A/N: Almost all the repairs in in my house finished (yaay, I have my door back!), so I decided to celebrate this by posting this little thing that had been waiting for quite a while to be written.
Hope you like it!

Like Her

The camp was well-hidden, but she found it. Actually, she found it by an accident, stumbled upon a small clearing in the forest, near a lake. Her pale eyes looked around and spied the lake reflecting sunlight not far away. She could see the group playing on the shore.

After a minute of watching them run around, roll in the sweet-smelling summer grass and laughing she realized it was the first time she saw them act like this, be so worry-free, so relaxed. Her eyes were following the flowing black and purple of the monk's robe when he ran after the kitsune, followed closely by the slayer. She realized that a monk a slayer running after a youkai usually meant the latter would die, Here - the worst that could come to the fox was tickling. Suddenly a new couple joined the image and the woman standing in the camp hidden on a hillside felt a memory of pain in her chest.

The girl was walking backwards, her both hands gripping the boy's wrist as she practically dragged him to the rest. He seemed hesitant, but didn't try to get free. Actually, he seemed to like that the girl was so adamant about including him in the group's game. The kitsune jumped on his head and soon after the boy joined the couple running after the kid around the laughing girl.

She sighed and smiled softly, melancholy in her eyes. He had never been laughing like now around her. He had never showed her this boyish, playful side of his nature. He had never had other people laughing with him when she had been alive.

Her reincarnation granted him this freedom and acceptance - something she bad never given him. As much as she didn't like her reincarnation and felt envy for all she had and had done with and for Inuyasha, she could see easily that the girl in strange robes was healing him, was making him grow stronger and more mature without actually trying. She was replacing her in his heart and there was nothing she could do about it. She was still unsure if she wanted to do something about it.

The girl was so much like her - seemingly fragile, but strong willed, fair and smart, generous and kind, selfless and gentle. She was pure, her heart open for anyone who was in need. And yet... There were differences. Some were easy to pick, like the color of her eyes or the warmer voice, some were showing in her actions and opinions. She didn't discriminate anyone, for her a youkai or a hanyou was just as much a person as a human. She was free of hate, of distrust, of bitterness. She wasn't bound by her training, she was free to be herself and clearly didn't care about the world's opinions.

The woman turned her eyes away from the playing group and looked at their camp. It was not big, but arranged to be comfortable for everyone. Their beddings were ready, wood for the fire needed just a spark, a pile of more wood was waiting nearby. Pots and bowls were prepared as well. This was a camp of a group of travelers who were used to spending nights in the woods. All things they wouldn't use were stored away in bags which were piled in one corner of the camp. She even spotted a line with washed clothes hanging where they could dry and not prevent movement around the glade. She saw various pieces of clothing, but one in particular caught her attention.

A cool hand reached out and pulled from the line a white blouse. It had been patched up in a few spots, but was clean and smelled of flowers. She looked at the strange kimono, which always intrigued her. Slowly she drew the fabric against her chest, looking down at the garment. There was a short green piece of clothing to go with it, but she didn't find it on the line. While the kimono looked a bit similar to the clothing she was used to, the green robe was totally foreign. It was showing so much skin! She imagined herself wearing such an outfit and found herself blushing.

'Would he like me in such a robe...? Would he see her in me if I wore it?'

She hung the garment back on the line, shaking her head at her foolish thought. 'He would probably think I'm insane. Dressing up like her... Would it be admitting that I sometimes wish I was more like her?'

Her eyes found her reincarnation, running here and there near the lake with her friends. Not for the first time she thought that even if she was the 'first' Kagome was the 'present' incarnation of their soul. No matter how many times she said otherwise - it was Kagome who was the rightful owner of the bit of soul hidden within her clay body. She felt guilty for holding onto it, but she was honor-bound, she had a duty to perform before letting go of the souls within herself.

And, no matter how sad it was to her to think that, her duty wasn't to heal Inuyasha's heart. Not anymore.