Don't own Inuyasha… cries .o.o.

'talking'

'thinking'

"This Sesshomaru does not see the problem you claim to have, bring the miko to the healers in the palace and they will fix her," Sesshomaru was annoyed that his brother was making this problem seem far worse than it was.

"No, are you nuts! I can't do that because Kagome doesn't know anything is wrong… if I bring her there she'll know something's wrong and then she'll start to panic. And when Kagome panics that's not good for anyone, namely me, if she finds out there's a problem with her having pups she will become depressed and not wish to try any longer… which means I won't get sex!"

Sesshomaru was slightly disgusted with his brother's more barbaric nature as of late; thought he looked full demon, Inuyasha seemed to attain some more human traits then he had before… his need to mate outside of the mating season being one of them. "You must control your pathetic urges little brother, lusting for the human continuously will bring your downfall."

"Feh, it's not as simple as that, but again you don't have a mate so you couldn't understand; I now can understand what our old man went through when he was with my mother… humans are very addicting creatures," Inuyasha smirked while bringing forth a memory from an hour before with Kagome lying naked and inviting on their bed.

"Humans are weak, how two females were able to lure both our father and you to their beds is still unknown to this Sesshomaru."

"It's in our blood to be curious of them and before you try to deny it all I have to do is call Rin as proof of your fall from grace… you didn't keep her around as a pet," Inuyasha smirked knowing he was able to one up his brother.

Sesshomaru didn't take his brother's bait and turned once more heading farther into the woods, "Get dressed in your proper robes… we will be leaving before sunset."

"Wait, what about Kagome?"

"This Sesshomaru has already given you a solution to that problem, you refuse to take it; this discussion is over and will no longer be brought up." The lord of the west did not give Inuyasha room to argue and vanished in a flash of light.

'That ass… ordering me around like a damn pup!' Inuyasha growled and sulked the whole way back to the hut, he tried to think up an excuse to give to Kagome so she wouldn't be upset… but nothing was coming to mind and he could already see the hurt expression that would come to her face when he told her he was leaving; not to mention the tea he brewed her every morning wouldn't get made.

'Oh shit! I forgot about the tea!' There was no doubt in Inuyasha's mind that Kagome wouldn't take the tea every morning like she needed to in order for the potion to work… and who knows how long he would be away which would mess up the cycle farther.

He immediately began thinking of a possible solution to keep her on schedule. The obvious answer would be to tell her the reason she needed the tea and he could show the steps to make it properly; but this would of course defeat the whole purpose of keeping it a secret in the first place. No it would have to be someone that she saw every day, but sadly he couldn't trust Miroku of Sango with the task.

Both of them would know what the potion was for and though he was certain he could get the monk on his side; he was just as sure that Sango would tell Kagome and he couldn't have that. Shippo was also not an option because he would have to return to his fox training in a few days, plus he would forget what Inuyasha would tell him in how to brew the tea correctly; the dog demon couldn't risk the fox just randomly adding things that could possibly hurt Kagome. That really only left the old hag, which Inuyasha could smack himself in the head for not thinking of her in the first place.

The elderly priestess was the one who made the herbal concoction and taught him how to make it, plus he still needed to talk to her about changing the ingredients anyway; now that he had the right person he just needed to convince his mate to go to Keade's every morning… that would be harder to do than finding the jewel.

Inuyasha had been standing outside of his hut for ten minutes, Kagome without a doubt knew he was out there and was waiting for him to come inside which meant he couldn't just run to Keade's right now; he would have to drop in after he talked to his mate. 'Well… it's now or never,' Inuyasha took a deep breath and entered the hut.

The smells that filled the hut over an hour ago were already fading to nothing, and since the two had missed lunch Kagome had decided to cook something… that to was covering their scents but whatever it was did smell good.

Kagome, wrapped up in only his fire rat haori was crouched over the fire stirring the food in the pot; seeing her in his clothing always brings back memories of their shard hunting days. Seeing his robe used as a short, tightly wrapped kimono around her body would remind him of the night Tokajin tried to kill them that was one of the many nights Inuyasha cursed his human blood. If he had the power he had now they wouldn't have fallen into the peach man's trap, but Inuyasha could never think that whole night was bad… yeah he nearly died twice but that was the first time he got to see Kagome naked without getting sat.

Though he continuously denied seeing anything for a few weeks after the whole ordeal because Miroku wouldn't let up and it was embarrassing for the couple, Inuyasha accidently let it slip their first night as mates that she was as breath taking as he remembered… which immediately lead to Kagome questioning when he saw her naked before and he had no choice but to tell her. She wasn't mad like he thought she would be, and as payback she would wear only his clothes and nothing else around the hut to tease him.

"So… what did Sesshomaru want?"

Inuyasha suddenly became aware that Kagome was looking at him and he felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze; just seeing the dull look in her normally passionate eyes told him she already knew the answer to her own question. "Kagome… some things have come up and I need to help the ice prick, I don't really want to go but this thing could affect the village too… I don't have a choice!"

"I think I would be more understanding if you told me what this thing was," Kagome pouted out her bottom lip and batted her eyelashes at him.

"Mate you know I can't bring you into demon affairs. To every other demon besides the runt, my brother, and me you are an enemy; if I tell you anything that is discussed during meetings they may revolt against us."

"I thought I would be more important than a bunch of old rude demons but-."

Inuyasha cut off Kagome's belittlement of herself by drawing her into his embrace and a passionate kiss, when he pulled away to allow her to breathe he had no plans to release her until he finished speaking. "You are the most important to me, you know I would give my life for you my mate… which is a lot more than I can say for Sesshomaru, or did you forget that the first time you met him I chopped his arm off?"

He felt her shifting in his arms and realized he was trying to keep her giggles at bay; this brought a smile to his face as he buried his noise into her hair. "Please don't ever question my loyalty to you mate, know that what I don't tell you is for your protection."

"I know you're trying to protect me and I know that you would never betray me, I just fear you like spending your time among those demons than here in the village with us."

"You… you think I'd rather waste my time in that stuffy castle, listening to those old bats growl and hiss at each other? Rather than being here, with you… sharing a lot more afternoons like today's together," Inuyasha nuzzled her neck causing her to giggle once more.

Kagome was able to get him to eat something before he dashed back into their bedroom to change into his regal attire; he came out tying the black sash to his waist and walked over to the door to gather his boots. Kagome had to catch her breath seeing him in his clothes; it has been nearly a full year since he became a full demon still wasn't use to them.

"So… when will you be back?"

Inuyasha paused in putting his shoes on and looked over his shoulder, "Uh… I don't know it really depends on if we can settle the matters we have to attain to."

"Oh… well I should be grateful you came to tell me rather than just running off huh?"

"Kagome, I know this is hard, but I will try to be back at a reasonable time and I swear I won't be back and forth like last winter… you won't even know I'm gone." Inuyasha must now have realized how Kagome would hang on to his words before his departure, otherwise he may have returned a lot sooner… or at all.

With the harvest in a few short weeks everyone in the village was rather busy and didn't notice their protector was not present. And they really wouldn't, ever since Inuyasha took over the guardianship of the town two years ago there were rare occasions when a rouge demon would attack; the only time these attacks seemed to happen was during the harvest season when the largest amount of people were out of the village at once and closer to the forest when the demons could get to them. But ever since Inuyasha became a full demon and claimed the entire forest surrounding the village as his territory, all ill-intended demons completely vanished… and those that dare to challenge Inuyasha didn't last very long.

The villagers quickly got use to the peaceful environment and Inuyasha's protection fell to the back of their minds. Even his friends had to put their worries for him on the back burner; all their focus was on Sango and the babies.

Keade now visited Sango every day to check her and the children with Kagome's help. Since the priestess was devoting her time solely to his wife, Miroku took up the duties of caring for the shrine in her absence. Kagome to keep her mind off her mate, busied herself with both helping her mentor and tending the crops in the field… but even that wasn't enough to distract her from the fact that Inuyasha had been gone for nearly two full weeks.

During the day she was surrounded by her friends and preparing for the babies that would be coming in the next few weeks, but at night… at night she was alone. A few days after Inuyasha had gone to the west, Shippo had to return to his training, which left the young woman all alone in her large hut; to cope with the emptiness Kagome had started staying at Keade's hut with Rin and her grandmother like figure.

Keade of course welcomed the girl with a warm smile; this also helped the older woman because she could keep her promise to Inuyasha. The boy had come to her right before he left and brought her his dilemma; Keade agreed to help him and also took note about him asking to change the ingredients to give the tea less dramatic side effects.

The new batch had been made but Keade did not give it to the girl; in order to do so would be the same as if Kagome stopped drinking the tea… they would have to wait for the old potion was flushed from Kagome's body with her monthly blood before the next one could be used.

'Inuyasha… what are you doing that's so important that you would be gone this long.' Kagome didn't mean to sound selfish, whatever her mate was needed for must have been important and she was happy that the brothers were bonding in their own strange way; but she still wished she could spend more time with him. She knew in the next month when Sango had the babies both she and Miroku would be extremely busy and they wouldn't been able to be around like before; they were moving on with their lives and starting the family they always wanted. And with the little ones due soon Kagome was thinking about her own family, seeing Sango ready to pop made Kagome's heart clench in knowing that her own womb was still bare… she secretly prayed that this run to the west would be the last one for a while so both Inuyasha and she can begin their family.

"Kagome, are you alright?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine Sango… why do you ask?" It was now entering the third week of Inuyasha's absence and Kagome was busying herself with sewing a thick quilt for Sango come the winter months. The babies should be coming during the late harvest time which meant winter was just around the corner; that in itself was dangerous.

Food and warmth were rather scarce during the colder months and the most deaths that happen in the village, other than those that are attacked by demons, were those that died due to illness that they caught during the winter. The babies' chances of survival were already slimmer than that of a single child and Kagome was going to do everything in her power to make sure they would be okay.

"It's nothing really, you just look a little sad is all… are you worried about Inuyasha?"

Kagome was shocked by her friend's question, she had truly been trying to hide her worries from everyone in the village but clearly she wasn't doing a great job of it. "W-What, of course not, I know he's alright… he didn't tell me what he was needed for and so I can't really expect him home right away; I do wish he would send word though so I'm not obsessing about it," she stopped her sewing to admire the cross stitched little puppy she had been working on.

Sango wished to embrace her friend, but her current state prevented her from doing so, "Kagome, I'm certain if Inuyasha could contact you he would… Sesshomaru could have him bogged down with work; besides we all know how Inuyasha hates regal work so he's probably fighting tooth and nail to come back."

"You're right Sango, I shouldn't worry too much," though Kagome put a smile on her face to please her friend, inside her mind was racing with different situations that her mate could be in keeping him from her.

"Lady Kagome… lady Kagome!" The reed mat door flew open revealing a young girl from the village; she was covered in dirt and mug and panting rather harshly trying to get air into her lungs.

"Yes Asami-chan… what is it?" Kagome placed her sewing aside to give her full attention to the girl.

"In the fields… there was a demon; it came charging out of the forest."

"Kami, is anyone hurt?" Kagome stood and made a quick mental check list of all the supplies she would need to help anyone injured… she also needed to run to her hut and grab her bow for protection, Inuyasha would be angry with her if he returned home and found out she went and fought a demon without anything to keep her safe.

"No, the demon didn't come after any of the villagers because it was already chasing a man. Miroku-san sent me to get you, he isn't sure he can stop the demon alone and save the man.

"Miroku's going after it!"

Kagome could hear the panic in Sango's voice and knew her worrying over this could harm the twins, "Sango, don't worry, I'll go see what's going on."

Once she was able to calm Sango down to a stable level, Kagome raced to her hut to retrieve her weapon and then both Asami and she headed off to the fields to get rid of the demon. With how the girl was describing the demon on the way to the grounds it sounded like it was some type of boar demon, Kagome got a quick flash back of Chokyukai the abducting bride demon from her past… she really didn't want to have to deal with another demon like that without Inuyasha being there. She was quite relieved when Asami told her this demon was a feral one, though that did bring up a few risks to the fields themselves; the demon would think nothing of destroying the lands in a blind rage to reach its prey… they must hurry and slay it before the harvest crop was damaged.

If the boar reached the vegetable fields and crushed everything there would certainly be a food shortage in the village which would cause many deaths during the winter. Just thinking about the death toll brought tears to Kagome's eyes, she couldn't let that happen.

Upon arriving in the area where the demon was spotted, Kagome was extremely happy to see that everything in the fields was alright, even the villagers themselves were unharmed; many had even stopped tending their fields to watch Miroku try and protect the man the demon was after in the first place.

"Miroku!" Kagome snapped out of the trance she was in and dashed over to her friend's side.

"Kagome, be careful this demon is quite powerful, my sutra won't work on it," Miroku recollected himself and prepared to fight the raging pig once again as it came charging yet another time.

"The sutra may not work because its hide is thicker than normal boars, my arrows shouldn't be a problem," the young priestess explained while notching said arrow to her bow and preparing to fire. Kagome focused her spiritual power at the tip of the arrow and a small purplish orb appeared just before she released it. The orb expanded into streams of light trailing behind the arrow as it sailed through the air towards the demon.

The animal was so focused on its prey that it didn't even see the arrow until it was too late. The sound of cracked wood rang out across the field as the weapon made contact with the animal, there was a sudden bright flash of light and then it dimmed to leave nothing of the demon that was once there. The villagers, having been use to Kagome's power for quite some time merely bowed to her in respect and gratitude before returning to their work for the day.

"Are you okay Miroku, Sango wouldn't be pleased if I brought her husband back injured," Kagome giggled watching the ex-monk pat the dust off his robes and pick up his staff that he had discarded.

"I am perfectly fine thanks to your assistance Kagome… thank you."

"Of course Miroku, though you may want to hurry home and tell Sango you're alright so she doesn't worry."

"Yes I shall do that but first I must speak with Hisashi-san and ask for shelter for our friend here," Miroku motioned to the figure standing behind him, the man the boar had been originally after.

The man looked slightly older than Miroku himself, he wore a very plain looking brown suikan and navy blue hakama, he looked like a regular villager and yet Kagome had never seen him before. He was clean shaven which was odd for a man his age, and his eyes are what startled her the most… they were green. A deep forest green that reminded Kagome of the trees she loved to walk under every day; his eyes also reminded her of her fox demon, Shippo's eyes sparkled just like this man's were doing.

"That… that… was amazing," the man's voice quivered with his overall shock about what he just saw.

"Why yes my friend, lady Kagome is truly an amazing person," Miroku winked at his friend who immediately blushed at his teasing.

"Oh Miroku stop it! This was nothing really… just helping out a few friends is all."

"No! this was amazing, absolutely outstanding, the fluidity and gracefulness of your moves with the pure power you possess… and the added sparkle when the demon was destroyed, it was beautiful."

The added praise from the strange man caused Kagome's face to flame, "No, no really it wasn't."

"I owe my life to you my lady," the man dropped to his knees in front of her causing quite the scene as many of the villagers were now staring at them.

"No please, bowing isn't necessary really please stand," Kagome was trying to remain pleasant with the man but now he was getting annoying and the rage she normally took out on her mate may be brought on to this poor soul.

Miroku watched the scene unfold with great amusement; if he wasn't so sure Kagome would hit him if she saw his smirk he would be out right laughing at the man's actions. No one had ever gone this far overboard in thanking the young priestess for killing a demon, this man was so far bent towards the ground he was practically eating the dirt.

"Alright my friend I am certain lady Kagome understands how grateful you are for her saving your life… now please get up," Miroku finally took pity on his friend and approached the two, helping him to his feet since he seemed hard of hearing.

"My lady there must be some way I can repay you, I am in your debt, I am sure I can do chores around your shine!"

"Oh no that will not be necessary, I don't care for the shrine anyway, Miroku and lady Keade do."

"Lady… Keade?"

"Yes she is the elder priestess of our village, lady Kagome is her apprentice."

"What, Miroku I'm not-."

"Come we must go back to the village and get this man settled," Miroku stopped Kagome from correcting him and then ushered the man in the direction of the town.

Kagome was confused by Miroku's actions, everyone knew she would not be Keade successor after her passing; Kagome couldn't become a true priestess because she was mated to Inuyasha and yet… why would Miroku allow this man to think that she was.

Note: I am so sorry this is really late... I had intented for this to be written like weeks ago but things came up. One classes have been extremely hard this quarter and my professors are expecting a lot out of me. Not to mention like two weeks ago my poor old labtop died completely and I lost what I had written already for this chapter so that pushed it back also. But finally I found the time to retype and finish it so hope you like. And now we have a new character that has been added but he doesn't have a name yet... what could he possibly have in store for our friends?

Thanks to: Everyone that's read this chapter, I lost all the reviews from my old labtop so I can't thank anyone individually... sorry. But thank everyone that reviewed the last chapter and I will make sure to name everyone separately.