"Just a castaway
An island lost at sea
Another lonely day
With no one here but me
More loneliness
Than any man could bear
Rescue me before I fall into despair."

-Sting 'Message In A Bottle'-

Once she had finished her story, Sesshomaru had mercifully let her retire to her room for much needed sleep. She didn't both to place her human facade back up, and instead walked proudly to her room as a youkai. Once she was in the safety of the four walls, she collapsed onto the bed. Her shoulders shook and she sounded as if she sobbed, but no tears poured from her eyes. Of all her lost friends, she had grieved over Shippou the most, her small surrogate son. He had died during the battle with Naraku. Kagome hadn't paid enough attention, and she was close to being fatally wounded. Little Shippou had charged in front of her, and had let the spiked tentacle slice through his chest. That was the point that had given Kagome the determination to be obsurbed by Naraku. She could still remember the deadly silence that had filled the air as Shippou's little body hit the ground beside her. His eyes were open in shock, but his face had been calm. He had sacrificed his life, so that his mother would survive. She could remember how even the large demon Naraku had stopped his movements, all eyes had fallen onto the miko as she leaned down and had picked up the small body.

Her tears then had been hot and heavy, running down her face like a river. She blamed his death on her of course, because if she had been as attentive as she should be, she would have seen the attack, and would have been able to move. She wouldn't even be able to save him, and she dared not wish upon the Shikon No Tama, wondering upon what horrors would be brought back. In the bed that she was now laying, she curled her arms in front of her, as if she was holding the small kitsune, cooing under her breathe. It hurt, to know that he was gone, it hurt even worse to know that she could have saved him, if only she hadn't been so weak.

Curling her black tail about her form, the fur thick and almost fuzzy, hiding much of her body. She sobbed herself into a sleep that was plagued by the day of the battle, making the miko youkai toss about in her bed, unknowingly revealing her pain to the taiyoukai that stood in her door frame.

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"I wake up
Thoughts of you
Tattooed to my mind
As I wonder
What to wear
What to eat
Who to be
Will I see you again."

-Maroon 5 'If You Only Knew'-

Sesshomaru had been surprised, angered, saddened... too many emotions to count as he listened to the miko speak her tale. But he always listened with direct eyes, showing her that he was listening to her intently. Of course in the back of his mind, he continued to question himself, trying to guess what it had been that the miko wished for. His face contorted from one emotion to the other as he listened to each of her friends deaths, whether they be painful or swift.

No wonder she had changed so much. To lose all that you had known within such a short amount of time, he was surprised she had not died from the heavy weight of despair on her heart. Could human hearts really sustain that much pain and live properly? Her physical change had not taken his attention for a few seconds, as he had been listening to her words with such a depth, he seemed to stare out into space. He did not actually look at her, till her scent reached his nose.

Jerking his eyes up, and almost gasping from the sight before him. A miko youkai? He took in the delicately pointed ears, the two-toned eye color. Taking in the facial markings and watching as the white streaks slide down her locks. Watching the black tail wave softly from behind her, he had the most obsurd urge to pet it, but he squashed it down with a mentally fist. 'This Sesshomaru does not pet things.' Looking down to her hands, which were in her lap, he almost laughed at the small claws that had sprouted from the tips of her fingernails. They looked so small and delicate, like a childs, but he knew they could be deadly.

After her rendering of the tale was finished, he was quite able to tell that she was ragged, her shoulders shaking from having to remember and retell it all. Sesshomaru could be ruthless, but to see the powerful miko youkai shaking from her words was enough to crack his cold exterior. Without answering her question of feeling incomplete and such things, he told her to return to her room for some rest. She had nodded her gratitude and had stood to her feet with a fluid grace that he saw in her human form.

He tried to keep his eyes averted from her form as she walked back towards his home, but he could not help to let his eyes wander. Not only were her words affecting him greatly, but the words of his human girl Rin were making him think oddly. She had told him that he was to stay with the miko, because if he did not break this seal on her, she would die. So what exactly was being sealed, and how? Was it her soul, was that why she felt incomplete? He outwardly growled at the thought of her life being endangered, but this motion caused him further anger. 'Why should I care if her life is in danger?' The vision of Rin came to his mind unbidden.

'The Miko needs you. You are all that she has left in her world, she will die if you cannot break the seal over her person....'

Putting his chin in his hand, his newly formed hand, he gave another deep growl. He couldn't help but feel pulled towards the miko, whether by the fates or his own decision he could not decide, but at the same time he did not wish to let such a woman close to him. True, she was a youkai now, but she had been human at some point...'Feh, you know that's not the reason at all. Your just afraid.' A golden glare scent to his demon side before he reprimanded himself. 'No I'm not, I just wish not to affiliate with a used-to-be-human-turned-youkai female. Besides, I have better things to do with my time.' A snicker could be heard in the back of his head before the demon nipped at the edges of his thoughts. 'You're just as lonely as she is. What could it hurt?'

"It could hurt a lot."

He had let Rin close to his heart, come to love her, and she had died. That had hurt. Everytime she was injured in life, or her life was threatened, it had angered him and made him sick with worry. That hurt. So what if he did the same with this new miko? He would let her into his life, and somewhere down the road she would grow on him. He wasn't just stating the truth, he was stating the obvious. It was bound to happen.

"Feh..petty emotions."

He stood to his feet quickly, stalking into his home with a deadly speed. He would retreat to his chambers and sleep all this off. He would forget it all by the next day, and ask the miko to leave. Yes, that is what he would do. He could do it too! Because he was Lord Sesshomaru, Taiyoukia of the Western Lands. His resolved faltered when he passed by Kagome's room, and he heard sobs break from the walls. Pressing his body against the door, sniffing her scent quickly. He could sense her sadness but he did not smell her tears. He waited till her breathing was calm and he knew her to be completely asleep before he opened the door.

She was curled up on her bed, not having disrobed from her clothes or boots. Her tail was wrapped about her person, till she looked nothing more than a black fur ball on the bed. A frown contorted his features as he continued to gaze upon the sleeping woman. Her question from earlier flared on the inside of his mind.

'Have you ever had the feeling that your soul is missing it's parts?'

He tilted his head down, shutting his eyes harshly against how she hit home with that question, and how it made all of these forgotten emotions to bubble forth in his own person.

"Yes, I have that feeling everyday that I breathe."

He whispered into the air. He didn't know if he was speaking to himself or to the sleeping miko. His gaze was darkened by his memories as he exited her room and slipped into his own chambers.

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"And what have I learned
From all this pain
I thought I'd never feel the same
About anyone or anything again
But now I know."

-George Michael 'Jesus to a Child'-

The night hadn't been soft on either of it's inhabitants. Each sleep had been filled of unwanted memories and emotions surging forth without permission from the owners. Sesshomaru had awoken in a rather irritated mood, while Kagome had just....awakened, and nothing more. Bathing and dressing himself quickly, he made his way down to the dining area. While he did not need much food to survive, today was one where he could feel his own stomach protesting it's emptiness.

He would be lying if he said that he expected the miko to be waiting there for him. He had assumed she would still be sleeping, or would at least stay to herself for the day, especially after all that had happened the day before. But there she was, standing as a youkai and not a human, her hands clasped in front of her, her form dressed in a midnight-blue kimono with white stars accenting the fabric. Her long streaked hair was pulled back into a low ponytail once again, and she kept her eyes towards the floor. Even after all that she had revealed to him, she still acted the same.

'She's beautiful and you know it. Not just as a youkai, but as a mature human, she still had her qualities.'

Without a second thought, or a growl to accent his anger at his inner thoughts, he made his way to the table and kneeled in front of it. He watched from the corner of his eye as Kagome finally moved, and seated herself across from him, her head still down, her hands tucked nicely in her lap. It didn't take long till the servants came out with rice and fruit for the morning meal. Both of them only drank water, and sat in silence as they ate.

This went about for minutes upon more awkward minutes. He would have thought that after she told him all of her story, she would be more conversational, but once again the miko in front of him had done the opposite of what he had first concluded. He set his chopsticks down, and looked at her blatantly now. He would eye her until she reacted. Another few moments went by, before Kagome did the same as he had done. Pulling her two-toned gaze up to meet his.

"Have I done something to offend you Lord Sesshomaru? You look as if you are mad with me."

If he had a tail as she did, no doubt it would be flipping around in the air by now in irritation.

"I'm not mad, I just do not enjoy this silence that has befallen us. I wish for you to speak with me as if I am an aquaintance. I do not bite unless provoked. You should know that by now Kagome."

He finally saw her face move as she seemed shocked that he had used her first name. Softly, he saw her tail twitch as she thought of to proceed with her next words.

"I am sorry Lord Sesshomaru, I will do better to speak with you, instead of remaining silenced in your company."

He wanted to growl and command her to drop the formalities. If it had been anyone else, he would have expected it, but coming from the Kagome that he knew as fiesty and bold, it seemed strange. And why was he suddenly so lenient and talkative with her.

"Feh, just stop being a mask. Oh, and you shall be remaining here for an amount of time that I see fit. I will not have you go back out on your own without being properly trained of your powers and your new body. Do not argue with me, for this Sesshomaru will not tolerate it."

He tried to tell himself he kept her around for that very reason, and not because he wished to see her smile, and not because he found himself calmed when she was with him. He didn't tell her to stay because he wished to know her better, and not because he thought her too beautiful to forget just yet. He didn't let her stay because he felt a connection with her, and not because he had hope that she was to be the one to show him love.

It was a futile effort when he looked back to Kagome, and her eyes were alight with something that he could not name, but found rather appealing. He could not help it when he felt his lips twitch into the smallest of smiles, before standing up, and extending his restored arm out for her to grasp his hand.

"Please, follow me."

'Since when did this Sesshomaru say please?' A mental growl that turned into obsurd laughter. 'Oh, be quiet!'

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Authors Note:

inukagonly: Confused? Well ask me to clarify and I shall.

xXSyaoranLuverPinayXx: Thank you, but I hope with more chapters, I can get more details in. I don't wish to bore everyone with details, but I find the story lacking in that area from time to time.

kojika85: blush Why thank you very much. I am very glad that you find it so interesting and worth the time to read. More reviews would be great, but I am glad for the one's that I get, no need to be greedy.

ScreaminChild: Yes, you were half-right. But we'll count it as a full out right!