~A/N: Thank you to my little collection of reviewers. I have to blame all cliff hangers on my beta reader; she likes to make every chapter of mine end with no resolution. So if you don't like the ending of a chapter blame her and not me! ~
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage."
-Lao-Tzu
Chapter 2
***Last time***
Once Kouga was gone Kagome put Rin down. Immediately she ran over to Sesshomaru and hugged his leg. He patted her on the head.
Sesshomaru turned his attention to Kagome who was now walking back to Kirara and the little demon that was still unconscious. She put back on her backpack and was getting ready to leave when his question stopped her. "Why?"
***Now***
Kagome smiled and turned to face him. "The polite thing to say would be thank you, but why, that's easy, there is too much blood shed I've seen already, and if I can prevent it from happening all the better. Oh and Lord Sesshomaru," she called out to him as she was walking back to Kirara, "You are welcome." She got on Kirara, but before they could take off into the air he was standing in front of them.
"You will tell me where Inuyasha is. You would know that since you are his filthy wench." His cold piercing eyes was the only thing from keeping Kagome from not crying again.
"If you want to know, then I would advice you to go and ask his filthy wench." She scoffed at him.
Before she could continue, he stated, "That is what I am doing human."
Kagome shook her head. She felt a laugh run through her body. "She's back there with him, so you should run along and ask her. Thanks for your concern about me, but before you can ask, I'm going home. If you will be so kind as to excuse us, I will take my leave." Kagome set her face to the same expression as Sesshomaru.
"What did my foolish half brother do now?" He faintly raised an eyebrow showing interest.
Kagome bargained with him. He would escort her home, and she would indulge his curiosity. It seemed to work. Soon Kirara was back on her way to her mistress, and Kagome was in the company of the dog demon.
She held the small demon in her hands, and Rin cooed over it. She let Rin hold it and tend to its needs, despite its unconscious state, while Ah-Un flew to Inuyasha's forest.
Kagome told him the reader's digest version about Kikyo coming back from the dead, how Kikyo has part of her soul, how she met Kouga, and even her resolution to become stronger fighter.
Secretly he was impressed. It would seem that this young woman-child was even more stubborn than the demon lord and more faithful than his retainer Jaken. It was quite a sight. He still did not understand why she wanted to be taken into the heart of Inuyasha's forest. There were no homes there, let alone people living there.
She was a puzzle, and one that he wanted to get rid of. He didn't know why but once they reached the forest, he left Rin with Ah-Un and silently walked beside her. She stopped in front of the bone eater's well. He raised his eyebrow towards her. She smiled at him, it wasn't one of the false smiles that he was used to in his lands, but a genuine smile, and he hated it.
"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru. You have proven to me that you are capable of kindness," She saw him scowl, but she continued on, "But do not fret, I will never tell a soul." She leaned forward and touched the magenta stripes that graced his cheeks. She had wanted to do that since the day she first saw him. They looked so natural on him; she wanted to make sure that they were not painted on.
"Woman, do not think that I am capable of such a useless emotion." He spat as he stepped back. What shocked him more was when she laughed.
"Like I said, I will never tell. Besides, no one would ever believe me." She turned her back to him and sat on the edge of the well with the tiny demon in her hand. "Thank you for your escort, and I will be seeing you. Goodbye Lord Sesshomaru of the Western lands and demon with a heart of mush." Her exultant laughter was the only sound made as she jumped into the well, leaving behind a confused demon.
Kagome climbed the ladder and placed a cover on top of the well. She looked in her bag for a ward that would help seal the lid shut from Inuyasha coming and stealing her away. What she pulled out made her smirk. It was one of Miroku's homemade charms. She poured her miko powers onto the charm to help strengthen the ward. She only hoped that she was doing it right.
Once she was slightly satisfied, she walked with the injured demon into her house. She was afraid that the demon would have been left behind. She knew that Shippo couldn't pass through and she had her fears, but that didn't mean she couldn't try. She was a little grateful that whoever was watching down was smiling, instead of plaguing her with the usual scorn.
Her mother was overcome with joy to see her, and Souta asked about Inuyasha. That was the final pin in the dam. She broke down. Tears flooded her line of vision and she gratefully took the tissue that her mother offered. She sat down at the table and her mom went to boil some water so Kagome could drown herself in chamomile tea.
Kagome set the small demon on the table, and looked over it to make sure that it was in relatively good health. It was still sleeping soundly. She should have left the demon with Rin, but something inside her told her to take the demon with her. This was part of her resolution; she was now going to listen to her intuition, and her gut instinct, no matter the cost.
She told her mother the full story. She only hid the parts about nearly being killed several times, but she told her everything else. Needless to say, her mother was upset, and no longer wanted Kagome to travel back in time.
But then there comes a time when a mother stepped back and learnt when to pick her battles with her children. She knew that Kagome would go back; she had a mission to fulfill. Two cups of strong tea later, she ushered her daughter up to bed. While Kagome was rinsing the five hundred year old grime off her body, she grabbed an old shoebox and stuffed it full of soft material so that their new guest could sleep in something comfortable. It looked like it had been through a lot, and she wanted to make it feel safe. What mother wouldn't?
Kagome smiled when she saw the box on her desk a while later. Her mother was so thoughtful and selfless. Guess that was a trait that ran very deeply in the family. She yawned and took the box with her to bed. The moment her head touched the pillow she fell asleep.
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength; loving someone deeply gives you courage."
-Lao-Tzu
Chapter 2
***Last time***
Once Kouga was gone Kagome put Rin down. Immediately she ran over to Sesshomaru and hugged his leg. He patted her on the head.
Sesshomaru turned his attention to Kagome who was now walking back to Kirara and the little demon that was still unconscious. She put back on her backpack and was getting ready to leave when his question stopped her. "Why?"
***Now***
Kagome smiled and turned to face him. "The polite thing to say would be thank you, but why, that's easy, there is too much blood shed I've seen already, and if I can prevent it from happening all the better. Oh and Lord Sesshomaru," she called out to him as she was walking back to Kirara, "You are welcome." She got on Kirara, but before they could take off into the air he was standing in front of them.
"You will tell me where Inuyasha is. You would know that since you are his filthy wench." His cold piercing eyes was the only thing from keeping Kagome from not crying again.
"If you want to know, then I would advice you to go and ask his filthy wench." She scoffed at him.
Before she could continue, he stated, "That is what I am doing human."
Kagome shook her head. She felt a laugh run through her body. "She's back there with him, so you should run along and ask her. Thanks for your concern about me, but before you can ask, I'm going home. If you will be so kind as to excuse us, I will take my leave." Kagome set her face to the same expression as Sesshomaru.
"What did my foolish half brother do now?" He faintly raised an eyebrow showing interest.
Kagome bargained with him. He would escort her home, and she would indulge his curiosity. It seemed to work. Soon Kirara was back on her way to her mistress, and Kagome was in the company of the dog demon.
She held the small demon in her hands, and Rin cooed over it. She let Rin hold it and tend to its needs, despite its unconscious state, while Ah-Un flew to Inuyasha's forest.
Kagome told him the reader's digest version about Kikyo coming back from the dead, how Kikyo has part of her soul, how she met Kouga, and even her resolution to become stronger fighter.
Secretly he was impressed. It would seem that this young woman-child was even more stubborn than the demon lord and more faithful than his retainer Jaken. It was quite a sight. He still did not understand why she wanted to be taken into the heart of Inuyasha's forest. There were no homes there, let alone people living there.
She was a puzzle, and one that he wanted to get rid of. He didn't know why but once they reached the forest, he left Rin with Ah-Un and silently walked beside her. She stopped in front of the bone eater's well. He raised his eyebrow towards her. She smiled at him, it wasn't one of the false smiles that he was used to in his lands, but a genuine smile, and he hated it.
"Thank you Lord Sesshomaru. You have proven to me that you are capable of kindness," She saw him scowl, but she continued on, "But do not fret, I will never tell a soul." She leaned forward and touched the magenta stripes that graced his cheeks. She had wanted to do that since the day she first saw him. They looked so natural on him; she wanted to make sure that they were not painted on.
"Woman, do not think that I am capable of such a useless emotion." He spat as he stepped back. What shocked him more was when she laughed.
"Like I said, I will never tell. Besides, no one would ever believe me." She turned her back to him and sat on the edge of the well with the tiny demon in her hand. "Thank you for your escort, and I will be seeing you. Goodbye Lord Sesshomaru of the Western lands and demon with a heart of mush." Her exultant laughter was the only sound made as she jumped into the well, leaving behind a confused demon.
Kagome climbed the ladder and placed a cover on top of the well. She looked in her bag for a ward that would help seal the lid shut from Inuyasha coming and stealing her away. What she pulled out made her smirk. It was one of Miroku's homemade charms. She poured her miko powers onto the charm to help strengthen the ward. She only hoped that she was doing it right.
Once she was slightly satisfied, she walked with the injured demon into her house. She was afraid that the demon would have been left behind. She knew that Shippo couldn't pass through and she had her fears, but that didn't mean she couldn't try. She was a little grateful that whoever was watching down was smiling, instead of plaguing her with the usual scorn.
Her mother was overcome with joy to see her, and Souta asked about Inuyasha. That was the final pin in the dam. She broke down. Tears flooded her line of vision and she gratefully took the tissue that her mother offered. She sat down at the table and her mom went to boil some water so Kagome could drown herself in chamomile tea.
Kagome set the small demon on the table, and looked over it to make sure that it was in relatively good health. It was still sleeping soundly. She should have left the demon with Rin, but something inside her told her to take the demon with her. This was part of her resolution; she was now going to listen to her intuition, and her gut instinct, no matter the cost.
She told her mother the full story. She only hid the parts about nearly being killed several times, but she told her everything else. Needless to say, her mother was upset, and no longer wanted Kagome to travel back in time.
But then there comes a time when a mother stepped back and learnt when to pick her battles with her children. She knew that Kagome would go back; she had a mission to fulfill. Two cups of strong tea later, she ushered her daughter up to bed. While Kagome was rinsing the five hundred year old grime off her body, she grabbed an old shoebox and stuffed it full of soft material so that their new guest could sleep in something comfortable. It looked like it had been through a lot, and she wanted to make it feel safe. What mother wouldn't?
Kagome smiled when she saw the box on her desk a while later. Her mother was so thoughtful and selfless. Guess that was a trait that ran very deeply in the family. She yawned and took the box with her to bed. The moment her head touched the pillow she fell asleep.