I do not own Inuyasha. All rights respectfully belong to Rumiko Takahashi

The air was clear. It seems it had been forever since she had smelled anything like this again. Along with the cool air of twilight, she could also feel the return of her aura. It's like it was amplified a hundred fold in the sengoku judai.

It had been three years since she had been back to the feudal era. Three years since she had seen her dearest friends. Three years since she had seen HIM. That was the part that was the most surreal. It was the most euphoric feeling she had ever known. And now here he was beside her, his amber eyes reflecting the red glow of the fire. There was something else there, too, something that she couldn't miss since she had returned this morning. When he had pulled her up from the bone-eaters well, in the instant their eyes met, she had seen a ripple of emotion shattering in his eyes. As if all of the anger and worry he held on to for three years had in an instant, been shattered and melted. In an instant those eyes had changed to something like she had never seen, even in the past. She still was unsure how to explain it, even to herself.

Miroku and Sango had left their three children in the village with Kaede, just so they could join Inuyasha and Kagome and be able to share stories of the three years that had passed since Kagome had gone to her time. The air had been still when they ate their meal and reminisced.

"I cannot even begin to tell you how I've missed you, Kagome!" Sango chimed with joy. "There has not been a day that has gone by that we have not thought of you and wondered how you were doing."

"I feel the exact same way, Sango, though it looks as if you two have kept pretty busy in my absence, eh?" Kagome replied with a wink. Sango was past the point of blushing at this time, being she had three children and a still very "loving" husband. She nodded and smiled at Kagome.

"Kagome sama, tell me what you did in your spare time while you were away? Surely you must have done more than just study and graduate?" Miroku smirked with a gleam in his eye. Kagome shifted uncomfortably. "Well, Miroku, I am not sure I understand. I did go out with my friends once in awhile if that's what you are asking."

"Oh how nice! I'm sure you had a lot of fun. But how many men did you date? Were any of them serious?" Miroku stated stoically, earning a slap from Sango.

Inuyasha, who had been unusually quiet the entire time, looked up from the fire, only to glare daggers at the monk.

"No Miroku. I did not date. I did not have a boyfriend. I had no interest in that at all to tell you the truth. There was a situation I ran into about a year after I left you guys. It was during the summer.

Eri and I were shopping when I ran into a guy that I had gone to middle school with. At first it was just friendly conversation, I never wanted anything more. Then as the weeks went by, he would call me several times a day, to the point where I would ignore his phone calls all together. Then he started showing up at my house when he knew I was home alone. Things got...bad..." Kagome trailed off, as her group was staring at her, mouths agape. Except Inuyasha. If any random passerby were to look in his direction at that moment they would have turned and fled for their lives at what they saw.

Kagome snapped back to her cheerful self in a split second. "Well! Anyway, enough about me, it was a boring few years without all of you", she spoke earnestly. "I hope Shippo can catch up with us soon so I can hear about how his school is going!"

Sango took this moment to stand up and walk toward her dear friend. She scooped her up in a bear hug as her tears flowed down her cheeks.

"I love you Kagome. I am so glad you are back. Please excuse Miroku and I, we need to pick up the children and get them home to bed. Will you be stopping by tomorrow? We would love to show you around the new house!"

"O-of course Sango! I can't wait! Thank you so much for dinner and for catching me up to everything that I missed", she smiled at Sango. "We will be there tomorrow!"

Kagome sighed as she watched the monk and slayer walk off together, hand in hand. She turned to ask Inuyasha why he had been so quiet the whole time when her words caught in her throat at the sight of him. He was still staring into the fire, but the melted embers of his eyes were now gone. In place was a look of frozen hatred. She could see him shaking slightly, trying to hold himself together. Is that why Sango and Miroku had left so suddenly?

"Inuyasha"she whispered. "What is it?"

"WHAT DID HE DO?!" his booming voice sent an entire flock of crows flying from the trees. His voice quieted. "Why didn't you tell me earlier about this? Who was it? That Hobo guy?"

Kagome searched for words, hanging her head as she felt the first tears of the night sting her eyes. She decided the best answer was the correct one, though she had to admit it was not going to be an easy topic for her.

She had tried to bury this memory along with him.