I'm Sooooooo sorry I haven't updated! Forgive me! Bows But I'm doing 2 sports at once, on top of my homework! And I have other extracurricular activities to do to. Oh yes my life is so disgustingly busy. I'm soooo sorry! But thanks for sticking with me!

Responses:

Goddes-of-Anime- I'm sorry! I'm trying! I really am! Please have patience!

Ok, That's all for now! I'll try to update faster! Bye!

Chapter 12: The battle begins.

Kikyou spun around, searching the trees for any sign of Naraku. She sensed him; he had to be nearby.

"Show yourself!" She demanded, her expression flickering to anger.

"I am not Naraku." Yuriko said as she stepped out of the trees. "Hello, mother."

"SIT!"

Crash

"Dammit wench!"

Everyone except for the arguing couple rolled their eyes. Sesshoumaru and Kagura had returned before anyone had awoken, and wisely no one decided to comment on Kagura's noticeable change in attitude. For one thing, she blushed like mad whenever she looked at Sesshoumaru. Now I wonder why.....

"I just need to go home for 3 days to study so I can take my test! Is that so much to ask for??" Kagome yelled.

"You don't need to take no damn test! We need you here!" The equally angry hanyou yelled.

Kagura whispered to Sango, "Why does he throw a fit anyways? She'll keep her word and come back, 3 days isn't that long."

Sango whispered back, "I think it has to do with the fact he hates being separated from her for any length of time. I think he feels that it's too hard to protect us all at once when we're divided." She paused. "But then again, I don't read minds."

Kagura nodded, feeling that Sango was probably right. Even though Inuyasha refused to admit it, she could sense how important all of them were to him. If she were him, she probably would have that same feeling of obligation to protect all of them as dearly as if they were his real family.

Family. Kagura allowed her mind to float over the word, trying it, tasting it. She savored the way it felt. Her mind whipped around to her night with Sesshoumaru. And like lightning, a inconceivable thought struck her. Could she be? It was too soon to tell... Her hand moved subconsiously to her stomach. She couldn't be. No. But as much as the thought scared her, it delighted her as well. Her and Sesshoumaru with a pup together? Well hell, wasn't that what she had wanted? A family? Her own children? But was she ready? And Naraku wasn't dead yet. He could very well find out and destroy what may have been created in her womb last night.

She stole a glance at her demon lord and found him watching her closely while every one else was focused on Inuyasha and Kagome. His gold eyes seemed to sparkle when they locked gazes. Slowly and deliberately he dropped his eyes to her stomach, then back to her face. And he smiled. Smiled.As odd as the thought was, he grinned at her, reassuring her as if he had sensed her thoughts. And she knew. She knew he would allow no harm to come to her or the potential pup residing in her uterus.

Somewhere in the background, Kagura heard Kagome declare her final "Sit" in a lound, final tone and watched her storm off. Inuyasha came out the dirt cursing eloquently and flouncing after her retreating form. Sango and Miroku just shook their heads, while Shippo rolled his eyes and commented, "Won't Inuyasha ever learn?" before turning back to the flowers he and Rin were working on braiding.

"Now what do we do?" Kagura asked. Without Kagome, they couldn't search for Jewel Shards.

"We wait. Usually we help defend the village from attacking demons." Miroku responded. They were in the forest that surrounded the village, between the well and the small village.

"Well, we might as well stay at Kaede's while we wait for Kagome. Let's go." The demon slayer said with a sigh.

"What about my worthless brother?" You know who said blandly.

"He knows where to find us. Besides, he'll probably wait by the well for Kagome to return." The monk said, standing up. "You coming, Totousai?" He asked of the old man, who looked half asleep.

"Hm? What? Must've dozed off...." Totousai responded, earning him a sweatdrop from everyone else in the camp.

"Come on." Sango said in a highly exasperated tone. "We'll want to be in the village before nightfall." And with that, she turned and started to leave, everyone else automatically following.

"Huh? Oh! Wait up!" cried Shippo as he and Rin leaped up to follow.

With Kikyou and Yuriko

"Hm. You must be the incarnation Onigumo made with the energy I gave him." Kikyou mused while looking at the sorceress. "I'm almost impressed."

Yuriko's spine stiffened, but that was all. "Naraku wants you to advise me in the best way to kill Inuyasha."

Kikyou smirked and answered automatically: "Kidnap the miko, Kagome. She is his greatest strength, and his biggest weakness." Her mind flew to the time she saw Inuyasha mark Kagome as his own, and her anger flared. "Do not kill her. I will do that myself."

Yuriko nodded her acknowledgement to her request. She didn't know if she wanted to take that route that Kikyou demanded. Dying without your love at your side, fighting or dying without that person cheering you on or helping next to you, was a thought that struck Yuriko as cold. Cruel. Inconceivable. But she had orders to follow. She could not go back on that. If she were to walk free with Juurumaru, then it was all worth it. If a few people had to die, then so be it. If Kikyou wanted Kagome's head on a platter, why not?

"I will do my best, mi'lady." Yuriko said curtly.

Kikyou snarled. "I am not your lady," She growled. "Never give me a title that associates me with your master."

"Yes, Kikyou-sama." She replied, bowing her head respectfully, fully saying that until told otherwise, she was Naraku's equal. She might as well have been married to him, because she lorded the same power over Naraku's servants that he himself had. Though if she had a choice, Yuriko would have much rather worked for Kikyou. Though she was a cold hearted bitch, at least she knew what she wanted and how to achieve it. None of the wishy washy bullshit Naraku went through.

So, Yuriko had to capture Kagome, use her as blackmail to bring Inuyasha to his knees, then allow Kikyou to kill her. Easy as eating pie. And almost as sweet. Although the thought of separating two lovers left a bad taste in Yuriko's mouth.

Kagome and Inuyasha

"Don't you dare!" The infuriated hanyou yelled as he burst out of the woods and saw Kagome perched on the edge of the well.

"Oh yeah!?" She screamed back. "Try and stop me!" The young time traveler yelled before she made the plunge into the darkness.

"Damn her!" He growled, leaping in after her, not caring at the moment who saw him.

Kagome crawled out of the well in her time. "Ah, it's good to be home." Just as the words escaped her lips, a strong hand wrapped around her ankle. "Inuyasha!!" She cried in dismay.

"You're coming back right this second!"

"NO!"

"Yes!"

"Sit!" He let go of her ankle as he crashed to the bottom of the well, winding up in the fuedal era.

"She sat me back 500 years." He said in mild amusement to himself. "Now how many men can say that their woman is capable of that?"

Kagome humphed and pulled herself fully out of the well. "The nerve of that Hanyou!" She grumbled, standing and brushing herself off. Her fat cat, Buyo, greeted her with a friendly 'Meow.' Picking up the pesky feline Inuyasha enjoyed torturing, she yelled "Mom, I'm home!" as she began carrying the cat towards the house.

Her mom opened the door with a broad smile. "Kagome darling, it's good to have you home. Hojo has been leaving gifts for you." She said with a wink. Kagome rolled her eyes. 'Doesn't that boy ever give up?' She thought with a sweatdrop, wondering what kind of illnesses her grandfather had been making up for her. "Mom, I'm gonna take a bath and then a nap before studying, O.K.?"

"Sure thing sweetie. Just hurry; dinner is almost ready."

"O.K. Mom, Just gimme a while." With a wave, she brushed by her mother, making a beeline for the bathroom. It didn't take her long before she had slipped out of her clothes into a warm, welcoming shower. "May the man who invented showers live forever." She said to herself with a smile as the liquid hit her bare skin. Once she was clean, she rushed to her bedroom for that nap she wanted. Kagome burrowed her face into her pillow happily. "Oh it's good to be home." She said with a smile into her pillow as she slowly slipped into sleep.

Back in the fuedal era

"Hello again, Inuyasha."

"Yuriko." He growled to the sorceress.

"Good to find you alone, Inuyasha. Now I can take you out more easily so I can capture your Miko, Kagome, wasn't it?"

"Stay away from Kagome, bitch."

"My my, temper, temper. You must learn to control it better, Inu. It will get you into trouble one day."

"Bite me wench."

"Ooh, so glad you asked. I'll take that as permission." Before he could blink, she had flung her water attack at him; A large wave engulfing Inuyasha completely, nocking him flat.

Inuyasha choked on the water for a moment as he desperately tried to regain his bearings. Coughing, he stood up.

"You'll pay for that, bitch."

"Will I?" She said in amusement. "We'll see soon enough, I suppose..." Yuriko took out her sword, she affectionately had titled Gaia, or Lady of the Earth. Inuyasha had out his own sword, ready for action.

Meanwhile, an innocent Kagome walked unsuspectingly towards the battle for her fate.

Ok, this is as far as I've gotten. I need some ideas to keep this baby rollin! Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaase help me! whimpers I beg you! I can't think on my own! my muse shakes her head at my pitifulness Shutup! You're not helpin me any! Muse laughs at my stupidity

Stupid muse. Ok Review! ttfn!