A/N: I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Sorry, the fic is well, coming to an end and there were a lot of loose ends I had to wrap up. I feel really bad, but I was on spring break last week and couldn't get the creative juices flowing, my brain literally went on a break. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu

"" Dialogue

italics Thoughts

() A/N


Love's Labour Lost Chapter 24:

The three girls settled themselves down into the nice hot water within the bath house as Sango and Naoki turned toward Kagome.

"Kagome-chan" Sango started, nervous about breaking the silence

"Sango, stop worrying" Kagome interrupted, "There is a lot to explain and I promised you I would, so I guess now is the best time."

"You don't have to tell us if you don't want to" Naoki added, worried she was pressuring her new 'family'

"It is alright Naoki. Sesshomaru has been kind to me and has cared for me. He healed the wounds that I had long ignored, and hell, he restored my life and my soul. He cares for me as well, I know it. He makes me so happy and I needed that." Kagome paused, a dazed look in her eyes as she entered her own dreamland.

"Kagome" Naoki meekly started, afraid of what she would say

"You care for him don't you Naoki?" Kagome once again interrupted, quickly clearing up the confusion "Inuyasha"

"Am I truly that obvious?" She asked, slightly ashamed

"To everyone but Inuyasha" Sango responded, "Even Miroku noticed, he told me so."

"Speaking of Miroku, what is going on with you two?" Kagome asked slyly

"Weren't we talking about Naoki!" Sango quickly asked trying to get the attention away from her.

"Oh yes, we were. I apologize for interrupting you Naoki." Kagome responded as she turned to Sango and quickly added, "we'll get back to you soon enough"

"I don't think I'll ever be good enough for Inuyasha. He doesn't even notice me. All he really cared about was... you, Kagome" Naoki finished, not a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Naoki, give him time. He'll see soon enough that you are and always have been the woman for him. You two were meant to be, even Sesshomaru seems to think so" Kagome responded, a small smirk appearing on her lips from mentioning Sesshomaru.

"SESSHOMARU!" both girls exclaimed.

"Why were you and Sesshomaru talking about me and Inuyasha!" Naoki asked nervously.

"Oh, he was talking about your childhood, the three of you together and we just stumbled upon that subject. He mentioned that he felt it between you two when you were still very young. How his father had told him that Inu-demons pick their mates long before even they are aware."

"Oh... Well, I'm not getting my hopes up. Inuyasha is pretty dense after all"

"Yeah, we'll deal with that soon enough." Kagome responded, turning towards Sango, "Now, tell me about you and Miroku"


"Inuyasha" Sesshomaru stated, knocking Inuyasha out of his trance, "There is much you must see and understand"

"Why? You hate humans, and all spawn of humans. I got it" Inuyasha responded bitterly.

"Open your eyes little brother, does it look like I hate humans?" Sesshomaru defended, motioning to the courtyard full of humans, demons and half-demons. "The only humans i hate are the ones that made you believe that you were unwelcome here."

"Excuse me Lord Sesshomaru and Lord Inuyasha" A human woman interrupted, bowing before them. "It is time for Rin's studies, but she refuses to leave the kit. What would you have me do?"

"Perhaps it you could teach them both, that is if you agree Inuyasha" Sesshomaru suggested.

"That would be fine, the kid could use some education" Inuyasha responded, slightly confused by what she called him.

"Very well, I am sorry to have interrupted you Lord Sesshomaru and Lord Inuyasha" The woman responded, bowing once more before she took her leave.

"Wh-what did she call me?" Inuyasha finally asked.

"She addressed you as Lord Inuyasha. Even the servants here know this is your place. Like I told you there is much you do not know, now come with me" Sesshomaru answered, leading them down a path into a very different garden.

This garden was equally beautiful to Sesshomaru's private garden, but there was something... different.

Where are we? Inuyasha thought as he felt a little uneasy about this place.

The garden had lush green bushes and much sunlight streaming through the tree branches. Yet the thing that stood out was a building on the other side of the entrance. There was a stone pathway that led to the building. The building was a shrine of some kind and it was well cared for. There was a hint of gold in the paint that edged the frame and the railings, showing that Sesshomaru greatly respected whatever it housed within.

The two brothers approached the building and Sesshomaru led them in. Inuyasha was breathless as he looked before him. Within the building were three beautiful shrines. There was a very regal and majestic gold statue of a dog in the center and two smaller shrines to either side, that Inuyasha could not quite make out from where they stood.

"This Inuyasha, is our family shrine. The shrine for our parents." Sesshomaru started, walking towards the dog statue and kneeling before it. "This one is obviously out of respect for our father, the greatest Inu-Taiyoukai anyone could have ever met."

Inuyasha approached and kneeled before the statue just as Sesshomaru was, remaining silent as Sesshomaru continued on.

"The shrine to the left is to my mother, father's first love and first mate. And the one to the right, is to our mother" Sesshomaru stated, emphasizing the word our.

"What do you mean our mother?" Inuyasha asked, confused.

"Your mother Inuyasha, was like a mother to me as well. My mother died when I was still very young, and it was your mother that was there to comfort me. Father and I visited the two of you very often, with Naoki many times, but you were still young. You probably don't remember that much."

"I remember only having my mother and a few friends. I never could figure out who they were. Things were fuzzy. You mean, the man I could never place"

"That was father. Naoki, father and I visited you many times. We were a family Inuyasha, and father wished for us all to live here, at the castle but it was far to dangerous for you to be here with mother."

"Why?"

"Several demons did not think it was right for father to take a second mate and had attempted to rid the world of you and mother. So father sent you away and we visited you. Yet, things could not have lasted. Father stopped coming to see you because he was killed protecting you. Ryuukotsusei came to father and told him it was a disgrace to have you and mother even living and he and father began to fight. Father attacked him because Ryuukotsusei said he'd kill you two and rid the world of you. As you are aware, father died sealing Ryuukotsusei and you recently defeated him."

"Father died protecting us? Why didn't I ever know this?" Inuyasha asked, his mind still reeling.

"I never made it to you to tell you. I had much unrest to settle here, seeing as I was the heir to the Western Lands. When I finally came to see you, the humans you lived with said mother had died and you were off somewhere. They did not care for you and wanted me to take you back here."

"Then why didn't you! You knew how I would've been treated! Why did you make me stay!"

"Humans would never kill you. Out of honor they kept you alive, but here demons would kill you as soon as I turned my back. I knew not who I could trust. Out of honor the demons would destroy you. The world you see out there, in my courtyard, took many years to create. I made them fear me, respect me. No human may harm a demon and no demon a human."

"So what? What now? I don't belong here. I'm not fit for this life."

"Father wanted you and I to rule together. To live here in the home he created for us and I think you should stay, if you will. Father's dying wish was for us to live here as he wanted, with our mates and keep this land ours. What do you say little brother?"

"The shikon jewel, we must defeat Naraku. After that, we'll see"

"About that, I will aid you in your battle. Naraku took Rin once and believes he can order me around. He will learn that no one orders me around."

"Your help... is appreciated" Inuyasha responded, stumbling over the foreign words. "Now that we are being honest I have a question for you."

"Does it involve Kagome in any way?" Sesshomaru asked, a knowing smirk appearing on his lips.

"Do you truly care for her? She's been hurt enough, by me. I don't want that again"

"I have come to care for her, and perhaps I love her. All I know is that the thought of anyone harming her makes my blood boil and when she was hurt I couldn't stop myself from destroying the one who hurt her."

"Good enough for me"

"LORD SESSHOMARU! LORD INUYASHA! COME QUICKLY THE CASTLE IS UNDER ATTACK!" The two brothers immediately raced out to defend their home.


When Sesshomaru and Inuyasha arrived at the front they noticed that everyone was there ready to fight. Miroku and Sango were fighting off demons from one side, while Kouga, Kagome, and Naoki fought them off from the other, but there was something wrong.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome yelled noticing their arrival. "The demons, they are Naraku's newest incarnation."

An attack issued through the air, destroying the saimyousho from behind, as Kagura landed gracefully before them.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Inuyasha. These demons will take both your strengths. They have been created with Urasue's magic and enhanced with Naraku's power. They hold the souls of the dead, but their bodies will reform as soon as they are struck down." Kagura explained as she respectfully bowed to both men. "We have much to discuss, we must finish them quickly"

As the brothers approached the battle, the Tenseiga and Tetsaiga began to pulse.

"It seems our father is guiding us little brother. Are you ready?" Sesshomaru asked confidently as he grabbed hold of the Tenseiga's hilt.

"Of course." Inuyasha replied, equally as cocky "After you."

Sesshomaru unsheathed Tenseiga and ripped through the clay bodies as he moved through them with his graceful speed, releasing the souls within. Inuyasha destroyed rows of the bodies, with the wind scar, as soon as the souls were free.

"Amazing" Miroku mumbled "The Tenseiga releases the souls and the Tetsaiga destroys the bodies before the souls are recalled. They truly were meant to fight side-by-side"

Naoki and Kagome just turned to one another and smiled.

"It seems the Western Lands may see the return of its younger lord soon" Naoki commented as the two brothers continued to slaughter the army sent for them.


When the battle was over the group turned to Kagura.

"What is it Kagura?" Sango asked, now that everyone was there.

"Naraku is planning his final attack." Kagura responded, pain evident in her voice.

She's hiding something Sesshomaru thought before speaking, "What else?"

"He has already started his final plan." Kagura started turning towards Kagome. "You must return home, NOW"

"What? Why?" Kagome asked, fear evident in her voice.

"Naraku revived Tsubaki using Urasue's magic and found a way to" Kagura paused, unsure of how the young miko would react.

"A WAY TO WHAT!" Kagome screamed, fear evident in her voice.

"A way to send a demon through your well. They demon should be departing shortly. You have very little time, you must go now"

Kagome turned towards Sesshomaru, but before she could speak she was in his arms, his cloud had formed, and they were off. The group was closely followed by Miroku and Sango on Kirara, Kagura on her feather, Kouga running with the aid of his jewel shards and Inuyasha and Naoki running behind them.

Kagome and Sesshomaru landed long before the rest and saw that Kaede's village was ravaged. Half of the village was destroyed trying to protect the forest of Inuyasha. A villager saw them arrive and ran towards Kagome.

"Lady Kagome, the well! The demon came and attacked, Kaede is badly wounded, but the demon entered the well. He hasn't come out yet."

Kagome and Sesshomaru took off before the man had finished and landed at the well.

"This scent, it is an Inu-demon" Sesshomaru snarled out. As he assessed the situation and argued with Kagome the rest of the group arrived.


"YOU ARE NOT GOING THROUGH ALONE!" Sesshomaru bellowed, a tone that would make the strongests demons quiver in fear.

"MY FAMILY COULD BE DEAD BY NOW!" Kagome argued back, unfazed by the demon before her.

"I DON'T CARE. YOU COULD BE HURT OR KILLED AND I" Sesshomaru yelled, calming down slightly "and I won't be there to protect you."

"Sesshomaru" Inuyasha interrupted. "I can go through the well, I'll protect her with my life"

"Is that satisfactory?" Kagome asked, her eyes pleading. Please say yes, we have already wasted too much time.

"Very well, Inuyasha do not let any harm come to her." Sesshomaru ordered, turning his attention to Kagome. "and you," He started walking forward and embracing her. "you come back to me." He pleaded as he kissed her lightly before releasing her to watch her jump through the well.

"We'll go talk to the villagers and find out what happened." Miroku stated as he, Sango and Kirara headed back to Kaede's, Sango literally dragging Kouga along. All of them praying that everyone was safe on the other side of the well.

"Sesshomaru, it'll be okay. Inuyasha won't let anything happen to Kagome" Naoki reassured the, now pacing, demon lord.

"It isn't Kagome I am worried about. Inuyasha will protect her and I taught her to protect herself well, it is her family I fear for. Humans are very fragile and if it is the demon I think it is I fear for their safety. I could never forgive myself if this happens to Kagome. It would be all my fault"

"What do you mean!" Naoki pleaded.

"The scent, I knew that I knew it and I finally placed it. It is Naro, Murai's son"


Kagome and Inuyasha exited the well and burst through the doors of the well hut only to pause at the sight before them.

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" was all that issued from Kagome's mouth as she rushed forward before Inuyasha could stop her.


A/N: I know I KNOW! That is a cliffy. I am sooooooo sorry again. I will update before the end of this week, because I know that this weekend and next week will be rough, so the ending will be coming soon. Please be patient. Thank you to all my loyal reviewers, and just in case you didn't see it, I wrote a new fic, PMS Happens, in honor of all my reviews! Thanks again!