A/N: Check out who's not dead? Me!

Disclaimer: Nope. No way, no how. Not mine.

Chapter 17:

(Previously that same evening)

The servants that lined the room had expected a tense silence during the first dinner of the cardinal meeting, but what they hadn't accounted for was the pressing, sinister feeling of dread that chilled them to their very bones. They observed the regal men at the low-standing table, and they also observed each other. Any observer would be hard-pressed to find out who was responsible for the oppressive nature of the room if they looked at the four royals, but the answer could be easily discerned by looking toward the help.

Kirei's personal assistants squirmed, looking only at their feet. A younger girl stood in the group, and her shoulders shook, nearly silent sobs coming intermittently from her small form; in fact, the loudest sound she was making was the sound of her tears hitting the ornately carpeted rug.

"Girl,"

Kirei bellowed suddenly, making her look up. Touga took in her appearance, his lip curling in disgust at how mistreated she appeared; her face was unnaturally thin from obvious malnourishment, her eyes puffy and red - a faint bruise also marring the top of her cheekbone from what he guessed was a solid punch a week or so back -, and she trembled with deep-seated fear.

"If you cannot pull yourself together, you will condemn yourself to my wrath."

She continued to shake, a small whimper forcing itself from her chest, but her tears dried instantly. She was obviously very familiar with his threatened "wrath", as were the rest of the help considering the shiver that rippled through the group at the mention of it.

"Must you bring such un-pleasantries to the table, Kirei?"

Youshiro said, a sigh evident in his perpetually bored tone. Touga smirked, covering his expression well as he continued to eat. Kirei looked up, feigning annoyance.

"Perhaps you should mind your own business, Youshiro."

"Perhaps you should not make your business everyone's business, Kirei. You are very skilled at focusing all the attention on yourself, but not quite as skilled at pretending that you don't want it."

The panther lord sneered, tucking back into his food, clearly upset at having been bested; Touga frowned into his rice, thinking about the fact that the poor girl was probably going to be punished even worse now that Kirei was in sour spirits. The panther demon was obviously on a quick trigger: giddy, angry, and worried for something all at the same time. It was figuring out just what that something was that was presenting the taiyoukai of the West the most trouble.

He knew that Kirei was trying to usurp him. He knew that he was behind the kidnapping of his son – which was meant to distract him, he also knew –, and he knew that the spineless panther had been conspiring with Ryukotsusei; the bastard was boasting about at every opportunity, but still managed to say only enough. Touga was still in the dark, and as every moment passed with him in the unknown he became more and more on edge.

XXXXX

(Present time)

Touga left Kagome's bed chambers, allowing himself a heavy sigh after shutting her door behind him. His own room was right next dorr to hers, but he found himself increasingly restless, and instead meandered in a different direction. With practiced ease, he followed the corridors in his home.

His home.

Yet Touga would be lying to himself if he said he wasn't feeling noticeably…disquiet.

He had subconsciously navigated himself to the nursery, and stood still over his son's bassinet. Carefully, he pulled the small pup into his arms, emitting a steady purr when the movement began to wake the baby from his most necessary sleep. He could not resist the smile that made its way to his face, dropping a kiss to the crown of his son's head before nuzzling his temple with his nose. Whimpering for only a moment, Sesshomaru settled back down in his father's arms, comforted by his scent and warmth.

"Touga-sa…?"

The inu turned slowly, spotting his adopted pup sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes and letting out a tongue curling yawn: like only a child could. Smirking a bit, Touga mused that the boy was absolutely adorable, and paternal feelings rushed through his veins despite the boy's parentage.

"Why in here?"

Shippo whispered, his speech slurring together with his obvious tiredness; the little boy slumped back down onto his pillow seeing his surrogate father approaching him, happy that he would not need to get up.

"I simply came to check on you and Sesshomaru."

Touga kneeled carefully, moving to a sitting position on the floor at the side of Shippo's stacked futon. He adjusted Sesshomaru, holding him now in the makeshift cradle that was created by his crossed legs, and purred again to settle him back down to sleep.

"I think a better question,"

Touga began, turning over his shoulder to meet an amber stare so similar to his own.

"Is why are you awake?"

He reached back carefully, ruffling the boy's hair and making him smile.

"I heard Sessho wake up, and I thought he might need something."

Shippo yawned again, his eye lids drooping closed despite the gripping conversation he was engaged in.

"I have to be the best aniki ever, so…Shomu grows up…good."

The little boy was asleep again in moments, and the Western Lord had to admit to himself he was a little astounded. Had it not been for that fact that there was no foul scent in the air, he would have guessed someone had cast a spell on the child. Shaking it off, a smile touched his lips again as he stared at the boy, his words circling in his head.

"I will make sure you 'grow up good' too, Shippo-chan."

He said with a chuckle, pulling the blanket up higher over the boy's small form, the backs of his knuckles brushing over his chubby cheek.

"I will protect you."

He promised, his gaze alternating between the two pups sleeping soundly.

He would not allow this villainous plot to continue forging ahead, he promised himself. He would not allow any potential harm to come to either of his pups' silver-haired heads, vowing that their innocence would remain intact for much, much longer. He could not fail.

He had people to protect.

XXXXX

It was night again and Kagome found herself back in the hole. Touga had called it a "safe room" but it was really just a hole in the ground, it's perpetually ice cold stone walls made more imposing with just the thought of what they were for.

Perhaps that was the part that had the most unnerving effect on Kagome. Touga made sure she knew about this place because he was beginning to think that it was a necessity, that in the near future she would need to know of this hole – this safe room.

She rubbed her hands up and down her upper arms. The room was chilly despite the burning torches that lined the walls, separated from each other only by a few feet, but she was really succumbing to the force of habit to attempt to ward off the uneasiness she was feeling. She spun in a small circle after a moment, the flames doing tricky things to her own shadow that – she had to admit – were unnerving her the more she stood in the small room. Putting her back to one of the walls, she sunk to the icy floor, though her racing thoughts made it easy to ignore. She couldn't imagine how the boys would feel down here.

A rueful smile made its way to her face at the thought of them. She would have to teach Shippo how to correctly hold Sesshomaru, maybe bring some toys down here to entertain the two of them, definitely some food, and a ladder for Shippo to climb out and get help…Kami forbid she not return for them.

Of course she too wasn't going to stay idly in a hole if madness was descending on the palace. She was the Shikon Miko, destroyer of Naraku. That boast held no weight here, as the hanyou in question had yet to even exist, but she knew what she was capable of, and that's what mattered. It was not just her duty as a miko to assist those in need, but her duty as Kagome Higurashi. She was going to help if the time came.

No matter how much trouble it got her into.

XXXXX

"You've hurt yourself again, I see?"

Kagome gasped, completely caught off guard by the new guest in her chambers. She rolled her eyes, registering the teasing in his voice and altogether not in the mood; there was still unresolved tension between them anyway, both emotional…and sexual, and Kagome was not nearly in the mood to deal with either at the moment.

"Touga, please-"

He appeared before her in half of a second, sufficiently stemming her train of thought. He grabbed hold of her arm, lifting it into view to inspect her wound. Touga smirked, managing to meet her eyes, before she looked away as her cheeks grew hot. From anger or embarrassment, Kagome wasn't quite sure.

"Are you sure you are as skilled an archer as you think you are?"

He continued baiting her, watching with barely contained satisfaction as her cheeks grew more red.

Kagome had not been speaking to him extensively as she used to, and he was missing it genuinely. Inu were innately social creatures, but he missed far more than simple chit-chat with her. She was the only person who was willing to argue with him about anything; most feared him too much to make an attempt at contesting an idea of his, and others simply were not intelligent enough. Her scent calmed his nerves, and her voice was the most soothing sound he had ever heard. Unfortunately, she had been avoiding him like a disease, cutting him off, and he had quickly found himself needing. Especially with the trouble brewing so close.

He knew at least that she'd respond to him if he riled her up enough, and so far his plan was unfolding impeccably.

"It's not me, the- ah!"

She gasped, feeling the sensation of his tongue on her skin once more. His amusement was clear in his shining amber pools, and Kagome huffed as she continued.

"Your bowstrings are wound to tightly, as they are not used enough. I think, in fact, it is your lack of any skilled archers that injures me so."

Satisfied with her response, she sent a smirk very similar to his back at him. Finished with his healing, Touga dropped her wrist, looping his arm around her waist, and tilting his head down to claim her lips: something he had been aching to do for three days.

He bit back a growl as he was stopped short, her hand formed over his mouth instead.

"What is this?"

Kagome whispered, no longer wanting to beat around the bush. Touga felt his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. He knew that Kagome was upset with him, but for his life he could not figure out why. His pseudo staff chief and childhood nursemaid, Mai, had given him quite the mouthful after catching him in the hall earlier that day, and repeated to him what Kagome had told her, but none of what she understood had been his intention at all. He didn't mean to compare her to a concubine in that she was his whore, but in that she was simply his. Why didn't she understand?

He nudged her palm, asking to speak, and she removed her hand obediently.

"Kagome-"

Her name had barely breached his lips before the door to her chambers was slammed open, making her jump and him snarl. The guard who stood at the door appeared to be equally startled, but then bowed his head submissively.

"My apologies, My Lord,"

The young man swallowed thickly, sweat beading on his forehead.

"But there has been an attack."

A/N: Let's all pretend this isn't a little over a year late and go back to loving each other? I vote yes. I'm sorry. I'm just sorry. Too much to say to put in this note here, but if you're curious as to where the holy Hell I've been, you're always welcome to PM. Like always: comments, questions, or concerns? Comment with questions or concerns. If you have an account, I try to reply to all my reviews. And really, guys, reviews do keep me writing. Though I may seem like a bit of a dead beat, I really do care what you all think, so don't be afraid to tell me.