Authors note: Ok guys sorry about how late this is. Work schedule was insane. I was writing so much that I had to split this into 2 chapters. I should be able to finish the other half of this chapter by the end of the week if I can find a stopping point. Hope you like.

And all they heard was screaming.

Sesshomaru sat up from where he had been tossed from the power that exploded from Sakura. The column of light had condensed down to a 3 foot radius around her. He looked at her.

She's shifting.

In a flash, he was behind her; arms wrapped around her torso with her arms pinned to her sides and her back flush against his chest. Her body was morphing between her different forms. Morphing from her Inu heritage, her face elongating to a snout, claws appearing on her hands, faint silver-blue stripes on her cheeks and a gold crescent moon on her forehead, the points of the moon angled to her hairline ; switching swiftly to a being of pure moonlight, an ethereal glow and human in appearance; back to her full human form; then back though the cycle again, never settling.

As her body changed, so did her strength. It increased with every cycle and Sesshomaru was having difficulty keeping her bound, having to tighten his hold with every change. He was at the point where he thought he wouldn't be strong enough to hold her any longer.

Finally after what felt like hours, the column of light faded slowly and her features settling on a blend of her forms. She was human in form, the only differences being the silver-blue stripes on her cheeks, the gold moon on her brow, claws on her hands, and the pointed ears of her humanoid demon (much like his), and the same ethereal glow from her goddess form. He could not tell what her eyes looked like, she had closed them once the light had enveloped her and they were still closed.

Once the light completely vanished, they sank to the ground her body settling between his knees his arms still pinning hers to her sides, too exhausted to stand. In Sakura's case she had passed out, leaning heavily on him; her head resting on his right shoulder and forehead nestled into the crook of his neck. Sesshomaru was breathing hard, trying to catch his strength, still in shock at what occurred. Her breathing was even and deep, like she was asleep. He noticed this and tried to match his breathing to hers and he was able to calm his erratic breathing and his racing heart. When he was calm he noticed something was wrong with his sister.

Sesshomaru looked across the way to Inuyasha and Kagome. They were staring in open shock and astonishment at the two of them. Shesshomaru adjusted his unconscious sister in his arms, and using the last of his strength, picked her up bridal-style. He stood, looked over at his brother and his miko.

"Inuyasha, I'm taking Sakura home. Follow at your leisure."

He took off on his cloud and darted as fast as he could to his rooms in the palace. He had to bring her body temperature down or she might die. His rooms were the only ones to have both a hot spring and a mountain-snow-feed spring. He landed on the balcony of his room and strode over to his bathing room. He needed to cool her quickly and soaked towels wouldn't be enough. He gently put her feet down and held her close using his claws, he tore the fabric from her body. He quickly disposed of the remnants and scooped her back into his arms. He walked into the cold spring, fully clothed, sat on the inside ledge, praying it would save her life.

He sat there for nearly an hour with her on his lap, her head still on his right shoulder, forehead touching his neck. The water barely reached his under arms but it covered her to just over her shoulders. Every so often he would let his claws run though her hair, in a comforting gesture. She still had not woken up but her temperature had just started to come down. He decided to give it a few more minuets, hopefully it will come down and she will wake up. He leaned back, careful to keep her snug against him, and closed his eyes.

He opened his eyes to her shivering in his arms. He must have fallen asleep. He cradled her closer. At least her fever broke. He picked her up and stepped out of the spring.

Maybe the hot spring will help her warm up a bit. But first I better get out of my own clothes. This silk is too heavy.

He laid her down on a nearby bench and quickly rid himself of his soaking haori, kimono, and hamaka. When he was fully devised of his clothing, he picked the still shivering Sakura back up and stepped into the hot spring. He winced as the hot water came into contact with his frozen skin and he knew it would be as bad for her as it was for him. Slowly, as to let his body adjust to the temperature, he sank into the water. Sakura make a small whimpering sound when her flesh met the water but still she did not open her eyes. Sesshomaru watched her for any other sign or reaction that she had returned from the depths of her mind.

Is she so damaged that she will not wake up?

It did not take long for his temperature to go back to normal, but she was still like a block of ice, though the areas where they touched seamed warmer.

Body heat would be best for her.

He picked her back up and got out of the spring. Grabbed a few towels and tried them both off the best that he could and took her to his bed. Setting her down just long enough to pull back the covers, he put her in the center and covered her up. He walked over to his linen closet and pulled out the four heaviest, thickest blankets that were inside and layered each on on top of his sister. He went to the opposite side of the bed and got in under the covers, putting an arm around her and pulling her flush against him, making sure he wasn't on top of her hair. Her shivering had stopped and her breathing was once again even and deep. He smiled, glad that she was retuning to normal, as sleep finally claimed him.

She groaned as she opened her eyes to the much to cheerful sunlight falling on her face. Her body hurt. She felt like she was ran over by a whole fleet of 18-wheelers and somehow survived. To top it all off, there was a weight on top of her, adding to the feeling of being smashed. She sat up and pushed the other blankets off her, keeping the flat sheet to cover herself with as she noticed she was naked. She looked around the room. It was simple and beautifully decorated. It was something she thought Shesshomaru would enjoy. She knew she had only just met her brother but just from the way he carried himself, the room just fit. She stretched out her legs in front of herself in hopes to alleviate the soreness only to find that her outer thigh touched skin that was in no way her own. She jumped, releasing a squeak of surprise. She peeked over her shoulder to see who was with her. Finding the golden orbs of her brother, and his apparent nakedness as well.

He had woken up when she started moving. Still on his side he propped himself up on his elbow and watched her as she surveyed his room. He briefly wondered if she would approve of it. The corners of his mouth turned up the tiniest of fractions when she let out the slight squeal as their thighs touched. And again when she peeked at him from over her shoulder. That's when he noticed her eyes had changed; her once sunrise eyes had turned to a rich liquid gold. It didn't surprise him, considering the other changes that happened yesterday.

"How are you feeling?"

He sat up. Watching her for any sign that the fever might come back.

"Um... fine I guess. Sore everywhere but manageable."

She watched him closely. He saw an unspoken question in her eyes; he chose to ignore it. Nodding at her answer, he decided to tell her what happened. However she spoke first.

"Sesshomaru? Not that I'm complaining about the view, but why are we naked? And in your bed, I'm guessing?"

He smiled, a true smile, pleased that she found him attractive. He brought his had up and brushed a stray lock of hair back behind her ear and sighed then told her everything that happened from when the necklace was removed to when she woke up in his bed.

He had watched her emotions as they played across her face when he told her the events. He expected shock at the end of his tale but what he got was anger.

"You destroyed my only article of clothing...because of a fever..."

"I will buy you a new wardrobe. It is nothing."

She rolled her eyes and yanked the flat sheet from the bed, carefully wrapping it around herself and tying the two ends above her right shoulder before moving off the bed entirely; leaving the heavy blankets to cover himself with. She stood up slowly, testing her weight on her legs. Sesshomaru watched as she slowly walked over to his mirror, ready to spring to her side if her legs gave out.

She stared at herself, not believing the changes to her body. Cautiously, she touched each of her newly pointed ears, the gold upturned crescent moon on her forehead, wincing slightly as her fingers brushed over the silver-blue slashes on her cheeks. Looking down at her wrist; she received the same reaction from those as the ones on her face when her clawed fingers touched them.

"Why are they so sensitive?"

He grabbed the smallest blanket and wrapped it around his waist before climbing out of bed and walking over to her.

"I think it is because they are newly formed. And it is possible that your skin is still charged from the energy that was created last night."

He moved to stand behind her. Keeping on hand on his blanket, he put his other arm around her waist and pulled her against him. Her height put her head right under his chin. As he looked in the mirror at themselves, he noticed they looked to much alike. There was no denying they were related.

He couldn't figure out why he felt drawn to her. It wasn't romantic in nature, nor was is strictly what he felt should have been the need to protect his pack as Alpha. It was something he felt from the moment he first saw her, when she stumbled upon him in the woods. It grew stronger the longer he was around her. It was only last night, in the glade, that he decided to stop fighting it.

Sesshomaru bent his head to place a caste kiss on his sisters cheek, right above her silver-blue stripe.

"I think I have something that will fit you until your new clothes come in."

Sakura hadn't taken a breath since he put his arm around her and so she inhaled deeply when he moved away, taking in his sent as he left.

His sent...!

"Wait!"

He turned to look back at her. Arching an eyebrow at being told to do something.

"Sorry, its just that you smell different to me."

"That would be your Inu senses becoming functional."

She shook her head.

"No. I've always had a sensitive nose. I smell what I smelled from you from before but now there's something else to it. Like an underlining note in a bottle of perfume; barely noticeable but there all the same."

"Explain."

"Uh... I'll try. Before last night what I was able to smell from you was something like a full moon on a summer's night, along with that spice that marks you as male. There is a third sent that is also distinct but I have no words to describe. After, its all those scents plus the smell of the woods after a storm; it's so subtle that it's almost not there."

He looked at her, inhaling his own sent trying to find what she did. He caught it, then dismissed it. It had to be her sent on him. They did share a bed last night, after all.

"It must be yours..."

"No it's not."

She winced and closed her eyes against the pain that invaded her mind.

"Are you injured?"

"No I'm fine. Its the same pain that I'm beginning to associate with my mothers memories surfacing..."

He closed his eyes in concentration as he sifted through her sent. He smelled warm sunshine, night blooming jasmine, the musk marking her female...and the rain-drenched woods; so subtle it was hard for him to find. He opened his eyes and saw recognition on her face.

"I recognize the sent now...it's Father."

He lifted an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued as to how she came to that conclusion.

"Mother's memories. You and Inuyasha said Father was dead right? He may have created a fail safe in case he didn't survive to help me..."

Sesshomaru looked at his sister as she explained the first of her mother's memory she accessed and the one she just had.

"There's got to be something that only he touched. Maybe a diary, or a journal of some sort? Sesshomaru, I need you to remember. Think back, please. At any point in time, did you see father writing in a book?"

Encouraged by her enthusiasm, he thought back on the times his father invaded his memories. They were fuzzy and indistinct, save one.

-Memory-

He was still a pup and had just caused some disturbance in his father's army and was walking to his study for punishment.

His father was sitting behind his desk writing in a small, leather bound book. As he came to stand in front of the desk his father looked up at him. He closed the book and Sesshomaru was able to see that it was emerald in color and somewhat worn, as if it was handled fairly regularly.

-End Memory-

He pulled himself out of the memory before his father laid into him. He still thought he was in the right for putting that insolent solider down a few pegs.

"Yes there is one..."

"Great! Do you know where it is?"

"No, but I know the last time I saw the book it was in the study."

"Ok lets start there then."

She grabbed his had ready to bolt to there.

"Hold on. We need to get dressed."

He held her back and went over to the dresser. He pulled out one of his longer kimonos tossing it to her.

"Put this on."

He pulled out his own clothes and started dressing. She had caught the garment turned her back to him and started dressing herself. It fell to just under her calf, it would do for now.

They had gotten Inuyasha and Kagome into the study and updated them on her and Sesshomaru's discoveries. The rest of the gang was spread out doing other chores around the palace or doing the fox demon exam in Shippo's case.

"And you believe the book is in here."

Sakura looked at her other brother in annoyance. This was the third...or was it the fourth?...time those words fell from his mouth.

"Yes. And we need your help looking for it."

"How do you expect us to help? I never knew the old man, so I don't know his sent. And Kagome doesn't have the sence of smell we do."

Sesshomaru glared at his half-brother. He did have a point. Sakura smiled sweetly at the hanyo.

"I think I have a way to fix both of those problems."

She walked over to Inuyasha and Kagome.

"The two of you are Mated."

The shock that ran across their faces was instant. Sakura smiled again.

"It wasn't hard to figure it out since we've been back. Anyway, Inuyasha, we can use that to our advantage. That and my lovely new sister in law is a miko. She will be able to since if Father left any of his aura on the book.

With your permission, I'd like to try something. I'll need to get in your personal space."

"Sure go ahead."

Sakura laid her forehead against Inuyasha's, she closed her eyes and instructed him to do the same. She concentrated on the memory of their Father's sent and mentally pushed it to him. She felt him stiffen and felt that she was successful. She pulled away and opened her eyes.

"Well?"

For once Inuyasha was speechless. He now knew what his father smelled like and realized that he had smelled it before, back when his mom was still alive. He nodded his head and motioned Kagome to go next.

"Ready?"

Kagome nodded, concerned about her husband's reaction. They touched their foreheads together and repeated the process Sakura and Inuyasha did, only this time pushing his aura to her.

Sakura stepped away from her sister in law after it was done.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit breathless, is all."

She smiled and turned to address them all.

"Okay...lets see if we can find this thing. Sesshomaru, take the northern section. Inuyasha, the eastern. Kagome, southern. And I'll take the Western. "

They nodded to her and started searching.

Authors note: Thanks for reading. Please review. Again I hope to have the rest of the chapter up by the end of the week.