InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Torn ❯ Finding out ( Chapter 2 )

* * Sounds
*** Flashbacks

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It was a very hot day, too hot, in fact, for the time of year they were in. It was already mid-fall and the group was sweating as the sun shone brightly above and they continued through the mountains they'd crossed a few days earlier. They'd gotten another jewel shard, fighting against a weak youkai who'd been barely a bit taller than Shippo. Underestimating him because of his size though, both Inuyasha and Kagome sported a few cuts and bruises after he'd attacked her to get her shards.

Now as they headed back to Kaede's hut, Sango and Miroku followed their wounded friends silently, both wondering about the unbroken tension between them. Whatever it was that had been bothering them the other day had obviously not been cleared up yet and neither seemed willing to break in and talk. Kagome had been surprisingly reserved since she'd come back, still troubled by whatever had happened during her time.

"I'm hot," Shippo's whine broke the silence.

Kagome sighed, pulling off her pack to look for her water bottles. There was only one left, looking up at her friends she handed it over to Shippo, "Don't drink all of it ok? Its the only bottle left and everyone else is thirsty too."

"Hai," Shippo greedily took the bottle and put it to his lips, gulping down the water despite her explanation.

Inyasha's bop on the head made him put it down to complain. "Didn't you hear that everyone else is thirsty too? What's the matter with you? Kagome or Sango might want some water too!"

"Sorry," the kitsune handed the bottle to Sango, who thanked him and Inuyasha before drinking a little of what was left. Turning to offer some to Kagome, they were surprised to see she was way ahead of them, having thrown her backpack on and continued.

"Hey bitch, wait up!" Inuyasha growled at them to hurry and ran to catch up to her. "What the heck's your problem?"

"I have to go home," Kagome kept up her pace, glancing back at the others who were hurrying to catch up. "I have to find out what's wrong."

"I'm coming with you," he turned and opened his mouth to tell the others.

"No Inuyasha, I don't think that'd be a good idea right now," Kagome interrupted him. "I need to go home alone."

They stopped beneath a tree, relieved to have reached the bottom of the mountain and the edge of the forest. Kaede's hut was less than an hour's walk from where they stood. Kagome leaned against the tree tiredly, smiling at her friends coming towards them.

Inuyasha huffed, "If you really think I'm letting you just go home and get slapped by someone again you're seriously wrong."

"Would it make a difference if I told you I want to go alone?" Kagome asked quietly. "I need to handle this on my own."

"Nope," he smirked at the whining kitsune before them.

"Kagome why'd you go so fast? We're tired and hot and couldn't catch up to you!" Shippo pouted and fell onto his back on the cool grass beneath them.

"Please?" Kagome continued their conversation, her shaky voice betraying her emotions, "I want to go Inuyasha, by myself! I'll come back as soon as possible, but I need to go on my own."

"If you go, I go."

"No," Kagome shook her head angrily, "I was asking nicely so as not to hurt your feelings but I'm not taking you with me."

"Who said you HAD to? I can get there on my own," Inuyasha reminded her, glaring angrily at her commanding tone of voice.

"Not if I put spells on the well you can't," Kagome reminded him, "And I will if I have to."

Inuyasha and the gang stared at her wide-eyed, "You wouldn't."

She sighed, "I don't want to but if I absolutely must, then yes, I would. I'm telling you that the problems I had at home were serious and I need to go back and deal with them myself. Please understand me Inuyasha."

The hanyou crossed his arms into his sleeves, "Feh, why should I?"

Kagome became angry, "Because I always understand when you run off with KIKYO!"

Sango gasped, surprised her friend would bring the dead miko into their argument, but Kagome kept speaking.

"I understand that you love her and that you feel obligated to go see to her well being whenever she shows up, but that doesn't necessarily mean I'm ok with it or that I'm not hurt every time you run off at the slightest sign she might be near." Kagome's anger began to fade, "But she's a part of your life and I understand that now, why can't you do the same?"

"Because its not the same Kagome! My going off with Kikyo is nothing like your going back to the future with your family." Inuyasha glared, pissed off at her bringing Kikyo into the matter.

"Whatever, I'm going now," Kagome smiled at her friends and knew that at least they understood. "I'll see you all in a couple of days ok?"

"Have a good time Kagome-sama," Miroku smiled up at her from where he sat.

"Take care Kagome! Don't forget my chocolate ok?" Shippo waved goodbye and watched her go, glaring at Inuyasha's back as he followed her, still arguing over her return.

~~~~~~

"Two days," Kagome sighed, climbing over the edge of the well. Inuyasha had given in, allowing her two days before he came to take her back.

Standing in the doorway of the well house, she listened carefully and was relieved to hear no sounds coming from the house. [No one should be home now besides grandpa.] Going inside and calling out a greeting, she wasn't surprised to get no response, thinking her grandpa was probably out at the groceries or something like that.

She went upstairs and directly to the bathroom, leaving the bath water running while she went to drop off her backpack in her room and grab some clean clothes. While soaking in the tub, she hummed one of her favorite songs, relaxing for the first time in days. [I'm sure whatever it was couldn't have been that bad. Mom and Grandpa are sure to be cooled down by now.]

The sound of noises outside the bathroom coming down the hallway made her eyes snap open. Kagome quickly rinsed off and hopped out of the tub, throwing on her clothes, and exiting the steam-filled bathroom to find mom's room was open, which was strange because it had been closed before. Walking over and peering into room carefully, she was stunned at the sight she found.

Her mom lay on her bed, propped up by a bunch of pillows and seemingly relaxing.

"Mom?"

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes opened and focused on her, "Kagome? You were supposed to be in the past... did anything happen? Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," Kagome looked at her carefully, "But what are you doing home? Are you feeling ok?"

"Kagome come here sweetie," her mother instructed calmly, moving over for her daughter to take a seat next to her. "We need to talk."

Half an hour later, Kagome stared at her mother while she opened her windows to let some fresh air in. "How long have you known?"

"I... I found out years ago," her mother sighed walking over to her daughter again and sitting beside her. "Eleven years to be precise."

Seeing Kagome's shocked and hurt expression, she hurried to explain. "I wanted to tell you before, I planned things to say, but you were so little when I found out and I didn't want you to worry all the time. Then your father died and I didn't have the heart to tell you."

"I had no idea," Kagome wrapped her arms around her mother's waist and snuggled up to her as she had when she was younger. "If I hadn't been gone all the time I would have known. You were right to be angry with me."

"No, you couldn't have known, even if you hadn't been leaving. I knew LONG before you started venturing into the well with Inuyasha but I couldn't tell you. And I know they need you in the past but we're going to need you here too." Her mom hugged her tightly.

"I'm sorry we were so hard on you the other day and that we hurt you Kagome, but we're going to need you to stay around here a lot more often now. I need help with errands and with your brother. Grandpa is tired and old, he can't help me as much and Souta's still a little boy."

"I know, I'll stay," Kagome sighed, knowing Inuyasha was going to have a fit for what she'd just said.

"I'm sorry I have to put more pressure on you Kagome, I wish I didn't have to." Her mother choked up and tightened her hug, kissing the top of Kagome's head. "If I see that you need help I'll get Mayumi-san to come live with us, she's been helping me now for about five years so she'd know what to do."

Kagome's eyes were welled with tears, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke, "I can't believe this is happening!"

"I know sweetie, I'm so sorry," Her mother sniffed and held her even tighter. "I'm so sorry Kagome, this is going to be so difficult for everyone and I know you already have a lot to deal with. I'm just so sorry, I never would have thought things would come to this."

Kagome struggled to hold in her tears, knowing she'd have to be stronger from now on. She heard her mother give a tired sigh and lifted her head, urging her mom to take a nap. "Don't worry about it Momma, we'll be ok, all of us."

After a moment of silence, she pulled away, forcing a smile, "Why don't you just relax for a little while, I'll go make up some lunch for when Souta comes home ok?"

"All right," her mom kissed her cheek and thanked her before she left the room.

Heading downstairs numbly, Kagome stopped in the doorway of the kitchen, leaning aginst the wall for support. Eleven years... it had taken eleven years for anything to happen, and suddenly, they had so little time. Looking around the kitchen, seeing her mom cooking dinner, at the table with the family, a strangled gasp made its way out of her mouth as the reality of what she'd been told sunk in. [ Only 5-6 months left ]

She slid down the wall, sitting and hugging her knees tightly. [What am I going to do? How can I explain to Inuyasha and the others that I have to stay home more often? How can I even leave my home now? They're going to need me here.]

Snapping out of her thoughts when her cat rubbed against her, Kagome remembered that she was supposed to be making Souta lunch and quickly stood up, heading over to the fridge to see what she could make. [Too bad he's not addicted to Ramen like Inuyasha, that'd be quick.]

Pulling out some vegetables and fish, she quickly set herself to the task at hand, forcing herself to keep from focusing on all the troubles that were soon to come. Souta came home right as she finished and was surprised to find her home. "When did you come back? Did you get in trouble with Mom for leaving? Has grandpa seen you yet? Oh he was really mad when you ran off the other night."

"I got home this morning, Mom's ok with it and grandpa hasn't come home yet," Kagome had him wash his hands and set his food on the table.

"Are you going to have lunch too?" Souta sat and hesitated before picking up his chopsticks.

"Hai, give me a minute to see if Mom's hungry," Kagome was going out of the kitchen when her mom came down the stairs. "Are you joining us for lunch?"

"Hai," she smiled and greeted Souta with a kiss on his head, taking her seat at Kagome's insistence. "Thank you dear."

"You're welcome," Kagome watched Souta cheerfully telling her mom about his day at school and swallowed past the lump in her throat. [Kami-sama help us please]

~~~~~~

Her grandpa didn't arrive until surprisingly late, only Kagome and her mom were awake and watching TV together in the living room. He arrived and immediately went to his room, wishing them a quick good night. Both Kagome and her mother sighed and agreed they should go to sleep.

"Mom, what are your plans for tomorrow?"

Kagome's mom had just turned off the TV, "Hmm? Oh, tomorrow? I have an appointment early in the morning with Dr. Funikoda and then I'm going with Mayumi-san for tea tomorrow afternoon."

"And Grandpa?"

"He's coming with me to the doctor's appointment and then going over to a friend's house again," Mrs Higurashi kissed Kagome on the cheek, wishing her a good night as they made their way upstairs.

"Good night," Kagome closed the door to her room quietly, turning and staring at it in a new light. On the few shelves in her room stood her pictures. One of her group of friends at the beach the previous summer, and another of the four of them at the beginning of the school year. There was a picture of Kagome and Souta, when they were younger and had gone to visit one of their grandpa's friends in Yokohama.

[Weren't they sick?] Kagome looked closely at the lady sitting between them. Remembering the trip, she hadn't thought much about her mother and her friend's lounging about. They were on vacation after all, and it was normal for her mom to want to relax. [But didn't she spend the whole vacation on the lounge chairs or sleeping?]

Thinking over their trip to the beach also, their mom had insisted that she wanted to stay and rest, sending them off with grandpa to get ice-cream or food. They'd gone to the aquarium and all the places one usually visits and she had sat down quite a bit, had gotten sick often because of the food, and had been tired nearly all the time.

[Why didn't I ever notice those things before?] Kagome struggled to hold back her tears again, moving over to her computer. Logging onto the internet, she quickly looked up any and all information she could find. She needed to know what it was, how to help deal with it, and what to expect. Searching and reading through countless pages, she finally fell into an exhausted asleep at her desk.

The next day went by quickly, Kagome went to school, her mom and grandpa went to their appointments and Souta joined her after school at a nearby ice-cream parlor.

"Ok, what's this about?" he stared at his older sister suspiciously.

"Nothing, I just thought that we never get to do things together since I'm always gone," Kagome smiled and took a bite of her chocolate chip cone.

They ate in silence for a while, Souta finally working up the courage to speak. His voice was surprisingly subdued for once.

"Kagome?"

"Hai?"

"There's something wrong isn't there?" he watched her eyes widen in surprise, a guilty expression in them for a second before she managed to hide it with a smile.

Kagome pulled her cone down and wiped her mouth, "What makes you think that Souta?"

He shrugged, "Momma's been acting weird lately, like she's tired or cranky. She went to a funeral the other day and was really shaken up by it."

"A funeral?" Kagome's mouth dropped in surprise, "When was this? Why wasn't I told anything?"

"It was the day after my birthday party actually, Mom was real upset 'cuz they called when we were supposed to blow out the candles and told her that her friend Akira had passed away." Souta rubbed his neck uncomfortably, "She's been really edgy ever since the service."

"Oh Souta," Kagome's eyes softened.

"She's sick isn't she?" Souta put his cup down and looked her in the eyes, noticing immediately as she struggled to hold back her tears, a lump forming in his throat as he received his answer.

"How bad is it?" he whispered.

Kagome shrugged, "I don't know, she just told me yesterday."

"It looks bad doesn't it?" Souta struggled to keep his composure.

Kagome's throat clogged, not allowing her to answer verbally, merely nodding her head. Looking down at his ice-cream, Souta's appetite disappeared as his vision blurred. To his surprise, Kagome's arms suddenly wrapped around him and pulled him close. Looking up he saw that she'd come around the table and was kneeling to his right. Forgetting the cup in front of him, he quickly turned and hugged her tight, his little body shaking as he let out worried tears.

"Shh... It'll be ok Souta... Everything's gonna be fine." Kagome kissed his temple and held him tighter while he cried.

~~~~~~

- End of Chapter 2

Thanks to those of you who reviewed. I know this chapter was really slow, the next one will be up tomorrow and won't be so bad. Sorry about the wait.

Thank you once again!