AN: at the end

Chapter 51

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru and Touga carried an unconscious ookami male between them, his feet dragging on the ground, he was covered in debris, blood and soot, his clothing was also burned, all three males were soaked to the bone, she only took brief notice that both Sesshomaru and Touga were also covered in soot and grime and that both of their hands were burned. It would have been funny if it wasn't so serious, to see the immaculate Sesshomaru covered in grime was a rare thing.

Then she spotted a servant carrying a child, that was equally wet and unconscious. She rushed over and took the child, quickly assess her for injuries and found severe smoke inhalation and some burning to her lungs along, with mild burns to her exposed skin. The general did well protecting the child from serious injury.

"Shippo, Takara I need you to to treat her burns and wrap them, Takara don't use your powers unless I am with you to instruct you. Sesshomaru, you and Touga lay him down and open his haori, I need to see the extent of the damage and also someone needs to watch his mate. If she breaks through those bindings, she will come after me. I will heal the child's lungs first, the ointment that the kits put on her will do the rest. He will need my talents more." Kagome said, she knew she was in her healer mode. She had done this before, even before her betrayal.

It didn't take long to heal the child, she would leave her with others too tend to while she went to work on the more seriously wounded general.

His injuries were even worse than she thought they were. He had a deep gash on his head, bad burns and numerous broken bones,must have happened when the building collapsed, that didn't include any damage done to his insides.

Doing a cursory look with her powers, she found she was right, his lungs were burned badly and one was punctured, he also had another wound that would have killed a human, thankfully youkai were a lot stronger in body. It would take time, but she knew he would pull through or he had better pull through.

She could feel both Sesshomaru and Touga standing nearby watching her every move, she knew that Sesshomaru wasn't happy, about the fact that she had her hands on another males chest and abdomen. She could hear Akahana fighting the restraints. Kagome had no choice as she entered Akahana's mind.

"You need to calm down so I can heal your mate or he will die. He is badly hurt and you need to be quiet so I can help him. Your mate is strong, Akahana, but you need to calm down, so I can save him." Kagome demanded of the she wolf.

"Mate hurt!." Akahana said a keening to her voice, as she continued to fight the bindings.

"I will let you go to your mate, when I finish healing him, now you need to calm down, before I put you sleep. We are wasting time here, I need to heal him." Kagome stated sternly to the wolf, as her keening grew louder.

Knowing that she wouldn't settle until she knew her mate was well, left was Kagome with no choice. She did what she did to InuYasha, she put her to sleep, so that she could concentrate on her task of healing the male.

"Don't let anyone touch us. I will not be held responsible for my powers actions. I would place a barrier, but he needs my full concentration."

"Done." Sesshomaru stated. He hated the idea that she was touching another male, but knew it was not out of desire, but to heal. Seeing her command others the way she was, was highly arousing to say the least. He knew now was not the time for such thoughts, but seeing her acting more like an alpha bitch was quite stimulating.

Though it was nothing compared to when Kagome started working on the male. He watched spellbound as she fought his generals aura and inner beast, he could see and feel through his mating bond. Watching as she dominated another, almost had him feral with want.

Kagome on the other hand, had her hands full. While the more rationale side of the male was unconscious, his baser side was fully awake and in fighting form, due to his body being in such a weakened state and with an unknown of opposing powers probing his body and mind, it was fighting her every inch of the way.

The hard part was to get it to submit, she couldn't put it to sleep, like she had done to his mate, she needed this part of him awake, to help her find all of his internal injuries and to assist in the his healing.

~TBaM~

It had been two days since the fire and healing the general. Sesshomaru had given him a few days off to fully recover. The servants building was in the process of being rebuilt and on top of that Sesshomaru and Touga were mostly busy with the incoming dignitaries. He had asked her to rest and recover her strength and energy for the battles to come.

So now here sat in the shade of tree within one of the many gardens that the palace had to offer, staring off into the distance, but not really seeing what was in front of her. She had so much on her mind, that she needed to organize.

She already had her outfit setting out in her chambers, get the wrinkles out of it, before the big meeting, that was due to take place in three days and as such, she had been avoiding as many as possible for the time being. They would find out the full reason for their summoning then.

She had relaxed, for the most part, but she kept up with her training and exercise, so that she wouldn't be stiff. She knew enough to know that Akemi would be an easy battle, but his mother was a different story entirely. She had felt the females powers and knew, that she had a fight on her hands.

She had also been thinking of the best ways to combat the angry female. Everyone in the palace knew that she was angry, her aura snapped out at anyone and everyone, within striking range.

Her kits were off with Rin's family doing Kami knew what, leaving her with time to sit and reflect on all that has been transpiring.

She hadn't seen Saito since the night of the fire, but she suspected that he was helping with the rebuild, along with any that could be spared.

"Excuse us, Kagome~sama." Kagome heard, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Looking up she saw Miroku and Sango standing before her.

"Yes. What can I do for you?" She asked, her soft voice flat with disinterest.

"We would like to talk to you." Miroku stated, for both him and his wife, whom looked uncomfortable with the way Kagome was looking at them.

"We wish to be informed." Miroku hedged, he wasn't exactly sure how to work their request without it sounding like a demand.

"What information do you require?" Kagome asked getting annoyed with Miroku's beating around the bush tactic.

Kagome watched as Sango squeezed her husband hand tighter, apparently she was tryiing to give him the strength to make their request.

"We wish to know, what truly happened." Again Miroku was hedging and it was getting on Kagome's nerves. Why wouldn't he just ask for what he wants.

"Stop hedging, monk and just tell me what you want. Your games are annoying." Kagome all but growled out.

"Alright. We want to know the truth, of what happened to you, after we traded you." He asked, the fear in his eyes at both knowing the truth and fearing that she would reject their request.

Kagome wasn't expecting that. She knew that Miroku would be able to handle it a little bit better than Sango, whom she knew wouldn't be to handle the truth, but at this point if they truly wanted to know, then who was she to deny that request, maybe it would show them both, why she couldn't and wouldn't allow them that close to her ever again.

"Are you sure you want to see?" Kagome asked her voice flat and cold, while her eyes were hard.

"Yes." Both Sango and Miroku spoke, though Sango's wasn't much more than a whisper.

"I warn you now, if you go through with this, there is no turning back or stopping until it is done. What you would experience, would be through what I had felt, seen, heard and smelled. I will not protect you from it."

"We understand, Kagome~sama." Miroku stated, as Sango nodded her agreement, but the hard look in Kagome dark blue eyes forced Sango to verbally agree.

"Sit." Kagome ordered. "Do not touch me, I will touch you. Is that clear."

"Yes, Kagome~sama." Miroku agreed, though he wasn't feeling too sure of himself at the present moment.

"Yes, Kagome." Sango also stated, leaving off the honorific. Even as Kagome glared at her harder for it.

"Don't say I didn't warn you. You wanted this, remember that and remember, that you will not be able to speak to anyone about what is shown to you, unless I give you permission, not even to each other."

"But..." Sango started, but the look on Kagome's face told her not to question her. "Alright." she conceded.

Kagome had them sit a little bit away from each other so that she would be able to basically sit between them on her knees so that she could touch their heads with her hands.

"Last chance to change your mind." Kagome said coldly.

"I'm sure." Both Sango and Miroku spoke at the same time, then they felt Kagome's hand on their heads and they closed their eyes as she started her spell.

~TBaM~

Kouga just arrived at the palace of the West, he had sent his mate and cubs up to there rooms while Ginta and Hakkaku went with him to find InuYasha and ask him about this so called Shikon Miko.

He was still pissed that some bitch was claiming to be Kagome and he wanted to get to the bottom of it as quickly as he possibly could.

Sniffing out the mutt wasn't that hard, as he knew his scent even after his change, it didn't change all that much, though it went from the diluted mixed blood of a youkai and human to all youkai.

Though what he found was not the former hanyou, but his friends the monk, slayer and some dark haired female with her back facing him, with her gloved hands resting on the others heads. Her scent was familiar, but different and he couldn't place his finger or nose on whom it was.

"Hey Monk!, What is this I hear about some bitch claiming to be the Shikon Miko." He watched as the raven haired female stiffened at the sound of his voice and she dropped her hands from the others. To him it looked like she was giving them some kind of blessing or something.

"Hey are you the bitch that is going around saying, that they are the Shikon Miko." He yelled, when the monk didn't answer him and only bowed his head in shame and regret. The scent he gave off threw Kouga and caused him to growl. He wanted answers and he wanted them now.

The slayer didn't move a muscle, though she had a horrified look on her face, as tears streamed down her overly pale face and she was shaking violently.

He watched as the female slowly stood gracefully and turned towards him. He watched as stunning blue eyes looked up into his own blue eyes and his jaw dropped to the ground.

"Kagome?" Came his breathy question.

"Hey Kouga. Long time no see." Was Kagome soft reply, her face showing nothing of what she was feeling, which surprised him, Kagome was always so expressive.

He couldn't believe it, he just stood there for a few moments before he rushed forward, but before he could grab Kagome in a fierce embrace, she dodged him.

"I'm sorry Kouga, but I don't like to be touched." Again her voice was so soft. He remembered her being louder than that, even with normal tones, now her voice sounded just barely above a whisper. Though truth be told she sounded even sweeter.

"How? I was told that you were dead, and what's wrong with your voice." He watched almost in shock, as her beautiful face went blank even her eyes, which he remembered were so expressive.

"This is the loudest I can speak. It has been this way for fifty years. As far as my untimely death was premature to say the least, as you can see I am alive and well."

"What happened to you?" Kouga asked, as a scowl formed on his face, his blue eyes darkening with his anger.

"Let's just say I went through a lot." She could feel Miroku's shame, guilt, regret, remorse and his self hatred rolling off of him in thick ways. Even his aura was a bit green, as he himself wanted to rush off and empty the contents of his stomach.

She wasn't expecting anyone when she sat down with Miroku and Sango and showed them what she showed InuYasha, but she felt when Kouga, Ginta and Hakkaku entered the gardens, but she couldn't stop the images until they were finished. They needed to know up until just before her release from the hospital.

She was surprised that Miroku was actually holding his stomach better than InuYasha, but not by much, she knew any moment now he would rush off behind a tree. Sango just sat there in a state of total shock. All her illusions had been swept away, now she would have to face the cold hard truth of their actions, not only to herself, but to other's including their own families and clans.

She was right it didn't take but a moment longer and Miroku rushed off without saying a word, hand over his mouth. Kagome didn't even look his way, though now she wished she could go and bathe again. Those memories always made her feel the need for a bath.

The sounds of Miroku retching could be heard causing the four individuals to wrinkle their noses. While Sango just sat their staring at nothing. Though truth be told she was still locked within her own mind at what she was shown. She never thought that someone could do those things to another, all the pain, the torture. Everything, it was just too much.

"What do you mean a lot?" Kouga demanded. He needed the answers and seeing the reaction of the other two. He didn't know what to make of it and the fact Kagome wasn't trying to help them. Nothing was making any sense to the now utterly confused ookami.

"Kouga." Kagome began, she knew this was not going to be easy for the wolf to understand, but she needed to put it in the simplest of terms for him, without telling him much of anything.

"Let's just say for the sake of argument, that I was left unprotected and ended up in the hands of Naraku, and at some point my powers became unleashed, destroying Naraku and all his minions, in the process of destroying Naraku my voice was ruined and this is the best that it is going to get. I then wished away the Jewel and was then sent away and now I am back."

Ginta and Hakkaku didn't know what to make of what they were hearing. Sister was alive and well. They didn't know what was going on as they kept sharing looks with one another, as Kouga and Kagome spoke.

They were going to ask questions, but seeing Kagome's friends in the state that they were in they didn't dare voice their thoughts.

Kouga didn't know what to think or say. Why didn't InuYasha say that she was alive and had just gone off somewhere. He also knew that she wasn't telling him everything. He may not be the smartest, but he was far from stupid. Something happened to her and he was going to find out what.

"Whe..." Kouga started, but was stopped b Kagome.

"I would rather not talk about it any more. If you don't mind." She watched as he looked over her shoulder as the monk was returning from the bushes wiping his mouth and eyes and the still sitting slayer, whom was still crying and shaking.

"But." again he was interrupted.

"Just drop it Kouga. I really don't want to talk about it. So, did you ever mate Ayame?" Kagome asked, clearly ending one subject to open another, hoping that the change will distract the wolf, so that she could make her escape and go bathe, her skin was crawling and she new that she would have to purify herself again, after what she just went through and with what has been happening, too much was building up.

"Yeah." He blushed, madly. "We mated about six moons after InuYasha told me you died."

"I happy for you. Any cubs?" She asked a small smile on her face.

"Yeah, we have..." He started, when he was interrupted.

"Otou ~san!" A young male screamed, making a mad dash towards his father, whom was talking to a pretty dark haired ningen. A scowl replaced his happy smile.

Until Next Time:

We will find out what Sesshomaru has been up too

We will also finish the conversation with Kouga

Kagome will come across someone else in the garden before she can escape…

I want to say that I am sorry that it has taken me awhile to work through a few blocks, that happen even when the story is completely planned out, mostly it is the wording and the time that I need to get right… so much will be happening all at once it seems. So please be patient with me. I am working on things as fast as I can and remember I also have a RL even if it isn't much… been watching my hyper 4 year old granddaughter a lot.

TDAN: Wow… ok let me just say that I feel you… I have some major plans in the works for concerns. I would love to tell you more, but I don't want to spoil the surprises in store for everyone. All I can say is watch the next couple of chapters… I think you will find them most amusing...