Favorite Author Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

~oOo~

Tint-darkened windows gleamed with the morning sunlight, reflecting the light away from the room they were protecting. But there was still enough light coming through to wake the young woman sleeping in the huge bed as she slowly swam back up through the layers of sleep.

It took a few minutes, but she finally sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and looking around the room for her missing mate. It wasn't until she noticed the time that she realized why he was missing.

She smiled ruefully at herself as she crawled out of the bed – he was so considerate towards her. He treated her as if she were the most precious thing the kami had ever created – and she had to admit, it felt good to be loved that way.

Not that she didn't return the favor, because she really did worship the ground he walked on. And while Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West and ultimate result of centuries of careful breeding expected others to worship him, he didn't expect her to. Because in his eyes, she was his equal, not someone below him. (Though he loved it when she was below him, as he told her frequently.)

She sighed happily as she turned the knobs in the shower to the correct settings, and then slipped inside the already steamy cubicle, her thoughts still on her beloved mate. It had been two years, now, since she'd read her favorite author's book on a forbidden and tragic love in the Sengoku Jidai, and realized that the aloof Western Lord was still alive, and more importantly, in love with her and pining over her, thinking her dead.

Tears still filled her eyes as she remembered reading the book the first time, the shock of reading something that told her own life story, but from his perspective, sometimes still riding the edges of her mind. She had never known he loved her in return of her own sentiments, and he had never known that she was still alive – only five hundred years in the future.

She still had the copy of that book that she'd used to catch his attention at the book signing that had changed both of their lives for the better, and read through it often. It would always be her most precious and treasured possession. 'Dead, My Love Is' would always be special to her and her mate, because it was that book that brought them together again; without it, neither would have realized that the other was out there, and desperately missing that missing half of themselves.

But the gods had been kind, though their kindness, unlike their justice, took centuries, still, they had finally allowed two time-crossed lovers to reunite, and now the centuries they had to look forward to would be spent in joy, rather than grief.

Her eyes brightened as she stepped out of the shower and dried herself off; she was so happy and excited she could barely contain it. For the last two years, she'd traveled with Sesshoumaru everywhere he went, neither willing to be apart after so long without each other, even a few days without the other being far too long to be seriously contemplated. Giving up her job had been no big loss to her, and Sesshoumaru was more than wealthy enough for them to live in the lap of luxury for the rest of their centuries without either one ever working a day again.

And that was just as true even if they chose to have a big family... which they were about to get started on. Just before they'd left on this trip to Kyoto to promote his new book, she'd gone to her doctor over her nausea and general achy feeling, only to find out that she was pregnant. She was so excited! But she hadn't yet told her mate, and surprisingly, he hadn't scented it. She supposed her body was naturally hiding the scent of the child, since he or she was too small to protect themselves yet.

She was still trying to figure out how to tell her gorgeous mate that he was going to be a father, though. She wanted to do it in a way that was memorable, not just pop out with, "Oh, and by the way, honey, I'm pregnant." No... she wanted something that both of them would remember forever; no matter how many children they would end up with, this was their first. For a couple that had almost missed each other like darkened ships passing in the night, this was a miracle, and so she needed something that expressed that.

By now dressed and ready for the day, she meandered down to the hotel's restaurant for lunch, knowing that her mate would be gone yet a while, meeting with his agent. That was why he'd not woken her when he'd left, since meetings with said agent tended to be extremely boring... at least for her. She did hope he'd be back soon – she wanted to take in the sights, including the two Kamo shrines, Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, and the Kyoto Imperial Palace, which was the Imperial family's residence until 1868 – not to mention Gion. There was actually so much to see in this prefecture and city that was Japan's capitol for so long that she could hardly wait to get started. Maybe at one of those places she could find a unique way to tell her mate he was going to be a father?

Startled when a hand touched her back lightly and then another one came around and snatched a piece of sushi from her plate, Kagome shivered as her lover's voice caressed her ear. "Hm... while the sushi was savory, you my dear, look positively delicious – which, of course, you are," Sesshoumaru said after a moment to swallow the sushi as he slipped around and took the seat opposite her. He smiled slightly at her as she grinned at him. "Hungry, my love?" he asked with amusement as she ate with gusto.

"Mhmm... starved. But not necessarily just for food, my beautiful dayoukai," she cheerfully and quite wickedly whispered back. "You, of course, are the most tasty thing of all, and I greatly enjoy nibbling on you – you make for the best 'midnight snack' - accompanied by a little white wine."

He chuckled slightly, watching her finish her lunch with enjoyment. "I trust your morning was better than the last several, what with whatever bug you'd picked up?"

She nodded, looking a bit surprised, though he didn't understand why. "Well, yes, come to think of it. I just felt great this morning when I woke up, and wasn't sick at all."

"Good, because I know that you had wanted to take in the sights, and-" he looked her over carefully, though with a bit of well-hidden lust, "-it looks like you are dressed for a day of sightseeing, so once you have finished your lunch, we can go wherever your heart desires."

Grinning again, she finished the last of her soba noodles and sat back, full and happy and content like she'd never hoped to be again after the well had denied her access to the past. "Well then, I'm ready. Where do you think we should go first?"

Glancing at his watch, he said, "Since the day is already half over, why don't we see whatever is closest. Then tomorrow, we can start early. We can spend as long as we like, since my meeting with my agent is done, and we have nothing pending."

She smiled, a secretive, sweet smile. "Actually we do, but not for a couple of months." She didn't let him ask, simply saying, "I'll tell you about it later."

He shrugged, and stood to hold out his hand for her, his fingers stroking over hers tenderly as he smiled slightly back at her. "Come then, my lady, and tell me where you wish to go."

She listed the areas of interest she had, and he nodded. "Gion it is, then. We are not far from there, and I am very familiar with that particular district." He chuckled as her look turned suspicious. Reaching out a gentle finger to tap against her nose, he shook his head at her. "No, Kagome. I was not there for that. I lived there for a while in the seventeenth century – it passed the time to watch the politics that went on there."

Eyes going distant and sad for a moment, she said, "As much as I hate to think of you with another, I hate to think of you alone, more. Most of me wishes you were there with someone... someone to love."

He stilled, pulling her around to meet his gaze, ignoring the foot traffic rushing past them as though it did not exist. "I lived alone. I cannot tell you that I did not know other women, but there were no relationships. It was always for a night, nothing more, and it wasn't even most nights. Those nights were few and far between... and they all resembled you as much as possible, because that was the only way I could function – by pretending they were you." Something in his eyes tightened, and she could see how much those years without her, years when he thought her dead and lived with no hope, had affected him. "Those nights were always when I could not go on any longer; when my grief had overborne me... and every time, when morning came, I would hate myself a little bit more."

Kagome dropped her head, tears pricking at her eyes at the pain in his. That he could have hated himself hurt something inside her so much. She shook off those melancholy thoughts deliberately, determined to heal that pain, even if it took a thousand years. "Those years are long gone, and those nights won't have to happen again, Sesshoumaru, unless you want them to. If you were to tire of me and send me away. But as long as you want me by your side, then I will never leave you. So let's put that in the past and just enjoy our free time, okay? Show me your favorite places in Gion?"

"Never think that anything like that will happen. Remember, you are my mate. I could not have another, even if I wanted to, which will never happen. Now," he said as he turned and once more began heading in their previous direction, "we can take a cab, or we can walk – it is a mile or so from here, the beginnings of the Gion district. Your choice, my love."

"Let's walk. It's a beautiful day, and it's not like I'm not used to walking," she said wryly, rolling her eyes with amusement as she thought back to her days tramping all over feudal Japan.

He chuckled. "True. But that was some time ago, after all."

They bantered back and forth, walking slowly and enjoying the time together with no appointments to worry about. It was funny – with all of their traveling in the past, they had never come anywhere near Gion, or Kyoto, and no shards had come this way, either. She wondered why... though it was a great distance from Edo, and where the jewel had been shattered. Perhaps that was it.

Soon enough they began to see ochaya* and hear the mistress calling out to patrons. Sesshoumaru, noting her fascination with an enigmatic smile, ushered her into one and sat down, ordering tea for them both as Kagome listened to a geisha telling jokes and interacting with the audience. She shuddered at the elaborate costume the woman was wearing... it had to be horribly hot and uncomfortable.

She leaned close to her love, though her eyes stayed glued to the geisha. "She's beautiful, but I don't think I could stand it... spending all day in that costume, and with all that makeup on," she whispered.

He chuckled at her, nodding in thanks as the tea was set down before them. "I do not suppose so, my hana... you were never a very conventional female. You would have dreadfully shocked my father's council... though I think I would have enjoyed seeing such a spectacle as you would undoubtedly have caused."

A blush crossed her cheeks at his amusement, knowing he was right. "Well, I bet Inuyasha would have caused worse, you know?"

Taking an approving sip of his tea, he considered that, his face twisting as he tried to keep from laughing outright at the picture in his mind. It would, indeed, have been very amusing. "Yes... though I daresay I would have been terribly tempted to kill him – afterward, of course."

She glanced at him, a wry expression in her eyes and a smile tickling her lips. "Hmmm," was all she said, turning her attention back to the geisha on stage as she also sipped her tea.

A half hour later found them wandering along the narrow streets as evening began to creep forward on stealthy feet, and with a secretive smile, he ushered her to a theatre – one that had been one of his favorites when he'd lived here. That it was still in existence was a miracle, but it was, and he didn't even particularly care what was being performed, either. Anything that was played in this venue would be worth watching.

He was amused to see that today's selection of Noh performances was of the oni mono* category – he wondered what the audience and the actors would think were they to know that a youkai was actually watching the show? Catching Kagome's sideways glance, her blue eyes openly mischievous, he knew immediately she was thinking the same thing.

They watched two plays, interspersed with a kiyogen comedy, and then he pulled her up and they took their leave. It was definitely time to get something to eat, but she smiled up at him and thanked him for the treat – she'd never seen Noh done so well.

He led her into a quieter part of Gion, a line of willows shading a small canal and many ochaya facing out towards the canal and the beautiful, graceful willow trees. He stopped at an unprepossessing door and knocked. Kagome didn't see anyone, but the door slid open and Sesshoumaru escorted her inside with a small smile at the wondering look on her face when she saw the inside of the building.

It was beautiful. Completely traditional, it was as though they were back in the sengoku Jidai, and both were lead quietly to a small room and handed yukata and slippers, before being led to a low table in a small, intimate room with fluffy cushions and small lanterns for light. Charmed, Kagome smiled, looking around with eyes far away and in another time. It looked much like the inns of the feudal era had – of which she'd stayed in many, many times, thanks to Miroku's chicanery.

Sesshoumaru just watched her take everything in with a rather wistful smile. If only he could have told her his feelings when places like this were everywhere and the Western Lands were still openly his. It would have saved him hundreds of years of feeling hollow and empty.

But there was no point in going over it yet again. It was time to take in the fact that she really was here and wasn't going anywhere without him ever again. A quiet shuffling alerted him to the presence of the hostess, and he inclined his head and then began ordering. He didn't bother to ask Kagome what she wanted – he'd brought her here for a reason, and he was almost certain she'd love what she was about to be favored with.

Once the hostess had disappeared from the room, he turned his attention to his little mate, who for some reason was absolutely glowing. He was glad to see it; he'd been concerned for the last several days as she'd seemed sick. But she certainly wasn't feeling any such thing now, it was obvious that she felt great, and he wanted to keep her that way.

He watched her indulgently as the hostess and her assistants brought in the tea and poured it, a small plate of savory dumplings set between them, to Kagome's delight. She was definitely hungry again, in fact, she was ravenous, and she suspected it was because of the baby she now carried.

Grabbing a dumpling with her chopsticks, she bit into it, and her eyes fell closed as she sighed in pleasure. "Oh, my gods, these are absolutely delicious!" she squeaked after she'd swallowed. "Even my mother's aren't as good as this, though if you ever tell her I said that, I'll... well, I don't know what I'll do, but it won't be nice," she chuckled as he picked up his own dumpling and savored it.

"Hn," he said, not deigning to answer her threat with anything more. Besides, he was busy taking another dumpling – before his lovely mate could eat them all herself.

That first taste of the food to be found in this quiet establishment was defintely in keeping with the rest of the experience, and by the time the two were finished with their meal and had left the place to head back out into the cooler evening air, Kagome was so full she didn't think she'd be needing to eat for several days. But it had been an experience definitely worth having, and she would be coming back here again – even if she had to drag her mate by his pretty silver hair.

Except, with the gusto he had also eaten with, she didn't think he would be complaining about the fact that she wanted to go back.

They strolled along the waterfront street to the end of it, and then turned down an even quieter street, one filled with quiet buildings with few lights. Sesshoumaru led her to the end of the street and up to a silent, darkened building without explanation, and she frowned, curious.

"What is this place?" she asked as he seemed to be fiddling around in his pockets.

After a moment, he pulled something from within it, and she was surprised to see that he was holding a key that he used to open the door they were standing in front of. "This was where I lived during those years that we spoke of," he said after a moment, looking back at her with clouded eyes. "I thought you might wish to see this place."

Her expression turned solemn as she nodded. "Sure. You still own it, huh?"

"Yes. I came here often when I needed to be alone – and this is where I wrote the book that finally brought us together." He motioned her in, and low lights came on as the two stepped inside and he closed the door behind them.

Kagome looked around in curiosity. To her left, there was a doorway into a room that was obviously meant for receiving guests; the fact that he was such a loner was testified to by the sheets over the furnishings, and the air of sadness that seemed to permeate the air. She shivered. In front of her was a steep set of stairs next to a hall that led back into the dark portions of the abode. She took to the stairs as she had the feeling that he had done most of his living in this place in the upper portions of the building.

She was right. At the top of the stairs there was another hallway that wrapped around to the left, with several doors lining it, all closed. Sesshoumaru, who had followed her quietly up the stairs, moved past her and led her to the door at the front of the hall.

Opening it and stepping inside, Kagome sneezed at the dust that was gathered on the furnishings in the room. Unlike the downstairs, the furniture up here wasn't covered in sheets.

She was immediately drawn to the window that ran the length of the room and looked down on the street and an open square on the opposite corner.

"From here, I could watch much of what went on in Gion – many things took place in that square."

Kagome nodded, and then turned to look over the rest of the room. It was a bedroom, nicely though not expensively furnished, and very, very dusty. "Why isn't this room covered in sheets like downstairs?" she asked.

It was silent for a moment, then he said, "I was last here the day before we met again. I simply forgot to attend to that detail, since I was so busy with... much more important things."

She flushed and smiled at him. "Oh. Why haven't you ever brought me here before?"

It was silent for a moment, and she had the feeling he almost didn't want to answer her. But he did.

"Because this place reminded me of a time I would rather forget. A time where the only females that darkened these doors were ones I used to drown my grief. I... did not want to hurt you by bringing such things to your attention." He looked out the window, almost afraid to meet her eyes. "But the bad memories here... they need to be cast out. I... hope you are not angry with me for bringing you here."

A pang went through Kagome as she realized what he was speaking of, and she looked at the large bed against the far wall with a jealous pang as she thought of the things he had done in that bed with other women. She looked away from it and back to him.

"I don't know what to say. I... don't really want to imagine what you did with other women in that bed."

He glanced at her, his eyes pensive. "The bed is new, and has never seen another female. But the room... I suppose I brought you here to chase the last ghosts of other women from this room and replace those memories with you here in this room. This was the only place left that I had no memories of you in, and I wanted to change that."

That relieved her a little; that the bed was untainted. But she could almost feel the ghosts of those other women he had mentioned, and she remembered what he'd told her of them – that they all resembled her in some way or other, because that was the only way he could perform. And suddenly she knew just what to do to cleanse this room of the ghosts he was talking about – the memories of those women, and the years of their separation, from his mind, and hers.

Letting her purse drop onto one of the dressers, she kicked off her shoes and went and sat on the bed. He turned to look at her in surprise, totally caught off-guard.

She patted the comforter, ignoring the little bit of dust that puffed up from it – she wasn't about to let that deter her from her chosen course of action. "Come here, Sesshoumaru," she said, a slight smile on her face.

He stared at her for a moment, his hands in his pockets as the lights from outside limned his profile, and then he did as she asked and moved over to the bed, sitting down across from her.

"Take off your shoes, my love," she said softly, and lay back.

His brow furrowed. "In this dust?" he asked, almost offended.

She chuckled. "Well, then, do your little trick. Point is, I know what we need to do to exorcise this place of its lingering bad memories, and I'm not about to let a little dust stop me."

He shook his head a little at her way of phrasing things, but did as she asked. He flared his youki strongly throughout the room after having her open the window and telling her to close her eyes and hold her nose, and all the dust poofed out of the furniture and from the floor and was pushed outside. Once it was all out, Kagome came back over to the bed, leaving the window open for fresh air.

Not in any way interested in playing coy, she held his surprised gaze as she stripped down, enjoying the way his eyes wandered over her form and glazed over, and then laid back on the bed and held her arms out to him. "Take off your clothes and come to me, Sesshoumaru," she whispered seductively, and, pretty much spellbound by the woman he'd loved for so many centuries, he did as she asked, soon joining her on the bed.

Kagome seduced him into taking her to their private heaven many times that night, and as the hours passed, her cries and his groans pushed out the lingering ghosts of those other women and their sounds, so that by the time morning came, there was nothing haunting that room but memories of her and them, together anymore.

It was very late by the time the two fell asleep, content and satiated and one of them with much happier memories to chase away the gloom of this place from his mind.

As morning light washed across Kagome's eyes and woke her, she opened them to be immediately captured in pensive golden ones. "Good morning, Sesshoumaru... I love you," she said, smiling at him happily.

He swept her bangs back with a gentle hand. "How is it that you always know what to do to make me happy? To heal old wounds such as those that this place housed in my mind?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I just know you." She ran a finger down his cheek. "But there is still a slight shadow in your eyes... and I have just the thing to chase that last, lingering bit of the past away."

He cocked a brow. "Oh? What might that be?"

Her smile brightened until it lit up every corner of that room, allowing no last ghosts to hide anywhere within it, and said, "I'm pregnant, love. You are going to be a father." She kissed his shoulder. "And I think you'll be a great one, too."

Sesshoumaru stared at her, eyes wide as he took in what she'd just told him. And as it filtered through, the last little bits of darkness were chased away from his gaze as it lit from within with more more strength than the sun. And she knew that she had healed him of the last bit of pain that he'd carried from so many years alone and grieving, and cleansed the bad memories of this place completely, as well, leaving behind only a memory of the best morning of his long, long life, instead.

And as he leaned over her to take her lips with his, he fervently thanked the kami for their gift of this woman who changed him and healed him and made him a being worth loving, rather than a bitter, lonely killer with misery and hatred in his heart and eyes.

Jiendo

~oOo~

A/N: This was written at the request of a very good friend. You know who you are... Happy Birthday, woman!

Amber

*ochaya=teahouses

*Noh oni mono (鬼物, demon plays) usually feature the shite in the role of monsters, goblins, or demons, and are often selected for their bright colors and fast-paced, tense finale movements.

All information taken from Japan Guide dot com