Disclaimer: I only own the story, not the characters. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi! Although any characters I throw in are also owned by me!
Crime and Punishment?
As soon as Sesshomaru left the room, all eyes were on Kagome as she nervously fidgeted where she was standing. Inuyasha was still dumbstruck that his only brother was alive and well. Kagome sighed and turned to the old cook and said in a gentle tone, "I am sorry for all this, Kaede, I do hope that we have not bothered you too much."
"Think nothing of it, my lady. You were not the one that started this catastrophe, therefore upon Inuyasha's form.
Out of embarrassment, Inuyasha grumbled, "I do not know why I should be apologizing but sorry and all..." He then turned and marched out of the room as quickly as her could without running.
Kagome smiled at his childish reaction to having to apologize and excused herself to go find Sesshomaru. Kaede watched her go with a smile on her face and said to no one in particular, "I always liked lady Kagome, she has something special about her."
...
It was a bright and sunny mid day when Kagome walked out into the gardens. Letting her eyes adjust to the bright sunlight, she smiled pleasantly as she slipped off her geta as she walked further into the garden. She loved feeling nature around her and loved walking through the lush grass of the gardens. Humming as she went along a undermined path, she found herself standing at the edge of a little stream thar ran through the middle of the garden separating the flowers from the vegetables. Kagome found herself deep in thought when a iridescent figure stopped along side her and looked at what she was looking at through her half closed eyes.
Opening them fully, she turned to face the man next to her. She did not know why but he made her nervous when ever he stared at her with those light but intense eyes of his. Kagome decided to break the silence, "Thank you, for helping me back there. "
"Inuyasha was acting like a child. He should have been more respectful in another's home." He looked at her carefully and then turned to walk toward a sakura tree. As he stopped and waited for her he stated calmly, "I was protecting my assets. It was not done intentionally."
Kagome gaped at him, registering the calmly stated insult that was lain at her feet. She knew better then to throw a fit over such a sentence but she could not help from glaring at him as she marched over to where he stood. Before she could come up with a come back, Sesshomaru looked past her and took a few steps away from her.
"We have company. Stop blushing, you will make them suppose that which is not true.'
Kagome looked up at his face with a questioning gaze and turned in the direction that he was already looking. Two people walked calmly across the grass towards where she and her companion were standing. Another man was trailing after them as if he did not want to come. She instantly recognized the three as her mother, Inu no Taisho and Inuyasha. Taking a deep breath, as if ready to do battle, she smiled at them as they approached.
"Mother, Inu no Taisho. Welcome. It is a beautiful day is it not?"
"Hello, Kagome. Yes it is, beautiful. Although I am afraid that we did not come to enjoy the weather so much as to talk." Her mother said as she looked from one silver haired man to the other. She smiled slightly to show that it was not a bad talk and that there was nothing to fear.
Inu no Taisho stepped passed Kagome and stood directly in front of his son and tried to embrace him, only to pass right through his son and end up behind him facing the tree. He turned and moved his hand through his sons form once again before returning to where he once stood being careful not to walk through Sesshomaru again.
With a sigh he said, "Hello my son, it has been too long. I am exceedingly sorry that this was your fate."
"Father." Sesshomaru said with a curt nod of his head. Kagome had noticed that Sesshomaru's back had straightened more and that he talked very formally towards his father, careful not to show any emotion on either his face or in his eyes.
It was in this time that Inuyasha reached the small party and started to rant about what had occurred in the kitchen not an hour before, "See?! I told you, father, it is him." He smirked even more as he continued, "And she was the one that caused a very loud scene, very rude if you ask me. I mean all I was doin' was requesting dinner be brought to Kikyo and she had to get all snippy 'bout it! She needs to learn respect for her betters."
All eyes turned to Inuyasha as he ranted. They stared at him until he was finished with what he had to say. Then they turned back to Sesshomaru and Kagome.
"How did this happen? Why can we see you now?" asked Inu no Taisho in a hushed voice. He looked expectantly at his son, who he assumed would answer. However a small voice caught his attention to the small woman standing next to his son.
"I tried to break the curse, although I have only managed to break part of it as of yet. I used my holy powers and he just started to appear in front of me." Kagome explained as she blushed at how many people were staring at her. Although it was only three pairs of eyes, she felt as if it may as well be a hundred with how she was feeling.
"Holy powers? You could have purified him or worse killed him! Foolish girl! Have you no care for what could have happened?!" snapped Inu no Taisho when he had heard Kagome's explanation of the previous events.
Before Kagome could step in with her own words, her mother's voice broken the deafening silence, "If you would allow me the opportunity of reprimanding my own child, I would be most grateful. You can deal with Inuyasha's blatant lying and I will deal with Kagome's lack of thought and propriety in these matters." She looked at Kagome sternly as if daring her to speak out of turn. She then turned and started to make her way back to the main house.
Biting back her objection, Kagome sighed dejectedly as she made to follow her mother out of the garden. She could not have walked more then two feet before a shadow hand stopped her from moving forward any more. Kagome looked down and then followed the long arm back to the owner. She nervously laughed and made to side step the appendage all together, but a low growl stopped her dead in her tracks.
"Stay."
Kagome looked from Sesshomaru to her mother and back as she debated whether to listen or not. Before she could make up her mind, the choice was taken from her by one single sentence, "She has unfinished business here."
A/N Okay so here you go! Seven chapters all in a matter of days! I will not be posting tomorrow as I have recently lost a loved one, and am going to a funeral tomorrow! I apologize for the inconvenience but it can not be helped! Thank you all for your patience and once again... PLEASE REVIEW. Seriously, it makes my day when people review. :)
