Revisit the Past

Inu-Yasha and Kagome fell into the well without hesitation. Kagome wondered if they would land in their own time or if something else would happen. Inu-Yasha, on the other hand, silently hoped they would land in their own time. When they reached the bottom of the well, neither immediately left the sanctity of the well. Both of them stared up at the pale blue sky above them.

"Well…" Kagome stated.

Inu-Yasha lifted her back on his back and the two raced toward Kiada's.

"Everything looks right." Kagome commented as they closed in on Kiada's old hut.

"Looks can be deceiving." Inu-Yasha commented back.

They reached the hut in no time at all.

"Kiada" Kagome called. There was no response.

"Ahh…Inu-Yasha, Kagome, You're back." A voice behind them spoke.

Kagome flew to the old woman and clung to her. It was good to see a familiar face, but the test would be the others, who was a part of their crew and how old they were.

"What happened Inu-Yasha?" Kiada questioned.

"Not much. Where are the others?" Inu-Yasha answered. Kiada thought for a moment, puzzled by the question.

"The others?" She responded a bit confused. Inu-Yasha became very uncomfortable by her hesitation.

"THE OTHERS…Where are they?"

Kiada wasn't sure where they went, but she didn't expect this reaction from Inu-Yasha. "Inu-Yasha, Calm yourself. They will be back later."

Kagome bounced happily over to Inu-Yasha. "While they're away, let me tend to your wounds."

"Keh."

"Inu-Yasha…."

Inu-Yasha froze in his tracks waiting for her short execution of 'sit;' however, it never came.

"Please Inu-Yasha. I do not want to fight with you. I'm too tired."

"Feh." Inu-Yasha admitted his defeat for he was tired too. They had been through a lot over the last month and the way they were going it would never end. Inu-Yasha sat against the wall.

Kiada offered to retrieve the appropriate herbs so Kagome sat down next to Inu-Yasha. Ensnared by the thrill of sleep, Kagome cuddled against Inu-Yasha's chest. Inu-Yasha took Kagome's left hand in his right and slid his other hand up her back to hold her close in his slumber. He dropped his head over hers. The side of his face nestled in her hair and left her scent to consume his senses. Inu-Yasha was completely overwhelmed by his new innocent feeling of peace.

"Inu-Yasha! Kagome!" Shippo yelled racing into the hut.

Inu-Yasha's ears twitched but he didn't care to move.

"Shippo!" Sango followed Shippo without another word.

"Shippo, leave them be." Miroku beckoned Shippo back outside.

Kagome nuzzled her head into Inu-Yasha's chest. "Shippo?" She whispered in her slumber.

"Just fine." Inu-Yasha reassured her without opening his eyes or moving in response to Shippo's commotion.

"Kohaku?" Kagome whispered. Sango froze in her tracks. She hadn't heard that name in a while; what did Kagome know that she didn't?

"…Naiya?" Kagome continued to whisper.

"They haven't been born yet." Inu-Yasha chimed in softly, nuzzling her back.

Something inside of Sango shattered; Miroku noticed the look on her face.

"We'll ask them tomorrow." Miroku commented giving Sango a brief hug.

Sango fell into his arms. She needed his comfort, but…not that much comfort. Sango's eyebrow twitched until she couldn't stand it anymore. Needless to say Miroku hit the floor with a loud thud and hand imprint on the side of his face.

Kagome cringed at the sound and Inu-Yasha just cuddled with her to calm her down.

"Inu-Yasha, …Shippo?" Kagome whispered with barely a sound.

"Hey runt." Inu-Yasha called staring at the runt with a deadly pleasant look.

The look he gave Shippo sent chills up Shippo's spine. Inu-Yasha had looked at him with a look so concerned yet uncaring. Shippo stared at Inu-Yasha with wide eyes.

"Come here you little runt." Inu-Yasha demanded quietly.

Shippo inched his way over to Inu-Yasha and Kagome. With Kagome asleep against him, Inu-Yasha wouldn't risk moving to chase Shippo or he wouldn't risk Shippo's scream waking Kagome. Kagome's slumber ensured Shippo's safety so he pattered closer to Inu-Yasha, maybe a little too close.

Once in reach, Inu-Yasha dropped Kagome's hand and snatched Shippo by the tail.

Shippo struggled then started to wale. "Inu-Yasha. Let me go. I didn't do anything."

"I dare you to scream." Inu-Yasha whispered with a sinister tone.

Shippo froze thinking about his options. If he screamed Kagome would awaken and Inu-Yasha would be free to kill him, if he didn't who knows what Inu-Yasha would do.

Shippo decided that waking Kagome would not be his first choice, but surrendering to Inu-Yasha would be his last. Shippo struggled to free himself from Inu-Yasha's grasp, but didn't utter a word.

Inu-Yasha raised the little kitsune in front of his face. Staring into Shippo's eyes somehow scared Shippo more than being in Inu-Yasha's custody. Shippo was too afraid to move.

Inu-Yasha gazed back down to Kagome. Inu-Yasha's lack of violence calmed Shippo in an ironic manner. Once Shippo had calmed down, Inu-Yasha placed the kitsune in his lap within Kagome's reach.

Kagome wasted no time snatching the kitsune into her loving arms. Meanwhile, Inu-Yasha watched as Shippo settled down in Kagome's grasp. This was what Kagome had wanted. All she wanted since they arrived in her time was to hold the little kitsune, Shippo. He understood now. She didn't ask for this time to come to her; she didn't ask to be Kikyo's reincarnation; she didn't even want the Shikon No Tama, it found her. All she wanted was to be normal even though she was far from it. With Kagome satisfied, Inu-Yasha placed his hand on Kagome's arm then fell back into slumber.

They slept the day away and Miroku, Sango, and Kirara helped Kiada with her chores. Inu-Yasha's ears would twitch with every footstep but nothing seemed to wake him. Obviously, the two had been through a lot and needed to recover their strength. Shippo took the opportunity to be lazy. He hadn't been sleeping well without Kagome's scent nearby. Night came and Shippo had expected to be thrown out of Kagome's reach by Inu-Yasha but instead Inu-Yasha let him stay.

Shippo woke to find Inu-Yasha watching the fire spark in the darkness of the night. The others slept around the room so no one knew Inu-Yasha had awakened. "Inu-Yasha?" Shippo asked rubbing his sleepy eyes.

"Go back to sleep Shippo." Inu-Yasha answered.

His response puzzled Shippo. Shippo had expected Inu-Yasha to beat him over the head, throw him across the room, or at least leave to think. He did none of those things. Shippo was beginning to worry about what had happened on the other side of the well. He thought about Inu-Yasha's actions before yawning and accidently falling back to sleep.

Morning came. Inu-Yasha remained where he slept staring at the cold fireplace. Sango and Miroku awoke and looked at Inu-Yasha.

"Inu-Yasha?" Sango asked implying that he could talk to them.

Miroku chimed in. "What happened on the other side of the well, Inu-Yasha?"

Inu-Yasha let out a sigh and looked down at Kagome before beginning. He knew if he didn't tell them Kagome would. "When leaving Kagome's time, we were sent to another time; a time in our future. You, Sango had a hanyou daughter, Kohaku. You named her after your brother. Miroku never quit his womanizing. Shippo and Kohaku were in love. Shippo rescued a small hanyou tiger, which they were parenting and no matter how old you got you still hunted demons."

"Did I look good in my old age?" Miroku asked.

"You didn't age." Inu-Yasha responded. He realized by the look on Miroku's face that that response required a little explanation. Inu-Yasha sighed then continued. "…You were trying to stop the spread of your air-void when you trapped yourself in time."

"What about the two of you? If you went to the future didn't you run into yourselves?" Sango asked.

"We were dead, but we weren't; I mean …we did run into ourselves."

"What was your favorite part of the future?" Shippo asked from his safe position in Kagome's grasp.

"Two Tetsusaigas." Inu-Yasha answered under hisbreath with a smile.

Sango continued with her questions. "Wait, if the two of you died what did Kouga do?"

"…Married a wolf demon and had pups."

Shippo butted in again. "What about Kiada? Did she…"

"She transformed into energy." Inu-Yasha cut him off.

"…And the other name …Naiya?"

"Sesshoumaru's hanyou child." Inu-Yasha responded.

"Sesshoumaru's child?" Sango asked in disbelief.

"Kagome and I were entrusted to care for her since Sesshoumaru could no longer control her."

"I think we've learned way too much about the future already. Let's leave Inu-Yasha alone." Miroku ended the conversation.

Inu-Yasha looked around the room confused then called out. "Koinu!"

Kagome sat up.

"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" Inu-Yasha asked sweetly.

"No, not really. Where's Koinu?" Kagome asked looking around.

"I don't know." Inu-Yasha answered.