Kagome woke up feeling sore all over in the most delightful way. She stretched out and sat up, uncaring of her nudity. Sesshoumaru lay beside her, eyes still closed. She reached over to brush an errant lock of hair from his face, tracing the moon on his forehead as she went.

"My mate is a morning person," he rumbled, "This will not do."

He pulled her back to lay against his chest, nuzzling her neck. She giggled as his breath tickled the tender spot where he had marked her, once all those weeks ago and over and over again last night. A blush crept up her cheeks as she recalled all their activities of the past hours. Without the heat supplied by him through their mating bond, she didn't think she could ever have been as bold. That same heat was starting to bubble up with the stiffness she felt brushing against her butt. Before they could gloss over their highlights, however, the sliding door to the gardens was thrown open and bright sunlight streamed inside, along with Shizuka.

Sesshoumaru quickly covered them with his fur, saving Kagome from further embarrassment, all the while growling at his mother. His warning was blatantly ignored, as was Kagome's mortified squeak.

"Oh, what joy!" Shizuka rapturously gushed, "A bond complete! Welcome once more to the family, dear! I shall love to meet yours at the ceremony, I'm sure!"

As Shizuka prattled on, Kagome sank in on herself, and through their new connection, Sesshoumaru was alarmed at her sudden depressed mood. His instincts clamored to comfort his mate, but his mother was still spewing inanely about the nobles that should be invited, how many servants they would need, that they would need to hold the ceremony here, rather than his own paltry estate in the mountains.

"Mother," he growled tersely, "leave."

She actually clicked her teeth at him, making him feel centuries younger than he was. "You presume to order me in my own house, pup?"

"You are distressing my mate," he ground out through gritted teeth, pulling Kagome closer against him.

"I don't see how, we're all pack now," she waved away his protest and went on to talk about flower arrangements and wondered aloud about what food to serve now that humans would be present.

"No grandpups," came a soft voice from under the white shock of fur.

Shizuka rounded on the pair with wide eyes. "Excuse me?"

A pair of blue eyes revealed itself from their furry stronghold. "Leave now, or no grandpups."

His mother made to protest, but at the added rumble coming from her son, she pursed her lips. "Very well," she tutted, sounding utterly miffed at being trumped, "but you have not seen the last of me." With that, she strode through the same door she had entered, sliding it shut with a sharp thump.

"I shall have to remember that bargaining chip," Sesshoumaru rumbled softly as he uncovered his trembling mate. "What troubles you, Kagome?"

Tears threatened to spill over. "My family. They will not be here. My own mother won't be at my wedding."

Sesshoumaru was at a loss as she began weeping in earnest. All he could do was cradle her close, softly rumbling in hopes of calming her down. When her sobs subsided slightly, he enquired why her family would be absent on a day so important to her, adding that he would bring them personally to appease her. She smiled wanly at him at that.

"You can't. They are beyond your reach."

Before he could bristle at the slight concerning his abilities, she blurted the whole story. That she was from the future, the well being the portal to allow her to skip 500 years at a time. He silently took in the information, deciding that this was the explanation for her strange garments and often stranger mannerisms.

"Don't worry," she finally said, still tearful. "I always knew this was a possibility when my journey here ended. It's just a harsh truth."

He nodded before he tucked her under his chin, idly stroking her back as she calmed down further.

She tilted her face up and nosed his chin. "So, you have a shiro of your own?"

"I do."

"Will you take me there? I would love to get out of your mothers' hair."

He rumbled appreciatively and would have spirited her away on the spot, were it not for her next remark.

"But first, there's something I must finish." She gestured to the shiny pink bauble on her neck. "Let's gather everyone and complete this quest."