I don't own Inuyasha or any of the character not in the origin Anime/Manga! Anything else I own! Please review and if you enjoy it! I have been very happy with the praise and I appropriated it! Thank you and I'd love to hear more from you! :D Now to the chapter!

Chapter 10: A Mother's Carefully Carried Secret

Inuyasha was pant as he kneeled and soaked in sweat like someone had poured a very large bucket of water over his head. He never been so tired in his life. Sesshoumaru had worked a good sweat himself but no where near Inuyasha's, "That will be all for today, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru told him as she spotted Juliet enter the room.

"Wow, I'm surprised the dojo hasn't been annihilated," Juliet said under her breath before her eyes landed on Sesshoumaru. Dear Kami... he's muscles where ripped, but not bulky. She hated bulky, but he was lean with his back in V like shape. Her mouth watered as she saw the way the sweat glistened off his delicious body. Is it wrong to drawl right now because I really want to? Could anyone think badly of me with a man like that around?

She cleared her throat, "Um... Lunch is ready," she said blushing as she thought of what he did earlier to her fingers and claws with his tongue. That was embarrassing for anyone would of just walked in on them, but he didn't seem to care like he knew that no one would. He was so arrogant and she loved that about him.

Sesshoumaru smirked at her blush. He was the only one that could make her face go red like that. Aoi would make her slightly blush pink with him being very inappropriate, but he could her turn completely red. Her blushing like that he knew she was thinking of something involving him. He figured it out rather quickly as he thought of the way she tasted. "Good, Inuyasha drink lots of water to rehydrate and take a bath before joining us." Sesshoumaru ordered passively as he approached Juliet.

"How did he do?" she asked curiously trying to keep herself from looking at his half dressed body. It was rather difficult.

"Better than this Sesshoumaru anticipated. His grip and stance had been corrected." Sesshoumaru informed her. "He doesn't follow his instincts as well as he should however."

"Oh? That's good, but its just his first day it's expected," She said with a smile.

Suddenly an arm wrapped around her waist causing he to yelp in surprised, "Sess what are you trying to do?! Give me a heart attack?!" she growled at him blushing beat red. "Your covered in sweat too! Are you trying to drown me in your scent?" Not that I mind... you smell great...

He smirked slyly as he growled in her ear saying, "Something tell this Sesshoumaru you like it."

She shivered unable to stop herself from doing so as he eyes widen. Is... is he flirting with me?! He really is trying to give me a heart attack! "Stop it... and go get cleaned up for lunch, before you give your half brother the wrong idea. He is already looking at us like we're crazy."

"Hn, what wrong idea?" he asked coyly as he released her before going to get cleaned up for lunch.

You are a pain in my ass sometimes... wait what did he mean by that? Juliet looked at him confused before shaking her head. "Come on Inuyasha. I'll show you where you can get cleaned up. After lunch the seamstresses want to see you to get your measurements for the ball in a few days."

"Why? It's not like I'm going to be allowed in and what is going on between you and my asshole brother?" he told her as he followed after her.

"You will be," Juliet told him. "Inukimi as ordered it. Along with Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Miroku. As for Sesshoumaru and me? We're friends."

"Whatever, but why would she do that?" he asked mostly himself.

"She's a good woman once you get to know her and she's been through a lot even though she hasn't told me what yet," Juliet informed him, "but she has a thing for teasing Sesshoumaru when ever she gets the chance."

Inuyasha nodded before he asked, "So who are you really?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You talk as if you know all of use for a long time," Inuyasha said told her.

"How would that be possible?" she asked forcing her nervousness down. She wasn't the best actor you know?! Juliet come to an understanding with Sesshoumaru who would wait patently for her to tell her story and for that she was grateful. She already changed so much in the short time she had been there and she was likely to change a hell of a lot more. Juliet just prayed it would not be for the worse.

"I don't know how but you do," he told her. "I want to know how."

She was quiet for a moment before she answered as she eyed him with unreadable narrowed eyes, "Inuyasha I am from twenty-five years after Kagome arrived here. Perhaps I know something perhaps I don't, but know any secrets I keep is to protect you and all I care for. To much known will harm more than it will help."

"What the hell is that suppose to mean?" he demanded before she pulled on his ear hard toward her.

"I will not endanger my pup Kage and Rin nor my alpha Sesshoumaru or you and you pack. I refuse to put anyone endanger due to your inability to understand simply words. So stop asking." She growled angrily. Ugh! He can be really stupid sometimes...

"Ow, ow, OW! Fine just let go! That hurts!" he yelped.

"Glad we have an understanding," she said letting go. "This is the bathing room. Call for a servant to show you the way to the dinning room."

"If the servant is rude to you let me know," Inukimi said as she handed him a towel and a fresh blue silk kimono, "I will punish them myself. You are finally home and I will not have some lowly servant treat you wrongly."

Inuyasha stared at her like she was crazy, "'Finally home?' When has this place ever been my home?!"

"It always has been child. This was your father's home and your father's father's. So of course this is your home." her eyes went down for a moment in sadness before she looked back at him, "I should also apologize to you. I should have taken you in, but I was in an eternal battle with myself over your father's betrayal. I was foolish and selfish. It was not your fault nor your mother's. The fault is mine and your father's. I am sorry for any pain I have caused after you mother's passing. I wish to correct the mistake I made if you allow me to make it up to you, child."

Juliet's eyes widen, What the hell is going on? Is this my doing or is this world more different the the one I read? Where are we in the story anyway? I have no clue...The story mostly follows Inuyasha's ass. Should of had a lot more of Sesshoumaru in it if I had any say in it!

Inuyasha stared for a moment, Has the whole world gone completely crazy?! She should be hating me! Or commenting on how weak I am or how disgusting I am as a half-breed! Why? What's gotten into everyone?! But... is she serious? Kagome would I know that much.

With that in mind he nodded stiffly and Inukimi gave him a gentle grateful smile. "Thank you child. Now we will also got clean up for lunch and leave you to your bath." she said as she took Juliet's hand and led her away.

O.O

"Uh... what was that about?" Juliet asked as the two washed there hands before Inukimi reapplied some makeup.

"I can ask you the same, my dear," Inukimi shot back.

"Not what I meant... I saw your face and you look sad. Why?" Juliet asked.

"Oh... I want to tell you something, but you must keep it between us." Inukimi told her with a voice that said she was dead serious as she sat on a couch and padded the seat next to her.

Juliet sat next to her as Inukimi took the girl's hands into her's, "Of course, you can tell me anything, Inukimi."

She nodded grateful for that before she began, "Long ago when Sesshoumaru was around the same age as your pup there was a war between the us and the panther youkai tribes. My mother and I took refuge in this palace with his father and Sesshoumaru." she told her and then sighed. "I was... pregnant with our second son. His was to be Inuyasha. Named in honor my mate's great grandfather who was a grandest warrior of his time. Sesshoumaru never knew he was going to have a little brother at the time nor does he know of it now. My mother was taking care of Sesshoumaru and making him his favorite breakfast while Toga and myself were in the infirmary getting a check up on our pup's progress in my womb when the panther's assassins attacked the castle."

Inukimi paused as she place her hand onto her belly and her voice because sorrowful, "None knew their true goal until they found Sesshoumaru and myself. They want to wipe out Toga's only heirs in an attempt to break him. My mother sacrificed herself to get Sesshoumaru out of there and to the safety of the royal guards. The physician was also killed trying to protect me and the pup while Toga killed many, but he only thought they where after him. He was very wrong and it was a grave mistake that cost us much... to much."

Her's head drop then in shame, "They blind sided Toga as an assassin come silently through a window catching myself off guard and... put a poisoned dagger into my belly. I scream the poison felt like liquid fire in veins. Toga in a great hurry killed them all, but it was to late. My pup was gone forever and Toga blamed it all on me. There were other physicians that saved my life, removed my pup from my womb, and cured the poison, but the panthers took more that my second child. The poison took away my ability to ever have children again and so I fell into despair. Toga grew to hate me and in my grief push everyone away even Sesshoumaru. It was what I believe made him so cold and guarded as he is today to all except you, Rin, and Kage."

She looked up at Juliet looking for understanding to find tears that Inukimi gently wiped away, "When Sesshoumaru became older Toga began to seek comfort with a human princess he had saved from her rival lord. Her name was Izioyai and at first their was just talks, but before long their was much more than that. He ended up falling in love with girl and betrayed me as he took her into his bed. I was furious and I took it out on Sesshoumaru. I lectured him on being a perfect heir, told him love was a weakness for self power was far more important, and humans where worthless creatures not worth of anything other than death at our claws. I was stupid and wrong. I didn't realize that Sesshoumaru was also being betrayed by his father, who'd rather be with his human that his own pup. Sesshoumaru grew cold and indifferent faster than I could imagine. It's my fault he is like what he is now. He use to be such a kind soul and I stained it with hate. To farther my hate of him he named his new pup Inuyasha so it would be a contain reminder of my failure to save my second child."

"After Toga had died Izioyai worked hard to raise their child alone. I was cruel and refused to intervene and help at first. I received letters of the boy's progress in return even if I didn't want them at the time. However I read everyone of them and I still possess them. One day the letters stopped coming in and I found out that I felt concern until Sesshoumaru came home with the Hanyou boy that was no older than eight. I was told his mother had gotten sick and had perished. I kept the boy away from me, but kept an eye on him. Sesshoumaru was cruel to him called him a filthy half-breed and it was my fault he treated him such a way. I taught him to hate Inuyasha though that was not my intention. My intention was to make him hate his father and humans and I didn't see he's target Inuyasha, but I ended up hurting them both. Inuyasha ran away and he never come back. Sesshoumaru in his hate never looked for him until he heard he had been pinned to a tree with a spell. I am such an awful person Juliet and I have hurt so many people." Inukimi said as tears ran down her face. "What have I done?"

Juliet wrapped her arms around the broken woman that had just spilled her guts to her. She didn't blame Inukimi for any of this. Honestly she blamed the panther tribes and Toga just a bit. What he did was cruel, but he was also a grieving father. Was life always this complicated? For Juliet it was and it would likely always would be, but now she understood more than she ever thought she would. She understood why Sesshoumaru was cold and she understood Inukimi. "It's not your fault and neither would blame you if they knew." Juliet said as she ran her hand through Inukimi's long hair.

(A/N: Damn this is sooooo sad! X'C I been planning this for a while but I didn't think I'd... make myself cry!)

D'X

Lunch was at in awkward silence this day. Sesshoumaru could tell both his mother and Juliet had been crying about something due to the redness of there eyes and the bags under there eyes. He didn't like the fact that Juliet or his mother had been crying and he wanted to know why, but being as smart as he was he knew neither would tell him why. He would have to find out another way. Of course Sesshoumaru loved a challenge, but that didn't mean he particularly like this one. If his pack was upset in any way it was his job to find out what and fix the problem, but what could it be. He truthfully didn't have the time to worry about that now with the ball just a few days away and he had to ask Juliet to be his date for that night. He could think of no one else to be at his side that night. She was the only woman she wanted at his side in the first place. Did he also have to secure a date for his son? He questioned himself. He could escort Rin for the ball though she was a bit taller than his son, but they were children so what did it matter? No to mention it was likely that Shippo, Kage, and Rin would not leave each other side at all that night. There was so much to do and so little time.

.

"Hold still, prince Inuyasha!" a seamstress urged.

"This feels weird!" Inuyasha complained. He was finding all of this very weird especially with a few hands to close to certain areas like his but and crock area. He felt dirty with these old bags touching him.

"Are you uncomfortable with a woman's touch, child?" the headmistress asked with a playful gleam in her eye.

"When their hands are on my ass? YES!" He yelled his ears down making him look rather adorable while him was all a blush.

Kagome, Sango, Juliet, and even Miroku hand their hands over there mouths trying the best to stop laughing, but where failing miserably. Miroku didn't mind as they took his measurements and sort of egged them on to embarrass the hell out of Inuyasha when it was his turn. It was safe to say this was Miroku's fault and everyone was enjoying except for the miserable Inuyasha, who was to object of the old ladies' gentle perverted like touch.

"Stop laughing!" Inuyasha yelled and they just laughed harder as one actually pinch his touche and he yelped in surprise.

"Oh we are so going to hell for this..." Juliet whispered to Miroku, who was nodding with a large smirk on his face.

"Well I have to say it's about time he got some action... I having all to myself for quiet the while. His expression is well worth the sacrifice of my time with lovely ladies," he said with humor and sarcasm in his voice.