I am glad that so many of you responded! And since all of you wanted an epilogue, I am happily obliging. And since Sugar0o asked about why I call Sesshomaru, Lord Saigoku, that is because I found a long time ago that "Saigoku" meant western nation(s); I am more well versed in European means of talking to your superiors and back in the Victorian ages and earlier, people of lower rank would address, say, an Earl with Lord and then the name of their land (or the area they control) say Sussex, so the person would be addressed Lord Sussex. So in the case of Sesshomaru, I just used my knowledge of European (I really don't like using –sama, because I don't know really the proper Japanese) and made it into something that I would understand.

So basically, Sesshomaru is a Lord, and he governs the western nation of Japan, and Saigoku (to my limited knowledge) means western nation. Lord Saigoku.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

I really hope you enjoy and are glad that I wrote an epilogue. And I don't know what the western part of Japan looks like, so I made up the part about it being 'beautiful' and the description (author's license and whatnot).

Happy reading!

Clarity

Epilogue

One year later.

Kagome thought it strange how little she felt regarding the past. She had considered it almost her number one home but when she had returned to her present and started her life over, the feelings of nostalgia was replaced by stress. There were only so many hours in the day and when one had to put in missing years in a 24 hour period, things got hectic.

But Kagome enjoyed it all, she spent more time with her family (especially her dear Grandfather, just in case that was true in her nightmare) and made sure to branch out her network of friends.

Although sometimes, late at night, when everyone was sleeping and the world seemed to pass into dreamland, Kagome would sit in the little area of trees surrounding the shrine and wish; she become quite adept at wishing. But she never used the words, "I wish," because she did still have the jewel. It had disappeared but she knew it had just become what it should be, apart of her.

Kagome finished school and decided to take a year off, to explore and experience the world she had been born into. She didn't know if it had anything to do with her nightmare that might or might not be prophetic, but she was doing it to suit her own needs.

And she was going to start in the western part of Japan, which was once Saigoku. When she finally did depart, telling her family that she had a cell phone and she would be perfectly safe, retorting with a quick, "it's the modern times, what could happen?"

To which her brother promptly responded, "famous last words, Klutz!"

Kagome had learned her limits early on in her travels that not everyone was to be taken seriously and lightly. So when she pasted into what she believed to be broken heart's love's territory, she sighed.

It's beautiful.

Kagome walked slowly after departing the train for the tall looming trees provided shelter and relief from the humidity and sun. Shafts of light pieced the canopy of winding branches, twirling leaves waved in a rhythm that spoke of a river, and when the various woodland creatures scurried away on the soft dewy ground, Kagome sighed in ecstasy.

"It is home."

And that was the last thing she said that day, she wanted to embrace the quiet and make sure to detour from the tourist path. Regular people, native to foreign, couldn't comprehend the magnitude of what was here—that a piece of history was still in the present. But Kagome did because she was positive; it was here that the vile half-demon lost his life and his maniacal dream to (basically) rule the world.

The chasm that opened up abruptly gave Kagome the proof she needed. The trees were starting to fall back into the once dead ground, grass and weeds alike were holding on with the barest of touches, and flowers (mostly Dandelions) surrounded the outer ring with solidity and Kagome almost wept.

She remembered how she acquired her horrid scar, the jewel did it to her reentering her body—it had left a scar leaving and returning. And she knew then that through everything, she was still the same clumsy fifteen year-old that couldn't shot an arrow for the life of her.

"I've lost everything and I have nothing," her sobs ebbed and flowed in intensity. Her only witness the quiet trees and frightened creatures. "A broken heart for saving the world is no bargain. Fate always will win."

Kagome's hand glowed a brilliant pink for a second before she hit the ground, sending pink flakes of light shooting away then dully falling to the ground. A mini fireworks display without the glow of a child's wonder. And she knew in that moment that she was suppose to venture into the one that broke her heart's region and see this hole, alone.

She knew that she was meant to die and meant to do everything that Fate told her to do. "I just wish that he was supposed to be in my future…present…thing." Kagome shrugged, rubbing tears from her shining eyes before sighing gently and collecting her breath.

And as she collected herself, she never saw the flash of silver. The glow of citrines.

When Kagome propelled herself up, dusting her skinny jeans off for good measure, she glanced around, the pulse of power skating up her flesh and tickling her fine hair. She focused the power she had in her arsenal to respond in kind, and knew.

She had been watched. And it felt familiar.

She waited, knowing that she was being sized up and stalked; that this was but a game for whoever had chosen her as lunch. The summer sun hung high, with no canopy she knew that her best bet would be to go to the middle of the chasm and play.

But as she took a tentative step does the gentle slope, she froze. He was standing across, languidly against the rough bark of a native tree, looking as though he had stepped out of a fashion magazine.

Of course he would have fashion sense, Kagome thought darkly before becoming neutral.

He inclined his head.

"Kagome."

A whisper of a name.

"Lord Saigoku."

She was not going to be informal.

They stared, neither willing to relinquish control of any semblance of power.

Tightened hands.

Cracked fingers.

Smirk.

Grimace.

Kagome broke.

She turned to leave and stopped two steps later, as to not collide with the demon. And as she slowly looked up, she noticed that her heart still beat slowly and that she still loved him. Her love had lain dormant until a time to painfully hurt her.

One word, "yes?"

He quirked his finely tweezed brow, (to which Kagome thought, of course he'd "manscape", actually I am sort of surprised…) "Inuyasha sends his regards." He turned and started leaving.

Kagome's jaw, proverbially, dropped, "are you serious? You've become Inuyasha's messenger boy? That's a step down."

He stopped and lifted one shoulder carelessly.

"Who would have thought that the killing lord, would be a…common….messenger boy. That has to resort to lurking in the dark. Well done." Kagome was mad.

He turned and slanted one glowing eye towards her.

"Oh and after, what? Five hundred years, all you can come up with is someone else's message?"

He fully turned and did an impeccable impression of a haughty statue.

Kagome saw the signs and didn't care. "Oh but no one would say anything that might defer his, what is it now, holiness? From seeing him for what he really is—an asshole."

Kagome readied a loogy.

Sesshomaru stepped forward and gripped her neck, squeezing ever so lightly. She gulped heavily and stared at her love, "kill me. Come on, do it."

He tilted his head, "No."

Kagome's eyes started to tear. "Just do it, I have nothing now. It's been a year, you know?" His hold loosened, "and I still can't let it go. I know I won't," They stood, his hand around her neck, him standing there intently listening. "That dream I told you about, do you remember? Well…actually it doesn't matter…but I'll die. I know it's true now." She paused and stared at him, trying desperately to look in both eyes at the same time.

He sighed, a mere prolonged exhalation. "You will not." She questioned him silently, only looking at him because she knew he had the answers. "I will not let you."

And Kagome smiled.

He certainly didn't love her. But at least they were friends, at least Kagome considered him one.

And from friends you could be anything.

--

Fin.