What a Little Time Can Do II

Disclaimer: I don't own this………….. What else do you want!?!?

"Sesshomaru-sama?" The taiyoukai looked down at the young girl at his side. "Will Rin be able to see Kagome-nee-chan again, soon?"

Surprising the girl, Sesshomaru smiled slightly. "Soon, Rin." She beamed up at him and ran off to tortur-… play with Jaken some more. He turned away and faced the sunset. "Soon." His smile faded as he thought of how little had had seen of his miko since he had returned her to his brother.

Even though the hanyou did not know of his courtship to Kagome, he had still become extremely protective of her. They had caught a few moments together where she had launched herself into his arms but had to go back to Inuyasha right after. The taiyoukai raised his head to watch the clouds, a habit he had picked up from the object of his affections, and narrowed his eyes. It was time to take matters into his own hands.

"Jaken." The toad scampered over to him, tripping twice. "Take care of Rin." He began walking away, ignoring the toad's sigh and heading toward his miko.

"Hurry up, wench! We have to get those jewel shards before Naraku!" Kagome sighed as she continued walking. Inuyasha was more protective, (keeping her from seeing Sesshomaru,) but he was still as rude as ever.

While she was thinking, she didn't notice the hanyou stop, causing her to bump into him. "Inuyasha?" She heard the low growl in his throat and felt the tenseness of her other companions. Peeking around the hanyou, she gasped. He wouldn't come to see me in front of them, would he?

"What do you want, Sesshomaru-teme?" Inuyasha was gripping his sword tightly, but the taiyoukai seemed unfazed. She saw his eyes avert to her and could feel the warmth in his gaze, though she knew none of the others would be able to see it. She flashed him a tiny smile.

"I require the services of the miko; Rin has fallen ill." At this, Kagome immediately started walking towards him, concern written on her face. She hadn't gone more than five feet before-

"Where do you think you're going?!" Inuyasha grabbed her and pulled her back, continuing to yell at her. "How can you possibly think of going with him for who knows how long, just for a girl?!" Only Inuyasha failed to see the narrowing of his brother's eyes at his actions to her, and he just ignored the threatening growl.

Kagome's eye started to twitch. "Osuwari!" The hanyou plummeted to the ground. "How can I NOT go?! Rin is sick and I'm the only one Sesshomaru trusts to care for her or else he would have gone to someone else!" She whirled around and began stomping over to the taiyoukai. While the others lightly scolded the hanyou for trying to argue with her, she heard someone chuckle.

She softened her steps and smiled at the amusement dancing in her love's eyes. "Lead on." He nodded and turned around, knowing she would follow.

He heard Inuyasha begin to charge and smirked. Before the hanyou could reach him, he had wrapped his arm around the miko's waist, earning a surprised squeak from her, and jumped into the air, dodging the slash from the Tetsusaiga.

The airborne couple looked down as Inuyasha was scolded by the rest of the Inu-tachi for almost hitting Kagome. The miko took the chance to bury her head in the taiyoukai's chest. "Let's go," was mumbled so only he could hear her. He smiled down at her and summoned his light ball around them.

They landed in a forest several miles away from the hanyou and Sesshomaru set the miko down. She looked at him questioningly. "Where's Rin?" She turned her back to the taiyoukai to look around… bad idea.

The miko squeaked as his arm snaked around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest. "Rin in perfectly fine; I merely wanted to get you alone." He nuzzled her neck, taking in her calming scent. "We have twenty-four hours to be together, and I'm guessing that you will want to spend at least half of that with Rin."

Kagome moaned softly as he licked her neck. "You know that if you leave any mark on me, Inuyasha will go berserk." Her voice was slightly breathy, causing the taiyoukai to lightly suck on her pulse point. "Sesshomaru…" She tried to stop him, but couldn't find the words.

She loved what he could make her feel, and she wished that he and Inuyasha didn't hate each other. "This Sesshomaru has not seen you in a month, and before that we only had a total of a few moments; you owe this Sesshomaru this much." She moaned as he lightly nipped at the junction where her neck met her shoulder. She knew that he was teasing her when he used "this Sesshomaru," and that he wouldn't leave any marks or force her into anything she was uncomfortable with or he felt she wasn't ready for.

Kagome leaned against him, content to just be with him. He lifted his head and rested it on hers. After a few moments, he gently pulled her to sit with him on a tree root. When she tried to sit beside him, he brought her down onto his lap, where she immediately leaned back against him.

They spent two hours there, talking about the Western Lands, Kagome's studies from the future, but never Naraku or Kikyo. Sesshomaru understood that they were difficult subjects for her: feeling guilty for shattering the tama, and always compared to the dead miko.

"Kagome, there is something about the pendant I gave you that I feel you should know." She looked up at him with innocence in her eyes that made his own visibly soften. "The pendant is a sign of courtship, which is the main reason that Inuyasha can't see it." Her eyes widened in shock then she closed them to smile at him brightly. "I take it that you accept my courting gift." He smirked in amusement.

He wasn't expecting her to glomp him, but he wasn't complaining. The two fell to the ground with Kagome on top. She was laughing happily, causing the taiyoukai to smile at her.

She smiled back but started when she felt his hand on the back of her neck, pulling her down. She closed her eyes and allowed him to deepen the kiss, only pulling back when she needed air.

She lay down on top of him, relaxing completely and letting him sit against the tree again with her curled against his chest. The miko fell asleep for a much needed rest, feeling safe with the taiyoukai that had once tried to kill her. How ironic, not that I'm complaining; I love him anyway.

Rin sat atop Ah-Un, watching the stars and singing of Sesshomaru, but there was a slight twist.

"I'm waiting in a forest,
I'm waiting on a mountain,
I'm waiting in a dream
For Sesshomaru-sama to return with onee-san to me…"

The girl smiled at the band of starts she remembered Kagome calling the Milky-Way. She loved the night sky; it reminded her of her guardian and her sister. The black was Kagome, dark but calming and beautiful, and the stars were Sesshomaru, bright but distant.

"Rin!" She jumped slightly but turned to the voice to see Sesshomaru standing beside a waving Kagome.

"Kagome-onee-san!" She jumped off the now aware dragon and ran to meet the miko, but not before she glomped Sesshomaru's leg. "How long are you going to stay with Rin?"

"Just a few hours, but they'll be fun, alright?" The miko smiled down at the girl as she pulled her toward the campfire. Sesshomaru watched his girls play by the safety of the fire, and he quietly sat a short ways away.

He cared for Rin like a daughter, even if he didn't show if often, and he loved Kagome; he had fought himself on this point for a long time, but he finally came to terms with it the moment he kissed her that time in the old miko's hut. He loved her and once the jewel was completed, he was going to ask to her to be his mate, in front of Inuyasha. He smirked at the thought of Inuyasha's face.

Inuyasha was ranting under his breath as he jumped through the trees, the rest of the Inu-tachi, minus Kagome, following on Kirara. "Stupid wench, getting herself taken by Sesshomaru, going willingly even, just for a stupid girl."

Miroku shook his head as the words drifted back to them. "He should understand that Kagome-sama is too kind to leave a girl who is ill when she can help her." Sango nodded, though she was also worried for her friend.

"Oi, Miroku." The monk looked down at the kit in his lap. "Did you see the look in Sesshomaru's eyes when Inuyasha treated Kagome like that? He was really angry."

Miroku furrowed his brow. "Yes, that was interesting, almost like he was protective of her. What could have happened between them, all those months ago, to bring about such a reaction?"

Sango became a little more worried and pushed Kirara to go faster. Shippo clutched the monk's robes tighter. Take care of my okaa-san, Sesshomaru-sama, onegai. He sent the plea silently, knowing that if he said it aloud, they would force him to tell them what he knew, and he didn't want to tell them that he had seen the two embrace more than once. He smiled at the memory of how happy his mother had looked. He wasn't going to let Inuyasha or anyone else ruin that for her.

Rin was asleep with her head on Kagome's lap. Kagome was stroking her hair as she leaned against Sesshomaru, who was sitting with his back against hers.

They sat in the comfortable silence until Sesshomaru stood, warning the half-asleep girl that something was coming. She remained calm though, convinced that, whatever it was, the taiyoukai would be able to take care of it.

A shout was heard as a figure jumped through the trees, making Kagome groan. She shifted so that both she and Rin would be in a more comfortable position when the child woke up, which was sure to happen with the yelling the hanyou would be doing.

"What do you want, Inuyasha?" The taiyoukai was far less than pleased that the time he had with his miko was being cut short, again. "Surely you did not believe that this Sesshomaru was less than capable of protecting Kagome in your absence." The coldness in his voice made Miroku shudder.

"Well, you weren't before, what's the difference now?" The hanyou knew he had hit a nerve when the inu youkai's golden eyes hardened dangerously, though he wasn't sure as to why the 'Ice Prince' was so protective of the wench. "Kagome is MY shard detector, so hand her over!"

Sesshomaru lifted his lips in a snarl, showing sharp fangs. He knew that, though Kagome no longer had romantic feelings for the hanyou, she still considered him a friend, and those words would hurt her. He heard the collective gasp of the figures standing behind the fool, and the hissing of the nekomata and the kit. "Nee-san?" The worry in his ward's voice made him turn to view his miko. His heart broke at the sight.

Kagome was sitting in shock. Tears were falling unnoticed as the words replayed in her head. Shard detector… that's all I am to him; but I'm not, I'm so much more, Sesshomaru told me so! She buried her head in her hands, letting the sobs silently course through her body.

Rin watched Kagome worriedly, before turning to Inuyasha with a scowl that made Sesshomaru proud. "You're the one that made Kagome-onee-san cry. Leave now, before you make things worse." Her childish voice did little to diminish the commanding tone it held. She continued to stare into the hanyou's golden eyes, her own leaving no room for argument.

Inuyasha stood in shock; he hadn't realized what he had said until he smelled the salt from her tears. He was in even more shock when the little girl in Kagome's lap ordered him to leave. He scowled back at her, but took a step back when Sesshomaru appeared between him and the girls. He growled and was surprised when the taiyoukai snarled. They both stopped abruptly at the sound of Kagome voice.

Kagome just started singing, it was an English song, but she had heard it a long time ago and it described how she felt when Inuyasha said what he did.

"Now I will tell you what I've done for you -
Fifty thousand tears I've cried.
Screaming, deceiving and bleeding for you -
And you still won't hear me."

Inuyasha stood stunned. He could feel his companions' glares and felt the need to go hide in a hole. What have I done? He watched the tears roll down her face and his heart clenched painfully.

"Don't want your hand this time - I'll save myself.
Maybe I'll wake up for once;

Not tormented daily defeated by you.

Just when I though I'd reached the bottom,"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and allowed Kagome's voice to wash over him, distraught as it was. He could feel the pain in her aura and cursed the hanyou again. He is going to pay dearly.

"I'm dying again.

I'm going under,

Drowning in you.
I'm falling forever;
I've got to break through.
I'm going under."

Kagome was not going to be going with Inuyasha anymore; he had hurt her too much. I doubt Sesshomaru will mind, especially since he's courting me and has been trying to get me alone for a long time.

"Blurring and stirring - the truth and the lies,
So I don't know what's real and what's not.

Always confusing the thoughts in my head,
So I can't trust myself anymore."

Shippo ran past the still stunned hanyou to try to comfort his mother, and Rin made room on the miko's lap for him. He wrapped his paws around the woman's waist, determined not to let go of her. I'm here, Okaa-san, you're not going anywhere without me now. Sesshomaru-sama will make sure Inu-no-baka pays, don't worry.

"I'm dying again.

I'm going under,
Drowning in you.
I'm falling forever;
I've got to break through."

Sango watched the girl she considered a sister, tears slowly trailing down her face. Kagome wasn't going to travel with them anymore; a girl could only take so much, and Inuyasha had passed the limit. Kagome-chan, please let me come with you; I don't want to spend my days with a baka hanyou and an ero-houshi.

"I'm...

So go on and scream,
Scream at me, I'm so far away.
I won't be broken again.
I've got to breathe - I can't keep going under."

Miroku sighed. Inuyasha had done it this time; Kagome would never be coming back to their little group. They might see each other every now and then, but unless Sesshomaru allowed them to come along, it was going to be a boring quest from then on. He gave a look of sympathy to the hanyou that would suffer the most. I'm truly sorry, Inuyasha, but you have brought this on yourself.

"I'm dying again.

I'm going under,
Drowning in you.
I'm falling forever;
I've got to break through."

Kirara glanced at her mistress before sending a silent plea to the taiyoukai. He gave a slight nod and the nekomata jumped onto Sango's shoulder, nudging her towards the miko. We're allowed to stay with her, so go; she'll need us more than ever now, and we still need her for comfort for Kohaku.

"I'm going under.
I'm going under.

I'm going under."

"Kagome, I-" She held up a hand to stop the hanyou and smiled a little, though it didn't reach her eyes. Just like when I found her in that cave, Sesshomaru thought darkly.

"I tried to avoid this, but I should've known that it wouldn't work, just like my feelings for you didn't." She stood up and walked to Sesshomaru after setting the children on the ground beside her. Once she reached him, pulled her close to him with an arm around her waist.

The two could see the faces of shock and, in one case, anger on their audience's faces, but didn't really care. Sesshomaru held Inuyasha's gaze, daring him to challenge his claim on the miko, while said miko tried to get as close to the taiyoukai as possible.

"K-Kagome?" Inuyasha sounded hurt, and Sesshomaru tightened his hold on her when he felt her wince slightly. "What are you doing?" The hurt was replaced by anger. He wouldn't believe that she was with him.

"This Sesshomaru is courting her. You have lost your chance, otouto." Sesshomaru nodded a little to Kagome who took out the pendant from her shirt, allowing everyone to see it before she fell back into Sesshomaru, a little afraid of their reactions.

Inuyasha's face fell at the sight of the courting mark. His bangs shadowed his eyes, and his voice was soft. He didn't want to show how much this affected him. "How long?"

"A few months." Kagome looked up at him and put her hand on Sesshomaru's chest, and he looked like he didn't mind a bit. "He helped me get over you, protected me and comforted me when you couldn't." She watched Inuyasha's face with sympathy, but she was determined no to let that sway her from her decision to be with Sesshomaru, after all, he would make sure she didn't regret it.

The hanyou nodded, knowing that he wouldn't be able to make her change her mind on this. "Can we-… can we still be friends?" He heard Kagome sigh and lowered his head further.

"Inuyasha… That's what I've been trying to do for the past two months, but we can try again, if that's alright with Sesshomaru." She looked up at the taiyoukai with a neutral face, showing that she would follow him with whatever he chose.

Sesshomaru sighed unnoticeably. "This Sesshomaru will not forbid you to remain friends, however, if you hurt her again, otouto, you will never be permitted to see Kagome again." He watched Inuyasha brighten at his words and nod. A small voice in the back of his head said that it was nice to be able to help his brother without trying to kill him, but he only grudgingly acknowledged it.

Rin and Shippo ran up to them and hugged Kagome. "Now you really are Rin's okaa-san!" The girl beamed up at the miko, causing her to laugh.

Sango smiled and came up to her friend, a little wary of the youkai at her side. "You're sure about this, Kagome-chan?" Kagome smiled back and nodded. Before she could comment, she saw the taijiya's face redden with anger and embarrassment. "Houshi-sama…" Her fist rose slowly. "HENTAI!"

Miroku, who had been 'mysteriously' right behind her, fell to the ground, unconscious, with a large bump on his head, a lecherous grin, and swirly eyes.

Kagome shook her head and just smiled at Sesshomaru's inquiring gaze, a sign that she would tell him later. Inuyasha watched the short exchange between his brother and his soon-to-be-sister-in-law with a little sadness and envy in his eyes. At least now, she'll have someone who can truly see her for herself, not what could possibly have been.

Sesshomaru ordered Jaken to set up camp, while gently leading Kagome back to the fire. Soon everyone was asleep around the fire, except Sesshomaru and Kagome.

The two sat with Kagome sitting in the taiyoukai's lap, her back to his chest.

"You know, now that Inuyasha knows and, grudgingly, accepts my courting you, this Sesshomaru can do whatever this Sesshomaru wants." His amused voice whispered from beside her ear, causing her to giggle quietly.

"What makes you think that I'll let you?" She teased as she turned her head to look at him. He arched and eyebrow and smirked, sending a slight shiver down her spine.

"You, my dear, won't have a say in the matter." Before she could protest, he claimed her lips with his. After a few minutes, he pulled back to allow her to breath. "Though I doubt you'll protest," he commented with a smirk, causing her to blush.

The Lord of the Western Lands couldn't wait to finally defeat Naraku, then he would be able to truly claim his miko.

AN: ……………..I feel dirty. Anyway, this is the sequel to what a little time can do, and… yeah. This is my first story with... that many kissing scenes, and umm… hm… I don't feel very comfortable writing them, but I did for you guys, so umm… yeah. But a friend did point out to me that there could be worse in Disney movies, so, whatever. Thanks for reading and please review!