Sessomaru had watched in silence as the girl was wounded and taken into Kaede's hut. He placed a hand on Tenseiga and knew this was the soul of Inuyasha's wench in a different body.

"So..." he murmured to himself. "You have returned, and have taken my chance to kill Inuyasha. You will pay for that... I shall see to it."

Nobody noticed when the demon turned and left silently.

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Kagome opened her eyes and saw Inuyasha's concerned face peering down at her. Relief made itself obvious on his face when he saw she was awake.

"Inuyasha..." Suddenly she threw her arms around him and began sobbing.

"Kagome...are you all right?" Inuyasha murmured into her hair.

"Yes... I think so... Oh, Inuyasha..." She clasped her hands into his hair, clutching at him as if she were trying to protect herself.

"Then WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?!" Inuyasha yelled so loudly Kagome swore everyone in the entire village had heard it.

"Wha..." She drew away from him, confused.

"Why'd you let him kill you?" Inuyasha cried, referring to Naraku.

Kagome's face held a look of disbelief. "What, you think I just stood there and let him shove his hand through me?!" she yelled. "Is this the way you tell me you missed me because you're desperately in love with me and you were in such pain when I died that you planned on yelling at me if you ever saw me again?!"

"Actually, yes," Miroku said, popping his face into the hut. "Only he wasn't plotting to yell at you, he was going to give his life for you."

Inuyasha shoved the monk out.

"Inuyasha...is that true?" Kagome asked softly. "Is that what Sessomaru wanted in exchange for restoring me?"

Inuyasha stared determinedly at the floor.

"Inuyasha, are you going to avoid it forever?" Kagome asked, exasperated.

"Avoid what?"

"Telling me how you feel," Kagome said quietly. "I know you feel something."

"Yeah, I feel something," Inuyasha retorted. "I feel sore leftover from the excruciating pain I went through today seeing you die. I feel confused about how you got in Kikyo's body. I feel incredibly relived you're back-"

"Incredibly relieved?" Kagome shot. "RELIEVED? Like you'd just found a pet you were taking care of?"

"I feel extremely awkward," Inuyasha continued, "so if you'll excuse me..." He rose, turned and left.

Kagome's face was red. "Relieved, my ass," she said to herself angrily.

Sango's worried face peeped into the hut. "Kagome!" she cried happily, and dashed into Kagome's arms in a tight friendly hug.

"I was so worried!" Sango said, biting her lip to try to prevent tears from spilling over.

Kagome was filled with sympathy for her friend. "I'm so sorry," she said.

"It – it's just..." Sango averted her eyes suddenly.

"What?" Kagome asked, taking her friend's hand in her own.

"It's strange seeing you in Kikyo's body..." Sango's voice trailed off.

Kagome looked down at her hand that held Sango's. No. Not her hand. Kikyo's hand. She released her grasp and looked down at herself. It was all Kikyo. She stood and looked at her chest. A pale, writhing scar separated her the skin. Sango saw what she was looking at and turned white.

"Kagome...I'm so sorry..."

"It's all right," Kagome said, her back to Sango now. "I'll need a new shirt though..."

As if on cue, Kaede entered, holding a shirt identical to Kikyo's. "I thought these might come in handy." She gently removed Kagome's shirt and put the new one on. "And how are you feeling?"

"Confused. I'm in a different body; what did you expect?" Kagome's tone was bitter. As she looked at Kaede, a flash of tenderness and anger mixed together passed through her; but the emotion was gone as soon as it had come.

Kaede looked up into her lost sister's face. "Aye, 'tis hard for me to look at ye and know ye be Kagome. But the resemblance was so clear it's not as hard as it could be."

"Kaede... Will I be stuck in this body forever?"

"I know not."

Sango stood. "Kagome..."

Kagome turned to look into her friend's guilty eyes.

"I feel horrible, knowing you'll have to live with a scar I inflicted upon you," she muttered. "If there's anything you want or need... I feel it's my duty..."

"Sango, I told you already, I'm not angry. You didn't know it was me."

"I nearly killed you, Kagome. I won't be okay with that until I know I've repaid what I did." With that, Sango turned and exited the hut.

Suddenly Kagome fell to the ground. Kaede cried out, then Kagome's eyes opened. Kaede was frightened by the hatred in them.

"Sister," she said, standing, "I must go tend to something..."

She left, and Kaede stared after her in confusion.

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Sango strode outside, guilt laying heavily on her conscience. Miroku lay a hand on her shoulder gravely.

"The body is gone," he told her.

Sango stared. "What?"

"Kagome's body disappeared while no one was looking."

Sango shook her head in amazement. "This whole day has been so strange..."

"I agree fully," Miroku said.

His hand left her shoulder and began to find its way down...

"GET AWAY!" Sango screamed, slapping Miroku.

Shippo sighed. "Somehow I'm not relieved they're back to normal..."

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Inuyasha sat on the edge of a small cliff not too far from Kaede's hut. His golden eyes stared straight ahead into the returning sunset. Peach, red, purple and blue streaked the cloudy sky. Inuyasha's white hair was swept behind him by the breeze. He sighed and lowered his chin. Mixed feelings ran around his head. In one day, he'd seen Kagome die, come back in Kikyo's body, nearly die again, and then he had yelled at her.

Why did I do that? he asked himself. He'd never fully understood his attitude toward Kagome. The subject of love appeared in his thoughts, but he wasn't in the mood. Grumpiness overtook him.

"Inuyasha..."

Startled, he cried, "Kikyo?" Then he stood, turning, and saw the beautiful form of Kikyo...but he remembered again that it was Kagome.

"Yes, it's me," she said softly.

"Kagome, what are you doing up here?"

She tilted her head coyly, looking at him from under thick, dark lashes. "Forget Kagome... I'm me, Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, peering at the person he thought to be Kagome.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked suspiciously.

"Perfect," she said. "I'm Kikyo."

Inuyasha drew back. "Um... Kagome, if this is a joke, it's not funny..." And yet, as he looked into her eyes, he noticed a different edge in them. No longer did they hold the kind look Kagome always carried, but now they were mild and harsh at the same time. Inuyasha recognized that...

"Kikyo!" he breathed. "Wha-how-I thought Kagome had your body!"

Kikyo brushed up against Inuyasha and grasped his hand. Her brown eyes met his.

"Why ever did you think that?" she asked softly. For a brief moment, her eyes held kindness and she looked panicked, but it was gone as soon as it had come.

"Kikyo... I have to tell you something..."

"What?" Kikyo said gently.

"I don't love you any more."

Kikyo gasped. "Inuyasha, this is no time to play with my feelings!"

"I'm not playing. I love Kagome."

Kikyo's eyes seethed with inhuman anger. "Let's see you not love this!" she hissed, and in a fluid movement, took his head in her hands and kissed him.

Inuyasha's mind raced while his lips were touching his previous love's. No! I can't do this!

Suddenly Kikyo's eyes snapped open, and Inuyasha saw a familiar kindness.

The girl shoved Inuyasha away from her in shock and backed up several paces.

"I-Inuyasha—" she sputtered. "Wha-"

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously.

"Who else?" she asked. "What, did you not know who you were kissing? Why were you kissing me anyway? How'd I get up here?"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped. "You don't remember anything?"

"I remember being in Kaede's hut right after Sango left. Then I was here, and you—" A mixture of disgust and pleasure assembled themselves on her face, looking very strange.

"But...Kikyo..."

"I thought you knew by now who I was!" Kagome shouted.

"I do! How could I not!" Inuyasha shouted back. "Just listen for a minute!"

Kagome crossed her arms angrily. "Fine."

"I was just sitting here, and you – I mean, Kikyo – or whatever – came up here and kissed me! I didn't kiss anyone!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh, right. So I can freely change between myself and Kikyo? What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Inuyasha bellowed. "I—"

Then Kagome's expression changed to confusion and panic. "Oh my..." she said in a small voice.

"What?"

Kagome looked utterly lost. "I-I remember something," she said. "Only, it's all strange... Like I never did it... But it's a memory sort of thing... I remember coming up here and talking to you...and kissing you! But it wasn't me, it was someone else..."

"Stop blabbering," Inuyasha ordered.

Kagome shut up.

"I think something very strange is going on here," Inuyasha concluded.

"Well, duh," Kagome said, rolling her eyes.

"I also think," Inuyasha continued, ignoring her comment, "that Kikyo is still in your body."

"Okay, that was just freaky," Kagome said after a moment. "I thought you just said Kikyo was still in my body."

"I think so," Inuyasha said.

"No way! I can't have some creepy girl who I was reincarnated from sharing my body! That's worse than room-mates!" She froze for a moment, color draining from her face.

"What? What is it?"

She swallowed. "I just felt a shiver of dislike after I called her 'creepy'. I think she's listening..."

"And watching, no doubt," Inuyasha said. He walked over to Kagome and looked into her eyes. Then he pulled on the sides on his eyes and stuck his tongue out.

"Would you stop that?" Kagome yelled, pulling on his hair.

"OW!" he yelped. "Watch it!"

She shoved her face into his and cried, "Would you please be serious!"

"I...I..." He cut off, realizing how close their faces were.

She glared at him, then she too realized the situation. She lowered her gaze for a moment, then returned it. Her eyes searched his, hunting for an emotion.

He smiled.

She lowered her eyebrows, silently asking him what he meant. He moved his head a bit forward, and their lips were so close she could feel his breath.

Her eyes widened. "Inuyasha..." Her skin tingled.

He took her hand in his own. She looked down at the clasped hands. The warmth of his hand cradling hers was comforting, and she returned her gaze to Inuyasha's deep eyes.

Their lips touched for just a split second, and suddenly it triggered a blast of anger in Kagome. She felt herself grow smaller inside her own body, and her vision grew cloudy. She fought against the strange feeling, and her consciousness stopped shrinking. She wasn't gone, but she no longer had control over the body – Kikyo had taken over.

"Kiss me again, Inuyasha," Kagome found her – no, Kikyo's – body saying. Kagome could only watch as Kikyo tried to trick the hanyou.

Inuyasha stepped back, glaring. "Kikyo! I know it's you, now leave Kagome alone!"

Kikyo laughed softly. "Oh, my dear Inuyasha, you forget this is my body. Kagome is merely staying here for a visit. Soon she will not exist. Believe me, as soon as I figure out how, I will claim control over my body again and Kagome will die."

"Kagome's survived through many things, and she'll survive whatever you put by her!" Inuyasha shouted.

"She only survived Naraku's attack because she was a reincarnation, and her soul flew to the most familiar body. She survived Sango's boomerang because the Shikon Jewel shielded her."

"How do you know about that? And what are you talking about? The Shikon Jewel isn't even complete!"

"I share a body with her, remember? I now know everything she does. I have shielded my mind from her however, and she knows nothing of shielding. The Shikon Jewel is whole again. Kagome's death summoned all the shards into her – my – body."

Inuyasha blinked several times.

Kikyo approached him and caressed his ear carelessly. "Now, you dog... I believe we have some things to work out..."

Kagome screamed from inside, feeling in her own hand a hidden knife. Inuyasha! Look out!

"Inuyasha! Look out!" Kikyo cried, then narrowed her eyes in anger and surprise, and swung the knife at Inuyasha's heart.

Inuyasha knew something was up and saw the knife as it came close. He caught Kikyo's hand and chided her, "Now Kikyo, can't we talk this out?"

"We've had this conversation before," Kikyo said from between clenched teeth. She struggled against the hanyou's grip.

"Look, sorry if you don't like that I like Kagome..."

At that, Kagome fought her hardest against the force that kept her from controlling the body. She pushed against it with all her strength, and suddenly she burst through. She now had control, and collapsed in Inuyasha's arms.

"Hey, Kagome," Inuyasha said, lifting her head.

"How can you tell when it's me?" she asked.

"I don't know, I just can," he shrugged. "So, let me tell you what happened this time. Kikyo took over and—"

"I know," Kagome murmured. "I heard and saw everything this time... I heard you say you liked me."

Inuyasha stared, then gathered his senses and said haughtily, "Well, I just said that to make her get away."

Kagome looked down. "Inuyasha, are you always going to act like this?"

Inuyasha sighed in exasperation. "Look, there's nothing to act about. Just because you've got a crush on me doesn't mean I like you back."

"A crush?!" Kagome yelled. "Is that what you think?! You nearly kissed me, you dummy!"

"I'm sorry, did I get your hopes up?" Inuyasha asked, suddenly sweeping her up in his arms. Their noses touched.

Kagome's heart was beating so fast she swore it would run off and leave her behind.

Inuyasha glared at her. "You want me to kiss you?"

"Do you want to kiss me?"

Inuyasha froze. "Um..."

Kagome closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them they were filled with pain. "I can't believe you." She shoved him away and turned her back to him. "I just don't get you. We've been together for so long, you shouldn't – you can't – I don't get it."

"Kagome, geez, sorry if I hurt your feelings—"

She turned on him angrily. "Hurt my feelings? Inuyasha, I love you!"

Inuyasha's jaw dropped, and he stood motionless for what seemed an eternity to the embarrassed Kagome.

"Kagome –"

"Just leave me alone." She left him to ponder his actions.

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Deep in the forest, thickly surrounded by trees, a young man sniffed the air. A grin curled his lips, revealing fangs. His bright eyes flicked briefly around, then he pulled from a sheath hanging from his belt a jagged sword that seemed to glow with an unearthly light. He closed his eyes, focusing, then took off in a certain direction.

I have found her...

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Kagome had fled into the forest to seek solitude, and she was attracted to a certain area where the brush had been quite recently cleared out of a small circle, enough room to sit in. Then Kagome realized this was the spot she had awaken to – in Kikyo's body. She shivered, though there was no breeze.

A rustling caught her attention. She cast a look around, and saw –

A young man, standing quite confidently against a tree.

"Greeting, lady," he said, brushing his dark hair away from his face.

Kagome found herself thinking what an attractive young lad he was, but shook her head to clear her thoughts. "Who are you?"

"My name is Hojo. I believe you knew my other form."

Shocked, Kagome stood still for a moment. "H-H-Hojo?"

"Yes. I'm afraid you caught me before in my weak body, as a schoolboy. But no longer."

"W-What happened to you?"

The figure stepped closer. "I gained power."

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A/N: I am SO sorry it took me so freakin' long to post this. It's been ready for about a week or two, but I forgot about it and I've been overwhelmed with homework... Okay, you know what to do! Reviews extremely appreciated. -