DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. While the plot and the lovely little Takara are my creations, everything else belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I make no profit off this, and do it only for my own enjoyment and hopefully yours.

Prologue – Loss

For the first time that Inuyasha could remember, he let his tears flow freely down his face as he released a sound that was somewhere between a scream and a sob, as he held the bloody and lifeless body of his Mate in his arms.

How could it have come to this? How could everything have gone so wrong in the space of less than a day? Just that morning they had been so happy. Everything had been going so well, they were finally together without all the issues of the past dragging them down. The village fully accepted them, as did Kagome's family, hell even Sesshomaru had called a truce and had called Kagome 'a worthy mate, for a human'. They were even expecting their first child within a month, a Kagome had a name picked for a girl that she was determined to use.

Things were going well for their friends too. Shippo had finally tracked down some of his Kitsune relatives who had been more than willing to take him in, and who lived (surprisingly) only an hour's journey away, so he was able to come back and visit anytime he wanted. Kohaku had been freed from his dependence on the Shikon No Tama Shard – thanks to Sesshomaru – and was on his way to recovering from the memory of everything he had done while under Naraku's control. Miroku was finally free of the curse that had plagued him since birth, and he and Sango were happily married and expecting a child of their own. Everything was wonderful.

Then everything turned to crap, when just after lunch that horde of demons had attacked the village without warning. They were after the Shikon Jewel, which despite Kagome's best efforts she had been unable to purify completely. He and the others had fought as hard as they could, but with Miroku's Wind Tunnel gone, and Kagome and Sango both so heavily into their pregnancies, there was only so much they could do. By the time it was over, many of the villagers were dead or fatally wounded. Including his precious Kagome. Kaede had done everything she could, but she had been hurt just too badly, there was nothing anyone could do. And now, his Kagome was gone.

Inuyasha didn't know how long he sat there crying, until another, younger cry broke through his misery, to remind him he was not alone. Kaede had been able to do nothing to save Kagome. However, their pup had survived, most likely because of her demon blood. With a heavy heart, Inuyasha gently released the body of his dead love and moved over to pick up his daughter.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered softly. "I couldn't save her."

Inuyasha took a long moment to examine his daughter, the last piece of Kagome he had. Her eyes were golden like his, and she had his ears. However her hair was raven black and her face looked so much like his beloved's that it almost broke his heart all over again.

"I guess it's just the two of us now." He said softly, as he cuddled his daughter to his chest and rocked her gently. "I don't know much about being a father, but I promise I'll do my best to be the best father I can be, just like your mother wanted. She loved you so much you know, and wanted so badly to meet you. She even had a name picked out, would you like to hear it? Of course you would, it's yours now after all. Takara."

Author's Note: This is an old story of mine. It has already been posted on Mediaminer, DeviantArt and Eternal Destiny, and now it is being added here as well.