Chapter 5: The Reunion

"And woe to you make a sad face! I want to see you all happy!", Ms. Higurashi said sternly to the assembled people in the living room.
They all nodded. Kagome's friends Eri, Yuka and Ayumi, as well as Hojo, had come to welcome Kagome back home. After long months in the clinic, she was able to leave the hospital. Now she had many hours of hard running training ahead of her. However, the worst was already behind her. Sota and grandfather were really looking forward to seeing them again.
"Well, I'll pick you up now.", Kagome's mother announced and put on her jacket. It was now spring.

Eri and Ayumi sat down on the sofa while Hojo and Yuka looked out the window. Sota paced impatiently up and down the room and grandfather had gone to the kitchen to get drinks.
Suddenly Hojo called:
"I think they are coming!"
In a flash everyone was gathered at the window.Excited, they ran into the hallway and stood in a row, just as they had rehearsed.
The front door opened and everyone shouted joyfully:
"Welcome back, Kagome!"
But immediately they all fell silent, for the sight was less joyful.
A sad Kagome sat in a wheelchair and looked at her blankly.
"Hello ..." she mumbled softly and her mother, who pushed the wheelchair, took her into the house. Her face looked just as sad.
"What's going on?", Eri mumbled to Yuka.
"Stupid question." She hissed back. "Can't you put yourself in her shoes a bit? After a long time she sees her home again, but everything is different ... she will no longer be able to walk!"
For a moment Eri saw tears in her friend's eyes, but then her attention was drawn back to Kagome.
"Please stop, mom ..."
Her mother followed her wish and left the wheelchair in the middle of the aisle.
Kagome's hands clutched the armrests with all their might.Slowly began to push away from the chair and screwed up his eyes.
"Kagome-chan!", Ayumi shouted horrified, but the addressed did not rule. She seemed to concentrate all of her thoughts on what she was doing. With all her strength she pushed herself up and stood shakily on her feet. Ms. Higurashi couldn't help but cry. Yuka did the same.
But soon Kagome lost her strength and she fell forward. Fortunately, Hojo and grandfather were there in time to catch them. They put her back in the wheelchair and took a step back.
The brunette didn't say a word and was trembling all over. Her eyes were closed and yet you could see tears in the corners of her eyes.
Suddenly arms came around her from behind.
"Don't rush into anything, Nee-san."
It was Sota, the only one looking calm. However, he too had to pull himself together to keep from crying.
"You will eventually make it. I'm sure of that."Even if Kagome had heard these words from many, they had a powerful effect on Sota.
"Thank you, Sota ..." she whispered and slowly put her hand on his.
She even managed a small smile.

~ * ~

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!"
Sango put her hand on Miroku's shoulder and shook his head soothingly.
"It's pointless. Even if he heard our calling, he certainly wouldn't come back."
There was something to it. Sighing, the monk stopped calling and sank into the leaf-strewn grass. Sango sat down next to him and looked up at the sky.
"It's getting dark."
Miroku nodded and then thought about the dog demon again.
"Since Kagome is gone, he's been completely dismissive and leaves and sometimes even for weeks," he said.
"I know ... but can't you understand him?", The demon hunter replied and looked slightly sad at the ground. Of course she was very worried about the Hanyou, but even more worried about her friend Kagome."Yes, of course, but what's the point if he runs away from us?"
"He just wants to be alone ... in any case, I don't hold it against him. We can manage quite well on our own."
The man nodded silently and then, like Sango before, looked into the darkening sky. The first star had appeared in the sky.

"Look, Sango.", He said, wrapped around her and pointed to the star.
"Make a wish."
A slight smile spread across her face as she closed her eyes and thought her wish in silence. Miroku did the same.
"And?" He said after they both opened their eyes again. "You must have wished for something for Kagome and Inuyasha."
"It might sound selfish, but no, I didn't ...", she said and was glad that it wasn't very light anymore, because otherwise he would have noticed her red cheeks now.

~ * ~

The golden-eyed Hanyou stared sadly into the water and could have sworn he had seen Kagome's reflection in it.
With his eyes closed he shook his head.
Yet he found himself glancing over his shoulder ...

Inuyasha strolled slowly through the forest. He had lost interest in just staring into the water. Actually he didn't feel like walking through the forest either ... Since she was gone, he didn't feel like doing anything.
Without realizing it, his feet had carried him to the clearing where all the misfortune had taken its course. Immediately he stopped and stared at the spot where Kagome had been standing. At that moment something occurred to him. Hadn't she dropped the pearl here?
He walked over to the spot and dropped one knee to the floor. He removed the leaves covering the said spot and immediately found what he was looking for.There they lay; untouched and just as they had been left behind - the numerous splinters of the lovers' pearl.
A small smile appeared on his lips when he thought that this should be his present. The brunette really couldn't have found anything more beautiful and suitable.
Hesitantly, he suddenly picked up a splinter, as if something had stung him, lifted his head and stared in one direction, bewildered.
But his nose did not deceive him. She never had that.
Quickly collected all the splinters, making sure that he didn't forget any. With one leap he jumped off and his heart pounded as excitedly as it did when he had confessed his love to her.


~ * ~

With a little help from her mother, the brunette Miko let herself sink on her bed completely exhausted.
"Thank you, mom ..." she mumbled and wiped the sweat from her forehead.
Ms. Higurashi replied with a smile."How was the physiotherapy?"
Kagome sighed and leaned back. Her gaze fell on the wheelchair next to her bed.
"Exhausting."
"Your trainer says you are making progress," her mother continued with a smile. "That really makes me happy."
You could see the relief in her. Kagome was glad she didn't keep seeing her mother sad. She knew that it made her happy when she exerted herself in running training.
Her gaze wandered to the window and she felt the woman sitting next to her on the bed.
The brown-haired woman's heart began to beat quickly when she thought of her plan. Yes, the day had come when she wanted to go back ... Not forever, but she wanted to see him.
"Mummy?"
"Yes sweetheart?"
"Will you drive me into the yard? I would like to get some fresh air.", She gossiped at her mother. She wasn't entirely comfortable with it, but there was no other way.
"Of course," the older one replied, getting up to carry Kagome's wheelchair down the stairs.With her help, Kagome made it down the stairs too. A little out of breath, she sat down in her constant companion - her wheelchair - and was then pushed out of the house by Ms. Higurashi.
"I thank you, mom. Now I can handle myself.", She said smiling to her mother.
He just nodded and then closed the front door.
When Kagome was sure that she had disappeared back into the house, she opened her palm, in which she had been holding something convulsively the whole time. It was the splinter from back then. She hadn't thrown it away. On the contrary ... she had treated him like the greatest treasure. After all, she still hadn't given Inuyasha his present ... She wanted to do that today.
She carefully placed the splinter in her lap and put her hands on the wheels. With a strong jerk she pushed them away from her and set the wheelchair in motion.
Just down the stairs to the Bone Eating Well, she stopped.
Secretly she had only practiced walking for that moment. Not for herself, not for her mother, but for him ... for Inuyasha. The urge to see him again grew with every second she stared at the fountain.

With all the strength she could muster, she pushed off and suddenly stood on her own two feet.
The brown-eyed woman screwed up one eye and held on to a wooden beam as a precaution. With trembling legs, she took the first step down. The second and third followed after a few seconds while she tried to keep her balance.
But luck ran out when she took the last step. She swayed and could no longer stand on her feet. Arms outstretched forward to cushion the impact, she fell and came up roughly.
Her hand formed a fist - feeling the splinter exactly - and tears welled up in her large eyes. She felt weak, helpless like a small child. But then she recalled the picture of the hanyou. Wasn't it worth it for him to keep fighting ...?
She struggled to her feet and held on to the fountain. Her chain with the Shikon sliver on her neck dangled over the opening to medieval Japan. Without looking back, she braced herself from the edge of the well and fell into the black hole.

~ * ~

His feet carried him faster and faster towards the well that connected Kagomes and his time. He still thought it impossible that she was here, but he was sure he had smelled her scent. He could always fully rely on his sense organs.
He was out of the forest quickly and ran across a meadow. While his hair was blowing heavily in