Author Note: Hello! Welcome to my very first story - I'm sure you've never seen those words here before! LOL I hope you enjoy your time reading my story. As always, InuYasha is owned by Rumiko Takahashi - my story idea is my own.

Snow softly fell on the streets of Tokyo. With lights sparkling on the trees, and the gaily decorated store windows, December was definitely Kagome's favorite time of year. Even with only half of her family to celebrate with, the well having been closed nearly three years, she still found joy in the season. Kagome smiled sadly as she ascended the steps to the shrine. She missed her other family so very much.

"Mama! I'm home!" Kagome sang out, slipping out of her jacket and shoes, careful to keep the snow outside.

"Hello darling, how was school?" Aiko Higurashi wiped her hands on her apron as she stepped out of the kitchen. "Brrr! Are you sure you don't want me picking you up after school?"

Shaking her head, Kagome replied "School was fine, and no, thank you, Mama. The walk does me good. Besides, you know how much I love December."

Smiling at her daughter, Aiko was grateful she was doing so well. After returning home so abruptly, Kagome had been inconsolable for days, rarely staying in the house beyond that first night. The first few days were sad; hearing her daughter weep and beg for the well to open "just once!" nearly destroyed her. Even with everything that Kagome had told them had happened during the final battle against the hanyou Naraku, and the three days Kagome had been trapped inside the Shikon no Tama, she still wanted to return to the past. The worst days were when all she would do was stare at the well, acknowledging no one, refusing everything, only sleeping when her body finally succumbed to the exhaustion and lack of food. But that was the start of Kagome's recovery.

After that, even though she still experienced anxiety and depression, Kagome began to heal and come to terms that the well may never open again - that her reason for being in the past was complete and she was free to take whatever path she herself chose. She devoted herself to her schoolwork, working diligently to return her grades to her pre-Sengoku Period status. Knowing that her after-school activities needed to impress for her high school entrance, she chose to continue her archery, her training from her secret life winning her accolades, albeit unintentionally. That alone helped to bolster her confidence, something that was most definitely damaged upon her return home, another after-effect of the evilness of the jewel.

Kagome knew her choices for high schools were still limited, even with the glowing recommendations from her teachers who were so impressed with the young lady that had finally seemed to shake all the medical misfortune that had plagued her. But still, she was impressed with herself when she had been accepted to Oshima. It was close to the shrine, so she'd be able to walk or bike. Eri, Ayumi, and Yuka were attending as well, and she was thankful for their unwavering support. She knew the first weeks she'd been home for good had been hard on everyone.

Her first full summer back saw Kagome receiving lessons for her reiki from one of the last Shinto shrines that still boasted to have true mikos. They had tested Kagome harshly her first days, but she saw through the harshness to the true lessons they were teaching and soon outclassed even their shrine mother. She still wasn't quite sure why the notice had been at the local grocer that her mother frequented, but she didn't really question it at the time. She was far too grateful to be able to control her reiki at last.

"Do you need help with dinner, Mama? Or do I need to help Sota finish packing?" Kagome inquired. Sota was going on a school trip for the next two weeks, returning home just a few days before Christmas. It was a special trip, offered to students who showed a high aptitude in robotics. There was a new initiative by the government to get a large push into the specific sciences, thinking that early exposure would help jumpstart their interest and lead to careers in those fields.

"Sota's all packed, dear. He's out with a few friends playing soccer in the park. Dinner will be ready in about an hour, thank you for asking," Mama leaned over and kissed the top of Kagome's head. "You can study or whatever you'd like. I'll call you to set the table."

Nodding, Kagome picked up her backpack and headed up to her room. She knew from experience that Grandpa would be asleep in his recliner, Buyo snuggled into his lap. There were no tests the next few days, and a short afternoon lesson lent its remaining time to her homework, so she decided to change into her practice clothes and go shoot for a bit. She usually didn't like to practice on her off days, but there was a competition coming up around the New Year, and she wanted to do well.

Returning to the kitchen, Kagome slipped into her shoes. "Mama, I'm going to practice for a bit."

"Alright," Mrs. Higurashi returned. "Shoot well!"

Kagome took the key to the practice shelter off the wall and headed outside. The snow had stopped, and the sun had finally set. There was still the kiss of twilight, but it was the darkness's time now. Heading behind the house, near the Goshinboku, Kagome unlocked the small cabinet in the half-shelter that held her bow and arrows. There wasn't so much a fear of theft as there was mischief, and she preferred to keep that to a minimum. It wasn't as if she had access to Tenseiga, after all.

Grasping the bow in her hands, Kagome suddenly sobered. Strangely, through the time the well had been closed, her thoughts drifted to Sesshomaru. While in the past, before the final battle, she had realized that her love in InuYasha was not the type of love that could sustain a relationship and had started to grow past her need for his romantic love. They had been through too much, seen the worst in each other, brought out the worst in each other. With her unselfish wish on the Shikon no Tama, Midoriko appeared before her, offering a choice - allow Kikyo to return and regain the life she had lost due to Naraku's treachery, or return to the Warring States Era and the well would forever be closed to her. She knew she would never be first in InuYasha's heart, even though she knew he would try, and with that foremost in her mind, she asked Midoriko to restore Kikyo to the living. She asked only to be able to say farewell, at least to one of her past family. Granting her request, Midoriko brought forth the one Kagome chose; her son, Shippo.

With InuYasha being able to rely on Kikyo, and Sango and Miroku having one another, she knew her son would worry and possibly think she abandoned him. That farewell was worse than the battle with Naraku and the entrapment within the jewel. Shippo had cried and begged her not to leave. When he finally understood, knowing he could not go with her, he promised to learn all he could and become strong enough to see her again.

Shaking her head, Kagome gathered herself and assumed her form. THWACK! Too left. THWACK! Too far right. THWACK! Bullseye! Repeating the action until her quiver was empty, she made eight additional bullseyes. Cheering to herself, and doing a silly dance that she did when no one was watching her practice, Kagome slid to a stop when a sudden flare of youki slid over her skin like silk, her reiki rising in…recognition!? She felt no threat, no watchful eyes, not a even an animal in the wood around her. Retrieving her arrows and returning them and her bow to their cabinet, Kagome closed her eyes and sent her reiki gently out, seeking…finding…nothing. Seeking for a few moments more with no results, she sighed and decided to head back to the house, looking around carefully as she exited the shelter. She was aware the youki didn't need to be on top of her anymore to recognize. Shrugging to herself, she entered the house. Dinner, bath, and a book sounded like a lovely way to end the day.