What the Heart Knows
By JD

"There is a law in life. If one door closes, another one opens."

Disclaimer: In no way is Inuyasha mine. This is purely for fun and no profit is made from it.

AN:

Okay I'm new at this and this is my first fanfic. I've written a few chapters on this story and finally decided to post it. Flames are more than welcome and tell me if I should continue this or not. I cause always try again if it doesn't work out.

Enjoy!

Prologue

Kagome looked at the scene sadly. Vaguely she could hear Sango and Miroku approach her but her attention was solely focused on the image in front of her. The image that she wished she had never seen. The image that she knew would haunt her in her dreams. The image that would forever be carved in her mind. The image that shattered her heart into pieces.

She turned away quietly, not able to stand looking at it any longer. Her attention now focused on Sango and Miroku who were linked hand in hand walking toward her. Kagome felt her heart ache at the sight of the couple. How she wished that she could have had an ending like theirs. She attempted at a smile but knew that they could see right through it.

"Kagome, how are you?" she heard Miroku ask her.

She didn't answer at first for too many feelings were coursing through her at the moment. Pain. Heart ache. Sadness. Longing. She didn't think she could describe the endless feelings she had even if she wanted to and she knew she would never be able to.

Miroku took the silence as an answer, not wanting to push her.

"We will always be here for you, you know that right?" Sango said, her heart going out to the miko, who had become a loving sister to her.

Kagome nodded. She turned to look at Shippo on Miroku's shoulder and opened her arms to him. He eagerly jumped into them, cuddling up to his mother's warm arms. She smiled at that, a small smile but a smile all the same.

"Tell Inuyasha and Kikyou to meet me at the well at dawn, I'll be waiting." Kagome whispered so softly that even Shippo had trouble hearing.

With that said she walked away, her back turned from the scene. She didn't look back and was relieved when she didn't falter.

Sango looked on sadly as her sister figure walked away. Miroku pulled her into his arms and held her tight.

"Do you think she'll be okay Miroku?"

"Kagome's a strong girl. She will get through this."

Miroku's words felt bare even to his own ears. He could only hope that Kagome could get through this. Loving someone one was hard enough, but finding out that the other person loved another was a whole different thing.

"We can only hope." Miroku continued.

Sango nodded against his chest. She too knew that Miroku was not sure.

"I don't understand why Kagome, of all people, had to go through this. She is pure and selfless. If anybody deserved love on this earth, she does."

Miroku sighed, not sure how to answer.

"Fate works in strange ways. We will never know why a person like Kagome had to go through the things she did and why other people who are evil succeed in living happily. I'm afraid that no one ever will know. It's just what happens."

Sango nodded in unwanted understanding. They turned back to the scene that their beloved friend had just left.

"We can't blame him can we?"

"No I'm afraid not. He has done nothing wrong but be guilty of wanting to be with his true love. Though I had wished it was Kagome"

"So did I, Houshi."

After the long hard battle of defeating Naraku, Miroku and Sango found out their true feelings towards each other. If the other had died the other one would not hesitate to follow. After the battle the two could not bear to be apart. They discovered how scared each other felt at the thought of losing each other.

Sango's brother was found and buried properly next to her parent's finally able to rest and free of Naraku's control. The wind tunnel on Miroku's hand soon disappeared after the battle, leaving only a scar to prove what was once there to be true.

Kagome had found the other half of the jewel and focused her power on purifying it than completing the jewel. It now hung around her neck, a reminder of what had caused so much trouble, so much blood shed, and so much death. The completed Shikon No Tama jewel was once again with it's protector. The famous jewel of the four souls was now complete. It innocently hung around Kagome's neck, but all who had touched it and lived knew the power it possessed and the havoc it could cause.

Inuyasha, with the help of his brother, defeated the bastard Naraku once and for all. But once the task was done, his attention was focused solely on his one true love, Kikyou. If only he knew in the process that by healing the heart of his old love, he broke the heart of his new one.

For the next two days Inuyasha did not leave Kikyou's side.

He did not notice the knowing looks passed between Sango and Miroku.
He did not notice his brother's disapproval.

He did not notice the anger in Shippo for hurting his beloved mother.

But what was the most important was that he didn't notice was the hurt on Kagome's face. The sadness that radiated off of her in waves, the fake face she put up. No he did not notice any of this.

Chapter One

(Thank you Sesshoumaru)

Kagome waited patiently at the well, her back facing the direction she knew that they would come from. She looked up and spotted Sesshoumaru in the sky and watched as he descended down toward her. She had no more fear toward him and now considered him a brother. He had taken care of her when she was hurt and during the battle had proven to be a friend.

She watched as he gracefully landed on the ground and walked toward her. Shippo was slightly frightened but trusted his mother to protect him from threat.

"Thank you Sesshoumaru, for everything. For helping us and taking care of me."

Sesshoumaru nodded in acknowledgment. His respect had grown for the miko over the past weeks. She had proven to be a worthy ally to keep. He was also surprised to feel protective over her but more because she was the sister he never had. She too had helped him recover from his wounds and accepted Rin without hesitation.

"What are you going to do now Kagome?"

"I don't know. I don't know if I'll ever know what the future holds for me. I never regretted coming here. I know I will always remember this part of my life. I made wonderful friends and even got a big brother along the way."

Kagome smiled at Sesshoumaru than who lips turned up just a bit in a smile of his own.

"Yes, and I've got an annoying little sister who I have found gives me much amusement when tease her."

Sesshoumaru said with a smirk.

Kagome him a mock pout before breaking down and give him a smiling, when she felt both his arms come around her. She was glad she had decided to heal his arm when they first became allies.

"Thank you again Sesshoumaru, couldn't have gotten through it without you."

"Don't give up on life, don't become like me Kagome, you will find another who deserves you."

Tears were forming in Kagome's eyes. She nodded before letting him go.

"I mean it Sesshoumaru, I couldn't have done it without your help. You'll always be a big brother to me."

Sesshoumaru nodded before standing back and ascending upward on his familiar cloud.

"Pup, take good care of her."

Shippo nodded and puffed out his chest.

"I'll protect her from harm, you can count on me Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru let a rare chuckle escape and nodded toward Kagome.

"Take good care or Rin, Sesshoumaru, she's a beautiful child."

Sesshoumaru nodded once again before disappearing in the clouds.

"He's nicer than before." Kagome heard Shippo say. Kagome nodded.

"Yes, he's changed a lot. I'm glad."

But the moment was broken when Kagome tensed as she heard the leaves behind her rustle. It was finally time to let go. There was nothing else to hang on to. It was finally time to climb back up the cliff and let go of the breaking crevice.

Shippo felt his momma tense and cuddled up closer to her, hoping to soothe her.

"Kagome... I'm here for the jewel."

End.