When You Least Expect It
Chapter 14: The Calm before the storm
A/N: See! I told you we would update! Enjoy the chapter and don't forget to please review!
The dinner was soon over, and Kagome couldn't help but to admit she was a bit relieved. For rest of the dinner, InuYasha and Sage were the only two talking. They spoke of their past, and that alone excluded her from the conversations altogether. Kagome ended up playing with her food, and thinking over the things that have happened in the past few months. The incident...seeing her nephews again, the fight between InuYasha and Kikyo, almost kissing InuYasha...
"Kagome...? Kagome!"
A hand was in her face, waving and snapping. Kagome blinked, and looked at InuYasha,
"Oh! Sorry. I zoned out."
"Clearly." Sage said, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
InuYasha looked at her with concern, "You alright?"
"Yeah. I'm fine." she said, giving him a smile.
InuYasha didn't look convinced, but let it go as he stood, "We're leaving. I told you that five minutes ago, but I don't think you were there at the moment."
"Sorry." she said, blushing lightly to herself as she stood up.
Sage smiled, looking amused but then grinned at InuYasha, "It was nice seeing you again, Yash. I'll call and let you know when the court date is."
"Right." InuYasha said. "I'll see you later then."
She nodded, then left ahead of them. Kagome was going to say it'd be nice to meet her, but she didn't seem to care all that much. She frowned slightly, watching the woman leave. InuYasha laughed,
"You sure you okay? Why are you glaring?"
"Huh? I wasn't." she said, crossing her arms, then beginning to lead him out of the restaurant.
InuYasha followed, "Yes you were."
"No I wasn't."
"Yes you were."
She rolled her eyes, "My god, you're so immature, InuYasha."
"Am not."
Kagome laughed, "Whatever you say."
She was about to open the passenger side door when she felt InuYasha's hand take her elbow gently. Kagome turned toward him to see he had a serious look on his face. He asked,
"Are you really okay?"
"I'm fine." Kagome replied with a small smile. "I just...didn't really feel like I belonged here today. I don't think you really needed my help."
"There may not have been a lot of questions that were asked to you, but...the twins and I are going to need you more than ever when this trial starts." InuYasha said in a whisper.
Kagome could see how truly scared he was, and here she was worrying about the fact no one paid attention to her tonight. Maybe she was the childish one here. Kagome took in a breath, and stepped closer to him. She hesitantly brought her arms up, and wrapped them around InuYasha. Kagome held him close to her, and said softly,
"I'm not going anywhere. I'll fight right here by your side. They can't take them away from you...they can't..."
InuYasha wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her so close she had to rest her head against his chest. He relaxed, closing his eyes for a second as he rested his head atop her head,
"Thank you, Kagome."
A minute, two, three, then five passed of them just standing here and holding each other. Kagome felt she could just fall asleep in his arms, but when she saw a couple walk by, staring at them as if they were some statue of art, or something, Kagome quickly pulled away. She turned a bright pink, looking anywhere but up at InuYasha,
"U-um, w-we should go get the boys. They're probably d-driving Sango, and Miroku crazy."
"R-right." InuYasha scratched the back of his head as he unlocked the doors, and walked over to the drivers side.
Kagome smacked her forehead, muttering curses to herself before forcing herself to turn, and slip into the car along with InuYasha. This was going to be one awkward drive.
With the Twins
"HARU!"
"COME OUT, HARU, THIS ISN'T FUNNY!"
Kai watched Miroku, and Sango as they paced about the house nervously. He knew the moment his father, and Kagome drove off that this little visit to their Uncle Miroku and Aunt Sango's house was NOT going to be pleasant. Haru hadn't spared Kai a glance since they'd arrived. He usually told him his plans, but this time around...he just went solo and that alone made him sad. Kai just ended up sitting on the couch, watching cartoons while Miroku and Sango ran around like chickens with their heads cut off.
"InuYasha's going to kill us." Miroku mumbled.
Sango retorted, "US!? I told you to watch them while I went to the bathroom, and when I came back you were sitting on the floor giggling at the television like a two year old!"
"B-but it was funny! I couldn't help watching!" he whined and pouted.
Sango groaned, rolling her eyes as she looked in one of the closets for what must have been the millionth time.
"Haru Takahashi! If you don't show yourself, I'm going to give you the beating of your life, young man! Or worse, I'll just send you to Sesshomaru. How about that!?" she yelled.
Silence. Kai looked around, then sighed. More silence.
"I don't think he heard you..." Miroku said.
Sango just stared at Miroku, and he laughed nervously, backing away from her.
"What? I didn't say anything." he said, turning his back to her and continuing to look.
The doorbell rung as they continued to check their, rooms, bathrooms, and under couches, still having no idea where Haru could have run off. Miroku paled and stopped dead in his tracks. He looked over at Sango who was just frozen in front of the closet for the millionth and one time. Miroku was the first to break the silence,
"Maybe they won't notice?" He sounded hopeful.
Sango looked at him as if he was a complete idiot, "How do you think they won't notice A CHILD MISSING MIROKU!?"
Miroku thought about it as if it was a legitimate question, "Well we could tell them that Haru and Kai fusioned together, like in Dragon Ball Z! And since they are identical, well, they look the same!" Miroku smirked, like he was impressed with himself.
Sango face palmed and went to open the door.
"Sango, NO!" Miroku ran and locked himself in the bathroom. "Hah. I can't be reached and blamed in here!"
Sango opened the door and let Kagome and InuYasha in. Kagome ran to the couch and ruffled Kai's hair.
"Hey there Kai! Where's your brother?"
Kai lowered his head, his voice shaking as he answered, "I don't know…he didn't include me this time…"
Kagome looked at InuYasha, confused. InuYasha looked at Sango, confused. Sango paled visibly and started nervously laughing,
"Well…you see…um…MIROKU GET OUT OF THE BATHROOM RIGHT NOW!" Sango ran to the door and started banging on it, "OR LET ME IN THERE TOO!"
Miroku laughed evilly until he heard a distinct sound. He called out, "Sango…wait…stop banging on the door!"
Sango kept banging, hoping he would get fed up and just unlock it and face the music. He unlocked the door and opened it. "No, seriously Sango…listen." Miroku looked like he was listening very hard to something so everyone in the room stood quiet. Everyone, except InuYasha,
"Where the hell is Haru?!"
"SHHH!" Miroku glared at him. At that moment, a very loud BANG was heard from downstairs…the basement. Miroku's eyes widened and he looked Sango in the eyes and quietly yet creepily said, "It's the grim reaper…he's here to collect the souls of all my dead hamsters in the basement!" He then started to yell, "NO GRIM REAPER! LEAVE THEM ALONE! THEY ARE MY FRIENDS!" He started panicking and pacing back and forth,
"I can't go in there! I can't! What if he decides to take my soul too!? I'll leave my poor Sango alone and ALL THOSE POOR WOMEN WHO HAVE YET TO MEET ME! WHAT A TRAGEDY!" He stopped pacing and a look of realization crossed his face,
"Wait, why does the grim reaper have to be a guy? Ever notice how absolutely sexist that is?!"
Sango smacked him. "Pull yourself together! That was also for the women comment, you pervert. Now let us think rationally and not like a psychotic twelve year old. Why would there be noises coming from the basement?" Sango looked at him expectantly.
InuYasha and Kagome had realization come across their faces, they now understood everything; this was one of Haru's pranks and the victims were Sango and Miroku.
Miroku responded, "Monsters?"
Kai's eyes widened, even he understood, "HARU'S DOWN THERE!"
Miroku crossed his arms, "I would have heard him going down the stairs! It's obviously the grim reaper. You guys are dumb." He looked at everyone like they were crazy.
Sango rolled her eyes. "Okay, whatever you say Miroku. Let's go get Haru!" She went to her bedroom and grabbed a flashlight. "There's short circuit and so the lights don't generally work down here." She opened the door to the basement and started walking down the steps with InuYasha right behind her dragging Miroku behind him while Kagome pushed him forward. Kai was told to stay upstairs figuring he was scared of the dark.
Sango was the only one with a flashlight and Miroku was muttering something about souls of hamsters. Sango stopped when she felt something under her foot. She looked down and pointed the light to it. She was not fazed by it and kicked the dead rat. "Didn't work on me Haru. You need better tricks than that to get me scr—" Sango paled, dropped her light and ran towards the stairs.
"What the hell!?" InuYasha picked up the light and pointed it forward. In front of him was the biggest spider he had ever seen, just hanging from the ceiling. Kagome squeaked and ran out behind Sango. Miroku laughed,
"There you are Giddy! I've been looking for you for weeks! I missed you!" He spoke directly to the spider.
InuYasha just rolled his eyes, he was use to Miroku by now.
"Keh! Haru. Out. Now."
Shuffling was heard from behind the stairs and then steps up the stairs as Haru left the basement.
"Well, we shall meet again later Giddy! I'll bring you some food!" Miroku ran behind InuYasha who was already leaving the basement.
"Did you kill that thing!?" Sango asked in a frantic voice.
"Well actually, Mirok—"
"Yeah we did!" Miroku interrupted InuYasha with a glare that clearly said 'if you say it, you will pay.'
Once they had all calmed down, Kagome included, they questioned Haru.
"Why did you have to run away on my watch!? It's so cruel of you…I could of died in the hands of my wife!" Miroku whined.
"Sorry to inform you, but that would never happen on my watch. I'm awesome." Sango puffed out her chest.
Haru just shrugged, not making eye contact with any of them.
"Well, let's go. It's no use, he's barely speaking to any of us anyway." InuYasha nodded and headed towards the door, Haru right behind him.
"Goodnight Sango and Miroku, thank you for watching them!" Kagome shouted while walking out the door, Kai holding her hand.
The four of them left the Hoshi household and got into InuYasha's car. Once everyone was buckled in, InuYasha backed out of their driveway and started down the road. It was quiet except for the crisp, night air whistling into the car from Kagome's open window. The silence was soon broken by a repetitive whining sound coming from the backseat. InuYasha looked in the rearview mirror to see Haru letting the window down, then back up. Kagome looked behind her to the backseat, and narrowed her eyes,
"Haru, knock it off. You're already in enough trouble as it is."
"Shocker." he muttered, continuing to let the window down then back up.
Kagome yelled, "Haru!"
"Leave me alone!" he yelled back angrily. "Stop talking to me like you're my mother, because you're not!"
Kagome looked taken aback. She looked at him sadly, and tears began to fill her eyes. Kagome didn't say anything else, then turned back in her seat. InuYasha glanced over at her, then sighed heavily,
"Kagome, don't take it what he's saying so seri-"
"No." Kagome sniffled, wiping her eyes. "Forget it. I'm fine."
InuYasha sighed again, then looked into the rear view mirror again to see him continuing to let the window down, then back up. He flipped the window lock switch, and the noise stopped. Haru sighed heavily, then slouched down in his seat. Kagome continued to sniffle, and Kai looked at the back of her head sadly. He looked at Haru. When he caught him staring, he glared,
"Stop looking at me, you freak."
Kai's eyes flooded with tears, and he looked away.
Eventually, they got back to the house, and everyone headed inside.
"Haru, don't go upstairs yet. I need to talk to you." InuYasha said once everyone was inside.
Kagome looked at InuYasha and he gave her a reassuring look, "I'm just going to talk to him."
She nodded, then gave a smile to Kai,
"Lets get you to bed then, shall we?"
Kai nodded, then followed Kagome upstairs. Once they were gone, InuYasha looked at Haru, but he didn't look at him. He looked down at the floor, his arms stiff as if he were expecting to be hit. InuYasha sighed. When nothing happened, Haru peeked up at him and asked,
"Aren't you going to do something?"
"I just want to talk." InuYasha said, walking up to him and kneeling in front of him. "How long are you going to be this way, Haru? I can take your pranks, but...what you said to Kagome and Kai? That was a little mean, don't you think?"
"Well, Kagome isn't our mother and Kai is a freak." Haru said, glaring.
He sighed, "No, Kagome isn't your mother, but can you honestly say your real mother is much of a mother to you at all?"
Haru didn't answer.
"And your brother isn't a freak. Yes, he's quiet and likes to do the right thing, but he worships you, Haru. He's really upset that you won't forgive him. We didn't mean to corner you, Haru, but what you did was pretty bad. I don't think Kagome and I would have minded the locking in the closet much, but you grabbed a knife and opened the door when you truthfully didn't know who it was."
"Yes I did!" Haru protested.
"Haru."
He didn't say anything else and just looked at the floor. InuYasha smoothed his son's hair back gently,
"Haru, things...are going to get difficult in a while, and a little scary. I need you to cooperate with Kagome and I."
"What 'difficult' things?" Haru asked, confused. "What's going to happen?"
InuYasha took in a breath, "Well, to put it simply, your mother wants to take both you and your brother."
"She can't do that!" he yelled. "Dad, I don't want to go with her. I want to stay with you. I won't be bad anymore. I'll be good, I promise-"
"I'm going to fight as hard as I can, buddy. I won't let her just take you." InuYasha said. "You need to work with us, though, okay?"
Haru sighed, but nodded, "I'm just so sick of everyone...ganging up on me. It isn't fair."
"I know, but you do things to get yourself in trouble, Haru." InuYasha said. "You can't do things like what you did, and not expect consequences. That's the thing about life...there's always a result to something. Like what I did when I almost hurt you. Now...I'm trying to change, and for the better. I want to protect you and your brother. I don't want to lose you guys."
Haru could see how tired...truly tired his father was, and the anger that'd been in his eyes for so long seemed to melt away. He stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around his father's neck. Haru held him tighter than he ever had in an embrace,
"It's okay, Dad...I'll protect you too. I promise. I'll do whatever I have to do so you can be happy."
InuYasha smiled, and wrapped his arm around him, "That's my job. You just be the happy kid I've always known you to be...but just think before you prank, okay? And don't tell your brother about this. I don't want him to get worried. I told you, because I know how strong and...determined you are. So a secret between us, okay?"
"Okay, I can do that." Haru said with a laugh.
InuYasha grinned, "That's my boy."
He pulled away, then kissed Haru's forehead. He laughed,
"EW! Stop kissing me. That's for girls!"
"Oh yeah?" InuYasha asked, puckering his lips at Haru.
He laughed, pulling away, and running up the stairs. InuYasha chased after him, laughing.
Once up the stairs, Haru walked into his bedroom to see Kagome talking to Kai on his bed. When he walked in, it got quiet, and they both looked at him. Haru opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. InuYasha stepped up behind him, and patted his shoulder encouragingly. Haru looked up at his father, then took in a breath, and walked up to the two of them,
"Kagome, Kai...I'm sorry. I'm still...a little upset, but I understand more now...I guess. I'm sorry for all the things I said, and did. I shouldn't of been mean. I'm sorry."
"You mean it?" Kai asked before Kagome could open her mouth.
He looked at his brother hopefully, and Haru realized what his father had said was true. Did Kai really look up to him? Haru gave a smile, and nodded,
"Yeah, stupid. You should have known I wouldn't be angry forever."
Kai laughed, sliding off the bed, and running to his brother. He tackled him to the floor, and they both laughed.
"Okay, okay, I get it Kai." Haru shoved his brother off him playfully. "Sheesh. You guys are so emotional. You should learn a thing, or two from Sesshomaru and I."
"Ha ha." InuYasha said. "If you become Sesshomaru, then I think I really will lose it."
Haru grinned.
"Don't think about it." InuYasha said, laughing.
Kagome smiled at the three of them. They were really starting to become a family, but she couldn't fight off the sadness still in her from what Haru had said. He was right though. She wasn't their mother. She was their aunt, and she needed to start acting like it. Stop trying to...to fall for their father. That'd be wrong, right? The right thing to do would encourage Kikyo and InuYasha to talk, right?
"Kagome."
Kagome blinked, and saw that Haru had walked up to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and hugged her,
"I'm really sorry for what I said...again. I was just angry. I wish you were my real Mommy...not...Kikyo."
"Haru." Kagome said, surprised that he called his mother by her first name.
Haru shook his head, "You've always been more of a Mommy to me than she'll ever be."
Tears filled her eyes and she smiled, hugging him back, "I love you."
"Oh now you love me?" Haru said. "Whatever happened to the whole cliché line of loving your people no matter what?"
Kagome laughed, "I will always love you, Haru. No matter what, like you said. I was just...upset, but you were right. I'm not your mother, but...I will still always see you as more than my nephew. I've always seen the two of you like my own, and that won't change."
He just smiled.
"Alright, you two," InuYasha said, grinning as everything seemed to fall into place, "time for bed."
"Okay!" Kai said happily, running back over to his bed and crawling in.
Haru got his pajamas on, then crawled into bed too. Kagome and InuYaha took their turns giving the boys kissing on the foreheads (much to Haru's dismay) before going to the door.
"Goodnight, guys." InuYasha said with a grin, standing behind Kagome.
She smiled, "Goodnight."
"Goodnight Daddy. Goodnight Kagome." Kai said, hugging his pillow to him.
"Goodnight pops. Goodnight...Mommy." Haru said.
Kagome's breath stopped in her throat, and she looked at Haru once again with surprise. He just smiled at her, a small blush appearing on his face before he turned his back to everyone and made himself comfortable. Kagome swallowed, then looked at Kai. He was looking at Haru with surprise as way, but then looked at Kagome, and said in wonder...consideration...
"Mommy..."
Kai smiled before pulling his sheets closer to his body and closing his eyes. Kagome was so paralyzed from all of this that InuYasha had to lean past her, and close the door until it was cracked enough for the hallway light to shine in. When they just stood there for what seemed like forever, InuYasha started,
"Kago-"
"I'm sorry." Kagome turned, her face pink and flustered. "I'm sorry."
"What are you apologizing for?" he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
Kagome opened and closed her mouth. "I-I'm sorry."
"Alright. That's enough. Come on." InuYasha took her hand, and led her downstairs.
Once downstairs, InuYasha turned toward her, "You don't need to apologize, Kagome."
"They called me...their mother. I...how can I do this to my sister?" Kagome whispered, looking down guiltily. "Regardless of how she is, she's still their-"
"You heard what Haru said, Kagome." InuYasha said, taking her chin and making her look up at him. "You've always been more of a mother to them than she ever ways. Even if you couldn't be here, you called every night, and told them goodnight. You'd send things on their birthdays, or just because something made you think of them. Kikyo...she barely even remembered their birthdays. All they are to her are reminders of the change that came to her body after they arrived. She doesn't care about them...which is why I can't let her have them."
Kagome looked up into his eyes, "You're...okay with this? Them...calling me their mother?"
InuYasha didn't say anything, and that made her heart do leaps and flips in her chest from fear he wasn't okay with this. Before she knew what was happening, though, InuYasha had leaned down and captured her lips into a sweet kiss. Kagome gasped against his lips. An explosion of heat came over her, and she stiffened. InuYasha brought his hand up to cup the hollow of her neck, and his free arm wrapped around her waist. When he pulled her closer, Kagome brought her arms up to his chest. Her eyes slowly began to fall, and eventually they did. Kagome brought her arms up further, and wrapped them around his neck. She rose on her tippy toes, and pressed her lips back against his.
InuYasha deepened the kiss, and any worry that could possibly of been in her head went right out the window. Hell, if the 'window' was closed, it pretty much just crashed through it without a care in the world. The house was silent except for their breathing, and the loud beating of their own hearts.
Eventually, they pulled away, and Kagome looked at InuYasha with hazy-like eyes. InuYasha slipped his arm from around her waist, and slipped his hand from her neck to down her arm slightly. He asked softly, huskily,
"Does that answer your question?"
Kagome swallowed, then nodded slowly. He smiled,
"Good. Goodnight, Kagome."
"G-goodnight, Inu...Inu..." she couldn't seem to get his name out.
InuYasha just grinned then walked past her, and up the stairs to his bedroom. When she heard his bedroom door close, Kagome looked around frantically. She ran over to the couch, grabbing a pillow then leaning down and screaming in it. Her heart pounded happily in her chest. Kagome smiled, her cheeks a rosy red,
"What just happened? I don't even care! He kissed me! I can't believe he kissed me!"
She squeezed her eyes shut, then continued to squeal into the pillow like a love struck teenage girl.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We will update and put up chapter 16 as soon as possible! Remember to please review :)
~ Red & Kita