A/N: I haven't edited this chapter as I usually do before posting. My job leaves little reprieve to write for pleasure but I really wanted to get this next installment out, so forgive me if it's a bit rough around the edges.

As always, my apologies for the long wait between updates. Many thanks to the readers who have stuck with me since the beginning and continue to offer feedback and support.

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PART FIFTEEN – PROPHECY FULFILLED

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Miroku sat, tense and angry. He stared at nothing. Activity rushed around his bench, crowding Enomoto's common with bodies and movement. Kagome's name floated through conversation. Thought creased his forehead.

He watched absently without really seeing. A woman, hair slipping from her bun, leaned to a friend, whispering as if with the biggest of secrets.

"She was helping bandage the hanyou."

A mouth dropped. "No!"

"Yes," the woman nodded, craning further. "Hiro treated Kouga."

The woman's friend, dark-skinned and hazel-eyed, gasped. "Kagome? Our Kagome?!"

Miroku saw a man approach the female pair. The dark woman blushed as he came near, lowering her gaze.

"Have you heard?" The man crouched in front of them, casting a glance around. "Kagome used to travel with the hanyou," he didn't notice the blush and palmed a handful of bench beside her hip.

"When?" The woman with the bun hefted a sleeping infant to her shoulder. "Before she met Kouga?"

The dark woman ventured a look up. "How come she's never talked about him?" She shifted away from the arm at her side.

The man met her eyes. "Maybe she had to choose between them."

The blush intensified. "She's already spoken for. There should be no choice."

He didn't answer and moved his arm back to her seat.

Miroku continued on. His eyes passed over other couples with bent heads to an older woman speaking to Akina and a large man taking up space on a bench for two. She confided with arched brow and the lines of a well-used frown. Akina looked annoyed, but the man listened avidly. Miroku heard unmistakable reference to Inu-Yasha, his sword, and 'Kagome's indecent behavior'. The man backed up and shared Akina's irritation.

Nearby, three men surrounded a little girl. Miroku couldn't remember her name. She was talking about the healing hut and stared at her audience, on the verge of whine. "She gets two demons and I don't get any!"

They laughed and Miroku let the voices wash over him, drowning them to background. The creases in his forehead grew deeper.

He felt a weight spring to his shoulder. Small paws settled on his collar and a hand grabbed tufts of his black hair.

"What're you looking at?" Shippo peered down.

Miroku shrugged and the kitsune scrutinized the side of his face.

"What's wrong? Why're you frowning?"

Sango walked through the throng. "Monk?"

Miroku didn't respond. He bunched folds of robe pooling in his lap with shaking fists.

Sango sighed, setting herself gingerly beside him. "Miroku?"

He glanced over. "What?"

She winced at the clipped tone. "Let her explain."

"Of course."

"I mean really listen."

Miroku nodded.

Sango eyes flicked to his trembling hands. "You're upset."

"No," he answered automatically. He heard Akina and the large man defend Kagome. The old woman acquiesced, but continued her disparaging remarks on Inu-Yasha. They didn't stop her.

Sango ignored the noise around them, furrowing her own brow. "Why are you so angry?"

Miroku forced himself to unclench robe, staring at his lap rather than meet her gaze.

Sango touched his arm. "You feel like stone," a tentative thumb ran over the crook in his elbow.

Miroku leaned away.

She reached further. "Talk to me."

He remained silent and returned to the conversation of the common. He observed the villagers, each talking about Kagome and piecing together a story of their own.

His fists, white-knuckled and tense, gathered back up robe.

Inu-Yasha choked, gagging on his own swallow. Kagome had turned away to wipe the blood from her palms. Her words hung in front of him as if they were still face to face.

Home.

Love.

Another.

Inu-Yasha raked a hand through tangled hair.

Unforgivable.

The hut's silence was deafening. It rose up, heavy and thick, and Inu-Yasha continued to choke.

Hiro and Kouga suddenly seemed consumed with the task of rolling up unused bandage. They kept eyes glued to the floor and hunted for escaped gauze.

Inu-Yasha was having trouble breathing. His heart seemed to be beating too fast and his lungs expanding too slow. He watched Kagome's back as she bent for more water. He couldn’t tell what she was thinking, or if she even was, and she wrung the cloth in her hands before dabbing arms and wrists. Kagome had always given herself away, her body told more story than words could relay.

It was a mask now. Inu-Yasha sniffed tentatively, trying to taste mood in her scent. Her odor, a comfort he thought he'd never have again, belied nothing.

Kouga looked up from the bandages. He smelled Inu-Yasha's utter desolation and something else. Something he hadn't had before. Fear.

Kouga appraised the hanyou, still handing Hiro gauze and healing jars. His once rival seemed smaller, burdened somehow, like he had expected discovering Kagome would fix everything. Fix him.

He's had to live with what Kagome forgot, Kouga thought, mulling over the scene at Osaki. Even when his own memories had returned, the choice forced by Naraku hadn't come. He hadn't wanted to see.

Kouga lifted his gaze from Inu-Yasha to Kagome. Her back spoke. She was in pain. He allowed himself to remember, filling the healing hut with past and making the dark walls melt to bright light and roaring water. She wouldn’t be alone in her agony. Hiro's roots and plants fell back to the floor.

Kouga's hands hurt. They were fisted so tight his claws drew blood.

"Hakkaku! Ginta!" Urgency stretched his voice to an unrecognizable pitch. "Come on!" He surged ahead and two sets of footsteps followed, speeding up.

"Nee-san's scared," Ginta shouted. He reached Kouga's side and they shared a look. Neither wanted to say more aloud.

Hakkaku caught up and readjusted the chain across his chest. "Naraku isn't the only one."

Kouga pushed his straining legs for more. He cursed again at having lost the shikon shards. "The dead miko is there to."

"Inu-koro needs us," Hakkaku huffed out. He was tiring.

"Screw him," Kouga snarled. "Kagome needs me."

The trio raced up the mountain, heedless of the wet rocks and soaked roots making the path treacherous. Mist from the mountain's waterfall coated the air, seeping through fur and making it hard to see. Each blinked water from their eyes as they climbed.

The trees broke and the top loomed close. Kouga jumped a final boulder and landed on flat, level dirt. Bright colors marred the muted greens and brown of the journey up and Kouga saw red haori, purple robe and a familiar green uniform.

Kagome caught sight of him first. Terror shadowed her face and her mouth dropped.

"KOUGA!" She thrust an arm out, palm widespread. Heads turned in his direction. "GET BACK!" A thick tentacle shot from behind and wrapped around her waist, lifting her high into the air.

"KAGOME!"

Her hand stretched wider. "DON'T!" She saw his legs bend for a spring. "RUN!"

Kouga growled, crouching lower. Hakkaku and Ginta reached dirt and rushed to restrain him. Armor-plated arms grabbed his, keeping him in place.

"Hold on," Ginta pulled a limb close to his fur vest. "Listen for once."

Kouga struggled against his comrades and looked around wildly. The mountain spun and he saw, past Kagome, a mutated form surrounded in black ki.

He snarled. "Naraku."

A face began to materialize from the indistinguishable mass of tentacles and bloated limbs. Black hair and dark-circled eyes emerged from writhing, broken centipede spine. Naraku grinned at the three wolves.

"Prince of the Eastern Tribe," his grin was full of jagged, dripping teeth and the title came out in a hiss. "Welcome. You're just in time," Naraku tightened hold of the uniformed girl and Kouga heard bone crunching.

Kagome screamed.

Naraku jeered at the sound. "Ready for the show?"

Kouga fought harder against Hakkaku and Ginta's hold. His eyes fell to Inu-Yasha, who stood paralyzed in horror. Torn haori hung from his waist. The ripped ends flapped in wind. Tessaiga filled the air, immobile and unable to strike. The hanyou wasn't looking at Kagome. Another girl, bound higher by more grotesque appendages, struggled. Blood oozed and spread across her miko robes and pain contorted her face.

Naraku watched Inu-Yasha too. His grin grew. "You get to see Prince," he still stared at the hanyou. "See another man throw away what's yours. You get to feel what I felt fifty years ago."

"LET KAGOME GO!" Kouga returned to the uniformed girl. She sagged against the tentacle, broken ribs making it hard to straighten. She met his eyes at her name.

"Kouga," she smiled thinly. "He ambushed us," her palm fell to her side. "Don't be here for this. Please."

Naraku swept her higher and she joined the miko. "What's your decision half-breed?"

Wind blew across the mountain, raking skin and stealing voice. Dirt whirled up, dancing in thick clouds of smoke and fog.

Sango and Miroku, crumpled on the ground, helped pull each other up on elbows. Blood pooled around them in a spreading circle. "Don't do it Inu-Yasha! Use Tessaiga!"

Inu-Yasha found Kagome. She was as pale as the woman next to her who shared her face. The giant fang slid from his hand and fell with a dull thud at his feet.

Kagome's eyes flew wide as tears built up in his.

"I'm… sorry… Kag… ome."

She shook her head, unwilling to comprehend. To believe. "Inu-Yasha?"

He turned to Naraku. "The soul belongs to Kikyo."

"NO!" Kouga roared and broke from the arms pinning him. He jumped into the mist, leading with claws. They slashed through the tentacle holding Kagome and the girl began to fall. Kouga grabbed a limp wrist and slung her to his back.

His feet touched ground and he turned to run. A scaly, snake arm shot from Naraku's body, and Kouga threw Kagome from him, just as it crashed into his chest. He was flung back into the air and landed on rock and dirt. Another cloud rose from the impact and Kouga blinked back unconsciousness.

Through the haze, he saw Kagome get to her feet.

"RUN!" He cried, trying to sit up.

She started toward him and he shook his head, forcing himself to his knees. "I'll be right behind you! Go!"

"But…," her voice was soft in the buffeting wind.

He smiled. "I'll find you," Kouga stood.

Kagome still hesitated. Through the dust, Kouga saw scales returning for her. He surged forward, shoving her aside. Claws dug into the limb and a shriek, far from human, rang out. Dark blood sprayed Kouga's front and Naraku withdrew the stump. The wolf turned back and smiled again.

"Go Kagome. I'm here to protect you."

She cupped a hand over her mouth. Three words escaped through her fingers and Kouga managed a small smile.

"I know."

She fled, racing across the mountain as if chased by hell itself.

Demon arms moved to follow and Kouga sliced them down. Hunks of stinking flesh rained around him and he continued to strike.

"Kouga!" A female voice called to him amid Naraku's assault and he turned. It was Sango, bleeding from the head. She pointed to where Kagome's form was quickly growing smaller.

"There's a cliff. She… she doesn't… know."

Kouga froze. He spun around, forgetting the danger.

Kagome ran blindly and he could taste her tears in the air.

"WAIT!" He broke into a run. "STOP!"

She teetered in place, as if undecided.

"Hold on! I'm coming!"

But she hadn't paused for him. Her feet had lost cliff.

She fell.

"NO!" Kouga screamed. His legs pumped harder and he leapt after her. Air grabbed him, choking and pressing from all sides and he dove for the girl below.

He swore and watched her jerk in surprise. She looked up, catching sight of him.

Kouga reached for her, grasping a handful of uniform. He pulled her to him and they plunged together toward white, churning oblivion.

"Kouga?" Warm hands touched his shoulders. "Kouga?!" They began to shake him.

He felt wetness on his cheeks and realized they were tears. He was crying. He opened eyes slowly and a worried face swam into focus. Kagome knelt before him, smelling scared.

"Where'd you go?" She whispered. Bandaged palms moved to the back of his neck, curling into the base of ponytail.

His lifeless arms shot out and grabbed her, pulling her from her knees. Kouga crushed her to him and buried his face in her ear. Wet streaked down her neck as he continued to cry, reliving their fear and pain of so long ago.

She hugged him back, holding his shudders with strong resolve.

"It's over," she spoke in soft, soothing tones. "We made it."

Kouga gripped her tighter and began to rock in his seat, trying to return to present. The moments ticked by and he pried a small part of him out from the past, loosening the fistfuls of shirt from her back.

She withdrew and met his gaze with a small smile. "You saved us."

Kouga was still caught in the smells and sounds from the mountain. Her ribs. Her scream. The mist. He sought for air to speak, but it was Hiro who filled the silence.

"We need to leave soon. The village is waiting."

Kagome made no move that she heard. She pulled her husband's forehead to hers, closing eyes. "It's all over Kouga. You could have remembered anytime, but you were still protecting me. You knew I'd read the memory on you. You were there for me at Osaki. Be here now, for me again."

The image of Tessaiga landing in dirt faded and Kouga felt himself nod.

She opened eyes and pulled away.

Kouga still clung to her shirt. Kagome cupped his arm. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere," she started to stand and he rose with her. "Ready?"

He released her, sliding a hand into hers. "Yes," his voice was hoarse.

Kouga couldn’t look across the healing hut. Seeing Inu-Yasha would throw him back to the mountain.

He followed Kagome to the door hide, conscious of the two men falling into step after them. A growl issued unconsciously.

"Back… up…."

A pair of legs stopped.

Hiro coughed into fist. "Let's go."

Kouga drew aside the flap, casting a furious glare back. Inu-Yasha stood outside the square of light, shadowed by cool walls.

"If you ever beg for forgiveness again," his tone dropped. "I'll kill you."

Inu-Yasha's ears wilted and he waited until the trio had cleared the doorway before moving forward.

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The whispered conversation died down and curious eyes stared from all sides of the common. Akina held Mika in her lap, bordered by her husband and son. She studied, with everyone else, the two people sitting on a bench pulled to the center and noticed unease and nervousness written in their familiar faces.

Turmoil twisted and coiled in Kagome as she looked to the clustered group who called her family. Toushi and Reina, hands clasped, gave her reassuring smiles. She gulped as the air thinned and groped blindly for her own hand. Warmth and pine shifted beside her and Kouga slid until their thighs touched. He took up her palm, curling thick fingers down into hers. He brought her arm to his lap and squeezed.

"I'm here," he said under his breath.

His words were said in a rumble, understood only by a mate. Kagome gripped his hand feverishly. She spoke through her skin.

I can't do this.

He answered, as she knew he would. As she needed him to.

Yes you can. We can.

Kagome dug nails into the back of his hand.

I can't! They'll know we don't belong.

Kouga stared at the assembled crowd with a smile.

You made a home for us here. Brought me back from the Osaki memory. You can do anything Kagome.

Kagome joined his stare into the common. Curiosity etched every face. Her gaze fell to Enomoto's eclectic guests, sat apart off to the side. They were strangers still, part of life she no longer lived. Inu-Yasha sat hunched, Tessaiga now resting rusty and thin at his hip. Miroku held something folded neatly in his lap. Kagome stared hard and recognized her old school uniform. It looked strangely-cut and foreign, even to her.

Kagome inhaled deeply, steeling herself back to the villagers. She cleared her throat. "Thanks for gathering together so quickly."

"Sorry for making you wait," Kouga added.

Quiet swept the common and expectation became a solid, tangible presence.

Kagome clutched Kouga's hand, fighting for words. "My full name is Kagome Higurashi."

A buzz began.

"Before Enomoto," she closed eyes and pressed on. "I… I lived in another world. A world that exists hundreds of years after this one. In the future."

Forty pairs of eyes widened and a collective gasp broke the murmur. Shock gave way to questions from all sides and the exclamations drowned out a sound quickly growing louder in the distance. A sound Kouga and Kagome had left behind atop a waterfall. One that had started it all.

The dull hum of wasps approached, followed by waves of dark ki.

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A/N: I know, criminally short (and rough-draft sounding). Sorry!