Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.


"Kagome." Relief and surprise were clear in his voice.

The hanyou made a motion towards her, but was blocked yet again by Sesshomaru. Kagome was caught between joy at seeing his face and guilt for making him chase after her, so she remained motionless beside Sesshomaru, unconsciously seeking his support.

"Get out of my way, Sesshomaru. What did you do to her?"

"Stop accusing him, Inuyasha. He hasn't done anything."

He shifted his disbelieving gaze to hers and Kagome felt his sense of betrayal.

"Hasn't done anything? You're completely covered in his scent, Kagome."

"Do you wish to fight me, Inuyasha?"

"Hell, yes."

The brothers faced each other, Inuyasha's Tessaiga once again fully transformed. The sword that his father had made to protect his human mother, Izayoi. But Kagome did not need his protection from Sesshomaru.

Kagome began to move between them, but was distracted by the loud arrival of the rest of the gang. Shippou recognized her immediately and launched himself from Sango's shoulder, sprinting towards her.

"No! Stay back. All of you, Stay back."

Sesshomaru would not hurt her, but she would not gamble on the lives of her friends.

"Sesshomaru. Do not fight him. I just need time to speak to Inuyasha about our plans."

There was no reaction from the inu-youkai. Kagome began to despair. Was he so brutal that he would ignore her wishes and hurt those she loved?

Then his posture changed.

"Please. Let me speak to them. Alone."

His eyes flashed red in displeasure and Kagome knew that she was pushing him to the limits of his youkai.

"We will leave in the morning."

"You're not taking her anywhere, Sesshomaru!" But his threats went unheard, directed at an already disappearing lord.

Seeing that Inuyasha was preparing to sprint after him, Kagome laid a restraining hand on his red haori, and he froze at her touch.

"So you're his bitch now?" He barked at her before running and leaping into a tree.

Shocked by his vehemence, Kagome still could not blame him for his righteous anger. Sesshomaru had once tried to kill all of them in the past during their fights over the possession of Tessaiga. Yet in the past few days, Kagome could not ignore the facet of Sesshomaru emerging, no less honourable and commanding, but tempered by gentleness. What could she say to him? Really Inuyasha, your brother is much nicer as a dog.

Instead, Kagome ignored him for the moment and tried to explain her situation to her other companions who were now bombarding her with questions about her kimono, Sesshomaru and the state of her powers.

"You are planning to spy on the Northern clan?" Asked a stunned Miroku.

"It's too dangerous, Kagome!" Sango exclaimed with Kirara mewling in agreement from within her lap.

"Yes, Sango, but isn't it worth the risk if in return, I will get the training I need to control my powers?"

"Are you sure Myouga is capable?"

"Yes, I trust his word."

Miroku sighed. "Then there's no help for it. We leave in the morning with you."

Kagome ached at their loyalty and compassion.

"You can't. I won't allow you to start another dangerous journey just after we finally defeated Naraku and ended our search for jewel shards. You have the chance to rebuild your lives."

Before they had an opportunity to object, Kagome continued.

"Sango, your exterminator village needs you."

She turned to Miroku, looking at his hand, now free of the cursed wind tunnel.

"Miroku, you are no longer under Naraku's curse and you can have a woman bear as many children as you wish."

"What about me, Kagome? I don't have anything." Shippou whimpered from her lap.

Kagome looked down at the little kitsune that had stolen her heart and smiled.

"You have me, Shippou."

"Does that mean that I can come with you?"

"Wouldn't you rather stay with Sango or Miroku? Inuyasha likes you too, no matter how mean he acts sometimes."

"No. I want you."

Kagome wondered if it was fair to drag him along another risky journey. She decided to speak with Sesshomaru later.

"We'll see, Shippou." He squealed in happiness.

"We can't let you go off into unknown territory with Sesshomaru. Have you forgotten what he is like?"

"Nothing I say will make you see him differently, so if that is your only objection to letting me ago, then know that I will be safe."

Looking at their doubtful faces, Kagome's shoulders slumped.

"I need to speak to Inuyasha."

Giving Shippou a soft kiss on the forehead, Kagome deposited him with Sango, and walked toward the hanyou she both dreaded and yearned to see.

"Inuyasha!" She yelled to the branches overhead.

No answer.

"Fine, be that way. I just wanted to say that I was sorry for running away and not telling you. But I needed to go on this journey alone."

Abruptly, she found herself in his arms and within the tree. She had forgotten how fast he could be. And he still had not let her go. Inuyasha rested his back against the trunk and she in turn, gradually leaned against his chest. How she missed him. The cool smoothness of the rosary beads touched her cheek and she was reminded of the promise that she had made to herself to free him.

"Inuyasha. I-"

Her words were cut off by his snarl.

"Do you know how much I worried for you? I thought you were being attacked by youkai or fallen off a cliff. But I find you here, playing with my half-brother, dressing up in kimonos."

Kagome straightened in anger and tried to move out of his arms, but failed. So she settled for glaring at his chin.

"I wasn't playing, Inuyasha! Didn't you hear anything that I was saying to the others?"

"Oh, I heard. You're going to play Sesshomaru's whore to get into a youkai clan."

Kagome was shocked and then angry at his continually spiteful words. Her first instinct was to sit him. She bit the word back.

"How dare you. You know what, Inuyasha? Your brother may be cold and arrogant, but he is more of a gentleman than you'll ever be."

Kagome did not have to see his amber eyes to know that pain filled them. She didn't mean it.

He released her from his hold, and Kagome shivered, suddenly cold.

They were both silent and when she finally gathered the courage to look at him, the raw anguish in his unguarded features made her shut her eyes once more.

"I'm sorry."

Kagome jerked in surprise. She had been preparing to apologize. It was so unlike him to give in first.

"I can't let you go."

"Oh, Inuyasha. I don't want to go. But how can I stay? Knowing that I'm a danger to everyone around me."

"You would never hurt anyone on purpose, Kagome. You aren't capable of it."

"I hurt you. How many times have I used the subduing spell since we've met?"

"Keh, it didn't hurt."

Kagome moved closer to him and Inuyasha stiffened in response. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned in, watching his beautiful warm eyes widen in shock, nose now almost touching his, which flared at her proximity.

"What are you doing, Kagome?"

"What I should have done a long time ago."

The rosary beads slid off his neck easily at her touch and rolled into her palms.

Her sad gaze was fixed upon the beads now and Kagome felt tears spring into her eyes. This feels like the end. She had put these beads on him soon after they had first met, after she released him from Goshinbuku. He had tried to kill her then and the spell had kept her alive. Now, the necklace was something more. Inuyasha had worn it for so long that she thought it to be a part of him that was inextricably tied to her. Selfishly, she knew and without his consent.

"I'm sorry I didn't do this much earlier, Inuyasha. I want you to know that it wasn't because I was afraid that you would hurt me without it."

"Stupid wench! What'd you do that for?" Inuyasha grabbed her wrist, the beads dangling from her fingers.

"You should be free, Inuyasha. To live your life. The jewel is gone as is Naraku. I want you to be happy." With Kikyou. Without me.

Inuyasha looked at her tenderly and caressed her cheek, wiping the falling tears from her face.

"I- I only want to be with you."

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. She had been waiting to hear those words her entire teenage life. But she was no longer the girl that was once pulled into another era by a centipede youkai. Along the way, she had realised that Inuyasha would always be her first love, just as Kikyou was his. But Kagome could not live with him in this era and constantly wonder who he saw when he looked into her face: the woman who had travelled into another time to be with him, or the woman who still walked the earth, dead because of him, mutually deceived by Naraku.

"Osuwari."

She saw him flinch, ears flattening, in reflex.

The smile on her tear-streaked face was bittersweet.

"You don't have to be afraid, Inuyasha." Her voice cracking. "There's no one left to fight and there are only those who love you."

Kagome leapt down from the tree causing Inuyasha to yell and grab at her trailing kimono. Softly, she landed on the ground below, uninjured, thenecklace still firmly in her grasp and looked up to see him gaping.

"You're not the only one who can sulk in trees now."

She turned to go and found him in front of her, blocking the path.

Closing her eyes, unwilling to be lost in the his amber depths, Kagome said, "Go home, Inuyasha. You can't protect me forever."

"Keh, who says?"

Ignoring her instincts to throw herself in his arms, Kagome replied, "I do. Who will protect you from me?"

She only received a snort in reply.

"I am leaving tomorrow. Don't follow me this time."

"No." And he tried to pull her into his arms once again.

"Can't you just trust me?"

"I do, you idiot. I just don't trust him with you."

Kagome twisted from his hold and saw with some dismay that his claws had ripped her kimono sleeve.

He didn't notice and she walked away.


"I've ruined this kimono." Kagome whined as she inspected the mud-splattered hem of the once pristine white lining along the bottom.

"Yes." Sesshomaru walked a few paces ahead and did not slow down.

"You don't care? It is your kimono."

"We have arrived. I have many more."

"Where?" She lost her voice when it came into view. The estate just beyond the valley was nestled by snow-capped mountains and a sparkling estuary.

"This is your home?" Kagome said, awestruck.

He continued walking, and did not answer her.

"Why are we here?"

"Geisha do not speak unless spoken to."

Kagome rolled her eyes at his back and followed.

Once they reached his gates, Sesshomaru did not enter and instead, looked in the direction from which they came.

She waited with him until she could keep silent no longer.

"Sesshomaru-sama, what are we waiting for?"

His shoulders seemed to droop a bit in exasperation.

"Do you not sense your persistent hanyou?"

"Inuyasha?" She stretched her senses and after a few moments, found him.

That stubborn dog. She should've known.

"Inuyasha! I know you're there."

After a bout of silence, her abashed companions came into sight, popping out from behind trees and boulders.

Sesshomaru pivoted and walked through the high gates. Kagome was torn. She did not want to leave her friends outside the castle.

"Are you coming or not, miko?"

She looked at the inu-youkai lord, one eyebrow arched in question. Then she realised that he had not refused the others entrance into his home.

Kagome smiled in relief and motioned for them to follow her, not noticing Inuyasha's hesitant step.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Thank goodness you're back." An ecstatic Jaken bounded out of the courtyard.

"Yes, we must speak privately, Sesshomaru-sama." An unusually serious Myouga spoke quietly from Jaken's shoulder.

"There you are, Myouga."

"Yes, Kagome-sama, I left to prepare for your arrival."

Jaken began to shout over him in outrage.

"What are the disgusting hanyou and his ningens doing here, Sesshomaru-sama? Shall I dispose of them for you, my lord?"

"They are here because you deemed it appropriate to inform them of my whereabouts."

His anger swiftly turned to repentance, and the spirited little toad prostrated himself on the ground, begging feverishly for forgiveness.

Sesshomaru walked on, ignoring his retainer and disappearing into one of the countless pavilions interconnecting his estate.

Entering the gloomy darkness of one of the sitting rooms, Myouga looked suspiciously around before whispering in Sesshomaru's pointed ear.

"Jaken has informed me that since the human uprising a few days ago, the youkai of neighbouring lands and even of our own household have been growing more agitated and restless. No one expected such a united effort among humans and the extent of their preparedness. The sheer number of rebels is daunting enough. As always, there are rumours that human sympathizers are aiding them, whether for their own ends or out of true empathy."

Myouga said the last words hesitantly, knowing his lord's reticence over a certain human.

"I have already placed our most trusted guards in position to watch over her."

"They are still youkai." Some that he himself had trained and others he had known his entire life, but youkai nonetheless. They would not hesitate to eliminate threats or weaknesses, especially human.

"Prepare rooms for the miko's companions, they will be staying for the night."

"Of course, Sesshomaru-sama. And tomorrow?"

"We leave as planned."


Kagome was left to explore Sesshomaru's magnificent home with Shippou latched tightly onto her shoulder, and her other companions nowhere in sight. She couldn't blame them. Myouga had shown them their rooms earlier. Sango lay on the feather cots and did not get up until she was informed of the hot springs nearby. Then she disappeared like the wind with Miroku hot on her trail, not doubt hoping to get an illicit show. Those two would never change, Kagome thought fondly. Shippou, on the other hand, had felt it necessary to cut off circulation to her lower body with his unexpectedly strong grip on her neck. He did not like the scent of so many strange youkai in one place.

Inuyasha. She had no idea where he had run off. It seemed to her that he had developed a nervous disorder from the moment he entered Sesshomaru's home. Kagome wanted to comfort him somehow, as futile as the notion was. She remembered Junengi and one of the few times Inuyasha had spoken of his childhood. Perhaps this place was full of memories for him.

At that moment, Kagome heard a child's laughter nearby, eerily mimicking her thoughts. It was coming from one the myriad of gardens convoluted throughout this house. No, she thought, as she turned a corner and a breath-taking expanse of manicured lawns and billowing trees came into view. Not a house, but definitely a park.

The source of the giggles came from a little girl, but not as young as she remembered, tagging along after Sesshomaru in her chequered yukata. Rin. The girl had begun to blossom into her teens, the lopsided ponytail abandoned in favour of a delicate bun, adorned with beautiful kanzashi. As Kagome approached her, she saw that one thing had not changed. Rin still loved to draw as was revealed by the scattered parchment filled with depictions of the scenery around her. She still had not noticed Kagome's presence.

Shippou was not one to wait for introductions. Jumping at the chance to play with someone closer to his age, he launched himself off of Kagome's shoulder and landed on his paws directly in front of Rin.

"Hi, your pictures are nice. Can I draw with you?"

At first, Rin jumped, crying out in surprise at the appearance of the strange youkai. Then she took a better look at Shippou's adorable face and Kagome's human form and relaxed.

In a formal manner uncharacteristic of her age, she said, "I am Rin. Are you Sesshomaru-sama's guests?"

"Yes, we are sorry to have disturbed you. I am Kagome and this little ball of fur is Shippou."

Introductions made, and reassured by Kagome's friendly smile, Rin returned her attention to Shippou, who was using his cuteness to full advantage.

"Here. You can have this paper. But be careful with the pastels, they're very easy to break."

Kagome stood by, watching them work silently in absorption and slowly lowered herself onto the soft grass, the green muted by the shade cast by the overhanging willow tree.

Rin crumpled her latest attempt, which she threw away, and landed in a ball close to Kagome. She took it from the ground and flattened it, feeling more childish than she had in years, trying to recall how to make a paper crane.

Unbeknownst to the light-hearted group, a hanyou watched from a nearby tree, absorbed in the recollections that this place stirred up.

"Inuyasha." Sesshomaru had entered the clearing to speak with the hanyou.

"I have a proposal. Your miko is leaving with me in the morning."

Inuyasha snorted in derision, but said nothing.

"She does not need your permission."

Inuyasha leapt down to confront his brother.

"You will protect her?"

"Yes. You have my word."

"It's not enough." Inuyasha growled.

"You dare question my honour, brother?"

"Protect her with your life. With Tenseiga."

"Tessaiga is the fang forged to protect humans."

"And now Tensaiga will as well."

Ignoring this, Sesshomaru continued.

"My proposal is the following. Kagome will be under my care and Rin I will leave in yours."

"The human girl? Why would I want a child?"

"It is no longer safe here for her. She cannot come with me and there is no one else."

"Keh. Why should I do any favours for you, brother?" The last word used with as much coldness and disdain as Sesshomaru had done.

The inu-youkai lord looked upon his garden, shimmering in the midday heat. Kagome was showing Rin some kind of bird she had made from paper and was beginning to teach the fascinated little girl the various steps needed to create it. Sesshomaru reminded himself to keep an eye on his parchment paper from now on.

Their heads bent in concentration, both were in light kimonos, a stark contrast to their jet-black hair and the darkened trunk of the willow behind them.

He heard their soft laughter and looked away.

"Because now I have as much at stake as you do."


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