"I keep the word of the red geranium, as I have been taught, so long ago.  I keep the courage and determination deep in my heart."

                                                                                                                              -Trigun

Kagome awoke to her own delightful alarm clock sounding at 6:45. 

"Even after everything I still have to go to school…" She muttered through painfully clenched teeth. 

         After assembling herself in record time she actually had the pleasure of seeing a somewhat shocked Sesshomaru sputter into his coffee before composing himself. With a sly, cocky grin he said

"Off to school, are we?"

"Yes, so if you could be so kind as to drive me, then perhaps I won't be late…per usual…" But Kagome only received pure indifference as he picked back up the paper he was previously reading before a clear, decisive

"No" passed his lips.

"What?  I am going to be late!"

"For what?" Sesshomaru answered, clearly bored with the conversation.

"For school, you idiot, I just told you!"

"I'm not driving you today."  Kagome was about ready to explode, but he sent her over the limit when he asked,

"Could you bring me some more coffee, I'm fresh out."  And Kagome went…

"My father is going to hear about this and you better watch how you speak to me!  I don't need this from you, not after everything that has happened!"

With that, she almost started tearing, but Sesshomaru respectfully put down his paper.

"Go back to bed, Kagome."

"You can't order me around!"

"To bed!" he bellowed.  "It's Saturday for goodness sake, woman!"  And she only managed a quick

"Oh" before she stomped back to bed, completely missing the maniacal glint in Sesshomaru's eyes.

"And so that, my friends, is how to not only be an ass, but to cement your future 'ass membership' for the rest of your life, thank you very much," Kagome though to herself before stripping and climbing back into bed for a deeper, if not more agitated slumber.

When she awoke again it was well past noon.  This time she leisurely woke up, taking time to shower and dress properly.  When she went down to lunch this time, however, Sesshomaru was gone. 

Good thing too, She thought.  I was ready to kill him.  But then she remembered that that certain threat wasn't an idle one anymore. 

She could kill.

With the total absence of police she suspected Sesshomaru had taken care of the whole thing himself.  It was self-defense and luckily InuYasha's record wasn't clean.  But that is all she knew about it.  Even for the months while Inu had courted her, she never knew why.  He was a flashy sort of male, somewhat like a large peacock trying to attract a mate.  He was overly aggressive and his attitude proved he was usually not denied where women were concerned. 

And Kagome wasn't an experienced woman in the least, for her protected life didn't allow her much leeway in the dating world.  And it wasn't just the fact that he wanted her.  It was also the fact of why he had wanted her father killed in the first place.  Even though he was a Senator from New York he wasn't an overzealous politician.  He was a doctor that decided to go political when he has 35.  He was a peaceable man who had served as the American Ambassador of El Salvador from 1982-1990. 

"Perhaps I can ask Sesshomaru," she thought. "He would know more about his brother than I-right? But then she thought about the implications of this.

         Sesshomaru was in no way an ordinary bodyguard.  He has been trained since birth in all types of martial arts.  He was an expert gunman-trained in all sorts of artillery.  His reflexes were far superior to that of anyone Kagome had ever seen.  But other than this, he was highly educated-receiving degrees from Harvard, Yale and Princeton.  He knew over ten different languages.  He was, in fact, far too qualified a bodyguard to be protecting a lowly American Senator's daughter, but the reasons he stayed were his own. 

And other than his top-notch job skills, Sesshomaru was in all senses of the word-beautiful, hauntingly beautiful.  His amber eyes shined against the frame of his long white hair, usually pulled back in a low ponytail whenever Kagome saw him.  His body--probably due to rigorous training—was perhaps even more alluring that InuYasha's. 

And something Kagome tried to never admit to herself was that Inuyasha was in fact a replacement; that annoying voice in her head telling her that Sesshomaru was always first in her mind.  Perhaps that was why she was so allured to InuYasha in the first place-he was second best, runner-up to the man she could never have.

For Kagome knew of Sesshomaru's complete indifference-to her and everyone else.  She supposed the rigid training went even beyond the body and right into his soul.  His heart was cold and stony.  His face was always completely blank except for that infernal smirk of his.  And it seemed he only delighted in annoying Kagome to the fullest extent.  But even in that he remained cool and calm.  She wondered if he ever laughed, smiled or cried.  And if he did, she hoped he wasn't in the company of a woman.  Jealously panged in her heart. 

But he was cool and untouchable. 

However, even though he was stoic, she became close friends with him.  He was her bodyguard after all, and that entailed being around her more often than not.  Kagome found that she could confide in him with most things, for he was a good listener.  He never offered advice or comfort, but most of the time Kagome just needed to vent. 

But still unavailable.  So she let InuYasha in.

In all her musings Kagome has successfully made a sandwich lunch for herself.  And if on cue Sesshomaru sauntered in.  Being the ever-annoying older brother type he sat himself down across from her and helped himself to half her sandwich.  Through bites he murmured,

"Sleep well, Princess?"  Her stomach curled inwards at the pet name.  Just to make it worse, he called her cute names such as that usually reserved for lovers.

"Fine," she said, trying to scoot away from the table.  His white hair was all too close to InuYasha's—he had allowed her ample time to brush through his own locks once in a while—her fingers were simply itching to take up the practice on Sesshomaru.  So, naturally, it was time to get away-before she did anything stupid. But before she could leave his large hand closed around her arm.  His eyes flashed fire for a second before she questioned him.

"What?" He slowly studied her face and released her arm, albeit unwillingly.  He allowed himself to gently run his hand slowly down her arm, the slight touch almost arousing Kagome. 

"Nothing" he murmured.  He thought he saw something in her face that showed her feelings for him, but then it was gone.  When his amber eyes caught her green something changed again.  As if the table was never there he was suddenly standing in front of her.  Only putting his fingertips to the underside of her arms he tried to search her eyes to the depths of her soul.  But his training of her won out and he could scarcely read the tumult of feelings he knew were running over the surface. 

"Good girl, Kagome."  And with that he left her alone once more.