Summary: Admittedly, there wasn't much that rattled Kagome Barton to her core. She's endured transcending time and fighting demons over some stupid magic marble. Her days of time-hopping are over, but days of leisure are far from reach when she's recruited to the Avenger's Initiative following the appearance of Loki.

Pairing: Undecided

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Prologue

A thud at the bottom of the well cut through the usual silence of the well house. Fumbling a bit in the dark, Kagome eventually managed to grasp the lip of the well and pull her weight up over it. She stood up, nudging the bulky, yellow bag out of the way as she breathed a deep sigh.

It was hard to believe that it was all said and over with now that the aftermath had settled. Naraku was dead and the jewel had been returned to its completed form. While there was a strange sort of comfort she felt because those deadly moments were all in the past- literally- Kagome also found herself in an unfavorable situation.

Shining brightly within the darkness of the well house was the completed jewel, fixed around her neck on a chain that was practically unbreakable by human standards. She was stuck with it. Physically, it would not leave her side. Spiritually, it was bound to her. Mentally, it was a curse. That's all a thing such as it could ever amount to be, truly.

Kagome paused before she could reach to open the sliding door of the shack she stood in, lifting a hand and slinking a finger underneath the chain. It gave way enough for her to get a clear view of the jewel. At first glance, it looked like an ordinary gem- costume jewelry or even a trinket her grandfather would try to sell to the teenagers that came by. She knew better than that, however.

She didn't want it to cause any sort of trouble in the present, but she knew it would draw all things unsavory towards it, and by association, her. Ask anyone who knew of its ties to her, and they would see them as one and the same, in a way.

What a burdensome curse the Shikon no Tama turned out to be.

"... how am I supposed to ever keep you under control?" she whispered softly in the quiet space around her. She knew she was asking questions that had no answers. Only temporary solutions. She knew what the jewel wanted out of her- a replacement for Midoriko's presence within it. For that reason, and that reason alone, it had latched on much like a parasite. It'd dug its roots deep and fed off her as if she were nothing more than a host.

Her hand tightened on the jewel before she let it go entirely.

If she could learn how to keep it in a truly dormant state- if she could find a way to harness control over it, then maybe… Just maybe things wouldn't be so bad in the end. As of right now, she could only put forth so much of her energy to keep it in a partially dormant state, but each time it got used to the impact, steadily draining it from her and stealing it. Yet, if she ignored it and let it remain as active as it currently was, then that wouldn't have… ideal outcomes.

She knew she was far from weak with her abilities, but there was only so much she could do when it came to the jewel and whatever might come after it.

All of this seemed like things she could worry over at a later date. Stressing over it now wouldn't yield any positive answer for her, anyway. She reached to heft her bag up over her shoulder and pulled the sliding door open. A bright ray of sunlight filled the well house as she stepped out of it.

For a moment, she just stood there. There was something so soothing about being home for good after so much strife and fighting. Whether she came back with a burden attached to her or not, she was home. A weight she'd been unaware of seemed to lift from her shoulders as she stood there, letting the familiar aura of the shrine ease the worries that had been plaguing her for what felt like hours now.

It was hard to believe that at fifteen, she had accomplished many feats other teenagers and even many adults wouldn't be able to dream of managing. From getting pulled down the well by a demon and ending up forced five hundred years into the past, to surviving having some strange pink jewel torn from her body and the battle that stretched on in the aftermath of that moment. She'd faced war, she'd faced violence, she'd faced death and hell itself and come back victorious. She was resilient, brave, and possessed a heart of gold. Despite her youth, she'd endured so much. She'd endured things people often only faced in their nightmares, and she'd come back with only scared left to show. She knew, deep inside, that there were only more trials that would come for her given the jewel's lingering presence.

Before she could take another step, Kagome paused. She glanced back over her shoulder. Her gaze landed on the distinct shape of the well. As it did, a faint white light formed around her portal to the past. As she stood there, she could feel the remaining remnants of the well's aura fade until eventually nothing of it's prior power remained. The air of time travel faded from it as she stood there, merely watching. She remained where she stood for a few moments longer as the strange emptiness washed over her. Where what once had been a source of chaos, nothing was left behind.

For a moment, she was plagued with a fleeting sense of sadness as the finality of the situation was fully realized by her. Nothing would come through it ever again, herself included. She had known it was going to seal up before she ever went back through it the last time. That's why she'd said her farewells to her companions before she'd made that final jump, after all. It wasn't anything she hadn't been aware of, yet the difference in the well's aura impacted her either way.

"It's over," she whispered softly to herself. Those words were soon carried off by the wind. Her hand grew tighter on the bend of her bow. A second later, she tore her gaze away from the well for what might as well have been the last time. To her, it was. She exhaled, letting go of the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

The door to the well house slid closed, the sunlight once more barred from the small shack. She placed her bow down, letting it rest against the side of the well house. As she willed herself to move, walking away from the well as she made her way to the main building on the shrine.

Once there, she opened the door and stepped inside, letting the door fall closed behind her. "I'm home!" she called out through the building as she set her bag down with a thud by the door. She heard voices from deeper inside the building, and she turned her focus towards the direction they originated from.

"In here, Kagome!"

The sound of her mother's voice lured her down the main hall and towards the kitchen. "Coming!" she responded as she headed down the hallway. She stepped through the door, eyes searching for her mother as soon as she did. "Everything's over-" she started to say, only for the following words to go on forgotten when she noticed another person in the kitchen with her mother and younger brother. He leaned against the counter, waiting and watching the doorway as if he were waiting for her to appear. She paused, her mind temporarily short-circuiting before her body moved on its own. "Dad!"

She closed the few short steps between them in a mild sprint, jumping the moment she reached him. As always, he was quick to react as he caught her in his arms as she leaped into them, her own arms going around his shoulders in a tight hug.

"Hey! I missed you!" Clint circled his arms around her as he returned her hug, his actions a bit more gentle compared to her own. He moved to rest a hand on the back of her head, fingers mussing raven hair as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. "It feels like I haven't seen you in forever."

Those words were no understatement. It'd been months since the last time she'd seen him. Such a thing wasn't uncommon, but it grew more and more frequent when she ended up getting wrapped up in the actions of the jewel and well. "When'd you get back?" she asked as she let her grip falter. She settled back down on her own feet as she looked up at him.

"A week and a half ago," Clint responded. He set his hand on the side of her face, thumb brushing along her cheek where a bandage remained. He looked her over, and she knew what he was accounting for. She didn't have many physical injuries, her body automatically healing the more severe ones she'd gotten by now. There were only a few scratches that remained along her arms and legs that were visible due to the white gauze wrapped around the areas.

"What were you saying, Kagome?" her mother cut in, the sound of her voice pulling Kagome's attention back to her. For a moment, a flicker of recognition flashed through her eyes, and she perked up some.

"Oh, right!" Kagome exclaimed. She reached a hand up to lift the jewel, a faint smile on her face. "It's over," she said. "The well sealed up. I'm never going back through it."

"It is?" her mother looked surprised at first, but the surprise soon faded into a look of relief. "Thank goodness," she sighed, pressing a hand over her chest as those words and the meaning behind them fully sank in. A second later, she looked at Kagome and offered her a half-smile. "I know you're more than capable of taking care of yourself, but I always got so nervous every time you were whisked back down the well," she admitted. "I knew Inuyasha wouldn't let anything happen to you, but still…" She trailed off and shook her head. "I'm just so relieved that you're home."

She could feel her mother's relief, the warmth of it a pleasant feeling. Kagome nodded faintly in agreement before she could even realize her own actions.

"... me too," she whispered softly.

All things aside, she was genuinely relieved to be back home at long last.

The sky had turned a warm hue as the sun steadily got closer and closer to the horizon. Before night fell, Kagome had ended up coaxed outside by her father. Her bow stood out against the well house, and he went to retrieve it. As he did, Kagome felt a wave of confusion. She followed after him over the short distance.

Clint looked over the bow. Compared to modern, it was an antique. He turned it over in his hands a few times before looking back at her. Their eyes, a similar shade of blue, met. "You're in need of an upgrade," he remarked. Kagome pouted, setting her hands on her hips as she looked up at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she countered, cheeks slightly puffed out as she pouted. "There's nothing wrong with my bow." She'd used her bow to take down demons. She didn't need a new one!

Clint shook his head in response and held the bow out for her to take. With some prodding, she eventually did. "It's okay, if you like old-fashioned," he said. There was a faint hint of a teasing tone to those words, and Kagome merely rolled her eyes in response. A few seconds ticked by before he grasped her gently by the shoulders and turned her towards the Goshinboku tree. "Go on, let's see how good you've gotten since the last time I taught you a few pointers."

Kagome glanced from him and towards the Goshinboku tree. The mark already present in the tree's trunk was hard to see over the distance, even more so with the lack of daylight. Still, she didn't let that faze her as she notched an arrow on her bow and took aim. She could feel the weight of his stare, as if he were analyzing her stance, but he didn't move to change it any. She released her hold on the arrow, and it sailed towards the mark. It hit the tree, sinking into the bark in that very same mark that remained throughout all these years.

Kagome let her bow lower, and a second later, she felt her father's hand land on top of her hair, ruffling her hair some in the process. "That's my girl," Clint said. Kagome tore her focus from the arrow now embedded in the Goshinboku tree, and she glanced up at the man behind her.

"How long are you staying this time?" she asked as she glanced down at the bow she held. She traced a finger over the aged wood gently, almost as if it was at risk of breaking if too much pressure was applied to it. She knew that wasn't the case with it, however.

"I'll be around for a few more weeks, at least," he answered. "If they don't like it, well, they can get over it as far as I'm concerned.

Kagome nodded. She was relieved to hear that, considering how every other time before when he came home, she would always be in the past. More often than not, she would come back just to see him have to leave the next day.

She didn't have to worry about that anymore, and knowing that brought a smile to her face.

He moved his hand from her hair and to her shoulder, urging her forward with him. "C'mon, kid, let's get inside before your mom comes looking for us."

The next year seemed so surreal as it went by and she settled back into a normal routine for a teenager. She was almost surprised when she realized a full year had already gone by since she returned from her feudal adventures for good.

Kagome stepped through the front door and removed her shoes as she set her school bag down on the table next to the door. She headed to the living room, but felt her steps slow when hushed whispers reached her ears.

"... I'm not sure. It sounds awfully dangerous." This was her mother's voice. She'd recognize it anywhere. "Do you really think it's a good idea to get her involved, Natasha?"

"You have my word, I'll be keeping an eye out for her," a responding whisper reached her ears then. This one she also recognized. "I think she might be one of the only ones able to handle all of this, considering everything she's done and seen before. At the very least, she has the best shot out of anyone else."

She had the sinking suspicion they'd been whispering about her, and a small frown appeared on her face as she pushed herself to keep moving. "I'm home!" she called out as she walked through the doorway to join them in the room, and all whispers fell silent the instant she'd made her presence known.

She knew it! They had been talking about her.

When she stepped into the room, she caught sight of a familiar face and the owner of the voice she'd heard alongside her mother's voice. "Aunt Nat," Kagome said, and the red-haired woman turned to face her. There was something off about her aura. She could sense it. She could tell that Natasha tried to hide it from her expression as she offered her a smile, but she soon realized that it hadn't worked.

Did that fleck in her aura have something to do with the whispers she'd heard?

"Hey kid," Natasha said as she turned to face the younger girl.

"Did Dad come with you?" Kagome asked, confused by her abrupt appearance without the presence of her father. Often when she'd visit, it'd be alongside him. At her question, Natasha froze and her expression tightened some. Without a keen eye, it'd never been noticed, but Kagome noticed.

"Um, no. You're dad… He's actually not..-," Natasha said after a moment, glancing down. She turned to Kun-Loon, and after a moment, Kun-Loon nodded, standing a second later. "Why don't you come sit down with me? I have something I need to talk to you about."

"I'll let you handle what you have to," Kun-Loon said. She glanced at her daughter, not liking how she knew what her answer would be. She knew she could try to dissuade her, but she also knew her daughter better than anyone else. There were no possible words that could change what her answer would inevitably be.

Kagome watched as her mother retreated from the room before swapping her gaze over to Natasha. She walked to join her per her request, and they sat beside each other on the couch.

Kagome listened as Natasha said all she needed to, sitting patiently as she waited for her to fall silent. Once she did, Kagome tried to put her thoughts on the situation together.

"So…" Kagome paused and felt her fingers dig into her skirt. "You're saying that you don't know where my dad is right now. That someone… or thing… came from a glowing blue cube, and has taken some sort of control over him and others?"

Natasha nodded. "Pretty much," she said. "We're in the process of pulling together a team of skilled individuals," she continued, "and that's what brought me here now."

Kagome glanced at her, confusion evident in her expression.

"You have a lot of history with the supernatural side of life," Natasha said. "I know you've gotten away from it, but that doesn't change anything. Regardless of how long it's been since you've gone down that well, you still have the history of it."

"So you want me to join this team?" Kagome asked and Natasha nodded. She sighed and glanced down at her lap. "Figures… as soon as I start missing it all, something like this happens."

She'd been missing those moments pretty hard lately, and while it wasn't the same, this was still a call to the supernatural.

Kagome glanced at Natasha. "What do you wanna bet dad'll be pretty upset when we find him and he finds out you recruited me?"

"So you're going to do it?"

Kagome nodded. "Of course. You can't tell me something like this and expect me to just sit back and let everything unfold." She glanced down at her lap, a small smile lifting at her lips. "It's never been my style, has it?"

Natasha smiled faintly, reaching a hand out to rest it on her shoulder. "No, it hasn't," she responded. "You know, this will change everything for you," she whispered. "Are you absolutely sure, Kagome?"

At that comment, Kagome looked up to meet her gaze. After a few seconds, she nodded. "Of course I am," she responded.

Auroua-chan: So, I've been meaning to do this for a while now. I'm redoing this story as I move it over to this account from my other one. There will be changes from the original, especially as the story progresses.

First major change, Kagome is going to be 17, opposed to 16 like she initially was. The pairing is still undecided, so suggestions are still welcome and encouraged. I'll keep the original up until this one is all caught up with it, but I also may just keep it up so it's there for anyone who wants to go back and read it.

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~