Disclaimer: here we are at the end, and I still don't own InuYasha. I'm feeling the futility of it all.


Epilogue

Kagome stayed in her room for three days; crying, laughing, remembering and thinking. Her family gave her plenty of space, and Grandpa finally had an honest excuse for her absence.

"She's having heart problems. But once she's better, the doctors say she should be perfectly healthy again." He hung up the phone and muttered, "at least I hope so."

On the fourth day back, Kagome went down to breakfast in her school uniform. She was pale, but had a small smile and some of the light back in her eyes. "Good morning everyone."

"Morning sis!" Sota looked up from his rice. "You gonna be okay now?" Sota had mourned his hero's passing, but knew it was much harder for her. She and InuYasha had been together for so long!

"I will be."

"Kagome," Jii-chan started. "I found something in the back of the shrine that may help you recover." He produced a small shirt box from under the table. "It's been in the family for generations."

"It's not another newt's foot, is it?" Kagome opened the box and gasped. Her eyes filled with tears as she looked to her grandfather.

"What is it, dear?" Her mom stepped forward, ready to reprimand her father-in-law for whatever he had done now.

Kagome gently lifted the item out of the box. In her hands she held a necklace of purple prayer beads and white fangs. It was quite old, but well kept.

"It was InuYasha's subjection beads." She broke out in fresh tears and ran to Jii-chan. "Thank you so much!" She threw her arms around his neck in a quick hug, and just as suddenly was gone.

"Where do you think she's going?" They all shrugged and went back to breakfast.

'I know what to wish! I've got to hurry.' She ran outside and stood before the God Tree. There, stating at the spot where she first met InuYasha all that time ago, she silently prayed her wish into the jewel.

The Shikon Jewel warmed in her hands and shone with a brilliant inner light. It rose up into the air, and as it disappeared, Midoriko's spirit appeared before her.

"Thank you, my child. Be happy and blessed.: She then vanished as if she were only an illusion.

Kagome walked to school, feeling a sense of freedom she hadn't known in some time. Making her way to her desk just as the bell rang, she felt as though the whole class was staring at her. She gave her friends a curious look, and Eri mouthed 'later; to her.

As the final bell of the day rang, Kagome stretched and walked outside. The young woman leaned against a nearby wall, overwhelmed.

"Great, more tests in just two days! How am I ever going to catch back up?"

"Are you okay, Kagome?" Yuka asked as the girls came up to her.

"Yeah, we heard about your heart problems. Maybe it's too soon for you to be up so much." Ayumi put her hand up to her friend's forehead. "Do they really think that that's what has been causing your illnesses?"

I'm fine, you guys. Really. I just need a little time to get back into the routine." She began walking through the school yard, sakura blossoms gently floating down.

"On a better note, have you heard about the new guy?" Eri gossiped. "I hear he's really cute!"

Ayumi gazed off dreamily. "He is, I've seen him. Although," she smiled mischievously at Kagome, "I heard he's been looking for the girl from the Hiragishi Shrine."

The girls stopped in front of her. Yuka peered into her face. "Have you been hiding another hot guy from us, Kagome?"

She held up her hands defensively. "Hey, I don't know what you guys are talking about! I've been gone, remember?"

"And it's about time you came back. You always make me wait for you," a gruff voice called from behind her.

'InuYasha?' Kagome slowly turned, and found herself looking into a pair of warm brown eyes. "InuYasha!" She embraced him tightly, afraid that if she let him go, he would disappear again.

"K-Kagome?" Her friends giggled behind her. "We're still at school, you know."

Blushing, she pushed him away.

"Hey! What did ya do that for?" He folded his arms across his chest. "Feh. I'll never understand you." Despite his harsh words, he smiled at her.

"Let's head to the shrine, InuYasha." She took his hand and called a goodbye over her shoulder to her dumbfounded friends.

They walked in silence, not wanting to spoil the moment with words. As they approached her house, InuYasha stopped in front of the God Tree.

"It seems like only yesterday you freed me." He turned to face her, and saw tears falling down her cheeks. "What's wrong now?"

"How did you - why - I missed you so much." She once again embraced him, resting her head on his chest. "How is it that you're here? I saw you die. We buried you right over there."

"I was reincarnated." She looked up at him, a curious expression on her face. "What, you think only your soul gets another chance?"

"No, I just realize that my wish came true. At least part of it."

"WHAT? You already made a wish on the jewel?"

"What would you have used it for, to become a demon?" Kagome asked irritated.

"Don't tell me you two are starting up already."

"You know them. They fight when they're happy."

The couple turned around to see Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippo ascending the shrine steps.

"Can't you ever just be nice to her, InuYasha?" Shippo licked a lollipop, looking fully human. "I know it's hard being human, but just deal with it. Ow!" The little boy yelped as InuYasha bopped him on the head. "Grandma, make him stop!"

"Grandma?" Kagome looked at Kaede.

"It would seem that young Shippo is now my grandson." The elderly woman stroked the boy's hair lovingly. "My only question is how we came to be here."

"I wished for us all to be together again, to live in peace and happiness. I just couldn't imagine being without you all."

"It will be hard adjusting to this new place, but there seem to be plenty of beautiful women... I'm just kidding, Sango!" He put his hands up to block her attack.

"What's all that ruckus? Kagome, are you there?"

"Out here, Jii-chan." Her family came out and greeted her friends.

"We've heard so much about you, welcome to your home." Kagome's mom smiled politely as Miroku took her hand in his.

"Beautiful woman, would you give me the honor of bearing my ... HEY! Stop it!" The monk shielded himself as both Sango and Kagome hit him.

"You much stay for dinner." The older Hiragishi woman offered. "Tell me, where are you staying?" She entered the house with Sango and a bruised Miroku, a small cat following behind.

"And who might you be, madam?" Jii-chan began flirting with Kaede as Sota and Shippo ran off to go play.

"Looks like everyone's going to be fine." Kagome and InuYasha walked into the well house and sat on the stops. "I wonder who else made it here?" She mused quietly.

"Who else did you wish for?" InuYasha looked at her, worried.

"Well, I wasn't specific. I just wished for us all to be together and pictured each of you in my mind. I may have thought of some others..."

"Who, Kagome? Not Sesshomaru?" She remained quiet. "Who! Oh no, not..." he made a disgusted face, "Koga?" She just smiled. "He better not try anything with you here! I swear, if he comes anywhere near you I'll -"

"InuYasha?" Kagome stood up behind him and placed something around his neck.

"What the -? Not again! Ah, come on Kagome!"

"Sit, boy."


A/N: And that's it. I hope you enjoyed my little story. This was written back in 2005, long before I had read or seen the end of the series. I realize there are a lot of things that probably wouldn't work with my fanfic based on what was shown in the last season, but that's what makes it a fanfic. lol

Oh, and I have to say this: please don't steal my plot and try to continue it for me. It's finished. There's no more to write. I actually had that happen on the last site I posted this, and it was enough to turn me off of writing for 4 years. Don't make me go through that again! Thanks!