I do not own Inuyasha

After Tomorrow a man may be vying for my attention. Your reviews will help sway me to not neglect this story. (He has yet to give me any reviews.)

Sesshomaru and Melissa were sitting in the garden when his mother returned. Melissa's hand was beginning to heal and the head healer had given stretching exercises so that the tight, pink scar tissue would not restrict her movements as it grew. Sesshomaru was reading over some papers while Melissa flexed and stretched her fingers beside him.

"How did the meeting with Daichi go, Mother?"

"Better than I expected. Daichi remains our ally and his daughter will no longer pose a threat. Fortunately a way to spare her life and remove her threat from Japan existed. She is being sent to be a concubine to a political ally of his in China.

"Daichi's own concubine has given him a son. A strong little boy with dark green hair I heard."

"You meet baby?" Melissa asked, holding her hand out to Yuki to be rewrapped.

"No. As members of a royal house mother and child will have a 40 day period of recovery before they receive guests. I do hope you and my son will be amongst the visitors, perhaps you can return soon and we will then visit together. You are planning to set out within the week, correct?"

"Yes. We will visit my brother's village first so that Melissa may visit with his wife and invite them to the wedding this summer. She and Kagome are close and I imagine Inuyasha will not permit her or their child to come to a palace full of youkai without him."

"So that is three guests for Melissa."

"Four." Melissa corrected, "If invited Kagome and baby Shippo should come to."

"Who is Shippo?"

"An orphan fox who is in Kagome's care, though he leaves her home often to attend school."

"I assume you intend to invite Kin and the two human children, my son?" He nodded then excused himself to go inside leaving the women to talk in the garden.

The announcement of the birth left Granny, now recovered, with babies on the brain. She started rattling on about how beautiful Melissa's children would be an decorations for the babies' rooms. Melissa smiled at her but an uneasy knot formed in her stomach.

Everyone expected her to have babies. And soon. She was on birth control, for now. But it would run out, probably soon. The thought of getting pregnant again terrified her, she wasn't sure she could handle another miscarriage.

Needing to move she suggested they all walk around the garden. Looking closely at her Kimiko agreed and changed the topic to the cherry blossoms. But the knot remained in her stomach while the other women discussed flowers. The fear, the pain. And there was Kimiko, whom she knew was looking forward to grandchildren. She deserved to know she may have to wait.

"Kimikosama." Melissa called, trying to get her attention. Kimiko ignored her as she examined the blossoms on a nearby tree. "Mother."

"What is it, Melissa?" She asked, turning around.

"Nothing." She replied, looking down as her courage failed her. Kimiko had been so kind to her, how could she disappoint her. And would she do something to prevent the wedding upon learning that Melissa could not do the one thing expected of her. And Granny already fussed over her, how much more so if she learned about the babies.

Kimiko stared at her for a long time before she spoke. "Leave us." Everyone scurried away and Kimiko waited until they were all well gone before she spoke again. "Is this about your difficulty bearing children?"

Melissa's head shot up and her eyes went wide. "H-how did you know?"

"I have seen the pain and longing in your eyes whenever the subject is brought up. Also you have never mentioned children you have bore for your first husband. You love children so, I have no doubt you tried to bear them for him. Is your difficulty in conceiving or carrying?"

Melissa's eye began to tear as she hung her head and whispered "I miscarry my babies."

She was quite for a long time, waiting for Melissa to regain control. When she spoke again Kimiko's voice was soft and full of sympathy. "I know that losing your children was painful for you, but tell me something Melissa, If you had carried your babies to term would you be able to be happy here?"

Melissa shook her head. She knew if she'd left a child behind in her world she'd have gone mad trying to get back to her baby. If she'd had her children she would never have been able to know happiness with Sesshomaru. Still, it hurt.

"If I had carried my first two to term I would not have been able to fight beside my husband when we were at war with the south." Kimiko whispered. Melissa looked up and saw her own pain reflected in the gold eyes of her future mother-in-law.

"I conceived Sesshomaru shortly after the war. I decided it would be my last attempt and then I would demand my husband take a concubine. He was very strong and healthy from the start. His aura was so powerful the midwife suspected at first that I was carrying twins.

"All things must happen when it is time for them to happen. It is difficult, I know. However I promise you, when you hold your child in your arms it will be worth every tear you've shed."

"What if I never have a baby?" Melissa asked.

"My son loves you. If you never have a child then you must be content with that. Though I truly do not believe that will be the case."

They walked together silently for a few minutes. "What did you name them?"

"They did not have names." Melissa replied sadly.

"I suppose it would be hard for a human to know the genders if they were miscarried early. How were the graves marked?"

"They- They were not buried. Doctor say they were not big enough. I was not given bodies. They- They burn my babies with trash!"

Kimiko turned to look at her aghast! How could healers be so cruel?! To burn a grieving mother's children with rubbish... How had she managed to live through such pain?

Later that night Sesshomaru and Melissa were lying in bed together. Melissa was laying on his chest listening to his heart beating while Sesshomaru traced a hand gently along her arm and back, deep in thought.

"Melissa?" He asked softly, unsure how close to sleep she was. She opened her eyes and tilted her face up toward his in response.

"I have been thinking about your difficulty bearing children as of late. I for one do not believe you to be the problem. Just because you conceived does not mean your husband's seed was strong, or perhaps the environment you were in was poor for nourishing a growing child. Even if your womb is not suitable for a human child I am a youkai. Our children would be stronger, much stronger, than a human child.

"I want children. It is something that never occurred to me before I met you, but now I want them. I want you to bear them for me. I believe my children would be strong enough to survive your womb.

"However I also know you have suffered much, and that my beliefs are not a guarantee that our children would survive. It would be wrong of me to force you to suffer further for my own desires. If we attempt to have a child it must be by your choice."

"How can I choose? My medicine not last forever. Will run out soon."

"Tell me when your medicine runs out. If you do not wish to conceive I will spill my seed outside of your womb from that point on."

She sighed deeply and tightened har arms around him. She wasn't sure when it would run out. She wanted a baby. She wanted to believe Sesshomaru's babies could live, but the possibility of another miscarriage terrified her.

"You do not have to decide to night."

"You are different from Josh."

"How so?" He asked, continuing to stroke and caress her.

"He- He did not care that I hurt. He wanted me to keep trying. When- when I tell him I got medicine- He got very angry. Hit me. Badly. I should not have stayed so long."

"You left him? I assumed it was the other way around, that he abandoned you."

"Not abandon, divorce. He break marriage vows so I had marriage end, called divorce. Is common, encouraged, when marriage vows are broken. I stayed to long. I was ashamed I make such big mess of my life. Grandma warn me, we married to soon. I did not listen."

Sesshomaru didn't know what to say to her, so he just embraced her tightly and licked her head. They fell silent for a long time. She relaxed in his arms as he held her.

"Melissa, did he hit you while you were pregnant?" Sesshomaru asked after a long while. She didn't answer him because she was asleep. He glanced down at her and debated for a moment whether or not to move her head to the pillow instead. He decided he did not mind if she drooled on him.

A few days later Melissa was deciding what to take on the road with her. Sesshomaru had given her a new traveling kimono, it was folded nearby, she'd put it on in the morning. She wanted to take a fan, knowing how hot it could get in summer. But the only one she had, given to her by Sesshomaru, was made of gold and silk. She was hesitant to take that with her.

Sesshomaru came in carrying something black under his arm. He looked over at Granny and Yuki, "I wish to be alone with Melissa."

They both nodded and left right away. Once they were gone he handed one of the black kimonos to Melissa and began to change his clothing. She was confused but followed his lead. Once they were changed he took her hand and led her from the palace. Outside the gate he picked her up and flew down to a river below. His mother was there waiting, also in black.

"What...?" Melissa looked from one to the other in confusion.

"I told Sesshomaru how you and your children were treated when they died." Kimiko explained stepping forward to hand Melissa one of four paper lanterns. "We decided it is time you were allowed to honor their spirits. Mourn for your children, as you should have been allowed to do before."

Melissa cried as she hugged them both. Then slowly, one by one, she lit the lanterns and set them afloat on the river. Lighting the way for the souls of her babies. She felt a weight lift from her heart as she finally gave each precious child a proper farewell.

Kimiko left after the last lantern floated out of view. Melissa however sat down and gazed at the river, at the spot where the last one had eventually drifted beyng her sight. Sesshomaru sat beside her and she leaned against him. "Sesshomaru, I have made decision. It scares me, but I will try to have your baby."