When he returned, he found her still pacing. She was walking steadily from one end of his study to the other. The action revealed her agitation. She was chewing and tearing at her fingernails; the demon could smell blood from where she had ripped her nail from the skin. Walking slowly over to her, he placed a clawed hand on hers and pulled the small appendage away from her mouth. Only now did he notice the bleeding tooth imprints on her hand.

"What happened?" His voice was low and soft, though carefully neutral.

"I had to stop myself from calling out to Kohaku," she explained, just as quietly. Her voice was strained and desperate, revealing how scared she truly was. Her eyes were flickering side to side, as if she was looking for something.

"Speak your mind, miko."

Kagome stared at him with unfathomable eyes. It was unsettling to see them so blank. He was used to seeing the emotion play out in her eyes and over her face. Especially when she was overwhelmingly upset. As obvious as it was that she was upset, her face was near empty.

"I was just a kid, you know," she blurted suddenly. Her voice was wavering unsteadily. Emotion started to leak into her face, intense and painful. He'd never seen her look so distressed in the entire time he'd known her. Not even when he was ready to kill her.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the sentence, confused as to why she had said it.

"I was barely fifteen years old! Hell, I'm only twenty years old now! Yet, I'm expected to know what I'm doing! I was stolen from my home by a monster that I didn't know existed, almost killed, and when I try my very hardest, I make one little mistake. And bam! I'm doomed to a life of being judged and hurt and told that I'm not as good as Kikyou would have been!"

Large tears were rolling down her face. Her voice was trembling and she was slightly out of breath from yelling. The lord stared at her with blank eyes, trying to process her words while trying to determine where this train of thought had originated from.

She stared at him, taking in his expression with guilt shining in her eyes. She wiped at the tears streaming down her face and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes.

"Naraku is here. In your castle, threatening our friends, family, and future. And it's all my fault." The demon lord was happy that he'd put a barrier around the study; she was nearly screaming at this point. It rang in his ears.

Her whole body was rigid as a bowstring. Despite the hands pressed to her face, he could see the dark red on her cheeks. Her aura whipped around erratically. Fury beyond anything he'd ever seen rolled off her in waves. Fury fueled by hatred and rage over the injustice of it all. Her lips wobbled and her chin trembled and in that moment, she felt more helpless and weak than she thought was possible. She felt small and insignificant; and it was Naraku that had made her feel this way. A growl ripped its way out of her mouth and she ground her teeth loudly.

Holy energy crackled in her palms, burning her hands and wrists. The fire burned through her veins, filling her body and clouding her mind. Sesshoumaru's stern warning to 'calm down, Kagome' felt far away. She ground bit her cheek, ignoring the taste of iron that filled her mouth.

"This isn't fair!" she howled, squeezing her eyes tight and gripping her head, thin fingers tugging against her hair. Her heart was beating hard against her chest; it thundered in her ears and drowned out all other noise.

The lump in her throat grew too big to speak around. Hot tears trailed down her face. Her vision wobbled, her head was spinning.

Sesshoumaru stared at her, too shocked to speak. In the months he'd been with her, he'd never even guessed that these were the thoughts that plagued the miko. She was always smiling. She approached each day with determination and strength, working to help and protect those around her. A strange wave of rage filled the demon lord in that moment. Rage at Naraku for doing this to the sweet, warm miko he'd come to love. Even strong, though, was a mysterious anger toward Kagome.

"Kagome, get a hold of yourself," he demanded, voice hard. The tone shocked her and for a moment, she was silent. Her shoulder stopped shaking and her hands slowly moved from her hair. The miko held them in front of her face, watched them tremble. She stared at them, taking in the dried blood and chipped nails. After a deep, shaky breath, she tipped her face up to look at Sesshoumaru. She looked dazed, lost, defeated.

The irritation in his stomach multiplied at the blank look in her eyes. He didn't like this lifeless look in her eyes. This wasn't the Kagome that he knew. "Get ahold of yourself," he demanded again. He internally smirked at the spark of life in her eyes. Slowly, she squared her shoulders and faced him. He was pleased to see the slump in her shoulders had lessened and her mouth was downturned in an irritated frown. He continued to stare her dead in the eyes as he spoke.

"This is no time to feel sorry for yourself. Our pack is in danger and—"

"You think I don't know that?" Her eyes, shining with tears, were filled with fire. In all the time that he'd know her, Kagome had never looked at him like that. There was burning fury and indignation in her eyes. Her tone was equal parts harsh and cold. Her back straightened; her shoulders were square and her chin tipped up. She had a brow raised expectantly. The demon lord was shocked at the change in demeanor. "Just because I'm overwhelmed doesn't mean that I've given up, Sesshoumaru."

She was staring down at her hands again, clenching them into tight fists over and over again. She looked up to stare at the demon lord. Her chin still wobbled slightly, but her tone was firm. "Admitting that something is overwhelming or scary doesn't make me any less determined to fight. Sometimes you need to cry and scream until you can't breathe. And when you're done, you stand up and keep going."

She wiped her hands against her face, sighing loudly and shaking herself. Her face was set with determination and annoyance. "I haven't given up, Sesshoumaru. I needed to cry, I needed to get rid of all this. The only way to do that is to just, scream." She ended with a shrug.

Sesshoumaru hummed in the back of his throat, rolling her words around. Ultimately, he was just glad that she'd collected herself. Seeing her so upset made a knot tighten in his chest. "I am glad to hear that you are still prepared to fight." He offered the smallest of smiles and was relieved when she returned it. It fell soon after though and a serious expression crossed her face.

"Did you find her?"

Sesshoumaru tensed and bit back a growl. "She was not in her room when I arrived. I have a feeling that she has slipped out of the castle. I'm not sure that she will return, though there were still possessions in her room, which leads me to believe that she will come back."

Kagome nodded slowly, a thoughtful look on her face. The demon lord could see the gears working in her head and waited for her to speak.

"First and foremost, I want the children somewhere safe. We'll put them in my room and erect a barrier. Other than that, we need to act normal. As terrifying as it is that she might return to the castle, it's our only chance to capture her. She said that Kohaku was leaving tonight," she grimaced, "I can't tell Sango that he was here, it would break her heart."

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement. "What do you think we should do about capturing her?"

Kagome hummed loudly, tipping her head back and forth as she thought. "We have to see all the houses off, right?" She waited for the demon lord to nod. "If we see her off last, we can station soldiers at the exits and trap her in the entry way. I doubt she's strong enough to fight all of us off."

Sesshoumaru thought through the idea, thinking of any possible weaknesses in the plan. Every plan ran the risk of not working, but this one was a sound course of action. He nodded in agreement. Having worked that out, he stepped toward her and pulled her gently against his chest. She allowed herself to be held and wrapped her arms around his back. She sighed against his chest.

"I am sorry that I freaked out. It must have caught you off guard." Her voice was soft and apologetic. Sesshoumaru snorted at her.

"That is an understatement, Kagome," He enjoyed the chuckled reverberating against his chest.

"Yeah, but I promise that it helped."

Sesshoumaru pressed his nose into her hair, taking a deep breath. Her scent served to calm him slightly, easing some of the tension in his stomach. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't anxious. The idea of anyone affiliated with Naraku being in his home set him on edge. He stretched his youki out again, feeling for any sign of the vile woman. Kagome copied him, their energies mingling to search for her. Kagome sighed as she pulled her reiki back into her center.

They stood like that for some time, calm in each other's embrace. With the threat of Naraku's underling momentarily forgotten, Sesshoumaru remembered the events of last night. He stepped away from Kagome slowly, looking down at her with unreadable eyes. He brushed his thumb over her cheek.

"We need to talk about the events of last evening." He tried to keep his voice as soft and calming as he could. The last thing he wanted was to give her the impression that he was upset with her. He was worried when she blanched and the color once again drained from her face. Her heart was beating hard again.

"Ah, yeah. It was…" Kagome struggled for words. She knew what she was supposed to say. She was supposed to say it was a drunken mistake. She was supposed to say it never should have happened. There was a lot she was supposed to say, but none of it would come out of her mouth.

Sesshoumaru could tell that she was having trouble formulating her thoughts and stepped in. "Perhaps I should speak first."

Kagome swallowed hard, anxious about what Sesshoumaru had to say on the whole matter. She reminded herself that if he was well and truly upset, he would have sought her out earlier in the day. She held her breath and nodded for him to continue.

The silver lord took a moment to organize his thoughts. This was something he never imagined himself doing. He was not an overly open person, he never thought he'd have to be open with someone. It was one thing to accept his feelings for himself. An entirely different thing to tell another person. He took an uncharacteristically deep breath to calm himself.

"I was quite surprised when I woke up and realized what had happened. Initially, I was upset with myself for losing control and bedding you while intoxicated. It was not my intention."

Kagome's heart was in her throat. 'He does regret it.' She felt like she was falling; her stomach sank and her heart squeezed and it was hard to breathe.

Sesshoumaru was still speaking. "I came to the conclusion, though, that while I regret the circumstances, I do not regret the fact that it happened."

Now Kagome's heart was in her throat and beating too fast. It left her feeling vaguely nauseous. The sudden shift of emotions left her reeling.

"I told you some time ago that I was rather affection of you. As we have spent time together and I have gotten to know you, I know now that it is more than affection."

The silver demon paused for a moment when he watched fat tears start dripping down her face. She didn't seem to realize that she was crying and made no move to wipe the tears away, as she usually would. Her eyes were wide and unblinking. He was worried that something was wrong and touched her hand with the tips of his claws. She jolted at the sensation, blinking quickly as if coming out of a trance.

"Oh, god. I'm sorry." She wiped away at the tears on her face quickly, laughing nervously as she did. Tears continued to fall down her face, no matter how fast she wiped them away. The rollercoaster of emotions left her feeling lightheaded and breathless. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's going on." A calloused thumb wiped away a tear, making her look up at the dog demon with watery eyes. He smiled tenderly at her, making her heart throb.

"I am not sure what the future is going to bring. Naraku is a growing threat every day. I know, though, that I care very much about you and feel no need to hide that anymore." He stopped talking to wait and see if the miko wanted to say anything. She didn't move or say anything for long enough that Sesshoumaru started to get worried. Then, she did something that he didn't understand.

She leaned back and moved her arms away from him. Folding them between their bodies, she pinched her arm hard. She sucked in a breath between her teeth at the sensation. Sesshoumaru looked at her, concerned and confused.

"Why did you do that?"

Kagome smiled, her chin still wobbling and her eyes still teary. "I was pinching myself to make sure this isn't a dream. In most dreams, you can't feel pain. So, if you pinch yourself and it hurts, you know you're awake." She stepped fully out of his embrace now, wiping her eyes and sighing behind her hands. She let out a breathless laugh, feeling tears burn her eyes all over again.

"I can't believe this is happening. I was prepared to tell you that I was sorry."

Sesshoumaru tipped his head at her, squinting slightly. "Why did you feel the need to apologize?"

Kagome chuckled, wiping her hands over her face before pulling them away. Her face was flushed and her eyes rimmed red. "I thought you were going to be angry and regret it. I thought that I was going to have to say I was sorry and that it was a mistake. I didn't want to ruin whatever we have."

A little bit of guilt made the demon lord's stomach drop. He was displeased that he'd given the priestess the impression that he'd be angry about such a thing. He opened his mouth to apologize, but she held a hand up to stop him. "Don't, it is okay. I started to realize that if you were really upset, you would have hunted me down today." Her tone was light and teasing. Sesshoumaru chuckled.

"I did attempt to hunt you down. I asked every servant in the palace to find you. I asked Inuyasha where you were. Did you enjoy your time in the village?"

Kagome nodded, the last of her tears drying. "Yeah, it was nice. I got everyone something; Rin got watercolors and Shippou got a sword. I told him we'd take turns training him."

Sesshoumaru grinned at the prospect and nodded. "It will help strengthen his bond to the pack." Kagome smiled at the idea, happy that Sesshoumaru was looking forward to spending time with her kit.

"Oh!" Her loud exclamation caught the demon lord off guard. Her eyes were wide with excitement and she smiled brightly. "I have something for you!"

Curiosity piqued, Sesshoumaru raised a brow at her. Kagome smiled mischievously, grabbing his hand and tugging him out of his study. He followed willingly, allowing her to tow him along toward their rooms. When they were close, and people started to pass them, she released his hand. She stopped one of the servants that passed them.

"Can you do me a favor?" The timid maid nodded quickly. "I need you to go and get Rin and Shippou. Bring them to my room. Once you have them here, go and gather my companions." The maid nodded again, gave a low bow, and scurried down that hall. Kagome turned to smile at him and motion for him to follow her.

The demon lord was slightly surprised when she slid her own door open as opposed to his. He was so accustomed to sharing a room with her that he had forgotten she had a room of her own. She invited him in, motioning for him to make himself comfortable. He watched with interest as she walked over to her vanity and pulled open a drawer.

Whatever she was hiding from him was small enough to hide in her palm. She walked over to him, kneeling on one of the plush cushions at her tea table. Sesshoumaru followed her example, sinking down to sit beside her. She fidgeted for a minute before holding out her curled hand. Sesshoumaru opened his palm to take whatever she was offering.

He wasn't sure what he expected, but the strip of ribbon was far outside the realm of possibilities. He held it carefully, inspecting the yellow fabric with dark blue embroidering. Kagome babbled while he looked.

"I saw it while I was in town. I thought you could tie your hair with it. I know you have a bunch of them, but I couldn't think of anything else to get you," she smiled sarcastically, "Hard to pick out a gift for a lord."

Sesshoumaru huffed out a laugh, still staring at the tie. It was a small, simple gift. By all accounts, nothing special. He'd received much more extravagant gifts, expensive silks and jewel encrusted vases. There was something incredibly intimate and personal about this though. Something she'd picked out with him in mind.

"Thank you, Kagome." He wasn't sure what else to say. He could tell in her smile that he'd said enough. They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, taking a moment to relax after the hectic events of the last two days. Sesshoumaru periodically stretched his youki over the castle, searching for Naraku's puppet.

The longer she sat with him, the more her joy dampened. The reality of this situation was starting to dawn on her mind and it had her chewing her bottom lip. The anxious voice in the back of her brain was rearing its ugly head. How would the court react to their relationship? If they mated, their children would be half demons. Would Sesshoumaru be okay with that? Would their children be accepted as heirs? Would they be treated poorly and looked down upon? She thought of the beautiful demonesses she'd seen while she'd been here, eternally graceful and dressed in the finest silk. How could she possibly dream of competing with that? Especially considering they could bear him pure bred heirs. They knew the ins and outs of the court system, how to act appropriately. They wouldn't embarrass him or ruin his reputation. How was this going to wor—

"Kagome."

Sesshoumaru's firm, quiet voice pulled the miko out of her thoughts. She blinked at him, realizing that he was staring at her with worried eyes. She smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of her head.

"Sorry, I got lost in my thoughts."

Sesshoumaru hummed quietly. He took her hand and held it delicately, tracing his thumb over her knuckles. "What were you thinking about?"

It was moments like this that she hated his ability to sniff out lies. She chewed her cheek gently, trying to decide how to broach this topic.

"Are you sure about this? I don't want to ruin your reputation among the courts. I know that you're expected to mate a beautiful demoness and have pure bred heirs. Our children would be half demons. Is that okay? Would they be accepted?" Once she started talking, she couldn't stop. All of her worries poured out of her mouth before she could think. "I know that there are expectations for you as a lord. I don't know if I can fulfill those expectations. I don't— I don't—"

Sesshoumaru cut her off with a hand on her cheek. Her mouth was still open, ready to speak. She closed it slowly, a blush lighting her cheeks. Her eyes flickered away from his face. She took a moment to take a deep breath, trying to steady her heartbeat. Sesshoumaru allowed her a moment to breathe before speaking.

"I understand your worries. I would be lying if I haven't considered them myself. It is extremely rare that a mating happens for anything other than political reasons. They may come to enjoy each other's company, even become fond of each other. Not love though, never love."

Kagome's heartrate picked up again, thumping loudly through her head. Sesshoumaru cursed himself for a moment. He should have known that this approach wasn't going to calm his companion down. His thumb traced against the arch of Kagome's cheek, hoping to ease her anxiety.

"I have considered all of these things, I know all of these things. I am the Lord of the West though. Nothing anyone says stands against the choices that I make. I listen to my advisors and my people so that I may rule this kingdom to the best of my ability. This decision, however, is entirely my own. There is nothing anyone can say to me that will convince me that you are not worthy at a place by my side."

The silence that filled the room was gentle. The demon could see Kagome considering all that he had said, rolling it around in her head and rationalizing it. Slowly, she nodded against the hand on her cheek. Everything he'd said made sense, was true to his character. His gaze was steady and earnest. This was the Sesshoumaru that she knew, that she loved, telling her that this was his decision. She was his decision. Against all odds, after all they'd been through, they had chosen each other. The unlikelihood of it all made her chuckle. What a crazy, crazy world.

Sesshoumaru took her chuckle as a good sign. With a small smile, he withdrew his hand. He reached for the ribbon again, tracing his fingers along the embroidered fabric.

"Why did you choose yellow? The color of this house is blue."

Kagome smiled, reaching out to grip the end gently between two fingers.

"It just felt right. It matches your eyes. Sometimes it's nice to have something a little bit different." She listed the reasons casually, staring at the ribbon and smiling. She shrugged and let go. "Just seemed right."

Something fluttered in Sesshoumaru's chest, a sensation he'd never experienced before. With a slow hand, he reached up to untie the ribbon he was already wearing. His hair fell in waves around him, pooling on the floor. He offered the new ribbon to Kagome. The miko smiled broadly, taking the ribbon. She positioned herself behind him slowly, careful not to kneel on any of his hair. Small hands moved slowly through his hair, gathering it into a bunch. Holding it tightly, she wrapped the ribbon around his hair. After a few seconds of readjusting, she sat back and proudly observed her work.

"Perfect," she whispered.

Sesshoumaru turned quickly, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him. She yelped, pressing her hands against his chest so that they didn't collide. She smiled bashfully, a blush rising to her cheeks. She leaned forward first, surprising the demon. He didn't hesitate to lean as well, pressing his lips firmly against hers. He felt her hum reverberate through his body. The lord held her tightly, pulling her more fully into his lap. He was a moment away from deepening the kiss when she abruptly pushed away from him. She moved out of his lap with surprising speed. The demon had only just opened his mouth when there was a knock at the door.

"One moment," Kagome called, standing and straightening her yukata as she stepped toward the door. She paused for a moment, reaching out her reiki to determine who was beyond it. Why the miko had jumped away made sense once she slid the door open.

"Kagome!" Rin and Shippou chorused in unison, wrapping themselves tightly around her legs. She patted their heads fondly. When they let go of her, she knelt down in front of them. With a hand on each of their shoulders, she stared at them seriously.

"We're in a little bit of danger," she said honestly, making sure they knew she was being serious. "Sesshoumaru and I need you two to stay in this room and not leave for anyone."

"What about you?" Rin whispered, voice trembling slightly. The young girl recognize the intensity in Kagome's eyes; it was the same look that Sesshoumaru got when he was telling Jaken to protect her. It meant that something very, very bad was happening. Kagome gripped her shoulder comfortingly.

"Sesshoumaru, can you get me a piece of paper and a brush?" The demon lord didn't hesitate to oblige, curious as to what Kagome was going to write. He handed both objects to her a moment later, as well as setting ink down on the table near her. Kagome smiled appreciatively. Once she had a small amount of ink on her brush, she started to write.

"If you think it's me or Sesshoumaru outside, ask them what my cat's name is. This is my cat's name, don't repeat it out loud." She turned the paper toward them. The children read it quickly, looking over it a few times before nodding. Kagome smiled encouragingly at them. She turned to show Sesshoumaru as well. He gave a firm nod when he'd finished.

"Burn this, please," she requested politely, watching with satisfaction as acid burned its way through the paper, leaving nothing left. She turned back to the children with a kind smile.

"Good. If they can't answer that question correctly, don't open the door for them, okay?" Shippou and Rin nodded slowly, faces both twisted with worry and fear. She gathered the two of them to her. She moved to sit and pulled them carefully into her lap.

"I know that this is scary. And I'm so, so sorry that we have to do this. We need to protect you though, no matter what. We'll send Jaken in here to watch you guys and keep you company. I need you both to be nice to him during this. No pranks, jokes, nothing like that. I have some crayons and paper so that you can color, and I'll have someone brings some books. Can you guys be good for us?"

Rin sniffled against Kagome's shoulder, little tears leaking out of her eyes. She hummed quietly and nodded slowly. Kagome kissed the crown of her head. Shippou wasn't crying, though his chin trembled. He had a brave look on his face. The fox kit nodded firmly. Kagome kissed him as well, infinitely proud of his courage.

"I need to go for a little bit, Sesshoumaru is going to stay with you until I get back." The miko ushered the children toward the demon lord, who was sitting passively at the table. He raised a brow at her, curious as to where she was going, but didn't move as the children came toward him. Rin crawled into his lap with no hesitation, quickly making herself comfortably curled against him. His hand rested gently against her back. Shippou didn't join his friend, he sat next to Sesshoumaru, their knees touching. Kagome smiled at them and stood up.

"I'll be back in ten minutes, alright? We need to discuss the ball tonight."

The three of them nodded, though Sesshoumaru looked slightly concerned. Kagome tried to comfort him with a smile before turning and leaving quickly. She gave herself a moment to breathe and compose herself before she set off down the hall to find her friends.

It didn't take her long to find them. She nearly ran headlong into Sango a few hallways away from her room. The demon slayer looked at her with sharp concern twisting her face.

"A maid told us you needed us, what's going on?" Sango could sense that something was going on, something bad. Her instincts as a slayer were screaming in her head and setting her on edge. Kagome tried to smile reassuringly and only half succeeded.

"We have a problem," she murmured, motioning for her and Miroku to follow. The monk watched passively as the two of them talked, waiting to see what Kagome had to say to them. She ushered them into a room near them, sliding the door closed firmly behind them. She flared out her reiki quickly, erecting a barrier around the room. Sango and Miroku tensed at the feeling of her holy power washing over them. They stared intently at her, waiting for her to explain what was going on.

She turned to look at them, leveling each of them with serious look. "Naraku has eyes in the castle."

The slayer and monk blinked owlishly, mouths gaping open.

"What-What are you talking about? This is Sesshoumaru's castle. How could Naraku be here?" Sango stuttered, a chill running down her spine at the idea of the evil hanyou being here. Miroku rested a comforting hand on her back and she leaned into the touch. Kagome grimaced, shaking her head as she spoke.

"I was surprised too, I have no idea how he managed this. The Southern Lady is Naraku's puppet. And her son is…" Kagome trailed off, not sure how to say this. Moreover, she didn't want to have to say this. She wrung her hands together, gathering all her might to utter her next words.

"Her son was Kohaku in disguise." She rushed to explain when she saw the look of shock on Sango's face. "I'm so sorry, Naraku hid the jewel from me and I had no idea that it was him. She sent him out of the castle to report back to Naraku. Sango, I'm so sorry I didn't realize sooner."

Sango ears were ringing so loud that she hardly heard Kagome's apology. He was here? He had been here? Sango remembered glancing at the Southern prince during the tournament, noting his odd features. She'd been not even a twenty yards from Kohaku just yesterday? For a moment, Sango was sure that she was going to throw up. She raised a hand to her mouth and let out a shuddering breathe.

"He was here?" she whispered. Kagome nodded slowly, eyes still dark with remorse.

"I'm so sorry, Sango."

Absentmindedly, Sango waved her hand, mind still reeling. "No, it's okay. A lot is going on. I just…" She couldn't finish the sentence. She choked on her words and turned her face into Miroku's shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her while she shook. Over her head, he smiled a small reassuring smile at Kagome. Kagome just sighed, filled with rolling guilt. Despite the urge to comfort her friend, they had bigger problems to address.

"Sesshoumaru and I have a plan to capture the Southern lady. We're going to need your help though."

Sango pulled away from her fiancé, eyes rimmed red. "What can we do?"

Kagome spent the next ten minutes explaining their plan in detail. She described how they would see off the houses at the end of the festivities, in the main hallway. Sango and Miroku nodded as she told them where they'd hide near the entrance of the castle, ready in case the woman managed to escape her and Sesshoumaru. She was just about to describe what she'd seen in the hallway when there was a sharp knock at the door.

"Kagome? Open up."

Kagome's stiff posture relaxed at the sound of Inuyasha's gruff voice. Lowering the barrier enough to allow him into the room, she smiled when he walked in.

"Hey, Yasha."

Inuyasha appraised all of them, eyebrows raised at the tension in the room. "What the hell is going on?"

Kagome motioned for him to sit and explained everything she'd been talking to her friend's about. She described what she'd seen in the hallway, explained what she heard.

"According to Sesshoumaru, he'd never met the true lady of the South before. He had no idea that this woman was Naraku's puppet. Naraku knows that I'm here and took advantage of the ceremony to plant someone here to watch us."

For a moment, Kagome remembered the look on the queen's face when Kagome had won the tournament. "I think the dragon I fought during the tournament was meant to kill me. The puppet was angry when I won," she said absentmindedly. With a sharp shake of her head, she focused back on her friends.

"We need to act as normally as possible. Our best chance is to corner her when there are as few people around as possible. I know that it'll be hard, believe me, but it's what we have to do."

The other three nodded solemnly. It was quite for a moment and each of them was struck by how familiar this was. Yet how different. They'd all grown in the time they'd been apart, faced different challenges and obstacles that developed them as people. It was familiar though and comforting in a time of tension. Kagome found herself smiling at them, allowing herself a moment to relax.

"For now, we have the ball to focus on. You're all, obviously, invited. I understand if you don't want to go."

The slayer and the monk shared a surprised look before shrugging. "It sounds like it'll be interesting, to say the least," Miroku said with a grin. Kagome laughed and nodded.

"Alright, I need to go back to Sesshoumaru and the kids. The ball is in an hour. A servant will come get you when it's time to go." She glanced at Inuyasha. "Will you be there?"

Inuyasha's ear turned back toward his head and he scoffed. "Maybe, I don't know." His mind strays to Akimi for a moment, wondering if he would see her there. A blush lights his cheeks and he turns away to hide it. Kagome stares curiously for only a moment before shrugging.

"I need to go back to Sesshoumaru. Like I said, I'll come get you when it's time to go."

Sango and Miroku nod before Sango hugs Kagome tightly. "Be careful, please."

Kagome smiles. "Of course I will. You too." When she pulls away, she gives Sango a serious, almost stern look. "Please don't do anything reckless."

Sango bristles at the comment for a moment, ready to argue, but lets the feeling fall away. She just smiles tiredly and nods.

They hug for another second before Kagome pulls away and leaves with a wave.

As she's walking down the hallways toward their rooms, Kagome can't help the crawling feeling along her skin. She can feel Naraku's presence in the castle now, feel his eyes on her. It makes her walk more quickly and by the time she's back to her door, she's gasping. Knocking on the door, she waits for someone to let her in.

She hears feet pad along the floor before a soft voice meets her ears. "What's Kagome's cat's name?"

Kagome is proud of Shippou's steady voice. "Buyo," she whispers as softly as she can manage.

The door slide open quickly and Shippou threw himself into Kagome's legs. The miko gently ushered him inside, hand on his back to steady him.

"Hey, Shippou, it's okay. I'm back." She kneels down to hug him tightly. The fox kit grips her almost desperately. Kagome picks him up easily, walking with him over to where Sesshoumaru was watching passively. She saw relief in his eyes though. She smiles reassuringly. Kagome sits down with Shippou in her lap.

"I talked to my friends. They understand the situation and they'll help us capture her."

Sesshoumaru nods approvingly. They sit quietly for a few minutes before Kagome taps Shippou's back gently.

"I need to get ready for the ball, little guy." Shippou pulls away slowly and reluctantly. The rims of his eyes are tinged red from crying.

"Do Shippou and Rin get to go too?" the little girl pipes up from Sesshoumaru's lap. Her eyes are wide and uncertain. Kagome smiles sadly.

"No, Rin, I'm sorry. There will be too many people there and we can't risk you getting lost or hurt."

Large tears gather in Rin's eyes, slowly dripping down her cheeks. Shippou is crying again too, pressing himself tightly against Kagome and refusing to be moved. Kagome sighs as she rubs Shippou's back.

"We won't be gone for very long. You'll be safe in here with Jaken. Nothing is going to happen to us," she whispers reassuringly against his hair, kissing the crown of his head. Shippou hiccups in her arms, but nevertheless tentatively nods his head. Smiling proudly, she moves to set Shippou down beside her.

"I'm going to go and get ready, can you take them into your room?" Sesshoumaru nods and gently leads the children toward the adjoining door.

"I'll get you in half an hour." Kagome grins and nods. When the door shuts behind them, she lets out a huge sigh. Abruptly, she realizes how tired she is. It had been a painfully long day and it was hard to be excited about an equally long evening. Rallying some of her strength, she sets to bathing and getting dressed for the ball. It takes her ten minutes to bathe. She's reluctant to leave the warm, relaxing water. It takes all her resolve to drag herself out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She goes about drying her hair and intricately pinning it up. When she's satisfied with her hair, she does her make up quickly. It occurs to her that she's worn more make up in the last two days than she has in the last five years. She chuckles at the thought.

Standing from her vanity, she turns around to look at the kimono she'd laid out. She'd chosen a shade of blue that almost looked grey. She dressed quickly, tying the obi and pulling on her last layer just as Sesshoumaru pushed open her door.

The demon lord wasn't dressed much differently than he had been the last few days. Just as regal and royal as ever. His long hair had been braided down his back. Kagome noticed with yellow ribbon at the end with a smile.

"Are you ready?"

Kagome nods and walks toward him.

"I never asked what the ball is going to be like," she mentions as they walk out of her room. Sesshoumaru hums in the back of his throat thoughtfully.

"It is much like the celebration after the tournament, though a little more formal. There will be drinking and music," he explains. "This is typically when I would announce a mate," he adds as an afterthought.

Kagome stiffens at the comment. Her hands clench into fists before she can stop them. Sesshoumaru takes notice of these things and touches her wrist comfortingly.

"I do not need to do that tonight, if I do not wish."

Kagome can hear his hidden reassurance. 'I do not need to do that if you aren't ready.' She rolls the idea around in her head for a moment before shaking her head slowly.

"It doesn't feel like an appropriate time," she reasons, thoughts firmly on Naraku. Sesshoumaru nods in agreement. They're quiet for the rest of the walk toward the ballroom. Already, Kagome can hear the beat of drums. They stand in front of the grand double doors, servants on each side. The demon reaches out of grip Kagome's hand gently. Kagome hears the chattering beyond the door start to quiet and feels her heartrate speed up. She'd never been one for being the center of attention.

Before she can even think about walking away, the servants are pulling the door open. Sesshoumaru confidently leads her inside.

The room is filled with all the people she'd seen last night. She sees Kouga and Ayame, dressed in their finest, to the left of them. Familiar faces serve to calm her down some and she starts to relax. The crowd bows to them, which they return in unison. Then, in the blink of an eye, the music has started and everyone turns back to their conversations. Kagome lets out a loud sigh of relief.

The two join the flow of the ball, speaking with their friends and sipping drinks. Kagome is more cautious this time, sipping slowly from a glass instead of chugging from the bottle. She wanted to keep her wits about her tonight. She waves Sango and Miroku over when she sees them.

"Kagome! You look beautiful!" Sango gushes, hugging the miko tightly. Kagome thanks her.

"You look amazing too," Kagome says. She sips at her drink slowly, looking around the room. It was hard to relax and enjoy the party, knowing that any one of these people could be connected to Naraku. The hanyou had proven he could get someone into the stronghold and it made Kagome paranoid. 'Understandably so,' she thinks to herself sardonically. Sango seems to read her thoughts and rests a hand on her arm.

"Everything is going to be okay," the slayer whispers forcefully. Kagome looks into her dark eyes and slowly nods. She smiles sheepishly.

"You're right, let's enjoy the ball."

The trio makes their rounds along the room, talking to their friends along the way. Kouga gives her a knowing look with a raised eyebrow, causing Kagome to blush.

"How was your night last night, Kagome?" he asks knowingly. Kagome swats his arm and tries to grimace.

"None of your business." Kouga laughed heartily at her, pulling her into a crushing hug. Kagome returns it with a goodhearted laugh. They're reminiscing when Sesshoumaru appears beside the miko, wrapping an arm around her waist. Kagome leans against him, feeling a little bit tipsy, and sighs.

"It is good to see you relaxing," he whispers to her. Kagome nods.

"Something still feels wrong," Kagome whispers back. There's something nagging at her mind and pulling out her reiki. She couldn't place exactly what the feeling was, but it was definitely familiar. It makes her skin crawl and she shudders against him. His arm tightens, helping ground her. She smiles appreciatively. The miko is just about to ask him how he's feeling when an aura brushes against hers. She stiffens immediately, turning her head to train her eyes on the door. Her brow scrunches up, not believing what she felt. The next second she felt another aura hit hers. It was approaching the room quickly. Kagome pulls away, moving to meet them halfway. She was a step away from the door, Sesshoumaru close behind her, when it was pulled open to reveal Inuyasha. The half demon was breathing heavily, staring at his friend with wide eyes.

"Did you feel it?" he demands immediately. Kagome nods frantically.

"Yeah. Was it her?" Inuyasha nods back at her. His eyes keep darting around, looking for someone who wasn't there.

"She's close to the castle, really close." Inuyasha was shocked to feel the miko's reiki so close to the stronghold. She had made it very clear to the hanyou that she had no interest in entire the demon settlement. Her presence so close threw Inuyasha toward a panic. Kagome sensed this and reached out to touch his arm.

"Go see what's going on." Kagome felt a huge, foreboding looming over them. Something was very, very wrong.

Inuyasha was staring at her with wide eyes, searching for something in her face. He seemed to find it because he nodded firmly. He gripped her hand tightly for the briefest moment before turning to leave. Kagome knew he was looking for some comfort and some strength. She squeezed his hand tightly before he was gone. He ran out of the castle and into the descending night. Kagome watched with a hand held to her chest. The anxiety twisting in her chest was making it hard to breathe. She wasn't she why Kikyou's call had felt so significant, but she couldn't ignore the cloud of despair she felt floating over her.

Sesshoumaru stood beside her, having passively watched the situation. Seeing the panic in the two had risen his instinct to protect his pack. His arm wrapped around Kagome protectively. He grumbled low in his chest in an attempt to calm her. It helped some, her posture loosened and her hand fell from her chest.

"What is happening?"

Kagome sighed and shrugged. "We aren't sure. It's Kikyou. She's near the castle and calling Inuyasha." She was staring out the double doors with far away eyes. "I can feel it in my soul too."

Sesshoumaru stares at her passively, momentarily impressed again by the strength of this girl. Everything she had experienced in this time had been faced with half of her soul, while the other half was corrupted. He leans down to press his nose against the top of her head, breathing in her scent slowly. Kagome leans into the embrace, soaking in the comfort he was offering to her.

After a moment, the bubble around them popped and Kagome abruptly realized they were still at the ball. No one seemed to notice her quiet conversation with Inuyasha. Pulling away slowly, she smiled up at Sesshoumaru and nodded her head toward the party.

"We should get back, you have mingling to do," she teased. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her, opting instead to take her hand and lead her toward her friends.

They settle back into the swing of the ball quickly, sipping drinks and laughing with each other. Taimu finds them some time later, obviously drunk and grinning goofily.

"Kagome! You look ravishing." His voice is loud and booming, startling a group of people near them. He doesn't notice. Kagome smiles at him.

"Thank you. Where is your wife?"

"She is staying with the children in our rooms. This isn't her kind of event." Taimu's tone is good natured and fond. Kagome nods understandingly, unable to picture his timid wife being comfortable here. They chat for a few minutes before Taimu sees someone else he knows and respectfully excuses himself.

The rest of the night is spent making pleasant conversation and Kagome trying to ignore the tugging of her spirit in her chest. Sesshoumaru can see her struggle at times and offers reassurance in the form of touching her wrists and squeezing her hand. Her grip is always tight and desperate.

When they retire for the night, Sango and Miroku leave the ball with them.

"We saw you talking to Inuyasha. What's going on?" Miroku inquires while they walk. Kagome sighs heavily.

"Kikyou is near the castle. She called for Inyusha."

The slayer and monk are surprised by this, both blinkingly owlishly.

"Kikyou? She refused to come near the castle when we arrived."

"I know, Inuyasha told me. That's why we're nervous. We have no idea what she wants."

Sango hums thoughtfully, staring up at the ceiling and trying to think of a reason the clay miko would be here.

"Maybe she's upset that Inuyasha is here. We all know how she can be with him."

Kagome remembered like it was yesterday. The possessive way that her counterpart treated her friend. For so long, it elicited a fury in Kagome. Now, the miko was just worried about her best friend. She chewed on her lip, desperately trying to figure out what was going on. They walked quietly toward Sango and Miroku's room, the silence tense.

"You see off the houses tomorrow?" Sango murmurs in the quiet hallway. Kagome nods, more anxiety weighing her down at the thought.

"Around midday in the main entrance hall. She should be the last we see off." The priestess notices Sango's tightly curled fists. Miroku is quiet next to her, rubbing his hand along her spine soothingly. They stop in front of Sango and Miroku's room, the two women hug tightly.

"Everything is going to be okay, Kagome. Inuyasha will be fine," Sango whispers into her shoulder. Kagome nods against her, having nothing to say. They separate slowly and Kagome waves goodbye.

The demon and the miko walk in silence to their room, each lost in their own thoughts. So much had happened in the last forty-eight hours, leaving them both with plenty to think about.

The children are beside themselves with relief and joy when they entire Kagome's room. The latch themselves to the miko immediately, hugging as tightly as their little bodies could. Kagome gathers them both in her arms, sitting with them and absorbing the special kind of comfort they gave. They talk excitedly about the books they'd read and showed the miko drawings they had done.

"These are both beautiful," she whispers, imagining the drawings pinned to her refrigerator at home. The idea fills her with nostalgia and fondness, reminding her of her own drawings that were still hung there. After a few more minutes of talking, Kagome helps the two get ready for bed. It's quickly decided that they'll sleep in Kagome's room tonight, while Kagome and Sesshoumaru stay in theirs. Both are excited by the idea.

"It's a sleep over!" Shippou says excitedly, his eyes shining. Kagome laughs and ruffles both of their heads.

"If you two need anything, just come get us. There's still a barrier around our rooms, so you'll be safe in here." The children nod at her words, relieved to be so close to them tonight.

Once their tucked in and Kagome kisses each of their foreheads, her and Sesshoumaru go to their own room. Kagome deflates the minute their door is closed. She can't remember a time when she'd been so worn down, emotionally and physically. The only instance that comes to mind is when she'd found herself alone in this era. She slumps against the door frame and lets out a long sigh.

"It's been a long two days," she whispers, still feeling the aches and pains from the tournament. It's amazing that it had been just yesterday; it felt like it was a thousand years ago. More memories of the night flooded to her mind and she found herself blushing. With some force, she swallows down her embarrassment and moves into the room. She offers Sesshoumaru a tired smile, which is returned with a soft look.

He, too, can't believe how much had occurred in the last couple of days. The events of the days are oddly spaced in his memories, some stretching longer than others. He remembers their night together with a satisfied smile. Kagome blushes again at the look and fiddles with a stray thread on her sleeve.

"You must be tired of wearing such heavy clothing. Come, it is to retire for the night."

Kagome is reassured by his relaxed tone and smiles shyly. The two spend a few minutes changing for bed, Kagome's blush runs to the tips of hear ears as she strips out of her clothing. Once her sleeping yukata was secure, the exhaustion seemed to hit her tenfold. She slumped into bed quickly, splayed out over the futon. Sesshoumaru growls at her playfully, laying down in the best next to her and forcing her to move over. Kagome obliges, shuffling over to her side and wiggling under the covers. The weight is comforting and familiar, making her eyes droop sleepily.

There's still a tight knot in her chest though. She feels when Sesshoumaru falls into sleep. She stays awake, unseeing eyes staring up at the dark ceiling. The feel of her soul tugging in her chest was constant and strained, making it impossible to fall asleep. Kagome feels a deep sort of desperation as time continues and the feeling persists. It isn't until hours later, due to sheer exhaustion, that Kagome falls into a fitful sleep. She dreams of betrayal and death, all to the tune of distorted laughter. Even in her dreams, the ache in her soul remains.