Disclaimer: R-U-M-I-K-O! T-A-K-A-H-A-S-H-I! Now! What does that spell? RUMIKO TAKAHASHI!!!!!! And she owns the show Inuyasha…Not me…Arigatou.

Love Me as I Am

Chapter 48- A New Task

"Mama! Mama! Daddy! Daddy!" screamed the kits as they scurried around their parent's den, nearly trampling Shippo and Karlie to death.

"Can we do presents now? Onegai?"

Karlie lifted her head and smiled at the yawning Shippo.

"Shall we dear?"

Shippo rubbed the sleeping sand out of his eyes and nodded extending his hand and helping Karlie up, the two of them following the majority of the kits out to the main chamber.

"Now children. As you can see, there are more of us this year and there will be even more when the ones who have left for a while return. There is one present under the tree for everyone, just as we have done years in the past. Karlie and I will distribute them to you as you wait patiently." Shippo announced, making sure to give enough emphasis to the last word.

When all the presents were distributed Shippo gave a curt nod and all that was heard was the tearing of paper and screams of delight, mostly from the girls of course. Moments later all the talking, giggling and chattering stopped and everyone went deathly silent.

Standing in the chamber entrance were 5 couples, each carrying young kits whose eyes had just opened and some whose hadn't. No one could find the words to speak for the longest time. Finally, one of the young mothers tilted her head to the side a bit and flashed Karlie and Shippo and gorgeous smile.

"We're home."

~*~*~

"Come on Inuyasha. You can't say you're not the least bit excited?"

"Keh. I couldn't care less."

Kagome frowned and took the hair from behind both his ears and tugged hard on it as he blinked in confusion then turned his head to the side.

"Listen Inuyasha. You love your son right? And Trinity too…am I correct?"

Inuyasha growled.

"What do they have to do with anything?"

"Everything. It's at their house isn't it? What can I do to get you to go?"

"Well, for a start…"

"What?"

"You could……get dressed."

Kagome still held onto his hair as she looked down at herself, completely unclad, though covered with a large bright blue fleece blanket that she currently shared with Inuyasha.

"You know," said Kagome, pulling on his hair and bringing his face to hers. "I could say the same to you.'

"Well then," said Inuyasha. "By all means, make me decent."

Kagome giggled as he pulled her to his chest and she kissed his neck.

"Oh come on…you're just trying to make me forget about the party Inuyasha. It's not working…"

"Was it the obvious?"

"Hai."

"Darn."

"But I'll make you decent anyway. I haven't had time to clean your red outfit, but I'll find you a T-shirt and some pants to wear. I don't think they'll mind the clothes from my time, do you?"

Inuyasha grimaced.

"I don't mind the T-shirt and pants…that stuff's comfortable…but do I gotta wear the hat?"

"We're not in my time and you've got nothing to hide. Of course not."

"Fine."

Kagome smiled and kissed his chest quickly before getting up to dress herself.

~*~*~

Suki yawned and opened her eyes to find herself nestled comfortably in Yasuo's arms and him still sleeping, his chest rising against her back. She smiled slightly and crawled out of his arms, going to tend to Kuno who was just starting to wake up.

She smiled as she picked him up and ran her thumb over his cheek as he looked innocently up at her. The abrupt crying of Asako soon interrupted the moment and Suki found herself flustered, totally unable to hold both children for very long.

"Eh…Yasuo? A little…help…onegai?" she pleaded, picking up Asako.

Yasuo stretched and blinked his eyes open, smiling and scrambling to his feet and to her aid. She was quite relieved when he took Asako how was now screaming her poor little head off wanting to be fed.

Yasuo popped a bottle into her mouth and not another sound was heard from her but the sucking of the bottle.

"That was a nice wake up call…wasn--" Suki stopped mid-sentence and gazed out the doorway, Tobi pacing in front of it.

"I-I sense something…and I think Tobi does too…"

"Like what?"

"Familiar…but yet…so different…"

"I don't understand."

"Naraku…but…not Naraku."

"Suki…you're not making any--"

"We have to go now…" warned Suki, scrambling for her bow and arrows while handing Kuno to Yasuo and taking the empty bottle from Asako, hurriedly putting it down on the table.

"Take them to Menka's house."

Yasuo nodded and ran out the door, heading for the old woman's cabin. She knew the children almost as well as he did after all and she would know exactly how to take care of them.

Suki paced with Tobi and waited for him to get back. Something was wrong…very wrong.

As soon as Yasuo ran back inside she grabbed his hand she pulled him back out after her. Tobi transformed quickly and they flew off with only Suki's acute senses to guide them.

"Suki, where are we going?"

"The night that my father was killed…I sense that same presence now…"

"Well whoever they are, it wouldn't be very smart to land right there. I think we should land Tobi a bit farther away and travel for a bit on foot through the woods before we reach them."

"Good idea. Fly down Tobi!"

Tobi did just as ordered and landed gracefully on the ground. Yasuo prepared to help Suki off but she had already jumped and grabbed his hand. They were running at top speed when a large bear demon jumped out from the bushed on the left, blocking the path that they were following.

Yasuo took out his dagger that he kept on a belt that wrapped around his leg and went to hit it but it dodged.

"Gah! I don't have TIME for this!" screamed Suki; throwing a few punches and a kick right at its head and watching it fall lifeless to the ground. She blinked.

"Oopsies…I only meant to knock it out…" she said honestly, sounding exactly like Kagome after Kagome accidentally freed Tetsusaiga from the stone in Inuyasha's father's tomb.

Yasuo stood gaping but was soon whisked away yet again.

"We're close." She warned.

Yasuo nodded as she let go of his arm.

"However…before we rush into things…do you think maybe you could warn me before you pull another one of whatever the heck you just did back there? That thing almost fell on top of me."

"You big baby."

"Baby? Heh. I coulda been SQUASHED…like…like a CATERPILLAR!!! Besides…that sounds funny coming from someone who's shorter then I am." Joked Yasuo, standing on his toes to emphasize his point.

"Alright…you win. I'll warn you so you don't get turned into a pancake."

"Arigatou…HEY!"

"Come on. Let's get this over with." She said, holding his hand for support and squeezing it.

"Whatever is over that hill is what controlled mother. Who knows what could happen? Maybe she would have gone back and gotten some reinforcements…"

~*~*~ Sorry for the VERY late update. Vacation has been keeping me busy a lot lately, what with all my new stuff. I hope you guys'll forgive me. Gomen nasai! ~*~*~ Miyu