Chapter 20

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for all your reviews!! I'm really happy about them! Oh and guess what people?? There's going to be a LUNAR ECLIPSE on Tuesday night. I don't really know what time but it will be at like sunset or something. I don't know but be sure to see it!! My dad says they're really rare and come every decade or something! You can't miss this opportunity up!

Okay, that the end of a random signpost. Back to the story.

I know you guys don't like the Sess/Kag pairing but if you asked in the last chapter you should know what it'd end up as! And all those who didn't bother to ask then tough luck. I'm not going to give anything away no more. You had your chance!

And I'm sorry for all those people who asked and were disappointed by my answer but it's the truth so deal with it! (I don't mean to sound harsh). But there will be fluff from both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru okay? So don't worry about that.

And if you guys want to argue about which is the better pairing then just visit my forum. We'll battle it out in there!

Okay enough of this babble. Let's get on with the chappie!!

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Inuyasha: 18

Kagome: 16

Shippo: 5

Sesshomaru: 25

Rin: 7

Miroku: 18

Sango: 17

Kouga: 18

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Kagome was tossing and turning in her sleep. Her hands tightly clenched the bed sheets and her eyebrows were etched into a deep frown. Beads of sweat were running down her cheeks and her hair was sticking to the pillow with sweat.

The sleeping kitsune beside her had no troubles whatsoever. He lay there snoring quietly, unknowing about Kagome's dream…

Dream::..

"Kikyo-chan!" A young woman cried. She was about 14 in age and her hair was as black as a raven. Her bright chocolate eyes were shining with joy, hiding the misery and sorry in a raging storm. 2 years now since her father died. She hasn't been the same since but she tried not to be. She tried to act as if nothing happened but everyone knew that it was impossible. For everyone.

Kikyo's head lifted up at the sound of her name. Her dark brown eyes stared coldly as the younger girl approached her. "What do you want Kagome?" she asked coldly. Ever since their father died she hasn't been the same since. She was even colder and stricter then normal. She wouldn't talk to Kagome about anything personal, nothing out of the lines of duty.

Kagome walked towards her older sister. It was night and Kikyo was about to shoot another arrow at the target dummy. Kagome has noticed how much she kept on training, how many hours a day she was out in these fields. Of course, she too was training more hard but not as much as Kikyo was. "Don't you think you should be resting right now?" Kagome asked worriedly. "You've been at this for hours. It's almost midnight."

Kikyo gave her little sister a warning glare. "Why are you keeping tabs on me?" she hissed. "I don't need another mother breathing down my back!" that was typical for her. She had been disrespectful to their parents when they weren't in hearing distance and Kagome grew worried about that. Sure, Kikyo has been serving the castle a great deal since that night but it's getting a little bit too much. Kagome wanted her old sister back.

"Why don't you come back inside?" Kagome asked innocently. "Maybe then we could talk."

Kikyo snorted. She readied another arrow on her bow and took aim at the abused target dummy over a field away. "We can talk here, Kagome." She said harshly as she released the arrow. Its aim was true and hit the dummy square in the head.

Kagome noticed that there were multiple arrows pierced on its body and Kikyo didn't bother taking them off. She tried frantically to think about something to talk about other than duty or demons. Kikyo needed a break. She knew that along with her mother and servants. "Um… do you have anything you want to talk about?" Kagome asked nervously.

"No." Kikyo readied another arrow and aimed it carefully, her eyes cold and set.

Kagome finally thought about something to make her mind think of something else. "Hey! What about Onigumo?" she asked cheerfully.

Kikyo's eyes widen and she accidentally lost her grip on the arrow. The arrow flew over to the other side, missing the dummy completely and hitting a nearby tree instead. Kikyo turned her head around towards Kagome with a cold expression. "Never speak his name again." She said strictly. "Don't you ever mentioned his name in front of me or better yet, forget about the name all together."

Kagome gulped. "Why?" she asked. "What's wrong with you and him?" she asked.

Kikyo readied another arrow angrily. "It's none of your business Kagome." She stated. "So stop sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." She aimed for the dummy carefully.

Kagome frowned. "What's wrong with you for the last couple years? You never tell me anything no more! We used to tell each other everything but now you're like a closed off robot!"

Kikyo shot the arrow with an angry grunt. The arrow hit the dummy's heart (if it had a heart) and the body rocked from the impact. "That's for little girls, Kagome." She said coldly. "I'm too old for that now. I suggest you grow up too."

"What happened to you and him?" Kagome asked. "Did he do something wrong?"

Kikyo gave an angry groan. "Just shut up, Kagome!" she yelled. "Nothing happened." She said as she readied yet another arrow.

"Please tell me!" Kagome begged. "It's better for you to tell someone then to keep it all in inside. It's not healthy. You need to share your pain."

Kikyo sighed sadly and dropped her bow and arrow slightly. She closed her eyes as if in debate of herself. When she opened them again she looked at Kagome.

She gasped in return. Her eyes held more emotion in them then the last two years combined. They no longer held the cold, hateful look they once held but now sadness and betrayal. Kagome stepped closer to her and grabbed her shoulders. It was kind of awkward because Kikyo was so much taller than her. "What happened, Kikyo-chan?" she asked.

Kikyo closed her eyes halfway as she told Kagome everything. "I never told you how I met him did I?" she asked.

Kagome shook her head. "You only told me about him that one time. you never spoke of him again but I never did forget." She smiled.

"Well," Kikyo continued. "I met him when he was all injured and shattered. He had just fallen off a cliff see? So he was in a pretty bad position. Even though I was young then I still knew how to work on medical procedures and it was good too because he was child just like me." She smiled slightly at the memory. "It was still a pretty gruesome sight but I put up with it. I had seen far worse then his."

Kagome gasped. "You have?" she asked worriedly. How cruel and wrong was it that she had seen something even worse then someone who just fell off a cliff? That was horrible.

Kikyo nodded. "I have." She said as she tapped her head. "I'm a pretty advanced person." She joked.

Her little sister smiled. As she watched Kikyo Kagome could tell she was slowly getting her old sister back. She was glad for that.

"Anyway when I finished bandaging him up he was all covered. Even his face was within a white cloth." Her expression saddened. "He was so badly injured that he could even stand or crawl. I left him in a small cave every night but I would always come back the very next day to check up on him and give him the stuff he needed like food and water."

"Then what happened?" Kagome asked. "How was he?"

"He wasn't improving." Kikyo said solemnly. "For years I had to keep coming to him and re-bandaging him but he never improved. Not one bit."

"Why didn't you call for mother's help?" Kagome asked.

"Because he said he didn't want them to know about him." her expression turned dark. "He was an evil person Kagome. He kept talking about destruction and famine. He said he used to be thief. Every time I came to him he always gave me dark looks and his aura was always emitting something evil or foul."

"Then why did you like him?" she asked curiously. "What made you attracted to him? I mean, you didn't even know what his face looked like."

Kikyo sighed sadly. "I don't know." She said. "I just felt good that someone needed me and only me. It had a nice feeling to it, you know?"

Suddenly Kagome's mind thought about Inuyasha and she hissed at it. "No," she said harshly. "I don't know,"

Kikyo stared at her curiously. "What's the matter?" she asked.

Kagome shook her head and banished Inuyasha's face from her mind. "Nothing." She said flatly. "Then what happened?"

Kikyo let it slide and continued. "So I kept going to him yes? Well one day he asked me about the Shikon no Tama. I told him about it but not very much, I was still suspicious of him." Kikyo stated. "After that day he was gone. Just gone. He wasn't there the next day. All that was left was a patch of grass-less ground where he used to be. I never saw him since."

Kagome looked puzzled. "But why would you be so angry about that?" she asked.

"Because the patch of grass never grew again." She said darkly.

Kagome still looked puzzled. "Why is that so bad?"

Kikyo turned her head from her and got out her last arrow from her back. She aimed it. "Because all the grass around it were still growing and giving off a healthy green colour. But the place where he laid still remained as grass-less as ever."

"Meaning…?" Her sister's not-so-straight answer was annoying Kagome.

Kikyo shot the arrow and this time she put some spiritual energy into it. "That means he sacrificed himself to demons just to get his own body." She hissed. The arrow hit the dummy and this time the dummy burst with a bright light. "He merged with a group of many demons just so he could walk…"

End of Dream::..

Kagome gasped and sat straight up. Well that was an odd trip down memory lane. She looked to the side and saw Shippo still sleeping quietly. Kagome carefully crawled out of the bed, not disturbing Shippo in the slightest. She hopped out and carefully made her way to the door.

She was wearing nothing else but a nightdress. It was blue with a darker blue rim. It had short sleeves and the dress had only reached her knees. Overall, it was not revealing in any way.

She stepped out and gently closed the door behind her. She didn't know what she was doing but she did it anyway. She walked around the halls as silent as a ghost and passed no one. It was dark inside Sesshomaru's castle and there were hardly any lights on. It was as quiet as an abandoned house that has been left alone for years.

She found herself heading towards the doors that led to the backyard. She pushed the door open and stepped outside, not bothering to close the door behind her.

Immediately Kagome grew cold. The breeze in the air made her spine shiver and the wind was ice cold on her cheeks. Her breaths came out as smoky clouds and the sky was as dark as ever. There were no stars out, only a large moon that was almost full.

She stared around the yard and saw nothing out of the ordinary. What had led her out here then? She scanned the area with her eyes and found nothing again. 'What's going on?' she asked herself. She rubbed her arms up and down with her hands to try and warm herself up. It was no use since the night was as cold as ice.

She was about to make her way back inside but she saw a figure out at the training grounds. Curious as ever Kagome stepped down the stairs and walked towards the person. To Kagome it was a female. She had a white and red kimono on, it was like the miko clothes. She had long dark hair crusading down her back and tied in a loose ponytail. It looked like she was taking shots with an arrow.

Immediately Kagome knew who it was. Kikyo. What a coincidence, ne? She stopped dead in her tracks and the wind blew violently around her. She shivered as her hair whipped across her face. She tucked the swaying hair behind her ears and made another move to advance the miko. 'It's her.' Kagome thought. 'Maybe now I could get some answers.'

Just as she was only a yard away from her she stopped and so did Kikyo. She watched as Kikyo turned her whole body to face her. Kikyo's eyes were blank as the last time they met. They were cold and lifeless. They held nothing but hate and resentment.

They stood there staring at each other in a distance in total silence. The wind picked up and swayed bother of their hairs onto the right side of them. Kagome could feel the chills running down her spine staring at her dead sister which was somehow still living. "What are you doing here, Kikyo?" she asked. There was no disdain to her voice. Just the usual curious-ness and confusion. She didn't hate her sister for what she did last time they met. After all, when she left Kagome could have sworn she saw a little spark in her lifeless eyes.

Kikyo stayed silent but eventually answered. "Does there have to be an excuse for me being here?" she asked coldly.

Kagome winced. Her voice was so cold and lifeless that she didn't recognize it at first. It was so different from the on she heard in her dream. "Well, can you just answer me a few questions then?" she asked.

The wind blew up again and faded down to a gentle breeze. "Depends." She answered. "What are they?"

"Why did you try to kill me the other time?" Kagome asked sadly.

Kikyo stared at her blankly before answering. "I'm still trying to kill you now."

"Then why aren't you?" she asked. When Kikyo said she was still out to kill her Kagome grew more cautious. Her legs were just itching to run. She had no weapons with her… again. 'One day Kagome, you're going to get killed because of this!' she paused. 'And maybe tonight's that day!'

Once again Kikyo hesitated before answering. "It is my business, not yours." She said flatly.

"Okay." Kagome was disappointed about that answer. She was hoping with all her might that she didn't try to kill her now because she still cared for her. Guess she was wrong. "How did you get back into the world of the living?" she asked.

This time Kikyo did not hesitate. "I have already given out clues to that half-breed, Inuyasha." When she saw Kagome wince her eyes grew hard with amusement. "Oh yeah, that's right." She said coldly. "You remember what happened don't you? Pity. It was so amusing to watch you follow him without knowing that you were supposed to hate the murderer of your father."

At first Kagome was hurt but now she was angry. "That's none of your business." She stated. "And what do you mean by 'your father'? Wasn't he your father as well? Didn't we have the same family?" she asked.

Kikyo's eyes were erased from any other emotion but anger. "I have no family." She whispered so that Kagome could barely catch it.

But she did though. "But you do have a family." Kagome cried as she put a hand on her chest. "You still have me." She could feel tears gathering for her sister. She missed her so much. "You can join me for the quest of the jewel shards and we'll be a family again."

Kikyo scoffed. "Why would you want me to be in your family?" she hissed.

Kagome could see her vision getting blurry. "Because you're the only family I have left." She whispered.

As soon as Kagome said those words Kikyo could feel a jabbing in her heart. But that was impossible because she knew she had no heart. Her eyes turned as cold as a rock once again. She pulled out another arrow from her bag and aimed it at Kagome. "I am not your sister and I will never have kinship with you." She stated coldly as she released the arrow.

The arrow came to Kagome and she didn't have any time to move. She closed her eyes shut and lifted her arms up in front of her as if it would protect her. She waited for something to happen but nothing did. She opened her eyes slowly and saw a tall Inuyoukai standing right beside her with the arrow caught in his grasp. "S-Sesshomaru?" she said in disbelief.

Sesshomaru didn't say a word as his eyes were transfixed on the miko before them. "State your business." He said flatly. "You are on my lands and I have the right to kill you here and now. If you do not imply me with a good enough reason then you shall pay with your life."

Kikyo still held the position when she released the arrow. Her eyes were hard and impassive, much like Sesshomaru's himself. "You cannot kill me, demon." She stated. "I have the power to purify your very being."

Sesshomaru glared at her and snapped the arrow in his hand in half. "I suppose you're Princess Kikyo Higurashi, am I correct? Well I do apologize but I still have enough power to overcome your attacks. You cannot kill me that easily." He stated coldly.

Kikyo readied another arrow and aimed for Sesshomaru. "We'll just see about that." and she released the arrow and this time with spiritual energy.

Sesshomaru dodged it easily, carrying Kagome by the waist. She made a small sound of surprise but was quieted as soon as she hit the ground. Sesshomaru let her go and stepped in front of her to block her from her sister's view. "Stay here," he ordered as he leapt towards her.

Kagome's eyes widened as she saw him retract his claws. "No! Don't hurt her Sesshomaru!" she cried out to him.

But Kikyo was a step ahead of her. She started to glow and long insect like youkai began to circle around her. Kagome eyes widened even more. "Soul collectors." she whispered.

Kikyo's whole body began to glow as the demons circled around her. Sesshomaru was still coming at her with full speed. He was just in front of her in a split second with his claws ready to pierce. "Die." He said flatly.

"No!" Kagome yelled.

But there was no need since the second Sesshomaru made his strike Kikyo disappeared with her tiny demon pets. Sesshomaru just stood there and stared at them as the demons began to fly away from him and Kagome. They headed towards the target practice Kikyo was using before and gathered them up. Half a second later they were gone, along with the evidence that she was even there.

They both stood in silence for awhile and let the cold wind blow on their faces. It was Sesshomaru who broke it. "Care to explain to me what was going on?" he asked with a bored tone. "It does not please me to have uninvited guests into my grounds and try to hurt one of the people staying here."

Kagome gulped. "Well I don't really know what she was doing here." She said truthfully.

Sesshomaru turned around and faced Kagome fully. "Then what were you doing outside?" he asked.

Well, truthfully, Kagome didn't know. After she had that dream she was just… led out here. Maybe Kikyo called her? Or maybe it was just a giant coincidence? Either way Kagome knew that Sesshomaru wouldn't like her answer. "I have no clue."

He sighed uncharacteristically. "Come." He said. "Let us go inside to talk about this. You look like you might freeze to death."

Kagome's eyes widened. Was the great Inuyoukai worrying about her well being? "Are you just saying that because you want to be a gentleman or do you actually even care if I turn into a Popsicle stick?" she asked sarcastically.

"Now." He ordered.

Kagome sighed in defeat and nodded. "Fine, fine." She said. "You don't need to go all grumpy with me, Fluffy." Not even a second later did she find Sesshomaru right in front of her, chests almost touching. "Whoa!" she said in shock.

Sesshomaru continued to glare down at her. "Have more respect for me, woman, or else you might not be so lucky as the princess who just escaped." He warned.

Kagome gulped and nodded. "Okay! Sorry!" she cried.

Sesshomaru didn't waver. He continued to stare down at her with an intense gaze. He could actually hear her heart beating wildly in her chest and it almost made him smirk- almost. The wind blew up again and he didn't miss the shiver that went through her body. He draped his arms around her shoulder. "Come. Let us go inside." He said.

Kagome nodded without argument and they both started their walk back into the castle.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Inuyasha and co. were taking a rest near a stream. Miroku and Sango were separated, of course, and Kirara was snuggled in with a tall batch of grass. Inuyasha was by the stream, staring down at the water. He was cross-legged as he watched the water ripple with tiny creatures inside.

He was thinking about Kagome once again. It seemed like the entire day he hadn't stopped thinking about her. 'I hope Kagome's safe.' He hoped.

Suddenly Miroku was by his side. "Thinking about her again?" he asked politely as he sat down next to him.

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Feh! No way! Why would I think of a wench like her?" Inuyasha asked rudely.

Miroku sighed and shook his head. "Don't you think I would have known you long enough to know that far-away look in your eyes?" he asked seriously. "You can't fool me, Inuyasha."

"Feh." Was the only intelligent reply Inuyasha could make.

They sat there for awhile in silence until Miroku spoke up again. "What happened between you two Inuyasha?" he asked. "I know you killed her father but why? You said you didn't mean it and you weren't yourself. Could you care to explain that?" he asked.

Inuyasha closed his eyes. "It's none of your damn business." He said.

Miroku made a look of hurt spread across his face. "You wound me Inuyasha. I have been your best friend for years yet you still won't tell me anything? That hurts Inuyasha. It hurts me deeply." He said sadly.

"Cut the crap Miroku." Inuyasha growled in irritation. "It's not like you'll want to know anyway." He said.

"I wouldn't have asked you if I did." Miroku retorted. "Now tell me, what happened?"

Inuyasha sighed in defeat. He hasn't told anyone this story but he guessed he could tell Miroku. He was juts worried what he'll think of him afterwards. "Fine." He said. "But I know you won't like it."

"Spill."

"Well…" he paused, trying to think of a way to put this into words. "First off I have to tell you how it all started. First Kouga, remember Kouga?" he asked. Miroku nodded so he continued. "Anyway he knew my secret meetings with Kagome before we were found out by our guardians. He told me that Kagome forgot all about me and is no seeing another man." He gave a bitter laugh. "It was odd because she was only 12 back then."

Miroku nodded, taking all this in. "Go on." He urged.

First Inuyasha looked back to see if Sango and Kirara were still asleep. They were. He turned back to Miroku and continued his story. "Well I went to Kagome's castle just to check but when I got there I saw her with another boy." His blood temperature rose from that one memory. "And I guess I jumped to conclusions and ran back home mad."

"Did you ever find out what Kagome was doing with the boy?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't need to." He replied. "I was young then and I was also a fool. When I recall what they were saying now I know that they were just playmates. I guess I was just jealous. A really big and dark type of jealous."

"What then?" Miroku asked.

"No later did I have my first meeting with Naraku." Inuyasha made a low growl of hatred. His claws were digging into his arms. "He gave me an amulet filled with dark spirits of Obaku. He said it would give me more strength, as much as Sesshomaru's maybe. And probably stronger by the energy I felt in that tiny jewel."

"And you accepted it?" Miroku asked in disbelief.

Inuyasha nodded, ashamed. "Yeah, I did."

"Why?" he asked as he shook his head.

Inuyasha made a growl of confusion. "I felt weak after that okay?" he said harshly. "I… I wanted to feel stronger. And like I said, I was a fool back then."

"And you're still one now." Miroku added. "What happened after that?" he asked.

Inuyasha paused. "Well, I can't really remember. When I accepted the jewel my memory gets blurry after that." he admitted. "What I do remember is acting cruelly towards everyone around me. Hell, I acted so cruel that my father and even Sesshomaru were pleased with me. What I did must have been horrible."

"How did you get out of it?" he asked.

Inuyasha paused once more. "I believe it was after the night when I killed Kagome's father." He said sadly. "I broke free after that. After I realized what I had done. The amulet broke from around my neck and it just disappeared, it just vanished into darkness and I never saw it again."

"And everything went back to normal correct?"

"Mostly. My father and Sesshomaru treated me the same as usual, didn't think I was good enough for anything. After I broke free from the amulet's hole I went to Kagome and tried to apologize to her." Inuyasha's expression saddened from the memory. "The moment she saw me I saw the hate and coldness in her eyes I had never seen before. She shouted at me and aimed an arrow to my heart." He paused. "That was the first time she ever did that."

Miroku nodded. "And she hasn't forgiven you since." He concluded. "Well I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed and mildly disgusted by your actions." Miroku said harshly. "But, you are my friend and I do forgive you. Let's just hope Lady Kagome would also forgive you as well."

Inuyasha sighed, "Well, now you know the story." He stated. "Going to tell Sango?" he asked.

Miroku stared at Inuyasha as if he was hurt by what he said. "What do you think I am? Some sort of snitch? I wouldn't tell Lady Sango anything if you didn't wish it to be. I'm once again hurt by what you said." He pouted.

"And once again: Cut the crap." He hissed.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Kagome told Sesshomaru everything she knew about why Kikyo alive. But that wasn't saying very much. "So as you've heard, I don't really know much." She ended. It took her only 30 minutes to tell him what she knew. Not much now was it? That just goes to show how little she knew.

Sesshomaru nodded, his expression bored. "So what you're saying is that when you were caught in the blast my father was also in it?" Kagome nodded. "And your mother and older sister, correct?"

Once again Kagome nodded. Sesshomaru eyes her carefully. "What about my half-breed brother?" he asked.

Her back stiffened at the mention of his name. "Yeah." She said. "He was there." talking about him pained her a little so she tried to change the subject. "How did you know I was outside anyway?" she asked curiously, trying to hide the pain in her voice.

Of course the pain didn't go unnoticed by the great lord. "I, as a lord, should be able to know where all my guests are without any doubts." He said. "And it is also my duty to guard the lands from disrespectful peasants." He said.

Kagome nodded. "But don't you have guards for those?" she asked. "Wouldn't it be tiring for you to stay up all day and night so you can monitor the castle?" she asked.

Sesshomaru shook his head. "You forget I am a demon, girl." He said. "I have a keen smell and I can be alerted by any trespassers by instinct. I do not need to stay awake for my entire life."

"So you do go to sleep." She said as if it were a new discovery.

Sesshomaru didn't answer. They sat there in silence. Sesshomaru's face held a bored expression while Kagome wore a curious one. She was currently just taking in the beauty of this room.

Currently there were in the large living room of Sesshomaru's castle. Well, it looked like a house from the inside. There were couches and sofas in the center surrounding a marble table. On the table was a giant vase of yellow and red flowers, probably picked by Rin-chan, Kagome thought. The seats were all coloured a dark red and the carpet was brown. There was a fireplace at the northern walls and the door leading out was both at the east and south walls. The west wall held a giant painting of some sort of past demon that seemed wise and powerful.

Kagome would occasionally glance at the portrait and it would immediately remind her of Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. She figured that he was their great, great, great, great, great grandfather or something. Not that she was implying he looked really old, quiet the opposite. It was just his clothes. They were so old and… not from this time.

"I see you admire that portrait hanging on the wall of there ne?" Sesshomaru interrupted her thoughts. "It is a portrait of my great grandfather from many years ago." He said as he stared at the painting with her. "He lived to be over 500 years old. A rare age for most inuyoukai."

Well Kagome was wrong that she thought he was their great, great, great, great, great grandfather. She forgot demons could live that long. "Well." She said. "He still looks like a young man to me." She stated.

Sesshomaru had to resist the urge to chuckle- he, of course, succeeded. "We Tai youkai do not age in appearance as quickly as you humans do." He said tonelessly. "We keep our natural grace and appearance while you humans rot as you grow older."

Kagome glared at the demon before her. "What is that supposed to mean?" she cried angrily. Did he just call her ugly?

"It means what you think it means miko." He stated flatly.

Kagome rose from her seat rather abruptly. "How dare you!" she yelled angrily. "How dare you just call the human race ugly?"

Sesshomaru didn't move from his seat and continued to stare at Kagome as if bored. "Well isn't it true?" he asked her. "Isn't the demon race for more attracting then your pitiful race?"

Kagome began to stutter. "W-Well, yeah! I mean they are… sort of… but there can also be…" she groaned with irritation. "That's beside the point!" Kagome yelled fruitlessly. "You just called me ugly!"

Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow. "And you are calling yourself not?" he asked.

After registering what he had said Kagome began to stutter more and blush a nice shade of pink. "I-I umm…" she started. "W-Well that depends." She said. "I have my bad times and my good times."

Sesshomaru's brow was still risen. "Answer the question, miko." He said. "Do you think you are beautiful?" he asked.

Kagome blushed deeper. "W-Well I may not be b-beautiful…" she said a little sadly. "But I can't say I look bad."

"So you say you are not beautiful?"

'How did this conversation lead to this?' Kagome thought frantically. "Well…" she paused for a second, uncertain of what to say. Did she consider herself to be beautiful? No, she didn't. She began thinking of her sister and thought how beautiful she was. She could practically get any man she wanted… she couldn't get many. She sighed sadly. "No Sesshomaru." She answered. "I do no believe I am beautiful."

Sesshomaru watched her for a moment. Her sad expression yet relieved one. This confused him entirely. "Do want to be?" he asked.

Kagome started at him shocked. "Well I don't really want to be." She said truthfully. She gave him a sweet smile. "I believe I like how I look now. I don't want to change my appearance." She said wisely.

Once again he stared at her with impassive eyes. A few moments went by in utter silence and Kagome was getting tense under his gaze. 'I wonder what he's thinking about…' Kagome thought as she sat back down.

He watched her as she took her seat. He could literally feel her tense as he stared at her with his eyes. He couldn't figure out this woman. She admits she isn't beautiful and she doesn't want to become one. If he had asked any other woman he knew then she would surely say she was beautiful and if so they would wish to become it. 'This girl has a lot of surprises…' Sesshomaru pondered.

Kagome gulped. It has been 2 minutes since either of them talked and it was getting on her nerves. "So…" she said. She was still in her nightdress but she wasn't cold at all. The fire in the room was enough to keep her warm. "What do you want to do now?" she asked. She wasn't tired and she could tell Sesshomaru wasn't either. 'Maybe that's because the guy never sleeps? Yeah, probably.' She joked to herself.

Sesshomaru tore his gaze from the young miko and blankly watched the fire beside them. What was wrong with this girl? She wasn't even complaining that she's sleepy or anything. Could a ningen really go this long without any sleep? He doubted it. He said nothing to her and vise versa. They just watched the fire dance in front of them without a care in the world.

After awhile Kagome got bored of staring and tried to start a conversation again. "So…" she trailed. "What was your mother like?" she asked. She knew she was poking around a personal bush but it was the only question that popped to her head at that moment.

This question surprised him- even if he didn't show it. He didn't tear his gaze from the fire and Kagome could actually see the reflection of the fire in his amber eyes as she watched him closely. "It is not wise for you to be poking your nose where it doesn't belong and stare at the one you're questioning." He stated flatly.

Kagome blushed slightly and turned her head away. "Don't you need sleep Sesshomaru?" she asked. She knew the answer but if it would get the silence to break then she'd have it.

"The same should be said about you, miko." He said as he turned his head to look at her.

Kagome gulped. It had suddenly grown darker in the room and fire looked brighter. It lighted up the right Sesshomaru's face while the other was shadowed. He looked like a perfect statue just watching her. "I-I'm not sleepy." She informed. "I don't need rest right now."

Sesshomaru didn't reply and turned his head away from her once more. More minutes past without either of them talking and it was slowly driving Kagome nuts. "Fine." She said. "If you won't talk about your mother then I'll talk about mine." Yes, she was insane. And yes, she did know she was talking to the enemy of her kingdom. And yes, she knew this was a completely random and pointless thing to do. And no, she didn't give a rat's ass about it.

"Well my memory is still kind of hazy but I do remember my mother alright." She said as she recalled her description. She didn't even care if Sesshomaru was listening or not. As long as there was no silence then she was happy. "Well I have to say she was pretty strict." She said but she smiled as she did. "But she was still a nice lady. A very nice mother. She never really hurt me, not purposely. Sure she would hit me a couple of times but that's what they're supposed to when your kid turns into teenage years." She gave off a small laugh. "Yeah, our lives were pretty hectic."

Sesshomaru had no idea why she was say this to him. Was this girl insane? Or was she just trying to make him tell her about his mother for pay back? If that were the case then he wouldn't co-operate with it. "Miko." He said coldly. "I do not wish to hear you ramble on about your dead mother. I do not care nor do I need to know."

Ouch. That hurt Kagome. She looked down at the carpet floor and stared at it sadly. Oh, how she missed her mother. Just remembering her didn't make her feel right. She wanted to meet her again like all the past people from her memory. To bad that was impossible. "If you won't let me talk about my mother then I'll just talk about mushrooms." she stated. "Do you know I really hate them? They're the worst tasting vegetable in the entire word!"

Sesshomaru sighed. Was this miko so desperate for a conversation that she would talk about almost anything? Well he needed her to shut up and if talking would do it then he would. 'But wait…' he thought. 'That would mean she would win. I can't have her winning. No one beats me.' So he stayed silent.

Kagome continued to talk about mushrooms and how they were bad for your health and Sesshomaru had to put up with it. If she kept talking like this then he would eventually lose his sanity. 'So is it my pride or my mind?' he asked himself.

"And have you seen what colour mushrooms were? There are brown ones and white ones. I saw a gray on once but I think that was poisonous. It was in my back yard after all." She continued. Indeed she was trying to make Sesshomaru speak. 'If I know him well enough.' She thought as she spoke. 'Then he would chose to talk then to listen to me ramble all night.' She smirked.

Sesshomaru forgot about his pride and finally spoke. "Enough, woman!" he ordered. "Your ramblings will be heard from hell itself if you don't shut up!"

Kagome smiled. 'Yay! Kagome: 1, Sesshomaru: 0' she thought triumphantly. "Well if you don't want to talk about mushrooms then what do you want to talk about?" she asked sweetly.

This was a side Sesshomaru had no idea of. Her sweet yet deadly side. He had seen her furious side, her calm side, her playful side, her annoying side but now he was up against her sweet and sour side. 'Why does she have so many sides?' he asked. "Nothing." He said. "You shall go up to your room and you will stay there until summoned. We will have no conversation tonight." He ordered.

Kagome crossed her arms stubbornly. "In case you haven't noticed, Sesshomaru." She said. "We're already having a conversation."

Sesshomaru almost snorted- almost. Sesshomaru does not snort. "If you're implying that you were having a conversation with yourself, then, yes. You were having a conversation." He stated.

"What?" Kagome asked angrily. "Are you now implying that I'm insane?" she asked.

"Yes." He said as he watched her anger rise. "Would you like to be sane instead?" he asked.

Kagome could feel her blood boiling from this guy. "If sane meant to be someone like you then no, I do not want to be sane." She said.

"So you admit you are insane." Sesshomaru said as he stared at her blankly. "And if you weren't then you admit that you would like to be." He stated.

A smirk almost played across his face when he saw Kagome's shocked and angry expression. Yeah, he trapped her. And was proud of it too. Her expression was priceless. "My point still remains valid!" Kagome said angrily. "We're having a conversation!"

"Are you sure we are?" he asked with an arched eyebrow. "Perhaps, since you're insane, you're just delusional."

Kagome's face was turning pink from anger. "You… you…" she said as her teeth were clenched together. Her knuckled were fisted into tight balls of rage. A large vein on her forehead seemed ready to burst.

"Yes?" he asked.

Kagome took in a deep breath, letting the air fill in her lungs. She opened her eyes and stared at Sesshomaru with a sweet smile. "You sweet little angel." She said warmly and as sweet like nothing happened.

Sesshomaru's face fell uncharacteristically and Kagome began to laugh uncontrollably. He quickly straightened in posture and glared at the laughing miko across him. "Enough of this foolishness." He said seriously. "I suggest you go to your bed now. We wouldn't want to see you all grumpy in the morning when you have to attend to Rin."

Kagome continued to laugh, holding her sides. "Y-You should've seen you're expression!" she giggled. "It was hilarious!"

Okay, for one, Sesshomaru did NOT like being laughed at. He continued to glare at the girl and Kagome could actually feel it pierce through her body. She slowly began to take control of her body and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Don't need to give me that look, Fluff." She stated with a smile. "I was just having fun."

Sesshomaru's glare faltered at the sight of the miko before him. Her cheeks were a nice tint of pink and her eyes were shining with laughter. The sound of her voice when she laughed made pleasurable tingles down his spine. She sat there staring right back at him with a smile plastered to her face. His eyes wondered to her slightly messy hair and her loose yet unrevealing nightdress. To say he was entranced may have been an understatement.

"Um, Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked as she caught him staring at her. "You all right?" she asked worriedly.

Sesshomaru snapped back from his thoughts and scowled at what he just thought of doing. 'She is a ningen!' he told himself. 'She cannot be the one I have. Plus, she is also my enemy. Don't forget that.' he gave Kagome a cold stare. "I believe you should head to your room now." He said as he stood. "I have more important matters to be dealing with." His voice was cold and bitter. Not like it was a few minutes ago.

Kagome sighed and stood up too. "Fine." She said in disappointment. "I'll go to bed." She sounded like a small child who was going back to her room for punishment. She walked around the marble table and hugged Sesshomaru. "Goodnight." She whispered to him before she let go and walked off.

Sesshomaru just stood there and stared as she exited the room. Sure, many women had hugged him before trying to latch their scent on him. He despised the women instantly for trying to make him theirs. But Kagome's was different. She didn't have any thoughts of lust in her mind at all. Just disappointment and a hint of tiredness.

What was it about this girl that made her so different from the rest? Sesshomaru could feel the warmth in his chest when she made contact with him. He felt the warmth both outside and deep within. He already missed her presence here with him but he shook the feeling off. Whatever it was he knew it would do him no good.

'I can't be falling for the girl… can I?' he asked himself. He shook his head. If he did love her then he would become exactly like his father. He growled at the idea of ever being like him. 'I will not be like him.' he told himself forcefully. 'I will not be the man he once was.'

He walked out of the now slightly colder living room and headed back to his chambers. He still had a feeling deep within his chest at the loss of company. For some odd reason he wanted the annoying woman back by his side. He shook his head once more. 'No.' he said. 'I can't be like my father for what he did to my mother…' he thought angrily.

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Well that's the end of any other successful chapter!! Well at least I think it is because I haven't got any reviews yet! XD. And thanks to all of you who reviewed! This is my 20th chapter and I'm happy I made it this far! It's all thanks to you guys that I kept going! So don't forget to review at the end of this chapter and if you are one of those lazy people just give me a happy face or a sad face. It doesn't have to be long (But I do enjoy the long ones) so review!!

And remember: LUNAR ECLIPSE AT SUNSET ON TUESDAY!! THIS TUESDAY PEOPLE SO DON'T MISS IT!! I don't know the actual time but my dad said it was approx. that time. okay now, cyas!!