They say the best things in life are worth waiting for. But exactly how long does one have to wait for such a thing? One certainly wouldn't think that it took years to gain that one wondrous thing.

That was how she felt, always having a feeling of loneliness, never truly being happy. "How much longer must I have to wait to be with him again? My heart can't stand this forever."

That saddening thought passed through her mind as she walked the long path heading into the woods, a sad smile making its way across her lips just thinking of him. They were so happy during those few short years together. She felt so loved and treasured and he had treated her like a queen.

She was brought out of her thoughts as bright light made itself known through the canopy of the trees, conveying that she was close to her destination. Within moments she had stepped foot in the clearing where the old Bone Eater's well stood, finally revealing herself to the world.

She was dressed in the traditional robes of a priestess and had a bow and quiver of arrows strapped to her back. Two things set her apart from the other village women, aside from being a priestess, her stature and the eye patch covering her right eye.

This person standing the clearing was none other than the Lady Kaede herself.

Slowly Kaede made her way over towards the old well. No sound came from among the surrounding trees, for they knew what this day meant to the elderly priestess and in no way did they want to disturb her. Sadness and melancholy permeated the air, just as it always had since that day so many years ago, the day they were separated.

Minutes passed before Kaede finally made it to the well and sat on its edge to catch her breath. She mentally chuckled at the situation. Throughout the years the trip became longer and harder on her as her body aged and gained numerous battle scars from protecting the village from all of the demon attacks. The years had taken their toll on her, and not in a good way.

Lost in her thoughts, Kaede lovingly ran her hand over the old wood. The villagers had always wondered why she came out here on the same day every year, but they had enough sense not to ask her about it, for they could tell that it meant something special to her.

"If only they knew how special this place was. After all, it was where I met the love of my life." And just like every other year before, Kaede became lost in wonderful memories from so long ago.

*Memory Sequence*

It was a day like every other, filled with the same old duties and chores as all the days before.

"Same old, same old. Ugh, if only something exciting would happen." Kaede thought as she gathered some wild herbs in the woods. "Like something adventurous, yes, that's it! Where you didn't know what was going to happen next and always being on your toes."

She had to chuckle at that, it sounded so much how one had to act during an attack, but in a way it didn't. All she wanted was for something different to happen in her life. Everything had become a dull routine ever since Kikyo had died fifteen summers ago.

This would be Kaede's twenty-fifth summer on this plain. Ever since Kikyo was killed she trained even harder, not only to become as strong as her sister, but to prove her worth to the villagers. None of them believed that she, a one-eyed child, could ever grow up to become a respected high priestess and protect their village from harm. She showed them all right. She may not have been as powerful as Kikyo, but she certainly exceeded her in the healing aspect of the job.

But she still heard whispers from the older villagers. How Kikyo would have destroyed an enemy quicker, then there wouldn't be so much to be repaired, or how Kikyo's powers disintegrated the demon so that there was no cleanup.

Didn't they know that not everyone had exact same powers? Each priestess has their own specialty in the vast field of holy powers, anything from healing, to the purification of demons, to seals and charms, and an immense amount of other abilities.

"But of course I can't voice my opinion. Women are only thought of to bear children, not to be smart and think up things." Kaede thought sourly.

As she finished picking the herbs, she began to head back the village but the sound of growling stopped her cold. Hearing it stop, she turned to stare into the beady eyes of a bull demon. All Kaede could do was stand there, she couldn't fight because she left her weapons back in her hut because no demon ever came this close to the village. That was thanks to the strong barriers Kikyo had posted around the village perimeter before she died. Yet another thing the villagers complain about, her not being able to produce such charms.

But now was not the time to think of such things! Kaede had to think of something quick to defer this demon back into the woods. Unfortunately, all thoughts of luring the demon away left her as it blew a deadly powder in her face to temporarily confuse her so that she could be his meal.

"Don't you hurt her!" Yelled a strong, baritone voice.

Suddenly, the demon above Kaede was gone, nothing left but dust and sparkles.

Scrunching her forehead, Kaede wondered who could have saved her. There was no one she knew of that could have that much power.

Kaede looked up after the dust from the purification had cleared, and her throat instantly went dry. Standing just beneath the Sacred Tree was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. He didn't look tired and miserable like the men in the village, more like he didn't have a care in the world, and his eyes, oh his eyes appeared so warm and inviting.

If only she knew he was thinking the same. That the woman he saved was the most gorgeous thing in the world. Her hair had the most wonderful blue hue to it and she looked innocent, though he could tell that she had had her share of scars.

"He's so handsome." "She is so beautiful." They both thought simultaneously.

For minutes they just stared at each other, neither noticing when the space had closed between them and the man offered to help Kaede off the ground.

"May I help you up?" The man asked.

Kaede just kept staring into his loved filled eyes. "No man has ever looked at me like that. Does he even notice my eye? Why is my heart fluttering so? Is this what love feels like?"

"Aye, ye may. I thank you for saving me. My name is Kaede and I am priestess of this village. Who are you?"

Bowing low and then gently grasping her hand to lightly kiss it, the man replied, "My name is Yasuhiro and you are very welcome. It is my duty to save those in danger."

Blushing profusely at the complement and kiss, Kaede bowed her head in return. "I am anything but beautiful Yasuhiro, but I am thankful anyway. Is there anything I can do to repay such kindness?"

"Yes there is. Could you tell me where I am?"

Tilting her head curiously, as if she were a child again, she answered. "Ye are near the village of Edo. Where may I ask do you come from?"

"Edo? Is this some kind of joke my brothers asked you to go along with?"

"I don't understand what you are talking about, but this is no joke. Did your brothers do something to you? And ye act as if the name Edo surprises you, why is that?" Kaede asked puzzled.

"Of course it surprises me; Tokyo hasn't been called Edo in nearly five hundred years!" Yasuhiro exclaimed. "And I don't know what my brothers did to me because when I woke up I was in the bottom of an old well."

"Ye must be talking about the old Bone Eater's well. But I don't understand, did ye do something to them?"

"Shall we sit a spell so that I may explain?" Yasuhiro asked gently, pleased to hear her say yes in return.

Smiling at the woman he couldn't take his eyes off of, they went to sit beneath the Sacred Tree.

Sitting beneath the calming shade of the tree, Yasuhiro began his tale.

"You see I am the youngest of five siblings and I was the only one of us that had any kind of holy power so father immediately entered me into the priesthood so that I could run our family shrine. It became a joke with my brothers; since I was so busy being a priest, I had no time for girls. I guess they decided I needed a girlfriend since it was Valentine's Day, the day to find love."

"Ye mean a day of courting?" Kaede interrupted.

"I guess you could say that, though dating hasn't been called courting in quite a few years. In fact no one talks the way you do anymore either, but I rather like the way you speak." He said smiling, making Kaede blush once again.

While staring into his amusement filled eyes, Kaede cleared her throat before posing another question. "But what does that have to do with your brothers?"

"Ah, they like to tease me since I'm single because I'm busy around the shrine with my studying. This year though, I finally completed my training so they tried to find me a woman. I refused saying that I had work to do, but they pressed on, to the point where they began to drag me out of the shed I was working in. Next thing I knew I was falling and I ended up here."

Giving off another beaming smile, Kaede found her hands back in his own as she gazed into his beautiful violet eyes.

"I am glad that they did all that though, for if they didn't, I wouldn't have met such an attractive woman. I guess I found a girl today after all." He whispered as their faces came closer.

Both hearts were pumping wildly, neither believing what they were feeling. Was this what "love at first sight" felt like? If it was they hoped it would never end. It felt as if their souls were calling out to each other, begging them to join in harmony as they had in so many other lifetimes before.

Kaede just couldn't take it anymore and closed the space between them to have their lips touch. She couldn't believe what she was feeling through this kiss. How could one pour so much love into such a chaste kiss? Better yet, why did she feel so safe and cherished by a man she had only met mere minutes ago?

"Kikyo had said that sometimes you would find your soul-mate in one that you had never known. Is this man mine? The one that will make me feel whole again? Oh I don't care! Even if this love only last a while I will savor it for the rest my life."

*End Memory Sequence*

Kaede smiled wistfully as she reveled through her beloved memories. After that little "smooching session" as he had called it, they chatted and tried to discover a way to get him back home. After talking long into the night, the theory arose that maybe the well had brought him here, since it was legend that it held magical powers. And from what they had both learned from the other, the well had perhaps taken him back in Japan's history to find her.

Together they walked down the path towards the old well, taking their time so they could relish each other's presence before having to possibly part.

"When we reached the well he kissed me again and looked at me so lovingly that I never wanted him to leave. But he did, saying that if he could get home, he would try to come back and see me. He said he could never stop thinking of me."

Tucking her hand into her sleeve, Kaede pulled out a pressed rose as tears filled her eye.

"By some wonderful gift the well allowed him through every day. He always brought me roses, saying they were just as pretty as I was. We spent so much time together that we became inseparable. And he gave me what I hadn't had in so long, a family."

She laughed at that memory. The stares they had received from the villagers had been comical, they didn't think she should be spending so much time with a man, but she didn't care. She was in love and if that meant giving up her post to be happy, then she would have gladly done it in a heartbeat.

*Modern Japan*

If only Kaede knew her beloved husband was also beginning to reflect on old times. Grabbing the bouquet of roses from the top of his dresser, he headed downstairs to exit the home he shared with his family. He had gotten it timed perfectly over the years to leave the house when his grandchildren went off to school. Even his daughter-in-law knew what this day meant to him and she made sure to keep herself busy so that he could relish his beloved memories in peace.

"Bye mom! Bye Gramps! See you after school!" He heard his youngest grandchild, Sota; yell throughout the house before heading off to school. He wouldn't be hearing anything from his granddaughter today; she was still in the Feudal Era.

When his foot hit the last stair he looked to see his daughter-in-law waiting like always on this day. She reached her hand out to grasp his and walked him out to the well house. She bent down and kissed his cheek in goodbye, telling him that she had some shopping to do since she was expecting Kagome back any day now.

Yasuhiro watched her disappear before turning to enter the well house and slowly taking a seat on the well's edge, coincidentally opposite of where Kaede now sat five hundred years in the past at this very moment.

He took one look outside before gazing lovingly into the well just as he had once gazed into a certain woman's eye so long ago.

"Another year has passed my love, making it thirty-five since we have last seen one another, and totaling forty since we first met." He spoke as if she could really hear him.

"Do you remember what this day is my dear, the day of courting as you called it? Valentine's Day became my favorite holiday after we met because it was the day I found you."

Still lost in his thoughts, Yasuhiro stared at nothing in particular as his eyes glazed over thinking of his precious Kaede. Twirling the bouquet of roses in his hands, he voiced another memory.

"I still bring you roses, though not as often as I used to. Remember when I brought you the violet colored roses to celebrate our anniversary of meeting, and to start another reason to celebrate."

*Memory Sequence Two*

"Oh Hiro their exquisite! Where ever did you find such roses?" Kaede asked as she took a big whiff. She loved them more than the others she received throughout this past year, for these were the same color as his amethyst pools.

What she didn't know was that these flowers held another reason. He had an important question to ask her, a life changing one.

"Kaede may I ask you something?"

"Why of course Hiro, ye may ask me anything." She replied smiling. He smirked back, enjoying the nickname she had given him.

"My darling Kaede, we've gotten to known each other extremely well. I have told you things that I haven't even told my own family. I shared with you my thoughts and dreams, some of which we share, raising a big family and growing old together among those few."

A deep breath before continuing, "When I look at you I feel at peace, as if no matter where I am with you, it could be home. I've fallen deeper in love with you every hour we've spent together and I just can't stand to be away from you more than a minute. So I ask you this..."

Yasuhiro paused while getting down on one knee only to gaze back up into the tender chocolate eye of his love. "Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Kaede's jaw practically hit the ground before she dropped down to her knees and embraced him.

"Yes! Yes I'll marry you!" She cried out happily before a fearful thought struck her.

"But what will the villagers think? There isn't another here to take my place. What will we do?"

Yasuhiro stroked her hair to help calm her down. "There is nothing to worry about. My grandmother was a priestess and when she married she retained her power because it's not about the purity of body, but of the heart. But if you're that worried about it we could see if you can travel through the well so we can get married there."

*End Memory Sequence Two*

"That's what we did my love. Minutes later we were standing before a judge and were married. That was the happiest day of my life, finally being bound to you for eternity." Yasuhiro said finishing out yet another memory.

Grinning, he thought of another reason to celebrate such a meaningful day. "We were blessed again yet a year later. You bore me a son and what a wonderful son he was. If only you could have seen him grow up! Why did that terrible war have to break out?"

Sadness overcame him as he remembered the day they parted. A terrible war had broken out all over the countryside and Edo was right smack in the middle of the fighting. Armies were going from village to village recruiting men to fight the war and this terrified Kaede. She didn't want to have her darling husband taken away from her leaving her alone again.

When they married, Yasuhiro moved to the Feudal Era permanently, only going back to the future during the day to take care of his duties. But in the Feudal Era, he lived in the hut in their woods, so as not to draw attention from the villagers about their relationship and family. Even when Kaede was pregnant, she stayed in his era as her pregnancy progressed.

Kaede was in fear for his and their son's life and she voiced her opinion about it. This led to the toughest decision of their lives. It was decided that Yasuhiro was to take their three year old son and raise him in the modern era while Kaede remained behind to protect the village, so it would never be said that she abandoned her duty. From the way the war was going so far, it promised to be long and deadly.

After their tearful goodbye, he had used half his power to place a seal on her side of the well and when he went through he would use the other half to effectively seal off the well, but not completely. He made sure to leave out just enough power so that over time the power would weaken and then they would be able to be together again.

"But just how much longer will this power continue to thrive?" He wondered to himself.

"I've often heard Kagome speak of a woman named Kaede and I can never help but wonder, could it be you my sweet?" He wondered aloud.

Yasuhiro was so lost in thought that he didn't notice when Buyo sauntered in and sat by his feet. He was so startled when he felt Buyo rub up against his leg and 'meow' so loudly that he fell into the well.

Closing his eyes and waiting for the impact, he never noticed when his body didn't hit any packed earth, nor did he notice the twinkling blue lights surrounding him.

*Feudal Era*

Kaede was living through the last memory of her beloved husband and of their tearful departure.

"They say that the best things are worth waiting for. But how long must I wait before we are finally reunited?"

Drying her eye, she stood and began walking back towards the village she called home, but a burst of magical energy stopped her. Turning around to face the only object that held such immense power, she saw something fly out and land on the ground before her. Picking it up, she noticed that it was a bouquet of roses.

"These are just like the ones Hiro brought me the day asked me to marry him. I haven't seen any roses like this since." Hope began to swell in her chest. "Could it be?"

Heavy breathing could be heard coming from the well, as well as a bit of grumbling, and she could see the vines leading into the well being tugged upon.

"Ugh, I am too old to be doing this." A gruff voice said before pulling himself to sit on the lip of the well to catch his breath.

Kaede just stood quiet in her place, not believing what her single eye was seeing. The elderly man before did look like the priest that saved her so many years ago. Had the seals on the well finally allowed him to come back? She hoped so, oh how she hoped.

Finally lifted his head to look at his surroundings, he saw the forest that enclosed the clearing around the well. Happiness filled his very being as a single thought kept flying through his mind.

"I'm back! I'm back!" He screamed throughout his mind. But when he looked to his left, his mind went blank and his heart practically stopped, which wasn't good for a man of his age. He slowly came to stand on his own two feet, never taking his eyes off the woman before him. A thrilled feeling engulfed him. She was alive, after all these years and the horrible war; she was still alive and waiting for him.

Wetting his lips, surprised at their sudden dryness, he hesitantly questioned.

"Kae... Kaede is that... is that you?"

A smile and eager nod was his reply before he found his arms around by the woman and his lips occupied by hers in the most passionate kiss he had had in years.

Finally they parted when they both urgently needed oxygen. Kaede took one of her hands and caressed her husband's face while the other twirled itself in his robes. She felt the need to keep hold of him in case by some stretch of the imagination, he was taken away from her again.

"Hiro, promise you won't leave me again. Promise me." She begged, laying her head against his chest.

A single digit slipped under her chin making her gaze into his eyes before her lips were busied once again by his, taking her breath away. Once they ran out of breath again, Yasuhiro laid his forehead against her own and stared into her luscious chocolate eye.

"I promise my dearest, I will never leave you again. We will be together for the rest of our lives and beyond." He spoke sincerely.

It was then that his eyes caught sight of the flowers that lay forgotten on the ground from when Kaede dropped them while she ran into his arms. Taking one arm off from around her, he gently bent down and took hold of the bouquet and placed between them.

Yasuhiro bent down to Kaede's ear and began to whisper sweet nothings to her that made her blush as she used to in her youth. He then took one of her hands and wrapped her fingers around the bouquet while saying the most wonderful thing she had ever heard in many, many years.

"I love you my beautiful, gorgeous Kaede. Happy Anniversary darling."

Smiling tenderly, she caressed his cheek again. "And I love you too my most beloved husband."

Kaede kissed him chastely on the cheek before whispering in his ear, "And Happy Valentine's Day as well."

Yasuhiro's eyes widened in surprise; she actually remembered the holiday of love he taught her about so long ago.

Giving him one last innocent kiss on the lips, Kaede removed herself from Yasuhiro's arms and moved to stand by his side, her left arm looped in his right.

"Would you do this old woman the honor of escorting her back to the village so that she may show off her long missed husband to her fellow villagers?" She asked sincerely while taking in the scent of her roses.

Straightening up to make himself look proud, he placed his withered hand atop her knurled one. "It would be an honor my lovely lady."

With that they walked arm in arm, both casting affectionate glancing towards one another, back to the quaint village that both would now call home.

They Weren't The Only Ones ~ Chapter 2 ~ "Reconnecting"

It had truly seemed like hours since they had both found each other again, but it had merely been a few minutes. The elderly couple had taken their sweet time in returning to the village she called home because they wanted to spend as much sweet time together as humanly possible.

Just as they broke through the trees that surrounded the village, the children playing at its edge immediately ran towards Kaede, eager to tell her of their day.

"Lady Kaede, Lady Kaede! Guess what!" The five children yelled in unison.

"What is it that has ye so excited?" She responded.

Grinning from ear to ear, the youngsters brought a huge basket out from behind their backs and presented it to Kaede.

"We noticed you were low on herbs so we picked some to restock your supply!" One of the girls declared proudly as she handed the overflowing basket to the priestess.

Unclasping her hand from Yasuhiro to look through the basket, Kaede had to suppress a chuckle while attempting to keep an approving look upon her face. Only about a fourth of the plants were actually herbs, the rest being weeds and grass, but at least the little darlings had tried.

"Thank ye for doing this children. I am sure they will help me immesley with all of my healing." She patted each of their heads before sliding the basket onto her arm, only to have it taken away from her. Kaede looked over to see Yasuhiro slide it upon his arm before once again grasping her hand and giving her a beaming smile that made her blush.

"I believe I have a lot of husbandly duties to catch up on." He answered her unspoken question cheekily.

Both stared at the other lovingly before beginning to move in for a kiss; that is until the kids began making gagging noises because they almost witnessed an "icky adult moment."

"Why don't you children head on home? I am sure your mothers have a nice hot dinner ready for you." Yasuhiro spoke as the small group began to head towards the village once again.

It was in that moment that the young girls and boys did hear their mothers calling out that supper was ready. All of them began to eagerly run home, but not before giving Kaede and surprisingly Yasuhiro a hug. The eldest of the five even reached up on her tip toes and whispered to him her praise.

"Thank you for making her happy Priest. She is always so sad on this day and it is good to see her smiling." A brief kiss was placed upon his cheek before the young girl turned and led the others home.

Yasuhiro began to chuckle at the sudden giddiness his wife seemed to have. Her curious eye turned to gaze at his joyful filled ones. Even he could see the unspoken question in her eye.

"I find it pleasing to see you surrounded by so many children. I've often dreamed of the children we would have had playing about you. Even scenes containing our grandchildren have crossed my mind once or twice."

Visions along that same line began to take over her mind as well as she led him into her hut and over to the fire before lighting the kindling to begin making the stew for supper. Both sat in comfortable silence, merely enjoying each other's presence while the hut began to fill with the enticing aroma of stew.

Kaede looked up from stirring the stew when Yasuhiro cleared his throat; she waited silently for him to continue but she could tell he was nervous. She had even opened her mouth to say something but she guessed being reunited after so many years had made them both a bit skittish, but there was one thing in the back of her mind that she just couldn't stop thinking about.

"Hiro, how is… how is Satoru doing?"

He knew that question was going to come up sometime, but he didn't expect her to ask it this early. Just how was he supposed to tell her what had happened to their son? What was the best way to break it to her gently?

"Something happened to him, didn't it?" Her quiet voice questioned as she kept her focus on the boiling stew.

A sorrowful smile appeared upon Yasuhiro's face. "You always did have a way of knowing that something has happened haven't you Kaede?"

Kaede could tell just from that small statement that something horrible must have happened to her baby boy. She could tell just from the look upon her husband's face that Satoru had died. With just that thought, she could feel the emotions inside her take hold, threatening to break the barrier that held them within the elderly miko. Never in her life did she think that her only child would die before she herself did, and that thought was something she could barely, no scarcely stand to think about.

Yasuhiro wrapped his arms around his wife comfortingly as she tried to hold in her tears, but the battle was fought fruitlessly when her inner barriers broke down and she collapsed into the arms of her husband. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and grabbed fistfuls of his kimono, using him as her pillar of strength in her time of grief. In her mind she had always imagined Satoru having a beautiful wife and lots of children, but she never thought that something would happen to her baby.

Yasuhiro just stroked her hair and rocked her as she let it all out. He figured he should tell her exactly what happened to their beloved son, so he tightened his grip on her and pulled the stew away from the fire so as not to have it burn, before weaving the tale of Satoru's death.

"Kaede, do you remember what a car and a stoplight is?"

A slow nod being felt against his chest was his answer.

"There was a day when he was heading home from work… Do you know what he decided to become Kaede?" His mind began to wander off, feeling the need to tell his wife about the man their son had become before breaking her heart with the retelling of his death.

"He became a doctor, specializing in natural and herbal healing just like you. He wanted so badly to make you proud of him. He was so honest and trustworthy; he had so many friends that he was never alone, but there were nights when I could hear him crying in his room when something eventful happened, wishing that you were there to share in his happiness.

"He didn't quite understand at first why we had to leave you, but he slowly began to comprehend what had happened under the circumstances. Satoru knew about how I had sealed the well and how you could not come to see him no matter how hard he wished, but that didn't damper his spirits; it only made him more determined to make you proud of him. In his mind you hadn't really gone anywhere; he said he could feel your aura surrounding him and that he wanted to everything he could to make himself your perfect son."

The old priest could still hear his wife sniffling a bit and the smell of sadness permeated the air, but he could also feel her smiling into the side of his neck. He figured it was time to stop avoiding the focus of his stories, but there were a couple more things he needed to tell his wife before breaking her heart again.

"I believe that the toughest part of Satoru's life was the sadness he felt on his wedding day. Mind you he wasn't upset about getting married of course, he was thrilled about that, but it was the fact that you weren't there to share it with him. He had stayed up the entire night before praying to God that he had made the right choice for a wife and that you approved of her. I told him that you would have but he still had his doubts."

His arms tightened around his wife, "You would love her Kaede. Her name is Aritsu and she is absolutely wonderful. She loved Satoru so much and when he blessed her with two beautiful children she loved him even more. You won't believe this, but when his first child was born he snuck the baby out of the house and brought her to the well to introduce her to you."

Kaede laughed at that, even as a child Satoru had done some crazy things, but she was so ecstatic that he son hadn't forgotten about her as he grew up.

But she could tell that her husband was avoiding the subject she wished to know about most.

"Hiro, you're avoiding things again."

She looked up to his face and saw his glossy eyes filled with tears ready to be spilt. She could tell how hard it was for him to recount the tale that he hadn't even begun to weave. As she laid her head back upon his shoulder, she felt the wetness seep through the sleeve of her kimono before she heard his choked voice speak.

"It was a Friday. He was on his way home from work with his daughter when they came to a red light. After a few moments the light turned green and he proceeded to head back to the shrine but he didn't even make it out of the intersection."

There was silence in the hut for a few minutes while Yasuhiro got his emotions under enough control to speak.

"The man in the other car was drunk and didn't realize he was supposed to stop; he just kept right on going, directly into the driver's side of Satoru's car. He… he was killed instantly."

Kaede squeezed her husband even tighter as she fought to keep control. She'd seen so many other people die before, so why was this any different?

"Of course I know why it hurts so badly. He was my son. The boy I gave birth to and raised, why wouldn't I be stricken with grief?" Kaede thought to herself.

"At least Kagome survived the crash."

Her eye had widened with what her husband had just barely whispered. Did she just hear what she thought she heard?

"No, it can't be. It's only a coincidence that they have the same name. But with the things that happen around here…" She decided right then and there to find out if her suspicions were true or not.

"Hiro?"

"Hmmm?"

"Uh," A sudden nervousness overcame her, but she just had to know. "Does Kagome have a younger brother named Souta?"

He pulled away from her then.

"How did you know about him? Wait, you mean YOU'RE the Lady Kaede she talks about all the time?" He asked disbelievingly.

Kaede was shocked speechless. The elderly priestess couldn't believe it, she had grandchildren! Miko's weren't even supposed to have husbands, let alone grandchildren, so finding out that she had such a wonderful grandchild as Kagome sent a happy, bubbly feeling throughout her.

She hadn't even noticed when Yasuhiro had pulled away from her and cupped her cheek in his withered hand, asking over and over if she was alright because of the tears that spilled from her eye. If only he knew that they weren't tears of sadness. No, they were happy tears. Tears from all the hardships she had to go through to gain what the man before her had finally given her….

A family.

Without giving the elderly man any warning, Kaede thrust herself at Yasuhiro, kissing his eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, chin, anywhere she could reach before she finally landed on his lips. They shared in such a passionate kiss that could only be described as heavenly bliss.

When they couldn't make their kiss last any longer, they laid there, Kaede above Yasuhiro, foreheads touching, while they caught their breath.

"Kaede, why….?"

A watery smile preceded the answer to his unspoken question.

"Ye gave me a family Hiro. The one thing I have yearned for ever since we had to separate all those years ago. Thank you…" She kissed him chastely. "Thank you so much for my family."

Yasuhiro understood what had sprouted these feelings in his wife. Before they had separated she had often expressed her fear of one day waking up to find that the life they had made together to be a dream. He had made sure to fill their days with love and happiness to show her how real it was, but he could see why she was so emotional right now.

How hard had it been for her these past thirty-five years? He had had his family, the shrine, and Satoru to keep him on his toes and his day full, but he couldn't imagine how it had been for her. His wife had been alone for a long time. Of course she had her fellow villagers to keep her company, but none of them would keep her bed warm at night, nor wake early to attend to some of her duties to let her a few more moments of sleep. She couldn't even express the yearning to see her family since their marriage and son had been a secret from the village people in the first place.

It was then that he decided that he would show her just how much he had loved and missed her.

Ever so slowly he edged his way into a sitting position and moved his hands to rest on her hips, all the while keeping her oblivious to his intentions by nuzzling her cheek and whispering words of love and endearment into her ears.

With an unknown strength that he had no idea he possessed at such an old age, Yasuhiro wrapped one arm around her back and the other under her knees and gradually stood up to make his way to the corner of the hut where her futon lay. As gently as he was able, so as not to give away his intentions, he set her down upon her futon and began to leave feather light kisses along his beloved wife's neck.

It went on this way for what seemed like hours. Butterfly kisses upon her neck led him to her sensitive ear, a place where he knew he could really get her excited. A simple nip had her squirming beneath him – he was sure she hadn't felt this hot and bothered in years. This led him to open mouth kisses along her aged jaw, and he was definitely pleased with what he discovered.

"She still tastes like freshly baked sugar cookies. God I will never get tired of that delicious taste!"

Not even realizing it until now, he could feel Kaede's hands glide across what used to be his hardened, muscular chest. He was happy that she apparently didn't care how old he had gotten, the proof was right there in her eye.

Her eye…

Yasuhiro lovingly gazed at the eye patch that covered what had been lost so long ago. He remembered their first night together in that moment. She had been so afraid that he would turn her away if she took off her infamous patch that she'd been as nervous as a cat. But with a lot of coaxing and worshipping of her body he'd finally gotten her to remove it and what was hidden underneath made him smile.

He wished so badly to see the hidden symbol underneath the thick black leather and he had an idea of just how to get it off of her.

Kisses were starting to be placed all around the circular patch while one withered hand left his wife's hip and made it's was to the back of her head. After a few soft tugs, the knot that held it in loosened and ever so gently, Yasuhiro grabbed the piece of leather by his teeth, pulled it off, and flung it off to the side, revealing the hidden treasure underneath.

The one thing he believed was a symbol of how they were meant for each other glowed ethereally in the fire light…

It was a heart.

The scar left behind by the horrible accident as a child was a perfectly shaped heart.

Unfortunately he couldn't gaze at it for long, for it was in that moment that Kaede decided to break out of her love induced reverie.

She knew what this was leading up to. Hiro had always removed her eye patch during their foreplay to show that he accepted everything about her, even her flaws. This was one of the many things that made her fall in love with him, but did he really want to do what she thought? Was it even possible to do such a thing being how old they were?

Was it even proper?

"Hiro," She caressed his cheek. "We couldn't possibly do this could we? I love you, I truly do but…" A finger to her lips silenced her completely.

"Kaede, it doesn't matter how old we are; we can still have a magical time just as we did in our youth."

He moved his hand to carefully open up the front of her kimono to reveal the binding the covered her breasts. Keeping his eyes pinned to hers the entire time, Yasuhiro moved his hand down to encompass one of her globes through the white cloth, making her gasp out in pleasure.

"Please Kaede, my wife, my lover, my soul mate; let me show you my love and how much I've missed you."

And together, guided only by each other and the lighted flames of the fire, they danced the ancient dance of the lovers throughout time.

They Weren't The Only Ones – Chapter 3 – "Rejuvenated"

That crowing outside was really starting to bother her, as was the light shining in her face from that blasted sun. Couldn't they let an old woman have a few extra moments of rest? After all, they had done some pretty late night activities and it was only fair she sleep in at least some to make up for the loss.

Attempting to hide and fall back into a peaceful sleep, Kaede cuddled even closer to the warm chest that lay beneath her cheek and God was she grateful for not only the warmth but also the gentle rise and fall of said chest. It proved to her just how real the night had been unlike dreams she'd had before in her many previous years. Apparently the person beneath her had been awoken as well for she could feel a hand at the small of her back, rubbing the soothing circles that she so fondly remembered from long ago.

She was so thankful to be back in her husband's arms.

"I know your awake love."

A groan was Yasuhiro's only response as the head of grey hair on his chest tried to snuggle ever deeper. He knew just how she felt though; he didn't want to get up either, but if these villagers were anything like those of over thirty years ago it would be best if they did rise from their futon. These villagers had an awful habit of walking in without announcing themselves and the last thing he had wanted was for them to be caught like this. In no way did he feel reluctant about their relationship; it was just that for right now, until they got everything straightened out, he wanted to keep their little reunion between the two of them.

He began to get nervous then; from what few villagers were out he could already hear Kaede's name mentioned a couple of times and once he overheard someone asking where she was because she was needed. If they didn't hurry the two would surely be caught and Yasuhiro wasn't one who liked being in the middle of a bunch of angry, superstitious villagers.

"Kaede we must get up now, we'll be caught if we don't."

A bleary chocolate eye gazed up at him, its owner not once relinquishing her position from his person.

"Must we Hiro? I would be most content with staying here in your arms all day. What is so important that we must get up now?"

Hardy laughter erupted from him as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and sat up, letting the sheet covering them fall lower to their waist, exposing their skin to the cool air of the hut. Seeing her as she was now, bare before him without a care in the world, he just couldn't stop himself from claiming her lips in another earth shattering kiss before finally relinquishing his hold. The voices of the villages were coming closer now; if they weren't quick their little rendezvous would be discovered for sure.

"Quickly Kaede, we've got to get dressed. Surely you don't want the villagers seeing you like this do you?" He gently ran a finger from her collarbone to the edge of her breast just to prove his point.

Sighing, the elder priestess had Yasuhiro help her to stand up and assist her in dressing while she also dressed him, which led to feelings being re-kindled and the two of them almost heading back to bed. Honestly, who would blame her for feeling this way? She, no, neither of them had felt such desire in so long that it only took so little to be lost to desires.

Both were in the middle of yet another passionate kiss when the unthinkable happened.

"Lady Kaede you are needed…" The man standing in the doorway stopped cold as he watched the two occupants jump apart, which was remarkable for someone their age. It surprised him even more to see that Kaede wasn't wearing her eye patch; she never took that off.

"I…I will be out to assist and start my… duties in a few moments Headman."

The older gentleman smiled at her stuttering, knowing she was nervous about being caught with a man in such a way. In any other village, a miko would be cast out for such a thing, but this village was special and what he would say next would surprise her. He walked over to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Take all the time in the world Priestess. I am pleased to see that you've found each other again. You are truly blessed to be reunited after all these years and deserve to spend time with one another. I will pacify the community for now." The Headman began to take his leave.

"You… you knew?"

A smile crossed the Headman's face as he turned to look at Yasuhiro. "Aye, I've known all along. Who wouldn't have known with how much time you two spent together? I promise you Lady Kaede, no prejudice will be against you here. You deserve to be happy after so many years of service to us. " He made his way out the door but poked his head back in one last time.

"Oh, you might want to find your eye patch and tie up your kimono before venturing out into the village."

That brought a blush to both their faces.

The day had certainly been a wonderful one; filled with the feeling of "danger" at every turn. No, not the life threatening kind but the thrill received when you do something you know is wrong. Sure, the Headman had said that there would be no prejudice against her but the two of them but they honestly didn't want to take the chance. So throughout the entire day the reunited couple had done lots of small things for each other that, in the long run, made a huge impact.

For instance, as Kaede went about the village caring for the sick and injured Yasuhiro took it upon himself to look about her hut and see if there were any supplies she needed. Once he had gone over the list one last time in his head, Yasuhiro grabbed up the basket by the door and headed out to the woods first. Of course he knew he couldn't get all of the herbs his wife had needed but he could at least get a few – he'd had quite a few years of husbandly duties to catch up on after all.

Unbeknownst to him, Kaede was thinking along the same lines. Throughout her entire trek through the farming community, she had been thinking of what she could do to show her husband how happy she was to be reunited with him; though she was thoroughly sure she could in no way top last night. After finishing with her fourth stop the old miko had finally come up with an idea; one she knew Yasuhiro would enjoy greatly – especially on a lovely day like this.

It was getting close to lunch time as the elderly miko headed to her hut. Along the way she smelled the most tantalizing food; something that would be cooked for a feast not a midday meal. If that food was only cooking in her own hut….

Little did she know that it was.

Upon entering her hut, the aroma hit her full force as she was greeted with the sight of Yasuhiro hunched over the fire and stirring something in a pot. She'd forgotten what a good cook he had been.

"Are you going to stand there the entire time or come eat with me?"

The stew he'd cooked up tasted marvelous, better than anything she'd ever prepared and she was grateful for it. Apparently he'd added in many different herbs and spices that he'd collected especially for the stew; that's what made it all the more thoughtful in her eyes. Yasuhiro had always surprised her with his many hidden talents and the adoring little things he did to bring a smile to her face.

That's what made her love him all the more.

The whole time they had spent eating wasn't spent in silence. No, numerous times one or the other would stop to start a sporadic kiss or feed the other affectionately from their bowl – all the while voicing how happy they were to have the missing half of their heart back in place. They even went as far as to begin the previous evening's activities, having a small romp on their (now) shared futon before Kaede had to tend to her duties. Both knew that they were acting like a couple of horny, hormonal teenagers but neither cared. Honestly, wouldn't you act the same if you were in their shoes?

The couple was still exchanging kisses as Yasuhiro escorted Kaede to the door before cleaning up. With one last kiss the priest turned to tidy up the hut but a petite hand and warm breath beside his ear stopped him.

"Meet me at our special place by the stream a bit before sunset."

And with that – Kaede was gone.

As it got ever closer to sunset, Yasuhiro began to get all the more excited. He was definitely curious about what Kaede had planned and he just couldn't wait to see what was going to happen. For what seemed like the millionth time that day, the old priest wished the time would go by faster.

Believe me, he didn't just sit around and do nothing all day. He still took it upon himself to restock his beloved wife's supplies; even going as far as chopping wood to replenish the supply pile by their hut. It took an awful lot of time, he was an old man for goodness sakes, but for Kaede he would do anything – even something as simple as this.

Heading down to the stream now, the wafting scent of grilled fish tickled his nose. As he turned around the bend and entered the small clearing surrounded by huge weeping willows and hundreds of lightning bugs fluttering about - his eyes caught sight of a roaring fire and a lovely woman, her back turned towards him, wearing a rather regal looking kimono. The kimono surprised him; it looked suspiciously familiar but he just couldn't figure out where he'd seen it before. As he watched the woman the puzzle pieces of his mind began to fit together and he finally realized where he'd seen the exquisite kimono -

It was Kaede's wedding dress.

Yasuhiro watched as the person before him stood as long silver locks splayed down her shoulders before the most beautiful sound reached his ears. Slowly, the woman before him turned to face him and he caught a glimpse of what was playing the harmonious music. It had surprised him enough that she'd kept the kimono but for her to keep his old victrola along with the record… their song.

Her beaming face became ever brighter as Yasuhiro made his way closer to her, stopping just a few feet away to fully take in her form. Kaede had truly outdone herself; she'd never looked prettier than she did in this moment. Her hair encompassed her face gorgeously and the light trace of face powder and lip color lit her face up wonderfully. Before him he saw not an old woman but the young wife he'd left so long ago…

A pleased grin crossed his face as the old priest slowly bowed and held his hand for Kaede to grasp.

"Charming lady, would you honor me with a dance?"

A light blush made itself known upon Kaede's face as she took hold of the offered hand and stepped closer to her husband. God he was making her feel so young and lively again.

"Why kind sir, it would be an honor to dance with thee."

Leaving the fish forgotten by the fire, the two elders danced throughout the entire clearing with only the firelight and the songs of crickets to guide them for hours after the music had stopped and the sun had set. Completely were they engrossed in each other that they'd never noticed the aura coming ever near.

Closer and closer Kaede and Yasuhiro became until they were fully touching one another; his arms wrapped around her waist and hers were weaved about his neck while her head lay against his shoulder. Being like this made them both feel at peace; knowing that the other was real and that they weren't dreaming of this moment again. The old miko gazed up at her husband's face from the spot on his shoulder while he too stared at her; both relished in the tranquility of the moment before their lips met in the heat of the moment. Nothing could ruin this moment… well… almost.

It took quite a few minutes for them to break apart but it only took mere moments for them their lips to meet again in another fiery kiss.

Neither of them ever noticed the third person in their little Garden of Eden.

"Just what do you think you're doing?"

Breaking apart quickly, Kaede and Yasuhiro turned to stare at the outline of whoever was on the other side of the fire. They couldn't tell who it was due to flames having died down so much, but as the mysterious person drew closer to them the more their old eyes could make out the details; and boy was Yasuhiro surprised at what he saw.

"Kagome?" An audible gulp was heard coming from him; this wasn't exactly the way he had wanted to reveal this to his granddaughter.

"Nay, that is my sister Kikyo." He could feel Kaede grip him tighter; was she afraid of her own kin?

Finally Kikyo made her way to stand before them and took a few moments to take in their state of dress. The silence was killing them.

"What is it that ye want sister?"

Another few seconds ticked by.

"Who is this man?"

Kaede was doing her imitation of a fish now. Never did she think she would have to explain any of her life between Kikyo's death and now – it made her brain come to a complete stop.

"Well… that is… ye see…"

"I am her husband."

Kikyo gave her full attention to the elderly man who was holding her sister so lovingly. Something about him seemed familiar but she couldn't place him right off hand.

"So you decided to wed in your old age? How foolish. You know as well as I that no priestess NOR priest is allowed to take a life companion; it makes one impure."

"Yet ye were willing to marry Inuyasha at one time." Kaede countered.

"You would do well to keep your mouth closed Kaede. I will deal with you later."

"In no way will you talk to my wife as such! I'll have you know young lady that Kaede and I have been married for the last forty years but have been separated for thirty-five and we've just now found each other again. And another thing! Pureness of the body is not what gives one power but purity of the heart is what counts the most."

The stoic look still remained on Kikyo' face, "Why should I believe the ramblings of an old man?"

"Mph, Kagome was right about all the things she's told me about you.

NOW Kikyo knew where she'd seen the old geezer before. Though she was Kikyo, since a small bit of her reincarnation's soul resided within her she also got a bit of her next life's memories and this man stuck out in many of them. Most likely he'd come looking for Kagome and didn't know where to find her.

Well, she knew how to take care of that.

Neither of them noticed when the glowing blue soul catchers entered the clearing nor did they notice when they weaved themselves around Yasuhiro until it was too late. Kaede had tried to hold onto but her efforts were fruitless as she watched her husband being lifted up into the air, kicking and screaming, followed by her sister.

"Sister Kikyo, bring him back! He's telling the truth; I am his wife. You can't hurt him!" She began to follow as best she could before yet another soul catcher appeared out of nowhere and held her in place.

"Do not attempt to follow me Kaede or you too will face the consequences!"

All the old miko could do was stand there and watch as her beloved Hiro was toted away while tears poured down her cheeks.

She just hoped to God that Kikyo wouldn't hurt him.

They Weren't The Only Ones - Chapter 4 - "Realities"

She'd followed of course.

Against her sister's warning Kaede had darted for the nearest horse as soon as Kikyo was out of sight. For hours she attempted to trail them so she could retrieve her husband but at every turn she was only met with another soul stealer trying to stop her; even a couple of demons were thrown into the mix, each one being stronger and stronger the further she travelled.

Kaede knew there was no way on this earthly plain that she would give up on finding him though. There would always be hope. But at this rate, how long would it take to find her beloved Hiro?

When she didn't turn up around the village the next morning the townsfolk grew worried; fearing that the worst had happened to their beloved priestess. It took them hours to find her and when they did, lets just say that it wasn't a pretty sight.

Almost two villages away the elderly woman was found leaning against the broad trunk of a mighty oak tree; her whole body caked in sweat. The men of the search party quickly discovered that the bitter cold of the night, along with the slight downpour during the wee hours of the morning, had made her fall quite ill. Kaede hadn't even responded to any of their pokes, prods, or pleas to wake and converse to them that she was at least partially alright. Careful as possible, the men eased her up onto the horse that carried the most able bodied man so that they could transport her back to their village for care.

After gathering up her grazing horse, the party began their slow journey back to their home village; all the while being extremely cautious of the elderly priestess in their care. Yet, it was only the villager supporting her on his horse that noticed the lingering traces of lip color and the softness of her (supposedly) freshly washed hair. He was only barely able to hear the single word being mumbled over and over by his charge;

"Yasuhiro... Yasuhiro..."

An old man of his advanced age should never be in a situation such as this. Granted, everything started out beautifully a few days ago, but now? Well, lets just say this this was not where he expected to be if he ever was reunited with his wife again.

In his opinion, being held hostage inside of a damp, depressing cave was not his idea of a good time. Who knew what sort of feudalistic sickness he could catch or the possibility that this was a demon's home and he was invading. Was he, Yasuhiro Higurashi, destined to have his lifelong dream fulfilled only to have it ripped away from him by death due to a vindictive sister-in-law?

No, he wouldn't stand for it! He would fight and gain his freedom!

Drawn from his thoughts, Yasuhiro shuddered as yet another one of Kikyo's soul stealers slightly slithered along his wrinkled skin.

"Only how do I get away from these creepy crawlies?"

She could only dream of it now; the crisp steam of a hot, bubbly bath, a landscape full of the buildings of the future instead of the trees of a forest, the warm comforter hiding a soft mattress in its depths, and lastly, the wonderful scent of bacon wafting towards her sleeping form, urging her to rise and greet the upcoming day

Wait a second; that was real!

She took another deep breath, basking in the wonderful scent of food as if she hasn't eaten for weeks. Little did she know that this fact was true.

A hacking cough escaped her when she breathed in the tantalizing scent again though. Why was there a pain blossoming in her chest? What would cause such a discomfort?

"Lady Kaede can you hear me?"

She tried to speak, truly she did, yet all that came out was a short groan before another bout of coughing attacked her. The elderly woman attempted to rise and make a healing potion for herself, but a gentle set of hands stopped her.

"Easy, you've been down with fever for more than two weeks." The gentle hands eased her back down to the futon, at which time Kaede finally saw the face of her caretaker; the headman of the village.

He tucked a loose wisp of hair behind her ear lovingly, "You really had us scared for a while. You were touch and go for a while before getting better. But when you didn't wake up after that is when we really started to worry. I suppose one could say that every would have been heartbroken if our beloved priestess succumbed to death."

The headman took a few minutes to prepare food and drink as well as administer more of her premise medicine.

"I must say that you had a severe fever Kaede, which at this time of the year I would expect, but I've never seen a sickness so common put someone in bed for two weeks."

Nodding in agreement, Kaede went back to eating her meal while mulling over the many things plaguing her mind. Each one was beginning to worry her more and more as time went on.

If what the headman said was true and she was sick for almost a whole moon cycle, was all of what she believed had happened in the past few days created from an illness?

Did her beloved husband not bring her flowers? Walk her back to her village and home? Tell her what had happened to their only child and of the family he had in the future? Did he not make her feel young again by kissing her senseless and then sharing in the experience if making love like they had done in their youth?

Were the past few days all a lie?

Was she beginning to lose her mind as her mother had in her final days?

She was shaken from her thoughts by her caretaker. He'd obviously been trying to get her attention for a while due to the concerned look on his face. Never once would she show it, but her frazzled mind was afraid to hear whatever he was about to say.

"Kaede, my dear friend, I know that you've only just woken up but I must ask you; do you have any idea why you were two villages away? Do you remember what caused you to go so far?"

The old man saw her hesitation, she knew, but how could she answer such a question? Should she tell him what she believed she'd actually lived through? How would he take to the explanation of Kikyo and her being returned to life so long ago. Sure, the man had caught her with Yasuhiro the second day they were reunited, but, what if that was part of the sickness too?

"No, no I don't."

When in reality she remembered every little detail. Little did she know that the headman was informed by the villager that carted her home about the small details he'd noticed.

"Then, Lady Kaede, if that is true, where is your husband?"

Her heart beat just a bit faster then. It was real, it was all real! Silent tears started to slide down her cheek though when she thought back to her husband and their recent reunion.

"Oh Yasuhiro, where are you?"

The village was filled with... well, the normal sounds of any human village. You could hear the farmers tending their fields, women gossiping, vendors calling out about their wares, children's cries of play in the meadow, and the usual animal noises. Yet, there was just one sound out of place on this fine day.

Outside the village just a way ran a stream, and by that stream was an extremely well know face within the village...

Puking her heart out.

This had become a daily routine for Kaede as of late. Starting at the beginning of the last moon, Lady Kaede had begun to get sick in the morning, every day, no exceptions. The only thing the poor woman was able to keep down was the mildest of broths and she could see its effects on her. Already she was beginning to drop weight and although most women her age would be happy with such a wonderful thing, she was not for she was perfectly accepting of the way she is.

Finally, she heaved out the rest of her stomach contents into the flowing river. Her old friend Suki sat petting her hair in a motherly sense as she took her first clean, calming, puke-less breaths in several minutes. Both minds wondered how long this sickness would go on.

"Truly dear I am starting to worry about you."

Kaede couldn't agree more but she was unable to voice her opinion. Her throat was very dry from the small bout of dry heaving she'd had at the end. She was thankful when one of the village children brought her up a cupful of water from the river. A gulp was all it took to down it and within seconds another was pressed into her hands; the young child had rushed to refill her cup and she was once again grateful. Not only did the child do this, but he also provided a bit of comic relief in such an odd situation.

"Granny Kaede, you're not going through what mama did are you?"

"And what exactly did your mother go through darling?" Suki asks while Kaede finished catching her breath.

The child was so innocent in his questioning that he didn't know that his response was so utterly absurd and out there that it wouldn't be possible.

"Mama was like that for a while before Papa found out my baby brother was coming."

Hearty laughter began erupting from both women as the child flinched away from them; fearing that he had said something foolish and was about to be punished for it. It surprised him even more when Kaede pulled him into her arms and kissed his forehead lovingly.

"Although that is a nice thought Kazuki, a woman of my age is unable to have a baby. Have you ever seen your own grandmother or any of the other elder women bear a child?"

The young boy thought for a moment and shook his head no. He made both women smile again though with his next thought. Not only that, he also planted a seed in Kaede's mind.

"I think you would make a great mama Granny Kaede! Maybe it will happen someday! You always said anything was possible."

When Kagome arrived back home for her quarterly exams three months later, she was truly surprised to see the chain running across the stone steps at the entrance; indicating that the shrine was closed, which was odd. In all of her memories she could only remember one other time when the shrine had been closed off and that was when her father died.

"Oh no..."

Fearing the worst, the miko rushed to the two story home and burst inside, calling for any of her family members to answer. Thankfully her little brother called out from the living room.

"Souta, what happened? Why is the shrine closed? Where is mom? Gramps?"

"I'm right here dear."

Her mother walked into the room. She sounded quite weary.

"Sit down dear," She motioned to the couch. "And I will try explaining everything."

Kagome had a feeling what she was about to hear an unbelievable tale.

The thought hadn't left her mind the entire day. So enthralled was she with the idea, she actually made a special trip into the woods to gather the ingredients needed for her task. This was what she was doing now.

The rare leaving she collected were now being roasted over open flames; various spices being thrown on every few seconds to complete the recipe. She was nervous. Could such a thing be possible with her age? She's certainly never witnessed such a thing.

After all, Kaede had stopped having her monthly blood almost twenty years ago.

Smelling that the herbs were ready, Kaede took one last deep breath to calm herself before taking a knife and slightly slicing her finger; letting just a few drops of blood hit the pan and simmer.

Minutes went by and she was becoming a bit calmer, but, her jitters returned when she saw the hue of the leaves begin to change; going from their original green color to that of an angry red... that wasn't caused by her blood.

She started to hyperventilate.

"Dear holy gods above,"

Kaede could feel herself hit the ground as one last flicker passed through her mind.

"I'm pregnant."