To Reviewer, Professor of Gallifrey: You're my best friend, you don't count. And no, you're chopped liver. You're also bias and would probably seriously injure anyone who said my writing sucked.

To Guest Reviewer: Thank you! Besides Sesshomaru/Kagome, Nurarihyon/Kagome is my favorite!

Later that night, Maemi and Sesshomaru was bedding down for the night. He had stripped down to his hakamas, laying his fluffy down for Maemi to cuddle with.

"Uncle Sesshomaru?"

At the soft voice, he turned to face his niece.

"Hn?"

"Why did Aunt Kagome leave the West?"

Sesshomaru paused.

"I do not know. After your Aunt Rin and Uncle Kohaku married, she left saying she wanted to travel. When Sango, the woman she considered her sister, died along side Miroku, I assumed she was either dead or near death. I thought perhaps she couldn't bare to see her family watch her grow old and die."

Catching the hint of uncertainty in his tone, she questioned.

"But now you think otherwise?"

He glanced at her over his shoulder.

"Tell me, what is her scent?"

"Sakura," was her immediate answer.

"And?"

"That was it. Just sakura."

She gasped.

"She's immortal?"

He nodded thoughtfully.

"Perhaps, Maemi, perhaps."

Yohime stretched, as she did every morning, Nurarihyon looking on in amusement (as he also did every morning), casting a glance to the small bag containing his clothes.

"There's something I should probably tell you," Yohime said slowly.

"Ho? What is it?"

Busying herself with smoothing the covers she said very quickly.

"IwannarideonMaru-chan."

Glancing back to gauge his reaction, she was surprised to find a stunned look on his face. Deciding to rush through with why, she continued.

"First of all it only takes an hour and a half, and he's fluffy and it's really comfortable and did I mention he's fluffy?"

He looked utterly confused now.

She sighed.

"Sesshomaru is a youkai."

Ah, the light dawned on him. His lips twitched. She raised an eyebrow as he started laughing.

"What?"

He waved his hand dismissively.

"Nothing, Yohime."

She pouted and stuck her tongue out.

"Anyways, I'm going to get Maemi and go tell Sesshomaru we're riding on him."

She quickly dressed in her sakura kimono and left the room, leaving Nura who was already clothed and ready to go.

She ran to the guest rooms, skidding to a stop outside their door, sliding it open with a quiet,

"Good morning!"

Maemi flung herself in to her arms, with a happy grin.

"Good morning, Auntie Kagome!"

She laughed and began swinging the girl around smiling brighter at her giggles.

Setting the slightly dizzy pup on her feet, she turned her smile to Sesshomaru.

"Good morning! I have come to inform you we will be riding you to the castle, as it will save time."

"No," was his immediate answer.

To which Yohime felt tears come to her eyes and began to slip down her cheeks.

"N-no? After all that I've been through, you deny me the right to fly through the skies holding my niece to me? You deny me, of all people, whom you owe a debt to, the simple pleasure of traveling with your beast once more?"

Each word sent a jab to Sesshomaru's honor, not to mention to the heart of his beast who loved her and was not afraid to show it.

His jaw clenched.

"Hn."

Her tears vanished and she threw her arms around him, glad he hadn't put on his armour yet.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru! We'll eat and then leave! Breakfast is probably ready by now!"

And she dashed out of the room, Maemi on her heels.

Are you happy now, Maru-chan?

Yes, as a matter of fact, I am very happy now. It has been too long since our niece and sister have flown with us.

Hn.

As Nurarihyon, Yohime and Maemi gathered around Sesshomaru outside the gates, their Clan looking on, Sesshomaru shifted his form. Winds beat against them, youkai rose and when it finally clamed down, there stood a massive white dog.

Yohime and Maemi ran towards him, Nura trailing slightly behind smirking as they 'ooo'ed and 'ahhh'ed and petted the great beast.

As the giant dog knelt down, Maemi and Yohime quickly climbed over him, situating themselves at the base of his neck. Nura simply gracefully leapt up, ignoring the red eyes fixated on him, settling behind his wife, pulling her into his lap, the child holding tightly to her hand.

"Okay, Maru-chan! Let's go!"

At Yohime's shout, the great beast crouched down, and with a powerful thrust, launched himself into the air. To the amazement and awe of those watching, the dog ran across the sky and soon faded behind the clouds.

So you're the ayakashi who claimed my Kagome.

At the deep, slightly threatening, slightly curious voice in his head, Nura looked up, and met the red eye of the beast, who glanced at him briefly.

I assume you are the beast of Sesshomaru?

You assume correctly. That Sesshomaru has yet to come to a solid conclusion about you, but this Sesshomaru has.

And what is that conclusion?

She smiles and laughs. She looks at you and always find some way to touch you. Though you make that easy as you always take your place next to her.

Nurarihyon tightened his grip around the woman in his lap.

I know little about inuyoukai customs, but she is my mate. She is for life, and she is mine. She has claimed mine as hers, ours. I belong at her side, as she does mine.

Any children you have with be hanyo. They will have a choice to chose the world of their mother or their father.

Nura turned serious, a fact the beast noticed immediately.

There is no 'mother's world' or 'father's world'. Be they hanyo, they are mine regardless. Their path is their own to chose, and as such they can chose to continue as my heir or to go another way.

Hn. I have not encountered an ayakashi such as you. I am glad my Kagome has found one such as you.

I take it no matter what I say, she will always be 'my Kagome'?

To me, Nurarihyon Lord of Pandemonium, to you she will forever more be, 'my Yohime'.

And thus, ayakashi and youkai's beast came to understanding. One that came about through the desire to bring happiness to the woman who had changed their lives.

"I see it! I see it! Look, Auntie Kagome!"

Yohime caught her breath at the sight of what once had been her home.

"Maru-chan! Could you slow down a bit?"

Maru obliged, and even veered slightly to circle the palace.

Cranking back her head, she looked with sparkling eyes at her husband.

"What do you think?"

Nurarihyon placed his lips at her ear to whisper.

"I think the sakura is most beautiful."

A delicate blush dusted her cheeks, and she cuddled more firmly into his chest, lacing her hand with his.

Would you care to go down now, Kagome?

At the voice the echoed in her head she smiled, and the great beast descended towards the courtyard which was rapidly filling with youkai.

Maru's front legs hit first, quickly followed by his back, absorbing most of the impact. He lowered himself to his belly and Maemi wasted to time in scurrying off.

Nurarihyon scooped up Yohime in his arms before he jumped gracefully onto the stone tiles covered the courtyard. He set her feet on the ground, and she turned, holding her arms up towards the dog. His head lowered into the arms that hugged him, paying no heed to the shocked stares of his people.

"I've missed you Maru-chan! Make sure you convince Sesshomaru to let you out once in a while to play with me!"

He huffed softly, before back away.

In a flash of light, Sesshomaru once again stood.

"My Lord!"

His general knelt in front of him.

"Masaru."

"I could not bring Totosai, as he refused to move even with the threats I issued. My apologies."

"There is no longer a need for him."

He spoke, a small smile coming to his face. He ignored the slight flinch from the kneeling kitsune. Turning, he strolled over to Kagome who was, for the most part, ignoring the hostile glares and probing gazes of the Lords and Ladies that had gathered in his short absence.

He smirked in delight at the though of how furious the Elders would be when they learned of Kagome's return.

Coming to stand at her side, the one not occupied by her new husband, he spoke in a voice that easily carried into the palace.

"Why do you not act as the traditions dictate when a Lord or Lady of the Western Lands returns after a long absence?"

Silence descended over the youkai as they puzzled to themselves at his wording, not to mention he'd only been gone a day. However, this was quickly broken by a shout.

"Mamma!"

Youkai, ayakashi and demon alike parted as a small woman, her hair streaked with a familiar silver, shot past them in a flurry of cloth.

Many were dropping to their knees as they realized exactly who the beautiful human woman standing comfortably in the courtyard was.

"Mamma!"

Yohime turned to see Rin just as she jumped, her arms out, tears flowing down her face. As their bodies collided, she felt arms clutch at her for dear life.

"Rin. My sweet little Rin."

A/N I would apologize and say I'm sorry for skipping an update, but I was sick and therefore didn't care.

…

Okay I cared a lot, and tried to write the chapter but I couldn't write anything! I think I fell asleep while I was trying to. When I woke up, my family's all like, "Come on, we're going to look at a house!" and I'm all like, "Nooo! My readers are counting on me! I have to finish at least ONE chapter!" Needless to say, I went to go look at the house. Fell asleep on the way home and woke up in my bed, the sun shining in my window. So…

I'm still sick, but I did manage to post one chapter. When I get better, I'll make up for the chapters I missed. Also, we went over our internet usage and it has slowed... but the problems will be gone soon.

Until then, thanks for reading,

reviews are the Rose to my Doctor.