Author's Note: I just realized that my scene separators disappear when I post… sorry if that has caused confusion… so, now I am trying a new way.
Thanks SussieT for pointing out my typo in chapter 6. =) It has been fixed.
Kagome tossed her hair over her shoulder and glanced at Yusuke. Her brother sensed her gaze and looked up from his food and raised an eyebrow.
"I need to go back." She reached over and snatched a fry from his tray. He slapped her hand away, but let her have the fry anyway. He took a drink out of the cup decorated in Ws. Kagome rolled her eyes at the loud slurp.
"Nope." Yusuke took a large bite of his hamburger, "Inuyasha can take care of the shards. You can stay here where you belong."
"Yusuke, it's my duty. I broke the jewel, I need to fix it." Kagome snatched another fry from him, this time he didn't protest.
"No, what happens if you get stuck, Kagome?" Yusuke grabbed her hand and held tight, "What if you can't come back to me, sis?"
Kagome laughed and squeezed his hand. She released it and stood up, dumped her remains into the garbage and turned back to Yusuke. He was glaring at her.
"Yusuke, I'm always going to come back. If the well stops, I will find another way back. I just found you, there is no way I'm going to lose you."
Yusuke stared at her for a few minutes before he followed her lead and tossed the rest of his food away.
"Give me until tomorrow," he said with his back to Kagome. "Don't leave until tomorrow at least, please?"
She rested her forehead against his shoulder for a moment before backing away. He turned to her and met her eyes, "Yes, I will wait until tomorrow, Yusuke."
"Bye mom!" Kagome shouted as she stumbled down the stairs, her yellow pack already on. She tousled Souta's hair on the way out and pecked her grandfather on the cheek.
"Be careful, Kagome!" her mother called.
Souta smoothed his hair and glared at his sister's back before setting down his game controller and running after her. She paused to slip her shoes on and almost toppled over when Souta slammed into her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned, one shoe on, the other off, and returned his hug.
"Love you, little brother." She whispered, closing her eyes.
"Love you, too, 'gome." He mumbled against her shirt, "Be careful, sis, come back."
She laughed softly, hearing Yusuke's worries repeated Souta. "I will, Souta."
Once she managed to untangle herself from her brother, she darted out the door… just to turn back around and slide her foot into her remaining shoe.
She hopped down the stairs and turned to the well house and slammed into Kurama. He caught her before she could fall, but stumbled a few steps before he regained their balance… her bag was much heavier than he'd expected.
"Sorry, thanks!" Kagome shoved her bangs out of her eyes and looked up at him with a smile. Then she looked around him and saw a reclining Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Botan. Hiei rested against the wall in a position that was not reclining. "What's going on? Come to see me off?"
"Nope." Yusuke replied and scratched a spot on his arm.
"Hn." Hiei adjusted his position slightly but still wasn't reclining.
"Uhh." Kuwabara looked at the other guys, "I thought-"
"We're going with you." Kurama interrupted his friend.
"Huh?" Kagome replied.
"If you're going to the past, we're going, too." Yusuke piped up and heaved himself off the ground. He grabbed a gym bag that had been next to him and set the strap on his shoulder. He turned to the well house and climbed up the steps. Once he entered he dropped his bag next to the well. Then he peered down into the dark depths before turning and looking out the doorway.
"I don't know how traveling through time works!" Kagome protested. She released her grip on Kurama's wrist that she hadn't realized she still held and strode towards the well and after her twin.
"Oh!" Botan chirped, "Just try giving them a shard! They've breached enough barriers that a little boost from the shards will allow them that extra push to pass through time!"
"Okay," Kagome said a bit uncertainly. She turned back to her brother, "What about Keiko?" She turned to each of the males in turn, "and Shizuru, and Yukina, and your family, Kurama?"
"Keiko is spending time with mom." Yusuke reported from inside, "Atsuko… anyway, they're doing some wedding planning and they're going to keep each other company. Ain't now way I'm gonna stick around for that."
"Hn." Hiei left his position against the wall of the well house and joined Yusuke inside it.
Kagome met Kuwabara's eyes. He glanced at Kurama for help and when the avatar proved silent, he scratched the back of his neck and looked over Kagome's head, "Well… Shizuru will be fine. And I told Genkai to watch over Yukina while I'm gone. They'll be fine!"
Kurama moved up to her, brushed a stray strand of hair and tucked it behind her ear. Then he turned to join Hiei and Yusuke in the well house.
Kagome sent the trio a fulminating glare, clenched her fists, and turned to Botan with a stomp. Botan shrugged. Kagome rolled her eyes at her in response and pulled out the jewel. She broke a shard for each of the males and Botan. She handed one to Kuwabara who pinched it between his thumb and index finger. He peered closely at it before tucking it into his pocket. She held out her hand in offering to Botan who stepped back with her hands extended in a negative motion.
"Oh, I'm not going." She peered over her shoulder at the Goshinboku, "I'm just here to wish them farewell and witness if it works or not."
Kagome followed her gaze towards the tree and, seeing nothing, shrugged. She turned on her heel, set her pack down on the floor next to Yusuke's and dropped a shard into each of the three remaining men.
Yusuke tossed the shard into the air and caught it. Then he swung his bag back onto his shoulder and leapt into the well all in one motion. Kagome rushed forward to peer down and watched blue light surround him. She sighed in relief and then huffed in consternation.
"My turn." Kuwabara pushed her gently to the side and followed his friend. Blue light shone moments later as he, too, disappeared.
Hiei nodded at her and leapt up onto the brim and then stepped off the edge. Kagome glared as the same light engulfed him and then started as Kurama tugged her hair gently. He kissed her forehead, scooped her bag off the ground and settled it on the same shoulder has his.
"See you on the other side," he winked and vaulted into the well. Kagome smiled slightly as she watched him disappear.
She tossed her hair over her shoulder and turned to look at Botan, who was hovering just outside the door. Botan fluttered her hands in a shooing gesture and grinned at the blushing miko.
Kagome shook her head and tumbled into the well.
"Be safe," Botan whispered after her friends with a sigh. She turned and watched Koenma in his teenage form step out from behind the Goshinboku.
He strode lazily forward and entered the well house to peer into its mysterious depths.
"Good." Koenma stated with a nod, "I thought as much."
"I still don't understand," Botan questioned him, "I didn't think it was that easy to cross time."
"No, generally it isn't." He looked down into the well, "that group is a bit special. You couldn't make it through the well just by having a shard. Neither could Kuwabara's sister or Keiko."
"Why not?"
"Because they each have something special that either attaches to her or, in Kuwabara's case, the ability to bypass barriers." Koenma stepped back away from the well and offered his arm to Botan, "Let us depart."
"Koenma?" Botan asked with a frown, "what happens if Kurama meets himself?"
Koenma laughed.
Kagome grinned as Kurama and Yusuke lifted her out of the well, each holding a hand. Yusuke dropped her hand as soon as she was steady on her feet. Kagome blushed when Kurama didn't release her hand immediately. The kitsune grinned and slowly let go.
Kagome's head whipped around when she heard a sudden happy shriek. A broad grin spread across her face when she saw Shippo and Rin barreling towards her and a sedate Sesshomaru following placidly behind.
She knelt and was knocked flat when first Shippo, then Rin, slammed into her in an enthusiastic embrace. She laughed and hugged them right back before she stood up and brushed herself off. She met Sesshomaru's eyes with a smile and bowed slightly to him. Then she turned to her friends and froze. Each of them were staring at Sesshomaru, obviously ready to fight.
"Ummm." Kagome panicked, "Guys, this is Sesshomaru-sama. He is an ally and friend of mine."
Her voice ran slightly high towards the end as she rushed to placate them. They slowly relaxed, none of them fully comfortable, but she hopped they'd not set Sesshomaru off, anyway.
"Sesshomaru-sama, please meet my friends and family from my time." She gestured to each as she said their name, all, including Hiei, inclining their heads to him as she said their name.
"Hn." Sesshomaru studied them for a minute before dismissing them, but not as an insult.
Kagome smiled brilliantly up at him and wrapped her hands around his arm in a friendly, familiar gesture. Kurama's eyes narrowed. Kuwabara's boggled.
She looked over her shoulder at the quartet and gestured with her head to follow. Each of them heaved their stuff, Kurama both his and Kagome's, and followed.
"How's everything going, Shippo?" Kagome asked the kit that had just scampered up to her shoulder.
"Kit." Sesshomaru murmured.
Shippo eep'd and scampered back down onto the ground and walked next to Kagome. Kagome looked up at Sesshomaru, slight disapproval in her eyes, "I don't mind."
"He must support himself. Do not coddle him, miko."
She huffed, but turned back to him.
"It's going great!" Shippo crowed, "just the other day, I caught my first deer!"
"Oh really?" Kagome beamed down at him, "did you eat it?!"
"Of course!" Rin cried, tugging on the end of Kagome's jacket. Kagome released Sesshomaru's arm with her left hand and reached down to take Rin's.
"Was it delicious?" Kagome inquired with enthusiasm.
"Yup!" Shippo chirped with a firm nod.
"Good. I'm so proud of you, Shippo." She bent to kiss the top of his head and then Rin's. "Rin, I'm very proud of you as well."
She leaned her head into Sesshomaru's shoulder for a second in thanks and continued walking. Sesshomaru looked down at her and then glanced back at Kurama. The heat of that glare was really beginning to get annoying.
"Hn."
Once the group reached the village, Kagome released Sesshomaru completely and abandoned him to dash into Sango's arms.
"Sango!" Kagome cried, "I missed you!"
"Hah," Sango huffed, holding Kagome just as tightly, "wasn't it you that left me alone with these numbskulls for more than two weeks?"
Kagome grinned carelessly and released her heart-sister and embraced Miroku just as tightly.
Inuyasha hopped down off the roof he'd been perched and tousled Kagome's hair.
"Keh." He nodded to Yusuke, who returned the nod with a slight smirk.
"Inuyasha, you already know everybody," Kagome piped up when Miroku released her. It was nice not to have to worry about him groping her now that he was wed to her friend. "Miroku, Sango, these are my friends and family from the future."
She went through the introductions the same as she had with Sesshomaru, but Hiei didn't bother to respond as he had with Sesshomaru.
Sango studied the group for a minute, "Kaede's hut will be too small for everybody to fit and since ours is even smaller, perhaps it would be better for us to just get a head start today and we'll camp tonight?"
Kagome, not enthusiastic about already beginning the hunt, but even less enthusiastic about Yusuke and Inuyasha sleeping in such close quarters, quickly agreed.
"Keh," Inuyasha approved.
Kagome finally convinced Kurama to let her carry something and ended up with his bag… it was considerably lighter. The group left an hour later, everybody happy to be on the hunt.
Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews! I was thrilled to see them and am glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too!
Please review!
Zeika
