He stared at her, since she had walked into the room that morning.

She was the newest student in his class, Kagome Higurashi.

He was the most popular student of the High-school, Sesshomaru Taisho.

He was amazed at her sight, her oh-so-blue eyes, her raven-black hair and most of all: her brilliant smile. He heard that a girl of his class named Sango was a distant cousin of Kagome.

The moment he had seen her for the first time, he was ready to give her his heart and life, everything he owned. He would do everything for her, he knew. But his pride fought with his emotions for her.

From the outside Sesshomaru kept his cold aura. No one would be able to see how he felt for her.

Over the first few weeks, he had talked to her a few times, not often or much, but she knew him. They had to work together in school sometimes, Sesshomaru got to know that she wasn't only good-looking and a wonderful person, but also very smart. The more he got to know her, the more he wished for her to be his. He never had felt anything like that before. He knew disgust, pride and indifference for others. These feeling he kept for her was something new, something he couldn't control or even define. Every time another male talked to her – and that was often for she was popular with the male students – he wanted to kill that one for only speaking to her and having her attention.

The worst came when one day his half-brother Inuyasha opened the door to their house and told their dad, that he had brought friends with him. Inuyasha went to another class of the same school and Sesshomaru normally didn't associate with him.

Sesshomaru looked down the stairs to see which of his brothers annoying friends were with him. He saw Miroku, Inuyasha's best friend, Koga, a classmate of Inuyasha, Sango and finally Kagome. She didn't wear her school uniform for it was Saturday. If he did not have such control over his actions, Sesshomaru's jaw would have dropped to the ground. He did not know that his half-brother associated with Kagome. She looked absolutely stunning, a short light-gray skirt, a nice darker t-shirt and light sandals fitting for the hot summer weather.

"Oh, is that you, Kagome?"
"President Taisho?" she asked his father amazed. "It's nice meeting you again." Kagome bowed slightly.

"No need for formalities! You are always welcomed here. But I didn't know you know my son Inuyasha!"

Kagome gave one of her brilliant smiles. "I'm in the same class as Sesshomaru. I got to know Inuyasha through my distant cousin Sango." She gestured towards the mentioned girl behind her.

"You know my dad, Kagome?" Inuyasha was really surprised. "And Dad, you know Kagome?"

"Oh, we've met before..." Sesshomaru looked from upstairs at his father who smiled at Kagome. "And you are always welcomed here, Kagome. Whether my sons are home or not." Then their dad winked at her.

Disgust and anger overcame Sesshomaru, he hated his father for trying to flirt with her. But before he could even move Kagome smiled broader than he had ever seen and thanked his dad for the invitation. His anger flew away with her smile. Was she only too trusting and didn't realize it or did she know and accepted how his father acted? Sesshomaru didn't know and went back to his room as he thought about her.

Inuyasha, Miroku, Koga, Sango and Kagome went towards the living room to talk and maybe watch a movie. Inuyasha's and Sesshomaru's father held Kagome back.

"How are you, dear? Is everything alright?"

Kagome nodded and smiled again. "I'm alright, thank you for asking."

He let her go with a sigh and she walked over to her friends. However, Inuyasha noticed how his father acted towards Kagome and a bit of anger and jealousy made its way into his heart, he liked Kagome very much, she was a caring and wonderful girl.

Weeks went by and Kagome sometimes came visiting the Taisho house, every time together with Sango. Sesshomaru mostly ignored her presence as far as he could, but in school tried to hold up their relationship.

-VVV-

One Sunday in late autumn – when only he and his father were at home, Inuyasha was hanging out with some friends – the door bell rang. Sesshomaru went downstairs to see his father open the door to a broken Kagome. She was thin and shaking. His eyes opened wide to see her in this state. And why did she come here?

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Mr. Taisho."

"No, it's alright. Come in." he led her inside and closed the door. "What happened? You look not very good."

"I'm sorry for coming without calling before, but I knew no other place to go."

This wasn't the normal Kagome. Something terrible must have happened to her. Her smile was completely gone and she was still shaking, even inside the warm house. A shiver went down Sesshomaru's spine.

"What exactly happened, dear? Wait..." his father paused and Sesshomaru saw a shadow casting over his father's face. "Don't tell me..."

She only nodded. Her shaking became worse and his father took her hand and led her into the kitchen.

Sesshomaru followed as silently as he could. He couldn't think clearly, he only wanted to know what took her smile away and how he could help her. Seeing her so down his heart felt torn apart. His father made her sit down and began making a hot chocolate for her. When he finished, he took her hands and wrapped it around the cup.

"Here, warm up a bit. Tell me. What happened?"

Kagome bit her lower lip and took a sip of the hot chocolate before she began. "She came this morning. Shortly after, he arrived. They..." her hands began shaking and small tears leaked out.

"It's alright, you're safe here. Don't worry. They will not dare and come here." his father took her shaking hands into his, calming her. He shot a glance to Sesshomaru, to warn him to stay silent. If she saw him right now, Kagome would close up and put on a mask of happiness, said his glance.

"At first they only talked a bit. They said something about how..." she paused and gulped.

"Go on, dear."

"Then she started caressing my cheek. How beautiful I had become since they last saw me. He began stroking my hair, saying how long it had gotten. When Kohaku tried to stop them, he pushed him away and punched him several times. He even wiped his hand clean before he touched me again. He said..." she paused and her shaking got worse again. "He said I should come with them. No filth would touch me and I would stay pure like I should. This would be the only way for my relatives to come out alive." She began to cry. Sesshomaru took a step forward, wanting to soothe her, wanting to hold her so that the pain would cease.

His father shot him a deathly glare, telling him to stay away – Sesshomaru wasn't close enough to Kagome to do this – and cradled Kagome in his arms. She clutched his shirt and cried. Sesshomaru walked back a few steps, so that she definitely wouldn't see him, but his heart cried out when he saw Kagome in so much pain and agony.

A few minutes later she had calmed herself.

"You can stay here in the mean time, dear." his father said patting her head. "As I said before, they won't come here."

"I don't want to endanger you and your family." Kagome said, cleaning her face with a tissue. "I will find some other place to stay. I need to think about what to do now."

"Oh, I insist, Kagome. I even was the one dragging you into this back then."

"No. You didn't drag me into this. I was part of it since my birth, maybe even longer before that. You don't have to feel responsible."

"I still insist."

A small but sad smile showed on her face. "Not for long."

"Alright." He smiled at her. "I'm gonna let your things be packed and moved here."
"It's not much anyway." she murmured.

"I'm gonna show you your room then. It's an unused guestroom upstairs. You should lay yourself down a bit."
With a quiet 'thank you' she followed him upstairs.

Shortly after that he came down and into the kitchen, packing away the used and now empty cup.

"She is asleep. She was so tired." he said informing his son. He went into the living room where Sesshomaru was waiting. "You want to know the story, right?"

Sesshomaru only nodded and didn't comment.

"Why?"

His eyes widened. "You ask me why?"

"You normally don't care about others. Do you care about her?"

"Yes, I care about her. I want to soothe her pain and help her. I want to possess her, make her mine. Every time someone other touches her, I..." Sesshomaru paused. Why was he telling his dad about it?

"And you ask yourself, why you feel this way?"

"Yes."

His father chuckled. "Kagome is an amazing girl to make you feel that way. You're in love with her, son."

"Love? But... -"
He was interrupted when the front door opened and closed again. Then, Inuyasha came into the living room.

"Hey. What are you two doing here? Sesshomaru, you aren't talking with dad like that very often. What happened?"

"Shh." his father said to Inuyasha. "We have a guest sleeping upstairs. Your brother only asked why this person will stay here for a while."

"A guest? Who is it? Do I know this person?" Curiosity made its way onto Inuyasha's face.

"Doesn't matter now, does it?" Sesshomaru intervened before his father could say something. "I will be in my room." and he left.

Their father understood that Sesshomaru wouldn't want Inuyasha to know. His youngest son could be quite rash sometimes and this time it wouldn't help. So Mr. Taisho kept quiet.

"What was that? He normally isn't interested in others." Inuyasha wondered and turned towards his father who walked into the kitchen to make coffee. He had to think about what to do now. They had followed Kagome. He rubbed his temples with his fingertips. He needed a solution and that quickly.

Inuyasha knew better than to disturb his father when he was thinking. So he left towards his room, looking at the door of the now used guestroom. He wondered who their guest was, but both his half-brother and father wouldn't give him an answer for now. So he had to wait, couldn't be changed.

-VVV-

Kagome immediately fell asleep after Mr. Taisho had turned out the lights and darkened the room.

Mr. Taisho and Sesshomaru wouldn't have noticed but she knew that Sesshomaru had been there the whole time. And Mr. Taisho's suggestion, that his son should stay away because it would make her close up, was even more wrong. Sesshomaru thought that she didn't knew him and didn't think of him very often, but she felt comfortable in his presence and had learned to read his movements and expressions. She felt safe with Mr. Taisho because she knew him for such a long time, but with Sesshomaru it was different. It wasn't something reasonable, just a feeling she had when she was with him. Other than his rash half-brother – who she only had accepted as a friend because he was somewhat caring – she felt something stirring in her when she only saw Sesshomaru.

She fell into her dreams that told her an old story she often dreamed of. It was something about a young powerful priestess and how she ended up making something bad at the end of her life, something that cursed the whole world. And there was another young priestess, powerful and energetic. She lifted the curse, destroyed that bad item and helped her fellow priestess to eternal peace. She knew her parents had named her after her ancestor, the second priestess. She met Mr. Taisho years ago, when he had told her that story she often dreamed about before. He told her about what she possessed. Then... she winded herself in the bed. She did not want to remember that night, when they first found her. They 'cleaned' her.

No, she did not want to remember. So she slid back into the past before her birth, this night not only dreaming about the two priestesses but also about other things. Not only the priestesses appeared before her and taught her, but also saints, gods and goddesses. They taught her how to use her gift, how to stay pure and what to do now. Kagome only hoped in her dream that she wouldn't have forgotten the teachings when she woke up.

-VVV-

Sesshomaru couldn't sit calmly as normal. His mind raced. He loving Kagome? Yes, definitely. But what was hiding in her past? What had frightened her so much? What did his father know, what he didn't? And who were they? So many question raced through his head, waiting to be answered. He could kill his half-brother right now for his great timing. He cursed under his breath. "Damn!"

When Inuyasha walked past his half-brothers room he heard a quiet 'damn' and wondered who this guest might be. Sesshomaru cursing was something unusual, he was usually calm and cold towards everyone. Why would his brother care for their guest? He just shrugged.

Inuyasha wondered more about why Kagome and Sango didn't come today. He only heard from Miroku that Sango's little brother Kohaku had been hurt quite badly in a fight and she stayed home to be with him. Sango really loved her brother, as dearly as she loved Kagome, Inuyasha realized. They were like actual sisters, Kagome living with Sango only deepened their relationship. Inuyasha didn't know the exact reason for Kagome staying with Sango, he only knew that her family was far away. For the first time he got to know Kagome he wondered why he knew so little about her. He had realized that he liked her before, but he never really showed. He knew that she was strong, she never broke down and cried. He smiled at his memories. The one time that Koga nearly had asked her to go out with him. He knew that Koga was direct and that he loved Kagome dearly since the first day they met. He had intervened so that Koga couldn't confess but Kagome seemed to know and she just had smiled. He sometimes had wondered where she got the power to smile that broadly every day. A big smile made his way onto his face as he went into his room. Yes, he liked her very, very much. Maybe it was even love.

-VVV-

It was early morning when Kagome rose from the bed. Too early for most people to even consider waking. She noticed the few things she owned standing in the corner of the room. She sighed. She had gone to bed too early yesterday to sleep out this morning, even though she had been so tired.

Unpacking a stack of clothes she changed into something normal, bluejeans and a colorful t-shirt. Inuyasha wouldn't be awake right now, Sesshomaru would probably rise in the next hour and the father of those two would maybe be awake right now. Kagome did not plan on staying long. Maybe a few days, not more than a week, to calm down. After that she would go, leaving everything behind. She was glad she remember the teachings from her dream. She knew what she had to do. But it was hard to leave, she didn't want to, but she had no other choice.

With a sigh Kagome went downstairs to the kitchen.

"Good morning, dear. Did you calm down?" Mr. Taisho sat on the table, sipping coffee.

"Good morning. Yes, I calmed down a bit." a small smile crept over her features. She had to fake again. Her heart hurt when thinking about what she had to do, but she perfectly hid it.

"That's nice to hear. Coffee?"

"Oh, yes thanks." She took a cup and poured herself a bit coffee into it, putting in a bit sugar and milk.

"Sesshomaru suggested that we won't tell Inuyasha that our momentary guest is you. He asked yesterday. We thought it would be better, he can be..." he paused searching for the right word.
"Rash? Loud?"

"...rash sometimes." he finished smiling at her. Then he wondered. "You didn't wonder about Sesshomaru knowing what happened?"

"No, not really. And I would not have minded if you had told Inuyasha."

Mr. Taisho wondered again. She seemed so indifferent, something she normally wasn't. When he opened his mouth to ask her, Sesshomaru walked into the kitchen. He stopped seeing Kagome sitting there. He seemed a bit startled.

"Good morning, Sesshomaru." Kagome smiled at him.

"Good morning." He said having found his composure. "Does this coffee my father normally drinks really taste?"

She chuckled. "It's good for waking up, a bit too strong and simple but somehow delicious. Want to try it?" She held her cup towards him.

To Mr. Taisho's surprise his son just took a sip of coffee without being embarrassed about his action and her offer to drink from the same cup – to him it seemed like an indirect kiss.

"Quite strong indeed." Sesshomaru stated giving the cup back to Kagome who smiled.

The rest of their breakfast together went by without talking much. Sesshomaru wasn't that big of a talking person and Kagome seemed to enjoy the silence, so Mr. Taisho let it be. When she put her cup away he asked her about going to school today.

"Well, I wanted to. I did not tell Sango about my situation now and we will finish a big project in one of our classes today."

Sesshomaru nodded affirmative.

"Well then."

She went upstairs to get her things and when she and Sesshomaru were standing at the door, ready to go, Inuyasha came storming down the stairs.

"I'm late!" he suddenly stopped, seeing Kagome. "Kagome! What are you doing here so early?"

"Sesshomaru and I have a bigger project finishing today so we were going to school together a bit earlier." she simply stated, and it wasn't a lie.

"We can go now if you like." Sesshomaru looked at Kagome.

"Alright, let's go." she smiled at him as he opened the door.

"Wait! If you'd wait just a minute I will go with you!" Inuyasha smiled at Kagome, he wondered about her getting along with his brother.

"No." Sesshomaru simply said and closed the door behind him and Kagome.

Inuyasha heard no comment from Kagome to his half-brother's decision, as if she was okay with it. He once again wondered. He would ask her in school what happened and why she acted a bit weird. Inuyasha sighed and went into the kitchen seeing his humming father.

"Why are you so happy? It's quite annoying so early." he huffed.

"Hm? Oh, no, I was just thinking about how well Sesshomaru and Kagome get along. It's nice to see that he can be caring towards someone."

"Caring?"

"Oh, I'm late. I need to go now, have fun!" and his father took off.

Looking at his watch reminded Inuyasha to hurry and eat breakfast, else he would be really late.

-VVV-

Sango sat in the classroom waiting for Kagome. Someone had come and took her things. This someone seemed to be from the Taisho family. She had asked Kagome before, from where she had known the father of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, for he was a very rich and busy man. Kagome had answered that she had met him years ago when she was still in her childhood. She didn't say more, no matter how much Sango asked.

And then those persons yesterday. They were after Kagome. She did not understand what they had said to her, they spoke in a different and seemingly difficult language which Kagome definitely understood somehow. After the assault and Kagome's disappearing her brother Kohaku explained her what he knew. Kagome was the main point of some prophecy and she somehow had a power those people wanted to keep. Those people had followed her since she was small, since 'that night' as Kagome called it.

The door to the classroom opened and everyone looked at Sesshomaru walking in. Some of the girls squeaked at his sight, some boys greeted him with a nod or a simple 'hi'.

Shortly after, Kagome entered the room and everyone greeted her warmly. She smiled and greeted back. Sango stood and came storming towards her, hugging her tightly.

"I was so worried." she whispered into Kagome's ear.

Kagome returned the hug. "I missed you, Sango."

"So did I." Sango said letting go of Kagome and smiling at her, ignoring the irritated glances of the others. "Where did you move to?" Sango asked as they went to their neighboring places.

"She lives as a guest at my house right now." Sesshomaru stated quietly who heard the question, being seated in front of Kagome.

"Really?" Sango looked from Sesshomaru to Kagome.

Both of them nodded. A bell rang and school started.

-v-

It was lunchtime and Inuyasha directly went towards the classroom of Kagome, Sango and Sesshomaru together with his best friend Miroku and his classmate Koga who wanted to see Kagome, after he didn't yesterday.

Opening the door he saw the three sitting together and talking, well Sesshomaru was mostly listening rather than talking. Kagome had just said to Sango that Inuyasha knew nothing about her staying at their house, and that she could tell him if she wanted, which Sango answered with: "It wouldn't make fun if I did. And he not knowing it? Is that true Sesshomaru?"

He only nodded and the two girls chuckled when the door to their classroom opened and Inuyasha and his two friends were coming in.

"Hey." greeted Miroku.

"Oi, Sesshomaru I didn't know that you hung out with those two." Inuyasha grunted, now jealous at his brother getting along with Kagome, like his father indicated this morning.

"Hello Inuyasha." Sango said with a stern face, trying to hide her amusement about Inuyasha not knowing about his own house-guest.

"How is your brother, dear Sango?" Miroku looked at her, they only talked over phone yesterday.

"Better. His wounds were bandaged and are healing now."

"It's unlike for that kid to fight." Inuyasha stated.

"He was trying to protect someone and got hurt because of that." Kagome said before Sango would try to explain.

"I would call that respectable." Sesshomaru said, surprising the boys and making the girls relax.

"And why do you think you need to say something about it?" Inuyasha snapped. He normally only teased his half-brother, but he seemed angry now.

"Inuyasha..." Miroku seemed at lost for what happened to his best friend.

"Let him be. Let him get angry. That way he can work out some of his overflowing energy." Sango stated with a small smile and made Sesshomaru and Kagome snicker and the other stunned. It seemed like an insider joke, only those three would understand it.

Inuyasha's rage disappeared as he saw Kagome's expression. Even though she smiled, her eyes seemed dark, the smile didn't reach them.

Looking at the clock, Kagome suddenly stood.

"I still have to go to a teacher."
"Shall I come with you?" Sesshomaru offered his company before either Inuyasha or Koga could.

"If you want to." she smiled at him and this time her smile wasn't very broad but it reached her eyes.

Sesshomaru and Kagome then went out of the room before anyone could comment on the situation.

"Did they were so close before? It never seemed that way. It's like he is protecting her from someone or something." Koga wondered about his big love and her new companion.

Miroku shrugged off. "You will never understand Sesshomaru. I often tried guessing his thoughts but I never was right. I just think normal people won't get through to him. It seems like Kagome did though."

-v-

"I love you." Everyone in the hallway stared at Koga. "I love you, Kagome. Please go out with me."

She had been standing in front of the teacher's room, waiting for Sesshomaru to come out so she could speak with their headteacher.

"Koga..." She seemed stunned. She knew he liked her, but this sudden confession was a bit surprising.

Sesshomaru came from behind her, he had heard Koga's confession.

"I like you, Koga." Sesshomaru froze as Kagome said that.

"But only as a friend. I don't want to ruin our friendship." Kagome smiled at Koga while Sesshomaru was really relieved and could breathe again.

"Please, you could try at least. And I would stay away from you when it doesn't fit, I promise!" pleaded Koga.

"I'm sorry, Koga. I can't."

"Why?" he now simply stood in front of her looking into her eyes. "Why?" he repeated.

"Because I like someone else. I'm sorry, Koga. I wouldn't want to hurt you."

Her confession of liking someone sunk into Sesshomaru's mind. 'I always thought she did not have a person like that. And didn't she say yesterday that she had nowhere else to go?' He was confused and hurt.

"Can I at least stay by your side, if only as a friend?" Koga silently asked her.

Sesshomaru noticed how she slightly flinched before she nodded.

Then she noticed him, smiled at him as she went into the teacher's room.

-v-

"What is it, Higurashi?" her teacher looked at her.

"I wanted to say my thanks and inform you that I will be leaving this school."

"You're gonna leave? Are you moving again?"

"Yes."

"Let's go and inform the headman together."

They left through a small door that connected the teacher's room with the headman's office.

"You will leave this school, Higurashi? When exactly?"

"My last day here would be the day after tomorrow."
"So soon? Well, we will miss you, you've been one of our best students. Where will you leave to?"

"I wanted to ask you to maybe do me a favor."

"What is it, Higurashi?" her teacher looked a bit irritated.

"Please keep silent about my departure until I am gone. I don't want to make a fuss over it, let alone others worry about me." she bowed towards her teacher and headman. "You would do me a great favor."
"Well, if you wish so, we will. You are a respectable student and young woman. I wish you all the best for your future." the headman answered after a short moment of silence and shook Kagome's hand just before she bowed again and left the room without her teacher.

-v-

Sesshomaru quietly looked at Koga, who waited together with him for Kagome. Koga had been a bit angry because of her rejection and her statement that she liked someone else – he even swore to find out who this lucky guy would be – but calmed down.

Sesshomaru had watched him from the corner of his eyes while Koga had grumbled and talked to himself.

Students walking by wondered why these two boys would be standing together, they seemed too different to be friends or even get along. But the fact that they were waiting for Kagome cleared every confusion. Koga's confession was already wide known and Sesshomaru was enough of a gentleman to wait for her because they came together here.

The door opened and Kagome came out. "Thank you for waiting. We should hurry, the next lesson will begin within a few minutes."

They hurried over to their classroom where Inuyasha and Miroku just came out and Koga joined them.

"Sorry, Sango. I did not wanted to leave you alone with those guys for that long."

"It's alright." Sango was wise enough to not ask Kagome why she needed to talk with their teacher. She also heard about Koga's confession to her and how she rejected him. Sango had a small idea who she might like. "So, I've heard about Koga and how you rejected him." A wide grin plastered itself on her face.

"Yeah..." Kagome nodded slightly. "I was not expecting him to confess to me so suddenly. I feel a bit sorry for him."

"Don't." Sesshomaru commented. "Don't feel sorry for him. He should have known."

Sango began giggling and pulled Kagome with her.

"Yes, he should have known. For I think it is pretty obvious who you like~..." Sango began after their laughter had died down.

"SANGO!" Kagome interrupted her, blushing a bit. After a short pause she quietly asked "So obvious?"

"Well, to me. But I know you quite well."

Sesshomaru watched the two young women. 'So, Sango knows it. Should I...-'

A bell rung and the teacher came in, the next lesson had begun, interrupting Sesshomaru's thoughts.

-VvV-

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the mentioned characters. (Sadly~)