Chapter 11 - The Hearts True Desire

Kagome turns around to face Kouga.

"Why did you do this, Kouga? Was it just you get me and Inuyasha to fight? Were you just trying to be mean? Or were you just trying to get me to run to you for help?"

"Kagome, I have told you more than once that you are my woman. This Mutt-face had no right to mark you!"

"And I have told you that I don't belong to anyone, and that I was already taken. Why didn't you just listen? I am not your woman, and I never was."

Inuyasha sits up and places a hand on Kagome's shoulder for added strength. He is worried that Kouga will try to kidnap Kagome like he has in the past. Kouga becomes enraged by Inuyasha's sudden presence and then jumps back when he realizes Inuyasha is covered in Kagome's scent.

"Kagome, you choose Mutt-face over me. Why?"

"I love Inuyasha now and I did in the past. Nothing can change that, Kouga. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I've made my choice."

Kouga not wanting to admit defeat rushes over and pushes Inuyasha from her arms and grabs Kagome around the waist lifting her up to kiss him. He darts right back to where he was before Inuyasha even has a chance to react.

"What did you just do to her?" Inuyasha demands.

"Nothing, but give her a farewell gesture," replies Kouga when he realizes that his plans have backfired.

Kagome stands there and decides to hug Inuyasha. He grabs her arm as he leans back against her. Kouga astounded that his kiss has had no effect on her and how released she and Inuyasha are now. He decides it is time to gracefully bow out of the race to win her affection.

"Kagome has made her decision and I will just have to stand by it."

Kouga disappears in a cloud of dust just as sudden as when he had appeared.

Inuyasha turns around and embraces Kagome. "I love you," he declares.

Kikyo steps forth from the trees and into the clearing.

"Inuyasha! Do you remember what I told you? That if you ever fell in love with anyone else I would see them dead before your very eyes."

She releases an arrow from her bow. Seconds before it would hit Kagome, a barrier forms itself around the couple. They watch as the arrow disintegrates upon hitting the shield.

"How did you do that? How did a weakling manage to surpass me in a matter of hours?"

"Simple. I am complete."

"What do you mean complete?"

"I love Inuyasha and he loves me in return. I am complete where you are lacking his returned affection, though I'm not sure if you even cared for him in the first place."

Kagome waves her right hand and a bolt of light energy shoots out of the shield toward Kikyo.

"NO!" wails Kikyo.

Inuyasha watches in silence as his former love is forced through the air and turns to dust against the very tree he was pinned to for fifty years. The irony is not lost on him. Kagome begins to fall after the sudden loss of strength from the magic she had just used. Inuyasha catches her and carries her back to Kaede's again so she can rest and regain her strength.

As he places her on the mat-covered floor, he thinks over what just happened. Kikyo is dead. She is well and truly dead. Inuyasha sees an orb of light hovering over Kagome's form. He is convinced that it is another demon, and he prepares to attack it. Suddenly, the orb takes on Kikyo's form. Inuyasha puts his back to the wall as he tries to distance himself from this ghost from his past.

"Inuyasha. Inuyasha, thank you for setting me free. I realize now just how selfish I was without the shard to protect. Please forgive me for any pain I have caused you and Kagome. This is the piece of our soul I held onto. She can have it back now. Be happy with her. I will always love you."

With those lost words the soul drifted into Kagome and she glowed green. A gasp escaped her lips, and her eyes flew open. Just as suddenly, they closed and she was sleeping again.

Inuyasha comforted by those words lay down next to Kagome and held her close to him.

Shippo looking in on the scene remarked, "LookslikeI have a new father."

Hearing this Inuyasha smiled and thought Now I am complete.