A/N: Erm... I don't own it, I don't want it, the Anthem is Japan's and the other song is mine. Have fun with it. Review, please.

Sarah and Koji woke up again at about noon. Unfortunately it was because of a knock on his door from a servant wondering if he was hungry. He was glad she didn't open the door as he refused her offer. Sarah happened to wake at the noise, very embarrassed to be laying naked with a naked man.

Koji, on the other hand, enjoyed the pink flush of her cheeks as he stood up and stretched before lifting her up and bringing her in the shower with him. He wished he could have used the opportunity to make love to her again but he had no condoms and he was sure she wasn't on birth control. While he liked kids, he didn't want to be a father yet.

Both teenagers dressed quickly and quietly, knowing that today was going to be a long day. After they told her father about their mating, she still had to form some sort of speech to announce to the public how glad she was to be joining the company. Koji watched her face as they headed out the door to walk back to her house, against Koji's protests about her leg, seeing the busy expressions cross her face. He gently kissed her and grabbed her hand.

"We'll be fine, Sarah. He'll understand. I have every intention of marrying you when we're legally allowed to and I mated you to because I love you. If he doesn't understand our love then his opinion won't matter." She was shocked as he continued to limp along.

Jakan answered the door with a smile for the couple.

"Hello, Jakan. Where is Papa?"

"He's still in his office. Would you like me to send for him?"

"No, we'll go see him. Is Mama with him?" Jakan nodded. "Thank you. Could you send up something cool to drink for the four of us?"

"Of course, Sarah-hime."

As they started for the stairs, Sarah listened as Koji mumbled, "Things are going to get plenty heated." She slapped his arm playfully but knew he wasn't really joking.

Sarah knocked on the door and heard her mother call out consent to enter. Kagome was sitting on the corner of the desk, sitting at and angle where she could see who was entering. She smiled as she saw her daughter clasping hands with Koji.

"Hey, Mama, Papa. We have to talk to you," Sarah started, biting her lip. Koji squeezed her hand in support. "I know you're going to be upset, especially you, Papa, but I hope you'll hear us out before lecturing us."

"I don't like conversations that start like this," Sesshomaru said, putting down his pen and gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk.

"I hope it stays a conversation," Sarah put in and sat beside Koji. Not knowing where to start, she took a deep breath and-

"We've consummated our relationship, safely, and we've mated," Koji told them.

"Consummated?" Kagome gasped.

"Mated?!" Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed in anger and his voice firmed.

"Are you guys ready for that kind of deep bonding?" Kagome asked, moving to sit on her mate's lap to keep him from killing Koji.

"Yes, mated, and we are. Of course, we're going to wait to actually start a family and such, but we decided, together, that we can face our challenges together, now and forever."

"No."

"Uncle Sesshomaru, I don't think it's really your decision-"

"Kagome, take Sarah to her room."

"Sesshomaru, be reasonable. They're young but-" he snarled, moving her gently onto her feet.

"Go, now."

Kagome huffed in anger and stormed over to Sarah. Her daughter stood but wouldn't move to the door.

"I love him, Papa. You may not understand it but I do, and I know love has no age restrictions. Love happens, as simple as that. If you can't respect that, then I don't want to know who you've become." And she flew past her mother and up the stairs.

"Sarah, wait!" Kagome turned to her husband. "You can be so much like Inuyasha sometimes. It kills me!"

Koji sat and waited for his aunt to leave before standing and facing Sesshomaru. The two scowled at eachother a few minutes before Sesshomaru sighed and sat back, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Koji sat, grateful that he wasn't yet dead. If he wasn't now, he knew he'd probably live through the experience.

"Do you have any idea how hard being mated is? Or marraige or having pups? Do you have a clue how to support her other than emotionally?"

"We'll figure it out. Besides that, we havn't eloped, Uncle Sesshomaru, we mated. I don't intend to steal her away in the middle of the night."

"No, just in mid morning," he stood up, his back straight and his arms crossed over his chest. "With everything that's been going on lately, did you ever consider that she doesn't understand what comes with mating? That she doesn't know what she's getting into? She doesn't have a beast like you and I, or a voice that helps her understand her demonic traits. She thinks that a mating mark is just a mark of claim. Sarah doesn't understand the emotional baggage that was just tossed on her."

Koji blinked and frowned. He hadn't thought of that. He just assumed when she said okay that she knew about... that she knew.

"That was my mistake for assuming. I'll explain everything to her and-"

"No, I will. I don't want you within a hundred feet of her until I know she knows what mess you just put her in. Koji stood up, enraged.

"You can't keep me from my mate," he growled.

"I will keep you from my daughter until I know exactly what's happening. Go home, Koji. You'll see her at the party tonight, I'm sure." Koji analyzed the look in Sesshomaru's eyes and growled a curse before walking out.

Jakan was at the door as Koji stormed by. He carried a try with four drinks and an ice pack. Sesshomaru rubbed the bridge of his nose with his forefingers.

"Sir-" Sesshomaru moved and started for Sarah's room, gesturing with his hand for Jakan to follow.

"Sarah, your father's just a bit upset right now, no surprise. When he calms down-"

"Mama, he should have seen in the first place. I love Koji, he loves me, and all cliche aside, we know what we're getting into. It took time to figure it out but we've got eachother. That's all that matters," Sarah told her mother as she inspected her throbbing leg. Stomping on the first step was not the best way to relieve some of her anger.

Kagome sighed and sat next to her daughter. She didn't like the look of her leg but that wasn't what was hurting Sarah the most right now.

"You don't know all there is to mating someone, Sarah. Of course their's the physical aspect but there's also a deeper connection-"

"Through the mark. I'll know how he's feeling and he'll know how I'm feeling no matter where we are. I already talked to Raiden about it a long time ago. He left out the physical part," she said with a blush. "But I know about the 'deeper connection' as you put it. And I'm ready to be with him, Mama."

"I'm sure your father doesn't know that you know that, though," Kagome stated.

"Say that five times fast," she murmured. Sarah put her hands behind her head and laid back. "Whether I knew about it or not, don't you think that it's my responsibility to find out? Besides, it's too late to kill Koji now that it's done. He doesn't trust me to make my own decisions, and that hurts."

Sesshomaru had been listening with Jakan outside of the door for a few minutes now. Listening to his daughter made him feel like sludge. How was he to know her brother had talked to her about mating? He knocked on the door and stepped inside.

"Sarah, we need to talk."

"No, you feel the need to lecture me. Papa, I love him. Why isn't that enough?"

"You don't know-"

"Yes I do! I know all about the mark, about relationship struggles, about the commitment, about the partnership-" she thanked Jakan as he came in and gave her a glass and the ice pack. She imediatly placed it on her leg and hissed at both the pain and the cold. "So what is so bad about relationships that you want to stop Koji and I?"

"I want you to be sure, Sarah. I don't want you to be hurt."

"What could Koji do that would really hurt me?"

"Things get hard in relationships sometimes and you're both going to get hurt and hurt eachother," Kagome said, grasping Sarah's hand.

"I know!And when I don't, we'll work together to learn. You and Mama don't have an entirely painless relationship. You had to learn on the way as well, right?" she asked. Kagome and Sesshomaru looked at eachother. Kagome raised an eyebrow when her husband grinned.

"I've had more than one foot in my mouth in this relationship, but we were both out of school when we got together, Sarah. We were older and didn't have our hormones raging when we-"

"No, we didn't have raging hormones but we had plenty of raging passion." Her daughter gagged. "Sarah, it's tough to start a relationship and even harder to keep it working smoothly," she frowned. "But if anyone can do it, it's you. Be ready for change, okay? And Sesshomaru? Let her grow up, okay? She's our little girl even though she isn't a little girl."

Sesshomaru sighed and sat on Sarah's other side. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She shifted to sit in his lap and wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you, Papa. My loving Koji won't change that. And I won't be going anywhere for a while. I have to help Mama with my baby brother or sister," she said and held him tight. He nuzzled her neck and sighed.

"You're too young to grow up," he argued.

"You're too old to complain," she laughed as he began to tickle her. Then she yelped as she fell back on her leg. Kagome handed over the ice pack and took another look at Sarah's injury.

"We should get that checked out. It may be worse than it looks," KAgome suggested.

"It's not. It feels better than it did this morning. I just agrivated it when..." she blushed. "At Koji's house earlier." Sesshomaru shuddered. He didn't know if Koji would survive if Sarah told him about their mating session.

"Sesshomaru, you may want to leave the room. I want to have a girl talk with SArah and you're not invited," Kagome ordered. Sesshomaru grimaced as he walked around the bed. Then he grabbed Kagome and growled in her ear. She laughed and smiled at Sarah. "I think he's jealus because I want to hang with you more than him-ah!" he lifted her up and shifted her to cling onto him. "Put me down, you brute. I want to talk to Sarah!"

"See you later, Mama. I have to shower and find something for the party tonight, anyways. And I'm not wearing a dress."

Sarah was wearing a sparkling, midnight blue dress over a pair of black pants. The dress was strapless and bared her shoulders. Unfortunately, it revealed some almost faded scars and a scratch that had yet to heal. To cover that, she borrowed a similarly colored shall from her mother and was ready to go when she pulled on her blue-strapped stilettos. As she stepped out of her room, she met her mother coming out of her room. Kagome was in a green dress that sat on her thigh on one side and swept diagonally across down to her ankle. She wore matching heels and silver earrings.

Kagome looked her over and frowned.

"You look dazzeling, but I think you need just a touch of make-up around your eyes. I want you to shine tonight. Come with me," Sarah nodded and followed her into her mother's bathroom. She groaned loudly when, after having eye-shadow applied, Kagome started putting touches of make-up "here and there".

Sesshomaru, Taro, and Raiden were all waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Taro and Raiden had dressed themselves at their apartment and driven over to support their little sister and her starting trip to fame. After waiting a half an hour, Sesshomaru almost sent Jakan to retrieve them. As he went to call Jakan, he heard Taro and Raiden's sudden intake of air. He looked up at the stairs and saw his wife stepping down on one side of the stairs and his daughter on the other. He was stunned.

Sarah looked absolutely beautiful. Her hair was lifted into a high ponytail, the subtle make-up around her eyes and cheeks really brightened the violet color of her eyes along with the eye liner. She was going to draw some attention.

"Both of you look gorgeous," Taro complimented.

"Totally." Raiden added.

"Really? It's not too much?" Sarah asked.

"Not at all," Sesshomaru put in. "I just wish I knew where my little girl went. I'm standing here and staring at a young woman who looks sort of like her."

"We packed her in the closet," Kagome said. "This is our daughter's understudy."

Sarah laughed sarcastically. "Everyone's a comedian." When she started for the door, Sesshomaru watched her legs and noticed happily that the limp was almost unnoticable. That meant her leg was healing well.

Taro walked up to Sarah while Raiden took their mother and offered their arms to escort them to the waiting limosine. Jakan opened the door and watched Sarah and her brother halt. He looked and saw Koji standing in the doorway with two roses, one white, one red. He smiled at her and gave her the white one.

"For good luck," he told her. She nodded dumbly as she looked him over in his black suit. Even the undershirt he had on was black which made him look extremely handsome. Since the party was semi- casual, he didn't bother with a strangling tie. Koji stepped around Sarah and Taro to give Kagome the red rose. "For being you."

"Thank you, Koji," she said, giving him a hug. "I approve," she whispered very quietly in his ear. He pulled back with a grin.

Sarah looked at her father who looked troubled rather than angry. She couldn't help but smile.

"Papa, tonight is going to be great. I have three idiot boys and you and Mama to help make this night as perfect as possible." Taro wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

"Boys? Idiots? Did these words really spew from my darling sister's mouth?" Sarah nodded.

"Yup. Too bad." She looked up at him and stuck out her tongue. He did the same and released her. Koji stepped over.

"Three? I'm included in the idiot boys catagory?" she shrugged.

"It happens, Koji-kun."

"Let's try this, then," he caught her lips in a gentle kiss, careful not to smudge any make-up and thankful that she wore no lipstick. She didn't need any. Sesshomaru looked at Kagome and tried to remind himself that Sarah wasn't a baby any longer. It didn't make him feel any less inclined to shove Koji off of her. "Am I still a boy, my love?"

"Yeah. But you're my boy," she said with a smile and let him escort her out the door. Kagome grabbed Sesshomaru and hurried after them, eager to watch the couple interact.

Koji gestured for Sarah to enter the limo first and followed in behind her. They moved to the far end near the driver to face her parents who almost always sat on the far back seat. Sesshomaru and Kagome moved to sit on the side seat to have a better view of what the couple were doing. Sesshomaru sat fairly close to Koji while Kagome sat on his opposite side. Taro and Raiden took the far back seats and a few minutes later they were off.

"Where are your parents, Koji-kun?"

"They went early so Dad could make sure everything was going well." Koji put his hand in hers and threaded their fingers together. He felt her squeeze his hand affectionately.

"Will you stand with me if I have to make a speech?" she asked, her pulse racing with nerves. He nodded and kissed her temple.

"Relax, babe. Everything is going to be fine," he smiled at her and she rested her head on his shoulder, not so sure with her nerves eating her stomach. Sarah looked up at her mom.

"Mama, how did you feel the first time?"

"On stage?" Sarah nodded. "My legs wobbled, my stomach was in my throat, I was sweating profusely, not to mention my heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest. I swore the people at the bar would hear it."

"What about now?"

"I still get a little nervous, but Sarah, that usually makes it all work out. When you get on stage and start singing to your own beat their's a surge of pride that wipes out everything else. You get an incredible feeling that squashes the nerves."

"At least until you get off the stage again," Sesshomaru said, smirking. "The night I listened to her performance, I went behind the stage to find her hovering over a trash can, shaking like a leaf in the wind." Kagome elbowed him and crossed her arms. Taro and Raiden laughed, recieving an evil look from their mother.

Sarah sat back and took a slow, deep, breath. She hoped she wouldn't have to sing live for a while. Recording was going to be enough of a nerve-shaking experience.

Sesshomaru placed his hand on his lap and blinked as he found something in his pocket. The braclets! Koga had delivered them earlier that morning when Sarah and Koji were... together. He pulled them from his pocket and held one out for Kagome.

"I got these for you and Sarah. They're black so they'll match anything and they'll let me know where you are in case of emergency." He slipped it over Kagome's wrist and reluctantly handed Koji the other for Sarah. "Please wear them at all times, for your own safety." He watched as both of his women twisted them around on their wrists.

"Okay."

"It looks nice," Kagome said and smiled up at her husband.

"You look beautiful. Have I told you lately how much I love you?" she persed her lips and looked around with a thoughtful expression. Then she shrugged. He growled and wrapped his arms around her, placing one hand on her stomach. "I love you, too, young one."

"She loves you, too," Kagome said and leaned against him.

Soon they were at the Diamond Resort and were carefully making their way through the scattered media. Sarah clung to Koji's arm and smiled as they made their way in. Kagome and Sesshomaru paused to speak with the reporters.

"Miss Higurashi! Is it true that you're having another child?"

"Yes. We're hoping for another girl."

"Miss Higurashi!" another repoter called. "Rumors have been flying around that before his untimely death, Fujii, Naraku was trying to get his daughter-"

"Sarah is ourdaughter. Make no mistake of that," Sesshomaru interjected.

"Was it true that he was trying to take your daughter again?"

"He would have done anything to hurt Sesshomaru and I," Kagome said.

"Did he kidnap her again recently?"

"Is she in a serious relationship with the accused rapist, Bankotsu?"

"Enough!" Sesshomaru demanded. "My family's personal life is not up for discussion. Come Kagome." They both sighed as they began to socialize with their co-workers.

Sarah walked around the room with Koji, making sure everything was running smooth. He held her hand almost constantly, helping her keep calm and get ready for when her father would make the announcment. At that time, the press would be allowed to join and film te event. That's what worried her. What if she said something wrong and embarassed her family?

Koji watched Sarah make her rounds, meeting and greeting friends of old and their families. The music came from all of the artists of the company, switching off between fast and slow songs of all genres. Soon Koji had pulled her away from the people and onto the dance floor as the next slow song started.

"Are you a great dancer?" Sarah asked.

"Let's see," he placed his hands on her hips to pull her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let him lead her in small circles in time with the song.

"I have to say you are," she said with a smile. "Papa's getting used to us being together."

"Good. I wouldn't let him get in our way anyways. You belong-" he watched her eyebrow raise. "With me."

"Good answer."

Koji continued to lead her around and leaned his forehead on hers. They continued to stare into eachother's eyes as they danced. He swore he could see her eyes sparkling into his own, and the love he felt was incredible. Sarah's stomach fluttered as she reached up onto her toes to kiss him.

Sesshomaru had been watching them and frowned when he watched Sarah give him a kiss. Kagome thought it was sweet and eased her husband into a dance. He was too uptight and too judgemental on the new couple. She knew it was going to be hard for him to accept the fact that she was growing up. So she decided to distract him for a while.

"Sesshomaru, have you thought about names for our little one? I was thinking about something starting with an 'I' for a boy and, because I want a girl, Ayaka for a girl. What about you?"

"Yes, I agree," he said, looking over her head at his daughter. Koji had shown off and spun her out on his arm very slowly.

"Sesshomaru, are you listening?"

"Yes, I agree." She scowled.

"I want a divorce."

"Yes I agree."

"The twins arn't your sons."

"Yes, I a- what?!" his head snapped down and he frowned. She laughed.

"I got your attention, now, didn't I?" He raised an eyebrow as she grinned at him. "Sesshomaru, you should really pay attention to your wife. Remember, I know where you sleep and I can be very..." she leaned in close and whispered. "Evil."

"They look like a couple."

"No, really?" she smirked. "Couldn't tell."

"You laugh, woman, but we're losing our baby," he said with a sigh. "Taro and Raiden havn't found mates, yet, so why has she? I'm not ready for her to grow up, Kagome," he looked at her and watched her nod.

"Neither am I, but she has and we have to accept it. It's okay, love," she pulled him close for a hug. He held on tight and swayed with the music.

Taro and Raiden found the twin daughters of a co-worker to steal for the night, one named Kocho and one named Asuka. The found out they were twins that traveled from shrine to shrine to assist priests and priestesses. They were very careful not to annoy them.

Sarah and Koji were off the dance floor after another few songs and went to get refreshments. Sesshomaru and Kagome were already there and they conversed a while.

"Ne, Papa? Would you care to dance?" Sarah asked as a slow song came on. He bowed gracefully and let her lead them onto the floor. Koji asked Kagome and followed them out.

"Are you enjoying yourself, baby girl?" he asked as they twirled. She smiled.

"Of course. I'm a master party planner," she saw his smirk.

"I see."

"When are we going to make the announcement?"

"Probably soon. The party has only just begun, Sarah. Patience is a virtue."

"And a punishment," he chuckled at her pout. Then her face sobered up.

"Papa, are you still upset with Koji and I?" she asked suddenly. He shook his head, nuch to her relief.

"I over reacted. I'm not sure if I like it yet, but I'm not upset, Sarah. We'll all live through the experience." His gaze shifted over to Koji for a moment. "Well, most of us if we arn't all careful."

"I thought my big brothers were supposed to abuse my mate."

"I've decided to be first," he looked back down at her. "Just be happy. That's all we parents want, regardless of how angry we get."

"Cheesy," she grinned and hugged him. "Thank you, Papa." He pressed her close and they continued to dance.

Kagome and Koji watched the interaction and were glad to see Sarah was finally fully relaxed. She was always reassured when she was able to talk to her father. Even Koji wasn't always enough for her, and that made Kagome happy. That meant she would be able to come to them at all times.

"They're really bonded. I wouldn't blame him for wanting to skin me alive. I'd've done the same if she let anyone else mate her," Koji told Kagome with a grin.

"I'm not surprised. You've loved her since she was born."

"She's the most wonderful person I've ever known, Aunt Kagome. Next to you, of course," he said with a grin. She rolled her eyes and they ended the dance. "You're an okay dancer."

"You're not half-bad yourself, Koji." They smiled at eachother and went to see their mates. Sarah gave her father a kiss and moved to hug her mother.

"I can't wait!" she told her just as Koji wrapped his arms around her. She looked up at him and stuck her tongue out.

"Very mature." She nodded and started away from her parents. Sesshomaru and Kagome followed them and lead them toward the podium on top of a small platform. They would make the announcement now while Sarah was feeling brave.

Koga and Ayame were fooling around in a storage closet when they heard Sesshomaru's voice come over the speaker. They finished their game quickly and followed his voice just in time to see him gesture for Sarah to stand and step up and join her family.

"This is my youngest born child, Sarah. She will now be joining our company, not as a manager, tech-operator, producer, or an assistant, but a song artist like her mother. I'm proud to have her join my sons and my wife and I in our family business." There was a round of applause before some of the people called out for her to sing. Sesshomaru looked at her, seeing her blush and look down, embarrassed. "Sarah, would you care to give them a demonstration?"

"Sing the anthem!" they heard someone shout and cheers of agreement followed.

"I see they know what they want to hear." He stepped toward her and leaned down to whisper to her. "You don't have to today if you don't want to, but it will get harder as we go." She nodded.

"I know. I'll do it. Should I just go and sing or do I have to say something first?"

"Just sing loud and clear." He stood and made a grand sweep of his arm toward the podium and it's microphone.

Sarah took a deep breath and smiled nervously. Then she took the microphone in her hands and began.

Kimi ga yo wa,
Chiyo ni,
Hachiyo ni,
Sazare ishi no,
Iwao to narite,
Koke no musu made.

The room was silent a moment with respect for the song. Just as Sarah stepped down from the podium, the crowd burst into applause. She heard cheers and whistles of all kinds, loud hollers, stomps and all else to show their appreciation of her voice and the song. She bowed gracefully and smiled at Koji who stood in front. He grinned back, very proud of her. Even if he hadn't grinned, she felt his pride through the mark on her shoulder and she soared with delight.

Kagome stepped up beside her daughter and wrapped her arm around her.

"Marvelous."

"It would have sounded better from you, Mama," she smiled brightly at her and then looked back at the flashing cameras of the press.

Sarah was tired by the time the press left and the party was over. Her leg was paining her and her cheeks hurt from smiling. She held onto Koji's arm like a life-line as the walked out and into the limosine. Then she rested her face on his shoulder.

"Tired out, huh?" she grunted. "Your leg bothering you?" she grunted again. "Can you speak?" she groaned, which must have meant no. "Don't worry, babe. I'll make sure you're tucked in well." Sesshomaru snorted and felt his wife tighten her grip on his arm in restraint.

"He's going to help her into bed, not jump her. Calm down." Sesshomaru scowled but kept his mouth shut. His gaze never left the wolf and his own daughter.

Taro and Raiden had left with their dates and would not be returning that night. That made Koji feel a bit more relaxed as her brothers weren't snickering and mocking his sweet gestures toward her. As they held hands, he toyed with her fingers and looked at her left hand. She needed something on it, preferably something that would make her eyes fill with emotion everytime she looked at it. He'd search for that later.

Sarah was worn out but her mind raced beneath her heavy body. She needed to find a way to toughen up. Her father had practically shoved her up to the podium before she would sing and she doubted that he could do that for every concert she delivered. Talking to Kagome wasn't really an option because as nervous as her mother was, she had worked hard to get where she is, unlike Sarah who just accidently fell into the career. That meant that she'd had to push herself on stage and it probably didn't take that much to get her on it in the first place.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, feeling her mood shifting.

"Nothing important."

"Then why is it troubling you?"

"I'm not troubled."

"You are."

"Not."

"Sarah-"

"Let it be," she said tiredly.

"What's the matter?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing-"

"Forget about the mark already? I know what you're feeling and I want to know why." His voice was hard and demanding.

"I'm feeling annoyed because I'm tired, sore, and I don't feel like being interrogated!" she snapped.

"Maybe if you'd open up more you wouldn't have to resort to this-" he jerked up her arm, pointing out the razor scars, not thinking about their witnesses. "To resolve your feelings." He watched her face pale considerably just as Sesshomaru leaned foreward to inspect the cuts.

"Papa, I-"

"Don't." He was feeling lethal at the moment, not at all comforted by his wife's hand on his arm. Sarah went silent and pulled away from her father and Koji, tucking into herself to shield herself from her mate and her parents anger and hurt. The single tear that fell from her eye was pushed aside in the awful and tense silence of the vehicle.

Koji had been dropped off at his house and kept to his room all night and the next morning. He'd fucked up, big time, and now his mate was hurting because of him. There was no way to apollogize for something that stupid. She had told him her secret and he'd repaid her trust by telling Sesshomaru. Brilliant.

Later in the morning, he'd tried calling her but everytime, Jakan had answered and had some excuse as to why she couldn't talk. His only other option was to go over and march into her room.

When he knocked on the door, Jakan answered but only opened the door enough to speak with him.

"I'm sorry, young Koji, but I have instructions to not let you into the house today."

"I want to see Sarah," his mark told him that she was depressed. "You can't keep me from my mate, Jakan."

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back another time," and he shut the door.

"Damn it, Sarah. Are you going to make me scale the building to see you?" he tossed his head back in frustration. He wanted to see her-

He flinched at the drop of rain that fell on his face. "Terrific."

Sarah, too, had closed herself in her room the entire morning. Some sixteenth birthday she had. Her father wouldn't look her in the eyes much less talk to her,her mother tried to comfort her but had no idea how, her brothers hadn't come back and probably wouldn't for a few days so she couldn't talk to them. Worse, Koji Yoshi had brought her some comfort foods, knowing her heart was aching. She offered him a weak smile and bit into the slice of cake he held up for her.

"Yoshi knows it's had to quarrel with loved ones, but he knows also that fight make you stronger," he said and left her.

She stared out the window and watched the clouds form over the sun. It was sad, but it encouraged a song from her mind and she moved silently to the music room. There she picked up a guitar and played with a few chords until she heard what she wanted.

Sunny skies, a brand new day

A loving heart keeps clouds away

Thunder rolls, the sky goes black

The feelings go and won't come back

My mind searches for you

My heart knows the whole truth

My lips hold our first kiss

And speak of my one wish

For you... For you...

She sighed and stopped strumming. Her head wouldn't spit out the rest right now. She stood up and replaced the guitar, planning on going back to her room. She looked up and her father was in the doorway, leaning against the jamb and listening to her. She looked back down and folded her arms.

"Hi, Papa." He said nothing. She tightened her lips and blinked a few times to push back the tears. With no other ways out, she walked up to the door, planning to slip by. She was shocked when he grabbed her wrist and lifted her arm to look at the scars.

"How long have your been doing this?" she shrugged.

"A while." She couldn't look at him.

"You would rather scar your beautiful body than talk to your mother or I?" he released her wrist gently and watched her pull it against her.

"I didn't..." she shook her head and started back for her room. He moved in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Say it."

"I didn't think I could. All of these are from before you and Mama told me about Naraku. I wasn't going to talk to someone I thought was going to beat me if he got too angry. And I wasns't going to talk to someone who'd of had to have let it happen." She started around him again but he stepped in front of her. "Leave me alone, Papa."

"I won't. Sarah-" she bolted down the hall the other way, heading for the stairs. He chased after her, amazed at her incredible speed, capturing her with his arms around her upper arms, pining them to her sides. She squirmed to try and break free but his grip was solid. So instead of screaming as she wanted to do, she used her abdominal muscles to pull her legs to her chest as best as possible and rested her brow on her knees, wincing at the pain in her leg which had healed except for the muscle, which she was almost certain she'd just re-pulled.

"I know I screwed up, Papa, that I didn't trust you enough to talk to you. I'm sorry. It's never enough but I'm sorry. Why can't we move on? I'm sorry for all my lies, my secrets, my pulling away, my poor judgement of men, I'm sorry!" she yelled. "I'm sorry I'm alive," she whispered and cried. Sesshomaru sat down on the top step and pulled her to him.

Where the hell had that come from? What had been in her mind? It was one thing for her to be hurting but now she wished she wasn't alive? She hadn't sunk into depression; She'd dropped. As she cried and sobbed on his shoulder, he rubbed her back and cradled her, trying to figure things out.

Koji had betrayed her confidence. That had to have left a mark. He, himself, had shut her out all night. There was number two, he thought. Would those have been enough...? When he thought through it more, he realized what was going on. More men had turned their backs on her and hurt her. They were helping her create a complex against men.

"Baby girl, look at me," she shook her head and buried her face tightly against his neck. "Please?"

"Forget I said anything. Please," she begged.

"I can't. I can get angry and be hurt by things I don't like or understand. I should have listened to you before and I'm sorry I didn't. I didn't realize how much my silence hurt you. As for Koji-"

"Don't. We made a mistake. You were right, Papa. We're too young." She hiccuped pathetically. "I shouldn't have agreed a-and I should h-have st-stayed ho-me," she shook with sobs and kept her face secured beneath his chin. "I can't trust him," she said when she calmed. "And without trust, there can't be a relationship."

Sesshomaru tilted her face to see her eyes, full of pain and regret. He couldn't make this decision for her, but he'd be damned if he'd let her sit and feel so sad all day. Especially since she just turned sixteen. What a birthday, he thought and lifted her back to the music room.

A/N: I'm sorry I didn't post sooner but at least it wasn't months, right? Please review. It makes me happy and I need some of that right now, :)