Okay, so I changed the formatting of my story in my computer and I'm desperately hoping it doesn't really change anything. Crossing my fingers. Also, I am taking some creative liberties with this story, so if you're going to complain... Well just please don't. My story, my rules. (Feeling sassy and tired, sorry :P)

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters.

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Chapter 52 – Shifting

Seeing Kagome hug his bastard of a brother was the last straw. She wasn't allowed to touch anyone like that, except for him. It was bad enough that she let Kouga hug her and hold her hands, but Sesshomaru was a completely different problem. Now she was the one touching someone else, someone that wasn't him.

Not only that, but it was like she was a completely different person. The old Kagome would never have acted like this. Ever since he joined their group, she'd changed. She questioned him constantly and she fought more. Not only against enemies but against him. And now it sounded like she was questioning his leadership. He needed to get rid of Sesshomaru before he completely brainwashed his Kagome.

And so, Inuyasha continued to plot against Sesshomaru, no idea that he'd figured things out far too late to change them…

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Kagome could feel Inuyasha's turmoil quite plainly, and despite all that Inuyasha had done lately, she still felt a little bit guilty. She was sure it was blatantly obvious that she felt something for Sesshomaru, and she could only imagine how that made Inuyasha feel. 'But is it really that different from what he's been doing to me through Kikyo. He knew that I loved him because I told him so, but he acted like… Like I'd never told him. Is it so wrong for me to move on?'

Leaning back against a tree, Kagome allowed her gaze to focus back on their campsite. Most members of her group had already turned in for the night. Rin and Shippo had gone to bed first, cuddling together in her spare bedroll. Ah-Un had unsurprisingly followed soon after, curling their body around the two children. Out of habit, Jaken had moved to "keep watch" over the sleeping children. Now though, he was slumped against Ah-Un's hide with his staff of two heads resting against his shoulder. The five of them made quite the picture.

Shifting her gaze to the left, her expression changed from fond to wistful. Sango had fallen asleep not long after Kohaku, and she hadn't moved an inch since. She still had her arms wrapped around her little brother. Kagome knew it was because Sango was so afraid of waking up to find him gone. So, she held on to him tightly all night long, every night. Miroku had been slightly subtler with his affections, not that it mattered. Everyone knew how much he cared for Sango. And so, he slipped into sleep right next to his beloved Sango, propped up against a tree not unlike she was currently, with his hand placed gently on her head. It was an innocent gesture, especially considering where the monk would normally like to put his hand, but it was no less sincere. He loved her, probably just as much as she loved him. Kagome just wished they'd stop being stubborn and give in to their desires. Why fight something that seems so inevitable?

'Speaking of inevitable…' Kagome's turned wary eyes on Inuyasha. 'Why can't he let go of Kikyo? I'm not jealous anymore, and I don't love him, at least not like I used to… But I still know he needs to let her go. She cannot live like this forever, and I can't live without the entirety of my soul. It hurts so much…'

Closing her eyes, she forced back the tears that had been building. This was a fact she had told no one, though she thought it would be obvious. How could one have part of their soul ripped from them and not feel pain. And it was so much worse when Kikyo was around. It was like, in those moments, her soul was crying out and pushing her to complete it once more. And the times she had saved Kikyo, she'd had to forcefully push her soul back from reclaiming its lost piece. She'd felt like she was being torn apart from the inside out.

Her soul had been incomplete for so long that she'd grown used to the hollow ache… As long as she didn't acknowledge that part of it was missing. If she thought about it, the numbing affect would disappear fast. And of course, since she was currently thinking about it, she was uncomfortable to say the least.

Sucking in a large breath, Kagome slipped her arms into her sleeves to grip each forearm to try and ground herself. But all thoughts slipped away when her fingers brushed against something soft and velvety. Grasping it, she pulled it out and brought it up to face level. It was the flower. The flower she had meant to press into a book last night. The flower he had given her.

Slipping her other arm out from her sleeve, she brought her hand up to gently stroke the flower's petals. She treated it with something close to reverence, her fingers just barely glossing over the delicate pink petals. Though she didn't know it, a small smile had manifested. She also forgot about her audience, the only other member of her group that had stayed up this late: Sesshomaru.