Chapter one – Darkness and Light

The darkness, the terrible darkness. Kagome shuddered, covering her ears and trying to block out the voice – it was all around her. In her head, coming from the endless blackness surrounding her. There was no end. Kagome felt her resolve slipping and despair stealing into her mind. The voice whispered and mocked her;

"He's not coming for you foolish girl. You will remain in the darkness forever. Your soul will be mine, trapped here for eternity. There is only one way out – make a wish."

Kagome shook her head, trying to block out the voice. The idea of wishing herself out at this point was so seductive. But she couldn't. She had to do this, to protect those dearest to her, to protect the one she loved.

"I will not!" She yelled into the darkness "Inuyasha will come for me!"

Inuyasha groped his way through the darkness, attacking hordes of demons who stood in his way.

"Kagome!" He yelled desperately "Kagome! Where are you?"

He felt as if he had been in the darkness forever. His heart was heavy, the voice from the darkness laughing, taunting him, forcing him to face his fear. Kagome's face flashed through his mind.

"Kagome!" He yelled again.

A voice reached Kagome through the darkness and she wept with relief.

"Inuyasha! I'm here!"

"Kagome? Don't make a wish! Just wait for me, I'm coming!"

Her fear abated. Inuyasha was coming and they would get out of this together. It would be okay.

Inuyasha saw a light in the blackness, a rip almost. Inuyasha aimed Tettusaiga at it and opened the rip further. Inuyasha slipped through to the other side. Kagome was waiting for him, relief on her face.

"Inuyasha!"

She collapsed into his arms trembling. Relief made Inuyasha reckless and he leaned down, pressing his lips to Kagome's. Inuyasha didn't know how Kagome would react. They'd only had one kiss before and he had been in a demonic rage for most of it. He didn't expect her reaction – her arms wrapped around his neck and she pressed her body closer to his, deepening the kiss. When they pulled away she was smiling and he smiled in return, hapiness lighting up both their faces.

"I knew you'd come Inuyasha." Her voice was breathless "Lets get out of here."

Kagome clenched her eyes closed, feeling the reassuring strength of Inuyashas arms around her. She concentrated hard on her wish – she knew now what the right wish was.

"Shikon Jewel – I wish you would disappear."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the darkness around them dissolved to be replaced by a soft glowing blue light. They were in the bone eaters well. They emerged together, Inuyasha's arms still firmly around her as they found themselves back in Kagome's time. Kagome took one look at the faces of her mother, grandfather, and brother and burst into tears. All the fear and loneliness she had been fighting in the dark place overwhelmed her and she pulled away from Inuyasha, falling into her mothers arms.

"Oh mama! I was so afraid!" Kagome sobbed.

Inuyasha watched the scene before him and a revelation came to him – Kagome had family in her time who missed her, a life in her time which had been interruped by her frequent visits to the past. It was selfish of him to want her to stay in the past. Too many people loved her in her own time. She did not belong in the past. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a pull on his body stronger than gravity. He had one last glimpse of her startled face as he was forced back to his side of the well.

"Oh no! Oh no!" Inuyasha moaned as he desperately clawed at the dirt at the bottom of the well. He couldn't feel the magic anymore. It had sealed and he had been forced back to the feudal era. He craned his head back and let out a wail of misery and screamed her name "Kagome!."

Meanwhile 500 years in the future, Kagome also felt the severing of the connection between the two era's. She leaped back into the well, scratching at the dirt and banging her fist on the ground.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed, before dissolving into sobs.

Chapter Two – Moving on.

Four years later Kagome jumped into the bone eaters well, hoping for the familiar blue light, but not really expecting it to work. At first Kagome came to the well daily sometimes as often as three or four times a day. She was demented with grief, feeling the seperation from Inuyasha acutely. Her heart felt as if it was aching constantly. She couldn't eat, couldn't sleep and hardly spoke. When she wasn't at the well, she was under the Goshinboku looking at the scar on the tree where Inuyasha had been bound all those years ago. Gradually she began to accept that she needed to get some semblence of her life together. She knew she was worrying her family and her study had been abandoned entirely. Her heart ached for Inuyasha and she felt isolated fom her friends. Yet she knew she couldn't sustain the misery and grief for much longer. Inuyasha would not want this for her. So she studied and worked hard to catch up on what she missed. She spent time with her family and friends. She ate, went shopping, smiled and laughed. But still Inuayasha was always on her mind and in her heart. She still tried the well every two or three days, but with each failed attempt her hope dwindled further. Eventually, living with the memorys and ghosts of her past become too much and though it broke her heart to do so, Kagome moved to a new city, for a new start. Away from the Gosinboku and the well Kagome finally felt able to let her grief go and start to live. She had a small apartment, made new friends, studied history at college and worked part time at a coffee shop. She sometimes met men and was asked out on dates, but she always refused. Until one day, she met a man. He was nothing like Inuyasha – he had golden hair, green eyes and a lean, languid body. He was nice and uncomplicated and worshipped her. He could sense she was damaged and that she didn't really love him. He guessed there had been someone else, although she never told him so. But he was hopelessly in love with her and so, despite it all, they married and he tried his best to fill the shoes of the mystery man before him.

Chapter Three – Earliest Memory

Jades earliest memorys were of Inuyasha. Not of him personally, but of the fantastic bedtime stories her mother had told her. Inuyasha, the poweful half demon, Miroku the perverted monk, Sango the brave demon slayer and Shippou the cheeky fox demon. Her mother had told her hundreds of stories about them, and about a mysterious time travling miko from the future. As a child, her mother would sit on the side of Jades bed, telling the stories so vividly, using her hands for emphasis, her face alight. Her mother was usually quiet and reserved, but when she told the stories, she became vivacious and alive, her face was softer, her eyes sparkled and she seemed ten years younger. Her father would stand in the doorway listening to the stories too, but his arms would be folded, his face thoughtful and eyes narrowed. He never said anything but Jade often thought he didn't like the stories. Sometimes, when they thought she was asleep, they would argue. Her father would shout and plead, while her mother was silent. She wasn't sure why the stories upset him so – they were only stories afterall. How she missed her mothers story's now!

Tears coursed down Jades cheeks as she stood in the very room that had once belonged to her mother. Her parents had been in a car accident and Jade was now an orphan. She was twenty – old enough to make it on her own and have her own home. But she felt lost without her parents and when her grandmother offered to let her move in at the old family shrine, Jade took the offer. She felt that living at her mothers childhood home may help her to feel closer to her. Jade had loved her mother dearly, but often felt that she hadn't known her well. Her mother was an enigma, a mystery and Jade felt that perhaps her old home may hold clues to her mothers life. Jade had tried to ask her grandmother but her face had closed up and she'd shook her head and told Jade the same story she'd heard her entire life – Kagome had grown up at the shrine, moved away, went to college, worked part time. Her father had been a customer at the coffee shop and showed up every day Kagome worked and asked her out. They got married, had Jade and that was it. But it was too simple. Something was missing and Jade was determined to find out what it was.

Jade was unpacking. She placed a wedding day photo of her parents on her bedside table – her father, tall and awkward in his suit, looking at Kagome in wonder. Her mother, dainty, a distant smile on her face, her eyes far away. Jade sighed. How she missed them. As she pulled out arms full of clothes and hung them in the closet she spotted a shoe box pushed to the back depths of the closet. Had it belonged to her mother? Curious Jade pulled it box was covered in dust and had obviously sat undisturbed for the last decade or more. Jade opened it and gasped as she examined the contents. There were photos of various people – her mother, very young, standing in the front, smiling brighter than Jade could ever remember. A man to her left in old fashioned monks attire with dark hair and unusual violet eyes. To her right, a pretty, strong looking woman with long dark hair holding some kind of cat like animal in her arms. A very strange looking child like animal waved from Kagome's arms and than to the far right, slightly apart from the group, staring suspiciously into the camera was a handsome young man wearing an unsual red suit and with long, striking silver hair.

"Inuysaha!" Jade exclaimed.

There were several more photos – The young couple Jade took to be Sango and Miroku. Miroku had a sheepish expression and an angry red hand print on his cheek, while Sango glared away from him, arms folded. Another picture, her mother standing awkwardly next to a very young man with vivid blue eyes and attired in fur. The man had his arm draped around Kagome's shoulder and he stared cockily into the camera. Another picture of the same man being held in a head lock by Inuyasha.

"Kouga" Jade realized.

There were a few more pictures of places and people, then another photo showing Inuyasha head first in the ground while Kagome looked on angrily. Jade imagined her mother shouting "Sit!" and giggled.

Finally a photo of Inuyasha and Kagome together. They were obviously unaware the photo was being taken. Inuyasha sat stiffly upon a hill while Kagome was relaxed next to him, her head on his shoulder. Despite his stiff posture he was looking at her tenderly and had one arm around her back. Jade felt a lump in her throat looking at this photo – she had never seen her mother or father show this kind of easy affection to each other. They looked young and in love and Jade had never seen the girl in these photos in the woman she knew as her mother. This girl was in love. She smiled, she laughed, she pulled faces. What had happened? The box contained a few other momento's – a golden heart shaped locket, dented and tarnished, a photobooth strip of photos, a baseball cap, a lock of silver hair and finally, a diary.

Chapter Four - The truth

"It's all true". Jade realized "The bedtime stories were real."

Jade opened the diary and finally began to learn who Kagome really was, and what had made her who she was , starting when Kagome was fifteen years old.

"I was an ordinary 9th grader – that is until my fifteenth birthday when I fell into the old bone eaters well at my family shrine and discovered a time warp that took me 500 years into the past, back to the feudal era. Back in the Feudal era, when demons still existed, the well was used as a dumping ground for the bones of demons defeated in battle. After a few days, the bones would disappear probably lost in the same time warp that I came through. The first time I came through the well I met a boy who had been pinned to a tree by an enchanted arrow and had been there for seventy years... Inuyasha..."

Jade knew this part of the story well. How the future miko had been attacked by the centipede demon, how she had free'd Inuyasha from the seal, how she had discovered the Shikon Jewel in her body and Preistess Kaede placing the beads of subjugation around Inuyashas neck, allowing her to subdue Inuyasha with the word "sit". Then the disastorous episode with the bandits, the crow Demon and finally the shattering of the Shikon Jewel and Inuyasha and the Miko traveling together to collect the shards. But the future miko was Kagome, her mother. And if the diary and photo's were to be believed they were not just bedtime storys. This was all true.

Jade sat on her bed, reading the diary to the final end. Finally Jade understood why her mother could not seem to love her father and why her mother carried sadness with her. The diary ended with a letter to Inuyasha.

Inuyasha

You will never get to read this. The well closed four years ago. I have scratched the bottom of the well until my fingers bled and I have cried for you every night. My heart is heavy knowing I will never see you, nor our dear friends again. I only hope that you can build a life without me and be happy. All I ever wanted Inu, was for you to be happy. I am happy knowing that you have Sango, Miroku and Shippou, that you will not be alone. I wish we had more time. I love you.

Kagome -

Chapter Five – Not who I thought

Inuyasha was perched high in the Goshinboku. It was his favourite place In the world. Here he felt close to Kagome, knowing this tree existed in her time too. It had been decades since he had seen Kagome. She would be middle aged by now. Inuyasha himself had not changed much – physically at least to human eyes he would appear to be in his early twenties. But the sadness in his eyes made him look older and gave him an air of matuirty he hadn't possessed before. The loss of Kagome still hurt and in vain he still checked the well each day. He knew the well was dormant – he felt no magic from it any longer and he knew that if Kagome could possibly have found a way back to him, she would have. Afterall hadn't she said she loved him? Kagome had been the essence of his life and without her his life was empty and bleak. The only enjoyment he had from life now was spending time with Sango, Miroku and their family. But Sango and Miroku were getting older and would pass very quickly, at least by the standard of someone like Inuyasha who may live for a hundred years or more. And then who would be left to reminise with? To remember Kagome with him? To help keep her memory alive? Troubled, Inuyasha fell into a deep sleep, only to be woken later by a flash of blue light coming from the well and a scent that seemed very familiar.

Jade found herself at the Wellhouse. She had been reading the diary and although she couldn't explain why, she had a feeling that she was being drawn to the well. She knew that the well had closed. Kagome had checked it right until the day she left. But still Jade was curious and she felt as though she may be able to get through. Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku deserved an explanation. Jade was also not ready to let her mother go and thought if she could see the sights her mother had seen and travel to the place her mother had described so vividly, perhaps she could keep her mothers memory close. Jade bought the box and diary with her and as she jumped into the well she focused her energy on wanting to cross to the Feudal Era. She wasn't really expecting it to work but she desperately wanted to and much to her surprise, the well responded. She felt herself being engulfed in warmth and saw the well fill with blue light. She floated gently in the air and then it was over and she was standing on firm ground. Looking up she saw not the roof of the well house, but a black sky with more stars then she had ever seen in her life. She began to climb the vines around the well, pulling herself up and as she neared the top a clawed hand thrust down and grabbed her arm. She was pulled up and found herself face to face with a man with huge amber eyes, long silver hair and a pair of dog like ears.

Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sprinted toward the clearing and the well. The scent was close to Kagome's – vanilla and Rose, although this scent had a touch of something to it, a subtle difference that smelled like rain and reminded him of sadness. But after so many years, maybe a humans scent did change? Although Sango and Miroku's hadn't. Regardless Inuyasha ran forward, his heart pounding, his emotions in turmoil. He reached the well and extended his hand. He felt the tug on his arm and pulled her up, catching her around the waist so that they were face to face. At first he thought it was Kagome – the face and the blue eyes were just like hers. But the hair was wrong, a golden silvery colour and she was the wrong age. Shouldn't she be older? As he began to realize this wasn't Kagome his face and eyes clouded with disappointment even as he set the girl down. She was dressed in a blue skirt, white top and wore flat black shoes. She was petite and dainty like Kagome and her hair reached down her back.

"Are you Inuyasha?"

Her voice trembled and he realized she as trying very hard not to cry. But he was angry, damn it! The disappointment this girl had caused him was pain beyound anything he had felt before and he disliked her immediately for not being who he'd wanted her to be. Just as he'd disliked Kagome for not being Kikyo.

"Well? Are you?"

He looked into her eyes and saw a pain just like his own. He had never been good with empathy but Kagome had taught him. He realized as he looked at the girl that she was hurting too and this lessened his anger somewhat. Afterall, he could relate to heartbreak.

"Keh. That depends who's askin".

She narrowed her eyes at him. Blue eyes... like Kagome's.

"My name is Jade. I am Kagome's daughter."

Inuyasha felt as if he had been slapped around the face. Daughter? So Kagome had married and had children. Had she forgotten him?

"Inuyasha? Are you alright?"

When Inuyasha looked at her, Jade saw so much pain and hatred in his eyes. She shrank back. Had she said something wrong?

"Look, maybe I should just go..." She murmured, turning back toward the well.

"No way!" Inuyasha yelled "You aint going anywhere wench!"

With that he grabbed her arm and swung her on to his back. He moved with sickening speed and Jades head was spinning. They ran to a nearby village. Inuyasha stopped at a large wood cabin and unceremoniously dumped Jade on her backside on the front step.

"Oi! Sango! Miroku! Wake up!" He yelled.

"Ouch, that hurt!"She yelled at Inuyasha. But he was gone. She heard voices arguing in the home and dim lights were coming on.

"Sango, just ignore it. If Inuyasha has something to say it can wait until the morning."

"But Miroku, I heard Kagome, I swear! They were yelling, just like old times."

"Don't be ridiculous Sango. Kagome is safe in her time. The well has sealed. It's been years and you know Inuyasha checks every day."

"I'm just going to check Miroku."

She heard footsteps in the house and she quickly got up, smoothing her clothes and rubbing her backside, sore from where Inuyasha dropped her. The door opened and a pretty older woman with long dark hair appeared.

"Kagome!" She cried joyfully.

A man appeared behind her. He was handome and distinguised, his hair just beginning to grey a little at the temples and with large violet eyes.

"No wait Sango. It's not..."

Jade took a deep breath

"I'm not Kagome. I'm Jade. I am her daughter. Are you my mothers friends?"

Kagome knelt by Sango at the table as she poured tea.

"I'm so sorry for the way Inuyasha acted. He's never had the best manners, although your mother tried her best..." Sango trailed off. "Anyway don't worry, he'll cool off and he'll be back and I'm sure he'll want to know all about you and Kagome."

"He hates me." Jade whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"Oh Jade, he doesn't." Miroku comforted "He's just missed Kagome and with you coming out of the well like that... well you just shocked him ."

"He'll come back Jade. We're used to Inuyashas temper tantrums aren't we Miroku?" Sandro giggled. "Anyway Jade, you must be exhausted. So you can stay with us for now and tomorrow we want to know all about you and Kagome."

Miroku smiled "Jade, aside from the hair, you look and sound so much like Kagome. Ah, how we've missed our old friend."

As Jade went to sleep that night she thought about her mother. She had learned so much about her in the last two days, she felt as though she'd never really known her at all. She hadn't told Sango and Miroku or Inuyasha that Kagome had died. Would they still want to know her without Kagome? Jade drifted off into a troubled sleep, her last thought was of Inuyasha.

Some distance away, high in the goshinboku, Inuyasha was also thinking of Jade and Kagome. It wasn't Jades fault that she wasn't who he'd been hoping for and truthfully he was curious about the girl. He also knew deep down that Kagome had loved him and that their love had been real, the kind that lasts. If Kagome had married and had children, it wasn't because she'd forgotten him. It was because she needed to continue with her life, not waste it pining for him. He didn't want that for her anyway. So as long as Kagome was happy, he would be happy too. He felt a slight pang of regret at how he'd treated the girl. He knew Kagome would be angry. She'd have sat him into oblivion for that. He winced just thinking about it. Well at least this girl wouldn't be able to do that to him.

Deep in his thoughts, Inuyaha too drifted into a deep sleep.

Early the next morning Jade was woken by an indignant female voice scolding someone.

"And dropping that poor girl like that, leaving her on her own outside our house. Irresponsible Inuyasha! How do you think that made her feel?"

"Miroku!" She heard Inuyasha's voice "Call Sango off!"

She heard Miroku's deep chuckle "I'm staying out of it Inuyasha."

"She thinks you hate her you know"Sango continued berating.

"I don't hate her. She just gave me a shock."

Jade stretched and made her way to the dining room where Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango were kneeled around the table having breakfast.

"Good morning everyone."She smiled. Sango smiled back, Inuyasha muttered an incoherent greeting and Miroku gestured to the table.

"Help yourself Jade. I hope we didn't wake you."

"I was awake" she lied. She winced as she knelt upon the cushion. "Ouch! Damn you Inuyasha! I won't be able to sit for a week!"

No sooner were the words out of her mouth then Inuyasha let out a strangled yell as the prayer beads slammed him to the floor. The room exploded with laughter as Inuyasha cursed.

"Interesting!" Miroku exclaimed. "It seems the charm on you is cross generational Inuyasha."

Sango was in fits of laughter wiping tears from her eyes. Inuyasha sat up and glared at Jade

"I really didn't mean to. I'm sorry Inuyasha."She couldn't help giggling a little bit as he looked away indignant. She was sure somewhere up in heaven, her mother was laughing too.