To Endure

Time for an immortal is nothing, they have time to think, time to brood, time to unravel the mysteries of the ages, but above all they have time. But where time was a luxury, many things were not, love was not, demons in turn were not meant to love, most never did, but the few lucky ones out there that were able to, truly knew power. He had loved once, a beautiful young woman that meant more to him then the air he breathed, her scent was intoxicating, smelling of sakura, moonflowers and tea, she was the only one that was able to make him love. She had opened his heart, allowing his daughter to sneak in and root herself deeply there, and in time she’d opened the door to his heart fully, setting the ice chilled organ to burn anew with her love. Then like the smoldering flame that was her life she was gone, leaving him alone again, not truly alone for she had given him his daughter but he felt as though nothing mattered.



She’d given up everything, sacrificing herself to save this world, how utterly cruel of the fates to allow him to feel this way only to take her away from him. He would crush the goddess fate and destiny to have her back, he’s move heaven and earth if only to bask in her glow, her fire, her love, her warmth, yes the gods were truly cruel, and he hated them for it. Sesshomaru stood from his sitting position in his study, his tiny nephew crawling around making havoc in his once tidy study, he marveled at the pup’s destructive abilities, wondering how the ‘quarter demon‘ seemed to be worse then its own father the half demon. A soft wrap on the door , and his daughter’s panicked scent telling him that the toddler had wondered off again, how the young one was so like his little brother, Sesshomaru remembered greatly Inuyasha doing the same thing many times.



Love, he thought as he sat, and the toddler crawled into his and settled down. She had made him love, had allowed him to see his brother as just that, not a half-breed, or a half-brother, but just a brother, Inuyasha and his mate had lived in the palace of the west for so long, he couldn’t remember how long it had been since that time, since she‘d been gone. Sesshomaru was Alpha, and Inuyasha beta, his mate, the huntress was a spitfire to say the least and often Sesshomaru wondered just who was in charge of their relationship. Their’s pups, his nephews were terrors, only listing to their mother, and Sesshomaru himself, at least the males, the females seemed to at least have some of their mothers sensibility, he smiled as the small pup yawned and fell asleep quickly, his daughter had waited outside for it seemed forever, he’d been lost in thought and watching the young pup to notice.



“Milord?” she asked tentatively waiting for an answer.



“Hn?” came his somewhat raspy voice.



“Is Takashi in there? His scent leads here, if he’s disturbing you please allow me to take him.” she said, while he looking at the door then back down to his lap he sighed.



“He is fine, I will bring him later.” he answer shifting to get back to work, but again finding other things to take his mind from what he should be doing. Sesshomaru pulled the pup into his arm, he whimpered slightly at the movement but again fell back to sleep, he opened a door that led to books only he had access to, they were meant for his eyes only. Scanning the shelf he found exactly what he was looking for, her journal. Before the old miko of Edo had passed to the next world, she’d sent the last of Kagome’s things to Inuyasha and Sango, luckily Sango intercepted them before her mate could get into anything and uproot it all. She knew very well Inuyasha had no right to any of it, she’d brought it directly to Sesshomaru, issuing just a warning that if had come across the journal or diary, that he couldn’t get made at Kagome or Inuyasha for anything that happened before they had gotten together. That it wouldn’t be fair to either of them, that and she’d have to put up with two pissy inu youkais. He’s liked his brother’s wife, she was direct and never stepped on egg shells around him, a quality he only liked in her.



Reading the journal’s he’d gotten a second chance to know the female he’d fallen for, she was so deep and strong, so kind and yet she always felt inadequate. He marveled at her curly handwriting, how messy and yet pretty it was, reading over how she felt, and what drove her to do things. It might have seemed vain but Sesshomaru loved reading her thoughts most when they had been in love, it always made him smile before he got angry all over again, and thus he never really let himself read them, for when he did he usually felt as Sango called it “pissy” for about a week, leaving everyone in the palace on edge until he calmed himself, or killed enough lower youkai to subside his anger at what the gods had allowed to happen.



Elsewhere….



In the ethereal palace of the Sun, Kagome sat next to Midoriko, both women were beautiful, mirror images of the other, watching the taiyoukai in action from a viewing pond, Kagome gave an audible sigh. “Kagome?” came Midoriko’s voice. The young woman looked up and met her sister’s eyes with a smile.



“Do you still wish to go back?” Midoriko asked.



“Yes very much so.” she answered.



“Are you sure you really love him? Love him enough to go back and do it all over again?” asked the elder sister.



“Yes, Midi I’m sure, I’ve loved him since I saw him. And look its been almost three hundred years and he’s still mine, never even touched another demon, or human for that matter.“ she sighed again. “My soul loves his, there’s nothing else to it.” Kagome answered.



“Mother sure did make you head strong.” said Midoriko getting a laugh from Kagome.



“Your one to talk, Ms. I’ll take on three of the most evilest demons to walk Japan, at once.” said Kagome sticking out her tongue. They both mused allowing a comfortable silence to fall between them. “Midi?” came Kagome’s voice at last.



“Yes Gome?” answered her older sister.



“Are you ever mad about it all? That we had to go through so much to be together, not able to know the truth until afterwards?” she asked her still wild bangs covering her eyes. Midoriko sighed, that had been the very same question she’d asked herself thinking over the hundreds of years of imprisonment in the jewel, and how to free her, she had to take Kagome’s chance at love. She sighed.



“I can only hope that everything happened for the better, you know Grandmother would have never let anything happen to either of us, if her sisters weren’t going to fix it some how. Midoriko was referring to the twins, Kagome thought irritably, Fate and Destiny were horrible, if they weren’t gods and couldn’t be killed she’d have done it already. She thought back to that day, the day she’d remembered who she was.



Flashback….



She’d just killed Naraku, but the jewel was her next priority, taking everything she had she surged the jewel with spiritual powers, so much her skin burned to touch, her eye had been closed but she remembered feeling her love and her daughter earn by holding her worrying. When the mass of evil was gone it left only Midoriko’s, a smile etched her face knowing that she’d freed the ancient miko, and that the jewel was gone forever. But that was it, she’d felt the pull on her soul, the godly touch telling her it was time to end everything. Her body burst into pure energy, leaving everything behind, Kagome had fought the pull, harder then anything she had in her life she would gbye or be damned if she didn’t.



After her goodbyes she found herself being pulled towards a garden, there was a stream with a small bridge over it, looking around there was ever flower known to man, there stood Midoriko smiling. Kagome bowed politly but was taken back when Midoriko hugged her. “Sister I’m so thankful to you, and all I get is a bow?” Kagome looked at her in disbelief.



“Sister?” Kagome said, taking in her features, and noticing that they indeed did look alike, even down to the fierce icy blue eyes they shared.



“You… you don’t remember?” She asked. To which Kagome shook her head.



“All I know of you is that the shikon jewel was created from your soul, I’m just a reincarnation of the jewel’s miko.“ said Kagome lowering her head, only to have her chin pulled up, and Midoriko looking in her eyes, Midoriko saw nothing, just the life she’d led as a mortal. What had gone wrong, why did she not remember, thought Midoiko.



“You are no reincarnation, least of all of that unworthy thing, Kikyo. You are the youngest daughter of Shinosamu, son of Amaterasu, second high priestess to the Sun goddess. You are my baby sister.” Midoriko said hugging her little sister, who looked as though she would fall over if gravity weighed at her body.



“But I have a mortal family, my father died when I was eight, I have a little brother!” Kagome said still feeling rather stressed and yet stupid. Midoriko wrapped her arm around her little sister.



“Souta, is our brother Kagome, Sayuri our mother, How is it that you do no remember?” asked Midoriko more then amused.



“She does not remember because I took it from her.” came a silky motherly voice, as light engulfed the room they stood in, Midoriko bowed low to their Lady, while Kagome could only look at the goddess Amaterasu in all her full beauty. She staggered back and almost fell as Midoriko pulled her crashing to the marbled floor. “Rise Kagome, it has been too long.” Kagome got up and looked at her, tears streaming down her face, she didn’t know what to think. “My brave little one do not cry, you’ve done well in retreating your sister. Come my son will want to see you.” Said the goddess as she turned leaving ethereal webs of silk and fabric cascading behind her. The pair followed the goddess into a large garden, there sitting near a viewing pool sat Shinosamu.



His long hair pooled behind him, his dark blue eyes filled with worry, and though Kagome had never seen him with such sun kissed skin, or lengthy hair she knew it was her father. Running passed the goddess almost forgotten she hastily turned and bowed respectfully, before darting off after Shinosamu, earning a small giggle from Amaterasu. Shin looked up to see his daughters coming towards him, both with their arms stretched out nearly tackling him, tears streaming down both females faces, Shin could hardly take it. Amaterasu walked calmly behind her family, her granddaughters, though they all looked more like sisters, or cousins as time stood still for them.



The goddess on high, placed a hand to the back of Kagome’s head, as memories flooded the girl. Her breath hitched, as memories from what felt like an eon ago, as her sister descended to earth to deal with the three demons that posed to enslave humans and kill the world as they knew it. Midoriko was a spiritual warrior, as was Kagome, tears streamed down her face as she felt the memories of her sisters soul being imprisoned, her voice echoed in her head to allow her to go to and free Midoriko. Feeling time pass waiting for a moment when the rift would open and she could go back and make things right. It was true that Amaterasu could push time back and stop her sister, but Kagome knew to ask such a thing would never be allowed, but her great aunt’s Fate and Destiny seemed to always be on her side, she remembered, but then the rest of her life flashed before her eyes and they grew angry from what the had put her family through.



She and Souta didn’t know they even had an elder sister, let alone that they were the children of a god and a powerful miko, that her powers had been stripped her memories too so that her past would not stop her from going through with anything. Her heart beat, sped, as anger for what Destiny and Fate had allowed, she would visit them later. “What of Momma, and Souta, and what about Ji-chan?” Kagome voiced.



“They are mortal now,” came Amaterasu’s motherly room filling voice. “They still have duties to attend before they may return, only your father, and sister, along with you little one have completed what was asked of you.” Kagome nodded, understanding but knowing not to question, it was one thing she now remembered her grandmother hated.



End Flashback….



“Three hundred years, and you both are still my little girls.” said Shin looking to his daughters, “Why have neither of you married?” he suddenly said, taking both his eldest and middle child by surprise, he’d watched them both over time, they only spent time together, and Kagome’s heart was broken he didn’t know exactly why but he didn’t like it. Midoriko recovered first.



“I will stay as I am, until my sister marries, I have lost so much time with her I shall stay by her side until she no longer needs me.” she said beaming up at her father, while Kagome still watched the viewing pool.



“And you?” she heard her father’s voice.



“I’m going back.” she said no louder then a whisper. But it was obvious that both had heard her.



“What?” her father calmly asked.



“I can’t live without him, I love him. And So I’m going back to him.” Kagome said matter-o-factly.



“But you can’t be reborn again until after the well seals, and you can’t even go back as a human, he won’t know it’s you.” Said Midoriko.



“He’ll know me, and I’m aware, I’ve already talked to Our lady, I’m going back as an Inu youkai… I think he’d like that.” she said winking. Shin didn’t like the idea of his daughter being reborn again, to new parents and having to live again from the beginning, without warning he got up and stormed off to speak to his mother. Leaving his daughters in his wake, Midoriko finally spoke.



“Your going back then?” she asked. And Kagome nodded. “I wonder if I can go back as well, its been a long time since I had mortal skin.” she said while looking at her hand.



“You’d come back with me?” asked Kagome.



“Of coarse I’m your big sister, I’ve got to make sure he’s not a jerk to you after all, besides if your other there finding love then that means I can too!” both females giggled at the thought. While from far off their grandmother, Amaterasu smiled at them, they were truly lovely girls, sighing she waited for her son whom she could feel coming her way, possibly the only god on high to be able to scream at her, would be her only son, Shinosamu. A fearsome thing she’d created him from her wrath, it a fit of rage she was at the moment her son had burst from her bosom, her wrath subsiding the moment he came forth. Birthing god’s she mused, how tedious. Shin burst into her room.



“Why?” he asked her seething in fury, which she always thought was cute.



“My little one has been sulking around for three hundred years, this I can stand no longer, her light dims not being around that demon. Besides he is a good demon, honorable and strong, worthy of one such as her. Despite his cold demeanor he has always been a champion of his people, slaughterer of those who pose a threat all that is his, and beyond that they calm each other as no soul mates I have ever paired together before.” she finished smiling at the face her son gave her.



“Then I will return first, no other shall father my daughter.” he said



“Daughters.” corrected his mother. “It seems Midoriko has chosen to go back as well. I believe that imp that came with Kagome will be returning with you, he seems to have some idea that he needs to protect my little one, though we both know she doesn’t need that.” said Amaterasu smiling.



Elsewhere….



Sesshomaru held his still sleeping nephew, having left the safety of his study, his once calm placid palace of the west, had been reduced to madness, the poor females of his pack being the only ones to be able to put the pups in their place, besides him which never happened because even Inuyasha’s pups knew better then to get on his nerves. The huntress saw him walking, pup in hand and stood to come his direction, a cute smile on her face she bowed to the lord of the land and gently made to take the pup from his grasp, though slightly saddened by the lose of his nephew, he allowed it and watched as she rounded up her brood. They’d noticed their uncles presence and calmed immediately.



Inuyasha was off on patrol duty and so the lord and his daughter and Sango and her brood ate peacefully, when the meal ended Rin took the children, some ranging almost to adulthood who helped with the young ones, and others like his favorite nephew, just a toddler. Left alone as usual when her mate was out she smiled at the lord, “Milord?”



“Hn?”



“I know it is not my place to say anything, but I have noticed how you’ve taken to Takashi, Have you thought of when you would wish to bring an heir to the western lands, your brother , as you do know does not want the job.” He looked at her, yes He did like Sango, even for a human she was incredibly direct and never made to walk on eggshells as the rest of the palace did. She held her sleeping Takashi in her lap, looking lovingly down at her youngest.



“Once, long ago, I wanted nothing more then to repopulate the Western Palace with the young sired by myself. But that was long ago, and I have had no need or want for such thoughts.” he answered minutes later. Sango nodded, she knew what he meant and about whom he was talking about. A tear slid down her cheek, while she wrinkled her nose to stop the sensation. “Why do you cry?” came his velvety voice.



“I cry because you will not, Milord. And I cry because I miss her as well, she was like my sister.” Sango said smiling up at him. Burning golden eyes looked at her, he’d never realized how much she’d become his sister, and not just his brother’s mate. “Do not worry, if I know anything about her, she will return to you. Its just a matter of when.”



“I do not worry, I know she will return. An heir will be born when she is back in my life and ready to create one.” He said never missing her slight blush. With that he stood to leave, Sango sat at the table while she cooed Takashi.



“Hurry back dear friend, he misses you so much, as do we all, besides then you really will be my sister.” she said, standing to make her way out to her children who she was very sure were giving Rin a hard time by now.