Disclaimer: I wouldn't be on if I owned Inuyasha.

A/N: Hey! I'm back! This note is gonna be quick (cause there will be a longer one at the end of the chapter) but- even though I know that first chapter was poorly formatted- did everyone forget Sesshomaru's mama is in lock-up? No worries though, she still has a say in this…

Chapter 9: Slowly but surely…

Toga sighed for what had to have been the fifth in an hour. His job had certainly been stressful before, but never this stressful! Palace life, and his life by association, had changed so much in the last month that it still blew his mind.

:FLASHBACK:

It was definitely well into the night when they began to descend. Kagome stayed silent, in awe of everything she encountered. The palace was quite amazing to say the least. Sure, Kagome had certainly seen buildings this tall, if not taller, back in her own time, but just knowing that whenever this majestic building had been made- because she really didn't know how old it was- that it had been made with hand tools made the experience that much more awe inspiring.

As Toga removed his arm from her waist, she felt the familiar tugging of her son on the back of her kimono. She quickly adjusted Sesshomaru in her arms, freeing up one of her hands so that she could grab hold of Shippo's hand; she wanted to do this quickly, since Toga had not missed a bit and the distance between them was growing every second.

"C'mon, Shippo."

The drowsy child rubbed his eyes, but picked up his dragging pace.

It was well into the night, but still the Western palace was in a flurry. Toga was more than a little put off by this fact, especially when he caught wind of a certain scent.

"You were instructed to keep her locked up…"

He almost sighed aloud in exasperation at the look of confusion that spread across the face of more than a few of his servants; if there was one thing he hated more than being confused himself, it was being in the presence of confusion itself.

"My Lord, Lady Hatsu informed us that that the threat had passed, and that it was now okay for us to release her."

A hand maid replied, eyes downward as trained. Toga growled fiercely, following the scent he now found rather repulsive.

"There was no threat. I ordered her to be imprisoned. She lied for her freedom."

"Our Lady would never do such a thing!"

Another maid spoke. Toga was before her with a speed that no one in the room- and certainly not the miko that was still stunned silent- could track...

"Do you question me?"

His tone was quiet, but fierce, and had the overwhelmed maid trembling.

"No, My Lord."

It was enough, and Toga backed off. He wasn't one to threaten his servants for any reason; he did not want them to fear him. There was nothing worse then having a traitor in your own home, and the easiest way to acquire a traitor was by mistreating the servants. He sighed, stepping back. He had a feeling that with the arrival of the miko, he was going to have to be even nicer to his staff to keep their faith.

"Good…The fact that she did lie should be enough to prove that she would lie."

He continued on towards the vile scent, slamming the shoji screen open much like he had four days ago. Four Days.

"I was informed that you lied for your freedom."

She sipped her tea nonchalantly, just like she had before…and it annoyed him to no end.

"I knew you were just angry when you told them to imprison me. Yes, I lied to get out, but you were gone anyway. It was just what you needed to clear your head. I assumed you would be happy when you came back and I was waiting for you."

His eyebrow actually twitched in annoyance.

"You assumed wrong."

His attention did not linger on her for very long, as he turned hard eyes to the guards watching the door. He instructed them to take her back to the dungeons, and under no circumstances were they to let her out. As they went about their instructed task, Toga thought-

'I must remember to fire the last two…'

It was only four days ago, so he had not forgotten that he had said "Lock her up. Do not let her get away."

He may have made an effort to be civil to the staff he had, but he had zero qualms with firing those who blatantly disobeyed him.

He came out of his thoughts to the sound of commotion in the hall. The screeching Hatsu was quick to his ears, and he could feel the headache developing immediately.

:END FLASHBACK:

Of course, Hatsu had been at Kagome's throat immediately when she caught sight of her. It was only the fact that her hands were restrained that kept her from actually doing the shocked miko harm. He closed his eyes, feeling the same headache from that night resurface as a dull throb…though he was pretty sure it never went away. Hatsu had gone kicking and screaming down to the dungeons again, and it appeared that the sight of Sesshomaru only aggravated her more.

Not that he cared. Not any bit at all.

"Toga-sama!"

The ragged inu lord was immediately alert once more. He was barely around his desk before the small mass that he had now known to recognize as Shippo came barreling into him.
The pup's tasked tutor came rushing in soon after.

"Taisho-sama, I apologize for the boy's interruption- Shippo, get back here."

Of course, Toga noticed that the tutor spoke the last part softer than the rest. He also noticed the trembling of the small boy that held desperately onto his leg. He furrowed his brows in both confusion and annoyance, before righting his expression skillfully.

"It is no matter."

The lord replied. An attempt at a reassuring smile crossed the tutor's face, and it only served to change the confusion that clouded Toga's mind into anger. What was the man hiding? The taiyoukai wondered if he was doing ten things at once to have hired a man like this to teach the child that cowered behind him.

"Shippo, come-"

"Iie! I don't want to study anymore...please Toga-sama, don't make me go..."

Substantially better at whispering than his hired teacher, Shippo pleaded with the inu lord he had assaulted previously when rushing to him for protection. He looked up at the back of the elder man's head...looking for some sort of recognition. The pup released a breath even he hadn't realized he was holding at the sight of the inu lord inclining his head towards him ever so slightly. Toga frowned, realizing just how afraid the pup was.
And what was that on his cheek?

"Shippo?"

Toga fully ignored the tutor; but if he had paid him any attention, he would have seen him fidgeting in his spot. He kneeled, taking the boy's chin in his hand, and turned his other cheek into his line of sight. A growl built in his chest at the sight of the developing bruise marring the boy's cheek. Shippo squirmed, whimpering as he tried to get out of the inu lord's hold.

"Shippo-"

Toga reached out to grab the pup's small hand that was raised to fight him off; he released Shippo's small wrist like acid after the boy whined again; his wrist was going purple as well.

"Junichi."

The tutor stared defiantly at his lord now, and the puzzle quickly completed itself in Toga's mind.

"You struck him."

Toga stood back to his full height…it wasn't even a question.

Still the tutor stared as if he had done no wrong.

"You tasked me with teaching the boy. He would not sit still and cease his rambling, so I could d-"

"You were never authorized to punish him!"

The tutor had not been employed in the palace of the West very long, but he knew the western lord never raised his voice. Shippo moved back behind him, holding onto his clothes tighter.

"Sire, the child would not liste-"

"You are dismissed."

Toga did not wish to hear any of what the abusive tutor had to say about Shippo's behavior. His voice did not waver, but the indication of his anger was clear in his stare. The now ex-tutor forced a bow before making himself disappear. Unfortunately, the tenseness still remained in the inu lord's vast office.

"He was saying bad things about my Okaa-san…"

Toga took a deep breath to collect himself, before kneeling in front of the small boy again. The pup covered both his eyes with the sleeve of the arm he now favored, not allowing himself to meet the taiyoukai's gaze. Again, Toga felt the unwanted, yet all-to-familiar feeling of confusion overcome him at the odd action, but didn't have the heart to tell the child to stop. Shippo continued on, since his earlier statement had only brought silence.

"He kept saying that my Okaa was weak and stupid, but I told him that it wasn't true! My Okaa isn't stupid because she already taught me to read and write. I told him that she could slay him a million times over if she wanted to…and then he hit me, and twisted my wrist really hard but…"

He stopped; Toga waited patiently for the boy to continue, but cut in when he realized that he would not.

"But what, Shippo?"

"…But I couldn't cry, because my Okaa says you never should let your enemies see you cry…"

Toga bit back his sixth sigh of the hour, taking a much more gentle hold of the pup's arm and pulling it from in front of his eyes. Sure enough, the boy's eyes were shining with unshed tears just waiting for him to blink out Toga was sure.

"I am not your enemy, Shippo-chan."

He hardly noticed himself that he had addressed the boy so affectionately. A small smile came to his face, and eventually Shippo mimicked him; the tears that had been clouding his vision now trailed down his cheeks, but no others followed. Subconsciously compelled forward, Toga licked at the bruise on the boy's bruised cheek, soothing the boy's immediate, external discomfort and helping along the internal healing. Shippo's small wrist got the same treatment next.

XXXXX

"I am here to retrieve the young prince."

Kagome nodded, standing from her spot on the stacked futon. Sesshomaru was asleep now, so she hoped this hand-off would not be as difficult as the last. She passed him gently to the waiting maid, breath held in the hopes that he would stay asleep.

'Please, PLEASE let him stay asleep…'

As expected, Sesshomaru was awake as soon as he was no longer touching Kagome. He whined and reached for her, and she took him back quickly knowing his sounds of discomfort would only progress.

"Okay, okay, see? I've got you."

He quieted, resting his head on her shoulder as she rested him on her hip. Kagome rubbed his back soothingly. Sesshomaru had bonded with her something fierce over the last month; he wouldn't go to any other female if she was around. He was still always ready and willing to go to his father, to which Kagome was thankful; hopefully he hadn't noticed how attached his son had grown to her. She doubted it would make him very happy.

It certainly upset everyone else.

"The prince needs to be changed."

Kagome nodded, avoiding the scrutinizing stare of the woman before her. Was she afraid of the maid-woman? Certainly not. But she was more than tired of being looked at as if she was trash. It had been a month! She had been respectful to everyone she encountered, polite even, and still they looked down their noses at her.

"I will do it."

Kagome said, slipping past the maid who she new would give anything to no longer be bothered with her.

A/N: And that is the end. Next chapter will be more on the last month and, if I stick to my outline, adult bonding time! I didb't want to bore you guys with anymore baby Sesshomaru/Kagome fluff, so I changed it up and threw in some Toga/Shippo time…I thought it was pretty cute! Anyway, the first three pages of chapter 10 are drafted, so that should be up pretty soon. Please review! Please please please PLEASE!

P.S: this is offiacially the longest chapter so far, and since I'm sure there are a few people confused with the HUGE gaps in story here, Kagome's memories of the last month will hopefully fill them in (next chapter). Have faith and me!

P.S.S: REVIEW!