I do not own Inuyasha

Chapter 20

Sesshoumaru peeked once again into his adopted son's room. This is where his mate and Kouga had rushed Shippou right after he collapsed. The site he now looked in on made his heart weep. His mate was leaned over the fox kit trying franticly to see into his mind as she had done with the wolf. She could not however get any kind of reading on his mind. Rin was crying and had been as soon as her mother had failed the first time to see into Shippou's head. Finally the kit stopped thrashing on the bed in pain and Rin was curled up on one side of him and Kagome was curled up around them both. Sesshoumaru stepped out of the way as Sango, Kikyou and Kagura entered the room to comfort their friend and sister. As soon as they got within a yard of the bed Kagome tightened her hold on the children and looked up with pink streaked eyes, and snarled at them. Sesshoumaru stepped into the room and waved the others out as he walked slowly towards his very upset mate. He growled soothingly at her. At the foot of the bed he began crawling the rest of the way up to his mate and pups. By the time his face reached Kagome's she was well aware of who he was and she was whining helplessly about their pup. He nuzzled her neck and curled up at her back and wrapped his arms around all three of them. They fell asleep that way and were left completely alone after Inuyasha came near the door to check on them and heard a very vicious growl from Sesshoumaru. Kagome was awakened again when the bed shifted and Rin laughed and jumped into the arms of a very much older looking Shippou. Kagome was stunned but not so surprised at the physical change in her son. She had looked up what each of the gods and goddesses looked like in old depictions. The god of illusions and trickery was a young man who was in the prime of his youth. She leaned into Sesshoumaru when he sat up and watched as Shippou examined his new body that had aged to about seventeen years of age. Instead of a puff ball of orange hair pulled back by a blue bow, he had short spikey orange hair. His eyes held knowledge far beyond his years. His body was toned and bronzed and he wore a larger and more refined version of his normal balloon pants and a vest that hung open showing off his abs. They watched as he sat and began talking and playing around with Rin the way he always had. Kagome turned over sleepily and smiled as she snuggled up into her mates arms once again. He smiled as well and before she had fallen completely asleep he stood and picked her up in his arms and carried her to their room. On the way to his bed chamber he saw Inuyasha coming their way. "Yo Sesshoumaru. I sent the missives to Kagome's uncle and Kouga sent a wolf to his father. Masa returned early with his family and they are still unpacking and resting from the trip here. Is there anything else that you would like me to do for you while you are resting." Sesshoumaru looked at his brother proudly. And Inuyasha did not miss the look. He had always wanted to have his father look at him that way. Inuyasha however, had not seen that look on his older brothers face since they were very young. He had never expected to see that look from him again.

"You did very well little brother. And thank you for taking care of things while I have been indisposed. Please just take a break. Kagome and I will be up and about in a couple of hours. I think that the palace will survive for that long. Now go rest and spend time with your mate." With that Sesshoumaru turned and took his pregnant mate to bed. Inuyasha turned smiling and beaming with the words of approval from his brother. He went straight to the room where his mate was talking to the others and picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. He sped to their bedchamber and then out the window to the tallest tree on the entire grounds where he was most comfortable and went directly to sleep with his mate smiling at him in his arms.

Kagome blushed as she found herself in a most familiar position but in a much more embarrassing situation. It had been two days since Shippou's change and she and Sesshoumaru had been making good on their promise to assert their ownership and had been caught many times by servants or their friends in many different rooms in the palace. This time was very different though. They had been messing around in their private garden when they suddenly heard giggles and the loud clearing of a throat. Sesshoumaru and Kagome both raised their heads to see Rin and Shippou turn and run from the gardens giggling uncontrollably but that was not the worst of it. There was a very regal looking inuyoukia standing in the entranceway and looking down on them disapprovingly. Sesshoumaru recognized the Lord of the North immediately. Kagome took longer because what she saw before her looked identical to her father. Her first reaction was to bust into tears and bury her face in Sesshoumaru's chest. Sesshoumaru knew what was wrong with her. The man before them was her uncle and he was her fathers identical twin. "If you would excuse us I would like to get myself and my mate presentable and then we will meet you in the library Lord of the North." Sesshoumaru said. Lord Raidon nodded and looked very much upset by Kagome's outburst. For he had not been told that his niece had returned and he did not know who she was. When Sesshoumaru knew that Lord Raidon was gone he nuzzled his mates neck and quieted her gently.

"Kagome, My heart, there is no need for your tears. I know why you are upset but there is no reason for it. That is not your father that is your uncle. Do you understand Kagome?" Sesshoumaru waited until Kagome was calmed down and he began again. "He and your father were identical twins. Your father was born a couple of seconds before so he was the heir to the lands. But when your father passed your uncle Raidon became the lord. You never met him when you were younger because he took off before you were born to explore other lands across the waters. He only came back after your fathers death. Now lets get dressed so that we can go introduce you ok." Sesshoumaru smiled when Kagome jumped up energetically to put her clothes on.

"Oh my. I never knew that my father had a twin. I knew that I had an uncle that was never around and that he was now lord of the north but I did not know that they were twins. Wow this is amazing. Hurry Sesshy you are not fast enough. Get up. I want to meet my uncle." Kagome and Sesshoumaru were soon on there way to the library. When they got there Lord Raidon was confused. They watched as the emotion played across his face. He did not know that they were there yet and Kagome took the time to examine her uncle. He looked exactly as she remembered her father the last time she saw him. When Lord Raidon finally realized they were there he was shocked when he fully looked at Lord Sesshoumaru's new mate. He stood and rushed to her and embraced her. Kagome was shocked but she returned the hug with enthusiasm.

"Oh my Kami. You look so much like your mother and father. I can see both of them in you. But mostly I can see your father. Kagome I never thought to ever get to lay eyes on the pups of my brother." He pulled away but did not take his hand off of her arm. He felt like he had a piece of his brother back and he did not know what to do with that feeling yet. Kagome did not mind because ironically she was thinking the same thing. Lord Raidon looked so much like her father and when he smiled at her she felt like she had a piece of her father back and she wanted to stay close to him.

"Hi uncle. I never knew that my father had a twin. It is so very nice to meet you. I am glad that you came to our home. Now tell me how was your trip. Have you been set up in a room yet. Are you hungry? I can have something brought to you. Do you want to freshen up. Not that I think you need it or anything but I always like to feel clean after traveling. Wow I cant believe …" Kagome stopped when Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and she took in her surroundings enough to see that both males were smiling brightly at her.

"Kagome breathe. Lord Raidon is not leaving anytime soon as you know. So You have plenty of time to ask as many questions as you like in more than one breathe. Now Lord Raidon We have brought you here for a very important meeting. However we are not going to discuss anything until the lord of the east arrives. The Lord of the South is already here. Now he are prepared to make arrangements for you and your family are they coming or is it just going to be you."

"My mate and pups will be here shortly. I of course came ahead as always to make sure that things are ready for them when they get here. Which seems to be like now. I would like the two of you to join me in greeting them so that I can introduce them to my niece and new nephew." Kagome smiled brightly and she and Sesshoumaru went with him to meet the family of the North.

They waited at the front doors as a very beautiful woman who was not Japanese stride gracefully forward with a young girl on her hip, and behind her was an older girl that looked about Kagome's age walking hand in hand with a boy that was maybe two years older than the girl on the woman's hip. When the toddler saw her father she wiggled to get down and when the woman smiled and set her down she ran as fast as her little legs would carry her right into her laughing fathers arms. Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around his mate at the display of fatherhood and rubbed his hands gently over her belly. Kagome was introduced to her aunt Sophia from Britain and her three cousins Elizabeth who was 18, Youko who was named after Kagome's father and he was 6, and last but not least little Breail who was 4. She liked all of them and felt very welcomed into their family by all of them. Kagome introduced them to her two adopted children and the rest of the gang. Everyone spent the rest of the hanging out and sharing tales of their lives. Kagome retired that night with Sesshoumaru a very happy and content Inuyoukai.

Well there you Go CHAPTER 20 I am so excited. Twenty chapters yay. Well I hope you like it and I am trying to get these out as quick as possible I am sorry that it is taking so long. Until next time.