Gripping the age-worn wood of the well, she squeezed her eyes shut.
How can memories that are so full of happiness, be so painful to remember?
Flashes of a magenta kosode, the jingling of a shakujou staff, auburn hair and a fluffy tail, high-pitched mewling. All of it fills her with great joy and great sorrow. But the memories that break her down, are those of a red suikan, silver hair, and golden eyes.
She hadn't gone a day without thinking of him.
In the months and days since the final battle with Naraku and the destruction of the Shikon No Tama, Kagome has tried to understand the finality of it. That she was of this world, and her friends belonged to the past, and no matter how her heart hurt to think it, Inuyasha belonged to the past too.
Her purpose had been fulfilled. Her job finished.
But in her heart, she felt that the sun had not set on her story yet, that there were laughs to be had, stories to be shared, and memories yet to be made.
Interrupting her mental train of thought, Kagome felt a breeze lightly kiss her skin and shake life through her hair. Opening her eyes, she saw crystal blue sky, with clouds akin to cotton balls dotting the heavens.
Is this another dream?
The wind feels so real, the warmth of the sun too.
Kagome stares down into the well, she has watched the well for any signs of connection for 3 years. The source of so much angst in her life, so much trouble, yet the source of true friendship, happiness, and dare she say it? True love. She looks at the sky staring back from beneath her, brown eyes wide with contemplation. It was true she had dreamed of this moment for years, but now that it was here, her mind felt heavy with questions.
She had thought the connection to the past severed, due to her own intense guilt of the stress she put on her family the day the Bone-Eater's Well vanished from their shrine.
Her storming emotions were cut short by her mother's voice from the top of the shrine's steps, calling her name. The creaking of wood under the weight of her mother's steps sounded from behind her, and Kagome heard her mother speak again.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
How could she explain? How could what she felt be translated into mere words?
She found her voice.
"Mom…"
And then lost it again, the sentence unfinished. She felt the presence of her mother's body next to her own, unmoving from her spot at the well's edge. Eyes unwavering from the view below her, afraid if she took them off of it, it would disappear, again.
"The sky…"
She didn't know if her mother could see it, for all she knows only her and Inuyasha could truly utilize the powers of the well. But she saw it, and she now saw the opportunity it was giving her. She didn't know if it was the kami of the well, answering her silent prayers, or a gift from her father, hell it could be Kikyo providing a (long deserved) thank you from beyond the grave. She didn't care, because she had the chance, here and now.
She leaned back, removing her weight from the wooden edge, but not taking her eyes off of the blue picture before her. Stepping slightly into her mother's arms, Kagome felt the warmth of her embrace. She was staring into the well, too. Feeling the need to articulate her thoughts to her mother, she tries again.
"Mom, I…"
Her voice cracks, the emotional weight of the words she wants to say are too heavy for her vocal cords. Her eyes feel a faint burning in the back of their sockets from holding back tears, shining with her unspoken words.
Kagome feels herself being turned around, her mother eyes now locked on her own. Identical pairs of brown orbits, connected by the liminal space between them. The older Higurashi women closed her eyes, with a slight tilt of her head. A delicate smile forms on her features.
"It's fine."
And in those two words, between mother and daughter, Kagome hears everything that can't be projected into words. All the love and support that she has always received from her mother, and the understanding of what Kagome couldn't say out loud was in those two words.
Kagome nods, an answer to their unspoken agreement.
And then, she jumped.
500 years ago, at the same moment
"Doggy."
"Doggy!"
Perched on strong shoulders, two identical hands of two identical girls pull on the sensitive appendages of an, unexpectedly patient, hanyo. Eyes closed, he allows the rough treatment of his ears to continue, whether, from practice, tolerance, or adoration, it's unclear.
"You're like their toy."
The green-eyed kitsune is sitting quietly nearby, watching the display with fascination. For it wasn't long ago that Inuyasha would rather sit through a week of new moons than become a play-thing for human toddlers.
"Hey, do something about these twins would ya."
The half-demon, speaking at the parents of the girls behind him, has obviously had enough play for the time being. He doesn't mind helping watch the children while they work, now that the couple has an extra one to watch, but these pups are still too young to understand boundaries. Especially the complexities of Inu Hanyo ear sensitivity.
Miroku turns his head to his friend and scolds his daughters.
"Don't tug on his ears."
"Sorry, Inuyasha."
Sango offers her apology as she looks up from her basket of linens, her newborn son is asleep against her back. As the death grip on his ear is removed, Inuyasha flicks his head towards the sky, suddenly alert. Standing up quickly, he grabs the twins and essentially throws them on Shippo.
"Go slay the fox."
The weigh of the girls crushes the small shapeshifter,
"Hey! What was that for?"
The younger children begin to pull and poke at the fox.
"Shippo!"
"Slay!"
But Shippo's words fell on deaf ears, for Inuyasha was already sprinting away. Running through the wood, he focuses in on the goal at the end of his trail.
This scent…
There is no mistaking it!
His heart is beating faster, spurred by the thought of seeing her again in his arms. Was it just another dream? Phantom scents gave him false hope too many times to count in the first weeks of her absence. He prayed to spirits he didn't even believe in as he rounded the corner, the ancient well now in his sight. The scent was getting stronger! He rushed through the clearing, straight to his destination.
He stopped, reaching the wood frame of the sacred well.
He looked down, past the ivy and stone.
Reaching out, his hand was quickly filled.
And there she was.
Looking down at him, so close he could taste the shanpho stuff she used in her hair. Her ebony waves flying freely around her beautiful face. Oh, her face. How he missed her kind, almond eyes, her soft lips, her alabaster skin. He never thought he'd see her face again. Their eyes never left one another.
I must be dreaming.
Her hand was still wrapped in his. He could feel her heartbeat, just a few centimeters away.
No, she was here. This was no dream.
Her voice rang like a bird song.
"I'm so sorry Inuyasha, were you waiting for me?"
"Kagome…"
He lifted her off of the structure of the well, not letting go. That fear of her disappearing still prevalent in his mind. He brought her close, hugging her, letting his actions help him speak the words he was still forming in his mind.
"What have you been doing?"
He closes his eyes, not really expecting or wanting an answer. Just happy to feel her in his arms again, to feel her head rest gently on his shoulder.
He hears the frantic footsteps of his friends catch up to them, slightly surprised Sango was able to run so quickly with a day old child against her back.
"Kagome!
Shippo's high voice rings through the air.
"Kagome!"
Sango's breathless voice a mix of emotion and surprise. None of them thought they'd see their friend again, and Kagome's sudden reappearance in their time period was a shock that couldn't be contained.
"It has been a long time, Lady Kagome."
Miroku smiles as he balances his daughters in his arms as Shippo clings to his shoulder.
Kagome greets them all with a bright smile, shining like the sun. She is here. She's home! All of her dreams, finally coming true!
I'm back!
"Sango, Miroku, Shippo!"
She wants to run, to hug them, but the feeling of her hand in Inuyasha's is too great, too wonderful to let him go. Understanding, they approach her and Inuyasha, mouths still open in "o's" of surprise. Shippo is the first to jump into Kagome's arms, small tears escaping the kitsune's eyes.
"You're back! You're really back!"
He smiles up to her as he wipes away a droplet from his face.
"Please don't go away again Kagome, I missed you too much."
Kagome smiles him and then raises her gaze to the golden eyes of her hanyo. His eyes speak of great love, she can see that. But also fear. He is worried she won't be staying.
Silly dog demon.
"I'm not going anywhere."
—