When Kagome turned forty, she didnt want to see anyone. But Sesshomaru did not much care and came anyway.

She angrily walked around her hut, which was now twice the size.

"Im not sleeping with you," She snapped, making him raise an eyebrow. While she had aged, he was not opposed to them doing it again; they had done it quite a few times during her visits with Rin.

She had fallen for him, but refused to say it, refused to give him any clue that she had.

She tried to move on. She tried courting men, and she did. Well, demon men. Most were turned off by her power or her lifestyle. None lasted more than a few weeks, and she had only slept with two others.

She wanted to get married, have kids but now that she was forty, she knew, even if she did get married, which was almost unheard of at this age in this time, she would never have kids. It was far to dangerous.

"I do not come simply for that,"

"Then why did you come? I recall saying, dont come,"

"This age turning has made you grumpy,"

She glared daggers at him. "Yes, it has," She said deadly and calmly, and it almost gave him goosebumps. She turned back to cutting whatever it was she was cutting. Then he heard sniffles.

"Why are you crying,"

"Hormones." She snapped, "Grumpy old lady hormones,"

"You are not old,"

"I'm Old enough that I can't have kids," she said under her breath, trying to get a grip.

He unfolded his arms and pushed away from the wall. "Is that the reason for your bad mood?"

She turned, knife in hand, not that he was afraid of it.

"Yes Sesshomaru! I am upset and mad because today is a painful reminder that I, I waited to long," Tears streamed down her face.

"It is my understanding one does not need a husband to bear a child,"

"Are you kidding me right now?"

"I am sure one of your suitors would have obliged,"

She wanted to kill him. "I didnt want a sperm donor, you asshole!"

"Yet if you were aware of your fertility-"

"You are the closes as I have ever gotten to pregnancy, Sesshomaru,"

The room went cold, and she turned back around.

It hit him like a tone of bricks. She could have had children, but true to her words she somehow fell to him.

"You are angry with me then?"

She signed. "No, Sesshomaru, im not angry with you, and would you care if I was,"

Actually, he did care; surely she knew that?

"Dont get cocky; I didnt hold out just because I liked you. I just have higher moral standards, and well, a pregnant, not married Miko is just bad mojo all around,"

She turned away from him again. "Could you imagine coming to visit and me pregnant with no husband,"

It sounded bad, and for her, it would have been, yet.

"You could have come West, it would have been an option,"

But that would have hurt all the more.

"Thanks Sesshomaru," He meant well, she knew he did and she knew who and how he was. None of this was his fault. It was just luck of life.

"While I am sad, I would not change my choices; I would not want to bring a child into this world fatherless," She missed her own.

Sesshmomaru gracefully bowed out, giving her a glance over once more. Seeing the sadness in her face, an arrow of regret shot through him. He batted it away.

This time, he did not ask her to come West.

Besides, he knew what she would say.