A/N – Ohhh, sadness, not so many reviews this time, but I will persevere! Sorry about the wait, I had a camp... thing to go to that was... awesome, to say the least. A lot of sex talk. XD Well, I have to say I love you guys! :D And reviews make me super happy, and it helps me to work better; no joke. It is like motivation embodied. I actually had to watch videos on child birth. Anyway, chapter six for y'all! I don't own Inuyasha or the characters, just the story line and random OC characters. Here you are!

Chapter Six – October 9th.

"With hands held high into the sky so blue

As the ocean opens up to swallow you."

-Linkin Park, Hands Held High.

"Push, Suzume! You're almost there, just keep pushing!" Kagome's hand was about to commit suicide. Inside Kaede's hut, Suzume lay on a few blankets on the floor while Kagome held her hands; and Kaede, being the woman she was, had situated herself between Suzume's legs. The young woman was screaming loudly, and unfortunately, into Kagome's ear. This was the fourth hour they'd been at helping her with labor; and Kagome had decided that child birth was hell if she was exhausted. And she wasn't pushing a watermelon out of her crotch.

That morning, Kaede had busted into her cold room, yelling about hurrying. Hence the predicament. The baby had come right on time. "Kagome, switch my place. You should see this."

Kagome's stomach flipped. "What? Me?" Suzume's hand was like an iron vise.

"Now, Kagome!" Hurrying to Kaede's place, Kagome was a little bit astonished to say the least; she could see the head of the baby coming out, a tuft of wet, slicked black hair stuck to it's head. "Kagome, you must catch the baby. Grab a blanket and hold your hands out. Be very careful." Kaede's voice was strong and steady, but Kagome felt none of it.

"Okay." She said shakily. Scooting forward, Kagome extended her hands. She could hear Kaede murmuring soft words of encouragement, but she didn't—couldn't look away. Suzume pushed a final time with a much stronger cry, and the baby slid from her and into Kagome's waiting grasp. She did what she thought was right; she used the blanket to clean off the baby for the most part, listening for a cry from the baby. Kaede's eyes peeked over Suzume's stomach, gazing at the baby.

Kagome only stared. It's eyes were closed, and it's tiny hands flailed back and forth, reaching. Looking down, she realized it was a boy. It's worth all the pain if you can call something like this your own. He's... beautiful. One of her fingers reached out to touch the palm of the baby. The skin was soft, damp, and he looked healthy. Kagome stared, in awe. A warmth spread through her heart that brought an image of Shippou to her mind. She smiled. Something struck her. Kagome realized that giving birth to a child was one thing she wanted in life. To spend her life with someone who loved her completely, and have children. Too bad that was probably never going to happen. With a sudden move of his limbs, the baby's mouth opened and he let out a loud wail. "It's... a boy." If miracles do exist, then that's one of them. Smiling tiredly, she handed the baby to Suzume to hold.

In a dazed sort of state, Kagome smiled at Suzume. "You are very lucky, Suzume. What are you going to name him?"

"I think... Kichirou." Suzume looked drained, but smiled anyway at her son.

"Well done, Suzume. Well done, Kagome." Kaede said quietly, shooing Kagome out of the room and following quickly. "I will be back with some tea."

"Is birth not beautiful, Kagome?" Kaede asked.

Nodding vaguely, Kagome realized how much Shippou meant to her, even though he was not blood. She knew that if she were to have a child, she would love them both equally. Siblings... "Souta!" She blurted. Today was the day!

Kaede was gazing at her oddly. "You seem distracted, Kagome. Go... Work out whatever problem the universe has thrown at you." She jested, smiling as she went to make tea.

Kagome thanked her quickly and ran to the tree, tying up her hair on the way. Since Sesshoumaru had talked to her at the tree, she'd been a little wary at staying there, but there was no sign of him. Bursting into the clearing, she dropped to her knees and tried to calm her breathing. How could I have forgotten what day it was? She questioned herself, frustrated slightly. Please, God Tree, would you speak with me? She opened her aura and herself to the tree. The gentle thrumming of the tree pulsed once.

What is it you need, child? I feel a shifting in the world ahead. The tree murmured, it's strange voice resonating in Kagome's mind.

"I don't have the strength. What do I do?" She panicked, leaning forward. She showed a flash of images in her head, trying to open them to the tree.

I understand. You fear of his absence. Worry not, the future holds many surprises, young one. Come to me after you return. And then the tree was silent again. Kagome sighed. "Well that was a lot of help." She pulled the sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands and scooted back to the bark, resting her head against the bark. Her mind wandered, as it often had in the past few weeks. There was the confusion of Inuyasha and his disappearance, Sango and Miroku's ever lasting flirt session, and Sesshoumaru. He'd spoken to her a while ago... And saved her life. Even returned her grandfather's bracelet. But now, nothing. No sign or anything of where he'd gone. Which was... saddening to a degree. She still wanted to talk to him.

The drowsiness that she'd been putting off this morning for Suzume and her baby was now coming back in full force. "Ugh." She got up and staggered toward her hut. Shippou was with Sango and Miroku, and who knows what they were doing, so that left precious nap time. Kagome sighed happily. Sleep was a gift from gods. Walking through the trees, Kagome was struggling to keep her eyes open. She only missed her pillow slightly, curling up on her side and falling into a heavy slumber.

"You'll pay for this!" She yelled at Mukotsu, who was grinning like a madman.

"Oh, won't I? You're quite delicious!" Mukotsu's eyes ran appraisingly over her scantily covered legs, and Kagome wished for the brilliant invention that was sweatpants and an ugly t-shirt.

Just as the poison was about to put her under, something broke through the wall and let wonderful fresh air in. But the one standing there wasn't Kagome's usual savior. Instead of red, Kagome saw white. A calculated killer stood not five feet from her. Sesshoumaru; the Killing Perfection.

"Se—Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"Hn."

Kagome woke with a gasp. "Sesshoumaru?" The name was unfamiliar on her lips, but not unknown either. The incident in her dreams had happened over two years before; and then she still thought of Sesshoumaru as... well, Sesshoumaru. Suffice to say, he wasn't all bad if he'd saved her twice. Glancing out of the window, she noticed it was getting close to sunset. "Crap!" Her nerves clenched in her stomach, anxiety brewing a thunderstorm the size of the Himalayas in her head. She grabbed a few things before running out of the hut and to the well. Nothing else mattered in that moment except for Shippou and Souta; trying to put together what was left of her family and friends, to salvage a happy life from it all. It was working so far.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru watched the well with thinly disguised curiosity, his thoughts whirling. There was no way that the well transported the human girl to the future. It was a somewhat strange thought. A few moments later, she ran through the clearing, her eyes bright with fear, fragile hope, and anxiety. For a slight second, Sesshoumaru thought she may have been chased here by the look in her eyes, but nothing followed. Swinging her legs over the edge, she took a huge breath and leapt. Sesshoumaru leaned forward, waiting to prove her deceit. Yet; the well flashed a bright purple, and she was gone. He blinked. Her scent was there, but not her. Simply vanished. Maybe it wasn't so much blasphemy as Sesshoumaru had thought. He walked to the well and sniffed the air again. Her uneasiness and anxiety floated to him, along with the smell of... blood? But he could neither see nor hear her. Or even sense her aura. She was gone. I must understand this witchery. Sesshoumaru thought with annoyance. It would not do to leave this while not understanding, no, not knowing, what was going on. Anything that was out of the ordinary or defied explanation ignited curiosity in him; which in itself was a curse, because he wanted to know.

Deciding to wait to question her afterward, he returned back to Rin and Jaken, more distant than when he'd left.

0-0-0-0-0

It was dark in her time, but the sun had just set. Kagome pulled herself out of the well quickly, going outside into the cold evening. The note on the door was still intact, which could be taken both good and bad. Maybe he'd seen it and left it? Maybe he just read it and ran? Maybe he didn't come back...

The ground underneath her feet was wet from an earlier rain. Kagome sat on one of the wooden benches and pulled her jacket closer to her chest. No one was around, it looked like. The Shrine still looked like it was in good condition; it hadn't changed since she'd left a few months before. Nostalgia swept over her in a wave. She remembered the smell of incense, always floating around the grounds. Gramps said it would warn off demons. The smell of her mother's cooking wafted through her memories, and Kagome felt her eyes prick with moisture. Always be strong. Her father's voice echoed. She wrapped her arms around her knees and swallowed. The relative silence of the Shrine was somewhat comfortable, but Kagome had forgotten how loud her time was. Cars, sirens, alarms, music, it was all in the background of her hearing.

Kagome's hopes dwindled as time went on. It was almost midnight, and not one person had come to the Shrine. Her fingers were constantly at her necklace, finding solace in the rough stone. She hoped with all her heart, that even if Souta was alive out there somewhere, he was safe. Souta... I miss you, and I wish you would come back. Why is it that you ran off? Where did you go? Are you happy? Her eyes searched the skies for something she didn't find, and she tightened her arms around herself. The memories of her family came back in a rush. She gasped, her breath choking into a cry. "I miss them." She said, her voice rough. The moon shone through the clouds, illuminating the Shrine and the God Tree. She felt so... alone here. Nothing seemed right. The noises of the city were suddenly too loud, the lingering smell of incense too strong, and the absence of Souta was too much to bear.

She flung herself up from the bench and looked at the clock. 12:45. Fifteen minutes, she would wait. Her nerves were tied up in knots, and there was still a slight hope that he would come, if not tonight. She pulled a pen out of the small bag she'd brought with her and added onto the letter that was on the door of the hut.

Souta. It's October 9th. And I didn't see you. I hope you'll be here next time. I love you.

Kagome.

She signed it and went back to sit down on the bench, closing her eyes. She wasn't tired physically, but she felt like someone had taken her emotional self on a cross country run. When one o'clock rolled around and no one showed, she felt tears slipping down her face, her hopes at seeing him tonight gone. The well was welcoming to her as she jumped back through it; spinning her through time.

Moonlight was shining down into the bottom of the well. Biting her lip, she tried to hold back the tears as best she could until she got to the God Tree.

0-0-0-0-0

Sesshoumaru had had every intention of questioning her when she returned from... wherever she was from; but when she surfaced from the well, Sesshoumaru smelled her tears; and rain. Which was strange considering it hadn't rained for a few weeks. He wrinkled his nose. The scent of her tears clashed unpleasantly with her normal scent, and it made Sesshoumaru edgy. He followed as she ran toward the tree, getting a little more agitated with her tears and every second that passed. "Please. You asked me to return here." She murmured.

For a moment, Sesshoumaru thought she was speaking to him, but that was impossible. She hadn't sense him, had she? "Please." No, she wasn't talking to him. The Tree?

He supposed the Tree stayed silent, because she kept crying softly, the saline scent of tears wafting toward him on the breeze. It was bothering him. "Do not cry." He said, his voice floating through the clearing to her.

She glanced up, frightened. "Sesshoumaru?" She asked. But he was gone. He'd turned the other way, trying to get the smell of her tears out of his nostrils. It was true, her tears were nagging at him, but he had no need to say anything. He could have just left before he said anything. He should have left without saying anything.

At his temporary camp, he settled near a tree and watched Rin and Jaken silently as usual. As they turned in for the night and fell asleep, he slowly allowed himself to fall into a light sleep.

"Look at what I found! Isn't it pretty?" Rin's voice chimed brightly throughout the field.

Laughter rang out. "Yes, Rin, it's beautiful. I think it would look nice in Sesshoumaru's hair." The woman said, her voice mischievous. Sesshoumaru glanced around and realized there was an odd warmth in his lap, and one of his arms was around the woman that spoke. But he didn't move. She had long waving black hair, and though her waist was small, her hips were wonderfully wide in all the right places. One of his hands was splayed across the flat expanse of her stomach, while the other was supporting them. Her hair was pushed off to one shoulder, exposing her neck. There, on the pale flesh of her throat, was a small, deep blue crescent. I mated this woman? Who is she? And why? She tilted her head back to lean against his chest, a sigh of contentment leaving her lips.

"Sesshoumaru? Are you alright?" She turned toward him, her bright brown eyes meeting his.

His eyes widened. Her? Out of all of the females, I chose her? "You?"

"Huh? What do you mean, Sesshoumaru?" She looked confused.

Sesshoumaru ran a claw over her mating mark, and her eyes fluttered closed. "You..." He felt along his neck, and sure enough, there was a mark. His eyebrows came together, curious. His claws grazed her mark again, and she shuddered, but not in fear. Her hands roamed up his shirt, but he couldn't bring himself to push her away. They moved no further than his chest as her eyes opened.

"Sesshoumaru...?" She asked, a little confused. "Rin, go find Jaken and Shippou, would you please?"

"Okay!"

Sesshoumaru stared at her, muddled. Her legs were on either side of him, the heat between her legs against his. "Sesshoumaru, what's wrong?"

He grasped her jaw gently and tilted her head to the side, sniffing her neck. His scent was ingrained into hers, and strongest at the mark. Yes, it was positively his mark. What has happened? He thought, brow furrowing. When his nose brushed her mark, her hips pressed into his. He inhaled tightly through his nose, baring his teeth. On their own accord, one of his hands landed on her hip and the other against her back, pulling her closer. His mind repelled fiercely as his dream self grazed his fangs across her throat and the mark.

Sesshoumaru jolted awake, nostrils wide and eyes wider. "Impossible." He muttered, furious. No such thing would ever happen.

0-0-0-0-0

Her tears had stopped. She stayed there, contemplating, until dawn. If he was truly as bad as people say, would he have told me to stop crying? He doesn't even know me. I don't know him. But we keep talking to each other. Dang Tree. Won't give me any good answers. Kagome huffed, crossing her arms. This was not how life was supposed to be. There weren't supposed to be talking trees, or depressing priestesses, weirded out trees, or confusing and quite... attractive, arrogant demon lords. Over the past few months, her life was taken wildly out of control and thrown into the rapids of a complicated existence. She wished... Kagome sighed. I wouldn't change it though.

End of Chapter 6 – October 9th.

A/N – Sorry about how short it is, I didn't want to add anything else in just yet. Hope you liked! :D