A/N: hey guys! lucky for you I got a new beta (princess of the western lands, remember to say hi and thanks to her.) so you could be expecting updates once the site gets working properly again. :). Also thank you so much to all that have favored my story and to all that are reading my work. So here's another chapter...

Chanter 4 : Stay the night

After dinner they enjoyed a few quiet moments as the kids slept on the couch. Some light conversation was made to pass the time. When the clock struck 10 Sesshomaru stood thanking the woman for the hospitality and went to wake Rin.

"Rin." the girl stirred. "Come, we must get to the hotel while they still have rooms available."

"Hotel? Do you live so far Tashio-san?" the woman asked from the kitchen, while putting the now clean dishes away.

"No. But that hell hole is hosting a party tonight. And since the moving trucks will be here in the morning, a hotel would be acceptable." he didn't want to tell her, they actually came a long way from North. The girl protested at being stirred and wouldn't wake.

"It's been tiring for the kids. Why not spend the night here?" she spoke from the dining table, folding the table cloth. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I mean, waking Rin now will make it impossible for her to fall asleep again." he sighed. Though he was not pleased with leaving his daughter here for the night, the woman had a point. He nodded.

"I apologize for the inconvenience." He said as Kagome smiled looking down at the two snuggled to each other.

"Nonsense. It's no trouble at all." she waved the thing off.

"Thank you. I will return in the morning." he grabbed his coat and headed to the door.

"Why?" he turned looking at her confused eyes. "You're welcomed to spend the night here as well Tashio-san." he thought about the option but then frowned.

"When does your husband return Mrs. Higurashi?" she blinked.

"Husband... Mrs.?" she frowned in thought. Then she slapped her forehead blushing. He stared at her. What a strange woman, of course he would ask of her husband. How trusting could this woman be? She laughed. "I'm not married." she smiled, eyes sparkling. "Don't have a boyfriend either. I'm a miss." she laughed again.

"Hn." he frowned again.

"I apologize, Mr. Tashio. It wasn't on purpose." with the sweet smile on her lips she extended her hand to him. "Kagome Higurashi, unmarried and not in a romantic relationship with anyone at the moment, single mother of my adopted son, Shippo, currently on medical leave nurse. Nice to meet you." his hand took hers gently and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of her palm. She blushed a deep red. His eyes stared into hers.

"Sesshomaru Tashio, single father, home-working dad." he grinned against her hand at all the information she had given him. It's not like he didn't love his late wife anymore, but he knew it was time to move on now. Rin had made that evident today; she needed and wanted a mother. The woman in just a few hours had spiked his interest and was free to claim. "Still you are a bit too trusting." he commented. She waved him off.

"I can see a good person from the first minutes in the same room. And besides, Hatsuyo would just love a new bone to chew. " Her eyes darkened. He could barely stop the cold shiver that went up his spine. He wasn't afraid of dogs regardless of size, but going head-on with one of her dog's size would be foolish. Her smile lighted her face again, and the weird atmosphere was gone.

"Well then, we should put the kids in bed." he gave her a nod and took Rin and Shippo in his arms easily. Kagome smiled and showed the way to Shippo's bedroom. It was as you climbed the stairs to the right. With them tucked in bed she showed him his room for the night, to the left of the kid's room, at the top of the stairs. "You can find a change of clothes and bathing supplies in the closet Mr. Tashio." she said from the doorway.

"Sesshomaru." he corrected, putting his jacket on one of the chairs.

"Sesshomaru-san, then." he pulled the clothes she mentioned from the closet. They still had the price tag attached. He looked at her. "My younger brother goes to collage here, so when it gets near for the year to start I stock up on things he might need and doesn't have time to shop for. He'll soon be about your height so these should fit comfortably." so it was not her habit to have men stay over. He unconsciously breathed in relief.

"Thank you, Kagome-san." he half smiled his thanks. She blushed and hurried to leave to let him rest.

A/N: Thank you for reading, a new chapter will be up soon. R&R!