A/N: I know that the Chichibu festival is actually on like the third or fourth day or second and third day of December and not when I stated it is in this story...i had to change the dates to fit the story. Don't hate me for it lol

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter twenty-nine: Get Back

Days passed and Sesshoumaru's seventeenth birthday came and went with little fanfare, as everyone's focus was placed on the distraught Kagome; but no one seemed able to console her. Foregoing all things except for crying and sleeping, Kagome made herself scarce around the house as she tried to cope with the news of her father's death. Her crying could be heard throughout the house at all hours of the day and night; sad, desperate cries for her mother and father that tugged at the family's heartstrings. Izayoi was beside herself with worry for Kagome and looked like a wreck every time she left the girl's room with a tray of uneaten food. They brought in therapists to help Kagome, but she wouldn't stop crying long enough for any progress to be made. Even Sesshoumaru could not help her calm down. School resumed the following Monday for the boys, but there was no chance Izayoi and Inu-Taisho would let Kagome join them while she was in such anguish.

It was Saturday, November 26th, three days since Sesshoumaru's joyless birthday and just a week since Kagome's depressing mood had taken over the house. Just a few hours past midnight, Inuyasha was woken by the familiar sounds of crying from across the hall. The first few days he'd been very understanding and sympathetic, never going near Kagome so not to upset her more. But it was becoming unbearable for everyone to hear her crying still; especially for Inuyasha as he tossed and turned in his bed, doing anything to block out the sounds. The fourteen year old became more and more fed up. He hated the sound of her crying, and the fact he was worrying about her at all was just as upsetting for him. With the decision to put a stop to it all, Inuyasha kicked off his blankets, stormed across his bedroom and the hallway, and entered Kagome's room without even a knock.

"Shut the fuck up!" His voice was barely above a whisper, but it was just as serious as yelling would have been. In the darkness of the room, Inuyasha could see Kagome curled up on her bed, clinging to her pillow with her face buried in it. She wore the same pajamas that she changed into the night of the incident, and it was clear she hadn't even showered since then either. Her head picked up and she looked at him with watery eyes, which would have affected him earlier in the week; but it just annoyed him even more now. They held each other's gazes, one sad and the other aggravated, until finally Kagome showed signs of breaking down again as her face crumpled and her head fell back onto the pillow. Inuyasha crossed the floor between him and her bed and gave the small girl a sudden push, surprising her into a quiet state. "No more crying! Crying is for babies who miss their mom and dad. You have my mom and dad so you shouldn't be crying over some guy that abandoned you! If you had stayed with him, you'd probably be dead too! But you got parents that care about you now so suck it up and stop crying! Jeez!" With a dramatic flailing of his arms, Inuyasha turned away from her for a moment to collect himself.

As he was doing that, Kagome slowly pushed herself back up into a sitting position and wiped at her stray tears quietly. She was mad at him for barging in and yelling at her, but there wasn't anything she could say that would take away the frank honesty of his words. Sad eyes turned to angered ones as she stared at the back of his head, wishing that he wasn't right. Inuyasha wasn't normally someone who followed a moral compass or came upon the correct things to do in times of seriousness; but in this instance he was. Her own father had abandoned her and she now had a family that loved her and would keep her safe…so why was she so distraught? Sniffling once, Kagome looked at the back of Inuyasha's head and tried to think of something to say, but nothing would come out. When he finally turned back around to face her, the twelve-year old's gaze instantly fell down to her lap out of embarrassment and shame.

"Are you done crying?" He asked in a sharp tone. Kagome nodded slowly, biting on the inside of her cheek to stop from snapping at him, and kept her eyes down until she heard her door shut and then his across the hall. For what seemed like hours, Kagome remained still and quiet in her bed as she slowly regained a sense of reality. Her father was dead now, but that wasn't the end of her life. There was so much she had to do in her life, and the news that her father was dead didn't change that fact. Sighing softly, Kagome slowly lay back down and sank into the cool sheets of her bed as sleep slowly began taking over her. In the morning she would try to return to normal; but for now, she just wanted to sleep and forget everything.

Sitting at his laptop, typing a reply to Kagura's last IM, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but glance up at the wall above his desk where numerous drawings were pinned. Years of them had accumulated on his wall, all drawn by the hands of his little sister. Kagome was not a skilled artist, but she enjoyed it all the same and he would always display anything she gave him. Most of the drawings were of cats and flowers and things little girls' minds were occupied with; but a good few were drawings of him and her doing various activities together. Those were his secret favorites, only because he enjoyed being emulated by someone he held so dear. Thinking about Kagome, at this point in time, was a saddening thing for the seventeen-year-old. She was no longer kept away in her room or starving, but Kagome was still a former version of herself. She went through the motions of living, i.e. eating, moving around, working, talking to others, but her eyes were still distant and unresponsive even as Sango and Ayame spent time with her and tried to make her laugh.

Sesshoumaru knew that he needed to do something to make her snap out of this funk; but what was there that he could do? He didn't want anyone really knowing the depths of how much he cared for her, so whatever he did would have to be secretive. Nothing was coming to mind, and didn't come to mind throughout the whole day as he went about school, swim practice, and as he got ready for bed later that night. While plugging his phone onto its charger at his desk, the teen noticed his calendar and a special date written for the next day. Thinking about that special day, he wondered if it was appropriate to take Kagome to experience it. Would she be able to handle it? Sighing softly, the teen ran his hand through the short, white hair atop his head and decided he would find the answer in the morning after he got a good night's sleep.

"Where are we going, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked as she sat beside him in the backseat of one of the family's black cars. It was Sunday and earlier that morning Sesshoumaru had come into Kagome's room and woken her earlier than she was accustomed to. As he waited for her to dress, he informed her of his plans to take her out for a special visit. The small girl dressed in a pair of blue leggings and a simple, white winter dress. Her shoulder length hair was braided neatly and all stray hairs were held back by a blue headband. It was nearing December and though Kagome usually loved winter weather, it felt like it would last forever and would always remind her of sadness.

"You'll see when we get there," He replied simply, looking stoic and handsome as he sat straight in his seat. The ride took them through the city, past shopping centers and business offices, and Kagome realized that she had missed seeing all of this every day on her way to dance lessons and school. She hadn't gone back since that fateful day and it was taking a toll on her spirit. All of her friends had been calling and visiting in an attempt to discover why she wasn't attending, but only a select few got past the front door. Kagome wanted to return to her normal routine now and felt very silly for taking so long to realize it.

"Are you taking me to dance lessons?" She inquired, but only got a quiet shake of his head as an answer. Huffing with mild frustration, Kagome sat back in the seat and looked down at her lap. Her mind slowly began to wander, and before she realized it, the car came to a stop at a large, back, cast-iron gate. It was tall and imposing, but elegant still. As their driver spoke to the security guard stationed at the gate entrance, Kagome leaned towards her window and looked out at the property. There was a long, gravel road that slowly curved up towards a huge building atop a shallow hill. It was grey and ominous in appearance, but the surrounding green grass and trees counteracted that feeling with calm serenity. She had no idea a place like this even existed. Looking over at her brother, Kagome gave him a curious expression.

"It's a psychiatric hospital," That only caused her to give him an even more confused look and Sesshoumaru elaborated. "It's a hospital for people with serious mental disorders." At hearing that, a grave expression appeared on her face that made Sesshoumaru do a double take out of confusion. She looked absolutely horrified. "What?"

"Are you leaving me here?" She asked in a heartbroken and terrified voice, only making Sesshoumaru roll his eyes. The car began driving again and the gate slowly shut behind them as they approached the building.

"No, there is someone I want you to meet." By his serious tone, Kagome could tell he wasn't going to divulge any more information until later. With a sigh, she sat back and waited for the car to be parked in the lot round the back of the building. Once the driver cut off the engine and went to exit the car, Sesshoumaru sat forward and stopped the older man. "You aren't needed, stay here." He stated bluntly before sliding out of the backseat, followed by Kagome. Her pretty, but simple, flat shoes met the crunchy gravel driveway and she waited for Sesshoumaru to begin walking before taking her first step. They entered through the front doors, and instantly Kagome was reminded of her time in the hospital and the coroner's office. Everything was so white and clean, unnaturally so, and her arms instantly hugged Sesshoumaru's to her chest for security. He didn't seem to mind as he led her to the front desk where an elderly Mexican woman sat behind. She recognized him and greeted them both with a friendly smile.

"Right on time, as always," She started with a knowing tone in her voice as she pulled out a clipboard with a sign-in sheet attached. Sesshoumaru didn't have much of a reaction as he gave the woman his driver's license and went through a well practiced routine. "I'm glad to see you bringing someone else. You know how much she likes company." Kagome looked between her brother and the woman as he signed papers for the both of them and was lead to double doors a few yards down the hallway. The receptionist swiped her identification card through an electronic reader and a soft beep was heard instantly after. She pushed open one of the doors and smiled as they walked past. "Reggie will take you to her room," The woman said in her friendly voice and Kagome watched over her shoulder as the door was shut behind them, another beeping sound going off as it automatically locked.

Her big, blue eyes gazed about the building. They were facing down a long, white corridor with sitting rooms on either side before private rooms took over further down. There were chairs and tables set up with books and newspapers for the patients to read, and in one corner a T.V. sat suspended from the ceiling. There were two peopled sitting at one of the tables already, one of them an elderly man dressed in bland-colored clothes. The other, a young man with thick dreadlocks, stood beside him as they conversed about that day's newspaper; though the old man did little more than mumble and nod. The young man, dressed in a white medical uniform, then noticed Sesshoumaru and Kagome and approached them with a smile on his face. He too seemed to recognize Sesshoumaru and greeted him with a strange familiarity.

"Wow! Sesshoumaru, I didn't think I'd see you again now that I've been put on night duty. Long time no see!" He didn't bat an eye at Sesshoumaru's deadpan response.

"Then what are you doing here on the morning shift?" He asked dryly. Reggie just laughed and dismissed the distant attitude as if he'd been accustomed to it for quite some time.

"I'm filling in for someone else." It was then he looked down at Kagome and offered a friendly grin. "Who is this? You're cousin?" He asked. Kagome shook her head.

"I'm his little sister," Her voice was soft and meek. Reggie gave them a strange, confused look for a moment.

"How is that possible? She doesn't look a thing like your dad or-" He was quickly cut off by an irritated Sesshoumaru.

"Drop it. Just take us to see her, please." Sesshoumaru's normally calm voice had a tone of annoyance to it that got Kagome to look up at him. Reggie just sighed and gave them a 'follow me' motion with his hand before walking down the long hallway.

"Come on, I'll walk you down. Mr. Goldman, I'll be right back. You keep reading that newspaper," Sesshoumaru and Kagome quietly followed Reggie, walking past doors with small windows that lined either side of the hall. Still gripping Sesshoumaru's arm, Kagome tried not to think about the sort of patients that were kept in those rooms and focused mainly on never being split from her older brother. This hospital wasn't a very welcoming or warm one, not at all like the children's ward she'd spent so much time at, and it put her nerves on end just being inside.

Getting to the room took the trio down a few turns and new corridors, through security activated doors and past shatter-proof glass windows, but they finally did arrive at the correct door. Only a three-digit number plaque was put on the door for identification, but Sesshoumaru seemed very familiar with it as he and Reggie walked in after knocking softly.

"Hi, Kimi~" Reggie's voice sounded as if he were talking to a child and Kagome wondered if there was someone younger than herself in there. "You have some visitors today." She walked with Sesshoumaru into the room and was truly shocked by what was there. Pinned up all along the walls were clippings and pictures from newspapers and magazines, all of them pertaining to the Taisho family; Sesshoumaru and Inu-Taisho in particular upon further inspection. The white walls underneath were barely visible and the same went for the floor as well; which was covered by stacks of news papers and magazines the patient hadn't seemed to go through yet. There was a metal framed bed off to one corner and a desk where she seemed to do most of her work. But, as Kagome and Sesshoumaru were now alone with the patient, she was found standing by her window looking out at the grey, cloudless sky. Through the reflection in the glass, Kagome could see the woman's face.

Her face was thin and pale, but her beauty was still evident in the aristocratic and feminine qualities she possessed. Silver hair, peppered with white strands, was pulled back into a messy bun at the nape of her neck and a few tendrils fell around her cheeks in delicate strands. A white robe hung off of her slim shoulders, and underneath it looked to be a pair of pale pajamas. Her expression in the window was one Kagome didn't quite know how to place. It seemed to be one of impatience and stubbornness, as if she was waiting to be set free from the room and allowed outside. With her back still turned to the pair, Kagome began to wonder if Kimi had even heard them come in or Reggie announcing their arrival. With a sidelong glance up at him, Kagome noticed Sesshoumaru regarding the woman with a strange look in his eye. It looked to be a mixture of love and sadness.

"Sesshoumaru, who-"

"Sesshoumaru?!" Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin with fright when the woman suddenly spoke up with a loud voice and turned around in a rush. The young man offered kimi a smile and removed his arm from Kagome's hold before approaching her.

"Hello, mother," He said softly, his voice uncharacteristically warm and loving. Kagome watched in shock and amazement as Sesshoumaru allowed himself to be taken into a tight embrace by the woman, now discovered to be his mother. Kimi planted kisses all over Sesshoumaru's handsome face, doted over his new hair and ran her hands over his chest and arms; as if she were recognizing and memorizing ever part of him. And what surprised Kagome most was the fact he gladly allowed her to do so; a smile on his face the entire time. His arms remained wrapped around the woman's small waist and his head returned to her chest often, like a small child returning to his mother at the end of a long day apart. Mother and son were in their own world for a short while, going about their routine of greeting each other without a single notice or care that Kagome was in the room as well. Feeling rude for just standing there and watching, Kagome looked down at her shoes until she heard her name being called.

"Kagome, this is my mother Kimi. Mother, this is Kagome; a friend of mine." Sesshoumaru extended his hand out towards Kagome, beckoning her to approach and greet his mother. As she slowly made her way over, doing her best not to step on any stray newspapers or articles, Kagome caught Kimi's bright, but warm gaze and couldn't help but blush.

"It's nice to meet you, Kagome. I'm sure we'll become fast friends if my handsome son approves of you enough to bring you to see me." Kimi took Kagome's small hand in hers and gave the girl a friendly smile, to which Kagome couldn't help but reciprocate. She liked this woman, though it was a mystery as to why she lived here.

"Nice to meet you too," Before anything else could be said or done, Kimi dropped Kagome's hand and went over to her desk with all the grace and grandeur a movie star might possess while stepping out onto the red carpet. Sesshoumaru remained at Kagome's side as they watched Kimi act as if she were admiring herself in a mirror, though there was no such thing in front of her. Kagome began to realize that there wasn't something quite right with the woman.

"I'm sorry I haven't been able to visit, son. My schedule is just so busy that I haven't the time to be stopping by." Her tone was suddenly very superior and nonchalant, like a bourgeoisie lady with a demanding social life and high social standing.

"It's alright, mother." Sesshoumaru said patiently. Kimi reached back and took down the messy bun in her hair, then began playing with the pale locks as if she were styling it.

"I do keep up with you and your father from what I read in the papers. But they seem to get some things wrong; it really is laughable. They're painting that woman as some kind, selfless person. Donating money and going to charity events doesn't make you a saint Izayoi~" As Kimi turned around in her chair and gave Kagome a wondering look. "Have you met the woman?" Kagome didn't know how to answer. She felt weird not defending her mother against all the cruel things being said about her but, by the way Sesshoumaru was bearing holes into her head, the little girl felt like going along with Kimi was the best choice.

"Y-yes, I have." She replied nervously, though Akemi didn't notice.

"Horrid woman, isn't she? And that brat she calls a son is a disgrace to the Taisho name. Touga should have told her to abort the boy before it got too late to do a thing about him. Now my husband is saddled with a child who will only be a detriment to him. Thankfully he has my Sesshoumaru to take over. That Inuyasha will never amount to anything," She paused to let out a condescending laugh and turned back around to apply non-existent makeup. "And it's no surprise with that woman's blood in him. She's just a slutty waitress who debased herself and tricked a married man into leaving his wife. Oh, Sesshoumaru, where is your father today? I've been missing him terribly. It's so difficult meeting in secret so that woman doesn't find out. You know, it's almost comical in the way our situations have switched. He's cheating on her with me now…wonder how Izayoi would react if she knew. Ha! I'll let her continue thinking her world is perfect and happy and that my husband loves her."

Kagome wanted to cry as she listened to Kimi further insult the woman who was everything to her. But, when Kimi turned back around and sent Kagome a kind and genuine smile, she couldn't find it in herself to hate the woman. There was pity for her; pity because Kimi was trapped in a world that she'd made up and could not escape. She was a beautiful, vivacious, and friendly woman and it was a waste that she existed only in this building and not out in society where she belonged; but it was obvious that her mind was no longer functioning properly as she continued to primp and fancy herself in the non-existent mirror. Kagome and Sesshoumaru spent upwards of two hours with Kimi, talking and sharing with her, and listening to what she had to say. Kimi seemed to greatly enjoy the company and it was a relief to find out she could talk about things other than her hate for Izayoi. But when it came time to leave, she went from charming to distressed in a matter of seconds. As Sesshoumaru and Kagome stood up to go towards the door, Kimi got up from her chair and moved to stand between them and the only exit.

"Mother, it's time that Kagome and I leave. I will be back in a week for another visit." His words were slow and careful, but that only made Kagome more nervous for Kimi's reaction. An anxious laugh slipped out before she ran a hand through her hair frantically as she looked around the room for something.

"No, no, no, no…You-you have to stay. I'm having company over that I want you to meet. They're a very prestigious family Sesshoumaru. Their daughter is just your age and I think you two could get along quite well together. But you have to stay longer if you want to meet her. So stay." Her dark eyes flickered over towards her son and Kagome, a frenzied look in the gaze that served to frighten the small girl even more. Kagome held onto Sesshoumaru's arm tightly when Kimi moved towards them suddenly and grabbed the little girl's elbow in a sharp grip. "Kagome doesn't want to leave yet! So you can't go!" Kimi's voice got louder and more demanding, causing the first tears to sting Kagome's eyes and a whimper to slip out.

"Mother, let go of her. We have to leave now." With his own powerful grip, Sesshoumaru carefully removed Kimi's hand from Kagome's arm and pressed the emergency button near the door, alerting staff. Kimi's nostrils flared and lips curled as she let out a frustrated, shrill scream that scared Kagome.

"NO! Everyone always leaves me! Why does everyone always leave me?!" Kicking a stack of newspapers angrily (sending the pages dancing through the air gracefully), Kimi began pulling at her hair and doubled over as she staggered about the room. "I won't let you leave…I'll make you stay with me!" Just as she took the first step towards the others, Reggie and two fellow workers came in and pushed past the two visitors to subdue her. Her anger quickly fell away to reveal a frightened woman, crying sadly as Sesshoumaru herded a confused Kagome from the room. Kimi's called out for Sesshoumaru as she was forced down on her bed to be subdued, begging for him to rescue her from the hell of confinement. But he could do nothing and instead took Kagome away as fast as possible. His grip on her small wrist was painful, but Kagome barely noticed it as they rushed past orderlies and nurses; all with a strange, but knowing look on their faces.

"Sesshoumaru? What happened to your mom?" She asked in a high, almost fearful voice as they exited the hospital's front doors. His reaction to the question wasn't the sort she was expecting at all. With a sudden turn of his body, Sesshoumaru was glaring down at Kagome with a look of hate and pain in his bright, yellow eyes; it was strange to be on the receiving end of it when she was so used to it from the other brother instead of her Sesshoumaru. It caused the little girl to take a small step back and a quick inhale out of fright.

"That woman who stole my father is the cause of my mother's condition. You heard it for yourself! My mother is a lunatic because of her. FUCK!" Sesshoumaru kicked the grass he stood on with a jerking, angry force that caused his body to naturally turn around facing away from her. Hands at his waist, Sesshoumaru tried to maintain some sense of calm and levelheadedness, but Kagome could see the boiling emotions just under his cool surface. She understand why he was so upset, but her heart couldn't believe Izayoi to be a horrible person like Akemi painted her as.

"Sesshoumaru," She began hesitantly, quickly shutting her mouth again when he spoke up.

"I envy you…you no longer have to wonder if your father is dead or alive, suffering or happy; I can never, ever stop wondering what state of mind my mother is in. Is she having a good day, a bad day? She is stuck in this horrible place, kept away because she has nowhere else to go. I'm reminded of it every time I see Izayoi and I feel more and more angry towards her every day. Your father is dead and gone; you'll never have to worry about him again. I envy you." His words were low and monotonous, but near the end Kagome heard a few wavering tones that told her he was not as kept-together as he wanted her to think. There was a moment that passed when neither of them talked, only the sounds of passing wind filled the quiet, cold scene. Stepping up next to him, Kagome let the side of her head rest against his arm and her small hands found their way to lace with Sesshoumaru's larger one.

"I think you should stop being so angry…you should be happy. It's sad about your mom, but don't be mad at my mom either. And it still hurts to think about my dad, but if something happened to your mom you would be sad too. So, just let it go and find something that makes you happy." Her intent was to comfort, but Sesshoumaru only became more frustrated and distant. He jerked his arm away from Kagome and began the short walk back to the car without even a glance back at her. Confused again, Kagome looked around her surroundings for hopeful indications as to why he was acting so weird, but then quickly followed after Sesshoumaru. They both slid into the backseat of the car without a word to the driver. The tension inside the car was palpable as no one spoke a word to each other. Though it was little more than a foot or two, the distance between them felt like miles to Kagome. She chanced one sidelong glance towards her older brother and when she only saw his usual bored expression, Kagome assumed he was no longer angry.

"Sesshoumaru, can we stop for some pizza? I'm really hungry." Usually Sesshoumaru would indulge Kagome in her simple desires, but there was a change in him as he completely disregarded her question and presence. "Sesshoumaru? Did you hear me?" Again, no response; he just kept his cold gaze on the back of the headrest in front of him. Finally understanding the implications of her bold words, Kagome regretted ever saying anything at all. With a dejected sigh, she shifted in her seat and kept her eyes up at the sky that rolled by as the car drove them home.

A few days passed since that fateful visit to the hospital and much had transpired in the Taisho household during that time. Sesshoumaru was given his first-ever grounding for taking Kagome to see his mother without permission, and needless to say it caused a strange shift in the family structure for a short while. He spent most of his time cooped up in his room, without the luxuries of his precious electronics, and there was an unspoken agreement between him and the family that no one was to intrude; not even Kagome. The stress between them was just as strong as it had been days ago, and that made riding to and from school horribly awkward. Kagome had no idea how to handle herself around him, and he used every chance possible to ignore the insecure girl. Inuyasha tried not to make things worse, but his ever insensitive nature made sure that, in some unintentional way or another, he managed to cause Kagome to feel bad about the situation. Thankfully, as one emotional door shut on her another opened in the form of a new friend.

Houjo had quickly become a staple in Kagome's life, one to which she held onto dearly. He was not only a friend, but a tutor and confidant. He, along with Sango and Ayame, kept Kagome distracted from the sad reality of her father's passing and Sesshoumaru's strange indifference that tended to bring her mood down if her mind ever drifted onto the subject. If Sango and Ayame weren't hanging around the house keeping Kagome busy with make-up school work (or girlish games), Houjo was there helping Kagome memorize the new dances Madam Chachka had choreographed for the upcoming national competition. She'd managed to keep up her daily exercises for better strength and pointe precision, but Kagome's hiatus from school and dance lessons left her behind the rest of her peers. Fortunately, he was a wonderful teacher and as they spent more time together Kagome learned much from Houjo and about him as well.

Houjo James Akitoki was a Texas native whose family had emigrated from Japan a few generations before him and made good money in the oil business. His mother, Amanda, was a feisty southern dancer who had brought her son up with a passion for dance. Studying at the best schools in Houston, Houjo had already made an impressive name for himself in the dance circles of the south; which was the reason Madam Chachka so gladly took him into her advanced classes. Kagome found herself becoming more and more amazed with his abilities as a dancer, but enjoyed him even more because he was such an interesting person to listen to. By the ways he described his life living on a Texas ranch, he made it sound like such a wonderful and exciting place. For a girl who had never in her entire life traveled past Chicago, places like the southern states sounded foreign and exotic. All she'd ever seen were things here and there on television or the internet, so her interest in them had been little-to-nothing up until now. The southern accents in his voice were strange to Kagome as well, but she soon grew to love his random moments of country twang. In turn, Houjo seemed just as intrigued with Kagome's surprising past and the series of events that landed her in the Taisho family.

She was not ashamed to be honest with Houjo, mostly because he never once made negative comments about her homeless existence or judged her for it either. Even though Ayame and Sango were her best friends now, Kagome remembered when Sango had been part of the group of children who once tormented and degraded her. She had no ill-will towards the girl now, but the memories would never be forgotten either. Houjo was kind and understanding, one of the most genuine persons Kagome had ever met. She was dear to him as well, the only friends he had in New York so far who didn't make fun of his southern roots or nearly foreign accent. He was nervous to begin classes at the same school Kagome and Inuyasha attended, worried that there would be taunting from the other students.

"Don't worry; there are a lot of other kids like you who come from other states. They have accents too and don't get picked on," Kagome reassured him as she stood at the barre in her room, practicing various exercises while Houjo sat on the floor stretching. He smiled up at Kagome for a moment while bending at the waist while he touched the toes on his extended leg. They remained in relative silence as music from her radio wafted through the room, playing popular songs that Kagome knew well enough to hum along to. The song transitioned to a popular country selection played by a band that Kagome currently was obsessed with, thanks to Houjo and his influx of country influences. A sharp gasp cut through the quiet room, startling Houjo enough to look up at her with a surprised expression on his face.

"What?" He asked curiously, blinking when Kagome only rushed over to her dresser where the radio was and turned the volume up. She smiled and laughed at Houjo's inquisitive look, but only sang along to the tune and executed girlish dance moves on the balls of her feet. Her voice was by no means melodic or beautiful, but Houjo didn't mind at all and enjoyed watching his friend dance and sing to her simple heart's content as if no one else was watching. The door to her room was open though, on Inu-Taisho's request, letting anyone else walking by in the hallway to glance in or hear what was happening inside. In the room across from Kagome's, someone did hear what was going on and it had become thoroughly annoying to him.

Inside Inuyasha's room, the fourteen-year-old was doing his best to ignore the irritating sounds coming from across the hall. If it wasn't horrid, classical music emanating from Kagome's room, it was 'stupid country' or 'Asian crap'. No one else in the house seemed to mind when her music intruded into the hallway, but whenever the sounds of his guitar were heard he'd always get a loud banging on his door from dear Mother, Father, or Brother. He was sitting at his desk attempting to read a few chapters of his social studies text book when Kagome's screeching voice somehow reached his ears, even though his own music was playing in the background. The two battling noises grated against his easily upset nerves and finally the young man couldn't take it.

"Fuck this shit!" Inuyasha rose up from his desk, grabbed his small amp and electric guitar and went towards his door. Neither Kagome nor Houjo noticed Inuyasha opening his door, setting the amp down pointed towards them, or connecting his guitar to said amp. But they did notice the sudden, and very loud, guitar chords vibrating through the halls and rooms as Inuyasha aggressively strummed the instrument. Kagome's dancing and singing instantly stopped so she could cover her ears and glare accusingly at Inuyasha, who only smirked and played even louder. Houjo stood up from the floor, hands at his ears as well, and looked between his friend and Inuyasha with a confused, sheepish expression on his face.

"Inuyasha! Turn that off!" Kagome yelled from her doorway, but even Houjo could barely hear her due to the loud guitar sounds echoing throughout the house. Inuyasha just let out a snarky laugh and stopped playing, leaving everyone with a ringing in their ears. Kagome's face was red with anger as she glared at Inuyasha, but her anger only escalated as he strummed his guitar loudly every time she went to say something. By the way Inuyasha almost fell over due to his heavy laughter; Kagome's expression must have been hilarious. His face was turning pink from the lack of oxygen and his body was sliding down the surface of the door jamb with the guitar loosely hanging from his shoulder. "Inuyasha why are you so mean!?" She hollered angrily, fuming as it only served to make Inuyasha laugh harder and crumple to the hardwood floor.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, saw no humor in the situation at all. His sudden appearance in the hallway startled everyone, but he gave no explanations as he took Inuyasha's amp and disappeared with it into his bedroom behind a shut door. Inuyasha quickly jumped up onto his feet and raced over to his brother's door before tugging at the locked handle angrily.

"Sesshoumaru give me my amp back!" His loud voice, which became almost shrill at higher volumes, must have been the final straw for the two parents in their room down the hall. Inu-Taisho's angry presence scared everyone except for Kagome, who bravely ran towards her father with a pitiful look on her face.

"Me and Houjo were just practicing and Inuyasha put his guitar on really loud to mess with us." She knew this was tattling, but at that moment she didn't care. As she leaned against Inu-Taisho's tree-like leg, his hand gently patted the back of her head as his deadly gaze zeroed in on Inuyasha. The boy in question ceased his banging on Sesshoumaru's door and ran to the safety of his bedroom, but not until after he yelled at Kagome to stop singing like a dying cat. Kagome's jaw dropped and she stormed back to her room where Houjo stood in the doorway with a clueless, almost nervous look on his face. "Come on, Houjo." She commanded bluntly, meaning that she wanted to get back to dancing and try to forget about how aggravating Inuyasha was.

"O-Okay," He replied with a slight stutter. As the thirteen year old went to shut the door, he caught Inu-Taisho's hard gaze and was stopped in his tracks.

"Keep the door open," The protective father bluntly stated, getting a quick and earnest nod from the frightened teen.

"Stop touching me,"

"Don't sit so close then,"

"Move it, Inuyasha!" Fed up finally, Kagome curled her leg and dug her foot into Inuyasha's thigh, getting him to finally scoot away from her on the large and more than accommodating couch. He grabbed the soon to be bruised muscle and doubled over as a numb pain while hissing through his teeth. Kagome tried to remain unaffected, but when Inuyasha kept nursing the hurt area with genuine pain on his face, she couldn't stop from worrying. "Does it really hurt that bad? I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I didn't think I kicked that hard." Going to touch his arm, Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs with Inuyasha suddenly grabbed her hand and made a frightening face.

"Ha! You're so easy," He said in a smug tone, sitting back with his ankle crossing the other leg's knee in a relaxed position. Kagome just let out an annoyed sound and moved to sit on the chair catty-corner to the couch, but her knee banged into the sharp corner of the coffee table and sent a jolt of pain through her entire leg. With a whimpering noise, Kagome hobbled over to the deep and plush chair to rub at the sore spot on her knobby knee. Inuyasha watched from his spot as Kagome tended to her minor wound, sneaking glances her way while pretending to text on his phone. She was dressed in a pair of blue Nike shorts and a plain, white t-shirt from a trip to the zoo. Her unruly black hair was pulled back in a loose, messy braid that ended just before her shoulder. She looked so plain, but so cute at the same time with the way she curled her leg up to her chest and let her cheek rest against the bent knee as she played with the toes of her foot. Nothing like how Kikyou held herself in public, or even in private. She was always so concerned with how she looked to others and never let herself bump into coffee tables or trip over anything. Sighing softly, Inuyasha was about to start a game on his phone when he heard footsteps behind him.

"Are your mom and dad coming down or what?" Kikyou asked as she came back from a short trip to the bathroom. She moved around the couch to sit next to Inuyasha, her body leaning against his without a care in the world. She was wearing a pleated skirt and dark leggings with a sequined top. Feeling a bit flustered at first, Inuyasha straightened his back while Kikyou wrapped her arms around his before she placed her cheek against his shoulder. Her Bath and Body Works perfume wafted into his nose and made his head spin from the overpowering scent, but Inuyasha played it off and forced himself to get comfortable.

"Yeah they're coming," He muttered and chanced a look towards Kagome; she looked sheepish for some reason. Kikyou was looking at Kagome as well and finally acknowledged her.

"Where's your boyfriend, what's his name, Honky?" Kagome's sheepish expression quickly disappeared when her head picked up to give Kikyou an indignant look. Inuyasha quietly clicked his tongue and gave Kikyou's side a gentle nudge in disapproval. Her pout had no effect on him and she let go of his arm to cross hers in annoyance. "What?"

"His name is Houjo and he's not my boyfriend." Kagome stated bluntly, unafraid of Kikyou's wrath when tested. The other girl sent Kagome a nasty, fake smile and tilted her head.

"Really? Everyone at school thinks you guys are boyfriend and girlfriend. He's over here all the time too," There was a condescending tone in Kikyou's voice that sparked a glaring feud between the two girls. Inuyasha wanted to groan and sink into the couch as Kikyou and Kagome stared hard at each other, locked in a contest of who would back down first.

"You're over here a lot too," The younger girl commented, but that didn't have the effect she wanted as Kikyou just smiled proudly and leaned into Inuyasha's side.

"That's because me and Inuyasha are boyfriend and girlfriend." Kagome shook her head to that, annoying Kikyou enough to make her smile twitch.

"Nuh-uh, my mom said nobody is allowed to have a boyfriend or girlfriend until they're seventeen." Even Inuyasha had to scoff at that, but at Kagome's genuine confusion he felt a little bad about it. Kikyou, however, didn't hide her mirth and laughed condescendingly.

"My brother says I can have a boyfriend whenever I want and Inuyasha's mom and dad haven't stopped us so maybe it's just you who can't have a boyfriend." Feeling utterly foolish, Kagome blushed and looked down at her lap with a pout on her heart-shaped face. Kikyou seemed to have a point there, but she wouldn't have the last words.

"I don't even want a boyfriend." Kagome muttered loud enough for the two others to hear just before Izayoi and Inu-Taisho entered the living room. Kagome instantly perked up and ran over to sit in Izayoi's lap on the couch opposite from Inuyasha and Kikyou. "Why did you ask everyone to meet in here?" She asked sweetly and began playing with the long strands of her mother's hair. Izayoi smiled softly and patted Kagome's leg absentmindedly.

"We have an announcement for everyone." She informed simply as Inu-Taisho sat on the couch's arm next to her.

"Where is Sesshoumaru?" He asked to the room, getting a silent 'I don't know' from everyone until the teenager finally appeared from the kitchen with a glass of water in his hand. Kagome couldn't let herself look at the handsome teen's face for too long, she still felt uncertain around him, and instead let her focus reside on the loose braid she was putting in Izayoi's hair. Sesshoumaru sat on Kikyou's other side, seated as far away from her as possible, and sipped his water as if his tardiness was of no significance. Inu-Taisho seemed to dismiss it as well and addressed the whole room once more. "Since you're all out of school for winter break, I'm taking the family on a vacation." He announced calmly, giving very little indication of excitement or surprise; but that didn't stop Kagome from smiling and clapping her hands eagerly.

"Where are we going daddy?" She asked quickly, much more excited than the boys. Sesshoumaru chimed in with a bored tone.

"Probably Hawaii or the Dominican Republic; somewhere tropical like always." He'd been on so many vacations before that news of another one was not a surprise or reason to get overly enthusiastic; but that was how he regarded almost everything in life. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was at least intrigued by the news and leaned in towards his family.

"Is it Hawaii again, dad?" He asked hopefully. Inuyasha loved the memories he had of Hawaii from when they went before. Inu-Taisho just smirked and shook his head to his sons, getting similar looks of confusion from the both of them.

"We're going to Japan; it's been years since I've visited my parents and I think Kagome's ready for overseas travel now. Besides, you two should see where you're family is from and get in touch with your culture." Everyone could sense Inu-Taisho's pride of his Japanese heritage, but Inuyasha couldn't stop from being his insensitive self.

"We speak like no Japanese dad…I'm pretty sure the only Japanese thing about us is our names and our faces." His blunt words caused Inu-Taisho to sigh and Izayoi to send her son an exasperated look, but Sesshoumaru's dead-pan response topped their parent's.

"Speak for yourself, Inuyasha. I've been fluent in Japanese my whole life." He finished the last of his water and leaned forward to place the glass on the coffee table, completely ignoring Inuyasha's shocked reaction.

"Who taught you Japanese?!" The younger brother yelled to the older one. Sesshoumaru gave Inuyasha a condescending look, as if the answer was obvious.

"Father had me enrolled in Japanese classes since I was able to first speak. And after you came along he kept it up until I was fluent on my own. What, did he not do the same with you?" There was sarcasm in Sesshoumaru's voice as he turned the question onto Inuyasha, who then realized that he'd never been given the opportunity to learn the language from their father. Feeling hurt, Inuyasha reclined back into the couch with his arms crossed and eyes shielded by his thick bangs so that no one could see the sting that Sesshoumaru's words had on him. Kikyou and Kagome quickly picked up on it though, but only the former could do anything to comfort him in front of everyone else. She put her head on his shoulder in quiet comfort for him while Kagome snuck subtle glances Inuyasha's way, hoping he wouldn't be too effected by Inu-Taisho's favoritism towards Sesshoumaru. She was quickly snapped out of her sympathetic thoughts when Izayoi gave a gentle nudge and asked a question that Kagome hadn't picked up on.

"Huh? What?" The little girl looked between her mother and father with big, curious eyes as they both stared at her with expectant gazes. Izayoi found Kagome's cluelessness amusing and just laughed softly before repeating herself.

"Are you excited to go to Japan?" She asked eagerly, her pretty face turned up in a charming smile. Instantly Kagome fell back into her enthusiastic state and nodded quickly with a big smile on her face.

"Yeah! I can't wait! When are we going Daddy?" She slid out of Izayoi's lap to stand in front of Inu-Taisho, her body bouncing on the balls of her feet in uncontainable excitement. Inu-Taisho smiled for a moment at Kagome's adorable enthusiasm and gave the dimple on her cheek an endearing pinch.

"Tomorrow; I've made all the arrangements already, we'll be gone for five days and while we're there we're going to a festival in the city I grew up in, Chichibu. Every year on December fourth through the fifth, there are fireworks and huge floats with lanterns on them; you'll love it. We're leaving early in the morning, so I want you all to pack your bags tonight. Inuyasha," At hearing his name, Inuyasha lifted his head and looked up at Inu-Taisho, but his eyes held no hope for affection or acknowledgement.

"Yeah, dad?" He questioned softly. Kagome looked back over her shoulder at him with a strange expression on her face. Inu-Taisho didn't miss a beat as he continued on.

"You'll have to dismiss your guest. Everyone else, start packing. Kagome, I'll help you pack since this is your first time," Unaware of how hurtful he was being, Inu-Taisho didn't notice the further pain he was causing for Inuyasha as he moved to take Kagome up to her room; but Kagome could plainly see it as everyone except for Inuyasha rose up from the furniture to prepare for the trip. He remained seated on the couch with his head bowed and arms crossed over his chest in dejection, Kikyou seated beside him loyally. Feeling guilty for taking Inu-Taisho's attention, Kagome removed her hand from his and skipped over towards Izayoi.

"I want mom to help me, you can help Inuyasha," She tried to be as nonchalant as possible, so that no one would see her attempt at helping Inuyasha, but it was for naught when everyone picked up on her not so subtle ploy. Sesshoumaru had just gotten to the first step of the stairs when he heard Kagome's notion, and paused to look back at her for a moment before continuing on. Everyone else, Inuyasha included, stared at Kagome with mixed emotions on their faces; Izayoi seemed grateful while Inu-Taisho was curious, but not annoyed. Inuyasha, on the hand, had an expression on his face that Kagome couldn't quite place. Kikyou observed her boyfriend and Kagome looking at each other and quickly decided that she didn't like what she saw. When Inu-Taisho silently complied with Kagome's desires and approached his son, Inuyasha stared up at his father with a quiet, hesitant look in his eyes that was broken the instant Inu-Taisho spoke.

"Do you want my help, Inuyasha?" The tone in Inu-Taisho's voice wasn't particularly warm or enthusiastic, but it brought the biggest smile to his son's face and had Inuyasha on his feet in less than a second.

"Yeah! Kikyou, have the driver take you home. See you in a week!" Giving her cheek the quickest kiss possible, Inuyasha tore up the stairs with a speed he only used during basketball or when escaping school at the end of the day. Kagome smiled to herself at the endearing scene of Inu-Taisho following his son upstairs as well. She hoped they would get along and that Inu-Taisho would be warmer towards Inuyasha; but while her thoughts were on that, she was also ignoring the fuming fourteen year old girl sitting on the couch with a shocked expression on her face, mouth agape. Kikyou didn't like being cast off to the side, especially when Kagome had a hand in it, and found herself cursing the younger girl's name in the back of her head.

"Well, guess I'll leave then," She mumbled and stood up from the couch with an offended look on her face and a tone of annoyance in her voice. Izayoi smiled softly and moved towards Kikyou with Kagome's hand in hers.

"Carlton will take you home, Kikyou. You can visit when we come back from vacation. Kagome, why don't you run up to your room and start pulling out clothes you want to bring? I'll take Kikyou to the garage," Gladly taking Izayoi's suggestion, Kagome smiled and turned to run upstairs to her bedroom; but she did get one last glance back at Kikyou before the other girl was out of sight. The expression on the Kikyou's face was dark and scary, but she turned away a second after Kagome looked back and left the younger girl wondering if she had just been seeing things that weren't really there. As Izayoi and Kikyou disappeared walking towards the garage, Kagome decided to shrug off the strange interaction between herself and Kikyou and kept on towards her room. Walking down the hallway, she could quickly pick up on the sounds of Inuyasha excited voice coming from behind his closed door and Inu-Taisho's calm and deep voice responding every once in a while in muffled tones. It was clear they were having a good time, and for that Kagome was thankful. Now she only had to focus on the excitement of traveling across an entire ocean!