A/N: OMG! I'm sooooo sorry for not updating sooner. I've had a lot on my plate with school, and I have had a ton of writer's block and... okay, I'll stop with the excuses, but they are true. I really didn't mean for you to have to wait this long! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! Okay, anyway, on with the story. We will see what Kagome and Shippo have done with their spare time...

Disclaimer: I won't say it anymore after this, but anything you recognize I don't own. Takahashi-sama does. (sigh)

Chapter Four- Delightful Meetings Long Past Due

As Shippo and Kagome walked towards the village that housed all of their friends, Kagome was delighted at the prospect of meeting Sango and Miroku's children. She wondered what they looked like, and if they were just like their parents. She hoped that little Nobunaga wasn't a hentai like his father once was.

Shippo turned his attention from the road that they were following to his companion. She hadn't changed a bit. She still dressed in the short skirt and long sleeved shirt that she normally wore when in the Sengoku Jidai visiting them and hunting down Naraku. He remembered her as though he had just seen her yesterday. He especially remembered the way she treated him like family, not an orphan. She would always be like his mother and protect him from Inuyasha when he was in a bad mood. He still remembered the day they met. He remembered the days that both Miroku and Sango joined them. He still laughed at the memories of Miroku and Sango fighting. That was the funniest thing about them.

))Flashback((

It was right after Sango fell off of Kirara when they were fighting that huge scorpion thing. Miroku caught her before she could hit the ground.

"Sango! Sango, you're not hurt, are you?"

"Thanks so much, Miroku. You saved me from..."

You could see the monk's hand on her thigh. Sango was furious. A very loud 'slap' could be heard.

"Keep your hands to yourself, pervert!"

"You misunderstand. I was just making sure that your flawless body wasn't harmed in any way."

"Not necessary, thank you!"

))End flashback((

He still laughed about that. He pulled out of his memories just in time to realize that they were nearing the village. He wondered if they would remember Kagome. Well, I guess we'll just have to wait and find out.

Kagome noticed that a village was drawing near, and wondered if this was the village that her friends lived in. She was getting excited at the prospect of seeing her best friends again. Sango was like a sister to her, and Miroku was like the older brother she never had. She couldn't help but wonder what had become of the hanyou that had traveled with them. Oh well. It doesn't really matter anymore. He's gone, and I can't do anything about it. It's his life. If I never see him again that's okay with me.

As they passed the first hut, Shippo turned to Kagome.

"They may not realize it's you at first. They haven't been as happy as they were when you were around since their children were born. They're still happy, but not like they used to be," Shippo told her. He hated the thought of Sango and Miroku not remembering her.

"That's okay. If it takes them a while, that's better than not at all, right?" she said to him with a smile. Oh, how he had missed that smile. He couldn't wait to see their faces when she walked through the door.

They stopped at a small hut that looked like it was tended on a weekly basis. Kagome wondered what business they have here, when Shippo looked at her.

"This is Kaede's hut. I bet she will want to know you are back. Come on."

With that, the two entered the small hut, only to be hit by the scent of herbal tea.

"Lady Kaede, where are you?" Shippo called.

"In here, child. I didn't expect you for a few more days. Normally you spend a few days at the well." Kaede didn't know that he had returned with someone.

"Kaede, there's someone here to see you," he replied, walking into another room.

As Kaede came into the room that they were in, she stopped cold. Her eyes went wide as she took in Kagome's presence.

"Ka-Kagome, child, is that you?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, Kaede. I'm back. I don't know what happened to cause me to be gone for so long, but I'm back," Kagome said, with a small smile on her face.

After talking with Kaede for a little while, Shippo said, "Well, if you will excuse us, Kaede, I think that Sango and Miroku would be thrilled to see Kagome again."

"Aye, child. You are right. Just come back soon, will ye?" the old crone asked.

Kagome smiled and nodded her reply. Then they left the hut and started walking towards a bigger hut. There were two little kids running around playing outside, and Shippo called them over to him quietly, so that he wouldn't alert their parents.

"Uncle Shippo!" they cried in unison. They ran over to the young kitsune and hugged him. He returned both hugs with a small laugh and told them to be quiet.

"Listen, guys. Remember hearing me and your parents talking about someone named Kagome?" he asked. They nodded. "Well, here she is," he said, revealing the miko. The children stood in awe as they gazed upon her face.

She bent down so that she was eyelevel with them. "Hi, I'm a friend of your parents and 'Uncle' Shippo. My name's Kagome. You must be Tsuyu and Nobunaga. I've heard a lot about you two," she said with a small smile.

"We've heard Mommy, Daddy and Uncle Shippo talking about you," little Tsuyu said, excitedly.

"But you don't look as old as Mommy or Daddy, or even Uncle Shippo. How could they have been friends with you seven years ago?" Nobunaga asked.

Kagome giggled. "You're too kind. I'm really the same age as your parents. Speaking of them, don't tell them that Uncle Shippo brought me here, okay? I want it to be a surprise!"

"Okay!" the two youthful children said, running off to play.

Kagome stood up and smiled. I would love to have kids of my own one day. But in order to do that, I have to have a boyfriend and get married. Since I definitely don't plan on going home... sigh I guess I'll just have to move here.

As Kagome was thinking about the topic, Shippo couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her.

She's so beautiful, kind, and all the way around perfect. I wish I could tell her how I feel about her.

They walked towards the hut. Shippo knocked on the door. "Miroku? Sango? Can you guys come here for a second?" he called throughout the house. They heard footsteps approaching, and then two people were at the door. Miroku and Sango stood at their door, wondering why Shippo was here.

"What is it, Shippo?" Sango asked.

Shippo grinned and stepped away, revealing Kagome.

Miroku and Sango couldn't believe their eyes. Kagome was standing before them, looking like she had seven years ago.

Finally, the gaping couple managed to regain the power of speech.

"Ka...Kagome!"

SOOOOOOOO sorry! I started working on this chappie about a month ago, and I'm just now posting it! Don't hurt me! PLEASE! LOL