Kagome thought it odd, the scene that met her eyes when she climbed up the stairs to her family shrine. In a pair of khaki shorts, a white t-shirt with some red on it, and a despondently glum expression, was Inuyasha lying in the middle of… well, dirt. In a position that made him look as if he was preparing to be drawn and quartered.

She stood and tried to comprehend what she was seeing. In all the years she's known him, she has never known him to be so gloomy. 'Perhaps he's out of ramen,' she thought to herself. She discarded that thought, remembering that Inuyasha's parents had given him an entire room full of ramen, that they kept well stocked. Kagome quirked her head to the side wondering what could possibly make Inuyasha become so depressed. They've known each other since they were 15 years old; five years. Kagome could recall a range of emotions and actions coming from Inuyasha but none of them involving him quietly lying down. Truthfully, it was the quiet part that really worried her.

Kagome walked over towards Inuyasha and looked down at him. She couldn't help but laugh at his horrified expression and wondered how long exactly he was like this for. "Inuyasha, what are you doing," Kagome asked, trying not laugh any more.

"I was so happy," Inuyasha said as if happiness was a fleeting memory; maintaining the same expression.

"Huh," Kagome gave him a "have you finally lost it" kind of look.

Inuyasha then sat up and rested his arms on bent knees. He stared blankly at the ground in front of him. Kagome was still standing above him wondering what could've possibly happened. "Kami," Inuyasha suddenly said, looking up towards the sky. "Please, please, if you have any shred of mercy for a poor hanyou boy. Do not allow such cruel things to happen."

Kagome was now truly frightened for her friend. He had seriously gone over the deep end and lost any piece of sanity he's ever had. "Okay Inuyasha," she said kneeling down, draping his arms around her shoulders. "I'm gonna take you home," she stood up and with Inuyasha on her back. She thanked the merciful Kamis that Inuyasha lived three houses down from her family's shrine and that he wasn't all too heavy.

Inuyasha still had a vacant look in his eyes as Kagome carried him down the street. Other streetwalkers looked at them curiously. Kagome smiled thoroughly embarrassed, Inuyasha however, didn't notice. Kagome walked through the gates of Inuyasha's property and attempted to knock on the door with her hand. Deciding that that would be impossible for her, she leaned over and knocked on the door using her head.

When the door opened, she was still face down and only saw the door openers feet. "Hey, I think Inuyasha has finally lost it," she laughed breathlessly. She walked passed whoever opened the door and went to the main room.

"Kagome," she automatically recognized Touga's voice. "What on earth happened to Inuyasha?"

Kagome plopped him onto the couch and she sank down to the floor. Kagome laid her head back on that same couch. "I think," she said breathless. "I'm going to die"," she closed her eyes. "Can't breathe… so tired… should've trained harder with Kaede…"

"Touga," Kagome heard a female voice say with mild arrogance. "I wasn't aware you were going to provide such amusing entertainment today".

"Oh they're fine Satori," Touga reassured sounding unsure. "What happened," Touga asked while he watched the two of them.

"Inuyasha... finally lost it," she breathlessly said. "Sooo heavy… must rid world of ramen…"

"How dare you disgrace the home of my Lord and his family," a high pitched nasally voice cried. "Fix yourself at once, girl!"

Kagome's head shot up and immediately spotted the owner of the horrendous voice. She grabbed Inuyasha's phone that was falling out of his pocket and threw it at the three foot green little imp. "Can it Jaken," she said knocking him in the head. Her eyes widened a fraction as realization slowly washed over her. "Jaken," she questioned to herself. She then shifted her eyes over and then up to meet the curious gaze of a certain Taiyoukai brother of Inuyasha.

"Why you impudent disrespectful," Jaken was shouting at the top of his lungs with a balled of fist in the air.

"Jaken, enough," the Taiyoukai warned.

"You've aged Sesshoumaru," Kagome said full knowing that demons didn't age after they've reached a certain age

"As have you," he responded completely serious. "I see that you're still bothering yourself with a certain nuisance," he said regarding a still dazed Inuyasha.

"Yes, and seeing that you are standing here, in this house, in this country, I now know why Inuyasha was saying goodbye to his happiness asking Kami to save a 'poor hanyou boy'," Kagome said.

"It gets better," Sesshoumaru said and then looked towards his father. "Doesn't it father?"

Touga narrowed his eyes at his son. "Kagome," he said with a smile. "Why don't you sit at the table with us while Inuyasha comes to his senses. It has – after all - been a little under five years since you and Sesshoumaru were acquainted with each other."

Kagome ignored the fact that Touga maneuvered everyone until she was sitting next to Sesshoumaru. She also ignored the annoyed look on Sesshoumaru's face as everyone beamed at them. She also ignored Izayoi's eyes tearing up. But there was no way she could ignore what came out of Touga's mouth.

"Kagome, we all love you and consider you a part of this family," Touga smiled and both Inuyasha's and Sesshoumaru's mothers nodded in agreement. "We would like for you and Sesshoumaru to mate."

Kagome stared; void of any emotion or reaction.

Touga's hopeful smile vanished when Kagome remained frozen in her seat. "Uhm Kagome," Touga questioned, waving a hand in her line of vision.

"Kagome isn't home right now," she said monotone.

"We would really like for you to consider it," Izayoi said sweetly.

Kagome blinked herself out of her trance while Sesshoumaru remained a silent spectator. "You want me," she said slowly. "To forever be with Mr. Killing Perfection over here. A man who has entire history books depicting his hatred for humans. A man who've I've barely known for 5 months before he moved to England. Is that what I am understanding," she asked uncertain.

Touga nodded his head from side to side. "Well, yes. Basically."

"Wh-y," she drew out slowly, dazed.

"Well it is near time for me to step down as ruler of the West. But in order for Sesshoumaru to take my place the Council demands that he is mated," Touga explained.

"Aaaaaand," she once again slowly drew out her question.

"With a mate the council is better convinced that an heir will be conceived," Touga said.

Kagome stared at him blankly. "Kagura," she whispered. "Kagura can do it," she said a little louder this time. "From what I've heard she loves to practice making babies with Sesshoumaru".

Sesshoumaru scoffed from beside her.

"I wouldn't allow it," Sesshoumaru's mother – Satori – said.

"Kagome," Touga said sympathetically. "Sesshoumaru is in a very delicate position," he tried to reason. "He takes over the company next month, in no more than six months he will have taken over all of the West's affairs, and there are rumors of the Panthers starting an uprising. We can't allow just anyone to become his mate," he looked straight into her eyes, deadly serious.

"Sesshoumaru couldn't possibly agree to this," she looking towards Sesshoumaru and then back to Touga.

"He failed to find a suitable mate; he has no say in the matter," Touga replied deadpan to which Sesshoumaru growled. "I really would really hate for it to come to this. However, being a descendent of Midoriko, you have the responsibility of upholding peace between the species. If needed, an unbreakable agreement can be made saying that you and my son will mate to ensure said peace."

Kagome stood up without saying a word. She stood motionless for a moment and then turned around and sat in the same position as she had earlier.

She leaned her head back on the couch. "Inuyasha," she blandly.

"Yes, Kagome," he replied just as bland and lifeless.

"I have to mate with your brother," she simply stated. "I also have to have his babies. You're going to be an uncle."

"I have to become his pupil and learn the business and train under him," he said monotone. "When he throws me out of the window, will you visit me at the hospital?"

"If I go into labor… we can have adjoining rooms."

Inuyasha lifted his arm and made a fist. "Brofist?"

Kagome met his fist with hers. "Brofist".

Izayoi couldn't help but laugh at the two of them engaging in conversation as half dead zombies. Then she laughed at the slight oxymoron.

"This could work out," Touga said, to which the three of them looked at him questioningly.

"What," he exclaimed. "It could."

"I've never seen a naked man before," they all heard Kagome say. "Inuyasha, I don't think I'll survive if I have to see Sesshy junior," she said both calmly and dazed.

Touga than met his face with his and palm and Sesshoumaru started to rub his temples.

"Kagome, Sesshoumaru is an arrogant asshole who follows rules and traditions and shit to a t," Inuyasha said listless. "You have bigger things to worry about".

"The bigger, is what I'm worried about," Kagome said staring vacantly at the ceiling.

"We're screwed," Satori said to Touga. "The council will never approve of this. How does a human woman of 20 years in this day and age never lay eyes on a naked man?"

"I don't know," Touga answered honestly. "All those times she spent the night in Inuyasha's room and all those weekends Inuyasha spent the night over at her place. Who would've known that they were truly just sleeping?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at his father. "You chose a woman who you thought slept with Inuyasha," he asked disgusted.

"Oh come one! We all thought it," Touga exclaimed. "Well the company dinner is in less than a week. Do you think she'll be ready when we announce the engagement," Touga asked to no one in particular.

Satori shot him a look and then turned her attention to where Kagome and Inuyasha were listlessly conversing.

"I mean Sesshoumaru's so big," her eyes widened as she emphasized the word big. "And I'm so small... I just don't see how that could possibly work out."

Satori looked back at Touga through narrowed eyes. "Try asking that question again after you just heard what came out of her mouth," she spat.

Touga let out a nervous laugh.

"Okay," Kagome breathed out, standing up. "Inuyasha," she turned to face him and saw his still listless appearance. She then smacked Inuyasha right out of his trance.

Inuyasha quickly jumped up, gripping the side of his head. "Oi what was that for wench," he shouted suddenly enthused.

Kagome pointed a finger. "There is a silver lining to all of this," she slowly nodded her head.

Kagome was now pointing both of her index fingers, having them parallel to each other. "Our futures – behind; in the shadows – of Sesshoumaru don't require us to do any real work. We can laze around knowing that he'll take care of everything".

Inuyasha thought for a second. "That, doesn't sound too bad," he said slowly, unsure.

Kagome stared into Inuyasha's face with a life or death expression. "It's the only thing we have to cling to," she then gripped Inuyasha's shirt and pulled him closer. "The only thing," she emphasized each word.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said becoming more upbeat "And there are laws now. He can't do half the things that he used to do to me centuries ago."

"And I've always wanted to have kids anyways," Kagome said.

"Brofist," Inuyasha asked with a smile.

Kagome slowly nodded her head. "Brofist," she agreed and then they proceeded to bump fists.

Touga wore a triumphant smile as they all overheard the conversation that just occurred. "I knew it would work out," he said confidently.

"Oh, and they're called pups Kagome," Inuyasha could be heard saying to Kagome.

"Huh," she asked confused.

"We call our youth's pups, not babies or kids," Inuyasha explained.

"What am I supposed to sing to it? Rock a by pup?"

"Once again Touga," Satori said with arms crossed. "Try repeating your question."

Touga buried his face in his hands as Izayoi patted his back trying to stifle a laugh.