It's a Small World

By Enchanted Angel

Chapter 4: Pain

The rest of the week passed with barely any communication with each other.

'I wonder what I did..' I thought as I neared him in his study, typing as I walked to go get something to drink from downstairs.

I knew he heard me, but he still refused to acknowledge my existence.

I grew bitter.

'What _had_ I done to make him so stoic with me? I didn't do anything wrong!' Tears of bitterness and anger pricked at the corners of my eyes.

I shook them away.

'It doesn't matter anyway. Why do _I_ care about what _he_ does? I'm just being stupid.and to think he actually liked me. Who am I fooling?' I thought angrily as I strode past his study.

***

My head jerked up as I smelled something other than normal.

Tears.

Pain.

Anger.

Bitterness.

Kagome.

Pain seared through my chest like a flash of lightning that momentarily stunned me.

'What was that?' I thought.

I heard a door slam and a shower turn on with a violent jerk.

Kagome.

Why was she so angry?

I thought of her smooth ivory skin..her long silky black hair that blew gracefully in the wind..soft pink lips and a dazzling smile.

I suddenly gasped.

'What was I thinking!?' I thought furiously at myself. 'I've got to push her away!'

I growled and forced my concentration to the stack of paper work in front of me.

I picked up a hefty stack and glared at if as if I could burn holes in it.

"I could rebuild a tree with this.." I grumbled as I sent it down with a thump and started to read through it.

I sighed and rubbed my temples.

'I didn't get anything done..' I thought irritably as I stared at the same paragraph I have been looking at for an hour.

I put down my reading glasses and rubbed my temples.

"Better get some sleep..I'm just wasting my time." I murmured as I got up and padded out of the study.

I walked pass Kagome's room, and I heard a soft sobbing. It sounded as if she were trying to stifle the noise. Concern welled within me for the young girl I had grown so fond of.

But..

Wasn't I supposed to push her away? Wasn't it wrong to become fond of a human?

I put my hand down and let it rest at my side.

What about Rin?

She's human..yet I care for her as my own daughter.

'That's different..' I thought stubbornly and annoyed at my soft spot for the young girl.

I stood outside her door for what seemed hours.

I raised my hand again, but the sobbing stopped and soon faded away into deep and even breathing.

I cracked the door open: the light was still on, and she was dressed in her pajamas and was sleeping on the bed. Her face was tear-streaked and the rims above and below her eyes were pink and puffy.

I grimaced at sight of the pain etched onto her face - even in sleep.

I approached the bed slowly and quietly.

My body seemed to move of it's own accord.

My hand slowly reached out until it was inches from her smooth cheek.

"NOO!!" my mind screamed in protest at the close proximity between the two of us.

My fingers were several centimeters from her cheek before I wavered.

'What was I doing?'

I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Kagome.." I whispered.

I withdrew my hand and pulled the covers over her thin body.

I gave her one last look and turned and walked out of her room.

***

A million thoughts passed through my head as I lied on my bed, staring in to the utter darkness.

'That was too close..' I thought as I stared at the ceiling. 'I lost all control of myself..'

I rolled over and pushed all the thoughts out of my mind and I soon fell into a dreamless sleep.

***

I woke up the next morning to the annoying sound of my alarm.

I groaned and hauled myself out of bed.

After I did all my morning stuff, I went downstairs to see Kagome already sitting at the breakfast table and drinking a cup of expresso and reading the daily newspaper.

She didn't look up. In fact, she plainly ignored me.

She kept the newspaper high, hiding her face from me.

I knew she was hiding the puffiness left over from last night's crying. I could smell the make-up on her.

A waiter came bustling up to me with my usual cup of coffee and two slices of toast.

I thanked him and reached over the small table to get a newspaper.

There was an awkward silence. I noticed that Kagome wasn't even flipping the page..

I decided to break the tension welling up between us.

"Why are you ignoring me?" I asked her quietly.

She put down the paper with a rather loud rustle.

Her appearance shocked me.

Her usually radiant eyes were dull and pink, her skin was smudgy due to the large quantities of make-up applied, and there were still visible dark lines under her eyes.

She leaned heavily on the table and fell out of her chair. I got up and caught her before she hit the ground.

"Kagome.." I whispered as I smoothed her hair out of her eyes.

She was unconscious, probably due to her lack of sleep.

I picked her up and carried her back to her room.

I heard Rin opening her door.

'If she sees me like this..she's going to think I'm going to marry Kagome or something!' I thought panicking.

Just as the door whisked open, a strong gust of air slammed it shut again.

I caused that gust of air when I ran down the hall carrying Kagome's body.

She opened the door and peeked out curiously. I stepped out of Kagome's bedroom and tried to appear as if I just got out of mine, which was directly across of Kagome's.

"Ohayo Sesshoumaru-sama!!" she shouted joyously.

"Good morning Rin." I said serenely.

She ran over to me and clung to my leg.

I stared down at her questioningly.

'Why does she do this?' I thought.

It has become her daily ritual to cling to my leg at every chance she got.

I sighed and tried to pry her little hands off my leg.

She got off reluctantly.

"Go eat breakfast Rin." I said in my usual monotone.

"Hai! Sesshoumaru-sama!" she said with her usual energy.

I watched her bounce down the stairs to plummet straight into a butler who looked slightly disgruntled.

I heaved a sigh of relief and walked quietly into Kagome's room.

I opened her briefcase silently and found a business card, then I walked out of her room and closed the door and went to the phone to call in sick for her.

'Should I take a day off?' I thought.

'Bonding time with Kagome..' Another voice said softly in my head.

I growled audibly. 'That is NOT what I'm planning.' I thought back furiously.

'Whatever..' It thought, then died away.

'I think I'm loosing it..' I thought irritably.

I dialed my company number and requested a day off.

I walked back to my study and sat down behind the mound of papers I put off last night and began to get to work..

AN: heyy, omgshh, that's such a bad chapter, I'm sorry, but I've been running out of time for everything. =/ I might have to give this story a hap-hazard ending, but I hope things don't come to that..*sigh* please review...