Of Angels and Demons

Chapter Six

Years.

Centuries she had waited for this.

Bright blue eyes gazed up longingly at the never ending flight of stairs carved into the very side of the mountain. Her heart fluttered in her chest, her hands covered in a light sheen of sweat. She knew it was silly, to be so nervous yet she couldn't help it. Pearly white teeth chewed on a pink plump lip, making the abused flesh turn red as she released it from its prison, rocking on the heels of her black flats.

The wind swirled around her, playfully tugging at her waist length raven locks, one small hand reaching up to hold the large sun hat on top of her head. Around her legs the plain white dress fluttered. She was glad she had worn a deep green cardigan, while it was early spring there was still a light chill in the air. On her back sat a well loved brown leather backpack, much smaller and far less packed then the yellow school bag she had carried once upon a time.

Letting out a deep sigh she dismissed the cherished memories from so long ago. That was then and there, this was here and now. Finally, finally she was home. She had waited and waited, trying her best to not show up too soon, to not run into her younger self and thus create a butterfly effect. She mused she owed this to her past traveling companion, with his help she had been able to pinpoint when she would be able to reunite with her family once more.

Her smile was bitter sweet as she recalled the male, his gray eyes twinkling with mischief as her fingers threaded through his white locks. While they had not parted on the best of terms she had far too many fond memories of him, with him, to let the hurt in her chest taint what they had once had.

Even so it was too soon to think about him, instead she shoved those memories and feelings down, focusing on trying to recall the smiling face of her mother, the laugh of her younger brother and the grumbling of her grandfather. With a pep in her step she began to ascend the stairs, the very air around her embracing her, as if welcoming her home. She crested the stairs, her eyes zeroing in on an decrypt old well house lingering there for a few tense minutes before glancing to look at the large tree that towered over the courtyard.

Her feet moved before she could even think about it, before she knew it she stood before the large tree, her hand tenderly resting on the rough yet comforting bark. It's aura, old and sleepy, seemed to perk up and playfully reach out to hers. She smiled as she let her own peek up and playfully poke back before pulling it back in.

While she was happy to be back in her homeland she didn't want to alert certain people of her return, it was far too early. She wanted to reconnect with her family first, they deserved her undivided attention and she wanted to give it to them. It had been far too long, five hundred years too long.

"K-Kagome?!" The female voice was full of shock, the sound of the broom in her hands falling to the ground in surprise.

A bright smile blossoming on her lips, Kagome turned from the tree, tears in her eyes as her mother let out a small sob before running to her to throw her arms around her. "Baby, ho-how? You left a week ago...we thought we would never see you again!" She sobbed into her eldest child's hair, clutching at her as she wrapped her own arms around her in a comforting embrace.

Kagome swallowed thickly, tears streaming down her face as she curled her mother into her embrace, she now stood a few inches taller than her mother. How small and fragile she felt now. It would seem much had changed in the past five hundred years, which for her family had only been a week, yet some things still felt the same.

This, this is where she belonged, she had traversed time and space, realms and not once had she felt like she belonged.

This was the closet she would ever get and she would not give it up for anything, she had earned this. Inhaling her mother's scent she held the other woman up as her knees bucked under her. Vaguely hearing a shout of her name as someone else barreled into them, nearly knocking them over yet she held fast. Bearing the added weight like she had always done in the past.

Finally, finally...

"I'm home mama."