A.N. I do not own Inuyasha or X-Men. Thank you to all of my readers that have been in this for so long.

Kurt clutched his cup of cocoa and picked at the little sandwich while his teacher got them all settled with late night snacks and hot beverages. He bit his lip, still thinking about what he had seen in the forest.

Kitty took his hand and squeezed, then turned her attention back to Kagome, who was just settling across from them. "What are you?" she finally blurted, unable to contain herself.

"Rude," Rogue commented, folding her arms over her chest.

"But not unfounded in this case," Kagome mumbled, sighing and taking a sip of her tea. "I am a priestess. Kurt, Kitty, what you two saw was me using my powers against Sabretooth and then Mr. Mikono interceding on my behalf."

"Wait, so like, you're like the same as Kikyou?" Kitty asked, pulling the name from the legend without possibly knowing how that comparison could cut her.

Wincing, Kagome nodded her head, unsure how much she should tell them, given that it was not all her own story. "Yes, like Kikyou. I can purify, heal, and I am experienced in fighting at this point. That's also why you can touch me, Rogue. Your instinct knows not to risk purification."

Eyes widening at the realization, Rogue took a drink of her tea. "That's kind of amazing. I didn't think there was really a choice there–so it's like instinct?"

"Wait, you knew Ms. Higurashi had some kind of powers?" Kurt asked, looking at Rogue in surprise. "You kept it a secret?"

"Well, yeah. I wasn't going to spread her business everywhere." Rogue glared at him, and then pulled her glove off and took Kagome's hand, relishing in the contact. "Besides, what I understood was that she was safe from me, and that's it. You seem to know more than that, and the only reason I'm here is I caught Kitty sneaking around."

Kagome squeezed Rogue's hand gently and offered them all a hopeful smile. "The staff know what I am. I also already communicated with the Professor about what happened in the woods. I am not ready for everyone to know everything though. Could you perhaps keep this a secret from the other students? The teachers will certainly listen to your concerns if you have them."

Giving her a kind of weirded out look, Kitty frowned. "I guess. But everyone is worried and watching your back, and you don't even need it. I mean, you're probably less vulnerable than us."

Relieved that she got even that much, Kagome nodded. "Thank you, for that. And I am grateful that you all have cared about me so much to watch out for me. That's my job though, to watch out for you."

"Besides, even without the powers, Ms. Higurashi already kind of showed us she's a badass," Rogue pointed out, still holding her hand. "So we can all keep our mouths shut."

Glancing at their still linked hands, Kurt nodded finally. He knew what having this little bit of contact meant to her. "Okay. But I do think you need to come clean sometime. We're all understanding here. You accept us, we can accept you." He took Kitty's hand and bamfed away.

Kagome got up and released Rogue's hand to clean up. "Thank you. I know that it's unfair for me to ask you all to keep my secrets."

Hesitating, Rogue hugged her and rested her head against hers, their cheeks touching. "Yeah. Just… I'd love to actually hear the story sometime."

Biting her lip, Kagome hugged her back and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking before she finally decided. "Every class you come to, you will learn more about me."

Backing out of the hug to look at her, Rogue's eyes were wide. "Wha-?" The realization crashed on her. "You're her… You're the girl who came through the well 50 years later, aren't you?"

Nodding, Kagome smiled sadly. "I am. Now, I am going to clean up here. You should sleep." She gathered up the mugs and picked at snacks, feeling a little more exposed than she planned to that night.

"Ms. Higurashi, I hope you know that you're not like Kikyou." Rogue looked thoughtful, remembering the look that passed briefly over her face. "I haven't finished the story yet, but I know about Kikyou, and she wasn't half as caring and strong as you are." She squeezed her shoulder, replaced her glove, and then walked away, leaving her teacher to do what she needed before sleep.

xXx

Up late in the study, Magneto moved a chess piece, looking across the board at his old friend. "I am surprised at you, Charles. That Mikono is quite the ruthless one."

Focused on the game, he moved a piece forward and then looked up to meet his gaze. "He is ruthless with those who would harm those he cares for. I may not agree with all he does, but he has proved to be a true asset in many ways."

"Of that, I am sure. He just does not seem the sort you would agree with keeping around your precious students." Taking Charles' rook with a bishop, he arched an eyebrow. "Or do your morals have more bend to them than I recall?"

Seizing Erik's bishop with a knight, he sat back a bit. "Check."

Shifting back his king, Magneto tilted his head. "All about the game today, I see. But I need to know, have things changed? I seem to remember you objecting to my more stringent methods vehemently."

"You so often chose to attack the innocent. Mr. Mikono had taken great pains to insure he doesn't harm those who are not involved in our fights," the professor responded, moving a bishop forward. "Check."

"All are involved, Charles, they just bury their heads." Erik shifted his queen forward to take the offending piece, the move having two purposes. "Checkmate."

xXx

Kitty was clinging to Kurt's arm when they went to the classroom for their lesson a couple of days after their talk. She cast a suspicious glance at her teacher, but tried to smile when she realized she was looking at her. "Morning."

"Good morning," Kagome answered, suppressing a flinch at the look. She was grateful Kurt and Rogue didn't seem to harbor any ill feelings, even if Kitty seemed to. She understood. She was a threat. She liked to think she had proved herself a kind and helpful enough person that hopefully the distrust wouldn't linger though.

The class returned her good mornings in various tones, Kurt leading the attendance pad pass like usual. There was a kind of anticipation in the air.

Smiling, Kagome took the attendance pad once it was full. "Alright, last time, we covered the Shikon no Tama coming back into the world under strange circumstances, and how the new guardian fired an arrow into the crow demon who took it. Inuyasha and the unnamed guardian had yet to find the jewel though." She walked to the overhead projector and smiled stiffly as she revealed an artist's rendition of a shard. "What they found was this."

"It shattered from the arrow," Kitty gasped, eyes going wide at the realization.

"Yes. The power of the jewel, fractured into dozens of shards. They were no longer capable of granting wishes, but they could boost power, and corrupt minds. The new guardian had already failed, and swore to put the jewel back together, and Inuyasha agreed to help." Kagome looked somber for a moment, but she continued, going over the early days, finding Shippou, ending on the fight with the Thunder Brothers.

The class filtered out at the end, talking about the story still. Kagome covered her mouth to hide a laugh when she heard someone say that it would make a great series.

xXx

Kagome looked around her dreamscape, seeing Sesshomaru sitting at the Goshinboku. He was as she remembered, but she knew he never sat there peacefully like that before her. "This isn't a memory, or just a dream, is it?"

"No. We could go back to the memories though, if you prefer. They were mutually pleasing." He was still beautiful here, showing no signs of the creature she had seen, tasted on her lips.

"Sesshomaru, I will save you." Kagome stayed where she was, but didn't retreat when he stood. "Your mother told me that you would be too far gone after 500 years. I know that you're hurt, I know that you're corrupted. But I also know you."

A short laugh, mocking and unlike him, came from his lips, a few cracks in the perfection of his face showing. "You think you can save this one?"

"I will save you. It's not think. You're reaching out to me, you're still you, deep down. You know I can save you. You wouldn't accept less from someone you taught," Kagome told him, meeting his gaze.

"You were given my aid. You were not a pupil. Do not raise your importance by implying such," he sneered, his golden eyes looking dark.

"Yet you chose me, Sesshomaru. I know you knew I was fertile. You were with me anyway. Even if I was not a great student, or your great love, you sacrificed for the child inside me at least. Our child. You wanted her to exist. You knew I was strong." Kagome grabbed his hand and light burned where she touched him, exposing veins of black going through him, those black lines graying, then silvering from her touch, his eyes becoming molten gold again.

Yanking his hand free, his eyes going black, the forest disappeared and then so did he.

xXx

Logan caught her as she shot up in bed, sweating and panting. "Well, that wasn't a good dream." He held her as she buried her face in his chest, scenting salt on the air. He nuzzled her hair, kissing her temple.

Shaking, Kagome looked up at him, kissing his jaw. Guilt gnawed at her, and she took a slow breath. "I haven't been forthcoming with you the past few days." She pulled back, settling against her headboard, and then taking his hand in both of hers.

Frowning, he looked her over. "You sayin' you're lyin' to me?" He watched her trace the little scars where his claws came out, the repeated action testing even his healing enough to make the skin thick there. It hurt every time. Her touch was so light, he barely felt it though.

"Not a lie, but an omission… Which is not better." Swallowing, she met his gaze, bringing his hand to her chest, so he could feel her heartbeat. "I am invested in our relationship. I did not think I would find someone here. I did not intend to. But I am drawn to you, and our bond feels right, natural."

"This isn't sounding like a problem." His voice was a little rough, leaning in to kiss her, gripping her breast and enjoying the spike in her scent.

Breaking the kiss with a longing little shudder, she pulled back and took his hand again. "That is not the omission. I have sensed Sesshomaru. I believe he has been reaching out to me in my dreams. He is alive, and I plan on saving him. I do not know how yet, and I cannot risk her," she mumbled, resting her hand on her belly, "but I will do it."

A low growl rumbled from his chest at that and he went to pull his hand away. "Is this your way of sayin' we're temporary?"

Stubbornly, Kagome didn't let him pull away. "No. I am saying that this is not a smooth and easy road ahead. I am saying that I am going to do something dangerous, something hard. When I do it, I do not know how Sesshomaru will handle the modern world, but I assume he will need help. He will not like you, and may threaten you, which I will handle if he does. If you feel this is unfair, or that you do not want the complication, I will understand. But I think you are a fighter, and I want to know that we can continue to fight together, even if there are complications."

Eyes softening a little, he kissed her again, his hand slipping into her hair and gripping it at the base of her neck. "You're not getting rid of me because things get hard."

"Okay." Kagome smiled and kissed his neck, looking up at him with a certain heat.

"No more omissions though." He used his grip on her hair and lowered her down, his gaze heated. At the first touch of her tongue, he let out a pleased growl.

xXx

Moirai came to her door late into the night, opening it for her patron. "Forgive me for my state of dress, my Lady. My vision came late. I did make us tea." She gestured to the table where it was set, locking the door behind her and then following her to sit.

Haname waved off the apology, not concerned with her nightdress and robe. "How did you never see him?"

Lips thin, Moirai poured the tea for them each and sat back in her chair. "Sight is imperfect. I cannot know everything. I cannot see through the veil between worlds. He is reaching through now though."

"Yet you let me find out from the impudent kitsune and the human," Haname hissed, eyes narrowing at her.

"Who you threatened, I am sure. And they can defend themselves," Moirai pointed out with a sigh.

"You think I would harm you, after all of these years?" Haname countered, eyes narrowing on her.

"I know you have a temper and that my power does nothing against you given our contract. I also only grasped it a day ahead of the priestess, hardly a delay." She sipped her tea, eyes tired.

Taking her tea in hand, Haname scowled and took a drink. "No more delays. I have enough control not to harm you. You're fragile and cannot defend against me. I know that."

Smiling, Moirai reached across and touched her hand. "Do you want me to look?"

Sighing, Haname nodded after a moment and linked their fingers, watching her. As always, the feeling of her magic winding with her own gave her pause. Her own lifespan was so much longer than the psychic's allowing her to see so much further.

Opening her eyes after a few moments, Moirai offered her a smile. "As always, I won't give details. But I do believe that you will be pleased in many ways."

Relaxing a little, Haname looked away from her and sighed. "I want my son back. But how could he ever possibly be himself after all this time? It's darkness that could taint anyone, a period of time that will have made him mad. If I had known-"

"You could not have gotten him." At her patron's glare, Moirai just shook her head. "Do you think he wouldn't have reached out to you if he could? I don't know for sure, visions of the past are harder in a way. Possibilities are already resolved, not there to parse through… Anyway, I can't imagine that he was conscious for the entire time. I think he woke up when she was born."

"A theory… Decades over centuries could be better, at least. Still, he's almost certainly not himself. I will try to prepare," Haname stood and placed money on the table. "You are certain you do not wish to hide?"

"I finally see the end, my Lady. Not possibilities, not whispers. Without linking to one of you, I cannot see past it." She smiled warmly. "I have had an extraordinary life."

"Yet you feared a possibility of my temper with certainty ahead?" Haname asked, expression quizzical.

"Come, my Lady. You know that pain is often more frightening than death." Moirai got to her feet to lock the door and seal it behind her.

xXx

Shippou stood on the roof of the institute, looking out at the skies. "You probably feel storms coming long before me."

Ororo nodded as she came to stand beside him. "I assume so. We'll have rain in an hour, lightning in two. It's forming as we speak. You could be in bed, you know. It's my watch."

Chuckling, Shippou shook his head. "You are magnificent. I would not wish to face you in battle. However, if anything is strong enough to breach the wards Kagome has placed, you should sound the alarm and get the students out."

"So you think you are so much stronger than I am?" Storm replied, her eyes going white for a moment in challenge.

The shift in the air made Shippou's blood sing. The electricity sent shivers down his spine. He smiled at her. "Ororo Munroe, you are the Storm, and every bit my equal. But you should protect the students."

"If I didn't know better, Mr. Mikono, I would think you were flirting with me," she replied dryly, arching an eyebrow.

"Why would I not be? You're beautiful, powerful, intelligent, and caring. You certainly have your choice of anyone you want, I imagine. Surely you don't think me so beneath you?" Shippou countered.

"No, Mr. Mikono, you are certainly not beneath me," she told him. "No matter how much you would like to be." She looked amused, making the joke before he could.

"Well, I could be on top, we could lay sideways. In a pool, sometimes it's hard to know which way is up. I am certainly flexible." He grinned at her broadly, a flirtatious twinkle in his eyes.

"Of that, I am certain." Ororo rose up, using the air currents to fly over the Institute, keeping watch from the skies.

Watching her, Shippou let out a slow sigh. He should be focused on the threats, not chasing a partner. Still, she was quite a woman.

xXx

In another realm, a figure sat, enveloped in blackness and miasma. Silver lines shot through the darkness, lighting up the clouds. Green mist slowly leaked through, burning through the clouds. A beautiful face emerged, and red eyes with the tiniest hint of gold in the center opened once again.

Another figure emerged, a great spider. "So you are still yourself in there? How extraordinary." The spider dissolved and then it was a great beast, an amorphous darkness, surrounding and encasing him anew.