Lucius Malfoy was not in a very good mood. As he stormed down the halls of the villa he thought back on how the day had gone. The panel with the reporters had gone mostly as expected. They had asked the questions they had predicted, and were able to answer easily. Their reactions were also easy to predict and so that is why they had planed the claiming ritual. It was in the claiming ritual that their plans had taken a turn. It hadn't been because of reporters or the ritual not forming because of a lack of magic, no. It had been because of his crazy headstrong daughter.

He didn't even know what she had done, but the power coming out of her was unlike anything he had ever felt before. And of course he had wanted to confront her as soon as they had arrived home to get to the bottom of it. And as what was now leading to his bad mood, Kagome had run off before he could confront her. The blond had been everywhere in villa and could not find her, he even tried a tracking spell but she was blocking him somehow. Now it was late in the evening and Kagome had not shown up to dinner. After a short confrontation with her elf Lulu, who had accompanied her from Hogwarts, he had been told that Kagome had taken dinner on her own. Of course he still could not get an answer as to where his daughter had gotten.

Lucius was about ready to head to bed and was making his way through the courtyard when he heard the sound of scrapping metal and stopped. Pausing and listening he heard the rhythmic sound of a blade being sharpened coming from behind the side of the villa that overlooked the ocean. As he approached and rounded the corner he saw Kagome sitting on the edge of the stone terrace with a large sword in her lap. As she looked out over the ocean her hand ran a sharpening stone across the blade in familiar way that spoke of practice.

"Kagome, I need to talk to you." She didn't even startle from her position, giving Lucius the impression that she had been aware of his presence for a while.

"Hi papa." Lucius approached as she continued her sharpening and examined the blade she had in her lap. It was a massive Scottish Claymore that nobody in the family had touched for decades, the strength needed to wield a weapon of that size being too much for many. That sword in particular had fallen to some disrepair but Kagome had managed to bring it back up to its former glory.

"Have you been hiding back here all day?"

"Yes." She didn't even look up, just continued to stare out across the expanse of ocean.

"I was looking for you, we all were."

"I know."

"Well then why did you avoid me? We need to talk about that damn ritual! What did you do?! That power it was- it was-"

"The view is really beautiful." Now Lucius Malfoy wasn't one to lose him temper very often. But in this case he was getting rather close with the very blasé attitude his daughter was taking to the current set of events.

"Kagome be serious!"

"I am. I don't get to enjoy the ocean very often so I'm making the most of it. Come sit with me." Lucius took a deep breath and tried to calm down. He knew that he wasn't going to get anywhere with his daughter if he tried to push her. Her mother had been much the same, the more he tried to push the more stubborn she became. With a sigh he sat down next to her, being careful not to get cut on the long sword blade. As Lucius breathed in deeply he looked out at the view and found he had to agree with his first-born. The moon was high and nearly full, shining a bright light over the ocean and lighting up the night.

"We have to talk about the ritual. All the extra that you added on, what was that?" Though he hadn't shown it outwardly during the ritual, he had been a nervous panicked wreck when Kagome had allowed her powers to take over. He knew that since their capture by the dark lord Kagome's powers had been undergoing a lot of changes. After an experience like that it would be surprising if she had come away unscathed. But due to her being at school and just not using her powers as often, Lucius hadn't gotten a chance to find out what had happened. However, the moment that those flames of energy had sprung forth he had felt it. Like an incredibly heavy blanket he had felt it settle over his entire body, very different from the power he had felt when Kagome has first arrived in Britain. What he had felt had been a multi-layered cocoon, a swirling mix of energies coming together to form a cohesive force.

"It was my blessing, you know I'm a miko so I wanted to be able to protect you." Even though he wanted further explanations Lucius moved on thinking of the words that had been used.

"And what about the rest Kagome? Your mother wouldn't tell me what you had been up to these past years and I know you don't want to talk about the past. But please, you can talk to me." Kagome continued to stare straight ahead as she set her sharpening stone down. Lucius watched as his daughter stood and raised the large sword in front of her as if it were nothing. She gave a few experimental swings before lowering the blade again. Reaching down Lucius realized that there was another blade resting against the wall as Kagome lifted it up and held it towards him.

"This is how it will work. I will keep talking for as long as you can hold me off. When the fight is over I'm done and you will not push me further, you will not ask me about my past again. Understood?" Lucius nodded and gripped the blade, this one smaller than his daughters but still quite sizable. He normally preferred the smaller varieties of blades but this was what he had and he would make the best of it. He wanted to find out what his daughter had been through to change her so completely.

Walking forward a little ways they stepped into a sparring stance and began to size each other up. With the first strike Lucius realized the same thing his son had, that when Kagome hit she hit hard. The much larger sword she was using this time only exacerbated this. Pulling out all the techniques he had learnt over his years of training he watched as Kagome danced around him, or that is at least what it looked like to him. Even with the massive blade in hand, that weighed about as much as she did, Kagome moved through various stances swinging the blade in smooth arcs in front of her. Her first words almost knocked off his concentration, allowing Kagome to get him on the defensive.

"I was travelling a lot these past few years, made some friends and we would go all over Japan. During these travels I learned to control my miko powers, also to shoot arrows and fight with a sword. It was on this journey that I met someone. We didn't get along well when we first met, in fact I would say that we hated each other. I was always getting in his way and creating more trouble than I was worth really. But love is a funny thing; over time we grew to tolerate each other, and then kind of friends, and then something more. We had a lot of problems that's for sure, both of us are too stubborn for our own good and neither of us would give an inch on some issues. Also when we did get together he kept treating me like a china doll, trying to keep my out of any problems that we faced. But in the end we loved each other completely, there wasn't going to be another." The metal of the blade glinted in the moonlight as Kagome paused her story. Taking advantage of the break Lucius pushed forwards, moving with quick speed he managed to break into the offensive. He had to admit he was also impressed by the fact that she was able to keep up a full monologue of the story even while in battle.

"We were mated, bonded, our souls linked together for what should have been eternity. I was even-" A choked sob broke through the silence and there was a slight tremble from the blade. "I was pregnant, a little boy. We were so excited. And then there was the accident. It wasn't supposed to happen the way it did. He didn't even want me there with the baby but I had to do it. And I was so stupid and because of my choice, I lost him, I lost everyone!" Suddenly Kagome's entire demeanor changed, Lucius could see the fire in her eyes, tempered only by the slight misting of tears. Her hits were coming harder now, more and more of them. Lucius felt that the next one would almost cleave straight through his own blade.

"You can't even imagine the pain I went through, having the man I love, my mate, that connection being forcefully ripped apart. His soul, his power, anything of his ripped away from my core self, and my baby. I could feel it as my child was burned out of me from the inside. I felt his essence disappear and I was left empty and alone. Everyone that I loved was taken away from me and I had to start my life from scratch. All my future plans were gone." The next strike came with so much power that Lucius felt the grip on his sword fail as the blade clanged to the stone ground. Having no way of stopping the momentum he found himself on his back, starring up at his daughter holding the sword to his throat, eyes glowing purple.

"I didn't want any of that happening again; I couldn't bear loosing you, or Draco or even Narcissa. If I had to go through all that again I probably wouldn't survive." Lucius felt a drop of water hit his cheek as Kagome tried to hold back her tears, choking back the sobs in her throat. Very carefully Lucius pushed the blade from his neck and sat up. Loosening the white knuckled grip Kagome had on her sword and placing it to the side he pulled his only daughter into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her tight to him he began moving back and forth, rocking her like a baby.

"Its ok Kagome I'm here. You don't have to hold it in, just let it out." Lucius felt his whole body shudder as his daughter lifted her head to the sky and let out the most soul retching scream ever heard. She just screamed and screamed crying tears and slamming her fists into his chest. It made his heart break to watch as his daughter, his strong willed beautiful daughter, broke apart and showed her vulnerable self to the world. Soon the creams tapered off, making way for choked sobs. As he looked down at the girl in his arms Lucius couldn't help but be transported back to another memory.

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Lucius was sitting in his study of the Italian villa working through a pile of paperwork. Outside a terrible thunderstorm raged, one of the worst the coast had seen in a long time. He could hear the bang of thunder and the crashing of waves as the wind howled into the late night. And it was late; everyone had turned in to bed already, Narcissa and Kun-Loon making sure the children were tucked in tight before heading to bed themselves. However, as the door to his study creaked open he saw a pair of eyes just like his own that should have already been asleep.

"Kagome what are you doing up?" The small three year old toddled into the room, her fuzzy blanket dragging behind her.

"It scary papa." Lucius sighed and held his arms open as his tiny daughter climbed into his lap. He made sure she was comfortable, adjusting her pink nightgown and wrapping the blanket around her shoulders. Taking hold of a corner of the blanket Lucius reached up and wiped the small tears that graced her cheeks.

"Are you scared of the storm my little bird?" Another bang of thunder sounded and Kagome buried her face into her father's chest.

"Why loud papa? It scary." Lucius held is daughter close and rocked her back and forth, soothing her shaking body. Thinking for a moment on how to help his daughter, a great idea came to mind.

"Well the thunder is just being polite. Its rude not to answer when some is talking to you." Kagome's watery eyes met his own as she snuffled her response.

"Talking?"

"Yes little bird. See the lightning is just asking something to the thunder and the thunder answers back, their only having a polite conversation. You know your okaa-san and I have always told you to have good manners." He pushed a piece of loose hair out of her eyes while Kagome sat there with an oddly serious expression on her face.

"So the thunder not angry?"

"No, the thunder isn't angry. So you see there's no reason for you to be frightened. Are you feeling better now?" Lucius couldn't help but smile as his daughter let out a large yawn and cuddled into his chest with a nod.

"Cuddles papa?"

"Yes little bird. Now lets get you back to bed and the two of us shall cuddle until you fall asleep."

"OK." Lucius wasn't even out of his chair before he felt Kagome's breathing even out and saw she had fallen asleep. Rocking her for a few more minutes the Malfoy lord sat and looked at his beautiful sleeping angel.

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Back in present day Lucius realized that while he had been reminiscing his daughter had once again fallen asleep in his arms. Using his thumb he wiped some of the remaining tears away and pushed her hair away from her face. Over a decade had passed since that night with the thunderstorm yet here they were again. Very careful so as to not wake her, Lucius stood carrying his little girl in his arms. Although this time she was much older and a lot heavier than when she had been three. As he made his way back through the house towards Kagome's room he heard a creak. Turning around he saw Narcissa peeking out from the end of the hallway in her nightgown. He saw her relieved smile when she caught site of Kagome in his arms. Narcissa quickly made her way to them and opened the door to allow her husband to carry her stepdaughter into her room.

"Just lay her on the bed Lucius, I'll take care of getting her ready for bed. It's been a long day, just go to sleep and we can deal with everything in the morning." Relinquishing his grip on his daughter, Lucius laid her down carefully amongst the blankets and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Straightening back up he gave Narcissa a quick kiss on the cheek before heading out of the room, giving a nod to Lulu who was waiting by the door.

"Lulu will take good care of mistress." With a final nod to the house elf Lucius strode down the dark corridor to his own room where he finally, blessedly, fell into a deep sleep.

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Breakfast that morning was a quiet affair. The four Malfoys sat at the table slowly picking through an assortment of breakfast dishes. Lucius was reading through the newspaper while Narcissa was looking over the gossip column. There was very little conversation except for the occasional comments about the news and a yes or no in response. Everyone had too much on their mind and polite conversation was not at the forefront of it.

"Father, Mother, may I be excused?" Lucius gave a nod of agreement and Draco pushed his chair back, rising from the table. Kagome watched as her little brother walked towards the large dinning hall doors when she suddenly felt a huge sense of foreboding. Before she could cry out a warning a massive wave of power rushed over the room and the doors were blown into a million pieces. Kagome could only watch in horror as a black oozing cloud of wrongness and darkness seeped into the dinning room. And from that cloud, a red pair of eyes appeared before the pale snakelike face of Voldemort emerged.

"I finally found you! There is nowhere to hide now!" Kagome felt a chill go down her body as the dark lords voice sounded like it was layered with a million different ones. And one of those voices in particular made Kagome's heart stop.

"Little Miko thinks she's so strong, thinks she's got everything under control! Well look at you know little Miko, look at what's left of you." Kagome's lungs refused to function, as from the cloud very familiar tentacles began to emerge, seemingly connected to the dark lord in front of her.

"You thought you had won, didn't you Kagome. But now I have the power! And here you are, all alone without your precious protector. Now let us have some fun, shall we." The tentacles shot forward but instead of reaching for her, Kagome watched in horror as the slithering appendages went directly for her little brother who was still lying prone on the ground from the blast. She tried to raise a barrier, do something, anything! But it was like her powers had been locked and she couldn't access them no matter how hard she tried. Not even able to let out a scream she watched Draco register the tentacle as it wrapped around him and lifted him into the air. Suspended in front of her in central view as another tentacle moved, this time in her direction. Coming straight at her without letting any obstacles stop it. It came straight towards her, straight through her little brothers torso in a shower of blood.

Mwahaha I'm evil I know. I don't do cliffhangers very often but this scene has been in my mind for a long time and I am very happy that I finally got to use it. I know I haven't updated in a while and I'm sorry for that, but moving across the ocean to Europe and starting a new school can kinda throw you through a loop.

So now the question is, what will happen? I know, I just have to write it out. And reviews definitely help me get writing again faster. So if you really want to find out what will happen in the future REVIEW!