Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or the characters belonging to Rumiko Takahashi. Enjoy the fanfic!

Chapter 1

Cool winds blew gently through leaves of perpetually alternating pigments of reds and golds. The season had changed to Fall a week ago, yet the vast expanse of trees took on the appearance of dancing flames much sooner than expected. This meant Winter season would not be very far behind. Hopefully the chill of a winter's caress will stay at bay for a bit more time.

Kagome relaxed against a grand maple tree reading a paranormal romance novel. Occasionally she would glance at her friends to see what they were doing before returning to where she left off. Miroku and Sango had been working together on the fire and dinner preparation for the evening. Shippo sat near Kirara coloring in the new coloring book Kagome brought in the morning when she returned from home. Inuyahsa perched himself in another tree behind Sango and Miroku with a somber look plastered on his face.

Inuyasha scented the air and then gazed down at Kagome. "Wench, I don't know why you read that crap. It's already useless to cart around that school trash. We need to track jewel shards. You don't need knowledge for that."

Kagome grit her teeth and glared at Inuyasha. "What good you know? If you had half the intelligence that is required for strategy, you wouldn't run in blindly swinging your sword like an amature. So, SIT boy and stop hassling me."

Inuyasha crashed to the ground along with the branch he had been seated upon. He groggily rose up from the shattered fragments of wood debris with a look of stupefaction. His plan to make the futuristic girl angry so he could slip away only succeeded in causing him humiliation.

"Keh." he walked away into the woods not before clawing a harmless tree.

Miroku shook his head tsking at his companion's antics.

"He never learns. Even though his feelings for you are obvious, he still can't refrain from tormenting you Kagome." Sango announced objectively.

Kagome stared blankly at her book, no longer registering the words. In a way she felt bad for practically announcing that Inuyasha was somewhat lacking intellect, but she could not tolerate his demeaning her education. She works hard to do her school work since she is absent a majority of the time due to her presence in the past. Inuyasha did not understand the importance of education in her time. Should the jewel be completed and she be returned to her time, her studies would be necessary to gain work.

"Well he needs to get a grip on his attitude. I'm not going to just bow down to him every time he insults me. I'm through taking his immature foolishness. In regards to his feelings for me, he needs to grow up and decide which woman he really wants. I'm not going to wait much longer." Kagome ranted veraciously.

Everyone in her group gaped at her in astonishment. Their friend of the future was well developed now. She was no longer the clumsy teenager they knew and loved so well. If Inuyasha didn't rectify his mindset, then he will surely lose Kagome to another man.

They all ate in silence after the new enlightenment. Shippo fell asleep with Kirara while the others finished off their meals. Miroku collected the dishes and stood to wash them in the stream they camped near.

Sango looked to Kagome. "What is going on with you? I mean…. what made you change?"

Kagome confidently spoke,"There is only so much pain a person could take before finding a solution for the problem. I've simply reached my limit in dealing with his outbursts of negativity."

"But Kagome my friend, your whole persona is radiating a new level of maturity we have not noticed before." Miroku added as he returned the clean dishes into Kagome's backpack.

Kagome shrugged in confusion to this tidbit. "I don't know what makes me any different. I guess you could say it is things I was not brave enough to voice out before, but always thought about. Lately I have been thinking to myself why do i even bother to care for someone who is always demeaning me. In my time, that kind of behaviour is called verbal abuse. Recently, one of my school friends had her boyfriend treating her the way Inuyasha does to me and i realized my own weakness. Infatuation for Inuyasha was blinding me to his transgression. I assure you that it will no longer be a part of my livelyhood."

Kagome went to her pack and pulled out a throw blanket to cover Shippo. She then rolled out her own sleeping bag to shield her from the chilly night breeze. Miroku and Sango cuddled close against the tree behind them, covering up with a knit blanket Kaede made for them to keep warm during the ever growing cooler season.

Kagome lay on her back focusing her gaze on the twinkling stars and glimmering crescent moon. Her mood was still a bit irate to obtain a peacefull sleep so she lay basking in the moon's dimmed light. After a short while, she heard the calm breathing of her sleeping friends. The wind flowing through the trees seemed to whisper a soothing lullaby.

A ghostly figure passed by overhead with an orb of light in its grasp. Kagome instantly knew what the creature was and to whom it was heading to. She got up from her sleeping bag and followed the demon through the woods only to stop short when voices reached her ears. Kagome hid far enough out of sight behind a tree, yet was in close proximity to hear the conversation.

"Kikyo, why are you doing this to me?" Inuyasha questioned in a pained voice.

Kikyo spoke next with a nonchalant tone, "I cannot fight this infection to which Naraku placed in me much longer Inuyasha. The miasma continues even now to break this clay form of mine down. I'm having to consume more souls to keep me going as it is."

Inuyasha grasped Kikyo into desperate embrace in attempt to get his point through. "There must be a way to fix this or to get another form for you to live. I can't lose you Kikyo. I can't bear to lose you a second time. I love you!"

For a fraction of a moment Kagome could see a glimmer of adoration and sadness on the clay miko's perfect face. " The only chance would be to find another demon witch or a living body without its soul. I have searched for a witch, but there are none left in the country. This body would not survive long enough to go overseas."

"What about the other option. Is there some way to find a body without a soul?" He had to know. To this, Kikyo could only glance away.

Kagome felt horrible knowing she had lost to her predecessor. Even though the woman was slowly dieing from Naraku's miasma, she held Inuyasha's heart with an iron clasp. With a tear slipping from her eye, she removed herself from her hiding spot to come into plain view. She held her head high, pushing her sadness aside. Inuyasha made his choice and as painful as it was, she knew of a way to help save Kikyo.

Inuyasha and Kikyo both stood in shock to the young woman's arrival in the clearing. Inuyasha looked away in shame. Kikyo peered at Kagome with confusion. Any other time her copy so to say would see them together, she would run off in despair. Something seemed different in the girl and this made her uneasy.

Kagome took a deep shaky breath and contemplated the ill-fated couple. She knew when she was beaten and would not persecute the one she loved for it. They say if you love someone or something you cannot have, let them go. She would go a step farther to make sure her loved one was happy, even if she wasn't the one he was happy with.

"I know of a way to help. It won't be easy and Kikyo, you may not like the idea…" Kagome started.

"Well girl, what is it?" Kikyo questioned. Inuyasha was even piqued and stunned that Kagome, who he betrayed, knew of a way to save his love.

"The only way to save you is for you to become half demon." Kagome put a hand up to stop Kikyo from declining the idea before hearing it all. "Now as I was saying, half demon. Not like Naraku, being consumed by demons to gain a body, but more like Inuyasha."

"That is not possible. She would have to be born like this. You don't really have a way to help after all." Inuyasha growled out.

"If you'd let me continue." Kagome ground out. This was hard enough without his interrupting. Kikyo just gestured for Kagome to go on.

She nodded in gratitude before continuing. "Jinenji, a half demon friend of mine, is a specialist in herbs and preservation. Sango and I have gone to visit him recently to stock up on necessary healing herbs and while there i have come to find a sealed girl. Jinenji has been keeping a young hanyou woman's body alive in hopes she will awaken. He found her nearly dead when the girl tried to take her life. She is but a shell with no life inside. Her aura is completely gone."

Inuyasha perked up to this portion of the revelation. This is what was needed. A body without a soul inhabiting it. He gazed upon Kikyo's delicate features. "This is your only chance. You must take it."

"But to be hanyou. We will both be shunned." Kikyo proclaimed.

"Don't you understand? This is what got you to lose your life the first time. Don't worry what others think. Love is stronger than hate. It's who you decide you want to be or what you do with your life that seals your fate. Just be a better person with this chance at a new life I'm giving you. I'm giving up my feelings and stepping down to make you both happy. Don't let my sacrifice be in vain. Take it and live passionately." Kagome demanded. "We leave at first dawn."

A/N: I'm enjoying how this story is starting off. I haven't wrote a fanfic in a while and have been receiving note from fans to write more stories. Writer's block be damned I will finish this story.