Kagome heard the frightened shout and turned towards the sound, worried. It had only been two days since the wedding, yet she still spent her days out in the village, even though InuYasha would much prefer she stayed in bed all day. Miroku and Sango, reportedly, hadn't even been seen for two weeks after their wedding. Still, Kagome felt a certain duty to be around. Kaede got bad pains in her joints if forced to walk too much, and though Rin was good for running errands and taking herbal mixtures to the sick, she was not so educated. And since one of the village woman was due to give birth any day, Kagome thought it best to be prepared to act as midwife. Besides, no matter how much she loved InuYasha, she was still a bit sore from the wedding night and didn't particularly enjoy the thought of partaking in those activities again until she felt better. Still, it might have been worth the discomfort if it would keep him from following her around with his arms crossed over his chest, blatantly pouting.

His ears perked up at the sound of the scream.

"Youkai!"

InuYasha's eyes were wide.

"That scent! It's like…like Kagura, like her scent without Naraku's."

He leapt away quickly, and Kagome ran after him. She stopped short when she rounded a hut and saw the wind user standing in the middle of the street. She didn't appear to be inclined towards violence, though she was tapping her fan against her hand idly, and several village men were arming themselves already. Kagome thought of the last few times she had seen Kagura, and immediately decided that, no matter how this miracle had come about, this was something to be happy about. So she ran to the youkai woman and hugged her tightly. Kagura stiffened, not accustomed to such affection, suddenly understanding Sesshoumaru's rigidity when she hugged him earlier, but then she awkwardly wrapped her arms around the other girl.

"Kagura, how?!"

Kagura stepped away from Kagome and grinned mischievously at InuYasha.

"I have no idea, but it's nice surprise, eh?"

InuYasha wrinkled his nose in pretended disgust; an old habit.

"You smell like Sesshoumaru."

She shrugged.

"He was the first person I saw."

"Did he have something to do with this?"

"No. He was just as surprised as me. You would have loved the look on his face, InuYasha."

Kagome was lost in thought, registering their conversation but not taking part. Suddenly a bright ball of light zipped down the street and settled several feet from InuYasha, Sesshoumaru's form appearing quickly. InuYasha, still locked in the old pattern of things, despite that he and Sesshoumaru were on reasonably good terms now, automatically jumped another couple of feet away and flexed his claws. Sesshoumaru ignored him, his expression neutral as always, yet his eyes were locked on Kagura. Kagome suddenly snapped her fingers and exclaimed quietly.

"I think I get it now! Hey, Sesshoumaru, Kagura, come to the house and talk, would you?"

Kagura followed easily enough, though Sesshoumaru seemed more hesitant. When they were inside, Kagura leaned casually against the doorframe, InuYasha perched childishly on the counter top Kagome had insisted he make for her, Kagome sat down and Sesshoumaru just stood, flicking his eyes back and forth between Kagura and Kagome.

"I think I understand now. When I wished on the Jewel…I wished for whatever was best to happen. I couldn't wish for a happy ending, because that would be partially selfish. Instead, I wished that whatever was actually best for everyone would happen; even if it wasn't what I wanted. Most importantly, the Jewel disappeared. Miroku and Sango got together. Rin got over her fear of humans. Kohaku is happy now. Finally, InuYasha and I were married. But I thought of Kagura when I was wishing…I was so sad that she'd tried to help us and then died. She was the only one of Naraku's offspring I really pitied. I think I wished her back."

Sesshoumaru spoke up.

"How is this matter related to this Sesshoumaru?"

Kagome considered speaking the truth, but knew it wouldn't go over well, so instead she fished up another reason. She wondered if he had noticed that she didn't mention having wished something for him. She had wished whatever was best for him; but only now did she realize just what that was.

"I just figured you would be curious. She mentioned she'd seen you already, so I supposed you'd be wondering."

He nodded just slightly. Kagura spoke now.

"Why was I dead so long then?"

"I'm not sure. My own best thing took three years too, remember. I think maybe the Jewel knew there were things in our characters that had to be developed further before we could reach our destinies. InuYasha and I weren't mature enough to get married three years ago, and even if we had, I would have constantly felt bad about not finishing my education in my time. So our part of my wish didn't come true until we were ready for it."

InuYasha snorted.

"That doesn't make any sense! Kagura was dead. It's not as if her character was developing."

"I was alive, in a sense. But InuYasha's right, I don't think I've changed much."

"How were you alive?"

"As the wind."

"Oh…wow…that's cool…I wouldn't have expected that you actually are the wind, in a sort of literal since....Anyway…maybe you needed to get the longing for freedom out of your system, to see how lonely it can be, and now you're ready to adjust to living a more normal life."

Kagura spent a long moment in thoughtful silence.

"I still love the freedom. But being the wind was lonely…I wouldn't mind being around others again."

Her gaze skipped to Sesshoumaru and for a moment their eyes met. Kagome smiled at InuYasha, who gave her a blank, uncomprehending look. She rolled her eyes. In truth, it was Sesshoumaru who Kagome thought had needed the time. He had softened, at least somewhat. And he had mourned.

She had seen the sadness in his eyes. At first, she had thought it was just sadness at having let Rin, who was for all purposes his pup, go back to her people. But then at the wedding, she had seen the way Rin's butterfly kimono affected him, the sharp pain and then the deep withdrawal into himself. That was when she had realized what it was he mourned for. Suddenly she'd recalled things. She'd not even been aware that Sesshoumaru and Kagura knew each other, until the day they arrived in the field of flowers and saw Kagura die, fading into the wind she so loved, with Sesshoumaru watching on. She hadn't even thought to question why Sesshoumaru was there. Then there was the battle with Mouryoumaru when Sesshoumaru had nearly been killed while defending Kagura's memory. Kagome had never seen him so angry before that; angry enough to let his composure break, lose his cool, and risk his life. At the wedding, seeing the pain in his face, she'd finally understood.

And now this. Kagura brought back to life. Kagome wanted to dance around and laugh happily. It wasn't that she had any great affection for Kagura; just pity and a desire to befriend. But Kagome had, strangely enough, come to care deeply about her brother-in-law. He had been the only one alone, at the end. Even Jaken spent more time with Rin in the village, at Sesshoumaru's orders, than he did with his master. No matter how heartless Sesshoumaru could seem at times, she had known he must be lonely, especially knowing he had cared for Kagura.

Now Kagura and Sesshoumaru had a chance again. And from the way their eyes kept drifting to each other, it seemed it was a chance they appreciated.

AN: I'm not sure I conveyed what I meant about the Wish well. Basically, Kagome couldn't make a selfish wish, so she wished that the best thing, the good thing, would happen. She could have wished to be with InuYasha; instead she wished whatever was best for them would happen, even if it wasn't what she wanted, thus making it not selfish…okay, it's kinda weak, but whateva, I just needed an excuse to resurrect Kagura, lol.