Chapter 34: Dad Talk

Kagome and her father were taking a walk around the back yard, while Shippo and Sota were in the living room watching a football game. Kagome was looking up at the many trees that had all turned deep gold's and reds as she wrapped her coat around her tighter.

"So spill it," her dad said as he put his arm on her shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it, or not?"

Kagome could only sigh as she leaned in closer to him. "I don't know dad. I truly don't know what to do."

Dad was quiet for a moment before he went on, "You never did answer my question from before… do you love him?"

Kagome stopped walking. "Yes," she said quietly, "But I'm scared too."

Her dad just nodded. "I can't say that I'm surprised. After what happened with that no good Hobo," Kagome smiled, "I'm not too shocked that you're afraid to take the plunge. But I don't think that you need to keep comparing every boy you meet to Hobo."

"Dad," Kagome said warningly. "I don't do that." She shut her mouth for a moment before asking, "Do I?"

He put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her closely to him again. "Yes and no. I know that you want to belong someplace again, but you're so scared of getting hurt that I think that you just rather play it safe."

He held up his hand as she opened her mouth and went on, "I'm just saying. You shouldn't be talking to me about all this. If there's anyone out there that needs to know about this then its Inuyasha. I want you to promise me that when you get back, go talk to him and tell him everything. Tell him what you want, and what you're afraid of."

"But dad," Kagome began. "I keep telling you. I don't know what I want."

"Yes you do. You just don't want to admit it. Look, I know that it's scary, but you need to face up to your fears. And if you get hurt again, just know that I'll always be here for you. And not just me… you have Shippo, Sota, Hitomi, and your friends there by your side." He was thoughtful for a moment before he then added, "And if Inuyasha ever does hurt you then just say the word… and he's history."

Kagome gave out a weak laugh. "You haven't changed dad."

"Why would I? Life would get boring if I was the kind of dad who would go to work all day long wearing a suit and tie, and when I get home I'd be too tired to play with his kids," he said.

Kagome gave another laugh before her somber expression came back, "Why did this have to happen? I thought that I learned my lesson the first time. Why did I ever meet him? If I knew that it would come to this point then I would've wished I never saw him."

"Kagome?" her dad said seriously. "Answer truthfully. Do you regret meeting Inuyasha and Shiori?"

Kagome looked up at him startled before she looked down at the ground and whispered, "I'd be lying if I said yes."

Dad just continued to lead the way around the yard when he said, "You know? Inuyasha might be having these same thoughts. I mean… Shippo told me that Shiori said that her mother died didn't she?" When Kagome nodded he went on, "Then he must be feeling as confused as you are right now."

Kagome stopped walking; she hadn't thought of that. She never realized that maybe this was just as, if not even harder for Inuyasha.

"Hah," her dad suddenly laughed, causing her to jump. "You remind me of me and your mother when we were dating. I also had the same worries, the same fears that you have right now."

"You did?" Kagome said surprised.

"Yeah," he replied. "I was head over heels in love with her, but I didn't have the slightest idea how she felt about me. You know something? There is a place you can touch a person that will drive them crazy. The heart. That's what she did to me. I was so love struck that I couldn't even look at another girl. She touched my heart in a way that no one else ever had or ever will. When we were still dating, I didn't know what I wanted or what the future held. All that I knew that for the moment… I didn't want to live without her."

"You never told me that," Kagome said. "You used to talk about her all the time when me and Sota were still living here but…"

"I know," he cut in. "I just didn't want you guys to worry about falling in love just yet. When you're in love… you go up so high, and you have no idea how it's going to turn out. You'll either have a net there to break your fall… or you crash and burn."

"Yeah well… I'm not afraid of falling in love; I'm just afraid the net won't be there to catch me," Kagome said sadly.

"Is that so?" her dad said shrewdly. "Don't you think it's better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life?"

"I…" Kagome said not having the slightest clue how to answer that. Thankfully, he spared her the chance.

"Believe me… I know how hard it is to leave the past behind where it belongs. There are still some days when I wake up thinking that your mother is still next to me… and I have to sit there for several long minutes before I remember…"

"Oh, dad," Kagome said sadly.

She hugged him tightly as he returned it just as tight.

"I know how hard it is…" he whispered into her ear. "It's cruel that I was only able to spend a few short years with the one woman that I truly love. And it's even crueler that you and Sota grew up without a mother. But that's just how life is. Even though our happiness was cut short, I don't regret the fact that she captured my heart. I wouldn't have traded the time that I spent with your mom for anything."

Kagome was so touched by her father's love for her mother that she didn't want to leave the warmth and love in his embrace; but unfortunately all good things must come to an end.

"Kagome?" he said as pushed her back so that he could see her face. "If we all wear masks all the time, then it will eventfully come to a point where we cannot remove them without removing some of our own skin."

Kagome shook her head. "But what does that mean?" she asked.

"It means… we all wear defenses so that we can keep ourselves safe. But if we keep them up all the time then when we do want to let them down, it just hurts even more. But that's just life. We all have to take chances. Some of them are worth it and other times… we just want to forget. But sometimes we have to take a chance even though we know that there's always a possibility that we could get hurt."

"But dad…" Kagome began, and again he cut her off.

"For once… listen to your dad. I know that it's terrifying to risk something as precious as a heart. But if you don't listen to it, then there's no point in having one. Kagome, tell me right now… what's your heart telling you?"

Kagome shut her eyes, and tried to listen. But she didn't have to listen long when she spoke her answer. "I want to be with Inuyasha. I want to be by his side, even if it hurts me."

She looked up with tear-filled eyes. "Thanks dad."

He smiled as he brushed his hand through her hair. "You remind me so much of her… loyal, strong, and kind. I know that things will work out for you in the end Kagome."

They were quiet for a long time after that. Neither one spoke a word until they began to head back to the house. Hayato suddenly said, "Life's all about taking chances. If you don't take one at least once a day, then you aren't really living."

*Inuyasha*

Inuyasha drummed his fingers at his desk, as he looked at the clock to strike one already. Sesshomaru and Rin were both paying a trip to the doctor, making sure that both Rin and the baby were healthy, while Izayoi took Shiori out for some ice cream. Inuyasha was helping his father in his office with some work but he was distracted by the clock every 10 minutes.

'Damn, why is the clock taking forever?' he thought as each second seemed to slow down.

"Jeez Inuyasha," Inutaisho said as he finished up some work on the computer. "Staring at the clock won't bring Kagome and Shippo back any quicker. Just be patient and enjoy the holidays."

Inuyasha blushed red as he focused on staring at the table.

Inutaisho smiled. But as he looked over at his son he saw that Inuyasha's grumpy, impatient look was replaced with a deep and concerned one. Like his son was completely lost in his own thoughts.

"Inuyasha?" he asked standing up straight. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm?" he said as if he remembered that he was in the room. "Oh nothing," he said quickly.

Inutaisho gave him a dark look. "Inuyasha?" he said with a threat beginning to emerge in his tone.

"What?" he demanded.

"What's wrong? Don't you dare lie to me. I've known you too long to know when something's troubling you."

"Lay off dad, really there's nothing wrong."

"Didn't I just warn you not to lie to me?"

"But dad…"

"Don't 'but dad' me! Tell me right now or I swear that…"

"Alright! Alright! Man, can't you ever give me a break?"

"So what's wrong?"

Inuyasha was silent for a moment before he asked him the last thing that he had expected, "Do you remember when Shiori was born?"

Inutaisho blinked in surprise before he nodded.

"Yes?" he questioned. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

"I was just thinking…" he began.

"That's a bad start," Inutaisho said.

"Ha ha," Inuyasha said sarcastically. "I'm serious. It was a little while after we got married and Kikyo and I decided to stop at a hotel one night. We were at this party and neither one of us could drive home because we were stoned. I don't really remember much after that. I do remember bumping into some people in the lobby who looked as drunk as we were."

Inutaisho nodded, taking a seat next to Inuyasha to listen more closely.

"I had gone to bathrooms and came back to Kikyo really late that night, but I really don't remember most of that night because I was drunk," he said scratching his head, as Inutaisho only rolled his eyes.

"Although, I do remember what happened after I got back…" he said going red.

"But…" Inutaisho emphasize with his hand wanting him to continue.

"When I came back into bed it felt… different, like if it was a different person…"

"Don't you think you just had too much to drink?"

Inuyasha nodded his head. "Who knows? It might have been it, I don't really know, it just felt different."

"Well what are you trying to say Inuyasha? That you don't believe Shiori is your daughter?" he questioned.

"Of course I know Shiori is my daughter, but…"

"But what?" Inutaisho demanded, starting to get irritated.

"But I don't think Kikyo was the woman I was with that night."

(Sorry for not writing in a while. I just haven't been in the happiest of moods. I've fallen into a deep pit of sadness and I just can't seem to pull myself out of it. I hope that you all like the father-daughter moment though. I always wished I could have one like this with my dad so it means a lot.)