DISCLAMER: I DON'T OWN INUYASHA

Chapter One: Disbelief

Kagome stared unseeing into the stream at her feet. She had been back in the feudal era for only a year and a half.

"How could this have happened, I don't understand." she thought to herself…

A whole year and a half, and the bone-eaters well remained dormant. Her decision to return back in time to live forever with her beloved, Inuyasha, was a one way trip. She had known it when she stepped through. Her last farewells to her mother, her grandfather, and her little brother, Sota had been tearful, but happy. Everyone was happy for her and….and…

"Inuyasha…" tears welled up in Kagome's eyes as she pictured her beloveds face.

Kagome buried her head into her knees and allowed her grief to overcome her.

A year and a half, eleven months after returning from her own time Inuyasha had taken her aside from their small party and asked her a sincere question. His face was forever seared into her mind.

"Oy…Kagome…" Inuyasha crouched next to a tree refusing to look Kagome in the eyes.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" Kagome leaned into Inuyasha's warmth, it was cold here, away from the fire.

Inuyasha hesitantly put his arm around Kagome and pulled her tighter to his side. He let his eyes drift shut, hoping the heat that seared his cheeks would go unnoticed. It didn't; Kagome curiously stared into Inuyasha's face. Sometimes he would get so awkward, but Kagome knew he wasn't used to sharing his feelings. She decided to just wait until he was ready to say whatever it was he wanted to say.

After a few moments of silence, Inuyasha sat upright and grabbed Kagome's shoulders, turning her to face him. His face flaming a shade of pinkish-red. Kagome sucked in a sharp breath when she saw his eyes. Eyes burning with liquid gold. She had never seen so much emotion on his face before.

For a minute she didn't think he was going to say anything, just stare at her with that intense gaze; but he pulled her to his chest and whispered two very unexpected words into her ear, "Marry me."

Kagome's shock did not go unnoticed. Inuyasha could smell the intensity of her emotion in the air. For a moment he was worried that she'd refuse and tell him not to be an idiot. But she pulled back from him a little and asked, "Are you being serious?" A little angry at her assumption that he was joking, Inuyasha just nodded.

A smile so big and bright spread across Kagome's face and she dove into Inuyasha's arms and kissed his lips. They just laid there for a moment, lips clasped together, arms wrapped around one another. Finally, yet hesitantly, Inuyasha broke the contact and turned Kagome's chin upwards with a pull of his clawed finger. Their eyes met.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Kagome buried her head in Inuyasha's haori once more. Tears flowing slowly from her eyes. She had hoped and longed for this moment.

Kagome shook her head as if trying to dislodge the memory. How happy she had been that day.

There had been so many things they needed to do before they could get married. First there was the task of informing all of their friends of their plans. Miroku and Sango, who had been married for nearly as long as Kagome had been gone, and already had three children, had reacted with such joy that Kagome didn't think she'd ever be able to breathe again after the hugs she received. Kaede-sama had wished them well, but warned them that the youkai wouldn't ever allow their happiness and to be always on guard. Shippo had been happy for them too, but the little fox-youkai took it on himself to threaten Inuyasha not to hurt Kagome's heart. The hardest thing to do was to hunt down Inuyasha's half-brother, the full-blooded youkai lord of the western lands, Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha's lifelong feud with his brother had apparently been somewhat healed during Kagome's absence. The first time Kagome had seen Sesshomaru after her return to the warring states era she had attempted to shoot him with a holy arrow. Sesshomaru had caught it in mid-air and flashed her a look so deadly she thought she was done for. Inuyasha had yelled at him for scaring her. Sesshomaru had simply replied, "My acceptance for you, hanyou, not withstanding, if that human does one more thing to insult me, I will have her throat."

Inuyasha had called Sesshomaru a few not so nice names at this remark, but didn't seem to be inclined to fight.

It had taken Kagome and Inuyasha nearly a month to track down Sesshomaru. He met them with his usual disinterest and didn't seem too surprised by their news of intended marriage. He had looked Kagome up and down in manner that made her feel naked and ashamed, however she knew if she showed any weakness that he would not give Inuyasha his blessing. And for some reason, her hanyou wanted that more than anything in the world. Surprisingly, Sesshomaru told them that they could do as they pleased and that he would not hinder their plans.

A week before their scheduled wedding, however, Sesshomaru had showed up requesting Inuyasha's assistance in locating Rin. Kagome kissed her fiancé farewell and told him to be safe, that she loved him, and that she would be waiting for him.

The last words Inuyasha ever said to her were, "Keh…You worry too much, Kagome. With Tessaiga at my side I can never lose. Besides, Sesshomaru will be with me." Inuyasha had kissed her and as he and Sesshomaru began to leave, turned and mouthed the words, "I love you."

Kagome couldn't fight the grief anymore and just allowed her hurt to encompass her entire being. She couldn't even cry, she was out of tears. She could only sob and wail, yet her voice was so hoarse it sounded more like a rasp.

She wasn't aware of the rustling of silk or the sudden presence of warmth at her side until Sesshomaru spoke.

"I am sorry."

Those three words shocked Kagome into silence. She looked up at the ever cold and distant youkai lord uncertain of the words she had just heard. His eyes, cold and hard, stared off into the distance. Beyond the stream, beyond the village, beyond the wood, beyond the mountains. Kagome was stunned to see the shimmer of light reflecting off moisture as a single tear slid down the youkai's cheek. His face was a mask of unwavering ice, yet he sat next to her crying. This fact brought tears back into Kagome's eyes. The single most terrifyingly distant person on the planet was crying over the loss of someone that he had barely known and hardly loved. The realization that Inuyasha was truly gone, that even Sesshomaru's Sword of Heaven, Tenseiga, couldn't bring him back, struck the last chord of emotion that remained in Kagome's body and her mind simply shut down.

Kagome's eyes slowly opened as realization began to dawn on her. Where she was, what was happening…she had spent the night curled in the fetal position next to the stream on the outskirts of Kaedae's village. She wondered why she wasn't cold. The sun was peeking over the horizon, but wasn't high enough to offer any warmth yet. She sat up and immediately recognized the red color of the fire-rat haori that was draped over her body. She pulled it to her face inhaling the earthy sent of Inuyasha and nearly bursting into tears again. She looked around half-hopingly only to see Sesshomaru leaning against a tree a yard away. She blinked twice trying to understand what he was even doing there.

"If you're awake it is time we returned to Jaken and Rin." Sesshomaru said, with no intention of explaining himself.

"What do you mean?" Kagome replied. What could Sesshomaru possibly want with her she wondered.

Sesshomaru sat silent for a moment. His gaze solid and cold, assessing her, gaging her emotions. Finally he glanced away. She let out a breath not even realizing she'd been holding it while he scrutinized her.

"I promised him I'd watch over you should anything happen to him." Sesshomaru stated.

Surprise. That was all that Kagome could feel. She couldn't believe how this man could possibly have been prevailed upon to ever make such a promise. Sesshomaru, the youkai-lord who despised humanity to it's deepest roots. How could he have ever promised to look after one. Rin was the only exception that Kagome had ever seen Sesshomaru have. He allowed the girl to accompany him, yet he never seemed to be quite fully comfortable with the tiny human. The only thing Kagome could figure was that the youkai didn't mind her because she was still a child.

Sesshomaru's gaze broke her out of her reverie. Sensing her thoughts he informed her that Inuyasha had in turn promised to watch over Rin had anything happened to him, and that the promise had in no way changed Sesshomaru's outlook on humans in general.

Uncertain of exactly what to do and too emotionally and mentally drained to come up with any better ideas, Kagome silently followed Sesshomaru towards his camp.