I don't know why, because I love Yamazaki I really do, but I am in love with this chapter – I hope you like it too – review!

Long way to go

Sesshoumaru was a long way from surpassing his father. How did he know? Well, he knew he was on par with the young man and right now, no matter how hard he tried Touga was beating the shit out of him. He was trying his best, honestly, but for every swipe to the head he delivered he received three or four in return. His nose was broken as were a couple of rips; not a part of him was left unscathed by Inutaisho's whip and sword and claws. He had heard that love could hurt a lot, but Kami did it have to hurt quite this much?

He struggled to his feet every time he was knocked onto his back, he would not submit, he would not do that to his pride, he would not do that to Kagome. He tried to be cynical at first to disguise the fact he was scared of him. "It is impossible for me to look up at the stars for as long as I do in my time and not see we were fated to come together before we even met." That got him a lash to his left upper arm. "She deserves so much more than you, you are no good to her, would never be good enough for her. She needs someone who will look after her, respect her, love all of her, someone so much better than you, me." That got him a numb right hand.

"I despise you," Touga growled and started fighting harder than ever, focusing all his strength into the battle. Yamazaki could not help but noting that he seemed to be running away more than fighting back. He stopped talking and did all he could to stay alive, this was a serious battle, Touga was out for blood, it would seem he was out for every last drop of it. The crushed look on Inutaisho's face had been priceless, he had never seen a Taiyoukai look so broken and he had actually felt sorry for him. It would seem now though that Touga was going to recreate that crushed look and break him in return, with his fists.

"Kagome is never going to come back to you with you acting like a thug," he said in a hope to stop him from killing him.

"From what I understand she is not coming back to me at all."

"Well she is not going to like you at all when she learns of this."

"I don't plan on her finding out it was me when your mangled body is found downstream."

"Kami! You're really out to kill me!"

Inutaisho smiled maliciously. "I waited over 200 hundred years for her; I am never going to forgive you for taking her away from me."

"I waited for her too!"

Inutaisho just replied with a fist to the gut which forced him to his knees, coughing up a mouthful of blood, he had a feeling he would be joining Sakura very shortly.

"Killing me is unlikely to make her turn to you, you had your chance to have her, you screwed it up yourself by being mean to her, treating her like a possession and not giving her the respect she deserved. I did not steal her away from you, she chose to love me because I loved her for her and will treat her right," he growled at him knowing he was at the end of his tether. He noticed how much he was talking; it was because Kagome was back. He also noticed how much it sounded like he was begging for his life, well he didn't want to die but he wasn't begging – not yet, he wasn't too proud for that. When he died he wanted to die with dignity, every demon did, but most of all, he did not want to die today.

"That may be true," Inutaisho said calmly as he picked the young fox up by his neck to eye level, "but it makes me feel so much better," he said darkly. "Don't worry," he said as he started carrying him towards the river, "I'll tell her you died with dignity." It was the last thing he heard before he passed out; he did not know if he would wake up or not. He just hoped against hope that he would not die so he would see Kagome again, he loved her so much and he wanted to live to court her, to mate her, to live with her, to hug her, to kiss her, to love her. He sent the silent prayer to the Kamis, 'please,' he whispered, 'please'.