Passion

A/N: I’m not really satisfied with this chapter. I think it’s stupid. My betas think it’s amazing. I hope you share their opinion.

Enjoy!


Chapter XV – An End and a New Beginning


The sun had come fully up and was lighting the clearing around the old well.

The trees surrounding it flashed in colours of red and gold; the tall grasses had become a rustling forest of hay-coloured blades. The sky above was of a bright azure with streaks of white, fluffy clouds.

The two figures sitting on the rim of the well had not moved for a long time. They sat side by side, silent and motionless. Their hair, raven black and silvery white, entwined and fluttered in the soft breeze. The sun glistened on his armour; her colourful clothes were a bright contrast to his white robes.

She had her arms wrapped around his waist, and her head leaned against his shoulder. He held her close with his arm around her shoulders; his face was buried in her neck.

A bird landed in a nearby tree and cocked its tiny head curiously. It chirped a few, bright notes.

Kagome sighed softly as the sound of the bird’s song brought her back to reality. And yet, reality was not unpleasant any longer. It no longer felt like waking to a nightmare.

A small, tender smile dawned on her lips. Her arms around her demon tightened.

Reality felt wonderful.

The bird chirped again, and Kagome’s smile widened. Happiness welled up inside of her. Happiness and laughter. The corners of her mouth curved up; her lips parted, and a soft, happy sound escaped between them. She tilted her head and pressed a hot, lingering kiss on his neck.

“I love you.”

A shiver ran through his body. His fingers on her shoulder tightened and he held her closer.

She raised a hand to his hair and began toying with the silken strands, revelling in the feeling of his closeness. Her breath hitched as she felt his appreciative growl roll in his chest, and a tremor ran through her as he brushed her sensitive neck with his lips.

She breathed deeply, inhaling the scent of forest and autumn, and the beloved scent of her mate. Scent. Her brow wrinkled as something occurred to her.

“Um, Sesshomaru?”

He hummed.

“I just thought of it … Didn’t you smell I was pregnant?”

He did not answer for a moment; then, he raised his head and looked into her eyes. “No.”

“Why not? I’d have thought - from what you told me about what happens with a woman’s scent when she … um … loses her virginity, that a pregnancy would also affect her scent?”

“Usually it would,” he replied calmly. “Therefore, I can only assume that your miko powers are hiding the child’s scent.”

Kagome blinked. “Eh?” She looked down at her belly, then up at him. “Why would they do that?”

There was a certain hesitancy in the way he answered. “I suppose, you instinctively protect the child. He is not yet strong enough to defend himself.”

Kagome thought about it. “Hm, makes sense. Funny, though, that I keep doing things I don’t know I can do.” Her eyes widened. “Oh! What if I do something that hurts you? Or the child?”

He smiled infinitesimally. “There is no need to worry. Now that you are my mate, your powers will not hurt me. Your instincts do not consider me an enemy. As far as the child is concerned, why would you think you would, even inadvertently, hurt an innocent?”

Kagome eyed him sceptically. “I wouldn’t hurt an innocent, but my instincts may decide otherwise.”

“They will not do so.”

“How can you be so sure? You’re not a miko, and I somewhat doubt you have a lot of experience with mikos,” she insisted petulantly.

His eyes glittered. “I know you.”

This caught her off balance. But before was able to think of something to say, he continued, “Besides, I am a demon, and I have a lot of experience with instincts.”

Kagome looked at him, the words that he knew nothing of human instincts on her tongue, but the tiny grin on his lips made her thoughts flutter to all four winds. The gold of his eyes darkened; the glow in their depths became stronger. He growled softly as he pressed his lips on hers in a short, hard kiss.

It took some time until she had gathered her wits again, time in which he sat still and regarded her with a dark glow in his eyes. A dark glow that made her blush furiously when she saw it, for this time there was no mistaking it. It was simple, male triumph.

“Git,” she murmured half-heartedly, and felt him laugh.

With a sigh, she snuggled closer to him, thinking he had every right to be triumphant. Every male who could kiss like that had the right. Yet, despite this most delicious diversion, there was one worry left in her mind that needed consolation.

“Sesshomaru? Are you … sure I won’t somehow accidentally hurt the baby? After all, he is part demon.”

He kissed her ear. “Yes, love. I am sure. No matter what he is, he is your child. Your miko powers will not hurt him.”

Kagome vaguely wondered how he could be so sure about that; or how he could know at all. But the day had been taxing already, and she was too tired to worry any more. So, she accepted his explanation. The slight tension that had built when the problem had presented itself seeped out of her.

The bird chirped again. Sesshomaru cast a glance at the sky and sighed. Gently, he detangled himself from Kagome and stood up. She protested softly against his intentions and held her arms out for him to come to her again, but he shook his head.

“No, love. As enjoyable as it is to sit here with you, I do not consider it wise to remain in this place.”

Kagome blinked slowly up at him, and when he looked significantly past her shoulder, she turned her head to see what he was hinting at. But she saw nothing safe the forest and the path to the village.

The path to the village.

With a strangled gasp, she shot up. “Oh!” She looked at Sesshomaru. “Inu Yasha? Is he coming here?”

He narrowed his eyes. “No. My half-brother is still somewhere in the vicinity of the village.”

“Oh … But – he might smell you’re here?”

“Yes.” He took her chin in his fingers and lifted her face up. “We had better go.”

“Yes, but …” Suddenly, Kagome remembered. “I – I can’t leave without saying good-bye to my friends.”

Sesshomaru’s eyes became cold. Kagome held up her hands pleadingly.

“Please! When I left them it was because I was ill and Kaede didn’t know what was wrong with me! They thought I went to a doctor; that is a healer in my time. They are worried for me, and when I won’t show up … I must tell them I’m okay! And … and … they deserve to know the truth. They are my friends!”

He stared at her, his eyes hard and cold.

“Please, Sesshomaru,” Kagome begged softly. “I would not feel comfortable if I didn’t tell them I’m fine. And … and letting them know why I leave them.”

He sighed and let her chin go.

“I do not like the thought of letting you go there alone.”

Kagome caught his hand and pressed it to her lips.

“Don’t worry. They are my friends. They won’t let anything happen to me.”

He jerked his hand out of her grasp and crushed her against his body and kissed her again. “It is the thought of your friends’ reaction to your news that worries me. The reaction of one friend in particular,” he whispered against her lips.

She kissed him back, a feather-light brush of her lips against his. “I can keep him in check,” she whispered back.

Slowly, he let go of her. She smiled up at him, into his darkened eyes, and raised a hand to caress his face. He turned his head without breaking their eye-contact, and pressed his lips against her fingertips.

“Go, then,” he said quietly.

Kagome stood still, letting the prickle his lips caused in her fingertips run through her body. Then, before her treacherous mind could come up with another delightful reason to delay her departure, she turned around and hurried along the path that led her to the village. She could feel the reassuring presence of her beloved in her back and smiled. She would return, soon, return to him. And then she would be with him, stay with him, for she had finally found home. Home was where she belonged, and she belonged with him.


* * * *


Kagome felt as if she was floating down the path to the village. Her feet barely touched the ground; she was as light as a feather. The warmth of happiness warmed her from the inside, and the late-autumn sun wrapped her in a blanket of golden rays. Everything around her was red and golden and beautiful.

She sighed deeply, contentedly, and her thoughts kept returning to the one who was waiting for her at the well. Her mate. Her love. There was nothing now that kept her away from him. She only had to tell her friends and then she would be with him forever.

Kagome’s steps slowed down as the thought registered in her brain. Her friends.

Her glowing happiness vanished, evaporated like air from a pinched balloon. A cold, nervous feeling settled in her stomach and all of her earlier nervousness and trepidation came back.

She had to tell her friends. She had to tell Inu Yasha the truth.

Her faltering steps stopped at the edge of the forest and she looked down at the village. She could see Kaede’s house from here. And wasn’t there a red-clad figure sitting on its roof? Great kami, what in the world could she say to make them understand?

Kagome shivered and hugged herself tightly. Funny, she thought absently, I’m much more worried at their reaction than I’m sad at the thought of leaving them behind.

For several minutes, she kept standing there and watched the village and its inhabitants. Then, she took a deep breath and clapped her hands.

“Okay, Kagome, you can do this,” she encouraged herself. “It’s simple: go there, tell them, then go back to Sesshomaru.”

She sighed and stepped forward.

She had just walked past the first, small hut when an orange cannonball attacked her.

“KAGOME!” the cannonball squealed. “Kagome! You’re back! You’re not dead! I was so worried! Is everything all right? Are you very ill? You will not die, will you?”

Once she had regained her balance, Kagome smiled gently into the large green eyes that were opened wide at her. “No, Shippo-chan, I won’t die.” She hugged the child, and behind her eyes flashed an image of her hugging another child, one with silver-white hair and large, blue eyes.

“But Kagome, what is wrong with you? And why are you back already? What did the healer say? Why are you ill? Will you be better soon?”

“Slow down, Shippo-chan, I can answer only one question at a time.” Kagome smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Shippo stared at her, his eyes almost popping out of his head. She had never done that before!

“And besides,” Kagome continued, “the others will want to know the same, and I’d rather tell you all once than everybody individually several times.”

“But … you are okay? Really okay?”

“Yes, Shippo-chan, I’m …”

The sound of feet running interrupted Kagome and she raised her head. Sango came rushing around the corner of the next hut, Miroku hot on her heels. She looked extremely worried, his worry was slightly tinged by amusement and, when he saw Kagome, a silent question. Kagome blushed and lowered her eyes.

“Kagome-chan!” Sango reached her friend and, in a rare display of emotions, she hugged the girl, together with the fox-child that still clung to her. “Kagome-chan, you’re back already! Did you see the healer? What did they say? Are you all right?”

Kagome smiled wanly at Sango. “Yes, Sango-chan, I’m all right. I –”

“And your illness? Is it gone? Did the healer know a cure for it? What was it?”

“Uh, Sango-chan …”

“Sango, my dear, why don’t we allow Kagome-sama to come into Kaede-sama’s hut and sit down?” suggested Miroku with an amused grin.

Sango leaped back. “Oh, yes, right! I’m sorry, Kagome-chan. You must be tired and … well, come on.”

Shippo, finally able to breathe again, panted and jumped down, nodding vigorously. “Yes, yes, Kagome must sit down.”

“Hey!” protested Kagome as they grabbed her and dragged her off to Kaede’s hut. “I can walk on my own! I’m not an invalid. Honestly!”

“But you’re ill, Kagome-chan, and you really ought to take better care of yourself,” scolded Sango gently. “You’ve walked all the way from the well! Besides, you returned to your time just yesterday – maybe these travels did some damage?”

Kagome opened her mouth to protest and then closed it without saying a word. Her brow creased and her hands inched instinctively towards her belly. Had the travels through time harmed her baby? She had previously not thought about it. But what if they had? A sudden, cold fear lanced through her body. What if her baby was hurt?

“Kagome-chan! What is wrong? Do you have a stomach ache? Are you going to be sick again?”

Kagome looked up into Sango’s face. “Eh … what?”

“Aren’t you feeling well? I thought … you’ve gone so pale just know and … well, the way you’re pressing your hands to your belly …”

Kagome looked down, blinked, and then looked back at Sango. “N-no, not a stomach ache …”

“Kagome! Don’t die!” shrieked Shippo. “Kaede’s hut is right over there! Come on, Kagome!” He tugged on the hem of her skirt.

Miroku, who had watched Kagome closely, now stepped forward and took hold of one elbow. “Hush, Shippo, Sango,” he said calmly, “you worry Kagome-sama unnecessarily.”

“But, Miroku -!”

Miroku smiled at Kagome and squeezed her elbow reassuringly. “The passage has never harmed you before, Kagome-sama. And you’ve been trough the well while hurt or ill before. It has never made things worse, has it?”

“No …” answered Kagome slowly.

“That’s right,” agreed Sango. “I hadn’t thought of that. Phew. Now, Shippo, why don’t you run ahead and tell Kaede that Kagome-chan is coming?”

Shippo nodded and dashed off.

While Sango was turned to the little kitsune, Miroku continued quietly, “I don’t think either of you got hurt.”

Kagome gasped softly. “Miroku-sama …”

He smiled. “Let’s go, Kagome-sama,” he said in a louder voice. “I’m sure Shippo will tell Kaede-sama you’re half-dead, and the sooner she sees you’re not the better.”

A dazed Kagome allowed Miroku and Sango to drag her into Kaede’s hut. A small part of her brain told her she really shouldn’t be so astonished that Miroku had figured out the nature of her illness. After all, he had proved before that he was very perceptive and bright enough to add two and two and get four.

When the three stepped into the hut, Kaede looked up from the herbs she was sorting. “Ye are back early, child,” she remarked casually, but her solitary eyes regarded the girl closely.

Kagome smiled at the old miko and sat down. “Yes, well … um … I got my answers a lot faster than I thought,” she mumbled. Feeling her cheeks heating up, she hastily looked around. “Where’s Shippo?”

Kaede huffed. “I sent him to the river to fetch water.”

Miroku grinned. “A little enthusiastic, was he?”

“He jumbled up my herbs,” the old woman complained. “I thought it best to give him something to do until I had seen ye, Kagome.” She eyed the younger miko again. “Ye don’t look half-dead to me.”

Miroku chuckled and Kagome managed a grin. “I’m not, Kaede-baachan. And I won’t die, at least not from this illness. I suppose.”

“Hm.”

Kagome squirmed under Kaede’s scrutiny and looked away, thus missing the quick glance the old miko shot at Miroku.

“But Kagome-chan, what is wrong with you?” asked Sango, who had sat down next to her friend.

Kagome nervously folded her hands in her lap. “Um … I’ll tell you when everybody’s here.”

Sango leaned forwards. “It’s not dangerous?”

Kagome shook her head.

At that moment Shippo burst through the door, balancing a bucket on his shoulders. Kaede hurriedly gathered her herbs into her basket.

“Here’s the water for Kagome’s tea,” announced Shippo and sat the bucket down next to the fire, promptly spilling half its contents on the floor.

“Thank you, Shippo,” replied Kaede. She saved the rest of the water from being spilled as Shippo bounced over to Kagome and began preparing the tea.

“Kagome, do you feel better now?” Shippo asked, settling into Kagome’s lap.

The girl smiled. “I’m fine, Shippo-chan.”

“You’re not going to be sick again?”

“No, I won’t.”

“Is it a medicine from your time that stopped it?”

Kagome blinked at that question, and then frowned. It was really rather curious. She had not felt sick once that morning – apart from a certain nervous sickness, but that was nothing in comparison to her baby-sickness; and she had only felt sick but not been sick anyhow.

“I don’t know,” she answered slowly to Shippo’s question. “I … well, I just … don’t feel sick anymore.” She shrugged.

“Maybe that’s because your illness is getting better,” suggested Sango hopefully.

“Yes, maybe.” Kagome stared pensively into the fire. Or maybe it’s simply because I finally decided to stay with the baby’s father. She wrinkled her nose. Nah, that’s ridiculous.

She looked up when Kaede handed her a small, steaming cup. “Anti-sickness tea?” she asked after sniffing at the cup.

The old miko smiled. “It won’t harm you.”

“No, I know.” Kagome blew softly on her tea, and then took a cautious sip. And promptly burned her tongue. “Blast.”

“Slowly, child,” Kaede said with an amused smile. “It won’t help if you scorch your stomach.”

“Hn,” replied Kagome and sat the cup down.

When she raised her head again she noticed four - no five, Kirara had shown up as well – five pairs of eyes watching her. “Eh?”

“Now, Kagome-chan, what’s wrong with you? What did the healer in your time say?” asked Sango.

Kagome suddenly felt sick. “Um … Inu Yasha isn’t here yet.”

Procrastinating won’t make it easier, she thought she heard her mother saying. For a moment, Kagome was tempted to follow that sound advice. After all, it would be a lot easier to deal with Inu Yasha alone and not her other friends’ reaction as well. But that would be cowardly – and for her it looked too much like further betrayal if she told her friends first and Inu Yasha second.

“Where is he? I thought I’d seen him sitting on the roof from the forest.” Kagome glanced questioningly at the faces around her.

There was some nervous fidgeting from Sango and Shippo and they wouldn’t meet her eyes. Miroku, however, gave her a small smile. “I suppose he was delayed by some business or other.”

Kagome frowned. “Huh? What business could he have? Kikyo left hours ago!”

Her friends gasped at that. “You knew?” Sango asked breathlessly. “And … you’re not angry?”

“Yes, well, I met her.” Kagome shrugged. “Why would I be angry? I thought it rather … nice of her to come and tell Inu Yasha.”

Sango and Shippo gaped at her.

“Tell Inu Yasha what?” demanded Miroku.

“Didn’t he tell you already? Well, apparently not. Jerk. Anyway, Kikyo confirmed the rumour about Naraku. He has indeed gathered all the missing shards of the shikon no tama.”

“Kikyo said that?”

“Not in so many words, but that’s what she meant.”

Miroku rubbed his chin. “But why would she have come to let Inu Yasha know?”

Kagome fingered the cup in front of her. “I think she came to warn him. Naraku has got more powerful with those shards. And there is only a handful he doesn’t have: ours, Koga’s and Kohaku-kun’s. He surely will go after those next.”

“Are you sure Kikyo would come to warn Inu Yasha?” asked Shippo. “I rather thought she’d be glad if he … um … you know … died.”

Kagome stared sightlessly at the cup. “She’s done that before. Come to warn Inu Yasha, that is. And … no, I don’t think she really wants him dead. I … I think, she still wants him. But she’s dead. Therefore the only way for her to have him means he has to die as well.”

“And … you don’t mind, Kagome-chan?” asked Sango tentatively.

“Huh? Of course I would mind! I don’t want Inu Yasha to die! He doesn’t want to, either. Just because he promised Kikyo to go to hell with her doesn’t mean he wants to die!”

“No, no, of course, but that’s not what I meant!” Sango assured hurriedly in regard of Kagome’s indignant face.

“I think we’re digressing,” interjected Miroku smoothly. “Yes, Inu Yasha came back from his meeting with Kikyo some time ago, and as far as I know he spent some time sitting on Kaede-sama’s roof. The only conclusion I can offer is that he knew you were coming, Kagome-sama, and didn’t want to face you just now.”

Kagome nodded and huffed. “That would be him. Jerk.”

“He’s such an idiot!” chirped Shippo.

Kagome opened her mouth to protest, but Sango was quicker. “Yes, he is,” she agreed vehemently. “And really, Kagome-chan, I don’t want to wait for this idiot to decide to stop sulking to get to know what’s wrong with you! If he isn’t worried enough for you to show up and hear what’s wrong with you, that’s his fault and not ours. And it would serve him right to be the last to hear it!”

Kagome eyed her friend and sighed. “Yes, but … I don’t want him to think I … I sneaked in and told you behind his back. And he would believe it!”

Shippo snorted. “He would, but nobody else, so it’s really all his problem!”

Sango watched the other girl curiously. “What’s that about ‘sneak in and told him behind his back’? We just want to know what’s wrong with you!”

Kagome looked at her, and then at the others. She gulped heavily. Her hands in her lap shook. Her heart leapt into her throat and she licked her suddenly dry lips. “Nothing’s wrong with me,” she said softly.

“What? But … you were so ill!” cried Sango.

“Yes, and you didn’t stop being ill and even Kaede didn’t know what’s wrong with you!” added Shippo.

Kagome stared into her lap.

Suddenly, Sango gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. “Even Kaede didn’t know …” she whispered. Her eyes darted from Kagome to the old miko, who was watching the girl with an unreadable expression on her wrinkled face. “Kagome-chan!”

Kagome cast a short glance at Sango’s face and bit her lip.

“What! What is it!” wailed Shippo. He looked around at the faces of the adults. “What’s wrong with Kagome? Why don’t you tell me? She will die, right? Oh no!”

“Shippo, calm down,” said Miroku. He plucked the crying kitsune out of Kagome’s lap and patted his head. “Don’t cry. She will not die.”

“But, but …”

“Kagome?” Sango stared intently at Kagome’s face. “Is it …?”

“What’s all that ruckus?” asked a gruff voice from the door. “Who’s going to die?”

Everybody jumped and turned around.

“Oh, Inu Yasha, you’re –” began Miroku.

“Kagome will die!” wailed Shippo.

Inu Yasha paled visibly. “What?!”

“Shippo, stop crying,” said Miroku sternly, and added, “No, Inu Yasha, she will not die, but apparently we can’t convince Shippo.”

The hanyou eyed the group around the fire, Kaede’s expressionless face, Sango’s wide eyes, and Kagome’s nervous twirling of her fingers. She did not look at him, but stared at a small cup of tea that stood in front of her. He got a sinking feeling in his stomach.

With an annoyed growl he stomped over to Miroku, grabbed Shippo by the tail and shook him. “Stop whining, runt. It’s disgusting.”

He dumped Shippo on the floor and plopped down next to Miroku, shooting piercing glances at his friends. “What’s up, then?”

Shippo scrambled to his feet and attacked Inu Yasha, pounding the hanyou with his tiny fists. “You idiot! Y-you c-care only about st-stupid Kikyo! A-and K-kagome is ill a-and will die a-and …!”

“Shippo-chan.”

Kagome’s voice cut effectively through Shippo’s tirade. The kitsune turned to stare at her with wide, teary eyes. The others were stunned as well. They had never heard Kagome speak in such a cold, stern voice.

“Shippo-chan, you are being stupid. I will not die.” Kagome fixed the child with a quelling glance. “And stop insulting Inu Yasha.”

At that, everybody’s jaws dropped. This had to be the first time Kagome sided with Inu Yasha against Shippo.

Inu Yasha recovered first. “There! Who’s the moron now, eh?” He hit Shippo over the head and then turned to Kagome, who was once again staring at her lap. “Um … I didn’t expect you to be back so soon,” he said gruffly. “Usually, you stay longer in your time.”

Kagome pressed her hands together until her knuckles turned white. “Yes, but … I had to come back so soon because … because I need to tell you something.”

Inu Yasha gave short nod. “’Course you do,” he snorted. “You’ve been to a healer because you’re ill. What’s wrong with you?”

Kagome bit her lip. “Nothing is wrong, Inu Yasha, and … I didn’t see a doctor. It wasn’t necessary. I found out myself …”

“Eh? How come?”

“But, Kagome-chan, are you sure?”

Kagome met Sango’s questioning eyes and nodded slowly. “Yes, I … there are ways in my time to … find out. There’s no doubt about it.”

“About what?” Inu Yasha looked from one to the other. Shippo was as nonplussed as he was, but everybody else seemed to know what she was talking about. Miroku looked calm but, curiously, he gripped his staff very tightly. Kaede’s face was a mixture of resignation and concern. Sango’s eyes were wide in surprise and uncertainty mixed with anger. “What the hell is going on?”

Kagome sighed and folded her hands. “I came here to tell you, Inu Yasha, but … it’s not easy. And … I just don’t know where to begin.”

Inu Yasha blinked several times. “Eh? Well, start at the beginning! What’s wrong with you?”

Kagome tried to breathe calmly and deeply, but her heart was beating so furiously in her throat that she had difficulties getting enough air into her lungs. She took a deep breath that sounded like a sob. “N-nothing is wrong, Inu Yasha. I – I’m fine. That’s not the problem. It’s just …”

Inu Yasha’s eyes narrowed as he caught her scent. It was heavy with nervousness and fear. Fear? She was afraid? Immediately, he became very worried. “Spill it!” he growled impatiently.

Kagome closed her eyes. “I’m not ill, Inu Yasha. I’m pregnant.”

A long silence followed her words. Inu Yasha stared at her incredulously. His mind was whirling. This couldn’t be true!

“You … pregnant? You … what?” he stammered finally. “Why … you … how?”

Kagome smiled shakily. “W-well … the usual way.”

Inu Yasha shook his head as if he wanted to get rid of an annoying fly. “Eh?”

“Yes. Um … you see, I … I have not been honest with you, Inu Yasha, or with anybody else. I … I know it was wrong, but … At first, I thought it wasn’t really, you know, important. Some kind of accident. Only … the accident happened again. And … and then I didn’t dare tell anybody because … because I knew you’d be angry and … somehow I … I wanted to keep it secret …”

Inu Yasha stared at the girl in silence. He was shellshocked – and afraid. The knowledge he had so long denied and banished to the deepest recess of his mind stirred, threatening to come to the front. It was dangerous knowledge that would destroy his world.

“I kept my secret,” Kagome went on. “From you and everybody else. And after a while, I began to … to like my secret. I … didn’t want it to end. It … it has become an important part of my life. And … well, my illness is the result of this secret. I hadn’t thought about it once. I know it was stupid and wrong because I could have … but that’s neither here nor there. Fact is, I hadn’t thought about it until Kaede mentioned it and … I, well, I went home and checked and … the test was positive.”

Inu Yasha sat frozen; he could only stare at her downcast eyes. His mind whirled. The dam he had built to keep the knowledge away shook. Heat welled up inside of him; the burning, violent heat of his demon blood.

It was Shippo who broke the long silence following Kagome’s words. “Pregnant?” he asked, confused. “Kagome? Will you have a baby?”

Kagome nodded. Shippo blinked. He looked at her, and then at the others. “But … that’s good, isn’t it?”

Inu Yasha’s hands curled slowly into fists.

Miroku grinned wryly at Shippo. “That depends, Shippo.”

“On what? Well, I think it’s great. Kagome’s going to have a baby!”

“Shippo …” Sango began hesitantly.

“What? Why are you all looking so grave?”

“Shippo, for a baby you need two people. The baby has a father.”

“So?” Shippo looked around innocently. “Every baby has a father.”

Inu Yasha closed his eyes.

“Shippo, do you know where babies come from?” said Kaede, who had asked this many times to many youngsters.

“Yes, I know! From a mother’s belly! Hey, Kagome, why isn’t your belly round?”

“Because the baby’s still small,” explained Kaede. “Shippo, do you know how the baby gets into there?”

Shippo frowned. Then, he looked at Miroku. “Uh …”

The monk grimaced. “Exactly.”

“Have you put the baby in Kagome’s belly, Miroku?”

Several heads swung into Miroku’s direction. Sango glared viciously. A soft growl escaped Inu Yasha’s chest. The monk blushed and sputtered. “No! Great Buddha, no! Not that I would have minded, but … Hey, that was a joke! Sango, really, it wasn’t me!”

“It wasn’t him, Sango-chan,” agreed Kagome softly.

Sango’s glare suddenly lost its power. She blushed and looked away. Kaede scrutinised both monk and younger miko. She noticed the tight grip the monk had on his staff. She remembered the feeling of a demon in Kagome’s aura; and suddenly she knew who the father was. With a sinking heart, she inched towards her bow. This would get nasty.

“But, if Miroku didn’t put the baby there, who did?” Shippo asked. He looked questioningly at Kagome.

Inu Yasha began to tremble.

“Yes, Kagome-chan,” said Sango. “If it wasn’t Miroku, and apparently it’s neither been Inu Yasha, who was it? Someone from your time?”

Miroku sighed and looked at Kagome. “Kagome-sama?”

She raised her head and encountered his concerned glance. He looked pointedly at her, and then down at his hands. She followed his glance and noticed that he had his staff ready. Their eyes met again, and then she looked at Inu Yasha. Yes, she had felt it as well – the raising of his demon blood. That was the reason he had not exploded yet: he tried to keep his demonic side at bay.

She was surprised that he would fight it, despite the news he had received. She had expected him to fire up immediately and yell at her; this would have been something she could have handled. Even if he had been overtaken by the demonic blood during the shouting bout, she would have felt more confident. She knew she could get through the haze. But that … that was frightening. That Inu Yasha would try to control his emotions and not let his anger sweep him away like he usually did …

Kagome gulped and inched back. Her left hand crept unconsciously up to her shoulder and under her clothes until her fingertips came to rest on her mark. It warmed immediately, and she felt slightly better. She knew Sesshomaru was not far away. She was safe.

Her gesture had not gone unnoticed by her friends. Sango had watched the motion with wide, horrified eyes.

“Kagome-chan!” she exclaimed, and Kagome jumped and turned to look at her. “Kagome-chan …” Sango’s eyes were fixed on her neck.

Shippo looked alternating at both girls. He whimpered.

“A demon?” breathed Sango. “He … marked you?”

Kagome blinked in surprise, suddenly diverted from the growl that had begun to reverberate in Inu Yasha’s chest. “Sango-chan … how do you know?”

“I heard about it … I mean, demons marking their … their mates … oh, Kagome-chan!”

“A demon!” cried Shippo. “Who? Koga?”

“Sesshomaru.”

But the name had not come from Kagome.

Everybody turned their heads and looked at Inu Yasha, who was staring at the young miko. Kagome blinked but answered his gaze, golden tinged with red, directly. He bared his fangs. “It was Sesshomaru, wasn’t it?” he snarled.

Sango’s and Shippo’s eyes had gone wide in shocked surprise; Miroku and Kaede watched the hanyou wearily.

Kagome nodded.

The surprised gasps were drowned out by Inu Yasha’s roar. The hanyou, his eyes now blazing red, lunged forwards but stopped short with a pained gasp when he collided with Miroku’s staff.

“Monk,” he growled. He flexed his claws threateningly.

“No, Inu Yasha,” replied Miroku calmly. “You’re not yourself right now and you might do something that you’d regret later.”

Inu Yasha let out an insane laugh that made everybody’s hair stand on end. “Think you can stop me?” He stepped forwards, pushing against Miroku’s staff. There was a short crackle of energy, and Inu Yasha’s haori smouldered, but the hanyou did not step back.

“Miroku, watch out!” cried Sango, alarmed.

Miroku gritted his teeth and pushed back. There was another flash of energy, but Inu Yasha merely laughed before, with a manic howl, he shoved monk and staff brutally aside. The howl turned into a yelp as his bare hands came in contact with Miroku’s holy powers, but although the skin on his hands was practically burned away he did not stop his progress towards Kagome.

She had jumped up as well and retreated against the wall. Her breath came out in panicked, shallow pants. Everything seemed to be happening in slow-motion, and only when the transformed half-demon attacked her did she snap out of it. She drew herself up to full height.

“Inu Yasha.” Her voice, eerily resembling Sesshomaru’s, stopped him. He flinched; his ears flattened against his skull, and he growled, but did not come closer. Kagome’s dark blue eyes flashed. “ Sit! ”

For a second it seemed as if she had not got through to him, but then the rosary blazed in a blinding pink, and Inu Yasha crashed down with so much force that he smashed through the wooden floor of Kaede’s hut and several inches deep into the ground. He did not move again.

The tension in the hut vanished suddenly; shoulders sagged, and there were several sighs of relief. Kaede let go of her bow and looked at the monk who had struggled up into a sitting position.

“That was close,” he breathed, and Kaede smiled grimly.

“Are you hurt, houshi-sama?”

He shook his head. “Just a bruise, I think.”

“I’ll have a look, anyway.”

Kagome, feeling incredibly shaky on her feet, sank to her knees next to the crater. She avoided her friends’ eyes and reached out and touched Inu Yasha’s shoulder hesitantly. “I’m sorry, Inu Yasha. I didn’t mean to do this so forcefully.”

“Don’t apologise for that one, Kagome-sama,” recommended Miroku and winced as Kaede prodded his back. “He tried to attack you after all.”

Kagome sighed sadly. “Yes, but he was angry with me, and he had every right to be angry. And you really shouldn’t have tried to stop him, Miroku-kun. That was rather stupid.”

The monk blinked at the sudden change in address. “Um … well … but … He could have hurt you! And I somewhat doubt that Sesshomaru would have been here soon enough.”

Kagome tilted her head. “No, maybe not, but he has Tenseiga.”

Miroku opened his mouth and closed it again. “Right,” he finally said.

She smiled wanly and then cast a cautious glance at her friends. “You … um … aren’t angry?”

“Oh, I suppose I’m still too … um … surprised,” Sango said slowly. “Kagome-chan … is that … true?”

“That? You mean that I’m Sesshomaru’s mate and pregnant with his child?” Kagome folded her hands that had begun to shake. “Yes, that’s true.”

A groan could be heard from the hole.

Sango stared at Kagome for a long, long time. Then she turned to Miroku. “You knew that!”

Kagome blinked in surprise at Miroku’s rueful grin. “Miroku-kun?”

“I … well, I suggested it once to the group, you know. After the … um … meeting with Koga. Inu Yasha didn’t take it well, and because I wasn’t sure I decided not to press the matter.”

“Oh.”

Shippo climbed back into Kagome’s lap. “Yes, I remember Miroku said that Sesshomaru was interested in you. Kagome, is he in love with you, too?”

Kagome stared at Shippo. Was he? He had never said it. “I don’t know, Shippo-chan. I … I think he might be.”

The hole cursed unintelligibly.

“So, that’s the reason why he was always around!” deduced Sango. “Why he brought you the shards and saved you time and again.” Suddenly, something occurred to her. “Kagome-chan! That first time he saved you … Inu Yasha was right, wasn’t he? There was something more than you told us!”

Kagome bent her head, ashamed, and nodded. “Yes …”

Sango gasped. “Since then?”

Kagome blushed. “Yes.”

“And you never said a word!”

“No.”

“And … that time Inu Yasha got so angry …” Sango continued. “He was right! You did lie to him! And … and I defended you because I thought he was just being an ass again! But he was right !”

Kagome nodded. “Yes.”

Sango exploded. “Yes! Yes! Is that all you have to say?! You … you lied to us all the time! You ... and now you’re probably proud of it?! How you managed to keep it all secret from us?! Oh, I’d never have believed that from you, Kagome-chan!”

Kagome clenched her hands into fists. “No, Sango-chan, I’m not proud of it. I said I was sorry for lying to you. And I didn’t tell you because, really, Sango-chan, I thought at first it was only an accident! Only when it continued … and he called for me … I began to believe there was more. But then I was already in so deep that … well …”

“And you didn’t think you could trust your friends enough?”

“Honestly, Sango-chan, no.”

Sango gasped and flinched as if Kagome had hit her.

Kagome raised her hands in a pleading gesture. “Sango-chan! How could I? I didn’t even trust myself in that matter! I didn’t know what was going on, how could I have explained it to anybody else? Besides … you’re a demon hunter … I thought … I was worried what you’d say if I told you …”

Sango gaped at her. “Kagome-chan! Did I ever say anything along these lines to you? I didn’t try to eliminate Inu Yasha or Shippo! I didn’t even say anything against Koga! How could you believe that?!”

Kagome blinked through the tears gathering in her eyes. “I – I’m sorry, Sango-chan. I … I didn’t really think in this matter at all, I guess.”

Sango huffed angrily. “And to take Miroku into your confidence of all people!”

“Now, hold on, Sango,” interrupted Miroku. “In all fairness, she didn’t take me into her confidence. I forced it.”

“Huh?”

“Well, I told her that I knew what was going on.”

Sango blinked at him, and then at Kagome. “And you still didn’t tell the rest of us?!”

Kagome toyed with Shippo’s hair. “I … I didn’t know … how you would take it … and I was scared … I thought it the best solution …” She peered at Sango with teary eyes. “Are you very angry, Sango-chan?”

Sango huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, yes. I thought we were close enough that you would tell me …”

“But it was about Sesshomaru,” piped up Shippo, “and none of us ever liked Sesshomaru that much, you know. And of course Inu Yasha would go completely nuts about it. Just look what he does when Koga comes to close to Kagome! I mean, I understand that she didn’t want to tell us.”

He nodded emphatically and then blinked as he looked into the faces around him “What?”

“Thank you, Shippo-chan,” Kagome said quietly.

He wrinkled his brow, but then another thought occurred to him, and he glanced uncertainly up at Kagome. “But, Kagome … why Sesshomaru? He’s so scary!”

Kaede, so far a silent listener, leaned forwards. “Yes, that is a good question. I’d like to know why and even more how this could have happened. After all, ye are a miko, Kagome. And it is even less likely for a miko to form a relationship with a demon than for a demon hunter.”

Kagome inclined her head. “I don’t really know why, Kaede-baachan. It just … happened. He saved me from demons one day. He called me at night. He said he wanted me to be his mate. And that’s it.”

Kaede glanced at her piercingly. “He called you? How?”

Kagome shrugged. “I don’t know. He never told me. All I know is how it worked: it was like a pull somewhere inside of me, a need to go somewhere. And … well, I simply followed it along.”

Kaede shook her head slowly. “I have never heard of that. Has either of ye?” she asked, addressing Miroku and Sango. Both shook their heads. “Hm. What about ye, Inu Yasha?”

Another string of curses echoed from the hole. Miroku peered into the hole. “He started twitching,” he informed the rest of the group.

Kaede grunted and fixed her one-eyed gaze on Kagome once more. “You said he marked ye. Do you know what that signifies, child?”

To the old woman’s astonishment, Kagome nodded. “Yes, it’s the life-bond of demons, Inu Yasha explained that to me some time ago.”

“And you agreed?” Sango asked unbelievingly.

Kagome blushed. “Um … well … he was very … convincing.”

Sango’s brows drew together. “He forced you?!”

“No! No, no, Sango-chan, absolutely not! No, he simply … um … argued in favour?”

“Kagome?” Shippo tugged on her sleeve. “He doesn’t scare you?”

“No, Shippo-chan. Well, okay, sometimes he does. I mean, he is a demon after all! But … most of the time he doesn’t. Actually, you’d be surprised how … nice he can be. He … he has a nice smile and … well, I wouldn’t have believed it possible, but he can laugh. I mean, really laugh, as in laugh when you’re amused.”

Shippo listened with his jaw hanging open. “Sesshomaru? Inu Yasha’s brother? Really?”

“Yup,” nodded Kagome.

Sango caught Miroku’s grin and laughed suddenly. At the questioning glances she got she said, “Oh, it just reminded me of the time we met Koga! I’m really surprised, Kagome-chan, how easily you can make friends and forget and forgive what happened before.”

Kagome smiled shyly. “But everybody can make mistakes or change their opinion, Sango-chan.”

Sango blinked. But before she was able to answer, a red rocket shot from the crater and, growling, turned to Kagome. He had his fangs bared and looked positively dangerous with his eyes flashing and several smudges of dirt on his face, but to her relief she saw that those eyes were still golden.

“You … you …” he gasped. “And Sesshomaru!?! You … marked … the bastard!!”

“He’s not a bastard, Inu Yasha!” Kagome immediately fired up in defence of her mate. Everybody else backed slowly away. This was familiar, and they had learned that it was best not to interrupt a shouting-match.

“WHAT?!” sputtered Inu Yasha, sidetracked for the moment. “He tried to kill you in case you forgot, you silly cow! His aim in life is to kill as many of those filthy humans as he possibly can! AND YOU’RE DEFENDING THAT GUY?!”

“Yes, I am! He might have tried to kill be, but so did you, Inu Yasha! He also saved my life three times! And he was always very nice when we were alone!”

“HE WAS NICE WHEN YOU WERE ALONE?!” Inu Yasha clenched his fists; the burnt skin on his hands cracked and began bleeding; he winced in pain. “Damn you! DAMN YOU! YOU FUCKIN’ WHORE!”

“Don’t you dare,” she hissed dangerously low, and he recoiled from the fury in her eyes. “Don’t you dare call me a whore again!”

“I call you whatever I want! Tough luck if you can’t stand the truth!”

“It’s not the truth! I’m bound to him for the rest of my life, you idiot! He marked me as his, and that’s exclusive!”

“MARKED YOU AS HIS! Shit, he must have been good that you turned your back on your friends! What’s made him so bloody special? The size of his dick?”

“If you so want to know, yes, it was good!” Inu Yasha gagged, but she went on regardless, “But he’s even more special because he asked me ! Hear that!? HE ASKED ME TO BE HIS MATE! Because he wants me! ME! Not the reincarnation! Not because I can find shards! Me, Inu Yasha! And he asked ! He didn’t just decide I was his! He didn’t throw a fit only to back off when it came time for him to commit himself! The size of his dick didn’t matter at all!”

“HE ASKED YOU?! And that’s all it took? You betrayed me just because he played nice?!”

“He didn’t play nice, you jerk, and I didn’t betray you!”

“OF COURSE YOU DID, YOU BITCH! YOU WENT AND FUCKED HIM BEHIND MY BACK! Damn, but not even Kikyo was a cheat like that!”

“NOT EVEN KIKYO!” Kagome shrieked. “See?! It’s always Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo! I’m not Kikyo! I’m my own person, you blind idiot! And I’m sick of being treated like a pale, less than perfect copy! I’M NOT! I’m Kagome! And now I’m Sesshomaru’s mate! And you shouldn’t talk like that about Kikyo, either! She didn’t betray you! That was Naraku!”

“FINE! GREAT! SHE’S ALL PERFECT! BUT YOU’RE NOT! YOU’RE A CHEAT!”

“I didn’t cheat on you! Yes, I lied to you, and I’m really, really sorry for that!”

“Yeah, great, you’re sorry! Wonderful! You go and betray me and think a ‘sorry’ makes it up for you again?!”

“I didn’t -!”

“OF COURSE YOU DID! YOU FUCKED MY FUCKING BROTHER, BITCH!”

“So what?”

“SO WHAT?!?!! So you don’t call whoring around with that bastard betrayal?”

“No, I don’t! I don’t call it betrayal! There was nothing between us I could betray with doing what I did! We are friends, Inu Yasha, not lovers! And my relationship with your brother has nothing to do with our friendship!”

“FRIENDS?! Still talking about friends?! Friends don’t do that to each other!”

“No? And how often did you sneak away and met Kikyo behind my back? No, don’t try to tell me you didn’t! Or that you wouldn’t have done so! Only either Shippo-chan or Miroku-sama or I caught you!”

“Keh, ‘course I went to her without your knowing! You’re always so bitchy when it comes to her!”

“And where are you acting different now, Inu Yasha? Look at what you’re doing now! Listen to what you’re saying! Bitchy! Oh, yes, definitely !”

Inu Yasha sputtered. “That’s not … that’s not the point! It’s different!”

“Where? Where is it different, Inu Yasha?”

“W-where? It’s … How can you ask?! OF COURSE IT’S DIFFERENT! SESSHOMARU TRIED TO KILL ME!”

“So did Kikyo!”

“She … she fights Naraku! She’s on our side!”

“No, she’s on your side, not on ours! And Sesshomaru fights Naraku, too!”

“IT’S STILL DIFFERENT! You … you weren’t meant for … for him ! You …” Inu Yasha snarled; his eyes bled red. “YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO BE MINE!”

Kagome tensed, eying the danger signs with worry, but she was too angry to stop now. “Yours? Supposed to be yours, Inu Yasha?” she spat. “YOU CHOSE KIKYO! Did you forget that? You promised her! You promised your life to her! That’s as binding as any marking or mating or whatever! You bound yourself to her! You can’t have us both! You chose her, and that left me free. Free to make my own choices about to whom I want to belong! And I made my choice!”

Inu Yasha’s ears swivelled. His lips twitched and drew back into a ferocious snarl. His body shook as his eyes turned fully red. “You are mine,” he growled; Kagome jumped and backed away. His voice was deeper than usual and the inflections were different. It was as if a completely different person was speaking. “You. Are. Mine. Mine. I won’t let anybody take you away from me.”

He tensed, and before she had the chance to react, he had grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back against the wall. He ripped her clothes open over her left shoulder, baring her mark. He snarled at the silver line on her golden skin and made to slash his claws over it. Kagome suppressed a panicked whimper.

But before he had even touched her, she felt the mark warm. A flash of silver heat shot through her; she squeezed her eyes shut as she was slammed into the wall; through the sudden ringing in her ears she heard a gasp and then a loud thud. Her eyes flew open and then widened when she saw Inu Yasha sliding down the opposite wall into a boneless heap onto the floor.

She blinked at him, then turned her eyes to her friends who gaped in various states of shock at her. Her mark throbbed softly, and she raised her hand to her shoulder. As her fingers touched it, she felt a rush of cold anger and worry. An involuntary smile lifted the corners of her mouth; she pressed her fingertips onto the mark and the throbbing stopped.

“Boy, that was scaaary,” whispered Shippo, awed. “How did you do that, Kagome?”

Kagome shook her head. “Did what, Shippo-chan?”

“Blasted Inu Yasha across the room!”

She smiled ruefully. “That wasn’t me.” She looked at Kaede who was bent over the hanyou. “Is he all right, Kaede-baachan?”

Kaede nodded. “Yes, yes, merely unconscious.” She looked up. “Ye have a very protective mate, child.”

Kagome blushed.

“Sesshomaru did that?” Sango whispered, looking alternating at both mikos. They nodded. “Oh, my …”

Kagome smiled and suddenly collapsed as her knees gave way. Immediately, Sango and Shippo were at her side.

“Are you okay, Kagome-chan?”

“Did he hurt you, Kagome?”

Kagome clenched her shaking hands into fists. She was trembling all over. “Y-yes,” she murmured. “Just a bit … shaky.”

“Shock,” diagnosed Miroku, and then added, “This does feel vaguely familiar.” Kagome laughed weakly, and he winked at her before he turned serious again. “I’m not trying to push you, Kagome-sama, but what are you going to do now?”

Kagome leaned back against the wall and accepted the cup of tea Kaede handed her. Then, she looked sadly at Inu Yasha whose eyes were still closed though his ears had begin to twitch. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, and fresh tears welled up in her eyes.

“Don’t be sorry for him, Kagome-chan,” said Sango. “You were absolutely right. He chose Kikyo and you had the right to chose whomever you wanted.”

Kagome glanced up at her. “You … you don’t think I betrayed you?”

Sango bit her lip. “Well … no. A bit, maybe. You should have told us, Kagome-chan. Really. We could have found a solution somehow. After all, that’s what friends are for, you know, to share secrets and worries and support you.”

Kagome looked down into her cup. “I’m sorry.”

A hand on her shoulder made her lift her eyes again. Miroku had knelt down next to her. “But friends also forgive each other, Kagome-sama.”

“Yeah, don’t cry, Kagome! We’re not mad at you!” chirped Shippo and hugged her, effectively spilling her tea. Kagome sobbed and threw her arms around Shippo, holding him tightly. She buried her face in his bright hair and cried.

They let her cry for a while before Miroku spoke again. “Kagome-sama, please, stop crying. You know how uncomfortable that makes me.”

Sango cast him an indignant glance, but Kagome raised her head and managed a small smile. Miroku patted her back. “There, that’s better.” He sat down and his expression sobered. “But, Kagome-sama, what are you going to do now? I don’t think … I mean, with Inu Yasha’s reaction …”

“If he sends her back into her country and seals the well again, I’ll never forgive him!” cried Shippo hotly.

Kagome sighed and stroked his hair. “He won’t have to,” she said softly.

Shippo stared up at her. “You … you’re going to do it yourself?”

“No, Shippo-chan, I’m not going back.”

“Oh! Are you staying here with us?!”

“I will stay in this time, Shippo-chan, but … I can’t stay with you.”

“What? Why not?”

“Considering Inu Yasha’s reaction,” remarked Miroku, “this is probably the only thing you can do, Kagome-sama.”

She nodded. “Yes. But I -”

“No!” wailed Shippo and clutched her arm. “Don’t go away, Kagome!”

She smiled, but it was a distant smile. “Hush, Shippo-chan.” She turned to Miroku and Sango. “That’s what I decided last night after … after I’d got the test result. I … well, I thought about it and my options. There are ways to prematurely terminate a pregnancy, but I didn’t want to do it. At first I thought I’d come and tell you and we could come up with some kind of plan what to do. You know, I can’t go searching shards while I’m pregnant. I don’t want to endanger the child.”

Miroku nodded. “And I highly doubt the child’s father would allow you do it.”

Kagome grinned. “Nope, he wouldn’t. Actually, he said it. But anyway, that was my plan. I came back early this morning, and … and I saw Kikyo with Inu Yasha. They were talking … but I didn’t stay. A little while later, Kikyo came to me and we talked. She confirmed the rumour about the shards and … Well, that’s when I changed the plan. You see, with the shards all gathered, you don’t need me any longer. Not really, that is. And seeing what my situation was like –”

“You chose Sesshomaru,” finished Miroku. Kagome nodded.

“What … what does that mean? Kagome?” Shippo tugged on her shirt.

“That means I won’t travel with you any longer, Shippo-chan. I can’t. And look at how Inu Yasha reacted. It would never work if I stayed with you.”

“You’re joining him, then?” asked Sango, her voice trembling slightly.

“Yes, I … I told Sesshomaru I’d go with him.”

“NO!” wailed Shippo.

“Shippo-chan, he asked me a long time ago to come with him. I told him I couldn’t, not while there were still shards to gather. But there aren’t any more, and I … I simply can’t … I must go with him, Shippo-chan!”

“No, no! You can’t! You must stay with us!”

“Do you really, Kagome-chan?”

Kagome smiled sadly. “Yes, Sango-chan. I suppose it’s because of the bond, but … Sango-chan, it hurts . When he’s not near me where I can see him and touch him I ache all over. Even breathing hurts like hell. And I simply don’t want to feel torn any longer. Plus, it’s not fair, to either party, if I stay with you. We couldn’t go on as we did before, not with Inu Yasha like … like this. And I’d be not really here, not while he’s not with me. But he’d never join us; nor would Inu Yasha tolerate it. What can I do? It’s my chance, Sango-chan, to … well, to rectify the situation as best as I can. And I will not let it pass.”

Sango sniffed, and then suddenly hugged Kagome tightly. “I’ll miss you, Kagome-chan!”

Kagome hugged her back. “I’ll miss you too, Sango-chan, all of you.”

Shippo began crying loudly. “No, no, no, Kagome, don’t go! D-don’t g-go aw-way as w-well!”

Kagome let go of Sango and hugged him. “I have to, Shippo-chan.”

“Nooo! Please! Please don’t go!”

Kagome shook her head and turned to Miroku. “Miroku-kun …”

He smiled softly and pulled her into his arms. “If you had agreed to carry my child, you wouldn’t be having these problems now.”

Kagome sobbed. “Pervert.” She hugged him tightly. “I’ll miss you, my friend,” she whispered into his shoulder.

For a moment, his arms tightened around her. “Tell your demon to take good care of you, because if he doesn’t he’ll be in trouble.”

“I’ll tell him.” She smiled at the monk and he smiled shakily back, his eyes suspiciously bright. When she let go of him, Shippo jumped into her arms once more.

“Kagome! Please, please, don’t go! We’ll all protect you and … and make Inu Yasha understand and … he’ll be nice, I promise, I’ll make him …”

“Shippo …” began Sango.

“NO! No, Kagome can’t go! She must stay!” The child looked wildly from one to the other. “It’s all Inu Yasha’s fault! If he’d been nicer Kagome wouldn’t go! I hate him! I hate him!”

“Shippo-chan!” Kagome said gently, but with a cool undertone in her voice. The kitsune sniffled and looked at her with wide eyes. “That was very unkind of you. Besides, it is not true. I would have gone anyway, whether Inu Yasha had been nice or not.”

“Then let me go with you!” Shippo seized hold of her shirt and tugged on it. “Take me with you! I want to be with you, Kagome!”

Kagome sighed. “And who will take care of Inu Yasha?”

“I don’t care!”

“But I do, Shippo-chan. Besides, would you really want to travel in Sesshomaru’s company?”

Shippo hiccupped. “Yes, yes, if I can go with you!”

Kagome shook her head. “No, you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t put up with being summarily commanded to do this or that, and he wouldn’t tolerate you talking back to him. Plus, he would not allow you to sit in my lap or tolerate it if I carry you. And, of course, you would have to sleep alone.”

“No, why?”

Sango coughed and blushed. Miroku grinned. Kagome raised her brows. “Because, Shippo-chan, he sleeps with me.”

Shippo balled his small fists. “But I always sleep with you! That’s unfair!”

Miroku chuckled and plucked the kitsune out of Kagome’s lap. “Believe me, Shippo, you wouldn’t want to share a bed with Kagome in Sesshomaru’s company. Pity I can’t go. I wouldn’t mind at all.”

“Miroku!” Sango punched his arm. “Pervert!”

Shippo blinked and then gasped as he understood. A red to match his hair shot into his cheeks. “Pervert!”

Kaede smiled grimly and turned to Kagome. “Will ye go immediately, child?”

The young miko nodded. “Yes, Kaede-baachan.” She looked steadily at the old woman. “I’m sorry if I have disappointed you.”

Kaede shook her head. “Ye are a strange girl, Kagome. I would have been surprised if you had not something strange happen to ye.”

Kagome tilted her head questioningly, but the old miko only gave her a small smile. Kagome shrugged, and then bowed deeply to Kaede. “Thank you, Kaede-baachan. For everything.”

“Don’t thank me, child. It was a pleasure to have met you.”

“Do you go now, Kagome-chan?”

Kagome got to her feet. “Yes.” She paused, looked at the still unconscious Inu Yasha. “Is he really okay, Kaede-baachan? He’s been out for so long.”

The old miko grunted. “He has a thick skull, child. He will be fine.”

Kagome nodded with a sigh, then walked over and knelt down next to him. Gently, she brushed his bangs out of his face, leaned down and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Good bye, Inu Yasha,” she whispered. “I’ll miss you, you stubborn jerk. Become happy, my friend.”

She rose and faced the others. They had all tears in their eyes, and she smiled at them. Shippo jumped into her arms again. “Please, come and visit us, Kagome,” he begged.

“I will, if I can. Please, take care of Inu Yasha for me, will you?”

Shippo hesitated. “Kagome, do you really have to go?”

“Yes.”

“And I really couldn’t sleep with you if I came with you?”

“No.”

He sighed and then nodded. “I’ll take care of Inu Yasha.”

“Thank you, Shippo-chan. And if you come across Kikyo, be nice, yes?”

“If she’s nice, too!”

Kagome laughed and sat him down before she turned to Miroku and Sango. The demon huntress was sniffing and furiously wiping at her eyes. Kagome felt their sadness and wished she could do something to make this easier for them. Her own sadness at leaving them was fading. Yes, she would miss them very much. But her place was now at her mate’s side.

“Good-bye, Miroku-kun, Sango-chan. Take care.” A mischievous spark lit up in her eyes as she looked at them, standing so close together, almost but not quite touching. “You know, talking to each other might help.”

They looked at each other and blushed when they noticed they were caught looking. Kagome giggled, winked at a grinning Kaede, and stepped out of the hut.

Outside, she straightened and took a deep breath. She felt light again; light and bright and happy. With a rapidly growing smile on her face, she turned towards the forest that harboured the well. The villagers bowed to her, and she nodded back. Outside of the village, she sped up and, once on top of the hill, fell into a trot. She could feel her old life fall behind her and the new one was beckoning brightly from ahead. She was drawn forwards towards it, towards him, like a magnet to her true north.

She ran along the path to the well, a laugh bubbling in her chest. Finally, finally, finally, her heart sang. She came round a bend and saw him standing at the well, facing her. Once more was she stunned by his beauty. The thought that he was hers, hers alone, increased her speed and she flew into his embrace.

She felt her body bruise at the harsh contact with his armour, but she did not care. His arm was wrapped around her, and his lips were on hers, hot and devouring, and she drowned in happiness. She tangled her fingers into his hair and arched against his body; tears spilled from her eyes, and he growled softly when he tasted the salt.

He moved his mouth to her ear and pressed a hot kiss on the soft skin behind it before whispering, “Did he hurt you?”

Kagome shook her head. “No. No, he didn’t,” she whispered breathlessly. Her heart beat joyously as the closeness of its mate. She felt her soul reach out to his, and a delicious shiver ran down her spine.

He raised his head minutely to look into her eyes. “Why are you crying then?” he asked, his voice low and husky.

She brought one hand up to his face and caressed his cheek. The wonderful feeling of completeness, of rightness bloomed inside of her. It grew into a crystal ball of light and love that surrounded them.

“I’m happy, love,” she told him quietly. “I’m happy.”

He laughed silently, and then kissed the tears from her face. “So am I,” she thought she heard him whisper. “So am I.”

Their lips melted into a tender kiss that lasted forever.

But forever is not long at all; he raised his head. His eyes glowed as he smiled into her deep-blue gaze. “Are you ready to go?”

She smiled back brilliantly and nodded.

He let go of her and stepped back. With a tilt of his head, he drew her attention to her rucksack. “Do you need this?”

Kagome blinked; she had totally forgotten that she had brought it with her. “Oh … yes, I suppose.”

She lifted it up, and then suddenly gasped. “Oh! I forgot!” She opened the bag and began to dig in its depth, and finally drew a small jar out of it. There were several glistening shards in the jar. “I forgot to take them with me and give them to my friends. Hm, what now?”

She wrinkled her nose, and pondered on the problem. An idea occurred to her and she decided to give it a try. She sat the jar down on the rim, closed the bag and hoisted it onto her shoulders. Then, she took up the jar, regarded it for a moment, and then threw it into the well. There was a short flash of blue light, and then the feeling of the shards was gone.

Encountering Sesshomaru’s questioning gaze, she explained, “I couldn’t leave the jar here on the well. It would have attracted demons. So, I sent it to my time where the shards are safe until Inu Yasha comes to pick them up.”

A narrow brow rose. “You can send items through the well?”

“No, not all items. Only shards. I don’t know why it works for them, but they can travel through time on their own.” She shrugged. “At least, that was the theory.” She grinned. “And it worked.”

His other brow rose as well. “And if it had not worked?”

“Then I would have thought of something else.”

“Indeed.” Sesshomaru gazed down the well and then at her. “Was this you last obligation?”

She nodded; the sudden flash of excitement inside of her robbed her of all words.

A slow grin spread across his features. Slowly, he extended his hand towards her. She looked at it, at him, took a deep breath and took his hand. There was a wild, dark glow behind his golden eyes. Her mouth went dry as her blood turned to lava.

“W-where are we going now?” she managed as he led her into the forest, away from the well, the village and her old life.

He smiled at her. “Home.”

The End.

Of the first part of Passion.


Ha, scared you? Don’t worry. I thought about ending it here, but there are too many loose threads hanging around. Therefore, Passion is not over yet. However, I’m going to take a break from it. I don’t really want to, because Passion is my favourite. I really love writing it. But I want to focus on my other WIP, The Diary, and finish Divine Concubine. And Passion has come to a stage where I can leave it for some time.