Chapter 14- The circle complete

Kagome could barely believe it she was so happy. Oh the hurt was still there, a darkness that she now thought would shroud her heart forever but this happiness was beyond that because here was Rin. Here was proof, all around her, that he friends were not dead and had, in fact, thrived. They had lived long full lives, they lived them still, and all was well in the world. In her world.

Inuyasha

It was a whisper in her soul but not from her soul. It was the jewel reminding her of the danger still out waiting for them, reminding her of the friend that was forever lost but at least it was not all for nothing. Fang was proof enough for that, no matter how much despair she felt. A son of both Kouga and Inuyasha, she would adore the child without question she knew that. They had all stayed there on the ground until Yusuke called to them, confused and slightly irritated but happy none-the-less because Keiko was there. Kagome understood why he loved her. She was a gentle person, but not a pushover, and she loved her cousin to the very depths and breaths of her soul, she was his center, his light, his way out of the darkness, the one whom he could always go to and with a temper to boot. Puu was adorable and he and Kilala got along nicely. Genkai had mentioned that Puu's true form was that of a blue phoenix which was a bit of a surprise, yes, but a nice one. She just wished she had more hands. She was still holding Rin's hand and she had wanted to latch on to both Hiei and Fang at the same time but she just couldn't. Hiei, gods love that demon, solved the problem by slipping himself between her and Rin, touching her gently while no one could see, freeing her other hand to latch onto Fang who was more than happy to grab hold.

The little village children darted around them, the huge group moving towards the elegant castle. The only worry Kagome had, other than the tournament and Inuyasha/Naraku, was that Rin, her dear happy Rin, said not word about Sesshomaru and that scared her. She had already lost Inuyasha and, perhaps, Kykio aswell she could not lose Sesshomaru too. Would not allow herself to lose Sesshomaru too.

Perhaps it was stupid to be annoyed that Kagome was holding the boy's hand like he was life itself, especially since she was holding the girl's hand with equal fervor, but he didn't like it either way. He pushed it back though, the hate that always came so easily to him because he loved her and that love had completely and totally obliterated everything he had been before. Even if he DID still try to act tough. It didn't help that he had to watch over Yukina now too, with Kuwabara panting over her like a bitch in heat (serious exaggeration on his part considering Kuwabara treated Yukina like a princess) plus the tournament soon to begin, Yusuke flattened with his love for Keiko, and Kurama's sudden surge for the woman demon Rin. No this was not going to go well at all which was ok so long as Kagome remained safe. Anyone touched her and they would die. Slowly.

And all the time he had been thinking they had reached the palace doors, he was shocked at the old world feel to it. It looked like something ancient and regal, a true palace, with wood polished to near blinding and comforts from ancient Japan. It felt powerful too, like walking into an ancient tomb where the pharaoh lay slumbering. It was disconcerting, his companions whispers grinding to a halt. Rin looked at Kagome and then at Shippo who took that opportunity to show of his new skills and transformed into his older form. For a moment the girl, Rin, said nothing and then she moved towards Shippo and hugged him tight. Whispered something in his ear that made Shippo laugh but which Hiei could not hear.

"Yes. He was important to me."

"He'll be pleased."

He? What He? Who He? Well HE didn't like this at all, didn't like so many strangers around his loved ones even if Kagome trusted all these demons. Hiei had been borne running and fighting, to sit still and accept was not easy for him. It almost hurt in fact. Kagome sensed this though, he knew she did, because she stopped and she ignored her friends, the ones whose loss had almost destroyed her, moving closer to him, her hand inching into his own and squeezing gently. He felt it again, that strange feeling he had felt before. Here was home. Kagome was home and anywhere she was is where he wanted to be. He would die to protect her, to save her from any enemy, but he would also destroy her. Be forced to leave her and wasn't that just so fucking depressing that thought? That knowledge? Why did she had to covet that damned jewel if it weren't for that they could be together always but, instead, they had only a few more days at best. He squeezed her hand back, harder, but his face remained neutral.

"Auntie KAGOME!"

Kagome was startled, letting go of Hiei to turn and face a voice that was oddly familiar. It's a mini me was the only sane thought that ran through her head before she noticed the differences. The girl was just that, a girl, a child, barely older Shippo with raven black hair and bright, honey brown eyes with just the barest flecks of blue, alabaster skin and a smile a mile wide. Then the demon traits kicked in, her ears were sharply pointed and like Fang she had a crescent moon on his head but lacking the markings that Rin had (the ones that marked her as the next in line for the throne). She looked strange like a cross of herself and kykip and Inuyasha all in one and she acted as if she had known her all her life. The child barreled into arms at full speed, making Fang laugh loudly. Kagome looked down at the bundle in her arms, the beaming bundle in her arms who just smiled wider and hugged tighter.

"This is Kaigo, my younger cousin."

"Yep, yep I am. My mommy and daddy told me ALL about you auntie and so did Uncle. I'm so happy now because now daddy will come home now that you're back."

"Kaigo calm down you're gonna scare her."

"Am not." He replied calmly and Kagome could sense a full blown argument in the making, apparently so could Rin because she was already opening her mouth to intercede when all three of them suddenly snapped their mouths closed and stared at the doors to their right. Frowning Kagome looked around, confused, before she felt it.

Something was coming, something monstrously powerful. It couldn't be a demon Hiei believed. The eldest demon they had ever encountered had been Yusuke's ancestor and even he hadn't been this powerful had he been? No, of course not, but then what could it be? Whatever it was Hiei didn't like it and he was prepared to fight it, give the others a chance to escape. Then the doors opened and he knew he had been wrong.

Before them now was a demon, an ancient demon. He was tall, almost six feet tall, with two swords in scabbards at his side. He wore a pure white Kimono that was mostly white with a red honeycomb and flower crest at the collar and sleeves. He had a strange sort of armor attached to his chest and a long white fur sash? Wrapped around him. His hair was long, longer than Kagome's, and pure white, his eyes bright shinning gold. He had a purplish stripe on each cheek and a crescent moon on his forehead. He was a lean man, but his face was almost delicate looking. With a start Hiei looked back at Shippo and realized, in an instant, what form the young fox demon had been trying to copy, had almost succeeded in copying except for a few minor differences that struck Hiei as odd but no less familiar. Turning back he saw Kagome set the child down and walk, as if in a trance, towards the door and the demon. Every instinct in him told him to move, to protect her, but Fang and Rin and Shippo and just about everyone else it seemed blocked his path. By then it was too late and Kagome had reached the demon. Hiei was sure he was about to crush her, destroy her for now bowing in his presence. Every fiber in him screamed even as no sound escaped him. As he watched his love fall into this other demon's arms and cry, smiling, only to be swept up and cradled in his arms as if she were his most precious treasure.

"Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru you're alive. You're ok."

Kagome was crying again, how much more would she cry today? And did it matter? Here was Sesshomaru the last piece of the puzzle, the last thing she needed in her life to make it whole other than Inuyasha. She had her big brother back, her confidant, her best friend. He grabbed her and swung her into his arms and wasn't this like a few months ago? Didn't she remember this like it was yesterday even though it had been five hundred years ago?

"Kagome." His voice was, to Hiei's utter disgust, almost a purr. Cold and filled with love, hard but dripping with joy, detached yet suddenly whole. It was a voice, he knew, that would make anyone fall to their feet in either divine pleasure or absolute terror.

"I missed you so much." Was his heart breaking?

Kagome didn't know what to do, what to say, she had said all she could. She had missed him. She had missed him so very much and here he was. Looking past her tears she saw the familiar smirk even if he seemed older. He had looked in his early twenties five hundred years ago, now he looked almost ten years older but that smirk was still the same.

"I have always been with you, my dear one, every time you closed your eyes."

"You were always watching over me?"

"Since the day you were born."

"And Miroku? Sango?"

"They built this village, we built this village, for the future. Your future. They lived long and full lives, they had six children and the first was named Kagome and every first female child since has been named Kagome."

"I miss them."

"They never forgot you. They left something for you."

"I'm home."

"Yes."

"Hiei, Shippo, Kilala. Oh Sesshomaru Rin is so beautiful.." Sesshomaru raised a brow, holding back a chuckle and set her down gently, like she was glass. His attention then turned to Kilala who was in her true form and rumbled towards him for a few long strokes. Then it was Shippo's turn and, though he said nothing, he was deeply moved by his choice of form though it didn't take long to note the differences between the parts of him that were Shippo, the ones that were himself and the ones that looked remarkably like the black clad demon striding towards them. A strong demon. He had watched him, studied him, and he approved. Kagome needed protection but Sesshomaru was no longer part of her group, he was her big brother and as such he agreed with her choice. The fire demon was strong, stronger than he believed maybe. Strong enough perhaps.

"Welcome to the Western Lands. I am Sesshomaru Lord of all who reside here." His hands settled one on Kagome's shoulder, the other on Shippo's. Smiling Rin moved, dashing to her father's side and hugging him tightly.

"I'm glad you've returned father."

Sesshomaru said nothing but everyone, everyone, could see love pouring through him and this made Hiei feel a bit better because that love was an almost identical match to what he had seen in the demon lords eyes when he looked at Kagome. Kurama also seemed to sigh in relief.

"Um…What's going on guys?" Yusuke finally spoke up.

"Be quiet Yusuke can't you see they're having a reunion?"

"Huh?"

Kagome shook her head, wiping the tears from her eyes and unconsciously moved closer to Hiei, resting against him as if she could no longer hold her own weight. Without thinking she kissed him full on the lips, uncaring, too happy to do anything else. Here was her family alive and whole and well. Let the tournament come, let Naraku return, let the world try to end it didn't matter. Nothing would keep her from her family again and, as soon as it was safe, she would get her mother and Souta and gramps to come here too if they wanted. Because she would stop anything that tried to take this away from her again, would kill and destroy without mercy anything that threatened them. She was more than Kagome now, more than the broken shell that had slowly been piecing itself back together. She was whole and full and, finally, embracing the jewel within her a jewel that buzzed with its own happiness at its final acceptance.

Bring it on Naraku. I'll get Inuyasha back and Kykio too.

Kagome felt Hiei's arms wrap around her and Sesshomaru's hand warm on her shoulder. She could do anything now. She could save the world.

She was Kagome Higurashi the Priestess of Four Souls.