Title: TMttF (HAHAHAHA! Apparently I titled the last chapter "ATKC" and no one even batted an eye!)
Author: Tsubasa Kya
Disclaimer: Sorry for the long wait. The next chapter will be uber long with a final battle and everything! And hopefully sooner rather than later.

Chapter 199:
Name Them

"Kagome, are you coming?" Hiei asked.

Kagome turned her eyes to the winter clouds and closed them for a minute. "No," she told him, "at least… not yet. Go to the priestess in that village and with a mention of my name, she will likely give you residence to sleep the night. It is getting late." The sun was setting in the feudal era, creating clashing colors that made the sky look like it was on fire.

"And why is it that you would not also come?" he inquired of the woman he accidentally loved. She looked like she was at peace with the world, and like she was happy. While he didn't want to take that happiness away, he also didn't want to leave her alone with the jewel shards around her neck. The jewel's power was less prominent in the modern world, but here it could be felt pulsing and shifting as well as her own power.

"I'll come," she promised him, "I just need a few minutes." It's been a while since I've been truly able to come here without fear of retribution for broken promises… she finished in her mind, knowing he was inside her mind at that time to hear. She turned her eyes to his and he nodded once before continuing after their daughter. He trusted her not to do something stupid that would get herself killed.

Once his presence had faded down the hill and she knew he had evacuated her mind, she set off for the Goshinboku. It was a chilly winter day but with her wings wrapped around her body in the seemingly impossible way, hidden beneath the jacket, it was like she wore a cozy down jacket. Her hand toyed with the bow string. Every time she pulled it, the string would make a twang noise, like a music.

The forest was peaceful as she passed through it but quickly it was getting darker. She reached the Goshinboku and leaned the bow and the quiver against it purposefully and then stood back for a moment. It only seemed proper; Kohaku had told her of the death of Kikyou.

As the wind whispered through the trees, tearing at her clothes and freezing her she almost thought she heard a soft 'thank you' on the wind. A smile crossed her face. "You're welcome," she called out. The ghost of the long-dead priestess came out of the trees and stood by Kagome. She knew there was a high chance that it was just a hallucination, but she didn't mind.

"Inuyasha will be upset to know you love someone else." Kikyou said as the ghost and Kagome both stared up at the strange spot on the tree where Inuyasha had been pinned.

Kagome's shoulders lifted in a shrug. "It would never have worked out. If Inuyasha is even alive in my time…" Kagome placed a hand on the hilt of the sword Sango had given her so long ago. "If he's alive, I've not seen even his shadow. But I've come to gather that something happens to alter everyone's memories. I think it would be even more cruel to let myself get caught up in a fairy tale… This is all a dream, because I'll get my happy-ever-after."

Kikyou the ghost sighed. "I hate you for ruining my life… because you came here, I was able to be brought to life. I thought I took the jewel to hell. But you… you are proof that I will never have peace in life or death. I will see you in hell."

Her ghost walked forward and took the offering of the bow and the quiver of arrows. As the last strands of light faded from the trees, the offering disappeared and Kagome continued past the ancient tree, crunching her way through snow to eventually find herself on the cliff she'd dreamed of so often.

It was well past midnight, but the moonlight turned the land a soft blue hue so beautiful she could only find solace in it. He showed up at her secret spot to know where she'd found base for her dreams. Far beneath them in the deep valley lay the ugly castle and town and its four ugly, jutted towers.

The dark forest was on the far side of the valley. Little dots of light shone from the city, lit torches that mocked the night. Windows in the castle were mostly with closed shutters but some were open. Those were mostly lit up.

The moon even mocked them by shining off the Snake River that Kagome nearly died in. She felt her lover move up behind her and wrap his arms around her as if he knew she was frozen even if she refused to let shivers catch her. His unstable body heat warmed her up just as much as his proximity did a number on her internal organs from stomach to heart. Even her brain seemed to have trouble focusing with him near; she chalked that off as silly behavior.

"Is Akari sleeping?" she asked him.

He nodded and simply stood there with his arms around her and his chin resting on top of her head, watching the beautiful landscape glimmer in the moonlight. After a few moments, her body relaxed and she leaned back into his chest as the area around them turned to mud.

She turned in his arms and looked up into his beautiful crimson eyes. They betrayed nothing of what went through his mind as usual, but she could feel his concern in the way he held her. She met his gaze and he simply stared at her unblinkingly.

Finally she could wait no more; she had to ask. "Do you love me?"

His silence was penetrating and nerve wracking. The knowledge that her future self left her a letter stating she had a lover made her desire to know who that could possibly be. Who could love such an ugly creature as burnt, beaten, and scarred as she was. Who could love someone who killed a young boy simply because he begged her to?

The longer he was quiet, the more she berated herself for asking. He didn't love her, she just wanted him to. He was using her like everyone else. She was a cheap thrill… a free whore.

Then, to her surprise, Hiei asked her, "How often do you plan to ask that stupid question?"

She leaned her head against his chest. "Until I get an answer…"

His sigh was a long, exasperated one. "You know the answer."

"Tell me… what your sticks meant…"

"What sticks?" She shook her head and shoved herself away from him, closer to the edge. "Kagome…"

"You're not him," she said firmly. "I'm not Kikyou. I'm not stupid enough to fall for the trick you've played on countless others." She'd almost been fooled; but Hiei would have given her a straight answer. His claimed code of honor wouldn't have let him leave a question unanswered, and he'd even proven the fact that he enjoyed telling her he loved her simply because it made her blush.

Naraku almost had everything perfectly set up for a new level of deceit and treachery, but not this time. He'd replicated Hiei's fiery aura, the mask Hiei wore, and even his personality. But some things were not things that could be imitated. She watched a scowl cross Naraku's features, and smiled when her deductions were confirmed as her true lover stepped out of the tree line with liquid grace, a curious look on his face.

Kagome grabbed the jewel shards from her neck and with a sharp jerk, she yanked the bottle from the yarn and held it for Naraku's inspection. "You don't have your shards." Kagome pointed out. "Why?"

Naraku was still scowling, but watched as Kagome backed herself toward the edge of the cliff. "It's a long drop." he said. "Why aren't you trying to sneak around me? That forbidden brat would certainly protect you," he jutted his head at where Hiei stood.

Hiei shrugged. "Actually I won't." Yes, that was the Hiei that Kagome knew.

Naraku's surprise showed clear on his Hiei-like features. Kagome took another step closer to the cliff edge. She knew what she was doing. Naraku growled almost in a warning manner but she mocked him by yet again stepping closer to the edge. "Why wouldn't you? I know all about your secret relations. Did you have an unpleasant argument?"

"No," Hiei offered the information freely, a smirk creasing his lips upward, "but she's human. I'd rather she died young than watch her age and die a hag before me. Besides, I'd be fair pissed off if I had to continue rescuing her. She'll need to take care of herself. I'm no white knight."

"But you could bind her life to yours." Naraku pointed out.

Hiei shrugged. "You've been misinformed. Only those who are purebred demons with the power to control time can bind a life to theirs. It's a signature mark of the Blood Crest Demon and the Evil Eye Demon… I am neither of those. So do what you will using my body. I am interested to see what happens."

Naraku eyed both of them warily before exploding into his giant spider-like form. He shot toward Kagome but she turned heel and bolted toward the cliff edge and dove over the edge, the hundred foot drop with a poisonous river the only landing place beneath her. She clutched in her hands the jar of shards. Naraku swore violently but started crawling down the cliff face to catch her.

Kagome woke before the dream had a chance to finish its cycle. She sat up, glancing around the hospital room. She was sore and tired from delivery. She'd had a great many weird dreams in the hospital. Souta had stayed with her and held her hand as she gave birth to two beautiful baby boys, but as soon as the delivery was over he had left to get Hiei and Akari.

Kagome smiled as she stood in front of the window looking in the hospital nursery. A look of peace was on her face. She could feel that peace inside her as she looked at twin baby boys. They looked like Hiei. Short tufts of ice-blue-and-fire-red hair stuck to their tiny heads. Both of them had one crimson eye, and one ice-blue eye. Their skin was pale like their father's.

She hadn't named them yet. Hiei would be surprised… Kagome hadn't even told him she was pregnant, and suddenly he was going to be daddy to twin boys. She couldn't wait to tell him. She couldn't wait to see him… Akari would be happy to have siblings.

"They are beautiful," said a low, strangely distorted voice beside Kagome.

Kagome looked to see who had spoken to her and found herself face to…well…mask, with a stranger who was about the same build as her, and the same height. The stranger wore tight clothes. A tight linen shirt beneath a black tank-top, and black Capri pants. If the twin lumps on the stranger's chest were any indication, Kagome guessed female.

They wore a mask, but it had no holes for eyes. The mask looked… out of place. It was painted white, no decoration on it except a blood red "x" crossing the surface. Their hair was as white as snow, cropped earlobe-short.

"They are, aren't they?" Kagome asked. She could sense no ill-intent in the stranger's aura, so she looked back at her children and contemplated no further on the stranger. If the person wanted to walk around with a silly mask on…a mask with no eyeholes…that was their problem.

"You haven't named them." It was a statement, but sounded more like a question.

"No… I'm waiting for their father to come. My brother went to get him."

"But you already know what you want to name them?" It was a question… but sounded more like a statement.

"Yes…The one on the left…If it is okay with their father, I would name him Takeshi. The one on the right, I would name him Tetsuya." She thought it fit well. Souta had given her a baby name book to occupy herself as he went to get Hiei. She'd poked through the book a little bit and found the names, instantly liking them.

"I am not here for no reason…" the stranger told her.

"I didn't think you were." Kagome turned back to the stranger. "Why are you here?" she asked.

"I have orders to kill those two children." Kagome tensed up as the dispassionate voice said that. She almost forgot how to breathe for a moment before remembering she had magic. "Queen Chieko wishes them dead because they are children with mixed elements. That is a dangerous combination."

"Hiei is, but he's no danger!" Kagome insisted. She reached out and gripped the arm of the stranger. "Don't hurt my babies. Please… I beg of you…"

"They will hurt themselves and be a danger to others as they grow. They cry now because their elements are from a powerful demon and from you, a priestess. That is so much more dangerous. Do you understand?"

"I won't let you hurt them," Kagome insisted, and that masked face turned to 'look' at her. "I mean it. I won't. I'll stop you."

"How will you, when you are not here?" the stranger asked, voice filled with wry amusement. That was when Kagome felt the pull of the well's magic, trying to take her to the other side. She fought against it, not wanting to go. She wanted to stay and protect her children.

"No!" she cried as the pull became stronger. She saw the stranger raise their hand palm out. Colorful magic began forming there creating a large, very destructive looking sphere which Kagome was barely able to fight the well's pull long enough to see it crash through the glass window of the nursery.

The bottom of the well was the next thing she saw. She landed painfully.

-Present day, four years later-

Dear daddy-

Are you coming home yet? You missed Takeshi and Tetsuya's birthday. Grandpa threw a party for the boys but I can tell they didn't like it because they cried and hid behind me. I know you have to work, but I wish you didn't have to work so much. Uncle Yusuke is training with Uncle Koenma again, and he's doing a lot better now. Uncle Sesshoumaru wants to start Takeshi and Tetsuya on their studies now that they're four.

My lessons are boring. My tutor doesn't think I understand anything because I don't talk. Uncle Souta is never around anymore. I think he had another fight with Grandma and Grandpa. Uncle Haru and Aunt Sheena left with Cousin Naoko to go overseas this week. There are a lot of people who visit Grandma's shrine so it's always busy.

But I don't like Grandma's house. It reminds me of mommy and it makes me sad because mommy hasn't come home yet. None of the adults will say it, but I know something is the matter because no one will tell me why mommy didn't come back with Aunt Sheena and Uncle Haru. So please, daddy, even if it makes me sad, will you tell me something?

Your baby girl,
Akari Dekage

Dear Akari-

I'm sorry I've been gone for so long. When I accepted the job, I didn't expect it to last three weeks. I expected to be home in time for the boys' birthday. Instead, I'm stuck baby-sitting a thirty year old weakling who acts more hyper than your cousin Naoko on a sunny day. I suppose if there's one good thing about being a bodyguard-for-hire for humans, its that there aren't many real threats.

The pay is enough to keep you and your brothers fed too, which is the only reason I'm working. I do have good news to send in this letter. This new employer wants to extend the contract to two years instead of just a couple weeks, so I'll be sending for you and the boys soon. I don't know if you've met him before, but an old friend of mine by the name of Kazuma Kuwabara will be bringing you down.

It will still be a few weeks before you can come, but when you do I need you and the boys to be on your best behavior with Kuwabara. And I'm sorry, baby girl. I'm as clueless as you on your mother's whereabouts.

Love dad

Quick note: "Dad" is Hiei. I know you won't understand some things and it will be confusing, but well... you know... 3 plots. I have time.

Okay, not a spectacular chapter especially given how long you've waited for it... That is, if anyone is even going to continue reading after such a long absense... This story really never did like me to begin with and after immersing myself in Naruto fanfictions, this one is even harder to write. Of course, I told myself I was not going to give up on it.

1 more chapter left to kill Naraku. Who wants to see the end?