InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mika- the Inu Ookami Hanyou ❯ To the Present or Stuck in the Past ( Chapter 14 )

To the Present, or Stuck in the Past?

 

Near Bone Eater's well out side Inuyasha's Forest…

 

At the well, Mika patted Ryuu's neck, speaking gently too him as she removed the make shift hackamore. “I need for you to stay around here for when I return, Ryuu. Just don't let yourself get caught.” The colt head butted Mika gently as he acknowledged her request. He turned toward the clearing and moved slowly away from the well, munching grass as he went.

 

Mika watched the horse as she thought about her time with the injured paint and how her friendship to him seemed almost unreal. The fact that where she comes from that horses don't fly spooked her initially in regards to Ryuu, but she embraced him despite his differences. She turned back to the well, as Kagome sat on the edge, contemplating the next steps in their journey.

 

“Are you sure you want to try this? I don't know what will happen,” Kagome told her cousin, as she swung her legs into the well.

 

Mika slid next to her on the edge as she replied, “We'll never know until we try.” She shouldered the hackamore, and took Kagome's hand as they fell into the well. As they entered, the vine covered stone walls were replaced with a black void with white lights, similar to a starry night sky. Within seconds, they landed on a dirt floor. As the sounds and scents of Modern Era Japan assaulted Mika's nose, Kagome announced they were back in the present. Both girls began to climb the ladder from the well, entering the well house and its closed doors.

 

Kagome pushed the doors open to allow them out, then closed them again as Mika entered the square of the temple shrine. Mika looked over the shrine as Kagome took her hand and gently guided her toward the house. “My family is going to freak out at this,” Kagome thought as she led her cousin through the square to her home. “How am I going to explain this to my mother, to grandpa and Sota?” Kagome continued to ponder as they entered her home.

 

Present day Tokyo…

 

Midori looked up from cleaning as Kagome entered the living room. “I didn't expect you back until next week. Why are you home so soon? Did something happen to your cousin?” she asked, not realizing that Mika stood behind Kagome.

 

“Uh, mom, I'd like you to meet cousin Mika,” Kagome replied as she moved out from in front of Mika. Mika moved into the living room, looking rather out of place in her armor in the modern home.

 

Midori gasped a bit before moving toward her long absent niece. “Mika, we have been so worried about you. Welcome to our home,” she said as she embraced her niece. “You've changed since the last photos we've seen,” remarking on the changes of her features from the older pictures, as well as her clothing choice.

 

“I'm sorry to have worried you, Aunt Midori. I've been through so much in the past week that I'd just like to take a shower and relax a bit before I explain what happened. I'm sure that Kagome can fill you in,” Mika replied. With the adrenaline rush of the fight wearing off quickly, she placed a hand on the nearby chair to steady herself, not yet fully aware of neither her exhausted state nor the amount of energy her attack had drained. Kagome took her cousin's hand and lead her upstairs to her room. Together they removed the armor and protective clothing, carefully laying each piece across Kagome's recently cleaned desk. As Mika realized her duffle bag was still in Feudal Japan, she cursed her thoughtlessness in having left it behind with all her remaining clothes.

 

Kagome said, “I have some extra clothes you can borrow until we get either your duffle bag back or we go shopping. Which would you prefer?”

 

“I'd just like to take a bath right now, if you don't mind. Would you please just leave the clothes in the bathroom for me? All I need is a pair of shorts and a tank top if you have them,” Mika remarked as she moved slowly toward the bathroom. Kagome nodded as she quickly gathered the requested clothes and a couple of towels and followed Mika to the bathroom. She left the clothes on the sink as Mika stripped the remaining clothes from her aching body. She stepped into the shower and sighed in relief as the warm soothing water hit her aching body.

 

As the water rinsed the collective layers of dirt form her hair, Mika reflected on the adventures she endured in Feudal Japan, as well as the revelation of her parentage. She leaned against the back of the shower, letting the water flow down her body as she continued her deep thoughts. Mika looked at the stripes across the back of her hands and forearms as she thought, “What am I? Who am I? Where do I belong? Here in the present or in the Feudal Era?” As she asked the questions, she racked her brain trying to figure out the missing answers, which did not come to mind easily. After Mika finished her shower, she dressed in Kagome's extra tank top and shorts, dried her hair and relaxed on Kagome's bed. Once her head hit the pillow, her thoughts focused on her questions and for that, her lack of answers. She drifted slowly and deeply into troubled dreams.

 

Once Mika was out of the shower, Kagome quickly showered and changed into some comfortable clothes. She checked on her cousin and left her sound asleep on her bed. “It's not like I ever get to sleep on it any more. At first it was Inuyasha, now you. Who knows who will show up next to pilfer my bed?” Kagome thought as she went looking for her mother. As Midori moved around the kitchen fixing a home cooked meal for Kagome and Mika, Kagome walked in and sat down at the table.

 

“So you and your cousin had a good time over there? She looks well,” Midori commented as she began slicing vegetables for a spicy chicken curry.

 

Kagome sighed as she replied, “She's been on a rollercoaster of a time there. I feel bad for Mika, losing one set of parents, just to find out that her birth mother is also gone and her father is a complete jerk. Luckily Inuyasha and Koga are her uncles, so I guess that's not too bad. It could be worse I guess.”

 

“Is that the reason she was dressed so strangely, because of her demonic heritage?” Midori inquired.

 

As she contemplated the answer, Kagome thought of all her cousin had been through. “It's more of protection from her father and others who might do her harm than for looks. I'm just not sure of how she's going to take being the daughter of a powerful demon. She does resemble her father after all,” Kagome reflected aloud.

 

A worried look crossed Midori's face at Kagome's comment. “What do you mean? Has she changed more than just her clothing?”

 

“Mom, she has facial markings and pointed ears. How could you have missed them?” Kagome replied in shock.

 

Midori returned to her cooking as she replied, “Her face was awfully dirty and I'm so used to seeing Inuyasha that I guess it didn't affect me as much as if it was something out of the ordinary. Now, would you please help me finish this before she wakes up? I'd like to have this ready within the next hour or so. Do you think Inuyasha will be here also?”

 

“I'm not sure. I don't think his tongue is up to curry just yet. However; knowing him, Inuyasha'll probably be here shortly,” Kagome replied, wondering if he was okay after the battle with Sesshomaru.

 

Feudal Era, Japan near the Bone Eater's well…

 

As Kagome answered her mother's inquiries, Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara entered the clearing of the Bone Eater's well. They spied Ryuu off in the distance munching on grass to his hearts content.

 

“I'm going in. I should be back in a day or so. I promise to bring Mika back, even if I have to with her kicking and screaming,” Inuyasha said as he leapt onto the edge of the well.

 

Miroku looked onto his friend as he asked, “Is that such a wise move? Considering her temper, which, might I add is similar in nature to yours?”

 

“What do you mean, Miroku? You don't think that I can handle her after that display of demonic power? She's just a young whelp that needs to be taught a lesson,” he stated confidently.

 

Sango and Miroku sighed as they realized he'd not understood what Miroku had tried to say. Because of her father's strong presence in her blood, she would not be easily taken like a young misbehaving child as simple as Inuyasha would like to think. They bid their farewells to Inuyasha, and returned to Kaede's village to tell the elderly priestess of Mika's parentage.

 

Inuyasha traveled through the well to the present and cleared the edge of the well in a single bound. When he exited the well house, he caught Mika's scent as the wind blew past Kagome's window. He traveled on fleet feet to the house and entered the home as if he'd lived there his whole life. As he entered the house, he quickly sniffed the air and found the horrid smell of curry. Recalling his previous experiences with curry, he quickly moved up the stairs, avoiding the kitchen as much as possible. Inuyasha reached the top of the stairs, and saw Kagome's bedroom door ajar. He pushed it aside and saw Mika lying upon Kagome's bed, so deep in sleep that she was completely oblivious to her surroundings.

 

“How can she look so serene when her life has been turned upside down? I guess I can understand where she's coming from. When I was pinned to the tree by Kikyo, I was in a serene sleep as well, despite the confusing circumstances of which caused her to shoot me,” Inuyasha thought as he sat near the bed, his back to Kagome's wall and the Tetsusaiga against his shoulder. He watched over his niece as she slept, knowing that between him and Koga, they were the closest `blood' relatives that she had who didn't want to kill her. As he kept silent vigil, he slowly drifted off to sleep as well, letting his weary body rejuvenate.

 

As the time for dinner approached, Kagome made her way upstairs for Mika. When she entered the room, she spied Inuyasha leaning against the wall and Mika still sound asleep on her bed. “I wonder when he got here,” Kagome thought as she smiled, “They've both have had a rough day, and they need their rest. I hate waking either of them, but they need to regain their strength quickly.” She gently prodded Inuyasha who awoke quickly and had him leave the room before she awoke her cousin.

 

Kagome gently shook Mika as she tried to awaken her cousin. In a flash, Mika's eyes flew open and she reached for a non existent knife from under the pillow. When Mika realized where she was, Kagome had moved back toward her desk, wanting to avoid bodily harm at her cousin's hands. “Mika, you're in the present, at the shrine. You're safe from harm,” Kagome said to her as she tried to get her cousin to relax.

 

“I thought I smelled another presence here, other than yours. A male… dog demon…Inuyasha. Where is he? Why did he come here?” Mika said, her hackles raised and despite her normal, calm environment, they refused to be lowered. Her experiences in the past had left her deeply, emotionally scarred and she was very uncertain of her surroundings.

 

“He's down stairs, getting ready for dinner. I'm sure he was worried about you, seeing as your anger at him, Koga and your father. He just probably wanted to make sure that you were okay,” Kagome explained. She moved to sit on the bed next to her cousin. “What's the matter? You've not said much since we've been back. If it's about you clothes, I'm sure Inuyasha would be more than happy to go back for them.”

 

Mika signed as she contemplated her response. “It's not the clothes, Kagome. It's me. I don't know who I am anymore. When I came here, I was Mika Jones from the United States visiting family in Japan who had just recently lost the only parents I've ever known. Now I'm Mika the inu-ookami hanyou whose family is trying to kill each other. I've been told my father will try and kill me because of my human blood, which resulted in being `thrown away' into a well on the hopes it would lead me to safety. Yet my wolf demon uncle claims it was my mother's dying wish for me to be safe from my father, and my half dog demon uncle didn't know that I even existed. I'm pretty messed up right now. I just need to sort out what happened and get things set right in my mind before I can face any of my family, whether by blood or not.”

 

“So what do you plan on doing now?” Kagome asked.

 

Mika looked at her cousin as she said, “I'm going back to Idaho for a week or two so I can get my head together. I need to take care of things there before I return here permanently. Hopefully I can get a flight out of here quickly. I know my return ticket didn't have a set return date so I should be able to leave tonight.”

 

“Well, are you going to at least have some dinner before you leave? Mom worked hard in making this dinner for you, she would be crushed if you didn't have some,” Kagome explained.

 

Mika looked around Kagome's room as she said, “I'm about half starved. I've not had much to eat for the last few days. I just don't want to have to put up with Inuyasha while I'm eating. Do you think Aunt Midori will have a problem with me taking my meal up here? That is if you don't mind.”

 

“I'm sure it shouldn't be a problem. I'll explain you're not feeling to good just yet. Although considering your recent adventures and battle, I would not want to eat with my family either. I'll be back in a few with some food,” Kagome explained and then hurried down the stairs to the kitchen.

 

Once Kagome left her room, Mika continued to search her room for her back pack. “Without my backpack, I can't leave!” she thought. “It has my passport, all of my money, and my return ticket home. Where is it?” She continued to look around Kagome's room, when Kagome returned with a tray of food. She placed the steaming bowls of curry with rice onto her bed, as she spied her cousin going through her closet.

 

“Mika, what are you looking for? I'm sure that I have some spare clothes that you can leave in, just let me get them for you,” Kagome said.

 

Mika looked at her cousin as she replied, “It's not the clothes that I'm worried about. I would be glad to leave in a gunny sack if that was all that was available. I'm looking for my backpack. It has all my stuff in it, my money, passport, return ticket, etc. Without it, I'm stuck here. Do you remember where it was set before you came to the Feudal Era?”

 

Kagome thought a minute, trying to recall where the elusive backpack went. “I'll go ask mom. I'll explain you needed to get something out of it, to try and keep Inuyasha from knowing what you're up to,” Kagome stated, as she again left her room.

 

A few minutes later, she returned with her head hanging low. “Mom said that she put your backpack in with your clothes. So, I'm afraid it's in Feudal Japan. I'm sorry for this turn of events. I know how much you want to go home for a breather.” She picked up her bowl of curry and continued eating.

 

Mika finished her curry quickly, and then picked up her sword and sheath from the desk. “I'm going to go back and get my bags. I'll just go out the window, through the well to Kaede's village to retrieve my duffle bag and I'll be right back before anyone realizes that I'm gone.”

 

“I'll try my hardest to not let Inuyasha know that you're gone. He's going to be furious you left before he had a chance to talk to you as it is when you go home,” Kagome replied.

 

Mika slung the sword across her back and moved toward the open window as she replied, “Why do you think that I'm leaving my armor here? With it permeated with my scent, it should cover my absence for the brief period of time that I'm gone. I just need to know, from the well, which direction is Kaede's village?” Mika received the directions and also grabbed the hackamore for Ryuu. Not wanting to have a repeat of her first night in Feudal Japan, she knew that by having Ryuu take her to and from the village, she would be safer.

 

On stealth like feet, Mika slipped onto the roof of the home and jumped to the ground. As she landed on her feet, Mika glanced around the shrine grounds, familiarizing herself with its layout. She moved swiftly across the square to the well house and slid the door open. As she moved inside the well house and slid the door shut, Mika turned toward the well, seeing its ominous black depths in the remaining light of the setting sun as it filtered through the walls. Mika moved to the side of the well, and quickly hopped in before all rational thought escaped her. Within seconds, the starry field was replaced by the brick and vine covered interior announcing her return to Feudal Japan.

 

She looked up the length of the shaft and thought, “How in hell does Kagome get out of here without a ladder.” Then it dawned on her, Inuyasha is normally with her and he could easily get out with little problems. Mika slid the hackamore over her shoulder as she prepared mentally to get out of the well. She found that by jumping from wall to wall, using minuscule foot holds she was able to ascend the well shaft fairly quickly.

 

Once she had reached the edge of the well shaft she whistled for Ryuu who abandoned his munching of grass to go to his rider. He bumped his head into her chest, as Mika scratched behind his ears. “I've missed you, too. I'd have brought you a carrot or apple but I couldn't get in the kitchen. Let's get my bags then I'll let you have at all the grass you want,” she said as she slipped the hackamore over his gentle head. He bowed down to let her slid onto his back and then took her quickly toward Kaede's village at a high lope. Once they had reached the village, she rode directly to Kaede's hut, ignoring the stares of the villagers and whispered murmurs. She understood her appearance was unexpected, seeing as how she was a half demon dressed in rather skimpy attire and a sword, riding a demonic horse. That would cause some rather interesting conversations no matter what era you were in.

 

Once she reached Kaede's hut, Mika slid off Ryuu's back and entered the hut. Sango, Shippo, and Kaede looked up at Mika as she entered. “What brings ye back here so soon?” Kaede asked, after welcoming her back.

 

Mika sat next to Sango as she replied, “I came back to retrieve my bags. I'm borrowing some of Kagome's clothes.”

“Ah, but your beauty is beyond compare. What a radiant exquisiteness you have,” Miroku said, not realizing that he had said it aloud. Mika and Sango both clocked him as he thought about her delicate beauty. “That was worth the sight,” he thought. As he leaned against the wall, nursing the sore noggin, Mika searched her duffle bag and found her missing back pack with all her important documents. With a sigh of relief, Mika quickly zipped her bag closed and shouldered the bag for her return trip to the present.

 

“May I ask why it is so important that you have those bags, besides the clothing?” Sango inquired.

 

Mika sighed as she replied, “With all that's happened these past few days, I'm going back to my place and time to sort out what happened. I've lost my identity, found a family, although as messed up and dysfunctional as that can be, and I'm really confused. I need to sort out my feelings as to what to do from now on. I don't want to talk to any of my blood ties yet in regards to this. Luckily I've managed to evade Inuyasha to get here, but I'm not sure how long it will last.”

 

Sango looked at the young half demon as she replied, “I understand. After I lost my family at Naraku's castle and my whole village shortly there after I was devastated. It took me a long time to be able to function in any capacity after that. I hope you find what you're looking for. We'll be here when you get back. Just remember you're a part of our group, no matter what anyone says. I would almost say this is a sort of family if you look at it in that way as well, and I'm sure everyone would be more than happy to have you included as part of this family.”

 

Mika hugged the demon slayer as she replied, “I needed that Sango. Kagome basically said the same thing. Now I just need to get back before Inuyasha sniffs me out. I'm sure that he's going to have some choice words for me when I get back and I'm in no mood to deal with them.” Miroku and Sango agreed with her as she left.

 

As Mika left the hut with her duffle bag in hand, Miroku accompanied her outside. He embraced her before she approached Ryuu. “I'm sorry for having let my lecherous side get the best of me. It's just my way of showing you that I like you. I also would welcome you into this dysfunctional family as well,” he said as he hugged her, fighting the urge to caress her barely covered rump.

 

“I'd best get going. Kagome is going to have her hands full if I don't get back soon. Try and explain to Inuyasha my reasoning for leaving, as well as Koga. I know it will hurt their feelings and make it difficult for you guys for a bit, but just remember that I'll be back as soon as I can, at least a week or so. I've got to take care of some personal things at home before I can come back to Japan whether now or Kagome's time permanently,” she explained. Before she left his embrace, Mika gave Miroku a quick peck on the cheek and hopped on to Ryuu.

 

As she wheeled the colt back toward the well, Sango came out, slightly irked and asked, “What was that about? The kiss I mean?”

 

“I'm not sure. I think she was just showing appreciation for our concern. It meant nothing to me, just a `good bye' kiss really,” he replied.

 

Sango poked him in the ribs as she replied, “It had better been just a `good bye' kiss, or you'd have to answer to Inuyasha and Koga, as well as myself. Remember that we're technically engaged, right?”

 

“Yes, Sango, you're right and I've been honoring that as best as I can, given the circumstances,” he replied as he took her hand and kissed it. As Sango, flattered by the kiss, thought that he had changed, Miroku sneaked a quick rub of her backside, which resulted in a slap to the face.

 

At the Bone Eater's well…

 

Mika slid off Ryuu's back once she reached the well. As she removed the hackamore, Mika rubbed the colt's elegant neck and scratched behind his ears. “I'll be gone for a little bit, Ryuu. I leave you to watch over my friends while I'm gone. Try not to let them get in to much trouble or danger while I'm away. Stay safe as well,” she said as she gave him a final kiss on his forehead. He nuzzled her chest in response.

 

Mika jumped into the well again as she contemplated her situation and various ways of getting to the airport for her return trip home. Once she arrived in the modern time, she quickly ascended the well through the use of the rope ladder Kagome had placed there previously. As she neared the last three feet, a strong hand gripped her by the shoulder and dragged her those last few feet to the top of the well.

 

“What in the hell do you thing you're doing? Leaving the house without telling anyone, returning to the past which is full of bandits and demons with barley any thing on! I have half a mind to take you over my knee!” Inuyasha angrily said as he looked his niece in the eye and the fury of his temper and concern for his niece subsiding.

 

“What do you mean `barely anything on'? I'm more covered than Kagome!” Mika retorted just as angrily.

 

“If you needed you bag of clothes so badly, I would have been more than happy to get them for you. What do you have to say for yourself?”

As Mika hung from her shoulder in his grasp, her temper slowly reached the boiling point as she said calmly, “Kindly put me down and get your hands off me. I'm not some young whelp that you can boss around, Inuyasha. I'm a grown woman who can make my own decisions. I needed a break and as you can see I was not injured on my trip to Kaede's village.”

 

When Inuyasha released her shoulder, Mika landed in a crouch on the well house floor. As she spun to regain her footing, she knocked Inuyasha off his feet, which caused him to fall backwards into the well, causing him to curse a blue streak as he fell. With his yelling at her as encouragement, Mika quickly left the well house on fleet feet to Kagome's room with Inuyasha's insults of her parentage trailing behind her. “Wait, I'm not done scolding you yet!” he cried out after her.

 

Once she had reentered the room, she quickly slid the window shut behind her, blocking his vocalizations following her into the room. Kagome sat on her bed looking over some notes for an upcoming test. She looked up from her homework as she asked, “Why did you shut the window? It's so stuffy in here.”

 

“Inuyasha was waiting for me at the well when I got back and he's not happy with me. How am I going to go home with him hounding me like a convict? I swear that he's part blood hound,” Mika cursed at her over protective and annoying uncle.

 

“That's Inuyasha for you. I know what you mean about his possessiveness. One time, when I first entered the well, purely by accident, I was gone for three days. I was near the well on the third day, wondering if I could go home the same way that I'd shown up there. He was completely different then, only wanting the jewel shard that I had in my possession. When, I think her name was Yura, of the hair demons, accidentally pushed me into the well. I was so glad to be home, that I thought it was all a dream until he came back for me. Inuyasha stated he'd not said that I could go home. After that, I normally tell him when I need to return home and he comes after me anyways. It's kind of sweet on his part, but at times it can get real annoying as well, such as now,” Kagome explained. Mika looked at Kagome, appreciative that she had a cousin who understood where she was coming from.

 

As they continued talking about Inuyasha, he clawed his way back to the top of the well as he thought, “When I get my hands on her, I'm going to teach her not to mess with me! I've had it with her stubborn and bull-headedness. If she wasn't family I'd kill her!” He rushed back to the house, leapt on to the roof outside Kagome's window and hit the closed window with enough force to knock him off the roof. As he lay sprawled on his back in the court yard, Mika and Kagome looked out the window at his disheveled body.

 

Mika gestured toward his supine figure and exclaimed to Kagome, “What am I going to do with him? I can't move an inch without him sniffing me out!”

 

Looking at Inuyasha and then back to Mika, Kagome said, “I think Sango gave me some smoke beads that will put his nose out of commission long enough for you to get to the airport and board the plane. We'll just need to protect your sense of smell as well, seeing as dog demon blood runs through you, too.”

 

“Hello? I'm still down here and can hear all you're saying! You're staying right here in Japan if I have to carry you back through the well and seal it up myself,” Inuyasha yelled as he slowly got back to his feet. “I don't know what you're planning Mika, but you need to stay here and deal with your new family. I'm not going to let you run off and leave us after we just found you.”

 

“I'm not running away Inuyasha. With all that I've been through within the last week what do you expect me to do? Deal with it as if this is a normal, every day occurrence! I'm still having nightmares about being assaulted when I first got there! Get it through that thick skull of yours, Inuyasha! I'm going home and nothing you can do or say is going to stop me!!!” Mika yelled, as tears flowed down her face. She turned into the room, leaving her back to him as he stood in the courtyard, with a dumbfounded and confused look on his face.

 

He looked at Kagome as he said in a reserved tone, “How was I to suppose to know what was going on? I didn't mean to hurt her.”

 

“Well, if you'd been paying attention sooner this wouldn't have happened,” Kagome replied.

 

Kagome looked at her cousin as she quickly stripped out of the tank top and shorts to don a pair of black slacks, light colored shirt, socks and hiking boots. Inuyasha looked away as Mika bared her back to the window, not wanting to make the situation any worse.

 

“Mika, where are you going at this late hour?” Kagome asked, leaving the window to sit on her bed as her cousin changed and Inuyasha to his thoughts.

Mika looked at her cousin as she quickly tied her boots, “I'm going to the airport and flying home. Please give my regards to Aunt Midori. I just need to get away from here while I figure out what I'm going to do. I'll be there for at least a week if not two, seeing as I've got to take care of my home there, all the stuff my parents left, and find my self. Do you have any foundation I can borrow?” Mika requested as she looked at her complexion in the mirror.

 

“Top desk drawer, next to the pencils. Are you sure you're going to be okay with going home, after all that's happened? I just feel a little uncomfortable leaving you by yourself while you sort things out and make sense of it,” Kagome replied.

 

As Mika acquired the makeup, she quickly applied the foundation to her cheeks and forehead she said, “I'll be fine. I just feel that right now with all that has happened, I need to go back and face my memories of my adoptive parents, to get a chance to mourn them properly. I need to do this before I begin my new life with my newly found biologically dysfunctional family. I hope you understand, Inuyasha, I'm not running away from you, Koga or my father. I need to figure out how to deal with what happened and put my past to rest.”

 

From the window, looking very concerned, Inuyasha replied, “If it means that much to you, go ahead and go home. Just remember, you said you'd come back.”

 

“Kagome, would you call for a cab so that I can be on my way. As for my armor and sword, since they will not fit in my bag, I'll leave them here. If you don't mind, Kagome,” Mika said.

 

“Why do that, I'll give you a lift,” Inuyasha suggested.

 

In unison, Kagome and Mika said, “NO!” Kagome left her room to call the cab, leaving Mika and Inuyasha alone in her room.

 

“I hope that you figure out what you need to when you get home. We'll miss you around here,” Inuyasha said as he moved closer to Mika.

 

Without hesitation, Mika embraced her uncle, encircling his chest in her arms, as she pressed her cheek to his shoulder and letting the tears flow onto his haori. With a moments hesitation as the shock of the embrace wore off, Inuyasha placed his arms lovingly around her shoulders, and his cheek against her hair. As he breathed in the smell of the shampoo and mixed breed scent, he thought of all she'd been through with him and how her life had been turned upside down in such a short period of time. While he held her in his arms, he said, “Take the time that you need to sort out your life. Just remember we'll be here, waiting for you. I'll admit, I don't want to let you go after I just found you. Please be careful and safe in your trip home and back here, I'd hate to lose you a second time.” He pressed her into his chest as he thought of losing his niece, wanting to take her pain, anguish, and confusion into himself, to keep her from leaving him.

 

As his embrace tightened, causing Mika to struggle for air, she croaked, “Can't breathe!” Looking down at her, Inuyasha released her and she kissed him on his cheek. “I'll be back as soon as I can, I won't make any promises as to how long I'll be gone, seeing as all the stuff I've to accomplish before I come back. As it is, it will be at least a week if not two. I'll call Kagome with a status on my progress and be back as soon as I can,” she said as she picked up her back pack.

 

“Oh, that long. I guess I can't really say much about it.” She kissed his cheek again in fare well as she bolted from the room and down the stairs. Mika stopped briefly to say her good byes to her grandfather, Sota and Aunt Midori. As she headed toward the front door, she thought, “What am I doing? Why can't I just do everything from here and stay with my new found family?” While thinking about the answer, Mika exited the house, stopping near the door long enough to get the cab information from Kagome.

 

“It should be waiting for you at the street. Your flight leaves in about 2 hours and will go from here to Twin Falls by way of Portland and Salt Lake City. In total it will be about 18 hours or so, depending on delays. I hope you call when you get home so I can reassure Inuyasha that you're ok and unharmed,” Kagome said as she and Mika walked toward the entrance to the shrine.

 

Mika looked at Kagome as she replied, “I appreciate you help with arranging the cab and flights. I'm just an emotional wreck right now. I guess my main reason for going home is to get my personal effects and come back, but to also say good bye to my friends and my life as a normal person before I comeback to my dysfunctional family. I need to reassess what happened and come to terms with it so when I finally meet my father, I can handle it better. Thank you for being here for me, I really appreciate it.” Mika hugged Kagome before starting down the stairs.

 

As she waved to Mika from the top of the stairs, she felt Inuyasha's presence as he moved next to her. “Will she be okay, traveling by herself?” he asked.

 

“She'll be fine. As incentive to return, I slipped a jewel shard into her bag with her wolf pendant. I'm sure she'll find it and want to return it quickly,” she replied as she watched Mika enter the cab and drive away.

 

Inuyasha turned to Kagome, rage and frustration on his face as he reacted to the news. “You did WHAT?!! She has a jewel shard and doesn't even know it?!! Do you know what will happen if she touches it? Probably worse than when I came in contact with the one that I used on Tetsusaiga. Are you prepared for that to happen?”

 

“I hadn't thought of that. I'm sure she'll be fine. Look at Koga. He has one in each leg and it hasn't turned him into a hideous creature, nor had Sesshomaru when Naraku gave him the human arm with the shard in it to get Tetsusaiga away from you. She'll be fine, trust me. Now let's go back to the house so we can get a good nights rest before we go back to the feudal era,” she said as she turned back to the house, leaving a flabbergasted Inuyasha behind.

 

“I don't know about you, but I'm going after her. She needs to know about the shard and its effect on demons,” he said as he prepared to take off after the cab.

 

Kagome didn't even turn as she said, “Sit!” At the sound of her voice the beads around his neck dropped him to the pavement, causing the sidewalk to crack slightly under the command. “You'll do no such thing. She'll be fine, don't worry.” She continued into the house as Inuyasha cursed under his breath the beads of subjugation around his neck.