Enough

Nodoka wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her tight; the girl needed a hug after this night. What should have been a happy holiday simply hadn't been, not by a long run. The first dinner they had all had together had been much more alive and joyful. "Do you want to come home tonight?" she asked quietly, pulling back to look at her.

Kagome smiled wanly and shook her head. "Thanks alright, Mama. I'll be fine."

"You should be better than fine," muttered Fuiasu, pitching her voice loud enough that a certain demon in the kitchen could be sure to hear. Turning violet eyes to the young woman, she frowned. "I wish you'd let me speak to him."

This time the smile was a little brighter. "He's already been spoken to enough tonight," she murmured, thinking back to the quiet argument he and Toga had gotten into. "Besides, I don't need anyone else to fight my battles for me." To lessen the impact of the words, she leaned forward and hugged the demoness too, holding tightly to the other woman just as she had her own mother.

"Hn." Fuiasu hugged her back and sighed. Over the past few months she had gotten to know the girl, the Inu had learned that even though Kagome had once been a victim, she was not like any of the other young women she had dealt with over the centuries. "My home is open to you as well, should you change your mind."

"Thank you," Kagome answered, pulling back slightly. Looking down at the little boy that stood beside them all, she leaned down and hugged him, too. "Be good for Mama," she murmured. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Will you give him the present?" Shippou asked, leaning back and looking at her with wide, excited eyes.

Thinking of the small gift bag sitting on her dresser, Kagome nodded. "Of course. I'll tell you what he thought of it, too. Now, let's get your jacket on. It's time to go home."

Once everyone was ready, she walked with them to the door of the condo and hugged them all again. Amid more offers to spend the night and more pointed comments about Sesshoumaru, she gratefully closed the door behind them all and let the smile slip from her features. She wanted desperately to simply crawl into bed and go to sleep, but there was too much of her mother in her to allow Sesshoumaru to clean the kitchen by himself, especially after such a large meal. Still, she needed to get Shippou's present and give it to him.

o.O.o

Word Count - 436