Hey guys…Yea, I decided to rewrite this whole story 'cause I thought it was crap and that it was going WAY too fast. I have NO clue what I was thinking, lol. I reread the whole thing and gah…I'm so ashamed to have had this under my penname, I wasn't really THAT bad, was I?

Chapter 1

Stars shine brighter when they've been held from the cold vastness of the Universe I may be the most unordinary person on Earth! Here I am sitting by a fire, camping outside, and unable to keep my thoughts from InuYasha. His smirk, eyes, HE never leaves my thoughts. I sigh and walk over to him.

"Hey InuYasha, come down and eat, Ramen's ready!" I yell, he wasn't paying attention. He was probably thinking about Kikyo again. Does he honestly think me to be that dense? I saw her soul stealers pass by with some poor unsuspecting woman's soul a while ago. My miko powers have grown and the jewel is almost complete. Thank Kami, I simply couldn't bear to stay here any . I know it's selfish of me, but just once I want to be something InuYasha looks at the way he looks at Kikyo.

I love the boy to death, he will always be my best friend. I just have to suck it up. Besides, it's not so bad. It's not like I didn't already know the obvious. Tears… I stop them before they slip down my face. I just hope he doesn't get to caught up in Kikyo again, I almost died. Okay well, I may be exaggerating just a smidge, but I was honestly in danger!

:.:.+.:.:

Hanging onto the branch I wished I hadn't climbed the cursed tree. The herb wasn't all that important in the first place! The young girl I had begun walking with looked up and began to cry. I cursed my luck for the millionth time. I yelled for anyone to help me. Anyone. The girl called Rin was much too young to help get me down. I know she meant well when she went into hysterics, but it seriously wasn't helping the situation…

I felt like banging my head against a tree branch and as much as that would help me get down from the branch, I don't think it'd be good for the little hamster running in my head. I heard one final crack before I cringed and expected that little hamster to live no more, but when I opened my eyes I met amber. Our gazes locked.

Infront of me stood the great TaiYoukai of the Western Lands. "Wench, be careful. I do not sense my imbecile of a brother near by. What are you doing alone?" The Ice Prince asked. Here I was about to die and he asks about InYasha? Well, it was most likely what he came for in the first place, but still! I should just let them fight it out…


Then it hit really me and I stared wide-eyed at him. Did the all-mighty Sesshomaru just save me? Was I on a hidden camera show? No seriously. "Uh…thank you, Sesshomaru-sama…" I said and bowed unable to think of something coherent and of use to say. Apparently, he thought so as well. He scoffed and left with the young girl…So that was his ward.

:.:.+.:.:

Kagome shook her head and started walking into the forest to clear her thoughts. It had been awfully stressful, not just for her but for everyone. They needed to make a plan soon to defeat Naraku. She shuddered at the thought of him completing his mission.

-Author's P.O.V.-

She had taken her bath supplies, just incase there was a spring nearby. She hummed along with a blue jay's singing. She closed her eyes for a little bit enjoying the fresh air and wonderful autumn breeze. She walked a trail for a short while. Sango had 'things' to sort out with Miroku or else she'd be right beside her.

When Kagome reached the clearing she could smell the fresh moutain, spring water. The view was really gorgeous from up here. It was near the top of a hill so when you looked down you could see the lush greens Inuyasha's forest held. They were going back to visit Kaede soon, but decided to camp much to InuYasha's protests. Jeez, that boy was hard-headed.

Kagome slipped through a couple of trees towards the river. Kagome covered herself in suds enjoying the feel the cool liquid gave against her skin. She heard a rustling noise in the background and was about to throw a rock in what she though was Miroku's general direction, but when she turned she saw Rin. Sesshomaru's young ward. She was crying; she was much too sweet to be crying…

Panicking, she wrapped her towel around herself, making sure that secured it tightly and walked over to the small child. She took the girl in her arms and tried to sooth her crying. "Rin-chan, what's wrong? What happened?" Kagome asked wondering what could make Rin so hysterical. The only other time she had seen the child like that was when they were both out picking herbs and she'd hung on the tree…Child, had good reason to be hysterical there.

In between each hiccup and sob the girl tried to get out what she had come to say. It was just her luck that she'd found the older woman. "Ri-Rin's Fluffy got hut and Rin doesn't know what to do!" There was more sobbing and more hiccupping as Kagome tried to get the child to calm down. "Rin. Rin-chan look at me." The juvenile looked up at the grown-up she admired and tried to stop her crying.

"Rin had to help Fluffy-sama. Rin has to go back to help him." Rin looked up at the girl, hoping that she'd help her otou-san. "Okay, Rin. Lead the way." Kagome said, completely forgetting her little attire. As she made her way into a near by clearing she saw that Sesshomaru had multiple wounds and blood splattered against his clean, white garments. I gasped, there was blood clotted on his arm. It looked like he had been ambushed.

Crimson had seeped through his skull and it was now seeping through to his beautiful, silky, shiny silver hair, he laid next to boulder. She didn't think about her

actions and quickly ran over to him. She took her first-aid kit and began taking out all the supplies she need. She looked at everything with such a concentration you couldn't tell she was a pinch inexperienced. she was on the track to undressing his torso, when Sesshomaru grabbed her wrist and hissed at her, "What do you think your doing, Miko!" He winced inwardly at the pain he was causing himself with his sudden actions. She glared dangerously at him and quickly grabbed his hands and tied them with the remainder of the gauze to keep him in place. He was much too wear to fight her off.

She smelled like a fresh breeze right after the spring rain and frangipanis. He closed his eyes and reveled at her touch. It was so small, soft and delicate. It was the touch of an angel, although he'd never admit it to himself or anyone else. He'd always secretly had a portion of respect for the miko. She was always there for his half brother and it made him angry to think she could honestly be that stupid to stand by him. He knew his brother was truly an imbecile, but that just proved his point.

Kagome wiggled a little and her towel moved slightly down. Obviously she had yet to notice what she was wearing in front of the Lord. He gulped, but neither his eyes nor facial expression changed. Smooth move, Ice Prince.

He simply sat there and looked at her. She looked over at Rin as his eyes began to get droppy. "Rin-chan, could you please go into the woods with Jaken and get me some Valeriana?"The small girl looked at her with her wide brown eyes and scurried away. "What is the reason for the Valeriana, Miko?" He asked somewhat curious. Valeriana was used for sleeping, was she making a plan to drug him?

"The Valeriana is for small girls that are afraid for their keepers." Kagome said simply. He nodded in approval. His ward did not need to see all the blood and gore. Her crying had yet to cease, but it was now silent. The toad had not said a word for fear that his 'loving' master would die. "Jaken-sama! Rin only want to help you!" The girl yelled at the green thing that dared to call itself above humans. "You ningen, get away from me!" He yelled in response. Laughing Kagome sighed and got back to work.

She added pressure to his chest to stop the bleeding and he groaned. The first sign that he was in pain since she had begun to help him. He was lucky there were many herbs around. It had not taken her long to take some in hand and make a smelly gunk to apply. Although, it wasn't believed that he was enjoying the gunk too much.

He looked down and saw Kagome's petite hands working wonders on his wounds; she worked with such grace and agility. He cleared his mind and watched her raven hair shine, her eyes twinkle with concentration, and her beautiful skin with sweat beads from working.

Kagome finished tieing the gauzes, and wondered what had gotten into her. She had panicked when she needed to be calm for everyone. Kagome put her hands on his left 'arm'.

She closed her eyes, she was having a slight problem concentrating. What was wrong with her? Inuyasha was going to be royally pissed when he found out that she was here helping his half-brother. Sesshomaru looked at her questioningly, she seemed to be having an internal conflict. Hey, who was he to judge. Here he was letting a pathetic human actually touch him. The thought was ludricous. He perished it.

Sesshomaru began to stand to leave. She just looked at him waiting to see what he would do. "Consider our debt perished." the smooth, icy voice was blown away softly by the wind and she blinked obviously confused. Debt?

Then it dawned on her…He had saved her, she had saved him. Debt repaid. Is that what he though she was doing? "The jerk.." she mumbled under her breath.

As she calmly finished the rest she let go of a breath she hadn't known she was holding. She sat by the boulder and that was how Inuyasha found her. "Kagome what the hell do you think you're doing!" He yelled at me like I was seven years old and had just done something wrong. Okay, so she had done something wrong in his eyes, but it wasn't that bad. No, it was worse than he though. Great.

"WAIT A SECOND!" He sniffed, looked at me suspiciously and started circling me. I know he sensed when I tensed. Good job Kagome, I'm sure he won't suspect anything now! A twig broke behind us quite purposely. The person turned around and stared at InuYasha, "Hello little bother" He said this all without moving from where he was.

Inuyasha glared at him. "Why was your scent on Kagome!" He yelled. Royally pissed, yup. She knew him too well. InuYasha charged at him when Sesshomaru didn't answer, like usual Sesshomaru dodged it easily and with such grace not available to a hanyo. Sesshomaru pulled out Tenseiga; Inuyasha laughed and was about to slice him
when Sesshomaru cut off his attack. "Why you…" Inuyasha began to growl at his older half-brother.

"I smelled your blood and pain only minutes ago. There's no way the likes of you healed that quickly!" arrogantly, Inuyasha spoke. "Let your little miko explain, worthless hanyou." Sesshomaru could always keep his cool and this time was no different. "Yeah right, you asshole! Kagome wouldn't help you if she was threatened." Inuyasha said arrogantly. Kagome just wanted to hide behind a bush and wait for all of it to be over! Oh great, she was going to be in so much trouble when Sesshomaru left. Wait, what? She didn't do anything wrong! They started at it again. I took a deep breath and in a calm voice said, "Sit, Inuyasha." Face first in the ground. Couldn't have been too much fun. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, but decided against arguing any further. He still had his ward to find.

"KAGOME WE'RE LEAVING, NOW!" he said once the Demon Lord was out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind…well, not in this case. He could've sworn I heard Kagome mumbling about arrogant hanyos who think about nothing but themselves.

Kagome walked alongside Inuyasha, listened to him yell and wondered why she loved him so much. 'Inuyasha, when will you see my heart belongs to you? After all you've done to me I still remain here by your side. I support you when you go to see Kikyo, but one day, one day I'll get tired of waiting. My heart just isn't that patient and receptive to your hurt anymore.' Kagome sighed. Inuyasha noticed. It was one of the only things he ever notices. "Whats wrong Kagome?" He asked finally calming down.

"Nothing Inuyasha absolutely nothing" Kagome said softly. They walked back to camp and Kagome quietly started the fire and began to cook Ramen. "Hey Inuyasha, come down It's time to eat!" Kagome yelled towards Inuyasha's general direction. He jumped down but just said "I have something to do so don't follow me, I'll be back soon" With that he ran off into the woods.

Kagome looked at Sango, Miroku, and Shippo sleeping. She waited for an hour, then two, then tree, again with no Inuyasha. Her heart was already tiring of waiting. How much more heartache could she take before she found a love to let her live again? "I'm tired of waiting…" she said mostly to herself.

Sango looked towards Kagome. She was too good for him. "Then don't wait up, Kagome. There's no reason to stay up when he doesn't want you to wait up for him." Sango said. Kagome thought her friend was referring to when he'd return. "That's not what I was implying Sango, but thanks." she sighed for the umpteenth time that night and looked up at the stars. So cold and distant. To be like them was to love them. That much was true. "Kagome…I wasn't referring to when he'd return as well…" Kagome looked towards her friend and smiled.

Shippou was laying right next to Sango. Kagomed watched as Sango stared lovingly at Miroku and slowly fell asleep. "NARAKU!" She heard Miroku yell from behind her. "We end this stupid fight for the jewel here and now, precious miko!" Kagome was getting really pissed off now. Who was he to tell her what to do?

She reached for her arrows and her bow and shot at the shadows earning a grunt from it. Miroku and Sango reached for their weapons. As Inuyasha stepped into the campsite he saw Sango laying on the ground beside Shippou as he carried her towards a tree and towards safety. Miroku and Kagome were defending themselves as best as possible. The both attacked, Kagome from the side and Miroku from in front. Naraku seemed to dissapear after the attack. Why did it seem too easy? Kagome was getting a queasy feeling In her stomach, but figured it was just from being worried about Inuyasha. She picked up the jewel and was about to purify it when a dark scarlet light engulfed her.

How could she not have noticed the jewel was a fake! She must've been pretty angry not to notice the spell. Kagome woke to a deep laugh, "What? Where am I?" She asked. "In my dungeons, miko" the voice said. Kagome froze It could only be one person. "Naraku.." She growled "What do you want with me!" She practically yelled then winced as the dungeon he was in glowed blue and shocked her. "Unless you want to die be quiet, foolish girl!" Naraku said, still wearing his baboon suit.

She dropped to her knees in pain. Was this the end?