Chapter 21: Liquid Memories

It was three weeks after the funeral of Kagome's grandfather when she was released from the hospital. Kagome hadn't needed much physical therapy; she healed remarkably fast and with Inuyasha by her side the whole way, she felt empowered. She had grieved hard as she sat in a wheel chair at her grandfather's funeral, the reality of his death sinking in as the smell of burning incense assaulted her nose. But with every day that she spent recovering, she felt her grandfather's presence near her grow.

Inuyasha opened the door to Kagome's mother's house and called out "guess who's home!" but was only greeted by the echo of his own voice. "Hmm, guess they aren't home." Inuyasha huffed.

"It's okay Inuyasha. I don't need them here to fuss over me anyway. Etsu probably has a doctor's appointment today; you know she's due any day now." Kagome bubbled. She was more than excited to start her new life by watching her baby brother bring in a new life and she was happy to be able to share all this with Inuyasha, who deserved to see a new soul be born into a world that has held only pain, loss and death for the hanyou.

Inuyasha's eyes fallowed Kagome's every move as she entered the house she had grown so accustomed to. He realized that this was her first time back here since her grandfather's death and even he had sensed the loss in the old house. He knew Kagome had grown up in this house with her family; her heritage's scent had been intertwined with the old property. Every tree, building and stone on this land had been touched by Kagome and her family at one point and Inuyasha's senses felt the land mourn the death of the grandfather, but at the same time it rejoiced in the union of souls from across time. He sighed in satisfaction. Despite all the tragedy that had surrounded the years and especially the last month, he finally felt as if everything was falling into place. Like the very energy of his world was working out and life was about to start a new chapter with all the pieces in their proper places. A world that no longer felt teetered on a pedestal.

"Inuyasha, what are you thinking about?" Kagome asked, snapping Inuyasha out of his daze.

"Hmm? Nothing much." He closed the door behind him and moved to Kagome's side where she stood in the family room. "Just how…right… it feels being back here with you." Inuyasha ran his hand through Kaogme's hair, brushing the stray strands from her blushing face. "You know, I never stopped loving you, even when I was sure I was never going to see you again. Every moment you were out of my life, I loved you even more." Inuyasha smiled as he watched Kagome's eyes melt at the touch of his words.

"Oh, Inuyasha, I love you too. I tried forgetting, but every time it seemed that it was working, something came along that reminded me of you and my friends in the past." Kagome said. The memory of her friends of the past and the recent events left a lump in her throat.

"Kagome, Inuyasha?" Kagome's mother's voice rang through the house, the suddenness of it making the two jump. Kagome smiled and turned to see her mother kicking off her shoes as she entered the home. "Sorry we weren't here when you guys got back, but I'm glad you got the taxi I sent for you. Etsu had a false alarm, but she'll be staying at the hospital overnight, just in case." Mrs. Higurashi crossed the distance between her and Kagome and caught Kagome in a big hug. "I'm so glad you're home, dear. I've missed you so much, things have been a little quiet and it will be nice to have you two here."

"Mom, thank you." Kagome said, returning the warm embrace.

"Kagome! Hey, you're home. Look, we got you a cake!" Sota said as he kicked the door behind him closed, holding up a rather large purple air brushed cake with pink cherry blossoms decorated across it and on the top was "Welcome home Kagome!" finely airbrushed against a setting sun over the ocean.

"It's beautiful! This must have been expensive." Kagome cried.

Kagome's mother blushed and looked back at Sota; who looked just as guilty. "Well, Hun, when we were looking at cakes, Sota mentioned who it was for and the lady had seen your story on the news and it turns out her son was one of your asthma patients at your clinic and insisted on making your cake, no charge." Kagome's mother smiled widely.

"She said you had done so much for her and her family." Sota said as he put the cake on the table.

Kagome looked the cake over and saw the artist's name airbrushed at the bottom of the mural on the top of the cake. Her mind skidded to a halt as she remembered the first time she saw that name on a chart. She remembered a sick little boy who had come into the e.r, intubated and unresponsive as his sobbing mother was herded to a back room, by herself, to allow the doctors to work on the child. Kagome was only in her internship at the e.r then. She remembered seeing the mother in the corner of the room, balled up and crying, and thought to herself that someone should be with that woman. She immediately got what little information she could from the attending doctor for the boy and went to the mother with what little she knew. She knew that the child had an asthma attack accompanied by a fever and the doctor could only assume that the boy had an upper respiratory infection, he mentioned pneumonia but needed x-rays to be sure. But the most important thing was that they got the boy's oxygen blood level up and his blood pressure down.

It was amazing how a little information can calm a hysterical mother. Kagome realized that the scariest thing for any family member to go through was just not knowing. It was a relief when the mother was finally allowed to see her son, Kagome had to get back to work, but every time a nurse or doctor came in to check vitals or administer medications, Kagome was right there, explaining what they were doing and giving him and why.

The boy, Yoji, had been sick with pneumonia, but his mother had been too poor to take him to a doctor until it was too late. He had a history of asthma, he had been sick with it ever since he was an infant. After Kagome had been given money for her practice, she had contacted Yoji's mother and offered free medical care through case study research. It was an inexpensive way to get test subjects for new medications plus Yoji would get the medication he needed for free and his mother was paid for each new major case study they participated in. He had been a patient of Kagome's up to the day her practice halted the night Hojo attacked her.

"I'll have to send her a thank you card. This was more than necessary. But I'm not one to let a perfectly good cake go to waste. Who wants cake?" Kagome announced.

"You wait right there missy. You're not going to destroy such a work of art before I get a picture of it." Mrs. Higurashi pulled out a digital camera from her purse and snapped a couple of quick shots. "Ok, now let's dig in." She smiled as she put the camera on the table.

"Great. I'll get some plates and something to cut with." Sota said as he disappeared into the kitchen.

The three of them moved to the dining room while Sota went to the kitchen and sat at the table. "So you two, you guys have any plans?" Mrs. Higurashi asked as she sat across from Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Well, I'd like to start with a vacation. I'm going to have to figure out what to do for work. I got a letter from the board of directors that I'll be receiving compensation while Hojo's case is under review, so I still have a little money coming in until further notice. But I really want to get my practice back up and running in the near future." Kagome stated and glanced to Inuyasha who was sitting on her left. "Inuyasha, what do you think?"

"Feh. I think you should start by taking it easy. I'm not going anywhere, so take all the time you want." Inuyasha snorted, but at second glance he was smirking making Kagome giggle.

"But what about Miroku and Shippo?" Kagome asked.

"They know you're okay. Shippo even said everything was going to be ok before I left with you. And as long as they know I'm with you, they know we're fine. Besides, Shippo's a man and has already agreed that should anything happen to me, he and Miroku would build up the shrine and keep it safe for generations. It was the only thing we could think to do for you, to remind you that we were with you this whole time." Inuyasha stated with a slight sadness etched his voice.

"I never knew that." Kagome said, her jaw gapping open. "Wow. Mom, did you know how far back our roots were in this place?"

"To a small extent. My mother use to tell me stories about how this land was attached to us. Grandpa use to say that the soil was in our blood. I didn't know the actual history of this shrine like your grandfather had." Mrs. Higurashi said.

Sota came out of the kitchen with four plates with sliced cake and placed a plate in front of each person at the table. "Wow, Inuyasha, so you're here to stay, huh? That is so cool."

"Sota, how much did grandfather tell you about the shrine's history?" Kagome asked her younger brother.

"Um. Lots of stuff, actually. I don't remember half of the stuff he talked about, but he was always talking about how our family has collected all of that old stuff for many generations. I know he kept a lot of personal stuff in his room. Every once in a while he'd bring something out to show me. Remember, Kagome? When we were young, gramps gave us that old spinning top he said he had since he was a kid. He still has it." Sota spoke over a mouth full of cake.

"Ewww. Sota, don't talk with food in your mouth." Kagome said.

"How would you guys like to help me sort out gramps room? I know he has some stuff in there he wants to go to you kids." Mrs. Higurashi asked.

"Sounds like it might be fun. Sure mom, we'll help." Kagome said.

"Yea, I'd really like that. Learn something new about grandpa that we never knew." Sota mentioned.

The four of them ate the cake; well Inuyasha more or less inhaled his, and made their way upstairs to the late grandfather Higurashi's room.

Kagome's mother opened the door and was the first to step in. The room was overpowering with the old man's scent and presence. Kagome's mother immediately spied an old photo album on the nightstand next to the bed and went over to pick it up. She carefully opened the pages and sat on the bed, sighing as she did so. "Inuyasha, come sit by me. Here are some pictures of the kids." She said as she patted the vacant spot on the bed next to her. Inuyasha quietly obeyed and sat next to her, looking over the still photos of Kagome as a chubby baby. "Wasn't she just adorable?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, pointing at Kagome in a pink dress as a six month old.

"Mom, no bath pictures, please!?" Kagome begged as she snooped around her grandfather's desk.

"Well, that just takes the joy of being a mother away." Mrs. Higurashi huffed.

"Deal Kagome. She showed Etsu all of my embarrassing pictures. Even the one taken after I sat on a bee." Sota stated from where he dug around his grandfather's closet, pulling out old boxes.

Kagome sat at the old maple desk and starred at the envelope that sat innocently on the desk. It had her name on it. She took a deep breath in and picked the object up, noticing dust had settled a bit on it. Kagome opened it and pulled out a neatly folded stationary paper and unfolded it.

She read;

My dear Kagome,

It was his writing.

I hope this letter finds you well. Take a minute to read this, I fear that in my old age it might not make sense to you first time around, so please re-read if you need to.

I know the time is near, I've spent so many years preparing for this moment that I'm sure the night is near. If you're reading this, then I know you are okay and I'm glad, but that must mean that I've left and I'm sorry. It's been a real interesting ride and I'm glad you've been in my life as long as you have. Believe it or not, you've been in my life longer than you realize. It seems like just was tending to your wounds. I still remember the hurt in your eyes when you learned about Sango's death. I'm still sorry you've had such little time to cope and then all of this. I had time then to figure out where my place in time was I knew that I had to make sure that we all came together again.

I've had a long time to figure out how the old bone eater's well worked, and although I still don't know everything about it, I do know that as long as we're tied, the well will close. The well has now forever closed to both you and Inuyasha, don't worry, Miroku lived his life out and after many years got remarried and died a happy man with many grandchildren around him. He never forgot Sango or you and kept a prayer for you and Inuyasha with him his whole life. He always knew that you were going to live out a good life with Inuyasha, that it just took some time to get everything and one in place. I have always kept his grave a secret, I never wanted you to stumble upon it and have it upset you, but I think you're ready for the truth, they lived their lives fully. On the second page is a map to where you can find Miroku and Sango's markers, they are the only ones on this property, the rest of our ancestors are in the family temple.

It's been a long and complicated lineage and you can take time later to study it because I know I don't have time to explain, but we are all connected. You, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and I, even Kaede. We were chosen by the heavens themselves to find each other, even over hundreds of years, we are always reunited. And we will meet again.

Miroku and Sango have found each other again and will soon be reunited with their precious Aiko. You're soul has traveled between bodies and time to be with Inuyasha and in time, I will see you all again. Your mother has always reminded me of sweet Kaede and I know you've seen the same.

Enjoy your life my dear granddaughter. You were always my friend and know that I've always loved you and I was so happy to have called you friend. I found it funny how lucky I was to have learned that you were my granddaughter. The night you were born I felt as if the heavens couldn't be kinder and I thanked god for giving you back to me, it had been 500 years since I saw you last and that's when I started putting together the time frame. I admit, at first I was off, I didn't realize how long you traveled with Inuyasha before meeting me. But as time passed on this side of the well, I started to remember small things, like the first time you were sealed off on this side. I knew what happened the second time you went down the well again and came back in broken pieces, I had no idea then what had happened except that Aiko died and you had been sealed off from us.

I remember the last time I saw you as a young man, the kitsune you remember. I thought I was about to watch you die, but Inuyasha made me write that last letter. You were covered in blood and we had no idea how you were returned to us or what had happened. I'm almost done writing this, it's getting late and I'm starting to worry about you. There's a real storm brewing outside and I know you're coming over to escape him and I'm starting to get anxious so if I don't hear from you by the time I'm done writing this, I'm going to give you a call. I know from here on out, you're going to be okay and I'm sorry that you got injured, but I'm glad that you're here to read this letter.

Well, good-bye my sweet child.

Love,

Grandpa Shippo.

Kagome was choked up and close to tears by the time she was done reading. She had no idea. All these years and they had been together this whole time. They were all born to be together. "I never knew". Kagome said sadly.

"Kagome, is everything okay?" Inuyasha asked, hearing the silent sobs coming from Kagome.

"Inuyasha, I want you to read this." Kagome said as she turned, tears in her eyes. The looks on her face made Inuyasha's heart twist in his chest.

Inuyasha took the offered paper from Kagome with a mixture of curiosity and fear on his face. He studied the letter and when he was done gave Kagome a puzzled look. He read the letter again to make sure he read right. "Shippo? Well that makes a lot of sense." Inuyasha said before breaking out into laughter. "That kid never changed a bit, did he?" He asked between gasps.

Kagome looked cockeyed at Inuyasha as if he had just grown a second head. It took her a moment to think about Inuyasha's comment when it hit her. All these years Inuyasha knew Shippo and even raised the boy outnumbered the days Inuyasha had spent around Kagome's grandfather, the other half of Shippo. While Kagome knew her grandfather her whole life and then to know Shippo as a child and young man, Kagome found humor in Inuyasha's logic. No, Shippo didn't change; even in his old age and boy did he have them fooled.

"Inuyasha, you know what this means, right? Everything that has been was meant to be. Mom, you were right this whole time." Kagome stated.

Kagome's mother looked up from the photo album and smiled. "Isn't that usually the case?" She asked. "Oh, Inuyasha, you should see this picture. This was me when I was Kagome's age." She blushed at even covered her mouth with her hand as she pointed to the album.

"Sure. Kagome, are you all right?" Inuyasha asked as he handed her back the letter.

"Yea, go ahead." Kagome said.

"Kagome, look at this! Wow, this has to be really old." Sota said as he pulled out a staff that had been wrapped in an old cloak. Kagome instantly recognized it as Miroku's old staff and gasped when she saw how natural Sota looked as he held it out. "Kagome, what'cha looking at?" Sota asked catching the way Kagome was looking at him.

Kagome shook her head, "nothing, Sota, why don't you keep that? It kinda fits you".

"Yea? Thanks. Oh, look in that box over there." Sota pointed at a box he had pulled out of the closet and put aside.

Kagome opened the box and smiled at the old trinkets in there. A chipped and well used old top and string and a toy wooden snake. A couple of trinkets that had a world of meaning to her. They brought back a flood of memories, good ones and sad ones.

Kagome felt as though her life had really entered a new chapter. She finally felt as if she could move on with her life and look forward to each day she was given. She laughed at the memories she had of Shippo as a child and the antics he resorted to as her grandfather. Kagome realized how much she had taken for granted over the years and she was given a second chance to appreciate everything she had been given.

That night brought closure to every member of the house, old memories were observed and new lessons were taught. But they all walked away from that old bedroom a little older and a little wiser. They had been in the presence of hundreds of years of history and had been deeply touched.

But fate was not done delivering surprises to the Higurashi house hold that night. A phone call from the hospital raised the energy in the home with the news that Etsu was in labor.

End of Chappy.

Well, whatcha' think? I'm going to add more. The story isn't quite done, but I'm done keeping you guys waiting. I thought this would be a nice turn around for the whole Inuyasha story. It took me quite a bit of time to figure out how I was going to deliver this, but after doing a little research with the series, I was given material to work with to make this story work. Well, review and let me know what you think. And thank you all for sticking with my story for this long. It's kinda hard to believe it's almost over. Well, until next time!

Ja ne!