Chapter 1 – Brothers and a Sister?

Kagome Higurashi, aged 25, walked into the fifth floor of the Sunrise Residence apartment complex, hearing voices in the parlor. Her 7-year-old son, Shippo ran towards the voices, handing his bag to the older woman.

"We're home!" she called out. "Shippo, walk when we're indoors!"

"Mom, stop worrying." Shippo called back in exasperation, not breaking his stride. Shippo jumped into Iori's arms, Ema watching in surprise as the others looked on in amusement. As Iori gently shifted the little boy to a more comfortable position on his lap, Shippo turned to Ema, "Hi, you must be Ema. I'm Shippo Higurashi."

He held out a tiny hand to the older girl as Kagome walked into the parlor, seeing the brothers and Ema seated on the sofa, with Shippo sitting on his uncle's lap.

"Welcome home, Kagome." Ukyo said, as she walked over to him.

"It's good to be back." She said tiredly, removing her heels and sitting down. She turned to Ema, "Hi, you must be their new sister. I'm Kagome Higurashi." She waved to the younger girl as they were both seated and she didn't want to get up again.

"It's nice to meet you." Ema said softly, bowing slightly in her seat. She took in the beautiful woman's appearance, dressed in a sharp skirt suit consisting of a cap-sleeved light blue-grey blouse, a knee-length navy blue pencil skirt, a navy blue blazer and 5" heeled stiletto pump shoes, her matching Michael Kors purse was hanging off her elbow. The designer outfit brought out her sapphire blue eyes and milk white skin, hugging her 5'2" hourglass figure. Her raven blue hair was pulled up into a neat 'tuck and wrap' bun at the back of her head with her curtain fringe tucked behind one ear, keeping the long locks out of her way while she worked.

"This is my fiancée." Ukyo said, putting an arm around the beautiful woman. At the revelation, Ema's eyes wandered to the sparkling diamond and silver ring on the woman's left-hand ring finger .

"And that little devil's mother." Kaname added, gesturing to Shippo who stuck his tongue out at the older blonde monk.

"Almost big sis works with dead people." Wataru added helpfully, making his older brothers and Kagome face-palm in exasperation.

Ema and Juli looked at the woman with wide eyes.

"Wataru, sweetie. I'm a Medical Examiner." Kagome said, in a tone that implied that she would repeat the exact same thing on a regular basis.

"That means you work with dead people." Shippo pointed out.

"Yes, that's true. But, when you blurt out that she works with dead people without saying that she's an ME, you make her sound like a creep." Yuusuke said.

The two small boys pouted as Kagome's phone rang.

"Higurashi." She said crisply into the phone. She paused for a moment. "Yes, the autopsy is completed. I sent you the results already." She paused. "Did you check your email?" she rolled her eyes as she listened to the reply. "Your welcome. Bye."

She hung up the phone and sighed, resting her head on Ukyo's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Masaomi asked, looking at her in concern.

"Yea, I'm fine." She replied, covering a yawn with a delicate hand. "Just really tired. Five active cases, plus several cold cases. With more coming in every day."

"Don't the bad guys sleep?" Wataru asked innocently.

"I wish they did honey, I wish they did." Kagome replied.

Ema tugged on her sleeves, pulling them further down to cover her hands.

"Is it too cold in here?" Masaomi asked her, noticing the movement. "Do you want me to turn the air down?"

Ema looked at him. "Oh," she smiled at him reassuringly as she said, "No, it's alright."

"No, it's not." Kaname said, resting his arm on the back of the sofa and making Ema turn to look at him. "In fact, it's a little stuffy. Compression of body heat does that."

"Right, yes." She replied. "Um, I'm sorry about Juli hurting you earlier."

"Please, don't worry about it." Kaname reassured her with a smile. "I can't be mad at him for trying to make new friends. Soon it'll be like he's my pet, too."

"S-sure." Ema said, not sounding very convinced as Juli scrambled to him. Juli chittered at him angrily, startling the monk before he chuckled nervously. "I'm so sorry." Ema apologized as she took the little squirrel and put him on her lap.

"Don't worry about it." Kagome reassured her with a laugh and turned to Kaname, "It seems as if the squirrel doesn't want to be your friend."

"Oh, it'll happen." Kaname said with certainty. "You'll see."

"Buyo still hates you, and we've known each other for years." Kagome reminded him.

"That cat of yours hates everybody." Kaname informed her.

"No, he just hates you." Tsubaki said with a smirk. "And Kilala does too."

"Were you shocked, Ema?" Iori asked the younger girl, making them turn to him. "I mean, that there are so many of us?"

"Yeah," Ema replied honestly. "I knew about all of you, well most of you," she amended when she glanced at Kagome and Shippo, "but I'm still kind of overwhelmed."

"It's going to be super cool having an actual big sister." Wataru said with a big smile.

"Hey! What am I?" Kagome asked with a mock frown, sitting up straight and looking at the salmon-haired little boy.

"You're going to be my sister-in-law." Wataru told her matter-of-factly, making the other males laugh, at her expression and Wataru's reply. "That's not an actual sister because we're going to be related because you're marrying Ukyo."

"Okay, okay." Kagome said with a smile. "You're right."

"Do you want to see a giant bunny?" Shippo asked, jumping off Iori's lap and climbing up to sit between Kaname and Ema, tugging on the girl's arm. "Wataru and I have one in our room."

"Yeah, come on, we'll show you." Wataru added, tugging the girl's other arm.

Masaomi out an arm on Wataru's shoulder, making the boy look at him.

"Not now, Wataru, Shippo." He told them gently. "She just got here."

"Aww." The two said in unison, with identical pouts on their faces.

"All in good time, you two." Kaname said. "And this still isn't all of us Asahina's if you can believe it. One is at work, two don't live here," he reached out and picked up the TV remote, "and then there's this guy. Watch."

He pressed a button on the remote, turning the flat screen TV on and raising the volume so that they could hear. On the screen showed a light brown/ pink haired teenager singing.

"Look, it's Fuuto." Wataru said happily, looking at the TV.

"That's Fuuto?" Ema asked in surprise.

"That fake smile looks like a cry for help." Tsubaki muttered making Azusa chuckle.

"He's on tour." Subaru said.

"I was wondering where he went." Iori muttered. "I knew I hadn't seen him around."

"Last thing I heard, he was in Hokkaido." Yuusuke muttered.

"Have you ever been there?" Ukyo asked Ema, not looking away from the TV. "We'll ask him to bring you a souvenir if you want."

"Thanks. That'd be nice." Ema replied.

"Fuuto is their little rock star brother." Kagome said as the young girl looked at her. "All his fans know him as Asakura though. Can you believe that he's this famous already? At 15?"

Ema gasped in surprise and turned back to the TV.

"That's amazing." She breathed.

"And soon, we'll be related to the Higurashi-Takahashi family when Ukyo and Kagome get married." Kaname continued his earlier comment about the family. "They have 12 kids in their family, not including Shippo's generation. Then they'd be 15."

Ema turned to Kagome with wide eyes, who smiled at her.

"We're not all blood-related, some of us are through marriage or adoption." She told the younger girl. "I have a twin sister, two brothers, a sister-in-law and a half-brother. Then there are my two step-brothers, three cousins – one of who is married to my step-brother, a step-sister-in-law, a niece, a nephew and my older sister-in-law's younger brother. And Shippo, my son. Aside from Shippo and myself, they all live in the apartment complex across the road, the Sunset Residence apartment complex."

"Wow." Ema breathed in amazement. "It must be nice having such a big family."

"It has its moments." Kagome replied as she leaned back against Ukyo.

"Though the mailman is constantly mixing the two complexes up." Subaru muttered, getting sounds of agreement from the others.

"Higurashi, Takahashi." Ema repeated softly. "Wait, as in -"

"The same Takahashi and Higurashi as the Byakuya Takahashi and Hakudoshi Higurashi that are in our class?" Yuusuke finished her thought. "Yup. The one in the same."

Ema looked completely overwhelmed as they turned back to the TV and watched Fuuto's concert. However, their attention was drawn back to Ema several minutes later when her hand slammed against the table in front of her. They gasped when they saw her leaning forward, her skin incredibly pale.

"You don't look that great." Masaomi said, kneeling next to her and putting a hand on her forehead, feeling her temperature. He gasped as he said, "You're really burning up."

All traces of tiredness vanished from Kagome as Masaomi helped Ema to her new room. While Kagome got Ema tucked in bed, Ukyo closed the curtains to her balcony and Masaomi sat on the floor beside the bed. Kaname stood in front of the closed door, serving to keep the others out.

"I'm so sorry." Ema said softly after Masaomi and Kagome had coaxed her to take some medicine. "I didn't mean to scare anyone. I really am feeling better. Are you mad at me?"

"Of course not." Kagome said with a gentle smile, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently running her hand over the younger girl's head in practiced soothing motions.

"There's no need to apologize." Kaname added as he sat down on the chair.

"And fortunately, we have two trained doctors in the house." Ukyo said with a smile.

"I'm just a pediatrician, actually." Masaomi said modestly.

"And as you already know, I primarily work with dead people." Kagome added with a smile.

"But we can both help with whatever you may need." Masaomi added.

"It's likely you're suffering from exhaustion. So, I want you to rest for a few hours." Kagome said as she looked at the young girl with a trained eye.

"Thank you, that's very kind. Wow, those must be really cool jobs." Ema said, sounding slightly overwhelmed as Juli chittered angrily.

The door to the room opened and a soft dreamy voice said, "Don't you hate that?"

They turned to look at who was at the door.

"Louis." Ukyo said when he saw his younger brother. "I didn't realize you were home."

"Yeah." Louis said with his usual dreamy voice. "I heard people, like, talking and stuff. So…"

Kaname turned to Ema with a smile as he said, "I told you about Louis. Not sure if you remember. Number 8."

Ema sat up in her bed, folding her hands on her lap. "Oh," she said, looking at Louis. "Nice to meet you. Sorry about not getting up. I feel rude."

Louis came inside the room and knelt down next to the bed, Kagome standing up and moving to stand by Ukyo.

"Don't sweat it, Chi." Louis said dreamily, with a beautiful smile on his face. "It's been a long day. Setting said to a whole new world, and now being surrounded by the natives and learning their language. I bet that would knock anyone out."

"It's not that bad." Ema responded reassuringly.

"Your hair. Wow." Louis said, looking at the brown locks tied in a side ponytail. He smiled at her as he said, "So, like, when you're better, I'll have to give you a little makeover."

"Huh?" Ema breathed in confusion, looking at the older man.

"Oh, Louis is a wonderful hairstylist." Ukyo informed Ema.

"He's the one that did my hair." Kagome informed the younger girl. "Sometimes, if I am not in a rush when getting ready for work and he's at home, he does my hair."

"Yeah, thanks." Ema said with a smile, turning to Louis. "That'd be fun."

Louis smiled back happily.

"How are you doing sitting up?" Masaomi asked her, turning the conversation back to the reason they were in the girl's room in the first place. "Any dizziness now?"

"Actually, no." Ema replied honestly. "I think the medicine is working."

"Great." Kagome said with a smile as Masaomi stood up. "She should still take it easy for a little while."

"Maybe some nice rice soup for dinner?" Masaomi added to Ukyo, who took care of the cooking.

"Sure." The second born said to his older brother before turning to Ema and asking, "Sound okay?"

"Sounds perfect." She replied.

"Oh, by the way," Kagome said as they were heading out of her room. "The plumbing down here needs repairing. So, when you go to take a bath later, use the one on the fifth floor. Have you been up there?"

"I don't think so." Kaname replied instead of Ema, making Kagome turn and look up at him. "Bu there's a layout of the place on her desk."

"Oh, thanks." Ema said gratefully.

"Don't stay you there too long." Ukyo cautioned her as they left the room.

"Goodnight and sweet dreams, sis." Kaname said as he closed the door behind them.

While Ukyo headed into the kitchen to make dinner for the large family, the requested rice soup, there was the typical rush for the bathrooms and following arguments between the brothers.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" Kagome asked, a small smile on her face as she listened to the arguments that were occurring over the bathrooms.

"I'm sure, darling." Ukyo replied with a gentle smile, pushing his glasses up his nose.

"Okay. I'll be at the table doing my paperwork." She replied, shuddering at the thought of the mountain of reports she had to complete. As much as she loved her job and found it exciting, the one thing she hated was the paperwork involved.

Ukyo laughed as Kagome sat at the table with her files, one leg on the chair beneath her thigh while the other swung freely.

After dinner, which passed with the typical dinner conversation, Ukyo, Shippo and Wataru took a break and took a tray of food to Ema. Once the remnants of dinner was cleared away, Ukyo and Kagome helped with homework for a while before Wataru and Shippo were sent for their nighttime baths and put to bed in their shared room on the 3rd floor at 9, having to sleep early since they had school the next day.

An hour later, Ukyo was in their shared room, finishing some paperwork before bed while Kagome was walking around the 5th floor with Shippo in her arms, rocking him back to sleep. She was dressed in a peach-colored satin-silk chemise nightgown, with the matching robe over it tied at her waist. Her long hair was open, reaching the small of her back in loose natural waves.

Hearing the sound of voices, she followed them to the 5th floor mezzanine and found Tsubaki, Azusa, Subaru and Ema together. Ema had a slight flush on her face, looking embarrassed.

"Is everything okay?" Kagome asked, making them turn to her.

"Yeah, everything is fine." Tsubaki replied with a smile. "A slight misunderstanding, that's all. It's been resolved."

"Okay." The raven-haired beauty said, rubbing Shippo's back soothingly when he began to get restless.

"Nightmares?" Azusa asked, the three brothers looking at Shippo, all traces of mocking gone from their faces.

Kagome nodded, sighing in resignation.

"Shippo has been having nightmares for a few years now." Kagome told Ema, who was looking between them in confusion. "There not as frequent as they used to be, but they do still occur."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that." Ema said softly, her expression filled with sincerity.

"Well, good night. Sweet dreams." Kagome said, turning around and walking towards the elevator.

"Good night." They called to her as the elevator closed behind her.

Reaching the 3rd floor, she quietly slipped into Wataru and Shippo's room, gently putting her little red-headed son on his bed and sat down on the edge. He subconsciously reached out and tugged his stuffed fox toy towards him, curling one arm around it while the other hand had a tight grip on her fingers.

She soothingly rubbed his back, singing a soft melody. Slowly, his grip on her hand loosened and she kissed his forehead and stood up. She turned to the other side of the room and kissed Wataru as well, smiling gently as she took in their innocent expressions.

"Goodnight, my loves." She whispered, turning the night lamp on and walking out of the room.

In the hall, she saw Ukyo standing there in his sleep pants and dressing gown, leaning against the wall as he waited for her.

"He asleep again?" he asked softly, receiving a nod in response. He put an arm around her and pulled her into a hug as they made their way to the elevator to go back to their floor. "He'll be okay." He said softly as they waited for the elevator.

"I'm just worried." She admitted with a sigh, leaning against the tall blonde. "It's been five years, Ukyo. He's still having nightmares. I know it's to be expected, he did witness his parents being murdered, but…"

"It doesn't make it any easier to deal with." Ukyo finished as they entered the elevator and he pressed the button for their floor. "They aren't as frequent, though. So that is a good sign."

"Yeah, it is." She sighed. "I'm being silly, aren't I?"

"No." he replied, looking down at her with a smile. He kissed her chastely and said after he pulled back, "You're being a mom."

She laughed lightly, kissing him again as they got off the elevator and went to their room. Getting into bed, he put his arms around her as she out her head on his chest.

"I love you, Ukyo Asahina."

"I love you, Kagome Higurashi."

He reached out and turned off the lamp, sending the room into darkness that was broken only by the silver moonlight that filtered in through a gap in the curtains.

Links

Kagome work outfit - ( pin/474566879471214282/)

Kagome work hairstyle - ( .ca/pin/424182858625597755/)

Kagome engagement ring - ( .ca/pin/453245149969851854/)

Kagome night gown - ( .ca/pin/474566879469195165/)