This is the edited version of this chapter. (From my edit of chapters 1-11)

Anyway, Inuyasha doesn't belong to me, but to Takahashi Rumiko, and other companies like Shonen Sunday and Sunrise. Created characters belong to me, not like most people would want to use them. And you may notice that I translate everything (except Shikon no Tama...Jewel of the Four Souls is a bit too long...) into English. Well, because not everyone knows Japanese, even a little bit...but be assured that I do know the names in Japanese, and lot more than that. :) (Nihongo o senkou shiteiru no desu.) Anyway, on with the story!

The Next Best Thing
Chapter Two: Familiar Faces
by Laura Hoak-Kagey

"Mama, mama, hurry up! You promised me and Shinhaku we could ride on Kirara!" Yumemi continued to tug at Sango's kimono even after she had finished her whining plea.

On the other side of Sango was her other child, her son Shinhaku. "Mama! Hurry up! We wanna go now!"

Sango dried her hands, took her two children by the hands, and started for the door. "Alright, alright. First you wanted to eat, then you didn't want to help me and Papa with cleaning up, and now you want to ride Kirara. Is there anything else you want?"

Miroku smiled as he saw his family heading for the door. He walked over to the door, to see them off. It was a treat for the kids whenever Sango gave in to letting them ride Kirara. He had to admit that ever since Sango had given birth to the twins she had become a bit more subdued in her ways. The fire was still there, which if it ever went out he didn't know what he would do, but motherhood seemed to suit her more than he would have thought. At least she didn't think of her dead, younger brother, Kohaku, very often these days. He had been more than willing to let Sango name their son, Shinhaku, after him.

He made it outside, and then said, "Shinhaku, Yumemi, please be good for your mother. I don't want anything happening to you. Do you understand?"

Yumemi and Shinhaku nodded. Miroku then crouched down, and the two children ran to give him a hug. "We'll be good, Papa."

"Yeah, we won't give Mama or Kirara any problems. And we can tell ya all about it later."

Miroku ruffled the hair of each child before turning them towards their mother. "All right then, have fun. Sango, please don't be too daring and be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you, either."

Sango strode over to Miroku and gave him a grin. "Me? Daring? Naw, I never do that. Anyways, the kids'll be fine. I'll try to get back before the moon rises, okay? Until then, stay out of trouble."

She gave him a kiss goodbye, and then she helped Yumemi and Shinhaku mount Kirara. The three of them waved goodbye to Miroku as they started for the nearby forest.

*~*~*

Sakura woke up and rubbed her eyes. She remembered a strange light surrounding her and her mommy, but she didn't remember what happened after that. After she opened her eyes, she found her mommy next to her, looking as if she was sleeping peacefully. "She must be taking a nap. Mommy did look tired before."

She then stood up, and took a better look around her. The woods were like the woods near her home, but when she had almost turned a complete circle, she stopped. There was an old wooden well. "It looks like the one at home. Why is it outside? Where did we go?"
Sakura sat back down, next to her mommy's side. "Mommy? Mommy? Are you asleep?"

After Sakura had pushed Kagome's bangs to the side, she saw that her mommy's brows rose, and knitted together, as if in frustration. She had to be asleep, Sakura thought to herself.

Sakura was about to make herself more comfortable when she heard a sound off to the side. She looked up and saw a cute little animal. She wasn't sure what it was, but it looked a little like Buyo. [Well, I dunno know how long Mommy's gonna sleep. I'll just go and pet it. I'll come back before she wakes up. I go into the woods all the time by myself. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself.]

Giving herself a self-assured nod, Sakura stood up and slowly crept towards the cute cat-like creature. Just as she got near it, it dashed a few feet away. Sakura came close again, and this time it started walking away from the well. Not realizing how far into the woods she was going, Sakura continued to follow it. She was only thinking of reaching the animal, and of nothing else. It was still daylight out, so she wasn't afraid of anything.

*~*~*

Kagome scrunched her hands up, and felt the grass underneath her. Where...then she remembered. She had gone inside the well in order to get Buyo, but instead, her and Sakura had been surrounded by that light. She had managed to get them both out of the well, but after that, Kagome didn't remember anything.

She sat up, rubbing her forehead, and then opened her eyes. Sakura was gone. "Where is she? Sakura? Sakura!"
Kagome jumped to her feet, and looked all around the well. Sakura was nowhere to be found. This made Kagome a little scared.

"Sakura, where could you go? You know you shouldn't run off by yourself..."

[Of course she probably thinks that this is just the woods next to our home. If she only knew how dangerous it could be. I have to find her! She's my life, and if anything happens to her...no, don't think like that Kagome. When people think negative thoughts, they tend to happen. She'll be fine.]

Kagome noticed some broken branches on a bush, and started in that direction. It was the only clue she had to go by, and she hoped it would be the right way. If this was the Warring States Period, Kagome knew that this country was huge, and trying to find someone was hard to do.

She was just about to bend down to look at another seemingly broken branch when Kagome felt a sudden pain on the back of her head. As she started to lose consciousness, she felt someone catch her before she fell to the ground.

*~*~*

The sky was beginning to dim when Sango contemplated going home or not. Having children in the woods in the dark was not the safest place to have them.

Kirara paused as Sango stroked behind her ear and then Sango turned her head over her shoulder. She was about to tell Shinhaku and Yumemi that it was time to go home when her ears picked up a faint sound. Even though Sango had become a mother and a wife, she still had her Demon Hunter instincts. It sounded like...a child crying.

"Kirara, look after Shinhaku and Yumemi." She paused to see Kirara nod before she continued, "Yumemi, Shinhaku, I want you two to stay here. I think I hear something, so I'm gonna go and check it out. If you two aren't here when I get back, you don't wanna know the punishment you'll get. Understood?"

She saw them both nod. At that signal, Sango started toward the sound. It couldn't be more than 100 feet away. She was careful not to make a sound just in case this was some kind of trap. When she was near the source, she stopped and managed to look from behind a tree; it was indeed a child crying.

Sango approached the child. She was adorable, with light blue hair, and a certain cheerfulness about her face that looked familiar. "Are you okay dear? Are you lost?"

The girl stopped crying to look at the woman in front of her. She didn't look like a bad person, but she remembered what her mommy had told her about strangers, so she kept quiet.

Sango took a step closer. Why was she feeling the faintest hint of a demon nearby? She quickly surveyed the surroundings and didn't see anything in the surrounding area. She crouched so that she was at the little girl's eye level. "What's your name? I'm Sango. Don't worry. I won't hurt you. If you're lost, I can take you home and then we can look for your parents. I have two children near your age, and I'm sure they'd be happy to meet you. How about it?"

After Sango put a hand out, the little girl decided that this lady was a good person. She didn't know why she thought that, but she trusted her instincts. "My name's Sakura."

"Sakura? What a pretty name. Are you hungry? I don't live far from here."

Sakura nodded, and because it had started to become dark and she was filling with fear, Sakura jumped into Sango's chest, and hugged her tight. "I want my mommy. And I'm hungry and tired. I just wanted to pet the cute animal, but I got lost..."

Sango smiled. So the girl had been with her mother. Sango didn't want to take Sakura far from here, but she needed to get her own kids home before she could go looking for Sakura's mother.

Sango picked Sakura up, and started walking back to where she had left Kirara. Sakura kept mumbling about being sleepy, and by the time Sango returned to where her children and Kirara were, Sakura had fallen asleep. Sango smiled at the little girl. Her face was so pleasant, and yet so familiar. Maybe Sango had met the child's mother.

Shinhaku and Yumemi looked about ready to burst with a million questions after their mama returned with the little girl. Sango shushed them. "I'll tell you after we get home. She's asleep and I don't wanna wake her up."

*~*~*

Sango arrived home just after the sun had set completely. She called to Miroku, "Miroku! Come help me! You won't believe what I found and what happened!"

Miroku walked out of the doorway, with a face full of relief. "Sango. Thank goodness you came home. I was beginning to worry. I have news as well. Inuyasha came back. He has just gone out for a walk, and said he'll come back soon. He didn't say much, but I was glad he was still alive and well. As well as he could be anyway."

It was then that Miroku took notice of the child in Sango's arms. He took a step forward to get a closer look. "A child? Where did she come from?"

"Yes, a child. That's why I had shouted at you. Anyway, I found her lost and crying in the woods, so I brought her home. After she sleeps and has something to eat I'm gonna look for her mother. It's been bugging me the whole way home...Miroku, does her face seem familiar to you? I can't quite place it..."

Miroku brushed the hair from the little girl's face. She did seem familiar. Just like... [] No, it couldn't be. Kagome?! It has to be me just imagining things. Kagome has been long gone...

Rather than get Sango's imagination going, Miroku decided not to say anything about his guess. "I don't know. Anyway, please come in, all of you. It's becoming dark and late. Besides, pretty soon Inuyasha should be back."

He then took the hand of each of his children, and said directly to them. "I guess you guys want to go to bed and not wait up for Uncle Inuyasha, right? I know you don't want to seem him..."

"Papa! We haven't seen him in sooooo long! Please let us stay up!" Yumemi had started whining, in her sweet whiney voice and it usually worked when it came to her papa.

"Yeah, papa! Besides, riding Kirara has made us wide awake! We aren't tired!" Shinhaku's method of whining included tugging Miroku's hand several times.

Miroku chuckled to himself. "Don't worry. I'll let you stay up. Right, Sango?"

Sango smiled, and nodded. She couldn't help but smile when she looked at her family. Hugging Sakura tighter, trying not to think of how worried the girl's mother had to be, she replied. "Of course. Besides, you guys need something to eat. I'm starving, and I wanna eat! Let's go inside!"

She nudged Miroku forward, and they all headed inside.

*~*~*

Inuyasha had hoped that Sango, Miroku and their children would've all been home. He hadn't been feeling as optimistic as he could have lately and he had delayed coming back solely because he was starting to doubt if Kagome would ever come back. The moment he had noticed she was gone while he was still in the well, in the Warring States Period, Inuyasha had felt a pain in his heart. He had tried several times to go back, but for some reason, it seemed that neither him or Kagome could use the Bone-eater's Well anymore.

Rather than stay and live near Miroku and Sango, later their children as well, he had gone on a mission. He used to think that there had to be some way to get to Kagome again. She had promised him that she wouldn't leave him alone, ever. Inuyasha knew that Kagome would never intentionally break that promise, but it had been lonelier than he had ever known for nearly six years. If it weren't for his friends, Inuyasha would have probably become some kind of hermit, living by himself, always avoiding people.

"But Inuyasha. You do have your friends. So snap out of it. It's about time to head back, anyway. Sango knows better than to keep her kids out in the dark." He said to himself.

Inuyasha started back. He did look forward to seeing Sango, Miroku, and their two children. Inuyasha had always wondered if Kagome and he would have had children by now and what would they have looked like? As his head filled with dreams and fantasies, he headed back for Sango and Miroku's home.

*~*~*

Sango was just about ready to wake Sakura up for a meal when she felt a presence nearby. She recognized who it was, and decided to let Sakura sleep. She wasn't sure how the little girl would react to seeing a demon, even if he was only a half demon.

"Inuyasha, come in already! It's been so long!" Sango stood up and strode to the door. Sure enough, Inuyasha was only a few feet from it.

"Sango. Glad ya got back before dark. How've ya been?" Inuyasha took a step into the hut when he stopped dead in his tracks. That scent. Why did it smell faintly of Kagome? And why did it smell faintly of another demon?

"Sango, have you checked the surroundings? It smells like a demon nearby." He turned towards the yard out front, and looked quickly around with his eyes, but he didn't see anything. It felt more like the scent was coming from inside the hut.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? I've checked, like I do every night. There's no one but you here. Why are you so paranoid? Your face looks pale as well. Is anything wrong?"

"I dunno." He took a few steps into the house before continuing. "It's not only the scent of another demon. It-it smells faintly of...Kagome."

"Kagome?" Sango's eyes widened as she realized something. She turned towards Sakura, to find the girl had woken up and was staring at Inuyasha.

"Sango, who's the funny looking guy? Why does he have dog ears?" Being in the innocence of youth allowed Sakura to be able to say whatever she wanted to, not caring how it might be interpreted.

Inuyasha looked at the girl. "Who's the girl, Sango? Where'd she come from?"

"Um, I found her lost in the woods. Inuyasha, a favor? Could you watch her for a second? I need to tell Miroku something important. Don't worry, Yumemi and Shinhaku are in their room for the moment. Her name's Sakura. Thanks." Sango took a hold of Miroku's hand and dragged him outside.

Inuyasha took on a puzzled look as Sango and Miroku left the hut. What was it that she had to do at this exact second? He then turned towards the little girl. He was actually good with kids and he hoped this little girl wouldn't find him scary because of his appearance.

"Sakura, huh? My name's Inuyasha." As he sat down next to her, the faint scent of Kagome grew stronger. Why did this little girl smell of Kagome? No way...Kagome couldn't have married, had children, and somehow one of them had found their way here via the well? No way...Kagome couldn't have found someone else to love that easily, could she? He couldn't believe it...

*~*~*

Miroku rubbed his hand after Sango had let go of it. "Ow, why did you do that all of the sudden?"

"Miroku, now's not the time to get me started. That girl. Doesn't she look like Kagome? Her face, it's a bit younger, but it looks like her, I swear."

Miroku sighed. So she had guessed the same as he. "I thought as much. But why would Kagome's child be here? Where's Kagome? She wouldn't leave her daughter running free in this place."

Sango crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know. But when Inuyasha said he smelt a faint scent of Kagome, that's what made me think of it. Besides, the girl said she was with her mother. What if Kagome did come back? Where is she? She should remember these woods, and would have come to see if Kaede still lived here. Even though Kaede passed away last year, she would have found us instead. I'm beginning to worry..."

Miroku took a step toward his wife, and put a comforting arm over her shoulders. "In the morning let's look for her. We might be able to find the answers to our questions by asking Sakura herself. She may be a child, but she can speak and answer questions. Let's try that, and see where we go from there. Okay?"

Sango gave a weak smile and nodded. "Tomorrow. For now, let's try to see what Sakura knows. Most kids don't know the name of their parents at that age, but maybe Sakura knows her last name? Unless Kagome had married and changed her name, it would be the same..."

The pair of them started back for the hut.
========
Well, end of Chapter Two. :) You just might be wondering *where* is Kagome. We'll, to find that out, you'll have to read the next chapters!
June 2001
http://animeforever.com/inuyasha