Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters and setting (oh, and a few of my own creations…)

Authors Beginning Note: Alas, as all things must begin, they too must end. Who am I de try and defy such logic? Thus said- I bid you read, not with a heavy heart, but a heart greatful to have been engaged in a tale of tragidy, epic woe, adn on light of love. One with joy that a story had existed at all, and if you should feel the need to weep, than weep for the painful grammatical errors I may have made.

It seems strange to think that this was my very first fic, and yet wil not be my last. And to think that this fic inspired me to such a degree as it has! It has spurned me forward! To make a new being!

Um yah. Alittle over dramatically carried away. It's the emotions. LOL.

See my future comings at the bottom of this page.

Shout it outs!

Tanwen Whitefire: LOL. That was fun to hear. :) I'm glad you approve

foxysessy: Longer? Longer you say? Thats a first. :) Normally I keep getting asked how many chapters are left, or when this story will end, or if I think I've gotten a bit too carried away witht the stories length. :) So thank you:)

inuyasha101: Wow. Rivaling Brian Jaques? That is quite a compliment-though I myself have never quite taken too much of an interest in his books.

I'm glad you really think I'm that good of an author. However, I don't think there will be a sequal, but who knows what the future may bring.

MaroonGoddess: Yes, too many characters I guess can get a little uninteresting. Soemthing I'll hold in future fics. And here is the last and final chapter of this Fiction.

feyfaery: and if I were to say no:)

Chapter 76

Epilogue

"Look Mom! I think she's waking up!"

"Souta, go grab your grandfather!"

Kagome slowly felt herself float to consciousness. Everything was hazy and blurred. Her mind was nothing but soft fuzz. She yawned widely and stretched before trying to assess the situation.

"Is it time for school already?" She mumbled. She grabbed her alarm and felt her insides freeze.

"Oh no! I'm going to be late!" She jumped and fell out of bed, so wrapped up in her blankets was she.

"Kagome! Settle down, it's Saturday. You don't have school." She let out a sigh. Then her thoughts reassessed itself and she remembered everything that she could but couldn't puzzle as to why she had come to be home.

"Kagome!" The old man scuttled over to her, before she had time to even interject with a question, and hugged her.

"Hey gramps!"

"Kagome! You're awake! Mom and Grandpa have been so worried! And then I beat Kichiro at Mortal Combat and he told me stories, and at school everyone was wondering about you, And Inuyasha brought you back mom thought she was going to faint but he had to leave and go do something, and I'm not exactly sure what, but I guess that doesn't matter and then Hojo…" his mouth went on and on.

"Oh Kagome! It's been so long!" Her mother wept and held Kagome tightly.

"When he brought you back in one piece I was so grateful but then you wouldn't wake up and we weren't sure what quite to do!"

Inuyasha...

Kagome's thoughts whispered. She looked around but he was not to be seen and her heart took a small wrench. However her attention was redrawn back to her sobbing mother, talking non-sense brother, and calm grandfather.

"We didn't know if you were ever coming back! It took you like ages to come back! It got so long we had to tell everyone that you went to boarding school! You know, two months is a long time. I know you said one month, but I was sure you were coming home. Then when you did get home you slept for like a whole week! I don't think I could sleep that long, but I knew you would come back home. Especially if Inuyasha was with you…"

"Souta! Quit that racket and get your sister something to eat." His grandpa said.

"Ah. But I have a whole bunch I need to tell sis."

Needless to say the house was in a huge fuss over Kagome for quite a while, and when all of her classmates had been informed of her arrival at home, she found herself in a mess of stories.

"What was prep school like?"

"Someone said you were in Switzerland, did you get to go skiing?"

"Did you get to talk with the Eskimos?"

"Were they nice to you?"

"Did you get to tackle a python?"

"Did you have to eat caviar?"

Kagome smiled graciously and evaded the questions as best as possible. All the while, not sure weather to thank or curse her grandfather and Souta for all of the stories 'extras' that had been added to her experience.

She talked to Arimi that week; who was sure she had moved because she had taken Hojo away from her. Kagomi was wrapped in a fierce hug of sobs.

I've worried so many...especially since they think I get sick so easily...and then I disappear for almost two months.

After Kagome assured her that this wasn't true, Arimi was happy. The two were joined by Yuka and Eri and all of them went to the mall. It was good to be back home after so long. To be with something she could have lost and had taken for granted.

The next morning however was a different adventure.

Kagome peaked her eyes open as she felt someone watch her.

"Inuyasha?" Her voice was a whisper, though she didn't know why. Her heart pounded furiously like never before, adn she too felt the rising temperature flush her cheeks.

"Kagome..." His eyes seemed to swim with conflicting emotion as he watched her.

"I got worried. I didn't see you and Souta said that you hadn't stayed." He nodded.

"There was a lot of stuff that needed to be done. Naraku's barial ground seems to be a breeding place for demons, so the monks and priestesses have been trying to purify it, While a few of us fend the demons off as they go to attack them." A new fear gripped Kagome.

"What about Sango and Miroku? Kirara? Shippo?"

"Keh. As if anything could kill them." A silence prevailed and Kagome looked down at her lap. She felt like she would burst with tears. From relief, and joy. Sorrow, and pain. So much emotion welled in her then that she couldn't help but let a sob escape from her. She hadn't had time to cry before now.

Inuyasha pulled her close and hugged her. Stroking her hair fondly as she wept so many tears into his Haori. He closed his eyes and let the sharp tang of salt water roll over him, the reigning noise of sobs and hiccups blanket his ears, her racking body shake against his skin,as he cradled her. He too silently shared in her pain.

Slowly, after a while, her storm had subsided and she took comfort into his warmth, holding him tightly, willing him never to let go. As he grasped her frail bodyas if she would disappear into a mysterious mist-leaving him helpless.

"You don't say." The man took another swig of sake.

"You had to have been there to see it. Well, the Miko and her ferocious Yukai lover dove straight into the monsters belly."

"Get out of here!"

"Its true!"

"What where they thinking!"

"You know, I figure that since they's heros, theys crazy, and there ain't no one who knows what them crazies think, so any way, they dived into Naraku's belly, and the next thing you know, he explodes into a thousand pieces! Hundreds of tornadoes and violet lights everywhere!

"And then what happened!" The first guy set down his sake.

"The two flew out of the monsters belly, like angels who suddenly forgotten to fly, whispering lovelets to each other, prepared for death."

"Come on, Theys heros. Heros don't die!"

"Well, they'd be the first if I was lyin, so no they didn't die. Instead, they fell down so far to the ground, that its hardly conceivable anyone could save them, thenthe rarest of rare Taiyuokai, almost last of her tribe, swooped down like a crazy hawk-her and her fire cat pet-and off they flew off, following a large squished orange in the sky with a monk reining it." The crowd he had collected sat back in their tavern chair in awe.

"Must a been a mighty powerful monk to ride a large squished orange like that."

"The best o' the best (hic). TO be travelin with miko and dat demon. Can you imagine a powerful group like dat. Ain't nothing of the likes."

"And where are they now?" He shrugged.

"I reckon no one rightly knows, but you watch. They'll come when there's danger again. Its what heroes do."

"If that's so, you think they'll save us from the famine?" Said a younger boy, obviously not a regular to the tavern. The man swirled a round and laughed, grasping the boy by one shoulder.

"Your confused. Thems heros, not farmers. They can't perform complete miracles."

"So they do half miracles?" They men laughed and had a merry drink.

"Boy, heros come to save the day when there ain't no one else willin to step up. Heros are an ordinary being with more guts to do whats right than the other yellow bellied birds that lie in the gutter, and weep for their miserable lives."

"And morals!"

"Yah, a good portion of thems gotsh moralsh too. Ash it is, there's plenty o' people left, with plenty o' heart and couraged renewed. They didn't go to war for nothing. And thatsh is whatsh going to get them through itsh."He finished on a slurring note, obviously being affected by the sake. The boy looked at the man in wonder, before walking off and digesting what he'd just been told.

The drunkard polished off his tale, with well the worth of exaggeration, and more early on detail, until he could sense that any more and he'd loose his audience. He broke off and sat back.

"By golly. You just wouldn't believe it."

"Nope. But I was there and saw the whole thing. I swear it on my old dead great ma's grave I do." He took a sip of Sake and relished the feeling of telling a good story, which of course was much later exaggerated to even greater lengths, becoming a modern legend.

"Oh no you don't!" Miyako chased after the young crawling child. Keio appeared out of nowhere and scooped him up in his arms. He giggled and put his hand on Keio's cold nose.

"Ko!" He squealed and then squirmed, arms reached out to Miyako.

"Mi!" Keio handed him to her.

"Such a bundle of mischief." Miyako shook her head.

"But I'm a cute one though."

"I was talking about the child." Miyako said with a serious face, but her eyes twinkled mischeviously.

"Priestess Miyako, you and Keio are wanted in the village." A Miko interrupted, opening the insulated shutter screen doors, causing a cold winter wind to blow through. The fire that served to heat the shrine in the middle of the floor, quaked lightly, but not even the wind was a match to its feriousity.

She quickly closed it.After giving a full account of the importance, she spied the little rugrat and put on an innocent face.

"If you want, I'll take care of Kiyoshi for you." Miyako pretend to scrutinize the young Miko, and Keio laughed. The miko felt intimidated. She stood there, almost sweating as the woman before her-10 years her seniority, looked down upon her, girl still full of childish whims.

"Very well." She kissed the top of the precious child's head and handed him over. The messenger sighed with relief, and Keio winked at her in assurance.

"But watch him carefully. Anything he can reach or get into, he will." Miyako put on her outer winter parka and stepped out with Keio.

"Oh I will ma'am. I'll make sure he's all right."

The couple laughed once the door was shut.

"How long do you think this one will last?"

"I don't know. I have a feeling about her. She's quite stubborn." Keio contemplated. Miyako looked up at him. The sun ahead glared at the snow above, of which Keio seemed to blend into, like an arctic fox. His white fur cape barely rustled as he moved. Flakes fell from a few trees above, landing upon his perfect white hair, not knowing where the flake began and the strands ended. He seemed to be a king of winter. It took her breath away.

Strange how she had never noticed such things before.

She grabbed his hand, feeling almost as if he would suddenly disappear into its snowy vastness, and not wishing it to be so. He squeezed her hand warmly, making her heart flutter.

And that is how they appeared before the village not more than a half mile away.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, where are we going?" Rin sat underneath the tree as it rained. Not a good season to travel, and yet Sesshoumaru had insisted.

"Impudent girl. Don't bother Lord Sesshoumaru with such silly questions." Jakan replied, trying to hide the fact that he was cold all the same.

Ah and Un snapped at Jakan who jumped and found another source of protection from the rain, all the while pouting.

Sesshoumaru looked out at the bleak and empty cold plains. Somehow his heart not as icy as he would have his onlookers believe.

"Mistress Hosomi!"

"I'll be there in a minute! Now Anjou, I think if we moved the defense over…" She stopped in mid-sentance as she felt a light pressure on her cheek come and then go. Her cheeks turned a flushed red. She turned and there was no longer anyone in the room with her.

She gingerly touched the spot, not quite comprehending the feelings rising up in her.

"Mistress Hosomi! If you could come immediately! The boy! Why you should hear him!" Hosomi quickly left the room, her mind not quite fixated on the problem.

"You called?" She looked at the boy sitting at the desk, learning as he aught to until further notice was given as to what to do with him.

"Why lands sakes, why don't you tell her boy?" Hosomi looked at the maid in confusion.

"Muh-my s-s-s-sister Sango. I w-want to s-see m-my sis-s-ster Sa-Sango." He managed, though stuttering. Hosomi looked at him, and his cheeks glowed brightly. She stood there a good while, not sure she understood what had just transpired.

"How…?"

"I dunno, one minute he was just reading to himself and the next he started saying what he just told you!" Hosomi picked up kohaku's book.

…the Taijiya is a clan of strong-though human-clan of demon slayers, having killed …

"Taijiya. M-my sister Sango and I…" He stopped, almost as if talking more would choke him to death.

So…these two are all that remains of the taijiya's…well…he hasn't imposed any threat to us, and I believe Master Sesshoumaru mentioned a Taijiya on one of his…encounters with his younger Hanyou brother…and she hasn't so far been mentioned as a threat…Perhaps...we could make allies of them...this should prove quite interesting…

"Well then. I guess we'll have to get this Sango for you." She turned around and her cheeks turned ever more crimson, as she stepped back in surprise.

"Shall I dispatch a team?" Anjou said with a smirk. All she could do was nod and he was again gone.

"My. What strange things are happening today." She chocked out when she thought she could speak. She shook her head, trying to calm her flipping stomach.

"Are you sure about this Shurran?" The red headed panther demon nodded.

"There is still a lot I want to learn."

"But we've just been reunited!" Shunraun said in surprise. Kauran huffed, glaring at her sister who had the audacity to leave so soon.

"I don't see why you can't learn when you're with us. We're a family…" Touran held up a hand to silence her and then walked up to Shurran. She placed her hands on the girl's shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"There comes a time when all of us must grow on our own. I misunderstood you when you first left. Now I truly think I know what you've been trying to say. I give you leave. Go now if you must, but let us part as siblings, and not enemies." Shurran wiped away a few stray tears and nodded.

Yet once again the Panther tribe was parted, but the hope that someday they would be reunited was strong.

Shurran stopped and looked across the plains, the world that was hers to cross.

For her, it was to be a new beginning.

"Uh…um Ayame…" She turned and looked at Kouga with her cheerful smile.

He gulped loudly.

"Yes Kouga?" He looked up to his far left, scratching his neck in a fidgety manner while his cheeks turned red.

"Um…here." He said, handing her a purple flower.

She took it and held it delicately, as if it contained her very soul. Her head fell, and her hair covered her face. Little sniffles were caught atrociously in Kouga's ear, causing him to jump in startled dismay.

"Wha! Why are you crying! What did I do now!"? He was frantic. Ayame looked up, tears of joy splashing the corners of her eyes, a bright smile on her face and Kouga was even more confused.

"Kouga!" She squealed and dove right at him. Her lips met his and he was dumbstruck. She pulled back, and skipped away like a little schoolgirl humming, placing her flower in her hair.

Kouga just stood there.

"Way to go boss!"

"Striking it lucky with the lady." Hakaku and Ginta said.

"It's about time he did something right." Natsuko raised and eyebrow and walked off, Mariko by her side giggling.

"Wait until we tell the rest of the gang." Ginta said with enthused excitement at having the latest gossip. Kouga stiffened.

"You utter one word…" He threatened; they both gulped visibly and disappeared.

It seemed however that everyone had found out one way or another, because when he got back to the encampment filled with the thieves from Elodia, warriors, Youkai, and others who had chosen to follow him after the war, it was quite a celebration, not to mention the buzz on everyone's lips.

What a pickle to be in.

Kagome looked over at the alarm clock the next morning,that visciously shone a bright red 5:00 AM. Her body trilled with deadly anger.

"Inuyasha Sit boy! Sit boy! SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT!"

"Damn woman! What's your problem! I was just seeing if you were ever going to wake up! Naraku may be dead, but we still have Jewel shards to collect!"

"I'll show you awake!" She chased after him with a full artillery of shoes at hand out of the house and through the back yard. Ms. Higurashi laughed as she stirred the pancake mix and looked out of the window. It was good to have her daughter back home, and her hopeful son in law.

The only thing I could wish for…are a few little grand kids…running about and tugging each other's hair…maybe they'll have cute little doggy ears…oh well…I guess these things take time…I can wait…

"What's with the noise?" Souta said coming downstairs, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. His hair was lopped to one side and tassled form not having been groomed as soon as he woke up and his PJ's were still wrinkled from the nights sleep.

"Kagome's awake." She said cheerfully.

They all waited at the well. No one was for sure when she would come back. Inuyasha had gone to get her, but….

What if she was still asleep? What if it took years, and she still didn't wake up?

Shippo constantly recalled a fairy tale that Kagome had told him. About a young Woman trapped in a tower surrounded by sharp vined flowers, forever sleeping until the one she loved kissed her.

"Do you think…?"

"Wait." Miroku said. Sango looked into his eyes, her hand tightly squeezing his. He gave her a reassuring smile. She looked back at the Bone eaters well.

"Maybe Inuyasha has to kiss her." Shippo said, almost in a hopeless manner.

"I hope not, or we'd have to take drastic measures to ever get him to work up the nerve." Sango said, she too in doubt. Miroku on the other hand was getting thoughts.

"I might have to disagree, while its true that we are talking about Inuyasha, he is still a male. It may not be as difficult as we think." Sango hit him on the head with an out of no-where solid object. He stayed quiet.

A glow brought the well to life.

They held their breaths.

Inuyasha came through. Their hearts stopped beating…nothing…nothing…and then a delicate hand reached for the wells edged, only to be aided by the calloused clawed one of Inuyasha. Kagome stepped out and smiled.

"Kagome!" They all pounced on her in joy.

…it feels good to be home…

Authors Ending Note: I know.A few of you might not be completley satisfied with the ending I've provided, but truly, theirs is an ongoing tale and what right (or miniscule talent for that matter) do I have to close it? I guess, I just wanted to address a few of the major issues. The title is a false leading advertisement (though I had not intended it to be). I did not quite get Inuyasha and Kagome together, and when you think about it, it would have been almsot wrong to (Taking off the direction that my fic had taken) That said, I will now continue with this Note.

What's my future plans? Well, I do have 2 other small fics- The X-mas Dolls, and X-mas Dragon- both of which are based off of an old favorite christmas story of mine. The Christmas Dolls is an Inu fic. I hope to have both complete before the end of New Years. And then, I'm thinking of dedicating some time into an Escaflowne fic (I have finally worked up the courage to write one).

Will there be any more extensive Inuyasha fics for me? I guess, I don't know. If inspiration grips me with a vice grip, I guess I'll have to be its humble servant.

Thank to all of my Readers and Reviwers. You have been most generous, helpful, inspirational, and kind. May I see a few of you in some of my future writings.