AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm baaaaaaaack! Did you miss me? *cricket cricket* Guess not... Anyways... So I know this chapter is late. I'm sorry, but between Christmas, my niece being born, my sister's wedding and general bleh feelings I just didn't have the energy or drive to update. However, please enjoy while I work on the next chapter! And please don't kill me!

Sakura lead her brother and Rin through the house. The first floor consisted of the living room, kitchen, dining room, a dojo, and a small bathroom. The second held her parents' suite and her father's home office. Back down on the first floor, Sakura opened the sliding shoji screen that was behind her and stepped out.

"Follow me."

Stepping out they were greeted by a large garden housing a Japanese maple tree, a koi pond, and dozens of different flowers. To Rin the courtyard looked like the one back home.

She looked to her right and saw Sakura smile at her.

"You like the garden?"

"Oh yes, Sakura-sama!"

"My mom and I planted it together. I was only a few years younger than you. Lets continue our tour, shall we?"

Rin nodded and followed the two inus. Sakura led them around the courtyard pointing out her younger brother's rooms along with their play room, her bed room, her art studio, and her mom's office. As they rounded the back side of the garden, they ran into the boys.

"All done boys?"

The two saluted their sister and chorused "Yes, m'am!"

"Well then, escort them to their rooms."

Haru grabbed Rin's hand and tugged her to the room two doors down. Rikuto, however, formally bowed to Sesshomaru saying, "If you would follow me sir", turned and lead him into the room right beside them. Sakura followed, hiding her giggles at the boy's antics behind her hand.

"Once you two settle, I'll show you the guest bathroom and indoor hot spring."

In the weeks that followed, Kagome and Inuyasha visited often. They had decided to stay with her family and Miroku and Songo stayed with Sakura. The inu siblings and Sango would often be found sparing in the dojo in the afternoons. But in the evenings, while everyone was watching movies or playing games, Sakura was in her mom's office, going over every scrap of paper and program that was available. It took her nearly 3 weeks but she was able to find what she was looking for.

Finally...

She pulled the aged notebook from behind the bookcase and flipped it to the first page. There she found the spell she needed. She sat down at her mom's desk and as she read the set up she started to frown.

I need to be in full goddess mode...on a lunar eclipse...in a circle of my own blood and moon flowers... Great more blood magic...

She read further and of the consequences of the ritual. She became afraid and, putting down the journal, she closed her eyes and massaged her temples. A migraine had started. A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in..."

Sakura looked up as Sesshomaru walked in. Having conformed to the era quite well, he stood in the doorway in a dark red t-shirt and dark washed jeans, his hair was pulled back into a low ponytail at the base of his neck.

"What is wrong? I felt your distress."

Sakura gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine. Ok maybe not fine fine, but I'll manage."

Sesshomaru walked around the desk and knelled down in front of her. He grabbed her by the chin and looked into her eyes.

"Do not evade the question, imouto. I wish to help, if I can."

The alpha command he put into those words contradicted the soft tone he used but it compelled her non the less to speak.

"I found the ritual my mom wants me to do. It's a blood ritual. It scares me."

"Why dose it frighten you?"

"There is a cost do doing the ritual."

She didn't want to tell him any more, but his eyes ordered more information of her.

"My life. The cost is my life."

"What is this ritual for?"

"Remember the vision the Toga clone showed me? Well, its for that. Please don't ask me to elaborate. It's my burden to bare."

"We are pack, Sakura. You do not have to do this on your own."

Tears started to well up in her eyes as she shook her head no.

"But that is just it. I have to. I'm the only one who can."

Seeing that she was not going to relent, Sesshomaru released his grip on her chin and left without a word. Sakura grabbed the journal and went to her studio. She needed to calm down and her art always allowed her the peace she needed when she was worked up. She knew her younger brothers would know to keep everyone out; no one but her was allowed in.

Sakura spent most of her time that last week home in her art studio. Rikuto and Haru had explained to everyone that none were allowed in. That pissed both inus off when they heard that only to earn a 'sit' and a quick zap of holy power from Kagome.

"Leave her alone. She just want to be by herself for a while. She's been through a lot and I for one think she needs the time to herself."

After that the guys left her alone. She came out for meals and to spend some time but she mostly stayed in her studio.

The day they were supposed to go back to the past, Sakura came out of seclusion. She spent the day with her younger brothers. They went to the zoo, the aquarium, the mall, everywhere the boys wanted to go. They even ate a special lunch at their favorite restaurant. When they got home she made all their favorite snacks and their favorite dinner. The group was asked if they wanted to join but Kagome told them they needed to go by themselves; they needed time together but everyone joined them at dinner.

"Ok boys, go pick out a movie while I clean up."

"Ok, come on Rikuto, I know just the one I want to watch!"

Haru dragged his brother out of the dinning room, Rikuto fussing at him to slow down the entire way to the living room.

With everyone's help dinner was put away and dishes were cleaned in record time. They walked back to the living room with popcorn to find the boys sitting on the floor with the movie already in the BluRay player.

"Boys we are not watching The Ring! It gave you nightmares the last time you tried to watch it."

"We are much older now, sis, we aren't scared."

Haru turned back to the TV to grab the remote.

"Fine. But if you two end up in my bed tonight, I'm so going to toss every scary movie in the place."

"Deal!"

Everyone sat down as Haru punched play; Sakura sitting just behind her younger brothers.

"That was actually quite sad."

Miroku enveloped Sango in a hug.

"That poor girl died in a well all alone. Put there by her mother."

"Adopted mother actually."

Sakura corrected her.

"Still..."

Sakura nodded then turned to the rest of the group, an evil smile on her face.

"Everyone ready to go down the well tomorrow?"

At their collective groan, she giggled and saying 'good night' ushered her youngest siblings to bed. After a lengthy soak in her privet bath, she got dressed and went to bed, intent on have a good nights sleep.

It was sometime around midnight when Sakura heard her door slid open.

"Sis, you awake?"

She sat up and looked at her little brothers.

"Couldn't sleep huh?"

They shook their head no.

"Come on..."

She patted the bed beside her. Closing the door the scampered over and got in bed with her, snuggling close; Rikuto on her left and Haru on her right. Within moments both were out cold. She chuckled as she laid down between them, falling to sleep herself.

"Couldn't sleep huh?"

Sesshomaru looked down from the night sky to his younger brother. Kagome and Inuyasha decided to spend the night before they left for the Feudal Era the next day. He shook his head.

"You?"

"Nah. That movie creeped me out. I saw the boys sneak into Sakura's room earlier. Something tells me they couldn't sleep either."

Sesshomaru moved towards their sister's room.

"Where are you goin'?"

"To make sure the boys are not disturbing her."

Inuyasha feel into step with him with out a word.

When they reached her door Sesshomaru opened the shoji enough so both of them could look in. They found the boys snuggled around their sister and Sakura looking up at them. She motioned them in and they closed the door behind them.

Softly she spoke to them.

"You too?"

They nodded.

"Come on, there's plenty of room."

She scooted Rikuto and Haru closer to her and motioned for her older brothers to take either side of the massive four poster bed.

The entire pack can sleep in this bed and still have room to move around.

Sesshomaru was shocked to see how large it was and became determined to have one created back home so that the entire pack can sleep together if they wished. As they crawled in to the bed, Sakura kissed their foreheads and told them good night, settling herself down again to sleep. She smiled as both sets of her brothers wrapped their arms around her waist overlapping each other.

Kagome woke to the sound of birds chirping, the sun shining through the window to warm her face. She rolled over expecting to snuggle with her husband and mate until he snapped at her to get up, only to find an empty bed. She sat up and pushed out her aura, looking for him. She found him on the other side of the house. Relieved that he was ok and only sleeping, she got up, got dressed, and headed to where she felt her husband at.

She opened Sakura's door and was treated to the sweetest sight of all five siblings sleeping together and completely at peace. Or she thought all five were asleep. Sakura smiled at her as she lifted her head off the pillow. Sakura motioned her in and looked over her shoulder to Inuyasha then back at Kagome.

Silently she mouthed "try not to wake the boys." Kagome nodded and went over to Inuyasha's side and gently nipped him under his jaw. Slowly he blinked open his eyes, turned his head and looked at his mate. Kagome held her finger to her lips to show he should be quiet and pointed to the boys. 'Yasha looked over at the sleeping youth and nodded, then carefully began to untangle himself from Haru and the covers.

Sakura laid he hand over Sesshomaru's and squeezed it. When his eyes opened she brought a finger to her lips in a 'be quite' motion, mouthing 'the boys' afterward. Sesshomaru stealthily disentangled himself and left the room, shortly followed by Inuyasha and Kagome. It took a bit more time for Sakura to be released from her brothers' clutches but she was finally able to manage it. After putting her robe on she turned back to the bed to find the brothers holding one another. She smiled and left her room, meeting up with the others outside her door. A soft whisper met her exit.

"Don't you want to tell them bye?"

She turned to Kagome, smiling, whispered back.

"Yes, but they will wake on their own... Sometime around when the bacon starts frying."

Lightly giggling, she led the way to the kitchen.

"Come on, I'll make tea."