DM: Well.

Inuyasha: Well what?

DM: Look what I'm doing.

Sango: Eh?

DM: I'm doing it again!

Kagome: Doing what again.

DM: Starting yet another story. And then halfway through I'm going to get writer's block and stop for about a month. Then add another chapter and stop for 2 weeks. And so on.

Kagome: Well who cares? Just write.

DM: I think you'll care about this story…

Kagome: o.O Why?

DM: #smiles# Because it's a Sess/Kag fic! With a lot of the imaginable clichés!

Kagome and Sesshoumaru: #look at each other#

Sesshoumaru: Shit…

Inuyasha: So then who do I get stuck with?

DM: Who do you think?

Inuyasha: o.O This better not be one of those Inuyasha-Sango things.

DM: What's wrong with them?

Inuyasha, Sango, Kagome and Miroku: o.O!!!

DM: Calm down. You get the clay pot.

Inuyasha: Hey!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. Surprisingly, most of the ideas for this story have also been taken…a few hundred times. But that's ok!

And it's also ok that Sesshoumaru will be slightly OOC!

Sesshoumaru: Help?

DM: Shut up, you.

Sesshoumaru: Do not presume to order me around.

DM: Do you want me to put pink bows in your hair?!

Sesshoumaru: I'd rather not…

"blah" - speech

'blah' - thoughts

'blah' - alter ego

Blah - song lyrics (they're not in apostrophes)

[blah] - my comments.

WARNING: Swearing will occur quite a bit... Also…yeah just swear for now. Leave now if you are under 15.…or 16...erm…well you should know who you are.

Summary: As usual, Kagome finds Inuyasha sneaking around with the damn clay pot known as Kikyo. [I mean, she's pretty and powerful, but for goodness sake she's dead now…] So she runs off and finds Rin being attacked.

What happens when Rin makes Sesshoumaru take Kagome home? [Poor Jaken, he has two human girls out to get him…]

As Night Falls - Taken

Kagome had been travelling with Inuyasha for about a year now, and her miko powers had been strengthened considerably due to Kaede's intensive training.

After a successful battle with a bird youkai which gained the group a new shard, they chose a secluded spot to camp in for the night.

"Goodnight Kagome!" Sango said, then glared at Miroku. "You! Over there." she pointed towards a spot about 10 metres away from her.

Miroku sighed. "Do you trust me that little?" he said, trying to sound hurt.

"Yes." came the quick reply.

Kagome grinned.

'It's a pity those two can't admit they like each other.'

"Shippo!" Kagome called. The kitsune came up to her while she was setting up her sleeping bag. She got in and he climbed in with her.

He grinned up at her. "Goodnight Kagome chan!"

"Goodnight Shippo."

"Goodnight guys!"

Inuyasha watched all of this from a tree. He was drifting off to sleep when a familiar scent reached his nose. 'Kikyo?' He cautiously leapt down and headed in the direction of Kikyo's scent.

Kagome stirred and caught sight of his red clothing as he vanished into the woods. She could sense someone familiar, and had a funny feeling she knew who it was.

She got up carefully, trying not to disturb Shippo, grabbed her bow and arrow and followed him.

"Inuyasha." Kikyo greeted him.

"Why are you here Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked her suspiciously.

"Surely you do not still insist upon staying with my reincarnation?" she said.

"She's not your 'reincarnation'…" he muttered.

"What is that meant to mean?" she said sharply.

Inuyasha sighed. "She's her own person, she's not you, you're not her…"

"And what is she to you?" Kikyo stared at Inuyasha. Kagome had heard everything from 'she's not your 'reincarnation'…' and waited for his reply.

"She's…my friend…and she means a lot to me." he said hesitantly.

Kikyo looked into his eyes. "And do you love her as you did me?"

"…no…" he sighed. "And it was never 'did' Kikyo…I still do…" he glanced away. He didn't notice Kagome nearby, hidden by the dark night and thick vegetation.

Kikyo looked surprised, then reached out to touch Inuyasha's face. "You…do…?"

He didn't say anything. He just leaned over and brushed her lips with his. Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes.

'Why…I love him…and…she's dead for Kami's sake! She's walking around…but she's DEAD…and she's hurt him so much…wasn't I always here for him?'

Kagome brushed the tears away in time to see Kikyo smile at Inuyasha and walk off. Inuyasha stared at her retreating figure, then whirled around when he heard a twig snap under Kagome's foot.

"Who's there?" he demanded, placing a hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. His eyes widened when Kagome stepped out, shaking. "Kagome…I…how long…?"

"Long enough…" she whispered, "to find out that the guy I'm in love with is off frolicking with his dead girlfriend."

Inuyasha was too shocked to scold her for insulting Kikyo. "Kagome." he tried again.

"SIT!" #WHAM# "I don't…I don't want to hear it Inuyasha…I just…don't.." she mumbled, as a few more tears found their way down her cheeks.

She turned around abruptly and ran.

She didn't know where she was going.

She just ran.

Memories consume, like opening the wound, I'm picking me apart again. You all assume, I'm safe here in my room, unless I try to start again.

'How could I have not seen? He always goes back to her'

I don't want to be the one, the battles always choose. 'Cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused.

'Kagome…I love her…but…is it the same way I love…or loved…Kikyo? She's always there for me…but…Kikyo…'

I don't know what's worth fighting for, or why I have to scream.

Kagome ran through the woods, not knowing and not caring where she was going.

I don't know why I instigate, and say what I don't mean.

'I always yell at Kagome. Always fight, always argue. And she's still here. But I loved Kikyo first, and I can't just stop loving her…'

I don't know how I got this way, I know it's not alright. So I'm breaking the habit. I'm breaking the habit tonight.

'Maybe it's for the best. He loved her first. And I get in his way a lot. Maybe I should just go home.' Kagome stopped and looked around.

Clutching my cure, I tightly lock the door. I try to catch my breath again.

'Where the fuck am I?' Kagome groaned inwardly.

I hurt much more, than anytime before. I had no options left again.

'Well once I find my way out of here. I'm going home. Home, where there's no Inuyasha. Kaede taught me a sealing spell…I won't ever have to see him again.'

I don't want to be the one, the battles always choose. 'Cause inside I realize that I'm the one confused.

'Or maybe I should…wait…Shippo…and Sango…and…well maybe not Miroku…no…I'll miss all of them…but I have to go home. '

I don't know what's worth fighting for, or why I have to scream.

'What am I going to tell the others about Kagome and Kikyo…Kagome especially, Shippo will kill me…?' Inuyasha buried his head in his hands. 'Not that he can…'

I don't know why I instigate, and say what I don't mean.

'Maybe I should face the facts. Inuyasha loves her. And I am pretty rude to him sometimes…yes. I should go home.'

I don't know how I got this way, I know it's not alright. So I'm breaking the habit. I'm breaking the habit tonight.

'What the hell do I do now?' Inuyasha looked up at the sky. 'Full moon. Kagome loves full moons…'

I'll paint it on the walls. 'Cause I'm the one at fault. I'll never fight again. And this is how it ends.

'It's all my fault. Again. Kagome will go home…forever.'

I don't know what's worth fighting for, or why I have to scream. I don't know why I instigate, and say what I don't mean. I don't know how I got this way, I know it's not alright, so I'm breaking the habit. I'm breaking the habit…tonight.

Kagome sighed and brushed her tears away. Only then did she realise that a strong demon aura was nearby. Worse still, it was unfamiliar.

Even worse was, after she registered the demon, a scream pierced the air.

A high-pitched scream.

A very high-pitched scream.

"SESSHOUMARU-SAMAAAAA!"

Kagome was momentarily confused by the cry of Inuyasha's brother's name, but ran towards the screamer nonetheless.

'Please don't be a trap.' Kagome thought. 'Wait. Since when was Jaken that girly?' [Gomen Jaken fans.]

Kagome gasped when she saw a large owl youkai attacking a young girl about 2-3 years younger than Shippo.

"HELP!"

The girl was bleeding from scratches on her arm, and was obviously terrified.

'Thank Kami I brought my bow…'

The owl youkai suddenly turned in her direction.

"So…another tasty meal?" it leapt at her.

"Gah" Kagome loosed her arrow, missing because it had startled her. The youkai had lost all interest in the girl for the time being and raked Kagome's arm. She bit her lip, drawing blood, and loosed a second arrow, doing her best to ignore the pain.

The youkai screeched as the arrow pierced its wing. Eyes blazing, it faced Kagome and slashed at her legs and arms. Narrowing its eyes, it closed in…

"My Lord!" a toad-like creature came running as fast as his short legs could take him.

"What is it Jaken?" the man Jaken called 'Lord' was standing half in shadows, observing his servant with icy golden eyes. His long silver-white hair gleamed in the light the moon cast upon the land, and the moonlight also revealed magenta markings on his hands, cheeks and forehead.

"My Lord, the human child has run off…please forgive this lowly servant- AWK!" Jaken winced as his master, Sesshoumaru kicked him.

"I thought I made it clear she was to be constantly supervised." he glared and walked off.

"She wouldn't listen to me m'lord! She just ran off into the woods!" Jaken ran after Sesshoumaru, keeping up as best he could.

"For your sake, she had better be-" Sesshoumaru stopped as Rin's scream pierced the air. "alive." he finished, trailing off. Giving Jaken a death-glare that would have stopped a raging bull in its tracks, he ran towards his ward. Jaken grabbed the rein of the two headed dragon and raced after him.

'Kami…what did I do to deserve this?' Sesshoumaru ran in the direction of Rin's scream.

'Why does he care about that little ningen? She's unimportant. She won't be useful when she grows up…' Jaken was tired of having to look after her. 'If he wants her around so much, why do I take care of her?'

Kagome glared as hard as she could at the owl youkai. Summoning all her strength, she loosed one final arrow. The owl youkai's next cry was its last. Kagome lurched to her feet and hobbled over to the young girl, giving her a once-over. The girl stared back, equally confused.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked the girl. Frowning inwardly, she tried to remember where she had seen her before. Then the girl's previous scream came back and it clicked into place. 'This girl…travels with Inuyasha's brother!…great…another source of pain. Even something like this poor girl reminds me of him…'

Kagome was shaken out of her thoughts.

"Rin is not okay." the girl said flatly. "Rin wanted to play with Jaken. But Jaken yelled at Rin so Rin thought Rin could find Sesshoumaru-sama alone. But Rin got lost…"

Tears stained Rin's face. She had some pretty shallow cuts, but the fact that she was hurt at all and the fact she was lost had made her pretty distressed.

"Well Rin…why don't we go and fi-" Kagome never got to finish. The rules of the human body dictated that the blood loss should make her faint. So she did.

"Pretty lady?" Rin was horrified. Sesshoumaru chose that instant to come running.

"Rin." he said, relieved. His voice showed no emotion, but Rin was happy enough anyway.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Jaken wouldn't play with Rin, so Rin tried to find Sesshoumaru-sama! Then pretty lady saved Rin from big bird!" [hahahahaha. Big Bird…gomen…]

Sesshoumaru did a double take on the 'pretty lady'. His eyes fell onto Kagome, and only then did he take into account the smell of Rin's blood, the youkai's blood and what he concluded was the girl's blood.

'Isn't this my damn brother's wench?…why did she help Rin…better yet, where's my damn brother?'

Sesshoumaru continued to peer down at Kagome, when he felt Rin tugging on his sleeve.

"Can we take pretty lady home?" Rin sounded worried. "Is she…"

"Yes and no." Sesshoumaru answered both questions before he could think about it. 'Wait why did I say we could take her home?'

He made a note of the weird shirt and grey sweat pants the girl was wearing. 'What on earth is she wearing…'

"Yay!" Rin grinned.

"M'lord!" Jaken burst through the bushes, panting. "Oh good you found her. I apologise for losing her!"

"Shut up Jaken." Sesshoumaru bent down and picked Kagome up, wrinkling his nose at all the blood. "Come Rin, you will make sure she doesn't fall of the dragon."

"Rin is going to ride Ah Un?" Rin's face lit up.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, just placed Kagome on Ah Un. Rin climbed on happily and held onto Kagome's waist.

Jaken was gawking. "M-M'lord! Surely you're not going to bring yet another ningen with us!"

Sesshoumaru strode past Jaken without saying a word. The toad shook his head and scurried after his master, the pools of blood seeping into the soil.

Inuyasha was deep in thought when a scream reached his sensitive ears. Although he couldn't make out what the voice had yelled, he ran towards its source, worried it might be Kagome.

'If she's hurt…I'll never forgive myself…'

As Inuyasha got closer to where someone had screamed, the scent of blood - Kagome's blood, blood from another human and blood from some kind of demon delicately started assaulting his nose. He growled and sped up.

Inuyasha burst through into the clearing where the dead owl youkai lay just in time to see Sesshoumaru and some two headed creature take off with Jaken, Rin…and Kagome, who was unconscious.

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled out. His brother spared only the smallest of glances his way and was gone.

'Shit…shit shit shit shit.'

Kagome woke up amidst soft white sheets and the soft calls of birds outside. Thinking she was home, she rolled over and felt for her alarm. Finding none, she sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily. She froze, finding herself in a large four poster bed in a room bigger than her dining room.

"Wha?" she looked around nervously. She took account of the bandages on her arms and legs, and was confused when she saw she was in a soft sleeping yukata. She jumped when she heard knocking on the door, and a young neko [cat] demon walked in.

"Good morning my lady." she said softly. "I hope you are feeling better?"

Kagome stared at her for a moment. "Where am I?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"The castle of the Lord Sesshoumaru. I hope this room is alright?"

"Are you kidding? It's huge!" Kagome got up. "Um. Is there somewhere I can bathe? I've got blood on me…"

"Through that door," the girl indicated a door to Kagome's left.

"Thank you…um…what's your name?" Kagome stopped just outside the 'bathroom'.

"Asumi my lady."

"Thank you…but I'd rather you called me Kagome…"

"Yes m-Kagome." Asumi smiled. 'Humans never talked to me without fear or hatred…except for Lord Sesshoumaru's charge. I wonder why Lord Sesshoumaru wishes to keep her here…'

Kagome tried to smile back, but Asumi had already walked out.

Not that she could've smiled anyway.

Memories of Inuyasha and Kikyo flooded back into her mind, and already she regretted leaving behind Shippo, Sango and even Miroku.

'Just my luck…' she thought as she marvelled at the mini hot spring in the small room. Sinking into the water, she ticked off the events that had occurred so far.

'First, I find out that Inuyasha still loves Kikyo, not me. I save a girl from an owl youkai, and I faint. Then I wake up and find myself in the castle of Inuyasha's brother, who would sooner kill me than save me.'

Kagome peered at the where she had sleeping yukata, getting up and drying off. Then she noticed that someone had come in and replaced it with a soft blue kimono, with a heron in the bottom corner and gold embroidery on the sleeves. She gaped at it.

'Surely they don't expect me to wear that…that's way too nice…' Seeing no alternative she decided she may as well change into it. The material was silky and light.

Stepping out, she noticed the young girl she had saved last night was bouncing around on her bed.

"Pretty lady!" the girl jumped once more and ran over to Kagome, flashing a large grin.

"Hi there." Kagome said awkwardly. "I'm Kagome."

"Rin is Rin Kagome-chan!" Rin grabbed Kagome's hand. "And Sesshoumaru-sama said Rin should go to Kagome-chan because we're having breakfast."

Kagome barely had a chance to smile at Rin's way of speech when her face fell at the mention of Sesshoumaru's name.

She let Rin lead her through a number of hallways, before finally watching, amused, as Rin barrelled though two oak doors. She followed more decorously.

Sesshoumaru looked up when Rin came crashing through, and observed that at least the other human had some manners.

"Hmm." was all he said.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin hugged the youkai's leg. "Kagome-chan is awake!"

"Yes Rin." he sighed inwardly. 'I had to choose a human child who is somehow likeable yet very talkative…' He smirked inside, wondering how he let himself for get soft enough to adopt her.

He turned his attention back to the human girl he had seen countless times with his brother. He remembered she was the one who had pulled the Tetsusaiga out, then caused it to retransform with an arrow. He had also heard rumours of her miko training.

She had been looking at him. She quickly averted her eyes and allowed Rin to practically drag her to her seat, opposite Rin's.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin looked at him quizzically. He said nothing. He left the room, leaving the two girls to eat breakfast alone.

Inuyasha trudged back to camp after following Sesshoumaru for about 5 minutes.

'Great. So now what do I tell them? Wait, why am I going back…'

He couldn't just leave them without an explanation. He wondered what they would say or do to him.

He could see Shippo crying and yelling at him.

He could see Miroku hitting him.

He could see Sango crying and yelling and hitting him.

He sighed, stopping right at the edge of the trees. He exhaled and walked out. Shippo, Sango and Miroku were all still sleeping.

It could wait till morning.

"Doesn't he eat?" Kagome said softly after he left. 'Or is he too high-and-mighty to lower himself to eating with humans?'

Rin shrugged. "Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't need to eat that much. That's what Jaken and Sesshoumaru-sama said.'

'I wonder how he ended up with such a sweet girl…maybe I'll ask her later.'

Sesshoumaru came in when they had finished. "Rin." he said quietly, "go outside and play with Jaken or Ah Un."

"But Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Rin."

Rin pouted and stomped out the door.

"So." Sesshoumaru gave Kagome a cold stare.

"…" Kagome didn't trust herself to speak. 'He's going to kill me...'

Inuyasha woke up to the sound of Shippo.

"Kagome?!" he called. Shippo ran up to Sango.

"She wasn't at the hot springs…" Sango sounded puzzled. Miroku looked up from where he was sitting then rose, dusting off his robes.

"Inuyasha, have you seen Kagome?" Miroku asked as Inuyasha jumped down from the tree where he had had a restless night's sleep.

"Um…" Inuyasha went pale.

"Did something happen between the two of you again? Because if you've been sneaking around with Kikyo, you have only yourself to blam-"

"Why do I smell Kagome's blood?" Shippo interrupted suddenly, looking very worried.

Inuyasha sighed and told them everything.

How he had smelt Kikyo and gone running after her without thinking again.

How Kagome had looked so betrayed, because she loved him.

How he had sat there and panicked when he heard a scream, thinking it was her.

How he had kept telling himself that if she was hurt it was all his fault…

How his brother had kidnapped one of the people he cared for the most.

DM: Ok there we go. Tell me what you think. This is my first attempt at a Sess/Kag fic…