Chapter 6

The next days were spent with a sort of tension between the two, a nervousness on the part of Kagome that kept things a little on edge in the mansion. It was a good thing that Myouga was there - his presence kept things from getting too tense.

Mattaki just managed to keep himself calm, knowing that Kagome was working herself through things and that if he kept himself from responding to her somewhat distant manner in a negative way she would eventually calm down and her tension around him would ease.

So, as difficult as it was at times he kept a pleasant manner despite her distance, keeping himself busy training. It had, after all, been a long time since he'd had a really good fight. In fact, he found himself wishing Sesshoumaru would stop by – a good spar would really warm him back up.

He also suspected that at some point Sesshoumaru's mother would be showing her face, if only to sniff disdainfully at his 'new life'. And of course, he knew that some of Kagome's friends would also probably visit. He figured that would be the one thing that would calm her the best – and he found himself hoping one of them, at least, visited soon.

It seemed Shippo was the one destined to answer the voiceless call, as he just appeared on the palace steps one morning about a week and a half after the episode in the baths, confused to see where his mother figure was apparently living. He definitely hadn't expected to see her living in such a fine, richly appointed place, considering that her benefactor and protector had been dead until recently. How he'd come up with all the money needed for a place like this Shippo really wanted to know, not that he was upset to see it – as far as he was concerned Kagome only deserved the best of everything.

Ecstatic to see one of the people she cared so deeply about again, she dragged the weakly protesting kitsune indoors from where he'd just appeared on the palace steps chattering a mile a minute, insisting that he stay for a few days, at least. Tracking Mattaki down, she put the request to him. His answer made her blush.

"My dear, there is no need to ask me. As far as I am concerned this is your home as much as mine. Invite whoever you wish," he assured her, smiling at the blush on her cheeks at Shippo's suddenly assessing expression. It was clear that he was here to see how she was being taken care of – but that he hadn't expected the evident affection in the daiyoukai's gaze.

Smiling hurriedly at him and then rushing her young friend off, one who, truthfully she saw as a son, Kagome tried desperately to distract Shippo from the questions in his eyes by asking about how his training was going. It didn't work. The moment she had shown him to a room where he could leave his small pack, he dragged her back outside to the garden, then sat down and stubbornly ignored her efforts to talk about everything but her own life.

"Come on, Kagome! Something's going on, and I want to know what it is. I want to be sure you're safe and all. Please, just tell me!"

She sighed, then looked down at fidgeting fingers. "What do you want me to tell you?"

"I could see the way he was looking at you, Kagome." Shippo gave her his innocent look, the cute little expression she had never been able to resist before, and she couldn't now, either. And then when he knew he had her, it changed to a shockingly worldly one. "He'd better not be some prowling dog thinking he's gonna get a free... eh, heh, heh, err..." Shippo trailed off, cheeks reddening at the shocked expression on her face. "Well, you know what I mean!"

"Shippo!" she gasped, completely stunned at what he was insinuating – and that he was insinuating it. But then she thought about it... Well, he was exposed to Miroku for a long, long, time. I suppose it warped all of us at least a little... Still... "I'll have you know that Mattaki's more honorable than that!" She blushed deeply and looked away again. "He... he said he wants... wants me to be his-" her voice suddenly became tiny, "-mate."

The silence was palpable for several long seconds as Shippo took that in and thought about it as Kagome continued to fidget. After a few, though, he said, "Mate?" very carefully, as though worried that to say it too loudly would change what she'd said.

She nodded, staring hard at her fingers. "Yeah."

Shippo didn't know what to say to that at all, except, "Oh."

When he didn't say anything else, she looked at him questioningly. "Aren't you going to carry on about how this is all so sudden and way too soon?" she asked, almost as if she was actually hoping he would.

He looked at her blankly and shook his head. "No... why would I do that?" He stared at her for a moment, and then thought he understood. "Oh. I remember some of the stuff you told us about courting in your time. You humans are really slow about that stuff, aren't you? But is all that beating around the bush really necessary?" he asked critically. "We youkai don't waste time – instinct tells us what we need to know, and when it does, we listen. We don't see the point in playing hard to get."

"But... but... how can you know who you want as a lifelong mate without taking the time to get to know the person?" she wailed, frustrated. How can they just accept things so quickly and easily? I know what mama said, but- in that moment, something occurred to her- how can I trust myself about my feelings so soon?

That was it. That was her whole problem with the situation in a nutshell – her trust in herself. She didn't trust herself or her heart any longer. After all, look what it had led her into when she'd listened to it before.

Shippo piped up again, pulling her attention back to him. "Look... I remember the stuff you told us about people courting in your time. You said that they spent a few hours a seven-day together, ne?" When she nodded, he continued. "Okay, so in an entire lunar cycle you would have only spent maybe two days together in full. Now think about it. You're with Mattaki-sama all day, every day, for an entire lunar cycle. That's a lot more time together than your modern courting would have given you, okay? So... it's just different when you spend pretty much every waking moment with the person – your modern people would have to spend a year courting a few hours a seven-day to equal the entire single lunar cycle you spent with Mattaki. And you've spent more than that with him by now. When you're together all the time it's just more intense. You can't judge our way against your way, Kagome, because they're too different."

She blinked at him, totally startled at his insight into her problem, but her brow furrowed as she thought about it. It was true... she was much more involved with Mattaki, since they were together constantly. And according to him, Omoikane-kami-sama had deliberately put them together because he knew that they would love each other, so that they would not be lonely and unhappy with such vast amounts of time to live through. So... yes, things were moving faster in a way than she was used to, but it was supposed to be that way. It was simply a more intense, close courtship than people in her time typically had.

Remembering something else, then, she thought back to something that her history teacher had pointed out once, and which she'd seen ample evidence of herself in her time here in the Sengoku Jidai thanks to the unsettled era. In times of strife and war love seemed to be achieved at a faster pace between couples than during times of peace and plenty. As her teacher had explained, sub-consciously the mind knows that time could be short under those types of circumstances and so sped up certain processes, courtship and love being two of those things. It was ultimately to bring about speedier procreation to assure the survival of the bloodline, but the why didn't matter to the end point – that being that the process was sped up.

So... even amongst humans such things as courtship and love could be achieved faster than what people in her time, at least, considered normal, and be equally accepted by others around them. It was simply the way things were, because at the bottom, underneath all the higher learning and thought processes, humans were just as susceptible as youkai and even animals to the rhythms of life and their instincts for survival – which included procreation. Love was just a means of preserving the species, after all, by emotionally binding and encouraging certain pairs to procreate.

She sighed. Am I really just being stubborn and silly over nothing? But...

"Kagome... why are you so worried about this, anyway?" Shippo interrupted her thoughts again with his little voice, and she looked over at him questioningly. "Does it really matter how fast or slow it goes? From what I understand, you don't need to worry about time any longer, ne? So why don't you just... what was that thing you always said-" he tapped his paw against his cheek as he searched his memory, "-oh, yeah... go with the flow?"

She blinked at him, then blinked again before slapping her hand to her forehead in frustration with herself. Kagome closed her eyes and shook her head, beginning to wonder about her intelligence. Had she really just been forced to see the proverbial light – by a nine your old kitsune child? In that moment she felt utterly stupid.

Sighing again, she opened her eyes and dropped her hand, and Shippo giggled at the handprint on her forehead. She shook her head again, wryly amused at herself and at him, and suddenly very glad he was there.

"You're right, Shippo, and I'm going to do just that. I don't know why I'm so worried about it."

The kitsune harrumphed and crossed his arms, suddenly glowering. "Feh. I do. It's because of that baka Inuyasha, that's why. I really wish the kami would make him come back so I could kick his a-" he looked at Kagome's suddenly threatening expression, and barely stopped himself, "-eh, heh... butt," he finished weakly, wilting under her glower. But before she could reprimand him for talking like Inuyasha, Mattaki's deep, husky laughter was heard, and both turned to look at the hanyou's father as he made his way towards them.

"I heard that, young kit, and believe me, I have dearly wished the same. Perhaps the kami will hear us and grant our wish, eh?" he asked as he joined them in the circle of pine trees the two had found themselves under. He inhaled happily, taking in the fresh and wonderful scent of nature and especially pine. "I would also love to get my hands on that boy, for he needs a good beating – or twenty - as I believe I've thought before."

Shippo grinned, suddenly liking the daiyoukai who'd fathered not only Inuyasha, but Sesshoumaru, a great deal more than he'd thought he would. That's why he'd been so suspicious in the beginning, the fact that he'd sired those two, but after hearing that he only wanted to love and protect Kagome and was nothing like either of his sons, he was feeling a lot happier. It made him wonder how he'd given rise to two such awful brats. Sesshoumaru, terrible and deadly with a chip on his shoulder as big as the lands he claimed as his, though lately he'd calmed some, and Inuyasha, an... well, frankly, an ass, as much as Kagome didn't want him saying such words. The hanyou really was an ass. No other word fit nearly as well.

"Well, I'd love to help, that's for sure," the kitsune laughed mischievously, skipping out of Kagome's reach as she weakly attempted to bop him on the head in reprimand.

"Both of you, behave. It's not nice to speak ill of the dead."

Mattaki chuckled as Shippo scoffed. "Makes a difference when it's his own stupidity that got him killed. He just walked right into it, bein' a total baka and blind over that Kikyou, believin' her when she says, 'You have to go to hell with me'," he parroted sarcastically. "He deserves to be laughed at."

Chuckling louder as Kagome growled, Mattaki settled a soothing hand on her back. "Calm down, my dear. As bad as it is, young Shippo is right. Inuyasha brought his fate on himself. I would say no different if he were standing before me right now. Death does not abrogate his wrongful actions towards you."

Before Kagome could respond all three were startled by the presence of one with so much power that it stunned the minds of the living, and a voice said, "And that is why we members of the kami have finally agreed to take away the first punishment that we apportioned unto the one known as Inuyasha. He did not learn from his first experience with being sealed, and it is doubtful that he would learn from this one. Come the end of everything when we wake up all those who have been punished so, he would be no closer to enlightenment even with all that time to ponder his mistakes. Perhaps giving him to you to punish would be a better solution, though only time will tell. Still, we have chosen to do this, since it is a father's prerogative to discipline and teach his children, and you were not given that chance with this child. Now you will have it. Do not disappoint us by wasting it, for it is not often we give second chances."

The reactions between the three listening were quite different. For Mattaki, a deep sense of satisfaction settled in his chest at the thought of being able to get his hands on his son and be the one to take out the price of Kagome's pain on him. He was soon smiling, a dangerous look on his face that had Kagome shivering.

Shippo was quite stunned at first, but then as he thought about it he gained a smile that was almost the mirror image of the one on Mattaki's face. As far as he was concerned, Inuyasha deserved all the pain it appeared his daddy was about to hand out to him. And he would stay here visiting for some time to come just to watch it happen, too.

Kagome was the only one of the three that was not completely happy with what was about to happen. Yes, it was nice that Inuyasha would get to live again, but the reason for it? So his father could punish him? Then again, that is what parents do when necessary... and there's been plenty of times I've wished his parents raised him so he was brought up right. He raised himself, and that's the problem. But with that look on Mattaki's face...

Resigned to the fact that she was going to once more be facing the one who'd used her so harshly and definitely not ready for it, she cautioned Mattaki as soon as the Kami fell silent, "Don't go overboard here, Mattaki. I don't want revenge for the things that happened between he and I."

Mattaki opened his mouth to answer her when the Kami cut him off. "And yet vengeance shall be had. Listen, our daughter. We are the ones that need it for his actions, Mattaki is merely the instrument that we will use to gain it. You are not to interfere with a father and his son's punishment. He must learn, Kagome, for if he does not how much more harm will he do to others?" The god looked knowingly down at her discomfited form. "You have already suffered at his hands – would you wish for anyone else to suffer the same – or worse, for his callousness?"

Unable to deny the god's words she sighed, knowing that no matter how much she hated it, she couldn't go against the will of the kami. Maybe she should go away... stay with Miroku and Sango for a good long while...

"No, our daughter. Here is where you must stay. We did not grant you a protector only for you to leave him behind," the kami answered her thoughts without pause as though such a thing was nothing out of the ordinary. "There are far more dangers out there than you know of – Naraku was not the only one, nor was he even the worst. You must never leave Mattaki, for the consequences would be dire – not only for you, but for all of our lands and the people on them." He looked sympathetic to her horrified expression, knowing just what she was thinking. "I know that it seems to be terrible to be tied so closely to another and to never have the freedom to be apart, but the power that is a part of you is terrible and deadly. For the world's sake, daughter, you must accept this small inconvenience. Surely to keep another Naraku or worse from rising, staying with Mattaki is a small price to pay?" he asked finally, his voice knowing of a sudden.

Defeated, Kagome didn't say anything, pointedly ignoring both Mattaki and Shippo. She felt trapped and unhappy, and angry that she was going to be forced to sit and watch whatever was going to go on between the daiyoukai and Inuyasha. Suddenly she wished for her mother's arms more than she had at any other time - she wanted to throw herself at her and cry her heart out. But of course such a comfort was denied her, and all she could do was wrap her arms around herself and pretend they were her mother's.

The Kami understood her grief; leaving it alone he turned back to look at Mattaki, who had been silent as all that had been said, simply watching. She made him want to give in and go easy on Inuyasha, if only to keep her from being upset at watching someone she cared for being hurt, but the Kami had denied this and he would be bound to follow their wishes, though it grieved him to see her so unhappy. He sighed. Her soft heart would cause her much grief over their lifetimes, but there was nothing he could do about it. It was something she would have to learn to deal with herself.

"She will learn to deal with this setback in her own way, and sooner than you might think, do not fear," the Kami sympathized with him. "She has a soft heart and while that is a good thing, it can be painful at times for the one who bears it." He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful, and then nodded. "Still, what must be, must be," he said in a low voice.

And then his expression changed and his voice did, as well.

"Hear my call, son of the Inu no Taisho, and return to this world of light and life from the darkness below," he said in a great voice, one that somehow echoed and pulsed within every part of each person there. It touched all of them in ways it would take time to understand, and all of them knew that it changed them in some deep intrinsic way to be exposed to the voice and power of gods in so direct a manner.

At the same time it made all of them shiver with atavistic fear of the enormous, completely unending source of power that the form of this Kami housed – he was like a wellspring. Not even Mattaki in all his power and magnificence came close, and Kagome felt very small and unimportant in that moment.

But as she watched, unable to look away, it was clear that none of the power he housed was being used to call Inuyasha back. She frowned, then started when the god spoke to her, once again hearing her very thoughts. "It is no mystery, little daughter. Power is not required for such tasks, because I am one of those who created this reality. Therefore only authority is needed. I simply tell the world around me what my will is, and it responds - because it must. You will find, as our daughter, that certain things will respond to you in the same manner if you but choose to use your authority."

As he was speaking, a pinpoint of black appeared suspended in mid-air before him, slowly spiralling open, blackness spreading from it like a dark mist as it widened. In that blackness Inuyasha suddenly appeared – but an Inuyasha that was pale and unmoving, eyes closed. He looked as though he were merely asleep, but paling, Kagome knew better – he was still dead. His body had arrived, as it moved slowly from the dark portal to lay on the ground before the god... but where was his soul?

Just as that thought hit her some of the black tendrils from the door reached towards her, the Kami merely looking on with an amused look on his face. They violently furled away from her and retreated as soon as her white, brilliant aura flared to protective life around her, however, and her light illuminated that black place, giving them all a look at the underworld for several long seconds. The brilliance of her soul light beckoned into the portal, that dread place unable to turn away her powerful aura, and that allowed Inuyasha's soul to catch onto it, recognizing its familiar gentle warmth. Within moments his soul, a mottled affair resembling dusk with its intrinsic gloom slipped through the doorway and hovered before the Kami. Without a word, he pointed to the body laying before them all and the soul turned and slammed into its housing, causing the warming flesh to actually shudder in reaction.

The portal disappeared just as slowly as it had appeared, spiralling out of existence even as Inuyasha took his first breath once more. Kagome watched, as did the others, her soul still shivering at the sight and feel of what lay behind that particular door. I can't say I'm not glad at this moment that I won't have to ever face that door personally – or it's destination...

Her thought was interrupted by a voice she'd never thought to hear again. "K-kagome?" Inuyasha whispered, his eyes narrowed to keep out the light a bit as he tried to adjust to his senses as they once more woke to the living world around him. "Did... was it y-you that found a way to bring m-me back?" He started to smile at her a little, and she decided to get that idea right out of his head immediately before he started thinking things that were wrong. He would find himself no longer able to manipulate her through her feelings – the ones he'd always been able to use before no longer existed for him, and she wanted him to know it.

"No. It wasn't my idea," she said crisply, purposely not looking at him. Despite the fact that she didn't hate him, he'd still caused her a lot of hurt and then simply abandoned her without another thought. She just wasn't ready to look at him, this whole thing having come out of the blue with no kind of warning at all.

He frowned and tried to look around. He didn't like the note of... something... he'd never heard before in her voice when speaking to him. "What d'ya mean by sayin' it like that? I couldn't possibly have done anything to tick you off this time – you're just be bein' pissy for some stupid girly reason, as usual," he groused sourly as he rubbed his head to clear it and then tried to sit up.

She looked at him, her jaw dropping at his complete lack of remorse or even acknowledgment of his culpability for what he'd done. Talk about self absorbed! "W-what do you mean, you didn't do anything?" she finally managed to sputter out. "You ran off the moment that dumb bi-" her lips tightened and she snapped her mouth closed for a moment as she strained mightily to keep certain naughty words in, and then when she regained her temper, she finished, "-Kikyou appeared, leaving me and my friends alone without even a word of acknowledgment, a thank you for all your help, a goodbye, 'nice knowin' ya', or anything else! Did you forget about that, you ungrateful jerk?!" she yelled, suddenly a lot more angry than she could ever remember being at him. He was just so... so... selfish!

She'd completely forgotten the presence of the others, who had been kept quiet by the Kami, as he'd wished them all to hear Inuyasha's words and see his behavior for themselves. Not that Shippo really needed the reminder, but...

"What'd'ya mean your friends?" he shouted back, completely unaware of the Kami watching him, as he had deliberately hidden his power so as to keep Inuyasha talking.

Kagome stiffened, her voice and face going cold, causing a suddenly cautious Inuyasha to lean back away from her as he waited for her to speak. "I said 'my friends' because that's what they are. If you'd really cared about them then you wouldn't have just abandoned them. You showed just how much you cared about any of us with those actions, Inuyasha, and that was not at all. Once you'd gotten what you'd wanted out of me and out of them you no longer needed any of us, and ran off as though we no longer even existed," she said, her words like arrows to the heart, making him feel small and very, very guilty.

But Inuyasha wasn't one who'd ever dealt well with emotions, and most especially not the negative ones like guilt, and so his answer was usually to spit back acid at the one that was making him feel such an emotion in the first place. This time, however, he did not get the chance.

The Kami once more unleashed his aura, and Inuyasha, stunned into immobility stared up at the god suddenly standing before him with wide eyes and a fearful expression, suddenly just knowing that he was not going to like what he was about to hear.

How right he was.

"And that is why we of the kami have chosen to re-think the punishment that we originally had handed down in judgment upon your soul, Inuyasha. You have mistreated, abused, and harmed our daughter in ways that bring great dishonor upon you personally and your family name, as well," the Kami said, a hint of anger in his voice, which caused Inuyasha to go pale and flinch back, though it was clear he wanted to argue the point. "You have learned no honor, as is obvious in the vow that you broke to her, our beloved child. In order for the vow to be upheld, since she must always be protected, your sire was returned to life to be her permanent protector in your place. His anger at your mistreatment of Kagome prompted him to wish that you would be returned to life so he could punish you himself for your misdeeds – and we of the Kami have decided to allow this. So now into your father's care you will go, and you will not be allowed to be free of him until he has deemed you ready to regain your honor by making reparations to our daughter for your previous actions."

It was quiet for several long moments as Inuyasha took in everything that had been said in slow increments. First he looked at Kagome as it finally sunk in what the god had called her, his eyes wide with shock - and irritation, as well. And then the other part, the part about his father not only being alive and there to punish him, but that he was now Kagome's protector hit him, and suddenly, with a total lack of remorse or even thought for his previous abandonment of her he found that someone else being her protector was something that he didn't like – at all. That was supposed to be his place!

"Always want what you don't have, eh, hanyou?" the god asked, his expression turning deadly. "If you had kept your vow to her and your honor, then you would have been her protector into eternity. But you were a fool, and so gave up your place to your father. And he is a much better protector for her, in the end, than you could ever have been. He does not treat her as you did. Hear me, Inuyasha. Whatever your father does you will have no choice but to bear it, for if you attempt to leave his influence this second chance at life will be gone and you will die once more. The only way to regain your life, free of any price, is to survive what he chooses to do to you. You had best hope that his actions temper your spirit – or it will not go well with you," the Kami finished sternly, to Inuyasha's horror. Then the god turned and looked at Mattaki, who was looking angry at his son as well as eager to get his hands on him, all at once. "He is yours, Mattaki no Taisho – and I bless you in your efforts to train him up in the way he should go. You will need all the blessings the gods can give in order to fix this one, I fear."

Mattaki bowed to the god. "I thank you for the blessings and the chance to train up my youngest son as I was not able to the first time around." He looked over at a gaping Inuyasha with anger on his face. "One way or another he will learn. If he does not then he will simply die once again. The choice is, in the end, his."

The Kami bowed his head fractionally in acceptance of Mattaki's words, and then glanced at Shippo from the corner of his eye. The kit had been absolutely silent the entire time, too awed to really be able to speak. But it was clear that the god knew just what was running through his mind, the same as he did with Kagome.

"I am sure you, Master Shippo, will also enjoy getting your own blows in on the hanyou, as I can already hear your vengeful little thoughts," the kami chuckled, causing Kagome to look at Shippo with surprise. "You love Kagome like your own mother, and hated the way he always treated her. You will have plenty of opportunity to make him understand just how much you disapproved of his treatment of your mother figure." And then he winked at the kit, shocking everyone. "You fear that your parents would be angry at your love for Kagome, would feel that you were disrespecting them in naming her mother. But you needn't fear – they love you and are eternally grateful to Kagome for taking care of you and making sure you've survived as most orphaned kits would not have. They greatly feared that you would die without them, and are pleased that you call Kagome mother, even if only in your mind, because it shows respect for the one who saved you, took you in and protected and cared for you as though you were her own."

Shippo flushed red and sneaked a quick peek at Kagome through his bangs only to see her smiling softly at him, which caused him to blush deeper. He cleared his throat awkwardly, then bowed to the Kami. "T-thank you, sir," he squeaked, clearing his throat again in embarrassment.

The Kami laughed, a hearty sound. "You are quite welcome, young kit. Your mother has done a good job of teaching you manners," he said approvingly, and with that he looked at Kagome. "As for you, my daughter – do you now see why Inuyasha needs the discipline his father is going to give him? He is selfish and sees only himself and his own wants. It cannot be allowed to continue, or he would soon become nothing more than another Naraku, greedy, hateful, and wanting the power to force the world to his will." He paused and looked over at the fuming but very wary hanyou, his face stern. "He is on the cusp of the path to evil this very minute – with simple selfishness and a refusal to accept responsibility for one's actions is its very beginning steps. He must be taught the error of his ways now before it is too late, and not just his life is lost but his very soul, as well."

Kagome sighed, but with anger still thrumming through her at Inuyasha's greeting of her and his careless words and actions she nodded, then bowed. "I understand," she said reluctantly. "I just wish I didn't have to be here to deal with it. But... on the other hand," she glared at the hanyou, "it will be nice not to have to do the disciplining and yelling myself."

Again the god laughed, and then with an inclination of his head to her and Mattaki he vanished, his aura disappearing with him and leaving the area oddly empty feeling. But with his departure, a heavy silence fell as the four people there all stared at each other, uncertain of what to say.

Neither Shippo nor Kagome was really surprised that it was Inuyasha's brash big mouth that broke the silence.

"What the hell was that guy talking about, sayin' I'm like Naraku? I ain't nothing like that bastard!" he snarled. Then he turned a calculating, pissed off look at the male who was his father – the father he'd never met. "And does he think I'm just gonna let you start spanking me like I'm some two year old pup? I don't fuckin' think so!"

Kagome sighed, and shaking her head disgustedly, turned and made her way back inside the palace itself. That visit from the kami had been overwhelming, and she had a lot to think about.

Let his daddy take care of him – after all, wasn't that the whole point of all of this? She didn't even care anymore after his words to her what Mattaki did to him, as long as he didn't kill him – Inuyasha was so hardheaded he'd have to basically bludgeon the lessons into his thick skull to get them to stick.

"More power to ya, Mattaki," she quipped sarcastically over her shoulder as she walked off. "With a stubborn bastard like Inuyasha to deal with, you're gonna need it."

And to the tune of shocked silence she disappeared into the shiro, leaving behind a very stunned Inuyasha, who was about to find out the hard way just why his father had been so feared by so many.

~oOo~

She couldn't help but ponder her change of heart as she wandered inside the building and decided to head for a relaxing soak. With Inuyasha to deal with she doubted Mattaki would be interrupting her bath anytime soon.

When the Kami had first appeared and informed them of what they had decided concerning Inuyasha's fate, she'd been very upset. She never liked to think of anyone suffering. But when he'd been returned and immediately his first words had been to dump on her about her attitude of reserve towards him after what he'd done to her and put her and their friends through, something inside of her had hardened towards him. She poked at that hardness, and could only surmise that she'd simply reached her limit with the boy.

She'd given him everything of herself, not holding anything, even her heart back – and he'd used it, used her, until she had nothing left to give and he no longer needed her, and then he'd simply tossed her aside and abandoned her as though she were nothing but trash. And then he'd gotten angry that she'd had the nerve to be angry at him? Who the hell did he think he was, anyway?

I sure hope Mattaki can knock some sense into that jerk, because he certainly needs it. And he deserves whatever his daddy gives him, too, she thought vengefully, her eyes narrowed and fists clenching as she thought about it. He finally managed to kill all my sympathy for him, she decided, and after digging deep, she didn't even feel bad for it. No one was perfect, and a person could only take so much. She'd certainly taken more than enough from Inuyasha, and she was done coddling and defending him. Let him take his lumps, just like everyone else had to. Maybe he'd finally learn something this time around.

Setting the whole subject of Inuyasha and his selfishness aside when she reached her room, she gathered her things to bathe with, and then, almost forgetting the lantern, decided she'd better go ahead and grab it just in case – she didn't want a repeat of the last time in the baths. It wasn't fair to Mattaki to torment him so much – no one likes a tease, and she certainly wasn't ready to take him into her bed - yet.

Still, she would be at some point, and the thought of doing so wasn't repulsive, a shiver wending it's way up her spine as she disrobed and her mind flashed back to his beautiful body.

The thought crossed her mind that she might very well end up wishing the hot water she was in was cold instead, and with a great sigh she climbed into the water and reclined, closing her eyes and shutting off her mind.

The world could get along without her for the next little while...

Because she would get along just fine without it.

~oOo~

The silence left behind after Kagome's exit and final comment was deep... as was the wicked, terrible grin that began to stretch across Mattaki's face, an identical one on Shippo's.

"Hello, Inuyasha," Mattaki purred dangerously. "I've got a few things I'd like to talk to you about, boy, so why don't you make it easy on yourself and join me – before I decide to make you?"

Inuyasha's eyes widened and he flinched back as his father's eyes flashed crimson-

And stayed that way.

~oOo~

A/N: Just a little note this time – over on Deviantart, one of the readers, Miss TKE drew an art for this story that she called Second Chances. Anyone who would like to take a look at Papa, here's the address: h tee tee pee : / / trish 1975 . deviantart art / Second-Chance – 316841268

Obviously, you'll have to take out the ee's, and put it all back together, due to FF's total dislike of actually admitting that there are other equally good websites out there.

Thanks to TKE for the beautiful art!

Amber