Note: If you don't like Chikara much, don't read the epilogue, it won't interest you much...

Chapter7 – Will you…

It was now morning. The aftermath of the battle had changed every member of the gang in different ways. Sango and Miroku had gotten a little closer, Shippo was trying to cheer everyone up, Kagome was beyond sad; she even looked traumatized in the other's eyes. And the last two were Inuyasha and Koga. The wolf demon had gotten silent, Inuyasha was the complete opposite. The half-demon was trying to provoke the prince into talking. Insults and aggressive remarks were part of the deal. Surprisingly enough, Koga seemed elsewhere, as all of this would have normally provoked a battle between the two canine demons.

While everyone was finishing packing their belongings, Chikara and Sesshoumaru came from where they had slept in the forest.

Everyone was silent, as if it was a member of their own family who had died. The gang could see how much it had affected the goddess; she seemed worn. The Lord of the Western Lands seemed unfazed, but Chikara could feel that he was there to support her, his hand on her small back.

"Today, I will bring you back to the castle with me, Koga. I am giving you asylum for your recovery. You won't have to fear of being attacked by Naraku there" Chikara said, breaking the silence. She waited for Inuyasha's brash response… and she got it.

"Are you insane, old lady!? He is in no condition of travelling!" was his simple reply.

She didn't react to his aggressiveness, like she would have normally done; the current situation was everything but normal. "That is exactly why he must come to the castle, for his recovery." Her face was cold, the same Sesshoumaru always wore.

Inuyasha was perplexed. He looked at his brother, who nodded to agree with his wife.

Kagome spoke up, much to everyone's surprise. "You know she is right, Inuyasha. Koga just went through a great shock by losing his children!"

Again, Inuyasha was lost. He couldn't believe that everyone was ganging against him. "But… you don't understand! Koga's a demon. He doesn't need you to be babying him. Plus, he should be getting back to his own pack! They'll start to wonder what's happening with him." He thought he had won his point with that.

"Actually I am going to take care of that issue… personally" Chikara immediately pointed out.

Kagome huffed: "Inuyasha, don't you understand it's the best for Koga?!" She tried not to let it show that she knew about their relationship.

Shippo jumped on Sango's shoulder. "Why are they talking as if Koga wasn't there?" he asked her. She immediately shrugged.

Miroku, who was near, answered. "It's probably because Koga hasn't said a single word since we woke up."

Kagome who was seeing that the argument with Inuyasha will never finish, she decided to announce to the rest of the gang that she was going back home for the week-end. "A nice hot bath and a good night of sleep are two things I haven't had in a long time…"

Chikara instantly felt Kagome's distress message. She approached the young priestess and gave her a light hug. "I'm sorry" she whispered into her ear.

Kagome felt the tears coming, so she decided that it was better to go now.

Miroku felt like it was his cue to insert something to break the tension between Kagome and Inuyasha. "Well, then, Inuyasha… are you ready to go?"

"No" was his short reply. "Go ahead and I'll join you as soon as I'm finished talking with Chikara."

Sango was about to say something, when she was stopped by Miroku: "Very well… but hurry up."

Inuyasha nodded and Kirara transformed to finally hop in the air with Miroku, Sango, Shippo and a sad Kagome on her back. The cold air or late autumn was hitting them full force, and it helped to dry the young priestess' tears.

Inuyasha watched the group fade in the horizon, oblivious to Kagome's feelings. However, Chikara knew it wasn't her place to inform Inuyasha that the modern adolescent knew about his relationship with the wolf prince.

The half-demon faced the goddess once again, to try to fight for Koga's liberty. "You know he won't be happy confined in that fuckin' castle! Why do you insist that he goes with you?"

Chikara was now starting to demonstrate the same anger Inuyasha was showering her with: "You don't understand Inuyasha! It's for his health and his safety!" She breathed in: "If you can't see that, then you do not deserve being with Koga!" and immediately regretted saying it as soon as it left her mouth.

Those words fell like rocks in the half-demon's stomach. He didn't know what to say; he admitted that he didn't know if he loved the wolf demon, but he cared for him. Inuyasha didn't know what emotion was now hitting full-force: sadness or anger? Or was it guilt? The answer was vague, but he knew one thing: if he was confused, he couldn't let Sesshoumaru see this. He turned around to hide his face.

"Chikara, I know I feel something for Koga."

"Then why won't you let me bring him to the castle, where healers will be able to help him?" she asked softly; she knew Inuyasha was simply confused.

"I… ugh… don't know." The half-demon looked at Koga and approached him.

The wolf prince locked eyes with Inuyasha, but said nothing.

"Is this what you truly wish, Koga?" Inuyasha asked. He received no response. Sad, he turned to face Chikara: "Then, I guess I'll be going…"

He returned his attention to his lover and bent a bit forward: "Will you… kiss me goodbye?"

But the said lover turned his head and stepped back. "Goodbye, Inuyasha. Have a safe journey back" he said, with a weird look; he almost looked afraid.

Everyone present was taken aback by Koga's reaction.

"… Goodbye yourself… Koga" was Inuyasha's last comment before running away, letting a single tear be a hint that his heart had been once more broken by a person he loved.

Chikara watched as Inuyasha's form was slowly retreating through the thick forest, following the path the others had taken that morning. "He's…" she sighed. 'Poor thing' she thought. Shaking her head, she flashed a fake smile at the two demons that were nearby. "So let's get going."

Sesshoumaru nodded and transformed into his demon form.

Epilogue – Clean up the mess

Sesshoumaru put his paws on the paved ground and crouched so Chikara and Koga could hop off. The lord transformed back, but not without making a growl of discontentment; lords aren't supposed to be used for transportation. However, with a glare from his mate, he calmed and entered the castle without further comment.

Chikara chuckled and led Koga to one of the guest rooms that had been already prepared, since he was to be coming anyways because of his pregnancy.

"Now I want you to lie down and relax. I'll go fetch a servant to bring us tea."

The wolf demon slowly nodded and did as told.

Getting out of the room, Chikara slid the door close reluctantly. What if Koga did something and no one heard? He seemed in such a strange mood that she wasn't sure what to decide. She wanted to make special tea for Koga and she wanted to be the one to prepare it, but that meant leaving him alone…

Half and hour later, Chikara came back. She dismissed the servant that had been entertaining Koga, 'or more like babysitting him' she thought.

The goddess tried small talk with Koga, but he would rarely say more than a few words at a time. The more she tried to talk to him, the more he was falling asleep.

'Good, now I'll reinforce the tea-induced sleep with my powers.' She took her sceptre and chanted a few words before assuring herself that Koga wouldn't wake up and she left the room; sending a message to Sesshoumaru through a nearby servant, she told him that she was going to the wolf demon's den for small impromptu meeting with his tribe and she took off into the clear early winter day.

°°°

She landed near the den and not at the entrance so she wouldn't appear as a menace for the wolf demons. Retracting her wings into her back, she put back on her outer kimono.

As she walked toward the said entrance, Chikara was stopped by two none-too-gently looking wolf demons of the tribe on guarding duty.

"What are you doing here?!" one of them said.

The goddess analyzed her interceptors: they were fairly young and their surprise could be felt in the question that had been asked. She raised her brow at the lack of politeness they had and simply answered: "I came here to talk with the elders of this tribe." With that, she thought they would let her pass, butno, they had to be difficult about it.

"What makes you think that we'll let you enter?"

Not one to be denied anything, her anger was slowly getting roused by their second question. "I have news about Koga." She smirked; that ought to do the trick.

Their reaction was sure priceless, but it didn't have the effect she expected. The wolf that had first asked her a question was back with his brash attitude that irked the ageless woman: "Yeah, well who the hell are you? You seem too… eager to enter the caves!" he yelled at Chikara.

She was about to reply a bit less politely herself, when another wolf demon, this one older than the two present, joined the group. "What are you yelling for? We can hear you guys from inside the caves."

Chikara turned to face the newcomer, hoping he would be nice enough to let her inside the den. "I want to see your elders, I have information about Koga… and could it please be before tomorrow… I have other matters to attend." She sighed, wishing that he would give an affirmative response so she could get this over with.

The newcomer looked at her for a while, which unnerved her to no end; she was no object. Nervously playing with her golden hair, she looked carefully as his expression changed quickly from ignorance to surprise to finally end with a frightened one: "Oh my!!!" he gasped. "Y-you're the –the Sun and Moon goddess!!!" He immediately dropped to the ground and bowed to the woman. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me your holiness."

While the other two demons were baffled at their demon kin's actions, Chikara was rolling her eyes and shaking her head. She liked receiving a certain level respect –like anyone else- but this bowing was simply ridiculous. As she ushered the wolf on the ground to get back up, the two guards finally caught what he meant; the (half-sun, half-moon) sceptre, the general high social clothing and that demanding attitude. It was all screaming 'important person here!'

"So, am I allowed into the dens? Or will I have to fight my way in?" she sighed.

"Y-yes your holiness! Right away, please follow me." The eldest was about to get going when he looked in the two guards' way: "And you two will be punished for what you've said to the great Goddess Chikara!"

The wolf guards froze on the spot at the mention of punishment. They gulped and returned to their function.

°°°

After a few hours, she was able to assemble a great part of the tribe. However the ones whom she deemed more important were all there: the elders. They were the ones who could significantly influence important decisions.

Bringing an almost silence to the crowd, she started to explain who she was and the reason of her presence. No one spoke, as it seemed they were afraid of her wrath; it seemed that most of the time, nothing good came from a god's wrath. She informed them about the gang and where were they at the moment, chasing the Shikon jewel shards. Slowly but surely, she came to the battle which took place a few months before and at last the mating between Koga and Inuyasha… and the result of that mating.

The demons in the den where starting to fidget loudly, literally; they didn't like her story at all.

Chikara was finishing the part of the battle where Naraku impaled Koga on a tree when there was an exploding uproar in the room. She could hear thousands of questions, not only spoken, but written on their face. Confusion and anger was riding amongst the demon crowd. They were angry at her for hiding Koga from them, as he was their leader, their strength.

There was no way for her to speak and explain herself. Each time she would raise her voice, the noise would engulf it.

She didn't know what to do to calm them down. Bringing her hand to a stop motion did nothing. It seemed that the younger generation didn't have respect for the goddess in front of them. She glanced at the elders, patiently waiting, although it was obvious they had questions themselves.

Chikara didn't like using her power to frighten people, but this situation could not be dealt with if she didn't have their attention… and to have silence she was ready to use authority. Gripping her sceptre with her two hands, she started to glow all kinds of hues of red. Her blond hair spiking in every directions and her voice resonating in the caves: "How dare you be insolent toward a goddess!? Do you wish to bring misfortune upon yourselves?"

Stillness was almost immediate.

Chikara sighed and looked once more at the elders; they seemed undisturbed by her outburst. Her gaze returned to the crowd. "Aren't you all happy that Koga had found a mate and was bringing heirs upon this world?" she asked them sarcastically, intending to see their response.

This time, no one really wanted to talk, it was as if they were thinking before acting.

However, she already knew what they would say; she knew what the elders and counsellors were wanting from leaders such as Koga. And it frustrated her to see that this was no different from what Sesshoumaru had been victim of during his earlier lonely years as a Lord of the Western lands. "Sometimes I wish I couldn't see what kind of pressure you put on Koga."

The council made of elders gasped.

"Don't give me those expressions" she huffed. "The Moon and the Sun see all, they are omnipresent in everyone's lives. I am connected to those elements; I can seek any information through them. You are making him suffer with all those stupidities about finding a mate and this damn idea about heirs!" She held her sceptre tightly in her hands, trying to keep herself collected. "By all Gods! We are in a dark time, as much as worse as war! Naraku is still roaming, and it is no thanks to you all!" she roared, her voice ringing through the walls of the caverns. Chikara grabbed her head, not really wanting to be there anymore.

An old demoness, who wasn't part of the council, raised her hand.

The goddess noticed the mark of respect, so she gave her the right to speak.

"My lady, I am sorry to interrupt you. I wanted to mention that what Koga needs at the moment is someone who can understand what he's going through. Not someone who most of the time yells after him because he's not acting like a true leader." She glared at the council and then looked at Chikara for approval.

The goddess smiled. "This is true, indeed. Please carry on."

The she-wolf nodded and continued. "Alas, there is no one in this tribe who actually was in the same situation as Koga. There hasn't been a birth in years and all females… and males that are in this delicate condition are kept inside to ensure a safe pregnancy. You see, there aren't been many miscarriage since… a few centuries ago."

Chikara's smile faltered: "I see. Is there anything you can think of that could help Koga?" she asked the wise she-wolf.

The said demon shook her head, a bit ashamed of not knowing what to do.

"Then I am going to try something." Chikara took a deep breath. She scanned around the large room to see if most were listening. "I will bring back Koga here. I know that the castle will not help his recovery as he will not be with you, his fellow wolves." Her voice echoed and every demon present was hung to her speech; they were pleased with her decision.

There was a roar of cheering that suddenly made her stop. She raised her hand in the air, showing she was not done. "Although he will be back, I will still check on him with my powers. I do not want him to commit suicide."

Part of the crowd gasped. Would he go that far?

Knowing their fear, Chikara assured them. "He may not do the act, but I cannot tell you what is going through his mind, that would be violating his privacy. You do not worry; if someone is with him most of the time, the chances are that he won't do it."

It surprised the goddess that the council did not speak much; she thought they would have rebuked every single thing she'd say. "Well then, without further adieu, I will leave to get back to the castle. Since it is too late today, I will bring Koga tomorrow."

Before moving, she felt a strange aura coming from the demons; they didn't like her much. They seemed to be glad that she was leaving.

Taking off her outer layer of kimono, she frowned. She wasn't pleased with that meeting, but it was not her fault Koga and Inuyasha had found themselves in that situation and that the wolf demons were unhappy. She could only clean up the mess they left behind. Just like a mother would do.

THE END

This is it! This story is finished... gah, I was so tired of it. So despressing... but I really like the outcome of this fic :)

Like in my previous story, I will explain the meaning of the title Mended Illusions: the illusions are actually Inuyasha and Koga's dreams. They are shattered by Naraku and the fact that they can't raise a family in this dark time. They were mended with the small hope they had left... to only be squashed by that battle wound Koga received and that caused the miscarriage.

In the beginning, I was going for three stories that would tell of the character's stories. The Love of a Mother was there to start and explain how Koga and Inuyasha got together. Then the tragedy of the mating and the separation in Mended Illusions. The last one was supposed to be the steps into a new life, a decade after, which would have been called Lost Emotions. Alas, I don't feel like writing any more Inuyasha fics, but since the plan of the story is written there is some chance that I will write it... however I can't guarantee when.

I am currently working on a one-shot Naruto fic (mpreg as well) so if you're interested, stay tuned!

Demain Matin -xxx-