A/N: I have been a bit pissed lately because I spotted a fanfiction where someone copied almost an entire conversation I had put into one of my chapters. I KNOW there is no copyright on this, but I work hard to make my fanfictions "Acceptable." (I won't say best they can be, because if I spent hours slaving away they'd be so much better…but I'm lazy.) And I don't appreciate it when people steal my ideas. These ideas came from my brain, and if you use yours, you can come up with something interesting as well.

Chapter 11: A Miko's Power

Kagome sighed as she sat with Sango in the hot spring. For once, Inuyasha was watching Kuro, so she could have some time with herself. Although, she was a bit worried about leaving Inuyasha and Kuro alone…who knew what mischief her two boys could come up with left alone. Even if one was barely a month old and the other had been threatened to be sat to the ends of the earth if something were to happen to the baby.

Kagome didn't know how fast hanyou's grew until Kuro was born. His fangs were already starting to come in, which, according to Inuyasha, was necessary since inu youkai needed to learn protection as early as they could. This worried Kagome, Inuyasha was already planning on when he took Kuro out for his first youkai hunt, and she certainly didn't want her little boy in any danger until she was sure he could handle it.

If something happens to Kuro I will NEVER forgive him… she thought defiantly, sighing as she breathed in the refreshing air.

"You're awfully quiet, Kagome." Sango said, shifting her position, but it was still uncomfortable. Her stomach still stuck out of the water, but that was something she couldn't help now.

"I'm just worried." Kagome said. "About leaving Kuro alone with that baka."

"Kagome," the youkai exterminator said. "I'm sure they'll be fine."

"I doubt it." Kagome said. "I know Inuyasha far to well to think that. Likely he's teaching him how to do that claw attack or—"

"Kagome, Miroku said he was going over too to make sure that everything was fine."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. Miroku wasn't much better. He'd probably want to start explaining "manhood" to Kuro.

Sango noticed her distress. "And Shippou said he was going over as well."

The distressed Miko sighed. She knew nothing would happen as long as Shippou was there. He had already started to think of Kuro as his baby brother, and was starting to get protective of him. "You're right. There's nothing to worry about."

While the girls were at the hot spring, all the menfolk were in Inuyasha and Kagome's hut. And little did Kagome know, they were doing something that she SHOULD be worrying about.

"Shippou!" Inuyasha said, "Go!"

"Right!" Shippou said, jumping up and creating an illusion of a giant snake.

Inuyasha looked back to Kuro sitting in the back of the hut, and looking exited. "Okay, kid! Watch this! Miroku!"

Miroku lifted his staff just as Inuyasha drew Tessaiga and lunged forward. They proceeded to very loudly pretend to beat up the youkai snake. Shippou cheered them on, as Kuro lifted his claws and slashed the air, trying to imitate Inuyasha's movements.

Inuyasha saw him. "You got it kid! Sankontessou!" As he hit it the snake gave a tiny pop! and turned back into a leaf.

Inuyasha went over to Kuro, he picked the smiling baby up. "So how's that for a story?" Kuro made a slashing movement with his claws. "Good." He added, "Just don't ever tell Kagome about this."

"Kagome…it's been so long…" Her mother said, emerging from the thick mist. She wrung her hands on her yellow apron, as if troubled by something.

"Mama…I know…" Kagome said. "But…at least I'm, here, right?"

She didn't seem to hear her. Souta came out after her, holding a soccer ball under his arm. "Mom…is Nee-chan ever coming back?"

She turned to him. "I don't know, Souta. I don't think so. She told me a long time ago that she might not be coming back."

"No!" Kagome said, running in front of her mother. "I'm right here!"

"So…she's never coming home?" her brother asked with a sad tone in his voice.

"No…but we have to remember, she went over to the other world. She's happy there. I think she'd want us to be happy for her."

"Mama! I'm right here!" Kagome begged. "Can't you see me?"

Her grandfather also appeared from the mists. "And Inuyasha Nii-chan's with her, right?" Souta asked.

"Yes, Souta. Inuyasha-kun is there with her. Making her very happy, no doubt." Her mother said, with a small smile.

"Some of Kagome's friends were on the line." Her grandpa said. "They wanted to know where she is for the hundredth time. I ran out of diseases a long time ago…I don't know what to tell them any more."

Kagome gasped. "Ayumi-chan, Yuka-chan, and Eri-chan! I forgot about them! And Houjou-kun? And…school…and everything!" A tear formed in her eye. "Mama, Souta, Jii-chan…I left them all behind…"

"I miss her!" her brother said. "Why is she never coming home?"

Her mother wiped a tear away from her cheek. "Because she can't come home. But…I do wish…that I could see her again…" More tears fell. "It's just like when her father died…"

Souta and her grandpa went to comfort her. "Mom…please, calm down…" but he was also fighting the urge not to cry.

"I'm sorry…it's just…I want to believe that she is happy…but I don't know…I don't know if she is alive… or sad…or if she may be…dead…" She fell down to her knees.

Kagome ran towards them, and they seemed to be getting farther and farther away. "No! I'm right here! Mama, I'm right here!" Suddenly, they disappeared. "Mama!"

Kagome gasped and woke up. As she blinked and wiped away the tears that had fallen, Inuyasha's arm tightened around her waist. His breath was on the back of her neck, and she heard a small sound, like a cat's purr. That told her enough that he was asleep.

But as she thought over that dream, she knew that even now, Inuyasha's presence could not calm her. She heard a gurgling from across the hut. Kuro was awake. And she knew the sound he was making. If she didn't comfort him now, he would start crying. And she had been woken up enough times at night to certainly want to avoid that. She didn't want to disturb Inuyasha while he slept.

Wiping her eyes, she crawled from the mattress on the floor over to the small basket where Kuro slept. He was squirming and screwing up his face. Kagome took a quick whiff and deducted he didn't need a diaper change. He started making sucking movements with his mouth.

"Oh, you're hungry." Kagome said. She sighed, and picked Kuro up, and pushed her yukata down so her chest was exposed. As she nursed him, she thought over the dream again. Mama…she missed me…so did Souta…Jii-chan…all of them…And, I miss them! I miss everything, my school, my old friends, the shrine…Tears filled her eyes. I really miss them…

Once Kuro was finished feeding, she pulled her yukata back up, and held him over her shoulder, gently patting him to burp him. But when I think about this…at one time…Mama held me like this…I wish she could have known about Kuro. She would have been so happy to be a grandparent…She wanted to have grandchildren…And Jii-chan…he would have been a great-grandpa! Souta would have been an uncle…

Tears started falling from her face, and she held Kuro to her chest, taking in the comfort that he gave her. I miss them so much! I just…wish, I could see them again…just one more time…

Suddenly the room faded out and Kagome was all alone in blackness. Her hut had disappeared, so had Inuyasha, and Kuro had faded from her hold. "Inuyasha…? Kuro? KURO!" she said.

"Calm yourself. They are fine. And you shall be back with them in a moment." An ancient sounding voice said.

Kagome looked around. She saw no one. "Who are you? And…where am I?"

"You are where I can speak to you."

That wasn't a satisfactory answer. "And…who are you?"

A shadow that she could make out came closer. As it walked towards her, at first, Kagome didn't recognize them. They had long black hair, dark eyes, and ancient armor. But when she stopped and thought about it, Kagome knew exactly who it had to be. "M-Miko Midoriko?"

Midoriko nodded. "At least, I am her spirit, now free from being trapped in the shikon no tama."

Kagome couldn't help but stare. After all, she was looking at the most famous Miko ever. She was the one who spawned the shikon no tama, the miko with so much spiritual power that she could actually purify the souls of youkai. "B-but…why have you appeared to me?"

"Because, you are the last miko, are you not?"

Kagome sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm not that great of a miko. I've never had any training. All I could do was shoot purity arrows."

Midoriko smiled. "Look at yourself, Kagome."

Kagome looked down, and noticed that she was glowing from the inside. A pink light…her spiritual power. "You have great spiritual power. You are the reincarnation of the miko Kikyou. The ability to summon the shikon no tama from the hanyou Naraku already proved that. You lack training."

Kagome looked back at the miko. "Is there a place I can get training?"

Midoriko nodded. "Only if you are prepared to give up the things that you love."

The things that I love? Does that mean…Inuyasha? Kuro? But…I… "I can't…" Kagome said. "There is too much that I love now."

The miko smiled. "I didn't think so. You have already chosen your path. Besides, a miko must be a virgin. But…that doesn't mean that you can't use your power."

Kagome stared. "My…power?"

"You know of what I speak, Kagome. A youkai, living in the mists. He is your new enemy. Only with your powers can you defeat them."

She had to ask. "This youkai…is he the one who has been sending me nightmares?"

Midoriko blinked. Apparently, she had not known of the nightmares. "I could not say. Most of the times, dreams come from our own mind."

Kagome sighed. She had hoped that it had not been her mind sending her the terrible warnings of her and Inuyasha. "So, you appeared before me, to tell me that I am needed to defeat this youkai?"

"And something else." Midoriko said. "You miss your family, don't you?"

Tears came in Kagome's eyes. "Yes…but…the shikon no tama is destroyed. I can never see them again."

As she wiped her eyes, Midoriko said, "Do you think someone with your spiritual power would have trouble opening a portal like that, for a day at least?"

Kagome gasped. "What… do you mean…I can go home?"

"Not for long." She replied. "And you would be exhausted for days, maybe weeks afterwards, but, if you succeeded, you would be able to open the portal to your time, for a day at least."

It hit Kagome. I could go home…I could go home and see everyone…Tell them about me and Inuyasha…and Kuro! "How do I do this?" she asked her heart racing.

"Your want must become a need." And Midoriko started to fade.

Want must become a need? "Wait! Miko Midoriko, how do I do that?" she asked, but Midoriko was already gone. And an instant later, Kagome faded back into her hut, with Kuro on her lap.

A/N: XD. Okay, okay, I added in the part in the beginning for a bit of fun…because my mom and dad were telling a story the other night of all the stuff my dad taught me when my mom was out of the house. (XD…oh memories…) Anyway, I started imagining what Inuyasha would do with his boy when Kagome wasn't around and it turned out to be quite humorous! (Of course, if she ever found out, he would NEVER be able to get out of the crater she would put him in!)

Plus, cameo of Midoriko. I originally wanted it to be Kikyou, but then I remembered that Kikyou's soul IS in Kagome, so how could she "appear" in front of her? So I chose Midoriko, cuz she rocks!