Unbeta-ed

Story

Kagome was staring at the man before her, a look of longing and love overtaking her expressions like a flood, obvious to anyone who could see. She couldn't take her eyes off of him, and a smile appeared on her face.

His body, arms, and half of his face was covered in bandages, as he stood beside her, wearing just his pants. His once long silver hair was cut, chopped off during the battle.

"I like your hair like that." She found herself voicing her thoughts. "I think this is the first time I've ever saw your bare neck." She gave a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the mood. "Sango did a good job on it." She reached her hand up slowly, as if to touch it, but then she paused. "…" A movement on the top of his head caught her attention and she smiled, seeing his two triangle ears twitch.

Inuyasha sighed, and reached up to touch his bandaged eye.

A small frown appeared on her face. "Must have hurt." She lowered her hand and shifted in her spot. "Inuyasha…" She called his name sadly and looked away. "You know… I…" She nibbled on her lower lip. "I love you." She looked back up at him, serious.

"Kagome…" He whispered her name, his expression softening slightly.

"…?" She hummed when she heard him call to her.

"I'm sorry." He shook his head. She almost laughed at his words.

"There's nothing to be sorry about-"

"I love you…" He confessed. His words caused her to blush and look away from him. "I think that I always have, but I was too stupid to notice…"

"Well, you are pretty oblivious to that kind of stuff." She smiled to herself.

"I'm so sorry that I realized it too late." He sighed, lowering his gaze to the fresh earth. Reaching up, he grabbed the bandage that was coving his left eye, and harshly ripped it off, revealing the large scar that went down his eye and ending at his jaw. She gave a small hiss at the image. "I know losing my eye is not enough of a punishment for what I did."

"Inuyasha, please, don't say things like that…" She frowned at his words.

"I broke my promise and couldn't protect you." He took hold of the prayer beads around his neck, and slowly brought them up and over his head, removing them. He looked down at them sadly. "You use to always sit me, and I would hate you for it." His grip around the necklace tightened until his knuckles turned white. "What I wouldn't give to hear you say 'sit' just one more time." He laughed to himself, yet it was filled with so much sadness, it was more of a weak chuckle.

"What do you mean? I'm right here…" She placed her hand over her chest, a rattle echoing in her ears, as her hand came in contact with the chain sticking out of the gaping hole in her chest. She looked down at the chain sadly, before gripping it disparately and started to tug on it.

"I miss your voice, your smile. I swear I could sometimes hear you, even though I know you are not there…"

"I'm right here!" She shouted, her eyes already starting to sting as tears began to form in them.

"I'm sorry we couldn't make a proper grave." He bent down, placing the beads on top the unmarked grave. "We couldn't risk your future you, seeing it." He frowned. "Something about changing stuff—I couldn't really understand a word Miroku was saying, really, but—" He frowned. "If this is the outcome, I think the future should change." He slowly stood back up, sighing.

"Why do you keep talking as if I'm gone?" Her eyebrows angled together in anger. "I'm right here!" She growled, feeling frustrated. The emotions of not being seen, not being heard, came back, and she shook her head. "Stop ignoring me!" She screamed. "Talk to me!" She yelled. "I'm right here!" She kept repeating over and over again for weeks, yet they never heard her.

"Rest in peace." He spoke his last words, before turning away from the grave, and finally facing her.

"I'm right—" Her words were cut short when he walked forwards, his body going right through hers, and he continued on his way.

She looked down at the ground, her eyes wide with fear, trembling back and forth. Her knees gave in and she crumbled onto the floor. She wailed as she buried her face into the grass and cried. She gripped her head tightly, as she thrashed her head back and forth in the dirt, sobbing out in frustration.

I'm here…

There was a sharp inhale of air, her fingers digging into the soil, and her eyes snapped open with a jolt. Her lungs continued to inhale the air, about fit to burst at any moment, her eyes wide in fear and shock. When she finally exhaled the huge amount of oxygen, the deadly grip on the dirt released slowly and the clumps fell from her palm, free from her grasp.

She rose up, as if from the dead, yet when she sat up, her upper body slumped greatly, her head hanging down and her chin almost touching her chest as she stared down into her lap, her hands limply resting by her side.

Tears started to swell in her eyes, and she reached up, rubbing her face with her dirt filled hands, successfully covering it with blotches of brown smudges. She took several more deep breathes to try and calm herself.

It has been a long time since she's thought of that…

"I'm here…" She mumbled to herself as she finally felt herself relax from its shocked state. "I know I'm here, because Sesshomaru can see me." She ran her hand through her hair and sighed. "I'm not alone." She shook her head. "Even though I'm dead, he can see me…"She started repeating the same thing over—"I'm not alone." And over. "I'm not alone." She reached up to the center of her chest, and holding the chain, a nervous habit. "I'm not—" She paused, unclenching her fingers when she no longer felt the cold touch of the chain, and instead felt soft fabric against her palm. She glanced down in confusion, not seeing the cold metal, nor the gaping hole placed in the middle of her chest anymore. She raised her head, and glanced around, seeing a large group of people surrounding her sitting form, whispering amongst themselves, some even pointing at her. "Alone?"

She looked at all the people who were openly staring at her, and she tilted her head in thought. They can see me?

She glanced at herself once more, seeing that her flesh was no longer ghostly pale. She reached up and touched her face, feeling slight warmth beneath her fingers. She examined her clothes, touching her white buttoned up dress shirt, and tugged on her black slacks. She smiled to herself, clicking her boots together as her legs were stretched out in front of her, the sound making her smile spread wider and wider with every second that past.

"I'm alive!" Within moments she was standing on her feet, and spread her arms out wide, laughing to herself—

Yet she wasn't the only one laughing, for everyone else standing around her was laughing as well… yet they weren't laughing with her, so that could only mean—

"The idiot thinks she's alive!" One of the men roared out, pointing at her while holding his stomach.

"HA I knew she would say it! I win! Pay up!" Another man had his hat held in his hand, and several other people grumbled while placing what looked like money into his upturned hat.

"Wait." Kagome paused. "I'm not alive?"

"No. You're dead!" The man laughed. "D-e-d! Dead!" He slapped his knee, and laughed harder, finding it funny. "Just like the rest of us!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed at him, before she got a better look at her surroundings. She was in a town of sorts, where the buildings, if she would have to take a guess, was closer to the Meiji Era in terms of level of advancement in technology—

A flash of orange went across her vision and she growled, her hands balling into fists by her side as the memories hit her hard. Midnight stroll. Monster. Carrot-top then—

"SESSHOMARU!"

She reached over, grabbing the man's shirt and harshly pulling him towards her. She placed her face close to his as she glared down at the man, rage burning in her orbs. Some of the money in his hat spilled out, falling onto the ground around her feet.

Her powers flared, her body glowing a soft pink. The jewel hanging around her neck reacting to her call, and hummed against the flesh of her exposed chest just above her bosom.

"Where am I?" Her tone was cold, harsh, and deadly serious.

Most of the people standing around instantly became still. The man in her grasp suddenly found the situation not as amusing as he first thought, and he gulped.

"This is it?" She found herself standing before an extremely tall wall. She cranked her neck, just to try and look at the top of it.

"Yes." The man stood beside her nervously.

"I'll find a Shinigami here?"

"Yes, you will find one there."

"How will I know when I find one? What do they look like?"

"Oh, you'll know…" He mumbled under his breath, and she narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion when she saw a small smile creep across his face.

"You're not lying to me, are you?" She glared at him, yet he just shook his head.

"I swear to you, there is definitely a Shinigami there." She couldn't detect any falseness in his words, but there was just something… off, with how he was saying it—yet she couldn't put her finger on it. "If you find a way in, that is."

"I can't go in?"

"No." He shook his head, before pointing to the side. Kagome looked, and spotted a very large man—no, he had to be some sort of giant, standing by a gate, several football fields away down the very long stretch of wall. "He guards the gate—Normal people are not allowed in."

"Oh, then I guess I'll just have to jump the fence."

"Fence?" The man snorted. "That's not a fence, It's a fortress wall." Kagome rolled her eyes at him, and then bent down, stretching her legs and getting out whatever kinks that might be in her muscles from it's 500 years of not properly excising them. "There's no way you can jump a wall—" The man paused when he felt a breeze blow around him. He turned, only to raise an eyebrow when he no longer saw anyone standing beside him anymore. He looked up, and his eyes almost bulged out of his head when he saw a small dot standing onto the top of the wall, waving at him. The man slowly raised his hand, returning the wave in a daze.

"Now, to find that portal to the human realm…" Kagome turned, placing her hand on her hips triumphantly. She cringed when the sight that was revealed to her was a ridiculously huge area that looked more like a maze than anything else. She felt the weight of doubt hit her in the chest and she groaned. "How am I going to find a Shinigami here!" She motioned to the huge maze-like obstacle course that went as far as the eye could see below where she was standing. She looked further up, and saw a huge structure in the distance, placed at the end of the maze and she sighed. "When I find one, I swear— The Shinigami better show me how to get home."

She grumbled as she took a few steps, going to the edge. The jewel around her neck glowed, and she felt pressure surrounding her. After another step it suddenly vanished and she raised an eyebrow. Was that a barrier? She glanced over her shoulder, seeing a small shimmer of power behind her. She shrugged, deciding that it was not worth caring about, since she got through it…

She jumped off of the wall, feeling the wind whipping around her as she quickly descended. She landed on top of the wall with a thud, deciding that it would be faster if she just cheated and ran across the roof.

As she ran across the shingles that were placed on top of the wall, a picture of a certain silver-haired demon lord appeared in her mind and she smiled to herself.

"Don't worry Sesshomaru…" Kagome mumbled under her breath. "I'll find my way back." The image was quickly replaced by an orange-haired male and she growled. "And when I do, I'm going to kill the man who sent me here!"

A loud siren was blaring through the air, and movement was stirred up below. Kagome reached up, rubbing her throbbing ear to try and help with the ringing that was now echoing inside of her skull from the deafening sound of the alarm.

It seems they know she was here…

How did they possibly found out so quickly-? The image of the man who led her to this place suddenly appeared in her mind, giving her the answer. She growled, knowing that the snitch ratted on her, and told someone she snuck inside-

She skid to a halt, then quickly lowered her body, lying flat on her stomach against the rough humps of the shingles on the roof. Several people suddenly ran beneath her at top speed, the bald man leading them having an excited grin on his face, wishing to be the first to find the intruder.

After they ran past her, she sighed and pushed herself back up to her feet. She once again was on the run, as she jumped over the wide gap and hopped from building to building.

Hope she finds a Shinigami soon, because she wasn't sure how long she could keep up this game of hind-and-seek.

Jushiro Ukitake, captain of the 13th division, was at his family's estate, Ugendo. He was lying in bed, propped up, while reading a rather interesting book, trying to keep himself entertained while his body rested, feeling weaker than usual the past couple of days.

Deciding not to push himself, he has been relaxing at the estate and recuperating. His lieutenant was sent to the human world a while ago on a mission, and other then Shunsui coming to visit him every few days, nothing new or exciting has been happening…

That's when he heard it—The soft hum of the alarm piercing through the air like thunder. He paused in his book, turning his eyes away from the pages and over at the window that was opened beside his bed.

By the time the loud warning reached his room, the sound was nothing but a soft whisper in the wind, but he could still hear it. That alarm could only mean one thing, there was an intruder—or several intruders, inside the borders of Seireitei.

How they got past the spiritual barrier, he was not completely sure, but he did know one thing… He probably shouldn't be lying in bed at a significant moment like this.

Bending the corner of the page, to keep his place, he sighed, before slowly closing his book and laying it down on the bed beside him. He turned his lower half of his body, so that it was hanging off the edge of the bed, and he got out. The movement caused the covers that was lying over his legs to fall off his lap, and draped down the side of the bed, touching the hardwood flooring.

He calmly walked over to his desk, and picked up his zanpakuto. As he was walking over to the door, there was a soft knock on the hard wooden surface, and he paused. Another set of knocks snapped him out of his confusion, and he continued his way to the door. When he reached it, he opened it widely without hesitation.

Once he saw who it was, a small smile appeared on his face at seeing his old friend.

"I see you are up." Shunsui hummed, pushing up the rim of his hat ever so slightly. "I take it that you heard the alarm?"

"Yes." Ukitake nodded. "Do you know the details of what is going on?"

"I hear that it is a woman." The words caused a sly grin to appear on his face and Ukitake tried not to shake his head at him.

"Just one woman?" This seemed to peak his interest a little. How did she get in Seireitei?

"It probably won't be long before she is caught and questioned." Shunsui reached out, patting his shoulder with a concerned look in his eyes. "So you shouldn't worry about it, and leave it to us. You should get some rest."

"You came here just to make sure I stayed in bed." He stated, more then asked.

"Maybe." Shunsui rested his hand on Ukitake's shoulders. The white haired male sighed, knowing that his friend was right.

"Very well…" The grip on his zanpakuto tightened. "I'll stay here and continue to rest."

"Good." He gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, before finally removing it. "I'll come back and give you all the details after everything has settled down."

He watched as Shunsui turned and walked away from him, leaving him standing alone. Trying to calm himself, Ukitake took a long and deep breath—He coughed, and reached up with his free hand to cover his mouth. The breath of air he just inhaled all came out in a fit of coughs, one right after another, until his lungs were completely empty, yet he was still coughing. He forced himself to breathe, needing the air in his lungs, gasping as he held his throat, and a burning sensation started in his neck.

His free hand was on his throat, his face twisted with a look of pain, as he closed his bedroom door slowly with the same hand that still held his zanpakuto. He walked over to his bed, and sat down on the mattress.

He scooted himself back into the spot he was in before, his back pressed against the headboard once more. He closed his eyes and sighed, feeling his body relax and the burning sensation finally starting to release its strangle hold on his throat.

He placed his zanpakuto beside him, his blade leaned against the mattress, and within arm's reach. Reaching over, he felt for the familiar feeling of the leather beneath his fingertips, and he picked up his book. He opened his eyes just as he felt for the corner of the bent page he stopped at, his vision greeted with ink covered pages and a small smile appeared on his face.

Yet even though he was smiling softly to himself, trying to enjoy the book held within his hands, the soft sound of the alarm was still humming in his ears, coming from his open window. His emerald eyes held a small twinge of guilt in them, knowing that while he was lying in his room, reading a book, the other Shinigami was trying their best to hunt down the intruder that somehow snuck into Seireitei.

Kagome rounded the corner, and pressed herself against the wall, hiding in the shadows. She narrowed her eyes when she saw several blurs run past her spot. When the coast was clear, she leaned back out and glanced in one direction, then the other. Once she knew it was safe, she sighed, and then stepped out of the darkness.

These people are persistent!

She continued her run down the pathway, unsure of which direction she was headed. Now that she was on the ground, it was a lot harder to figure out which way to go, without the advantage of high ground. Yet she tried her best, while dodging the people who were hunting her down as if it were some sort of game or a way to amuse themselves and pass the time.

She has done pretty good so far, and the longer she has been running, the more she has noticed that the blaring alarm has becoming less and less annoying the more distance she puts between herself and the cause of the ear ringing nose—

Sensing someone approaching her direction at high speed, she quickly hid herself in the shadows again. She stepped into the darkness, and it wasn't a moment too soon, for a person appeared, standing where she once was just a second ago. Kagome raised an eyebrow when she caught a glimpse of a man with a straw hat, and a pink Kimono draped across his shoulders.

The people here are so strange… She couldn't help but think as she continued to stare at the man.

He raised his hand, placing it under his chin as if he was thinking about something, and he hummed. Kagome knew it would be best if she got out of there as soon as possible, before he turned his head and spotted her—Yet she didn't have much options of escape.

She placed her hand against the wall, and growled inside of her head, wondering why she was unable to pass through it like she did so many times before—Wasn't she technically still dead? How come she can't go through the walls anymore? Deciding now wasn't the best time to argue about the laws of dead-physics, she stared to back away from the male, going further into the darkness to conceal herself.

Once she was far enough away, she leaped into the air, and landed on the shingled roofing without making a single nose. She felt rather proud of herself, and then made some distance between herself and the pink samurai.

She jumped down, landing on the other side of the wall.

Shunsui removed his hand from under his chin, lifting his hat just enough so he could glance out of the corner of his eyes, towards the rooftop where the lovely lady slipped away. He hummed, lowering his hat back down and shading his eyes, a sly smirk spreading across his face.

Kagome paused, surprised to find grass beneath her boots when she landed. She crouched down, and reached out, touching the green blades with a look of awe across her face. Plants grow in the spirit realm?

She hummed to herself, when a thought came to her mind. That's right, they called this place something else, didn't they? Soul society? The place she is in now, is the center headquarters, or something like that—Seireitei, that's what that man said, if she wasn't mistaken.

"Oh well." She pulled out a single blade, and stood up, the piece of grass still held within her fingers. "It doesn't matter I suppose." She began rubbing the blade between her thumb and pointer finger, enjoying how the plant felt under her touch—Something she hasn't felt in almost 500 years. "I have to concentrate on finding my way back home."

She was once again focused, as she walked across the yard, and turned the corner around the house—

"Holy …!" Kagome eyes widened, the blade of grass that was between her fingers slipped out. Her eyes started to sparkle with life, as she looked out at the scenery before her.

The place was huge! She gasped in pure amazement as she walked several feet into the ridiculously huge back yard. It wasn't as big as Sesshomaru's, but the fact was, she wasn't expecting such a grand area in a place like this. Was she at a lord's house or something?

She couldn't help but wonder as she stared at all the plants, trees, and even the large lake that was in the center of the yard—She raised an eyebrow when she saw a huge fish jump out of the water to catch a flying bug that was above the surface. Was that a carp?

Animals where in the spirit realm too? She reached up and scratched her head, wondering why this place seemed so different than what she always imagined it would be.

She was in the spirit realm, for Pete's sake! She was expecting clouds underneath her feet, or something unreal, but this- It seems so… human—Earthly, if she could dare say it.

Speaking of earth…

An image of a certain sliver haired demon lord appeared in her mind again and she sighed. She has to get back to earth right away, before he gets too lonely without her and missed her…

Even though he would never admit it.

Kagome was taking a stroll on the wooden walkway that went around the outside of the house, taking comfort in the shade from the extended roof. This place seemed different than the other buildings she has come across while she was running. Maybe she will find a Shinigami here?

Kagome closed her eyes and sighed, thinking, hoping that she will be home sometime soon. She glanced to the side, expecting to see a tall white haired male beside her, yet her heart ached when no one was by her side, enjoying the small stroll with her.

Her eyes lowered, and she reached up, touching the jewel that now dangled just above her bosom. She fiddled with it between her thumb and pointer, watching it shimmer beneath the sun's rays.

Hard to believe that such a small jewel, caused such a headache to not only her, but many of the people that was unfortunate enough to come across it— A flash of sliver was seen in the corner of her vision, and her head turned with a sharp snap, her heart soaring up to her throat.

Sesshomaru?

Yet the image of her demon lord quickly disappeared, and her fingers wrapped tightly around the jewel, as disappointment sank into her chest. She was left standing there, staring at the grassy yard with a dark look overtaking her expression—She paused when a soft noise broke her depressing thoughts.

What was that? She looked around, trying to figure out where it came from. Sounded like something fluttering—The sound came again, and she angled her eyebrows together in thought. Almost like… paper?

She glanced over her shoulder, and curiosity flashed through her blue orbs when she spotted an open window. She walked up to the edge of the window, and placed her hand against the wall. She leaned out, peeking just enough to look into the room— She gasped, and she quickly raised her hand to cover her parted lips.

"Sesshomaru…" She couldn't help that his name slipped out, as she stared at the white haired man before her.

He was lying in a bed, which was conveniently enough, right by the window. He was propped up against the headboard, the thin sheets pulled up to his lap, while he was reading a book that was held in his hand. His long white hair was cascading down his back, some draping over his shoulders.

He calmly reached out and turned the page in his book, the familiar sound entering her ears and she smiled. So that was what the noise was…

His emerald eyes were completely focused on the book before him, darting back and forth as he quickly read the page. A calm and gentle aura was surrounding him, which was completely different from the demon lords, but Kagome couldn't help herself when she imaged that it was Sesshomaru sitting before her.

Suddenly a soft expression appeared on his face and he smiled—Kagome's eyes were filled with warmth, and she could feel heat rising into her cheeks at the sight. It must be an interesting book…

Kagome suddenly looked down in thought, before she placed her hand under her chin. She glanced over at the grassy yard, wondering if she should talk to him. He seemed nice enough, maybe he could help her?

She glanced back over at the male sitting on the bed. She took a deep breath and sighed. It was worth a shot, if it meant she'll be able to find a way home…

"Hello." The word fell from her lips as she walked out in the open, revealing herself, her hand still placed on the frame of the window.

Ukitake paused in his reading. Did he just hear something? He glanced over, yet raised both his eyebrows in surprise when he saw a woman standing in front of his window.

He didn't even sense her… Where did she come from?

"Hello." She repeated, removing her hand from the side of his window frame, and placing it on the bottom frame instead, supporting herself as she leaned a little into the room.

"Hello?" He knew a confused look was on his face as he blinked at the woman.

She just smiled at him and he hummed. The woman was barely an arm's reach away from him, and he couldn't help but take in her features. Raven hair, blue eyes, her attire was not that of a Shinigami, which was more than a little odd—He paused, when a thought flashed in his mind, the soft sound of the alarm barely humming in the background reminding him.

"I hear that it is a woman." Shunsui's voice echoed in his mind.

The intruder was a woman. He repeated as he looked at her. If the fact that he has not seen her before did not give her away, her outfit set off more than enough warnings for him.

Slowly, he moved his hand, reaching for his zanpakuto that was still leaning against his bed, without alarming the girl with what he was doing. He continued to stare into her blue orbs, hoping to distract her so she couldn't see his hand reaching for his blade.

He wasn't sure what this woman was wanting in Seireitei. She didn't seem violent or wanting to do any harm, but he wished to have his blade in his hand, in case she should strike at him.

The woman leaned a little closer to him, and he caught the scent of vanilla floating towards him. "I didn't mean to disturb your reading." As she spoke, his hand inched closer and closer to his blade. "But I was wondering if you could help me?"

"Help you?" He kept his eyes trained on her, his hand finally brushing across the hilt of his weapon. His fingers wrapped around his hilt—He froze in his movements when the next words came out of her mouth.

"Do you know where I can find a Shinigami?"

Merry late Christmas everyone! Hope you enjoyed the update!

I was thinking about making this story Ukitake/Kagome/Dark Ichigo/Ichigo/Byakuya Lol as you can tell I still haven't decided where to take the pairings. XD

Please give me your input, and tell me what you think, and who Kagome should be with.