"We are almost there" Sesshomaru said as they walked. They'd left early in the morning, but the walking was slow going. Upon waking, they had to put her arm in a make shift sling, due to the pain of it moving. It wasn't broken or dislocated, just sprained. But because of that, he did not want her straining herself more than needed.

"good." She smiled excitedly. She wanted to see everyone and make sure they were ok.

"I'm sure everyone will be happy to see you are safe." He said, they had stayed in the cave. He'd very much liked waking up with her in his arms. And he'd also liked that she'd been holding onto his arm so closely. He'd faked sleep when shed woken up just to hold her a little longer. He knew she was embarrassed but he needed to hold her longer…

"Kagome!"

Kagome smiled looking up as Shippo rushed through the trees at her. She knelt down and scooped him up hugging him close.

"Your ok!" he cheered hugging her tightly.

"thank goodness" Miroku smiled as the rest of the group arrived.

"we're glad your both ok." Sango smiled.

"told ya they were fine." Inuyasha said, from the back, carrying Rin on his back. He moved closer and knelt down so she could slip off his back and let her run over to Sesshomaru, hugging him tightly.

Sesshomaru looked down at the girl. Shed been crying? He frowned and picked her up, holding her. "I am sorry I worried you."

"Inuyasha said you were ok but…"

He raised a brow and looked at Inuyasha, who was looking away. Apparently the welp had done something right.

"you ok?" Inuyasha asked, nodding at Kagome's arm and head.

"yeah, just a sprain and a bump. I'll be ok in a couple days…did you get the jewel?"

"of course I did." He rolled his eyes and Miroku held up the dark colored shard. Sesshomaru opened his mouth to stop Kagome from touching it, that it would taint her, but the moment she did, the jewel turned to a clear pink and the evil aura vanished into the air.

Amazing…she really was as powerful as he thought…

"there aren't any others nearby." Kagome said tucking the shard into the bottle on her necklace with Shippo's help.

"then lets go back home. You can have a doctor look at your arm." Miroku suggested.

"what? Why? We can just go in the direction that the next one is. Doesn't matter if its nearby!" Inuyasha growled.

"Kagome, how far is the nearest shard." Sango asked.

Kagome frowned and turned looking around. "I think…a week that way…a week or more that way…and I cant see any others…they're too far." She said.

"then we will go back to the village. Kagome can go home to get her arm checked, and then well go towards the one that's further sense its closer to the village." Miroku said.

Inuyasha growled. "fine. But we should get there faster so she can go home and get back."

"and how do you propose we do that?" Sesshomaru raised a brow. Their walking had taken this long.

"easy. Miroku, Sango and Shippo ride Kilala, you carry Rin, I'll carry Kagome." He said.

"it is kinda our fastest route" Sango said, looking at Kilala. "you ok with that?" she asked the cat, receiving a meow in response before she jumped out of her arms and grew.

Sesshomaru did not like that Inuyasha would be carrying HIS Kagome. He frowned though, Rin did not seem to want to let him go, and though he could carry both…it might be best not to. He watched as everyone took off before looking at the girl. "were you alright last night?" he asked her.

"uh huh." She nodded. "Inuyasha said you were ok but…"

"you…were worried…it is alright Rin." He smiled. "I wont leave you. I promise." He said giving her a gentle squeeze before he took off too, fallowing the others.

"you sure your ok?" Inuyasha asked. "he didn't do nothin?"

"no, he didn't do anything." She shook her head, while still holding on. "he made a fire and we dried off. Then I slept on the other side of the fire." It wasn't a lie, they had slept on the opposite side of the fire.

"good…your not…you know…"

"no…no I don't know. I'm not what?"

"your not…falling for the creep right?"

She frowned. "no. don't think so. Why?"

"just asking." He shook his head.

"well, at least its only a sprain." Sakura said, letting Kagome into the house. They'd gone to the doctor, gotten a proper sling and told her to use the sling for a week, then she'd be fine.

"yeah. Great. I'm sure Inuyasha will love this…" she shook her head.

"oh he'll be fine" she laughed. "you know he does calm down and grow up a bit."

"yeah, wait you see him too?" she asked shocked.

"of course. He visits around once a month or so. Sometimes he's out of town so its more than a month or two…"

"I wish you'd have told me…"

"I'm sorry but they asked me not to…" she frowned.

"its alright…" she sighed dropping onto the couch. The previous night they hadn't asked any questions or favors. She was too tired.

"are you going to go out for lunch?" Sakura asked.

"huh?"

"Sesshomaru. He said you two were going to try getting lunch when you came back."

"oh…yeah I guess I did say id call him…" she nodded.

"then call him. Lunch is normal. You need to have some normal." She smiled.

"yeah going to lunch with him isn't really normal" she laughed before heading to the kitchen phone.

"he's speed dial seven!" Sakura called, making Kagome roll her eyes that he was on the speed dial. Before hitting the seven and waiting.

"Taisho." His stern voice answered.

"uh…hey. Its Kagome." She said.

"Kagome! Hi, how are you." He said with the evident smile in his voice.

"uh…good. I uh…I'm just calling because I said I would…"

"I'm glad you did. Are you busy? Are you free for lunch?"

"yeah. Sure. Uh…did you want me to meet at your office?"

"no, no I can pick you up. I'll be there in ten."

"oh ok." She said. She should probably change. Should she change? She probably should change.

"see you then." He said hanging up.

"your blushing" Sakura smiled from the door.

"no I'm not!" she said hiding her face and heading upstairs to change.

She was at the bottom of the shrine steps in nine minutes and Sesshomaru's car came to a stop a minute later. "hi" she said when he stepped out.

"what happened?" he frowned at her arm.

"I uh..I fell off a cliff." She said shrugging as he moved around the car to open the door.

"a cliff…oh I remember." He nodded. "the cave. You asked about my favorite color" he smiled. She climbed in and he closed the door and moved around to his side before driving off.

"yeah…are you going to tell me why it is?"

He laughed. "yes. But you'll have to wait until he's ready. Trust me. Its worth the wait." He winked.

She rolled her eyes "fine."

He chuckled. "you don't need to pout. You'll find out soon."

"I'm not pouting…but you could give me a hand on favors." She said. "I don't know what to ask…"

"just…ask for anything. Anything you want from him hell give you. Believe me."

"but I don't want anything. Not really" she shrugged as he pulled into the parking lot of the "Melted Crayon Cafe". "oh, mom gets the cookies Shippo likes from this place." She smiled.

"of course he likes them. He makes them." He said climbing out.

"wait what?" she frowned climbing out quickly, not bumping her arm. "this is Shippo's café?"

"well the bakery is his. I believe technically speaking, Souten owns the café part."

"Souten? The little thunder demon?"

"yes. His mate." He said stepping inside and smiling at the woman at the counter. "Souten. Brought an old friend." He said, leading Kagome over.

"Kagome?" the woman smiled, stepping around and hugging the shocked Kagome tightly. "its so good to see you."

"its…I'm kinda shocked. Last time I saw you, you were so small. And not pregnant." She said noting the very large baby bump.

"yup. First round second month." She smiled.

"Souten, we need to order more paper-mama?"

Kagome looked over to the tall man who stepped out of the back. Her little Shippo…all grown up. "hi Shippo"

He quickly rushed forward and hugging her tightly.

"oh! Oh! pictures!" Souten said pulling her phone out and snapping pictures of the two of them as they hugged and then pulled away.

"I cant believe you're here!" he smiled.

"I cant believe you're here! Everyone's just coming out of the woodwork" Kagome laughed taking a seat at the table he directd her to.

"god you look just like I remember" Shippo shook his head.

"you…have grown so much." Kagome said. "I saw you a few hours ago and you were a little kit"

"not anymore." He smirked.

"yes the kit has grown to a great pain in the ass." Sesshomaru said receiving a scowl from Shippo. "I am joking. He has grown just fine. Like I said, he owns the bakery, and is a good mate to Souten."

"He's ok" she said before Shippo threw a creamer at her.

Kagome smiled, they were so cute.

"what happened to your arm?" Souten asked nodding to the sling.

"oh. I just went over a cliff a couple days ago. Sprained my arm, got a small bump on the head."

"and your hand." Shippo said. "I remember that. That was the night Inuyasha took care of Rin because she was…so worried…" he said, voice falling and clearing his throat. "sorry."

Sesshomaru shook his head. He was not the one who would become angry over the mention of the girl.

Kagome frowned. She supposed Rin would…shed be gone now, sense she was human. That had to hurt so much…

"Oh let me start some lunch for you two" Souten said standing. "you want the usual," she said to Sesshomaru, "Kagome?"

"oh uh…the cheddar broccoli soup. And the club."

"ah your mom orders that. I wondered if it was for you." Shippo smiled. "I'll help. Then we can sit and talk" he smiled fallowing his mate.

"I cannot believe that's Shippo…" Kagome shook her head.

"he has grown. As children tend to do." He chuckled. "he is a good man. Spending 500 years between Inuyasha and myself did not harm that."

"you helped raise him?"

"yes…I promised I would help take care of the kit…" he said. "lets talk about something else? How is school?"

"uh…not really a thing anymore." She said, not wanting to upset him about whatever happened. "I mean, I've missed so much…I honestly think it'll just be easier to stay in the past…is that what happens?" she frowned.

Sesshomaru debated saying anything. But, that couldn't hurt. "no, no by the end you do stay." He nodded. "but, I cant tell you how or when the end is."

She nodded. "I understand." She said. And she did. While shed love to know exactly how and when Naraku would die, that could possibly change it, and also she might be depressed, if say, he didn't die for another three years and killed and hurt so many more people. "so, this is Souten's first pregnancy, is it Ayame's?"

He chuckled. "hardly. They have had two sets of twins and two single births."

"oh god."

"it sounds like a lot at once but remember, in five hundred years, they have spread them out. Their youngest before this pregnancy is already a hundred and four I think."

"Shes' a hundred and five thanks for remembering." A voice called from the counter.

Kagome leaned over to see around Sesshomaru at the man standing there. Though he, like Shippo and Sesshomaru had aged some, his smirk and eyes hadn't changed. "Koga?"

"hey babe" he said before strolling over. "Ayame said you came by the office a while ago. Its good to see you."

"its good to see you too." She smiled. And it was, sense he wasn't being over friendly or dramatically proclaiming his undying love for her.

"ah it must be cupcake time." Sesshomaru chuckled. "Ayame has a sweet tooth everyday and sends the poor man out for them."

"heh. Happy to. Gets me out of the office and lets me run." He said.

Kagome blinked looking at him. "you…you still have the jewel shards" she said seeing the shining gleam from his legs. "we don't complete it?"

Both demons exchanged a look. "I mean she knows now," Koga said.

Sesshomaru nodded, "how much could it change?"

"I guess not much." He shrugged. "some shit happens." He said, "long story short, you're pack refuse to use the last one, so there was no reason to take mine."

"that is basically how it went." Sesshomaru nodded. He did not want to add that Inuyasha did not want the jewel when Kagome…

"oh. Well, that's a relief." She said with a laugh. And it was.

"yeah. Hey, when you got some time on this side, let Ayame and me take you out. She'll hound you till you do." He smiled.

She nodded. "yeah. Yeah I'll try finding time."

"good." He nodded as Shippo stepped out of the back with a box of cupcakes. "see ya babe. Taisho." He nodded to the man and moved to the fox male and accepted the box. "see ya kit"

Shippo nodded and vanished into the back to finish helping Souten.

"and to think, I once hated the wolf." Sesshomaru chuckled.

"really? Was he a problem?"

"of course. He thought you were his." He said, turning his eyes to her. "you weren't."

"don't tell me that starts a fight…" she growned rubbing her eyes.

Sesshomaru chuckled. "I'm sorry to say it does, but it ends quickly. No one gets too hurt. And what we were doing that leads to a fight…well you never complained." He smiled.

"I'm now kinda worried about that…" she said. Whenever he got like that…it usually meant something more than just them talking.

"two broccoli cheddars, a club and a Italian." Shippo said as he and Souten set their lunches down and took their seats with their own plates.

"thank you" Sesshomaru smiled. "we were just talking about when Koga found out I was courting Kagome."

"oh jeeze." Shippo rolled his eyes. "Inuyasha was so pissed you didn't kill him."

"why?" Souten frowned.

"he was hoping Sesshomaru would kill him." Shippo shrugged. "not a big deal." He said. "it all ended…mostly ok…"

"that sounds concerning…" Kagome frowned. "when exactly does that happen?"

"uh…" Shippo looked at Sesshomaru. "if you just fell off the cliff…it should be….couple months?"

"three I think" Sesshomaru said. "but I cant be sure."

"ok so I have some time before having to deal with that." She said shrugging before turning to her sandwich. She listened to Souten and Shippo's stories. Her mother was right. She did need normal. Or as close to normal as this was.

Sesshomaru frowned as his cell went off and he pulled it out. "Sakura? Is everything ok?"

"my mom?" Kagome frowned.

"sure one second. She needs to talk to you" he said, handing the phone over.

"mom? Is everything ok?" she asked accepting it.

"yes its fine. Your grandpa was having some trouble breathing so we're going to the hospital. He's ok, but you know, I just want to be safe."

"right. I understand." She nodded.

"I just wanted to let you know, in case we were not here when you get home." She said.

"yeah, that's ok." She nodded.

"tell Shippo and Souten I say hi"

"Hi grandma Sakura" Shippo said, hearing her.

"hi" Souten chuckled.

"hi kids" Sakura laughed. "ok you guys have fun. Love you sweetie."

"yeah. Love you too…" she said handing the phone back. "grandma?"

Shippo shrugged. "you were my mother. It only seemed right. And she likes it. She cant wait till the kit arrives."

"She's already asking to babysit." Souten smiled.

"Sakura is a happy and loved member of the pack." Sesshomaru said, slipping his phone in his pocket.

"you guys should get going…" Shippo frowned looking at the time. "we have a…meeting in a few minutes."

"with him?" Sesshomaru raised a brow.

"who?" Kagome frowned, wondering if it was someone else from the past.

"don't worry about it." Shippo said. "we'll have lunch again or something the next time you visit." He smiled, leaning over to give her another tight hug, fallowed by Souten.

"was it just me" Kagome said as she and Sesshomaru drove away, a tin of cookies in her lap "or were they trying to get rid of me?"

"they were. We cant let you meet certain people. I'm sorry." He sighed. Again. He had to lie to her again. But if Inuyasha showed up…he wouldn't put it past the asshole to say something that would scare her away from him like he threatened.

"oh. I guess I understand." She nodded. "not wanting to change the past right?"

No. he wanted to change it. Needed to! "something like that."

"ok…" she nodded. "that was really fun. Thank you for taking me to see Shippo."

"your very welcome." He smiled as he pulled in front of the shrine. "do you have a key?" he frowned looking up at the empty house. It was still early, so Sota would be in school.

"uh…no. no I don't." she frowned.

"would you like me to wait with you? So your not sitting here alone?"

"no you don't have to. I'll get the ladder out and go through my window." She shrugged.

He frowned. "I do not trust you to do that with your arm in the sling." He said. "I'll carry you up, it'll be safer." He said climbing out.

"you really don't need to do that" Kagome shook her head fallowing him.

"nonsense." He said as they made their way up the stairs. "its two seconds. It'll be fine." He shook his head.

Kagome opened her mouth to argue again before Sesshomaru scooped her up and rushed to the back of the house and to the ledge next to her window.

"see? Perfectly easy." He said, reaching down to open the window and let her slide into the room.

"well, you shouldn't go out that way. Some might see." She shook her head. "just come in through the window and I'll let you out the front door."

He chuckled. "I don't think anyone would see, but alright." He said, slipping into the room and closing the window behind him. "it does seem more sneaky though, if they had already seen me to not see me leave this way,"

Kagome frowned. That was true. "but going through the door would be more appropriate." She said, it feeling a little too intimate just standing in her bedroom. Inuyasha had been in there loads of times, but this felt…different.

Sesshomaru looked around. He had never actually been in her room before. It was…not what he expected. Much simpler. With a much larger bed then he was expecting. Which he and Kagome was standing next to…

"are…you ok?" she asked, fiddling with the sling

"fine…I was just thinking…"

"thinking about what?"

"that it has been 500 years sense I kissed you. Really kissed you…" he said.

Her face flushed. "uh we should probably go downstairs now…" she said, but didn't step back as he stepped forward. She should lead him. She should not let him cup her cheek like that…

Sesshomaru rubbed her cheek gently with his thumb. "I want to kiss you…"

"…ok…" she said.

He smiled and leaned down, kissing her gently. He had missed kissing her so much.…

Kagome sighed softly into the kiss, closing her eyes as his hand moved from her cheek to the back of her head.

He pulled her close, keeping wary of her arm so not to hurt her. When he finally broke the kiss, he couldn't help but chuckle when she made a whining sound. "what's wrong?"

"you….you stopped…" she said, blushing.

"and you want more?" he raised a brow, smirking.

"no…yes…"

He leaned down and kissed her again, deeper this time. He cupped the back of her head while his other hand moved to her waist, pulling her against him. he was loosing himself again. Like he'd done so many times kissing her in the past. He should stop before…before he couldn't…

Kagome moaned as he deepened the kiss. Part of her mind screamed at her to stop, the other part urged her to keep going. To let him keep going….even as he laid her down on the bed and started running his hand up her leg, and under her skirt.

"I'll stop…" he said, pulling away and kissing her chin and moving down to her neck. "just say stop" he said, his fingers inching higher.

She couldn't even if she wanted to. She wasn't sure where this was going to end exactly, but she didn't want it to stop yet.

"do you want me to stop?" he asked, pausing.

"no…" she said, meaning it.

He smirked against her skin. "I want to taste you"

"taste?" she frowned, unsure what he meant until he slipped a finger into the waist band of her underwear. Oh! Taste…

Sesshomaru carefully slid the silky fabric down. In his youth they would be destroyed them, had in fact destroyed them, but he was far older now. Able to restrain himself. "taste." He smirked.

"ok…" she said, swallowing nervously.

He raised up and kissed her again before moving down her body again and pushing her skit up higher, breathing in the secent of her, wet and wanting.

Kagome gasped as she felt his tongue flick over her. She felt the shock of something. Like electricity flowing through her every time he touched her. Every lick, the feeling of him stretching her with a finger…she felt on fire and so over charged, she didn't know what was happening to her body. Mostly. She knew what that building up feeling was. It wasn't like shed never touched herself.

Sesshomaru knew she was close to climaxing. She was his mate, he could feel it too. He hadn't considered that before starting but…he couldn't stop now. He pumped his finger in and out of her faster, pushing her further and further, until she cried out in climax.

Kagome blinked slowly, her mind turning back on. She was…in bed, laying on her side, on Sesshomaru. Her head on his chest, curled up close to him. she remembered she climaxed…but then it all went black.

"how are you feeling?" he asked softly, running his hand up and down her back slowly.

"did…did I faint?" she asked embarrassed.

"you did." He chuckled. "but, do not worry about it. It is normal."

"normal? I never learned about that in health class." She said in disbelief.

"it is normal…between a demon and human." He said. Which wasn't fully a lie. But it was a demon and human who were mates. But, if his past hadn't convinced her yet, she wouldn't believe it.

"I…we shouldn't have done that…" she said, hiding her face in his chest.

"it is ok." He said squeezing her tightly as his phone rang. Shippo's ring. Damn…he pulled the phone out and hit the green button. "yes?"

"uh…Inuyasha is here and he is pissed…" Shippo said.

"why?" he rolled his eyes.

"well…uh…are you having trouble remembering anything?" he asked nervously.

"remembering?" Sesshomaru frowned. "remembering what?"

"think of the past. Rin. Kagome. Koga even."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and thought back to the first time he and Kagome had a interaction with Koga and…couldn't. it was all…fuzzy and foggy.

"I…cant." He said.

"you bastard! What the fuck did you do!" Inuyasha growled grabbing the phone. "you stole my memories! That's all I have of her!"

Sesshomaru sat up slowly, letting Kagome push herself up as well. "I am sorry, I did not know anything would happen…"

"what did you do!"

"nothing. Nothing I'm going to discuss with you. You know I would never want to interfere with your memories." He said sadly. Inuyasha was right. They were all the man had left of her…

"stop whatever your doing. Just stop. Or I will tell her. And myself." He warned.

"Inuyasha you cant do that." Shippo growled.

"he's already fucked me over!"

There was a scuffling sound.

"is everything ok?" Kagome whispered softly.

"no…I…I may have done some damage to the past. And…I have upset Inuyasha greatly…"

"what have you done?"

"put her on the phone" Inuyasha growled.

Sesshomaru was hesitant but did slowly hand the phone to Kagome, praying he wouldn't ruin things.

"hello?"

"….hi Kagome."

She blinked. It was Inuyasha's voice but…not. "hi. Is everything ok?"

"no." he growled. "no, ive lost memories of my mate. I don't know what the hell you two are doing but its changing the past…I cant loose the few memories I have of her Kagome…"

Kagome had never heard him hurting so much. "i…we haven't done anything….i don't know what we could have done…"

He sighed. "he shouldn't be involving himself in the past. We've lived it. We know what happens…"

"what happens?" she asked, suddenly feeling worried.

"…just be careful. I cant tell you what to do or not to do. But…I cant loose her again…" he said before hanging up the phone.

Kagome looked at Sesshomaru. "who's Inuyasha's mate" she asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head.

"no, you need to tell me. Now. Or…or don't come back here again. Not to see me or my family."

Sesshomaru was hesitant. It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her…it just really wasn't his place…"Rin…" he finally sighed when she kept staring him down.

Kagome blinked. "Rin?"

He nodded slowly. "Rin. In the past, he already knows."

If Rin was his mate…and she died…"he doesn't mate her, does he" she whispered softly.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "no." he said softly.

Kagome thought she was going to be sick. Before she could say anything else he had pulled her into his lap, arms tight around her. They stayed like that for an hour or so, Sesshomaru just holding her before silently, they both pulled apart. He kissed her forehead before slipping from the bed.

"please…call me when you return." He said softly before leaving the room and house.

Kagome couldn't think to do anything but lay in bed until her mother returned, then stayed there until night fell, and her window was pushed open.

"you sick?" Inuyasha asked, dropping into her desk chair.

"…no. just...learned some stuff. I'll be back in the morning." She said sitting up.

"your arm ok?"

"yeah…its just sprained…Inuyasha, if I asked about your mate would you tell me?"

He frowned and looked away. "I don't have one."

"ok, we both know your lying." She said. Even if Sesshomaru hadn't told her, he could never look at her and lie.

"what's it matter?" he asked raising a brow and looking back at her. "I thought we were passed the jealous shit."

"we are." She shook her head. They were. "Inuyasha I know its Rin."

His face reddened. "doesn't matter." He said. "I'm not doing nothing about it."

"what do you mean?" Kagome frowned.

"you think she's going to wanna be with some half breed who's got nothin?" he rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid. I know where I sit. Not everyone's like you, you know."

"like me?"

"you don't care about peoples blood. hell you'd probably help Kagura if she asked. And you wouldn't think differently about Sesshomaru if he lost his title."

He was right about Kagura, though that was because they all knew she wanted nothing to do with Naraku. And, it was true she wouldn't feel anything different towards Sesshomaru if he was a penniless beggar. "Rin doesn't care about blood. or money. Or anything like that. You know she doesn't."

"maybe…but she deserves better…" he muttered.

Kagome smiled. That told her he was perfect for her. "well, one day you might change your mind. So, I think we should start keeping a better eye on the kids." She assumed the reason Inuyasha hadn't mated her is something must have happened to Rin before she was gown.

"why?"

"because I'm worried about them. Both." She said.

"yeah…yeah alright…should we leave them with Kaede?"

That was an idea…but Kagome didn't want to be away from them like that. What if Naraku attacked the village while they were gone? "no, I don't think that's a good idea. "id rather keep them near."

"…ok…then I'll just keep more of an eye out. Fine?"

She nodded. "can you promise me something?" she asked, pulling her pillow to her chest."

"what?"

"in the future, your future, can you promise to help take care of Shippo? No matter what?"

Inuyasha frowned. "why?"

"just promise?"

"yeah yeah I'll take care of the runt." He rolled his eyes. "can we go now?"

"I'm staying the night. I'll be back in the morning.

"fine." He grumbled, but didn't seem too phased by it and quickly left the way he came in, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts…