Inuhime was in her sitting room reading a romance story that happened to be about one of her ancestors. It was one of her favorites. It was about a forbidden love between a youkai lady and a monk. The lady was then the Lady of the West and her lord was an overbearing arrogant male that she had the displeasure of knowing. The title of 'Lady of the West' or 'Lady of the Western Lands' was her birthright. The lord was given the title when they'd mated. The council had arranged the mating, since her parents were dead. So, it was a loveless, yet tolerable mating. For some unknown reasons, he couldn't get her impregnated. He, of course, blamed her for the inability of conceiving a pup. She was certain that she can conceive a pup. She was a healthy inudaiyoukai. If she couldn't conceive, she would had known about it. The Council was torn, because the lord was an able leader, but so was the lady. So, the eldest family member of the then council, like Kimiko was in the now, decided to severed the mating bond between them and made gave them a proposal. The proposal was if one or the other could conceive by a male or impregnated a female first would continue on as their lord or lady. However, there was a condition, of course, was that they would have to mate to that male or female and that the elder would approve. So, needless to say, that the lady was mated to a monk, who was given an approval by the Elder, of great power and conceived her heir by him, therefore, earned her the permanent title of the Lady of the West and given her chosen mate the title as Lord of the West. Such a happy ending.

Inuhime was about to read another story, when she felt a presence near her door. She recognized it, immediately. It was her baby half-brother, Inuyasha. She stood up and walked over to her shoji door and slid it opened. Once she did, Inuyasha had his fist up to knock on the door. He dropped his arm. Inuhime noted his aura. He was sad, brokenhearted, and... angry?

"Something I could help you with Inuyasha?"

Meanwhile, at the palace gardens, InuTaisho and Inukimi sat by Kagome watching their grand-pups playing tag. Kagome was holding Natsume, while she was sleeping. It was a beautiful day out. The wind was breezing and the birds were singing. The sun baring kissed on their skins. It was calm and peaceful.

InuTaisho didn't want to disrupt the serene and quiet moment, but he has to tell Kagome how important it was to introduce the heir to the Court and Council. He has a feeling that Kagome could talk him into it. So, he cleared his throat to grab Kagome's attention. Once he did, he said, "Kagome, you know as well as we do that Sesshomaru is very stubborn. It's important that the Court and Council meet the new heir. We heard many things regarding the heir saying that she's illegitimate or some other nonsense. What I am asking you..."

Kagome interrupted him, "You want me to talk to him, right?" InuTaisho and Inukimi nodded. She nodded in return.

They were once again in comfortable silence until the pup, Natsume, began to cry. Inukimi couldn't resist, she just wanted to hold her granddaughter. However, she had to wait until after Kagome feeds her, then she could hold or play with her. Once the pup had gotten her fill, Kagome handed her daughter to Inukimi. At first, she was nervous holding a little one again. She hadn't hold a pup since Sesshomaru in those many centuries ago. However, her maternal instinct kicked in once she had Natsume in her arms. It brought back those good and bad memories of Sesshomaru and Inuhime's pup-hoods. InuTaisho must had seen her facial expression because she was sadden.

"Kimi, don't be so sad. I know how much you felt bad about how you treated Inuhime when she was a pup. However, you can have another chance."

"Yes, Taisho, I'd appreciated the second chance that the Kami has given me."

InuTaisho shook his head, "That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I meant by having more pups between you and I. You know that I wanted a palace full of our pups two centuries ago. My want for more pups still stands."

"Taisho are you telling me that you desire more pups born from me?!" InuTaisho nodded at her. She looked upon her granddaughter. The said pup gave her one of those puppy-baby smiles that warms someone's heart. She nodded. "Then I would like to give you more pups, Taisho." After that said the pup giggled which earned her a couple of chuckles from her grandparents and a giggle from her mother. Natsume looked around. She noticed that her father wasn't around. She started to whine. Kagome knew that whine very well.

She cleared her throat and get their attention. "Natsume is crying for her father." The grandparents nodded and chuckled.

"So, it seems. Go, Kagome. Take Natsume to her father. We will watch over Rin and Shippo." Kagome smiled gratefully at them. She stood up and got Natsume from her grandmother's hold and walked towards the palace.

After Inuhime opened the door and asked Inuyasha what he wanted. He took a deep breathe.

"Can I speak to you?"

"Can you?"

"Uh... yeah," Inuyasha said uncertainly.

Inuhime smiled and stepped aside to let him inside her sitting room. She closed the door and sat down on one of her comfortable cushions. "So? What does my little baby brother wanted from his older sister?" Inuyasha was getting a little annoyed by her talking to him like he were a pup. He was certainly not a pup. Inuhime noticed his annoyed look and laughed inwardly. Inuyasha noticed her mirth by the look on her face. He gritted his teeth.

"Damn it! Don't speak to me like I am a pup! I am no pup!" By the sound of his voice, he wasn't in the mood. By the tone of his voice; the color of his aura; and the stiffness of his body, he was serious.

Inuhime cleared her throat, "Okay, Inuyasha, what is there for me to help you with?"

He sighed. He told her everything what happened between him and Kikyo. "She said since I can't give her any children, she doesn't want to be my mate anymore."

"I see. How did she came up with this information?"

"Kikyo said her and a monk, who has shown up there very recently, discuss me and questioning my ability to produce any pups. They came to a conclusion. Since I was an hanyou, there's no way that I could give her any pups. It hurt so much. I told Kagome and believe it or not Sesshomaru. He recommended that I should be asking for your opinion, since you are a miko-youkai."

Inuhime nodded. "He's right about coming to me about this. How does a human know anything about wellness for a youkai? They don't know, even those tajiya doesn't know everything about youkai. All they know and all they ever known was to destroy youkai. They were too cowardly to even try to know us, finding peace between us, to know that not all youkai are bad. They didn't want anything to do with us. However, there are some humans, such as, your mother, Kagome, Miroku, and Sango, believe that we aren't as bad as everyone believes we were. Anyways, I am getting off topic. The point of all this was that monks, mikos, or any other doesn't know about any capabilities of youkai, except those that they observed."

"So, are you saying that Kikyo lied to me," he said out slowly. Inuhime sadly nodded at him.

"I am so sorry, Inuyasha. Kikyo may had loved you at one point. I am not saying that she'd never did, but what she said about you couldn't produce any pups is a lie. You are healthy as a horse. There's no imperfections."

"No imperfections? Have you forgotten that I am hanyou? If there was really no imperfections, then I would be like Sesshomaru."

"Inuyasha, you can't help how the Kami mold you to be. Father knew he was bringing an hanyou into the world."

"But why? Why would he risks his title, lands..."

"Because he was in love. Despite what some believe, father's love for your mother wasn't the reason why he fell. He fell because his youki was weakening from the fight with Ryukotsusei. You experienced fighting him. You knew how strong of an opponent he was. Instead of resting, father went to rescue you and your mother before it was too late. He sacrificed his life for you and your mother. He knew that he would die, then. I know he wouldn't change a thing. Yes, he wanted to watch you grow... becoming a warrior. He would have done the same thing for me and Sesshomaru if our roles were reversed."

"Keh," Inuyasha said as he put his arms in his sleeves. "Are you sure that you are related to Sesshomaru?" Inuhime giggled at his question, that she purposely left unanswered. "You are nothing like him. I mean, you are his polar opposite."

"Opposites do attract to one another, Inuyasha."

Meanwhile, in the study, Sesshomaru was reading more missives when he heard a knock on the door. He knew who was there. He smirked as he told her to 'come in'. Kagome walked in with Natsume on her hips. Sesshomaru lifted a brow when he heard his daughter at first whining. However, as soon as she saw him, she started to stretch out her arms for her father. Kagome giggled.

"She wanted her daddy," she said with mirth clearly in her voice.

"Hn." He stood up and walked to his mate and pup. He kissed his mate first and then picked up Natsume. He talked to her in dog language. He looked at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. He nuzzled her and gave her those purr-like growls that makes the pup to return the gesture. Kagome would never thought in a million years to see Sesshomaru, the Killing Perfection, looking so... what's the word... looking so adorable while holding Natsume. Kagome smiled sadly because she knew that she and her father had moments like these. Unfortunately, she was too young to remember from her memory. The only thing she does have was a picture of her and her father holding her while she was sleeping. Such a bitter-sweet moment in her eyes.

Sesshomaru must had felt her sadness. He looked at her questioningly. She had a longing expression on her face. His golden eyes soften at her. He felt that it was time to spend a little quality time with his mate and pup, other than just a night in their bedchambers. He also thought about the other two pups, Rin and Shippo, and about not having any quality time with them either. He wanted to play with them, but he can't show any weaknesses around the servants, the Court, or the Council. His eyebrows furrowed in thought. Sesshomaru didn't notice that he was being spoken to because he was in deep thought. It wasn't until a gentle touch on the shoulder, from Kagome, that brought him back to reality.

"Sesshomaru. Earth to Sesshomaru. Can you hear me?" Sesshomaru gave Kagome a look that clearly says, 'duh, I am a dog after all,' which in turn Kagome giggled at his expression. "I thought I'd lost you there."

"Hn, you'll never loose me. Kagome, I'd notice that you were sad. Can you tell me why you're sad?"

"Oh, Sesshomaru, it was nothing."

"Kagome," he said in an authoritative tone. Kagome sighed because she knew that he wouldn't drop the subject until he sought his answer.

"The moment with you and Natsume brought out a bitter-sweet thought." She paused until he motioned to her to continue. "I have a picture of me and my father; holding me while I was sleeping in my father's arms. I have no memory of that. That picture is all I have of it."

Sesshomaru nodded his head. "What happened to your father?"

Kagome downcast her eyes, but Sesshomaru raised up her chin to make her look at him. "He... he got killed in an accident when I was a very young girl. I'd barely remember what he looks like. If it wasn't for that picture, I wouldn't had known."

Sesshomaru nodded. He, with Natsume in one of his arms, sat on some comfortable cushions and he pulled Kagome down to sit on his lap. Kagome relaxed when she put her head on his shoulder. There was a moment of silence until...

"So, anata, what were you thinking about?"

Sesshomaru breathed in her scent from the crown of her head. Her scent had always made relaxed and along with many other things. He sighed. "Hn. I was thinking about how much quality time that I'd have for you and our pups. I believe that I hadn't spend enough time with you or our pups. I was thinking that we, as in a family, go somewhere away from the palace."

"Hmm, that sounds really great, anata. I know Rin and Shippo would love that."

"And you?"

Kagome giggled. "Yes, me, too. Natsume will, too. Sesshomaru, I know that you are busy, but can we stay like this? At least for a little while."

"Hn."

From then to dinner time, Sesshomaru allowed himself a little family time.

After dinner, they retired to the family room. Kagome sat in Sesshomaru's lap. Natsume, Rin, and Shippo were playing on the freshly clean floor or coloring or whatever it may had been. Inuyasha and Inuhime were talking in low tones, that sounded more like whispering to demon ears, specifically, inuyoukai. Inukimi and InuTaisho were just enjoying there time watching their grand-pups playing.

Kagome whispered into Sesshomaru's ear, "Your parents wanting me to talk you into introducing our daughter to the Council and the Court. I know that you want to protect her from their scrutiny, but putting it off isn't going to work. I say, we should introduce them to her, whenever you want, but it should be in the near future."

Sesshomaru was a little upset that his parents would go to his mate about that. However, he knew that she was right. It needs to happen in the near future. "Hn. Your right, omae. It needs to happen soon. Also I am sick and tired of them; i.e. his parents, the Court, and the Council. I assure you that it will be done after we return."

Sesshomaru, then, announced that him and his are going somewhere far away from the palace. That was rewarded with squeals from the pups that made sensitive ears hurt like hell. He also told them that they'll will introduce their daughter as the new heir to the Court and Council afterwards. Inuhime announced that she and Inuyasha would go visit Zokushi. She went home after she delivered a note to Hikaru.

InuTaisho announced that he and his mate would try for more pups. His three pups' chins hit the floor in shock. Inukimi was nervous because she doesn't know how Sesshomaru and Inuhime, especially, Inuhime, were to react. However, her nervousness was for not because Inuhime supported them. So did Sesshomaru. Inuyasha took a while for him to gather his thoughts. Kagome could understand his apprehension about that. Inuyasha looked between his older half-sibling twins. Inukimi knew why he was being apprehensive. So did Sesshomaru, Inuhime, and InuTaisho, but they didn't say anything. They just let him workout his thoughts. In the end, Inuyasha 'keh'-ed and put his arms in his sleeves. They took that as a good sign. Soon, they all retired to their rooms to await the following day.

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Fanficiton & OCs (c) ladytari