Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha, even though I'd like to. I hug'em and love'em and lock'em away some place no one else could have'em. Hehehe. Just kidding, he's too great to hide from the world.

Twisting time

Chapter 2

With that they made their way into the fortress, for that is what it truly was. Inside was nothing like the outside. They stepped into a long dark hall. Inu Yasha's golden eyes glowed in the darkness as he led the way. They crept along until the heard someone cursing from inside a room near the end.

Linu grinned and peered threw the crack in the door. "He's in here." Linu slammed his shoulder into the door, it groaned and gave way. Linu stumbled into the room.

"Linu! How did you…." The older and very human Inu Yasha looked past his son at the woman who stood in the doorway. He blinked at her in puzzlement. "Kagome?" Behind her appeared an even stranger sight, the younger Inu Yasha. He looked at his counterpart with a strange sensation. "Damn." He began to laugh. "I hoped this wouldn't happen."

Young Inu Yasha moved into the room. "You mean you remember this and you didn't know any better than to get caught."

Older Inu Yasha snorted. "Yeah, like you'll have a choice in it either. It's not like I stood there and let them tie me up."

Young Inu Yasha moved forward. "Shut up and turn around so I can get rid of those ropes." The older Inu Yasha began to turn.

Kagome ran forward. "No."

"What?" Both men barked.

"You can't touch each other." They blinked at her blankly. 'The older one is just as dense as the young one. At least he won't change much.' "Scientists say that the same matter cannot occupy the same space. It you touch each other you could both die."

Linu nodded. "That's right and with more and more technology we've even proven that fact in our time. Better let me untie you." Linu knelt and with a small switch blade cut his father's bonds.

The older Inu Yasha rubbed at his wrists as he stood. He stared at Kagome with a whimsical smile. Frustrated Kagome chirped. "What is it?"

"I miss that skirt. Too bad my Kagome threw it out years ago." His expression changed. "Linu, did you see her anywhere?"

"Not yet. We found you first."

The older Inu Yasha turned to his younger self. "You can track her scent if you put a little distance between you and this Kagome. I have been here once before, but it was a really long time ago and I don't remember where we found her then."

The younger Inu Yasha understood immediately and headed back out the door. He paused and gave his Kagome a look of apprehension. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to her. This bastard took, my Kagome when I wasn't around. And believe me, he's gonna pay." The words were more like a growl.

The young hanyou grinned broadly. "He sure will." With that he took off down the hall.

Kagome and the other two followed but at a distance as to not disturb the younger demon's concentration. Kagome was watching the older Inu Yasha with wonderment. He was still built the same and his muscles were still firm, but he had differences. His hair was black, pulled back with a leather strap and tinged with gray. He had looked at her with a strange glint in his eye as if he knew something she didn't, which was probably the case. His features were slightly more mature. He caught her looking at him and grinned. "Do I look that different?"

Kagome blushed. "Uh...um…well yeah."

"You don't have to be shy with me. In this time we've been married for twenty years. There's nothing I don't know about you by now." A sly grin crossed his face as he turned a corner sharply to keep an eye on his younger self. Kagome had the sudden realization that this Inu Yasha had probably seen her naked among other things. She turned a deep shade of scarlet.

Ahead of them, her Inu Yasha had stopped and was crouched near a door sniffing underneath it. He stood and took a few steps back and charged the door. It burst open and he skidded to a stop before a demon with blue hair. Beside him, tied firmly to the chair he sat in was Kagome. She stared at him in utter shock and sputtered. "Inu Yasha? How did you…."

Inu Yasha smiled inwardly. Linu had spoken the truth. She had not changed much, except for a few smile lines around the eyes and a slight touch of gray in her bangs. She blinked in confusion, and then her eyes lit up as her Inu Yasha appeared at his counterpart's side. "I should've known it was you, Daikumaru. You'll pay for this with your life."

The demon stood and examined the two men before him. "What is this? Two of you?" He glared at the younger Inu Yasha and snickered. "How pathetic, you're a half-demon. Well, neither of you shall interfere. I shall make another jewel and this wench's soul shall create it."

Linu's fist balled at his side. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"Linu, stay back!" The older Kagome warned.

"Stay back, son. This demon is mine!" The older Inu Yasha sprang at the demon in fury. Daikumaru raised a hand to blast him with energy. Inu Yasha dodged the blast and rolled to the side of Daikumaru's chair. His hand touched the handle of his blade that lay beside it. "This is mine." He drew the Tetsusaiga. It did not transform, but the blade glowed with a fierce light. "Now, it's time to die."

Daikumaru spun quickly shoving Linu, who had snuck up to untie his mother, to the side and grasping the older Kagome by the neck. "Try it. I'll snap her head right off her shoulders. You know I can." The older Inu Yasha snarled his discontent at the demon, but backed down.

"You wouldn't do that, you need her!" The young Kagome stomped her foot, getting a glare from the demon, who did a double take at the young woman.

"So there are two of you as well. How marvelous! Now my jewel will be twice as powerful as the original." The younger Inu Yasha stepped in front of his Kagome with a vicious growl that was much more menacing in his hanyou state.

Linu had regained his feet behind the demon, and was about to attempt a sneak attack. "Tell your pup to stay out of this or he'll die as well."

At that the Linu's mother snarled. "You lay a hand on my son, and you're dead." The woman glared at him so hard that the demon flinched. It was enough of a distraction for the young hanyou to spring at his opponent. Daikumaru raised a hand to block the blow of the Tetsusaiga. The sword broke through the pathetic shield and sliced through the demon's arm. Daikumaru howled and backed away. In a blink of an eye the older Inu Yasha had decapitated the demon. "Humph, after all that talk, he wasn't very strong." The black haired Inu Yasha snorted as he knelt beside his Kagome to cut the ropes.

The woman flung her arms around her husband and buried her face in his neck. "Inu Yasha!" He stroked her hair softly.

He kissed her forehead. "Come on, we'd better get out of here. If I know Daikumaru, he's probably got an army ready to keep us from leaving. I don't suppose you encountered his captain on the way in?"

"Captain?" The younger Kagome questioned.

"That foul bull demon." Growled her counterpart. "He is the one that kidnapped me."

The older Inu Yasha laid his sword across his shoulders. "Well, since Daikumaru turned out to be such a disappointment, I might as well take out Gutonru while I'm at it."

"I'll help." Linu said beside his mother.

His mother's eyes narrowed into that angry scowl. "I don't think so. And what are you doing here anyways?"

Linu's calm expression told them this was a common conversation. "I brought them."

"And how did you get through the well, anyways?"

Linu pulled the prayer beads from his pocket. He grinned. "I used these."

He father snorted. "Where'd you get those?"

"I found them in your hiding place." Linu chuckled at his father's expression. "You know, it's the same place you used to hide Eri's birthday presents."

His father folded his arms. "Snoopy kid. I'll just have to find a better place next time."

Linu laughed. "You know, of course, Mom knows where all your hiding places are too."

Inu Yasha turned his shocked gaze on his wife. Kagome flushed. "Linu!"

Inu Yasha suddenly chuckled. "You two actually thought I didn't know you were snooping around in the mini-shrine." Kagome blinked at him. "I've known since Linu turned ten and somehow knew I'd gotten him that car thing he wanted so bad." It was Linu's turn to look shocked. "As if you could hide anything from me."

"Umm….this is a fascinating conversation, believe me, but we're about to have company." The young Inu Yasha turned to the doorway and took up a protective stance in front of Kagome. A few moments later the doorway was filled with guards. A large man pushed his way through. He stood a full three heads above Inu Yasha. The hanyou bared his fangs at the man, who stunk of bull. "You must be Daikumaru's captain." He cracked his knuckles.

"What happened to you little man, you're hairs gone white?"

The hanyou sprang at him. "That's the least of your worries." His counterpart stepped up beside them, but not too close. Gutonru sprang to the side and gasped at the older Inu Yasha brought his sword to the demon's throat.

"Tell me something before I kill you Gutonru. Why did you think you could abduct my wife with no retribution from me?"

"You fool, I knew you would come and while you have dawdled here, you're precious daughter has been taken."

Inu Yasha gasped. "What?"

"Eri…" Tears ran down the older Kagome's face.

"Daikumaru was a fool and his plot to capture the woman was coarse. I, on the other hand, knew better." He eyed the man before him. "You would do anything for her." His eyes traveled to Kagome. "I want your soul to make a jewel. If you come willingly the girl will be returned unharmed."

"You monster!" Linu cried from beside his mother. "She's just a child."

But Gutonru's attention was focused on Linu's mother. "You have heard my offer, refuse and she will be returned but not alive. And if I die those that hold her will slay her." Both Kagome's went pale and both Inu Yashas cursed the beast before them. For an interminable moment the room fell silent.

Slowly the older Kagome moved forward, past her counterpart, to stand between the two Inu Yashas. She placed a hand on her husband's arm. She gazed up at Gutonru. "You swear you will not harm my daughter." The demon nodded. "Then I will go with you."

"No!" Her companions cried at once.

"He won't let her go, even if you go with him." The young hanyou sputtered.

"I have no use for the child, once I have the woman, I shall release her."

Kagome nodded. "No, Kagome. You can't do this." The older Inu Yasha grasped her by her shoulders. She leaned forward and kissed him warmly. As she pulled away, his eyes filled with fear. "Kagome please."

"I love you, Inu Yasha. I always have." With that she pulled away from him and took a few steps towards the demon.

Please R&R

Sorry so short. I've got a bit more to write on this one. Hope you like it.