Kagome blinked in surprise as she stepped out of the portal.

"Home." She glanced around in awe and stepped away to let everybody else through.

"I told you, the Goshinboku is the link between our worlds. There is an open link between all three worlds that will be open as long as the barrier is up." Shippo turned back to the tree he had seemingly just stepped out from, "Makai to Ningenkai and vice versa is the Goshinboku; Makai to Reikai is the well, or the remnants at least. It's not the same backwards though. Reikai was created instead of unmeshed. So, there was never a well there, instead you come out of a gate."

"Why them?" She asked.

Shippo strode over to the woman he'd adopted as family in the past and embraced her from behind. He turned her to face the rest of the group so he could tell them the story as well. He was pretty sure the older Kitsune knew part of what he was saying, but probably not all. After all, Sesshomaru had gone through great pains to keep it under wraps. He rested his chin on her head and began his story.

"Because the well was able to break through the barrier of time and was used for the bones of dead demons. The dead demons linked the Makai and the Reikai, and the time barrier allowed it to pass through the much less powerful world barrier. It wasn't a purposeful portal left by the idiots in Reikai. It's more of the fact that they couldn't close it.

"For years, that asshat Enma sent people to destroy the well and hope that would close the opening in the barrier," Shippo glanced up at the sun. He blinked and released Kagome only to grab her by the hand and tug her along behind him, "come, I will talk while we walk. Sesshomaru hates to be kept waiting."

The group followed behind without protest.

"Anyway, he was unsuccessful for about one hundred and fifty years because Sesshomaru had a spy in Reikai's ranks and knew when the attacks were coming. Then the spy got caught and was fed misinformation. When we were busy preparing an ambush to protect something else, they struck and destroyed the well. All that's left now is a semi-square whole in the ground. " Shippo grinned and looked at Kurama, "Still works, of course. It wasn't the wood that gave it the power, it was the demon bones that had become a part of it. We've reinforce it so it doesn't cave in, but all you have to do is hop down in it and you come out right at the gate of Reikai."

"What happened to the spy?" Kagome was curious to know.

"Sesshomaru bargained with Enma. Enma agreed that, instead of destroying the soul, it would be reincarnated into some unborn child of Sesshomaru's underlings and the soul's mate as well, when a female would be born. In return, Sesshomaru agreed to keep the portal's existence a secret and have a sorceress in his employ cast a spell upon it that only allowed a select few to disarm the defenses so they can pass through it."

"Huh." Yusuke blinked at Shippo, "this Sesshomaru guy is kinda wily isn't he?"

Shippo grinned at Yusuke and nodded as he turned the corner towards the park, they'd be cutting it close, but he figured Sesshomaru would forgive them a couple of minutes since they were bringing Kagome to him.

"And the portal from Ningenkai to Reikai?" Kurama asked. Shippo had mentioned that there was one, but didn't say where or what it was.

"We have nothing to do with that one. It's in a graveyard about ten miles from Kagome's Shrine. It's not a part of the lands that Sesshomaru controls and he has no interest in it."

"Hn." Hiei voiced his agreement. As long as you knew its location, there really was no reason to have to portals to the Reikai that were already open. Plus, it sounded like Sesshomaru had admittance to Reikai whenever he chose.

"So, why is the Goshinboku a portal from Makai to Ningenkai and back?" Kagome asked.

"Inuyasha." He replied, looking up at the sun and then back down at the broken face Kagome donned at hearing Inuyasha's name. "He was sealed to the tree by a human priestess. For fifty years he slept. Half human, half demon. Then, he was released from the tree by a human priestess. The Goshinboku was already an ancient and powerful tree. When Inuyasha slept there for so long, the Goshinboku became a link between demon and human kind. It didn't want to be cut off from one world when the barriers were formed, so it decided to be in both worlds and let those who wished travel back and forth."

"Oh." Was her whispered reply.

"Inuyasha is happy, Kagome. I talked to his spirit about eighteen years ago. Then, he was reincarnated to a human mother here in Ningenkai a few years back, he wanted you to know he'll always care about you, but that you should move on and be happy. He also made me promise when I found you that I would take care of you."

Kagome peered at Shippo with tears in her eyes. She gave him a watery smile, squeezed his hand and turned her attention towards the park she could see at the end of the block. It wouldn't be long now and she could see Sesshomaru.

Kirara purred and rubbed her face into Kagome's neck and hopped over to Shippo's shoulder. He ruffled her fur with the hand that wasn't holding Kagome's and grinned.

"We're almost there, Kirara. Then you can go back home and take care of them."

"Eh?"

"Tell you later, Kagome. Right now, I think I see Sesshomaru. And he sees you."

Kagome followed Shippo's gaze to the tall man about a hundred yards in front of him. He looked different, but when she opened her senses, it was definitely Sesshomaru.

She pulled out of Shippo's hold and darted towards the demon that had become as dear to her heart as Inuyasha. She stopped in front of him and bowed then, with tears streaming down her face, she leapt into him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Sesshomaru hesitated for a half of a second before he wrapped his arms around her and held her just as tightly as she was holding him.

"I missed you, Kagome." He whispered into her ear, and then his voice rose and took on a chiding tone, "And where have you been? This Sesshomaru has been searching for you for days when the guard alerted that you had appeared and the time loop was complete. When this one got to your residence, you were gone."

Sesshomaru released his hold on her and she slid down his body and stepped back so she wasn't craning her neck so bad to look him in the eye.

She studied his new look and was a bit surprised at what she saw. His hair was as short as Yusuke's and just as black. His once golden orbs were a deep brown and the stripes and moon on his face were nowhere to be seen. He was wearing a black business suit with a deep red tie and shiny black shoes. No, this was not the Sesshomaru she knew at all. The ends of his fingers were blunted with human nails and his straight, white teeth had not even a hint of a fang.

The rest of the group caught up with them and Sesshomaru's eyes took in Shippo and flashed gold.

"Kit, what has this Sesshomaru told you about being in Ningenkai?" He asked, with the same smooth voice she remembered. Hehe, he even had the same acid in his tone. So, perhaps he hadn't completely changed.

"Oh, right. Sorry, Sesshomaru-sama, I was so intent on bringing Kagome to you that I forgot." Shippo turned a sheepish eye to Sesshomaru.

And then Shippo began to disappear, too. Oh, he was standing right there, but he had subtly shifted in appearance. His long auburn tresses had shortened to quarter of an inch spikes and the brilliant green eyes dulled to a more hazel. His nails blunted and his fangs disappeared. The sharp points on his ears shifted into a round human ear. His aura even dulled a bit. The only thing to remain the same was his clothes.

Kagome gaped at him. The rest of the group, having watched demons throw on something of a glamour before accepted the transformation without a blink.

"Miko, this Sesshomaru doesn't like to repeat himself." Sesshomaru turned a sharp look on her.

"What?" She asked, still flabbergasted about the transformation, "Oh! I was searching for you. How was I supposed to know you'd be here in the human world? They" and she gestured at the detectives, "said that most powerful youkai were locked in the Makai and so they agreed to take me to you, instead."

"Hm." He acknowledged the rest of the group for the first time. His gaze swept over them, almost dismissingly and then whipped back to Yusuke. He paused for a second, staring at the leader, before continuing, "Why did you not tell this one that Kagome was in your possession when we spoke on your communicator?"

"Uhhhhh," Yusuke scratched the back of his head, "because you didn't give me a chance. You just hung up on me! I didn't even get a word in edgewise. Not to mention, you never even told me who you were looking for OR your name!"

Hiei and Kuwabara looked at Yusuke with a goggle eyed look, well, Kuwabara did. Hiei's eyes got as goggled as he would let them, which wasn't much.

Kurama just dropped his head into his hand and sighed in exasperation. Only Yusuke would speak to the most powerful youkai alive like that.

"He's right you know." Kagome interjected, before Sesshomaru could kill the boy that she'd grown fond of.

Sesshomaru looked at her with a blank look.

She returned it.

Shippo snickered. He'd missed this.

"Come, Miko. We shall return to the Palace of the Moon." He turned his back to the group and held out his hand to her. When she took it, he glanced back at the detectives over his shoulder, "You may leave us. This Sesshomaru wishes to thank you for returning the miko to him, if you are ever in need, you will be able to cross into the Forbidden Lands and contact this one for aid."

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru." Kurama bowed from the waste in thanks and shot a look to Yusuke and Kuwabara to follow his lead. They quickly mimicked him.

Hiei inclined his head towards Sesshomaru to show his gratitude and respect.

"I'll see you, later!" Kagome called back, "Thank you for your help! I'll get in touch with you when everything is settled."

They strode out of the park and disappeared into a sleek black limo. The chauffer grinned over to the woman standing on the other side of the car as he closed the door. He climbed behind the wheel and the woman joined him on the other side. She held out her hand for him to hold and sighed with contentment. The chauffer glanced into the mirror to check on his passengers and smiled. His eyes flashed purple as he put the car into gear and drove off.

A/N: Sorry there isn't much action in this chapter. I've given a couple of hints to the future, let's see if anybody catches them. Hope you enjoyed.