Chapter Seven -

Battles and Children

Six years later

"Oi, Suki!  Get back here!"

"Can't catch me!"

A five-year-old girl raced down the hall, dark silver hair flying around her face.  Behind her, closing the distance between them rapidly, was a slightly annoyed Inuyasha.

"Otou [dad] is too slow!" she teased over her shoulder, running for the doorway that led outside.

Dear Kami, I hope I wasn't like this when I was a kid, Inuyasha thought, watching the silver and blue blur in front of him.  Suki was a constant pleasure and pain, for since Kagome was only twenty-two years old and Inuyasha was far too inexperienced, they often were exhausted trying to deal with their little daughter.  She looked like a perfect mixture of the two of them, with silver hair darker than his, dark gold slitted eyes, and ears that were in the normal place, but were soft and thin like Inuyasha's, as well as pointed.  She had claws, but no fangs, a result of being more human than youkai.  But despite all of her human blood, she could still run, and had far too much stamina for a little girl.

Running outside, Suki bolted for the trees, only to be scooped up by her father before she even touched the grass.  He swung her around and she laughed and climbed onto his shoulders.

"Heh, just where are you going?" Inuyasha said with a smirk.  "You can't get away from me that easily."

Giggling, she buried herself in his hair, before reaching up and yanking playfully on his ears, causing an annoyed reaction.  Inuyasha violently shook his head, and caught her as she flew off.

"You little monster, you…" Inuyasha stopped in mid sentence.  Lifting his head, he sniffed the air, and frowned.

"Suki, go inside and get me my sword," he said, looking off into the trees to his right.  Sensing his sudden seriousness, the girl ran into the house and emerged shortly with Tetsusaiga in its sheath.  He'd gotten accustomed to not carrying it all the time now that he wasn't running around looking for trouble, but he always kept it where he could get to it.

"What is it, otou?" Suki asked nervously.  She watched him sniff the air again, and saw his ears twitch slightly.

"Go back inside and stay there," he ordered, sliding Tetsusaiga's sheath into his belt.

"Otou…"

"Go."

Nodding, she ran back inside, peaking her head out of the doorway to watch.  Inuyasha turned and drew Tetsusaiga, which transformed immediately.

"Alright you, come out!" he shouted at the trees.  "I know you're there!"

The ground shook, and a monstrous youkai emerged from the trees, bellowing.  Inuyasha smirked.

"Keh, you're just a weak youkai," he taunted.  "This should be good practice.  After all, it's been a while since I've had a good fight!"

The hanyou leaped forward and swung Tetsusaiga, removing one of the beast's clawed hands.  The creature bellowed again, and with one more sword swipe, it was gone.

"That was almost boring," Inuyasha said, sliding Tetsusaiga into its sheath.

"Otou!  Look out!"

Inuyasha spun towards his daughter, and before he could dodge the monstrous hand he'd removed attacked him on it's own.  It was as big as he was, and thick claws pierced his shoulders and chest as he fell backwards to the ground.

"Sankon Tetsusou!" he yelled, and his claws tore the giant hand apart.  Sitting up, he cursed in his mind as pain shot through his body.

"Otou!" Suki cried, rushing up to him.  "Otou, you're hurt!"

He winced, and pushed himself to his feet.  "I'm ok, Suki.  It's nothing.  I've been hurt worse."

Upon reaching the house, Inuyasha put Tetsusaiga back where it stayed, and then sat against the wall.  What a perfect time for Kagome to be visiting her family, he thought, wincing again.  There's no way I can heal if I have to run after this girl every minute.

"What can I do for you, otou?" Suki asked, sitting beside him.  He sighed.

"Just be a good girl and come with me."

Rising, he once again grabbed his sword, and began to head towards the nearby creek.  Reaching the water, he removed his haori and inner shirt, and began to clean the blood off of his chest, using his other senses to keep track of his daughter.  I can't believe I let such a weak youkai do this to me, he thought.  His ears suddenly caught the sound of someone walking towards him, and he quickly called out to Suki, standing to face the sound with her at his legs.

He soon relaxed when he heard voices.  "Hisoka, don't run so fast!  I can't keep up with you!"

Sounds like what I've been saying all day, Inuyasha mused as a young human boy a little older than Suki burst from the bushes.  Behind him walked Sango, who looked rather fatigued.  This was probably because she was quite a few months pregnant.

"Inuyasha!" she said in surprise upon seeing the hanyou.

"Hey Sango," he said.  "Looks like Miroku's getting another child, eh?"

She smiled somewhat tiredly.  "I did say I'd give him as many as he asked for."

"Suki-chan!" the boy said happily, rushing to the girl at Inuyasha's feet.

"Hisoka-kun!" she replied with equal enthusiasm.  Inuyasha looked down at them.

"You guys can go play," he said.

"Wait, Inuyasha…" Sango started.

"Don't worry, I'll know where they are."  He knelt again and began to resume his task.  She knelt beside him.

"Inuyasha, what happened?"

"Keh, nothing important.  Stupid monster clawed me."

"Where's Kagome-chan?" Sango asked as she began to help treat his wounds.

"Visiting her family.  Left me with the kid for four days now.  I don't know what's she's thinking."

"Oh, a little demi-youkai can't be too much for the mighty Inuyasha-sama, can she?" Sango teased.  He pouted.

"You don't know how fast she can run.  And she always pulls my stupid ears."

His wounds were finally healing, and he was confident that there'd be nothing left of them by that night.  He dunked his inner shirt in the water to get the blood out, before putting it back on and washing his haori.

"What'd you come here for, Sango?" Inuyasha asked, noticing her lack of activity now that she was done helping him.

"Just wanted to go for a walk," she said.  "Miroku doesn't like it, because he thinks pregnant women should just sit at home and take care of themselves.  I try to walk over here every day to get some exercise for myself, and for Hisoka."

He stood, and flung his dripping haori over his shoulder.  "You should visit us then, since we're just through the trees.  Kagome would like that."

She smiled.  "Maybe I will next time."

He turned towards the sound of the children, which had gone off into the brush.  "Oi, Suki!  We're leaving!"

"Coming otou!"

Sango watched the girl run after the hanyou, and chuckled softly.  "You just wait, Inuyasha, that girl will force you to be patient."

*          *            *

That night, Inuyasha sat outside in a tree, staring at the well.  Suki was asleep, and with Kagome not there he hadn't made a fire.  Kagome… he thought, sighing.  When will you come back?

"Otou?"

Looking down, he saw a sleepy-eyed girl looking through the doorway of the house, searching for him.  He jumped down to the ground.

"What are you doing, Suki?" he asked.  "Go back to sleep."

"Otou, when's okaa [mom] coming back?"

He glanced back at the well.  "I don't know.  This is the first time she's gone back since you were born, so she'll probably stay a long time."

"Why didn't you go with her?"

"Someone needs to take care of the house, silly."

He didn't mention that they weren't exactly sure if Suki could go through the well or not.  They'd never tried it, not knowing what to expect.

"Could we go now, just to see her tonight?" Suki asked.  Despite his worries over her, this idea was extremely appealing to Inuyasha, who felt very lonely without his wife after six years of practically no separation except for the occasional trip to the village.  The more he thought about it, the more he desperately wanted to jump through the well and see her again. 

But what if Suki can't get through? He thought.  She'd end up alone at the bottom of the well, and I don't know if I'd be strong enough to go back without seeing Kagome.

He closed his eyes and responded,  "No, I don't think so."

"Please, otou?  Just this once?"

He sighed and knelt beside her.  "It's not like I don't want to.  I'm just not sure if you could come with me.  Every time we tried, only me and your okaa could go through the well.  No one else ever could."

"Can we please try this time though?"

Inuyasha sighed again, knowing there was no way he could win this battle.  "If you end up by yourself, don't worry, I'll come back for you." I'll have to, he told himself.  I can't leave her alone.

Walking to the well, Inuyasha lifted Suki onto his shoulders.  "Hold on tight," he said, before jumping in.