OH. MY. GOSH. I cannot believe how long it's been since I've had free time and motivation to write. I AM SO SORRY! BUT, I am grateful that people keep reviewing! It really is inspiring. Anyway, it's summer, and at present I am ready to put up this chapter. Special mention to LupinCriss for your review! Please don't tell your father on me! And I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and that you remember what happened. If not, here:

Kagome returned from feudal japan and started going to Kaibara high school where she met the Sohma's, fell in love with Kyo, and discovered the curse. Determined to help remove the curse, she traveled with Shippou, who saved her from some powerful demons, to Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's place where she received information regarding the curse. She still needs more information than the little bit Sess gave her and now she's here.

If you want more details, please feel free to go back and reread the story. K thanx!

Kagome laughed happily as she walked through Sesshomaru's door, trying to brush through her windswept hair with her fingertips.

Kyo looked up at her smiling face as she walked through the door and felt his breath catch in his throat. She really was stunning even with wild hair that she was attempting to tame. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright. She looked over at him and smiled wider.

"Kyo-kun!" she skipped over to the couch he was on and sat next to him, leaning on his arm. "Looks like we need to head back tonight. I've got some work to do if I'm going to break this curse!"

Inuyasha looked at her curiously. "And what curse would that be Kagome?"

She looked in his skeptical eyes and smirked merrily. "Wouldn't you like to know Inu-baka?"

Inuyasha growled at her, but stopped as her eyes flashed and she stood quickly. "Seriously though, I need to go home. I really do have a lot of school work to finish, and tomorrow is already Sunday! I won't be able to go visit Mama and Souta and Gramps until who knows when if the teachers keep up with all of this work!"

"You never could get away from school, could you Wench?" Inuyasha snorted.

Surprisingly, Kagome didn't scream, or hit, or cry at Inuyasha. All she did was glance tiredly at him, but with a hidden strength glimmering in her eyes. "No I couldn't. But that's why I have to go back; so I can finish with it and finally be done."

"Alright, I'll take you and the ginger back, Kagome-chan," Shippou heaved a sigh as he stood.

"Yes Shippou-kun!" Kagome smiled and pulled Kyo to his feet. "I'll see you later Inuyasha. By Sesshomaru! I'll visit when I can! And you better come see me, or I'll have to hunt you down!"

She heard a 'hn' from Sesshomaru and a 'yeah, whatever,' from Inuyasha.

She chuckled to herself and shook her head as she followed Shippou out the door, tugging Kyo along behind her. They both turned away from the brilliant light as Shippou transformed into his monstrous fox form. Although she didn't need it, Kagome allowed Kyo to assist her in mounting Shippou before leaping on himself in a casual display of agility. She smiled and chatted with her two boys as they jogged at a leisurely pace through the ever darkening woods.

Shippou stopped outside of the Sohma property line and crouched down so the two humans could slide off his back before he transformed back into his humanoid figure.

"I'll make sure Kagome gets home safely, but I figured you'd want to say good night," he grumbled.

Kagome smiled softly at him and began to walk the long distance from the forest line to the front door of Shigure's home. Once there she leaned up and kissed Kyo softly on the cheek.

"G'night Kyo-kun," she muttered, her own cheeks tinted pink.

She pulled away to walk back to Shippou when she felt a warm hand snag her own. It pulled her back into a warm, firm embrace. Kyo just held her in his arms relishing the feeling of the soft, small woman he was lucky enough to have caught the attention of. He breathed in deeply and kissed the top of Kagome's head before releasing her and returning to his usual nature.

"Keh. You'd better let the kid take you home before you're too tired to walk straight," he groused, with an affectionate smirk playing at his mouth.

"Yes sir!" Kagome saluted, smiling lightly. "I'll see you around, Kyo-kun."

Kyo watched as her dark form melted into the woods, almost as if she was unaware of the stealth she was displaying. He sighed and turned into the house wondering what the near future would bring.

Kagome and Shippou walked home the slow, human way trying to heal their injured relationship. Kagome was sick of the awkwardness between them and she made it her goal to try to fix it!

"Shippou-kun," she started somewhat hesitantly, "What have you been doing for the past five hundred years?"

Shippou glanced at her oddly before his expression relaxed as he realized what she was trying to do. "I've been living Kagome-chan. I've been helping Sesshomaru run his businesses, keeping the demon population in check, and arguing with Inu-baka."

"For five hundred years? That must have gotten tiring." Kagome commented warily.

"I can imagine it would have had Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and I not made friends with nearly every historical figure we could, and assisted some of them in achieving their goals. I've found that helping someone else achieve something worthy makes living seem less like a chore, and more like a vacation. I don't need modern conveniences to make me happy. I do need to do something constantly though, or I'll go crazy!"

"I can understand that, Shippou-kun." Kagome was smiling now that they had found a common ground. "I guess that's why I'm finding myself involved in breaking a curse that's been around for centuries. I've been dragged away from all the magic of the Feudal Era and yet I still find myself drawn to it. That feeling of helping someone else is incredible."

"It doesn't hurt when you love one of the people you're helping now, does it?"

Kagome glanced at Shippou. She couldn't tell if he was being joking, or if he was still bitter that she had found a new love already and he still felt like he had been replaced. He was smirking though, so she punched him in the shoulder, charging her hand with a little bit of reiki.

"Ow!" Shippou wailed dramatically. "What was that for?"

"That was for being cheeky with me!" Kagome couldn't help but dissolve into giggles at the melodramatic look Shippou was giving her.

He growled playfully at her and swept her legs out from under her to carry her bridal style all the way back to her apartment at a much faster speed than she could ever have achieved on her own. She giggled happily as she clutched her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest to prevent the wind from blowing debris into her eyes. She was glad their relationship was being patched up. Hopefully things would continue looking up for her!