This Moment by Annis

This Moment

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of the Manga/ Anime Inuyasha. They are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi and VIZ media. I do not make a profit from writing this story.  

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Time was cruel. It slowed and hastened at its own leisure leaving the humans and demons caught within to deal with the consequences of living. Life was a gamble. A never ending game of cause and effect. Take a chance on moving on with you life and deal with the pain of getting hurt by those that you loved. It's all Sesshomaru has witnessed throughout the duration of his stay within the Time Stream.  

He could recall his life so clearly. As if it happened only hours ago. Sesshomaru, the most powerful demon in all the land had finally surpassed his father in strength. His half brother and his pack defeated the elusive and destructive Naraku at the cost of Kagome's life. Kagome- the young human female that intrigued him. Words could not describe the infatuation he had with her. The undying loyalty she felt toward her comrades as well as her unrequited love toward his idiot brother.  

She was everything love was supposed to be. Warm and unconditional. Unpredictable and absolutely necessary. Even the oldest souls needed love to mend the wounds inflicted by the cruel hands of time. Being a demon of his caliber meant that he was unable to age forcing him to watch those he cared for wither and die.  

Living... Existing within the Time Stream did nothing to remove the sorrow his soul felt. Rin chose to stay with the humans and started a family with the demon slayer Kohaku. Sesshomaru couldn't have trained a better ppil nor could he approve of a better man to take care of his beloved Rin. The monk and the taijiya continued to protect the villagers and their children from harm and grew old enough to watch the generations of their children grow and prosper.  

Even Inuyasha lived out his life to the best of his ability. For a long time he lived with the sorrow of losing his female companion to a world he [Sesshomaru] knew nothing of. A place beyond the well he could not experience for himself. Eventually he did meet someone. A vey attractive human woman whose kindness reminded him of his past love and his comrade. With her he lived out the rest of his life and died without ever bearing children. Still, Sesshomaru knew that his brother lived his life the best he could making as many good memories as he was blessed with.  

Why had this happened to him? Why was he suspended in a place where time flowed in a manner that could not be tracked. It was as if lived were beginning and ending all at the same time. Laughter, sorrow, misery, happiness, all of it occurring always. What was the purpose? 

Then it happened. Everything stopped. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Kagome. The human girl that traveled with Inuyasha. The one who so easily captured his attention. Long sable hair and stormy blue eyes and a  smile that stole the breath from his lungs. She was the personification of beauty and she was there in front of him glowing like the sun on a warm spring day. Oh how he could have just one more moment with her. The woman who had not been lost to time. The woman who knew the wonders of the past yet lived in a time he did not know.  

"Kagome." He said trying to will her to look at him who cannot be seen while drifting in the Time Stream. 

"What is this torture? Why present to me a woman I cannot have?" 

Of course he was met with silence. He never received a response to his questions. He looked on. 

Kagome lived alone now. She worked long hours and returned to her lonely apartment aching for the friends she knew were long gone. If he could have just a few moments with her it would be enough. To hold her in his arms and claim her the way he wanted to when they were still battling Naraku. He should have known that the possessiveness he felt toward her was because he was actually in love with her. To have one moment where his long fingers treaded through her hair as he held her close and inhaled her scent until he was drunk with it. To be with her for as long as he had her. But a moment was enough compared to the endless waves of life, the lives of others', hurling themselves at him. 

"Please-" He said finally, succumbing to the brokenness he was beginning to feel and allowing desperation to give him the strength he needed to find a way out.  

"Just a moment!" He shouted as he drew his sword. He snarled when the image of Kagome shifted to show her visiting the tree of ages at an unfamiliar shrine.  

"From this point on I will leave the past behind. I will live my life so please, watch over me." Kagome said as she bowed. 

Suddenly the world around him shook. The image of Kagome blurred and he could no longer see her.  

"Live long Sesshomaru, for moments are fleeting and opportunities are scarce. Pride comes before the fall and demonic power will not work in her world. Decide. To remain as the most powerful demon in history, or to be with the woman you love?" 

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Kagome was getting ready to leave her family's shrine for good. After her grandfather died he mother found no reason for them to live there anymore. It was simply too large for her and her younger brother to take care of since she lived on her own now. Her mother was in the midst of debating whether or not to sell it when the unthinkable happened.  

It was about nine o'clock in the morning when she went out to the shrine to see the tree of ages when her eyes met the eyes of someone she had not seen in years. A man, no demon, she knew from her adventures in a time long past. Time had no affect on his appearance. He still looked the same as the last time she saw him. Shock replaced her fatigue instantly as her mind was reeling. Could this be real? 

"I've come for you... Kagome." 

~*~ End! ~*~ 

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