Chapter 9

EDIT: I haven't written this story in SO long, if the flow seems poor or off, or if the characters are missing a certain je ne sais quois let me know!

I woke up alone in a strange room. I wasn't sure what had happened, I wasn't sure where I was. I felt the panic eating away at the satisfaction I had been left with after sex with Sesshomaru. Hesitantly I sat up, the chill letting me know that I was still nude. Self consciously I grabbed the sheet, wrestled it from under the comforter, and wrapped it around my body.

The room was small, foreign. Certainly didn't seem Western at all. I moved to the desk beside the window, fingering the notebooks, my mind whirling with the strange lines.

"I'm in Japan?" I murmured, gazing out the window.

Damn I certainly am. I stepped back, my mind running a million miles a minute. How did I get here? What... what happened?

I tried to remember, but aside from a few more encounters of the sexual kind with Sesshomaru I couldn't remember much. A knock at the door startled me out of my musings. I was shocked when Kagome entered the room, a bundle of clothes in her arms. She didn't seem the least bit fazed to see me. She set the clothing down and perched on the edge of the bed, waiting for me to change.

I blushed, struggling to keep myself covered as much as I could while yanking on the shorts and tank top she'd provided. She smiled warmly as I grabbed the chair at the desk and sat facing her.

"I forget how bashful you Westerners are." She laughed a little. "I'm sure you're wondering what's going on... Well," she ran a hand through her ponytail nervously, fiddling with the hem of her knee-length skirt. "Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru had us delivered here to keep us safe, since we're the weakest points in their little war right now."

I bristled at the thought of being pushed away, handed off like luggage. "What do you mean weakest points?"

Her eyes rolled up, and she let out a deep breath before smiling my way again. "Look, Shivalry. I'm a mom now, I am here to protect my children should the fight come to our house. You are a human untrained for battle. Let's be logical about this without pride or emotions getting in the way. Plus," she motioned to her gigantic stomach. "I'm a liability. As are you. Now, come downstairs for some food. I wanna introduce you to every one and show you around the shrine!"

I nodded, putting on a smile. I trudged down the stairs and into the living room. Everything was so different than what I'd grown up with I truly felt out of place. Between the 'Alice down the hole' feeling and the roiling emotions of being left behind I was too numb to really process or be present as she introduced me to her family. Her daughter, Kim, was pulling on Sota's shirt begging for 'up', the cat lounged lazily on the front porch in the summer sun. Her mother was sweeping the pathway outside.

Finally Kagome introduced me to the tree, the giant tree that started it all.

I placed my hand on the massive trunk. The bark was firm and hard under my hand. I looked up to the leaves as they shifted in the slight summer wind, light filtering through.

"It's gorgeous." I breathed reverently.

Even without spiritual powers I could sense an energy enveloping me in its warmth. I felt incredibly calm and energized, the anger and feelings of displacement faded away and I knew, somehow, that I would never want to leave the shrine. Somehow I'd become bonded to this place. Kagome stepped beside me, smiling kindly.

"You can feel the trees sacred presence, can't you?"

I nodded slowly.

"We've had more people coming to our Shrine as of late." She laughed a little, "I think Grandpa sent more people running away than he did encouraging them to come and stay." Her hand clenched in a small fist, her calloused fingers belied her true strength. "I know he's here blessing this place. Anyway, let's go inside and rest. It's hard to stand for any length of time this close to my due date." She smiled again, waddling back over to the path, grunting with the effort of maneuvering over the low barrier of the walkway.

I followed slowly, waving to Kagome's elderly mother as she smiled. It brought me hesitation and for the first time it dawned on me that my own family had no idea where I was. Granted we had never been close, but we still talked occasionally. I went into the large house, made my way upstairs to where I had been this morning. Kagome had said there'd be a bag for my shoved under the bed.

"Found you." I whispered as I grasped the strap and tugged it into the middle of the floor.

Almost frantically I dug for my phone, frustration, fear and all the other emotions I was feeling welled in me as I kicked the bag back to the bed, contents scattering through the room. Something hard banged against the desk. I winced, ashamed of my outburst, watching the door with baited breath. No one came barging in demanding my hide. I relaxed, gathering my things, making my way to the desk where my curiosity drew me. I moved the pile of clothes only to find a small sharp triangle.

"What is this?" I murmured to myself, setting the handful of clothes on the bed as I sat. "A..." I turned it over in my hands, the smooth curve somewhat translucent in the summer sunlight streaming through the window. It was huge, at least four inches long. I poked the tip and yanked away at the sudden pain. "So sharp." I inspected the wound, blood bubbled and spilled almost immediately. Much sharper than I thought. I looked back to it, my mind jumping to the conclusion. "A claw?"

Kagome knocked, "I've got lunch!" She announced through the door, bumping it open with her hip. Her smile idn't flater when her eyes landed on the claw in my hand. "Well... what's this?"

She set the tray of soup, tea, dried salamader, and various other pregnancy treats down on her desk and made her way over to me. She lowered herself awkwardly onto the bed and held out her hand. Hesitantly I handed the claw to her and shrugged.

"I found it in my bag. I have no idea what- WHOASHIT!" I screamed and leapt away, tripping over the edge of the bed as I did so.

In Kagome's grasp the claw turned into an elegant, thing curved blade. She smiled subdued at the weapon, not laughing till she saw me sprawled on the floor with terror etched into my face.

"It looks as though my brother-in-law left you a parting gift." She handed it back to me.

It tingled in my grasp, something similar to the feeling of the tree thrummed in my veins and pooled in my chest before infiltrating the rest of my body. Suddenly the room smelled like him. Like Sesshomaru.

"Wha-?"

"It's his claw turned into a weapon." She smiled sadly and shook her head, "Like father like son." She murmured, earning a confused glare from me.

"I don't know hoe to wield a sword, let alone a magical one." I gasped, waving it up and down frantically. "How do I turn it off?!"

She giggled, "Just want it. Breathe deep, focus, put the desire in your head into a feeling, push that feeling out through your fingers and-" She clapped, "Ah, there you go."

I looked at the claw in my hand, fingered it curiously. "Why would he-?"

"Let's eat!" Kagome interrupted, rushing to the food.

I nodded, siting on the floor while she took the chair, grateful for the dish though I wasn't sure what it contained. I let her eat in silence despite the burning questions.

"Are they fighting right now?" I asked as she sipped from her cup.

She nodded, swallowing. "Most likely, but I have no doubt they'll win and... and... come back." Her voice was low and quiet.

It hit me suddenly. Waking up here, the claw, her sudden nervous behavior.

"Sesshomaru won't see me again, will he?"

She paused, her hand shaking. "H-he might!" She fake smiled, then caught the dark look on my face. "I mean... he might see you again. But he won't stay with you. He can't, it hurts him too badly. That's the curse of being immortal." Her voice was quiet again, the bubbly demeanor gone. "I don't think his heart could bear to watch you die."

"But Inu Yasha-"

"Is different." She stopped me, "He'd rather live every moment happily with me while he can. He's strong enough to bear it. Sesshomaru never was. Losing a loved one, to a man who is that delicate, is almost like a form of death. He was truly broken before he found you. And loved you." She grinned sadly. "I know you guys had sex." I blushed and ducked my head, "Have you thought about what would happen if you were pregnant?"

I froze. I hadn't thought of pregnancy at all. I looked at her with huge eyes.

"No." I rubbed my abdomen absently.

"Would you want to be pregnant? Are you okay being a single mother with a half demon child?" She rubbed her own swollen stomach, the baby kicked noticeably. "We have herbs that can prevent-"

"No." I shook my head, "If something a beautiful as a child comes about from the short amount of time I was with him, I'd rather let that path go to fruition."

She smiled and nodded, "I'm glad you think so."