Disclaimer. i do not own the characters

Touring through the ominous stone garden she gazed up at the faces that were frozen in the passions of war and still through the ages. Kagome was amazed, every story that she had heard from the time of her child hood was there staring at her through granite eyes.

Singing quietly, she toured this majestic place, skipping between the ancient relics of the past, it had taken her most o the day to find it, her father had told her that It had been a place of meditation in her great grandmothers gardens. Ivy trailed up the Perl white stone and clothed the statues with old growth foliage, hiding parts of the past that were buried and eroded from both time and weather.

A rustle in the bushes caught her attention, stilling in fear Kagome watched. A frightened rabbit flew out from under the shrub and Kagome laughed aloud at her own cowardice.

" whoa watch out!" she heard a boys voice and was knocked off her feet before she could see where the voice had come from. " hey sorry girl." a growley boys voice said close to her. She was crouched and had her eyes covered. Peaking over her hands she was caught off guard by the red and white mass that had tripped over her, the boy was laying sprawled out on his face from falling. Shaking and getting up off the ground he shook again and sat bringing his foot to scratch his ear. She giggled and got his attention.

" you are a dog boy!" she laughed and pet his ears.

The boy frowned and turned beat red. " I have a name girl. Besides. My lunch got away and my brothers gonna kill me, again." he grumbled and flopped back on to the grass. Kagome stood over him and peered curiously at the strange dog boy.

" Kagome." she smiled with the sun gleaming from behind her. The boy blushed slightly and looked away.

" that's a weird name." he mumbled " I'm Inuyasha."

" that's an even weirder name." she giggled and plopped down beside him. " this is my families lands you are not supposed to be here without permission." she said diplomatically.

" oh really? Then give it to me." he challenged.

" what?" Kagome asked unsure. Inuyasha sat up and looked her eye to eye, nearly an inch from her nose.

" You live here, don't you?" he asked she nodded. " then you can give me permission to be here." he nodded, Kagome thought about it for a minute and smiled.

" I'll give you permission to be on my families land, if you do what I say." she grinned wickedly, this could be fun, she hoped watching the consideration.

" No." he crossed his arms.

" What! Then you have to go to jail, cause its trespassing." she crossed her arms and glared at the boy, who blanched. " maybe your brother will put up the bail..." she wondered aloud.

Inuyasha turned ghost white and shook his head. " I'll do what ever you say! Please, don't make my brother more mad at me! You don't know what he'll do!" he said panicking while Kagome grinned from ear to ear.

"Okay, Inuyasha. You have to do everything I say. And I want to see the statues from the tallest tree in the garden!" she smiled jumping on his back and giggling maniacally. Inuyasha gaped and tried to shake the girl off. She clung tightly and he huffed and looked around for the giant oak that was in the back side of the garden. He jumped from there and landed in the lowest branch. The girl on his back shrieked and laughed excitedly.

Some time later the two children were running wildly through the statues playing samurai and demons, Kagome played the part of the hero of their province a great swordsman and Inuyasha impersonated a man he named as Sesshomaru fluffy pants. She had laughed but the Inu boy convinced her that it was a real person and so the great demon fluffy pants reeked havoc chasing the brave swordsman that weaved through the statues, growling and nearly foaming at the mouth he looked wild as she caught the glint in his eye and turned to run, no longer sure if this boy was the safest person to be with.

Picking up on her heightened heart rate and the scent of prey, he pursued her intending on catching her and … he didn't know yet but smirking he was close enough to grasp her hair in his sharp claws but he let the foot race last a moment longer before scooping her up and tumbling to the ground in a feigned brawl. Kagome was a little shaken but she realized that he wasn't hurting her and fought back knowing that he could take it.

" ha you are weak, puny human-"

"Inuyasha..." an impatient adult Inu stepped through the trees to see his younger brother pinned down with a human girl grasping the collar of his shirt. He sneered disgusted. " I have waited... and here you are playing with a human. This is unacceptable." he spat and walked over and pulled his brother of the ground by his shirt and dumping the girl to the ground.

" hey, you cant be mean to me! I don't even know you, and we were playing. I was being a brave samurai and Inuyasha was the great Sesshomaru fluffy pants." she boasted proudly.

Inuyasha was dropped to the ground with a thunk. Sesshomaru began to walk away angrily. " hey where you going, dad said we had to come home together. Sesshomaru... don't leave me here." Inuyasha called turning to Kagome he sniffed her to remember her scent and turned to leave.

" wait Inuyasha? Will I see you again?" she asked hopefully.

" do I have permission to come back?" he asked back. Kagome smiled and reached into her pocket to withdraw her purse. " I don't need money." he started and she looked up at him like he was stupid, which made him kind of pissed.

" its not money, Inuyasha, I want to give this to you. If ever there is a time when you are in trouble on these lands show them this crystal, and they will bring you to me." she handed him a sapphire smooth stone in the shape of their families spirit guardian, the dog, strapped to a leather thong. smiling he took it and put it around his neck tucking it underneath his collar.

"I'll come back tomorrow" he promised.

Kagome watched the retreating back of her new friend, sighing she turned back to the stone faced statues that seemed now to mock her sudden loneliness. When she had stood there for a while Kagome turned and took a last tour through the ancient place of remembrance, reaching out to grasp the crumbled fingers of a lady priestess, she was met with the still warm expression that was immortalized beneath the years of weather and moss that began to cover her. " so beautiful." she breathed looking up in awe, but Kagome knew that she had to leave this place.

Every day for a month she went to the stone garden and played with her new friend. As serenely as she entered the labyrinth of garden, she exited, skillfully winding through the ancient forest and to the clearing at the edge of her families estate, it was to be short lived though. Turning back to look into the trees, for the last time, she glimpsed the hint of white dog ears sticking out from behind a tree. Smiling she waved at him relieved to see him one last time. Inuyasha freaked out and jumped out from behind the tree.

" I'm never going to see you again, am I?" he called out frowning. She shrugged regretfully and shook her head. He jumped into the clearing and stalked toward her. " Kagome, will we see each other again." he demanded.

smiling warmly she reached over to hug him and nodded. " one day, ill come back from the coastal lands and return to you here." she promised.

" I will find you." he smirked. one of his ears twitched and his attention was drawn to the treeline. "there's the boss." he grumbled "I have to go." he turned and jumped into the forest past his brother.

"Inuyasha, cease your misbehaving at once." she heard Sesshomaru chastise him in the distance. Smiling Kagome turned to walk back to her families manor, opening the door to the kitchens, she was alone in the room. Hearing her parents pleasant conversation in the room down the walkway she went to them and tried to be happy about going to their new home. But somehow, her mind wandered back to her dog boy, he was just her age at least he appeared to be. She had not had so much fun in her life and was adamant on coming back.

It was that summer that war broke out in the west, Kagome's' family was never to return to the family estate and the land was plagued by the demons that they had lived in harmony with for generations. Kagome never forgot the white haired dog boy but when the wars were over and she could return to the place where she had promise to return to she was far from the child that she had been.

The adult that walked through the stone garden was reminiscent of the girl that she had been, her eyes had seen death and loss and did not sparkle with the innocent excitement that they once held, and her hair was deep black and fell to her thighs having grown for the years of her teen years to adult hood and she was dreaming of the child that she had been.

Closing her eyes she waited listening for the slightest rustle of leaves or foliage. Smiling to herself she felt him close by. Letting her guard down Kagome reached her hand out and opened her eyes to be face to face with an older mirror of the boy that she had known. "Inuyasha, you came." she whispered

smiling with a glint of bitterness in his eyes he answered "I told you that I would find you."

Kagome knew that he wanted to know what had taken her so long, the war had ended and they were free to return a year ago, she had waited, afraid to face him after so much time. " you did. As I promised to come back to you here." she felt the smile fade from her face and he frowned himself.

" you have to tell me why." he demanded. " why did you make me wait so long. I could have gone to get you a thousand times, but I waited here for you." he said passionately. Kagome could see that the years had worn on his soul and the open little boy that she had met had become reclusive and intrusting. She frowned missing him deeply. Kagome drew her hand to his face.

"I was afraid." she admitted catching his off guard.

"why, we were friends." he asked feeling his throat swell at the thought. The bitterness of waiting here every day for a year had made him cold, waiting for the day that she would walk back through the gates of the statue garden.

"because, when I left we were friends, I always thought about you as my friend. But when I grew up I still thought about you often, but differently. I was afraid Inuyasha, that so much had changed and when I saw you again it would be different-"

" it will be, Kagome I want you to stay with me, here." he said interrupting her. "I want you, I have since the day we met. Kagome, I have waited for you and I cannot allow you to leave me again, ever." he asserted himself and took her raised hands in his own. She frowned and felt the weight in her chest

"Inuyasha... I'm getting married." she hadn't wanted to tell him, but it was obvious how he felt about her. she felt the tears fill her eyes and she could not look at the hurt that crossed is face. It was like she had slapped him. His eyes darkened with malice and he withdrew his hands.

"Why have you come back then." he asked bitterly. He did not want to watch her walk away again. He would not let her. Kagome did not reach back for him like she wanted to instead she let him take a step back and took a calming breath and beckoned him to look up from the place at his feet.

" It is an arranged marriage. My father believes that it will restore our lands. I do not love him..." she tugged at his hair to make him look at her. He snapped his head up and there was hope in his eyes again.

" then you do not love him?" he urged her to say the words. She spoke the word he wanted to hear and he let the breath out that he had been holding. Inuyasha wanted to believe her, he could not detect a lie and gripped her shoulders. "I will fight for you." he vowed taking her into his arms. Kagome felt her heart quicken and he paused to listed to the cadence that mirrored the rhythm of his own heart. Looking up she barely had time to take a breath before his mouth was on hers. She was being swept away with the feel of his lips against hers. She was aware of every inch of her body, felt the shifting of his hands, the shifting of weight as he moved to lean her back and kiss the line of her jaw nibbling the side of her neck with his razor like fangs. Feeling shivers through her entire body brought her to attention.

" inu-yasha, please I cant-" she tried to protest but he covered her words with another passionate kiss that stole her breath and train of thought at once. Kissing him was making her forget the world around her and all of the obligations that she had picked up since agreeing to the new treaty for her father, and when she felt his hands move from her back to cup her bottom and pull her into his erect member, she was brought back to earth with self preserving fear. Alarm bells rung in her head bringing her hands up to push against him, but she found he was immovable like granite, and from the urgency his hands he was not slowing down.

Inuyasha noticed the fear in her scent and restrained himself " don't you trust me?" He asked her and she nodded but still held fear in her eyes.

" it is the treaties... I could be put to death for shaming my father in this way." she blushed and looked away feeling ashamed of feelings the closeness of his body was creating in her. Inuyasha shook his head and frowned.

" my father could give your father anything if I asked him. Kagome, nothing is going to keep me from you. I love you." the truth in his words showed in his eyes and kagome felt her own heart stop with the excitement that spiked in her.

" Inuyasha, I love you too...but... I'm still afraid." Kagome blushed and saw him smile softly and nod. Moving so that he was an inch from her mouth he stole tiny kisses from her melting her mind and body in his grasp. Sepparting each kiss he probed the entrance of her mouth and delved in earning a surprised gasp.

" lets go see your father." he said huskily and placed another kiss on her shoulder. Scenting her he realized that she was afraid of her father. She looked up at him with worry plain on her face. It was maddening, he had never wanted her to fear people. He wanted to show her that he could protect her and care for her best.

" he is still on the coast with my stepmother. They and my young half brother will be staying there while I marry the lord here within a month." she said with bitter tears welling in her eyes. He clenched his teeth and nodded. A human lord would be simple to kill, he thought, though he knew his father would be furious at him for killing a young human lord here in his lands.

" We will go there then." he said drawing her chin up so he could take possession of her mouth once more. He loved feeling her against him, loved having her so close and willing to be his. He had dreampt of her since he was still in his child years. He to had been afraid that too much had changed for them to be together, but he was thrilled that she had come before she had gotten married. The other way he would have to kill her husband and risk her being furious at him when they mated. " first though, we should go see my father." he said and grasped her hand.

" now?" she asked nervous.

" your treatie is going to be worthless if i continuing kissing you like this." he smiled and knelt down for her to get on his back. " I'll carry you, we will get there much faster if I run" he said and nodded for her to get on.

Kagome looked at the garden around her and even peaked back to the gate where the things of duty and family obligation lay just behind. Then she looked at Inuyasha. He had waited for her and dreampt of her just as she had done. Remembering the love she had for him for those long summer days and the years away afterward where he was the one who kept her going through the lessons and arrangements she had undergone the thought of coming back to this place and escaping once more the fate of being a high blood daughter. Inuyasha looked up at her once more and she nodded.

" I will go." she said and got onto his back. Standing, Inuyasha was grinning, his heart was singing in his chest. Taking the first step he grabbed on to her legs blushing a little at the action and started running. The world around her blurred, tucking her head in his long hair she hid her face from the wind. Breathing deeply she smelled earth and trees on him, he was wild, untamed running as no human male could dream of. She was swept up in the wonder of it all so much she did not even ask where his father was or even if she would be welcomed when they arrived.

So when they came to the outer wall of the demons kingdom, Kagome was terrified, she gripped his neck tighter then she thought possible and tried to make herself as small as she could. " what have you done, you have brought me into the enemies den." she whispered shaking.

" this place is not full of enemies. This is my fathers palace." he said like it was no big deal and grabbed her hand to walk in the gates. She followed still shaking from the adrenaline that now begged her to run from this place and be done with it all. But Inuyasha clawed hand was warm, firm, and still leading her to the king of demons. She calmed her breathing and tried to calm the pounding of her heart as they passed demons and creatures and walked into the main house for the king.

The hallways were intricate, she barely understood the system of corridors and when they stopped in front of a large oak door she nearly ran then. " hey" Inuyasha caught her attention. " don't be so afraid I'm not going to let anything happen to you while your here. This place is my home, I love you." he leaned down and kissed her forehead. That stilled her, helped her to breath and she even managed to smile and nod as he knocked on the door.

" enter." a deep male voice came from behind the door. Inuyasha looked at her briefly and opened the door.

" father, brother." he said and pulled Kagome to his side. " I wish to mate this human woman." he declared making Kagome's face turn scarlet.