A/N: Here's a little view of the changing future!

A/N2: In Sesshomaru's POV the words in italic are his thoughts, and the words in bold italic are his inner demon's thoughts.

Something was definitely up.

Sitting in the royal gardens, Kagome raised a suspicious eyebrow at Sesshomaru. It'd been a couple of weeks since they'd saved Izayoi-sama and Inuyasha, and ever since that 'grooming' episode Sesshomaru had been smug. Kagome didn't know much about inuyoukai, but from the time she'd spent with Inuyasha she knew to be wary when one was smugly content.

The inuyoukai in question was training with the guards, giving Hayate (the handsome, green-eyed Inuyoukai she couldn't help but admire every time she saw him) a much harder time than the others. He was purposely choosing Hayate to train with, and after defeating him time after time he'd send a smug glance in Kagome's direction, as if making sure that she'd seen him humiliate the other inuyoukai.

Or are you doing this because you wish for this Sesshomaru to prove that he is a worthy mate and able to protect you against the advances of other males?

She narrowed her eyes at him as he once more sent her a smug smile after dodging one of Hayate's punches and knocking the smaller male off of his feet.

Kagome had a feeling that Sesshomaru wasn't going to believe her 'we're not mates' anytime soon, and believed that she truly did want him to prove 'his worth', which was idiotic considering that she was only a ningen while he was the great heir of the Western Lands.

Shouldn't it be her who should be showing her worth?

If they were ACTUALLY mates to be-which they weren't—of course.

"Arrogant bastard." Kagome growled and turned her back on him to see Izayoi-sama smiling at her with Inuyasha in her arms. They'd been having a good time until Sesshomaru had decided that the guards should start 'training'.

"From what Touga had told me of his son, I never would have imagined Sesshomaru to act this way." The elder girl giggled, rocking her baby softly. "I imagined him cold, emotionless, and terrifying. Not showing off like any ningen trying to win the favor of the woman he loves."

Kagome went beet red, eyes closing rapidly as she sweatdropped, waving her hands in front of her desperately. "No, no, no! Izayoi-sama, you must believe me. Sesshomaru and I are not mates-to-be, no matter what Taiyoukai-sama and the others might believe. I have explained the situation to you a million times already!"

Izayoi just smiled tenderly. "I know that you are from the future, and that you travel with my Inuyasha-kun, but haven't you ever thought that maybe, in the future, Sesshomaru did scent mark you?"

Kagome shook her head, another sweat drop falling down the side of her face. "You don't know him then, Izayoi-sama, he's tried to kill me more times than I want to remember, and anyway, I-." She blushed, looking at baby Inuyasha before clearing her throat and looking away. "My heart belongs to someone else."

Izayoi looked down at her son and then at the suddenly sad miko, eyes widening in understanding. "Oh. Oh! Oh my. This is—odd."

Kagome blushed darker, not daring to look at Inuyasha's mother. "And anyway, Sesshomaru doesn't really want me. The reason he thinks he does is because he stubbornly thinks that I'm his 'bitch' from the future." She growled. "Why must he insult me every time he speaks to me though? I mean, even if I was-."

"Insult?" Izayoi asked, tilting her head to the side in curiosity. "I can't imagine Sesshomaru insulting you, Miko-sama."

Kagome snorted. "Every two sentences it's 'bitch' this and 'bitch' that."

Izayoi narrowed her eyes softly. "Miko-sama, where you come from, is 'bitch' a vulgar word of insult?"

That caught her off guard. "Yes. Of course." She nodded. "It means a lewd or immoral woman who is spiteful, malicious and overbearing."

Izayoi's eyes opened. "Oh, Miko-sama!" She leaned forwards and placed a hand on Kagome's arm. "That word doesn't mean the same for Inuyoukai!"

Surprised, Kagome blinked. "Really?" She tilted her head to the side. "What does it mean?"

"Well, you have to understand that inuyoukai are, above all else, dogs." She giggled girlishly, reminding Kagome how very young she was. "Bitches are female dogs—are they not?"

Kagome's eyes widened. "You mean that every time Sesshomaru calls me his 'bitch' he's really just calling me 'woman'?"

"Hai, Miko-Sama, Sesshomaru isn't insulting you when he calls you bitch, he's just basically asserting his claim." Looking quite pleased with herself, Izayoi's beauty seemed to shine forth. It wasn't surprising that she'd caught the eye of Inutaisho.

"Oh." Kagome's eyes peered on the baby Inuyasha for a moment, remembering the few times Inuyasha had called her a bitch. Had he meant it in the Inuyoukai form? Had he just been insulting her? Or had it meant something deeper?

"I'm glad." Izayoi said in a soft voice, causing Kagome to look up at her curiously. "I—I'm glad that Inuyasha found you after all that happened and that you taught him that despite the fact that he's a hanyou, he could be loved."

Kagome blushed scarlet and looked down at her fingers. "Inuyasha can be hardheaded and intolerable, but he has a good heart." She smiled and was surprised when Izayoi passed the baby to her. During the weeks they'd known each other this was the first time Izayoi had let go of her son.

The mother watched the blushing teen cradling the baby Inuyasha, who suddenly woke up and grabbed a handful of her dark hair, giving it a playful tug.

Kagome yelped slightly yet retaliated by rubbing the hanyou's ears. Izayoi was surprised to hear her son purring-she'd never heard him make that sound before. Apparently Kagome knew his weaknesses.

She smiled softly, watching them.

"He's going to be real handsome when he gets older." Kagome offered up the information, never taking her eyes off of Inuyasha. "He looks more like Taiyoukai-sama than Sesshomaru does, but Sesshomaru acts more like Taiyoukai-sama."

Izayoi listened as Kagome continued speaking, love obvious in her voice.

"We didn't really have a good relationship at first—he tried to kill me." Kagome looked sheepish as she admitted it. "Something about me must make Taiyoukai-sama's sons want to eliminate me at first sight." She giggled. "But then, afterwards, we became best friends." All mirth left those blue eyes. "I—I miss him and my friends so much."

Izayoi was surprised to see that Sesshomaru had called off the training and was looking in their direction, obviously using his youkai hearing to listen into the conversation. She wondered if she should let Kagome know that their conversation wasn't so private anymore.

"I miss my pup." Kagome surprised Izayoi by saying. The human hadn't known that the miko had a child! "His name is Shippou."

"Seven Treasures." Izayoi spoke the meaning of the name. "It's a name used by youkai mostly."

Kagome nodded, eyes on Inuyasha as he fell asleep. "Yes, I know."

Izayoi could feel the sadness emanating from Kagome, and she bit her bottom lip. She could understand the pain, just the thought of being separated from Inuyasha-kun hurt her more than she could explain.

"I'm going to try and use the well again tomorrow." Kagome announced suddenly, surprising the ningen.

Izayoi was sure she heard a growl coming from Sesshomaru's direction.

Apparently Kagome hadn't. "While I am enjoying it here I have a family and a son to get back to. I also have a sacred duty that I must take care of, the future depends on it. I have to go."

Izayoi was silent, watching as Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, stalking away.

This wasn't good.

Sesshomaru watched Kagome as she held the hanyou bastard of his brother. Her eyes lit up and she giggled, walking around and having a long and apparently important conversation with the pup, whose only contribution to the whole talk was gurgles and playfully little nips at her fingers.

"How will I ever be able to 'sit' you again after seeing you like this?" She cooed to the pup, who gave a cute little barking sound that made her throw her head back and laugh like he hadn't heard her laugh before.

It was beautiful.

She was beautiful…

And she'd make a good mother.

He'd proven his superiority above Hayate (who'd had the gall to look at his bitch) and he'd been sure that he'd gotten the point across to his mate, that was, of course, until he'd listened into the conversation she'd had with his father's ningen bitch.

So she's planning on leaving this Sesshomaru, is she?

He couldn't let her do so.

Turning, he strode throughout the palace until he reached the inner gardens of his personal section of the palace. Pulling out his sword as he approached the well that would take his future mate from him before he could trick her into completing the mating ritual, Sesshomaru raised his sword, ready to destroy the Bone Eaters Well with one slash.

"Forgive me, Sesshomaru-san, but I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Pausing, Sesshomaru turned in annoyance and frowned at his father's bitch. "Who gave you permission to enter this Sesshomaru's private garden? Just because you're my father's ningen and have given him that hanyou doesn't make you the lady of this house." He growled, turning on her. "My mother will always be the Lady of the Western Lands."

She trembled slightly, and a sheen of tears shone in her eyes, but she lowered her head in respect. "Of course, Sesshomaru-san, I love your father but have never tried to take Nami-sama's place in his heart or in this palace."

The inuyoukai frowned, giving her his back. "Then leave, ningen, this doesn't concern you."

"Yes it does, Sesshomaru-san." She spoke, surprising him at her defiance. "And it concerns Miko-sama's and your future."

He paused, turning to her once more. "Speak."

She cleared her throat nervously. "You are not of age to finish the mating bond, Sesshomaru-san." The young woman trembled when he growled at her, but she stood her ground. "Touga has spoken to me of inuyoukai mating, and I know that you are still too young to perform the last ceremony."

Sesshomaru snarled at the truthfulness in those words.

"If you destroy the well, she will die long before you come of age. She might be a miko, but she is only a ningen, not youkai. Her body ages as does that of a ningen, and what would seem like a day to you would be fifty or more human years for her."

Well, his father apparently hadn't only chosen this ningen for her looks. She had some intelligence to her and had thought of something that Sesshomaru himself hadn't while under the influence of his anger and jealousy.

"And, I do not think you would ever win her over if you tore her away from her pup."

He frowned. There was that. "What are you saying ningen? Are you saying that this Sesshomaru should allow his bitch to leave him and go to the future into the arms of your bastard hanyou son?"

She shook her head at him. "You do realize, Sesshomaru-san, that if you and Miko-sama had children they would be hanyou?"

Sesshomaru paused. He hadn't thought about that.

"And I am not saying that you should leave her for Inuyasha." She spoke softly. "I'm saying, let her go see her pup, and even if the well doesn't let her see little Shippou-kun, and instead brings her here again-it would have been the well to deny her—not you." She paused, looking at her hands. "Plus, if it happens the way it did last time, time will have passed and you will be closer in age to finish the mating bond."

Sesshomaru watched her silently, seeing her in a different light. "You may not be completely useless, ningen."

She chuckled softly, raising her gaze and smiling at him. "I am glad you think so, Sesshomaru-san."

Sheathing his sword once more, Sesshomaru turned and walked away, feeling her following him.

He was going to have to do without his woman for a little longer, but during the little bit he still had with her, he was going to remind her who she belonged to.

"Where is she?" Shippou whined pitifully as he looked over the side of the well, tears welling up in his eyes. He wanted his okasan. He'd always loved Kagome as the mother he'd lost, but ever since she'd agreed to adopt him the youkai way, exchanging blood with the kitsune, their bond had strengthened—as had his need for her.

Something strange was happening. He didn't know what it was, but Miroku and Sango were acting weird, as was Inuyasha.

The other day he'd gone to say something to Sango and she'd nearly exterminated him before realizing that she knew him—if it hadn't been for Kirara going against her owner's desires and fighting her until Sango remembered Shippou he'd be kitsune pancake by now.

And Miroku had introduced himself to Sango just two minutes ago, asking the 'beautiful goddess' if she would bare his children. He'd truly acted as if he'd never seen Sango before.

And Inuyasha? Well, Inuyasha had acted nice to Shippou…that was what frightened Shippou the most.

Something was happening…and he was feeling more and more lost and alone.

He was frightened.

"Where are you, okasan?" He whispered, wiping at a tear as he looked around him at the darkening night, frightened at being here all by himself when youkai had been spotted in the vicinity. "Come back soon." Wrapping his arms around himself, shaking at the sounds of the night, he gulped, looking down at the darkness in the well. "I need you."

Inuyasha sat atop a tree, watching Shippou from a safe distance. He knew the kit wanted to wait for Kagome to return, but Inuyasha knew of the dangers out here for a tiny kit like Shippou, so he'd decided to keep an eye out for the annoying little creature that'd somehow wormed his way into his heart during the time they'd been traveling together.

Then again, Shippou was Kagome's pup, and Inuyasha would love and die protecting anything of Kagome's…even if the pup was annoying as hell.

The Inuhanyou was worried too. He hadn't been able to get through the well. Something was wrong, so he was staying here with Shippou until Kagome returned or they discovered what was happening.

Also, Inuyasha could understand why Shippou wouldn't want to be in the village. Something was happening. He could sense it. It was mostly affecting Sango and Miroku, but it was also affecting him.

Tidbits of memories he couldn't understand were surfacing. He could remember things that hadn't happened. He remembered his father for crying out loud! He remembered himself at around Shippou's age, laughing on his father's knee as he was taught what a prince of the Western Lands should know, while Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at him and sighed, asking no one in particular how Inutaisho and Izayoi could have had such a simple-minded son.

And…and what bothered Inuyasha most was that he suddenly remembered a sudden commotion and everyone looking up as someone appeared bloodied and battered, collapsing on the ground, holding a crying bundle protectively...with a vaguely familiar neko demon at her feet.

And the blood—it smelt like Kagome's.

But that had to be impossible—right?

"OKASAN!" Shippou cried heartbrokenly down into the depths of the well. "WHERE ARE YOU?"

Inuyasha sighed as he leaned against the bark of the tree, understanding Shippou's distress.

Kagome, where are you?

Sesshomaru was up to something.

Of that she was more than sure.

Keeping a suspicious eye on him, Kagome sat next to said inuyoukai at the banquet table. Inuyasha had been handed to a nursemaid and Izayoi-sama sat at Inutaisho's right hand, looking demure and graceful, and everything the Lady of the West should be.

Last night Izayoi's and Inutaisho's their mating concluded, but Kagome really couldn't see any difference. She couldn't help but wonder what exactly had happened between them—except for the bouts of hot crazy sex of course.

"Miko-sama." Jaken said as he had another servant lift him up so he could refill her drink.

She still couldn't get over the fact that Jaken was treating her with respect. How crazy was that? "Thank you Jaken."

He nodded and ordered the servant to take him to Sesshomaru's side, and he refilled his goblet as well. Sesshomaru ignored the toad and kept his expression bored, as if what the generals and the lords that'd come to visit were only servants and not important of his time and attention.

Arrogant bastard, she thought with a fond smile. Somehow, for some odd and unexplainable reason, Sesshomaru had begun to grow on her, despite his nearly Kouga-ish refusal to believe that she wasn't 'his woman'.

And yet ANOTHER death stare, she sighed, playing with her food. It would seem that a couple of the lords had brought their daughters along to tempt Sesshomaru into an alliance, but with their target only paying attention to her, they were all glaring at her and obviously blaming her for the whole mess.

It's not MY fault, she wanted to scream at them. HE'S the one who won't get that we are NOT destined to be together!

"So, Miko-sama," Keiko, the daughter of the Lord of the South announced in a friendly manner, she was the only of the daughters who seemed relieved that Sesshomaru wasn't paying attention to her. "How is it that you became the protégée of Lord Inutaisho? Ningen and youkai have been at war for many a century now, the fact that you are here at the royal table speaks of their respect for you."

Kagome opened her mouth to tell her that she'd saved the life of Inutaisho's first wife.

"She is my mate to be." Sesshomaru spoke for the first time since they'd sat down to eat. "And it pleased this Sesshomaru to have her with him where he could keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble."

Her mouth fell open and she turned and glared at him. "Who saved WHOSE life when we first met?" She snarled, sounding very much like an inuyoukai as she glared at him.

Keiko's eyes widened as she looked over at Sesshomaru. The stories of Sesshomaru's ruthlessness were legendary, and many had died for merely looking at Sesshomaru when he hadn't given them permission to do so. Surely he'd smite the ningen for speaking so disrespectfully to him—and in front of the other Lords at that!

The other daughters all smiled to themselves, glad that their competition wouldn't live long.

Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at Kagome. "I was a pup then, mate, but now should the need for protection arise, be assured that it will be this Sesshomaru who'll protect you."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat at the sincerity in his eyes. She felt her cheeks flush pink and tried to break eye-contact unsuccessfully, it was if he had some sort of spell over her.

Butterflies flew in her stomach for the first time while around Sesshomaru¸ and she tried to convince herself that his calling her mate and not bitch had nothing to do with it.

"Thank you, Sesshomaru." She whispered before finally breaking eye contact, looking down at her nearly full plate, blush deepening at his amused chuckle.

The lords and generals nearly fell when they heard the chuckle escape Sesshomaru's lips. They all looked at each other, eyes wide, before looking at the tiny ningen miko who'd apparently tamed the killer in the feared Sesshomaru Taiyoukai.

The daughters all pouted in disappointment.

Kagome argued with herself silently. Why would she react that way to Sesshomaru? He was only her Sensei, nothing more. When she returned to the future he was probably going to kill her for having made a fool of him in the past.

"It was thanks to Kagome that I was able to defeat that dragon." Inutaisho announced to something one of the generals had commented. "She is a powerful Miko, and a cunning strategist. Her advice has been most helpful."

The males turned and looked more approvingly at the young woman, who was deep in her own thoughts.

"Beauty, power and intelligence," Kyo, the son of the Lord of the East smiled at her. "Inutaisho-sama is lucky to have added such a gem to his treasure."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at Kyo and growled deep in his throat as the young youkai continued to blatantly stare at an oblivious Kagome.

The daughters couldn't figure out what in the world was so special about this ningen!

Izayoi smiled to herself, glad that Kagome was getting recognition from what were usually sexist demons.

So deep in her thoughts, Kagome nearly gave a cry and jerked when she felt a hand on her thigh.

Face red once more, she turned to look at Sesshomaru, whose gaze was on the general praising Inutaisho for having killed the dragon youkai Ryūkotsusei. Nothing gave away the fact that Sesshomaru's hand was now beneath the table, caressing her thigh slowly, torturing her little by little.

Had they been by themselves—or only with Inutaisho and Izayoi, Kagome would have jumped to her feet, slapped Sesshomaru with all her strength, and stomped to the well while screaming "Good Riddance!". But she wouldn't embarrass Inutaisho or Izayoi like that in front of the others…and the nearly indiscernible smirk on Sesshomaru's face proved that he knew she wouldn't do it either.

That…THAT! She bit her bottom lip to keep a whimper at bay when her anger was interrupted by a sock of pleasure as he cupped her over the material of the skirt of her dress.

What is he DOING? She closed her eyes when he rubbed the pad of his palm over her, causing her to jerk slightly. Sesshomaru hadn't done anything sexual to her since their 'grooming' after they'd saved Izayoi and Inuyasha, so why was he choosing to do this now, when the demons in the room would no doubt smell her arousal as he continued to torture her slowly?

He's doing this on purpose, she realized, eyes widening as she watched him glaring at the males present. He's letting them know that I'm his and that he can affect me this way!

ARGH! THAT DAMN POSSESSIVE YOUKAI!

Standing up, she smiled innocently at them. "Please excuse me, it has been a tiring day and I'm only a ningen, so I am afraid that I have to retire to my room." She hated playing the 'I'm a weak helpless human' card, but with youkai it worked whenever she wanted to get out of doing something she didn't want to do.

Sesshomaru raised a disapproving eyebrow at her. "This Sesshomaru will escort you to our room."

"No need!" She smiled forcefully at him. "I know the way to our room" you damned youkai, you just HAVE to let them know we share a room, DON'T you? "and it'd be rude for us both to leave the table." Without giving him room to argue, Kagome turned to the Lords, daughters, and generals. "Have a good night." She bowed.

They bowed their heads.

And with that, she stormed away.

Oh Sesshomaru, I wish I could see your face when you come to our bedroom and find my things gone.

"WIND SCAR!" Inuyasha screamed and he swung Tessaiga. Sometime during the night a group of youkai had come to attack Shippou, and Inuyasha was desperately trying to protect the kit. Miroku and Sango had arrived on Kirara and were on the ground, fighting the numerous youkai, who seemed out of their mind, crazed and in some sort of induced bloodlust.

Obviously Naraku was behind this attack.

"WIND TUNNEL!" Miroku called as he pulled the beads from his cursed hand, allowing it to suck up the youkai closest to him.

"GIVE US THE MIKO!" They screamed as one. "WHERE IS THE MIKO?"

"We'll never give Kagome to you!" Sango promised as she continued to attack.

Shippou huddled on the mouth of the well, tiny body shaking. "Okasan," he whispered, terror in his eyes. "Okasan!"

Kagome was planning something.

Of that he was sure.

And Sesshomaru was nervous.

It was a disgusting human feeling, but he was unfortunately falling prey to it.

He'd known that she wouldn't like what he'd done, but those damned males had been watching her lustfully and he wouldn't allow it to continue. He'd had to stake his silent claim on her evenmore so those disgusting lower class youkai would know that she belonged to him, that he made her sweet, intoxicating arousal fill the air.

Kagome wouldn't understand it, she wasn't youkai, wasn't raised to understand the way they thought—and he knew that she was going to retaliate.

That's what had him nervous.

Getting up without giving the others a word of goodnight, or even a thought, he stormed to his rooms. Her scent filled the hallway so he was glad that she was in the room, but he couldn't help but wonder if she might have locked him out or have some other sort of punishment laid out for him.

He smirked as he opened the room door. He couldn't believe that he was actually looking forwards to her punishment. Everything about Kagome made him more and more addicted to her—more and more desirous to claim her completely and make her his.

But that smirk disappeared when he entered the room and discovered that she wasn't there. A cold dread filled his heart when he saw her closet open, and her things gone.

She wouldn't

Turning, he growled darkly, the sound reverberating in the long hallway as he took off towards his private garden. His eyes tinted pink in rage at the thought of her leaving him. It'd been hard for him to accept her leaving tomorrow—but the thought of her leaving without even giving him a proper goodbye filled him with rage.

Was she really so eager to return to his bastard of a brother?

Throwing the gate open, he looked up in time to see her standing on the well's mouth. "Ka-Go-Me" His voice was rough, like sandpaper, and only then did he realize that he'd transformed into his true form to get there quicker.

She looked up at him in surprise. "Sesshomaru, you should be eating still."

"Don't—you—dare—go!" Of course, to her he'd only sound like he was snarling and growling, but he couldn't calm himself enough to transform back into his humanoid form.

"I don't even have to understand what you're saying to know that you're ordering me to stay. And how dare you think you can boss me around after you humiliated me in front of all of thoseyoukai!" She cried out, angered and hurt.

"Come-here-come-backSesshomaru whimpered, feeling her hurt, able to taste it in the air. Make mate understand, his demon ordered desperately, sensing her rejection of him.

"Goodbye, Sesshomaru." She whispered before jumping into the well, being engulfed in a shinning blue light.

Sesshomaru rushed to the well, but during the split second it took him to get there the light had vanished—and along it, so had Kagome.

Throwing his head back, Sesshomaru howled in anger and pain, before beginning a rampage that destroyed everything in his garden except for the well. No, even in his bloodlust he knew not to touch the well if he ever wanted to see his mate again.

Kagome didn't have time to feel bad about leaving Sesshomaru like that. The moment she touched the bottom of the well, she heard the sounds of a battle above her.

"OKASAN!" A voice cried out, and before she could react Shippou had jumped down into her arms, burying his face in her chest, crying terrified. "They're everywhere! Tons of youkai! Where were you?"

"Shh, Shippou. I wouldn't leave you, you know that." Hugging him, she kissed the top of his head before putting him down. "Stay here." She ordered, and was about to begin climbing out of the well when Kirara dove down for her, scooping her up and flying her outside.

"Thanks Kirara." Kagome smiled as she readied an arrow on the bow and let it fly, purifying a good number of youkai.

"Kagome!" Sango cried out in relief that she was alright, before returning to her fight.

"Kagome-sama, you are alright! Thank Buddha!" Miroku exclaimed, eyes never leaving his attackers. "WIND TUNNEL!"

"FINALLY WENCH!" Inuyasha swung Tessaiga, slicing off arms and heads. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO DAMNED LONG?"

"I missed you too Inuyasha," she giggled, letting another arrow fly.

With her purification powers the battle was on their side now, and soon they were rapidly killing off their enemies.

"FOX FIRE!" She heard a cry behind her, and turned in time to see the youkai creeping up on her that Shippou had noticed and tried to shoo with his kitsune attack.

"Shippou, stay back! You could get hurt!" She ordered, shooting at the offending youkai. A scream escaped her lips as another grabbed her arm and pulled her off of the well and into the bodies below.

"OKASAN!" Shippou screamed, about to jump in after her when Kirara dove and caught him by the scruff of his neck, swinging him around so that he was sitting on her back.

A scream tore from her body as the youkai descended on her, tearing the bottle from her neck only to discover that the shards were gone.

"SHE MUST HAVE FUSED THEM WITH HER BODY!" One announced, and just like that they pounced on her, tearing at her skin with their sharp, merciless claws.

"GET AWAY FROM HER YOU BASTARDS!" Inuyasha's voice could be heard saying. "WIND SC-!"

"NO INUYASHA!" Miroku screamed out. "YOU MIGHT HURT KAGOME-SAMA!"

Her screams filled the air as her friends tried to battle those around her, but the youkai ignored them, concentrating at tearing her skin, searching for the damned shards.

Suddenly there was heat, and the youkai screamed. Kagome felt herself being raised and noticed that Kirara had a hold of the front of her shirt, and had flown her back to the well.

"TASTE THIS YOU BASTARDS!" Inuyasha screamed in anger as he saw the bloody state Kagome was in. "WIND SCAR!"

"WIND TUNNEL!"

"OKASAN!" Shippou jumped off of a hovering Kirara into his mother's arms, in time for her knees to buckle beneath her and for her to fall into the well. Kirara dove to try and catch her before she fell, and the three of them disappeared in a burst of light.

Kagome groaned, pain filling her body as she looked around. Shippou was crying against her, hugging her tightly, and Kirara was in her miniature form, licking at her wounds, trying her best to stop the blood flow.

"Where am I?"

"Okasan!" Shippou sniffled, eyes red from his tears. "You're alive!"

Kirara meowed, looking up from where she'd been licking Kagome's blood-covered arm.

Wincing in pain, Kagome looked up above. Everything was silent. "Kirara," she whispered to the neko youkai. "Could you get us out?"

Transforming in a burst of flames, Kirara knelt so they could get on, and flew them out…into Sesshomaru's private garden—which looked like it'd gone through a drastic make-over.

"Okasan? Where are we? Is this your time?" Shippou asked, clinging to his mother as they got off of Kirara and the neko transformed back into her smaller version.

"No Shippou-chan." Kagome whispered as she began to walk out of the garden. "This is actually further back in time." Trying to ignore the agony her body was in, Kagome walked through Sesshomaru's private wing. "Kirara. Can you smell Sesshomaru?"

Shippou went still in her arms at that name.

The neko nodded.

"Please take us to him." Kagome whimpered, closing her eyes as the world threatened to go dark. A little more, please, a little more.

The sound of laughter caught her attention and she followed Kirara, who suddenly transformed, and in her bigger state, threw the doors open before turning small again and looking up worriedly at Kagome.

The last thing Kagome saw before she gave into the darkness and collapsed on the ground was a young Inuyasha sitting on Inutaisho's knee, a screaming Izayoi, and Sesshomaru getting up, rushing towards her.

"Okasan's not going to die, is she?" The little kitsune whimpered as he sat next to Kagome on the ridiculously large bed. The neko demon that was obviously Kagome's familiar laid on one of the pillows, large, worried eyes on her mistress.

"No, she's not going to die." Izayoi smiled tenderly at the little boy. "Your mother is very injured though, and will need a lot of time to recuperate."

"What happened to her?" The small Inuyasha asked. He was around Shippou's age, and wide-eyed at the horribly scratched female lying lifelessly on the bed. "Who would do that to a girl?"

"Youkai." The kitsune spat in anger, raising one of Kagome's arms and curling up on her chest, pulling her arm over him. "Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku tried to save her, but there were too many, and none could use their attacks for fear of hurting her."

"My name is Inuyasha too!" The young Inuyasha announced excitedly.

"Why would they do this to Kagome?" Inutaisho asked, his voice an angered growl, ignoring his young pup.

The kitsune opened his mouth to answer before he shut it and glared at them suspiciously, eyes angry slits. "I'm not going to say why. I don't know you! How do I know that you won't hurt my Okasan when you know?"

The neko youkai sensed the tension and stood, growling menacingly.

"Where was I?" A strained voice asked.

Kagome's kit looked up at Sesshomaru, gulping, obviously nervous. "You weren't there."

"Why?" There was a storm raging in that one word. "Why wasn't I there to protect her?"

The kitsune looked surprised at the question, and looked at his mother to Sesshomaru, whose bangs fell into his face, shadowing his expression from them. "I—I don't know, Sesshomaru-sama."

"I promised her that when she was in need I would protect her!" Sesshomaru suddenly lashed out, his claws tearing all in front of him, eyes blood red in his anger.

Shippou whimpered, burying his face into his mother's chest, shaking in terror at the youkai fighting bloodlust.

Kirara continued to growl, knowing that she couldn't fight Sesshomaru and win, but willing to do so to protect Kagome and Shippou.

Inuyasha gasped, never having seen his composed brother this way.

Izayoi held her son to her and looked up at Inutaisho, silently asking him to do something.

Inutaisho didn't take his eyes off of his eldest son. "Sesshomaru, get a hold of yourself! You aren't helping Kagome, only frightening her kit!"

That seemed to calm Sesshomaru, and he slumped against the wall in defeat, eyes turning from blood red to pink and finally normal once more.

"She's a powerful miko, she'll heal soon." Izayoi told Sesshomaru. "All she needs to do is to rest."

Sesshomaru looked up at Izayoi with gratitude.

Inutaisho nodded in agreement. "I know it's hard for you to see her like this after all these centuries, but you need to be calm, both for her sake and for her kit's."

Shippou peeked an eye open, glad that the blood lust had ended.

Inutaisho, Izayoi and Inuyasha left, leaving a silent Sesshomaru and an anxious kitsune and neko. The small kit tensed when Sesshomaru pushed away from the wall and headed towards the bed, lifting the sheets.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Shippou tried to look brave, yet Sesshomaru could smell his fear.

"Fear not, kit, this Sesshomaru wouldn't hurt your mother." He whispered, before slipping into the bed and turning on his side so he could look at Kagome better. The inuyoukai hesitantly raised his hand and tenderly brushed away a strand of hair from her face. "Kit, your father is a Kitsune youkai."

"H-hai." Shippou nodded, deciding that since Kirara had calmed down and was curled on Kagome's feet, that Sesshomaru was telling the truth and not about to hurt his Okasan.

"Is he alive?"

"No." Shippou whispered, wondering why the Lord of the Western Lands would want to know that. "He was murdered by the Thunder Brothers."

Sesshomaru was silent, his eyes never leaving Kagome's face, as if hungry for the sight of her.

Shippou, curled on her chest, watched the younger version of Lord Sesshomaru. He looked like he was twenty one, which was younger than what he looked like in the future.

The kitsune couldn't understand what was going on. Why was Lord Inutaisho still alive? And why was there a hanyou here living in the palace by the name of Inuyasha? Hadn't Inuyasha lived on his own when growing up?

"You're a lot older in the future." Shippou stated the obvious, in a soft, sleepy voice.

Sesshomaru made a noise that sounded suspiciously like an amused scoff. "Sleep kit. I will watch over your mother and you. Nothing will happen to her now that I am here."

Shippou wondered why Sesshomaru was so worried about his Okasan, but he was sleepy, so he didn't think too much about it. "Sesshomaru-sama?" he yawned, closing his eyes. "I like you a lot better now than the you in the future."

Sesshomaru was amused by this kit of Kagome's. He'd always worried that he'd be jealous of the kit and have to keep himself from murdering him for taking up Kagome's time and attention, but the inuyoukai found himself entertained by the young child. "Is that so?"

The only answer he got was a little snore as the kitsune drifted off into sleep amazingly quick.

Well, at least I won't have to kill his father. I don't think that Kagome would have been very happy with me if I had.

He looked at the human he was determined to make his mate, wondering how long had passed in her time. She looked older than the last time he'd seen her. She'd grown into a ningen woman, not a girl anymore.

Sesshomaru frowned, wondering if she'd been courted by another, but he couldn't smell any scent marking other than his own, and that left him satisfied for now.

He eyed her kit and the neko. He normally didn't like cats, but the neko was obviously her protector so he'd allow her to stay.

Sesshomaru also wondered how Kagome had managed to give birth to a full youkai. He could smell her on him, could smell the kit on her, and not just the scent of having spent time together. No, her scent was imprinted on the kit, marking the child as her own in a way that only true mothers , the love the kit had for her was pure devotion.

Sesshomaru noticed for the first time the markings on Kagome's inner palms—the signs of a bred mother when she touched her offspring. It held a calming effect on the kit, and Sesshomaru couldn't help but shake his head, even when she was unconscious his mate was looking out for her kit.

At least Inuyasha will have company and stop bothering me. The brat.

Closing his eyes, Sesshomaru curled around Kagome, enjoying her scent—which he'd missed all these centuries.

Kagome…he sighed. Mate home.

TBC