They stood there all worn all battered and bruised, some lost. Kagome stood in the middle of the field holding the little pink gem in her palm that brought about this destruction of life and lands around her.

A wish, a pure wish was what was needed to destroy it to free the souls long ago trapped in it. She stood looking at her friends. All survived the fight it was the innocents that were lost.

Inuyasha stood to her right using his trusty sword as a crutch to keep himself up right, Sango and Miroku not far from Inuyasha. Sango clutching to Miroku crying at the loss of her brother, Shippo sat on the ground further back seeming inconsolable at the loss of what came to be his best friend Rin. Little Kirara curled around him trying to comfort the child that was breaking inside.

Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight although he stood and fought side by side with them to defeat Naruku the loss of his child was too great. He may never admit it but Rin was the daughter of his heart Kagome saw it every time he looked at the young child.

Tears ran down her face she could feel the sadness rolling off her friends, her family and wanted so much to make the pain stop for those she loved. Closing her eyes she gripped the jewel tightly in her hand wishing with all her might for the happiness of those around her.

She knew the cost of such a wish she and Midoriko had spoken often of what would become of her. For no wish can be made without sacrifice, but Kagome was more than willing to pay the price if it would settle the hearts of the people she now loved as her own. She felt the jewel begin to heat in her hand, though she would not drop it not now after all the effort they put in to getting it.

Inuyasha looked up to see Kagome starting to float up while glowing bright pink.

"Kagome" he shouted he couldn't lose her she was all he had left.

He may never love her as she so desired, but she was his best friend the one person to bring happiness to his long life. At his shout Sango and Miroku looked up as well shouting to the now floating and glowing priestess.

Each looked at the young bright woman as a sister the glue to hold their rag tag group together. There had been too much loss today to lose Kagome would be the breaking point for many they both knew. Their thoughts we interrupted by the screaming wale of small Shippo "okka-san".

Though he was hurt from the loss of his friend Rin he could not go through losing another parent in his life time. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he jumped up and down trying with all his might to reach his okka-san to keep her grounded and with him.

Some miles away the silver haired demon lord sat on his knees clutching his young ward to his chest. Unshed tears in his amber eyes swirling with red as he fought to keep control at the loss of his pup. He had failed her once again, all the power he had obtained with the single minded thought of protecting his pup was for not.

He raised his head slightly as a light pink glow caught his eye back at the battle field of their final stand. His eyes bleeding slightly redder at the thought that the priestess was making her wish. A wish he could have used to save his pup he felt angry that the woman would make the wish without his consent.

With her eyes tightly shut she felt the warmth of the sun on her face and opened them ever so slightly. There she saw a glowing figure in front of her, opening her eyes wider she discovered it was Midoriko. The warrior priestess stood gracefully with a small smile on her lips.

Kagome for her part was shocked she knew she was not sleeping and the creator of the jewel had never come to her out side of her dreams. Bowing at the waist Kagome than looked to her teacher of years, "Hello Child" Midoriko's song like voice filled her ears, "Hello Midoriko" Kagome replied.

"You've done well my child and now I may rest, the jewel is now safe and will no longer be of this world. I cannot tell you much but I will tell you that you will not regret the sacrifice you have made here today".

Kagome's face light with a brilliant smile "I would never regret it to see them happy and content in their lives will bring me happiness".

Midoriko smiled but it didn't reach her eyes, although Kagome was telling the truth she knew the sadness that was in the younger priestess heart at the loss of her own family, and at the changes her life would soon come to know. Her happiness would come later in her life and from the most unsuspected places.

The fates had great plans for her little one and, although Midoriko wished to tell her of the great love she would find and the happiness her heart would feel she knew she could not. The fates while harsh in their treatment of young Kagome wished to reward her with the desires her heart truly felt. Midoriko studied the woman in front of her one last time "Goodbye my child may you find your path in this life and live with happiness and love".

Kagome smiled again "Be free Midoriko and find the rest in the afterlife you so deserve". Kagome watched as the warrior priestess began to fade with a smile on her lips and eyes alight with joy, she couldn't help but smile in return. It was over all was right in the world again even if there would be a few changes here and there. It would be for the best she knew.

Kagome came back to the world slowly, her senses coming alive one at a time. She first heard the shouts of her friends calling her name begging her not to leave. She than smelt the light smell of fresh grass on the wind blowing against her face softly. Slowly her eyes opened to see the tops of the trees and her friends standing in a small circle below her waiting for her to come back to them. A small smile found its way to her face knowing that they were soon to be very happy even if she was not going to be a part of it for long.

Inuyasha watched as the glow around Kagome began to fade, and she slowly made her way back to the ground his heart slowing back down to a normal pace at the thought that she wasn't leaving them after all. They had all talked about what may happen when the wish was made they knew it was a 50 50 shot that she would stay or be sent home with the well sealed.

He found he was angry at her for making the wish without telling them or knowing what would happen to her. He stopped dead in his thoughts did she really think she meant so little to them that she would take the risk of leaving them without a good bye. His heart fell at that thought he knew he was mean to her at times harsh in words and actions, but he thought he had also shown her how much he needed her at the same time.

Looking up at Kagome once more Inuyasha vowed that from this day forward he would make sure she knew how much they needed her... How much he needed her.

Sango now on her knees began to rise up; she thought she was going to lose the last of the family she now claimed. The loss of her brother while not unexpected hurt so much she could not even begin to think of losing the sister of her heart as well not all at once in the same day. Kagome made her life brighter gave her the love of a family she thought she would never feel again.

She was disheartened that Kagome had made the wish at a spur of the moment rather than wait and talk to everyone about what would be best. She knew Kagome was never one to do things without thinking long and hard unless it was a matter of the heart. Sango stopped for a moment than and realized that is what happen.

Looking up to Kagome she realized that the sadness she must have felt coming from all of them had provoked her in to making a wish that she didn't know the full outcome of. A small smile lit Sango's face than once more Kagome was thinking of everyone but herself as even now somehow Sango felt better already lighter of heart and soul. She couldn't wait to hear what the wish was that had such a fast effect on her.

Miroku for his part was silently watching as Kagome made her way back down. He studied Kagome's aura slightly confused at what he was finding. He and Kagome had discussed in length what would become of the jewel once the wish was made, if it would simply be gone with no trace, if it would find its way back in to Kagome.

Though they thought if it did return to Kagome it would simply be a piece of her soul melding back in place with no power left to it. However from what he was now seeing it seemed they were wrong. Kagome now had a glow all her own the power of the jewel was not just the jewel but Kagome herself. The rings of power in her aura were now almost doubled and no longer the simple pink it had been just earlier this day. There were now rings of blue and green as well as red in the aura of their beloved priestess colors reserved for youki not for priestess and yet he could feel no youki coming from their small friend.

He glanced at Sango to see a small smile on her lips and thought that even with the changes Kagome was still herself and here with them and that was more than he could ask for.

Shippo had stopped his jumping now calming slightly that his okka-san was coming back to the ground. He was very angry at her for scaring him like that, he knew she didn't mean to but it couldn't stop the pain he felt in his heart that she risked leaving him alone once more. He swore right than that he would never again give her the chance to do so he was going to be stuck to her like glue so if she ever did vanish on them he would be going with her.

He took in a deep breath threw his nose as she was almost on the ground now to take in her scent the warm, light, loving scent of his mother. His eyes shot wide open at what he now caught in her scent. It changed not in a bad way but it was different she no longer smelt of ageing and there was now three other light scents mixed with her normal cherry blossom and rain smell. One of ice one of fire and one of lightning it seemed the new scents though light made her natural sent bloom all the brighter.

He couldn't help to think that there was something sparking his brain about two of the scents but at the moment he couldn't think what it was. He was simply too over joyed that his mamma was still there with him.

Sesshomaru watched as the glow dimmed slightly and began to descend once more below the tree line. He looked down once more at his pup and gently set her down on the ground. Standing to his full height he began marching back to the battle ground he had a few choice words for the priestess and was going to get his say if he had to strangle the woman to get his point across.

His eyes still laced with red and the anger boiling in him more and more with each step. His logical side knew that it was not the priestess that killed his pup it was the vile filth of a half breed but his primal side fought telling him that it was within the priestess power to bring her back and she failed to do so.

As he neared the clearing he stopped short standing still in the tree line keeping him unseen for the time. There was something going on something different and he couldn't quite put his claw on what it was. His eyes now pure golden watched as the priestess feet touch the ground softly and he was content to wait and see what it was that had suddenly calmed him so. He knew the answer was there it was only a matter of waiting for it to show itself and time he had plenty of.