DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA NOR THE MANGA, NOR THE ANIME
SunMoon1285: Hello fellow readers! Before the chapter begins... I would like to statea few things...
1) THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS... they really spurn me to write more (any suggestions are fully welcome... but no FLAMES)
2) Sorry for the delay for my part... I apologize from the bottom of my heart... Half because of writer's block...another because just as I was to upload the chapter... it got frozen and the document was lost... but I finally rewrote it
Sesshomaru: (waltzes in) Get on with it woman... you talk too much
SunMoon1285: Sorry... please review and no flames...
Chapter 13: Questioning
"Kagome!" Inu cried as he made his way towards her in the alley. She seemed to be trying to hoist someone to 'its' feet. He stopped short when he caught sight of silver hair that puzzled him greatly.
"It's him…" a voice called within him.
"Who?" Inu thought back.
"My blood, my kin… our brother" the voice replied darkly.
"So what do you think?" Miroku inquired, interrupting Inu's fleeting thoughts.
"It is a gamble… but somehow I think the demon really got separated from Sessho…" Inu inferred.
Miroku, Inu, Koga, Shippo currently sat down around the dorm's living room. Kagome was in an adjacent room asleep on Inu's bed while the stranger was put in Koga's room. Before she went to Inu's room, she explained what happened at the alley and urged them to call Sango and the others to come by here for a group meeting. Afterwards, Inu left Kagome some of his clothes before he left her and offered medical attention which she politely declined.
"It doesn't make any sense… if it's really him then why did he ask Kagome that if 'Sesshomaru was his name'?" Koga questioned aloud.
"Didn't she explain that the orb got broken? Perhaps the transformation wasn't yet complete at the time…" Shippo murmured.
"So, Kagome's taking care of a shell" Miroku concluded, "a mere puppet."
"No jackass, he hasn't forgotten Kagome's smell. The demon lord protected Kagome from the men; if he really didn't give a rat's ass then he would have left her to the 'human filth' to die. Also, he would've pulverized their scum off the face of the earth, but he didn't. He's there somewhere, he only needs a little incentive to make him remember" Inu explained.
Everyone gawked at Inu's remark. They remained in utter silence for what seemed for like an eternity surprised at Inu's completely changed person.
flashback
"Kagome!" Inu yelled as they made their way through the alley.
They stopped a few feet short from the site that beheld them. Kagome remained half-naked in the rain huddling close to a figure that seemed to be unconscious. Her eyes brimmed with tears that sparkled in the moonlight. Miroku was about to advance when Inu held him at bay.
"Let me handle this" Inu said in a serious tone.
"Sure… I'll gather her things" Miroku offered as he quickly turned away.
Inu walked towards her slowly as his voice began to talk to him.
"It's him…" a voice called within him.
"Who?" Inu thought back.
"My blood, my kin… our brother" the voice replied darkly.
Kagome was rocking her form back and forth as she murmured incoherently. Inu noticed her coat on the floor as took it. He enveloped her shaking form with her coat as he knelt beside her. She seemed to take no notice of his presence as she whispered to the stranger's ear. Quickly he noticed the stranger's familiar face and hair... 'Sessho!' he thought angrily.
Anger quickly shrouded his worry as he unceremoniously pushed away the still unconscious stranger from Kagome's grasp.
"NO!" Kagome yelled.
"What the fuck is Sessho doing here?" Inu cried.
Everyone stopped dead in their tracks.
"That is not Sessho… I think he is Sesshomaru…" Kagome whispered, "He has to be…"
End of flashback
Unbeknown to the others, Kagome was listening intently to their conversation. She noticed that Inu's remark actually proved her question that the stranger was really Sesshomaru, her mate. She searched uneasily for her one love when she sensed an aura across the hall. She walked towards the door and opened in quietly and peered inside. She instantly paled when a pair of amber orbs met hers. She gasped slightly at his intent gaze upon her, but her necklace calmed her somewhat from scampering back to Inu's room.
"Don't be afraid, wench…" the velvety voice called out, "Come here…"
Kagome nodded and quietly closed the door after she uncertainly stepped inside the dark room. He gestured to a nearby chair and Kagome mentally obeyed his order. She sat nervously, fidgeting her ebony hair with her index finger and looking down to the floor. She slowly raised her face to meet his and couldn't deny the feelings that surfaced at the moment. She noticed that he was half-naked, wearing only a pair of black sweatpants that seemed to contrast his built body and ivory skin. His gaze was stoic and void of emotion with the exception of a few flickers that shone every now and then. They must have stayed there for an hour, simply looking at each other and each of them thinking their own thoughts and opinions. Finally, the male broke their silence, voicing his conclusion.
"I can't remember anything of my part… it is all a haze… but when I saw you, a mere mortal, beaten by those irksome scums… I could not control myself. I felt a need to protect you and now I carry a need to have you at my side… your presence soothes me" he explained.
Kagome fought the urge totell him as she balled her fists at her sides. 'He must be in such turmoil… and even now he does not dare show it' she cried within herself.
"It was your primal urge… from being a youkai… my lord" Kagome replied politely. She knew that she was dealing with a very delicate demon lord who might kill her in an instant even if she was his mate. 'Wait… I'm not even sure he's him!' she thought worriedly, 'but… somehow I believe it's him'
"You addressed me as a Lord?" he asked, hating for being so lost in his mind that he had to address some wench for his answers.
"You carry the marks… and I… have met you before" she replied as she gestured his marks.
"Who is she?" he thought to himself, "It is so familiar… but yet so unrecognizable… like an object that reminds you of a dream, you feel you seen, touched, even tasted it, but yet couldn't decide the certainty of reality"
He recalled a voice that spoke when his body and soul were entwining instantly when the orb was broken.
"The process has been interrupted…"a voice flashed immediately in his mind, "Your memory is regretfully lost… you need time to gather them correctly"
"You are a spiritwho was never meant tolove and she is the key to find the ends of everlasting bliss. To seek your answer follow her… the human wench who had stolen your heart once before" the voice reverberated in his mind.
"That was when as I saw her… beaten by the humans… and my need and youkai called forth to take her and reclaim her as mine…reclaim? Did I already know her? Did I have her? Did I fall in love with a human? Who am I?"
"That must mean why I fainted… my new body couldn't handle so many debating ordeals and physical attacks at once… Yet it hurts to remember… it hurts to see… but I must find a trace… a memory… a name" he thought determinedly.
Suddenly, a picture flashed in his mind… a girl whom he made into a woman… His heartbeat rose considerably in effect to the want, desire, excitement and love he ever kept bottled for her. They were pent up emotions that seemed to scramble his fragile mind mercilessly. Her name… her name was…
"Girl…" he called out quietly, shocking the young woman to the extent, "I have seen you before."
"Yes…" she answered quietly, eyes brimming with tears. She instantly paled as Sesshomaru struggled to remain conscious, his hard ordeal taking its toll on him. She raised herself from her seat and knelt down next to the bed.
"I remember your face but… nothing more," Sesshomaru lied. "Why does my heart ached so as I said that?"
"Please… allow me to help you restore your memories, my Lord" Kagome offered as she took hold of his hand.
"Accepted" Sesshomaru replied nonchalantly, "You may take your leave"
Kagome nodded and bowed low before the demon lord and began to walk away.
"Tomorrow… I wish to learn more of my 'previous' life as you offered, girl" Sesshomaru ordered.
"Yes… but only if you may consider calling me by my name, my lord" Kagome countered.
"Some other time, girl" the Demon Lord replied tiredly.
Kagome huffed quietly in annoyance leaving a now slumbering demon in the room. 'Great, I'm dealing with the same Sesshomaru before he held any feelings for me'.
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she arrived at the living room, where a huge discussion was taking place.
"Back off, jackass… she's fine!" Inu yelled to the door.
"He's right, Sessho, let her stay for the night" Miroku offered.
"Miroku, my friend, I sense that you and your measly group are hiding something from me… that is not tolerable" Sessho warned from the other side of the door.
"Fuck off!" Koga cried out in fury.
A deep growl could be heard from the other side of the door when it suddenly bashed open and a slightly disheveled Sessho appeared within the ruined door. The group stared in awe at the newly transformed Sessho. His eyes remained the same, but his face held blue stripes throughout his cheeks and a magenta crescent moon on his forehead. His hair seemed longer than before, reaching just below his hips, but retaining his golden color. His eyes seemed demoniacal, full of mischief and restrained hatred as he stared at the group of gawking humans.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS UP WITH YOU? My fucking door's broken!" Inu yelled as he dove after Sessho. He didn't manage to step twice before Sessho quickly rendered him unconscious by a swift movement of his hand.
"Sessho! That's enough!" Kagome cried from the halls, startling everyone from the scene that just happened.
Sessho narrowed his eyes at the slightly hurt Kagome and instantly appeared before her, analyzing her body. Kagome shivered unwillingly from the close contact and looked away from his intent gaze.
"You're hurt… Let's go back and tend to your wounds" Sessho demanded quietly.
Koga was about to object when Kagome silenced him with a wave of her hand.
"Yes… We'll leave all unattended matters on their hands" Kagome said as she inconspicuously signaled Koga's room to the group.
The group understood her meaning and let her leave the apartment with Sessho in toll. After they were out of earshot, they all let out a sigh of relief.
"Should we have let her leave with him?" Shippo asked uncertainly, "She doesn't know from his ulterior motives"
"It's better if she doesn't know… she would be afraid of him if she knew and it'd give our plan away" Miroku explained.
"No choice… she just saved our asses from him discovering our true plans and that unconscious stranger in my bed" Koga answered.
"Bastard…" Inu murmured as he gathered his wits and raised himself from his bed.
"You seem well, Inu…" Miroku murmured. The angry human was about to clobber the monk's reincarnation when a shadowed form appeared in the halls.
"What is that entire ruckus that disturbed me from my slumber, humans?" the stranger asked icily. The stench of humans was reeking everywhere, causing his delicate nose to wrinkle in disgust. Now that the wielder of his favorite scents was gone, the stench was even worse than before.
'Fuck…' they all thought at once.
Meanwhile… outside the dorm
"I'm sorry. I should have waited" Kagome managed to say after she finished telling her ordeal to Sessho, saying that Inu and the others were her saviors instead of her mate. Her explanation was met only to be met by silence. She looked down to hide her saddened expression from his stare.
"Don't apologize. It's my fault to begin with." Sessho finally said seriously as he took Kagome by her hand and walked her to his corvette.
When they arrived at the apartment, Sessho set her down at the couch. He brought her a pair of pants and a shirt.
"Wear this… I can't bear to see 'his' clothes on you…" Sessho said gruffly as he handed her clothing.
Quickly he looked for the medical kit as she changed. After she finished changing, he set the medical kit on the table before the sofa and began to tend to all her wounds. His eyes filled with anger as he looked at her bruised cheek, her bleeding arms and knees and her sad expression.
"I'm sorry." Sessho whispered, "I should have been there… not Kazuma"
Kagome remained quiet at his rare apology as he continued cleaning her wounds. After he finished he stared closely to her innocent eyes. Kagome bit her lip nervously from his behavior, which further excited the man before her. His amber eyes closed slowly as he drew himself to her, knocking them off balance as she lay on the futon with his body pining hers.
"S-s-sessho…" she stuttered as she tried to sit up from her current position.
"Do I abhor you? Is my body, mind, and presence so revolting? Or is it that I remind you too much of your lord?" Sessho inquired angrily.
"No…" Kagome answered taking his head gently and forcing him to look at her, "It is not that…"
"Then why don't you let me get close to you?" Sessho rebutted huskily.
Kagome's eyes slowly slid shut as she tried to ignore the man before her who looked so much like the Demon Lord who loved her with all his heart.
Sesshomaru…
What must you think of me now? Are you the man currently in Inu's care? Are you the man before me? Where are you?
"Give me a chance, Higurashi… to help you find happiness. You don't know the lengths that I take to have you as mine" Sessho admitted.
At Inu's dorm room…
"Please… calm down er, my lord and we'll answer your inquires immediately" Shippo stammered as he prepared a seat for the demon lord.
"Here, put this on" Miroku said as he threw a blue sweater and the stranger caught it effortlessly. He sniffed and inspected it for a few seconds before slipping it on.
"Did you call the girls, Miroku?" Koga asked the monk.
"Yes… they'll be here in five minutes" Miroku answered, "It seems they found a discovery which is only for Kagome to find out"
Inu made his way inside the living room with an ice pack for his head when he caught the demon lord's golden eyes. Instantly, the youkai began to growl at Inu, startling him completely. Inu cocked an eyebrow at him before settling down next to Miroku and Koga on the larger futon.
"You smell… familiar" Sesshomaru murmured, "A half-demon,no less…"
Who is that ningen? His scent is so familiar. I feel… hatred, yes… but why?
"We're here!" Rin and Sango called out from afar as a wheezing Jaken appeared on the doorstep.
"I smell, my Lord… Where is he?" Jaken cried as he finally settled eyes on the stoic youkai. His eyes brimmed in tears as his toadlike face broke into a smile.
"LORD SESSHOMARU!" Jaken cried as he ran towards his lord.
Inu quickly held the toad by his robes and threw him back to the entrance.
"Hold it there, toad! He doesn't have any memories… we need to know why…" Inu clarified.
"At least, Jaken's sense of smell proves that he is indeed the demon Lord…" Miroku murmured.
Sesshomaru looked around the strange people before him who looked slightly alike to some people he had met before. His eyes rested on a young girl with brown eyes and dark hair who stared at him in a submitting way.
"Maybe he would remember if we gave him the book" Sango offered.
"I don't know… even Kagome couldn't break him" Koga replied.
"What you mean, Kagome couldn't break him? She is his mate after all!" Sango cried back.
"She is only a human… he doesn't care for humans!" Jaken cried haughtily.
"Why you slimy toad!" Inu yelled as he dove after a scared toad demon.
As the group began to create uproar, Rin made his way to the still unmoving Taiyoukai. She gripped her book to her body for dear life as she summoned the courage to face him. His eyes looked icily before roaming her petite form.
"This would help, Sesshomaru-sama" she whispered timidly as she handed him the book. She reached the cover and with trembling hands she flipped each of the pages as he read quickly, learning the past history that he had lived before.
The group began to continue to fight before them and it took great patience from the Taiyoukai to ignore them and try not to slay them. Rin slid the page that he dedicated to Kagome and noticed that it didn't show any letters for him as well. And his gaze didn't show any sign of recognition only of absorbing knowledge. Finally, after he read the last page he raised himself to his feet and walked away from the living room.
"WAIT! Sesshomaru-sama!" Rin cried after him.
"I need some time alone…" Sesshomaru answered as he went back to his room, "I wish to see the girl who calls herself Kagome…"
After the door clicked close, Rin raised her finger and blew a whistle, making the group stop dead in their tracks.
"He read the book already you guys… and he wants to see Kagome" she said aloud as she gathered her things to leave for Sessho's apartment.
The group merely blinked at her and looked at the vacant spot where Sesshomaru stood only minutes ago. Immediately all began to collect their things to find Kagome so they could finally put this dilemma to rest.
"Oh…" they all sighed as they followed Rin to find Kagome.
When Sesshomaru arrived at the room he had resided, he thought profoundly of all the things that he had just read. Was it all farce? Or was he truly from the past? He rubbed his temples in an attempt to soothe the headaches caused by all this stress and flooding knowledge to his feeble and newly born mind at the moment. Suddenly, his thoughts were invaded by a melodic voice that rang in his mind. Her mere presence soothed him beyond his expectations… the girl called Kagome
Sesshomaru…
'Am I really the demon lord they all speak of?' he thought as he walked back to the bed to lay on it.
What must you think of me now? Are you the man currently in Inu's care? Are you the man before me? Where are you?
'I… am… here… always' he thought subconsciously as he slipped in slumber.
At the apartment…
"Higurashi?" Sessho called to her softly.
Kagome blinked her eyes once, then twice. She looked around the room suddenly conscious of her state of wellbeing. She was still at Sessho's apartment. She now remembered his inquire that he had stated for her. To open up her heart to him, but … she couldn't. She stared into the eyes that so reminded of her mate. 'Sesshomaru? Is that you?' she thought as she stared at him.
Sessho reached for Kagome's hand but she pulled away. The thoughts that invaded her mind made her incredibly vulnerable and she wasn't behaving normally.
"What's wrong?" Sessho asked in a concerned tone.
If I just push him away… push everyone away… my wounds will heal and I would forget…
"NO! DON'T TOUCH ME! IFYOU WERE THERE THEN... THEN IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED! IF YOU WERE THERE THEN MY MEMORY WOULDN'T BE ERASED. YOU WOULDN'T BE ERASED. MY LOVE WOULDN'T BE." Kagome said as she continued to cry hysterically.
It seems destiny does not deem me deserving of you, Sesshomaru…
Sessho reached again for her hand but his hand got slapped away. He tried once more getting even more close to Kagome but she moved away from her resting position and from his grasp. He then darted forward and Kagome fell from the sofa trying to evade him.
"Stay away… I'm not worthy of you, Sesshomaru!" Kagome said incoherently as she crouched looking away from Sessho and bent her head on her knees.
"I am not the demon lord, Higurashi… you may not be worthy of him, but you are worthy of ME, Sessho Taisho… a far better man than the Taiyoukai could ever me… if you'd accept me as yours" he chided her.
"Mine?" Kagome asked innocently as he nodded at her.
Sessho smiled softly sat behind Kagome and embraced her gently.
"You are perfect, you know. Meeting you has made me happy… which I hadn't been in a long time. You don't have to be ashamed of yourself, because… I love you. I would do ANYTHING to have you" Sessho confessed as he rested his head on her shoulder, "Higurashi... I just didn't have the courage to tell you before, because I thought you didn't feel the same way."
"Sessho, I don't understand. It is so soon… and so hard to forget. This is so confusing. Why can't I just forget about all this? This is so complicated for me… I love a man who I'm not sure who doesn't exist… who has been in you..." she whispered.
"Yes. But I would help you forget… Do you want me to?" Dylan posed.
"I… I…" Kagome murmured incoherently.
"Higurashi… I love you…" Sessho repeated, hoping against all odds that she would accept his offer.
Kagome gave a dry laugh. 'This is not happening…' she repeated to herself, 'Keep yourself at bay, Kagome. You're close to having Sesshomaru back to you… don't give up hope'
"Sessho, why do you call me Higurashi?" she asked, trying her best to change the subject.
Sessho smiled inwardly. Slowly and ever so gently, he turned her head to his face and grinned lovingly.
"I'm sorry… Kagome" Sessho said as if carressing her with the very word.
Kagome gasped from the close contact and from his voice as he called her name. She knew the battle was almost lost and that she would give in to the urges.
Sessho leaned close to Kagome's face. His eyes slid close as he tried to kiss the nymph that had graced him for so long. Kagome looked on nervously and helplessly as her cheeks turned into a rosy pink as he went closer.
"OH MY GOD! I'M GETTING A KISS. This is not supposed to happen… I CAN'T PULL AWAY! I can't kiss any man now that I know what I've been through. I can't trust anyone! Only… Sesshomaru…" Kagome thought fretfully, when a loud knock shocked them completely. Kagome sighed in relief.
"Kagome? OPEN UP! IT'S US" Inu yelled through the door.
Kagome instantly went back to reality, as if a spell were suddenly lifted. She noticed Sessho looking at the door with utter malice as he got up gracefully to his feet.
"Soon..." he whispered as he stood up, "We will continue where we left off… Kagome"
Kagome shivered from his words as he went to the door to let the group in. Sango and Rin panted heavily from running the stairs. He ran to the living room and when they saw Kagome they screamed.
"Oh Kagome! YOU'RE HURT! I SWEAR I'LL KILL THOSE GUYS!" Sango cried as she held Kagome close.
"No matter… she is fine and she's safe with us" Rin said as she sat next to them and patted Kagome wholeheartedly.
Shippo shuffled next to Rin and took her other hand tenderly.
"What took you, Jackass" Inu yelled at Sessho as the others let themselves in.
"Quiet! With your racket you're waking up the neighbors and getting on my nerves" Sessho said quietly, grimacing from his sharp hearing and Inu's loud voice.
"DO YOU THINK I CARE! HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT OUR FRIEND ALMOST GOT- OH MY GOD! I can't even fucking say it!" Inu cried.
"For the duration of your presence here, don't mess anything up" Sessho chastised the other guests, ignoring Inu completely.
"DON'T GET ALL SMUG AND SHIT TO MAKE KAGOME LOVE YOU, YOU SHIT!" Inu yelled
"Calm down, man" Koga warned Inu.
"I'll take that as a compliment." Sessho countered as he returned to his seat, "Kagome, I think you need to get some sleep…"
"Yeah… you need your energy for tomorrow, you know." Sango added with a wink that Kagome clearly understood.
"I think you're right," Kagome replied.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS? TAISHO, SINCE WHEN YOU'RE CALLING KAGOME 'KAGOME' ? YOU STUPID SON OF A-" Inu said as he was cut off by Kagome.
"He is allowed to call me that… it's all right" Kagome interrupted, breaking up the discussion.
"Okay… but can I then call you Kags?" Inu asked.
"Whatever makes you feel better, Inu" Kagome said smiling forcefully, trying to forget what was about to happen between Sessho and her hadn't they barged in.
"It's good to see you smile even after such an ordeal," Miroku said.
"Thanks…" Kagome said softly before retiring to her room, "But it isn't. It's a lie… What would truly make me smile is to have Sesshomaru love me again…" she thought.
A/N
Sesshomaru: WENCH! (sharpens claws)
SunMoon1285: Before you decide to kill me... the next chapter will be up very soon... just wait!
Sesshomaru: It's not that... I want my memory.. I seem'odd' without it
SunMoon1285: You'll have it soon... just wait...
Sesshomaru: Please review to her and she'll update as soon as she can... and no flames
