I do not in anyway own Inuyasha, so quit reminding me!! I am currently writing two stories at once so I need reviews for it to get my full attention. Just a note:: this story will turn horror very soon.
Chapter 2
Kagome sipped her hot chocolate slowly, staring into the thick air around her. Inuyasha and Shippo both watched her carefully. One thing they had not considered was the way she would react to their sudden arrival. Mrs. Higurashi glanced over at her daughter silently, wondering what Kagome was battling internally. She seemed to be holding back tears and smiles.
Mihaku laughed loudly from the couch in the living room followed instantly by Souta's playful chuckle. Kagome blinked and looked around the room solemnly.
"So, the well really is closed?" she asked quietly. Inuyasha jumped at her voice.
"The- well?" he asked. Kagome nodded slowly and turned to face him. "I- never thought to use it. I assumed it was closed off when you left," he replied. Shippo's jaw dropped.
"You mean to tell me you never tried going through the well again?" he shouted.
"Shippo," Kagome corrected. The kitsune instantly shut his mouth and averted his eyes. He didn't want Kagome mad at him now, not after he'd waited so long to see her again. Kagome surveyed both demons countenances. Inuyasha was the same old Inuyasha, only his eyes were ever so slightly harder and he carried himself with a stronger air. He was a man, she thought. Shippo on the other hand had grown to be very attractive. His once short and messy brown hair was now silky and resting in a peaceful disarray that looked almost styled. Also, he was taller and much stockier than she could ever have pictured him as. "Tell me the whole story, Shippo," said Kagome. Inuyasha gawked at her in shock, but disappointedly allowed it.
"Um, okay. The year after you left no one could find Inuyasha. Sango said she refused to get married until Inuyasha could be there, so we searched for a couple months for him. But Miroku realized if he didn't want us to find him, we wouldn't, so we went back to stay in Kaede's village and help her until he decided to come back, Miroku was convinced he would and was rather upset that he didn't hurry up. Sango continued being a demon exterminator and helped Kaede with some of her medicines while Miroku set up a Buddhist shrine in the village. He was the head monk there and whenever Sango had a mission we would both go with her."
"Where was Inuyasha?"
"Hiding in a cave a mile away. We went all over Tokyo looking for him and he was in a stupid cave!" exclaimed Shippo. For the first time Kagome's mother made a little giggle and Grandpa shifted slightly. Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin. She had forgotten they were there at all. Shippo blushed. "He was sulking because he was depressed over you leaving. He stayed there for a whole year, not even bothering to come out unless it was to get food," he added, shaking his head. "A little over the end of the year though he showed up again and Sango and Miroku married April 17," he said. Kagome grinned.
"Was Sango a beautiful bride?" she wondered.
"She was lovely," Inuyasha answered. Kagome looked at him in astonishment. He wasn't looking at her, only gazing into space. The memories almost hurt him as much as it did Kagome to know that they had waited for so long to come to her. She gently put a soft hand on top of his and smiled warmly at him. Inuyasha's eyes locked with her own as he unfolded his arms and gripped her hand tightly, basking in the feeling of her touch.
"We've got some REALLY old paintings of the wedding and Sango and Miroku's kids back at the cave if you want us to bring them!" Shippo suddenly yelled.
"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten those," Inuyasha muttered dumbly. Kagome's smiled broadened and her spirits lifted significantly.
"Please bring them!" she begged and Shippo beamed.
"Course!" he promised.
"So this Sango and Miroku are the ones you tell Mihaku stories about Kagome?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.
"Mm hm. Of course Kilala, Myoga and Shippo are in them too," she assured, once she saw the look of hurt on Shippo's face.
"You don't tell him about me?" asked Inuyasha harshly. Kagome turned her head away from them, hiding the tears that were growing steadily in her eyes.
"Every night," she choked.
"Hey! I didn't mean to make you cry stupid!" barked Inuyasha, but he didn't get the desired retort he'd been looking for.
"Kagome's missed you more than you can imagine Inuyasha...we tried to make her go back to the Feudal Age, but she didn't want to leave us behind forever. She made up her mind, no matter how painful the end result was, she had to stick with it," explained Grandpa.
"Grandpa," Kagome moaned. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here! And you didn't have to tell him that!" she added loudly, her tears drying rapidly.
"Um, Shippo, why don't you finish telling us what happened?" offered Mrs. Higurashi. Shippo nodded and crossed his arms, furrowing his left eyebrow as he did when he was a child. The familiar action made Kagome's insides melt.
"10 months after the wedding Sango gave birth to a baby girl they named Kagome. A year after Sango produced twin boys she named Shinta, after Miroku's grandfather, and Saito, after her own father. Then a boy Kamaru, and lastly a girl, Misora. Kaede named Misora just before she died." Kagome gasped.
"When did Kaede die?"
"Five years after you left. She was only alive long enough to name a new priest for the village, which she wanted to be Kamaru, but he was too young. So Sango agreed to serve as the village miko until Kamaru was old enough, which back then was 16. So Sango stopped her demon exterminating to do that and Miroku was full time monk for the village. It got really quiet for a long time because Miroku's charms were still working perfectly and Sango was still as feared as before. Kagome helped alot in the shrine Miroku had built and Kilala took to her the most while Saito and Shinta were known as the bravest fighters anyone in the town knew. They spared all the time with Inuyasha and sometimes I could even get all three of them to work with me!" Shippo smiled proudly at this part but Inuyasha made a face Kagome didn't recognize at the kit...love. The thought struck her. Inuyasha loved Shippo! "Anyway, Kamaru worked constantly with Sango on medicines and demon exterminating techniques meanwhile working with Kagome and Miroku on spells and charms. He was getting to be just as good as Kikyo was rumored to be when Misora was in a bad accident and he blamed himself."
"They were playing in the woods with some disgruntled demon. Sango knew they were demon hunting and told me to make sure no one died, but not to interfer. They needed to learn. So I followed and watched. Kamaru was careless and the demon attacked Misora, nearly ripping her arm off. Kamaru saved her and I took them back to the village, but Kamaru refused to ever have the responsiblity of protecting anyone ever again," explained Inuyasha. Kagome's eyes welled with tears.
"Poor Kamaru...he sounds like he was a really sweet kid."
"He was, he was just like Koga, only not as cocky. However Sango wouldn't allow her son to give up on anything and banished him from the village until he realized how stupid he was. Shinta and Saito found him coming back almost 6 months later, but he was much stronger and he told his family he would let no one else take the job. He claimed everyone else was incapable of defending his family properly," laughed Shippo. Kagome took another drink from her hot chocolate. Her head was swimming with information and all of it was too exciting to miss.
"What about Misora?" she worried.
"Misora's arm was fixed by a neighboring medicine man, a demon Myoga told us all about, and Misora decided she never wanted to grow up and swore she wouldn't. Sango told her she would one day, when she least expected it. She was Kagome's maid of honor when Kagome married a boy from the village named Tenchi. Saito and Shinta took the place as demon exterminators that same year and Sango was made into a housewife! hahah, she was very happy not to have to take care of 400 hundred people, me, and neighboring demons for the rest of her life. That's when I decided I wanted to be with Inuyasha. I missed you so much Kagome. When I went to Inuyasha and told him I wanted to be with you again too, he told me that was fine and he would protect me until the day I could. So here I am. I guess my warrant ran out huh?" Inuyasha nodded in affirmation and Shippo's head hung. "I guess that's what ya get." Kagome laughed.
"What did Misora do with her life?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.
"Misora built this shrine with help from me and Inuyasha after Sango died from tuberculosis. That was, what...37 years after you left. Miroku died from a demon attack 12 years later. He was protecting his third granddaughter, Kagome's fourth child, from the demon when he was fatally injured. That was 49 years after you left. Kagome had four children, only one boy, while Misora had six children, all boys. Shinta and Saito got married, Shinta twice, and together had three kids. And Kamaru was the only one who didn't have children. When he was 44 he crowned Kagome's third daughter the next in line, her name was Yumi. And from there they all watched over the shrine and the village."
"So Sango and Miroku had..." Kagome counted on her fingers, "13 grandchildren, wow!"
"That's really not a large number Kagome, considering most wealthy families in those times had up to six or seven children each. And then there was the fact of the business they did, they needed --" Kagome tuned her grandfather out immediately.
"13! And I didn't get to see a darn one of them..." she sulked. Inuyasha gripped her hand. He knew it mean the world to her that her best friends were so prosperous but it also hurt too. The clock went off loudly from the living room and Kagome counted the chimes mentally. "Oh geez! It's midnight! Mihaku should be in bed!" she yelped and leapt up from the table. Inuyasha shot her guardians a pleading expression.
"Go on Inuyasha, he's your child too," said Mrs. Higurashi. Inuyasha quickly followed his lover to the living room to get Mihaku. Together they walked up the stairs in silence, watching each other's every move and smiling at the sleeping baby in Kagome's arms. When they got to Kagome's room she turned the light on and gave the baby to Inuyasha, who fumbled slightly.
"Careful!" Kagome whined under her breath.
"I got it!" he retorted. Then he stood motionless, feeling the baby's chest move tenderly against his own. His son, his pup...his and Kagome's child. Mihaku's soft face reminded him of Kagome's when she slept and he could actually point out the features that reminded him of himself. He hadn't noticed Kagome stop mending the crib door or her frozen stance as she watched him until he looked up to her for reassurance that he wasn't dreaming. She motioned for him to put Mihaku into the crib and stood next to him lovingly. They watched the baby sleep for at least an hour before Kagome yawned so large she almost fell over.
"Whoa...I guess we should all be headed to bed. I'll grab some blankets from Souta, okay?" she asked.
"Can- I stay here?" asked Inuyasha meekly. Kagome nodded in understanding before heading toward the door.
"By the way, you're babysitting tomorrow," she smiled and left the room. Downstairs Shippo was playing a video game with Souta and was getting his butt kicked. Grandpa had headed to bed and Mrs. Higurashi was waiting to find out where the two demons would sleep.
"STOP! DONT DO THAT! ACK!" yelled Shippo vainly. Souta was not going to give up.
"Hey Shippo, would you come with me for a minute?" asked Kagome as she came down the stairs. Shippo jumped away from the game so fast Souta was knocked over in surprise.
"Sure," he piped and his tail shook happily.
"And Souta, could you get Inuyasha an extra blanket please?" she asked nicely. Souta turned on her for a minute and then groaned before getting up to do it. Mrs. Higurashi kissed Kagome's forehead, telling her she was off to bed, whatever Kagome decided was fine and that she'd see her in the morning. Kagome took Shippo up to Souta's bedroom and began to make him a cot just as Souta walked out of the room with a blanket.
"Shippo," Kagome whispered, watching the door so that Souta didn't come back.
"Huh?"
"I need to ask you something. Something really important."
"Okay..."
"Did- well it was a long time he spent waiting on me, over 500 years, and well- did Inuyasha-" she tried, but the words would not be forced out of her mouth. She was dying to know. Did he love another? Was she his ultimate desire for this long? Did he kill Kikyo? What happened...
"What Kagome?"
"Did Inuyasha, ever fall in love again?" she asked tiredly. Shippo could see the bags under her eyes from exhaustion and for the first time realized the trauma she had undergone in the last 24 hours. Luckily his answer would only make her feel better, like family coming home.
"Actually he fell out of love. He sulked for years at first and then was impatient as shit after that, but over the last 100 years he kinda went soft, back to the way he was when you were in the Feudal Era. He wasn't as easy to make angry either. I think he wondered what the point was. Kinda defeated I guess. But he never stopped loving you. In fact he murdered Kikyo for insulting you after you left. No female has even been able to be friends with him since you left, he was just too rough for them. So we didn't really hang out with many humans," he admitted. Kagome looked positively relieved.
"Thanks Shippo. I needed to know that," she breathed and reached over to kiss his cheek. Shippo blushed.
"Hey Kagome? Is it okay if I call you mom?" he asked weakly. Kagome laughed out right and rubbed his head fondly.
"Of course. Now that I know why, you can call me that all you want. That makes Mihaku your little brother!" she chirped. Shippo shouted out loud at this and grinned from ear to ear, only making Kagome laugh harder.
Inuyasha heard the yell from Kagome's room and jumped so violently that he nearly broke Kagome's lamp by her bed. He caught it right before Souta walked into the room bearing a big blue blanket. Inuyasha smiled embarrassedly as he set the lamp back down.
"It's great to see you again Inuyasha!" rattled Souta. "You're still my hero you know! And if you and Kagome get married you'll be my big brother! I've always wanted a big brother!" Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at the ongoing of the little boy.
"Hey kid," he interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"Lemme ask you something," he started. Souta nodded. "How long's it been since Kagome came back?" Souta pointed across the room to a bulletin board over Kagome's desk. In large letters Inuyasha could read '2 years and 2 days'. "Oh..." he murmured.
"Well, I'll leave this with you I don't know what Kagome plans to do with you for the night so I'm going to bed," he said and waved as he headed for the door. Suddenly a thought hit Inuyasha. Two years...that was a long time for Kagome. In a last ditch effort to catch Souta Inuyasha leapt across the room and close the door, standing between the little boy and the knob. "What's going on?" asked Souta.
"I need to ask you something. On man's honor you promise not to tell Kagome, okay?" Souta nodded seriously. "Okay. Has Kagome had a boyfriend since she left, the feudal age I mean," spat in one breath. Souta looked somewhat shocked but answered without blinking.
"No, she just spends her time with Mihaku and at school. She walks by the well and the God Tree everyday. I don't really know anything else, but I know she's never loved anyone but you. I heard her tell Mihaku so when she came home today. They were nearly in a car accident you know," he added and then opened the door. Inuyasha moved out of the way, thinking rapidly. SO that was Kagome in the accident. And his son. No wonder Kagome had been so furious. Shippo had told the story twice and it still didn't sound like Kagome. But she was acting normally enough now. He was just about to close the door when Kagome came into the room once again.
"Hey," she said sheepishly. It was almost like the first time they'd ever met, only they were already in love. Inuyasha flushed.
"Hey," he replied as he crossed his arms. "Where's Shippo?"
"Sleeping in Souta's room down the hall."
"Where do you want me to sleep Kagome? I'll sleep in the tree if-"
"NO!" she wailed and then caught herself. "No," she repeated quieter.
"Kagome..." he whispered.
"I don't want you any further away from me that you are now," she said, moving slowly toward him. "I've missed you so much," she moved into his arms. Inuyasha's hand went to her jaw and held her there, staring into her eyes.
"I missed you more," he said simply and claimed her lips with his own in a searing kiss. After a few moments of bliss Kagome had to ask, before it got any later.
"Stay with me tonight Inuyasha. With me and Mihaku..."
"I wouldn't stay anywhere else. I was only thinking of sitting outside your window, that's all. I didn't think you would want me in the room so soon," he said.
"But I do Inuyasha...I want you in the room everynight, with me...sleep next to me? Please...I just want you to- "she yawned soundlessly in his arms "hold...me," she murmured, sleep taking her over. Inuyasha lifted his soul mate into his arms, clicked off the light, and carried her to the bed. He would sleep with her tonight, whatever she wanted he would do. Just to touch her again was enough for him to die happy and to hold her in his arms while they slept would be heaven. He arranged her gently, not to wake her or their baby, so that she was nestled in the crook of his arm and resting against his chest. He faced her, gazing down on her closed eye lids in the moonlight. His Kagome...
Chapter 2
Kagome sipped her hot chocolate slowly, staring into the thick air around her. Inuyasha and Shippo both watched her carefully. One thing they had not considered was the way she would react to their sudden arrival. Mrs. Higurashi glanced over at her daughter silently, wondering what Kagome was battling internally. She seemed to be holding back tears and smiles.
Mihaku laughed loudly from the couch in the living room followed instantly by Souta's playful chuckle. Kagome blinked and looked around the room solemnly.
"So, the well really is closed?" she asked quietly. Inuyasha jumped at her voice.
"The- well?" he asked. Kagome nodded slowly and turned to face him. "I- never thought to use it. I assumed it was closed off when you left," he replied. Shippo's jaw dropped.
"You mean to tell me you never tried going through the well again?" he shouted.
"Shippo," Kagome corrected. The kitsune instantly shut his mouth and averted his eyes. He didn't want Kagome mad at him now, not after he'd waited so long to see her again. Kagome surveyed both demons countenances. Inuyasha was the same old Inuyasha, only his eyes were ever so slightly harder and he carried himself with a stronger air. He was a man, she thought. Shippo on the other hand had grown to be very attractive. His once short and messy brown hair was now silky and resting in a peaceful disarray that looked almost styled. Also, he was taller and much stockier than she could ever have pictured him as. "Tell me the whole story, Shippo," said Kagome. Inuyasha gawked at her in shock, but disappointedly allowed it.
"Um, okay. The year after you left no one could find Inuyasha. Sango said she refused to get married until Inuyasha could be there, so we searched for a couple months for him. But Miroku realized if he didn't want us to find him, we wouldn't, so we went back to stay in Kaede's village and help her until he decided to come back, Miroku was convinced he would and was rather upset that he didn't hurry up. Sango continued being a demon exterminator and helped Kaede with some of her medicines while Miroku set up a Buddhist shrine in the village. He was the head monk there and whenever Sango had a mission we would both go with her."
"Where was Inuyasha?"
"Hiding in a cave a mile away. We went all over Tokyo looking for him and he was in a stupid cave!" exclaimed Shippo. For the first time Kagome's mother made a little giggle and Grandpa shifted slightly. Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin. She had forgotten they were there at all. Shippo blushed. "He was sulking because he was depressed over you leaving. He stayed there for a whole year, not even bothering to come out unless it was to get food," he added, shaking his head. "A little over the end of the year though he showed up again and Sango and Miroku married April 17," he said. Kagome grinned.
"Was Sango a beautiful bride?" she wondered.
"She was lovely," Inuyasha answered. Kagome looked at him in astonishment. He wasn't looking at her, only gazing into space. The memories almost hurt him as much as it did Kagome to know that they had waited for so long to come to her. She gently put a soft hand on top of his and smiled warmly at him. Inuyasha's eyes locked with her own as he unfolded his arms and gripped her hand tightly, basking in the feeling of her touch.
"We've got some REALLY old paintings of the wedding and Sango and Miroku's kids back at the cave if you want us to bring them!" Shippo suddenly yelled.
"Oh yeah, I'd forgotten those," Inuyasha muttered dumbly. Kagome's smiled broadened and her spirits lifted significantly.
"Please bring them!" she begged and Shippo beamed.
"Course!" he promised.
"So this Sango and Miroku are the ones you tell Mihaku stories about Kagome?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.
"Mm hm. Of course Kilala, Myoga and Shippo are in them too," she assured, once she saw the look of hurt on Shippo's face.
"You don't tell him about me?" asked Inuyasha harshly. Kagome turned her head away from them, hiding the tears that were growing steadily in her eyes.
"Every night," she choked.
"Hey! I didn't mean to make you cry stupid!" barked Inuyasha, but he didn't get the desired retort he'd been looking for.
"Kagome's missed you more than you can imagine Inuyasha...we tried to make her go back to the Feudal Age, but she didn't want to leave us behind forever. She made up her mind, no matter how painful the end result was, she had to stick with it," explained Grandpa.
"Grandpa," Kagome moaned. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here! And you didn't have to tell him that!" she added loudly, her tears drying rapidly.
"Um, Shippo, why don't you finish telling us what happened?" offered Mrs. Higurashi. Shippo nodded and crossed his arms, furrowing his left eyebrow as he did when he was a child. The familiar action made Kagome's insides melt.
"10 months after the wedding Sango gave birth to a baby girl they named Kagome. A year after Sango produced twin boys she named Shinta, after Miroku's grandfather, and Saito, after her own father. Then a boy Kamaru, and lastly a girl, Misora. Kaede named Misora just before she died." Kagome gasped.
"When did Kaede die?"
"Five years after you left. She was only alive long enough to name a new priest for the village, which she wanted to be Kamaru, but he was too young. So Sango agreed to serve as the village miko until Kamaru was old enough, which back then was 16. So Sango stopped her demon exterminating to do that and Miroku was full time monk for the village. It got really quiet for a long time because Miroku's charms were still working perfectly and Sango was still as feared as before. Kagome helped alot in the shrine Miroku had built and Kilala took to her the most while Saito and Shinta were known as the bravest fighters anyone in the town knew. They spared all the time with Inuyasha and sometimes I could even get all three of them to work with me!" Shippo smiled proudly at this part but Inuyasha made a face Kagome didn't recognize at the kit...love. The thought struck her. Inuyasha loved Shippo! "Anyway, Kamaru worked constantly with Sango on medicines and demon exterminating techniques meanwhile working with Kagome and Miroku on spells and charms. He was getting to be just as good as Kikyo was rumored to be when Misora was in a bad accident and he blamed himself."
"They were playing in the woods with some disgruntled demon. Sango knew they were demon hunting and told me to make sure no one died, but not to interfer. They needed to learn. So I followed and watched. Kamaru was careless and the demon attacked Misora, nearly ripping her arm off. Kamaru saved her and I took them back to the village, but Kamaru refused to ever have the responsiblity of protecting anyone ever again," explained Inuyasha. Kagome's eyes welled with tears.
"Poor Kamaru...he sounds like he was a really sweet kid."
"He was, he was just like Koga, only not as cocky. However Sango wouldn't allow her son to give up on anything and banished him from the village until he realized how stupid he was. Shinta and Saito found him coming back almost 6 months later, but he was much stronger and he told his family he would let no one else take the job. He claimed everyone else was incapable of defending his family properly," laughed Shippo. Kagome took another drink from her hot chocolate. Her head was swimming with information and all of it was too exciting to miss.
"What about Misora?" she worried.
"Misora's arm was fixed by a neighboring medicine man, a demon Myoga told us all about, and Misora decided she never wanted to grow up and swore she wouldn't. Sango told her she would one day, when she least expected it. She was Kagome's maid of honor when Kagome married a boy from the village named Tenchi. Saito and Shinta took the place as demon exterminators that same year and Sango was made into a housewife! hahah, she was very happy not to have to take care of 400 hundred people, me, and neighboring demons for the rest of her life. That's when I decided I wanted to be with Inuyasha. I missed you so much Kagome. When I went to Inuyasha and told him I wanted to be with you again too, he told me that was fine and he would protect me until the day I could. So here I am. I guess my warrant ran out huh?" Inuyasha nodded in affirmation and Shippo's head hung. "I guess that's what ya get." Kagome laughed.
"What did Misora do with her life?" asked Mrs. Higurashi.
"Misora built this shrine with help from me and Inuyasha after Sango died from tuberculosis. That was, what...37 years after you left. Miroku died from a demon attack 12 years later. He was protecting his third granddaughter, Kagome's fourth child, from the demon when he was fatally injured. That was 49 years after you left. Kagome had four children, only one boy, while Misora had six children, all boys. Shinta and Saito got married, Shinta twice, and together had three kids. And Kamaru was the only one who didn't have children. When he was 44 he crowned Kagome's third daughter the next in line, her name was Yumi. And from there they all watched over the shrine and the village."
"So Sango and Miroku had..." Kagome counted on her fingers, "13 grandchildren, wow!"
"That's really not a large number Kagome, considering most wealthy families in those times had up to six or seven children each. And then there was the fact of the business they did, they needed --" Kagome tuned her grandfather out immediately.
"13! And I didn't get to see a darn one of them..." she sulked. Inuyasha gripped her hand. He knew it mean the world to her that her best friends were so prosperous but it also hurt too. The clock went off loudly from the living room and Kagome counted the chimes mentally. "Oh geez! It's midnight! Mihaku should be in bed!" she yelped and leapt up from the table. Inuyasha shot her guardians a pleading expression.
"Go on Inuyasha, he's your child too," said Mrs. Higurashi. Inuyasha quickly followed his lover to the living room to get Mihaku. Together they walked up the stairs in silence, watching each other's every move and smiling at the sleeping baby in Kagome's arms. When they got to Kagome's room she turned the light on and gave the baby to Inuyasha, who fumbled slightly.
"Careful!" Kagome whined under her breath.
"I got it!" he retorted. Then he stood motionless, feeling the baby's chest move tenderly against his own. His son, his pup...his and Kagome's child. Mihaku's soft face reminded him of Kagome's when she slept and he could actually point out the features that reminded him of himself. He hadn't noticed Kagome stop mending the crib door or her frozen stance as she watched him until he looked up to her for reassurance that he wasn't dreaming. She motioned for him to put Mihaku into the crib and stood next to him lovingly. They watched the baby sleep for at least an hour before Kagome yawned so large she almost fell over.
"Whoa...I guess we should all be headed to bed. I'll grab some blankets from Souta, okay?" she asked.
"Can- I stay here?" asked Inuyasha meekly. Kagome nodded in understanding before heading toward the door.
"By the way, you're babysitting tomorrow," she smiled and left the room. Downstairs Shippo was playing a video game with Souta and was getting his butt kicked. Grandpa had headed to bed and Mrs. Higurashi was waiting to find out where the two demons would sleep.
"STOP! DONT DO THAT! ACK!" yelled Shippo vainly. Souta was not going to give up.
"Hey Shippo, would you come with me for a minute?" asked Kagome as she came down the stairs. Shippo jumped away from the game so fast Souta was knocked over in surprise.
"Sure," he piped and his tail shook happily.
"And Souta, could you get Inuyasha an extra blanket please?" she asked nicely. Souta turned on her for a minute and then groaned before getting up to do it. Mrs. Higurashi kissed Kagome's forehead, telling her she was off to bed, whatever Kagome decided was fine and that she'd see her in the morning. Kagome took Shippo up to Souta's bedroom and began to make him a cot just as Souta walked out of the room with a blanket.
"Shippo," Kagome whispered, watching the door so that Souta didn't come back.
"Huh?"
"I need to ask you something. Something really important."
"Okay..."
"Did- well it was a long time he spent waiting on me, over 500 years, and well- did Inuyasha-" she tried, but the words would not be forced out of her mouth. She was dying to know. Did he love another? Was she his ultimate desire for this long? Did he kill Kikyo? What happened...
"What Kagome?"
"Did Inuyasha, ever fall in love again?" she asked tiredly. Shippo could see the bags under her eyes from exhaustion and for the first time realized the trauma she had undergone in the last 24 hours. Luckily his answer would only make her feel better, like family coming home.
"Actually he fell out of love. He sulked for years at first and then was impatient as shit after that, but over the last 100 years he kinda went soft, back to the way he was when you were in the Feudal Era. He wasn't as easy to make angry either. I think he wondered what the point was. Kinda defeated I guess. But he never stopped loving you. In fact he murdered Kikyo for insulting you after you left. No female has even been able to be friends with him since you left, he was just too rough for them. So we didn't really hang out with many humans," he admitted. Kagome looked positively relieved.
"Thanks Shippo. I needed to know that," she breathed and reached over to kiss his cheek. Shippo blushed.
"Hey Kagome? Is it okay if I call you mom?" he asked weakly. Kagome laughed out right and rubbed his head fondly.
"Of course. Now that I know why, you can call me that all you want. That makes Mihaku your little brother!" she chirped. Shippo shouted out loud at this and grinned from ear to ear, only making Kagome laugh harder.
Inuyasha heard the yell from Kagome's room and jumped so violently that he nearly broke Kagome's lamp by her bed. He caught it right before Souta walked into the room bearing a big blue blanket. Inuyasha smiled embarrassedly as he set the lamp back down.
"It's great to see you again Inuyasha!" rattled Souta. "You're still my hero you know! And if you and Kagome get married you'll be my big brother! I've always wanted a big brother!" Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk at the ongoing of the little boy.
"Hey kid," he interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"Lemme ask you something," he started. Souta nodded. "How long's it been since Kagome came back?" Souta pointed across the room to a bulletin board over Kagome's desk. In large letters Inuyasha could read '2 years and 2 days'. "Oh..." he murmured.
"Well, I'll leave this with you I don't know what Kagome plans to do with you for the night so I'm going to bed," he said and waved as he headed for the door. Suddenly a thought hit Inuyasha. Two years...that was a long time for Kagome. In a last ditch effort to catch Souta Inuyasha leapt across the room and close the door, standing between the little boy and the knob. "What's going on?" asked Souta.
"I need to ask you something. On man's honor you promise not to tell Kagome, okay?" Souta nodded seriously. "Okay. Has Kagome had a boyfriend since she left, the feudal age I mean," spat in one breath. Souta looked somewhat shocked but answered without blinking.
"No, she just spends her time with Mihaku and at school. She walks by the well and the God Tree everyday. I don't really know anything else, but I know she's never loved anyone but you. I heard her tell Mihaku so when she came home today. They were nearly in a car accident you know," he added and then opened the door. Inuyasha moved out of the way, thinking rapidly. SO that was Kagome in the accident. And his son. No wonder Kagome had been so furious. Shippo had told the story twice and it still didn't sound like Kagome. But she was acting normally enough now. He was just about to close the door when Kagome came into the room once again.
"Hey," she said sheepishly. It was almost like the first time they'd ever met, only they were already in love. Inuyasha flushed.
"Hey," he replied as he crossed his arms. "Where's Shippo?"
"Sleeping in Souta's room down the hall."
"Where do you want me to sleep Kagome? I'll sleep in the tree if-"
"NO!" she wailed and then caught herself. "No," she repeated quieter.
"Kagome..." he whispered.
"I don't want you any further away from me that you are now," she said, moving slowly toward him. "I've missed you so much," she moved into his arms. Inuyasha's hand went to her jaw and held her there, staring into her eyes.
"I missed you more," he said simply and claimed her lips with his own in a searing kiss. After a few moments of bliss Kagome had to ask, before it got any later.
"Stay with me tonight Inuyasha. With me and Mihaku..."
"I wouldn't stay anywhere else. I was only thinking of sitting outside your window, that's all. I didn't think you would want me in the room so soon," he said.
"But I do Inuyasha...I want you in the room everynight, with me...sleep next to me? Please...I just want you to- "she yawned soundlessly in his arms "hold...me," she murmured, sleep taking her over. Inuyasha lifted his soul mate into his arms, clicked off the light, and carried her to the bed. He would sleep with her tonight, whatever she wanted he would do. Just to touch her again was enough for him to die happy and to hold her in his arms while they slept would be heaven. He arranged her gently, not to wake her or their baby, so that she was nestled in the crook of his arm and resting against his chest. He faced her, gazing down on her closed eye lids in the moonlight. His Kagome...