Mrs. Higurashi actually did go shopping, giving Kagome and Inuyasha more time to catch up. When she returned with Kagome's grandfather and Souta in tow – the questions started. How? Why did things feel different all of a sudden? How long has this been going on?

The couple did their best to explain, realizing Inuyasha's wish had a slightly different impact on Kagome's family. Somehow, they remembered both timelines: the one before Inuyasha's wish, and the one where demons and humans lived in harmony. Once everybody was caught up, Mrs. Higurashi made dinner (with extra ramen for Inuyasha, of course). After helping clean up, Kagome and Inuyasha headed outside to watch the sunset.

"500 years," Kagome breathed as she sat beside Inuyasha under the Sacred Tree. "I can't believe you've been waiting all this time. You and Shippou."

"Patience is one thing the pup never really learned," Inuyasha smirked, kissing the top of Kagome's head.

"Well definitely not, since I spent the last five centuries with you."

Kagome twisted to see a young man walking toward them. He appeared to be a few years older than her brother, with light brown hair cut in a short, modern style. He wore blue jeans, with a plain white t-shirt. The only way you could tell he wasn't human was his pointed ears.

"Couldn't even wait until morning, could you, runt?" Inuyasha groaned.

"Shippou?" Kagome's voice was barely a whisper.

He didn't respond; instead he opened his arms. Kagome jumped up and ran to him, nearly knocking him over.

"Hi Kagome," he laughed. "It's been a while. And don't call me runt, Inuyasha. I'm just as tall as you now. Have been for a long time."

"Still a runt," Inuyasha grumbled as he got up to stand beside them.

"Shippou I'm so sorry –"

"Don't even start Kagome," Shippou cut her off. "This was Naraku's doing, not yours. The bastard got what he deserved, in the end."

Kagome finally loosened her grip on Shippou to get a good look at him. She laughed.

"Two weeks ago, you could fit on my shoulder. Now, you're taller than me!"

"Has it really been two weeks since the Well sealed? Inuyasha, you suck at guessing the time."

"Thanks for the reminder, kid."

"No problem," Shippou draped an arm across Kagome's shoulders. "So this is where you kept disappearing to all those years ago? I don't blame you. This era is pretty convenient. Also, school? Now idea how in the hell you managed to balance that with us. You are incredible."

"You were easy to handle," she laughed. "It's Inuyasha who was the handful."

He just huffed in response, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her back to his side. Shippou let her go with a grin.

"Have you told her about Sesshomaru yet?"

"He's still around?" Kagome looked up at Inuyasha.

"I was going to before you interrupted us 12 hours earlier than we agreed."

"I gave you enough time to get caught up," Shippou pointed out. "I've been waiting to see her just as long as you have."

"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha sighed. "I know. No, I hadn't told her about my lovely half-brother who happens to own half of Tokyo."

"What?" Kagome's jaw nearly hit the ground.

"He got into business big time a few decades ago," Shippou explained. "Even let us get in on some of the action."

"You three … worked together?"

"He and I finally smoothed things over a couple hundred years after you left," Inuyasha filled her in. "He's still an asshole, but we can at least tolerate each other enough to do business. We've done quite well, actually."

"Sounds like it," Kagome's brain was still trying to catch up. "But if he owns so much – how have I not noticed it?"

"Like I said, I think your time traveling kept your memories from being affected by the wish."

"You have a lot to catch up on," Shippou chuckled.

Inuyasha gently guided Kagome back to the Sacred Tree. He sat with his back against the trunk, while she leaned against his chest. Shippou sat across from them.

"So what have you two been doing all these years," Kagome finally asked.

"Traveling, mostly," Shippou explained. "Inuyasha said we couldn't spend too much time here after you were born. It would be too hard not to check in on you. Before that, we worked with Sesshomaru to help develop the city, as well as other larger cities across the country."

"For a long time, we stayed close to Miroku and Sango's family," Inuyasha chimed in. "Once the world was slightly less dangerous, we ventured out more. We've been in just about every country in the world now. I tried school, but it didn't sit well with me. I made sure Shippou went, though. One of us needed some sort of education."

The sun had sunk completely below the horizon by the time the men had finished sharing their stories. They would have kept going, but Kagome's yawns began to cut them off. Shippou agreed to go home after the couple promised to drop by first thing in the morning. Inuyasha gently pulled Kagome to her feet, keeping an arm around her waist. He walked her up to her room, keeping her door open so Mrs. Higurashi wouldn't suspect any inappropriate behavior. They may both be adults, but Inuyasha didn't want to upset her mother.

"Will you stay with me?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Of course," he answered softly, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Kagome disappeared into the bathroom for her nighttime routine. When she came back to her room, Inuyasha had kicked off his shoes and was sitting at the head of her bed, his back against the wall. She crawled into bed as he pulled back the covers. She rested her head on his lap and he pulled the covers over her.

"I've missed you, Kagome," he carefully ran his clawed fingers through her hair.

"I've missed you too," she relaxed into his arms. "I love you."

"I love you too," he smiled. "Now, rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

And for the first time in two weeks, Kagome slept peacefully.

And for the first time in 500 years, Inuyasha felt completely happy.