It was almost dusk on a warm autumn day in the Sengoku period. A young miko appeared from a forest path into the clearing of a meadow. She paused to take in the site before her. The mountains to the distant east could be seen with their snow-capped crowns. She sighed at the thought of the approaching winter, but smiled when a flock of geese flew over her head and landed in the pond in front of her. They splashed about, quacking loudly and began to look for food. The sound of frogs could be heard from the tall grass at the waters edge. She shifted her gaze to the right, admiring the field of various flowers that grew wildly here. Butterflies and other insects could be seen fluttering about. In the very center of the meadow, in the midst of this breath-taking scene, stood a lone tree. The trunk was very broad; it made the young girl wonder how long it's been standing. The leaves hadn't begun to change and their color was a lush deep green. The girl sighed aloud once more before continuing her short trek.

A warm breeze blew around Kagome as she stood at the base of the great tree. The sky was bright orange as the sun began its decent over the horizon. Nightfall was would soon spread across the land and the young hanyo had been gone for hours.

"Inuyasha?!" she called looking up into its shadowy branches.

*silence*

"Inuyasha! I know you're up there!"

*silence*

"Do you hear me? What are you doing? Come down from there! You've been up there for hours. Are you still mad?"

The leaves rustled at the highest point in the tree. "Go away!" Inuyasha yelled, "I don't want to talk to you!"

"Grrr...! Get down here! You are being ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous, huh?" He snorted, "Keh! Just go away Kagome."

Kagome tightened her fists at her sides, closing her eyes she fumed to herself, 'I can't believe he's really upset about those stupid beads being put back around his neck!'

"Kagome!" Sango called as she walked across the meadow to join her at the tree, "He still won't come down?"

"No." She pouted, then brightens with a mischievous look, "Actually Sango," she began slowly with a wicked grin.

"Hmm?" The demon exterminator inquired curiously while bending down to pluck a few yellow and purple flowers. While intertwining their stems she regained her posture and placed them behind her right ear.

Kagome licked her lips while rubbing her hands together. "He will come down. Whether he likes it, or not!"

Sango stepped back holding up her hand to warn the young miko, "Uh Kagome, I really don't think..."

"OSUWARI!!!" A yelp of pain followed the dreaded 'sit' command, accompanied by the sound of branches being torn from their natural place as the hanyo plummeted to the ground.

"That's a good idea." Sango finished with a sigh. She leapt backward as Inuyasha slammed into the meadow floor. About half a dozen startled birds sprayed out from the leaves of their once quiet haven.

Leaves fluttered down around him as he lay face down on the ground with his feet and hands twitching. Slowly, the fingers on his right hand began to pull inward, leaving claw marks in the dirt as they did so. As soon as the hand closed, he sprang to his feet and began waving his fist into Kagome's quite amused face.

"What the hell was that for?!" Inuyasha demanded with a dirt smeared face.

Kagome folded her arms and turned her back to him. "You wouldn't come down." She answered matter-o-factly.

"See?" He ranted in total outrage, "That's exactly what I mean! You and your stupid beads!" He yanked at the strand around his neck while jumping around wildly. "Get them off! Get them off!"

"Baka," muttered the kitsune cub from one of the trees lower branches. He climbed down, "Hey Sango, dinner ready yet?"

Inuyasha and Kagome started arguing about her replacing the enchanted beads on him. They'd been broken while he was possessed by Sou'unga, the sword of hell. The spirit of the sword tried to use him to destroy the world. Inuyasha was not strong enough to combat Sou'unga's possessive nature and lust for blood and power as his father, Inu Taisho, had been. After all he was the Great and Terrible Dog Demon. The strongest of all demons.

*flashback*

The shattering of the beads of subjugation came about after a short but heated battle with Inuyasha's older half-brother, Sesshomaru. The demon sword demanded a live sacrifice and Inuyasha, through no will of his own, tried to attack Sesshomaru's companions. Seeing this, the demon prince quickly moves in to kill the hanyo while Kagome rushes over the rise of the battlefield from the opposite side. She shrieks the command for him to sit. But Sou'unga was very powerful and Inuyasha couldn't comply. As Sesshomaru closes in just a breath behind the crazed, possessed half-demon, Kagome lunges for Inuyasha. Grabbing the beads in her hands she repeats her command. They both slam to the ground. As Sou'unga is driven off, the strand of orbs shatters.

*End Flashback*

"Yes Shippo. That's why I came. Miroku is waiting for us at the camp site," replied the demon slayer, "Shall we?" She gestured toward the fox demon.

"Lets!" Shippo agreed as they started in the direction of the camp leaving the miko and the hanyo locked in verbal combat. "Idiot," he muttered in reference to Inuyasha with the last glance over his shoulder. His face brightened as he thought to himself, "If they argue just a while longer I can eat Inuyasha's portion of fish! He always takes mine," and with that he smiled rubbing his stomach in anticipation.

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara the great fire cat, were sitting around the camp fire enjoying the evening air after finishing their meal and talking about the highs and lows of their last adventure. Still no sign of Inuyasha and Kagome. The sky was clear and the stars shone bright as the friends carried on their conversation. The hot topic was Inu Taisho. It had been the first time any of them had actually seen the Lord of Demons, though they all knew of him. He died 200 years ago, on the day of Inuyasha's birth, in a great fire. He may have survived had it not been for the wounds he sustained from a previous battle with the dragon youkai, Ryuukotsusei.

"He was... beautiful." Sango was saying with stars in her eyes. She placed her hand on her chest in a swooning manner, looking off into the distance as she recalled the sight of the youkai lord. She straightens up when she heard Miroku clear his throat.

"Sango my dear, I'm crushed!" he chided, "Another has stolen your heart after I've worked so hard to have it!"

She smirked, "I don't think it was my 'heart' you were after you pervert!" She playfully tossed some grass at him. "Should we go look for them?" Sango turned worriedly in the direction of the forest path which lead to the meadow she and Shippo had come from almost two hours before, after they'd left Kagome and Inuyasha arguing.

"Do you think they're alright, Miroku?" Now Shippo was getting worried as well.

"I'm sure they're fine," the monk assured them with a smile, "I sense no evil auras. They are probably just talking things out. It's been an amazing experience for Inuyasha as well, remember?" He cradled his right arm which was injured in the battle at Sou'unga's citadel when he pulled too much of the poison miasma into his kazaana [wind tunnel].

"Well," Shippo yawned, "I think I'll turn in then." He turned once more as he bounded off to his resting place, "If Kagome isn't back soon, wake me okay? I don't want anything to happen to her."

Miroku and Sango nodded to him in agreement. They watched as his silhouette curled up not too far from the fire and fell asleep almost instantly. Things were silent for a moment with those two. Then Sango rose to approach the monk. He looked surprised when she knelt down in front of him laying a hand on his knee.

"Did you mean what you said back there," she asked looking solemnly in his eyes, "about... you know..." she fumbled, "protecting the woman you love?"

Miroku's eyes softened. He held her hands in one of his, "Of course I meant it! You honestly didn't know?" She blushed and scooted closer to him. "You are the most beautiful woman in the world. You have lovely eyes, your hair smells of cherry blossoms, I live each day in hopes of seeing you smile just once! Why, I wouldn't know what to do if you left my side..." *SMACK* Miroku toppled over onto the grass. Sango seethed as she struck him when she felt his hand on her back side! She couldn't believe he would do something like that at a moment like this! She dropped her head and sighed, actually she could believe it! That was the problem.

"You pervert!" She muttered before she rose to leave. When she stood, she kicked his leg, "Stop laughing you jerk! I can't believe I fell for that! Aaargh!" and with that she stomped off leaving the lecherous monk to entertain himself with his own fits of laughter.

*back at the tree*

"I'm sorry for what I did Inuyasha, forgive me?" Kagome whispered in a sincere voice as they sat together with their backs against the trunk of the great tree looking up at the night sky. The moon shone brightly over the trees that lined the serene field from all sides. The song of crickets could be heard in calf high grass.

"Keh! What are you sorry for?" he spat at her

"For saying... you know..." she nervously tangled her fingers in a patch of crab grass, looking at the ground to avoid the hanyo's piercing gaze.

"No, I don't know." He mocked "Just what the hell are you talking about now? Why can't you just say what you mean? Spit out already!"

Kagome held her head down, her hair fell into her face and she huffed, "I'm sorry for saying..." she held her breath.

"What dammit?!" he was really beginning to annoy her! All she was trying to do was apologize for crying out loud!

Kagome pursed her lips and glared at him. "Osuwari alright!" she yelled. His body slammed to the ground. "I'm sorry for saying 'sit!" He slammed down again.

"Stop it!" Inuyasha cried in agony.

"Well if you weren't being so rude," Kagome frowned

"I'm being rude?!" he cut her off, "You're the one who tricked me with these stupid beads anyhow..." he stopped his ranting when he saw moisture come to Kagome's eyes. 'Dammit,' he scolded himself, 'I can't do anything right.' He sighed out loud. "Kagome," he began, she looked away so he couldn't see the tear fall but he could smell the salt water as it rolled down her cheek, 'Dammit,' he said again to himself.

He leaned his head back against the tree taking in a deep breath. He placed his arm behind his head and looked at the sky. "It was my father." He said in a barely audible whisper but she'd heard him.

The young miko wiped her face as she turned to him, "What?" she looked at him in concern.

He didn't look at her. "When you asked what I was doing" a faraway look came to his golden eyes as he gazed at the stars, "I was thinking of my father." He sighed before continuing, "How he looked. The sound of his voice. I never knew what to expect, you know? And then there he was... it was like he knew me, like he expected me. I just wonder if I'm what he wanted. Am I a disappointment to someone who was so great?" he was talking more to himself now, "What would it have been like to hunt with him? To be in a great battle? I wonder if he knew how much hahaoya [mother] loved him. What she went through for me? The half-breed son of the great Inu Taisho. If he hadn't died I would be a prince," he chuckled, "I just..."

"Inuyasha," Kagome touched his arm, "You are a prince." She positioned herself in front of him, "He died protecting you and your mother. He was mortally wounded from his battle with Ryuukotsusei, but he still came for you. To make sure you survived. I wish I would be so lucky to find a love such as theirs." She blushed. Inuyasha looked at her now with his head cocked to one side. She went on, "How could you be a disappointment? He knew you were going to be great, that's why he entrusted you with Tetsusaiga." He ran his hand over the sword in its sheath. "He made you keeper of the path to his tomb." She brushed his silver hair away from his face and moved his chin so that their eyes met. "He believed in you. He trusted you to do what was right. You are more like him than Sesshomaru will ever be." Inuyasha gasped and was taken aback by what Kagome had just said.

"Me?" his eyes widened, "A greater demon than Sesshomaru?"

"No," she gently corrected, her thumb stroking his cheek, "A better person." Inuyasha stared at her now confused. Seeing this, Kagome pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them before continuing, "He didn't seek ultimate power like Sesshomaru. He already had it and knew that without love, the power of the Swords of Supreme Conquest meant nothing. He knew there was more to life. I'm sure he would've wanted to die the way he did, protecting his love and new son, rather than to have lived a thousand years without knowing any joy."

Inuyasha scratched his head, "But Myoga said he was the fiercest and most powerful demon ever."

Kagome gave him a sideways grin, "Fierce or not, he fell in love with a human. Powerful or not, he knew after battling the great dragon he wasn't strong enough, but he still came for Lady Izayoi. Something your brother..."

"Half brother," he cut in rather sharply.

"What ever," she rolled her eyes, "the point is Sesshomaru would never, and I mean NEVER even consider doing such a thing!" Inuyasha chuckled as she went on, "Inu Taisho may have been powerful and fierce but he was also very wise and caring."

Inuyasha sat quietly looking down at his hands while he turned this over in his mind. Could it be true? Was he, the hanyo, more like the great demon lord than his pure blue blood half-brother? Is that why he was given Tetsuseiga, the Guardian of Man, instead of Sesshomaru? How did he know that Inuyasha would use the fang to protect instead of to kill? 'What do you expect of me, father?' he wondered. Then his thoughts shifted to the demon prince. An image of Seshomaru's regal stance as he looked off into the distance came to his mind. The image turned to face him with loathing in his eyes, "I hate it that my fathers blood flows through your veins!" His eyes stung as he remembered his brother's words. He lowered his head so Kagome couldn't see his face.

Normally, Inuyasha didn't care what his pompous, shit head of a half-brother said. He actually liked to piss him off! But this time was different. The venomous statement rang through his mind again causing a tear to fall from his forlorn, amber eyes. He squeezed them shut in an attempt to block his half-brother's words. He wanted to know more about his father. He had to learn more. But he knew the only person who could tell him what he needed to know would rather kill him than waste his breath on, what he thought to be, a worthless hanyo that he felt was far beneath him. Inuyasha wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. 'I just want to know what it was like to spend time with him! What did you learn from him, Sesshomaru? What was it like to talk to him?' he wondered. The many episodes of Sesshomaru trying to end his life flashed vividly before him. He placed a hand on each side of his face and began rubbing his temples.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome's voice pulled him from his thoughts, "Are you alright?"

He shook his head to clear the painful imagery and wiped his eyes once more.

She gasped when he looked up at her with a tear-streaked face. Quickly reaching for him she pulled his head to her shoulder. Without thinking, she began stroking his face and hair while slowly beginning to rock. 'What is it?' she wondered but was afraid to ask. Kagome lowered her chin and began rubbing his forehead with her cheek. He didn't pull away. That in itself surprised her, but what he did next would've floored her if she's been standing! Inuyasha grabbed the front of her blouse in his fists letting out a loud sob as he buried his face in her bosom.

Her jaw dropped as did her hands, the rocking ceased as well. But she recovered quickly embracing the hanyo tightly. He continued to sob. Kagome felt the warm moisture of his tears seep through her shirt. She held him tighter with her left arm. Her right arm went to smoothing his platinum mane. She didn't know what to think! What to say. He's never been like this. It made her heart ache for what ever he was going through. But at the same time, her heart soared because he finally trusted her enough to show his feelings. 'What does this mean?' she wondered, 'Don't worry Inuyasha,' she stroked his ear, 'I'm here. I'll always be here for you.'

"I just..." he finally spoke, his voice muffled by the fabric that hid his face, "I just want to understand what it was like."

"Shhh..." Kagome held his head to her chest patting his back, "it's alright, I'm here. You don't have to say anything." She whispered laying her cheek on top of his head, "I'm not going anywhere."

Inuyasha released her top from his claws not noticing he'd ripped it slightly from hold it so tight. His arms went around to her back and he squeezed her firmly. "He's my brother," he whispered, "I just want him to be my brother just once! If only for a little while."

'Sesshomaru?!' she almost said aloud with wide eyes, 'All this is about Sesshomaru?' Kagome was at a loss for words. What could she possibly say? Those two have hated each other for... well... as long as anyone could remember!! And now this? She felt like she'd been slapped. Hard.

"I want to ask him about father." He continued oblivious to Kagome's utter shock, "I want to know everything about him. I just... Dammit Sesshomaru!" he growled finally looking up.

"Inuyasha," she finally found her voice. Fireflies danced around them causing her to smile. "I'm sure... Well..." she faltered. She was stuck! She knew good and well the demon prince would rather die than tell Inuyasha anything. Especially since he'd always felt his very existence was a waste of his oh-so-precious blood line.

"It's okay Kagome." Inuyasha regained his composure. Standing, he pulled her to her feet.

She noticed the small tears across the front of her damp shirt. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she smiled up at him. His usually bright eyes were full of pain. She laid a hand on his heartbreaking face. He rested his cheek in her palm.

"I'm sorry." He sighed

"For what?" she shook her head and softly said, "You have no need to be sorry. I was glad I could be there for you." She stared at his handsome face, "You are always there for me. I want you to know, I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

Grabbing her shoulders, he pulled her in a tight embrace, "Thank you." He brushed away her bangs and kissed her forehead.

The meadow was quiet except for an occasional frog calling or fish splashing in the pond. The sky was clear. The constellations could be seen in their entire splendor. A gentle breeze rustled the tops of the trees.