Chapter 29:

Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to: Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Media, Shogakukan, Sunrise, Yumiuri TV and the other foreign manga rights companies that I have not dealt with. Twiknham owns intellectual rights only to the original characters including: Michael, Lucy, Logan, Armaund, Jin, Sesshoumaru's household staff (minus Jaken) and any characters in this story who reside in Texas. Twiknham makes NO monetary gain from this story, it is a completely free fanfic and Twiknham will not accept any payment. Reviews would be great, but are not required for updates. Also, as with any Twiknham fic, criticisms are welcome but please keep the language clean. Reviews do not come with ratings and are open to all viewers. Thx! –TK

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The next morning, Kagome awoke refreshed and ready to attack the day. The fact that when she awoke she recognized none of her surroundings was only slightly daunting. Sitting up and realizing she was mostly naked was slightly more daunting. However, it was the small revolver lying on the floor next to the mattress that made her pinch herself to make sure she was awake. "Ouch!"

Sure that someone in this dreaded place would have an answer to her unsettling questions, she took the dress off and threw a robe over her body. Sliding open the shoji, she stuck her head out and listened. Hearing noises that sounded like life, she headed down the hall. Recognizing the path from the night before, she confidently turned the corner to head down the stairs and ran into a short man in a brown yukata. "Sorry Jaken."

Jaken looked up at Kagome. "Do you feel better today?"

She stretched, her arms out at her sides. "I feel great today. Thanks for asking!" Not thinking about why he'd ask her such a strange question, she continued on her path. Suddenly she smelled food. Her stomach happily reacting to the smell of eggs and rice, she hurried towards the smell.

Sesshoumaru was reading the paper when Kagome burst into the room, the yellow yukata making her look sunnier than she had the rights to. Trying not to growl at her, realizing she was going to have a bad enough day, he pointed at a tray on the jade counter. "Breakfast. Eggs are a little dry, I did not think you would mind too much."

She was already digging in. Suddenly she froze, mouth half-full. "You made this?"

"Yes. I was up, you were not; and the staff was given the night off."

"It's good. Thanks" Shoveling another mouthful in, she suddenly froze. "What do you mean 'I was up, you were not'?" She glared at him. "Did you assume that I would fix your food if I was up when you got hungry?"

He raised an eyebrow, a habit that she found highly annoying this sunny morning. "You are the woman. Besides, I saw those tasty treats you brought through the well."

"The ramen? Ninja-food as InuYasha called it?"

"No, the sushi in the bright bento boxes. The food that the more cultured members of your party ate. I did not know what some of it was, but it all smelled good."

Kagome tilted her head. "You spied on us?"

"On occasion. I got bored in-between fighting with Naraku and my brother. Your ragtag band was a light diversion."

"You never attacked me when I came out of the well."

"Why would I? You were not my enemy. In fact, you fought my enemy. That made you an ally. When you finish your meal, go take a soak in the bathhouse. You might as well take this opportunity to relax, you earned it."

Smiling at him, she did exactly as he recommended. An hour later, her hair still wrapped in a towel but the rest of her properly dressed, she walked back into her temporary room. The gun still sat on the covers. Suddenly remembering why she'd initially left the room that morning, she picked the weapon up and went searching for Sesshoumaru. Finding him in his study, she knocked quietly on the door.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his papers and motioned her into the room. "Kagome, please, sit down."

Kagome sat, holding the gun in her lap. Japan had outlawed guns years ago. She didn't know what it meant that she'd woken up with one in her room, but she was going to find out. "Sesshoumaru-sama, were you in my room last night?"

"Yes. I was awoken by a strange noise. When I found it coming from your room, I went to investigate." He noticed the gun in her lap. "I did not mean to leave that in your room."

She handed it back to him. "Did you intend to use it?"

"If I had to."

"If you had to?"

"I did not know what I would find when I opened the screen to your room."

Suddenly Kagome realized he had planned to use it to protect her, not kill her. Laughing nervously, she put her hands over her eyes.

"No, I was not going to use it on you, I am disappointed you do not know me better than that."

She smiled. "I do, that's why I didn't just shoot you. I didn't know these were allowed."

"They are not; but this is my castle, and here I make the laws. The government does not need to know about everything. My weapons do not leave my castle."

"What was the noise?"

"Kagome, do you remember anything after you entered your room?"

"Did something happen to me?"

"Do you remember having a bad dream?"

Kagome thought very hard. "I remember orange and blue flashes, and people screaming."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "You had a nightmare. In it there was a fire, and an old woman was trapped in her apartment."

"Mrs. Otasuke, 14C." Kagome started shaking, and she was glad she was sitting down. "She was trapped and there was a wall of fire outside of her room."

Sesshoumaru came around the desk and knelt at her feet. Grabbing her now icy hands, he rubbed them to provide warmth. "You saved her life."

"What?"

Reaching behind him, he grabbed the newspaper off of his desk. Opening it to the front page, he handed it her.

"Tokyo apartment complex burns when gas main explodes." The picture showed giant flames leaping out of her bedroom window. "Oh my gosh. That's my apartment! Did I leave the gas on?"

"No. You did nothing wrong. But, did you piss off the Fates or something?"

Kagome smiled sadly, realizing she was again out of a home. "Didn't you know that those bitches are my wicked step-sisters?"

Somewhere deep below the earth's crust, the three sisters sneezed simultaneously. They all turned to glare at Satan. He shrugged his shoulders and went back to shoveling coal on the fire. "Sorry ladies, ever since those blessed Red Sox won the World Series…"

A/N: I hope each of you enjoyed this chapter. Please have a great week. Thank you to all my beautiful reviewers. You are appreciated!!! Later - TK