Chapter 11 here it comes

Chapter 11 here it comes! Enjoy!!

Let Me Fly, Let Me Love

Ch. 11

Kagome entered the village as if she had come from the direction of the well. She didn't want to cause any suspicions by coming in from a different direction. After her special one-on-one time with Sesshomaru, she had a lot to think about. Sadly, it would have to wait unit later. Right now, she had some friends and a son to see.

Making her way through the hustle and bustle of the afternoon people rush, Kagome approached Kaede's hut. She could hear the aged onna talking to Sango through the door. Her advanced hearing allowed her to hear nearly everything going on in the village. She could control, however, exactly how well she heard things. She had only improved her hearing as she approached the hut to see if anyone was inside. It appeared that everyone except Inuyasha were inside.

She stood outside the hut for a moment to gather herself before pulling away the flap that blocked the entrance to the hut. Kagome stepped inside and a round of gasps resounded through the room. She placed an embarrassed hand behind her head and smiled. "Hi."

"K…Kagome?" Sango said, unbelieving as to what she was seeing.

"Yeah it's me. Ogenki desu ka?"

"We're great Kagome-sama, but when did you get back?" Miroku asked.

Kagome shrugged, "A few minutes ago. It's been a while huh?"

"I'll say," Sango said, standing up and embracing her sister. "Welcome back," she whispered into Kagome's hair.

That's when the sound of sniffling reached Kagome's ears. She looked around for the source of the sound and found a small kitsune cub watching her with shocked eyes filled with tears. "Shippo, it's alright. I'm here," Kagome cooed, going to him and picking him up in her arms.

As soon as she had him in her embrace, the waterworks started. Shippo cried and bawled until he couldn't anymore. Kagome felt her heart twist at the sight of Shippo so upset. "Sh-h. Shippo it's alright. Calm down sweetheart," she soothed, rocking back and forth. She began to hum a small tune that eventually helped in stopping his sobs.

When Shippo was calm again, Kagome lifted him from her breast to look at him, "What was that all about Shippo?"

He looked away embarrassed, "I…I...I just m…missed you so much mama."

"Oh, Shippo," Kagome sighed and embraced the kit again. Miroku, Sango, and Kaede were silent as the two reunited after three long months. It had been so long since Shippo had seen his surrogate mother, and now that she was back, he just couldn't help the overwhelming emotions that had suddenly exploded within him. Her embrace was the only cure to his loneliness since she'd been gone.

Once the mother-son moment was over, Shippo sitting comfortably in Kagome's lap, Miroku spoke, "It's good to see you again Kagome-sama."

Kagome smiled, "I know! I've missed you guys so much! It seems like forever since I last saw you."

"What have ye been up to Kagome?" Kaede asked.

Kagome opened up her bag and brought a small bottled water, took a sip, then spoke, "Well, you obviously see that I got a new wardrobe…"

She trailed off when she saw Miroku take in her form graciously. With a glare and small growl from her lips, Kagome walloped the unexpecting monk upside the head. "Watch it perv!" she threatened.

Miroku rubbed the back of his head with an impish smile upon his face. His antics never seemed to fade. He was always the womanizing, flirtatious, knowledgeable monk. Sango was glaring daggers at the grinning man and Kaede was shaking her head in disbelief. Kagome couldn't help but smile at how normal this all felt. It had been so long and it was only now that she realized that she had missed them much more than she thought.

After the monk moment passed, Kagome cleared her throat and began to speak again, "Well the first night I was taught how to improve my senses, absorb knowledge, and heal injuries, disease, and illness of any kind. Over the course of the past three months I've perfected my miko abilities, mastered hand-to-hand combat, and nearly mastered all weaponry usage."

Shippo was gaping like a fish at his mother. Sango and Miroku had looks of amazement on their faces, while Kaede was once again shaking her head. Kagome just giggled and took another sip of water. She knew that the information would be a lot to take in.

Kaede is the one who broke the stunned silence, "That is amazing Kagome. Ye have learned so much since ye left."

Kagome nodded, "Yup. It's been difficult, but it pays off in the long run. What's happened here while I was gone?"

"Nothing interesting," Sango answered, "There hasn't been any leads on Naraku. We haven't had any luck with jewel shards either. Without you it's been kinda hard finding them."

Kagome frowned, "Sorry about that. Maybe with the three days I'm here we'll find some."

"Only three days mama?" Shippo whined.

"Yes. I'm sorry Shippo, but I do have to finish my training. But, let's not worry about that now alright?"

"Alright."

"Where's Inuyasha?" Kagome asked after a few moments of silence.

Miroku and Sango exchanged worried glances that immediately gave it away. He was off seeing Kikyo. That look always meant so. But, for some reason she didn't care. When she thought about having feelings for anyone, a certain white-haired demon lord came to mind. Kagome, aghast at her thoughts, blushed and shook her head to rid her of those images. Kaede had a look of understanding on her face, as if she knew what Kagome was thinking about.

"Why are turning red mama?" Shippo asked, innocently, unaware that his question only served to fuel the redness.

Kagome smiled, "Don't worry Shippo. Just some unwanted thoughts is all."

"Oh. What're you gonna do about Inuyasha?"

"I'm not sure if I'm going to do much of anything really," Kagome answered the kit.

"Why not?"

"Because it's a useless effort. It'll only serve to get us into an argument and Inuyasha will only do it again anyway, so why bother?"

"It seems you have gained a great deal of knowledge as well Kagome-sama," Miroku stated.

Kagome just giggled and stood up to stretch her legs; Shippo balanced softly on her hip. She looked around at every face in the hut, planting all of her friends into memory again, knowing that she would be leaving in a matter of short days. She stopped on Kaede, sensing that the old miko was keeping something from her. "Is there something you would like to tell me Kaede?"

"What do ye mean child?"

"Your aura is giving off a sense of concealed information, like you're hiding something," Kagome said, stiffly. "If there is something you need to tell me, tell me now." Her voice was assertive and contained every ounce of authority in it. After training for so many months, she had learned how to alter her voice in ways that had people telling her anything she wanted to know.

Kaede sighed at being pointed out. "Hai child, I do have something to tell ye. I must confess that I have known of ye heritage since the day ye arrived in these troubled times. The minute I saw ye I knew that ye were the one who was part of the prophecy."

"Well that was unexpected." Kagome laughed like it didn't bother her at all. And truth be told, it didn't. She had an itching suspicion that Kaede had known something about her when she had first told her group about her identity. Kagome turned at pulled the reed mat away from the door again; Shippo still balanced on her hip giving Kagome the full look of a mother carrying her child.

"Where're you going Kagome?" Sango asked, worried.

Kagome glanced over her shoulder with a wide smile, "Just to the river with Shippo. Come along if you'd like." She didn't give them time to respond before she disappeared through the doorway. They could hear Shippo begin to babble on about what he'd done since she'd been gone. Sango and Miroku gave each other contemplative glances before standing to join Kagome and Shippo at the river. Kaede just shook her head at their antics and continued on with her duties.

/

/Switch/

/

"Inuyasha," Kikyo said, curtly.

"Hai, Kikyo?" the entranced hanyou answered.

"I want you to kill my reincarnation immediately."

On the inside, Inuyasha was screaming and cursing, trying to break the spell Kikyo had him under. But, his body was against him. It seemed as though he had no control over his body. Obediently, Inuyasha responded, "Hai Kikyo, whatever you say."

"Good boy. Now go!" she ordered.

Inuyasha disappeared into the forest; Kikyo supporting a nice, evil grin.

/

/Switch/

/

"Can I go swimming mama?" little Shippo asked cutely.

"Of course you can Shippo. Just be careful ok?"

"Ok!" The little kitsune laughed and took off towards the water, his clothes flying through the air as he stripped them off. With a small splash, the young boy was in the blue-green water splashing and playing joyfully. Kagome watched from the bank, smiling at her son's ability to ease others. Miroku and Sango came up behind her shortly and joined her in watching Shippo hoot and holler.

"It seems, Kagome-sama, that your presence has brought him much happiness," Miroku said, peacefully. Kagome just nodded, the smile on her face widening slightly. She couldn't believe that that young bundle of fluffy adorableness was actually her son. She was truly blessed with him.

Sango agreed with Miroku. "You'll make a great mother one day Kagome."

Kagome turned to Sango with a look of hope. "You really think so?"

"Oh, of course I do! Just look at how happy you make Shippo. And, you just have that maternal instinct," Sango praised.

Kagome felt a warmth spread through her chest at the thought of one day holding a akachan in her arms. But, as the reality of producing said akachan settled in, she realized that she would first have to find a man that she could love with all her heart. Kagome longed for the love of another besides her friends. There was an empty, bruised and broken space in her heart that once held Inuyasha, but now it was empty and needed to be filled.

Miroku and Sango watched as Kagome seemed to ponder what had just been said. They knew she was a heartbroken woman, but she put up such a strong front that it was hard for others to realize just how much pain she was feeling. Her feelings for Inuyasha had been deep and true, and he had thrown them back in her face time and time again because of his constant visits to Kikyo. Now her heart was just a mangled piece of flesh that needed to be mended by the warm embrace of love from another.

Kagome dismissed her thoughts on motherhood and sat down on the bank of the river and continued to watch Shippo play. As she sat there, her mind drifted to Lord Sesshomaru. She still couldn't figure out, for the life of her, why he was showing such interest in her. They had been enemies when she left for training and now he wanted to get to know her. To Kagome it seemed a bit suspicious. He could be after Tetsusaiga for all she knew. But, another part of her told her that she was wrong to assume such things. He had already given her his word not to harm her. She knew Sesshomaru was a man of honor and wouldn't stoop so low as to trick her to get to the sword.

The image of the smiling Taiyoukai was embedded into her memory for all time. She would always remember just how handsome he looked when he smiled. However, Kagome wouldn't allow herself to become to engrossed in whatever the lord was up to. Her heart had been broken once and she refused to let herself fall for the one man she knew would never love her. Sesshomaru had made it clear that he despised ningens.

With that final thought, Kagome changed her focus onto her friends. She was about to begin a conversation when a certain half-demon came charging through the forest. "Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, a smile blooming on her flawless face. She stood and began to dash to him. His head was down so she couldn't see his face.

Kagome came to a dead stop when Inuyasha lifted his head to reveal blood red eyes holding the intent to kill. "In…u…yasha?" she asked, slowly.

He gave a insane like laugh and charged her full force. "Kikyo needs her soul back wench!"

Not used to this kind of attack, Kagome reverted, for a moment, reverted back to her old self and, without warning, let out a scream that echoed through the forest. It was only afterwards did she realize what she'd done and cursed herself. She began to dodge Inuyasha's attacks as best as she could. Miroku and Sango rushed up to help her, but she stopped them instantly.

"Don't come any closer! He's not…There's something wrong with Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. Now she just needed to figure out what.

Unbeknownst to her, the Western Lord was answering to her scream.

Another chapter done! This one is a little shorter. Sorry. I wanted to add a bit of suspense in this chapter. Hope you liked it.

REVIEW PLEASE!!

Chapter 12 will be up soon as I can type it up.

IMPORTANT: I'm starting school on Monday, so my updates may be slower than usual. I'm taking all advanced classes so I'm going to have a butt load of homework. Sorry!

Japanese Dictionary

1. Ogenki desu Ka? - How are you? (This is a very formal thing to ask. It's not like with the US when we ask ppl all the time. In Japan it's taking true concern for a person's health).

2. -Sama - This is an honorific signifing great respect.

3. Hai - yes

4. Akachan - baby