Chapter 16

Kagome said her goodbyes before leaving the hospital with her mate and children. She looked in the back seat and smiled when her eyes landed on Sango dressed in nurse's scrubs. "I can't believe you're here sango..but how? You too Rin! How did the both of you survive five hundred years!"

The two women smiled happily at their friend, the girls engaged in small talk, out of the corner of his eye. Every now and again sesshomaru would turn his attention away from driving to see his wife by his side. Everything in the world felt right again. Before much longer they pulled up in front of a pair of closed golden gates, the top read "Tashio Residence" beside the gates was a sign "all trespassers will be killed on sight, do not enter" kagome took in the scenery and smile seeing the rolling hills as far as the eye could see, the numerous gardens, the pounds with ducks and geese all soaking in the water. As much as the land had changed it could never be able to fool her. This was home. Her home that she had already grown to love.

This was where the castle sat five hundred years ago. All this land was still virgin land never being built on. They pulled up the long driveway in front of an enormous house. She looked around and smiled at all the new additions that sesshomaru had put into the outside to replicate some sense of normality. She wondered though, how her family had survived five hundred years; her time didn't have any demons, they all had died out. Then her mind wandered to her other friends. Inuyasha, miroku, jakken, ah-uh. Were they still alive? Were they still alive? She was pulled out of her musings by the sound of children running towards the car laughing and screaming "momma!" Kagome got out of the car with a little help from sesshomaru and shippo.

The children ran straight for Rin, she smiled and laughed as she picked up the children. Kagome looked at her, a shocked expression turned into one of happiness.

"Rin, did they just call you momma?" Kagome smiled sadly. She missed it, she missed watching her daughter grow up, missed watching her fall in love, missed the joy of when she came home to announce her pregnancy, the day she would have freaked out swearing she couldn't give birth but the instant love and happiness when she pushed that baby out and got to hold her child for the first time.

Rin smiled happily "yes, this is Aimi and Akako. My other children are inside"

Kagome went quiet for a while "other children?"

Rin walked closer to her mother "mmhm, i have twelve children in total, which considering how long has passed isn't a lot, but there were a few miscarriages and a few years after where we gave it a rest to allow ourselves and the children time to heal."

Kagome held her daughter tight. "I'm so sorry darling. I wish i could have been there for you"

Rin smiled "let's get you inside mom"

The young children in rins arms looked at kagome "momma, did you just call this lady mom? Is she your mommy?"

Walking inside, Rin nodded "yes, this is my momma, she is your grandma. After she has her babies then we'll all take a trip so you can meet your great grandma and your uncle"

The children beamed from ear to ear. They hopped down and helped their grandmother into the house.

They took Kagome into the house and sat her down in the living room. One by one the living room started to fill with unfamiliar faces and faces she had missed.

"Inuyasha!" she yelled excitedly, she tried to get up to hug him but was stuck. Inuyasha chuckled as he walked closer to her.

"Just stay put, i'll come to you" he walked over and hugged her "geez kagome, you've really let yourself go"

The room went quiet, the men stared at him in bewilderment, the women gave him a death look, sesshomaru punched him on the head. Kagome's voice rang out sweetly before filling with venom.

"inuyashaaa…SIT BOY!" his body created a hole in the floor just big enough to fit his body, everyone laughed.

Kagome turned her attention to Rin and Sango. "I'm curious. How did you both survive five hundred years? Is miroku alive too?"

The girls each went to their prospective mates, sango looked at kagome with a solemn expression. "Rin and I both married demons. Rin married Koga's little brother" she gestured to the male standing beside rin "Akihiko, this is rin's mother, and my sister Kagome"

He looked at Kagome. "would you happen to be the same kagome who had stolen my brother's heart? The miko?"

kagome laughed nervously and scratched the back of her head "the would have been me"

He laughed "it's nice to finally meet you" Sango walked over with her husband

"Kagome, this is my husband. Haru." Kagome looked him over. He was tall, brown hair, he looked like he was maybe a moth demon? She made a mental note to ask later.

"And miroku?" Both girls looked at each other before sitting beside her.

"Miroku lived to an old age until he passed away in his sleep, he married a beautiful woman and had four children. After priestess kaede passed away he took over for her. I'm sorry kagome." they held her tight "if it makes you feel a little better he named one of his daughters after you, he told them all about you, about all of our adventures. He prayed for you everyday. He has not once forgotten you kagome. He wouldn't want you to be sad"

The room was quiet allowing their friend to grieve her loss, they all had years to grieve now it was her turn. Her mind was reeling before something finally clicked. They've all been here this entire time, why didn't they come get her sooner?

"One more question. Why did none of you come get me sooner? If you all survived, why wasn't any of you waiting for me after the jewel made me come back to my time?"

Everyone went deathly quiet, all eyes fell onto sesshomaru, this was the question he was dreading. But knowing his wife he knew he couldn't avoid it forever. He was dreading this, she overreacted before the baby, but now her hormones were in hyperdrive he wasn't sure how she would react. Everyone gathered up the children and left the room. leaving sesshomaru to deal with his emotional mate.