YES! An update! It took me awhile (but not a month! *is proud*) It's the
weekend now, and I'd update more but I have homework to do. Maybe I'll fit
in another story update if I find the time. In the meantime, thanks SO much
for all the reviews, and I think I got a pretty emphatic NO on my idea for
a third story. I thought it was angsty, but almost all of you guys said no
and my two people that I know that read my fic both told me it was a
HORRIBLE idea, so I think I might not do it *sighs* I suppose it would
still be bad even if I just made her addicted but not abusive? *sigh* Oh
well. Enjoy the chappie!
***
"Tsuki! I'm home!" Kagome stuck her head outside to wave goodbye to Inuyasha before shutting the door behind her. "Where are you?" She let her backpack slide to the floor, slipping her shoes off before heading down the hall in search of her adoptive mother.
"I'm in the living room." Tsuki's voice was calm, something that mildly surprised Kagome. One of the first things she had noticed about Tsuki since moving in with her was that her emotions were always easily readable in both her face and voice. It was as endearing as it was comical. Someone else must have been in the house, it was the only thing that made sense.
"Hey!" She turned into the living room, all smiles, meeting the strangers gaze brightly.
"Kagome, this is Mrs. Takashi." The elderly woman smiled politely, without rising from her seat.
"Hi, nice to meet you." Kagome thought about offering her hand, but changed her mind. Instead, she took a seat across from the couch the other two sat at. "Is something wrong?" She looked at Tsuki when she asked, rather than at the visitor.
"No, nothing's wrong." The slight hesitation before the word 'wrong' would have gone unnoticed if Kagome hadn't been listening to catch it. Her smile more forced now, she turned to Mrs. Takashi, who lifted her briefcase onto her lap before speaking.
"Your father just recently had his trial." The way she said it made it sound like a question.
"Yes, that's correct." She tried to match the woman's professionalism. "He'll be in jail for life, and there's not a chance he'll get out for good behavior. I'm sorry, does this have something to do with him?" She shifted her gaze back and forth between the woman and Tsuki, her thoughts whirling inside her head. Why was anyone bringing this up again? It was supposed to be over.
"No." The woman shook her head, and a detached part of Kagome's mind notice that not a single strand of hair was out of place in the tight bun. "I represent your other biological parentage." Noticing Kagome's confused, if somewhat wary, expression, the woman continued. "I'm your mother's lawyer."
To a bystander, the room would have been as still and silent as a tomb, but the world seemed to rush around Kagome as she tried to verbalize her thoughts. "What?" She managed, barely noticing the breathlessness of her voice.
"Surely you knew your mother would be informed of your current situation." The lawyer's voice was reproving. "It just took awhile for her to get information about you, it's very hard to locate someone once they've been adopted. The agency wasn't being very cooperative."
"Why," She cleared her throat and tried again, keeping her eyes on Mrs. Takashi, willing herself not to look at her adoptive mother. "Why wasn't I asked first? What if I don't want to see her?"
The lawyer looked surprised. "She's your mother! You can't say you've never wondered about her all these years!"
Oh, she was good. Kagome's mind recognized both the tone of voice and the words spoken were to inspire sympathy for her biological mother. "That really doesn't matter." She found herself saying, her eyes firm as they held Mrs. Takashi's. "Do I, or do I not, get a say in whether or not I see her?"
The woman kept her eyes wide, as if surprised, as she replied. "Well, of course you do, though I never though . . . your mother would be so heartbroken if she could hear you now."
Kagome cocked her head. "As heartbroken as I was when I woke up and she was gone? As heartbroken as I was when I realized she took my brother and not me? As heartbroken as I was every time he hurt me? He cut me? He made me bleed? He spit on me? He called me ugly names? He nearly killed me?" Her voice remained filled with a detached calmness that sent chills down the spine of her listeners. "Will she cry herself to sleep every night for years because of anything I say or do to her?" She twisted her lips into an emotionless smile. "I doubt it."
There was an uncomfortable silence before the lawyer rose, pulling out a business card. "Well, I can see you're a little emotional about all of this. Why don't I let the two of you talk it over and you can get back to me when you've calmed down a bit?" She set the card on the table and walked out of the room. Neither Tsuki nor Kagome rose to show her out. A few seconds later they heard the sound of the door opening and closing.
"Kagome." Tsuki's voice sounded choked, and for the first time since the lawyer had identified herself, Kagome turned to look at her adoptive mother. She was startled to find tears running down her face. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know she would spring it on you like that. I told her to leave and let me handle it, but she insisted. She had all the legal documents, there was nothing I could do to prevent her from seeing you."
Kagome didn't say anything for a long moment. And when she did, her voice still held some of the coldness it had earlier. "It's not your fault." The tiredness of her own voice startled her. She felt world weary, like all of a sudden she just wasn't strong enough to deal with anything. "I'm going to go to my room, okay?"
She rose, and was almost out of the room when Tsuki spoke. "Are you," she had to clear her throat, forcing the words to come out. "Are you going to see her? I mean, it's okay if you want to, she's your mother after all. I don't mind, I really don't. If you want to be with her . . ." Her voice broke and Kagome's heart went out to her. In three quick strides she was at her side, wrapping her arms around her.
"She's not my mother." She assured the older woman, hugging her fiercely. "She was never, ever, there when I needed her. You were. I don't need her. I don't want her." Tsuki hugged her back, clinging to her like a life support.
"She wants custody of you." Tsuki's voice was soft, barely a whisper. "That's what Mrs. Takashi said. She's going to take it to court if I don't give in." She felt Kagome stiffen. "Don't worry, we're going to fight this. I love you as much as if you were my own daughter, and I won't let her take you from me. I was just afraid that you wanted to go. I know that she's the family you never had."
"She's the family that left me." Kagome said bluntly. "You're my family now, and she's not going to tear us apart." Briefly, Kagome thought about how much her attitude towards her mother had changed. She thought she had come to peace with everything, but perhaps not. Every time Tsuki came in at night, to wake her from her nightmares, or surprised her with little treats and presents, Kagome was reminded, at least subconsciously, that that was what a mother was supposed to do. Without even realizing it, those precious moments with Tsuki had begun to change her view of her mother. But she never realized just how much until now.
They stayed like that, holding each other, until the timer went off and Kagome excused herself to do homework. Once she was up in her room, she debated calling Inuyasha. She'd learned not to do everything herself, but she still felt guilty about unloading all her problems on him. Finally, she dialed the number, but no one was home.
As soon as she hung up, however, the phone rang. "Hello?" Kagome answered, half hoping it would be Inuyasha.
"Kagome?" It was Sango.
"Hey! We missed you after school today, I can't believe you had to stay after." Kagome wondered briefly if she should tell her friend. She knew Sango had been hurt that Kagome hadn't confided in her before.
"Yeah, well, I wasn't really paying attention. Besides, I would have felt like a third wheel with just you and Inuyasha." In spite of herself, Kagome blushed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She protested, toying with the phone cord.
Sango laughed. "You guys are obvious to everyone but each other, it's really kind of funny."
"Oh, shut up." Kagome muttered, grateful Sango couldn't see the redness of her face.
"Hey, do you want to . . ." Her voice trailed off, and she paused for a second before continuing. "Meet me at the park or something. Not to play basketball or anything, I know you won't play unless Inuyasha's there" She teased, but than her voice turned serious. "Just to talk?"
Kagome was about to decline, when Sango continued. "I just really need someone to talk to. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Okay." She found herself agreeing. "I'll meet you there in about fifteen minutes, alright?"
"That'll be fine." Her friend sounded relieved. "I'll see you there."
***
It had been awkward getting permission from Tsuki after what had just happened, but in the end Kagome convinced her. Now, she hurried along the path, searching for her friend.
"Kagome!" Sango called, waving to her from one of the benches. "Over here!"
Kagome acknowledged her with a wave and jogged over. "Hey." She sat down next to her friend, pulling her hair behind her ears. "What's up?"
Sango sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She looked tired, and Kagome found herself reaching out a hand to place on her shoulder. "My dad lost his job." She spoke bluntly, but barely making a sound. "They didn't give him any reason why, they just fired him. My dad wonders if maybe he made enemies in the company, but he can't think who. No one else will hire him either, he's been trying for days."
"Oh Sango!" She squeezed her friends shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Maybe I can help, we can look at the newspaper together and check it out online . . ." Her voice trailed off as Sango shook her head.
"We've been trying all that, no one is even willing to listen to him. The money's running out. My mom got a job at a thrift store but it's not paying much. I've been looking for jobs too, but so far there aren't any openings." She hung her head and Kagome gave her a little shake.
"Hey," When she didn't move, Kagome shook harder. "Hey!" She met her gaze. "Everything's going to be okay. There's got to be something you guys haven't tried yet, and whatever it is, we'll find it. We can do this!"
Sango gave a small smile. "We'll certainly try."
"No." Kagome stretched out the word, wearing a comical angered expression. "We're going to do it. If you say try, you've already failed."
Sango actually laughed. "Okay Yoda, whatever you say."
"You should listen to me. I am smart, that I am." She mocked, giggling herself at the end.
"And so modest." Sango's voice was sarcastic. The two friends stayed at the park until it got dark, brainstorming ideas to help Sango's dad. They hugged each other before leaving, Kagome fiercely assuring her that everything was going to be okay.
As she walked home, Kagome felt guilty about wanting to tell Sango her problems. Things weren't going so good for her friend, and Kagome needed to be there for her, not add to the burden. With new resolve, she headed home, promising herself to help her friend as much as she could.
***
Okay not the longest chapter, but I wanted to get it done today, and I have to do laundry and my mom just made chocolate cake and cabbage rolls! WOO HOO! I haven't eaten yet today, so I'm gonna pig out. Until next time!
***
"Tsuki! I'm home!" Kagome stuck her head outside to wave goodbye to Inuyasha before shutting the door behind her. "Where are you?" She let her backpack slide to the floor, slipping her shoes off before heading down the hall in search of her adoptive mother.
"I'm in the living room." Tsuki's voice was calm, something that mildly surprised Kagome. One of the first things she had noticed about Tsuki since moving in with her was that her emotions were always easily readable in both her face and voice. It was as endearing as it was comical. Someone else must have been in the house, it was the only thing that made sense.
"Hey!" She turned into the living room, all smiles, meeting the strangers gaze brightly.
"Kagome, this is Mrs. Takashi." The elderly woman smiled politely, without rising from her seat.
"Hi, nice to meet you." Kagome thought about offering her hand, but changed her mind. Instead, she took a seat across from the couch the other two sat at. "Is something wrong?" She looked at Tsuki when she asked, rather than at the visitor.
"No, nothing's wrong." The slight hesitation before the word 'wrong' would have gone unnoticed if Kagome hadn't been listening to catch it. Her smile more forced now, she turned to Mrs. Takashi, who lifted her briefcase onto her lap before speaking.
"Your father just recently had his trial." The way she said it made it sound like a question.
"Yes, that's correct." She tried to match the woman's professionalism. "He'll be in jail for life, and there's not a chance he'll get out for good behavior. I'm sorry, does this have something to do with him?" She shifted her gaze back and forth between the woman and Tsuki, her thoughts whirling inside her head. Why was anyone bringing this up again? It was supposed to be over.
"No." The woman shook her head, and a detached part of Kagome's mind notice that not a single strand of hair was out of place in the tight bun. "I represent your other biological parentage." Noticing Kagome's confused, if somewhat wary, expression, the woman continued. "I'm your mother's lawyer."
To a bystander, the room would have been as still and silent as a tomb, but the world seemed to rush around Kagome as she tried to verbalize her thoughts. "What?" She managed, barely noticing the breathlessness of her voice.
"Surely you knew your mother would be informed of your current situation." The lawyer's voice was reproving. "It just took awhile for her to get information about you, it's very hard to locate someone once they've been adopted. The agency wasn't being very cooperative."
"Why," She cleared her throat and tried again, keeping her eyes on Mrs. Takashi, willing herself not to look at her adoptive mother. "Why wasn't I asked first? What if I don't want to see her?"
The lawyer looked surprised. "She's your mother! You can't say you've never wondered about her all these years!"
Oh, she was good. Kagome's mind recognized both the tone of voice and the words spoken were to inspire sympathy for her biological mother. "That really doesn't matter." She found herself saying, her eyes firm as they held Mrs. Takashi's. "Do I, or do I not, get a say in whether or not I see her?"
The woman kept her eyes wide, as if surprised, as she replied. "Well, of course you do, though I never though . . . your mother would be so heartbroken if she could hear you now."
Kagome cocked her head. "As heartbroken as I was when I woke up and she was gone? As heartbroken as I was when I realized she took my brother and not me? As heartbroken as I was every time he hurt me? He cut me? He made me bleed? He spit on me? He called me ugly names? He nearly killed me?" Her voice remained filled with a detached calmness that sent chills down the spine of her listeners. "Will she cry herself to sleep every night for years because of anything I say or do to her?" She twisted her lips into an emotionless smile. "I doubt it."
There was an uncomfortable silence before the lawyer rose, pulling out a business card. "Well, I can see you're a little emotional about all of this. Why don't I let the two of you talk it over and you can get back to me when you've calmed down a bit?" She set the card on the table and walked out of the room. Neither Tsuki nor Kagome rose to show her out. A few seconds later they heard the sound of the door opening and closing.
"Kagome." Tsuki's voice sounded choked, and for the first time since the lawyer had identified herself, Kagome turned to look at her adoptive mother. She was startled to find tears running down her face. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know she would spring it on you like that. I told her to leave and let me handle it, but she insisted. She had all the legal documents, there was nothing I could do to prevent her from seeing you."
Kagome didn't say anything for a long moment. And when she did, her voice still held some of the coldness it had earlier. "It's not your fault." The tiredness of her own voice startled her. She felt world weary, like all of a sudden she just wasn't strong enough to deal with anything. "I'm going to go to my room, okay?"
She rose, and was almost out of the room when Tsuki spoke. "Are you," she had to clear her throat, forcing the words to come out. "Are you going to see her? I mean, it's okay if you want to, she's your mother after all. I don't mind, I really don't. If you want to be with her . . ." Her voice broke and Kagome's heart went out to her. In three quick strides she was at her side, wrapping her arms around her.
"She's not my mother." She assured the older woman, hugging her fiercely. "She was never, ever, there when I needed her. You were. I don't need her. I don't want her." Tsuki hugged her back, clinging to her like a life support.
"She wants custody of you." Tsuki's voice was soft, barely a whisper. "That's what Mrs. Takashi said. She's going to take it to court if I don't give in." She felt Kagome stiffen. "Don't worry, we're going to fight this. I love you as much as if you were my own daughter, and I won't let her take you from me. I was just afraid that you wanted to go. I know that she's the family you never had."
"She's the family that left me." Kagome said bluntly. "You're my family now, and she's not going to tear us apart." Briefly, Kagome thought about how much her attitude towards her mother had changed. She thought she had come to peace with everything, but perhaps not. Every time Tsuki came in at night, to wake her from her nightmares, or surprised her with little treats and presents, Kagome was reminded, at least subconsciously, that that was what a mother was supposed to do. Without even realizing it, those precious moments with Tsuki had begun to change her view of her mother. But she never realized just how much until now.
They stayed like that, holding each other, until the timer went off and Kagome excused herself to do homework. Once she was up in her room, she debated calling Inuyasha. She'd learned not to do everything herself, but she still felt guilty about unloading all her problems on him. Finally, she dialed the number, but no one was home.
As soon as she hung up, however, the phone rang. "Hello?" Kagome answered, half hoping it would be Inuyasha.
"Kagome?" It was Sango.
"Hey! We missed you after school today, I can't believe you had to stay after." Kagome wondered briefly if she should tell her friend. She knew Sango had been hurt that Kagome hadn't confided in her before.
"Yeah, well, I wasn't really paying attention. Besides, I would have felt like a third wheel with just you and Inuyasha." In spite of herself, Kagome blushed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" She protested, toying with the phone cord.
Sango laughed. "You guys are obvious to everyone but each other, it's really kind of funny."
"Oh, shut up." Kagome muttered, grateful Sango couldn't see the redness of her face.
"Hey, do you want to . . ." Her voice trailed off, and she paused for a second before continuing. "Meet me at the park or something. Not to play basketball or anything, I know you won't play unless Inuyasha's there" She teased, but than her voice turned serious. "Just to talk?"
Kagome was about to decline, when Sango continued. "I just really need someone to talk to. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Okay." She found herself agreeing. "I'll meet you there in about fifteen minutes, alright?"
"That'll be fine." Her friend sounded relieved. "I'll see you there."
***
It had been awkward getting permission from Tsuki after what had just happened, but in the end Kagome convinced her. Now, she hurried along the path, searching for her friend.
"Kagome!" Sango called, waving to her from one of the benches. "Over here!"
Kagome acknowledged her with a wave and jogged over. "Hey." She sat down next to her friend, pulling her hair behind her ears. "What's up?"
Sango sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She looked tired, and Kagome found herself reaching out a hand to place on her shoulder. "My dad lost his job." She spoke bluntly, but barely making a sound. "They didn't give him any reason why, they just fired him. My dad wonders if maybe he made enemies in the company, but he can't think who. No one else will hire him either, he's been trying for days."
"Oh Sango!" She squeezed her friends shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? Maybe I can help, we can look at the newspaper together and check it out online . . ." Her voice trailed off as Sango shook her head.
"We've been trying all that, no one is even willing to listen to him. The money's running out. My mom got a job at a thrift store but it's not paying much. I've been looking for jobs too, but so far there aren't any openings." She hung her head and Kagome gave her a little shake.
"Hey," When she didn't move, Kagome shook harder. "Hey!" She met her gaze. "Everything's going to be okay. There's got to be something you guys haven't tried yet, and whatever it is, we'll find it. We can do this!"
Sango gave a small smile. "We'll certainly try."
"No." Kagome stretched out the word, wearing a comical angered expression. "We're going to do it. If you say try, you've already failed."
Sango actually laughed. "Okay Yoda, whatever you say."
"You should listen to me. I am smart, that I am." She mocked, giggling herself at the end.
"And so modest." Sango's voice was sarcastic. The two friends stayed at the park until it got dark, brainstorming ideas to help Sango's dad. They hugged each other before leaving, Kagome fiercely assuring her that everything was going to be okay.
As she walked home, Kagome felt guilty about wanting to tell Sango her problems. Things weren't going so good for her friend, and Kagome needed to be there for her, not add to the burden. With new resolve, she headed home, promising herself to help her friend as much as she could.
***
Okay not the longest chapter, but I wanted to get it done today, and I have to do laundry and my mom just made chocolate cake and cabbage rolls! WOO HOO! I haven't eaten yet today, so I'm gonna pig out. Until next time!
