Inuyasha 1. A Second Chance?

A/N: Hey everybody! It's been a loooong time, I know. But I write as inspiration hits. This is a new story, as the others have given me nothing but severe writer's block. This is another Alternate Universe Iyazoi/Inu Taisho story, but this one is much different. Heck, I've already got plans for the sequel, or a spin-off. It's developing rapidly in my head, and my fingers are trying very hard to keep up.

Summary: Izayoi and her son, Miroku, have just come out of a really messy divorce. Toji InuTaisho and his son, Sesshomaru, have just lost their beloved wife and mother. What will come of these four devastated souls?

"Miroku, watch the lamp!" She cried as the rambunctious little boy dashed across the room, coming dangerously near her precious lamp as he turned a sharp 90 degrees. She nearly caught the 4 year old there, but he jumped up onto the couch at the last second, evading her hands.

"Mommy! Look, I can fly!" he shouted, taking off from the arm of the couch. Lunging forward, she caught the back of his shirt before he could smash his nose on the carpeted floor.

She set him gently to his feet and put a hand over her pounding heart. "Hon, you _cannot_ fly. You don't have wings, nor are you in an airplane. Don't leap off the couch again or you might give Mommy a heart attack. Understood?"

"Yes, Mommy," he pouted, looking a bit put out, but his eyes twinkled with mischief nonetheless. Miroku didn't understand what 'heart attack' meant, but it didn't sound like a good thing.

Izayoi ruffled his mop of inky hair, which he then hurriedly patted back into place. She smothered her chuckle behind her hand, saying, "Good boy. Now, how about you and me take a walk over to Sweet Sal's and grab some ice cream?"

"Oh please, oh please, oh please?" His eyes lit up and a brilliant smile split his face, showing all 5 of the empty spaces where he had already lost baby teeth. Ice cream was his absolute favorite treat, chocolate chip cookie dough in particular. After all, it was like having two sweets in one; the chilled cookie dough with chocolate chunks and the soft vanilla ice cream encasing it.

"Of course, go grab your shoes and jacket and we can be on our way." As he raced off to do just that, she stood from her kneeling position and snagged her keys off the table and her jacket from the hook by the door. Miroku came back as she toed on her tennis shoes, breathing a little heavier as he pushed his arms through the jacket sleeves.

The little boy danced and sang, skipping circles around Izayoi as they made their way down the sidewalk towards Sweet Sal's, the local candy and ice cream parlor. She giggled at his infectious child antics, carefree and happy for no other reason than because her son was. He bounced ahead of her into the air-conditioned seating area of Sal's, waving enthusiastically to the man behind the counter as he tugged her to a booth. She sat down across from her son, nudging a menu to him even though she knows what he has his heart set on already.

"May I take your order, Mrs. Tsukiru?" The familiar young man had stepped out from behind the counter, now brandishing a pad and pencil in place of the mug he had been wiping clean when they had come in. He was a few years younger than herself, in his last year of college maybe, who was often their waiter during the summer.

"That's Ms. Fushikawa, Ryo, remember?" She corrected quietly, watching her son to make sure his focus was elsewhere. The divorce had been messy, and Miroku had become withdrawn and solemn as most young children do in that situation. But lately, it seemed as if he was becoming his normal self again—his earlier flying escapade being a perfect example of this—except when directly reminded of the events. He was a smart child; of that there was no doubt.

"Of course, forgive me. What can I get for you and young Miroku today?" He looked apologetic as he carefully slipped a hand around to his back pants pocket. The boy had whipped his head around the second he saw motion, as subtle as it was meant to be, big eyes focused entirely on the little parcel in its grip as the hand came back around and was held palm-up in front of his nose. Izayoi smiled, knowing what was coming. Ryo's fingers slowly uncurled, revealing the lollipop lying innocently in his palm.

"Aha! I knew you had a candy for me, Ryo! You're so nice!" Miroku reached to quickly snag the sweet from Ryo's hand, but the hand jerked away just as fast.

"Tsk, tsk, Miroku, I know your mother has taught you manners," He teased.

"Aww, come on, Ryo!" But a look from the older man made him stop and pout for a moment, before grudgingly saying, "Fine. Ryo, can I pretty please have that lollipop in your hand?"

Ryo winked to her before opening his hand again and letting little fingers snatch the candy and stuff it into a pocket as if it would be stolen away again. "Now what would you like to order?"

Miroku bounced impatiently in his seat as Izayoi ordered a small vanilla sundae with whipped cream and a cherry. "Choc-o-lit chip cookie dough, please?" he asked eagerly when Ryo turned to him.

"Sure, kid. I'll be right back with those," and with that, he returned to the counter and set about getting their orders. Miroku looked at his mother with wide eyes, still fingering the small treasure in his pocket, "Thank you, Mommy, for getting me ice cream."

"Your welcome, baby, but save that lollipop for later, okay?"

"Mmhmm," he managed to murmur before Ryo distracted him again by setting down his ice cream in front of him and handing him a huge spoon to eat it with.

"There you go, Miroku. And I even remembered to put in a few pieces of peanut butter cups just how you usually like it," the boy's smile grew wider, if that was possible, because he had somehow forgotten to ask for his favorite topping on his favorite ice cream. Then his eyes dimmed a little, and Izayoi knew he was remembering how his dad had first shown him how delicious chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream was with peanut butter cup bits on top.

"And for you, Ms. Fushikawa, your sundae, with extra whipped cream and two cherries on top," she mustered a bright smile for him and thanked him before he walked away to serve another couple a few booths away.

"Miroku, honey, it's ok," she said softly, reaching over to squeeze the hand that held the huge spoon with white knuckles. He sniffled, then raised his head and smiled a little smile for her. His grip loosened and his other little hand appeared from under the table to settle on top of hers.

"I know, Mommy," he whispered, and then dug in with gusto. She couldn't help but watch as her son managed to wear more of the ice cream than he ate. The vanilla ice cream speckled his cheeks and a few chocolate chips landed on the front of his shirt. All in all, he was a gooey mess by the time he was done. Izayoi had only eaten half of her sundae by then, but when he turned his puppy face on her, she hurried to finish.

"Thank you, Ryo! We'll see you again soon," she called as the bell above the door jingled on their way out.

"Have a nice day, Ms. Fushikawa! Miroku!" he called back before the door closed.

Miroku's mood was slightly tempered on their way home. There was still a bounce in his step, but he wasn't swinging his arms and singing like he had been earlier. Izayoi took them home a different route than they had come, knowing of the mood shift in her young son. Taking this road led them past a small park with a swing set and all the other play equipment a boy could ever want. She noticed the change in Miroku as he suddenly realized where they were headed. He skipped a few paces ahead of her, dodging around a few other people on the sidewalk until he came to the open gates.

"Can we, Mommy?" he asked excitedly, pointing into the park. She nodded and he dashed inside, looking back once to make sure she was following at her own pace. That was one thing that had come around since the divorce. Ever since his father disappeared so suddenly and hadn't come back, Miroku had clung to her more than he ever had. He used to readily run off and play, quick to make friends and interact with other children, and most of the time paying her no mind. Now, he hung back, always checking over his shoulder to make sure his mother was still there. Sometimes it was a good thing, but she worried about her son and the effect this would have on him in the long run.

She found an empty bench near where he was already playing in the sandbox, waving when he turned around to find her. A young boy with silver hair came over and began to play with her son. He looked a little older than her son, maybe 6 years old, and was quiet and kept his eyes down and focused on what he was building. She pulled a book out of her purse and found her marker, trying to seem like she wasn't eavesdropping on her son and the other young boy.

"Hi, I like your sandcastle. My name is Miroku. What's yours?" He said, just loud enough that she caught what he was saying. She didn't notice the man who came and sat beside her, also watching the two kids talk.

"Sesshomaru," the other boy said quietly. "I like your sandcastle, too," he continued politely, looking over and managing to not laugh at her son's attempt. Where Sesshomaru's castle was tall and proud, Miroku's looked more like it had been partially washed away already. She smiled, glad that the boy was nice, at least.

"Look at them. Children are so precious," came a masculine voice from next to her. Izayoi started, not realizing anyone had been sitting there, before glancing at him and doing everything she could not to gawk. This man was nothing short of majestic. He had high cheekbones and a prominent nose, and a beautiful tan colored his skin. He shared the same silver-white hair as the boy her son was talking to, and his eyes were a molten gold that shined with laughter at her expression.

"Is that your boy? Miroku, he said his name was," the man asked, returning her attention to the kids and away from his face.

"Yeah. And I'm guessing you're Sesshomaru's father?" she asked, to which he nodded and stuck out his hand.

"Toji Inutaisho, my lady," he said, looking very serious, but there was a sparkle in those golden depths. He was flirting with her! Right here, in a park on a bright Saturday morning with their kids not five feet away! A little shocked, she unconsciously placed her hand lightly in his. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he raised it slowly to his lips, giving her time to pull away.

"Izayoi, my good sir," she answered his unspoken question, refraining from offering her last name.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he said honestly, squeezing the hand he still held captured in his much larger one.

"Hush, you, otherwise you'll make me blush," she said, playing along, but a little more serious than before. It was a little awkward to have a man this interested in her—especially a really cute man—only a few months after her divorce. Despite that, she still couldn't break gazes with him.

That is, until a cry caught both of their attentions. Looking over, they saw Sesshomaru sitting on the grass, holding his left arm as a few tears leaked down his face. Apparently Miroku had coaxed him away from the sandbox to play tag or some other chasing game, but the boy had tripped over a hidden tree root. Toji made to stand and go over to his son, but Izayoi grabbed his sleeve, motioning instead for him to watch.

Miroku walked back over to Sesshomaru and squatted next to him, looking at the scrape without touching it. The silver haired boy sniffled once before angrily wiping away the tears on his face. Her son stopped him with a gentle hand on his other shoulder.

"Hey, it's ok to cry, you know. When it hurts, sometimes it's good to cry and let it out," he said gently, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the treat he had gotten from Ryo in the ice cream parlor. "Here, this'll make it feel better." He held it out for Sesshomaru to take, which he did, slowly and unsurely, as if he didn't think it was real that there was a piece of candy right there, just for him.

"Thank you, Miroku," he said quietly, looking up, and for the first time she saw the little boy's eyes. The golden eyes that looked just like his father's, but reflected a deep hurt she knew all to well from having seen it in her own son's violet ones. Next to her, Toji smiled; glad to see his son interact with someone his own age. It would do him good.

A/N: Well, the first chapter's done. What do you think? I'm working on the second, and it'll be out soon. I'd like to say reviews will help move it along, but being as the story is pretty much writing itself, I can only say it'll happen when it happens.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Wow, I shocked myself with an update already.

And an oops, since I forgot last chapter: Inuyasha and all the characters in the series are not in any way mine. I have just taken them out of their natural habitat and created a temporary new home for them. In other words—only the plot is mine. Oh, and Ryo, the waiter at Sweet Sal's ice cream parlor, and Sweet Sal's itself are mine as well.

After their pleasant day in the park, Miroku came home and promptly fell asleep on the couch. He had worn himself out. Iyazoi unfolded a blanket and laid it over her son, tucking it in around his slim little shoulders. She brushed a lock of his hair out of his face and watched as a small smile curved the corners of his lips in his sleep.

"I love you, little man. And I'll never leave you, I promise," she whispered before turning off the lights and settling down in a nearby armchair, a mug of hot chocolate in her hand. She watched the flames dance in the old-fashioned wood fireplace. It had been one of the main reasons she had bought this house. Not many of the more 'modern' models came with them. Izayoi had always entertained the romantic idea of sitting in front of a warm fire on a chilly winter night, cuddling with the man she loved. Or, the more plausible and likely notion as of late: relaxing by herself with a good book and a warm drink in front of a cheerful fire.

She sipped her hot chocolate as her thoughts drifted to their afternoon in the park.

After Miroku had calmed a teary Sesshomaru, he had looked at her, smiling. He had wanted her to be proud of him. And she was, her son had made a wonderful new friend and she knew what a big step that was for both boys. The other shy little boy had slipped the lollipop into his pocket and carefully wiped away what was left of his tears. Then the two of them had run off to play a little more, reaching the top of a little hill that was close enough for them to keep an eye on their parents.

Izayoi and Toji had sat in silence for a while, enjoying watching their boys play together. Izayoi knew then that this was as new and important for Sesshomaru as it was for Miroku. Something had happened to their little family, but it wasn't her place to ask. After about half an hour, the boys tumbled down the hill, trying to see who could somersault to the bottom the fastest. Sesshomaru won by a few seconds, and waited for Miroku to catch up and regain his balance before tugging him over to where their parents were sitting.

"Papa, what time is it?" the little boy asked very politely.

"It's nearing 6:00pm, the sun should be setting soon. Why do you ask?" his father replied. Hearing the time out loud, Izayoi realized how late it was getting. She and Miroku had to be getting home soon because walking the streets in the dark was not a good idea, even in the relatively safe neighborhood they called home.

Miroku unintentionally answered for him when his stomach rumbled rather loudly. The boy giggled and blushed, crossing his arms over his tummy and looking at his mother. "We're hungry, Mommy." Toji chuckled quietly, and Sesshomaru smiled guiltily, trying hard to keep his own stomach from making its demands known, too.

"And I would be worried if you weren't, since it's past dinnertime for you. We'll head home and have some dinner after we say goodbye to Sesshomaru and his father, okay?" she said, lifting her son into her lap and patting his growling tummy. He pushed himself off her lap and grabbed her hand, yanking her impatiently to her feet when she didn't respond right away.

"Bye, Sesshomaru! Bye, Sesshomaru's daddy! We'll see you soon but I want dinner now!" Miroku called as he quite literally dragged her out of the park. Izayoi could only shrug at an amused Toji and wave quickly, calling, "We'll probably be back tomorrow." She saw Sesshomaru's frown lift as she said that, but then she was pulled out the gate and around the corner of the wall.

"Bye, Miroku! See you tomorrow!" Miroku paused, hearing Sesshomaru call from inside. He beamed up at his mother, only to see her eyes narrow slightly and a stern set come to her lips. He let his grip on her hand loosen, and she placed both hands on her hips, staring down at him. Shrinking back a little, he knew he had done something wrong and waited with his head bowed.

"That was very rude, Miroku. You can't drag Mommy around all the time just because you're hungry. You could have waited a minute or two more to say a proper goodbye to your new friend and his dad," she chastised. But then to lighten up her words, she poked his tummy. "It's not like you'd shrivel up that fast."

Miroku smiled, realizing he must not be in too much trouble if his mother was teasing him like this. And then, as if to defy her words, his stomach growled even louder than it had before. Even Miroku couldn't help looking down at his stomach in surprise at that.

"Well, maybe you _are_ that hungry. We'd better hurry home before you waste away before my eyes!" Miroku heard the humor in his mother's words, startling when she suddenly caught him around the waist and tossed him to sit on her shoulders.

"Giddy-up, Mommy! My tummy needs food!" A shriek burst forth from his mouth as she began a brisk walk back to their cozy home a few streets up.

Coming back to herself, Izayoi relaxed in the weakening hold of a warm, happy memory. Today had been a wonderful day, and it got her thinking about what would happen tomorrow. She realized that she wanted to see Toji again. That was a surprise—was her heart so quickly healed by a pretty face and a few playful words?

She had thought Rori, her ex, had been the only one for her. But when she had caught him with a few of his naked female coworkers one night, she knew it just couldn't continue. Izayoi knew he had wandering eyes, and sometimes wandering hands, but she had steeled herself against the hurt. It was an unchangeable part of him. When they had gotten married, she had hoped he would restrain his roving hands to her body. And he had, for the first few years. After Miroku was born, it had all changed back to the way it was when they first met. And he didn't even have the decency to hold himself back in front of their infant son. Worrying herself was the worst part, but finding her worries were founded in truth hadn't made things any easier. Her son idolized this man, but it just wasn't healthy for either of them to stay a moment longer. At first, Rori had raged and sulked, refusing to listen to reason for hours or days at a time. Then he began to plead, actually getting on his knees and promising her it would be better again, that she just had to trust him. When he exhausted all possible ways of stopping her he could think up, he quietly accepted it, realizing he'd lost his hold on her heart. But he didn't want to let go of Miroku, his pride, his son, his heir. And so began the long and ruthless custody battle, which tore both of their reputations to shreds and left her a broken woman in the end. But she and Miroku had helped each other in the last few months. She was his sun, the light in his life; he was the center of her world, her main purpose.

Now another man was intruding in her little world. All she knew was his name and that he had a son, but that did nothing to stop his face from painting itself on the backs of her eyelids, his voice from ringing in her ears, her body from remember how soft and warm his lips were pressed to the back of her hand.

She shook her head, hoping to clear it for some dreamless sleep. Then she noticed the weight settled on her chest and the familiar black mop of hair tickling her chin. Miroku had wandered over a little while ago, dragging the blanket along behind him until he reached his mother. He curled up on her, taking the time to shift her cold mug from her slack hands and put it on the table next to them before covering them both up and falling back asleep.

Izayoi smiled down at her son's innocent, sleeping face, one hand fisted in the blanket resting close to his mouth. She had been trying to discourage him from sucking his thumbs for close to a year before he began to stop. She hugged her baby a little closer as her own eyes began to droop, sleep creeping in on her. Quickly rising, she made sure the fire was dead and then carried Miroku to her bed. She'd let the little monster sleep with her tonight, since it was easier than trying to pry his fingers from her nightgown. As she drifted off to sleep, her last thoughts were of what awaited her tomorrow.

A/N: Yeah, I know. Nothing really important in this one. But it wrote itself. A little history had to be put out there. And it seemed a good spot to end. Next chapter will be up really soon. Reviews are welcome!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Yet another one! Already! I'm on a roll, baby!

Standard disclaimer: Not mine. Nope. Nein. Niet. Iie. I wish they were though. Only the plot, Ryo, and Sweet Sal's are mine.

Now on with the chapter—

"Moooooooooooom! Wake up!" cried the persistent lump that was currently using her stomach as a trampoline. She let out a little "ooof" every time he landed, his knees digging deeper into the soft flesh.

"Alright! I'm up, now will you please stop jumping on me? You're hurting Mommy," she said breathlessly, succeeding in getting him to move from her stomach to the mattress.

"Sorry, Mommy," he said, but then his smile returned in a second. "Can we have pancakes and then go to the park? You said we could, remember?" His big violet eyes pleaded with her, his little hands clasped together hopefully under his chin.

Izayoi rolled over and propped herself up on an elbow. "Oooh, I think having pancakes for breakfast sounds really good. Plain or Blueberry?" she asked, already knowing his answer.

Miroku made a face. "Blueberry pancakes are icky, Mommy. I want plain, with lots and lots of syrup on top!" he said, gesturing wildly with his hands to show exactly how much syrup he wanted.

"Blueberry pancakes are _not_ icky. If they were icky, would I eat them?" She threw over her shoulder as she got out of the bed and made her way to the closet to grab her robe.

He just shrugged before smartly replying, "Maybe. You like lots of stuff I think is icky." Izayoi began to make her way down the hallway to the kitchen, her son following faithfully behind.

"Well, that's true," she confessed. It wasn't her fault her son was a picky eater and didn't eat some of the things she considered an everyday part of her menu. What little kid likes sushi or curry, anyway?

"See? They're icky," he stated pointedly, a smug smile on his face.

"I can't win with you, can I?" she groaned, putting a hand to her head. Miroku was surprisingly good at talking her in circles for being only 4 years old. And boy, was he proud of it, too.

"Nope," he smirked.

While she went to the cabinet and took out the flour and other dry ingredients, he opened the fridge and got out the milk, eggs, and butter. Neither of them liked pancakes from a box, so on Sunday mornings, mother and son took the time to make them from scratch. While she mixed the batter, Miroku grabbed two plates and two sets of silverware and then set the table. It wasn't perfect, but he tried. Pretty soon, they both had plates piled high with their choice of flavored pancakes, Miroku's smothered in maple syrup and Izayoi's lightly buttered with a little vanilla ice cream on top.

Again, her son ended up a sticky mess and needed a bath before they could even think about going out to the park. She plopped him in the tub in her bathroom, scrubbing the syrup off his face and then retreating back to her room, leaving the door open so she could hear if he called. The closet yielded many choices on what to wear, almost too many. Should she wear something really casual, like jeans and a tee shirt? Or maybe something a little nicer, like slacks and a light sweater? Maybe a light summer dress instead? Certainly nothing too fancy—she didn't want to look like she was trying too hard. She held up several outfits in front on a mirror, trying to figure out what she wanted to wear. Each one got rejected and tossed over her shoulder onto the bed. It was starting to seem like she had nothing to wear. Oh goodness, she was starting to feel like a teenager on her first date. Suddenly she was looking at an empty clothes rack where her seemingly limitless closet used to be. She turned unbelieving eyes to the mountain of clothes on her bed; piled so high it was swaying precariously towards the edge.

"Mommy, you should wear those jeans with the pretty design on the side and the white shirt with the black design on the back," came Miroku's little voice from the bathroom door. She turned to find him standing there sopping wet, draped in one of her huge body towels. It looked like everything but his head and unruly hair had been swallowed by the terry cloth.

"You think so?" she asked, digging the suggested items out from the bottom of the pile and holding them up for scrutinizing.

"Yeah, you look really pretty in it," he reiterated, nodding sagely and holding the towel closer. She smiled at him before shooing him out of the room.

"Thank you, honey. Now, go, scurry to your room and get dressed in some play clothes," she called as she closed the door on his skipping figure. How he managed not to trip on the dragging towel in his excitement, she'd never know. Alone in her room, Iyazoi suddenly got a small case of the nerves. What if she was reading too much into this whole thing? What if Toji was only being nice yesterday for the sake of being nice? What if it didn't mean anything to him? She didn't really have a lot to go on. So she went with her first instinct, which was to stall. She didn't want to show up at the park first thing in the morning and stay there all day, waiting for him to show up like some eager puppy. So she went about hanging up all the clothes she had scattered around the room, even taking the time to organize them by color and style. Only when her room was spotless and she had a rather impatient child practically clawing her door down did she turn to the outfit she had laid out.

"Mom! What's taking you so long? Aren't you dressed yet? Come on, Mommy! I want to go to the park!" Miroku serenaded her with questions the whole time she was changing, not giving her a pause to answer, even when he broke for breath. Finally she opened the door, sighing as she saw her son dressed in his favorite ripped jeans, an inside-out shirt and mismatched socks, one shoe on but untied and the other in his hand.

"Miroku, honey, your shirt's inside out and your socks don't match. Stand still a minute so I can fix your shirt," she said as he stamped his foot. Izayoi yanked the shirt over his head and flipped it right side out in one quick move before pulling it back down over his arms. She let him keep the unmatched socks, and tying his shoes for him after he shoved the second one on. "Now you just need a brush and a hair twister for this mop of yours," she said as her fingers got snagged in the knotty, damp mess.

"No, no, no! I don't want you to brush my hair! I wanna go now!" he yelled, pulling away and turning to run down the hall. But he didn't make it far, as she caught the back of his shirt before he could take off.

"Yes, I am going to brush your hair. And yes, we are going to put it back in a ponytail. You're the one who wanted to keep it long, mister, so you have to deal with it. Now, go get me the brush and twister from the bathroom, okay?" she looked on with amusement as he dragged his feet the whole way to the main bathroom, glancing at her over his shoulder every few steps to give her big, round, puppy eyes. With a sullen pout, he returned with the requested items and turned around so she could reach his hair. Pulling the brush through his locks efficiently but painlessly, she quickly tied off the little tail at the back of his neck.

"There, now we are ready to go. Do you want me to bring a couple snacks and juice boxes for you?" he nodded, and she snatched a worn backpack off the couch and tossed in two juices and a couple of single-serving snack bags, and a bottle of water for herself. Slipping on a pair of low-heeled boots and a lightweight jacket, she convinced her son to shrug on his as well before they headed out the door.

They arrived at the park twenty minutes later, having taken their time walking. Miroku had found a big white flower in somebody's garden and plucked it before she could warn him not to. He innocently held it up to her, saying it would look nice in her hair. Izayoi couldn't help but smile at her son and tuck in behind her ear, weaving the stem into the sloppy bun. Sometimes she wondered where her son picked up all his irresistibly cute antics, but didn't really ponder it for too long. She held out her hand for him, and they walked the rest of the way to the park with a new bounce in their strides, smiling and giggling the whole time.

Izayoi paused as they came upon the gates, feeling her nerves come alive again for a moment before she suppressed them angrily. There was no need for them; this was just a play date for her son and his friend. And his friend's gorgeous father just happened to come along, too. It was nothing to get so excited about.

"Mommy, what's the matter?" her son asked, as he went to keep going forward and his mother stayed rooted to the spot.

She shook herself out of it quickly enough to smile reassuringly at him and answer, "Nothing, sweetie. Let's go in and see if Sesshomaru and his father are here yet,"

After looking around for a bit and finding no trace of the two silver-haired males, Miroku said, "I don't see them. Can I go play for a little while?"

"Go ahead, I'll be over here," she said, waving at the bench behind her that was close to the sandbox. As he ran off to the swing set, she settled onto the bench and opened the book that was still in her bag from yesterday. All was peaceful. It was for a few short moments, anyway.

"I see them! They're here! Sesshomaru and his daddy are here! Mommy, look!" Izayoi watched wide-eyed as he jumped off the seat at the very height of the forward swing and launched himself towards her at a run. He pointed frantically in the vague the direction of the gates, and tugged on her arm with his other hand. She managed to quiet him down for a few moments, watching them round the corner and walk towards the bench where they were currently sitting.

Sesshomaru was sitting up on his father's broad shoulders, looking down as Toji looked up. They were both smiling and laughing. Then Toji suddenly spun around and around in one place holding onto the boy's legs, his son's arms flying out wide and his head tipping back in delight. They looked so happy.

Izayoi savored the sight for a few more minutes, wishing Miroku's father had been like that, had taken him out and done things with him, had loved him as much as Toji obviously loved little Sesshomaru. Then she looked down at her son, her heart breaking at the sight of tears gathering in the corners of the violet eyes she adored so much. She wanted to hold him, to hug him close and never let him go, to heal that ache she knew he felt from that empty spot in his heart that called for a father. But before she could stop him, he turned and ran, heading for the jungle gym on the other end of the park.

"Miroku! Come back, Miroku!" She cried, getting up and jogging after him as fast as her boots would allow, leaving her bag behind on the bench and flying past a startled looking Toji and Sesshomaru on her way.

A/N: I typed and I typed and I typed. You'd think Muse would give me an ending to the chapter…but noooooo. For now, it remains somewhat of a cliffhanger. But at this rate, the next chapter will be up within the next few days, so it won't be a long wait. Remember, reviews are welcome!


	4. Chapter 4

"Miroku! Miroku! Come out? Please, so Mommy doesn't have to come in after you?" Izayoi pleaded as her son blatantly refused to come out from the small space under the jungle gym. She looked around quickly, mainly to see who would see her crawl on her hands and knees and most likely get stuck halfway in the small space. She didn't notice anyone paying especially close attention, so she shrugged and bent down, glad that the ground in the play area was made up of mostly sand.

From within came little echoes of a young child's sniffling. Izayoi sighed and shuffled forward, ducking her head low to go through the little space that served as a door. In the corner, Miroku was curled up, knees to his chest and his face buried in his arms. His wracking sobs were muffled, but she could easily see his shoulders shake with his gasping breaths. The jungle gym was far too small for her to fit in next to her son, so she settled on staying halfway inside on her hands and knees. Leaning most of her weight on her left hand, she reached out with her right to lay a hand on her boy's shoulder. He flinched, but his cries subsided somewhat.

"Miroku, honey, come outside and sit with Mommy. I can't fit in here with you," she cooed. Miroku rubbed his fist across his eyes a last time before clasping her offered fingers and allowing himself to be pulled out the little door and into his mother's lap. She cradled him closer until his sniffles died out completely.

"Mama, why don't I have a daddy like Sesshy's daddy?" came the timid voice, muffled from being pressed so close to her chest.

"Oh, sweetie, you do have a daddy, but he left us a long time ago. He and Mommy didn't get along very well and he hurt me in here," she replied sadly, placing his tiny handover her heart. His big eyes looked up at her. "Inside, he hurt my feelings and broke my heart. Some people are good fathers and some aren't. Your daddy wasn't ready to be a husband or a father, and he left you with me because I love you so very much. You're the light of my world, but your daddy didn't see how special you are in here," she continued, taking his hand which she still held and pressing it to his own chest, right over his heart before covering it with her own, much larger, one. With her free hand she wiped away what remained of his tears. "I love you and I will never leave you, my son," she said firmly, looking straight into his eyes.

"I love you, too, Mommy," he cried, throwing his arms around her neck and making a big show of kissing her cheek. Inside, his mischievous mind was already plotting how to get exactly what he wanted above anything else for his upcoming birthday.

Toji watched as first the little boy and then the boy's mother ran past him, headed for the jungle gym across the way. He gently tugged his son around and off his shoulders, settling him on the path at his feet. Sesshomaru looked up at his father, confused.

"Why were Miroku and his mommy running away? Doesn't he want to play with me?" he asked, tears swimming in his eyes.

"Son, it's alright, you did nothing wrong. It looks like Miroku was just a little upset and his mom was just going to make him feel better. We'll wait here, and I'm sure they'll be back really soon, ok?"

He got a sniffle and a nod in reply. He plopped down on the bench behind him and nudged his son towards the sandbox to play and hopefully distract him for a while. Sesshomaru sat down hard on his bottom in the sand, kicking up a little and sneezing. A small smile flirted with the corner of Toji's lips before he had to hide it from his son's accusing glare. As he watched his son begin to play, he was inwardly wondering what caused Miroku to run off in tears like that. He had smelt the salty tears even if he hadn't seen them, and knew that his son inevitably had smelt them, too.

Sesshomaru was in the middle of building another sandcastle when Miroku scampered back into sight, his mother following behind at a more sedated pace. Both little boys smiled. Miroku turned back to Izayoi. "Mommy? Can I fill the bucket with water?" he asked, pointing to a small container sitting in the sandbox, abandoned by its owner. He wanted to show Sesshomaru what a drizzle-castle was.

"Why do you want a bucket of water? It won't help you make a sandcastle," as expected, Sesshomaru was a little confused. Izayoi smiled. It was as if the last few moments hadn't even happened, and she was eternally glad that he had made a new friend.

"I know what you're thinking, Miroku. Hand it to me, and I'll get you some water from the fountain," she said. Her son did as asked, and she soon returned to find both silver-haired father and son asking Miroku what he was up to. The little boy just grinned at them, grabbing the bucket from his mom and plunking down in the sand next to his friend.

"This is called a drizzle-castle. You just put some water in a bucket, add some sand, and do this," he demonstrated by letting the wet sand trickle through his fingers. The drops built up, forming a lump rather like a stalagmite. A few more handfuls, and it was starting to look like a proper castle, spires and towers everywhere, even the beginnings of a wall surrounding it.

Sesshomaru looked on, intrigued. "Here, try it," Miroku said, offering the other boy a handful of wet sand. He took it, trying to copy what he had seen, and ended up with a rather tilted structure with a crumbly tower. He frowned. It wasn't good or nearly as pretty as Miroku's. Why not?

Izayoi, watching from her seat on the bench, smiled at Miroku's words when he noticed the boy's frown. "That's pretty good, Sesshomaru! You sure you've never done this before?" Sesshomaru promptly forgot all about how silly his attempt looked and beamed at his friend. "You bet!"

She sat back and let them play. Beside her, Toji reclined as well, leaning his elbows on the back of the bench. He turned to her with a smile, but his eyes flickered with concern. "What was the matter earlier? Why was Miroku crying?"

She sighed. She had known this was coming. Before continuing, she made sure little ears weren't listening in. "Don't take this the wrong way, but it was because he saw you two coming. No, don't look at me like that. Let me explain. Miroku's father…wasn't the best father in the world. He never took Miroku out, not even to the park. He was always at work. It was almost as if he didn't know his son existed until the day I handed him the divorce and custody papers. Needless to say, the custody battle was vicious. I gained full custody only because his father was such a womanizing lecher that the judge wasn't comfortable with the influence this might have on a four-year old boy who hero-worshipped his father. So seeing you with Sesshomaru this afternoon really hit home and rubbed his face in what he never had, you know? But I don't want you to feel bad, and certainly don't want you to hide what you have with your son." She felt weird exposing so much and talking on like she had, but it kind of needed to be said.

Toji blushed and shifted uncomfortably for a moment. What should he do? He'd hurt Sesshomaru if he stopped, but he'd hurt the boys' relationship, and possibly whatever could eventually happen between him and Izayoi, if he didn't. He wasn't so foolish to think that things could become serious between them so soon, but he still wanted to make a good impression. A friend like Izayoi could be good for him and his son. He and Sesshomaru had been too long without a caring female presence in their lives, and it was beginning to show in his son's personality. The boy was by turns gruff and closed off, never fully opening up with anyone but his father. Until he had met Miroku, that is. Toji didn't know why it was, but Sesshomaru was becoming friendly with the other little boy.

"Listen, I'm sorry. I didn't know about any of it. I…I don't know what to say. I don't want to cause problems," he stuttered. To his surprise, she laughed.

"You seem like one of those guys who always knows what to say. This must be hard for you, huh?" she managed between giggles. He blinked at her for a moment before joining in. His deep chuckle mingled with hers, drawing the attention of both their sons. Sesshomaru ambled over and sat down in his father's lap.

"What's so funny, Daddy? You never laugh," he was very curious. He truly couldn't remember the last time his father had chuckled like that. Sure, he smiled and snickered a little when they were playing around, but never a full laugh like he just did.

"Miroku's mom just said something really funny is all," Toji said. He just happened to look down at his watch. "It's past lunchtime. What do you say, Miroku, do you want to come with Sesshomaru and I to get some food?" he asked, diverting their attention before they could ask more questions.

The boys cheered, and Miroku looked pleadingly to his mother. "Please, please, please, Mommy?"

She nodded, watching as another round of cheers began. The boys began to talk rapidly about where they wanted to go and which was the best play area. Izayoi met Toji's eyes above their heads and gave him a truly genuine smile. Even though she knew he was probably just being nice after hearing her sob story, the fact that he had even offered made her heart beat a little faster.

Sesshomaru's argument that Tino's was a better restaurant because it had the most amazing play equipment was abruptly cut off with a shriek as he was swung up onto Toji's left shoulder.

Miroku looked away, choosing to study his mother's shoes. So it came as a big surprise when he felt his feet leave the ground. His eyes went wide as he was lifted really high, higher than his mother's shoulders. Toji set the stunned boy on his right shoulder.

The smile Izayoi gave him could have rivaled the sun, it was so bright. He grinned back, winking at her and walking towards the park entrance with both boys on his shoulders like they weighed nothing at all. By the time she grabbed all their stuff and caught up to them, he was whistling a peppy tune as the boys giggled and talked.


	5. Chapter 5

"Weeeee!" Miroku cried. Sesshomaru's daddy carried him all the way from the park to a little restaurant called Tino's. His eyes went wide when he saw that what his friend had said was true—Tino's had an amazing play area! A whole bunch of slides and monkey bars and a ball pit and even a spaceship to go in!

Mommy had said to wait until after lunch, so he had to sit very patiently while the waitress got their drinks and meals. But he couldn't help it that his foot was tapping out a fast rhythm against the seat of the booth, making his whole body bounce up and down. Sesshomaru grinned at him and he smiled back. They were both eating as fast as possible so they could go play quicker.

Miroku looked up when he heard his mom giggling again. She and Sesshomaru's daddy were talking about grown-up stuff, and they must have been telling jokes because both of them kept laughing. The first few times he heard his father laugh, Sesshomaru had been startled, but now he didn't even look up. He continued eating very ketchup-y french fries.

But Miroku watched, very shocked as his mother laid a hand on Sesshomaru's daddy's shoulder. His mom had never touched any boys but him! Did this mean he was going to have to share? He couldn't remember having his dad around, so he couldn't remember how she acted with him, but she had only been sad and quiet around other people since then. She loved him, so she gave him lots of hugs and kisses and ruffled his hair (he didn't like that so much), but nobody else.

He didn't know if he liked it. Sure, he liked Sesshomaru, and his daddy was really great, and he wanted a dad of his own more than anything else in the world. But he didn't want somebody else to hurt his mommy's feelings like she told him his dad had. So he'd have to make sure Sesshomaru's daddy was really nice and liked his mommy a lot.

Miroku realized he'd been ignoring his food and returned to it with gusto, wanting to be done before his friend so they could go play. He continued to watch the adults through his bangs; happy with the way Sesshomaru's daddy smiled and made his mom laugh.

"All done!" he and Sesshomaru said at the same time. Both their parents looked up at the same time, then down at their own half-eaten meals.

"You guys really wanted to go play, didn't you?" his mom asked. He nodded with a big grin. She motioned towards the play area. "You go on ahead, you two. We'll watch from here while we finish our meals."

Miroku gave Sesshomaru a gentle push to get him moving out of the booth seat and towards the play equipment. They ran off, giggling and nudging each other the whole way.

Toji turned in his seat and winked at her. "Did you see how your son was looking at me just then?" Rather than sounding angry or offended, he was very amused.

She just looked at him, puzzled and startled by the change of subject. They had been talking about recent movie that had come out, a very bad rendition of a book they had both read. Now he brought up something about her son? "No. How was he looking at you?"

"Like I was a threat. Like I'm moving in on his territory—you. He's trying to figure it all out. He loves you a lot and can't decide if he wants me in the picture," he said, nodding and looking as if he had all the answers.

Izayoi just stared at him for a moment, trying to keep a straight face but failing. "No way! That's ridiculous, he's only four for heaven's sake!"

Toji cocked his head at her, admiring her smile for a minute before answering. "But it's true. He's older than he looks, that one. He knows you've been hurt, and he knows his father did it, so he doesn't want any men coming near you," his reasoning would be logical in any other situation, but this was Miroku. As quick and intelligent as he was, even she didn't think her son was clever enough to figure all that out.

"How would you know? Are you some kind of child psychologist?" Izayoi with shocked with how defensive she sounded. It wasn't like her to be accusing and offensive. But Toji was hitting a little closer to home than she would like. She wanted to believe Miroku was healthy and as normal as any other boy his age.

"No, but I've been through something very similar with Sesshomaru. In fact, he was looking at you much the same way Miroku was looking at me." He was calm, his voice pitched low and soothing as hers rose the tiniest bit in volume.

"Now you're telling me your son thinks I'm going to tear your heart out and stomp on it? Great, what an impression to make on a kid," she muttered, more to herself than him.

"He's just been very protective and clingy since his mother passed away two years ago, is all. And I recently started dating again. He's driven off all of my dates in the last four months. Sometimes it's temper tantrums, or asking a hundred questions, or bringing home some lovely scaly thing. Anything to send a woman packing. It's a way kids react to stress and trauma," Toji said, and she settled back against the booth again. He was opening up.

But one thing still confused her. "If that's so, why is it that Miroku has no problem with a friend of mine, Ryo?"

"I don't know. Is Ryo a potential dating interest?" He couldn't resist. He had to know if she was seeing someone or thinking of seeing someone.

"No, no, he's too young for me. But we always see him and he's always smiling at me. If what you're saying is true, wouldn't Miroku react to it?" Now that she thought about it, it was true. Ryo was always eager to please and grinning from ear to ear whenever they saw each other. But Miroku treated him like another adult, maybe even a big brother-figure.

"Maybe he sees that you're not interested in Ryo. I can only guess. I don't have all the answers, you know," he said, getting the expected reaction when she processed what he insinuated. A pretty blush colored her cheeks and she looked down at her hands, lying innocently in her lap.

"I don't see why it should be any different with you, then. He should know I'm not…I'm not interested in you that way, either." Damn her inability to lie! And his smile said it all. The darn smug man knew she was attracted him. And it only strengthened his argument.

His grin widened when she looked up. "Then I must be wrong, huh? I was so certain, too. I'm sure Sesshomaru will be glad to know he doesn't have to worry. Little Miroku though, he should keep his guard up." She blinked and tried to look innocent as she turned to him.

"Oh?" she was cute when she was trying to be coy. Then Toji realized what he had just thought. Of all the other women Sesshomaru had scared off, he had never thought they were 'cute.' Sophisticated and elegant maybe, but never cute. And they certainly never played coy.

He nodded, coming out of his thoughts when she poked his shoulder. "Yeah. There's this guy who seems pretty interested in you. He's been ogling you all of lunch." He teased.

"Really?" she looked around for the mystery man, playing along.

"Here he comes now," he said, pointing towards the back of the restaurant. Confused, and she peeked around him to see a large, balding older man walking down the aisle. Luckily, before she could even worry, he turned to enter the men's room. She shoved him hard, but he didn't even budge. He didn't even seem to notice.

"Jerk!" she said between giggles. After a few minutes of silence and shared glances as they finished their meals, he signaled to the waitress to pay the check and laid a few dollars on the table.

He stood and reached for hand. "Milady, may I escort you to a seat nearer to the children?"

"Yes, good sir, you may," she answered, letting him help her to her feet and down the aisle, not releasing his hand. And he wasn't trying to pull away.


End file.
