True Love is the Strongest Bond

Author's Note: Hey guys! Well this is the much-asked-for sequel to "The One I Truly Love" and I hope that I do a well enough job on it. I want to thank everyone who read "The One I Truly Love" and I hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter One: New Beginnings

Kagome sighed as class ended for the day. College was hard, especially at the prestigious Tokyo University. Well duh, Kagome mentally said. Did you really think it would be a walk in the park? Walking with three textbooks in hand, Kagome made her way to her car. Dumping the books unceremoniously into the front passenger seat, Kagome slammed the door closed. Just then, her cell rang.

Checking to see who it was, a smile lit up on Kagome's face when the screen said: Sesshoumaru.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome cried happily, acting like a schoolgirl.

"Kagome, I trust your classes went well," Sesshoumaru said.

Kagome made a face. "Well enough," she said. "So, what's the occasion?"

"Occasion?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"For calling me," Kagome asked.

"Does there have to be a reason for me to call my fiancée?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"No," Kagome said quickly.

"The company limousine will pick you up in five minutes," Sesshoumaru said. "I will see you then."

"Alright, love you," Kagome said.

"I love you too," Sesshoumaru said.

Clicking her cellphone closed, Kagome opened the door to her car and pulled out her textbooks. Three days out of the week, Kagome went to see Sesshoumaru at the company.

The last four months went by in a blur. Sesshoumaru treated her royally well and she loved him even more. The week after he had proposed to her, she told her mother.

Flashback

Kagome strode over to her mother who was cooking in the kitchen.

"Okaa-san?" she called.

Mrs. Higurashi turned from the meal she was preparing, waiting for her daughter to continue.

"I...uh..." Kagome fumbled a little.

"Is everything alright, Kagome?" Mrs. Higurashi asked.

Kagome nodded. "S-Sesshoumaru...h-he," Kagome was a nervous wreck.

"Sesshoumaru?" Mrs. Higurashi said. "Oh, Inuyasha's brother?"

Kagome nodded. "He asked me to marry him," she blurted.

Mrs. Higurashi just stared at Kagome. "He what?" she asked.

"Asked me to marry him," Kagome repeated. "I said 'yes'."

Mrs. Higurashi continued to stare at her daughter. Kagome thought Mrs. Higurashi would be angry and waited for the tirade. Surprisingly, Mrs. Higurashi smiled.

"So, I'm going to be a grandmother," she finally said.

Kagome almost face-faulted. "N-not yet," she said.

"Oh...I've always wanted to have grandchildren," Mrs. Higurashi went on, oblivious to Kagome's statement. Then she turned to Kagome. "So you finally told him," she said.

Kagome nodded and smiled. "Hai, I finally did," she said.

Mrs. Higurashi walked over to her daughter and hugged her. "I'm happy," she said. Then she started talking again. "Grandchildren, how nice!"

"Mom," Kagome groaned.

End Flashback

Kagome smiled as she remembered this encounter with her mother. Mrs. Higurashi agreed to the wedding but stated that Kagome had to finish her first year of college first.

Kagome was still deep in her memories when the black limousine of Taisho Enterprise arrived and stopped in front of her. The chauffer quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her.

"Good afternoon, Miss Kagome," the chauffer greeted.

"Good afternoon, Fugato," Kagome greeted.

Fugato was the chauffer that drove her around all the time and they had developed a friendship during all those trips to and from Sesshoumaru's office.

Fugato was in his early forties with light brown hair and brown eyes. To Kagome, he was almost the father she had never had. If she had a stressful day, he was there to hear her out before she repeated the story to Sesshoumaru. He helped her let out some steam if she was angry about something so that she would be bright and chipper when she faced Sesshoumaru.

After a short while, Kagome reached the company. She got out, thanked Fugato and made her way to see her fiancé.

He was sitting behind his desk as usual, poring over the stacks of papers on his desk. His forehead was wrinkled with concentration as he looked over financial documents and double-checked the figures.

"You know," Kagome said. "If you wrinkle your forehead too much, it will stay permanently frozen that way."

Sesshoumaru looked up. "My features will never become distorted," he said.

Kagome shook her head. "Never say never," she teased.

"You will marry me nonetheless, wrinkled forehead and all," Sesshoumaru said, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Kagome shrugged. "Perhaps I will change my mind and decide that I want someone who is not so old looking," she teased further.

"Keh," was Sesshoumaru's reply.

Kagome laughed as she looked at the Taiyoukai. She walked over and hugged him from the side. "I would never marry anyone else," she said.

Sesshoumaru grabbed her and kissed her. "I would never let you," he said.

Kagome smiled. "So, why have you asked me to come here?" she asked.

"Is this not one of your visiting days?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"It is," Kagome answered.

"Then you have answered your own question," Sesshoumaru said, turning back to his work. "However, this night is also the night of the Grand Gala hosted by Taisho Enterprises."

"Grand Gala?" Kagome asked.

Sesshoumaru gave a nod of the head, eyes still fixated to the papers. "Presidents and CEO's of other business will be attending a gathering at Taisho Enterprises," he continued. "You shall attend."

"And if I choose not to?" Kagome asked.

"Unless you feel the desire to spend the entire evening with Jaken..." Sesshoumaru said with a gleam in his eyes.

Kagome's eyes widened in shock. "No," she said quickly, "I'll go with you."

Sesshoumaru almost smiled at this. "Very well," he said. "You have chosen to attend at your own accord. I will hear no complaints this evening, are we clear?"

"Yes, mother," Kagome said sarcastically.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at that comment. "You will need formal attire," Sesshoumaru said, ignoring the sarcasm, "I will see to it that you are properly outfitted."

"Who else from your company will be attending this Gala?" Kagome asked.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru answered.

"I guess I won't be bored then," Kagome said.

"You are implying..." Sesshoumaru asked.

Kagome looked at him, mischief in her eyes, "Oh nothing," Kagome said.

Kagome could see Sesshoumaru's body stiffen the slightest bit as whatever thought ran through his head displeased him. Unable to contain her laughter, Kagome giggled. Sesshoumaru turned to her and stared.

"Is something amusing?" he asked a bit stiffly.

"You were jealous weren't you?" Kagome asked.

"Nonsense," Sesshoumaru retorted.

Kagome went over and hugged him. "You're so silly," she said.

"I do not have time for such frivolous behavior," Sesshoumaru said, although Kagome could see that he relaxed a little bit.

"Fine. Fine, I guess being jealous is far below a Taiyoukai's station," Kagome teased.

"It is," Sesshoumaru punctuated.

"Okay, enough joking," Kagome said. "When does this Gala start?"

Sesshoumaru looked at the watch on his wrist and saw that it was 4:30.

"The Gala will commence at 8:00 sharp. You have three hours to make yourself presentable," Sesshoumaru said.

"What's wrong with the way I dress?" Kagome complained.

"As I have said," Sesshoumaru stated. "It will be a formal affair."

Kagome waved a hand in a careless gesture. "I'll have to go shopping," she said.

"Allot me a few more moments that I require to complete this," he said, gesturing to the papers still left on his desk.

"I'll wait for you in the lobby," Kagome said.

She left his side to go but his hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. She fell directly into his lap.

"Stay," he quietly commanded, before his lips descended onto hers.

Kagome felt the same giddy feeling she always had when Sesshoumaru kissed her. Calm down, Kagome. You're going to give yourself a heart attack. She mentally thought. Hesitantly, Sesshoumaru lifted his lips and sighed.

"These papers must be looked over," he said.

"Then hurry up," Kagome said.

"You prove too much of a distraction," Sesshoumaru said, nuzzling her neck.

"Then I'll leave," Kagome said. "I said I would wait for you in the lobby."

"No, I will complete this task," Sesshoumaru said. "You are not to leave."

He emphasized his point by wrapping one arm around her waist and anchoring her to him. With his other hand, he signed the papers that required his signature. Kagome saw papers whiz by as Sesshoumaru quickly read them over and signed his name.

Finally, Sesshoumaru set his pen down and turned to her.

"I am finished," he announced.

"Finally," Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru smiled and loosened his grip on his fiancée. She quickly stood up to allow him to stand.

"We must ready ourselves for the Gala," he said, offering her his arm.

He pressed a button on his phone and waited a second before Jaken's voice squawked through the intercom.

"Jaken," he croaked.

"Ready the limousine," Sesshoumaru ordered.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," Jaken said.

Arm in arm, Kagome and Sesshoumaru strode out of the office and went to prepare for the Gala. Somehow, Kagome had a foreboding feeling about the Gala.

That night, Kagome was in her apartment, making final checks on her dress. It was a blue spaghetti strap dress with silver embroidery all over. The silver embroidery reflected in the light and seemed to cast a glow around Kagome. Sesshoumaru was the one that picked it out and had her try on several different dresses before he was satisfied.

Kagome threaded diamond teardrop earrings into her ears and adorned her neck with an antique chain necklace with a silver crescent moon pendant. Putting her hair into an elegant bun, Kagome forced silver and blue chopsticks into the bun. (A/N: You know the Chinese chopstick hair accessories?)

She looked herself once over to make sure that she looked as good as she possibly could. She was going to be attending the Gala with Sesshoumaru and she knew that she had to make him proud of her. Hearing the doorbell ring, Kagome grabbed a jacket, slipped on her shoes and opened the door.

Sesshoumaru stood there, dressed in a tux. He stepped up to her and gave her a kiss.

"You look beautiful," Sesshoumaru complimented.

"As do you," Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru offered her his arm like a gentleman would and escorted her to the waiting limousine.

Arriving at a building just off the main office of Taisho Enterprises, Sesshoumaru got out and helped Kagome out of the limo. Kagome stared at the transformed meeting hall. Golden lights adorned the ceilings and lit the walkways to the meeting hall. Guards stood every few feet, checking credentials and invitations.

"Why the security?" Kagome asked.

"Just a precaution," Sesshoumaru said.

A red carpet ushered everyone inside. Once inside, Kagome saw tables and table of food and refreshments. There were already many people inside, chatting and filling the air with conversation.

Sesshoumaru led her to a group of people talking and introduced her to them.

"Kagome, this is Makoto Ishiyama, he is president of Ishiyama Corporation," Sesshoumaru introduced. "Ishiyama, this is Kagome, my intended."

"Ahh, such a lovely creature, Sesshoumaru-sama," Ishiyama said, taking Kagome's hand and kissing it. (A/N: I know, I know, old fashioned...)

"It's a pleasure, Ishiyama-san," Kagome said as politely as she had ever spoken to anyone.

Suddenly a voice piqued up. "Sesshoumaru-sama,"

Sesshoumaru turned around, his ghost of a smile disappearing almost at once. "Takeru," he greeted.

Takeru turned his attention to Kagome. "So this is the future Mrs. Sesshoumaru," he said.

"Kagome, Ichiro Takeru, CEO of Youkai Corp," Sesshoumaru said.

"Nice to meet you, Takeru-san," Kagome said.

"I hear that you are currently attending Tokyo University," Takeru said.

Kagome nodded. "I am," she answered.

"My son has just transferred in," Takeru said. "Would you like to meet him?"

He stepped aside to reveal a boy with black hair and strangely familiar brown eyes with hints of red. Kagome focused her gaze on him. He seems so familiar to me. Why? She thought. She tried hard to find out why. Suddenly she gasped out loud.

'Oh my god. It's Naraku!' she thought.

Author's Note: Sorry for the cliffhanger! Please don't be mad. I hope you like the beginning. If I need to change anything, feel free to tell me and I will try my best to rewrite it.

Read and Review! Arigatou!