A/N: I'm putting this chapter early because of the holidays. I'm not even going to be on the computer at all this weekend, anyway. Also, I know I've changed the rating to R, and that's because of upcoming chapters.

Hiei's.punk.rocker.girl: Um... right. What's the 45th plane? And why do elves like Sesshomaru, exactly? I have absolutely NO idea… Please tell me!

Inlovewithsesshomaru: I'm happy that you liked it. It makes me feel special.

Theblackdemoness: Poor Kagome! She shouldn't have been hurt. But then again, I'm the one who wrote it, so, it's my fault, isn't it?

Budboy0001: Ok…

Sprinda: Oh no, don't do that… Because then you might have to sue me! No!!!

New-simple-girl: Let's fill in the equation! Sesshomaru Kagome ???

Inuyasha-fan91: That's nice to hear. I'm glad you think it's improving.

Disclaimer: Look at the Inuyasha books. Who do you see as the author? NOT ME.

Beta read by Kalliel/ Banana Rum (If it weren't for her, Sesshomaru would be in Ireland. And he would do the tango and think about hot dogs. Be thankful.)

--

Chapter 5: Unsure

"It always has to be me! No, it can't be anyone else, just me. I'm the one who has to be almost killed by the person I love! It's me who has to be rescued by an enemy! For ransom, no less!" Kagome ranted, pacing up and down.

"Um… yes, Lady," Hatsue said, uncertainly. She was currently watching Kagome pace, having been called in.

"And stop calling me Lady! I'm Kagome! I don't want to be a 'Lady'! Oh, why me?" Kagome exhaled heavily in frustration. "And why is Sesshomaru so stupid? I hate him so much!" She punched a convenient wall, causing her hand to throb. "Damn."

"Um… La- I mean, Kagome, would you like some… tea?" Hatsue said, taking hesitant action.

"Tea?" Kagome looked at her. 'Why tea? Why does everything have to be about tea?!' "Yes, please. That would be nice."

"I'll go get some," Hatsue instantly replied, hurrying out. Kagome blinked. 'Was I really annoying her that much?'

She sat down on her futon, crossing her legs in thought. 'Really, though, why me? Inuyasha had to practically kill me and I had to be saved by Sesshomaru.' She put a hand over her painstakingly slow-healing wound. 'And he's a cold-hearted jerk! I hate him!'

Hatsue pushed open the screen door, holding the tea pot in her left hand and a cup in her right. "I have your tea, Lady Kagome."

"What did I say about the 'Lady'?' Kagome muttered, accepting the tea. She slowly drank it, relishing in the feel of scorching hot liquid burning her throat. "So, Hatsue, let's talk."

"Yes, Lady?" Hatsue leaned in closer. "Are you sure you're fine? I can get a doctor if you feel unwell-"

"I'm fine. Forget it."

The tea in her hand shook slightly, spilling onto Kagome's shirt, covering the already soiled material. "I need someone to talk to. But it's fine if you don't want to."

After a minute of uneasy silence, Hatsue spoke softly. "You can tell me."

"Really?" Kagome turned to look at her, surprised. Then she sighed. "On top of all of this, I'll probably never get to see my family again." 'Yet another aspect of my wonderful life!'

"Why not? I'm sure Lord Sesshomaru would let-"

"No, he won't. I'm only ransom for Inuyasha's sword. I hate that guy," Kagome added, almost silently.

"Why?" Hatsue's voice cut through the silence like a knife through butter. "How is he bad?"

"I-I thought I loved him, but it turned out h-he loved t-this other girl, and w-we got into a b-big argument and h-he hurt me," Kagome choked out, feeling her tears return. She doubted she would ever get over the pain of his betrayal.

'I thought we were the perfect match. But we weren't destined to be together. Why, though? Why did he have to be that way? I never thought he would actually hurt me….'

Hatsue just nodded in understanding. She could feel the pain radiating from Kagome, like a particularly hot heater vent. 'I can't imagine what it feels like. I should try to comfort her. After all, Sesshomaru still needs her. We cannot have her wasting away.' "Do you still love him?"

"I do," Kagome sobbed, the pain like a dagger. "How d-did you k-know?"

"There are ways of telling," Hatsue said gently. "Don't worry; I'm sure it will all work out in the end…"

--

Sesshomaru stood outside, listening to the private conversation. 'I'm just listening… Just listening… Fine, I'm eavesdropping,' he told himself. But he had to admit it was interesting. 'No, it is not interesting. I'm just listening because I have nothing better to do.'

He leaned against the wall. 'My brother is a fool. Abandoning her for some dead miko. Ah, well, no matter. I will soon have Tetsusaiga in my possession.'

Tenseiga pulsed lightly at his side. Sesshomaru looked down. "So you feel cheated? You pathetic sword, you failed me when I needed you most." 'Rin.' He lowered his head, and shook it. 'She was nothing more than a human. I don't need her.'

But he did. Everyone he looked at reminded him of her. The garden reminded him of when she would play there for hours; Jaken's room reminded him of when she would annoy him until he went crazy; Kagome reminded him of her with her spirit.

'Did I just think that? I'm getting soft,' Sesshomaru admonished himself. 'I'm Lord of the Western Domain, damn it! I have to not think about these petty humans.'

With that, he walked away into the gathering darkness of the corridors.

--

"- and then Sesshomaru found me," Kagome finished. She was at first apprehensive when she started telling Hatsue the story, but the words had soon come naturally, flowing from her lips like water.

"You poor thing," Hatsue said sympathetically. 'Oh no, I left the tea on the fire in the kitchen. I should go get it…. But I can't leave Kagome…'

"… Hatsue, do you smell something burning?" Kagome lifted her head and sniffed the air. It smelled faintly of smoke.

"Um, yes. I think I left the tea burning in the kitchen! Forgive me, Lady!" Hatsue cried.

"Huh? Why are you sorry?" Kagome asked, confused by this strange turning of events. "What's going on?"

"I have to leave you for a moment!" Hatsue hid her face in shame and fear. "If Sesshomaru found out about this…"

"He would fire you?" Kagome was outraged. 'He would fire them for something as simple as burning something?! What a loser!'

"What is 'fire you' mean?" Hatsue cocked her head to the side like a confused puppy, her troubles currently forgotten.

"Um… I'll tell you later. Anyway, can I come with you?" Kagome asked eagerly. "I haven't had a chance to see the castle yet. Please?"

"I suppose you can come. But we have to be quiet," Hatsue warned, pushing the rice paper screen t o the side to let Kagome out. They walked through a dizzying maze of passageways, their footsteps reverberating off the cold stone floor. Occasionally they passed another servant, who bowed quickly and continued walking.

Finally, they made it to the kitchen, where a hive of activity was taking place. Demons were swarming all over, pouring, mixing, shouting, cleaning. Over the din, Kagome could make out a few random phrases. "Leeks and rice!..." "…more fish…"

Snapping out of her amazement, Kagome realized Hatsue was nowhere to be found. Panicking, she weaved her way through the horde, pushing and shoving.

She looked down for the slightest second, and that was all it took for her to run into something extremely large. A grotesque arm reached down and forced her to look up into the ugliest face she had ever seen. It appeared to be a wolf youkai.

"Who you?" It asked in a gruff tone. Kagome shook with terror, hoping, hoping for Hatsue. 'Where are you? Help!'

"You a pretty one," it continued. Kagome decided that it was male from its next words: "I could have a little fun with you."

She gasped, her brown eyes widening when he began to pull her away. "Let me go!" Kagome struggled to wriggle free, but the wolf just tightened his hold on her. "Let me go!"

Suddenly, miraculously, Hatsue appeared. "Let her go, Bokkai. She is under my care; direct orders from Sesshomaru are to keep her unharmed!"

"I wouldn'd hurt her," he said, squinting. "I just have fun with her."

"Go away." Hatsue glared at him before turning towards the doorway. "Come, Lady."

Kagome hurried after her, anxious to escape the curious- and flirtatious- glances aimed her way. Kagome found it difficult to keep pace with Hatsue's long stride. They swept down the halls, and in minutes were back at Kagome's room. Hatsue was breathing quickly, her face red, her eyes promising death to the next person who talked.

'Wow, she must be really angry.' Kagome kept silent, allowing Hatsue to calm down before speaking to her. Oddly, she didn't feel scared or angry, just numb. Watching Hatsue pace up and down, Kagome felt a giggle rise in her throat. She soon found she could no longer contain it, and she started chuckling. It soon grew to an uncontrollable laughter, shoulders shaking.

Hatsue whirled around, glaring like an angry bull about to charge. In fact, she was snorting, so Kagome laughed harder.

"You- you look like a bull," she gasped. Hatsue exhaled loudly, in exasperation.

"Lady Kagome, you need to stop." Pause. Laughter. "Stop laughing, Lady." She didn't stop.

Hatsue walked over and slapped her smartly on the cheek, bringing Kagome out of her shock. Now she just stared at her maid, open-mouthed.

"Hey!" Well, she had been perfectly justified to hit her, but…. What were those reasons?

"Fine. So I deserved it," Kagome muttered, her face flushing in embarrassment as it slowly dawned on her what she had been doing.

"So…." Kagome found her mouth forming gibberish as she continued. "I know you're all mad and all but I didn't think it was that bad and I'm really sorry and… did you get that tea that was burning and-"

"Hush," Hatsue commanded. "I think it's high time you went to bed. Your wound isn't fully healed yet."

"- and we were just walking down and he grabbed me-"

"Get into bed. Now."

--

His feet the skimmed the dew-ridden grass, the wind whipped his hair back, he relished one of his brief moments of unhindered solitude.

He forgot all his troubles while he ran: Rin's death, the problem of Kagome, Tetsusaiga, and a host of others. He forgot about the disgrace of having a half-breed brother and Tenseiga. The cool morning air cleared these thoughts, leaving his mind in blissful oblivion, if not happiness.

After his run, though, all his troubles arrived with a sharper clarity, pressing and fighting for attention. And he could no longer escape his duty.

He sat in a tree, prolonging the eventual return. He looked over the treetops, the fog blanketing the mountains far to the north. His thoughts turned to Kagome.

'What shall I do with her? She will be of no use to me once this task is finished.'

Tetsusaiga flashed before him, and he reached out experimentally and grabbed for it, his hands meeting only air.

'She… said something about my plan failing, and Inuyasha… hating her? Does that mean that he won't come?' He mused until the sun rose high in the sky, and he could procrastinate no longer.

'I could use her….'

--

"You idiot! You have to go get Kagome back!"

"She needs you. She still loves you."

"Even though you have chosen Kikyo, you still have an obligation to Lady Kagome."

An outpouring of anger rained upon the hanyou. He sat, motionless, in the middle of the hut, arms folded. His ears twitched as each person spoke about Kagome. Kagome, Kagome, Kagome…. It was all so complicated. Couldn't they see he had chosen Kikyo?

"Can't you go?" His golden orbs flashed in annoyance. "You're the ones who're so concerned. You people are so damn useless."

"Inuyasha! I thought you liked Kagome!" A flying ball of fur latched on to him, crying. "Don't you want to save her from Sesshomaru?!" Shippo looked up at him, his tear-stained face showing longing. "I want to see her again!"

'I… do want to save her. But I can't back down now; I'll look like a fool. Besides, I'm worried about what Kagome will say. I can't bear her hatred. Not yet. Even though I hurt her. I wonder what will happen to her in Sesshomaru's castle.' A flare of hatred sprang up, like a feral cat waiting to pounce.

"Are ye hesitant that she will hate ye?" Kaede hobbled in, glancing at Inuyasha before stirring the midday meal. "Even after ye wounded her, and ye found Sesshomaru took her, ye still care for her."

'I still do. I shouldn't have hurt her. I'm so stupid,' Inuyasha thought guiltily. "Why should I go look for her?" It was spoken hesitantly, and he knew, as did everyone else, that he was fighting a losing battle. One he wasn't too sad to lose.

"Ye will go find her. Even if she doesn't want to stay with ye anymore, she deserves to be with her family. Do ye not agree?"

An aroma of spices filled the dilapidated hut. Inuyasha sniffed appreciatively. "All right, all right, I'll go. Can I have some of that stew?"

--

A/N: sigh Well, there you go. This chapter took a looooong time to write. And with the help of Kalliel, we got rid of Sesshomaru thinking about hot dogs. I'll add more Sesshomaru in the next chapter, because he didn't really get much of a part so far. I'll also try to start the romance going.

Please review. Happy Holidays!