A/N: To those of you who reviewed (Puppylove7, ScarletCamellia, blackdame, xxdarienchibaloverxx and Taraah36), thank you. Believe it or not, I actually have the rest of the story written. So here's what I'm going to do: every twenty four hours (give or take) a new chapter will be posted until the epilogue is up. That way for those of you who want to review, there will be a chance for you to do so.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

The Nekomata Guardian

Ch. 25

The next night was a repeat of the one before as it was filled with anxiety. Sesshoumaru had been forewarned that his baby brother would end up in the hospital because of a nicked artery but he hadn't expected to feel the sense of dread he was currently experiencing. When the phone rang telling him Higurashi-san was on the other end, he tried for a calm façade.

"Mrs. Higurashi."

"You need to get over here now. Inuyasha has lost a lot of blood. He may need a transfusion and as you are his only blood relative, it is imperative that some of yours is on hand."

"I cannot interfere in the way things are happening, Higurashi-san."

"I know that but if Inuyasha dies as a human, there will be no killing Naraku in the past. Now get over here and help your brother. Dr. Kintaro told me your blood is a match so there is no reason for you to hesitate, young man."

For one brief moment he contemplated making a remark about how he was older than her but the swish of a nekomata tail caught out of the corner of his eye forestalled his words. It would not do to get Kirara mad at him. "He must not know I was there."

"Just get over here, or else."

"Or else?" he asked, this time truly amused.

"You do not wish to find out, do you, Sesshoumaru Taisho?"

"I will discuss it with Lady Kirara."

"As you wish," Kagome's mother answered and hung up. Closing the cell, Sesshoumaru turned to the nekomata. It seemed that he had been threatened. Having a human with no powers threaten him was a novel experience. Perhaps it was something every mother came equipped with the ability to do.

"Hn."

Azami was waiting for him when he returned from the hospital, worry on her brow. "How is otouto, really? I know he told us about his time in the hospital but he's always underplayed his injuries."

"It is nothing to worry over, koneko. The operation was a success and he will be out of the hospital by tomorrow afternoon, without doubt. It is imouto's injuries that are going to take time to heal."

"But they are safe?" she asked, brushing Aikyo's bangs off of his forehead as he slept on her lap.

Resting a hand on his youngest and bending to kiss the top of his mate's head, Sesshoumaru allowed a small smile to cross his normally stoic face. "They are safe," he affirmed. "Where are the twins?" he asked, suspicion gathering in gold eyes.

"They went to Shippou's for the week, remember? I sent them there so that they'd keep him occupied while the teenage versions of his adoptive parents were hurt and hospitalized."

"You put them together? An immature adult kitsune and two not quite mature half demons who happen to be our twins."

"Shippou has so many students he'll be too busy to get into mischief." Azami narrowed her eyes. "At least he'd better be too busy."

"Indeed."

A few days later Shippou sat down at his father's desk in the dojo office and picked up the phone to call his uncle. His grin showed fangs that glistened in the light coming from the window and had any of his supernaturally powered students been in the room, they would have seen them and the intent to do mischief in his eyes.

In the Feudal Era he had teased Inuyasha about going to school with Kagome. When the half dog demon had replied "when hell freezes over," the idea had come to him then to make just that happen. Miroku had given him the nudge he'd needed to get the gumption to do it.

"Taisho," was how his eldest uncle answered the phone and his grin got bigger. Shiro didn't bother to knock but came in and sat in the chair across from him to listen to the conversation.

"Uncle, I have this wonderful idea." Shippou picked up a pen and twirled it in his fingers. "How would you like to help hell freeze over?"

"Explain yourself," the clan leader demanded. If Sesshoumaru didn't like the idea, he'd have more to worry about than a scolding from his mother when she returned.

When he did, he could almost see the smile forming on the face of the Taiyoukai of Japan. It was the kind of smile that had everyone shrinking in fear of what he might do. "Do go on, nephew."

"Well, this is what I was thinking…" he proceeded with his plan, never thinking that either of his cousins would object to a little prank on his parents.

At five o'clock the next morning he would find out differently.

Sango put the phone down and glared at her husband. His sheepish expression told her he hadn't forgotten what it felt like to have Hiraikotsu knock him unconscious and he wasn't looking forward to repeating a process that hadn't been done in several years. "Whatever possessed you to encourage Shippou?" she asked, Hana jumping up onto the arm the sofa she was sitting on so that the demon slayer could pet her.

"Well, we know that it's because he went to school with her that he finally confessed. And since Sesshoumaru would never do anything that would endanger the past, I figured that it had to be Shippou who convinced him."

"One mistake, and I will bring Hiraikotsu down on you so hard, you won't be able to remember your own name."

"Yes, my dearest Sango," the houshi replied in contrition. Since she had done precisely that to one of her nephews in the past, he had no doubt that she would do it to him if something adverse happened. While it was true that they were taking a chance by meddling, Miroku truly thought that it was for the best.

"As long as you understand," the taijiya said and went to get ready for the day. The students would be up and wanting breakfast as soon as their morning meditations were done.

"I wish I could be a fly on the wall for all of this," he said to an empty room. "Oh, well, maybe I can have one of the guards record the confession."

In the Taisho penthouse Azami was having a similar conversation with Sesshoumaru. Aikyo stood in the entrance to his parents' suite and wondered why his father was taking such verbal abuse from his mother. He had never seen his sire look as contrite as he did at that moment. "Papa?" he asked tentatively when his mother had finally run out of things to say and had left the room in disgust.

"Never make your mate angry," was the advice that came as an answer. "Getting your mate angry can lead to all sorts of misfortune."

"I don't understand."

"I helped your cousin cause mischief."

"Oh, I see. You're not supposed to do that, Papa. We're under strict instructions from Aunt Kagome not to let Shippou get into any mischief while they're gone."

"Yes, I know," the demon king sighed.

Somewhere beyond the mystic veil in the realm of the faeries, Kagome watched as her brother-in-law helped plot against them with their son. Looking up at Kellan as the queen sat down on her thrown, the miko frowned. "Remind me to ground Shippou," she said to the older woman.

"Of course, my dear."