A/N: ANOTHER long chapter, and yes there is character shifts in talking. I think you can tell when Kagome is first person and when Inuko is. If not sorry. I'm not trying to confuse anyone. It just makes sense to me when I read it or write it.
The Bond of Siblings
Chapter 20
Its been four days since I brought Kikyko to my time here in Tokyo, she's spent her day with Sota and mother as I ran around the city gathering what I needed to take back with me. Books, clothes, lots of medical supplies and medicine-I wanted to be prepared for next time, I even managed to get my certificate to be a tutor teacher. I bought two polaroid cameras to take with me and lots of film. I made sure to buy winter clothes for the kids and Sango and Miroku's children as well. I took in a deep breath as the taxi driver parked near our stairs. He smiled and helped me carry all my bags up the stairs.
"Thank you!" I said to him putting my bag down. He bowed and left. I turned around and saw Kikyko outside near the tree, I smiled and came towards her.
"What are you doing?" I said to her watching her as she curiously looked at the tree.
"Yes Kiki, this is the same tree from home," I said to her and picked her up. She looked at me.
"This tree is where your papa and I first met," I said to her running my hand against the bark, it was the tree of ages. In our time this tree was center of our home and temple. In the Edo era it was the first time I meet InuYasha, he was sealed to this tree with an arrow.
She looked at me then to the tree.
"Papa," her voice whispered. I nuzzeled her and rubbed her head.
Her voice was a whisper now, the doctor did say it may take a week or two for her to gain her voice back. I brought her over to where I had the bags and set her down.
"Kagome," mother and Sota came out of the shrine towards me.
As mother and Sota took the bags in Kikyko followed them curious as to what I bought, I stayed outside looking at the tree. I looked over to the shrine doors where the well was. I went over to the doors and slid them opened.
"I don't know why the well won't work," I said to myself leaning over. Usually the well will have some sort of sound from the other sky, a wind sound or even the sky, I could usually see it from the this side. This time there was nothing, nothing at all. I even stretched my hand to try to touch the bottom and see if anything would happen, and still nothing.
"I want to get back to you InuYasha," I said to myself. I pulled myself away from the well and dragged my feet up the stairs to the door. I sighed and slid the door closed behind me.
I closed the door to the house behind me and heard mother and Sota talking with Kikyko.
"Kagome..." mother said coming to me.
"What's wrong dear?" she said to me. I sighed and turned to her. We went to the kitchen to prepare something for dinner.
"The well won't work mom, I don't know if we can get back," I said to her chopping carrots.
"You will get back Kagome, trust yourself..." mother said touching my hand.
"What if we can't, I can't keep Kikyko away from her father and brother, she won't be happy..." I sighed and said to her. I diverted my gaze to the living room, Kikyko was sprawled on the floor with Sota as he was teaching her to read a childrens book.
"Kagome, the one thing I have learned ever since you have travelled through the well and back again... that your love for that boy is what allows you to be with him," mother said wrapping her arm around me. I smiled and hugged her.
"Momma," I heard Kikyko's voice crack and whisper. She heard me talking about the well being closed. She looked at me her eyes were filled with tears.
"Kiki," I said coming towards her. She took a step back away from me and turned around running up the stairs.
"Kikyko," I said going after her.
"InuYasha, be rational... you can't just leave your son and go after Kagome, what if you get stuck there and can not return, what if all of you can't," Miroku said to father. I opened one eye and looked to the door, they were outside talking. I couldn't make out everything they were saying. I rolled over and looked at Haku who curled up next to me. I sighed hoping it would've been Kikyko. I pulled the sheets over her.
"What choice do I have Miroku, she hasn't returned yet, its be four days..." father's voice bellowed again. I saw Sango shuffle around her small house. Her baby was going to be born soon, she was uncomfortable and always hide it. She was trying to put Koji to sleep who seemed to have been restless, he would giggle each time Sango put him down on the ground.
I rolled over looking to the door again.
"Kikyko may need her time to recover InuYasha, her sickness wasn't an easy one for her, I am sure she will return, be patient InuYasha, think of your son..." Miroku said again. Miroku was always right, he's older then mother, not older then father but he is wiser. I always respected Miroku, he always knew what he was talking about.
Father sighed deeply.
"I know your right Miroku, I haven't slept in two days... I'm so worried about them, especially Kikyko..." father said to him. I saw his shadow near the door. I closed my eyes and rolled over.
"Kiki, honey open the door please..." I knocked on the door turning the handle. I knew she was sitting behind the door keeping it closed. I couldn't push it open and I didn't want to hurt her doing so.
"Kiki please... I'm sorry, I didn't tell you," I said to her. I could hear her voice behind the door. She was crying, I slide down to the floor and pressed my head against the door.
"Please let me in..." I said to her again. I saw her shadow shift from the door, as it opened. I looked at her and grabbed her hugging her.
"I'm sorry..." I pressed my face to hers.
"Why momma..." I heard her voice whisper against my chest. I rubbed my hand against her hair.
"I don't know why it won't work... It just... I can't even touch the other side," I told her. She lifted her head and looked at me. She pulled her chain from around her neck and looked at it.
"Inuko gave you that huh? Its for your birthday," I said to her touching her small hands as she looked at the small heart shaped charm.
"What the..." my eyes widened with surprise the charm was glowing. Kikyko's touch was making it glow. She looked at it and then to me.
"Your spiritual power... must be making the necklace glow," I said to her. She dropped the chain and it settled on her chest.
"We may have a way home," I said to her touching her hair. I picked her up and ran down the hallway.
"Mom... mom," I shouted coming down the stairs with Kikyko.
"Is she okay?" Sota asked me concerned. He came over to us and bent down to her. Kikyko smiled at him.
"We may have a way home, I just have to figure out a way to get Inuko to touch his necklace at the same time as Kikyko," I started rambling in the kitchen while mother set the table.
"Kagome honey calm down, there is always a way..." Mother said to me as I helped her set the table.
Nightfall... the other side of the well...
I pulled my chain from around my neck and looked at it. I sighed deeply touching the charm.
"I hope you are okay Kikyko... please be well,"I said and pressed the charm to my lips. I looked around the house, Kaede had visited Sango today. Aunt Sango wasn't well. I think the baby was coming, I wasn't sure. Miroku stayed with her the whole day and he too looked worried. I stood up and rubbed my arm. I went outside for some air, dad was outside sitting up in a tree. He looked like he was thinking. I looked up to him.
"Dad?" I shouted up to him.
"I think Sango's going to have her baby," I reminded him. He looked down at me and jumped down from the tree.
"We should be here for it," father said rubbing my head. I looked at him as he went in to their small home. I looked to the blackened sky and sighed, turning to the house.
"Kikyko, you didn't touch your food..." I said to her as she shifted her body off the chair. She didn't even look at me and slowly lifted her legs up the stairs.
"Kagome... she looks so depressed," mother said to me. I sighed deeply.
"You need to take her home Kagome... I have faith you will be able to return," mother said again touching my hand distracting me. I looked at her then to Sota who had tied two of my bags together. They were over flowing with books and so much stuff. I started to think of how I was going to set up a school when I returned, I'd probably have to travel to a larger city or village and see if there would be a way to continue receiving books and material for all the children.
That's when I heard my bedroom door slam.
"She's upset," I said and stood up from the table.
"Go to her Kagome, talk to her... help her understand, try again Kagome... I know you both can return," mother said again. I turned to the stairs.
"Papa..." I heard Kikyko's voice behind the door. She was talking to the picture on my dresser. I closed the door quietly looking at her.
"I can't come home papa..." she said through her tears.
"Sweetie, I'm so sorry..." I said to her wrapping my arms around her.
She didn't even look at me. It broke my heart that she wouldn't even look at me.
I took the picture from her and turned her to me. She rolled her eyes to the floor.
"Look at me Kiki,"I said to her lifting her face to me. She pushed me away and climbed up to my bed.
"Kikyko... listen to me, the well is sealed... I'm sorry I had to bring you here, you were so sick... we couldn't take care of you, the doctor couldn't help you," I said to her pleading with her to look at me. She had rolled over to her side away from me.
"I would never ever want to seperate you from your papa or your brother... I had to think about your health Kikyko... your life is more important," I said to her. She rubbed her face and still wouldn't turn to me.
I sighed deeply and didn't know what else to say to her. I ran my hand over her back, she slide away from me and didn't let me touch her.
"Kikyko you are all I have... please don't push me away," I said to her again. She reached into her shirt and pulled out her necklace.
"Huh?" I said looking at the necklace, it was glowing there was a white light around my charm.
"What is this..." I said holding the charm in my hands. I lifted my head when I heard the sound of a baby crying.
I let the charm fall to my chest and crawled over to aunt Sango, her new baby boy was born and they were all celebrating him. He reminded me so much of Kikyko. I looked at him as he sucked on his hand. Dad looked at me and rubbed my head.
I looked at my charm again, the white light had disappeared. I sighed, I thought maybe it was Kikyko... I looked to the door and sighed again. Was she trying to get through the well? I thought to myself, that's when Koji's laughing distracted me. I narrowed my eyes to him and sighed.
"Huh," Kikyko said sitting up. Her necklace was glowing again. Only for a second and then it stopped.
"Kiki... were you thinking of Inuko just now?" I said to her touching the necklace. She looked at me and wiped her eyes nodding.
"I have an idea..." I said to her picking her up. I came down the stairs to the living room. Mother hugged me and Kikyko, she was concerned about her.
"Sota could you help me with those bags please?" I said to him as I pulled a blanket over Kikyko's head. She wrapped her arms in the blanket and looked at me confused.
"Oh, why are you going to try again?" he asked pulling the bags together.
"I have an idea, Kikyko has spiritual powers, when she was thinking about home and her brother there was a light from her power around her charm, Inuko has the other half of it... if I can get her to think about home again, long enough... we could reach Inuko and with his power, we could possibly cross over..." I said thinking. Mother smiled at me and hugged me again.
I reached for the polaroid I had used yesterday and pulled out the picture that came from it.
"Here mom," I said to her handing her the picture. It was of me and Kikyko and Sota. Mother looked at it and smiled.
"I will charish this forever Kagome, I hope one day you can return with your son as well..." mother said to me as Sota held the door opened for us. We all gathered in our yard. I put Kikyko down to the ground.
"Kiki, listen to me... I have an idea to get us home, I need you to think very hard about Inuko and home... and your papa, I need you to try to reach Inuko... maybe the both of you, your power and his strength will open the well again..." I said to her touching her hands. She looked at her chain and then to the sliding shrine doors.
"Huh," I said again looking at my chain.
"Dad," I said pulling at his sleeve. He looked at me.
"What is it?" he said distracted by Sango's crying baby.
"I think... I think Kikyko's trying to reach me," I said looking at the chain as it glowed. Everyone turned their head to me. I pressed my hands against the chain and closed my eyes thinking about Kikyko.
"Okay Kiki, think really hard okay?" I said to her as Sota helped me throw the bags in to the well. They disappeared, I smiled and leaned over looking. Its working, I said to myself.
"Are you sure Inuko?" Miroku said coming towards me.
"It has to be her, look..." I said holding the charm between my hands.
"AHHH," I said as a jolt of light clasped around the chain and my hand. I held the chain tighter in my fist.
Dad tilted his head to the door and sniffed the air.
"It can't be," he said. Before I could even stand to my feet dad had already disappeared out the door.
"I'd recognize their scent anywhere,"
"Ooof," I said as we landed on the other side of the well. Kikyko's hands clasped around her chain.
"Kiki I think we're home," I said to her touching her face. Kikyko opened her eyes and looked to me.
"Kagome,"
"Inu-Yasha," tears well up in my eyes. I put Kikyko down to her feet.
"I was terrified... I was about to loose my mind thinking about the both of you," he said wrapping his arms around me. He leaned in and kissed me.
I grabbed on to his haori and cried.
"InuYasha," I said through my tears.
"MOM..."
"MOM..." I shouted noticing her and Kikyko. Kikyko tapped her clothes and looked at me.
Dad looked down to her and picked her up.
"I missed you so much," he said throwing her to the air, he pressed her to his body and hugged her.
"Papa," she whispered to him. I ran down the cliff and to mother.
"MOM," I shouted again and ran to her.
"Inuko," she said wrapping her arms around me.
"I was worried," I said to her. Mother held me tight to her body and cried.
I didn't want to leave mom or Kikyko out of my sight. They were home... mom and sis were home. I shifted one of the bags against my back as we walked back to our home. Dad told mom about Aunt Sango's new baby, and mom told dad everything that happened with Kiki while they were in her home. I listened to everything as they were talking.
Kikyko slept in father's arms he would pull the blanket over her every time she shifted around. I was so relieved... for a moment there when I saw mother at the well, I thought I was dreaming.
"We're home," mom said as we entered our home. I pulled the bag off my back and shifted it to the floor. Dad put Kikyko down carefully and wrapped her with the blanket.
I walked over to Kikyko and lied down next to her.
"She's okay Inuko, you don't have to worry... her voice will return, you'll have to help her get stronger," mother said to me. Her hands rubbed my hair.
Dad put the bag down and came over to us, he laid down next to us as well.
"I missed you Inuko," she said to me. I didn't say anything and looked at Kikyko as she wrapped her arms around her bear.
"I was so worried..." father said. Mom moved her gaze to him.
"I didn't know what to do Kagome, if you didn't return... I would've lost everything," he said again. I looked up to them.
"InuYasha don't say that... it was Kikyko her spiritual power, her connection to this world... brought us back," mother said again. I saw dad touch her face.I blushed and moved my eyes to Kiki.
"You cut her hair?" father said looking at Kikyko, I didn't even notice, it looked the same to me.
"You noticed? I just trimmed it," mom replied.
"I like it," he said again. He pulled mother to him Kikyko and I were sandwiched between them. I felt a little awkward and uncomfortable. I wrapped my arms around Kikyko and closed my eyes.
"I love you Kagome," father said again. I think I fell asleep. I wasn't sure, I kept feeling Kikyko's hands cling to me. I didn't pry her off this time. Night had fallen quickly and I was grateful I was with my family, especially my sister. I was terrified when she got sick, at least mom was able to go back through the well and get her help. I'm so grateful. I rested my forehead against Kikyko's head and closed my eyes again.