A/N: Sorry it took so long and sorry it's so short! I didn't want to put al the action in this chapter and also my internets messing up so I can't get the correct spelling for a character I want to use! Don't worry though; I'm almost positive the next chapter will be longer! Thank you so much for your reviews! They're what make me push myself to get this done! Once school starts updates will only be possible on weekends and holidays! Sorry! Enjoy this chapter! Love Much. Yours Truly.

Chapter Twelve

Awkward Behavior

. . . . . . Previous Chapter. . . . .

'Fine,' Sesshomaru replied in Inuyoukai. Inuyasha turned to him and smiled before cuddling up to his side.

Sesshomaru winced and Inuyasha jumped back.

"I got hurt, koinu. I'll be fine." He answered his brother's unasked questions. Inuyasha nodded and curled up next to Sesshomaru before drifting to sleep. Sesshomaru looked down at Inuyasha for a moment before closing his eyes, too.

. . . . . Present Chapter. . . .

"It's now or never, Izayoi." InuTaisho paced the room and shot his mate a stern look. He'd only been back for two weeks and the tension had been mounting the whole time.

"We could always think of another place to hide it, in a chest or something, locked up tight," She pleaded helplessly as she mixed the herbs she was reluctant to use.

"No, we can't send anything with them, we've been over this. It would've been Sesshomaru but I think they would be safer with Inuyasha, Sesshomaru will be the one defending him if it's not so friendly over there." He turned another sharp look at Izayoi.

She nodded in agreement. She knew she'd have to do this, but that didn't make it any easier to drug her own son. 'He'll just be asleep for a few hours,' she tried to calm herself but it didn't work.

"Did you send for Kameko?"

"Yes, yesterday evening, I'm waiting for a reply." InuTaisho was still pacing the room.

"I'm almost done." Izayoi muttered as she set the bowl down in front of her. "Leave the room and send Inuyasha in, you stay with Sessho." She instructed as she took out an odd piece of metal she had borrowed from a traveler and tied it over her nose and mouth.

InuTaisho nodded and went into the hall. He paused and drew a deep breath; he didn't want to go through with this anymore than his mate did. Begrudgingly, he walked down the hall until his was a few paces from the stairs, and entered a room.

Inuyasha smiled and barked a welcome. InuTaisho tried to smile as he sat at the foot of his injured son's bed.

"Your okaasan needs to see you, Inuyasha, in the empty study down the hall." Inuyasha nodded and bounded out the door.

"What's going on?" Sesshomaru asked suspiciously as he propped himself up against the cushions.

"Nothing that concerns you," yet, "Izayoi simply needs to speak with Inuyasha for a moment."

Sesshomaru didn't seem to completely believe him but fell silent anyway. They sat there for a few moments, both trying to figure out what the other was thinking, and sniff out emotions that were hidden.

"If," InuTaisho broke the silence looking uncertainly at his eldest son, "If you were to be on your own with Inuyasha, would you look after him?"

Sesshomaru was baffled by the question, he'd never seen that look in his father's eyes and didn't know what to make of it, "I…we…of course I'd take care of him! He's my brother!"

InuTaisho nodded, whether in agreement or approval, Sesshomaru didn't know.

"What if you were lost?"

"I'd find a familiar place and start from there."

"Good…good…" InuTaisho trailed off in thought, seemingly unaware of his son's stares.

Sesshomaru was sure something was being hidden from him but he wasn't quite sure what it was.

"Izayoi is going to talk to you in a while, when she's done with Inuyasha. He'll be asleep, and she has many things to explain to you." Sesshomaru nodded his understanding. "Do not interrupt her. You need to learn as much as she knows while you still can. She hasn't seen much but what she does know might prove valuable." Sesshomaru nodded again.

InuTaisho stopped staring blankly at the wall and turned to Sesshomaru, "You and Inuyasha are to stay together at all times! Do you understand!" His voice echoed in the room.

"Yes, Otouto, I understand. Inuyasha and I will become inseparable." Sesshomaru nodded, still wondering why he had to become his baby brother's shadow in the near future.

"Good…good…" His gaze returned to the wall and they sat silently until Izayoi entered the room. Her face was slightly red and her hair was wet with sweat.

"You can go and stay with him, he'll be up in an hour or so," She smiled sadly at her mate, who followed her instructions and left the room. She took his spot on the bed.

"Did your father tell you…?" She trailed of turning inquisitive eyes toward the bedridden boy.

"Yes, he said you had to speak to me and that I wasn't to interrupt."

"Yes, well that will make it go faster," She nodded with a smile, "But if you have any questions you can ask them when I'm done." Sesshomaru nodded and listened intently as Izayoi began speaking.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A Few Hours Later. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

InuTaisho reentered Sesshomaru's room looking slightly better than he had when he left.

"All his senses are fine, koishii, but he wants to see you," He smiled sadly at his mate. Izayoi nodded and left the room.

"Did you listen?" InuTaisho questioned as he took Izayoi's place. Sesshomaru nodded.

"I'm not sure I understood everything she was explaining but I think I'll do just fine with whatever task is ahead of us." InuTaisho had a blank look again as he nodded.

"Otou-san, are we going on a trip?" Sesshomaru had a lot of questions but decided it would be better to test the waters before diving in.

"Ano…you, Sesshomaru, are going to be on your own with Inuyasha sometime in the near future and Izayoi and I will not be able to assist you anymore," InuTaisho's answer was vague and Sesshomaru decided not to press the matter.

"You need to be getting some sleep. We'll have visitors arriving in the morning and I need you to keep Inuyasha in here with you for the most part of the day," InuTaisho declared as he got up. He patted Sesshomaru on the head gruffly and left the room.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Next Morning. . . . . . . . . . . .

"Fluffy? Are you awake? Fluffy? Fluffy?" Inuyasha asked over and over as he stared at his brother's face.

"No, Koinu, I'm not awake," Sesshomaru replied, slightly irritated at being awoken.

"Oh, okay then," Inuyasha backed away from Sesshomaru's face and sat by his feet. Sesshomaru gave a loud sigh and sat up.

"What do you need, Inuyasha?"

"Did you know that the Kouga has come back? I thought he was gone forever? Why now? Ronin and the baby are back too. Are they going to attack us? They can't, it wouldn't be fair, a-cause you're still hurt and everything. Oh, and do you know what happened yesterday? I was with Okaasan and I fell asleep, she wasn't angry though. I woke up with Otousan and my head hurted really bad. Does your head hurt? Are you going to be okay? Everyone around here is acted really strange, do you know why?" Inuyasha only took one breath throughout his whole speech and Sesshomaru was astounded by the pup's lung capacity. Sesshomaru sniffed the air, and sure enough he could smell Ronin and the rest of the wolfs a couple floors down.

"Okaasan probably invited Kameko back and that's why Kouga and Ronin are here. I doubt they'll attack us, and of course they weren't gone forever. I didn't see you yesterday after you went with Okaasan, so no I don't know what happened. Yes, I am going to be okay and no my head doesn't hurt. And finally I wish I knew why everyone was acting so strangely." Sesshomaru tried to answer all the questions in succession. Inuyasha seemed satisfied and began jumping on Sesshomaru's bed.

"We have to stay here today, Koinu, but tomorrow we'll go out and play," Sesshomaru assured. Inuyasha didn't pay him any attention as he had caught sight of a dull katana on Sesshomaru's wall. Sesshomaru sighed when he saw what had his baby brother's interest.

"Something shiny…" Sesshomaru was amazed at the short attention span of his brother.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . Downstairs. . . . . . . . . . . . .

"I was thinking that Izayoi could have the same talk she had with Sesshomaru with Ronin," InuTaisho announced. Kameko looked shaken but nodded her agreement.

"I've seen a lot, Kameko, don't worry over your boys, they'll take care of Hana," Izayoi patted her friend's back comfortingly. Taku was pacing and muttering things to himself.

"You expect us to believe this!" He screamed outraged, "I highly doubt any of this will ever come to pass! This was just an excuse to see your friend again!" Taku shot an accusatory glance at Izayoi.

InuTaisho was on his feet in a moment, "Don't turn this around on Izayoi! She wanted to save your pups and you go and yell at her! Do you think this has been easy on us! We too are going to send our boys away!" InuTaisho sat down again, his eyes flashing red and the gold before going back again.

Taku continued to pace but his mutterings stopped.

"I'll have a talk with Ronin this evening after dinner, then all the preparation will have been made." Izayoi gave her friend a sad smile.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Miles Away. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Kei are you sure this is what you want to do?" Kanaye asked his mate as they approached the mountains.

"I'm positive. I don't want anyone in their family to live to see another day, so if I could get our fastest demons to annoy him they could lead him right to InuTaisho's castle. Killing the entire pack," She smiled wickedly. She knew InuTaisho wouldn't be able to find away around this demon.