Inuyasha's POV:

A sense of restlessness and unease washes over him as he gazes upon the landscape before him. From where he stands, hidden by the trees, he can see the villagers going about their normal daily pursuits. The men and women are finishing their work in the rice fields to trudge home and start evening meals. Meanwhile children run wild and free, only impeded when an elder pulls them aside to give them a talking to about responsibilities. All is as it should be. Inuyasha is not sure what he was expecting. Of course, he did not want to come back to find the village in a panic. He is not egocentric enough to wish for that. Nevertheless, it is strange to see everything continuing as usual. Life truly does go on no matter what. His time spent sealed to the sacred tree taught him that already but, something about this moment feels different. His pups are dead and gone and the world moves on without ever getting the chance to know them and without them ever getting a chance to experience it. That is painful in its' own right. The pain and reality of it is still so overwhelming, so instead of dwelling on it any more he pushes it back to the recesses of his mind.

Rather than walk straight through the village, he decides to circle around to reach his destination. He does not want to deal with anyone trying to stop and question him right away. His feet drag like dead weight as he approaches the area Kaede, and the others occupy. He should feel happy to reunite with them after so long, and a part of him is, but he also feels uneasy about facing them. He would like to go on and pretend like everything is just fine. But the tightness in his chest indicates that may not be so simple. It feels all too soon when someone suddenly calls out to him.

"Inuyasha?!" Shippo's eyes widen in stunned disbelief as the taller male casually strolls forward.

"Hey kid." The little fox continues to gawk at him with rounded eyes until Inuyasha gives him a smug smirk.

"Don't 'hey kid' me, baka! Where have you been?! We've been looking all over for you! Then Tatsuya just shows up out of nowhere and says you're okay and—and—and— you idiot!" His composure wanes all at once and he is reduced to an orange pile of blubbering tears.

"Aw come on," Inuyasha reaches out to give his fluffy hair a noogie, but Shippo springs up and buries his face into his shoulder. By now, his wailing has drawn some attention and it is not long before Sango and Miroku come rushing outside. Like Shippo, they stop and stare at the hanyou as if he is some kind of cruel illusion. After doing a double take, Miroku's shoulders visibly sag in relief as he lets out a heavy breath. Sango on the other hand charges him with her arms outstretched and tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oof!" She nearly knocks them all over as she joins Shippo in sobbing incoherently into his chest. "Geez Sango, calm down will yah'? Yer' acting like—"

"I'm so sorry." Even though her voice is muffled and thick from her sobbing, his canine ears pick up on her every word. "I'm so sorry Inuyasha. I-I do not know what happened, but you were clearly put in harm's way. And it is all my fault."

A frown tugs at Inuyasha's lips and he grabs her by the shoulders to pull her away slightly and look into her watery eyes. "No…no its not." And holding her as she weeps against him for all she is worth; he knows it is true. It is not her fault. All those intrusive thoughts he had in his darkest moments seem foolish as he meets Miroku's relieved gaze over her shoulder. The monk forces a smile, but Inuyasha can still see the tiredness he tries to mask behind it. 'They care…of course they care. That should have never been a question.'

….

It took a while for everyone to settle down after his unexpected return. When Rin joined them, her loud squeals of delight drew the attention of the very villagers he was trying to avoid. After a barrage of cheers and questions, he managed to peel away. Finally, he is seated in Miroku and Sango's home along with Kaede and Shippo. They are quietly watching the hanyou as he wolfs down the remainder of their previous meal. After eating his fill, their silent stares become too nerve wracking to ignore. "What?!"

"What do you mean what?!" Shippo snaps back just as indignant. "You've been gone forever! We want to know what happened, stupid!"

"Feh!"

"What Shippo is trying to say," Miroku interjects more diplomatically, "Is that your disappearance has raised a lot of questions. Tatsuya's return and lack of answers only served to confuse and alarm us all even more."

"Was it a trap?" Unlike her husband, Sango chooses to cut straight to the heart of the matter.

He knew they would want answers. He expected the onslaught of questions and thought he had mentally prepared himself for them. However, in the face of their wide eyes he can feel his jaw tensing. "Yeah. It was a trap."

"Your bad feeling came to fruition." Miroku mumbles to himself.

"Yeah…"

"But what exactly happened?" Sango presses on. "Who was this Khuzaimah? What did he really want? How did you defeat him in the end? Why were you gone so long?"

"Look, you guys don't need to worry about all of that. Just know that Khuzaimah is still a problem. He's a bigger nightmare than Naraku ever was. Sesshomaru…helped," The word sounds foreign when connecting it to his older sibling, "Me and him are both looking for Khuzaimah right now. I came back for the time being because that bitter bastard would and could do anything. While his whereabouts are unknown, you all are in danger. As soon as Sesshomaru finds him or I get a clue of where he is hiding, I will end him once and for all. That is all any of you need to know."

Quiet settles over the group and Inuyasha can practically see their minds working to make sense of his vaguely brief explanation. "Inuyasha…" It is Sango who ventures to break the stillness. "I don't think we quite understand, but besides that are you…you seem off. Did something happen while you were gone?" She looks to Kirara when she asks this. The feline is the only member of the party who did not give him a warm welcome back. The furry cat-demon has been keeping her distance since he arrived and watching him with her hackles raised. 'She must smell something different about me.' "Inuyasha?"

His golden eyes snap back to the demon slayer who is clearly waiting for him to reply. "Nothing else happened that you need to worry about. I told you everything you all need to know. Just stay vigilant."

"But…"

"What? What exactly are you fishing for?" He knows he is being overly defensive—hears it in his tone; feels it building in his chest. But instead of calming down, he feels himself getting more riled up. "I'm here in one piece, ain't I? So, I'm fine! Visibly, I'm fine!"

Everyone startles at his sudden outburst, but before any of them can react a loud cry sounds from the next room. First it is only one high-pitched voice, but another soon chimes in to create a duet of wails. Sango excuses herself, leaving the tense group to sit in silence save for the incessant crying in the background. Miroku tries to make eye contact with his hanyou friend, but Inuyasha purposefully turns his head to avoid it. It looks like the monk is struggling with what to say. The wise male knows there is more that Inuyasha is not telling them, but he can also sense that he is very on edge. He does not want to get in a fight with his hot-headed friend considering how worried he has been these last five months. He does not have to think on it too long, because his wife soon returns with two fussy little bundles swaddled in her arms.

Inuyasha freezes up as she dips down to hand one of the infants off to her husband. She then comes close to sit at the rigid half-demon's side. "It is unbelievable how headstrong these girls are already. They refuse to nap for longer than a few winks at a time. I suppose they are especially excited to finally meet their uncle Inuyasha."

"They—you…you had them." He points out lamely.

"Yes." She cannot help but giggle at his stricken expression. "I did. I have told them all about you too. Here, this one is named—"

"N-No." His objection is barely louder than a whisper, but it is enough to illicit a funny look from the new mother.

"It is alright Inuyasha. If Shippo can manage it, I am sure you can as well. Just mind her head, like this—"

"Ah, no!" When she tries to gently place the baby in his arms, he lurches to his feet. The initial discomfort he felt when she first brought them out turns into full blown panic. He is vaguely aware of the occupants of the room staring at him with varying degrees of concern. His heart is thumping hard in his chest, and it sounds way too loud in his ears. The heat rushing to his face is making it hard to breathe. The room feels much smaller than it did a minute ago and is starting to sway. It takes everything in him to remain on his feet. He needs to get out of here. Now.

"Inuyasha are ye'—"

Kaede's question is left unanswered as he turns tail and sprints away. The fresh air does him no good. The world around him looks warped and like it is spiraling out of control as his legs carry him as quickly as they can manage. He is none too surprised when he finds himself alone at the Bone Eater's Well. His breath slowly starts to even out as his heart settles at the comfortably familiar site. 'It's been so long.' Running his clawed hand along the worn wood surface does not bring the same sense of peace that it did all those months ago. Still, it is enough to ground him and temporarily keep his emotions from consuming him. For the first time in months, he thinks about Kagome; the girl who crossed time. But just as quickly as the thought comes, it is gone. Even she is not enough to center him right now. His mind takes him back to Sango's twins; happy, healthy, alive…things that his son and daughter will never be. The truth of that is like a dagger to his heart. He can feel the pain as he clutches at his chest. 'It hurts.' No matter how hard he tries to force the memory down, he can see that vile dairyu dropping his screaming children to their deaths. The image is so clear it is like it is playing out in front of him all over again. Screwing his eyes shut only makes the sounds and images louder and clearer. Their wailing, the dragon's cruel words, his own helplessness— 'Kuso! I don't want to see this anymore! How many times do I have to be reminded of how badly I failed them?! I—'

"I-Inuyasha-sama?"

At the soft call of his name, the Inu whips around so fast it sends him reeling. His head was already spinning so the action causes his eyes to lose focus. "What? I—!" 'Is that?!' His honey eyes bug out in disbelief at the blurry sight of the dragon lord currently leering at him from across the clearing. His dizziness is causing there to be three split images of the ryu, but there is no mistaking who it is. "Khuzaimah!" The second after he growls out the name, he charges the youkai and grabs him around the throat; tessaiga completely forgotten in his blind rage. He wants to feel the other's neck snap under his clawed fingers.

Inuyasha feels the body kick and struggle as he lifts him clear off the ground. The pathetic attempts at clawing at his fingers only makes him tighten his death grip. "You piece of shit! You thought you could just creep up on me here?! Thought I'd fold in fear?! Thought I'd buckle under you again?!"

"P-P-Ple—ase! L-Lord—"

"PLEASE? PLEASE?! DID YOU LISTEN TO PLEASE WHEN I BEGGED YOU NOT TO HURT THEM?!"

"Inuyasha!" His name comes from somewhere on the edge of his hearing, but his focus is on the flailing dragon in his grasp. He only lets go when something hard slams into his arm. The shock more than the sharp pain causes him to drop Khu… 'Wait…' As the darkness fades from the corners of his vision, who he thought was Khuzaimah slowly morphs into a meek little draconic child. Tatsuya is staring up at him with eyes rounded out in fear and brimmed with tears. He is trembling from top to bottom in a half fetal position. Miroku is to his right looking at him with his brows drawn down in serious worry. The staff that he used to whack the silver-haired male is clutched tightly in both his hands.

'What's wrong with me? Am I losing it?' "Kid, Tatsuya, I—"

"I-I-I'm s-so sorry for d-disturbing you, I-Inuyasha-sama." Without bothering to wait around for a response, the boy scrambles unsteadily to his feet and makes a mad dash away from the two men.

"Wait!" There is no real point in shouting after him considering the ryu is long gone. A tense silence passes in where Inuyasha purposefully ignores the man currently burning a hole into the side of his head with his eyes alone.

"Inuyasha."

"Just leave it alone, Miroku."

The monk steps directly in his face to fix him with a serious scowl. "You do realize that you are being unreasonable, don't you?"

"What was that?!" Inuyasha readily snaps back, but even he can hear that it lacks its' usual bite. He can feel his hands shaking at his sides, so he balls them into fists before Miroku can notice. Judging by the way his indigo eyes flit downwards and his frown deepens, Inuyasha can assume he was unsuccessful.

"Tell me what just happened."

"…"

"Inuyasha why did you attack young Tatsuya?"

After some hesitation, he finally confesses, "I…thought he was Khuzaimah."

"I see…I will leave that matter there because I trust you will make it right with him later."

"Feh." 'Busybody.'

"But before that, what happened back there with Sango? Why did you run out so quickly?"

"I'm sick of all the questions."

"I am sure you are," Miroku retorts in a calm yet firm voice. "And I am sure you have your reasons for being so…secretive, however know that we are here—I am here. If you need anything…and want to discuss anything—"

"I know." Up until now, the gray-haired male was purposefully avoiding making eye contact, but when he glances over at the monk, he can see his face lined with heavy concern. 'Is this what I've come to? Is everyone gonna' look at me like I'm some pitiable thing now? Or like some kind of nut waiting to crack?' "I need to go find the kid."

"Good," Miroku responds even as he starts to walk away from him. "And welcome home Inuyasha."

His words simultaneously manage to make him feel better and worse at the same time, but the hanyou chooses to focus on finding the little dragon whelp. It does not take long to track him down and Inuyasha finds him being pulled along by his wrist, courtesy of Rin.

The girl is as happy and exuberant as ever. "I know the best place to find berries! They are really bright and plump right now, so I think they may be okay to pluck! We can make the best jams with them. Do you like jam, Tatsuya-kun?"

For his part, the little ryu looks overwhelmed by her rapid fire and one-sided conversation. At her sudden question, he scratches the side of his head. "I, ano, I do not know. I-I have never had it. S-Sorry."

She turns her head around to give him a toothy grin. "Don't say sorry! All the more reason for us to make some—oh! Hello Master Inuyasha!" Tatsuya's head swivels around so fast, it is a wonder how it stayed on his shoulders. Once he makes eye contact with the red clad Inu, he quickly averts his gaze down to his bare feet.

"Hey…going berry picking, huh?"

"Hai!"

"The sun is going to set soon. Stick to the village outskirts and don't stay out too long or else baba will send me after you."

"We will be quick, I promise!"

"Good…Why don't yah' go on ahead? Tatsuya will catch up soon."

"Okay! Don't keep me waiting too long Tatsuya-kun!" She flashes the males one more smile before running off with her basket swinging merrily at her side.

A momentary silence passes over them before the boy slowly turns to face the hanyou. He still has his head bowed and is using his cobalt hair to mostly shield his face from the other. The kid had already started shaking when Rin first called out to him, but now that they are alone, he is trembling like a leaf in the wind. Inuyasha's frown deepens as guilt twists his stomach into an uncomfortable knot. "Tatsuya…I didn't mean to attack you—you, are you hurt?"

"N-No—" Tatsuya looks up for the briefest second, but in that moment Inuyasha sees the trickle of blood running down his neck from where he grabbed him. 'What the hell is wrong with me?' "I-I a-am fine I-Inuyasha-sama."

"Kid, your neck."

"Huh? Oh!" He touches his wounds as if just realizing he was hurt. "I-It is okay. T-These w-will heal w-when I s-shed my o-old scales soon."

"That isn't the point." Inuyasha sighs. "I'm sorry…It won't happen again."

"I-It is okay, I-Inuyasha-sama!" The boy tries to reassure the older male, but it also looks like he would like to be anywhere but in front of the other right now.

"Well…that is all I wanted. I'm sure Rin is waiting for you."

"R-Right! T-Thank you I-Inuyasha-sama!"

Inuyasha sighs out loud once again as the kid falls over himself in his haste to get away from him. 'Great…It took so long for me to get the kid to stop being so afraid of me and I went and messed that all up. It's not like I blame him…First that thing with Sango's twins and now this? Maybe it was a mistake to come back. I can just protect the village from the outskirts.' A frown tugs at his lips as he thinks about the feasibility of this plan. He knows Miroku and the others will not approve of it, but the hanyou has shown that he is not ready to be around any of them right now. Not only that, but something else has been weighing on his mind for a couple of days. If his fears are proven correct, then soon he may not be in a position to freely roam about.

His hand moves to his stomach, where he knows the large scar is hidden beneath his clothes. His eyes blur with the memory of Khuzaimah ripping him open and his hand clenches into a fist around his clothing. 'No…it's impossible…I can't.'

….

Sesshomaru's POV

(One Week Later)

'You insignificant wretched lowlife. How much longer will you continue to evade this Sesshomaru?'

The western lord does very little to conceal his displeasure as he walks away from yet another decimated human village. He will not openly admit it, but he has vastly underestimated the slippery ryu youkai. Every lead he has followed up on has ended in failure and more unanswered questions. And at this point, he has not the slightest idea of where Khuzaimah could be hiding. Sesshomaru has even traveled back to the harpy-woman twice now, to no avail. She reported that she has not seen or heard from her dragon lover since the Inu siblings last visited her. And although he does not trust her, she leaked no deception at all. With each passing day his frustration grows to new heights. Not only has the fictitious lord made a mockery of him and his bloodline, but the ryu has also impacted the daiyoukai physically. Although he shows no visible signs of it, Sesshomaru can feel how his body and youkai has been weakened by forcing the incompatible bond. It is as Khuzaimah said, not only are Inuyoukai typically faithful to one mate, but his union with the Western Lord is one that could never have existed if it were not for his formidable strength. However, whether he wants to acknowledge it or not, he is feeling the physical consequences of his actions. There is the possibility that killing Khuzaimah may weaken him even further, but 'It does not matter. The fool must die.'

Yet more than anything relating to the elusive dragon, there is something else keeping his youkai in a constant state of agitation. Something even more frustrating and something he will not recognize even if his life depended on it. Something so absurd that it would be laughable if it were not so infuriating. Something that if anyone were to suggest it out loud, they would be dead in the next breath. And that something is his younger half-sibling.

Every moment away from his idiot little brother fills him with the sort of restlessness and agitation one would associate with anxiety. But not only is it ridiculous for the Western Lord, it is impossible. It is inconceivable for him to entertain the notion that he is worried about Inuyasha. Once again, he can feel his youkai riling up; protesting that Inuyasha is now a part of him. His jaw tenses ever so slightly as he recalls the intimate moments they shared during the younger's recovery. 'There is no need to be vexed.' The lord halts his steps and takes a calming breath. 'That was only out of necessity. He was fouling up the place with his wretched scent.' Deep breath. 'It matters not. Either way, Inuyasha has proven to be utterly useless as a mate outside of his heat. With him it is either brazen wantonness or unbridled fear. It is repulsive. There is no way I—'

"Lord Sesshomaru!" He does not know when he allowed his eyes to close but when he opens them, he sees Jaken rushing to meet him.

"Jaken. Uncover anything useful?"

"No—my, lord." The imp gaps out. "This slimly lizard is excellent at moving around unseen and silencing those who manage to catch a glimpse of him."

"Do not speak that which I already know."

"Yes, my lord…there is something else." Sesshomaru spares him a blank look, so he continues in a rush. "Uh, I spoke with you okaasan—"

"Why." Although it is a question, the inquiry leaves his thin lips like a cool threat.

"We have had such little success so far, Lord Sesshomaru! I wanted to make sure I left no more stones unturned."

"…" The imp demon makes a valid point, but the proud lord does not bother saying so. "And? What did she—" The question hangs in the air and his eyes widen ever so slightly when he picks up of the familiar presence speeding their way.

"Er, you see my lord, she insisted on coming to see you for herself. I told her that it would not be necessary but she…"

The rest of his subordinate's ramblings are lost on him as a blinding light shoots across the darkening sky above them. His face remains an unreadable mask as that light crashes down in front of them to reveal his mother.

Her face is almost an exact mirror of his own save for the taciturn little smile dimpling the corners of her mouth. "Sesshomaru, what have you gotten yourself into now?"

"Do not meddle into my affairs."

"Oh? And yet I was sought after for information."

Sensing his master's growing annoyance Jaken steps up to speak on his behalf. "Lady mother, excuse me, but I am the one who sought you out."

"On the behalf of Sesshomaru, no?"

"Er, well—"

"If you know something about Khuzaimah," Sesshomaru interjects with his biting tone. "Tell me and be done with it."

"So, you are seeking out that wretched dragon? Why?"

"…"

"Sesshomaru," She closes her eyes in a sigh and slightly shakes her head in the face of her child's stubbornness. "I do not know where to find Khuzaimah, however I caution you to stay far away from him."

'Caution?' "Are you underestimating me? Khuzaimah stands no chance against this Sesshomaru."

"That may be true." She concedes with a tut. "But he is not one to be defeated easily…and if he joins forces with his sister…well I will let you do as you wish. I am far more interested in this diminished state of yours."

"…"

"What bond have you made to weaken yourself so, my beloved boy?"

"…"

"I may know where you can find his sister."

He had started to walk away but halts dead in his tracks at this revelation. "Tell me."

"First tell me of the bond you have formed."

"Tch."

"I need not know the details. Only if this mate is capable of bearing you a successor."

"…No."

She closes her eyes in another scoff, but Sesshomaru is more than a little surprised when she leaves it at that. "I am sure you have your reasons just as I am sure you have your reasons for hindering yourself for this person…You are becoming more and more like your father as time goes on. Such peculiar traits."

"…"

"As for where you may find Kaida, his sister, I would look in the area between Mt. Hakurai and Mushin's Temple." 'That far away? That will take me several days away from…' "Moreover, I will not meddle into your affairs any longer. You have made your bed so I will let you lie in it. I can only hope it will not bring your demise in the end."

His eyes narrow as he glances over his shoulder at her, but in a flash, she turns into a ball of light and soars into the sky, leaving just as quickly as she arrived. 'Why is she acting as though she knows more than she is letting on? Khuzaimah is nothing. He is an unexceptional fighter and I expect nothing more of his sister. But now…should I go back to the village and retrieve Inuyasha or continue on my own?' Sesshomaru knows that any wasted moment could spell failure in his quest to find the dragon and a part of him is disgusted with himself for even hesitating, however…he cannot get the image out of his mind. That helpless, vulnerable look in his little brother's eyes. It truly was unlike anything he has seen before. The hanyou was so adamant about having to be the one to end the ryu. 'What am I doing? Since when do I act according to the whims of Inuyasha?' Even as he thinks this, he cannot help looking in the direction of the Kaede's village. 'It is foolish to think—'

"Lord Sesshomaru, are you perhaps thinking of returning to that human village?" Jaken asks after noticing the direction of his master's gaze. "To…Inu—"

"Jaken." His eyes close for the briefest of moments, before snapping open to glower down at the green toad. "Ask me something idiotic like that again and I will assume you have a death wish."

"Y-Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken follows close as his master turns on his heels and starts in the direction of Mt. Hakurai. He knows it will be a long journey, especially with the daiyoukai in such a nasty mood.

As his inner youkai roars in retaliation, the Western Lord sets his jaw and all but stomps ahead. 'I must be losing it. It must be this weakened state of mine. Inuyasha is back where he is supposed to be. There is no need for me to think of him any longer. As long as no one lays hands on him, he is of the least of my concerns. I have no reason to return to him.'

….

A/N: Please excuse my hiatus and if this chapter was disappointing. I did have some writer's block among other things. I think I am back for good and will be updating more regularly if writer's block does not keep me discouraged. Thanks for reading and your patience.