Title: Shared Soul
Lj: Nozomi429

Summary: Kagome couldn't stand it anymore. They had gathered the whole jewel shard, and Kagome wasn't sure what to do. Inuyasha insisted that she stayed in the feudal era. However, he still sneaks off the see Kikyou. And she just couldn't stand it anymore. When Kagome is standing over a cliff, thinking about suicide, someone pushes her over, and she landed to her death. But Inuyasha doesn't know that it was murder. And when he lives with the now lively Kikyou for several months afterwards, he realizes that he can't get over Kagome. And Kikyou knows it.

Notes: This story was done for the Lj community InuFanFicathon and written for Chili, who was the person I was matched up with. For more information, please go to the community. Hope you like to read. Enjoy.

"Here." Kagome said quietly, handing Inuyasha the glowing orb that hung around her neck. It was the complete jewel of four souls. They had killed Naraku, but Kagome didn't seem too happy about it. In fact, she had been horrible saddened when she thought about what might happen after they would kill him. Naraku seemed to keep them all together, as a group of friends and a team. But not anymore.

Even though they hadn't left yet, Sango and Miroku planned to return to their homes, or perhaps with each other. Kagome was happy for them, but saddened that they had to go. They reassured her that they would return, but Kagome knew there would be no one to speak to.

Shippou was around, but Kagome didn't feel like talking about what would happen in deep conversation to him. He had gone in the forest to gather nuts anyway. And Inuyasha…

"Kagome, what's this for?" Inuyasha asked, holding the jewel out in his hand.

"Keep it. I'm going home." Kagome said silently, and she turned around to walk to the well.

"Wait." Inuyasha said quietly, and he grabbed her arm. "Stay." He told her, and her eyes widened, tears gathered.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome said, and she gave him a hug, holding him tightly. "I'll stay for you Inuyasha…"

"Where's Inuyasha?" Kagome asked when she woke up. She was lying on the grass, Shippou at her side slumbering. It was a few days later.

"He went…to see…Kikyou…" Shippou mumbled in his sleep.

Kagome bit her lip angrily. So Inuyasha had dashed off to find Kikyou to tell her that they killed Naraku. Kikyou had been his one true love, based on what Kagome added up together. Kagome was quite jealous, but she denied loving Inuyasha. She knew he didn't love her. Kagome pouted. She stood up and clenched her fists, but walked toward a tree, one that was near the one Inuyasha had been sleeping in, but shorter. Throwing her arm around a sturdy branch, she climbed up, placing her foot at the base, and pulled herself up. Climbing up a bit more, she sat against the trunk, regardless of the tree sap that might have been flowing through the bark, she sat and stared out into the horizon, because perhaps maybe she could see Inuyasha's flash of red somewhere.

Of course, Kagome was only human, and did not have the eyesight Inuyasha had to be able to spot anything. Instead, her eyes blurred, and she blinked them back. Tears were salty, and she was afraid Inuyasha could smell them if he was nearby. She didn't want him to know she was crying.

When Inuyasha finally returned from his search, he looked quite happy. Not irritated or arrogant as he usually was. Still as rough though, because he kicked a sleeping Shippou in the head and asked where Kagome was.

"I don't know!" The irritated and hurt fox said as he was rubbing the back of his head. Inuyasha stood up and sniffed the air. He could smell her around, but not in sight. Kagome had been hiding in the tree at this time, squeezing her arms and legs together as much as she could to appear smaller.

"Where the hell is she?" Inuyasha shouted at him, and Kagome could hear the worry in his voice.

"I'm up here…" Kagome said silently, still hiding, but relaxed her arms and legs. She put her head down on her knees and looked forward. Closing her eyes, she felt a move in wind and opened them only to see Inuyasha's eyes in hers.

"What are you doing? Who knows who could have kidnapped you?" He shouted, his face still in my face. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"If anyone would have kidnapped me, they would have had a better chance if I was down there." She replied in monotone. But her mood brightened as she had a hard time keeping her face straight, because she knew Inuyasha got worried, he just tried to blame it on her actions.

"What…what are you laughing at?" His asked, his eyes changing from irritated to surprised.

"Nothing." Kagome replied, and before Inuyasha could say anything else she swung down from the tree and landed on her feet. Inuyasha hopped down and landed in front of her. His scratched the back of his head as if he was nervous to ask a question.

"Kagome…um, what would happen if I…hung out with someone else?" He asked, and he backed away a bit. Kagome's brightened mood slumped back down, and she was just about to speak the 'sit' word when a girl almost identical to her appeared, walking towards Inuyasha. It was Kikyou.

"Hello Inuyasha. Hullo." Kikyou said softly, bowing her head at us. Even if she smiled slightly, her eyes were still cold and distant, and Kagome didn't like her presence at all. However, to her surprise but almost expected shock, she had hugs Inuyasha, and Inuyasha had hugged back.

"I was saying…umm, Kagome." Inuyasha started back again, but Kikyou finished.

"We are in love again." Kikyou said, and Inuyasha looked at her astonishedly, but nodded slowly, agreeing. He avoided all eye contact with Kagome. He was afraid of her expression, or if she would break down and cry, or if she would say the 'sit' word.

Instead, Kagome smiled. "I'm so happy for you." She said as happily as she could, but Inuyasha heard her heart beat rapidly, it return again, the beat rapidly again. He heard her hard breathing, as if she wanted to calm down, but she couldn't. And he saw her blink a few times, as if she wanted to fight back tears.

"I'm going home. To freshen up." She added. At that she turned around, and headed back towards the well. Inuyasha began to reach for her, but her pulled back his hand and turned to Kikyou.

"See you later, Kagome." He shouted out.

'See you later, Kagome. See you later.' Kagome thought over and over in her head. The way he said it, it was like he didn't even care. And she knew he didn't. Or at least she thought so.

She climbed into the well, and slowly slid herself in, landing on her knees on the bottom. 'I thought that he loved me. Because he did not want me to leave…' Kagome thought, and she swept away the coming tears with her fingertips and climbed out of the well, walking toward her house. Without even yelling that she was home, she ran straight to her room, grabbed some soft pajamas, and took a nice long bath. Wrapping her hair in a towel when she was done, she dressed and plopped right on her bed. Her bed was so soft compared to the grass or the tree she had been in, and she loved it. Trying to forget about Inuyasha, she fell asleep.

"It's been more than a few days. Where is that wench?" Inuyasha shouted, and he stomped his feet in the dirt. Both Miroku and Sango returned from their trip, and Shippou was annoying Inuyasha even more now that she was gone. Kikyou smiled coldly, but didn't wish to interfere with the friendships with the others. So she said.

"Why don't you get her? No one else can go through the well." Inuyasha nodded. He was meaning to do that, he just didn't want Kikyou to think he wanted her with them. He rushed towards the well, and jumped in.

Kikyou looked at Shippou and smiled. Shippou smiled back, and then asked if she had any food. Kikyou kept her smile, but bitterly.

Inuyasha had climbed out of the well, and he climbed over to Kagome's window and rapped on it. Kagome knew who it was, and she rolled her eyes as she opened the window and Inuyasha scrambled inside.

"Where have you been?" He said irritatedly. Kagome sat on her bed and flipped open a math book, reading it.

"Why do you care? You don't need me anymore. You have…Kikyou." She emphasized Kikyou's name.

"Of course we need you! Shippou is annoying and Sango and Miroku are back!" He replied, and even Kagome's face brightened from the dull expression it was at the names of Sango and Miroku.

"Plus you need to bring more ramen!" Inuyasha added, but it was a mistake. Kagome's face dulled again and she turned back to her book. Pointing out her door, she motioned that ramen was in the kitchen.

"Inuyasha. Osuwari." She said blankly, and Inuyasha slammed into the floor where he was standing, and it shook the whole temple's foundation. At that Kagome headed out the door to the kitchen, gathered some treats for her friends in her yellow backpack, and went to the well, jumping into it herself.

"Kagome's here!" Shippou shouted and smelt. Sango and Miroku both brightened, mostly because the awkward and boring conversation they were having with Kikyou. They all stood up, with the exception of Kikyou, and rushed to Kagome, who was smiling at them.

"I brought you some food." Kagome had said, and they returned to where Kikyou was still sitting, and all had sat. A wave of silence came between Kagome and Kikyou, and the three friends watching the both of them, Kikyou was the first to speak.

"Where is Inuyasha?" She asked smiling, but anyone could tell that it was fake.

"I'm here." Inuyasha had popped out and replied before Kagome could say anything. He smiled and sat next to Kikyou. Kagome felt bitter jealously, but she turned to Sango and Miroku, and asked them how things had been on their trips. Both of them knew how Kagome was feeling, even Shippou did, but Inuyasha seemed to be the only one who had no idea.

Exchanging glances, both Kagome and Sango stood up and declared that they were going to get hot water at the village, and Miroku and Shippou joined them edgingly. At the village, Kagome tried to keep her smile, but she couldn't help but stare out blankly. Sitting on some boulders, she sighed. Ushering Miroku and Shippou away, Sango sat by her.

"Kagome, I know how you feel." She said. Kagome looked back at her with tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Sango. I don't think I can stay here very long." She replied. Sango nodded, and looked toward the distance.

"Oh…Inuyasha…I can't believe he's doing this."

"I don't think he realizes what he's doing at all. But I'm not going to let Kikyou watch me suffer. Come on, lets go." Kagome said, and she stood up and brushed her knees, picking up the pail of water that was boiling. She walked out of Kaede's cottage and headed back toward the spot Inuyasha and Kikyou were still at.

"Waters ready." She said happily, and everyone had a cup of ramen, each with their tops pulled up, Kagome pouring the water into each of them. After three minutes had passed, everyone started slurping their noodles with their chopsticks.

"You know, it takes a long time, but I can roll noodles and create ramen for you, Inuyasha." Kikyou had said. Everyone raised their eyes, except for Kagome, who had her head down, trying to concentrate on the ramen rather than what Kikyou had said.

"Really?" Inuyasha had said in excitement like a small child.

"Anything for you, Inuyasha." Kikyou had replied, and she kissed him on the cheek. Kagome nearly choked, but tried to hide it by fake sneezing. It wasn't hard to figure out what she was doing, but she stood up and announced that she had caught a small cold and needed to go home right away. Rushing back towards the well, with a fit of fake sneezing, she jumped back into the well in embarrassment.

"Oh my god, how embarrassing." Kagome muttered to herself, and she wringed her head. Then she realized she left her stuff at the other side, but didn't bother to get it. She didn't want to go because of Kikyou. Kikyou, who seemed better and more sophisticated than her. Is that why Inuyasha had chosen her over Kagome? No. It was because of his previous love with her, and Kagome was just someone new, someone that he couldn't care the same about as Kikyou.

"Who cares about Inuyasha? Who cares about Kikyou?" She shouted out. She couldn't stay in her time just because of them. She had other friends in the feudal era. She can't leave and forget them just because of jealousy.

"Who?" A small voice asked. It was Souta, Kagome's little brother, and he peaked into the well. "When did you get home? When did you leave? And who's Kikyou?"

"Hehe, no one Souta." Kagome said as she scrambled up the well and smiled at him. "So what's new?"

"Uhh…nothing much. Who's this Kikyou?"

"She's a…a demon! She is trying to steal…the shards, you know?" Kagome said quickly. Kikyou was stealing something, but it wasn't the shards. It was Inuyasha. Souta nodded slowly, staring at her.

"Hey, mom needs that yellow backpack."

"What? What for?" Kagome protested. She did not wish to return to the feudal era to retrieve it. "What could she possibly need it for?"

"I don't know. She just needs it." Souta replied.

"Fine…" Kagome said, sighing. Jumping back into the well, she climbed back out again in the feudal era, sitting on the edge. She took a deep breathe before she returned to where everyone was still sitting when she had last saw them. Of course, no one was really talking. More like, glancing at each other and nodding. Talk about the weather.

"I feel…a little better now." She said silently. "And I sort of…need this backpack." She added, pointing to her yellow backpack.

"Um, I need to get back to the village." Sango added, and she stood up, taking Shippou with her in her arms. Miroku also stood. Kirara rubbed around Kagome's legs.

"Let's go then." Kagome said uneasily, and she plucked up her backpack up.

Finally they had gotten to the village and walked into Kaede's hut.

"Hi, Kaede." Kagome said silently.

"Why welcome back Kagome. Is something troubling you?" The old miko asked concerned.

"Nothing much. Just the curing of a broken heart, perhaps." Kagome replied. "It's nothing to worry about, really." She smiled.

"Is it Inuyasha?" Kaede asked, mixing soup with a wooden spoon over a fire. She poured some into a bowl and handed it over to Kagome, who accepted it warmly. She slurped it up. Its warmth rushed through her body, and she felt a bit better.

"Kagome…are you sure you're okay?" Shippou asked concerned. "To tell you the truth, that other girl is creepy."

"Well she was dead once. I believe she still is. Nothing but a soulless shape of clay." Kagome replied bitterly.

"I don't see what Inuyasha sees in her anymore." Kaede replied. "I do agree, that she is soulless. Her soul lies in you, Kagome. And it's your soul now."

"He was in love with her fifty years ago. But I don't know how she could be the same person. Inuyasha is still stuck in his own world to not realize." Sango added. Kagome nodded in reply, but it didn't make her feel any better.

"I think its time for me to return back to my own time." Kagome said silently, looking towards the moon that had appeared so quickly. "I guess I'll see you all later…" Everyone nodded a bye, not knowing what to say as she left.

Notes: Hmm...well, I'll try to upload the next chapter later. O.o