After a forty minute taxi ride with Sota bouncing around saying are we there yet every ten seconds Kagome stood with her family waiting at one of the numerous gates at the airport. "Maybe if I tell Inu-Yasha what's going on he'll understand and let me stay longer." Snorting she then thought "who am I kidding, he never let's me stay here for more than three days."

"Kagome quit fidgeting" Her mother said braking through Kagome's thoughts. "I'm sure she's a nice girl so you don't have to be worried about anything."

Kagome thought sarcastically "yeah nothing to worry about, except a half dog demon with a bad temper showing up and dragging me off to the past scaring our guest half to death. Nothing to worry about here."

Turning to his mom Sota said curiously "hey mom what does this girl look like?"

"Oh that's right, now where did I put that?" Digging in her purse with a scowl finally she said "Ah! Here it is" she said pulling out a photo. The family crowded around to get a look at the picture she held in her hands. The photo showed a girl around the age of fifteen leaning against a tree, smiling mischievously, and winking at the camera. She had waist length brown hair with two silver points running from her forehead to the tips of her hair and a smooth peach complexion. The tank top and jeans showed a slim athletic body. Since the photo was taken in the shade of the tree and it was a full body shot Kagome couldn't make out what color the girl's eyes were.

Looking up at her mother Kagome asked "mom what color eyes does she have?"

"Definitely forest green" said a laughing voice in her ear.

Kagome gave a small squeak and whirled around to face the person who stood there. In front of her was the girl in the photo that they had all been studying.

Grinning she put her hand out to Kagome she said in Japanese "I'm Lian Leviathan and I'm your new exchange student. Nice to meet you."

Blinking at her like she was from another world Kagome realized that she was being rude. She quickly took the girl's hand and shook it relieved that there wouldn't be a communication problem. "Hi I'm Kagome and this is my mother, grandpa, and little brother Sota. It's nice to meet you too."

Looking at them each in turn Lian smiled "how do you do?"

Flustered Kagome's mom came forward and took Lian's hands from Kagome "I am so sorry my dear. We were all supposed to be finding and greeting you not the other way around." Looking at her for a moment then blinking she asked "How did you find us?"

Giving a small laugh Lian winked and went up to grandfather saying "can I see your hands please?"

Bringing his hands from behind his back he realized that he had been holding the sign with her name that Sota had made.

"He-he-he when I got out of the gate I saw a group of people and that someone in that bunch was holding a sign with my name on it. I went over to you and saw that you were holding my picture." Chuckling she said "when Kagome asked what color my eyes are. I couldn't resist so I told her."

Kagome's mom smiled at Lian "Well now that we are all together let's go get your luggage and get home."

"Great! I can't wait to see what your home looks like. I bet it's beautiful" Lian said wistfully.

At the baggage collection area Sota kept giving side glances at the bag that Lian had taken off the plane with her.

Finally unable to contain his curiosity Sota asked "What's in there" while poking the bag.

Looking down at him she smiled "It's my laptop, disks, extra battery, and a sketchbook with pencils.

"Wow. Why do you carry all that?"

"I like to keep a journal of all my experiences so I can remember them as well as I can later. The laptop is for the written part of the journal, for homework and other things. The sketch pad is to keep visual memories. People's faces, architectural wonders, and nature itself." Sighing she patted the bag ruefully "Usually only the buildings stay still long enough for me to sketch. People and nature usually don't want to be in one place for very long."

Jumping up and down Sota cried "draw me, I'll sit still!"

Bobbing her head in time with Sota's jumping Lian said "are you really sure you can keep still for about five minutes?"

Listening to all this Kagome turned to Lian and said "you speak Japanese very well."

Rubbing the back of her head self consciously "I've always liked how the Japanese language sounded so I had my dad teach me. He travels a lot so he's learned a lot of different languages."

After nodding her head at this Kagome began to look a bit puzzled "what made you decide to choose a shrine to stay at. Most people think it would be boring staying there."

Snickering Lian said "trust me if it's peaceful and boring all the better." Smiling at Kagome's face full of confusion she sighed "my parents are a little, eccentric. My mother is a great business woman and my dad, well let's just say that he inherited a lot of money so if they feel like doing anything they can usually do it. No matter how strange it seems. Smiling with a far off look "though some of their idea's are pretty cool. I like the water slides in the backyard the best."

Staring at the strange girl beside her Kagome thought "if she came for the peace and quiet she should've stayed home."

When the group returned home Kagome's mother immediately began showing Lian all around the house. "Finally this is Kagome's room where you'll be staying. We'll put an extra futon in here for you to sleep on."

Looking out Kagome's window at seeing it was well after nightfall she said "well why don't you two get aquatinted and I'll go fix dinner for us. Have a good time and behave yourselves." The two girls watched as she whisked out the door and down the hall.

Silence reigned as the two girls watched each other not sure what they should say.

"Um no insult intended but was that your mother or a tornado?"

Placing a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter Kagome replied "sometimes I don't really know myself."

Kagome sat on her bed and Lian took a place on the floor in front of the bed and an uncomfortable silence fell over the two. Each looked like they wanted to say something but was willing to wait for the other to speak. Finally the two decided to speak, at the same time.

"Lian maybe you."

"Kagome I'm."

Looking at each other they both started giggling then burst out laughing.

Wiping away her tears Kagome motioned to Lian "you first."

Bending her head over while shading her face with her bangs Lian whispered "Kagome I just wanted to say I'm sorry. It looks like I'm invading your privacy by staying here." Motioning with her hand "and from that bag in the corner it also looks like I was interrupting a trip or something you were going to do. I'm truly sorry."

Kagome looked at the girl on her floor rejection written in every line of her body. Kagome's heart went out to her. She slid across her bed and laid her hand on Lian's shoulder.

Lian lifted her head at the touch on her shoulder. She looked up at Kagome's smiling face with hope in her eyes.

"Lian you have not invaded my privacy and I welcome you here. It'll be like I have a sister now, and trust me with a little brother like Sota I need the help."

Smiling "thank you Kagome, you don't know how much this means to me. The people on my dad's side of the family don't want to have anything to do with me. They think that he married below his station and that I'm just a worthless half breed."

"That almost sounds like Inu-Yasha" Kagome thought sadly.

"My parents stay in the same house but since they travel so much and they wanted me with them they decided to do home schooling for me. I never really got to know other kids."

Smiling Kagome decided to brighten the mood. "Well if you begin to like Sota we can just ship him off to where you live and than trust me you won't ever have to worry about being alone ever again. With him around you'll never get a moment without him."

"Thanks Kagome." Tilting her head and placing her finger against her lower lip "By the way what were you going to say earlier?"

"Oh, I was saying that you might want to take the bed and I'll take the futon."

Getting up and wagging her finger in front of Kagome's nose "oh no you don't. Believe me this futon is better than the hammock I spent three months in one time. By the way your mom forgot to show me where one important room is."

"Oh" Kagome said surprised "I thought she showed you everything."

"She showed me most of the house but well, she forgot to tell me where the bathroom is."

Sitting there for a moment Kagome thought how her mom could've forgotten about that. Seeing Lian squirm a bit she laughed and directed her to the bathroom. Lian took off like a shot and as soon as Kagome heard the bathroom door shut she heard another noise. Turning to her window she saw a very pissed half demon. "Oh no, Inu-Yasha."

Kagome opened her window and Inu-Yasha sat himself on the window sill.

"What's taking you so long girl" Inu-Yasha grumbled.

Looking frantically over her shoulder hoping that Lian wouldn't come through the door "Inu-Yasha please, you have to go."

Glaring at her he growled "I let you stay for three whole days and a little bit of this one, we are going now!

Inu-Yasha was about to make a grab for Kagome's arm when she heard the bathroom door open and Lian's footsteps coming down the hall.

"Inu-Yasha you have to go now! I'll explain later" and with that she gave him a huge shove right out the window.

He was so surprised at this that he didn't leap away in time and fell to the ground on his back. Lying there stunned Inu-Yasha could just make out the voices that came from Kagome's window.

"Kagome was someone here" queried a voice he had never heard.

"No one here" Kagome said nervously.

"I could've sworn I heard another voice."

"That was just me talking to myself thinking about what we're going to do for the rest of the week. Since it's Saturday we have Sunday and the two next weeks to get you ready for school. It's a good thing you came before summer ended."

Muscles still twitching from the sudden fall Inu-Yasha picked himself up from the ground and glared at the window above him. "We'll see about that. You are supposed to spend this free week looking for shards. With me. Wait a minute where did that last part come from? Must've been the fall." He shook his head lightly and headed for the well. Looking back at the house with narrowed eyes he thought "I will be back."

Back in Kagome's room Lian was giving her a strange look.

"Are you sure you're Ok Kagome? You seem awful nervous and you're a bit pale."

Giving a shaky smile and waving her hand at Lian "I'm fine, really."

"Oh girls" Kagome's mother called. "Dinner's ready."

Thanking her luck at that moment Kagome grabbed Lian's hand and dragged her off to dinner. Just before she was pulled all the way out of the room Lian gave one last curious look to the open window.

Kagome looked around the table at everyone there. She and Lian were sitting to one side with their backs to the door, Sota was across from them, and her mother and grandfather were on opposites ends. Sighing she thought "Now this is nice, having dinner with my family and a new friend." Just at that moment she felt a shiver of apprehension go up her back. "He wouldn't" she thought.

The door behind her slammed open letting a chilling night breeze whip through the room.

"We are leaving now girl" said a gruff voice behind her.

"He would" she thought dismally. Then everything exploded.

"How could he get through my wards" grandfather wailed.

"How dare you come in and interrupt dinner like that" Kagome's mother shouted.

"Yay Inu-Yasha!" Sota said excitedly.

It was the comment and action from the last person in the room that surprised everyone.

During the time that everyone had been speaking Lian had leaped into a defensive crouch in front of Kagome.

"If you think you are taking Kagome you are going to have a long wait in hell demon" Lian hissed while giving Inu-Yasha an icy glare.

Everyone looked at Lian in shock with their mouths hanging open.

Inu-Yasha smirked at the girl in front of him "what do you think you can do if I want to take Kagome?"

Giving him a chill smile she replied "plenty."

Reaching for Kagome he said "Feh, come on girl we're wasting time."

Before anyone could react Lian was in front of Inu-Yasha. She pulled back her right hand and then brought it forward, palm flat, as if shoving something at Inu-Yasha's chest. Inu-Yasha was thrown out the door and onto the porch outside.

Shaking her hair out of her face Lian growled and stalked out the door after the half demon.

Kagome was the first to snap out of her shock and shook her head. Realizing that the Inu-Yasha might hurt Lian, Kagome scrambled after them.

Kagome grabbed Lian by the shoulder and stopped her. "Lian wait, you don't understand. He wasn't trying to kidnap me, well not really."

Lian glared at Inu-Yasha who, glared right back, she then looked at Kagome. "He really wasn't trying to take you?

"No he wasn't. I guess, in a way, you could say he's my friend."

"Who would want to be friends with a wench like you? "Inu-Yasha said as he glared at Lian. "As for you, pay back time." He then leaped at Lian claws reaching for her.

"SIT!" Kagome yelled. At the same time a red and gold blur appeared out of nowhere, smashed into Inu-Yasha and just as quickly disappeared before anyone really saw it. "Inu-Yasha how dare you try to attack her. She's a guest here."

"She attacked me first so she has to pay for that."

Getting red in the face Kagome shouted "Sit!" once more to get her point across to the half demon.

"Your friend eh?" Lian took another look at the demon dog boy who was grumbling and glaring at the two of them while peeling himself off the ground then dusting himself off. Apparently she saw something about him that no one else could at that moment and with a gentle smile Lian whispered "I guess you could, couldn't you?"

After everyone had settled down and put away the dishes Lian, Inu-Yasha, and Kagome went up to her room to explain everything to Lian.

Kagome and Lian are sitting on the bed while Inu-Yasha is sitting on the open window ledge watching the two.

"I still want to know what the hell you did to me wench. It felt like you had something in your hand when you hit me." Inu-Yasha snarled while giving Lian his best I'm-a-hungry-demon-and-you-look-like-you-taste-like-chicken glare.

"Inu-Yasha" Kagome warned with her patented I'm-going-to-sit-you-until-the-end-of-time look.

"Feh" Inu-Yasha muttered and went back to staring outside, ignoring the girls.

Lian waved her hands in a dismissive gesture "it's all right Kagome." Giving her a sad smile she said "believe it or not my father's side of the family treats me worse."

Inu-Yasha's ear flicked back when he heard the dispirited tone of her voice. "Sounds like my family, except they haven't tried killing her yet" he muttered.

Shaking her head to clear out the painful memories Lian put a smile on her face and said "anyway enough about me. Let's see if I got this straight you" pointing to Inu-Yasha "come from the Warring States period and was pinned to a tree there by your" points to Kagome "previous life? You were trapped there for fifty years until Kagome was pulled through the well and released you. The Shikon jewel came out of Kagome's body when she was injured. Both of you fought a demon that had taken the Jewel and Kagome accidentally shattered it while trying to kill the demon. Now the two of you, and some friends that you have picked up on the way, are searching for the rest of the shards. Did I get all of that right?"

Looking uncertain "yes that's about right" Kagome replied.

"I'm also in a house where a half demon wanders freely in and out the door, or window in most cases. Your brother worships that same half demon as a hero. Your grandfathers seals can't really do anything though he claims they're perfect, and if I heard you correctly the outside world thinks you have had every disease in the book at least once so far."

Looking embarrassed Kagome replied in a small voice "yes."

Throwing her hands into the air in a why-me-god gesture then brought them down putting them over her face. Mumbling through her hands "I tried to come to a place that I thought might be settling. What have I gotten myself into?"

Hearing the despair in her voice, thinking about how she deserved it for trying to avoid his questions, Inu-Yasha smirked "Heh. Welcome to the Nut House."

This is chapter two to my Inu-Yasha fic. I hope you liked it and want to read more. What is Kagome and the cast going to do about Lian? To find out read on to chapter two! Thanks and until later have a good life! >~_^< meow.

Let us know what you think! Email us at TowerML@yahoogroups.com with "Lian" in the subject line.

***The stories, drawings, and characters created by Tower Writers belong to them, so please ask permission before using them, or at least give us credit and link to the Tower.***

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