A/N: Ok, I'm finally posting chapter twenty-three. And, I just have to say one thing. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I finally was able to reach 300 reviews! You guys are the best, especially Ever Rin! Lots of chocolate for you, girl! I really do want to thank you all, though. I suppose you wouldn't be too upset if I started asking for 400. Anyway, I am starting school again. I'm in high school, but I'm taking college level courses, so I may not always have time to update because of all the work I have to do.

InuYasha's eyes peeked open. He was suddenly overcome with a strong feeling of drowsiness. His head was pounding, and his body felt numb. What had happened? He was just with Kagome, and now he seemed to be back in his own world; veracity had struck him. His silver hair hung over his shoulders as he knelt down, dampened in his own sweat, his breathing ragged. He couldn't help but wonder how his transition between reality and utter rapture had occurred. One thing, however, was evident; Kagome was alive, and there was still an ounce of hope that he could save her. InuYasha suddenly jerked his head up, with a resolute look about him, his eyes pooling with determination. There was no question. He would save her. His eyes darted toward Kikyo, who was standing directly in front of him, wearing a look of amusement on her face.

"I take it you still don't understand," she said softly. "Something so blatantly conspicuous, yet you are so ignorant as to be unable to see it. Tell me, do you wish to get Kagome back?" Her words at this point were barely audible as she sunk down in front of him.

He narrowed his eyes. What was she trying to pull? Giving in, he finally said, "Of course."

Kikyo's pale hand reached toward his face, lightly tracing its outline with her fingers. "You've longed for her for so long, and still you don't see it." She laughed softly. "Though I might have tried, fate would not allow me to separate you from one another."

InuYasha turned his face away from her light caresses. "What the hell are you on about?" he demanded. "You succeeded! Kagome's not here!" He could feel the burning rage inside him begin to grow. He felt as if he were on fire, an ember that could not be extinguished.

Kikyo observed him carefully. Though it was scarce, she could still feel his demonic aura rising. "You're wrong, InuYasha," she told him, seeming unnerved by his inexplicable change. "She is still with you. I was merely able to create the illusion of severance. You believe she is gone because she is not visibly present. That was the intention of my spell."

InuYasha was in a state of ambiguity. He was fighting against his own conscience. He couldn't find it in himself to gain control over his emotions. He felt a need, a lust, to slaughter her right then and there. His palms shook vigorously as he tried to overcome it. He watched in horror as his claws began to extend past their normal length. All that was left of his self control, in that instant, vanished. He was now left with a since of power and dominance, all coherent thoughts became casualties during his internal battle. Just as his hand ascended into the air, preparing to fulfill his desire, he paused.

InuYasha suddenly pulled his hand back to stare at it. Blood was pooling from it, dripping far down his arm, threatening to flow past his elbow. By instinct, he moved his face closer sniffing the blood. He jerked away in surprise, for it was not his own. It was, in fact, Kagome's. A new feeling began to invoke itself in him; fear. How was it that her blood now was covering both his arms? He glanced back and forth between the two of them, mortified. InuYasha began to regain his senses as he watched the blood trickle further across his arms. There was an abrupt pulse throughout his body. His hands quickly moved to his chest. It was burning, as if someone had lit his heart on fire.

Kikyo stood up, backing away from him, her soul stealers swarming around her. "She keeps your soul," she said, catching him in a fierce gaze. "She is the one who has kept you dormant. I will leave you now, InuYasha." She turned from him, making her way out of the clearing and into the lush forest that had surrounded them.

Still clutching his chest, InuYasha collapsed onto the ground, letting sleep take him.

(000000000000000)

"I think he's dead."

"No he isn't, stupid! He's still breathing!"

InuYasha slowly opened his eyes, meeting the curious gazes of his two children.

"Daddy! You're alive!" Kyo squealed gleefully, wasting no time latch himself onto his father. "How come you're all red," he asked, noticing InuYasha's bloody arms. "Are you ok?"

InuYasha attempted a warm smile. "Yeah, I'm fine, kid. You don't have to worry about it. Nothin' could ever hurt your dad, remember?" He hated lying to his children, but did not want to expose them to the harsh reality of the world, not yet.

"See Kyo, I told you he was ok," Kiana said snobbishly, sticking her tongue out at her brother. "You're just too young to understand."

Kyo raised an eyebrow. "What are talking about? Aren't you forgetting that I'm a minute older than you?" He moved away from his father, crossing his arms, feeling rather proud of himself for remembering.

InuYasha sighed, eyeing his surroundings, realizing that he was now back in the safety of Miroku and Sango's hut. How had he gotten there? The last thing he remembered was blacking out after Kikyo had left. He turned toward the door, seeing his two friends enter their home.

"InuYasha, you're awake," Sango said, feeling relieved.

InuYasha managed to pull himself to his normal cross-legged position, still weakened by the sensations he had felt earlier. "I need to talk to you and Miroku about something," he said. "It's really important." He moved to face Kyo and Kiana. "Why don't you two go outside and play for a while," he suggested. "Just be careful, ok?"

The twins nodded, hurriedly heading out the door, pushing past Sango.

Sango stepped the rest of the way inside, joining InuYasha on the floor. Not too long after, Miroku entered the hut.

"Well, look who's up," he stated. "I was beginning to wonder if I brought you back here for nothing."

"It was you?" InuYasha looked somewhat surprised.

"Yes, I was tracking a strong demonic aura that I had sensed in the forest," Miroku explained. "It just kept growing. I was uncertain if was Naraku or not, but then it just disappeared. That's when I came across you."

InuYasha sat in silence for a moment. "I see," he said finally.

Sango was staring at him in bewilderment.

"What?" he demanded.

Sango shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I just noticed your arms. What happened to them?"

Miroku nodded, staring at InuYasha with the same curiosity as Sango.

InuYasha proceeded to tell them everything that had happened between Kikyo and himself, putting special emphasis on his transformation. However, he made it a point to leave out his encounter with Kagome, not wanting to be accused of insanity, for even he questioned its realism.

"I don't understand, though," Sango said as he finished. "How did Kagome's blood end up on your hands? Your transformation couldn't have caused that."

InuYasha let out a nonchalant sigh. "It's something that had to happen," he told the two. "It's part of-" He paused, staring at them intensely. "-getting Kagome back."

"How is this supposed to help, though?" Miroku asked dubiously.

InuYasha thought for a moment.

Do you see it now?

She is still with you. I was merely able to create the illusion of severance.

I'm here. Don't forget.

He was suddenly dawned with an abrupt realization. "I know where Kagome is!"

A/N: HA! I'm so evil; therefore, I shall stop it here! I'm sorry it wasn't as long as I hoped it would be. It's just one of those things where, you know what you want to say, but you can't put it into words. That's one of the reasons it took so long to update. I'll try and get to it sooner this time. I'm so excited! It's almost my fifteenth birthday! –Hopes to fall down a well and somehow end up with InuYasha and company- Well, I'll write more as soon as I can. I know you all are dying to know where Kagome is. Please review! Go on, click the little button, you know you want to.