Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter nineteen: Penny Lane
A few hours into the banquet, Kagome's anxiety and worries had completely dissolved. With the help of Ryan, Kagome was having the time of her life dancing and mingling amongst the throngs of children her age and older. They seemed to already know she wasn't from their crop, that she came from somewhere other than the upper-crust of society, but instead of being warded off, they were curious. Ryan did his part to keep the crudest of questions from being asked, and Kagome somewhat enjoyed the attention. She found other girls to dance with and even managed to get into a light game of tag with them. Adults that clung to the perimeter of the room turned their attention briefly to the group of children when they heard frantic and excited laughter, some of them even smiling at the unabashed kindness and happiness. It was her first real experience with children her own age and Kagome was finally realizing everything she'd been missing. Unbeknownst to her, there were various sets of eyes watching her from afar.
Inuyasha stood with Miroku, now joined at the hip with a breathless Sango, and their usual group of friends. He had seen Sango, Ayame, and Kouga being introduced to Kagome earlier and needed to do damage control fast. She had been chasing the new girl around in a harmless game, but was pulled to the side by her silver-haired friend. As soon as Sango mentioned how nice Kagome seemed to be, the youngest Taisho boy let out a sarcastic laugh.
"What?" Sango looked at him warily, her attention momentarily diverted from Ayame to look at Inuyasha.
"Do you even know who she is? It's the homeless subway girl we always rag on! My mom and dad adopted her!" He shouted loudly, earning a few heads turning his way. Miroku just sighed and watched as Sango gasped and looked back at the crowd of their peers to see where Kagome was.
"Is she really? That's crazy! How'd that happen?" She asked excitedly before Ayame and Kouga chimed in together.
"What are you talking about? She used to be homeless?" Kouga questioned curiously, also scanning the crowd for sight of Kagome's cheerful face. But a quick shove to his arm from Ayame stopped that and she spoke up.
"I don't care what she is. Just stay away from my Kouga," It was then Inuyasha explained to his friends the extent of his knowledge of what had happened in the months up until then. And as he did so, Sesshoumaru stood off to the side with the few older children attending the banquet, far too mature to be caught dancing like that with the others. He had Kagura near him as he absentmindedly chatted with his school friends, but in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think of Kagome. So far, he enjoyed her far more than his own brother and sneakily kept a close eye on her throughout the banquet. Kagura noticed, but hid her knowing smile in the small cup she drank from.
Suddenly, the singer up on stage motioned for the band to quiet their music and tapped on the mic to get everyone's attention. The children ceased their playing and adult's humming chatter died down as everyone's sight turned to the beautifully decorated stage. Kagome, who had been holding hands with a new friend and skipping excitedly, looked around curiously until finally the singer announced that the next two dances would be special; the first being a mother/son dance. While the adults bit back a groan, the children seemed to grow even more excited than before and raced to their parent on the sidelines. Kagome went along with the others and returned to Izayoi's side, her face flushed with excitement and breath slightly labored.
"Izayoi! This is so much fun! I-" She was quickly cut off when Inuyasha ran up to them and interrupted with a warning expression on his face.
"Mom, I'm not doing this. So don't even ask me!" He announced, his arms folded and a disgruntled pout etched into his face. Kagome watched quietly as Izayoi ignored his protests and all but dragged her son out onto the dance floor. She wasn't the only one having to do so, and though it made Kagome a little lonely, the small girl couldn't stop the endearing smile from curling on her lips at the sight of the few boys she knew being handled like that. As the song began, a slow and peaceful melody, Kagome was surprised to see Inuyasha go from upset and resistant to having his arms wrapped tightly around Izayoi's waist and his cheek pressed against her stomach with a smile on his face. And as Izayoi stroked his long, silvery hair while they twirled slowly in place, Kagome watched a loving expression took over her new mother's face. A tightness began to form in her throat and no matter what she tried, Kagome couldn't swallow it down. Her big, blue eyes batted quickly and looked up at the form now standing by her.
"Sesshoumaru? Are you gonna dance with Izayoi too?" She asked softly, whispering since the whole banquet seemed to become hushed. The young teenager just stared out at the dancing duo with indifference, but Kagome detected that there was something there underneath he wasn't willing to show.
"She's not my mother." Was all he replied with, and Kagome just nodded. She still didn't know what was wrong between Izayoi and Sesshoumaru, but she didn't want to choose sides when both of them were her favorite people. Clapping when the dance came to an end, Kagome forgot about her jealousy when Izayoi came strolling back up to her.
"You looked so pretty Izayoi!" The small girl laughed happily when the older woman stooped down to pick her up. Izayoi smiled back at Kagome and fixed a few strands of her short hair while balancing the girl's small body on her hip.
"Thank you~, but I had an amazing partner too." Izayoi responded; to which, Inuyasha just rolled his eyes and stood by his father. It was then the singer announced that the next dance would be a father/daughter dance. Everyone around the Taisho family seemed more willing for this dance as father's took their daughters hands and their children eagerly followed them onto the dance floor. Sango was out there with her father, as was Ayame and Kagura. But Kagome wondered if she would be led onto that stage. As she watched from Izayoi's arms, her mind went elsewhere to a place that brought her back to her own father. Was he safe? Was he even alive? Should she even care anymore?
Sighing softly, Kagome looked back at Inu-Taisho with sad, nervous eyes. Even though he wasn't her real dad, would he take her out there and dance with her too? Kagome wanted to dance with her father like all the other girls, but did he even see her as his daughter? Izayoi turned to her husband as the song went on and gave him a pleading look, for she could tell how badly Kagome wanted to be acknowledged. Touga just looked at her, then at Kagome, and then left to go to the bathroom until the song ended. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome was gently set back down before Izayoi disappeared after their father. The two brothers turned their attention to the small girl who had moved to the back wall a few yards away, hidden in the shadow with a sad expression caste out towards the dance floor.
For the rest of the evening, things ran smoothly. The band played perfectly while the guests continued with their celebratory business. Children went back to dancing at the center with their friends until it was time to sit at the various round tables to enjoy the gourmet Christmas feast prepared for them. It was the ending of the banquet and everyone was happy to see it over, considering that many of the children were growing tired and cranky. But while some families struggled to keep their youngsters from misbehaving, the Taisho family struggled to bridge the awkward gap that had been formed by the father/daughter dance. While no one spoke of it directly, it was obvious that all of their spirits had been affected by the encounter.
Izayoi was outraged at Touga, and he was acting indifferent; which only made her anger all the more intense. Kagome sat between Inuyasha and Izayoi, her head bowed slightly as she poked the olive around on her china plate, uninspired to eat. Sesshoumaru watched quietly while Inuyasha shoveled food into his mouth obliviously. No one made an attempt to speak until it was time to go. It was nearing midnight by the time Inu-Taisho decided it was time to depart. Kagome had exhausted herself and fell asleep in Izayoi's arms, and Inuyasha was feeling fatigued as well, as they stood outside the building waiting for Tom to pull up with their limo. As Inu-Taisho waited with the car door open, he rolled his eyes as Izayoi snubbed him while she lowered herself and Kagome into the vehicle. He knew that there would be an earful once their bedroom door shut.
"I CAN'T believe you did that! Touga, do you know how damaging it is for Kagome to be rejected like that from you? Like it or not, she is our daughter now and you will have a hand in raising her as one of your own! LOOK AT ME DAMMIT!" Izayoi walked across their plush bed, dressed in an old night-shirt of his, and slapped his back while he stood up with the TV remote in his hand to change the channel. He jerked out of surprise and turned back to look at her, now at his eye-level.
"Izayoi, she isn't our daughter. We are fostering her until the social worker finds a permanent home. Stop acting like she's going to be here forever." His unaffected tone made Izayoi growl in frustration. Stepping down off of the bed, the small woman took a moment to reevaluate her approach, and after taking a calming breath, tried again.
"Touga, why won't you just acknowledge her? I know she's not your daughter and you don't want her here…but she's part of our family for now. She's hurting so badly already and you only made it worse. Please…just go make it better. Please?" Izayoi held her husband's hand in her small ones and kissed it, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes. For the longest time, Inu-Taisho just stared back at her with an unreadable mask. But he eventually opened up.
"This is for you…not for her." Was all he said before pulling on a simple white shirt, since all he had been wearing was a pair of plaid sleep-pants, and then left. As he stalked down the long hallway, going past both sons' bedroom doors, Inu-Taisho pondered what he would even say to the small girl who supposedly slumbered on the other side of the door he now stood in front of. Leaning in some, the mogul listened to hear any movement inside, and sadly he could hear the soft sounds of music playing. Taking a moment to sigh and gather his courage, Inu-Taisho slowly and silently pushed open the door to Kagome's room and looked in.
Soft, mechanical melodies of a music box filled the room as the light from a bedside lamp illuminated the walls for the small girl dancing by herself. Dressed in just a small blue nightgown, Kagome practiced the dance steps she'd learned from her lessons, using the chiming music box as inspiration. Her arms extended in position as if she had a partner in front of her while blue eyes remained shut as she imagined being joined by someone. And as Inu-Taisho stood in the doorframe watching, he couldn't help but feel a tug on his heartstrings while he wondered if his own daughter would have grown up to do something like this. He let Kagome continue, no longer eager to get it over with, when the music box wound down and the song finished. The small girl stopped her simple and clumsy dancing to rewind the music box when she was frozen in place at the sight of the intimidating man. For the longest time, the both of them just stared at each other; both scared of the other person.
Without giving any indication why, Inu-Taisho stepped into the girlish room and picked up the small music box. His large, masculine hands easily turned the winding key, the mechanical clicking becoming the only noise in the room until it had reached the maximum amount of times to be turned. He set the box back down and looked at Kagome as the tune began to play again, then slowly walked up to her. Kagome swallowed nervously as she looked up at Inu-Taisho with confusion and amazement, even more so when he held his hand out to her. Afraid to upset him, the small girl placed her even smaller hand in his and bit back a gasp when he bent over to pick her up in his large, strong arms. Tucking one underneath her, the other hand came to rest in the middle of Kagome's delicate shoulder blades, and with the utmost gentleness, he held her body close to him and began to sway back and forth, shifting from foot to foot.
Unfamiliar with the feeling of being held like this, Kagome wasn't sure what to do or what was going on. Her arms nervously moved to wrap around Inu-Taisho's neck, her hand clasping the other arm's wrist behind his head as lanky legs dangled on either side of his torso. Blue eyes looked out at the wall as her chin lightly rested on his muscular shoulder, but that was all she could bring herself to do. Kagome dare not make a fuss or question him. But then he finally spoke to her and she was amazed to hear him say such a thing.
"I'm sorry, Kagome. I know your feelings were hurt when I didn't dance with you at the party tonight." Kagome blushed madly and bit her bottom lip, unsure what to say to that. "I don't want you to feel left out anymore, and I promise to act more like a father to you from now on. Is that okay with you?" His tone was so soft, voice so smooth and warm that Kagome couldn't help but smile and pull herself closer to him. She nodded against his neck and pressed her face into the long, silvery hair that pooled there, taking a soft inhale of his manly scent. It was so different than what her own father smelled like. As the two fell into a comfortable silence, the music box sounds seemed to become louder and more graceful; as if it was a symphony playing for them rather than the turning and plucking of metal. Kagome found herself dozing off in his arms, and by the song's end, she was fast asleep.