Oh, by the way, Sesshoumaru has two arms, and Shippou, our little hero, is dead.
Kagome walked to the middle of the clearing, fuming. \Why didn't he... He could have told me he loved Kikyou!\ She sat down on the soft grass. \Who am I kidding? He loved her all along... He doesn't even need me anymore! He has Kikyou.\ A tear fell onto the grass. She had started crying.
He couldn't take it anymore. The human's scent was delicious, even though it was tainted by the smell of salt. She smelled like roses, his favorite scent. He jumped down in front of her, and she looked up.
"Sess-Sesshoumaru?" She looked frightened.
\This is it. He's going to kill me. Maybe it's for the best... All I'm doing is screwing up Inuyasha's life. My job here is done, anyway. Kikyou can sense the jewel shards for him.\
But to her surprise, he didn't pull Tokijin out and thrust it through her heart, but dried her face with the sleeve of his kimono. Her eyes widened as he touched her face. Unknown to her, Sesshoumaru had loved her since he first layed eyes on her, but he knew she loved that idiot hanyou brother of his. But now... Now his brother had broken her heart, and had chosen the corpse, Kikyou, he could be with her. Did his brother realize the treasure he had? Or would he realize it too late, like everything else he had had, and lost.
"What has he done now?" He asked, his hand on her cheek.
"He... he told Kikyou how he feels... And now, now he doesn't need me." She admitted. Talking to Sesshoumaru felt soothing.
"He treats you badly, why do you stay with him?"
"I don't think I can stay with him anymore. I'm in the way. But now I have nowhere to go."
"Stay with me." He suggested.
She blinked. \I'm only in the way...\
Twice. \Inuyasha has Kikyo. Inuyasha is happy. I have Sesshoumaru. Will I be happy?\
Three times. \Is there any downside to this?\
"I suppose... Thank you Sesshoumaru. I think I will."
He smiled, and a very faint one at that. "Stay here, I will get Ah-Un." He said, jumping back into the forest.
Kagome was still sitting there, staring at where he had been seconds ago. \Will I ever regret this?\ She thought. \No... Inuyasha has Kikyou. He'll be glad to be rid of me.\ Nothing was holding her back. She could visit Sango and Miroku anytime she wanted, and she didn't have to take care of Shippou either. Her mind drifted back to the final battle with Naraku. Combining the Sacred Arrow and the Backlash Wave was not enough, so Shippou, jumping into the attack, had used his Fox Fire to give the attack an extra boost. By sacrificing himself, the little kitsune had defeated Naraku.
Her reminicing was brought to an end by Sesshoumaru riding Ah-Un to the field. He landed and held out a hand to help Kagome up.
"I guess this is good-bye for now, Inuyasha." She whispered so low, even Sesshoumaru couldn't hear.
Inuyasha was currently sniffing the place where Kagome's scent ended.
"Sesshoumaru." He said, filled with disgust.
Everyone gasped, even Kikyou. "So, she was kidnapped by Sesshoumaru?" Kikyou asked calmly, regaining her composure. Her power had been fading recently. The only explanation was that Kagome had been growing stronger, her soul searching for it's missing piece. As soon as they found Kagome, Kikyou would find an excuse to kill her and reclaim her soul. \Soon. Very soon, I will have my soul back.\
"Yes." Inuyasha said, clawing the grass. It didn't just smell like Kagome and Sesshoumaru, but tears, too. He would kill Sesshoumaru this time. \He took Kagome! He made her cry!\ He thought, judging from the smell of salt in the grass.
Well, I suggest we pack, and leave as soon as possible. Sango, Miroku, I suggest you don't come. You will probably die." Kikyou said, her face not unlike Sesshoumaru's. Both were devoid of emotion.
"That would be wise." Miroku commented.
"I hope she's okay..." Sango said, visibly worried.
Miroku put his arm aroung her shoulders. "She'll be fine." Miroky whispered to her.
They left, the feeling of immenent doom upon Kikyou, but she shrugged it off, thinking it was nothing.
"Wow! This is your home?" Kagome asked in shock.
"Yes." Sesshoumaru replied. On Ah-Un, the ride had taken half an hour. Ah-Un was fast.
"It's... huge." Kagome stated.
"I suppose it is." Sesshoumaru had never really thought about his home as being a huge castle, but upon thinking about it, he realized it was.
They landed near the stables, and Rin came out, looking as happy as she could be.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! You've returned! You brought Kagome-sama, too!" She yelled, hugging first the Demon Lord, then Kagome.
"Hello Rin." Kagome said, picking up the young child and hugging her.
"Are you going to live with us instead of that baka Inuyasha?" She asked when she was set down.
"Yes." Kagome had kept her face cheerful, but inside, she was being ripped apart by the desire to see her friends, and the hatred for the new couple.
"Yay! Now I can have a mommy too!" She said, holding Sesshoumaru's hand and Kagome's hand.
"Rin, show Kagome to her room." Sesshoumaru said.
"Hai!"
Ten minutes later, Kagome was standing in the middle of a very large room, at one corner was a large bed, covers blue, and easily fitting 3 people. There were two doors to the side of the room, besides the one she had just come from. She opened one, an entrance to a garden. She opened the other one, a bath. One wall was completely covered with bookcases.
"Wow..." Kagome was awestruck. "This room... is... wow..." She couldn't form a complete thought, much less state one.
"Is there something wrong, Kagome-sama?" Rin asked, rushing to her side.
"No... everything is... fine."
"Well, ok then. But, Kagome-sama has to dress up for dinner!" She said, beside herself with excitement. She tugged on the teen's hand, and led her to a dresser. "Choose one! No, Kagome-sama is too tired! I will find one for you!" She opened the lowest drawer and searched through it. Finally, she pulled out a blue kimono with golden flowers on it. "Do you like it?" She asked, holding it out.
"It's beautiful!" Kagome said happily. Rin's eyes lit up, and she immediately left the room, to give Kagome some privacy in changing.
When she was finished dressing, she called Rin back in. "Wow, Kagome-sama! You look pretty!" Rin said, hyper as usual.
"Thank you, Rin."
"Come on, Kagome-sama! Let's go to dinner, Jakken should be done making it by now!" Rin took hold of her hand, and led her to the dining room.
When they entered the room, Jakken was running aroung the table, arranging the food, and Sesshoumaru had already gotten up, and was pulling out a chair for Kagome.
"Thank you, Sesshoumaru." She said, blushing slightly. \Wait! Blushing? He's my friend! Besides... He probably already likes someone.\
The food was better than she had expected. Much better. Jakken could actually cook.
When she had finished, Sesshoumaru spoke. "Kagome, meet me in the garden. We have much to speak about."
"Sure." Kagome replied. \I wonder what it is...\
They left the table, and walked through the castle until they came to a room. Sesshoumaru opened the door, and Kagome had a small glimpse of his room, before they went through another door.
It opened into the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. It was mostly filled large rosebushes, and a few cherry trees, full of blossoms.
"Kagome, this is my private garden. Only my room, Rin's room, and your room connect with it. You do realize that Inuyasha will come to get you." He pointed out, after walking with her to the middle of the garden.
"I know..." She had known he would come, but she had silently wished he wouldn't.
"He will be here in two days, if he brings along his friends and the corpse."
She sighed. "Please don't hurt them when they come... They're still my friends. Don't kill Kikyou either... she and Inuyasha deserve happiness." She added, thinking of the couple. Before she had left them, she had seen Kikyou and Inuyasha together. He had promised to use the completed jewel to give her a body, and she had promised to be his wife. They kissed. Both were happy, and both would be happier without Kagome, whether Inuyasha knew it at first or not.
"I will kill whoever tried to hurt you." He said, picking up a rose, and casually sniffing it.
"Okay... Are roses your favorite flower?" She desperately wanted to change the subject.
"Yes." He said simply, and turning, he left for his room.
She turned, and opened the first door she saw. To her luck, it was her room. But the first thing she noticed was Rin, standing in the middle of her room, smiling proudly at the thing on her bed.
"My backpack?" She looked at the big yellow backpack sitting on her bed.
"I went back to the village, and brought back your... backpack?" Rin said, confused by the new word.
"Thanks!" Kagome said, hugging the young girl, who yawned. She had not realized how dark it was outside. "Good-night, Rin." She nodded, and left.
Kagome undressed and took some clothes out of her pack. She put on the tank top and shorts, and fell asleep on the bed. \Oooh... This bed is comfy...\ She thought, drifting off to sleep.
When she woke up, she panicked. \Where am I? What happened? Where's Inu-\ It came back to her. She was living with Sesshoumaru now.
"Whew..." She said, relieved that she was here for a purpose. Staying away from Inuyasha was a purpose, right? Right?
"Kagome-sama!" Rin burst into the room. "I'll prepare the bath!" She said, before Kagome could respond, and rushed into the bathroom. \She's acting more like a servant than a daughter. Maybe she's just happy to see me?\ Brushing off the thought, she pulled the shampoo and soap from her pack.
"Done!" Rin said, 15 minutes later.
"Thank you, Rin." Kagome said.
Rin ran out into the garden. "Call me if you need anything!" She yelled, before exiting the room.
Kagome stepped into the bath. \Ah... Nice and warm...\ When she had finished, she picked out a light green kimono with a lovely pink flower pattern on it. \Pretty... Who knew Sesshoumaru would have female clothes?\ Kagome went out into the garden, hoping to be alone, and sit underneath one of the sakura trees, now abloom with flowers.
She stepped out into the garden, and looked around : No Rin, no Sesshoumaru, no Jakken. She walked to the biggest sakura tree, and say down at the base of the trunk.
"Having a pleasant day?" A voice asked. Kagome looked up. Sesshoumaru was sitting in one of the branches of the tree, right above her.
"Oh, Sesshoumaru. Sorry, I didn't see you there. I can go if you like?" She was embarrassed at having not sensed him. \Probably conceiling his aura.\ She thought.
"No, stay if you like." He said, jumping down from the tree and sitting next to her, a blossom in his hand.
"It's nice here... Did you design the garden yourself?" Kagome asked.
"Rin did. She may be young, but she is creative." He said.
"Wow... Everything's already big." Kagome rested her head on Sesshoumaru's shoulders. \I can trust Sesshoumaru. Now... Now I can finally be happy.\ She thought.
"Rin has what you call... a green thumb?" He said, and she giggled.
"Is something wrong?"
"Oh no... nothing at all." She replied.
"Inuyasha will be here sooner than I expected. We should go and greet him."
She didn't reply, but instead leaned closer into him. \So warm... I won't let Inuyasha disturb my peace.\
"Kagome I have something to ask of you."
"Yes?" She inquired.
"There is a woman I know. Whenever I am around her, I feel something... Rin informed me that it is love. Doesn't love make you weak?"
"Quite the opposite, actually. Love makes you stronger, so you can protect the one you love... Is that all that you wanted to ask me?" Kagome felt dissapointed. \Woah!! Dissapointed? Do I... Do I like him?! Oh. My. God. I've fallen in love with Sesshoumaru!!\
"I wanted to know what one says when one wishes to express love."
"Well... You just say that you love them. It's simple, really." She said. \I guess I should hope he's happy with this new girl... Why does this always happen to me? I like Inuyasha, he chooses Kikyou. I like Sesshoumaru, he chooses some demon girl. Ugh!! What does the world have against me?\
"Well then, Kagome. I love you." He stated.
She stared at him, wide-eyed and in shock. \So. He. Loves. Me? ...YES!\
"I... I love you too!" Kagome said, hugging him.
He smiled, this time, a regular smile. Not an I'm-about-to-kill-something smile, but an actual smile.
That was all she saw before his lips closed over hers, and her eyes closed. His toung slipped through her lips, playing with hers. \Wow... who knew the high-and-mighty Seshoumaru knew how to kiss?\ They broke apart, but Sesshoumaru's mouth was moving towards her lips again.
"Ow!" She yelled. He had bit her bottom lip... hard.
"I am sorry, Kagome, but it marks you as mine." He said, drying her lip with the sleeve of his kimono. "Come, we must prepare for Inuyasha's arrival." He took a whistle out of his other sleeve, and blew it. Ah-Un immediately appeared, and flew off, Sesshoumaru and Kagome on his back.
Kagome was looking down while riding Ah-Un when she saw a blur of red. "There they are!" She said.
Ah-Un landed and they both got off.
"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled. Sango and Miroku weren't there, but Kikyou was standing next to Inuyasha, her bow strung, and his sword drawn.
"Give us back Kagome!" He yelled once more.
"Ask her for yourself if she wishes to go back." He stepped to the side so they could see Kagome better.
"Kagome! Get over here before he kills you!"
"No Inuyasha. I'm staying with him." She replied calmly.
Kikyou remained calm, stringing her bow. "Release her from your spell, Sesshoumaru."
"I am not under a spell!" She said.
"Kagome? What's wrong with you? Why are you staying with him?" Inuyasha asked, worry etched in his voice.
"Because I love him, Inuyasha, and he loves me." She said. "Like you never did."
"No he doesn't! He wants to kill you!" He said.
"He would never kill me."
"Let's talk about what this is really about, Kikyou." Sesshoumaru cut in.
"What the hell are you talking about?!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Kikyou doesn't want Kagome back. She wants her dead, so she can reclaim her soul."
"She's killing me, Inuyasha... She's sucking my soul!" She fell to her knees, pointing an accusing finger at Kagome.
"Stop it Kagome! You're hurting Kikyou!" Inuyasha said, running to Kikyou's side, who had her bow strung with another arrow.
"How, Inuyasha? How do you want me to stop hurting her? Do you want me to die, so she can have her soul back?"
"Kagome... That's not what I meant!"
"But that's what you were thinking." Kagome said. Kikyou's arrow flew through the air, hitting Kagome squarely in the chest.
"Kikyou... You didn't know I could heal myself?" Kagome asked, pulling the arrow out, the hole in her chest closing.
Sesshoumaru ran to Kikyou and stopped right in front of her, thrusting Tokijin through her stomach. "You will not harm Kagome. Inuyasha, you knew she had to die sometime. Even the Shikon No Tama will not grant a hateful spirit it's body. You of all people should know that."
"I know... Does she really have to die?" Inuyasha asked miserably.
"Inuyasha, you forget. She is already dead." Sesshoumaru answered, pulling Tokijin from her stomach, and ripping it through her heart.
"Come Kagome, we should leave now." Sesshoumaru said, cleaning his sword on the grass.
"Okay..." Kagome answered, climbing back onto Ah-Un. \I'm getting good at this.\
"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Good-bye Inuyasha." She called.
Sesshoumaru climbed onto Ah-Un, and they flew off. "Sesshoumaru?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I know."
Nara : Well, that's over and done with. My first story. Like it?
Shippou : Why am I not in the story?
Nara : You would have made it more complicated. (Shippou pouts.)
Kagome : Sorry, Shippou!
Sesshoumaru : Let's get this straight, I have no feelings toward you, whatsoever.
Kagome : (Lights Sesshoumaru's hair on fire.) Are you sure now?
Sesshoumaru : (Runs all over the place, screaming and putting out his hair.) I love you Kagome!!!
Kagome : I thought so.
Nara : That's all for now, please review. Stop fighting you two!
I am there, but you don't see me.
I give you advice, but you don't know me.
And I will be back to see you again.
For I am Your voice of Reason.