Inuyasha, during a moment of self-contemplation had figured out that there was something wrong with him. That he had missed a crucial development step during the years where his main objective in life was to survive until the next day. He had never fully learnt to fuse his brain and his heart and use them together to control his mouth. The "foot-in-mouth disease", or whatever Kagome had said that humans in her era called it, had given him a lot of grief during his travels with her.

"I don't need some wimpy human to drag around." Is what he had said when he when the Old hag had said they needed to work together. What he meant was, "It hurts to look at her."

"See if I care it you get your ass killed!" Is what he had barked. When what he had meant was, "Don't do anything stupid please."

His mouth had shouted, "I don't need anyone to protect me!" But his heart had whispered, "I'm lonely and I'm tired."

Embarrassed he had screeched, "She's just a jewel detector! Nothing more!" and his heart had told him, "No she's not…"

His heart and head had always been at odds when he used battle with his feelings for Kagome, and the infuriating part was that his brain had been the primary champion of his mouth.

When he had said, "You're useless!" His heart had wanted to wrap her in his arms and say, "You are priceless."

Seeing her with Koga had felt like screws drilling into his skull.

"He is my friend Inuyasha nothing more." Kagome had always tried to be calm with him. Her patience constantly being challenged by his moods.

"Sure he is, go off and be with your dirty wolf boy. I don't care!" His tone had been scathing and cruel. Meanwhile his heart was shouting louder than Kagome's protests. It had screamed "I love you! I'm confused by all of these problems we have to face but I love you! I want you to be with me! Can't you see that it hurts me when you let him touch you?!"

"Just tell me what happened between you and Kikyou!" Her bad mood had taken him aback.

"I told you stupid woman! All we did was talk!" He hadn't figured out how to deal with her jealousy back then. His Brain had been all about fighting, and his heart had broke for her. What he had really wanted to say was, "How can you be so foolish? Can't you see that my heart is already starting to move on? Why do you keep hurting yourself with these thoughts when I'm just trying to do right by Kikyo? I love you damnit!"

It would have been so simple if he had just told her how he felt back then. But sadly, Inuyasha couldn't change the past.

"Papa, what are you thinking?" Shaking his head he looked down. His little girl managed to climb her way up the tree and sit in his lap, a task they both knew would stop her momma's heart if she would have seen.

He took a deep inhale from the top of her head. Her little black ears wiggling from the sound.

"That I am glad, Mokiko. Glad that I know more now than I did when I was younger." He said softly, wrapping his arm around the child. She snuggled in tighter against his chest.

"Papa, what do you know now that you didn't?" Her fingers twisted strands of his hair making knots. The heavy fringe of her bangs fluttered across her forehead.

Placing a firm kiss to the side of her face he said, "It is important to say what you mean because second chances are rare gifts."

She gave his words a few moments to sit in the air between them, "And what do you mean Papa?"

"Inuyasha! Mokiko! Come down it's time for dinner!" Kagome's sing song voice floated up to them from below. Inuyasha scooped his daughter to his side and jumped down.

"I'll show you." He whispered in her fuzzy ears. Walking over to his wife, pup still in his arms he pulled Kagome in for a kiss.

Kagome gave him one of her radiant smiles, "Hi you two. What were you talking about?"

Mokiko gave her a giggling reply, "What Papa means!"

The miko gave her child a puzzled look and stared at her husband.

"Oh? And what does he mean?" She had directed her question to the pup but stared at Inuyasha's very serious face.

He locked eyes with Kagome, his tone very tender, "That I love you. You are precious and brave and strong." His free hand moved to the side of her face, "That my life has been forever changed by the grace of you and I would never change a single moment of my existence, not one second, if it meant I couldn't be with you."

Kagome's eyes filled with joyful tears, Mikoki still held against her father's side nodded vigorously in approval.

"That's important. Isn't it momma?" her tiny bell like voice chimed

Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand, pulling them closer to their home. Smiles plastered to the family's faces.

She nodded at her child, "Yes. Yes it is."