Chapter 10

"MoooooOOOooommmmyyyyyy!"

Kagome turned toward the kitchen door, smiling warmly at the sleepy eyed kitsune walking toward the counter where she was preparing breakfast.

"Good morning Shippo." He hugged her from behind and nuzzled his nose into her cheek.

"Good morning most wise and beautiful mother of mine."

"Oh gods," she giggled as she shook him off of her, "what do you want?"

"Nothing!" He said with as much innocence as he could muster, widening his emerald eyes to be as childlike as possible. "I just love you!" His wide smile was all fangs and charm and Kagome snorted in disbelief before returning to her breakfast preparations.

"SooOOOOooooOooOo..."

"Oh gods."

"You've been spending a lot of time with Monsieur Vampire lately."

"I knew it."

"You seem to really like him."

"I knew it."

"He seems to really like you..."

"You think so?"

"Well why wouldn't he? My mother is the smartest, kindest, most beautiful-"

"Oh just tell me what you want, Shippo!"

"There's a new game coming out today and-"

Kagome heaved a huge sigh, eyes practically rolling out of her head. Fox antics were never something you could get used too, they only got worse the older they got.

"My purse is on the table, brat!"

"YAY!" He leapt off the counter, ready to spring for the table when he stopped himself, deciding to hug his mother from behind again, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and laying his head atop hers.

"Thanks ma. And I can tell he makes you happy, and that makes me happy."

Kagome's heart melted and she smiled indulgently at her 'baby' fox as he bound over to the table to her purse.

"So, when do I get to meet my new papa?" He said facetiously, and in his distraction he didn't hear her sneak up behind him. His yelp echoed through the house as Kagome twisted up her dish towel and used it to smack him soundly on the rear.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hello Miko, I see you've finally taken it upon yourself to fill me in on the status of your mission."

"Heh, sorry Sesshy."

"What have I told you about calling me that infernal nickname?"

"It's a term of endearment!"

"Miko."

"Alright alright! Sheesh! So, In the two weeks I've been here, I haven't heard one thing about the jewel. I've taken to scouring the public historical records, and websites on the town lore, and it seems this town has always been a hot spot for magic. It comes in waves, something about doppelgängers."

"Hn. I see. So you do not believe the jewel is in any danger?"

"Not based on what I know now, no. I've had Inuyasha, Koga and Shippo keeping an ear out, they've not heard anything either."

"Hn. I recommend staying a few more weeks to be cautious, then you are free to return."

"Um... what if I wanted to stay..."

"Do as you wish."

"THANKS big bro!" Sesshoumaru heaved a resigned sigh before hanging up the call, leaving Kagome to spin around on her porch swing, staring the Vampire attempting to sneak up behind her right in the eyes. He slumped in disappointment at being caught and joined her on the swing, slouching down and closing his eyes as if to take a nap. Kagome was having none of that today.

"Did you deliver my invitations?"

"Yes."

"Well what did they say?"

"They'd be delighted."

His sarcasm was evident, but Kagome squealed anyway and threw her arms around him. Damon grunted as he caught her, but quickly recovered and wrapped his arms around her in return.

"YAY I'm so excited! A dinner party with my new friends! Thanks Damon!" She leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, just as he was leaning down to speak to her again. Instead of his cheek, her lips met his and she froze, mortified at making such a mistake. She pulled back, face ablaze and ready to apologize when she noticed his eyes clouded over and staring intently at her lips. His hands were suddenly warm against her cheeks, and her heart beat so fast it had nearly stopped as he pressed his lips against hers again. He slipped his fingers through her hair and she clutched at the front of his shirt as she relaxed into him, feeling the world stop and her soul hum. A sing-song voice from the front door pulled them apart, Shippo's impish chuckling acting like a bucket of cold water as reality started spinning rapidly around them again.

"UH OH! Am I... interrupting?!"

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"SHIPPO! What are you doing?!"

Damon looked over and stopped short at the young... person approaching them with the most shit eating grin he'd ever seen in his life. He had fiery red hair and other-worldly emerald eyes, his pointed ears leaving no illusions that this boy wasn't human. Not in the least. Two red tails swept behind him, and Damon recalled what Kagome had told them of her son being a two tailed fox. This must be him then.

Shippo planted himself between he and Kagome, throwing an arm around both of them, then turned his attention toward Damon himself.

"So, you must be damon, the reason my beloved mother has been prancing around singing Disney songs while she cleans."

Kagome groaned and dropped her face into her hands.

"Oh gods Shippo, WHY?!"

Shippo only grinned wider, his fangs glinting in the afternoon sunshine.

"I'm Shippo, nice to meet you. So, Monsieur Vampire, what are your intentions with my mother?"

Damon met his gaze head on, showing no intimidation or hesitance as he gave his answer. He knew this must be important for the boy, he wanted to know his mother was safe. He would be more than happy to reassure him.

"To protect her." Shippo's eyes widened marginally before he smiled a warm, genuine smile, patting Damon firmly on the shoulder.

"Good answer. Alright, you kids have fun! But not too much fun."

He ran into the house, cackling madly as Kagome threw her shoe at him, the door slamming closed behind him. Kagome kept her face hidden in her hands, and Damon leaned over to nudge her with his shoulder to get her attention.

"Don't say anything."

He laughed and slung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her too him and kissing the top of her head.

"I like him." He said into her hair, his heart in his voice. She pulled away and tried to appear angry, but her glare was ruined by the grin spreading across her face.

"Only because you're as annoying as he is."

He only pulled her to him again, resting her head on his shoulder and enjoyed the cooking weather.

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Inuyasha watched from the window as the new couple watched the stars from a blanket on the grass. His night vision made it possible for him to see them clearly, and he was just disgusted. They were only lying there, staring up at the sky, but he couldn't help it. Jealousy writhed though him and he felt it burn in his stomach and heart, over riding the parts of his brain wired for rationality. If he was alone he might march out there and throw damn bastard off the lawn himself. As it was, he had Shippo and Koga keeping him from doing something totally stupid. And he knew it was totally stupid. He may be long mated to Kikyo, he may have chosen her over Kagome and severed any tie he had to the little reincarnated miko from his future, but he still felt a great deal of possession toward her. He wasn't sure how much of it was because he loved her, how much was because of her status as his own mate's reincarnation, or how much was because she'd been the one to save him. It was probably a bit of all of it. There was also the fact that life with Kikyo had not been all that he'd dreamed it would be. She was still mostly cold and distant, despite being brought back to life. She didn't want children, and she wasn't particularly affectionate. Though he still held a great deal of fondness for his mate, he had long suspected that he'd chosen wrong all those years ago. And that brought him here, trying desperately to get himself together so he wouldn't do something he'd regret. Again. He'd promised after the last guy he chased off that he was not going to interfere again. That he was going to let her be happy. Yet here he was struggling to do just that.

"Inuyasha, stop being such a creep and get away from the window. If mom knew you were spying she'd purify your ears off."

"Shut it, runt. I just don't trust that guy."

"You don't trust anyone Inuyasha."

Sometimes it freaked him out how much the runt could sound like Kagome, despite not actually having been born to her. He supposed spending over 500 years being raised by someone could have that affect.

"I'm gonna have a talk with him."

"I've already had a talk with him Inuyasha, and I give him my personal stamp of approval."

"Is that supposed to mean something to me, brat?"

"Well I'm her son, so if I like her boyfriend that should mean a whole lot."

"Whatever. I'm going to bed. Kikyo'll just get pissy if I sit around here too long anyway."

"Night night, mister grumpy paws!"

"I SAID SHUT IT RUNT!"

Shippo snickered and Kouga shook his head in agitation. He knew what Inuyasha was up too, he'd seen it over and over.

"He's not gonna keep getting away with this. She'll figure it out one day, and then he'll regret it for the rest of his life."

"I'm not worried anymore. This guy is different. He won't be intimidated so easily. You'll see."

"I hope you're right kid."

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Damon lay back on the grass, Kagome's head pillowed on his chest, his arm wrapped around her shoulder, hugging her to him snuggly. His other hand held hers where it lay on his chest, and a warm feeling of peace wrapped all around them as the stars glittered overhead.

"So, how old are you really?"

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"You said you were older than me. So how old are you really?"

"Are you sure you wanna know?"

"Why else would I ask?"

"I'm at least 530. I think."

Damon wasn't quite sure what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. Not that he was bothered, Katherine had been about that much older than him as well. But then Katherine had been a vampire. He wasn't sure how humans could live that long on their own.

"Uh... how?"

"The Shikon no Tama. The Jewel of Four Souls."

"It made you immortal?"

"About 15 ago, on my 15th birthday, I fell down a well on the grounds of the shrine I grew up on. It carried me 500 years into the past. There, I found a boy bound to a tree in a magical sleep. I was attacked by giant centipede youkai who could sense the jewel in my body. I woke the boy, Inuyasha, from his enchanted sleep, and he slew the youkai, who had ripped the jewel from my side. I discovered that I was the reincarnation of Inuyasha's lost love, Kikyo. They had been tricked into betraying each other by a hanyou named naraku, and Kikyo died in the after math. She had the jewel burned with her body, which was reborn into me. Anyway, the next day after I arrived in the past, the jewel was shattered, and we spent the next year battling naraku and collecting the shards of the jewel. That's when I found Shippo." She paused, and Damon looked down at her to find her smiling up at the stars, a faraway look in her eyes. She blinked, eyes refocusing as she cleared her throat and peeked up at him.

"Sorry, Shippo's just my favorite part of this story. Anyway. We continued our quest. Inuyasha's lost love is brought back by a dark witch, and I lose a part of my soul to keep her alive. For four years we battled naraku for the jewel shards, until we finally defeated him and regained the entire jewel. I was given one wish on the jewel in order to destroy it. I asked for Kikyo's life to be restored for Inuyasha's sake. As much as I loved him... he didn't love me, and I just wanted him to be happy. The jewel struck a deal. I would protect the jewel forever, and then the jewel would sever Kikyo's soul from mine and return her to life. I accepted, and the jewel re-fused with my body and my humanity fell away. I was frozen in time, doomed to watch my mortal loved ones age and die around me. And now here I am today, with you."

Damon felt the an echo of the loneliness he'd felt over his own century in a half throb through his soul. Five centuries she'd existed, watching people she loved fade into the past. He pulled her tighter to him and felt her nuzzle her cheek into his chest. Then something dawned on him, something that sent his soul flying and he laughed into the night. His eyes crinkled shut and his body shook with laughter and Kagome leaned up off of him to ask him what was wrong.

"What on eath are you laughing at, Damon?"

Damon rolled them over until she was under him, and he braced himself over her on his forearms. He smiled down at her, his entire heart in his eyes.

"I just realized."

She waited with bated breath for his answer, feeling the gravity of it thrum through her soul, ready to embrace it and never release it.

"I get to keep you forever."

He lowered himself over her, taking her lips again and losing himself in her as the stars continued to spin overhead.

A.N.: I did the best I could with their ages based on when they were born vs when about this story is taking place. Just roll with it.