Q&A

This is just a chapter where I answer all the questions I was asked to the best of my ability.

1st Question: Why is there a cliffy here??

Answer: Well, Cici, I did that because I want to. Besides, cliffs are easier to write than a full chapter. It gives you time to consider the future, and it leaves the readers wanting more, so there. :P

2nd Question: Why can't he {Sesshomaru} flat out tell her WHY he isn't doing what she asks?

Answer: Sesshy is stubborn, as we all know. I'd like to think I'd know best, seeing as I am his mate, but anywho...lol. Well, yes, he's stubborn, and it helps the story that he is that way. If he told her, there'd be no reason to really continue. I like Kagome. It'd be really difficult for me to make her be a cold hearted tramp, pardon my French, who ditches him because he is afraid.

3rd Question: When did Sesshomaru's dream start? (In the 5th chapter)

Answer: I am so sorry about that. I feel like a lazy idiot for not going back and ital. that. When he closed his eyes to block out Kagome, Inutaisho, and Inuyasha, he fell asleep.

4th Question: i find that it's a little weird how sesshoumaru can't control himself around kikyo but can control himself around kagome his own wife and mate...shouldn't it be the other way around...?

Answer: Ooh, I can't wait for you to find out that! It's going to blow your mind! It blew mine when it came to me. Keep reading to find out.

5th Question: Who is kagome going to end up with?

Answer: Well, I can't exactly tell you that, but if you read over the summary a few thousand times ;) you'll see.

6th Question: How long is kagomes sickness gonna last?

Answer: Can't say, but now that it's irregular, that means it's coming to an end soon.

7th Question: When is Kagome going to leave him (Sesshomaru) or tell him about Naraku?

Answer: When Sesshomaru finds out, it won't be because Kagome told him, if you get what I'm saying. And as for her leaving him...Well...urm...I wish I could tell you.

8th Question: When is she {Kagome} gonna break it off with him {Naraku}?

Answer: A better question is, will she ever? Dun dun dun. lol.

9th Question: Is Kagome going to France?

Answer: Yup, to visit her friend, Jakky, and to be with Naraku!

10th Question: What's happening in the next chapter?

Answer: I can tell you that, however, since you'll be reading below, here's the title...


ENTER BANKOTSU

Kenji Higurashi bit his lip as he waited for his daughter with his wife and son. He couldn't deny that he was worried about Kagome's reaction to the news he had for her. The last thing he wanted was for his princess to hate him for a stupid mistake he'd made 26 years prior.

"Don't worry, Ken, dear. If I forgave you, it's no question that Kagome will. You made a mistake. Sure, it's coming back to you, but still. It's nothing we can't handle." Ayumi Higurashi tried to calm her husband's worries. "I mean, Sota for-"

"Sota didn't do anything yet." The nineteen year old scowled at his father. "I'm still a bit upset."

"I-I know."

"But in due time, things will be back to , wipe that frown off your face. She's just outside the resturant."

Kenji sat up with a grin, attempting to give his daughter the impression that everything was fine. He rose from his seat as she neared the table and opened his eyes, "Princess!"

Kagome launched herself into his arms, giggling, "Daddy! I missed you!"

"I missed you too." He cuddled her to him, then grinned as he held her back to observe her. "Don't you look lovely."

"Thank you. You look fantastic, daddy. I'd hardly believe you were in your late forties."

"Pardon me. I'm only 29." He winked at her, placing a kiss on her forehead before handing her to his wife. "Sesshomaru, my boy, how are you?" He bowed. "And little Amaimaru." He grinned when his grandchild moaned in his sleep.

Sesshomaru nodded curtly, bowing in return. "I've been well, Kenji."

Kenji smiled. "Good good. Inutaisho!"

His friend beamed, jerking him to him and into a strong hug. "How's life been treating you?"

"Fine, my friend. And is that your beautiful wife, Izayoi! Woman, you better get over here to hug me."

"Oh, you old flirt." Izayoi embraced him eagerly.

"What's up, old man?" Inuyasha waved.

Kenji scoffed. "I'm not old. I mean, especially not compared to that father of yours. The man is over 700 years old."

"I heard that!" Came Inutaisho's loud voice as everyone settled on their knees around the table. "Now, let's order, shall we?"


{Kagome's POV}

"What a meal." Daddy rubs his stomach, smiling down at me.

I grab his arm as I return the smile. I love my daddy like I love no one else, save Amai. Daddy has always been there for me. I can't imagine a life without him.

"You know, Kagome, if you never let go of your father, I'm going to start getting jealous. And I'm sure your own mate doesn't want you clinging ot another man." Mama teases.

"Well, that just goes to show the both of you. This man is my life, and I won't let either of you take me away from him."

Sesshomaru glares at me in a strangely playful manner, and I blush at the memory of our kiss. "Believe me, mate. If I wished to, I could."

"No way! No one could ever take me from my papa! We're destined, aren't we, darling?"

Daddy beams, his aquamarine eyes twinkling. "Oh, my love, of course not." Grasping my face, he plants a fatherly kiss on my lips.

"Mine!" Amaimaru fusses, struggling in Tai-papa's arms. "Momma, mine."

"You want to go a round in the dojo, pup?" Daddy inquires with jokingly narrowed eyes. He's referring to the dojo he'd had built in this resturant before he'd even thought for it to be a resturant.

"Oh my, two men fighting over me. I just can't handle it." I gasped dramatically.

'What's going to happen when Sesshomaru finds out about Naraku?'

'I'll- What the heck?! When did you start speaking in full sentences?!'

'I've blended with your human conscience because you've begun ignoring me.'

'Then be ignored.'

'I refuse.'

'So.'

'Grrrr.'

"Sis, are you alright?"

I glance at Sota, then shrug as I notice everyone staring at me. "I'll be fine." Swiping daddy's sake, I down it in one gulp, then pinch the bridge of my nose.

'Hic..I...hic...hate...hic...you.'

I can't help but smirk. "That ought to handle that damned beast." It's funny, as time goes on, her tolerance for alcohol gets lower and lower.

Sessho shakes his head in amusement.

"Don't you dare get amused by that. It's your fault she's always bothering me.'

"How so?"

Since he first became ill, I noticed we talk more, and more freely. "Well, if you hadn't given me that youkai blood-"

'We wouldn't be mates." He points out before I finish.

I blink, then scowl at him. "Shut up." When he chuckles, I huff, turning away from him and my laughing in-laws. Mama's whispering in daddy's ear, and he doesn't look that happy about whatever she's saying.

He withdraws and nods. "Kagome, my hime, we need to talk."

God, I hate that tone, those words, that combination. "About what?"

"Let's go outside for a little walk. Would the rest of you meet us in the dojo?" He offers me his hand, carefully grasping my much smaller one in it when I offer it.

Daddy's quiet as we walk, his hand squeezing my every so often.

"Daddy, what'd you want to talk about?" 'Did Tai-papa or Inu say anything to him about Sesshomaru?' I panick.

He takes a deep breath and pulls me against his side as we head toward the dojo ever so slowly. "I love you, Kagome."

I nuzzle my face against his arm, since I can't reach his face or neck. "I love you too, papa."

"And you know that I'd never ever do anything intentional to harm you."

"Of course. Where are you going with this?"

"When I was young, hardly even an adult, I made a horrible mistake. Your mother and I had only been married for a moment, and we were struggling to make a lives for ourselves, and for our future children...We had a fight one day."

No no no! I hate where this is going! I don't want him to keep talking, but I can' t make myself stop him.

Daddy draws in another shaky breath. "Your mother wanted me out, so I left. I left Japan. We were still married, and I still loved your mother, but I wanted to make those feelings disappear. I found a woman, a Japanese woman living in Paris, working for a friend of mine."

'Stop!' I wanted to scream, but it never left my mouth.

"Well, I'm sure you know that I...I...I slept with that woman."

Tears collect in my eyes as I push Daddy away. "You can stop now." My voice cracks. My throat stings, and my chest hurts.

"There's more, hime." He reaches out for me, and I see hurt clear on his face when I pull away.

"Just say it."

"W-well, your mother called me and told me she was pregnant...with you. So I had to come back."

I tense, stepping even further away from him. 'He had to come back?'

He sighs. "Your mother and I patched things up, and I completely forgot that woman in Paris. But yesterday, I got a call."

"And?" I whisper, trying desperately to stop the flow of tears.

"It turns out, that when I left, she was pregnant. Kagome, you and Sota have a half brother named Bankotsu."

I completely halted at that. "Y-you can't be serious."

Daddy reaches out to grab me, but I back away from him.

"You're lying, and it's a cruel joke, daddy."

"Kagome, I'm sorry."

Those words. Those words meant it was true. I took off in a sprint. "Mom!!!"

"Kagome!" Daddy took off after me.

"Moooom!" I cried. Just as I entered the dojo, I felt daddy wrap his arms around me. 'Stop it! Let me go!"

"Kagome, calm down." He pleaded.

"No! Don't touch me!" I broke free of his grip, falling to my knees. "Mom, tell me what he said isn't true. Tell me it's a joke."

{Normal POV}

Kagome stared at her mother, the most heartbreaking expression on her face. "Mama, he is lying, isn't he?"

Ayumi's eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Kagome."

"No. No no no." She shook her head, covering her face with her hands.

"Hime," Kenji placed a hand on her back.

She jumped away. His touch made her skin crawl. "How could you do that?"

He sighed. "I didn't know, Kagome."

"Oh, that makes things better." She spat, standing up and glaring up at him.

"Kagome, I made a mistake ages ago. But I am still your father."

"Not because you wanted to be, asshole." She was startled to feel her father's hand fly across her cheek. She clutched it tightly as silence spread over the dojo. Taking a step back, she sniffled. "Y-you've never hit me before."

Kenji closed his eyes tightly. That had hurt so much, but she needed to respect him. "I'm sorry." He muttered softly. "He's coming to dinner in a few days. I want you to be there."

Kagome narrowed her eyes. "I don't care."

"Allow me to rephrase that, Kagome. You will be there. You have to meet him."

"What for? It's not like there's a chance we could fool around. I'm mated."

"Don't ask me questions. Just do as I say. You're with a demon, aren't you? You should be more than aware of the rules of status. I, as your father, am in control. You have no right to question me, and I don't have to explain myself to you." His eyes softened, and he opened his arms to her when he saw the tears spilling from her eyes. "Come here, hime."

She took a cautious step toward him, shook her head, and whipped around, running into Sesshomaru's arms.

{Sesshomaru's POV}

I catch my mate in my arms, anger burning inside me. He struck my mate. I don't give a damn if he is her father. He struck her when he clearly had no right. As she sobs, I tilt her face to see the bruising hand imprint on her face.

Kenji lets out a watery, "Hime," I feel the overwhelming urge to kill him.

When he steps toward us, I clutch her tighter and take a step back. Kagome goes slack against me, and I lift her up into my arms. She has cried herself to sleep.

"What. Did. You. Do?" I bite out, my eyes flashing.

"I told her the truth."

"About what?"

Kenji narrows his eyes at me, but answers nonetheless after looking to Kagome. "About the halfbrother she has as a foolish result of a mistake I made just before she was born."

"You struck my mate."

"I did." He says simply, but I see the pain in his eyes. It calms me a bit.

'No calm! Attack!'

'He was showing his dominance.'

'He harm mate.'

I disregard my beast, then look down at Kagome. "She will forgive you in time."

"I hope so." He whispers.

Without another word, I turn and carry her to the car, my father on my heels with Amaimaru.

"I know it took a lot to stay in control, Sesshomaru. The first time Izayoi was struck by her father, I nearly killed him."

Mother and Inuyasha rush after us. "Why would Kagome react that way?" Mother inquires.

I tense slightly. She fears the same will happen with her because I was unfaithful. I never released within Kikyo. There is no way that I could possibly have a child with her. Of that I am sure. "I do not know." I rest Kagome's head on my lap, stroking her hair as she sleeps and father drives. 'My mate, I would never do such to you."


"You're coming to the dinner, Kagome. You're going to meet your brother, Kagome. You're bringing the Presto sauce, Kagome." Kagome mocked in a deep voice. "No good sperm donor, always demanding things of me." Boy did she miss her father. Why had he done this to her, to her mother. Sure, her mother wasn't mad, but she'd had forever to get over it. "Can't even reach the damn Presto sauce!" She cried out dramatically, reaching up to grab the sauce. Her body went stiff when she felt a males taunt body against hers. She didn't know that aura or scent, but it was vaguely familiar. A tanned hand covered her, reaching up to grab the sauce, then handing it to her. "Th-thank you."

"You're welcome." The bass tone startled her.

She whipped around, coming face to chest with a dark haired, blue eyed human. Well, he didn't smell human, and his scent wasn't human. But it wasn't demon or hanyou either. Just what was he.

"You done enjoying the view, beautiful?" He questioned, even though he'd been doing the very same thing. 'She's gorgeous with those wide, innocent blue eyes, oh, and that long raven hair.' She had a spell around her, a masking spell. That he could tell from the priest blood he'd gotten from his father. "Kami, look at those curves."

Kagome fumed, pushing him away. "You perverted bastard, back off. I'm mated."

"You look pretty human to me. Don't mates usually take the qualities of their male mates?"

"I did." She just couldn't remember what she looked like with Sesshomaru's features. Besides the moon on her forehead, which was shielded by her bangs, and the one that was on her shoulder, covered by her shirt, she had only gotten a few silver streaks, which she chose to hide, much to Sesshomaru's annoyance. "You just can't see them." She started to walk off, but he followed her.

"You're feisty, you know that?"

"Go away."

He chuckled. "No can do. I want to get to know you."

"Do so then, and face the wrath of my Daiyoukai mate." 'And Naraku.'

The man tossed an arm around her waist, stroking her hip. "Alright then."

Kagome scowled, shoving him. "Stop groping me. Anyway, what are you? You certainly aren't demon or human or even hanyou for that matter."

"I'm a human with demonlike qualities. My ancestors were demons, but that's so far back I might as well be considered human."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Anyway, I'll probably be seein' you around." Quickly, he kissed her cheek, then disappeared altogether.

"Th-th-th-that...ugh!" She cried out in anguish, storming toward the check out counter. "If I ever see him again, he's dead."