Chapter Three-Those Remembered Faces

Kagome smiled as her feet touched the ground of the well. Hoping that she made it through, she once again tightened her grip on the jewel shard. She saw a vine, and her smile grew. She knew she returned. She put the shard in her pocket, and started to climb the vine. She moaned, thinking of how long it was since she last did this.

Setting herself up and out of the well, she noticed it was dark, and there was a full moon out in the sky. Sota was right, for once. Kagome smiled and jumped off of the well, thinking of where to start looking for Inuyasha. There was no doubt in her mind that he would be with Kikyo, but that didn't matter. She was going to see him now, and she didn't care if Kikyo got in the way.

"Kagome?" A soft sound called her name from behind her. She turned around, remembering that voice, but hadn't heard it in so long.

"Kagome!" A little ball of fur jumped out of the bushes and into her arms. She laughed, and looked at the little round face. "Shippo!" She shouted, and hugged the little fox demon tightly. "Shippo! It's you! It's really you!"

He laughed heartily, "of course, Kagome! I thought you left me forever!" He started to cry softly and Kagome wiped his tears away.

"Shippo, please don't." She whispered to the kit. "I'm here to see Inuyasha, have you seen him?"

He looked at her, "he's been with Kikyo for four years, Kagome. I do not know what happened to him. Although I do see him around Kaede's alone sometimes."

Kagome smiled, "well, let's walk around and take a look. He's human tonight, so he won't go too far."

She started to walk, little Shippo in her arms as she walked.

~*~

Inuyasha walked with Kikyo, her hand in his. She had come back to be with him, and he was filled with joy. They walked together to the God tree, where Inuyasha was pinned to it for fifty years by Kikyo herself. This was their favorite spot, where they would just lay on the grass, their skin brushing against it, and look up at the sky. They wouldn't say anything, for words would just take away the joy of being together.

Kikyo stopped, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He placed his arms around her waist, and bent down and kissed her gently. "Kikyo... I'm so glad you came to stay with me."

She nodded her agreement, and brushed her head against his chin. "Inuyasha..."

He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it. A scent. A scent he didn't smell in four years... He looked up and into the forest, seeing a young woman with weird looking clothes, and a little ball of fur in her arms. He frowned, concentrating on her face, her outlines, and he gasped, letting go of Kikyo.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, letting Shippo jump out of her arms so she could run to him.

"KAGOME!!" Inuyasha shouted, running back to her. She jumped into his arms, and he held her close, taking in her scent as if he was dying and needed it to live. She laughed, and tears rolled down her cheek as he flung her around in circles, too happy to remember Kikyo was standing behind him, staring at him coldly.

He put her down, but still had his arms on her. She looked older, her hair pulled back, her eyes shined with joy that he hadn't seen in too long, and her lips red, but looked smudged. He didn't care. Before he could think, he bent down and kissed her, and she gasped, pulling away.

"Inuyasha!" She shouted. "I have a boyfriend!"

He looked puzzled, and she sighed. "I mean... uh..."

He just smiled, "Kagome, it's good to see you again."

She smiled again too, "you too, Inuyasha. It's been too long."

He nodded, "that it has. I missed you, Kagome."

"And I missed you," she said, walking back up to him and resting her head on his chest. "When I left, Sota stole one of my shards, that's how I was able to come back. I'm glad he did it, and now I'm really glad that he's that little brat I love. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be able to see you right now, and be here."

Inuyasha placed his hands on her back, and one in her hair, running his fingers through it. "Kagome... I'm sorry I made you cry... I'm sorry I pushed everyone away from one another. If it wasn't for me, we would still be here, and Naraku might be dead."

She looked up at him, "he isn't dead?"

He smiled, "it's okay, he hasn't done anything in a while. Once he found out you left, he seemed to stop whatever it was he was planning, and didn't do anything."

She nodded and buried her face in his chest once more. "Inuyasha... I missed you too much. I thought about you everyday. Although I have a boyfriend, I still... I still love you."

Inuyasha looked down at the girl in his arms. She loved him? Even after what he did to her? And even after she found another man to be with, she still loved him? He smiled and held her tighter.

"Kagome... I'm sorry it took me so long... but I..."

"INUYASHA!!"

They turned their heads and saw a very red Kikyo standing there. Kagome looked at Inuyasha and pulled away. "Sorry to be bothering you during this special time," she said, turning away. "I'll leave you two alone." She grabbed Shippo, and walked in the direction of Kaede's village.

Inuyasha watched her go, and then turned back to Kikyo.

"Inuyasha, I thought you chose me?" She said bitterly.

"I did, Kikyo." He said, walking back to her. "But I was a fool. I don't think we can be together Kikyo, not forever, and I don't think I can bear to leave Kagome again. I mean... those four years she's been gone really helped me think about her more. And... it helped me realize that I love her. So very much, too."

Kikyo's face turned so red it looks like fire. He sighed, "I'm sorry, Kikyo. But, you're just not real."

With that, he turned and walked away, following after Kagome.

~*~

Kagome walked with Shippo in her arms towards Kaede's village. She saw faces of the villagers she hadn't seen in years, and waved and smiled at them all. They gasped and bowed down for her as she walked, and she blushed. She stopped, standing in front of a hut she hadn't been in or seen in years since she left. Kaede was just inside.

She walked inside, and saw an old woman with an eye patch over her right eye. Kaede looked up at Kagome, and gasped. "Is it ye Kagome?"

Kagome nodded, smiling big, and sat down in front of her after taking her shoes off. "I came back, Kaede!"

Kaede sat there, mouth opened and shocked as if she'd seen a ghost. "Kagome? Is it ye?"

Kagome nodded again, "yes, Kaede, I'm sorry it took so long to return."

Kaede jumped up, wrapping her bony arms around Kagome. Kagome laughed and hugged her back. "I missed you too, Kaede."

Kaede finally pulled away and sat there. "Sango and Miroku just stopped by. They left a little while ago."

"Sango and Miroku?" Kagome asked. She remember their names, and she pictured them in her mind. Miroku, the pervert, was probably married to Sango, the demon slayer. Kagome remembered them both as if it was yesterday that she saw them. She jumped up, "thank you, Kaede, I will go see if I can catch up with them. Come on, Shippo."

Shippo jumped up and followed Kagome out of the hut. Kagome ran down the path, looking for her old friends. She looked around, searching everywhere for her old friends that she left behind.

"Kagome!!"

Kagome turned her head and saw five people standing there. Two adults, and three little children. She gasped when she saw their faces.

~*~

HAHAHAHA!!!! Cliffhanger again!!!! Okay, okay, here's the replies.

Carnmie: thanks, glad you like it. The next chapters coming up soon, ok? Plz read.

Whitemiko: hehehe, hope you liked what happened. Don't worry though, there's still going to be problems! Can't have a story without problems!

Marz: sorry about so many cliffies, just thought it would... how should I put it.... Add more pulse into the stories and steal the readers so they can read mine!!! * evil grin *

DayDreamerz: yep! One for Sota!! Hehehe, thanks! Glad you like!

TenkunoMeiou: I'm continuing, slowly, but still! Glad you like!

Sesshoumarus-Little-Angel-Girl ^_^