PART1 - Kagome's Three Years of Absence

Chapter 1

When Kagome Didn't Return

A/N: I encourage skipping around to whatever chapter catches your interest! No need to read linearly if you don't want to. I've titled all of my chapters for an easier navigation, so skip to whatever scene you want. 01/2016

Kagome's mother, grandfather, and brother had been waiting on their side of the Bone-Eater's Well for an entire three days after it had vanished. There was nothing there anymore, except the dirt floor of the little wooden shrine.

All seemed lost, and thoughts that they may never see Kagome again enveloped their minds—when suddenly, a bright pillar of light emerged from the very spot the well used to be. Kagome's family stared in a stunned awe when the decrepit, rickety structure rematerialized right before their eyes with Kagome sitting on its edge and Inuyasha perched on the back.

Sota stepped forward eagerly. "Sis, you're back!"

Kagome's grandfather and mother called her name in a plea, stricken with worry, "Kagome!"

The 15-year-old immediately swung her feet off the well and ran for her mother. "Mom!"

"Kagome! I was so worried about you!" her mother cradled her daughter's head to her body.

Kagome's eyes glistened as she began crying in deep relief into her mother's chest. "Inuyasha saved my life," she told her mom and released their embrace.

She turned to the half-demon with a deeply grateful expression, tears still in her eyes. "Inuyasha, thank you so—" but she stopped mid-sentence because she heard the well making a worrisome whooshing noise, and both she and her mother gaped in alarm at what they were witnessing.

Inuyasha was slowly being sucked back down into the well into another, new pillar of light—and he couldn't stop it.

"Huh?!" he gasped, his silver hair hovering above his head as if without gravity, and then he disappeared. The well remained but Inuyasha was gone.

Kagome ran to the orifice of the well and called down into it urgently. "Inuyasha!"

Miroku, Sango, and Shippo waited on their knees at the exact spot the Bone-Eater's Well had completely vanished. Not even a pit remained to show where it had been. All of the plants and grass in the area were either gone or withered to wilts thanks to Naraku's heavy miasma, with everything barren and desolate where it used to be lush and woodsy far around the Bone-Eater's Well.

Suddenly, a column of light appeared, and the well reemerged. Almost as immediately as it appeared, Inuyasha jumped out of it and landed skillfully on his feet in front of them.

His demeanor was sullen and serious. He looked away from his friends with firm acceptance then stated calmly, "Kagome is safe."

Sango ran up to him straightaway. "Inuyasha!" She hugged him, and everyone else did so after her.

"You were gone for three whole days!" Shippo exclaimed. "Are you okay?"

Inuyasha could only think of the relief he felt now that he knew with certainty that Kagome was okay. Though, consequently, he couldn't get Kagome's family's faces out of his mind either. They were just as relieved as he was to see her safe. They were even crying.

"I'm fine…" he finally said. "I'm just glad this is all finally over."

He continued to ponder Kagome's family with melancholy, knowing, with reluctant forbearing, that he wasn't the only person that cared about her and needed her in their life.

"What happened?" Miroku finally asked.

"The Shikon Jewel is gone forever. Kagome made the 'one correct wish' on it: To disappear forever."

"The one correct wish?" Sango questioned with interest.

"And it's gone now?" Shippo asked.

"Yes. Forever," Inuyasha replied sulkily. "It will never bother us, or manipulate people like Naraku, ever again."

"We're so happy you two are safe now, Inuyasha," Sango smiled, wrapping her hands around him again.

"Me too…" he agreed. "I'm going to let Kagome be with her family. She needs that right now." Inuyasha began walking away from them.

"Where are you going?" Miroku examined.

"The village."

"Okay, we'll come with you," Sango assured.

"Wait for us!" Shippo called.

Everyone sat around a nice warm fire in Kaede's hut, sharing a small silent celebration of true relief and relaxation since the death of Naraku and the Shikon Jewel.

"I can't believe this is all actually over," Sango uttered somberly, staring at the flames. "It seems so surreal. We've been tormented by the Shikon Jewel's corruption for so long…"

Miroku opened and closed his hand that used to possess the Wind Tunnel, now whole and perfect. "It is surreal… But it is over."

Sango scooted close to the monk and carefully leaned her head onto his shoulder.

Miroku turned to her and presented his flirtatious smile. "Why, Sango, we finally have some peace and quiet." He maneuvered his arm around her shoulders.

"Yes," Sango beamed tranquilly at the floor, bashfully reaching up to touch his hand around her shoulder.

The monk gazed contentedly at the woman he loved. "So why don't we get started planning our wedding?"

Sango cheerfully sat up in revelation. She was so happy—so relieved right now—and the thought of planning her wedding with Miroku sent her to absolute bliss. "Yes," she turned and smiled up at her future husband, "I think that is a great idea, Miroku."

Inuyasha couldn't help himself. Though he kept it subtle, he released a tiny smirk for the couple. His thoughts drifted to Kagome, and the kiss that they shared, and he wondered how soon he would get to see her again.

Three days past. Kagome had not returned. But that was perfectly normal.

The villagers had been working together to get the village back into shape and to help the farmlands and fertile plants that used to thrive around their forest to grow back again. Sango and Miroku had been busy planning their wedding. It was coming along nicely and they wanted to do the ceremony within the week.

"I wonder when Kagome will come back to visit," Sango smiled to Inuyasha.

He didn't look at her. He was already thinking the same thing. "Yeah," he replied distractedly and gazed off into the direction of the Bone-Eater's Well.

Once Sango walked away, Inuyasha ran as fast as he could through the barren valley that used to be the forest.

It's been long enough, he thought to himself. Kagome has had plenty of time to be with her family. I'm sure nobody is even going to bat an eye if I come and visit.

Inuyasha reached the well and jumped straight into it. He landed at the bottom and he stopped.

Wait. I landed at the bottom?

He instantly dropped to all fours and began sniffing around.

Why didn't I go through?

He jumped back out, landing on the desolate ground where the soft grass used to be, then jumped right back into the well straightaway. Nothing happened again.

He began panicking. No, no, no, no… This has to work. It has to!

He jumped in and out, again and again, over and over—but it never worked; he never went through.

Inuyasha sat at the bottom of the well in a depressing slump.

Maybe… Maybe I just have to wait until she comes through.

Trusting of this idea, Inuyasha hopped out of the well and headed back to the village.

"Now that Naraku's dead, and the Shikon Jewel is gone, what are your guys' life plans?" Sango asked her friends as they all sat around a neat, small patch of grass that just began growing back.

Shippo announced to the group, "I'm going to continue my training to become a full-fledged fox-demon!"

"That's wonderful news, Shippo," Sango sang to him. "Does that mean you'll be going on a lot trips for that?"

"Yes. But I'm going to wait until after your guys' wedding to start doing that."

Lying down in the small green lawn, Kohaku spoke next, propping up his head with his hand, "I think I'm going to start training, too. I want to leave and help other villages with demon problems."

"That's very noble, Kohaku…" Sango smiled down at the grass, hiding the enormous big-sister pride she felt for her little brother right now. She was just so grateful he was no longer reliant on a Shikon Jewel shard to sustain his life, and that even though he had many terrible sins he committed under demonic possession, he was eager to set out on a mission to become strong and right his wrongs.

"Well, everyone already knows our plans," Miroku motioned to himself and Sango. "We're going to get married and have our big family." He looked to Inuyasha who had been standing silent this entire conversation, staring into the distance. "What about you, Inuyasha?"

He turned to his name. "Oh? I dunno. I'm sure when Kagome gets back we'll find plenty of demons to battle together."

"Sounds nice," Miroku pleasantly closed his eyes above his supportive grin.

As the date was drawing near, Sango approached Inuyasha and asked him conversationally, "Have you visited Kagome yet and asked her to come to our wedding?"

Inuyasha wouldn't look at her. He was glaring off at the sky, his hands folded into each of his red kimono sleeves.

"Inuyasha…? Are you okay?" Sango carefully put a hand on his shoulder.

He took a step away from her so she couldn't touch him. "I'm fine," he said too harshly.

"Obviously not," Sango deliberated, raising brows. "What's going on, Inuyasha?"

He continued to stare off into the distance, his back facing her. He let out a massive exhale then admitted reluctantly, "The well doesn't work for me anymore. Okay? I've already tried going back to Kagome's world several times. It never works."

"What…? Really?" Sango asked with much concern. "It really stopped working?"

"Yes. Absolutely nothing I do will allow me to go through," Inuyasha said.

"Maybe it will work if Kagome tries," she suggested.

"I don't know. But I hope you're right," the half-demon groaned.

"Well… Do you think I should wait a few more days for Kagome's return?" Sango asked.

"Do whatever you want. I honestly have no idea when Kagome is coming back…" he said it bitterly and harshly, but he also sounded hurt. He just kept thinking about Kagome's crying family.

"Inuyasha…" Sango went up to him, despite his refusals, and put her hand on his shoulder again. "Don't become so hopeless yet. We have no idea when she'll decide to visit. She's stayed on the other side of the well much longer than this before."

"I know."

"Well, I'm going to postpone the date for a little while," Sango decided gladly, "for Kagome."

Inuyasha nodded sullenly without looking at her.

Sango walked away, hopeful.

They waited another week, and still no Kagome. Inuyasha didn't tell anyone, but he visited the well every single day, trying to make it work, each time failing. At this point, it became evident to him the well wasn't going to work for him anytime soon. He wondered if Kagome was having the same problem on her side. The thought deeply and internally frustrated him.

"I don't know… Should we keep waiting?" Sango inquired of her friends after lunch that day.

Inuyasha was livid that Sango was even considering having her wedding before Kagome returned, but mostly he was upset because Kagome had been gone for so long now it looked like she would never be able to return.

"No. Don't keep postponing it," Inuyasha stated decisively. "You two should get married—Kagome or not." And he walked off from the group in a meek frustration.

"Oh, Inuyasha…" Sango mumbled, as they all watched the half-demon wander off with pity.

A/N:

Ep. Reference—

(1) Episode 26 of InuYasha: The Final Act "Toward Tomorrow" (At the beginning of this chapter I use direct dialogue and scenes from this episode.)