Don't own Inuyasha... crys .o.o.

"talking"

'thinking'

"You've never had a human night?" Miroku couldn't believe this new information, the child was amazing; they were so use to Inuyasha having one, an yet his daughter didn't.

"I've never changed colors like that, neither have my sisters or Maru either... mommy called it um..."

"Perfect balance," Inuyasha spoke up gaining everyone's attention.

"That's it yeah! That's what mommy called it."

"What's that Inuyasha? I've never heard of it."

"Feh! Oh course you wouldn't Sango, only half demons know of it because that is what most of them wish for. To have perfect balance between your demon and human sides, but it's impossible, the only way to get this is if the sire and bitch of the pup are in perfect balance with each other. Which never happens because the demon side is normally the dominant of the two, except on the night of its' weakness."

"So if Izzy has this perfect balance, then that means her parents are in perfect balance with each other correct?"

"Isn't that what I just said monk?"

"No, I think what Miroku meant was shouldn't your demon side be stronger than that of Kagome's human blood?" Sango had a good point, how did it even itself out with Inuyasha having such strong demon blood.

"Yeah... I guess that should be true."

"What about my spiritual powers?" Kagome's sleepy voice broke out of the silence in the room.

"Hi mommy!"

"Kagome how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine Sango, just a little hungry."

"Kagome might have a point with her powers. If you're a full demon in the future Inuyasha, her powers could calm their blood enough to balance it out. And if the two sides have equal control of the body, there's no need for a night of weakness; is that how to look at it Izayoi-san?"

"Yeah, that's what mommy always says Miroku!"

Kagome untangled herself from her sleeping bag and moved over to the fire.

"Kagome... you okay?"

She looked over to Inuyasha and smiled, "Yeah I'm okay, thanks for carrying me back... what about you?" She meant that for two reasons, one because he was human and she knew he hated that; and she also knew he heard of Junichi's proposal, she only hoped Shippo hadn't told him what she said to the lord.

"Keh, I'm use to this remember... happens every month."

"But it's a part of who you are, what makes you... you. Why would you want to lose that?"

"Feh!" 'Because when I'm like this... I can't protect you Kagome.'

After Kagome got something to eat, she left the hut in search of the half demon turned human. Inuyasha had slipped out while they were preparing stew for dinner, and didn't return when it was done; which worried everyone. So now she was out in the woods searching for him, with it being the new moon there was no light in the sky to make it easier to find him. And since his senses were dulled he wouldn't be able to help her out, even if he would.

"Inuyasha... you here? Inuyasha?"

"Kagome what are you doing out here!? Don't you know how dangerous it is?"

She followed his voice to the sacred tree, where he was sitting by the trunk instead of in his normal branch. "Inuyasha, why are you down here?"

"I didn't want to wrisk the climb in this human body."

"Inuyasha it is your body, you're no different now then you were this morning; yeah you're hair changes color from time to time but that's normal in my time... you're still the same person."

Inuyasha wanted to believe her, but he just didn't feel the same, a big part of him was always missing during this night.

"Do you want to stay out here all night?"

"And if I do?"

"Then I'm staying with you, I'm not going to protect you because I know you're not weak, I'm just being here for you."

"I'd prefer if you went back inside, you'd be safer there."

"Yeah and I would prefer if you were inside too, but that isn't going to happen either. I hate when you think you don't have the power to protect me on nights like this! You've done it countless times before and I've never been hurt."

"You forget the peach man?"

"No, nor the fact that you nearly died that night trying to protect me... my heart nearly stopped when you went over the cliff; I have full trust in you Inuyasha."

They sat there for some time and despite the amount of sleep Kagome got during the day, she was having trouble staying awake now.

"Kagome go back to the hut, I'll be fine out here."

"No, I'm not leaving. I'm fine Inuyasha."

"You can't keep your eyes open, and you can't even sit up straight," he looked to the girl, who was currently using his shoulder as her pillow.

Kagome shot up and frantically began rubbing her eyes, thanking the kami it was so dark out that he wouldn't be able to see the blush on her face. "I'm... I'm sorry Inuyasha, but I'm fine really; if we talk I can stay awake."

"What are we going to talk about?"

"Well let's see... um..." Kagome looked around at what she could see, trying to come up with an interesting topic to discuss with the man sitting next to her.

"What happened while we were fighting the oni? What did the human want?"

"Inuyasha, you already know what he asked me."

"Yeah, but I don't know what your answer was," Inuyasha looked to the ground in shame, he knew what she said but he just couldn't let that last wall down around his heart yet; he had been hurt too much to, but he also knew by doing this it might push her away.

He flinched hearing the pain in her voice, "How could you think I would except his porposal? I told him I wouldn't and then he started accusing you of putting a spell on me, of which I defended you and set him straight by telling him..." Kagome immediately clamped her mouth shut, realizing what she was about to say in the heat of the moment.

But Inuyasha didn't miss her hesitation, "Telling him what Kagome?"

Kagome tried to come up with an excuse to give him so she wouldn't have to tell him what she really told the lord, she just wasn't ready to blurt those words out to him yet; and she also didn't want to pressure him again. But she couldn't think of anything to distract him, and feared she would have to be truthful. Just as she came to the decision that she would except whatever he would do after she talked she turned to him... only to pale seeing the object floating not far from where they were sitting.

'Oh god... why now?'

"Kagome... what you tell him!?" Inuyasha was getting tired of waiting for her answer, he thought she was going to tell him when she turned to look at him; but she's been in a frozen shocked state for a minute now, and he was getting annoyed again. What could possibly so surprising on his face that she would need to stare, she's seen him like this several times and as far as he knew there was nothing new that should be there... and frankly her staring was kind of creeping him out.

He was just about to holler at her again, when he noticed that she wasn't actually looking at him... rather around him to something behind him. Wanting to know what caused her to look so scared, he turned and followed her gaze; also not missing the hiss of pain she released when he did. But she wasn't his full attention at the moment, not when the soul collector was ideally floating ten feet away from them.

'Kikyo.'

It was the woman on both their minds now, Kagome wasn't happy seeing her snake like servant so close meant she wasn't far away. Kagome had been hoping not to have to deal with her for a little while longer, at least not until the children were sent home. She didn't know if the undead priestess was alive in their time or not, and if she wasn't, she really didn't want Izzy or the others finding out about her. From what they have been told about their future selves, the kids really loved them and they were basically perfect in their eyes; Kagome didn't want that image tarnished by Kikyo's presence, it wasn't fair to the woman Inuyasha first loved not to know they won't be together... but Kagome was only looking out for the children.

Inuyasha was thinking along the same lines. He really didn't want her there either, he wasn't ready to talk to her, especially not like this. But he knew it would have to be done soon, in order to be with Kagome, he had to talk her. He didn't want to lead her on any longer that he would go to hell with her. He never promised he would, but he would avenge her death by killing Naraku. He knew she would probably be upset and he didn't want her taking it out on Kagome either, it wasn't her fault. But he realized when he went to get Kagome from her time and saw her with the human boy, he knew he could never let her go. It hurt just to ask for the shards, and see her cry, he couldn't do that again; and besides he wanted to wake up in the future to see her in his bed and have all those pups with her.

"Kagome... you want to come with me?" It wasn't really a question, he wasn't going to leave her out in the woods by herself this late at night... alone.

Kagome was shocked that he would ask her to come with him. Normally he would give her his puppy dog look of apology before just leaving to go see Kikyo. "Um... okay?"

He took her hand, gave it a light squeeze, before they stood up and followed the demon.

The soul collector lead them a good distance away from the village, and that put Inuyasha slightly on edge, he didn't know what Kikyo would be planning, but why lead him so far away?

As they rounded the next corner they found that the demon had disappeared completely, "Shit! Where'd it go?" 'Why would Kikyo play games like this?'

As Inuyasha pondered this Kagome heard the scream of something beyond the bushes to her left. She pushed passed the branches to look out into the open field that wasn't empty at the moment.

"Inuyasha, over there!"

Hearing her panicked whisper, and turning to see what she was trying to get his attention for, Inuyasha moved over to where she was to look at whatever she was seeing. And what he saw nearly knocked him over in shock.

Kikyo was in the middle of the field, surrounded by hundreds of demons, trying to protect herself with her small amount of ammo left. Most of her spiritaul energy was drainging as she threw up a barrier to try to push them back.

"Kikyo!"

"No Inuyasha, you can't go out there! You wouldn't be able to stop them, and Kikyo doesn't know your secret."

"Damn-it! I can't just do nothing Kagome, she needs me!" the half demon was angry, but the girl at his side had a point. Even if he owed the older woman Naraku's death, he wasn't comfortable at all with revealing his night of weakness to her.

But he didn't have to worry for her safety for much longer, because just as she shot her last arrow and still the demons were coming at her. A black flash cut through the field, and all the remaining demons fall to the ground dead. Kikyo released the barrier to look at the new comer to the battle, she didn't seemed threatened by him so the others weren't. Inuyasha however didn't like this strange man... Kagome was confused.

The boy, and yes that's what it was, looked now older than Inuyasha himself. As a matter a fact, he looked like Inuyasha, only the opposite. He had long hair like her half demon, only it was jet black not silver. And he wore the same outfit as Inuyasha, only his was all black not red. He also had a sword in his clawed hand, that he was sheathing back into its sheath that was on his back. He didn't say a word, just looked at the dead priestess and she turned and left the field in the opposite direction.

Once she was gone the boy turned and looked in their direction, giving Kagome a good view of his front. He had long side bangs that framed his face, which looked oddly like a mixture of both Inuyasha and Maru. And his solid ember eyes held and eerie glow to them as he looked them over. He then turned and jumped into the trees heading in the same direction Kikyo disappeared in.

'Who was that?'

'Why's that boy following Kikyo? Why is she letting him protect her?'

"Inuyasha?"

"Feh, she's okay, let's go back to the hut Kagome."

'Oh... Inuyasha.'

Note: So who's this guy following Kikyo around? And what is Inuyasha going to do about him? Does Izzy know something that may help?

Thanks to:
Diamond369
Dragon Ashes
Drama Kagome
For reviewing.... so sad it shrunk so much!