A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chapter. It's short. I hope you guys are enjoying this one. Please review and let me know, as my ability to write is practically sustained by your reviews…

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My Only Hope
Chapter Six

"Kagome's dad was a dog demon? You're serious? I mean, you're absolutely sure about this?" Kouga's mouth hung open in shock. "I thought you were pulling my tail…"

Inuyasha hit him on the head. "No, you idiot! Why would I lie about something like this? Does it seem funny to you for some reason? This is serious! My uncle wants her dead. Can you imagine what might happen once people realize what's happened to her?" Inuyasha sighed. "I'm worried about it. It could get even more dangerous…"

Kouga nodded. "Well, I don't think I'll mind a hanyou mate. After all, it is still Kagome…." He smiled.

Inuyasha's eyes bulged from his head, and he whacked Kouga again across his head. "Hell no, wolf boy! Stay away from Kagome!" he warned, a low growl coming from his throat.

Kouga laughed. "Is someone jealous? Well, she is my woman, after all…"

"She is not your woman!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome groaned. "What happened? Where's Kaede? Where are we?" she frowned. "Something smells funny…"

"Kagome…" Inuyasha took her hand. "How do you feel? You should see yourself! You look awesome!" he smiled.

"I feel okay," she admitted.

"That's good."

"I'm still worried about the jewel shards, though…"

Inuyasha frowned. "Damn it, woman! I told you not to worry about that! We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, okay? Right now, the important thing is that you're okay."

She nodded. "Thanks, Inuyasha."

His eyebrow rose. "What the hell for?"

"Everything." She wrapped him in a hug.

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"I'm home!" Akira called. Souta and Gramps both ran into the room as if Akira had been gone for a month. It had been less than a day. She sighed, wrapping her son and her husband's father in a hug.

"I think you have a little bit of explaining to do," he said sternly.

Akira frowned and cleared her throat. "I think we all need to sit down for this, father." She whispered. "Please, let me explain everything before either of you talks." She added as they sat.

I give you my destiny
I'm giving you all of me
I want your symphony
Singing in all that I am
At the top of my lungs
I'm giving it back…

Akira cleared her throat. "Souta, dad…I know a lot more about the Feudal Era than I let you guys think I do." Was that a good way to begin? Was her family going to be mad at her? Would they resent Kagome? No…they accepted Inuyasha, didn't they? But then again, he wasn't a member of the family…

Gramps and Souta nodded. Gramps was the first to speak. "You can start your explanations now…like why a demon was standing inside my house…" he said sternly.

Akira gulped and nodded. "I'm not from Tokyo." She whispered. "I'm not from here at all, actually. The demon that came into the house knew who I was because I grew up on the other side of the well…" She paused, waiting to see what her family would think. Her father's eyes bulged, and Souta, while he looked interested, could not help but shift uncomfortably in his chair.

She sighed, took a deep breath, and continued. "He knew me because…when I was seventeen, I met a dog demon outside my village. His name was Jin, and we had a relationship. When I was twenty I found out I was going to have a baby…" she let out a breath she didn't know she was holding, "but the dog demons were in the middle of a power struggle, and one of them was not too keen on the idea of a second hanyou being born into the clan. Hence, I was sent through the well to avoid the conflict. That day that I showed up at the shrine…"

Gramps was turning red with anger. He let out a hot breath. "That day you came to my shrine…" he remembered. "You came from that well? And you married my son knowing that you were promised to another?"

"Is mom Inuyasha's mom, too? Is he mine and Kagome's brother for real?" Souta's eyes grew very big.

Akira's eyes began to tear up. "I didn't mean to. I didn't have a choice!" She yelled defensively. "You don't understand…we would've been killed! I was sent here to be kept safe…and…after Jin died, I didn't think I would open up so easily to your son. I was already pregnant with Kagome. I wasn't supposed to fall in love…"

"Dad isn't Kagome's dad?" Souta whispered.

Akira shook her head. "No, sweetie. She isn't."

"You married my son…when you were already with child. Did you ever bother to tell him that Kagome wasn't his?"

Akira frowned. "Would you have wanted me to?"

He shook his head. "I wouldn't have wanted any of this!" He sighed. "My grand daughter is a hanyou from another time period…" he frowned to himself.

Akira blinked. "I was hoping you would be a bit more understanding of everything, Gramps. You seemed so ready to accept Inuyasha when he showed up. Why is your own grand daughter any different?"

"Because it is my family we are talking about now…and Inuyasha isn't a member of the family." He rubbed his forehead.

"This is so…cool!" Souta smiled. "Kagome is a hanyou? Does that mean she'll be strong like Inuyasha? Will she have ears too, mommy? Tell me! I need to know these things!" he whined.

"What are you going to do?" Akira demanded of Gramps. "I need to have something to tell Kagome when I go back tomorrow."

"I love her. She is my grand daughter, and she always will be. I cannot be angry at her for circumstances that were not under her control. However, I am upset at you, Akira. You have lied to my son and me for almost eighteen years now. I have a right to be angry…"

She nodded. "Yes, you do."

"Tell Kagome that Souta and I await her return home," he whispered.

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"Jiro, you're too late." Sesshoumaru smirked. "You will not be laying a hand on the girl or my brother. I'm in charge, remember? Last time you tried this, you lost…"

"The girl and your brother are abominations, Sesshoumaru. We cannot allow that kind of filth in the clan. Do you want to be seen as weak? You could help me get rid of them, you know?" Jiro grinned.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "I can't do that. My father asked me to protect them. Jin died to protect Kagome as my father died protecting Inuyasha and his mother. No matter what you or anyone else thinks, I will honor their sacrifices. Since you have a problem with that, I will have to dispose of you."

"I do." He smirked. "But the question remains…will you kill your own uncle?"

"You know," Sesshoumaru growled, "my father asked me a question like that before he died…but you aren't him…"

"So you will try to kill me?" he laughed.

"I will not try. I will succeed." Sesshoumaru promised, drawing his Tokijin from its hilt at his side.

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A/N: Heh heh. Yes, you will have to wait for the next chapter for the results of the fight. Please review. It will give me motivation to write…