Love Can Prevail: The After-mating Life

P r e v i o u s l y o n L o v e C a n P r e v a i l T h e A f t e r M a t i n g L i f e

"Now, leave Tetsusaiga here and get away -- no, stay away from me and my pup. And Inuyasha, too. I don't want him to be around the likes of you. He needs to help raise his pup, even if we aren't to be together anymore." Inuyasha's ears perked up when she told Kikyo off, but when she said that last sentence, they drooped again.

Kagome was about to shoot Kikyo when…

Chapter 4: Happy Birthday, Tauni! (Final Part)

Kagome was about to shoot Kikyo when Kikyo retreated, dropping Tetsusaiga. 'What the hell?' Kagome thought, turning around. She caught a glimpse of everyone growling in Kikyo's direction, before they covered it up. "Grr…I was about to attack that wench, if she didn't leave Tetsusaiga and go!" Kagome whined. She stopped whining, and picked up the Tetsusaiga.

Inuyasha walked over to Kagome and took Tetsusaiga from her. "Thanks…" Inuyasha mumbled. He was kind of confused as to why Kagome yelled at everyone, until—

"Why were you guys trying to scare her away? I was gonna shoot her!" Kagome was whining again. "Oh, forget it, let us go home. Miroku, Sango, ja ne!" Kagome gave them a hug and allowed them to hug Kimmikatana before the group stepped right next to the well.

First into the well were Kouga and Kagome. They carried Tauni's pack with them. Kagome decided that Inuyasha could carry the pup into modern Japan. Kagome had only one fear: That Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha would start fighting before jumping into her era.

'Oh, why does Kouga have to pull his stunts now? I don't even know if me and Inuyasha are able to separate, so why is he holding my hand? It is, after all, my era we are going to…' She pulled her hand out of Kouga's as they landed in the well. Unfortunately, the well wasn't very large, and she and Kouga were pressed up against each other. Kouga solved this issue by picking Kagome up and jumping out of the well.

"A-anou…well, thank you, Kouga. You can put me down now. Arigatou. Oh, no…What if they are fighting?" Kagome put the bag down and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. She walked over to the well and peered into its depths.

All of a sudden, a blue light appeared and Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Tauni appeared. To Kagome's relief, no one looked like they had gotten their asses kicked. 'Maybe because Tauni was with them…? Oh, Kami, I hope so…They both love her, so…Yea, that's it…' Kagome argued with herself.

Inuyasha hopped out of the well and tried to hand Kimmikatana to Kagome. She shook her head and said, "You hold her. I'm sure you've missed her very much," Kagome finished as Sesshoumaru hopped out of the well.

Sesshoumaru immediately walked over to Kagome and Kouga, taking Kagome by the elbow and bringing her outside the well house. Inuyasha noted that Kagome willingly went with his brother, and that Sesshoumaru seemed to know his way around.

"Oi! Kagome! Have you brought my brother here before now?" Inuyasha asked when he caught up to Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

Kagome nodded and said, "Yes, Kouga, too. My mother likes both of them, but she misses you and your ears!" Kagome said, and when she mentioned his ears, she tweaked them a bit, blushed, and withdrew her hand. All the while Inuyasha growled.

'Wow, Mutt-Face sure is soft when it comes to my Kagome…I wonder…Can I use that against him? No, if I do that, Kagome would get upset with me…And it would ruin all the progress I made with her while that dog was gone.' Kouga thought, laughing quietly at Inuyasha being embarrassed by Kagome.

After about 5 minutes, they arrived in the Higurashi house. Kagome put down Tauni's bag and yelled, "Mother, we're home!" Shortly after, Mrs. Higurashi came into the room and gave everyone a hug, but stopped when she saw Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha! You're back! Oh, how we've all missed you! Gramps has even missed you a little. He's had to entertain himself by chasing Kouga and Sesshoumaru around with demon wards, instead of you. Souta missed you, and was extremely bored because Sesshoumaru and Kouga didn't want to play with him. But, now..! Thank Kami you have returned!" Mrs. H said before she was pulled away from Inuyasha by Kagome.

"Anou…Mom, Me and Inuyasha aren't going to stay together…I-I mean, he'll help me to raise Tauni, but…"Kagome thought for a minute. "I guess I'm trying to say that I still love him, but I can't take anymore pain," Kagome whispered.

'Huh? Are those tears I smell? Kagome is crying! Does she still love me? Is that why she's crying as she tells her mom that we aren't to be mates anymore?' "Shh, shh, Kagome, why're you crying, dummy?" Inuyasha took the crying woman in his arms and asked her the question quietly. "Does it hurt to tell your mom what's going on? It's okay…please, don't cry…"Inuyasha rocked Kagome gently. This action got a growl out of Kouga, and Sesshoumaru acted indifferent, but after a few minutes, he interrupted.

"Ahem. Shouldn't we be getting on with this celebration, so we can go back home?" Sesshoumaru crossed the room and took Tauni from Mrs. H. Kouga took this interruption as a chance to break up Inuyasha and Kagome. He took Kagome's hands his and brought her to the dining room, leaving Inuyasha to growl at him. 'Ha! I got her away from him and into the…huh?'

Inuyasha had somehow gotten kagome away from Kouga while Kouga was thinking, and they were already in the dining room, sitting down for the celebration. Kouga almost threw a fit, but decided to sit down and attack Inuyasha later, instead.

3 hours later

Everyone was laughing at what Tauni just did. The little hanyou had just shoved a whole piece of cake in her face.

"Can someone please…h-help me…clean her up?" Kagome barely got out in between laughs.

"Yes, I'll help you," Sesshoumaru volunteered. He picked up the pup and went with Kagome to the bathroom. They washed her face and hands and Kagome changed her clothes. The three of them then went back downstairs.

"That's what I was trying to avoid in the Feudal Era. Well, thank you, mom, but we have to be going now. I'll miss you, and I'll make sure Inuyasha visits every once in a while." Kagome hugged her mom, and the group left for the well-house.