Miracle

Chapter Five

Outskirts of the Village.

It turned out that Shippo had no idea where Kagome got the scar, much to the girls' dismay. He told them that he never remembered Kagome getting a scar like that so he said it had to be from Kagome's last battle and said that they needed to ask Inuyasha when he got back. It was a whole other thing when Kagome loosened her obi he nearly had a heart attack and when she tightened to fix her kimono Shippo was as red a tomato.

The little room they sat in was quiet for a moment until Shippo smiled and stood as the girls watched him they asked, "Where are you going?" "A surprise." He said over his shoulder. Kasumi looked at Kagome and Kagome shrugged. One second past before he was back into the room with the yellow bag pack in his hands. Kagome smiled forgetting about the scar and excited about the bag, Shippo gladly handed her the bag, while Kasumi stared realizing that that yellow bag was from Kagome's time and it was right in front of her.

"You aren't as excited about it as I thought you were going to be." Shippo said with a tint of disappoint in his voice. Kagome smiled and said, "I saw it this morning while you were snoring." Shippo blushed as Kasumi giggled only making him blush deeper.

Kagome ran her fingers over the fabric like she did this morning and sighed. She undid the buckle and flipped the top over to see what survived and what stayed composed over 75 years; school books, the first-aid-kit which she knew to be empty, two or three small pots, and the little bottle that she carried shards of the jewel in. Her head snapped head and she yelled at herself for not asking not even wondering what happened to the jewel, she felt forgettable and unorganized by that.

Her voice held a mixture of anxiety and panic and her words were rushed for Kasumi, but clear as day to Shippo with his keen hearing.

"What happened to the Scared Jewel?"

It was silent for only two seconds and Shippo glanced at Kasumi, but she avoided eye contact, but he asked any way, "No one has bothered to tell her?" Kasumi was red as a cherry, but she was silent as a dead mouse.

He sighed and he returned his eyes to Kagome and said, "Well, you should be proud of Kaede, she purified the Jewel, but Naraku got to her before we could help her in any way, but we got the Jewel before he could lay a filthy finger on it. Naraku was defeated with out the Jewel, but it wasn't easy, but we got help. No one knew what to do with it so Miroku, since he was a priest, made the wish and it vanished. He said that it was gone from this place and time. We talked about what we would do with it, but when it got down to the point we didn't know where to begin. And when the Jewel was gone we were clueless again. We knew that if we didn't wish for the Jewel to disappear we would never have a normal life and Miroku and Sango needed a life together raise a family. We also knew that demon and human would come after it and we were tired of fighting especially Inuyasha."

She sighed in relief that the Jewel was gone, but as she heard the other parts of the battle she grew scared for the other fighters. As he continued talking Kagome was shocked, Inuyasha was always up for a good fight he always wanted to become stronger. He wanted to become a full demon.

"Inuyasha never used the… Jewel to become a full demon?"

"No. He wanted to get rid of the jewel." Shippo said casually like it wasn't a surprise. Kagome blinked trying to believe that this was the same person same Inuyasha that they were talking about. Kasumi spoke up and murmured softly, "He didn't become a demon because in one of the stories you said that you loved him the way he was. That you loved him as a half demon."

Kagome felt the heat rise in her cheeks at Kasumi's words and she thought that Kasumi was crazy and her eyes raced over to Shippo to confirm if she wasn't making this up. His eyes were avoiding her and a light blush from Kasumi's words on his cheeks, but he nodded. Kagome let go of the breath she had been holding and raised her hand to subconsciously rub the scar.

Kasumi had a small smile on her face as she listened and then she caught Kagome rubbing the scar and asked, "Can I see a book?", hoping that that would distract Kagome. Kagome nodded and reached into the bag and pulled out a history book placed it into Kasumi's eager hands. Kasumi set it in her lap and flipped it open and her eyes were all over the pages and smiling. Kagome didn't know if Kasumi was reading or just looking at the pictures, but she had a feeling that she didn't know how to read, but she was enjoying herself.

Kagome looked at Shippo who was glancing at Kasumi and she nudged him with her knee and smiled when she saw his light blush. Kasumi looked up and said, "Is this history?" Shippo and Kagome looked at Kasumi and Kagome nodded and scooted over beside Kasumi and said, "Yes, this is supposed to be history, but we don't always know what really happened so we have to give a really positive guess that fits within history. So it isn't always accurate." Kasumi nodded and continued to look at pictures and turning the pages to see more. And then Kasumi remembered something she should have told Shippo, she closed the book to Kagome's surprise and scooted over to Shippo who blushed again as she leaned over his ear to whisper into it.

Kagome was shocked and said, "Secrets or are you making fun of me?" As Kasumi leaned away Shippo's eyes grew wide and looked over at her and Kagome was self conscious of her and asked, "What?"

He ignored the question and asked one of his questions, "Who attacked us that day you… died?" Kagome let the breath out she had been holding and said, "Naraku attacked us." Shippo's eyebrows were sewn together and he asked another question, "What happened after Naraku appeared?" Kagome looked away to concentrate and to remember… He transformed into… something and he almost killed Inuyasha and," her eyes widened, "I… don't remember." She looked up to see Shippo looking at Kasumi and Kasumi was looking at her.

Shippo was bewildered, he remembered as a pup the love triangle between Kagome, Inuyasha and the undead woman. He remembered Inuyasha being an idiot for almost choosing the clay pot over a living human, how Inuyasha went off to find the clay pot and Kagome would put on a brave mask, but the sadness and uncertainty would seep out into the open for all to see. And she always would stay beside him even when he was a ……. At times Inuyasha never deserved this compassionate woman, but there were times that she was his only life line for survival. He remembered it like it was yesterday he saw glimpses of Inuyasha, the undead woman, and Kagome and next there was a force throwing him and the others back, and then remorse, guilt and pain. He knew she hated and feared being compared to Kikyo and felt that she was always second best.

Now Kagome had no memory of the one person who was the main source of her sorrow. She didn't remember being Kikyo's reincarnation.

Kagome didn't even know the name when Shippo asked who this Kikyo was, no face appeared either.

Shippo told her the story especially the parts containing Kikyo. Kasumi would add in a few things that Shippo didn't say and now when they retold her the story, Kagome remembered dull or forgotten feelings; sadness, uncertainty, and the panic that she might lose him, that she might lose Inuyasha. They told her how she died and then resurrected 50 years later. How Kikyo wanted to drag Inuyasha to hell with her. The promises Kikyo held against Inuyasha and how she would never let him forget them. How Kikyo helped Naraku at a time and then fight against him all the while. The relationship between Naraku, Onigumo and Kikyo. They reluctantly told her of Inuyasha and Kikyo's relationship.

The more Kagome heard the more heart broken she became, a lump started to form when she heard how much Inuyasha loved Kikyo. She doubted that he would ever wanted her around… she doubted that he would even care if she returned.

Shippo was going to explode from the amount of doubt growing around Kagome. Shippo and Kasumi were quiet again and it was quite an uncomfortable silence. Kasumi swallowed and before she could think the words rushed from her lips.

"You have to know that he loved you."

The tears came then, but they didn't spill over they hung like a bad omen and her lips quivered as she spoke, "How do you know?" It wasn't a question, but Kasumi answered it like it was.

"Because he still loves you."

Her words were soft and warm and Kagome clung to them as if it were her life line. She truly wanted to believe that he did, but she didn't know, she didn't know what to do if they weren't true.

Shippo was shocked at Kasumi's boldness and a little embarrassed, too he felt that he shouldn't had heard those words, but he knew they were true.

"Is she… is she still here?" Kagome's voice was barely above a whisper, but Shippo heard every word. He could hear that tiny hint of hope, but then he could see how she was disgusted with herself that she hoped that she was gone, but that was Kagome…

He shook his head and replied, "No. She was never seen again after the battle. We think she was killed or destroyed by the blast."

Kagome's gloomy, smug attitude made everyone uncomfortable until Kasumi cleared her throat and said, "Um… well I think I should head back and help mama with supper." She stood as she finished and handed Kagome back to the book. Kagome gently shoved the old book back into the bag and laid the bag on the floor next to her. Shippo stood, helped Kagome to her feet and then they were out the reed door and walking to the village.

The sun was low in the sky and made the sky an orange that made the leaves a golden brown and green that was beautiful the silence between the trio was slightly uncomfortable, but soon the tension ceased and it was easier to breathe.

Kagome's eyes wandered over to Shippo and saw a deep red tint to his cheeks, she looked him over head to toe and he seemed normal, but then she caught it. Kasumi walked just one step ahead for one second and she saw that their fingers were intertwined loosely. She darted her eyes forward feeling like she was peeping at an intimate moment between the two, but smiled at Kasumi's boldness. Her boldness in the cabin and now reminded Kagome of herself somehow and remembered when Inuyasha and she argued, but in the end they walked hand in hand. Kagome was sure that these two would never fight, but in the back of her mind she knew Kasumi had a wicked tongue and temper, and a stubborn streak like Inuyasha's. She almost giggled at the thought, but stopped herself thinking that if she made a sound Shippo and Kasumi's moment would end. So no sound escaped from her lips.

Then to her surprise Shippo's voice broke through the air abruptly.

"I can smell her cooking, she already started." And with that Kasumi took off running and she soon disappeared from view a harsh curse rang through the air and a chuckle and a giggle escaped from Shippo and Kagome's lips.

"Finally she did something!" Kagome teased. She glared at her and whispered shyly, "What are you talking about?" "I like her boldness." Kagome said and when he didn't respond she looked up to see why he was being so quiet; he was looking forward and his lips curved up in a smile. His eyes clouded with thoughtfulness, "She reminds me of you sometimes, her boldness, her kindness, she is headstrong like Inuyasha, but when she is pissed off she is as scary as you." He chuckled and Kagome smiled and asked, "Was I that scary?" His booming laughter echoed off the trees and wiped away the stray tears from laughter, "Yes, Inuyasha would scurry away if it wasn't for his pride keeping him put." Kagome laughed and Shippo joined her.

"So he hasn't really changed." Kagome asked.

Shippo shook his head, but avoided any eye contact, "Not very much." Kagome smiled, but she felt this tingle that he wasn't telling her everything or something in particular.

She stopped walking and turned her whole toward him facing his back as he walked only for a moment and he stopped and turned toward her.

"You aren't telling me something Shippo." Her voice was calm and quiet, but it held ice. The ice in her words burned and stung at his skin. He stopped breathing for a moment; He tired to look calm and unmoved by her coldness, he failed. He coked and sputtered his answer, "N- nothing is wr- wrong. N- no- nothing at a- all."

Kagome raised an eyebrow and frowned, "What is it Shippo?" He gulped at her sudden mood swing, from laughing, to ice and then to pleading. "Um, he has changed in appearance-" "Is he an old man?" Shippo let a small chuckle escape and said, "No, but he does look older."

"How much older?" She asked the ice returning to her voice.

"Well he doesn't look like a boy anymore… he looks like he could be 25 or 26 in human years." He shrugged hoping that would stop her from interrogating him, but ho hope their.

"Huh?" She asked confused and once again the coldness disappeared.

"He looks like Sesshomaru in age almost, but a little younger."

Kagome was once again shock even though she shouldn't have… it was 75 years later he should look older. Shippo grew… he really grew and Kagome was still having a hard time reminding herself that this young man was the little fox demon looking for revenge for his fathers death. "I shouldn't be surprised, but I am." Kagome said a little confused and, of course, surprised.

Shippo smiled and said, "It's alright. When a demon is younger we grow faster and when we reach maturity we slow down and stop for awhile." Kagome smiled and nodded.

A few minutes later they walked through the reed door and Kagome could smell the soup that Kohana made the first day she came back and smiled. Kasumi was getting the wooden bowls out form under a little workstation and brought them over to set them on the table, she turned and saw them and she smiled at them, "Hello again." Kohana looked up from the steamy pot and smiled, "Well good evening Kagome-sama and Shippo- chan."

Shippo said hello and sat down, and Kagome said hi and sat next to him and waited for the others to come and sit with them. Kasumi had six bowls in her arms and gave her mother to fill one bowl after another. When each bowl was filled and placed evenly around the low table, Shippo said casually, "Satoru and Aiko are coming." And as he finished the two walked in through the door way and sat down around the table saying hellos and digging in. Kagome, Kasumi, Kohana, and Shippo had burst into laughter when they saw the large bump on Satoru's forehead, but their laughter was muffled from Satoru's heated glare around the table daring anyone to laugh at him.

They continued eating with snickers here and there and once the meal was over they sat and talked about their day until Kohana suggested they retire for the night. They said their goodnights and wished everyone a good nights rest. Shippo and Kagome started walking out of the village when Shippo stopped and stood. "What is it?" Kagome asked, but her question was answered when she heard Kasumi running to catch up with them. "Are you coming with us?" Kagome asked and Kasumi nodded and murmured, "Yes mama said that would be alright." Kagome nodded and then the girls followed Shippo back to the hut.

Their walk was quiet and nice. The warm night and a chilly breeze swept through and gave Kagome goose bumps. They reached the hut and they climbed the stairs of the porch and through the doorway. They returned to the last spot where they sat, but Kasumi scooted closer to Shippo and leaned against the wall of the hut and signed, "So when do you think Inuyasha will be back? What did he have to do?"

Kagome listened to the conversation, but dug into her bag trying to busy herself.

Shippo looked over to see Kagome literally in the yellow bag, and answered, "I thought he would be back today, but he didn't so I think he will show up sometime tomorrow. The man who came to ask his help said that there was a family who needed help or something, I didn't catch the whole thing, but Inuyasha was pretty upset when he left." Kasumi 'hmmmed' and closed her eyes. The candle that was lit danced across the walls and over their features casting shadows everywhere it looked mysterious and beautiful as Kagome watched the two, Shippo leaned against the wall with Kasumi and Kasumi's head rested against his arm since his shoulder was a head higher. Their hands close together and soon they held hands and their fingers were intertwined. Kagome smiled and wished that Inuyasha would be like Shippo show his soft side once in awhile, but she was happy for the rare moments they shared and smiled.

Minutes passed and then Kasumi somehow was laying her head on Shippo lap and the once calm and quiet demon was a tomato. His cheeks burned and his gaze went up to reach Kagome's and his face reddened even more at Kagome's content smile.

"Shippo you should tell her." Kagome's voice was soft, but firm. "Tell her what?" his voice was skeptical like he didn't know what she was talking about. Kagome signed, "You know what I mean you baka. Tell her how you feel. Don't make the same mistake I did. You never know what might happen tomorrow." Shippo's voice was low as he said, "Nothing is going to happen tomorrow." "Did you know that I was going to die that day Shippo? You never know what is going to happen. Life just happens and you can't stop it. Tell her so that if anything did happen she would know how you feel. You won't have regrets." Shippo's eyes softened and he nodded knowing she was right and he did want to tell her, but afraid that she would reject him, then he groaned in his mind knowing that was the same reason neither Inuyasha nor Kagome confessed to one another, but that's what everyone is afraid of. He gently and slowly combed his fingers through her short hair and continued do the gesture until Kasumi shifted in her sleep and when she stilled he continued to comb through her hair.

"Tell me what happened to everyone after the battle with Naraku?" Kagome asked or rather commanded, but in a soft voice.

Shippo was thoughtful for a minute, "Well, Sango found out that she was pregnant right after the battle the following morning. Miroku was overprotective when he found out that she was pregnant in the final battle and hardly let her do anything after the first three months when she started to show a bump," he smiled when he noticed Kagome thinking of how Sango would be if she was there, "She was dangerous with her mood swings, he would be out cold sometimes, when I visited them. She had a baby girl, they wanted to name her Kagome, but Inuyasha said no and that was it. So they named her Amaya, since she was born at night and it was storming so it seemed to fit. A year after that they had a boy and named him Kohaku after Sango's brother. Two years after that they had twin girls, they named them Hikari and the other Kaoru. They were the rowdiest pair of twins I have ever seen, they played tricks on everyone, and they were quite a handful for Miroku and Sango.

"Um… Kohaku had died when he volunteered for them to take the jewel away from him. Sango was heart broken, but she knew it had to be done. He's buried next to Miroku and Sango." "Where are they buried?" Kagome interrupted. "They're buried next to the God Tree. They wanted to be buried there knowing that you would live next to their graves." Kagome nodded happy that they wanted to be buried next to the God tree knowing she would live by it and they would be close to her through out time. Shippo continued, "Two or three years after your death," He smirked, "Koga mated Ayame, they had a boy whose name is Shinobu, I think and they have a girl named Kumiko. Shinobu looks around 18 for human age and the girl Kumiko looks fifteen for human age. The year after Shinobu was born Koga went off to fight in the battle since… you're not going to believe this, but Inuyasha asked for Koga's help." Kagome was indeed surprised, but she knew that they needed to work together, "So they went off to kill Naraku.

"I think that Koga and Ayame are suspecting another child sometime this winter so we will have to go and see them. Sesshomaru appeared out of no where in the middle of battle and helped us win the fight. The battle was long and hard, but we won. Inuyasha as always was bloody, but alive. Miroku was excited about losing the wind tunnel, but not when he really needed it to have an easy victory, we were all banged up pretty good, and even Sesshomaru was banged up.

"A decade later, I think Ren was eighteen when Sesshomaru asked her to be his mate-" "Wait? Sesshomaru mated with Ren the little girl? Isn't she dead?" Shippo smiled and said, "Sesshomaru found a way to keep Ren alive as long as him and age with him. No one really knows how, but it's Sesshomaru he will always find a way." "Kasumi doesn't know does she?" Kagome asked a little confused. Shippo looked puzzled and ask, "What?" "When we were talking down to the hot springs- we were talking and she… um…," she looked up at Shippo and he had one eyebrow rose and the other down his mouth in a frown. "Well we were talking and we were talking about- me and Inuyasha and stuff and she said- that she didn't know a way for me to live with Inuyasha as long as he lives…"

"Kagome."

"Yes?"

"What were you really talking about?" He seemed hopeful a little as he asked.

"What I just told you. We were talking about Inuyasha and me." It wasn't the whole truth, but part of it was.

The little hope dimmed, but it was still there, "Oh."

"So Ren's still alive and young?" Kagome asked hoping that would distract him and she would get to know what happened to the little girl Rin and Sesshomaru's little happy ending.

Shippo nodded and murmured, "Yeah, she looks like she is still eighteen even though she had four kids and one on the way." Kagome smiled and was literally amazed; Sesshomaru wasn't the type of… man to settle down and start a family let alone get married to a human. "Tell me more about the kids how old they are, what they look like, everything. Is Sesshomaru nicer or more polite to Inuyasha since his kids are half demon, too, like Inuyasha?"

Shippo laughed at that part remembering when Sesshomaru brought along Ren, her stomach big as a melon, "Yeah he is, when he came to the village he brought Ren along and her stomach was as big as a melon she looked like she was ready to pop! And when we found out that it was Sesshomaru's child in Ren, jaws dropped everywhere. It was pretty hilarious. Ren was literally shining she was so happy just looking at her made everyone smile," his smile decreased somewhat, "Well almost everyone," Kagome got the feeling Inuyasha was still depressed even after a decade, "Sesshomaru really didn't act like himself expect for the cold stare threatening to kill you if you looked at him from too long, but you could see the happiness even though it was only a little.

"He took Inuyasha aside and talked to him for almost an hour, my hearing was very poor at my age so I didn't hear much of the conversation, but Inuyasha was shocked to the bone when they walked back together… I think we all were aside from Ren and Sesshomaru. Both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were nonviolent and that was a new feature for Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. They talked and that was it, no yelling or name calling, just talking. They left after a couple of hours and about one month later Ren gave birth to a baby boy, Sesshomaru named him, Takahiro, he looks like Ren when he smiles, but anything else and he's a clone to Sesshomaru it's kind of scary. He has silver hair and gold eyes and of course the doggy ears, which Ren loves when ever she has a chance she will rub her kids ears, they all hate it though. Takahiro looks like he's 18 or 17 in human years, but he acts a lot older, which he gets from Sesshomaru.

"A year or two after that, Ren and a little girl Sesshomaru named, Minako, she is the most like Sesshomaru out of the kids it's strange, she looks like Ren she could even be her twin and she has a crescent moon on her forehead like Sesshomaru. She has black hair which is also strange and she has golden eyes like Sesshomaru. She looks around Kasumi's age maybe a little older.

"Four years after that Ren had the twins, Isamu and Osamu, they are nothing like their father, personality wise, but in looks and anything else that's all Sesshomaru. Kami, Isamu and Osamu are like two pees' in a pod, they play pranks on everybody expect their parents. They are the hyper balls of the kids, but they will behave when Sesshomaru and Ren is around.

"I think Ren, like Ayame, is suspecting another baby this winter so we might have to pay a two visit unless the kids are wanting to come out here. So we will have to wait and see." Shippo shrugged at the last part and Kagome giggled, "I never would have thought that Sesshomaru would be a father, but miracles happen."

Shippo nodded and looked down at Kasumi; he was still combing his long, large fingers through her short hair and she was sound asleep.

Kagome thought about the day and went through it again, remembering that she wanted to ask Shippo about Aiko's behavior in the hut this morning. She looked over to him and asked, "Do you know what is bothering Aiko?" He paused as if he was caught, but caught doing what she didn't know. He looked up, swallowed, and relied, "She is worried about convincing her aunt that you are real and she is worried that something bad will happen, that's all." His tone was serious, but she could sense the truth in his words so she didn't ask anymore on the subject.

She tired to close her eyes and sleep, but she was too awake, she wanted to busy herself and as she opened her eyes and pulled the yellow bag on her lap Shippo asked something that almost frightened her, "What do you think will happen when Inuyasha finds out you're alive?"

Her breathing quickened just a fraction and she swallowed hard and licked her lips, "I don't know… I just hope that nothing bad will happen… for some reason I have this feeling that something bad is going to happen, but I don't' know what. I just hope I'm wrong. I'm so excited that I'll be able to see him, but I'm so nervous. I want… to love him, but I'm afraid-" "Why? You shouldn't be afraid, Kasumi's words were true, are true, he does… he still loves." Shippo snapped, but they softened ant the end.

It only reassured her for awhile, but she held onto it. Kagome nodded and leaned her head back and closed her eyes… she was tired all of a sudden and all she wanted to do was sleep, until he came and woke her up and smiled down at her. She held onto that image as she drifted to sleep.

Shippo watched as she fell asleep silently hoping that she didn't hold onto any negative things of the past or present. He didn't sleep that night his mind was filling thousands of ways of what could happen tomorrow and he prayed and hoped that whatever did happen tomorrow would be good and they would go on with their lives, but unlike Kagome he knew it wouldn't be, there was always obstacles in the way and if they got stuck they would be stuck for a long time.