After the Battle

Chapter 9: Enough

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

"You... used it on Kikyou?" said Kagome faintly, her eyes widening. Inuyasha turned to face her with an odd expression on his face. It wasn't anger, it wasn't hate, and it wasn't embarrassment... It was more of an "at peace" sort of look.

Kagome had never seen Inuyasha look that way. He seemed so different, like a stranger she had never met before. She remembered the times when they had been almost inseparable. What ever happened to that?

Kei saw the distressed look in her mother's eyes. Whoever this Kikyou was she must be important. Sango and Miroku shook their heads and looked over at Kei. They motioned her nearer so she got up to sit by them.

"Kikyou was a priestess who Inuyasha once loved. She was attacked by Naraku disguising himself as Inuyasha, so she attacked Inuyasha, pinning him to a tree and putting him in a death-like sleep for 50 years. Kikyou died from the injuries she thought Inuyasha gave her. Kagome came through the well, and because she is Kikyou's reincarnation she was able to break the curse on him, waking him. Kikyou then was re-incarnated by a witch, though she was only made of clay. Inuyasha used the sacred jewel to put her back to full human form I guess... I wonder why he did that." Sango trailed off, her face thoughtful.

Kei raised an eyebrow at the story.

"He never even told you about bringing Kikyou back? My mother's stories about him made him sound different..." After hearing Kei's comment, Sango smiled sympathetically.

"Actually, he was different. He was badly injured when Kagome left, and when he thought he was healed enough to know the truth he took it rather badly... He's never really been the same since..." Sango wiped a tear from her eye and looked back over at Inuyasha and Kagome.

Kagome was staring at some distant place in the sky and Inuyasha kept throwing what he thought were inconspicuous glances at her.

"Sorry you only know him like he is now..." added Miroku, squeezing her hand in sympathy. Kei smiled lackadaisically at him. Why was Inuyasha doing this? Couldn't he see it was hurting Kagome?

She had pretty much enough of his behavior. So what if he was hurt more than 15 years ago? Couldn't he at least try to act happy that the one who had inadvertently hurt him was back, and this time with a daughter? Why was he acting so unstable? The least he could do was try, even pretend, to welcome Kagome back and make a good impression on Kei. Her mother said her worst characteristic was her temper. It just grabbed her some times.

Kei tucked her short ebony hair behind her decorated ears, earrings making a slight jangling noise. The noise drew Miroku's attention away from talking to Sango in a quiet whisper, and he turned to look at her questioningly. She turned away from him and looked over at her so called father. She was sick of his moping. With a quick rush she stood up and straightened her black pants and marched over to him, her head held high and her yellowish eyes glinting with defiance.

Kagome always said she had her father's eyes...

Kei pushed that thought from her mind as she drew nearer to him. He hadn't even acknowledged her presence yet. That was the final straw. She gave an exasperated cry before whacking him over the head.

"Why do you always pretend I don't even exist? I'm your daughter! All you do is sit in your little corner and feel sorry for yourself. You think you are the only one who has ever had some sort of problem, don't you? Think again! My mother suffered as much, if not more as you have, and she came back to you. You haven't done anything for her, only for your ex-girlfriend who has probably been your little play thing while you were gone. Now Kagome's back, she has a daughter, and you aren't man enough to take responsibility, aren't I right?"

As soon as the words came out of her mouth Kei knew she had gone too far. She took a quick glance at Inuyasha's face and caught the brief look of shock, which was replaced by fury.

"How dare you?" he hissed. "I've always loved Kagome. Always. I still do. The only reason I brought Kikyou back was to repay her back for everything she's done for me..." he trailed off, the anger still fresh in his voice.

Kei was about to apologize when she realized something.

"Wait... You never said you cared about me. It's all fine and dandy that you still love my mother, but it's just too bad if you want me out of the picture, because I'm not going anywhere. Kagome never knew her father. She hoped she could raise me differently but I guess she can't due to the fact the one she loves is an arrogant bastard! I wish I would have never come here. Actually, I wish I had never met you, and you really were dead like Kagome thought for all those years." Kei choked back a sob, but couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face.

She could hear her mother crying to the side of her, and turned her back to Inuyasha. He growled in frustration, took a few steps closer to her and began to talk.

"Why won't you just listen to me? I... I..." He trailed off. Kei couldn't help herself. She knew that the things she said must have hurt, but there was still rage built up inside of her and she needed to lash out at someone.

"But what? Huh? Oh wait, I remember, you are just too stupid to try and take care of me. It would take too much of your precious life to be there when I might need you, or to tuck in me in at night even though I'm way too old for that, or to say I look beautiful before I leave for my first prom, or anything else." She said this part quietly, afraid that if she raised her voice she would lose all control. Kei heard Inuyasha sigh from behind her.

"Actually... It's more like this. I never had a father when I was little. I... I don't know if I can do a good job. I don't know anything about... girls, and your time period or what a prom even is. (In Japan they don't have proms, right? Oh well, in my story they do.) I don't know anything about you or anything to do with you. I just don't want you to hate me. I guess it's too late for that, huh?"

A/N: w00t. I love this chapter. Kei snaps, and we find out Inuyasha was acting so odd! You can't hate him now can ya? Ah, sad. Review.

Oh yeah, and I'd like to add that I am totally shocked with the number of reviews I've gotten. I feel so loved. Thank you. THANK YOU! I will do shout outs when I'm less lazy. I promise.