Authors note:Ah! The long awaited chapter twenty! I'm so sorry about taking so long, but my brother took off work on the wrong day and was home; so I really couldn't use his computer to write. Blame him!

(dodges flower pots filled with dirt that are randomly being thrown at her head)

All I can say, is that, this chapter will show the reunion of kagome and her two VERY old friends. Don't ask questions about it, you'll see soon enough. This chappie will be a bit happier than the others. As will the Epilogue of "Cast in stone". I'm not saying anything else!

By the way; to explain to Queen Tatooine, yes you are right! The authoress made a very big mistake in dealing with time! Credit goes to her as well as any others who caught this mistake. (laughs nervously)

(Last chapter)

Kagome goes back to the feudal era with the newly found jewel while Inuyasha discovers that kouga was also captured by the witch in order to trick them. Kagome receives a prophecy from the village headman and rushes back after a tearful goodbye with shippou. Because she knows what she has to do.

(begin)

As soon as the miko came back from the feudal era; she went right to work in the room that held the higurashi shrine records, much to sanga and Roku's confusion. She had brushed by them at the well, leaving them with only a hurried hello. But when she looked at them, she seemed totally distracted, looking past them as if she was trying to decide something.

It had been at least an hour since then, and Sanga, Roku, and Kirara had been stuck with the annoying job of waiting friends, as kagome madly searched through the shrine records. Sanga felt tense… she didn't know why; she guessed that it was just in accordance of what everyone else was feeling. It was grim in the higurashi house, Sanga had to guess that it was once filled with the sounds of a happy family.

But now it was only filled with four awkward creatures, who simply didn't know what to say to each other. Sanga couldn't take the tension; it was too quiet; Roku kept sneaking looks at her that made her even more nervous.

"I'm going to check on kagome." She stood up abruptly, making up her mind to find out what was really going on with the girl she barely knew.

"Be careful…" Roku looked at her, his eyes seeming to bore holes in the back of her skull.

"She may be delicate from her time in the well, we don't know what happened there, and I doubt that she would appreciate us poking around in her own affairs."

Sanga glared at him.

"I know that, but someone has to talk to her about it, and I don't think you're very interested in talking. You're much more of a touchy-feely kind of man in my opinion."

He squirmed under her glare and laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his head sorely. She shook her head and then walked to the door, opening it slightly and then looking back at him.

"There's just… I have a feeling that I'm supposed to do this, it's something I can't explain." She looked down and then sighed, moving out of the kitchen completely. Sanga made her way quietly to the building where the shrine records were kept, she peered inside; kagome had all kinds of boxes surrounding her. Sanga entered quickly, side-stepping to avoid the piles of boxes that seemed to be set in no intelligible order. Kagome looked up when she heard the door close behind Sanga.

"Hi…" She smiled slightly before sighing and putting a hand to her brow. Sanga smiled back before seating herself carefully on a solid looking shelf.

"Is there something wrong?" Kagome asked, folding her hands in her lap and peering at the reincarnation through her bangs.

"I was just wondering… What you saw back there." She said quietly, looking over the various documents that were also strewn about the area that kagome was sitting in.

"Well… I'm not sure if we told you the story; but, beyond the well, we had two very treasured friends. When I went back there… I found out that they were… dead." Kagome lowered her head and busied herself, gathering a few papers.

"What were their names…?" Sanga prodded carefully.

"Sango and Miroku…" Kagome said slowly, avoiding Sanga's eyes.

The other girl didn't answer, but felt something inside of her stir, awaken, whatever it could be called. But as soon as she heard the name that was so similar to her own, she began to see things while her eyes remained closed.

She couldn't call them memories, because she was sure that it hadn't happened in her life time. But it seemed as though they were familiar. Kagome looked at her curiously…

"Who was sango…?" The reincarnation asked quietly, looking sadly at kagome.

"She was my best friend… Just like my sister. She was a talented demon slayer with a strong heart and mind. She was in love with Miroku, but he always hit on her, and so they never got anywhere until after we defeated Naraku. She had a brother, Kohaku, who had to die because of Naraku and his evil tricks."

Kagome shivered slightly because of the horrible memories of that evil demon; All of the pain, the misery, the suffering, all because of that malicious creature.

Sanga saw many things when she closed her eyes; a mix of several things really… A little boy, who didn't look much older than the tender age of eleven. He had an innocent look about him, and his brown eyes matched his brownish black hair that was tied back. When she saw this boy, she felt a deep sadness in her heart that no words could describe.

She felt helpless, as she watched the boy's eyes lose their warmth, and she watched as he killed and hurt innocent people.

But sanga couldn't understand it; she had never had true family to call her own… Her little brother had died long ago.

She then saw a man who resembled Roku, but he was different, with his robes that labeled him as a monk. He had soft violet eyes, and a reassuring smile, it just made her feel like all of their troubles suddenly didn't matter, because he was there. A faint warmth filled her, and held her soul tightly.

'Miroku… Kohaku… Kagome… Inuyasha…" A voice inside of her called their names, she wasn't sure how she knew the names, she just felt them in her heart.

'Shippo… Father…'

It was through that voice that somehow; Sanga and Sango melded into one. The memories filled her heart, and made her know herself, made her remember who she once was.

"Ka-Kagome!" She breathed and fell to her knees, holding herself as she breathed hard to catch her breath.

"Sanga? Sanga! What is it?" She scrambled over to the woman, frantic; she grabbed her shoulders and held them.

"Sanga! What is it?"

Sanga looked up at her, a small smile on her face, as she looked at her friend and felt the tears coming to her eyes.

"My name isn't Sanga, kagome… you should know that, It's Sango." Kagome's eyes widened as she sat back on her knees, her hand to her mouth in disbelief. She was silent for a moment,

"Sango…?" She questioned hesitantly.

The other woman nodded quickly, a smile of pure, giddy happiness upon her face. Kagome squealed and embraced her friend tightly, feeling her own tears wetting her cheeks. But there was a simple difference from all of the tears she had once shed not so long ago; now, she was happy.

A lasting happiness that she felt down to her very bones.

"Sango! I missed you so much, you and Miroku! It's just been so hard lately, with all of the people dying, and going missing." Kagome gushed, pulling back so that she could look the demon slayer in the eyes.

"I know kagome… I know…" Sango smiled gently, giving kagome a squeeze of reassurance.

"Miroku still hasn't awakened yet… But I'm sure that with you here, we'll be able to do it." Kagome let go of her friend and rose to stand, taking sango by the hand and leading her out the door of the record building.

"Yeah, in no time he'll be back to his lecherous way again." Sango sighed happily, trying her best to keep up with kagome, whose speed was now rivaling a train.

It wasn't to be denied that she was still Sanga; the two parts of the soul had blended together, working so that she retained both Sanga and her memories. She figured that she was lucky that way… But she knew that her reunion with kagome wasn't just to see her again; she had to tell kagome where the witch was hiding out, both her and Miroku knew. Now all they had to do was to awaken her husband, and they would be able to save Inuyasha and kagome's family. It felt kind of strange to say that they were rescuing Inuyasha; considering that he always did the rescuing. But it was all right; as long as everyone was going to be safe.

Kagome pushed open the door to her kitchen to see Roku, standing and looking out the window.

"Roku…" Sango said breathlessly, coming out from behind kagome and looking him over.

"No need to call me that. My beautiful Sango." He turned and smiled at her, as sango began to feel that familiar warmth fill her.

"You've already remembered… Miroku?" Kagome questioned, raising an eyebrow at him.

"It was a joint deal… Sanga remembered, Roku remembered. That's how it works for us; luckily." Miroku strode toward kagome and hugged her, and would have groped her too, had sango not caught his ear and pulled. He stepped back and winced in pain as sango pulled harder.

"Sorry, Lady Kagome… Old habits die hard, you know."

"Yeah, I know…" Kagome smiled happily, deciding to ignore his near-grope.

The shock began to wear off, as the familiar feeling of comfort began to envelope the three friends; Sango already had Kirara in her arms and was holding her tightly. They all sat at the kitchen table, silently thinking, until Miroku cleared his throat.

"Kagome, precisely before Sango and I died, we found the prophecy that I believe you have now seen, correct?" He looked at her expectantly. She nodded and resumed a serious expression.

"Sango and I also found her hideout, and I'm quite sure that we can find it again, once we get our bearings here."

Sango nodded quietly, looking cautiously at her two companions. Kagome took a deep breath and pushed her bangs out of her eyes.

"Well then, if you guys think you can find it, then I guess it would be smart to set out tomorrow morning. That is, if you guys think that you're ready to take the witch on again…"

Both of them WERE ready, they wanted revenge for everything, all though they weren't as hard pressed as Inuyasha might have been. But that was to be expected…

All of them went to be bed that night; preparing themselves, praying, writing, training. Whatever they were sure that they would need to do, they did. They were prepared for death, for life, for whatever they knew that they would have to be prepared for.

Kagome found herself thinking back, wondering how in the world things had ended up like this. It was weird enough that she had been thrown into an alternate dimension, where she fell in love with a half demon, made new friends, and learned that Ramen was the most useful food ever created. Okay, maybe Inuyasha had forced that on her…

She wondered how she had become so different in so little time. She believed and knew things that others could only imagine were true. She had become an expert at demons, and knew how defend herself well, against almost anything.

When she was fifteen, she was just a shallow little girl, thinking about trivial things that didn't matter to her anymore. And now, she found herself, going to battle for her family, and for her future.

"Inuyasha…" She whispered quietly, while snuggled underneath her covers, she really missed him.

Sometimes she would just stop and think; about him, about the children she wanted with him, about the life she wanted him to know. She didn't know if they were even going to get married or anything, but so far, it looked like it. So she wasn't loosing hope in the power of love just yet.

She would need that power the next day, she decided as she drifted off to sleep, letting the wind from her open window caress her face. She would need Inuyasha… that was for sure…

Nothing more than that…

(end)

Authors note: Wow! Okay, well this chapter is finally finished, so you guys should be appeased for a day or two. I fixed the mistakes, such as calling sanga by the wrong name two times. Sorry! I recommend a song as an apology!

Four Seasons, the ending song to movie 3. I have fallen deeply in love with it, and stuff!

Of course, it goes right up there on my list with; Song of Truth, Every heart, come and deep forest along with unending dream… sigh

We're coming to the final few chapters, and I hope you guys enjoy what you've been waiting for since day one. I've grown as an author, and as a woman because of you guys, and I'm always thankful. So please read and review, and I'll keep writing for all of you!

You know what to do!