AN: To my darlings: Cliff-hangars are the name of my game! :) I'm glad everyone is pleased with my story so far. AS a special treat, and apology again for taking so long with chp 7, I present to you chp 8, early! As always, InuYasha and Co are property of Rumiko Takahashi, but the story and original characters are my own!

Inside the penthouse, Sesshomaru could scent her sudden apprehension. The next several hours were likely to be unpleasant for her, but there was no way he would avoid the conversation. She had proven her strength of mind and body. He was with her and would be her strength as she needed him, if she did.

"What do you mean, I can save them?" she asked confused. "I don't understand, Sesshomaru. What could have happened?"

"Kagome, I know you hoped your wish would allow those you cared about the chance to live their lives as they never had the chance to do before," he paused, gazing off into the gas-fed fireplace. "This is not a conversation I ever wished to have with you. When you left Shippo in my care, it was my earnest desire to create something you could return to, if the portal ever permitted you to return to us. But now, I am grateful it remained closed, for I believe it saved you."

"Tell…tell me what happened. I have to know," her voice dropped, barely concealed pain threaded through her words.

"InuYasha and Kikyo mated and wed a month before the taijiya and the monk. All was well for the first year; the monk and taijiya were delivered of healthy twin girls, and all was calm until the priestess conceived in the late spring of the second year," he began. "The pregnancy was difficult at first; I believe the hanyou's demon blood and her holy blood were trying to establish dominance. However, she overcame the difficulties. One evening, in the winter, the monk and taijiya were away, visiting the monk's mentor. The priestess entered labor, just days early. She fought valiantly, but there were signs that her sister recognized and she entreated InuYasha to seek me out. I was returning to the Western Shiro from patrol and nearly missed him. We returned…too late. The sword could not recall the spirit of the priestess... or their son."

Pausing, Sesshomaru chanced a glance at Kagome. Her blue eyes were filled with tears and her hands were grasping, nearly tearing the skin, at each other in her distress. He gently took each in his own, rubbing his thumbs over the back of her hands. His beast was growling to comfort her, angry that the cause of her upset was himself.

"Kagome, he went feral." At this, her eyes snapped to his, utter disbelief entering them. Surely he knew to give InuYasha his sword! She knew he had ceased coveting the sword, once he learned it's true purpose. "Rin and Shippo were there in Edo for the winter; they had begged to visit when the priestess was due, for she and InuYasha became aunt and uncle to them both. InuYasha lunged for the old priestess in his sorrow and rage. I knocked him aside and out of the hut. He refused the sword at all turns, even trickery would not work. The loss of a mate is a powerful temptation to lose oneself to one's beast and even Taiyoukai have fallen to its temptation. All reason is gone, only instinct remains, and that instinct is to avenge and die. I…I put him down as humanely as possible. I took no pleasure in our battle. Shippo, the monk, and I buried all three at the feet of the Goshinboku."

At this, Kagome dropped his hands to cover her face. Even with her wish, he and Kikyo still suffered terribly. She could feel herself start to tremble, caught up in the suddenness of the emotions racking her body. This was not how everything was supposed to go. Happily ever after happened, damnit! If this was InuYasha and Kikyo's fate, what became of Sango and Miroku, of Shippo and Rin? She could feel her aura start to flux with her rapidly changing emotions and knew she would slip into the darkness briefly before she could gain control of herself.

Just as suddenly as she felt herself slip, a pair of strong arms encircled her, drawing her into a protective embrace and warm youki enveloped her fluxing aura. As she began to come out of her attack a moment later, she became aware of where she was; nestled on Sesshomaru's lap, with one of his hands rubbing slow circles on her back, and the other gently "combing" as best he could with her hair in its plait. Although something in her head kept telling her to move, her body relished in the feel of him against her again.

~Flashback~

Another day, another battle, and once again, InuYasha had chosen to protect Kikyo over her. It wasn't that it hurt her in regards to her rapidly disappearing romantic feelings, but that he knew she didn't have enough training to defend herself where Kikyo did. It was like he purposefully wanted to keep her weak and helpless. Each time Kagome tried to seek more training for herself, either an hour or two with Miroku or Sango, or a day with Kaede, it was another battle with him. Kikyo hadn't needed much training. Kikyo was naturally proficient with a bow. Kikyo's power was so much greater than her own. Damnit, she was Kagome NOT Kikyo, thank you very much!Frustrated, she slapped at the water, slipping further down into the hot spring. For once, she was thankful Sango opted for a quick wash so she could repair Hiraikotsu after their battle earlier. She didn't think anyone else needed to be subjected to her poor mood.

"Miko," she heard Sesshomaru call. "May This One approach without view?"

Perplexed, Kagome kept under the water but turned in his direction. He was approaching the hot spring by walking backwards, as elegantly as he walked forward. Since he and his group had allied with hers, they hadn't spoken much beyond evaluating where to journey for the day or to prepare a site for the night. If he was going to this much trouble, what he had to say had to be important.

"If you stay right there, I'll get out," Kagome said. "I was done, anyway," she finished, hauling herself out of the spring, wrapping her hair in a towel and drying herself rapidly with another, slipping into a long-sleeved sleeping top and pants, hissing softly as the rapid movement aggravated her bruises. "Thank you, Sesshomaru, you can turn around."

Turning herself, she could tell that while he approved more of these clothes than her uniform, he still didn't think they were acceptable. In truth, the clothes she currently wore intrigued him more as he secretly enjoyed seeing the long lines of her legs.

"Hnn. This One believes you did well in battle today."

"Well?!" Yanking up her shirt bottom to reveal the forming and oddly already healing bruises, mottled in an array of colors across her abdomen, she gestured at them angrily. "That thing tossed me into a tree like I was a sack of rice!"

"But you returned to the battle, did you not?" he questioned. "Your strength is growing, Miko, even if you do not see if. You may not be trained formally, but your power responds to your commands, even more when your emotions are involved. Even now, This One can see the less severe injuries of yourself and your companions mending due to your subconscious will commanding your reiki. The final battle approaches, and you will be prepared. We will be victorious."

Tears gathered in Kagome's eyes for the first time that day. Even praise like that, from Sesshomaru of all people and demons, was more than Kagome had received from InuYasha. She was so grateful that he came to her, knowing how he despised humans, save Rin. Seeing her tears, one of Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose elegantly, and he opened his arms, clearing his throat to draw her attention back to him.

"Come, Miko," he said. "Rin has taught This One that sometimes a shoulder is needed to release the negative energy. These tears do not become you."

Startled, she almost didn't feel herself move toward him. The next coherent thought was when she realized he had gathered her in his arms and sat under a tree, allowing her tears to soak his haori as he drew his hand in soothing circles on her back.

"Allow yourself your tears, Kagome, but remember that they do not define you," his voice took on a deeper, more guttural tone. "You are stronger than any others, even the undead priestess. Believe we will be victorious because of you as I myself do. Once Naraku is dead, we will determine your true purpose, for I cannot believe you were brought here for that alone."

She allowed his words to soothe her wounded spirit. He was right - she was more than others thought, she was strong enough to do what was needed, and now, with him at her side, perhaps she could do it, after all. Finally comforted, she drifted off in his arms, feeling safer than she could recall in this era since Kikyo's resurrection. Her last thought brought a small smile to her lips. That was the first time he had ever said her name.

~Present~

Tucked securely in his arms, Kagome selfishly closed her eyes, oddly content even with her current upset. Was that moment in the past where she had stopped thinking of him as InuYasha's brother and began thinking of him as Sesshomaru? Was that her moment on the path of her heart, ready to finally release her adoration of InuYasha? Perhaps. Right now, she didn't care too much. All she cared about in her current moment was letting it last as long as he was willing to permit.

He could feel her body begin to lose some of the tension he had seen in it since he had arrived at the shrine. His beast had finally shut its annoying face, glad the slim girl was in his arms and being tended to as a mate should be when hurt. It did NOT like him upsetting her, even though it knew she needed to know what happened. They couldn't do what needed to be done if she didn't know. He felt her body jolt when he spoke.

"Should This One continue? This One understands this is not an easy discussion."

Shaking her head, Kagome tilted back slightly to look at him. "No, I'll be alright. Please keep going."

"After the burial, This One returned to the Western Shiro bringing Rin and Shippo, earlier than planned, as This One still had patrols to complete. The safety InuYasha had afforded Edo was gone and the kit was in constant distress there. The next year, the monk and taijiya welcomed their first son, and after the missive was received, the kit had requested to see them, so we returned to Edo. They were grateful to see the kit and Rin once again.

"Overcome by the memory of the loss of InuYasha and Kikyo, whom had become close to the taijiya, they decided to relocate and were in the process of packing when we arrived. I offered an abandoned village in a secure valley, hidden from all save myself and my upper staff. I had moved the villages inhabitants when I discovered their talents in silk making and wished to have them nearer to the Shiro. There they could return their clan to their former status in complete safety and have the original taijiya village available to expand to when needed. Both felt they could not accept my offer and offered no offense when they turned it down."

Kagome knew as soon as he had said his offer that they had refused it. Sango was too proud and attached to the village to accept. After all, save Kohaku, her family was buried there. Nodding to show she understood, she waited for him to continue.

"The taijiya was away from the village when an invading force, not caring of neutrality, destroyed the village, killing all the inhabitants. The taijiya returned to her beloved monk dead, horribly disfigured. Her children thankfully did not suffer. She swore revenge and sought the brigands out. The two weeks she survived with them left her begging for death, which she was finally granted."

Kagome's eyes were full of horror. "I'm sorry, Kagome, is this too much?" he questioned. He hated having to tell her, but she needed to know. It was the only way. When she shook her head, he nearly tightened his hold to a painful degree.

"No," she croaked out, voice thick with held emotion. "I need to know. I'll never move on if I wonder 'what if' forever. Please…what happened to Shippo…to Rin..?"

This was the part he dreaded. His beast barely forgave him, Hell, even if it did, he still hadn't forgiven himself.

"Know this, Kagome," he began, "that kid did you proud. Within a year of entering kitsune school, he had earned his second tail. Shortly before I announced Rin's eligibility to the court, he earned his third." He paused, grateful to see the sudden sparkle of pride in her eyes. "Shippo was praised as the top of his class on every report. He honored the West."

"Rin grew more beautiful each year. After the first year you were gone, her mannerisms suddenly became more like yours. I found out Shippo was taking your form to comfort her on occasion, usually when she was angry at me." At this, Kagome laughed softly. "At the time, I had just thought she was imitating the strongest ningen we knew."

"When I announced Rin's eligibility to court, Shippo single handedly ran off every suitor. I thought Rin would be enraged. Instead she thanked him, and did not even have the grace to look surprised when Shippo asked my permission to mate her once he finished training."

"I granted permission and advised the court and council that I was going to name Shippo as heir until such time as I sired one of my own. This would require a blood-bonding for your kit, which would change some traits to better suit the clan. He was given the choice, Kagome; I would not dishonor his mother by making it a stipulation to mate Rin."

"I'm so glad," she whispered. Her eyes were still tear-filled, but Sesshomaru noted the joy present. His beast was purring with pleasure, even knowing what was to come. She continued, "You finally had a family again." This surely meant one happy ending!

"Kagome..," he trailed off, unsure how to go on, knowing he would break her heart, even briefly. "I want you to know there's a chance we can fix this. Before I finish, I need you to understand that; there's a chance we can fix everything - InuYasha and Kikyo, the monk and taijiya. They would all live again and be able to have the happiness you wanted them to have."

Her eyes widened almost comically as she absorbed his words. Something in her mind, a calm floating piece, said that she needed to listen. Another part was spiraling again, But Kagome was still wrapped in Sesshomaru's arms, her eyes on his, and she trusted him.

"Go on. Tell me," her voice cracked.

"In the North, there were new traders arriving from across the sea. They brought intriguing items and some were subtly imbued with youki, so naturally they drew in the local youkai's. The West allowed a select group to go and trade. To maintain our façade, as we were appearing full human, a caution we began to adopt after reading your history book, some human servants traveled. We did not know. We could not have known," his voice became slightly strained and his eyes tinted red, but were filled with over-whelming grief not anger.

"It began with a fever, and then the lesions appears. We had no idea at first what it was. And then we heard from the North. Villages decimated, only humans. Hanyou and demon were immune, as were human mates of hanyou or demon. They could not cure, only soothe, and the dead outnumbered the living ten to one."

"Smallpox," Kagome said firmly, dread settling in her heart.

"Smallpox," he confirmed. "By the time we knew, it was too late. Rin had fallen ill. Shippo had been in my recent briefings with scouts and the general staff when he was at the Shiro during lesson pauses. He knew what was going to happen, and he knew I could not save her. He spent every moment with her, trying every remedy. In a scroll, he found a possibility that his youki could save her, in a similar way that the human mates were protected. But it was not without risk. If he over-extended his youki, he could be left without enough to sustain himself and he would be lost in her place, or both could be lost."

She drew in a shaky breath. "He over-extended, didn't he?" Sesshomaru nodded, watching concerned as a small smile graced her face. "I'm glad they knew love. It…it hurts but I can understand. I'm so proud of them. And of you," she brought her hand to his face. "I'm so sorry you were alone."

His arms tightened around her, and he drew his legs up, crossing them to hold her tighter still. The hand touching her hair gently moved her head to rest upon his shoulder, her fingers tangling in his hair. She was so strong and wise for her true age. It had taken him decades before he could understand what took her a moment.

Kagome was held so close to him, so tenderly. She could feel his heartbeat and felt his muscles relax as she spoke. She gently ran her hand back and forth across the hard pane of his chest, his hair brushing softly over her hand, slightly in awe that he was allowing her this liberty. He had been so worried for her, to tell her. Did he think she would blame him for Shippo's choice? Gently she pushed back against him, so she could look him directly in the eyes again.

"You said we can fix this. How?"