InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome! Where are you?! ❯ the world with NO magic part 2 ( Chapter 41 )

Kagome: where are you? !

Chapter 41: the world with no magic part 2

Authors' notes: Please note, I am not trying to offend anyone with this story. And for your information: I have no intention of having kag/sess meet well-known historical figures, such as the Fuhrer. (Although, The names used in ch 40 . . . are of historical waffen-SS figures.)

Also . . . I am using this as a bonding chapter for Kagome & Sesshomaru . . . so the villains of this world . . . might not show for a while.

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The bright sun shines into Kagome's eyes waking her up.

Sleeping, peacefully, next to her is Sesshomaru.

Kagome smiles, shifts and kisses him on the nose. "Good morning, Sesshomaru." She says happily.

His eyes open wide in shock. He convulsively shoves her away and he rolls, separating himself from her. A low growl escapes his throat.

"Sesshomaru?" she asks in a very hurt tone, as she rolls over to look at him.

Sesshomaru is standing, he is crouching like he is expecting an attack, scanning the area. He looks at Kagome. He swallows. He sits down, wrapping his arms around his legs, pulling himself into a ball.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks again as she crawls over to him and places her arm around his shoulders. `This world must be really affecting him . . . ' she thinks.

She sits, her arms wrapped around him. "Sesshomaru?" she begs.

A pause . . . Kagome can hear something, perhaps a sniffle from his hidden face.

"I.... This Sesshomaru wishes to apologize to the Lady Miko H.."

"Shhh." Kagome says in a hard tone, interrupting him. "We've had a trying time, and I'm sure this world is harder on you than it is on me."

"But, I feel asleep while I was supposed to be guarding . . . " Sesshomaru says in a small voice. "Do you know how long it's been since I did something like that?"

"No. And I don't want to know, Sesshomaru. Knowing your father, he probably put you on continuous guard duty for days . . . until you had to fall asleep, just so he could punish you for it."

Sesshomaru raises his head and looks at her. His eyes are red with unshed tears. "How did you know?"

Kagome shrugs, "I just thought up the worst thing I could think a father could do . . . and said it." She bends over and kisses him on the nose. "Nothing happened, Sesshomaru. You and I got some much needed rest and that's it."

"Are you sure? Kagome, something . . . "

"Sesshomaru . . . " Kagome says with a growl in her voice. "Let's move on, we need to get something to eat and see what we can do to occupy ourselves today."

Sesshomaru sighs, and nods.

They stand up, do their morning business in the bushes. Sesshomaru returns, with a disgusted glint in his eyes.

`Nope. Some things are private. If he tells me, that's one thing, but I'm not going to ask.' Kagome blushes slightly as she thinks. She starts the fire and cooks breakfast.

She hands Sesshomaru some water, he nods as he accepts it.

"Do you have anything else that needs to be done around here?" she asks as she finishes.

He shakes his head. "No." A pause. "Although, last night, after you went to sleep, I saw the glow of a large city to our west. So . . . unless there is some other reason, I would suggest, if we have to move today, we move east."

Kagome nods. She smiles, "Thank you for phrasing that as a suggestion."

Sesshomaru nods, frowns and shakes his head, `I did. Didn't I? That should have been an order. Still . . . giving her a flat order like that . . . seems wrong, somehow.' He thinks.

Kagome looks around, "well . . . I can get in a lot of studying today." She looks at Sesshomaru, her eyes narrow, and the tone in her voice changes becoming lower, sexier, "Unless you have another suggestion?"

Sesshomaru shakes his head, no. "I do not want us to be distracted, Kagome."

She sighs and shakes her head, no. "Here we are . . . After almost two weeks of teasing each other . . . and we've finally made up our minds to" she pauses as she looks for the right words, "make love with each other" she sighs, "and we have to wait . . . some more."

Sesshomaru allows a small grin to appear on his face, "I thought about it last night, Kagome. Yes, it is disappointing, but it is safer."

Kagome sighs, heavily. "You're right, I suppose. I just do not like it."

"I never said I did." Regret and disappointment color his voice.

Kagome sighs, "besides, we've not cleaned up in awhile, anyway, so it would have probably been too messing, anyway."

He nods.

Kagome flashes him a smile, grabs a book. "Well we can at least sit next to each other, right?"

He nods.

She starts to sit next to him. He shakes his head no and pats the ground behind him. "Back to back, that way we can watch in all directions."

Kagome frowns, `I had been thinking about maybe doing some kissing and necking, why is he being so paranoid?'

She sits down behind him, and they sit back to back. Kagome takes his tail and wraps it around her waist.

Kagome starts to open her textbook, but she pauses and asks, "Why, Sesshomaru? We haven't come across anything more dangerous than a squirrel?"

A pause . . .

"This world, Higurashi Kagome. I hate it. And this Sesshomaru does not trust it."

She nods, opens her book and starts to read.

Her left hand slides from the book and slowly travels behind her. It meets his hand, on a similar mission. The hands clasp and their fingers entangle.

Time passes . . . the sounds of the birds in the trees grow louder. The sounds of the wind rustling through the leaves occupy their ears . . .

Kagome lowers her book and clears her throat.

"Yes." Sesshomaru states.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western lands, I have a question. May I ask it?"

"You may, Lady Miko Higurashi Kagome."

She clears her throat and asks, "Your brother . . . whenever I do something silly and start to call him names like say, `puppy' like I did with you, he always gets mad at me. You didn't. Can I ask, why?"

"I am a full breed dog demon, Higurashi Kagome. Should I be ashamed of my heritage? While `puppy' is not a name that I will respond favorably to in public, in the setting you used it in, I will accept it." He pauses, "Just as, I am sure that you dislike the term `bitch', but in that setting, it was and is appropriate."

Kagome slowly nods. Sesshomaru can feel her head move on the back of his. "I see. Do you know why your brother hates it?"

Sesshomaru shrugs, "I am not my brother. However . . . his monthly changes might have something to do with it."

Kagome sighs and nods. "You are probably correct, Sesshomaru."

A pause. "Sesshomaru?"

"Yes."

"When you woke up . . . why did you jump away?" she asks in a small voice.

A pause . . .

Sesshomaru licks his lips, "Kagome. This world. My body."

Kagome squeezes his hand, hard. "Shh . . . Don't worry about it, Sesshomaru. It's ok."

A pause . . .

"This body . . . it's . . . "

Kagome squeezes his hand again. "We'll be leaving tomorrow morning, Sesshomaru. Are you going to be ok?"

"I'll live."

Kagome grimaces, she thinks, `the lack of magic on this world must be slowly killing him, but he's not going to admit it. Damn male ego. I'll bet he jumped due to his instincts. His control over them is probably getting weaker. He did lose control with that wet dream . . . '

She returns to reading her book, for a couple of minutes, before leaning back into Sesshomaru and sighing . . .

"Kagome?"

"Oh, the passage I was reading started me thinking about the future, Sesshomaru."

"Oh." Sesshomaru's voice packs that sound with a multitude of emotions.

Kagome quickly says, "Oh, not us, Sesshomaru." He slumps against her back. "But, I was thinking about how my future goals in life have keep changing every few years . . . "

"Oh, interesting." Sesshomaru's voice reveals his disappointment.

"You've had different goals? Most women I know never change their goals." He asks in simple curiosity.

"Huh? Oh, yes, Sesshomaru, unlike women when you live, I have a lot of choices. In your time, a woman is a wife with children and that's basically it. Oh, a woman might become a Buddhist monk or a geisha, but that's about the only other choices."

Sesshomaru nods. "Anything else, like your exterminator friend is very rare or unique."

Kagome nods. "Yes, Sango and I have had talks about this." Kagome sighs,

`Talks where I try to get her out of her occasional depressions.' She thinks. `When she starts thinking about her family and how Naraku is still alive, sometimes, she goes overboard and I have to talk to her and cheer her up.'

"What are your choices?" Sesshomaru, suddenly asks.

"Huh?" Kagome replies in surprise, "Why are you interested?"

"I want to learn more about you, Kagome." He replies, "and from what you've told me, your world sounds interesting, so I don't mind learning more about it."

`And inu-yasha ignores anything about my world.' Kagome thinks. `There are times when Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha are basically identical, and then, there are times like this, when they are very different.'

"Why is my world interesting?" Kagome asks. `Perhaps that might help me understand the differences between the two of them.'

A pause, as Sesshomaru thinks. `In order too win her hand, I need to know more about her. I will use this opportunity.'

"I know my world, Kagome."

She nods in agreement.

"And, most of the time, I am bored." Sesshomaru states. "Your world does not sound boring."

"Oh!" Kagome nods.

"Are you going to explain how your future goals changed?" Sesshomaru reminds her.

A pause as Kagome thinks.

"The first goal I had, Sesshomaru, was when I was a little girl. I was going to be a geisha." Kagome faintly smiles, "I wanted to dress up in the pretty clothes and be the center of attention."

He nods.

"But, my mother, spent most of a day, dressing me up and putting on all that makeup that a geisha wears . . . " Kagome shakes her head, "and at the end of that day, I was one very unhappy little girl. There was no way I was going thru that every day. I threw a horrible temper tantrum wanting to get out of those confining clothes and get that icky makeup off."

Sesshomaru smiles, his imagination picturing Kagome's face on a little girl body as she throws a fit.

Kagome sighs, "after that . . . well . . . I do have a little brother."

"Sota, you've mentioned him in passing."

"Yes. Anyway, due to the stress of my father leaving us without warning, he was born premature and the first year or so, he was in and out of doctors office a lot. So, since my mother was occupied with him, my grandfather raised me."

"I take it that he changed your goals in life?"

"Yes. He had spent some years in the Japanese self defense force, a fancy name for the army, and . . . since Sota might die, he tried . . . no. I'll be honest. He did turn me into a tomboy."

"Tomboy?"

"A girl that does boyish things. Like fighting."

Sesshomaru nods. A slight smile on his lips. `And have you really changed since then?' he asks himself as he thinks.

"Tomboy . . . " Kagome sighs. "There was about a six-month period, where I always had a bruise or two from fights." She smiles, remembering some of the fights. "And I was going to join the army, shoot guns and have adventures."

"Like you are having now?"

Kagome shakes her head, no. "No. it was different. But." She sighs, "but. I found out that women in the army just shuffle papers and don't have adventures."

She pauses and squeezes his hand. "And, at the same time, I found out that there are more interesting things you could do with a boy than just fight him."

"Sex." He whispers.

She blushes, nods. "Yes." A pause.

"Don't think I did anything with the boys, Sesshomaru. A girl's reputation could get ruined by that, so, until last spring, I hadn't done anything with any of the boys I went out with."

She giggles, "The boy I currently see in the future has held my hand and that's it."

"Boy . . . you currently see?" Sesshomaru says in a low, dangerous tone.

She swallows. "He's boring, Sesshomaru. He's only a friend and the only reason I go out with him is because it's expected of me. I am trying to live a normal life in my time and being seen with him occasionally, in public only, that helps my reputation."

"Hmmmm." Sesshomaru growls, `I will come back to this later. If I start acting jealous of a boy, I've never meet . . . she will not believe me about inu-yasha.'

`Is he getting jealous of Hojo?' Kagome thinks as she feels him tense up against her back. `IF he's that jealous . . . hmmm . . . perhaps in the next world, if I find a man my age or so . . . I might flirt with him, just to see if Sesshomaru is jealous.' She thinks.

"Go on, Kagome, please." Sesshomaru asks after a pause.

"Well . . . " Kagome says as she tries to remember her place. "After I found out about boys . . . I decided that I was going to find me a boyfriend, marry him and have kids." She says in a light-hearted voice. "At times, I even dreamed about having a lot of children."

"How many?"

She shrugs. "I once told my mom about a fantasy of having six to eight children."

he allows a small purr to escape . . .

She giggles, "of course, right after that, my Mother started babysitting to help out some of the local women. And, I, of course, volunteered." She smiles.

"In a couple of months, I was doing the babysitting, and my mother was doing other things." She sighs. "I did, decide after that, however, that I only wanted one or two children."

"Do you still feel that way?" Sesshomaru asks in a soft and cautious voice.

"Don't, Sesshomaru? I'm not going to talk about that yet." She replies in a soft, but hard voice.

Sesshomaru nods.

A pause.

"Although, Sesshomaru, here is something you do need to think about. It has not come up with Inu-yasha yet, but it will, sooner or later."

"And what do I need to think about?"

"Hmmm . . . Let me use that babysitting experience as an example, Sesshomaru. One of the women I was helping was a widow and she was always trying to find a new husband."

Sesshomaru nods. `Standard.'

"But . . . every time she'd bring someone home . . . Her kids would start acting up. They didn't want anybody to come between them and their mother."

"I've heard of similar stories."

"Good. Then you'll understand this. I am, in all but name, Shippo's mother." Kagome pauses.

"And, especially since the Kyoto adventure, every time Inu-yasha and I would find some peace and quiet, he would find a way to interrupt. Right now, Inu-yasha likes that, because he doesn't want us to get close, but . . . you on the other hand."

"He is not going to like me." Sesshomaru states in a sure voice.

"And . . . I am his mother. And I care for him and . . . " Kagome whispers.

Sesshomaru squeezes her hand. "I will find a way, my dear loving Kagome."

`Fulfilling that promise will be challenging.' Sesshomaru thinks, `but, if I didn't make it . . . '

"Thank you, Sesshomaru. I'll help. I've been meaning to talk with Shippo about this, but never have." Kagome whispers.

Sesshomaru squeezes her hand. She squeezes back.

"And were you still thinking about becoming a wife and mother?" Sesshomaru asks. `The way she was talking it didn't sound like it, but.'

"For a while, but, one day I was babysitting," Her mouth twitches into a smile, "for that same woman again, and her son swallowed a button and was chocking to death."

"It happens." Sesshomaru says in sympathy. "And when he died you changed your mind?"

"Oh no! Sesshomaru!" Kagome cries. "I saved his life that is what changed mine. One of the neighbors, she wasn't home then, but she heard what I had done, was a nurse. She heard about how I didn't panic and saved his life. She started talking to me about becoming a nurse or a doctor."

"Oh . . . like the Miko Keade."

"Close. No magic is involved, but, yes, I would help sick people." Kagome replies. She pauses. "And I had been doing very well in school."

She sighs and slumps against him, "but, with the well and everything, my attendance and grades in school have basically collapsed and I'm just barely staying above a failing grade."

She sighs, "So . . . my dream of going to medical school is basically over. No school that I know of will accept me with my record, now."

"I'm sorry." Sesshomaru whispers in sympathy to the pain he can hear in her voice.

"It's not your fault, Sesshomaru." She shakes her head, "the really odd thing is because of my adventures and, now that I've got them working, my healing spells, I'm a better emergency nurse or doctor than I would have been, if I had gone to school."

"Strange indeed."

Kagome sighs . . .

A pause.

"If I may, Kagome. What were your dreams before the two of us started this odyssey?" Sesshomaru quietly and with respect in his voice, asks.

`I had wanted to know what her goals and desires were, so I could plan ahead. Now . . . seems like a good enough time to ask.' He thinks, `hopefully she'll answer.'

A pause.

"You know it's going to involve your brother."

"I know. But, please, if you would, tell me."

"You said please . . . " Kagome whispers.

Their hands slowly squeeze the others . . .

He nods, slowly.

She takes a deep breath, sighs and slumps against his back. "I really didn't have any real plans. How this quest of mine and Inu-yasha would end is still . . . so vague, so I never properly planned anything, Sesshomaru. I was just trying to find the best way of doing things and hoping in the end, it'll all work out."

"Surely you had dreams?" He whispers.

She nods. "And you want to hear them?"

"Yes. I want to get to know you better."

Kagome closes her eyes, she squeezes his hand as she shudders at the raw emotion in his voice in that simple request.

She swallows and begins to whisper. "Most of my dreams have Inu-yasha and I living in my time. I would allow my powers to show, some, and rumors about them would spread. People would come from all over, wanting me to help them."

"I'd help them as I could, and their offerings to the shrine would support myself, Inu-yasha and the couple of children I wanted to have."

She pauses. "Of course the one thing that always disrupted it was the fact that Inu-yasha would never just sit back and be a house husband."

Sesshomaru gives a bark of laughter at that term. "That happens?"

"Occasionally."

"Interesting, but, go on."

"Sooo . . . " she sighs, "do you remember when I said that I liked the adventures and might be an adrenalin junky?"

"Yes."

"Well . . . occasionally, especially when I was bored, my daydreams would change a bit. Oh, the same setting. Myself, as a mysterious miko with odd abilities, a reclusive husband and a couple of children, but . . . the government would know something about mine and Inu-yasha's abilities, and every so often, they would call us to help them out. Things like rescuing people in natural disasters, stopping major criminals, hunting evil people and so forth." She smiles.

"Basically some of the same things we do now, as we go around taking shards from evil demons, but in the future when evil humans are more common."

"Do you like that daydream?"

"Sometimes . . . " She whispers. Her mouth twitches into a smile. "At least it wouldn't be boring."

Sesshomaru squeezes her hand. "Thank you, Lady Miko Higurashi Kagome. I hate being bored, too. I don't know about that dream, my dear loving Kagome. But . . . I don't think we'll be bored in the future, do you?"

Kagome squeezes his hand. "Bored?" she giggles. "Not very likely . . . "

She presses back against him, stretching. "I need to walk around for a bit, do you?"

"Yes, stretching is good."

Kagome looks at the sky . . . "Where did the morning go?"

It is noon.

Sesshomaru glances up, "we have been talking. And you did spend a while reading."

"Yes." Kagome smiles, walks over to him, grabs his robe to get him to bend down.

He does so, with a smile gracing his lips.

She kisses him on the nose and forehead. "Thank you, Sesshomaru. You are a much better listener than I would have ever had guessed."

He kisses her nose and forehead. "And you, Kagome, are full of surprises."

She steps back and blushes.

He steps forward and engulfs her in a hug.

After a few minutes . . .

"As much as I would love to stay in your arms, we do need to eat and drink." She whispers.

He sighs. "I suppose." And he releases her.

She moves around the small clearing, fixing a light lunch for herself and getting some water for Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru glances up at the sky. `There. What is that?' he thinks.

He points upward and says, "Kagome. What is that?"

Kagome looks, and after a few seconds, she can see the moving speck in the sky. "It's an airplane, Sesshomaru. It too high for me to see any details, but that's a plane."

"It appears to be circling."

"Yes . . . but not over us, I'd say. Off to the east."

Sesshomaru nods. "Yes. Dangerous?"

Kagome shrugs. "Some planes can carry weapons, Sesshomaru. Most don't." Her eyes narrow, "but, that pattern reminds me of times I've watched TV shows and the police were circling the area watching out for criminals."

"Hmmm . . . " Sesshomaru purses his lips, "Kagome, make sure everything is ready to move at a moment notice."

"It's not circling over us, Sesshomaru. So why?"

"If there are criminals over there, they might attempt to escape and we might be drawn in."

"Oh. I see. Ok. I'll make sure, Sesshomaru."

After a few minutes' Kagome sits down to eat her light lunch, Sesshomaru sits next her, drinking.

`He looks worn, tired. The gleam off his hair is all gone.' Kagome thinks as she sneaks glances at him. `It's got to be this world. I wonder will the cube try to take him over again when we leave this world?'

Sesshomaru stubbly shifts position, trying to hide his profile from her. `I feel horrible. Should I ask her for some real food, would that help? No. I can stand it. I've just got to survive until tomorrow morning.'

Kagome clears her throat.

"No, woman. I am not hungry."

Kagome slumps. "You didn't have to be rude." She whispers.

"This Sesshomaru . . . "

Kagome interrupts him by placing her hand on his thigh and saying. "I'm sorry, Sesshomaru. This world is harder on you than it is on me. And I asked a stupid question."

He sighs, and nods.

"Do you want to sit and talk some more?" Kagome asks.

"Yes. Please."

They sit down back to back again. But, this time, the backpack is next to them, ready to go. And they are both wearing their weapons. (Kagome had hers off in the morning.)

Also . . . this time, Kagome isn't even pretending to read and within seconds, both her hands and both of his hands are stretched out along side them, fingers entangled.

Time passes.

Kagome clears her throat.

"Yes?" Sesshomaru asks.

"Yesterday, while you were unconscious, you had a dream, a nightmare, really."

Sesshomaru nods, remembering that dream.

"And you occasionally spoke out loud."

"I see" he hisses.

Kagome sighs, "most of it I could understand, but one part, I didn't get."

"And you want to know?"

"Yes."

A pause. Sesshomaru takes a deep breath. `She shared with me . . . so. . . . ' he thinks.

"Ask."

"Thank you, Sesshomaru." Kagome says in relief. "You mentioned something about `I'll kill her' and then something about an apology to Inu-yasha."

A pause. . . that stretches. . .

"Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru begins to speak in a low tone, his voice full of emotion. "As you probably guessed, Kagome. That is about the death of Inu-yasha's mother."

She nods.

A pause. . .

"Since I am planning on asking his help against my mother, you need to know this. However, I do not want you to tell him the story I'm about to tell you."

"Why? Doesn't he already know?"

"No. when she died I made up a story about a ninja assassin and how she died bravely. It was what Inu-yasha wanted to hear, not the truth, so I lied to him."

"What is the truth?"

a pause. . .

"Did you kill her?"

"No. I did not."

Sesshomaru takes a deep breath. "When word of my father's death reached the household, my mother reacted first. She, much more easily than she thought she would, she captured Inu-yasha and his mother."

Sesshomaru's voice hardens. "This is where my mother and I disagreed. I would have gladly killed,"

Kagome draws in a deep breath.

"Inu-yasha and his mother. But, I wanted to do it in a quick and basically painless manner, especially Inu-yasha's death. My mother disagreed."

Kagome hands begin to squeeze his tight enough to turn white.

"She allowed her sadistic nature to take control. She wanted to torture both of them to death." Sesshomaru shrugs, "I probably would have agreed to Inu-yasha's mothers torture, but she keep adding in Inu-yasha into her plans."

"And you cared for him, then?"

Sesshomaru shakes his head, "Not really. It's just he had done nothing to deserve torture and I decided that if I was the Lord of the Western lands, my word would prevail. I did want him dead, Kagome and would have gladly killed him."

Kagome shudders.

"But . . . My mom had to have her way. She convinced me that she agreed to my cleaner plans. Then she used her magic to get me to agree to show Inu-yasha how to use a sword, so Inu-yasha could kill himself, with honor. I agreed."

"And?" Kagome whispers.

"The next morning . . . I brought Inu-yasha out to the practice field. There was a straw-filled dummy, like normal, in it. I handed Inu-yasha a short sword and told him that he could cut up the dummy."

Sesshomaru voice, changes, becomes very soft. "He looked at me . . . He was so . . . happy. Finally his older brother was paying attention to him . . . "

Kagome shifts, so they are no longer sitting back to back. They are now sitting side by side, with Kagome's arm wrapped around Sesshomaru's shoulders.

In a very soft whisper, his voice full of tears Sesshomaru continues, "He started to attack the straw dummy. I even held him up, so he could attack the head and neck areas."

Kagome squeezes his shoulders, "And?"

"He turned around to look at me. He was soo happy."

A pause . . .

"Then my mother ended her illusions. Tied to the pole was not a straw dummy, but Inu-yasha's mother. She was bond and gagged . . . "

"He killed her." Kagome whispers, tears falling down her checks.

Sesshomaru nods. "Yes."

His arms wrap around Kagome, drawing her into him.

Kagome cries into his chest.

Sesshomaru closes his eyes, using all his willpower to hold back his tears.

They slowly rock each other.

Time passes . . .

"What happened next?" Kagome whispers, when she stops crying.

Sesshomaru sighs, "I grabbed him, covering his eyes as I did so, and left the house. My mother disobeyed my orders and I knew that the family would not back me, if I tried to kick her out of the house."

He takes a deep breath, "My first thought was to take him to a quiet area, kill him quickly and acquire the sword. Then return, with both swords and depose my mother."

"But?"

"Jakken found me and told me the sword was missing." His mouth twitches, "and I didn't know where it was . . . "

He sighs, "Then, Inu-yasha came up to me he was so happy. His older brother was going to teach him how to hunt."

"Hunt?"

"I had him give some reason for leaving the house, so I lied and said I was hunting and I was going to teach him."

"Oh."

Sesshomaru shakes his head. "I couldn't see any reason to kill him. He did not have the sword and without it, there was no way he could overthrow me or my mother. And . . . there was something in his eyes . . . "

He slumps, "so, Jakken, myself and Inu-yasha began to look for the sword. I was so sure Myouga took it."

"Just like you, Rin and Jakken?"

He nods.

"But, the first new moon." Sesshomaru sighs. "I decided he was slowing me too much, causing me too many problems. And, so, I left him in a human village."

A pause. "A mistake, I know that now. And the only excuse I can give is my youth and inexperience. I was not ready to become a father, then. All I wanted was the sword and getting back at my mother. Taking care of my little brother was a problem and I dropped him."

Kagome squeezes him. "At least you know better, now."

Sesshomaru grabs her chin and holds her head so he can see into her eyes. "And, Lady Miko Higurashi Kagome, I am older and wiser now. Since you do not want to talk about children in our future, I will not promise to be a better father to my children than my father was to me, or I was to the child Inu-yasha, but, my lovely Kagome, all you have to do is ask, and I will provide such a promise."

Kagome looks into his eyes, "Thank you, Lord of the Western Lands, Sesshomaru." She sighs deeply, "one of these days I will remember your . . . " She smiles, "not promise."

His mouth twitches, "Thank you, Lady Miko Higurashi Kagome."

They hug and hold each.

Time passes . . .

"Have you any idea how to tell him the truth?"

"None. But I do know my mother, somehow, someway, she'll make sure he finds out."

Sesshomaru looks at the sun. It's still mid-afternoon.

"Kagome, how about you tell me some stories about how you took care of those children, you cared for?"

"Why do you want to know?"

A pause.

"So . . . I'll know what you might expect from a father." He whispers. `This will be very important in the future and her time, no doubt, expect different things and I need to know what she expects.' He thinks.

Kagome hugs him tightly.

She smiles.

"You know, Sesshomaru." She pauses.

"Yes?"

"That, right now, I think I feel closer to you, than at any other time during this odyssey."

"Kagome, my love, I feel the same . . . "

They hug.

After a few minutes' Kagome begins to talk about her experiences as a babysitter.

Time passes . . .

Near Sunset . . .

"Let's stop and eat, Sesshomaru." Kagome requests. She smiles, "and after eating you can share some stories of say, you, Rin and Jakken."

"Fair enough, Kagome."

Kagome starts a small fire, and fixes herself a light supper. `We haven't really done anything today, except talk, so, no need to a lot of food.' She thinks.

She looks at Sesshomaru. His face is drawn in, there are bags under his eyes, he looks worse than ever.

"Sesshomaru, please . . . I really think it'll help." She hands him some of the elven bread.

Sesshomaru stands up and shaking his head. He walks around the camp, obviously trying to decide. Kagome bites her lips, but doesn't say a word. `It's his decision.'

He turns away from her, looking into forest as it rapidly darkens as the sun sets.

"I promise, Sesshomaru, that should that legend still work, that I will use all my powers and abilities to break that bond, should it form."

He nods, turns to face her and says, "I would not believe anybody else, Kagome, and you do have the power to break such a bond, so. Very well, Lady MIko Higurashi Kagome, I accept."

He takes a couple of steps toward her, then he suddenly stops and spins, looking at the forest again. `Something. No birds. They've stopped singing.'

He hisses, "Kagome. Somebody is close by."

She swallows and looks around, trying to spot anyone nearby.

A gunshot rings out . . .

Sesshomaru falls to one knee. His left leg has been shot in the calf, and his blood is flowing freely.

He looks at Kagome in shock . . .

Kagome scrambles up.

A gunshot . . .

a thud . . .

the bullet hit the ground where Kagome was sitting . . .

He yells, "Run! Bitch! Hide!"

He stands, ignoring the pain in his lower leg. He pulls out both swords, growling into the darkness.

"Run! Sesshomaru! Those are guns! You can't fight them like that!" Kagome yells as she spreads out on the ground, trying to hide from the guns.

Stepping into the clearing is a group of men. Kagome recognizes the swastika symbol that one of the is wearing.

She instantly thinks, "what if Nazi scientists get a hold of Sesshomaru or the cube? What would they do?"

The end chapter 41 . . .

Authors' note: History of this world: Since I may not go to go into detail about the history in the story (Kagome, like many Japanese aren't taught a lot about WWII), I'll do it in this author's note:

{REAL history}

{Winston Churchill was involved in a car accident in New York in the 1930's. He survived of course.} In this world, he died. Other British leaders stood up against Hitler and accomplished the similar things, but the real change was these new leaders did not develop the same special relationship that existed between Churchill and Roosevelt. Which means that while US & Britain still became allies, but it was a much more formal and slower to develop alliance.

{Roosevelt affair with Missy Lehand probably happened, but was never confirmed} in this world, during the 1940 presidential election campaign, this affair was revealed . . . Roosevelt was still elected president, but . . . a lot of his personal popularity vanished and during the critical summer/fall of 1940, he was distracted trying to overcome this problem.

So . . . between these two changes. Things like the draft (passed by 1 vote) and lend-lease . . . either happened later and wasn't as popular. Which meant, that during 1941 the British in north Africa had to steal equipment and men from the British isles and the far east in order to hold Egypt.

And . . . in japan . . .

{In early 1941 admiral Yamamoto, forced the attack on pearl harbor, by threatening to quit}

In this world, he mentioned the not-so-close US/British alliance and convinced the army that Japan could attack British/Dutch colonies in Asia and the US would not declare war to save those colonies. So . . . in early November 1941 (no need to give diplomacy a chance) . . . Japan attacks, but not at the Philippines or pearl harbor.

{Joseph Stalin died in 1953} in this world, in mid October 1941, during the height of the German attack on Moscow . . . Stalin was found dead, in bed, one morning. Probably from poison, but no one knows for sure . . . The Russian high command began to backstab each other, trying to determine who would replace him. The defense of Moscow . . . collapses.

Two different Russian governments are formed (winter 1941/42) one based in the north, one based in Stalingrad.

On Dec 8, 1941 Roosevelt, due to the Japanese attacks on British colonies and the collapse of Russia, asks congress to declare war on japan and Germany. After a huge, nasty debate . . . the US does NOT declare war. (Remember no pearl harbor and Roosevelt's personal popularity is low . . . )

During the spring of 1942 . . . things go very wrong. The British lose in Asia (in may a Japanese army lands in India and the Japanese navy raids up and down the Australian coast) remember, no US to hold japan back.

The Japanese army launches attacks into Siberia as soon as the weather allows.

German army attacks in north Africa succeed and the British (no reinforcements are possible. In the real world, they were able to ship tanks from the US and troops from Asia to stabilize. But in this world, after the failure of the US to declare war . . . those resources aren't available.) They retreat across the Nile and the Suez canal.

The German army attacks toward Stalingrad, destroying the remains of the Russian army and capturing Stalingrad in early June 1942.

In late June 1942 . . . Britain signs treaties with German and Japan. They get back Egypt and the Japanese army in India withdraws.

In August 1942 the northern Russia government signs peace treaty with Germany & japan.

In October 1942 China and japan sign treaty. (The treaty with Britain ended china overseas support . . . it had to fold, Japan was shifting forces to china for additional attacks . . . )

WWII was over . . .

I had a reviewer mention my descriptions, or rather, my lack of verbose, flowery, prose descriptions. You don't want to see them. I'm horrible at them. I write within my limitations. I try to give readers a good plot with nice, involved, dialog. Details like clouds gently passing over the characters as they talk, or the type of song birds in the background . . . I leave those up to the reader. If the reader wants greater details, you can stop, think, and use my basic descriptions as a starting point for your imaginations.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton