As they stepped into the well house, Kagome took deep breaths, feeling nostalgic when familiar scents hit her nose. She opened her eyes and the world around her became silent. There, innocent looking, was the well that had changed the course of her teenage life. Many times after she had sealed it, she wondered if it was truly fate that had caused her to be pulled into the Well, or if it was chance. If she had left to school on time, or if she had ignored Souta trying to draw Bouyo from the well house, would she had still been pulled into the well at some other point, or would she had gone through her life in ignorance of her so called 'destiny'?

She sighed and walked to the well and straddled one of the sides.

'Here goes nothing.'

She drew her other leg over so that she was sitting at the mouth of the Well, and then she pushed off.

She traveled through time and space once again; the familiar rainbow lights swirled around her. Inuyasha appeared next to her and put his arm around her waist. She tried hard not to shiver in reaction.

'Why does he still have an effect on me!'

They finally landed on the other side and Inuyasha immediately tightened his hold on her and jumped up out of the Well. He landed a few feet away and promptly let go of her.

Kagome spent a moment looking at the familiar surroundings. Nothing had really changed since she had left. Her moment of observation was interrupted by a familiar cold voice.

"Kagome."

It was Kikyo. She was propped up against a wall of the Well, pale and weak. Her soul catchers were flying and floating around her. For a moment Kagome felt a flash of pity and compassion, but it was only a moment. After all, this Kikyo was not truly human, not anymore. She was now a cold, hateful, and dangerous being that destroyed what happiness Kagome had on this side of the Well.

Kikyo raised a hand and held it out; she was beckoning her. Irritated, Kagome replied,

"You have a voice Kikyo. If you want me to come to you, then ask politely."

Kikyo smirked.

"Fine then. Kagome, will you please come here?"

As Kagome walked over to her, she tossed her backpack at Inuyasha, mumbling,

"Be a gentleman and carry my pack."

When she reached Kikyo, she took a better look at her and had to fight to contain a gasp.

The woman before her was not the Kikyo Kagome was used to. This woman was...something else. Her long dark hair was no longer shiny and healthy. It was thin and had lost its luster. Her hair was so thin that there were already bald spots on her head. Her face was pale as death and there were extremely dark circles under her sunken in eyes. She was unhealthily thin and just looked like 'death warmed over', as the saying goes.

"Why Kagome, you looked surprised to see me like this. Are you not happy that I am dying?"

Kagome was disgusted.

"Unlike you, Kikyo, I am never happy for someone's suffering. Now tell me, what is this thing about me taking care of you?"

Kikyo was still smirking.

"It is pretty basic, ever you should understand this. While we are chasing Naraku, you will be taking care of me. I'm sure you can figure out your duties."

'What a...bitch, she is.'

Before things could get awkward, Kagome set off for the Kaede's village, once again leaving Inuyasha in her wake, and this time leaving Kikyo in her wake as well.

When Kagome got there, she automatically went towards Kaede's hut, but stopped when she saw the villagers giving her weird looks and whispering to each other.

'What the heck? They look like I'm some novel thing. They've seen me before.'

Inuyasha's voice sounded from her left.

"Kaede's dead, Kagome. A new family lives in that hut now. Mine and Kikyo's hut is this way," and he started to his hut with Kikyo in his arms but Kagome didn't move.

'What?'

Overwhelming grief went through her when she finally processed what Inuyasha said and she didn't hold back her tears.

'I never got a chance to say good bye. I just left and never came back. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kaede. They're all gone!'

And that was when Kagome realized that she was truly alone there in the Sengoku Jidai. Although she didn't like them, Kikyo and Inuyasha were all she had left. Determined to make the best of her situation, her tears stopped and she wiped them away and turned her back to the hut. Looking up, she saw Inuyasha there staring at her with a soft look in his eyes.

Kikyo, apparently sickened by the emotional sight, rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Enough, we need to get back to the hut and start planning. We leave tomorrow morning."

The tender moment had gone and Inuyasha's eyes hardened towards Kagome and he turned around and started to walk away. After a few paces, he looked over his shoulder and snapped at Kagome,

"Hurry up! We don't got all day!"

That night, Inuyasha was not able to sleep so he did what he always did on sleepless nights: he jumped to the roof of the hut and looked at the night sky that was dotted with stars, and thought.

Kagome was so different than when he last saw her, but at the same time, she was somewhat the same.

She was no longer so docile towards him, and no longer an insecure teenager. No, now, she was feisty and confident in herself. Yet, the scent of her tears made his chest ache, as they always had, and she was still very determined in doing what needed to be done.

When they had finally reached the hut, as soon as Inuyasha put Kikyo down on her cot, Kagome immediately went to her and asked if she needed anything.

(Flashback)

"My head aches, however we need to prepare for our journey. Inuyasha, go ask the villagers for whatever food they can spare. These are smart people, they know that there is a danger we are going to face, so they should give you no trouble," she then turned to Kagome, "I know that Kaede has shown you the Herb Grove. I have a basket by the wall there that has jars that are nearly empty of their herbs, go replenish them. Tomorrow morning, we shall set off in a southern earth direction."

After that, Kikyo seemed to sag and she rubbed at her head.

Kagome went through her pack until she found her first aid kit and took out some medicine and handed some to Kikyo.

"What's this?" She sneered at it.

Kagome rolled her eyes and said,

"It is medicine from my time. It will alleviate your headache and put you to sleep."

"Although this medicine does not belong in this time, I shall take it anyway. But after this, you will only give me medicine that I direct you to make. Do not give me yours any longer."

"Whatever," Kagome huffed.

Now that Inuyasha was sure that Kagome wouldn't poison his Kikyo, he set off to get the food as directed.

When he came back few hours later, Kagome still had not returned from the Grove and Kikyo was fast asleep, which was amazing for Kikyo hardly slept, and when she did it was never peaceful.

(End FB)

When Kagome returned, she immediately demanded the Jewel from him, showcasing how she had changed. She held out her hand for it, and Inuyasha knew that he couldn't deny her. She still had some power over hi.

'These stupid fuckin' beads.'

Inuyasha looked down at said beads, and remembered times when Kagome used them to save his ass from being killed.

Inuyasha sighed. It seemed that he wouldn't figure out the Kagome Mystery any time soon, so he decided to dwell on it later. They had an early start tomorrow and he needed to finish getting their things ready.

A/N: I AM SO SORRY FOR THE LACK OF UPDATES! RL HAS BEEN KEEPING ME AWAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. DON'T FORGET THAT I HAVE A BLOG FOR MY STORIES. YOU WILL FIND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING RELATED TO THEM THAT YOU MIGHT NEED TO UNDERSTAND SOME THINGS BETTER, SO GO CHECK IT OUT IF YOU WANT: AKEMISHIKON(DOT)BLOGSPOT(DOT)COM

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS UPDATE,

-AKEMI