Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to somebody else and that's just the way it's going to stay. Thanks to all my loyal readers out there and hope you enjoy this newest chapter.

She's On His Mind

The next morning more than a few members of their ragtag group looked sleep deprived, standing in wait to talk to the so called seer Lord Ayame. The demons, blessed with the ability to go without sleep, looked better than some of the humans, but you could see it in their eyes that they were restless too with a lot weighing on their minds. Of course Satsuki's presence didn't help much either as she tried to kiss up to Sesshoumaru who was pointedly ignoring her and everyone else in the room for the moment. His mind was a million miles away and he barely noticed when a servant did finally approach them.

"Master says that he will see Lord Sesshoumaru and The Demon Slayer only today." Her voice quaking slightly it was obvious from the way she looked at her mistress that the servant knew just how Lady Satsuki was going to take it. Very, very badly.

"What do you mean, just them?" Eyes flashing Satsuki took a threatening step towards the girl, the servant cringing back in a way that suggested she'd taken the brunt of her mistress's rage before and expected to again.

"I think she was quite clear." Giving her a cold look that froze Satsuki in her tracks Sesshoumaru glanced briefly in Sango's direction before turning his attention back to his former and brief fiancee. "Your father has given his wishes and this girl has relayed them clearly enough. I'm sure our companions can entertain themselves while the slayer and I speak to your father. Why don't you go find one of your men to torture instead, Satsuki?"

"I'm going with you." There was no way in hell she was going to let her father exclude her from this, especially if he was allowing that filthy human to go. She was his daughter after all and the idea of that slayer of all the human joining Sesshoumaru was too much for her to bear!

"No. You. Wont."

Those three words, paired with those gleaming demon eyes had Satsuki seeing red even though she knew if she didn't listen he'd make her, embarrassing her in front of her servants and the disgusting humans he'd brought with him. That could not be allowed to happen. "As you wish." She finally hissed out, turning on her heels and marching off, ordering the servant to come with her.

"Think maybe we should go after her, make sure she doesn't hurt that kid?" Dare whispered to Aiden, worried about the servant who'd been little more than a girl and who'd looked like she was being dragged down to the fiery pits of hell.

"We do that and we'd probably make it worse for her." Aiden wanted to go after the women too but he knew that there was little they could do in a situation like this.

"I'll speak to Lord Ayame about her." Sango assured them softly, placing a hand on both their shoulders. As much as she enjoyed the mental image of her son and Aiden tearing into Satsuki this was neither the time nor the place. Besides, if Satsuki kept hitting on Sesshoumaru she wanted to be the one to put that bitch down. "Now you boys stay out of trouble and try to keep the bloodshed to a minimum okay?"

"Yes ma'am." Was their sing song response, this not being the first time they'd promised that or something similar.

"I guess it's logical to assume that Lord Ayame knows about Sango and Sesshoumaru...since he asked just for them." Kagome suggested, glad that Satsuki was gone and out of sight. The urge to set her children on the witch got stronger every time the demoness looked at the lot of them like they were vermin she wanted to crush under her heels.

"Yes, it makes sense, since he can see into the future." Nodding Triton looked over at the door that separated them from their host. He could sense much power coming from that room and it was time they harnessed it to their advantage so that they could leave before war broke out "You two should head in now."

Leaving the others behind made Sango very nervous. Almost as nervous as walking into the room alone with Sesshoumaru to face the evil demoness's father. Her children had assured her that Satsuki's father was a pussycat compared to his daughter but maybe he was just nice to them because they were Sesshoumaru's children. Oh well, at least with the damn bracelets still on Sesshoumaru couldn't let anything happen to her. They only had a short hallway to pass through and then Sesshoumaru was pushing back a sliding door and walking through it, holding the door open for her before closing it behind them. The room was surprisingly sparse and empty, the small, elderly looking demon sitting in the middle of it looking about as harmful as a baby rabbit. He wore simple robes and was smoking a pipe, a smile on his face as he watched them approach. Following Sesshoumaru's lead Sango bowed when they were about a foot from him, before taking a seat on one of the two large pillows that had been set in front of the man.

"You are looking well, Sesshoumaru." The old man said with a nod in the direction of the demon lord before turning to look at Sango with open curiosity. "And this is your bride to be if I'm not mistaken. I was not sure I would live to meet you, young lady. I'm very pleased that the gods have given me this chance. I'm very fond of Sesshoumaru and always wondered about the human who would capture his heart."

"You foresaw this than?" Narrowing his eyes Sesshoumaru wondered just how long the old man had known he was to end up with a demon slayer for a mate.

"Oh my yes, centuries ago when you were just a little pup. I thought it wise to keep it to myself though, things being how they were. It was why I allowed your father to talk me into engaging my Satsuki to you. I knew that it would never be and that as long as I drew out the date of the engagement you'd live long enough to outlive your father's hold. A great demon he might have been but very blind about those closest to him." Puffing out some smoke rings the demon seemed to contemplate something before continuing. "I know you can't stay long, I'm sure Satsuki is driving you all crazy already. You've come about the darkness that has arrived from the future, the one who could bring great suffering to this world, which is still recovering from the false demon Naraku. I know where he is, and I know how you can find him, this Ferio."

"That information would be most helpful, Lord Ayame." Watching the older demon thoughtfully Sesshoumaru wondered just what the old codger was up to. It wasn't like the man to get straight to the point, especially when there was a stranger for him to badger with personal questions.

"Without question. My dear, would you do this old man a favor and pour the tea I had brought for us? I wasn't sure what you'd want in it so I told her just to leave it in the pot so that it would stay nice and hot for us."

"Of course."

Rising Sango retrieved the tray and brought it over, setting it down gently as she admired the beautiful crockery. "What would you both like in yours?" She asked, playing hostess since she couldn't see either of them doing it. They were the lords after all and she the commoner. Taking their requests Sango made Lord Ayame's light with plenty of milk while Sesshoumaru took his black, no surprise there. Adding plenty of milk to her own since it smelled strong Sango passed out the cups and than picked up her own, sipping delicately. Watching Sesshoumaru drain it all in one long gulp Sango set him a questioning look.

"He hates the stuff." Lord Ayame informed her with a twinkle in his eye, since Sesshoumaru wasn't the type to explain himself. "He only drinks it out of respect for me. He's been drinking his obligatory one glass like that for centuries now."

"Oh." Biting back a grin Sango continued to sip hers, understanding since it was far from the best tea she'd ever tasted. Still, it wasn't that bad.

To give the tea time to take effect Lord Ayame opted to do some distracting for the few minutes it would take. "I've already drawn up instructions on how to find him so if it's all right with you, Sesshoumaru, I'd like to take a few minutes to enjoy this tea and get to know your Sango here."

Looking none to pleased about having her referred to as his anything Sesshoumaru nodded his assent, if only to get out of having to make small talk which he despised almost as much as Inu yasha. Listening with half an ear his mind turned to other things, formulating plans and possible traps while they chatted about her family and the adventures she'd had with his idiot brother and their friends. Eventually tuning them out completely he wasn't aware of just what his father's old friend had done until it was too late. He'd only had this feeling creep up on him once before but this feeling in the pit of his stomach, combined with the sudden light headedness, was all he needed to know he'd been had. "God dammit! You spiked the tea!"

While Sango gapped in shock, setting her own tea down quickly Lord Ayame just nodded, not about to bother denying it. "I did indeed. I put the antidote in the milk since I knew you wouldn't touch that and that Miss Sango would."

"What did you do to him?" Getting to her feet with a fighter's gleam in her eye it didn't take a genius to figure out that Sango was more than prepared to do the old man bodily harm if whatever he'd put in the tea was harmful.

"Calm down, calm down." He assured her, while Sesshoumaru cradled his aching head in his hands, glaring at the other demon mutinously. "What I gave him isn't dangerous in the least, my dear. You see his mind is very clouded and full of questions right now. What I gave him will help him sort through those problems and help him ready for what is to come. He just had a bad experience the last time he went through this. He didn't appreciate seeing that his younger brother would someday cut off his arm."

"This will make him see into the future?" Looking back and forth between the two demons Sango didn't know what to do. Sesshoumaru wasn't tearing the older demon to shreds over this so she could only assume he wasn't in any real danger, just pissed off royally. Was there something she could do for him? He looked like he was in pain.

"He will see what his heart and mind deem he needs to see. He was shown the consequences of not making peace with his brother last time. What he will see this time is entirely up to him. He'll pass out in a few moments. It was nice meeting you, Sango, give him my regards when he wakes up again in an hour or so." Getting to his feet he gave her a charming little bow then left the room, whistling lightly under his breath as he left them alone, the faint thud of the door closing signaling his departure.

Not sure what the hell she was supposed to do now Sango crouched down beside Sesshoumaru, placing a hand on his shoulder. His eyes were starting to glaze over and she wasn't entirely sure he was even aware of her presence. "Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru, is there something I can do to help?"

"Not a thing." His teeth clenching he could feel his control slipping, unable to hold out against the effects of the drug. "Help me lie down." With her help he stretched out, his sense of balance so off that his head would have missed her pillow if she hadn't been there to move it at the last minute. Closing his eyes he cursed his own stupidity, he should have known something like this would happen. "You can leave me here. I'll be fine."

"And risk Satsuki taking advantage of you while you're unconscious? Hell no." A determined look on her face Sango sat down beside him, taking one of his hands in his for what little comfort it might give him. "I'll leave when you can leave with me. We're a team after all."

"A team?" He repeated, drifting off into unconsciousness as his eyes opened than closed for the last time. "Feh."

When his eyes opened once more he found himself walking through a forest at night, solitary as he preferred it. He was dressed for battle he noted, wondering what the significance of that was. As before he had no control over his body, the mind he shared it with was in control of that area. He could only see and experience what was happening in this time and place, an observer in his own body. The last time he'd known the taste of defeat and the agony of a limb lost, at his brother's hand of all people. A fitting punishment, he'd decided, for using Inu yasha's mother against the stupid pup. Even he'd recognized the cruelty of such a ploy, not that he probably wouldn't use it again in the same situation. Jarred from his thoughts as he came to a stop Sesshoumaru observed that he was now staring at an estate of some sort, the well lit room in front of him, doors wide open to give him a perfect view of the four people within. Stretched out on the floor were two young dog demons, their physical similarities to himself indicating that they were likely his sons. They were playing some sort of game involving white and black stones, the smaller of the two winning from the look on his face. Within reaching distance of the boys sat Sango, looking a little older than she'd look moments before, and dressed elegantly in a dark blue kimono, decorated with dark green ivy. She seemed to be mending what looked to be a torn shirt while another boy, who looked older than the other two, watched over them all with a serious look on his young face. Kohaku, he'd bet on it. That meant the other two were Kiyoshi and Ronin, all three still children who all kept looking towards the doors on the opposite end of the room.

Than he was turning away from the homey scene, walking a path that seemed to be familiar to him as he cut through the woods to end up in a small clearing adjacent to the other side of the estate where a large pond lay, fed from a waterfall that came trickling down from above. Sora had said something about him building their home in the middle of a mountainous area after all. Coming to the edge he quickly stripped out of his clothing, discovering them bloody and carrying the stench of battle fought within the past week. He didn't seem to have any injuries worth noting or treating, whoever he'd fought must not have been a worthy opponent. But why then, did he feel so worn and heavy? Perhaps he'd been gone for a long period of time. Walking into the water he washed himself clean, seeming to be in no hurry to leave the water or the silence of the spot. Strange, it was like he was avoiding going inside, but why? From what he'd been led to believe there was no reason he shouldn't want to go inside to see his family. Or perhaps he was right and the life they'd described to him was just too good to be true. Lies they'd fed him to convince him to allow them and their mother to live. Yes, that must be it.

He didn't hear her but smelled her coming, her steps as sure as his had been. Not bothering to turn around he ignored her, hoping that she'd realize that he didn't want company, especially hers. But as always, she refused to take the hint and came to a stop at the edge of the pond, saying his name softly. "I'll be in shortly." He informed her, glancing over his shoulder briefly before going back to his washing, though there was nothing left that needed to be removed.

"That's some welcome, considering you've been gone two weeks." Was her reply, her voice still soft and even. "Jakken told me it was bad. Will you tell me?"

"No."

There was no immediate response to his refusal, his sharp ears picking up on her even breathing and heartbeat, than the sound of rustling, as the unmistakable sound of her undressing reached his ears. His body reacting immediately to the knowledge he forced himself not to turn around, to watch that beautiful, golden body become slowly visible to his eyes. He heard the sound of the water splashing around her as she walked in to join him, coming from the small beach he'd had created for the boys. She headed straight towards him, with her usual single mindedness. He didn't jolt when her arms came around him from behind, her breasts pressed against his back as she fit her body to his. His lack of response didn't deter her though, as she placed a kiss against his spine. "Please tell me." She whispered, knowing that his ears didn't need her to be any louder, so in tune to her and her every breath.

"What part of no did you not understand, woman?" Was his chilly response, though he made no move to remove her arms from around his narrow waist. Had no wise to move them, as he sought to ignore the comforting and arousing warmth of the body pressed against his own. He might not ask for the comfort she offered but he would take some of it now, but no more than this. Her company was enough.

"The part where you actually think I'd let you get away with not telling me." She informed him, placing kisses along his spine, her grip tightening when he stiffened at the sweet contact. "I'm your mate, you have to tell me things. Otherwise I have to nag, and you don't want to see me do that. It's degrading for both of us."

"What makes you think I'll tell you even if you nag?"

"The fact that it's never not worked before?" Was her amused comeback as her fingers massaged his stomach muscles, her fingertips moving in small circles as they enjoyed the feel of the toned to perfection muscles beneath the silky smooth skin. "Besides, the sooner you tell me the sooner I can comfort you. After two weeks, you really want me to comfort you, trust me."

Using his superior strength to make her let him turn in her arms he faced her, using his own arms to haul her up and against his chest so that they were eye to eye with one arm around her waist and the other under her rear, her own arms wrapping around his neck instinctively. "Maybe I just want the comfort without the explanation." His voice huskier and more predatory than usual he tried to distract her by nibbling on the side of her neck, something that usually had her forgetting all about arguing with him over something she'd gotten worked up about. Not that he minded, he loved the taste of her, especially when she was wet. He sometimes thought he could live on the scent and taste of her alone. His mate, his woman, his Sango.

"Nice try." Was her amused response, even as she sighed her pleasure, tipping her head to one side to give him better access. "But you aren't distracting me here."

"Than I'll just have to do better."

Note: Sry this is all for now but I'm working more than full time and that's in the evenings and nights which is when I normally write. Will try to update soon though, to make up for the long wait for this chapter. This scene will be continuing so don't worry!