Sesshomaru leaned his head back against the pillow as he held Leanika against him. It had been two days since she had fell unconscious and she never made a move to wake up. He was closing his eyes when all of a sudden Leanika slapped the left side of her face with her own hand causing Sesshomaru to look down at her with concern. Her blue eyes were wide open and she stared at his chest for a moment dazedly. He stroked her forehead lightly causing her to look up at him with awareness.
"Sesshomaru, where-where am I?" She slowly dropped her hand causing a certain flea demon to fall from her palm to the sheets.
"Such is the life of a flea." The small Myoga groaned as he settled down.
"You're home. Don't you remember?"
She shook her head slowly staring up at him as if she hadn't seen his face in forever. Suddenly she looked down at the blankets between them, "Myoga, what did I tell you about sucking my blood?"
"But your brother, Lord Hitoshi, told me to!" The small flea jumped up and down.
"Myoga, leave us." Sesshomaru demanded in a cold tone.
"Yes! Yes! Of course!" Myoga said fearfully dashing away in little zigzags to disappear under the door.
"Sesshomaru, you know he was only trying to help." Leanika said slowly as he turned back to her.
He brushed her hair behind her ear locking his eyes with her. "Exactly what do you remember?"
She closed her eyes for a brief moment then opened them again. "I remember my home and growing up in the north and then you promising to take me back home with you. I remember our first kiss and when we made love a few nights later. I remember that night when Atsushi attacked our family. But that's all I remember." She replied sadly, "How long have I been unconscious?"
"Two days." He ran his hand over her bulged stomach. "You remember nothing about living with humans when Hitoshi sent you into the future?"
She shook her head looking down at her stomach, "I'm... pregnant?" She looked back at him. He nodded feeling a bit awkward.
"After you had fell unconscious your brother had me cause you to lose your memory and turn you into a baby. As I was doing this I fell unconscious and woke up to find you gone and Hitoshi at my bedside. He had tried to erase my memory as well, but it hadn't worked. After a few years I forced myself to forget about you so that I could move on, but it left me miserable. I never went back to the Northern lands and the only thing I could do successfully was hide my emotions. When I finally found you captured by Naraku and Atsushi it took all I had to not fall apart where I stood. Yet at the same time I wasn't sure if it was you or my imagination so I never said anything. Until I was sure, but at that time it didn't matter to you or me if either one of us remembered. All that mattered was that our love was still connected. You had traveled with me for about a year with Rin and Jaken. It wasn't until a few months ago that we admitted are feelings for each other."
"I think I understand." Leanika replied slowly. "But how did you-" Sesshomaru stopped her already knowing what she was going to say.
"I used the necklace." He reached for the chain and found it gone, "Your necklace-"
"There was no use for it so it disappeared." Hitoshi walked into the room. "The only reason for the necklace was to keep her memories sealed. Now that I have unlocked them she will never forget them."
"Hitoshi, you- I- hm..." Leanika sighed heavily stopping while burring her face in Sesshomaru chest, "I want to sleep."
Hitoshi nodded, "Very well. I just wanted to see how you were fairing. See you!" With that he left closing the door behind him.
Sesshomaru sighed a bit irritated. He deeply hoped she would regain her memory soon. She needed to remember what had happened since then. He didn't want to have to explain everything to her that he could barely even comprehend. Yet she seemed to be able to. Like her feelings towards those humans like Justin. He still had the urge to cut him into little pieces and feed him to the rats. His golden eyes averted down to her and found her sleeping peacefully into his chest. He let out a heavy sigh slowly stirring her hair, "I love you, Leanika. Please come back to me."
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Mommy! Daddy!" Rane cried excitedly jumping off the balcony that led into Sesshomaru and Leanika's room to the garden below landing in her father's strong arms, "I missed you!"
"Hey, Cutie! We missed you too!" Nakimaru gave his daughter a toothy smile as Erianna walked over and hugged her too.
"Erianna, Nakimaru, you have returned!" Leanika came over with Rin holding her hand.
"Thank you for taking care of our daughter for us!" Erianna smiled happily back.
"Its no trouble at all." Leanika laughed as Erianna hugged her.
"I swear your stomach gets bigger each and every time I see you." Leanika laughed again as Erianna patted her round stomach gently, "It will be a big baby."
"He. I have a feeling it is a boy." Leanika responded.
"How is your memory?" Nakimaru asked coming closer to the women.
"Better. I remember more of my home in the future than I did yesterday."
"That's good to hear!" He smiled happily, "So you remember everything about meeting Sesshomaru?"
"Mostly."
"Wait. I'm confused. You lost your memory?" Erianna asked.
"Yes." Leanika answered sadly.
"How?"
"I'm not exactly sure. My brother kind of gave me a taste of memory loss." Leanika shrugged, "Hitoshi can be a dummy sometimes."
"Lord Hitoshi is here?" Erianna stepped back shocked.
"Yeah. Why? Is there something wrong?"
"No. Nothing wrong. We just need to get going now." She tugged on her husband's sleeve.
"We do? Exactly why?" Nakimaru turned a curious eye on her.
"Because I got to get home to take care of some important work."
"Lady Erianna! It seems like forever and a day since I last saw you!" Erianna cringed recognizing Hitoshi's voice
"Lord Hitoshi, what a pleasure. What are you doing here?" Nakimaru smiled at the blonde young man approaching the small group.
"I came here to visit my sister. Why else would I be here?" He wrapped an arm around Leanika's shoulders on her opposite side of Rin.
"Great. You just had to be related to her, didn't you?" Erianna threw her arms up in the air frustrated.
"Ah! Why so much hard feelings? Did I do something wrong?" Hitoshi grinned innocently.
Erianna glared at him a moment before turning back to her mate, "Can we leave now?" Hitoshi laughed walking away to find Sesshomaru's retainer.
Nakimaru sighed pressing his lips to his daughter's forehead, "I suppose."
Leanika smiled warmly as Sesshomaru walked gracefully to the group wrapping his arms around his mate pressing his hands on her large stomach. "Leaving so soon?" He asked emotionally stroking Leanika's stomach lightly in the places he could sense the baby kicking.
"Well I would be more willing to stay, but I guess I have to go since Erianna wants to be mean." He teased his wife who glared at him in return.
Leanika giggled turning her head so she could kiss her mate on the cheek, "Its probably best if you leave because Sesshomaru and I are leaving tonight anyway."
"Where?" Rin asked curiously.
"I need to take care of a few things in my home time before I can live here permanently in peace."
"Jaken will look after everything while we are gone." Sesshomaru added nibbling lightly on the tip of Leanika's ear.
Sesshomaru was glad Leanika was pretty much her carefree usual self, but there was one thing that had come to mind last night that he couldn't figure out. How was it that she was not immediately resurrected in the future, but instead came to be living in the future about the same time Kagome had been born?
"Wait! Can I stay though?" Hitoshi came running back the question more directed to Leanika than to Sesshomaru.
His sister smiled at him, "Of course. I'm sure Jaken could use the extra help. We'll only be gone a few days. Hopefully in time for the ball." She turned back to her mate at the last sentence and he nodded in approval.
Hitoshi sighed relieved while Nakimaru handed the now sleeping Rane to Erianna. "I guess we'll see you then, right?" The couple nodded and the family disappeared.
Rin turned to Leanika and hugged her thigh, "I don't want you to go." She murmured.
Leanika smiled slightly embracing the eight-year-old tenderly, "I know, but I have to tell my family about Kyo."
"Who is Kyo?"
"Your baby brother."
"It's a boy?" Rin asked excitedly.
Leanika nodded. Then stopped herself suddenly, "I think. That is another reason I want to go back because I want to get an ultrasound."
"What's this about an ultrasound?" Hitoshi asked Sesshomaru and him giving Leanika curious eyes.
"An ultrasound is basically a machine that takes a picture of the baby in my stomach."
They stared at her and wonder causing her to blush and move away from their curious eyes. "Hey, c'mon guys it not that big of a deal!"
Hitoshi sighed, "So, when again are you leaving?"
"First thing in the morning. Did you finish packing like I told you to?" Sesshomaru asked Leanika who smacked her forehead.
"No. I'm sorry. I'll get right to it!" With that she quickly walked off placing a hand over her massive stomach reminding herself that running was definitely out of the question in this state.
Rin went to follow her when Sesshomaru stopped her, "Rin."
She turned fully to him, "Yes?"
"Go play with Jaken."
"Yes, Milord!" With that she went in the opposite direction to find the imp.
"Would you mind watching them? I have to take care of some unfinished business before we descend." Sesshomaru more of demanded in a more polite way while heading in the direction has mate left.
"Play nice and gentle, Sesshomaru!" He called teasingly after before running after the little girl.
Sesshomaru scowled to himself in disgust, the nerve of that demon sometimes. He walked into one of the secret back doors leading to a staircase that lead up to his room already smelling her at the top of them checking to make sure no one was around so she could crawl through the portrait of Sesshomaru's father.
A smile came to the demon lord's face as he used his demon speed and was behind her in an instant. He placed a hand over her own and growled deeply smelling a servant inside. "Not yet." He informed in a whisper under his breath.
She nodded silently. She had become use to him coming out of nowhere, but at the same time was learning to sense him with the bracelet that dangled off her right wrist holding the small door handle.
After a few moments the servant left and Sesshomaru opened the secret passage allowing Leanika to go ahead with him closing it behind him. Softly he ran his fingertips over the oils that made up the former demon lord before he sealed the painting into the wall leaving it a blank white space.
Leanika watched him for a moment before going over to the bed where her suitcase laid open and inside were a few outfits packed. She sighed closing the suitcase. "I have an idea. I'll go to the store in my era and shop for new clothes because I am tired."
Sesshomaru turned to her as she removed the blue bag from the bed and began to lie down. She brought the blankets up to her chin before closing her eyes to sleep when Sesshomaru came over and knelt in front of her. She sighed through her nose and looked up at him.
"What's the matter, Sesshy?" She asked slowly.
"Nothing." He answered stroking her hair. "You."
"What's the matter with me?" She gave him a confused look.
"There is nothing wrong with you." He chuckled, "I love you." He leaned in and kissed her forehead lightly before pulling away.
She smiled scooting away from him allowing him to slip in next to her. She rested her head on his muscular chest closing her eyes lazily just enjoying the steady beating of his heart. Sesshomaru continued to stroke her golden hair watching her closely. He could sense the baby would be born soon. Sooner than she probably would've expected. He smiled to himself. 'Soon. Soon and I'll be a father.'
---
"I'm home!" Leanika called into the house closing the door behind her and Sesshomaru.
"Hey, Honey! We are in the kitchen!" Came her father's voice and she immediately froze.
Sesshomaru stroked the back of her neck tenderly with his finger, "It is alright. I am here." He took her hand and led her towards the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, Carrie and Kayla were cooking over the stove. Yoshi, Justin, and Britney sat at the table talking to each other until Leanika and Sesshomaru came in. Her father was at the sink doing dishes next to the two women and looked up when he heard the couple walk in. Everyone's eyes were on Leanika the only sound was the running water and the sizzling of bacon burning.
Leanika begged Sesshomaru in her mind to let her go. She knew what they were looking at. She could see it in her father's eyes. She had failed him. She was a failure to him. That was when something seemed to burst inside her sending out a tidal wave of energy through her. She was not the failure he was. He always failed her. Was it not he who left her mother to fend for herself plus a five year old and a teenage daughter? The same teenage daughter who worshipped and cared about him no matter what. No, she would not be so kind this time. This time she knew it would be different.
Just as she opened her mouth to speak she felt a weird sensation between her legs and a trickle of something wet went down her leg. Her eyes almost bulged out of her head. Her water broke!