Kagome was turning 21 years old today, she was still on the hunt for the jewel shards. She had taken some time off from the hunt her senior year so she could graduate with honors and hopefully get a scholarship for school. Of course her friends in the feudal era couldn't really attend her graduation but Inuyasha was there and Kagome's mother took enough pictures so she could give them to her friends in the feudal era. Kagome and Inuyasha became like brother and sister because Kagome was smart enough to notice every time Inuyasha looked at her she was Kikyo in his eyes and she wanted to mean so much more to someone than a mirrored image of someone else.

~I'll find someone, I'm sure, there's always someone out there, and it was just a childish crush, yeah, I'll be good, there are other fish in the sea.~ Kagome feeling a bit depressed as she sat around the campfire. She glanced over at Inuyasha and Kikyo being close, then her eyes fluttered over to Miroku groping Sango's ass and Sango yelling at him and slapping him hard leaving a mark on his face. Kagome smirked as her eyes twinkled in the glow of the fire with unshed tears,

"I think I'm going back to the hot spring, my muscles are still a little sore," Kagome slowly standing up.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Sango asked,

"I'll be fine, I can take care of myself thanks to you and Kaede teaching me," Kagome smirking.

"Okay," Sango shrugs, Shippo turned back to watch Kagome leave,

~Momma, what's got you so upset?~ Shippo smelling her sadness, Inuyasha glanced at Shippo and then Kagome, watching her disappear from their sight. Shippo looked at Inuyasha, it was like Inuyasha was reading Shippo's mind and he nodded, Shippo followed Kagome but hid his aura. Once Kagome got to the hot spring she slowly stripped down and stepped in.

~Its not fair, every one of my friends has their other half, their soul mate but why not me, I haven't done anything wrong, I've helped everyone I've come in contact with, don't I deserve someone too?~ Kagome letting out a somberly tired sigh. She rested her arms on the rocks surrounding the hot spring and laid her head on them,

~I wish I could just have a normal life like any other 21 year old, guess everyone forgot my birthday, Happy Birthday Kagome.~ Kagome thinking to herself. Too lost in her thoughts she didn't scent or hear the large snake demon slithering up behind her. As she turned around the snake was ready to strike her, to sink its fangs into her head but she grabbed the snake's body and forced her purification power into her hands and the snake exploded, but that wasn't all that was coming down on her, a fanged sword was gracefully swinging down, she caught the blade between her hands and still had her powers flowing out of them which sent whoever wielded the blade back into some trees. Kagome got out, sensing the snake's jewel fragment and she found it before the snake's guts could put themselves together again. Now she put the fragment in the vile around her neck along with the rest and got back into the water to wash the guts off of her.

"Miko," a deep cool baritone voice growled out behind her, she suddenly stopped cleaning herself, a picture of the certain fanged sword coming down on her in slow motion ran through her mind.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I'm sorry, I guess I don't know my own strength," Kagome turning around to glance up at him.

"You have grown more powerful, miko," Sesshomaru's forehead bleeding a little.

"Oh god, you're bleeding, if you come back to the camp I can fix it for you Kagome seriously.

"This Sesshomaru does not need your medicines, why are you not with your group miko?" Sesshomaru walking over to a nearby tree and sitting against it.

"I…um," Kagome not really wanting to tell him,

"This Sesshomaru does not repeat himself," Sesshomaru having his eyes closed. Kagome got upset with his attitude,

"Its not your concern," Kagome turning her back to him,

"Do you not wish to be with your so called family on such an occasion?" Sesshomaru asked coolly.

"What's so special about today?" Kagome shrugged acting as if it was just another night in the feudal era.

"It is the day you were born, this Sesshomaru believes it was 21 winters ago," Sesshomaru cracking his eyes open, Kagome was shocked that he of all demons would know of such a date, he had more important things to remember.

"Why would a high and mighty, all powerful lord remember such an insignificant date, don't you have better, more important dates to remember?" Kagome a bit angrily, if the all mighty ice lord of the Western lands could remember her birthday why couldn't her friends?

"I'm sorry, thank you Lord Sesshomaru, you are the only one that has remembered my birthday this year it seems," Kagome sighed as she rested her head against her folded arms on the stone siding of the hot spring,

"It seems as if my so called family are too involved with one another to even remember," Kagome staring up at the stars. Sesshomaru just listened to her,

"Sometimes I wish I was just a normal human, live a normal life, go to school, graduate high school, get to actually use the nice scholarship I got for graduating with high honors, not stuck here, watching Sango and Miroku, Inuyasha and Kikyo have a lovey dovey sort of things going on at night," Kagome glancing at him.

"You are responsible for your companion's happiness, they chose to follow you because of the character you are," Sesshomaru closing his eyes,

"Lord Sesshomaru…don't you want a mate, a family, someone to be by your side throughout you prolonged life, I mean you must get lonely sometimes?" Kagome wanting to know his view on family,

"This Sesshomaru keeps busy, there is constantly something to do, he does not have but one reason to have a mate, he needs his lineage to carry on," Sesshomaru stoically explained in a monotone voice.

"I've never even had the chance to court I guess is your term for it," Kagome sighed as she picked the invisible dirt out from underneath her nails. Sesshomaru held out a nice little and long skinny wooden box for her, Kagome glanced at it,

"What is it?" Kagome asked,

"It is from Rin, she wanted to get you a gift to honor the day you were born," Sesshomaru coolly explained.

"But you paid for it," Kagome slowly taking the pretty carved box from him, slowly she slid it open, she gasped, inside was a bracelet with different little sliver charms on it, one a little girl, another a castle, another a large dog charm, she laughed a little and cried,

"You had Totosai make this, didn't you?" Kagome glancing up at him,

"Rin ordered him to create the charms…" Sesshomaru being interrupted,

"So I would never forget you guys," Kagome crying.

"Cease your cries," Sesshomaru stoically and coldly,

"I'm sorry, its just, it's the best gift I've ever gotten, can you latch it on my wrist, please?" Kagome drying her face, Sesshomaru latched it on her wrist, being careful not to scratch her with his claws.

"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome softly,

"It was Rin's gift to you, now, you must come, Rin has fallen ill," Lord Sesshomaru standing,

"What, why didn't you tell me sooner," Kagome jumping out and drying off, she was about to put her jeans back on when he held out another package for her, this one wrapped in fur and bound with a leather string.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Kagome confused,

"It is a gift from this Sesshomaru, the half breed does not dress you properly for this weather," Sesshomaru watching her carefully open the square fluffy package, Kagome unwrapped the package and found a beautiful thick purple-pink kimono with a white fur, almost like his.

"Lord Sesshomaru, this…its gorgeous, I cant accept this, this must have cost you a fortune and if I wore it on my travels it would get torn to shreds and stained with blood," Kagome seriously.

"You will accept it and wear it," Sesshomaru lowly as he hovered over her,

"Don't you have better things to spend your money on?" Kagome trying to put the confusing attire on. Sesshomaru helped her put it on and grabbed her waist and took off to his castle.