Okayyy I know what you guys are gonna say. "SO f**king boring!" The plot has been pretty slow (with good reason). I have to do all this boring sh*t otherwise, crap definitely won't make sense as I go. Already some of you have been like "whaaa?"

I don't want to do a POV for Naraku cause...I'm kinda lazy lol. But If ya'll want one, I can do? Sooo comment if you do. You can probably tell I skipped a few convos between characters, cause again, being lazy and I don't think you wanna read an entire page of "casual" convo. Next chapter will be a lot of action, so enjoy the calm.

I'm kidding, we've all been waiting for this story to end! Only a few (like maybe 4 or 5) more chapters -their gonna be faster paced- to go! Ayyyy! XD

ALSO, i've created a poll! please vote your opinion .

Ignore my crappy spelling and grammar. Thank you for your likes and comments! Enjoy xx


Rolling up her sleeves and tying up the ends of her garment, kagome got to work cleaning the mess Sesshomaru left behind. Filling a bucket with boiling water, she set it aside to pick up the remaining pieces of wood that had once been parts of the kitchen table.

She hissed as smaller splinters pricked and embedded themselves in her hands. "Damn it Sesshomaru!" she muttered, and sped up, knowing the servants would soon enter again. She still had yet to clear the air, as the room reeked of sex. She didn't have to be a demon to know that.

Scrub, scrub, scrub, the boiled salt water did the trick, and kagome almost sighed in relief. Don't get her wrong, she was elated about what had just transpired, but Kagome still had a sense of decency and this was a communal area. The thought made her blush and her body tingle, 'He was-that was...wow'. Her nerves were still sensitive and a new soreness had set in between her thighs, though it couldn't be helped, especially with the rough handling and how her body had to accommodate to his size. Her blush deepened and she stopped her scrubbing to slap her hands over her cheeks in embarrassment, a giggle escaping her.

The happiness was short lived as a voice resounded from behind her, "What has happened?"

Uh oh. Kagome wiggled around, still on her knees to see Reina standing in the kitchen, glaring down at her. She had only seen her a few times around the palace, leaving the grand hall or coming in through the palace gate. When kagome stretched out her aura, she could feel the woman's contempt and unease towards her.

"Oh um, just cleaning...I ah-" Kagome's eyes widened as the panther demon sniffed the air. Double uh oh. Reina's glare hardened, and kagome shuffled back, until she heard water slosh, her leg had bumped the bucket, it didn't spill. It was no secret that panther demons had short fuses, anything could set them off-especially if they didn't like you in the first place.

But Reina was different. After so many years serving a being like Lord Sesshomaru, she had learned patience and reasoning, rather than attacking on impulse; and as she assessed the room- the food on the fire, the fading scent of desire and gratification in the air.

She already knew what had transpired between the Lord and the human. That much was obvious, and though she was slightly peeved, it was wonderfully comical to see the Lord Sesshomaru storm out of the kitchen looking utterly confused.

"Why are you cleaning. There are servants for that." She sniffed at the human on the floor, scrubbing like she was a mere servant herself, rather than the lady she was supposed to be, well the girl had some humility that's for sure.

"I pity the soul that would have to clean a mess such as this, besides, there is no need for the entire palace to know of the details of Lord Sesshomaru and I's...relationship-I mean, I guess-or something like that, whatever he says we are..." Kagome rambled on.

Reina help up her hand, "Enough. Get off the floor. I will clean your mess." She said begrudgingly. Kagome stood, only to be nudged aside as the panther demon got to work.

"I'm sorry, thank you." Reina froze for a moment, trying to process the unexpected words.
That was something you don't hear every day, and this made her slightly more bearable.

They stayed like that in silence for a while. Reina doing her best to hold back her instinctual aggression as she scrubbed to floor. "Why are you here?"

"Huh?" Kagome asked, confused.

"Why did you come here? To a land filled with demons, yet you are priestess. You hunt out kind."

"Eh well, A certain demon tried to kill me. And well, Sesshomaru kind of saved me by-u know-doing that..."

From Reina's expression she could tell that wasn't a good enough answer, "What you want my whole life story?"

Glare.

Kagome sighed, "It's kinda long and-and complicated."

She gestured for her to continue.

"Well, I'm from a place where demons don't really exist, so until about 4 years ago, I didn't know much. I was kidnapped by a demon, because I had the shikon jewel inside of me. Sesshomaru's half brother saved me. I accidently broke the jewel and so, we've been searching for all the pieces. Turns out Inuyasha had this enemy, a demon named Naraku, who we have been fighting for the shards. Inuyasha's ex, who it turns out I'm bound by soul to, came back to life and everything was a mess. Naraku shot a spear through my chest," Kagome touched the scarred flesh in remembrance, "Sesshomaru found me, and for whatever reason, let me live. I am his, and I am grateful."

"Why did you not simply purify the demon. You are a priestess."

"I'm not very good at being a priestess, not that I wanted to be in the first place. It's depressing how weak I felt. But now, it's-whatever Hama did, it worked. I feel whole."

Kagome went over to the oven, time was up. Carefully she removed the apple tartes Placing them on the stone slab beside it to cool.

Reina's senses, so sensitive, she almost cringed as the new scent hit her. The think sweet smell of apples, and warm pastry. "What are those things!" She hissed. Her nose already stung from the salt water, this made it hurt more.

"Apple tarts. I'm sorry, had I known your senses were so strong I would have given you a heads up. Though I guess it was kinda obvious from your appearance." Kagome said, gesturing to Reina's dark blue complexion, with her furry ears and tail. She looked exactly like a panther but with a more humanoid body. "I made it for Rin and Shippo, and the second one is for the servants."

"The fox kit...what is he to you?"

Kagome smiled. "He's my son. Adopted of course. Well, I want him to be anyway, I don't know if he sees me that way."

"He fights to protect you." Reina answered her unasked question.

"He saw me die. Infact, he's the reason I'm alive, he used his magic at the last moment."

Reina shook her head, "No. He fights for you. We are demons. We do not know what love is. Very few discover it." She wanted to growl, since when did this happen. Why was she conversing with this girl. It was irritating, to realise she had opened up to her. And now she was giving the girl advice. "The only way we know how to protect what we care about, is to fight for it."

She blanched at the sight of tears, rolling down the human's face. Reina did not know what to do in situations such as this, she was more familiar with breaking bones. "What the hell! W-why are you crying?" If kagome hadn't been crying so much, she would have laughed at how alike Reina's attitude was to Inuyasha's.

"I don't want him to get hurt!" She wailed as she sliced the giant tartes. Fat tears rolling down her face, "He secretly started training and-and now he has a weapon. He could die!"

Reina blinked baffled. Wow. She had never seen someone wail so comically. After a few moments of watching her new found entertainment she put an end to kagome's tears, "He will not die. Else that would mean I am a bad sensei."

Immediately Kagome stopped. Quick as lightning she spun around only to find an empty space where Reina had once been, and a clean kitchen.

Whaaaat?

Looking up at the large window overhead, that lead out to the side of the palace, she noticed it was nightfall. The sky was dark.

"Ah, I better hurry, still need to bathe."


The journey was quite long-though interesting, as Shippo talked about how he started training-Sango felt as if Kirara had flown so fast they'd cut a two day travel to less than a few hours. By the time they arrived, the sun was down, the moon replacing its brightness.

All she could do was stare in awe as they approached the grand castle. THis was the west no? How had their group never stumbled upon it? They had been to the west many times. As they got closer sango could see demons everywhere, she was glad she hadn't worn her slayer uniform, there's no doubt it would have caused retaliation.

Kirara slowed at Shippo's direction, and made a decent onto the entrance steps. "Mother, I have returned!" Shippo yelled out obnoxiously loud.

"Baka!" Came a voice from inside, "Mama's having a bath. She asked me to come get you." A young human girl stepped out, wearing a bright yellow kimono and white sash. "Welcome, Lady Sango." It took a moment, until Sango recognised her.

"Rin is that you?"

"It is, I am happy you remember me!" She cheered.

'Wait so, if Rin's here then that means…' Sango's face paled. All memories of Jaken 'the pest' whining about 'Lord Sesshomaru this and Lord Sesshomaru being great and blah'. This was Sesshomaru's land. He really was a Lord!

"Come in, come in!"

Weary, she followed them inside. "Shippo, how in kami's name did you end up with Sesshomaru."

"Eh well, he was really nice to us so…"

Sango snorted, disbelieving. The room they entered was large, but not too much, "mama doesn't want us to eat in the big room cause she said people are nosy. So we're gonna eat here today." Rin explained.

"When's food ready? I'm hungry." Shippo whined.

"When mama gets here, stop being a baby." The two children bickered, going back and forth.

Sango settled down on a pillow seat and watched in amusement. 'I wonder who they're talking about, wouldn't that mean Sesshomaru married? Sango felt bewildered.

"Ah geez. Stop fighting you two. Sit down." Wait was that? That voice…

The two children obeyed, quietly. Sango froze, staring straight ahead, afraid to move. No, she had to be dreaming. This wasn't real-she wasn't...Shuffling could be heard behind her, by the doors, and a moment later, a dark green kimono came into her peripheral vision, going around the table until directly opposite her. Sango daren't look up, in fear, hoping of what she would not see. But that hope was broken as they sat down and entered her vision.

There, Kagome's face was in front of her, smiling gracefully, As if she hadn't. Died.

Kagome sat, smiling at her, unsure of what to say, when the look on Sango's face made her question her own sanity. Maybe she was actually dead, and appeared as a ghost. Sango's face was so pale, eyes wide, jaw slack.

"I missed you, Sango." Like an idiot that was all she could say. No, hey, surprise! I'm alive, sorry I didn't tell you. Perhaps this wasn't Kagome, this woman's hair was longer, darker, her features were sharper. The colour of her eyes…

"It really is me. I'm sorry I didn't come to you." Kagome assessed the woman before her, she'd lost weight. "Is the baby ok? You've lost a lot of weight-" before Kagome knew what was happening, Sango launched herself over the table knocking over the flower vase that was placed in the center-Shippo caught it- and collided against Kagome, wrapping her in the tightest hug, almost cutting off her air supply. Kagome's calm facade broke, revealing a candid nervousness and elation equal to the slayer's.

Time lapsed as the two women rolled around on the floor in glee and relief. For the first time since sesshomaru save her, Kagome release her joy to be alive. Kami it felt good. The beating of her heart, the stretch of her lungs, the freedom in her limbs. Kagome squeezed Sango back in their hug, just as tight. Stretching out her ki, an intimacy she hoped Sango would accept.

And she did, Sango jolted in shock as she felt Kagome's energy rush through her. It was...exhilarating, tightly coiled positive energy bursting to release inside her. Slowly kagome pulled back, cupping Sango's face to examine the woman's health. "There, you look much better."

Sango's face was now fuller with a healthy glow to it, her body had become a little softer, stomach showing a little more.

"W-what the-" Sango stuttered as she examined the changes to her normally lean body, "How?"

Kagome smiled ruefully, "It's a long story."

"We have time." Sango encouraged.

Kagome looked at the kids, whom were back to bickering at the table, "Yes, we do." Sensing the approaching bodies, she gestured for Sango to take a seat at the table, announcing "food's here."

Just then, in came four servants holding a tray each, the last one holding only one of the giant tartes. They bowed respectfully before placing the dishes on the table, bowed again then left. Just as one walked by, kagome pulled the female demon down by her sleeve and whispered "I've left second dish on the table, the apple tart, those are for you guys, eat as much as you like. Thank you for the food, it looks delicious." The servant looked up at her with a blush as Kagome released her, and the female bowed again before hurrying out.

When she turned back, the kids were already digging in. Two little monsters shovelling their faces. Neither of them touched their chopsticks once, using their hand to tear into the food. Kagome sighed, barbarick, that had been the one manner she had yet to instil into them. "Slow down, the food's not going anywhere. Remind me at some point to teach you to use chopsticks properly."

"Yes mama." One of them replied.

"So, tell me, how did you end up with Sesshomaru?"

Rin jumped to answer Sango's question, "Both Shippo and Lady Kagome fell out of the sky above Lord Sesshomaru and me-"

"Sesshomaru and I-" Kagome corrected.

"Lord Sesshomaru and I. He was really nice and decided to save her and then he said we could keep her!" Well...it wasn't a lie. She does now serve him, being entirely his and "officially" his mate. And well, he hadn't acted otherwise.

"He gave me a fraction of his soul so I would survive. It's similar to a demon mating. Then he healed me. I owe him my life." She looked down into her lap, remembering how he had indulged her for the past few weeks. She felt like he had practically showered her with luxuries.

Sango peered at her blushing face, before realisation dawned, "Kagome, tell me you didn't!"

The girl covered her face in embarrassment, nodding into her sleeve.

"But-but it's Sesshomaru-Inuyasha's brother!"

"Sesshomaru is Sesshomaru. Inuyasha is Inuyasha. And c'mon, look at it from my perspective." Kagome defended.

"Hmm," Sango closed her eyes, thinking hard, before blushing herself, "Oh my…"

"See! And have you seen him shirtless? I thought I would melt." Kagome whispered after covering Rin's poor ears. Shippo covered his own. Not wanting to hear such yucky talk." He may be over 50 years old but he was still practically a child in demon years.

"Wait, what about Inuyasha? He's been so torn up since that night...Kagome, everyone still thinks you're dead."

Kagome picked up her tea cup, now would be the hard part, "My feelings for him have changed, besides, his heart is set elsewhere," Sango shook her head in disagreement, but continued to listen, "Sango, he can't know. No one can. Only the people that already do. That means you, everyone here, and Kikyo. Maybe totosai-i need to see totosai at some point."

"Kagome why!"

"Because I need naraku to believe I'm dead. He targeted me because he thought I was a threat. And he's right. I still have Kikyo's soul, he cannot truly kill her until she is whole. Miroku is weakening, you and I both can tell, and you are pregnant. Originally I had no intention of you accompanying us to the battle. But now you definitely cannot. That is why I want for you to remain here, where it is safe."

"What about you? How do you plan to defeat naraku?" Sango's tone was harsh, bitter. She wanted revenge. For everything she has lost. For Kohaku.

"Sango, I know you wanted to make him pay, for everything you have lost. But are you so sure you are willing to throw away your happy future for revenge? I promise you, I will get the curse lifted from Miroku. But please..."

The slayer clenched her fists, "I thought I'd lost you to Naraku. I thought I had failed you like I had failed Kohaku." Tears escaped her eyes, but Sango was quick to wipe them away. "I dream of him every night. His blood on my hands, the torture he went through and I-I couldn't save him. I can't lose you too Kagome." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Kagome felt a pressure against her chest. Shippo had crawled into her lap, sullen, hugging her close, "Shippo, don't be sad. You did a great job saving me." She patted his head. "Sango, you won't lose me. I will be fine." Looking down back down, she turned shippo to face her, "Are the two of you done eating? You may go play." Rin nodded, leaving the room, though Shippo was reluctant she took him with her.

Silence, as sango waited, calming herself. "Do you have a plan?"

She looked down in contemplation, "Kinda, I'm working on it."

Sango relented, still slightly peeved, "Inuyasha is slowly losing his mind over you."

"Well he's going to have to hold on to his sanity a little longer. Kikyo will help with that." She replied stubbornly.

"Speaking of which, did she know you were alive all along?"

Kagome shook her head no, "She only found out today. Sent you to me as a gift. We came to an understanding a while ago." smiling at the time they had spent in the cave as she had healed Kikyo.

Sango decided she liked Kikyo a little better now.

"I need everyone to believe I'm dead so naraku doesn't catch on, not until I'm ready."

"Does your new husband know what your planning?"

Kagome poured some more tea, "No, he might kill me. I just managed to stop him from doing so today. He still doesn't know you're here." She giggled, taking a sip from her cup.

Sango looked up at her so fast-the question already on her face, kagome answered calmly, "It's fine, it's fine."

"Alright. I will stay within Kaede's village." Sango agreed. Kagome nodded.

"So what is life as royalty like?" Sango grinned, moving onto a lighter topic.

"Oh so good, it's great..." They conversed pleasantly, slowly slipping back into their usual friendship.

What felt like only a few minutes, had gone by before Rin came running in, "Lord Sesshomaru's back and he is very angry!"

Kagome sighed, "Alright, thank you, get ready for bed." Rin skipped away, just as thundering footsteps came from down the hall. 'Here we go…'

The shoji panel slammed open ridiculously hard, revealing an indeed, livid Sesshomaru. 'Ah~ why are you always angry!' Kagome thought in distress. Sango on the other hand, was already inching her hand towards one of the metal chopsticks, uncomfortable near the dangerous demon. After all, being in his presence had always resulted in some kind of battle, and being new to this kind of open rage was highly unnerving.

"Explain yourself." Sesshomaru ordered in that oh-so-deep voice of his. In normal people speak, he had just said, 'Why is there a slayer in my territory, without my permission? Explain yourself.' But Sesshomaru always was the 'silent type'. Kagome didn't know whether to be turned on or worried. The latter was probably more appropriate, given the situation.

"Sango didn't come as a slayer, but a friend. On a more positive note, they got here on time so Shippo wasn't late-as I promised." Kagome ended the answer with a worrying amount of optimism. Sango watched in bewilderment as the two interacted. Why was Sesshomaru acting so...nice?

When Sesshomaru glared her way she bowed in respect. He relaxed slightly, before stiffening, turning away and storming back out. "I'll bring some food to your study!" She added. The shoji panel slammed shut.

Gosh, he'd been acting so...emotional recently...

"I don't know who's worse, him or inuyasha. Do anger issues run in the family?" Sango speculated,

"No idea," She would remember to ask Hama about it tomorrow. "Well we'd better sleep. I'll see you off tomorrow morning." With a second thought, kagome touched Sango's forehead, humming a tune, "Sweet dreams, the servant outside will show you to your room." Kagome enchanted Sango's mind, she could not afford for the woman to have nightmares.

Kagome looked down, pulling her garment away from her chest to see the ugly, puckered scar, right above her breast, picturing naraku's sadistic expression. 'It's time to get my ass in gear.'