Why won't my brake lights work? WHY??? They worked just fine when I left for college, then I come back and the fuel door's missing and the brake lights are broken. Isn't it my right to break my car by myself? I'll never get a chance at this rate. Crap. So much crap.

Calendar, I'm sorry you don't like it, but I can't just cut the "ewwww stuff" from the story. If it makes you feel better, it probably disturbs me more than it does you. Why? Because I'm writing it. Jade says she doesn't feel like she knows me anymore. Then she asks me for ice cream. Hmm...suspicious.

Okay, Jade, look! This chapter is all you! How long ago did you ask for me to oh-so-cleverly slip that line in? Oh, it makes me giggle just to see it.

*****

Fate's Reversal

Part 9

*****

"Yuki, are you sleeping?" Haruka inched toward the other side of the cell, not wanting to trip in the dark. Her blanket was wrapped firmly around her, as it always was when she was in the cell. It was the most dignity she could muster.

"No." he answered, rolling over to look at her.

"Why not?" she asked, moving closer before hunching down next to him.

"Because, I can hear you over there, and I know you're not asleep." Yuki told her. "I can't sleep when you can't. I worry too much."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to keep you up." Haruka told him, fiddling with a fold in her blanket.

"I don't mind, really." Yuki replied. "Did you want to talk to me?"

"No...it's just...today...Naraku talked about you." Haruka began.

"About me? What did he say?" Yuki asked, propping himself up on one elbow.

"He said...that you and him...he said that..." Haruka felt tears rising in her eyes as she thought about his words.

"Was it about my mother?" Yuki's voice was very serious. "I knew it was him, the one my father told me about. He never mentioned Kanna, but I knew that Naraku was the one that created my mother. He was a strange youkai, not like most of them. He was once a man, and later his evil drew hundreds of youkai to him, merging with him and forming a terribly powerful evil youkai. My mother was...made from him. I think Kanna was, too. But the difference is that my mother realized she was something greater than all that, and she overcame her origins. My mother...I love her very much. Kanna stole her soul, I know it. I don't know why she did this, or where the soul is, but I want to save her. I know what you must think of it all, knowing Naraku as you do. But my mother is a good woman."

"I'm sure...she is." Haruka felt a little better about it all.

"Is that what was bothering you?" Yuki asked, reaching over, covering her hand with his own in assurance. "Do you feel better now?"

"I guess." Haruka told him, even though the memory of Naraku's words still stung her. "Yuki? I...kind of...I don't want to be too much trouble, and I know this will sound silly, but the thing is...I'm scared."

"It's okay to be scared, Haruka. We all are." Yuki told her.

"I just...wanted to know...when I used to get scared...can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Haruka asked him, sounding very nervous about the request. "It's just...you make me feel safe. And I know it's okay to be afraid, but we can't be scared in front of the others, can we? We have to be brave."

"Yeah, sure you can." Yuki edged over on his futon, lifting his arm so that she could climb next to him. Haruka hesitated slightly before scrambling underneath his blanket, snuggling against him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Your arms...they're really strong." Haruka noted after a moment. "I didn't notice, but they feel really strong."

"Not as strong as my dad." Yuki blushed at her compliment. "Wait until you meet him. He's the strongest wolf youkai ever. And you'd like him. He lets my mom do whatever she wants. He doesn't order her around like some of the men do."

"Sounds very modern." Haruka smiled at Yuki's description. "I'd like to meet him, definitely."

"Then you will, as soon as we escape." Yuki told her, his hand stroking her hair. "And then I'll take you home to meet your parents."

"They're nothing very exciting." Haruka shrugged. "Not like your parents. My dad used to be a...what's the word? Half youkai?"

"A hanyou?" Yuki was surprised. He hadn't scented any trace of youkai in Haruka. "Used to be? What happened?"

"It's kind of a long story." Haruka told him, sighing softly.

"We have plenty of time though." he reminded her.

"Well then, I suppose I could do my best." she coughed slightly. "Now then, it all started the day my mother fell down the well." Haruka began.

----------

"Kanna, put it away." Naraku told his servant, who was holding up her mirror so that he could see Yuki and Haruka. "This is all very boring."

"Shall I entertain you myself, Master?" Kanna asked, her hand lingering near the tie on her obi where her mirror was attached.

"Stop it, Kanna. I tire of your eagerness." Naraku sneered, standing up and moving to his window. "I am going away."

"To where?" Kanna asked, tilting her head to one side.

"We shall go to find youkai willing to serve me." Naraku decided. "I need no such thing, but I tire of staying here in my castle with nothing to distract me. Perhaps if the maid was a bit more amiable..."

"Haruka?" Kanna asked. "You desire her still?"

"Don't be jealous, Kanna. It's annoying." Naraku sighed, rolling his eyes slightly. "Now, you can accompany me, but only if you realize that such assumptions as you seem to be continually making are not to be tolerated."

"Yes Master, of course." Kanna lowered her head. "Anything you say."

"That's more like it." Naraku smiled down at his passive minion, stroking her pale head gently. "Good, my pet. Let us go to my chambers." He looped his fingers between her obi and her kimono, pulling the all too willing woman after him.

----------

"So...do you know what's going on then?" Shippo asked Kaede, who was slowly sipping at her tea as though she was in no rush to do much of anything. "I mean, what's wrong with him?"

"You mean Sesshoumaru?" she asked. "I assume we all remember what's wrong with Inuyasha."

"His soul was stolen." Sango verified.

"Yes, now first of all, let me say that Sesshoumaru is not seriously injured." Kaede began. "And his soul is intact, though his aura is extremely disturbed. I must admit, I don't quite know what happened to him. We will simply have to wait for him to wake up and tell us. All we know for sure is that it didn't work as intended."

"Obviously." Shippo snorted. Kaede shot him a look, which immediately ceased such behavior. "Sorry." he apologized.

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" Sango asked.

"I hate to bring it up, but Sekatsu and Tsuyo are still gone, and they've never run off for this long before that I can recall." Miroku pointed out, unconsciously wrapping an arm around Sango's shoulders.

"Are you suggesting that they're involved too?" Shippo asked.

"It's a possibility, I'm afraid." Kaede concurred. "This web is more complex than any of us anticipated."

"I don't mean to sound stupid, but I really don't understand how all these things can be connected." Shippo spoke up. "I mean, why would the person that kidnapped Haruka also steal Inuyasha's soul and kidnap the twins?"

"I fear to admit that I am not quite sure of the answer to that question either, Shippo." Kaede admitted.

"And we already know how Yoru and Mottomo are involved in this." Sango reminded them all. "We have to do something, and we can't wait around. It's not only Inuyasha who is in danger, but his whole family now."

"You are right, Sango, but for now, all we can do is wait, and hope." Kaede told her, closing her eyes and sighing.

----------

"I don't know what's going on, but I hope they're really gone." Haruka whispered to Yuki, who was sitting next to her as she waited to be summoned for the day. Her hands were shaking, so he covered them with his own. She had slept well the night before, but she still didn't want to face that disgusting man again.

"Haruka?" Yuki spoke up after a brief silence. It was quiet that early in the morning, usually Yuki and her were the only ones awake when she was called for, and that was the case this morning as well. "I've been thinking about that story you told me."

"About my parents?" she asked, sighing slightly and trying to stop the trembling in her hands, but glad for the reassurance of Yuki's warmth next to her.

"Yeah." he nodded, glancing at the young woman next to him. "That youkai Naraku, do you think..."

"That it's the same one?" Haruka finished. "The thought had occurred to me, but I don't see how that could be. He's supposed to be dead."

"So is the Naraku I know of." Yuki told her. "Is there any way that this guy isn't really Naraku?"

"Hmm...I don't know about that." Haruka frowned doubtfully. "Why would he lie about that? I mean, what's to gain from it?"

"I see what you mean. I don't trust him at all, but I also don't think that he's only pretending to be Naraku. There's no point." Yuki agreed.

"But then, if he really is Naraku, how is he alive?" Haruka pondered.

"I don't know, but I'm sure that there are ways to do things like that. And you've seen Kanna. She's obsessed with Naraku, and if there was any way to bring him back, she'd figure it out." Yuki pointed out. "Maybe if he had the Shikon no Tama...you can't be killed if you use it for power, you know."

"Maybe so, but how would he get it from my father? Kaede-baachan told me it's bound to..." Haruka suddenly froze, her face going pale. "Oh no...it can't be..."

"Haruka? What is it?" Yuki turned, grabbing her shoulders and jostling the unresponsive girl worriedly.

"Kaede...that old woman I told you about...she said that the Shikon no Tama was bound to my father's soul." Haruka's lip trembled as she lifted golden eyes to deep crimson, looking for some reassurance, some way to avoid her sudden grim suspicions.

"Then...with Kanna..." Yuki didn't finish, as there was no need. "My mother and your father. Kanna took both of them then."

"All to bring back Naraku?" Haruka's voice caught, but she held back the tears that were threatening to overtake her. "How could she do that?"

"What's going on over there?" Tsuyo had woken up at the sound of Haruka's distressed voice rising in pitch and volume. "Yuki! Did you hurt her? Get your hands off Haruka!"

"Tsuyo...is it true?" Haruka moved away from Yuki, who was glaring defensively at Tsuyo. She pressed against the bars of her cell, her face full of pleading, wanting to be wrong, wanting her father to be healthy and safe.

"What?" he asked, rubbing his head as he stood up and tried to ignore the scarlet gaze boring into him.

"My father...Yuki thinks that maybe Kanna...attacked him." Haruka struggled with the words.

"I...we didn't want to tell you." Tsuyo admitted, shuffling his feet sheepishly. "Sekatsu and I thought that Kaede and my dad might figure out a way to fix him before we got back. We didn't think that you should know."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Yuki stood and moved to Haruka's side. Tsuyo was constantly pestering hiim, and he didn't like the older boy very much. "He's her father. She has a right to know."

"My father..." Haruka's voice faded away, her body trembling until she finally released her grief in silently shaking sobs. Yuki momentarily forgot his anger at the sight of her suffering, his face softening as he opened his arms to her, letting her collapse against him as he smoothed her hair down carefully.

"Watch your hands." Tsuyo hissed at the youkai boy, who had one arm wrapped around Haruka's waist.

"Watch your mouth." Yuki shot back, his eyes narrowing angrily. "And don't change the subject. You should have told her."

"It's none of your business, youkai." Tsuyo crossed his arms stubbornly. "And don't get so cocky. Haruka could care less about you. If she wasn't locked in with you, she wouldn't even care that you exist."

"Shut your mouth." Yuki's voice grated. Tsuyo's words stung him, and he knew there had to be some truth behind them. Haruka was unlike anyone he'd ever met, even before she'd explained her story to him. She was strong in his eyes, even though he'd seen her vulnerable so many times now. Perhaps that vulnerability was the only reason she ever spoke to him, cried in his arms, even shared his blankets. To her, perhaps he was only a convenient source of comfort.

"Tsuyo, don't start." Haruka's voice was rough from crying, but still full of authority. "Don't start with him."

"But he's always--"

"Stop." Haruka commanded. "Just grow up, Tsuyo." At that, Tsuyo gasped as if struck, slinking back to his bed for a good sulk. Yuki helped Haruka wipe her eyes, following her to the back of their cell. "I'm sorry about Tsuyo." Haruka apologized to him. "He seems to think that he's got to keep me all to himself."

"It's alright." Yuki sighed, sitting down beside her. "But it makes sense, you know. What he said."

"What do you mean?" Haruka asked.

"I know you don't mean to, but this situation...how can you help it?" Yuki sighed. "I'm here for you, but would it really matter if it was someone else in here with you? Wouldn't you have let Tsuyo or Sekatsu see you cry?"

"I don't..." Haruka looked up at Yuki in confusion, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm no better than the rest of us. No worse, maybe, but no better. Last night, when you were scared, would you have slept alone if it was Tsuyo in my bed? Would it have really made a difference?" Yuki asked, moving on without giving Haruka a chance to answer. "All of them respect you, and so do I, Haruka. You've had it worse than any of us since we've been here, but you deal with it. No one can miss you, or pass you off as ordinary. Strong, compassionate, a beautiful woman. That's what I see every time I look at you, whether you're smiling or crying. But through all of this, did you ever really look at me? Did you ever realize that I'm a man?"

"Yuki...you think it's all the same to me?" Haruka's voice was soft, but her jaw was set firmly. "You think I don't see you?"

"I...just..." Yuki felt his face heating with embarrassment. "When you talk like that...I feel like a child."

"Well, I am older than you." Haruka winked at him. "But not by that much." and with that, she gave him a playful kiss on the cheek. This only deepened Yuki's blush. "Do you think I'd let anyone hold me? Do you really think that you mean nothing to me?" Haruka stood up, her hands on her hips.

"What...do you mean?" Yuki gulped, stumbling to his feet so he wouldn't have to look up to her.

"I think of all you guys when I'm out there. It gets me through the day. But you...everyone else I want to protect." Haruka attempted to explain.

"And me?" Yuki asked.

"I just want to be here with you. Just to see your face, to hear your voice and feel your arms around me. That's more than enough for me." Haruka had hardly blinked before Yuki lunged forward, his heart pounding wildly as he pressed his lips to hers. His clawed hands held her body carefully but firmly against him. He had never kissed a girl before, but he followed his instincts, and he had seen his parents kissing dozens of times. Still, it was hard to concentrate when Haruka, who'd had a few casual boyfriends in her time, began to return the kiss.

"Hey! Hey, Yuki! Get off of her!" Tsuyo was going wild, and his yells caused the two to jump apart blushing as well as waking up the rest of the prisoners.

"What's going on?" Sekatsu's voice was sleep-filled as he immediately stumbled across his cell to make sure nothing was wrong with Amai. The youkai girl was perfectly fine, but was looking around blearily for the source of the disturbance.

"Hey! You get away from Amai!" Nigai, only half awake before, sprung up and ran to his bars at the sight of Sekatsu's hand on his sister's arm. "Stupid human, don't touch her!"

"Yuki's all over Haruka! He's taking advantage of her!" Tsuyo was still yelling, and together with Nigai, they shattered the earlier quiet of the dungeon into oblivion.

"I didn't do anything!" Sekatsu called out, removing his hand from Amai's arm as he backed away from the slightly confused girl.

"Quit spying on us!" Yuki shouted at Tsuyo, angry at the interruption and the blush that stained his cheeks.

"I wouldn't have to if you'd keep your claws off of her!" Tsuyo was furious.

"Just keep away from her." Nigai was calming down now, more interested in the other fight going on in the cells next to them.

"Don't be such a baby, Tsuyo! It's my decision to be with whoever I want! You can't stop me!" Haruka shouted, her cheeks stained red, though it was hard to judge if the color was the result of embarrassment or anger or both.

"What do you want with him? You barely even know him!" Tsuyo argued. "Sekatsu and I...we've known you since we could barely walk! And you never gave a damn!"

"You know that's not true!" Haruka hitched her blanket more tightly around herself, noticing it had slipped a bit when she kissed Yuki. Jutting out her chin indignantly, she continued. "I gave you two every chance, but you just...you were too busy trying to grab me to really become my friend!"

"We were always there for you!" Tsuyo howled. "But then you meet this fanged creep with a tail, and you just fall in love with him? What the hell is that supposed to mean? He didn't even try to get you!"

"I never...said I loved him." Haruka looked around uncomfortably. "I don't really know how I feel now...but it's my choice."

"You can't make her choices for her no matter how she feels." Yuki put a protective arm around her shoulder.

"I...just wish all of us could be friends." Haruka sighed wearily, letting Yuki guide her to the back of the cell again as Tsuyo's mind swirled in a confusion of anger and guilt.

*****

The End (Of Part 9 That Is)