Chapter Fourteen: The In-laws
"What the hell do you want?" Inuyasha asked Sesshomaru, as he stepped from the porch and drew Tessaiga from it's sheath.
Sesshomaru, looked at his half brother with contempt, "Summon the priestess. I have need of her skills."
Kagome stepped out onto the porch, behind Inuyasha and Sesshomaru suddenly caught a whiff of their scents. A look of utter disgust crossed his face.
"You have mated. How degrading for her. You had best hope her powers have not been diminished because you forced your filthy, carnal desires upon her."
Kagome let out a shriek of pure rage and spun around Inuyasha, just out of his reach, heading straight for Sesshomaru.
"NO! Kagome!... Damn it.. wait...don't...Oh Hell!
Before Inuyasha could stop her, Kagome had slapped Sesshomaru, as hard as she could, across his face. Inuyasha, dropping the Tessaiga, quickly jumped in between his wife and brother, pulling her away from him.
'Damn! Now I'll have to kill him.' Inuyasha thought, as he struggled with a screaming Kagome. 'I will not let him harm her.' His blood began to race through his veins and he knew he was only seconds away from becoming full demon.
"How dare you say that to him!" Kagome yelled at Sesshomaru, over Inuyasha's shoulder, as he tried to shield her from his brother. "He has not degraded me in any way. He never laid a finger on me, until after we were lawfully wed. Inuyasha is a loving and honorable person. He's twice the man you'll ever be!"
She suddenly stopped struggling and Inuyasha looked back to see what had caused this change in her behavior. His mouth fell open in astonishment as a very pregnant Kagura stepped out from behind his brother.
'I didn't even catch her scent. Wait a minute...her scent has changed, she no longer smells of Naraku. How is that possible? My brother's scent is mingled with hers, but her scent has definitely changed.'
"If you are through with your temper tantrum..., you will now see to my mate and our unborn child." Sesshomaru wrapped his arm around Kagura and started ushering her toward the house.
"I'll take her." Kagome walked forward and wrapped an arm around Kagura's waist, to support the obviously exhausted woman.
"YOU, however, are going to remain outside OUR HOME, until YOU apologize to Inuyasha."
With that said, she dismissed Sesshomaru with a flip of her hair and began to calmly question Kagura about her journey, as the two women entered the house.
A tense silence followed the departure of the women, as each of the brothers sought to regain control of themselves. Inuyasha finally shrugged his shoulders and walked back to where he had dropped the Tessaiga. Sesshomaru managed to rein in his anger and present a calm face to his brother.
"Is she always so... impetuous?" Sesshomaru inquired, slightly raising one eyebrow.
"You have no idea." Inuyasha sighed as he bent to retrieve the Tessaiga and re-sheath the blade. Turning to Sesshomaru, Inuyasha crossed his arms, assuming his favorite stance and looking at him questioningly, he waited to see what his brother was going to do next.
"I shall go in to my mate now." Sesshomaru told Inuyasha, as he started walking toward the house.
Inuyasha grinned, "You really think so? If I know my Kagome, she's already placed a barrier around the house and you ain't getting in. Not until she's sure Kagura is ok and that you've apologized to me."
"You would bow to the whims of a woman?" Sesshomaru questioned him in disbelief.
"Hell yea! Especially that woman, she's damn powerful. She's kicked my butt a few times. Kagome has really worked hard the last few years learning how to control her spiritual power. She could purify your ass in a heartbeat." Inuyasha shook his head at his brother. "All that aside, I love her and want to make her happy. If making you stand out here in the yard is making her happy, then so be it. You've gotta learn how to pick your battles and not to sweat the small stuff. Now, apologize nicely and we can go inside."
"I said nothing that was not the truth, I see no reason to apologize to you." Sesshomaru walked past Inuyasha to the porch and as he placed his foot on the step, he was hit with a wave of spiritual energy, that threw him back about thirty feet. He landed on his backside, with a dazed look on his face.
Inuyasha let out a roar of laughter. He walked over to his brother and helped the stunned demon to his feet.
"You are enjoying this." Sesshomaru snarled at his brother.
"You're damn right, I'm loving it." Inuyasha chuckled, "You had me seriously ticked off, showing up here unannounced, interrupting our honeymoon and demanding that Kagome see to your mate. But watching you get thrown backwards and land on your ass, that was worth the irritation. Now, unless you want to spend the night out here in a tree..." Inuyasha looked expectantly at Sesshomaru.
He bit his lip trying not to laugh out loud at Sesshomaru again. He could feel the anger simmering up in his brother, as he fought for control of his emotions. Sesshomaru detested being told what to do and to have to apologize for speaking the truth, as he saw it, was ridiculous. He would not give in to the demands of a woman. He was Lord of the Western Lands, thousands jumped at the sound of his voice and ran to do his bidding. No barrier would stand between him and his mate. Sesshomaru walked up to the edge of the barrier and held his hand up to it. From two feet away he could feel the spiritual energy radiating from it. Sparks crackled and popped across his fingertips, forcing him to reconsider his decision.
'The priestess has indeed become very powerful. It would be in my best interests to form an alliance with her. If an apology to the half-breed will gain me access to my mate and the priestess's goodwill, then I will be forced to issue one.' He turned and faced Inuyasha.
"It was unfortunate that I gave voice to my thoughts and that you took offense at the truth."
Inuyasha looked at him in amusement, "In your warped twisted mind, that probably sounded like a sincere heartfelt apology, didn't it? Oh well, what the hell," Inuyasha slapped his brother on the back, "I accept your apology. Anyway, this could be fun, because I feel sure you're going to piss Kagome off again soon, so I'll just sit back and wait for the fireworks."
Kagome kept up a running chatter as she took Kagura into the house, pausing just long enough to put up the barrier.
"I think I'll put you in the front bedroom, it's the largest of the guest rooms. Thank goodness my mom helped Inuyasha furnish the house or you might have had to sleep on the floor. The sink in the kitchen has a pump, so if you need any fresh water you can just get it there instead of going outside." She led Kagura to the bed and had her sit. "I'll go get some water now, so you can get cleaned up."
"Will Inuyasha and Sesshomaru be alright outside, alone?" Kagura asked.
Kagome put her fingers to the charm around her throat, she could feel the emotions running through her husband, "They're fine, Inuyasha is laughing at Sesshomaru, who just found the barrier I erected. He's probably not too happy with me right now, but he'll get over it. I'll be right back."
Kagome went into the kitchen to get the water and thought about how different Kagura looked. 'Her eyes no longer have that frightened, haunted look. Her voice has lost that harsh edge and her face is fuller, softer. She seems so fragile though. I hope Naraku didn't damage her physically in some way." She returned to the bedroom with the water and began to lay out a clean robe and towels.
"Kagome ... I ...I'm sorry."
"For what?" Kagome asked, as she sat down on the bed beside her new sister-in-law.
"For...for everything, for Naraku, for the attempts on your life, for showing up here unannounced, just everything..." Kagura began to cry softly at first, then great wracking sobs as Kagome put her arms around her and patted her back, making soothing noises.
"It's alright, let it all out. We know what it was like for you with Naraku. I know you had no control over what he made you do. Everyone he came in contact with suffered horribly. I'm so sorry we couldn't free you from him sooner."
"You are apologizing to me? Kagome, I tried to kill you, not just once but several times. How can you be so forgiving?"
Kagome smiled, "Well, Inuyasha tried to kill me and I ended up married to him."
She stood and moved over to a chest against the wall. She rummaged around in it till she found a cloth for Kagura to dry her face on. Walking back to the bed, she sat back down and took Kagura's hands in hers, "Let go of the past, I have. We're family now. I'm so excited to have a new sister and soon a niece or nephew. Now lets get you cleaned up and you can tell me about the baby."
As Kagome helped Kagura out of her dusty clothes and into the clean robe, the wind sorceress told her of all the difficulties she'd had conceiving and carrying a child.
"I've had two miscarriages. Once I made it past the third month with this baby, I was overjoyed, but then I began to have some pain and bleeding. I've been so frightened. What if I'm cursed, what if Naraku made me unable to carry a child. I want so much to give Sesshomaru an heir. He's been so kind and patient, never blaming me for the losses." Kagura grabbed Kagome's hands, "Please help me! I love him so much and I desperately want to give him a healthy child."