Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Inuyasha. Nor do I own Kagome, Sesshoumaru, Rin, Kagome's family, or any of the other copyrighted characters that may or may not appear in this fic. So please don't sue me, and enjoy the story!

Notes: Well, the story is coming along, though more slowly now that I've reached the middle chapters. I just started writing the major turning point in the story, which is coming up in about five or six chapters. It's hard, because I want to be realistic about it. I think you guys will like it though, so read on and hopefully enjoy!

I also hope you all had a wonderful holiday, and that everyone is busy recovering for the new year. I had some truly fantastic food - my favorite part of every holiday! It's especially gratifying to eat well since I can't cook and college food is really not as fulfilling as you would hope. ~_^

Learning to Let Go

Chapter 14: Soul Searching.

Kagome was a little surprised to wake up in her own bed. The events of last night were hazy, but at the same time emotionally draining. It was like a dream that seemed so surreal in the daylight, but lingered in the back of her mind like an old memory or a sudden touch of déjà vu.

She sat up and stretched, noticing that she was still in her clothes from yesterday. Blushing slightly, she realized that Inuyasha must have carried her up to bed. Her heartbeat quickened when she remembered how he'd saved her life. *I didn't even thank him,* she realized with a twinge of conscience.

Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she headed for the shower. Today was Saturday, and she didn't have any classes thank god. Finally she could just relax and sort everything out. She turned on the shower and stepped under the hot spray.

Wincing as she came more awake, Kagome realized that today might not be so enjoyable after all. She definitely had to call her family. They had probably tried to call last night - she hoped Inuyasha hadn't picked up the phone. She had enough to explain to them already - strange men with sexy voices who answered the phone at midnight were not something she wanted to add to her list.

Not ready to go downstairs for breakfast yet, Kagome returned to her bedroom and dressed, sitting down at her desk and picking up the phone. She stared at it for a moment, trying to decide what she would say. Her thoughts remained blank, so with a sigh she punched in her mother's work number, knowing that she would undoubtedly be at her office.

"You've reached the office of Ms. Higurashi - how may I help you?" Her mother's secretary answered on the second ring. "Hi - this is Kagome, can I talk to my mom please?"

"Of course, Kagome!" Let me put you on hold for just a minute while I tell your mother you're on the line."

Kagome waited, twisting the cord around her fingers nervously. A few seconds later her mother was on the line. "Kagome! It's so good to hear from you - how is everything?"

Kagome bit her lip, ashamed at her mother's happy greeting and they way she hadn't immediately brought up the attack or Inuyasha."

"Mom - I'm sorry!" she blurted, tears coming to her eyes. "Everything's so out of control - first Aunt Matilda - and Inuyasha - and now everything that happened last night - Oh, mom I want to come home!"

"Shhhh, Kagome," her mother said soothingly, and Kagome could almost feel her mother stroking her hair comfortingly. "Are you all right? I heard that you had quite a scare last night. Your grandfather and I tried to call you, but we must have called too early because no one answered."

"I'm fine," Kagome said shakily, brushing away tears absently. "Inuyasha stopped them before they could do anything to me, and now they're in jail."

"That's what the police told me. I just wanted to hear that you were okay from your own mouth."

"You - you aren't mad?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Why would I be angry?" her mother asked, sounding genuinely confused.

"Because I've been living with Inuyasha practically since I moved in here - I don't know how it happened - I didn't want a slave - "

"Kagome," her mother broke in gently. "You're 18 years old and living on your own now. You're in college you're making your own decisions What you do and don't do, the people you choose to live with - that's out of my hands now."

"But Mom!" Kagome protested, wide eyed.

"I trust your judgment, Kagome," her mother said calmly. "I have every confidence that you'll make the choices that are right for you."

Kagome was silent, choked up and touched and frightened all at the same time. Making her own decisions - not having any rules to follow - suddenly living on her own was taking on a whole new meaning. It was such a huge responsibility. Why hadn't she seen it before?

"It's so strange," she whispered finally. "I don't know what to do. I still don't want a slave, and it makes me feel terrible to know that I've bought one. I feel like I'm condoning it! I don't know what to do anymore."

"You'll figure it all out," her mother said, and the utter faith her mother had in her made Kagome want to crawl back into bed and bawl. No I won't! she wanted to scream. I'm not smart and brave and successful like you! I'm just your daughter - just Kagome! I can't make big changes in the world the way you can!

But all she said was, "I love you mom thanks for being so understanding."

"That's what I'm here for, you know - Oh, and bring this Inuyasha with you next time you come home - I want to meet him and thank him for saving my daughter's life."

Kagome smiled, thinking of the fearless way Inuyasha had faced down Naraku. And her mother's words reminded her that she herself still hadn't thanked the half-demon for protecting her. "I'll bring him, mom. I have to go now - I'll call Grandpa and Sota later on today."

"All right honey - have a good day, and good luck with everything!"

"Thanks mom." Kagome hung up the phone and fidgeted with a pencil that had been lying on her desk for a minute. When had everything gotten so complicated? With a start, she realized that it had always been this complicated - this was just the first time she was stepping out of her bubble and becoming aware of it.

Standing up with renewed determination, Kagome headed for the stairs. Inuyasha was still asleep - with the blankets covering him this time, she noticed, not really sure if the flutter in the pit of her stomach was from relief or disappointment. Glad that she would have some free time before he awoke, she tiptoed to the kitchen and began making breakfast for the two of them as quietly as possible.

Chocolate chip pancakes, she decided. Everyone liked chocolate, after all. And lots of maple syrup and whipped cream to go on top.

Everything was starting to smell wonderful, and Kagome wasn't surprised to hear Inuyasha stir in the other room. She didn't hear him come to the doorway of the kitchen, but she was prepared for him this morning when he spoke out of nowhere.

"What're you doing?"

"Making pancakes," she replied cheerfully, sprinkling chocolate chips across the batter that was cooking in a liquidy circle on the bottom of her frying pan. She glanced over at him furtively, and was relieved to see that he'd shrugged into a shirt before coming out to see what she was doing. The look of mingled curiosity and hunger on his face made her smile.

He continued to hover in the doorway until he began to make her nervous and she couldn't stand it any longer. "Inuyasha, sit down or something!" she cried, using her spatula to shovel the last batch of the pancakes onto a plate. "I can't concentrate while you're standing there watching me!"

She immediately regretted it as he gave a little start and quickly sat down. "I'm not watching you!" he protested, almost as an afterthought.

Kagome set the pancakes down on the table next to the maple syrup and turned to face him, her expression contrite. "Sorry," she said, feeling guilty for snapping at him. "I didn't mean that. I'm just - " she broke of and composed herself. "I wanted to thank you," she said finally, forcing herself to hold his golden eyes, which were a touch wary at the moment, but quickly widened at her admission. "For saving my life. I didn't say it before, but - I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't stopped them"

"It's my job to protect you," he snapped, but his tone was more alarmed than annoyed as her eyes started to shimmer with tears.

She was getting emotional again, and she could tell it was making him edgy, so she quickly looked away, forcing a bright smile. "Anyway, I made you my favorite breakfast - we better eat it before it gets cold."

He poked at the pancakes curiously with his fork and watched as she smothered hers with syrup and whipped cream. Digging in with relish, she glared over at him when she realized he was still watching her plate. "You'd better not be hungry after you finish that because you're not getting mine this time!" she told him, pointing her fork at him threateningly.

"Keh!"

Inuyasha took a tentative bite, and Kagome was happy to see that his breakfast disappeared almost as quickly as his Ramen had after that first taste.

"I called my mother this morning," she told him at random, pushing a piece of pancake through the syrup on her dish. "She wants to meet you sometime."

"Me?" Inuyasha asked, almost comically surprised. "Why?"

Kagome shrugged. "Because you saved me, I guess," she told him. Finished with her breakfast, she sat back in her chair, not yet ready to stand up and begin clearing the table. She sighed heavily. "I've got so much work to do," she sighed. "I should call Rin about the math problem set. Oh, that reminds me! I'm going back to Rin's house tomorrow night - nothing to do with homework or anything." She saw him tense, and was sorry she had to bring the subject up. "Rin's worried about Kikyo's slave - I think she said his name was Sesshoumaru. And I want to see what he's like - what's wrong, Inuyasha?"

A very odd look had come over Inuyasha's face, and he was staring at her intently. "Did you say Sesshoumaru?"

"Yeah - I think that's what his name is. Rin said he looks a lot like you, actually" Kagome put a finger to her chin, trying to think back on her conversations with Rin and remember what her friend had said about him. A thought occurred to her. "Do you know him, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha regarded her narrowly for a moment before nodding slowly. Kagome's eyes widened as he said calmly, "He's my older brother."

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I love whipped cream on pancakes! (Whipped cream on Inuyasha would be nice too)

I hope I didn't make Kagome's Mom underreact in this chapter, but based on her character in the anime (and after seeing how calmly she accepted the fact that her daughter was fighting demons in another time period and jumping through a well after school instead of playing sports and whatnot) I think she's in character. But let me know what you think of her character if you disagree - she's not really that important of a role so I haven't been focusing on how to write her too much.

And in the next chapter we find out a little bit about Inuyasha's past. It's got less angst and more humor and cuddly-ness, so I think you'll like it.