Chapter 2- Working Public
She smiled at the hyper active teenage kitsune. Shippo was a redheaded ball of energy. He babbled at her about his new girlfriend as he typed in her information for her new sets of id. She knew that her smile was kind of hollow and she knew that it didn't reach her eyes, but something about her reminded her of her older brother.
"Hey, Ms.?"
"Oh, my name is Yori."
"Yori?" Shippo looked at her strangely.
"It's the meaning. I don't think I can call myself my actual name yet, until I get myself out of this situation."
"I think Kagome is a great name. The Way of the Bow is flexible, as is the weapon. A minor detail like this is not something that could keep you down for long,right?" Shippo grinned at her.
"I only want to be called Yori." Yori stated firmly.
"If you want to." Shippo said as he typed the renewed name.
"Thank you." Yori said softly. She felt bad about being so rude, but she only did what she thought was her right.
"You're Welcome." Shippo spoke calmly, then glanced over at her.
"If you want to talk to me, then I'm here. I know Sesshoumaru is a scary guy, and I don't think he's got a compassionate bone in his body. But then there are only certain things that you tell some people."
Yori looked at him but kept quiet. She knew that sometimes someone outside the drama is often the best listener. They didn't know any of the involved parties and they could only offer their view. But telling this young boy that she'd allowed someone to beat her.... It was apalling.
"You don't have to tell me now. I just wanted you to know the offer was there." Shippo continued with his lightening fast typing.
Finally he printed out a two sets of cards. Both had her picture on them, but they differed. One set had her chosen name on them, while the other one proudly displayed her biological name. Her smiling face stared at her from the second set. These were the same ones she'd taken before she'd gotten married.
"Thanks again, Shippo-kun."
"Again, You're Welcome." Shippo smiled at her.
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Sesshoumaru and Sango stared at one another over the table. Sango refused to blink. This was something that she wasn't going to budge on. Kagome needed this.
"Hn. You make a good proposition."
"This is my cousin. I'd do anything for her." Sango spoke firmly.
"I admire your loyalty. The onna deserves it. She's not as fragile as you are making her to be. It took him four years to even manage to crush her, but she's not broken." Sesshoumaru suprised Sango with his intensity.
"I think he needs to be arrested."
"The police aren't going to be able to take care of him properly. True the criminals would beat on him for his sentencing, but jail is too good fot the disgrace. I'm taking this to our Alpha. Father will discipline him appropriately, giving me secondary rights to punish him as I see fit."
Sango shivered at the malice in his voice.
"But back to the discussion. I want Kagome to report to the Taisho Inc building A at 9:00. She will report directly to me. I need a new secretary and I do believe she will do fine."
"Fine, I'll tell her when she gets here. She went to see that boy."
"Shippo spoke to me before she made it there. He saw her from the window. He will be walking her back here."
Sango hmmed in agreement and watched as she saw Kagome and a redheaded young man walked down the sidewalk. Kagome held his arm as she pointed up at something, and the young man looked up pointed at something and nodded. They both laughed and Sango could see the hapiness on Kagome's face. Shippo or whatever his name was looked to be completely capitavated by whatever she was saying.
Sesshoumaru had a different reaction as he watched Kagome's face. Happiness made her glow. She had an ethereal beauty that could be awe-inspiring with the right light. And when she laughed, his chest hurt, and his body ached.
Then Shippo opened the door to the cafe and Kagome walked in, her face slightly hidden under the brim of her wide straw hat.
"Hello, Sango. Sesshoumaru-san. " she said to both of them, and then with a dazzling smile for Shippo. "Thanks, Shippo-kun."
"It's ok. Hey Sesshoumaru. Hello, Sango-san." Shippo spoke cheerily.
"Um,uh....Yori." Sango said.
"Yes?" she asked. Her blue eyes kind of dull, but wide.
"Sesshoumaru and I thought you might want a job or something." Sango said quietly.
Yori's eyes brightened. "Really?"
"Yeah. Sesshoumaru said you could fill in at the Taisho Inc has an opening for a secretary."
Yori looked hopefully over at Sesshoumaru.
"You mean it?"
Sesshoumaru looked suprised for a moment.
"Yes. This Sesshoumaru doesn't make idle promises."
"Then I accept. It will mean so much to me to be able to pay you all back."
Sango, Sesshoumaru, and Shippo all stammered about it not being able to accept it.
Yori looked confused, but she schooled her face into a calm mask.
"If I can pay you back, I'll let you call me Kagome."
All three turned to look at her with varying stages of disbelief.
"I mean it. If all of you will let me pay you back, I'll let you call me Kagome. I'll even use the name instead of Yori."
Shippo spoke first.
"I didn't ask you for payment, and if you want to offer it, I just want to say that you've given me trust and that means more to me than some money you want to pay me."
Sango looked at her cousin.
"Kagome, you're family. Family doesn't take payment. My payment is knowing that you are safe, and that's all I'm taking."
Sesshoumaru spoke last.
"I do not require payment. I am helping because I see a woman who needs to find herself again, and my payment will be seeing that happen. Strong women are born, they are not made, and you are the strongest woman I have had the pleasure of knowing. Therefore when part of your new family offers something you take it without complaint simply because seeing you well is payment enough."
Sango and Shippo blinked at him.
"Can I change my answer to something all wordy and poetic like he just said. Cause I wanna say the exact same thing." Sango asked.
"Ditto." Shippo commented.
Kagome laughed, and then smiled.
"Then I'm gonna need help, finding myself you know."
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HE sat at the table with a couple of pieces of paper in front of HIM. She left, and she wasn't wandering around on the streets. She wasn't at the Shrine and Sesshoumaru, the bastard, he hadn't seen her. Her mother had returned HIS call with a chilling voice message that her daughter had better be found.
The only other person she would have gone to would be Souta, her brother, or that bitch of a cousin of hers.
Sango.....
"I'll get you my pretty. And your little dog too."
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Sesshoumaru, Sango, Kagome, and Shippo piled bags of things into the back of Sesshoumaru's car.
"I do not believe I have ever been there before." Sesshoumaru said as he started the car.
Shippo snorted.
"No, why would the almighty Sesshoumaru step foot inside a Wal-mart?"
"It is a reasonable store. It has everything you need all in one handy location."
Now Sango snorted.
"Handy? You've been watching the commercial."
Kagome snickered.
"You. I have something that belongs to you." Sesshoumaru said to Kagome.
"You do?" Kagome asked, her blue eyes confused.
"Yes." Sesshoumaru reached up into the visor of the drivers side and placed a silver key into Kagome's palm.
"A key to Sango's apartment?"
"No,a key to your own lodgings.
"I can't take this."
"Did we not just discuss this?"
"But you're giving me an house!"
"Not me. Shippo, your family, and I. Your mother and I spoke."
"You spoke to my Mama?"
"Yes, and she said that I was to let her know when you were moved in so she could bring you some of your items. She thinks you may have need of them."
"Oh, Souta and I brought you a car!" Shippo chimed in from the back, producing a key to what looked like a Honda.
"I'm mad. Did no one think to tell me anything?"
"Well, we knew you would have done the whole, I can't take this because I didn't pay for it. Etcetra, Etcetra." Sango chirped.
"Fine. I'll take them. But I don't have furniture so I can't stay there."
"Wrong. A benefactor furnished your housing. He said that he will be meeting you soon."
"But......"
"He will not find you. The house and the car are both paid for and the house is under a name that not even he will be able to recongize. The car is registered to the same name and the bills and things for your housing are being sent to my own lodgings. He has no way to trace you."
"But......."
"The house is in a guarded complex. No one not registered onto the system is allowed to get in. As your family, we are already registered, but he is on the not to visit list."
"But we figured that you would still have your doubts, and so you have a guard dog." Sango said from the backseat.
"A dog?"
"Yes, a fully trained American Bull Mastif is your housemate."
"Fine. If I'm going to be safe, and nothing will happen to the dog....What about my scent?"
Shippo grinned naughtily.
"I took care of that. He can't smell you, because the scent he knows for you has been altered drastically. Just make sure that you always wear these earrings." Shippo took a pair of earrings off and passed them up to Kagome.
"Won't he be able to smell me since I'm just putting on the earrings?" Kagome asked.
Sesshoumaru looked smug. "I took the liberty of masking your scent until you could see Shippo today. He'll lose the trail on the outside of the street from your former lodgings."
"I didn't know that you could do all of that?"
"I am old, there are many things that I can do that you are not aware of."
"Fine." Kagome mumbled as they turned into a gated community.
A uniformed guard stopped the car, and Sesshoumaru rolled down the window.
"I am Sesshoumaru Taisho. I'm going to return Hatsumoto Takaherashi to her home."
"May I see your id sir?" the guard asked, Sesshoumaru passed the requested document over.
"Very well. Have a nice night, ladies and gentlemen." the guard waved them on through.
"Who is Hatsumoto Takaherashi?"
"Hatsumoto is my mother's name. She is aware of the half-breed, and thinks that his mother and he are a waste of skin and space. She will be meeting you soon as well. Takaherashi is a name that Sango and Shippo thought up." Sesshoumaru answered as he pulled in next to a maroon colored Honda Civic.
"How many bedrooms?"
"Three, though one has been converted into a study."
"Bathrooms?"
"Three and a half."
"Living room, Dining Room?"
"No dining room, I thought you might like having a little nook for something like that." Sango said.
"I would."
"So, Sesshoumaru installed a one-way window as a window seat."
"Wow. Thanks, Sesshoumaru."
"None are needed."
"Oh, we installed an alarm system too. The code is 2043." Shippo said.
"We will come in, and Shippo and I will examine the house. Then I will take these too home and return. I will stay here for two days, enough time for you to get used to the home and become comfortable." Sesshoumaru said.
Kagome stared at him. As did Sango and Shippo.
"You're going to stay?" Shippo asked.
"I shall." Sesshoumaru stated confused.
"Hmm." Sango announced.
"Can we get out of the car? I don't think I'll need you to stay, Sesshoumaru."
"If you are sure."
"I am." Kagome said as she got out of the car. Sango was already unloading the bags.
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Kagome waved Sesshoumaru, Sango and Shippo off as they backed out of the driveway. Prometheus, the American Bull Mastif, sat politely next to her. She smiled at him and he woofed, as he followed her back into the house.
Kagome put away the bags and set the alarm for the house. Prometheus padded into the room ahead of her, and curled onto the dog bed at the bottom of the bed, while Kagome settled into the bed.
"Good night, Prometheus."
Prometheus woofed again and then all was silent, as Kagome, feeling safer than she'd felt in four years, drifted into a dreamless sleep.