Summary: Kagome arrives back at the shrine the morning of her twenty fifth birthday, where presents and surprises await. What of her haunting past, though? Will she come by the well even if she tries to avoid it? You know it.

Disclaimer: I own nothing…sob

Thank you guys very much for the comments. It makes me very happy, and when I'm happy, you're happy because I write. D

So sigh back to our adventure!

And, also, I don't believe Inu and Kik were doing what you all think they were…cough

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The car bobbed by rather slowly. Closing my eyes in an attempt to rest, I let the memorizing hum of the engine fill my mind with nothing by lazy daydreams. It was surprisingly hot today, even for June. I tugged at my sweatshirt, rather hot and irritated by it's clingy fabric.

After a few moments, I'd conquered the sweatshirt and it now lay in the char behind me, looking quite haggard. I leaned forward in my seat to ask my mother for a brush, but she'd beaten me to it.

"S'behind you, Kagome-sama," she spoke in her all-too-cheerful voice.

"Uh?" I mumbled, quite a contrast to her happy mood, "Oh, yeah, thanks."

Still half asleep, shockingly enough, I grasped the brush and combed through my dark locks with care. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and watched it wave to me in the mirror. I couldn't help but smile as it bounced around playfully, reminding me so much of the little kitsune I once cared for.

I dropped the brush and snapped back to reality. No, that Kagome was gone…

I really, really prayed that that Kagome was gone….

Mom eyed me wearily through the mirror. I smiled, waving it off in return, blushing from my clumsy accident. I grabbed the brush once again and placed it on the seat beside me.

"Kagome-sama?"

I looked up.

"Mom?" I replied, grateful she had shaken me from my transfixed state again.

"Time to get out, dear," she cooed softly.

And so it was!

I blushed, hiccupping an embarrassed, "Oh."

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"Kagome!"

"Kagome-sama!"

I tugged my yellow backpack round my shoulders in a rather affectionate way.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" mother laughed.

Nodding vigorously, I grinned and set it carefully on the ground, removing my things from my new emerald backpack to the huge old yellow one. The shrine hadn't changed a bit as long as I lived here, though it's inhabitants had.

Sota, now a strapping young man, entered the kitchen, removing his shoes after receiving a harsh stare from mom. His girlfriend, Takako, followed suit. She really was a beautiful girl, and I admired her for it, fingering my own dark hair absent mindedly. I was quite happy for my brother. They made a lovely pair, her golden locks a contrast to his twilight hair. Things like that always had made me smile. Light and dark, night and day.

"Sis," Sota cried, pulling me into one of his bone-crushing hugs, "S'good to see you in one peace!" He chuckled deeply, mom shaking her head at him. I really missed being home like this…

"It's no lie though," Takako added, hugging me after Sota had broken his embrace. "We're glad to have you back." She released me with a cheerful smile. The two of us had grown to be something like sister. It was a good relationship, though nowhere as strong as the bond Sango and I once had.

I sighed as my eyes landed on the right end of the table, where one person should have been. Gramps had died four years ago, along with a small part of myself. Because my father had never really been…around…my grandfather always played that sort of role for me. A male figure at least.

Gulping down my soda, I looked away, brushing away the memories again. Why was it that now, of all times they were rearing their ugly heads at me, like some demon from the feudal era. Why did it haunt me so?

I choked slightly, earning myself a worried glance from mom and the others. I grinned stupidly, confirming I was fine. Excusing myself, I stood and left the kitchen, eager to explore the rest of the grounds and reacquaint myself with the place.

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Midday had quickly faded to evening, I noted silently. The bright orange sun fell to its place of slumber, casting red, pink, and violet shadows across the sky, like a picture found in a fairy book.

A warm breeze twisted through the air, twirling through my hair and by my still-tired face. I raised my arms and spun around like a child, thoroughly enjoying the clean air. It was incredibly relaxing to just let the wind carry you away, even if you were just imagining it.

My eyes fell onto a familiar sight; the Goshinboku, or tree of ages. My arms fell to my side as I neared the huge tree, admiring how it's branches reached towards the heavens and vanished into the silver clouds not so far above. I resisted with great difficulty the urge to climb and just climb till I lost myself in the maze of green and painted colors of the sunset and clouds.

And then I spotted another thing, the thing that tore my mind from the blissful dreams and thrust me back into my reality of woe and pain. The spot where Inuyasha had been pinned to the tree for fifty years. The spot where he and I first met, ten years ago this very day.

I felt myself losing control, as all those emotions fought to simply erupt and take over. I wouldn't allow it…not after this long.

In a blind attempt to escape this emotional attack, I closed my eyes tight and ran in the opposite direction, hoping I would race straight into the house at moment or another. Heat whipped past my face as I struggled to breath, my legs pounding on the ground beneath me while I sprinted towards my destination.

Up ahead I spotted a building, though through my watery, blurry vision I couldn't decipher just which building it was. Deciding it couldn't be the well house, I hastily opened the doors and snapped my eyes closed once again. With tears tumbling down my cheeks, I took a step forward, but something I did not expect occurred.

I tripped down the stairs before me and to my horror found this was not my house. However, by that time, it was far too late…

I had already fallen into the well. A sensational blue light engulfed me and I vanished.

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Sorry she just didn't get there yet. I didn't have enough time to put it in this chapter. But in chapter three you can be sure, she's back. Comment for more!

-thanks-