Oyaji: A rather rude way of saying father. It's a bit like saying Pops.

Chapter Four:

They sat together beneath the ancient boughs of the Goshinboku. His arms were wrapped loosely around her as her head rested lightly on his shoulder. They had fought the battle of their lives and had lived to tell the tale. His face was lifted heaven ward, eyes fixed on the countless iridescent stars that filled the velvet sky.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said tenderly.

The hanyou looked down at her with soft eyes but said nothing. His dog like ears immediately flattened and he looked away in a huff. Unseen in the darkness a light blush colored his cheeks.

Kagome straighten herself and hugged her knees. She smiled slightly at the man she had grown to love. The person she trusted above all others. Idly her fingers ran along the chain around her neck. He had been brooding the past three days ever since they slew their most feared enemy. Kagome believed his brooding had nothing to do with the battle itself but the aftermath.

Naraku's defeat had been a group effort. Sango had been injured early in the battle and Miroku stood steadfastly by her side. The monk had not only been protecting the exterminator, but their unborn child. It had been just the three of them when they breached Naraku's sanctuary. They of course meant herself, Inuyasha and oddly enough Sesshoumaru. The youkai would not speak of why he was there but merely strode confidently forward every inch the taiyoukai he was.

The battle was long, vicious and bloody. The brothers' claws and blades sinking into corrupted flesh. It was not enough it never would be enough. Naraku laughed gleefully as both Tetsusaiga and Toukijin only inflicted superficial damage on his new body. Even Kagome's holy arrows, that managed to strike flesh were likewise ineffective. Kagome had bit her lip as she carefully aimed her bow unwilling to give up, not when they had come so far.

Then something unexpected happened. Sesshoumaru abruptly sheathed Toukijin and drew his long neglected blade Tensaiga. Silence followed and Sesshoumaru's lips curled into an icy smile. Inuyasha gaped at his elder brother thinking he had lost his mind, but before he could utter a word Sesshoumaru slashed Naraku with Tensaiga.

A deadly silence followed that would be interrupted by Naraku's dark laughter.

"What a pitiful sword, Sessh-"

Naraku's words stopped abruptly and his body began to unravel. That was the only word for what had happened. Miasma erupted as tentacles stretched to their limits and snapped as hundreds of youkai fought their way to freedom. In the center of the horde a naked human male huddled. She did not understand how she knew but she recognized him as Onigumo, the human that had been the catalyst for Naraku's birth.

Sesshoumaru's face returned to its typical impassive mask as he sheathed Tensaiga.

"I leave the rest to you and Tetsusaiga," He stated causally as he nonchalantly strode out of the fray.

Inuyasha's confused look turned to one of triumph as he grinned and brandished Tetsusaiga releasing one kaze no kizu after the other.

Kagome lifted her bow firing holy arrows into the myriad of youkai. Her eyes flicked to the taiyoukai who watched the battle with disinterest.

"Sesshoumaru, what did you do?" Kagome asked between shots, her voice barely a whisper over the roar of youkai.

Sesshoumaru did not look at her but kept his eyes on the shivering Onigumo.

"I revived his human heart."

After the final youkai was slain the Shikon no Tama floated were Onigumo had huddled. The jewel floated on its axis like a minuscule planet. Kagome reached for the jewel and it slowly descended downward to nestle contently in her hand.

Kagome smiled as she turned to the brothers, then remembering her injured comrades rushed to aid them. Inuyasha moved to follow but Sesshoumaru grabbed his elbow. The brother's spoke for a few moments. Kagome had been too preoccupied treating Sango's injuries to listen.

Sango's wounds while numerous, had thankfully been minor. In fact she was well enough to receive a rigorous groping from her beloved Houshi-sama. After a few moments Inuyasha walked to where they stood. His face wore a rather dazed expression. Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be seen.

Kagome smiled at the memory. Her thoughts turned to the two brothers. She wondered how long their newly formed truce would last. She wished with all her heart it would. Too much of the blood they shared had already been spilt. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha on their own were formidable, but together they had proved invincible. Perhaps that was what their father was trying to tell them all along.

"What are you thinking?" she asked quietly not expecting an answer.

He surprised her by replying, "about my brother."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest. His ears flattened against his head and his lips twitched. Kagome said nothing; knowing he would not discuss such a sensitive subject. She would be surprised for the second time in less than a minute.

"He said that Oyaji would have been proud of me," he said softly and with a certain amount of awe.

Kagome smiled softly as she gave him a slight sideways hug. "Inuyasha."

When Inuyasha spoke again his voice was barely above a whisper, "Then he said….,"

Inuyasha growled as he sprang to his feet. "Never mind," he said belligerently then quickly added. "The bastard is just up to something. No way he'd say two nice things to me in a row unless he was."

Kagome giggled as she too rose to her feet. "You're upset to find out that your brother might almost sorta respect you."

Inuyasha snorted and looked away. Kagome smiled broadly realizing she was correct. Her hand gently closed around the Shikon no tama that hung from a long chain about her neck. The jewel pulsed warmly in response to her touch. She removed it reverently from its chain and pressed it into Inuyasha's clawed hand.

Inuyasha looked at her in shock and his mouth was agape. He never dreamed she actually give him the Shikon no tama. He looked at her questioningly as she folded his hand over the jewel and said. "I'm proud of you too."

"Kagome," he whispered almost tenderly.

She took a small step back and smiled at him reassuringly. Inuyasha gulped and nodded as he clasped the jewel to his heart. He stood still for a moment and Kagome began to wonder if something was wrong. Then suddenly the jewel began to glow a deep blood hue. The malignant light surrounded him and he began to change.

His ears slid down to the sides of his head and became more human and pointed. Dark almost black, purple stripes appeared on his face and his claws lengthened. Kagome gasped as she too began to glow, but a pale pink rather than red. Her eyes were fixed on the jewel as it fell to the ground with an audible, "plink." Her heart stopped when the jewel rolled to her feet. The Shikon was no longer completely pale pink; in its center was a fleck of malign purple. 'It was still corrupted,' she realized in horror.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered worriedly as she took a step forward.

Pain lanced across her chest and she stared dumbly at the blood seeping into the white fabric of her school uniform. She had not even seen him move. Kagome watched as blood dripped from Inuyasha's claws and in her daze she asked. "What happened to your hand?"

Inuyasha's growled viciously as he struck her across the jaw, knocking her to the ground. Blood dribbled down her chin as she struggled to her knees. The wind roared in her ears and she felt incredibly cold.

"Inuyasha," she barely managed to murmur through the biting pain.

She looked up her vision blurred from pain and blood loss. Pain shot through her again, this time her right shoulder. She screamed as his claws hooked into her and lifted her off the ground. She kicked at him violently but her attack was ineffective. Panicked she could do nothing but scream for the savior who had forgotten her.

**

Kagome bolted upwards in bed as his name died on her lips. Instinctually her hands went to her chest. She panted as she looked about her room wildly. It was just a dream, a reoccurring nightmare that had haunted her for the past seventeen years. It was always the same, for years her mind had tortured her with the images of their happiness and its destruction at her hand. She had planned on giving herself to Inuyasha that night and staying with him forever.

The nightmares were punishment for her crimes. She had been arrogant and haughty and because of that people she loved most died. Kagome scrubbed at her eyes wiping in effort to stop the tears that were threatening to fall. The tears flowed in a steady torrent down her cheeks; soon they were accompanied by choking sobs.

Kagome pressed her face into her pillow in effort to muffle the wails that bubbled up from her throat. She did not hear the bedroom door open over her sobs nor did she register there was anyone else in her room until the bed shifted slightly. Kagome quickly dried her tears on the pillow before lifting her eyes to meet a pair of concerned gold eyes.

"What have I told you about knocking?" Kagome snapped, her voice still thick with tears.

Mitsukai looked hurt for a moment then schooled her face into impassive lines. It was perfect imitation of her father's bored mask. In so many ways Mitsukai was her father's child. It almost made Kagome wonder what Sesshoumaru was truly like when he was young.

Mitsukai shrugged as she rose from the bed. "You were screaming your head off. It sounded like you were being murdered," Mitsukai stated tersely still stung by her mother's words.

She angrily stared at her mother for a moment. She had done this a hundred times over the years. She would come rushing to her mother's aid only to be rebuked. She had stopped coming for a while fearing that it was actually her that was causing her mother such torment.

When she was little, Mitsukai would press her tiny hands over her ears as she cried silently with her mother. She could never fully drown out the heart wrenching wails. When great grandpa was alive he would rock her and whisper soothing words to her. He would tell her it was not her fault, though she never completely believed him. She smiled slightly at the memory of grandpa.

He would stick ofudas on her forehead right were her crescent moon lay. He said they would, 'keep her from becoming evil.' 'Too bad they didn't work,' she thought wryly. They would take naps together until one afternoon when he never woke up.

Mitsukai remembered hiding in her bedroom while the paramedics tried to save him. She could hear them whisper between them, saying that 'he was gone' or 'it's too late.' Mitsukai knew this already; she knew instinctually the scent of death. They were supposed to bring him back. They didn't.

His funeral had been tasteful and lovely or so she was told. Family came from as far as America, most of them had no idea she even existed. Mama and grandma said she could not go, not even to say goodbye. They secreted her away in her room from their visiting kin. She stayed there for days alone and forgotten. Mitsukai wept as she clutched the stuffed kappa claw, that her grandfather had given to her on last birthday, to her tiny chest. She wanted him to come back and he would not. Would Mama and grandma leave her next?

When the house was empty she crawled into his bed and breathed in his scent. That too would be gone soon; grandma had already changed the linens. They packed or threw away his things and Mama moved into his room. When Mama or grandma tried to make her take a nap she would run. That was grandpa's job and now he was gone.

Mitsukai walked to the door shaking her long hair from her shoulders in agitation. Her hair fell like silky slippery rain down her back to almost her waist. With a single clawed hand she tossed the silvery strands back and turned.

"I can hear you through the walls even if you bury your face in a pillow," she said icily.

Kagome swallowed hard as she wiped away the last of her tears. She nodded several times before she finally found her voice.

"I know," she said barely above a whisper.

She pulled back the thick comforter and motioned for her daughter to join her. Mitsukai looked at her with unblinking eyes then after a moment then did as she was bid. Kagome settled back on the bed and pulled the blanket up to their chins. She turned on her side and stroked her daughter's face.

"You look so much like your father," she whispered as she traced Mitsukai's striped cheek.

Mitsukai lay in stunned silence; her mother had never before mentioned her father. She fought the grin that threatened to grace her full lips as her mother's fingertips gently traced her pointed ear. In her peripheral vision she saw a weak smile play across her mother's lips. She turned on her side to face her mother.

Kagome smiled slightly as she looked into her daughters golden eyes. They were the gold of her father but had flecks of bluish gray around their slit pupils. Kagome wondered why she had never noticed them before now. Kagome leaned forward to press a feather light kiss on Mitsukai's forehead.

"Your father, he saved my life," she began watching as a small smiled formed on her child's lips.

"He saved my life," Kagome repeated, and then continued. "And I wished he hadn't."

"Mama," Mitsukai said in shock.

Kagome shook her head and continued. "But that was before I found out he gave me you."

She ran her thumb over Mitsukai's lips and smiled weakly. "I know I haven't always been a good mother to you Misty."

"Mama," Mitsukai repeated her eyes pricking with the threat of tears.

She wished she could say something to ease her mother's mind. Her mother had done the best you could. Mitsukai found her words sadly lacking. She did not want her mother to think she did not love her.

"Shh," her mother said as she pressed her forehead to hers. "But I want to try," Kagome said earnestly. "Will you let me try?"

Mitsukai swallowed back the sob that bubbled in her throat and nodded. Her mother pulled her into her arms and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry for not knocking Mama," she whispered as her clawed fingers ran over the blankets creases.

Kagome laughed softly as she hugged her daughter. "It's never wrong to worry about someone you care about."

Mitsukai smiled as she settled down into her mother's embrace. She lay her head on her mother's chest listening to the soft beat of her heart. She entwined her long fingers with her mother's. Her mother shifted and her breathing slowed as she fell asleep. Mitsukai nuzzled the crook of her mother's neck and soon drifted off herself.

Hours later Kagome awoke to something warm snuggled beside her. She gently unwound her daughter's arms from her chest as she sat up. Mitsukai frowned as she shifted into a more comfortable position. Her long hair, stained copper by the early morning sun clung to sculpted cheekbones, a stray lock had found its way into her mouth.

Kagome smiled as she tugged the errant lock from the girl's mouth. Mitsukai made a small whimper and looked impossibly young and adorable. She was always beautiful but when she slept Mitsukai was an adorable little girl.

Kagome watched as her daughter's eyes blinked open slowly then laughed as her daughter growled and buried her head beneath the pillows to ward off the morning sun.

"Morning, sleepy head," Kagome said as she tickled her daughter's ribs.

Mitsukai muttered a grumpy 'morning' from beneath the pillows. Kagome smiled as she got out of bed and dressed. She turned to her daughter, who was still dozing beneath the pillows. Kagome pulled the blinds closed and sat on the edge of the bed closest to Mitsukai.

"I'm going to the store do you want anything?" she asked as she placed the pillow under her daughter's head.

Mitsukai blinked awake and yawned. "Um. Pineapple chunks."

Kagome laughed at her daughter's predictable answer. Mitsukai loved pineapple chunks as much as Inuyasha had loved ramen.

"You're going to turn into a pineapple chunk, Misty-chan," Kagome said as she touched a ticklish spot on Mistukai's ribs.

"That would be terrible! You better buy me the slices," Mitsukai stated in mock seriousness.

"You got it," Kagome said with a smile at her daughter's antics. "Anything else?"

Mitsukai thought for a moment then replied. "I want oden for dinner."

Kagome grinned and patted her daughter's hand. "I think I can manage that."

Kagome rose from the bed and covered Mitsukai with the blanket that had some how been kicked to the floor. Mitsukai's eyes shut and she began to drift back to sleep.

"Mama?" she asked sleepily.

"hm?"

"I thought you just went to the store," Mitsukai stated with a yawn as she rolled on her side but did not open her eyes.

Kagome smiled then replied, "I did but somebody told me that tomorrow was someone's sixteenth birthday."

Mitsukai's eyes blinked opened then narrowed playfully, "whose?"

"Not a clue. But she's getting a pineapple upside down cake baked for her this afternoon," Kagome said teasingly.

"I also heard she likes mint chocolate chip ice cream," Mitsukai informed coyly.

"She does?" Kagome asked in mock surprise.

"That's what the rumors say," Mitsukai said as her eyes drifted shut.

Kagome kissed her daughter on the cheek and brushed the hair from her forehead. She grabbed her purse from the dresser and quietly closed the door.

"Hurry back Mama," Mitsukai whispered as she returned to dreamland.

Kagome breathed a sigh as she walked towards the grocery store. She pulled the ofuda from her pocket and ripped it in half. The ofuda had been one of Miroku's even now it was still stained with his blood. It was meant to seal demons in a small area. Kagome thought to use it to seal Mitsukai in the basement of the shrine, a place she would be most assuredly safe. Protected, but more a prisoner than she already was. Kagome could not do that to her own child, there would have to be another way.

The store was mostly deserted this time of morning. Kagome grabbed a near by cart and began fumbling through her grocery list. She did not notice the tall man that strode towards her with a pensive expression.

She was as he remembered her, slightly older but still the deceptively frail creature he fought along side five centuries prior. The miko was chanting to herself his sensitive hearing picked up the words, "pineapple, pineapple, pineapple."

He raised one pale brow at her rather strange behavior. Kagome had been ecentric when he knew her, it was good to note that time had not change that. He watched her dart in and out of aisles seemingly throwing things into her basket at random. Sesshoumaru followed her closely. He had been watching them for the past two days. In that time he memorized their habits.

He knew that his daughter was something of an artist, though he did not know what exactly she did draw. Mitsukai also read a great deal, usually in the evenings beneath the boughs of the Goshinboku. She never came out of her room during the day when tourist swarmed the shrine. Sesshoumaru frowned at the notion of his daughter hiding from humans.

Her mother worked at an all night bookstore. It was a quaint little place, but the mother of his child could do better.

Kagome frowned as she peered into the dairy case. She could not remember what brand of milk Mitsukai liked. To her milk was milk but her daughter was an incredibly picky eater. She said she could taste the difference and perhaps she could. Mitsukai was a youkai after all.

"Hello, Kagome," called a voice she never thought she would hear in this century.

'It couldn't be,' she thought to herself as she turned around to face the one who called her.

Kagome gasped in shock. She opened her mouth to say something witty or even intelligent instead all that she managed was, "Um, Hi."

Sesshoumaru felt an unexpectant rage as he looked at the mother of his child. Rage he thought he had quelled days ago. He was angry and rightfully so that she had not bother to contact him when she discovered she conceived. Kagome had kept him from his daughter and damaged her when she could have easily returned through that well of hers. Unknown to him, the well had quit functioning after Kagome's final trip through.

"We need to talk," he said coldly, pleased and slightly annoyed when she flinched.

The Kagome he knew would not have flinched. "Yeah," she said quietly, and then pointed to her basket. "Can I finish shopping?"

Sesshoumaru gave her a hard glare before he replied, "Proceed, but do be quick."

Kagome nodded gratefully as she grabbed the red-topped milk jug. Suprisingly Sesshoumaru grabbed it from her hand and placed it back in the cooler. She was about to protest when he picked another jug, this time with a blue lid and placed it in the basket.

"The red one tastes odd," he explained.

Kagome could barely contain her smile as she pushed her basket to the check out. Her smile faded when she remembered the glowering taiyoukai behind her. She doubted seriously she was in for an enjoyable converstation.

A/N

Woo.. Chapter 4. This is of course unbetaed. I think the dream is a bit too long, but I liked it so I kept it. This story is still growing on me and I'm beginning to feel rather like a chia pet. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I really should be working on my other story but this one is more fun/easier to write. I'm shooting for an update a week for this. But I make no promises.