I told you it would happen, and now it is!

I'm excited for this new installment.

Disclaimer: Of course none of this belongs to me.

Owner: Rumiko Takahashi.

Sesshomaru stood in the middle of nowhere, looking around he felt like he was in a fog. He chanced a look down and found no sword and no armor.

What?

There however,was no more burning in his shin. Looking further down, there was nothing there. He raised his pants up, his skin was completely bare, no scar, no anything.

He growled and backed up.

A chuckle made him snap his head up. He poised himself for an attack when the laugh got a little louder.

He recognized that laugh.

Suddenly, out of nowhere stepped a man.

Father.

As usual, he wore the same amusing smirk on his features.

Sesshomaru was confused. Where was he?

Was he...dead?

Inutaisho looked at him with humor, cracking a little smile.

"Welcome son."

Sesshomaru glared at him, "Where am I?"

"Why, you've passed on my son."

Sesshomaru shook his head, no, this was all a dream. It had to be a dream. He looked around, trying to find a way out of this nightmare. He had people he had to get back to. Rin. Jaken. Kaya...Kagome.

"You did the right thing Sesshomaru. I watched the entire thing. I'm so proud of you."

Sesshomaru was confused. What had killed him?

Inutaisho watched his eldest son in silent thought.

"You were poisoned. It was too strong for your body. That, and you pushed yourself too hard in the battle at the castle."

Sesshomaru felt foolish. He had ended up just like his father had.

"I didn't want to leave them."

Inutaisho nodded sadly. He understood fully what he meant.

Sesshomaru never cried. He was sure he didn't have the capability to cry. But, in his private moment somewhere, he might have let one slip in this moment.

Was his life really over?

It felt like such a waste.

He had spent most of it pursuing power, pursuing vengeance, and now it just felt like such a...waste.

Suddenly, another person joined his father.

Inuyasha.

"Sesshomaru. Thank you for saving Kagome."

The Taiyoukai didn't say anything, looking upon the man Kagome would have feelings for until the very end didn't sit well with him.

"It isn't so bad here, you can watch over the people you love. There's no fighting, no worries."

Inutaisho watched his elder son pace. Smirking, he went over to him. Sesshomaru stopped and looked at his father. Inutaisho reached down and touched his hand over his heart.

Sesshomaru stood like stone, not understanding what was happening.

"Sesshomaru. Would you do it differently if you had a chance to do it over?"

He didn't understand what he was being asked. Did it really matter now?

"You have the sword of life. It has your life force, Tenseiga could revive you."

Sesshomaru wasn't sure he was hearing correctly. He could come back from this?

He looked down at his hip, suddenly seeing the sword strapped to his side. Looking up again, he locked eyes with his father, who was now smiling widely.

Inuyasha was also smiling.

"I envy you Sesshomaru. You have the power to go back to them."

Sesshomaru could hear the tears clutch at his voice. He knew his life had been stripped away by an allusion.

Naraku.

He walked over to Inuyasha. He stood arms length from him, watching his facial expressions. They were never close, but he couldn't help the weird feeling of pity make its way through him.

"I will get revenge for you...brother."

Inuyasha choked slightly on a sob.

Sesshomaru reached his hand out, touching his shoulder, a gesture that he would never have done in his previous life.

Inutaisho smiled at the scene before him.

Turning back to the great dog demon, Sesshomaru took his place by his side.

His father smiled and patted his shoulder.

Sesshomaru felt like he had so much to say, but couldn't find the words. Inutaisho squeezed his shoulder, understanding there was just some things better left unsaid.

"When you're ready, grab the swords handle. The rest will happen on its own."

Sesshomaru nodded. He looked around one last time at his father and brother. They were beside one another, looking on with interest.

"We'll be looking after you Sesshomaru."

He suddenly remembered the question he wanted to ask.

"Father. Why didn't the Tenseiga work before?"

"The Tenseiga acts on will this is true, but it also acts on emotion, when you finally realized what you had lost. It reacted. Now, it will react against your beast, when it gets out of control."

Sesshomaru understood then. Only when his attitude changed would it fully realize him as its true master.

His hand slithered down and gripped the handle. It was hot, almost scalding. He closed his eyes and thought of Rin, Kaya, and Kagome.

Home.

The feeling that transpired next was very hard to describe. It was as if he was falling and being ripped apart at the same time, he didn't like the feeling.

Suddenly, he was being flung back into something. He hit something extremely hard, almost knocking his senses every which way.

He suddenly realized wherever he was, he could not move.

It was also dark and smelled of earth. Tenseiga was pulsing at his side, a barrier forming around him.

He realized suddenly that he was below ground, he had been buried.

Growling, he pushed his arm through the soil, feeling the outside air touch his flesh.

The rest of the soil and molt fell quickly through, the sun reached his eyes and he moved his head away as he lept out of the hole. He landed on his haunches, shaking his hair. He probably looked somewhat like a dog.

He tried to stand up, realizing he was swaying a bit. Landing on his knee,he waited for the overwhelming dizziness to pass. A fierce shaking at his hip made him suddenly look down and realize that instead of having one sword, he now had two.

The Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga.

He looked up at the sky, letting a small smile touch his features.

His bones were stretching, moving, getting life back into his body. He felt so rejuvenated.

Moving forward, he realized that they had buried him in the Western lands, a monument stood where his grave had been.

Sango and Miroku realized that Kagome had been gone for 3 weeks. It felt like 10 years, they wondered how their friend was doing.

There was new news to where Naraku was. He was now residing somewhere in the south, it was very quiet though, they hadn't had any new demons make any appearance. After the battle the last time, they figured Naraku would be gearing up for another big entrance for the next one.

The kids were a little better now. Rin no longer sulked, and cried. Jaken was running around again, trying to chase after her. He did go sometimes to visit Sesshomaru's grave, he would always stay for a long period of time. He did ask Rin if she wanted to go on several different occasions, she always said no.

Sango was glad things were looking up for them.

She wandered how Kagome was feeling..

Sesshomaru stood at the outskirts of Kaedes village, the last place he had been before he passed.

Kilala was laying on the floor of the cabin, when suddenly, she shot straight up, her nose in the air.

Sango sensed a pressence and had her boomerang in her hand.

"Kilala. Go outside."

She bounded outside and transformed, growling ferily at the presence looming in the trees.

Sango was in her gear, sword in one hand, boomerang in the other.

"Come out. Demon."

Sesshomaru assumed the slayer did not know it was him. How would she?

Stepping out, he watched her expression fall. Her cheeks went an ashen white, then she was falling, the neko caught her on her back.

Miroku was bounding towards the fallen woman, his hand over his beads on his hands.

"Damn you!" He stopped at the slayer and fell before her.

Sesshomaru started to walk towards the group now, irritation settling in his features.

Miroku snapped his head up, and his own eyes grew wider.

"W-What is this?"

The dog-demon stopped, his glare making Miroku shrink back a little bit.

"Sesshomaru? Is that you? Y-You were dead. We buried you, we-Kagome, she, she..."

"Monk. You're in shock, stop talking."

He nodded vigorously, his shaking hands holding Sango. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his own heart rate.

"How?"

Sesshomaru touched Tenseiga and withdrew it.

Miroku watched him, and understood slightly.

"Yes. The sword of life, it brought you back."

Sesshomaru put it back in its sheathe, suddenly recalling he said something about Kagome.

"What did you say about the miko?"

Miroku looked down, noticing a stirring in his arms, Sango blinked, looking up at him, her cheeks still pale white.

"M-Miroku. I saw Sesshomaru, h-he was in the clearing. I think it was a ghost, or my imagination."

He smiled at her, as she shook her head a little to clear it.

"It was not your imagination love, Sesshomaru really is here."

Sango jerked her head around, seeing Sesshomaru standing in her peripherals. The motion was too fast as her head fell in the crook of Miroku's arm again.

She felt the tears come, and before she could stop them she was shaking.

Sesshomaru didn't understand her reaction.

Miroku looked down at her, rubbing her back.

"When you..left, everything around here kind of took a turn for the worst Sesshomaru-Sama. We sent...we sent Kagome away."

His eyes widened at the revelation. Growling, he gripped his sword, wanting to unsheathe it and drive it through the man for sending her away with his child.

"It was for her own good," he heatedly told the demon.

Sesshomaru calmed down and moved his hand to his side again.

Suddenly, there was a scream that ripped through the air, Sesshomaru turned his head to see Rin staring at him. The little girl had horror all over her features and Sesshomaru felt a slight tug at his heart.

Rin couldn't help herself, she ran at him, leaping onto his leg as she had done so many times before. Her tears drenched his hamakas, he reached down and patted her head. She looked up, her brown eyes swimming with tears.

"I knew you'd come back, I told Jaken so!"

Sesshomaru stood at the well, looking down into the darkness. Could he go back? Should he go to her?

The rest of the return he was greeted with many welcomes, he thought Jaken would have a heart attack. The child Shippo greeted him with a warm welcome, looking up almost admiringly at him. He didn't understand why he would look at him in such a way.

His fingers touched the wood, almost feeling as if he could feel Kagome's skin on his hands. A slight shudder went through his frame. He closed his eyes and imagined his daughter and Kagome together on the other side of the well. The humans had told her not to return. It angered him that they took such drastic action, but understood it.

He moved back, releasing the wood.

Jumping up, he landed on his haunches, staring down.

Taking a leap, he disappeared through the black hole.

Okay, so this is a prologue to the new sequel of the story Aftermath of Junishi. I have been turning this idea in my head for a very long time. I wanted Sesshomaru to come back, I just wasn't sure how. Then, it all clashed together, I was like I can make that happen, but it would have to mean something!

It is a bit like how Kagome came back, sort of, but she was in another place, and she came back because a bit of her soul was left with an un-dead woman.

Anyway, I'd like reviews on it so far, hate reviews, love reviews, any would be extremely helpful.

-With love,

Heather.