A/N: The video game question was because I'm fond of video games, particularly Bioware because of the amazing storylines and romances are amazing. I ask because I wonder if anyone in the plays and would enjoy fanfiction from those games. Last chapters… you ready for this?

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran or Inuyasha.

As starry-eyed as Kagome was from the engagement and the magic that had transpired, normality had to lay claim on their lives again. Everything had to go back to normal... or at least, what constituted as normal for her little family.

Kagome was staunch enough in the here and now that she knew she needed to set her eyes on the prize. She was already in cahoots with Sesshomaru about interning her last semesters in high school at his hospital as a nurse and continuing on through college. He'd already sent her brochures that she was going to look over with her mother on colleges in the area for nursing. It was oddly endearing to pass over the brochures and know Sesshomaru was watching after her. He'd even made little notes in the brochures about which places had a mix of economic students, which colleges were closer to the shrine, which ones had daycares. Kagome snorted at that. But you never knew if plans went awry.

Her grandfather kept insisting on helping her choose her college, claiming that he'd chosen her father's by using a scrying crystal. How he'd gotten her father to attend a random university picked out by a rock was beyond her imagination.

The young teenager breathed in deep the outside breeze of flowers and dew of the Wednesday morning they were allowed to return back to school after the last week's disaster. The sweet smells gave rise to ambition and optimism. It was nice to know she was heading towards making her dreams come true. Standing in the breeze with the school ground's flowers dancing around their ankles would've been a nice way to spend the day together, but it wouldn't have accomplished anything except procrastination and possibly a grass stain or two from groping each other in their boredom. Kyoya and Kagome stood looking up at the imposing Ouran High School that peered down at them through a front of mocking affluence. His reliable hand reached over and clutched onto hers. It wasn't as much as a clutch as it was an affirmation that they were finally on their own paths as they were about to face the battle ahead of them. Battle being a loose term, but they still had a couple of trials yet to face.

Surprisingly, it appeared that there was no cause for jitters or alarm as they walked to the entrance. They'd asked for the chauffeur that Sesshomaru had sent them to drop them off a ways away so they could walk together and brace themselves for whatever may await them.

Instead of bullying looks, they were met at the entrance of the school by genteel people they'd come to call friends: Tamaki, Mori, Honey, Kaoru, Hikaru, Haruhi, and even Renge stood as a divide from them and the scathing gossip within the school.

Already recon work had been transpiring since the days before. Renge's recruitment into the scheme of things had added benefits. The little French heiress had spewed forth a tale of an arranged marriage laced with a false mystery character she was in love with that she'd kept secret for fear of disapproval from her father. Of course, the avid imagination at work was able to sweep most eager fans into believing Kyoya was the one needing the consoling and sympathetic looks. For he was the gallant one, who upon realizing both he and Renge loved others, he'd called off the wedding and was immediately disinherited.

Or so was the story Renge wove.

Renge was quicker to turn a tale than ever Kaede had ever been. No wonder the girl was publishing her own manga series about the Host Club. She'd even made this story into a beautiful manga that she'd sold left and right, all proceeds going to help Kyoya in his dire hour. The students needn't know that it wasn't that dire given Kagome's newest "relations," but he would save the money aside as he always did.

Tamaki clamped a reassuring hand on Kyoya's shoulder as Mori and Honey held the doors open for them. Hikaru and Kaoru strode in with arms looped with Haruhi. And Renge took Kagome's other hand. The couple wasn't going to be alone on this endeavor. But then again, Kagome never was.

Their friends didn't know just yet Kagome's capabilities. Didn't know what had returned, but she already knew they'd get to that. Her mind was too pensive to speak that morning anyway.

As steps crossed over the velvety floored threshold more rumors began to spread.

"Did you hear? Kagome Higurashi is actually the heir to Taisho Hospitals!"

"Did you see the ring on her finger?! She and Kyoya are engaged! They have to be!"

"Do you think she's pregnant?" "No way, she's so small!"

"Renge said they've been a couple secretly. Isn't that romantic?!"

"Do you think Kyoya will be kicked out of school now since he's, you know, poor?" "What? No, not with Kagome as his fiancée. She's loaded now! An heiress!"

"Oh it's so romantic!"

And so the news went like a tidal wave over the school. Covering all in its path and dragging in debris and tidbits from one conversation to drift towards another until everything was watery and indecipherable; until the true story became the absolute ridiculous.

Doing something so simple as venturing into the room, like an upside-down buttercup swaying back and forth, still had an effect on the cool looking boyfr—fiancée. Kyoya's eyes liked watching her walk ahead of him simply for this reason and it didn't go unnoticed by others how sometimes his eyes lingered on Kagome. It was the one appeal of the "cool type" that drove the fangirls crazy. That he had a soft side for one person and one person alone.

Kyoya looked on Kagome with something akin to reverent appreciation, one of the many things he'd learned from this slip of a woman. It was interesting for Kagome to feel the pull of another. To know that her lips and chin, her hips and tips, legs and calves were all being caressed by another's uncritical eyes. The balmy glow that washed over her was that of love for this ardent observer and it helped bolster the courage that Kagome felt she needed that day.

There was a sort of ownership as Kagome took her place behind the mahogany desk. This classroom was hers to teach and it gave a sort of calm balm about Kagome's heart. She belonged and nothing anyone did or said could refute that. This was her room and the teachers hadn't forgotten that she still taught sign language to the students as this room had been fixed just as beautifully as the other damaged classrooms. Not that they would've left any room still marred from the earthquake, but it was nice to think that they did it for her.

Kagome set her books down and calmly watched the students taking their seats. Their mouths were moving in eager conversations as she waited for the bell to ring and signal lessons. Kyoya and Kagome shared a look as he gripped her fingertips and brushed a soft kiss on them as charmingly as any Host Club member could do. Except, this wasn't a ruse to charm a woman. He already had her charmed. This was a genuine display of affection. Eyes, of course, had strayed to this little slip of the usual cool type host and this touching scene would undoubtedly make its way in conversation on the other side of school before class was over. For once, Kyoya didn't stand behind Kagome. As much as he would have loved to hover there translating for her, being beside her, Kyoya understood.

The struggle with Kagome's demon was coming to a close.

Today, Kagome would conquer her silence to the world.

The cool Host Club member knew this was something she wanted—needed to do in her own way. And so Kyoya took his seat patiently beside Renge.

Tamaki brushed by, but Kagome's hand locked onto his wrist. Who better? He'd been a great friend and she wanted to see his reaction as much as anyone's. He'd been the one to originally open the door to Ouran for her. Tamaki had been the one to offer her return to the academy and he'd given her the persistent nudge she'd needed to wake up. "Kagome? Do you need me to translate for you?"

The fat smile on was a broad and happy answer, so Tamaki stood waiting in oblivion to what Kagome had in store for them.

The bell rang and the young student teacher waited until absolute silence settled over the classroom as they watched her in anticipation. Already there was an air about Kagome that suggested today wasn't going to be like any other day.

Fingers moved slowly in a pattern the student's were used to translating. "As you all know," began Tamaki, "many things happened this week. Horrible and great. This week, with Kyoya's help, something amazing happened—I think we all know that, Kagome," Tamaki cut in with a chuckle. His eyes lingered pointedly on her ring.

This sent the students in a tizzy of discussion amongst themselves.

The sly thing shook her head. "Tamaki," she whispered in a teeny tiny voice, catching the prince off guard. His eyes lit up to a shining violet. Kagome had just spoken! She was trying to talk!

Tamaki shouted out over the chatter, "Silence!" Everyone was jerked to attention since it was very rare that Tamaki used his commanding presence in such a way. "Kagome, I believe you want to tell us something, yourself?"

She nodded her gratitude to Tamaki. Everyone was waiting on the edges of their chairs, eyes on her hands waiting for her to tell them something in sign language. She brought her hands up touching her cheeks and her mouth opened.

Timidity was out the window.

It was time to sing and be heard.

Tears shone in her eyes. She'd joyously cried enough already, but her thankfulness for its return never dampened the feeling.

Tamaki was excited having finally gotten down enough sign language to communicate in full out conversations this past week! It had taken him hours of concentration-

"My voice," she said. Her voice resonated through the room loudly covering the students in a warm savory sort of sweet wine-like quality in tone and resonance. Their expressions were priceless: confusion, joy, and absolute astonishment. "I can speak again. Because of Kyoya."

The surge of support was unexpected as students left their seats and surrounded her in praise and elation. Haruhi was hugging Kagome tightly and the priestess couldn't help but hug anyone who came within arm's length of her with congratulations and kind words. Hikaru and Kaoru were begging her to say their names after such a long time, which she easily obliged only to become part of a Hitachiin sandwich. The swell of pride came for the tribulations she'd been through and defeated overwhelmed Kyoya and left him in an awed state.

Kyoya wove his way through the crowd. He was pretending to try and give her room from the horde of loving friends, but really he was trying to get close to her. He was always trying to be there for her even when the world didn't want him to. And Kagome didn't care who could hear her as her next words came straight from the heart. "I love you, Kyoya. Thank you."

The cool face remained, but his eyes held her own in a honey sweet embrace. Of course, they couldn't bask in the moment forever. There was still a class to teach. He rounded on the students after an ample amount of congratulations had passed to his fiancée. "Shouldn't the rest of you be getting back to your seats? Kagome can discuss this great news after class is over." He clapped his hands getting them to resume their lessons. Just because the ability had returned to Kagome didn't mean that there was a need to stop this class. She wanted them to know that there were still people out there who couldn't communicate with the rest of the world the way most people did.

Days passed and days neared. Each one slashed through on her calendar and each day bringing a brighter smile to her mother's face who seemed to be bursting at the seams with happiness. By the time the evening of Renge's party was upon them, Kagome's mother looked as if she'd swallowed the sun before they'd even arrived to their destination.

Everything had been leading up to this. Being completely aware of how right this felt still didn't stop the nerves fluttering in Kagome's belly. It was nice to know though that she was not alone and that her family and friends were in the other room waiting for her entrance. Soon all of their problems would find a resolution.

Fuyumi stared back at the young girl. This was their very first time ever actually meeting, but Fuyumi knew it wouldn't be the last. Especially with the reasoning behind today's party. Sure, there was a business deal to secure, but the way in which it was being secured was the real objective. Little to no interaction and yet this lone woman had done so much already for Fuyumi's little brother. She'd upturned Fuyumi's father's command and made Kyoya do the impossible: question the limits of their father's authority. That alone made Fuyumi enamored with Kagome's very existence. She'd done something that Fuyumi had secretly wished she had. She'd married for love. The elder woman, who really didn't look that much older than Kagome, pretended to fret with Kagome's hair and the lace sitting atop it.

"Why did you marry?" Kagome finally asked as Fuyumi hooked a gift around Kagome's necklace. The pale white Ootori crest on a mauve cameo necklace that had once belonged to Fuyumi's grandmother who'd married an Ootori. It was something old and kind of blue.

No one had ever asked this question. Even Kyoya had kept quiet on the matter and he was the person she was closest to in their family. "I thought I had no other choice. I was the only girl and had no claim to the Ootori name." She'd always been impressed upon as a child to learn everything that needed to be learned to be a good wife. It had been more of a childish game for her at the time, pretending to learn to be a housewife. And then the marriage had happened. "There's something you need to know about our father. Everyone must have a proper place and reasoning. I hadn't found mine," Fuyumi stated. Thinking back on it she'd been swayed and wooed properly by a son who'd been schooled in the arts of presenting his better side. It was no surprise she'd thought herself in love with the match just as Renge had envisioned herself with the match with Kyoya. "The idea of just being lucky enough to fall in love and please my father was too much." And the illusion had broken once the honeymoon was over. "I saw what I wanted to see. Not what was actually there."

She'd known next to nothing about her husband other than his family name and status. And the marriage hadn't turned to love. Especially upon finding out about the mistress that lived less than an hour's drive away.

Kagome lightly touched Fuyumi on the shoulder. It was a strong woman that could admit her mistakes and acknowledge her own situation at being not so grand. "I'm sorry."

"It's quite alright." Fuyumi straightened up, seeing Tamaki over Kagome's shoulder heading straight for them in the long hallway just outside the ballroom. "Besides, you two have given me courage."

"Oh?"

"You may not be the only ones to defy my father soon." And with that Fuyumi left Kagome, headed towards the few women in Kagome's life that had made a difference: the ones that really mattered. Matrons and maids, but most of all, strong and loyal women.

The best laid plans often get waylaid, but these plans had a demon lord presiding over them. And not a spot was out of place as Kagome and the rest prepared for their big night. That morning a private flight from France had landed. Kagome knew this information had Tamaki bouncing around happier than he'd ever been in his life. The prince of the Host Club was trying terribly hard to act calm and composed. But this was it. He was finally going to see his mother! And there was nothing his grandmother could do about it because she was Sesshomaru's guest to the big Renge shindig!

"How do I look? How do I look?" He frantically asked, pacing back and forth in front of the bright windows of the hallway. Below in the French styled garden was an overabundance of color and naked statue art with bright lanterns strung about everywhere for the night's festivities. A pause in step and his pouting lips were quite a sight.

The laugh that met his ears was a nice one. It wasn't kept in and quiet from restraint, it was a real laugh and Tamaki turned bright eyes to someone he had determined was one of the best friends he could ever have in his life. "I think you look fine, Tamaki. Better than fine. Perfect," stated Kagome. Her hands patted down his lapels and repined his bright pearl creamed flower against his lapel that had come loose. "Now if you would, how do I look?"

Kagome gave a quick twirl and Tamaki remembered. Today wasn't just his day to make things right in the world. It was hers, too. The prince strode to the little priestess and patted settled the lace over her upturned face of dimpled loveliness. The dress made her a vision of the softest and sweetest dreams imagined. It was white, but not white. Like the silken petal of a light purple evening primrose. It was the perfect blend of lavender without the purple becoming too strong. It fit for them. Somewhere amongst the party in the other room, Kyoya was wearing a lavender flower to match. There was a lavender rose pattern on the bodice in little intricate ivy with pearls making the dress shine every time she caught the light. A gift from Hikaru and Kaoru.

"Kagome, you look like the evening sun on a snowy mountaintop." Tamaki always knew the right things to say and she was grateful for his poetic nature as she hugged him tightly.

A faint familiar tune that many people in the world would recognize began a slow start in the ballroom. The main party hadn't started yet, wouldn't for another hour. But the pre-party was just beginning. Slowly, one by one, Kagome's female friends left the hallway until there was only Kagome and Tamaki alone together. "Kagome, I need to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"Do you really believe we can fix anything we want to?"

The priestess was quiet for a moment, evaluating Tamaki's question. If there was on person's honest opinion he could trust it was Kagome's. "No." She couldn't fix the fact that Miroku was dead. She couldn't fix that Sango had lost her brother to mortality. That months and years had been spent without a voice.

But there were things she'd managed to fix, if not just contribute enough effort to for other's to fix on their own.

Her broken heart.

The ability for a pair of twins to realize that other people existed outside of their quite little world.

The future of two cousins who hadn't thought that far about what they wanted to do in their lives and now were coming to realize what they wanted from life.

She'd helped reestablish a friendship with a lonely girl who'd felt like the only pauper in a school.

A stubborn man who'd only thought he knew what he wanted in life.

And now, she was betting Tamaki was getting at what they were both trying to fix: a boy very much in need of both of his parents in his life. "But if you never try, you'll never know what you're capable of."

Sota strode in at that moment and nodded his head in the direction of the doors. "Tamaki, that's your cue to get out there and settle people down. Your mom should be in the front row with your dad."

"Thank you, Kagome," the prince whispered, leaning down to kiss her cheek. Was that a shine in his eye or a tear? He'd moved too quickly for her to catch it as Tamaki briskly walked away with a pep in his step like none anyone had ever seen.

The dapper suited younger brother straightened his coat jacket. At that moment, Kagome caught a glimmer of the man her brother was going to become. "Sure of what you're doing, sis?"

"As sure as jumping into a time-traveling well," she replied as he hooked her arm with his. There were no butterflies in her stomach. A decision constituted as a choice having to be made. There was no doubt in Kagome's mind that this wasn't a choice. This was meant to happen. "Thanks," she murmured quietly. At his inquiring look she rolled her eyes. "You know… for standing in for dad."

"I think dad would've been pleased. Particularly, with the fact that you're going to be pissing off his former boss," replied Sota, sending his sister into a fit of laughter.

"Let's do this," Kagome said eagerly.

Ready to begin another adventure.

A/N: Give me a bit of time to reread, spell proof, and check transitions and there will be another chapter following this one and then hopefully the last chapter. I'm going to try and not leave you guys in suspense. Hope you guys are enjoying the read and have had a Happy New Year! Also, a shout out to my friend Tinabug: Thank you for the holiday goodies! Look in the mail for your gift, lovley!