Her eyes stung. Swollen and red from the faucet of tears that fell listlessly down her tanned cheeks. They did nothing but pour harder with every shovel of dirt piled upon the casket. She'd lost grandparents before, she's lost a father before…but not like this. She'd been younger then. She hadn't understood the full meaning of the funeral ceremony then. A flash of old blue grey orbs filled her vision, a gentle wrinkled filled smiled then the ghost of a soft paper thin hand upon her cheek. She turned her head up the hill. The skeleton of the farm house loomed eerily silent and dark in her vision. Who would live in it now? Who would fill the kitchen with flour and the scent of baking cookies? Who would leave the lights on shinning through the (now cold dark) windows as if the house was emitting its own warmth and glow? The very thought of what she'd come to see as another home sitting empty, devoid of the life that loved it so long, merely added to the batch of tears staining her porcelain cheeks. It was her fault, it was her fault.

And yet, how could she have known?

Weariness settled in. Even with the people and voices filling the rooms with aimless chatter, Kagome only heard profound silence. Not quiet, but absence. Absence of the only voice she longed to hear. A figure stood outside by a fresh mound of earth and a tree. Her superman, resigned to be being nothing more power than the human Clark Kent. His silhouette stood strong. Or it would seem so. His daughter saw him for what he was. Lonely. A lonely force that stood unbending and unyielding in ragging wind and blistering heat. It should have rained. The Earth should cry for what it's lost as they were. The child exited the house leaving behind the cacophony of voices and stuffy atmosphere.

Bruce watched as his best friends daughter joined him at the hill. She gingerly reach for her father's hand and for a second, he held it. Then he shifted taking his hand away as if he'd been burn.

Clark, no. He hoped this wasn't what he thought it would be. For once the Batman was glad to be wrong. The father lifted an arm to snake around his daughter's shoulders. He pulled her into his chest which she clutched tightly, oh so tightly. Super senses though he lacked, her heart wrenching wails rung clear in his ears.

Connor sat on the back porch. This was his first funeral. He felt uncomfortable and restricted in his well tailored penguin suit. But he was grateful to have been wearing it. He'd been told he looked so much like his father by every old bird around. Speaking of his father, the boy raised his eyes to the large oak swaying to the west of the house. He'd never thought steel could be so broken, and yet his father lowered himself and his daughter to their knees. Then he just, cried.

Connor didn't understand, but how could he? He'd never been loved. He'd never loved and lost. He couldn't empathize or even sympathize no matter much he wanted to. He couldn't share in their pain. His eyes strained to find the blue black head of bunned hair belonging to his sister. Or take hers away. He wanted a hug. He felt selfish but he wanted to be hugged and held like that by his father too. He wanted to be part of their family. He wanted to help them. To be included so he could be strong and hold them strong too. Was that as selfish as he thought it was?

Maybe not, as he heard his name called. For once his idol was looking at him, rather than through him or around him. With a furrow of his brow he stood and made his way slowly and carefully up the hill. His form towered above them and he shifted awkwardly refusing to meet Superman's eyes. He couldn't look at him with tears still fresh on his chiseled cheeks.

Superman had no qualms about looking at his clone. Not anymore. There was little doubt his mother was happy about this, even if her death is what it took. Clark valued his family above all else. Above his title, above his power, above his status and his symbol. He had so few members. This clone...this person…his...boy. He was family. It would take more time sure, but he was blood despite the circumstances of his creation. He was one of the 3 and only blood relatives Clark had. Losing his mother was unexpected and devastating. A small voice whispered in the back of his mind that it would be just as bad to lose Connor. It could happen without a warning, without a conversation, with much left unsaid and hate misplaced.

Looking upon the teen he saw nothing but an orphaned boy looking for a father, searching for a place to belong and guidance to grow. He'd been blind not to see it before and to judge the child so harshly. Sometimes he forgot, though the super clone looked older, he was merely an infant compared to his new daughter. An extend of an arm and twitch of the fingers brought Connor Kent to his knees. A heavy arm settled around the boy's shoulders and peace settled in his heart. His young sister gripped his shirt squeezing herself in-between the two men seeking comfort in their embrace and a shield from the name on the grave.

A bird and a fox sat upon the broad shoulders of a dog. They were far away but she knew they were there. She'd be fool to think either of her old men would let her deal with such loss alone. It was rare for him to leave his empire. After all he'd taken what his father gave him and intended to build upon it until it flourished as brightly as his snowy hair. The fact that he'd left it unattended showed a fraction of his love and devotion to her. She sent out a gentle pulse of power, tentatively touching the edges of his own.

He dropped the barrier he'd form around himself and the others and allowed the Kryptonian miko's aura to wash over them. It felt like a tingle that boarder on a burning across his skin. He sent out his own aura and with a nod the small fox leapt from his shoulder darting under the brush and into the partially open cellar. The bird took to the sky, lazily circling the farm and noting every small detail, every up turned rock, ever hint of left over yokai. She then landed in the oak above the aliens. Her feathers bristled in discomfort and she took to tweeting out a gentle lullaby. He pushed another bit of yokai over his wife saw her father glance around, a steely sharpness in his gaze. No one ever thought to look up. Not that it was any concern of his. The mortals would see nothing but another cloud flying a bit too quickly to the East.

This was the second missed call in a row. Well more ignored than missed. It wasn't that Kagome didn't want to speak with her mom, she didn't want to speak at all really. She was in the middle of something, something important. Her fingers dialed softly and she waited with bated breath

'You have 4 new messages and 8 saved voice messages. First voice message, sent, Friday April 6th at 7:53pm, click, message saved. Next message, sent Monday May 13th at 3:57pm, click, message saved. Next message sent- Thursday June 9th at 10:15 am from 859-505- 6097:

'Hi powdered puff' her eyes stung with salty tears, 'I'm going to be making this new cookie brownie recipe I was watching on that Tube of You. Who knew there were so many nice Tasty recipes? Anyway, I need you to pick up some cocoa powder while you're out please. I know I sent you with a list but I forgot this, haha please forgive this senile old woman. My bridge team is coming tonight too, you are more than welcome to come or go hang out with your papa if you want, just be safe Kagome. Nana loves you. I will see you tonight.'

"Liar."

She hit 4 repeating the message again resting her ear on the pillow between herself and the receiver.

"You wont see me again, you, liar. You promised but you weren't there to see me when I got home. You lied to me, you lied." She hardly recognized her own hoarse voice. The last female Kent dialed her, grandmothers phone. It was unknown to her why she was tormenting herself. Her perceptive ears picked up on the buzzing that would go unanswered in the other room but she didn't mind that. She counted on it.

"This is Martha Kent, sorry I can't come to the phone right now. I'm probably off spoiling my grand baby! Please leave a message and I'll get back with you. Have a blessed day!" a few seconds and then a tone.

"Gran.." her voice broke and the dam of unshed tears welled behind her reddened eyes. "Obaa-san I miss you. I miss you so much. Daddy and Connor and I had a lot of fun. We...we went to the fair and we had mint chocolate ice cream. Connor got it all over himself I had to fight him to let me clean him up. He was excited to meet you! We were bringing him after…I learned to fly! I was gonna take you to see where I grew up. It's a nice shrine. It's big and has a lot of steps but I'd have flown up them with you. Daddy tried teaching Connor to fly but it didn't work. He just kept falling and I felt so bad for him. Dad must have too cause he gave him a hug when we were…when we were…" she broke.

"...next to your grave. I'm SORRY, I'm sorry gran! IT'S ALL MY FAULT! I shouldn't have left so long. I should have come back instead of wanting to fly of that STUPID cliff! I SHOULD HAVE PROTECTED YOU! Please come back. Please don't leave me. I'll be good I promise…just. Just come back and hug me again…just one more time. I love you. I need you." she ended her call. Half expecting a miracle that would never come.

Clark and Connor pretended not to hear their loved one crying herself to sleep. Bruce stopped Kara from entering the stair well. This would make the young El feel better. She needed to just have this time. With a heavy heart Bruce put on his Batman eyes and gathered the evidence from his forensic team's investigation. Clark needed time with his daughter. Connor followed the Batman and the woman he was told was his cousin out into a black sedan. They drove away from the family farm in a heavy burdened silence.

"You will tell this Sesshomaru what you know. Now." The stoic demon lord had no tolerance for anything. Period. It may have been weeks, but he'd yet to shake the vision of his beloved angel crumpled and crying. He'd never let her suffer so again. Never. She hadn't even wanted to come home. Hadn't desired to enter his embrace. She needed to stay in the house. Needed to make herself realize no matter how long she waited, Martha wouldn't be coming home.

He detested feeling…being so useless. What type of mate was he if he couldn't ease her pain?

"I..I" the big demon's face was full of terror. He'd soiled himself at the mere sight of the yokai in front of him. Anger, though free from the beast's seraph like features, was laced in the air. In his stance. In his words. The daiyokai made no move towards him but his eyes flashed the demons death. Of course he'd tell. He wanted a swift death. He was not a fool to think he'd live to change his pants.

"Now."

The milky skin couldn't absorb much oil. But the devil enjoyed its feel anyway. The whole ordeal had been immensely…amusing. Worn hands found a raw and bloodied organ. It had been frozen then thawed lightly over a warmed seasoned banana leave with a side of fava beans ftftftft. Delicious.

The milky hand dropped the organ down the slender gullet. Teeth gnashed violently. Thoughts of crying blue eyes made the flavor sweet. After ripping apart the old hag, literally, they taken a few things as…souvenirs. They'd left spies, and the spies took footage of a certain wench at a certain funeral. They pleasured themselves to the sweet soothing wails of their enemy nightly.

"Tell me, love. Where has that rat demon gone? He was due back days ago. I will not be thwarted or have time wasted any longer!" the voice was part beautiful, part rough. Vocal cords damaged from a phantom heat she still felt.

" We've been on the look out, but in the mean time I have sent a few idiots to Happy Harbor. Those Light douche bags want to test out how the bitch's team reacts to demons. They are hoping to drawn some blood for their new project." A black brow raise with the woman's slender foot. Her lover took her toes to mouth. Placing gentle kisses down her leg going into her bath, unbothered by water and suds.

"What project?" She looked between her thighs at the glowing green eyes.

"Project Kr H2."

Yo! I was so inspired by all my reviews I updated quickly. Reviews give me reason to write. We are getting along with the main plot of the story. I'm unsure how many chapters but we are in the beginning of the middle. There's been little fighting but that will change next chapter. I hope you enjoyed the little Sesshomaru screen time. He is in the story, but his part is minor. He will meet Connor and Clark though, make no mistakes about that. I'm sorry if I've confused you, please pm me for clarification. I'm not currently following the young justice time line but when I do, (mostly for a bit of filler and slowed plot progression) I will let you know the episode. I doubt anyone from Inuyasha can beat superman. However in my opinion Sesshomaru is magic, and Superman is weak to magic. I'ma use that to my greedy little advantage. Thank you beautiful people for continuing to read and review. I appreciate your support. On the flip side, any suggestions for Kagome's hero name?