Oh dear, where to start? First off, thank you everyone who did review and for all the wonderful things that you said to support my efforts!

I do realize that chapter 2 and 3 are switched, and I have not fixed that yet...but I will!

I DO realize that my story is not the best one out there, but I was not writing it for a competition. I was writing because I enjoy it and others seem to as well. So, please, you don't have to tell me that my story is "Not the best" I know that. And if you would like to recommend a story you think is better, I don't mind. And the story you recommend may be better than mine...that will only make me happier to read it. (Also, Sylvan is an ancient word for "Forest" or "Woods" AND Elf. In old English and Gaelic, it is for "Elf" or "Sprite" Sylvan was also the god of the forest in old druidic lore. There are many interpretations to a name. Mine is for the forest.. .)

I want all of you Xover fans to check out a story that I have fallen in love with! I got permission from the author to tell you guys that I think you should read it. It's called By Any Other Name by Deviant Nature. It is a Kag/Kur and I hope some of you that haven't read it yet will check it out and review it (there have not been reviews enough for such a good story, so please!?!)

I am also planning to post the first chapter of my Hiei/Kag fic that Yabou will be helping with in later sections, so that I can get an idea of receptivity...so look for that if you are interested...it is called I Thought Hell Was Supposed to Burn

Here is the next chapter in an update of three...

Sylvannastar

Take Me Home

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"So what is the problem now, toddler?" Yusuke sauntered into Koenma's office, shirt untucked and his hair conspicuously clean of gel. He yawned hugely without bothering to cover his mouth and shuffled farther into the room. "I only just got to sleep, you know."

Koenma ignored the heavy eyed detective and waved a hand in welcome. "Come in." he said even though Yusuke was already making himself comfortable by leaning against the only piece of furniture available. Whatever had been important enough to track down the detective was now pushed aside for the steaming tray of food taking up the majority of the desk top.

"Ugh," Yusuke sank down into the vacant chair that Koenma considerately yielded in favor of standing over his food. Another yawn, each one larger then the last stretched his mouth in a large O. Blinking his bleary eyes at the inattentive spirit ruler, Yusuke sought a distraction to keep himself awake. His eyes landed on the forever present cycle of files and the much abused stamp and pad that Koenma used to designate what souls went where. Other then that, the room was bare.

Scowling in boredom, The young tentai squared his shoulders and decided to attempt the unachievably. Distracting Koenma from food... "What do you want?" he hedged, not really interested in the answer, and absently picked up the stamper to twirl through his fingers.

"Nuffin' werwee..." Koenma paused long enough to force the words out through his stuffed mouth. He swallowed heavily and returned his attention to the heaping platter. "I got bored waiting."

Yusuke tipped over in the chair until he was resting his forehead on the stiff arm. "Oh? That's nice." He yawned again and wished he had thought to bring his pillow with him. Pillow, mhhh...Suddenly Yusuke's eyes shot open as his mind finally registered his bosses words. "You were BORED?" he suddenly bellowed sending the unsuspecting spirit ruler face first into the object of his exclusive attention.

SPLAT!

Koenma picked his face out of the mess and glared at his prize detective. "Yusuke..." he growled.

"Spoiled brat." Yusuke sent back and pointed a finger at the spirit ruler.

Ducking quickly, Koenma started to flick bits of food off his clothing and face. "I wouldn't do that..."

"SPIRIT G- why the hell not?" Yusuke cheekily grinned, as Koenma dived back into the platter of food. The squelching sound it made when he tried to jump back up, realizing that the tentai had been joking, made the boy laugh heartily.

"That was not funny."

"That depends totally on your point of view. I found it quite hilarious..." Yusuke shrugged and chuckled again.

Koenma just watched the food on his plate sink into a goopy puddle with large mournful eyes.

"I bet..."

Yusuke sighed, the boredom quickly returning and rested his elbows on the desk so he could hold up his head with a lazy palm. There was nothing to do, since Koenma wouldn't let him go after the escaped demons, and Kuwabara was too annoying to hang out with on a day to day basis. His long time rival and friend had never been the smartest cookie, but he used to talk about things that were more interesting then the one subject he rehashed now...Yukina this-Yukina that...

He shook his head and moved on. Hiei and Kurama were both still in the past probably having a grand time fighting demons and kicking ancient ass...while he got to watch Koenma...lick a plate? Yes, the spirit leader was hunched over on hands and knees licking the residual...stuff, from the platter. Yusuke hesitated to call it food and left that subject alone too.

Feeling more then mildly bored, Yusuke decided to use this time to think through the barrier problem. After all, there was always the possibility that they missed something. Perhaps a different point of view would be all that it would take to crack this case...Yusuke picked up the first file marked "TOP SECRET" and pursed his lips. "What better way is there to attract unwanted attention?" he muttered at the great big red letters on the top, casually flipped open the cover and began to read...

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Botan woke with a large yawn and stretched out the kinks in her back that had settled from sleeping on the sofa. She ran a tired hand over her face and hoped that she looked better then she felt. If the hints that her body was telling her were true, she must resemble Yusuke after a long night of snoring, and from what she had experienced, Yusuke was no morning person.

Swinging her legs over, Botan dropped her bare feet to the floor and paused to consider the time. She had been glad that Yukina had talked her into staying the night and returning to the others after breakfast, but now, that decision did not seem as satisfying as she had believed it would be.

She spent most of the night tossing and turning, wondering if the others knew she was gone, or if they cared. And after so long sleeping with the hanyou Inuyasha near her side, she felt bereft without him.

It was also time to return to the past and inform the others of Koenma's latest news. They were not going to like it. Not one bit.

She hesitated to return without saying goodbye to Yukina, but time was already ticking away. She stood up and followed her instincts to the doorway of the shrine and was surprised to see the ice apparition standing in the rising sun, obviously waiting for her to wake and join her.

"Good Morning," Yukina said softly to the grim reaper.

"Morning," she yawned again and scratched at the impossible-to-reach place on her back. "Thank you for letting me sleep over..." she continued.

Yukina just smiled and threw a handful of bread crumbs to the waiting birds that were winging their way over to stare with beady eyes at the two spirits.

"You must be anxious to get back..." Yukina grinned. "I should thank you for bringing me news of my brother." she bowed to her friend and ignored the ferry girl's bemused expression.

"Yes, I suppose..." Botan made her oar materialize and climbed a bit less elegantly on board then she normally did.

"Will you tell everyone that I said hello? And my brother that I love him and wait for his return?"

Yukina asked her softly. "I would like for him to know..."

"Eh?" Botan blushed and stared at the most interesting patch of earth she had ever seen...She couldn't imagine trying to say something like that to the Jagonashi and quirked her lips at the image on his face if she did have the guts to say it. She refrained from laughing when she saw Yukina's smiling but serious face. "Ah...I guess... I can do...that." she answered hesitantly and with no small amount of humor.

Botan sighed and smoothed her fingers through her long blue hair. Well, if nothing else, there was going to be Inuyasha to look forward to. She smiled and waved goodbye to Yukina and left for the Sunset shrine and the well portal to the Warring Stated Era.

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Kagome tucked her legs under her and rose to a sitting position, all semblance of sleep vanishing with her unease. "Where are we and why don't I hurt anymore?" she asked the concerned red head.

The flare of energy at her other side had her looking into a warped reflection of herself in a familiar mirror spitting magic. She touched the face of the mirror with confused fingertips and felt the hollowness of Naraku's power trying to hold onto the energy that was slowly making it's way free from the spell Kanna had woven. "And why is this here?"

Kurama opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by Sesshoumaru's deep voice. Turning to view the speaker, Kurama noticed that all of Kagome's attention was no longer focused on him. With a wry smile, he reminded himself that he had no reason to be jealous...Kagome was his.

"You are in my home," the taiyoukai said from the doorway. "And you are healed. As for that," he gestured to the reflective surface of the glowing item at his side, "it is you. It belongs with you. The kitsune was right in bringing it back here."

Kagome frowned slightly, pushing the mirror and its memories away until they were less intense. Her eyes traveled over the imposing figure of the Inuyoukai until she noticed the lack of armor and weapons on the familiar form. Tilting her head to side, she looked back up into his face. "Healed?" she wondered out loud. "Did you use tenseiga for me?"

Sesshoumaru met the slightly golden green eyes of the strange human sitting behind the miko and smirked a victory. "Hai."

"Oh," Kagome wrung her hands and blushed. "Then I thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama, for the help and for your hospitality," she blushed lightly as she spoke the semi-formal words. She felt the rising of energy at her back and instinctively leaned against the male behind her in reassurance. The gesture did not go unnoticed by either male and this time, Kurama gave the victory smirk.

"Kagome!" a higher but louder voice announced itself.

"Shippo!" Kagome opened her arms to the kit that had suddenly appeared in the frame of the doorway.

Happily he bounded into her and wrapped himself in the familiar feel of her arms. "I was so worried about you," he confessed loudly and buried his face in her neck.

She laughed and clung lovingly to the fox kit. "I was worried about you too," she admitted softly. "Did you know that I was on my way here to get you?"

"Why?" he questioned her curiously.

"Well," she began sadly, "when we fought with Naraku, Sango and Miroku...they-"

"Your friends are just fine, Miko." Sesshoumaru soothed her in his own brisk manner.

"Huh?" she blinked back the tears that had begun to form in her expressive eyes. "But I saw-"

"Sesshoumaru went back and healed them too," Kurama whispered in her ear. He watched her head snap back to him as she searched his face desperately for assurance. "I saw them myself..."

Kagome quickly looked back at the composed lord standing perfectly still in the room. With a strangled sob she launched herself from where she was sitting into the demon dog. "Thank you," she whispered as she hugged him tightly about the waist. "Thank you..."

Sesshoumaru placed a clawed hand on top of her dark head and watched the wary look on the foxes face.

Youko scowled, but maintained control. After all, Kagome loved him. Not that puffed up arrogant dog...

Where do you find room to talk about arrogance? Shuuichi would have rolled his eyes if he had control of them.

Well, I have every right to be arrogant, the fox replied easily. I got the girl.

I don't think he ever had any intention of taking her, Shuuichi pointed out.

Then he is a fool, Youko said in satisfaction.

Kurama ignored the conversation inside his own head and waited calmly for Kagome to return to his side. He did not fear that she would turn from him, now that he knew that she loved him...even knowing of the multiple sides of himself.

It was not long after that when Sesshoumaru demanded his freedom and stately walked from the room. Kagome snuggled back up to Kurama and Shippo and sighed happily. "And here I thought everything was going wrong..." she murmured. "When in reality, things are so much better."

"What's better?" Shippo perched on top of Kurama's head and peered at his adoptive mother.

Kagome laughed lightly and pulled him off of the other fox so she could hold him in her arms and lean against her chosen love. "Well, I have you, and my friends, and Kurama," she leaned up to brush her lips over Kurama's much to the little fox's delight, and blushed at his appreciative smile. "Our shikon shards are still safe," she smiled back into Kurama's mixed green and gold eyes, "and all the damage Naraku thought he did to me is repaired..."

"Oh," Shippo grinned. "So now you have me and Kurama to take care of you. It's about time."

Kagome gave the small kitsune a speculative look and twirled her fingers in his hair. "Somehow, I'm afraid to ask what you mean by that..."

Shippo just snuggled closer and winked at the man stroking his mama's long dark hair. Kurama winked back and chuckled.

I knew I liked that kit, Youko said quietly.

Kurama silently agreed and drew his miko into his arms with the kit between them. He had never felt so complete and whole before. She was an amazing creature to have such an effect on him and on those who's lives she influenced, if even for the briefest moments. He knew that it would be difficult for him to let her out of his sight after this last situation, and that her independence would demand that he let her have some space, but for now, as she let him hold her, he knew that love had no boundaries and that he would do anything for her...all she had to do was ask.

They shared a quiet moment before Kagome pulled away slightly and made her first request. "Kurama," she said to get his attention, "will you take me home?"

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