Chapter 4

(Two Years Later)

Kagome sighed in content, the horse beneath her shifting softly. It was an amazing view, the three of them sitting on horseback, standing on the edge of a cliff. The sun was setting, casting the sky in a brilliance of orange and red blending over the horizon. The breeze blew through her hair, catching a few strands.

Beneath the cliff was a village, one that had just survived a demonic attack. Kagome had been out on a ride with her brother Miroku, and his wife Sango. With the three of them riding by, it took only a matter of seconds for the demon to be killed. The damage to the village had been minimal, and only one life had been lost.

"They will be okay." Sango nodded to herself, all three of them watching as the villagers cleaned the minimal damage caused by the demon's rampage. "It's a good thing we were nearby. That oni would have destroyed them otherwise."

"The demons seem to be restless." Miroku was between his sister and wife, patting his black horse on the neck. "The humans continue to expand their land, cutting into the demon's homes. Our greed is bringing out the worst in them, and for that, they die."

Kagome frowned, thinking of her brother's words. She never understood why her species constantly asked for more. The village that had been attacked wasn't a poor homestead. They weren't rich, but they were well off. Their clothes didn't have holes, their bellies full every night. Yet they were still cutting down trees, claiming they needed more land for farming so they could start trading with other villages and increase their profit.

"The folly of humans is their selfish greed." Kagome didn't associate with humans very often. She treated them, healed them, and was kind to them. However, that was only because she refused to turn away anyone in need. She didn't have it in her. Of course, there were a few humans that weren't like the others, Sango being the best example. Not all humans were bad, but taken as a whole, their race wasn't the best. They tended to destroy more than they built up.

"You two are so old you forget that you're human." Sango scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"My dear Sango, Kagome and I are barely human. You are correct that our age plays a factor. We are over two hundred years old, and in that time, we learned to think more like a demon than a human. You are only fifty. It will take time for you to see that thinking as a human while living as long as we do, is not imperative." Miroku chuckled, reaching out to grab his wife's hand. She was beautiful, looking all of twenty years old.

Kagome smiled at them. Miroku was a monk, nearly as strong as she was. His reiki slowed his aging until he no longer got older. By the time they reached age twenty-five, their looks and appearance had stopped morphing. By fifty, when their parents had long since died, and others their age had succumbed to their age, there was no denying that they were more like a demon than any human out there. Together, they watched the world change around them. They had made friends with humans, but when they died in front of them, age once more claiming the friends they made, they learned quickly that humans, while not bad, did not live long enough to form a true bond with. After a while, Kagome and Miroku had matured behind any human ability to do so.

When Miroku met Sango Twenty-seven years ago, their love was instant. They were each other's soul bonded, meant for one another. When they found each other, it was no surprise how quickly they married. Within three days they had tied the knot.

Kagome had been able to share her reiki with Sango. Not enough to make the demon slayer a miko, but enough that Miroku wouldn't lose her to age like they had many of the others they met. Kagome was glad she had Sango. She and her brother had been alone for so long now and being human, while ageless, wasn't the easiest life. Human's feared them when they learned the truth of their immortal life spans and their powers, while demons still thought them human, despite the same reason humans feared them. They weren't truly accepted by any race.

A twinge within Kagome had her looking up, eyes flashing white as she heard the call. She saw Touga and his plight, a little InuYasha and Izayoi in his mind. He needed her, and she didn't know if she should go. Kagome hadn't once gone back to the shiro since she met Sesshomaru. She didn't want to. She didn't want to see the man that had rejected her, yet she couldn't say no to this call. All lives were worth saving. Even if she ran into Sesshomaru. She couldn't ignore Touga. Looking to her brother and sister in law, Kagome gave them a tense smile. "Touga needs me. InuYasha is unstable."

"Are you going to go?" Sango asked, sympathy on her face. They knew all about Sesshomaru. They had been the first she turned to after she left Touga's room. Miroku didn't want her anywhere near Sesshomaru. His look said it all, but he kept quiet, letting Kagome live her own life.

"Every life is important. I can't let what happened to me affect the care I give to people. Touga isn't at fault for Sesshomaru's actions." Kagome gave them a smile, decision made. "I will return later. Stay safe."

"Stay away from him, Kagome. We have all heard the tales concerning the ruthless heir to the West. He is not a good demon. He is the kind of demon we kill." Miroku warned, and Kagome just nodded, before she disappeared off the back of her horse.

When she reappeared, Touga was there, relieved to see her. "Kagome. I didn't know if you would come." He smiled at her, tired and exhausted. The room they were in was utterly destroyed, furniture broken and clawed into pieces. "InuYasha needs your help again. Izayoi as well."

"His blood is unstable." Kagome had read the problem through the link of her flower. "Take me to him so I can see for myself." She motioned for Touga to lead the way, this meeting more relaxed than their last, though more stressful. Last time she had been called, Izayoi and InuYasha had been dying. This time, everyone was healthy.

Kagome heard the snarling of InuYasha before she saw him. When they approached a guarded door, she saw Izayoi sitting on the floor, head in her hands as she listened to her son inside. There was blood running down Izayoi's arm, three long scratches gashed open through her flesh.

"Izayoi." Kagome greeted, holding out her hand to the devastated woman. Izayoi took it, letting Kagome pull her up off the ground.

"Kagome. Please help him. We have tried so many other options, and nothing works. My poor baby…" The older woman started to cry into her hands, sobbing loudly as they heard another crash from inside. "Please Kagome, I know Sesshomaru-"

"That doesn't matter, Izayoi. What Sesshomaru did is in the past. He made his choice, but I don't have to let that affect my life. I will help whoever I choose. I do not blame you, Touga, or InuYasha. I do not even blame Sesshomaru for his choice. It is, what it is." Kagome patted Izayoi's shoulders with a tender smile. "For now, I ask that you stay outside of the room. I will help InuYasha with Touga. But I don't want you getting hurt any further than you already are." Izayoi gave a nod of understanding, backing away from the room.

When she was safe, Kagome pushed open the heavy wooden door, shutting it behind Touga quickly. The room was destroyed, the bed shredded into pieces. Furniture was torn into chunks, claw marks gouged into the walls. Beneath some shredded bedding, Kagome could see the bundle moving, growls and snarls the only thing heard.

Holding out her palm, Kagome willed the beads into her hand, watching as each on appeared in a flurry of pink specks. When she had them all, she stepped forward, making sure to make noise so InuYasha heard. The first sound she made caused the blankets to freeze, and then a second later InuYasha was jumping from it, claws outstretched for the attack. Kagome calmly lifted her hand, enveloping InuYasha in a ball of reiki. He snarled at her, trying to get free of her shield.

Raising her other hand, she sent the beads towards InuYasha. They floated in the air, slowly gathering around his neck. He snarled, gripping at them, but the necklace still formed until it was whole. The moment it did, a white light surrounded InuYasha, his eyes flashing before the red faded back to his amber eyes. Slowly he floated down towards Kagome, and she held out her arms, catching him. He was exhausted and sleepy, his little ears back as he looked up at his father.

Gently Touga pried him from Kagome's grasp, clutching onto him. Kagome rubbed his little back, and in a matter of moments, he was asleep, snoring softly in his father's arms. Kagome looked up at Touga, seeing his curiosity and relief. "Let me look at Izayoi's wounds, and then I will explain everything."

Kagome looked away from InuYasha, trying to remember her own parents. It had been so long since she had seen them, that she couldn't even remember a face. She remembered how warm she felt when her mother hugged her or how safe her father's arms were, but that was it.

The sound of the shoji screen slamming open was Kagome's only warning before she was slammed against the wall, large claws at her neck. The grip on her throat was so tight, she was having difficulty breathing, but she barely noticed. The person holding her to the wall, the one digging his claws into her neck was Sesshomaru. He was furious, hostile about something. Clearly, she had done something wrong.

"You are in my rooms. Your stench will soak into these walls, and I will never be able to return." His eyes were bleeding red in the corners, and Kagome could feel her face flushing from lack of oxygen. If he didn't let go, she was going to have to purify him.

"I called her here." Touga grabbed Sesshomaru's wrist, claws digging into Sesshomaru's skin until the blood dripped free. "Let her go, Sesshomaru. That is an order."

"She doesn't belong here." Sesshomaru snapped, snarling at Kagome. Her hand reached out, gripping at his clothing. He wasn't going to leave her a choice. Her stomach knotted at the thought of hurting him, potentially killing him, but she couldn't breathe. Her vision was blurring around the edges.

"Kagome, no." Touga pushed more between the two, snarling as he shoved Sesshomaru back hard enough that Kagome was freed. She fell to the ground, gasping for air with a pained cough. Looking up, she glared at Sesshomaru.

He wasn't angry about his room being destroyed by InuYasha. He was angry that she had stepped foot into it. "I hadn't even known it was your room, Asshole." Kagome pushed to her feet, a hand still on her throat. She was going to have a bruise after that. Miroku was going to flip.

"Now you know." Sesshomaru didn't take his eyes off of her, nearly frothing at the mouth with his fury. "If I ever see you in my rooms again, or if you insult me once more, I will kill you."

"Don't worry. You're not worth my time." Kagome grabbed Touga's arm, dragging him out of the room. She left Sesshomaru there, not once looking back. She could care less what he had to say. When they were outside in the hall, she met Touga's apologetic gaze. He stopped her from defending herself, but she understood why. That was his son. Sesshomaru may be ruthless, but Touga still loved him. He made sure Sesshomaru was no longer hurting her and kept Kagome from hurting Sesshomaru. It was the best he could do in the situation. "Don't worry about it." Kagome mumbled, then looked at Izayoi. Her arm was already bandaged, and Kagome could only be glad. The sooner she could leave, the better.

"InuYasha will be okay. Because Touga is as strong as he is, InuYasha's demonic blood and human blood couldn't level out. His demonic blood took control. The necklace will keep his blood leveled out. It's bespelled so he can't take it off. He won't have any more episodes." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a flower, handing it to Touga. "If you have any more children, let me know. I will make a necklace before the child is born so this gets avoided."

"Wait." Izayoi reached out, clinging to Kagome's wrist. "Please, I know I'm asking a lot, Kagome, but I'm worried for my son. There has never been a case of a demon of Touga's strength mating and breeding with a human that has no power. I would promise you whatever you wanted if you started coming by regularly. Anything within my power, and it's yours."

"I don't know, Izayoi. Sesshomaru won't be happy." Touga flicked his eyes to Kagome's neck. He was just as worried as Izayoi, but he didn't want to put Kagome through anything more than he already did. An idea struck him then, something that could work perfectly. "Every three months Sesshomaru goes to the northern lands. He helps train the army for a week, then comes back. If you would agree, you can come then. You wouldn't have to see Sesshomaru, and we can keep a close eye on InuYasha. You're the only one I trust with him, Kagome."

Kagome looked at the small child. It had been two years since she had last seen InuYasha. He was still so tiny, only looking as if he was a year old. Demon's aged so slowly, and the older they got, the less they aged. InuYasha would be a child for a long time. Touga and Izayoi were right. They had no way of knowing if more problems would arise as the years passed. "Okay. I'll come every three months. I don't care if Sesshomaru is here or not. He chose not to pursue the bond, so he has no say on what I do. We can schedule the visits, and you still have my flower if you ever need me before I come." Kagome rubbed her neck, wincing. "For now, I am going to go home. I've got to figure out a way to keep my brother from freaking out. The last thing we need is a rogue monk chasing Sesshomaru." She noticed Touga's curious gaze, but she gave a wave and vanished before he could ask any questions. She would come back in three months. If he still had questions then, she would answer them. Right now, she just wanted to sleep and cry. Being attacked by your soul bonded hurt as much as getting rejected.

...

I'm not sure Sesshomaru can get himself out of the hole he has dug. He just keeps getting deeper and deeper. I can imagine a glaring Sesshomaru in such a deep hole that all you see is his narrowed eyes and the top of his head. At this rate, he may never get Kagome to forgive him. Despite the royal jerk in the chapter, I hope you all enjoyed. I'm sorry I'm a day late. We took a family trip to the mountains to play in snow and just got back today. Anyways, I'll see you next week. Don't forget, your reviews mean more to me than you might realize.