Chapter 4-The Photographs part 2

No, I do not own Inuyasha and company!

Recap: Sesshomaru has discovered Kouga is loose and in the area, but is forced to stay and guard the well. Kagome and Inuyasha have broken the news-and not everything is rosy. What happens now? Read on!

While Inuyasha dealt with his new mother in law...Kagome was having her own troubles.

Like shopping with slow moving Souta and Grandpa instead of with Mom. She had an extensive list of things to get, and little time. Moving efficiently along the grocery store shelves, she selected another carton of noodles. Variety packs, always a good thing. Her basket was almost full, and Grandpa's...and Souta's...and she veered to the shampoos. Selecting several, she set them in her basket.

"Kagome? Higurashi Kagome??" a voice behind her made her turn. Eri. Who was gaping at her, a basket over her own arm as she picked up some things to take back to the dorm.

"Eri? Watanabe Eri? It's been awhile! Yes, it's me..." They hugged, and Eri beamed at her.

"I can't believe it! You look great!" Eri exclaimed. She did, actually, like she'd been working out regularly, lean and toned and casually dressed. Her hair was up in a loose bun, with a lovely moon necklace and a set of prayer beads around her neck. A little showy, maybe, but pretty. And a-

"Wow. Is that comb real? The necklace?" Kagome touched the delicate silver hair comb she'd pinned her hair up with, a benefit of being lead female, after all-was getting to wear the jewelry that came with it. Part of the small hoard that had been simply given to her to wear as the only woman in the premier pack. Suddenly, she was very glad she'd done so. Kagome nodded.

"They're from my husband's family," she admitted, and Eri's jaw dropped.

"You got married? To who? Not," her face fell, "that no good boyfriend?"

"Yes, actually. To Inuyasha. Last month."

"Oh, Kagome..." her eyes flicked to her left hand, "not even a ring? Is he in jail? You can say, you know-I always hoped you'd-" Eri began, and had the oddest moment when Kagome's eyes turned cold and went right to the big vein in her neck. If she was hanyou at that moment she'd have growled. The short haired girl actually backed up a step at the threat in those eyes.

"Hey, sis! Did you need both kinds of-hey." Souta, coming to, well, Eri's rescue.

"Hi Souta," Eri managed, adding, "I guess you won't care about Hojou and Ayumi, then. They're dating. We're all in college," she commented, watching for a reaction.

"I'm glad to hear it," Kagome said simply.

"Kagome works with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's big brother. They're rich, you know. Inuyasha's in the family business now too," Souta said flatly, defending the outraged Kagome. Who at the moment was suppressing an urge to throttle the...to her shock, the words 'impudent mortal peasant' came to mind. But then, she wasn't exactly Higurashi Kagome anymore.

"Rich? Doing what?" Yakuza was her suspicion, Kagome deserved better. Probably a pack of violent criminals. In her defense, Kagome had led her friends in this era badly astray on certain topics, and she had gotten the 'pack' part right. They were rather violent on occasion as well.

"Property management. Up north," Souta said easily, and his sister slowly nodded. Well...they did manage property, actually. Quite a swath of it. Among other things.

"So, he was just rebelling? Rich boy who got to play bad?"

"You could say that. I don't wear a ring because-it's not their custom. They're very traditional, and very wealthy," Kagome agreed, anger sliding to amusement. Traditional? Also true...this was actually becoming fun. They were wealthy, after all. Privileged. She lived in a castle now, for Kami's sake. She lived a life poor Eri would never imagine. Silly little mortal.

But she glanced at her watch.

"Come on, Souta. We've got some more stops to make and I don't want to make Grandpa wait too long."

"Well-we should get together!" Eri called after her, and Kagome paused.

"Sure. Maybe next month when we're in town. We're really busy. Bye! Nice seeing you." She waved, and they made their purchases quickly and left.

Eri, for her part, had stared after her-and pulled out her cell phone. Ayumi and Yuka would love to hear this, they hadn't even been invited to the wedding! Ingrate. Probably was already regretting it. And putting her nose in the air when she married that abusive boyfriend! Rich property managers? Yeah, right.

But Kagome's relatives wondered when she sent them ahead as she ducked into a series of small shops. It took quite awhile...they got her the medical supplies and toiletries she had listed as they waited. Souta saw one of them-and blushed when he realized his sister had gone into a lingerie shop. Grandpa simply snorted softly. Newlyweds were newlyweds. Besides, as he'd said, he knew about the mating customs they'd followed.

Should the hanyou make her happy, he could accept it, he supposed.

"So, she came for you and this-Ayami died in the last battle with her?" Inuyasha nodded miserably. He'd told her most of it. Even the beads, with a promise he'd never use them unless it was to protect her. He looked closely at Mrs. Higurashi and she seemed rather-calm. Too calm.

"And Sesshomaru...ordered the beads put on her and you two to marry again when she was healed up. Ordered it. After you...lost her then didn't take her back," Mrs. Higurashi stated.

Another nod.

"Because of these...pack challenges. Duels with-with people who tried to kill my daughter."

"Yes. But-I want to be with her. She wants to be with me. I won't leave her," the hanyou worried at the expression on her face.

"I see," she said, taking a deep breath. "I always knew it was dangerous. Sesshomaru, though-why didn't he protect her as you did? All Kagome says is how kind he is, how generous...he's even sent money to us with her...we opened a checking account for her with it after we sold the coins," she asked. Her eyes were intent as they bored into him. Kagome hid things, and she'd known it, but Inuyasha was an open book in front of her. Also, he had never, ever lied to her. She had to know. Why had the generous, well, man who had sent gold coins to them and that Kagome seemed so fond of not helped her?

"He couldn't. Custom is that only she could fight them, or...her mate. He's a bastard, but there are rules," a glance up and he flushed, "sorry." About his language of course.

"Ah," she sighed, looked sadly at her hands, and back up into his eyes. "Well. Thank you for being honest with me, Inuyasha."

'As Kagome was not...my poor girl...' Mrs. Higurashi thought sadly. She thought she'd made her peace with the fact that her eldest had a different life now, but she really hadn't considered how different. Kagome was a feudal Lady now, but apparently nothing like the well sheltered Princesses in the history books...more-like the old female Samurai.

"There's more, eh-" but a hand shot up to stop him. He hadn't gone into detail about how she'd rescued them.

"Not right now, thank you. I think I'd like to know about the letter, please," there was a catch in her voice as she spoke. Inuyasha glanced back down at the letter, and the photos.

Sweet kami, only the little imp wrote like this...insulting and sucking up all at once.

'Lady Higurashi, lowly mortal mother of the Lady Kagome, daughter of the Inutaisho, unworthy packsecond to the great and terrible Lord Sesshomaru. I, Jaken, chief of my Lord's many followers, bid you greetings. It begins to grow warmer here, soon the crops will begin to ripen as I assist my Lord in the many, many vital duties that only I, Jaken, am trusted to properly attend to. I trust the weather is pleasant for you in your strange, distant homeland of Tokyo as you toil as mere mortals must.

I grant you the tremendous honor of receiving a personal missive from my own hand to make known to you what your most fortunate child has achieved. Remarkable, rising from a mere unworthy miko opponent of my Lord-to the high and noble dignity of packsister. It is My Lord Sesshomaru's will that her deeds be known to all, and since she is undoubtedly too modest (a testament to your proper raising of her) to tell you of it herself, I shall undertake the task! Be grateful, and hear of the mighty deeds that she had done, see the proof of them in the strange images I, at great personal labor, collected for you to marvel at.

Look upon the images freed from the box-and I shall tell you of the great battles captured within! When you have seen them, you will undoubtedly drop to your knees to show the utmost honor my Eternal Liege, the terrible Lord Sesshomaru, who has trained her so magnificently. Only he could have done so...' And it went on from there. Inuyasha had to wonder if it ever got uncomfortable for the imp, lodged so deeply up his half-brother's ass.

"These-are what were on the camera. Some of them I can tell Kagome took...but the rest...some didn't come out, but these did." Mrs. Higurashi said grimly. Inuyasha flipped slowly through the pages. Blood. So damned much blood...and a recitation of what each image commemorated. Some were missing, he realized, but there were enough of them to know the Imp wasn't lying. If anything-he'd understated things.

Inuyasha had once almost wished he had seen her fight the Dokueki and the Clanmembers who had challenged. He now regretted that he ever thought that. Each small, colorful square made him shudder. So simple in a book...the angles were odd in places, some poorly lit, but-it was horrible. Terrible. Knowing she had faced these things alone was one thing. Seeing them another.

'Here she slays an unworthy and traitorous fool who thought his full Inu form could save him from her wrath. He paid for his ignorant protest of my Lord's wisdom...' Kagome slashing, flames flickering in a wavering glow from her fingers as they struck a brown, shaggy Inu with blood flowing down his side...

'In another, the third image I captured, she and the mortal tajiya have attended to a Dokueki that dared infringe on my Liege's lands! They made the creature pay most dearly as they served as my Lord's vengeance!' The Hirakotsu blocking one head, Kagome, her face contorted as she fired a glowing hi-ya...battered and wounded...

'The next one shows a most fierce contest, Lady Kagome emerged victorious from it, fighting with a valor most impressive in a mere hanyou...' Kagome again, in what seemed to be a courtyard...the youkai she fought had driven his Katana into her belly...her arm was fully extended in front of her as she finished him with her claws, the Hamayami in her free hand as the other was plunged straight into the Inu's chest. Both the blade sticking from her back and her bloody hand were visible...as was the grim, bitter expression on her face...

No mortal mother should ever see such things. Not see her daughter fight this way...he would have never wished his own lost parent to see many of the things he'd done to survive. Yet Jaken had sent them. Because a youkai parent would take pride in such bravery and strength...and Inuyasha felt sick.

But some weren't so bad. Her and Sesshomaru, sitting in judgment in the Keep's Hall. One of Kagome and Rin 'following and keeping to the odd customs of your winter festivities', building a snowman. He knew of it from her doing that with Shippo...until he'd mistaken it for a youkai and killed it. Kagome battling-Sesshomaru? She was...he turned the album to figure out what exactly she was doing...a somersault to avoid his whip. Huh. He'd never thought of that trick...

"Why is she fighting your brother there? Jaken didn't say," she asked. The question brought him out of his dismay.

"Oh. They're practicing. He'd never hurt her, but it's the only way to learn. It was-kinda protecting her, he taught her how to fight," Inuyasha answered.

"Hm. I-saw she must heal like you do. And...her...flameclaw is very...impressive," Mrs. Higurashi said softly. Kagome had said she had a claw power, talked of her weapon to Souta...but she'd never shown it to them like this. She was human when she came back to see them, after all.

"It is," a pause. "She's got a whip now, too."

"I see. That glowing arrow...that would be her hi-ya, correct?" He nodded.

"He really didn't mean to upset you, you know. A youkai'd be proud of these," Inuyasha commented gruffly, and she looked pale as her lips thinned.

"I'm not a youkai...and she shouldn't be."

"That's what she is, though. Because I failed. I promised you I'd protect her."

"From what she told me, she'd have died if you hadn't used the Jewel," she hesitated, and sighed again. "I...could very easily hate you for what you did to her by leaving, Inuyasha. I won't lie, I do hold you responsible for some of this-if you had been there it wouldn't have happened as it did, apparently." A finger pointed at the book, and he nodded.

"I can't blame you."

"You ought to." At that, he did look up.

"In a way, it would make things easier on me, because it would give me an excuse to use for my little girl's actions. You're still a young man, Inuyasha. I can't say I understand all of it-but I do know how difficult things have been between you and Sesshomaru. Coming on top of her changing...and being adopted, I can understand running away. Not as a solution, but I can see why it would happen. Kagome decided to live by youkai ways, not you. By those ways...she's done well I suppose. Seeing it like this, though-" she trailed off, pain in her voice. She stared into a middle distance as she spoke again.

"I'm the one ultimately responsible for not stopping you from taking her back years ago as I should have. When the jewel first broke, I ought to have stopped her then, but I let Kagome keep going through the well and keep living by the rules of that era. Because it was our duty to restore the Jewel, as a family. She had a task to do. I'd buy her new uniforms and wash the old ones and not think about the bloodstains and mud," Mrs. Higurashi sighed.

"I..." he had nothing to offer her, and stopped.

"Although you did mend them for me," she said with a wry chuckle, hollow sounding...

"Eh-what??" Inuyasha blushed as he gaped at her.

Her reaction was amused, truly amused.

"My sewing magazines and pattern books in the Sacred Tree. I saw you leafing through them when you'd wait for her to get out of school," she answered archly. It had been adorable, seeing his brow furrow as he studied them. Besides, she hadn't missed the fact that several spools of thread-all matching the clothes Kagome's friends had worn in the pictures-had gone missing. Kagome would have simply asked for them or bought some. But she had rightly assumed he'd be embarrassed if she mentioned anything then.

"Eh, w-why would I want to do that?" he asked, and was bright red. Looking much like her daughter, Kagome's mother rolled her eyes as she closed the album and nodded to the magazine rack.

"The last two issues of 'Sewing World' are in there. You can take them back if you like, there's a new guy doing the 'ask the experts' column. He's really good."

"Keh. They needed someone new. That woman was a baka," he nodded.

For a moment, they just sat, understanding one another very well. They both blamed themselves...for things beyond their control. For things that couldn't be changed, even as they both knew it had in the end been Kagome's choice to act as she had. That was something to rebuild their shattered relationship on, at least. He had abandoned Kagome to a harsh fate, and yes, it was resented. But in time, perhaps they could move past it. By unspoken agreement, this would not be discussed with Souta or Grandpa. Let someone stay innocent at least.

When the rest of the family got back, loaded down with bags...both Mrs. Higurashi and Inuyasha were subdued. Kagome tried to ask, but was rebuffed. Not long after, they made their farewells, Inuyasha promising to have her back and accompany her next month. Her mother smiled and nodded.

"Look after her."

"I will." He had tucked two thin rolls of paper into his sleeve when no one was looking, and she actually smiled after a glance at the magazine rack. With him again by her side-it would be alright. She had to trust that instinctive assessment.

"Take care, sis. And don't worry about that Eri."

"Like I care. I'll be fine, Souta," Kagome said, and rolled her eyes. They'd unloaded the car at the wellhouse, and it was time. Although she didn't let her mate look in three of them. All pink, from different shops. One was for Sango, another for herself-and the third, the biggest one-was her planned surprise for him. She wanted to give it to him when they were alone, though. Together, the young couple walked to the wellhouse and shut it behind them.

Like old times, really. It took a bit of wriggling, but they got all of it into the well. Before they jumped in, Kagome giggled.

"What?" Inuyasha asked.

"If I told you-you'd think I was as bad as Miroku," she admitted.

"Miroku? Why's that?" he asked. His black hair was absently pushed out of the way as he took her hand to help her into the well. At his puzzled look, Kagome explained.

"Next month...maybe we could...spend some time alone together as mortals," she suggested, and he looked startled.

"Like this?" he asked carefully. She nodded, and Inuyasha frowned. The idea had it's appeal, really, having her as a mortal. As he'd fantasized all those times...hm. Not a bad idea at all, come to think of it. Unfortunately, they were expected back home, and Sesshomaru would be right there.

"Maybe. I don't see how we'd manage it, though. Your room here got changed around," he commented doubtfully.

"Oh, we'll think of something," Kagome commented easily, and he grinned as they jumped with the bags.

To see Sesshomaru frowning down at them, plainly worried-and furious.

"You will explain," he snapped. With a grin, Inuyasha did. It took awhile-but seeing the facial contortions amused the hell out of him. What surprised the hanyou most was that Sesshomaru...had been worried about him. He set that aside for now to chew on later.

Because he told them what he'd found. Kouga. Loose-and had been nearby. They transformed safely for another month, and told Sango, Miroku, and Kaede. It put a damper on the early breakfast of ninja food they all enjoyed together.

Sesshomaru went to look again, telling Inuyasha to remain and guard their packsister. He nodded, understanding. Kouga would go after her as a target. Kagome looked annoyed at the coddling, stubborn, overprotective Inutaisho males struck again. It was ten times worse when they agreed on things. She'd seen mountains more flexible and open to reason.

Kouga scowled as he sat in a tree far from the village as the sun rose. He'd smelled them coming yesterday-and Sesshomaru had been checking around several times during the night, forcing him to move deep into the woods to avoid him. He'd find the trails, no one could hide such long term visits. Even so, the wolf wasn't ready to take them yet. He wasn't strong enough, still healing. So...he'd withdrawn for now. He could wait a little longer.

'I'm sorry, Kagome. Ginta, Hakkaku...I can't avoid this,' he thought, and he truly was...as the Gorashi flicked to life to glitter for a moment and was retracted into the wristguard. Jumping down, he hunted up something to eat.

Author's notes- Painful times for Kagome's mom. And yes-women could be Samurai as well. Not as common, but it happened. Yakuza, of course, is basically the Japanese version of the mafia. Wearing wedding rings is a modern custom in Japan, they didn't do so in the Feudal era. And yes-Sesshomaru has sent money with Kagome that was sold to coin shops. Thanks for Reading as always!-Namiyo