Title comes from a Frida Kahlo quote: "I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality."

The sound of the door slamming followed by urgent whispers had Miroku instantly curious. He stuck his head out of his office and peered around. The familiar timbre of the voices drew his attention to the director's office door. One voice was definitely Kaede-sama. The other was a male voice, one that he had been hearing for as long as he could remember. "Father?" What could he possibly be doing here at the center? Miroku crept close, pulling his aura in as close to himself as he could so as not to alert the people in the office to his presence. He pressed against the wall, listening closely and silently wishing he had Inuyasha's hearing.

"He's getting bolder. We can't keep sitting by and watching."

"For you to leave the temple…"

"He has set his sights on me. I have lost much of my freedom of movement around the grounds due to his watchful eyes. I thought getting the boy out would be enough to take the pressure off, but even knowing he's safe here with you…" Miroku heard soft shuffling. "We cannot let them get to the fated couple or the boy."

"They are already with child."

He heard his father suck in a breath. "So soon? I could tell when she woke him that they were strongly connected, but he was always so reserved."

Kaede chuckled. "Still is. Just not with her. She is a lovely young woman. I have never met such an open heart." Miroku shook his head slightly at her assessment of the inuhanyou and miko. "They have gone to stay with the Taiyoukai of the Western lands. He can provide protections we cannot here."

"I am glad." There was a pause. "And you. You are safe?" There was a tenderness in his father's voice that he could only remember hearing when he was small and skinned his knee or when he woke in the middle of the night from a dream that scared him.

"Yes. Despite my connection to the original event, he still sees me as the little sister of the one he coveted. Whatever familiar he has doing his bidding never tried to do me harm either." The same kind of tender smile colored her voice. "And the boy has… made a lady friend. She is strong, from a tajiya line."

"Oh? I hope he is being respectful." The two of them chuckled softly as Miroku realized that they meant him. Suddenly a hand went over his mouth and he startled, eyes wide in fear before he recognized the youki. He glared at the inuhanyou. Inuyasha scowled at him in return, then nodded in the direction of the door, clearly wanting to know why he was snooping. Miroku tapped his ear and pointed to the door. "It is… good to see you again, my love." Both young men blinked at each other in shock, pressing their ears tightly to the wall to catch anything else. "It has been far too long."

"Kenji," she sighed. "Yes. It has. Despite the circumstances that finally brought you here, I am glad you are here." More shuffling. Inuyasha's face turned slightly horrified as he obviously heard something Miroku could not. Without warning, he hauled the ex-monk up by the back of his shirt and pulled him around the corner into another small office. A few moments later, the door opened and the pair of older holy people left. Inuyasha waited a bit longer before he dared speak.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me Kaede was your mom?" he hissed. Miroku choked, sputtered, mouth gaping. He felt a bit weak in the knees and sat hard on the carpet. That wasn't possible. Was it? "You didn't know."

"That… that can't be right. She would have… My father wouldn't have…"

Inuyasha crouched at his level and tapped his nose. "I couldn't tell until your scent and theirs were together, how much they smelled like you."

Miroku struggled to find words. "This whole time. She was in the same city. He knew exactly where she was and never told me the truth."

Inuyasha looked off in contemplation. "They both have been working in this underground thing to protect hanyou, to try to clear my name, to search for the people who would fulfill this prophecy. And if that bastard Iwao was involved in what happened to Kikyo, it would make sense to hide Kaede away, especially if she was pregnant. He was searching for Kikyo's soul, if he'd known her sister was about to have a baby… He even managed to show up at Kagome's parents when her mom was pregnant with her. Your dad probably feared for Kaede's safety, and yours." The young monk blinked at the logical explanation. "No wonder your reiki is so strong. With two holy types for parents."

"I always assumed my mother was some poor young woman my father propositioned. But Kaede-sama…" He swallowed. "They obviously still care about each other."

"And they've been apart for… what? Twenty-nine years?" Miroku nodded to confirm his age. "That's dedication."

"All communication through letters. Not even the phone. No visits." He shook his head in disbelief, then again to clear it. "I would like to hear it from them, should they choose to tell me." Inuyasha nodded that he understood. He wouldn't give away what he knew.

There was a sneer on her face. At least there wanted to be. It was invisible. If the man in front of her saw it, he'd likely kill her, so it remained internal. Kagura blinked woodenly while gently waving her fan in front of her face as he reprimanded yet another small-time lackey for failing to locate the "fated couple." She winced as the spiderhead was crushed by one of Naraku's tentacles, the others cowering in the wake of what had happened to their leader. "Do. Not. Fail me. Again." Kagura barely afforded them a glance as they scurried out of the room.

Knowing the drill, she snapped open her fan, walked the corpse out of the room and out of the compound into the woods. There was a trench for this sort of thing. One that was filling with more youkai bones each day as her master continued to destroy any underling who could not produce the results he desired. Kagura sighed, looking out over the tops of the trees from atop her feather.

This crusade of his to gain the power of some mythical sacred jewel was beginning to drive Naraku mad. Madder than he already was, she thought with a scoff. He was even beginning to lose the backing of the youkai associated with the groups opposing the fulfillment of the prophecy. They were starting to doubt he had the same goals they did. And they weren't wrong. Whatever ancient scroll he read that made him certain the two myths were wrapped up together kept him certain that he would find this Shikon no Tama with the legendary miko who was also fated to be the potential vessel of the prophesied child.

Kagura didn't know the whole story, but she knew enough to know the bastard she was forced to serve had created some kind of illusion that set the hanyou's history in motion. The miko who, at the time, was suspected of being the "fated" one had died instead of producing the jewel in order to save herself as Naraku had predicted. Now, fifty years later, he was no closer to the jewel, a new miko had set the hanyou free and it would seem that the fated couple had found one another. They were also rumoured to be closer than even Naraku feared they might be. If they were already mated, there were even more barriers in place to keep him from his prize. The wind youkai also had suspicions that if the child already existed, then Naraku's plans might be foiled entirely. "All this, for what? More power?" She shook her head. To do what exactly? Naraku was already incomprehensibly wealthy, owned many businesses and had more than a few political figures in his back pocket. He had far more influence than any hanyou she had ever heard of. So why the inferiority complex? Kagura sighed again, nudging her feather toward the compound.

There was a commotion when she arrived. Kagura knew better than to jump in the middle of any of it, standing just inside the doorway to a room adjacent to Naraku's main study. She could hear him swearing colorfully. "The mutt and his brother have made amends? After all this time!" This was obviously in reference to the taiyoukai and his hanyou sibling but Kagura wasn't sure why her master was so surprised. They knew he was mated to a human woman. There was a rumor they had hanyou children together, but that they were completely hidden and protected within the walls of his estate. No one had ever seen them or reported on it if they did indeed exist.

After more ranting, Kagura was able to get that the inus' sword auras had been felt in close proximity a few days before. It appeared as though the fated couple were living on Sesshomaru's estate with some of the most sophisticated spiritual wards and high-tech security systems in place and both brothers had their legendary swords at the ready. No one who was not fully vetted and trusted by the family was allowed anywhere near the gate, let alone inside, and only he was ever seen leaving. His wife could only be confirmed by public marriage records. There was no chink in his armor. Smart dog.

The cool air of the evening was a relief after the heat of the afternoon. Sango smiled quietly as the breeze that smelled of rain ruffled her hair. With all of the excitement surrounding her best friend lately, it was nice to take a breath and do something for herself for a moment. Not that she didn't adore Kagome or feel glad of the fact that she'd found happiness. It was just a lot when her best friend had been so exhausted she probably should have been hospitalized, suddenly picked up a stray roommate, mated him, married him and was due with a baby within the next few months. Not to mention all of the drama surrounding the prophecy and the danger they were in.

The ice in her glass clinked as some melted into her tea. "Your balcony has such a wonderful view." She quirked a smile.

"If you like city lights. I wish I could see the park, but it's on the other side of the building," she responded with a shrug. She was lucky to have a higher apartment in her highrise, meaning her windows brought in the view of the lower buildings surrounding them instead of concrete walls. She could even catch a glimpse of the beginnings of a few rooftop gardens several buildings over. "Of course, this is all new to you, I imagine," she teased lightly. The young man at her side chuckled.

"You are right. I've never been this far off the ground before," Miroku noted while tentatively peeking over the high railing. Sango watched him gulp.

He drew her into his space with a magnetism she didn't entirely understand. He was bumbling, but in a charming way. He was sometimes borderline lewd, but tended to make her laugh because it was just so silly. He was clueless about so much of modern culture, but it was kind of endearing. Miroku was like no man she had met before, with characteristics she never would have thought she'd be attracted to. Yet here they were. A very casual date with no set expectations and no real plan. The take out they had shared had been mediocre, but their conversation had been lively throughout and she smiled as she recalled something he'd said. "There's a lot of things you haven't experienced before tonight." Sango barely held in her laughter at the way he turned red and spluttered denials. "Oh, so you have been on the twentieth floor of a building before?"

Miroku tried to regain his composure. He was oft reminded that he had spent much of his formative years in the shadows of pious men. Without exposure to much in the way of modern technology, popular culture and the social interactions common to someone his age, he was struggling to keep up with the lovely Sango and her teasing. "I-I take it this isn't your first time." Thinking to catch her off guard and cause an answering blush, Miroku was taken aback by the almost cat-like grin his companion responded with. "Living this high up, that is."

"Could you have meant something else, hmm?" she asked with a tilt of her head and teasing smirk. Miroku felt the middle of his back break out in a light sweat. He was so completely out of his depth here and they both knew it. The sensation of Sango more actively entering his "bubble" left him breathless, making him feel a little small despite having over a dozen centimeters on her in height. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Miroku-kun?"

"Just Miroku," he gasped out, mentally facepalming at his weak response. Sango smiled softly and the energy around her changed from slightly predatory to inviting in a blink. Miroku was a little thrown, unsure what to expect. He had never been in a situation even remotely similar in his life. Reading internet blogs, watching movies and talking with Hachi in no way prepared him for the reality. Especially this reality in which he was not the instigator.

"Just Miroku. You're shaking. Are you afraid I'll kiss you?" she whispered, looking up at him through her lashes. He couldn't help it. He whimpered. Her soft smile grew. "You want me to?" Her breath ghosted over his chin.

"Please."

As soon as his permission was given, her lips were on his. Gentle and careful, she allowed him the room to breathe. Miroku let his eyes fall shut as he surrendered to her kiss. Her lips brushed his several times before he felt her fingers in the hair at the base of his skull, pulling him down into her. His breath shuddered through his nose when Sango shifted so that she was pressed into his chest, left thigh resting between his.

"Sango-san?" He whispered. Her dark eyes looked up at him, a slightly reproving look in them. "Sango," he sighed in relief. He remembered the things he had tried to learn up until now and leaned down to initiate a kiss this time, feeling the curve of a smile against his mouth as he did. Sango let him lead for a bit, accepting his clumsy attempts at seduction with grace. His hands found their way to the small of her back, fingertips pressing into her spine to encourage her closer still. She obliged him and even slid her arms up and around his shoulders. The dichotomy of firm muscles and soft curves in the woman he held had his fingers itching to feel more. Miroku barely realized what he'd done until Sango almost growled at him, a sharp movement of her hips into his forcing him to drop his head back and gasp for air.

Her backside was a work of art. Miroku had not truly realized he was an "ass man" until that sublime moment. Between the feel of her in his hands and the sudden pressure in his pelvic region, he was blindsided by the strength of his arousal. "Miroku, I think this is…" Unable to finish for lack of air, Sango gulped in a breath and tried again. "We need to slow down," she whispered. He nodded, in total agreement, but his fingers were not obeying his command to let go. It took another pulse of pressure and heat between them to finally get him to release her and allow her to take a step back. "Miroku, I'm sorry, I…"

"Don't apologize. My inexperience…"

Sango suddenly burst out laughing. Miroku tried not to feel hurt at being the butt of some joke to her. "No! Miroku, I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you," she assured him, pressing a hand to his chest when she saw his face. "We're both just so nervous, we're stumbling over each other." Miroku gripped the smaller hand on his chest in his own, lacing their fingers together. Sango looked up at him curiously.

"You were nervous too?" Sango blushed lightly. "What could you possibly be nervous about?" he wondered.

"It's been… quite some time since I last had anyone I actually liked."

"Liked?"

"Hmm." The blush on her cheekbones drew him in.

"Does that mean you like me?" he gently teased her. Sango huffed a laugh. "I like you too, Sango. Not that it was much of a secret." He kissed her then, wanting to share the feeling building in him with her all over again. He knew it was too soon to go any further, but sharing a few kisses was certainly within the bounds of an early courtship.

He let out an involuntary squeak when her free hand whispered across the front of his pants. "Not sure why you'd want to keep that a secret." Miroku was too stunned to do anything as she slipped from his arms and went to get the pitcher of iced tea from her refrigerator and topped off each of their glasses. She sat without looking at him and pressed the icy glass against her cheek. "Sorry, I'm not sure what's gotten into me. I'm not typically so..."

"Forward?" She nodded in response. "You know I don't mind." Sango mumbled something about not wanting to scare him off. Miroku finally got his legs to firm up from jelly long enough to move toward her and kneel at her level. "Sango, there is very little you could do to scare me away."

A smile curved her mouth, but she still didn't look him fully in the eye. He peeled her fingers from her glass and once again laced them together with his. "Miroku…" she breathed, closing her eyes.

"I am not experienced with this, but I do know fear when I see it. I cannot predict the future, but I'm not running away." He grinned a little. "Maybe others would be frightened off by a woman being direct about what she wants. I am not others."

"Can we… I don't want to rush. Let's just take our time, ok?"

"Of course, Sango my dear," he murmured, kissing her on the forehead. Sango sighed in relief and leaned into him. They remained that way until Miroku, regrettably, told her he needed to head home. "I will see you tomorrow." It was not a question, nor a request. Sango smiled brightly.

"Of course."

Kagome hated the feeling of the limo with the blacked out windows, the heavy wards all over it and her mate's anxious aura filling it up. "Inuyasha…"

"What's wrong?" His startled response startled her in return.

"I was going to ask you that. Why are you so tense?"

He turned back to the window where he had been staring a moment before. "I don't like you being vulnerable like this." Kagome chose not to comment on the fact that she had been doing most of the rescuing and defending up to this point.

"The doctor is too busy to take the kind of time out of her day to drive out to Sesshomaru's house, see me, and drive all the way back. Not to mention the ultrasound equipment is there," she explained as patiently as she could. His anxiety was only fueling hers, causing her to have a sense of dread she was not used to feeling. "The guards are going to follow us in, stay outside the clinic and then escort us back home. You have Tetsusaiga."

He knew all that. Inuyasha had reviewed the plan with his brother and Kagome several times before they'd all agreed. Given that Tatsuo-sensei was one of the only obstetricians in the country who truly had the knowledge to understand their pup's growth and development - and be trusted not to harm them - Inuyasha logically understood the reasons for making this trip out of his brother's estate. That didn't mean he had to like it.

"I stay with you every second," he emphasized.

"I know. Never out of your sight." Kagome sighed, looking out the window. "Is… is it always going to be like this?" she asked in a small voice.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably in his seat, taking her hand in his between them. "I don't know, Kagome. I hope not." He hated not being able to fix this, to take that weight from her shoulders. He couldn't just fight this with his sword. His brother had been using his considerable influence for years - while he was asleep - to change the minds of the youkai community. What good would continuing the fighting between youkai and humans with reiki do? Ultimately, they would wipe each other out. And youkai, whether they would admit it or not, were not exactly the statistically dominant species on the planet. Humans, therefore potential humans with reiki, outnumbered full-blooded youkai by billions.

Sesshomaru had insisted those that actively sought to prevent the prophecy they so feared were in the minority, but there were still enough who were fanatical enough to be dangerous. Inuyasha didn't want to think about what it would mean when others discovered that the prophecy they thought they were preventing was already in motion. One crisis at a time.

The office was no busier than usual, but Inuyasha was hyper alert even as they entered the examination room. Kagome fought down rising anxiety as her mate's behavior did not subside. "Inuyasha, my blood pressure is going to be through the roof if you don't calm down." He flashed her a confused and concerned look. "They will hospitalize me if they think it's too high," she warned again. It took him a moment to fully process what she was telling him before he gathered her close, closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Tatsuo-sensei found them this way several minutes later.

"Ah. I'm glad to see you two using tactile stimulation to strengthen your bond." Inuyasha's head tilted as his brows furrowed. "Touch is good for your mating bond and for the pup," she clarified. Kagome smiled and let out a sigh. "How are you, mom? Any issues?"

Kagome glanced at her husband before carefully explaining the increased stress from the looming possibility of someone trying to come after them while outside of Sesshomaru's estate. "We haven't left the property since we moved there."

The doctor blinked at the pair in an analyzing silence for several moments. "I… I honestly did not consider the connection with that old myth. I was just so excited to see the first miko to carry a hanyou's offspring that I forgot there are those that think this is something to fear." She frowned, contemplating their situation. "I think that when it is time for you to deliver, it might be best for you to remain within the protection of Sesshomaru-sama's home. We can begin preparing now, setting aside supplies." Inuyasha's ears perked.

"You can do that?"

"I am willing to help you have a safe homebirth," the kitsune replied.

Kagome took a deep breath. "That would likely mean no medical interventions if needed. We wouldn't have the equipment."

Tatsuo-sensei eyed her a moment. "Let's go do that ultrasound. I don't think you're in any danger of needing additional interventions, but I completely understand your concern."

"What do you mean? Interventions?" Inuyasha's back stiffened at the unfamiliar concept. The doctor explained that sometimes mothers had difficulty birthing a baby for different reasons and needed the doctor to help, sometimes with surgery. "You're not cutting my mate open," he snarled, tucking Kagome behind him.

"Inuyasha, sometimes it's the safest way to get the baby out and keep the mother safe."

"It would only be a last resort, but a possibility we would need to prepare for." The doctor led them out of the exam room and to the ultrasound suite. "I want to see where and how the pup is sitting and check their size."

The ultrasound showed them exactly what they hoped for. The pup was growing on the schedule they seemed to have set from the beginning. Tatsuo-sensei estimated that they really only had about six weeks to go. "That's so soon!" Kagome took a breath. "Should we plan to induce? Then we'll have a better idea of when to expect them." The doctor nodded, a thoughtful look on her face as she finished scanning and measuring to make sure her estimate was accurate.

"I'll plan for six weeks. I have another doctor I can trust here, but I don't want anyone else handling your birth." Inuyasha confirmed that they did not want anyone else anywhere near them, their pup or their home. "Sesshomaru-sama will want to interview me, I would imagine." He gave her the information to contact his brother and they agreed to keep in touch in the mean time. Kagome redressed while Inuyasha hovered over her.

"We're going right home."

"Yes, Inuyasha, that was the plan," Kagome replied as calmly as she could. She could feel him vibrating with the wariness and anxiety of a man fearing attack from any angle. "I'm ready." He sighed, taking another breath before he let his forehead fall to hers, large hands resting on either side of her now very pregnant belly. "Inu…"

"I want you to be safe. I don't want you to be afraid," he breathed. "I did this to you. To your life."

Kagome was instantly shaking her head. "No. This isn't your fault. Inuyasha," she whispered, cradling his cheek in her hand. "I chose this. I chose you. Fate, or whatever, might have tried to push us, but I chose you, even knowing what it might mean."

"But Kagome, this…"

"No more. You are my mate and my husband. Forever." She took a shaky breath. "We face this together. No matter what." He took a breath with her this time, the two of them settling down enough to feel like they could leave the small exam room. Inuyasha went first, scanning the hallway for anyone unfamiliar and taking Kagome's hand in his as he started toward the exit. Sesshomaru's guards were outside the clinic where they had left them and fell into step behind Kagome. They made it out of the clinic office building with all three inuyoukai on high alert. The breeze ruffled their hair as they waited for the car to pull up.

The wind picking up didn't faze anyone until it was too late. Both guards were blown off their feet, Inuyasha only managing to keep upright when he instinctively used Tetsusaiga as an anchor in the concrete sidewalk, reaching to put his free arm around Kagome. She threw up a barrier as quickly as she could, but it wasn't enough. While youki was stopped by the barrier, the wind it was manipulating was not. Her feet left the ground and she found herself staring down at her mate as he looked up at her in horror.

"So it's worse than we thought, is it?" a woman's voice cut through the wind, her tone mocking. "I had a feeling you two wouldn't be able to keep your hands off of one another for long. How naive of him to think you would wait longer."

Kagome fought to maintain her calm. She was being buffeted by the wind that continuously snuck through her barrier, the youki clashing all around her. Panicking would not solve anything. She looked around, trying to locate their attacker. Finally, she spotted a woman on top of the office building across from the doctor's office. She was smirking at them, untouchable to the youkai guards who were pressed to the ground by wind and youki. Inuyasha was still fighting being blown away and trying to stay under her so he could catch her if she was suddenly released. Going after the wind witch would mean risking her falling to her death on the concrete. Kagome tried to come up with a strategy.

"Let her down!" Inuyasha bellowed.

"And put another player on the field? No way, halfbreed." Inuyasha snarled. "He's been looking for you two a long time. Imagine my luck at spotting you completely by accident!" She cackled a moment. "Now let's see what all the fuss is about, hmm?" The youkai woman made a gesture with her free hand, keeping the fan open in the other. A blade of wind and youki went sailing in Inuyasha's direction. Kagome screamed his name, unable to risk dropping her barrier to put one around him. She had to protect herself and their pup first, no matter how it tore out her heart to do nothing. He flipped himself so that Tetsusaiga's blade took the brunt of the impact, but his shoulders were sliced by the razor edged youki. An involuntary whimper left her throat, seeing him truly injured for the first time. His eyes lifted to hers and he implored her not to come to his defense.

"Let. Her. Go," he snarled as he stood again, the direct attack leaving a short reprieve in the constant wind. Inuyasha realized his mistake as the wind youkai's ruby red lips split in a wide smirk. Inuyasha felt like everything slowed as his eyes went to Kagome, he heard her scream, and his blood started roaring in his ears. No.