Quote: ⌠May the dreams of your past be the reality of your future■- Unknown

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Sesshomaru sighed in annoyance, glaring over at his pups, his 500 year old pups. He looked down at his watch. "Look, you compromise and decide where we go shopping next. I will be waiting in the car." He walked away from the troublesome trio and left the store.

Eyes rising to the sky above, he sighed heavily. 'They look so much like her it is hard to look at them sometimes.' His lips trembled as he smiled a little as he turned and found his pups running toward him.

"Father, we've decided." Takako said with a small small. She had matured a great deal more than her brother and sister, having become a replacement for Kagome. "We're going to Aqua City."

Sesshomaru was about to answer, when he heard that sweet voice yell his name, "Sesshomaru!"

His head twisted instantly toward the opposite side of the street where he saw his younger self and 'Kagome.' His pups hadn't heard, for they were still talking about the shopping center. "Go wait for me in the car."

Takako and her siblings gave her father an odd look, before nodding and walking off toward the car. "Don't take forever, father."

He nodded, then turned to lock eyes with his former self. "How arrogant I was." 'Sweet Kagome has yet to notice me.' He thought, sure that his past self would hear him.

Past Sesshomaru elevated a brow. 'I can hear you.'

He smirked to himself. 'Hai. I learned that we can connect a few hundred years ago.'

'The future Kagome...where is she?'

Sesshomaru's smirk progressed into a full grown grin, a scary one at that. 'Kagome, my Kagome, OUR Kagome...Self, Kagome is...' But the connection was cut off when Kagome walked out of the house and sat a hand on Past Sesshomaru's forehead.

He heard her speak, "Sesshomaru, you're just standing there, frozen. Have the smells goten to you? I should have known that someone stubborn like you wouldn't have listened to me. Well, aren't you going to say anything?"

Past Sesshomaru shook his head in amusement, planted a soft kiss upon her lips, and walked past her into the house, forgetting his future self for the time being.

Sesshomaru felt himself smile calmly. He felt a tear slide down his perfect face, but he didn't care. His eyes locked on Kagome as she blushed and walked behind Past Sesshomaru in a daze. 'Kagome is away from home, self. And I miss her greatly.' He knew he would not be heard, but he thought it anyway, turned on his heels, and got into the car.

"Father, what's wrong?" Takara asked, watching as her father wiped his face.

"Do you see that house?" He nodded toward it.

"Yeah. What about it? I mean, it's only a shrine, right?"

Sesshomaru looked at her through the rearview mirror, smiled, and said, "No. It was your mother's. She lived there." He put the car in drive and pulled off.

Takara silenced, stared at the house until it disappeared, and sighed. "Mom." She had grown more quiet after her mother's death, only really speaking when necessary.

Takehiko blinked back the tears. He had changed the most drastically...Or, truthfully, hadn't changed at all. His mind remained in the phase of a five year olds, despite the fact that he was 500 and appeared to be 15. "Daddy, when do you go back to work?" His voice was soft, as always, and low.

"Tomorrow morning, from five until four in the afternoon." Sesshomaru was a doctor. He'd decided upon the occupation long ago. Kagome's father had been one. She was a healer herself. He felt that he owed it to her. "But then, there will be no more overtime for a while."

"Oh. That's a long time to be working."

"I know." Sesshomaru sighed. "But then I won't work as much. We will be getting another doctor at the hospital in a few days."

Takako looked to her father from her place in the passenger's seat. "Grandfather is coming today, right?" No one really knew how Inutaisho had been ressurected. All that they knew, was that he had been.

Sesshomaru nodded. "Yes. Tonight."

As soon as her father pulled up to the mall, Takako took her sister's hand and led her inside, leaving the men together. Takehiko followed his dad, silent for moment as he tried to recall what he'd forgotten. "Oh, dad, I just remembered. Your friend, Tsubasa, called this mornin'. He said we should come to his house tomorrow. Wants to introduce you to his fee-lon-day. Something like that."

Sesshomaru nodded. "His fiance. Alright. I will call him later. Come." He led his son into a store and flipped through the shirts before holding up one. It was a form fitting, black shirt, one red stripe running down each side. "Do you like this one, Hiko?"

"No. I want this one." He held up a shirt that, though his side, looked like it was made for a child.

"You can't have that one."

"Why not?" He asked, angry.

Sesshomaru remained calm. "It is not what some one your age should wear."

Takehiko pouted. "But I want it." His voice raised a little as he glared at his father, clutching the shirt in hsi fists.

"You are not getting it so calm down." Sesshomaru put his hands on his son's shoulders. "Takehiko, if you find shirts more suitable...I will stop for ice cream and take out before we go home."

"And I get a new video game?" He asked with a large smile.

"Of course." Sesshomaru agreed with a nod. "Now, I'm going to leave you to find a few things. Here's the card. I'll be sitting in the coffee shop over there." He handed over his platinum card and then walked over to the coffee shop. Ordering a cup of black coffee, he went to sit and pulled out his schedule. "Late nights almost over. Only two more days before we recieve the new doctor."

"So you're a doctor?" A sultry, annoying voice came from behind him. Turning, he found a young woman, looking to be perhaps 26. She had short black hair and brown eyes.

He turned back to his schedule. "Yes."

She nodded. "Mind if I sit?" Not waiting for an answer, she sat in the seat directly across from him. "My name is Eri by the way." When he didnt reply, she asked, "And yours is?"

Irritated, he answered, "Sesshomaru." 'Now, leave.' It wasn't the first time he had been hit on. In fact, it seemed that women were coming from left and right.

"What a peculiar name. Sesshomaru. Sessh-omaru. Sesshooomaru." She giggled, but ceased when she realized that she was doing so alone. "Ahem. Um, perhaps we could get together sometime."

"Perhaps." He lied, hoping it would get her off his back.

She grinned and began to pen her number on the top of his schedule. "Call me the nect time you're free."

"He won't be calling you." The deep voice cause Sesshomaru to turn around. His eyes widened. Takehiko had never sounded so...adult before. "I don't think mom would like that."

"Takehiko, you do not understand." Sesshomaru told him.

But Takehiko was too angry to listen. "I think I do. Mom's going to come back and she'll be mad when she realizes she came back from the grave to find you with some woman. You're with someone, remember? Kagome. Does that ring a bell?"

Eri breathed. "Kagome. Y-you mean you know Kagome?"

"She's my mom." He glared at her. "How do you knwo her?"

"We were like best friends until she stops coming to school. And then we find out that she died somehow. Worst year of my life."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Even worse for me. Dad, let's go."

Sesshomaru growled at his son. "You do not command your alpha, Takehiko."

"Fine, then. Stay with her. See if I care." Voice soft again, tears filled his eyes as he stormed off in search of his sisters.

"Takehiko." Sesshomaru, completely ignoring Eri and leaving his schedule on the table, left to find his son. But instead, he ran into Takara and Takako. "Have you seen your brother?"

Takara frowned. "No."f

Takako shook her head lightly. "We thought he was with you."

Sesshomaru growled. His son was going to be lost. He didn't need that. "Split up and look for him." Nose to the air, he sniffed until he caught the scent, more like Kagome's than his. He pushed open the men's room door found his son on the floor, sobbing. "Hiko."

"Go away. Go back to that woman."

"Hiko, I hardly spoke to the woman. When she walked away, I planned to rip up the number. I could never love anyone after your mother. You know that." He kneeled to embrace his son, stroking his head. "Calm down."

Takehiko fisted his father's shirt in his hands, taking deep breaths to cease his crying. He could almost feel his father's glares as men entered the restroom and stared at the pair. "I want mom back, daddy."

Sesshomaru smiled sadly. "As do I, Hiko. As do I." He stood and wet a paper towel then handed it to his son so that he could wipe his face. "Shall we find that video game now?"

Handing his bags to Sesshomaru, the boy nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Let's go, dad!"

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A demon stood over a bath tub, a grin on his face, a sparkle in his eyes. 'She's ready. At last, she's ready. I preserved her body, and at last, she is ready.' He touched the cheek of the woman affectionately. "I can't wait until you get here. Satoru, get to work."

The human looked up, then ran his fingers through his hair. He read a passage from the book he'd been reading, "Gates of Heaven, we ask you to awaken. To release this soul. To give this lifeless body life again. That this person be resurrected now, and granted a heartbeart...Breath into her, master."

The demon's eyes twinkled more. He lowered his lips to hers and breathed deeply into her. Upon feeling her move, he stepped back. "Awaken, woman." When she did not move, he ordered, "Get up, woman."

The woman's eyes shot open, and she rose to a sitting position, the water lapping around her. She looked around her, eyes a dull hazel. "What am I doing here?" her voice was soft, serene.

"I've brought you back to life. I need you to do something for me."

"Where did this room come from?"

He smirked. "So you did not gain your memories? Oh, then that wound came from your male. When the time comes, I will tell you to kill him."

She stared at the blood on her hands as she pulled them away from the wound. "He betrayed me?" Her heart ached. "How dare that dog betray me?!" She cried in rage.

"Forget that for now." He placed a hand on her head, sending her brand new memories away. "For now, you live a normal life. You are engaged. You are going to be a doctor. Do you understand?" He questioned, all the while filling her mind with false memories and all the knowledge she would need.

"Yes, I do."

He smiled at her. "One last thing, your name, it's Hiyashi Kagome."

Sesshomaru shot up and gasped for air. "K-K-K-Kagome." His chest rose and fell. He looked over at his son, who slept beside him, to make sure that he hadn't awakened him. "Damn reoccuring nightmare." His eyes swept to the clock. "4:00. I should get ready for work." He massaged his mating mark for a second before getting up to prepare for work. It was going to be a long day, and he still had to go to dinner at Tsubasa's. Damnit.

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"Sesshomaru."

"No."

Dr. Akane sighed. "Sesshomaru, we need you to train the new doctor. Show 'em the ropes. Onegai shimasu."

He glared down at her as he took off his white jacket. "No. I have somewhere very important to be. It can not wait." His mind drifted to the flowers and kimono in his car.

She rested a hand on his chest. "For me?"

"Woman, I suggest you not touch me." He pushed her hand off. "My mate would be furious."

"Your wench of a mate is dead." She gulped when Sesshomaru glared angrily and took a step toward her. "Um, that was taking it a little too far. You know what, you can go. I'll just tell her that you'll train her when she comes in tomorrow. Good evening, Sesshoamru-sama." Akane vamped from teh area, unable to stand his glare any longer. 'Don't need him choking me again. He cares too much about that damn dead wench.'

Sesshomaru glided out of the hospital, clenching his fists repeatedly. Clutching the steering wheel tightly, he let tears of pain and rage, and blood, streak down his face. Pulling his car to a stop, he climbed out and ran to the empty grave he'd made for her. Unable to find her body, he'd settled for a headstone, a huge one at that. He'd cut it himself. It was a lifesize model of her, of his Kagome. "What right did she have to speak of you that way, my Kagome? Does she not know that you could kill her, hands tied behind your back? If you were here. If only you were here. I have to defend your name often. Wenches arriving this way and that to dishonor you so that they may have me. Fools, they do not understand that I love only you, that you are everything I've ever wanted, ever will want. And even though you are not coming back, I will be glad to meet you in the after life." Sinking to his knees, he laid down the Sakura blossoms and kimono on the ground, his fingers trailing over the engraving. It read:

Higurashi Kagome

Mother, Mate, Daughter, Sister

1991-2009

He had wanted so badly to put the dates of the past, where she had died, but he hadn't. It was so confusing. She'd been born in the future, and had died in the past. Remarkle. But that was just what she was, 'Remarkable, my dear.' He leaned to place a light kiss on the statue (Not in a psycotic, She'll come back to life and be a prince instead of a frog, way), but stopped short when his phone rang. "What?" He snapped.

"Jeez. Hello to you too." Inuyasha shot back. "Anyway, look, I found something you're going to love."

'Kagome?' he thought, but asked, "Oh really?"

Inuyasha snorted. "I love the enthusiasm. Look, where are you?"

Sesshomaru paused a moment. He hadn't told anyone about this. Changed the subject. "What is it?"

"Oh, you'll find out when you get here."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, closed his phone, and gave the statue one last look. "Same time tomorrow, Kagome."

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Sesshomaru walked into his house and was going to pass the living room until he heard someone call out to him. Entering, his eyes swept across the room, taking note of everyone there. "Pups, Inuyasha, Father. What was it that you had, Inuyasha?"

"This." The younger brother held something up.

"A...cam-corder?"

"Not just any camcorder. The camcorder that Kagome took back to the feudal era."

Sesshomaru frowned a little. "And your point being?"

Inutaisho grinned. "The memory is full. So that means she recorded you two, and obviously you didn't know."

Sesshomaru glanced at his father, snatching the camcorder from Inuyasha. "And you all wish to watch?"

"Oh, can we daddy?!" Takehiko asked, jumping up and down. "Can we, dad?! Huh?! Can we?!"

"You are your mother's child." He sais with a small child. "Energetic and easily excited."

"So, can we watch it, father?" Takara asked.

He blinked at her. Those were the most words she'd said in a while. Looking down at the camcorder, Sesshoamru found that he was grasping it so tightly that his nuckles were white and the plastic was cracking. He knew he wasn't ready. "I can't look at her. Not yet."

Inuyasha sympathized for once. "You sure, Sesshomaru? I mean, it might make you feel-"

"I can't see her yet!" He snapped at his brother, then looked back at the camera. "I can not. But you may."

"Not without you." Takako told her father. "We'll wait until it's a better time. We should be getting to Tsubasa's anyway."

Sesshomaru nodded at her. "Yes."

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"Don't see what I'm doing here." Inuyasha mumbled. "I don't like him."

Inutaisho nodded. "And I hardly know him."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "He invited you. You will both go. Father, grow up." Hand raised, he knocked at the door three times.

Tsubasa smirked as he opened the door. "Sesshomaru. Inuyasha. Inutaisho. Hello. Pups, welcome."

"Hi." Takehiko smiled and waved, entering the house.

"Hello." The others greeted, following suit to the dining room.

Tsubasa sat down with a smile. "So, Sesshomaru, how you doing?"

Sesshomaru shrugged elegantly. "Fine, I suppose. Where is your fiance?"

"I don't know. I told her to be home by four. She's over two hours late." He flipped out his cellphone and dialed a number, waiting for the woman on the other end to answer. "Hello...Babe, it's Tsu. I asked you to be here hours ago...What the hell they holdin' ya up for if he ain't there...No. We have company. They're here to meet you...No...I'm angry with you." He pouted like a child. "Still angry."

Seemingly out of thin air, feminine hands landed on his shoulder. "Still angry?" A soft whisper.

Tsubasa smirked. "I love it when you pop in on me like that."

"Mmmm, I know you do. So, you still angry with me?" Rising, the woman kissed his neck, then turned to the others at the table with a smile. Brushing her raven hair from her face, she batted her lashes. "Hi."

"Kagome/mom." Breathed. Whispered. Mouthed. Didn't matter how. They all said it, and were in shock over it.