Authoress' Notes: This is the altered chapter structure from this point on... but I liked it better this way and it seems to make more sense.

Smiles – T.A.

Family Ties: Part 16

It was warm; the sun must have come up already. He smiled lazily and yawned as his muddled brain tried to function in the post alcohol haze. He thought he heard voices and footsteps near him.

"Wake up!" Growled a voice.

' That was a male voice. A young voice. A familiar voice. A familiar young male voice...that narrows it down.'

Moushin opened his eyes and realized that he was looking at two 'Miroku's. That wasn't unusual, he often saw doubles of people after a night of drinking.

"Is he dead?" A quiet voice asked.

"I don't think so." Miroku sounded annoyed.

Moushin was finally able to focus on the double image in front of him. Both of the images raised an eyebrow in confusion, except that the images raise different eyebrows, that shouldn't be possible. In fact the visions had different hair lengths. One of the 'Miroku's had his hair down. Only one had earrings. If there are differences it can't be double vision. That means there are two of him.

" AHHH!!" The older man scooted away from the two in terror.

Michi held her hand over her heart and complained. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"

Moushin glared at the young woman that he now recognized. "I thought there were two of him."

Michi looked at Miroku and nodded, "That would be a reason to panic."

Miroku gave an annoyed look at both of them. "You know that doesn't say much for either of you, since you both raised me."

Michi was looking up at the ceiling of the temple, "Moushin, this place..." Her voice was quiet.

"I know it must bring back memories..." Moushin smiled as he stood to his feet.

"It's a mess." Michi curled her lip up slightly.

Moushin fell over in disbelief.

Miroku snickered and looked down at his mentor. "You didn't really expect her not to notice that you've let this place get run down you; did you?"

"I was hoping she wouldn't make mention of it." Moushin grumbled sitting up. "What are you doing here?" He looked at Michi for a long moment. "What happened to your hair?"

"It was cut." Michi dropped her head.

"You need to sit down, your legs must still be hurting you." Miroku helped Michi to the floor than knelt down himself.

"My husband was murdered. I was blamed and Miroku saved me." Michi cleared her throat. "I need a place to stay; I have no home."

"You could travel to Michiko's home in Kyoto." Moushin pointed out.

"I have no desire to live in my sister's home and raise my daughter as a geisha." Michi folded her arms over her chest.

"It's an honorable profession, besides your family has good standings there, you'd be better off." Moushin argued.

"I'd rather raise her here, sort of." Michi rubbed her left eyebrow. " I'd rather she learned to be priestess or at least the ways of a healer."

Moushin shook his head. "I don't like the idea of a noisy child upsetting the peace of this temple, but..." Moushin touched the top of Michi's head, "I couldn't turn you away, Michi. Though I think I'm going to live to regret this." Moushin looked at Miroku, "Go get them cleaned up; they won't be able to stay in the temple without being purified." The older man stood up and started to walk away from the cousins. "I need a drink."

" Mommy what's this?" Tanaya pointed to the beam on the temple porch with lines carved into it.

Michi knelt beside her daughter and pointed to writing next to one of the marks. "What does this mean?"

Tanaya wrinkled her nose, "That's Miko's name, Miroku."

"Very good. Now, if you can pronounce your uncle's name correctly, don't you think you should?"

" Nu-uh. He said that I could forever and always call him, Miko. That it would be special 'tween us." Tanaya twirled a wet strand of hair around her finger. "But mommy, what's the mark for?"

"That mark shows how tall your Miko was when he was little." Michi trailed her finger up a little to another mark. "This one is mine."

"You were taller than, Miko?"

"When we were children, I was." Michi felt in her pockets until she found a small knife. "Here put your back to the beam."

Tanaya turned around and inhaled sharply, trying to get as much height as possible.

Michi drew the blade into the wood just over the top of her daughter's head. "Okay, now move so I can write your name."

Tanaya watched her mother carve her name into the wood. "Now I'm just like you and Miko."

Michi put the blade away and smiled at her daughter. "That's right, and you know Miroku grew up in this temple."

Tanaya suddenly looked sad, "We're never going home are we?"

Michi held out her arms to her child, "Come here, Angel." After pulling Tanaya into her arms Michi kissed the top of her head and hugged her tightly. "I know it's hard to understand, right now, but this is best place for us."

"Is home not the best place for us because father died?" Tanaya looked up at her mother, needing an answer.

" Yes." Michi nodded, feeling her throat getting tight.

" Mommy, why did you make me leave without you?"

" Because, I...Because I had to talk to your father's brother." Michi swallowed hard against the lumped that formed in her throat.

Tanaya cocked her head and examined her mother's face more carefully. " Then how come, when you came back with Inuyasha and Miko you were wearing his clothes? And why was your hair cut?"

Michi closed her eyes and pursed her lips, while she tried to think of an acceptable answer.

" Mommy." The little one insisted.

" Tanaya, do you want to hear a story before bed?" Miroku called to the questioning child.

"Oh yes, Miko! You tell the best stories!" Tanaya leapt away from her mother and raced to her 'uncle.'

Miroku smiled down at her and tapped her nose, "Go say goodnight to the others and I'll come get you."

"Okay Miko." Tanaya grinned and took off to find the others.

" Thank you." Michi sighed. "'Though she'll only ask later... Just like you, mind like a trap."

Miroku chuckled, "You'll have thought of something by the time she asks again. She's such a sweet child, gives me hope for our family."

Michi rolled her eyes, "It won't last. She'll turn thirteen and become a lying, cheating, stealing, lechering fiend like the rest of us."

"I take offence to that." Miroku was standing in his reverent, praying position.

"Oh really?" Michi arched her left eyebrow.

He opened eye and smiled devilishly. "I never cheat."

" Keh." She scoffed and gave him a powerless swat. " Go tell Tanaya her a story."

He'd reached the door, when he turned around and asked, "When we were talking earlier you said that while I was sleeping I was at the Bardo. How did you know that?"

Michi stood up slowly, "Sango saw you there in her dream. I was so afraid for you. She said that everything there was dead or dying...that there was no light."

Miroku shook his head, "But that's not how I saw it. All I saw was light, it was like a peaceful summer day."

" Then you weren't in danger." Michi smiled. "It's also a very encouraging sign, that means you have a lot of life left to live."

Miroku nodded thoughtfully, "I suppose, but if Sango saw it the way you describe; what does that mean for her?"