Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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Authors note:Thanks for your reviews. They were all appreciated, but I'm sorry to disappoint you aria. Rin will be apart of this story. I won't say how she ties in, because I don't want to spoil it for the other readers.

Chapter 2

Once Kagome was out the door, she bolted to her car and took off so she wouldn't have to speak with Inuyasha.

She might have been an orphan, and she might have been finishing up college, but she was able to afford a place of her own. Actually, it was the shrine. After the fire, the main house was rebuilt. The fact that she didn't have an abundance of money was not a problem. The shrine had been in her family since the feudal era, thus it was completely paid off. When she came of age, and was able to live on her own, she moved back into the shrine. Now she only had to pay the electricity and sewer bills.

Pulling up the secret path, she parked her car. Before the accident, her parents had built a path leading from the main road to the back of the house; this way, they wouldn't have to park their cars at the bottom of the seeming endless steps leading up to their home. It also provided as a way to escape in case there was trouble. Only the family knew of the path; no one else could see it, because her mother and grandfather had placed a barrier on it to conceal it.

Quickly getting out of the car and closing the door, she made her way to the front door, keys in hand. Opening the door, she quickly deactivated the alarm system, closed the door, locked it and reactivated it. Sighing, she kicked off her shoes and laid her keys on the light stand. "What a day."

Her eyes narrowed as she felt an approaching aura. "Inuyasha." Quickly, she threw up a barrier around herself and her car, masking their presence. She stilled as she heard a pissed off Inuyasha banging on the door and yelling at her to open up. After a couple of minutes, she could feel him moving towards her car; not finding anything, he left, realizing she wasn't there.

Letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding, she sighed on relief. Scowling, she said to herself, " I'll have to do something about him. He will not react well to me adopting Shippo." She knew that she should have ended things with Inuyasha a long time ago, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it. They had been together five years after all.

At Shippo's name, she broke into a smile. Gasping, her eyes widened comically. "I'm gonna be a mom! Oh kami, I have to get everything ready." With a glow about her that had disappeared long ago, she set out to clean her house from top to bottom, instead of going shopping for his things. She would let him pick out everything for himself.

~~With Inuyasha~~

Inuyasha was pacing his apartment brooding over the fact that he couldn't find Kagome. Things were going sown hill and fast. 'I don't know what's gotten in to me. I think I might have pushed her too far this time. That damn kit! He will pay. There's no way that I'll be able to get to him though. That old hag put up a barrier.' "Bitch."

"I hope you're not talking about me love."

"No Kikyou, I was speaking of Kaede." Seeing her confusion, he relayed today's events.

"If you want that money, you are going to have to make amends with her. You've been fooling that bitch for years; you can hold out a little longer."

"I know love, I'm just getting tired of all this."

"There are other ways of winning the bet..." Kikyou trailed off suggestively.

"I could never do that to her. She would purify me before I got close to her." He looked to Kikyou who had a deadly smile on her lips.

"Have you spoken with Naraku lately? Doesn't he owe you a favor?" At this, a dangerous glint entered his eyes.

"You're right, he does owe me a favor." They began formulating a plan.

~~With Kagome~~

Brushing her hands off on a rag, Kagome looked around happily. "All done." Nodding to her self in satisfaction, she headed to her bedroom.

When she moved back in, she chose to take the master bedroom, which was on the main floor. It had a large bathroom and a walk in closet. Her favorite part however, was the large bay window which overlooked the forest behind the shrine. This is where she came to think.

Knowing that she needed to bathe, she drew up a bath and got undressed. Sliding into the bathtub, she closed her eyes and relaxed. Outside, she could hear the chirping of the crickets and the hooting of the owls. Smiling, she dozed off.

Kagome awoke awhile later to cold water. Shivering, she got out, dried off, and slipped into a robe. Walking through the door and into her room, she looked out the window to see the moon high in the sky. She then looked to her clock and her eyes widened. "I'm surprised I slept for that long. It's already two in the morning."

Knowing that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep right away, she grabbed one of her favorite books, situated herself in her bed, and began to read. Sooner than she thought, she was asleep.

~~Dream~~

She was sitting in the park, smiling and waving at two children, who were waving at her. As the children turned around to go play, one of them froze, horror radiating off of every pore in his/her body. The other just pointed and giggled at something on the mans head. She could only tell that the figure was male because of his physical structure. She was unable to make out any of the people in her dream.

The child who had giggled looked to be asking a question. The other child gasped and began to back up, pulling the other child along as well. Then she heard a heart wrenching scream. A scream of pain. She could now make out that the man was a demon, and he had used his claws to lash out at the child. The child was female; Kagome could see the bow that had been in her hair, fluttering to the ground. The demon turned to the other child, a boy. Kagome tried to move, but she couldn't, she couldn't even yell for help. The man struck out one final time, and tears began to poor down Kagome's face. At the smell of salt, the youkai turned to her and took a step forward, his blood red eyes boring into her.

~~End Dream~~

Wide eyed and breathing hard, Kagome allowed silent tears to roll down her flush face. Her dreams weren't just dreams, they were visions. 'Who were those children? I have to find a way to help them. I guess Shippo and I will be going to the park today.' "Shippo! I have to go get him." Jumping out of bed, she ran to the bathroom to use it's facilities.

Exiting the bathroom, Kagome skipped to the closet, debating on what she should wear. 'Well, we will be shopping and then going to the park. It looks nice out today.' "Shorts it is." She decided on a pair of denim shorts that went to mid thigh, a canary yellow tank top, and flip flops. Looking in the mirror, she nodded in approval. She loved yellow because it brought out her startling blue eyes. Her eyes were a rarity, and the most attractive part of her, or that what she believed. The perverts out there would beg to differ.

Miroku, one of her best friends, when they first met, told her that she had amazing curves, her hips would be perfect for baring him his children, her breasts would fit nicely in his hands, and he couldn't even begin to imagine how good her long legs would feel around his waist while he was... At this, she was mortified, and slapped him silly.

Kagome smiled at the memory. Her other best friend Sango had straitened him out. They were happily married and had a baby on the way. She had never seen two people more perfect for each other than them.

Shaking her head, she pulled her hair up into a high pony tail and left the house.

~~At the Orphanage~~

Shippo had risen with the sun, and was currently asking Kaede when Kagome would be there for him. Kaede sighed in exasperation. 'He's been asking the same question for the past two hours.'

"Kaede, when will Kagome be here?"

"Asking me every two minutes is not going to get you a different answer child. She will be here when she is ready." Shippo looked at the ground in thought.

"Is she ready now?" Sighing once again, she asked him to go get the other children for breakfast. As he was telling the other children, he heard the door open. Sniffing the air, he smelled jasmine and vanilla. His head shot up, "Kagome!"

~~With Kagome~~

"Breathe Kagome, you can do this." She said to herself, trying to calm down. Walking through the doors, she headed towards the kitchen, where she could smell Kaede's cooking. Before she reached her destination however, she saw a blur of orange, and then felt the impact in her chest. "Good morning Shippo." Smiling, she hugged him and kissed him on the forehead. Shifting him onto her hip, she continued walking.

"I thought you would never come. I asked Kaede when you would get here, but she just told me that you'd be here when you were ready. I thought you would never be ready. But, you're here, so that means you were ready. I'm glad you're here." Taking a big breath, he nuzzled into her neck and sighed in contentment.

Kagome had had a hard time catching everything he had said. 'And I thought I talked fast.' "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting sweetie."

"No child, this young one rises with the sun. You did not keep him waiting. He just arose early. You will have your hands full with him."

Kagome looked to Shippo, and Shippo to her. "He's perfect Kaede. I can feel it in my soul... I don't know how to explain it, but it feels like my soul is reaching for him almost like it's trying to regain something that has been taken from me." Kaede looked at her in amazement.

"The prophecy," Kaede whispered, to low for Kagome to hear. Shippo, however, cocked his head to the side in confusion. He was about to question her, but at her stern look, he thought better of it.

"What was that Kaede?"

"Nothing child. Are you certain that you wish to take on this responsibility?"

"With all of my being," She responded, hugging Shippo tighter to herself.

"Well, we best get started. Follow me." Kaede led them into her office, "The process of adoption between a mortal and an immortal is very different from a normal adoption. You Kagome must become immortal,"At Kagome's shocked expression, she continued,"As you know, those with youkai blood age differently than humans. In your case, you must become immortal in ensure that your kit it taken care of. If you were to stay as you are, you would age an die before Shippo could take care of himself."

"What if it were the other way around?"

"If you were a demon, and young Shippo was a human, he would most likely need to become immortal. This is not true for all demons. Demons such as inuyoukai, kitsunes, dragons, and wolf demons are very protective of their young, and can not handle loosing one of their children, whether it be a child by blood or adoption. Other demons such as spiders are not as sentimental, therefore they would not bother to turn their adopted child."

"So I'll live forever?"

"Yes, the only way you would be able to die is if you were gravely wounded."

Shippo looked ecstatic, "So you'll be my mommy for ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever?" This made Kagome and Kaede go into a fit of laughter.

"Yes Shippo, I'll be your mom for ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever." Shippo gave her the biggest smile she had ever seen, his little fangs glinting in the morning sun that had drifted in through the window, and his eyes sparkled with life. "You wanna know what else?" He responded by nodding his head yes. "You," she said, tapping him on the tip of his nose, "will be my son forever and always, no matter what." Tears began to bubble over his eyelids and spill down his face. He began to whimper as he buried his head in the crook of his neck. "What's wrong Shippo?" She cooed while rubbing soothing circles on his back.

"I have a family again." She looked to the elderly miko, and they shared a small smile.

"I believe we are ready. How do we go about this Kaede?"

"This, my dear, will be the difficult part. Never before have I bound a powerful miko such as yourself to a demon. I have only heard of one case such as this, but the child did not have near the power that you do. As you know, mikos and demons are natural enemies, mikos being able to purify a demon with a single touch."

"What does this have to do with the process?"

"You two must share blood."

Kagome gasped, "It will kill him Kaede! There is no way this will work."

"If your soul is calling to him as you say, he will be fine and your blood will not harm him." Kaede looked as if she had more to tell them, but was reluctant to do so.

"What else will happen?"

Sitting down, Kaede motioned for her to do so as well. "When your blood mixes, your scents will be altered a bit; it will seem as if he is actually your son, and you his mother. Your abilities, Kagome, might grow to include some of what Shippo is capable of. He on the other hand will most likely gain immunity to your purification powers as well as other mikos. He might gain some of your powers as well, like your ability to erect barriers. Your blood will strengthen his blood and he will become much stronger in the years to come. It would be wise to find a powerful youkai to train him as he grows."

They sat in silence, thinking over everything they had heard. Shippo was the first to brake the silence, "Well, I'm ready." He then held out his hand to Kagome. She gave him her hand, and he looked to Kaede and she nodded her head in assent. He used one of his claws to cut a line from the base of Kagome's thumb to the base of her pinkie. He then repeated the same process on himself, placed his hand in hers, and Kaede began to chant. Pretty soon, Kagome's pink aura, and Shippo's green aura could be seen mingling and mixing. All of the sudden,a bright light erupted from the pair. The light could be seen for miles around by those who had spiritual or demon blood. They all knew something very special had happened. They all felt like things were about to change.

But, just as quickly as the light had appeared, it had disappeared. The gifted could be seen looking at those around them, to see if they had seen it too. Those who did shared a questioning glance.

~~Back at the Orphanage~~

As the light disappeared, Kagome and Shippo could be seen looking at each other in wonder. Breaking the silence, Kaede commented,"Well, you don't see that every day." Then she chuckled, "You two are very special indeed."

Kagome just stared around her in amazement. So many thoughts were spinning around in her head. 'I can see everything. Oh! What's that horrid smell? I think I'm gonna be sick.'

Shippo, seeing her nose wrinkle in disgust said, "It's the air momma, it always smell bad."

"My ears! I can here better now too."

"I told you child. You have gained some of your son's abilities. You must be careful; you do not know the extent of the powers you have gained."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful. Thank you for everything, but I'm afraid we must be on our way. We have a lot to do today. We'll come back and visit soon." Giving a small bow, they took their leave.

"I must inform the council. The time has finally come. Be safe young ones. You will have many trials ahead of you. You are our future."