CHRISTMAS PRESENT:
Poverty
"WHAT?" InuYasha asked incredulously. "Another one? What have I done to any of you that is so wrong?!"
"I told you," Miroku explained, "it's your behavior. You've grown greedy, and hateful. . . heartless. And you haven't told me why. Why, InuYasha? Why were you so cold to Kikyou, the woman you loved, that night? What happened to you?"
"That night. . . " InuYasha began,"it was her fault. If she was willing to end it just because I had to go to one lousy emergency, then I must not have been that important to her."
"But you were," Sango said. "She was trying to get you to stay. All you did was hurt her by making her think that *she* wasn't at all important to *you*."
"And," Miroku added, "she had just told you that she loved you. She said it twice. Why would she lie?"
InuYasha looked down at his hands. Why had he been such an idiot? Why? "I know now. . . " he said. "I was an idiot. . . " Then his expression became placid once again. "But I wouldn't be were I am today if I hadn't left her that night. And I like where I am."
"Lonely? With nothing to comfort you but your possessions?" Miroku asked. "You can't make love to money."
"So what?!" InuYasha yelled. "I left her! I don't need any one! And I'm not lonely!"
Sango sighed. "Miroku, why don't you let me try from another angle, ne?"
Miroku nodded and stepped back.
Sango took InuYasha's arm, and he jerked away. "What are you gonna do?" he growled.
"There is something you need to see," Sango told him calmly. "Come with me." She reached out to take his arm again, and, out of curiosity, he let her.
A swirl of white light and wind surrounded them, and when it faded away, he and Sango were standing outside Kaede's Orphanage.
"The Orphanage? So what?"
"Why don't we go inside?" Sango asked, still holding onto his arm. She led him inside, past a front desk, and down a hallway into a large room. The air was warm from the fireplace in the large room, and children in over- sized clothing ran about, playing and giggling. In a corner was a large, crooked Christmas tree, and on it, bright red Christmas decorations, all of them hand made. A paper chain was wrapped around the tree in a spiral, and there were frames with macaroni glued around the edges that hung as ornaments. There was a frame for every child, his or her picture smiling from inside it.
A large old-fashioned chair sat by the fireplace, and sitting in it was the old woman Kaede. The small Shippou was sitting in her lap. Sango led him over to where they were. "Don't try to talk to them," she told InuYasha, "they can't see or hear us."
"Miss Kaede," Shippou said, "Do we have enough money for Christmas dinner tomorrow?"
"Don't ye worry about that, little Shippou," she told him. "We will have a dinner."
"Will we have turkey?" Shippou asked excitedly. "And mashed potatoes, and gravey, and biscuits, and pumpkin pie-"
"All right, Shippou!" Kaede interrupted him. "Don't ye worry, I said! Time for bed. St. Nicholas needs everyone to be asleep for him when he comes with yer gifts." She pick the little boy up and sat him on her hip, and he yawned.
"I hope Santa doesn't bring me socks again," the boy said sleepily.
Kaede laughed and made her way through the room. Sango and InuYasha followed her down the drafty hallway and into an even draftier room lined with beds. Wool blankets covered each bed, and cotton sheets of different colors lay beneath them. The moon shined into the room from the large window at the far end wall.
Kaede put the little boy in his bed and tucked him in tight. "Be warm," she wished him. "And tomorrow will be Christmas."
"And we'll have turkey?!"
"Sleep now, little Shippou!" Kaede whispered.
"Good night Miss Kaede."
"Sleep well."
Sango and InuYasha followed her back out of the room. When she shut the door, the old woman sighed and shook her head.
Another young woman of about 20 years old came over to her.
"Miss Kaede? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. I'm just worried. I wish I could give the children a dream feast tomorrow. . . but no one donated enough money."
They began to walk slowly back down to the large room. "Miss Kaede. . . " the young woman said, "we will do what we can. The children. . . " she sighed, "the children may not care. . . "
"That they will, Sarah. Shippou is expecting a magnificent banquet. . . we only had enough money for two small turkeys and thirty potatoes. . . that will never feed everyone."
"Ooooh, people make me so angry!" Sarah exclaimed. "They sit there in their nice homes with enough turkey and food for an army, while there are children starving here! And that InuYasha Tokunawa! He has enough money to feed a country, yet he donates not a cent to us! These children have broken hearts on Christmas," Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "No child. . . no child should be so unhappy on Christmas."
"Do not worry," Kaede comforted the younger woman. "We will pray for a better Christmas day next year. Meanwhile, we need to go see the cooks about the menu tomorrow. It won't be a good one, but it will feed the children."
Their voices and images began to fade, and the white swirl once again surrounded Sango and InuYasha. When the swirl subsided, were back outside the orphanage.
"What do you think, InuYasha?" Sango asked him. She was still gripping is arm.
"About what?"
"The children, you heartless imbecile! They are starving, and these women are doing everything they can for them! You heard Miss Sarah speak of you. And she spoke the truth. Why don't you donate?"
"Because I. . . " InuYasha growled, but then he stopped, and his eyebrows drew together in slow realization. "Because I don't care," he said softly.
"Yes!" Sango said with hope. "You are beginning to realize! You can do something about their food shortage! You can feed little Shippou and all of those other children like him! Why don't you?!"
InuYasha looked at her, and said feebly, "It is my money, and I'll do with it what I wish."
Sango's expression fell. "That didn't convince you. . . Well, then. . . maybe *this* will."
Before InuYasha could argue or protest, the familiar white swirl took them again, and this time they materialized in front of a small home in a poorer part of the neighborhood.
"Where are we now?" InuYasha asked.
"This is your brother's home. . . as small as it is. But it's his home, all the same. It's also more of a home than you'll ever have, if you don't change." She began to walk, tugging his arm with her, and they went inside.
There was a small living room, decorated with pictures of his father, InuYasha saw, and even an old one of his mother, before she died. There were other pictures around those, presumably Kagome's family. There was even one of Kikyou. Though she was only a friend of their small family, she was like family, InuYasha realized.
A small, cozy tree sat in a corner by the fireplace. Under it were small presents, only about five or six, wrapped in brown paper, and cheap bows.
The room was empty until a small girl with long black hair entered the room. She walked on a pink crutch. . . it was Rin. 'My niece,' InuYasha realized. She was about six or seven, now. The last time he had seen her, she'd been too small to walk. And now she was, but just hardly. He watched her waddle on her crutch to sit by the fireplace. She was making a string of popcorn and cranberries for the tree. 'She's a cripple. . . how did that happen?' InuYasha asked himself, his eyebrows drawn together once again.
"She had an accident when she was ice skating," Sango answered his thought. InuYasha looked at her, surprised. Sango continued. "She fell on her foot the wrong way. Her bones snapped, and with them, some nerves. You should've seen your brother. I've never seen him so scared. . . in fact, that was the only time I've ever seen him scared. The hospital bills are what put your brother so deeply in debt. They have no insurance, so they had to pay it all. They sold their first home, which was bigger than this one, and much nicer. They pawned things, and they even bought little food. But it still wasn't enough, and they ended up here." Sango leaned closer to InuYasha's ear and whispered, "Do you see your niece, InuYasha? Do you see her spirit? This poverty has phased her none. She deserves nicer than this. And so do her parents. They've gone through such harsh times. Unfair times. Do you care at all?"
"I-" InuYasha began, bit was quickly interrupted.
"Rin! Sweety! Dinner is ready!" It was Kagome, calling her from the small kitchen. Sango and InuYasha followed Rin into the room, and stood by the table.
'Kagome still looks beautiful. . . but tired,' InuYasha thought. 'It's been. . . four years since I last saw her.'
Kagome was stirring a pot of soup, and dipping it into three bowls. "Nothing like Campbell's," she sighed, smiling at her daughter.
"I like soup," Rin said in a cheery voice.
Then, the back door opened, and in came Sesshoumaru, his black boots sprinkled white with snow. He was carrying firewood.
"Was there enough?" Kagome asked him.
"Just barely," he replied, kissing her on the cheek. He went into the living room to feed the fire, then returned to the kitchen, removing his coat and scarf.
"Soup again," he commented.
"Yeah," Kagome replied. "But Rin likes it," she said, winking at the little girl.
Rin smiled an almost-toothless smile in return. The corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth lifted when he saw it, and he sat down at the table, turning back to Kagome. When she set his bowl down in front of him, he grabbed her wrist before she could turn away, and kissed her hand with a grin.
"Oh, stop it," Kagome muttered at him, trying to suppress a smile, while waving him off to return to the stove. Sesshoumaru smiled and snickered, and winked at Rin, and the little girl giggled.
InuYasha raised an eyebrow. 'I don't think I've heard him laugh since we were kids. But here, it seems like he does it all the time.'
Kagome joined them at the table, with her own bowl of soup.
"Can I say blessing?" Rin asked.
"It's your father's turn, tonight," Kagome said, looking pointedly at her husband.
Sesshoumaru smiled feebly in return, then entwined his fingers together at his chin, and closed his eyes. Kagome did so, as well, and Rin, too, who squeezed her eyes shut and swung her working foot absently.
"Lord," Sesshoumaru began, "We thank you for this food. We have hit rough times, and realize how lucky we are to be sharing this meal together. As a family."
With that, Kagome opened an eye to watch her husband.
Sesshoumaru continued, oblivious to her stare. "With Christmas tomorrow, we wish the world a night of peace, and pray that everyone is well with their own dinners. Amen."
"Amen." came Kagome's soft voice.
"Amen!" Rin exclaimed, then began to dig in to her soup.
Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome with a little bit of sadness in his eyes. Kagome looked back at him, and opened her mouth to say something, when Rin spoke up through a full mouth.
"Whr i Santer-"
"Swallow, Rin." Sesshoumaru commanded softly.
Rin did so, then began again. "When is Santa coming?"
"Very late tonight," Kagome answered her, "when all the little girls and boys are in bed and asleep."
"Will he eat the cookies I made him?"
"Of course," Sesshoumaru said. "He wouldn't ignore such a gift. And besides," he added, picking up his spoon, "Your cookies are delicious."
When they finished eating, they went into the living room. They finished Rin's popcorn string, wrapped it around the tree, and then, Rin wanted to read "The Night Before Christmas." Sesshoumaru took up the task, and Kagome listened with a smile, and giggled at Rin's plethora of comments and questions she asked through the entire story.
When the story was over, they put Rin to bed, and went into the kitchen.
Sango and InuYasha still watched in silence.
"What was that at blessing?" Kagome asked her husband from the sink, while he cleared the table.
"I just. . . " Sesshoumaru started, and then he put the dishes down at the sink and suddenly hugged his wife close to him.
"What is it?" she asked him.
"I wish we could give her better." Sesshoumaru said sadly.
Hugging her husband back, Kagome's eyes began to fill with tears, and she squeezed them shut, trying not to cry. "She is happy," she said, her voice breaking. "We're doing what we can."
"But we have so little. We couldn't even afford a ham for dinner tomorrow."
"She won't care."
"That's why she deserves it." Sesshoumaru still held Kagome to him, and he closed his eyes. "So much has happened to us. She's lost so much. . . use of a leg, a nice home. . . she keeps asking me about her 'Uncle InuYasha,' and if he'll be here tomorrow. I don't know what to tell her."
"She wants us all together," Kagome sighed, wiping her eyes and leaning her head on her husband's shoulder.
The watching InuYasha felt a large twinge of guilt in his heart at their words. Rin wanted him there?
"Well," Kagome said, attempting to cheer up, "at least your father and Kikyou will be here for dinner tomorrow. And Mama and Souta."
Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. "I just wish InuYasha was like he used to be. He used to be so much fun. He was a part of this family. But now. . . "
"Yes, well," Kagome smoothed Sesshoumaru's shirt across his chest, "I think he will join us when he's ready. We'll be waiting for him when he is."
Sesshoumaru kissed his wife meaningfully. "I'm glad you're here with me, Kagome. Where would we all be without you?"
She smiled skeptically. "Hmmmm. . . flattery will get you none, buddy," she joked.
Her husband smiled at her. "It was worth a try," he said back, kissing her again. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." she replied.
The white swirl came up around Sango and InuYasha again, surprising him this time. Sango had taken him back to his own bedroom. Miroku was nowhere to be seen.
"Now how do you feel?" Sango asked him, finally letting go of his arm.
"Guilty," he replied truthfully.
"Your family still loves you. You all need to reconcile."
InuYasha was silent in thought.
"One more question," Sango told him. He looked up expectantly.
"How do you feel about Christmas?"
"Christmas?" InuYasha asked himself. "Christmas is. . . well, okay, I guess. I still don't see why I should have anything to do with it."
"Ku, ku, ku. . . foolish InuYasha," came a deep male voice from the fireplace.
'What is it, now?' InuYasha thought in anguish.
"Naraku." Sango said.
InuYasha turned to the fireplace and saw a tall figure clad in a satin black cloak and downcast hood standing in front of it. The figure lifted his head, and took his hood off. A beautiful man with long, wavy black hair stood before them, and Sango stepped back.
"So it has to come to this," she said sadly.
"Come to what?" InuYasha asked her, fearful of the way she sounded.
"Yes," Naraku replied. "He still doesn't see the meaning."
"The meaning of what?" InuYasha inquired.
"Christmas, Foolish One. I am to show you something now that will change your mind about your ways forever."
Poverty
"WHAT?" InuYasha asked incredulously. "Another one? What have I done to any of you that is so wrong?!"
"I told you," Miroku explained, "it's your behavior. You've grown greedy, and hateful. . . heartless. And you haven't told me why. Why, InuYasha? Why were you so cold to Kikyou, the woman you loved, that night? What happened to you?"
"That night. . . " InuYasha began,"it was her fault. If she was willing to end it just because I had to go to one lousy emergency, then I must not have been that important to her."
"But you were," Sango said. "She was trying to get you to stay. All you did was hurt her by making her think that *she* wasn't at all important to *you*."
"And," Miroku added, "she had just told you that she loved you. She said it twice. Why would she lie?"
InuYasha looked down at his hands. Why had he been such an idiot? Why? "I know now. . . " he said. "I was an idiot. . . " Then his expression became placid once again. "But I wouldn't be were I am today if I hadn't left her that night. And I like where I am."
"Lonely? With nothing to comfort you but your possessions?" Miroku asked. "You can't make love to money."
"So what?!" InuYasha yelled. "I left her! I don't need any one! And I'm not lonely!"
Sango sighed. "Miroku, why don't you let me try from another angle, ne?"
Miroku nodded and stepped back.
Sango took InuYasha's arm, and he jerked away. "What are you gonna do?" he growled.
"There is something you need to see," Sango told him calmly. "Come with me." She reached out to take his arm again, and, out of curiosity, he let her.
A swirl of white light and wind surrounded them, and when it faded away, he and Sango were standing outside Kaede's Orphanage.
"The Orphanage? So what?"
"Why don't we go inside?" Sango asked, still holding onto his arm. She led him inside, past a front desk, and down a hallway into a large room. The air was warm from the fireplace in the large room, and children in over- sized clothing ran about, playing and giggling. In a corner was a large, crooked Christmas tree, and on it, bright red Christmas decorations, all of them hand made. A paper chain was wrapped around the tree in a spiral, and there were frames with macaroni glued around the edges that hung as ornaments. There was a frame for every child, his or her picture smiling from inside it.
A large old-fashioned chair sat by the fireplace, and sitting in it was the old woman Kaede. The small Shippou was sitting in her lap. Sango led him over to where they were. "Don't try to talk to them," she told InuYasha, "they can't see or hear us."
"Miss Kaede," Shippou said, "Do we have enough money for Christmas dinner tomorrow?"
"Don't ye worry about that, little Shippou," she told him. "We will have a dinner."
"Will we have turkey?" Shippou asked excitedly. "And mashed potatoes, and gravey, and biscuits, and pumpkin pie-"
"All right, Shippou!" Kaede interrupted him. "Don't ye worry, I said! Time for bed. St. Nicholas needs everyone to be asleep for him when he comes with yer gifts." She pick the little boy up and sat him on her hip, and he yawned.
"I hope Santa doesn't bring me socks again," the boy said sleepily.
Kaede laughed and made her way through the room. Sango and InuYasha followed her down the drafty hallway and into an even draftier room lined with beds. Wool blankets covered each bed, and cotton sheets of different colors lay beneath them. The moon shined into the room from the large window at the far end wall.
Kaede put the little boy in his bed and tucked him in tight. "Be warm," she wished him. "And tomorrow will be Christmas."
"And we'll have turkey?!"
"Sleep now, little Shippou!" Kaede whispered.
"Good night Miss Kaede."
"Sleep well."
Sango and InuYasha followed her back out of the room. When she shut the door, the old woman sighed and shook her head.
Another young woman of about 20 years old came over to her.
"Miss Kaede? Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. I'm just worried. I wish I could give the children a dream feast tomorrow. . . but no one donated enough money."
They began to walk slowly back down to the large room. "Miss Kaede. . . " the young woman said, "we will do what we can. The children. . . " she sighed, "the children may not care. . . "
"That they will, Sarah. Shippou is expecting a magnificent banquet. . . we only had enough money for two small turkeys and thirty potatoes. . . that will never feed everyone."
"Ooooh, people make me so angry!" Sarah exclaimed. "They sit there in their nice homes with enough turkey and food for an army, while there are children starving here! And that InuYasha Tokunawa! He has enough money to feed a country, yet he donates not a cent to us! These children have broken hearts on Christmas," Sarah's eyes filled with tears. "No child. . . no child should be so unhappy on Christmas."
"Do not worry," Kaede comforted the younger woman. "We will pray for a better Christmas day next year. Meanwhile, we need to go see the cooks about the menu tomorrow. It won't be a good one, but it will feed the children."
Their voices and images began to fade, and the white swirl once again surrounded Sango and InuYasha. When the swirl subsided, were back outside the orphanage.
"What do you think, InuYasha?" Sango asked him. She was still gripping is arm.
"About what?"
"The children, you heartless imbecile! They are starving, and these women are doing everything they can for them! You heard Miss Sarah speak of you. And she spoke the truth. Why don't you donate?"
"Because I. . . " InuYasha growled, but then he stopped, and his eyebrows drew together in slow realization. "Because I don't care," he said softly.
"Yes!" Sango said with hope. "You are beginning to realize! You can do something about their food shortage! You can feed little Shippou and all of those other children like him! Why don't you?!"
InuYasha looked at her, and said feebly, "It is my money, and I'll do with it what I wish."
Sango's expression fell. "That didn't convince you. . . Well, then. . . maybe *this* will."
Before InuYasha could argue or protest, the familiar white swirl took them again, and this time they materialized in front of a small home in a poorer part of the neighborhood.
"Where are we now?" InuYasha asked.
"This is your brother's home. . . as small as it is. But it's his home, all the same. It's also more of a home than you'll ever have, if you don't change." She began to walk, tugging his arm with her, and they went inside.
There was a small living room, decorated with pictures of his father, InuYasha saw, and even an old one of his mother, before she died. There were other pictures around those, presumably Kagome's family. There was even one of Kikyou. Though she was only a friend of their small family, she was like family, InuYasha realized.
A small, cozy tree sat in a corner by the fireplace. Under it were small presents, only about five or six, wrapped in brown paper, and cheap bows.
The room was empty until a small girl with long black hair entered the room. She walked on a pink crutch. . . it was Rin. 'My niece,' InuYasha realized. She was about six or seven, now. The last time he had seen her, she'd been too small to walk. And now she was, but just hardly. He watched her waddle on her crutch to sit by the fireplace. She was making a string of popcorn and cranberries for the tree. 'She's a cripple. . . how did that happen?' InuYasha asked himself, his eyebrows drawn together once again.
"She had an accident when she was ice skating," Sango answered his thought. InuYasha looked at her, surprised. Sango continued. "She fell on her foot the wrong way. Her bones snapped, and with them, some nerves. You should've seen your brother. I've never seen him so scared. . . in fact, that was the only time I've ever seen him scared. The hospital bills are what put your brother so deeply in debt. They have no insurance, so they had to pay it all. They sold their first home, which was bigger than this one, and much nicer. They pawned things, and they even bought little food. But it still wasn't enough, and they ended up here." Sango leaned closer to InuYasha's ear and whispered, "Do you see your niece, InuYasha? Do you see her spirit? This poverty has phased her none. She deserves nicer than this. And so do her parents. They've gone through such harsh times. Unfair times. Do you care at all?"
"I-" InuYasha began, bit was quickly interrupted.
"Rin! Sweety! Dinner is ready!" It was Kagome, calling her from the small kitchen. Sango and InuYasha followed Rin into the room, and stood by the table.
'Kagome still looks beautiful. . . but tired,' InuYasha thought. 'It's been. . . four years since I last saw her.'
Kagome was stirring a pot of soup, and dipping it into three bowls. "Nothing like Campbell's," she sighed, smiling at her daughter.
"I like soup," Rin said in a cheery voice.
Then, the back door opened, and in came Sesshoumaru, his black boots sprinkled white with snow. He was carrying firewood.
"Was there enough?" Kagome asked him.
"Just barely," he replied, kissing her on the cheek. He went into the living room to feed the fire, then returned to the kitchen, removing his coat and scarf.
"Soup again," he commented.
"Yeah," Kagome replied. "But Rin likes it," she said, winking at the little girl.
Rin smiled an almost-toothless smile in return. The corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth lifted when he saw it, and he sat down at the table, turning back to Kagome. When she set his bowl down in front of him, he grabbed her wrist before she could turn away, and kissed her hand with a grin.
"Oh, stop it," Kagome muttered at him, trying to suppress a smile, while waving him off to return to the stove. Sesshoumaru smiled and snickered, and winked at Rin, and the little girl giggled.
InuYasha raised an eyebrow. 'I don't think I've heard him laugh since we were kids. But here, it seems like he does it all the time.'
Kagome joined them at the table, with her own bowl of soup.
"Can I say blessing?" Rin asked.
"It's your father's turn, tonight," Kagome said, looking pointedly at her husband.
Sesshoumaru smiled feebly in return, then entwined his fingers together at his chin, and closed his eyes. Kagome did so, as well, and Rin, too, who squeezed her eyes shut and swung her working foot absently.
"Lord," Sesshoumaru began, "We thank you for this food. We have hit rough times, and realize how lucky we are to be sharing this meal together. As a family."
With that, Kagome opened an eye to watch her husband.
Sesshoumaru continued, oblivious to her stare. "With Christmas tomorrow, we wish the world a night of peace, and pray that everyone is well with their own dinners. Amen."
"Amen." came Kagome's soft voice.
"Amen!" Rin exclaimed, then began to dig in to her soup.
Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome with a little bit of sadness in his eyes. Kagome looked back at him, and opened her mouth to say something, when Rin spoke up through a full mouth.
"Whr i Santer-"
"Swallow, Rin." Sesshoumaru commanded softly.
Rin did so, then began again. "When is Santa coming?"
"Very late tonight," Kagome answered her, "when all the little girls and boys are in bed and asleep."
"Will he eat the cookies I made him?"
"Of course," Sesshoumaru said. "He wouldn't ignore such a gift. And besides," he added, picking up his spoon, "Your cookies are delicious."
When they finished eating, they went into the living room. They finished Rin's popcorn string, wrapped it around the tree, and then, Rin wanted to read "The Night Before Christmas." Sesshoumaru took up the task, and Kagome listened with a smile, and giggled at Rin's plethora of comments and questions she asked through the entire story.
When the story was over, they put Rin to bed, and went into the kitchen.
Sango and InuYasha still watched in silence.
"What was that at blessing?" Kagome asked her husband from the sink, while he cleared the table.
"I just. . . " Sesshoumaru started, and then he put the dishes down at the sink and suddenly hugged his wife close to him.
"What is it?" she asked him.
"I wish we could give her better." Sesshoumaru said sadly.
Hugging her husband back, Kagome's eyes began to fill with tears, and she squeezed them shut, trying not to cry. "She is happy," she said, her voice breaking. "We're doing what we can."
"But we have so little. We couldn't even afford a ham for dinner tomorrow."
"She won't care."
"That's why she deserves it." Sesshoumaru still held Kagome to him, and he closed his eyes. "So much has happened to us. She's lost so much. . . use of a leg, a nice home. . . she keeps asking me about her 'Uncle InuYasha,' and if he'll be here tomorrow. I don't know what to tell her."
"She wants us all together," Kagome sighed, wiping her eyes and leaning her head on her husband's shoulder.
The watching InuYasha felt a large twinge of guilt in his heart at their words. Rin wanted him there?
"Well," Kagome said, attempting to cheer up, "at least your father and Kikyou will be here for dinner tomorrow. And Mama and Souta."
Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. "I just wish InuYasha was like he used to be. He used to be so much fun. He was a part of this family. But now. . . "
"Yes, well," Kagome smoothed Sesshoumaru's shirt across his chest, "I think he will join us when he's ready. We'll be waiting for him when he is."
Sesshoumaru kissed his wife meaningfully. "I'm glad you're here with me, Kagome. Where would we all be without you?"
She smiled skeptically. "Hmmmm. . . flattery will get you none, buddy," she joked.
Her husband smiled at her. "It was worth a try," he said back, kissing her again. "Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." she replied.
The white swirl came up around Sango and InuYasha again, surprising him this time. Sango had taken him back to his own bedroom. Miroku was nowhere to be seen.
"Now how do you feel?" Sango asked him, finally letting go of his arm.
"Guilty," he replied truthfully.
"Your family still loves you. You all need to reconcile."
InuYasha was silent in thought.
"One more question," Sango told him. He looked up expectantly.
"How do you feel about Christmas?"
"Christmas?" InuYasha asked himself. "Christmas is. . . well, okay, I guess. I still don't see why I should have anything to do with it."
"Ku, ku, ku. . . foolish InuYasha," came a deep male voice from the fireplace.
'What is it, now?' InuYasha thought in anguish.
"Naraku." Sango said.
InuYasha turned to the fireplace and saw a tall figure clad in a satin black cloak and downcast hood standing in front of it. The figure lifted his head, and took his hood off. A beautiful man with long, wavy black hair stood before them, and Sango stepped back.
"So it has to come to this," she said sadly.
"Come to what?" InuYasha asked her, fearful of the way she sounded.
"Yes," Naraku replied. "He still doesn't see the meaning."
"The meaning of what?" InuYasha inquired.
"Christmas, Foolish One. I am to show you something now that will change your mind about your ways forever."