Disclaimer: My poor, poor Inuyasha... If only you were mine, I would cherish you, and pet you, and give you baths, and... Er... Ahem... Anyways, nope don't own it. Don't sue.

AN: So, I'm now putting the author notes up here. As always, they'll be short little blurbs about the chapter. So, lookie! Chapter 12! Isn't is pretty? I think some of you will like this chapter, and I promise this is the beginning of the gang getting back to normal. You'll see, you'll see... Enjoy!

Chapter 12

"S-S… Sango?" Kagome gawked as she stood looking at the occupant of the doorway and the apartment beyond, brown eyes as wide as possible so that she was sure they might fall out of her head at any moment. The girl that stood in the doorway stared right back at her in stunned amazement, dark brown hair tied up in a high ponytail that Kagome would recognize anywhere. She was wearing normal, modern-day clothing, but Kagome could not mistake the face she knew as that of the taijiya.

The girl seemed startled at Kagome's presence, and she stammered for words. "I… Um… Well, you see… You must be mistaken, Ma'am." The answer shocked the miko. Mistaken? How?

"Wha--… But, Sango, it's me! Kagome!"

"I-I know, but that's where you're mistaken. Sango was the name of my ancestor. I'm told often that I look a great deal like she did, but please rest assured that I am not the same person." Kagome's face fell like a plane that had crashed and burned, and the Sango-like young woman seemed to take this hint, opening the apartment door wider and stepping aside. "Would you like to come in? Maybe I can still help you with what you're looking for."

Kagome nodded numbly and conceded to the request, stepping past the look-alike and into the condo hallway, glancing towards the rest of the house. From what she could tell, it was one hell of an apartment.

"Please, come sit down in the living room." Again, she followed the request and wandered into the large master section of the house that seemed to include kitchen, living room, and dining room all in one. At any other time, Kagome might have been prone to drool over the house, as it was rather spacey for all of the facilities packed into one room, along with the adjoining areas that were surely present through a handful of doorways leading off of the room. But, it was not any other time, and for now the miko was simply stunned and confused all at once. Why did this girl look like Sango if she was not? What did she mean when she said Sango was the name of her ancestor?

They took seats upon two opposing leather sofas, both a deep black. Kagome did not know what to say, but the young hostess, most likely only a teenager from Kagome's inspection, was talkative enough for the both of them.

"I'm not sure how you would know my ancestor. She was not any sort of historical figure like some of the other women from that time you might hear about. But perhaps you've heard legends. It's possible. She was a warrior, a demon exterminator, though many would believe that to be ridiculous these days. But she was the best at what she did, and for the longest time one of the last, so it's possible to have heard of her. May I ask why you've come to this specific place looking for her?"

Kagome's mind blanked out for anything to say, and she shifted uncomfortably in the sofa, raising a hand to play with a lock of hair before noticing the address in her fingers. Still in a daze, she held it out for the girl to see. "A… An acquaintance of mine gave me this address, but didn't tell me why. My feet just happened to bring me to the right place."

"An acquaintance?" The girl's brow furrowed deeply, and she took the paper offered to her, looking at the writing. Suddenly, something seemed to dawn on her face. "…May… May I ask your name again?"

"My name? Higurashi Kagome."

The girl was up from her chair like a rocket, and Kagome was suddenly confused and alarmed all at once as the girl sprang from the room, yelling into another portion of the house for someone or something named 'Chikankei'. Kagome just blinked. Pervert Lord? But as the person answering to the name came trailing after the girl with an irritated expression, Kagome suddenly knew why the name fit.

"Yuushiko, I don't have time for your little queries. Can't you see I'm busy with very important work?" The girl known as Yuushiko twitched in a familiar, telling manner.

"Kei, cutting out Playboy pin-ups is NOT 'important work'."

"Only in your mind, dear sister. They are necessities in life! A man can't go through— Oh, beautiful goddess descended from above, would you do me the honor of bearing my children?" Suddenly, Kagome found herself in a very familiar position, her hands locked in between those of a man's while she stared at a figure with short, black hair tied back in a low ponytail, who looked as though he were about to steal her away to Wonderland. Kagome didn't buy it for a minute, and was just about to tell him as much when she felt the most final, telltale sign of all.

"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! HENTAI!"

A loud SLAP resounded throughout the condo.

Kagome found herself poised to strike, but instead was looking down at the dazed form of a Miroku-like youth with an angry, red handprint on one cheek. The print was Sango-sized.

"Pervert," came the disgusted mutter of Yuushiko, who was still flexing her fingers for another good blow.

Kagome just stared, then, "Miroku?" The dark-haired youth sat up with a smile and a chuckle, brushing himself off as he stood. Yuushiko merely rolled her eyes from where she stood.

"No, my lady, you must be mistaken. As you have heard from my uncivilized older sister, my name is Kei, though there is the coincidence of my ancestor retaining that name. I'm often told that I supposedly look like him, though." He looked just a suave, debonair, and secretly lecherous as said ancestor, but Kagome was beginning to understand what was going on around her.

"So, you two are brother and sister?" She glanced suspiciously between the two teenagers, one smiling innocently while the other merely looked annoyed. They nodded in confirmation. "And you two both have Miroku and Sango as ancestors?" Again, a nod. "So, that means that you're descended from them, right?" A pause, then yet another, more puzzled nod. Kagome's expression blossomed instantly into a smile and she ran forward to squash the two siblings in a bear hug. "That's GREAT!"

"H-Higurashi-san?" she heard Yuushiko sputter in confusion. Kei, on the other hand, seemed to more than enjoy the contact.

"If you guys are here, that means they were together back then!" She jumped away from the stunned pair, who were exchanging peculiar glances with each other, and began to hop around like she might have if she were still fifteen. Her excited laughter filled the room.

It could not have turned out better if she had planned it herself! Sango and Miroku had overcome their own doubts and reserves and finally become a couple, and apparently had a family as well if she was standing in front of their descendants. It was more than she could have hoped for, seeing Shippou all grown up, Sesshoumaru and Rin content (it was wrong to say happy when it came to Sesshoumaru) with children and a life of their own, the offspring of two of her closest friends appearing before her, Kouga obviously alive and well, and Inuyasha—

What about Inuyasha? What did he have in this life?

"Higurashi-san… You're the miko who traveled through the well, aren't you?"

Kagome was startled out of her reverie by the question, but quickly recovered. "Yes, that's me. How did you know?"

Yuushiko smiled with what Kagome guessed to be relief. "Shippou-kun likes to tell stories. He helped to raise Kei and I, so we know a lot about what happened back then. So, you knew our ancestors?"

It was Kagome's turn to smile. "Very well. I've never been closer to two other people, except for maybe Shippou-chan and Inuyasha themselves. I've never trusted anyone else more than them." The smile warped to a grin. "You've got good blood in your veins." The twin smiles that met her own expression were ones full of pride and amusement, one more solemn while the other had a hint of mischief. From what she had seen already, Yuushiko and Kei were more alike to the taijiya and houshi than she would have initially guessed.

There was a good feeling in her chest as Kagome was asked to take a seat on the couch once again, this time with both siblings present. She watched happily as Yuushiko wandered into the kitchen area to make some tea.

"So, you two live here together?"

"Us? Oh, no, not at all," Kei said with a short laugh. "Yuu-chan and I could never afford this place the way we live."

"Yeah, we actually live at a nearby boarding school year-round—"

"--Fluffy-sama foots the bill—"

"—He complains that we need to be taught some discipline, but he's mostly talking about Kei," (Kagome giggled at Kei's outraged 'Hey!'). "Anyways, we're just house-sitting right now," Yuushiko added, returning with the tea and setting it upon the coffee table between the two couches. She sat back down in her original seat on the opposite couch, Kei perched comfortably on the armrest beside her, and skillfully served their drinks. Kagome took a sip, then looked pointedly at them.

"Boarding school? Why boarding school?"

Kei shrugged absently, staring at the tea in his cup and swirling it around languidly. "Where else would we go? We don't want to burden anyone with having to take care of us. We were originally going to pay for the school ourselves, but we were told that was unacceptable."

Kagome frowned. "But what about your parents?" This time, both siblings looked down at their cups.

"They died when we were younger," Yuushiko said sedately. Kagome's confusion quickly turned to compassion.

"I'm sorry…"

Yuushiko shook her head, forcing a smile to her lips. "Don't be sorry. It's not unusual in our family history for children to lose their parents early. It was not a large shock to us, merely a sad occurrence. We were well taken care of after it happened."

"I see… I take it by the same person who is paying for your school?" Both siblings nodded. "This… Fluffy-sama…?" Kagome was sure her expression was quite amusing at that point, but the name made her wonder. It was a nickname for someone, right?

Apparently so, as both brother and sister began to laugh quietly over some private, personal joke. Kagome merely blinked in puzzlement.

"What? What did I say?" The laughter only increased, then quickly died down as both pulled themselves under control. Unfortunately, Kei was still grinning deviously, which gave the young miko a strange feeling of unease.

"It's just a nickname Kei made up. I'm sorry we laughed, it's just… funny," Yuushiko explained with a barely-concealed smile, taking a sip at her tea to help with the effort. Kagome was still lost, but took her own sip of tea to cover it up.

"It's Sesshoumaru."

Well, there went the tea. Kagome spit without thinking, too surprised to do anything else. "You gave that nickname to Sesshoumaru?" She felt as though her eyes would bug out of her head, dumbfounded. Then, almost conspiratorially, "Does he know you call him that?" She glanced around as though the feared taiyoukai would appear at any moment within the apartment, then back to her two companions. Kei was so close to laughing he was crimson, and Yuushiko just looked as though Kagome had said something odd.

"Of course he knows," she said, matter-of-factly. "Kei's been calling him that since we were five." Kagome nearly dropped her cup, but managed to set it down carefully on the table.

"You're kidding…"

Yuushiko frowned. "Why would I joke?"

At that point, Kagome would not have been surprised if she had keeled over with a heart attack. "No… No reason…" Trying to regain her sense of balance, the shocked miko attempted to change the subject. "So, Sesshoumaru pays for your school?"

"Yes, he's always insisted on it… Well, as well as Sesshoumaru can insist on anything. It's usually more of just him handing us a check made out to the school and walking off without saying anything. Rin thinks it's funny, she always starts laughing." The siblings exchange yet another expression, this one of knowing humor.

"How old are you two?" She was beginning to relax in the presence of these new friends, comfortable with how talkative and amiable they were.

"17," they said in unison.

"…Both of you?"

"We're twins." Kagome blinked, then blinked again. Why was she not that surprised?

"And you said you're just watching over the apartment for someone?" Both twins looked somewhat sheepish.

"The truth is we just take over when they aren't home. Neither of them mind, really, we've been doing it since we could take a bus by ourselves. We don't really like staying in the dorms if we don't have to, so we come here a lot. There's more than enough room, as I'm sure is obvious," Kei offered, sweeping a hand around the apartment with an air of nonchalance.

"Then, who is it that actually lives here?" Kagome asked, still unable to guess for herself.

Yuushiko smiled patiently. "Isn't it obvious?"

As if on cue, Kagome heard the distant sound of keys jingling in a lock, followed by a door being thrown open at the beginning of the small entrance hall. She turned expectantly, hearing Kei's smug mutter of "just in time" before she heard a new voice enter the scene.

"Oi, it's too quiet in here. You two had better not be up to some fucking stupid thing aga- Kagome…"

"Inuyasha…" The two could only stare at each other.

"Ten bucks says she storms out within the next fifteen minutes," Kei offered with a smirk. Yuushiko merely punched him in the shoulder, glaring.

"You shouldn't say things like that. Higurashi-san is a very nice person, and we both know Inuyasha says cruel things when he gets flustered," Yuushiko scolded her younger twin. "Personally, I think it was wrong for Sesshoumaru to give her the address. They would have figured it out for themselves."

Kei snorted contemptuously. "And how long do you think that would have taken? From what Shippou always said, those two are more stubborn and oblivious with each other than an infant is to the urge for sex." His sister glowered at him for his analogy, but the teenager merely shook it off. It was nothing new. "Either way, you should be happy you finally got to meet her. You've been looking forward to it for so long now…" He shrugged, but noticed her instant change in expression.

"She's different than I imagined," the dark-haired girl murmured, almost to herself. Kei admired the thoughtful look of beauty that passed over his sister's face. "I don't really know what it is… Maybe it's just that she's so… normal. I always thought she'd be something untouchable, but she just seems like any other person." Her gaze shifted to look at her brother. "What do you think?"

He shrugged again, allowing himself to slide from his perch on the couch arm down to the cushions, crashing deliberately into his twin so that they knocked sides. Yuushiko laughed softly and gave him a shove. "She seems nice, if not a bit confused. I have a feeling they've only been telling her pieces of things so far. I was surprised at how she and Inuyasha reacted to each other, though."

It was true, he had been surprised. Between Rin, Shippou, and his own family, Kei had heard more than his share of stories involving the explosive relationship between Inuyasha and the 'future' miko. But there had been no explosions at all when Inuyasha had walked into the apartment. In fact, the two had been quite sedate. Kagome, who had been so lively moments before, had suddenly turned quiet and solemn, keeping her eyes downcast. Inuyasha had not been much different, but had approached the couch without pretense and wordlessly taken the miko from the room by the hand. Kagome had looked bewildered and worried, to say the least, but also resigned.

They had been shut away out on a bedroom balcony for almost a half hour now, and there was no signs of them returning any time soon.

Kei sighed, leaning his head back against the couch cushions. He had been aware since he was a little boy about the presence of Higurashi Kagome in this time period, and about most of the events that had happened amidst the small group of friends five hundred years ago. He had also been aware that part of those events happened during the time he was growing up, in some peculiar, warped way. To Higurashi Kagome, it had been four years since seeing any of the people that Kei had been raised by his entire life. He had expected something more than a whispered conversation…

What exactly had Shippou and the others been telling her about their lives in the modern world?

But, nevertheless, he agreed with Yuushiko. He had expected something more ethereal in the miko, but she was as human as the next person, and even a bit peculiar. She was definitely a different person than he had expected.

"I'm sure they'll figure everything out. They've all been waiting a long time for this, haven't they?" Yuushiko glanced up at her brother, and Kei thought hard about the question.

"Yes, I suppose they have…"

"I'm sorry to barge in on you like this. I didn't really know—" Kagome began, only to be cut off by a telltale grunt.

"Keh, don't apologize. I know that fucking bastard is the one who told you to come here," he said bitterly, looking out from the balcony upon which they stood. He had yet to actually look at her since bringing her onto the balcony. "…Sorry I wasn't here."

She shook her head vigorously. "No, it's okay, Inuyasha. I had fun talking to Yuushiko-chan and Kei-kun. …They really look a lot like them," she said softly, dropping her gaze to the floor as he turned to regard her. "I was so surprised when Yuushiko opened the door. I thought that somehow Sango had managed to come through the well. But she explained it to me, so there's nothing to worry about. I don't know why I thought they would still be alive after all the time that's passed since then…" He could see the light blush flood across her cheeks; knew she was embarrassed to admit to the dim hopes that her friends was still living in her time.

"Kagome…" He did not know what to say to comfort her, but felt as though it was his responsibility to do so. Still, he was well aware of the formalities that had suddenly sprung up between them in the past week; the mild pleasantries she was showing him even now. He supposed it had something to do with their discussion in the courtyard days before. Kagome no longer regarded him with the openness he had once known. …Was it because she no longer considered him a friend? Was that why she resented him for what he had done in regards to the past four years?

The thought made the hanyou's heart clench.

It had been a long time for both of them, but unlike Inuyasha, Kagome had the option of moving on towards a future of possibilities. He had decided to give her that option that moment he had watched her fall through the well when she was fifteen. She had obviously done so, too, since she had undergone college and was now a certified physical therapist. Did his resurfacing just complicate things for her? Was he not worth her time? This was the first time he had seen her face-to-face since she had left for America four years ago (Sesshoumaru had bodily restrained him from following after), had she changed so drastically? But if that were true, then why was she here, at his apartment?

It was too much to think through, and, in true Inuyasha fashion, he preferred to ignore any and all situations that involved deep thought.

"Keh… it doesn't matter," he ground out stubbornly, turning away and crossing his arms over his chest. He meant for his words to be reassuring and nonchalant, but he could practically feel her sudden frown bearing into his back.

"It matters to me." There it was, that stubborn, annoyed tone. There was the Kagome he knew. Unfortunately, instead of being relieved at the sudden change in attitude, Inuyasha felt himself grow hot with irritation.

Was it not she who had left Japan after sealing the well? Had she ever once thought about them after leaving the Sengoku Jidai behind? Why was it that she was the only one allowed to mourn the loss of friends, and why had she never mourned before now? The thought made the heat inside him build to a small kindling fire.

"Funny thing to say now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He did not answer immediately, the anger continuing to build slowly. What did she think it meant? And why did she suddenly have to be so weird about everything? She was cold one minute, hot the next! What did it even matter that she was there in the first place? She hadn't seemed to care for four years. She had obviously never to taken the time to think about them or search for any legacies they had left behind, so why did she care so much now? It made his ears burn and twitch atop his head, and his temper was set to rage when he heard her voice come at him yet again. "Inuyasha, what the hell do you mean by that?"

All of the control he had tried to exert upon himself in the past few centuries crumbled at her demand, his demon side suddenly enraged at the audacity of this one human. He felt something snap, whirling on her. "What the fuck do you think it means? You're the one who's never given a thought to anyone since you sealed the well! If you cared so much, you shouldn't have left in the first place. You left us behind, Kagome, and haven't given us a fucking thought since! You went off to a different country almost as soon as you stepped out of the well! You decided to end it! Where were you all this time? You certainly weren't with us, so obviously there was something a lot more important for you here than there ever was back then. You made your decision four years ago! Don't pretend to be concerned now!"

He expected her to yell back; to protest and scream at him with that banshee voice she was so talented at using. He expected explosions and sputtering and hot, angry, baby-killing glares. He even expected a few "Osuwari!"s, and some ground-eating on his part, along with the ritual backaches that followed.

What he did not expect was the stinging blow that suddenly whipped across one cheek and threw his head to the right, his body going rigid.

"How dare you." Her voice was so quiet and dangerous that Inuyasha's ears instantly flattened, all anger and rage drowning in a sea of shock and regret. Turning his head towards her, he did not insult her by tending to his burning cheek, but instead stared at her as he never had before. Kagome, of all people, had never struck him.

"Kag-"

"How DARE you!" The volume of her words hitched dangerously until it was a choking screech, and his eyes grew wide with realization as a single, loud, strangled sob broke from her lips, her eyes lifting to meet his.

He made her cry. He'd truly made her cry.

The tears ran angrily down his cheeks in uncontrollable streams, her eyes pools of muddled, dull brown that held no true emotion but the acknowledgement of a deep, cruel wounding. Her lips and body were trembling, her jaw clenched tight so that she might break teeth were she to bite down any further. Her hair fell in loose waves about her face, sticking to her cheeks and skin where wet patches were the most abundant. Her hands were balled into fists that could not be stilled of movement, even as she folded them defensively across her chest. No matter what the situation had been, Inuyasha had never seen her in such a state of dishevel and upset.

But what hit him hardest was the way with which she looked at him. It was the face that her eyes held no personal hatred for him- only an incredulous hurt, as though she were wondering if it were really Inuyasha who stood before her. How could he say such things? Who was this person that she suddenly no longer knew? He supposed he suddenly felt the same way.

Had he really just said that to her? Had he really…

No, no, no, no, no…

"Kagome…" He reached for her, meant to say something, tell her anything that would take that look from her eyes, but she wrenched away from him so violently that she came close to unbalancing herself.

"Don't touch me." It was a hiss of disgust.

No, please… She wasn't supposed to talk to him like that, look at him like that. Not Kagome!

"Kagome-"

"I need to go." She turned away almost before the words were out of her mouth, all but running from the balcony and the bedroom and out into the apartment. He heard the surprised voice of Yuushiko and Kei even as he followed after, followed by an abrupt slamming of the front door by the time he reached the couches.

He could only stare after the closed door.

"Inuyasha, what happened?"

What had he done?

"Inuyasha?"

Had he really said something so horrible?

"Inuyasha, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

She had slapped him so fiercely, so harshly. Kagome never struck him.

"He's not saying anything! Should we call Sesshoumaru?"

He had never seen such a look in her eyes, not even when faced with Naraku. It was like he had betrayed her somehow… And he had, hadn't he? He'd betrayed every kind word or gesture she'd ever given to him.

"Yuu, go call Sess, tell him what happened. …Inuyasha? Inuyasha, you didn't hurt her, did you?"

Oh, God… What had he done?

Numb and oblivious to the words being thrown at him, the stricken hanyou turned and walked – quietly – back to the bedroom, closing the door behind him gently and sealing himself away inside the room. Kei and Yuushiko were left to worry, unanswered, in the living room.

Next Chapter: Yes, next chapter! That's right, you read the right words! We're getting something of a preview here! Yay! ...Anyways...

Chapter 13, Inuyasha has to deal with the consequences of his words while Kagome tries despairingly to forge onwards into the role of her new job at Taisho Corp. Unfortunately, she must also find an apartment of her own as the end of the month approaches, causing even more stress than what she's already feeling. We can only imagine what that'll bring.