Naraku opened his eyes slowly before standing. 'Today...will be a new day.' His body had rejuvinated well. He'd absorbed many new demons, all of which would help him gain Kagome back.

It were the thoughts of her that brought him to get out of bed everyday. It was her scent that drove him to get dressed each day. It was the knowledge that one day she, and his young son, would soon grace his presence that kept him moving.

"I've gone weak over a damned human...once human." He growled to himself, running his fingers through his hair. Atleast he was only weak for those two. The rest of the word could kiss his ass for all he cared. In fact, Naraku smirked, I'd love it if they kissed my ass.

According to Hakudoshi, Kagome was somewhere in the west. So, his plan was to rummage through every single village until he found her, burning them all to ash.

Tightening his obi, he left the confines of his room and located his children, some of whom happened to be sparring. Eyes narrowed, he bellowed, "Enough."

Freezing, they all turned to him. "Naraku."

"Gather your weapons. We leave." He watched as they dispursed, rushing around the dojo to claim their respective weapons. "We are searching each and every village in the West for Kagome, raiging them all. Kiyoshiyuki."

"Hm?" Kiyoshiyuki, who'd simply been sitting there because he had no weapon, turned his attention to Naraku. His hand flew up to grap the object that was thrown at him. "A sword."

Naraku had had the sword forged for Kiyoshiyuki out of the bones of a demon he had been about to absorb. The sheath was made of the rough skin of the animal, dyed and stitched in a patchwork of black, pale blue, and white.

"Thanks, Naraku." He smiled, staring at his new 'toy' with childlike wonder. 'I can't wait to show Kagome-sama!'

"Kiyoshiyuki, come." Naraku motioned for him to follow, seeing as the other incarnations were already ahead. A smirk came to his face. 'I shall see you soon, Kagome.'

Kagome closed her eyes to avoid the death glare Sesshomaru was sending her. Sighing, she reminded herself that it wasn't her fault, that the guilt in her stomach was misplaced. Ashi had been to one to lose control, not that she didn't have an extremely good reason. A smile crossed her lips, and she felt his glare strengthen. A hiss escaped her when he wounded the bandage a bit to tight around the wound in her stomach. "Ssss."

"Stupid woman." He snapped at her as he reached for another roll of bandages. How should could have been so unbelievably ignorant as to do what she did? She could have no doubt been killed. The thought scent shivers up and down his spine. Her death, as much as he hated to admit it, was something he would hate to find.

"Stupid? Am I? I had no idea." When she felt his glare heat once again, she opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wound your mother." But the feeling of her blood splattering on Kagome's face had felt strangely refreshing.

Sesshomaru arched a brow before heaving a silent sigh. "You never fail to find danger, miko."

"I don't find it. It finds me. Besides, it was Ashi's fault." She blamed.

'Hey!'

"You are one in the same, miko. She is simply more outgoing when it comes to the urges you have. Now, explain what happened."

"Rin, Shippo, Kakudan! I'm going to catch you!" Kagome laughed airily as she dashed around the gardens in search of her children. She heard a giggle and smirked, hurrying in that direction. As she got closer, she slowed her pace, as to prolong the chase. "Rinny, dear?"

There was another giggle, and a small bush rustled, causing Kagome to smile. Stalking toward it, she stuck her hands in, tickling the person inside with all of her might.

"Ah!" Rin squealed, dashing out of the bush and running away. "You can't catch me, okaa-san!"

"I bet I can, Rin!" Beaming, Kagome hurried after her daughter. These were the moments she enjoyed. The ones that help her forget all about Naraku, and what he'd done. That and the conflicting feelings she was beginning to feel for a certain cold hearted Daiyoukai.

So caught up in her thoughts, Kagome failed to notice her daughter freeze before her, or the fact that her sons were standing before a demoness, shaking in fear. She was brought back into reality by a harsh voice.

"What the hell do you think you're doing in my gardens?"

"Setsuki." Kagome greeted before looking down at her children. Her eyes narrowed in accusation. "What did you do to them?"

"Me?" She smirked, "I simply scared a little respect into their little systems."

Kagome growled at that, stepping in front of her children. "Did you lay a hand on my kids?"

Setsuki gave a tinkling laugh. "Of course not."

"Then what reason do they have to fear you?"

"They listen to their instincts, telling them to back down, unlike some little whore I know."

"You surely don't listen." Kagome flared her aura. "Because if you were, you'd be hightailing it on out of here."

Setsuki's eyes narrowed briefly, before she gave a Sesshomaru-like smirk. "Are you challenging me, once ningen?"

Kagome nodded stiffly. "You choose when and where."

"Here and now, wench. The one who is living at the end gets the utmost respect from the other."

"Oh? And how will you respect me if you're dead?"

"Shut it, tramp." She launched forward, and the battle ensued.

Sesshomaru's brow ticked. He'd have to come up with a way to severly punish his mother for attacking the miko. She didn't have much training with her new youkai body. That thought brought a smirk to his face. He'd have to teach her a few things.

"I hate it when you smirk." Kagome whispered. "It usually means bad things are about to happento me. Are you mad?" She stood up, leaning closer to look into his eyes.

"No." He hadn't meant to give her the wrong idea by his expression or the coldness in his voice. She was simply too close, and she smelled far too good. Frowning a little, he sat one of his Inumimi's old kimono on the ground within her reach, and turned away from her.

Kagome turned a hot red. 'How did I manage to forget that I was in the hotsprings! And, and Sesshomaru saw me...'

'It isn't like he hasn't before.' Ashi snorted. 'When he took off our bandages after Naraku..."

She blushed harder, recalling the heat that had pooled into her stomach. "Shut up."

Sesshomaru smirked, but did not face her. "Are you going insane, miko? I haven't spoken a word." He decided to tease her.

"H-huh? N-no. I didn't mean you. I...Just shut up, Kagome." Grabbing the kimono from the ground, she pulled it on and tied the obi in a tight knot. "I'm done."

"Come, then. We will meet in the gardens for a meal."

Kagome blushed again. She and Setsuki had torn through one wall of the diningroom and trashed the room. Chairs had toppled over. The lengthy table was broken in half. The chandeliers, and the torches that had been in them were on the ground, shattered. She couldn't believe all of the damage she'd caused. "Moushiwake arimasen."

Sesshomaru glanced at her. "All is forgiven." He led her toward the gardens, standing close to her just in case she fell. He didn't like the way she was swooning a bit, stumbling as she walked. Perhaps his mother had done more damage to her insides than he could see.

"Momma!" Shippo cried, causing the group to turn toward the pair. "You're alright." He rushed in her direction, only to have Sesshomaru catch him by the collar of his kimono. "Hey!"

"Kit, do you wish to further injure you mother?" He questioned, his tone not as cold as it usually is. And that, he blames solely on Rin, the bothersome, lovable little ningen.

"No. I didn't think about it that way. Sorry, okaa-san."

Kagome smiled warmly, pulling him gently into her arms. "I'm alright. Sesshomaru acts like I'm going to die or something."

"You very well should for being so foolish as to challenge a far more experienced demoness."

"Hey, I carried my own, didn't I?!" She hissed, plopping down beside Kohaku, who in turn inched a little closer. "I mean, I wounded her pretty bad too."

He nodded. He had to admit, had her claws gone a little deeper through his mother's chest, she'd have been dead, not that he cared. "Hn." Sitting beside her, he sent a sharp, sudden glare at the human teen nearly cuddled into her side.

Kohaku jumped slightly, but he couldn't let Kagome know that he was afraid of the demon lord. He narrowed his eyes and glared right back, shaking inside.

The entire group watched closely as they glared at each other, wondering what had transpired between them. Finally, Kagome grabbed Kohaku's, causing him to withdraw from the staring contest with Sesshomaru, and instead take up one with their locked hands.

"Calm down. What's with you two?"

"N-nothing." He fought back the blood that threatened to rise on his cheeks.

"Sesshomaru."

The Daiyoukai 'hned' and looked away.

"Men." She sighed. "I'll never understand them."

"Really?" Kohaku asked, fascinated.

Kagome nodded. "You're all so confusing."

He shook his head. "No. I meant, you think I'm a man?"

"What are you? A woman?"

"No. I just thought, maybe you...all of you would still think of me as a little boy."

"Of course not." Kagome took her hand back before reaching for Kakudan. "You've grown into a handsome man, Kohaku. You'll make some woman extremely happy today."

"Really?"

Kagome smirked. "Yup. I'm jealous. I got stuck with Naraku, while some lucky girl is going to get you."

Kohaku nodded numbly before picking at his food.

"But, Kagome-chan, you can always find another mate." Sango offered.

"Like who?" Kagome snorted. "Koga?"

"Actually, he's mated to Ayame now." Miroku filled her in.

She jokingly gasped. "Kami, I'm losing my suitors left and right!"

Kikyo eyed her reincarnation. "But you are also gaining many."

"Like who?"

"Naraku, for one, is a rather unexpected suitor. Then there is Kiyoshiyuki,"

"Kiyoshiyuki is somewhat childlike. I don't think he loves me the way he thinks he does. It's more of an infatuation." Kagome replied, her face red.

"Whatever you say, Kagome."

Kagome took a deep breath. "What's that smell?"

Kikyo stiffened a little. "The smell of death?" She hated her scent.

"No. You don't smell like that anymore. Your scent is a faint hint of...sakura blossoms." Kagome beamed. "I wonder why."

She placed a hand over her heart. 'My heart has returned...my scent is returning...am I becoming human once again?'

"We'll study that later. But that isn't what I smell...I smell smoke, fire, blood...mass death!" Kagome instantly leapt to her feet. "That blood. I know that blood!" Quick as lightening, she took off in that direction. "Watch my pups!"

"..." Inuyasha shot up. "Gather the kids. We gotta go after her."

No one bothered to ask why, instead gathering all of their things and hurrying after her.

"Daddy!" The young pup fought as roughly as she could against her mother. Desperately, she tried to reach her wounded father. He was bleeding out on the ground. Her daddy was bleeding, covered in sut from the burning buildings they'd been in.

"Stay back, pup!" Ayame snapped, pushing her daughter back as she drew in a ragged breath. She'd inhaled a lot of smoke trying to drag Koga away. "Stay back! I can't heal him if you're smothering him!"

"It's alright, mate. Let her come." Koga rasped as he laid, his blood in a deep red puddle around him. He reached a hand out to grab his daughter's when she ran to him, hugging his neck. "I'm okay, Katsumi." He lied, knowing his life was coming to an end.

"Daddy be okay?" She sniffed, her green eyes twinkling.

Koga smiled at his daughter. She looked very much like her mother, those same happy emerald eyes, and that tiny nose. She had his hair, and his mouth when it same to being cocky and smirking. She was hardly three months old, but, being a fulldemon pup with strong parents, spoke and acted as a child of 2 years. "I love you, Katsumi."

"I love you, daddy."

"Aishiteru, Ayame?" He gave her a sad smile. "And don't feel so sad, it's going through the bond."

"You shielded me from his attack. Look at you. You're sliced up from the neck on down, Koga. You can't even move. It's my fault."

He sighed. "It isn't. I protected you because I love you, and you are my mate. I wasn't going to let him harm you."

Ayame opened her mouth to speak when she sensed a large, powerful youkai approaching. "Katsumi, get behind me." She drew a few leaves from her hair and got into battle stance.

Kagome sped into the clearing and skidded to a stop. "Koga."

"You know her?" Ayame whispered.

"No." He replied, glaring at the woman before him. She almost looked like Kagome...Kagome. "Who are you? How do you know this Prince's name?"

Kami, he sounded like Sesshomaru. "It's me...Kagome. Don't you recognize me?"

"Don't you dare lie!" He yelled ferally, bearing his fangs, though he couldn't do much more than that. "Kagome..." He bit back a whimper. "Kagome died. Naraku killed her."

"Koga," She took a step forward, caught off guard when Ayame flung three leaves at her, and two of them caught in her right arm. She yanked them out, dropping them to the ground.

"They were poisoned." Ayame smirked. "Your arm is paralized. Take another step, and your entire body will be injected.

"Ayame, it is me." She whispered.

Ayame narrowed her eyes, thowing another three and smirking when one hit her opponent in the right leg, causing her to fall to her knees. "Don't claim to be Kagome! What type of sick person are you?!" Tears streamed down her face.

Kagome nearly cried out as she fell to the ground. She couldn't fight back. They were friends. She'd though about putting up a barrier, but feared that the leaves would bounce back and harm them. Forcing herself up on one knee, she stared ahead at them. She watched, shocked, as Katsumi stepped out from behind Ayame.

"Lady try hurt Daddy?" When her mother nodded, she glared angrily, flitting at Kagome.

"Katsumi!" Ayame reached to grab her, but missed.

Kagome closed her eyes and waited to be hit in the face. When it didn't come, she opened her eyes to see her group staring at her, while Inuyasha held Katsumi up in the air.

Inuyasha shook his head. "Katsumi, you shouldn't attack friends." He almost sounded like the godfather he was.

"She try hurt daddy!"

"Kagome would never, even if he is a flearidden wolf."

Kouga ignored the comment, stuttering, "K-Kagome? That's actually...But, dogturd, you said..."

"I know. I haven't run into since she came back to life...well, Naraku brought her back."

Ayame's eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Kagome, I'm so sorry."

Kagome shrugged with her one usable shoulder. " 'tsall right." She dragged herself over to Kouga and smiled at him. "It's been a while, Koga. I mean, look at you, with a mate, and a pup."

"Kagome." Was all he could whisper.

"Funny. You have a daughter. I had a son."

"W-with who? Dogturd?" He growled.

She rolled her eyes. "Calm down. Kakudan isn't Inuyasha's...He's Naraku's."

"What?!"

"Loooooooong story. I'm just happy I can see you again."

Koga smiled at her, forcing himself to sit up with a grunt. "I'm happy I can see you again, Kagome...before I die." He embraced her.

Kagome buried her head in his shoulder, her eyes filling with tears. "Oddly enough, I missed you calling me 'your woman.' " She laughed brokenly. "Koga, you can't die." She sobbed into his shoulder.

He patted her back gently, cringing everytime he heart a sob escape her or Ayame, who had flung herself into a surprisingly melancholy Inuyasha's arms. "It's the life cycle, Kagome. I was bound to die. Kagura, Hakudoshi, and Kanna simply sped up the process."

"Kagura." Kagome growled. "I'll kill her! I'll kill her with my bare hands for this! All of them!"

Feeling weak, Koga allowed himself to fall onto his back, clenching his eyes shut in pain, but refusing to make a sound.

Sesshomaru watched calmly. THe wolf was mated, so he wasn't a threat. A threat to what? He wouldn't even allow himself to know. He remembered the wolf from previous encounters. His wolves had slain Rin, and he'd been angry for the slightest of seconds.

He watched the wolf bite back the yelps and gasps that he knew should have been coming. This wolf, Prince of the Eastern Wolves, was dying an honorable death.

Kagome wiped her eyes with her free hand when she noticed Koga's life source fading. 'No.' She refused to let her friend go. "Koga, come on. What happened to the wolf who was always harrassing Inuyasha? Who wouldn't let anything keep him down? What happened to the cocky bastard who didn't know when to give up?"

No answer.

"Answer!" She cried, her heart clenching.

"Koga!" Ayame howled her mate's name.

Katsumi looked at her father, who was lying limp, dead on the ground. "Papa! Papaaaaaaaaa!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him. "You aren't dying now. It isn't your time, Kouga." She placed a hand on his chest. Clenching her eyes shut, she concentrated on healing his wounds. Her hands began to glow white, before it flickered out, and a sharp pain flew through her heart.

She didn't have time to think about that. No. She had to bring him back, her friend. Pushing harder on his chest, she concentrated again. This time, her body pulsed. Her eyes started to glow a deep red as her hand glowed.

Again, she pulsed. Her hair started to float around her, lengthening slightly each second. Her friends watched on, shocked, worried, afraid, and curious. Her entire arm began to glow.

Her heart throbbed when she pulsed again, and she raised her partially numb hand to her chest and clutched at it. This time, nearly her entire body glowed, along with Koga's.

The pain she felt as she continued to pulsate was nearly unbearable, but she refused to quit. She clenched her teeth as her bones stretched a little more each second. Her body pulsed roughly and loudly, for even the humans to hear, and she let out a howl of pain as both she and Koga were consumed by light.

"Kagome!"

"Koga!"

"Papa!"

"Mama!"

The light dispursed, and Kagome stood on wobbling legs. She clawed at her head as it ached. What had happened, she wasn't sure. But whatever it was, she didn't like it.

Koga grimaced as he opened his eyes. His entire body ached, but in a good way. Each time his heart throbbed and pumped, it let him know he was alive. "I'm...alive."

"Koga!" Ayame pounced on her mate, giggling happily as her daughte followed suit. "You're alive!" She sobbed.

"How?"

"Kagome...Kagome!" All attention, which had been on the now living Koga, turned to Kagome, who was panting against a tree, clutching her head. "Kagome?"

She growled loudly before ramming her head into the tree, over and over again.

Inuyasha hurried to grab her, only to find himself face first on the ground because she'd snarled a 'sit.'

The other's were about to try when a looming figure stepped into the clearing, his face blank.

"Naraku." Growls sounded. "Stay away from Kagome!"

"N-naraku?" She whimpered, turning to face him. Her fangs were jetting far out of her mouth, her eyes a fierce, yet pained crimson, and her face expressing confusion.

"My mate." He opened his arms to her.

Kagome stiffened, then shook her head. "No mate. No your mate."

He arched a brow. A hand shot up to form a barrier as Inuyasha unleashed the windscar. He moved closer to her. "Mate, come to me."

She frowned, looking around, afraid. "Kakudan...You no hurt Kakudan?"

"Kakudan?"

"Baby, our baby. Kakudan be safe?"

"Yes. He will be safe, as will you."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha and his friends called. "Kagome, don't!"

Naraku turned, motioning for his son to come. Kakudan stepped straight into the barrier, then ran at his father's legs. In turn, Naraku leaned over, picked his son up, and smiled at them.

A smile crossed Kagome's face as the pain subsided in her head a little. "Naraku good father."

"I will be."

Satisfied, Ashi forced herself to the front of their body, leaving Junsei in the cage they'd been locked in. She rushed into Naraku's arms, landing against his chest with a THUD. "My Naraku."

Smiling, he wrapped an arm around her and nodded. He sealed his lips over Kagome's, his eyes sweeping over the group as they stared, dumbfounded. Stepping back a little, Naraku grabbed her hands in his and let his barrier fall. "We leave now, mate."

Kagome's eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Prying herself from him, and snatching her baby with her, she said, "N-no."

"No?" He asked lowly.

"No. Y-you hurt me. You said that Kakudan wasn't yours. Y-you're evil, Naraku."

"Kagome," He stepped toward her, tensing when she stepped back.

"Leave."

He hmphed. "If I leave, I return for you later."

She frowned, "Go."

Naraku clenched his fists, dropping his barrier. "Kagura! Hakudoshi! Kiyoshiyuki! Kanna! We leave!" He disappeared in a mass of miasma, and moments leter, Kagura and the others were seen flying over head.

Kagome watched, in pain, as they left. "Naraku." She whispered.

Kakudan looked to where his father had been standing. "Papa bad?"

How he knew who Naraku was to him, she wasn't sure. But she nodded. "Yes. Papa is bad." She let him out of her arms before burying her face in her hands.

"Kagome," Sango called gently.

Kagome gave no answer. Instead, her arms fell to her side, she dropped to her knees, and her head crashed against the dirt.

"Kagome!" Everyone rushed to her side, no one quite sure what to do. Silently, Sesshomaru considered picking her up. But before he could act, Kohaku did what he had planned to.

"We should take her back to Sesshomaru's palace." The teen missed Sesshomaru's viciously calm glare.

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded, smiling wearily at Kikyo when she grabbed his hand. "Come on, ya better off dead wolf. Kagome'll be devasted if you aren't there to see her up."

Koga nodded, collected his daughter in his arms, and followed after the group.

Ayame walked at his side. "I love you so much, Koga."

"I love you too." He whispered with a smile as his daughter cuddled against him. "I love you too."