AN: The newly edited version of TSAM. Don't worry, major plot lines are still the same, I'm just fixing my grammar and all that fun stuff.

Disclaimer- I do not own Inuyasha, and I am making no money off this fic.

Oct. 31

Kagome quickly stepped into her house, shivering slightly from the cold air outside. She unwound her scarf from around her neck and left her coat on the kitchen peg, wondering if she should put tea on for her mother or if she would even drink it.

Her eyes wandered absently around the kitchen, looking for her brother before her heart sank.

The table was set for five people. Five green plates rested on five cheerful orange place mats, with five sets of gleaming silverware.

She gritted her teeth, the scent of pan de muerto teasing her nose. The oven was on, the food cooking inside. Kagome resisted the urge to turn it off and throw it out a window.

Souta bounded into the kitchen, his arms full of bright flowers as he beamed at Kagome. Her throat tightened, not having seen him that happy in months.

"Hi Kagome!" he chirped, gently setting the flowers down on the counter to check on the meal.

"Hi Souta. What are you doing?" Kagome asked gently.

"Making dad food for his altar." Souta put the oven door back in place, satisfied with the meals progress and straightened one of the already perfectly lined table mats. "I want everything to be ready for when he comes back."

Kagome closed her eyes, wanting to shake Souta and scream their father wasn't ever coming back.

"Dr. Saito says spirits like to wash up before eating their feast. Do you think mom would mind if I used her silver basin?"

Kagome took a deep breath, determined not to cry. Goddamn Dr. Saito and that ridiculous 'grief counseling'. "I'm sure she wouldn't Souta." Kagome said as evenly as she was able.

Souta brightened, "Thanks Kagome! Tonight is going to be perfect! Maybe if I do everything right, dad's spirit will be with us forever instead of just tonight."

Kagome allowed her face to fall as Souta turned around and left the kitchen to hunt down the basin. Her hand ached with the need to smash the Halloween folklore books sitting on the counter unto the floor until they couldn't fill Souta's mind with anymore lies about their father coming back.

Kagome picked one up, her scowl twisting her face. Halloween, formally known as Samhain, was an ancient Celtic holiday Souta had become obsessed with. The druids had believed the veil between life and death was thinnest then, so dead relatives would come back to visit their families. Taking ideas from other cultures, Souta had gotten this idea their father would come back to see them on Halloween and might stay if fed, washed, and taken proper care of. It didn't help matters that that damn shrink Dr. Saito encouraged him.

If she wasn't so glad for the days her mother could crawl out of her depression long enough to even notice her children, she would be furious for her sending Souta to such a crackpot. He didn't need Dr. Saito and that stupid grief therapy, he needed his family.

She forced herself to drop the book and move away from the oven, knowing her grandfather probably needed help sweeping the courtyard. Trick or treaters would be arriving later, and Kagome was hopeful her mother would be well enough to hand out candy and could even take Souta out. Maybe the opportunity to spend time with their mother would distract him from any rituals he was planning on performing tonight.

Taking her coat back she left the meal cooking and secretly hoped it would burn as she stepped outside, the cold finding a small opening through her jacket, chilling her even further.

She yanked gloves on, knowing there wasn't much she could do about a hole and bent her head to avoid the copper pentagram Souta had hung from the doorway with a picture of their family before her father's death pasted to the back. Kagome didn't kick the carved pumpkins, turnips and eggplants that crowded the front steps as she walked down, still hoping Souta would revert to a normal boy's way of handling grief and smash the vegetables himself. Then she would only have to wait for her mother to return to the world of the living.

Her grandfather's white priest robes was easy to spot among the ground of yellow, red and orange leaves as he swept them away, making a path. Kagome grabbed a broom, the leaves crunching under her shoes as she stepped down on them.

"Hi gramps!" Kagome waved before brushing off a leave that had fallen into her hair.

Grandpa Higurashi looked up from his sweeping to smile at his favorite granddaughter. "Good afternoon Kagome."

Kagome lowered the broom and swept leaves across the ground, the repetitive movement calming her down. "How's Mama doing today? Do you think she might be well enough for tonight?"

Her grandfather paused in his sweeping. "I wouldn't get your hopes up my dear." he said as gently as he could. "She didn't get up this morning and she didn't stir when I drew the curtains back."

Kagome closed her eyes, hiding from her grandfather's remorseful face. "We can't keep doing this much longer can we?" she asked, still blind.

The broom straws slowly brushed against the courtyard stone, the noise grating on her ears. "I've been doing some research. There's a place nearby for women with her kind of sickness, it's only two hours away. I don't want to send her away either Kagome, but they have people who could take care of her better then we could." he explained, both of them pretending not to hear the guilt in his voice.

Another leaf softly fell onto Kagome's hair, the world quiet except for her grandfather's broom.

"We don't have the money." Kagome argued, clinging to any reason she could use to keep her mother.

"We'll find some way to do it."

"She might still get better. She got up the last two days."

"Kagome, she's been like this since your father's death eight months ago. I never thought we would send her away either but I can't take much longer of dulling the kitchen knives and hiding the rope." her grandfather uncharacteristically snapped, the broom scraping violently.

Kagome's eyes popped open and she snapped her head to the house, praying Souta hadn't heard that. She swallowed, clutching the broom tightly. "Can't we give her another month? She really was doing better."

Her grandfather sighed, "Kagome-"

"Kagome!" Souta screamed from the house, "I need help, the bread is burning!"

"Please gramps, just a little longer." Kagome begged as she turned to sprint back to the house.

Her grandfather looked to the leaf spotted ground instead of his granddaughter's retreating form, ashamed.

"Trick or treat!" The witch, Barbie princess, and the Power Ranger cried as they held their bags out for candy.

Kagome obligingly filled their bags, trying to get rid of the last of the candy as she avoided looking at the open door to the living room.

She heard the children thank her absently, not paying much attention to them as Souta darted into the kitchen, hauling the heavy basin over his head.

"The water cooled, I remember dad likes it warmer." Souta explained before Kagome could even ask.

Kagome didn't respond, her eyes moving towards the door despite her will not to look.

Souta had constructed an altar to their dead father in front of the TV, the dozen's of marigold's he had bought blocking the screen. Pictures of their father crowded the low table along with candy, his personal items and the food Souta had cooked for him. The only empty spot on the altar was for the basin.

Souta carefully walked back into the living room and set the bowl of slightly steaming water back into place before sitting on the carpet in front of his altar. Waiting.

Kagome bit her lip as she watched the back of her brother's head. She had no idea how he would react when their father's spirt never came back. It would only be made worse by the news their mother might be leaving.

She rubbed her forehead, setting the thought aside until she was forced to deal with it. She still had homework to finish since it didn't look like she would be able to coax Souta into going out and trick or treating.

She switched the light off, deciding she wanted to keep the remaining candy for herself and sat down to work, only to get distracted by how she would explain to Souta their father really was dead. She almost regretting telling her grandfather it was fine for him to go out now.

Knock, Knock.

Kagome frowned, "Dumb kids." she muttered, getting up. Couldn't they see the light was off?

She swung the door open, hoping the kids wouldn't guilt her into giving up the last of the candy only to scowl instead.

Kagome cleared her throat, warning herself to be polite. "Good evening Dr. Saito. May I help you with something?"

The doctor's cool brown eyes warmed a degree behind the designer glasses covering them.

"Good evening. I know tonight is Halloween and I hoped I could offer some assistance for Souta."

Kagome ran an insulting eye down Dr. Saito's expensive suit, leather briefcase and subtle pleasant smell, wondering how much of their money had paid for it. "Sure." Kagome agreed. Once their father's ghost didn't appear, maybe Souta and her mother would finally see Dr. Saito as the fool they had blown their money on.

Kagome stepped back, allowing Dr. Saito to step past her. "He's in the living room." Kagome gestured to the open door.

Dr. Saito swept into Kagome's house, letting her follow as the psychologist focused years of training onto Souta.

The doctor kneeled next to Souta, lips turning up into a gentle smile as Kagome leaned against the back wall, watching them.

Souta perked up as soon as he noticed Saito enter the room. "Dr. Saito!"

"Hi there buddy. You did a great job on your altar." Dr. Saito praised.

Souta brightened at the compliment. "Thanks! I worked really hard on it. I'm really glad you're here though. None of the books I read gave me a specific time for when dad's soul was supposed to come back. Do you think it will be soon?" he asked eagerly.

Dr. Saito shrugged, "It's different for everyone. The Mexican's Day of the Dead lasts two days during which any time a soul could pop up. Your dad could come right now, or not for another day or two."

"Oh. But he is going to come right?" Souta asked hopefully.

"I sure hope so pal."

Kagome's nails dug into her arms, damn it, she wouldn't have let the goddamn shrink in if she thought this was going to be what Souta was going to hear.

"Oh, but I know a way we could pass the time." Saito announced, Souta looking on curiously as the leather briefcase was brought out and opened. "Tell me Souta, what other kinds of things did the druids do on Samhein?"

"The Celts built huge bonfires and made different kinds of sacrifices to their deities. Oh, and they did all kinds of fortune telling things because they believed it was easier to predict the future with so many otherworldly spirits around."

Dr. Saito smiled, "Very good Souta! Do you remember reading about anything specific?"

Souta let himself look through the briefcase, assuming something important was in there. "The Irish liked different rituals with apples. There was another way to tell your future spouse with chestnuts and-" Souta paused when after pushing a few papers aside he came across a velvet draw string bag. He opened it and gasped, "And duh, mirrors!"

He pulled out a small, circular handheld mirror, a faint pentagram scratched into the reflective surface. Kagome frowned, worried about him cutting himself on the exposed edges.

"Mirrors were used in a lot of different ways, but the most popular method was when a girl would hold a mirror up in a darkened room and use a candle to look into the surface. The face of the love of her life was supposed to appear over her shoulder."

"Well ay least I know my books have been getting read." Dr. Saito joked.

Souta turned to look at his sister, "Kagome! You should try!" Souta said eagerly.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "No. It sounds dumb."

"Aw, please Kagome? How else are you going to get a guy?"

"Hey! I can get a guy just fine by myself without using any weird rituals." Kagome snapped annoyed as much as she was happy. There was the bratty younger brother she knew and loved!

"Come on Kagome, just try. It'll barely take any time at all." Dr. Saito encouraged, watching her with a strange look.

Kagome paused, feeling something...weird in the air.

"Pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Kagome?" Souta begged.

Kagome sighed, ignoring whatever was bothering her. It was probably nothing. "Fine. Give me the mirror and a candle."

Souta grinned, running up to give his sister the mirror, a candle and a match. Kagome struck the match and let her brother turn the lights down until the flame was the only thing lighting the room.

Kagome put the flame close to her face and looked into the mirror. The same face stared back at her, no one peeking over her shoulder.

"Am I supposed to do something or just stand here?" she asked, her face eerie with such little light to shine on it.

"Some legends say the girl has to walk backwards on a flight of stairs." Souta suggested.

Kagome rolled her eyes again, feeling stupid enough without having to try to kill herself. "Well the legends will have to be satisfied with me only walking backwards."

Kagome reminded herself she was doing this for her brother before taking a step back, her eyes on the mirror. She took another step, brows furrowing when she noticed a strange pressure in the room. Or maybe a presence.

Kagome snorted, annoyed at herself for letting Souta's little theories get to her head. Of course there was no 'pressure' in the room. This 'ritual' was a big pile of crock.

She took another step and another and another and another. Still no face. She'd take one more, just for Souta before giving up.

She took one more step back...and screamed.

A face materialized over her shoulder, his golden eyes baring into hers with the force of a mack truck. His silver hair hung long and straight over golden skin, his pretty lips twisted into a wicked grin.

Inuyasha her soul whispered lovingly, knowingly.

She gasped again, the mirror slipping in her grasp and slicing into her palm. His smirk widened as she dropped the mirror, sending it shattering on the wooden floor.

The electric lights burst on, nearly frying Kagome's eyes. "Kagome! What's wrong, what happened?" Souta asked worriedly.

Kagome shook, hardly feeling the wax dripping onto her clenched fist. "The mirror...there was...but there couldn't have been...I mean..." she stuttered hopelessly, before looking down to the mass of slivered fragments.

Intermixed with wires and microchips.

Souta burst into laughter as Kagome stared at the pile of broken mirror and technology. "We got her so good Dr. Saito!"

Saito smirked, "I will admit, that was rather funny."

Kagome's shoulder's stiffened up, furiously angry and horribly embarrassed. Was she just glad her little brother was acting like a brat again? "Good night." she said tensely, so pissed she didn't trust herself to say anything else.

"Aw come on Kag, don't be like that. It was funny!" Souta argued as she whirled around to stalk out of the living room. "Dad would have thought it was funny!" He yelled at her back as she swung the kitchen door closed.

She grabbed the last of the candy off the table before marching up the stairs, too annoyed to deal with her homework now. She just wanted to eat her chocolate and sleep. Souta and Dr. Saito could stay up waiting for her father and playing their tricks, but she was going to bed.

She paused by her mother's closed bedroom door, but not having the energy or the will to deal with her right now, she went past it and continued on to her own room.

Kagome opened her bedroom door with a grateful sigh, never so happy to see her bed in her life.

She flexed her hand, realizing the wound was still bleeding slightly and wax covered her hand. She dropped the candy dish unto her table, determined to see to it later and to her hand now. The last thing she needed was an infection.

A dark chuckle vibrating throughout her room made her stop short. "Poor mate. Let me take care of that cut."

Before Kagome could draw in the breathe to scream, a hard hand wrapped itself around her wrist and pulled her into a bare, hot, chest.

She glanced up to see the man from the mirror examining her cut carefully, before giving her a devilish grin and flickering his tongue delicately against the wound.

Kagome gasped, feeling as if flames licked against her skin, but instead of pain there was only the most incredible heat she had ever felt.

He smirked down at her awestruck face and pressed her palm against his lips. "There, isn't that better now sweetheart?" he purred darkly, pulling her closer to him.

He dropped her hand and twisted his fingers into her hair. She could only stare helplessly up at him, unsure if this was real. She had never felt so boneless, so weak in her entire life.

Or so desirable.

The man dipped his head closer to hers, his silver hair glinting brightly in the faint light. "I've been waiting so long for this." he murmured against her lips, before closing the distance between them and taking them with his own.

If his mouth on her palm had been hot, this scorched her. He growled softly as his tongue played over her lips and she opened her mouth without realizing she had done so until he thrust inside, fluttering over her teeth.

It would have been the hottest kiss of her life if it wasn't from some weird asshole who had broken into her bedroom.

She felt his lips curve into a satisfied smirk. "You taste better then I ever hoped." His hands drifted slowly down, settling on her hips and freeing her arms.

In response, Kagome smashed the candy dish against his head.

"FUCK!" He cursed, letting her go to clutch his head as candy spilled onto the floor.

Kagome sprung for her closet door, knowing Souta kept his baseball bat there, but before she could even touch the doorknob, the man grabbed her sides and yanked her back.

She pulled her nails down his bare arms, "Let me go asshole!"

"Fucking hell, that hurts!" he complained, falling back on her bed, depositing her on his lap, and taking her hands in his, he forced her arms across her chest so she couldn't hit him. He threw a leg over her calves when she struggled, easily pinning her down. "Cool it, I'm not going to hurt you."

She snorted, still squirming. "Yeah right." she snapped, "Let me go!" she blushed, realizing she was being held so closely by a naked man.

He only hugged her closer, resting his chin on top of her hair. He breathed deeply, "Damn, you smell good." he muttered, taking in another breath.

"You better enjoy it, the minute I get up, I'm ripping your nose off your face." Kagome hissed.

The man laughed, his chest rumbling against Kagome's back, "Ah, lucky me to have such a bloodthirsty mate." he mused.

Kagome craned her neck to the side and savagely bit him.

"OUCH! Stop that!" he ordered, tightening his hold on her rather then letting go as she hoped. "You're my mate, you're not supposed to want to hurt me!"

"I am not your anything asshole! Who the hell are you?" Kagome screamed in frustration.

He leaned forward to nuzzle her neck. "Oh sweetheart, you know exactly who I am."

Inuyasha! A voice in her head clamored eagerly.

"I'm the man you let out of the mirror." his thumbs began stroking her fingers, his lips so close to her ear goose bumps erupted from where his breath brushed her skin. "And now you're mine."