InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Purity 5: Phantasm ❯ Saying Goodbye ( Chapter 54 )

~~Chapter 54~~

~Saying Goodbye~

 

“So this is it.”

 

Bas slipped an arm around Sydnie's waist and nodded slowly. “It looks like the right spot.”

 

She shrugged. “That house doesn't belong there.”

 

He nodded. “I imagine they sold the land and built a new one here.”

 

Sydnie uttered a terse little grunt and shuffled her feet against the sidewalk as she stared at the modest house. Neat and tidy in the midst of a quiet middle class neighborhood, it looked completely comfortable, nestled in the center of the suburban lot though gauging from Sydnie's expression, she didn't like the place at all . . .

 

“I wish I could remember the house that was here,” she murmured, her face registering self-disgust at her inability to recall the home she used to share with her family.

 

Bas grimaced, wishing for all the world that he could make this better for her, too. He couldn't, and that bothered him. In the end, he sighed and draped his arm around her shoulders. “I wish you could, too,” he muttered.

 

Sydnie shot him a grateful smile tinged with a certain sadness that she simply couldn't hide. “It's okay, puppy. It's just a house, isn't it?”

 

“Yeah,” he agreed with a wan smile. “I guess you're right.” He nodded despite the gnawing ache that had been eating at him since they'd landed at LAX the night before. He wasn't sure if the trip was harder on him or on Sydnie. Being forced to stand by and watch as she struggled to find a semblance of understanding in a situation that made no sense at all just wasn't something that he wanted to do. He wanted to fix things for her—he'd wanted to do that from the first moment he'd met her—and yet he couldn't do that, either.

 

“It's not so bad, I guess,” she allowed, biting her lower lip as she scowled at the new dwelling. “Even if the house was still here, my family is long gone.”

 

“I'm your family now, kitty,” Bas mumbled, burying his lips in the down of her hair.

 

She leaned back against him, wrapping her hands over his forearm with a little sigh. “So you are,” she allowed. “My puppy.”

 

A middle-aged couple stepped out of the front door onto the porch. They were human, and they didn't notice Sydnie and Bas right away. Talking about the day they had planned out, the man waited as the woman locked the door before striding off the porch and down the sidewalk toward the small car parked in the two-car driveway. Glancing up as he held out the keychain to unlock the doors, he finally noticed Sydnie and Bas and stopped. “Can I help you?” he asked, his tone brusque but not unkind.

 

Bas cleared his throat, unconsciously tightening his arm around Sydnie, pulling her closer against his chest. “Sorry,” he apologized. “My wife's—” he grinned at the sound of the word, “—family used to live here.”

 

The man scowled and shook his head slowly, turning to face them as the woman grasped his arm. “We built this house,” he explained.

 

“Yeah . . . her house was destroyed in an earthquake.”

 

Realization seemed to dawn on him, and he nodded. “Oh . . . yeah . . .” He grimaced, eyes awash with obvious concern as he stared at Sydnie. “I'm sorry about that . . . The realtor told us that the family—” Cutting himself off abruptly, the man reddened as he shrugged apologetically. “But I guess that wasn't true.”

 

“Don't worry about it,” Bas said. “They didn't realize that Sydnie survived.”

 

He glanced at his wife. She nodded slightly, her light brown hair whipping into her face. “We were just on our way out for the weekend, but if you'd like to take a look around outside, feel free.”

 

“Thanks,” Bas replied. He wasn't sure if Sydnie really wanted to do that, but the offer was kind.

 

The man nodded as his wife hurried around the car to the passenger side and climbed in.

 

Sydnie didn't say anything until after the couple pulled out of the driveway. “I don't remember any of it,” she admitted with a heavy dose of disgust in her voice.

 

“You were a baby,” he reminded her, giving her shoulders a gentle squeeze. “How could you?”

 

“Do you remember things from when you were two?”

 

Bas shrugged. “Some things . . . vague things.”

 

She sighed. “I'd settle for vague things.”

 

“Kitty . . .” He fell silent as she dug into her purse for the picture. She'd bought a melamine frame for traveling at the airport gift shop during their two hour layover in Denver though the one she carried in her purse wasn't the original. Bas had scanned the image and printed it out for her, figuring that she'd want to keep the original in the fireproof safe in the mansion. She'd seemed happy enough with that.

 

Running her claw lightly down the center of the image, she smiled sadly and shook her head. “I shouldn't complain, should I? At least I have this much.”

 

Bas didn't know what to say to her. She was trying: he could tell she was. He tried to smile but failed, unable to do more than manage a weakened grimace as she sighed again and leaned against his chest.

 

“I'm sorry, puppy. Pretty shoddy honeymoon, isn't it?”

 

“It's okay with me,” he insisted.

 

Sydnie craned her neck back to telegraph him a dubious look. “We could always get more catnip,” she teased though her smile lacked the added sparkle in her eyes.

 

Bas snorted but couldn't help the hint of a blush that surfaced in his cheeks. “I'm going to kill them for that,” he grumbled. Morio and Mikio had thought it'd be amusing to lace the room at the bed and breakfast with the stuff, and while he'd ultimately been the beneficiary of Sydnie's amorous attentions, he still couldn't help but wonder if her reaction was intended for him or if anyone would have sufficed. Unfortunately, he'd been powerless to stop her, and she'd known it. They'd nearly missed their flight the next morning because of it, too . . . It just served to prove just how dangerous certain information could be in the hands of idiots, in Bas' opinion.

 

“Was that so bad?” she asked, wiggling around to face him as she slipped her arms around his neck and arched an eyebrow.

 

“'Course not . . .”

 

She sighed and rested her cheek against his chest. “I rather enjoyed it,” she murmured, her tone tinged with a certain huskiness that sent an altogether nice shiver up Bas' spine.

 

“I'd have enjoyed it more if I were sure that you wanted me,” he grumbled.

 

“I want you, puppy. I want you all the time.”

 

He groaned but smiled; her words—her tone—more of a caress than a physical touch. “Yeah?”

 

She nodded, hugging him tight as she shifted her gaze back over to the unfamiliar place. “Take me away from here?” she asked.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

A soft sigh escaped her, and she shrugged. “This is pointless. I don't remember anything, and . . . and even if I did, what good would it accomplish?”

 

Smoothing her hair back out of her face, he nodded. “Okay.”

 

Falling in step beside him, Sydnie let him pull her along behind him toward the rental car. He could sense her sadness; could almost smell her quiet turmoil. Asking himself for the thousandth time if this really had been a good idea after all, Bas ground his teeth together and swallowed hard. The feeling that he couldn't help her—couldn't protect her—was enough to drive him insane.

 

“Anyway, this is supposed to be a fun trip,” she went on. “We could—”

 

“K-Kathy?”

 

Sydnie whipped around, staring at the woman who had called out to her. She was staring at Sydnie in a state of quiet disbelief. The young boy beside her—no more than three years old—hopped up and down, tugging on her hand. “Excuse me?” Sydnie said.

 

The woman shook her head. “Kathy?” Her scowl deepened. “You're not Kathy, are you? I-I'm sorry . . . I just thought . . .”

 

“No, I'm Syd—Cindy,” Sydnie replied. “Kathy? My sister . . . I think her name was Katherine.”

 

The brightening in the woman's eyes was a painful thing. Bas stepped around the car and slipped an arm around Sydnie's waist. “Tucker? Kathy Tucker . . .” She gasped softly, her hand shooting up to flutter over her lips as her eyes widened. “Cindy . . . you're the baby!” She laughed suddenly, as though everything finally made sense. “Kathy always said you were her baby . . .”

 

He could feel Sydnie stiffen beside him. “She . . . she did?”

 

“Yep . . . she always said that she told her mom and dad that she wanted a baby, and they had you.”

 

Sydnie shook her head. “I'm sorry . . . who are you?”

 

“Oh! I'm Jocelyn . . . Milner now. It used to be Halsey.”

 

Sydnie didn't recognize the name. “I see. This is my puppy, Sebastian.”

 

Bas wrinkled his nose but nodded. “Pleased to meet you.”

 

Jocelyn looked a little confused at Sydnie's choice of words but let it go. “Likewise.” She shook her head, a confused scowl marring her features. “They said you . . . but you obviously didn't . . .”

 

“Kit and I weren't there,” Sydnie replied, and Bas had to wonder if she even realized the strange introduction she'd given.

 

The relief on Jocelyn's face was immediate and intense as tears filled her eyes but didn't spill over. “Thank God . . .”

 

“How well did you know my sister?” Sydnie went on.

 

“Kathy was my best friend.”

 

Sydnie shot Bas a quick glance, her eyes clouded with her upset at not being able to remember this friend—or maybe it was something else . . . “Kit—Kathy—she died.”

 

“D-died . . .? Oh . . . I'm so sorry . . .”

 

Sydnie bit her lip, offering the woman an apologetic sort of look. “That's all right . . . It was a long time ago.”

 

That didn't seem to make Jocelyn feel any better, but she tried to smile. “My mother will be so surprised when I tell her . . . she used to babysit you during the day.”

 

“She did?”

 

“Grandma?” the boy piped up, tugging on his mother's hand again. “Grandma sat on babies?”

 

Jocelyn rolled her eyes but laughed. “No, Travis . . . It's a word meaning that she watched babies while their parents were working.”

 

“You don't work,” he said with a frown.

 

Jocelyn smiled. “No, I don't. Daddy does.” She took his hand and laughed softly. “This is my son. He's very inquisitive.”

 

“Twavis,” he said, curling up his fist and jabbing himself in the center of his chest with a chubby thumb. “Twavis Mil-ner.”

 

Sydnie smiled at the exaggerated way he'd stated his name before turning her attention back to Jocelyn again. “Your mother used to watch me?”

 

“Yes . . . she still lives here . . . I know she'd be so happy to see you . . . if you've got the time.”

 

She shot Bas a quick glance. He nodded, offering her an encouraging grin. “Whatever you want, Sydnie.”

 

A radiant little smile was his reward. “I'd love that.”

 

Jocelyn nodded and turned to lead the way. “What happened to you? I mean, everyone thought you two . . . well . . . the house was a wreck, and Kathy and you were just gone . . . I always wondered.”

 

Sydnie stiffened at the question but shrugged. “Kit took me into the city. That's where I grew up.”

 

“I see.”

 

Sydnie sighed. She didn't like lying, and yet she couldn't bring herself to tell Jocelyn the truth either, not that he blamed her. The truth wasn't nearly as pretty as the illusion . . .

 

 

-OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO-

 

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Sydnie glanced up from the small photo album that had arrived earlier in the day and smiled. “Looking at these pictures.”

 

Bas stretched out on the bed, drawing Sydnie back against his chest as he rested his chin on her shoulder and gazed at the photographs. “That was nice of Jocelyn.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

True enough, Jocelyn had a lot of pictures of Kit, and she'd offered to give them all to Sydnie. Since she'd wanted to scan them first, she'd had the album delivered via courier earlier in the day.

 

They'd spent the day visiting Sydnie's parents' graves. She'd told him then that she wanted to have Kit moved to be with her parents. Bas had called Cain to ask that he see it done. He could understand that, especially after visiting Kit's unmarked grave. The public cemetery was used for unidentified persons or those without the means to pay for a real cemetery plot. It was cold and desolate; completely unkempt. At least if she were moved to be with her parents, she'd have a place that was peaceful—and a headstone. He'd been able to tell that there had been another one beside Kit's—Sydnie's, he supposed. He was glad that Cain had the forethought to have it removed. That would have been a little too surreal for Bas' liking . . .

 

Not for the first time, Bas had to admit that his honeymoon wasn't exactly how he'd imagined it. Still, it was something that Sydnie desperately needed, and that was enough. To move on with her life, she needed the closure that this trip would bring her, and even if she always felt a little sad when she thought about the fact that she'd lost so much in her lifetime, maybe she could smile later . . . and maybe that was enough.

 

As it was, he'd almost wished that he hadn't agreed to take her to meet her former babysitter. The woman's tears and quiet heartache had hurt Sydnie. Even if she didn't remember the woman, Margaret Halsey remembered her, and the one-sided reunion had taken a toll on the normally vivacious cat-youkai. She'd been pensive and thoughtful for the better portion of the day; not that Bas could blame her. Still, the pictures had lifted her flagging spirits, and for that, at least, he was grateful.

 

She'd taken a bath while he had ordered dinner for the two of them. Neither had felt like going out despite the reservations he had at one of the trendier places in Los Angeles. A couple of steaks and a gallon of milk seemed to do the trick. Sydnie had eaten about half of her food before pushing the plate at Bas and insisting that he needed it more than she did.

 

The highlight, he had to admit, was the little grin that he'd gotten out of her when he'd presented her with a California state spoon. Her luminous gaze was enough of a reward, and if he couldn't remember anything else about their honeymoon in the years to come, he knew he'd remember that smile forever . . .

 

Kneeling on the bed with the photo album in her lap, she leafed through the pages for what had to be the hundredth time since the courier had delivered it. Bas couldn't blame her for that. It was a comfort she hadn't been afforded before. To see her sister smiling, happy . . . that was worth the trip, absolutely. He frowned. She'd mentioned wanting to revisit the abandoned building where she used to live. Bas wasn't so sure that was a good idea, but he also wasn't sure he could deny her anything, either. Maybe she'd forget about it. In any case, whether he took her there or not, Bas supposed it would be fine in the end. Sydnie was strong, wasn't she? He smiled to himself and sighed inwardly. She was strong, all right. He simply wasn't so certain that he was . . .

 

“I was thinking,” she finally said, breaking the companionable silence that had fallen between them.

 

“What's that?” he asked, twisting a lock of her hair around his finger.

 

“My parents were teachers . . .”

 

“Hmm.”

 

She shrugged, closing the photo album and setting it aside on the nightstand. “I just thought . . . I should get my high school diploma, don't you think?”

 

Bas smiled as Sydnie curled up against his chest. “If that's what you want to do.”

 

She scowled. “I never went to school.”

 

“I wouldn't have known that if you hadn't told me.”

 

She made a face. “I told you I used to frequent the library . . . I read lots of books and stuff. I guess I'm worst at math, but I can do some of it.”

 

“You could probably take the GED test . . . when we get back, I'll take you to the school to see if they have any information on it or things you could study for it.”

 

Sydnie wiggled around, leaning up on her hands to gaze at him. “Would you?”

 

He nodded. “We should also look for a house of our own . . . unless you like staying with my family.”

 

“Your family's fine, puppy . . . I think I'd rather have you all to myself, though.”

 

“Okay,” he agreed. “I'll start looking when we get back.”

 

She frowned and rolled to the side, scooting off the bed and crossing her arms over her chest as she paced the length of the bedroom.

 

“Out with it, kitty,” he said, leaning on his elbow as he watched her nervous motions.

 

She shook her head but stopped before the row of windows that overlooked the city skyline. “It's nothing,” she lied.

 

Bas narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, I'm not buying.”

 

Turning back to face him, she managed a weak little smile. “You're a hunter, though, right? That means you'll be gone a lot . . .”

 

He grimaced. “Not nearly as much as you think, Sydnie.”

 

“What does that mean?”

 

He shrugged. “That means I'm not so sure I'm really a hunter, and . . . and there's a couple other things that Dad's mentioned. Besides . . . I think I'd rather stick closer to home.”

 

That admission earned him a bright smile, and she laughed suddenly as she lunged at him. He caught her and grunted as her body bore him back against the mattress. “Careful, baby . . . you'll break me,” he teased.

 

“Break you?” she echoed with an arched eyebrow. “Really . . .”

 

“Yes, really,” he complained. “I don't think you should do that.”

 

She giggled. “Break you? Oh, my, no . . . I can think of a few other things I'd rather do with you.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

She nodded, nipping his lip playfully. “I think so . . .”

 

“Like . . . what?” he asked between nibbling kisses.

 

“I'll think of something,” she assured him.

 

He chuckled. “I'm sure you can.”

 

“Do you think I can do it?” she asked suddenly, rearing back to frown at him, her expression pensive at best.

 

Bas shook his head, his mind still clouded by her kisses. “Do what?”

 

She made a face and slapped his chest playfully. “Pass the test—that GED thingy.”

 

He snorted. “Your mind, kitty, is something that I'll never understand.”

 

“You're not supposed to, Sebastian. Do you think I will?”

 

Bas chuckled, leaning up to kiss her cheek soundly. “Yes, baby, I think you'll pass it just fine.”

 

She sighed, protesting without words that she wasn't sure about his blind faith in her abilities. “I can study,” she remarked somewhat defensively.

 

“I'll help you,” he assured her.

 

Sydnie seemed surprised by his offer. “You will?”

 

He nodded. “Yep . . . if it's important to you, then it's important to me, too. It wouldn't surprise me if you don't need my help, though. You're a pretty smart kitty.”

 

“You have to say that,” she told him with a little giggle before scooting off the bed to pace around the hotel room. “You're my puppy.”

 

“I don't have to say any such thing,” he argued. “It's the truth.”

 

Her smile was thanks enough. Bas caught his breath at the flicker of heat that ignited behind her brilliant green eyes; as she stalked over to the end of the bed and crawled toward him. “You're so good to me, Sebastian. Let me see if I can be good to you, too.”

 

“O-oh?” he stammered as she slowly, methodically snaked her hands up his legs until she was toying with the hem of his boxers.

 

Sydnie giggled though the sound was tinged with a certain huskiness. “Hmm, yes . . .” she purred.

 

Bas rumbled out a choked chuckle and let his head fall back, eyes closing as Sydnie slipped her fingers under his waistband and pulled . . .

 

 

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A/N:

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Reviewers

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MMorg

OROsan0677 ------ Sweetprincess 17 ------ thefaeryofpurejoy ------ inuyashaloverr ------ Rawben ------ camintmier (the InuYasha characters don't have birthdates listed anywhere, to my knowledge, however, it has been surmised that Kagome's birthday is in May and InuYasha's in one of the winter months … as for the Purity characters, I hesitate to nail down birthdates for them as the time line is altered and adjusted as necessary …) ------ FireDemon86 ------GalacticFire ------ angelfire777

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Final Thought fromBas:

Her GED …?

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Blanket disclaimer for this fanfic (will apply to this and all other chapters in Phantasm): I do not claim any rights to InuYasha or the characters associated with the anime/manga. Those rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi, et al. I do offer my thanks to her for creating such vivid characters for me to terrorize.

 

~Sue~