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Kagome return's chapter 22

"How soon will you and inu-yasha leave?" Kagome's mother asks.

"I'm not sure, mother." Kagome replies. "I want to make sure that Kohaku is all right. And, Sesshomaru and I did make a mess at the airport, so, I want to be here in case something happens about that."

"So, you'll probably be here for a couple of days?" Yuka asks.

Kagome looks at her friends and nods. "I think so, maybe a three or four. But, I'm going to be really busy, Yuka, so I don't know if I can do anything with you." She grimaces. "And, I just realized I've got to call. No. Make a date with Hojo, so I can talk to him, as well."

"Hojo?" Miroku asks. "The same person that Inu-yasha is always yelling about?"

"Yes." Kagome nods. "Now that I've made my decision, I've got to tell him. I owe him that much."

"Do you want me to call him?" Ayumi asks.

Kagome shakes her head, no. "No. that is my responsibility."

Miroku's head snaps up. Chika and Sango are slowly walking down the stairs.

The expression on Sango's face, causes Kagome's three girlfriends to cringe and look away. Sota, Rin and Shippo do the same. Mrs. h takes a step back as she looks at Sango.

Even Kagome catches her breath at Sango's face.

Miroku quickly steps close to her. He opens his arms in a silent invitation.

Sango looks at him. She looks at his arms.

They look into each other's eyes.

Sango steps close to Miroku and buries her face in his chest. He hugs her tightly.

"Chika?" Mrs. H asks in a very quiet voice.

"Physically, he's fine." Chika replies in a quiet voice.

"Mentally?"

"I don't know, but, he's been through a very traumatic experience. I gave him a sedative. But." Chika shakes her head.

"I tried to give him the hilt of my sword." Sango whispers, but the room is quiet enough that everyone can hear her. "And he threw it across the room in fear."

Chika nods. "I think, that whatever magic was used to cure him, changed his views on fighting. Massively."

A pause, as everyone considers Chika's words.

But, before anyone can say anything . . .

Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru open the front door and enter the house. Both of them have small smiles on their faces. Inu-yasha is cleaning his fingernails. Sesshomaru is adjusting his tail.

"What happened?" inu-yasha asks.

"Kohaku woke up." Kagome says as she rushes to them. She stops, standing a few feet in front of both of them. She licks her lips, obviously trying to decide, which one, Inu-yasha or Sesshomaru, does she stand next to.

Sesshomaru steps back, as he says, "You need to be with him, Kagome. I've enjoyed our time together. It time for you and Inu-yasha to be together."

Kagome stands next to Inu-yasha and hugs him. He, after a short pause, as he looks shocked at Sesshomaru's public statement, then he hugs her.

"What did you do!?" Sango screams as she throws off Miroku's arms. She rushes Sesshomaru. He quickly grabs her arms and controls her. (Ignoring her feet pounding his legs . . . )

"I did nothing, woman."

"MY brother! What did you do him!?" she screams.

"Sango." Kagome says as she turns around in Inu-yasha arms. "I don't think he knows."

"He was frightened of my sword!"

"I don't know why Tenseiga would cause that to happen." Sesshomaru says, puzzlement in his voice. "I ordered it to cure him. So, all that he suffered through, under Naraku would not hurt him. How Tenseiga chose to cure him, I cannot control."

"Chika, can you make a guess?" Mrs. H asks.

Chika shakes her head. "I don't know. I'm not a psych-nurse." She sighs, "If I had to make a guess, though, I'd say that between the sword, waking up in a very strange place, and what he remembers of his past, has him very confused."

"What would you do?" Kagome's mother asks.

"Huh?" Chika blurts out. "What do you mean?"

"If he was your son, what would you do. You are the nurse, Chika, so, I'm asking a professional's opinion."

Chika nods. She pauses, and looks around the room. Everyone, including Sango, is looking at her.

Chika sighs. "There are two choices, I think." She sighs again. "If he was your son, Kimiko, I'd say, that, alongside with your support and help, he, without question, needs professional help."

She nods to Sango. "He needs to be with his sister. But, since he lives in the past, that professional help doesn't exist." Chika sighs. "And, I'm sorry to say this, but it needs to be said. Sango, you are a warrior, from a warrior culture, but I think your brother doesn't need that type of help."

Sango glares at Chika. "You don't think that taking him outside and doing our standard weapons practice is the best way to do this?"

"No. I think that doing that would be the worst thing that you could do."

"But." Sango sputters. "He and I, we're the last of our clan. We can't stop being demon hunters. I owe that to my ancestors. And so does he."

"How much do you owe your brother, Sango?" Chika asks. "You might, given your determination, get him to use weapons again, but at what cost to him?"

Sango grinds her jaws. "He's tough. He'll survive."

"He won't be happy."

Sango grimaces as a memory of her brother, laughing and playing flashes in her mind. 'How important is seeing him smile again?' she thinks.

"How long will he be out?" Mrs. h asks.

"A few hours." Chika replies. "And, I am sorry to mention this, but, I do need to go home and make some phone calls to explain where I've been. But, I will be back, Kimiko."

Mrs. h nods. "Go ahead, Chika. By the time that you return, we'll have something decided."

Chika goes upstairs, gathers a few things and leaves, while everyone is whispering among themselves.

Kagome goes over to Sango, and the two of them, followed by Mrs. H go up to her room. All three are whispering between them.

"Shippo." Inu-yasha growls, as the door to Kagome's room closes.

"What, Inu-yasha?" Shippo asks.

"Come here." Inu-yasha snaps.

"Why should I?"

"Because, son of Kagome, we need to talk." Sesshomaru interrupts.

"About what?"

Sesshomaru's eyes flick across the room. "I would have thought that would be obvious, son of Kagome." A slight pause. "And, we will talk in private."

Shippo licks his lips, and looks around the room. 'Alone? With the two of them? They'll kill me.' He thinks. 'No. They won't. If they do, Kagome will hate them. And, we might need to talk, but,'

"With Kagome?" Shippo asks.

"No." Inu-yasha barks. "Just the three of us."

"This conversation will happen sooner or later." Sesshomaru adds, ominously. "I am in a pleasant mood, Kitsune." A pause. "For now."

Shippo grimaces. He looks at Miroku. Miroku subtly shrugs his shoulders. Shippo grimaces again, but nods. "Ok."

Inu-yasha looks over the room. "We'll be back." He growls at them as they leave the room.

"What was that about?" Eri asks, breathlessly after they leave.

"If he's Kagome's son. And, Inu-yasha and Sesshomaru are going to be part of her family. How will those three guys work together?" Ayumi states.

"Oh. I should have thought about that."

"What about Rin?" Rin asks.

Miroku goes over to her and bows slightly. "Don't worry, little Rin, Between Sesshomaru and Kagome, Inu-yasha will treat you as well as he treats any girl. Shippo is just concerned about himself."

Outside . . .

Sesshomaru, Inu–yasha and Shippo are standing in the well house.

"Why in here?" Shippo asks.

"Kagome hates it when I'm standing outside. She's afraid that someone will notice." He snorts. "It's too late to worry about that now, but, she'd still get upset, so." Inu-yasha says. "We'll be in here."

Shippo and Sesshomaru nod.

Silence . . .

Shippo folds his arms across his chest, and growls out, "I'm not leaving her. She is my mother."

Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha exchange a glance.

Inu-yasha opens his mouth. He shuts it with snap. 'I can't say that. I may not like the little shit at times, but I don't hate him.' He thinks.

"This Sesshomaru has no desire that you leave her."

"Then why?" Shippo asks.

"This Sesshomaru has a desire to be, alone, with Kagome." Sesshomaru glares at Shippo. "You can interfere with that desire."

"You're damn right. I can interfere with that." Shippo glares at Sesshomaru.

Inu-yasha hides a smirk, at Shippo's defiance and Sesshomaru's expression. 'Sesshomaru can't even hurt the little bastard, so what can he do to him.' He thinks.

Sesshomaru, visibly, controls himself. "Shippo." A pause. "In honor of my commitments to my consort, Kagome, I am going to make this offer. Since she would appreciate a nonviolent way to handle this." He looks at Shippo. "She would want us to find such a way, correct?"

Shippo grimaces, but nods.

"You, as her son, have a legitimate demand for her time." Sesshomaru points to Inu-yasha. "Inu-yasha, as her husband, has a legitimate demand on her time. I, as her consort, also, have a desire for personal and private time with her."

"Consort?" Inu-yasha asks.

"Do you know of a better term for her?" Sesshomaru responds. "She will not be my wife, nor will I make her my official concubine. It's a term that she, after some discussion, agreed to."

Inu-yasha growls, but nods.

Sesshomaru turns to Shippo, and continues, "none of the three will get what we want."

"Kagome, alone, by herself." Shippo mutters in a low voice.

"Yes." Inu-yasha hisses.

"Correct." Sesshomaru replies. "So, we three have a choice. Kill the other two, and hope that Kagome forgives our actions, or somehow work together."

Sesshomaru looks at Inu-yasha. "Correct, Inu-yasha?"

Inu-yasha grimaces, but nods.

He looks at Shippo. "Correct, son of Kagome?"

Shippo nods and kicks the floor of the well house.

Sesshomaru holds up his hand and acid dribbles down at, hissing as it hits the floor. "While I am not, categorically, denying my right to kill you two, I will work with you."

"As long as we do what you order!?" Inu-yasha hisses, as he flexes his claws.

Sesshomaru looks at his little brother, and then sighs, massively. "No. As long as I can have some private time with her, I will be content."

"How much time?" Shippo asks.

Sesshomaru shrugs. "I would like to demand a third of her time. But, I won't."

"Why?" Inu-yasha hisses out.

"Two reasons, Inu-yasha. Unlike the two of you, I do have responsibilities, as the Lord of the Western Lands. And those responsibilities will occupy a great deal of my time. So, probably could not spend a third of it with her, no matter what."

"The second." Shippo hisses.

Sesshomaru raises his eyebrow. "That, no matter what we might decide, Kagome will make her own choices. And I will respect her choice." He smiles. "I will argue with her, perhaps, to change her mind, but, I will respect her decision."

"Then, why did you two drag me in here?" Shippo asks.

"Because, this Sesshomaru would like Kagome to think that I, at least, am not causing her problems. No matter how much she cares for someone, even myself, if I'm causing her to yell, scream and get upset, how much will she like that?" he pauses, as he looks at Shippo and Inu-yasha. "So, much against my normal desires, I will be diplomatic."

"And, if we don't agree, you'll run to her and squeal on us." Shippo spits out.

Sesshomaru smiles, but doesn't say a thing.

Shippo and Inu-yasha exchange a glance. Both grimace.

"Ok, what do you have planned?" Inu-yasha, finally, asks.

Thank you for reading

jeff shelton