InuYasha's eyes bounced back and forth between the two women before him. Both were dressed in the red robe that he knew so well. He had seen both women in the robe before and it did nothing to him, but that both should appear before him in the same outfit surprised him. Again, his eyes flickered between the two: Kikyo and Kagome.

So close together, their scents mingled and they smelled the same: a mixture of earth and Kagome. His mind jarred on the thought. Kikyo no longer had a scent; she was dead and smelled of earth. Kagome, on the other hand, had a scent all her own. Even Kikyo had never smelled that good. He looked back and forth, trying to find some difference between them, but it was nearly impossible, except…

"What are you two doing?" he asked, seething silently. His teeth ground against each other as he stared at the two of them. Neither answered. "I asked you a question," but he already knew the answer. Kagome was there, watching him try to decide between the two and he knew it was the last straw. If he got this wrong, he would never see her again.

"Kikyo… go away and leave me the hell alone."

Neither of the women moved, not even to smile or frown. Their expressions remained impassive and he grew nervous. He had to do something to get Kagome to reveal herself. He grinned as an idea popped into his head and, although every inch of him wanted to clench tightly at what he knew was coming, he fought the urge.

"Figures you'd try something dumb like this… Stupid. Did you really think I would bother trying to figure out which one is you, Kagome? You must think I really care about you…"

InuYasha looked up and watched silently, a smile spreading slowly across his face. The woman on the left remained completely impassive while the one on the right attempted to suppress the twitch at the corner of her eye.

"You think I spend time observing you and watching and trying to find some kind of distinguishing mark? How can I? You both look exactly the same!" His voice grew louder and the twitch, more apparent. "I can see it now: 'Don't you care, InuYasha?' 'Don't I mean something to you?' 'What about Kikyo?' What about her?" he demanded, his voice swelling with true rage. "She was beautiful and powerful and she bound me to a damned tree! What's so special about that?" The other woman began to twitch, her knuckled whitening as she gripped the bow in her hand.

"As for you, Kagome, what makes you so special? You're always nagging me to behave and, when I don't, you treat me like a dog. Why should I spend so much time worrying about you?" The right woman twitched again and her jaw clenched.

Then, his face softened. "But I do." Both women turned stone still. "I do pay attention. I'm part human; I can't help it. I notice the way you smell, the twinkle in your eyes and the way your hair gets all messy looking after you fight by my side. I even know exactly when you're going to use the subjugation spell nowadays. I know you were about to just a few seconds ago and that Kikyo was very close to reaching for her bow and arrow. Even as part of the walking dead, your knuckles still go white when you grip that bow too hard, Kikyo," he said over his shoulder to the woman on his left as he walked past her to the one at his right whose eyes had grown wide.

"Did I pass the test, Kagome?" he asked, walking to her side and hugging her against his strong frame. InuYasha did not have to turn to know that Kikyo was retreating to the forest once again, taking her soul friends with her. "I don't care about Kikyo the way I do about you. I used to, but she's not that woman anymore." He felt her tense in his arms and she tried to push him away, only managing the put a distance the length of her arms between them; his hands remained at his shoulders.

"That's right. Now, I am. I'm Kikyo, but reincarnated. She's in me now instead."

"The only thing inside you is you, Kagome. I might have made that mistake in the past, but I never will again. I promise."

"Do you really mean it?" she whispered, and he looked down at her. "Do you really care that much?"

"Idiot…" he mumbled against her hair as he pulled her back against him. "All the shards are accounted for and you still have to fight me to go home. Isn't it kind of obvious?"

"Yes…" she whispered, biting her lower lip in anxiety. She lifted her eyes to his once more and felt the desire to cry burn within them, but she kept her tears in check. "I still would like to hear you say it, though. I know it means you care, but how much? Why?" she breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper. Even his ears fought to catch the words, but he heard them. He smiled and tightened his hold with one arm while the other reached up to take her chin between his thumb and index finger.

"It's because I'm in love with you, Kagome. Now, would you please shut up?" With that, he lifted her face and greeted her lips with his own. She responded and it felt just as special as their first had so many years ago.

"Better, wasn't it?" he whispered against her lips. Her eyes blinked slowly and she looked at him in pure confusion. "The kiss. I'm not hurting you this time, am I? Like the last time?" he asked, his thumb gently caressing where his sharp nails had pierced her flesh before. She murmured softly and shook her head.

"That kiss had the power to keep you a half demon and keep you with me a little bit longer. Yes, it's true, you didn't hurt me this time, but I wouldn't jump straight to better."

"So…" he said, lowering his other arm to wrap it around her waist like the other. "You never answered my question."

"Hmm?"

"Did I pass the test?" he asked again, smiling subtly. She returned the smile.

"Perfectly…"