Disclaimers: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho belong respectively to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi.

A/N:  Ah the joys of relentlessly screwing with fictional characters...  LOL, truly the purest form of stress relief.  But anyhow, I have to thank all you guys who've taken the time to email and review, you've been fabulous in adding to my enjoyment with writing this out.  I'm delighted to give you a distraction from studying (*wink*) or just a good way to kill some time, and it's tons of fun to hear what you think of it.  Don't worry, they'll meet up soon enough.  ^___~  Enjoy!

~*~*~*~

By Any Other Name

~Undeniable Forces ~

            "What are you doing out here by yourself, Kagome?" Inuyasha's hand came down on her shoulder, squeezing lightly to draw her eyes up to his face in the bright moonlight.  "Can't you sleep?  Is it kicking too hard?" he crouched down and slid his hand down to her rounded stomach.

            Kagome giggled, covering his hand and shaking her head as she stretched out her aching back, "No, he's not kicking too hard.  I just wanted to look at the stars, Inuyasha."  She smiled and patted the grass beside her, "Join me?"

            He snorted at her, but still smiled and sat down with companionable ease, wrapping his arm loosely around her shoulder and letting her rest her head on his shoulder, "I don't see why you're so sure it's a boy."

            "Miroku-sama doesn't seem the type to make a girl just yet," she grinned and looked back at the hut where she could hear their friends getting into a lively argument over dinner.  "He'd make another perverted little boy just to piss Sango-chan off... but she'll love him just as much as she loves Miroku-sama."

            Inuyasha made a noncommittal sound, inwardly delighted that no matter how often he wanted to do it, or even that he wasn't the father, Kagome let him feel and listen and hover to his heart's content.  She knew him better than anyone, encouraging him to satisfy the curiosity he hadn't even known he had until the first time he'd felt the heartbeat of the baby.  He couldn't forget the look on Sango and Miroku's faces when he'd told them all what he could feel, their delighted cries and the uncharacteristic hugs they'd treated him to for being the bearer of good news.

            Kagome had always been the first one he felt safe enough to ask questions to, not that he made a habit of it, but still, he knew the option was there.  She never made him feel like an idiot for not knowing the things that others seemed to have come to them so naturally, "They couldn't have picked someone who would be a better mother than you."

            Her eyes widened, sitting up and staring at Inuyasha in amazement at the quiet declaration, "Inuyasha?"

            His shoulders hunched, the most physical giveaway that he was feeling uncomfortable why his gaze slanted off to the side and he tried to cover up that softer tone, "Well, you take care of Shippou and you haven't killed him, if that doesn't mean you've got the patience to be a breeder, I don't know what does!"

            Kagome blinked and started to giggle at that, shaking her head as she reached up and tugged on his ear, "Baka.  Shippou-chan's easy to take care of... It's just like taking care of Souta back when he was a kid, just on a permanent sugar-high.  And you know he tries to be helpful."

            "Keh," Inuyasha folded his arms, but only held that for so long before he was reaching out to brush her hair out of her eyes.  "Did you eat?  And you're due for that tea shit Miroku makes you drink before you go to sleep."

            The giggle turned into a full on laugh as Kagome rose up on her knees and wrapped her arms around the flustered hanyou's neck, "Inuyasha, you know there is not a chance in hell that I'd miss a meal or those herbs with the way all of you have turned into such little watchdogs.  No pun intended," she winked at him when he growled.

            He turned up his nose and tried to look bored, but his hand was already finding its way back down to her stomach, lips curving when he felt the light thunk against his hand, "That feels so weird."

            "You aren't feeling it from the inside," she smiled at the unguarded amazement on his face, lifting her hand to cover his.  "He always starts kicking when you're around, I think he likes you."

            "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," he snorted, but the gleam in his eyes and that little smirk on his face showed how much he liked that idea.  "He's telling you to stop sitting in the cold and get inside for dinner before Sango gets worried."

            "He is not," she pouted, but didn't protest when he stood and bent over to hook his hands under her arms and lift her to her feet.  "He likes being outside where I can smell the woods and the night."

            "You're talking like a youkai, bitch," Inuyasha ruffled her hair to take the sting out of what she still saw as something of an insult.  "You can't smell something like the night with human senses-" his voice had trailed off, subdued as his fingertip reached the warmer patch of skin that indicated where the jewel had ripped out of her.  "I'm sorry... I wasn't thinking."

            "Don't apologize, Inuyasha, we've talked it to death, haven't we?" Kagome reached up and cupped his cheek, giving him a warm smile to comfort the guilt in his eyes.  "You didn't even realize that wishing on so few pieces would do anything.  None of us did, and I'm fine, all right?  Perfectly healthy," her stomach picked that moment to growl loudly, making her smile take on a rueful edge.  "Perfectly healthy, very pregnant, and suddenly starving," she amended.

            Inuyasha chuckled, shaking his head as he tucked her under his shoulder to walk her back to Kaede's hut, ready to keep her steady in case her balance failed her, "Kaede-babaa says it's normal, but if you don't have that baby soon, you might get too big for even me to carry."

            She elbowed him in the stomach, "The day I get too heavy for you is the day I hear Sesshoumaru-sama singing show tunes."

            "That would probably be more entertaining if I knew what a show tune was," he grumbled, pressing his hand supportively to the small of her back to help her up to the door.  "And if you'd picked someone other than my fucking brother."

            "He's gone a whole year without trying to kill you, Inuyasha, that should show that he's trying to be a less openly violent person," Kagome scolded.

            "Openly violent, no," he snorted.  "He's just dying to get his grubby hand on the rest of your books, and figured out that he gets more out of you when he's being diplomatic.  He told me that you're the strangest human he's ever seen."

            "Now that was just mean, you're the reason he only has one hand," she tried to stop the telltale twitch of her lips.

            "It'll grow back eventually, they always do," he shrugged carelessly.  "An he deserved it, or are you forgetting the whole punching into my eye?  Biting me when he was in his big fluffy shape?  Hell, Kagome, trying to kill you?"

            "You're the last person who should be telling me to hold a grudge just because a youkai tried to kill me at first meeting," she slanted him a pointed look and poked him in the chest.  "Or are we forgetting that's the thanks I got for getting you down from the tree?"

            "I saved your life!" he sputtered to protest, but blushed at his inability to deny that truth.

            "And turned right around to try and kill me," she turned up her nose as she pushed the hanging mat aside to re-enter the hut.  "Face it, Inuyasha, if I decided to hate everyone who tried to kill me the first time they met me, I wouldn't have very many friends in this time, now would I?"

            Inuyasha stuffed his hands up into his sleeves and followed her inside, still trying to get her to stop being so polite about Sesshoumaru's increasing visits and questions, "He called you a lousy miko."

            "Because I don't kill demons indiscriminately, and for this time, that's a damn miracle," Kagome rolled her eyes.  "Now stop puffing up just because I can be civil to both of you."

            He crossed his legs and sat down, ignoring the amused looks from the human occupants, tossing his head to get his hair settling out on the floorboards before he managed to sit on it, "Keh."

            Kagome smiled at him when she saw him crack one eye open to watch her sit, body tense and ready if she needed him to help maneuver around her altered center of balance.  One hand lifted to cover her mouth and hide her smile, making a motion with her other to assure him she was fine while Sango fussed and helped her down anyway, yelling at Miroku to bring her that tea they had her drinking every night.

            She sat back with a sigh, shifting to let Shippou scale up her stomach and lie on it, one ear pressed resting where he could listen while her friends continued to lecture in the usual routine, If only it could always be this way.  This peaceful...~

~*~*~*~

            Kagome jolted back to the present with a bit of a start when she felt a chill skate down her spine, blinking to reorient herself and looking up at the inky darkness of the moonless sky, "Damn..."  So much for not being out late, she winced and stretched her back until she felt the kinks pop and ease, but rather than stand, she leaned back and braced her weight on her hands to stare up at the sky.

            One thing she knew she would never be able to adjust to about the future, the way the lights and the pollution blocked the stars at night, so that even when she managed to find a small park and pretend she was back in the forests of Sengoku Jidai, she was denied that simple pleasure.  Even with the new moon, there should have been stars that she could look to and remember the way she and Inuyasha would stay up late to talk on those nights.  It had been their own little ritual, a way to try and relieve a month's worth of frustration and stress, or just to know that there was always an understanding ear.

            Kagome closed her eyes against the pang of loss that went through her, breathing in to taste the air and the night around her the way he'd taught her to, I'm sorry I couldn't stay beside you the way I promised I would, Inuyasha.

            It was another reluctant moment before she rose to her feet, this time rising her arms up over her head to elongate her spine and feel her magic curl up through her, warming her down to her toes and leaving her energized and hypersensitive to the auras all around for the first time since she'd returned.  It wouldn't do to keep hiding behind her memories if she ever wanted to have a normal life, so first things first.  Time to reorient her senses to the way it felt in his time, the way youkai felt.

            Her eyes were glittering in the darkness, blinking back and forth from blue to pink and back as she turned to look back at the buildings rising above the trees; their darker shapes blocking the sky and making her imagination run wild with memories of past enemies.  She took a deep breath in, surprised at how many of them she could feel moving through the city tonight, purposeful and quiet in their efforts to hide themselves from normal humans as they carried on with the other side of their lives in the silky darkness.

            A smirk twisted her lips as she made a quick motion with one hand to wrap the illusion of shadows around herself for the walk home, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her coat as she went, I never thought I'd feel youkai this strong in the future... But I'm sure I'll have a chance soon to feel them out.  See what they are... 

            Kagome reached up and let her fingertips brush longingly against the leaves of a tree as she left the façade of the park and returned to the unfeeling concrete, forcing her eyes to stay a natural shade and double-checking her aura to be sure she wasn't attracting the wrong attention.  She giggled suddenly as a thought struck her, shaking her head as she paused to wait out a traffic light, I wonder how many of those pretty people I've seen are kitsune?

            She shook her head, glancing to her side at the gathered people waiting in front of newer restaurant, probably for a taxi or something if the raised voices were any indication, she thought with a snort.  She had just turned to start forward when she was practically blinded by a flash of light, hissing and jumping back as she covered her eyes with her hand, "What the fuck!?"

            "Aw, don't be like that, cutie, it was just a little picture," she felt a hand pat her on the shoulder, freezing when she recognized the thrum of youki that shot down her spine.  He leaned down and murmured privately in her ear, "You surprised me, so sorry if I scared you... but I couldn't stop myself once I saw your face.  But now I've got a job I have to do, no matter how much I wish I could stay and chat with.  Believe me..."

            Kagome blinked furiously, trying to get a clear look at the youkai speaking so familiarly to her, but by the time her sight cleared, she was looking at empty sidewalk and concerned faces.  She assured them she was fine, frowning in confusion, but moving with the rest of them when the light changed to start home.  Still... she kept frowning over her shoulder, absolutely certain she'd heard that voice somewhere before, but unable to place it.

            A youkai I recognize, who recognizes me enough to take a picture... Dammit!  Is it someone I didn't realize was a youkai, or someone who lived this long!? her hands clenched from the effort it took not to do a search, but without knowing the area, that'd be more risk than she could afford right now.

            Kagome looked back one more time before she cursed under her breath and turned away.  Souta and Shinju were probably worried enough without her taking more time to stay and investigate, but that didn't stop her from starting to plan.

            I survived Sengoku Jidai and Naraku... I didn't do that just to get myself killed in my own time.

~*~*~*~

            Takashima swung his foot back and forth lazily as he looked down at the group still talking over coffee and tea at the patio table across the street and a few stories down from his windowsill perch.  He chewed absently on one nail, cerulean eyes moving from one youkai to the other as he tried to figure out just what in the world a eheaven-servant' would have to do with two obviously third-level naturals.  He could feel their auras from here, reaching into his coat momentarily to pat the necklace that would continue to hide him from their senses.  Not that he didn't mind a good fight as much as the next person, but he was still on probation with his boss from the last incident, and that memory brought a wince to his face as he recalled his punishment.

            Sighing, he lifted his camera and smiled at it for a moment before he positioned his shot and waited for them to position themselves in the best way.  This was definitely a roll he was looking forward to developing, if only for the image of that face he'd last seen so very long ago.

            Kagome, he clicked off his first shot distractedly, gaze sliding down the street to where he'd seen her turn a corner and disappear.  He was actually irritated with himself for his reaction, knowing he'd likely just put her on edge or scared her, and after so fucking long to prepare for the first time he saw her again.  His mind had gone blank and just as quickly started racing, threatening to make his head burst from the sudden rush of emotion that had gone through him.

            And like a total idiot, the only thing he could think to do was lift his camera and blind her before she got a good look at him.

            He made a disgusted face, automatically clicking off more shots of the two as they seemed to get in a silent argument with each other if the way their eyes were clashing was any indication.  He knew he should have been looking for the empty place in the heat around him, knew he should have been more careful now that they had been alerted by Shinju that she and her little brother had moved into his residence.  But the earlier threat about being restricted had sent him into a funk within his own memories, and he'd almost made a horrible mistake.

            Takashima shook himself out of those thoughts, forcing himself to focus back on the task at hand and the two youkai meeting with the Urameshis below him.  That had been luck, karmic restitution for how hard it had been lately in his opinion.  He'd really just been going the back the way he'd come, planning to search their house for traces when he'd realized they were right under his nose.

            That one has to be a kitsune doing the human face thing, he wrinkled his nose as he took the camera away from his eyes and scowled down at the blood-red hair of that overly attractive man.  Not that his disguise was flawed or anything, it was just that no matter how hard they tried, a real pure-line kitsune just couldn't make themselves look average.  That and the faint drawing sensation that surrounded him, pulling in to "feed" off the life energy around him, He's hasn't been in his element a little too long if it's that obvious.

            He cocked his head to one side, training his ears on the table and frowning as he filtered out the unnecessary noise to eavesdrop more effectively, "What are you doing in our lands, Red?  Be a doll and start talking."

~*~*~*~

            "Really?  The same investigator?" Kurama lifted the photograph and turned it, annoyed at the perfectly normal feel to it.  I was hoping there would be something obvious.

            eDon't be lazy,' Youko scolded, just as curious and giving off every impression that he was more than happy to have the distraction.  eIt's more fun this way!  More of a challenge if there's more depth to the puzzle, you know.'

            "What did he want with you?" Hiei reached over and took the picture away while Youko and Kurama had a mini argument in their head.

            "Said it was just a shot he couldn't resist," Yuusuke made a face and drummed his fingers impatiently on the table as he waited for Keiko's return.  "Are you two going to tell me why you had a sudden urge to speak with Kurabara, or is this just another event to chalk up to totally fucked up behavior?"

            Kurama finally got Youko to settle down, propping his elbows on the table to rest his chin on the backs of his hands, "You are aware that the man your sons wave to at the fence is a youkai, aren't you?  Takeharuka-san?"

            Yuusuke's eyebrow kicked up, "Kurabara's boss?  You've both lost it.  I actually shook his hand once, didn't get so much as a hiccup in the senses."

            "That man was definitely not human," Hiei shook his head, giving the picture back to Kurama and frowning at the denial, and even more at the fact that he knew Yuusuke was telling the truth as he saw it.  "We only saw him a moment through the window of his car, but that was more than enough."

            He leaned back, trying to get comfortable in the chair again as he contemplated Hiei's insistence, "You sure it was him?  Maybe a youkai possessed him... or they're trying to take his place.  He's a powerful man, not just here but internationally."

            Kurama frowned, reaching for his tea and taking a sip as he mulled that over with Youko, "That would make sense, I suppose, but why wouldn't we have heard from Koenma to handle it?"

            "Maybe he's behind in his paperwork," Yuusuke shrugged.  "Hell, I don't know.  It took them long enough to put the damn team together and that was when they were practically desperate for our eservices,'" he rolled his eyes at the memory.  "Little things like that could slip through the cracks so long as the youkai wasn't violent."

            Hiei blinked and shared a look with Kurama for a moment, He's right about that, but still... for all I can't stand his ass, Kurabara should have felt something suspicious.

            "Kurabara has said nothing about this?" Kurama vocalized that for Hiei, well aware of his friend's habit of balking whenever that particular human was brought into the conversation.

            Yuusuke shook his head, "Not a peep... although I think Takeharuka may have been away for a while, it's possible he hasn't seen him."

            Kurama made a faint sound of consideration, tracing his fingertip around the rim of his teacup and distractedly glancing around the tables to see if there were any acceptable girls in the surrounding faces, "If he can sense that others will know what he is, perhaps he's keeping a low profile... but then again, he was definitely direct to Hiei and myself when he noticed us."

            "He knew what we were too," Hiei offered, his own attention alert to anything that could possibly give him more about that girl he couldn't sense, frowning abruptly when a thought occurred to him.  Oi... Kurama.  What if it's the same as that human girl?  If there's something here in this city we don't know about that hides living auras, it could be a problem for us.  Powerful youkai like that running loose, and not giving off anything that can be found by the senses of others?

            Kurama's brows shot up, snapping around to stare at Hiei in alarm at the thought of that, "He'd be impossible to track."

            "Whoa, back up!" Yuusuke scowled at them irritably.  "You're forgetting us mere mortals can't tap in the way you two can.  What do you two know?"

            Hiei scowled, folding his arms and sitting back, eyes closed to show that this was Kurama's to explain, Tell him if you want, I'm not going to repeat myself.

            Kurama rolled his eyes, "Hiei ran into a living ghost on the street on our way here.  He said he couldn't sense any aura from her at all, just an empty spot, and now with this youkai..."

            "They could be connected," Yuusuke frowned sharply.

            eDon't you love how humans grow up and get more effective?' Youko teased from the safety of their mind, not particularly in the mood to get in a brawl with their eleader' when there were so many more things to focus on right now.  eWhen he was younger, he would have missed that.'

            Are you done?  Good gods, you're in a mood today, Kurama rubbed a hand over his eyes.

            eWe just got all these lovely little pieces to what has to be a great big puzzle, and we're still sitting at this table talking about it,' Youko shrugged and grumbled, definitely pouting as he passed along his restlessness.  eWe need to be doing something, Kurama, and if you're not going to let us go play in the woods, I want it to be figuring out all this!'

            Be patient, he ordered firmly, nodding to Yuusuke when he noticed he was still staring at him with the question in his eyes.  "Either that or there are too many coincidences to let this slide," he pointed out.  "Perhaps there has been an upset in the elements or magics beneath the city."

            eWe could check it out-e

            Not now!

            eWhy not?'

            Kurama almost growled, eyes flashing for a moment with the sudden clash of egos until he managed to get his control back, Later.  "Then there was the fact that the man the investigator was running away from was a youkai as well," he added, ignoring the rants from Youko.  "How did you not notice so many of them in such a small area?" he frowned at Yuusuke.

            Yuusuke shrugged and leaned back until the front legs of his chair came off the ground, "We ain't been home much lately, remember?  But if you're thinking there's this problem of eempty' people, why wouldn't they all be using it?"

            eGood point,' Hiei rose to his feet and started walking away.  "Speak with Kurabara, Yuusuke.  Find out what he knows and then go talk to Koenma."

            "Oi, where do you get off ordering me around?" just as quickly, the legs slapped back down on the concrete and he was standing as well, one hand on the table and the other raised in a fist.

            Hiei glanced back at him, one eyebrow kicking up, "Those were requests.  I thought you would want to know what was going on as much as we do."

            Kurama sighed when it looked like that short temper of Yuusuke's was about to let go, reaching over to grip his fist and pass along a warning glare to remind him that they were in public, "Hiei and I will return tonight after we've had a chance to look around where he saw her, Yuusuke."

            Yuusuke still looked like he wanted to yell, but instead he blew out an irritated huff and set his hands on his hips, "I'll wait up.  This could be bad, so we need to figure out what the hell's going on as soon as possible."

            Kurama nodded and left his not-entirely-willing host at the table to pay the bill, catching up with Hiei as he walked across the street without a single care for the lack of traffic signs, Hiei, are you sure it couldn't have been a ghost?

            Too warm.

            eMaybe if you hadn't been hanging onto that obnoxious female, we could have seen her too,' Youko muttered irritably, only mildly assuaged by the fact that they were indeed up and moving.

            And maybe if you stopped being such a prick about it, we'd be done by now, Kurama shot back, feeling the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand up, either from something around them or just the fact that he was finally reaching the end of his rope.

            If you're both done, Hiei turned a flat look up at him before he stopped, frowning and looking up even higher.

            "What is it?" Kurama's brows drew together, following his line of sight to the darkened office building and up to the sky, trying to see whatever had disturbed the shorter man.  "What do you see?"

            Hiei shook his head, staring for a moment more before he snorted and began to retrace their steps from that afternoon, "I thought I saw someone sitting outside one of the windows."  But I didn't feel anything.

            He didn't have to vocalize his next thought with that observation, making Kurama scowl up at the building as well, Was it the same or was it really nothing?

            eThe air feels wrong, Kurama,' Youko's voice had turned completely serious, not liking this uncertainty any more than them.  eLet's figure this out quickly.'

            Kurama nodded, pressing his hand against the building to try and feel for anything that might give away what was happening before he stepped back in disgust and trailed after Hiei, Before it gets beyond our control.

~*~*~*~

            Takashima had the phone to his ear yet again, perched on the edge of the roof and peering down at the youkai walking away from his position, "I have to hand it to you, when you shake things up, Big Dog, you always make everything go crazy.  But you were still right again."

            "You have the images I want, then?" he ignored that observation the way he ignored all the others.

            "Right here," he looked down at his camera, tapping a finger against the side in satisfaction.  "Congratulations, we have a kitsune and a... a something."

            "A something?" he repeated.

            "He doesn't read clearly," Takashima shrugged, unable to explain it any clearer than that.  "Probably means he's a mix of something, or he has a curse... you know, that kind of jumble.  If you want to know, you're going to have to pick up Kagome and get her to take a look."

            "You have been sneaking her into the conversation whenever you could since you heard that she was alive and well," he snorted in annoyance.  "I am not about to shock her to death by appearing before she is prepared for us just because there's a few upstart youkai that I can't immediately feel out."

            "Worth a shot though," Takashima sighed unhappily, sprawling out on his back to look up at the sky.  "The impression I get is they work with Urameshi for Rekai.  You think Koenma decided to try the whole use a thief to catch a thief thing?"

            "It took him long enough to try if that's the case," he could practically hear the eyes rolling through the phone.  "So... a kitsune and a something are in my town unannounced and poking around for the Rekai?"

            "Looks like."

            Silence, and then a heavy sigh, "If I didn't know better, I'd say you had a hand in this...  But I don't have any other choice.  After you've delivered the images, I want you to keep watch over Kagome.  We can't have them accidentally finding out who she is to us."

            Takashima's grin was wide enough it should have by all rights split his face, "You can count on me!"

            "Don't let her see you."

            And just as quickly turned to indignation, "What?!  Why not!?"

            "She needs time to resettle herself to the feel of us, and I have not felt her do that enough yet," he responded matter-of-factly.  "And I do not have the desire to hunt her down and pull her out someone just because they felt warm and she was confused."

            Takashima frowned, but reluctantly agreed, "All right... but if she's in trouble, or I see someone trying to get on her good side, I'm stepping in."

            "Don't do anything stupid, Takashima," he snorted.

            "When have I ever?" he hurried and disconnected the call before his boss could answer.