Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:

Ever drifting down the stream
Lingering in the golden gleam
Life, what is it but a dream?

Kagome heard the door slam behind her like a distant clap of thunder as she rushed down the sidewalk. The sepia color of the world fading returning it to normal, people appearing around her but they might as well have remained invisible because Kagome paid no heed to them. Hojo looked up as she rushed past him and blinked in surprise.

"Kagome!"

She glanced back. "Sorry Hojo! I have to bail again! Sorry!" But still didn't bother to stop during any of this apology.

Inuyasha.

Did you remember anything?

Am I too late?

Will I be able to get through?

She closed her eyes against the impossible wishes and focused on the spark of hope inside her, feeding the tiny flame with images and her returned memories of Inuyasha. Kagome turned the corner and thundered up the stairs towards the shrine. Her mother was at the top smiling.

"Kagome." Her mom halted her.

Kagome shook her head. "Mom! I can't-"

"Here." Her mother held out something to her, it was a tiny jar with three glitter jewel fragments in it.

Kagome gasped in surprise. "Mom, how did you-"

"Hurry up now." Her mom injected. "I packed your books and some food." She said handing Kagome a pack.

Kagome paused to hug her mother, eyes filling with grateful tears. "Thanks mom." Then turned towards the shrine, thundering up the stairs and slid open the door, walking slowly over to the wall. She laid her hands on the rim of the stone thing. Would it work?

She took a breath, braced herself then climbed up on the rim of the well and balanced there for a long while staring down into the uncertain darkness below her. Kikyou's voice whispered from the shadows below her.

'People would often only see two choices. Love or Life. Two paths that go in completely opposite directions. But there is away to see the unmarked path between, hidden beneath fallen leaves and rampant grown grass. A path that is a sweet parody of both love and life. A sweet parody.'

And Kagome took a breath and jumped. She hit the bottom of the well and her eyes widened then she closed them against the sound of her heart breaking. Too late. She was too late.

'The path that is the one right for us is often the hardest to find. And so we must search again and again and again with no more then faith as out light. Get up.'

Kagome finger curled around the dirt at the bottom of the well and she lifted her head and nodded to the bodiless voice. "Again." And climbed that ladder to the top of the well again. She climbed up on the edge again and stood a moment then jumped...and struck no more then the wells bottom.

'Again.'

Kagome nodded in agreement. "Again."

And she climbed back up a third time and without hesitation she jumped. And her fall slowed as violet light erupted around her She sent a silent prayer of thanks and elation as she fell and then the fall slowed and she touched down on the other side of the well. She reached out a shaky hand to touch the old vines that grew along the walls of the well, glancing down at the demon bones beneath her feet and scrubbed away-relieved tears before climbing up out of the well.

Kagome tossed her bag over the edge of the well first before pulling herself out as well and stood, glancing around. It was silent. Everything was. A soft wind blew across the area, swaying the grass and trees both.

Kagome curled her hand around the jar containing the jewel shards and prayed. And then, as if in answer, there was the sound of rustling not caused by the wind and Inuyasha leapt out of the forest, scanning the field and then his eyes fell on her near the well. His mouth screw up into the surly look she knew so well and he landed near her.

"Took you long enough to get back here. Geez. I don't see what takes you so long with these test things." He said irritably.

Tests? What was he talking about? "Inuyasha...you...you remember me?"

His expression turned to one of confusion. "Did you bump your head or somethin'?"

A sob escaped her before she could stop it and she flung herself forward against his chest. "Inuyasha!"

He lifted his hands to catch her in surprise and she raised herself up on her tiptoes to lay her mouth to his. He stiffened with shock and then relaxed, returning her kiss softly. Something inside her fluttered and a thick fog drifted across her mind softly so she lost all coherent thought until they pulled back slowly and blinked at each other.

And then...Kagome screamed. "Ah! Pervert!" Whapping him over the head.

"Ow! What the hell was that for!?"

"You can't just grab me without permission!"

"Wha! You kissed me!"

Kagome blinked. "I...did?" She couldn't remember kissing him. She'd come through the well after finishing her test at school and she'd climbed out and then...next thing she knew she was in Inuyasha's arms. "I don't think I did."

"I think you're crazy! Running around kissing people then forgetting about it."

"Crazy!" She growled, glaring at him then snapped. "Sit boy!"

"Ack!" He grunted as he hit the ground with a hallow thud, leaving a smoking imprint of himself in the ground.

"I'm going home!" Kagome shouted at him then turned and jumped back through the well.

"Wait a second! I'm not done with you!" Inuyasha jumped up. "Get back here! Kagome!" And he followed her as he always would.

And from beyond the veil of twilight, from in the depths of the sacred jewel, from the peaceful shade of death the pair's audience chuckled...and remembered.

Life, what is it but a dream?