Chapter 12:

Home

The first thing Anya felt was the heat from the morning sun upon her face. She opened her golden eyes and sighed. The well had allowed her to pass through sure enough, but was she home? that was the question that ran through her mind. She sat up and looked around and found that the sun was beaming down on her. "The shed hadn't been built yet," she said coming to that conclusion. "So, it must be sometime between the future and my era...or could it really be..." Anya's heartached at the thought of finally being able to come home. She saw a butterfly flying at the top and made the quick climb out of the well. Now she sat there, on the edge of the well looking aorund at the vast amount of tree and greenery surrounding the well. Standing, Anya looked around and spotted the tree, that was close by her house...if that's where she'd returned to. Even so, she walked towards it. That's when she smelt it. The scent that had been the only thing to keep her sane while in the future. It was the scents of her parents. The scents of the two people she had longed for, for so long. Unable to contain her joy, Anya started running. Running towards the house she'd been born, to the family she'd missed so much.

As she ran, she spotted children on the hands of Rin, her cousin. Rin spotted her too and had the brightest smile on her face as she hurried into the village. Anya ran as fast as she could down the tree covered path and under the Tori gates that led into her family's yard. Birds chirped around her as if welcoming her back after how long she'd been gone. She just smiled as she ran through the grass. Feeling the soft cool breeze upon her face. She could smell her parents now. Her mother's scent was strongest. She was home. Like she usually was around this time of day. Anya raced along the path even faster. She stopped at the door to her house, terrified and excited at the sametime.

"So, what was their reason why they had to stay overnight at the village? Shippo," Anya heard her aunt Sango's voice as she stepped through the front door.

"Miroku said it was because the demon was far tougher than they thought and the village insisted they spend the night. Inuyasha of course, didn't like the idea, but that sneaky monk guilted him into it...not sure how though." Shippo said. "The villagers also would not let them leave so late, not with the kids with them." He said.

"Ha, guess that makes sense..." Sango said

"Inuyasha had better keep that monk in check while they're there. I'll deal with him if he doesn't." Anya's heart nearly skipped a beat atthe sound of her beloved mother's voice. Uncontrolaable tears welled in her golden orbs as she felt someone come up and grab tightly to her. She looked down and saw her twin siblings, Yanu and Yana.

"Anya!" They exclaimed, hugging their big sister tight. The call of her name from the children's mouths had Kagome, their mother out of the door in an instant.

"ANYA!" Kagome cried as she embraced her daughter. Anya's small arms wrapped the best they could around her mother. She was home, home, home. She was finally home. In her mother's loving arms. Arms covered in red wrapped around them both. Anya closed her eyes as she enjoyed her parent's hug.

"Welcome home kid." Her father said, as Anya nodded. Kagome reluctantly let her child go. Then stood back and looked at her, noticing the school uniform and sighed.

"Mother sure works fast," she said and Inuyasha looked at the clothes on his daughter.

"Ah...yeah, I'd say she does...then again it has been nearly half a year since Anya left." Kagome nodded

"True enough."

From the doorway of the living area (Kagome had specified how she wanted the house to be built) Sango leaned against her husband's chest, his arm around her shoulder. "Thank goodness Anya has come back." She said and Miroku nodded as he kissed her head.

"Sure is...ow, ow, ow! What was..." Miroku gripped his now sore ear.

"I'll be asking...or rather Kagome will be asking Inuyasha if you behaved while at the village all night, and I had better hear good news back. Got it." Sango said sternly, causing Inuyasha to slightly tremble.

"Don't worry, he didn't misbehave...then again I had them tie him to the futon to make sure her didn't. This village had alot of pretty girls." Inuyasha said and watched Miroku nod, relieved. "Couldn't risk it."

Miroku nodded "Exactly as Inuyasha says, I would not want to insight your furious anger, my dear Sango..." He said and she rolled her eyes.

"Whatever." Sango said and walked away, walking passed Anya and her parents. "Welcome back Anya..."

Anya smiled "Thanks, but I wont be staying...not for good anyway." This statement made Inuyasha turn to his recently returned daughter.

"Really, and why not?" He demanded. Kagome sighed.

"Is it because you're in school there now?" She asked Anya shook her pink haired head.

"No...well not only that. I made a really nice friend there, who if I had to guess has never had one before. He's waiting for me to come back."

"He?" Inuyasha said a slight twitch to his ears. "Who is this he that is waiting for you to come back?"

"His name is Naraku and he actually helped me to come hme, he helped me to figure out that I was just scared of ending up in another era in time, instead of here."

Both couples went wide eyed and looked at each other then back at Anya. "What did you say his name was?"

"Naraku. Why?" Everyone seemed to go silent. "Um...what's wrong with my friend Naraku?" Anya asked and Kagome sighed

"Nothing dear, I'm sure it's jus a coincidence is all, right Inuyasha?" Inuyasha nodded reluctantly.

"Just like it's a coincidence that he has the same name as the red eyed man in my dream. The one who told me that my fear was what was keeping me from coming home. His name was Naraku too and he too was very nice to me...I think he's a ghost though...since her walked under the Tori gates and vanished."

Everyone looked at the child as she went to hug her oldest brother Shippo in the other room.

"Ah...Kagome..." Inuyasha started.

"It has to be a coincidence. Nothing more..." Kagome said as they all returned inside with Anya. "...I hope." She silently said, so soft that even Inuyasha wouldn't have been able to pick up on it.

Anya smiled as she was brought to sit in her father's lap. She was home. Fianlly home.