A/N: I've officially stepped back from work and will update more frequently. Thanks everyone for the patience.love, sploosh

--

Inuyasha's furs bled through the forest as he raced to meet his half-brother back in town. Whatever had happened wasn't good. Fear sank his stomach at the thought of Kagome, his Kagome, somewhere dead. He thought of her usual trim midsection, and nearly face planted in losing his footing, he was running so blindly. Somehow, his mother's sorrow reverberated in his chest, all these years later. He couldn't fathom the loss of her pup, simply due to its heritage.

He pushed on.

Landing at the rice fields, he skid to a stop on his heels, dragging up dust clouds in his wake. Sesshomaru was causing a scene amongst the villagers already, attempting to force Rin onto Ah-Un's back.

"Wait, Lord Sesshomaru!" She jerked her arm from his grasp, but was unsuccessful.

"Now." His tone left no room for argument. Despite Rin's pubescent rebellion, her spot alongside Sesshomaru was more important. She snapped into action and allowed him to lift her onto Ah-Un's saddle.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha intervened, getting between the two. "What are you doing? Where's K-"

The sting of his brother's backhanded slap didn't register until he'd hit the ground on his hands and knees.

"Never speak her name in my presence again." His ears were still ringing, making the words sound distorted.

Crouching at his feet, Inuyasha couldn't shake the feeling of old wounds being prodded. So much for the nice talk with Sesshomaru from the future. Once again he's the filthy half breed, beaten into the dirt before his spoiled, asshole brother.

"Where is she?" He grit out, his vision hazy.

"Don't tell me your blood is so diluted you can't scent out a simple woman." Sesshomaru pulled the reins, guiding his pack away.

A growl was rising in his throat, but Inuyasha let him leave. Kagome needed him. Who knows how long she'd been without protection.

–

At first, she couldn't help but sulk. He'd left her. Just like that. She knew what they were beginning to form together was fragile. She knew he wasn't in love with her.

Yet.

Kagome swallowed her tears. She couldn't cry about this again. She had to get back to Edo. As much as she wanted to keep Inuyasha out of this, she couldn't fight the East without him now. Rising to her feet, she halted mid-step. What if this was how Inuyasha died? Her whole body went cold. What if he died protecting her in battle, and that's why Sesshou never told her how he died?

No.

She wouldn't let that happen. Sesshou wouldn't keep that from her either. He didn't even have memory of her current interference in the timeline. Otherwise, he'd have prevented this pregnancy. Kaito Shi's words bubbled into her brain.

Did you know he never wanted children?

She winced at the memory. Edo was out of the question now.

-

"I'd say I'm surprised," Lady Inukimi said from behind her fan, "But I should have known."

Kagome could only bring herself to nod, her eyes downcast. If she met the Lady Mother's amused gaze, she'd fall apart all over again.

"He left you," She goaded.

"Yes." Kagome could barely utter the admission.

"Did you think I'd really help the pitiful, whore priestess bearing my son's lust-born bastard?" Her words were biting, but still Kagome did not flinch.

"No," She took a shaky breath, "I did not."

"Then why come?"

"Because I didn't come here for me. Sesshomaru needs the upper hand. I know what will happen in the future." Kagome met the same golden gaze that had been haunting her for years. It felt like this family was sent to repetitively break her heart.

"Priestess, what of your child?" Her eyes narrowed at Kagome's extended abdomen.

She could feel the pup kicking now, and it only made her stomach sour. Kagome knew the risks. Endangering their child in exchange for the safety of everyone she loved was a hefty price to pay, but she was willing. She had to be.

Lady Inukimi's gaze softened, "I see." Masking her change in demeanor, she opened her fan once more. The disguise was futile against Kagome's aura reading, though. She, too, felt somber. "Then I suppose you'll require some assistance."

Kagome didn't dare breathe a word, just in case the Lady Mother might change her mind.

"Takeshi will be tasked with your safety." The guard behind Inukimi startled, ever so slightly. "He will see that you've done as promised, and changed the fate of my son's life. Then, he is to witness your return to your own time." Lady Inukimi bore into Kagome with a demanding stare, "Understood?"

"Yes, Milady."

"Good." Her eyes followed Kagome's slow rise, "Now get out of my sight."

Kagome recognized the guard immediately for what he was. The original Takeshi, who would one day mate with Rin and Kohaku's granddaughter. She had no idea he was serving the West, but it did make sense the more she thought about it. It was rare to see an inu youkai outside the Western Fortress.

"We ain't got all day." He snapped at her, bringing her out of her reverie.

"Right, of course."

-

"Nothing good ever happens when you're quiet, Priestess."

Kagome sighed. She still couldn't get him to call her by her name. He was a very professional guard, despite the crass speech. She'd spent a whole month with the guy and the closest she could get was being called "wench" and "Hey, you."

"It's nothing, Taki." She teased. The more formal he was, the more informal she was.

"The last time you got quiet, you thought that half breed was dying."

He was talking about Inuyasha. She'd been having nightmares again since Sesshomaru had taken off. Her sleep talking made her waking thoughts transparent to Takeshi. It didn't take much to piece together why she was crying midday after a night of saying his name over and over again.

She couldn't tell him today was her birthday.

-

"She's twenty-one weeks pregnant today." Sesshou wasn't sure how to break the news to her family. They'd invited him to dinner for her 18th birthday, and he felt it was just to admit his sins to the matriarch of the Higurashi family. Kagome was a minor when he'd bedded her. Hundreds of years ago, this wasn't a problem. Even by today's standards, as she's properly engaged, the legality of her condition was without criminal offense.

"But she's a shrine maiden." Mrs. Higurashi colored at the news, averting her eyes from Sesshou's.

Exactly his point. It wasn't proper to consummate an engagement. Those activities were reserved for after the wedding, and yet...

He had no choice but to rip it off like a bandaid. There was no easy way to deliver this sensitive information.

"I have no excuse for my behavior," He bowed his head in dutiful shame, "But I've brought my mother for you to meet this evening. She'd like to explain, if you're willing to listen."

Baffled, Kagome's mother could only nod. Seeing the rise of another visitor break the horizon of the stairs, she turned to welcome Sesshou's mother.

"Mrs. Higurashi," Lady Inukimi reached to shake her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Inukimi Taisho."

"Mrs. Taisho, an honor." Kagome's mother bowed at the regal woman before her. She understood this woman had been royalty for hundreds of years. It was obvious in the way she carried herself.

"Please, no need for formalities," Inukimi smiled demurely, "Call me Kimi. May we discuss my shortcomings over tea?"

Mrs. Higurashi eyed mother and son, confused, but nodded along when Sesshou offered an encouraging smile.

"Please," She led the way, "Follow me."

-

Inuyasha lost heat around the second week of searching for Kagome. She'd made it very apparent she didn't want to be found.

He kept searching.

Every time he caught himself losing his pace, slowing down, picturing her somewhere beside his asshole brother again, he'd have to shake it off. Kagome was missing.

She could have already crossed into Eastern territory, throat slit while she slept. Someone could have gutted-

He had to stop that.

-

"We're gonna run into him eventually, especially within the Eastern borders." Taki argued, hands folded behind his head as they walked through a clearing. Sunlight splotched the crunchy grass underfoot as they passed through.

"I just need to keep him far enough away so he doesn't do anything rash, okay. I don't know how else to explain it." She couldn't explain it even if she wanted to. Sesshou had left out the exact details of Inuyasha's death.

"I don't know, with you blowing up like that, it'd be nice to have some extra hands around here." Takeshi side-eyed her pregnant belly. While still on the small side, it was true she had grown in width over the past 4 weeks. Her walk was closer to a waddle, and the adorable bump that had formed under her clothing was now a firm circle that was easy to identify, no matter her attire.

"Last I checked, I could still fry a demon." She glared back, rubbing the underside of her swollen belly.

She'd been doing that all day. Takeshi kept watching, waiting for her to focus elsewhere. She was clearly feeling discomfort.

"Speaking of frying," He plopped down onto a fallen tree, crossing his legs and leaning back on a palm, "how's fish sound?"

Kagome sat next to him, cradling her belly now with both arms.

"What gives?" Now he was concerned.

"Sorry, he's just kicking and kicking." Her eyebrows pinched together as the pup assaulted her insides.

"He?"

"Or she." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"How much longer?" Takeshi kept his gaze on her belly, trying to determine for himself.

Kagome faced away from the setting sun, scanning the Eastern horizon, seeing beyond the line of trees and the many Kilometers they still had left to venture. "Maybe ten weeks."

Takeshi followed her line of sight, gauging just how much more she could continue on.

-

Inuyasha gulped from his palms, taking a much needed break to drink and eat. This felt like a spot Kagome would've come through. She might have made camp here a few days ago, but by now the scent trail was lost. He couldn't tell how many days behind he was from her. She had easily a couple weeks head start, but she's only human, and pregnant, too. There's no way she could have stayed ahead like this for a month.

"You…"

He whipped his head around, hands poised to unsheath his father's fang before he could even assess the newcomer that evaded his sense of smell.

It looked like Sesshomaru, but as a woman? The same mark on her forehead too.

"Are you going to stand there all day, or paint a picture?" She turned her nose up at the boy defensively.

"Me? You're the one who came strolling by, you old hag!" He immediately regretted his choice of words.

Her eyes narrowed. "You're just like your father."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. He understood now. No way was he about to fight Sesshomaru's mother. "I wouldn't know."

"I take it you're searching for the girl."

"You saw Kagome?" He dropped the indifferent facade, desperate for a lead.

"Hn," Lady Inukimi opened her fan, shielding her interest, "I have."

"When did you last see her?"

She smirked behind her fan, "About when my son thought better of keeping company with that woman." When his eyes darkened, she grew delighted.

"You can tell me where she was going, or not, that's fine by me. I'm still going after her." Inuyasha strode past Sesshomaru's mother. He only paused when she cleared her throat.

"She's going East, of course."

"Keh." That was obvious.

Inuyasha launched himself back into the treetops, away from Inukimi. When he was out of sight, she snapped the fan closed and sniffed the air.

The boy took many of his father's traits.

-

Kagome rolled her shoulder, bow in hand. It was getting hotter day by day, she noted, eyeing the sun directly overhead.

"Oi, this one's still kicking." Takeshi toed the twitching arm of a mercenary face down.

They'd crossed into Eastern territory two days prior, and the difference was evident just by how many battlefields they'd come across. This one didn't reek of death, and rotting flesh bloating in the sun, so it made sense someone was still alive.

"Don't kick him!" Kagome rolled her eyes, approaching the fallen soldier.

"Keh."

"Hey," Up close she realized the soldier wasn't human, either. These were Southern soldiers. Sesshomaru must have sent for Lord Ryota not long after they split up. "He's one of ours."

"From the alliance?" Kagome nodded, kneeling down to the bear demon. "I wonder how much further inward we have to go. It doesn't bode well that we're already losing."

"Don't say that." She snapped over her shoulder before turning back to the dying soldier before her. "Thank you." This she addressed to the dying Kuma clansman. His soul was gone by the time she rose to her feet. It was too late to intervene. She could see it from the way he'd been gutted, and his infantry slashed the same.

She knew what those wounds were like, recalling her fight against Kaito Shi. Her chest ached at the memory.

"Come on, we've got plenty of ground to cover."

Kagome followed.

-

The fools.

So blinded by their own squabbles, they've separated their packs. None of it mattered, though, not really.

Shinkai Shi would be pleased.

They had the upper hand.