Kagome walked through the woods and headed to the village that she spent so much time in. Inuyasha walked by her, taking her hand. She looked at their hands and smiled at him. This felt right. They stopped at the entrance of the village and she smiled. She was home.

"The priestess Kagome has returned!" yelled one villager. The villagers started to cheer. Kagome blushed and leaned into Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha smiled and leaned into her as they continued to walk to Kaede's house.

They walked in and there sat Rin and Kaede. "Welcome back, Kagome." said Kaede. Kagome smiled and walked over, hugging Kaede. "Welcome back, Lady Kagome." said Rin. Kagome smiled and looked at the little girl.

"Hello, Rin. It has been so long." she said with a smile. "Lord Sesshomaru decided to let me live in a human village until I became of age." Rin said with a smile. "But no time away from Lord Seshhomaru will ever sway me to leave his side. He is kind and loving." Kagome smiled.

She looked over at Inuyasha. He looked uncomfortable. "What?" asked. "Just someone talking like Sesshomaru like that is really weird to hear. Especially from a human." Kagome giggled. "I think even Sesshomaru is capable of changing at least a little." said Kagome.

"Would ye like to stay for dinner tonight?" asked Kaede. Kagome turned to look at her and nodded. "That would be lovely." she said with a smile. "We have to get the girls to bed. Hopefully, another time for us all to eat together." said Sango.

Kagome smiled and nodded. Kagome sat next to Inuyasha by the fire. She laid her head on his shoulder. Inuyasha smiled and put his head on top of hers. Kagome blushed and smiled. Kagome enjoyed eating with Kaede again.

Inuyasha stood up. "Kagome, will you come outside with me?" he asked. She nodded. She followed him out. "Everything okay?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded. "I was just wondering if you wanted to take a walk with me." Kagome smiled and nodded.

She wrapped her arm around his as they walked. Inuyasha took her hand from the arm that was wrapped around his. Kagome looked at the sky. The sun was going to set soon. Kagome smiled and she closed her eyes, listening to nature.

The crickets were chirping. The cicadas were buzzing. She could smell so many different kinds of wildflowers. She opened her eyes and she looked at the scarred tree. The tree that started it all. She smiled at the tree and walked over to it. She ran her hand down the trunk.

"There is something I wanted to show you." said Inuyasha. She turned and looked at him. She walked back over to him, taking his hand. They walked a bit away from the well and there stood a nice house.

"Oh wow, this house is amazing. It's huge." she said in awe. Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah, it was way more than what I wanted." Kagome looked at him in shock. "Wait, this is your house?" she asked.

He nodded. "Well, yeah, where did you think you were going to live when you came back?" Kagome gasped. Inuyasha blushed and looked away from her. "You really did plan on seeing me again?" Inuyasha looked at her.

"I hoped. But then I thought about what we talked about before the meido opened. We talked about visiting each other. And I wanted a place of my own. That way we weren't going to be interrupted." he said, blushing deeper.

Kagome smiled, happy tears filling her eyes. "You really thought about a future with me. You wanted me to be in your future." Inuyasha looked at her in shock. "Well, yeah. I thought that was obvious. I told you that I loved you. We kissed."

Kagome blushed and she looked at the ground. "Yeah, but I wondered at the time if you had just said that because I was dying." Inuyasha looked at her in shock. "No! I meant it!" Kagome looked at him. "I said those things because I meant them." Kagome blushed.

"I told you I loved in those moments because I wanted you to know that I was serious." Kagome smiled and nodded. She leaned in and kissed him. They both smiled. "Want to go see your house?" asked Inuyasha. Kagome nodded.

They walked in and Inuyasha showed her around the house. Kagome loved it. "Do you like it? I know it's not the house that you had in your time." Kagome turned and kissed his cheek. "It's perfect." They separated.

"Can I ask you a question?" he nodded. "Why are you so far from the rest of the village?" He looked at the house. "When I came back to this era, I was depressed for a while. I didn't really do much after I came back."

"But the villagers wanted to build me a hut to thank me I guess. They also built Miroku and Sango's. I just wanted them to build the house and leave me alone. I told them I wanted it built near the well. The closer I was to the well, the more hope I had to catch your scent."

"And when the few years passed, I kinda gave up about seeing you again. So having the house here was just a comfort for me after that." Tears filled Kagome's eyes. "I am so sorry, Inuyasha. I never meant to put you through all that."

Inuyasha reached and fingered the tears from her eyes. "I know. It's okay, you didn't have any more control over what happened that day than I did." Kagome leaned into his hand and she hugged him.

"I didn't say that to make you feel bad," he said. Kagome shook her head. "I know. I just want you to know that I tried so hard to go back to you. I went to the well every day and prayed and tried to come back to you. I wanted to see you so badly."

Inuyasha wiped the tears from her eyes. "I wanted to see you too. I would go down the well every three days and try to cross over one more time." Kagome smiled and she looked at Inuyasha.

"Are you okay, with leaving your era behind?" asked Inuyasha. Kagome nodded. "I knew when I jumped, it was going to be the last time. I knew that I was never going to return. And I was okay with that."

"Are you sure that you don't want to try and go back?" Kagome looked at him in shock. "What? Do you want me to go back to my era?" Inuyasha shook his head quickly. "No! I am so happy that you're here."

"But I know that you love your era. You were born and raised there. Your family and friends are there. I don't want you to regret ever leaving your era for me. You gave up everything you loved and knew for me."

Inuyasha looked at the ground. "I realized the day that you return to your family I wasn't the only one that loved and needed you." Kagome smiled and she caressed his cheek.

Kagome smiled. "True, but when I returned to my era, I felt so out of place. I knew that that era wasn't my life anymore. I felt out of place in the future. With my friends and family, it didn't feel right. I belonged in the era where you were."

"I didn't want to be in a world without you in it. You are my life now. Whatever era you are in, that's the one I belong in. It's the one that I want to be in. I love you Inuyasha. And I will NEVER regret leaving the future for you. Because you are my future."

Inuyasha smiled and looked at her with love. He pushed back her raven black hair. "I love you so much, Kagome. And I will never let you go again. You are my future. And I will spend the rest of my life with you." Kagome smiled and they leaned and kissed sweetly.

REWRITTEN FEBRUARY 2024