Miracle

Chapter Three

Near Kaede's Village.

The sun was peeking over the hills and mountains warming the faces of the women enjoying the walk. The talked about things and they enjoyed each others company.

Kagome looked over at Aiko and asked, "Tell me about your family?" Aiko glanced at Kagome before speaking, "My family is rather large compared to the others. I had four grandparents on my mother's side of the family. They told us stories about the traveling group that destroyed evil beings. They all died before my age of thirteen. My mother told us stories about them and it seemed that the stories were never ending, but since my mother has been sick she has been able to tell us anything else about them, she has the coughing sickness so no one goes near our hut afraid that they would get sick. My brother and sister loved the stories, they occasionally try to ask our uncle and cousin into telling some stories, but they always comes back with a bumps on their heads from asking.

"My uncle and cousin never talk about the past; they say there are too many memories from that time and when they start talking about them they don't act like themselves. They built a hut away from the village, but the village grew over time and so they built another hut away from the growing village, but they are the protector of it so they have to be able to get there if there is any trouble.

"My brother, Satoru, he is like my uncle, since my father died when we were young, and my uncle is the father figure for all three of us. I think that my uncle is a bad example for him, but my uncle is also a kind hearted person, but he thinks that if your kind and show that 'mushy stuff' as he says, that your weak. That got to my brother.

"My sister, Kasumi; she is rebellious like my uncle, but she kept her manners unlike our brother. She takes care of our mother, but we all do. My uncle doesn't come to our hut anymore he says that he can smell the infection and death in the air. It makes him dizzy and sick to his stomach. So we usually go over to their hut.

"I have about twenty cousins; they don't know my uncle and cousin as well as we do. They enjoy hearing the stories from their parents and we get to go over and hear them as well, but not very often. We usually stay home to take care of our mother or we are with our uncle and cousin. My cousin usually stays with us when my uncle is gone helping a village and says that he doesn't have to protect his head from being smashed in from my uncle when he stays with us.

"The village is peaceful and happy, but there is a regretful and sorrowful aura around my uncle and cousin, but they seem to ignore it. I have seen the sadness appear in their eyes when they think no one is looking, it had brought tears to my eyes to see such a painful thing."

She looked over at Kagome and was bewildered to see the woman weep and have a small, sad, smile on her lips at the same time… again. Kagome looked over at her and she blushed and wiped away the tears, "Sorry, memories from my own past." Aiko nodded again and asked, "What of your family?"

Kagome thought for a minute thinking how to answer her question, she didn't remember very much of her family, "I don't remember very much of my family, you see I travel a lot and I haven't seen them in a long time. I do have a mother and like you my father died while my brother and I were young. My brother is younger and very adventurous, I remember my mother saying 'Do your best Kagome and be careful dear.'"

Aiko smiled and nodded, "Since you are a Miko, it would make since if you traveled." Kagome looked at her surprised and asked, 'How do you know I am a miko? I'm not even wearing the traditional robe!" She also wanted to stay, 'and why would I want too?'

Aiko stopped and looked at her and gave her a small smile, "Miko's know when they see another Mikos." Kagome looked at her wide eyes before saying, "You're a Miko?" "Well I am in training, my aunt is teaching me the basics, before I become a proper Miko." She paused and her eyes widen with a look of hope, "Will you help me with my teaching? It would be a good experience for me to learn from a different Miko!"

Kagome looked at the girl and she had her hopes up how could she say no? "I will help, but not very much. I'm not that powerful." Aiko stared at her as if she was lying, "How could you say that? You surpass my aunt; she is very wise and powerful." Kagome just shock her head and whispered, "Never mind. Just forget about it until we get ho- … to the village."

Aiko did just that and they continued their walk in silence, but it didn't last long.

Kagome felt something and looked over at Aiko she felt it too, but she had the opposite expression on her face; a smile on her lips that grew bigger and bigger with each second then she began to run. Kagome froze knowing this feeling, knowing who it was coming from, but it had changed… or rather grew into something older. Aiko disappeared over the hill while Kagome stayed near the bottom. She heard a voice and a laugh it was Aiko, then she stopped giggling and then she heard another voice: she knew that voice, it had gotten deeper and older, but it had the same ring to it as it did so many years ago. She could feel the rising tears and her uneven breathing was making her choke on the breathes she was able to get down into her lungs. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. She heard footsteps… and she heard Aiko yelling.

She looked over at the top of the hill and saw a tall figure standing there; their red hair swirling in the air, their green eyes staring at her in disbelief. The figure froze as they laid eyes on her and didn't move from their stop from on top of the hill.

He had grown… he looked like a young man no longer a child that needed to be taken care of or needed to be spoiled by giving candy to him once in awhile, listening to his famous colored stories anymore… No, he was a young man that could defend himself, take care of a village or even a family…

His name on her lips as she murmured softly, "Shippo?"

He was by her side before she could blink and she was in his arms holding her tight as if she would disappear again from his life and she prayed she wouldn't and she begged the gods that they wouldn't let her leave him. She could feel the tears streaming down her face and felt the wetness in her hair coming from him. His once little arms were big enough now to wrap around her waist, she didn't realize she had been lifted off the ground, he had grown head taller than her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, her face in his neck breathing in his scent: pine needles and maple.

They stayed like that holding each other until Shippo broke the silence, "Kag- Kagome?" he sobbed. She half sobbed and half laughed, "Yes?" His sobs and laughter surrounded her. He twirled her around in circles before setting her to her feet gently.

He was very handsome and very young she could see now. She could see the tears flowing down his cheeks and she wiped them away gently, he did the same, but he was cautious and careful in his movements, acting as if she was the most breakable thing in the world and trying to be very careful and trying to hold in all the questions and thankfulness inside himself. He thought if this was an illusion or a dream he would treasure this even if it wasn't real… oh, but it was real.

He had his big hands holding onto her arms thinking if he let go of her she would disappear and her little hands on his chest grasping his kimono. He stared at her, her bright, happy hazel eyes bore into his and more tears brimmed at the corners, but they didn't fall. Her face was the same as he remembered it; young and beautiful, her smile just as bright and happy. He simply looked at her and wondered and finally asked, "How? How are you here? I saw… I saw you in his arms…"

As he spoke the tears finally fell and he wiped them away gently, and she pushed her face in his chest and cried for awhile just letting all it out…letting the guilt out, she felt guilty for leaving them… believing that she was never coming back… and that woman keeping her for 75 years wasn't enough?

"I can explain, but not now… But I can tell you this I'm alive and I'm never going away again, never." She murmured quietly, but she knew he could hear her, he held her tighter as she spoke; he would never let her out of a 5 mile radius of him.

A thought came to him… and he slowly and gently loosened his grip on her just enough to see her face, "What are we going to do when he sees you, Kagome?" She froze in his arms and her tears turned to ones of joy and happiness and she smiled one of pure joy… you would think that this woman never went through any hardships or any pain her whole life. She laughed and threw her arms around his neck again hugging him again. He hugged back… knowing that she loved him and will always love him… and that son of a b*%$ loved her even though he was to damn stubborn to admit it… when she was alive 75 years ago. He didn't know until she was pale, cold, and lifeless, and it was too late… But not anymore, they both had a second chance with each other and if they screwed it up this time then gods help them.

He gently set her on her feet again and pulled her small hand into his large one. They smiled at each other, and Kagome remembered Aiko and looked around, she stopped when she looked around Shippo and there she was; confused and taken back where she stood. Shippo turned around and pulled her to where Aiko stood a couple a feet back from where they stood moments ago.

Aiko stared at Kagome while she as looking at Shippo and Shippo was glancing at Kagome. Aiko cleared her throat and asked, "You know each other?" Kagome could sense the jealousy coming from her as she looked at their intertwined hands. Shippo finally looked over at Aiko and nodded his head and smiled, "Aiko do you know who this is?" Aiko looked at Kagome and then back to Shippo and shook her head. He looked at Kagome and she looked at him then back to Aiko, "This is Kagome. The girl that traveled with us from all those stories we told you," he glanced back at Kagome and whispered, "This is her… the girl that we all loved." Kagome blushed at the comment and looked at the ground trying to find something much more interesting then the conversation.

But she looked up when she heard Aiko's voice, "But she died in the… clearing...," She looked at her then eyes wide in understanding and she continued slowly, "That's why the clearing was blooming… because you came back..." Kagome nodded and looked at Shippo who was staring at her.

"You should know that he left, early this morning… just a few hours before you came. He was asked for help from a neighboring village in the south."

The light in her eyes dimmed just a fraction that she wasn't going to see him right away, but they brightened again because she knew she was going to see him soon. And more importantly she was going to have him back in her life again and she smiled at the thought. She nodded and Shippo began to pull her hand and they continued up the hill Aiko was about to be left behind until Kagome grabbed her hand and smiled at her brightly and Aiko smiled dumbfounded knowing that she was holding the legendary woman's hand.

Shippo trudged them along and a few minutes later the village was insight and Kagome gasped at how large it had grown it was ten times they size she had seen it last, but what do you expect, this place was going to become a big city in the future. That's when the thought snapped into her mind, what happened to my family?

Shippo noticed how Kagome froze and told Aiko to tell the family that they had an important guest and told them to prepare a feast so that he could ask her what wrong. Aiko agreed and left them on path.

"Kagome? Kagome what is it?" She finally realized that she they were alone on the path and glanced up at Shippo; his eyebrows were knitted together and his green eyes were stormy but bright like she remembered them.

"What happened to my family? Are they alright? Do they know what happened?" Lots of questions formed in her head but just a few of them spilled from her mouth. She hoped that they were warm and safe in the future and that they were doing normal things there. And deep down she hoped that they didn't know what happened to her 75 years ago… She prayed that her mother didn't have to hear those words from his mouth. Her other wouldn't have blamed Inuyasha she knew that he would have protected her with his life.

And her prayers were answered.

"Inuyasha has tried many times to go through the well, but it won't let him pass. The first time we saw him try to get through the well we were all there, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and me. We were all there, but he couldn't go through the well it wouldn't let him pass."

She let out a sign of relief and said, "Good. I didn't want them to know what happened." As she looked up she wanted to laugh at his expression; he had one raised eyebrow and he looked at her like she had three heads or better came back from the dead… which was true. He shook his head and pulled her along saying, "The village would like to meet you come on," and she smiled and then frowned.

"What happened to Kirara?" He looked at her and smiled, "She is healthy and doing well. She's with Inuyasha she goes with him when a village is in need of help. She's a little bit bigger, but can still be snuggled by the little kids." She nodded and asked something that hurt them both and brought memories back, "How did she take it when Sango and Miroku passed away?"

He didn't look at her, but said, "She took it… bad, but she is doing better and when she's you, I think she will be happy to see you." He looked at her and continued, "Inuyasha will… I don't know a word that would describe his feelings when he sees you… but I think that he will rejoice and be content." When he finished, Kagome had to swallow the growing lump in her throat. She smiled and it was peaceful and loving. Making Shippo remember good times when he had seen that smile.

They continued their silent walk until Shippo spoke, "Its strange not having you wear your uniform, but you look decent in a kimono." "Decent? I didn't look decent in my school uniform?" He laughed a hearty laughed and she smiled. His laugh was deep and loud just like his voice and he looked to be around her age about twenty.

"Not in this time maybe in your time, but not in ours. Everyone thought you were a witch or something like that when they first saw you." Kagome just shook her head and laughed with him.

The village was becoming closer and closer and bigger and bigger until she could see people running around crazy with things in their hands, shouting and yelling things she couldn't hear, but she bet Shippo could hear them as if they were right in his ear. She looked over at him and asked, "What are they doing?"

He looked over at her and said, "They are preparing a great feast in honor of your return." She looked at him and asked flabbergasted, "Why are they doing that!? I did nothing special I'm not someone important! They don't need to do this!"

"Your are someone very important! The whole village talks about the traveling group that destroyed Naraku! Someone who gave strength when everyone was weak, tired, and wanting to give up! You are the reason why all of these people are here today… You gave the group a push to defeat Naraku… You were the main reason we destroyed Naraku. You gave us hope; you taught us what we needed to know all along how to defeat Naraku and that was to never give up!"

He had been laughing at the beginning when he spoke, but when he got to the middle he turned serious and it was a new trait for Shippo. It made Kagome want to cry tears of joy and sorrow because she wasn't here to see him grow up, she wasn't here to see his child-like mind turn into a mind of an adult, but she was here now and it she was going to take in all that she had missed over the 75 years.

She pulled him into another hug and Kagome whispered, "I missed you so much, Shippo." He sighed contently and replied, "We missed you as well Kagome."

They were interrupted by Aiko, "SHIPPO! KAGOME! We are preparing you as grand feast," she yelled with a smile, "Well the grandest we can make it." She ended with a laugh and Kagome was the one to pull Shippo until they reached Aiko and Kagome pulled her into a tight hug and whispering, "Whatever you have will always be grand to me." She pulled back and saw her big smile.

The three of them walked into the village hand in hand and as soon as Kagome walked in the busy village she was surrounded by happy and joyous villagers. Kagome heard shouts of thanks and praise and she could feel the raising heat in her cheeks and both Shippo and Aiko squeezed her hands.

"Come, we will go to my hut. It would be a treat for my brother and sister to meet you." Aiko whispered in her ear knowing that Shippo could hear. They both led her to the little hut and she was not surprised to see that no one was walking near it and staying a clear distance away from it. Aiko walked in first and then Shippo nodded for her to go in before him and as she walked in she saw Aiko bending over a figure. She thought it was her mother, but as she stood up and walked away she saw that it was a young girl her age around fourteen or fifteen.

Her black hair was chopped off and her light blue kimono was wrinkled from lying on the ground. She yawned and stretched and she looked at Kagome for a second then back down and just as quickly they were wide and looking amazed at her. Her eyes were black and they were very beautiful, her frame was small but built. Her skin tan. She stood up quickly and bowed and her words were rushed, "Welcome, Priestess."

Kagome walked over to her quietly and pulled her out of her bow and murmured, "Don't bow and please call me Kagome." Kasumi smiled and quickly hugged her and then went to Shippo and said, "Good Morning Shippo-chan!" and she wiggled her finger at Shippo and he bent down enough so that they were about the same height and she gave him a peck on the cheek then she was running into another room yelling, "Satoru! She's here! Come on brother, she's here!"

She giggled, "How old is she?" She looked at Shippo at Kagome and blushed, "Kasumi is fifteen and she will be turning sixteen in about a month." She smiled at Shippo's small blush and murmured, "And Satoru? How old is he?" Shippo cleared his throat and said, "He turned seventeen last month. And Aiko is eighteen." She nodded and murmured, "And their mother." But he never got to answer because three teenagers came through the door all smiling.

Shippo and Kagome smiled back, Aiko asked, "Would anyone like some tea?" They all agreed and sat down around the small table. Satoru sat by Kagome who sat by Shippo, which Kasumi sat next to him and Aiko had a place in between Kasumi and Satoru.

Kagome looked over Satoru, his black hair was to his shoulders and his eyes were surprisingly a light brown and his skin was tan as Kasumi's. His grey kimono was wrinkled as well, but not as wrinkly as Kasumi's. He was very much a male teenager, and his voice had a sense of rowdiness to it and she was reminded of Inuyasha. Aiko had said that Satoru did act him and she believed her as he spoke, "So you're the powerful priestess from the stories?" Kagome blushed and murmured, "I suppose, but I'm not that powerful-" she was cut off by Aiko, "Oh, stop it Kagome. You are very well the powerful priestess so stop denying it." She scoffed as she sat down with the tea in her hand and poured the warm liquid in the five cups, but then she got up and poured another cup and walked into another room.

She looked at the three of them and they replied, "She is giving the tea to mother." She nodded and asked, "May I see her after I finish the tea?" Satoru nodded while Kasumi said, "Yes, mother would like that very much if she met the wonderful priestess from all the stories she has heard all her lifetime." She then took her tea and sipped it. Satoru glanced at her and asked, "How are you here now?" Kasumi stopped drinking and listened and so did Shippo. Kagome set the tea cup on the table, but her fingers stayed surely around it.

She looked at her tea and she began with what she remembered, through the mist and humming and the beautiful god. She told them that she hadn't finished something and that's why she was here now. Telling them that she wouldn't remembered everything… she hoped that she would remember the important stuff and hope that the fuzzy stuff wouldn't be costly if she didn't remember.

Kasumi asked about her homeland or time, and Kagome told her that her time is very complicated and hoped that she could wait until she was better rested until she shared her secrets. Kasumi and the other two just nodded and asked about other things and Kagome happily answered them with Shippo's help. They talked and laughed for hours, until Kagome remembered that she wanted to speak to their mother.

"May see your mother now?" They all looked at her they all nodded, but Kasumi stood and Kagome stood and followed her to the other room in the hut. As she walked through the door she sucked in a breath the room was covered in artifacts that she remembered, but they had aged like everything else. The giant boomerang was in the corner and collecting dust and the staff was next to it. Their things were here in this small hut waiting, but never going to be used again.

Shippo was beside her, apparently he felt her discomfort. She looked up at him and tried to smile, but she couldn't hide the tears that were coming. He grabbed her hand and led her to where Kasumi sat beside her mother. They sat beside the futon and Shippo wouldn't let go of her hand, but she liked the contact.

She was a beautiful woman, but the lack of sun made her pale and she appeared very thin under the thick blanket. Her black hair was tied at the nape of her neck and was lying on her shoulder, her hair was long and it looked very clean. Her eyes were shut, but Kagome knew she was alive, she could hear the wheezing when she breathed in and out.

She looked up at Kasumi who was gazing at her worry, it was full of sadness. She looked back at the woman and her eyes were half open, she had a small smile on her dry lips and she whispered, "Well, it is an honor to meet you, Priestess." Kagome smiled and, murmured back, "Please call me Kagome. It is nice to meet the mother of three kind children. They are wonderful." The mother smiled at her words, but then coughed into the blanket. It racked her body and Kagome held her breath until she was done.

Kagome knew want she wanted to do, but didn't know if she could. She thought through the steps if there were any steps at all? Kagome looked at Shippo and pleaded with her eyes asking and telling him what she wanted to do. Shippo saw the determined look in her eye and he nodded and slowly let go of her hand and walked around to Kasumi and pulled her up and they walked out of the little room.

Kagome found her hand and gave it a squeeze. She looked at Kagome and her eyes were turning glassy, her eye lids were falling.

"What is your name?" The woman parted her lips and wheezed out, "Kohana." Kagome smiled and whispered, "That's a beautiful name." Kohana smiled and replied, "Thank you." And her eyes fell and she fell asleep. Kagome swallowed and closed her eyes, and concentrated. She could feel the familiar warm energy flowing through her chest, then through her arms and finally felt it flow into Kohana's body.

It felt good having so much warm energy, but then it was tiring and she felt the flow stop and her hands went limp besides Kohana's. She heard a thud when she hit the ground. She heard running feet the next second. She heard voices and her name. But what made her smile was the smooth breathing that was coming from Kohana.