Part III

Six years later...

The darkness was all-consuming, crawling through the corners of her mind and insisting that she continue sleeping. The black dark gave off a warmth that spread through her limbs and brought a smile to her lips. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a shrill ringing went off. It called for her to awaken but the darkness was still there, wrapping misty tentacles over her flesh and causing a shiver to run down her spine.

After an eternity of the piercing noise, her mind decided it had enough and jumped away from the inky haze. The fourteen year old girl blinked her eyes open and released a catty yawn. When she gained full consciousness, she realized the beeping was emanating from upon her intricately designed night-stand. Without a second thought a feminine fist crashed down and slammed onto the snooze button. Another yawn escaped a pale-fleshed throat.

Christmas isn't fun for me anymore... She thought as she recalled the slap she received last year on her cheek for telling an -unknowingly- drunk Onigumo 'Merry Christmas'. Good thing I don't bruise or Yuka, Eri and Ayumi would think I have an abusive boyfriend. It's always the possibility of a boyfriend... Kagome sighed and stood up, her feet touching the familiar cold floor.

It had been so long...

It had been so long since she had touched her real home's floors with her bare feet.

She stretched her arms above her head and shook her head slowly to dispel the thoughts that refused to leave after six years. No more... A loud pounding on her door paused her thoughts, and the teenager peered cautiously at the wood. This early on a Sunday? They never forced her to eat breakfast on Sunday since she didn't have school along with practically every other kid in Japan. She didn't say anything as she listened to the continuous 'knocking'.

The pounding stopped long enough for the voice of seventeen-year-old Naraku to be heard. "Are you gonna hold yourself in there all morning? We have to be somewhere today! Go to the seamstress's work room for your outfit!" He slammed his fist onto the hard wood once again for effect and Kagome jumped in surprise.

Fury boiled under the surface and refused to quietly simmer. So, following her instincts, Kagome stomped to the door and yanked it open. The fourteen-year-old glared resolutely up at the tall, intimidating figure of her guardian's son as she tried to make him implode with her eyes. When he said nothing but merely stood and stared back, she spoke. "I heard you. Leave, now."

"I'm in the hallway, sweetie. That's neutral territory. Sorry, babe."

He knew that would get a rise out of her. She looked weak, and in the face of his father, she acted like a snail with a broken shell. With him, though- that was a completely different story. With him, she acted like an inferno. A raging inferno that could not be put out no matter how much water was doused onto it. And it was refreshing. Young Kagome Higurashi was a beautiful raging fire and all who got in her way would be burnt down if they didn't add to the flames.

To be honest, he lusted after her. Whole-heartedly. Completely and truthfully. And it was seemingly oh-so-wrong. But the police never did anything about it. And technically they couldn't do anything about it, besides the fact that his father was a prominent lawyer- if he wanted her as his toy, he'd get her as his toy. The legal sex age is thirteen... he thought with a smirk.

"What are you grinning about, you idiot?" Kagome sneered up at him. Her only response was for Naraku's grin to get wider. "Anyway, I meant for you leave the space in front of -and near- my bedroom door. Now." She made sure to add 'and near' because she knew well of the young man's sneaky wordplay tactics.

He shrugged a shoulder lazily and turned away down the hall where his bedroom was. She sighed as she watched him go. What was with him? He had been acting weird the past few weeks...

She gave up after a few minutes of deep thinking and turned down the opposite side of the hallway and turned into another hallway. On her left was a tall door with a beautiful gold-plaited sign that said 'Sewing Room' engraved onto it. She smiled slightly; the seamstress was middle, or so, aged and extremely kind-hearted, and Kagome just had to wonder why the woman was still working under a man like Yokoshima-sama.

Kagome knocked lightly and waited patiently twisting her hands around each other until her hands were sore. After nearly two minutes, the door slowly creaked open and a woman came into the light. Her black hair was highlighted by the light emanating from the sewing room and her brown eyes seemed to alight black as well. The elder woman bowed slightly and moved to the side while asking, "I suspect you have come for your gown, correct?"

"Yes," she responded timidly, bobbing her head once slowly as she walked through the entryway.

"It's good that I get your measurements every three weeks, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to make your dress and ensure that it'd fit you- after all, you are a growing girl." The older woman gave Kagome a wink, and the girl just laughed and turned her head away. A little over two weeks ago she had come in to have all of her measurements taken to ensure that if anything came up, she'd be prepared.

"Misora," Kagome called to the seamstress, "What is this... 'gown' for? I didn't know about it until less than ten minutes ago." Her brown, blue, and grey eyes swivelled to the figure who was busily digging through a large and open walk-in closet. What were all of those dresses for?

The older woman called over her shoulder, "Oh, Naraku-san was supposed to tell you! Darn him!" Misora paused to shift through the hanging outfits on her left. "This is a Christmas party for the law-firm... as well as another company Yokoshima-sama is trying to merge with. He's not so confident for once in his god-forsaken life and so he arranged for the owner to bring his sons. In exchange, he promised he would bring you and Naraku-san. He was hoping that-"

The young woman had registered what the seamstress had told her while the older woman was pushing on into her next sentence, and she finally let out a scream.

Misora looked up in surprise and slight concern for the girl. Really, was there something wrong with what she had said? Oh! What she had said... Ohhh, she's probably taking this in a bad way... "Kagome, you have nothing to worry about. It's just a peace proposition. A little edging on. The owner's sons don't get along with many people and if they get along with you and Naraku-san, then it will help. The master only hopes for one night of no misbehaving, so if you could give it freely, he might be happy and not hurt you like last year's incident..."

"How did you know about last year?" Kagome demanded. "There was no way! I- I..."

"I am not like your childish friends, Kagome. I can tell when something like that has happened. I've been here longer than you have... and I'd see through Maybelline Cover-Up any day." Misora laughed a bit at that. "Don't worry. If everything goes right- and you don't say 'Merry Christmas' to a drunk Yokoshima-sama- then you'll be fine. In fact, I think you might be happy at this. The others at the law-firm are quite nice."

The fourteen year old listened as Misora prattled on and on about what could and inevitably would happen at the party. Or after... She shuddered lightly as the woman walked back across the room to where the young mistress had placed herself. The seamstress held out a full length black, blue and silver lined formal gown. Kagome stood up and dazedly took it into her grasp, taking what seemed like an eternity to study it.

Its stitching was so precise that she was so sure it was woven straight from the weave with this design ready-made. Half of the dress was of black which crossed over the midnight blue and formed into one of the thin shoulder straps. The blue was of two, slightly thicker straps on the other shoulder and weaved it's way down. Kagome noticed that, although the dress had straps strong enough to hold up the dress, there were sleeves.

The filmy fabric of the sleeves was the same midnight blue of the left half of the dress and made it appear like the black could have been some sort of coat. They were styled into bell sleeves near her wrists and parting down from the shoulder, were clasped by metal brackets at the humerus and forearm.

The silver lining seemed to blend within the black and blue fabric and when she tried to touch it to identify where it meshed, she gasped, unable to find its stitching points. It amazed her; this dress, because it wasn't just an ordinary full length dress. The middle portion, which covered her stomach was a thin translucent-white fishnet type cloth.

It was perfect.

"Thank you, Misora! But... but how did you make this in less than three weeks. Your designs always take so long to make!" The teenager gasped out. It was no secret that Misora had worked for a fashion design company before being chosen as their new seamstress. So she had quit and come to work for Yokoshima-sama..

"Oh, I started making it mid- October. But it was actually quite easy compared to some of the others I've made. I spent barely no time working on it; two or three times a week for a max of four hours each day. Weekends I didn't do anything, as well as on that two week vacation I had for Thanksgiving and three days off for Halloween..."

"Wow," Kagome gaped. That wasn't really a lot of time to make the dress. Let's see. Average how many hours each day she would work: two and a half. Two days per week is what she probably did most of the time. Two point five times two equals five; times that by four weeks... twenty hours... Oh my gosh! She only worked for less than forty hours on my dress! She was pulled out of her calculations when Misora uttered a comment that made her jaw literally drop.

"Though... during those times I worked on your dress- within those time periods- I also worked on making the masters' tuxes. It was quite simple. Time management is a good thing to learn. I should help you on that since you're becoming a young lady." Why is she gaping like a fish?

"Oh, okay, Misora. Well... should I try this on so you can make any extra adjustments in case.."

"Yes, yes, dear," she spoke hastily. "The party is at six o'clock; quite early compared to the other affairs he's hosted... or the law-firm."

She moved towards the large changing area and stripped down behind the screen and slipped into the dress. It was quite comfortable and the fabric didn't bother her at all. It was snug in all the right places and made her happy knowing she owned this dress; it was a masterpiece and one of a kind. She distractedly spun in a circle watching as the fabric of the dress overlapped to create beautiful folds and the sheen gave off a shimmer as if it was black and blue water. Kagome smiled fondly as she pulled her right arm up in front of her eyes to view the bell-sleeves. Even the cuffs were lined with silver!

Misora's voice broke her wonderment. "It's time to let me see, Kagome. Then you need to change out of it and grab your lunch. Then I'll help you get ready. It's already eleven thirty! I don't know how you slept in so late of all days.." The woman sighed in mocking disappointment. Kagome knew the older woman liked to sleep in late too. It had been proven when Kagome had needed something fixed at ten in the morning, but she couldn't find Misora in the sewing room. The young girl had gone down the corridor to where she knew the woman's room to be and took a peek inside, discovering a contentedly sleeping seamstress.

A giggle escaped her lips and she tried to suppress the memories- with some success. She sauntered out from behind the screen, lavishly displaying the gown like a cat-walk model. Misora cried out in mock indignation as if Kagome were wearing an abomination and the young female only started laughing again.

"Well everything seems fine from what I can tell, and you appear to be quite comfortable in it. So what I say is..." she paused for dramatic effect. "Go change now. You need to eat before you get ready. You're going to be greeting the guests along with Naraku."

"Eww," Kagome commented bitterly as she spun to walk back behind the screen to change. "I get stuck with him?" The teenager let out a scream. "Why that loser?"

"Because an old man and a pretty little girl would look odd. Everyone already knows Naraku and the master well enough together- besides, what would you do while they greet guests- don't say anything..." Misora butchered her own sentence. "You'd be buckled to a chair if you weren't greeting, and that way Naraku will introduce you to most people. He-"

"He'll use word tricks and make people believe something about me that's completely false!" She shouted back in protest as she came back brandishing the custom dress.

When Misora took the formal gown, Kagome began to wave her arms frantically while pacing. She mumbled incoherently and paused in her pacing to stomp her feet every few seconds. Finally finishing, the young girl inhaled a large amount of air before releasing it like a deflating balloon.

"Of course he will, so just be wary and ready to dish out some good comebacks and 'minor corrections regarding the issue.'" Both women snickered at this comment in which Misora had used air quotes. Yokoshima-sama had used those same words relating to a misunderstanding for a business proposition.

"Okay. Well I'll see you in two hours! Later!" The teenager called out as she ran through the doorway and shut the door.

Walking up the stairs was no easy task right after a hearty lunch. Oh, no, it wasn't that she was overstuffed or bloated. It was quite the contrary. Naraku was following her up the large staircase and down the corridor to where their bedrooms were. The fact that his bedroom was farther than hers from the start of the hallway made her feel giddy and bubbly inside. That's what he gets for following me like a predator! Kagome mentally stuck her tongue at him. He deserved every last little agony in his life. Loser.

She shut her door and sat down at the small vanity that was in front of one of her bedroom walls and stared at herself for a few moments. She was pretty much fine as she was. But maybe a little black eyeshadow. It'll make my eyes and the dress look pretty. She set to work and in less than five minutes her eyes stood out and made her look more mature. I hope that's okay... and I hope nothing goes wrong tonight...

Later, with the help of Misora, the dress was tied and zipped up properly in the back and the sashes that were to tie were formed into a perfect bow.

At close to six, Kagome walked down the stairs to find the bozo at the foot of the staircase seemingly glaring off in anger. Apparently he was supposed to wait for her? Kagome found out when she stopped at the base and stared at the side of his head, waiting for a reaction. She didn't have to wait long.

"What do you think you're staring at?" His head swivelled sharply in her direction and sunglass-covered eyes pinned her down in a glare.

"Nothing really. You never told me why you always wear those sunglasses- "

"And you don't need to know. Grab my arm like a proper young lady," he scoffed, holding out his elbow and forearm for her to link her arm through.

"I'd really like to know... It can't be that big of a deal, can it? I mean- they're just sunglasses right?" She was genuinely curious and was absolutely unprepared for when he pulled his arm away from hers violently and shouted at her.

"I have a problem with my eyes, got that? It's none of your business but my dad had these made for me and I'd prefer if no one saw my eyes! Now stop bugging me about all this useless crap!"

To say the teen girl was shocked- that was a complete understatement. She was paralyzed, wide-eyed with her mouth slightly parted, a look of horror etched into her young features. Her arm was still suspended from when it had been pulled away from Naraku's elbow while the sleeve swayed slightly with the breeze from Naraku's movements. Kagome watched on for a few moments, still not moving an inch in the least, while the young man gained his composure; she watched the swell of his throat as he lightly coughed and straightened his outfit by tugging on the lapels.

"Are you going to keep standing there like an idiot or are you going to come with me to help greet the guests?" He grimaced in her general direction, refusing to look at her but held out his elbow for her again. "This time, don't drop my arm." And he knew that would get a rise out of her, just like earlier.

"Me? I dropped your arm?" She half shouted, her voice hoarse with anger. "Choose your words carefully tonight, Naraku, or you might wake up tomorrow missing a few important body parts, even the necessary male ones.." she sneered.

Oh, she's quite good at sneering at me. Maybe I can get her to make other expressions at me before the night is over. "Oh, hmm, okay. I'll keep that in mind, dear," he leaned down and whispered in her ear, making her shiver involuntarily.

She had to get in the last word, "Don't call me dear, snot-for-brains."

An hour or so into greeting the guests, one old couple stepped out of their limo and stopped at the door to make customary greetings to the two young adults standing on one side of the double door open entryway.

They stopped and stayed for much longer than they were supposed to.

"And who is this young lady, Naraku-san?" The old woman spoke up, a gentle but knowingly wealthy smile plastered on.

"This is Kagome Higurashi, Watanabe-sama," Naraku spoke in a slightly pleasant but obviously bored voice.

"Will this be the young woman you're to marry when your father deems it right?" The old man asked next, knowingly interrupting what Kagome wanted to say.

"Oh yes, of course. But see, she's three years younger than me. I'll have to wait until she's at least seventeen." The tone that 'snot-for-brains' used sounded a little too honest and eager to speak about this topic. He turned and smiled cheekily down at her, but she only looked away, refusing to risk adding fuel to the fire of this potential gossip.

It would definitely be known tonight about this little stunt and what her future had laid out.

At the dinner table around eight o'clock was the worst moment in her life, Kagome supposed. Every prominent person who knew the Yokoshima family and name was present, as well as most all of the workers in the household playing servant tonight beside Misora, who had gone home.

She knew it was already bad when she had silently walked to the middle of the ballroom following Naraku, and he had suddenly stopped. She had nearly crashed into him and when she looked up after righting herself, she began to wish she had never started breathing in that delivery room. The young man had grabbed her hands and placed them where her hands would be had they been dancing, and surprisingly he began the first steps to a mix of the rhythm-switch slow dance and a slow version of the foxtrot.

Many people had stopped talking to watch in blissfully stupid admiration of the two young teenagers' dancing and Kagome was quite fed up. Unfortunately, Naraku's hands were gripping her hand and waist so tight that when she tried to discreetly pull away, she didn't feel the blood circulation completely cut off from her fingers.

"We're dancing and everyone's watching. Don't ruin the moment," he hissed into her ear. To everyone else, because of his deceiving facial expression, he was whispering 'sweet nothings in her ear'.

Blow that... Kagome thought bitterly and praised God that the orchestra in the corner of the ballroom had stopped playing after they started dancing only four or five minutes previous.

Now back at the table, in her present thoughts, she didn't like it one bit when the old man from earlier at the door stood up and raised his wine glass. Oh joy... "I'd like to propose a toast to this evening. In fact, two toasts. One for the success of our law-firm and the help Yokoshima-san is contributing to Pailar Inc.'s new layouts." He paused as everyone shouted 'Hear! Hear!' "I would also like to give another toast to the happy young couple that I hope to live to see their wedding. Here's to Higurashi-san and Naraku-san; may their future be blessed!" he shouted throughout the dining room and some servants winced.

Kagome barely noticeably slouched in her seat as Yokoshima-sama gazed in a bemused fashion at the two young adults sitting to his right. Naraku seemed perfectly content, and dare she admit it?

Happy? He looks so frickin' happy! What is with him?

She watched on as along down the table, people turned their heads to clink glasses with the person on either side of them. A snarl rose in the back of her throat and when she realized it, she squashed it fiercely. It would not do to over-react. Think of last Christmas...think of last Christmas... Yokoshima-sama was still staring at her so she took a risk for freedom. "Yokoshima-sama, may I be excused for a few moments? I believe some fresh air would do me well," she played out, thankful she had taken acting lessons- Yokoshima had been generous.

"Ah yes, Kagome, you may step out or go up to your bedroom. Be back later though," he nodded his head in her direction and she took that as her cue to stand, curtsying.

As she moved away from the table, she heard the old man- who was sitting on Yokoshima's left- say: "Onigumo-san, did I say something to offend the young woman?" Oh, yeah ya did, you mean old man...

Winding back through the maze of rooms she walked swiftly to the grand staircase and climbed the steps not hesitating in the least. At her door, Kagome paused. Standing here felt weird. It wasn't like she didn't want to go in, but it felt like...

...like someone was watching her.

The teenager turned her head back in the direction she had come, down the dark and lengthy corridor, trying to understand this feeling. As her eyes refocused on the door, they caught a flash of something long and silvery. A scream caught in her throat, but she muffled what might have come out by clutching at her neck like someone actively dying from poison. There was another flash of silver, but shorter, and immediately disappeared as if it had never been there. What the-? What was that? she mentally screamed at herself, but berated her person for thinking there could be anything or anyone in this house to harm her. There was security. Guard dogs and very strong men able to take down anything or anyone unwanted that came near the house. -Mansion. This isn't an ordinary house... She sighed.

No one gave a flip about its 'name'...

Well those two flashes had scared her and she was fully prepared to fall asleep and never wake up. But Yokoshima-sama said I had to be back soon. No matter how much that evil... thing- sugar coated his words, the threat is still there... Without realizing it, Kagome had promptly sashayed into the land of dreams, unaware of what lurked outside in the world of the conscious.

She was rudely awakened sometime later when she was ruthlessly dragged off the bed. Her sleep-filled eyes were open and alert- and completely in shock- staring at a fuming Yokoshima Onigumo. In the doorway, she vaguely noticed, was a smug looking Naraku. "You fuckin' bitch! You filthy whore-ish brat! I told you to be downstairs before the party was over! You didn't listen to me and you made me look like a fool when I couldn't find you; when I had to announce that you weren't feeling well. Pailar's owner thought I flaked, you little bitch! What do you have to say?" His words echoed in her ears, as well as the large bedroom.

"I-I... didn't...Please don't hurt me! I didn't mean it! I was going to go back down-" Her words were cut off when he slapped her.

"You were going to go back down, but you thought it'd be more fun to ruin my businesses! You little slut. Well I think I'll ruin you. It's two days before Christmas... Naraku," he called out in a low voice. "I'm giving you one more present than I thought, and it's crumpled on the floor in black and blue silk," at that Kagome's eyes widened. Oh, God, no... No, no! "I give you, Yokoshima Naraku, Higurashi Kagome's ...virginity. Merry Christmas, you two."

He walked out of the room with a content gait and down to the library on the first floor. In the next passing hour, shrill screams and crying echoed through the house originating from the young girl's bedroom. As the screams swirled around him like a haunting song, Yokoshima Onigumo smiled viciously. What a guy could do! And no one ever believed the little bitch's words; to everyone that she could get to, her words were lies strung like a harp. They were a siren's false call, and no one could hear it.

Still- she was a threat to his family name. It was his security and if, by some chance, she got someone of prominent power to believe her -true- stories, he would drop dead from the forcing blow of clashing companies.

...Well it was a good thing he had his other 'company' for backup.

When Naraku finally pulled out of her, it was torturous and slow, hurting her as much as she thought was still possible. His sweat covered body hovered over her for what seemed like an eternity and she lay still trying not to draw attention to herself. His movements caught her attentions, he had shifted to lay down beside her on her large bed and was running his hands through his hair. "I finally got what I wanted," he spoke so casually and it seared her soul. "You, though, should have been less squirmy. It would have hurt less, since it was your first." With those words stabbed through her, he rolled the other way and off the bed, to stand.

He moved around the ripped fabric of the dress and picked up the discarded pieces of his tuxedo. As his feet lightly thudded against the tile, he spoke one last thing. "You were so fun to taste. I can't wait for another round." She paused so suddenly in her wiggling on her bed; he wouldn't get the chance if she had to kill herself. He'd fuck a dead corpse. She watched through half lidded, multi-coloured eyes as he walked casually out the door- which had been left open through the whole ordeal- and turn in the direction of his own room.

She moved as swiftly as possible when she heard small noises coming from Naraku's room; it was on the other side of the wall that her bed was pressed against. The oak door slammed shut as loudly as she could and moved back over to the bed which she had immediately deemed 'The Gate To Hell'. Her theory was, if you laid in it, your soul would be sent to Hell immediately.

That was a good theory, she decided resolutely, staring at the rumpled bed sheets and obvious bloodstains.

With a blood-curdling scream tearing out of her throat, Kagome ripped the white silk sheets off the bed. In her haste to get rid of some of the more obvious blankets, fabric was torn and tossed aside. When she finished, she stared listlessly at the bare mattress. It just hurt so much to look at it; she was surprised she could walk- stand- lift an arm! The teenager didn't notice the sounds emitting from her throat, horrible sobs that her ears couldn't hear because of the pain she felt.

It just hurts so much... Why do I deserve this? And why is it always around Christmas time? Did I do something wrong in that car crash? Is it because I'm still alive and they're dead? God, tell me what I did so I can fix it? I'm only fourteen, but I'm sure- I'm so sure I can make it right if I try! She had walked over to the large balcony and glass door, letting herself fall in a heap in the corner where the closed glass met another corner of the wall.

The young woman finally felt the sobs rub into the soft flesh of her larynx, and she sobbed harder. The pain would go away, she knew. Eventually... because time healed all wounds. ..And no one's here to save me anymore. I'm on my own... I'm completely on my own, she thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep, still crumpled lifelessly in the darkened corner.

As her thoughts swirled back into the dark abyss of unconsciousness, she didn't notice the small and almost invisible crystal fall from the early morning sky. It stuck to the glass door, as close to the unconsciously sobbing girl as it could get, and slid slowly down as heat from inside seeped through the glass to melt it.

The slowly melting snowflake knew it would be the first of many to fall in this light snowfall...

Author's Note: Oh, I'm bad, and I'm sorry. I do apologize. I want Kagome to meet the brothers at the right time, and my brain keeps telling me it's the wrong time..

Sorry.

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