Chapter 21

The last morning was hectic, the Higurashi's were trying to leave by 5 so everyone was busy trying to pack and stuff everything into the van, coolers had to be filled and breakfast had to be made so everyone had a task. Souta was filling the cooler with drinks and arranging ice on top, Robert and Jenny were making breakfast, InuYasha and Kagome were packing the van, Kai was checking that nothing was forgotten, and Kar was helping Souta. It was 4:35 by the time breakfast was finished being prepared and everyone swarmed to the table for food.

After the food was finished InuYasha carried the cooler outside to the van with Souta and Kagome in tow, Kai volunteered to help clean the kitchen with Jenny, while Kar and Robert went to check on the van, making sure everything was fine with it.

While the 2 women were working on the dished jenny spoke up about something she had been meaning to ask since the day before. "Does Kagome have a son?"

Kai froze, "What? Why would you ask that?"

"Well I heard InuYasha and Kagome talking on their way down to the beach, Shippo I think his name was…"

"Shippo?" Kai laughed, "oh Shippo, he is a kit they ran into not soon after they started their hunt for the jewel shards, he is one of their friends, Kagome is always bringing him back sweets or crayons"

"Just the way she talked about him, and how InuYasha spoke, they both care very deeply for him, almost like he is their son"

Kai smiled, "I always wondered about that, I hear things about this kit, she will come home and post his pictures on the refrigerator, and tell me how proud of him she is for trying to protect this little girl from a demon or that he caught a fish for dinner. She truly does love him and I don't doubt it."

"But it wasn't only Kagome, just the rawness in InuYasha's voice made me think, I mean Kagome asked him to take him hunting and he said that Shippo could get hurt, justthe dame way Robert would tell Steven he didn't want him to go skateboarding because he could fall."

"It wouldn't surprise me if InuYasha thought of him as his son, he puts up this rough front but he really is a softy on the inside, he really does love with all his heart, but he is so afraid of betrayal that he hides, and I think that the more time he spends with Kagome the more he realizes that he is safe, she wont betray him." Kai smiled.

"Well for everyone I hope that is true, from what I have learned, they have so much to lose and so much more to gain."

Before either could speak again a voice called from outside, "Mom! Lets go!"

"Well, that's our que" Kai said walking towards the door.

Jenny smiled and followed, it made her happy to see everyone embracing outside, after a moment she joined them when Souta jumped onto her legs, "bye Aunt Jenny!"

"Bye Souta" the boy detached himself and leapt at his uncle.

Kagome was next to bid her aunt farewell, "take care of them" she whispered as she embraced her niece. Kagome gave her a questioning look but was only answered with a knowing smile.

InuYasha was the last of them to come up and let her hug him, "don't you dare let her go" she told him sternly as she hugged him "don't worry I wont risk losing her again" he told her reassuringly, when he pulled back she looked surprised by his answer but then smiled, "take care of them, they need it"

"I know, and so do I" he informed her he joined everyone in the van

After a chorus of goodbyes the van pulled around the corner, and a sense of calm fell over the family.

"For some reason I think we were talking about the same thing" Jenny mused to herself as she turned and walked into the house with her family.

Souta yawned since they did not get to sleep until late and then woke up at just before 4, struggling to stay awake now that is stomach was full he leaned over onto InuYasha, who first looked down at him surprised, but then smiled and wrapped his arm around the kid and cradled him against him.

Kagome noticed this and smiled, he really did put on a tough exterior but he really did care about people, more so than most. Smiling she leaned onto the hanyou too whispering, "thanks" before also falling into a comfortable sleep.

Feeling a strong sense of security and comfort he also felt himself drift off as well, protecting 2 people he cared for like family.

Suddenly noticing how quiet it was Kai looked up into her rear view mirror to check on the kids in the back, and felt herself smile, there they were, all there of them, curled up together, sleeping. She didn't know why it made her smile so much, maybe it was their relaxed faces or maybe it was seeing her children all together, InuYasha included, she had though of him as a son not soon after Kagome's 15th birthday, and she had tried to get him to call her mom a handful of times but he always stuck to Mrs. Higurashi. All of a sudden she got and idea, "dad" "hmmm" here, take a picture" she told him handing him a camera and nodding to the back. Curious he looked behind him and smiled, snapping a few pictures which roused the hanyou, who lifted his head a little and cracked one of his eyes open to check out the potential threat but seeing Kagome's grandfather he just yawned and let his head fall back and closed his eyes to rest, causing Kar to let out a very InuYasha like smirk.
"No, no, no! Come on!" Souta groaned when Link died as an attack from a worm looking mini boss depleted the last of his health.

It was almost time to stop for dinner but they were trying to get as far as they could before it got dark, that meant hopefully to the campground, and if they didn't stop they might make it.

"Mom when are we stopping for food?" Souta grumbled

"We are trying to find the campsite so we want to see how far we can get before it gets dark, so have a snack honey."

"Ahh, ok mom,"

InuYasha moved to help the kid open the tub that held the snack food, "hey, can I get a granola bar?" Kagome asked

"Sure Kag" he responded tossing her one as he lifted his head from the bucket, his hand holding a fruit snack and a granola bar.

"Don't you want anything?" Souta asked the hanyou as he snapped the lid of the tub closed.

"Nah, I'm not that hungry" Kagome dropped her granola bar.

Reaching up she placed the back of her hand on InuYasha's forehead, checking his temperature, "Are you sure you are not running a fever? I have NEVER heard you say you weren't hungry…ever!"

"Keh I'm fine"

"Ya sure?"

"Eat your granola bar" Kagome smiled at him

"Thanks" she whispered leaning back onto him waiting for them to roll into the small town of Moab. InuYasha gave her a look telling her he was confused but she had already closed her eyes and was relaxing, ignoring everything around her.

"Kagome…Kagome come on we're here" InuYasha nudged the human that was sleeping on his arm, she had fallen asleep about 20 min ago from what InuYasha could tell. "your brother is already outside and picking out the spot were the tent should go, we better go stop him from pricking the spot next to the river"

"Huh? We're here?"

"Yup, come on…haven't you slept enough today?"

Smiling she teasingly pushed him, then dragged herself out of the van, having to crawl over the food tub that was under Souta's feet and a cooler that was in front of the door. Still drowsy she stumbled on her way out, her foot catching on the step, stumbling she just about ate dirt, but at the last second she fell into a pair of very strong, warm arms.

"If it helps I could always throw you in the river it seems to wake you up relatively well," he told her with a smirk.

"You wouldn't dare" she threatened

"Nope not at all" but just as Kagome relaxed a little InuYasha lifted her up threw her over his shoulder and started walking towards the water.

"Let me go you jerk! You wouldn't dare throw me in that river, I would "s-i-t" you if you weren't holding me you know that" she barked as she struggled in his hold

They were just about to the river when a voice called out "InuYasha put my daughter down and come over here and help me set up camp! You can throw her in the river later!" she told him good-naturedly

"Ah Mrs. H"

"I told you to stop calling me that…"

"Keh"

"Well then, I told you, you could throw her in once camp was broken, the sun is almost down, we need to so this now."

"Alright" and with that the teens set off to help Souta set up the tents.

"I want a hamburger!"

"Why do you want a hamburger? We had them last night"

"Because!"

"That isn't an answer!"

Kai laughed as the 3 argued where to go for dinner that night, they really did act like they were family, without even realizing it, they began to act like a family, all the perks and problems included, but then again she never doubted that their friends back in the feudal era acted like a family as well, between Kagome's stories, and the way InuYasha's face melted ever time he talked about them, it became apparent a long time ago how close they all were, but then again they had to be…or they would all be dead by now…probably.

"Pizza!"

"Yea!"

"Uh…"

"Pizza it is then!"

"Hey!"

"Come on I'm hungry" Souta yelled as he finished running down the dirt path the led from their campsite to the small town.

Kar grumbled something about young people and too much energy. Kai smiled but called the kids back a little to wait for everyone to regroup.

"Hmmm this is sooo good!" Souta praised as he swallowed a bite of pizza whole, he was so hungry, it had been over 2 and a half hours since he had had the fruit snack in the van

"Why are you eating a vegetable one?" Kagome asked

"Vegetable!" he choked, gagging on the piece he had just swallowed, "I just grabbed the closest piece!"

Everyone else at the table laughed, even Kar. "Come on you weren't THAT hungry" InuYasha teased ruffling the kid's hair, then took another bite of the garbage pizza he was eating (garbage pizza is known as supreme for all of you who know it as that…I grew up in rural NY…we called it garbage pizza…it had everything!)

"Yea I was!" he responded not wanting to be outdone, InuYasha just smiled.

"So what are we doing tomorrow?" Kagome asked

"We are going to spend the day in Arches, it is just around the bend past this town, it is a beautiful park from what I hear…"

"Wow! Do you think we can get on top of any of them?" Souta asked excited

"I can get you on top of some" the hanyou promised

"Really!" the youth asked

"I promise!"

"He wouldn't have it any other way I know…he likes high places"

"Hey!"

"It's true!

"And?"

"And nothing!"

Everyone laughed…yup, they really were a family…in more ways than one.

A/N: ok…that took a good 2 weeks…wow, sorry about that, I really didn't know what to do for a little bit…but oh well, lol I know someone who requested a fanart for last chapter but if anyone wants to do an art for any chapter I would be honored, I've almost got my website up and I wouldn't hesitate to put your picture up on there! I could also post it on mediaminer too! Thanks guys! Please, please review, and I may start a second story…don't kill me, I have been doing this story for over a year and a half…yea it has been that long! Lol I promise I will finish it if it is the last thing I do but I need to get another story out of my system…it is totally different! Genre wise and everything…so it shouldn't interfere! Lol I will have next chapter up by the 20th! I promise! Thank you guys sooo much! REVIEW! I need it! (oh by the way I am also fixing all my previous chapters, week by week, so that they don't have as many mistakes, so if you are ever possessed to read this again it should be better ')

Lunar :)