Ello!

NSTAF has finally been updated. I can't promise immediate updates from here on but I am working on the story again. My usual excuse is that my life became hectic. Well, it's not a lie this time either.

Anyway, I updated earlier chapters, trying to fix glaring errors and I've already gotten a few comments about the updated chapters. This update isn't as massive is usual but I think it's fitting. Thanks to all my fans and people bitching at me (thank my best friends), I have updated.

Thanks for waiting and here is chapter 29

Disclaimer: -ahem- KUDOS!

Chapter 29: All Changes come with Time: Burning the Bridge…

XXXXX

"Kagome"

Electricity raced through her veins and Kagome's eyes shot open. Brown eyes considered her tiredly. She smiled uncertainly at her mother, "You're awake" She whispered.

Funaho squinted at her daughter then let her gaze sweep the unfamiliar room. "Where am I?"

Kagome looked back to the swollen hand she held and prodded delicately at the healing skin, "Kaede's hut"

Funaho tensed, "Kaede" She said carefully, "Kaede from Inuyasha's time?"

A short nod later, Funaho was trying to sit up.

"Mama" Kagome began sternly, "I'm trying to heal you, lay down."

Funaho blinked but obeyed slowly.

She looked around warily and Kagome tried not to meet her gaze. Funaho hadn't been in her right mind for a few days but she'd screamed at Kagome enough about her appearance and how she couldn't be 'Kagome' for it not to have stuck.

"Y-your hands were burned and your leg too. Kaede gave you medicine to stop the pain and, hopefully, infection, but you have a lot of healing to do."

Kagome focused on the swollen hand she held and cut the power. She could sit all day pumping out healing energies but the skin was peeling again and her hand was swollen with puss. Kaede would have to drain it because Kagome didn't have the guts for it right then.

Funaho hadn't heard her, focused on staring around the hut.

"This is the feudal era," she finally muttered with wide eyes.

"Mama, you should rest some more? Are you hungry?"

Funaho looked to the hearth fire and flinched. She blinked rapidly and Kagome took her shoulder. "Mama!"

Funaho looked up startled and Kagome removed her hand slowly, "are you hungry Mama?"

The older woman frowned uncertainly taking in her face, "Kagome?"

Kagome frowned in acceptance. Her mother was getting better but she wasn't quite there in the head yet. That was okay. They had time.

"I'll go get Kaede." She moved to stand but Funaho caught her sleeve and tugged her back down. Kagome turned and looked alarmed at her mother only to have her shoot into a sitting position and grab Kagome's head.

"Kagome?" She inquired shakily.

Kagome stared at her uncertainly.

Here we go again…

"Mama, it's okay. I'll get Kaede and-"

"Kagome!" she shook her daughters head as if she were gripping her shoulders instead. Kagome gripped her mother's hands uncertainly. "Kagome! You- you aren't Kagome." Funaho began to sob. "Where's Kagome at, I want my daughter!"

"Kaede!" She called uncertainly knowing the old woman wouldn't hear but someone would go fetch her. In the mean time, she had to calm her mother down.

"Mama, it's me I promise."

"You're not Kagome" she screamed, grief stricken. "My daughter" she began rubbing her swollen hands roughly against her face as if to memorize her features, "My daughter doesn't have blue eyes. They're brown and so beautiful…" Funaho began to sob. Kagome stared at her miserably.

Hands reached and tried to pull Funaho away but the instant they tried to move her she gave a frightened shriek. Kagome shrieked too when the terrified woman gripped a fist full of her hair and the men moving her caused her to tug.

"Mama, let go." Kagome pleaded, so close to crying there were tears in her eyes.

"Let me go," Funaho shrieked at the men instead, her eyes wild.

"Mama!"

Funaho looked back to Kagome and swallowed. The older woman swayed, still gripping Kagome's hair like a lifeline. A memory played across her vision of holding her daughters face gently on Kagome's first day of middle school. Wishing her luck and blessings while she'd told her daughter of how proud she was. Kagome's smiling, blushing face, as she'd touched a hand to the one cradling her cheek. Funaho felt tears come to her eyes and perhaps that's what cleared her vision. She blinked and the blurriness was gone.

She stared at the woman she held and immediately loosened her grip on her hair so she could smooth that hand down the woman's cheek. The memory, the image of her daughter flickered, super imposing itself over this woman's face. She blinked again and could see clearly now.

"Kagome?"

The features were so alike it was striking. This woman had longer hair, her face was older, her eyes were electric blue, which told Funaho they weren't natural. The tears in this girl's eyes and her expression of misery stopped her and made Funaho think.

She smoothed the longer hair back and leaned in closer looking for any glaring discrepancies that you couldn't buy cheaply at the corner store near her house.

"Kagome?"

She sniffled and Funaho melted. There wasn't a thing in the world that could replace her daughters telling sniffles and whimpers. This woman was frightening and the world had given her a chip on her shoulder that was very obvious now, but didn't stop her from still being a smidge of a crybaby."

"Kagome." She said finally a smile finding her face.

"Mama?" Kagome whimpered.

Funaho's face split with an uncertain smile and Kagome began to cry.

She wailed and leaned forward to press her face into the older woman's stomach. Funaho slid down the wall, soothing hushes and coos echoed in the room as she pet her daughter's hair.

Kagome babbled nonsense and tried to explain around heavy sobs everything that had impossibly gone wrong with her life.

The Samurai glanced at each other uncertainly before leaving the two women to their reunion…

"Tis a pleasure to meet you Lady Higuraishi."

Funaho glanced up shortly, "And I, you, Lady Kaede."

Kaede blinked and looked away at the title.

Funaho did a sweep of the hut for the thirtieth time since waking.

"What have we gotten in to?" she breathed heavily.

Kaede wasn't sure how to answer so she didn't.

"Those men earlier, were those samurai?"

"Yes."

"Dear god"

Kaede nearly chuckled. "You are a very special woman," she informed her guest.

She eyed the little family. Souta had finally snuck in to be with his mother and sat slumped and tucked into her side, drooling and blissfully asleep. Kagome looked the most comfortable of the three, stretched out on the futon with her head in her mother's lap.

Funaho only looked confused. Kaede motioned to her children.

Funaho lifted her arm to see her son then wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close to kiss his forehead. She made sure he was comfortable before stroking the mess of black hair on her lap.

"I have them both back. I'm so happy" she breathed. "Thank you for watching over Kagome."

Kaede frowned but didn't correct her.

Kagome mumbled and shifted in her sleep. Her mother stroked her hair back with a frown, "she's still crying. I did this…"

Kaede shook her head as Funaho leaned closer and murmured words of comfort to her sleeping daughter.

"This one has been through hard times. I think you only scared her," Kaede soothed.

Funaho nibbled her lips and paused, taking in her daughter's older face. "How did this happen?"

"Pardon?"

"Her face is older and-"

Kaede blinked as the other woman trailed off at a loss for words. She fiddled with her sewing a long while then asked, "How long has it been since last seeing this child?"

Funaho thought nothing of the question, "She's only been gone a few months," She insisted.

Kaede looked to her alarmed, "It has been years here. Kagome has seen the horrors of our world and grown tough hide to combat against it all."

Swallowing thickly, she eyed her daughters face. "Years have passed here?"

"Yes, we assumed that time would pass the same on ye side of things. Kagome never mentioned any different."

That said, the alarmed mother shook her child awake.

Kagome sat up groggily and looked at her mother with eyes swollen and red from crying.

"Kagome how old are you?"

The young miko blinked a few times and dragged a hand down her face. "I don't know," she admitted sleepily. Realization that she'd fallen asleep on her wounded mother knocked any remaining drowsiness from her system.

"Mama! Are you hurting? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-"

"I'm fine Kagome. Tell me how old you are," she demanded uneasily. "You're only seventeen right? Maybe eighteen?"

Souta's arm rose to rub at his eyes but none of the women paid him any mind.

Kagome shook her head, "eighteen? Mama, I'm in my twenties."

Funaho stared dumbly at her child.

Kagome shifted uncomfortably.

"Twenties? But you don't know how old you are?"

Kagome worried her lip, "well, nobody keeps up with birthdays really. Everybody is trying to survive and I've been right along with them."

"How long have you been here?" Funaho asked instead.

Kagome shrugged, "four or five years I guess."

"…since you decided to stay? Not four years since you decided to travel with Inuyasha?"

Kagome understood how strange all of this had to be. "No, four-ish years, I guess, since I decided to stay. Listen, Mama, you should rest."

Funaho didn't protest, feeling dizzy all of a sudden.

Kagome pulled Souta to his feet and he moaned in protest. Kagome murmured instructions to him. He went to the far end of the hut to a futon set out by Kaede and went to sleep. She then helped her mother lay down.

"Are you sure nothing hurts?"

"I'm fine Kagome. My leg is just a little uncomfortable because it's swollen and I sat on it so long."

Kagome frowned wanting to ask if she remembered that she'd been burned but thought against it. Her mother was some type of stable; she didn't want to send her into a fit.

She checked the leg wound and shook her head before pulling the sheets around her mother.

"Kagome-"

"I'll come check on you two in a little while. Try to sleep Mama." She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Funaho gave up and settled down obediently.

Kagome stood and Funaho finally got a good look at her clothing. Kagome saw her eyes widen but didn't acknowledge the glance, wanting to get everyone settled for the night. Kaede stopped Kagome with a reaching hand. Kagome took the wrinkled old hand in her own.

"You can really heal" Kaede said under her breath, not having missed Funaho's lack of pain.

Kagome frowned, "Yes, I can heal. I can't work on Mama anymore though, the fluid needs to be drained from her wounds."

Kaede nodded slowly.

"I'll be back to work on her some more. My stomach is trying to eat itself."

"I have soup here," Kaede offered, motioning to her pot.

Kagome shook her head slowly, "it won't do anything for me."

Kaede stared after her stunned as she walked from the hut.

She looked to her guests and found Funaho examining her hands in fascination. "M-My hands? Kaede-san, please tell me what's happened."

Kaede eyed her a long moment, "Ye remember nothing?"

"No I don't. How did I get here, where did these wounds come from. Where–" she began to sit up again, "Where is father?"

The old miko muttered to herself shaking her head, then admitted, "I think Kagome would like to explain things to you later."

"Kagome is going through things right now; I can see it in her face. I will talk to her later but, please, I need to know what's going on."

After long internal debate, Kaede told of what she knew and what Funaho didn't want to know.

XXXXX

"…and Lord Faung is complaining too. He says Lord Sagisoto will be after him next."

Kagome frowned trying to read paper work and inhale her meal at once.

"Who is Lord Faung?" She demanded.

"Milady, he is a lesser lord that serves you," Minawo explained in dismay.

Kagome shook her head in dismay. "Why have I never met all of these lords that serve under me."

Koji jogged over to them at that moment, holding an armful of documents.

He dropped the stack on the little table they'd set up outside. Kagome shuddered.

"Milady, you haven't asked to meet them."

"You all KNOW that I am new at this. You didn't suggest it or make it happen behind my back like usual?" She sneered.

Koji pressed his hands together and bowed in sympathy. "We weren't going to tell you," he said with a wince. Kagome shot him a murderous glance but he continued hastily, "But I think Minawo-san and I have realized that we die if we keep letting nonsense happen."

Furiously, Kagome used her chopsticks to snatched a copious amounts of cooked eyan from her serving plate and stuff her mouth. She slammed her half-eaten bowl of rice on the table and took a long moment to think. Minawo and Koji shared a glance, hoping she wouldn't snap on them.

"Who put you all up to this? Who gave you this brilliant idea that it would be fun to screw me over?"

Both men winced and Kagome had her answer.

"Takahito will have three assholes when I'm done with him."

"Milady, please" Minawo pleaded, trying not to laugh. "It was all of us a little. We didn't expect to have to fight you about certain…matters and you certainly put up a fight and got your way. We were all mad, Takahito was just angrier than the rest of us."

Kagome grunted and the two advisors knew Takahito would still be taking the brunt of the punishment no matter what they said.

"How many lords are underneath me?" she demanded.

Minawo and Koji shared horrified glances. "You truly don't know?"

Kagome pressed her lips together and said sarcastically, "I wouldn't have asked if I did."

Koji sat down across from her slowly, "milady, you are one of the top two human rulers in the western lands.

"You and Kasaragi-sama are head of the two western houses. Lord Sesshomaru got rid of the rest of the human lords despite the emperor's protest. You report directly to Sesshomaru-sama and his grace the emperor."

Kagome's jaw dropped in horror.

She looked skyward in disgust. "You all hate me don't you," She inquired of the gods. "Really, you couldn't just leave me with Jiji?"

Looking back to her advisors, she took a shaky breath.

"How am I supposed to control a group of five other Taishi's"

"Five?" Minawo gawfed.

Kagome motioned for him to more or less zip his lip. "Don't correct me. Please don't correct me," she whimpered.

Minawo obeyed, his face bright with amusement.

"Well we didn't worry anymore after you'd beaten me with your staff."

Minawo had a gleam in his eyes and Kagome smiled uncertainly.

Her advisors were not good enemies to have, this all sounded like deadly grudges and petty withholding of information.

"Okay," she breathed, "We're more or less past that stuff right."

Minawo and Koji shared another glance and Kagome scratched her cheek uncertainly.

"We've more or less learned our lesson," Koji said coolly in a way that suggested he would still bite her face off if provoked and given the chance. "Our other companions may not have."

She nodded slowly. She'd been scolding Sesshomaru, she should have been kicking herself in the ass.

"Look I'm sorry," she looked at Minawo more than Koji, "but you all really pissed me off. Like, I mean, I've never been that angry in my life pissed off."

Neither man responded. Kagome sighed, "You all were going to help Taishi kill me weren't you?"

Confusion flashed in Koji's eyes and Minawo was the one who answered, "We have no idea what you're talking about."

Koji continued to look discreetly baffled. Kagome had to give the man props; he had the good sense not to comment aloud. Taishi had probably confronted the advisors one on one and only called those in his confidence: guards, servants, advisors.

"Okay," she began, "But someone was plotting to take my life, there may have been many someones. We can't work together if we're ready to kill each other. Let's wipe the slate clean then."

"You accept the others into this agreement?"

Kagome winced, "um no." Koji rolled his eyes and Minawo's brow wrinkled in confusion. "We can't pull two people who haven't agreed to the terms into this. If I talk to them and they agree then they're in it too but until then let's not make decisions for them."

Minawo and Koji nodded to her logic.

"From this point on past grudges are forgotten. We're working together to stay alive." She explained. "We'll respect each other. I won't attack you all and you won't attack me. You'll try to keep me updated on things I need to know and I will keep you all updated on what's happening."

The men saw no harm in this agreement, glancing to each other with nods.

"Good lets shake on it."

There was another amused glance shared between the two men but they obediently shook her hand.

She inhaled deeply and smiled at her advisors.

"Okay, so I need some advice," she teased, "how do I keep these lesser lords from trampling all over me. I'm holding the brunt of the curse from gnawing on them, right, but that won't stop them from disobeying a 'stupid woman.'"

Minawo yawned rudely and Koji smiled quietly, trying not to meet her gaze.

Aww shit, what was the point of the agreement then?

They were going to let her stumble in the darkness. Probably when she was ready to kill someone they'd step in and tell her what to do. Until then, it was a case of 'figure it out yourself or suffer' her punishment for earlier transgressions.

"Okay! Fine, I'll figure it out on my own!"

She stuck her tongue out childishly.

Her advisors took no offense.

"So how many lords are under me exactly."

"Do you really want to know milady?"

"No" She blurted out, "but I think I should know anyway."

Minawo was having too much fun with all of this and so why not top it all off.

He came forward and the curious teenager buried in her heart leaned forward to hear. He whispered the answer in her ear and the color left her face.

"Shit!"

Koji laughed.

They watched her scrub her head in frustration.

"Okay so they're right to appeal to me for help? My little group of soldiers at the castle isn't enough to help anyone."

"They will come from all over if you call Milady. Soldiers are spread all through the land, most of them are in the other lords castles.

She inhaled deeply, "that's good to know."

"Milady, finish eating and we can talk more."

Kagome took up her bowl obediently. And then Souta decided to stumble from the hut. He spotted her in the odd little camp of soldiers and came over slowly.

"Young master," Minawo greeted with a smile, taking Souta's hand in his own.

Souta blushed and nodded to the older men.

"Morning."

Kagome smiled and pulled her brother down beside her. She pulled him close and kissed his head, "What's up squirt?"

"I'm not a squirt!"

"What does that even mean?"

Souta huffed, "well, it has a few different meanings. You can squirt someone with water but when she says it she's calling me short."

The men chuckled in amusement.

"You slept in late" Kagome commented, offering her brother the rest of her rice.

He took the bowl and a servant came and refilled it for him.

"Late?" he said around his first bite. "What time is it?"

Kagome glanced skyward, "about ten."

"Well what time were you up?" Souta complained.

"I was up with the sun."

Souta glanced at her, a blush of embarrassment burning his cheeks.

"Well, I was inside with Mama for a while." Kagome took another pair of chopsticks and got some meat down before the servants could take it away.

Souta pouted when the platter was taken away to be wrapped up but another servant put some fish before him for breakfast. "Thank you" he called before continuing, "She's really sad about grandpa."

Her food took on an unflattering taste in her mouth.

"She remembers what happened?"

"No, she begged Kaede-san to tell her what was going on. She said you looked like you were dealing with too much."

Kagome sat a moment then stood, "Finish your meal Souta."

He nodded warily, watching her leave.

"Mama" she knocked at the door frame of kaede's hut. There was shuffling but no answer. Kagome took that as her queue to enter.

She found her mother sitting on her futon, eyes downcast and filled with tears. Her hands and leg had apparently been treated as she'd asked of Kaede and re-wrapped.

"How are you this morning Mama?"

Funaho glanced at her warily then looked away.

Kagome sighed and knelt to pluck a piece of grass. She broke off the top of the stem and walked inside.

"Kagome." Her mother called in exasperation, obviously wanting to be left alone.

"I have to be your doctor for a little bit. You didn't feel any discomfort last night after I used you as a pillow. I'm worried."

Funaho frowned but said nothing.

Kagome knelt by her bandaged leg. "Kaede-san just wrapped it" she muttered.

Heeding her mother's warning, Kagome touched delicately at the bandage. With a grunt, she took the grass and teased the bottom of mothers feet poking her toes.

"Can you feel anything?"

Funaho pressed her lips together but didn't respond.

Kagome moved lower, drawing swirls at the bottom of her foot.

She finally twitched and her foot wiggled a bit. "I can feel near my heel"

Kagome tossed the grass into the fire pit, "Did Kaede give you any medicine or put anything on your wounds?"

"Yes."

Kagome rubbed her nose thoughtfully. There was a whole ton of reasons why her mother probably couldn't feel. She wouldn't know if there was any permanent nerve damage until later.

"What are you thinking?"

Kagome glanced up lazily then eyed her mother's leg once more.

"Trying to think of what to ask Kaede."

"'Kaede-san', since when have you been so rude Kagome?"

Kagome blushed, "sorry mama."

Funaho sighed and pet the futon lightly.

Kagome came up and sat beside her mother. She leaned her head on the older woman's shoulder.

They sat in silence a long while.

"I missed you when you left."

"I missed you too mama and I'm sorry. It was something I had to do."

"And I'm so proud of you for it."

Kagome smiled uncertainly and fiddled with the edge of her shirt.

They sat in silence a long while and Kagome relaxed against her.

Kagome took her hand gently. Funaho let her head fall on her daughter's and Kagome glanced up uncertainly, feeling her mother tremble.

"Mama?"

"I'm sorry. I miss my father. It's so sudden."

"We tried to help him," Kagome offered weakly.

"I know. But he's gone. Everything he worked for is gone. Our home is gone." Kagome felt her own tears coming once more and she sat listening to her mother sniffle. "I don't have anything of his left, no pictures, no clothes to tease Souta into wearing," she chuckled warily.

Kagome pet her mother's arm and snuggled closer.

"I'll be okay," Funaho promised. "So tell me what's happened."

Another wary glance and Kagome met her mother's stare.

"What do you mean?"

"You've changed Kagome. You're a grown woman now, yes, but you've changed more than aging a few years can usually bring. What happened?"

Kagome stilled, she should have known she couldn't hide things from her mother but she really didn't know where to start. Her mother, however, did.

"Where is Inuyasha?"

Kagome swallowed the lump in her throat. "Mama, I won't lie. I haven't traveled with Inuyasha for years."

Funaho didn't look very surprised, "really."

"This isn't new information to you?"

Funaho sighed, "I know you loved him dear, but I kept hearing about his past lover and other things that really upset you. I thought you might go your separate ways and remain friends."

Kagome wrinkled her nose, "We might have stayed friends but we're enemies right now."

"What!"

And the story of what had happened between them began to trickle out. Kagome wouldn't tell her what the falling out with Inuyasha had caused in the long run, up till just recently, but she could give her a bit of information.

Funaho listened with an alarmed expression, able to understand this darkness Kagome had somehow picked up along the way. And she felt sorry for her daughter…

XXXXX

"Houshi-sama!"

"I'm ready lady Sango!"

Sango flung her boomerang and as she expected the ogre she'd been fighting dodged. Sango hissed as her boomerang flew over its head and Kirara raced to catch the free-falling Tajiya. The ogre landed and just as planned was sucked into the void.

Miroku sealed his hand with ease and was moving toward Sango. She landed and slid off Kirara.

"Why are we being attacked like this," She demanded breathlessly.

Miroku glanced around warily, "I don't know. It must be the jewel shards." He placed a hand over his heart, over the package he had to get to Kagome. "Without Inuyasha around to sniff them out before they bombard us, it is hard. I can sense them sometimes but…"

Sango sneered bitterly, brushing a few wayward strands from her face, "So we do need that idiot?"

"Sango, let's talk about this now. We need to get to the village before we're attacked again."

She snorted, "You know we have about five other battles before we get there."

Miroku chuckled warily but led the way.

XXXXX

"Kagome-sama!"

Startled, she sat up as sobbing servants burst into the hut. Kaede had returned to grab something from her back room. She peeked out, as alarmed by the cries as everyone else. Funaho stared at the beautifully dressed women then looked to Kagome as she spoke, "What's wrong?"

"There is a well up the path. We wondered if we could draw water from it but it was dry."

"Oh, no" Kagome muttered to herself.

Her servants continued, "Chiatsu thought she saw something at the bottom of the well," the younger servant glanced to her sobbing companion. Kagome coaxed them along waving her hand.

"She threw a rock at it-"

Chiatsu gave a shriek and snatched at the big-mouthed girl by her side. They struggled wildly, shrieking and angry.

"Guards!" Kagome called.

Funaho stared dumbly as two men came in. "Take Chiatsu, I'll talk to them one at a time," she shook her head amused and the guards chuckled, obeying.

"Junko," Kagome said with patience that one gained when dealing with children. "What happened?"

Kagome was ready to laugh but her next comment wiped the smile from Kagome's face.

"She threw a rock at the creature in the well. Then it started to spark with blue lightning."

Kagome blinked and shot a glance at Kaede.

"What did you see in the well?" Kaede demanded.

Junko wobbled uncertainly, "Something white but it didn't move. I thought it was a pretty rock."

Kagome gave a groan, "the bone-eaters well."

"Bone!" Junko cried.

"She says there was something sparking at the well? An omen child," Kaede muttered.

"Is the well cursed? We didn't mean to cause any trouble," Junko cried frantically.

"Kagome?"

She glanced at her mother quickly, "I'll be back Mama. Stay here okay."

She beckoned the guards by curling a finger and swept from the hut. They dragged Junko from the hut too and she staggered after her mistress sobbing in terror. She stalked past Chiatsu who flung herself on the ground in a bow.

"Bring her."

The advisors raced after Kagome as the two servants were pulled along. Soon they had a trailing of soldiers curious to see what the fuss was about.

Kagome paused at the clearing to the bone eaters well.

She glanced to Goshinboku out of habit, noting nothing was off about the god tree. She paused at what she thought was a safe distance for her soldiers and servants and eyed the quiet well. "You said the well was sparking?"

"Yes milady" the servants chimed as one.

She glanced around warily and Koji noted that she seemed to be sniffing the air. His nostrils flared, trying to find what had her attention.

"Do you all smell something funny?"

"No milady but my nose is tingling." A soldier complained.

Kagome grunted and moved toward the well.

As the servants had said, the well sparked to life. Blue lightening danced across the wood threateningly.

The ground gave a rumble and there were cries of terror at the earthquake. Kagome stumbled to the well and gripped the wood until the tremors passed.

She stood a second to make sure it wouldn't start up again.

"Milady!" She walked back to her group.

"I am so sorry" Chiatsu breathed, obviously horrified.

"It wasn't you. Something's wrong with the well."

"What could possibly be wrong with a well that would cause a quake."

"It's a magical portal," she said dryly. "I need to see what's going on the other side. Something is obviously trying to get my attention."

The advisors were stunned to silence.

"Guard my Mama and Souta while I'm gone. I'll be back."

With that, she turned and went back to the well.

"Please let me through safely," she muttered before hopping up onto the rim. She leapt in and wasn't surprised to hear a distant shout of alarm. The well accepted her into its protection and transported her safely to the other side.

She landed on soft soil in the musty old well-house of her time.

With a breath, she climbed out of the well, and noted with disdain, the stink of an old fire clinging to everything around.

She shouldered open the door and stepped out.

The air smelled fresh, as if something foul that didn't belong had been removed.

She was home once more.

With a steeling breath, Kagome walked forward, thick loamy grass cradling her bare feet. She paused and wiggled her toes; she'd kicked her shoes off at Kaede's door and had relaxed with her mother. She'd forgotten to pull them back on but she trusted the area around her home to be generally clean.

It was eerily quiet–no birds, no crickets, not so much as a breeze. It was if the world were holding its breath, waiting for something.

Quietly, she let her gaze sweep the area, feeling as if she were in a dream instead of in the present staring at the plot that had held home. 'Do not cross' screamed bold warning across red tape, said tape being wrapped haphazardly around every trunk unlucky enough to be part of the tree line. To the far left sat a patch of black ground where her house had once been.

There were no beams of wood left, not even a brick of the foundation or an unlucky bit of china had survived. The charred patch of land was painfully flat, bland, square; appearing to be done by machines rather than something as natural and wild as fire. She moved closer, wanting to see if anything had survived the fire but color caught her eye.

She turned to Goshinboku and saw flowers at its base. Suddenly, her feet were gobbling the distance and she was kneeling at the tree with reverence. There were pots of flowers, heart cut-outs, letters and cards, a teddy bear with a balloon wrapped around it's wrist–a memorial.

Someone had thought to set up a memorial for the lost Higurashi family.

She saw their names, even grandpa's. She picked up the card for her mother written in graceful script, thanking her for her kindness and wishing she were still there. Her hand found Souta's card, a large handmade gift with scribbles from his classmates, streaked with personality, fingerprints, and tears.

Her eyes already burned when she got to her own, the teddy bear was from Hojo, the ballon from Eri, a card from Haruko and Tomo covered in tears and evidence of the feelings unable to be expressed by something as mundane as a slip of paper swearing 'We Miss You!'

Grampa had received a card and a cup of tea, now cold, to hold the card in place from non-existent wind. Beside Grampa's tea sat a bowl of cat food, untouched, except for by the ants that could use the food better than its intended patron.

"Oh Buyo," Kagome sniffled hugging her knees for balance, "How could I forget about you? I'm sorry."

She didn't linger though, her attention turned back to the patch where her house was supposed to stand. She stepped onto the charred earth and felt her feet sink into gentle ash. It was gone. It was all gone, nothing to show for the generations except ashes.

Defeated, she sat down and wouldn't allow herself to think. She didn't know what she'd expected when she'd arrived in the future once more but of all things she should have expected this.

She sat a while and, like nature holding its breath around her, she found herself waiting for something. It took its sweet old time coming but when it finally arrived, it was hard not to know. Fire burst into being before her and took the vague shape of a body.

"Why are you here," Kagome ground out.

Climbing to her feet, she said bitterly, "I don't have any more human sacrifices to offer up for your appetite. I hope you aren't expecting a gift." Her gaze drifted up and she stared at the oval shape of Fire's head, seeking human features to glare at despite every bit of sense that said fire wasn't something to be glaring at in any case scenario.

White appeared in the shape of a mouth on Fire's face. When she spoke, it was horrible, it was sound, it was the angry shriek of fireworks, it was the gentle crackle of a camp fire that had been her companion to bed one too many nights for her not to be familiar.

Her power cowered. Kagome felt two distinct energies trying to get away from the creature before them, pressing into her spine, like a one-two blow to the gut.

Numb fear made her quake; sensory overload to her ears made her wild, instincts every human and demon knew rushed to the surface–fight or flight.

The intense urge to vomit made her roar fierce. She lunged forward, knowing she couldn't but attempting anyhow, to grab the fire woman. Her hand passed though and she shrieked when it burned. She didn't stop even as Fire's body grew hotter threateningly. The pain was horrible but she stuck her other hand forward to grab. Shock set in faster than Kagome thought possible. Suddenly she was sobbing and shrieking in pain, collapsing forward onto fire unable to stop herself. Everything burned.

"Why are you trying to destroy me? You hurt my mama, you killed my jii-san, you hurt my family. What did we ever do to you?" She had hold of something solid and she wouldn't let go. Her skin flayed and re-grew in waves, it didn't burn any longer but Kagome couldn't begin to tell if it was shock or if Fire had taken pity.

Arms were holding her, hugging her and keeping her upright. She listened to Fire speak and the sound split her head with pain.

"What do you mean I don't belong here! This is my home, I was born here!"

Kagome wailed in time with Fire's bestowed wisdom.

"I'll disobey you to my dying breath. I'm tired of being played with!"

This time silence answered Fire's voice and Kagome stared entranced as something of grave importance was explained to her.

"What? How can we not exist here? People left us presents, we lived here" Kagome gaze drifted to the gifts cradled in Goshiboku's roots.

Fire spoke again and Kagome twisted away from the sound.

Kagome tried to pull away, a bitter scowl on her face. "Our existence here has ended, and been neatly tied up so no one questions. How ironic. But" Kagome finally stopped talking and listened to Fire, "B-But you aren't erasing us having been here?"

Fire, this time, did not speak.

Kagome buried her face in Fire's chest, the flames only causing a phantom pain and nothing to fear anymore.

"It was our fate to become part of the feudal era and to leave our mark in this place?"

Fire's voice made the trees creek and tremble. Kagome felt her own teeth chattering and her ears threatening to bleed.

"No such thin- what!"

She felt angry, she felt like fighting, but terror of being burned calmed her like ice water.

A surprised pause as Kagome fully digested, and she glanced up to where there should have been a face.

"'The bridge is falling apart.'" Kagome pondered this a long while, "The well?"

Kagome imagined the well, the bridge between two worlds crumbling. She turned on Fire with fierce anger in her heart. "You make me so angry, you gods and spirits."

Kagome listened to Fire's soothing, and felt tears come to her eyes, "We can't come back anymore?" She whispered knowing the truth, "I don't care if you all are allowing me and my family freedom and a chance to make a future. I don't care about any of that. You took my grandpa, you hurt my Mama."

In response to Kagome's heartfelt moment, Fire released her hold and Kagome flopped to the ground weakly.

A spear shaped hand and arm pointed at her mockingly and Kagome felt her lip curl in anger, "You bitch! You're definitely Jiji's mom."

Fire grabbed her belly and laughed. There was no sound this time, only curling heat waves that made the air ripple.

Ready to comment, Kagome opened her mouth to give the Spirit of Fire an earful but Fire suddenly swayed, standing straight and tall without rude gestures. Her limb waved to the side dismissively.

Kagome turned, looked, and shrieked when she saw her own body sprawled on the ground like a broken doll.

She looked at the she-devil called Fire accusingly. With a huff, she trench crawled through the ash and somehow seeped into her own body. Her first breath was bliss, the second tasted like soot.

With a cough, Kagome sat up to find Fire still standing there, staring in a very creepy manner. She belly laughed again and Kagome ground her teeth at the heat wave that plagued the area. "Sure, laugh at me for being a poor mortal," Kagome griped under her breath. She stood slowly, "Well, you don't belong here anymore than I do. Are you coming with me to the past?"

Fire actually blinked, commented and Kagome couldn't begin to explain how she had come to that conclusion. The response didn't split her head this time, in fact no sound came but Kagome understood all the same.

"'I belong, you don't?' Do I really want to understand that at this second?"

Fire thought about it and shook her head.

At that moment, a familiar fat cat waddled into view, sat down, and meowed for dinner.

Kagome stared in disbelief at the ghost of Buyo. Fire blinked at Kagome's cat in similar disbelief. They stood for at least two minutes and Buyo gave a luxurious yawn, unaware that he wasn't among the living any longer. Fire reached down and picked up the fat cat. Buyo dangled, perfectly at ease while a spirit examined him.

Buyo had always been that laid-back cat that would lick the knife pointed at his heart in a friendly manner but this was pushing it.

Fire pulled him close and pet his fur in the wrong direction. Buyo meowed in displeasure but didn't go feral on her. She waited another minute to see if he would change his mind. Buyo remained quiet content in the arms of someone willing to lift his bulk. Amazed and grateful, Kagome stepped forward and touched Buyo hesitantly. He was as solid as he'd been the last time she'd pet him. She scratched just under his chin, drawing a pleased purr.

"Well, you have a new friend Buyo." She glanced at Fire who watched her pet the cat in rapt interest.

"Take care of him okay. I somehow feel better that he'll be with somebody, even if it's you."

Kagome kissed Buyo's nose gently and he returned the gesture with a pink wet tongue, "I love you Buyo."

She stepped back, considered the strange duo with the shake of her head, and began her slow trek back to the well house. Fire waved and called something to her. Kagome glanced back wide eyed but walked a little faster, sensing danger in Fire's flippant comment, something about lights and explosions when the bridge collapsed.

Kagome paused and glanced around once in the well house, wishing she could take pictures back, so that one day Souta would have something to remember the home he would never be able to see again. She wanted something to show her own children one day.

She swung a leg over the well rim, hesitated, and glanced around.

"Duh!" Kagome pulled back from the well and glanced around at the old dusty items her grandfather had treasured.

Her mother wouldn't have many of the things she wanted but Kagome could grab her something. She searched with urgency but care, hoping not to grab something cursed or containing an evil demon's soul. She grabbed her grandfather's tassels and an extra set of temple keeper robes from a trunk, the same outfit he had worn to ward off evil spirits and demons after meeting Inuyasha. She grabbed the secret stash of pickled plums her grandpa had once told her were demon eyeballs to keep her away. She grabbed a gold Buddha figurine that he had treasured and his favorite prayer beads. She stuffed a wad of his half-assed sutra into the waist of her skirt and blew a kiss to the air.

"Love you grampa, be happy wherever you are," she called loudly and leapt into the well.

On the other side the sky was dark, to the future's midday sun. She climbed slowly from the well, savoring the feel of magic and familiar old vines that had served her well time and time again. She sat her treasures down once out of the well, took a breather. With a smile and a purpose, she left the wells clearing and marched all the way to Kaede's village.

The ground began to tremble in anticipation and a low whistle rose from nothing. The sound and stickiness of magic in the air drew the masses from their home. She found her soldiers, her advisors, her friends and family waiting for her. Sango rushed to her with a cry.

Kagome quickly sat the jar down and wrapped her arms around her sister.

"Kagome" Sango breathed, running a hand down Kagome's older face. She only smiled and glanced to Miroku who nodded a greeting. They both looked liked they'd had a hell of a journey back home but they were safe and happy to see her.

"Sis what's that sound!" Souta demanded for the frightened soldiers and villagers joining them outside Kaede's hut.

"It's the well," She said casually.

The flap to Kaede's hut moved aside. Kagome stared as her mother and old Kaede hobbled from the hut borrowing one another's strength.

"Mama!"

Kagome rushed forward and Funaho smiled gently. She opened her arms and Kagome squeezed the older woman in a fierce hug. Souta reached to hug his mother's leg if nothing else but Kagome snatched him and put him between their hug. Kagome pulled away and dug out the stack of sutra from her waistband. Funaho took the stack, blinked, and laughed pulling her children closer.

The whistle in the air had reached a feverish pitch but the grounds shaking remained steady. The sound was like a teapot having reached its limit, like the shriek of a train whistle calling aboard all passengers–Kagome liked that analogy.

The last whistle faded and all became quiet. The wells familiar magic shot skyward, dazing it's audience. The beasts that had been thrown into the bone eaters well over centuries rushed forward with a roar but didn't seem the least bit inclined to leave the path set by the wells magic. A click rocked the forest–a shifting of tracks.

"What's happening!" Souta gasped, hands pressed to his ears as he watched the fireworks in awe.

"Two worlds disconnecting" Kagome said after a while of pondering a response.

Silence fell as colors and horrible creatures, demons, usually terrifying to mere humans danced in the sky, made beautiful in unnatural light.

"Before, we were time travelers" Kagome said to her remaining family, "Now, I think we're dimensional hoppers."

They watched the future race away at its own speed, desperate to use its newfound freedom while the present continued along at its leisurely pace.

They watched the tail end of magic vanish into the darkness. The rumbling quieted to nothing and they all stood dumbstruck.

"I didn't expect you to actually go find anything," Funaho appeared embarrassed and highly apologetic but her eyes were filled with tears and gratefulness.

Kagome rubbed her arm in understanding, "I think all of us need these things from ojii-san right now. We all miss him and we all miss home." Kagome basked in the hugs from her brother and mother. "I found Buyo too but I don't think I could bring him back. He found himself a friend. She'll take care of him."

Funaho smiled sadly, "I suppose that will have to do." She pressed her lips together and turned to her daughter, "Kagome, I wanted to apologize for–"

"Mama," Funaho paused in surprise. Kagome only grinned, "I love you."

Funaho opened her mouth, thought about it, and smiled in defeat. Kagome would always be Kagome. Souta leaned into his mother and wrapped his arms about her waist. She returned the hug awkwardly, her hands still paining her, and said to both her children, "Welcome home."

Kagome considered the group before her, still watching the sky dazed.

"Thanks Mama, It's good to be home."

XXXXX

Sorry if this was confusing. I had to figure out how to make two different futures happen. Kagome's original future with no demons and the current future she's working toward which is still undecided.

Think of it as two trains on two different tracks having to ride at the same speed because of a platform between them. Despite twists and turns, they are stuck riding at the same speed defying natural laws to work this way. It has to be fixed and now everyone can truly control their fate and not be led by an already decided future. That's been eating away at the back of my brain for months.

-pets self on the back- Yay me!

Well thanks again everyone. I'll try to update in a reasonable time.

(7/29/12)