InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cheating Fate ❯ Family Bonding ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

After six months of working at the hospital, Kagome had saved up enough money to rent out the little house down the street from the shrine. It wasn’t anything fancy. The yard needed work and the house was in desperate need of a paint job, but it had two bedrooms. It was exactly what she needed. Ami would grow up having her own room and a place to call home.

Kagome struggled as she carried the last box into the living room. She heaved a sigh when her arms went slack after placing the it on the floor. She proceeded to wipe the sweat that formed on her forehead on the back of her arm. It was mid-July and Kagome felt as if she were being boiled alive.

“Is that everything, Sis?” Souta asked as he came out of the room that would soon belong to Ami. Kagome could tell that he had been working hard because his bangs were plastered to his forehead and he had a ring of sweat around the collar of his shirt, but she had a hunch that most of the sweat was from the summer heat.

“I think so.” Kagome looked around the box cluttered living room and sighed. “Now all that’s left is unpacking it all.”

Souta dusted off his hands causing a smacking sound. “Well, I’m sure you’ll be able to handle that.”

He looked as if he were about to dash through the front door, but his mother’s presence stopped him. “Now Souta, we’re here to help Kagome settle in. Not just bring in her stuff.” she scolded him as she entered the house cradling a sleeping Ami in her arms. “It’s a big burden to leave Kagome to unpack everything by herself. And I know I raised you better than that.”

Souta groaned as he moved his gaze to Kagome and made a face. Kagome just smiled at him. “Don’t worry Souta. It’ll be over before you know it. Besides, I don’t think we’ll get around to all of it today.” She placed her hands on her hips and studied the room again. “I think we should probably start with Ami’s room. It’d be nice to have her cradle done by nightfall.”

“Whatever.” Souta sulked as he made his way back into the smaller bedroom. Kagome rolled her eyes at her mother. She smiled in return.

“He’s almost a teenager. It’s normal for him to be moody.” Kagome laughed as she continued. “It’s true. You were the same way. And I guarantee that Ami will act that way too.”

This stopped Kagome short. “Come on Mom. She’s not even a year old yet. Do we really have to talk about her adolescent years?”

Her mother’s smile never left her face. “Of course not. I was just making a point.” She gazed down at her sleeping granddaughter in her arms. “It is strange to think about her being a teenager, isn’t it.”

“Way more than strange.” Kagome replied as a loud crash came from the next room. Kagome swerved her head toward the bedroom as if trying to see through the wall shielding the commotion from her view. “I guess I better go help Souta before he makes a hole in my wall. Why don’t you sit down for now, Mom? You can’t really do much with Ami in your arms anyway.”

Dr. Higurashi sighed. “I suppose your right.” She slowly made her way over to the couch that was placed randomly in the middle of the congested room. Another crash came the bedroom. “Oh my. Go help that boy before he seriously hurts himself.”

Kagome giggled as she made her way back to the bedroom. She poked her head inside and found Souta on the ground surrounded by pieces of the cradle. “Having trouble?”

“No.” he replied as he tried to put two pieces together that simply didn’t want to join. Kagome looked over at the discarded instructions, then rolled her eye. She walked over and picked them up.

“Don’t you think you should read the instructions?” Kagome skimmed through them and found a diagram that showed the pieces he wanted together were on opposite sides of each other. “Souta stop before you break something.”

Souta laid down the pieces of wood in a huff. “Well, if I had some help maybe this would get done.”

Kagome peered at him for a moment before sitting down on ground next to him. “Is something bothering you?”

He seemed to calm down after the question. “It’s just that this house is so stuffy. It’s hard to work in.” Kagome had to agree. She herself felt like she was suffocating.

She put her arm around his shoulders lightly so the extra weight wouldn’t overheat him more than he already was. “You know we’ve worked in worse conditions before.”

“Yeah, but that was different. At least when we got done with the yard work we knew that the air conditioner was going to be on at home--” He stopped short after that and sadden a bit. “Or, you know, Mom’s house.”

Kagome removed her arm and studied the sullen boy next to her. “Is that what you’re upset about? That I’m moving out?” When he didn’t answer, she knew that she had guessed correctly. “Souta, you know just cause I’m moving out doesn’t mean that we’ll never see each other again.”

“I know,” Souta said purposefully looking at anything but her. “but I just think that now that you have your own place you won’t come to visit anymore. Because this would be your home now.”

“Oh Souta.” Kagome smiled to herself and replaced her arm around his shoulders. “No matter where I live I’ll always be your sister. Even if I don’t live with you anymore. And as far as my home goes . . . I think that as long as I’m surrounded by the people I love then it doesn’t matter what house I’m in. I’ll feel like I’m home because you, Mom, and Ami will be there.”

Souta stayed quiet for a minute then cocked an eyebrow. “You are the corniness person I’ve ever known, Sis . . . but I can’t say that I don’t feel better.” Kagome laughed and then pulled him into a bear hug.

“That’s me! The corny guru!” Souta laughed along with his sister as he pried himself out of her arms. Kagome looked around at the room. Pieces of the unfinished crib were scattered on the floor. “I guess we should get started, huh?”

Souta rolled his eyes, but nonetheless started gathering pieces together. For the next twenty minutes Kagome gazed at the instructions and told him which pieces went with what. When they were finished, they both sighed in relief. Sweat covered their faces and backs. “I feel nasty.” Kagome stated as she walked out of the room.

“Me too.” Souta followed suit, but instead of leaning up against the living room wall, as Kagome did, he plopped down on the couch next to his mother.

“Are you two finally finished?” their mother asked with a smile. Ami still slept peacefully in her arms. “Do you think it’s safe to lay her down in her crib?”

Souta gawked at his mother. “Don’t you trust my handy work?”

Dr. Higurashi sifted Ami so that she could hold her in one arm, then shuffled Souta’s hair. “Of course I do, Dear, I was just teasing.” She carefully got up off the couch and strolled into the bedroom. Kagome walked up beside her with the beddings she intended to prepare the bed with. Dr. Higurashi waited patiently until her daughter finished before gently laying her sleeping granddaughter in her crib. “There you are Ami.” she whispered.

Once her mother stepped away from the crib Kagome leaned over and kissed her daughter on the forehead. “Sweet dreams, Baby.”

“Come on Sis. We’ve still got work to do.” Souta told her as he gestured over to all the unopened boxes.

“All right. Let’s get this over with.”

Souta grinned as he looked over at his mother. “Yeah and now that Ami’s out of Mom’s arms she can help as well.”

Dr. Higurashi faked a shocked expression. “Don’t you trust me to help out?”

Kagome rolled her eyes. “These boxes aren’t gonna unpack themselves.” She exited Ami’s room and made her way over the boxes stacked in the middle of the living room. She heard her mother and brother come up beside her to help. As they always did.

Kagome greeted InuYasha with as much chivalry as she could muster. She wasn’t going to look bad in front of her own child. “InuYasha, seems you were able to find the house just fine.”

InuYasha nodded, noticing her strain to be polite. “Yes. It wasn’t that difficult.” He looked from Kagome to the bouncing child in her arms. All the nerves that had been building up on the way over seemed to melt away.

Ami out stretched her arms toward him. “InuYasha! You’re here!” Kagome had a hard time trying to keep her in her arms. Eventually she gave in to her daughter’s wants. InuYasha was more than shocked when he registered that Kagome was passing her over to him.

“Y-yeah. I’m here.” he said as he secured her in his arms. He saw Kagome regard his movements carefully as if getting ready to caught Ami if he were to suddenly drop her. He tightened his grip on her slightly. “Did ya miss me?”

Ami nodded her head vigorously. “Yep.” She reached up and petted one of his ears gently. “Mommy said you were coming over!”

InuYasha peered over at Kagome and lifted an eyebrow. “Oh? And what else did Mommy tell you?” Kagome also cocked and eyebrow at him.

“I told her that InuYasha was coming over and that he would be joining us for dinner if he planned on staying long.” Kagome answered trying to sound animated. She silently hoped that InuYasha would get the message and not come right out and say that he was her father. She wanted to be able to help her daughter understand. To hold her hand as they broke the news to her.

By the way he kept getting called InuYasha instead of daddy it was clear to him that Ami had not yet been told. He decided he would play this by Kagome’s rules. For now. “Well, I did plan on staying awhile so it looks like I’m joining you for dinner.”

“Yea!” Ami squealed as she threw her arms around his neck and squeezed him to her. “We’re having Mac and Cheese!”

InuYasha laughed at how hyperactive she was. He looked back over at Kagome, who was watching the child intently. “I suppose she gets that from you?”

Kagome broke her gaze on her daughter and gave a tiny grin at the blithe expression on his face. She was about to comment on his assumptions, but noticed that they were still standing in the door way. “Why don’t we move this inside.” She stepped to the side and let InuYasha walk past her. “Besides, that’s not all were having for dinner. I also have some hot dogs that I’m getting ready to boil.”

“Oh hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. Sounds appetizing.” InuYasha said as he set Ami on the ground next to him and smiled when she took his hand.

Kagome chose to ignore the loving look InuYasha gave Ami. Instead she knelt in front of her daughter and lightly tapped her on the nose. “Sweetie, why don’t you go play with your dolls for a minute? Mommy wants to talk to InuYasha.”

Ami looked from her mother up to InuYasha. He smiled warmly which caused a smile to form on her face as well. She let go of his hand. “Can I show InuYasha my dollies?”

“Why don’t you go get them all. I’m sure he’d love to see them.” The delight that glowed on Ami’s face had Kagome fighting back laughter. It would take her awhile to gather all of her dolls together. Giving her enough time to tell InuYasha her game plan.

Ami took off toward her room as Kagome straightened up. She looked over at him as she tried to fight off the awkwardness that was sure to follow if she stayed quiet long enough. “So I was thinking we could tell her together.” she said getting right to the point. “That way she’d be able to understand better.”

InuYasha nodded following her reason. “Alright.” He was grateful that she was even cooperating. Maybe her mother had been right. If he showed her that he had changed then she have no choice but to accept him as Ami’s father. “When do you want us to tell her?”

“Well, I’d say as soon as she gets done introducing you to all of her dolls.”

InuYasha’s eyes widened. “Wow and here I thought that you were going to try and put this off as long as you could.”

Kagome couldn’t help but smile at his statement. “Oh believe me, by the time she gets done half the night will be gone.”

InuYasha looked skeptically back at her. “Oh come on. She can’t have that many dolls.” As if on cue, Ami came running into the living room dragging behind her a wagon piled full with dolls. InuYasha’s eyes went wide.

Kagome gave him a knowing smile. “Her grandmother spoils her rotten.” A small laugh escaped her lips when he looked at the dolls uncertainly. She knew that this was probably a devious move on her part and that she should probably tell Ami to only introduce five dolls to InuYasha, but . . . Were was the fun in that? He was the one who wanted to know so much about his daughter, wasn’t he?

The next fifteen minutes went by faster than Kagome would have liked. She leaned against the wall and watched Ami introduce all of her dolls to InuYasha. He would take each one, as she introduced it to him, then set it on the arm of the couch. By the time the dolls ran out, InuYasha had them lined across the back of the couch, down the slope of the arm, and then gathered on top of the end table. “I must say that Annabel, Stacy, and Kim are my favorites.” he said and pointed to each doll as he said its name. Kagome looked at him in shock. He had actually been listening?

Ami jumped up excitedly. “Mine too!” She picked up the doll known as Annabel and handed it to him. He took it and held it gently. “You can have her if you want.”

“Oh I couldn’t take one of your favorites.” he said as he tried to hand it back to her.

She shoved his big hand with both of her tiny ones. “No. You keep her.”

InuYasha smiled at her, then ruffled her hair. “Thanks, Kid. I’ll be sure to take good care of her.”

Kagome didn’t know how to process the exchange between her daughter and InuYasha. It left her feeling weird. She loved that Ami and InuYasha were getting along, but . . . At the same time it left her feeling hurt. Hurt because he had left her. Left her alone to raise the very child that he sat smiling at. Was she not entitled to harbor a little resentment?

Ami let out a laugh, causing Kagome to focus on her. She could tell that her daughter was fond of InuYasha and she was sure that she would welcome him as her father. To her there was nothing to forgive. Her gaze moved from her daughter to InuYasha. He was watching her intensely. It took her a minute before she realized that he was trying to tell her that the time to tell the truth had presented itself.

She sighed as she made her way over to the couch to take a seat next to him. “Ami?” The little girl looked over at her mother expectantly. When Kagome patted her lap she immediately went over and climbed up onto her mother’s lap. Kagome didn‘t know how to start. She pondered for a moment as she softly rubbed her daughter‘s ear and finally opted for getting right to the point. “InuYasha and I have something tell you, but we’re afraid that you might not understand.”

Ami tilted her head to the side as she looked her mother questionably. She didn’t really comprehend what her mother was saying, but by her tone she could tell it was important. She looked over at InuYasha and he smiled and took her hand.

“You see Ami, I’m . . .” InuYasha trailed off and looked over at Kagome, as if he needed her permission to continue. Kagome gave her consent by nodding. “. . . I’m your father. . .”

Kagome watched as Ami blinked at InuYasha, letting the information sink in. Did she understand what they were telling her? “Do you understand Ami? InuYasha’s your daddy.” When Ami’s innocent expression didn’t change, Kagome was about to try to explain again, but the phone chose that moment to ring. She exhaled loudly as she got off the couch and set Ami down in her abandoned seat. “Excuse me.”

This whole thing was proving harder than she thought. Though to be fair, she never thought she’d have to be in this position to begin with. As she answered the phone, she watched as Ami sat and stared at InuYasha in wonder. “Hello?”

“Hey Kagome, hope this isn’t a bad time or anything.” Kagome recognized the voice right away. Kouga never failed to keep his word with her.

A smile crept onto Kagome’s face. “Kouga! I didn’t expect you to call until later tonight!” After the statement left her mouth she felt she had to clarify. “I mean, I’m glad you called now. Today’s just not been my day.”

She heard his hearty laugh through the receiver. “You sound like you’re exhausted. Please tell me I’ve at least made the day brighter.”

Kagome’s smiled grew. “Of course. You’ve always known how to make my day better.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She looked back over at the still silent people in her living room. Ami slowly made her way onto InuYasha’s lap and looked up at him. Kagome let the phone slide from her ear to rest on her shoulder. “You’re my daddy?” Ami asked with her head still tilted to the side.

“Sure am Kid. Hope you don’t mind.” InuYasha replied not knowing how to make the situation work, but before he could do anything else he felt Ami snuggle into his chest.

“Daddy.” she said with content. InuYasha’s smile took up half his face. He tenderly rubbed Ami’s arm and he couldn’t help but feel just as content as his daughter.

“Kagome? . . . Kagome?” Kagome snapped out of her daze and wiped away the silent, lone tear, caused by emotions she couldn’t name, off her face as she brought the phone back up to her ear.

“I’m still here. I just got a little distracted. What were you saying?” Kagome explained hoping her couldn’t hear the raw emotions in her voice.

“I asked if you wanted to talk about your day.” Kouga said uncertainly. “. . . Is Ami alright?”

Evidently he had heard her shaky voice. “Yes, Ami’s just fine.” Kagome said as she took in her daughter and InuYasha begin to play with her dolls. More tears pooled in her eyes. “Oh Kouga, I don’t know what to think.”

Kouga was silent for a moment before answering, “What’s happened Kagome?”

Kagome took a deep breath to steady her voice. “InuYasha found out about Ami today. He’s over now with her . . . and they’re bonding . . . and I just feel like such a horrible person.”

“He’s there now?”

Kagome nodded and then felt foolish for doing it. “Yeah.”

She heard him let out an irritated sigh. “Maybe I should come over. Just to make sure he doesn’t do anything to upset you.”

Kagome took a look over at the playing couple and knew that they didn’t want nor need anyone to interrupt them. “No that’s alright Kouga. He’s on his best behavior, I promise.” she told him as she tried to keep her emotions in check. “Besides, I think I owe them both this time together.”

“You don’t owe that asshole anything!” Kouga said loudly then calmed down a bit to ask, “How’s Ami taking it?”

Kagome looked over at Ami and saw her laughing at whatever InuYasha was making his doll say. “She’s happy. She was very fond of InuYasha even before she found out he was her father.”

“I thought you said that he just found out that she was his daughter?” he asked confused.

“I did, but they had met before that. Briefly, but still. She latches onto people she feels comfortable around. He just happens to be one of them.” she explained feeling drained. “Kouga I should probably get off of here. I still have dinner to cook.”

“Alright Kagome.” he said not really wanting to let her go. “Say what are you doing Saturday night?”

A sudden smile adorned her face. “Why? Did you have something in mind?”

Kouga’s laugh left goosebumps on her arms, but in a good way. “Well, I was thinking that maybe you and I could maybe go out to dinner. That is, if you’re free?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. I’ll have to check my date book.” She stayed silent as she faked checking her schedule. “You’re in luck ‘cause I happened to be free.”

“Great. Hopefully I’ll talk to you before then, but if not, then I’ll pick you up around seven.”

“Wonderful.” she said with a laugh. “And I hope we talk before then too.”

“Night Kagome. Tell Ami night for me as well.” he said and she was about to tell him goodbye, but he cut her off. “And Kagome? Don’t let him get to you, alright? He’s not worth your tears.”

Her happy smile drastically turned into a sad one. “Thanks Kouga and don’t worry, I won’t. Goodnight.” She hung up the phone but didn’t move from the spot she seemed to be rooted to. What a day. And it wasn’t even over yet.

InuYasha and Ami were still playing with her dolls, so, not wanting to impose on their moment, decided that it was time to start making dinner. When in the kitchen, Kagome grabbed the package of hot dogs out of the refrigerator. She set the package on the counter then filled a saucepan with water. She then placed it on the burner and switched the dial to five. As she waited for the water to start to boil, she opened the package of hot dogs and placed them on a paper plate. When that was completed, she picked up the pile of bills on her counter and skimmed through them.

Bills, bills, and more bills. Everything was about money. She was lucky she could afford everything she owned. If it hadn’t been for her mother she’d still be working two, maybe three, jobs. At least she had a decent one now. One that showed how much of a worker she was. One to be proud of.

The little pops of bottles told Kagome that the water was ready. She picked up the plate and tilted it so that all the hot dogs rolled off and into the water. Letting the hot dogs settle, she grabbed three bags of instant macaroni and cheese. Kagome ripped them open and then poured them into three separate bowls. She filled them with a forth cup of water then placed them in the microwave for a minute and thirty seconds each. By the time they were all done, the hot dogs looked rip enough to fish out.

For hers and Ami’s she cut up pieces of hot dog and stirred them into the macaroni and cheese. She left InuYasha’s hot dog on a plate next to his bowl. She wasn’t sure if he like the delicacy she had prepared.

After placing plenty of napkins in the middle of the table, she made her way into the living room. She calmed her raging nerves as she walked up beside the playing pair. “Um, dinner’s ready you two.”

They both looked up, but it was Ami who made the first move. “Yea! Mac and cheese!” She jumped up and ran into the kitchen. Kagome was about to follow her when InuYasha stopped her.

“Hey Kagome, is everything all right?” he asked. When she gave him a confused look he continued. “You took awhile on the phone. Is everything all right?”

Maybe she was acting a little standoffish, but it was only because she didn’t want him to see the emotion roller coaster this whole event had put her through. “Nothing’s wrong. It was just a friend checking in on me.”

InuYasha regarded her for a moment before shrugging his shoulder and following his daughter into the kitchen. Kagome sighed then entered the kitchen. She sat down across from InuYasha and next to Ami. She looked at InuYasha as he cocked an eyebrow at her. “What? Am I not special enough to have my hot dog mashed up with my macaroni and cheese?”

Kagome gapped at him before answering. “I didn’t know if you liked it like that. I’m sure you’re capable of cutting up your own food. Or do you need Mommy’s help?” She had added the last part as a joke, but the smirk he sent her way had her thinking that he hadn’t taken as one.

“Actually I think I do need Mommy’s help.” he said as he smirk grew.

She started at him incredibly. “You’re joking right?” When he shook his head, a laugh made its way from her throat. “I’m not cutting up your food. You’re a grown man. Do it yourself.”

“But Mommy, you said you’d do it.” InuYasha attempted to pout, but he couldn’t keep the smirk off his face. “Please Mommy, I really need your help.”

“Mommy help Daddy.” Ami added her two cents as she observed the two of them.

Kagome sighed in frustration. “Give me your food.” He laughed as he slid the bowl and plate towards her. She rolled her eyes as she quickly cut up the meat and then carelessly stirred it in with the macaroni. “Here.” she said as she slid it back over to him.

“Thanks Kagome.” He then proceeded to dig into his food. Kagome shook her head as he and Ami ate. She looked down at hers and wished for something more appetizing. She played with her food for a moment before bringing up a cluster of noodles and a piece of hot dog to her mouth. She suddenly knew why the others were shoveling it down. If you scoped it in fast enough, you wouldn’t be able to taste it.

She looked at the occupants of the table and realized this was the very scene she had dreamed about when she had first found out she had been pregnant. Sitting at the dinner table, taking walks in the park, just doing things together. Those dreams were bittersweet now. She didn’t want to think about what this would mean later on. Right now it didn’t matter if they looked like a family. Because what they really were was the farthest thing from it.

She shook her head causing the thoughts to go to the back of her mind and finished off her food. When the other two were finished she gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink. InuYasha picked up Ami and set her on his hip. He looked at her expectantly. She realized that he was waiting for her to give them something to do. “Umm, do you want to watch a movie?”

InuYasha shrugged his shoulder. “Sure why not.” Ami got excited and started chanting ‘Little Mermaid’. Kagome put the tape in and half way through it, Ami was out like a light.

Kagome looked over at her, asleep on InuYasha’s lap, and smiled. “She’s had a big day.” As she gazed at Ami she could feel InuYasha’s gaze on her. She looked up at him. “What?”

He was silent before answering. “I’m sorry. For everything. For leaving you and letting you go through all of this alone.” His voice was just a whisper, but Kagome heard every word. “I know it doesn’t make up for what I did, but I want you to know that I am sorry.”

His gaze never left hers throughout his apology. Needless to say, Kagome was speechless for a minute or two. “. . . I’m not sure I’m ready to forgive you yet.”

He nodded slightly as he looked down at the sleeping child on his lap. “Can I keep visiting with her?”

“It’d be selfish of me to keep her away from you now. She knows you’re her father so she’s gonna want to see more of you anyway.” she said softly.

He nodded again then shifted her in his arms. “Well, guess it’s her bedtime.” Kagome stood up with him and lead him to Ami’s bedroom. She waited by the doorway as he laid her down and then hesitantly kissed her on the forehead. She was sure he whispered something to her, but Kagome was too far away to hear it. He walked back over to her and smiled sheepishly at her. “Thanks for letting me into her life.”

Kagome could only nod as he walked past her. She knew that it was time for him to leave so she decided to walk him to his car.

The walk was silent, but just before he got into his car he turned toward her. “Kagome,” he began as he leaned forward. Kagome’s eyes widened.

“InuY--”

He kissed the very corner of her mouth, then pulled away. “Goodnight.” Then he got into his car, started the engine, pulled out of her driveway, and drove away.

“Goodnight InuYasha.” she whispered in a daze. After a moment of standing there looking like an idiot. She shook her head and made her way back inside to call Sango and her fill her in on the father/daughter development. Though she would be sure to leave out what had just happened. No need to dwell on things that didn’t mean anything. Right?