Disclaimer: Do not own

i decided to break this chapter up into two

Kagome sat in her living room with Sango watching a television show. It was quiet, too quiet for Sango. She knew Kagome had something to say, the way she kept bitting her thumb nail and looking at her out the corner of her eyes. She picked up the remote and turned the TV off. Kagome turned her head and looked at her.

"Hey! I was watching that!" she cried. Sango folded her legs under her and rested her arms on the pillow she was holding in her lap. She gave Kagome a pointed look.

"Speak" she said. Kagome sputtered a second before closing her mouth. She looked at Sango a minute, trying to assess her mood. When Sango gave a tiny smile, she gave one back.

"It's nothing bad, is it?" she asked. Kagome shook her head before falling back on the couch with a dramatic flair and a sigh. Sango rolled her eyes and shook her head; leave it up to her to find the most dramatic person to be her bestfriend.

"It's not really nothing at all…" Kagome trailed off. Sango adjusted herself a little more before leaning more on the pillow.

"Then why were you looking at me like that?" she asked. Kagome turned to look at her.

"Like what?" she asked. Sango rolled her eyes.

"Like you wanted to tell me something important!" she said leaning closer. Kagome turned her head back to the front.

"It's not that big of a deal. I have a date with Sesshomaru tonight" she said. Sango eyes got round and she leaned back.

"Not a big deal?!" she asked. Kagome looked over at her and giggled. Sango loved to pull the 'dramatic bestfriend' card on her.

"No Sango" she said. Sango shook her head. How can she think this isn't a big deal? Sesshomaru Tashio?! Japan's hottest?

"I didn't know you guys were so serious" she said. Kagome scrunched her nose up, mirrored Sango's position and leaned in close to her friend. Sango raised an eyebrow and titled her head.

"I don't think we are" Kagome said lowly. Sango leaned back slightly, assessing her friend. Kagome was the type to sweep anything important under the rug so she could shrink it down and deal with it easier. Sango sighed and it was Kagome's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"You need to stop trying to deal with things like this" Sango said. Kagome lifted her lip in distaste at her words, Sango shook her head.

"I'm trying to get better. It's not easy" Kagome murmured. Her blue eyes staring into Sango's. They expressed so much at that moment her fear, anxiety. Sango never realized how Kagome was still not ever what happened.

"He really broke you" Sango whispered.

"Of course" Kagome replied. She stood and looked towards the clock on the window, checking the time.

"I'd better get ready" she said before leaving the living room to her room. Sango sit in the living room a moment longer, stunned. She never had seen Kagome so vulnerable. Even after the accident she seemed so strong and steadfast to move on. She didn't consider that she was faking it. Kagome never need to fake being brave. She was bravery defined. She turned her head towards Kagome's door and opened her mouth to yell at her friend to come back, to talk to her, but closed it softly.

"I can't help her…" she whispered. This was something Kagome was going to have to do on her own.

Sesshomaru stood in front of his mirror adjusting his tie with a small smile on his face. He was excited about tonight and a little nervous. It'd be his first date since the passing of Sara and he wanted it to go just a good-no better than their first one. He was finally ready to step back out. Kagome, she gave him all the feelings Sara gave him times more intensified. He didn't understand how she got a hold of him so quickly and so strongly. But he wasn't going to fight it. He grabbed his coat and turned ready to leave, only to be startled by seeing his father standing there. Said person was leaning against the door frame with a grin on his face.

"You're happy" he said stepping into the room. Sesshomaru stood a little straighter before giving his father a nod.

"I am" he said. Inu Tashio grinned and clapped his hand on his shoulder. Sesshomaru stumbled a little from the impact but otherwise never broke eye contact with his father. His father was never the one to hold a conversation with him. He was either their to reprimand or bark orders. The older Tashio grinned wider and pulled his son into a hug. Sesshomaru released a startled gasp and stood awkwardly in his father arms, not knowing what to do. Inu Tashio chuckled and stepped back, holding his son at arms lengths, looking him over.

"I'm proud of you son" he said. Sesshomaru stood shock still. He didn't realize his heart speed up or that that fact his eyes had gone wide. Inu Tashio chuckled and walked out, leaving Sesshomaru in his stupor. All his life Sesshomaru has waited to hear those words from his father. Always being at the top his class, best at kendo and sacrificing his whole teenage life to being the best for his father. But never until now has his father uttered those words. Being happy? That's all his father wanted for him? He shook his head with a chuckle and left the house with an extra pep in his step.

Sango shuffled to the door calling out a "hold on". She pulled the door open and grinned when she saw Sesshomaru standing there. He was dressed in black slacks, black button down shirt, holding his coat over his arm, with his hair pulled into a high ponytail and holding a single rose.

"May I come in?" he asked looking around for Kagome. Sango nodded and swept her arm aside with a little bow, earning a chuckle from him. Sesshomaru stepped in and stopped in the foyer while Sango went down the hall for Kagome. He head knocking then low murmuring before Sango came back to his sight. She gave him a small smile and a motioned her head towards the way she came.

"She'll be out soon" she said. Sesshomaru nodded looking away as she turned and started back down the hall, to her room he assumed. He heard the click of heels and turned his head to greet his date. But his breathe stopped short.

Kagome stood in a floor length black dress with a sweet heart neckline. Her hair was curled then brushed to the side with dangling sliver earrings. She had simple cat eye makeup and red blush and lipstick. She stopped and gave him a small dazzling smile. He smiled back and walked towards her, handing her the rose. She took it and looked up at him.

"You look lovely" she said lowly. Her stomach felt like it was going to take off with her permission, and she couldn't get her heart to slow down no matter how much she pleaded. He made her feel like she was in high school all over again.

"As do you" he replied. She blushed and looked down. Sesshomaru wondered at her somber mood and held his arm out for her to take. She looped her arm with his and they left the apartment. On the way down the elevator he noticed how quiet she was and how she kept worrying her bottom lip with her teeth.

"I thought the point of lipstick was for me to take it off with my lips, not with your own teeth" he teased. Kagome blushed but stopped her actions. Sesshomaru sighed and put his arm around her.

"What is wrong?" he asked, rubbing her arms, hoping to sooth her. He hoped she wasn't nervous. He wanted this night to be perfect, and even though he was nervous he didn't want her nervousness to hinder the great night he planned.

"Nothing….Sango just said something that really got to me" she said looking to him "You do realize that I'm broken? Fixing me after all I've been through will be hard. I don't want to burden you" she said lowly as they elevator dinged. Sesshomaru stayed silent, leaving Kagome to walk in, what she deemed an awkward silence. Will he say anything? she screamed in her mind. They reach the front of the building and ushered her in. After they were in and seated, he gave the driver the go ahead to start.

"Kagome" he said turning towards her and grabbing her hands. Kagome looked up to him, her eyes shining and he vowed to himself then that he would be everything he could for this girl. She had been through so much for such a young age and she put up a front to try to please everyone around her. Leaving her not really handling her pain or letting it out. He took a deep breathe before choosing his next words

"I know you have been though things, things that I really could not understand. But I want you to know that from this point on, if you would allow me too, to be everything you need and more" he said staring in her eyes. He watched as her blue eyes glazed over with tears and started to shine with happiness. Her face broke out into the most dazzling smile, and he knew then that he was right in his decision. This was the first date and little early to be making such bold declarations but he knew he didn't want to take it back. He couldn't.

A/N: eh