Chapter 18: He wasn't going to let this go

Three uninterrupted weeks had passed, and it was amazing. We spent every waking moment together. She barely let me leave the apartment. Let alone the bed. Suddenly, being forced to take paid leave, did not look so bad. There was a part of me that dreaded having to back to work because it meant that I would not be able to spend as much time with her. The reason we had gotten together was probably not for the healthiest reason, but I think being together was doing us some good. I didn't know how I was supposed to function when I started working again. Somehow Kimi had convinced Sesshomaru that I was doing very well and very caught up in some new woman. Meaning that I was finally starting to move on, i.e. no longer wanting his wife. So, I should be allowed to see them again. I guess he wanted to see it for himself, so he and Kagome were expecting me at the twins' seventh birthday party. Driving to the party together was not going to look suspicious since we lived in the same building. I glanced over at her in the passenger seat from time to time. She wore a simple black sundress, but damn did she look good. She wanted to keep it simple since it was for the twins, but it didn't make her look any less attractive. Part of me was jealous that other men were going to get to see her. I clenched my jaw and sped up. I just wanted to get this day over with so I could have her to myself.

I smiled, basking in the warm sun. Watching as the twins run and play with their schoolmates. Sesshomaru stood like some guard dog watching over them. It warmed my heart. He was an amazing father. I wonder what the Sesshomaru of the feudal era would say if I told him how he would turn out. I laughed to myself; he probably would've mauled me. I had been so in my thoughts I hadn't even realized Sesshomaru

had come over and sat next to me.

"The boys seem to be doing fine."

I laughed. "Of course they are. Seeing as you haven't taken your eyes off of them since they were born."

He put his arm around my shoulder; sighed leaning into him.

"Hey, do you think something is going on between Kimi and Kouga? They've been awfully close since they've gotten here."

"There is," he said nonchalantly.

I sat up straight. "How long have you known!?"

"For a while. They are terrible at hiding things"

I smiled. "You don't seem so happy about that."

He grimaced. "Would anyone? Better he is with her, than pine after you." He'd said.

"Throwing your mother to the wolves? Very cold Sesshomaru of you" I said, pun intended.

He side-eyed me. "Your jokes have become worse with age Kagome."

I smiled. "Maybe it's not that serious, maybe she just wants someone to play with."

He put his hand up. "Kagome, please stop. That is not something I wish to imagine."

"What if they get married and he calls you son!?"

"I'm leaving."

He stood walking away and I chased after him. As much as my pregnant belly would allow. He would let me catch up to him, just enough to let me think I had won. Just to evade me at the last second. He laughed at my lack of hand-to-eye coordination. I waved him over to me, and he came.

"Please, no more jokes about Kouga being my father."

"It's good that they're happy together. I need you to promise me that you will not get in the middle of them."

"She is my mother, I do not approve of this, and on top of this. They are keeping it from me Kagome. Whenever I would step off the elevator to go see my mother I could hear them. A son should never have to hear his mother like that. He gave me his word that this would not happen. He is not a man of his word. He is only using her to get over you. When he tires of her she will be heartbroken yet again."

I sighed. "Sesshomaru you do not know that, and why would they tell you? Look at how you are behaving now. What happened to better him with her than pine after me?"

"I did not think their flirting would blossom into whatever this is. They do not belong together."

I put my hands on my hips. "Oh, and you know what's best for them do you?"

"I do and I know my mother."

"And I know Kouga. Do not get in the middle of them Sesshomaru. Let them be happy. Do not be another Myoga." I bit out

I walked away from him. I was finished with his conversation.

Kimi tapped my shoulder, pointing over to Sesshomaru and Kagome. "Trouble in paradise."

I looked over at the last minute, to catch Kagome storming off.

"Did you hear what they were arguing about?"

She flipped her tresses over her shoulder. "I could not hear. There are too many children here. I cannot even hear myself think."

I chuckled. Taking a sip of my drink.

"Do you ever want children?"

I choked on the water I was drinking. "What?"

"Do you ever want children?" she asked again nonchalantly.

"Did you just ask me if I wanted to give Sesshomaru a brother?"

"A what?" the voice said angrily.

We turned and looked up, and we saw that it was Sesshomaru. We both sighed and stood up. We both knew this was coming. He did not show it. But he was furious. I could feel it rolling off him in waves. This is exactly why we chose to sit at the picnic table furthest away from the party.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets. Kimi moved closer to my side, slipping her arm around mine.

"Go ahead. Get it all out Sesshomaru. Whatever it is that you are dying to say to me."

He scowled. "Your word means nothing."

I shrugged. "Not that I have to explain myself to you, but this is the one time that I haven't kept my word to you. You are my closest friend, my family but that is all. You do not get to tell me who I can or cannot be with."

"What kind of family would do this? Someone who calls themselves my brother would not sleep with my mother. I saw this coming and I told you to stay away from her but no! You are too pigheaded!"

Kagome came up from behind him, shooting him a glare.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. I just wanted to borrow Kouga for a moment."

I looked over at Kimi, and she gave me a slight nod. I walked off with Kagome. I could feel Sesshomaru's eyes on me the whole way.

"Okay. Now that we're out of earshot. I just wanted to say a few things. Starting with, I am sorry."

I waved it off. "You don't have anything to apologize for."

She shook her head. "No, no I do. So hear me out. I know it's been rough. Cutting you out the way that we did. I never meant to hurt you or isolate you from us. I just didn't know what else to do. It was a last resort."

"I understand Kagome." I shrugged. "It all worked out for the best it seemed."

"Yeah, and I'm glad for that. But you didn't let me finish. I realized that I never thanked you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"Everything that you did all those years ago. For me, and Sesshomaru. You helped protect me even though you knew it would hurt him, and you told him things he needed to hear that no one else would tell him. So, thank you Kouga… for everything."

I felt myself getting choked up. I didn't know why those two little words meant so much to me. I felt my eyes starting to sting. I did my best to blink it away before she noticed. She noticed anyway.

She gave me a small smile. "I should have said that sooner."

"Thank you, Kagome. Really."

"So, you and Kimi huh?" She said grinning.

I rubbed the back of my neck. I could feel myself blushing. "Yeah, it just sort of happened."

"So, all this time you were the mystery man she was talking about."

"What'd she say about me?"

She laughed. "That my friend is a secret. I hope you guys work out. I'm rooting for you." she said with a smile, before walking away.

I looked over at Kimi. The look on her face was not a happy one. She was saying something to Sesshomaru, but I was too far away to hear. I doubt he was listening to anything that she was saying because he had his eyes dead set on me. I sighed. He wasn't going to let this go.