I do not own Inuyasha

Chapter 20

Sesshoumaru wakes up once again before his wonderful mate and just lies in bed holding her close. He thinks about almost losing her again and never wants to feel that way again. He formulates a plan that will keep Kagome safe and also give her the illusion of freedom. Sesshoumaru knows from the look on Kagome's face the day before that she is not going to passively let him keep her guarded and safe. He also still needs to figure out who set the demoness guards up to protect his mate while she was in her heat.

'I do not like that someone else thought to protect our mate when she was vulnerable.' Sesshoumaru's beast snarls. i agree that we were lax in our attention and that we failed our mate that day as well as with the poison dagger. if we had been better Protector to her then the dragon would have been dead that first day he dared to leave a bruise on her wrist. We will not fail her again. I swear it Sesshoumaru states with barely concealed anger. Sesshoumaru had not meant to tighten his arms around Kagome and did not know that he had done it. Kagome awoke to a very unhappy Sesshoumaru.

Kagome looked up at her taiyoukai and wondered what he could have been thinking about that was causing him to have such feelings! She didnt want him to continue down whatever path his thoughts had taken and decided that a little distraction was in order! Just as she was about to move to put her plan into action a very unhappy Rin busted into their room with tears streaming down her pretty little face. Sesshoumaru sat up and caught his daughter and she threw herself into his arms crying. Kagome could see his face relax as he tried without result to figure out what the disheartend teenager was upset about. 'well it isnt the distraction i had in mind but it certianly worked' Kagome could feel sesshoumaru's confusion at her words through their mating mark. 'i will tell you later Sesshy. lets first figure out what has our little girl upset'

Sesshoumaru just nodded his head in acceptance of her words and watched as she turned to a still crying Rin. "Rin, baby, what is the matter? Why are you so upset?" Kagome chuckled as she caught only a few of the words that Rin said into Sesshoumaru's chest.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru simply stated. The young pup sat up and looked at the two people she loved more than anyone in the world. "Your mother and I can not help you if we cannot understand what it is that has made you so upset. Now calm down, speak clearly, and answer your mother's question again." Rin took a deep breath and was about to answer when she realized that this was not a conversation that she wanted to have infront of her father.

"I really would rather talk to momma alone about it if i could please." Rin stated a little shakily as she blushed and stood up off the bed. Rin just realized that niether of her parents were dressed and that she probably should not have run into their room the way that she had. "I am sorry papa for just running in here the way that i did. I just really need to talk to you momma please. I am so very upset!" Rin blushed again as she lowered her head and began to walk out of the room.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru said calmy. He didnt sense anything serious wrong with her so he figured it was fine to allow her to talk to Kagome about it. When Rin turned and looked at him he continued. "Just step outside the door for a moment while we dress and then you can talk with your mother in here." Rin smiled and whispered a quiet 'yes papa' as she stepped out of the room. Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru and snuggled up to him for a moment. "I do wish to know what you meant by not the distraction you had in mind? And I would like to have spent a little time with you alone this morning." Kagome smiled at the pout she detected in Sesshoumaru. She loved that she was the only one to see this side of her taiyoukai.

'I woke up to you having a very unhappy look on your face and dont like that look on your handsome face. I was planning on providing you with a sensual distraction to take your mind away from wherever it was going.' As she spoke to her mate she ran her hands down his chest 'but unfortunately i must tend to our upset daughter.' She stopped her downward movement just before she reached where her mate ached for her the most. She slid our of Sesshoumaru's arms and walked casually to pick out a kimono to wear for the day aware that her mate's eyes followed her nude form the entire time. 'Are you planning on getting out of that bed anytime soon my mate, or have you decided to stay in bed all day' Kagome smiled to herself when she still heard nothing from her mate. She picked out a kimono and proceeded to put it on as Sesshoumaru moved to the other side of the room to don his own clothing. Just as she was reaching for the obi she suddenly found herself with her back pressed against the wall and a very aroused and still very naked taiyoukai pinning her.

~very slight lemon~

"I will show you the meaning of sensual distraction my little minx!" Kagome inhaled sharply when Sesshoumaru proceeded to nibble her neck. His hands began to caress her under the now wide open kimono. His hands continued down until they both rested on her hips. He slowly ran his claws from her hip to just above her most sensitive area. Sesshoumaru then slid one knee in between Kagomes legs and forced them open as he slid his claws lower. He then slid two fingers into her slowly until he could go no further. Just as she began to breath heavy he ever so slowly slid them back out he repeated that three more times until Kagome was panting and whimpering for him to finish it. He smirked and pulled his face from her neck as he removed his fingers from her slick folds. "I would love to continue this, my own, but our daughter is waiting for you." Sesshoumaru moved away from a very frusterated Kagome and strode towards the door. Kagome hurried to fasten her obi as she watched Sesshoumaru reach for the door. Sesshoumaru turned back to look at Kagome one more time before exiting the room. He brought his hands to his face and ever so slowly licked his mates juices from his still wet fingers. He smirked again when he smelt her arousal spike and heard her soft whimper. "How is that for a distraction my little minx. Now you will be thoroughly and very sensually distracted until we are alone again." With those last words he exited the room and sent Rin in to speak with Kagome.

~end Lemon~

Kagome sighed again as she sat at the breakfast table. She had quickly composed herself when Rin walked in and led her daughter to some large pillows infront of their fireplace. "Now Rin tell me what it is that has you so upset this morning." Rin leaned her head down and blushed before taking a deep breath. Rin then proceeded to tell Kagome about trying to play with shippou earlier in the gardens when they had woken up. But shippou was pretending to fight with tetsuki and they had told RIn that she could not play with them because she was a girl. Rin had fought that she was allowd because kagome was a girl and so was sango and they both fought. so Tetsuki had told her that she could fight with him. While fighting with him she had tripped and both boys had laughed at her and were not kind at all. Kagome comforted Rin while explaining that boys would be boys and promised to have a conversation with the two boys after breakfast. RIn had smiled and jumped up and smiled and they had walked down to the dinning room for breakfast. Kagome's eyes instantly sought Sesshoumaru when she entered and was frustrated and distracted all over again. She had then stumbled before sitting down and spilled her drink and missed her mouth while eating three times. She was paying no attention to the converstation that sango and the others were having. Which leads us back to the sighing. Kagome realized that she was much too frustrated to eat and was just waiting for Shippou to finish eating so she would have an excuse to leave the dinning room. She was just not able to be in the same room with Sesshoumaru anymore.

Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome out the corner of his eye as she sighed again when she missed her mouth with her food for the third time. He smiled to himself on the inside proud that she wanted him so much that she was could not concentrate. He was having problems of his own not just picking her up and taking her away from everyone else to finish what he had started. He knew however that he could not because he had things to take care of before the end of the day to get ready for the ceremony to introduce his mate to the other lords. Sesshoumaru schooled his face from showing his amusment when Kagome sighed once again and gave up on eating. Inuyasha and the others were finishing up their meal and where watching the Lord and Lady and knew that something was going on. Inuyasha found himself elbowed in the ribs many times when he almost laughed each time Kagome made another klutzy move. Kikyou was trying to keep him under control and having a normal converstation so that he did not embarras Kagome. When Shippou finished eating Kagome practically dove out of her chair and caught him before he could leave the dinning hall. "Shippou I need to speak with you and Tetsuki." Shippou nodded and Tetsuki was summoned. "I will wait for you both in the family room." Kagome then walked out of the dinning room and to the family room to await the two boys.

"Momma?" Shippou called his mother to get her attention when he and Tetsuki entered the room that she waiting for them in. He had an idea about why they were being talked to. He knew that laughing at Rin when she had fallen was not ok, and not something that he should have done as her brother. He especially should not have laughed at her in front of Tetsuki. Rin had not said anything but he could tell by the way she acted when they all hung out that Rin had a crush on Tetsuki. He felt really bad about the whole thing and had gone to look for her after she had run off crying. But when he saw that her scent ended in their parents room he knew that he was going to hear it from them. Shippou and Tetsuki took a seat when Kagome motioned for them to sit down in front of her.

"Do you know why i want to talk to you." Kagome asked the boys. Kagome looked at the boys both and watched as they both dipped their heads in shame. She knew that both boys knew why they were here. "Why would the two of you exclude Rin from playing with you. How would you feel Shippou if Rin and Tetsuki had been playing and told you that you couldnt play with them? Or you Tetsuki if Rin and Shippou had done that to you. And not only that but when she fell the two of you laughed at her. That was very inconsiderate of the both of you. Not only is it mean to get pleasure from someones pain but as males it is your responsability to see to the care of the girls." Kagome stopped and watched them process what she said to them. "Now what do you think that the two of you need to do next?" Shippou and Tetsuki lifted up their heads and looked at Kagome for the first time since coming into the room.

"We need to let Lady Rin know that we are sorry for what we did and said. That laughing was not the thing to do and make up for our actions My Lady." Tetsuki spoke for both boys when he answered Kagomes questions. Kagome smiled at him and stood from the cushions.

"Thats right Tetsuki very good. Now you two run along and do the right thing." Shippou and Tetsuki jumped up thankful that they were not being punished or yelled at. They ran off in search of Rin to appologize and ask her to play with them. Kagome looked up when she heard a feminen laugh. Sango and Kikyou walked into the sitting room and sat down when Kagome did. "Hey guys whats up." Kagome smiled at the two women who were the closest thing she had ever had to sisters.

"We just wanted to see you for a bit before we headed back to edo." Kikyou said with a sad smile. She hated that they would be so far away again. She had come to love Kagome as a sister and was not very good with good-byes. Kagome smile dimmed a little at the thought of saying good bye again but she decided to make the best of her time with the two women.

"So Kikyou how are things progressing with your pregnancy." Kagome asked as she looked at Kikyous still flat stomache. Kikyou was now about three months along and Kagome wondered when she would start showing. If it was a normal human pregnancy then she would not start showing until about five months but with this baby being hanyou she was not sure how long the gestation period was for that. Kikyou blushed and placed her hands on her stomach.

"Things are great. I am not having morning sickness anymore and so far no strange cravings. Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha wont let me do anything though. No liffting, No straining. And Inuyasha almost never lets me out of his sight anymore." Sango and Kagome laughed. And Then Kagome remembered something that she had realized last night. She looked at Sango and smiled excitedly.

"Kikyou I am so happy for you. And I have some news that will certaintly make you feel better and possibly help you get Sango back for treating you like an invalid." Kikyou and Sango looked at Kagome basically bouncing up and down in her seat.

"What is it Kagome? What has you so excited?" Sango asked and watched her sister smiling from ear to ear.

" I dont know how I knew but i could smell something different about you last night at dinner and i couldnt quite place what it was. and then Sesshoumaru did something last night that made me realize what the smell meant." Kagome rushed her words in her excitmeant and wait as Sango caught on to what Kagome was saying.

"Kagome are you saying that ... that i am ... that i am pregnant. Miroku and I are going to be parents?" Sango could not believe what she was hearing. She and Miroku had spent the entirety of their wedding night in each others arms bringing each other to completion over and over again. She was in aww. she was so excited. she could not wait to tell Miroku. Kikyou and Kagome both jumped up and the three girls hugged and cried happy tears.

"Yes Sango that is what I am saying. Now go and tell your husband the good news." Kagome pushed and laughing Sango out the door to go in search of Miroku, who Kagome knew was going to be overjoyed. Kikyou smiled and excused herself to go in search of Inuyasha so that they could get ready to leave and head home. Kagome went in search of the children to see how they were getting along and to get them ready to say good by to Inuyasha and the others.

About an hour later Kagome Sesshoumaru Rin and Shippou were standing in the court yard of the Palace of the Moon watching their friends head towards the village that Kagome had called home until recently. Kagome thought about the talk she had with Kikyou about training Rin as a Miko. They had decided to wait until Rin started her cycle and then they would send Rin to Edo with an escort and a play mate. She had yet to decide who would accompany Rin but decided that was a conversation to have with Sesshoumaru and Rin. She also needed to talk to Sesshoumaru about the impending visits of the other lords. Searching for the rest of the shards was another thing that needed to be talked about. There was so many things to be taken care of and she was slightly overwhelmed. "Come it is time for lunch." Kagome was startled out of her thoughts when she heard Sesshoumaru's deep baritone voice. She shivered when she once again was reminded of the incident this morning. Sesshoumaru smelled Kagome's arousal and groaned inwardly and for about the hundredth time regretted his teasing. The Taiyoukai and his family made their way to the dinning room with the children completely unaware of the tention in their parents.

"Sesshoumaru. I need to speak with you about a couple of things. When will you have free time to sit with me and talk?" Kagome asked as lunch was being set on the table. Kagome waited for Sesshoumaru to make his plate and then she and the children made theirs.

"After we eat will be fine." Sesshoumaru answered. He was hoping to get a moment alone with his mate to sate the growling of his beast. After he had satisfied both his mate and himself then and only then would they discuss whatever it was that Kagome needed to talk about. Kagome nodded her head and then turned to the children as they talked about the games that they had played with Tetsuki in the gardens today. Kagome was glad that every thing was ok with Shippou and RIn and that they were playing together. Sesshoumaru finished before the others did and stood from the table. "When ever you are finished meet me in my study Isamu will be waiting to escort you there." Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome all but growled at the instruction. She was still not happy about having to have a guard everywhere she went. Kagome waited until the children where done and sent them off to the library where Jaken was going to begin schooling lessons. When Kagome walked out of the dinning hall Isamu appeared at her side to walk her to Sesshoumaru.

"I am sorry that you are being forced to take time out of your day that you could be doing something important to babysit me." Kagome said despondantly. "I really think that it is unnecessary for me to be watched at all times. I am not helpless or without powers of my own. I think that i am safe enough to walk from the dinning room to the study without an escort." Kagome stopped and turned when she heard a chuckle. She stared at the kitsune as he tried to keep from laughing again. "What is so funny?"

"I am sorry My Lady, but Lord Sesshoumaru made the mistake of being lax in your security twice now and that is two times more then he is accustomed to. He sees each attack on you as a failure on his part to provide for you as a mate should. Please be patient with him. You are too important, not only to the future of all of Japan, but too a certain ice prince that we both know to take such a risk with your well being. I am not being forced to babysit you Lady Kagome. I simply volunteer to take a walk with my best friends mate to give said friend a little piece of mind. I also figured that i was a better choice then another guard because the others would have simply done what was ordered while i hopefully made the trip at least a little bearable." Kagome was smilling by the time the kitsune was through talking. She laughed and linked her arm with the one that he offered her. They laughed and talked all the way to the study. Kagome figured that if Isamu was to be the one to keep her company when Sesshoumaru could not, that she might not mind after all. Besides this was someone who had known Sesshoumaru his whole life she was sure he had a few stories to tell. As they made it to the study Kagome smiled as Isamu stepped back from her with a bow.

"Thank you so very much Isamu for making me feel a little better about being guarded at all times."

"It was my pleasure Lady Kagome." Kagome laughed and smiled as she shook her finger at the Kitsune.

"I do believe that I have asked you to call me Kagome and not to use the formalities. Especially if we are going to be friends which i certainlly hope is the case." Isamu smiled and bowed again.

"Of course Kagome. I am very much looking forward to being your friend and telling you all sorts of stories about our Sesshoumaru." They both laughed when a growl was barely heard from Sesshoumaru on the other side of the door. "Best not to tell you when the inu is listening though." Isamu whispered and then laughed again as he heard another growl. Isamu was laughing as he walked away and Kagome was laughing as she entered the study to see her frowning mate.

~Well there you have it. Chapter 20 is finished. I hope to hear feed back from everyone and hope that you all like it. I will start on the next chapter asap and get it up. thanks everyone for reading.~

~Lacey Lane~