Hey, everyone! I wrote this little ditty to try and get rid of my writer's block, and I'm quite happy with how it turned out; gives me faith that I can finish what I start, after all! Just some fluff about how Inuyasha's parents met, and everything that happened after that. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own, so don't have a cow, man!

One Plus One Equals Three

Part One

He watched her through the sharp blades of grass before his eyes, her feet bringing her ever closer to his hiding place. Her long black hair, shining in waves in the blazing sun, was skimming the ground behind her; her many layered-kimono flowing underneath it, preventing and dirt from working its way into the long ebony strands. He could smell her scent, it wafted over his olfactory cells and he inhaled deeply, memorizing every little detail so he could bring out and mull over them later when he was away from her.

Someone called out to her, a young man with hair just as black as hers, and he sensed her hesitation. He heard her call, "Hello, Takemaru! How are you this fine day?"

The young man rushed up to her, slowing as he approached, and the demon watched as the man embraced her warmly, a growl rumbling deep in his throat.

Izayoi, the young woman, accepted Takemaru's gesture with grace, but she was squirming inside. She liked him well enough; he was a Corporal in her Father's army, but all his attention toward her lately had her thinking that maybe he had something more in mind than just mere friendship.

The look in his eyes as he answered, "My Lady, I am very well, now that you are with me. May I enquire how your day has been progressing?" made her want to gag. He was nice, and she liked him, but…he just wasn't what she pictured herself married to, and she had a sneaking suspicion that the man had had that very subject on his mind for quite a while now.

His frequent visits, his gifts, and his none-too-subtle hints (she was sure he thought they were subtle) had her Father dancing with joy, and urging her to encourage him, but she just could not bring herself to love him. She was lonely, true; her days were spent practicing tea ceremony and painting in her room, but lately she'd been drawn to the expansive gardens out back; she couldn't say, but something seemed to be calling her, luring her into the green flora and colourful fauna that grew just outside her bedroom window.

She nodded perfunctorily as he droned on about his day, having told him that she hadn't done anything yet besides bathe, herself. She quickly found herself losing interest in anything he had to say. She forced herself to look at his face as he went on about some recent battle he fought, and she thought, he's handsome enough, I suppose, but he just isn't…

She couldn't finish the thought. She didn't know what he was; all she knew was what she felt, and she felt that he wasn't the man for her.

At eighteen, she was long past marrying age, but, being an only child to a Lord in the village, her Mother having passed away when she was just a small girl, she had been spoiled shamelessly by her Father, for she was all he had left to remind him of his late wife, and Izayoi had grown into an almost exact duplicate of her beautiful Mother.

With her china-smooth skin, her pale complexion, sea-blue eyes and jet-black hair, she was a sight to behold. Takemaru was not the only man interested in her; several boys she'd grown up with came by often to visit with her, but none so surreptitiously plotted to get her alone as Takemaru did; she supposed he was putting to use what he knew: battle strategy, though she found she didn't prefer to be thought of as prey in his little hunt for her affection.

A silence fell, and their conversation lulled; well, his conversation. He must have asked her a question.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention, Takemaru, forgive me. I haven't been feeling myself lately, and I'm quite tired. I think I'll go back to bed, excuse me." She was glad the excuse had come to mind as quickly as it had; she didn't think she could endure his company any longer.

Smiling apologetically, she rose, and he kissed her hand. "Until we meet again, my Lady," he said huskily, as he stared up at her from under his black bangs, his eyes narrow as he favoured her with a practiced, devilish smile.

She simply nodded and, extracting her hand, closed the shoji behind her, shutting him out of her life once again.

Retreating to her room, where she could watch Takemaru depart, she waited by the window until he disappeared from sight, and then rushed back outside again.

When he'd interrupted her, she'd been searching for the source of power she'd felt drawing her toward it, but it had vanished with the sound of Takemaru's voice. Now, however, it flared again, and the further she wandered, the stronger it became.

She paused at the edge of the forest; the gardens around her home were extensive, and she knew them like the back of her hand. The forest, however, was uncharted territory for her, for she had been warned her whole life to stay out of it, and had never felt an urge to disobey her Father's one rule - until now, that is.

He watched from his new spot, a tree fifty feet away, as she stopped, staring uncertainly into the darkness between the trees, wondering if she should risk a trip inside to see what lay ahead. He smiled, and made his jaki surge; she smiled, a tiny grin, and took a chance, walked on the wild side, for the first time in her young life. He grinned as she followed his power signature.

Izayoi picked her way carefully around tree trunks and their exposed roots, not wanting to soil her kimonos and give her Father any clue as to where she had been, for if he knew where he was, he would be furious with her. He had often told her stories of demons who inhabited the forest, and it was these stories that had staved off her curiosity and prevented her from ever venturing into the darkened depths of the bush behind their home. Her heart began to pound when she felt a presence behind her.

Whirling, she expected to be faced with a horrible demon, something only her imagination could conceive, that would devour her and pick its teeth with her bones, but the sight that confronted her stole all breath from her lungs, and momentarily halted her hammering heart.

A man stood before her, but he was like no man she had ever seen before; his long white hair, fastened in a topknot at his crown, blew gently behind him in the slight breeze that could penetrate this far into the dense vegetation around them. His armour, flat, layered, and garnished with large spikes, covered his chest and shoulders. A strange fur pelt fluttered behind him, separating into two different pieces, and his hands, she noticed with a sort of clinical detachment, were armed with pointed nails much longer than her own; they almost looked like…claws. He was truly an intimidating - yet dashing - sight to behold.

Her jaw dropped, and she briefly experienced a terrible urge to scream, but, then, he smiled.

Her heart began whamming in her chest once again as breath returned, and she felt something deep and primal stir in her gut at the sight of his smile, which, in itself, was quite predatory, but made her want to do sexual things with this man that made her blush.

He chuckled, deep and melodic, and she thought she might swoon. He was so very handsome, and he was coming toward her!

She finally remembered where she was, and, seeing his pointy ears, realised what he was, and her heart began to pound in fear, all traces of lust evaporating swiftly.

He watched her closely; he had smiled to put her at ease, and it had seemed to work. This beautiful creature, who had followed his jaki, was finally here before him at last, and he was about to speak to her when she opened her mouth as if to scream, the former look of lust on her face replaced with that of pure fear.

Pausing, he smiled again, and, reaching out a hand, said, "I will not harm you, Lady."

She closed her jaw with an audible click and a brow went up. She had been taught that all demons were evil, but this one had just referred to her as Lady, as any respectful contemporary would. She idly wondered how old he was. Maybe he was too young to know better, but hadn't she heard that demons lived for centuries, even eons? She couldn't remember. He certainly looked old enough to know better.

He spoke again, this time smiling as he did.

"I am Inu no Taisho, Demon Lord of the Western Lands. I mean you no harm."

She nodded then, deciding he was sincere, for she figured if he'd wanted her dead she would be already, so she approached him, cautiously.

When she came close enough to hear him breathing, she bowed low and said, "I am the Lady Izayoi, my Lord, princess of this village."

He chuckled, pulling her to her feet and taking both her hands warmly in his.

"I see that," he laughed, taking in the many layers and colours of her kimonos. She glanced at the jewel cased in his breastplate, its facets winking crimson rays of light at her blue eyes.

He tipped her face up to his, and looked deep into her cerulean eyes, as she in turn looked deep into his molten gold irises. Never had she seen a shade so peculiar; then again, everything about him was a little peculiar. She thought they suited him perfectly.

"Now that we know each other," he breathed, caught up in the sound of her rapid heartbeat, "would you care to take a stroll with me?"

She smiled, and nodded, taking the arm he offered.

As they walked, her eyes adjusted to the gloom, and she saw a path ahead, and as he led them down it, she asked, "My Lord, why did you draw me out here, if I may be so bold to ask?"

He replied, "You may, and please, call me Ryo. 'Inu no Taisho' seems so impersonal."

She smiled.

"I drew you out here because you have captured my heart, Izayoi. I know that sounds presumptuous, but when I saw you, I could not help but try to capture your attention in return."

She blushed; he certainly was honest, but how could she know whether he was telling the truth?

She already trusted him; there was something in his eyes when he looked at her that made her believe in his sincerity. She wildly thought, What am I doing, walking in the woods, unchaperoned, with a demon?

He stopped walking, and turned her to face him. She barely knew this man, yet already she felt safer in his arms than she did in her own bed at night.

He looked into her eyes again, and she felt the lust of before make a crashing comeback, and her belly grew aflame with an internal heat that she could not quench.

"I think I am in love with you, Izayoi. Before now, I thought love at first sight was just a horrific cliché, but now that I've met you…I cannot tear myself away."

He lowered his face and pressed his lips to hers, delighted when her response was to return the kiss fervently. Izayoi had never been in love. She'd had a few crushes, but what she felt now, in this demon's strong arms as he held her flush to his hard, warm body, she was sure it was love.

Her hand inched its way up his chest to graze an ear, then embed itself in the long silky strands of white hair fluttering in his topknot, while his own hands roamed her body, memorizing every curve and every fold in her kimonos. He released her for air, her gasps like music to his sensitive ears.

"Izayoi!"

Her eyes flew open and she gasped in fear, this time.

Ryo frowned, and immediately pushed her behind him, protecting her. The sound of his two swords clacking together brought her completely out of her lusty mood and forced her mind to concentrate on the voice so urgently calling her name.

She put a hand on his arm to calm him.

"I shouldn't be here."

An overwhelming feeling of guilt consumed her; she had disobeyed the one rule her Father had enforced on her, and she was afraid of what he would do when he found out where she was, but, more so, she was afraid of what he would do to Ryo when he found out she'd been cavorting with a man she didn't know, let alone a demon!

It didn't even occur to her to wonder what her Father would do to her when he found her. Her fear for Ryo was so great that she'd completely forgotten to fear for herself.

"Please, you must go!" she urged, pushing him away, though he did not budge.

"Why? Who is it?"

"My Father! If he finds you here he'll kill you!"

Ryo drew the long sword from his back.

"Let him come; I am not afraid of a human."

She sighed, exasperated.

"No, you don't understand! My Father will try to kill you, and I don't want either of you getting hurt! Please, just go!"

He re-sheathed his sword, and traced a hand along her jaw.

"When will I see you again?"

She looked at him, then over her shoulder, urgently. Her Father was coming!

"Come back tonight," she blurted, and he pulled her close, planting a hard kiss on her soft lips.

"I'll be waiting, in the garden," he said, and then was gone.

She touched her lips and hid her smile as her Father burst through the bushes, finding her alone.

"Izayoi! What are you doing?"

She fell to her knees, and bowed until her forehead touched the ground.

"Please forgive me, Father. I heard a noise, and came to see what it was. I did not mean to disobey you."

Despite her best efforts to keep them in, tears flowed like rivers down her cheeks. She hated to disappoint her Father, and was afraid to raise her head and see the look of disappointment she knew must be in his wrinkled old eyes.

She heard him sigh, then crouch down before her.

"Izayoi, look at me."

She sniffed, and her shoulders shook from crying. Gently, he eased her face up, and to her astonishment, he was smiling.

She hiccupped. "Father?" she asked warily. He began to chuckle.

"Oh, Izayoi, I didn't mean to yell at you so harshly. I just keep forgetting that you aren't a little girl anymore, and that you can think for yourself. I know you feel too old to be still obeying my silly, 'don't go into the forest at all costs' rule, but you do understand that it's for your own safety, don't you?"

She sniffled, and nodded. Her Father smiled and, taking her arm, led her back home.

All the way she felt increasingly glad that her outburst had prevented her Father from noticing the extra set of footprints all around her in the soft dirt of the forest floor.

"Tell me what Takemaru had to say."

She turned her head to look at him, a suspicious brow raised.

"Were you spying on me again, Father?"

He looked away, trying to hide a guilty smile.

"Maybe."

"Uh huh. That sounds like a lie. I don't know what he said, I wasn't paying attention."

Her Father sighed, exasperated.

"Izayoi, we've been over and over this: you have to start paying attention if you want him to keep courting you!"

She whipped her face back to his.

"He's courting me? Since when? I just thought he was over-ambitious!"

Her Father shook his head.

"That is what I'm talking about, darling. Your head has been in the clouds for so long that you don't even know what is going on around you. He asked for my permission to court you three weeks ago."

"Why didn't he say anything, then?"

"He probably did; you just weren't listening."

She lowered her head guiltily. Ryo's handsome face flashed before her eyes. She smiled a little, then bit her lip.

"What's wrong with him, Izayoi? He loves you; he has a good occupation, and he continues to impress my General with his knowledge of stratagems. He will, himself, be a high-paid General before long. What more could you possibly want?"

She looked at him, and his heart lurched at the emptiness, the desperation in her eyes.

"I don't love him," she choked, and he took her in his arms, rubbing her back and patting her head.

He was quiet for a long time before asking, "Then who do you love, Izayoi?"
S

he looked over her shoulder and into the gardens, to the forest beyond, and whispered brokenly, "I don't know."

oOo

That night, Izayoi lay awake in her bed, staring at the stars in the sky from her window, the tiny lights winking at her so high above. The moon was full; it lit up the whole garden. Ryo waited patiently on a bench outside the high wall that surrounded Izayoi's Father's estate. A guard had passed a minute ago, and he looked around again to make sure no one saw him as he jumped over the wall, landing with a soft thud on the inside.

She got out of bed and put on her bathing robe; the night was warm and the robe covered all that was necessary. She padded quietly onto the porch, and left her bedroom shoji open, to eliminate the amount of noise of opening and closing it later.

Following the gravel path, keeping to the grass in her bare feet, she wound her way to the centre of the garden, which was designed like a Labyrinth; if you didn't know the way, you would become lost easily.

When she reached the white marble fountain, a statue of a large koi, with water spurting from its open mouth, she sat down on the rim and made herself comfortable.

She sighed. There was a feeling in her gut like lead; she was very nervous, anxious to see him again, but wondering whether or not the whole meeting had been a dream her tired mind had conjured in her utter boredom from Takemaru's visit, or had, in fact, really happened.

A hand touched her shoulder. She jumped, but Ryo pulled her up into his chest, his nose in her hair, and she let him hold her.

She noticed he had a smell himself: he smelled like metal and leather, and something spicy that she liked very much. Pulling back out of her hair, a mere inch away from her face, he gazed into her eyes, which were navy-blue in the moonlight.

"Izayoi," he whispered, and she opened her eyes wide. There was something about this man that made her want to throw all her inhibitions out the window.

"Yes, Ryo?" she asked, her breath catching, his eyes glinting a dark gold.

"I want to kiss you," he breathed, and began to kiss her neck. She didn't resist as he kissed a hot trail down her neck, and pushed her white robe off her shoulder, taking his warm trail over her clavicle and thumping artery.

She closed her eyes; he could do anything to her right now, and she would let him. She was lost in him, and when he called her name, she frowned; she didn't want him to stop.

"Izayoi," he said again, and shook her. She opened her eyes and looked at him, drunk with lust.

"What is it?"

He pushed her behind him again and said, "Someone's coming."

This brought her back to awareness with a snap.

Outside the wall, a dead guard went flying through the air, and Ryo narrowed his eyes. Whoever it was must be searching for him; he was killing silently, and didn't want Ryo to know he was coming. He was also masking his scent, for Ryo could pick up nothing in the breeze that drifted toward him. He turned around, grabbing Izayoi by her upper arms.

"I want you to go inside, love," he said, glancing over his shoulder. She began to panic.

"Who is it? What do they want with you?" Her eyes were wide; she feared for his life.

"Knowing my luck, it's probably Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru? Who's that?"

He smiled at her. "My son."

Her jaw dropped open again, as many times in as many days.

"You have a son?"

He chuckled warmly.

"You don't look a day over twenty-five! How can you have a son?"

"I'll explain myself later, Izayoi, but right now, you need to go back to bed. I will try to lead Sesshoumaru away from here. He will not be happy, I'd wager. I don't want him taking his anger out on you. I'll return to you soon."

Kissing her lips, he held the back of her head with his hand, and hers played with the white strands of hair at his waist, then, using his demonic speed, rushed her to her window, and helped her inside. Then, with one last passionate kiss, he was gone.

Ryo got to the fountain and sighed heavily. Sesshoumaru sat on the rim, licking his bloody fingers clean, waiting for his Father. He looked up and gave a small smile.

"It's not every night I find my distinguished Father in the garden of a princess," he drawled, folding his arms up his sleeves, and slowly approaching Ryo. Izayoi watched silently from the ledge of her window; if either of them looked, only her eyes would give her away in the darkness within.

This was Sesshoumaru? she thought. He didn't look any older than she was, and he was quite handsome, too. Was everyone in this demon family hot?

She blinked, and focussed her mind on the conversation before her.

"What do you want Sesshoumaru?" Ryo began to frown. It was just like his son to show up and try to ruin his relationship with Izayoi; both knew she was listening, and he didn't want her to hear what Sesshoumaru would surely say to insult her, to hurt him.

"Want? Father, I come not for a mere want. I come to save you from making a mistake, because if you see that disgusting human again, you will be committing a crime in the demon world, and you know it. I do not understand you, Father. Why must you possess this love for humans? They are weak, and needy, and only live for a hundred years, maybe more if they're lucky. What is it about them that endears them to you? You embarrass this family, Father. The other Lords do nothing but speak of your trysts, and the rumours are flying. I will not be subject to their speculation any longer, Father. Today someone even asked me if I would be following in your footsteps!"

Ryo's eyes flashed. "And what did you tell them, son?"

Sesshoumaru winced, but rushed onward regardless of the unspoken warning.

"I killed him, Father. No one remarks on things like that to me and lives."

"Not a very diplomatic way of dealing with your peers, Sesshoumaru, I'm disappointed."

Sesshoumaru glared, but still appeared chastised.

"I expected you to handle a situation like that with dignity and self-control, but you let yourself become angry, and made a grave mistake. Now we will both have to deal with the Dragon family, because it was their son who made that remark, wasn't it?"

Sesshoumaru looked away. This happened every time! Whenever he thought he had enough information to back his Father into a corner, the Old Man came out barking and showed him up, and in front of a human this time, no less! His embarrassment was severe.

Ryo sighed. Sesshoumaru was so much trouble to deal with lately.

"Look, son-"

"Do not call me son, Father. I no longer wish to be a part of your family. I will not tolerate the rumours you let others initiate behind our backs any longer!"

Izayoi gasped softly. Sesshoumaru's eyes were turning red!

"Sesshoumaru!" Ryo's voice was angry, something that took a lot to extract from him.

Sesshoumaru paused in his transformation.

"So help me God, if you transform here, I will kill you! If you want to fight me, fine, but you will do it elsewhere, away from human eyes, do you understand me?" His voice was like iron, and as much as Sesshoumaru wanted to defy his Father's words, his mind knew better, and would not let him finish transforming. He returned to his humanoid form, an angry sulking look on his handsome face.

Ryo added, "And do not presume that you may just walk out of this family, Sesshoumaru. That will stir even more rumours than there already are. Do you want to be the laughingstock of the entire Western Province?"

Sesshoumaru growled. "No, Father, that's your job."

Izayoi gasped again. He was going to get it!

Ryo said calmly, "Get up, Sesshoumaru."

"Why?"

"Do it! "

The tone of Ryo's voice warned Sesshoumaru that he'd gone too far, but he was not going to run away like a scared pup; he would face his Father's wrath like a man, his honour would settle for no less.

Ryo grabbed Sesshoumaru by the throat and lifted him easily off the ground. At first Sesshoumaru was limp, but soon, after a minute of lacking air, he began to struggle, and Ryo began to speak.

"Do not bait me, Sesshoumaru. I'm not old, or weak, and I can still kick your ass in a fight. Do not presume that you can speak your mind and not go unpunished for your insolence. Your Mother would be rolling over in her grave if she could hear you talk. And do not even get me started about your Mother. You know as well as I that I loved her very much, but you need to realise that it's been three hundred years since she died, and it's time you let her go. Do you understand me?"

Sesshoumaru gurgled incomprehensibly.

"Good. Do not speak to me of this again. I will not challenge you to a fight, Sesshoumaru, and until you are man enough to start acting like one, then I will treat you accordingly. Now leave me!"

He released Sesshoumaru's throat and he dropped to the ground, glaring and gasping, but nevertheless he gained his feet and sped away, Westward.

Ryo sighed, and looked back to Izayoi's window. She sat on the ledge, her feet swaying in the moonlight. He walked back toward her.

She smiled sympathetically as he approached. He shook his head.

"That boy has been a handful since Day One," he said, looking behind him.

"I gathered that," she commented, and he raised a questioning brow in her direction.

"You never told me you had a son."

"I've only known you for two days," he reminded her, and she giggled.

"That's right, I keep forgetting, because I feel like I've known you my whole life already."

"Are you afraid of me, Izayoi? Are we moving too fast?"

"No, I am not afraid of you. But I think maybe we are moving too fast; I just can't help myself, though. I think I've fallen in love with you." She reached up to peck him on the chin with her lips.

He grinned, his eyes crinkling as he did so.

"I'm sorry you had to see all that, Izayoi. I'm not usually that rough with him. He's just been trying my patience lately."

"It must be so difficult, raising him on your own."

"It is. He is so independent, yet still so dependent at the same time; it's hard to know when to push them out of the nest, when to draw the line between son and freeloader."

She laughed. "Freeloader?"

He smiled, "Well, you know what I mean. He does his duties, I guess, but I never really know if that's what he's really doing. For all I know, he could be doing what I'm doing now."

"Oh? And what exactly are you doing now?" She held her breath.

"Why, I'm courting you, my Lady." He leaned over her hand and kissed it, and when he looked up at her from under his white bangs, his eyes open and honest, his smile a natural one, not at all practiced, her heart melted, and she pulled him into her arms, wrapping her shapely legs about his waist to keep him there. His arms slid under hers, and she felt his warm hands travel up her back, to knot themselves firmly in her raven hair.

"Ryo," she whispered, and he sucked her neck, inching his way down her chest, leaving a wet, hot trail of saliva in his wake. She threw her head back and bared herself to his perusal, her fingertips massaging his scalp, urging him onward.

He moved the white robe aside, pushing both halves away, to expose her breasts, white and creamy in the moonlight. She gasped quietly as he took one in his mouth, and sucked gently. She tightened her legs about him as he lavished the other with the same attention, then came back to her face and kissed her with all the love he'd wanted to share with one special woman since the death of his beloved wife, Amaya. He hadn't felt passion like this for anyone since her death, and he'd found himself short-tempered and ornery for a long time after she died. He was sure he'd been a pain in the ass to live with, and now Sesshoumaru was acting the same way.

Maybe all he needs is the love of a good woman, he thought, before all thoughts turned to pleasing the woman in his arms. Sesshoumaru watched in silence from over the wall, having stopped to see what his Father would do when he thought he was alone.

He had to admit, for a human, the woman was a beautiful one. His Father had excellent taste, he supposed, even if it was humans he was sampling. Sesshoumaru didn't really have anything against humans, except a healthy disgust for their weaknesses, but it was the rumours more than anything that ate away at him, the rumours and the looks that his elders and peers bestowed him upon when they thought he wasn't looking, and the sympathetic ones they favoured him with when he was looking, that made him feel like a leper in his own society.

He watched without seeing as his Father exposed the woman, and took delight in her body. His mind was far away, remembering what little he could about his Mother; he remembered that she and Ryo would smile at him and each other a lot, and they always played with him together, like a happy family should, but all that ended the day she was killed, and his Father had never been the same - until now.

In a way Sesshoumaru was happy for Ryo; he'd found his smile again, but in another, he was insanely jealous. It had seemed so easy for his Father to captivate that human woman's heart; what was he, himself, lacking that he could not achieve the same end, with a demon or human female?

His attention was forcefully brought back to the scene in front of him as he watched his Father pick Izayoi up and take her through the window, and not come back out. In spite of his embarrassing display, he smiled. Good luck, Father…

Sesshoumaru turned, and headed back toward the castle. The rumours still burned; they always would, but from now on he would ignore them, and try to remain open-minded. He hoped that one day, he could be as happy as his Father, who was lucky enough to find love not once in his long life, but twice.

Another part of Sesshoumaru wondered if they would marry; would he have a little brother or sister to spar with? He doubted it, but knowing Ryo, one never could tell. His father appeared to genuinely love Izayoi, and he supposed he should pull his act together and not embarrass their family name further by acting like an asshole himself. He felt bad enough for killing the Dragon Lord's son, and he was sure he would receive a duelling notice within the next week, but he put it out of his mind, for he was feeling jovial, odd for him, especially since he had just been severely chastised publicly by his Father. He smiled a little all the way home.

oOo

Izayoi awoke, alone. She rolled over and smiled. A red rose lay on the pillow next to her with a note. She opened it, and smiled again.

Thank you, Izayoi, I'll return for you tonight. Love, Ryo.

She sighed, and hugged his pillow, which smelled of what she'd learned was his aftershave. She fell back to sleep, breathing in his musky scent.

oOo

Well, there's Part One. I'm posting this all in one whack, so there'll be no deds, but I'll mention ya in Every Time We Touch, when I can get it back on track. See ya, and don't forget to review!