Last Time:

"Why did you choose that profession?"

"Because of you." She winked but he wasn't looking.

Now:

His eyes widened and he raised his head to get a better look at her.

"What?"

"Largely, in what you did to my arm before I left. I also needed a skill I could use here, as well as something that, if I had stayed, would be profitable. While getting further in my priestess training would have been beneficial in my Era, it was not profitable, and here even it's a difficult life. Ultimately, you were the deciding factor."

They were silent for a while before he braved, "how?"

With the hand not cushioning herself she reached up and opened her small bag. She pulled out a few contents before she grasped the commissioned portrait she held dearly to her heart.

She handed them to him, and he unrolled them. His eyes widened and a gasp fell from his lips.

"I made a friend who was able to commission this for me. She made individual ones too, but this was the best and my favorite. While telling her what you each looked like, I took the time to really think about each of you. The memory of you is what kept me going, more than Inuyasha. I couldn't tell you why, but every time I thought about you, when I was low… I was able to strive forward. To keep going." She blushed and looked away.

He rolled the parchments back up and put her items back in her bag for her. He closed his eyes and laid back on the grass. They fell silent as Miroku fell back into his thoughts and she continued stroking Shippo's hair.

While she had a decade to process through her emotions and grow as a person, Miroku had days so far. She knew he had a lot on his mind, and he needed time to process through his emotions.

"I really thought she cared for me." He was quiet, she almost missed it. She glanced up and he was watching her.

"I believe she did. Does. In her own way. I'm not her, Miroku, I can't give you the answers you seek. I can… I can be here for you."

"I know you said you won't tell me the future, but in your research, did you find anything about her?"

She hesitated before she nodded.

"Was she happy?"

"I… can't tell you."

"You don't seem worried though."

"Worried or not, Miroku, I won't interfere. If things change because of my being here, then so be it, but I won't go out of my way to change them."

He pondered her words before he sat up with a nod.

"Have they gone?"

"Yes. They left not long after I closed the barrier off."

"I didn't notice… not even that the banging had stopped." He reached out and touched the pink barrier. The warmth he felt flooding through his system at the feeling of her energy brought hope to him. Hope that this nightmare would be over soon.

"What do you want to do, Miroku?" She laid back and watched him caress her spiritual energy. He expanded his within the dome and she could both sense and see the purple of his aura reaching out and mixing with hers.

"I think I need space from them. Her the most. I should travel to see Mushin. It's been a long time since I've seen him. Perhaps he can offer clarity."

"Will you pilgrimage alone?"

"I would not be adverse to the company of such a beauty such as yourself." He turned and winked at her.

"But, if you travel with me and my son, you won't be able to be a lecher anymore." She joked back with a waggle of her brows.

"True, such a conundrum then." He dramatized a hum as he thought it over. "What shall you do?" He asked after the moment had passed. He went back to studying her barrier.

She sighed in contemplation, "possibly nothing unless I'm asked for. I know I need to put the jewel back together, and I can. Technically, at this point I could finish all of this myself. Yet, there are too many that require a level of vengeance or revenge that, I would be cheating them if I did so." She hummed in thought.

"Then, it's settled. You'll come with me to Mushin, and we'll collect jewels along the way. Inuyasha and… her… can do whatever else they want and leave us be." He finalized.

"Sounds like a plan! Now, how about we eat something?"

She sat up and pulled her bag to her. As she pulled items from it, she brought her barrier down and pulled her energy back into herself. The bright sun blinded both of them for a moment but before long they were cooking. Shippo awoke a time later to the smell of ramen.

Kagome filled Shippo in on their plan and he jumped for joy at the prospect of being away from the abusive Inuyasha.

"Do you hate him now, 'Gome?" The boy asked as he slurped up his food.

"No. I don't hate anyone. I simply don't wish to put up with his childish antics. If he grows up and acts like an adult, then we can talk it out." She took a bite of her food.

"He's incapable of doing such, Miko." Miroku and Shippo startled; the boy floundered with his cup ramen before he got a firm grip on it again.

"For now. Greetings, Lord Sesshomaru. How can I help you?" She bowed her head respectfully before she pointed to herself then back to him as she spoke.

"Rin has requested whatever you are cooking."

She looked around but didn't see Rin anywhere. She looked up fully from her position and wondered how he had gotten as tall as he had.

"Then I welcome your ward."

He nodded before he left to get his ward.

"Uh, 'Gome, what was that?" Shippo watched the Demon Lord disappear into the shadows of the trees.

"Kagome?" Miroku scratched his head.

"I felt him in the vicinity for a while. I think he's more curious about the increase to my power than he is about the food."

"Yes, I was curious about that…"

"Wait until he's within earshot before you ask. I don't want to repeat it."

"Simply, does he know about…" Miroku pointed to the well.

"If he doesn't, he will." She shrugged, "At this point, it won't hurt anything if he knew."

"Knew what, Miko?"