Author's Note: So, I've only been away from the computer a few days, but when I logged on today, I nearly fell out of my chair at all the reviews and favorites/alerts. I had no idea people would like the last chapter so much, haha. Everyone is right: I'm cruel and have a lot of explaining to do. don't get impatient if it doesn't all happen at once. This entire story is written out already, so everything will be covered, no problem. Much love to everyone and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!

pqpq

"Inu…yasha…" she repeated aloud, the syllables sounding so beautiful upon her tongue. She never thought she would say that name again without mourning, without sadness for the person she had loved so much; the person whom she had lost too early. Perhaps, Kagome thought, she was sleepy and misheard the stranger's name, but he did not correct her. The embers in the heater burned a warm orange, as warm as he was next to her. Had her wish come true? Had the Gods looked down upon her and wept for her misfortune, sending her happiness by the same name as before?

Kami-sama. I wish for only one thing…had that simple piece of paper, with those pleading black characters, brought her wish to fruition? Was this Time and Fate giving her—them—that second chance? Kagome smiled sleepily, thinking this over. Technically, it would be their third chance, wouldn't it? InuYasha and Kikyou had loved and lost one another, only to be reunited once more, when Kikyou's reincarnation appeared five-hundred years in the past. That was their second chance, which made today—this era, this time, this dingy place that smelled of dust and dirt—their third chance.

And weren't third times the charm?

A bell rang somewhere softly. The sound of heels clicked over the creaking floorboards. When Kagome opened her eyes again, the woman from behind the glass was standing there apologetically, informing her in a quiet voice that the train was to arrive soon. Kagome did not understand the woman's need to be quiet until she attempted to nod, wherein she felt the gentlest of resistance in her hair. It was a cheek resting against the top of her head. Inuyasha was sleeping, his even breaths light against her scalp. She smiled lightly; holding still as the woman left them alone once more, not wanting to rouse Inuyasha just yet. It reminded her of the times when InuYasha would fall asleep upon her bed, perched behind her on the back of her bike, or the few times in Kaede's hut after a journey, when the hanyou would nap in a similar manner against her. It signaled trust, at first, but then a comfort that had resulted out of a strong bond Kagome could only describe as love.

The bell rang again, louder this time. His cheek moved against her hair, in that same, sleepy way that InuYasha would sometimes wake. Kagome continued to hold still, her eyes closed, until he sat up a little straighter. Then, and only then, did she open her eyes and rub them in a pretense of regaining consciousness, not wanting him to know that she had been awake, memorizing every detail of their situation: everything from his steady breaths to the long fingers that had curled slightly on his lap in his sleep.

"It's time to go, I guess," he said. The clock on the wall was mostly in shadow, but Kagome was able to make out the black hands at an acute angle. 5:15pm.

"Yeah, I guess so," she answered, straightening out her jacket as she stood up. He followed her lead and together, the two of them walked out onto a snow-covered platform. Although the snow seemed to have stopped, the remains were still apparent for as far as the eye could see, including the train before them, which was plastered with horizontal icicles. The wind, despite not carrying any more precipitation, was as ever fierce, forcing Kagome to keep her head down and arms wrapped tightly around herself. The platform was treacherous, covered in thick snow and ice. Kagome nearly slipped, but grasped onto Inuyasha's arm to keep from falling backwards.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She realized that she was still gripping his arm tightly, shaking from escaping such an accident. How many times had InuYasha saved her from such embarrassments in the same manner, asking with those similar eyes Kagome, are you okay?

"I'm fine," Kagome answered, but did not let go of his arm until they had entered the train. Warmth flooded into Kagome's cheeks once inside the cabin, forcing her to unbutton the front of her coat with the temperature change. There were no other passengers aboard, allowing them to take their pick of seats. He sat down on the nearest bench, stretching out his red and black shoes far into the aisle, as he usually did. And without thinking twice, Kagome sat down next to him.

It was a day of firsts, after all.

pqpq

The ride home was monotonous.

It was soon so dark outside that Kagome could not see the snow. Several people got on at various stops, but it only became crowded once they reached the outer limits of Tokyo. Although they had sat next to each other the entire way, they hadn't spoken, and when more commuters entered, Inuyasha gave up his seat to stand. He stood directly in front of her and Kagome stared down for the rest of the trip. She was feeling the oppressive weight of the city once more: of movement and matches and those terrifying thoughts of the future. It made her head hurt, her mind wishing that it was just the two of them again in that dirty waiting room, with her resting against his shoulder and his cheek against her hair. She wanted that more than anything.

But everything was speeding up again, back to the pace she had tried so desperately to escape from. And even now, knowing his name, Kagome was only plagued with questions concerning her hanyou and the boy who stood before her. Was it what she hoped? Was it her wish coming true, right before her eyes? Had InuYasha been here the entire time, waiting for the moment when they were finally together again? Or…was the whole thing coincidence? Was this some sort of cosmic joke upon her? Would Kagome wake in the morning, only to realize that it was Sunday and she hadn't traveled all the way out past Koriyama, gotten trapped in a snowstorm, and found out her mystery companion's name? Was it all…fake?

She was lonely and Kagome feared she was projecting again. As the darkness of the suburbs gave way to the lights of the city, blurring together with present motion, Kagome gripped her seat. The matches were apparent in the shoes on the ground; the people laughing, talking, the couple kissing, the cheerful singing...maybe none of it was real at all.

Before she realized what she was doing, Kagome found herself reaching out, her fingers securing themselves onto the hem of Inuyasha's coat. It was rough beneath her palms when she gripped with all her might. Her shoulders were shaking, but not from the rocking of the train. It was taking all she had to not cry. InuYasha had slipped through her fingers, his blood dripping through her fingers, before and she was unable to keep him, hold onto him, long enough. It was so unfair. Now, she was holding on with all her might, but to what?

Kami-sama. I wish for only one thing. I want InuYasha by my side.

That was all she wanted.

InuYasha… Are you here?

She needed to know. Kagome did not want to go on guesswork, on speculation. She had to know if all of this truly meant what she thought it did. She had to know if their love had transcended time once more and brought them here, to this place, this time, where he was standing there and she was so close...wasn't she?

"InuYasha…are you here?" she whispered to her knees, so softly that she barely heard herself over the noise in the compartment. She waited for the response to the question Kagome knew classified itself as rhetorical. There was no way for InuYasha to answer, after all. A girl was laughing with her friends near the exit. A man was reading manga beside her. Nearby, someone was wearing too much Giorgio perfume. Her watch said 8:34pm.

Her fingers clenched with her last bit of strength. No response meant she was lost again. Hopeless, defeated, her hands released her companion's coat and fell into her lap. Lifeless. Cold. There was no relief, no answer, for a soul like hers, was there?

I never…was able to tell you… Kagome said, but without a sound passing through her lips. Her eyes were scratchy and heavy, burning with tears she didn't want to cry. …that I wanted to be with you forever because I… A hand touched her hair, the large palm warm against the top of her head. Then, it slid down black strands in an almost tender gesture. Finally, it came to rest on her shoulder. Warm. Familiar. Was it...? ...because I…love you more than anything in the world.

When she looked up, Inuyasha was very close to her, with those beautiful golden eyes of his so very near. The light in the cabin was dim, a grimy yellow in the wake of neon street signs beyond the window. Magenta and cerulean mixed into violet, combining with sepia, casting his expression into something soft in such a cruel world of color and sound.

"Don't cry," he said to her, with nothing but gentleness in his tone. Kagome couldn't lift her arm to wipe away the tears, too focused on him, who was so close, but so far. InuYasha, are you here?

"Am I not allowed to?" she asked, trying to smile, but found that the muscles in her face protested this action with force. His lips quirked upwards a little, but he didn't smile at her either.

"Of course you can," Inuyasha answered.

"Then why say that?" she inquired, letting the tears dry upon her heated cheeks.

"Because I hate seeing women cry," he said simply. And she laughed. She didn't mean to, but it escaped her like something that had been caged inside for too long. It wasn't loud and it wasn't long, but it was a laugh. How many times had InuYasha said the same thing upon seeing her tears?

Every time, wasn't it?

"Then I'll stop," she replied, wiping her cheeks on her sleeves and gloves. Maybe she could have hope after all, even if it was the tiniest little flicker of promise.

Maybe her wish hadn't been forgotten yet.

pqpq

Word count: 1,960