Oh boy is this getting long... one more chapter to go before the gory truth about Rin (and possibly Genken as well, though that depends on how long it takes me to tell Rin's story).

Chapter Twenty-One: Honest Mirage

"Congratulations, Higurashi-san!"

Kagome sat in wide-eyed, numb shock. The meddling old woman from her table shook her lightly, "Well go up, honey. They're waiting for you and your husband to accept the award."

She nodded absently, staring unseeing at the table as she stood.

"Kagome?"

"Come with me," the miko answered him, coming out of her stupor to grab his arm and drag him towards the front of the dining room. "Slight change of plans."

Around them audience members nodded politely, applauded them, and simply watched as the odd-looking pair approached the dais. Inuyasha tried not to wince at the noise, allowing Kagome to lead him though the throng towards his scheming half-brother.

Ahead of them, Sesshoumaru scanned the crowd for the telltale disturbance of the miko's approach. It was a risky scheme, this public affiliation with the girl and her family's shrine. The murder of her family had gone off without a hitch, and the investigation into the case was already slowing with the lack of clues left behind. In an ironic sort of way, the demon lord saw it fitting that she should receive the award named for her former ally and love. She'd no doubt find it highly unsettling, perhaps enough to break down and give in.

More likely, it would give him an excuse to stop by frequently and check up on the use of his generous donation, as well as a certain jewel of soul power.

A rustling of cloth to the left and the sound of chair legs scraping the floor drew the youkai's attention back to the miko. Again the familiar scent wafted to his nose, which he decided was some object the young woman wore that once belonged to the hanyou. He turned toward the parting crowd just as she popped out to the makeshift stage.

Followed shortly thereafter by a man radiating youki with white hair and a golden gaze.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened noticeably, but his shock was tempered at the thrust of the cardboard check into his hands.

"The company cameras are to the right, sir," his secretary informed him as she led Kagome and Inuyasha to center stage.

Still unable to believe his eyes but well practiced in hiding his emotions, the demon lord graced the pair with public relations smile number three and posed for the cameras snapping their picture.

"What is the meaning of this?" he rasped between smiling teeth at the miko.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kagome whispered back, also gracing the publicists with an artificially bright smile.

The flurry of flashes died down, prompting the assistant to hand Sesshoumaru his microphone again.

"W-would you like to say a few words, Higurashi-san?"

You'd better believe it, you son-of-a— Kagome turned to the audience and accepted the microphone with shaking hands, her nerves coming more from the deadly demon presence beside her than the multitude of strangers awaiting her acceptance speech.

"I um, I don't know what to say, really. This comes as such as surprise, and I feel like I'm up here giving a speech for the academy awards."

The audience laughed, oblivious to her discomfort, and Kagome felt her fear ease a notch.

"This award comes at a time when my family could really use the help. As some of you are aware my dear grandfather and mother – who used to run the shrine – passed on just over a week ago. Thanks to Genken-san's kind donation," she tossed a mirth-filled smile to the demon she knew only he would see, "we'll be in good shape for a little while and be able to keep the shrine in the same excellent condition my grandfather maintained during his life. Thank you."

The emcee accepted Kagome's microphone, prompting her to follow Sesshoumaru and his assistant to the edge of the stage.

"Well ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you all for joining us this evening. The cash bar will remain open until midnight, and you are welcome to stay and mingle. Oh, and a few of our guests have asked about the silent auction, which will continue for the next hour. Winning bids will be notified by phone and payment can be made by check or money order. Thank you again, and have a safe drive home."

Kagome had been separated from her hanyou protector during the presentation, and now he looked desperate to rejoin her side, if for no other reason than that she was standing within a few feet of the man who'd threatened her life. Barely mindful of his promise to stay low-key, he rushed past the retreating emcee to pull her behind himself, facing his half-brother dead on.

"So it was you I scented all along, dear brother."

"Sesshoumaru."

"Inuyasha."

The demons stared at each other in silence, one of them glaring, the other expressionless. Inuyasha half wondered if Kagome was right, and Sesshoumaru would attempt to hug him. He grimaced at the thought and took a slight step back.

"It would appear, miko, that I'm not the only one capable of deception. Just how long has my brother been hiding out at your shrine?"

Kagome stepped out from behind her hanyou wall and fixed him with a haughty grin. "Not very, but now that he's here I don't think I have to worry about random visits, do I?"

He ignored her, turning his full attention back on the growling hanyou. "I thought you'd been done in by your 'loyal' friends, Inuyasha. Now that I find you are well, I must admit to being... curious."

"I'm not telling you shit, asshole."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in curious amusement. "Really, now? I'm sure I can persuade you otherwise."

"You touch Kagome and you die," Inuyasha warned.

"I wouldn't dream of it," he quickly assured, turning to his secretary. "Yanagai-san, please have the driver bring the car around and call home to let them know I'll be bringing guests."

"Yes, sir." The young woman ran off, whipping out a cell phone as she passed the shrine couple.

"You don't honestly expect us to go home with you," Inuyasha growled.

Kagome bit her lip in thought, then took his arm and leveled an intense stare at the demon lord. "If we answer your questions, Sesshoumaru, then you're answering ours."

Inuyasha gaped at her, while Sesshoumaru stared at her with ill-concealed ire. After a moment he nodded curtly and motioned toward the exits. "If you will follow me..."

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha whispered to her harshly as she marched after the demon.

"Getting some answers," she replied simply.

"I thought the whole point of this night was to keep the confrontation public?"

"It was public. Now we need to take care of business and that's not something we can safely do here." She watched as a sleek and unassuming black limousine pulled up at the convention center's main entrance. She tugged lightly at Inuyasha's suit jacket, and smiled at him. "Remember what I said earlier about keeping a low profile?"

"Yeah?"

"Forget it."

He stared at her in confusion for a moment, then grinned broadly and leapt toward the limo with unsuppressed glee. "C'mon Kagome, this is the biggest metal horse I've ever seen!"

All around him men and women laughed and a few reporters turned to take snapshots of the award winners entering Genken-san's limousine.

Perfect, Kagome thought, proud of her little life insurance scheme. Sesshoumaru wouldn't dare lay a finger on either of them if the press knew they'd gone home with him that evening.

She allowed the chauffer to help her into the limo, taking a seat beside Inuyasha while Sesshoumaru followed and seated himself opposite the pair. He immediately raised the screen separating the driver's cabin from their own, and leveled a studious gaze at them.

"I'm curious," he announced at length as the car pulled away from the curb. "You have been here before, Inuyasha. Did you not find it odd that there was so little youki in the air? Did it not concern you to find the world overrun by humans?"

The hanyou ignored his question, unsure of how to react to the demon who'd been his greatest enemy, then a wary ally, an aloof brother, and now the murderer of Kagome's family.

Sesshoumaru dismissed the question, moving on. "You knew it was a hopeless battle, Brother. I suppose I can't blame you for turning your back on your family. Still, if you'd shared that information with me, we could have turned things around. Then again, strategy was never your strong point."

Inuyasha growled in increasing volume, which Kagome stalled with a firm hand on his shoulder.

"What do you want from me, Sesshoumaru?"

"I've already answered that question, miko."

"All right, then why?"

He remained silent, turning his head from her intense gaze and closing his eyes to fight the emotions her expression inflicted. She reminded him so much of Rin in that moment. Why... That had been her favorite question.

From his position in the car, Inuyasha thought he detected the faint hint of sadness creeping its way onto Sesshoumaru's expression. Only two months before -- his time, anyway -- the demon lord had been his brother again; cold, perhaps, but family. Now what was he to make of the youkai? Would he sit idle and allow Sesshoumaru to be destroyed to save Kagome? Would he strike the blow himself? Or would he risk Kagome's life to preserve his own messed up family?

He wouldn't allow Kagome to be hurt, that much he was sure of.

"It won't bring her back," Inuyasha spoke quietly but firmly, his fierce expression softening a bit.

Sesshoumaru turned back to face the hanyou, his eyes hardened. "I don't want her back. She was a weakness and it's best that she lay in rest."

"Bullshit."

"Is that why you want the jewel? So you can wish Rin back to life?" Kagome glanced from the hanyou to the demon lord, gauging their moods and trying to make sense of the tense peace between them.

"I have nothing more to say to you, miko," Sesshoumaru announced coldly. "I gave you ample time to accept my offers and you refused me."

"With good reason," she snapped, "which you proved when you came after my mother and grandfather." She shot a venomous look at him. "So tell me, when were you planning on finishing off my brother? You were sloppy the first time."

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up at her words, and he turned to find her trembling in her anger.

"I have no interest in that boy. My message was delivered."

"Give up the tama or die? Good luck knocking me off, Sesshy."

He graced her with a raised eyebrow at the nickname, the only outward appearance of his amusement. "I could do it now."

"Try me," she challenged, her common sense suddenly overrun with grief and frustration.

Inuyasha felt his heart leap into his throat, and moved to put himself between the two as best he could while still seated in the vehicle. To his immense relief, the limo stopped as things started heating up, and Sesshoumaru sat back in his seat, waiting for the chauffer to open their door.

The uniformed man helped Kagome out of the car, quickly followed by Inuyasha and his demon employer. Sesshoumaru strode through the front door of his Tokyo house, thrusting his jacket toward the housemaid and continuing into the private drawing room. The elderly woman took Kagome's coat and Inuyasha's jacket as well, pointing down the hall to where Sesshoumaru was now waiting for them.

When the trio was inside the room, Sesshoumaru motioned to a servant, indicating he should close the door. Left to their privacy, he walked toward the blazing fireplace and stared into it. "You can relax, Inuyasha. I'm not going to destroy your mate. Yet."

"I—I'm not his mate," Kagome stammered uncomfortably, suddenly feeling defenseless despite her earlier taunt.

"That's what you think." He spared a short glance in her direction, taking in her wary expression. "I can smell him all over you. He's laid the claim, if nothing else."

Inuyasha suddenly found the floor quite fascinating, blushing to the roots of his hair.

"Tell her, Inuyasha. Tell your woman about inuyoukai mating tradition. About how the claim is as good as the mark, and that you made the choice to wait for her to return to your life, even if it meant living five hundred lonely years without her." He scoffed, staring back at the flickering flames. "Did you wait so long, hiding from your elder brother, Inuyasha? Were you such a coward, so unwilling to fight and change the future? At least now I know why you refused to help me. It's just like the battle with the nekoyoukai."

"What are you babbling about?"

"You were sealed by that miko, leaving me to defend our family honor. Do you remember that? Jaken told you."

The hanyou nodded slowly, his memory of the tale returning. When they'd battled the nekoyoukai together, Sesshoumaru's retainer told him the story of the demon cat's previous attack, and how his brother had sought his help in defeating them.

"What's your point?"

"You seem to have this weakness for human miko whores."

At this Inuyasha growled anew, again standing before Kagome, though what he was protecting her from, neither of them knew. Sesshoumaru seemed content at the moment to stare into the fire and wax poetic about their shared histories.

"Did he tell you, miko?"

"Huh?"

Sesshoumaru turned fully from the fire again, regarding the pair with an almost sad expression. "Did he tell you what happened so many years ago? Did Inuyasha tell you how they took away my home, my family, my very life?"

"N-not exactly," she answered, becoming almost dizzy from Sesshoumaru's swiftly changing moods.

"Well then," he announced, coming to sit in his favorite leather armchair, "allow me."