AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was really torn...........should I make an epilogue or shouldn't I? Well, if I was a reader, I know I'd need a little closure, so this is closure for all of you people that need it! This epilogue is not integral to the story, if you don't want to read it isn't necessary I myself wouldn't read it if I were you........ I was ok with the original ending :-D

Votes FOR Epilogue/Sequel (not doing a sequel, so just for epilogue)- 9

Votes against Epilogue- 2

Reviews without votes: 18 (lol, it's just like the national elections. ;-) ppl just don't VOTE!)



REVIEW RESPONSES


OMFG- Lol, although I APPRECIATE the dancing offer, I really don't see a sequel in the future. But I AM doing an epilogue—does that count? Maybe if you taught ME how to dance instead........lol

lulu- Thanks! Yes, I'm doing an epilogue (obviously) I hope you really enjoy it. It wasn't planned at all.........

silence of deep snow- Let's hope the epilogue makes it-----er, less confusing? Sorry about that, and thank you

seida02- Aww thank you so much! I'm glad you like the ending.......and YES!! you think I rock is happy

Fire Maiden Kiya- Well, Kiya, this story is finally meeting its ultimate (prolonged) demise. I apologize sincerely that I wrote this when you advised that I do not—honestly, you have been one of the most supportive reviewers I've ever had. Every single review you ever sent me was so heartfelt—so emotional that I really felt appreciated. And you kept with me thanks for that cries I apologize once again. Don't hate me! Promise?

animemistress419- I'm glad you liked that! Kagome HAD to see him again, ne? it couldn't just END there. thank you for liking it :-D

Ketara the Ghetto Queen- I SINCERELY appreciate what you say about the epilogue.......but I just.......didn't want to leave a lot of my other reviewers hanging. You know? I, myself, felt that the ending was pretty straightforward, and it was SO hard to write more, but...........I guess some people just needed a bit more closure, which is understandable. Thank you SO much.

Nobody's Princess- Thank you so much! I wrote my plans at the bottom of the last chapter, I believe. I want to write something called "Brother of the Groom", AU. But I am also planning to write a one-shot soon shrugs I'm doing an epilogue—I hope you like it :-D

Rushyuo- Thank you so much! Your emotion is beautiful—I appreciate it. sigh I hope you like the epilogue! I know......sequel.......but I'd have no clue what to write! Sorry!

lil- cries I'm so glad this story brought out emotion in you! I feel like I've accomplished something.........thanks for telling me that! My spirits soar :- D. Thanks for being so sensitive.

Lost Leyend- haha, LL, you are the true reason I decided to write an epilogue, actually. Hehe, your review was so straightforward and commanding that I just HAD to. thanks

icenekohanyou- Thank you thank you thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and thanks for at least trying to help me with ideas I appreciate it. I'm doing an epilogue: read on!

Lostinashadow- Lol, that's ok! We're all busy sometimes. Hope you come back to read more.

Redroses- THANKS! I hope you DO like the new story. I'm excited dances I'm glad you like the end---that was the most emotional part to write. I cried so much.

CvR- Well Cat........what can I say? Thank you SO much for your extensive use of onomatopoeia! lol! Yah, I know you didn't want me to do an ep. much.........but I am because I want to give my story closure, you know? tty soon!

Miko Angel- Thanks for the excellent suggestion! Lol, that would be SOOOOOOO funny. sigh but I just can't write on this story much more. :-D I hope you aren't mad! I hope you like the epilogue.

ssp51201- Shannon, I don't know what I'm doing, but here's an epilogue. Lol, I have NO clue why............but it's here. I'll tty via email

Divine-Red-Crayon- Does that mean you've forgiven me? Oh goody! :-D I hope you like this epilogue. I don't know WHY I'm writing this........but I am. lol

Gizmo369- you really think I'm amazing? bawls uncontrollably THANK YOU! sobs

Sailor Black 666- I made you cry that much? you understand me!! YAY! Actually, I seriously considered the two epilogue thing......but I think I'll try to explain it all in one. I don't know if we'll get to know what Inu is up to though :-(! Thank you!!

Inuyasha-loves-Kagome- Awwww thank you VERY much!!! I don't think I'm doing a sequel.......I wanna move on, you know? But it really means a lot to me that you liked my poem sniffs I was so scared everyone would hate it! Please chat with me whenever you'd like, I'd love to talk to you

Mrs.Inuyasha69: One word: THANKS!!! =] giggles

Karinu: Aww thank you SO MUCH! I'm glad I made you cry........it was supposed to be touching thanks for the emotion (sits back with a goofy :-D expression)

Ritoru Kani: haha, she DID kind of get Inu, didn't she? Ahh, you called me WISE! jumps around giddily hehehehe, I think I'm more hyper than wise. arigato!

Kagome R- You're about to find out what would happen if I continue :-D!!! Yay! Hehehe

CrystalFragments- Those are all very good ideas, but I'm afraid Yashinu and Inuyasha, even though the same in soul, are two very different people the power of love! Thanks for the ideas

jess- I'm glad you liked it! is happy I love talking to you on aim! It's so much fun!

MG8 – Hmmmmm I suppose you're right. But a little variety is good now and then, ne?

Whew hi-ho-silver-AWAY!

Kagome
gave him a small wave as he walked away, marveling at how picturesque his hair looked as it was blown sideways by the strong, increasingly damp wind.

She closed the door, slumping on it's strength, breathing out harshly.

Widening her eyes, she realized what she was doing.

Exactly what people did in the movies after their love interests left: leaning on the door.

Sweeping a hand through her hair, she giggled at her insanity, realizing how wonderful it felt not to be alone again.

Ever since she had left Inuyasha.

Now she knew that he'd always be with her.

Sleep overcame her strongly, almost instantaneously.

She climbed into her bed, promising herself that she would brush her teeth in the morning since she was too tired to do it now.

Yawning, Kagome pulled up her covers and placed her arm over her forehead.

What had she been thinking of? Oh, right.........

"Inuyasha. . . . ." she whispered, the word swallowed into the silence around her.

And with the last annunciation of that name, with the last time her lips would form to whisper that name. . . . . it would also be the last time she would remember the man behind the name.

Inuyasha was gone, forever, from her mind.

But he would never, ever let go of her heart.

(9 years later)


Kagome sighed as the hair stylist pulled her hair up in an interesting fashion.

It was her pre-wedding reception, and she and Yashinu had chosen "feudal Japan" as their theme, wanting to do something different.

Three women pulled a traditional 12-layer kimono over Kagome's slender shoulders.

It was made of silk, white and covered with little red flowers.

She marveled at how ornate everything was..........she would have never imagined that her wedding, much less her wedding RECEPTION, would be so marvelously meticulous and demanding.

Planned by Yashinu, the reception's theme was dedicated to the way the fiancés had met: through a play.

Kagome shook her head: for some reason, important as it was, she could barely remember what happened in that play.

Yashinu insisted that the script, which she had recently read over, was Kagome's idea.......but she really didn't know where she had gotten the inspiration.

She shook her head, starting to believe that her memory was getting pretty bad, even at 24.

Yashinu was still doing what he had always been doing: writing, his style ever-changing with the season.

Kagome, much to her own, and everybody else's surprise, had chosen to major in archery.

The first time she had picked up a bow and arrow, everyone's mouths had just DROPPED......Kagome supposed it was just one of those things that came to her naturally (a/n: wink)

She was in the women's Olympic team and would soon be going to Athens to compete (where, coincidentally or not, she and Yashinu were going for their honeymoon).

The woman to the left nudged Kagome with a mirror.

Kagome took a deep breath and looked at herself.

She lifted an eyebrow, amazed at how.......she wasn't really amazed?

It just felt comfortable to wear the kimono, like she had seen it worn a hundred times before.

The women wanted to hand her a fan, but Kagome refused, insisting that she'd rather not look like a woman from a geisha.

She carefully got into the limo for the ride to the reception hall, not quite confident in her ability to walk in the little block-healed shoes.

The car smelt of wine, of alcohol through instances past.

Kagome reveled in the fragrance, hoping it would do something to quell the butterflies in her stomach.

Leaning back on the leather upholstery, she imagined what kind of kimono Yashinu would be wearing, hoping it would be blue, to bring out those marvelous eyes of his.

Her hands fidgeted around the box that held the little gift she had bought for her fiancé, as they both had promised to exchange for the reception.

The car stopped, and Kagome walked into the hall, breathing in once again, and opening the door slowly.

As soon as she came in, EVERYONE in the hall flocked around her, relatives, friends, people she didn't really know, all of them oohing and ahhing at her clothes and how beautiful she looked.

She smiled graciously, all the time looking overhead for where Yashinu might be.

In the corner of her eye, she saw a flicker of someone walking down the curved staircase in the corner of the hall's premises.

She turned around, startled to see Yashinu sporting a bright red kariginu, the festive robes of a shrine priest. (a/n: what Inuyasha usually wears :- P)

He had grown out his hair a little and it was completely down, glistening in the dim lights as he walked down with an amazing aura of grace around him.

She had never expected to be SO stunned, but for some reason.....she was floored.

What he was wearing fitted him so perfectly that it just left her dumbfounded: maybe the two of them were born 500 years too late?

He saw her immediately and lost all of his grace in an instant, pretty much stumbling into her arms.

"Kagome!" he grinned, after blushing and regaining his composure, "you look beautiful!"

He looked a little wary, almost as if he was trying not to perspire, waiting for her reaction.

It was then that Kagome realized that her mouth was wide open, her eyebrows high in shock.

"OH......uhh......you look.......unbelievable...." she croaked.

There was just something about him........he didn't wear red often, maybe he ought to.....

Everyone was crowding around them, wanting a glimpse.

Kagome was getting kind of tired of a few of the female relatives (on her side) swooning at the sight of Yashinu but chose to ignore it.

Ayame, now pregnant with her second child, grabbed Kagome's hand gingerly.

She squeezed it tightly, but then had to leave because her three year old son had grabbed on to Hojou's hair and wouldn't let it go.

Kagome giggled. They really made an excellent couple.

Yashinu was stroking her right hand, calling her name softly.

He pulled her up the stairs, taking her into a little room with a balcony and a large, elegant sofa in the corner.

"Yashinu....." she shook her finger, her eyes sparkling, "not until AFTER we're married. It's just a week more, you know!"

Catching on to what she was implying, he winked at her playfully.

"Actually, Kagome........I thought it would be better if I gave you my gift here......"

'Oh! No wait, let me go first. Here!" she handed him the small box she had been fidgeting with earlier.

He opened it, bringing out a black-beaded necklace with small, fang-shaped white beads on regular intervals.

He smiled, "Ahhh a historically accurate prayer-bead necklace! I love it!"

He fastened it quickly.

Kagome hadn't known that there was actually significance to the necklace.......but all in all, it made Yashinu's outfit look, somehow, even MORE complete.

She giggled. "I had almost decided to buy you a puppy. Nothing big.........just a little rottweiler, but somehow I thought you'd like this a little better."

He playfully punched her in the arm, getting a little shifty eyed until she started laughing and put her hand on his shoulder.

"My turn now!" Yashinu grinned, bringing out a little, old-fashioned jewelry box.

Kagome opened it slowly, and a light filled the surroundings as she did.

It was a HUGE rock, one like she had never seen before.

It almost had a pinkish glow around it, and was completely spherical, held on by a plain silver necklace.

Her face lit up, it made her feel warm some how.

Yashinu grabbed her hands, "It's been in my mother's possession since I can remember. I think it's a family heirloom.......somehow I thought it would fit."

Her arms encircled his neck quickly, her hand lost in his long, soft hair.

She heard him sigh and followed in suit.

From all that she knew about love, Kagome knew one thing for sure: she would NEVER get tired of being held.

She gave him a long kiss, and rested her forehead on his chest, feeling his heartbeat quicken just for a second.

He opened his eyes.

"I suppose we should be getting back to the party."

Kagome glared at him for ruining the mood. She arose, and began to walk towards the door.

"Kagome...??" Yashinu asked, afraid that she was angry, getting up to go after her.

She turned around abruptly. "Yashinu. SIT."

He half fell onto the couch, doing exactly as he was told, almost as if a pregnant force of gravity had pulled him down as soon as she had told him to.

Satisfied, Kagome turned around to go to the door, closing and locking it slowly.

"Kag--?"

She put her finger to her lips and smiled wickedly.

She crept to the spot beside him on the couch, the moon, outside, hidden by the clouds: the stars the only visible light source around them.

"You know," she whispered, her eyes sparkling in the surrounding darkness, "next week DOES seem a little too far away....."

The sky remained dark, making everything around them seem a mysterious shade of warm blue.

Except for Yashinu's eyes, usually a clear midnight blue-grey.

But that night.........and that night only...........his eyes were golden.


FINISHED!!

Special thanks to Cat for helping me get my head on straight (in her own, weird little hyperactive way :-D)

And thanks to Shannon (ssp51201) for getting me excited about writing by BEING excited about writing.

High School is over for me (today actually) and I suppose now it's time to go on to bigger and better things. And, hopefully, bigger and better stories.

Thanks to all who read!

Ciao!