Police Officer: Okay, what did you say the missing person's name was?

Sanji: Tailz, sir.

Officer: ::Rubs head:: Tailz Sir? I thought you said your friend was a girl.

Sanji: She is, sir. Tailz is a girl.

Officer: What kind of a girl's name is that, son?

Sanji: Um...a nickname?

Officer: All right. What is her REAL name?

Sanji: Chelsea.

Officer: Chelsea what?

Sanji: Um...I don't think she has a last name.

:::Silence:::

Police Officer: I don't have time for some punk kid's stupid pranks. ::Walks out muttering angrily::

Sanji: WAIT! DON'T LEAVE, I NEEEEED YOUUU!!!

Officer: O.O ::Looks freaked out::: ::Gets on cycle and rides away::

Sanji: T.T

-------------------------------------

"Ts-Tsuki!"

The young woman smiled softly and bowed. She surveyed Kagome with vibrant indigo eyes that glinted ethereally in the sunset's stubborn light. Her silvery hair blew about in a nonexistent breeze that was ruffling Kagome's as well, making her school skirt whip about and flutter.

"Higarashi-san. It is nice to see you again." The world began to dissolve into black slowly, like ink dripping from a portrait to reveal a black canvas beneath. Before too terribly long, the color and shape of the courtyard had melted away completely, to reveal that the two of them were back in limbo again. Kagome glanced around, seeing what she had seen all the times before: blackness. Complete, utter blackness, and nothing else. But was it her, or did the place suddenly seem less forbidding? Kagome looked up to Tsuki again, and was surprised to see Maseru standing beside her. He had arrived silently while she had been looking about.

"Higarashi-san, did you enjoy your trip to the future?" Maseru's deep drone inquired.

"I did," Kagome answered, smiling sadly. "Thank you for the chance to see everyone....one last time. It really made me realize how much...they cared. I'll cherish it forever." Tsuki and Maseru exchanged glances, and Kagome was a bit confused at their expressions. Tsuki faced her again, and smiled a bit, looking genuinely pleased.

"Don't you understand, Higarashi-san? Kagome?" Kagome was surprised at the sudden abandoning of the formalness, and blinked back, proving Tsuki's suspicion. The shorter girl's smile widened a bit and she stepped forward, surprising Kagome further by embracing her in a sisterly way.

"Tsuki...?"

"You've passed," Tsuki gushed joyfully, holding her at arm's length, no longer looking as formal and uptight as she always had before, but appearing truly as a schoolgirl, as the age she physically looked. "You've passed, Kagome, don't you understand? You get to go back!" Kagome hardly dared to believe it. Her smile came a little too slow, accompanied by a completely shocked face mixed in.

"B-but how?" She choked out, and Maseru stepped in to clarify.

"You completed all the tasks," he explained slowly, easily. "You battled with your miko powers, with deception, and with doubt. And you passed with flying colors. Congratulations." He, too, embraced her, but his was a more formal one than Tsuki's, which resembled a friend's—his was an awkward, one armed hug that only lasted a second. Kagome smiled as he stepped away, tears of relief filling her eyes.

"Y-you mean...I get to go back?"

"Yes," the other two answered patiently. Tsuki continued smiling. Kagome couldn't believe it. After all she'd been through, after everything she'd put her friends and family through....it was over, and she would be okay. She would wake up, and everything would be back to normal...Wait. Wouldn't it? Suddenly, the memory of tasting blood during the last stage of her journey didn't seem so silly either.

"Um, my body's okay, isn't it?" Tsuki and Maseru glanced at each other cautiously.

"It is....alive," Tsuki answered carefully, and Kagome winced.

"I thought I'd tasted blood earlier," Kagome said, watching for any change in expression. None came. She waited.

"Well," Maseru said softly, "the demon blood could only sustain you for so long. Its effects are beginning to dissipate, so your body is beginning to react to the blood poisoning as it normally would. It's...well....trying to rid itself of the infected blood." Kagome was stricken. She had gone through all that, just to be sent back to a dying body? Her thoughts must've shown on her face, because Maseru added hastily, "Don't worry, Higarashi-san. It will be all right once your soul returns. There was a bit of divine intervention as to your case."

"You'll go back, Kagome," Tsuki clarified, "and in time you will be well again. But..."

"But?"

"But it will be a struggle. You're going to have to recover on your own." Kagome blinked blankly for a moment, before looking up to meet her guides' eyes. She smiled.

"I can do that. Just as long as you send me back. When will I be leaving?"

"Shortly," said both of the others together. "But," Maseru said, "there're a few people that want to say their goodbyes." He turned to his comrade. "We'd better be off, Tsuki."

"Yes," Tsuki said sadly. "We must." She stepped forward, smiling in that same sad way, and embraced Kagome again. "You've done it," she whispered. "You've done what no one else has ever done before. I'm glad they gave you the chance."

"Thank you," Kagome said as she backed away. Tsuki curtsied, and Maseru bowed, and they linked hands. Just as suddenly as they had teleported into her adventure they left it, leaving not so much as a sparkle behind. Once again, Kagome was alone. But this time, she wasn't scared. She waited for the someone (or, rather, someones) to appear as Tsuki had said.

She was not disappointed.

Just before her, eye level, there appeared a little a spark of bright white light. Before her eyes it bloomed, almost like a flower, and twisted upon itself until it had woven into a doorway-sized oval of glinting platinum. There then came a light that was too bright to look at directly—Kagome shielded her face with both arms until the glare had dissipated. She lowered her arms and found herself staring at a familiar group of three figures—the pretty, dark-haired female, the majestic youkai, and her own father, smiling humbly behind his glasses. She beamed.

"Oh, Kagome-chan! Congratulations!" Inuyasha's mother enveloped her in a motherly embrace, seeming as excited as Tsuki. "You're going home! That's wonderful."

"I told you it wasn't your time," her father winked. "I'm so proud of you, angel."

"Yes. Well done," the silver-headed full demon praised kindly.

"It's all over now," Mr. Higarashi added. "Everything's set. When you're ready..." He stopped, smiling. "Are you ready yet, sweetheart? You must've missed Mom and Souta and Gramps terribly. Not to mention your friends in the Feudal Era."

"And I daresay they've missed you," Inuyasha's father laughed with a smirk that was not unlike his youngest son. "One they in particular." Kagome smiled as his wife elbowed him playfully.

"Yes, I have missed them," she admitted simply. "More than I could say. And I've worried them so much, I've got to get back soon and explain. Not to mention before my body gets any worse." She laughed sadly. "But, daddy...I'll miss not seeing you. It was great to talk to you again."

"I know, sweetie," her father said, pulling her close. "And I've loved seeing you. But you've got so much to live for. You can't stay here. One day, though—we'll all be back together again. I promise."

"I know," Kagome whispered. "I love you, dad."

"And I love you," he answered. "Take good care of everyone. I'll be watching over you."

"No spying," Kagome said warningly, and he laughed.

"Only a little?" He asked innocently. Kagome shook her head, turning to the other two.

"Thank you for everything," she murmured. They smiled in return.

"Tell Inu-chan I said hello," said his mother with a happy smile.

"And try to keep him out of trouble for us," his father added with a wry smirk. "Good luck with that. You'll need it."

Kagome laughed, and turned away with tears in her eyes. "Okay...I'm ready," she said.

A pretty show of lights danced around her, twirling genially, spinning back upon herself. Her hair fluttered as if caressed by a light summer breeze, and her skirt hem flitted, waving goodbye. Kagome glanced back and caught one more smile from all the others as they called goodbye and waved, wishing her well. "Goodbye everyone," she called, and then whiteness assailed her vision, wiping away all the black and gray that was limbo. The sheer pureness of it blinded her for a moment, and when her vision finally cleared, there was no whiteness anywhere.

There was, however, a lot of brown wooden boards. She glanced around, and a marvelous joy filled her entire being. It was the sick house in Kaede'e village. She glanced down. Just below her, was Inuyasha. He was still cradling her still form, as tightly as ever. There were blankets draped all about the both of them, and a fire burned in the small metal grate a few feet away. Dear little Shippo was curled up into a ball beside Inuyasha, his little head nestled into the white fabric of the hanyou's undershirt. Kagome smiled lovingly upon the two of them.

"Oh, Inuyasha," she murmured softly. "Shippo....I'm so glad to see you again." She closed her eyes, willing herself to enter back into her physical body. Dizziness wrapped around her like a stifling sheet, and oblivion overtook her again. Her last conscious thought before the friendly shadows settled was a thought of pure ecstasy, of how good it was to be back home once more, in her love's warm arms.

-----------------------------------

Sanji: No, guys, this isn't the end...sorry it took so long, but the compy at Chelsea's house is out of order and wouldn't submit either this chapter or the last....

::The doorbell rings::

Sanji: Oh, sorry... Hold on a sec... ::Walks over dismally, opens the door::

Tailz: ::Walks in smiling with B at her heels::

Sanji: O-O YOU!!!!!

Tailz: ME!!!!

Sanji: WHERE WERE YOU?! YOU HAD ME WORRIED SICK!!!

Tailz: I went with B to get something.

Sanji: For 2 and a half chapters?!

Tailz: Well, the line was long. ::Smiles sheepishly::

Sanji: What did you get, anyways?

Tailz: ::Reaches into her big sack:: I got thank-you buttons for all the readers! =3

Sanji: ::Facefault::

Tailz: ::Begins handing out buttons to the readers:: So, how've the reviews been?

Sanji: We're just over 320 now.

Tailz: O-O Wh-what?

Sanji: 310. We just broke 320 reviews.

Tailz: O-O OMG!!!!!! ::Falls over::

B: ::Edges closer to Sanji, faints into his arms::

Sanji: ::Glare:: ::Drops her:: Don't even think it.

B: RATS!!!