember to review and let me know!

Luna