It was late afternoon when Sesshomaru made it back to the den. The kids were on the floor drawing and the Miko seemed to be writing something, curious he made his way over and sat beside her.

"What are you writing?' He asked softly as not to startle her. The Miko looked to him then back to the papers.

"Just in Case letters." She said as she leaned her head against Sesshomaru's shoulder. "If something happens, and I should die, I don't want Shippo and Rin to have nothing from me. My father died when I was young, and I have nothing to remember him by. I don't want them to go through the same thing." Sesshomaru reached over and caressed her cheek before turning her head so she'd look at him.

"I won't let anything happen to you. They won't be left without you." He said reassuringly as tears formed in her eyes. "They'll still have their mother." The Miko leaned her head into the hand that held her cheek and he began to gently stroke away the tears that fell from her eyes to her cheek.


Shippo looked up from his picture as the scent of his mother's tears began to fill the room. Quickly he stood and looked at her, it no longer seemed strange when Lord Sesshomaru comforted his mother. He was happy that Lord Sesshomaru was kinder to her than InuYasha had ever seemed to be. Shippo picked up the picture he'd been drawing and hid it behind his back.

"Mama, what's wrong?" He asked as he walked over to them.


"It's nothing, Sweetie." She said as Sesshomaru's hand moved from her face and she turned to smile a sad smile at him. Shippo jumped to his mother's lap and handed her the picture. Kagome smiled as Shippo gave her the picture he'd been drawing. It was her, Sesshomaru, and InuYasha standing holding a banner that said winner, it was quite cute. Not long after Rin came and sat next to Sesshomaru before handing her picture to him. It was a picture of them holding hands as a family with Kagome and Sesshomaru on the outsides and Rin and Shippo between them.

"These are very good." Kagome praised hoping Sesshomaru would notice the cue to say something as well. All she got was an affirmative "hn", which had Rin grinning from ear to ear.

"What would you children like to do today?" She asked the children, who looked at each other before looking back at her.

"Let's play in the garden!" Rin said happily as Shippo nodded his head furiously.

"The gardens it is." She said as she stood and held her hands out to them. Shippo jumped to her shoulder and Rin took her hand. Sesshomaru stood as well and followed them out into the hallway. The children started talking and trying to decide what to play as Sesshomaru moved to walk beside her. Quietly she reached out and held his hand he merely curled his fingers and held her hand.


Sesshomaru was still confused by human customs but decided if the Miko wished to hold his hand then he'd allow her to do so. They walked slowly down the hallway, no one was rushing, his pack seemed content just walking together, but when the door to the gardens opened the children bolted out to play leaving him standing there holding the Miko's hand. Sesshomaru decided to show her around the gardens as the children played. Each flower she saw she would lean down and inhale before making a comment. As the children ran past the hit a bush of flowers the Miko had just leaned over to smell, causing pollen to fly and cover the Miko's face and hair. A small sneeze sounded before she tried to brush away the pollen. He decided to help dust the pollen from her hair before leaning down and looking at her face.


Kagome was glad the children were having fun, it was so rare for them to spend time together as a family. She and Sesshomaru walked through the garden as he pointed out flowers. She was surprised that he knew the names of the flowers, some had such soft sweet scents while others had a sharp scent. Sesshomaru had just pointed out a bush filled with flowers and she leaned down to inhale the scent. Suddenly she was dusted with pollen, which proceeded to tickle her nose. Unable to stop it she let out a small sneeze and tried to wipe the pollen from her face. She felt Sesshomaru's hand brushing through her hair and she opened her eyes only to see Sesshomaru's face in front of hers. She could feel the heat rising to her face as he began to brush more pollen from her cheeks and without warning her leaned in and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. It wasn't long, nor was it passionate, it was a simple sweet kiss, that left butterflies in her stomach. Sesshomaru took her hands in his and brought them to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on them.

"Kagome," he said and she looked in in the eye, "when the war is done, and we return home, would you allow this Sesshomaru to take you as a mate?" Kagome felt herself gape like a fish before her brain caught up and she closed her mouth.

"I'm flattered, I am, but this just seems like it's going too fast, I've only been here a month. How can you be sure you really want to spend the rest of my life together?" She asked while the world around her seem to stand still.

"Does the thought of being my mate offend you?" Sesshomaru as, she could tell he was the one offended.

"I didn't say that, I just think we should get to know each other better, spend more time together, before we jump into being mated."

"How much more time? How long do humans court before they mate?" He asked, trying to understand her reluctance.

"Humans usually dat-court for at least a year before they wed." She replied. "Why, how long do demons court?" She asked

curiously.

"Humans court for so long, most demons decide to become mated within a moon, some in less, though some with arranged matings

will draw out courting for decades. Would you require us to court for so long?" He asked.

"Would a year really be so bad? It would give us time to get to know each other better and you'd have more time to decide if you really want to be mated to a human."

"This Sesshomaru vows, if you are willing, to begin courtship with you upon the conclusion of this war." He said, staring into her eyes.

"Alright." She said quietly as she looked down at her feet. "How about we have tea sent to the garden while we talk?" She suggested as she looked up at him and smiled.

"Hn" He said quietly. The sun was beginning to set when a servant arrived to inform them Sango and her family had returned. By the she they made it to the gate Sango had already dismounted and was holding her youngest son, while Miroku held the twins.

"Sango, I'm glad you made it back, here, let me hold him." Kagome said as she reached out for the sleeping baby. Happily Sango handed the sleeping boy to her before walking to her husband and taking one of the twins. Yueyui was waiting inside the gate to lead them to their new quarters. The room they were in was connected to another room by a sliding door, in one there were three small futons waiting for the little ones. With the children put down for the night the adults made their way to Sesshomaru's study. Kagome lightly tapped on the door before entering. InuYasha was standing next to Sesshomaru's book case when they entered.


Sesshomaru looked up when his brother entered his study but went back to signing papers.

"Sango and Miroku have arrived, Kagome is going to be bringing them here to go over everything." InuYasha stated before moving to look at the books on the wall before opening one and flipping through it. Quietly he sounded out the hiragana in each word, and Sesshomaru was getting irritated with the half breed's intrusion, when a light tap on the door let him know the Miko had arrived.

"I hope you two were playing nice." Kagome said in a playful tone at the two men before her. Sesshomaru felt his face fall into a dull stare at the woman who seemed to think she was funny. InuYasha's face contorted into a displeased expression as well. Behind the Miko stood the Slayer and the Monk. Once the door was closed Sesshomaru began speaking to everyone.

"As you should have heard by now the time table has changed, and we shall be leaving two days from now. The Slayer and her family should be settled in before we leave. There will be guards stationed here, however you should be prepared at all times to encounter trouble." He said as he stared down the slayer, "Should either of our wards be killed or taken there will be retribution, starting with you." Sango nodded her head and he continued, "Should a need arise Jaken will be here to settle in house disputes. That is all, humans you are dismissed, half breed wait for me in the training area." Kagome looped her arm with Sango's and began walking towards the den. Miroku, waved as they walked away and made his way back to his room. Kagome new she should probably slow down, but there was so much she needed to tell Sango. Kagome in a rush swung the door to her room open, thankfully Sango caught it before it slammed into the wall. After releasing her friend's arm she walked over and sat on her bed.

"What is going on with you? What could possibly have you in such a hurry, I've only been gone a little more than half a moon cycle." She said shaking her head. Kagome patted the bed beside her and Sango sat down.

"Sesshomaru asked me to be his mate when the war is over." She said seriously. Sango's eyes widened.

"And? What did you say?" Sango asked just as seriously. Kagome sighed loudly,

"I told him we were moving too fast and that we should spend more time getting to know each other before jumping into such a big commitment."

"Good, and what did he say?" She asked.

"He said that if I willing, at the end of the war he'll begin his courtship with me." Kagome said with a sigh.

"Do you want to be mated to him? Because if you don't you need to tell him straight out and if you think you might, then you should give courting a shot, and if it doesn't work out, then it doesn't. But you'll never know without giving it a chance." Sango said in a sisterly tone. Kagome leaned over and laid her head on Sango's shoulder.

"I've missed you." Kagome said contently.


Sesshomaru finally finished endorsing half of his current paperwork before grabbing blank papers and charcoal before leaving to meet the half breed in the training area. When he arrive he saw the half breed standing next to one of the bodies that still filled the area, the sound of a soft prayer danced through the air, it was a prayer of rest and peace in the afterlife. Sesshomaru was thankful he was down wind of the half breed and the prayer was completed without his interruption. When InuYasha turned around his face turned bright red, knowing he'd been caught reciting a prayer he had learned when Miroku taught it to Kagome.

"This isn't what it looks like." InuYasha blurted out as his arms flailed like he was trying to make a point.

"Do as you like half breed, if you wish to pray for their souls do so, This One will not stop you, we shall be identifying the rest of them tonight so as to return them to their families, so they too can be at peace." Sesshomaru said emotionlessly. InuYasha was shocked by Sesshomaru's words, most lords usually had others identify bodies, the fact his brother was doing it himself amazed him.

"How will I be helping?" InuYasha asked as Sesshomaru pulled out charcoal to write with.

"You will be describing their features to the best of your ability and I shall put a name to the body." InuYasha nodded and began at the first body. With each description, Sesshomaru spoke the soldier's name before writing it on his paper. Three hundred ninety five names later, the sun was beginning to rise, and InuYasha finally felt a semblance of respect for his brother, he knew the name of every soldier that was there in his court yard. When the last name was added to the list InuYasha recited the prayer once more over all the fallen soldier. Sesshomaru stood quietly until InuYasha's final prayer ended, then he turned to look at his younger brother. Though a prayer carried no spiritual abilities coming from a demon, the overwhelming grief that had hovered around the bodies seemed to dissipate.

"This One thanks That One for undergoing this task. This One has another task if That One is capable of it." Sesshomaru said.


InuYasha was extremely confused by what Sesshomaru had just said with his This One and That One. However not one to forgo a challenge.

"I'll do it," he pause" what ever it is." Sesshomaru nodded and began to walk away, InuYasha followed. When they arrived back at Sesshomaru's study Sesshomaru entered and InuYasha followed behind, however instead of Moving to sit behind the desk Sesshomaru motioned for InuYasha to sit there as he pulled a scroll and box off of his shelf. Confusion still clouded InuYasha's mind but he did as Sesshomaru said and took the seat behind the desk. Sesshomaru moved to stand in front of the desk with the scroll and box, carefully he opened the box to show a family stamp and two insignia rings. He pulled out a ring and handed it to InuYasha,

"That was Father's, our family insignia," he said as as he reached back in the box for the other. "this is mine." he said holding it out for him to see but not touch. "As of now that is yours, as is this." he said as he handed InuYasha a family stamp. InuYasha was even more confused, why would Sesshomaru give his father's things to him.

"As of this moment I Sesshomaru, accept you InuYasha, as pack. Your blood is mine, as mine is yours." InuYasha felt a deep ache, he didn't realize he'd ever felt, lift as Sesshomaru's words sank in, his brother had accepted him.

"What do you need me to do?" InuYasha asked remembering his brother had a task for him.

"Each of these," he pointed to the names on the paper, "have a condolence letter here." he said pointing to two stacks of papers.

"They must be completed before the bodies can be turned over to their families." InuYasha noticed that only around half were finished and each contained a wax insignia impression and a stamp in red ink from the family stamp.

"You want me to try to finish them?" InuYasha asked, the thought of paperwork seemed boring and tedious, but he felt bad for the families waiting for their loved ones. Sesshomaru nodded as he replied with his standard 'hn'. "Alright, I'll do it, on one condition, when I'm done and these people are home, you spar with me."


"Very well, good night, InuYasha." Sesshomaru said as he left the study and made his way to the den. He almost expected to see Kagome and the children asleep in the pillows again, however when he opened the door the room was vacant. Mildly disappointed he made his way to his room, when he opened the door he saw his little pack asleep on his bed. He should be mad that they entered his room without his permission, but at the moment he didn't care. He walked around the bed to the open side, the children lay closest to the door as the Miko slept on the middle. Carefully he climbed into the bed and moved closer to his pack, the Miko squirmed herself closer to him and his body heat, before he let her use his arm as a pillow. Her warm body was curled up to him while her arm lay curled up on his chest. A content feeling flooded him and it wasn't long before sleep consumed him.