Kagome climbed out of the well, feeling a wave of nostalgia hit her as she swung the big backpack over her shoulders. Four months ago she would have thought it to be surreal to come to the feudal era and not be loaded down with a multitude of first aid materials and quick-fix meals for their travels. Now instead her bag was filled with modern snacks, assorted trinkets, and items that she had wanted to show to her friends, as well as things she had picked out for them "just because".

Sometimes it was a piece of clothing. Sometimes it was a scented bath product. Sometimes it was even little novelty toys that were a dime a dozen in her time and vastly overlooked. But to those in her close circle, they were fascinating. Even Kikyo was drawn to the things she presented, and the young woman had outright said that she had no desire to learn about the goings-on of the future. On multiple occasions.

Kagome was determined to make Kikyo feel like she belonged, no matter how much the woman resisted. In her mind they were halfway there with the same end goals in mind – get rid of Naraku and the jewel – both taken care of. Now she just had to make her see that she didn't have to repeat her former life if she wasn't happy. Kaede still maintained the position as the head priestess and would train Kagome as her schedule allowed. No one expected Kikyo to pick up her duties once more, especially with the very mention any light left her eyes. Kaede had caught on that her sister was not truly happy when she was entrusted with the jewel.

"You should see this second chance as a gift," Kaede told her sister. "You can live out your days as an ordinary woman, the way you saw the others do so when you were bound to responsibility."

"And what could I do? I am too old to be seen as a suitable bride. I have no skills that would be beneficial as a housewife."

Kagome hadn't been able to hold her tongue. "You don't look any older than me or Sango. If it's having a child that you're worried about, you have years before you have to worry about not being able to conceive."

"I was raised to exterminate youkai, and I only know a little about housekeeping," Sango offered. "I only know that because my mother had passed on, and I needed to care for my father and brother. Miroku asked for my hand knowing all this, and it doesn't mean that he loves me any less."

"See, there you go! When the right person comes along, it doesn't matter if you're not as knowledgeable about some things, because they're going to want to be with you all the same. No one has to know everything before they settle down. We're always going to be learning."

Kagome was immensely grateful that the guys weren't hovering nearby; they'd taken to the next village over to handle a youkai that was causing some mild mayhem. It was one of the few times right after the final battle that they got to talk like this. She could see Kikyo mulling over the things she had been told. Her heart went out to the woman. Kikyo had no clue how to function now; before her death, her life was tied to the jewel. When she was brought back, it was still tied to the jewel. It was no wonder she was shaken by the idea of having a normal life – she had no idea what a normal life could be.

Kaede busied herself preparing cups of tea. "There is nothing to say that you have to give up your previous life either," she added. "If you wish to resume your duties as a priestess, no one will object –"

"Are you not training Kagome? I would think having three priestesses in the village would be too many –" Kikyo caught herself, realizing how bitter that sounded. She cleared her throat and explained. "I do not intend to offend you, Kagome. I simply think that my presence might be unnecessary."

Kagome waved off her apology. She understood, and it wasn't the worst thing Kikyo had ever said anyway. "I'll be an apprentice for a while, Kikyo. It wouldn't bother me if you wanted to step in whenever."

"And there's always services as a healer," Sango pointed out. "You could continue to help people from time to time and not feel like you're tied to being a priestess if you want to form a new identity."

Two weeks ago she had told Inuyasha that she was trying to form some sort of friendship with Kagome. As much as she hated to admit it, she actually looked forward to the future-born miko's visits. When she wasn't being told about things from the future, she was hearing a variety of stories about the groups' travels. Kagome had a way about making her feel like she belonged there. And if she wasn't doing it with the way she treated her, it was in the small tokens she was gifted with. As soon as Kikyo had made it known that she wanted to be treated as a normal woman, Kagome had been relentless.

First it had been small things. A set of hair combs. Lip color. Polished stone beaded bracelets. She'd even been given some scented bathing soaps. And then… then Kagome was bringing her clothes. She also brought these things for Sango, but that was expected. Sango was her best friend. She was the girl's predecessor that tried to kill her.

"You said that you wanted to be an ordinary woman, right?" Kagome asked, moments after the first time she'd gifted them with an outfit. Kikyo had tried to turn down the offering, but Kagome wasn't having it. "I can't bring either of you to my time, so I wanted to bring some of my time to you."

In a roundabout way, Kagome had told her that day that she was one of their group, and nothing she could say would change it. Everything that happened before was water under the bridge to her. How she could be so forgiving was beyond Kikyo's understanding. It was just… inconceivable.

Yet as she watched Kagome's cheerful façade fall away when Sango asked how she was, Kikyo felt an overwhelming urge to come to her defense.

Shit. Kagome really had become her friend. When the hell did this happen?

"Has Inuyasha done something to upset you?" Sango frowned.

Kagome shook her head. "No. That's the problem." She shook her head again and both women heard the distinct sound of sniffling. "Sorry…"

"I don't understand. I thought both of you were happy?" Kikyo's grip on her cup tightened when the woman across from her looked up. Kagome's bottom lip trembled as the tears she was fighting off rolled down her cheeks. What had that hanyou done?

"We are," she started to say. "I think? I… I don't know what's happened. In the last month especially… we haven't… we haven't…" Kagome's face burned as she mumbled just loud enough for them to hear, "…been intimate."

Sango chewed her lip in thought. "Well," she reasoned, "things have been busy lately?" It would be understandable considering how there had been the final battle with Naraku, her return to her schooling in the future, the hut he had been building –

Kagome shook her head harder this time. "Even with all that, we still found time to do…things." She wasn't about to elaborate on what they did. "But all of a sudden it's like Inuyasha doesn't want to touch me. He pulled this same stunt before when he split, but I don't understand why he's doing it now!" Kagome's tears had turned into choked sobs as the dam opened up. "Whenever I've tried to kiss him, he pulls away! He won't even tell me why! I don't even know what I did wrong!"

The slayer moved over to comfort the sobbing woman, and it was taking everything Kikyo had not to throw the cup in her hands. She'd heard from Sango about how it had hurt Kagome each time Inuyasha came to see her. At first, she had been indifferent. Why should it have mattered to her? She had one goal in mind at the time, and the feelings of some girl were at the bottom of her list of concerns. Now… now she found that she couldn't handle the sound of Kagome falling apart. It tore at her, made her angry. "You have done nothing wrong, Kagome," she stated firmly. "Clearly it is Inuyasha at fault."

"Maybe." Sango hummed, rubbing Kagome's back gently. She knew good and well that the hanyou was to blame, just as Kikyo said, but she also knew that he had to have a good reason. Call it a fool's hope, and she was reaching for anything to not paint the guy in a bad light. As upset as Kagome was, she wouldn't want that. "Maybe he's just… got his mind elsewhere? Miroku said that he's trying to get the framework for the hut done before it gets too cold to ask for assistance. Inuyasha could be stressed about that. He wants it to be nice, and I can't blame him for that. It's probably the first real home he's had since before his mother died."

Kagome sniffed again, wiping her eyes. "I've asked him if I could help – I mean it's our home – but he says no!" Her voice hardened as her mood turned to pure anger. Everything was coming out it seemed. "He won't even tell me where the hut is! Tells me not to come looking for him if he's not in the village. I mean, can you believe that?!"

Kikyo had to admit that it was better to hear her get angry than to cry. She stood and collected the necessary herbs for a headache remedy. Once Kagome calmed down, she would have one hell of a stress-induced headache. It also gave her something to focus on until she got her temper under control, because at the moment she was sorely tempted to find a way to hex his hide.

"INU-YASHA!"

The hanyou nearly dropped the cut tree he was holding. The last time he'd heard his name shouted in that tone, he'd been sealed to Goshinboku for fifty years. He turned to the sound as Kikyo emerged in the clearing. Well, he'd seen that look way back when. Even the youkai side of him got tense. Fuck – she hadn't gotten this mad when he said she was due to bleed that first time! What the hell was going on? He set the tree down and crossed his arms. No matter what, he wouldn't run. He was a powerful youkai. He wouldn't let a reborn priestess intimidate him.

"What?" And judging by the way his voice wavered, the man in him recognized that he'd fucked up somehow.

"How dare you!"

"How dare I what?!"

Kikyo's eyes narrowed more as she studied him. "You are unbelievable!" she hissed. "Kagome was inconsolable because of you, and you stand there and act as though you know nothing –"

"I really don't!" Inuyasha insisted. "What's wrong with Kagome? Is she hurt?"

"She thinks that you're displeased with her you – you – you ass!" She started towards him, with each step she took forward, Inuyasha took one back. Kikyo didn't stop until his legs hit the side of the hut and he dropped between the wall supports that connected to its foundation. "Kagome told us of how you turn her away when she wants to give you affection! She told us through tears that she thinks she's done something wrong!"

"Wha- She ain't done nothing!" He bit back.

"Then why was she crying, Inuyasha!"

"Because it's me!" He yelled, flinching when Kikyo took a step back. For so long he was used to being himself around Kagome, that he didn't think about it anymore. Kikyo was still trying to acclimate to how he actually was and snapping at her didn't help matters. When he next spoke, it was softer. "I… I'm worried – hell, scared's more like it – that I'll get Kagome pupped before she's ready, okay?"

"This is why you've been avoiding her."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Kagome says that that medicine she takes is supposed to make that not happen. I'm a hanyou, and not a weak one either. How can I be sure that medicine will work? I…I want to do things right. I didn't get a normal life growing up, but I want to make sure that my pup does."

Kikyo sighed as his ears drooped. Her anger was steadily waning, dammit. She had a good mad worked up, and he was buckling in front of her. "So this is the real reason for your haste in building your hut." She moved to sit on the edge of the foundation in the empty space next to him. "Why haven't you told Kagome this?"

"She'd tell me that I was worrying over nothing."

"Kagome thinks that she's upset you somehow, since you turn away from her," Kikyo continued. "And from the sounds of things, this fear you have had to have come about suddenly. The way she spoke, you found ways of attending to each other's needs."

Inuyasha's face burned bright. "Tell me she didn't tell you everything."

She laughed. "No, but she didn't need to." Kikyo frowned again, looking out into the woods. "Kagome is hurting, Inuyasha. You need to speak with her. Tell her than you have concerns –"

"Tell her what? That I'm scared her modern herbs won't keep her from getting pupped before she finishes her school?"

"She needs to know –"

"Keh! You don't know how much that future world would shame her if she were with child right now, Kikyo. Kagome said that it would dishonor her family if she got pupped before she finished. Said that girls who did were looked down on. Called things. I don't want that for her."

Kikyo sighed again, reaching around the wall support and patting his hand. "You truly think that hiding from your wife is going to make it better?"

He shrugged. "Thought if I got the house built, at least we'd have that going for us. I don't have a lot to offer, so I want the house to be perfect for Kagome."

"Inuyasha, sometimes I really can't believe you."

"What?"

"Kagome doesn't want a palace. She wants a home. With you. Now you need to tell her the real reason for your actions as of late."

The hanyou sighed. "I will." When Kikyo gave him a skeptical look, he repeated himself with force. "Geez, when did you become an advocate for Kagome?"

She stood, stretching her back. "Since Kagome became my friend," she spoked pointedly. "I walked her back to the well before I came here to see you. Kagome said that she had tasks she needed to complete before tomorrow, so I walked with her because she was exhausted after her emotional upheaval. I am going to return the village. Kaede will have the midday meal prepared soon. Do you intend to return to Kagome's time, or will you join us?"

From the incomprehensible mumbling coming from the hanyou, Kikyo took it to mean that Inuyasha would most likely continue to work through lunch. She turned and walked back towards the village, not feeling at all accomplished. At best she had gotten him to say why he was avoiding his wife's attentions. 'Such an insufferable ass,' she thought. 'I can't even say that it is the youkai in him that causes it either.'