A/N: This is a series I've long loved (and also got me into Anime in the first place) and I was just DYING to write about Kusanagi and Momiji, so enjoy :) Also, I don't own Blue Seed.

Leaves fluttered abnormally as she walked down the path from the cave to the bus stop. She looked up at the canvas of browns, oranges and reds and noticed something. She smiled slightly when she noticed a small boy with cat like eyes and ruffled brown hair sitting in a tree near her, smiling. She walked over to him and smiled up at him when he giggled slightly.

Fast as lightning, the little boy was in her arms and hugging her around the neck. He nuzzled against her neck and hugged her tightly. "I love you mommy." He said in a gentle voice. She smiled and closed her eyes, soaking in his love.

"I love you too, Kasagi." She said gently, tears forming in her eyes. She held him tightly to her for a moment before she turned and started walking back up to the family shrine. The little boy seemed content to be in her arms, as he just laid his head on her shoulder and watched the scenery go by. He laughed when he saw the shrine come into sight, but she didn't. There was a car outside her home…a car she knew all too well.

Daitetsu Kunikida shifted nervously; his once thick black-brown hair was now a sparse salt and pepper grey. He looked over at the woman at his side. Ryoko Tageuchi had been one of his most trusted agents up until they retired and got married. She seemed to notice his attention was on her, because she turned to look at him and smiled. Despite the years between them, she loved him with every breath she took, and she never had problems telling him…not anymore…not since he almost died.

He looked back at the aging mother of the girl he'd come to see. The eldest Kushinada had passed on several years ago and they'd come and paid their respects. It had been then he'd noticed Momiji strangely absent from the wake. When asked, no one had said anything about the former Kushinada sacrifice, only hinted that she was away.

He heard a door slide open and then soft voices. There was a muffled reply and then Momiji came in, her face tense. He couldn't blame her…things hadn't ended well for her in Tokyo. She'd had her heart broken and come back to Izumo, not even giving them so much as a phone call to let them know she was alright. He could still see the look on that damn Mamoru's face when he'd been told Momiji went back to Izumo.

Shaking his head, he turned and bowed to the girl, who wrapped her arms around herself and watched them suspiciously. "Not that I'm not glad to see you both alive, but what are you doing here Mr. Kunikida?" He sighed and looked at his hands.

"I wish I could say this was a personal visit, but that's not the case." He looked up at her with sad eyes. "We've found something and we need your help to figure out what it is. We can't even get close to it without someone getting turned into a plant." He noticed her eyes darken and then she looked away, her expression hiding the pain he could so plainly see in her eyes.

"Why not have Kusanagi look at it? I'm sure he'd know more about it than I would." She was turning away from them when Ryoko spoke.

"Kusanagi disappeared right after you left and came back to Izumo. No one has seen him and he hasn't checked in." the former police woman said gently. He noticed Momiji stiffen and then a tension overcame her.

"You're sure he disappeared? You're not just trying to cover up his whereabouts again, are you?" he felt that like a blow…and she had every right to be angry with him. He'd lied to her…right to her face. And it had almost cost her and Kusanagi their lives. It was also what had driven her from them and from Kusanagi.

"You can call Kome. He hasn't been by the office, nor has he contacted anyone from TAC. Kome went by his apartment a couple of months ago and the place was covered in dust. Doesn't look like he's been in Tokyo since you left." He noticed her look towards the hall and then suddenly, she took off. Ryoko looked at him and he seemed confused.

"What was that all about?" his wife asked as he put his hand on hers and pulled her closer. They held one another as he answered.

"I have no idea." He kissed her hand gently and just kept his eyes on the now empty and open door frame.

Momiji could feel something close by, even without the mitama anymore. She'd once given the mitama imbedded in her chest to Kusanagi to save both their lives. Somehow, it connected them on a base level. She could always sense him, no matter what…but she'd buried the link so far she'd almost forgotten what it felt like. She ran through the house until she arrived at her son's room. She jerked open the door and ran inside, searching for her child.

She looked over and noticed claw marks in the wood of his window. She looked out and clenched her teeth. With a hiss, she gripped the windowsill. "Aragami…" she then turned and ran to the exit closest to her. She ran out into the woods, looking for her son. She didn't have to go far, because she could hear her son screaming.

"When my momma gets hold of you, she's going to rip you up good!" he yelled. For a five year old, he was very bold. She sweat dropped as she remembered he'd seen her enough times in situations where she'd needed to get ugly to know she had a bit of a temper now. When she caught up, she skidded to a halt. The Aragami was in human form right now and was smirking evilly at her child.

"Your momma is powerless now that she has you, brat, so I'd get quiet if I were you." Momiji bit her lip. It was true that she no longer held the same power over the Aragami as she had before the birth of her child. But that didn't mean she hadn't picked up other skills. She had learned to fight Aragami without the powers of the Kushinada. She pulled a small handgun from the folds of her kimono and fired three shots at the monster that had her son. He flinched and shoved the boy behind him, a grotesque tail holding on to him.

The monster smiled at her as she glared at him. "So, you are the one we used to fear so badly? You don't look like much." She hissed and looked at her son, who was slowly being overtaken by vines.

"Let him go!" she screamed and shot two more rounds, one into his gut and the other in his shoulder. The Aragami hissed and glared at her. She gasped as her son screamed in pain. "NO!" she screamed and ran forwards, intent on reaching her child. The monster laughed and she was suddenly thrown up into the air. She could see her son being encased in vines and she was falling towards the earth fast. She closed her eyes and waited for the end.

But it never came. She felt strong arms around her and she gasped, recognizing those arms instantly. When she was safely on the ground, she looked up into catlike eyes framed by forest green hair. A slight fang hung over his bottom lip as he smirked at her.

"Long time no see, Princess." She gaped at him before looking back at the monster. She could see one small arm of her son reaching towards her. She got up, tears in her eyes.

"NO!" she ran towards the monster, but just as it would have smashed her with a large vine, Kusanagi saved her again. He put her down and glared at her, clearly annoyed.

"Why aren't you running away, stupid woman!" he yelled at her and held on to her this time. She fought against him, tears in her eyes. She squirmed and pushed away from him, crying out.

"Let him go! Give him back to me!" she screamed, crying now. She gasped when Kusanagi gave her a strong shake and looked her in the eyes.

"What's wrong with you?" he yelled. She looked up at him with heartbroken eyes as she looked back at the monster.

"He has my son!" she screamed and broke away from the man she'd once loved more than her own life. She ran at the tangle of vines and started ripping at them, trying to get to her son. Suddenly, the monster went limp and the vines fell away. Her son fell from the vines in a small, unconscious heap. She caught him and pulled him close, sobbing and rocking him.

"Kasagi! Kasagi, wake up! Kasagi!" her screams of terror and panic raised in volume as she tried to wake her child. Tears were falling down her face as stared down at his little face, which had a bruise at the corner of his mouth. She buried her face against his neck and cried as if her heart was breaking all over again. She'd thought she'd lost Kusanagi just like this. She'd thought he'd died in her arms as well…but he'd gotten up and walked out of her life, just like that.

And now he was back…for whatever reason, and her son was dead. Their son was dead. She cried even harder then and pressed her head to his chest, wishing she'd gotten to him sooner. She held him tightly and mourned her only child's death. She felt Kusanagi put his hand on her shoulder, but nothing he did or said would ever take away the pain of losing her child.

Her mind went wild with all kinds of thoughts then. She felt a void open up in her chest and she swore it would swallow her whole. She could hear her blood beating in her ears as the sorrow turned to anger. She pulled her child into her lap and then looked up at Kusanagi, who was staring at the child…and at her. She glared at him, tears still streaking her face.

She was about to lash out at him when she felt a stirring in her lap. She gasped and looked down just in time to see her son's cat like eyes open and look up at her. Then, he smiled at her…and that was all it took to diffuse her anger. She held him to her and started muttering thank you to every deity she knew of, including Susanoo. She felt his little arms wrap around her neck and she kissed his face all over, her tears coming faster and faster.

"Are you alright, Kasagi?" she asked through her tears. It was a choked question and the little boy just let his mother hold him.

"I t-told him…you'd r-rip him up good…m-momma…" he then snuggled into her and fell unconscious again. She panicked and was about to shake him awake when Kusanagi grabbed her and stared her in the eyes.

"Momiji…where did that child come from?" Even through her relief that Kasagi was alive, she managed a little sarcasm.

"Where do all children come from, Kusanagi? I guarantee you it wasn't a damn stork." She then turned her back to him, not wanting him to look any closer at Kasagi. There was no doubt in her mind that if he looked close enough at the boy, he'd know the child was his. Then there would be trouble.

She was suddenly flipped over, her head somewhere in the vicinity of his lap as he stared down into her eyes with glowing eyes…angry eyes. Apparently, he'd noticed a similarity. "Don't screw with me Momiji! Where did that child come from?" his voice was low and deadly and it made her gulp in nervousness. She looked down and ran her fingers through her son's hair.

"He was born here, at the shrine." She said quietly and watched his eyes go dark as thoughts entered his mind. She knew he was wondering who the child's father was. He'd swallow his tongue if he only knew. It was then that she asked a question.

"That day, when I thought you died…why did you leave me?" she asked, unable to look at him. She heard him sigh and she was suddenly upright and leaning back against him while he looked over her shoulder and down at their son. In this position, he could only see the boy's hair.

"Momiji, do you remember when we fought the snake and you got your mitama?" he asked quietly and looked at her. She looked up at him and nodded. It was the first day they'd ever met and he'd sworn he'd kill her. But he hadn't been able to go through with it. It was also the day she'd jumped between him and another aragami and taken a killing blow in his place.

She'd only lived because the aragami had transferred it's mitama into her, making her its host. She noticed his sad eyes. "When you came and found me and I was so injured, I noticed something in your eyes. I knew then you'd follow me to the ends of the earth if you had to. I was scared of that kind of devotion. I didn't want you to get hurt, I didn't want you to die…not for me." He looked down at her, his eyes seeming much older now.

"I tried to distance myself from you. I wanted you safe. But I couldn't do it…two days after I told you to leave, I went looking for you. When Kunikida told me you'd come back to Izumo, I was shocked. I'd thought you'd brush it off like you did everything else and just keep persisting. I thought about coming to you, but I was ashamed of myself. I realized I'd hurt you so much more by sending you away than by keeping you at my side." He reached down and brushed away some of her tears before smiling at her.

"After you left, I went out into the wilds and did a little thinking. I was confused by my feelings for you. Sure, I was created to protect the Kushinada, but that didn't explain the way I felt about you. You were different from Kaede in ways I never realized. For me, Kaede was someone I was born to protect. She was someone who'd been kind to me…treated me like a human even though I wasn't. But you…" he reached down and caressed her face before leaning down and kissing her.

"You were so much more. You put your life in danger to save mine. You tried to be friendly with me, even when I was a jerk to you. You cared, even when I pushed you away." He then leaned down and whispered in her ear huskily. "And you gave yourself to me in ways no woman ever has." He noticed her blush and he smiled at her.

She looked down and stroked her son's head. It was time to tell Kusanagi about her son…their son. "Kusanagi…Kasagi was born at the shrine…" she said, looking for the right words. She finally turned around and looked him in the eyes. "He's five years old." She noticed him arch a brow, until the significance of the boy's age hit him. He looked at her, then at the boy, and back up at her. She blushed and nodded as the confused man pointed from himself to the boy.

"You mean…he is…I am…" she nodded and blushed even brighter than before. She noticed something enter his eyes and then he was leaning over her, trying to get a better look at the boy. Momiji gasped as she suddenly felt his hands everywhere on her as he looked down at the sleeping form of their son. She heard his husky voice in her ear. "You mean, the night you gave yourself to me, you got pregnant with my child? And you kept him?" she leaned back with a soft moan as his hands smoothed up and down her sides, occasionally lingering on her hips or just under her breasts.

She nodded, unsure that her voice would work if she spoke. She felt him nibble on her ear and she bit her lip to stay quiet. She could feel him scraping his fangs down her neck and it made her shiver. She felt him shift and then suddenly he was standing, her in his arms. She had her son clutched closely to her and looked up at Kusanagi as he looked down at the two of them. His eyes softened when they landed on the boy in her arms.

"My son…" he whispered before taking off. Momiji gasped and gripped tightly at him as he ran towards the shrine. They arrived just as Daitetsu and Ryoko were coming out. Both were shocked to see Kusanagi holding Momiji, who was holding a small boy in her arms. Momiji's mother gasped and ran forwards.

"Kasagi! Momiji is he?" Momiji smiled and nodded. She stroked the boy's hair and then looked at Daitetsu and Ryoko.

"Mr. Kunikida, Ryoko, this is my son, Kasagi." She made it to where they could see the boy and then looked up at Kusanagi, whose eyes were glowing softly with pride and love. "Kusanagi is Kasagi's father." She said quietly and then smiled slightly at their shocked faces. She gently asked Kusanagi to put her down and he did, though he didn't allow her far from him.

"Mr. Kunikida, when you tried to keep me from going after Kusanagi, you didn't know that we'd confessed our love for one another and given vows. In ancient terms, Kusanagi was my husband…and still is." She looked up at him adoringly. He blushed and looked away, clearing his throat. He stiffened when Momiji suddenly turned cold eyes on the two former TAC members.

"When you told me Kusanagi disappeared without a trace and there was no way you could find him, I got to thinking. Why would the people I'd entrusted my life to lie to me about that? And I knew it was a lie. You've never been able to lie to me Mr. Kunikida, so you had Ryoko do it for you. But you see, Ryoko has a nervous tic in the corner of her mouth when she lies. I've seen it several times, and I knew she was lying to me then. What I want to know is, why? Why did you lie to me about Kusanagi?" She noticed the sad look in Kunikida's eyes.

"I was afraid he'd hurt you. I knew he'd had feelings for Kaede and I was afraid he was only using you as a substitute for her…I never imagined that you'd fallen in love with each other." He closed his eyes and Ryoko put her hand on his shoulder. She then gave the younger couple a stern glare.

"Blame us if you wish, but we were only trying to protect you. You came to mean so much to us that the thought of you getting hurt made Daitetsu sick. Kusanagi never gave any indication, nor did you, that you had any type of relationship past the arguing you did with one another in our presence. It was only natural for us to worry because we cared." She then turned away from them and helped her husband into the car they'd arrived in. She turned to Momiji and her eyes softened slightly.

"I'm glad you two were able to tell each other how you felt." She then got in and started to pull away when Momiji hurriedly handed Kusanagi their son and ran after the car.

"Mr. Kunikida, wait!" there were tears in her eyes as she noticed him achingly get out and she threw herself in his arms, crying.

"I didn't understand why you would lie to me after years of protecting me. It hurt so badly knowing you were lying and not knowing why!" she cried against his shoulder as he smiled softly down at her.

"Momiji…after Kaede died, I felt empty. And then you came along. You were so different from Kaede and yet…you made me just as happy as she did. Having you around was like having my daughter back and I was so afraid you'd get hurt…" He hugged her tightly and apologized. Momiji looked up at him with a smile.

"I know my own heart, Mr. Kunikida. I'm thankful you cared enough to try and protect me, but I would never put myself in a situation that I didn't at least have the confidence to try and get out of." She heard a grunt and looked back at a sweat dropping Kusanagi. She then laughed slightly. "Well, at least not willingly." They all started laughing and it was then that Kasagi decided to wake up.

"M-momma?" he opened blurry cat like eyes to find a man with orange skin, deep forest green hair, eyes just like his, and a dot in the middle of his forehead. He also noticed what seemed to be four eyebrows. Needless to say, he freaked out. "MOMMY!" he wailed and started flailing around in the man's arms. The man panicked and looked up at Momiji, who was stunned at her son's reaction to his own father. Then again, he'd almost been killed by a monster and Kusanagi didn't exactly look human.

She gasped and ran to her child, taking him into her arms as he cried. She cooed at him and tried calming him down. "Kasagi, it's alright! Shhhhh…Kasagi, he's not going to hurt you." She kissed his forehead and made him look at her. She smiled gently at him. "Kasagi, this is your daddy." The little boy sniffled and then looked at Kusanagi, who looked a little horrorstruck. He looked very nervous as well.

The little boy eyed the man carefully and then noticed that his eyes, indeed, looked similar to this mans. He reached out to the older man and touched him. He immediately hugged his mother tightly, afraid of the man's reaction. However, Kusanagi reacted in a way no one could have predicted. He stared at the little boy like a curious child. His eyes were big and he regarded the boy carefully. He reached out and touched the boy, gently, and they noticed his hand start shaking. Suddenly, Kusanagi was on his knees in front of Momiji, his face against her stomach.

His shoulders were jumping, but no noise came from him. Momiji looked down at him lovingly and smiled. "I love you, Kusanagi." She said gently. His arms tightened around her and he whispered to her, so that only she heard him.

"I love you too…Momiji…" She ran her hands through his hair while their son just watched his father curiously. She just knew things were going to liven up around here now.