The walk to Edo had been uneventful. Around noon, Inuyasha and his companions had awakened and prepared a light meal. The miko fussed over his half-brother when his lack of appetite had become apparent. Sesshomaru had to reassure her that, in time, he'd be back to his normal behaviour. For the most part, at least.

Once they were ready, they set out, no one speaking for the most part. Inuyasha stayed behind the group while Sango and the houshi barely made eye contact. The miko kept glancing worriedly at his half-brother. As for the kitsune . . . he and Rin talked quietly as they rode on the neko demon's back. For being small children, they understood the severity of the situation at hand. Both children glanced at their guardians - the miko and Inuyasha and himself - and whispered amongst themselves. He caught bits and pieces of the conversation . . . From what he gathered, the kitsune had been orphaned before meeting up with his brother.

'Like Rin had been before she met me,' he mused, his eyes trailing from the children to his half-brother then back again. 'They'll have time to get to know each other . . . and I'll have time to talk with Inuyasha. Find out how Madame Yagu got a hold of him.'

Sesshomaru slowed his pace, falling into step with his brother. Every now and then he glanced at the hanyou, trying to gauge his thoughts. The hanyou's face had become expressionless since the ritual last night but his eyes . . . his eyes had a haunted look to them.

"Inuyasha . . ."

"Yes, Sesshomaru?"

He touched a hand to Inuyasha's shoulder, slowing his pace even more. The others glanced back but continued on at his nod.

"What happened, Inuyasha? How did Madame Yagu capture you?"

Inuyasha's body trembled slightly at the mention of the demoness's name. He squeezed the younger one's shoulder gently, reassuringly.

"I hate to ask," he murmured softly, "but I need to know."

"Why?"

"Because . . ." he paused for a moment, "if I know how she managed to capture you, I can determine if someone informed her of your whereabouts. And," he added on a softer note, "it'll help you heal, Inuyasha. You need it now more than you ever have."

Inuyasha's eyes shimmered. The subject itself was a sensitive one. Everyone involved knew it.

"I'm not entirely sure how she found me," he whispered. "I just know that it was the night of the new moon . . . She came upon me just before I had become mortal . . ."

"So that's how she was able to capture you. You were vulnerable."

"Hai," came the nod. "It took one hit and I was out. When I came to . . ." Inuyasha swallowed and hesitated, his face contorted in pain. The memories were too fresh but he was talking. And sooner than expected, he knew. "When I came to, I'd been stripped of everything . . . and I wasn't alone . . . I was hurting . . . and . . ."

Inuyasha stopped. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and he trembled. He stopped walking to try and regain some sense of control.

"I'm going to be sick . . ."

Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulder. It took him a few moments but he calmed some.

"I didn't even know what was going on when I first came to . . . until I felt that creep's movements on top of me. I tried to stop him . . . I tried everything I could think of . . . but I couldn't. I was held in place . . . and I was beaten if I moved . . . but I never submitted." Inuyasha's eyes met his. "I swear I never submitted."

"I know, Inuyasha," he smiled softly. "I know. You were never one to submit to anyone. Not even me. I'm proud to have you as my brother for that reason alone."

Inuyasha smiled back, his expression grateful. "Thank you, Sesshomaru . . ."

"I know, little brother. I know."

---------------------------------

Sesshomaru smiled slightly as he watched the group in front of him. Rin and Shippou, as he had predicted, had become fast friends and were currently tormenting Jaken. The monk and Inuyasha stood next to him, both men smirking.

"Shall we break it up?" Miroku asked.

"Nah . . . Let them have their fun," Inuyasha murmured.

"Indeed."

Nine months had passed since Sesshomaru had found his brother taken captive by Madame Yagu. Inuyasha's physical wounds had taken very little time to heal once the ritual had been completed but the emotional and mental wounds had taken a little longer. He still suffered from nightmares every so often but they were easy to tend. The miko often dragged him back to her era for something she called "counseling" and it had helped a little. Inuyasha's temper had evened out drastically, even going as far as to claim Shippou as a younger brother and teach the kitsune a few tricks he hadn't known before.

"Sesshomaru . . ."

He turned his attention to the woman who had spoken to him, the woman he had taken as a mate recently. In her arms, she carried an infant. A girl. The only child he would ever have and she was hanyou. Same as his brother.

'Now I know how Father felt.'

"Your daughter desires to see you," Sango smiled, handing the child to him. He merely looked at the child and nodded.

"I'm sure she did, Sango. I'm sure she did."

Finis