I am so sorry. I'm back now. Please read and review.

xoxo

-vQ*

Inuyasha stood in shock and horror as Kagome reached her hand out and spoke as if she was his mother.

"We've done it, son. Your mother is here, as she was in spirit." InuNo spoke excitedly, his eyes glimmering with joy.

"But...what about Kagome?"

"Don't worry about her! Her spirit is mere energy. She was the missing link, the conduit that we needed to bring your mother's spirit back to this world along with her spiritual powers. Just as she was when she was alive."

Inuyasha was still skeptical. He noticed his mother's body off to the far side, the warm expression on her face, her body posed against boxes like a porcelain figurine. "W-well are you going to put her soul back into Mother's body? And let Kagome go?"

"Dear, may I take Inuyasha upstairs and speak with him for a moment?"

She nodded.

Inuyasha, seemingly distracted, kept looking back at Kagome...or his mother...or whomever she was, until they reached the top of the stairs. He and InuNo sat on the bed.

"Son, you have to understand that Kagome is gone now. Her spirit has become part of your mother. It has gone back to it's source. Which is your mother's soul."

"I don't understand." Inuyasha retorted in an obviously aggravated voice. "She talks like Kagome, looks like Kagome, but she's my mother?! I can't accept her like that! If you really want me to believe she's my mother, put her soul back in her body! Isn't that what you preserved it all this time for?"

"Inuyasha! Calm down! It took many years to bring Izayoi back. It will take me some time to put her spirit back into her body."

Inuyasha knew there was quite a bit of innacuracy in his words. He even knew what herbs were needed to send his mother's spirit back to her body. Inuyasha wanted to find out the truth, and he realized he was going to have to do it on his own.

If that was his mother, he wanted her back, just the way she was. If it was still Kagome, he wanted to break this cruel spell and send Kagome home, whatever it took.

It was time for Inuyasha to visit his old friends in a far off town.

Humans did not purposely come to Inuyasha's realm. All humans that wound up there would migrate to the village of lost souls, which was founded long before Inuyasha was born. That was where his father met his mother. He would visit there often, to see friends of his: A monk and a demon slayer.

After his awkward conversation with his father, he told him he was simply not ready to accept the situation and thought it would be best to let them have time alone while he went for a reflective walk.

Inuyasha traveled through the woods and past the wolf's den where he encountered his friend, Miroku the monk just outside the village entrance.

"Hello, Inuyasha!" He called out warmly.

"Yo!" He waved as he approached. "I need your help."

"Is this about your father's strange rituals again?"

He nodded, a grim expression on his face. "He believes he actually succeeded this time."

"What?!"

Inuyasha explained everything that happened since Kagome's arrival.

"Oh my...this is strange..."

"Yeah...I know. What should I do?"

"Try to transfer your mother's soul on your own."

"But what if she isn't my mother?"

"Then the process will fail." He said simply.

"Then what?!" Inuyasha asked impatiently.

"Why don't you try that first, Inuyasha? I will accompany you to get the herbs you need. You have enough on your hands carrying out the ritual behind your father's back. Not to mention your brother."

Inuyasha nodded in agreement. The thought made him uneasy and twice as nauseous. But he had to do it. At the end of the day, that was his mother. "I have to find out."

"Indeed. Reincarnation is possible, of course. But is it reincarnation? We need answers."

Inuyasha collected the herbs and made it home in time for dinner, where the woman who was supposedly his mother was waiting outside.

"I was waiting for you to come home."

He wasn't sure how to respond. "Well I'm here."

"Why can't you look at me, Inuyasha? Is it because I don't seem myself?"

"I don't exactly know if you are...yourself..."

"I know this is hard for you to absorb and-"

"I have an idea. Maybe if you just let me-"

"Oh, you two seem to be having a nice chat!" InuNo said as he came outside. "Why don't you come in for dinner?"

InuNo pulled Inuyasha to the side. "I don't want you upsetting or confusing her. She's still in a fragile state and her soul can be broken. Then we will lose her forever." He said sternly as he grabbed Inuyasha's arm tightly

Inuyasha nodded fearfully as his father forcefully pushed him into the house. "Don't upset your mother" He whispered as he sat him down at the table next to her.

The men waited for her to take a bite of her food. She made a displeased face as she glanced over at Inuyasha's plate.

"Dearest, please bring Inuyasha more asparagus. And please add a few dashes of salt. You know he likes his food seasoned."

InuNo got up and brought Inuyasha his seasoned asparagus.

She took her first bite and smiled pleasantly before everyone else continued eating.

"How is the food Inuyasha?" She asked him lovingly.

"It's...good." He said with frequent nods and fake grins. His father would always forget how he wanted his food. Only his mother would remember. And after all these years of trying to bring Izayoi back, maybe, just maybe...

"Inuyasha may I speak with you after dinner?"

Inuyasha looked at her and nodded. "Can we sit on the bench?"

"The one behind the house? I would be happy to."

Inuyasha still thought it was strange. He couldn't sense anything about her that reminded him of his mother. Was it because he was becoming attached to Kagome? Or maybe because Kagome was still alive in there fighting for her body back?

There were too many questions swirling around in his head and he needed answers immediately.

"Inuyasha? It's so windy. Wouldn't you rather go inside?" She asked, rubbing the goosebumps on her shoulders.

Inuyasha took off his hoodie and wrapped it around her. He wanted to stay outside because the bench behind the house was out of view and the wind made it difficult to hear their discussion. Nothing made it a more perfect opportunity.

"Is that better?"

She nodded.

"I have to be honest. When I look at you and talk to you, you're still Kagome. Just a little nicer and a lot less...terrified." He admitted shyly.

"You were fond of this girl weren't you?"

He nodded. "Is she...alive?"

"Well she's a part of me, if that's any consolation."

"No. Its just weird." He replied coldly.

"I'm sorry."

"Why can't you just go back to your own body and let Kagome have hers?"

"Without her life, I cant be here. Even the other girls that were sacrificed in the past-"

"Those were sacrifices?! I thought they committed suicide!"

"Well...once your father learned their soul and powers were not sufficient enough to bring me back on their own, he realized he needed help."

"Is this what he told you?"

"Yes."

"And you're okay with it?!"

She turned him towards her with a finger on his chin, then cupped his cheek. "Anything to be with you again."

Inuyasha melted as he looked in her eyes. But it wasn't his mother he was seeing. It was Kagome. He wanted to see her again as herself.

But what if she was actually his mother? Then this intimate moment was weird; and if his father found out he was emotionally attached to Kagome, he would slaughter him. He got too involved last time, but this time is far worse.

The thought alone was too intense for him. He looked away pointedly and gently moved her hand away.

He hated the fact that this ordeal made him more attached to Kagome. He felt sick to his stomach.

"I think I might know a way to get you back to your own body."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but I don't think father would approve."

"I think I might know a way to get him to sleep without disturbing us."

"You're going to use a spell?"

She shook her head. "I just have to ease his mind and get him to relax." She said as she stood and headed inside through the back door.

Inuyasha went around and sat on the porch when Sesshomaru appeared suddenly.

"What were you and Lady Izayoi talking about?"

"Aren't you a grown ass man? When are you gonna move out? And stay the fuck out of my business with my mother. She has nothing to do with you." He said rudely as he brushed past him and went into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Inuyasha went into his drawer and took out a ribbon he had stolen from Kagome while she was unconscious in the well. He tied it around his wrist and sighed sadly. He wasn't sure why he took the ribbon. But it smelled so nice that he couldn't help himself.

All he could wonder was what sort of plan she had in mind to ease his father's mind. He would have done anything for this nightmare to finally be over.