Chapter 8

"Mrs. Dermouth, there isn't much I can do for you. My expertise is in criminal law." Kagome sighed, her lips dragging against her palm as she held her chin up with her fist.

"Well, my neighbor Christine said you helped her get alimony even though she had a prenup and that's not criminal law!"

Kagome blinked. That's what she got for helping out friends or friends.

"Ok, ok, So, you want to sue your boss because he fired you for being late more than ten times." Kagome repeated after the lady. "Did I get that right?"

"Yes." The lady scoffed. "I've told him so many times that it's hard for me to wake up. I feel it's discriminatory and unjustified."

Kagome folded her hands in front of her lips and squinted. "Mmhm."

"I want to sue for a million dollars."

"Uh-"

"No…you know what, make that two million. I've suffered financially because he cut my hours."

"Mrs. Dermouth, he cut those hours because you were not there." Kagome leaned back into her chair and rubbed her temples. She had a killer headache and this situation with her client didn't make it any better.

Mrs. Dermouth scowled. "So you're just going to sit there and do nothing to help me? I mean, what kind of system are you guys running here?"

Kagome sighed and straightened her blouse. Before she could reply, Yura entered looking extremely apprehensive.

"You have an urgent phone call that cannot wait."

Kagome bolted upright and studied her face. "Is it… Sesshomaru?" She felt like she swallowed a rock and her throat became dry instantly.

Yura's brow twitched. "No, uh…it's the boss. He said you're late for the conference meeting, remember? It started ten minutes ago. You need to leave right now."

Conference meeting? Kagome looked at Yura questionably but soon realized what was going on and played along. "O-oh, right. Oh my god, that was today? I am so in trouble. Mrs. Dermouth, we're going to have to reschedule. This is... I really must go."

"Right now?" Mrs. Dermouth stood up and grabbed her purse. "I want to know if you can help me or not. I need justice. I am being treated unfairly."

"Mrs. Dermouth, I do extremely apologize but my job is on the line. What I can do is refer you to one of the best lawyers in our firm. His name is Carl Hanes."

"Carl Hanes?" Mrs. Dermouth frowned. "I've never heard of him."

"Really? He wins almost ninety-nine percent of his prosecuted cases. He won the case between Meres versus Macy's last year."

"I thought that was you."

"No, no, no…it was completely him." Kagome led her out of the office. "You'll find him upstairs at the office in the end. I must go now, Mrs. Dermouth." She closed her office door and scurried down the hallway with Yura. Mrs. Dermouth protested but her voice was lost in the crowded hallway within seconds.

Yura sighed contently. "No need to thank me but should you do so, there is a pair of Prada shoes I saw on fifth ave that are to die for and-"

"Don't do that again…I mean thank you but you scared me."

"What? How? I saw your face through the window. You look like you needed help."

"I did but I just…never mind." Kagome sighed as they turned down the hallway.

"Still haven't heard from him?" Yura gave her a sympathetic look.

Kagome shook her head. "No…whatever I hear about him is from the press, other than that, I have no clue where he is. His father doesn't either."

"I can't believe he just left you guys like that. I never thought he could do that. I mean, demons don't really abandon their families."

"He didn't abandon us. It's complicated…"

"You're defending him." Yura glowered. "You always do that."

"Because I know him. It's his job. He has to do it."

"But you are his wife and you both have daughters to take care of. Besides, you're a woman too; you have needs, don't you? You need someone who will be there with you all the time, and what are you to do about sex? He just expects you to remain celibate while he's off in other countries doing his job?"

"Yura!"

"What?" Yura rolled her eyes. "It's a very reasonable question. You're not a nun and you are not even thirty yet, you have a lot to offer a man."

"Not everyone is like you, Yura. I'm not always thinking about sex."

"Yeah, ok…you're only kidding yourself." Yura scoffed and looked at her nails.

"Why do you do this?" Kagome said. They entered the elevator and a few other people rushed in before it closed. "You're supposed to comfort me and tell me everything will be all right."

"That's his job. Mine is to tell you the truth. You're practically a single woman again. I know there is a huge line of guys waiting to go out with you."

A few men in the elevator turned their heads slightly at Kagome and smirked. She cleared her throat and looked at the numbers on the screen as the elevator went down. When they reached the lobby, they headed toward the cafeteria.

"Keep your voice down. You're letting everyone know the details of my life."

"News flash, Kagome…" Yura got in line in front of the buffet. "Have you seen the newspaper? Everyone knows the details of your life. It's as clear as day that Sesshomaru is never around for you and the girls. Okay, so his job is important. So is the President of the United States of America and yet you see him all the time in photos with his family."

"This is just a small bump in our marriage. We'll get through this. I married him knowing how important and time consuming his job was."

"Kagome...he is a workaholic! There will always be 'important' things. The girls are almost ten in a month. Will he even be there for their birthday? Samara is always cranky and depressed and crying at night over him. Kimora still has her nightmares. You sleep in a king sized bed all by yourself. You need to give him an ultimatum. It's his job or you guys."

"I can't do that." Kagome let out a devastated sigh. "If it were that easy…actually, I think I may have tried but it's just not fair. This is something he's been waiting for his whole life. If he stands down, he will disappoint the clan and he will disappoint his parents, especially his mother."

Yura placed a strand of her black hair behind her ear and grabbed a tray. "I know you said it was for a little while but last year you saw him like, what, twice? Then there was that period of two months where you didn't hear from him at all. So you had that intimate moment on Christmas. Is that supposed to be it? You are young, you need-"

Kagome frowned as Yura went on. It seemed she really did tell her everything. "Ok, Yura…enough. I know this already. But love is supposed to be patient and kind and never-"

"Don't give me that 'A walk to remember' crap. You didn't even like that movie."

"It was alright..." Kagome shrugged and grabbed an apple from the fruit basket not feeling hungry. The pain in her head became more intense as they continued to speak about him.

"I'm sorry. I know you don't want to hear this but it's just so tiring to see you go through this. When we first met in college, I remember being jealous of you that you were going out with one of the hottest and most powerful demons in our time and now I'm not. You're my friend and you deserve better. Guys look at you all the time and ask you out all the time, next time, maybe you should say yes. I'm not saying to have sex with them or anything but you really need the companionship and perhaps an ego booster; a reminder to tell you that you are still sexy and beautiful and wanted."

Kagome didn't say anything; she just nodded. They paid for their lunch and went to take a seat in the middle of the café. She was a little annoyed by Yura but knew that she meant well. She glanced at her watch and looked around. People were staring like they always did, whispering amongst themselves about the gossip they heard that morning, mostly about her. The other day she had been in the bathroom stall when she overheard a couple of girls saying how Sesshomaru had finally found a demon mate and that was why he was never around. She knew the truth and she knew that wasn't the case but what she couldn't understand was why had he decided to leave them alone in order to protect them. It still didn't make any sense to her.

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It had only been less than a month since he'd seen Kagome and his daughters but it might as well have been forever. There wasn't much to go on Naraku's death and the case had was leaving him with no leads. He looked out the window and watched the civilians of Germany tend to their daily lives. Sara came in with a cup of coffee.

"Sorry I took so long but they made a mistake with your coffee and I had to wait for a new one." She said. She set the cup on his desk and looked at him when he didn't respond. He stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, lost in his thoughts. "Sir?"

Sesshomaru bristled over his shoulder. "Is there any word on General Becker?"

"General Becker was stuck in traffic but should be here shortly." Sara said.

"Notify me when the General arrives. In the meantime, what else can you brief me on?"

Sara straightened her blouse as she sat down and opened a folder. "Bishop Giovanni sends his thanks for sending your men to the Vatican to fix the issue. The suspects were found in an underground nightclub."

"Demons?"

"Actually, humans." She said, surprisingly. "They call themselves Angelos."

Sesshomaru nodded. He'd heard of them before. They were an underground group that formed a long time ago when integration between humans and demons went into effect; the irony of a group that called themselves 'Angels' when they were anything but. They were vicious, merciless and they did inhuman things in the name of whatever god they believed in.

"I see." He said and turned from the window. He rubbed his face, sat down and grabbed his coffee from the desk. "Has the D.D.C reported any more suspicious letters?"

"None…"she said and bowed her head. "Actually, they said that since you left, there were no more tampered parcels or any threat at all."

He frowned. "…and the autopsy, have they considered my proposal to run a second one?"

"Not yet, my lord." She said and lifted her gaze at him. He was so tired and his face, although beautiful as when she first met him, was gaunt and lifeless. His expression was always unreadable but his eyes could never conceal the truth. He was sad. He stirred his coffee quietly in thought. Sara watched him sympathetically and closed the folder. She wished she could do something to make him happy. The past few weeks, since they left New York, she was stuck by his side for almost every second and she started to understand him more. She knew when to leave him alone and when he needed her right away and what not to say.

She stood up from her seat and went to stand by him. "Is there anything you want me to do?"

"No."

"Your father continues to call and he becomes uneasy each time that you won't return his calls. He says that what he has to say is important. What should I tell him?"

Something was always important with that man even when it really wasn't. Sesshomaru looked up from his coffee and the effort to lift his head was tremendous. He hardly had any energy or perhaps he felt his body giving up at how futile it was. Things were better when he wasn't around which made it simple. He could never go back. But as simple as it may be, he had to go back. He couldn't leave them alone.

"Tell him that I am busy." He said and he was lost in his thoughts again. She watched him carefully as he drummed his fingers against the desk. Despite knowing the stresses in his life, he still looked calm and relaxed. She sometimes questioned if he even missed his family at all. He also didn't wear his wedding ring anymore and his questionable availability made it tough on a girl not to wonder. Lana warned her but it couldn't be helped. She was always with him and it was hard not to fall for someone who was smart, handsome, and focused on fixing every problem in the world. It was extremely admirable and there was also the sense that he'd been vulnerable from spending so many nights alone. She was spelled every time he looked at her and it was a mean and selfish thing to desire, but she hoped he would never return to his family again.

"Have you spoken to your family?" she couldn't help but ask, and by family, she meant wife.

"No." he snapped out of his thoughts and glared at her.

She looked away from his scrutinizing gaze and leafed through the folder again. She had to make a mental note to not say the first thing on her mind out loud. While she scanned through the folder to look attentive, he watched her, studiedly. He knew it was silly to be suspicious of her but it seemed everyone was a suspect these days, especially if they inquired about his family.

After he met with General Becker, who he was surprised to find out was a woman; they spoke about forming allies and tactical procedures over an hour. It couldn't be helped that General Becker was blatantly flirting with him, which annoyed Sara to witness. After politely turning her down and promising her for a dinner that would never come, he and Sara left and went back to their hotel in Berlin.

When he got to his room, his body gave in and collapsed onto the bed. He didn't have strength left. Would he never see Kagome and his daughters again? His eyes closed right away and he quickly fell into a dream. They weren't dreams but memories; fragmented memories throughout the years of him and Kagome and the twins. Good times and bad times. Their faces were hardly visible and their voices were soft echoes in his mind.

"Daddy, Daddy, Mawa took my ice scweam!" It was Kimora, a memory from when she was two.

"Why are you late again? This happens every time. No, I don't want to hire a babysitter to watch our kids; we should be the ones watching them."Kagome stormed out of the bathroom towel drying her hair.

Samara's amber eyes came into view and she was twirling around in a dress. "Father, look at me! look at me!"

"Daddy, why don't you smile much? Are you mad? Is it because Samara is a stinky butt?" Kimora laughed. That night she bugged him during his paperwork because she wanted to watch a movie with him.

Kimora's apparition faded and the memory changed into a night he and Kagome were in bed. He remembered that moment vividly, it was a beautiful memory that turned bitter. They were about to make love but it turned into an argument when Kagome mentioned they should have another child.

It had been a long day at work and Kagome had surprised him with lingerie. They were both entranced in each other's gazes, kissing intently and forgetting about whatever problems there might be.

"Let's have another baby…"she said into his ear. They had discussed this plenty of times that he lost his patience and got off of her. "Wh—what did I say?"

"We spoke about this." He had told her.

"Well, we haven't spoken about it in a long time. The girls are seven; I think it's safe now. I mean, we can try for a boy this time."She smiled and pulled him back to the bed.

"No."He let go of her hand.

Kagome looked at her hand, glowering at being shunned."Who's going to take after you, have you thought about that? You're the last of the male bloodline. Kimora and Samara can't lead."

"I already know this. You need to stop listening to my mother."

"It's not only her!" Kagome cried. "I have to hear it everywhere I go. 'Who's going to take over?' 'It's the last of the Shiro Inu clan.' People are getting upset at me because I didn't bear you a son and as a result, the Shirohyoma tribe will take over and everything that you and your father did will be for nothing. Everything will go back to the way it was. Demons will be segregated from the humans again and hanyous, they will be treated unfairly, don't you care for Kimora's future!"

"That is enough!" he hissed. "Why do you presume to think I am not considering the future of our daughters?"

"Because it doesn't look like it. You've been saying for years that it was too soon and maybe when the girls are older and now they are older and you still don't want to. What are you afraid of? You think that maybe if we do have another child, the child is going to come out as another half-breed, you're just…you're embarrassed by it! You don't want to have to go through more humiliation, that's what this is all about!"

"Do not make such accusations. We will not discuss this anymore."

"I'm entitled to my own decision and I want to have another child."

"We aren't going to and you will just have to accept that."

"This is stupid. You're so selfish! Everything has to go your way. If I were a demon, I bet this would be different."

He refrained from raising his voice; it took a lot of control. She always knew how to get to him. "Yes, you are right. You are not a demon and that is why I stand firm by my decision."

"I knew it."

"It is not for the reasons that you think." He rested a hand on her shoulder and she shrugged it off.

"Yeah..." She said and got up from the bed. "right."

That memory faded into another one. The last time he saw Kagome.

"Stay with me…" she pleaded. "Please…stay with me."

He woke up, his hand instinctively reaching next to him, feeling for a warm body that wasn't there. He sat up, rubbed his head and looked at the clock beside him. What was he doing? He was wasting time. He had another meeting in a few hours. In the meantime, he'd dig around more.

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It was a tough new semester for the girls. Inutaisho academy was now a haven for gossip instead of a prestigious edifice for academia. Students crowded around, whispering the latest news about where Lord Sesshomaru disappeared off to, again.

"My mother told me Lord Sesshomaru has a mistress in Europe, and that he has a son there that is a full demon."

"I was told he is trying to leave his wife and kids because they aren't fit for royalty. It's about time he realized it."

Kimora sat by herself in the cafeteria while Samara lounged with the full demons such as Denali, Lahira and Gareth. They were engrossed in their own conversations while Kimora had to put up with the gossip around her. Did Samara not care what they were saying about their family? Since their father left, Kimora hardly spoke a word to Samara or to anyone for that matter. She couldn't shake the feeling that the reason why her father left was because of her.

"Why do we have to leave, daddy? Is it because I wasn't strong enough to fight Samara? I'll do better, I promise!" she had cried.

"This is not your doing, Kimora." He said, buttoning her coat. "Please understand that."

But she couldn't understand. Why did he have to leave so sudden? Why was her mother crying every night? She didn't want to go home anymore. Samara spent most of the time on the phone with Denali idolizing her and her family. Mom was different too, she thought. She walked around in a daze all the time. It had to be because of her, she was always the underlying cause for problems. She remembered an argument her parents had when she had got into a fight at school. Why was she ever born or why couldn't she have come out full demon like Samara? Grandpa says daddy is in Europe, should I go and get him; promise him that I'll do better? She reasoned in her mind, pleaded with false hopes that she had not noticed a shadow towering over her.

"You're the general's daughter, aren't you?" the voice was soft, a whisper almost.

Kimora looked over her shoulder; the boy standing in front of her wasn't anyone she recognized in school. Then her mind made a mental recap, the boy was new. He just started today. Abraham, was it? No, but it was something like it.

"Yeah, so." She said, and forked her potato salad around.

"I was just wondering why you looked so familiar." He said. "My name is Arahim. May I sit with you?"

"Um…"she started to protest but he went to sit anyway. Was this boy suicidal? Any chance at winning the popular clans over was out the window now. She was the harbinger of death when it came to popular status which almost happened to Samara when she realized it herself and got away as soon as possible.

"I know what you are thinking…"he said and opened his carton of milk. "Why am I sitting with you?"

Kimora blinked and looked away shamefully. Was her unwelcoming expression that noticeable? She didn't want to be rude but it seemed these days it was more of an act of defense when it came to the cruel youkai kids looking for trouble. She had to stay out of trouble. She didn't want to make her mother's life more miserable and she wanted her father to come back.

"I don't feel like talking about my family…and that's all everyone seems to want to talk about." He continued. "I really hope you don't mind."

"No…"she said, looking up she saw her sister and Denali staring with their mouths dropped. Actually, everyone in the cafeteria was staring.

"Mind them…"he scoffed. "It is the same everywhere. This endless cycle of a naïve culture that doesn't want to realize, is on the road to extinction."

"What?"

"Nothing, sorry…I'm just…bitter. I move around a lot so I can never catch my bearings. What is your name?"

"Kimora…"

"So you're the twin that's a hanyou, am I correct?"

Kimora suddenly felt defensive and frowned. Noting it, he raised a hand defensively.

"If anything, you should be ashamed to think of it as an accusation. It is what you are, you should not be insulted."

"That's because most people use it as an insult."

"It must be tough to be a hanyou in a school full of youkais; like a mouse in a cage filled with cats."

Kimora didn't like his analogy and shifted in her seat, keeping her back to him. Arahim bowed his head, his green eyes studying her.

"Forgive me. I can't seem to say anything right."

"It's not your fault, I guess. You are a full demon."

He smiled. "Touché."

They sat quietly next to each other, Kimora often sneaking glances at him. His hair was blacker than night, tied into a long braid that went down his back. His uniform looked befitting even though most of the boys at school wore the same thing, it looked better on him. The markings on his face were ones she didn't recognize. The clan her father ruled was huge and consisted of different members: The cat demons from the Nekochiba tribe, The EdoShiba; tribe of the wolves, Sakana; water demons, Kurohebi; snake demons. There were a lot of tribes that chose not to follow him, Arahim's family could have been one of them.

"I should go. There are some books I want to check out in the library. Feel free to join me."

"That's alright…"she said and he smiled again.

"Then I will see you later, Kimora."

And he left. She didn't have a moment to take her next breath of air when Samara and Denali showed up at her table. It wasn't long before everyone else in the cafeteria joined in. Kimora looked around questionably, her fork still hovering over her untouched food.

"What was that about?" Denali scowled.

"What was what about?"

"Who was that?" Samara asked, her arms crossed.

"The new kid? I don't know, he said his name is Abraham or something like that."

"Arahim." Denali corrected. "Kimora, do you know who that was?"

"No, should I?" Kimora looked at Samara who shrugged also.

Denali scoffed. "I can't believe you guys don't know. Well, it does make sense; perhaps your family doesn't want you to know the competition. That is Arahim, son of Sasuke Hideko.

Samara then realized who they were and felt stupid for not knowing sooner. She looked at Kimora, hoping she would read her face and not ask the question she knew Kimora was about to ask.

"and they are…" Kimora cocked a brow and everyone around the table laughed and smacked their heads saying 'Oh my god, is she serious?' Samara dropped her head into her hands.

"Kimora, they are the descendants of the Shirohyoma tribe. He is the grandson of the elder Han Hideko. I cannot believe he was talking to you, him out of all people!"

Kimora was quiet as she thought about it. The Shirohyoma tribe was notorious in their days when they ruled the nations of demons from around the world and followed the ancient ways. Humans were the bottom of the food chain and hanyous were an abomination. Before her ancestors battled Han's ancestor for the throne and won, humans were slaves and hanyous had to be careful not to be found in the wrong hands or their capture would be worse than any death.

Denali grinned. "If your father doesn't bear a son, Arahim will take over the throne. By law, he has to. No offense to you, Samara but you are a girl and therefore are disqualified. And Kimora, well, a hanyou leading a clan of demons, don't make me laugh."

Kimora gritted her teeth while everyone around her laughed. She met Samara's gaze, both exchanging the feeling of sadness and for the first time in months, they connected and could feel what the other was feeling; the sense of longing to be with their father and mother.

"Do you get it now, Kimora? You were just talking to your enemy. Even if your father bore a son with your human mother, he wouldn't be fit to lead. We need someone strong, someone who comes from noble blood and honor. "Denali chuckled. "What can you do about it? Nothing…all you can do is watch as your father's empire falls down. Everyone can see it, including your father, which is why he left you."

"Be quiet, Denali." Samara scolded. "You insult me too."

"Sorry, Samara, but I don't blame you for being born from an unfortunate family. It must be so tough to wake up and see a human mother leading such a human life and forcing it upon you. They should just take her and Kimora out of the equation and perhaps everything would be perfect."

Everybody gasped as Kimora stood up and threw her tray to the side. She growled, bearing her teeth at Denali, her eyes red with anger. "Do not talk about my mother that way or…or I will kill you."

Denali took a while before she could regain her composure and gave a nervous laugh. "Oh please, what can a half breed d-"

Before she could finish, the table Kimora was just sitting at, flipped over and Kimora was rushing toward her. All the kids around screamed as Kimora grabbed Denali and swung her to a nearby wall. Samara tried to stop her but when she grabbed Kimora's arm, Kimora glared over her shoulder and hissed. She slammed into Samara's chest with her palm and Samara flew back. It was all happening fast and Kimora couldn't control it. She couldn't control her hands and feet, all she could do was watch in horror as she attacked everyone who came close to her.

Two big hands grabbed at her and she screeched, kicking her feet and flailing her hands hysterically. Cado held her tightly, Remy helped and a few others showed up.

"Kimora?" she heard, a voice scared and trembling. She recognized it as Samara's but she couldn't reply. "What's wrong with her?"

All the voices merged together and she could no longer understand anyone. She suddenly became calm and her body heavy. Trying to move, her body became limp as Cado carried her away and that was the last thing she remembered.

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Please review***

And again, sorry for the wait.