Autumn Leaves

A/N I don't own any of the inuyasha characters or the song sigh

Wind blew hitting the window hard with leaves and bits of twigs. The weather was changing. It was autumn, and winter was on it's way.

Kagome opened her window on the top floor of her family's shrine. She breathed in the scent of the air. She loved this time of the year, the smell of the decaying leaves, and wind… it reminded her of the forest… the forest that had been such a big part of her life three years ago.

She decided to have a break from her work and sat down on her window seat looking at their garden and the leaves playing about on the wind. She was thoroughly cleaning out her room and packing. All her hard work and studying had paid off and she got accepted at university in Europe. So she was packing and leaving her family home to go abroad and study for the next five years.

She looked down at the famous Goshimboku that had been in her family shrine for ages. It was loosing it's leaves but still stood up with pride after all those years. Her eyes moved along to the well house just behind it and she sighed. She couldn't help it… her eyes clouded with memories. It had been three years… three years since their defeat of Naraku and the reuniting of the jewel of four souls. Three years since she returned to her time, the well closing down and her unable to get back to the feudal era. Three years since she had last seen her friends… and him. She had given him the jewel like she said she would.

Her last day in the feudal era returned to her like it had been only just the day before… and the pain… the pain she had felt leaving them crept back like a shadow.

Their quest had been a long a dreary one but they had made it. She had grown very attached to the people she had gotten to know over the years. They were like a second family to her… poor Shippo had cried his eyes out, almost breaking her heart, when he realized he was loosing his adoptive mother… but the worst came when she thought of him.

'Inyuasha' she whispered… the name brought a fresh ache to her heart. She had loved him… and the day finally came when she found out that he reciprocated her feelings. Pity it had been a bit late…the last day she was saying her farewells… he hugged her close, and whispered in her ear how much he loved her. Then he kissed her for the second and last time. They both knew it would never work. A hanyou from the feudal era could never fit in the 21st century, and she couldn't leave her family and dreams behind her and stay in the past. Not that he had asked her to, but she had wondered oh so many times. With tears fogging her eyes she had hugged him one last time, handed him the jewel and disappeared down the well before she had second thoughts.

She had cried for weeks in her room. Months passed before she was ready to get on with her life. He never came back for her. Months rolled on… she was immersed in her studies and tried her best not to think about her time in the feudal era… but days came, such as this when memories came back to haunt her, even in her sleep. When autumn came, the smell of the trees, and leaves was always too much… it was autumn when she left… and she could still smell the trees in the clearing near the well.

The wind blew harder, clouds where gathering up in the sky. It was going to rain, and rain hard that evening. She picked up a red leaf from hair and smelt it. She turned it over in her fingers and a song she loved came to her mind. Her soft voice filled the room as she started to sing

The falling leaves

Drift by my window

The autumn leaves

Of red and gold

As if on cue, the wind picked up more leaves and soon her room was filled with golden leaves dancing on her floor. Her long hair flew behind her and her eyes grew cold with unshed tears.

I see your lips

Your summer kisses

The sun burnt her hands

I used to hold

Memories of Inuyasha came flooding back, all their adventure, all their journey, the time they shared, fighting, laughing. The touch of his hand, his warm embraces. His rare smiles…

Since you went away

The days grow long

And soon I'll hear

A winter's song

But I miss you most of all

My darling

When autumn leaves

Start to fall.

Tears streamed down her small face in torrents. She turned and resumed her work in the room hoping to forget. Going abroad would do her good, there were lots of things she wanted to see. And maybe getting away from the well house and Goshimboku would stop the pain she felt each time she passed them on her way in and out of the shrine.

She pottered in her room, packed and cleaned, until she was thoroughly satisfied with her work. Her mother called her from downstairs. Dinner was ready. A shadow in her full length mirror caught her eye and she walked over to it to give it one last polish. Reflected in it she saw her window. On its ledge she could make out a figure with long hair and puppy ears.

'No it can't be' she thought as she turned around and stared at her empty window. Tears trickled uncontrollably down her face. She sat on her bed weeping.

"Why? … Why do you keep haunting me?" she asked. She picked up a new scent in the wind... sandalwood mixed with cedarwood and dew.

She sat up and ran to her window but never got there. She stopped dead in her track when she saw him. He had grown visibly older, his face more rugged, a mature expression in his gaze. Even his beautiful silver white hair had grown much longer. His golden eyes bore into hers, and words stuck in her throat like a lump.

He jumped from the window sill and crushed her in his arms. Kagome froze. Then she hit him in the chest with her fists.

"NO… no…" she screamed "You're not real… you can't be real… you're just a dream… like the ones I have over and over again. Go away! Leave me alone!" she cried hitting him as hard as she could.

He caught her hands and forced her in his arms once more, trying to calm her down.

"Kgaome" he said hoarsely "I'm not a dream…I'm right here. I… I wanted to see you one last time before you leave" he whispered.

Kagome pushed him away with all her might.

"How… how do you know I'm leaving?"asked Kagome aghast. Realization hit her and she frowned angrily "It was you!" she screamed "All those times… it was no dream… it was really you came and stood by my side or on the window."

Inuyasha hung his head "Yes" he replied simply "When you left, three years ago, everyone missed you like crazy, it took us ages to calm little Shippo, you were like a mother to him. I… I… just had to come and see you… just to know you're ok." He looked in her eyes and answered her unasked question "Kami knows how much I wanted to take you back with me, or hold you, talk to you, but I didn't want to disrupt your life again. I have nothing to offer, I couldn't ask you to give up everything and come back to us." He explained in a low voice.

Kagome walked over to him slowly, and tentatively held out her hand and touched his face. Her fingers traveled down his cheek, over the prayer beads the still hung around his neck, and over his shoulders, down his arms. Tears streamed down her face once more when she ascertained he was in fact real and standing before her. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his chest. Inuyasha hugged her back and let her cry her eyes out in his arms.

When she had calmed down they sat down on her bed and she asked Inuyasha to tell her what had happened over the past three years in the feudal era. Kaede was still taking care of her village, Miroku and Sango had gotten engaged and were getting married in a week. He had adopted Shippo and they lived in a small hut he had built at the edge of the forest near the edge of the river in Kaede's village which had begun to feel like home since their quest. Sesshomaru and him had finally got over their differences and now acted civilly if not like brothers.

The evening wore on… it had already started to rain. Inyuasha took Kagome's hand and asked "What shall we do now Kagome?"

Kagome looked at her luggage all packed at the end of her room. "Well I'm all packed and ready to go Inuyasha" she said.

Inuyasha's eyes clouded and he stood up "Here take this" he said handing her the jewel of four souls. "I never made my wish… I'd like you to keep it" he said placing it around her neck. He turned to leave but Kagome held on to his hand.

"Take me home Inuyasha" she whispered.

Inuyasha's eyes widened and kagome smiled at him. "I told you I'm all packed and ready… let's go home."

"Are you serious Kagome?"

"Of course I am!" replied kagome with great conviction "You know… That day I left… I would have stayed if you had asked me to" she added in barely a whisper.

"But what about your family?" asked Inuyasha still doubtful of her words.

"We still have the jewel and unless you decide to make your wish I can still come back to visit them. "said Kagome with a smile.

Inuyahsa took Kagome's face in his hands and looked deep in her eyes.

"Are you sure of this?" he asked.

"I'm sure of this" she said as she stood on her toes and kissed him softly. After a moment's shock he returned the kiss and hugged her tightly.

"Let's go down to dinner with my family so I can say goodbye. Mother's been calling me for over an hour" said Kagome. Inuyasha smiled at Kagome.

She took his hand and together they walked down the stairs hand in hand, their hearts finally peaceful.

The End