She managed to stuff another pair of jeans into her bag; just the zipper didn't seem to want to close. Kagome grunted and yanked again on the metal, it didn't budge.

"Oh no you don't," she muttered to the stubborn bag, with one hand she pulled the teeth of the zipper closer together and yanked it again, it slowly began to inch close, frustrated she gave it one last good pull, put too much force into and before she could stop the momentum, fell over, and was hit in the head by falling knick-knacks from her dresser. "Ooof!" Kagome glared at the bag and rubbed her head. She lugged her bag onto her back and quickly picked up the things that had fallen. She paused as she picked up a small photo album, a smile on her lips as she flipped through the photos.

On one of her trips to the feudal era she had brought a camera, she had gone crazy taking pictures, there must have been two dozen pictures devoted to Shippou alone, the various faces he made in different stages of eating Sour Mochi; interest, surprise—then when the sourness registered his face had squished up as he tried to pretend he liked it. She remembered laughing so hard—even harder when Inu yasha had decided to try it. Sango looking awkward trying to figure out how to act in front of a camera, a picture catching Miroku red handed in his lechery, she flipped to the end, to a picture she hadn't looked at in a while, her favorite.

It had been when Sango had taken the camera from Kagome, trying to learn the mechanics of a camera and had started taking snapshots the rest of the night. There had been a lot of close-ups of Kirara, but later Sango had started to take pictures of Inu yasha and Kagome together as they ate by the fireside, in most of them Inu yasha had glared, but in one shot Kagome had leaned over to him and tickled his side, his most vulnerable tickle spot and he had burst out laughing. She traced his face in the picture, he looked so relaxed, and happy laughing with her laughing right by his side. She had been sixteen in the picture, and completely and utterly in love. Her chest started to ache in a familiar pain and she sighed and closed the photo album. How could life change so much in four years? Sango and Miroku married, Naraku finally gone, the jewel complete. Inu Yasha even had matured, though it had cost Kikyou's life to cause those growing pains. And now, after not knowing how close she had been to him for years, she was going to search the feudal era for her father. Her heart warmed in her chest and she couldn't help but smile at the foreign word, father. She was going to find her father. With a firm resolve she headed down the stairs. Her mother hugged her longer than normal, like Kagome wasn't coming back or something. She patted her mom on the back,

"Mom I always come back don't I?" Azusa tightened her hug for a moment longer then let go and gave Kagome a watery smile.

"Honey, I know. It's just---I don't know. I love you. SO much," Kagome gave a light laugh,

"I love you too."

"Be safe. And I know that your father didn't stick around, but I'm sure he'll love you as soon as he meets you."

"We'll see, won't we?" Kagome asked with a smile, then grinned as she headed out the door, "thanks mom. For everything." As she entered the well house and gripped the edge of the well she felt a moment of hesitation come over her. For some reason she felt like a new path was opening up before her, and that as soon as she jumped into the well and passed through time into the feudal era she would be gone for a very long time. She laughed out loud in the ancient well house. Her mother's emotions were getting to her. Still the feeling lingered, and she shook it off, after all it was only a feeling. She was just being overemotional. With another laugh she jumped into the well.

Did he seriously just growl at her?

Kagome had just been unceremoniously pulled from the well, abruptly let go of, only to fall and then be growled at. Her eyebrow began to twitch in annoyance; he had five seconds to explain himself before she sat the life out of him.

"Are you really growling at me right now Inu yasha?" He was. He was several paces away from her, his hand on his sword, more of a natural reaction than anything. He would never pull on sword on her. She got to her feet and began patting of the dirt from her jeans, and glared at him in annoyance when he crouched further away from her.

"What the hell are you!?" Kagome just blinked. He was yelling at her now? What had she done? She yelled right back at him,

"What the hell Inu yasha!?" Inu Yasha peered at her through narrowed eyes.

"Kagome?"

"You say my name like a question! Who else do you know who travels via ancient wells?!" Inu yasha didn't relax his stance, but slowly got closer to her, sniffing at her. "Seriously what's your deal Inu yasha you want me to sit you---" Inu yasha plowed head first into the dirt, "ahh sorry! That was an accident. Not that you don't deserve it!" For once Inu yasha didn't yell at her as soon as the subjugation spell lifted. He just sat up, Indian style, and scratched his head. He shot to his feet once more and pulled her close, his nose inhaling deeply at her neck, and as his nose nuzzled her skin she couldn't repress a shiver. It felt completely different when Shippou nuzzled her neck, than when Inu yasha nuzzled her neck….

She was enjoying this too much. This was the exact opposite of what she should be doing. Inu Yasha was Kikyou's, Inu yasha loved Kikyou…

She pulled back abruptly and slapped the side of his head.

"What are you doing?!" Inu Yasha looked unfazed, "More importantly why were you acting like that just now?"

"You didn't smell the same—you don't smell the same."

"What? You were doing all that because I smell a little different?" Inu Yasha let out an exasperated sound,

"Kagome, I'm a dog demon I live by my nose. You smell A LOT different. I can't compare it to anything you humans would understand." She just glared at him and he muttered under his breath and started over again, "it's like if you were a color. You'd be pink, fresh and flowery smelling. I'm use to it; I can trace you by it. You came out of the well just now and it's like you weren't pink anymore but like…..a deep purple, unrecognizable to me." He struggled to explain it, but looked proud of himself at his simplified explanation.

"So my scent is completely different?"

"Not exactly, I couldn't smell it at first but that flowery smell is still there, but there's just a really sweet smell that overpowers it now."

"The 'deep purple'?"

"Yeah, but when I sniffed real good you still smell familiar, just really different. I thought you were a trick or something. But you kind of started smelling funny yesterday now that I think about it…."

"Inu Yasha..!"

"Smell different, different, not funny! It just set me on edge for some reason. Even now that I know it you, it's almost too sweet. I've never come across a human smelling like it before."

"OH? So now you don't like how I smell anymore?"

"Kagome--" Inu Yasha stopped when he realized she was just teasing him, it was his turn to glare at her. "I've never liked how you smelt." Kagome just shook her head. She pulled her bag back on then turned back to him,

"You mind running with me on your back again? I'm kind of anxious to talk to everyone."

"I was going to have you do that already. I want to know why your scent has gone out of whack."

" I have a theory about my scent. It's something else I want to talk to everyone about."

"What else could you want to talk about?!" Kagome climbed up onto his back and Inu Yasha shot off into the forest, "Well?Well?!"

"I'll tell you when we get there!"

"Hmmphf!" Inu Yasha kept grumbling about how she should just tell him already but Kagome ignored him. They got to camp quickly, and found no one there, so they headed off to the village. Sure enough, Miroku and Sango were in the middle of drills and Shippou had decided to take part in the lessons. Kagome bit back a smile at the look of concentration on Shippou's face. He was growing up too. She lugged off her pack and crouched next to it about to sit to wait for the drills to end when Inu Yasha barked out

"Sango! Miroku! Come back to your drills later Kagomes gotta talk to us!" Sango abruptly stopped and Miroku who had been about to bear down on her with his staff had to jerk awkwardly to avoid hitting her, stumbling and gaining his balance after an awkward skip. All of the students, including Shippou turned to stare in surprise at Inu Yasha and Kagome.

"Lady Kagome—ah, is everything all right?" Miroku asked. Kagome glared at Inu Yasha,

"Yes! Sorry! Keep training! You guys are doing great! We can all talk afterwards!"

"We can NOT talk afterwards! Her scent its---Shippou get over here!" Shippou looked startled at Inu Yasha calling him out but slowly made his way over to him, and asked slowly,

"Uh..what?" Inu Yasha just grabbed Shippou by his scruff. The little kit immediately started shouting at him thinking it had just been another of Inu Yasha's stupid games, and he kept yelling at him for a second after Inu Yasha had tossed him into Kagome's arms. Then it registered. The fur on the back of Shippou's tail stood on end. He turned to look at his segregate mother. He breathed in once then with watering eyes pulled away. "Ka-Ka-kagome?" Shippou asked with a trembling lip. Then he started crying. Inu Yasha looked triumphant.

"THIS is why we can't talk afterwards." Miroku and Sango were staring perplexedly at the scene before them. Sango came to Shippou's side, who was still bawling in Kagome's arms,

"Hey, hey, Shippou what's wrong?"

" 'gomesscenntIdon'tnooooo.!" At this point Miroku turned to the openly gawking pupils,

"That will be enough for today," several students didn't take the hint, "eh-erhm, what I mean is that class is dismissed--"

"What he means is SCRAM!" Inu Yasha shouted at the students. And they did, with haste.

"I was handling it delicately Inu Yasha." Inu Yasha was interrupted from a retort by a fresh wave of tears coming from Shippou.

"Shippou calm down, I can't understand you." Sango said gently. The little kit took a deep shuddering breath.

"Ka—go—me's scent. It's w-w-w-wrong." Sango experimentally sniffed at Kagome.

"I don't smell anything different, what's wrong with it?"

Inu Yasha sighed aggravated, "Of course YOU don't smell anything! You forget what an awful sense of smell humans have?"

"If the rest of you think it's a good idea, I think we should move this discussion somewhere with far less—ah, spectators." And sure enough, the villagers were beginning to pause in their daily doings and watch the scene unfolding.

"I'll get rid of 'em--"

"I think that's a good idea Miroku!" Kagome chirped and Miroku gave a slight nod and led the way to his and Sango's new home, right on the outskirts of the village. It was about four times the size of Kaede's home, Miroku had built it with several small rooms in anticipation of many children one day. The group sat in the main room and Sango began a small fire to warm the room. Shippou remained in Kagomes arms but he was stiff and held himself away from her. Kagome tried not to take it personally but every time she tried to comfort him his tail would stand on end again. So she did nothing but hold him, and it was hard when all she wanted to do was run kisses all over his tear-streaked face. Sango pulled the kettle from over the fire and poured tea out for everyone.

"So what's going on with Kagomes scent exactly to cause Shippou to react so violently?" Miroku asked, calm, and to the point. Kagome glanced at Inu Yasha, then back to Miroku

"It's not just Shippou. When I first came out of the well today Inu Yasha reacted badly too." Sango chocked on the tea she had just taken a sip of,

"What! Was Inu Yasha crying?!"

"Of course not!" Inu Yasha growled back.

"No, no tears. Just a lot of growling." Sango just stared at Inu Yasha.

"You were GROWLING at KAGOME!?"

"Sango, shhh, calm yourself. I'm sure there's a rational reason behind all this." Miroku took his wife's fisted hand and held it until she unclenched her fist. Kagome looked at Shippou, he looked calmer.

"Hey Shippou. Shippou?" Kagome whispered to him gently. His little face quivered again but he took a breath and looked at her, "hey, little man. I'm still the same. I know I smell different, but Inu Yasha said underneath my new scent you can still smell the old one a little bit." Shippou inched a tiny bit closer to her and with a furrowed brow inhaled. His little nose twitched.

"It's too…sweet…not Kagome's," Shippou almost seemed like he would start crying again when Inu Yasha yanked him from Kagomes arms. Inu Yasha didn't hit him. He put him on the floor and looked away from him even as he spoke to him,

"Shippou I get that you think of Kagome as your mother and how disturbing her scent change must be for you more than anyone. But you talk about protecting Kagome a lot too; you think you're protecting her now?" Shippou looked at Kagome who looked sadly at Shippou. Shippou shook his head, "Right! You're not! Not quit being a baby and go to your 'mother!'" Now, Inu Yasha smacked Shippou upside the head, sending him flying right back into Kagomes arms. Sango and Miroku were still momentarily stunned at Inu Yasha's brief display of maturity. They were getting more and more use to them as they happened more frequently after Inu Yasha had come back from burying Kikyou.

"I'm sorry Kagome." Shippou whimpered into her shoulder. Kagome shushed him and he was forgiven. Kagome caught Inu Yasha's eye and mouthed 'thank you', and he gave her a bored shrug, but she knew he wasn't indifferent, because he crossed his arms and looked away from her, embarrassed.

"So tell us your grand theory now about why you smell weird now." Inu Yasha grumbled.

Kagome brushed Shippou's hair behind his pointed ears absently.

"Well…I think it's probably because of my father. See my mother told me--"

"Why would your HUMAN father have anything to do with your scent?" Inu Yasha interrupted. Kagome took a calming breath. Seriously? How could Inu Yasha sound so mature sometimes, then the other 85% of the time be such an idiot?

"---my mother told me that my father had left before I was born. But what she had never told me was where he was from, he---"

"Get to it already!"

"SIT! SIT! SIT!" Several moments passed before Inu Yasha could pull his face from the floor. Tatami imprints had impressed red lines all across his face. Kagome laughed and continued as if Inu Yasha hadn't kept interrupting her, " my mother had never told me where he was from until today. It seems my family all have the ability to travel through the well. She met my father here, in this time," seeing the same question appear across everyone's face she raced to answer it, "and no. He wasn't a demon. At least he my mother never heard him call himself one. He called himself a member of something called the 'Day Courts.' Do you guys know what that is?" No one spoke for a moment.

"I wonder how your family possesses the ability to travel through time at will using the bone eaters well?" Miroku said after a moment.

"Um. I'm not exactly sure. My grandfather had found old accounts of it though in some old documents about the shrine. My mom thinks that we're descendants of whoever built it. I mean, that makes the most sense."

"Hmm. Maybe, maybe."

"Have you ever heard of the Day Courts? My Dad told my mother to call him Ayumu…I know it's not a lot of information, but I want to find my father. " Sango smiled brightly at Kagome,

"I think that's great! Between training and re-building here me and Miroku will help you hunt down as much information as we can!"

"Thank you guys!" She turned towards Inu Yasha, somewhat surprised that he hadn't said anything so far. His forehead was wrinkled in thought, "Inu Yasha?"

"Oh. Yeah. I was getting kind of bored without Naraku, might as well look for your father. Feh, that will probably get boring really fast too." Kagome ignored his last comment and smiled at everyone,

"This is great! Great! Where should we start? Kaede? Researching his name in the temples? Miyoga? Totosai?" Kagome felt a rush of energy, she was going to find her father!

"Well to start lets talk to Kaede in the morning, see what she says, ok?" Sango suggested sensibly, "in the mean time let's call it a day? Shippou seems to be falling asleep on us."

"Am noooot," Shippou tried to deny as he yawned. Sango enjoyed the ability to play hostess in her own home and showed Kagome a small bathing area that had been crafted specifically around Kagome's explanations of modern plumbing and things called '"Showers." It made Kagome grin to see the feudal rendition of a bathroom. The shower head was crafted from bamboo and circular planks of wood with perfectly carved circles for the water to spray from. It took about fifteen minutes to heat the water through the small stone furnace at the side of the bathroom, but when it was full Kagome released the latch and enjoyed the spray of warm water. Oh, modern conveniences, and how she loved them. The water drained through little stone slits and Kagome just shook her head, absolutely amazed at the little fit of engineering. She would have to remember to compliment Miroku and Sango repeatedly in the morning.

She entered the small room they had said was hers and found Shippou already fast asleep on her sleeping bag. Kagome yawned and after combing and towel drying her hair laid down to sleep.

AN:

This took an awfully long time for me to update. I apologize, I just lost the threads for this story, but I can see it again.

I really welcome reviews, to let me know what you think, encouragement, critiques, all are accepted and appreciated!