Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. I don't have authorization to use them. That honor belongs to Takahashi Rumiko. This story and all its characters are all fiction. Suggested (not required) that you listen to the song "My Immortal" by Evanescence as you read this Authors Note: I wrote this short story because Kikyo is never given enough credit, I am a Kagome/Inuyasha fan and I just thought that Kikyo's heart needed a rest.

Kikyo's Decision

The time was drifting restlessly as a young lonely woman walks down a barren path laid before her with a mission of pain in her heart. Kikyo's mind races as she remembers all of the good times she had with Inuyasha when she was alive.
Why do I long for him? She asked herself. The question remained unanswered as she continued to strive down the dirt pathway. All that she did know is that things would never be as they used to. She understood that Inuyasha had already made an important decision about his emotions, and his choice to love was not with her.
As she endlessly walked, without a real reason or destination in mind she let the wind guide her along with her senses to seek out Naraku, who she believed had ruined all she had to hold on to in life. However, since she had died with hatred in her heart for Inuyasha it was impossible to straighten the truth out with her for her soul was in purgatory and her body in hell. She was a living corpse able to move only because of the anger that resided inside of her.
All she could think about, all she ever knew was that Inuyasha was no longer hers but belonged to another. Kagome had stolen Inuyasha's heart from her, but she did not have any grudge's with Kagome because of it. She knew that she had been gone and was not able to hold on to Inuyasha's heart forever.
The promise Inuyasha made with Kikyo to die along with her when the time came had already been carried out, when she pegged him to the sacred tree. At that moment nothing was being thought of..nothing but treason, not Naraku, not love, and not death.
Before she knew it, she had led herself to the edge of a cliff overlooking a mansion, most likely Naraku's lair.
What she didn't come to realize was that Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, and Shippo were very close.
As she walked up the steps of the lair she noticed immediately that Naraku's youki was weak and that he was no longer occupying the residence. However, as she turned to leave she was face-to-face with her biggest threat.
"Kikyo." Inuyasha said nervously staring at her figure. Kikyo made no change in her facial expressions as she began walking past him. At one point as she crossed him she felt as though lightning had struck her heart, knocking the wind out of her. At that moment she stopped, turned around and made her way to Kagome, taking her hand and placing it in Inuyasha's hand. Not a word had been said when she did this. Everyone confusedly gawked at what Kikyo had prepared. Without changing her serious expression she turned back around and made her way back into the forest.
Inuyasha looked at Kagome's hand and back to where Kikyo had disappeared. He felt sorry for her. He realized she would never once again go after him, claiming his heart. She had given away all she cherished to a complete stranger who shared the same face as her. It did not hurt Inuyasha as much as he thought it would. He wanted to go after her, but restrained himself from overdoing what Kikyo had prepared without any second thoughts.

Everyone looked at Inuyasha, still holding Kagome's hand. Even Kagome understood that Inuyasha had finally lost his connection with Kikyo. She also noticed in the corner of Inuyasha's eyes that he had a few tears streaming from them. She began to value what Kikyo had fallen in love with Inuyasha for. His human emotions and big heart, his tender loving and caring, the way he always protected what he loved dear, and how he tried to hide them from everyone. She recognized why Kikyo had done what she had done. Inuyasha was half-human, a hanyou. Kikyo had fallen in love with Inuyasha's human heart, not for who he was. Kikyo, however, knew that Kagome felt different and thought Inuyasha would be happier with someone who treasured him as who he was.
The bonds between Kikyo and Inuyasha were too strong to break so easily. Kikyo walked back to the cliff, overlooking Naraku's empty lair and stared up at the bright blue sky, enjoying the breeze enveloping her in its coolness. She knew what was coming, but figured that fate didn't have to catch up with her, it was already here.
"One may hear the ocean in a shell, but never see the ocean. One may live in pain without ever feeling pain. One may fall in love without ever feeling loved." She announced to the wind. Holding back her tears from Inuyasha had been the hardest thing she ever had to do, but here in the silence of her natural surroundings she let them flow peacefully. Without any indication what she was about to do she dove off the edge of the rock face.
The wind quickly cut around her and she began to feel as though wings had attached themselves to her back. Her eyes were tightly closed and her life flashed its way through her mind.
Flashback

"Inuyasha." Kikyo said falling into Inuyasha's arms. Inuyasha looked down at her, startled that she had tripped into his arms.
"Kikyo." Inuyasha plainly stated, not much of a reply. He hugged her tightly as they stood on the pier.

End Flashback

Kikyo released dozens of tears as the ground seemed to be getting closer to her. The memories gave the impression that she was dreaming.
"I hope you have a happy life Inuyasha." Kikyo said aloud as she outstretched her arms in the air.
Once she hit the ground her clay figure shattered of that of a china vase. However, what was left of her soul was given wings. She had completed a good deed and was accepted into the heavens.
For the first time in her existence she smiled, not for Inuyasha, but because she was free from her anger and hatred. She was a Miko, using her purifying powers to heal and cleanse people and villages for most of her life, but now instead of using her purity she was being engulfed by it. Love, happiness, and caring rushed into her soul. She had found what she had been searching for.
She was now an angel, floating to the clouds without any notion of what was to happen next. From there on out she watched Inuyasha through his journey in both worlds.