Who Wants To Live Forever by pandora_of_the_south

Chapter 1

The final battle was upon them. Koga and his tribe had just met up with the inu pack; three months after Sesshoumaru had joined them. The group stood in their battle stance; ready for what they knew could very well be their last.

Kagome stood flanked by Inuyasha and Koga as Sesshoumaru was protectively in front of her. She had managed to do the impossible; she managed to unite the brothers into one large cohesive pack that was relentless and lethal while at the same time compassionate and merciful. Long gone were the days of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru fighting one another for no reason, and long gone were the days of Inuyasha’s misplaced protectiveness of Kagome.

As pack law dictated Kagome and Sesshoumaru were the pack Alphas and as a beta Inuyasha had no choice but to step down; which was no issue since he knew his brother valued pack over all else. No one questioned the Alphas or their decisions, nor did they wonder why they complimented one another so well. None knew of the hidden yet budding emotions they held for the other; and none ever would they thought.

There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams yet slips away
From us

The group found themselves completely surrounded by Naraku and his “army” of lower demons; his incarnations having already dissolved back into his body.

“Kuku looks like I have the upper hand once again, wouldn’t you say so Lord Sesshoumaru? Honestly why do you even bother trying to fight me, you all will only waste your life here on this battlefield! All I have ever asked for was that bobble that hangs from the Priestess’s neck, and all shall walk away with your lives intact.

A vicious growl could be heard coming from the four in front of the pack. Scanning the four of them quickly, Naraku noticed all of the males were smirking and was confused as to who was the one that growled.

“Well said, I couldn’t have said that better myself Kagome!” Sesshoumaru praised softly, while taking a step to the side to allow the priestess to address the vile hanyou.

“You would honestly have us believe that you would spare our lives, if only we give you my jewel shards? Don’t make me laugh Naraku. Did you spare Kohaku’s life when you took the shard back that he no longer needed? Did you spare Jaken or Rin when you realized that they indeed had a shard that they were planning to give me? DID YOU SPARE MY SON WHEN HE FOUND A SHARD ON HIS OWN? NO YOU KILLED ALL OF THEM BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT YOU DO.”

Naraku’s eyebrow rose in surprise as he felt her aura rise with each question. To be honest with himself he didn’t think that she was more powerful than Kikyo had been in life; however finding out that he had miscalculated so gravely on her true power was not something he had ever wanted to think possible or believe in. Knowing that retreating was not an option he steeled his nerve and transformed his uncertainty and angst into strength to get through this battle and see his dreams finally come to fruition. ‘The only thing standing in my way is this rag tag group before me, I shall squish them like all other annoying little insects.’

Smirking Naraku replied, “Lord Sesshoumaru put a gag in your bitch’s mouth, she talks when she is not supposed to; I so thought you would have beaten that into her by now. Though as for your questions; Kohaku was simply annoying with all his crying that he did once he remembered everything he had done, Rin and Jaken simply would not do as I told them, and your kit was simply too annoying not to kill.”

With that stated Kagome and Sesshoumaru charged for all they were worth towards the vile hanyou while Inuyasha and Koga brought up their rear. Sango and Miroku, as well as Koga’s tribe fought all of the demons that had surrounded their group’s backside.

Who wants to live forever
Who wants to live forever...

Who? 

Shippo’s death had greatly dampened Kagome’s mood and aura, it was at the same time that Sesshoumaru had lost Rin and Jaken; the two of them coming together to forge their alliance against the one that killed their loved ones. It was during Kagome’s grieving stages that Sesshoumaru had been able to open up to her a little about all that he was going through, and true to her nature she turned to him; trying to comfort his loss as well as her own.

Once Sesshoumaru was finally able to get a handle on his own misery he vowed to repay the favor but knew that he only had two things that she didn’t; his immortally and his knowledge on the battlefield. Choosing the later as a way of repaying her for her kindness, he started to train her in the art of a warrior. Over the few months of training he could tell just how well she was coming along, ‘I could not have chosen a more appropriate apprentice.’

Kagome used her sorrow and misery as a tool and channeled all of that energy into her training. She appreciated what Sesshoumaru was taking the time to teach her, ‘Now I will have my revenge on your death my dearest Shippo. Naraku knows not what he has awaken upon himself by killing you.’

Within three months time Kagome was an expert swordsman and archer. Many wondered silently and vocally if she was by chance a descendent of the great Lady Midoriko; which Kagome brushed off like the inquiries of her and Kikyo being one in the same. Though she did not hold the grace that Sesshoumaru held when he battled, she was still a sight to behold and awe at her technique. She now held the knowledge of how to protect her self and what belonged to her, though she knew she could still die in battle, she was no longer unprepared and her dependence on others were lessened severely. ‘Its not like I will live forever, I must die some how right?’

There's no chance for us
Its all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us

Kagome was no fool; she knew that during her training time with Sesshoumaru that her feelings for him started blooming like a rose bud. Like a rose bud though it could not last forever. She tried with all her might to not let her feelings get away with her but what could she do, her heart was hurting and he was there for it to cling too.

Sesshoumaru noticed first his pride building more and more everyday they trained. Never before had he met such a receptive pupil. As the three months continued to progress however he quickly noticed that his pride was building into something more, bigger and deeper than the mere bubbling pride. Having never experienced this type of feeling for anyone or thing before in his long life he could not name it; he did honestly know that he would gladly die to protect her and kill anything that harmed her again.

The day before Koga joined their pack Kagome was in her last session with the demon lord. They started directly after morning meal and would have finished in time for lunch if it weren’t for the fact that they were so into the training that neither of them paid attention to the time of day or how long they had been going at it. Before they knew it, the sun was starting to set when Kagome tripped on a root that was protruding out of the ground as she went to attack Sesshoumaru. He tried to catch her fall but instead he landed with her on top of him, his arm wrapped around her waist as he turned in time to hit the ground instead of her.

“It is late Kagome, we should finish this and return to the others.”

Blushing Kagome could only nod her head as she went to get off of him, only to stop as she noticed that his grip on her waist had not been released thus causing her to blush more and look him in the eyes. For what seemed like an eternity they lay there and contemplated why it felt so right the way they were. When Kagome was sure she could just lower her head and kiss him, she felt his arm tighten before he stood up with her still cradled to his body. Sesshoumaru could not deny how right it felt with her cradled to his form or how her blush a few seconds ago had affected him. He knew then that he was forming an attraction to this enigma of a human called Kagome. ‘I mustn’t feel this way about her, there will never be a future for the two of us; it is simply unheard of in either of our realms.’

Who wants to live forever
Who wants to live forever? 
Who?

Naraku stood not thirty feet away from Kagome, Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Koga. Though all of them were holding their own in the battle that they each fought, it was Sesshoumaru and Kagome that held Naraku’s attention the most. ‘Apparently the little priestess has been taking lessons from Sesshoumaru in my absence.’

Noticing that the vile hanyou was distracted for a moment, Kagome took that time to carefully aim her bow and arrow for his heart. Upon Sesshoumaru sensing her rising aura he did what he could to insure that she was not interrupted as she took aim; just as she let go a burly demon got past Inuyasha and swiped his razor claws against Kagome’s upper arm before she could fire the arrow at her target. Sensing her blood spilling Sesshoumaru quickly disposed of the worthless beast before he focused on the injured Priestess only to see she was healing it the best she could for the time being.

When Koga heard a growl, that could rival Inuyasha on a good day, he turned to notice Kagome scrunching up her nose in distaste as she watched half of Naraku’s body disappear only to reappear with the parts of the unfortunate beast around him that he just consumed. “Why don’t you go down like the coward you are Naraku?” Koga growled in frustration.

Once Naraku was whole enough again he focused all of his attention on Kagome to find her weak spot. His frustration knew no bounds as he watched for ten minutes as she progressed closer and closer to him and still he could not detect a weakness or any draining in her energy; until he finally smirked. ‘I have you now my dear. Today will be the last day that you try to kill me, and without you in my way none can kill me or stand in my way as I take your shards and become the ruler of all.’

Silently sending an order to two of his stronger beast after the priestess Naraku decided to engage Sesshoumaru in a battle with some of his tentacles, as a distraction tactic. He did all he could to hide the smirk that threatened to over take his face when he saw all of the pawns falling nicely into place. Sesshoumaru was distracted so much that he did not see as two tentacles slithered past him towards Kagome’s back.

Kagome was just about to end the lives to the two beasts that decided to fight her when her senses alarmed her to approaching danger. As she begun to turn her head to find the enemy coming for her, the two beasts grabbed her by the arms and held her down. She fought with all she was worth to get free, panic began to wield into her conscious as she noticed Naraku’s smirking face. She knew that it was a trap and they all fell perfectly into place. Ever so slowly she began to calm herself and erected a barrier around herself, instantly purifying the two beasts that thought to actually touch a being blessed by the gods. While she stayed in the barrier she sent out sensor to feel her friends out, all were holding there own though Miroku and Koga were grievously injured and Sango was loosing her energy too quickly. ‘This must end and soon.’

Who dares to love forever? 
When love must die

Kagome looked around once she stood up and saw that no one, not even Sesshoumaru, noticed that she was in a barrier for the time being. ‘Once I drop this barrier I will only have one shot and I know that Naraku is still waiting to impale me with his tentacles. Shippo wait for me, I will be with you soon my son.’ Notching her final arrow into her bow, she began to force all of her power into the one arrow that would kill the vile hanyou once and for all. She would gladly give her life if it meant that the others would live; she had nothing here for her any more as it was.

Sesshoumaru immediately tensed when he felt Kagome’s aura pulse with such intensity, he knew that she was planning to end it now no matter what. Slashing through the tentacles that were currently distracting him from his surroundings, he pivoted and started in her direction just in time to see her barrier drop and arrow shoot true for her aim. As he turned his head to see the arrow’s desired target Sesshoumaru noticed the two tentacles that were racing at break neck speeds to Kagome’s unprotected back. Speeding up as much as he could Sesshoumaru reached her just in time to spin her around him.

Kagome had decided to focus only on her arrow, ‘What ever will happen will happen.’ She did not pay attention to the danger coming towards her back, nor did she notice as Sesshoumaru approached her. She didn’t even respond when everyone called out her name to warn her of the dangers, no, what she was looking at was the best thing to ever hold her gaze; Naraku was terrified and was slowly being purified by the arrow embedded in the shikon jewel fragment that he held within his hollow heart.

‘At least I will take him with me.’ She thought, as she knew that she was to die soon; using all of your life’s energy will do that. Suddenly she felt Sesshoumaru wrap his arm around her waist and pull her chest to him and spin. Her eyes widened as pain ripped through her chest. Grunts of pain could be heard coming from their direction; blood began to pool as the ashes from the tentacles blew in the wind. Naraku was finished and his last deed had run its course.

But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today

Sesshoumaru, still holding onto Kagome, collapsed to the ground. They laid there in silence just staring at one another as everyone began to run towards the wounded pair.

“Why did you risk your life for me? I am to die for the use of all of my life energy, there is nothing that you can do about that. Naraku stabbing me would not have been the cause of my death.”

Silently Sesshoumaru gazed up at her. “I could not allow you to come to harm if I could prevent it Kagome. As your Alpha it is my job to protect you.”

Tears started to wield in her eyes as blood started to run down Sesshoumaru’s mouth, only then did she know the full extent of the damage done to him. “You have signed your death warrant. I am not worth your life, it is not supposed to end this way.”

Knowing that what he did now would not matter since he would die on the battlefield with her, he reached his hand up to her face and gently cupped her cheek in his hand, slowly using his thumb to erase her tears off her beautiful face. Not being able to deny it any more he lend forward and kissed away the tears on the other side of her face as she leaned into his hand.

“Don’t cry, this was merely meant to happen.”

Shaking her head she replied, “You were not meant to die, not like this; not by him or because of me.”

Who wants to live forever
Who wants to live forever? 
Forever is our today

As soon as everyone realized what was going on and being said they stayed back to give their Alphas the privacy they so desperately wanted. They knew this day was the marker they would never forget; they have finally defeated the vile hanyou but at the cost of their Alphas. None knew what to do or say in this case; only Sesshoumaru could use the Tenseiga.

“Koga of the wolf tribe, I have but one request of you after all. I need you to retail my counsel that my last wishes were for Inuyasha to take his rightful place as Lord of the Western Lands since I have fallen without an heir to the throne. He is to be respected for who and what he is, my brother and my father’s beloved son.”

Koga nodded his head to let the demon lord know that his last request would be fulfilled even if he had to fight everyone in the western kingdom to see to it.

Kagome slowly started to collapse into Sesshoumaru’s chest as her body started to shut down permanently.

“Are you in pain?”

“No, I just wish that we could have…”

“No regrets. Our feelings for one another is like a rose. It is beautiful while in bloom but it cannot last forever. All things must come to an end and if we had lived we both know that we would not have been permitted anything more than ally status.”

She agreed with him fully but that did not mean she had to accept it in her final hour.

Who waits forever anyway?

Knowing her final breath drew near Kagome used the last of her strength to cup Sesshoumaru’s face and looked him right in the eye. So soft as a whisper she said what needed to be said and with a nod of his head she kissed him; they both remained that way until the end.

As the funeral fires burned at their bodies Miroku turned to Inuyasha and Koga and finally asked what Kagome had said to Sesshoumaru in her last breath.

“She stated, ‘who needs forever anyways? Especially when all we have is right this minute with the blooming of our rose! I rather like the idea of you chasing me in our next life and for eternity, it will keep us interested don’t you think?’ that is when he agreed and they kissed.” Koga stated for the human.

Author’s Notes:

Well I hope you like this song fic…I haven’t gotten a whole lot of reviews on The Hidden Strength No Longer…don’t know if it just sucked that bad or what but I hope you all will like this one. Please R&R, let me know what you think. The Song and Characters are of course NOT MINE. The Song “Who Wants To Live Forever” is of course sung by Queen while we all know who owns the characters of our  favorite anime.