Sorry for the wait minna san, I hope you like this next one oh yeah yeah I don't own Inuyasha there I said it :-P

ch 18

He could hear the wind brush past his sensitive ears as he made his way through the forest toward an old hallow tree that looked as if it should have rotted to the ground ages ago. As the old mossy tree came into view he looked down into his clawed striped hand.
In it was the two medallions that held him and Kagome so close. - why do I still think of you human....-

--flash back---

" YOU ARE NOT WALKING OUT ON MY BABY!" Kagome's mother screamed with tears in her eyes at the great taiyouki. Despite the fear she should feel she stood stern infront of him while Inuyasha held her back by the arms, begging with his eyes for Sesshomaru to let her live.

" I can not stay with your daughter Higirashi sama,... this Sesshomaru does not stay with humans" with that said he turned from her heading out the door and to the well. " YOU YOU....Jerk .......how could you......I will not let you hurt my baby like this..." she was leaning half way out of Inuyasha's arms shaking her fist at the back of the demon lord.

He paused not looking back, before closing the door behind him shutting her and Kagome out forever.

--end of flash back--

He closed his hand tighter around the cold metal and focused cold eyes to the old tree.

" Hii-ji-sama, show yourself" he ducked into the entrance of the old badgers home. He looked rather undignified hunched over inside the small hallow of the tree. He let out a small snort when he receive no answer. He looked about and set the two medallions down on a small carved wooden table. He looked about once more before ducking back out the door.

- it is over- he turned from the old tree and headed into the forest to the west.

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Kagome stretched her arms as she sat up in her bed, " wow, what a great dream.." she smiled to herself as she looked about her room.
In the corner sat a rather forlorn half demon. " oh, hey Inuyasha.....what's up?" he didn't answer her instead he stood with his head down, and slowly made his way to her side.

" Inuyasha.....what's wrong..." she looked at his sad face and then about the room, " hey...Inuyasha where's Sesshomaru?" if he could sink into the floor and disappear he would have.

" Aa, Kagome......I....didn't really want to tell you this..." his eyes slowly drifted upward to see her anxiously awaiting face and then back down to his lap - how can I tell her this......Midoriko told me she's in love with him- " Kagome,......he....he's not here......he left"

--flash back-
" So what are you boys up to with my little girl" Higirashi san had her arms crossed facing the two inu brothers. Inuyasha's face turned bright red and he tried to explain how everything happened and the meaning of the mark on Kagome's neck, he knew his brother would never say a word.
He was cut off from his studdering by his older brother.

" This Sesshomaru, has no intentions with your daughter you can relax, Higirashi sama" he looked down at her with bored eyes. The slight smirk Higirashi san had on her face faded and turned to confusion " what?"

He felt it best to grab her now before she threw herself at his brother. Inuyasha held her back by the arms.
" I can not stay with your daughter....this Sesshomaru does not stay with humans" he turned from her and headed for the door.
" YOU.... YOU.... jerk .......how could you......I will not let you hurt my baby like this..." she was leaning half way out of his arms shaking her fist at the back of the demon lord.

When the door finally closed behind his brother, he gentle set Higirashi san on the sofa and followed after his brother. " Where do you think you are going you bastard" Inuyasha landed between Sesshomaru and the well.

" Stand aside little brother,....this does not concern you" he went to walk past the half demon when Inuyasha grab hold of his arm.
" If it concerns Kagome........it concerns me"

" Oh... like the way it concerns you when you leave her for your dead bitch" Sesshomaru gave him a cold glare and continued on to the well.
Inuyasha knew he had lost this fight, and that he would have to be there for Kagome when she woke up.

----end of flash back---

His face lifted slowly to see her reaction, he knew she was strong, but he had seen her heart broken before, he had caused it once, he didn't want to see it again. " Kagome.....are you alright?" he could smell the salt from her tears and hear her soft sniffles. " he's a jerk Kagome.....you deserve better than him"

She let out something of a snort and a sniffle, wiping her nose with the back of her arm, " who.... like you Inuyasha?...." Inuyasha winced at her cold comment -ouch....well I guess I deserved that- " you don't understand Inuyasha......I knew him.....I knew his thoughts.......I....I am...in love with him" she wiped more tears from her eyes....." it's ok Inuyasha.....I'll be fine" she wiped her nose once more and gave him one of her huge smiles. - she really creeps me out when she does that- an eye brow twitched and he back away from Kagome's brilliant yet fake smile.

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" She no longer has a hold on Sesshomaru" Kanna's soft monotone voice floated across the room to her master's ears " I know this Kanna......it is no matter......she once again holds the shikon no tama with her body, I will once again have her soul...kukukuku"
In Kanna's mirror is the image of Sesshomaru carring the medallions back to Hii-ji sama.

" Soon my little Kagome....."

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" Oooo Inuyasha" as hard as she tried she failed to hold back the tears and threw herself into Inuyasha arms. -snif- " why Inuyasha.....I knew he felt something for me I felt it" ............" I don't understand........that jerk....he must have only felt something because I was demon......he didn't really......-snif-" Inuyasha's face turned a nice shade of pink while Kagome cried in his arms. As she buried her face further into his hidori her hair slipped off her neck. - what the.......his mark.......it's.... .it's...still there.....than that means....- He gently pushed Kagome up and held her at arms length, " Kagome, I need to talk to your mother about something.....it is important I'll be back ok"

Kagome sniffled again and nodded " ok" she followed him out with her eyes. -sniff sniff- - pee..u.u. is that me.....I could really use a shower- -sigh- - Oh Sesshomaru.....I know you are not as big of a jerk as you seem to be-

" Higirashi san?" Inuyasha made his way down the stairs to find Higirashi san crying softly over a pile of dirty dishes.
" Oh, hello Inuyasha" she continued to wash the dishes not really looking at anything. Inuyasha walked slowly up beside her grabbing a towel. He took the wet dishes from her one at a time and began to dry them.

" Higirashi san.....Sesshomaru hasn't really left her.." She let the glass in her hand slip back into the sink with a loud 'thud'. She turned to Inuyasha with tears in her eyes. " I can't let her get hurt again........I watched it happen with you too you know....I watched her go back to you after how upset she was and you still chose the other woman over her.......now I am not angry with you Inuyasha......you must follow your heart....but I can not let her get hurt like that again" she held a firm glace with Inuyasha.

" I know..........I'm sorry, ...........I don't want to see her hurt again either" they continued with Higirashi san washing and Inuyasha drying.
" Higirashi san......Sesshomaru still has feelings for her" her body froze with her arms elbow deep in dish water. Her shoulders hunched and back stiff " why do you say this.......how do you know" she looked back up at Inuyasha a slight shimmer of hope in her deep brown eyes.

" The mark you saw, on Kagome's neck, is a Mate mark, one a demon gives to another to show their intent to mate with them, it usually fades when their intended mate no longer has feelings for them or has found another.....and Kagome's is still there"

" so you are saying..." Higirashi san clasped her hands infront of her, " he could still love her" " wait...you didn't tell her this did you....if there could be another reason it is still there.....I don't want her hopes up again"

" No..I didn't tell her.....I wanted to talk to Sesshomaru first......he maybe a jerk, but he is an honorable jerk" he rest his hand on her shoulder a promise silently made, - I won't let him hurt her I promise-

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His castle was in sight, he was almost home, he could put all this and her behind him now. He was within feet of his home when one of Naraku's Samiyoushou flew past him in the direction from which he just came. - what is he up to - He turned from his home and followed the poison insect back into the forest. - the old badger?...........the medallions...so that is your game Naraku......trying the same old trick are you-

He picked up speed after the poison insect toward the old badger's home. The old tree came into view when a huge gust of wind whipped his long flowing sleeves and hair about him. - Kagura-

The wind sorceress landed infront of him " yo"

" Out of my way witch"

" I would love to...however.....I am being watched" she pointed up with her fan, above the two was a sworm of shamiyoushou. " Naraku's little spies.....I'm afraid I can't let you pass" she help out her fan throwing blades of wind directly at Sesshomaru. The blades wized passed him tearing at his hidori. " Wench....I advise you to step aside......I do not have business with you, but I will remove you from my way"

Kagura snorted, " this should be fun...."

Toukijin left Sesshomaru's side and sliced straight through Kagura's fan, " you are defenseless....now stand aside" he stepped past her when another gust of wind rushed up behind him.

" Does she mean that much to you Sesshomaru sama?" He turned to find her flying above him on her feather, " than you better hurry......Naraku has other plans then just those medallions" with that she took off toward the east.

Sesshomaru squinted as she took off toward the east - east?- ....- Tenishi......what are you planning Naraku- With Kagura out of the way he rushed to the tree to find Naraku's samiyoushou taking off with the two medallions and a frantic badger demon chasing after them.