Here we are! The last chapter of Family Ties! This one'll actually be pretty short compared to the last few chapters. This is a little strange, though, that this story has the same number of chapters as the more depressing Inuyasha story I did? Scary! But don't worry; this one will end a little happier.

I wonder, though, why I even put that frog in this chapter in the first place…? He shows up for about ten seconds and then is never heard from again. Eh, the evil authoress ate him, ha ha. Frog legs tonight!

Ahem, enough of my weirdness and sleep-deprived ranting. Onward, to the story!

Chapter Seven: Final Farewells

Asaka felt Naraku's tentacles circle his ankle, cutting off any hope of escape. He knew now what the evil youkai was planning. He also knew that they would all be dead—worse than dead—if they couldn't escape. And Naraku would be even more powerful than before. He saw a frog standing in the doorway. How long had it been there…? He struggled ferociously now, slashing at the tentacles binding him.

"It's useless to attempt to run," said Naraku. "Don't worry. I'm sure it will be quite painless. You won't even notice that your soul is gone."

Asaka saw the frog releasing its eggs. Time was running out. Any second now, they would be flung into those clear sacs, and then it would all be over. There were only a few options left: Kill themselves now, so that their souls could not be captured, or make one last desperate attempt to run. He and InuTaishou couldn't leave without the hanyous they had come for. He could feel Yuniko breathing steadily beneath his hand, and knew that Option One was not an option at all. The two of them couldn't just kill Yuniko and Inuyasha. He pulled her closer.

"Wake up, Yuni. We need to get out of here, and we can't do that if you're out of it," he whispered. He looked at InuTaishou across the room, who was (annoyingly) keeping himself tentacle-free.

The inu youkai's eyes met the ookami's. Then he glanced away, his amber orbs sweeping the room for any sign of his son.

Asaka spotted him first, and his heart plummeted. The hanyou was already captured, floating in one of the eggs. He'd probably never regained consciousness. Yuniko stirred beneath him. Her eyes opened and focused on Asaka's face.

"…Asaka? You…you came."

"Yeah, I did," he said, grinning. "Listen, Yuni, can you walk?"

She stood shakily. "Y-yeah. I'm good."

InuTaishou made an impressive flying leap over a cluster of tentacles, trying to get to his son. Naraku held the egg in his hands, examining his prize.

"It was a good fight, Inuyasha, but it appears that I, Naraku, stand triumphant in the end. Perhaps I will give your soulless shell to Kagura once I have finished…" he mused.

"Bastard!" InuTaishou yelled, his rage past the breaking point. "Give me back my son this instant!"

Naraku glanced up. He seemed almost bored as he glanced down at the furious demon. "What, you again?" he chuckled. "The hanyou are mine, both of them. There is nothing you can do, old one."

"What? Yuniko!"

Naraku laughed evilly, pulling in the tentacle containing Yuniko…only to find it empty. Asaka grinned, waving at him from the other end of the room.

"Attention issues, Naraku? Maybe you should, you know, watch the prisoners next time. Someone could escape."

Naraku screamed in anger, his eyes whipping around the room.

"Looking for me?" He looked up and saw Yuniko crouched on a roof beam. She was shaky and weakened, but ready to fight. "Father, get Inu-chan out of here, now. Asaka, run."

"…" The two of them just stared at her.

Yuniko sighed softly. "Trust me just this once, Father, is that so hard? Please." She gave him a small smile, and her hand tightened on Kiba's hilt. "Let me fight him, my own way."

InuTaishou nodded, gathering his unconscious son in his arms. But he didn't leave. Asaka tensed his leg muscles, preparing to flee.

Yuniko stood, aiming carefully. "Dragon's Cry!" She smashed through the wall, the aftermath of the tunnel of sound momentarily stunning Naraku. The others followed her. They were safe.

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It took many days for them to completely recover from their adventure. However, Inuyasha still suffered from nightmares of being under Naraku's control, hurting his friends and family. Yuniko and Kagome watched over him worriedly.

Kagome was asleep when, late at night, InuTaishou approached his daughter.

"It's time to go home, Yuniko," he said.

She shook her head. "I'm staying with Inu-chan. He needs me, and…it's been a long time since we've been able to spend any real time together as siblings. Please, Father."

He knelt beside her. "Are you sure he's not the only reason?" he asked, tilting his head towards Asaka, asleep a few yards away from the others. "A certain ookami youkai, for instance, who wouldn't be able to see you otherwise?"

He snorted softly as he smelled the confusion of emotions rising from his daughter, the heat of blood on her face as she blushed furiously.

"We're going home now. You almost died out there."

"I'm not going. Living here in this time period means living with the fact that death lies around every corner. I won't spend my life hiding from the world." She drew Kiba. "I'll fight anyone I must to stay with them. Even you, Father."

"Do you really think that you could possibly win?" Suddenly her sword was in his hand.

"I won't go!" she hissed, not wanting to wake anyone, especially Inuyasha. This wasn't his fight. Then he had Kiba at her throat.

"This fight is over," he said gently, before he attacked.

Yuniko's world went black, and she fell to the ground. Her hand hit Inuyasha's, startling him awake.

"What—?" But InuTaishou was already gone, taking Yuniko with him. The hanyou knew she wasn't coming back. "Dammit, Father…" he groaned. "Why'd you have to take her away again?"

The wind through the trees was the only answer he received. As he stood, preparing to chase them down again, something rustled in his haori. He reached inside and pulled out a crumpled note.

"'See you soon, nii-chan,'" he read. "Yuni? She…she knew." He looked up at the endless expanse of stars above him, the stars he and Yuniko and Loki had watched so many years ago. "Yeah… I'll see you soon, Yuni. I'll see you soon. Someday…"

The End

KatyaChekov: Okay, sorry, Naraku. Looks like you didn't get to kill anything after all. I couldn't fit it in. Sorry!

Naraku: TT-TT …I hate you.

K.C.: XD Do I care? Anyway, the story continues in YukariHitomi's story Heart and Soul. Don't miss it! Oh yeah…Omega-Ridley, I hope you like this chapter. See? It's nice and short. Three and a half pages! Whoo! It's a record!