InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Little Faith ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots and the original characters (Akiyama, Katsuo, Natsumi, Shin, Isamu and Moriko) are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing this story. While I'm at it, I would also like to thank WiccanMethuselah and Malitiadixie for nominating and seconding this story for the IYFG Second Quarter 2007 in the Serial category. I didn't expect it, so it was a nice surprise, hehe! Anyway, back to the story…

A Little Faith by elle6778 - Chapter 16

Sesshoumaru was incensed that she had been careless enough to lose the pup, especially considering that she had hidden Sachimaru from him all this time.

“You lost our son?” he asked stonily. The question had escaped his lips before he could prevent it, and only then did he realize how he had sounded.

Still, the miko's answer to his question would confirm if Akiyama's information was accurate. Unless, of course, she chose to evade the question once again. As Sesshoumaru watched, a myriad of expressions crossed the miko's face. Anger suffused her features, quickly followed by fear and then her eyes flashed in something which could only be described as outrage.

To his astonishment, she reached up to him and fisted her small hands in his shirt.

“What gives you the right to tell me off like I've done something wrong?” she hissed into his face, pushing her fists against him. “You weren't even interested in him before he was born! And whatever that had happened between now and then, I'm not sure you've earned the right to say something like that to me!”

Stunned, Sesshoumaru did not immediately react to the assault on his person, even though he realized vaguely that her strength was meager compared to his. Standing stock still, the only thought that ran through his mind was that the miko did not deny that the pup was his son.

Then it must be true. Sachimaru, the pup wearing the light colored crescent moon was his heir. Although he had expected this after his encounter with Akiyama, it was still shocking to have it confirmed by the miko. The implications of having a pup of his own and a miko as the pup's mother whirred in his mind. How could she have kept something like this from him? Did she not understand that he has the right to know his own pup?

Incensed at being denied his right, Sesshoumaru clamped his hands around her wrists, stilling her movements. Lowering his face close to hers until their noses were almost touching, he intoned harshly, “That pup is my heir. He shares my blood and therefore, I have every right to be involved in all affairs concerning him.”

“You never cared before!!” she yelled vehemently. “So now you can stay out of this!”

His tensed, knowing that he could say nothing to the contrary as he knew that his younger self had made a mistake in this regard. Still, at the moment, the miko's anger had to be dealt with. And considering the current situation, a quarrel with the miko would yield nothing.

“Regardless of what had occurred in the past, I have attempted to converse with you on more than one occasion in the present,” he said tightly. He gave her wrists a measured squeeze for emphasis before he released them. “You, however, had been nothing but uncooperative.”

The miko glared at him for a long moment before the fury in her eyes abated, only to be replaced by bewilderment and then resignation. Heaving in a large breath of air, she averted her gaze and then sank down onto the floor. Silently, Sesshoumaru stared down at her as she wrapped her arms around her legs and buried her face in her knees, a picture of dejection.

“I don't know where he is,” she whispered plaintively.

Yes, while they were arguing, the pup was still missing. Sesshoumaru gave himself an inward shake. Right now, his own feelings could wait. They had a more pressing matter to tend to. The irony bordered on unbelievable. They had been separated for five hundred years and the moment he had gained enough information to approach, his pup had gone missing.

Perhaps Naraku was involved in this, Sesshoumaru realized as trepidation settled in his throat. Perhaps Naraku had kidnapped Sachimaru as a payback for the Toukijin incident. However, it seemed rather farfetched as Sachimaru's parentage was not a well-known information. It may be wiser for him to approach this in a more systematic manner without giving in to unnecessary alarm.

“Where was his last known location?” Sesshoumaru asked, keeping his emotions on a tight rein.

She raised her head and Sesshoumaru found himself staring into a pair of damp brown eyes. Her voice was shaky when she said, “Somewhere around the shrine grounds, I think.” Then her expression turned hopeful. “You can find him?”

“Hn.” He would search this area and would not cease until the pup was found.

The miko simply stared up at him, her features a mix of uncertainty and hope.

Extending his hand down at her, he instructed, “Get up.”

She gave his hand a doubtful look. Sesshoumaru had to suppress his irritation at her obvious sign of distrust. Although it was not unexpected, it still stung. Forcing himself to remain calm, he locked his eyes with hers, willing her to accept his assistance. This lack of trust must be mended for them to move forward.

The tension melted out of him when the miko gave him a hesitant smile as she reached out to hold his hands, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Once she was upright, she immediately released his hand. His displeasure at her omission of the truth and her mistrust of him seeped away when he noticed just how distraught she was. It was obvious that she doted on the pup. Dimly, he wondered if she had always known that Sachimaru was hers before the dreams had begun.

Even though he now knew more than before, the reasons behind their memory loss remained elusive. It was safe to surmise that everyone who had any form of contact with the miko had had their memories erased. But what was the reason behind it? What was so important that the miko's presence needed to be cloaked in such secrecy?

Nevertheless, at the present moment, their priority was to locate the missing pup. They would discuss their memory loss later.

“We will search the shrine. Sachimaru will be found,” Sesshoumaru declared as he stepped out of the house, expecting her to follow. The sun was already setting, but the lack of illumination would not prevent him from carrying out this task. It was only when he was halfway across the front garden that he realized that the miko was still standing at the door, staring at him with a troubled look on her face.

“Sesshoumaru…I suppose we need to talk.”

“Indeed.” That was what he had attempted on many separate occasions.

She took a deep breath as she walked up to him, appearing to have decided upon something. “I guess you know that I'm the same miko as the one in the past.”

He paused in his steps. “I have established that,” he replied calmly.

The look she gave him was filled with uncertainty. “You're not mad?”

His eyes narrowed. Yes, he was displeased. “I'm certain that you would explain yourself adequately. As it is, the entire event is somewhat… astonishing.”

“So you think I'm finding this easy to believe?” she retorted, obviously frustrated. “I just found out that my family lied to me for the past three years!”

Sesshoumaru gave her a nod, encouraging her to continue as he expanded his senses over the shrine grounds to locate his son. Unfortunately, he would not be able to track Sachimaru by scent, considering that both the pup's and the miko's scents were masked. His hearing was all he could utilize, but he was more than able to listen to the miko at the same time.

When he heard nothing, his brows furrowed. “Miko,” he prompted.

She worried her lips thoughtfully before she began. “My family told me I had been in a coma for two years. The truth is, I wasn't in a coma at all. I fell into the well in the shrine. The two years I disappeared were the same time as when I met you back in the past. And after those two years, my family found me outside the well. And that was three years ago. Then, about a few months ago, the dreams started.”

Sesshoumaru paused in his steps. It was around the same time as his own dreams had begun. Something must have broken the concealing spell. “Was there any occurrence of unusual events before the dreams began?” he asked.

The miko shook her head. “I can't think of anything. I only became suspicious once I met you. Then I found out that I… umm… was pregnant in the past.” She lowered her eyes. “I went for a… umm… physical examination. And that's when it all came out.”

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in an attempt to retain his calm. “Has it not occurred to you to inform me when you discovered the truth?” he bit out, sounding harsher than he had intended.

She immediately bristled. “Look, I agreed to talk, not to argue with you. Right now, you're probably the only person who can find Sachimaru. But…”

He just stared at her, waiting for her to continue. She obviously disliked the notion of asking him for assistance. Perhaps it was from the fact that he had been absent when she had needed his support in the past. Their relationship, as far as he could remember, had been nothing if not complicated.

And he was not certain how their relationship in this era would evolve.

One thing was clear, though. His pup would know him as a father. As it was, the pup had gone far too long without the influence of a male youkai and by now, could be unruly and uncontrollable, though he had seen no such signs so far.

As they approached an area which seemed strangely familiar, he snuck a sideways glance at the miko. She was understandably distraught over the missing pup, as proven by the troubled look in her eyes.

“We will find the pup,” he said quietly, strangely compelled to reassure her.

The miko blinked, and then dashed the back of her hand over her eyes. “What if we can't find him?”

“We will.”

It was then that an almost inaudible whine caught his attention. Sesshoumaru instantly stilled, placing a hand on the miko's shoulder to halt her steps.

“Sesshoumaru…” she whispered, reaching up to grasp his hand. “You sense him?”

He gave her a nod, cautioning her to silence. As she held her breath, he glanced around, noting the familiar Goshinboku tree in the distance, the one which Inuyasha had once been pinned to for fifty years. It meant that they were near the well.

Another pitiful whine sounded.

His eyes instantly focused on the wellhouse. A feeling of dread enveloped him as he strode towards it, all the while hoping that the pup was safe. Still holding on to his hand, the miko followed him silently. The touch of her small hand was strangely reassuring.

He heard the muffled whine again as he drew closer to the wellhouse, the sound prompting him to increase the urgency of his steps. Ignoring the miko's gasp of surprise, he gathered her in his arms and streaked across the shrine grounds until he reached the wooden door. Not releasing his hold on her, he pushed the door open and launched himself forward until he landed in front of the old well.

“He is inside,” Sesshoumaru declared in a strained voice as he lifted the cover, shaken by the intensity of his relief at the realization that the pup was safe from Naraku.

“Sachimaru!” the miko gushed, surging forward before he could glance into the deep well.

Turning around, he immediately clamped a restraining arm around her waist. “Miko…” he warned.

“Let me go! I need to get him out!” she yelled, struggling frantically against his hold.

Spinning her around to pin an uncompromising look on her, he hissed, “Do you not remember how this had all begun in the first place? Do you wish to repeat it?”

The miko instantly stilled, her eyes widening in alarm. Then she glanced at the well. “B-But… he fell in…”

Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. “He fell in, and is probably hurt at the bottom of the well. But if you fall in, we do not know where you would end up.” He squeezed her shoulders lightly, willing her to trust him. “I will fetch our son.”

Her lips parted. “B-But… what if you went in…”

Sesshoumaru shook his head. “I doubt I would be affected by the time portal if Sachimaru was not. Stand back from the well.”

Before she could respond, Sesshoumaru formed his cloud and descended into the well. He could see Sachimaru curled up at the bottom of the well, whining intermittently even though he was unconscious. Keeping the pace of his descent measured was difficult, considering his urgency to ensure that his pup was safe.

When he finally landed on the base of the well, Sesshoumaru knelt down and carefully lifted the limp body into his arms, holding his son for the first time he could remember. A liquid warmth welled up within Sesshoumaru as he pulled Sachimaru closer. Carefully, he inspected his pup for injuries and with relief, found none.

“Sesshoumaru?” the miko's voice echoed down the well. “Is he okay?”

He looked up to find the miko peeking in. His lips tightened when he realized that she had once again disobeyed his instruction. Although it irked him, it was also oddly comforting to know that she was still the same person as he had known back in the past.

Knowing that she would not rest until she knew, he said, “He's uninjured, only unconscious.”

The miko gasped.

“Miko, I will be ascending. Step back.”

Her head immediately disappeared from sight. Gathering his cloud at his feet, Sesshoumaru rose upwards until the miko's worried expression came into view. The moment his feet touched the ground beside the well, she rushed forward towards him and the pup cradled in his arms.

“Sachimaru!” she exclaimed, immediately reaching out to touch the unconscious pup, as if to reassure herself that he was there. “Are you sure he's alright?”

“There's no blood and no broken bones. He's simply unconscious, possibly from the shock but will be fine once he awakens,” he told her softly. “His demonic side will see to that.”

Standing still, Sesshoumaru kept his eyes trained on the miko as she buried her face in the pup's chest, the top of her head touching his own chest. He could feel her shake through their son as she sobbed. Out of its own volition, Sesshoumaru shifted an arm to wrap it around her back, pulling her closer such that they were all entwined in one single embrace.

The rightness of what he felt at that moment could not be dismissed. It was then that he vowed that whatever it took, he would keep them with him.

Both of them.

He would inspect his reasons for doing so later, but it would make no difference to his decision. His instincts assured him that this was right. If he had not dismissed his instincts in the past, he would not be in this predicament, and Akiyama would probably never have gotten near the miko. His eyes narrowed in determination. Akiyama would come to terms with this, even if it meant breaking the five centuries old alliance.

After a long moment, the miko finally lifted her head to look at him through red-rimmed eyes. “Thank you, Sesshoumaru,” she whispered tremulously.

“He should be in bed,” Sesshoumaru said quietly. “I'll carry him there.”

The miko blinked, and then with a small smile, she nodded.

It was not long before they stepped into the house and went upstairs. Sesshoumaru noted his surroundings with approval. Although the family was not as wealthy as he was, their home was comfortable. And the pup was obviously spoiled if the number of toys was anything to go by, he noted wryly when the miko guided him to Sachimaru's bed.

Pulling the blanket to the side, the miko said, “You can put him down now.”

Carefully, as to not jolt the pup, Sesshoumaru lowered the small body onto the bed. As he straightened, the miko pulled the covers over Sachimaru. The pup shifted slightly, snuggling deeper into the bed. From the returning color in his cheeks, Sesshoumaru was certain that the pup would be fine once he slept and allowed his body to recover from the shock.

Still, Sesshoumaru was reluctant to move away from the side of the bed. He felt content just standing there, watching his pup sleep. Beside him, the miko sank to the floor, leaning against the wooden frame of the bed. A deep sigh drew his attention away from Sachimaru and onto her small form.

“I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru.”

He did not know what she meant. Sorry that she had lost their pup? Sorry that she had kept Sachimaru hidden? Or that she had lied to him all this time about her identity?

“I shouldn't have kept Sachimaru from you.”

“Why did you?” he asked as he knelt down in front of her, needing to see her while she explained her actions.

She bit her lips. “I was scared.”

“There is no reason for you to fear.”

She did not look convinced.

He understood her mistrust, but he could not understand why she would fear him. “Miko. You will explain this unreasonable fear.”

A weak laugh escaped from her. “You won't want to know.”

“Miko…”

She sighed. “I just don't want you to take him away from me.”

Sesshoumaru stiffened. Such a thought had not even occurred to him. The pup would need his mother. And he had already decided earlier that they would no longer be apart. All three of them. That being the case, then where did it leave him and the miko? Did that mean that they would mate once again?

“You need not worry about such matters,” he finally said.

She looked troubled. “Still…”

He interjected firmly, “You have my word. Sachimaru will remain with you.” And with him as well, Sesshoumaru added silently. Though he was certain that the miko required a certain amount of persuasion before she agreed.

Her lips twisted bitterly. “Your word, huh?”

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in resignation. There was no avoiding such a topic or the consequences of his past self's actions. “Yes, Miko. My word,” he confirmed, his tone filled with certainty.

…***…***…***…

His word.

Kagome wanted to scream and rant at him about what he had done to his `words' in the past, but she tried to remain calm. “It didn't mean much before,” she said, keeping her tone measured.

“Time changes many things.”

She glanced sharply at him. Had he really changed that much? Silently, she took note of the expression in his eyes, reading the intense certainty in them. Upon further perusal, she saw the unmistakable look of apology he wore. She bit her lips, knowing that in the past, Sesshoumaru would not have worn that look.

She had not expected him to be there, but after her initial anger, she was glad that he was. Without him, Sachimaru would have been stuck in the well for a long time. And if she tried to get him out, she might end up in the past again, this time without Sachimaru. Sesshoumaru had been calm during the crisis, while she had done nothing but break down in panic.

But what did Sesshoumaru want from her? He had wanted answers, and now he knew all she knew about the past. So what now? From what she could tell from the way his eyes had softened at the sight of Sachimaru, she had no doubt that he would want to see his son again. But how would Sachimaru react to seeing his long lost father? She had not even told him that she was his real mother.

Kagome groaned, burying her face in her hands. “I don't even know how to explain this to Sachimaru. I don't know how he would take it. The last time we touched upon this topic, I promised him that I wouldn't let anyone take him away from me. That was when I still thought he was adopted.” Then her eyes widened. “Wait. Do you think he remembers you?”

He took on a contemplative look. “It is unlikely that he will remember much of the past since he was so young. Perhaps you should refrain from informing him of my identity until we're more familiar with each other.”

Exhaling heavily, she nodded. “Fine.” Then she added in a whisper, “I can't believe that it's all real.”

Sesshoumaru remarked blandly, “Indeed it is.”

She frowned as a stray thought reached her. “You know… I met Inuyasha that day. Before I knew who he was.”

“Hn. You were temping in his company.” After a short pause, he added, “He did not recognize you?”

“I think he did. He was muttering something about a dream before Yura pulled him away.” Sighing, she continued, “Then I saw Akiyama yesterday as well…” To her surprise, she saw Sesshoumaru tense. Blinking, she asked, “What's wrong?”

Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed in obvious annoyance, but his voice was level when he said, “He might attempt to contact you.”

“Oh?” Kagome frowned in confusion. Why would Akiyama contact her? Yes, they were sort of friends. But still, it had been five hundred years.

“And it would be prudent for you to resist his advances,” he continued stonily.

Kagome gaped in disbelief, not sure if she had misheard Sesshoumaru. “Advances? What do you mean?” she squeaked. There was nothing of that sort between her and Akiyama. At least, not that she could remember. Maybe it happened later in the dreams.

“He wishes to court you,” Sesshoumaru supplied bluntly.

“The last I remember, I was playing shogi with him,” she muttered, still trying to figure out if what Sesshoumaru had said was possible. Glancing at the taiyoukai, she saw his lips tighten. Then something occurred to her. “How did Akiyama know I was the same person?”

“He recognized your school uniform.”

Kagome's eyes widened in realization. Akiyama and Kouga had been the two demons who had seen her in her present day school uniform. When Sesshoumaru had met her for the first time, she had already changed into the furry leather outfit Kouga had given her. Weeks had passed after that before Akiyama returned with her uniform.

Sesshoumaru suddenly stood up, his attention fixed to the window.

“What?” she whispered anxiously, pushing herself off the floor. When she heard the sound of keys rattling in the lock, Kagome exhaled a sigh of relief. “It's only Mom and Jii-chan.”

Right then, her mother's voice filtered through upstairs. “Kagome! Is Sachimaru alright with Souta?”

Rushing to the door, Kagome yanked it open to find her mother coming up the stairs. “Sachimaru is okay. He's right here.”

Stepping into Sachimaru's room, her mother closed her eyes and exhaled. “Where did you find…” Her mother's voice trailed off as her gaze fixed to a point over Kagome's shoulders.

Kagome turned around to find Sesshoumaru standing beside Sachimaru's bed, his stoic expression betraying nothing as he regarded her mother silently.

“Uh… Mom… This is…” Before she could finish, her mother stepped up to Sesshoumaru with a warm smile.

“You must be Sachimaru's father. Sesshoumaru, right?” her mother exclaimed, reaching out to clasp his hand.

Kagome blinked as she watched the flicker of surprise in Sesshoumaru's golden orbs. Then he nodded at her mother. “Mrs. Higurashi,” he greeted.

“It's nice to finally meet you,” her mother said. Then her eyes went to the sleeping boy. “He's alright?”

“He is just exhausted,” Sesshoumaru supplied quietly.

Her mother glanced back and forth between them. Then she said, “Come, let Sachimaru rest. We'll talk over dinner.”

Kagome gulped. Her mother was inviting Sesshoumaru to dinner? Not knowing how to react, she glanced at Sesshoumaru, who seemed just as surprised. Would he accept?

Pausing, her mother turned to look over her shoulders. “Coming?”

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru nodded wordlessly and only then, she released the breath she did not realize she was holding. The demon swept past her, following her mother. Blinking at the surrealistic situation, she trailed after them down the stairs.

Her grandfather was already seated at the dining table when they arrived. When he saw Sesshoumaru, the old man launched out of his chair, his expression twisted in what was meant to be a threatening look. Pulling out a handful of ofudas, he stomped around the table.

“Demon, BEGONE!” he hollered, his arm descending upon Sesshoumaru.

“Jii-chan!” Kagome protested, rushing forward in alarm. “No, don't!”

She did not know if she was trying to save her Jii-chan from the obviously irritated Sesshoumaru, or Sesshoumaru from her overzealous grandfather. Before she could intercept, Jii-chan succeeded in slapping an ofuda on Sesshoumaru's forehead. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks, watching with horror as the single ofuda flapped against Sesshoumaru's furrowed brows.

“Jii-chan…” Kagome groaned, rubbing her forehead as her mother shook her head in resignation.

Then the hilarity of the situation got to her and a bubble of laughter rose up her throat. She tried to stifle it, but when Sesshoumaru slowly peeled the ofuda away while wearing an expression of utter disgust, a sputter escaped from her lips. The sputter escalated into a full blown giggling fit when Sesshoumaru eyed the piece of paper with obvious distaste.

He then directed a warning glance at her.

“S-sorry…” she choked out, peeking at him through her lashes.

“Demon!” Jii-chan hollered again, preparing to launch another attack.

Before her grandfather could slap another piece of ofuda onto Sesshoumaru, her mother placed a hand on the old man's shoulders. “Come on, let's sit down for dinner,” she coaxed.

Grumbling under his breath, her grandfather sat down, keeping a pair of suspicious eyes pinned on the taiyoukai. To Sesshoumaru's credit, he simply ignored the old man and waited until she sat down before taking the seat beside her.

Her mother served the food. And then, beaming at Sesshoumaru, she said, “Let's get to know each other better while we eat.”

…***…***…***…

Sesshoumaru was unused to eating in this way with strangers, and had expected it to be awkward.

Much to his astonishment, the meal was tolerable. He only had to ignore the disturbing old man who was still directing wary looks at him while the miko's mother questioned him casually about himself. He understood the older woman's concerns. After all, in this day and age, bearing a child at the miko's age was far from the norm. However, the miko's mother had been courteous enough not to pry unnecessarily, and he had told her the pertinent facts.

“Your parents? Are they still around?” she inquired politely.

Lifting his eyes from the piece of meat on his rice, Sesshoumaru replied, “My sire had been deceased for centuries, even before I met Kagome in the past. I am not aware of my mother's location.”

The older woman blinked in surprise. “You don't keep in contact with her?”

It would not do to suggest that he expected the miko to disregard her family now that he was present in her life. The moment the notion occurred to him, Sesshoumaru stilled. Although an independent part of him had decided that the miko would certainly be in his life, he still was not clear as to the nature of her role.

“Sesshoumaru-san?”

Pulled from his thoughts, Sesshoumaru returned his attention to the older woman. “My mother left when I was still a pup. We are not close as she never visited all these years.”

“I see.”

He glanced at the miko out of the corner of his eyes. She seemed absorbed in her food, but he could tell that she was listening silently to each and every word he uttered. It was only then that he realized that their younger selves had never spoken about such things in the past.

“If you don't mind me asking, Sesshoumaru-san. Why did she leave?” the miko's mother asked.

Much as he disliked speaking about such matters, he knew that they would not understand unless he explained. “The mating between my father and my mother was arranged for political purposes. It was said that once she had given birth to the heir of the Western Lands, she sought her freedom. Therefore, once I was born, my father decided that it was best to release her from the mating bond.”

A choked sound came from the miko before she turned a pair of incredulous eyes towards him. “Who betrayed who?”

“I do not know.”

It was at that moment that he heard a soft sound from upstairs. Sesshoumaru immediately tensed when he realized that it must be from the pup. Placing his chopsticks down beside his bowl, he glanced sideways at the miko.

“He is awake,” he announced.

“Sachimaru?” Kagome asked, getting up.

“Hn.”

Turning to Sesshoumaru, the miko's mother said, “You should see him now that he's awake.'

Yes, it was time for him to see his pup, Sesshoumaru decided as anticipation grew within him.

…***…***…***…

Kagome bit her lips. This was the moment she was worrying about, but she knew that it was time for father and son to meet. Not that she could stop Sesshoumaru anyway at this point. Considering his earlier responses, she felt a little foolish in keeping him away from his son. It was not the most mature thing to do.

“Let's get you two introduced,” she finally said, giving Sesshoumaru a small smile.

He began to climb up the stairs before she could. She narrowed her eyes at his back as he strode purposefully to Sachimaru's room and opened the door. Still as arrogant as ever, she thought. Lengthening her steps, Kagome pushed past Sesshoumaru to see a stunned Sachimaru staring open-mouthed at his father.

“Sachimaru. This is…um…Sesshoumaru,” she finished off lamely, not knowing how to break the news to the boy. Anyway, Sesshoumaru had said that they should wait.

Her son's eyes widened. “Sesshoumaru?” he whispered as he climbed off the bed. Then his eyes brightened, “Like the big bad demon lord Sesshoumaru in the-”

His words were instantly muffled by her hand. Glancing at Sesshoumaru, Kagome laughed nervously as she removed her hand from Sachimaru's mouth. Noting the questioning quirk of Sesshoumaru's brow, she ventured, “I told him a bedtime story about… umm… the Western Lands.”

“Is that so?” His tone belied his amusement.

Struggling away from her hold, Sachimaru walked up to Sesshoumaru. “I saw you at the carnival.”

“Indeed. Did you enjoy yourself?” Sesshoumaru asked quietly.

Kagome blinked. Sesshoumaru was at the carnival as well? And he had seen Sachimaru back then? If that was the case, he already knew about Sachimaru all this time, despite all her efforts to hide the boy.

Sachimaru brightened. “The fights were great!”

“They are simple performances. These demonic skills are common.”

The boy frowned in thought before he gave Sesshoumaru a wary look. “Are you a demon?” their son asked bluntly.

Kagome sputtered. Then she snuck an uncertain glance up at Sesshoumaru. To her surprise, she found his eyes twinkling with mirth.

“Perhaps. Would you like to know?” the taiyoukai asked seriously.

Sachimaru gave him a contemplative look. “Yes. Because if you're a demon, I want to make sure that you don't hurt us.”

“Hn. And why do you think demons would hurt you?”

Shrugging, Sachimaru replied, “Because demons have more strength than humans. And if they want to, they can hurt us.” Then he paused in thought before adding, “But I suppose not all demons are the same.”

Turning to her, Sesshoumaru remarked with a straight face, “That's true.”

Kagome blinked wordlessly. It was not natural for a child that age to be so perceptive, she thought. She wondered if it was simply because of his demonic background.

“Are you my father?”

Both of them stilled. But before either of them could respond, Sachimaru continued in an uncompromising voice, “Even if you are, I'm not leaving Okaa-san.”

Sesshoumaru knelt down so that their golden eyes were level. “You will not be forced to leave your mother.”

A moment of silence passed as Sachimaru regarded him silently. Then the boy nodded, apparently satisfied with his father's proclamation.

Needing to ask Sachimaru something which had been on her mind since earlier, Kagome knelt down beside Sesshoumaru and pulled Sachimaru close to her. She was acutely aware that her thighs were touching Sesshoumaru's through the fabric of their clothes. The whole thing with both of them kneeling there in front of Sachimaru seemed so intimate.

“Yes, Okaa-san?” Sachimaru prompted, giving her a curious look.

“I'm going to ask you something. And I want you to tell me the truth, alright?” she began gently.

Sachimaru nodded once.

“What were you doing in the wellhouse?”

The boy immediately bit his bottom lip, his gaze lowering. Kagome grimaced, wondering if she should have let it rest for a while before broaching the subject. Sachimaru was probably still traumatized over the entire event.

To her surprise, Sesshoumaru interjected firmly, “You will not hide the truth from your mother and worry her unnecessarily.”

Sachimaru's eyes shot up, blinking in shock. Then, turning to face Sesshoumaru, the boy took a deep breath. “I was just looking for you.”

Sesshoumaru tensed visibly.

Kagome's jaw dropped. “You were looking for him?” she echoed numbly. “In the well?”

Turning to her, Sachimaru nodded. “I want to tell him to talk to the miko. Because the miko is not happy that he's ignoring her. And you said that the miko went to the Western Lands through the well, so I thought maybe our well can bring me there.” His brows furrowed in displeasure as he continued, “But it didn't work.”

Groaning helplessly, Kagome buried her face in her hands. She should have known better than to tell Sachimaru about her dreams. If he had hurt himself seriously, this would be all her fault. A quiet chuckle from her side made her look up, but when she did, Sesshoumaru's expression betrayed nothing.

“Was the miko truly upset?” the taiyoukai asked carefully.

“Sesshoumaru!” Kagome protested sharply. How dare he trick Sachimaru into telling him these sorts of stuff?

Without looking at her, Sachimaru's head bobbed. “She doesn't want to admit it, but she also doesn't want to be the one to talk to him first. So, since he was the one to betray the miko, I thought he should apologize to her.”

“Indeed.” Sesshoumaru sounded amused.

“That's enough, Sachimaru,” Kagome quickly said. This was mortifying. Sachimaru had always had this knack of getting straight to the real issue. Who knew what else the boy would say to Sesshoumaru if she did not stop him? Placing a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder, she said, “Just promise me not to go near the wellhouse. I don't want you to fall in again.”

“I promise,” Sachimaru agreed meekly.

“Now, go downstairs for dinner,” Kagome told him. “You haven't eaten for hours.”

As Sachimaru bounded out of the room, seemingly unaffected by his earlier ordeal, Kagome went after him down the stairs, sagging slightly. After everything that had happened, followed by the relief of finding Sachimaru safe and sound, she felt really drained and would like nothing but to go to bed. Blinking, she tried to cover her yawn.

“You are tired.”

Pausing at the base of the stairs, Kagome glanced up to find Sesshoumaru staring at her with an unreadable expression. “A little,” she admitted.

His eyes flickered. “We will continue this discussion tomorrow.”

Raising her brows in surprise, she echoed, “Tomorrow?”

“Hn.”

He wanted to see them again so soon? Well, she supposed that since he already knew, there was no harm in it. “Uhm… Here? My shift doesn't end until six tomorrow.”

“I will pick you and Sachimaru up at seven.”

She watched as he headed in the direction of the kitchen, presumably to say goodbye to Sachimaru and the rest of the family. When she saw him again, he gave her a farewell nod before leaving the house.

He was so different, and yet the same as the Sesshoumaru she had known in the past. All she could remember was that he could not have cared less what happened to her back then. Even to the extent of not caring if she was interacting with Akiyama or was spending her entire time with anyone but the father of her child.

After saying goodnight to Sachimaru, she trudged up the stairs. She could not help but wonder what else she would dream of that night.

…***…***…***…

Kagome eyed Katsuo warily as they circled each other. It had been hard to maneuver with the additional barrier around her swollen stomach, but she had gotten used to it. Her friends had insisted on it, saying that the baby would be protected during the training. So she had allowed Katsuo to place the silvery barrier around her each time they trained.

Katsuo lashed out suddenly with his katana. Kagome ducked away and immediately swung around to strike the back of Katsuo's legs. The hanyou tried to launch out of the way, but Kagome shot out an arm to stop him. Her hand caught in the lapels of his kimono, pulling the purple fabric loose from his sash.

“Sorry!” she gasped, instantly letting go.

Katsuo chuckled as he straightened up. “At least Natsumi is not here to see it. She might get the wrong idea.”

Kagome made a face. “Don't joke about that. It was awful when she was mad at me that time.” Then she grinned, “So, Natsumi told me you gave her a courting gift.”

Cheeks reddening, Katsuo muttered, “You're teasing me.” Pulling his sash loose, he proceeded to fold his kimono over again.

Something glinted in the sunlight. “What is this?” Kagome asked as she reached out to touch the circular pendant hung from Katsuo's neck with a thick black woven string. It was glowing slightly pink and it reminded her own her own powers.

Katsuo stilled as he looked down. Fingering the pendant, he said, “My mother made it for me. It is a protection charm,” he explained, his eyes misting over in remembrance.

Kagome smiled. “You must treasure it.”

“She made it after she…” he paused slightly before he continued, “After she killed my father.”

Expression softening, Kagome rubbed Katsuo's shoulders slowly. Katsuo had told her about his parents a long time ago, but even now, she could not help but think that the relationship between the miko and the inuyoukai was nothing short of tragic. Her lips twisted as she wondered if that would always be the case for any relationships between a miko and a demon.

Suddenly, the air around them sifted slightly, jolting her out of her musings. Then, just as abruptly, Akiyama materialized from thin air. Kagome gasped, taking a couple of steps back. She should be used to the elemental's mode of transport, considering that this was the second time he was visiting the Western Lands this month. His arrival was welcomed, at least as far as she was concerned. For the entirety of his last visit, she had sensed nothing sinister from him apart from the wish for her company, which allowed her to appreciate the person behind the lordly façade.

Katsuo bowed slightly. “Lord Akiyama,” he greeted.

Inclining his head, Akiyama smiled. “It appears that the miko is doing well under your tutelage.” Glancing at her, he added, “And you look as if you're enjoying yourself.”

Kagome grinned. “Katsuo has a lot of patience, as you can probably tell.”

Katsuo's expression remained blank, but she could see the gleam of mirth in his eyes. “One could only hope that she learnt something in all this time.”

“Hey!” Kagome exclaimed indignantly.

“Are you finished with your lessons?” Akiyama asked, his eyes laughing at her. “I will return later if you haven't.”

Kagome nodded. “It's okay. We're done. You said you were going to show me something today.”

“That's right.”

“Umm… Kagome…” Katsuo interjected uncertainly. “I'm not sure Lord Sesshoumaru would like it.” He flicked a quick glance at the elemental. “I mean no disrespect to you, Lord Akiyama.”

“I understand,” Akiyama replied quietly. “But perhaps the choice is Kagome's?”

Laying a hand on Katsuo's arm, she gave him a reassuring smile. “It's alright, Katsuo. And anyway, it's not like Sesshoumaru would notice that I'm missing.”

Katsuo suddenly focused on a point over her shoulders. “But someone else would,” the general muttered darkly.

She turned around to find Inuyasha stalking towards them, his arms folded over his chest. “Inuyasha!” she greeted.

Not responding to her, the white haired hanyou simply glared at the other two males. “What is this? Don't the two of you have anything better to do?” he asked brusquely.

Katsuo immediately bristled in indignance, while Akiyama simply regarded Inuyasha silently. Rolling her eyes, Kagome snapped, “Honestly, Inuyasha. Can't you be civil to them for once?”

“Keh!” Then nudging towards the castle, he continued, “Let's go.”

Kagome dug her heels in. “Wait, Inuyasha. I'm going somewhere with Akiyama.”

A brief moment passed before Inuyasha exploded, “What? Again?!” Swinging around to face Akiyama, Inuyasha scowled. “Look, I don't care if you want to visit Sesshoumaru every other week, but you can't keep disappearing with her!”

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Kagome retorted, “Look, nothing happened the last time, alright. So quit worrying.”

“I'm not worried!” Inuyasha denied vehemently, crossing his arms over his chest.

She gave him a stony look. “Good! I'll see you later then.”

“You're not going anywhere!” Inuyasha yelled.

Akiyama stepped forward the moment Katsuo snarled, “I thought I told you not to speak to her like that!” The general's youki was swirling around him angrily.

“And how many times must I tell you that I'll talk to her however I like?” Inuyasha spat rudely.

Katsuo's eyes glittered. “She is the mother of the Western heir and should be treated with respect.”

“Keh! The mother of that bastard's brat?”

“You will cease such disrespect towards our lord!” Katsuo gritted out heatedly.

“Why you…”

“Silence.” Akiyama's quiet tone was authoritative.

And it had the desired effect of shutting up both Inuyasha and Katsuo, Kagome thought with relief. Really, the way the two half demons carried on was nothing short of childish. No doubt like her, Akiyama was developing a twitch from all that bickering.

Slowly, but firmly, Akiyama announced, “The miko will come with me and she will return safe and unharmed in a short while.”

Kagome gasped as she felt Akiyama's arms wrapping around her.

Then she felt herself growing lighter and lighter as she blended into the air.

….***…***…***…

The moment Inuyasha crashed into his study, Sesshoumaru closed his eyes in irritation. Truly, Inuyasha needed to improve his manners. It was absurd how someone could be so uncouth.

“You need to do something about that idiot, Sesshoumaru!” the hanyou snarled as he stalked up to the low table.

Glancing up from his scroll with a frown etched upon his brow, Sesshoumaru asked impatiently, “Is this something important, Inuyasha?”

“Depends on if you think Kagome is important,” Inuyasha retorted.

Sesshoumaru's hands twitched. “What of the miko?” he gritted out.

“Akiyama took off with her.”

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits. Not only Akiyama had the audacity to turn up at the Western Lands twice in quick succession, the elemental was also complicating matters with the miko. Akiyama's obsession with her bordered on unacceptable. He wondered if the elemental had an ulterior motive for his actions.

“Your task was to watch over the miko and you allowed her to leave with the Northern Lord?” Sesshoumaru gritted out.

Inuyasha's eyes bulged. “You think it was easy to stop him? He's just as bad as you are!”

“Hn.” As far as dominance was concerned, Akiyama certainly ranked higher than his hanyou brother. How unfortunate.

Inuyasha exhaled heavily as he ran a hand over the back of his neck. “And this is not the first time either. I can't stop him if Kagome wants to go with him.”

This was not the first time? The elemental had only been around for a few days during his first visit, in addition to the last three days and he had already succeeded in gaining the miko's affections? The notion incensed Sesshoumaru, making him grit his teeth in annoyance.

The urge to track down Akiyama overwhelmed him, but Sesshoumaru knew that such an action would be pointless. The demon's true form was water and he could take the shape of any water-based form. It also meant that the demon's scent was one of water, and was indistinct enough to make it difficult for anyone to track him.

Turning to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru instructed coldly, “Inform me when they return.”

Inuyasha snorted. “I'm not going near that idiot again. You can sniff Kagome out when he brings her back.” Spinning around, he walked out of the study.

Sesshoumaru growled. Would he have no peace? Would he never be freed from the miko?

Even through she was not speaking to him, he could still feel her presence in everything that was happening in the castle. The cook had requested more funding to prepare more nutritious food to suit the miko's condition, Katsuo had rearranged his the warriors' training schedule such that he could train the miko each morning and Natsumi tended to be unavailable in the evenings, presumably because she was keeping the miko company. Even Jaken insisted on pandering to the miko's whims.

It was intolerable.

What irked him most was their silence. Instinct told him that he should approach her, but he would not lower himself to do so.

Lost in his musings, Sesshoumaru only realized that evening was already approaching when he sensed the miko's presence. Standing up, he went outside, following the scent of the miko. Then he saw her standing beside the Northern Lord, giggling in the most inappropriate manner about something inane.

Both of them looked up when he approached.

The miko gave him a troubled glance before she quickly looked away. Sesshoumaru's lips thinned in annoyance. She would not even look at him. Silently, he continued to watch as Akiyama suggested for the miko to leave them to their conversation. The miko seemed reluctant at first, and then she relented and walked towards the castle.

Akiyama made his way across the grass, his steps steady. When he reached, he inclined his head. “Is something the matter, Lord Sesshoumaru?”

“You will cease from taking the miko with you,” Sesshoumaru bit out.

“I only wish to speak to the miko in private.” Akiyama paused momentarily before he continued, “Lord Inuyasha, however, refused to comply with my request.”

“And what did you do then?”

“I simply transformed with her.”

Sesshoumaru gave Akiyama a sharp look. “You took your true form with her?”

“I assure you that she is safe, Lord Sesshoumaru,” Akiyama said dryly. “Or do you doubt my control over my own strength?”

“This Sesshoumaru is concerned for the miko's…condition,” he bit out tightly.

Akiyama gazed at him thoughtfully, and then he said slowly, “I will return to the north shortly. However, I intend to visit the miko again.”

Sesshoumaru tamped down the urge to release his poison on the elemental. “Surely you have more important matters to attend to.”

Akiyama raised a brow. “This, too, is an important matter to me, Sesshoumaru. However, there is something I must ask. Am I right in assuming that the miko is now free?”

Someone must have told the elemental, Sesshoumaru surmised. Denying would be pointless. “She is no longer bound to serve the Western Lands.”

“By releasing her, you have effectively discarded my gift to seal our alliance,” Akiyama pointed out evenly, his expression unreadable. “Am I to assume that you no longer wish for us to be allies?”

Sesshoumaru tensed. He could not refute the Northern lord's accusation. “It was not intended as an insult, Lord Akiyama. The miko desires her independence.”

Akiyama smiled wryly. “Yes, the miko is certainly strong-willed. A very admirable trait in such a female.”

A very admirable trait? Sesshoumaru frowned inwardly. It was that particular trait of hers that irked him the most. However, he had to admit that it was unheard of for a female to stand up to him, let alone more than once. Yes, perhaps Akiyama was right. In some ways, the miko could be considered admirable.

“It is just as well that you've released her. You see, I intend to court her.”

Sesshoumaru felt his blood run cold.

“I gather that you have no objection, seeing that you have no intention of mating her?”

“Hn.”

Sesshoumaru knew that he should not have any objection. Therefore, it was rather puzzling that he wished for nothing more than for the elemental to retract his words. The notion of the miko in the arms of the elemental was simply distasteful. His instincts were clamoring for him to destroy the competition.

But what competition? He had no wish to mate the miko, but only to ensure that the inuyoukai pup remained in the Western Lands. And the miko had been released, he reiterated to himself.

Hardening his gaze, Sesshoumaru stipulated, “The miko will remain under the protection of the Western Lands until the pup is born.”

“That is wise, Lord Sesshoumaru.”

The Northern Lord was mocking him, Sesshoumaru thought irritably. “Hn.”

“You need not worry. I will not encourage the miko to leave the Western Lands until the pup is weaned.”

Perhaps, by that time, the miko would have settled enough in the Western Lands such that she would not wish to leave. Judging from her closeness with Katsuo and the rest of his servants, Sesshoumaru doubted that she would persist in such a pointless endeavor, regardless of whatever Akiyama offered.

Yes, the miko would eventually come to her senses.

…***…***…***…

No.

Sesshoumaru clenched his hands into fists, growling at the idiocy of his past self as the most recent flashes of the past presented themselves.

So this was how Akiyama had ended up courting the miko. His past self had foolishly allowed it, never taking into account that the miko would come to accept it. For she must have accepted, if the elemental's confidence was any indication.

He stiffened his spine. This had all happened in the past. Now, in the present, he would ensure that this event would not occur. After all, he had made contact with his son and the miko had agreed for them to meet again.

But before he indulged in personal matters, he needed to address the present situation with the demonic issues which was quickly becoming uncontrollable.

It had only come to his attention this morning that there were a few more outbreaks of demonic violence in various parts of Japan, which had occurred at the same time as the one affecting Akiyama's underlings. Most of these, however, had been caught in time. Unfortunately, enough incidents had leaked, reaching the ears of the mass public. Although Inuyasha had used the resources at IY Media and Entertainment to salvage whatever he could of the bad situation, it had not been enough.

The speculations were already running rife.

Some said that those fighting were simply on steroids, thus explaining their superhuman strength. However, there were those who suspected something closer to the truth. They suspected the existence of demons. It did not help that some humans had begun to come forward with their ancestors' journals, chronicling historic events which involved demonic activities few hundred years ago.

Mindful of the growing urgency of the situation, he had given the order to locate and apprehend Naraku soon after he had returned from the miko's home. Almost a whole day had passed without any sighting of the hanyou, Sesshoumaru thought with a grimace. However, Shin had managed to capture one of Naraku's underling, the wind sorceress called Kagura a few hours ago.

The wind sorceress was currently incarcerated in one of the holding cells in the basement, still unconscious from the injuries she had received during the fight. Sesshoumaru had given Shin the instruction to proceed with the interrogation once Kagura was able to speak.

A message blinked on the screen of his laptop. When he accessed it with his secure password, a familiar insignia flashed in the corner. A feeling of foreboding immediately washed over him.

The message was from one of the foreign demon lords in China. It was brief and to the point.

“Lord of Western Japan,” it read. “It has come to our attention that the situation in Japan could potentially be damaging to our current status. We require reassurance that it is under control.”

Sesshoumaru bit back a sigh of annoyance. It was unavoidable. A meeting between the demon lords was necessary to discuss this matter.

Pressing on the button on the intercom, he said, “Natsumi, summon Katsuo.”

He knew that Takeo was out of the country, but Akiyama and Kouga should be able to attend quite easily. The foreign demon lords needed to attend as well. Niu Mo Wang, the Chinese bull demon lord, would definitely wish to be present considering that he was the one who had sent the message. Others such as the Norwegian demonesses known as Alrunes, the French banshee Melusina, the Western demon king Balam and the Yeti of the Himalayas would be invited as well. However, it was up to them to decide if this incident was severe enough to warrant their concern.

The meeting would need to be situated in one of the private islands, for the gathering of powerful demon lords amidst humans could potentially be risky. Particularly when the topic was centered around something so controversial.

There was a delicate balance between those demons who wished their presence to be known and those who wished to retain the secrecy of their identity. At the moment, majority of them wished for their identity to remain cloaked. However, there were also those like Naraku who wished for nothing more than to display their demonic powers.

At the quiet taps on the door, Sesshoumaru called for Katsuo to enter. As he stepped into the office, the inuyoukai seemed to having difficulty meeting his eyes. Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. It was not difficult to guess the reason behind Katsuo's odd behavior. No doubt Katsuo was also experiencing dreams of the past and it was troubling him. However, this was not the appropriate time to discuss such matters.

“Mr. Taishou? You asked for me?”

“Call a conference with the other lords. Do it discreetly.”

Katsuo's eyes widened a fraction. Then he nodded. “In the usual island?”

“Hn.”

When Katsuo left the room, Sesshoumaru glanced at his watch. It was half past six.

It was time to meet the miko and his pup.

…***…***…***

t.b.c.

…

A/N: That's it for now. Hope you've enjoyed that… and the mild cliffhanger-less ending, (grins). Anyway, please review if you can. Thanks!