Blood Stained

A/N: O. M. G. I'm not dead! It's pretty shocking right? I'm really sorry for this long, long, long delay. This is my last year at school, and it really had to come first. It still does. So, I can't guarantee fast updates for the next few months, but I'll do my best. I have updates coming for my other stories as well. Thank you all for your patience.

Blood Stained

Chapter 84: Home Sweet Home

Nervous.

The word was not strong enough to describe how she felt. The plane ride seemed like the longest event of her life. Although she was lucky that Kiyoshi seemed to enjoy flying, as expected, her stress level still rose with every passing second. Maybe if she warned her mother before they got there she wouldn't be as worried.

Now it was going to be more than a surprise, but a shock as well. Kagome doubted that her mother would find this to be a pleasing surprise visit.

Her mother was known to be accepting and loving and she supported her through it all no matter how difficult it was. But this? She did not think there was a mother in the world that could overlook this. The idea sounded just as insane to Kagome but there was more than meets the eye when it came to her relationship with Sesshomaru.

Since they were now out of the plane and in the middle of the airport, the dreaded meeting was growing closer. Her sweaty hands were carefully holding her son while a million thoughts ran through her mind. She could feel Sesshomaru's presence near her but he chose to remain quiet the entire time. She knew that he could feel her distressed aura.

No matter what scenario she played in her mind, she did not see a good ending happening. The only thing left to figure out was how to proceed with it; did she let Sesshomaru make an appearance first to get it out of the way, or did they enter as a family? Should she go inside first with Kiyoshi? She could already tell the first option was not going to be a good idea which left her with the last two options.

"It might be preferable if you and Kiyoshi entered the shrine first." Although he probably was still going to get hell from her mother and get kicked out, it would be more polite to prepare her for the bad news.

Right; mind reading. He should probably stay out of her head at the moment; it was a chaotic mess. Then again, it always was when Sesshomaru and her had to take a step in their relationship.

On top if it all, it did not feel right that her mother was always kept out of her life. When she used to travel between the Modern and Feudal era, her mother never saw her, or barely saw her, and she was constantly left to wonder if Kagome was alive or not.

They made it outside and she immediately spotted a luxurious car she assumed was for them. She watched as a man ran out of it and dashed in their direction to retrieve the luggage. Sesshomaru opened the door for Kagome and helped her in while she settled comfortably with their son in her arms.

Now that they were back home, they would have to re-do everything from scratch; a room for their son, supplies and a suitable environment. Yes, Sesshomaru had a house, though he was planning to move closer, but they had not discussed the issue of moving in together just yet. It was true that they lived together at the hotel but they both knew it was a temporary situation. Actually living together was a whole different story.

On top of everything, their whole situation still had a few quirks that needed adjustments. His beast was one of them. Although he was giving them the same trouble as he was before, the situation was left unresolved.

Suddenly she felt Sesshomaru grab her hands and intertwine their fingers together. The warmth of his hand spread to her body and she silently sighed. To be honest, he should be the nervous one, yet he was the one comforting her. In all technicalities, their only human bond was their son. Mating did not mean much in the human Modern Era.

Marriage.

She thought of it a few times – actually not really. When she fell down the well she was too young to have it as her main focus and then, well, everything happened. Still, the thought happened to cross her mind once or twice in the past, but she never thought it was something she'd consider at eighteen years old and without a high school diploma.

"She might not let you in."

It was a difficult situation. It was not Kagome's house and she could not tell her mother would to allow in and who to kick out. Also, despite all the nice things she had to say about Sesshomaru, she now understood motherly instincts. It did not matter what Sesshomaru did now, it mattered what he did then. At least for the first meeting.

She cringed. It was their first meeting. Kami.

"Then I will not go inside."

He wished to prove to her mother he could take care of her daughter and Kiyoshi but he would not impose himself. Obviously his pride was going to take a blow and he was fairly certain every single instinct he had would scream at him to challenge her authority as if this was still five hundred years ago. Unfortunately, he had to hold his nature back.

If Kagome's mother was anything like her daughter, he knew he was not even going to get up those stairs before her mother chased him away.

"But I don't want that." The whole point of this meeting was to figure it all out. Then again, it might be easier to talk to her mother if Sesshomaru was not present.

"All in due time."

Now that he thought carefully about it, he had more than her mother to be concerned with. He also had her brother and her grandfather. To add to the ever growing list of things in his way, he was not able to forget that her mother was also a descendant of Rin. He might not have hurt her like he did with Kagome, but some serious making up was definitively in order.

The only person not stressed by this meeting was Kiyoshi. He was peacefully asleep in his mother's arms which Kagome found quite surprising. If there was someone who could sense tension it was him. Still, she was glad he was asleep rather than suffering from hers and Sesshomaru's disturbed auras.

Her mother was going to be thrilled when she saw him.

The rest of the car ride was fairly silent, but Sesshomaru never released Kagome's hand. He made sure his hand was steady to give her the re-assurance she needed. Inside, he was praying for the worst not to happen. He knew his beast managed to behave itself lately, but he felt that they were cursed so naturally it would choose this moment to ruin it all.

He did not think his beast would hurt anyone, but he doubted Kagome's mother would like the things it had to say.

Finally, the car came to a stop and Kagome held her breath. Sesshomaru was the first to exit before Kagome followed slowly. He signaled to the driver to leave. If it failed and her mother did not allow him inside he would just take a nice long walk or possibly even a run.

Kagome watched as the car left and then slowly focused her attention on the million stairs that stood in front of her. It always seemed like it took forever to get to the actual house, but today she had a feeling it that time was going to speed by.

She went first and Sesshomaru slowly followed behind her. Kiyoshi was carefully tucked against her as she went up the never ending stairs. Her insides were twisted and she felt slightly nauseous yet she held it together.

Moments later, they reached the top. She came a halt for a second and Sesshomaru stopped behind her. The house was in view and she was certain that if she took another few steps, she'd see her mother through the glass doors. She took a deep breath before she dared to turn her head to look at Sesshomaru.

"Ready?" she whispered.

No. Still, he was as ready as he was ever going to be. It was not like he did not know this moment was coming. "Yes."

He was now conscious of his empty hands but he also knew that bringing a gift for this meeting would have probably been a bigger insult. He was not a normal boyfriend trying to win over a girlfriend's mother… he was… dare he even say it? He had to. He was her daughter's rapist who was trying to make amends and bring himself into their lives.

Part of him felt that if she allowed him in, it meant she was completely insane.

The woman could not even have a nice opinion of him because the non-beast part of him used to be an asshole. Well to Kagome at least or… actually pretty much to everyone. On top of that, she was a mother and obviously she was going to be very protective of Kagome.

And he was nervous.

His heart stopped beating for a moment when Kagome raised her hand and knocked on the glass door.

Usually, Kagome would simply slide the door open and walk in. However, she did not think it was wise to let her mother simply walk in on them, on this situation. It was safer for her to walk to the door and see them while they were outside. It was not until footsteps were heard that Kagome noticed just how hard her heart was beating and how painful each heartbeat was.

The sounds grew closer and closer until finally, Kagome's mother's face came into view. At first, her expression was neutral, but when her eyes locked with Kagome's, she broke into a smile. Her eyes were shifting from her daughter's face to the little buddle of joy Kagome was holding.

Surprisingly, she slid the door open before even taking account of Sesshomaru's presence.

Of course, all went downhill once she stepped outside. Despite her joy at seeing her daughter alive and well along with her grandson, noticing Sesshomaru made her freeze.

No reaction. No yelling, no breathing.

Seeing her mother hold her breath caused Kagome to do the same thing. She was afraid any movement would break her out of her trance.

Then it happened.

In a flash, Kagome saw her mother moving, but it was not until she heard the violent smack echoing through the emptiness that she processed what occurred. Tears were glistening in Miyu's eyes while Sesshomaru stood in front of her blinking.

However, his head was no longer facing forward. The force of the hit actually managed to turn his head to the side. He was a youkai, she was a human and yet, his cheek was burning. He strongly believed there was a red hue decorating his pale skin.

Miyu was breathing heavily as if the hit took all the energy she had. She did not speak because there were no words. Nobody was moving, nobody was uttering a word.

But it was not over.

Once again, another slap came along. This time, it was Sesshomaru's other cheek that was the target.

Miyu was not a violent woman. She endured many hardships with a smile on her face. Also, she knew if her daughter brought this man to their house, she trusted him. Unfortunately, none of these facts did anything to lessen the motherly rage stirring within her. She saw her daughter broken, damaged and beyond fixing. She knew she would recover eventually, but she saw her in that state nonetheless.

She turned her shaking body to face her daughter. Her throat was dry, her eyes were burning and her tears were like fire.

With a softness only a mother could give she wrapped her arms around Kagome, mindful of the child in her arms. She pressed her head against Kagome's, her heart ready to burst because she was overwhelmed. Too many feelings clashed inside of her, and her trembling only increased.

When Kagome raised her arms to hold her, the dam broke and a few tears rolled down Miyu's cheeks. She barely heard from her daughter the entire time she was gone. She knew in her heart she was fine, she had to be. How many times did she disappear through the well without returning for weeks? Her daughter was strong and she could withstand many difficult situations.

This was different. It should not be, but it was. That man was the one who caused Kagome to fall apart for the first time.

She did not know the whole story. Not what happened prior to them leaving together or what happed during their trip. It did not really change anything, except that it was obvious her daughter trusted him. If she did not, she would not have brought him here. Kagome was a smart girl; she would not just let him be in her life.

He did something that made her forgive him.

She was glad. She would be lying if she said she felt hatred towards the man, but she wanted her daughter to be happy. If Kagome was managing to put all of this behind her, then it was a good thing.

Her daughter's happiness was very important to her. She worried each time Kagome went to the Feudal era, but it brought her happiness, and so Miyu let her go. This had to be the same.

Kagome was older; she could make her own decisions. Nonetheless, Miyu would not trust him until she could see the change Kagome saw. No, she did not know what he was like before, which could make it hard to compare but she was a mother. She would know.

When she finally pulled away from Kagome, she looked down at her grandson. A bright smile appeared on her face and she gently rubbed his head. Her daughter was a mother.

"Kiyoshi," Kagome said with a shaky voice.

"Come in," Miyu replied, speaking for the first time.

Everyone tensed since Miyu was only looking at her daughter. Kagome took a step forward and then her mother turned to glare at Sesshomaru.

"You may come into my house. You may not speak."

She was bold, staring right into his eyes. He would be allowed to speak eventually. For now, she needed to see her daughter and talk to her. He was lucky she trusted her daughter's judgment or he would not be allowed in her house. She wanted to leave him outside, she wanted him to wait and be left in the unknown.

But Kagome brought him to the house.

Sesshomaru bowed slightly, thanking her silently. His cheeks were still burning and he was shocked she was letting him inside.

He now knew where Kagome got her inner strength from; her mother.

Kagome seemed to breathe a little easier as she walked inside the house. Home. The only one she ever knew. A feeling of safeness wrapped around her and she felt her heartbeat slow down. Behind her she heard the footsteps of her mother and Sesshomaru. Both of them were slow and probably more awkward than she was.

How were they supposed to begin this conversation?

Her eyes landed on the table and she figured it was a start. She led the way by sitting down in her usual spot and waited to see if they would join her. Obviously her mother did and after lingering for a few seconds, Sesshomaru did the same. Of course, he sat close to her and rather far from her mother.

"Are Souta and Grandpa home?"

She was dying to see them, but she had a feeling their presence would make this situation even more difficult to handle. They did not know everything and her mother would protect them. It was easier for the three of them to be alone to deal with everything.

"Your grandfather went with Souta to his soccer practice."

Kagome's surprise was hard to hide. All those years, her grandpa tried to replace Souta's passion for soccer with religion. Apparently, he learned to give up. It was not much and yet it made her feel like the world moved on while she was far away trying to break away from the past.

"May I?" her mother asked while looking at Kiyoshi.

"Of course."

Gently, she handed her son over to her mother who held him to her carefully. Although he resembled Kagome a lot, the amber eyes and markings made it very obvious who the father was. She wanted to ask if the markings were going to be a problem once he was old enough for school, but considering the fact that Sesshomaru lived in their world for many, many years, she figured they had a solution to that problem.

"He's beautiful."

Kagome was so young and yet there she was, a mother. While she gently rocked Kiyoshi in her arms, she raised her head and stared at her daughter.

"What is the story?"

-B-

Hours went by, many tears were shed but the story was told. The entire time Sesshomaru had to remain in his seat, completely silent, while they spoke of their story. Many times he was dying to pitch in, but he respected the rule Kagome's mother decided on. He was a guest in her house.

Obviously the alpha in him was not too pleased with his submission, but he was not a reckless pup. He would not do anything that could jeopardize this. Kagome seemed to be feeling better and her mother looked happier. For her sake and for his, he needed this to work.

He knew very well she would not ignore him forever. Sometimes, she glanced his way. Maybe she did it to check if he would speak, or maybe she was processing everything and making a new opinion of him.

At least he hoped.

"That thing is still free?"

Silence. He blinked. More silence. He dared to tilt his head to the side only to notice Kagome's lips were close. The question was not for her? She was… she was actually speaking to him?

"Yes."

"Under control?"

There was no true answer for that. "It behaves." Until he fixed himself, until he and Kagome were healed, he would never truly have the beast under control. However, there was one fact he was fairly certain of.

"It will not harm her again."

His beast was many things, but it seemed to have learned his lesson. Kagome was a woman of modern time, not from the feudal era.

"Will you?"

Miyu was willing to go along with the idea of the two separate identities. For Kagome's sake, actually everyone's sake, she opened her mind to their explanations and point of views. Nonetheless, none of that erased what Sesshomaru himself did to her daughter. He seemed to have redeemed himself in Kagome's eyes, but he caused pain in the beginning.

"I will never hurt your daughter. This is on her terms."

"If she asks you to leave?"

"I will leave."

Everything inside of him would fight his decision, but he would leave.

"I am aware of what occurred between myself and your daughter, Mrs. Higurashi. I am grateful that you have allowed me inside your home. I love Kagome. I will not let her suffer again."

His voice sounded sincere and she wanted it to be. Kagome was smiling. An actual smile. When her daughter left months ago, she was a mess. The twinkle of happiness vanished from her eyes and she walked around like she was soulless. Not anymore. She was happy. Yes, the scars were still there and visible, but she seemed so much better.

After the way she found her so broken, Miyu never thought Kagome would feel this great again.

She stared into Sesshomaru's eyes trying to come up with magic words. This was Kagome's life, she was a mother now. Miyu could not and would not stop her. But, they both knew that. They did not come for permission they did not need, they were here for approval and understanding.

"I don't know you," she finally whispered.

She heard of the terrible things he did, she witnessed her daughter's broken life but this was her first time seeing Sesshomaru with her own eyes.

Her hands were shaking and her emotions overwhelmed her. "I am willing to get to know you."

So many things she wanted to say did not make it past her lips. Right now, they could leave. Her daughter would leave with him and stay somewhere, maybe his house. Yes, they did stay together before, but it was not the same. They were traveling and last she heard their relationship was not like this. This time, it would be a permanent situation.

"I will get a room in the closest hotel." His house was too far. Ideally, he would love to be in walking distance.

"You?"

"I'll stay here with Kiyoshi," Kagome added.

They already agreed not to rush in to anything. Yes, it would be terribly strange to not see him all the time, to not be able to talk to him, but if they were going to do this, it had to be done right. On top of it, Kagome wanted her family to get to know Sesshomaru. The real one. The one she came to love.

She did not look at Sesshomaru.. This would be their first night apart in a long time. She knew he could come whenever she needed him to, but the nights would be strange. She felt guilty about the fact that she would have Kiyoshi with her while he would be completely alone.

"I have your brother's old baby things in the shed. I'm sure the two of you could set it all up while I make dinner." Kagome's mother turned her head to look at Sesshomaru. "You are invited."

Miyu's eyes were red from the tears she cried. Her heart was pounding with confusion and her brain pulsing with the pain of a headache. She was not certain how to proceed because this was an unusual situation. Some facts could not be changed. Sesshomaru hurt her daughter. He was also the father of Kagome's child. And the man her daughter seemed to love.

She would keep it together.

"Thank you," he said while offering a polite nod.

Kagome rose to her feet, Kiyoshi carefully tucked in her arms, and she pressed a kiss against her mother's cheek. She did not say anything.. She did not need to.

Miyu inhaled heavily while Kagome and Sesshomaru slowly began to head outside. The atmosphere was still thick and awkward, but everyone was trying. Kagome knew better than anyone that a situation like this could not be fixed in a matter of days. Even now, her mother was probably holding back many emotions. Kagome did not mind if she let it all out.

Kami knew Kagome broke down more than once.

The moment they stepped outside, Kagome took her first real deep breath.

Without a word, she used her free hand to grab Sesshomaru's and she held on tightly.

"How are your cheeks?"

"Your mother is a strong human."

Kagome chuckled. "She worries for me," she added after a pause.

"Because she loves you. She is a great mother." Another trait Kagome received from her mother. Both were much different from his own mother. Perhaps it was a human thing, he thought as he recalled Inuyasha's mother.

"She will love you too eventually. She needs time."

He nodded. Kagome's family was important to her and it meant it was important to him to be accepted by them. He did not want her torn, or for her family to be a mess.

"It'll be weird."

He tilted his head left and raised an eyebrow out of confusion.

"You staying somewhere else."

He had a feeling his sleepless nights were about to return. Especially now that they were bonding and growing closer, it was going to be difficult to put distance between them. Nonetheless, it was necessary. Also, if allowed, he would only be away during nights. Although, he did have a few things he wanted to work on and some plans to finish up. He needed a new house, one closer to the shrine before he could move on to that one, final problem.

They were bound by their mating but in human terms they were nothing. They would be seen as parents but noting more beyond that.

Mating was more permanent than marriage but he had a feeling that one bond might be a lot for Kagome at the moment. He had no desire to overwhelm her with another set of steps she was not ready or sure of. Yet, he knew that their current situation would be problematic for her and her family. An unmarried woman from a shrine who had a child out of wedlock.

He did not want to bring shame on her or her family. He did wish to thoroughly explore the issue with her, but he was unsure of how to bring forth the subject. Or if there was a right timing for such a thing.

"I hope you're ready to dig," Kagome said while she released his hand and opened the shed.

The furniture inside was piled up making it impossible to find one specific thing. None of it was overly fancy but she enjoyed the fact that is once belonged to her brother.. She wanted Kiyoshi to have his own stuff, but while they were here it would feel more like home. Sesshomaru had money. Kagome did not grow up with a lot. She thought it was important that from the start, it was known that money was not everything.

Sesshomaru tilted his head and watched as Kagome smiled.

She was happy here.

-B-

Supper did not end up quite the way they planned because Souta and her grandpa never showed up. They ended up having a long practice and the entire team went out to eat. Kagome was not sure if she was relieved or disappointed. To be honest, she was not certain she was ready to handle her grandfather throwing sand at Sesshomaru.

It was mostly a quiet meal with her mother asking a few questions from time to time. Kagome did make a bit of chat about the things she saw during the travels, but nothing too personal. She did not want to force too much information on her mother knowing how she felt.. If she wished to know, Kagome was certain she would ask.

They had time, a lifetime, to make this work. She did not want to rush it and mess it up.

It was true that they had other matters that concerned her, like the jewel inside Kiyoshi, but this was important too.

Kagome knew her mother. She always smiled, even when the moment was sad. She was strong and loving. This was the first time Kagome noticed her mother was forcing a smile. She was doing her best despite the emotions conflicting inside of her. Yes, they told her the stories, but she was not there to live them. All she remembered was her little girl broken beyond repair.

She was trying and she was doing amazing. She did not have to invite Sesshomaru in, or tell him to stay for dinner. Kagome would not have hated her mother if she told Sesshomaru to never come on her property again. Accepting everything that happened and going along with a relationship with Sesshomaru did make her feel crazy more than once.

Kagome could not blame her mother for being sane.

Now though, the moment was over. Darkness was shadowing over the shrine and tiredness was overtaking Kagome's body. It was a long flight and with the jetlag, she was not sure she was going to last very long before passing out. All the emotions drained her.

"Thank you for having me, Mrs. Higurashi."

Miyu answered with a silent nod.

This moment was not about her. Sesshomaru was about to leave and he had to say goodbye to Kagome and their child. Miyu decided it was best to give them privacy before she stepped into the living room.

Kagome picked Kiyoshi up from the baby high chair and walked towards Sesshomaru. "Are you sure you have somewhere to stay?"

"When you have money, you always have somewhere to stay."

"Right, I forget."

She was nervous but not the same kind of nervous she felt all day. No, this one felt even more uncomfortable. She did not know if it was because she was used to having him around, or because of the bond, but seeing him go actually hurt.

"I will be a phone call away. I will leave a number as soon as I find a hotel."

"I know."

She swallowed hard before lifting Kiyoshi to let Sesshomaru hold him before his departure. He delicately took his son from her hands and pressed him against his chest. They were his family, the only things he had left. It was actually a lot if you considered the amount of years he lived.

With a firm hold on Kiyoshi he bent forward and pressed a kiss to Kagome's forehead. Considering he was in her mother's house, it felt like the most appropriate action. Once he stepped away from her, he handed Kiyoshi back..

His heart felt slightly heavier the minute he began to exit the house. He could sense their presence behind him and it forced him to turn around. He gave Kagome a sort of wave before heading for the stairs. Kagome stood in front of the door and watched him leave.

It took almost two minutes for her mother to come back into the kitchen. She walked up behind Kagome and wrapped her arms around her before pressing her head against Kagome's. If Kagome asked, she would have let him stay. They did have a guest room after all. No, she would not have felt completely comfortable, but she was trying to go along with Kagome's choice.

She was smart and she did not need a lesson or a speech about life. She heard the stories and from what they did tell her, Sesshomaru did a lot for Kagome. Her daughter would not have forgiven him unless he proved himself worthy of her forgiveness. She simply had to see it as well. Until then, she would trust her daughter's judgment like she always had.

"Do you want me to help you set up everything in your room?"

They did bring everything in, but they did not put the blankets or set up shelves with diapers and whatnot.

"Sure, thanks mom," Kagome said before casting one last lingering look in Sesshoumaru's direction..

Normal felt strange.

-B-

Night fell and everyone was asleep. Well, almost everyone. Despite the quiet that was bestowed upon Kagome, she could not find rest. Instead, she was tossing around in her bed. This was hers; this was where she should feel comfortable. Instead, it was like she was in a stranger's house. She wanted to chuckle at her own thoughts.

Before she was in a hotel. Somewhere that was not very personal. This however was personal. Was her brain all screwed up or what?

Also, she was not used to such a small bed. Granted it might be better than an empty big bed but she felt rather lonely and somewhat childish. It was like she was sixteen years old all over again. Except her son was in his crib right next to her. Thankfully he did not seem to notice the change in the environment. Perhaps he did, but he did not mind. At first she thought Sesshomaru's missing presence might bother him, but he remained calm throughout the entire evening.

Now that he was asleep and she did not need to look after him, it was too silent. Sesshomaru and she decided to take it slow and make sure all of their issues were fixed before throwing themselves into life changing decisions. Things were going good at the current speed and there was no reason to mess it all up.

That did nothing to stop the tossing though.

She closed her eyes one final time before giving up. She sighed as she sat up in the bed and pushed the blankets down to her waist. Her eyes shifted to the left and she found herself looking at the piece of paper that had Sesshomaru's number on it. Of course, before she allowed her thought process to go any further, she peeked at the clock.

1am.

Could she call him at this time? Technically he did not sleep. Well, he did. He just did not really need it. Still, that was no excuse to wake him up was it?

Oh god, was she fifteen years old?

She learned to rely on him during the past few months. They started to be open and they talked when they needed to get something off their chest. Just because she was in her old environment didn't mean she had to go back to the way she used to be.. Then again, she had not slept in a long time and she was still a little overwhelmed by everything that happened today.

Maybe once her nerves calmed down, she would feel better.

Or she could call.

She snatched the paper and grabbed the phone. Slowly, she dialed the number and she waited. And waited. And waited. The phone rang many times, too many times, and she felt bad as she realized he was most likely sleeping. As she was about to hang up the phone, a voice came through.

Kagome quickly put the phone back to her ear.

"Hello? Kagome?"

"Sesshomaru. I- m –" Why was she calling? "I wanted to say goodnight."

It was silent for a moment before his voice came through again. "Goodnight Kagome." His voice was usually neutral, but this time it sounded more…expressive? If she did not know better she would say he was smiling.

"Well, sorry I woke you up. And goodnight. Again."

"I will see you tomorrow, Kagome."

She hung up and put the phone away. This time, it was her turn to smile as she laid her head back on her pillow. Maybe not everything had to be painful or a constant reminder of the pain she carried around. Maybe she could simply learn to enjoy the little moments. She did like it.

Being back home might not be such a bad thing. If everything went right, Sesshomaru and her could make a home to call their own.

Home sweet home.

-B-