Disclaimer: Isn't he the cutest? I could eat the little Inu hanyou up…but I won't. He belongs to someone else.

Alrighty kiddo's. What can I say but WOW! Huge shout out to Ruguy5387…(tears of joy fall down my face) award for the best review ever goes to you. Thank you! If anyone wants lessons on how to give the "perfect" review…venture to it on the last chapter. Any author would feel flattered to get that.

Now onto questions…I will get a little help from our dear friends for this.

Shippo: Why the hell do I keep groping Kagome? Don't I consider her my mom? That is just sick and wrong!

Hmmm….Who hasn't Shippo groped yet? Did anyone notice that? (BESIDES Inuyasha you perverts) Shippo was only with Kagome for ONE year. Yes, for that year she was his mother/ big sister. But sorry, she was replaced after Kagome disappeared. In the end…it was Sango who took the role. Hence you will NEVER see Shippo grope Shinju. (If he does….yell at me)

Makoto: Shinju is related to me…that is gross. I can't go after her, can I?

Sigh, I thought I explained this…but let me go with my reasoning for keeping it "in the family". I seriously did some thinking about this before putting it down. I thought about having Shinju come from Kohaku's descendents…but than I figured it would only add one more cousin…instead of it being Sango and Miroku that makes them descendents…it would be Sango and Kohaku's parents. After THAT many cousins…one more doesn't count in my book…so it was Sango and Miroku. Besides…how many people know anyone further than third cousins (that DON"T live in a town the size of hick town, Iowa…btw…no offense to Iowans…I am one)

Kagome: (looks at question and laughs her ass off) Is Sarah a published writer?

Stop laughing! I do not take this fan fiction seriously, in the least. I don't edit or revise it more than what I type. That said…NO I am not published. Yes, I am working on my first manuscript and this fan fiction is helping me work through some roadblocks in my head. So if there is some HUGE delay between chapters, I am just working on finishing it. I am SO proud of it right now. If you ABSULTELY need me to update it…email me crying and begging (but be nice about it) and I will probably toss out another chapter. All the reviews I have gotten have kept me working on this (when I am now DYING to get back to my novel...maybe next week).

Inuyasha: What? I am NOT saying this out loud. You read it you bitch!

No, I will answer it. You ask the question.

Inuyasha: (growling) what the hell is marking?

See that wasn't so hard

Inuyasha: For you….she's fucking going to kill me!

Kagome: Why did someone ask about marking? When did that come up?

Well when Inuyasha attempted to mark Kagome-

Kagome: He WHAT? INUYASHA? Where do you run off to? I am going to kill you.

As I was saying…he was going to bite her in her shoulder to mark her as his mate. It is his way of "marking" his territory. Like the dog he is, scent is a big deal. When he finally claims her as his, he will mark her both by biting and well…in the fan fiction world it is called a lemon. In the real world it is called "the reason I am now knocked up, again." Anyway…so marking a mate proves to others that, this bitch is taken, she's mine. So if Kagome gets marked, and runs into Kouga….there will be a pissed wolf on their hands for "marking his woman".

Is that all? On with the show!

Chapter 20

The door opened suddenly, a very calm and deadly voice said, "How nostalgic, my half-breed brother and his bitch have reunited with their little companions."

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha gasped in surprise, yanking Tetsusaiga out of its sheath to protect them.

"Five hundred years pinned to a tree, it must make one rusty." Sesshomaru said dryly pulling Tokijin from its sheath. "All you did for the pathetic human emotion of love. How disgraceful."

"You bastard!" Inuyasha leapt at his brother, swinging Tetsusaiga on the way down.

"Inuyasha, he is only doing it to get a rise out of you!" Shippo yelled, pulling Kagome, Shinju and Makoto away from the fighting pair.

"Ugh, why do they always do this?" Kagome bit out. "Aren't we here for a reason?"

Shippo nodded, watching the brothers with amusement. "I think Sesshomaru missed Inuyasha while he was away." Sesshomaru must have heard the kitsune's comment because suddenly his whip headed straight for Shippo. The kitsune leaped out of the way, dodging the attack. "It's true Kagome. You should have seen him after Rin and Kohaku got married. He didn't have anyone to take care of; he didn't know what to do with himself. Every so often he would come to the Goshinboku tree and attempt to chop it down or wake up Inuyasha. Miroku had protected Inuyasha and the tree with his ofudra, he couldn't touch either of them. Only you could. I never realized how powerful Miroku was until Sesshomaru came after Inuyasha. I think he got bored with having no one to argue with. He soon found someone else to pick on though."

"Rin and Kohaku got married?" Kagome gasped, surprised to hear the news.

Shippo rolled his eyes, "I thought you had read the book, Kagome."

"I have been a little busy. Once my eyes read, 'We pinned Inuyasha to the tree so he could be with you' I ran and got him. Now my time is spent with an attention starved hanyou. I haven't had time to read the rest of it."

"Hey, wench! I can hear you, you know!" Inuyasha yelled, dodging a blow from Tokijin.

"Your discipline is lacking, half-breed. Pay attention to your opponent. The girl means nothing. After I finish with you, I will kill her." Sesshomaru said smugly, striking the hanyou in the chest.

"Like hell, Sesshomaru! Keep your hands off her!" Inuyasha lunged at his brother, angered by the comment.

"He really wouldn't kill any of us would he?" Shinju said, noting the fear radiating from Kagome. The slayer eyed the inu-youkai with suspicion, she didn't trust him.

"He doesn't normally kill humans, but he might kill Inuyasha to show him he can. He might also kill Kagome, just to make Inuyasha mad." Kagome gasped at Shippo's words. "But either way he would bring them back to life immediately, trust me."

Suddenly Tokijin flew past Kagome, making her scream. The powerful sword struck Shippo right in the midsection. "Insolent kitsune." Sesshomaru bit out. "This Sesshomaru found that thing far less of an annoyance three hundred years ago!"

"Sesshomaru! You bastard!" Inuyasha lunged at the lord of the western lands; he had just killed their friend.

"You give this Sesshomaru a headache." Inuyasha was unable to dodge the attack that came; the whip hit him square in the chest. Luckily he had put on his fire rat robe before leaving Kagome's house. Instead, he found himself knocked to the ground.

"Leave them alone!" Inuyasha screamed as his brother advanced on his friends. He scrambled to his feet to search for the wind scar.

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru headed for them. Shinju and Makoto were trapped in a corner with her. Sesshomaru reached for the remaining sword at his hip, Tenseiga. "Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled, watching him summon the wind scar. "No! He's only playing with him. Inuyasha, Heel!!"

The hanyou lost his attack as he forcefully found himself yanked to Kagome's feet. "Kagome, you bitch! He just killed Shippo!" Inuyasha was too distracted yelling at Kagome to notice his brother revive the kitsune. "I can't believe you just protected that basta-"

"Will you knock that off? I swear you've killed me and revived at least seven hundred times! One of these days that damn sword isn't gonna revive me, then who will play this stupid game with you?" Shippo screamed; standing up to Sesshomaru as the inu-youkai ignored him.

Instead, Sesshomaru walked inside, sheathing both his swords. "I see your bitch has you well trained." Not a crack of a smile was revealed to show the demon's amusement.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha yelped from Kagome's feet. "Did he just-"

"Yep. Apparently your brother has been bored since you left. He invented a new game called, 'Kill Shippo'. He has been playing it for the last couple of hundred years." Kagome said, rolling her eyes in annoyance at both full blooded demons.

"Keh, sounds like fun!" The hanyou quickly scrambled to his feet, raising Tetsusaiga.

"Inuyasha! No! Sit!" Kagome screeched, slamming the hanyou on the porch.

"I thought we came here for a reason." Makoto said dryly, following Sesshomaru into the house. Shinju followed on his heels, stepping over the hanyou.

Shippo laughed, "You should have seen your face when you saw that I was alive! That was hilarious!" Inuyasha didn't find it too amusing, he growled at the kitsune. Shippo took off after Makoto and Sesshomaru, with Inuyasha on his heels.

Kagome rolled her eyes and followed her friends, some things never change. Strange, but that gave her comfort because it seemed like life was changing for her again.

They all found themselves in a stuffy room filled with precious antiques. No one wanted to sit down, except for Sesshomaru. The fear of damaging something was overwhelming. Inuyasha stood against the doorway, with Kagome leaning back against him. Shinju and Makoto braved the couch across from the inu-youkai. Shippo took a chair next to him. "What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" Sesshomaru began as the group settled into their spots.

"The youkai jewel has been stolen, have you heard of it?" Inuyasha questioned his brother from the doorway.

"It controls the youkai population from overtaking the humans, of course this Sesshomaru has heard of it. One of your current companions is the keeper, is she not?"

Shinju looked up in surprise, "Yeah, how did you know?"

"This Sesshomaru knows much. It was stolen, I presume. What do you need, kitsune? Why come to me?" He directed the question to Shippo.

"Yeah, why the hell did we come to him?" Inuyasha bit out at the kitsune.

"A lizard youkai stole it. We need to know who they are working for. We don't even know where to start to get it back." The kitsune replied, ignoring Inuyasha.

"Very well, you shall hear from me on Monday." The youkai stood up and walked out of the room, past Inuyasha and Kagome. As he reached the pair, he dropped a necklace around his neck, revealing his human disguise.

Kagome gasped, "You….YOU! You came to the shrine all the time. I thought you were horrid as a kid! You used to talk to the tree and glare at me all the time. I was terrified of you!"

"Sesshomaru did no such thing." He said as he walked out the door, smirking.

"He did, I swear. I would recognize that face anywhere. Gosh, he looks like you as a human, Inuyasha." Kagome gasped, still shocked over what she had discovered.

"He came to the tree to yell at me?" Inuyasha asked in amazement.

"I told you that, Kagome. He used to try to wake him up. I think he got bored without him, so he started picking on me." Shippo added. They all stood up to head out the door.

"So now what?" Shinju asked, wondering what they would find out to get the jewel back.

"Sesshomaru will get our answers for us. We will have to wait until Monday, though. Shippo and I will pick you all up after school on Monday; we should have our answers by then." Makoto answered, opening the front door. The small group piled out and headed to the car.

"What are the plans for the weekend?" Shippo asked Kagome, "Do you want to get together and …well you know. Have some fun?" His hand found her backside, rubbing it softly.

"What?! Shippo! You have become such a lecher! I swear you are worse than the monk!" Kagome slapped the kitsune across the face.

As soon as the slap hit, Inuyasha jumped into action. "Don't touch her, runt!" He chased the kitsune down the driveway.

"Ahh…leaving me alone with two beautiful women. I couldn't be more delighted." Makoto sighed, grabbing both females around the waist at the same time.

"Keep your hands to yourself, lecher!" Shinju pushed the reincarnated monk in the chest. "Just because our incarnates were together; doesn't mean we are."

Kagome couldn't help giggle; they were just like their ancestors. They would never believe how much. "What are you laughing at?" Shinju asked.

"You two are just like them, exactly."

"What are you talking about, weren't they in love?" the slayer stared at her like she had lost her head.

"They had a strange relationship. Miroku would grope her; Sango would slap or hit him. Kami knows how they finally got together." Kagome giggled, chasing after her hanyou and the kitsune.

The ride home was fairly quiet; they dropped off Shinju before taking Inuyasha and Kagome home. They had all decided to join Kagome in taking Inuyasha shopping tomorrow; it would prove to be the most entertaining thing they would see in a long time. None of them could resist the temptation of going with them.

Both Inuyasha and Kagome instinctively headed toward the well when they returned. They both jumped in the bottom and sat down in the dirt. For a few moments, neither spoke about the evening. Kagome finally broke the silence. "I miss them. Being around Shinju and Makoto helps, but it isn't the same. They didn't go through everything with us like Sango and Miroku did."

Inuyasha nodded in agreement, "I trusted them, and I have trusted so few people in my life. I know that their reincarnation's spirits are the same, but they are different. They fit in here, Miroku and Sango would have had a hard time fitting in."

Kagome nodded, curling up next to him. He placed an arm around her shoulders and she rested her cheek on his chest. They sat like that for about five minutes until Kagome whispered, "I am tired. I am ready to go to bed."

The two of them stood up and Inuyasha lifted her onto his back, jumping out of the well. He headed for her window, and climbed inside. As Kagome climbed off his back, he whispered, "Goodnight Kagome."

"Good night, Inuyasha." She whispered as he left her room.

Kagome quickly got her pajamas on before climbing into bed. It didn't take long to realize she couldn't fall asleep with the hanyou so close, yet not with her. She climbed out of bed and walked to the window. If he was in the tree, she should be able to sleep. She sighed, nope. He must be in his room. She quickly grabbed the book Miroku had left for her and tiptoed out her bedroom door. She lightly knocked on the door next to hers. "Inuyasha?" She whispered, knowing he would hear her.

She quietly walked into the room. "I can't sleep." She whispered.

"Get over here." He grumbled, grabbing her wrist and yanking her into bed with him. "What's this?" He asked grabbing the book from her hands.

"Miroku's book" She answered. "I thought you might like to find out what happened after you left."

"Keh. Give it here." He settled her onto his lap so he could hold her and read at the same time. "Try to sleep."

She settled into his grasp and reached up to remove the concealing necklace. She grinned as she watched him transform back into his hanyou appearance. Reaching up to rub his ears, he growled at her. "Lie down and try to go to bed."

She pouted, but followed his orders; listening as he began to quietly read their friend's words. Our plan had been successful, the hanyou was untouchable. The return of Sesshomaru to pick up Rin proved that our spells had been cast unbreakable. We left them for only Kagome to disrupt. If she can not do it, then our friend will be stuck there alone. The hanyou's brother became enraged when he saw what Inuyasha had done to himself. He immediately tried to chop down the Goshinboku tree, and then attempted to remove the arrow holding him. He found neither was successful.

He left, only to return Rin a couple of months later. That became an expectation, every few weeks he would bring the human girl to spend a few days with 'her kind'. We looked forward to her arrival; it seemed to be the only beckon of light in Kohaku's life. He left us three months after our hanyou. I believe he felt he needed to right the wrongs that had been done in his life; at least he visited the demon slayer village with Sango before he left. He refused to ask them for his forgiveness, he did not feel as if he deserved it yet.

That was four months ago. Sango and I recently had our baby, it was a girl. We named her Kagome after our dear friend. We miss you both terribly. We pray for you daily.

"You are such a bastard! I am never going to forgive you for doing this! You tricked me!" The whole village was able to hear the taijiya yell at the monk who had gotten her in the situation. Said monk was trying his hardest to walk away from the hut he had built for the women he loved. He may not be able to marry her, since he was a monk but they had formed a family none the less. "MIROKU! GET IN HERE! NOW!"

Men were not supposed to be in the middle of the birthing process, but the look Kaede gave him from the doorway told him if he did not get his ass inside, he would never lay a hand on Sango's ever again. Sighing, he headed inside. "It is almost over, Houshi." Kaede said quietly as he walked past. "Just hold her hand and encourage her to be strong."

That shouldn't be too difficult; she was the strongest person he knew. This should be a simple task compared to the emotional trauma she had been through. One look at her proved he was wrong. 'Dear Sango, what have I done to you?'

"I HATE YOU! You will NEVER touch me again. Do you understand? NEVER again. How could I have been so naive to let you do that to me?"

He brushed the hair off her face, "I love you too, Sango."

"I HATE YOU! Did you hear me you lecherous monk. I HATE YOU!"

"Take the Houshi's hand, Sango. Use ye anger to get the baby out. Ye can beat him later." Kaede said calmly, focusing on the task ahead of her.

Miroku fell to the ground in pain, Sango still holding his hand. He had instantly lost all feeling in his hands, as well as gained a few broken fingers. Moments later the pain was gone, replaced by the howling of a newborn.

The world stopped for the two humans, both enchanted by the noise. "Ye have a girl. Does she have a name?"

"Kagome." They said in unison, still holding hands and staring at the child, enchanted.

I had to do that. I missed them both so much.

Miroku: So you brought us back?

Um…no…just visiting. I am sure you will visit again real soon though. You need to leave now. You can't be here when your reincarnations are here.

Sango: So you like them better?

(Sigh) No…They are in the story. You are a story within the story. Big difference.

Miroku: I see you have put Inuyasha and Kagome in a very compromising position. How inspiring.

It is innocent! I swear, for now at least. Um…for Kagome, that is.

Miroku: I knew it.