Thanks for the few reviews that I have gotten! I appreciate everyone that has read, even if you didn't review.
Again, I do not own any of the characters in Inuyasha. They are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi!
"At that time, I was just relieved to be able to send Kagome home." The sun was shining down on the small herb garden as the old woman dug gently through the dirt, pulling plants out that she needed. She glanced up at the half demon that was speaking to her. His face spoke even more than his revealing words did. This was the first time in three years that Inuyasha had come to talk to her about why Kagome had never returned with him when the well came back.
She had never doubted his motives.
"So you're saying you came back yourself." It was a statement rather than a question. She knew generally what had happened, but she knew that if she didn't say anything, that this odd opening up to her that Inuyasha was doing would stop. She didn't look at his face, for fear of him clamming up. Instead, she concentrated on her work.
"Yeah, I guess. Kagome's mom and brother and grandpa were all crying and stuff. I'm not the only who Kagome is important to, after all..." Kaede smiled to herself at the young man's words. Maybe those two being apart was needed for him to finally realize his feelings. The old woman winced as pain echoed through her hands. "Arthritis", Kagome had called it.
"Inuyasha, when did you become so wise?" Before Kaede could say more to comfort the obviously grieving Inuyasha, she sensed a slight aura. Shippo popped into the air above her. He was in his pink balloon form.
"I know." He stated simply, still loving to get under the half demon's skin.
"Shippo," Kaede stated. She saw the angry look that was growing on the hanyou's face. If Shippo said much more, the old woman knew that a fight would start and likely ruin her herb garden that she had spent so much time on. Alone. She sighed slightly remembering the immense help that Kagome had been with priestess chores.
"You were off taking the kitsune exam, weren't you?" Kaede tried to diffuse the situation.
"I advanced!" Shippo proudly showed Kaede his slip saying that he had advanced three classes. He transformed back into his original form. The moment he jumped onto Inuyasha's head, Kaede knew there was no going back. She sighed.
"Inuyasha, you've been going in to the well once every three days, haven't you?" Kaede saw the look on Inuyasha's face go from one of mild annoyance to full blown anger. She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly. These children will be the early death of me.
Rather than pick a fight, Inuyasha simply grabbed Shippo and kicked him across the field. Kaede was impressed by both the information that Shippo had supplied and by the distance that Shippo was launched.
"Once every three days? What amazing tenacity." A frown grew on the old woman's face. Through all that she had seen in her lifetime, through the tragedy of losing her sister-twice, through battling demons and trying to keep the people of her village alive, but inevitably losing a few, she had never witnessed anything as tragic as what Inuyasha was going through. And she imagined that it had to be even worse for the kind-hearted girl that she had found be almost like a daughter to her.
Even so, they cannot see each other. Kagome appeared with the Shikon no Tama, and disappeared with it as well. That last thought hung in her head as she recalled when Kagome had appeared and when mistress centipede ripped the jewel out of Kagome's side. A jewel that Kagome herself hadn't realized was there.
Kagome came here to vanquish the Shikon no Tama. Her purpose in this world…is likely over. That final thought hung in Kaede's head as she watched Inuyasha stare off into the distance. He had been doing that a lot since the young miko had disappeared, seemingly taking a large chunk of Inuyasha with her.
Still…she had left behind evidence of her time in the era. When Inuyasha had first been released from the tree, no, even before then, he was a hardened killer. Even Kikyo hadn't broken through the seal that he had placed around himself. But, slowly, Kagome had been able to heal his wounds and mend his broken heart. Kaede knew, even without either of them admitting it, that they loved one another dearly.
That's what makes this so heartbreaking…
Kaede painfully got to her feet. Her bones ached every day now, even with the slightest of movements. Gasping slightly from the pain, Kaede reached down for her basket of freshly picked herbs.
"Don't overexert yourself, old woman," Inuyasha grumbled as he placed a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder. He held her back from bending down to reach the basket and instead retrieved it himself. Kaede smiled slightly.
"Thank ye, Inuyasha," she muttered, ignoring the part where he called her old.
Together, the two made their way back to the village in complete silence. Kaede's thoughts once again made their way to the young time-traveler that had disappeared three years ago.
Once she reached her hut, Kaede separated from the young hanyou.
"Are ye heading to Miroku and Sango's hut, Inuyasha?" She took the basket of herbs from him with a thankful nod.
"Keh! Not much else to do around here!" Without a second glance, he bound off towards the newest hut in the village. Kaede shook her head. Without Kagome around, he is becoming a restless nuisance. The older miko looked towards the forest that housed the well with a forlorn expression on her face. A strange feeling echoed through her, but she couldn't quite place it.
I feel like today is going to be a good day. Smiling, Kaede entered her hut and set to the task of sorting and drying her herbs.