Chapter 38-Patience and Planning

Kagome awoke to a house alive with chatter. There was the distant sounds of clattering in the kitchen. Well at least they all got their rest. Kagome thought to herself as she rolled over. She stretched and smiled. In spite of all that's going on I just can't shake the feeling that this is where I am supposed to be. Kagome took her time bathing and running a comb through her hair. She hummed quietly to herself as she changed behind the screen and for the first time in a long time decided to wear a dress that her mother had given her months ago. She had hoped that maybe Kagome would find time to wear it to one of the festivals that were going on. Well I guess that this is not time to be shy. He will be my husband. The words rang in Kagome's head like great cathedral bells. She had gone from demon fighter extraordinaire to queen in a matter of weeks. The idea that she was going to be married, sharing a life, sharing a bed with Sesshomaru. She would have never thought it possible, but here she was. I guess that dreams can come true. She said to herself.

"Kagome your finally awake." Shippo said from his spot on the floor. "You had better hurry and dig in before InuYasha eats it all." InuYasha promptly bopped the fox on the head.

"InuYasha, you shouldn't be so harsh. He is just a child." Kikyo scolded. Kagome smiled, at least there would be someone to help watch over the young fox.

"Where's Sesshomaru?" She asked looking around.

"He said that he had something to take care of on the grounds, that he would be back soon. Sango answered plopping a bowl in front of Kagome.

"Kagome maybe you could be of some help, we were trying to figure out how this is all going to work." Miroku said raising an eyebrow at her.

"So that's what you were all chattering about." Kagome said smiling. "To be honest I don't know. Sesshomaru knows where Naraku is, but that doesn't solve the problem of defeating him does it?" Kagome furrowed her eyebrows and thought as hard as she could. Naraku had always seemed to dodge attacks, disappear before the final blow could be struck. Her eyes lit up. "I have an idea!" She nearly shouted.

"What?! Don't just sit there tell us what it is!" InuYasha barked at her.

"Since Naraku is always putting up barriers to keep us out, and running away when we finally do get to him, why don't we just put a barrier up around him. Then when we attack him he won't be able to pull one of his disappearing acts." Kagome looked at Kikyo and Miroku hopefully, she was no expert on barriers, but she was lucky enough to know two people that were.

"That just might work, Lady Kikyo, do you think that we could put up a strong enough barrier to hold him, at least until the rest of them can finish him off?" Miroku asked the miko.

"I'm not sure, we would have to surround him and attack him from all sides to keep him from concentrating an attack right on the barrier. It would have to be a failsafe, something just to contain him." Kikyo looked deep in thought.

"Well, if InuYasha and Sesshomaru work together, Kagome and I could keep firing from either side." Sango added.

"Hey what about me?" Shippo questioned.

"Well I imagine we are going to need you for clean up. If what is cut away from Naraku is not completely destroyed it will regenerate, I can imagine that your foxfire will be handy there." Sango said smiling down at him.

"It's not like I need his help or anything." InuYasha simply couldn't put aside his pride. Kagome and the rest looked at him as if they might beat him into oblivion.

"Is that so InuYasha? I have seen how successful that you have been so far." Sesshomaru said from the doorway. InuYasha looked from this brother standing over him with crossed arms to the murderous glares that he was getting from the group.

"What is everyone looking at?!" He could no longer stand the pressure.

"An idiot." Miroku answered looking away as the rest nodded in agreement.

"You know InuYasha, your tasteful choice in friends doesn't match your poor choice in words… and timing." The compliment stung with insult, but it was fair game. InuYasha had boasted one to many times, and now he was playing with everyone's lives, Sesshomaru needed a way to reprimand his younger brother without causing a scene in front of Kagome. It worked InuYasha simply grumbled his disgruntled thoughts and looked away. "I think that you and I should speak after you have all finished." Sesshomaru never really asked InuYasha, you never know when his younger brother would get stubborn.

"I'm done, we can talk right now." InuYasha seized the opportunity to get out of the mikos' glaring eyes. He rose to his feet and exited the room as fast as he could. Once they reached the private den Sesshomaru sat himself back where his father had once sat when he had told him of their history. When he had taught him the pride of his line. InuYasha sat where Sesshomaru had as a young demon. "So what is it?" InuYasha knew the look in Sesshomaru's eyes. He was calculating the possibilities, his brother never did anything without weighing his options. Sesshomaru would never be forced into anything, he would only tell InuYasha if he wanted to.

"Well InuYasha, Naraku is hiding very close to here, in the dark valley." Sesshomaru said to him.

"Well then what are we waiting here for?" InuYasha asked almost rising to his feet.

"We are waiting for the right time. You are so anxious to go off to battle InuYasha, you are beginning to risk more than you are willing to give up. We wait, seven days, and then we go. Stay here the grounds will be fixed today and they can train here. Know this though InuYasha we only have one chance or they might both die." Sesshomaru looked down at his younger brother. InuYasha would never break, he would never give up. If you struck him blind he would still find a way to come after you. Sesshomaru respected that in his younger brother, but he wasn't going to risk his mate's life for his brother's impatience. The group, although they seemed to have recovered quickly was not ready, they were still working it out within themselves and together, they needed time. You need time as well, InuYasha, you don't even know what your capable of yet and you want to rush off blindly." Sesshomaru's tone was serious, he was being honest with his brother.

InuYasha couldn't deny it, but he couldn't bear the idea of loosing Naraku when he was so close. "What if he runs and hides again? I don't want to let him slip away." InuYasha challenged his brother.

"Naraku always comes to the dark valley, its where his heart is. He believes he has gotten it so well hidden that he needn't worry about it, but I smelled it long ago." Sesshomaru told his brother. "I stayed back and watched for a while, he returns there without fail." Sesshomaru said.

"You know that you knew where he was for the past few months and you didn't kill him. What are you crazy?" InuYasha was astound at either the restraint or even fear that could have held Sesshomaru back from attacking Naraku.

"I had no need to kill him at the time. I needed him to use a lure for Kagome." Sesshomaru's confession was part insult and part truth. He had known how he would take the girl captive, but at the beginning he had wanted to hurt InuYasha more than anything. Now it was so different, he had never truly banked on loving her, she was all that mattered anymore.

The insult stung InuYasha, but he kept hold of his flaming temper. He had to let Kagome go, he had held onto her for far too long as it was and it was time to let her go. He would have to trust his brother. If anyone had told me I would be letting Sesshomaru tell me when to go after Naraku I would have thought that they were crazy. InuYasha thought to himself. "Well then, I guess that a few days won't matter. Kagome needs time to work with Kikyo. Kikyo told me she is getting stronger, that with a little work Kagome could learn to really wield her powers." InuYasha thought back to the night before and the conversation he and Kikyo had shared quietly in the dark before retiring to their rooms.

"It's true she seems to draw on strength that such a tiny thing would never be thought to have. She will make a powerful demon as well." Sesshomaru thought to himself.

"Do you really think that they will change?" InuYasha questioned it, despite that it had been his father's advice.

"Yes, I do. I would not waste time if I didn't, but it is really up to them. All we need to is to make sure they survive it." Sesshomaru answered.

"Ha, that's the real hard part isn't it. I don't know what you feel like after the first time, but I don't think that any mortal can survive that." InuYasha admitted his concern.

"They are not just mortals InuYasha, they are much stronger than most. I wasn't jesting when I told you that you had found an exceptional group of humans to associate with. They are far stronger than most that I have ever seen, I observed them closely over the years as our paths crossed and although they are not demons they fight with the ferocity that is to be reckoned with. They are still no match for Naraku without you though, are they?" Sesshomaru raised a brow at his younger brother.

"No, maybe not." InuYasha thought about it carefully, it may be possible but he doubted it. Naraku had grown too strong, too unpredictable to track without some sort of sense to track him with.

"Maybe it would be wise to put aside the differences of our past and protect our future, and the future of your friends." Sesshomaru added, he had seen Kagome's concern for everyone of them and he wished them no ill will. He wish for nothing to harm his future mate's bubbling heart, and if that meant saving InuYasha's pack of humans and kitsune then so be it.

InuYasha breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't had to be the one to bend his pride first. He recognized his brother's restraint, Sesshomaru may not like what he was saying, but he had been able to say it with a straight and honest face. "I think, Lord Sesshomaru, that you might be right." It was the first time InuYasha had addressed his brother by title, it was a mark of respect that InuYasha traded for Sesshomaru's unprecedented kindness.

The group chattered as they walked outside. Kikyo and Kagome had gone off to work together and the rest had started to clear the rubble from the deck surrounding the home. It wasn't long before they saw the barrier open and Jaken pop through riding the back of the two headed dragon, the human girl Rin holding on to his cloak. Jaken made a cautious landing, trying to calculate friend or foe when he saw Kagome and Kikyo sitting together off in the distance. Since when has my lord let humans into his house? Aside from Rin that is. Something sure has changed, I wonder if Lord Sesshomaru is under some sort of spell. Jaken wondered to himself. The child took off toward the crowd full of greetings. Jaken slowly dragged himself over to greet the group. His morning had been foul when he had received the message sent by an eagle demon from his lord. Telling him to come to the castle, bring Rin, and be ready to start repairs. My lord no longer even takes the time to fetch his faithful servant personally, he has grown too amused with that girl. Jaken sulked. He had a long list of things to complete and didn't have time for InuYasha's followers. He stalked off to the house.

For the most part the rest ignored him, he had never been one to welcome them with open arms and they felt about the same. Miroku and Sango talked to the growing Rin as she showed them Ah Un. She urged them to pet the fearsome looking demon and they smiled at each other trusting in her naïve judgment. The creature proved to be as gentle as Kirara when handled by Rin. "What is Kagome doing?" Rin asked the pair.

"She is learning how to become stronger." Sango answered smiling.

"One day can I get stronger too?" The innocent child asked petting the gigantic cat who was now sniffing the two headed demon.

"I am sure when you get older you will be the strongest girl around." Miroku said picking the child up and placing her on Kirara's back. He smiled at Sango. Their thoughts were the same, but silent, as they envisioned a future beyond Naraku, a future together.

"Hopefully when you get older, there won't be a reason to have to train to get stronger." Sango said quietly. Shippo nodded in agreement.

"Why don't you come and play with Kirara and me, I have got some fun toys to play with." Rin and Shippo took the flying demons off into the parts of the garden that hadn't been destroyed and occupied themselves there. Sango and Miroku sat back planning furiously, this time it would have to be flawless. They would have to be ready for anything, and those two brothers were going to have to work together.

"I just don't know if those two can do it. I have never seen them fight on the same side." Sango said securing every knot and twist of the wrap on her weapon.

"I imagine it will be quite a show. I have a feeling they just might have found the resolve to do it.