Disclaimer: I don't own Yugi-Oh or Inuyasha!
AN: Fic is for DarkAngel048. My first Kag/Atem (a.k.a Yami Yugi) pairing. May I say, Wow! Thank you all for the reviews. Thank you all! I didn't expect it to get this popular, it is my most popular story or it's going to be. lol.
Last Time: Her reward was to have one last day with her father.
As the light of the Shikon evaporated from sight; everyone had expected to see Kagome almost jubilent for the defeat of Naraku, but they didn't. What they found was barely Kagome. She was sitting on the ground, pale and her eyes almost lifeless, her lips and body trembled as tears streamed from her eyes. She wouldn't move as they gathered around her.
Atem kneeled beside her. She looked him dead on in the face and just broke. Her cries shook her frame, her grief was almost suffocating. No-one spoke a word in fear of making her more upset. She would speak when she was ready to and then they would know. She leaned her head against him and cried her heart out.
"Kagome, do you want to go home?" he asked lightly.
She nodded, not trusting her voice, barely trusting her decision to go home. She just needed to be with her family, to know that they would still love her when they found out what had happened. Her sacrifice was the life of her father; the man her mother loved, her grandfathers' son, the father her brother had never met, the man she had loved with her whole heart and had sat beside in the hospital while he had fought to keep his life after the fateful car crash. A car crash that was not an accident as she had thought, but more of her own doing than the driver that had pulled in front of him.
Shippo hopped onto her shoulder and hugged her around the neck. He wasn't going to ask her what was going on with her but he did say good-bye, that he loved her, and was going to miss her. Sango hugged her tightly, whispering to her that she would always remember her and would tell their children about her. Miroku had laid his hand on one of her shoulders as Sango hugged her and murmured his agreeance with his wife. Inuyasha had laid a sympathetic hand on her other shoulder, he knew right now it was best that he didn't speak.
Kagome had placed her hand over his, accepting the comfort and good-bye he was lending her. Why did they have to part under these circumstances? Why couldn't things have been settled the first time around? Why couldn't their last good-bye have really been the last one? Because Fate was a cruel mistress but even she had seen merit to grant a boon to the priestess who had balanced the fate of the world.
Kagome got to her legs but leaned on Atem for support, any second she felt as if her legs would give out from under her. With a last look at her friends, Kagome and the others returned to the well and one by one fell into the blue light and crossed back over to modern Japan.
As they arrived back in modern times, Kagome wordlessly made her way out of the well house and into the shrine home. Atem had to do the talking to the others and had made it clear that they needed to go home and give her some space. He stayed of course and was going to be there with her every step of the way as she dealt with this latest peice of her own misery.
Kagome didn't do much of anything as she let herself sort out all of her feelings. The tama had been completed but it had a price. But why did it have to be her father? That hurt more than anything and it hurt all the more knowing that it was because of her destiny that her father paid with his life for the future of all of mankind. Though she conceded with the facts that the pain was really because her father didn't get to have a say and that Souta had grown up not knowing his father.
She felt as if it was all her fault. Her mother had to bury her husband, the man she loved with her very being and soul. Her grandfather had to bury his son, his only son, his only child. Souta had so little time with him, just a year and couldn't remember any of it; he had to finish growing up without him. It was like it was her fault that they had to go through all of that pain.
The words "my fault" just kept ringing in her mind and ears. Over and over again and all she did was cry and go over how she could have worded the wish better. If she could have. But deep down she knew that she couldn't have and the outcome could have been evern worse if she hadn't worded it that way she did. It just wasn't fair!
Even though it wasn't fair; far inside of her, her whole soul knew that she wouldn't ask anyone to accept this on their concious if she wouldn't do it herself. She sighed in resignation. It was just her life that brought her this, the hand that Fate had dealt her that she had to play out until another was dealt. Every one just as unpredictable as the one before and as always she would have to go on, no matter how much it hurt and all she could do is beg her family and her father for forgiveness.
Shakily she made her way over to the hall phone. She had to call her family and let them know what had happened and what was going to happen. She was sure that they wouldn't believe her unless they saw him for themselves, she had yet to see him, but it was something she could feel and if she hadn't witnessed the tama speaking to her she wouldn't believe it either.
The phone rang three times before it was picked up by her aunt. Kagome asked her if she speak to her mother and when the phone was given to her, it took everything she had not to break down.
"It is finished. The mission for the jewel is complete and Naraku is gone." she forced out above a whisper.
"That is wonderful news. We were getting read to leave and will be home soon." her mother said.
"Ok, mom. I have so much to tell you when you get back. You won't believe me if I tell you now. I barely believe it." she said.
"Alright, we will be there soon. Bye, dear." her mother said.
"Bye, mom." she replied.
The distinct sound of a reciever clicking from being hung up, followed by the dial tone came to her ears as she went to hang up the phone. She sat the reciever down and sighed heavily. What was she going to say? It wasn't like she could just say; hey mom, dad is going to be here soon and it is my fault that he died in the first place, will you forgive me?
"Have you told your family yet?" Atem asked from behind her.
Kagome shook her head. She didn't turn around to look at him, she already knew what he was doing behind her. Giving her some space by staying several feet away, leaned up against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, but his face would be marred with unhappiness for her. She still barely knew him yet she knew him perfectly and vice versa.
"I don't know what to even say to them. How can you just tell everyone that you love, that it is your fault that your father is gone. Your fault that your mother has been alone, your grandfather buried his only child, and your brother grow up without a father. How do you explain that?" she asked and turned to him.
He was standing exactly as she pictured, his face was even set in the way she had pictured. Then he released a sigh and moved towards her. His violet eyes bored into hers, but they were concerned and gentle. She looked in his eyes and refused to cry anymore. It was like he was giving her a silent strength and comfort. It didn't make it any easier to inform her family. For the time being though it did calm her nerves and allow her to function to think about how she was going to break it to her family.
When Mrs. Higurashi arrived with grandpa and Souta, she knew that Kagome was very distressed. She had known when she spoke to her on the phone and even before that... mothers intuition. She didn't say anything over the phone, it felt to her that it was best to hear it in person; just in case she had to sit down.
She knew it was worse than she had been imagining as she saw Kagome sitting on the couch, knees drawn up to her chest, her head on them with her arms covering her face. The look in Atem's eyes had her almost afraid to ask what had happened. But being a mother she knew just how to start the terrible subject with her daughter. Tea!
She had grandpa and Souta stay in the kitchen with her and when the tea was ready she called Kagome and Atem. The tea was poured and cooling as they entered the kitchen and they took their seats in silence. As the seconds were poured, Mrs. Higurashi broached the subject carefully.
"Kagome, dear, what has happened?" she asked lowly.
Kagome carefully sat her cup down with a light clink. She shut her eyes to keep herself from falling apart and took several deep breaths. She choked down a sob and held Atem's hand as she began to tell her family what had happened. She told them about the battle with Naraku, how everyone had went to the past with her to help, and then how she defeated Naraku and restored the jewel. She paused there to try to get her bearings.
"Did you make the wish?" Souta asked.
A shuddered sob rose from her throat but she tried to subdue it and shove it back down. Atem nodded to them and squeezed Kagome's hand to get her to continue.
"Kagome, did something bad happen?" grandpa asked.
"Yes. I made the wish that Naraku and the jewel would disappear for the good of the world. But it had a price. Since there is no such thing as a pure wish I had a price to pay." her voice cracked.
She dreaded telling them. How could anyone prepare themselves for this kind of a confession? They couldn't and wouldn't be able to do. No matter how much time past but she had to steel herself and tell them.
"Mama, grandpa, Souta; I'm so sorry! It's my fault daddy is gone!" she wailed.
"What are you talking about?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, confused.
"The price of the jewel's wish was daddy. To keep the balance." she gasped out, she just couldn't continue.
"What are you talking about, sis?" Souta asked.
"Mrs. Higurashi, Mr. Higurashi, may I talk to you, please?" Atem asked.
This wasn't going to be easy. Kagome just couldn't get it out without falling to peices and leaving everyone in the dark was not helping any thing.
Mrs. Higurashi and grandpa followed Atem into the sitting room. As soon as the door was closed, he gestured for them to sit down.
"What is she trying to tell us? What does she mean that it is her fault about her father?" she asked.
"To keep balance between good and evil. When Kagome wished for Naraku to cease to exist, to save the future, it took him. He was the evil but it also had to take someone good. Since it was Kagome that made the wish it took her father. He was the good, Naraku was the evil, and the tama took him as its price for taking Naraku." he explained.
The two elder Higurashi's were in shock. They had no idea what to say. Old wounds were being lanced open for them and all that they could do was sit there with silent tears coming to their eyes.
"This is what she couldn't tell you. She tried and it is killing her, she believes that you will hate her now. She blames herself for all of this, she even hates herself a little." Atem finished.
Mrs. Higurashi stood up and almost ran back to the kitchen, grandpa followed at his slower pace with Atem. When the two arrived back to the kitchen; Mrs. Higurashi was holding Kagome and whispering to her how much she loved her and how much her father would be proud of her. Grandpa, put his hand on her shoulder and told her that it wasn't her fault, that things happen for a reason and that his son wouldn't have it any other way if he had been there.
That just made her cry harder. Souta was left out of the loop but he was getting the gist and was staying quiet. He had a lot to think about. He wanted to comfort his sister but didn't know how at the moment. He was hurt too. Because of his sisters duty to save them and the future, the jewel took his father to keep balance between evil and good. He had been listening outside of the door when Atem was telling his mother and grandpa what was going on with Kagome.
He knew that it wasn't Kagomes' fault but that didn't make the pain any less evident and couple that with the fact that he had to grow up without him. It made the hurt worse. He wished his father was there now. He would be able to help them all.
AN: Ehhh, more of a filler chapter. The next chapter will bring Kagomes' dad! Who knows maybe a little... citrus! :)