AUTHOR'S NOTE… Okay one of my reviewers mentioned that she didn't like how I portrayed Kagome. She said that they way Kagome talked wasn't right. I only make Kagome talk this way because of the time period she's living in. Remember, this is Victorian England. It's bound to be different than modern slang.

While she remained in her feverish state of mind Kagome dreamt. The dreams seemed odd to her for they were memories that she harbored of Inuyasha, but in Inuyasha's place was Sesshomaru. So, when she first kissed Inuyasha in her memories while she dreamt she kissed Sesshomaru instead. This fact disturbed her for she felt as if she were betraying her husband. What frightened the poor woman the most was that she never fought the kisses that Sesshomaru gave her. In fact Kagome had rather enjoyed them and had, in turn, responded with kisses of her own. And so Kagome continued to sleep as the fever replaced all images of Inuyasha with those of Sesshomaru.

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"It's been nearly a week since she became feverish and she still has not waken up," Sango explained to Lord Inutaisho with worry in her eyes. "It truly is not normal. If this keeps up then she'll starve to death rather than from the fever itself. Inutaisho stroked his chin slowly and stood up from behind his desk.
"What did her doctor say about this situation?" Inutaisho asked Sango. Sango held her hands in front of her as she looked down at the ground.

"He said that she may have experienced a nervous break down from the extreme stress she has been suffering from, but surely she should have waken up by now."
"Mm, you are correct in what you say Miss Sango," he replied with a frown. "I will look into a more professional opinion. In the meantime please keep an eye on Kagome. I've lost one child already; I don't want to lose another." Sango curtsied with her hands holding her skirts and she backed out from the room leaving the tall man to his thoughts. When she left and after the door shut with a final click Inutaisho returned to his seat. It wasn't much longer until the door opened once more and Miroku entered shutting the door behind him as he did so. He bowed to Inutaisho and sighed.

"You have my deepest apologies on my incorrect diagnosis of your daughter in law," Miroku said honestly.

"No, Doctor, it was not your fault. It seemed logical that she should fall ill by being under stress but how would that explain her inability to wake up?"
"That is because it does not explain her deep sleep. If you would permit me to do so I would like to continue working as her physician."
"Of course, of course," said Inutaisho with a wave of his hand in dismissal. "All I ask of you is for you to keep your nasty habits to yourself." Miroku grinned and chuckled.
"You wound me with your accusing nature, Lord Inutaisho, but I will respect your wishes." He bowed one last time before backing out of the room and shutting the door behind him. As soon as he knew that he would have no more interruptions the great lord rested his head on his desk and sighed. It was going to be a long week.

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Later on that evening Kagome awoke with a start and found herself immersed in soaked sheets and an equally soaked night shift. Panting with wild eyes she searched her dark room for any sign of a presence. She jumped when Sesshomaru's emotionless voice came to her from inside the shadows.
"So you've awakened," he said simply as he stood and walked to her bedside. "You gave the household quite a scare." She bowed her head and her hands clenched the black blankets.

"I'm a bit thirsty," she said her voice hoarse from lack of use. "Could you ask Sango to bring me some tea?"
"I am afraid that the servants have retired for the night. But I shall bring you the tea that you request."
"Thank you Sesshomaru," she said as she looked up in the direction that she supposed Sesshomaru stood. He said nothing in reply and merely left her room to bring her the drink. She leaned against the mahogany headboard and looked up at the ceiling. The dreams remained vivid in her mind and each time she traveled back to those memories she felt a shiver go down her spine. Within moments Sesshomaru returned with her drink and sat in a chair beside her bed. He handed her the cup of tea and she sipped it slowly the warm liquid stinging her still sore throat.

"Sesshomaru," Kagome began in a soft whisper as she stared down into the steaming depths of her cup, "there is something that I need to ask you."
"Hmm?" Sesshomaru questioned but his response was more like a grunt rather than an actual word. "And what would that be?"

"Your father wishes for you to marry me, right?" Although the room was dark she could almost feel him stiffen.
"There is not point in lying to you, Kagome," Sesshomaru said reluctantly. "It is true that Father desires that we join in holy matrimony. However I feel that neither of us would benefit from such an arrangement."

"Yes, I agree with you Sesshomaru." Kagome did not add to the conversation about her dreams but the knowledge that she had willingly kissed Sesshomaru in an alternate reality disturbed her.

"Is there anything else that you wish to ask before I take my leave and retire for the evening?"
"No, nothing at all," Kagome whispered. Sesshomaru stood and moved quickly to the door so as not to experience another uncomfortable discussion about marriage.
"Goodnight Kagome," he said as he stood in the doorway.
"Goodnight Sesshomaru," she replied softly. He left the door open and he moved down the hallway to his chambers where he would remain in deep solitude. Now that he and Kagome both continued to fulfill their duties to society's laws on mourning they were free to ignore Inutaisho's urge for them to marry. Sesshomaru, not keen on the idea of marrying his brother's wife, felt relieved that for at least two more years he could forget all about his duty to his father. At least, that is, until something unexpected occurred.

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As Sango dutifully cleaned the banister earlier on the next morning she noticed that the head doctor, the one called Miroku, was walking casually up the stairs with his eyes focused on hers. He smiled at her and her heart leapt into her throat. A slight blush caressed her cheeks and she bowed her head to avoid his kind look.

"Good morning Lady Sango," said Miroku as he passed by her. She nodded meekly and continued to work until his hand reached out and caught her wrist. He examined her hands with a frown and she realized that he was looking at the damage scullery work had done to her skin over the years.
"I have a cream that might be able to heal your hands," he told her. Sango gently removed her hand from his grasp and curtsied.
"I thank you sir, but it would serve no purpose to put cream on my hands only to have the skin damaged again with my work."
"Mm, you have a point there," Miroku agreed with a nod. "But it couldn't hurt to try. After all you have such lovely hands and fingers." Sango blushed furiously and backed up with her bucket of water and her cleaning rag.
"Good day sir," said Sango as she hurried off. Miroku chuckled and watched her leave with a sigh.
"Ah, such a lovely woman she is," he said with a shrug as he continued down the hall in the opposite direction.

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A tall man dressed as a butler entered the darkened chambers that belonged to Lord Sesshomaru later on that evening with a tiny vial filled with liquid being carried in his hand. Stealthily he moved through the shadows until he reached his destination: a glass of water next to Sesshomaru's bedside. Adding a series of drops into the water and shaking the glass lightly so as to stir the contents he moved away from the area quickly and departed just as quickly as he had entered. The moment the door shut a clawed hand reached up to grab the glass of water. The figure, now sitting up in bed, took a long sip from the water and suddenly dropped the glass while clutching his throat. When he was discovered the next day it seemed as the assassin had made a mistake; the water that he had added the poison to had belonged to not Lord Sesshomaru but to Lord Inutaisho. The moment that Sesshomaru learned of his father's death he knew right then and there what he needed to do; he had to marry Kagome in order to preserve the family name. But when he decided to go and ask Kagome he discovered that she was not up to seeing visitors and had asked to be left alone. Sesshomaru acquiesced to her wishes with a frown. He could no longer put this off for now the family's situation was risky; if something should happen to him then the fruitful lineage of the Taisho clan would all be for naught. Whether Kagome was mourning or not and whether society allowed it or not Sesshomaru Taisho would indeed marry Lady Kagome.

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Kagome sobbed into her pillow inside her room. First she lost her husband and now she lost another person in her life. Inutaisho had always been kind to her and given her nothing short of fatherly kindness. Sitting up and drying her eyes with a white handkerchief lined in black lace she dabbed at her red eyes and looked around through the darkness searching for any sign of a visitor. Upon seeing none she removed a dagger that she had hidden beneath her pillow and held it in shaking hands. She slowly brought the point to the dip in her throat and just when she was about to end her very existence a hand reached out and knocked the object from her grasp sending it spiraling to the ground where it layed, unused.

"What were you thinking," Sesshomaru said coldly from the darkness. "Suicide is a coward's way out of problems. Though you were the woman of my brother who was not the strongest I never once through that you would be such a foolish coward."

"I'm not a coward," Kagome whispered in return not realizing that her life was in his hands. "I'm just lonely, scared, and tired of living."

"Do we not all feel the same way? If you die to escape your pain then all you will end up with is more pain. You are a full grown woman now Kagome and you are the sole person that can save this clan."
"What are you trying to say?" Kagome asked him with worry in her voice though her widened eyes were not visible through the darkness.
"Lady Higurashi Kagome, will you please marry me?"