I don't own Inuyasha or Beauty and the Beast. Sorry for the long wait, school has me tied up.

(Cut to Kagome outside in the forest on Buyo. She begins to ride through the forest, but Buyo comes to a stop. She looks up and sees youkais all around her. She gasps, then pulls the reins and begins to flee. She runs from side to side, making the youkais hit the trees and runs out on a frozen pond, but his and Kagome's weight collapse the ice. The youkais chase her across the water. Buyo is able to get out of the water before anything serious happens. He runs into a clearing, but becomes surrounded by youkais. He bucks, throwing Kagome off and wrapping the reins around a tree branch. The youkais begin their attack on Buyo, but Kagome comes to his rescue and beats them away with a stick. One youkai grabs the stick in its mouth and breaks half of it off, leaving Kagome defenseless. Another leaps at her, grabbing the corner of her cloak and dragging her to the ground. She looks up and sees a youkai about to jump on top of her. It leaps and is caught in mid-air by Sesshoumaru. He throws the youkai away, and then stands beside Kagome. They lunge at each other. One rips a hole in Sesshoumaru's shoulder, and the others focus their attack on that spot. Finally, Sesshoumaru slashes a youkai dead. The others turn and run in fear. Sesshoumaru stumbles back to Kagome, looks at her despairingly, then collapses. Kagome, grateful to be alive, turns back to Buyo and begins to get on, but her conscience takes over, and she walks over to the fallen Sesshoumaru.)

(Fade to Kagome and Buyo walking back to the castle, with Sesshoumaru on the horse's back. Fade to int of den, with Kagome pouring hot water into a bowl. She soaks a rag in the water, then turns to Sesshoumaru, who is licking his wound on his arm.)

KAGOME: Here now. Oh, don't do that. (Sesshoumaru growls at her as she tries to clean the wound with her rag.) Just...hold still. (She touches the rag to the wound and Sesshoumaru roars in pain. Shippou, Jaken, Sango, and Rin, who have been watching, back up from the outburst.)

SESSHOUMARU: That hurts!

KAHOME: (In counterpoint) If you'd hold still, it wouldn't hurt as much.

SESSHOUMARU: Well if you hadn't run away, this wouldn't have happened!

KAGOME: Well if you hadn't frightened me, I wouldn't have run away!

SESSHOUMARU: Well you shouldn't have been in the West Wing!

KAGOME: Well you should learn to control your temper! (Sesshoumaru turns his head in defeat. Shippou, Jaken, Sango, and Rin emerge from their hiding as Kagome has conquered the ferocious temper of Sesshoumaru. Kagome moves the rag closer to the wound) Now, hold still. This may sting a little. (Sesshoumaru gives a surprised grunt, then grits his teeth as the rag is applied. Kagome speaks tenderly.) By the way, thank you, for saving my life. (Sesshoumaru opens his eyes, looking surprised.)

SESSHOUMARU: (Also very tenderly) You're welcome.

(Camera zooms out and we see everyone looking on with interest. Fade to Kouga's tavern, which is empty except for Kouga, Ginta and Naraku, who are all sitting at a table.)

NARAKU: I don't usually leave the asylum in the middle of the night, but they said you'd make it worth my while. (Kouga pulls out a sack of gold and tosses it in front of him. He takes out a piece, scrapes it on his chin and continues.) Aah, I'm listening.

KOUGA: It's like this. I've got my heart set on marrying Kagome, but she needs a little persuasion.

GINTA: (butting in) Turned him down flat! (Kouga slams a beer mug on his head.)

KOUGA: Everyone knows her father's a lunatic. He was in here tonight raving about a beast in a castle...

NARAKU: Jii-chan is harmless.

Kouga: The point is, Kagome would do anything to keep him from being locked up.

GINTA: Yeah, even marry him! (Kouga gives him another threatening look, and he ducks back under the mug.)

NARAKU: So you want me to throw her father in the asylum unless she agrees to marry you? (They both nod in agreement.) Oh, that is despicable. I love it!

(Cut to int of Kagome's shrine. Jii-chan is packing to leave.)

JII-CHAN: If no one will help me, then I'll go back alone. I don't care what it takes. I'll find that castle and somehow I'll get her out of there. (Jii-chan leaves on his journey. Seconds later, Kouga and Ginta arrive with Naraku. They enter the house looking for one of the residents.)

KOUGA: Kagome! Jii-chan!

GINTA: Oh, well, I guess it's not gonna work after all. (Kouga grabs him by the neck and walks outside.)

KOUGA: They have to come back sometime, and when they do, we'll be ready for them. (Drops Ginta into a snow bank by the porch) Ginta, don't move from that spot until Kagome and her father come home.

GINTA: But, but... aww, nuts! (He pounds the side of the house and a pile of snow falls on his head.)

(Fade to ext of castle. Kagome is playing in the snow with Buyo and Kirara. Sesshoumaru, Jaken and Shippou watch from the balcony.)

SESSHOUMARU: I've never felt this way about anyone. (Looks excited) I want to do something for her. (Looks discouraged.) But what?

JAKEN: Well, there's the usual things--flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep...

SHIPPOU: Ahh, no no. It has to be something very special. Something that sparks her inter--wait a minute.

(Cut to int hallway leading to library. Sesshoumaru and Kagome are alone.)

SESSHOUMARU: Kagome, there's something I want to show you. (Begins to open the door, then stops.) But first, you have to close your eyes. (She looks at him questioningly.) It's a surprise.

(Kagome closes her eyes. Then he opens the door. He leads her in.)

KAGOME: (Just as she enters the room) Can I open them?

SESSHOUMARU: No, no. Not yet. Wait here. (Sesshoumaru walks away to draw back the curtains. He does, and brilliant sunlight spills into the room. Kagome flinches reflexively as the light hits her face.)

KAGOME: Now can I open them?

SESSHOUMARU: All right. Now. (Kagome opens her eyes and the camera pulls back to reveal the gigantic library filled with books.)

KAGOME: I can't believe it. I've never seen so many books in all my life!

SESSHOUMARU: You like it?

KAGOME: It's wonderful.

SESSHOUMARU: Then it's yours.

KAGOME: Oh, thank you so much.

(Cut to Kagome and Sesshoumaru in bkgd, with everyone including Rin in foreground watching them.)

SANGO: Oh, would you look at that?

SHIPPOU: Ha ha! I knew it would work.

RIN: What? What works?

JAKEN: It's very encouraging.

RIN: But Rin didn't see anything.

SANGO: Come along, Rin. There's chores to be done in the kitchen.

RIN: But what are they talking about? What's going on? (everyone walk away. Fade to breakfast table with Kagome at one end and Sesshoumaru at the other, with Sango stands between them. Kagome is served breakfast, and she begins to eat. Kagome lifts her bowl as if in a toast. Sesshoumaru does the same. They both begin to sip their breakfast out of their bowls. Fade to courtyard where Kagome and Sesshoumaru are feeding the birds.)

KAGOME: There's something sweet and almost kind, but he was mean and he was coarse and unrefined. But now he's dear and so unsure, I wonder why I didn't see it there before. (Kagome is trying to attract some birds to Sesshoumaru, who shoves a handful of seed at them. Finally, she takes a handful and gently spreads it out, creating a trail. One lands in his hands.)

SESSHOUMARU: She glanced this way I thought I saw. And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw. No it can't be, I'll just ignore. But then she's never looked at me that way before. (Kagome has ducked around a tree, leaving Sesshoumaru with the birds. She begins to look doubtful again, but turns her head around the tree and laughs. Sesshoumaru is covered with birds.)

KAGOME: New, and a bit alarming. Who'd have ever thought that this could be? True, that he's no Prince Charming, but there's something in him that I simply didn't see. (Kagome throws a snowball at Sesshoumaru, who had looked at her proudly after the birds flew away. He begins to gather a large pile of snow. We cut to Shippou, Jaken, and Sango looking out of a window at the two. In the background, Kagome throws another snowball at Sesshoumaru, who drops his huge pile of snow. He chases her around a tree, but she ducks around the other side and sneaks up on him from behind.)

SHIPPOU: Well who'd have thought?

SANGO: Well bless my soul.

JAKEN: And who'd have known?

SANGO: Well who indeed?

SHIPPOU: And who'd have guessed they'd come together on their own?

SANGO: It's so peculiar

ALL: We'll wait and see A few days more There may be something there that wasn't there before (Fade to den where Kagome sits in front of a roaring fire and reads to Sesshoumaru. Everyone inc. Rin watch from doorway)

JAKEN: Yes, perhaps there's something there that wasn't there before.

RIN: What?

SANGO: There may be something there that wasn't there before.

RIN: What's there?

SANGO: I'll tell you when you're older.

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