More Than What She Seems

A/N: And here, I am sad to say, is the final chapter for the fanfiction "More Than What She Seems". There will be no sequel (partly because it had such a difficult storyline to come up with, partly because some characters are WAY too out of character, and partly because I lost motivation for this story). I'd like to thank you all-especially to those of you who have been at my side and read this story from the very, VERY beginning…and to those who have reviewed this story (especially those who reviewed for every chapter).

So now, I conclude this story! (And I'm sure a lot of you will be pleased since this means that I'll have to update "Shrine of Love" soon…)

Epilogue: More Than What She Seemed

"You have a visitor," a policeman stated as he unlocked the iron bar door.

Mrs. Higurashi tiredly looked up and thought, 'Who the heck would visit ME?"

She stood up when the door swung open and eyed nervously at the policeman who stood at the doorway.

"Out," he barked. She left her prison cell and winced as the policeman slammed the door to it shut. She noticed a few other policemen, who were stationed at every other cell, eyeing her watchfully. The policeman behind her strode quickly past her and she followed silently.

She was led to a room where there was a row of cubicles. Each cubicle had a clear glass in front, a phone on a desk, and a chair stationed beneath the desk. The policeman pointed to a cubicle on the left end of the room.

"Your visitor is over there," he said. "You will communicate with the person through the telephone. You have 10 minutes. Your time starts now."

Mrs. Higurashi slowly walked to her destination, noting the three policemen who kept watch of prisoners in the room. She plopped down onto the chair, took a deep breath and looked at the visitor in front of her through the clear glass.

Kagome stared back at her.

"Kami…" Mrs. Higurashi whispered.

Kagome gave her a small smile, picked up the phone on her side of the glass, and then indicated Mrs. Higurashi to pick up the phone on her own side.

Mrs. Higurashi laid a hand on her phone, her hand shaking. She brought it up to her ear.

"Hello? Can you hear me?" Kagome's voice asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Higurashi said, barely audible. Kagome's eyes filled with concern.

"How're you doing?" she asked.

"I'm in jail, how do you think I'm doing?" Mrs. Higurashi remarked. When Kagome blinked, Mrs. Higurashi shook her head and continued. "But I deserve it. I deserve to be in jail after what I've done to you, Souta, and your grandfather."

Kagome looked down at the desk and didn't say a word.

Mrs. Higurashi watched Kagome and suddenly realized how much the teenager had turned into a lovely and mature young woman.

'She looks so much like her father,' Mrs. Higurashi's eyes softened. She cleared her throat and then spoke into the phone, "So, why are you wearing such gloomy colors?"

Kagome perked up a little and briefly stared down at the white blouse and black skirt she was wearing, and then replied, "Oh, I'm going to be visiting Dad at the cemetery today…and before I went, I just wanted to give you a little visit."

"Oh…I see," Mrs. Higurashi answered. There was a long silence before she continued again, "So did someone take you here or did you come by yourself?"

"A friend of mine took me," Kagome said briefly.

Silence again.

"Kagome, I want to tell you…" Mrs. Higurashi paused. "I want to tell you that I'm really sorry for what I've done. My jealously took over me completely."

Kagome nodded her head in comprehension and saw the look of pain and regret in her step-mother's eyes.

"You probably already know the story of how I became jealous…" Mrs. Higurashi swallowed hard. "And I know that I may seem like a huge idiot, antagonist and abuser to you…but could you find it your heart to forgive me?"

Kagome's eyes softened when Mrs. Higurashi began to shake with tears. Soon, the crying turned into sobs.

"I loved your father…" she trembled. "I really did love him. I was jealous of you. I…I…"

"I forgive you."

Mrs. Higurashi's sobs slightly subsided. She stared at Kagome with her mouth hanging open, "Do you really?"

"Yeah, I do," Kagome said softly.

Before any of them could say another word, a policeman went up behind Mrs. Higurashi and tapped her shoulder to get her attention, pointing at the clock on the wall. Time had passed by so quickly.

Mrs. Higurashi turned back to Kagome with a tight smile, "My time's up. I have to go. It was nice talking to you."

"Same here."

Mrs. Higurashi stood up with the phone still in her hand and was about to hang up, but then quickly asked, "Will you please visit me again?"

The question had come so unexpected that Kagome was speechless for a moment.

"Sure," she finally answered.

"And bring Souta and Grandpa too, would you?"

"Of course."

"Bye, dear."

Kagome bit her lip and felt tears forming in her eyes. That was the first phrase she ever heard from her step-mother that made her actually sound like a mother. A mother who cared for her.

"Bye…Mom," she whispered into the phone. Kagome watched as her step-mother hung up and gave her a warm smile before leaving.

But her step-mother's smile wasn't the only thing that was warm. Her eyes, eyes that used to be cold and filled with hatred, were now warm too.

:o:O:o:O:o:

Kagome walked through the exit door of the small jail center, rubbing her teary eyes. It was ironic. While her step-mother still lived in Higurashi shrine, Kagome had wanted her in jail for her abusing. However, now that her step-mother had obviously changed into a much gentler person…more like a MOM, Kagome wanted her to come back to the shrine.

She sniffled. A second later, she felt someone wrap their arms around her, pulling her close to their chest.

"Are you feeling okay?" Inu Yasha asked with concern, stroking her hair. Like Kagome, he was dressed in funeral colors. He wore a white short-sleeved collar shirt and black pants.

"Hai…" she said softly. Inu Yasha held her for a few more minutes before pulling away.

"It's time to go," he said. "We're both already late."

Kagome nodded and climbed on to Inu Yasha's back. Then, they took off.

:o:O:o:O:o:

"What's taking Kagome so long?" Souta asked his grandfather impatiently.

"I bet you Inu Yasha kidnapped her!" Shippou accused.

"Inu Yasha would do no such thing," Kaede shook her head at the little fox demon. "They're just running late."

"Humph," Grandpa snorted. "I don't know why I let Kagome date that boy. He's a demon!"

All four of them were gathered at the grave of Kagome's father and were wearing black and white. During the long wait for Kagome, Shippou and Souta had befriended each other quickly.

Kaede gave a small grin, "He's human too, you know. He's a hanyou. And I doubt you can split him and Kagome apart by now. It's clear that they really love each other."

"Yeah," Souta agreed. "What's wrong with Inu Yasha, Grandpa? He's cool if you get to know him."

Before his grandfather could say anything back, Shippou shrieked, "There they are!"

Kaede, Souta, and Grandpa tore their eyes away from each other and looked in the direction where Shippou was pointing. Sure enough, Inu Yasha and Kagome were heading towards them.

"Sorry I'm late," Kagome apologized to her family. "There was a long line at the flower shop…but don't worry, the roses are still moist."

All four members of her family looked down at the bouquet of dark red roses in her hand.

"It's about time, we were worried that something happened to you," Grandpa snapped. "That an evil demon was kidnapping you and-"

"Ahem," Kaede cleared her throat before Grandpa could continue, noticing the cold stare from Inu Yasha.

"You know what, old man?" Inu Yasha addressed Kagome's grandfather sourly with a growl. "Call me what you want, but I'd like to make it clear to you that I love Kagome, okay?"

"Yeah, that's right," Kagome pouted. "Inu Yasha's just a puppy who's in love with me and needs some love in return."

"You make me sound like a stupid kid like Shippou," her boyfriend scoffed, which earned a "Hey!" from the fox demon child. "Anyways, I have some business to attend to, so if you don't mind, I'll be taking my leave right now."

Kagome and Souta waved good-bye when Inu Yasha leapt up into the sky.

"See you on Monday!" Kagome yelled after him. "I love you!"

He turned his head and gave her a small smile as he shouted back, "I love you too!"

Inu Yasha refocused his attention to the view in front of him, scanning the cemetery for two people in particular. In his right hand, he clutched a bouquet of dark red roses identical to the one that Kagome had held in her arms.

After a few moments, he spotted his destination. Inu Yasha landed lightly on his feet, walked the few feet to his parents' grave and knelt down. He reached out a hand and ran it over the small pictures of his parents on the tombstone.

"Sorry I didn't come here every year with Sesshoumaru when I was supposed to," Inu Yasha mumbled. With his free hand, he took away the dead and wilting flowers in one of the vases beside the tombstone and replaced them with the new roses. Then, he closed his eyes, bowed his head, clasped his hands together and prayed.

It was quiet, with the exception of birds chirping every so often.

'Hey, Dad. Mom,' he said mentally. 'For once, I'm here to pray for you, huh? You two must be in heaven right now thinking, "It's about time!". Life's going well for me. I'm doing okay in school.'

Inu Yasha's eyes opened halfway and he said silently out loud, "And I met a girl. A girl who I love. A girl who loves me and loves me for who I am. A hanyou."

A few minutes passed as he prayed over his parents. The world seemed at peace at the moment. Inu Yasha breathed the fresh air in deeply, feeling the weight of grief that had been on his shoulders all these years being lifted off.

"Inu Yasha," a voice stated.

Inu Yasha opened his eyes and turned his head in the voice's direction. Sesshoumaru stared blankly back at him from a few feet away. Beside him stood Rin. Both of them were clothed in black and white like he was.

"Inu Yasha!" Rin squealed with glee. "You finally decided to come on this day this year!"

Sesshoumaru added, "For once."

The two of them each held a bouquet of flowers. Rin holding carnations and Sesshoumaru holding amaryllises. Sesshoumaru nodded at the roses Inu Yasha had brought.

"Roses. Mother's favorite flower I see," he said in approval.

"Amaryllises and carnations. Father's favorite flowers I see," Inu Yasha replied back.

The two brothers found themselves staring at each other before the both of them started laughing good-heartedly.

"For a moment, you sounded like me," Sesshoumaru shook his head, kneeling down beside Inu Yasha on the stone floor. He removed all the dead flowers in the remaining two vases and then stuffed his bouquet inside one of them. Rin did the same with her bouquet with the other vase.

Once satisfied with the look of things, Rin knelt down beside Sesshoumaru. Then, the three of them started praying silently to themselves.

'Father,' Sesshoumaru opened his eyes slowly. Out of the corners of his eyes, he saw that he was the only one with his eyes open. 'Mother. I know you're both watching over us everyday, always helping us somehow as we live our lives.'

He turned his head slight toward his left where Inu Yasha was and then shifted his view back onto the tombstone before him.

'I know that you know that Inu Yasha's changed a lot in this one year,' Sesshoumaru continued, his eyes closed again. 'And it was all because of that girl, Kagome Higurashi. Regardless of all the bad luck she's had in her life, she's given all the people she knows a little of bit of good luck in their life. So, I ask, please watch over her too.'

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

'Because I'm sure that, just like Rin, Kagome will be your daughter-in-law.'

:o:O:o:O:o:

:O:

:o:O:o:O:o:

Inu Yasha groaned. He was going to be late for his first day of school. Summer had quickly passed by, and now, he and his friends were beginning their school year as 12th graders. As the houses below him became dots, he closed his eyes, his silver hair flowing in the wind. Everything in life was almost practically back to normal now.

For instance, Kagome still visited him on the day of the new moon every month…which she was still sort of mad about. But hey, he needed his homework and there was always a few minutes for them to make out every once and awhile on those days…

Not only that, Kikyo was holding her promise. Ever since after the prom, Kikyo hadn't even gone near him. The only bad news was that she was going to another college than he and his friends were going to. And how was that bad news? Well, when Kagome found out that little tid bit of information she cornered him in school one day and said that once they were both in college, he'd better start going to school even on the days of the new moon since Kikyo wouldn't be going to the same school with them anymore. And just how did she get him to obey her? Kagome threatened to dump him (he had missed the old shy Kagome at that moment).

Sango and Miroku were now having a serious relationship. Miroku managed to soften Sango's temper, but no matter what Sango tried, she couldn't manage Miroku to stop his perverted and lecherous ways.

Kouga and Ayame's relationship was still strong…and Kouga was still a big bother to him.

Kagome was continuing to live with her grandma and cousin, still coming to stay at Higurashi Shrine with Souta and her step-grandfather during the weekends. Not only that, she also visited her step-mother on the first Saturday of every month.

"How can she do it?" Inu Yasha murmured. "How can she change from despising someone to caring about them so easily?"

The school soon came into view. Inu Yasha landed lightly on the campus ground in the back of the school's entrance doors and then bolted into a run.

"Aah!" he cursed to himself. "Only five minutes to get my new schedule and then get to class!"

He turned sharply to the right at a corner and collided with someone in his way. Inu Yasha started to get off the person and then scowled when he fell on top of them again. A familiar voice giggled from underneath him.

"You're clumsy," Kagome laughed. "Did you know that?"

Inu Yasha blinked into the gray-blue eyes of his girlfriend and said dumbly, "Kagome?"

"Yes, that's my name," she said. "Now get off me, please. I can't breathe."

"Sorry," he mumbled and did as she asked. Once both of them were on their feet, Kagome turned her head in Inu Yasha's direction and smiled.

"How funny," she stated. "Isn't that how we met? You know…you bumping into me and falling on top of me, dropping my books everywhere, staring each others eyes, et cetera?"

Inu Yasha stood thoughtfully and grinned, "Well, I'll be. It WAS how we met. Minus the books this time. And last time, I wasn't the one who bumped into you, it was YOU who bumped into ME."

She snorted, "I don't THINK SO, MISTER."

Inu Yasha dragged her to him and held her tightly, "And last time, we weren't boyfriend and girlfriend."

He brushed his mouth against hers and added, "Were we?"

"Nope," she murmured. They kissed for a brief second and then Kagome pulled out two schedules. "Since I KNEW you'd be late. I got your schedule for you. Courtesy of Sango who is, once again, helping the teachers with first-week-of-school stuff…and not only she's helping, Miroku is too."

Inu Yasha's eyebrows rose, "Miroku? Did I hear that correctly?"

Kagome nodded and took one of his hands, pulling him toward the direction of the school entrance doors, "Yeah, you heard right. All four of us have all our classes together again. Now let's go to first period or else we'll be late. Sango and Miroku said they'd meet us in class by the time the period starts."

Kagome turned her head to look at Inu Yasha, still walking all the while, and smiled brightly at him. Inu Yasha smiled back and squeezed her hand as he followed her. Kagome had changed a lot since he'd first met her.

Her eyes weren't emotionless anymore. They were now filled with love and life.

She wasn't quiet anymore. She now talked as much as any other regular person did.

Inu Yasha couldn't help but be impressed at how her true self was, compared to her old self. Beneath all of those barriers she had put up long ago was a wonderful and brilliant girl. Yes, that was what he thought of her as they walked to first class.

Kagome, a girl who cared about all the people she loved…a girl who was more than what she seemed.

THE END

A/N: My second fanfiction is now complete! I'd like to thank all of you readers and reviewers out there! Without you, I might not have finished this story at all. So, thanks everyone. :-)

Yes, this means that I have to update "Shrine of Love" now. Aah…I'm still working on the plot -sweatdrop- Please be patient with me!

Well, please review this last chapter! It'd make me extremely happy! Just press that "Go" button and submit one final review for this fanfic! :-)