Somewhere in Time

Daylight

The mesmerizing orange hues of the dawn was beginning to peek from behind the gray clouds just as Kagome awoke. She felt electric. Sesshomaru will be arriving soon. It seemed so unreal, yet she couldn't deny the strange flutter in her chest. Did she really miss him that much?

She sighed as she rose and rolled up her mat. After patting down her messy hair and smoothing up the ruffles in her white and green uniform, she silently crept to the shallow pit in the middle of the room and rekindled the dying embers. Careful as she picked up the blackened kettle, she ambled outside and inhaled the early morning breeze. The village was still asleep, like a world blanketed with silence. Kagome walked to the well to fetch some water and filled the kettle, then went back inside Kaede's hut to boil the tea. Everyone was still slumbering peacefully and the miko couldn't help but smile fondly to herself as her mind drifted back to the time she first met everyone.

I'm going to miss you, guys, she thought sadly, the weight of her decisions now sinking on her as her departure neared. It meant letting go of what she knew and walking into the unknown. She needed to be with someone who didn't see a shadow of the past. Maybe freeing herself of that eclipse would finally lead to her happiness. And lately, a certain daiyoukai was making her smile.

Humming contentedly, she poured herself a cup of tea, wrapped herself in her blanket, and sat by the doorway to wait for Sesshomaru's arrival. Little by little, the village was waking up—men were slowly walking towards the rice fields to harvest whatever's left of the crops before the worst of winter covered everything with snow, and women were carrying baskets of clothes to wash on the nearby stream.

"You're up early, Kagome," a small, sleepy voice told her. She turned around and saw Shippo rubbing his eyes, his orange hair messy and his clothes rumpled from sleep.

"Ohayo, Shippo-chan," she greeted softly and took the kitsune on her lap. "Is everyone awake?"

"Yeah, Sango is helping Kaede with breakfast and Miroku is fixing the mats."

"I should go help, too." Kagome made a move to stand but was stopped by Shippo.

"They know you're waiting for Sesshomaru." The little fox demon was quiet for a moment, then he looked up at her. "He's taking you away, isn't he?"

Kagome's expression softened. Shippo had become somewhat of a son to her over the years they traveled together. "You can always come with me," she said. "I'm sure Rin is excited to play with you again."

The kitsune considered this for a while. Then, he slowly shook his head. "Sango and Miroku have talked to me about it. They knew I would want to come with you, and they said it's okay, but I've decided to stay with them."

This came as a surprise to the miko who was intending take him with her. "Why?"

"I'm not a kid anymore, Kagome. I want to go with you, but I also want you to be happy with Sesshomaru without having to worry about me or any of your friends. We want you to enjoy your time. Besides, I have a duty to become an even stronger kitsune of my tribe. I would be able to do that if I stay with Sango and Miroku and train with Kirara."

"I understand." Kagome nodded, holding him close to her chest. "I'm going to miss you, though."

"Me too," Shippo answered affectionately and settled comfortably on the miko's lap.

The sky was a beautiful red orange when a tall shadow with long silver hair appeared on the hill leading to the village. Behind him was a two-headed dragon led by an imp and a skipping little girl. Kagome gasped and stood up, her eyes twinkling earnestly as they caught sight of the regal daiyoukai.

He came... he really came back for me.

Warmth bubbled up inside her as she watched the entourage approach the village.