Rikuse fell on the ground, his forehead throbbing.

Why did he always run into trees?

"Rikuse-sama!" Rin exclaimed, the laughter in her voice apparent as she knelt down beside him, "Are you alright?"

The boy mumbled a yes, getting a giggle from his mother figure.

This must be a curse, he thought to himself, a running-into-trees curse…

He stood up then, pretending that nothing had happened, and began to follow after the white haired daiyokai in front of him. Rikuse held Sesshomaru in high respect, but in being five years old, even though he acted a lot older than that, there was the inevitable urge to ask a billion and one questions. So, in feeling that "urge," he quickened his pace so he came up to walk at Sesshomaru's side.

"Sesshomaru-sama?" he asked his lord, and in knowing the silence from the daiyokai was acknowledgement, he continued, "Did you know my mother?"

For a moment, Sesshomaru did nothing, just looked at the road in front of him. A little information couldn't hurt, right?

"No."

"Oh…" Rikuse looked slightly disappointed at this, "…Do you think she was pretty?"

"Perhaps."

Rikuse paused a moment before asking his next question, "What about my father, did you know him, Sesshomaru-sama?"

Sesshomaru's hand twitched beneath his shirt, "Yes."

The little boy's face lit up, "Really!? What was he like, Sesshomaru-sama?!"

"Your father was a filthy hanyo," Sesshomaru began, caring not of how harsh his words were, "And did not know his place in life. He was arrogant and annoying – a disgrace to his own demonic blood."

"What…?" Rikuse asked shocked. How could his father really be like that?

Sesshomaru said nothing, awaiting the next question he knew he would be asked. His words may have been harsh, but it was the truth that he saw.

"Sesshomaru-sama… is my father still alive?"

"This Sesshomaru does not know."

"Boy! Stop pestering Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken scolded, but Rikuse just looked back at him blandly, not really caring about the toad demon, "He cares not of what his half brother does now! Do not bother Ses—"

A rock hit the toad demon directly in the back of the head, causing him to fall flat on his face. Rin stood behind him, looking angry.

"Don't talk about him, stupid!" she scolded.

Half brother? Rikuse wondered, falling back behind his lord.

"…Sesshomaru-sama? Does that mea–"

"Enough, Rikuse." The demonic lord interrupted, not allowing the boy to further question about his half brother, "Lingering in the past is a dangerous thing, it causes emotions to surface, weakening you. So stay not in your past, and do what you must to move forward in your life."

Rikuse paused, thinking of his lord's words.

"Alright…"

Koyasha smiled widely, beginning to get up from where she had been sitting. But instead InuYasha knelt down beside her, gazing blankly at the tree he had once been pinned to, still holding Kagome close.

"Daddy, weren't you stuck to that tree once?" Koyasha asked with a smile that would brighten up anyone's day.

InuYasha smiled lightly and closed his eyes, seeing the whole scene replay in his minds eye. It was still all so crisp in his memory, as if it was not in the past. The sound of his running, the frantic thoughts of his mind searching for Kikyo as the forest had flashed by him. He could remember the pulse of the jewel in his palm, the scent of Kikyo's blood that had nearly stopped him in his tracks. The sound of her voice, the sight of her injured body was still so clear… Then there had been the sound of a bow's string snapping back, the arrow cutting through the air…

Then there had been Kagome.

"…Yes, Koyasha." He answered softly, "Someone shot me to that tree."

And he didn't even care when Koyasha laughed at him.

"But what the hell are you doing out here anyway?" he asked shortly after her laughter had died down.

Koyasha's face suddenly fell, "…Nothing."

InuYasha stared at her, waiting for a better answer. When he realized he wasn't going to hear anything else, he gave up.

"Keh. Stubborn brat."

Kagome glared at him, but went ignored. And Koyasha glared as well, the look almost deadly enough to scare a baby rabbit. It took all the will power he had for InuYasha not to laugh at his daughter.

"That's what mommy says about you." She told him loudly.

InuYasha almost started the insults, but stopped when he felt Kagome's hand brush against his necklace. So, instead, he growled. Koyasha growled back, but only for a while. She just couldn't hold the growl for nearly as long as her dad.

"Mommy should tell you to sit." She retaliated, not going to admit defeat. But the last thing she had expected her dad to do was plunge face first into the ground, the sound echoing off the buildings.

"What the…?" Kagome said aloud, standing by her daughter now due to quick reflexes gained from jumping away from InuYasha when she had sat him long ago.

"WHAT. THE. HELL!?" InuYasha yelled upon wrenching his face from the dirt.

Koyasha started to move behind her mother's leg to hide, "…Um… Sorry?"

"SORRY is not going to cut it!" InuYasha continued to yell, "Have YOU ever had to 'sit!'"

His ranting was cut short due to his daughter plummeting face first into the ground, leaves falling from the trees due to the vibrations caused from the fall. Kagome, yet again, evaded harm despite being so close the sat girl. But soon, the mother was back at her daughter's side, carefully prying her out of the ground, paying no attention to the hanyo not far away from them. And they half expected Koyasha to burst out in tears upon her being freed from the dirt, but all she said was "owwwwww…." as she began to laugh softly.

The relief that swept through InuYasha was indescribable as he came to kneel next to his daughter, wiping dirt from her face. It seemed as if his whole attitude and person had changed in that minute that he had seen his daughter go through what Kagome had done to him so many times in the past, and he let his daughter crawl into his arms.

"I'm sorry…" he said softly as he ignored Kagome's stare of disbelief.

"It's ok." Koyasha said with an unexpected smile, "But I'm not sorry I did it to you. It was funny."

InuYasha chuckled softly, "I bet your mother would say the same thing."

Kagome laughed softly as well from her spot across from them. Maybe they really could be a family… But she hadn't expected to be swept up off the ground at demonic speeds, wrapped in strong arms as her surrounding flew by her.

"InuYasha…?" she began, but stopped abruptly when they were outside the well house.

"Let's go home, Kagome," he said softly, "They've all missed you… Just like I've missed you."

"Home?" Koyasha suddenly asked from her spot upon her father's back, "Daddy, you're silly. We are home."

InuYasha smirked, looking over his shoulder to see his daughter's face.

"No we're not, Koyasha. This was your mother's home. But our home is somewhere else," he looked back down at Kagome, "Right?"

Kagome hesitated. She'd been gone for so long, she'd let the past become the past. Did she really want to return? Did she want to become a miko again, did she want to fight demons and face any new enemies that tried to come her way? So she turned her face away from her love's and stared at the ancient well, the magic around it a pulsing blue to her senses. Did she really think she could just ignore what had happened though? Could she forget the fights she had had against the dark hanyo of the past, against the wind goddess, the child of the mirror, the killing perfection, the band of seven, the cat demons, the panther god, and every other demon? Those fights were part of her, and she knew that. There was no way she could just let them fade into the past.

So she smiled softly, and looked back up at her child and InuYasha.

"Let's go."

And soon there was swirling blue around the three, and they touched the ground with inhuman grace. The sunlight shown down upon Kagome's face, the well house ceiling long gone.

And then she realized… she really was home.

If our paths do, indeed, cross one day my little brother, what shall this Sesshomaru do? It is too obvious that this Sesshomaru will not run from the likes of a hanyo, but what will you do? Will you run from me? Or shall you embrace your son with loving arms? Shall you not believe me, or will you for once put faith in your elder brother? Sesshomaru asked himself, as if he were really speaking to InuYasha as he led his group.

Winds began to blow, playing with the silver strands of his long hair. And scents came to him, from far and wide. And the scent that was the sharpest, the most recognizable, was the one of his family. Of InuYasha. But he was not stopped nor slowed by it, he just continued to walk. There were things that were inevitable, things that were unavoidable. And he would be one of them one day, but not now. Sesshomaru may live a bit longer with his nephew in tow, and he would not make a move to change it. He knew he would not cause a confrontation with his younger brother, but he was so aware that one would one day happen…

And the wind died, his hair falling back down to rest against his back.

"Sire?" Rikuse asked behind him, attempting to catch up with him, "May I ask a question about my father?"

Sesshomaru's silence was his reply.

"…Was he really all that you said that he was?" the boy continued, managing to keep up with his lord's strides as he came up beside him.

Sesshomaru answered after a short pause of thought, "In this Sesshomaru's eyes he was."

A small smile was brought up upon Rikuse's face, "Do you think I will meet him one day, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Perhaps." He answered without emotion, "But he may not be who you think he is."

Rikuse's smile widened, "What is his name, Sesshomaru-sama?"

Sesshomaru turned his gaze from the dirt road in front of them to his nephew, his emotions unreadable.

"His name is of no importance to you, child."

Rikuse's heart dropped, but he stood tall. If Sesshomaru didn't want him to know, there had to be a reason. He trusted his lord… his uncle.

"Do you know my mother's name?" he asked hopefully after a moment of silence, yearning for information on his family.

"…Her name was never important enough for this Sesshomaru to remember."

Rikuse stopped asking questions then, losing hope in his quest for knowledge. He let his walking pace return to normal, falling back behind, walking next to the woman that had raised him in her childhood. She looked down at him with soft, caring eyes as he didn't pay attention, and felt pity for him. She had lost her parents, like he had, but she had known them. He didn't. And what was worse was that his parents could still be living, but he would probably never know them because of Sesshomaru and his father's relationship. So, quietly, she whispered to him, fully aware that Sesshomaru would probably hear her.

"Rikuse-sama," Rin said quietly, slowly, "I know your mother's name, do you want to know it?"

Rikuse's face automatically lit up, "Yes!"

Rin smiled softly, "Her name was Kagome. She was a very nice lady, and was always nice to me when I saw her."

"Really?"

"Yes, Rikuse-sama, she was a very good lady. I always liked her."

Rikuse looked happy for a slight moment, glad for this knowledge. But then, suddenly, his face dropped into a type of sorrow.

"Rin-sama, if she was so nice," Rikuse began softly, sadly, "then why did she leave me behind?... Why didn't she want me?"

Rin paused, unable to answer. She didn't know, and really, she hadn't thought about it. It was true that Kagome was a nice lady, and it really didn't make sense that she would leave her own baby behind. And, somehow, she couldn't imagine InuYasha leaving his own child behind either. But before she could even open her mouth to answer the young one, Sesshomaru spoke up.

"Child, when this Sesshomaru found you, you were dead," his voice was emotionless as usual, holding no care for what his words meant to the young child, "My sword, Tenseiga, holds the power to bring the dead back from the afterlife, restoring their life. I used that power on you, due to the words of Rin. You were dead, and your mother or father must have left your body underneath the tree as your final resting place. Neither of them is aware of your existence since your travels started with this Sesshomaru."

Rikuse's eyes widened, and he stopped walking, "…I was dead, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"At one point in time, you were," the demon lord said coldly, "but you are no more."

And, after a moment, the child began to walk again. He began to realize when his first life was over, his real life had begun. His life with his lord, with Sesshomaru, was the one that must be meant to be. Not the one with his real parents. The reasons evaded him, but he knew he had to just accept it. As much as he didn't like it, he knew it was a fact. But maybe, one day, if he was lucky, he would meet his parents. That was, if Sesshomaru-sama would allow him. Sesshomaru knew what was best for him, and he believed that. Besides, Sesshomaru and Rin were the only real people that had ever been there for him, Rin more than Sesshomaru. Jaken didn't really matter. Yet, Sesshomaru had given him a second shot at life. He was grateful for that.

"Rikuse-sama," Rin said quietly, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, "Things happen for a reason. My parents died, and so did I. But Sesshomaru-sama brought me back, and I'm happy for my life with him. And, maybe, someday you'll be able to meet your family. I can almost guarantee you will," she said lowering her voice a little bit more, smiling, "Sesshomaru-sama and your father always seem to run into each other one way or another."

Rikuse faked a smile, looking up at her. To him, this girl, no matter her age, was his mother.

"Mommy, am I dreaming?" Koyasha asked in awe, sliding down from her father's back and looking around at the feudal Japan.

"No, darling," Kagome smiled, climbing out of InuYasha's arms and kneeling down beside her daughter with a smile, "This is real. I promise."

InuYasha, from behind his family, smiled softly as well. He was home, and they were home. Finally, he could be with his love, with Kagome. And now, he could be with… with his child.

"Daddy?" Koyasha said, running up to her father and grabbing a hold of his leg, "Where do you live?"

He smirked, "Where ever I feel like staying."

Koyasha gave him a confused look, "Like camping?"

Kagome decided to intervene then, speaking before InuYasha could say anything, "Something like that darling."

"Cool!" she said enthusiastically, with a great smile, "Are we gonna camp too?"

Kagome smiled lightly, "I don't know darli—"

But before she could finish her sentence she heard a yell, and then saw a purple robed man come running their way, a group of what looked like children chasing after him.

"InuYasha! InuYasha, please! Please help me!" the man screamed as he came their way, a desperate look upon his face, "She sent them after me!! I can't escape on my own!! Please, help!!"

InuYasha, sighing, pushed the girls to the side, moving out of the way as the group came ever so close to them.

"Miroku, aren't they supposed to listen to you?"

"They won't listen! She's brainwashed them! She's turned them into her evil minions!! Pl—" Miroku screamed again, but before he could finish, fell flat on his face, his movements obviously impaired by alcohol.

Kagome looked on incredulously, her mouth slightly open.

"Is he… is he drunk?"

"Probably," InuYasha answered, "After Sango gave birth to the sixth kid, he started drinking…"

"Sixth?!"

"She's got seven now, plus the one she adopted – the teen standing over there, and the youngest is about… sixth months old. She ended up cranking out two sets of twins too," He said simply, looking over at her, and then starting to walk over to where all the children, besides the teen who stood of to the side, now dog piled their father, "C'mon, let's go."

Kagome, a bit stunned, scooped up Koyasha and followed behind InuYasha, watching the pile of kids with curious eyes.

"Kids!" InuYasha called out, his voice louder than all of their laughter, "Kids, get off of him!"

"But momma said to take him back home!" A little girl responded, her appearance showing that she couldn't be older than four.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll carry 'im. Now get off of him!"

At his words the children scrambled off of the monk, eventually coming to stand side by side of one another, watching InuYasha sling their father over his shoulder.

"Hey… Kyo," a little girl said, leaning towards her brother, their appearances that of five year old fraternal twins, "Who are those two?"

"That's Kagome, Kyoko," said the teen coming to walk over to the two, "Mother and Father's old friend."

"Yeah," InuYasha confirmed, "And that's my kid."

"You've got a kid?" the teen asked, a grin on her face "You actually managed to get lucky?"

InuYasha glared as Miroku mumbled incoherently on his shoulder, "Watch your mouth Amaya."

She laughed, then took the hand of a small boy, no older than two, "Let's go."

InuYasha nodded, motioning for Kagome to follow, Koyasha clinging to her mother's neck.

"Momma?" Koyasha whispered.

"Yes baby?"

"Why is that man crazy?"

InuYasha laughed at his daughter's words from the front of the group.

There were eight of them.

Amaya, the adopted one at fifteen, was the oldest.

Taji was the second oldest and first born male, at six.

Kyo and Kyoko, the first set of twins with both boy and girl, were five.

Ai was the first female at four and a half.

Seiichi and Suichi were the second set of twins, both boys, at two.

Then there was Naomi, the youngest girl and youngest in the family, at six months old.

And, of course, Kagome had been tackled at the first sight by Sango.

"Oh my god Kagome!" she said, scrambling off the girl, "You're back!"

"Yes," Kagome laughed, bringing herself to a sitting position, "Yes, I am."

"Here's your drunk." InuYasha said, unceremoniously dropping Miroku on the wooden floor.

Sango glared at him for a moment, but then turned her attention back to Kagome, who now held Koyasha in her lap.

"Who is that Kagome?"

"I'm Koyasha!" the pink haired girl said with glee, a wide smile planted on her face, "Kagome is my mommy!"

Sango's eyes widened slightly, "She is?"

"Yep. And InuYasha is my daddy! But he didn't know about me until yesterday…"

Sango looked shocked for a moment, but then burst out in laughter, falling on her side. Kagome just stared for a moment, as did InuYasha, while Koyasha giggled.

"I knew it had to be something like that when you left Kagome," Sango began to explain through her laughter as she sat back up, "But… I never thought you would have actually done that with him."

InuYasha's expression turned to annoyed.

"Why does everyone find that so god damn unbelievable?" he spat out, "It's not like I couldn't get a girl before her."

Kagome glared, and InuYasha realized what he had said.

"Not to mean that I would have anyone else!" he said with a nervous laughter.

"Nice save…" Miroku mumbled, rolling himself onto his back and smiling up at Sango with a guilty smile, "…I love you babe."

"Not a nice save." Sango said with a glare.

Miroku closed his eyes and sighed, "What must I do this time to bring your love back into my life?"

"Don't get drunk."

One of Miroku's eyebrows rose, "That's al—? I mean, of course dear."

Her glare faded away as a baby girl crawled to her side, the child's black hair curtaining her eyes, and Sango took her into her lap as she brushed the child's bangs out of her eyes.

"…And you get baby duty for a week."

Miroku moaned.

"Stop whining, monk," InuYasha said in annoyance, "You're the one who went and got drunk and didn't come back for a week or whatever."

If Miroku would have known the significance of holding up his middle finger to InuYasha, he probably would have flipped the hanyo off. But instead he just covered his eyes with his hand and drifted back off into unconsciousness.

"MOM!!" a boy suddenly yelled, "AMAYA IS FIGHTING WITH SEIICHI AND SUICHI AGAIN!!"

Sango sighed, "Who's winning?!"

"Amaya has them both pinned down by their throats!"

"Did they deserve it?!"

"YES!!" Amaya's angry but amused voice came, as well as the sounds of two boys struggling.

"I don't want any deaths!" She called out, then turned her attention back to Kagome, "After the third, it doesn't matter as long as they aren't going to die."

Kagome smiled, laughing slightly.

"Momma?" Ai said as she came into the rule, her black hair messy upon her head, "Where's Kirara?"

Rikuse smiled at the small creature, petting its head as it purred. It was a cute thing he had stumbled upon, a small three tailed cat with a black diamond shape upon its head. It had allowed him to carry it, and now as he walked, he pet it absent mindedly. Rin, who walked beside him, looked at the cat demon, but didn't pet it.

"You know, you won't be allowed to keep the cat demon, Rikuse-sama."

"I know," he said with a sad smile.

And as he said those words the small cat jumped out of his arms, running off. Rikuse just looked at it sadly for a moment as it ran off, but then ran up to walk beside his lord. And the cat demon, known to Rin as Kirara, ran off into the forests, finding her way back home.

As the cat left, Rikuse couldn't help but wonder why the cat held a scent on it's fur that was so much like his.

And when the small cat scrambled back in the household of her owner and family, InuYasha raised an eyebrow at her. She smelt of Sesshomaru, his half brother.

"Where have you been?" Sango asked as the cat curled up in her lap, attempting to hide form the children as long as possible.

Kirara just purred in response.

"She smells like Sesshomaru…" InuYasha said quietly, as the wind swept through the open door, "…And that bastard is coming this way."

Is that a cliff hanger? I think it is! -gasp- You'll only find out the next part of the story if you review!! Love all ya, thanks for reading :D