Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any of the gang.

"One of us should go to her...speak with her. Lady Rin has always been fair in her dealings with demons. Surely she would not deny our request. None other will listen to us. If we can reason with her, perhaps she can also reason with InuYasha. If we do not try, our fate will be sealed."

"How do we ask her to resort to thievery? She has never betrayed her lord. Now he is also her mate which makes it even more unlikely that she would do such a thing. No. Lady Rin is too fair and honest a woman. As strange as it is to say, I do not wish to put her in a compromising position. We leave her out of this."

"Leave her out of this! That is impossible to do. Her involvement with the inuyoukai lord has placed her in the very middle of everything. Lady Rin and the girl, Kagome, have no idea how deeply involved in this matter they are! They cannot remain ignorant of this forever. InuYasha's sword can help us beat back our enemies and perserve our way of life! With the elixir we can be assured that our people will not die! Where do you loyalties lie? With a human girl or with your own bretheren?"

The taller of the two demons glowered at his shorter companion. He did not like to be questioned thusly. Their hopes had rested on Tetsuseiga, they still did. The fact they could not wield the sword was only a minor setback just as their dealings with the Northern Lord had been. If they could find a way to get the elixir in their grasp, they would no longer need the Tetsuseiga. The question was, which one was trully out of their reach?

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"InuYasha?"

The halfdemon sighed. He might have known. Judging by Kagome's loud whisper she was hoping he wasn't napping in the tree overhead. He had come here to be alone, to think for awhile. Slowly InuYasha opened one eye and peered down at his expectant looking mate. Kagome always had the same look on her face when she was worried about something. She was also clasping her hands together. Something was definately weighing heavy on her mind.

"What is it now, Kagome? I had rathered hoped for some peace and quiet."

"How can you be so calm! Sesshomaru just asked you to watch over his mate and their unborn baby. Your brother! Asked something of you! Aren't you the least bit shocked by that!"

"Feh. So what? I'm gonna keep an eye on Rin. Whats the big deal?"

"The big deal is you are kinda responsible for Rin's safety. You don't like to be responsible for anything or anyone! And the fact that its also Sesshomaru's baby you'll be guarding. Why did you agree to it?"

InuYasha sat up, giving up on any plans for rest, "I agreed to do it because I know what kind of a life this kid is gonna face, Kagome. It won't matter that his or her father is some powerful demon lord. People can still be jerks. Someone is going to have to teach this kid how to stand up for themself."

"You are going to give this child the guidance you never had." Kagome said softly.

"More like, I'm going to teach the kid how to avoid the pitfalls that make one a social outcast. No way this kid is going to have the name halfbreed thrown in its face. Why should Rin have to cry like my mother did?"

"InuYasha?"

"Yeah?" he sighed heavily.

"Did you...did you ever hate humans as much as your brother did?"

"There was only one human I ever hated as much as Sesshomaru hated all humans. But we aren't going to go there, are we, Kagome?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head slowly, "Is it really going to be that hard for Rin and Sesshomaru's child?"

"Its only going to be as hard as the kid allows it to be. Once the kid learns to ignore other peoples stupidity, it will get easier." InuYasha shrugged before jumping lightly from the tree and landing before Kagome.

Kagome studied her mate in complete silence. InuYasha had come so far since they first met. He had been so guarded and distrustful, with good reason of course. Only her patience and willingness to stay by his side no matter what had slowly broken down the barriers he had set up around himself. Yes, InuYasha was still a bit rough around the edges and his temper still had a way of getting the better of him but Kagome loved him exactly as he was. Infuriating, brave, stubborn, reliable. Kagome tried to imagine what Rin and Sesshomaru's child might turn out like. She hoped the child would have Rin's temperment for everyone's sakes.

"There's another reason I agreed to do this, Kagome." InuYasha said, his face and voice deadly serious.

"What reason is that?" she asked, her voice a whisper of anticipation, thinking it some great secret.

"I figure this way Sesshomaru is gonna owe me one." the hanyou smirked.

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Sesshomaru looked down at the sprawled form of his near catatonic vassil.

"Jaken. Get up."

"M-me lord, how can this be!" Jaken gaped as he sat up, his hands clutching his sore head.

"I hope you are not expecting your lord to explain how such things occur, Jaken." Sesshomaru sighed.

"I know how it happens, me lord, but...you and Rin having a child? I never would have thought...as much as you despise InuYasha..."

Jaken quickly ducked his head. He knew it sounded as if he was implying his lord might have such feelings towards his own child. To Jaken's surprise Lord Sesshomaru almost looked...remorseful. Was it possible Lord Sesshomaru had come to accept his brother, to somehow forgive him for their father's demise?

"What has blood pride gotten me, Jaken? Nothing. My existance was a cold and lonely one. Rin has continually given me things I did not think I wanted nor needed. My brother and I have reached...an understanding of sorts. His existance happened for a reason. He is not the first halfdemon nor shall he be the last. In accepting him as he is, I have learned how to be able to accept my own child."

"Forgive me for being outspoken, me lord, but this is going to render you even more vulnerable. Already we have seen how enemies have tried to use Rin against you. When word of her condition leaks out, enemies will come in droves, hoping to capture her. What are we to do?"

"That concern has been dealt with, Jaken." Sesshomaru replied, turning from his vassil and stepping out into the open gardens outside his room.

The moon was full overhead, casting an eery glow over the landscape. Sesshomaru thought back to the last time he saw his father. There had been a full moon then as well. He had damned his father for going, hated the woman who his father went for and despised the child which his father had made with that woman. His father had asked him that night if he had someone to protect, a notion that seemed ridiculous to Sesshomaru at the time. He stood there and he could understand his father's urgency to reach Lady Izayoi. His fierce need to protect her. His determination no longer seemed like a folly. His father had been not a great dog demon but the great dog demon. He had still been cut down in battle. He never really knew InuYasha and InuYasha never really knew him. Sesshomaru would make certain no such fate would befall his child.

Jaken watched his lord from a short distance away. Like it or not, Lord Sesshomaru was going to have a child with a human girl. The news had shocked the vassil but he would never dare to speak against it. If his lord said the matter of the child and Rin's safety was taken care of then it was, without a doubt. Jaken would do his part to aid in their protection. Of course, he would do so only to please his lord. Certainly not because he held any affections towards Rin and the child...of course not.

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