Hello, everybody! Thank you so much for all your reviews!

I did some minor construction on my last chapter, just in case you want to go back and check. It's still pretty much the same, so nothing big has changed. It's not like I took back Kikyo's death…or anything…

Disclaimer: I tried, I really did. I guess some people just aren't as generous as others. If I owned Inu Yasha, I would share it with Rumiko Takahashi!

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"Do you really think they'll bring back Kagome?" Shippo asked tearfully. He was standing at the edge of the remains of the wooden floor, staring after Inuyasha.

"I hope so, Shippo," Miroku said somberly.

This did not make the kitsune feel any better. As fresh tears welled up in his large eyes, Sango scooped him up and stroked his hair reassuringly.

"They'll get her back, you'll see," she said cheerfully, even though her own tears dampened her tone a bit. "Inuyasha won't let Kikyo take Kagome's soul. And Kagome won't let anyone separate her from you."

Shippo sighed, but he seemed to be a bit better. "No, she won't, especially not Kikyo!" he said, striking his palm with a tiny fist. "I'm going to go help Inuyasha!"

In an uncharacteristically brave movement, the little kitsune youkai jumped out of Sango's arms and marched ahead of them. After a few steps, he hesitated.

His tail shook, and he gulped. "Is it okay if I take Kirara with me?"

He said it so softly that the taijiya almost didn't hear him. She smiled and looked at the firecat, who was already padding after the little kitsune.

"Of course," she said. Shippo seemed to straighten a bit more, and he quickly jumped onto the neko youkai's back. "Let's go, Kirara!" he said, and they went off.

"I don't know if we should have let him go," Miroku stated. His eyes were still red from unshed tears.

"Miroku." Sango was staring at him with wet brown eyes. "Do you really think…?"

She swallowed audibly. "Do you really think Kagome will come back?"

Instead of answering, he looked out toward the courtyard. They could barely make out some yells, and flashes of light. Sango looked too, and took a step forward.

"We should go too!" she said suddenly, moving to unfasten her Hiraikotsu. Miroku held his staff out in front of her, and she glared at him.

The houshi shook his head gravely. "Think about it, Sango," he said carefully. "We would only be getting in the way. Inuyasha is the only one that can deal with Kikyo now; I don't even think Kouga will be much help."

Just then, there was a loud yelp, and they heard a faint cry that sounded like Inuyasha. "Kikyo, no!"

Sango pushed the houshi's staff aside, hoisting her boomerang over her shoulder. "I'm going!" she declared.

Miroku moved to follow, when he saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

"Sango, look out!"

Miroku felt like he'd never get there in time. He watched as Sango turned, as if in slow motion, and looked at him with wide eyes as he tackled her. The force of his leap sent them both tumbling off the foundation of the building and onto the rough ground below.

"Miroku!" The taijiya looked him over worriedly, but he seemed to be all right. "What did you do that for?"

He lifted himself on his elbows to look down from his very comfortable position—on top of Sango, of course—and smiled in a not-so-innocent manner. "I never thought I'd get you there," he said in a relieved tone.

"Ecchi!"

Sango pushed him off and raised her Hirakotsu, but her strike was halted in midair as a painfully familiar voice reached her ears.

"Sango."

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It was a very strange experience, in her mind.

She didn't know what to expect, as she felt consciousness slip away. The last thing she saw was Kikyo surrounded by Soul Gatherers, and then a heavy darkness overcame her.

She felt herself floating. *Must be my soul leaving my body,* she thought. A split second afterwards, another thought hit her. *Why am I still thinking?*

Everything suddenly became very cold. *Eep! It feels like Kikyo's aura! Oh no! I'm going into her body!*

*I'm not supposed to still think! I don't want to be trapped in here!*

After that, everything became a mix of feeling and sensation. Anger hit her, and she felt a sudden urge for revenge. Underneath it all, though, her pain remained. Somehow, it all seemed to center around Inuyasha.

*Oh, great,* she thought miserably. *I'm feeling all her hatred for him, too. Kami, this is worse than hell.*

She felt a sudden jolt, like an alarm had gone off, and then calm again. *What was that?*

Kagome sighed—well, as much as a soul can sigh, anyway. She wished she didn't feel all these things she was feeling. Sadness, betrayal, a thirst for revenge…and hatred.

'Why do you still hate him so much, Kikyo?'

Much to her surprise, Kikyo answered. 'What does it matter to you? Why are you still here?'

'Kikyo?'

'You have brought a great sadness with you, girl. Is it because of him?'

'…Yes.'

'Let him go. He belongs to me now. I will take him to hell with me.'

'Kikyo, you shouldn't feel this way about him,' Kagome thought firmly. 'You have my soul now; you know I'm right. Naraku caused your death, not Inuyasha. If he had known—'

'But he didn't,' Kikyo interrupted. Kagome felt anger flare up, but it was laced with frustration and…denial?

'Kikyo, nothing that happened was his fault,' she insisted. 'Or yours. Only Naraku's.'

'But none of this will repair the damage done to my life,' Kikyo protested bitterly. 'Stop trying to make everything all right, foolish girl. Just let me live in peace!'

'I won't let you go on hating Inuyasha!'

'I'm surprised you don't hate him for what he's done to you.'

Pain again. 'Stop it. I don't want to hear it anymore.'

Kagome felt Kikyo practically smirk. 'Listen,' she said.

Kagome felt confused. For a moment, she felt Kikyo's heart speed up. Then, she thought she heard a deep voice, but it was fuzzy.

'I don't hear anything,' she started, when suddenly the voice, which she now recognized as Inuyasha's, became very clear.

"I…didn't…I couldn't stop seeing you. I knew it hurt her when she saw me go with you, but I couldn't stop doing it."

'He didn't care if it hurt me?' Kagome felt pain, but it began to change into something stronger. 'What am I feeling now?'

'Anger. Resentment,' Kikyo stated. 'You are feeling what I felt when I died. Those are the things that Inuyasha has cursed my soul with, and it was no different while you had it.'

'I don't like it,' Kagome declared. 'It doesn't feel right.'

Suddenly, the alarm went off again. 'What is that?'

'Wolf youkai.'

'Kouga?'

'Kagome, leave me alone! You agreed to die and allow Inuyasha and I to fulfill our destiny, did you not?'

'Kikyo, I won't let you hurt Kouga!'

'You have no choice! Leave!'

Kagome suddenly felt a great void open. 'What are you doing?'

'You don't belong here. This is my soul, and you will cease to exist!'

'Kikyo, no! I won't let you!'

There was no answer, and Kagome could feel that the priestess was distracted. Relief swept through her when she felt the void close. At the same time, surprise and frustration coursed through her.

It was agonizingly confusing to feel so many different things at once.

Then, much to her surprise, she felt physical pain. For a second, she heard someone's desperate cry.

"Kikyo!" It was Inuyasha again.

'Kikyo, don't you see? Inuyasha loves you. You know you can't hate like this anymore.'

'I will as long as it keeps me alive!'

'You are better than that. You were not meant to hate; don't send yourself to hell, when you don't belong there.'

'The wolf will die, and so will Inuyasha.'

Kagome was overcome by desperation. 'No!'

She pushed, although she wasn't exactly sure what it was she was pushing. All she knew was that she wouldn't stop until that horrible weight was gone.

'What are you doing?' Kikyo was angry. 'Stop, or you'll kill us both!'

'No.' There was a firm determination in her now. 'I won't let you hurt them. If you can't understand, then you don't deserve him.'

'You're just selfish, girl! You have no reason to live, remember?'

Kagome felt guilt cut through her, sharp and quick. *I have been selfish. What about Sango, Miroku, and Shippo? What about Mom and Grandpa, and Sota!?*

'Inuyasha will be happy, and that was what you wanted, was it not?'

The pain threatened to consume her again, and she felt her determination slip.

It was then that she heard another cry, much softer than Inuyasha's.

"Ka…Kago…me. Fight her…I know…you can."

She paused, holding her breath. 'Kouga?'

"I…love you…Kagome…."

'Kouga!'

'What is it, girl? Why do you feel so much pain over his suffering?'

'Leave him alone!'

'This anger is not mine, and neither is this confusion. Is it truly Inuyasha that you love?'

Kagome hesitated. 'Stop hurting people, Kikyo,' she said at last.

She pushed one last time, and felt something give way. The weight disappeared.

She felt Kikyo scream, and then she felt a strong pull. 'What's going on?'

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Suddenly, she found herself standing in a field. All around her, red and white flowers grew for miles. The sky was a strange shade of purple, and seemed endless. There was no breeze, and it was eerily quiet.

"Where am I?" Her voice sounded small and scared in the immense space.

"Would you forgive me?"

She whirled around and came face to face with Kikyo. She stumbled backward and almost lost her footing. "What?"

"If I asked you, would you be able to forgive me for the pain I have caused?" Her eyes shone, and her voice was soft.

Kagome suddenly smiled. "Of course, Kikyo. I know that what you felt before was because of Naraku. I—"

"You are admirable," Kikyo interrupted. Her eyes had softened. "Your soul was able to overcome the hatred that I had felt within me for so long. You have finally set me free."

She turned and began to walk away. "I am sorry, then, Kagome. For the trouble I've given you all."

"I hope you can find happiness, as your own person. With the right one." She cast a happy glance over her shoulder. "We are different, aren't we?"

Before Kagome could answer, she disappeared.

"Rest in peace, Kikyo," she whispered. She felt the strong pull again, and with a sigh, she let herself be taken away.

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Oh dear. I've done some stuff, and I've given myself more stuff to do. I don't know how this will ever end. Feedback is very appreciated!