Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or Inuyasha.

Home

There was a loud thunder, and all went quiet. It was the month of June, a month after she moved into Shigure's house. The sound of rain hitting against the window filled the empty house, echoing through the hallways. Tohru and the boys were in school again with holiday just few weeks away, and Shigure was called into the Sohma estate because of some family business. So Kagome stayed alone in the two-story house, folding the washed and dried clothes, cleaning up the house. It felt awkward to be alone in the house especially when it was always so loud and interesting with Shigure's perverted jokes and the boys fighting. She always was busy scolding Shigure or stopping Kyou and Yuki from fighting, and the absence of both elements bored her. She took a short glance at the clock. Four thirty. School should have ended by now, and the three students would be on their way to home. She hurried up with folding the clothes, thinking to prepare some snacks for the cat who always was hungry when there was a soft knock at the door.

"Coming!"

Thinking it was Shigure, she opened the door without much caution when she caught a familiar scent from the visitor. Two men stood at the door with an appearance that she did not recognize but apparently held the scent that she knew too well. One had a dark hair with light brown eyes while the younger had light brown hair with gray eyes. She definitely did not recognize these two men by appearance, but their similar facial structure and scent shook her mind greatly. She knew them. She didn't know how they found her, but one thing now clear to her was that she must close and lock the door before they step into her life. Again.

"I'm sorry. You must have visited the wrong place."

"Kagome, we came for you. Just like we promised."

"Sorry, I don't recognize the Kagome you are talking about."

She covered her face with one hand while trying to close the door with the other, but the black haired man forced the door open with almost inhuman strength while the younger men caught her hand and tried to pull her out of the house. Struggling to wiggle her hand out of the forceful grasp, she was about scream for help when there was a dull thud and the force vanished from her hand. There was a loud cry before there was a small wind across her face and the hand stopping the door also vanished. Slowly lowering her hand, Kagome lifted her face to see the familiar orange hair throwing punches at the black haired man, purple hair trying to kick the light brown haired man, and Tohru running towards her with worry.

"Kyou, Yuki?"

"Kagome-chan! Are you alright?"

"Tohru?"

"We saw these men trying to drag you out of the house! Do you know them?"

"I, I don't know them…"

At that moment Kagome felt truly guilty for saying that she did not recognize them. For one that she was lying to Tohru, and for two that she knew they would be hurt to hear her lie. She knew whom they were, and that they had been looking for her for years and years. The problem was that she knew them too well. She knew that once they found her and found out that she was bound to be Tohru's guardian, they would not hesitate the get rid of whatever was constraining her from the freedom. And she knew too well that they would not mind to eradicate a family to keep her and her secrets safe. So she could only watch Yuki and Kyou trying to fight the "strangers" trying to hurt her, and the two men fighting the two boys to get to her. Kagome shut her eyes. She could not stand to watch them fight anymore.

"Kyou, Yuki! That, that's enough! It's okay. I know them."

"Kagome-chan?"

"I…They are my friends."

Then all movements stopped. She felt five pairs of eyes staring straight at her, some with questions and some with relief. She stared straight at the black haired man who was grabbing Kyou's fist in one hand and was about to throw a punch at Kyou's face. She tried to calm her shaky breaths, but she knew her efforts would be futile after finally meeting him after 500 years. His light brown eyes seemed to glow gold, and Kagome could not resist saying his name out loud.

"Inuyasha."

"Hello Kagome."

They finally met again.

Shigure knew his meeting with Akito wouldn't turn out good. From what Hatori was hinting, Akito was not in a good mood to know that there was another foreigner interacting with the Sohmas. So now Shigure was trying his best to squeeze out "acceptable" reasons for Akito to allow Kagome stay with him. Of course, the most reasonable and acceptable reason to let her stay with him was that he did not transform when he hugged her, and that she could be a key to curing the family curse. But he knew that that won't be enough for Akito to let Kagome stay in his house, since the head of the household always had the power and the choice to let her stay inside the estate. He needed a stronger, much convincing reason. But what?

"Akito-sama, Shigure-san is asking to see you."

"Let him in."

Akito's voice was hard and determined, which gave Shigure a bad feeling. Whatever it was, Akito already had made a choice and he was determined to carry it out. The shoji door slid open smoothly, and Shigure stepped into the tatami room smiling, trying to hide his anxiety. Akito was facing away from him, looking outside the window. The dark sky shadowed Akito's face, but Shigure wasn't so worried about not being able to see the headmaster's face. Or rather, he was glad he didn't have to face Akito in bad mood. There was a loud crackle and another bright thunder, and in that short moment, Shigure could make out a genuine expression of disgust and discomfort from Akito's face. Or was that just pure hatred? Whatever Shigure saw, he knew that what Akito was about to say couldn't be worse than his face.

"Shigure, how are you?"

"Well, I'm just what I used to be."

"Are you?"

There was a strange, strange silence between the two male because Akito turned around to face the zodiac in somewhat excited manner. Shigure visibly gulped at the sight of his usually grumpy and angry headmaster being so excited, but tried to manage his usual composure by flashing him a weak smile.

"I heard that there is a new girl in your house."

"Yes. Kagome Higurashi, a very interesting one too."

Akito spat out the word 'new girl' like it was an unspeakable curse that Shigure immediately tensed and licked his lips unconsciously. The way Akito narrowed his eyes in rage at Shigure's response made the dog shift in discomfort. It had been really long time since Shigure felt so uncomfortable in front of the head of Sohma family, and for that Shigure became quite anxious about it. The dog's eyes sought after Akito's every move; how he gracefully yet menacingly strolled towards the sitting dog, how to reached out his pale hands towards a lily and snapped it in half, and how he placed his hands on Shigure's hair and whispered softly into his ears.

"Shigure, come prepared for execution first thing tomorrow. Ah, bring everyone to this joyous festival. You may invite the girl if you wish."

Shigure couldn't do anything except just sit still and listen to Akito's fading hysterical laughter.

How long had it been since she had a walk with her demon friends? She didn't know, but it certainly had been a long, long time. Kagome stole a quick glance at the human-looking half demon walking beside her, who seemed to have changed greatly since their last encounter. Of course his hair and eyes changed, but his overall appearance seemed to have become more…human. Not only him, but also the little fox, too. Last time she saw him he looked like a five-year-old boy, but now he looked like at least thirteen. His slyness as a fox seemed to have developed over the long years, and now he was foxy enough to tease Inuyasha without much trouble. After she abruptly ended the abruptly started fight, Kagome had excused herself from Shigure's house and decided to spend a night with her long time no see friends. And she knew that her long time so see friends included that not so friendly demon lord and please be my fiancé wolf prince, but it only excited her more. To see her friends again after a long wait and a short hide and seek certainly was a sweet treat. But at the same time, it worried her to know the outcome once they found out that she became bound to a young, naïve human girl. But thinking that the stupid dog brothers were main reason for her current state, her anger boiled up again.

"Kagome!"

"Huh?"

"Gosh, answer when I call you, can't you?"

"Sorry, couldn't hear you."

Kagome smiled sheepishly at Inuyasha's complaint, and the hanyou answered her with the usual "feh" and feigned grumpy face.

"Hope on. I have to carry you from this point on."

"Carry me? Why?"

"Will you just look around where you are right now?"

Kagome mumbled few curses under her breath when Inuyasha spoke with a soft sigh that almost seemed to hint, "you are not so bright even after so many years?" After giving a light kick at Inuyasha's family jewel and letting Shippo make fun of the poor half-demon, Kagome finally became aware of her surroundings. Cliffs. It was just one cliff after another, and she silently wondered where in the world they could find such place. Seeing her confused face, Shippo giggled like he always did and whispered softly into her ears.

"We have a barrier around our home. Don't worry, it looks like a normal house to other people."

Kagome smiled a little nervously and gave a small pat on Shippo's head. What she couldn't even understand was why couldn't they just make the entrance a little more convenient?

'It probably was Sesshomaru's idea. Always coming up with things that make your life more difficult.'

Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when she was suddenly swept off the ground and placed on Inuyasha's back. She then noticed that his clothes had changed into a simple white yukata while Shippo's changed to a green yukata. Before she could even wonder about their sudden change of clothes, Inuyasha took off without warning, making Kagome clang on to Inuyasha like he was her lifesaver. It didn't take long before the endless folds of cliffs came to an end and she could make a faint outline of the house. First thing that she could see clearly was an enormous tree planted right in front of the house, and then a wooden house of familiar structure. It wasn't long before she realized that there was a small well house next to the house and she blinked in surprise.

"Inuyasha… is that…?"

"Yeah. Welcome home, Kagome."

She finally came home.

Sorry for the really late update TT

Special thanks to! : kakashixangela , betstar , p00piehead , sessxkagxyoko!