The college was smaller than Kagome's high school. Inuyasha lingered outside with the cap drawn low over his head waiting for his wife. Most of the students seemed to be female but there were a few male teachers and attendees. The girl was visible through the window of her first-floor classroom. The facilities were certainly less impressive than the magazines that arrived at the house advertising 'state-of-the-art labs' and 'next-generation science classrooms' for bigger universities. He tried to guess which of her fellow students were members of her social group. Kagome never had trouble making allies. He caught the smile between her and a smaller brunette with pierced ears.

That must be Sara.

He had seen her 'progress reports' for her practical exams. Years of medical service in his era gave her an advantage over her fellow students. Her mother rightfully attached them to the fridge.

There was no bell in college – the teacher simply dismissed the class at the top of the hour. Inuyasha remained on the stone wall outside while Kagome gathered her schoolbooks into her 'lucky' yellow bag. Her friends gathered nearby to talk about the confusing lesson on the board. It made his lessons with Higurashi look like children's work but at least he could recognize the numbers on the paper money. He mentally counted the paper in his wallet.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome smiled. "You came to take me to lunch?"

"I thought we could have a date," he shrugged. For days the girl had kept her head down studying for her upcoming exams. He slung her heavy bag over his shoulder to spare her the weight. There was a pause while Kagome had a final word with her friend about exchanging notes to be copied at the corner. Sara was an excellent artist and made excellent anatomical drawings of the human body even if Kagome was the best practical student. He trailed behind the pair when they entered the library to use the machine. Sara was too embarrassed to say much to him directly but she liked his wife. They exchanged phone numbers for their mobiles.

There was a cafe near the school where Kagome liked to eat. Her shoes bumped against his shin beneath the table while they ordered. He updated her on Sango and the twins' status. The monk was exhausted but fine. Hina-san and Benjiro-san wanted to come by the house to have tea. An enormous bird demon had been spotted outside the village but it had veered towards the north when confronted. They were planning an excursion to hunt it down. Kagome flushed when he lightly gripped her fingers on the tabletop.

"Kagome seems like a lovely young woman. I am happy for you, son."

Inuyasha didn't retract his hand when the waitress appeared. They were both quiet as the bowls were deposited on the table. In the days following the Obon festival, the village had returned to normal, but they were still mulling in their parents' memory. Kagome's grandfather did not remember any powerful relics being misplaced. Kagome's mother had received her husband's message quietly before returning to the evening meal.

"How is Sesshomaru?"

"The bastard is fine. Rin planted some seeds he brought her. His arm is healed." Inuyasha scoffed. Kagome relaxed. Their noodles were hot and flavored mildly. His wife seemed equally glad to have a relatively normal date. She scolded him playfully when he stole a piece of toast from her plate. The crispy bread was excellent at sopping up the broken yolk from his eggs. There was a twinkle in Kagome's dazzling blue eyes when she mimicked his sweeping movements to consume her own broken omelet.

Afterwards they wandered down the sidewalk in no particular direction. Kagome bought some candy from a street vendor for her brother. Her hand slipped through his elbow at the corner while they waited for the light to change. It was nice to enjoy her company without distractions. She warned him about her family conspiring to plan his birthday: steak and balloons and candles for his celebratory cake. He was banned from opening the closet in the hallway where her brother had hidden his present. He teased her when she brought him into a store to buy shampoo. The girl let him tug on her wavy hair gently in the deserted aisle.

"You would not need shampoo if your hair wasn't so long."

"Look who's talking!"

The family had volunteered Higurashi Shrine for some fundraiser. Her mother greeted them politely and introduced them to guests from a local 'society'. Inuyasha bowed but stayed quiet while they complimented Higurashi for having such a beautiful, accomplished daughter. It took time to disengage from the humans. Kagome left him in her bedroom to take a bath before they went through the Well. He reclined on her bed idly looking through one of her notebooks. There were doodles in the margins that made him smile. Kagome had written his name several times over and circled the characters.

I love you too, wench.

Other doodles reminded him about the twins' thirty-day. Kagome had made a shopping list for Kin'u and Gyokuto and Sango. Miroku was more nervous than the girls. What did it matter which blessing he marked on their forehead? Any blessing counted. Even Mushin was staying around long enough to attend the ceremony. Naraku was dead and the Jewel was gone. Kagome had married him. Miroku had survived his family's curse. Those girls were proof of a new era.

Inuyasha continued to lounge when Kagome bounced into the room with her freshly dried hair. The girl kicked her door closed. Her chair squeaked when she sat at the desk to start preparing for the outline of the next chapter in her heaviest textbook. Slender ankles crossed in the shadow of the seat. He listened to the scratch of her pencil against the paper. His wife only paused in her work when he touched her shoulder.

"Inuyasha," she scolded. He pulled her into the floor with him. Her slightly damp skin was heavy with the scent of soap. Human in every way! A normal mortal wife. Perfect pink lips pursed impatiently while she waited for an explanation. Schoolwork was important. She mattered more.

"I am glad we are married." The earnest confession stopped her complaints. His mother's quiet encouragements replayed in his mind. "I will always protect you with my life."

The kiss was chaste but heavy. It was nice to be able to hold her in his arms without interruption. Her soft fingers tangled with his callouses. Kagome was his greatest hope. She deserved to know what she meant to him. Mother is always right. We're never guaranteed another day. The girl let out a breathy sigh. Her lips curled up at the corner.

"Kagome?"

"I'm happy, that's all." There was emotion in her eyes.

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow is our six months anniversary," she whispered. He didn't understand until she slapped him playfully. Six months married? "We should do something to celebrate. Oh! How about a special dinner at the house, just the two of us? I can make whatever you want."

"Even sushi with wasabi?" The girl blanched at mention of his favorite condiment.

Inuyasha let the girl return to her work with a kiss to seal the promise of anniversary dinner and an encouraging pat on the behind. He was outside teasing Buyo when Souta came bouncing up the steps to the shrine. The kid dropped his bag to grab his checkered ball. There were no real rules to their game but it was nice. The kid immediately recognized the importance of a six month anniversary. He nodded confidently.

"Oh, yeah. You have to get Big Sis a gift or she will be really mad."

Inuyasha got permission from the kid's mother before they made a trip to the shop before dinner. Kagome knocked her ankle against his under the table. Higurashi told them about the monthly event. The grandfather agreed to help with the planning and the organization. Kagome was happy to share the goings-on from the village although she was careful to avoid the details of her encounter with his brother or her once-broken wrist. Even Kaede did not fully understand how his wife had been able to heal her own body. She cut her eyes at him when he almost interrupted her abbreviated version of events from Obon.

Kagome narrowed her eyes. I don't want to worry them, Inuyasha!

Sesshomaru might have figured out why Kagome's powers flared but he was not disclosing anything. His brother had left that morning and only returned a few days ago. Miroku was intrigued but the twins' were dominating his time. Kagome was doing what she could while Sango was recovering from the birth, he was performing the household chores and doing the cooking. It left him little time to ponder mystical questions with the old drunk who had raised him. Mushin was enjoying his status as a visiting elder monk. The old guy had considerable spiritual powers but he surely had his vices. How could a human be almost perpetually inebriated?

"I am glad to hear that Kagome is finally interested in the family heritage. I found some writings about kotodama." Grandpa nodded proudly. "Even if she doesn't have the same potential as her brother, it is important to pass things down. I will not be around forever, you know!"

Inuyasha smirked into his soup when he heard his wife's frustrated growl.

Souta joined them in the family room to look through the scrolls. The kid held the squirming family cat in his lap to protect the dirty parchments from curious claws. Handwritten ink bound with leather thongs described the process of imbuing spiritual power into the spoken word to create sacred sounds. In theory it was why they recited certain norito to the local kami. Inuyasha tuned out until Kagome tugged on the rosary beads circling his neck.

"Kaede said my words had the power to bind your spirit."

"You could always unbind me, y'know." Inuyasha shrugged. His wife tugged on the beads in reprimand.

They were still poring over the papers when Souta was ordered to go to bed. The teenager and the cat were ushered upstairs. Old scrolls and drawings of demons filled the pages but there was precious little in the way of manual instructions to undo a magical lock. Kagome's mother joined them with a cup of tea. The matron knew nothing about the hidden family archive either. The artifacts in the cluttered shed were all that the Higurashi Shrine possessed. Grandpa did remember that there was a collection of old family records in an environmentally controlled box at the bank for safekeeping? Delicate papers that had survived a fire from the first Great War.

It was past midnight when they retired to Kagome's room. The girl insisted he join her on the mattress for an anniversary kiss. He set Tetsusaiga on its hooks and draped the Robe over her chair. The sheets were cool to the touch so she cuddled on his shoulder.

In the morning Inuyasha dispersed of a striped yellow-and-blue umbrella chasing Buyo around the first floor before the family arose. The kasa-obake was a harmless enough spirit but the cat was in distress. He carried the family pet back to Kagome's bed to soothe himself in the cradle of her belly. Old eyes blinked at him gratefully. It was nice to let the cat nuzzle his wrist.

"Watch Kagome, eh?"

The grounds were otherwise quiet. In the streets below metal carriages were already running to carry humans to their daily work. He slipped down to the store on the corner to pick up the dozen pink flowers Souta had ordered on his behalf. Higurashi giggled when he marched past. They made him sneeze but Kagome loved pink. The girl was face-down on her mattress when he entered the room. A single socked-foot hung off the edge. The fat feline was proudly splayed across her back.

"Oi, cat."

Inuyasha waited in the floor until she awoke. The girl hugged the flowers to her chest with a smile like sunshine. The human pressed her nose in the petals to inhale deeply. He shrugged but her reaction soothed his nerves. What do I know about anniversaries?

They returned to the Feudal Era together. Improvements were being made to the storage shed since there was extra lumber and the village was expanding. Kagome was stopped by the local children who wanted to see her flowers. She showed them the bouquet of pink roses proudly. The little girls giggled and teased him about being in L-O-V-E with Kagome. He didn't care so Kagome split up the bouquet so each little girl got a stem. The joy in their little faces when they thanked him for pretty flowers!

Mai pulled on his coat. "He-heh! Thank you, Doggie."

Kagome was absorbed into a new game of pulling petals off her rose called 'He Loves Me Not' so he took the opportunity to escape. He already knew the result of her magic spell. As if some magic petals could really convince Kagome I didn't love her!

Inuyasha made two rounds around the village to confirm the humans were safe. Kagome was promised to tending the children's shelter for most of the day. Some of the kids were newly arrived from battles in the valley. Miroku had accepted them from other traveling monks looking to place them. The orphans were nervous about living in a new village. There was no one better suited than his wife to allay their fears. The promise of games and a visit to Kagome's swing improved their mood.

He veered north to the waterfall where a special moss grew. The same lake was overflowing with fresh fish and crab. It was easy enough to climb up the rock's side to scrape moss into a pouch. He removed Tetsusaiga and his other layers before diving into the water. Every ingredient was valuable to the humans. Sango was partial to carp and salmon. The taijiya was still limited to her house for another week for her recovery. Miroku had a fondness for wild mushrooms. Inuyasha filled a separate pouch with plenty of the healthy-looking ones for stew.

Inuyasha knocked on Sango's door frame first. She invited him in with her sweet voice. Shippo was keeping her company. The kit jumped up excitedly when he dropped the overflowing basket on her swept floor.

"Are these presents?"

"You have to eat if you're going to get better." Inuyasha pushed the kit out of the pile. He had mentioned his friends' good fortunes to his mother. Carp liver is good for the blood. Sango left the twins to categorize the bounty. Shippo tried to chew on his ears. He tried to grab the kitsune by the tail but he ran across his shoulders and popped across the room. Only Sango's hand on his arm stopped him from chasing the brat. The kitsune settled down into a transformation of a fuzzy cat that made the twins kick their feet. Inuyasha tucked his hands into his sleeves while Sango prepared him a cup of tea.

"Thank you for visiting, Inuyasha. I am glad for the rest but I miss the village. How is Kagome-chan?"

"Happy, I think. We stayed with her mother last night so she could study for her school. Today is our six months," he shrugged. Sango served the cups. He twitched when one of the girls made a sound but she quieted. The taijiya giggled. "Jinenji says that we are going to have a hard winter. His father was an herb demon or something. So the girls might need some thicker clothing."

"Jinenji seems like a kind soul. I know the men are glad to have him in the fields. Did you know he gave Miroku herbs to help with the twins' birth? The medicine was quite effective. I owe him a gift in kind," Sango mused. They discussed potential ideas for a while. Sango was hungry for news about the local battles and the movements of the bandits. Miroku hasn't been giving her the details. The taijiya gave him some good advice about tracking down the bandits without specific scents. Kohaku would know where the latest attacks had taken place. Kagome was going to interview the children for whatever knowledge they had. Sango was interrupted when the twins announced their hunger to the world as loudly as they could. Inuyasha took Shippo outside.

"Can I show you my new trick, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha took the kit out to an empty green field. He flopped back to watch the clouds drift by while the kitsune 'prepared'. He was prepared when a single fox foot tried to kick him in the forehead. He rolled to the side when a field of kitsune turned to mock him. The pervasiveness of the runt's scent was impressive.

I can't tell which one is real!

"Shippo?" Inuyasha stepped on one mirror image. It dissolved. Scent was useless. The kitsune had thrown down a toy with a concentration of his own scent. The Tetsusaiga destroyed the colorful little ornament. A column of black smoke blasted him in the face with enough scent to make him dizzy. Pepper! That brat.

The next time he was conscious, his head was in Kagome's lap. Shippo's tails twitched while he apologized profusely. Gentle hands followed the curve from his head to his spine in a soothing manner. The softness of her thighs cushioned his cheek. His eyes stayed closed so that he could simply enjoy the comfort of his wife's scent. It made him smirk to feel her tweak his ear.

"What the hell did Shippo put in that trick?"

"Metsubushi – pepper spray," Kagome explained. "Sango gave him the prescription. I warned him not to test it in the village. Some people can have dangerous reactions to pepper spray...especially hyper-sensitive dog demons!"

"I'm sorry! I did not mean to hurt anyone. I thought it was cool." Shippo bowed on all fours. "Will you forgive me, Inuyasha?"

"The stench is on my clothes!"

Inuyasha forgave the kit but it took hours swimming in the river to remove the scent. The door to the garden was open when he returned. Kagome wore her mother's apron and had her hair tucked above her cute ears. There was music playing from her movable radio. The damp Robe was draped over a friendly hook. His wife was completely occupied with the preparation of their anniversary meal. The kamado was alive and well. The girl wiggled her hips when she dipped a spoon into the pot for a taste-test.

"Kagome?"

"Dinner will be ready soon. Don't come in here! I want dinner to be a surprise." The girl shooed him. Scents permeated the area with context clues to give him an idea about what she was preparing. He waited in the main living area until she emerged with trays of goodness. The girl clasped her hands waiting for a verdict when he tried the first spoonful.

"Mom gave me the potatoes. It's called nikujaga. You like?"

"It's good."

Kagome told him about the children while he ate. The names went over his head but most of the children were in a better mood than yesterday. In a few days the kids would be assigned duties to help the community. The younger kids without siblings would get assigned to a home. The promise of a home safe from threats had done a lot to assure them. They wanted to meet their protector Inuyasha.

"Me?"

"You protect us! Once they see how strong you are, they will feel safe."

It seemed silly to him but he followed Kagome through the garden door. The girl climbed on his back for the short journey to the place locals called Dragonfly Hill. Under the stars dozens of them would come out to soak up the moonlight. Jinenji had planted several plots of his lunar moss on the path. Kagome stopped to judge their growth. Like fireflies, the moss gleamed lightly in the darkness. Kagome wanted to use them to line the streets of the village to help the other humans navigate in the darkness.

"Look – shooting stars! You have to make a wish." Kagome sat on the grassy hill. She clapped her hands together and bowed her face. The lights overhead streamed across the night sky in a broken line. He relaxed on the cool dirt with his arms behind his head. Her nose wrinkled in concentration. The sweet bouquet of her scent rushed over him in the fresh air. He could smell the sweat and tears of multiple little humans on her skin.

"Wish for what? You're here. That is all I need." It was a solemn statement. Kagome opened one blue orb.

"You have to want something!"

Inuyasha made a noise but he didn't want to argue with her. The girl fell back on the grass to enjoy the night. Her fingers loosely curled through his own. Memories of their years together played through his mind like one of her moving pictures. The slight weight of her head rested on his shoulder with a quiet sigh. It was difficult to imagine more than what he had. I have Kagome, I have a home, I have friends, peace and plentiful food.

"I want my mother's spirit to find peace," he confessed. "Mother said that she wanted to know that I was safe. She told me that she was exiled after she took up with my father. It killed her chances of a good marriage so they sent her away. I can't figure out why they didn't just kill her, Kagome. Maybe they were afraid of the General's vengeance but they let her live to birth the half-demon who ruined their daughter."

"She was engaged?"

"That's how she met my old man. They sent her in a carriage to her betrothed but the procession was attacked. He saved her life." Inuyasha exhaled. Kagome gripped the cloth over his stomach. "They forfeited the bride price. No wonder everyone hated me. Her family paid a fortune for a bastard half-demon and an ineligible princess."

"They were still wrong for mistreating a child. You are not responsible for your parents' decisions."

"It didn't matter. They punished her anyway." He shifted to inhale the scent of Kagome's hair. The girl sighed on his shoulder. Lights twinkled happily in succession far above the earth. "Hey. Isn't there a song about stars? You sang it for the twins."

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?"

"Yeah." The image of little Gyokuto settling in her arms distracted him. "What is a 'godparent'?"

"It's like a modern way of saying kari-oya."

"What if Miroku keeps his word and they have twenty babies? Are you going to godparent them all?" The mental image of their house overflowing with dark-haired, violet-eyed children made him twitch. Kagome pinched him! He was prepared when the girl went for his ears. She giggled and play-fought him on the grass while he grumbled about two dozen children. He had seen the sutra posted on the man's door announcing his first babies. Nothing attracted the old grannies more than a newly-minted human. Kagome gained the advantage and pinned him on his back.

"Got you."

"What would the villagers say if they saw you, O Princess?" Inuyasha smirked. He was careful when he wrapped a strand of her wavy hair around her round human ear tightly. The weight of her pressed down on him. His wife did not object when they rolled without separating. Tetsusaiga was placed to the side in easy reach. "Kagome. You want to do that out here? We could go back to the house."

"No, this is romantic. Look at the stars. It's beautiful," she squirmed. He had no argument. Six months married to Kagome! Six months living as man and wife, building a home together. Human hands roved his chest, shoulders and back. His stomach quivered under her cold palms. Kagome's head tilted back to deepen their kiss. He paused.

"H-happy six months, Kagome."

"Happy anniversary, Inuyasha."

A beautiful basket laden with fresh peaches had been left beneath the transom of their home. Kagome brought the pale wicker decorated with flowers inside. Inuyasha's eyes brightened when he saw the sweet fruit.

"Maybe it was the children. White peaches! These are expensive," she cheered. "Why don't I make hotcakes for breakfast?"

Kagome mixed together the batter over the irori to make the fluffy, mini-souffles. She sliced the peaches evenly while she hummed. Her cheeks burned when she noticed there were still pieces of grass entwined in Inuyasha's pale hair. A night of wonderful, romantic lovemaking had left her cheerful and tired. She was proud of her handsome husband in the early light. No one in the village had a sweeter, better lover. MY husband.

Kagome flipped the cake over in the pan. The satisfying sizzle caused Inuyasha's ear to rotate. She plated the first hotcake laden with peaches, berries and a taste of maple syrup from her era. Inuyasha did not hesitate. She giggled when he consumed the first two greedily before she started her first. The rich flesh of the white peaches intermingled perfectly with the fluffy souffle texture and the sweetness of the berries. Inuyasha burped.

"Can you make more?"

"More cakes for the hungry, hungry husband!" She giggled. Like Buyo waiting for his breakfast, Inuyasha watched every movement of her hands while she whisked and poured the batter. She bit into the soft skin of the last peach with a satisfied moan.

So good!

Inuyasha took the shoulder yoke to collect water at the river's edge for the morning's chores. The garden needed serious watering. They would both have to bathe before the midday ceremony for the twins at the shrine. Kagome wrapped a lovely wooden bowl from her era in paper. It would make a lovely edition to Sango's home. She hummed to herself while she swept out their living space. She stretched out her arm to rest the straw broom against the wall.

A figure swung down from the ceiling. She screamed through the hand covering her mouth but it was muffled. A man's hot breath filled her ear. She reached for the kaiken at her waist but he was too fast. The virgin blade lost its sheath and pressed against her throat.

Why didn't I sense him? Why didn't Inuyasha?

"Well met, Princess." There was an accent to his words she could not place. His hand gripped her hair hard enough to turn her neck. Dark eyes bore down on her. Fear accelerated her heart rate. She tried not to show fear when he quickly frisked her for anymore hidden weapons. In a moment of distraction, she sprinted for the door. The man was thin and tall and easily beat her to the frame. It bought her enough time to scream.

"Inuyasha!"

The man pushed her into the wall. He yanked both her wrists forward and bound them tightly.

"Inuyasha!"

A white cloth was drawn over her lips. She complained but it was tight enough to muffle her voice. The man was investigating the last peach. He crouched down to turn the fruit to expose her bite mark to the light. He tossed it into the air nonchalantly and caught it again.

"Your so-called husband will be dead before he reaches the river, Princess."

Kagome managed to make it into the garden before he caught her again. She stomped her foot hard in the soft dirt to make an impression. Sango's teachings played through her mind. If you are going to get kidnapped, make a mess. Make tracks. Leave a trail. Her foot dragged through the row of herbs until they were a scattered mess. He grabbed her elbow forcefully but she fought.

"You can walk or be dragged by your hair, Princess."

They were almost to the tree line when she saw Inuyasha's red coat. She stayed silent but the man sensed her relief anyway. He shoved her into a tree before Inuyasha could reach them. She moved so Inuyasha could withdraw Tetsusaiga freely.

"Kagome! Are you ok?"

"Interesting. Why didn't you die, mogwai?" Her captor tilted his head. Inuyasha fumed. The moratorium was broken by the string of an arrow. The white bow on his back was drawn before Tetsusaiga could swing. Extraordinary reflexes allowed the man to roll out of the way. By the time Inuyasha turned, the arrow pierced his shoulder. The archer showed no mercy and quickly threaded another black arrow. She managed to pull the gag down.

"No, no! Stop. Please," she begged. Dark eyes shifted. "I will go with you. Please."

The second arrow pinned Inuyasha to the tree. He grimaced and fought but blue magic chained him. Inuyasha could not move.

"If you break your word, I will kill him. Walk," the man pointed. Kagome grimaced but she obeyed. At least Inuyasha is alive. The others will notice when we miss the twins' ceremony. The next time Inuyasha fights this guy, he will know what to expect! I just have to take care of myself until then.