CG IX:

Kagome sighed as she tapped her hi-lighter against her desk in a rhythm that none could hear save herself in her own mind. Three days had passed since she had last seen Sesshoumaru and she was starting to worry about him.

Not that she missed him or anything, because she could live without the hauntings of an arrogant ghost who refused to admit he was ghost. She tried to concentrate on the text book before her, but what she really wanted to research were statistics about individuals in comas.

True, it was foolish to hope that Sesshoumaru would wake up, they should both just get used to him being her personal guardian spirit….thingie. She still wasn't sure exactly what he was other than her spiritual stalker, but he wasn't dead technically.

"Ugh!" Kagome cried out frustrated as she threw her hi-lighter at the wall behind her desk, deciding there was no way she could memorize the Kreb's Cycle.

Amused laughter seemed to float down from above as she swiveled abruptly in her desk chair in search of the arrogant, cocky, cold, superiority complex suffering individual who couldn't accept the fact that he was nothing more than a ghost!

Sesshoumaru's golden eyes twinkled with amusement as he regarded the woman in front of him. He had been watching for a few minutes and noticed she was no longer studying but that her mind had wandered instead in some unknown direction. How at times like that he wished that he was given the power of a mind-reader. Actually, when he next met up with Kouga or Rin he would put in the request. It would only serve to make him a more effective guardian. He obviously didn't have any ulterior motives.

"Do you find throwing hi-lighters at the wall conducive to your ability to study?" Sesshoumaru inquired as he leaned over Kagome and looked down at her open book, recognizing the chart she was trying to memorize. "I understand now, this Sesshoumaru never cared much for the Kreb's cycle."

Kagome stood, pausing for a moment in confusion when she brushed against Sesshoumaru's frame in the process and felt him being corporal before shimmering before her and taking on a misty substance again. "Where have you been?" She hissed, trying to keep her voice down. She didn't need to attract any more attention from Naraku.

No doubt the dark haired young man thought she was loony.

Sesshoumaru ignored the question. He was too confused about what happened since he last left her that he didn't dare answer for he didn't know the answer. He kept his attention focused upon the text book. "Would you like me to help you study?"

Blue-grey eyes blinked at him in shock at his blatant ignoring of her question. "Are you going to answer me?" She demanded crossing her arms over her chest in annoyance and giving her guest her most menacing glare.

Sesshoumaru tore his eyes away from the Biology book and met her gaze head on. "No."

Her arms fell to her sides. "What do you mean no?"

A silvery brow raised at the question. "Must I find a dictionary to explain the meaning of such a simple word?"

"You're impossible!" Kagome told him in a loud whisper as she reached past him for her book shelf and pulled out her world history book. She'd had enough of Biology for the night. She walked towards her bed and sat down, opening the text to page 458 to start her assigned readings.

Sesshoumaru glided towards the temperamental young woman with the obsidian tresses that he had the biggest urge to run his fingers through. He wanted to know if they were as silky as they looked. He wanted to know what he must have discovered about the feel of her body against his in his past life as a demon lord.

He settled himself beside her on the large mattress. She ignored him, causing his own temper to rise. He had been unable to return to her for three days, for reasons he himself didn't comprehend and she was just ignoring him!

"Woman, what are you reading?"

Kagome jumped at the unexpected closeness of his voice. She had actually been so wrapped up in ignoring him that she had forgotten his presence. A slight blush rose up her cheeks as she now realized how little space separated the two from one another. His longer silvery hair brushed up against her bare arm, she couldn't feel it before, but now that he gained her attention she could feel the silky texture.

Comprehending how he addressed her, she frowned. "Don't call me woman," she snapped, as she looked back down at the book to study about the Byzantine Empire.

She didn't read very much as annoyed growling, that reminded her of a dog oddly enough, interrupted her. She glanced over at her companion. "Do not ignore this, Sesshoumaru. Would you prefer that I refer to you as a girl?"

"This Sesshoumaru," she mocked, "could refer to this woman as Kagome. I will not answer by any other name." She looked back down at the pictures in the text book, reading the captions for each, finding it hard to concentrate.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru sneered, before shaking his head at his slip. "Kagome, may I help you study?" He asked, gritting his teeth and making a real effort to be civil. She was being difficult, but he had a feeling she was angry with him for not being around for a few days, probably missed him. But then, it wasn't his fault. He would have been here sooner if possible, but that wasn't her business to know.

Kagome closed her book and turned to fully face Sesshoumaru. "I'm sorry," she bit her lip before continuing. "I was just worried that you weren't coming back."

"Are you upset that I returned?" Sesshoumaru demanded, feeling angry with himself at the sense of negativity that radiated through his soul at the prospect of being rejected by her.

Her eyes grew wide, "Heavens no!" She reached for him, forgetting half the time he wasn't really there and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug. She started laughing in relief when she could feel his presence somewhat and her arms only sunk into his person a little bit.

Sesshoumaru tentatively returned the embrace, as he lifted his hands to her dark tresses. He knew he was touching them, but it was weird. He couldn't distinguish the texture of them, he just knew he was feeling it in some general way.

Kagome pulled back and opened the book again. She looked down at the page she had previously been on and refused to look at him in her embarrassment. "I have a quiz about this chapter tomorrow."

"I'll help quiz you then," Sesshoumaru decided. Kagome looked about to protest but he cut her off. "I will quiz you. If you will not allow my advice during the quiz at least let me help prepare you."

"I don't really need help studying," Kagome told him. She made excellent grades and never studied in groups. It was unnecessary.

"Non-sense," Sesshoumaru ignored her objection. "I have nothing else to do, at least allow me to learn something while I'm here."

Kagome couldn't think of any argument against that so she consented to listen to her mysterious companion's soothing voice that she had grown to adore. She had a feeling now that whenever something related to the Byzantine Empire came to her mind she'd be thinking of a certain silver haired, golden eyed young man.

Dr. Suikotsu was observing the catatonic form of Sesshoumaru West for the umpteenth time. His father was a powerful man and left the Neurologist little choice but to give his unfortunate son his utmost attention.

Nothing new seemed to happen. At least, that was until three days ago. Suikotsu had his beeper set to alert him if anything significant happened with the pattern of Sesshoumaru West's brainwaves.

Three days ago, something significant happened.

When he arrived at the hospital the catatonic young man seemed back to the same state he was in last he checked. Upon reading the visitor's log he concluded that his brother must have just left the room when the activity began.

He hadn't been too fond of West's youngest son, but he had a feeling that the youth's persistence in keeping his brother company was doing some good.

"Come on Sesshoumaru, you're going to have to be strong and fight this. A lot of people are waiting for you to wake up," Suikotsu told the sleeping figure before leaving once more to work with some of his other patients.

He needed to return to Lousianna and perform a delicate brain operation on a pair of twins that were conjoined at the base of the skull.

Inuyasha groaned and banged his head against his desk at his Calculus teacher's announcement.

"So I hope you will all be prepared on Monday for this exam. I realize many of you were hoping to get it out over with tomorrow but I have to be out of town, so we'll be taking it Monday instead." Mr. Runi smiled at his students as the bell rang and they filed out his classroom before turning back to the blackboard and erasing his chalk workings.

Inuyasha trudged down the hallway towards his locker. Normally he enjoyed Calculus; he was always a wiz at mathematics. However, this development ruined Miroku's plans for a trip to visit Kagome in New Orleans.

Miroku clapped a hand on his shoulder as he shook his head in disgust. "Can you believe that?"

"I can't go with you guys this weekend," Inuyasha replied. "I am going to have to study the new material for the exam since he decided to add in chapter nine to the existing material."

Miroku shrugged, as was natural with his easy going personality. "No worries, Sango had Mr. Runi the period before you so I already knew. We'll be going next weekend."

After slamming shut his locker, Inuyasha turned to Miroku and gave a brief salute before heading for the exit. "Well see ya, I gotta visit the vegetable."

Miroku watched as his new friend left and worry clouded his violet eyes. He was growing concerned about Kagome. He was tempted to drive down to New Orleans by himself just to check up on her, but knew that Sango would never forgive him for not taking her with him.

"Oh well, I'm sure she's fine," Miroku muttered under his breath. A pretty young woman happened to pass him by at that moment and his attention focused on the swishing back and forth of her mesmerizing hips.

He looked down at his watch.

He had fifteen minutes before he was supposed to meet Sango to give her a ride home.

"Excuse me miss," he called. The young woman, a sophomore by the looks of it, turned around and looked at him shyly as she brushed back her long auburn hair over her shoulder.

"Yes?" She asked with a giggle.

Miroku smiled charmingly at her. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you beautiful."

He didn't even see it coming when a heavy backpack loaded with several heavy textbooks came hurtling at his head and sent him crashing into a nearby set of lockers. The sophomore quickly took off running as fast as her too tall high heeled shoes would allow her.

"That is why I won't let you drive across the country to visit Kagome. Who knows what you'd pick up from the side of the road," Sango informed her dazed boyfriend as she helped him to his feet.

Despite his swirly eyes and the stars dancing around his head, Miroku smiled. "Sango love, you're early!"

A pair of dark caramel colored eyes rolled in annoyance. "Let's go pervert."

Sesshoumaru set the book aside and looked down at Kagome who had fallen asleep on him. He smiled, grateful that he was more corporal this evening. Maybe spending three days away resulted in him being stronger?

He really didn't want to research the idea. Not only was he confused by his existence at this point in time, he knew he wasn't dead, but the fear that he might do something to severe the connection between his spirit and his body was ever present.

He wanted to ask her some questions. They hadn't spoken that evening other than things related to her quiz for the next morning. The history he was really interested in was the one between Kagome and himself.

"What happened to us in that lifetime?" Sesshoumaru asked the slumbering girl. He didn't expect her to answer, so when she did he was surprised, especially since she was still sound asleep.

"Sesshou, why did you do it?" Kagome asked; her eyes were still shut tight, hidden behind the heavy lids. Her relaxed posture was further proof that she was talking in her sleep.

"What did I do?" Sesshoumaru asked softly, leaning to whisper in her ear, wishing that he could blow into the shell and cause her to shiver. Unfortunately, he could only go through the motions. Perhaps he should be thankful that he was at least able to hold her. Especially since she was asleep and couldn't scold him for being some sort of pervert, which he certainly was not!

Kagome snuggled against him, seeking a warmth that he simply couldn't offer in his current condition. "You gave up your heritage, your eternal life, your title of demon lord."

"What happened after I did that?" Sesshoumaru prodded. Perhaps she was able to reach into the very recesses of the memories contained within the fabric of her soul.

She smiled in her sleep, "We lived happily ever after of course."

Sesshoumaru frowned as she appeared to be finished. That wasn't exactly the answer he was looking for. He shook her gently, causing her to swat at him in her unconscious state, hoping to make the annoyance that was him leave her be.

"Did something go wrong?" Sesshoumaru demanded. He kept picturing the sad look in Kouga's icy eyes that seemed to melt only when looking at Kagome. He remembered how Kouga had desired to be the one to protect her in this lifetime but he was unable to. What was the connection between himself and Kouga.

Kagome shook her head, "No my lord. Everything was just perfect, except…."she trailed off.

"Except?"

"Except for Kouga. Demons don't have souls, but when you made your wish, we became soul mates, but…."

Sesshoumaru felt himself growing annoyed with her leaving sentences unfinished. "But?" He pressed as his patience waned.

"But I already had a soul mate, I just hadn't met him, but before I did, I was already with you."

Sesshoumaru looked down at her in shock. 'What?' He allowed her to slumber unperturbed. 'No wonder Kouga can't stand me if I claimed his soul mate, but….she's MINE.'

He allowed his gaze to focus on the comforting rise and fall of her chest. 'And exactly how does Kagewaki and Naraku relate to all this?'