Kagome's modesty was not all that had made her blush, of course it played a major factor in the pink hue of her cheeks. But it was also nervousness. Sesshomaru was a tough critic, and she feared that if he saw any part of her body, the cruel remarks would flow. She had never considered herself a beauty. She considered herself homely at best. But she did not have the wide hips of a woman, near the perfect skin of pampered humans or youkai. She might have been twenty-three in human years, but she still felt like a girl in her body. Felt like an alien in her skin, as if she did not fit in it anymore.

Sesshomaru's graceful and perfect beauty, made her aware of her faults and mistakes, and she wished to hide from that fact. Sesshomaru was nothing more than an aquaintance, a friend. And when exactly had she started to think of him as a friend? Not that it really mattered. She might have wished to have a friendly relationship between them, but Sesshomaru probably still looked to her as a ningen, one that she no longer was. The seemstress had been quick and kind, telling Kagome that she could dress once again, though she bid her to wait. To have a full wardrobe that was expected of her, it would take Tenya at least a week to complete, as she had help, if she was by herself, it would take two. But she promised that she could make a quick outfit for Kagome to wear for the rest of the day, and possibly another one for tomorrow.

Kagome had waited as she was asked of, sitting on the floor, her back against the wall. Her tail had started to wave frantically through the air as she continued to think on Sesshomaru. What did a taiyoukai use to keep themselves going through life? What was Sesshomaru's reason for continueing to live? Kagome had found it hard to even breathe after the death of her friends, and even now she did at night, where her tears sobbed out but her cheeks remained dry. As a matter of fact, why did she keep going? Why didn't she just let her sorrow drown out her heart? What kept her going through a life that had left her all alone?

Was it because of the Shikon No Tama? No, she didn't quite think so, because if she died, her reincarnation would become the protectress of it, so she could not say it was because she had to protect the jewel. Was it because she was still fighting evil in the world? Naraku was dead, and there had not been any serious threat to the world as she knew it to provoke her instincts to protect. It could not be because she wanted love in her life, a love that would last, and not be jeopardized by the past. Did she even have enough left to love again? Did she want a companion? But did she also want the pain that came along with a friend? To see them hurt or injured, to see them stumble through life just as she had?

'You live for the prospect of the present. You have lived for the past, and you have lived for the future. You have taste of both, but you were never given the chance to simply live in the present. That is why you keep going.'

For once, she could not argue with the words she heard in her mind, provided by the youkai in her. It seemed like a fruitful statment. While she was in her time, before the well and the Shikon No Tama, she worked for the future, she studied and went for an education so that in the future she would do well in life. In the past she fought not only for the safety of the past, but for the safety of the future as well. She had never been allowed to just stand there in the river of the present, and enjoy what was around her. 'And what exactly is around you Kagome? You know what is out there for you to grasp, you're just too scared of being hurt again to admit it.' The voice was starting to annoy the miko, but only because it was right. 'Say it, what is out there, waiting for you?' The two-toned eyes closed as a pained expression overtook the miko. 'Sesshomaru is there, life is there...' But was Sesshomaru willing to be the one to be part of the present?

Her thoughts were broken when Tenya came back into the room, holding out the black kimono for the miko to grasp.

"I put into my measurements your tail, so from now on all your clothing will have a slit for your tail to fit through. I am aware that might be more comfortable, so I hope you do not mind the adjustments that I have made for you."

Kagome stood up, and took the kimono into her hands delicately, the silver obi thrown over the fabric as well. She gave the seemstress many thanks and praise for her work, before the miko youkai disappeared behind the screen once again to don on her new clothing. She left her old kimono there, as it had not been hers to begin with. Finding a brush in the room, she took to the task of brushing out her long hair. She could not reason why she wished to look her best for Sesshomaru, but it was, in the back of her mind, nagging at her to look the perfect youkai for when she met him again.

Once she was as satisfied as she could get, she took a final look towards Tenya before she exited the room. As she paced down the corridors, she felt her hands wringing themselves silly. She could not name why butterflies were flickering around in her stomach. Was it because she desperately needed Sesshomaru to approve of her? She needed him to enjoy her company, and her physical form. But why? 'Will I feel more important if I am approved? Will I feel accepted? What could it do to me if he does not approve of me?' A breeze blew through her mind, and she could almost imagine the vision of a youkai in her mind, young and smirking with a roll of her eyes. 'It would hurt you of course, Sesshomaru is the epitomy of grandeur and beauty. He makes those around him itch for approval.'

Finally coming to stand outside of his rooms, knowing that he was in there for the scent that flowed from the closed door. Earlier, her thoughts of him had been interrupted, and she had never once began to mentally describe to herself the taiyoukai's scent. It was true that emotions did not falter his scent, but it seemed more open then it had six years ago. The scent itself was full of.... the sky, and what Kagome could only name as stillness. She could not describe it any other way. He smelled of the sky and stillness. In the end, all that mattered, was that he smelled such a way that made Kagome stop whatever it was that she was doing, and be filled with the overpowering urge to nuzzle into his neck for the need to be filled with more of it.

She could feel her heartbeat start to pound against her chest at such thoughts. Just a friend! She leaned her head against the door before she jerked back, hearing Sesshomaru give her permission to enter. Taking a deep breathe and letting her control slide back into place, her face solid but yet softer than it had been. She entered his room, meeting his golden gaze as he walked towards her. Tilting her head back as the taiyoukai was now only a foot away from her, she heard his words, and snaked her arm through his, feeling another smile spread across her features lightly without permission.

The gardens, yes that was where they were going. Finally, she had to tear her gaze away from him as they started to walk.

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Unbeknownst to the two youkai's that now walked through the gardens, their arms still entwined, there were two sets of eyes looking down on them now. There might have been an evil presence over them, but now there was nothing but pure intentions. The owner of both sets of eyes could not be sensed, for they were no longer part of the earth, and yet they were not souls wandering over the land. They were simply the souls of two who wished to see the two people below them to once again find happiness.

"Do you think their gonna kiss soon?"

A giggle was sounded behind the first speaker, causing the green eyes to turn to the giggler.

"Wha's so funny? You saw how they were lookin' at each other earlier."

Another giggle, before the person who made it came dashing towards the scene, leaning over the low cloud in order to do so. Brown eyes widened slightly before the girl giggled again.

"Sesshomaru-sama and Kagome-chan look comfortable together. Rin is happy to see this."

Shippou and Rin looked to each other once again, before returning their gazes back to the couple. The kitsune and the girl had found each other after death, their mutual love for those below them being the magnent that drew them together. They were consumed with the need to draw the two together, playing a little bit of fate between their small hands. Each one knew about the danger that was fast approaching, but they would not let the love be lost between the two.

"Their going to slow though Rin-rin. If their not together by the time Kikoryo attacks, they will never survive. What are we going to do?"

Shippou had by now begun to whine, and Rin scooted closer to the kitsune and patted him childishly on his head.

"Flowers are the answer Shippou-chan. Get one of them to pick flowers for the other!"

Such a childish answer, but both took it into real consideration before they disappeared.

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Sesshomaru cast sideways glances once in awhile to wander across Kagome's features, or her streaked hair. He had taken much time to etch each detail of the miko youkai into his mind, but it was never enough. They had visited only half of the tame gardens on his grounds, while they hadn't even visited the hillside meadows where Rin had scattered tons of seeds. Wildflowers and such growing in wild abandonment. With the sudden thought of mention of Rin, memories of how she used to dance around the flowers, picking handfuls upon handfuls before returning to Sesshomaru's side, and offering them up to him in gesture. He remembered how proud she looked when she gave him the bouquet, and how happy she seemed when she was offered a flower in return.

Of course the poor petals and stem never lasted long in the tight-gripped love of the child, but she seemed content to be offered another. Of course Sesshomaru had never picked a flower for the girl in Jaken's presence, he was always guarded in front of the toad-demon. Speaking of which. Turning to Kagome, his thoughts were brought back to the day she had restored his arm.

"I have been wondering this ever since it happened, but I haven't thought of it till now. The day you restored my arm, why was it that your powers flared up? You seemed to have impeccible control over them."

He watched as the faint blush once again visited upon her features as she turned her gaze away. Apparently being reminded of how she could have killed Sesshomaru with her powers pained her more than he had thought they would. Pulling her arm from his, as if she was readying herself to be reprimanded, or attacked for her actions, she stepped away from him with a sigh.

"I did not take into effect that your youkai servant Jaken would interfere. I hadn't seen him since I had been here, so I thought nothing of his approach, or his assumptions jumping to the worse. He thought I was attacking you I suppose. He ran up before I could react and whacked me upside my head with his staff. It was all that I could not to let my powers kill you. I reigned them back in, but you had been mentally injured from it already. Gomen Lord Sesshomaru, I have pained for my mistakes."

He could smell salt as tears started to well up into her eyes. Did she really think he was mad with her? Now he was aware of where the pain to his head came from. Apparently he was linked to Kagome, and he had felt the pain of Jaken's staff hitting her. Suddenly, the realization of what happened brought his rage to the surface. To think that Jaken had hit his guest, and had caused his master injury made Sesshomaru's eyes redden. He looked to Kagome, and saw her back up more from his person as she saw the eyes. Quickly, they faded and he stepped to her, pulling her into his arms quickly.

"I am not mad at you Kagome, I mad at Jaken for his foolishness. He will pay for such actions, once I find him of course."

The tears never fell, but he could still sense she was sad over what had happened, and it gave him the distinct feeling that she would never forgive herself for what had happened. Rin's face once again flashed in his mind, her holding up a flower to him with a smile on her face. Why not? He looked around, leaning down and plucking a blue bell from the ground, before straightening up and offering it to Kagome.

She sniffed lightly, as if she had truly cried. Holding her hands close to her chest, he watched as her tail flickered slightly behind her in question. She turned her gaze from his to the flower in his hand so many times he thought she might grow dizzy from it. Fearing that she would reject the flower, he was close to throwing it over his shoulder before he watched her take it from his hands lightly. She brought it up to her nose, pulling in it's scent lightly. He was about to warn her to watch it, but felt a smile tug at his lips when she pulled back, and yellow pollen adorned the tip of her nose. She started to sneeze violently, and that brought laughter from Sesshomaru.

Flipping her head from side to side from sneezes and trying to wipe the pollen off with her free hand, it made an amusing sight to Sesshomaru, who continued to laugh at the miko youkai, well not exactly at her, but with her at least. Finally he leant a helping hand and with a thumb, wiped off the pollen from her nose, and watched as she smiled back at him in embarressment. Placing the flower behind her ear, she gave a bow to the youkai.

"Gomen Lord Sesshomaru."

Once again, he brushed his thumb over her nose, though he did not remove his thumb until it brushed across her cheek. He was giving himself the excuse that she had somehow gotten pollen on the smooth skin as well, but he would be lying to himself.

"My pleasure. Now, let us retreat inside, I have a few things I must do before dinner, I'm sure you look forward to bathing and returning to your new room."

He took her arm and wrapped it around his before returning them inside the large house. After bowing good-bye to Kagome, he stalked off to his office. He would have to speak with that toad-youkai, and it would not be a good talk either.

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Rin and Shippou broke out into laughter as they both reappeared ontop of the cloud, watching Kagome fall into a sneezing fit, Sesshomaru laughing at the sight. It had worked out better than either of them had first thought. Not only did Kagome get a flower, but Sesshomaru laughed! Who would have thought?

"Rin-rin, that was great! Sesshomaru should give flowers more often to Kagome-sama."

Rin giggled, her eyes wide and she beamed with pride. She gave a curtsy, pulling her plain dress to the side, as was customary. Shippou bent at his small waist, flashing a toothy grin before he plopped down. Looking up to the sky above them, he only wished that when the time came, Sesshomaru and Kagome would be able to stand up against the threat that was coming for them. He truly did wish to see his surrogate mother again... and just if. If Kagome and Sesshomaru loved than.... He shook his head, best not to dwell on it now.

Rin and himself had done all that they could do for the time being. Done more than they were really allowed to do. They couldn't interfere with fates work, but they could help push it along.

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Kagome almost danced her way back to her room, pulling the flower from her hair so that she could look down at it once again. She smelled it once again, but this time she was cautious enough to not pull the pollen into her nose like last time. It had been a torturous few moments when she couldn't seem to stop sneezing, but to hear Sesshomaru laugh, it had been worth it all. She had been shocked to her bones from the offering, but not as shocked, nor pleased as when she heard his laughter. She hated to admit it now, because she thought herself smarter and more in control, but when she heard that humored sound, it had warmed her from her toes to her ears.

Did he know how it affected her? She doubted it. Pushing the door to her room open, she waltzed her way to the side of her bed, where a small table sat. Placing the flower down, she held her hands over it, palms flat out. She closed her eyes and focused on the lavender swirl of power inside. She imagined the light flowing down her hands to rain onto the petals. Willing the light to preserve the flower, to keep it new and fresh. When she opened her eyes, she saw that already the petals had widened, and seemed to glow softly with her power inside of it's petals and stem.

Then turning to go to her bathing area, she halted as she saw a speck of black against the white of her bed. Whipping her gaze about quickly, she swiftly jumped onto her bed, and gathered the fabric into her arms. Sesshomaru hadn't burned her clothes, he had kept them, and from the feel of it, had repaired the ripped fabric. Why she felt such a deep connection to the clothing was beyond her. All she knew, was that it was hers, and truly the only thing that she owned besides her life. With a curious flicker of her ears, she bent her nose to the fabric and sniffed. She could smell a slight twinge of blood, sweat from her travels. The air around her as she walked, but then she smelled Sesshomaru, more than was necessary. His scent was all over the fabric, as if he had held onto it. She pulled back, looking at it with a new light.

Why had Sesshomaru kept her clothing from her? Did it really offend him.... or... She shook her head, banishing such thoughts from her head. Standing once again she walked towards her closet, folding the outfit and leaving it in a drawer before walking to the bathing area. Her friends had always thought her weird for how she bathed twice to three times a day, it depended on what she felt like. She liked to remain clean, and now that she had the senses of a youkai, she liked to keep her scent as clean of elements around her as much as she could. On her at the moment, she could smell the newness of her kimono, could smell the sunshine and the air. She could smell the sweetness of the gardens, and she could smell Sesshomaru, from when he had embraced her.

A blush crept up her cheeks at the thought. It had been nothing more than an embrace to calm the miko when she had assumed she would be punished for letting her power get out of control. It had lasted all of one minute, and than it was gone. Why had she enjoyed the feel of his arms around her again?

Disrobing and slipping into the warm water, she let all of her thoughts slip from her mind as she relaxed in the water, letting her body float. She did not have to appear in front of Sesshomaru till dinner, she could just take a small nap in the waters....

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Sesshomaru was pacing in front of his desk. His anger had flared to life again as he remembered Kagome's explanation of what happened the other day. Of how Jaken had 'whacked' her with his staff. She was his guest! He would be damned if he let his guests be treated like animals during their stay, and worse yet, Kagome was.... she was.. well, Kagome was his...f-fr-friend! It sounded so ridiculously corny when he thought it, but it was true. Kagome was his friend, if at the least. 'Are you trying to assume she is more than that?' An eyebrow was cocked in fascination while Sesshomaru stuttered at his thoughts. 'No, she isn't more than that!! It's just that....' He was baffled at why he suddenly drew up a blank. He was trying to reach for excuses, or reasonings, but they abandoned him at the moment. With a mental scream he slashed at his youkai with a snarl. 'IT'S JUST THAT I WANT HER TO BE MORE THAN JUST A FRIEND!!' His youkai slinked back into the darkness, wearing a satisfied smirk on his face. Sesshomaru had said exactly what it was trying to point out.

He sighed and collapsed ungracefully into a chair in front of his desk. There, he had said it. he wanted to be more than friends with Kagome. Not necessarily mates, but he ached at the thought of her leaving any time soon, and having her as a friend wasn't good enough. He wanted her to be his, and only his. Whether or not that was love, he could not say. But it hurt to know that Kagome was stuck behind some shell of little emotions.

He would have cried then and there, if he had not heard the knock at his door. He snarled his permission for whoever it was to enter. He could tell instantly that it was not Kagome, and so he did not care. He stood up and turned around, only for his previous confusion and pain to disappear under the weight of his anger. Jaken was standing before him, his head bowed and his hands clutching at the staff of two heads.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you wished to see me?"

He would not explode just yet, no he would wait. So instead of attacking the toad at that moment, he walked behind his desk and sat down, trying to keep a facade of calm on his face. He looked to the toad, and motioned for him to come closer.

"Yes, this Sesshomaru wished to see you. I wanted to speak on a certain subject, of a certain miko...."

Without another word coming from his mouth, Jaken had exploded into speech.

"Yes! I saw her the other day, it looked as if she was trying to hurt you, so I hit her with my staff. She knocked me out cold with her power. When I woke up you were gone, and the servants would not tell me where you were. I was in a panic about your health Master! How did you rid yourself of the miko, did you kill her?"

Finishing, Jaken looked up to Sesshomaru, only to squak out in fear and jump back. Sesshomaru's eyes were dark red, his lips pulled back in barely controlled rage. The youkai jumped over the desk, vaulting himself with his arms, which Jaken took the time to notice he had both arms once again. Within seconds, his neck was being squeezed by Sesshomaru's large hand.

"You are to never attack the miko again! She is my guest, and will be staying with me for training. She is a full youkai now, and must be treated with respect. You dared to hit my guest once, you will never dare to do it a second time. If I hear of you giving the miko youkai disrespect, or harm her in any way, it will lead to your early demise. Do you understand this Sesshomaru?"

He could feel the toad gulp under his hand, his eyes wider than nomral as he started to scream all forms of acceptance that he knew. With a satisfied snarl, Sesshomaru strode to the door of his office before opening it and throwing the toad out with a growl. He did not wait to see where Jaken landed, before he slammed the door back and paced to his desk. Breathing harshly, flexing his claws in and out, he finally had enough control to let the youkai slip back into the darkness.

He wouldn't let anyone hurt his Kagome. 'Your Kagome?'

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Authors Note:

kojika85: Once again, thank you very much for your encouraging words! Hope you continue to enjoy the story.

inukagonly: Of course the deaths of everyone was a very despairing moment, but some will find peace in later chapters.

PyroKitten: No, no dying! I update as fast as I can.

xXSyaoranLuverPinayXx: Being a novelist has been a dream of mine for many years, I have just always doubted my ability to write well. Thank you for your compliments and I hope you enjoy it.