A Week Later:
"Her fever finally broke." Kagome stated, feeling Momoneko's forehead as she slept.
"Maybe she'll wake up soon." Inuyasha said, looking at Momoneko.
Momoneko had been in a coma for about five days now.
At first, Sesshomaru blamed the stuff Kagome had brought. However, Momoneko hadn't taken anything that day except for some herbs that Jaken had brought.
Jaken meant well, but he brought an herb that helped a person sleep; he had brought enough for a week and slipped into her stew she was eating that day—and he put a lot in there.
Needless to say, Jaken's still hanging upside down by his feet in a tree; Sesshomaru said he was to stay there until Momo woke up.
Sesshomaru sincerely—or as sincerely as only he could, apologized to Kagome for the mistake; Kagome said it was fine.
Aside from hanging Jaken from a tree, Sesshomaru hasn't once left Momoneko's side—neither did Inuyasha.
Kagome noted how uncomfortable it had gotten with those two glaring at each other the entire time.
"I brought the water bucket." Rin said, showing up with bumps, scrapes, and bruises.
"Rin, what happened to you?" Sesshomaru asked right away.
"Are you ok?" Kagome asked, concerned.
"I'm ok; it was just some of the village boys. They were picking on me again." Rin replied, looking at Kagome and Sesshomaru.
"It looks like they did more than make fun of you this time." Sango stated, walking in with Miroku.
"Mmmm…" Momoneko moaned, slowly waking up.
"She's waking up!" Shippo happily exclaimed.
"What's going on?" Momoneko asked, confused.
"You've been in a coma for almost a week; you were very sick." Kagome explained, looking at Momoneko.
"Are Inuyasha and Sesshomaru still here?" Momoneko asked, sitting up.
"We're here." Sesshomaru and Inuyasha said at the same time.
"How are you feeling?" Rin asked, looking at Momoneko.
"Better." Momoneko replied with a soft smile.
"I suppose you better let Jaken down now." Inuyasha said, looking at Sesshomaru.
"I'll do it later; he can stay up there a little longer." Sesshomaru simply replied, not caring; he wasn't leaving Momoneko right now.
"I'll go let him down—Sango, you just tell everyone the news." Miroku calmly said, heading out.
"What news?" Kagome and Rin asked, confused.
"Well—I'm pregnant." Sango calmly answered with a smile.
"Congratulations!" Kagome, Momoneko, and Rin all exclaimed with smiles.
"Oh—I'd like to have babies." Momoneko said with a dreamy smile.
"Oh, no. No, no, no. No, no, no. Do you understand what I am say? No, no, no. You're much too young for any of that." Inuyasha flipped out, being the typical older brother.
"Not right now. And if I want to have babies, I can have babies." Momoneko said, determined, standing her ground once again.
"You're not to be having sex just yet." Inuyasha sternly said.
"You can't tell me what to do!" Momoneko yelled, becoming frustrated.
"I'm your older brother; I'll tell you what to do and when to do it! And you will not be having sex!" Inuyasha yelled back, annoyed.
"You've only just found out about me! And I'll have sex with whoever I want—when I'm ready—and only with Sesshomaru!" Momoneko yelled back, only to realize what she had said— after she said it.
Once she realized what she said, her face then turned very red.
"I'm sorry." Momoneko cried, embarrassed, before running out of the hut.
"Good going Inuyasha…" Kagome mumbled, annoyed.
"What? I am her older brother." Inuyasha stated a fact, annoyed.
"Right, but you did just find out about her a few months ago. And she is of age." Kagome calmly explained.
"I know—but why Sesshomaru? My older brother and younger sister together—is just weird to me." Inuyasha sighed in frustration.
"I don't like that I'm interested in my younger brother's younger sister—but that's just how it worked out. Now, if you'll excuse me." Sesshomaru retorted, getting up.
"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked, annoyed.
"I'm going to go find Momo before she gets herself hurt." Sesshomaru sternly said, trying not to snap.
"Oh, no you don't; I'm going to find her." Inuyasha said, determined as the two left the hut at the same time.
"I'm sorry about all that; this should've been your moment." Kagome apologized, looking at Sango.
"Oh, it's just fine; we just wanted you all to know. And at least you're all happy for us." Sango said, looking at Kagome.
"Of course, we're happy for you." Kagome said with a smile.
"Thanks." Sango said with a smile.
With Momoneko:
"Who does he think he is to tell me what I can and cannot do?" Momoneko asked herself.
"He's your concerned, older brother." Sesshomaru said from a few feet behind Momoneko.
"That doesn't give him the right; we've only known each other for a few months. I love him dearly, but he can't just start controlling my life." Momoneko explained, frustrated.
"No, I agree. But he is your older brother." Sesshomaru repeated, walking to Momoneko.
"Why me?" Momoneko asked, confused.
"What do you mean?" Sesshomaru asked, just as confused.
"Why do you like me? You could have any girl you wanted. Why me?" Momoneko asked, flustered; she was becoming upset.
"Shhh… I honestly don't know, why you. But it's you that I want. And, if I'm not mistaken, you want me as well. So, you I will have; you will be mine." Sesshomaru stated, looking at her.
"I know." Momoneko said, about ready to cry.
"Please, don't cry." Sesshomaru implored, walking over to her. Sesshomaru had no idea what to do when girls cried; he never cared before.
"I can't help it…" Momoneko cried.
"There you are! Wh-what? Why are you crying? What did you do to her?" Inuyasha demanded, accusing Sesshomaru of doing something.
"I didn't do anything to her." Sesshomaru calmly answered.
"Yeah right; then why is she crying?" Inuyasha asked, quickly becoming furious.
"He didn't do anything to me! We were just talking! I get you're my older brother, but you can't control my life! And I love Sesshomaru!" Momoneko yelled.
"You don't even know him!" Inuyasha yelled back.
"I know—and that scares me. But I love him." Momoneko said, walking over to Inuyasha.
"Please understand. I'm not going to leave you behind—but I'm not going to leave Sesshomaru either. I love you too big brother." Momoneko said, hugging Inuyasha; he hugged her back tightly.
"And Sesshomaru, I really want to be with you. But I want to stay with Inuyasha for a little while longer. Please, can I hug you?" Momoneko asked, looking at Sesshomaru; something inside her screamed, don't hug him without permission.
"Sure." Sesshomaru stoically replied. However, when she hugged him, he couldn't help but hug her back.
After a few seconds, Momoneko passed out.
"What happened?" Inuyasha asked, panicked as Sesshomaru picked her up.
"She's still warm." Sesshomaru said as he started walking away.
"Where are you going?" Inuyasha demanded an answer.
"I'm taking her back to that hut." Sesshomaru sternly answered; Inuyasha followed closely.
"What happened?" Kagome asked right when they walked in.
"She's still warm." Sesshomaru said as he set her on her sleeping bag and covered her up.
Kagome stuck the thermometer under her tongue and held it there; after a minute, it beeped.
"She's at 99.0. It's not bad, but she's still got a small fever." Kagome explained, looking at everyone.
"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked Kagome; Sango and Miroku already went home.
"I'm going to go collect some herbs; I'll be back after a while." Kagome answered, heading out.
Ten Minutes Later:
"I'm going out for a while; don't try anything funny." Inuyasha warned, getting up; he was bored.
"I wouldn't dream of it; she is sick after all." Sesshomaru retorted, looking at Inuyasha.
"I hate you." Inuyasha mumbled as he left.
"Not as much as I hate you." Sesshomaru quite clearly repeated.
"Can I go out and play?" Rin asked Sesshomaru.
"Take Jaken with you." Sesshomaru calmly said.
"But Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken complained right away.
"Go with her, Jaken." Sesshomaru growled with a glare.
"Yes my lord…" Jaken mumbled as he and Rin went outside.
Now it was just Sesshomaru and Momoneko.
'What is it about this girl that draws me in so? Why do I have feelings for this girl that I've never had towards and of the girls I've fucked before? Why do I feel like I must protect this girl?' Sesshomaru asked himself as he watched Momoneko sleep—before falling asleep himself.
While asleep, Sesshomaru dreamt of his father.
"Father?" Sesshomaru asked, confused.
"Well, it's nice to finally see you here." Toga simply said, looking at his son.
"Where is here?" Sesshomaru asked, confused.
"Well, I'm dead—and you're not; so this must be a dream. However, this is a little more than just a dream. Let's call it Limbo." Toga explained, looking at his son.
"Why am I here?" Sesshomaru asked, looking around.
"I brought you here—to talk—about that girl. What was her name again?" Toga asked with his hand on his chin.
"Momo." Sesshomaru stiffly answered, narrowing his eyes.
"So, you do call her by that nickname of hers. Her real name is Momoneko, is it not?" Toga asked, looking at Sesshomaru.
"What of it?" Sesshomaru asked, annoyed.
"She's half-human and half-cat demon, is she not?" Toga asked, still looking at Sesshomaru.
"Yeah—and?" Sesshomaru asked, becoming even more annoyed.
"Sesshomaru, you're in love—much like I was with Izayoi." Toga stated, looking directly at his son.
"But why with a girl who half-human, half-cat demon of all things?" Sesshomaru asked, confused, and annoyed.
"You can't choose who you fall in love with; love chooses you. It's just how it's meant to be. Love chose you and this Momoneko to be together. And you are my son; you're more like me than you know—or want to admit. I fell in love with a human—the one thing I swore would never happen. But it did. Without knowing it, you've been searching for love—and it just happens to be Inuyasha's little sister. Like it or not, you have to try to get along with him for her sake. With this girl—take care of her; you'll only get one Momo in your entire life. If anything happens to her, you'll never forgive yourself." Toga seriously emphasized.
Sesshomaru just stared at him before sighing; he knew his father was right.
"Well, I've got to go; you're about to wake up." Toga stated before disappearing.
Sure enough, as soon as Toga disappeared, Sesshomaru woke up.
When he woke up, Sesshomaru noticed that Momoneko had crawled over to him and laid her head and hands on his lap; she was peacefully sleeping.
"What's going on in here?" Inuyasha asked, annoyed.
"Nothing; she's sleeping." Sesshomaru replied, just as annoyed.
"Awww; that's so sweet." Kagome happily cooed.
"At least someone thinks so." Inuyasha mumbled.
"Hey, Inuyasha." Sesshomaru started.
"What?" Inuyasha asked, annoyed.
"For Momo's sake… We should try to get along—even if we have to fake it." Sesshomaru said, slightly frustrated, placing his hand on Momo's head.
"Yes, I agree. For her." Kagome happily agreed.
"Yeah, I suppose." Inuyasha sighed, frustrated.
"You don't want to lose her, do you? I know I don't. We'll just have to suck it up and pretend to get along." Sesshomaru stated, looking directly at Inuyasha.
"Yeah." Inuyasha sighed, sitting down; he knew Sesshomaru was right.
"Then it's settled." Kagome happily said as she got up.
"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked, looking at Kagome.
"Home to get better traveling outfits." Kagome said with a smile.
"I'll go with you; it's getting late." Inuyasha said as he too got up, once again, leaving Sesshomaru and Momo alone—until Rin and Jaken got back...
