Revised and Adapted 10/19/2010
Chapter L: A Language Made for Love
My Maiden Fair has Left from me,
In her wake I pray and Plea,
Plea with the God's to set me free,
Is there not one to comfort me,
For my own stupidity,
Dear one please,
Come do not flee.
Flower Thirty —Stupidity—Geranium
Kagome opened her eyes when she felt the sensation of sunlight touch her face, fluttering her lashes she took in her surroundings. She was surrounded by flowers, yellow flowers, millions of them. The yellow blanket of the flowers was only broken by a small lake that was clear as crystal, its water barely moving as a gentle breeze caressed it. Kagome felt panic enter her, was she still inside the Shikon no Toma? She tried to dart up right but was stopped when something anchored her to the ground.
Surprised she looked down at the red arm that encircled her waist holding her firmly in place. With a smile she laid down, if Inuyasha was here then she was more than safe. She closed her eyes and put her hand on top of her mate's, thankful for his comforting presence The breeze drifted over both of them and Kagome noticed how light the air felt, how beautiful the breeze was on her skin.
She felt light and airy, a stark difference from how she felt when she was inside the Shikon no Toma. She had felt scared within the white world but now—she opened her eyes and looked up at the sky, deep and beautiful—now she was safe. She watched as white fluffy clouds moved towards the mountains. They were so soft and gentle looking, like a fluffy puppy or an extra soft pillow—she smiled at the thought as she snuggled into her own fluffy puppy.
"Maybe I should sleep for just a minute." She spoke aloud to now one. "Just a minute—," But before she could officially be asleep, before the world of pleasant dreams could take her in she felt something land on her nose.
Kagome opened her eyes surprised at the sensation and watched as a butterfly fluttered away from her. It fluttered in the gentle breeze, over the flowers and past them above the lake. She watched fascinated, wondering if the small white butterfly was a sign. After a moment the butterfly seemed to circle back towards her, much to her surprise and it landed on the only white flower in the entire field.
Kagome titled her head away from Inuyasha's firm chest and set up slightly, or at least as far as she could with him holding her down. She watched as the small white butterfly blended into the white flower and smiled. It was so delicate and pure, diffidently a good sign.
Closing her eyes Kagome said a silent prayer for the people who had been purified by her in the Shikon no Toma. She hoped for their safety if they were reincarnated again, she hoped for a safe passage to Nirvana if they were enlightened, and she hoped that they would all be completely at peace wherever they ended up.
Her mind drifted then to the ones left behind—Akkanka, Seika, Mikaren, and Shokuro. She hoped that they would lead peaceful lives now that they were free from the originals, now that they were officially themselves forever and only themselves.
Only then did Kagome finish her prayer and open her eyes to look again at the flower and to see if the butterfly had remained. When she did, however, she saw something she hadn't expected.
"Hello, my dear Daughter."
-break-
Sesshoumaru awoke with a start and looked around himself. His heart was racing and he wasn't sure why—but he did know that something had happened, something he needed to be aware of. He looked around quickly, trying to remember when he had fallen asleep. It wasn't like him to drift off, after all he only needed a few hours a sleep a week and maybe a day of sleep in the course of a month, so why had he drifted off today of all days.
His eyes darted around the hut, looking for the source of the feeling of utter dread. First his eyes landed on Miroku, checking to make sure the monk was alright. In fact he appeared fine, sleeping with his back to the wall, his wife—Sango—propped against his side both with a small child in their lap. Next to them Shippo was curled into a ball, his demeanor calm—
He then looked into his own lap were a small Seika slept. She had become attached to him in the past week and used him as her only source of comfort. It was natural—instinctual—for her to do so. He was the alpha of her pack and if her mother and father were gone she needed to go to the strongest person she could find for protection.
Within the pack that was the alpha—Sesshoumaru. Instinctively she knew that he was the one she needed to get close to and win over. He was the one who would protect her from harm if she needed it. Still, on another level, Sesshoumaru knew that the girl recognized him as a part of his brother. The smell was similar, after all, and she probably felt that he was her closet connection to her father now, her protector.
She too appeared peacefully asleep. Sesshoumaru smiled at the sight and then sniffed the air delicately, searching for the scents of his mate and child plus small Aoi who was officially a son. They were all in the back of the hut, he turned his ears towards them and heard the even breathing of both mother and sons—they were all okay.
With a sigh he concentrated hard and opened his reach to the other two huts and the other residents within them. He could hear Kouga and Ayame lightly talking—calming the soft cry of one of their daughters. Perhaps that had been what alerted him, maybe he had heard the child's cry and some paternal instinct within him had woke him?
No, Sesshoumaru knew this was a feeling beyond a paternal instinct, it was deeper. Closing his eyes he concentrated again, listening to all noises of the night. What had awoken him? What could possibly had disturbed him so?
Sesshoumaru huffed and thought about ignoring the sensation, maybe he was just paranoid after the past couple of days, it had been rather hard, dealing with the Shikon no Toma and the disappearance of his brother and sister-in-law. He sighed at the thought and looked down at his small niece cuddled against him. He brushed her hair out of the way and smiled at her sleeping face before he gently petted her puppy ears.
It was an action he knew caused both her and Kuroikeme to pure like a kitten—a thought that both intrigued him and greatly disturbed him at the same time. As he stroked one ear his expression filled with pity, something he would not have shown during the day.
Despite everything they had tried, and every remedy they knew, the girl had remained completely deaf since the time she had first awoken. Her ears had been greatly damaged and even now were not really healed. There were many small cuts littering her ears, small cuts that had once been exceptionally large.
Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and removed his eyes from the sleeping girl only to come start into contact with the thing that was bothering him.
"Where's the Shikon?" As carefully as he could in his frightened state he set Seika aside and moved to the place where the Shikon no Toma had been when he had nodded off. It wasn't there, the only thing that was there was a thin layer of dust and a small pile of it as well. Sesshoumaru growled and hurried over to the sleeping form of Miroku. "Monk, wake!" He whispered harshly as he firmly moved Miroku shoulder, shaking him awake.
Miroku opened his eyes groggily and looked at Sesshoumaru as if he was insane. Beside him Sango stirred and gave him the same look as her husband. "Sesshoumaru," She chastised. "What are you doing?"
"The jewel." He said hastily and angrily both. "It's gone." This got both adults attention as they carefully removed their children before standing up and rushing to the shrine.
"How?" Sango said as she knelt in front of the alter examining it. "What of Inuyasha and Kagome?"
"To my knowledge they have not yet returned." Sesshoumaru replied as he looked at the demon exterminator.
She looked back at him with frightened eyes. "They never came back?" Sesshoumaru nodded. "But then, where are they?"
"I do not know."
"Where's the Shikon, it wouldn't just disappear?"
"I do not know."
"What about Seika? She can't be an orphan."
Sesshoumaru sighed, "I do not know."
Throughout this exchange Miroku had knelt at the shrine and looked at the fine layer of dust and the small pile of something fine. He reached forward and took a little bit of it on his finger, rubbing it together slightly as if confused. "Strange." He mumbled.
"Hm?" Sango said in a small questioning murmur as she watched him. He showed her the substance on his fingers and she watched on intrigued. "What is that?"
He pulled his hand away without answering and looked at Sesshoumaru, showing him the substance as well. Sesshoumaru sniffed a look of confusion coming across his face only briefly. "Don't you understand?" Miroku whispered as he brought the substance in front of him. "This is the Shikon no Toma. It didn't disappear."
"Then what happened to it?" Sango said in a confused voice.
Miroku cleaned his hand on his robe before he looked at both of them with a concerned sort of smile on his face. He was both happy at his discovery and also very disturbed by it.
"Somehow," He began, "Someone—has purified the Shikon no Toma. It no longer exist as anything but dust." He whispered as he picked some of the dust up in his hands and allowed it to run thru his fingers.
-break-
"Inuriku?" She whispered in a small voice. The man in front of her was the man from her dreams, so long ago. He was just as tall and handsome as she remembered him being with the same warming smile he had in her dream present on his face. .
"Yes," He said from his spot across from her and Inuyasha, acknowledging her with an added nod. "It is good to see you." He looked her in the eyes, a sparkle in them that she had seen in Inuyasha's many times. It was the same brilliant look her mate gave her when he saw her for the first time in a few hours; it was a look of welcome, a look of happiness. His eyes shifted away from her and down to Inuyasha. The smile changed to one of fatherly pride as he studied the man he had only once seen as a baby. "Both of you."
Kagome nodded her head at him and watched with happy dancing eyes as the father took in his son. She could see all the love the man had for Inuyasha in just that smile, that look of undeniable pride. It made her happy to know that Inuriku cherished Inuyasha and didn't see him as some half breed that a human had birthed, no Inuriku saw him as something beautiful, a combination of him and Izayoi.
"He's got his mother's cheek bones." Inuriku said suddenly startling Kagome, "And her nose, with my ability to scent" He added as an afterthought before running his hands in his hair. "He's a good boy," He paused, "A good man."
"Yes," Kagome said in a small voice of agreement as she stroked Inuyasha's hair out of his face. The man didn't even move only continued to breath and sleep, his face a peaceful expression of comfort. It made Kagome happy to know that he was comfortable enough to sleep with her near—with his father so near. "He is."
"I suppose you're wondering why you're here." Inuriku cleared his throat as he changed the topic.
She looked up at him and searched his eyes before glancing around her in some confusion. She took in the lake and the flowers and narrowed her eyes. "Where is here?" She questioned as she looked up at the mountains in the distance.
He didn't answer right away but instead pointed behind her. She turned and looked. The first thing she saw was a tree, old and noble in the field, the second thing she saw was the grave. Her eyebrows went into her bangs and she felt her heart race as she read the inscription that she had read before—and seen before. How did she not realize that they were in this place, the place of Inuyasha's mother's burial, the place of her death and her rebirth? How had she not thought to look behind her at the grave.
"Izayoi?" She whispered the name as if it was a disgrace to say it out loud. "We're not in the jewel." It was a statement not a question.
"The jewel is gone, you purified it Kagome."
Kagome took this in and smiled at the very thought. Everything was back to normal—or as normal as anything with them could ever truly be. She looked down at Inuyasha and smiled, she would be able to stay with him forever now—even though—the thought of her family came into her head, she would not be able to see them for over five hundred years but, to be with the one she loved, to be with Inuyasha would make it okay. She could live without her family but she could—she refused—to live without him.
"You made the right choice Kagome," Inuriku began again breaking her from her thoughts. "When you choose the hanyou."
His words struck something inside of Kagome, as a memory from years before seeped back into her mind. "Teach him how to live as a Hanyou, Kagome"
She looked at Inuriku slowly her eyes glossed with understanding. "This is what you were talking about. Not about Akkanka."
Inuriku shook his head and shrugged. "It was partially about Akkanka but, this was the end result." He smiled at her happily. "If you had valued his human side then Airashii would have learned nothing but by valuing his hanyou—his demon and his human—you proved that you had learned. A complete reincarnation cycle."
"You knew about it all." Kagome felt herself smile.
"I know everything." He said with a smirk in her direction as he stood up and stretched. It was a mannerism that reminded her heavily of Inuyasha. The smirk and the stretch, the way he popped his shoulder as he stood, they were all things that Inuyasha had done in front of her at one time or another.
Kagome giggled behind her hand—it was a nature not nurture moment she was sure. "Like father like son."
Inuriku looked at her with curiosity as he finished his stretch. "Father and son?"
Kagome nodded as she looked at him with a happy smile. "Some of your mannerisms I have seen Inuyasha do. Even though he grew up not knowing you, he is still like you."
Inuriku smiled faintly before looking down at his son with a fond expression. "I wish I could have been there for him." He said after a brief moment of intense study of his son. "I should have been there for him but—,"
"Things always don't go according to plan." Kagome supplied as she rubbed one of Inuyasha's ears.
"Yes," Inuriku agreed with a small nod. "But you Kagome, you have done things for my son I never could have and I am thankful. So please continue to help him. Continue to protect him from all things evil and imaginary."
Kagome looked into the man's pleading eyes. "You don't have to ask." She said with a shake of her head and a shy smile. "I'd do it with or without your want."
He snorted and looked away from her titling his head to the side. It was another mannerism she had seen from both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. Although with Sesshoumaru it was much less obvious. Suddenly the man bent down beside her and looked into his son's face, the face of a man he knew very little about. His eyes studied him, taking in very feature from his mother's cheeks and nose to his own eyebrows and chin.
His hand reached out, unsteady and touched the very tip of Inuyasha's bangs, the man did not move under the touch only continued to breathe in and out with a slight smile on his lips.
"I've never touched him before." Inuriku said suddenly as he looked at Kagome with a small sad smile before he reached up and lightly massaged an ear. Inuyasha let out a soft growl and whine at the sensation before he snuggled his face into Kagome. She watched as he took in her scent before letting out a growl she was familiar with. "Mate." It made Kagome smile.
Inuriku moved away after only a moment and Inuyasha released another growl at the sound.
"What did he say?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha snuggled deeper into her.
"Alpha-father." Inuriku whispered and she looked at him surprised at the amount of emotion in his voice. "He knows my scent. He's never seen my face but he knows my scent." The man smiled as he looked at his youngest child with eyes so full of pride that Kagome thought it might overflow.
"Of course he recognizes you." Kagome said as she looked at him with a soft smile. "You're his father—he could recognize you anywhere."
The man looked up at her and away from his son, his gaze filled with affection before he bent forward and pressed his lips to her forehead in an act of fatherly love. "Thank you," He said as he pulled away from her and watched her with the same love she had seen in his eyes when he looked at Inuyasha. "You have done so much for my family—for my sons."
"I've done nothing." She shook it off embarrassed.
"No, you have done everything." Inuriku objected. "You have been a beacon for Inuyasha, you have made him happy, you have made him smile, you have given him meaning where once there was nothing, you have given him love where once there was hate."
Kagome flushed as Inuriku continued.
"You have made Sesshoumaru see that not all humans are weak."
"That was Rin."
"But you started it," Inuriku interjected, "You started it before she was in the picture. You showed him the power of emotion and gave him something to protect. And then after all that you were the catalysis that brought the brothers together. You proved to Sesshoumaru that it was Inuyasha's human blood which was his strength and he respected you for it. You were the only human woman Sesshoumaru ever respected besides his mate."
"I didn't do all of that."
"But you did." He smiled softly at her and touched her forehead with his own before backing away completely. "I owe you so much Kagome, I owe you my life, my incarnation's life, my everything but I'm afraid I don't have much to offer." He looked down at the ground and then to her surprise back at the flower—the white flower—and the white butterfly.
He stared at it as if it was talking to him and before long she noticed that the dog lord was in fact nodding his head at odd times as if he was acknowledging something the little bug had said. Then it flew away and Inuriku turned to look at her with a smile on his face.
"Inuriku?"
"Kagome," He moved towards her. "I can give you something, something small."
"What?" She asked curious.
He scratched the back of his head and looked at her from underneath his bangs, another action she associated with Inuyasha. "I'll give you a chance to say good-bye, to your mother and grandfather and brother."
"I can say goodbye?" Kagome parroted.
"Yes, when you get home go to the well and it will open one last time, if for only one last day."
Kagome felt tears in her eyes and she wanted to rush forward but was prevented by the grip of Inuyasha on her waist. "Thank you," she said instead as she looked at him with the affection of a daughter to her father.
"I wish I could offer you more," He looked down and then back up at her with a frown. "I want you to know that I don't think this is enough, you deserve a lot more than this Kagome for all the things you have done for me, done for this family."
"Thank you, it's more than enough, just to have the chance to say goodbye will be good for me, it will make the separation just a little less hard."
"It is hard to leave your home behind."
Kagome looked up at Inuriku and then back down at the man encompassing her still. She brushed his bangs and then bent to kiss his forehead. "Luckily," She said as she laid her cheek against Inuyasha's while looking Inuriku in the eye. "I won't have to leave him behind."
The dog lord looked at her shocked for a moment and then allowed a smile to come across his features as he studied her.
"Thank you," She said again as she pulled his son closer to herself. "Thank you for everything Inuriku."
He looked back at her a smile playing on his face. "Call me Father."
Without opening her mouth Kagome did as he asked with a small growl that came from the back of her throat and worked its way through her lips. Inuriku's face lip up at the action before she noticed the butterfly behind him, it fluttered towards him before landing on his shoulder. Upon the contact Inuriku disappeared leaving Kagome and his son behind.
Kagome looked down at Inuyasha's face and smiled through a few tears. One of them traveled down her cheek and rested on her chin before it dripped down and landed lightly on Inuyasha's own cheek. The feeling made his eyes flicker open and he looked up at her a slightly confused and sleep bemused expression on his face.
"Kagome?" He questioned before sitting up and touching her cheek. "Did the wish work?"
Kagome watched his lips but really didn't hear his question. He had no memory of Inuriku, she could tell without even having to ask. Briefly she thought of telling him of his father's visit but something stopped her in the shape of a white butterfly. It fluttered on the breeze before landing on Inuyasha' shoulder. She starred at it.
The hanyou looked at the butterfly surprised at its presence and then watched as it suddenly started to fly away. He shrugged and looked back at her but Kagome only had eyes for the white insect fluttering away. She smiled at it as she realized what it had done—one last hug from father to son.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha said as he moved her face to look into his own. "Did the wish work?"
She smiled and then closed the distance between them, slamming her lips to his own. The hanyou didn't seem to mind as he fell backwards with her on top of him, their lips pressing together in a furry of love and overheated passion. She straddled him her fingers digging into his hair as she tried to keep his face as close to hers as possible. He wrapped his arms around her slim waist and moaned as she moved against him.
Quickly he flipped their positions and nudged her legs apart so he could rest against the part of her he longed to touch. He broke the kiss and trailed kisses down her neck, a deep and comfortable feeling for her as he tried to possess her. Instinctively he reached for the tie of her Hakama, not noticing the strange white color of it as he undid the simple tie.
She didn't even attempt to stop him as he pulled her Haori opened at the same time his lips came to her now naked shoulder and touched his lips to her mark. It instantly brought a fire to Kagome and she moaned as she arched into him.
Inuyasha couldn't resist the movement of her lips against his already pulsing length. He reached between them hastily undoing his own tie. He pulled at the knot, angered that he couldn't get it undone fast enough. Kagome seemed to sense this and moved her hands to the tie that troubled him, within seconds she had it undone.
He growled as her hands reached deeper between them and moved aside his loin cloth to grasp him. The growl turned into a moan as he instantly went ridged in her hands, he was hard as a rock and just ready for her. He felt his instincts taking control of him as she gently rubbed his shaft with her small hands.
"Kagome." He pleaded and looked at her begging. "Please," He whispered, "Please."
Kagome couldn't wait for it either. Deciding together with no words, floor play was over, she pushed her Hakama down and off her hips exposing her own under garments. He tore them from her before she could remove them and then turned her to her stomach. She got to her knees on impulse and gasped in surprise when he dove into her without warming.
The feeling made her see white behind her eyes as he automatically hit her favorite spot over and over again. She closed her eyes as her face pressed into her bent arms at the intensity of her pleasure. There was one thing about Inuyasha and making love, once he knew something that caused her pleasure he used it.
His hands sought her hips and he held her in place as he continued to pound into her but Kagome didn't mind. The actions mirrored her own need. She need to feel alive right now, she needed to feel like the world wouldn't stop but keep turning, she needed to know that everything was okay and soft passionate love was not going to do it for her. She needed life affirming love and this, this was more life affirming than anything she had felt in a very long while.
A particularly hard thrust made her moan loudly, so loudly she was sure she heard an echo of it from the nearby mountains. Inuyasha responded to the moan by bringing his lips to her back, to her neck as his thrust slowed slightly and grew shallower. She whimpered at the loss but moaned as his lips touched her shoulder blades before he licked the spot behind her ear.
He backed away after a minute and then made a subconscious decision. Pulling out of her, much to her displeasure he brought her up and turned her around so she was sitting in his lap. Kagome marveled at his agility as he easily maneuvered her while leaning back slightly, his hands occupied with her hips, leaving him unable to catch himself should he fall backwards. He held the position though without any strain and pulled her down onto his lap.
She felt him slide back inside and gasped, her hands coming to his shoulders at the feel of him going deeper than he ever had before. Inuyasha seemed to enjoy it to as he fell backwards not bothering to catch himself but instead just thriving in the sensation.
With his hands still on her hips he thrust upwards with his hips drawing himself deeper inside of her than he had ever been. The sensation made Kagome's eyes go back into her head as he supported her, sparks flew in her vision as a powerful release went through her body. He continued to thrust up into her as her orgasm hit.
Kagome whimpered at the over stimulation as her body began to build on top of her first organism. "Inuyasha." She whimpered and he moved so fast she became dizzy at the action. She was on her back, her body trembling as he thrust into her from above.
"Fuck," He said in a harsh voice as he finally buried himself within her to the hilt as his body arched upward before sinking down into her as he threw a few tentative thrust within her, the thrust of his release.
Kagome moaned deep at each one, feeling her still responding body tingle as it continued to spasm around him.
Inuyasha buried his face into her neck, trailing kisses along her jaw as he regained himself. "Kagome." He mumbled over and over again as he nuzzled her.
"The jewel's been purified."
Inuyasha blinked his eyes and looked at her before he smiled wide. "I figured this was celebration sex." He said with a smile. She laughed as she buried her face in his neck in embarrassment.
"I can't help it, I just wanted you." She admitted as she backed away from him. "Is that so wrong?"
"No." He said with a husky tone to his voice as he buried his face in her hair again. "I wanted you too." With that he ruled them over and was forced to pull out at the same time, his penis having shrunk from his orgasm. "I love you." He said as he looked into her eyes above him.
She kissed him with all the love in her heart before she pulled away and rested her forehead to his own. "I love you, more than anything."
-break-
Inuyasha and Kagome set next to the well, a giant backpack off to their side full of things that may or may not come in handy over the next couple of centuries it would take for them to get back to the modern conveniences Kagome was so used to in her own time. Inside the bag was a number of things they really could do without but wanted like bed sheets and pillows, matches and candles, some bras and underwear, a few baby toys and baby things, chopsticks and plates, a few bowls and cups, a teapot made of steel, some shampoo and condition for special occasions, and books of every sort and verity.
In Kagome's hands slept Seika soundly as her mother stroked her ears gently—her useless ears. Beside her mother was Inuyasha who was currently leafing through one of the many books they had decided to take with them on their last ever trip down the well.
It had actually been Mama's idea to bring a few history books and others with them for their own protection. She had even given them some child readers for teaching Seika how to read and write and do basic math. Kagome had decided she would use it with all the children, even Shippo who knew how to read a little but could always use some more help perfecting his skill.
It was rare in this era to know how to read but, as Kagome had promised, all of their children and nieces and nephews would know.
Inuyasha stopped leafing and focused on one of the many pictures in the book before he looked at Kagome questioning. "Will this really work? I mean it's not like anything I've ever seen—it's not words."
"It is," Kagome supplied. "Just with your hands."
"The future is weird, a language with your hands."
She smiled and leaned her head against the well, looking up at the now dark sky. "It's called ASL, or at least this version of it is. If we can learn it and teach it to the others and Seika then she will be able to talk and understand without having to hear."
He nodded and set down the book to look at his sleeping child. His hand came up and touched one of her useless ears. He saw the scares that would haunt her forever and frowned. "She's going to have a difficult life."
Kagome looked at him and smiled softly, "Not with us she won't." Kagome hugged the little girl tightly to her as thoughts of how much easier it really would be to raise a deaf child in her world, circled her head. And yet—Kagome could honestly say she knew the child would be loved here too, and—even if it was mean—she would probably be loved more.
Kagome only had a mother and grandfather and brother—otherwise they had no support system, Hojo and Ayame, Eri and Yuka, just didn't count. They weren't like the friends they had here. Their friends her were so much more than just friends—they were her brother and sister, her son, her nieces and nephews, her brother in law and sister in law. They were her everything.
For over nine years they had fought alongside her through everything. They had always stayed by each others side. Even when things got bad, even when they thought they might die, they had always stayed—they refused to leave each other alone. Could the people of her world say they had killed for her, could the people of her world say they would die for her, could the people of her world say they had fought for her, nearly died for her, been injured for her and not regretted it.
Yes, they loved her, but the connection she had here was far deeper.
Kagome looked at Inuyasha and saw the mans he saved, she looked at Seika and saw the child of love that savor had created. She thought of Sango who she had always protected from the pain of her village's destruction, she thought of Miroku who she had always protected from his cursed hand. She thought of Kouga who she had done her best to protect from his clans death, she thought of Shippo the orphan who she had loved like a son. She thought of all the people she had saved, who had saved her and she knew—she knew without a doubt that in the grand scheme of things these people were more her family than her own was.
These were the people she belonged with, the people she would stay with and live with and love with and yet—.
"Are you okay?" Inuyasha asked softly from her side.
She snapped her head up and looked at him, it took a second for his question to hit her brain. She bit her lip and felt the tears prick her eyes but she stopped them. "Yes, I'm just—," She felt the wood of the well on her back and smiled through her happy tears that finally spilled on her cheeks. "I'm going to miss them."
He nodded his understanding. "It was your home for fifteen years."
"I know but—this is my home now." She looked at him and he smiled. "I wouldn't change what has happened for anything because you and I, we—we were meant to be together—we belong together."
He reached up and stroked her hair before he rested his head against her own. "Thank you," He whispered into her mouth as he kissed her. She kissed him back as a silent your welcome before he pulled away and looked deep into her eyes. "If you hadn't of chosen me, Kagome, then I don't know where I'd be but I know I wouldn't be alive."
Kagome knew his words were more true than he realized.
"Thank you for loving me, for loving a hanyou."
Kagome looked at Inuyasha with all the love for him she had present in her eyes. But she wasn't looking at a Hanyou, she wasn't looking at a human or a demon, she was looking at the man she loved.
-Five Hundred Years in the Future-
Mama walked down the street, her mind wondering on her as she made her way to the store. It had been nearly two months since her daughter and her son-in-law had come through the well only to tell her they could only come back this one last time.
The thought of it brought a pain to her heart as she continued down the street. It had been two months and they had not returned to her their older selves. She wondered if that was because they had not made it to this time, perhaps they had died earlier than they had thought, perhaps they had not died naturally.
She shuddered at the thought and continued to walk at a brisk pace down the road her eyes trained in front of her. She reached the end of the sidewalk and looked both ways down the street, there were not cars coming so she stepped into the road and quickly made her way to the other side.
Her thoughts turned once again to her daughter, thinking of the well and the lack of magic she felt coming from it. It made her downhearted to think the well was closed once again, her baby given back to her only to be taken away with her own baby. Saddened by the thought Mama stopped and looked at the ground on the sidewalk. It was simple concrete and yet it seemed sad too.
"Kagome." The woman whispered as tears lit her eyes. She looked up and wiped them away, if she cried Jii-chan would be sure to notice and if he did he would ask questions she didn't want to answer. She had not wanted to tell him or Souta of her sister's disappearance. They had simply treated it as another goodbye for a few months. At the time her Inuyasha and Kagome had all thought the two would be back by now but—
She shrugged and continued to walk but something stopped her, an impulse from her unconscious mind. Surprised she turned in the direction her mind was urging her and came face to face with a poster in the local book store.
A handsome man graced the poster, with beautiful long black hair and an edgy smile. His arms were crossed and he was leaning on a tree, the image gave Mama pause and she wondered why this man felt so familiar. Not knowing how to take the feeling she began to walk off when one last thing caught her unconscious eye drawing her back to the poster. In front of it, arranged in a neat pile was a series of books, each lined up one after the other.
Stepping forward she looked at the cover of the very first book, on it was a picture of Wagakoiki and a title she recognized.
"A Language Made for Love." She whispered with wide eyes as she looked at the book. "By Inuma Asahi De." She put her fingers on the glass, barely comprehending what she had just read. "Inuyasha?" She questioned and then looked started into the store. There, sitting at a table was the very man on the posture, next to him a sign that read: book signing.
Mama barely noticed the line of people as she walked into the store. Several men and women were there, some dressed in suits, others school children, or simply dressed casually. Still, they didn't matter to her as she cut through the line and looked at the face of the man, she knew his face—she knew it without question.
She stopped when she saw the telltale signs of him scenting the air. She nearly laughed when she realized he was trying to be discrete. "Inuyasha," She called, somehow knowing he would be able to hear her.
Sure enough the man turned towards her, looked at her, smiled at her, and came to near tears looking at her. "Mama." He said much to her surprise.
The people around them, the people with their books in hand and their heart set on meeting him, looked startled as he stood and walked the short distance to her side.
"Mama," He repeated as he reached for her, his hand extending out and touching her face. The woman nodded, nodded and watched him.
"Inuyasha," She said again as tears consumed her and she launched herself into his arms.
Inuyasha held her, he held her firmly to him, inhaling her scent, relaxing as the motherly smell he remembered from her came back to him again. The embrace lasted several minutes until they both pulled away. Inuyasha looked at her and smiled, brushing some of her hair out of her red eyes.
"Kagome?" The woman barely got the question out. Inuyasha smiled at her but didn't say a word as a soft voice filled the air.
"Mama?"
Mama turned around to see a woman she recognized instantly, except for her abnormally large stomach.
"Kagome?" She whispered back as the people in the book store continued to whisper behind their backs. The looks, the cell phone camera's, none of it mattered to either woman as they stepped towards each other.
"We were coming for you, today." Kagome managed to say, her hands perched on her rather large stomach.
Mama's lips quivered, her heart pounded and she rushed to hug her daughter in much the same way she had Inuyasha. The two embraced tightly as Mama whispered into her ear. "You don't have to come, I've found you," She let one arm go and reached for Inuyasha. He smiled and came to join them in the hug. "I've found both of you."
The End
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