Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha. But I will one day.

Chapter 13: Not So Young Anymore

"I don't know who he was. He was a inu, silver hair, purple stripes; obviously someone from your family." Shippou sighed and glanced back to his brother's closed door. Kagome was sound asleep in her room, by orders of her mate on the account she had stressed herself out with the care of the injured hanyou pair, so Shippou was stuck answering InuYasha's 101 questions.

"Anything else?"

"I didn't get but a glimpse of him. I came in, pushed him off Makoto, he bolted. That's all I got."

"Keh. What good are you, then?" InuYasha crossed his arms and huffed. He was worried. He hated being worried. He hated the fact that Kagome was pregnant and nearly helpless while there was someone out looking for the two of them. So you'll just have to keep a closer eye on the wench until the youkai's dead. He smirked. That won't be so bad…

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Kita was drowning in darkness. Spiraling down a black tunnel. That was it for her. She couldn't breath, couldn't move, could no longer tell what was going on around her. There were faint sounds; thuds, growls. Other than that she was lost to the world. It was cold, so cold… and dark. Darkness and cold were all that existed to her. Kita was finding herself going deeper and deeper into the void, not able to get a good enough grasp on the situation to stop herself. There was an evil aura trapping her, that of her youkai master. It was too much, to overwhelmingly painful.

Then there was a light. A warming, calming presence. It surrounded Kita and slowly brought her back. Makoto… She wondered to herself. That was his aura taking hold of her. He was bringing her back, slowly, surely, but it ended up being too much for her, even with his presence. She started slipping back into the darkness. She gasped as a warm hand touched her cheek. The other aura was suddenly dispersed and Kita could breathe again. She took several deep breaths, the sound echoing in her own ears. The last thing she remembered was being lifted and carried away…

Slowly the wolf-hanyou started to come around. Opening one eye, then the other. She was warm. Unbelievably warm, and something was wrapped around her waist. Hot breath tickled the back of her neck as the object behind her gave out a deep sigh. She felt herself being pulled closer to that object as her cheeks tinted pink with blush. Kita didn't know if she was alive or dead, but Kita didn't want to move from that spot. She turned herself in her captor's arms and snuggled into his chest.

There was a small grimace on Makoto's face as he woke. "Good morning." He said, lazily stretching one arm above his head.

"Makoto… what happened yesterday?"

"Keh. Don't worry about it." He gave his loving smile. "You're free now. That youkai won't be bothering you anymore." Makoto took great pleasure in the gasp and shock that shinned across her features. She jerked up leaving Makoto laying alone on the futon as she ran her hands carefully around her neck. Not feeling the tiny hair she had grown so accustomed to, Kita plopped back down.

"But…but…how…?"

Makoto reached out and pulled the she-wolf back down with him, running his fingers over her ears, receiving a tiny twitch. "You did it. I don't know how, but you destroyed the spell right after that baka youkai ran off."

"He's still alive!"

"I told you not to worry about it. He's my problem now, not yours."

Kita shook her head and sighed. "You got hurt."

"Nothing but a flesh wound. It'll heal completely by tonight. How are you feeling?"

Kita rubbed at her neck out of habit. It was strange, being free again. She half expected to feel that strange tingling around her neck telling her there was something else her master wanted from her. "I'm…fine. I just don't remember very much about what happened." She finally replied, smiling and snuggling against him. She really didn't want to move.

"So… any ideas about where you're gonna go now?" Makoto asked with a hint of sarcasm. 'Ooof!' an elbow connected with his side. "Jeez, woman! I saved you're life and here you are driving your elbow in my side." He said with a smirk.

"That's what you get for asking dumb questions." Her smile faded to a more serious expression. "I…I want to stay with you, for as long as you let me. I really do like your family, and…I like it here. So…can I stay? With you?"

Makoto smiled brightly down at her. His answer floated within his golden eyes, telling her he wished for nothing more. He cupped her cheek with a gentle touch of his hand. Kita leaned into his palm, feeling his rough claws against her skin. "I want you to stay here, with me." He replied after moments of welcomed silence. Slowly Makoto leaned down, hovering inches above her lips with his own…

"Oi! Get out here Makoto!"

Makoto looked toward his door and growled. Kita pushed herself to her feet, blushing ferociously and straightening out her dirty kimono. Makoto sighed as he got to his feet, raising his hand to his chest with a wince. He noticed Kita looking down at his wound with a frown, quickly shrugging off the slight pain and walking out into the main room where Kagome, InuYasha, Tani, and Shippou waited. Kita followed silently behind.

"Keh. About time, pup. Now," he glared at Makoto, ignoring the she-wolf behind his son and the constant glare from his mate. "I want you to tell me exactly went on. Who is this youkai?"

"If I knew who he was, I would have told you already Oyaji." Makoto answered with a hint of aggravation. "He seems to know you, and Okaa, and Oji Miroku, Oba Sango, and Oji Sesshomaru. He said he use to live in the castle, until Oji Sesshomaru threw him out. His markings were burned off." His eyes narrowed. "That youkai…he's up to something big. I think he's going to challenge Oji for control of the Western Lands."

"Haru!" InuYasha yelled with a loud growl. "It has to be him, that…that baka of a brother of mine should have killed him! Not just…just…LET him walk away!" Kagome placed her hand on his shoulder, which seemed to calm him a bit. He wrapped his arms around her in his regular fashion, careful of her stomach.

"Are we going to hunt him down?" Shippou broke the silence. Everyone waited for InuYasha's answer.

"No. I'm not leaving Kagome like this, and neither of you are going after him either. If he comes looking for a fight, he'll get it, but I'm not risking Kagome. It'll have to wait till the pups are older." He turned, acknowledging Kita for the first time that morning. "You're not allowed to leave right now either. I can't have Makoto running after you again. You got that wolf?" Kita gulped but nodded.

"Well, come on Tani. I think it's time for a nice dip in the hot springs. You too Kita."

"Kagome…"

"Stay in the tree with your back turned for all I care, InuYasha. Please don't argue."

"Fine, but take it easy or you'll be getting a sponge bath until after the pups are born."

Kagome, Tani, and Kita grabbed a few things and left the guys to their own musings for their time at the hot springs. Kita gave Makoto a small smile before she followed the other two girls out the door. They were laughing and carrying on in front of her, apparently about the guys. At the hot springs the three slipped into the warm water. Kita worked on scrubbing at the dirt that had caked itself on her skin and in her hair. The water felt good, and the soap Kagome had given her to use tickled as the tiny bubbles popped around her ears. She covered them with her hands and ducked under to rinse.

"They're so over protective sometimes. I mean, the other day I was helping Sango in the village and Shippou like to have rammed all the workers out of the way just so he could stop me from picking up a bag of rice. Where do they get off thinking we're that fragile in this state, anyway?"

"Hmm, who knows. Have you two talked about it yet? InuYasha's known about it for two weeks now, him and his nosey nose. When are you going to tell everyone else?"

"I don't really know. Shippou wants to have a grand announcement, of course. If I left it up to him all of Japan would know by now, but I want my family to hear it first. We're leaving in a few days to tell my brother."

"My first grandchild. Hm." Kagome wrinkled her nose. It sounded like she was so old, but she had to remember Shippou was already a child when she and InuYasha took him in. Now they had two grown boys, with two more pups on the way. Miroku and Sango had four girls, and now Shippou is going to be a father. And Makoto? Well, if she was right, Kita would soon be a part of their growing family as well. Kagome knew the look in his eyes every time they looked at each other. She looked at Kita who seemed completely lost in the bubbly sensation of soap. She was a lot sweeter than Akina, and better looking as far as Kagome could tell. "Kita. Can I talk with you a bit?" she asked as sweetly as she could. Her ears flicked forward as she shyly nodded.

"Now that you're here, will you stay?"

Kita thought for a few moments. She was free now. She could go anywhere she wanted, with anyone she wanted to be with. She couldn't help the grin that spread wide across her face.

Kagome and Tani grinned and giggled knowingly. "I guess that's a yes, wouldn't you say Kagome-sama?"

"I'll say. Kita, I believe that's the first time I've seen you smile before." Kita just blushed.

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Makoto was sitting in one of the many branches on Goshinboku, dazing off into the distance wearing a dreamy smile. He kept catching Kita's sweet scent coming from the hot springs on the wind. Kagome liked her, Makoto could already tell. InuYasha, of course, acted like he could care less, but even he had a bit of a soft spot for the girl. Makoto heard the girls returning to the hut and jumped from his branch.

"Makoto?" he froze. "Makoto, please, can we talk?"

"I've already told you, we don't have anything to talk about, Akina. Just leave." He replied, not even bothering to turn around and face the she-wolf.

She walked up to him and hugged him from behind. "I've missed you. Please, just hear me out. I want you back, Makoto. So I've made a few mistakes, everyone has. Can't you forgive me?"

"I did. The first time you ran off. Contrary to what you believe, I am not just a stupid hanyou. I know when to let things go." He grabbed her wrists and forced her arms from around his waist. "Go. Away."

"Don't you leave, Makoto! Don't you dare." She had her hands fisted tight by her side like a child not getting her way. "I know about the girl. That wench is just using you to get what she wants. As soon as she has it she'll leave you. You deserve someone like me, not that sorry little half-breed mutt!"

Makoto's shoulders were shaking with rage. He closed his eyes and focused on maintaining his control, which was not working in the least. Before anything else could happen he held Akina by the scruff of her neck and forced her eyes to gaze directly into his. "Don't ever call her that. Not ever." Seeing that his message had gotten through, he released her and she stumbled back completely bewildered. Just to exaggerate his point he growled until she disappeared in the whirlwind trademark of her father. Probably going to cry to Kouga. He'll be coming around sometime soon. Oyaji won't be happy with this. But Kita…she shouldn't have said those things about her! I'm a half-breed, too. What makes me any different from Kita? So much for his good mood.

"Oyaji!" He yelled as he approached the hut. InuYasha stepped out and followed his son back to Goshinboku.

"What do you want, Makoto?"

"Akina came around again."

"Keh." He tapped his nose, "Tell me something I don't know, pup. Otherwise I'm gonna thump you for bringing me out here for no reason."

"I attacked her." InuYasha's ears perked. "Something happened. She said something about Kita, and I lost it. It happened before, against that youkai. I…I just lost control of myself."

InuYasha took a few seconds to take in the new information before shaking his head with worry. "Did you… is Akina alright?"

"I didn't hurt her, Oyaji. But Kouga's not gonna be happy when he hears about it. I expect he'll show up sometime soon. All I wanted to do was give you a heads up."

"Keh. Like I care about what that mangy wolf has to say about it. If he would learn to control that freaky little tramp of his, we wou.."

"Enough, Oyaji! It's my problem! You're only making it worse talking about her like that, and picking fights with Kouga. This is my fight and Akina's fight. Not yours. Not Kouga's. You've got your own problems with Okaa right now, and I can take care of this on my own. Just stay out of it this time." With that, Makoto didn't even give InuYasha enough time to blink before he was gone.

InuYasha sighed and propped his back against the trunk of Goshinboku. He had always fought with the wolf, ever since the baka showed up and stole Kagome away from him. It was second nature for the two to fight. Kagome had told him over and over how 'immature' he acted around the stupid…well, you get the picture. Now his own son was saying the same thing. His first born pup. Makoto. The boy he had worked so hard to give the best life, where he would never have to fight, but still have the skills he needed to win if he had to. Fighting was what made InuYasha who he was. Hard, cold at times. Kagome had broken him of that, but only for her.

He kept telling Kagome it was time for her to let go. When he was first teaching Makoto to fight, she had to learn to let go. Now that Makoto had his own battles, he had already learned everything they both could teach him. He didn't need his Oyaji or Okaa to make everything better. Makoto was an adult, soon to start his own life, with his own mate maybe. And just maybe it was time for InuYasha to butt out for awhile. Makoto's not dumb to try everything on his own like I was. If he needs it, he'll ask for help. And I'll be more than glad to oblige. He cracked his knuckles with a smirk. So that settles it. For now on, the pup is on his own.

A/N:

Trivia!

"Nothing but a flesh wound…" Okay, what famous Knight said this before, and from what movie? This one should be easy. :wink:

Hmm… my battle senses are tingling…oO;;