InuyashaForever1989: let's keep the ball rolling shall we?

Inu: why do I have to be here again?

Kag: stop complaining already

Kouga: that's right you stupid mutt just shut up

Inu: what'd you say you mangy wolf?

IF: before we have a fight on our hands I would just like to thank everyone who reviewed and a special thanks to all my fans from DR who followed me into this new fic every review makes me so happy ^_^

Inu: yeah, thanks a lot *rolls his eyes*

Kikyo: Inuyasha don't be rude to the fans

Inu: *sigh* fine!

Sess: now who's whipped?

Inu: *draws Tetsaiga*

IF: why does it always have to end on a death threat? *sigh* well here we go. Oh and since I forgot last chapter I don't own anything except the plot a few OCs which mainly consist of the dragons

"talking" / 'dragons/in head talking' / thinking

Chapter 2: Not The Best Timing

Inside the western palace Kagome had managed to get herself lost once again. After a whole year, a whole year, of visiting this place regularly Kagome still could not for the life of her remember her way around.

"That's it!" Kagome said as she threw her hands up in the air. She couldn't understand how she could get lost like this and not once in that year had she ever found the place she was looking for. Not even on accident and there was never anyone around when you needed them either. Once she was sure she was lost it was like everyone evaporated into thin air. Kagome took a deep breath and leaned up against the wall and concentrated. If she couldn't get to him than he was gonna come to her.

Searching, searching, searching, nothing. Oh come on, Kagome thought as she used her powers to try and find Sesshomaru but he wasn't anywhere to be found. If he wasn't in the palace then where in the world was he? Kagome was getting frustrated; she was fighting with Mamoru and now when all she wanted to do was see Sesshomaru he wasn't even there!

Kagome sunk down to a crouching position and wrapped her arms around her legs. I will not cry, I will not cry, Kagome thought as she slowly lost the battle against her will and tears started to build up behind her eyes.

"Kagome is that you?" someone asked. Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha standing over her. "Did you get lost again or something?"

"I'm lost, I'm frustrated, and Sesshomaru's not here!" Kagome fumed at the unsuspecting hanyou. Inuyasha's ear flattened against his head and he visibly winced at the volume of the miko's voice. Kagome couldn't take it anymore. Tears started leaking for the girl's eyes and Inuyasha squirmed uncomfortable. He hated it when women cried.

"Ok, ok. Geez, ya don't gotta be so upset about it," he pointed out but as far as Kagome was concerned he just didn't understand. Inuyasha sighed as the girl didn't budge form her spot. "Come on," he said offering her a hand up. "I can't do anything about the other two, but I can at least make it so you're not lost anymore."

Kagome looked at the clawed hand as she rubbed at her eyes. Well there was no point in sitting in the halls crying now was there? She took the offered hand and was pulled to her feet.

Suddenly Kagome felt a tug, not on her hand but on her thoughts. "Hey Inuyasha, I have to go out back," Kagome stated but it was like even she didn't know why. Inuyasha was confused as she started walking like she actually knew where she was going when he knew for a fact that she didn't.

"Hey, wait up," Inuyasha yelled down the hall as he jogged a little to catch up with her. She was about to make another wrong turn when Inuyasha point down the hall in the other direction and Kagome nodded numbly. He led her down the hall and the whole time she was acting weird, like she wasn't really there.

Inuyasha grabbed her by the arm and stopped her from walking. He was debating weather or not he should actually let the miko go where she wanted. Kagome looked at Inuyasha and smiled as she pressed on. He didn't know what was going on, but he figured he'd find out when the got out back. It seemed like she was going weather he went with her or not anyway so he at least had to tag along, because if something happened to Kagome and Sesshomaru found out that Inuyasha had around when it happen he would kill him.

Inuyasha kept on alert as they came upon the back yard. His eyes swept the expanse of grass that separated the palace from the dragon caves. "So, we're here. Now what?" Inuyasha asked the slightly dazed girl.

Kagome looked off into the distance and coming into view was a figure and a large one at that. Inuyasha cursed, wishing he had his sword with him. He glanced back at the door debating what he should do. He could just run Kagome inside but when he reached for the girl she swatted his hand away. Inuyasha groaned and instead he got into a battle ready stance as the figure became that of a dragon. "It's ok, Inuyasha," Kagome said as she stared at the ever clearer image as it came closer.

She knew this dragon. "Daichi!" Kagome said as she suddenly raced over to the golden dragon. "What are you doing back here?"

'I have a favor I need to ask of you,' Daichi explained as he bent his head down in a sort of bow. 'I have been given a great responsibility and a chance to change some things and I was hopping maybe you could help me.'

"Hey, it's that dragon Naraku had!" Inuyasha shouted out in late recognition.

"Daichi," Kagome corrected the hanyou who proceeded to roll his eyes and huff. "So, what do you need me to do?"

'Well . . .'

--

Meanwhile . . . (yes I'm that evil)

Sesshomaru had left Akako at the caves and instead of going back to his room for the night he decided to take a walk. He didn't know where he was going but it wasn't nearly late enough to go to bed and he didn't feel like sitting around him room. He had briefly considered going to the library but decided against it.

He needed time to think. He was worried about what he was going to do if nothing could be done about Mamoru. He was beginning to consider giving up Kagome. The fighting was tearing her apart and he knew she couldn't chose between them. Did that mean he would have to make the choice for her? Should he let go of the one thing in this life that really made him happy? Could he?

He would if he had to he supposed. If she could be at all happy he would. Maybe he could just go somewhere where he wouldn't have to see her. It wasn't common for an heir to a lordship like the western lands to go running off to kami know where but he still had years before he took over from his father maybe by then he could get over her or maybe should would hate him and they could just ignore each other by then.

The frantic thoughts just didn't suit him. He wasn't acting normal, but then again when did he ever act normal when it came to Kagome? She always seemed to have the way of throwing him off. Although, it usually didn't bother him this much.

Sesshomaru continued to walk down a stone walk way, not going anywhere in particular. Where does this thing lead anyway, he wondered as his eyes followed the twisting path. He hadn't walked this way in such a long time he couldn't quite remember.

The stones made a sharp turn up ahead and suddenly he remembered. This was the path that led to his mother's garden. After his mother had died his father had sealed it off and nobody was allowed in anymore. (A/N: gee, wonder where I got that from _)

He looked at the high, hedge wall and knew he could jump it easy if he desired. He had done it a couple times when his father had first had it sealed. He would go in and just think about his mother.

The memories of her planting flowers or sitting in the shade of the large willow tree that was at the center as she read a book or something would come to his mind. His favorite memory would have to have been playing hide and seek she would act like she couldn't find him for the longest time and then finally she would sneak up on him and chase him all around the garden to catch him.

He decided it had been too long since he'd last been here and jumped the wall and into the garden. He looked around and he wasn't really surprised at what he saw. The flowers and plants had over grown and weeds took over a vast majority of what was once a beautiful garden. It really had been such a long time. The last time he was here there was still some beauty left to the place, it hadn't yet grown over as it had now.

He followed the old path that was now broken with weeds and such to the large willow tree. It was odd. The tree was the one thing that seemed unchanged. It stood in the exact center of the garden with a small circle of grass surrounded by the little path. Strangely though, the grass around the tree had no weeds or other plants growing there, just the tree.

Sesshomaru walked over to inspect this area of interest. The grass was green and trimmed and the tree looked beautiful and pruned. It was almost as if someone had been there just taking care of only this spot. He took a step onto the grass and moved toward the tree.

"Sesshomaru," he heard a voice call to him. He spun around and suddenly the garden was as he remembered. Flowers of all sorts bloomed everywhere as the sunshine spilled over them. The path was polished and bright and there not to far off was his mother. She was kneeling next to a bed of flowers as she removed some small weeds that had popped up there.

Sesshomaru couldn't breathe for a moment. He didn't know what was going on. He had gotten lost in his memories here before but something else was going on here. The image of his mother looked up at him and smiled. "Hello, Sesshomaru," she said as she stood up. She was just as he remembered her. Her silver hair was braided back and her eyes shinned with love and care as they reflected the golden sun.

The figure drifted nearer. Sesshomaru almost took a step back away from her in his shock. The woman stretched her arms out toward her son. "Don't you have a hug for your mother?" she questioned and Sesshomaru was at a loss. Could this really be happening? Sesshomaru didn't move and instead the woman came to him and wrapped her arms around him. "You've gotten so big. I can't believe you're that little boy I used to chase around. You're taller than me now," she gushed over her son as she stood back to look at him.

She was real. Even her scent was the same. She smelled of the flowers and dirt of the garden that she was always tending to. "How?" Sesshomaru asked in complete astonishment.

"I've been waiting here for you. I knew you'd come eventually," she said and smiled again. That smile that she had always given him made him feel something of a child again. Like all those years had never happened.

"Why?" was all he could muster. He did feel like a child again. He just didn't understand what was going on.

"My baby is getting married and you think I wouldn't congratulate you?" the image teased. "Sesshomaru, I've been so worried for you all these years. I watched over you and hoped everyday that you would find someone like her and I want you to know how proud I am of you."

He couldn't believe it. His dead mother had come back just to tell him that? "Mother, I," Sesshomaru started but he didn't know what to say.

"I miss you too," she said as she smiled at him. Yeah that was it. Sesshomaru sighed she had always known what he wanted to say. "I know things are hard right now but I don't want you to give up. Don't you dare start thinking that she would be better off with out you because you know you're wrong. She would be just as crushed as you and you know it. Love, real love, isn't something that just goes away no matter how long try to push it away."

He looked up at the tree as the sunlight poured down through the branches. "So, that's why you're really here," Sesshomaru figured it out. Sesshomaru knew she was right he just didn't know what else to do at this point. He wanted her to be happy but he guessed the way he'd been thinking about wasn't the right way to go about it.

"Well, I can't have you ruining your life when you're so close to everything working out and I promise everything will work out," she explained.

He sighed, maybe she was right. Just maybe he was blowing this all out of proportion and thinking too much. "I wish Kagome could have been here to meet you," he said finally after letting it all soak in.

"I know. I wish I could've met her too, but I'm always watching and I think she is a wonderful girl. I know you'll be happy now," she said as she began to walk away.

Sesshomaru snapped his attention back to the fading image. He wanted to call out for her to wait but knew better then to try and stop her. She was, after all, dead. He knew she couldn't stay. "Goodbye, mother," he said instead

"Goodbye, Sesshomaru," the words echoed in the air as the garden started to shift. The sunlight faded back into night, the plants once again because wilted and overgrown, and the path broken and littered with weeds.

He turned around to the willow tree still perfect; the one thing that hadn't changed. He put his hand to the tree and closed his eyes. Thank you, he thought as he turned to leave the garden.

'Sesshomaru!!' he heard the loud voice blast through his mind suddenly. Sesshomaru held his head as he almost fell to his knees.

'What is it Akako?' he hissed as his mind reeled.

'There you are! I've been so worried! You weren't answering me," Akako explained trying to calm her frazzled nerves. Sesshomaru always answered her; even if he had been sleeping he would always wake up. 'What happened?' she asked, finally a little calm.

'To be honest, I'm not quite sure. I'll explain it to you later, it seems to have gotten rather late,' he said as he looked at the moonlight cast garden.

'Alright, but you're ok right?' she asked real quick, just to make sure.

'Yes, I'm fine,' Sesshomaru assured her as he walked the path back to the wall he had jumped. 'Is there something you wanted?'

'Oh, right,' the dragon realized. 'I had that talk with Mamoru and he was acting a little funny when he left, but I think he gets it . . . I hope,' Akako explained.

'I see,' Sesshomaru said as he jumped the wall. Perhaps my mother was right, Sesshomaru thought to himself. He decidedly made his way to the back entrance of the palace. It was an even walk either way, front or back, and something told him to go through the back. In the distance he could see figures. It appeared to be two people and a dragon.

He felt for their auras to try and decipher who was out here this late. One was his half-bother the other Kagome? What were they doing? The dragon didn't appear to be either Mamoru or Akihiro.

Kagome seemed to notice him and turned and waved to him. He picked up his pace. "Kagome," he greeted.

"Sesshomaru, you remember Daichi right?" Kagome asked. Not that he had actually met or seen the golden dragon but Kagome had told him about the dragon.

"I recall you mentioning him, yes"

"Well, he has a favor to ask us. I'm trying to explain that now isn't the best time for us to be going anywhere that far away for an indefinite amount of time seeing as we're getting married soon, but he seems to really need out help," Kagome explained in a sort of rush.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at the rambling girl and resisted the urge to smile. She really wanted to help. "What kind of favor is it exactly?"

"Well," Kagome started.

IF: Yay!! We're all done for this chapter!

Inu: I know it's been about a year but you do remember people hate it when you do that, right?

IF: I know *evil grin* but cliffies are sooo much fun.

Inu: W/e

Kag: aww I wanted to meet Sesshy's mother.

Sess: . . . . Why was that scene even in there?

IF: idk, filler mostly. I just couldn't think of anything that would actually move the story along so I gave Sesshy inner turmoil instead. Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Oh, and how do you guys feel about dragon romance? I was thinking about Akako and Mamoru. Tell me what you think ^_^