Hey, thank you for the reviews.  They are awesome.  And as for Kagura…come on.  Honestly people.  I don't want to end the story yet, and I had to have a little drama.  It just makes it more exciting.

Okay, my only note:  Read and review "In Sess We Trust."  It's a little different from my normal mode of writing, but it works.

Read and enjoy!

Thanks,

JA-

-MC

Oh…and Sess is major OOC in this…but I think its funny because he is being OOC for a reason…why are you still reading this?  Gosh…just read, okay?

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After than night I know it had to be done.  She had consented and I would get the company.

She loved me.

The cold part of my heart, the part rapidly loosing territory in the vastness that was my heart, laughed cruelly. 

My plan succeeded.

I held onto that.  Even though my newfound conscience told me to let it go, let go of the final vestiges of my sordid past self, I could do it.  I held onto that part of me with a vice-like grip.  I held onto it even as I walked into a jewelry store and started to search for a ring, unconsciously weighing Kagome into my selection process. 

I finally settled on a very plain but elegant platinum band with a single insected twenty-four karat diamond in the middle.  Beautiful, in a subtle and unobtrusive way, like Kagome herself.  A beauty that could surpass all time and space and for a fleeting moment—even life itself.  I left for the office while they would immediately engrave an inscription into the rings inside band itself.  The glass doors swung closed and I felt the welcoming burst of air conditioning.  A respite from the California heat for I had walked from the jewelry store.

From the looks of it, the plans for the merger were going along smoothly and it seemed that Carlton was pretty confident in his daughter's feminine charms.

For which he was dead on.

I spent an hour preparing all the paperwork needed for the contract and then strolled back to the jewelry store.  On my way I glanced into the fenced pool.  The old couple wasn't there.  That was my first thought.  I continued on my way through the park, stopping once in a while to feed the stray geese with some crumbs I brought from the office.  Some bread, whatever was left that I could appease their greedy and dependent nature.  Geese kind of reminded me of the people that depended on this merger, eating crumbs out of my company's hands…depending on anything that we could supply.  This merger would toss them a few scraps, but that would be all.  But like these geese they would willingly take anything they could get. 

I sighed.

And then came trudging wearily from across the park was the old man—alone.  He seemed older now, somehow the beauty and charm he once possessed was gone, as gone as his apparently absent partner.  It was amazing to see the changes in the man.  He seemed lifeless, almost a shell of his former self.

And then it hit me.  He was a shell.  His love was gone.  She must have passed on to that great beyond we all aspire to in our life.  Perhaps not aspire, but we get there all the same.

As the man passed me, I smiled at him.  First he looked as if I had startled him from a memory.  And then it seemed as if he didn't recognize me.  And then from the dredges of his former self, the man brought forth a feeble smile.  A smile lacking gusto and meaning and feeling.  It was an appeasing smile, somehow left hollow without the companionship of another secret smile.  For the secret smile disappeared with his loved one.  The old man had no one to smile secretly with and speak a now forgotten secret language. 

As I made my way back to my car after picking up the ring I imagined the old man's future.  I imagined him alone and without someone to walk to the pool with, no one to laugh with and no one to eat dinner with or, as the day drew to a close, bring his weary bones to rest with.

I came back to the house slowly.  I wanted to see Kagome and Rin.  I wanted to take my family into my arms and make memories with them that would last as long as the old man's.  I wanted to live my life to the fullest and experience everything I was meant to fell when given the right to be human.  I finally wanted to breath.  I wanted to be free.  I wanted to just be alive.

It's funny that it took this man's tragedy to spur on my belief and wishes to live.  It's funny that his life could affect me so, even in the small time that we have interacted.  I wanted to kiss him for making me realize exactly what I wanted—finally.  God, finally.  Finally…

As Jaken let me in he also informed me of Kagome's hasty departure.  She, she was gone?  She left me? And suddenly, with very little or no warning I had become that old man.

Blast!  Enough of this sentimental shit!

The woman had crept into my soul and made permanent residence and amazingly I didn't mind.  In fact, the now empty feeling that clutched my heart was desperately calling her back to room eternally in the deepest annals of my soul.

Rin produced the reason for Kagome's unannounced departure as I collapsed on the couch in the sitting room.

Kagura.

No doubt she had found out about my engagement and decided to check the woman out.  Because, to the world's eyes, Kagome and I were already fiancés at the start.  But to be completely honest and to risk possible hatred…I hadn't been completely truthful with Kagome when I said I didn't know where the mother had been. 

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"I knew it!  I knew it! Let me at him!"

"Heh heh heh…now you understand the handcuffs, my darling."

"Bastard.  I just thought you had a kinky side!"

"Well, now that you mention it…"

"You wouldn't dare!"

"…"

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In all humble (I know) and stupid honestly I knew exactly where Kagura was during the whole affair.  No!  I never lie.  I really don't.  But it unconsciously came out back then and I seriously hadn't given it another thought until this moment.  I mean, I wanted Rin to have some sort of mother figure and Kagura was the best candidate.  She was the real mother and all.  But truthfully (I know), Kagura had no streak of motherhood in her.  It was like she just plopped into this earth a grown woman with a bitchy attitude and high heels.  The eight or nine hellish months we were actually married she did nothing but bitch and curse my child and me.  For, according to her, I had created the child asexually and then inserted it into her womb.  So it was all construed as my fault.  Instead of us being stupidly drunk and my standards decreased as my alcohol content increased. 

True, I was wary at first, thinking, perhaps vainly; that she fancied me, but the truth was that there was no love loss between us.  Amazing that such a wonderful child could be the product of our mutual resentment and regret.  Well, perhaps not regret.  I don't regret Rin, I only regret Kagura.  And I'm sure she regrets me.  And Rin.  For is she had her way Rin wouldn't be here, wearing a daisy crown and dancing around the living room in a way only a child can when the circumstances are dire indeed.  Now I needed to divine the reason why the bloody hell Kagura was here anyways. 

"Ah, Kagura, has your money run out already?"

She smiled in that fake charming way that I am sure worked with all the stupid people she seemed to surround herself with.  Not with me.  I knew what she really was.

"Oh, Kingston, honestly.  Did you think I came here for a good fuck?  Oh wait a minute, from what I do remember of that unfortunate night, you could hardly tell the difference between your two heads."

"Sesshomaru-sama, whats a fu—"

UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

"Rin, go to bed. Now."

There go her visiting rights.

Rin came and gave me a kiss and I couldn't not give her one, so I swiftly kissed her forehead and sent her on her merry way.  No matter it was only six o'clock and we hadn't even had dinner yet.

"What do you want, Kagura?  Your presence here is most unnecessary and aggravating."

"Oh.  Do I aggravate you now?  I believe once you were singing a different tune."

Okay, okay, so I do not like to fail at anything.  The first week of our marriage I tried to make it as real as possible under the circumstances.  It went fine until Kagura told me of her complete hatred of her situation and our child.  I was completely disgusted.  I felt like Maxim deWinter at that moment, wanting to push my Rebecca off the precipice and murder the worst mistake of my life.  But I couldn't because that would mean the end of Rin as well.  And the bitch knew that.  So my fingers itched to finish the deed whenever she was around.  How could she carry my child?

"Kagura, what the fuck do you want?"

"Kingston.  I noticed you are engaged.  I met your fiancé.  Quite a young thing.  And left in quite a hurry.  Was she upset at my appearance?  Did you forget to tell her about me?  I mean, perhaps I did let it slip that I was your wife.  Oh dear, did I somehow forget to say ex?"

She said this all in a cool, calm and rational manner, no hatred apparent in her features.  She had lit a cigarette in the process ad I almost laughed at her dramatics.  Honestly, this isn't the movies.

But…perhaps I could play one up on her.  Go with me here.  I am about to attempt the feat of a lion.  Oh dear, I hope I don't scare myself in the process.

"Ah yes, my darling Kagome.  She is quite a sweetheart, is she not?  I am glad you met her.  But since the marriage is so soon she had to plan everything.  You must have caught her at such a time this afternoon.  You know, appointments to go to…people to see…"

Okay, not a bad start.

"It's really funny how we met.  I was in Japan, you know me…"  By this time I had walked over to her and started to invade her private space by placing a friendly hand on her shoulder.  "She was being touristy there and had mistaken me for a native.  In broken Japanese she asked me if I could take a picture of her and me—being the sly devil I am," I nudged her ribs with my elbow and winked, "played along with being a native.  I pretended to now understand and think she was asking me out on a date!  I managed to coerce her into a coffee shop and I immediately took her hand and whispered sweet nothings in her ear in Japanese.  She was so confused!  Later we bumped into each other on the plan back and she sat next to me on the ride.  She remembered who I was before I saw her and she said, 'Can you take my picture?' in English of course," I smiled and nudged her again," and get this—I answered in ENGLISH! I was all like, 'why take a picture on a plane?' and she said, wait until you hear this, she said," and I started laughing hysterically, getting into the flow of everything and after a while quite enjoying myself, "It is just too funny, she said, 'All the better to capture you with'  Ahhhhhhhhh! Do you get it?  You know, reference to the wolf in the 'Three Little Pigs,' some American nursery rhyme? Haaahhhahhha!  Tear, tear," I continued to laugh outrageously and when I finished I did the big sigh at the end and slapped my knees.

During this whole exchange Kagura looked on in abject horror at my obvious different countenance.  Ah, now for the cream.

"Do you want to see what she did to one of the living quarters?  It's just pure genius!"  I slung my arm around her shoulder and forcefully led her into Kagome's rooms, hoping she still had some of her things there. 

It was painfully bare.

So she will think I'm crazy on top of it.  Eh, a small price to pay.  "Look at this!  Look at this beauty!  I feel like Iverson in here!  The bare essentials!  Such extenstentialism!  Such simplicity!  It's unbelievable how gifted…she…is…" I was leading her over to the bed—which hadn't been changed yet.  "Oh, whats this?  I'm a little embarrassed.  I was a naughty boy last night, now wasn't I?  I hadn't noticed all this morning.  Kagome should have told me when we got up, but I guess we were just too distracted.  I mean, THAT woman just wears me out, and I really wasn't in the mood to think about anything…Oh well.  Kagura?  Kaguuuuuura?"

At that moment I heard the room door slam and then the front door.  I heard one long shout once the front door closed and then periodically little shrieks.  And I didn't miss the look of complete disgust on Kagura's face at my obvious adoration and sickening love for Kagome.

Oh, how I would cherish this moment forever.

It was however, almost sickening at how much I enjoyed it and how easy it was to accomplish.  Perhaps I have a career on the stage after all. 

Ah, Note to self:  Never become an actor.  Make-up, men in tights, Shakespeare, showing emotion and even acting should be in the same sentence with Sesshomaru.  I think this is your final curtain call.

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"Honestly Sess."

"Oh, I'm goooooooooooood."

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But moving on.

Something clicked when Kagura mentioned our little "escapade" in the realm of marriage.  At that time I was forced into the deed and look where it got me.  True, I was still rich, successful and devilishly handsome…annnnnnnnnnd I had Rin, but I was a divorcee.  I never wanted to divorce.  In fact, I was a little angry that I had to divorce in the first place.  I wanted better for Rin.  But most selfishly, I wanted better for myself. 

Was Kagome this "better" that I always wanted?  Would she stay with me until we were old and would she walk to the swimming pool with me?  Well, actually, I'm sure we'd never walk to the pool because I would probably have a limo take us there or I would drive.  Also we would probably have a pool of our own.  In fact, I already have a pool of my own.  So we wouldn't need to walk anywhere if need be.  However, we would need exercise, but that could be sufficed with a turn around the garden.  And…

Ah.  But I digress.

Would Kagome be everything that I've always unconsciously needed?  Could I satisfy everything I need in just one person?  I knew I could.  I knew that it was possible.  The business side of my mind clicked into gear and supplied a "how convenient" for this moment.  But wasn't it convenient?  That we have this little extraordinary circumstance and now we love each other.  At least I think we still do.  Well, she does.  I do.  I do…It is kind of amazing to think that it happened this way.  It would certainly be a good story to tell friends.

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"If only you knew."

"If only I wasn't so unconsciously intrinsic."

"Yeah right."

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At that moment I paused, suspended five inches above the bed, and never before had I had such a sense of fate in the world.

It was meant to be.

Now all I needed to do was convince the girl.  Which was hardly how I expected my real love life to go.  This was shaping into some stupid, seedy romance novel with all the drama going on.  Honestly, people, real life isn't this abnormal.  Too bad my life has always been abnormal. 

And with that I went off to capture the last vestiges of my future that was slipping steadily from my grasp by the minute.  God, if you only knew.