Hey! Another update! Heh, I broke my toe from swimming (how odd is that), so I'm stuck in my house doing nothing for the next week...which means I can update more :) Thanks sooo much for all of the wonderful reviews :)

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Chapter 18: Kagome: Sesshoumaru's Mate?

Kagome and Inuyasha walked along the garden edge, talking randomly to each other. They were both content with each other, they hadn't argued or bickered at each other since the last time Kagome sat him.

Inuyasha tried to keep up with Kagome's stories, but he was focused on one thing: explaining what Sesshoumaru wanted to do with Kagome. She was just a human, and no human never understood the procedures that a demon went through to be mated. It was easy for a youkai and a youkai to be mated, that was no problem, but it was a problem when a human mated a youkai.

Inuyasha almost didn't want to explain it to her, he wanted to leave it for Sesshoumaru to do. But, he knew how Sesshoumaru was. A one word explanation would suit him just fine. Perhaps a sentence, at least. He would probably say something like: 'Kagome, just follow as I do, and you will be fine.'

Heh, last time someone said that to their future mate, they both died in a horrific battle. That was something that he did not want Kagome to go through.

So now he just followed Kagome, trying to listen to her. Every now and then she'd stop talking, and Inuyasha would look over to her and say, 'Why did you stop talking?', and she would continue on.

Eventually, after a long hour of Inuyasha trying to tell Kagome the procedures of mating, and Kagome just rambling on about her future life, she eventually stopped talking for a good five minutes. Inuyasha took that time to finally cut in and explain to her what his brother wanted him to tell her.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha finally said, right before Kagome started up on her stories again, "I have something that I need to explain to you..."

Kagome just nodded, and waited for him to continue on. Inuyasha looked over to her, and stopped walking. Kagome followed suit, and stopped in her tracks also. Inuyasha guided them to a nearby bench, where they both sat. Inuyasha just fumbled with his hands, trying to find a good way to start his explanation.

"Kagome...Sesshoumaru has something in store for you tonight, when you meet him in his chambers." Inuyasha just threw out the first thing he could think of. Kagome just stared at him with a blank expression on her face. Inuyasha sighed, and tried to continue on.

"Well, if you go to his chambers, that is, he will want you to 'mate' him." Inuyasha stopped once again, looking over to Kagome. That had caught her attention. Her eyes were wide, her hand was covering her mouth. She moved her hand from her mouth, and opened it, but nothing came out. She was speechless. She spat out the first thing that she thought of.

"He wants to mate me!" Kagome squeaked out, her voice a little higher than a whisper. Inuyasha nodded, and sighed.

"Yes...he wants to mate you. But, mind you, its not as easy as one-two-three. You see, there's a process to it..."

Kagome couldn't move. She couldn't speak. Sesshoumaru wanted to mate with her? How did Inuyasha know? He wanted to mate with her already? Why now? Why not later? She opened her mouth to speak, and this time words came out.

"Why does he want to mate me so soon?"

Inuyasha looked into the gardens, and thought of an answer. He really didn't know why, so he answered to why he thought he wanted to so soon.

"Because he wants to claim you as his. He doesn't want no other man, hanyou, or youkai to take you from him. He would feel a lot more safer knowing you are his, and mating creates a bond between the two. When one is in danger, the other knows. He would know when you were in danger, so he wants to mate." Inuyasha stopped and looked up, and saw a single tear slide from Kagome's eyes. He stiffened up, not wanting Kagome to cry.

"He...cares for me...that much?" Kagome smiled, and wiped her single tear away form her face. She nodded her head to Inuyasha, who relaxed just a bit.

"So, you tell me that there is a procedure to it. Is it that hard? I mean, it couldn't be that hard, now could it?" Kagome asked Inuyasha, wanting to know the answers, but being patient. She needed to know a lot.

Inuyasha shook his head, and answered her questions.

"It is that hard. It would be a lot more easier if you were a youkai, but your not. And, it would be easier if you came form this time, but your not. Does Sesshoumaru even know that you come from the future?"

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "I think I might have told him once, but I don't think he believed me. Who would, anyway?"

Inuyasha put his head into his hands. This was going to be harder than he thought it would.

"Well, Kagome, you are going to have to tell him where you are from first. He has to meet your family, so he can get approval from them. He cannot mate you until he does."

Kagome thought for a second. "But, you told me that he wanted to mate me tonight. How was he going to do that if he hasn't met my family yet?" Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe he thought that your family lived here, in the feudal times. Maybe he thought that he was so powerful, anybody would approve of him being their daughters mate. He probably thought that he could meet them tonight as well, before he mated you." Kagome nodded her head. It seemed reasonable. But, what was so hard about that?

Inuyasha almost read her mind, and continued.

"Okay, well meeting the females family is step one of mating. Step two is the longest." Inuyasha paused, until Kagome waved her hand in circles to make him continue. He sighed, and tried to explain step two.

"Well, since your human, this makes it difficult. Humans really cannot mate youkai. Well, they can, but there is a 90 percent chance that they would die in the process. Human bodies cannot take the force that youkai give to them, and they just die." Kagome's eyes widened that the remark, but Inuyasha ignored it.

"But, since you are a miko, you are more powerful then a regular human would be. You could probably take the force that Sesshoumaru gives." Kagome's eyes softened down, but Inuyasha grew stiff.

"Once you are 'done', he will bite you on the neck, claiming you his. But, this is where it grows tough for you." Inuyasha paused again, hearing Kagome's heart get louder.

"Once he bites you on the neck, he will cut himself, and draw his blood. He will then transfer his blood into your bite mark, bonding you two together, but you will not be a human anymore...you would transform into a youkai. He might not do this, though." Kagome's eyes questioned why, and Inuyasha answered.

"My mother and father decided not to change my mother into a youkai. You see, when you become youkai through your mate, if you are a human, you are disbanded from seeing your family anymore. Do not ask me why, this is youkai tradition. But, making you a youkai, would mean that you live your life a lot longer then you would in human years. You and Sesshoumaru would live for decades, centuries even, and be with each other until you died." Inuyasha paused when he heard Kagome gasp, but he was urged to keep going by Kagome's hand.

"I do not know why my mother and father decided not to change my mother into a youkai. I think it has something to do with the fact that my father was in a war at the time...but that's not the point. What I'm trying to say is, you need to prepare for this, if he changes you. It will hurt, Kagome. it would hurt a lot. Most humans make it through the beginning, but they die as they transform." Kagome simply nodded, as if not phased from that. But, she was far from not caring.

"After you have transformed into a youkai, the children you will bear will still be hanyou. When you two are 'done', and you produce pups in you, you would still be human, and then you would turn into a youkai. So your firstborn would be a hanyou. But, the pups you have after that would be full-blooded youkai. Do you understand?"

Kagome nodded again, and her head slumped down. There was a lot to know about mating! Who knew that it would take this much to just be simply mated? She would have never guessed. She was glad that Inuyasha was taking the time to tell her what to expect in the future. She would have killed Sesshoumaru if he wouldn't have told her this.

Inuyasha looked over to Kagome. She looked so...lost. He couldn't hold back the urge to hug her anymore, so he just hugged her. Kagome hugged him back, and they stayed like that for a minute or two.

When Inuyasha let go of Kagome, she had a smile on her face. Inuyasha smiled as well, glad that Kagome wasn't confused about any of this.

"Kagome...I don't want you hurt. promise me that if Sesshoumaru hurts you in any way, you will tell me. Please don't hide anything from me, Kagome. I don't want you hurt." Inuyasha's eyes saddened, but Kagome smiled. She grabbed hold of Inuyasha again, and hugged him tight. Inuyasha hesitated for a moment in shock, but hugged her back after a few seconds.

Kagome squeezed Inuyasha tight, and told him confidently:

"Don't worry. Sesshoumaru won't hurt me, I promise. And if he does hurt me, I'll be sure to tell you. Don't worry about me, okay?" Inuyasha smiled and nodded into the crook of Kagome's neck, until she let go of him. Inuyasha watched Kagome stand up, and jump in the air with her hands up. She stretched, hearing almost every bone in her body crack.

Kagome looked down at Inuyasha, who was staring at her. Kagome blushed. Why was he staring at her? Kagome snapped him out of his daze by waving a hand in front of his face. He blinked, and shook his head. He then stood up next to Kagome, who turned to face him.

"Well, thank you Inuyasha, for telling me everything. I really would have been lost if it weren't for you, I really, really appreciate it. You're a true friend." Kagome smiled at Inuyasha's small blush. So, he was blushing, now was he? So he really did have a soft spot!

Kagome hopped, then ran past Inuyasha. She turned around while running, to wave at him to follow her. But, she tripped on a rock, and fell backwards, onto her butt. She squeaked, and bounced a little, then she swiftly stood back up, with a beet red face. She scratched the back of her head.

"Hehe heh..." Kagome turned around to run again, her back facing Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sweatdropped, then shook his head. What was he going to do with her? She was such an amusing sight as it was. It was a no wonder how Sesshoumaru put up with her...

'Speaking of Sesshoumaru, where is that youkai?' Inuyasha wondered, while following to chase Kagome.

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Sesshoumaru stood on the other side of the castle from Inuyasha and Kagome, watching the sun set. He had given Inuyasha the hint to give Kagome the explanation of mating, and he hoped that Inuyasha had understood. In all of the years that Sesshoumaru had said his brother was stupid, he sure hoped he wasn't right now. He had to have matured through the years, right?

He walked a few paces, to stand under an old, historic tree. He looked up, through the branches. It was his favorite tree when he was younger, his mother used to take him to play in the gardens, and this was his favorite tree to play in...

------------FLASHBACK-------------

Sesshoumaru stood, waiting at the garden doors, waiting for his mother. She had told him to wait there, until she had come to play with him in the gardens.

Sesshoumaru bounced on his feet, while waiting for his mother to come. What was taking her so long?

Finally, his mother came walking out from her hall, the hall in which her room lay in. Sesshoumaru happily squealed, happy that his mother had finally came. His mother smiled, and waved him to go along, out the door. He nodded, and ran out the door, his mother in pursuit after him.

Sesshoumaru ran up to his favorite tree, the one that his mother used to tell him stories about.

"This is a special tree," he heard his mother saying. "It was planted the day your father was born."

Sesshoumaru happily jumped up into the tree, reaching the top eventually. His mother laughed, and called up to him.

"Sesshoumaru! Don't go so high! I can't see you anymore!"

Sesshoumaru bounced on the branch that he sat on, and called back to his mother.

"But, mother! I can't reach the sky if I can't go high!"

He heard his mother laugh, and he bounced even more. It was his favorite tree, because it was his mothers favorite tree.

-----------END FLASHBACK-----------

Sesshoumaru now stood under that same tree, and looked up to the top. He still couldn't see the top, the tree had grown so much since the times his mother and he used to go out and play in that tree.

Sesshoumaru sighed, and sat down under the tree. It brought back so many memories...ones that he cherished, and ones that he wished was forgotten. It was also under this same tree, that he used to play with Inuyasha, until the war broke out...

Sesshoumaru shook the memories out from his mind, trying to forget them. They were the reason why he vowed to never show emotion again, to never care for a human again. It was Inuyasha's mother, Izayoi, that caused him to hate humans. She caused his father to be so weak, so open-minded...that it caused the death of him. He would not make the same mistake that his father has.

His father decided not to make Izayoi a youkai for one reason: because it would cause the nations to clash, from turning a human into a youkai. His father thought either that Izayoi would die in the process, from not being trained to be strong enough, or that it would take too long to compromise a treaty with her parents.

So, they did what they could. They mated, without turning Izayoi into a youkai.

That was the turning point of the Lords. They wanted him to turn Izayoi into a youkai, so InuTaisho wouldn't be distracted by her, and that was when he got attacked.

He got killed because of his worthless human mate.

He wouldn't let that happen to him...Kagome was strong, she was a miko as it was. He was going to turn her into a youkai...but that was, only if she agreed to it. And he needed to meet her family also...he needed to talk to her about that, and soon.

He headed off to his left, where Kagome and Inuyasha were approaching. They were still a ways away, so he took his time. No need to hurry.

As he felt the two approaching, he felt happiness. Happiness and joy coming from Kagome. Did Inuyasha talk to her about mating yet? He hoped he did, and he hoped Kagome felt happy about it.

He mostly hoped that Kagome would accept his offer.

Sesshoumaru saw the two turn the corner, and Kagome saw Sesshoumaru. Kagome instantly blushed, causing a smile come from Inuyasha, and a smirk come from Sesshoumaru. So, he had told her already. She was embarrassed to see him, at the least.

Sesshoumaru approached Kagome, and brought her into a tight hug. Kagome squeaked, and tried to hug him back, but with no avail. Inuyasha just continued to smile, feeling the emotions come from Sesshoumaru. So, Kagome melted his heart, and put his emotions back where they were supposed to be? It seemed that way, because he only showed emotions like this when he was around Kagome. At least somebody had finally gotten to his heart.

Sesshoumaru let go of Kagome, making her draw in a deep breath and let it out. He had stopped her from breathing! He squeezed her too tight! Kagome huffed a few more breaths, until she was fine. Sesshoumaru just eyed her, trying to find out if Inuyasha really did tell her.

Kagome finally caught her stance, and stood up straight. She looked up to Sesshoumaru, who looked down at her. He then opened his mouth to say something.

"Kagome, I need to meet your family. If Inuyasha hadn't told you yet, then I shall tell you on the way why." Kagome nodded then bowed her head. Inuyasha gulped. This was it, Kagome had to tell him where she came from. All he could do was wonder how his brother would react to the news.

Sesshoumaru waited for Kagome to answer him. Was she ever going to tell where she came from? He outlasted his patience, and asked her again.

"Kagome, I need to know where you come from. Can you please tell me?"

Kagome nodded, then looked up to Sesshoumaru. She hesitated a moment, then finally opened her mouth to tell him.

"I come from the future."

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Woo! Another chapter done! It took me a whole day to write this, I had some serious writers block...but its done! I'm sorry that I left off on a small cliffy :) I didn't mean to. Well, hope you liked the chapter, please Read and Review! Until next time...!