Yes...very long chapter in coming...sorry...had writer's block...then...inspiration hit...and I thought of the perfect way to end the story...FYI...this is the last chapter...I decided against more because it interfered in the way I decided to end it...I hope you enjoy...and if I get enough of an outcry, I might be inspired to put up an epilogue, but there will be no sequel...Tiffany has too many other stories floating in her head to do that...my muses call...and I answer.

"Okay...let me get this straight. Naraku is besieging our palace?" Sesshomaru nodded. "We have no way of forcing him to retreat?" Sesshomaru shook his head. "If we do not find a way to end this soon, we're all going to starve to death?"

"I won't...I will simply eat the lesser demons, but you will."

Kagome smiled. "Oh, well, thank God for that. Is there any way we can sneak out?"

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Tashios do not sneak away from a battle."

"No, they just die, or get frozen in stone, or stuck to a tree..."

"Then I will do the first. I will not allow a hanyou to run me away from my home."

"Until a week ago, you hadn't been here in months. This is not your home."

"It's the closest I have."

"True, back to the point, however...I'm weak Sesshy. I cannot hold off Naraku with a barrier. The battle with Kikyo has left me...drained," Kagome explained, sitting down with a humph as suddenly the situation dawned on her. They were surrounded by hoards of demons; the only way out would be to fly, but even that was cut out by the poison insects. Kagome was exhausted, despite having been asleep for a week. Her inner confrontation with Kikyo and the need to purify Kikyo from her body had left her miko powers weak and her physically and mentally battered.

Sesshomaru stepped close and knelt in front of her. "I do not expect you to stand by my side and die with me Kagome. We knew that this was a chance, and that you and I would not remain mates long. Inevitably, one of us would die in this battle. I had hoped it would be you..." Kagome punched Sesshomaru in the arm with a laugh. "...alas, it will be me."

"I wouldn't think of leaving you Sesshomaru. It's not honorable," Kagome said on a serious note. She suddenly wished for her old long hair, so that she might hide behind it from Sesshomaru's intense stare.

"I do not want you to," Sesshomaru growled lightly, using a claw to tip her face back. He sniffed lightly at her neck. "You and our child will live, and continue the Tashio line. Inuyasha cannot be trusted with the task."

Kagome pulled away. "Inuyasha! That hanyou is still alive!"

Sesshomaru gave a minute sigh. "He had no idea what Kikyo was planning. I could smell the truth of his words. He truly did not want you to come to any harm. When I am gone, he will help take care of you and the pup."

"No."

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed red at his mate's insubordination. "No?"

"No. I will not leave you in cowardess. I may not have a demon's honor, but I have a warrior's. I am no coward."

Sesshomaru stood rigidly and looked down at the suddenly small looking woman before him. "You presume that you have a choice."

"You presume that you can make me go," Kagome said, standing too. They glared at each other before Sesshomaru broke and pull Kagome close.

"You are my mate. As long as you are safe, I have hope. As long as I have hope, there is a chance. That is all I need to defeat Naraku. If you are nearby, I will worry, and I will be distracted. Would you like to be blamed for my death?"

Kagome suddenly felt tears at her eyes. "No..." She whispered, clutching Sesshomaru to her. When had he become so big to her? They'd been mated for less than a week but here she was crying for him? Where was the big tough warrior chick now?

There was a knock at the door and Sesshomaru allowed Kagome to turn away and make attempts at clearing her face of emotion before he called for whoever it was to come. Jaken stepped in, his face looking to the floor.

"Master...the witch and demon are here. The witch has gone ahead and taken the children and humans with her. Except for Lady Kagome, no humans remain in the house."

"Dismissed," Sesshomaru growled as he contemplated the news. He turned to Kagome, who was staring out the window. There was no light coming in, Naraku's barrier blocking the sun. All that could be seen was a swirling darkness, and the occasional glint of demon scraping demon in the miasma of the barrier. "You must go."

"I don't want to," Kagome stated, not looking at him.

Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around Kagome and gently caressed her belly. "For the child, go."

Kagome covered his hand with her's. "I do not love you. I do not love this child." Kagome left off the "yet"s of both statements, leaving them unspoken in the air. "I go because my mate orders it. I do as he says. It is the honorable thing to do." Kagome turned and walking quietly out of the room. She never looked back, not once, but when she was gone, Sesshomaru felt the room and his destiny close around him and threaten to choke the breath from his lungs. No, Kagome did not love him, nor would she live her life out alone. He did not expect that. He wanted the woman he loved to be happy, after all.

Kagome followed Jaken down many corridors until they had reached a dark and dank dungeon. Kagome could see through a daze that a figure stood at a large opening in the wall, but it was only when he turned that she recognized him.

"Bankotsu?"

"Yeah. Who'd you expect? Hojo?"

"No, but...I thought you were out scouting for allies?"

"Yeah, a week ago. Then I got news that you'd been hurt..." He looked sheepish. "So I came here."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leading you through the underground caves to the other side."

"Why?"

"Because Sesshomaru asked me to," Bankotsu said, suddenly serious at the mention of Kagome's soon to be dead mate.

"Why would he..." Kagome stepped back as Bankotsu leaned over to sniff at her.

"It's true," he said in reply to her raised eyebrow. "You're pregnant."

Kagome covered her still flat stomach and decided to ignore that statement. She had no idea how this would affect her. She had been in no way prepared for this. "Yeah...shouldn't we be going?"

In answer, the room shook as an explosion sounded above. "The battle has begun without me!" Jaken screeched as he ran from the room. Kagome felt slightly nauseas at the rocking motion of the room and went along quietly as Bankotsu began to pull her into the tunnels. It took her a minute to realize that Bankotsu was speaking as he did so.

"...when we get back to the twentieth century we'll tell our friends that it's mine, that way there'll be less questions. We'll get married and, I know, I can't satisfy you the way Sesshomaru..."

Sesshomaru.

My mate.

He's fighting for his life while I listen to this prat go on about our future.

"What?"

Bankotsu paused. "You and me? We'll be together after this."

"What about the people here?"

"They can't be helped. Naraku is winning. We can't stop him. We'll go to the future and we'll try to find a different way to stop him."

"Don't you think he'll affect that too?"

"It doesn't matter, baby. We'll be together," Bankotsu tried to pull Kagome close but she pushed him away.

"My mate is dying to save me and you try to seduce under his feet?"

Bankotsu's eyes suddenly became shuttered. "Why do you care? This was a business arrangement. You and I were always going to be together afterwards."

"Things happen, Bankotsu. I'm...pregnant!" Kagome said breathlessly, the truth of her situation hitting her. She was carrying a child within her. Life. That would depend on her.

"So? That doesn't matter. We love each other! Are you trying to tell me you love him!"

"No..." Kagome said, and was truthful. Kagome started to edge backwards, back towards the entrance and to Sesshomaru. "But there's a chance."

Bankotsu looked down and away. "A chance?"

Kagome let the tears fall. "There's a chance that I could."

"You would risk death for a chance of love?"

"I would risk death for him. And I am going to."

"And your child?"

"Would hate me for leaving her father behind."

"You..."

"Would hate myself for leaving him too."

"That is a war going on up there. War like we never had to deal with in the future."

Kagome smiled through her inner pain. "But I have hope. That is all I need."

Bankotsu sneered. "Then let hope protect you. Let hope keep you warm at night."

Kagome watched Bankotsu storm into the tunnels and soon out of sight. She sighed.

I do not expect you to stand by my side and die with me Kagome. We knew that this was a chance, and that you and I would not remain mates long. Inevitably, one of us would die in this battle.

I will not leave you, my mate, Kagome thought to herself.

You and our child will live...

We will...with you, my love. Kagome turned resolutely to the inky darkness and started for the opening...for the battle...for the final fight with Naraku...for Sesshomaru...her love...the father of her child...and she feared...her soul mate.

FIN!

OOooooohhhh...what? That hurt didn't it? But yes, no matter how you implore me...that is the end...except maybe an epilogue...but it won't be what most of you expect if you ask for it...it might leave you as dissatisfied as this did...yes, I know it dissatisfies you...I like it though, so bite me...REVIEW!

Special thanks to everyone who reviewed steadily...you guys are the best reviewers I've ever had...thank you eternally.