The day had been littered with rainstorms and thunderclouds, driving most families into their homes. It was cloudy, and the damp scent of it all seemed to penetrate every nose for those who went outside. An occassional icy wind would blow by, making the puddles on the streets ripple and the trash on the sidewalks blow even farther along. Lee drove rather hurriedly intro her driveway, parked her car into the garage, and hurried up the steps her eyes glued to her watch. She was running out of time, for in a few minutes her cousin and her extended family would be gracing her with their presence.

It was D-day.

Her mother and father couldn't make it back to help everyone with the transition, so Lee herself was left to face off a large group of people on her own. As far as Shane was concerned, well, she would be better off in hoping her parents would come back from Hawaii in the next five minutes.

She couldn't hate him completely though. He had gone off to pick them up from the airport, one hassle that Lee hated to handle. With all the current terrorist threats flinging themselves about, getting through airport security was comparable to going to the dentist without novocaine. As the "smart cousin from the U.S." she wanted to show Kagome and her family that she could hold her own, and even though her entire life she showed the world that she could handle it all, inside she felt just the opposite.

The clock read 6 p.m. She could hear Shane's van's motor sputtering its way closer. The house was clean and big enough, she hoped, so there would be no problems. Too bad she did not believe a word she was telling herself.

She peeked out the window and watched the group pile out of the van. Kagome she recognized instantly, of course, and InuYasha and Inuko (they were hard not to recognize). The others though were new to her. A tall, handsome, black haired young man, holding the hand of a young woman with hair down to her knees. Behind them was a small child, five or six years old at least. After that a tall, lanky gentleman got out, with copper locks and beautiful eyes, a hat covering his head and a trenchcoat covering most everything else. All of them headed straight for the door except for InuYasha, who was stuck holding all the bags and proceeding forward at a much slower pace.

Biting her lip, Lee opened the door.

"Lee!" Kagome almost tackled her younger cousin and spun her around in a hug, and she nervously returned it. Everyone piled in almost at once, and after a long droning on of introductions and small talk, Lee retreated to the kitchen to finish preparing snacks. Shane never actually entered the house, but turned around, got back into his van and left. No one seemed to notice.

Once Kagome settled into a soft chair, she began to take in what was around her. It was a modest, roomy house, one that she had been in before, but with InuYasha and the others there it was a completely new experience. Even then the black-haired beauty questioned her reasons for moving here, but the decision had been made and that was the end of it.

"Miroku, Sango, Kotaku, Shippou," Kagome whispered the names to herself and folded her hands neatly into her lap. Those were the people who by their own minds decided to come, but Kagome could not ignore her own influence on the situation. So many lives had been stacked up as dominoes, and if she fell, the others could too. For now, she would have to keep that fear buried inside of her and show herself to be the strong individual everyone thought she was.

Kotaku had not said much since arrival, because his face was intently staring at a hand-held game, thumbs dancing around the buttons like an intense tap session. The tips of his thumbs had become red, and Sango was the first to notice this.

"Don't you think you have had enough of that thing?" She politely asked her son.

Kotaku shook his head.

Sango sighed.

"Let the boy have his fun. I believe childhood is fleeting and should be enjoyed for as long as possible." Miroku cut in before Sango could protest further.

"We have to give him SOMETHING constructive to do, don't we, Miroku? He has to find other uses for his hands." She glared at him, and jumped suddenly at feeling a hand rubbing her butt.

"Ah. Miroku!"

"Yes, dear?"

Sango put her arm around him and pulled him to her quickly. "How about a new use for your hands as well? We are in public, can't you restrain yourself for one day?"

Miroku shook his head.

Sango sighed.

Kagome saw all of this and laughed to herself. It got her mind off her troubles and after another quick head-count, walked into the kitchen to help Lee.

InuYasha had tired of the noise in the room too and slipped outside right after Kagome left. He went into the backyard and sat down in the grass. The wind combed his ivory locks and massaged his face with a gentle breeze. Being outside, away from the clutter and commotion of the airport, and then a busy household, calmed him and put a smile on his face. Leaning back onto the grass, he took a moment to stare at the clouds as they eased by in the sky.

"Mother and I did this, Kagome and I did this..one of these days, maybe Inuko." He thought out loud, regarding his skygazing. "Inuko wouldn't be interested in this, he is so far removed from nature that no one cares anymore. Mother always told me to appreciate, even if others didn't appreciate me."

He couldn't help but find humor in the whole thing. He had spent so much of his time being a rebel, living for the moment, and now he had removed himself from that lifestyle completely to raise a family. He cursed at the thought of being 'domesticated' so much that he forgot where he came from, but that wild InuYasha, the one Kagome had fell in love with, wouldn't be suited for a family at all. Perhaps he couldn't even take care of himself.

Back inside the kitchen, Lee had loaded Kagome up with trays of snacks to give to the crowds in the living room, leaving herself to clean up. She saw InuYasha outside through the window, and grabbing a smaller tray of snacks, went outside.

"Want something to eat?" She asked him.

InuYasha's train of thought broke hearing Lee's voice, and he turned around to face her. "Hey."

Lee looked around somewhat nervously, and her eyes settled back on InuYasha

"Did you get sick of all the people too?"

"Huh..no..well, yeah. I just needed some air."

"I think I do too." Lee sat beside him and looked at one of the trees in the backyard. It was cold outside, so most of the leaves had fallen from it. "This is a weird arrangement, but I think it will work out. I'll do my best to keep everything together."

"You don't have to do it all," he responded quietly, "Kagome's been dying to see you, and she'll help out."

"Its up to me. To do everything." She put her hand over her mouth and shut her eyes. She didn't mean to have let that slip out, and looked down embarrased when InuYasha's eyes met with her's again.

"Is that how you feel? That you have to change just to please everyone else?"

Lee began to stutter, so she cleared her throat and started to speak again. "Sometimes. I think everyone feels that way. You are greeted with a new task, and even though you say you will do it, you are wonder just exactly how you are going to go about accomplishing it."

"Things get too much for me I spend my time outside. I dream a lot of my past."

"You want to return it it?"

"Sometimes, I think everyone feels that way," InuYasha repeated Lee's earlier comment, and they both smiled.

"Ive heard about all the wild adventures you guys have. If I used to have a life like that, I'd probably miss it too. Instead I'm stuck here, with only my business ventures to look forward to. I can't help but wonder why Kagome didn't stay in the feudal era with you."

"Every world comes with its dangers, Lee. I didn't consider it anymore dangerous than you consider where you live. Its what we are used to. Yeah, I wanna go back sometimes, but I got responsibilties now. I know my kid can get a better life here, and maybe when he's old enough I can take him back. "

Lee nodded and put her hand on his shoulder. "You want to take him back as an excuse for you wanting to go back?"

InuYasha removed her hand and looked back towards the tree in the yard. "Maybe yes, maybe no."

"Only answer I can give you is line up your priorities and, as corny as it sounds, follow your heart."

InuYasha rolled his eyes and rested back on the ground. "Did it take you an hour to come up with that one?"

Lee stood up and put her foot against InuYasha's chest. "Keep being a smartass, and Kagome will have to scrape you off the ground." She walked back inside, smiling, waving her hand just before the door shut behind her.

InuYasha got to his feet next, but headed towards the tree. "It looks just like the one near Kaede's village." He jumped into it and found a sturdy branch to rest upon. He looked out into the distance, seeing the tops of houses, and even farther back than that, the city buildings and the water. "Guess I'll have to make this place my own."

It was past midnight by the time Shane's van creaked its way into the driveway. He dug around for his keys and came in the backdoor and then to the kitchen. He turned on the sidelight and got himself some milk, and out of his eyes noticed someone sitting at the kitchen table, hovering over a cup of coffee.

"Can I help you?" Shane sat down at the table.

Miroku lifted his head and then shook it. "Im doing fine. Just couldn't get to sleep. Its been a long trip, and I have a lot on my mind."

"Why don't you come chill in my room then? You must be Miroku, right?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"Then you will enjoy this. Come with me." Shane stood up and headed to his room, Miroku close behind. Before he opened the door, Shane took out a key and showed it to Miroku.

"Though from what I've heard about you you seem like the type, I warn you, this is not for the faint of heart. My room is off limits to women that I am not dating. Not even my own sister has set eyes inside."

Miroku leaned himself against the wall and looked at the door thoughtfully. "What is the big secret?"

"Since you are a man who understands beautiful women, my friend, this will be your mecca." Shane unlocked the door and opening it just enough to get inside, went through. Miroku's eyes widened at what he saw, but just before he could get a better look he was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Miroku are you coming to bed? You don't need to be staying up all night." Sango called out. "Miroku?"

"I'll leave the key under the mat, my friend." Shane closed the door completely and locked it.

Miroku flinched at Sango's call and started back to the bedroom. "Perhaps another time, then. Wouldn't hurt to look..."