A/N:: *opens up a brand new spakin' box of youkai lawyer seals, also known as disclaimers* Okay, I'm ready to get back to work!! I sadly do not own any teeny tiny part of Inuyasha, not even a lock of that beautiful silver hair *sob* But if I did.*happy smile* Ah well, in my dreams.

As always, my review responses are at the bottom, check and see what I said ^_^

Previously.. "I told you he was acting funny," Shippou commented, "He almost wouldn't leave the hut this morning, till Kaede-sama threatened him with another rosary. And even then he sat outside the door for most of the morning. We were afraid that if Kouga came, they would tear down the village, with you still inside asleep, so she placed the barrier up to protect you."

Kagome leaned against the walls of the hut. She had seen the look in Inuyasha's eyes, and it scared her. He looked distant, and so formal, treating her like someone of importance, but not of the importance that she wanted. ******************** Kagome fell back into the arms of sleep again, and woke again long after the sun had set, and the moon sat high in the sky. She couldn't sleep anymore, she felt so restless inside that she might scream, yet just as calm. She had become a paradox, even to herself.

'Maybe some fresh air would help,' she thought, and carefully rose from the futon, extra attentive of the kitsune who dreamed peacefully beside her. She tiptoed silently out of the hut and walked out onto the path in front of the hut, staring up at the night sky.

"You shouldn't be out here alone, Kouga might come back," came a voice, startling her. Inuyasha lay on top of the hut, staring up at the sky.

"I'm not alone, you're here," she said calmly, and walked under the roofing, "Will you give me a hand up?" she asked.

He sighed, as if it were some great inconvenience and leaned over the edge, grabbing a hold of her hand and pulling her up with ease. Kagome settled down beside him, her knees pulled up to her chest, staring up at the stars.

"It's so strange, to see the same sky and not recognize it," she said softly, "Souta and I would lay out in the courtyard on blankets on summer nights like this, looking at the stars, but there were never so many."

Inuyasha didn't say a word, just wrapped his arms behind his head as a cushion, and stared into space. Kagome sighed and lay back, in the same position. There was a stillness around them, that unnerved her.

"I." he began to say, when his ears shifted, and he sat up suddenly, causing me to do the same.

"Oi!" came a very loud voice and I hissed, knowing full well I could be heard, "Kouga, it's the middle of the night, don't you dare shout like that, you'll wake the whole village." I sighed and stood, ready to jump from the roof, when a warm arm wrapped around my waist and carried me down. I could still feel Inuyasha's presence on me as I stepped forward, careful to stop before the barrier.

"Hey, take this barrier down, this isn't fair if Inukoro can be with you and I can't." he whined and I realized he did have a point. I did say they would have to play fair if they wanted to win my hand, and reluctantly I removed the markers for the barrier. Kouga moved towards me and I lifted my hand, "I warn you, try and kidnap me again, and I'll make this afternoon's incident seem like a mild headache." He whined faintly and I swore that even in the dark, I could see his tail tuck between his legs.

He reached behind him, and pulled out a mound of something white, his head bowed, "I.I apologize for my threat against your pack member," he said faintly and handed her his gift. The amazingly strong perfume surrounded her, and she blinked in surprise, "This is night jasmine, but where." Kouga smiled softly, "I decided that you needed a truly fitting apology gift, so I went to the mountains to gather them, to show my honesty."

Kagome was truly touched and buried her nose in the soft petals, "I..I accept your apology Kouga," she said softly. This was the first time he had ever been so chivalrous towards her, and it surprised her immensely. He stood there for a moment, then gave her a charming wolf grin, "Well, see you," he said and ran off into the woods.

Kagome stood there, still a little in shock, holding the bouquet in her hands, when she noticed something. She spun around, looking for Inuyasha, but he was no where to be found.

'Damnit' she thought to herself. She didn't want to be fair, she wanted to tell Kouga to give up and leave her be, but couldn't find it in her heart to be so cruel to him. And now Inuyasha was treating her so differently, what if he gave up on her.

She lifted her free hand to her lips, 'No, I don't want to think about that!" she grabbed her bow and arrows from inside the hut and ran down the path towards the God-Tree and the well, knowing he often went there to think when he wanted to be alone. She would find him there.

***********************

Inuyasha felt the cold grass beneath his feet, as he walked in the dark. Damn that Kouga, flowers, why didn't he think of flowers? He shook his head, 'Baka, you can't give her flowers, she's a miko now, a real one, you can smell the strength in her now, she's not just some normal human.'

'You're the baka,' his other side said, his heart, 'She's still Kagome, she's still the same woman, just with added benefits. If you keep acting like this, you will send her right where you don't want her, in that wolf's cave.'

'No, she wouldn't, would she?' he thought, pausing as he reached the well. He dug his claws into the wood. Damn that wolf, he was always getting in his way. He slammed his hand into the wood, watching it crumple beneath his fury, and he stalked back across the meadow towards the God-Tree.

Something whizzed by his head, and he spun around, surprised. From the shadows of the tree line, he saw a familiar figure, female, wearing a miko's garb, long flowing ebony hair behind her.

'Ka.Kagome?' he thought, and saw another arrow, lit with power released right towards him. 'Kagome, you too?' he thought sadly. Another sound caught his attention and something else whizzed by his head, another arrow, this time from behind him. It caught the first and shattered it in a powerful display of light.

Inuyasha turned his head, to see.Kagome?...walking towards him. But if that was Kagome, then.

He turned back to the other woman, a woman wearing red hakama pants.

"Kikyo," he whispered, and Kagome stopped at his side, another arrow already in her bow and ready.

"You betrayed me, Inuyasha, you chose her over me!" Kikyo hissed angrily, "This whelp of a girl who doesn't even belong here."

"You know Kikyo, how many times does someone have to tell you something before you get it through your thick skull?" Kagome said softly. "I told you the other day, you leave us alone. But no, you had to go and do something stupid, like trying to seal my Inuyasha for a second time!"

'My Inuyasha?' he thought and watched in amazement at the site before him. Kagome was the image of purity and peace, a gentle night breeze causing her hair to wave behind her. She almost seemed like a dream. Kikyo on the other hand.was nothing like the Kikyo of old. She even smelled different.

"Foolish child, so you think because you have visited the miko's lake that you now can best me?" Kikyo laughed coldly. "Inuyasha owes me his life, and I have come to claim what is mine."

"Wait just a damn minute," he snarled and stepped forward, his hand on Tetseiga's hilt, "I don't owe you my life, you sealed me to a tree for 50 years, you owe me!"

Kagome stepped forward, "He is right, he owes you nothing. His life is in my debt, not yours. I released him from your arrow," Kagome knew that in reality he had saved her life more times then she could count, but she wasn't going to mention that right now.

Kikyo reached behind her, for another arrow, and Kagome pulled hers tighter, "I wouldn't do that Kikyo. I'm not done yet, because as I see it, you also owe me your life. See, that's my soul that you're walking around with. You have no such claim on it anymore," she stepped closer again, and felt the power awaken, calling out hungrily for its other half. Kikyo's eyes widened and she tried to step away, but found her legs wouldn't work.

"You wouldn't kill me," she gasped softly as one soul flew out of her body.

"I'm not going to kill you Kikyo," Kagome replied, pausing in her advance, "I'm just taking back my soul, you're more than welcome to continue living once I have it back." Kagome took one last step forward towards her rival, and felt the power inside reach out with all its strength. Kikyo's eyes widened as the soul floated from her body, and joined once again with its true home. Kagome took a deep breath as her soul was rejoined, the power flaring brightly within her, and knocking the wind out of her. She fell to the ground near Kikyo, in a state of shock.

"NO!" screamed Kikyo, and reached for her arrow, lifting it high in the air, and ready to bring it down on the helpless miko.

"Sankontessou," Inuyasha cried, bringing three golden streams of light through Kikyo. She stared at him for a moment, in shock and surprise, and crumpled into dust.

Kagome stared up at him, as her breath returned. 'He saved me, he killed Kikyo to save me!'

A/N: Wah hahahaha.I'm evil, I know.but it seemed the perfect place to leave everyone hanging.*giggle* BTW, I might have misspelled Sankontessou, which is that claw attack that Inuyasha does, without the blood. I was rewatching the first episode to get the spelling, cause I KNEW it was there, and wouldn't you know it, it wasn't subbed in, just said, so I sounded out as best I could. And I can't stand the Iron Claw translation they use in the dubbed ^_^

Review Comments:

d.g. and crew : Awww.thank you Erica!! I appreciate it.

Loneliestnumber(): Arigato, I hope you like this chapter.

That was REALLY good! WRITE MORE!

Burnsybabe(): Hehehe.*puts the gold star up on her monitor* I don't know about kick ass, but we'll see ^_^