Disclaimer: I do not own them. I only own the cute little wolf hanyou.

Confrontation of the Third Kind

Taro awoke before dawn and went to wake his father. Today was a very special day. Kouga had promised to teach him to hunt today even though Kagome said no. Kagome finally agreed after a lot of begging from Taro. Kouga explained that Taro wouldn't be hunting, but observing instead. He was only two years old but he was very advance for his age. He started walking when he was only 8 months and could hold conversations when he was 16 months. Kouga had explained that youkia usually learn to hunt when they are one or two but decided to wait until Taro was two. Kagome only agreed to let Taro go because she was going also, to make sure Taro didn't get hurt.

"Mommy, Daddy get up! It's time to go." Taro yelled on top of his parents. Kouga jumped up and stared down at his son.

"Huh! What's happened?" He asked confused.

"Nothing. You promised to take me hunting today." Taro continued to shake Kagome.

"Taro, stop it. I'm awake." Kagome got up and went to start a fire for breakfast. "I'll make breakfast. Go wash your face."

After Breakfast and washing up, the family left to go hunting. As usual, Kouga took Ginta and Hakkaku hunting with him. When the got to what seemed like a good spot, Kouga left Kagome and Taro while he went to hunt.

"It's not fair," whined Taro, "He promised and now I have to stay with you."

Kagome just laughed at Taro. He acted like he was older at the time, but he was only two. He didn't seem to have any of Kouga's personality. Taro was like the odd ball in his family. He shared some looks with Kouga and Kagome but that was where the similarities ended. He was very independent and brave. When he didn't get his way he whined like a little girl or threw a temper tantrum. As he grew, his hair just got curlier taking after his mother. He had tan skin like his father but Kagome insisted he wear the clothes from her time. He still had his blue eyes like his father and claws and fangs. For some reason his hair never grew longer then a curly Afro with two little brown ears hiding in the sea of curls. He had gown to love overalls and always wore either overall shorts or pants. He looked like he could have been anyone's child but not Kagome's or Kouga's.

Kagome had started to spend a lot of time alone with Taro over the years. She often went to visit her friends especially Shippo. Since Shippo had always thought of Kagome as his mother, he was heartbroken when she left. Kagome thought the only way to make up for it was to visit Shippo, Sango and Miroku whenever chance she got. Kouga had no problem with it but that because he didn't realize that she would also visit a certain hanyou. Kouga didn't even think Taro knew who Inuyasha was. Little did he know, Taro knew Inuyasha very well, but Kagome had made him promise never to tell Kouga.

FIRST OF MANY FLASHBACKS

The first couple of times Kagome made her trip to see her friends at Kaede's village, Inuyasha was no where to be seen. It wasn't until the third time Kagome came to visit that the hanyou made an appearance. Kagome had decided to come visit because she was bored sitting around all day and she knew her friends would be at the village. Since Kouga didn't really feel comfortable with her friends, he let Kagome and Taro go alone but he always escorted them to village and would come back the next day just to make sure nothing happened to them. On this particular occasion, everyone had just finished eating some food that Mrs. Higurashi made and were sitting around talking when Inuyasha walked in. He took one look at Kagome and Taro and turned around and walked out. Kagome was on her feet in a flash and stopped at the door only for a second.

"Watch Taro. I'll be back soon." She then left after Inuyasha. When she finally caught up with him, he was in the forest sitting under a tree. "Can I sit down?" she asked and waited for him to answer.

He simply said "FEH" and she sat down next to him. They sat in silence for a while. They hadn't spoken since the day in the well house and Kagome hadn't thought of anything to say to him since then.

"So, how are things?" She said attempting to break the silence.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and then looked down at his hand. Inuyasha had been thinking about her everyday since that day in the well house. He wanted to just run and take her away from Kouga. He didn't understand how she could say she loved him but then leave him. "Things are good. Why are you here?"

She was glad he didn't decide to ignore her. "I came to visit."

"Oh" was all Inuyasha said. 'I'm such a baka. I actually thought she came to see me. She only came to see everyone else.' He stood and began to walk away.

"Wait! Why are you leaving? Why won't you even look at me?" She threw herself at his sleeve and hung on to it like her life depended on it.

He just looked down at the girl on his sleeve. He knew she wasn't happy but that wasn't his fault. She wanted to be with Kouga. Then he smelled tears and knew she was crying. "Kagome don't cry." He knelt down and put his arms around her.

"I can't …..help it.." She said in between sniffles. "He leaves me alone all the time. He always out doing something. He always comes back but I just need friends." 'What is wrong with me? I'm crying in Inuyasha's arms, I told him I didn't want to be with him.'

Inuyasha just looked at her. He didn't know what to say. This was the girl that held his heart and refused to be with him. He hurt her and now she was hurting him. 'Was this fair?' "Kagome maybe you should talk to someone else about this." He took his arms from around Kagome. "Feh. Why don't you go talk to Kouga." He stood up and looked away from her.

Kagome didn't know what to do. 'Have I hurt him so much he won't even comfort me? What have I done to him?' "Inuyasha please don't hate me. What I did had to be done. You can't expect Taro to be happy without his father." 'Is the only reason I'm staying with Kouga? No I love Kouga.' Kagome looked down at her hands.

"Are you really happy with him? You don't sound happy. You don't even look happy." He began to walk away but stopped to say one last thing to Kagome. "If you made the right decision, then why are you here crying to me?" He leapt into the trees leaving a confused Kagome behind.

END FLASHBACK

Most of Kagome's encounters with Inuyasha ended badly. She knew it was because he was angry at her decision to stay with Kouga. She couldn't help but constantly think she was only doing it for Taro. But things got better after that encounter with Inuyasha. Kouga spent more time with them and took her and Taro almost everywhere he went. She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Taro start to get restless.

"Mommy that guy is here!" Kagome looked up at her son. He was standing with his claws ready to pounce on anyone who came close and he began growling.

"Taro, What man?" Kagome had no idea who Taro was talking about.

"The dog man you always talk too. The one daddy hates." Taro didn't understand why his mother didn't know whom he was talking about. She only knew but so many guys.

"Inuyasha? Where is he?" Kagome stood up and followed Taro, who was already running to where he smelled Inuyasha.

When Taro finally stopped running, Kagome saw Inuyasha sitting by a stream with his back to them. He turned when they were right behind them.

"Oi! What are you doing here?" He asked as he stood up to face them. "Where's the wolf?"

Kagome grabbed Taro who was already growling at Inuyasha. Truth be told Taro kind of liked Inuyasha but Kouga told him to make sure Inuyasha never came near his mother.

"Taro, stop it. We were waiting for Kouga while he went hunting and Taro said you were close by." She lifted the little wolf hanyou off the floor and held him in her arms. Taro looked over at Inuyasha.

"Can I have a ride on your back? Want to race? I bet you're not as fast as me! You want to wrestle? I'm hungry." Taro asked as many questions as he could. He leapt out of his mother's arms and jumped up and down in front of Inuyasha.

"Feh. You're not faster then me." Inuyasha said. He crossed his arms across his chest to show that he wasn't worried about losing to Taro. He was only kidding around with the little pup. He always let him win whenever they played.

OH LOOK, ANOTHER FLASHABCK

Taro was so excited when he learned of his speed. He knew wolves were fast but he had no idea that his father could run as fast as he did. His mother had told him all about the Shikon no Tama and how she broke it. Kagome also told him how the shards gave powers to demons and how Kouga had two in his legs. But Taro had no idea that he could run as fast as his father without shards.

On one of there trips to visit Kagome's friends, Taro made Inuyasha race him. Of course Inuyasha said he let the little wolf hanyou win but Inuyasha's speed was no match for Taro's. No one understood why or how Taro was so fast but they just guessed it was because Kouga was really fast.

"Inuyasha why won't you race me? Are you afraid I will beat you?" Taro whined for the fourth time.

"Feh. I'm not afraid of you. I just don't want you to cry." Inuyasha called from his tree branch.

"Come on! Please. I'll stop asking when you race me." Taro managed to jump up the tree and was wrapped around Inuyasha's leg.

"Brat get the fuck off." Inuyasha yelled as he flung Taro to the ground." "SIT!" THUD

Shippo walked up to Taro and patted him on the back. "Nice job"

When the spell started to wear off, Inuyasha sat up. "What the fuck was that for wench?" "SIT!" THUD

"Stop it Kagome." Inuyasha growled.

"Stop cursing in front of Taro. He doesn't need to learn those kinds of words." Kagome then sat down next to the rest of her friends. "And just race him so he can stop whining." She put her hands on her face and shook her head.

"Fine come on brat." Then all anyone else saw was a tornado running with a blur of silver and red. When the race was over Taro won and Inuyasha claimed to have let him win.

END FLASHBACK

Inuyasha just shook his head. "I'm not racing you again brat." Then he turned his face up in a scowl. "Anyway that wimpy wolf is coming." He started to walk away but was cut off my Kouga.

"What are you doing here dog face? Taro I thought I told you to keep him away from your mother." He walked over to Kagome and put his arm around her waist.

"Aw do I have to? I like Inuyasha. He's my fri.." Kagome reached down and covered Taro's mouth giving him a death glare if he finished his sentence.

"Kagome, why do you have your hand on Taro's mouth?"

Kagome smiled nervously. "Oh no reason. He looked like he was going to cough."

"Kagome, youkai don't sick. And that includes Taro. He can only get sick when he's human. And he doesn't look human to me." Kouga said pointing to Taro.

"Mub moffy!" Taro mumbled under Kagome's hand.

"Inuyasha was just leaving." Kagome said. "Like we should be I have to get Taro something to eat. Maybe I should go see my friends today." Kagome said still leaving her hand on Taro's mouth.

"Fine then let's go." Kouga said picking Kagome up.

"Wait. Inuyasha is here. I can walk with him and Taro." She looked at Kouga's face and thought about what she said. 'Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say.' "I meant maybe Inuyasha could walk with us."

"NO!" Shouted Inuyasha and Kouga at the same time. Kagome just sighed and began walking towards the village. She could hear the arguing behind her but decided to ignore it. She put down Taro and held his hand as they walked to see her friends and Taro's new favorite playmate, Shippo.

When they got to the village, Miroku, Sango and Shippo were all sitting outside Kaede's hut. Kagome walked up to them with a huge smile on her face.

"Oohayo. What have you guys been up to?" She said. She took a seat next to Sango and pulled Taro into her lap. He tried to wiggle free of her grip.

"Mommy I want to play with Shippo. Let go" He whined. Kagome just ignored him and continued talking to her friends.

"Miroku can you watch Taro while I go talk with Sango?" She didn't wait for his answer. She had already grabbed Sango's hand and was dragging the older girl away. "Taro, stay where Miroku can see you. And Shippo don't take him far." She left pulling Sango behind her.

Shippo looked over at Taro with a mischievous grin and the two ran around for a little bit. When they were sure they were far enough for Miroku not to hear but close enough for him to see them, Shippo leaned close to Taro.

"We can play in the clearing by the well. We can play tag. Miroku is resting he won't notice us missing." Taro nodded and quickly looked over at Miroku who was indeed sleeping.

"Come on let's play," Taro yelled as they played hide and seek.

Back To Sango and Kagome

Sango finally got a chance to sit down by the spring. Kagome seemed like she urgently need to talk to her. They both settled down on a spot near the water. When Kagome and Sango finally caught their breath, Kagome started talking.

"I need to talk to you. It's about Inuyasha and Kouga." Sango nodded her head for Kagome to go on. "I'm stuck. I love them both and lately I feel like Inuyasha trying to get me to stay with him again."

"Are you sure you love them?" Sango asked.

"Of course I do. At first I thought I just loved Kouga because of Taro, but he's so sweet now. He always takes us with him when he leaves and if it's too dangerous he makes sure Taro has someone to play with or I have someone to talk to. He's even ok with me coming here to visit you guys knowing Inuyasha shows up sometimes."

"But what about Inuyasha?"

"What about him?" Kagome sighed. "I know he loves me and if he had told me three years ago, this wouldn't have been an issue. I would be with him and Taro would be his son. But I was so hurt by his constantly choosing Kikyu over me that I fell for Kouga. Now Inuyasha is trying to get me to stay with him. I know he's still angry that I choose to stay with Kouga that time two years ago but he put me through a lot worse. I just don't want to hurt either of them. I guess I need advice." She looked at Sango waiting for her to speak.

"Kagome you're asking the wrong person. I know nothing about love. I don't even know what it feels like." Sango looked out at the spring.

Kagome put her arms around Sango. "What about Miroku?" she asked.

Sango pulled away and looked at Kagome. He face was beat red. "I..I.. don't love Houshi-sama. He's too much of a hentai for me to love him."

"Oh really, or are you afraid he doesn't love you?" Kagome asked. She had a sly smirk on her face.

"We're talking about your love life not my lack of one." Sango replied. She still had a deep blush on her face.

"Fine. I just wish I could be happy with one without hurting the other." Kagome sighed. She stood up and extended a hand to help Sango. The two girls started to walk back to Miroku when they heard a loud yell.

"Miroku, where the fuck is Kagome?" an all too familiar voice yelled.

This takes place at the same time Sango and Kagome leave to the spring

Shippo was supposed to be 'it'. He counted as high as he could on a nearby tree while Taro hid. He was almost ready to start looking for him when he felt the wind pick up. It was a dangerous gust that could only mean on thing….

Taro found a great hiding spot. He hid in a tree far from Shippo but he could see the kitsune counting from his spot. He felt the wind blow very strong and shivered, as the chilly wind seemed to wrap around. It also seemed to lift him out of the tree towards a giant feather in the sky. As he neared the feather he saw the girl sitting on it with a fan. That was the last thing he saw as he blacked out.

Shippo looked around the clearing. He couldn't smell Taro anymore and he couldn't see him. He knew Taro was hiding in a tree behind him but now he was gone. After the wind disappeared, Shippo smelled an all too familiar scent. 'KAGURA' was all he could think as he raced back to Miroku. Then he heard a loud yell in front of him.

"Miroku, where the fuck is Kagome?" Shippo knew that he was shit out of luck when he got back because he would have to face a pissed off youkia, hanyou and Kagome.

The fight between Inuyasha and Kouga (same time Sango and Kagome leave to go to the spring

Inuyasha leapt away from another of Kouga's attacks. He slammed down Tetsusaiga where he thought Kouga would land. The wolf youkai was to fast and ran out of the way. The two rivals had begun fighting right after Kagome and Taro left. They didn't even notice her leave until a few minutes later. Inuyasha was about to charge Kouga with another attack from the fang when a white baboon appeared in-between them. Both Inuyasha and Kouga spotted dead in their tracks.

"Naraku," growled Inuyasha through clenched teeth. Kouga go ready to attack when he noticed it wasn't their foe. It was one of his puppets.

The puppet Naraku just laughed at the two before him. "I didn't come to fight. I came to give you a message. You will give me your shards both of you."

"Feh. What makes you think I'm handing these over to shit like you?" Inuyasha flexed his claws.

Kouga just smiled. "If you haven't gotten them yet then you're not getting them now." (A/N: I don't remember if Kouga lost his shards in the whole Mt. Hakurei thing. I'm just guessing.)

The Naraku puppet continued to laugh. "Silly fools. I wasn't asking. If you bring them to me, the boy won't be harmed."

Inuyasha and Kouga looked confused. "Boy? You mean Kohaku?" Inuyasha asked.

"Ku Ku Ku. No the wolf's hanyou son. He will die if you do not bring me the shards." The puppet continued to laugh while he watched the expressions on Kouga and Inuyasha's faces.

"Die you fucking bastard!" Kouga screamed as he tore into the puppet. He ripped it apart with one swing of his claws. He leapt over it and ran towards the village. Inuyasha ran after him.

When they got to the village, the fisr thing they saw was Miroku sleeping. Kagome and Sango were nowhere in sight. Inuyasha picked up Miroku by the throat.

"Miroku, where the fuck is Kagome?" he yelled at the frightened monk.

Miroku managed to get free of Inuyasha's death grip. "She went to talk to Sango why?"

"Where is Taro?" Kouga asked.

"He's playing with Shippo why?" Miroku said. He could see by the look in both their eyes that that wasn't good enough. "That way I think." He pointed to where he last saw them playing.

At that same time Shippo appeared in the direction Miroku was pointing. He felt like running in the other direction when he saw Kouga and Inuyasha yelling at Miroku. 'Oh no! I'm dead.' Inuyasha walked up to Shippo and grabbed his tail. He brought the kitsune up the eye level.

"Where's Taro brat?" he said.

"Uhh. I thought he came back here." He saw Inuyasha's eyes hold a tint of red. "We were playing hide and seek. And then the wind picked up and then he was gone. I smelled Kagura after the wind died down."

At the same time Kagome and Sango approached from the spring. They had heard everything Shippo said.

"Where's Taro? What are you talking about Shippo?" Kagome asked. She was starting to get hysterical. Kouga walked up to her and put his arms around her.

"Naraku took him. He wants the shards for him." Kouga said. He held her tightly as she slipped to the ground. He tried to comfort her but it wasn't enough. She broke down into tears.

Far away in a dark castle

Naraku sat by the window looking into Kanna's mirror. By his feet lay the unconscious body of Taro.

"Hmm. My plan is working perfectly." Naraku said.