Archive of Our Own ^beta

Kagome walked down the street. These paved streets had etched themselves back into her mind. They were the norm now. She had a bag hanging off one arm, the other hanging loosely at her side. Her raven hair was in a braid down her back, her black dress hung on her figure perfectly.

This was it. Her first year as a teacher. A college professor, really, but a teacher nonetheless.

After the retrieval of the last Shikon shard, she had gone back to her time. Well. there had been a period in between. but she didn't like to even think about that. She had completed high school, then college, and had then been offered this job. She was, of course, teaching Japanese ancient history. What else? She had yet to look over the textbook. It was a new course being offered at the prestigious Tokyo University, and no one had looked it over. Her first class was today, and they would be her test-dummies, for lack of a better name.

Kagome didn't have a car, but she only lived three blocks away from her classroom, so it didn't really matter.

Actually, her job wasn't really to teach the Japanese history, it was to teach the legends. Her class was something of a writer's class. She just told the legends. They intrigued her greatly, for obvious reasons. Students would be taking her class as to learn the legends in order to use factors of them in their stories or other literal works. It was now a required course if you wanted to take a class on writing children's books.

Kagome didn't mind her position. It didn't matter that it wasn't a very important position, she just liked it. Not many people knew as much about the subject as her either. Actually, she didn't think that any living person was more versed in legends than her. She had researched everything she could. She loved them. legends.

She was twenty-six. A young age for a teacher. But, she was just out of school, so it was good to be young.

Upon arriving at the building, Kagome used her new key to open up the classroom. The brand new books were sitting there in boxes next to her desk. The students had to pay for them. She saw her teacher's copy (three of them, actually) sitting on her desk. She walked over to the desk, put her bag next to it, and opened the textbook to the chapters index. She knew that she had to teach everything in this textbook, but some of the legends that were shown were rather boring. She decided that they'd skim the boring ones. She always hated boring classes. She decided that her students would probably be like her in that manner.

She was nearing the end when she noticed it. "The Legend Of The Shikon." Chapter Fifteen. Kagome paled and quickly flipped to those pages. It was a large chapter. She skimmed it quickly and felt a lot of blood leave her face. They had practically everything. Most of the demons fought, how many shards there were. But, worst of all. They had the team who had gathered them. She was pale. Who could have possibly written this? She flipped to the end of the section, trying to find out, then nearly smacked herself. Of course. Miroku. She felt about ready to decapitate the priest.

She was about to curse when the door to the classroom came open and two students filed in, talking and laughing. They smiled and bowed politely when they saw her.

"Ohayo, sensei." They said, each by themselves.

"Ohayo." She smiled politely. "I am Kagome Hiigurashi. I teach Japanese Legends."

"We know. We're in this class." The boy (one of each gender) smiled and bowed again. "I am Ryu Hanatabara."

The girl made the same gesture. "And I am Ryoko Hanatabara. We're twins."

"Yep, you're on my list. Do you have the money for your textbook?"

"Yes, sensei." They both smiled and took out the required amount of yen.

"Arigatou." She handed them each a textbook.

"Sensei, what will we be studying first?"

"We'll do the chapters in order, skimming the ones I think are boring."

"You know all of these?" She was looking at the twenty immense legends and the information surrounding them.

"Yes. I was a little legend obsessed for a while. Kind of still am." She laughed.

"Which is your favorite?" Ryu asked politely.

"The Shikon Shards." Kagome answered after a while. "I know the most about that one. It intrigued me."

"Oh, why? Did you research it more or something?" Ryoko asked.

"Yeah. One of the people involved has the same name as me."

"Really?" The twins flipped to the page about it. "You're right! Kagome Hiigurashi! It is your name!" Ryu smiled happily.

"Yep." Kagome couldn't help but smiling back.

"Wow. This is a large chapter. It's the longest one!" Ryoko was surprised.

"Really?" Kagome looked at the number of pages. "You're right, it is."

"Hey, look at this! It even says who wrote this information! Wow, it was written by one of the adventurers!" Ryu looked shocked.

"Sugoi!" Ryoko looked pleased.

"What was Miroku like? You said you knew a lot about it." Ryu asked Kagome.

"Oh. well, the only interesting things I could find were diaries." Kagome lied. "He was a priest. And a rather perverted one at that! He would ask young ladies to bear his children at random!" Kagome laughed and the two students looked at her funnily. "He wound up marrying another traveler, Sango. Sango was a little over-protective of herself."

"You really do know a lot about this!" Ryu looked impressed. "More than I'd even expect a teacher to know!"

"Well, thanks, I think." Kagome laughed.

"You'll be very informative." Ryoko smiled politely. Kagome couldn't respond, as about twelve other kids walked in. Within five minutes the whole class was there and Kagome started class.

She handed out textbooks, and they got started. The year went smoothly. Very smoothly. Kagome tried to make the class as entertaining as possible, and the kids loved her. Some a little too much. But that was the result of raging hormones.

Then, close to the end of the term, they reached the saga of the Shikon Shards.

"Now, turn to chapter fifteen, class." Kagome pulled out her textbook wearily and looked over her material. She was both ecstatic and weary of teaching this. Her quest was famous, but she was sure that teaching it would bring back some unwanted thoughts.

"We are now starting the chapter on the Shikon Shards, a quest that took place quite a long time ago. We are going to spend a little more time on this chapter than on most of them, as it is my favorite tale." To do it. or not. she would. "We will also be taking a trip to one of the places mentioned in this tale, which happens to be on my family's property. Is it the Bone Stealer's Well." The class looked at her in awe. "Don't look at me like that! Field trips were always my favorite part of school!" The whole class laughed. "But, we have to start the chapter first." She started telling them about the shattering of the jewel, how the human and the half-demon had began searching for it. Of course, someone pointed out that her name was there, Kagome simply said that it was coincidence. Then, later in the chapter, someone pointed out that the girl, Kagome Hiigurashi was from their time and had gone through the Bone Stealer's Well to go back in time. Once again, Kagome said it was just coincidence. She hated lying, but it was necessary. Then came the time to go to the well. Kagome hadn't been there in a long time. Close to ten years, actually.

Upon arriving at the shrine, Kagome's mom brought out snacks for everyone and the class laughed when Kagome indignantly said "Mom!". Then came the tour of the shrine. Kagome's brother had decided to help with this, and was a little pest, to put it nicely. Kagome had made her whole family swear not to tell the class the truth. Then came the showing of the well. Kagome somehow (to this day, we still don't know how) got the whole class into the shrine walls, and began a telling of how the young girl had first come into the well. Accidentally, one of the students tripped, and Ryu and Ryoko were sent sprawling into the well. When no one heard a thud at the bottom, they panicked. So did Kagome.

"Aww. shit!" Sota came running in.

"Sis! What's up?"

"Two of the kids fell in!"

"You have to go get them!" He shrieked, the class just stopped yelling and stared.

"Crap! You're right, Sota! Class, out of the shrine! Sota, get them outta here!"

"Right!" He ushered the class out, but all of them saw Kagome jump into the well and disappear.

Though she hadn't been there in quite a while, the forest hadn't changed at all. Upon climbing out, she noticed that the twins had wandered off, as she couldn't find them. "Stupid kids." She grumbled and began calling their names. When she got deep into the forest, she got a reply.

"Sensei!" The two came running up to her. They looked like they were in heaven. "This is awesome! Did you know we could go through there?"

"Yes." Kagome rolled her eyes. "Come on, there are demons everywhere, we- " She was cut off by laughter.

"Yes, listen to the little human girl! We are everywhere!" A demon shouted, then appeared. It was a cat demon. A male cat demon.

"Kuso!" Kagome looked more annoyed than freaked out.

"S-sensei!" The twins didn't look so pleased now.

"Calm down. He's not very powerful. Just a little one." She looked over at it. "Go back to your parents, Neko."

"How do you know my name?" The demon looked annoyed. "I'm not that young, either! I'm sixteen, human!"

"Don't tell me you don't recognize me. You're Neko-kun, Shippou's friend." Kagome rolled her eyes.

It blinked at her, then smiled like a little kid. "Geez! I didn't recognize you, Kagome! Sorry!" It pounced up and gave her a hug. "What're you doing back here? We thought you left for good."

"I did. No offense, Neko-kun." Kagome looked annoyed again.

"None taken, we all know why." He shrugged. "Now, who are these two? Friends of yours?"

"No, two of my students. I'm a teacher."

"Oh! Nice to meet you!" Neko smiled.

"Uhh. yeah."

"Sure." The twins said. Then Ryu turned to Kagome. "You lied to us. You said it was only a coincidence!"

"Would you have believed me?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well. Probably not." They both gave in.

"Now, Kagome-chan, you have to come and have dinner with us! It'll be fun! I know Shippou'd love to see you!" Neko grabbed her hands before she could protest and dragged her off, Ryu and Ryoko just following them.

"I have a question." Ryu finally spoke up. "What were you going to do to us?" He asked Neko.

"Probably eat you, why?" Neko smiled and Ryu gulped. "Don't worry, now that I know you're friends with Lady Kagome, you're fine."

"Good." Ryoko sighed.

"Oh, Kagome, you should know that we've still got the same old Sesshoumaru problems."

"What?!? Hasn't he given up yet?"

"No. He's annoying Lady Kaede to no end."

"She's not dead yet?!?" Kagome was even more shocked.

"I know, my thoughts exactly!" Neko laughed. "But, she said she'd live to see you two forgive each other. You know she said that." His laughed stopped.

"She might never die, then." Kagome shut her eyes lightly.

"You really should-" Kagome cut him off.

"No. It's unforgivable." She glared at him. "Completely unforgivable."

"All right." He gave up, and a village came into sight.

"This is it." Kagome pointed out the village to Ryu and Ryoko. "This is where it all began. Oh, Neko, who all still lives here?"

"Everyone. Even Miroku and Sango, and their four kids."

"Four!" Kagome nearly choked. "I'm surprised Sango hasn't killed him yet!"

"So is everyone else. She does get pretty pissed every time she finds out she's pregnant. Which she is right now, for your information."

"Well. it doesn't surprise me that Miroku has that many kids. But Sango? I couldn't see her as a mother."

"I couldn't either, but she's actually a pretty good one." Neko shrugged as they went down the hill and came to the town. "Lady Kaede!" He screamed. "Ba-san!"

"Yes, yes. Hang on." Kaede bumbled out of her hut. Then nearly fell over when she saw Kagome. "Kagome!" With her shriek, Miroku and Sango also came out.

"Woah! Kagome! Great to see ya!" Miroku laughed and Sango punched him.

"It's nice to see you." She said gruffly.

"Yeah, same here." Kagome smiled.

"And who are these two?" Kaede asked in reference to Ryu and Ryoko.

"Ryu and Ryoko Hanatabara, they're twins and they're two of my students. They fell down the well, I had to find them, and then Neko decided they'd be his dinner." Kagome laughed.

"Well, they're human! They looked tasty!"

"Where's Shippou?" Kagome asked.

"I'll find him!" Neko volunteered then disappeared.

"Come in!" Kaede ushered the three visitors into her hut.

"So, what have you been doing?" Kaede asked after everyone was situated and tea had been served.

"I'm a teacher." Kagome sipped her tea. "I teach students about Japanese legends."

"Really? I'm sure you enjoy that!" Kaede and Kagome laughed.

Suddenly, there was a yip from outside.

"Well, I think we found Shippou." Kagome laughed. Then stopped at the next sound.

"Stupid Kitsune! Get off!"

"Oops! Sorry!" Shippou and Neko said in unison. Kaede looked nervously at Kagome, who was glaring at her tea cup, even Ryu and Ryoko noticed this.

"Guess what!" Neko said loudly, Kagome knew what was coming.

"You got a brain?"

"Hey! Not nice!" Neko was obviously pouting.

"What, then?"

"Kagome's here!" There was a long pause. "She's right in there!" They could guess Neko was motioning to the hut, suddenly, Shippou shot in and landed directly in Kagome's lap. That didn't work too well, as he was fully-grown now.

"Kagome!" He jumped up and down. "Yay! Why are you here?" The all fell over.

"Two of my students fell down the well." Kagome was surprised at the sound of her own voice. She wasn't the only one, though. At that moment, both Neko and Inuyasha entered the hut. Kagome's eyes met Inuyasha's immediately.

"Hey." He said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

"Hey." They both looked away from one another and everyone but Ryu and Ryoko sighed.

"Would you two just quit!" Shippou pouted. "It's been forever and a day! This should be all better now!"

"It's not, Shippou." Kagome said coldly. But, her coldness was not directed at the fox demon.

"It isn't something that can heal over night." Kaede added for the young woman. "But, you've had several nights. in fact, several years. You should at least be friends."

"We are friends. But that's all." Kagome smiled politely. Inuyasha just nodded.

"Right." Kaede sighed. "I can tell when you're lying. Two people like the two of you should be able to be friends again. You were so close to-" Inuyasha cut her off.

"What's past is past. Ain't nothin' we can do about it." He just closed his eyes and took up his usual aloof air.

"You haven't changed a bit." Kagome said, without even a hint of warmth.

"You have." He said with the same tone. "A lot."

"Good. People shouldn't stay the same forever."

"Sure, but they shouldn't change over night, either."

"I didn't change over night, Inuyasha." Her eyes glared at him coldly.

"It sure seemed that way." He said in an equally cold tone.

"Well, if I did it was your fault." Her eyes narrowed.

"I don't see how that works." He glared back at her. "I did nothing to you!"

"You still don't get it!" Their voices were gradually raising in volume.

"No, you're just acting spoilt! Just like then!"

"Ha! Me, spoilt! Just look in the mirror! The only thing staring back at you would be ego! So much ego that you can't even see what's in front of you!"

"No one can see things that are hidden and disguised!"

"I've only hidden one thing from you in my entire life!"

"Right. Yeah, I believe you." He sneered at her.

"And that was after I left!" Tears entered the corners of her eyes.

"Oh, really. Then what was the whole fight about!"

"The fact that you're too blind to see what's right in front of you!"

"Dammit! What the hell are you talking about?!?"

"Nothing you'd comprehend!"

"Oh really, try me!"

"I did! More times than you deserved!"

"So you say! You've always hidden things from me! I hate it!"

"I never hid anything from you! If you didn't see it, you were just too blind to see it."

"I never saw anything that would have saved us. Nothing. You kept yourself to yourself."

"No, I didn't." She gritted her teeth.

"Like hell you didn't! You wouldn't even talk to me!"

"You wouldn't listen!"

"I sure as hell tried to!"

"Yeah, right."

"You told me nothing!"

"You didn't tell me anything either!"

"You never asked me anything!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Then what the hell did you mean?!?"

"It's not what I didn't ask, it's what you never said to begin with." She clenched her teeth harder.

"What do you mean? I don't understand what you are talking about!"

"That's the problem! You didn't try to!"

"Of course I did! I tried everything I could to make you happy, but it just didn't work!"

"No you didn't. Liar. You mocked me and told me nothing but insults!"

"That's just how I am! I thought you knew that!"

"I shouldn't have to know that! You can't insult someone then expect them to listen to everything you say!"

"You never listened to begin with!"

"Neither of us did!" Then she realized what she had just said. They both saw the truth in it. "I'm going to bed." She said with an unreadable tone, and left for the hut that she had used while she had lived there. Inuyasha left too, for his usual tree. Neko and Shippou decided to go and talk in the forest, and Miroku and Sango had to check on their kids. That left Ryu and Ryoko with Kaede.

"Lady Kaede?" Ryoko asked in a quiet voice.

"Yes?"

"What happened? Were sensei and the other man dating?"

"You could say that. They were to be married. I only know what Neko and Shippou told me, but they saw the whole thing."

"What happened?"

"They had a fight. Neither of the little ones know what it was about."

"What was it about?"

"I'll tell you what I know."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted into the forest. Where the hell did he go? She thought lightly. "INUYASHA!!!!!"

"What?!?" Was the indignant reply as the one being sought after was noticed in a tree.

"I was looking for you!"

"Obviously! What for?" He looked annoyed.

"I need to talk to you about something!"

"Can't it wait?"

"No! It can't!" Kagome shrieked.

"Why the hell not?" He rolled his eyes.

"This is important!"

"Everything's important to you!"

"Just listen to me!"

"Fine!"

"I have something I need to talk to you about." He rolled his eyes again and sat down cross-legged on the branch. "Can you come down here?"

"Why?"

"So I don't have to look up at you!"

"Fine." He jumped down and stood in front of her. "Now, what did you want?"

"This is serious!"

"Everything is!"

"No, I mean it, Inuyasha!"

"Just tell me, then!" He said, exasperated.

"What's so important that you don't have time to hear me talk?" Kagome's voice was suddenly hard and Inuyasha stuttered.

"Well, I dunno. Geez, sorry!"

"I don't want to talk to you if you're just going to think of me as an annoyance. Why are you marrying me if you find me so annoying?"

"Kagome, I don't find you annoying!"

"Then why do you act like you do?"

"You just always want to talk to me! I don't like talking!"

"Fine. I'll leave you alone." Her voice was frighteningly calm.

"Listen, Kagome, I'm sorry! Really, I am, I-" She cut him off.

"I don't care. I'll leave you alone now."

"Kagome! Wait! Don't act like a brat!" He regretted saying that as soon as it left his mouth.

"A brat, huh? Well, high and mighty you doesn't need a brat for a wife, now do you?" Her eyes filled with tears.

"I didn't mean to say that."

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know, it just popped out!"

"Well, since I'm such an annoying brat, I'll leave you alone now."

"Wait! I'm not done talking to you!"

"Well, I'm through with you!" She whirled around to face him. "I'm sick of being treated like I'm just some girl you found and decided to fucking marry! I'd like to think there's more to our relationship than that! But considering you've never told me otherwise, that could very well be it."

"You know it's not! Kagome!"

"No, I don't know anything. Enlighten me."

"I- Well- I-" He stuttered, obviously at a lack for words.

"That's what I thought." She turned and started walking away.

"Dammit! Don't you walk away from me!" He started after her, but when he grabbed her arm, she slapped him.

"Stay away from me. I'm not your possession. I'm not a toy that you can throw away when you're done playing with me! I'm a human! I have feelings! Is that the problem? I'm less than you because I'm human?"

"No! I'm part human, too!"

"And you consider it the bane to your existence."

"Kagome!"

"No, stop. I don't need to take this."

"Fine. Don't." He glared at her then the two turned and walked in different directions. Kagome went back through the well before anyone knew they had even had a fight. She didn't go back, either, until that very day.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*End Flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"That's all I know." Kaede said sadly.

"What did she want to tell him?" Ryu asked.

"I don't know. But, I'll assume that's the only thing she's never told him. Like she mentioned."

"I'll tell you." Kagome reentered the tent.

"Lady Kagome!" Kaede looked surprised.

"I was pregnant. That's what I wanted to tell him." Her eyes were emotionless. Devoid of anything, as she sat down and poured herself another cup of tea.

Suddenly, Inuyasha, too, burst through. Then he noticed Kagome.

"I thought you left!" He glared at her.

"I can't leave my students here, that wouldn't be very responsible of me as a teacher."

"Well, you didn't feel very bad about just leaving all of us."

"And you didn't feel bad enough to go after me, either." They both just stood silently for a while.

"I didn't know you wanted me to." His body was tense.

"You're not as smart as you like to give yourself credit for."

"I know that."

"Oh, so now you want to be nice to me? That's a new one."

"Kagome-" She cut him off.

"Can it. I don't want to hear any more excuses from you."

"I regret it." He said before she could stop him. "I regret not going after you. I regret letting you go. I've never regretted anything before this. And I hope to never regret anything again." He looked up at her.

"Then don't screw it up with the next girl." Kagome sipped her tea.

"You're being just as juvenile as I am!" He suddenly barked at her. "I'm trying to apologize to you!"

Kagome just stared at him.

"Kagome! I'm sorry, all right! What more do you want from me?"

"I don't want anything from you! Haven't you realized that yet?" Tears were threatening to break through her strong cover.

"Then why won't you forgive me?"

"I forgave you back then, you idiot! I just wanted you to appreciate me!" A tear slipped down her cheek.

"What do you mean? I appreciated you!"

"No. You didn't. You treated me however you wanted. You took it for granted that I'd always be there."

"I thought you would be."

"You can't treat people like they're possessions, Inuyasha." She looked at him seriously.

"I don't try to."

"But you do it, nonetheless."

"I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you say that then?"

"I did apologize to you!"

"Just so I wouldn't be mad. You didn't mean it."

"Isn't that what apologies are for? So people are no longer mad?"

"Yes and no."

"What do you mean?"

"If you want them to be neutral with you, don't put any heart into your apology. If you want someone to be happy, mean it."

"I did mean it."

"It didn't seem that way."

"Then, I'm sorry, Kagome." He slouched to the floor. "I'm very sorry. I'm an idiot."

"Yeah. you are." Kagome smiled lightly, and he looked up at her and did the same. "But, I already told you. I forgave you years ago. 'I'm sorry' wasn't what I was waiting to hear."

"Then what were you?"

"If you don't know, there's no way I could explain it to you."

"I think the half-ling knows, he just doesn't know how to associate it with words." Kaede finally put in.

"What do you two mean?" Inuyasha looked more confused than he wanted to.

"Stop using your head. Think with your heart, young one." Kaede smiled at him.

"What?"

"You are hopeless!" Kagome hit him over the head.

"Oww! What was that for?"

"You're an idiot."

"How am I an idiot?"

"You just are." Kagome sighed and flopped over backwards. "I'm gonna give up on you pretty soon."

"Kagome! I don't understand!"

"Do you feel anything for me at all?" She looked tired. Not the kind where you need sleep. she looked mentally tired.

"Of course I do." He looked at her strangely. "You should know that."

"But you've never said so." He looked at her, puzzled, then a light seemed to turn on.

"You! You were just confusing me! Now I understand. So what? I didn't think that there was the need to say anything."

"You can't just leave feelings unspoken."

"Then, I do love you. Was that what you wanted?" He smiled funnily and Kagome's eyebrow twitched.

"Sit!" Inuyasha was smashed into the ground.

"Oww!! What'd I do!"

"Don't be a smart ass!"

"Sorry!" She leaned over to him, and he was about to duck, when she pinned him down and kissed him.

"Achem." Kaede cleared her throat after five minutes had passed and the couple still hadn't moved. The looked up at her, annoyed.

"Yes?" They asked in unison.

"You have your own hut, you know."

"Yeah. so? I thought you were waiting for this?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her.

"Ah. I was. But I don't want you making out on the floor. Kagome?"

"Mm-hmm?" She looked at Kaede.

"Shouldn't you tell Inuyasha what you wanted to tell him so many years ago?" Kagome paled.

"Oh, I don't see how it makes a difference. I mean, it didn't last."

"What didn't last?" He was scowling at her.

"No, I didn't have another boyfriend! In fact," She rubbed her chin. "You're still the only man. err. creature. I've ever slept with." The half- demon blushed severely.

"Tell me anyway!"

"Well. I was pregnant." His face lost all the color it had gained.

"You were. what?"

"Pregnant. But it was a miscarriage." He just stared at her from his position beneath her. "You're supposed to be able to tell when an animal's in heat, aren't you? Shouldn't you have known that'd happen?" He gained back the color, plus some.

"Umm. I've never paid attention to that with you." He was practically cross-eyed.

"Oh well. Just proves your idiocy."

"Hey!"

She laughed. "I'm just kidding." She said and stroked his hair.

"So. Since you are back as one, will things pick up where they left off?" Kaede asked politely.

"I don't see why not." Inuyasha shrugged.

"You know, I was starting to like my job!" She scowled.

"Umm. I'm sorry, but I don't think a guy with ears would be very accepted in your time. Hell, I'm barely accepted here."

"Well, that's understandable. You are annoying." Kagome was playing with his ears, which were twitching slightly.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny, Kagome."

"But, I will stay here with you anyway, just proves my own lack of brain cells."

"Now who's being insulting?"

"You deserve it."

"Hey, I told you that I loved you, but you didn't give me any reply." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well then. I love you, half-breed." She grinned evilly and jumped out of the way when he tried to grab her. She was about to laugh when something exploded outside.

"Ah. I do believe Niisan is here."

"Since when do you actually refer to him as Niisan?"

"Well, he still may terrorize people, but he and I have reached an agreement."

"On what?"

"Well, I found out who his girlfriend was."

"Really?"

"A human." Kagome fell over.

"Seriously?!?" She blinked a couple times. "Wow."

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru entered the hut. "Hello." He trailed off when he noticed Kagome, who was, once again, straddling Inuyasha's hips. "I see you're back. And back together. How cute." He said dryly and rolled his eyes.

They all laughed.

The next morning, Kagome escorted Ryu and Ryoko to the well.

"You can go back through here."

"You aren't coming with?"

"Nope. Just say I died. Sota will understand."

"All right." Ryu said politely.

"I hope you'll be very happy." Ryoko was about to tear up.

"I will be. Being with the one you love makes everything better. That's a definite thing."

"Yeah." Ryoko smiled.

"Bye."

"Bye."

And with that, they left, and Kagome began her life in the past. Again.