Dreamstar13: Hi everyone. How have you all been?

Hope you are all ready cause the story is back.

Kaori: Feh, just get on with the story. (She's just like Inuyasha.)

Dreamstar13: Ok.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I own Kaori. So...HA. I may use her in my story.

Chapter 18

Years Later

It had been two years since they defeated Naraku. Inuyasha and Kagome watched Shippo as he went off to catch a butterfly. Kagome continued looking at her two men, Inuyasha and Shippo. She was happy they were spending quality time at a lake.

"Hey Papa, can you sense that." Shippo asked.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"It's my stomach rumbling from starvation. What are we eating?" Shippo laughed.

"What do you want?" asked Kagome.

"How about… steak!" Shippo said, drooling over the juicy meat.

"Not if I beat you to the house!" Inuyasha called.

"You're on!" Kagome yelled, sprinting home.

"Hey, no fair!" Shippo called out, watching his parents racing off towards the house.

'This should keep my mind off of things.' Kagome thought as she continued running, trying to pass Inuyasha. But, Inuyasha still succeeded.

"I won again!" Inuyasha bragged.

"Here's your prize then." Kagome said as she leaned in to kiss him. Then she said the words sweet and calmly.

"Inuyasha. Sit boy."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Inuyasha hit the ground with a thud. Shippo walks through the door and pretends he was there the whole time.

"Hey, what took ya so long?" he asked.

"Oh, very funny Shippo. You know you lost, that means you have to clean the dishes."

"Aw. Mama, do I have to?" Shippo said in a sweet and innocent voice.

"Don't use that voice on me young man." she laughed. Inuyasha then got up and sniffed around.

"Hey Kagome?"

"Yes Inuyasha?" Kagome answered.

"Your scent, it's changed. Why?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome froze up when Inuyasha asked that question.

"W…w… well, I…I…" Kagome stuttered.

"Shippo, can't you smell it?" Inuyasha asked.

Shippo sniffed the air in the house. "You know Papa, you're right. Mama does smell differently." (Wow, his sense of smell has improved. Do foxes have that good of noses?)

"I…I…" Kagome just continued stuttering.

"Well Kagome, I'm waiting."

"Yeah Mama, what's the news."

"I…I…"

"Spit it out, Kagome!"

"Inuyasha, SIT!" This time, Inuyasha hit the ground harder than before.

"Mama, you can't keep it a secret forever. We'll soon find out. And you know it. So, you might as well tell us." Shippo reasoned with her.

"I...I..."

"Come on Mama!"

"Can I have a moment alone first."

"Youhaveuntilthesubdueingspellwearsoff. Then,youhavetotelluswhatthe he- - iswrongwithyouandwhyyourscenthaschanged." Inuyasha muffled.

"What? I'll take that as a yes." Kagome said.

'Oh man. How am I supposed to tell them."

What could Kagome be keeping a secret from the boys? Where's Miroku and Sango? Find out in the next chapter of The Life After the Story! oh, and please review.