Hey guys, I'm back! Sorry it's taken so long to update. My father has been in and out of the hospital for the past several weeks. Things have been extremely hectic around here lately. Anyways… thanks to everyone who has reviewed! So, on with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Kaede stood outside her hut, staring off into the forest.

"Did you feel it too Kaede?"

The old priestess turned to face Miroku and Sango.

"Yes I did. I believe that my sister is finally making her move."

"Sango! Miroku! Kaede!"

The three watched as Shippo came running up to them.

"What's wrong Shippo?"

"Mommy told me to come and find you. She said that she was going to the next town and that she wanted you to go and find her. Something was wrong with her."

"What do you mean? What was wrong with her?" Sango asked as she bent down to pick up the kitsune.

"Well, I had been playing in the clearing and she had been watching me. All of a sudden she went all rigid and it was like she couldn't move. When I asked her what was wrong, she said that nothing was and that I should find you guys."

"We must get to the miko."

Everyone turned to face Manau, who had silently come up behind them.

"She needs our help. She has no idea what she is getting herself into. I know that Naraku is involved in this somehow. We must hurry."

"Are ye sure that ye are well enough Manau?"

"Yes. If Naraku's prison could not kill me in the fifty years that I was there, then that pathetic black miko certainly can't. No offense, Kaede."

"None taken. My sister is not the same person that she used to be."

As Manau waited for the others to get their things, she took the opportunity to stare out into the darkening woods.

I used to watch these woods all the time... waiting for Sesshoumaru to come for me...

She mentally shook herself at the thought. She shouldn't be obsessing about Sesshoumaru at a time like this. Kagome needed her. She owed it to Inuyasha to make sure that she stayed safe.

Hold on, Kagome. Your friends are coming.

She was getting weak.

Kagome stood in front Kikyo, struggling to sustain the barrier that was protecting her from the black miko's dark magic.

"How long do you think you can keep this up?" Kikyo taunted with a cold smile on her face.

Kagome looked around her, frantically searching for some kind of weapon as she felt the barrier crack. She eyed an abandoned broomstick leaning against one of the nearby huts and quickly grabbed it as the barrier fell. She held it out in front of her as Kikyo slowly walked towards her.

"Your time is up, Kagome. Did you enjoy your time with your precious Inuyasha? It's such a shame that you won't see him again. And to think, if you had only died when you were supposed to, you could have spared him from some of the pain."

"What did I ever do to you Kikyo?" Kagome asked as she backed away from the approaching black miko.

"What did you ever do to me? You stole him. You stole my whole life away from me. You walked right in and took my place."

"I haven't taken your place Kikyo. You were Kaede's older sister. You were Inuyasha's first love. No one can ever take that away from you."

"But he doesn't love me anymore, does he?"

When Kagome didn't answer, Kikyo began to laugh.

"You can't deny that one now can you? You remember Tsubaki, don't you?"

"How could I forget her?" she replied.

"Did you know that you were the only person that she ever failed to kill?"

"No, I did not know that."

"What is so damn special about you? Why is it that no one can ever kill you? There must be a way... there's always a way..." she whispered, more to herself than to Kagome.

"He doesn't hate you, Kikyo. He doesn't even know that you were behind the attack on me. Why don't you stop this? You can end all of this madness, right now, and still not be tainted in Inuyasha's eyes.

Inuyasha...

"That's it," Kikyo whispered as she began to smile once more. "You have no idea what kind of pain I went through. Why don't you find out."

Kagome gripped the broomstick tighter and tried to strike Kikyo as she hurried towards her, chanting some incantation under her breath. Kikyo easily deflected the blow and tore the broomstick from Kagome's hands.

"It's time!" she said as she grabbed Kagome's wrists.

Kikyo's evil smile was the last thing that she saw before the scene before her eyes began to change.

Inuyasha ran through the forest, rushing towards where the burst of power had emanated from. He knew that Kikyo had something to do with it. She was the only one with enough power to challenge his Kagome.

I can't believe that she would hurt Kagome. I've been such a baka! Why couldn't I see her for who she truly is?

"Inuyasha! Slow down!"

Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha ignored him. He couldn't slow down. He had to get to Kagome as soon as possible. Every second, every single precious second, could mean life or death. And he was not going to settle for the latter of the two. It simply was not acceptable.

He was close. He could tell. Kagome's scent was fresh in the air. As was Kikyo's. She was close to his Kagome. Far too close... dangerously close...

Damn you Kikyo! If you hurt her again...

He arrived at the abandoned village just in time to hear Kagome scream. He watched as she fell violently to the ground, her wrists caught in Kikyo's hands.

"Kagome!"

She was standing on the edge of a clearing, staring out across it.

I recognize this place. I'm outside of the village. But how did I get here?

She looked around, searching for Kikyo. She noticed that her clothes had changed. She was wearing a traditional priestess's kimono. However, she did not have her vial with the shikon shards.

She had the whole jewel.

"What is going on?" she whispered.

All of a sudden, she heard rustling in the trees behind her. She turned to see Inuyasha come walking towards her.

"Inuyasha, what is ̵"

"Give me the jewel."

"What? Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha hasn't demanded the shards in a long time. Wait, I have the complete jewel...

"What's my name."

"What?"

"Tell me what my name is."

"Your name is Kikyo. Now give me the jewel!" He yelled as he came towards her fast. She cried out in pain as his claws dug deep into her chest and tore through her chest.

She stood in shock as he turned and ran back towards the village, the whole shikon jewel in his hands.

I can't breathe...

The world began to move around her as the scene changed yet again. She was standing outside the village, holding a bow and arrow in her hands. She watched as Inuyasha ran through the forest in front of her. She closed her eyes and felt her hands rise and pull back the arrow.

No! I won't hurt him...

"I won't!"

Kagome opened her eyes to find herself back in the abandoned village. She could feel a raw pain coming from her shoulder and she knew what had happened. Kikyo had cursed her. She was on her knees, her wrists still firmly grasped in Kikyo's hands.

"Kagome!"

She looked past Kikyo and saw Inuyasha come running out of the forest towards them.

"Inuyasha," she whispered.

She looked up again at Kikyo, and saw a twinge of panic seep into her eyes.

Inuyasha! What is he doing here?

Kikyo looked down at her reincarnation one last time before she released her wrists and turned to face the fast approaching hanyou.

He can't possibly have gotten past Natsumi so quickly.

She had left the annoying demon in the woods with orders for her to attack Inuyasha as soon as she saw him. A grim smile spread across her features as she realized that the girl must have turned on her.

Inuyasha stopped in front of Kikyo, his tetsusaiga ready to strike. He looked past her at Kagome. Her eyes were closed, her skin pale, and her breathing was too shallow for his liking. But she was still alive.

Hold on a little longer, Kagome.

As if hearing his plea, she opened her eyes and gave him a weak smile.

"It's over Kikyo."

She laughed, looking him straight in the eye as she brought her bow and arrow forward.

"You're right, Inuyasha. It is over. For the two of you anyway."

Kagome watched her movements, knowing that there was nor possibility that Kikyo would miss. She was too close to him to miss. She looked around and saw the discarded broomstick in reach. She moved slowly to grasp it, hoping that Kikyo didn't notice her movements.

Inuyasha saw Kagome moving towards the broomstick out of the corner pf his eye and forced his eyes to stay on Kikyo.

"You're wrong, Kikyo."

Kikyo smiled again as she brought her bow back. She let the arrow fly just as she felt her arm lift and move to the side. The arrow missed Inuyasha and went flying into a hut. She looked behind her to see Kagome drop the broomstick that she had struck her with.

"Goodbye, Kikyo."

She looked back at Inuyasha just as he brought tetsusaiga down.

Goodbye, my love.

"Kagome!"

Inuyasha ran forward and picked her up, holding her close. She was unconscious, and the bleeding in her shoulder had not ceased yet.

"Inuyasha!"

He looked up to see Manau and the others run towards him.

"Kaede!" he yelled as soon as he saw her. "She's hurt bad!"

"Get her into one of these huts. I brought some herbs and bandages with me just in case."

The hours came and went, and Inuyasha waited impatiently as Kaede, Sango, and Manau worked to save his Kagome.

"Inuyasha."

He turned to see Sango walk towards him.

"How is she?"

"We have stopped the bleeding. She is extremely weak, but if she gets plenty of rest and the bleeding doesn't resume, she should be fine."

Inuyasha closed his eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. He had come so close to losing her again.

He opened his eyes and walked into the hut. She looked so fragile and vulnerable lying there on the floor of the hut. Her long dark hair made her pale skin look white in contrast. She had never looked so beautiful. She had saved his life, despite the fact that she almost lost her own life in the process.

He walked across the room and sat down beside her, gently grabbing her hand. She stirred and opened her eyes.

"Inuyasha. You're alright."

"Yeah. She's gone, Kagome. Kikyo is gone. She won't be bothering us anymore."

She smiled, and lifted her other hand to cup his cheek in her palm.

"I love you."

He smiled and grabbed the hand on his cheek.

"I love you, too, Kagome."

He gently kissed the palm of her hand and laid down beside her. He pulled her slowly into his arms and kissed the top of her forehead.

"Sleep now," he whispered as he held her.

He knew that the war was far from over. Kikyo was gone, but Naraku was still out there. They still had jewel shards to find, battles to fight.

As he drifted off to sleep, he thought of how precious life is, and how everything can change in an instant. Kagome was still alive and they would live the rest of their lives together, in happiness.

And on that thought, he closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

So what do you guys think? I know that it has been a long time since I updated, and I apologize yet again. Please, don't forget to review! I will update as soon as I possibly can. Well, see ya later!

kaginufan88