Please read the authors note at the bottom of this chapter.

Chapter 6

When Walls Crack and Self Worth Crumbles

"Hello?" Kagome called, her head spinning from side to side. She had no idea where she was, and she was beginning to get worried. Trees surrounded her in the dense forest, and she wrapped her arms around herself, not liking the feel of the foliage around her. Anyone could jump out, and she had no way to protect herself. Her bow and arrows were gone.

Of course, the way she woke up was weird in itself. After all, she woke up alone, and away from the camp. She wasn't even in her sleeping bag. After looking around and calling for help she realized she was alone and quickly stood, deciding that it would be best if she found her way to where she needed to go. She needed to find her group.

She just had no idea where they were.

If something happened to them, she had no idea and she needed to be there and offer some kind of help. Though without her bow and supplies, she was pretty useless. She wasn't even sure what kind of help she could give, but it wouldn't be her if she didn't at least try. But she still couldn't find them, and right now that was what she needed to focus on.

"InuYasha! Titan!" Kagome called, noticing just how quite it was around her. Normally while in the woods, there would be some type of noise. The scurrying of critters, the sound of birds or insects. Something that shouted just how much life a few trees could hold. However, now there was nothing, and she wasn't sure how to feel about that.

She knew it caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand, but she strangely wasn't scared. She felt no fear, even with being utterly alone in a place she had never been before, one that she was certain wasn't even normal. She almost felt calm.

Her arms squeezed around her tighter and she continued on, looking for anything she resembled. She wasn't sure just how long she had been walking, but she wouldn't stop. Not until she at least found something. Something to point her in the right direction.

Finally she heard a snapping of limbs, and instead of running away from the sound, she hesitantly walked towards it. The was the first sound she heard besides her own voice, and she wasn't about to waste the chance. Pushing through the thick limbs in front of her face, she continued on, hoping that the sound would hold answers.

She finally pushed her way through the trees, breaking out into a clearing more beautiful than she had ever seen before. It was large, in an almost perfect circle. It was a beautiful meadow with an abundance of flowers throughout. Honestly, she didn't want to walk through it, because she felt she would be out of place. This place was so serene and pretty and she was a mess.

It was what her eyes caught next that caused her throat to catch. Brilliant amber eyes regarded her with a narrowed expression, molten like lava, and she had trouble looking away. A deep blue almost purple crescent moon sat above them, perfectly in between and if she hadn't noticed the eyes, that one marking would tell her who was currently with her. Deep burgundy strips upon his high cheek, adding more emphasis to his narrow chin.

Not once, had Kagome taken the time to truly look over the western lord, and now that he stood before her, his eyes doing that same to her, she couldn't stop. Handsomely gorgeous was the first description that appeared in her mind, and she couldn't argue it. She felt slight guilt at looking at another male other than InuYasha, but it's not as if she was doing anything more than looking. It was clear, from the way his eyes roamed over her body that he was doing that same. At that reminder, she tightened her arms, trying to shield herself from him, and his eyes snapped to hers again. She wasn't pretty enough to meet his standards, and she really didn't want to hear anymore remarks about how others were pretty and she wasn't.

"Do you know where we are, miko?" Sesshomaru's timbre voice called out, sending shivers down Kagome's spine. Why does she always have that reaction when he speaks? At least while he's a dog, she doesn't get goosebumps every time she hears his voice. It was annoying, simply because she had no answers, and because it never did that with InuYasha.

She thought InuYasha's voice to be irritating, nasally and childish. Shaking her head internally, she pushed those thoughts away. It was wrong of her to compare the brothers like that. Especially when InuYasha didn't deserve it.

"I was hoping you could answer that." Kagome admitted, shrugging her shoulders as she began to walk towards the now human looking demon. He was tall, taller than she ever realized. She only came to the middle of his chest, and was forced to look up as she spoke to him. "Where ever we are isn't natural. There is no life besides us here."

Sesshomaru nodded, surprised that she had detected on such a thing. It was the first thing he noticed before he began to wander. He wasn't looking for anyone, but instead a way out. He was back to normal, and had no more need of the female in front of him. However, it seems he was wrong in his thinking. They were not where they fell asleep, then to add that he is once again in his humanoid form, it told him that this had something to do with the curse placed upon. A growl left him in annoyance as he thought of the many ways he would kill that mage and punish his mother.

"We both fell asleep earlier right, do you think this could be some kind of dream?" Kagome asked, looking around the meadow again. She winced and hissed simultaneously as one of his claws met with her tender skin. She jumped away from his touch, squeezing her skin and watching as the blood weld up from the small cut.

"You felt pain. This is no dream." Sesshomaru argued, internally smirking as he noticed the sudden fire in the miko's eyes.

"You didn't have to hurt me to prove it! You could have clawed yourself, ya know!" She snapped, placing a hand over her wound and putting pressure over it. Sesshomaru actually did smirk, and she wished she had kept her mouth shut. He looked as if he thought her to be prey, and he was about to eat his dinner.

"Why would I injure myself, Foolish Woman. You are human, therefore, it is your blood that should be spilt, not my own. This Sesshomaru is also a demon, and it would require much more than a claw to break my skin." He snipped, his smirk still very much in place.

"Your arrogance is showing." She mumbled, glaring up from her small stature, and Sesshomaru found the look of the woman amusing, her remark not so much.

"It is not arrogance, when it is deserved. This one is the strongest demon in the lands, lord to most of them. My title, and thought of myself is earned. You should be basking in my presence." He replied, just to antagonize the female a bit more. He had never had someone stand up to him like she does, and it was refreshing.

Kagome took a deep breath, forcing herself from attempting to zap the high and mighty lord. They needed to focus on where they were, and find out how to get out of there. However, as she looked at the lord, she realized he never mentioned that fact that he had been a dog, which means, he still was. It also meant, she wouldn't be able to mention that she knew him and titan where the same person. Did that mean when they finally returned to the others, he would become titan again. She really wished she could just ask him about it. It would make it easier to help him.

"Why do you think we are here?" She asked, breaking the silence that had formed.

"I am here because a mage decided to place a spell upon me. As far as you, this Sesshomaru does not know." Sesshomaru answered, then narrowed his eyes and looked away. He had not meant to say that much.

Kagome, noticing his predicament, and wanting to keep her knowledge a secret continued with the ride. She was getting more answers than she thought. "What kind of spell?"

"None of your concern girl." He growled, and she held her hands up in defeat, backing away from the subject. She got more information, and when she got home she would try to look it up online. She should be able to get more answers that way.

"Miko, you will collect Rin and accept her into your pack." Sesshomaru ordered, and he watched again as the miko bristled, but this time he didn't find it amusing. This was an order that would not be ignored. "Until this spell has been lifted, I cannot protect her as I should. It will be your duty to do so."

Kagome hated being ordered around, by anyone. She never told people what to do, except on the rare case that InuYasha angered her, and all she did was ask for the same curtesy. She wasn't some slave to be walked over and bossed around. "First of all, my name is Kagome. Ka-go-me. I can spell it for you if you like. Second, would it kill you to ask. I'm not your servant or slave. You can't just tell me what to do."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he lifted a clawed hand, letting her see the tips. One was still coated in her dried blood from his earlier test. "You will do well to remember who you are, Human Filth."

Kagome's eyes widened before narrowing again, and at that point she no longer cared who stood in front of her. She didn't see the western lord, or a demon that could kill her easily. She saw another male that thought they could treat her like the dirt they walked on, and she wasn't going to stand for it.

"If I'm such filth, why demand me to take care of your responsibility? How about you break this curse, get off your ass and do what your supposed to." She snapped, her fist balled up at her sides. She wouldn't stand for anyone talking to her like that.

Before she realized what was happening, she was across the meadow and slammed against a tree so hard that it took her breath away. She could feel the bark biting into her skin, could feel the blood being forced from their wounds, and she gasped, only to find that she couldn't breath. A large clawed hand had enclosed her throat, cutting off any circulation she had. Long claws burrowed themselves into her flesh, and she could feel the warm stickiness flowing down her shoulder and over her back and breast.

What scared her the most was the red eyes beast in front of her. In her anger she had forgotten who she was dealing with, and now she remembered. This was Sesshomaru, the ruthless western lord. And she went and did something stupid like pissing him off. There was no gold left in his eyes, and the strips she had admired earlier were now jagged, just as furious as the much longer fangs being bared towards her.

"This Sesshomaru is your superior, and you will do well to remember that. I have given you an order and you will follow it or forfeit your life to my claws." Sesshomaru snarled, taking pleasure in the scent that was now rolling from her. Fear. It was the one thing he had never smelled when it came to this woman, and finally he was, as he rightfully should. The scent of her blood mixed in, and his eyes trailed lower, watching as every pulse sent more of the life liquid over his claws and down her body.

As a show of who he truly was, he leaned his head down, flattening his tongue against her visible collarbone and sampled that beautiful drink, groaning as the taste of her burst across her taste buds. Fear and power coated his longer than normal appendage and he needed more. He continued to lick at her, cleaning her, sampling her and took no notice of her state. He could care less as long as he continued to get his delicious wine. So smooth and thick, just what any demon would crave.

A half groan half sob met his ears, and he finally pulled away, ignoring the warm on his lips and chin. The look apparently suited him, because the moment she got a look at his blood covered face, her eyes grew wide and her fear rose. Seeing the way her mouth continued to open, taking in small gasp of air, he remembered how he was holding her, and quickly pulled his claws from her, watching as she fell to the ground in a heap.

He could smell her tears now, and he breathed in deeply, enjoying it. Now she would know never to question him again. "You will find Rin, you will care for her as if you birthed her yourself. When this one returns for her, there will not be one hair out of place, for if there is…"

Kagome sniffled, before pushing herself to her feet. She was wobbly, and still taking deep breaths, but she didn't give up. He respected her for that, but it was what she did after that, that caused him to look at her differently. Yes, she still reeked of fear, blood, and tears, but her blue eyes met his in defiance, and he snarled again. After that, and she still stood up to him.

"I never said I wouldn't go and get her. I never said I wouldn't care for her. It's clear you can't do your job, and I will gladly do it for you. All I wanted was you to be polite about it, and not an arrogant ass, but I expected to much from a demon like you." She scolded, looking into his eyes once more and not backing down. Then she surprised him further, by turning her back to him and beginning to walk away.

"You will do this, because I ordered it of you. There is no other reason." Sesshomaru snapped, his fangs clashing together as he spoke. How he wished he could kill the woman at this precise moment, but he needed her.

"No. I don't care if you ordered me to get on my knees and worship you, I still wouldn't do it. I would die before I allowed anyone to rule over me. I do this, because that little girl needs me to. She needs me more than you do. I will protect her because I don't want to see her harmed. It has nothing to do with who you are. Not that you are much to begin with. I have never been so disappointed in a male before." She countered. She didn't wait for a reply as she made her way from him, never once looking back.

Sesshomaru was stunned, so surprised that his anger left him. And in that moment he realized everything he did, it was like a playback of sorts going through his memory. He harmed her, simply because she wanted respect from him. She had viewed him in a positive light, and hoped that he would do the same. But he hadn't, and now, the one person that had ever gone out of their way for him, hated him.

He felt, guilty, and in this realization he growled. Kagome had done much for him in the few hours they had been together, and this was the way he thanked her. It was despicable, and didn't even hold the slightest bit of honor. Her last words were true, for in this moment, he felt less than he really was. He felt…human.

He would have to find some way to make it up to her, find some way to fix this.

-sSs-

This is the last set up chapter, if you could call it that. This dream like world is a part of the curse, and they will discover more about as time goes on. Basically, every time they sleep at the same time, they will enter this world where it is only the two of them. Its not really a dream, but more of a realm they have been placed. Remember, Sesshomaru hates humans, and truly does think of himself as all powerful. That will change. As you can tell by the end of this chapter. Kagome will be able to make him fell things he never felt before, like guilt. She will break down his walls, making him look at everything in a new light, including himself. It will be slow going, but it will happen. This dream realms are were most of the progress will be made between the two. They obviously can't get close to one another with everyone around. No-one but her knows he's Sesshomaru, and it would be weird if Kagome started flirting with a mortal dog. I'm not sure how well this chapter turned out. This is basically me, trying to get back into this story. Someone asked me to, so I am. For those of you who read it, I am taking a break from To Fight in Love and War, and attempting to work on some of my other stories. Next chapter should be the bathing scene with Sesshomaru and Kagome. After some other stuff of course. They need to clear the air. Lol. Anyways, I hope you enjoy.

Also, I need a few of my viewers help. It has been some time since I have watched this anime, and I don't have time to sit down and watch the entire thing again. There are certain moments in the anime, strong points that I wish to include in this story. In example, Kikyou's second death, Kaguya's castle, Kanna trying to steal Kagome's soul. All of this I can change to add Sesshomaru in some way. Whether he is helping, or observing. But in this moments, I can have Kagome learn something about him and vice versa. I want more moments like these, but the anime is so long I can't remember those big moments. That were you come in. If there is any moment you would like to see me add, or that you think would benefit this story, let me know. I can go back, watch the episode, and see if I can incorporate it. Thank you.

Also also, if any of you like black butler, I have created a fanfiction for that anime as well.

Shout outs: (After today, I will may do these differently. If you leave a review, I will most likely send you a pm in response. I don't get that many reviews, and it would be easier for me to message you that to write them all out like this at once)

Alucardgal: Sorry it took so long. I lost interest in this story for awhile, but I'm back now.

Sesshomarulover06: I thank you for your praise. It always makes me happy when I hear that. I hope to one day become an author, and though I know I still need to grow, your praise and reviews gives me the motivation to do so. Sorry it took so long to update. I have to keep up with a lot of stories, and sometimes one will interest me more than others.

MotherDragons8581: Sesshomaru won't realize that Kagome knows who he is until the last minute. Remember at the moment he doesn't trust her, and it would be best for him to continue to think she doesn't know.

Slvrphoenx: Kirara is going to pester Sesshomaru any chance she can get. I just can't refuse the opportunity to have cats and dogs fighting.

Mikansakuraangel: Thank you. I am glad you thought so. It won't always be so cute though.

Maybb: I try to continue to feed your mind with my chapters, and hopefully I won't hit such a dry spell anytime soon again.

Ashatan87: Yes, a lot of people have Satori as the villain, and even I have done so. This is my approach to something different. Even in the anime, she did something she didn't understand just to see her son happy. I think most people forget that. Sesshomaru will witness much more, especially when Kikyou beings to enter the story more.

Redrake323: I liked that scene as well, and I plan on writing many more.

Windbreaking: I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Guest: Thank you. It makes me happy to know someone enjoys my work.

To Tired(Guest): I am glad you enjoyed it.

Wren210: Kagome had always been able to play InuYasha, and eventually she will learn how to play Sesshomaru as well. She just knows how to read people. I agree, but I have always liked the pack and alpha crap, especially when concerning Sesshomaru. Had it been an InuYasha pairing, I most likely wouldn't have even bothered. After all, Sesshomaru is demon, and runs on instinct. InuYasha is half, and has more human emotions than his brother. He won't start being nice to Kagome until he realizes that he is losing her. But by then, it will be to late. I might take you up on your idea. Lol.

I do not own InuYasha.