Author's Note: You guys are so nice. Thank for your reviews.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.


Look ahead to…?

"I can't believe she left me behind!" InuYasha fumed as he yanked a weed out of the villagers' fledgling vegetable garden. Kaeda needed to some healing supplies. Shippo and Miroku had been gone for hours now, and he really had no idea when they'd be back.

"First she says she needs to go home, then she comes back and tells me she has a boyfriend, 'then' she says it's Sesshomaru's reincarnation, and 'then' that she's not coming back because I wouldn't help her boyfriend? Baka!"

Sango thoughtfully hid her smile.

"You took too long, InuYasha, what were you expecting? That she was going to wait forever?" she offered, trying to calm the irritating half-breed, as he scowled at her.

InuYasha turned his head to the side just in time to avoid a shower of dirt as Sango tugged a particularly stubborn weed loose.

"She just doesn't make sense, ever. I swear she's trying to drive me crazy." InuYasha exclaimed as Sango glared at him putting her hands on her hips.

"I'm sure she had her reasons for not wanting you, as any woman would." Sango snapped walking past him as InuYasha fumed behind her back.

"Feh."


Kagome...

"So… the well takes you into the past of the feudal era?" Darien questioned her as they sat on her couch.

Kagome's family was in the kitchen preparing to eat dinner.

"Yes." Kagome said playing with a string on the sleeve of her blouse.

"And you've been going back and forth to the feudal era and here trying to collect jewel shards and study for school?" Darien questioned her again.

"Yes."

"You knew that I was a demon?"

"Not exactly."

"You had a love interest in this 'InuYasha' guy which my little brother Yuji is his reincarnation?"

"Yes."

"And InuYasha's brother 'Sesshomaru', I'm his reincarnation?" Darien asked.

"Yes."

"InuYasha hates Sesshomaru?"

"Yes."

"Because they try to kill each other a lot?"

"Yes."

"So InuYasha wouldn't be interested in helping me because I'm his brother's reincarnation?"

"No."

"Do you still love InuYasha?"

"No, just as a brother. A very annoying brother." Kagome replied.

"Do you truly love me Kagome?" Darien whispered to her sighing taking all the things that Kagome had told him.

"Yes Darien, I love you so much, you're all I got in life besides my family." Kagome said hugging him.

Darien picked her up and sat her on his lap.

"I love you to." Darien whispered in her ear. "But I'm still not letting you off the hook." Darien said kissing her.

"Gross! Get a room!" Souta walked in on the two making a face.

"Souta!" Kagome scowled.

"Mom said dinner's ready and that Darien could join if he wants." Souta said before walking back into the kitchen.

"I love your mother's cooking." Darien said smiling getting up, bringing Kagome up with him.

"Wait, so you're not mad?" Kagome asked him confused.

"I'm conflicted." Darien replied shrugging. "I don't know; it's like no matter what happens I'm pulled into your embrace. It's pretty hard staying mad at you when I know you meant no harm. I just wish you trusted me better."

Kagome hung her head guiltily.

"I'm sorry." Kagome whispered.

"I know you are, I understand." Darien replied sadly stirring her to the kitchen.


The exams tomorrow was supposed to last for two hours, so she didn't have much time to study overall the semester's lessons.

"Oi, Kagome." she started, her pencil making a strange line across the paper. She slammed down the slender piece of wood; angry that she now had to erase most of the stuff she had just worked on.

"I'm studying!" she snapped.

With a rolling of his vibrant golden eyes, Darien lay flat out on her bed and watched her.

"You don't have to bite my head off you know. Why don't you let me help you? You always get so frustrated over silly stuff that is so plainly simple." Darien exclaimed as Kagome scowled at him.

'It's just the cutest thing when she gets to fussing.' Darien thought watching Kagome go back to her studying.

Kagome sighed as the corner of her mouth tugged upwards in a content grin.

"You think you're so cute don't you?" she asked him. 'Know it all.'

"You're just so damn cute when you're mad Kagome, I can't help but to keep you going. It amuses me." Darien replied.

"But seriously, you don't need to study, we aren't going to be there to take the test anyway. We're going to the feudal era aren't we? So what's the problem?"

Kagome chuckled quietly, shaking her head.

"Whom will we go to? InuYasha doesn't want to help you, so who else?" Kagome asked him as Darien gave her a 'duh' look, like it was so obvious.

"Then I shall ask for my reincarnation's help of course. It would be dishonorable to not help a fellow Taisho member. Especially your own reincarnation when it's a life or death situation." Darien exclaimed as Kagome looked full of doubt.

"I should get to bed soon. You can sleep here or you can share a room with my brother Souta." Kagome said indifferently.

Darien remained in the same spot, staring at her smirking.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me?" she inquired impatiently, walking over to him with her hand on her hip. He nodded his head and pulled Kagome down onto the bed with him.

"I'll just take it that you're staying here." Kagome whispered as Darien just smirked down at her.

Kagome's head rested in the crook of his shoulder as she sighed contentedly. Linking her arms around his neck, she filled her senses with his unusual aroma. His arms pulled her into his lap, tightening the embrace. His fingers toyed with her ebony tresses, enjoying how soft the texture slid through his grasp.

His hand caressed her back in a soothing motion as she quickly fell asleep, her breathing becoming heavier and slower with each breath. His eyes remained opened for the longest time, staring into space. A faint grin graced his lips as he heard her heartbeat sounding in his ears, slightly fainter than his own.

:sigh: 'I hope Kagome doesn't get me confused with this Sesshomaru guy. From the stories she's told me he seems like an ass. We definitely sound like totally opposites.'

Darien sighed again thinking about his relationship with Kagome. He knew as soon as he met Kagome that he could trust her, talk to her about anything, and enjoy her company without having to force the good times. The comfort levels between him and her he would call it a "girl next door" kind of thing. It's a best-friendship, love romance he had with her. And he would never take it for granted. Kagome was his only friend that he had in life; he didn't trust anybody else.


Feudal Era...

"I miss Okaasan," whined a tiny little kitsune as Sango cleared their campsite from the night before.

"Don't get upset Shippo. I'm sure Kagome is going to be back and we will go to Kaede's and wait for her till she does," Sango reassured Shippo.

"But that's too long and I wanna see her nooooww!" Shippo whined some more, "It's all Inuyasha's fault. Because of him Kagome's never gonna come back!" Shippo cried running away towards the bone eaters well to be alone.

"Hello Sango."

"Oh. Hello Miroku."

"Sango?"

"Yes."

"You look beautiful,"

"You say that to every girl," Sango replied, her voice empty.

"I know, but I only mean it when I say it to you." Sango blushed at what he had just said. She looked at Miroku to see if he meant it and that he wasn't trying to be a pervert. To her surprise his hands weren't anywhere they shouldn't be. He stared directly into her eyes and took her hands into his own.

"Sango I—" Mirkou stopped at whatever he was going to say and tensed up looking at something far away.

"What is it Miroku?"

"Do you not sense that Sango?" Miroku asked her gathering his staff.


Kagome's Time

Kagome walked into the bathroom and shut the door. She went over to the tub, turned on the water and added some bubble bath stuff. While the tub filled up and started to get steamy and bubbly she slipped her clothes off of her slender yet now slightly toned form; battling demons in the feudal era had helped make up for missing gym class, but nothing else. She slid into the water and let out a big sigh as she started to relax.

'Knock, knock'

"I'm taking a bath!" Kagome yelled from the tub just as the person outside the door slowly pushed the door open.

"Hey!" Kagome blushed sliding deeper into the tub as Darien closed the door behind him.

"What? As if I've never seen you naked before." Darien exclaimed as Kagome's face got a deeper shade of red.

"You and I both know that was an accident." Kagome exclaimed.

"Sure it was."

"Whatever, this isn't a peep show, get out!" Kagome said pointing towards the door.

"What if I don't want to?" Darien challenged her.

"Darien, I'm serious!"

"So am I. I haven't taken my bath actually, so what if I feel like joining you?" Darien said smirking when Kagome made an 'eep' sound as Darien took his shirt off showing his bare skin.

Darien laughed before putting his shirt back on.

"You're so cute." Darien said before leaving her alone as Kagome threw a shampoo bottle at him.


Thirty minutes later Kagome got out of the tub and dried herself off.

Kagome put on her green baggy cargo jean pants with her white hooded jacket over her white sleeveless t-shirt. She hurried and tied her white sneaker shoes as she went back into the bathroom to fix her hair.

She blow dried her hair and put it up into a nice ponytail. The only kind of jewelry that she had on and always wore was a necklace chain, which held the incomplete Shikon no Tama. When she was all done getting dressed she walked out of the bathroom and slowed down as she walked into the bedroom.

Darien stared at her in awe. She was gorgeous. That's what he always thought anyway, which he believed it true.

"What no skirt?" Darien teased her as Kagome rolled her eyes.

"In your dreams. I can't be wearing skirts in a battlefield anymore, I hate it when I get scraped up." Kagome replied looking Darien up and down in thought.

"What? You don't like?" Darien asked her.

He was wearing brown cargo pants with a black jacket over his black shirt with his white and black high tops.

"If we are truly to ask for Sesshomaru's help, then you're going to have to dress in feudal era clothing." Kagome replied walking down the stairs with him.

"I already pack those weird outfits in my bag. I'm all set." Darien replied smirking in excitement.


Feudal Era

"Yes it is."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is."

"This can't possibly be the feudal era. We're still in the well." Darien exclaimed.

"It is hot shot. Now help me get out of here." Kagome said as Darien grabbed her by the waist and jumped them out of the old well.

"Okay so it is the feudal era." Darien replied looking at the scenery.

"Told you so." Kagome replied putting her yellow bag on the ground as Darien mimicked her.

Shippo whom had been crying on the side of the well was speechless.

"Kagome!"

Shippo then lunged to her neck giving her a hug with a death grip. A large warm smile appeared on her face.

"Calm down Shippo. If you keep this up I won't be able to breath." Shippo loosened his grip on her and looked at her face

"I missed you sooo much!" Shippo exclaimed as Darien picked Shippo up by the tail inspecting him.

"Hey! Put me down! Kagome!" Shippo whined still unsure who this stranger was with Kagome.

"Darien! That's my son your man handling there!" Kagome said as Darien smirked holding Shippo up right looking at Kagome.

"So that would make him 'my' son also then." Darien exclaimed as Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Give me my pup." Kagome said as Darien did so the whole while Shippo looked at them both in confusion. Shippo did a double take on Darien.

"INUYASHA! Don't worry Kagome, I'll protect you from Lord Sesshomaru!" Shippo said.

"Fox fire!"

"Wow there kid, don't put yourself out." Darien laughed as he dodged all of Shippo's attacks. Shippo looked at him shock. 'Did he just laugh?'

"Kagome run!" Shippo said as Kagome picked him up.

"Shippo I would like you to meet Darien." Kagome introduced as Shippo looked at Kagome confused.

"I'm her boyfriend." Darien said proudly.

Shippo's mouth was wide open.

"Kagome you're going out with Lord Sesshomaru?" Shippo asked speechless.

"No Shippo, this is Darien, Sesshomaru's reincarnation." Kagome explained, as Shippo looked Darien up and down.

"Well, he does smell different than Lord Sesshomaru and he's dressed differently. Kinda like the way you dress Kagome." Shippo replied as Kagome set him back down.

"Shippo, I'm going to help Darien train. But first we're going to need Lord Sesshomaru's help since InuYasha wont help. So I won't be around you and the gang that much. Would you like to come with Darien and me?" Kagome asked him.

The kitsune tensed up and didn't know what to say. Sure he would love to travel with Kagome, but should he trust this reincarnation of Lord Sesshomaru? He looked up as Sango and Miroku came up.

Just then his thoughts were snapped back into reality when he heard the low growling that was emitting from InuYasha whom came out of nowhere.

"What the hell?" InuYasha said as Sango and Miroku were at loss of words.

They were looking back and forth between Kagome and the Sesshomaru look alike.

"Indeed."

Everybody looked to see the one and only, Lord Sesshomaru coming into the clearing.