Hello again my readers! Here is another chapter, once again a tad sad but I hope you all like it. Thanks for the wonderful help I got from Mikaela, Solie, and Judith!

I'm disclaiming most of Kikyo's dirty names because I got most of them from reviews and people who have PMed me with questions (Thanks again guys for letting me use the names!) You all know how addicted to reviews I am so please, when you get done reading, click the button that says review. I'd love to know what you guys think or what might be better with improvement.

Another thing, I know this fic seems like an Inuyasha and Kikyo bash but in all honesty, Inuyasha is my favorite character (behind Sesshoumaru and Kagome). Ok, I won't lie, I hate Kikyo. She needed to stay dead or die when she fell off the cliff the episode she came back to life. She's just…. Never mind. Everyone has good and so does she (just like she saved Kohaku in the manga/anime). Anyway, hope you enjoy.

A Review a Day Makes and Keeps My Sanity at Bay (it's a good thing).

-Yuuki

P.S. - *!~!~!* = flashback ~!~ = time or scene change 'blah'=thought "blah"=talking

Betrayal's Greatest Romance

~ Third Year of Tama Art University ~

Mid Fall Semester

Chapter Four:

Everything is More Beautiful Broken

The desk shook as the large paw-like fist crashed into its sleek wooden top. 'Why must these pups be so stupid?' Lord Toga thought to himself as his eyes scanned the morning paper once more. Kagome, the young woman his youngest pup was supposed to be engaged to, stood in one photo towards the bottom. Her hand was raised, poised in the post slap position with his eldest son's bright red face twisted to the side from the force of the miko's unforgiving slap.

In the upper right, his dumb ass pup stood. At least Sesshoumaru had a reason to look stupid. Inuyasha stood in the picture, his mouth wide open, his left eye twitching and some twit hanging off his arm that closely resembled Kagome. Though he was not there and he did not know this girl, he could already tell by her weak and arrogant stance, the snobbish pout in her lip, and the agitated look in her eye.

Lord Toga had set up the party that previous Friday for his son and daughter-to-be Kagome because he had found the marriage/mating certificate and ring in his pup's home office. Apparently, judging by the slashing article and photos, the party didn't go right. It had almost been a week and the party's events were still making front page news. His pups and their friends had fucked up royally and now he was having them, and this new woman, over for a nice cup of tea and an ass whipping. He was a retired general about to enter in his nine hundred and seventy eighth year of living. He shouldn't still have to wipe these grown men's asses when they shit their pants and bite off more than they could chew. They shouldn't still be shitting their pants in the first place!

His growing inner rant was disrupted by the door bell. He debated with himself for a split second on whether he should even cause himself the stress by opening the door. His mate and love answered for him. He almost shot out to her side to stop her from sliding the dead bolt back and opening the door.

"Hey ma," His youngest came in first, Inuyasha, and kissed her cheek. His usual leather jacket hung off his shoulder with a ragged yellow tank top underneath that stated, "Kill Me Alive". Of all the stupid shirts the boy of his age wore, it had to be the dumbest. He had tried to get Inuyasha to grow up and become at least a good hanyou adult, but the boy loved being stupid more than he did having food on the table.

Sesshoumaru followed through next, not speaking a word. His cold golden eyes hardened with stress and the heavy black bags under his eyes giving away his weary state. The typical uptight business suit forgotten today and was replaced with baggy black jeans and a form fitting Under Armour white shirt. The mokomoko every full blooded inu youkai got when they came of age hung from his right shoulder. At least the pup kept to tradition.

"Hey Mrs. Tashio, long time no see! What's shaking sexy mama?" Koga, the disruptive and hyperactive ookami prince jetted in. His speed was well known by everyone but what he was most known for in this house hold was hitting on his wife. It used to be playful and funny to watch the wolf cub stumbled in and hug his mate, saying he was going to steal her away one day. Now, however, he wanted to rip the boy's hands off his mate's hips.

"Hello dear, it had been too long." Izayoi politely took Koga's hands off her and set them on his red and yellow T-shirt. His khaki short smudged and ripped in random places and like every other time he was out that didn't require shoes, his feet were bare with four or five layers of dirt covering up to the ankle.

Koga tried to land a quick peck on Izayoi's cheek but Inuyasha gave a swift kick to the back of his knee and sent the ookami down to the hard tile. Miroku took his chance then to step in and give a tender hug to the older woman, not saying a word, before wondering off into the living room with the others. Toga could see from where he stood on the ledge of the second story that the boy hadn't changed his clothes or taken a bath in at least three days. His violet eyes dulled with exhaustion. The black shirt and slacks he wore were wrinkled and dirty, the smell of his grimy flesh wafting up to the general's nose.

The door suddenly slammed shut and all eyes were on the petite black haired woman now standing in the middle of the door way. Her huge brown eyes scanned her surroundings before landing on Toga's hanyou son. Sparks ignited a raging fire in her eyes before she turned away from him, her cotton pink dress swirling around her knees. "Hello, I'm Kikyo. You must be Inuyasha's mother, Izayoi. I'm his mate and wife-to-be."

Izayoi stood dumb founded at the beautiful model-like younger woman. Wife-to-be? Where is Kagome? She thought to herself. Toga and every other youkai heard the inhuman growl peel from the older woman's throat as her gaze locked in on her mate, then her son.

"So when was someone going to tell me that Inuyasha and Kagome were no longer together? Hm? Moments before the wedding or when the priest says 'You may now kiss the bride,' and Inuyasha lifts this woman's veil?" Izayoi voice slurred with well known anger at the men in her life. Inuyasha and Toga had seen a fair share of it directed towards them since Toga first mated her but to everyone else, it was a refreshing breeze from the stale polite air about her that she always held as a lady of society.

"Honey," Toga appeared behind her, his huge paws resting on her shoulders in a comforting notion, "Maybe you should read this first before we begin our little 'Idiots of the Year' meeting?" Toga smiled at his own sarcasm. Huffing, Izayoi snatched the morning paper her mate held and silently read. Toga internally grinned as he sat down in his leather La-Z boy.

Everyone took a seat somewhere in the room, silently watching the older woman begin to read the article they all had read. But what they didn't know was Toga hadn't given her just one article, oh no. He had clipped all the articles from the past week about what happened and pasted them together on sheets of paper just for this occasion.

His grin grew from the inside out, spreading his lips apart to flash his dangerous fangs as he eyed his wife. Fire seemed to rise from her skin as she continued on reading, looking up at their son ever so often. The woman, Kikyo, sat in his lap and Inuyasha seemed to be cowering away from his mother to hide behind her shoulder. Miroku zoned out into his own world, still not saying anything but Koga was sitting by his side on the floor, shaking as his tail moved around nervously. Sesshoumaru wanted to smile at the trouble Izayoi would give Inuyasha and Kikyo, until he remembered he would be getting it just as bad too.

Knocking the flowers on the coffee table over as she threw the papers down, the pictures of Inuyasha and Kikyo in various couple-type poses spread across the low marble table. Izayoi set a piercing stare into her son's eyes. "What have you done?" she asked in a low murmur. Inuyasha sputtered to answer, his grasp on Kikyo tightening.

"Have I taught you no respect? No discipline, no honor, and no dignity? Your father and I worked hard for you to have what you wanted and needed! You have spat in our face for the last time!" Izayoi's voice took a crescendo as she side stepped Koga and stopped in front of her son. None too gently, she grabbed Kikyo's shoulder, her well manicured nails digging into the soft flesh. "Move," the older woman all but growled.

Slightly started, Kikyo quickly clutched Izayoi's wrist rashly, earning her a warning growl from her mate beside her. Keeping up her cool façade, Kikyo let go and slipped from Inuyasha's lap to the floor a few inches away. "Pup, I love you. But your foolishness now has to come to an end. You will be seventy one years old next month and I refuse to have this reckless and stupid behavior continue!"

Turning to face the rest of the young men she had helped raise, Izayoi continued on her rant, "I don't know exactly what hand you all had in this ridiculous and shameful game Inuyasha has played on Kagome, but rest assured that I will make sure you all pay evenly for your parts. You all have great common sense and yet you still took part in his ignorant childish shit!" Everyone's eyes widened at the Lady's choice of words. None of them had ever heard her curse before and the fact that she did so properly made each of them fear her more, but had them laughing silently. Their laughter was cut short, however, when a size seven manila stiletto heel came down on Koga's ear, barely missing him. They turned their attention back to Izayoi, her stance still powerful even with four inches taken off her left side.

It was then that Toga actually noticed his wife's choice of clothing today. She looked so modern and young. Izayoi's black main was tied up in a high pony tail with a colorful ribbon that matched the long sash like vest on her shoulders. Her typical kimono was replaced with a plain white tank top and jeans. She could almost pass as Inuyasha's younger sister, but the way she held herself demanded respect and authority. Kami, if her anger didn't make her look so terrifyingly beautiful. Toga thought with a grin, If I didn't love my balls so much, I might take my chance and take her right here, right now.

She began her uneven stomp back to the kitchen when she called over her shoulder, "And don't think you've gotten away with not telling me this before now, husband dear!" The kitchen swing door squealed on its hinges, silence was otherwise heard. All thought of getting some tonight came to an abrupt halt inside Toga's mind. He whimpered.

The quiet sizzle of breakfast came to those with enhanced hearing. The smell of Izayoi's special chocolate banana pancakes drifted in from under the door way. They all perked up as she walked out of the kitchen fifteen minutes later with three large serving plates running over with pancakes, accompanied by a pitch of milk, another of orange juice and a bowl of fresh fruit from the back gardens all neatly placed on the white wood push cart. She smiled, reaching behind her and throwing out a dozen unknown objects.

Sesshoumaru and Toga were the first to catch said objects. "Crunchy Munchies?" Toga asked incredulous. They gave questioning looks as the maids and other such helpers came from all about the house to gather around Izayoi. "Oh did you think this was for you? No, no, no my lovelies, these are not. The staff and I are going to have a breakfast party out on the lanai to reward them on their hard work and loyalty and commitment and trustworthiness! Have a nice talk husband dear." The staff began to cheer behind her as they all made their way down the hall and out to the back yard with delicious food.

They all turned to glare at Inuyasha, who sat in his seat acting unaffected by the lack of his mother's cooking.

"Dammit, mutt face!" Koga yelled, breaking the silence that had yet again settled amongst the small group. "Why did you lie to her? Hell, I don't even mind you lying to protect her but if you knew and loved Kikyo like you said you did, why did you string Kagome along for so long?" Inuyasha cut him off then, not about to take any crap from Koga.

"You shut your damn mouth! You have no right to judge or yell at me when you were the first one to know about Kikyo and the first to start helping me out! Wasn't it you who offered your old apartment up for me and Kikyo to use for privacy?" Koga fumed, stepping up to Inuyasha and pushing the younger male back.

"I did that to protect Kagome! If you were going to go around cheating on her, the least you could have done is not fault your secret around town for everyone to know!"

"Bull shit and you know it! You just helped me to give yourself a better chance into her pants!"

"Lies! And you know it! I had Ayame by then and once I got her, my feeling for Kagome changed to nothing more than a brother-sister relationship!" At these words, Miroku finally joined the present time. He stared at the two with renewed life in his eyes.

"Enough," Toga roared, his giant fist coming down on his La-Z boy with so much strength that the arm made a loud crack before clumping off to dangle limply at the side.

The boy's backed away from each other and sat back in their seats as Toga's powerful youkai began to make them dizzy. Only Sesshoumaru seemed unaffected by the swirl of raw energy, but should they look closely, they would all see the sweat starting to bead about his brow.

"Now, I have not spoken with Kagome yet nor have I spoken with either of you on just how much you all are involved in this scandal but I will find out and hand out repercussions to each of you. As of you female," he redirected his eyes to Kikyo who still sat by the feet of Inuyasha. "Although meeting you this way was a terrible regret, I cannot over look the way you came to be known in this house hold. With that said, you will have to work hard to gain mine as well as my mate's approval."

Kikyo huffed, standing and squaring her shoulder at the old youkai before her. "Say and think what you want, Toga," Inuyasha winced at Kikyo's purpose slip of the tongue. Kikyo continued on without so much of a suffix of respect. "I do not care what you or your mate thinks! I am Inuyasha's mate and soon to-be wife, not yours, not your mate's, and not anyone else's!"

Toga took no time in silencing her. Grasping her neck tightly with his left hand, he flung her like a rag doll towards the door. His blood red eyes held her gaze for a moment longer before looking away. Emerald irises flew to Inuyasha and a low growl ripped from the old inu's throat. Coughing and wheezing, Kikyo stayed on the floor; a wise move on her part thought by all.

"Whelp," Toga addressed Inuyasha roughly. The struggle with his beast for control was heard in his voice, "Teach your mate the proper respect, or I shall do it for you. She speaks to me like that again, and I won't hesitate to take her tongue as my next meal. She's lucky to still have arms for speaking of your mother in that manner." Toga took a calming breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, the red hadn't receded but his normal honey irises had returned.

"Inuyasha, let's start with you. Start from the beginning and I swear if one slither of a lie slips from your lips I will back hand you to the Southern Border." A rare ghost of a smile graced Sesshoumaru's lips, though no one noticed.

One by one, they told their story of how the whole thing had started. It all followed a base story line though with little details and deals they had with the hanyou. It was utterly complex in its simple state. Inuyasha loved Kagome, but only enough to be jealous. He was selfish, that was for sure and in his selfishness, he held on to Kagome as tightly as he could. Growing up, Kagome was his first friend besides Koga. When she became more to him, he used her as a safety blanket. When Kikyo came into the picture, Inuyasha finally found love but was still unwilling to let go of his 'safety blanket'. It was during the first month or so that Koga began to help them out, followed by Miroku. Despite what they all thought Sesshoumaru didn't help them through actions but through words. He was the one to distract Kagome and reassure her of Inuyasha's love and faithfulness in hopes that Inuyasha would give up his fling with Kikyo. He would send Rin over to her to keep her busy and mind off Inuyasha. Really, it might have been mostly his fault that Kagome took so long to catch on to what Inuyasha had been hiding.

Having heard enough, Miroku stood and without a word, left. His mind kept going back to what Kagome had said back at the party. It was all true; she had been there when no one else could. She even got Sango to come back to him despite all that she had just gone through.

Getting into his car, Miroku sat there and thought back to that rainy April day.

*!~!~!*

Mika sat next to him, her head banging to the loud rock music pumping through the speakers. Laughing, her short brown hair whipped all around as she sang along with the song.

"Should I stay or should I go!" She yelled and did an air guitar. Miroku laughed as she peered out the corner of his eye at his younger sister. It was his first year of college and since starting school, this had been the only time, besides Christmas, that he had been home longer than a weekend.

Rain drummed against the hood and windshield of the old Honda. The quiet country back road led straight to the back of the Tokyo museum. It was their day to be together like old times and, as promised, Miroku let Mika choose the spot to which they would hang out. She wanted to go to see the new science exhibit.

"Roki, I'm so happy you came back! I missed you so much!" Mika leaned over for a gentle hug to his side. Trying to keep his eyes on the road, he nodded and kept driving. Minutes ticked by and the song changed to Lights and Sounds by Yellowcard. Distracted, both siblings began to sing along with the song, the feeling of old times over coming the present and sending both into a happy memory of the past.

Finally reaching the city, Miroku followed the familiar route to the museum. Turning in an intersection, the museum came into view. Headlights coming from Mika's window were Miroku's only warning. Metal meshing together screeched in his ear. "Roki!" Mika screamed and his head cracked against his window. Glass shattered and the car rolled over several times. Mika kept screaming and he tried to find her with his vision blurred. He finally grasped her hands and he tried to drag her to his body for protection.

A moment or two later, everything settled and the rain sounded once more. "Roki," Mika asked whispering. He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. He looked down at his baby sister, her lip busted and blood coming from behind her hair line. Red colored the vision in his right eyes and his arm crunched under his weight. They were ok.

Smiling, her kissed her forehead and tried to move. It was then that he noticed that that Mika was pinned, her legs crushed under the car on top of them. "Mika," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes. "We'll get you out, don't worry baby. I got you." He tried to move more but Mika shook her head. Teary eyed, she unzipped her favorite purple jacket with shaking hands and showed him the pipe like thing she was impaled on.

Miroku didn't look back, he didn't want to know what it was through his little sister's chest. Crying, he held her tightly, the sound of the rain between their sobs. Hours seemed to pass and soon the only one sobbing was Miroku.

The ambulance finally came and pulled them both out of the wreckage. "Where are they?" He heard someone yell out franticly. Kagome came into his line of vision. Her glowing ice blue eyes held unshed tears as she looked down at him. "Miroku…," she whispered and touched his face as the paramedics loaded his beat up body onto a stretcher.

"This one's still alive, but she's lost so much blood. She won't make it," a medic said softly from beside them as they pulled the half of Mika's limp body not crushed under the cars out. Renewed tears formed in both the young adult's eyes as they watched Mika being carried away.

Miroku passed out.

~!~

He woke later, his mind a groggy mess of flashing memories of what happened before the day's previous events came crashing down on him. Looking himself over, Miroku found himself bandaged from head to toe, his right arm in a sling. The buzzing from all the machines the doctors and nurses had hooked him up to filled the darkening room. It was white noise to him; an irritating mosquito too loud in his ear.

The haze in his mind set before his mind began to dissipate and he made out a form in the far left corner. Miroku's hearing seemed to heighten to hear new low whispers coming from what he now recognized as Kagome's back and a doctor's white lab coat before her. They were talking about him and his sister.

His mind went in and out of the conscious state, weary and ready to break. What he grabbed of their conversation, his mind took in and understood. It broke into fragments of sentences, but all well understood.

"Went through her left ventricle… Lost too much blood…. Legs gone… Didn't survive to operate…. Sorry…. Have you considered organ donation?"

A choked sob ripped from his soul and came from his throat in heart break. Restraints he hadn't noticed before held his free hand and ankles to the bed railings. The storm outside matched his emotional distraught state of mind. The winds whipped across the double glass window with harsh slashes. Rain and sleet charred the panes and thrust itself at them like a mighty hammer.

Kagome was by his side instantaneously, holding his head to her collar bone as his tears burned through her shirt and branded her skin. He roared and fought, unable to let his mind register the fact that his baby sister, his precious younger sibling had left this world for the next life.

The sobs of a broken man echoed through the halls in silence as the rest of the patients in the ICU listened to Miroku's pain with no complaint. Hours passed and his sobs quieted to a dull and defeated whimper. Kagome had held him through the whole time, refusing herself to shed any tears. She willed herself to be iron and rust away. Only when she felt his breath even out into a coma like state of dreamless sleep did she slip from the room and out to the hall. She collapsed against the door; a cry of deep sorrow curled her lips into a hollow tunnel before she began to weep in despair.

*!~!~!*

Miroku sobbed uncontrollably against the steering wheel. It was only when he calmed down enough to wipe his eyes did he take a deep breath and right his mind to sit up. Looking at the house of the Great Dog General, Miroku did something he would never have thought of. His body seemed to fill with anger as he thought about Kagome and Mika and everything else that had been chaining him with guilt for the last three years.

He got out the car, walked back into the home, into the living room where everyone still sat talking and now eating, and stood in front of Inuyasha. "Miroku, have you been crying man? Seriously, stop being such a wimp and –" Miroku punched Inuyasha square in the jaw.

"What the fuck!" Inuyasha rubbed his jaw, looking back at Miroku. "What the hell was –"Again, Miroku threw a left fist into Inuyasha's neck, knocking the hanyou to the tile floor.

"Don't come near Kagome again!" Miroku yelled out, his voice rough and unforgiving. "I let you do a lot of shit to her that I would never have allowed to be done to Mika!" The mention of her name made Inuyasha wince as well as everyone else. "I love Kagome; she's like the second sister I never got! She is the second chance I get to be the best older brother I should have been with Mika and protect her from anything. Yes, I helped you and I never should have but this shit ends now. Don't come near her, don't speak to her, look at her or even think a thought in her direction! I mean it!" Miroku turned and bowed low to Toga, who stood behind him slightly mad that his pup had been assaulted in his own home. Kikyo ran to Inuyasha's side, checking his face and neck but Inuyasha remained silent.

"I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean any disrespect towards you or your house hold but what I did was called for and should have been done long ago. I will show myself the door and never return." Miroku straightened and headed towards the door when a large paw came down on his shoulder and stopped him.

"That won't be necessary son; Come back at least once a week. To make it up to me, go check on Kagome and tell her I will be checking in on her personally later on this upcoming week. Come back with your wife this Sunday for lunch. It's time you got a new family." Miroku nodded before showing himself out.

~!~

Kagome sat in the reading corner, the human, demon, and hanyou children all asleep beside one another or curled up in small groups. She had just finished reading them her favorite childhood story book, Alice in Wonderland. Sighing softly, she relaxed in the rocker, watching the young lives sleep peacefully. One little girl particularly caught her eye as she scanned the crowd. Rin slept half off the giant sitting pillow and the other half on set of stacked blocks.

She often wondered if her kids would someday come out to look like Rin. Or maybe they would have silvery blonde hair and golden eyes. 'Guess that dreams gone,' Kagome thought, her mood suddenly sullied by the reminder of her life outside her safe haven. All dreams of having kids that would look anything remotely like Inuyasha had dissipated instantly that night Sango and Miroku found her.

She spent days after she crashed the party remembering every aspect of their relationship, trying to find the moment when everything slowly began to descend into hell. But all she could seem to see were all the signs that should have told her everything she needed to know. There were longing gazes, soft touches and hushed words passed along and even worse, everyone around seemed to lay on small hits and traces of evidence of Inuyasha's infidelity. There were points were it was so oblivious that she curled up and cried, chastising herself about her stupidity and naivety.

"Kagome…," Whispered a hoarse voice from across the darkened room. Shippo, the small kitsune, sat in the back of the room holding a stuffed bear between his short arms. Smiling, Kagome rose to her feet and jumped between the scattered patches of carpet unoccupied with sleeping young kids. With one small but powerful jump, Shippo met her half way and landed his small fur ball-like body in the middle of her chest. He was almost ten years old in human years and yet he was still as small as a newborn baby. His carrot top hair tickled her chin as he tucked his head on her shoulder. Holding him close like a mother would her upset child, Kagome carried him out of the nap room and into the main hallway.

She had read Shippo's file and knew his background like the back of her hand. Sadly, the poor kitsune had been orphaned at barely six months old. From there, he bumped from one abuseful foster parent to another, all being worse than the one before. He would come in sometimes, his eyes so dull that he looked like a soldier apart of the walking dead army. Of course, being the responsible adults they all were, they naturally tried to tell the authorities but hardly anything was done beside put him in another equally unsafe home environment. The orphanage didn't care how he ended up nor did his guardians. Shippo's old guardian, an unstable woman with an overly controlling live-in boyfriend, had registered him at the day care. Even though he was no longer with her and his bill was never paid, Kagome and the other employees let him stay, all pitching in to pay his way there. Jinenji would even stay late and come in early just to make sure Shippo had somewhere safe to stay.

Kagome would have adopted him as soon as she could, but when she went up to the orphanage to try and sign the papers, they found her unfit to be a parent because she was single and still in school. She had yelled and fought all she could but even Shippo telling them he wanted to live with Kagome wasn't enough to sway their decision. They had listed only one possible way to obtain legal custody of him, and it was so impossible that Kagome didn't even try to waste her time.

"Kagome, I'm hungry." Shippo whispered against her hair as they walked through the front area and back to the kitchen. She nodded and patted his back. They held each other in comfortable silence, each healing each other's pain through the simple closeness. He desperately craved motherly attention; she just wanted to be truly loved. They found what they needed and wanted in each other even though the law kept them apart.

Kagome cooked a simple can of spaghetti-O's and sat Shippo at one of the small neon tables meant for the toddlers to eat at. Saying a quick 'thank you,' he dug in, getting sauce all over his round chubby cheeks. Kagome smiled as she watched Shippo devour the red pasta as if he hadn't eaten in days. Truth be told, he probably hadn't besides what he ate here.

The small ring of the front door bell disrupted their quiet make-believe family moment.

"I'll be right back sweet heart, stay here and finish eating." Kagome gently order as she got up and walked out. When she came back into the front drop off area, a demoness and human woman were seated in the corner. They were like polar opposites. While the demoness' aqua hair was fixed in a loose bun at the base of her head, the human's was fizzled and sticking up at all ends. The demoness wore a pinstriped black tailored suit that hugged her curvy frame. The human woman had baggy shorts and a dirty stained tan shirt even though it was mid September.

"Ms. Higurashi I presume?" The demon stood and put her tan clawed hand out for Kagome to shake. Taking the hand in a firm grip, Kagome nodded but held the woman cowering in the corner in her gaze. "My name is Mrs. Narita. I'm with the Child Services. This is Ms. Ito, Shippo's guardian. There is a matter that needs to be attended to." Mrs. Narita paused, looking for the right words. "Is there somewhere we can talk privately?"

Kagome nodded and quickly ushered them into the back office, closing the door behind them to ensure privacy. "What seems to be the problem?' Kagome started cautiously, eyeing both women. They sat and Mrs. Narita brought out a thick manila folder from the brief case at her side Kagome hadn't noticed.

"I assume you are familiar with one, Shippo Yoshida's, case. Am I correct?" Kagome nodded. "Well, as such you know that Shippo is a very delicate case. He has yet to start training with another male kit like all the others of his kind. He doesn't have a stable environment, and he refuses to use any of his natural born gifts. At this age, he should be far more advanced than he should be. At this rate, he's going to end up crippled and unable to live as a normal youkai male." Horrified, Kagome shook her head, refusing to believe it.

"Now, I know Shippo is a tad behind in his youkai training but that doesn't mean he is crippled! There has to be something we can do!" Kagome demanded, banging her fist painfully against the wooden desk. Mrs. Narita simple stared blankly at Kagome, unfazed by her sudden temper or spike in holy energy surging through the air. Moments pasted and Kagome finally eased herself to calm again.

"As I was saying, Shippo is in great danger and to add to this, Ms. Ito here is unable to take care of him anymore. She is signing the papers tomorrow morning and giving him back to the gov– "

"Wait," Kagome shouted, standing and coming to Ms. Ito's side. She looked at the poor ruined woman in the eye, lowering to kneel beside her. Kagome touched her arm lightly, making the older woman jump slightly as she kept her eyes locked on Kagome's. "Ms. Ito, I know you care for Shippo in some way. If you didn't, you wouldn't be signing him over like this. You wouldn't have come down here with Mrs. Narita to tell me all this. You wouldn't have helped him." Ms. Ito's eyes began to fill with unshed tears as she nodded slowly, unsure. Despite Shippo's past guardians, Ms. Ito was generally kind to him. She was messed up, but she never hurt Shippo or dragged him down with her. She just needed to get her life together.

"Ms. Ito, I love Shippo. He is like my son, and I would take very good care of him. I could even come over with him to visit you sometimes. Please, sign him over to me. Please, for his own good, let me take care of him and raise him." Ms. Ito's deep green eyes stared into Kagome's, searching for something.

One silent moment passed before she was nodding her head, a smile spreading her cracked lips. "Ms. Higurashi, this is completely against regulations!" Mrs. Narita began to argue. Kagome shook her head and dug around in the side filing cabinet before coming out with a small packet of official papers.

"According to regulation 673, legal guardians may pass over custody through a court hearing after substitute guardian has been checked. From there, if said substitute guardian is approved, the substitute guardian is appointed to legal guardian." Kagome quoted, pointing to the legal document before them. "I did my research. I tried to adopt Shippo two years ago, but because I was a single woman, they wouldn't let me. This was the one loop hole I had left." A victorious smile crawled up Kagome's face. Mrs. Narita looked it over and nodded, seeming to want to go along with it.

"Ms. Ito, are you sure you want to do this?" Ms. Ito nodded, still smiling at Kagome. "Ok then, I'll call you both tomorrow with court dates. Ms. Higurashi, as of now Shippo is temporarily in your possession. After the court hearing, you will most likely be granted parcial custody. As any other case of this situation, you will more than likely be visited sporadically by another social worker. They will evaluate you over a period anywhere between six months and a year. If you pass their standards, by this time next year Shippo will legally be yours. I will take this document with me and have it updated and ready for our court date. I wish you both luck ladies." Kagome nodded, pulling another copy of the document out and leading them out. She was surprised when Ms. Ito suddenly ran back and hugged her, and then disappeared behind the door. Mrs. Narita handed her card over to Kagome then followed Ms. Ito out the door.

Excited, Kagome wasted no time in running back to the kitchen and scooping Shippo into her arms, crying as she told him everything that had just happened. "I don't understand, Ms. Kagome." Shippo held her face with his tiny paws, confusion whirling in his huge bright emerald eyes. Smiling, Kagome set him down on her lap and gently stroked his hair.

"Honey, I wish to adopt you. I want to be your mother. I would take care of you and give you everything you would ever want and a lot more. I want you to be my son, if you want me that is. It'll take time but if you don't want, I can always call Mrs. Narita back and cancel everything." Shippo shook his head, launching his small body into Kagome's. They ended up in a heap on the floor with Shippo crying on Kagome's chest. She let him stay there, patting his back as he thanked her and rambled on about how happy he was.

This is how Miroku and Ayame found them later.

"Well here you guys are," Ayame smiled form the door way, Miroku hiding partially behind her. "So, why are you guys on the floor, again?" Grinning Kagome stood quickly, lifting Shippo easily with her.

"As of now, Shippo is under my custody and soon, he'll legally be my son." Kagome said proudly. Ayame pounced them both back to the floor, giggling and squealing in delight. They laughed and rolled around on the ground happily for some time before they all came to realize Miroku was still standing there.

"Roki," Kagome smiled, calling Miroku his old nickname. The nickname Mika use to call him. Kagome stood up, dusting herself off and held her arms open. "Can your sister not get a hug?" Miroku smiled and took her into his arms, holding her tightly. He fought back his tears as he tried to murmur an apology but Kagome cut him off, telling him that she had already forgiven him and she was just happy to still have him in her life.

They spent the rest of the day playing with the other kids until it came to closing time. Ayame let Kagome take Shippo home early, giving them time alone.

"So honey, what do you want for dinner? You can have anything you want!" Kagome smiled as she drove the familiar path back to the dorms. Shippo didn't answer. "Honey, you ok?" Still nothing. Pulling over the car, Kagome turned on the light and turned to face Shippo. "What's the matter?"

"Kagome, I am really happy but… Can I say goodbye to Ms. Ito?" He glanced at her before turning his gaze back out the window. Kagome smiled and patted his head. "That won't be necessary, honey. We are going to be visiting Ms. Ito a lot, probably once a month or something like that." Kagome assured him, pulling the car back on to the road.

"Now what did you wish to eat? Tomorrow, we'll head off to the shopping center and buy you all new things! And I have an extra room since…," Kagome paused, remembering how exactly she got that new spare room. She cleared her throat and continued, "The spare room can be your room until we move out and get a nice apartment next year. Would you like that? We could paint and decorate to your heart's desire!" Shippo just grinned, nodding to please Kagome but his mind was lost on the excitement of the day.

He was getting a real mommy.

Shippo remember bit and pieces of his biologically mother and father but he was so young, all he could recall were burred figures and bits of conversations. He loved his birth parents so very much but he so desperately wished for a real mommy and daddy again. He watched the kids at the day care get picked up and dropped off by loving parents. They would get showered with affection and love while he was beat into the black depths of his subconscious. Shippo had always looked to Kagome, seeing her as the perfect mommy figure for him. She was the first half of his missing puzzle. He didn't mind that she was alone but he did wish she was happy. He could love her like the mother he saw her as, but there is that different love, the kind between a mommy and daddy, he just couldn't give.

Shippo lost himself as he began to think about the life he would soon have. They had arrived at Kagome's dorm and picked up some Wacdonald's and he hadn't noticed at all. Kagome smiled and let him play in Lala land a bit longer before calling him back to the land of the living to eat.

"Kagome," Shippo started half way through his chicken nuggets. Kagome set her ice tea down and nodded for him to continue. "Would it be alright if a slept with you tonight…. Mommy?" Her heart stopped suddenly, painfully clutching tightly at her chest as she struggled to breathe. Shippo… called her Mommy. Her new son called her mommy.

Kagome fought back the tears as she cleared her throat to answer. "Yes you may, but you don't have to call me anything but Kagome when or until you're ready so don't push yourself. Ok?"

"Yes mama," Shippo answered, a wide grin plastered on his lips. Kagome smiled back and went back to eating. They ended the night with a movie and went to sleep, Kagome held Shippo on her chest.

Days rolled by and Friday finally made its appearance through the rainy cold weather.

Kagome had just walked in, Shippo clutching her hand tightly through his green mitten cover. She bent down to undo his jacket and scarf when the window opened, freezing air funning up her jacket and spine.

"Miss Kagome!" Kagome looked over her shoulder in time to see the blur of orange and black come towards her before she was knocked to the carpet. She laughed and held Rin tightly to her. "I missed you so much Miss Kagome. Daddy said he wouldn't take me back here for a long time. Are you and daddy fighting? Is he going to get a time out? Do you not like us anymore? Do you not like me? Why is Shippo coming with you? We saw you two get out of the car cause Daddy wanted to watch –" Sesshoumaru's hand covered her mouth as he dragged her back to her chest and into his arms. She squirmed and tried to keep talking but held tightly to her, turning away from Kagome to cover his glowing blush. He hadn't taken Rin to the day care since the party except for two times he really needed to, and even then he didn't drop her off himself. Now he wasn't sure if he made the right choice.

Kagome smiled, continuing to help Shippo out of his jacket and hanging it in his cubby before answering. "Well Rin, to answer your questions, yes, me and your Daddy had a fight and I was hurting. So I gave him a time out and didn't wish to talk to him. Now though, it seems he needs another one because he kept you away for no reason. I wasn't mad at you. I love you Rin and that will never change." Smiling, the girl leapt from her Daddy's arms and straight into Kagome.

'I know a time out session I'd gladly let you put me through but I doubt my Rin was talking about that' Sesshoumaru thought naughtily, making his blush glow brighter.

It was one of the things Kagome had grown use to. Even though Rin was not full demon or even a hanyou, she still attained some demon quality, such as her powerful strength and fast healing. The girl could run a mile in ten seconds and lift a car but she aged slowly, like a demon child, yet was injured easily like a human. She had no facial marking from her father and didn't have claws but Rin was as special as anyone else and Kagome loved her every bit.

Still hugging Rin, she looked behind her at Shippo. Jealousy and envy radiating off of him as his eyes glassed over as he watched his new mommy hug another child. Kagome smiled, and put Rin down next to Rin. "Rin, you remember what Shippo told you about his mommy and daddy?"

"Yes, that they dieded and Shippo was looking for a new mommy and daddy." Sesshoumaru stood silently, listening to the summary of the young kit's sad short life. Sighing, he kneeled behind Rin and placed an arm over her shoulders as he felt her mood shift to match Shippo's.

"Well," Kagome began, grabbing Shippo and hugging him tightly to her jacket clad chest. "I am adopting Shippo. He will be my new son soon and I love him very much." Shippo's eyes widened at Kagome's confession. He had heard her say she loved him before he went to bed but he thought she was simply saying it out of habit like she did all the other kids at the day care. Sesshoumaru watched the new mother and son pair closely. After a moment, feeling at love wafting off of both of them, he nodded approvingly. This was what they both wanted and needed and he was happy for Kagome.

"Kagome," he started, unsure of whether or not she would still even wish to speak to him. "I am very happy that you have chosen to change another life for the better. Shippo is a wonderful boy and if you allow me to, I will personally train him for his youkai exams and bring him up in the way every youkai needs."

Kagome smiled and stroked Shippo's soft carrot top hair gently. "Thank you Sesshoumaru, I would greatly appreciate that but there is one thing I must correct you on." Sesshoumaru gave her a questioning gaze and she smiled a little brighter. "He is the one changing my life for the better, not the other way around."

Ok everyone, that's it for now. I thought that was a nice ending to all the bad we've had before in previous chapters. Next chapter will not be up anytime soon because I have another story that I have neglected and I want to show it some love and finish the last two/three chapters of the story. So sorry for the inconvenience but I hope this was enough to satisfy your taste buds for the time being. Also, fan art and other contest pieces will be coming out soon! I have them written/drawn and need them edited/colored.

See you soon!

-Yuuki!