Moonlight Rose

Chapter 36: Time is of the Essence

-I need to talk to mama.- That was Kagome's first thought as she rose the next morning. She knew if no one from the feudal era could help her, then her mother could. She went downstairs to breakfast, but before she could get in the dining hall, the smell of the food assaulted her senses and she had to run so she wouldn't throw up in the hallway.

"That sounds so gross." Setsuki said, pushing her plate away and eyeing the door, waiting for Kagome.

"What?" Sango nibbled on her bacon.

"Kags is throwing up again." Setsuki told her.

"You don't think she's...?" Sango didn't finish her question because of the look everyone threw at her. Setsuki's and Miroku's were of hope and Sesshomaru's warned her to shutup. Touga wasn't at breakfast, and no one cared where Inuyasha was. They hadn't seen him much after the spell was broken anyway. They all assumed he was moping around with Kikyo.

Setsuki cleared her throat. "I'm not sure. I don't smell a pup inside of her, and her aura is still only hers."

Sango nodded. "Oh, I as only hoping."

"Yeah, you aren't the only one." Setsuki watched Sesshomaru leave the room. He and Kagome crossed paths when they were both at the door at the same time.

"Ohayo gozaimaz." Kagome mumbled, keeping her head down.

"Good morning to you too miko." Sesshomaru looked down at her, wondering why she wasn't her usual perky self. Then again, the 'self' she had been for the past couple of days had been faked and forced. There was no telling who exactly Kagome would be from day to day. That wasn't good and Sesshomaru knew it. He just didn't know how to correct it. -Yes I do. I just do not want to. Love is a weakness. Love causes your enemies to always have the upper hand. And I cannot afford that. I must reign over my lands with an iron fist, and I cannot do that with a distraction such as love.- Sesshomaru told himself, even if only to make him feel better.

As Sesshomaru was walking down the hallway, he ran into Touga. He'd heard the words he'd said to Kagome the previous night, one through the connection that he and Kagome shared, and also because Kagome's room was next to his. Sesshomaru felt that it was up to Kagome to decide what she was going to do. If she mated Touga, then so be it. As long as he wasn't threatened. Even as he thought that, his heart clenched and a sharp pain shot through his head at the thought of losing Kagome, especially to Touga.

"Hello." Touga spoke polietly, after all, he was still in Sesshomaru's home.

Sesshomaru didn't open his mouth, he simply ackowledged Touga with a nod of his head.

"I opened my mouth and spoke to you, therefore it is out of respect that you do the same." Touga said.

Before Sesshomaru could retort, he wondered why that sounded so familiar. Then it dawned on him. "It seems that you have been spending a lot of time with the miko, seeing how you are picking up on her sayings."

Touga smiled. "You know how Kagome is. Her phrases are very catchy, even if all of them don't make sense."

Sesshomaru nodded, he understood. Kagome's aura tickeled the back of Sesshomaru's neck and he turned around to see her coming from the same way he just had just minutes ago.

"Oh." Kagome wasn't paying attention and almost ran smack dab into Sesshomaru. She shuffled her feet as she just stood there, standing in the hallway with Sesshomaru and Touga.

"Kagome, how are you this morning?" Touga asked.

"I'm...ok Touga." She sniffed. "I'm about to go home for a little while. I may be there for a day or so."

"Are you not aware of the pain that will cause you?" Sesshomaru said.

Kagome glared at him. "Yes, I am well aware. I am also aware of the fact that I can handle about as much pain as any strong youkai can, so I will be fine."

Sesshomaru didn't say anything back; he left to go to his private quarters. Kagome watched him leave, and wished nothing more than to be able to break through the barriers of his heart and make him love her. She fought against the sting of tears that was building up and looked at Touga. "So what are your plans for the day?"

"I'm just going to sit around here probably." Touga said.

"Oh, alright. Well, I'll be back." Kagome said, then turned to walk out of Sesshomaru's home.

"Kagome." Touga called.

"Yes?" Kagome turned around and found that Touga had stepped directly behind her.

He leaned down and whispered in Kagome's ear. "Have you thought about what I told you?" He knew perfecly well that he was seducing Kagome, but if that was what it took to get her to give in to him, then he would do anything for her.

A chill ran down Kagome's spine. "N-no." She answered honestly.

"I need you to think about it Kagome." Touga was still whispering in Kagome's ear.

Kagome bit her lip to keep from moaning.

Touga took a step closer to Kagome and put his hands on her waist. "Kagome, I need you to think about what I told you." His voice went lower. "You are so important to me." Touga's tongue snaked out and licked the shell of Kagome's eara.

This time Kagome did moan. She tilted her head back and a small moan escaped from her mouth. Touga took this as an opportunity to lightly graze his fangs along her neck. Kagome gripped the front of Touga's shirt to keep from falling as her knees buckled. "Touga." Kagome's tongue ran along the rim of her bottom lip.

"Hmmm?" He asked, with his lips still on Kagome's neck.

Kagome not only felt the vibrations from Touga's baritone voice running through her body, she also felt something rising against her stomach, right above her belly button. Kagoem forced herself to take a step back from Touga's body. "I-I...I hav-have to go." She turned and quickly ran out.

Togua watched Kagome leave out and then looked down at his erection. The things Kagome's body did to him...and they were barely doing anything! Touga had to get Kagome. He would...even if it killed him.

"Mama, I'm home!" Kagome called, entering the house.

"Hi Sweetheart!" Kagome's mother greeted cheerfully, but her happy attitude changed when she saw her daughter's tears. "I'll make some tea."

Kagome smiled a little bit. Her mother was amazing. She never asked what was wrong, only said she would make some tea. It didn't matter what happened, her mother would alrays make some tea.

After talking for almost two hours, Kagome unleashed everything starting almost two years ago when she started meeting with Sesshomaru to what had happened just hours ago. Once she was finished, she felt better, but knew she would feel a lot better once she got advice from her mother.

"Well, first things first, block your connection with Sesshomaru so he won't hear this conversation." Kagome's mother said.

Kagome nodded. She lifted a hand to her head and placed a mental shield around her mind. She knew that Sesshomaru couldn't hear her, but she could still hear him. "Done."

"Now, tell me how you feel about this Lord Touga character."

"Well I like him a lot. He's funny and charming. I can tell him anything and I know he won't judge me. He's always easy to talk to and he gives great advice and he also tells me things that Sesshomaru normally wouldn't." Kagome gazed off into the sky. "Touga's one of those people who you can go to with one of your most well kept secrets and he won't tell a soul. He's very playful and trustworthy."

Kagome's mother nodded. "Now tell me about Sesshomaru."

"Sesshomaru is the man I mostly have to be serious with. He challenges my mind in ways that it hasn't been challenged before. He makes me see the logic in things where I would have simply gone with my gut, though he's also taught me that you shouldn't ignore instincts. He has a great heart in the way that he cares for Rin. Sesshomaru has this air about him that makes you respect him, and the sexual charm and allure that makes you wish he was in your bed." Kagome blushed at the fact that she'd said that in front of her mother.

"Child it is alright. I've been through way more than you know." Kagome's mother said with a knowing look. "Now continue."

"I'm pretty much done."

"Hmm..." Mrs. Higurashi stroked her chin, thinking of a way to console her daughter without damaging her already broken heart and spirit. "You know you don't have much time to decide though, don't you?"

Kagome nodded. "That's what scares me the most. I don't know what's going to happen to me if I don't decide, or if I do it too late."

"No one knows that sweetie. It is up to the kami to decide the fate of those who are under a curse." The young looking woman rose from the table with coffee mugs in her hands. "But what is up to you is this decision of what you are going to do. Kagome, listen to me, you must follow your heart. It isn't hard to make decisions once you know what your values are."

Kagome's mind wandered back to her conversation with her mother. What she said made sense, but Kagome still didn't know what she was going to do with her life. She had a major decision coming up, and there was nothing she could do to take it back. As Kagome took a deep breath, her decision came to her. It was as easy as...breathing. She knew then what she had to do.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I love you all!

~KM705.M-san