Kagome woke up with a start. Her heart was thrashing loudly against the cage of her chest; she was covered with sweat and totally disoriented. Panicking, she cast a look around her.

It was the dead of the night and she was sitting in the doorway of her hut. Her head was hurting slightly where it must have banged on the shoji frame. As her eyes adjusted to the dark, she saw Shinta sleeping in his room. Inuyasha was also sleeping, unhurt and in full health, although from his occasional twitching it seemed like he was having a nightmare.

A nightmare…a dream…that was all it was. Somehow, it had felt so real. She saw herself dying, saw Inuyasha in pain, heard his thoughts. She wanted to test the depth of his feelings so her subconscious wove a little story for her. A smile tugged at her lips. Apparently, she wanted Sesshoumaru to acknowledge her as 'family' as well. What stupidity!

She turned her gaze towards the scenery outside. The misty moon was shining on the pine tops. The storm had passed while she was sleeping. Blinking sleepily, she was going to pull the shoji when she saw something move among the trees. At this hour? She was curious.

The kuromiko from her dream emerged from the shadow of the pines. Kagome was not sure if the girl smiled or even moved her lips, but she heard the words ringing loudly in her ears:

"You had asked if your being here had made a difference to him. We showed you a picture of what will come to pass, should you attempt what you were contemplating."

Kagome shivered. Her eyes darted towards her companion. He would risk a fate much worse than death for just one kiss from me. He was going to give up his family heirlooms and incur a deadly curse – with such resolve. Who was she to put him through so much pain just to see the depth of his commitment? When did she become so selfish?

When she looked back, the girl was gone.

This is too much. Was she another figment of my imagination? Am I on drugs or something? Is it those herbs that I am taking?

A rustling of bedclothes announced Inuyasha's awakening.

"I am sorry, did I wake you up?"

He was looking at her with strange eyes. Slowly, he shook his head and mumbled, "No, you didn't. I just had the weirdest dream."

What the…Kagome tensed. Inuyasha left the futon and walked over to the doorway. A few moments passed in silent. Then he let out a sigh and sat down beside her.

"The way I yearn for you I have never yearned for anyone else. Not even for Kikyou."

"It's ok~" Kagome tried to interrupt, but Inuyasha stopped her.

"Let me talk. I have delayed it more than necessary."

But with that he stopped talking, as if he was lost in the silent contemplation of the moon. Kagome waited patiently for him to gather his thoughts. After a long while he sighed again and looked at her.

"You must understand this. What I had with Kikyou was a bunch of possibilities, which never saw the light of the day. They were clamorous like the ocean – fascinating to look at from the coast. But the ocean neither harbours nor does it sustain. No matter how far the tide pulls you in, there is always another wave that sends you crashing back.

"Your love is calm and deep, like the river – life-giving and nurturing. It invites and soothes all hearts with its cool breezes and slow currents. The river soil causes all things to grow. I can live right beside it and drink to my fill everyday, and still I'll need more of it. It won't make any difference to me if I never visit the ocean again, but imagine our river drying up – the whole village will perish. That is how much you mean to me."

Again he fell silent, while Kagome tried to absorb the significance of what was being said to her.

"You and Shinta are my world now. This is your home. Please don't ever go away."

She was going to remind him of her mortality but checked herself. That topic was for some other time. She grasped his hand instead.

"The night you saw me with Kikyou – I had gotten carried away. She was vulnerable and I could not let her face the danger all by herself. But when I saw your face, I realized the ordeal that I was putting you through. Knowing that I was not free to give you what you wanted, I could not bring myself to force you to stay with me only to sense some jewel shards. But I never, ever wished to break up with you. I could never willingly let you go. When you asked to stay by me I was so relieved."

Kagome smiled. Years of bitter negativity melted away in a moment. At last she could lay to rest that painful memory from the past. Inuyasha was smiling too.

"I know you get lonely when I stay away from home for days."

"It's ok. You do it for our sake." I understand that…now.

"I was wondering, if you and Shinta would care to join me once in a while?"

"Us? But Shinta is just seven!"

Inuyasha shrugged. "Boy has got youkai blood. And we will protect him. Besides, Shippou was the same age when we found him, remember?"

"Oh right! I never realized that!"

Kagome was thinking – it would be just like that time. Life had come a full circle and she and Inuyasha were back to where they started. Danger, adventure, the call of the unknown – her inner adventurer was already getting excited. As the moon emerged from its veil of mist, Kagome also broke out into the happiest smile she had sported in a long time. "Yes! We would love to come!"

Inuyasha leaned towards her. "And, many years later, when you decide to go on the greatest adventure of all, please take me with you."

The autumn moon shone indulgently upon the couple who were chatting away gleefully, and as it circled their secluded pavilion, it strained its ear so as not to miss a word. It knew that there would be more snags on the road ahead for them, but their mutual love was a force by itself. Whenever they strayed, their love would reveal the shape of their conjoined destiny, and drive them back into each other's arms.

Somewhere in a temple Inari smiled at the red-haired little fox, who was praying all night for two of his friends to be happy once again.