Hi, everyone. I've started helping my brother with school full-time for his last week of school, which requires my attention for most of the day. That being said, since this chapter was finished, I'm posting it today while I have time. Normal updates will resume on December 29th.

This chapter is a little prequel of the bakery's beginnings, as well as the mystery behind Izayoi's murder. Chapter 30 will pick back up where chapter 28 left off.

I know it's a prequel, but it's a very important chapter to read because it gives a significant reveal.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or its characters. All rights to Rumiko Takahashi.

Chapter 29: The Beginning

"Now come on, baby, don't you wanna have a night well-spent with me?"

Izayoi frowned at the voice, turning around on the sidewalk to see a man and a woman standing together.

The woman was frowning, obviously uncomfortable by the man's attention.

"No, thank you," the woman said meekly. "I'm not-"

The man reached out to grip her arm. "Oh, come on, you sexy little thing. One night with me is all you-"

"Hey!" Izayoi shouted, walking over to the pair. "She said no, you pervert. Leave her alone."

The man leered at Izayoi, giving a once-over and smirking.

"Oh, I see. You want me to yourself, huh?" The man reached out to grope her, but Izayoi slapped his hand away.

"Get out of here," she replied menacingly. "Or that won't be the only thing I slap."

Izayoi was a small young woman, only nineteen-years-old standing at just five-one, but the glare on her face and the glint in her eyes did the trick.

The man walked away, grumbling under his breath. Izayoi turned to the woman he was bothering.

"You okay?" she asked. The woman nodded.

"Yes, thank you so much. I could never...that was amazing."

Izayoi smiled. "No problem. Have a good rest of your day."

The woman smiled back and walked away. Izayoi turned around and continued on her trek to the grocery store, hoping to get there and back home before dark.

"That was impressive," a deep voice said from off to the side.

Izayoi looked over and her eyes immediately widened.

Standing there with a kind smile on his face and a gleaming brightness in his eyes, was the most regal man she had ever seen.

He was obviously a youkai, given his silver hair that was gathered in a high ponytail, golden eyes, and pointed ears.

He was beautiful.

"All in a day's work," Izayoi said, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes.

The youkai grinned, revealing a pair of fangs. "So you go around slapping perverts often?"

Izayoi shrugged. "When the situation arises, sure."

Laughing, the youkai shook his head and reached out his hand.

"My name is Toga," he introduced. "And I would be more than honored to know yours."

Izayoi blushed. "It's Izayoi. Nice to meet you, Toga."

When she took his hand, it was like everything she'd ever seen in a movie.

It was a spark, a flash of the future, a zing right to the core of her heart.

And she knew.

o.O.o

A week later, Izayoi was curled up on Toga's couch, his large arms wrapped around her as they talked quietly.

They'd spent every evening together since they'd first met; their connection was mutual, as they'd admitted the second time they'd seen each other, so there was no need for hesitation.

He'd kissed her that same night, and it was a kiss Izayoi had only dreamed could be possible.

Izayoi nestled against his chest, breathing in his woodsy scent.

"People will judge," Toga murmured. "I just...if you decide you're sure about this, about us, then I need to warn you about it."
Izayoi shook her head against him. "I don't care. Why should I?"

Toga sighed. "Because you're young. Izayoi, I have a son. I'm...very old." Izayoi laughed.

"Aw, old man," she teased. "Stop, sweetheart. You only look thirty, tops."
Toga chuckled. "Still...it's unavoidable. I just want you to be prepared for it. Have you told your mother?"
Izayoi paused. "No," she admitted. "But not because I'm ashamed of you. It's just...she's overprotective about men. She always has been." Toga hummed.

"I'm probably her worst nightmare then," he muttered.

Izayoi sat up and set her hand on his cheek, gently turning his head to face her.

"Hey," she said softly. "You're my dream, so I don't care."
Toga laughed. "That was lame, dearest." Izayoi smiled.

"Well, it's true," she retorted. "So I don't care what others think. I really don't."
And she didn't, but she still cried when her mother very explicitly told her she didn't approve and subsequently kicked her out of the house.

Toga welcomed her into his home with open arms, hugging her until her tears faded and kissing her until the redness in her face was from a blush rather than sadness.

The youkai faced the same reaction from his own remaining family members, most of all from his son.

He was only twelve, but he lived with his mother, who was as close-minded as Izayoi's mother.

One night, a month after they started dating, they were talking about anything but their families' disapproval, and that's when Toga asked her the question.

"What is your dream, dearest?" he asked as they lay in bed. "I know you said it was me, which is very sweet, but what is your real dream?"

Izayoi smiled against his chest. "I want to open a bakery."
"A bakery?" Toga repeated. Izayoi nodded.

"Yes," she replied. "I love baking. Is that silly?"
Toga kissed her head. "Not all, Izayoi. I think that's a wonderful thing. I want to make it happen for you."
Izayoi laughed lightly. "It won't happen. It's...too big of a dream."

"Hey, now," Toga chided kindly. "We met. That felt like too big of a dream. Anything else is nothing compared to that. Let's open a bakery someday. Someday soon."

Izayoi sat up to look at him. "Really?" Toga nodded.

"Of course," he replied. "But on one condition."
Izayoi lay her head back down on his chest, smiling brightly. "And what is that, my love?"
"Marry me."

And three days later, she did.

o.O.o

Black, white, and silver mixed in the photo, the light reflecting off the colors of long hair and a dress, bringing smiles to a newlywed couple's faces.

"You look beautiful in this photo, Izayoi," Toga said before he kissed his wife. "But the picture doesn't do you justice to the real deal yesterday."

Izayoi laughed and lightly swatted her husband's chest. "Oh, hush."

She sat up in their bed and walked over to the small desk to grab her special fountain pen and flipped the photo over, writing their names and their wedding date to commemorate the milestone.

It had been a simple courthouse wedding, with Izayoi in a white knee-length dress and Toga in a pair of black dress pants and a white button-up shirt.

Despite the marital bliss she'd had for the last day, Izayoi's smile faltered.

Her husband didn't miss her shift in mood. He sat up in the bed and gazed at her, admiring the way her long, black hair cascaded down her back as it settled on the light pink nightgown she wore.

"Come back to bed, dearest," Toga requested softly. "There's no time to be sad."

Izayoi turned around and half-smiled. "I'm sorry. It's just…"

"Your mother," Toga supplied, knowing where her mind had traveled.

Izayoi nodded sadly.

It was no secret that the disapproval of both their families was weighing heavily on her.

"I'm very happy with you, Toga," Izayoi said as she came back over to the bed. "And...I know our life together will be worth the sadness. Maybe my mother will come around someday."

Toga reached out and pulled her over him and back to her spot in the bed.

"I hope so, my love," he replied, kissing her cheek. "If anything, we might be able to lure her in with the bakery."

Izayoi laughed. "Maybe. I'm so excited about tomorrow. I hope the place looks as good in person as it does in photos."

"Me, too," Toga agreed, wrapping her in his arms.

o.O.o

The place, unfortunately, did not look as good as it did in photos.

They'd been searching for the perfect place to start up their bakery, but finding a good location for a decent price was proving to be rather difficult.

The search was coming up on two months, two months of living in a hotel in the city to which they'd decided to move, trying to find a place to start up the bakery as well as to live.

And when Toga first scented Izayoi's pregnancy a few weeks earlier, the search increased.

They were lying in bed one night, Toga's hand gently gliding over the barely-there swell of Izayoi's stomach.

"It'll be hard having a hanyo child," Toga warned quietly. "I should have warned you before…"

Izayoi set her hand on top of his. "I know it'll be hard, but...we can do it. I can't wait to have this baby. Our life will be a beautiful one. And the bakery...well, the bakery can be our own little world, a perfect one we get to make for ourselves."

Toga hummed. "We should name it Ukiyo."

Izayoi frowned and looked at him. "You want to name the baby...Ukiyo?"

Toga chuckled. "No, I mean that's what we should name the bakery."

"Ukiyo," Izayoi murmured. "I love it, dear. I think it's perfect."

o.O.o

Izayoi had just entered her second trimester when they finally found a place.

"It's perfect!" she squealed as they walked around the first floor. She settled her hand on the small bump in her stomach, smiling brightly.

"It also has an apartment upstairs," the realtor said, "for your…" She gave them a not-so-subtle judgmental glance. "...family."

Normally, Izayoi wouldn't waste a moment in calling out the realtor on her prejudice, but she was so happy and excited that she just silently ignored her, focusing instead on the life growing inside her and the future ahead of them.

"And it's really close to where they have the Shikon Festival I read about," Toga said. "That'll be perfect once we can prep enough for it."

Toga wrapped his arm around Izayoi and addressed the realtor.

"We'll take it."

o.O.o

Several months and a hefty loan later, they got the bakery up and running. One night, several weeks after they'd opened, Izayoi went into labor and delivered a healthy baby boy with silver hair and dog ears.

"He's so cute," she cooed when the nurse handed him to her. "Toga, look at how beautiful he is. He looks just like you."
"Only my hair and eyes," Toga replied, gently stroking his son's cheek. "Everything else is you."

"What should we name him?" she asked, smoothing down the wild hair her son already had.

"Inuyasha," Toga supplied. Izayoi smiled.

"Perfect."

o.O.o

Toga's firstborn son came to live with them for a little while once Inuyasha was a bit older in an attempt for the two to get along.

But Sesshomaru was thirteen when Inuyasha was born and had no interest in a baby brother, so the living arrangements were short-lived. After only six months, he went with his mother when she announced her job was transferring her to Germany.

It was no secret that Toga was devastated by Sesshomaru's departure, so Izayoi did her best to comfort him.

"Maybe he'll come visit," Izayoi said a few days after Sesshomaru moved out as she spoon-fed Inuyasha some mashed peas. "This doesn't mean he wants to cut ties completely, Toga."

Toga sighed. "I'll call him in a few days and check on him. I'm just glad the bakery has picked up. I don't know what I would do if...well, that doesn't matter."

"Papa!" Inuyasha cooed, spitting out his mashed peas and giving a wide, fanged-smile to his father.

Izayoi and Toga laughed. "Inuyasha," Izayoi chided lightly. "Don't spit out your food."

The young child giggled and clapped his hands together, eliciting more laughter from his parents.

o.O.o

Toga got sick a few years later.

He'd spent a week in a special youkai hospital, but the dreaded inu-youkai illness had overtaken his body too much.

Izayoi brought Inuyasha to the hospital only after confirming that inu-hanyo can't get the illness. Sesshomaru couldn't come because of how contagious it was between full-inu-youkai, so it left only Izayoi and Inuyasha with him.

The bakery was booming in business, and they'd managed to create a successful and well-known reputation throughout the city.

It was Toga and Izayoi's pride and joy, only after Inuyasha.

Not wanting Inuyasha to be in the room when Toga passed for fear of scaring him, she allowed the father and son to hug goodbye before she settled Inuyasha with a nurse.

"I love you, Inuyasha," Toga said before Inuyasha left the room.

"Love you, Papa," Inuyasha replied.

The child was confused, but he allowed his father to hug him once more before being taken from the room by a nurse.

When Izayoi was left alone with Toga, she allowed her tears to finally fall.

"Oh, Toga," she sobbed. "What are we going to do without you?"
"You'll live," Toga said, his voice barely a whisper. "You'll be happy in the bakery with each other...you'll live, Izayoi, okay?"

Izayoi nodded and crawled into the bed to curl up next to him.

"I love you," she murmured.

"I love you, too," Toga whispered.

When he finally passed only moments later, something shifted in Izayoi.

Her heart broke, and she wondered how she would be able to go on.

But then she left the hospital room and saw Inuyasha, and when he reached for her, a switch flipped.

She had suddenly become a mother and a widow at only twenty-four, but she also had a wonderful son and a thriving, successful bakery.

So she would mourn, and she would grieve, and she would hurt, but she would be okay.

They both would be.

After Toga's funeral, Izayoi was walking back to the bakery with Inuyasha, still clad in a black dress from the mournful event.

"Mommy?" Inuyasha said quietly, tugging on her hand. "Will you be sad forever?" His words made her freeze and look down at him.

She knelt in front of Inuyasha and tried to smile. "No, Inuyasha, my darling. I have you. That's all I need from now on." She hugged him tightly for a moment before letting go and standing back up.

"Now let's go home," she said as they continued walking. "We'll make some cookies to cheer us up."

o.O.o

The coming years were happy and relatively peaceful. The sadness in their lives came from the lack of contact with Sesshomaru, as well as the missing piece of Toga from their lives. Inuyasha was also bullied as a child, but Izayoi was grateful for the young boy, Miroku, he'd befriended after starting school.

And when Inuyasha got accepted into an Architecture program at one of the most prestigious universities for the major, her pride only increased.

A few years into Inuyasha's studies, they decided to make cookies as a late night snack. Inuyasha had just finished his finals and was excited for the coming break from school.

"We don't have chocolate chips," he complained. "We can't have chocolate chip cookies without chocolate chips."

Izayoi smiled. "Oh, my poor boy. How will you go on without them?" She patted his cheek. "I'll go to the store and buy some."
Inuyasha shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Mom. I can go." Izayoi waved him off.

"No, my darling," she insisted. "It's to celebrate your exams. I don't mind going if you want to go ahead and get the cookie dough going so it'll be ready when I get home."

Inuyasha smiled. "Thanks, Mom. You're the best." Izayoi grabbed her purse and headed toward the door.

"Don't I know? I love you."
"Love you, too."

Izayoi stepped out of the bakery and onto the sidewalk, heading in the direction of the grocery store. There was a convenience store a little closer, but she preferred the brand of chocolate chips at the store a bit farther away.

Hopefully Inuyasha can be patient that long!

As Izayoi walked toward the store, she caught sight of a man and two women walking ahead of her. The two women were obviously walking together and the man was practically lurking behind them.
Izayoi frowned and sped up a bit, wanting to make sure the man didn't try to pull anything funny business.

But when he ducked into an alley to avoid being seen when one of the women turned around, Izayoi knew he was bad news.

"Sango?" the older woman called when she noticed the younger one looking behind them. "Are you alright?"
The younger woman frowned but turned back around, nodding at the older woman.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Sorry, Mom."

Once they'd resumed walking normally, the man popped out of the alley and continued following them. That's when Izayoi had had enough.

"Excuse me?" she said loudly. The man jumped and turned around to face her.

A bout of fear went through Izayoi as she locked eyes with him.

His eyes were bright red, and they held the most unnerving gleam she'd ever seen.

"What?" he asked. Izayoi glanced behind him at the women, hoping to distract him long enough for them to get a good distance away.

"If you're going to be a pervert and stalk women," she began firmly, "then at least be subtle about it, you disgusting man." She glared at him.

The man broke out into a smile. "Oh, so you saw that?"

Izayoi took a step back at his...creepy smile.

"I...as a matter of fact, I did," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.

The man hummed. "Ah. Well, that's a problem. I'm trying to keep a low profile here, and you've just become a liability."

He glanced around before suddenly grabbing Izayoi's arm and yanking her down the same alley he'd gone into a moment earlier.

"Let go of me!" she screamed before he clamped his hand down onto her mouth.

"Shut up," he hissed. "Don't struggle and maybe I'll make this quick."

When Izayoi saw the gun, her eyes widened.

No...I can't leave Inuyasha! I have to-

Then the gun rang out, the man ran off, and Izayoi was dead.

O.o.O.o.O

Forty-five minutes after his mother left, Inuyasha was starting to get worried. It should've taken her no more than thirty minutes to get to the store, buy the chocolate chips, and come back home.

I have a bad feeling, he mused as he stood up and put his shoes on.

As he was lacing up his sneakers, he heard a knock from the bakery door.

Dread began building up in his gut.

He shoved his feet in the shoes, not bothering to lace them properly, and rushed down the steps.

There were two police officers standing outside with solemn looks on their faces, and Inuyasha's heart dropped.

"Are you Inuyasha Takahashi?" one of the officers asked when Inuyasha opened the door. "Izayoi Takahashi's son?"
Inuyasha nodded slowly. "Yes...why? What happened?"

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Takahashi, but your mother has been killed."

Inuyasha shut down as they spoke.

"Robbery gone wrong…"
"A single gunshot…"

"Down an alley…"

"Dead on arrival…"

"Naraku…"

On that day, something fundamental changed in Inuyasha.

So he took over the bakery, Miroku moved in, and he tried to keep going despite the second gaping hole that had just formed in his life.

And that was that.

To be continued...

See you guys for Chapter 30 coming December 29th!