Thanks to all of you who reviewed...there's over 90 people who have reviewed, so I'll post all the new reviewers next chapter, 'cuz it's really late here. I have a lot of homework, and I had family visiting this past weekend, so I didn't get a chance to post until now. (I got to ride on the back of a Harley...eheh...I screamed a little...but it was fun!) But I really want to thank you for reviewing. Ya'll don't get enough credit. If I had a billion dollars, you would each get a million. But I don't...so you get to pat yourselves on the back. (I know...not as good. But...what are you going to do? SIGH.) --...so...on with the story, and enough of my babbling! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Six

"And this my lady, is where I must leave you. I have training to do." Sorahiko smiled as he stood by the door while Kagome seated herself at the table.

"Okay, Sorahiko. I'll see you later, then!"

"Of course, my lady."

Just as he left, another person entered.

"Good morning, Kagome-chan!"

"Good morning, Rin." Kagome smiled as the little girl skipped into the dining room to eat her breakfast.

"Is Kagome-chan going to teach Rin today?"

"Hai."

"Yay! Then stinky Jaken won't yell at Rin!"

"Why would he yell at you, Rin?"

"Jaken-sama does not like Rin. He calls Rin a stinky ningen. But Rin knows that Rin does not smell bad. Jaken-sama does!" She giggled.

Kagome could not help but laugh. Oh, if only that ugly green toad were in the room. Then she would really crack up. After she ate her breakfast, however, she got her wish.

"You!" Jaken came, toddling into the dining room, pointing at Kagome.

"What do you want, toad?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Stinking ningen girl! I am to show you what you are to teach Rin! After that, you are finally out of my hands!" He glared at Rin, who stuck her tongue out at the toad youkai.

"Well, what are we waiting for, then? I'm sure you have much more important things to do than to watch us 'stinking ningen girls'."

"Follow me, wench."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him, and before he could blink, the toad youkai was laying face first on the tatami mat underneath him, groaning in pain.

"I don't have to take that kind of treatment from you, you stupid ugly toad thing!"

Jaken managed to sit himself upright and push his form from the floor to stand.

"You lowly ningen! How dare you insult a youkai such as myself?" He pointed his staff of heads at Kagome, ready to use it when he heard a deep, cold voice come from behind him.

"Jaken. You will cease this immaturity now."

He turned to see Sesshomaru glaring down at him with his golden orbs.

"M-master...please...this lowly Jaken begs for your forgiveness!"

"You will wait in my study for Kagome. Rin, you will go with Jaken."

"But Sesshomaru-sama..."

"Rin." He warned. "You will do as I ask you. There is something very important that I must speak to Kagome about."

"Hai, Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin smiled and followed the grumbling Jaken out of the room. The servants went their separate ways, leaving Kagome and Sesshomaru facing one another alone. Which made Kagome somewhat the kiss they shared not an hour earlier.

"Um...Lord...Sesshomaru..."

"Kagome."

She nearly crumpled to the floor at the way his voice resonated when he spoke her name. It was heavenly.

"You...wanted to talk to me?"

"Hai." He walked over to where Kagome sat, and kneeled down to her.

"What is this about?"

"I just received a letter from an ally in the Eastern Lands."

"Okay...what does that have to do with me?"

He hesitated, not sure of what to say. When Ryuuhei had spoken of Naraku looking for a young miko, he had immediately known, for some reason, that the miko he spoke of was Kagome. But he would not mention this to her, for he knew it would worry the miko to no end. Besides, Naraku would be killed before he could even reach Kagome.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

"There is a battle that has ensued."

"Okay...still missing the point here..."

"Naraku is involved."

Those words stole her breath. She hated that hanyou with all her heart for what he had done to her friends.

"N...Naraku..."

"Hai. He has killed many of Lord Ryuuhei's men. I have been asked to join Ryuuhei in the battle against the hanyou."

"But...that means...you'll be leaving..."

"Hai."

"And...I'll be here...alone..."

"You will not be alone. Sorahiko, although he is sending his men along with me to fight, will stay behind and run the castle while I am away."

"When...when are you leaving?"

"Today."

"To...today?!" She exclaimed, the color draining from her face.

"Hai." He searched her eyes. Tears were beginning to well in their depths, and he could tell that she had been greatly upset.

"Why are you upset, Kagome? I will return."

'He...used my name again!'

"But...we...I...I mean...we..." She stopped in mid-sentence.

'What if I mention the kiss...and he...he gets mad at me? What...if he...what if he did it just to...what if he didn't mean it?'

"We what, Kagome?" He spoke softly, so as not to startle her. He knew what she was trying to say, even if her words failed to convey the message. Her blushing and glances from his face to the floor told him everything.

"This...this morning..."

"The kiss." He stated plainly.

"Umm...hai..."

"You assume the kiss meant something."

"Well..." She paused. Hadn't he? Would he have done something so impulsive if he hadn't felt anything?

"Well?"

She didn't answer. He sighed. Women...especially ningen women...were so embarrassed to express themselves in front of him when it came to intimacy.

"Did...did it?" She muttered, refusing to look him in the eye.

As Kagome pondered on what he would say, hoping against hope that his answer would be 'Hai,' she felt Sesshomaru take her hand in his. This turned her head, finally, to face him.

"Wh...what are you doing?"

"It got you to look at me." He smirked.

"Well...I...didn't want to!" She snapped.

"You wouldn't have if you didn't."

"Please...answer my question..." Kagome pleaded.

"Did you want it to mean something, Kagome?"

Her heartbeat sped into overdrive.

"Wh...what do you mean..."

"Did you want the kiss to mean something more than just a kiss?"

"I..."

'Did I? Or did I just enjoy it a lot? Or...is...what I thought about earlier...am...am I in love with Sesshomaru? I don't understand how this can be possible. I've not even been here that long! And he treated me so badly...when I first got here...but...I couldn't...I wasn't afraid of him...after Sorahiko explained things to me. And...when we kissed...and all those other times I was with him...being with him...just...feels right...'

He could tell that she was truly thinking her answer over carefully as she closed her eyes, and her breathing quickened.

'I don't know what I should say. What if he doesn't feel the same way?'

But her heart and her mind were both telling her to confess to the taiyoukai how she truly felt. And so, she gathered her courage, and, looking the stoic demon in the eye...

"Hai. I did."

Her eyes never moved, focusing only on his, to wait for his answer. But it never came, because before she could ask him how he felt, Sesshomaru had claimed her lips once more.

--------------------------AT THE EASTERN LANDS----------------------------------

'Soon, I will have that miko. I will be upon the Western Lands soon, after I kill off the rest of those in the Eastern Lands. She will come to me...and I will take what is rightfully mine from her. The remaining jewels of the Shikon No Tama...I know she possesses them. And then I will kill the bitch. Slowly and painfully.' Naraku smirked evilly to himself as he slaughtered yet another soldier from Lord Ryuuhei's army. He was getting closer to killing Ryuuhei himself.

'Victory will be mine.'

-----------------------BACK AT THE CASTLE-----------------------------------------

Kagome was the one to break the kiss, taking a deep breath.

Sesshomaru stared at her, smiling faintly.

"Wh...what...was your...answer..." She panted.

"You should know this by now. Do you need another demonstration?" He leaned closer to her, until his nose was touching hers.

"You like me, then."

"Hai, miko. I like you."

"But...but...why...?"

"You dare to question me?" He threatened playfully, raising an eyebrow.

"Hai." Kagome smirked.

"I see. Well. It is because of your nature, I suppose. No one...has ever challenged this Sesshomaru in the way that you have. You have dared to go against me in nearly every rule I have set for you. And though you have been punished, you have not shown complete fear towards me. You are strong."

"But...I'm...not a demon. I'm not even hanyou."

"This Sesshomaru realizes that you are not of demon breeding."

"But..."

"You ask too many questions, girl." He smirked. "You should accept that I care for you and leave it at that, before I change my mind."

"You would?"

"Do you really wish to find out?"

"No."

"Good then."

They sat in silence, staring at one another for a moment, before Kagome smiled and began to laugh quietly.

"What is so funny?"

"You!"

"Me."

"Hai!" She giggled.

"And why is this?"

She sobered a little before clearing her throat and speaking.

"Because...I always thought you were so mean, and you hated anything that walked. But now...now I see...that you're just..." She stopped in mid-sentence, laughing so hard that her sides hurt.

"Just what, Kagome?" He was beginning to get slightly irritated.

"You're...just..." She laughed again. 'I just can't say it without cracking myself up!'

Before Kagome could try again to say what was on her mind, she felt herself being scooped into the warm arms of Sesshomaru, who was racing out of the dining room and down the hall at an alarming speed. And before she could scarcely blink twice, she found herself being deposited on a futon of warm furs in a room she had not seen since she had been at Sesshomaru's castle. She glanced up at the taiyoukai, confused.

"Where are we?"

"My bedchambers, Kagome." The stoic taiyoukai grinned, his eyes dancing with amusement. He could tell that the girl was somewhat shaken.

"I'm sorry...what?"

"Privacy, miko. There are prying eyes and ears in my castle."

"Oh...okay...heh..."

"Now...what was it that you were trying to tell me? Ah. You thought I was mean, and I hated anything that walked. But now I'm just...what?" He stood above her on the futon, waiting for her answer.

"Um...big, cute...and...fluffy?"

"Hn. I see. So I do not intimidate you any longer because I have confessed that I have feelings for you." His smile faded into his usually cold mask.

"No...that...heh...that's not my point..." She stuttered as he kneeled on the futon, and crawled to her, slowly making his way to her body.

"Then your point would be?" He inched ever closer to her, causing her to panic.

'Maybe I shouldn't have said that! Oh...kami...this is not good...' She knew she could not run, however, for he would catch her.

"I...don't have one...?"

In less than a few seconds of her answer, he had straddled her body, his hips against hers, hands on her waist, and his hair surrounding him in an endless silver stream.

She shivered slightly as he ran his claws down the sides of her waist, her kimono fabric tickling her body.

"And what am I now, Kagome?"

"Sesshomaru...you're..." Kagome was interrupted when she heard a tiny voice at the end of the bed.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Kagome-chan?"

And then...

"You stupid, insolent little...Lord Sesshomaru! Please forgive this lowly Jaken, Master! The little wench escaped when I was not looking..." Jaken ran into the room, staff in hand. Sesshomaru growled.

"Leave us."

"But, Master..."

"I said, leave us, Jaken."

"Hai, Master!"

The toad scuttled out of the room.

"Kagome-chan?" Rin spoke again.

"Hai, Rin?"

"What is Kagome-chan doing in Sesshomaru-sama's room?"

"We were...talking, Rin."

"But Sesshomaru-sama is on top of Kagome-chan!"

Immediately, realizing the compromising position they were both in, Sesshomaru and Kagome shifted so they sat by one another on the futon.

Kagome blushed profusely.

"Uh...heh...that's all we were doing, Rin. Honest. We were just talking. Right...Sess...Lord Sesshomaru?"

She waited for him to answer. Instead, he beckoned for Rin to walk over to him. She obeyed, and he whispered something into her ear that Kagome could not make out. Rin smiled and climbed up on the futon, crawling in between Kagome and Sesshomaru.

"Kagome-chan?" She turned to Kagome, eyes bright and excited.

"Yes, Rin?"

The girl's grin widened.

"Sesshomaru-sama told Rin a secret."

"Really?"

"Hai."

Kagome smiled back at Rin, but looked up at Sesshomaru, questioningly. He simply shrugged.

"Kagome-chan."

"Huh?"

"Sesshomaru-sama told Rin that Rin could tell Kagome-chan what the secret was."

"Um...okay...what is it?"

Rin looked back at Sesshomaru who nodded, smiling. Kagome glimpsed at Sesshomaru for a moment, noticing the smile that graced his more than handsome features.

'He really ought to smile more often. He looks...so...real. So...much more appealing.'

"Kagome-chan!"

"Huh? Oh. Yes. The secret. Tell me."

"Sesshomaru-sama told Rin that Kagome-chan likes Rin a lot."

"Hai, Rin. I like you." Kagome laughed.

"Sesshomaru-sama says that...that Kagome-chan can stay here if Kagome-chan wants to...and then maybe Kagome-chan will love Rin."

"Wh...what?"

Rin turned back to Sesshomaru, and he nodded. Rin hurriedly left the room.

"I am asking you if you will remain at the castle, Kagome."

"You know I will. I..."

"Not as Rin's teacher...Kagome."

"Then..."

"You have only been here for a number of days. And in that time, you have defied me more than any youkai or ningen woman has dared. You have also shown compassion towards my...daughter...and through it...you have not feared me as others. You are different, Kagome. For this, I have found myself becoming more and more intrigued by your presence...everything you are."

"Thank you...Sesshomaru...sama..." Kagome whispered, tears welling up in her eyes.

"You have done something to this Sesshomaru, miko."

"I didn't mean to..."

"Hai. You didn't. And neither did this Sesshomaru."

"Then..."

"You do not love my brother any longer."

"No...I don't...I stopped loving Inuyasha the moment I saw him kissing Kikyo..."

A tear slid down her cheek. A clawed finger came to her face and delicately wiped the tear away. As he drew his hand from her face, Kagome reached out and took it in hers, bringing it to her chest, where he could feel the steady beating of her heart.

"Inuyasha broke my heart, Sesshomaru-sama. He had always loved Kikyo. Even when he was with me...he thought of her. I could see it in his eyes. It was just a matter of time before...well...before it happened. I thought I would never get over it...and I...when you brought me here; I was going to go home and forget about everything...about the Sengoku Jidai. I hated you for taking me away from my only chance to escape heartbreak...to escape pain. But if I hadn't stayed, I would have gone home and I wouldn't have come back. I would have never gotten over Inuyasha, because I wouldn't have been given the chance. But...every time I was with you...every time I've been with you since you brought me here...it feels like...I was supposed to be all along. And...even after...you...hurt me. I was angry for a while, but...I couldn't stay that way. I couldn't fear you. And...I don't know why. And then I had the dream, which made things somewhat clearer for me. I knew I couldn't return to Inuyasha, but you would not let me leave. But...I realized that...even if you had let me...I wouldn't want to. Because the truth is, you've made me feel more like I belong here than I ever have anywhere else in my entire life. It's like...like you're...my..." More tears began to flow as Kagome tried to finish her sentence. She tightened her grip on Sesshomaru's hand, and he could feel her heartbeat quicken considerably. Kagome drew in a long breath, and spoke with the utmost conviction in her voice.

"Like you're...my...soulmate..." She whispered.

It had been what Sesshomaru had, oddly enough, felt all along. The reason he could not kill her. The reason he felt as he did at that very moment. An overwhelming feeling of awe and amazement overcame him as he realized what Kagome had admitted to him.

"Then you feel it too."

"You mean..."

"Hai. I cannot explain it...and there is very little this Sesshomaru can explain. And...I have realized that you are indeed a ningen...a miko...nonetheless. But I am drawn to you. As you are undoubtedly drawn to me. You were never meant to be with...Inuyasha."

Kagome cried out in happiness and in pain. She had finally found the one she was supposed to spend her life with...but at the expense of losing a friend, and having her heart broken. Before Kagome could move, she found herself in Sesshomaru's lap, her head cradled against her chest.

Sesshomaru was baffled at his reaction to what had happened. It was as if he knew how to care for the miko. Like she had belonged to him the entire time...whether she was ningen or not...he knew her. He ran his fingers through her silky black hair as she sobbed into his robes, letting her emotions flow through her like runoff from a waterfall. He gripped her tightly, giving her the physical contact she so desired from him. Her small fists grabbed a hold of his haori and held on for dear life. He managed to hear through her sobbing, three words, before she calmed herself and fell asleep in his arms.

"I...love...you..."

(A/N: Sorry I took a little while to update, and I'm not really sure how good this chapter actually is. I don't really have a whole lot of...ahem...experience writing love scenes, never having been in one myself. So forgive me if it sounds a little cheesy or stupid...I'm sorry, and I'll do better! I'll try to update soon, as my school schedule allows it. Um...I'd like a lot of reviews this time...flames or otherwise--although I hope I don't get any flames. I'm really trying here, folks! Thanks!)

CitrusSeverus