On their way down the shrine steps, heading back to Sesshomaru's car, Kagome caught sight of the very last two people on the planet she had ever wanted to see today. At the foot of the steps, was a girl about Kagome's age with her hand linked with a boy's arm. Said boy looked to be around 19, and he stood at least 6 feet tall. The young woman looked so much like Kagome that a stranger might have mistaken them for twins. The most notable difference between the two, however, was the young woman's countenance. Kagome's presence was a soft and soothing one. She was one of those rare people who's aura lit up a gloomy room and comforted those in her vicinity. And her face and the way she held herself humbly reflected these traits. The young woman at the bottom of the steps had a much different effect on her environment. Her aura was sharp, fiery, and challenging. She carried herself with an air of confidence and walked with an almost arrogant swagger. And her face, though almost identical, was all angles and sharp edges.

Kagome froze where she stood. Kikyou. Her joints locked. Her hands turned clammy. Her heart almost stopped. Kagome was panicking. Luckily for her, she had not come alone today.

Sesshomaru glared down the steps at Inuyasha and his conniving girlfriend. They were just walking down the street, but Sesshomaru couldn't help the growl that escaped his chest at the effect that just seeing them had on his mate. At hearing the growl, the young man at the foot of the shrine steps stopped and turned to look up at the pair that was descending said stairs.

Reeling his beast back in, Sesshomaru looked over at Kagome. He could feel the waves of panic rolling off of her. And he. Was. Furious.

Tamping down the sudden violent urges rising, once again, inside of him, Sesshomaru moved the bags that he had been carrying all into one hand and turned to take Kagome's hand in his. She needed support right now, not his brother's blood, as appealing as the idea was at that moment. Gently, he squeezed her hand in an attempt at pulling her out of her panicked daze. It worked. Her head snapped up to look at him, tears welling up and lips trembling. Forgetting that they were in a public place, Sesshomaru wrapped Kagome up in his arms and leaped to the foot of the stairs, bags and all.

Kagome was so out of it, that she didn't even notice that she and Sesshomaru had flown. She didn't notice when Sesshomaru lifted her into the van, or when he buckled her into her seat, but she came back to reality as soon as she saw Inuyasha and Kikyou walking back towards them. Kagome practically tries to crawl inside of herself, slouching low in the seat in a vain attempt at trying not to be noticed by the couple.

Ignoring his brother's approach, Sesshomaru dropped Kagome's things into the back seat and was about to just get into the driver's seat, intent on getting his mate home, when Inuyasha blatantly grabbed his forearm.

Sesshomaru's body went rigid. "I am trying my hardest not to kill you, little brother." Sesshomaru snarled through gritted teeth, fighting back his beast, which cried out for Inuyasha's blood. "I agreed to leave this matter to our parents..." Sesshomaru said, recalling the talk he'd had with his mother after Kagome's confession about her past. "But if you continue to try my restraint, I wash my hands of what my beast may do to you." Sesshomaru turned to face his half-brother, his eyes already a bone-chilling shade of red.

Inuyasha let go and backed off. "What's your problem, asshole?" Inuyasha barked. "Let our folks deal with what? Why the hell are you so pissed off?" Inuyasha had gotten defensive.

Apparently, Izayoi had not confronted her offspring about Sesshomaru's new mate just yet, but that was to be expected. The insolent little whelp was going through a rebellious phase and hardly ever came home. Sesshomaru trusted that Izayoi would properly punish her son in her own time, but there was no avoiding this introduction. Inuyasha had known that Sesshomaru had found his Mate, but he wasn't aware of the details, or circumstances. Well, now he would learn, it was unavoidable at this point.

Sesshomaru took a deep, bracing breath and for the third time that morning, he ruthlessly shoved his beast deep down into the recesses of his own subconscious. Forcing his muscles to relax, and squaring his shoulders, Sesshomaru shook off his younger brother and went to get Kagome back out of the car.

Taking Kagome's hand and lacing their fingers together, Sesshomaru turned himself and his intended to formally introduce her to his brother.

"Brother," Sesshomaru said, repressing the urge to just poison him with his miasma and be done with it, "Meet Kagome. This is my intended Mate, the chosen of my beast."

It took Inuyasha a moment to register who the woman on Sesshomaru's arm was, but when he did, the whole situation finally made a whole lot more sense. Inuyasha had thought it weird that his elder brother was in his girlfriend's neighborhood. And he hadn't had any idea why in the hell he would be at a shrine. Much less the Higurashi shrine. But now it all made sense. His beast had chosen Kagome Higurashi as his Mate. They must have been visiting her family and picking up some of her stuff. And if Kagome had told him anything about her school life, Inuyasha also suddenly understood why his brother suddenly wanted to kill him again after they had been getting on so well recently.

Inuyasha felt Kikyou go rigid on his arm and looked over to see her glaring at the young woman who was practically cowering behind Sesshomaru. Rolling his eyes at his girlfriend, who's overly jealous behavior, while endearing in high school, had been getting on his nerves recently, he spoke up saying "Yeah, we've met. We went to school together, though I'm guessing you know that already based on your behavior towards me."

Sesshomaru snarled, almost losing his composure again.

"Seriously, take a chill pill bro. It's not like I ever hit her."

"Take a chill pill? Do you know how I found her? I was almost too late, and I might have lost her thank's to you two and that horrendous school you all went too." Sesshomaru seethed. "Was it fun? Watching Kagome be stripped of the only affection she had left? Because Kami knows she never got any at home. You" he turned on Kikyou "You knew her home life was painful, yet you turned your friendship against her anyway. I'm disgusted with the both of you!" Taking another deep breath, Sesshomaru concluded with "I've made my formal introduction. I have no further obligation here." With that, he helped Kagome back into the car before Kikyou had a chance to stick her oar in.

As Sesshomaru was walking around to his side of the car he paused and turned back to Inuyasha once more. "The only reason I'm not killing you is that I believe whatever punishment Izayoi cooks up will be far more satisfying. She has met Kagome by the way. She adores her. And yes, I told her everything that Kagome told me. Do enjoy the rest of your date dear brother." And with a satisfied smirk at having had the last word, Sesshomaru climbed into his seat and pulled away, taking Kagome back home.

Inuyasha felt a chill run down his spine and decided he ought to steer clear of his mother for a bit longer.

In the car, Sesshomaru felt pretty satisfied with himself. He had seen the fear creep into his brother's eyes at the mention of a pissed off Izayoi, and felt that justice had partially been served on his part.

Looking over to the passenger side of the car, he noticed Kagome slumping in her seat, arms wrapped tightly around her midsection, and head bowed. Sesshomaru sobered, realizing that he may have said too much back there. He had been so angry that he hadn't thought of the repercussions for Kagome. She probably didn't want her former bullies to know they had driven her to such lengths. That probably felt like giving them a victory they didn't deserve.

"I apologize. I should not have been so free with such information."

Kagome shook her head. "No, it's okay. They would have found out eventually anyway, right? It doesn't bother me much." Her voice was quiet. Subdued.

Sesshomaru's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "What's on your mind then?"

Kagome heaved a shaky sigh. "I just didn't expect to see them today of all days I guess. Like out of the frying pan and into the fire, sort of."

Sesshomaru nodded. He could understand that. "Too many memories?"

"Yeah..."

They drove the rest of the way home in silence, and when they got home, Kagome carried up two of her bags, then stalked back to her bedroom and dropped them next to the door. She crawled into her bed, burrowed under the covers, and slept until 7 that evening.

Worried after their silent drive home, Sesshomaru called Izayoi to tell her about their encounter that day, and then went back to check on his mate, only to find her fast asleep, her brow wrinkled in a frown, and two wet trails down her cheeks. Whatever Izayoi had in store for Inuyasha, better be really good.

AN Hey guys. here is the new installment. For those of you who didn't think Kagome's mother was mean enough to warrant attempted suicide in the last chapter, I would like to remind you that the main reason Kagome had felt so depressed was actually Kikyou her former best friend turning everyone against her. Yes her mother had a part in it, but mostly by virtue of being emotionally absent, and her outburst last chapter was, as Kagome noted, out of character for her. Deep down Mrs. H still loves her daughter, but she never fully dealt with her husband leaving her and therefore was never there for Kagome when she needed her. If any of you were confused about that, then there you go. :)

Comments and reviews are always welcome. Feel free to leave some constructive criticism, and tune in next chapter to learn a little more about why Kagome is so terrified of Kikyou now.

Peace out!