A/N: I promise this is/will be a Sess/Kag fic, just give it a little more time.

Song: Stranger By: Katie Costello (she has many other beautiful songs as well. I suggest listening to "Anywhere Place" and "Loat and Far From Home" when you next find you want some peaceful music)

~Hymns of a Lost Soul~
The Lies We Tell Ourselves

The days passed slowly in my wooden prison. Everyone seemed to grow and move on around me. I still ached for my family that had been taken from more, for the friends I had lost. But I needed to move on. InuYasha and I were newly mated and I could not present him an unhappy wife when he returned from his daily work. His proposal had not been the most beautiful or romantic by far but I cherished it because it was mine, one of my few possessions left, and because it was from him.

"Kagome?" I didn't look up from my scrubbing, the trickle of the stream tickled my wrists. "Kaede-baba said you were looking for me?" I had been looking for him a few days ago. He'd left on another of his weeklong disappearances. Now I wasn't so sure I wanted to find him. "Kagome," A hint of annoyance crept into his voice, "why are you crying?" Curse his sense of smell. I shook my head, willing him to go away. I had volunteered to do the wash for just this reason. I was tired of crying in front of those I loved. I needed to be brave, to heal, even if only in pretense. "Kagome!" He demanded. His hand rested heavily on my shoulder in an attempt to turn me. I turned my head even further from him. InuYasha removed his hand from my shoulder and slipped in behind my knees, his other arm supporting my back. Silently he carried me to rest against a tree at the edge of the forest. His eyes searched mine. "Ka-go-me. Tell me what's wrong." I couldn't look into his eyes and still refuse him.

"Why did it have to happen this way?" I sobbed and all my emotions broke lose "Why did they have to die? Why did the well have to seal? I'll never see my family again and no one will ever be able to tell them I survived the battle! They'll always think-" A thick sob, "always believe that I died. And now I'm left here all alone, all my dreams are gone!" With an awkward tenderness rarely afforded to anyone, InuYasha grabbed my hands and stayed silent as I cried myself out. When I was through I searched for his eyes, only to find them hooded beneath his long white hair. "InuYasha?"

"I had always thought…I mean, I asked the night before the battle. Do you not want to be with me anymore?" The rush of joy I should have felt was not nearly as strong as I was expecting. However, considering it was greatly overshadowed by my angry confusion it was not surprising.

"But you left! You are always leaving! I thought you had given up on me, that you had changed your mind! Why are you doing this to me? Don't you know-"

The sudden pressure on my lips startled me, forcing my eyes up in front of me. IunYasha's eyes were mere inches from mine as he clumsily pressed against me. It took me a few moments to respond. But, closing my eyes and shutting out the image of his furrowed brow, I did. There were no fireworks like I had imagined, like I had been told. And when he laid me down on the cool autumn grass I felt no anxious anticipation like I had dreamed I would. It seemed all too sudden, too forced. If asked, I would have professed my apprehension and desire to wait. But it was InuYasha, and I loved him. His hands on my skin, pushing my clothes roughly away, felt dirty, and I shivered. But that was only natural. I was a virgin, I would of course feel slighty guilty about giving myself wholly to another. And when it was over, far sooner than I had been taught it would, but far later than felt comfortable, I turned to my side, shivering with more than just the cold. But as I closed my eyes, I managed a smile. I had finally mated InuYasha. We would grow and learn more about eachother. I would carry his children and we would grow old together. And at the moment, that was all that mattered. InuYasha had been the thing I cherished most, and if I had to lose everything else, at least I had him.

My reminiscing came to an abrupt halt as InuYasha pushed through the door mat. A tender smiled touched my lips.

"InuYasha." I wove my arms around his neck and kissed his turned cheek.

"Kaede-baba says the villagers want to see us both, something about a gift." I groaned softly. I was instantlytorn between wanting to spend time alone with InuYasha and being all too curious for my own good. I knew myself far too well to think I would be able to concentrate knowing a surprise awaited me. So, I bounced back from InuYasha, grabbed his clawed hand, and stepped out towards the setting sun.

"Isn't it wonderful? A place of our own!" The villagers, grateful that we had defeated Naraku and saddened by our losses had built InuYasha and I a hut near the edge of the village. For a brief moment when presented with the offering I was shocked that I had not realized something new was being built in the village. However, I so rarely left Kaede's hut so it made a good amount of sense. InuYasha, however, must be very good at keeping secrets or didn't notice it either even though he had barely spent any time in Kaede's hut since the final battle. Currently, I busied myself with exploring the new hut. It was only slightly bigger than the other huts in the village but that made it a mansion here. The delicate carvings etched into the wood and expertly woven window and door coverings attested that no effort had been spared to make this hut a home. The hut was divided into a main room which was about half the size of the whole structure and to two smaller back rooms, one slightly larger than the other. 'The smaller one is for a nursery,' a middle aged village woman had supplied with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, 'but will be a good place for your young charge until then.' I ran my hands along the bench built into the far wall. The wood had been expertly chosen and polished.My heart brimmed with gratitude over this gesture. "Isn't it beautiful, InuYasha?" Startled by his name, he looked up at me, eyes clouded with the last vestiges of a fleeing daydream.

"Hm?" I sighed and knelt next to him, using his shoulder to support my head.

"Where were you just now?" A strange look passed over his face.

"I was right here with you…Are you feeling ok?" His hand pressed against my forehead and I batted it away, laughing.

'"No, I mean in your mind. You were somewhere else."

"Keh. I don't know what you're talking about." A quick sniff ripped an angry sound from InuYasha's throat, "I hate the new moon! I sense a thing as a human. It's degrading!" A small voice came from near the fire where a thick stew was warming.

"Rin is human. She likes it." InuYasha didn't spare the poor little girl a glance.

"Keh."

"I know what will cheer you up! Dinner is almost ready." With no pretense, InuYasha stood and made his way to the larger of the two back bedrooms.

"I'm not hungry." Rin looked to me as the mat closed behind InuYasha. I sent a soft smile her way and turned to test the stew. I should have known by then that he was never happy on his human night. It was understandable. Had I suddenly gone lame, deaf and dumb, I would be irritated too. After dishing up a bowl of stew for Rin, I set the ladle back into the pot and watched as a small water droplet followed soon after.

I put Rin to bed after dinner but I needed some air before I could turn in. Out of pure habit, I made my way to the Goshinboku. Halfway there a heavy presence stopped me. After scanning the edges of my senses I relaxed. This aura was not a threatening one. But, before I could resume my journey, a large figure landed in my path,

"Sesshomaru. Welcome back."