Chapter 14: Fate

With Kaede and Kikyo ahead of him, Inuyasha awkwardly carried Kagome downstairs and to the museum owners study; a simple knock on the door earning them entrance into the otherwise private abode. On the other side sat the demonic man in his chair, Teruo having been the one to open the door for them. Gesturing to a nearby couch, the half demon balked but gently placed her body on it, wiping his hands on his pants afterwards that were smeared with her blood. Glancing over at the owl demon who stiffened when he noticed him, Inuyasha snorted in disbelief. "You ran away didn't you."

Bristling, Teruo rapidly shook his head; only to be interrupted by the other female in the room.

"Yea he did Dad, he came rushing in here talking about a wild-haired demon attack."

"Keh. Figures. Where have you been all night Ume?" he asked, addressing his second daughter.

Her white hair swept up into a side french braid, the youngest child of Inuyasha appeared from the shadows, the remnants of cake clear around her mouth. She appeared to be no more than twelve; though looks could be deceiving. "I was downstairs with Ojisama. He told me to stick with him tonight."

"And where has your uncle been all night?" Kikyo asked, her body bent over Kagome while she inspected her injuries.

"He was at the party up until…."

Inuyasha snorted. "Oh great she was there?" The she he was referring to was a woman named Kagura; a wind witch who had been attempting to seduce his brother for the last three months. She had made it more than clear that she was available and wanted him of all people for a mate. "What do women see in him?"

"Inuyasha-sama!" Teruo said, scandalized. "That was uncalled for, your brother has many endearing qualities."

"The least of which would be his bank account…"

"Not that that's not true Inuyasha," Kikyo responded absently. "He has a higher level of maturity than most, women flock to that kind of personality."

"Keh, since when do you find my brother attractive!"

Turning away from her charge, Kikyo looked at her husband curiously. "Inuyasha….are you jealous?"

"Hardly…"

Seeing an argument in the midsts, Ume tried to defuse the situation by answering her father's earlier question. "Um...he came upstairs and I haven't seen him since. I came here looking for him but he wasn't around."

Having been observing in silence, the museum owner finally spoke, "Inuyasha, where is your blade?"

"At home," he replied, crossing his arms in indignation. "I couldn't very well bring it to a charity event."

"Yes, but the silver lining here is that this is a sword museum…"

"Totosai I don't need a blasted sword for everything, some things I can handle with my claws alone!"

"Clearly." the elderly man remarked, eyeing the half demon's chest wound which was openly bleeding through his shirt. "Pray tell….how did that happen?"

"What, this?" he asked, pulling at his shirt, "It just grazed me."

"If you had had Tessaiga on your person I doubt that would have happened."

"You know you're talking like I'm the one who lost the fight upstairs, and if you're so high and mighty on fighting; why didn't I see you up there!"

"How many times do we have to go over this? I'm old! I don't fight. I give helpful advice like any other old man on this planet. My battle days are over."

"Battle days?" Inuyasha snorted, "What battle days? The only thing I've ever seen you fight is your mouth and even that is a fight best left to professionals!"

Narrowing his bulbous eyes at the half demon Totosai huffed. "You have more of your grandfather in you than I think you realize pup."

"Keh!" he was about to sit down when a voice that put him on edge dangerously asked;

"Inuyasha, what happened?"

Sesshomaru who had been hiding out in the museum curator's office appeared in the doorway, a frown on his face when he saw Kagome's passed out form on the couch. His hand in his pocket, he removed his glasses and concealment spell, joining the others in the room by standing in his uncloaked form. Nodding for Kikyo to move out of the way, he quickly went over the couch she was on, knelt, and picked up one of her wrists which were red and severely covered in blood. "I thought I told you to dispose of the demon without getting her involved."

"Keh. It's not my fault she ran up on the roof, you should ask Teruo why she was there in the first place."

"Excuse me?"

"Right before she came up on the roof, I smelled Teruo behind her, then he shut the door and ran off."

Twisting his head around to look at the owl demon, he narrowed his eyes and waited for an explanation. Nervous, he explained immediately. "Well...I...I mean….She looked so hurt when you walked away from her at the party earlier...I just thought it would be good for her if she saw how much you're willing to do for her…"

"I specifically told all of you that she is not to be informed of any happenings in our world. How hard is it to follow simple instructions?"

A tiny voice piped up. "In his defense Sesshomaru-sama, Kagome can't remember anything, maybe if we gave her a clue as to what she's supposed to do…"

"Silence Flea."

A gulp was heard and then the rather small flea demon that was Myoga appeared from under Ume's hair, sweat dropping a mile a minute. "Forgive me Sesshomaru-sama, but her amnesia explains why she can't tell us where the book is, and since you are so adamant on her finding it….perhaps…."

"I have already told her what she needs to do. As I have all of you." inspecting her wounds more thoroughly, he listened to Kikyo's whispered diagnosis, telling him her injuries were superficial at best. "She will live. Tend to her injuries and place her back at her home."

"What!" Inuyasha shouted, much to the chagrin of all the sensitive ears in the room. "I just brought her all the way down here, why can't you…" his brother's icy glare silenced him at once.

"You should have pulled her out of harm's way long before it got this far," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "Wrap her wounds and return her to her penthouse." as an afterthought, the demon lord focused on the flea demon on Ume's shoulder who cowered when he saw the way Sesshomaru was looking at him. "Since you believe direct aid would benefit her, against the orders of fate, then you will be responsible for guiding her from now on. Do not disappoint me."

"I….Very well Sesshomaru-sama." the flea demon muttered out. Bowing low from his position.

Standing, Sesshomaru replaced his glasses and spell, sweeping his now dark hair away from his forehead. Acknowledging Kikyo and the other two ladies he headed for the door and stopped just in front of Teruo. "I will deal with you later." the owl demon gulped. Turning back one final time, he glanced at the seven conscious people in the room. "I know you all wish to have her back with us, but we cannot risk causing more damage than has already been done. We have been doing this for the past five hundred years, nothing will change if we allow our feelings to get in the way." Ending on that note, Sesshomaru left the room, the door closing behind him softly with a rush of conjured air.

Waiting until his scent left the area, Kaede bothered to ask, "What was that all about?"

Ume joined in, "Yea….I thought Dad said that Ojisama loved Kagome-chan?"

"Hush," Kikyo ordered gently, returning to Kagome's side. "People show grief in different ways. The fact that he wants to reintroduce her to our world the right way; the way fate says she should be, proves that he still cares for her as he does everyone."

"But...what if the same thing happened to you, Mama? Wouldn't you want to be back with Dad as fast as possible?"

"Always," she answered without hesitation. "But if my impatience to be with your father endangered one of you, of course, I would be willing to wait rather than rush against my fate."

"Keh…" Inuyasha blushed and looked at an imaginary spot on the floor though it was clear Kikyo's words had touched him. "Myoga…." he said, wanting to change the subject, "make sure you take care of Kagome, otherwise who knows what's bound to happen."

"Of course Master…"

"And no blood sucking."

"Now that I can't promise you," he answered with a small chuckle.

A/N: Nice huh? Next chapter is a look into the past. I apologize in advance but next chapter is going to get a little dark.