Kimi placed three teacups on the kitchen table, her back to her daughter and George as she turned back to the stove waiting for the kettle to whistle.

George glanced at Kagome, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Kimi's reaction at first had been welcoming, shifting quickly to indifferent and a little cold. Kagome remained stone-faced, fiddling with her hands under the table.

"So, what's brought you to my door?" Kimi asked walking to the table to pour the tea.

"I had a few things I needed to discuss with Misa… I knew George could use a little time away as well. How are you?"

Kimi sat across from the couple, brushing her hair back. "Very well, today's my day off so you were lucky. How are you?"

"I'm… alright." Kagome replied.

George cleared his throat drawing Kimi's attention. "Your shrine is beautiful."

"Thank you, it's a lot of work maintaining it. How long are you here for?" Kimi asked, turning her attention back to her daughter.

Kagome set her cup down, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "A week, just enough to get the answers I need."

"I see, I assume you'll want your room?" Kimi asked, not delving into her daughter's personal quest.

"No mom, I wouldn't ask that after not speaking for four years… we'll go to a hotel."

"Nonsense, I won't be here anyway, I'll be at work. You're more then welcome to stay here." Kimi said.

Kagome glanced over at George who shrugged awkwardly. "I guess."

Kimi nodded sharply, giving her attention over to George. "I need to speak with my daughter, would you mind going to the store and getting a few things for me? After you go down the stairs it's a small walk on your right."

"Oh… no of course not." George said quickly, happy to have an excuse to escape the tension.

Kimi stood and grabbed a small list off the counter with some money and returning to the red head, ignoring her daughter's disapproving glare.

"He's not the one you were dating… it was his brother?" Kimi asked.

Kagome blinked a bit of her mother's coldness still remained, throwing her off. "Yeah, that's right."

Kimi tilted her head to the side, "decided to try the other one out?"

"Actually Fred died in the Battle for Hogwarts last May… George and I only recently decided to try dating."

"I'm sorry."

Kagome's eyes narrowed at her mother's genuine sincerity, the passed year had made her untrusting of a lot. "I don't want your pity."

"I know, but it's something I understand." Kimi replied.

"I doubt that, you can't compare a war and a car accident. What you did… Sending George to the store for you was rude." Kagome scoffed.

Kimi narrowed her eyes, "Kagome, you're acting very ungrateful to me for letting you stay here."

"Because since I got my letter at 11 you complained on the way to the airport and after you picked me up every summer, that doesn't make a person grateful. And lets not ignore the fact that you thought I would stay after that summer in the Feudal Era."

"You set the shed on fire with your grandfather inside!"

"I was 10, I didn't know what I did!"

"I was disgusted when you received your letter there's nothing natural or honourable about being a witch, they were persecuted, at least being a priestess you could have been looked up to… do you know how happy I was when Souta didn't get one?"

Kagome stood up, her hands braced on the table, "I'm going to put our bag in my room and go find Misa."

Pausing in the doorway of the kitchen she turned enough to see her mom over her shoulder, "it's strange, all of the people I met at school, their parents were thrilled when they got their letter and I never felt outcasted with my friends… that feeling always popped up when I came back home."