Author's Note: Prepare for a very long chapter! I just couldn't bring myself to split this up, though. I can't say anything for fear of giving something away, so...enjoy!

Sesshomaru abandoned the camp for an entire night, and then returned the next morning just to turn the group around. Everyone followed without question for about a day or so before Rin piped up.

"Are we going backwards?"

Sesshomaru nodded.

"Why?"

"We are meeting someone in my lands."

"Why?"

"Rin," Jaken snapped, "Do not pester Lord Sesshomaru with so many questions!"

She let out a heavy sigh and ran ahead, whispering to her kitten about the mean little imp. Mina slipped off of Ah-Un's back and sidled up to Sesshomaru.

"Who are we meeting?"

"Vadoma. The wyrm that you met before."

Mina frowned, realizing why he had called the woman (however he had managed that). "I do not need her help, not if she feeds me another nasty drink. I will get better on my own!"

"She can tell us what is wrong with you."

She let out a sigh of defeat and climbed back onto Ah-Un. Yes, she felt like something was seriously wrong, but she could just ignore it up until now. The wyrm would know, and she would tell Sesshomaru. What if this had to do with the drinking she had done with Haruto? Sesshomaru would be so angry!

Sesshomaru decided to leave Rin with Ah-Un in a safe clearing before guiding Mina and Jaken to a run-down hut in the middle of the woods. Mina stepped inside to find the same old woman waiting for them, and sat in the seat as she was told to. Vadoma seemed to already know that she was supposed to be finding the reason for Mina's illness.

"Ah, Sesshomaru," she smiled, speaking with that strange thick accent. "How daring of you to call me out in the middle of the season. Don't you know what I risk as a woman?"

"I do not care for your jokes, Vadoma. You and I know well that you would not risk giving birth to a wyrm."

She flashed those fangs, "You know me too well."

"What does he mean?" Mina whispered to Jaken.

"You cannot trust a wyrm. Vile things, they kill their own mothers upon birth," he shuddered, disgust written all over his face. "They are not born the natural way."

Mina did not wish to hear the details, and let the conversation drop.

Vadoma turned from her conversation with Sesshomaru and finally let her gaze drop on Mina. She circled the chair, looking the hanyou up and down for a while before stopping before her. Sesshomaru had moved to stand behind Mina while the wyrm examined her.

Vadoma then reached out, but Sesshomaru let out an abrupt growl, "Do not touch my mate, wyrm."

Mina tensed, startled by his outburst and slightly afraid that he would dig his claws into her. Instead, he rested his hands gently on her shoulders and stared the old woman down.

"How else do you expect me to determine what is wrong with her?"

"Mina, describe how you are feeling," he demanded, looking back to the wyrm. "You are wise enough to know without contact."

And so Minako did as she was told, telling the old woman of her aching feet and ankles, the terrible exhaustion, the now long passed nausea, and the terrible fullness in her stomach without breaking her constant appetite.

Vadoma's lips spread out into an eerie grin and her bangles made noise as she clapped her hands together, "Congratulations, young mother!"

No one spoke. No one moved. Finally, Sesshomaru asked (rather coldly), "What?"

"Ah, yes, I can see it now." She stooped down, her face right up in Mina's belly as she cooed, "You're a strong one, yes you are. A fighter, I can see that already."

"I can't be pregnant!" Mina exclaimed, scooting back against the chair to get away from the odd woman.

"Well, you are. Too late to fix that now."

"Are you to tell me that your potion did not work?" Sesshomaru snapped. "For what useless witchcraft did I pay you!"

"My potion worked just fine," the old woman said calmly, clearly distracted by the baby only she could see. "It only works against demons, though."

And now the silence that fell was thicker than the last and the old woman looked up, scanning their faces. Mina could not see Sesshomaru as he stood behind her, but she could feel his tension. A swell of emotion inside of him, channeling through her as he held his grip on her shoulders.

"Then I definitely can't be pregnant," she said. "Lord Sesshomaru is my mate. I have had no other."

"Minako has been by my side for the past few weeks. She would not have the chance to find another."

"Are you sure? No handsome humans employed at your castle? Or perhaps a hanyou during his time?"

And then Sesshomaru took his hands away. Haruto. No, he couldn't possibly believe that she would do that with Haruto.

"Ah, that is a yes," she nodded.

"I locked him in a room. Jaken guarded the door. The hanyou could not have done this."

Jaken coughed. Everyone in the room turned to stare down at the little imp, waiting for him to speak as he looked ready to burst.

Finally, he erupted into a fit of tears as he rambled, "Forgive me, m'lord, she said she only wanted to apologize and I had no idea, I did not know this would happen! I am so sorry, please forgive me!"

"How long was she alone with him?"

"I-I...I fell asleep, my lord."

The room became very cold. Sesshomaru slowly turned to look at Mina, and she could feel her body trembling under his gaze. Yes, she had met with Haruto. She had gone against his word and had a few drinks, but how could she have known that it would lead to this? She did not sleep with Haruto!

"I did nothing with him, my lord," she pleaded. "I promise you, I would never betray you."

"Are you to tell me that you only spoke with the half-breed?"

"Well," she looked away. "I mean, he offered me sake and I was just so angry that you wouldn't let me have any and I...you were right that I am weak and I could not handle it, but I didn't let him kiss me and I got sober!"

He stood in silence, seeming uncertain of who to believe. The wyrm stepped forward, clearing her throat, and she said, "I could tell you if this hanyou is responsible, but I would need to make contact."

"Do it."

Mina flinched as the woman grabbed Mina's hands and the world turned, flinging her backwards into her own memories. The forest, the nausea, the castle, and finally the bed. Her mind felt scrambled from the alcohol's influence. Haruto kissed her. The drink. Her world turned, she felt sick, the world went black, something, something she couldn't remember, he was holding her. She hadn't betrayed Sesshomaru, she wouldn't have forgotten that. Was there something in that drink to make her forget? Did something happen?

Just as quickly as she had gone back to that time, Mina was thrown into the present. She gasped for air, falling forward onto the ground, clammering away from the old wyrm. She felt wrong, she felt violated.

"Does the name Haruto sound familiar, Lord Sesshomaru?" Vadoma asked. "He gave your mate this wyrmling. She accepted it readily."

"I didn't," Mina cried out from her place on the floor, seeing the fury growing in Sesshomaru's eyes. "I would never betray you, my lord!"

And then his anger washed away. He was left with nothing but that cold expression, his stoic mask carefully in place. And Mina felt nothing. The constant warmth of the connection, gone. He had closed himself off completely. Having grown so used to feeling him at all times, this came as a painful shock to her. She had never felt so alone.

"Please believe me," she pleaded through a stream of tears. "I love you, my lord. I would never do this."

"Spare me your lies, hanyou." He turned his back to her as the wyrm and the imp simply watched. "Leave my lands."

"Please, Sesshomaru, how can you do this to me? Do not trust that hag's word over mine! If you love me, then—"

"I do not love you," he said, his voice never colder.

She couldn't breathe. No. He couldn't mean that. She loved him, they had mated for a reason and Sesshomaru was her entire world. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream. Another one of those nasty nightmares. There was no child, Sesshomaru loved her. If this was real...

"If you do not leave, I will kill you."

She felt too empty to cry as she whispered, "I would rather die."

He hesitated, and she wondered if he would actually do it. Would her life end in this moment? So be it. She did not betray him, not that she could remember. She would rather die by his hand then face the rest of her life alone with this parasite growing within.

"I will not give you the satisfaction."

With that, Sesshomaru began walking away. Jaken slowly followed after, sniffling quietly. The wyrm had disappeared. They were leaving Mina behind. She wanted to follow, but she couldn't seem to find the strength in her legs. How long had it been since she had faced the world without Sesshomaru to lean on? She felt as though she was nothing more than a severed half.

"Forgive me, m'lord," Jaken sniffled once they were out of the hanyou's sight. "I never expected her to..."

Sesshomaru did not seem in the least bit upset, his expression as still as a statue. "This is the consequence for trusting a half-breed."