Disclaimer: Inuyasha and any of its characters do not belong to me.

—To all the pretty little broken things in life—

Blue Eyes

Part II

Perhaps the one thing in life Sesshoumaru always regretted was leaving behind his little blue eyes. He often wondered about her. How she was doing and where she was. Was she okay? Did she manage to survive without them or would she be damaged beyond repair? And did she hate them for breaking the promise they'd made—the promise that had her smiling a true and beautiful smile he'd never forget?

He looked away from the small window of the plane and repressed a sigh. He felt he didn't even have a right to think about her. They had left her with nothing, not even a goodbye and a part of him knew she must have been devastated.

If he had had a choice all those years ago, he would've taken her with them. But the circumstances had been unexpected and far too harsh to handle. It had hit them with a blow so great that his father had acted on impulse and rushed them far far away from any memory of his second dead mate.

A horrible car accident while they had been on vacation in Okinawa and life had never been the same.

"Do you think…" Inuyasha closed his eyes. Not having the heart to finish, he lapsed into silence as he sat next to his half brother on the plane, remembering all that was lost. Lamenting what could've been, but sadly wasn't.

After eleven long years they were finally heading back to Japan.

…

Saitama Prefecture was more suburb than anything. Mountainous and rural in the western parts, it was the part of Japan they had once called home.

The part where they had met a broken little girl and pieced her back together.

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stood outside her old home, wondering if Kagome still lived here and if she did, would she want to see them again. Dressed in casual business attire since it was such a norm for him, Sesshoumaru silently scanned the property, heard the approach of running footsteps.

A shout tore through the peaceful autumn air then. But it was one of childish glee and excitement. A little boy with a messy mop of black hair sped around the corner of the home, closely followed by a slightly older version of him. But they both came to a screeching halt when they spotted the silver haired brothers leaning on the other side of the small wooden fence.

And Sesshoumaru felt the world stop for a heart wrenching moment before it resumed its lazy movement. Two pairs of brown eyes stared at them as the older Taisho heard his half brother curse under his breath.

"Rai! Roka! You two better stay where you are!" A man in his mid twenties came rushing around that same corner, disheveled and a little out of breath.

"Chichi-ue, who are they?" The older boy asked as he turned towards his father.

"Who?" His blue violet eyes followed the pointing finger of his youngest son Rai and immediately saw the two silver haired men.

Wait, no. A hanyou and a full blooded youkai if he wasn't mistaken.

"They look really cool." Roka whispered.

Rai nodded in agreement. "Cool, cool."

Their father rolled his eyes and made his way over to the newcomers, his boys following around his legs.

A friendly smile turned his lips. "How can I help you?"

"Who are you?" Inuyasha glared, unable to keep his irritation and disappointment from spilling over. Maybe even a little of his hurt.

"Miroku Houshi. These two are my sons, Rai and Roka. And you are?" He was always a reasonable man so he easily brushed off the younger half demon's crass attitude.

Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to deck his brother for his uncouth ways. "Sesshoumaru Taisho and the fool next to me is my half brother, Inuyasha."

He flicked his golden eyes down at the little boys who could be no more than two and four. Had she already created a life for herself? Were these two her sons and this man her husband?

If he were any other demon he would've missed Miroku's eyes slightly widen before another one of his smiles curved his lips. It was quite obvious he'd heard of them before.

Inuyasha ran a hand down his face and sighed. "Look, we're looking for a girl. She used to live here." He ignored the curious gazes of the two boys, refusing to believe these were Kagome's little runts.

"My wife would probably know." Turning his head around to face the house, Miroku shouted.

"Kagome!"

And the world really did stop. She had moved on and—

A woman who certainly wasn't Kagome crashed through the front door and glared at Miroku with her chocolate eyes. "Were you even paying attention when she left this morning?"

"Auntie Kag-Kag?" Rai smacked his father's leg with a drooled smile.

Miroku couldn't help the guilty grin. "Sorry, but you should've seen your faces."

He saw their golden eyes narrow, felt the spike of impending doom in their auras too. Maybe that hadn't been such a good idea after all.

"Who are they?" Sango asked from the doorway, raising a brow.

"The two men who broke our Kagome-chan's heart."

…

"We met her in middle school." Sango murmured as she sipped her tea.

They sat at the kitchen table, quiet and reminiscent of days long past. The boys were napping, allowing the tired parents some reprieve from their wily ways.

"She was always such a quiet little thing. But she was beautiful and polite, if not more than a little jaded." She continued, a sad lilt to her voice.

"I noticed them…the bruises and the marks one day during gym. She avoided me for a week after that until I cornered her and made her talk." Sango looked at the two brothers.

"Kagome sometimes spoke about two silver haired boys who saved her. But she'd often get quiet after, retreat into herself and away from everyone."

"And her blue eyes always died a little each time." Miroku glanced at them for a moment or two before looking away and into the light green liquid swishing in his teacup.

"And her parents?" Inuyasha pressed, ignoring for now the guilty clench of his heart.

"Her mother died five years ago and took her husband with her. Their car veered off the cliff just outside of town." Miroku replied.

"And what of Kagome?"

"She's doing fine. Everything was left to her but she didn't want the house. I was pregnant with Roka then and so she insisted we take it—fill this house with love and warmth she'd said. The way it was meant to be."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her subtle avoidance. But he wouldn't lower himself to demand Kagome's whereabouts and so he gracefully stood up and inclined his head.

Sango threw him a hard look. "She's been through enough as it is don't you think Taisho-san? If you walk back into her life, how do you think she'll react? You'll only cause her more pain."

"Do not presume to know us or our situation." He warned before walking out the front door.

Inuyasha stood—paused—and then tossed a glance over his shoulder.

"Kagome…she managed okay without us right?"

"She did." Sango answered with a slight edge.

Nodding his thanks, he made his way out the door. But as Inuyasha slipped into the expensive car—Sesshoumaru ready to take off regardless if all his limbs had made it in or not, Miroku came jogging out to stop them.

He bent down as the window opened.

"If you'll excuse my wife, she's a bit protective of Kagome. I'm sure you can understand why." Miroku imparted with a shadow of a smile.

He then fished out his wallet and after a few seconds, pulled out a light blue business card and handed it to Inuyasha.

But it wasn't his own. It was Kagome's.

"She's an artist with a small gallery in the middle of town. And despite what Sango may feel, I think she really needs you two. So when you find her, keep her and don't ever let her go." He was about to stand up, let them get on their way, but paused and spoke the words that had been plaguing him ever since meeting these two brothers.

"Why now? After so long, why come back into her life?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Miroku, told this violet eyed stranger what he'd known all along—since the first time he ever saw her.

"Because she's mine. She was always mine."

…

Autumn was always one of her favorite seasons. It was the cool progression into winter with the beauty of warm vibrant color. She'd always found the landscape fascinating during this particular time of year so it was no surprise that she was sitting on a lone bench in the small peaceful public garden near her gallery. A warm cup of tea sat in the palms of her hands as she gazed appreciatively around her.

Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun. Faded and slightly torn jeans dotted with paint and a long worn out black turtleneck kept away the slight chill in the air.

"Mommy! Mommy! Can we go see the koi? Please, oh please can we go see them?"

Kagome quietly watched the mother give in to her children with a resigned nod, accepting the fact that they were going to go see the koi one way or another. And her own smile—small and wistful— touched her lips when the children's eyes lit up with innocent joy and all they could do was squeal excitedly and run towards the pond.

And she hoped they wouldn't mind her idle observations. That they wouldn't mind her living through them for just a few quiet moments.

…

"Kag-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"You sure you'll be okay without us?"

She nodded, blue eyes confident and sparkling. "You and Sesshoumaru-kun will only be gone for a little while. I'll be okay. I'm stronger now you know…because of you two."

Inuyasha frowned, crossing his nine year old arms. "You sure?"

Kagome stepped forward and wrapped her little arms around his waist. "Very sure."

"Kagome."

A happy grin curved her lips as she swiveled around, letting go of Inuyasha and running towards his older half brother.

"Stop stealing her away!" The younger Taisho glared. "She was my friend first!"

Kagome spun around, rolled her annoyed blue eyes at the hanyou. "Silly Yasha. I'll always be your friend no matter what."

"Keh, I know that stupid."

"Inuyasha, haha-ue wants you to start packing. Now."

He grumbled and slumping his shoulders, walked back into the house after imparting a 'See you in a week' to Kagome.

Sesshoumaru then peered down at the little girl in front of him, brushed a few stray locks of midnight hair out of her eyes.

"You'll be fine."

Whether it was to reassure himself or Kagome he wasn't sure.

"I'll be fine."

"Sesshoumaru-kun?"

"Yes?"

She looked at him with an almost bashful expression and motioned him forward with the crook of her finger.

And when he indulged his little blue eyes, his golden eyes widened just a tad as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Please come back okay."

…

They never did though.

And it had hurt so bad. Those following years without them had been nothing short of horribly lonely and painful. The mental and physical scars had been the worse and she often thought it would've been better had she not been born at all.

But Kagome, in light of everything, had come to understand her mother in those dark hours. Why she became the woman so consumed with anger and dark hatred. Kagome realized that it must have been hard to stare into her daughter's eyes. They were a constant reminder of the man she had loved but would never have again. It hurt too much to even look at her own flesh and blood. And Kagome pitied her mother for the first time in her life.

Everything fell into a downward spiral then before slowly crawling back up again. But she was a strong girl. A determined and resourceful girl—even though she'd been living in a dark and terrible nightmare.

Kagome didn't hate Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha for leaving though. How could she when they had done so much for her? The situation had been out of their control anyway. If anything she felt extremely lucky because that year with them had been the happiest year of her life. And she realized that had she never met them, she'd be so much more jaded and scarred today. Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha had been her golden eyed saviors. They had defended her with a ferocity all their own and comforted her when she had needed it most.

Through the dark dark days and the brighter days, the boy she said she'd marry and the boy who was to become her brother were there. A shoulder to cry on. Someone to make her laugh again. Warmth and silent strength.

Even if it was just a year, she'd rather have that than nothing at all.

So lost in memory was Kagome that when her cell phone began to shrill in her lap she started.

Sighing, she picked it up. "Don't worry Shipp, I'm on my way back."

Glancing one last time at the family of three by the pond Kagome stood up and shouldering her oversized bag, headed back to the gallery.

…

It was a moderately sized place. With bamboo hardwood floors and simple white walls, it was spacious and open. Four square floor to ceiling pillars about four feet in width sectioned the gallery, offering more space to showcase various artwork.

Kagome's black flats padded softly throughout as she quietly made her way to the back room. A mass of burnt sienna hair popped out from the open doorway, followed by bright emerald eyes and a grin.

"Your two new ones are ready to go up."

She nodded, ruffled his messy locks as she swept past him. Shippou, or Shipp as she had taken to calling him had been a kitsune neglected. When she first saw him three years ago, his eyes had reminded her so much of her own that she'd been instantly pulled in his direction.

But she was no saint and least of all a savior. She was already much too scarred for that, but she had wanted to be his friend, maybe his nightlight when the darkness became most unbearable and stifling. So she'd knelt down beside him in the gardens not too far away from here and offered whatever warmth she could.

He'd been with her ever since.

…

Kagome stepped back with Shippou beside her and surveyed the new pieces for the showing later on that night. Taking up the right wall of the gallery, the two paintings were beautiful—bittersweet if one knew the stories behind them.

"I still think you should've put them up right by the entrance."

"They're fine here Shipp."

"You'll get a lot of buyers for these two."

"I don't think I want to let them go."

Shippou smiled. "Then don't Kags. Besides, I can tell they mean a lot to you. Your eyes are always different when you look at them."

"You know me too well."

The sixteen year old, somehow so wise and observant beyond his young years, laughed softly. "I know."

…

He remembered it like it was yesterday. This captured moment. This memory stolen from time and painted in soft shades and glowing tones.

It was of his younger self and his little blue eyes. She'd woken up from a nightmare then and he'd come to her, cradled her small and fragile body in his arms—tried to soothe her hurt…her aching heart and soul.

At the time, his actions had been as natural as breathing. The soft rumble in his chest and the slow rocking back and forth, it had all been so naturally instinctive. It hadn't surprised him though because on many nights so long ago, Sesshoumaru had often done the same thing to his dying mother.

Pulling himself away, he glanced at the next painting.

It was of a pregnant woman, hand and dark honey eyes—eyes that shown with such love and warmth—on her protruding stomach. And there was a man who was on his knees, an ear to her round stomach. A content smile on his lips that reached his soft blue eyes.

And there was no doubt that this was the mother who gave up and the father she never knew.

Sesshoumaru scented fresh pine next to him and turned to regard a kitsune teen who looked far older than he actually was.

"She told me she found the original worn out photo while going through her mother's things." Shippou turned towards the inuyoukai, scratched the back of his head and shrugged.

"It makes you wonder what could have been but sadly wasn't." A few heartbeats and he continued. "But some of us are lucky I guess and we get another chance to have what we've always wanted."

"Kagome!"

Sesshoumaru turned towards her name and taking advantage of his moment of distraction Shippou slipped away, disappearing into the crowd with a smile.

His attention was immediately drawn to his left, further into the gallery and past two floor to ceiling square pillars. But before he could silently make his way towards her, his phone vibrated and he was forced to step out to take the call.

"Why aren't you here yet?"

Inuyasha grumbled. "The account is taking longer than expected to wrap up. Chichi-ue's contact is a fucking idiot with no sense of direction so I doubt I'll be able to make it."

"Hn."

"Have you seen her?"

"No…"

"Well, when you do…just—just tell her I'm here and that I'll see her soon."

After Inuyasha hung up, Sesshoumaru slid the phone shut and moved to go back into the gallery. But just as he opened the clear glass door, someone who had their back turned and who obviously wanted to get away whilst trying to be polite about it bumped into him.

And as she turned around, an apology on the tip of her tongue—those blue eyes he missed so much widened, clouded over with instant recognition.

"Sesshoumaru…"

…

They sat in a quaint little café just a few buildings down from her gallery. It was early evening and the sun was already more than halfway gone. Night would be upon them any moment now.

Fingering the rim of her ceramic mug, Kagome chanced a look at the youkai from her childhood. Handsome and refined. Broad shouldered and pristine. He was just how she imagined him to look like after all these years.

"So…" She began a bit awkwardly. "How're you?"

Sesshoumaru was content to just stare at her. She had become such a beautiful woman like he always knew she would. And though her eyes didn't shine as brightly as they once did, he could still see the colorful sparks from within their depths. She wasn't completely lost to them after all.

"Well. Inuyasha is also here but his meeting's running later than expected."

"Oh. That's nice." She whispered, not completely there with him.

Kagome tensed when Sesshoumaru's hand fell on top of hers and she quickly pulled away. But it wasn't from being uncomfortable with his presence. It was because she always had a tendency to melt into it his touch—to want more. A million things flickered across her mind as she looked at everything but him.

"Kagome."

And she made the mistake of once again lifting her eyes to look at him. It was always his trap. The way her name rolled off of his tongue in a smooth baritone that captured her since the very first time and for every time after.

And so she said what needed to be said because she was tired and confused and falling in love all over again with the boy from her past she had tried so desperately to forget.

"I don't blame you or Inuyasha. I know what happened and why you left. I found out from one of the maids who used to work for your family. So please don't feel bad for leaving. It must've been hard on all of you and—"

Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her forward until she was so close he could breathe her.

"If I told you I was sorry would you believe me?"

"Maybe." She murmured.

"And if I told you I had raged and wanted to kill because I could no longer see you would you believe me?"

"…yes."

"I didn't want to leave you all alone, but some things even I cannot control. Forgive me for not coming back to you Kagome…"

Her eyes became a watery blue. Anymore and she'd end up breaking down. Twisting out of his hold, she stood up to leave. "I-I have to get back to the gallery."

"You promised you'd marry me…become my mate."

And her heart cried just a little bit harder, bled just a little bit more. "But you broke your end of the promise Sesshoumaru. You didn't stay by my side."

…

"Shipp? Can you help me with this?" Kagome yelled from the step ladder she was currently perched on, a large oil painting dangling rather precariously from her fingertips.

"Shipp!"

"Hand it over stupid before you drop it."

Her eyes immediately flew to the new, slightly gruff voice below her. Really, she should've expected him to drop by.

"It's been a while huh?" He said wistfully, taking the painting and placing it against the wall.

"Yeah."

"Can we talk?"

And Kagome nodded because truth be told, she had really missed her Yasha-kun.

Almost as much as her Sesshoumaru-kun.

…

"Give him a chance." Give us another chance to be a part of your life.

"For what Inuyasha?" Kagome sighed, brushing a few stray bangs out of the way.

"For everything. He took it worse than I did when we left. And he'll probably kill me for saying this but he loves you so freaking much. I think he always has, but you know the bastard, he'll never admit it—at least not to me."

"We were young."

Inuyasha snorted. "And broken and jaded and experienced too much shit we never should have at our age. Did you know his mother died in his arms?"

Snapping her head up, Kagome could only stare at him, eyes wide and taken away.

"Yeah, for six months Sesshoumaru watched her slowly die. He was only ten in human years at the time. But he never left her. Not even when chichi-ue did. Sesshoumaru always stayed by her side."

Inuyasha then leaned forward and took her hands in his. "Kag-chan…" And he couldn't help the smile that curved his roguish lips.

"I know you love him. I was stupid when we were kids but I wasn't blind. And yeah, I've broken a few but I promise that if you love him hard, he'll love you just as hard, if not more."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I've only lived my entire life with the prick. Trust me, I know."

Kagome softly laughed and squeezed his hands. "Since when did you become so grown up, Yasha-kun?"

He threw her a napkin to wipe the messy tears and laughed, but it was slightly bittersweet.

"Didn't have a choice Kagome. None of us did."

…

Kagome sat on the bench in the public garden, gazing at the pond where the koi swam and where a group of children looked on with wide fascinated eyes. She felt a warm familiar body settle next to her and leaning her head on his shoulder, breathed in deep his scent she had always loved. No matter how long their separation, she'd always know him.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Yes?"

"It's been a long time and we're both a little different now."

"We have forever to get reacquainted. An eternity to live and love."

She smiled and reached for his hand, threading her fingers through his.

"And we're both a little broken."

"We can fix each other then."

"Will you stay by my side?" Kagome whispered.

"Yes." He brushed his lips softly across her brow. "Will you stay by mine?"

"Always."

…end…

A/N: Inspired by the manga Penguin Brothers. I hope you all enjoyed this little side project of mine. It wasn't much but it made me happy. Thank you to all those who read and to all those who reviewed.

-hasu86