ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ ㅤㅤ

Home For Summer

They had forgotten the cold empty grandeur of the Snow-Queen's castle like a bad dream.

"KAGOME!"

An orange blur fell from the sky right on Kagome, who blinked at the feeling of fur tickling her nose. Kirara jumped from Inuyasha's shoulder to the ground, hissing from fright.

It seemed Shippo had launched himself from the tree to greet Kagome as they ran toward Sango's village. The girl smiled, resting her cheek on his head.

"What the heck!" Inuyasha exclaimed, stopping to ease her down from his back. Once she was standing, Kagome immediately put her arms around the kit, hugging him tightly.

"I missed you, too, Shippo," she murmured into his hair, pretending not to feel he was crying a little. Knowing the fox was proud, she didn't want to embarrass him in front of Inuyasha.

Inuyasha fidgeted as the kid tried to control himself, apparently not sure what to do. As if sensing his distress, Kirara meowed and went to rub herself on his feet.

Kagome winked at him and smiled, trying to lighten the mood. He must be a little nervous, she guessed. Meeting new people doesn't usually go very well for him.

"I can't believe you're finally back!" Shippo leaned away to beam at her, his tail swinging.

"I told you I would!" Kagome laughed at his contented face. "Now, Shippo, there's someone I want you to meet…"

To Kagome's amusement, she saw Inuyasha straighten his shoulders as she turned around with Shippo in her arms. She couldn't decide whether he was adorable or silly.

"This is Inuyasha, the friend I've been looking for. Inuyasha, this is Shippo, the fox demon I told you about."

Shippo jumped from Kagome's neck and unceremoniously climbed his way up Inuyasha's legs. The half-demon did a strange little dance, scowling.

"H-Hey!" Inuyasha sputtered indignantly.

Kagome feared he would start yelling at Shippo, but he never got the chance. Grabbing Inuyasha's collar and using his small feet to support him on the half-demon's chest, Shippo put himself almost nose to nose with Inuyasha. That shut him up instantly; Inuyasha seemed to be at least surprised, if not impressed.

"Hi," Shippo said, blinking into his eyes. "Nice to meet you. Did you know Kagome walked half the world to find you?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha grumbled. "And nice to meet you, too—I guess."

Somewhere above them, a bird chirped. Shippo's tail swished.

"D'you love her?"

"Huh?"

"Okay!" Kagome approached them in two quick steps and grabbed the kit by his middle, yanking him away from Inuyasha. "We should hurry to the castle and meet the others!" She squeaked.

Shippo smiled mischievously up at her, but a single pointed glare from the girl wiped the expression from his face. Inuyasha, for his part, seemed to have become mute. His face was flushed and his eyes were wide.

"Why, you little—"

"Shippo doesn't know what he's saying, Inuyasha!" Kagome forced a smile, waving it off. Her voice seemed to be coming out an octave higher; Inuyasha winced.

Shippo clung to Kagome's neck, pretending to be oblivious. "Everyone will be so glad to see you! I was getting tired of waiting, you know." He huffed. "What took you so long?"

Well, what a marvelous change of topic, she thought wryly.

Knowing the others would ask her the same question soon enough, Kagome changed the subject abruptly. Smirking at the child, she asked in a singsong voice, "Tired of waiting, were you? Did you wait for me on this tree every day, Shippo?"

The boy blushed, frowning. "Not every day!" He turned his face away. "Just every three days."

Inuyasha threw his head back and laughed at that, scaring poor Kirara off.

"What are you laughing at?" Shippo glared at him, his face becoming redder. "You think I'm an idiot for waiting, don't you? Well, I don't ca—"

"Tch. Maybe." Inuyasha snorted. "But also very stubborn—and that's a compliment, kid." To Kagome's surprise, Inuyasha smiled, and it was a genuine one. "Stubborn people are more likely to get what they want."

Shippo puffed his chest out, visibly pleased with himself. It struck Kagome again just how much alike they were.

"Well, are we going to meet this Princess Gonsa or not?" Inuyasha leaned down and grabbed Kirara by the scruff of her neck, putting her gently on his shoulder again.

"It's Princess Sango," Shippo corrected dryly.

"He knows it, Shippo," Kagome whispered to the fox. "Inuyasha's just taunting me."

Kagome caught him looking at her from the corner of his eye, smirking. She rolled her eyes as they started walking again, this time side by side.

"Welcome back, Kagome!" Miroku's smiling face greeted them from the front porch as the small party made its way through the garden. "We've been worried about you."

Kagome stopped for a moment before climbing the short set of stairs to greet him, noticing he wasn't wearing his monk attire. He wore a deep blue kimono made of silk instead, its hem embroidered with a pattern of silver circles. It wasn't something a nomad buddhist monk would be able to afford, so she guessed it was a gift from Sango… And the implications of that made her blush to the roots of her hair.

"H-Hello, Master Miroku!" She greeted as she went to him. Inuyasha trailed a few feet behind. "How have you been?"

Miroku's eyes sparkled at her question. "I cannot complain, Kagome." He looked at Inuyasha and smiled. "This must be the friend we all heard so much about."

Before she could answer, Kagome was interrupted by someone in golden robes throwing themselves at her, hugging her tightly—and squeezing little Shippo in the process, who was still perched on her shoulder.

"You're back!" Sango leaned away to look at Kagome, smiling brightly. "I can't believe you're finally back!"

Kagome smiled at her friend, taking in her earnest eyes. The princess looked years younger than she had before. She was dressed as richly as Miroku, in a golden robe embroidered with red flowers. Kagome fidgeted, feeling a little inadequate—though not nearly as inadequate as she'd felt when she first met Sango.

"I'm glad to see you too, Princess." Kagome smiled, holding Sango's hands. Kirara chose that moment to jump from Inuyasha's shoulder to Sango's, meowing loudly and rubbing Sango's cheek.

"Hello to you too, Kirara!" Sango giggled, carressing the cat. "I missed you dearly—but maybe not as much as Kohaku." Kirara purred contentedly, making herself into a tight little ball on Sango's shoulder.

"And this must be Kagome's Inuyasha?" The Princess asked, fixing her eyes on the half-demon with a soft smile.

Kagome felt herself blushing at how casually Sango had referred to him as her Inuyasha. "Yes, Princess, this is Inuyasha," she interjected, standing beside him and touching his arm. God, my voice is all high again!

Sango stepped forward and bowed her head. "It is very nice to finally meet you, Inuyasha. Kagome spoke a lot about you."

"Um." Inuyasha cleared his throat, nodding back at Sango. "Nice to meet you, too."

Kagome smiled at his profile, thinking he was doing well for someone who never met new people. In fact, she realized, I never saw him introducing himself to anyone before.

The Princess stepped back, turning to the monk. "This is my husband, Lord Miroku," Sango said, gesturing at him. Miroku had the gall to wink at Kagome, who gasped delightedly. Sango sent a sheepish look at the girl, blushing profusely.

"So, you married the monk," Kagome said, smirking. "I'm so happy for you both!"

Sango smiled a little, tugging at one of her forelocks. Such an uncharacteristic gesture made her look even younger. "I'll tell you how this happened later!"

Look at the fierce princess now, all red in the face! Kagome thought, stifling a giggle.

"No need to prolong such a simple tale, my dear Sango," Miroku interjected, touching her shoulder tenderly. Then, he turned to Kagome and Inuyasha, his smile mischievous. "She fell madly in love with me. I said yes. That is all."

"Excuse me!" Sango sputtered indignantly, turning to glare at her husband. "You make it sound like I corrupted you!" She huffed. "You weren't acting like a monk, you know—at all!"

"You really weren't!" Shippo nodded from his place on Kagome's shoulder, running to Sango's defense. "If anyone was pinning for anyone, it was you pinning for her!"

Sango smiled at Shippo with such fondness that Kagome could see how much closer she'd gotten to the little fox. It made her happy, but her chest hurt a little. She couldn't quite understand the feeling.

"Let us take this conversation inside, my friends," Miroku suggested. "Our guests look like they're about to fall down."

"Keh. No one's falling down," Inuyasha protested, scowling a little. Then, he quickly glanced at Kagome. "But getting inside would be fine, I think."

They had barely made three steps into the castle when Shiori appeared, going directly to Kagome and greeting her rather warmly for such a shy child. Kagome noticed this change in behavior with satisfaction; she'd never seen Shiori acting carefree and happy.

"It seems staying here was really the best option for her," Kagome whispered to Sango.

"Oh, yes, she's doing very well here," the princess whispered back. "And she'll never want to leave now!"

Kagome smiled at that.

At the great hall, they all sat on the floor to eat and catch up. Sango and Miroku sat moderately close to each other on the same mat, and Kirara was curled up on Sango's lap. The picture they formed together made Kagome smile silly.

"So, let's begin," Sango said suddenly, looking from Kagome to Inuyasha and back. Kagome felt a little uneasy. "Tell us everything, Kagome! How was your journey? Did you face the dog demon alone? Are you really unharmed?"

Miroku touched Sango's hand to get her attention. "Easy, love," he admonished. "She has to be able to keep up with your questions in order to answer them."

Sango muttered an apology to Kagome, but the girl really didn't mind it. She felt a warmth in her chest just knowing that Sango really cared about her. She didn't help me simply out of pity.

Before Kagome could start speaking, the sliding doors were violently pulled aside. Kohaku, his face flushed, entered the room in five quick steps, coming to a stop in front of Kagome and Inuyasha. Myoga and Shoga jumped from his shoulders to stand on Kagome's bent knees, bowing to her with little tears in their eyes.

"We're so glad you're back, my dear!" Shoga said, pulling out a tiny handkerchief and blowing her nose.

"Very glad, indeed!" Myoga agreed.

"Kagome!" Kohaku greeted, breathing a little hard. "I'm glad I made it back in time to see you!" He smiled; then, realizing how he'd sounded, he backpedaled. "I-I mean, I'm glad you made it back safely!"

Kagome stifled her laugh. "Thank you for worrying about me, Prince." She smiled. "The map you gave me was a lot of help. I wouldn't have made it without you."

Kohaku blushed so much that Kagome wondered if she should have praised the boy in front of everyone. Thinking fast, she turned to Inuyasha. "This is Inuyasha," she gestured to the half-demon. "My best friend."

Inuyasha puffed his chest out at that, nodding at Kohaku, but his nose, Kagome noticed, was dusted pink.

"Oh, Kagome, you're gonna kill them both if you keep this up!" Sango teased, leaving the younger boy looking horrified and the older one looking angry.

It was Kagome's time to blush. "I wasn't—"

"My wife's just teasing you, Kagome." Miroku laughed. "Why don't you tell us your tale now that everyone's here?"

Just like that, Kagome stopped feeling like an embarrassed girl. She felt old all of a sudden. Looking around the room, she caught Shiori gazing at Inuyasha, her head tilted to one side. It occurred to Kagome then that, just like Inuyasha, Shiori might never have seen another half-demon before.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome started telling her friends about her adventure. She thought about skipping the part where she'd been abducted by the Robber Girl, but couldn't. It would feel good to say everything out loud, and she needed it.

They didn't interrupt her too much; just a few questions now and then. Kohaku was livid to know the Robber Girl had kidnapped her, proclaiming he would do anything in his power to get her. Kagome almost told him that he never would, that Kikyo was surely miles away… but something made her hold her tongue. It was strange, but she didn't want to rob Kikyo of her chance at happiness—no pun intended.

She didn't want Prince Kohaku to hunt Kikyo down. I also want another story gone right, she realized, looking at Inuyasha out of the corner of her eye. Besides my own.

When she got to the part where Kirara flew to the floating castle, Kagome started thinking of ways to not make it sound like they were at the Snow Queen's mercy. Inuyasha would be ashamed if her friends thought he wasn't able to protect her. He might even leave the room, in fact, and that would be a shame—especially for little Shiori.

Toning it down the best she could, Kagome explained Inuyasha indeed had a jewel shard in his chest, just like Princess Sango and Master Totosai had suggested. She said his stepmother took advantage of the cold nature of the Shikon no Tama to manipulate him into staying, but that in the end, they couldn't find out what her true purposes were.

"We don't know if she really intended to make Inuyasha her heir," Kagome explained, "or if she was just using him to lure her son back home."

"You think he would have gone back to her and taken a throne he didn't want just to stop Inuyasha from doing it?" Kohaku asked, frowning. He clearly didn't know what rejection from a sibling looked like.

"Hatred has no limits," Inuyasha spoke for the first time, catching everyone's attention. Then, surprisingly, he turned to Shiori. "Neither does ignorance." His eyes went a little sad, but he shook it off quickly. "Anyway, he didn't go back for me. There was a kid he wanted to save, and it looked like his mother could do that." Inuyasha snorted. "He wouldn't have gone back just because of me."

Oh, Inuyasha…

Kagome discreetly held his hand and squeezed it. She finished her tale quickly after that, not wanting to linger.

They all thought she was very brave—and Inuyasha too, for living months with a jewel shard inside him.

"Funny thing is, my father was the one who broke it," Inuyasha said, his hand closing around the hilt of his sword. Kagome frowned. Hearing her silent question, he resumed, "They made a tapestry about that; it was hanging on a wall at the castle. I asked Setsumi about it. Some lowlives were fighting for the jewel, the fight got too close to the castle, and my father thought it would be a good idea to blast everyone to pieces—along with the damn jewel." He paused. "Tch. There you have it. It's his fault."

"But the legend says the gods did it." Shippo was looking at Inuyasha with wide eyes, and Kagome knew the kit was thinking about his own father, who'd succumbed to the evil of a shard. "Dog demons aren't gods!"

"They were once," Inuyasha mumbled, looking at the floor with a frown. "They thought so, at least." He shrugged.

Kagome didn't know why, but she wasn't happy at how the conversation had turned against Inuyasha's father. Maybe it was her intuition speaking, but she didn't think it was fair. "Your father was protecting his family," she interjected. "He was doing his duty, Inuyasha—even to that foul woman. You would have done the same if our family were in danger."

She'd meant their family as in the one they had now, with Mama, Old Kaede and Sota, but it came out weird. Kagome blushed, realizing he might misinterpret her. She could feel Sango's knowing eyes on her.

Inuyasha sighed. "Yeah," he admitted, his eyes softening as he looked at her. "I would."

She was so surprised at his reaction, she felt like running away and throwing herself at him all at once. Inuyasha had never looked so much like a man to her; it hit her like a brick to the face.

"Well!" Sango cleared her throat, smiling from ear to ear. "The sun has already set, so I take it you'll sleep here. Do you need me to summon doctor Hojo to check you up?"

"No, we're fine," Kagome answered. "We just need a good night's sleep—with a roof over our heads, you know."

"I'll show you to your rooms, then," Shoga said, patting her little dress.

When they were leaving the hall, Sango pulled Kagome aside to talk. The girl gestured for Inuyasha to go ahead without her, giving him a reassuring smile.

"You were right," the Princess said once they were alone. "Miroku wasn't a liability or a distraction." She smiled. "I'm still the ruler of this estate, and people will still answer to me."

"Absolutely!" Kagome took her hands. "You proved yourself already, Princess. People know you don't need a king to rule—you just happen to want one."

Sango told Kagome the situation with Miroku had gotten to a point where it was impossible to keep things as they were. He was running out of excuses to stay, and she was running out of excuses to stop him from going. One day, he told her he was leaving.

"That was the breaking point. I snapped at him," Sango confessed sheepishly. "He confronted me—I'd never seen him acting so intense! He asked me to marry him, otherwise he would leave." She sighed. "I kissed him, and… well, we were married the next day!"

They both started giggling, but Sango got suddenly serious. "About your situation, my friend… I understand why you didn't want to think about your feelings for Inuyasha before. They would have made it harder to focus, to keep your mind clear… But not now; now you're both safe! You're going home together!" She shook her head in exasperation. "You can't run away from it anymore! He only has to look at you. I don't know how he hasn't seen it yet!"

"Maybe he has." Kagome sighed, shuffling her feet. "It's just—he's the most important person in the world to me. If he sees me as a sister, I would rather never know. I would be too humiliated if I opened my heart to him and he rejected me!"

"Oh, Kagome." Sango shook her head, smiling sadly. "I can understand his lack of confidence, but yours?" The princess paused, considering her friend for a few seconds. "Hm… You don't see it either, but I'm sure you will."

Before Kagome could retort, Sango kissed her cheek and said goodnight. She was left alone in the hallway, thinking herself rather childish in face of her friend's newfound wisdom.

It doesn't seem like we're the same age anymore, Kagome pondered on her way to the room she'd occupied before, feeling a tingle down her spine for no apparent reason.

Inuyasha was very silent as they said their goodbyes the next morning. Kagome thought he was even avoiding eye contact, but she dismissed it at that moment to properly talk to everyone.

"You'll visit us, won't you?" Shippo wined. Sango had told her he'd been considering asking to leave with her and Inuyasha, but he'd given up when Shiori had cried over it. Secretly, Kagome thought it was for the best, even though his preference hurt. People in Sango's village seemed to be more open minded toward demons.

"Of course I will, Shippo!" She kissed his forehead and put him down. "I have to bring my mom to meet you, remember?" Then, she looked at the faces of her friends, feeling overcome with gratitude. "Thank you all for believing and helping me. If I'm going home now, it's because of you." She joined her hands and bowed to them.

"Oh, Kagome!" Sango came forward and hugged her. "Say you'll think about what I told you," she whispered so only Kagome would hear. "And be happy!"

Kagome nodded, stepping away. "You too," she mouthed, winking.

"Thank you for welcoming us," Inuyasha said, startling her. "And for helping Kagome before."

"It was a pleasure, my friend," Miroku said. "Have a safe journey home."

Inuyasha nodded. Then, he turned to Shiori. "You take care, kid." He said, ruffling her hair. Shiori beamed at him, delighted.

Inuyasha, Kagome thought fondly, you're full of surprises.

She turned to full-sized Kirara, then, who stood quietly beside Kohaku. Kagome leaned down and kissed the cat right between the eyes.

"You know, Kirara, I don't think I'll be able to repay you in this life," she said as the nekomata nuzzled her hand. "But thank you." Kagome smiled. "I couldn't have asked for a better escort."

Nodding to the small party, she turned and climbed on Inuyasha's back. He took off like the wind, and this time, Kagome looked only ahead.

After three days of getting an almost silent treatment from Inuyasha, it dawned on Kagome he had undoubtedly heard her conversation with Sango.

She wanted to jump from a cliff and die.

It was a painful conclusion, drawn from many awkward silences and blushing faces. She didn't know exactly how he had heard them, but it made sense. Inuyasha had excellent hearing, after all, and they'd been at the damn hallway that night. Stupid!

Inuyasha was predictably avoiding the matter, so she knew it was up to her to suck it up and say something. But what if that wasn't why he was acting strange? What if she were wrong?

You're not, she told herself for the thousandth time. You shivered because you felt him watching you. It's time to face the music!

Kagome was angry at him for listening in on her, but she was mostly sad he didn't return her feelings. Why else would he be so distant, especially after everything they'd been through? It's a stupid reason to act like this, she thought, feeling like her heart suddenly weighed a ton, pulling her to the ground. We're still friends! We've been apart for ages!

They were two days away from home when she took a deep breath, sat beside him in front of the fire, and asked him to look at her.

He faced her slowly, a slight frown marring his face.

"I know you know," Kagome murmured, looking straight into his eyes.

A few heartbeats passed. Inuyasha opened and closed his mouth, his shoulders slumping. Then, he tensed, and Kagome wanted to bawl at the thought he would run from her. I better finish this quick!

"I won't yell at you for eavesdropping," she said, "but I do want to yell at you for treating me like this. We're friends!" She shouted the last part, unable to control herself. "I don't deserve it, and you'll stop it right this instant!" Kagome glared into his shocked face, nodded and turned away, thinking she should at least try to sleep.

Just as she moved, his strong arms grabbed her by the middle, pulling her closer—much closer, in fact. Her back touched the extension of his chest, and she could feel his breath on the nape of her neck.

Inuyasha sighed like a suffering man. "As always, you used your pretty little head and came to the wrong conclusion," he murmured into her hair. "And you dismissed me after saying your piece, too!" He chortled.

After the briefest of hesitations, he kissed her right behind her ear.

Kagome was sure she was fainting.

"Wha—" She turned in his arms to face him, their noses almost touching. She had to cross her eyes to look at him, and her spine hurt a little, but his vice grip wouldn't let her turn. "Wha—what are you doing?" She stammered.

"I was trying to give you a shot at something better," he said a little angrily, but she could tell he was blushing. "It ate at me all day yesterday, until I realized I'm too selfish for that." He sighed, touching her cheek with shaking fingers. "Then, today, I thought I should at least talk to your mother before making a move." He had the nerve to glare at her, but his eyes were shining too much. "Of course, you just had to ruin it."

To Kagome's frustration, Inuyasha didn't come any closer. Why wasn't he kissing her already?

"S-So you had to ignore me just because you wanted to talk to my mother first?" She managed to get out, sounding exasperated. Why am I arguing with him now? Now of all times?

"I-I was going to ask her for a little help," he confessed, shocking Kagome. Inuyasha never asked for help. "I was going to ask her how to propose." He sounded as nervous as a boy, but looked like a man. It was hard for Kagome to keep up with her own changes, let alone his. "No one taught me nothing about this, so—"

"Say you'll build me a house," she blurted. Inuyasha blinked at her, and Kagome could feel herself blushing. To her credit, though, the girl didn't avoid his eyes. "I don't care how you ask me, Inuyasha—you already know the answer!" She sounded impatient, but she didn't mind it. "Say you'll build me a house." She tried to smile, but her lips were trembling.

She could feel his warm breath on her face, and it was making her a little lightheaded. Do I really need a house? She wondered. We could live in the woods for all I care, but…

"I'll build you a house," Inuyasha muttered, making her heart skip a beat. His voice seemed to be coming from miles away. "If you become my wife as soon as it's ready."

Kagome nodded and put her arms around his shoulders, unable to speak.

They leaned into each other then, sharing their first kiss. Both were a little awkward, a little shy, but very eager to learn. Kagome didn't think it was particularly pleasant at first, just wet and warm—but she couldn't care less.

It was Inuyasha.

He made her hum and shake soon enough, though, and they kissed until the moon was high and their lips were sore.

Kagome felt both anxious and at peace as they approached the Goshinboku—and the two small huts that stood near the tree.

She briefly squeezed Inuyasha's hand before releasing it. Kagome had gotten down from his back at the limits of the village, thinking it would be right to walk home beside him.

A few people in the fields stopped working to gape at the pair, drying sweat from their brows and whispering to their companions. Kagome smirked, but didn't turn to look at them. I bet we were already dead and buried to these people. Kagome felt very proud of herself; smug even, though she knew that might be a little petty.

Then, looking around her, she suddenly felt odd.

She'd grown up in that village. It had been all she knew until last winter, but something about it was off now. Nothing looked different, but nothing felt the same.

"Were those rocks always there?" Inuyasha asked conversationally.

Well, that's not quite what I mean. Kagome felt like laughing at his poor attempt to cover his nervousness.

"Yes," she answered anyway, standing on her tiptoes to peck his cheek. "And please calm down? They won't blame you for what happened."

Inuyasha's ears flattened and straightened again. "Keh."

At least I consoled him better than he did me, she thought, thinking of the previous day. As they'd ran past Kaou's castle, she'd been uneasy. It was ominously quiet there, and they also swam across the river without any interruptions. The two demons she'd met at that place didn't seem to exist at all, which left her feeling like a very imaginative child. Kagome didn't like it.

"They were here, Inuyasha!" She had told him, already on the defensive. "I swear it, okay?"

"Hey, I don't doubt you," he had assured her. "People don't have to stay forever at the same place, Kagome!" He had kissed her quickly to stay in her good graces.

Thinking about his new technique to appease her brought a silly smile to her face.

Kagome's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by someone calling her name—loud enough to wake the dead.

Kagome's head snapped up immediately.

It was her mother's voice.

She wished she could say time stood still as she looked at Lady Higurashi, her laundry on the ground and her hands over her mouth. She wished she could say everything happened slowly, that they took each other in eagerly before running toward one another and hugging.

That wasn't how it happened, though.

Reality was a blur.

She was already in her mother's arms in an eyebat, and Lady Higurashi was kissing her face, shouting for Sota and Old Kaede. Then, the woman was pulling Inuyasha closer, fisting his hair and crying on his shoulder.

"Thank you, Izayoi, thank you," Lady Higurashi prayed incoherently, over and over. "They're safe, they're safe and alive!"

Old Kaede didn't utter a word as she limped her way to them, but her entire hunched frame was shaking. She cupped Inuyasha's face and looked deeply into his eyes, her brow furrowed.

"I'm sorry!" He blurted, sounding choked; desperate, even. A boy again. "I never wanted to—"

"Hush, son," Old Kaede said, hugging him tightly. Her grey head only reached the middle of his chest, but Kagome could tell her presence humbled him. "It's not important."

Sota was the last one to arrive, and it took him a while to react to the fact his sister and foster brother were standing right there. Once he did, though, the boy wouldn't stop crying—not even as he tried to see Inuyasha's new sword through his tears.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Kagome was truly, genuinely happy. There was nothing else she wanted out of life. She didn't care about the small crowd forming around them, or the chief's dumbfounded face as he made his way through.

She met Inuyasha's eyes and smiled. He didn't smile back, but his expression was soft—so very, very soft.

He loved her, alright. It was glaringly obvious.

Looking up at the sun, Kagome shielded her eyes with her hand. Spring was over, replacing the smell of flowers with the smell of humid earth, to which she was most grateful. Finally, it was summer; warm, pleasant summer.

Today, it's hard to believe that snow even exists, she thought with a contented sigh.

A/N: I can't believe it's over, guys. I want to thank you all for reviewing, following, favoriting, or just reading, really! Your support was the only reason I managed to get through with this fic.

I know their journey back was fast, but hey, Inuyasha is way faster than Kagome! The author was not impatient. Not at all lol.

Anyways, I feel I said all I should, really… I can only hope you agree!

This was Kagome's tale as much as The Snow Queen is Gerda's. To keep the fairytale mood, here goes a moral: girls can do anything they want, even if they feel small and few people believe them.

Thank you again for reading. Please, please, tell me your thoughts! :')

FYI: If you miss me, go read Spirited Away! That's the fic I'll be updating from now on.