"I'll use the fetch method to get her into the bedroom's bathroom. There is a lock on the outside. I'll lock her in and then you can show us where you found this paper," said Mrs. Higuarshi to InuYasha and her grandson as she climbed the stairs. Toshi had been put to bed early. InuYasha had explained to Kishirou that he would tell Toshi who he was at a later time.
"What's the fetch method?" asked InuYasha.
"Its when Grandma throws something that mommy wants into the bathroom and she runs in after it," answered Kishirou.
"Ok, you two wait out here," said Mrs. Higuarshi as she unlocked the bedroom door and entered. InuYasha could hear the commotion on the inside and the bolt of the bathroom door. Kagome pounded on the barrier screaming to be let out.
"Come in," said Mrs. Higuarshi. Kishirou let go of the hanyou's clawed hand and ran to the window.
"Its over here," said the child. He pulled back the rug and removed a loose board. Mrs. Higuarshi gasped.
"How did you ever find this?" asked the elder lady.
"I was hiding under mom's bed and I saw her open it. I didn't have time to see what else was in there," said Kishirou.
"There's more than the rest of the letter?" asked InuYasha.
"Yeah, I just couldn't get to it before Okaasan noticed," answered the boy. InuYasha knelt down and pulled out a large book. He opened the cover and found photos of himself, Miroku, Sango, Shipo, and Kirara.
"Let me see! Let me see!" said Kishirou excitedly.
"Later pup," replied the hanyou. He closed the book gently. He reached in a found the other torn half of the letter and a long three foot lock of his hair. He pulled out another book.
"That's the journal Kagome kept when she was pregnant with Kishirou. Its for you InuYasha. So that you would be able to catch up on what you missed," said Mrs. Higuarshi. A pang of guilt flooded his being for his absence during Kagome's pregnancy, he nodded to Mrs. Higuarshi. InuYasha reached into the opening again and pulled out wood arrows. "That's where she has been hiding them! That must have been where she hid the bow she used to attacked you. I thought I had taken them all away."
"Alright, let's take these things and go; So, Kagome can leave the bathroom," said InuYasha.
"Can we look at the photos?!" asked Kishirou.
"You can go to bed. We'll look at the photos tomorrow," said InuYasha.
"Ah, man," pouted Kishirou, but he followed his father out and didn't complain about being tucked into the bed for the night. Mrs. Higuarshi released Kagome from the bathroom and locked the bedroom securely. She went to bed shortly. InuYasha sat on the couch leafing through Kagome's hidden items. He could hear her softly crying in the bedroom.
"Please, no, please, no. Why? Why? The last thing I had of him, gone," Kagome cried. It was softly spoken and if not for his exceptional hearing it would have been inaudible. He turned the lock of his hair over in his clawed hand. It was bound together by a red ribbon. So, this is how they sent Kagome the letter. But it doesn't explain why the well opened for a short time during our separation to allow its passage. If only I had known then, I could have gotten here sooner… but I was inside a mountain when Sango sent this…so maybe knowing the well was opened wouldn't have helped. But why did it open? Why did it close?
He hated the scent and sound of Kagome crying. He had been drowning in the scent since he had arrived. He hesitantly walked up the stairs with the lock of hair in his hand. He rested his forehead against the door. I wish I could make everything better, Kagome. He opened the door and shut it behind him. He leaned against the door expecting Kagome to attack him immediately and thinking himself a fool for entering.
She stood at his arrival. Tears were streaking down her cheeks. She opened her hand towards him.
"Please, give it back. It's all I had," she pleaded softly.
"This?" he dangled the lock of hair.
"Yes, please," she ran to him, grasped it gently, and he let it go. She clutched it to her blossom and bit her lower lip, "The pictures?"
"The kids want to see them," said InuYasha.
"I don't want them to," responded Kagome.
"Why?"
"It's too hard for them to understand everything. It will only make it worse."
"They have to understand. Not understanding is causing more pain than the truth," he said. Kagome stared off at the bedroom wall. Her knuckles turned white because of her grip on the hair.
"You will give them back to me, later?" asked Kagome.
"Yes," said the hanyou, "if that will make you happy." Kagome gave a hallow laugh.
"I'm a prisoner. I have no control over my happiness," she said. She walked to the bed and sat down facing the window.
"It doesn't have to be this way," said InuYasha. "We were both tricked by the well. We have both suffered. I'm not dead, Kagome. I came back for you. I'll help raise the children. We can be… happy… at last." Kagome raised the covers and slipped under them.
"His hair, it turns black on the new moon. It used to give me hope, but not any longer," said the Miko.
"You don't need hope anymore. You have me. The real me," he said. He waited for her response but she didn't say anything more. He sighed. "Do you want me to leave?" He listened to her even breathing. He went over to her, touched her shoulder hesitantly, "Kagome?" She fell asleep. All that crying and screaming wore her out. He sat down next to her bed, breathing in her scent, and decided to sleep in the room for the night. He knew he would probably be purified in the morning if he didn't make it out before she awoke.
In the morning InuYasha managed to tip toe out of the room before Kagome awoke. He had thought much during the night about Kagome and Toshi. He had come to some difficult decisions and he wasn't sure how Mrs. Higuarshi would take them. It was time for him to be responsible for his family, as it was time for Mrs. Higuarshi to be a grandmother and not a caretaker and head of their family.
InuYasha could smell breakfast cooking and hear his son and Mrs. Higuarshi talking in the kitchen. Toshi opened her bedroom door and rubbed her eyes.. InuYasha offered her his hand, she took it and tottered down the stairs with him. He went to the kitchen and sat her in a chair. Mrs. Higuarshi gave her a plate of food and returned to the counter.
"Can I see you outside for a minute?" asked the hanyou.
"Sure," said Mrs. Higuarshi smiling. She followed InuYasha out the back door and closed it gently behind her. "What is it?"
"I want to take Kagome and the kids back down the well," InuYasha said boldly. Mrs. Higarshi's brown eyes widened. "Maybe Kagome just needs to hear from Sango that the letter was a mistake. If not, then maybe it's something else, some kind of magic. Kaede maybe be able to help her if she can see her." Kagome's mother was looking at the ground, considering the words of the hanyou seriously. "I don't know if the well is even going to open, but I want to try. It's the best thing I can think of for Kagome. I have to take the kids too in case we can't get back."
"You will try to get back though? Let me know what happens? How Kagome is getting by?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi.
"Yes, of course," said InuYasha. She nodded with a serious expression.
"When will you tell Toshi that you are their father?"
"Today I guess, before we go."
"You want to leave so soon?"
"There's no point in waiting."
"Alright. I'll call Souta, you have to see him before you go. He missed you too. And he should say goodbye to his niece and nephew, just in case…" InuYasha nodded, happy to agree to her easy terms. "Also, I'll call the doctor, tell him that I'm going on a trip and need some valium. We can give the valium to Kagome in her tea before you leave. That way she will sleep through your journey."
The children were called off "sick" from school for the day. InuYasha showed them both the photo album. He explained who everyone was and described their personalities. Toshi looked doubtfully at the pictures as if she didn't believe the Great Dog Demon stories could be true. Kishirou excitedly pointed and asked questions. Mrs. Higuarshi smiled when she watched them snuggled on the couch together and even took a few pictures to remember them by.
Souta arrived in the evening, running up to his child hood hero and giving him a swift hug. He then held the confused hanyou at arm's length and smiled.
"I knew you would find a way back to my sister," said Souta. His voice was a deeper baritone and he had grown to the same height as the half demon. InuYasha 'keh' in response as he took in the youth's changed appearance. "You will take care of her, won't you? Make sure nothing happens to her on the other side of the well. She's not herself."
"I know," InuYasha said. "I'll protect her, kid." Souta gave a hearty laugh.
"I haven't been called a child in quite some time."
"I guess it has been awhile," said InuYasha. He clapped Souta on the shoulder and said with a low tone, "Take care of your mother after we are gone."
"I will," Souta promised.
"I have to talk to Toshi for a bit. Then I'm going to explain it to Kishirou. Your mother is packing a backpack the way Kagome used to. Could you help her unpack some of that? I have to carry Kagome, the kids, and that… and the larger it is the more awkward it will be to handle everything. I can't talk any sense into her, "explained InuYasha. Souta gladly agreed and went into the kitchen. InuYasha went to the dinning room where the children were coloring. He asked to see Toshi for a bit, picked her up, took her to the children's bedroom. He sat Toshi on the bed and sat next to her.
"Toshi, you remember how I was a friend of your mom's from before," asked InuYasha. Kami, this is even harder because she still smells like that damn bleach. I'm about to tell her I'm her father and I'm not even certain I am! I want to be and I'll take care of her… but there might be some poor other guy out there who doesn't even know he has a kid, like I used to be. And he might want to be her father if given the chance. And her real dad might be on the other side of the well if Kagome made it back more than once and… and… mistaken a youkai or even another hanyou for me. How the hell could that have happened? Kami, please let Toshi be mine.
"uh-huh," said Toshi swinging her feet.
"I'm a bit more than that," he hesitated then continued, "I'm Kishirou's and your father."
"Oh, well you can be Kishirou's daddy that's fine. I already have one," said Toshi.
"No, I mean, I'm really your father. Hojo, he's done a lot for you kids. I know he'll always be special, but he's married and he's going to have his own kids," the hanyou tried to explain.
"I asked him and he said it was fine," replied the little girl innocently.
"Yes, I know he said it was fine," InuYasha started to get frustrated and tried a different approach. "The well house you are not allowed to go inside of is how I met your mother. I was stuck to a tree, 500 years in the past-"
"Oh gees, not this story again. Kishirou would recite it every night after Grandma went to sleep. It's boring," whined Toshi.
"Listen pup, it's true. And it's not boring! You remember Kaede from the stories?" asked InuYasha. Toshi nodded. "Well, she's real. Just like me and everyone else. We have to go back, because Kaede may be able to help your mother remember things."
"What do you mean, go back?"
"We have to go through the well to 500 years in the past."
"I want to stay with Hojo and Grandma," said Toshi.
"You have to come with me pup. You, your mom and your brother."
"No! I want to stay with Grandma!" screamed Toshi. The door clicked open and Kishirou stomped in.
"Are you crazy, Toshi? Its going to be cool! We get to see youkai and everyone from the stories! And it could make mommy better!" argued Kishirou. InuYasha's eyebrow twitched.
"Were you listening at the door?" the hanyou asked dangerously low. Kishirou, shook his head 'no' then 'yes' and darted out of the room and ran down the stairs.
"Why do you do that?" asked Toshi.
"Do what?"
"Make that noise, you sound like a dog," replied Toshi. InuYasha mild growl turned into a louder rumbling snarl at her accusation. He picked her up and went down the stairs.
"You are going with us. If you continue to call Hojo 'dad' you are going to be in big trouble," said InuYasha. Toshi pushed at his hold on her, she began crying loudly. "Your grandmother has already packed your things." When he entered the kitchen the two adults turned around surprised at Toshi's tears.
"What's wrong?" asked Mrs. Higuarshi.
"I don't want to go! I want to stay with you!" cried Toshi.
"Oh dear," said Mrs. Higuarshi. "Here let me have her for a bit." InuYasha passed the kicking Toshi to Mrs. Higuarshi. She clung to her grandmother and buried her face in her shoulder. She rubbed the little girls back, walked out the kitchen door, and said over her shoulder "I'm going to talk to her for a bit. We'll be back in a little while." Mrs. Higuarshi closed the kitchen door and walked out to the great tree. InuYasha hit the table with his fist causing Kishirou to jump back. He let out a deep breathe to calm his raging emotions of rejection and worry. He didn't want to scare the other pup as bad as he had the little girl.
"Is Kagome ready?" asked InuYasha tiredly.
"She should be asleep by now. Probably will be resting peacefully for the next 8 hours," answered Souta. InuYasha nodded. "I've trimmed down the backpack as much as my mom would allow." The hanyou took note of the pile of objects on the table that had been removed from the bag.
"Souta, could you put that green ball back in?" asked InuYasha.
"She already has a blue one."
"I know, but she's going to be upset when we get there. It might help. I'm going to go get Kagome," said InuYasha. He felt weary before he had even jumped down the well. All this heartache may be for naught if the well didn't open for them. And if it didn't, he had resolved to try every Friday until it did. If the well never opened again, he would have to find some other way to help Kagome.
Mrs. Higuarshi and Souta had secured the two children to InuYasha's back with a harness. They assumed the children would safely travel through the well as long as they were touching him, just as the backpack and other objects always had. Mrs. Higuarshi had talked to Toshi until she had accepted the idea of going with InuYasha. She still sniffled and pouted. InuYasha had the backback slung over his elbow and carried Kagome bridal style. They had all said their goodbyes. Mrs. Higuarshi had insisted on sending pictures of her and Souta with the children in case this was their last parting. Kami, I hope this works. It was such a mess getting everyone and everything together to go. He leapt and was enveloped in the blue light. As his hair settled he could smell the fresh forest air. Thank Kami.
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Review please! I'd like to know how you feel about Kishirou and Toshi's personalities. And what you think of the story in general! Thankyou to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!
