InuYasha story inspired by "Angels Among Us" by Alabama

"Oww…"

"Ouch…"

"Damn it…"

"Oh…"

"…" (The last one was Sesshomaru)

Everyone woke up… they had defeated Naraku, but apparently the fight was not over…

"Where are we?" asked Jaken…

When Naraku exploded everyone remembered seeing a white light, and then darkness. They could see each other… but nothing else.

Sango, Miroku, InuYasha, Kirara, Sesshomaru, Jaken, AhUn, Koga, Ginta, Hakku, and…

"Father!"

"Comrades!"

"Mother!"

"Father?"

Sango's father and comrades, Miroku's father, InuYasha's mother, father (who's also Sesshomaru's father), and the wolves were all there. It was a happy reunion with hugs and handshakes and introductions all around until Jaken started screaming and running in circles and every which way looking around frantically.

"Jaken…" said Sesshomaru, but the imp ignored him and began calling out, "RIN! KOHAKU! LADY KAGOME! WHERE ARE YOU!"

"Kagome!?" cried InuYasha, and then everyone was looking around for them…

"You won't find them…"

"Kikiyo…" She had walked into the picture. InuYasha was astonished… "What are you doing here?"

"I am just a messenger… You wont find them and even if you do… they cannot go back with you…" and she disappeared.

Koga finally said, "What the…"

InuYasha said, "Yeah right… there is no way that I am not going to find Kagome…" a course of sighs at his display of affection was cut short as he continued, "And give that stupid girl a piece of my mind! I told her to stay by me… but NOOOOO!" he was clearly irritated. Everyone was ready to separate into groups to when…

"Wait, InuYasha…" they all hesitated as Lord Tashio spoke, "We must stay together, we are at the boundary between this life and the next, we must remain together to get back, otherwise some might be left behind in this darkness…" So they opted to stick together… but as they were deciding which way to go their heard two voices…

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Sango? Father?"

Jaken cried out, "THAT'S RIN AND KOHAKU! WHERE ARE YOU?..." {smack}

"Silence Jaken." "Y-yes milord…"

Sesshomaru called out, "Rin. Kohaku."

"You must follow Rin's voice my lord!" said the little girl, "Kohaku and Rin will put our energies together and lead you out!" and with that two apparitions appeared in front of them.

One Rin, and the other Kohaku, both dressed in fine white kimonos. They turned and ran, faster then anyone else expected, the humans were carried and all the demons followed after, calling out for the two children. But it seemed that they twisted and turned and they just couldn't catch up to the children. When finally…

"No…" and they saw the two children… on their hands and knee's, both with tears in their eyes, tired and worn.

Sango was among the first that rushed forward to wrap their arms around them, but all passed right through them. Gasps went all around, and exclamations of shock. Sango tried to touch the children, but she couldn't. They listened as Kohaku cried, "I'm sorry everyone!" Sango went to Miroku who wrapped her in his arms, she was trying not to cry. Kohaku continued to speak, "I'm so sorry, but Rin and I just don't have the strength…" and both the children broke down in tears… Kohaku was trying not to, but they could see the few tears rolling down his face. Everyone was about ready to give way to despair…

"You both have done well, but you think it's not enough…that's what I'm here for…"

Another figure appeared…

"Kagome!"

She was in a white dress with a scooped neckline, and long flowing sleeves. The sacred jewel hanging around her neck… whole.

InuYasha rushed forward forgetting everyone else and tried to wrap his arms around her… he went right through her… he came to a stop a few feet behind her.

They couldn't see InuYasha's face, but the heartbreak on Kagome's was enough to dissolve the women to tears…

Kagome was trying not to cry… she felt a tug on her soul, like someone was pulling on the back of her dress.

"Rin, Kohaku… it's time…" both children went to her, Rin held both her and Kohaku's hand as a portal opened up behind the group… they could see the God tree.

Wind started to gently blow in the direction of the doorway. A few of the demons and humans took steps towards the door, but hesitated.

Kagome nodded towards the door, "You must go."

"What about you?" asked Shippo?

Kagome smiled at the little kit, "I'm afraid that I can't go. Like Lord Tashio said, we are at the boundary between this life and the next. Your souls are being given another chance for life."

"But… Kagome, you've never died…" exclaimed Miroku, "It is understandable for Kohaku and Rin, but you…"
Kagome kept a strait face as she simply said, "Kikiyo."

This was the last straw for InuYasha. "Damit Kagome! You are not staying here!" he turned around and everyone could see the intense emotion in his eyes. He stomped up to her, the ache in his bones to embrace her was killing him, but he knew that there was no way for him to do so.

Kagome was trying not to cry, trying to make him understand, "InuYasha… this is one rule you cannot break… one fight you cannot win… there is nothing anyone can do. Though we did not know it, the three of us were sent down to you from above to help... you don't need us anymore."

There were cries at that, the others claiming that they still needed them, but InuYasha was heard above the rest.

"NO! You promised me!" he cried out, hands in fists at his sides, claws biting into his palms, "You promised to stay by my side! I need you to stay with me!"

Kagome was crying now… the wind started to blow harder, some of the humans were having trouble standing.

"You must go Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin stood in front of him, hands out as if to push him, "You need to get out of here, otherwise the boundary will close and everyone will be trapped!"

Sesshomaru looked at his ward… kneeling down to be closer, "Rin, I can not leave you here by yourself…"

Rin smiled and said, "Don't worry! Time goes by fast here, I'll be waiting here with Kohaku and Kagome for everyone's return!"

"That's right," Kohaku said, "We will be waiting at the boundary for you all. And we will see you as you cross over… And we will see you at your time… " he then glared at his family and Rin glared at everyone else… and in unison said…

"Not a moment sooner!" everyone gave wet laughs at that, Koga and his wolves were the first to go, after calling good byes to all, they left. The wind began to blow more insistently and Miroku, Sango, and the slayers were forced to leave. Finally it was just Kagome, Rin, Kohaku, Shippo, Sesshomaru, InuYasha, Tashio, and InuYasha's mother. Shippo was crying, InuYasha's mother lifted him up and walked to Tashio, who placed one hand on Sesshomaru, who nodded and led the human woman and kit out. Tashio laid a hand on InuYasha's shoulder and said, "Follow quickly son…"

InuYasha could only nod.

As the other left, Kohaku and Rin seemed to disappear from view to give Kagome and InuYasha privacy.

"Kagome… are you sure?" he looked at her desperately.

She could only nod, she wrapped her hands around the jewel, removing it from her neck, and held it out to him, who shook his head.

"You keep it Kagome, it's too dangerous." Kagome gave a weak smile and said, "But you wanted to be a full demon…"

InuYasha chuckled and said, "Not anymore… I have a family, people who accept me for who I am…"

Kagome smiled "Yes you do..." and then her face fell, "It's time for you to go…" as a tear fell down her face.

InuYasha couldn't help it; he raised a hand to her face, expecting to not feel anything. Both of their eyes widened as his hand met warm skin. He drew his hand back and then reached for her hair… he felt it, "How?" he looked at Kagome who was shocked, she raised her hand to his face, "I don't know..." and with the warmth of her hand on his face he was going to take the opportunity, he didn't care if it killed him.

Kagome gasped as InuYasha crushed her to his chest. They both were shaking with emotion. "I love you InuYasha… don't beat yourself up about not being about to save me…"

"But I do!" InuYasha couldn't help the tears falling down his face, "it's happening all over again… I couldn't save…" Kagome grew stiff in his embrace…
"You couldn't save Kikiyo so you wanted to protect me…" she started to pull away

"NO! It's not like that!" he tightened his arms keeping her there, "I was only a protector, lonely and wishing for something that Kikiyo could never give me… but you… I love you Kagome!" She gasped, and he pulled back to look into her face… he was crying, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you! I know I've screwed up! And now I'll never be able to make it up to you I…" but he was cut off as Kagome leaned up and brushed her lips across his. "You already have…"

He leaned down cupping his hand behind her head and brushed his lips over hers… with every brush it got more desperate and more heated… when they finally parted for air, they could feel the wind was stronger than ever.

Kagome looked at him and raised a hand to his face, "You need to go…"

"No…" he kissed the palm of her hand and then her lips again, hard, passionate, full of the taste of her tears.

She pulled away and he buried his face in her neck… "Please Kagome… don't make me leave you here… not here, not in this darkness… by yourself… please come with me!" the shattered sound in his voice broke her heart and she began to sob. He didn't want the last memory of her to be like this so he brought his face back out of her hair and started to wipe her tears away with one of his hands. "No... Kagome, please, don't cry, don't waste your tears... Smile, say you'll come..."

He was being so gentle and the look on his face was so full of emotion yet despair and regret.

"I want to say to say that InuYasha... I want to say it more then you could imagine..." he interrupted with, "I think I can imagine pretty well right now..." she gave a weak smile and continued, "I know, but as you said, the jewel is too dangerous, and it is not possible for me to go back..." InuYasha gave a strangled cry of despair and denial. Kagome cupped both of her hands around his face bringing it to look at her, both searching for comfort and answers. But Kagome showed her inbred strength and her eyes started to burn with the passion that InuYasha loved. She held his face firmly as she spoke.

"InuYasha... I need to stay here with the children, this will not be for forever... we will only have to be apart for awhile... you survived the battle for a reason!" her face was fierce now, "You have a duty in the world! You are a teacher, warrior, and now a legend! You must live! Live for Me! Promise me!" she wanted an answer now, and InuYasha was not sure that he wanted it, "Promise me that you will live! Grow old! Raise Shippo! He needs a family now! Get to know your parents better! Take care of my family, help my mother and Souta understand! I love you! I want you to live to your full potential! I will see you when you're job is done... but not a second before ! DO YOU HEAR ME!" she looked desperate as the wind grew even stronger, he was struggling to hold onto her now... She kissed him hard, he returned it... but as soon as it ended she asked him again, "Will you live for me?" and with that he finally said, "Yes." and then everything started to glow... and he felt as though the air had been knocked out of him. And everything went black.

The next thing he knew, he heard Shippo's voice frantic, "Is he okay? Tell me he's going to be okay? He can't leave now! Not now that Ka... Kagome... Kagome's gone!" and with that the kit couldn't talk anymore around his sobs. InuYasha remembered Kagome's request, so with a great effort he sat up to everyone's gasps and opened his eyes. He saw Shippo sitting on the ground head to his knee's and Sango and Miroku trying to calm him. "Hey..." Shippo looked up and cried, "INUYASHA!" he lept and held onto his kimono sobbing. InuYasha, in a rare show of affection wrapped his arms around the child shushing him and calming him. When Shippo finally caught his breath he looked up at InuYasha and asked "She's gone isn't she?" InuYasha hid his eyes under his bangs, and everyone was silent as a single tear fell down InuYasha's cheek. All was silent until he spoke up in a soft but strong voice, "Yes, she is gone," his voice cracked at the last word, but he continued, "And so are Kohaku and Rin..." he looked at the humans and Sesshomaru and Jaken, "But I made them a promise." He stood looking at the God tree, "That we would all live for them." he looked at everyone, even the wolves were there. "We all need to honor their sacrifice and all the three of them did for us. We have been given a chance to live again and we must not waste it." He walked to the God tree rested a hand on it's bark, closing his eyes for a minute thinking "Thank you... my angel." Everyone was so focused on the tree and InuYasha they failed to see the three figures standing at the edge of the clearing, dressed in white, laughing... smiling... waiting.

It was many years later... over five hundred years had passed. InuYasha had seen all the slayers, Sango, and Miroku die, he watched their posterity grow and flourish. He watched Shippo grow into a fine young demon. InuYasha and Sesshomaru had finally come to an agreeable peace (with a little help from their father) and had become very wealthy buisness partners. InuYasha's mother had passed away after living a long life and giving birth to another child, a little girl who was named Seuya whom InuYasha and Sesshomaru loved and protected. Tashio was there to watch over his three children, but died about a century after his beloveds passing. Seuya thrived under her brothers care and had grown into a beautiful woman, who eventually fell in love with Shippo, and they had a family. But InuYasha was tired, as he had promised Kagome, he had found her family and helped them, the shrine got repairs, the grandfathers medical bills were covered, he was there to comfort her mother and helped Souta pay for medical school. He had lived... just as he promised, but he was not a young half demon anymore... at over seven hundred years old (counting the fifty attached to the tree) his face held wrinkles, he was not as vivacious or strong. Everyone, his brother, sister, and adopted son turned brother-in-law understood. They said their good byes and as he laid his head down he could almost see the figures at the foot of his bed, his parents, a young monk and a female demon slayer, and the woman he loved... She smiled.

"You lived for me... thank you InuYasha..." she reached out her hand to him. "It's time to come home now..."