Seeking Solace

Subject Inuyasha
Pairing Inuyasha X Kagome

It's been ten years since Inuyasha lost his beloved Kagome. She had remained beautiful throughout her days, even as her body bent and her face wrinkled. Inuyasha, who's father had died the night he was born, was now a father. His eldest, a daughter named Izayoi, had inherited her mother's beauty, with her father's ears, and temper. His middle child, a boy they had named Jun Kazu, Miroku once said that he was the 'spitting image' of Inuyasha. Until he opened his mouth. His son was strong, but his heart was as kind as his mothers had been. Then there was Kaze, he was only forty. He took his mothers death the worst of all his siblings. His, 'uncle' Shippo helped him to coop, but at times it wasn't enough. Like his father, he sought his solitude in the tree tops. Feeling the breeze on his skin. This was where Inuyasha found him, on the tenth anniversary of his mother's passing.

"Kaze, come on son, it's nearly time."

"He's up in the tree again, isn't he father?" Jun Kazu asked his father as he rejoined his family around the fire. Up till Kagome's passing they had lived in the village, but after she was gone, they could no longer remain in that place. Where everywhere they looked they were greeted with her scent, and memories of their life together.

"Who's turn is it to catch breakfast?" Inuyasha asked this two children that were setting around the morning fire with him. Izayoi stood up and without saying a word went off into the woods. A few moments later Kaze came and sat down next to his brother. "We'll need to hurry if we want to beat the others to your mother's grave site." Inuyasha said referring to the fact that ever since the first anniversary of Kagome's death Sango and Miroku's descendants, and Shippo and his family had always flocked to her grave. The villagers visited her often, but never on the anniversary of her death, giving her family and closest friends their space. Inuyasha looked toward his youngest son. It was times like this he missed Kagome the most. He never knew what to say to make the children feel better.

"I don't know why we do this anyway." Kaze said to no one in particular.

"Keh, this what son, breakfast?" Inuyasha asked, clueless as usual.

"No dad," he screamed. "Flocking to mom's grave, ever since the first anniversary of her death, we treat this day like it's her birthday, flowers, gifts, uncle Shippo telling his old stories. It dishonors her memory every time one of us smiles." He yelled before storming off and jumping back into his tree.

"I'll take care of this dad." Jun Kazu said taking off after his brother, jumping into the tree one branch higher. "You know, I remember back when you were about four years old. Mom,"

"If this is a story to make me feel better I don't want to hear it, I shouldn't feel better, we shouldn't feel better. Mom's gone, we should mourn her, especially today.

"Well little brother, the way I see it you have two choices. One, you listen to my story, or two, I swing down on this branch knock you out of this tree, jump down, land on your chest, and sit there, until you listen to my story." He stated angrily, he had inherited many things about his mother, even her temper.

"Just tell the damn story," His brother said leaving up against the tree knowing his brother was serious.

"Well, as I was saying, I can remember back when you were about four, I remember one day, I saw mother crying. Dad asked her what was wrong, and she said that her dreams were trying to tell her something, something very important about her family back home. I remember she went to the old well that her and dad always told us stories about. The one that brought mother to this time. I followed her, and I saw her crying. Suddenly I felt something coming from the well, and mom felt it too. She stood up and jumped in. I panicked, I ran over to the well and jumped in after her, but when I hit the bottom, nothing. No mom, no water, just dirt and old bones. I ran to dad to tell him what I had seen. He seemed shocked, and he ran to the well and went down to his knees, I remember him saying 'she left, I can't believe it she left.' Dad stayed by that well for five days, never eating, never sleeping, he just sat there. I thought mom was gone forever. Then one night, when I came to check on dad I had that feeling again. And dad felt it to. He stood, as mom began climbing out of the well. 'my mom's dead' she said threw her tears. She must have heard me in the trees. Though mother had no demon blood, sometimes I was sure she had demonic hearing abilities. She called me over and held me while she cried. 'grandmother died?' I asked her, I remember that I was crying, even though I had never even met our grandmother. And do you know what mother told me.?"

"What?" Kaze asked looking up to his brother.

"She said, 'You know Jun Kazu, the bonds of family are strong. So strong in fact, that the ones we love never really leave us. Now that she's gone, grandmother is in the wind.' " Jun Kazu smiled as a breeze went threw his hair. "Mom told me, that one day she too would be gone. And that when you lost someone it was ok to be sad, but to remember that they wouldn't want you to be unhappy forever. That it was ok to celebrate life. Just like our grandmothers, and our grandfathers, our mother is in the wind. Every time it touches us, it's a reminder that they are watching over us."

"Mom really wouldn't want us to be sad would she?" Kaze asked looking up to his brother.

"Nope, she's all around us, she laugh's when we laugh, she cries when we are sad. Mother wouldn't want us to dwell on her death. That's why today, on the anniversary of the saddest day in our lives, we should remember her. Remember all the fun times we shared. When uncle Shippo tells his stories, mom's listening too."

"Ok morons, the food's almost ready, hurry it up will ya, dad's in a hurry." Izayoi called from the base of the tree and the two brothers jumped down nearly on top of her.

The day continued, they had been the first to reach Kagome's grave, for which Inuyasha was thankful. Izayoi placed a wreath of flowers around her mother's shrine. Jun Kazu placed a necklace of shells. Then Kaze approached.

"I didn't get you a gift mother, I didn't understand why we celebrated. But now I do, you were the best mother anyone could have. I love you, and I want you to know that from now on when I feel the wind. I'll laugh, because I know that when I'm happy your happy too. And I always want you to be happy." He had said, and at that moment a breeze drifted threw, and true to his word Kaze wiped the tears that had gathered in his eyes away, and smiled. Miroku's children and their children, and their grandchildren came, as well as Shippo, his wife and their cubs. As it had been for the past nine years Shippo told his stories as everyone laughed, and the children played. As the sun began to lower itself Inuyasha walked away from the merriment. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fingering the beads that had never, and would never leave his neck. Suddenly, a great breeze came threw and he thought for a moment he could feel Kagome's lips on his cheek. As the breeze began to die down he heard a voice as wispy as the wind, seemingly whispering right in his ear,

"I love you Inuyasha"

End