A Basket Full of Bellflowers

[pc32_fics]

            A basket full of bellflowers…

            Kagome suspected she’d been thinking too much lately.

            Since Kikyou had died, had really died, she’d tried to put on a brave face.  Kagome heard what her friends said, especially after she had retrieved the bow from Mount Azusa.  She knew what the others said wasn’t true.

            If I were truly selfless, I would have been in time to save Kikyou.

                        But I took too long on the mountain.

            If I were really selfless, their last kiss wouldn’t have hurt so much.

                        But it cut me like a knife.

           If I were stronger, I would know what to say to make InuYasha stop hurting.

                        But you can see the pain in his eyes.

            Kagome had a moment of clarity.

            Ifs and buts, is this what Kikyou felt?  If Naraku hadn’t come between them… but he tore them apart.

            She hadn’t felt so understanding since the day, months past, when she asked InuYasha if she could stay by his side.

            Our soul… her feelings… they’re in me now…

            From across the room, she heard Kaede speak.  “As Kikyou’s reincarnation, only Kagome can purify the sacred jewel now.”

            A basket full of bellflowers…

            The woven basket in the corner of Kaede’s hut had been filled with the beautiful blue flowers.  Kagome couldn’t get the imagery out of her head.

            Is that what I am? A shell of Kagome, filled with Kikyou?

            “Keh.  Kagome is Kagome.  Nobody else, old hag.”

            Kagome managed a watery smile.  InuYasha was hurting; she could hear it in his voice… but still…

            That’s right.  I am Kagome… I will pick up where Kikyou left off.

            With Naraku…

            With Kohaku…

            And with InuYasha.