A/N- I had an epiphany while writing this chapter and would appreciate it if all my readers would head over to my profile and read my update there. It pertains to this story strongly and I want to clear something up that comes up a lot in reviews. Thank you in advance.

Chapter Nine

Sesshomaru sighed as he gently closed his cellphone. His pride stung from his admissions, but the conversation had ended in his favor. Not only would Kagura talk their son out of the tree, but she would try to open the boy to him. A heavy feeling settled in his gut as he thought of her gift to him.

It was so far removed from the picture of her he had built up over the years. He had imagined her to be brash, lively, cynical, and stubborn; much the same Kagura she had been before they had entered into a relationship. This new Kagura, forced alone into motherhood, was gentler, more settled, and obviously a caregiver. Even if he refused to admit it, the weight settling into his abdomen felt suspiciously like guilt. Whether it was his cold actions regarding their break up, or his ruthless retrieval of their son, he couldn't be entirely sure.

What truly added to the weight in his stomach was what she had called him. He wasn't certain she even realized what she had said, but it had shocked him into silence. She had taken to calling him Sessh halfway through their relationship; he remembered her teasing him about how long his name was. No one had ever given him a nickname before, and he hadn't seen the harm of letting her do as she wished at the time, considering the actual state of their situation.

Shaking himself from his journey into the past, Sesshomaru strode back to the tree that held his still crying son. The cloying scent of tears was overwhelming, and he fought the urge to sneeze to clear it from his sensitive nose. Once more he found himself staring up into the tree, eyes flying to where Kisekimaru had huddled himself into a keening ball.

"Kisekimaru, your… Ama is on her way now." Instantly, the heartbreaking sound of his sobs were cut off, replaced by hopeful sniffles. Glittering ruby eyes met his and Kisekimaru's whole head appeared in the gap in the branches.

"R-Really?" He called down buoyantly, cheer already leeching into his voice. Sesshomaru breathed a deep sigh of relief at the tone, knowing he grown in the boys esteem by being the bearer of good news, even if only slightly.

"Yes. She will be here shortly." He hesitated in saying anymore, wondering if he was pushing his luck with his child. "Are you… going to come down and meet her?" Kisekimaru's eyes narrowed in suspicion, and Sesshomaru knew he had pushed too hard, too soon. A frown tugged at the corners of his lips, but he kept them neutral. "You don't have to." He stepped away from the tree and rubbed at his temples. The headache he had felt earlier was gaining strength, throbbing behind his eyes. A tug at his pant leg alerted him to his daughter.

"Is Kisekimaru better Papa?" Rin's light voice drew a smile from him, her loving nature abundant. Her concern was touching.

"He is feeling better." He confirmed, kneeling down to her level once more. "You will be able to meet his mother, Kagura. I expect you to be on your best behavior." He gave her as serious a look as he could manage and was pleased when she nodded vigorously. Her smile was brilliant as she chattered away about how excited she was. Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smirk at her enthusiasm before standing once more, her distress averted. With two of his problems fixed, there was but one more thing to deal with.

"Jaken." The toad demon froze under the cold eyes of his lord. Sesshomaru could smell the fear and remorse floating off the demon in waves, causing him to frown. More scents he didn't particularly like.

"Y-yes?" The quaking of his voice was clear and Sesshomaru sighed. He didn't want to have to deal with a frantic, remorseful Jaken. He usually ended up making even more of a nuisance of himself than normal.

"Don't speak badly of Kagura again." He paused, letting the words sink into his servant's mind. "This is your only warning." Words spoken, he turned away to retreat to a bench. The throbbing behind his eyes had spread to his whole head. He didn't even want to hear a whisper of Jaken's voice. Lightly, he rubbed a temple, futilely trying to will it away. One more thing he didn't need to deal with.

As he sat with a small frown on his face, he felt the wind kick up dramatically. Instantly, he was engulfed in the smell of a cool, crisp wind, like the clean air from a mountain top. His head lifted just in time to see Kagura hop gracefully from her feather and barrel towards him.

"Sesshomaru!" She cried, ruby eyes glittering enticingly. "I came as fast as I could. Where is he?" He shook himself, pushing the headache to the back of his mind as best he could; Kagura's smell was a welcome distraction. Standing, he gestured to the large tree sheltering Rin and Jaken from the sun.

"I've only been here about ten minutes." He murmured quietly as he led her. He stole quick glances at the distracting shine of her eyes. "He's been up there since well before that." Kagura heaved a heavy sigh, running a lightly clawed hand through her untidy hair. It struck him as odd, seeing her as anything less than impeccable; even in the jail cell, she had been neat.

"I'm sorry about all this." She said as they approached. He noticed as Rin's head perked and a smile split her countenance. "I thought I had raised him bet- Ah!" Kagura's sentence was abruptly ended as Rin crashed into her legs. The two almost fell, but Kagura regained her balance in time to keep the pair off the ground.

"Rin, what did I say about your behavior?" A sheepish Rin quickly released the older woman, a smile still on her face.

"To be on my best." She replied, voice coated with an innocence he knew all too well. A part of him groaned as he saw how round her eyes got. He had learned long ago not to fight and said no more in reprimand.

"Kagura, this is Rin, my daughter. Rin, this is Kisekimaru's mother, Kagura." He took a step back as the two females grinned at each other.

"I've heard a lot about you, Rin." Kagura said first, extending a hand. "Kisekimaru had nothing but good things to say about you." Rin flushed a light shade of pink, but took the older woman's hand nonetheless.

"Kisekimaru must love you lots if he misses you so much to cry." Both adults had to smile at the awkward wording of the eight year old. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Kagura." Kagura laughed lightly at the moniker.

"Kagura will do just fine Rin." She assured the younger girl, patting her on the head. "Now, do you know where-"

"Ama!" This time Kagura was slammed to the ground by a flying tackle from her son. Even through the ache in her hips, a smile broke through and brightened her face.

"Darling!" Sesshomaru watched in a sort of detached fascination as mother and child clung to each other.

The scent of tears quickly reached the dog demon, just as quickly as he noticed the pair crying. Both wore smiles on their faces. Kisekimaru was sobbing quietly, garbled words streaming out between hitching breaths and tears. Kagura encased him as completely as she could in her embrace, hands pressing his willing head to her neck and legs clutching him to her torso. He could hear the nonsense she murmured in a constant stream into Kisekumaru's ear.

As far as he could remember, he had no memory like this. His own mother was a vague blur in the halls of his memory, his father a distant figure, especially after meeting the human woman. A frown tugged at Sesshomaru's lips as he continued to observe the scene.

"A-Ama, I m-missed you." Sesshomaru's chest ached as his beast roared in distress. His pup was hurting and there was nothing he could do about it. Distant golden eyes drifted to the rocking form of his pup's mother. She was the only thing that could soothe the hurt for their son. Sesshomaru stiffened as his heart constricted painfully, his hand twitching in the desire to clutch it. He restrained himself, wishing to be a silent observer for longer.

"I know, baby, I know." Kagura repeated it like a mantra, stroking and caressing the silver tresses of their son. "Ama is here now, don't cry baby." He watched as she pressed feather light butterfly kisses all over his face and hair.

The most profound thing, he noted, was the contrast. Kagura had looked worn, with her hair messy and uncombed, her clothes wrinkled and slightly faded, when she had touched down. The instant she had heard Kisekimaru's voice and held him in her arms… the change was phenomenal.

Even now, face streaked with tears, her nose turning a cherry red, she exuded a sense of comfort and serenity; she practically glowed with it. Vaguely, he realized it was the effect of motherhood on the unpredictable and unruly wind witch. The aura of comfort she gave off was far reaching; even he felt the desire to let himself be soothed by a mothering presence.

Instantly, reality crashed back into Sesshomaru as he realized what he had been thinking. His headache slammed into his head, fully transformed into a migraine. He cringed heavily, silently cursing his demonically inhanced senses. If nothing else, he had to wrap this up and head back home to quiet. Being in the near center of the city wasn't helping matters. He took a step towards the mother and son.

"Kagura." His keen eyes didn't miss the way all her limbs tightened around Kisekimaru, even as she lifted her head to match gazes with him. "We should be heading home." For a moment, she didn't move, just stared at him with ruby eyes glittering with tears. He cursed the lingering effects of long buried fascinations as he felt himself stare. Her eyes truly were intriguing.

"Fine." Her words were quiet, defeated; much the same as when she had agreed to the contract. He watched as the glitter that so fascinated him disappeared from her eyes. "Kisekimaru, baby, you have to go home with Sesshomaru now." Both parents felt a stab in their hearts as he clung to his mother, head shaking wildly in protest.

"But Ama-"

"No, Kisekimaru." Kagura's voice was soft, but firm in her conviction. "I'll see you in one month. It's just like when you stayed with Big Brother Jakotsu, remember?" Sesshomaru had to admire her for a moment. Even he doubted he would have been able to stand against the wishes of either of his children, let alone one he would be giving away. She truly was a remarkable demoness.

"Yes Ama…" The misery encompassed in the boy's voice was heartbreaking to hear, even for him. "I'll m-miss you." Once more, the strong scent of tears reached Sesshomaru, and he fought back a cringe. It seemed the day didn't wish to go in his favor in any way. It hurt to hear his son continue to cry over coming back with him.

"I know you will baby." She murmured against the crown of his head. "I'll miss you too. Now, there's something I need to talk to you about before you go. Sesshomaru?" She turned her gaze up to him, catching his eyes seriously. "May I speak to him alone?" Sesshomaru gazed at her flatly for a long while, nodding when he realized what she would be doing.

Turning away, he headed to the bench he had previously occupied, knowing he could block out what they were saying at that distance. At least Kagura would be trying to set one thing into going his way. Perhaps he would have his son's trust and acceptance sooner than he had thought.

With a light sigh, he turned his head once more towards the mother and son pair. He focused on watching their lips move, trying to decipher their words by the movement alone. Kagura looked serious while Kisekimaru just looked sad and upset; understandable, he supposed, after the stressful events of the day. If his migraine was any indication, the stress was getting to him as well. He noted that every now and then, Kisekimaru's eyes would drift his way, reluctance clearer than daylight in them. Perhaps it wouldn't be as easy as he first thought.

It was heartbreaking, a small part of her had decided, that she was being forced to put herself and her son through the situation. They had been reunited for but the briefest amount of time before Sesshomaru had calmly broken them apart with nothing but a few soft words. Neither of them had wanted to let go, but Kagura knew when she had no chance of winning. Any sort of altercation between her and Sesshomaru would only end badly for her.

"Sesshomaru tells me you've been distant." Kagura tried to make her voice as soft as she could, trying to avoid making it sound as though she was accusing him. He was the last one she would accuse of anything in their situation. "Why is that baby?" His head was tilted toward the ground, his long bangs obscuring her view of his eyes. They told her everything, and she knew he was hiding them from her purposefully. They would both begin crying again.

"He took you away from me." Was the barely audible response, even to her enhanced hearing. She couldn't help the sigh that escaped her, even though it would do nothing to help her. "I don't care if he's my Opa, I hate him." The words shocked Kagura to no end, especially the way he said them. There was no inflection or emotion in his voice, just a steady tone that showed her just how serious he was.

"You can't hate him Kisekimaru." She said steadily, cupping his cheeks so he would look at her. "Even I don't hate him. Do you know why?" Her words were just a hairsbreadth away from being a flat lie even as she looked him in the eye and he shook his head. She was only a breath away from hating her son's father, for a number of reasons. "He gave me you. And for that, I can never hate him." If Kisekimaru had never been conceived, she could see herself hating him, but she didn't like picturing any life without her son.

"I still feel… empty without you Ama." Kagura felt relief and pain flood her chest when she heard the waver in his voice. She despaired whenever he began to take on the mannerisms of his father.

"Imagine how he must feel baby." She tried, going for a tactic she hoped wouldn't backfire spectacularly. "He didn't even know you existed before a few weeks ago. What if I suddenly never saw you for eight years; how would we be feeling?" She had never tried playing the empathy card with him, for he had always seemed too like Sesshomaru for it to work. Judging from the suddenly speculating and sad look on his face, he was more like her than she had thought.

"I would hate it." He practically whispered, glancing over at his father. Even though she could still see the reluctance in his eyes, it was better than the outright refusal of before.

"He just wants to get to know you." She soothed, gaining his attention once more. "As your father, it was a right that I stole from him, so this is partially my fault as well. Just give him a chance; he asks for nothing more than that." The stubborn streak that shone through his eyes, so resembling hers, showed that he doubted she could be at fault for anything. An immature part of herself gloated that he liked her more than Sesshomaru, but she pushed it down with shame. She had already done enough to damage their relationship, no need to do anymore with a bout of childishness.

"Now, it's time for you to go with Sesshomaru." She said, standing from her kneeling position. "I'll come to say goodbye to all of you." She felt his tiny hand clutch hers desperately, squeezing just as tight around her heart. Just thinking about saying goodbye made her want to break down in tears all over again.

Kagura wanted to say she would be strong enough to survive the fare wells without crying; after all, she had to practice what she preached in front of her son. But as she led Kisekimaru by the hand towards one of the last men she ever wanted to, she knew that the tears would come unbidden. She could already feel their itch building at the backs of her eyes, the lump that was slowly rising in her throat. Her hand clenched around her son's in a desperate effort to keep him to herself; running with him crossed her mind for half a second before it was shot down mercilessly. Sesshomaru could practically smell treachery, and she would be caught before she could pluck her feather from her hair.

She watched as Sesshomaru rose as they approached him. He looked impossibly cool, just as he always did, his passive mask preventing her from getting anything from him. She could barely remember a time when reading him had been as easy as a quick glance. Her heart stung harshly as, unwittingly, memories flooded forth.

Their first awkward date, made less so when Kagura had managed to make him crack a small smile as she embarrassed herself. The first time she had been to his home, marveling at the sheer elegance of his house while he had made her dinner. Their only Valentine's Day, spent in a field staring at clouds and snacking on the picnic they had prepared. Their first fight, him being upset with how many men she hung around with and how comfortable she was with them. Then, that wonderful, dreadful final night, when she had finally given in to his advances and slept with him. Although, she remembered not sleeping until the sun had begun to peek over the horizon.

The tears came in earnest as she finally locked eyes with him. Confusion swam in them before they flattened once more, regarding her tears with impassivity. It struck her only then the type of man she was leaving her most precious creation with. Knowing she could never win against him, she prayed fervently to any god listening for her son not to turn out like his father. The only thing she had ever wanted from him was to be a happy child and a happy adult.

"Kisekimaru, please go wait with Jaken and Rin. We will be leaving after I speak with… your mother." Kisekimaru didn't move for a moment, clinging to her hand as though it were a lifeline. With a gentle squeeze that ripped at her heart, she let go of his hand and ushered him toward the girl that was now his sister. At the very least, Rin would be a cheering influence in his life with Sesshomaru. She could only hope the little girl would be enough; Kisekimaru was delicate, regardless of his strong heritage.

Her ruby eyes followed him until he reached the slightly older girl, his whole body radiating sadness. The burning tears at the backs of her eyes were almost too much to ignore; still, she had one more thing to face before she allowed herself to cry.

"Thank you for doing this Kagura." Sesshomaru broke the tense silence with his quiet words. Kagura suppressed a flinch as best she could. Being alone with him was weakening a dam she had spent months, years building against the memories. "It… means much to me." She nodded weakly, hanging her head to avoid his gaze. He could probably see her despair like she was glass, but she would at least make an attempt at looking strong, no matter how weak she felt.

"I should go." Her words were whispered, almost no more than soundless breaths of air. Still, she knew he heard them. He was an Inu, a Taiyoukai on top of that.

"Yes, you should." It was a cold statement, one that elicited a flinch she couldn't stop. The glance she gave him told her he had noticed it. "I will… contact you should something like this occur again. Good day, Kagura." She shivered as he walked past her to his children. The emotional coldness was almost tangible, like a deathly chill that followed him. Her ruby eyes followed him through her bangs, watching with a pang as he shepherded his… pack away from her.

She almost sneered as the word came to her unbidden. That's exactly what they were, and she was in no way a part of it. A hiss nearly escaped her at the unexpected pain that thought caused her. Who caused it, she couldn't be entirely sure. With the dam against her memories leaking frantically, she couldn't be sure of anything.

A/N2- I can never thank my anonymous reviewers personally like I do my logged in reviewers. So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for taking the time to read this story and especially to review it. I am deeply grateful to the compliments, encouragement, and criticism I receive from you.

D.E.M.