Chapter 7

Being back home was exciting, yet at the same time, boring. For starters, Kagome couldn't seem to get out of her old routine. Every morning, she awoke insanely early, shocked not to have a backache or someone screaming in her ear about breakfast. Then, she'd open her eyes and remember that she was back in her own time.

Not to even mention school. Everyone asked questioned her about her most recent ailment and Hojo constantly assaulted her, asking to carry her books for her or help her to class (supposedly, her most recent "disease" had to do with the temporary paralysis of a limb). All of which she politely declined and rushed forward into the mob of students to escape his ongoing hospitality.

Even her friends were being unusually hard on her.

"What is with you, Kagome?" one of the said as the raven-haired girl sighed and looked out the window longing to be somewhere else. Somewhere with no school (at least not like this).

"She's obviously is trying to recover from her overwhelming sickness." Another replied snootily. Kagome was paying them no mind. All her thoughts were a day away. 'Tomorrow,' she kept thinking to herself, 'tomorrow, I go back and he'll be waiting for me.'

"No, I don't think that's it." Another, much more observant and insightful friend said, "I think this has to do with something else. Something… guy related!"

Kagome was instantly startled from her stupor. She looked from one friend to another, seeing the grins forming on their faces.

She groaned and dropped her head on the table, "Not again."

They all attacked at once. Even as the questions were flying at her nonstop, she answered them all in her head. Her friends never paused long enough to her to get two words out.

"What's his name?" way too confusing

"What's he like? Is he hot?" if only you knew.

"Does he always make you feel this way?" Let's not even go there.

"What makes him so special?" you'd never understand

"It's not that other guy is it? Cause he's a big jerk, Kagome." The raven-haired girl smiled slightly; wish he could hear you say that.

"Is he different than all the others?" in more ways than one.

"What school does he go to?" not one you'll have ever heard of

"Are you guys in love?"…

I don't think he knows how to love

At that, the girls let out with screeching laughter that Kagome almost immediately silenced.

"Girls!" Kagome suddenly made her opinion known because she'd finally had enough, "there is no boy!" she slashed her hand through the air for extra emphasis. They all stared at her, crushed to see how serious she was. Kagome rolled her eyes and doodled absentmindedly in her math book showing them that she was no longer interest.

Completely lost, her friends wandered onto more safe topics like clothes and hair. Left to burrow in on her own thoughts, Kagome went a bit deeper into her last one.

Did Sesshomaru know how to love? Had he ever loved anyone before? Well, besides him, of course. Was there ever a time he'd thought of someone before himself?

Kagome thought that maybe, if he hadn't, she'd like to teach him. If there was anything he could really learn from her, it was how to love. She'd practically thrown it to Inuyasha, but he'd already learned how from someone else. He didn't need, or want her lessons.

Maybe she was wrong to go from one demon to another, and not just another, but the brother. Maybe she should just forget about Sesshomaru and Inuyasha both. She was a young, healthy woman! What did she need a man for? Why in the world was she allowing herself to stress so much over something so completely unnecessary?

Yeah. That's what she'd do. Stop talking to Sesshomaru and deal with Inuyasha the way she used to. She and the demon lord should never have gotten so close in the first place. It simply wasn't meant to be. That was it. Just forget about them both.

But Kagome lifted her hand and stared at it, recalling the feel of his skin against her fingertips. And suddenly, the last think she was doing was forgetting. All she could manage to do was remember.

Remember how much he'd changed. Remember the random kindness of his smile. Remember the warmth of his arms; the kind of warmth she'd never thought she'd get to feel. Remember the sweet comfort of his last words.

And with burst of laughter, she remembered how lost she'd been before him. And knew she'd never make it.

***

"Sota, I'm going again!" Kagome called up the stairs. Her little brother came running down, hair tousled and sock halfway off his foot. When he spotted her humongous backpack, his face fell dramatically.

"Aw, already? But you just got here!"

Kagome smiled and ruffled his hair, "I know Sota, but I promised someone that I'd come back today."

He perked up a bit, "Who? Inuyasha?"

Kagome tried not to wince. Her smile became terribly fake because she was forcing it so hard, No, not Inuyasha. Someone else." His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to speak but Kagome didn't give him the chance, "Well, I'll see you in a little while. I'll probably be back when I run out of passionfruit." She grinned and held up the brown paper bag in her hand.

"But mom gave you enough to feed an army!"

"Yeah, and an army is what I'll be fighting off the second everyone gets a whiff of these."

"Kagome's bother smiled victoriously, "Yes! Well, see you soon, Kagome. I'll tell Mom you said bye!"

She was laughing even before she got out the door. When she looked down into the well however, all that changed. After what happened when she left, she wasn't sure she even had a place back there. In fact, if it wasn't for Sesshomaru, she probably wouldn't even consider going back. That was just it. Her whole reason for leaving was the only reason she had for coming back.

If she just backed away now, there'd be nothing to worry about. Kagome's problems with Inuyasha would disappear because she'd never see him again. Never have to pretend not to hear him sneak of at night again. Never have to act like it didn't hurt when she saw him with Kikyo again.

Just the thought made her eager to turn around. What would she give to never experience that kind of pain again? But what about the other one; Sesshomaru? What could she possibly say to him?

Kagome remembered what he said before she left, that she had more to come back to than just Inuyasha. Was that really the truth? Did he really feel that way about her? Would he miss her if she never showed up in the well today? Or any other day, for that matter.

Kagome shook her head to erase those stupid thoughts. Most certainly not. He wouldn't care if she came back or not. More likely than not, this was just a game for him. Something to do between killing people and trying to the Tetsuiga. Sesshomaru thought of no one but himself, which was probably the smartest thing he could ever do.

That way, he'd never be hurt.

Regardless of the truth, Kagome just couldn't accept it and walk away. Much as she hated to admit it, over the weeks, she'd grown to feel something for the icy demon lord. It had to be the worst thing she could ever do, but it happened and she couldn't protect herself in time to prevent it. With him, she hadn't thought she had to.

And he made her promise.

Kagome didn't care if he was just a good actor. He'd seemed really upset that she was leaving and he'd cut her days down to three.

It was almost as if he couldn't stand to be away from her.

Regardless, a promise was a promise. Kagome took a deep breath and jumped in, preparing for whatever was waiting for her on the other side.

***

Three days, three days, Sesshomaru decided, was much too long. It would be two next time. No, there wouldn't be a next time. It was so dull in this world when the girl wasn't there. Sesshomaru had grown quite accustomed to her going to meet her in the woods each day. To break such a set-in custom felt strange to him, almost unnatural. Now, he lounged around his castle, refusing to speak to anyone or handle any business. Without Kagome, his ambition as well as his attention for everything was gone. He was just lazy.

Sesshomaru couldn't even remember what he used to do before he'd begun talking to the miko. Was he ever doing anything worthwhile at all?

It didn't matter. Whatever it was was nothing compared to all the joy he was getting from wooing this naïve woman into trusting him.

And plus, it was day three. Kagome should be coming through the well at any moment.

Kagome. The demon lord realized that he referred to her by her actual named when in his mind. Never once had he spoken it aloud and certainly not to her. He wouldn't give her the pleasure of knowing so much of his time was spent on thinking of her.

Well, actually, it was probably too late for that. What'd done, Sesshomaru decided, the day she left was the stupidest thing ever. Not only had he practically begged her to stay, but he'd touched her. Actually physically taken her into his arms and held her in a way that could possibly be interpreted as intimate.

It was true, Sesshomaru wanted to get close to the miko but he had just crossed every line and defied any rules he'd set out for himself. The frightening part of the whole ordeal was that if the opportunity were to present itself once more, he'd probably do it again.

The demon lord wondered when, without his knowledge, their relationship had taken a turn in the completely wrong direction. And why he, being the observant demon he was, hadn't seen it coming and in fact welcomed it more than rejected.

No matter, Sesshomaru pushed it to the back of his mind. It was the time for him to go wait for the miko. But instead of rushing through the forest like he usually did, Sesshomaru walked, taking the girl's advice for a change.

'Sometimes you should take a break from speeding through things and places, and sneaking up on people' she'd said with an expression he'd grown to recognize as her head being somewhere up in the clouds. 'Sometimes, you should just do what I do: walk. And look. And listen. Then you'll really start to understand where I'm coming from when I explain things to you.'

As he strolled through the trees, leaves bright green and crisp, he did begin to understand. Her point of view was more, soft, shielded from the horrors and pains of life. She always looked for the best in everything and he could see it in all the things around him.

Arriving at the well, Sesshomaru paused to listen to the birds' music and marvel at how beautiful they were. Music wasn't something he paid too much attention to any longer, so to hear it after so long was quite a surprise. The demon lord perched on the edge of the wooden well, surrounded by new sounds and perspectives and actually enjoying something he didn't know a thing about.

***

Kagome didn't even get two feet into the well before she was lifted out and deposited neatly on ground. Sesshomaru, after releasing her, stood a couple feet way not smiling, bland as ever, but Kagome knew him too well. She could tell he was glad to see her.

"Wow, Sesshomaru, you're actually here!" she exclaimed. And it wasn't exactly fake either. She really was surprised to see him. Honestly, she figured he'd have forgotten about her by now, so lost in catching up on things he hadn't been able to do for a month.

"I said three days, did I not?" he inquired simply. Kagome smiled and pushed her book bag off, massaging her shoulders.

"Yes you did. But I mean gosh, I wasn't even waiting for five seconds!"

The smile that had been fighting to surface finally split his face. "On the contrary, miko. I also believe I told you that it would be I who would be waiting, and it would only be for you."

Damn. Mistake already. Why was he doing this insane 'flirting' she'd spoken of? Why couldn't he go back to the way it was before they started talking? Why was this girl making him turn away from everything he'd ever known?

The raven- haired girl's smile went a bit brighter. "All right, all right. Goodness. And the mighty Lord Sesshomaru always keeps his word."

Words formed of their own accord, Sesshomaru almost seemed to be watching this happen without being able to stop it, "Finally," he said, "you're beginning to get it."

At first, he was cursing himself for his lack of control but when he heard her laugh, he decided he no longer cared. Compared with the way she left; tears streaming down her face, eyes showing her heart as it broke, smile looking so forced it was a shock her cheeks didn't fall off; it was worth it. Of course, it wouldn't happen again, but in this case, his momentary slip was excusable.

"Ah. Home was nice but there's absolutely nothing as beautiful as being here." Kagome sighed as she surveyed the land she'd grown so familiar with. Along one side of the old well, deep green ivy grew, little dots of pink and white making it look like a canvas. All around her, tiny daisies and tulips laid among grasses waving gently in the light grass. Kagome honestly thought that there was no where back home that liked even remotely as serene and beautiful.

Sesshomaru watched as she closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath. As she blew it out, her eyes opened slowly and she sighed again. "It always smells so wonderful here."

Kagome's long, ebony hair sparkled as the sunlight caught it. To Sesshomaru, it seemed like all her joy and energy was being reflected by the sun into an image of the night sky with stars spread randomly, twinkling at him. For a moment, it captivated him but he chose to ignore it. To pretend he didn't even see it.

"Did you enjoy being back home?" he asked, startling Kagome from her thoughts. She looked at him and blinked, biting her lip.

"Yeah. It was nice seeing all my friends and family after so long. And I'd forgotten how good the food was back home." She paused, but Sesshomaru could sense that there was something else she wanted to say.

"But?" the demon lord prompted. Kagome smiled a bit. How did he always do that? She looked away from him, at a little blossom she hadn't noticed before. It grabbed her attention and she was tempted to touch it.

"But… like I said, nothing is like being here. I would've preferred just to stay."

Kagome pushed away from the well and walked over to the flower, enraptured. Without any hesitation, she lay down on her stomach in front of it and lightly fingered its petals. It had to be the strangest flower she'd ever seen. The inside of it was a bright yet dark yellow, like a crayon or a marker. But it wasn't just a bubble or a circle. It sort of went up the flower at a curved point and the color above it was orange. The orange started bright right where it met with the yellow, as though the two colors were mixing but the closer it got to the top, the darker it got until it was almost red. The flower itself was practically closed, in the shape of a teardrop. It was odd because it looked as though it hadn't full bloomed but when she got close enough to see the petals, she could tell it was fully grown.

"It is called Dragon's Breath," Sesshomaru said. Kagome looked up sharply to see him standing in front of her, looking dawn at her. She gazed back at the flower, still captivated by its simple beauty. "Also called Fire Bulb because of its shape and coloration," he continued to explain, "do you not have these in your time?"

The miko shook her head slowly. "I've never seen anything like it."

"There's a sizable patch in my garden."

Kagome glanced at him with an arched brow, her attention finally diverted, "You have a garden?"

He nodded, "Quite a large portion of my land actually. Flowers of every kind grow there. I believe you would enjoy it."

She smiled as she was struck by the image of Sesshomaru in a straw brimmed hat and gardening gloves with a basket full of peonies and a trowel, "I bet I would."

Without thinking about it, Sesshomaru told himself that he had to take her to see his garden. Obviously, if she could enjoy nature so much, it would be something she would lose herself in.

"So how did you manage while I was gone?" Kagome asked, still lying on the ground.

The demon lord shrugged, "Fine."

"Did you get anything done?"

"Of course," he lied. In fact, he didn't get a single thing done. Not that there was really anything to do, but still. She definitely didn't need to know.

There was a twinkle in the miko's eye, "Important demon lord stuff?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, "What else would I possibly do?"

Kagome chuckled softly then looked at him with an innocent expression, "Oh, I don't know."

The demon lord panicked, but she didn't see it. It was only in his head. She seemed to realize that he hadn't gotten a thing done since she left. How could she tell? He'd been very careful not to portray any emotion.

Maybe they'd been spending too much time together. It seemed as though she could read him too easily.

"Well, miko, I'll leave you now. I've matters to attend to." He told her calmly. She looked up at him, somewhat upset that he was going so soon. She just got back! Never the less, she knew he'd never stay if she asked him to.

"Okay," she said, standing, "see you later." And with that he disappeared. With a sigh, Kagome realized that now she had to go back to camp. Where Inuyasha was.

Now, she wished she'd stayed home longer.

Kagome shouldered her bulky backpack, bending to support the weight, and began the slow journey to what was bound to be hell itself.

***

"Kagome, I apologize for what I said to you before you left. It was extremely rude of me and I honestly didn't mean any of it. Please forgive me."

That's what was waiting for her when she got to the camp. The raven-haired girl stared at him in complete shock as he stood in front of her, practically groveling.

What the hell happened while she was gone?

"Um… okay, I guess. Oh, and I'm really sorry for what I said about Kikyo, too."

Inuyasha winced as though it hurt to hear her name. Finally, Kagome understood. Something had happened with the priestess. Something that showed him how bad she truly was and now he was coming for forgiveness. Now, he must realize that kagome had been right all along.

Part of her rejoiced; finally he knew the truth. Another, bigger part of her ached for him. How horrible it must've been to realize that the first woman, the only woman he ever loved only wanted to wreak havoc on his life.

"Yes, well, what's done is done." He replied, then he disappeared the same way Sesshomaru did.

Strange. He hadn't said anything about his brother's scent. Kagome knew it had to be all over her.

Could her really be so hurt that he didn't even notice something so important to him? Or did he just not care anymore?

'Stupid Kikyo,' kagome thought bitterly, 'everywhere you go you're ruining lives'

***

When Sesshomaru entered the clearing, the miko was sitting on the ground, her back against a tree, legs stretched out in front of her, eating something. It smelled sweet and she seemed to be greatly enjoying it for it took her a moment to look up and see him.

"Oh, hey Sesshomaru." She acknowledged him quickly, and then went back to her food, cutting it into chunks with a small knife.

Though the demon's original intentions were to tell the girl that he could no longer meet with her every day and say nothing else, his curiosity got the best of him.

"What is that you are eating miko?" he asked, stepping closer to her and sinking to the ground, "I've never seen anything like it and its smells are foreign to me."

Kagome paused in hacking up her fruit, "It's a passionfruit. They come from my time, so you probably won't find any here." She explained. A silent moment passed where Sesshomaru tried to recall if he'd ever seen or smelled it before and Kagome shifted it from one hand to the other.

The miko had noticed that something seemed strange about him when he first showed up. He was almost completely stiff and frigid; the way he'd been when they first met. She hoped that he'd shaken off whatever it was restricting him, because she'd hate to start all over from the beginning.

"Do you want to try some?" the miko asked, startling Sesshomaru from his thoughts. His eyes focused and he looked at her, her eyes questioning as she offered the passionfruit, "It's really good."

The demon lord eyed the fruit cautiously. "Is it safe?" he asked, always careful.

Kagome couldn't help but laugh at that. Normally, it would irk him but this turned out to be one of her bubbly giggles that he favored so it was okay.

"I really hope so." She replied, an eyebrow quirked up in a most amusing way. Sesshomaru had to restrain himself from smiling. "Here, take this." She carefully carved a small piece out of the middle of the fruit and handed it to him.

If she had been eating it all that time, then it must be okay. Sesshomaru took it from her and inspected it thoroughly. Kagome had already busied herself with the laborious task of cutting a new piece. Normally, he wouldn't eat something that he never heard of before, but he felt as though he could trust the miko. Plus, he felt a strong urge to try the passionfruit. As though it was extremely important, or would become such.

With a mental shrug, Sesshomaru popped the small square into his mouth. He was immediately shocked by the juices that flooded into his mouth and ran in streams down his throat, taking over his senses. It was a million things at once; an explosion of various flavors, none he could specifically name but all seeming as though he knew exactly what it was, he just couldn't recall the words to name them. Amazingly sweet with the slightest tang; the fruit was absolutely succulent. It was something Sesshomaru had never, ever tasted before; such a new experience, but he knew right away that he liked it. Normally, he wouldn't go for sweet things like that but this… passionfruit was something so diverse from his usual yet seeming to fit in place with him perfectly. He knew that no mater what it was, no matter where it came from, he had to have it.

"Good, right?" Kagome's eyes twinkled as she asked the question. She'd been watching him the whole time, had seen the shock on his face.

"Yes," he answered with ease, "very much so. How can I acquire more of this passionfruit?"

She grinned, "My mother loves these things. When I go back home again, I'll get tons more for you, but for now we can share this one."

YAYAY!! I finally finished it! I'm really sorry that it took me so long to finish this one for you, but I've been really really busy over these months. Some of that time has been occupied with writing a new story! Its called With This Kiss, and all you romantics will REALLY like it! I would love for you to read it and review to tell me how it is because it starts of really sweet and mushy and everything! Just let me know what you think, because not a lot of ppl have read it and I'm a little worried that maybe it isn't good. But trust me, if you like Passionfriut, then you'll absolutely love With This Kiss! More updates soon, I promise! As always, read and review please. I always love to hear feedback on each chapter.