"Kagome's been pretty…reserved since we got back." Miroku spoke up as the tachi, save Kagome and Kakudan, sat in Sesshomaru's study. Since they had returned, they saw neither hair nor hide of Kagome or her son.

"You're kidding, right?" Inuyasha snorted. "If that ain't an understatement, I don't know what is."

Koga growled lowly, nodding his head in agreement with Inuyasha. "For once, I agree with dog breath. Kagome's been more than a little reserved. Hell, she gave me the goddamn cold shoulder yesterday, and when I asked her what was wrong, she just bared her fangs and looked off."

"Kakudan's ignoring me too." Kagami said softly, twiddling her fingers. "He won't play with anyone."

Sesshomaru tapped his fingers together as he listened to their complaints. The miko and her son had been rather reserved since their return, but the miko had feared she'd lost her child. Not only that, but the boy had spent days with Naraku. Obviously, something had happened to change him. But he could not lie and say that he was not worried, especially not with Rin at his side. "Jaken." He called, and the imp scurried in.

Bowing, he squawked, "Yes, milord?!"

"Fetch the miko, and the boy." He watched the imp leave, before turning to the demon slayer's brother. Despite the fact that he hated the teen and wanted him dead, he had to ask the him, "The miko has been ignoring you as well?"

"Huh?" Kohaku asked, shocked to hear the demon lord speak to him.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "I do not repeat myself."

'Jackass.' He sneered, clenching his fists to remain calm. "Yes. I managed to get her to talk a few times, but nothing more than a few sentences."

'Hn.' Sesshomaru fought back the growl that threatened to rise in his throat. The miko had not even looked in his direction. In fact, she acted as though he didn't even exist. 'Damn child.'

"Milord, MILORDDDD!" Jaken hollered as he fell to his knees upon entering the room. "Milord, the miko is gone! She is not within the barrier! And enemies have broken through! There are perhaps sixty of them!"

This time, he did growl, hissing, "Damn her. Jaken, alert the warriors! I want the four generals far ahead, and the twenty four sub-generals just behind! Only those." He turned to the tachi. "Split up and search for her."

Inuyasha snorted. "Don't have to tell us twice." He left the room, the rest of his travel companions in tow as his brother remained, pacing back and forth.

He would wring her throat when he found her. She would be punished. He was sick of her behavior, her attitude, her defiance, her lack of interest whenever he entered a room. He was lord, and she would know that when he found her. He'd be damned if she didn't.

"Don't be too hard on her, my son." Inutaisho said, leaning against his son's desk. "It is your fault that you are being ignored. You and that unnatural hatred you have towards hanyou…and it isn't even a real hatred."

"What do you mean, you senile apparition?"

"Look me in the eyes and tell me you hate your brother."

Sesshomaru stiffened, but otherwise acted as though he hadn't heard his father's command. "You know where she is?"

Inutaisho smirked, 'I knew he loved him…or at least tolerated him.' "Alas, no."

"You are a ghost, father? You should be able to merely appear at her side."

"Yes, well, things don't really work that way, Sesshomaru. It takes much concentration." The once Lord sighed, shaking his head. His poor son thought he knew everything, when in truth, he hardly knew one-millionth of the world's knowledge.

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Then why are you here?"

Inutaisho crossed his arms and yawned. "To make sure you don't hurt my future daughter."

"I will not be mating the miko…especially not if she has anything to say concerning it. If I am not mistaken, she would rather be tied to that pathetic excuse for a human boy."

"My my, the all-powerful Lord Sesshomaru jealous of a mere ningen lad?"

"Spare me the taunting, father. I need your assistance."

His father looked at him sympathetically. "I can't help you. I'm a spirit, not a mind reader. I can't tell you what she wants to hear. I can't tell you what she wants you to do, or how she wants you to touch her."

The Daiyoukai arched a brow. "E tu, father? Am I truly surrounded by perverts?"

"Yes. Yes, you are. Now, we need a plan."

"I have one. When we have found her, I will lock her up in her cottage."

"Yes, speaking of that cottage, I am surprised you let her and those children in there. I mean, you loved Inumimi like no other."

Sesshomaru shrugged lightly before changing the subject, much to his father's chagrin. "You have no objection to me forcing my miko to remain here?"

"Now, Sesshomaru, you know me better than that. I'm annoyed by your strange tactics. I am frustrated that after all these years you have yet to speak to me. But hey, you are no longer a pup. I can no longer command you to do anything. Lock her up, kick her out, whip her, harass her, do what you think is right. I will let you control your destiny, and the fate of your future relationship."

"Hn." The lord's brows furrowed. He hated it when his father said confusing things like that. He wasn't sure if he was being given permission, so to speak, or being told not to. "Assist me in finding her. I will handle things from there."

Inutaisho nodded with a small smile. "Of course, my boy."

Kagome smirked as she watched Naraku place their son to rest on a makeshift futon of leaves and a thin blanket. "You almost look like a father."

Naraku smirked in return, his hands on his waist. "Oh?" He sat beside her, glancing back at the hair tossed behind his shoulder when Kagome picked a leaf from his hair. "And you almost look like a mate."

"Hm." She sighed comfortably, leaning against him as he leaned against her. "We are some pair, aren't we? Pure mike, horrible tainted hanyou."

"Insane wench, perfectly sane man."

"Beautiful woman, hideous asshole."

He chuckled, nuzzling her neck. "You are my kind of woman, Kagome."

She moaned softly. "And you are my kind of man…How long do you think I can hide our meetings?"

"Not for long. Sesshomaru is a rather nosy dog."

"I noticed." She sighed. "I was wondering…"

"Yes?"

Nibbling on her lower lip, Kagome asked, "What did you say to Kakudan?"

Naraku stiffened a little. "I told him what he was not ready to hear, despite my attempt to ready him with visions. He thought himself a man, thought himself ready to know why we were not together."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I answered every specific question he asked with equally specific answers. He asked why the first time we made love, your were in pain. I told him that it was because we were not making love then. I was raping you, punishing you, ripping away your innocence in the sickest of ways."

Kagome cringed, pressing her face to his shoulder. "You told a child that?"

He sighed. "He asked, pleading with me to be straight-forward with him. When he asked why I had sent you away while you were pregnant, why I crushed you so terribly," His insides trembled despite his calm façade, "I told him that it was because I felt as though you had deceived me. My heart literally ripped into halves when I saw your mark on Sesshomaru. One half loved you with all that it had, and the other half wanted to make you suffer in the ultimate way…I wanted you to experience the lost of the child. I wanted Kakudan dead."

Again, she cringed, burying her face deeper into his shoulder. "I didn't mean to mark him," she whimpered, repressing tears. "It was Ashi's fault. When we separated, and you two continued to make love, my body craved an equal feeling."

"Shh." He stroked her back, then continued, "Kakudan asked why I had not wanted him, and I told him precisely why. I thought he was the product of an affair between you and Sesshomaru. He asked why I gave him the dreams that he saw at night, and I replied that I did not know. Our dreams are connected somehow. What I dream, he dreams. What he dreams, I dream. I dreamed what I feared would happen, what I felt."

"He once told me," She sniffed, "that he dreamed that you were dead, ripped apart savagely."

"That was a dream created in my mind on a night when I was especially lonely. I ached so badly in my heart that my body was in the worse physical pain I have ever experienced."

"Oh, Naraku," Kagome cupped the side of his cheek, turning him to face her and kissing his lips. "I love you. I love you so much. I just, I hurt."

He nodded. "And I understand that. I will not force you. I will be patient."

She looked away. "I don't think we can ever be again."

Naraku arched a brow, his eyes widening. Looking to her, he smiled slyly, "Then give to me your friendship, your everlasting love, and another child."

"Another child?"

"Yes, and you know what another child takes, don't you?" His hand tiptoed her thigh.

Kagome inhaled sharply as he creeped higher up her leg. "Another child sounds nice." She mumbled, her mind clouding in her sudden spike of arousal.

"Good…very good. But let's make this enjoyable for you." He kissed her lips before calling to the wind, "Kiyoshiyuki."

Tying her obi in place, Kagome looked to the place Naraku and Kiyoshiyuki had previously stood. The experience had been…'Amazing, exciting, feverishly arousing.' She shuddered violently, then smirked. She could still taste them on her lips. 'My, that was interesting.'

'I knew you'd enjoy that.'

'Who are you?'

'Aw, sister, don't recognize me?'

Kagome's eyes widened. 'A-ashi?'

'How the hell do you stutter inside your head?'

'Shut up!'

'And here I thought you missed me.' Her counterpart argued.'

'Why are you here? How are you here?'

'Naraku.' She deadpanned.

'I know that…I just meant how. He didn't mark me or anything.'

Ashi rolled her eyes. 'There are other ways, idiot. He'll tell you…eventually.'

'I liked my conscience better.' Kagome sighed. 'I could ignore it.'

'You can ignore me too. I won't stay where I'm not wanted.'

'Good.' Tossing a barrier around her son as he slept, Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and started to walk away.

Ashi whistled lowly. 'Did you see the size of Kiyoshiyuki's cock?! Dear Kami, when he shoved it-'

'Shut up!' Kagome blushed furiously.

'Fine. I'm gone.'

"Ooh, blushing."

Kagome jumped, whipping around the face the voice. "Inutaisho?"

The specter smirked, walking at her side. "So, who are you thinking about?"

"That's none of your business." She snapped in reply, turning away from him.

Inutaisho blinked in surprise. "Someone's rather hostile."

"Sorry." She whispered. "What there something you needed? And how are you even here?"

"We spirits aren't tied down the way you mortals are." He continued walking silently for a moment, before stating, "You know, you're causing my son a lot of grief?"

"Oh?"

"He's looking for you." When she didn't reply, he kept on. "I assume you like frustrating him?"

Kagome shrugged her shoulder, closing her eyes. Sesshomaru deserved to be upset, not that she was trying to upset him. How he could possibly claim to care about her, after doing what he did, she didn't know, but obviously something was wrong in that handsome head of his.

"If I'm not mistaken, he loves you very much."

"So he says."

"So, if he'd showed such, why do you waste your time with that pathetic malicious hanyou?"

Kagome's aura spiked as she whipped to face him, green beginning to swirl in her golden eyes. "You listen, and you listen well. Naraku may be a lot of things, but he is not pathetic, and you should have no issue with hanyou, seeing as your own child is one!"

Inutaisho looked to her with sympathetic eyes. He cupped her cheek and smiled softly. "He has you wrapped around his finger, doesn't he?"

"What do you mean?" Came her soft voice.

"You so openly defend someone like him. You, a pure miko, are protecting a spineless bastard of a hanyou." He sensed her anger flaring again, and began caressing gentle circles into her cheek. "You're too beautiful, too precious, and too wonderful to be used by such a filthy character."

"He loves me."

Inutaisho snorted. "His heart is far too black for suck an emotion."

"And your son's is far too cold." Jerking her chin back, she stormed away from him, only for the ghost to follow her. "Go away."

"You stubborn little humans," he chuckled. "You never listen when someone says something that you don't want to hear."

"And you goddamn demons are to fucking nosy for your own good. Go. Away."

"Can't do that…Why will you not give Sesshomaru another chance? I know my pup. He is as brash as his younger brother. He speaks without thinking half the time. He never says his feelings out right, but if you look closely, into his pupils, you can see his emotions as clear as day."

Kagome lowered her eyes to her feet. "He called my son a weak hanyou."

Inutaisho rolled his eyes. "Yes. I know. But he did not mean that."

"What's his issue with hanyou?"

"Sesshomaru was a little frustrated during Inuyasha's birth. He was perhaps 300, then. When he found out that Inuyasha was to be born, he was fine. Then though, I had to leave every so often, perhaps every three moons, to make sure that Izayoi was alright and safe. The more I left, the angrier Sesshomaru got."

"Why?"

"Because it was cutting into his preparation to be lord."

Kagome nodded slowly. "Oh."

"Though he showed me my respect, hatred began to fuel in him like a fire. He did not expect me to have to spend so much time away. He did not expect for me to die before returning the final time. He still hasn't forgiven me, though he hardly shows it."

"So…he wasn't prepared to be lord when he took over?"

"No, but my boy…my little pup learns quickly, he adjusts immediately when change arrives, though he dislikes it to the highest extent."

She sighed. "But still, he didn't have to say what he said. It upset Kakudan. It made him run off."

Inutaisho arched a brow. "You think so? I'll have you know that your son ran off because he was afraid that you were falling in love with my son, and he wanted to ask his father what to do."

"You can't be serious."

"I'm a ghost, not a liar, little miko."

"Wow." Kagome rubbed the back of her neck. 'So I blamed him when it was actually partially my fault.' "Just…wow."

"Yes, wow. Now, little one, I suggest you get back to the castle. There was an infiltration."

Kagome's eyes widened. "How was that barrier infiltrated?! Sesshomaru said only those of your blood…so that means…"

Inutaisho sighed. "Yes. A relative of some type must be on the other side."

"Damn. I have to help!"

"Sesshomaru is handling it."

She shrugged. "Still. I can't just leave them…but I have so many questions for you."

"Those will have to wait until another time. You grab your son, and go."

"Okay. Um, see you 'round?

"Yes. You will see me around. Ah, and be careful. Sesshomaru is bound to bombard you when you return."

"Where the hell is Kagome?!" Inuyasha fumed. "I couldn't look for her. I was too busy helping Sesshomaru's weak men slaughter those guys who broke in."

"Everyone was, Inuyasha." Sango hissed back. "Don't act like you're the only one worried."

"I didn't say that!"

"Calm down." Kikyo breathed, analyzing the crack in her arm. For a moment, it had oozed actual blood. But looking through, all she saw was darkness. Inuyasha had offered to clean the wound, but she'd denied it, wanting to keep the wound as a reminder that she was becoming human. "Kagome and Kakudan should return in due time."

Miroku nodded wisely. "I agree with Lady Kikyo. Kagome's known for disappearing and reappearing perfectly fine while we've been in danger."

"But she attracts trouble." Koga pointed out. "She was probably kidnapped. Who wouldn't try? She's a miko. She's strange. She's beautiful…" He blushed, then cleared his throat when all attention turned to him. "I kidnapped her for those reasons."

"As did I." Miroku pointed out. "And Naraku, then there was Mukotsu. And ever so technically, I recall Kohaku taking Kagome off on his own."

The teen blushed. "I was under Naraku's control. If I'd been in my right mind, I wouldn't have taken her and harmed her."

"The miko is vulnerable. She is a rather easy target for capturing." Sesshomaru thought aloud as he looked out of his window. He was starting to feel an inkling of fear in the back of his mind. 'She could be dead, bleeding and torn…or perhaps drowned in a river.' He hardly acknowledged the fact that there was a knock at his door. "Enter."

Slowly, Kagome pushed the door open, whispering, "Lord Sesshomaru-sama?"

Instantly, he looked up. "Miko." He growled lowly. 'Come here!' He barked in inu.

Immediately, Kagome was kneeling before his desk, her eyes closed, and her head tilted in submission. 'Milord.' She yipped.

'Where the hell have you been?' He snapped, standing and circling her. When she did not reply, he stood behind her with his back to the tachi, his eyes glowing an intense red. "You are all dismissed."

"Go easy on her, Sess-"

"You are dismissed." He hissed again, and the group left. A smirk crossed his thin lips as he grabbed a handful of her hair. 'You are about to be punished miko, and you are to take your beating like a woman.'

'Hai.' She whimpered, looking into his eyes while her own bled red as her inner inu took control.

'Good.'