If you've read 'The Encore' then you don't have to read this chapter because it's the first to chapters of that story. I've decided to combine them and make them a chapter on here. It seemed like a better idea and its got me a little more motivated to finish this once and for all. So please don't chow my head off and give me a flame. :D

Chapter Fourteen

Kagome stretched out her arms and gave a victorious sigh. She'd finally finished re-programming the entire building. Now it was off to Inutaisho Inc. Sesshomaru had called her and explained that there was a board meeting set for two o' clock. Oh goodie my favorite time of the say. She thought as she trudged into Inutaisho Inc.'sbuilding. You'd hardly ever find her in her office; she only stayed long enough to sign a few contracts and then is off handling her other duties. Her secretary gave her a nod and then handed her the latest contracts from three other businesses in Europe who wanted a merger with Inutaisho Corp.

As for the gang of miscreants known as her friends, they all took their own courses in life. InuYasha had become a high school teacher. He had wanted to work at the University a few hours away from Tokyo but found that he'd rather encourage young minds while they're still fresh. He usually came over after work for dinner. He and Akina lived together; they were twenty minutes away from Kagome and Sesshomaru. Kagome's parents still lived in their same house, Souta, Rin, and Shippo were all going to Tokyo University. As for Kagome's child Uri; she was ten and full of life. Uri spent her time in after school programs, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday she had soccer practice and on Tuesday and Thursday she went to girl scouts. Kagome wanted her daughter to have anything that she couldn't provide her with when she was younger. But at the same time she didn't want to smother the child and corrupt her innocence with materialistic ideals. Uri never took advantage of the fact that her mother and Sesshomaru made so much and could literally by her just about anything. But she refused it all saying that she could live without any of that. The only thing she ever asked for was sketch books and painting material.

The double doors swung opened and Kagome seated herself next to Sesshomaru at the head of the table.

"So sorry I'm late. Let's get down to business." She said and plopped her briefcase onto the large oak table, surrounded by ten stockholders.

"Ms. Higurashi, though you are the co-owner of this business we would all like to remind you that this meeting should have started ten minutes ago." Said an elder man sitting in the center of the table to left.

"As you know Mr. Soharka I'm able to cancel this meeting at anytime so maybe you should silence yourself and stop wasting me and my partner's time. Some of us have businesses to run and no time for this."

"Well said Kagome. Now as you all know our sales have skyrocketed in the past year. But there is always room for improvement." Sesshomaru took his seat and allowed Kagome to speak.

"We've devised a plan to expand this corporation to Canada and Africa. India has decided to sign a merger with us and will be bringing a few of their top employers here to work along side of us. This means that we'll have to send a few over there to seal the deal. I've called in a favor from a friend of mine who lives in Somalia. She has agreed to start canvassing our products." She opened her briefcase and pulled out thick stacks of papers in manila folders. "As you can see in this report there has been an increased demand for internet services. People don't like to pay an arm and a leg to get onto the World Wide Web. So I've talked to Sakuo Tashionawa, who as all of you know is the CEO of Frontier Corp. has agreed to support this idea to the fullest extent. I prompted him with the idea of charging less than ten dollars to get online." She heard many gasps. "It has been done before but we aren't talking 9.95 a month. I'm talking about 5.00 even a month and that's just for the service, most would charge for every time a person logged on. The way that is will function correctly is to have as many people as possible get hooked to this idea. The more people the more business. On the homepage it shall have a count at the very bottom, the number shall be multiplied by Sakuo and he'll have his investors deal with the costs and money itself."

The room fell silent all except for Sesshomaru who was flipping through her collection of work.

"Well Kagome I must say that I'm impressed by your outstanding work. Now if you'll excuse us Kagome and I have a child to pick up." He allowed Kagome to exit the room and then follows.

"Good save Sesshomaru."

"It was the truth though. Uri should be about done with practice if I'm correct." He said in his usual monotone voice. She rolled her eyes and pushed the button for the elevator. It was on the fifth floor, while they still remained on the tenth.

"Why is it that this thing takes forever? Maybe we should make a call and have it fixed." She suggested as the number changed to six decipher that it was on the sixth floor.

"You're just impatient. You're the co-owner of a multimillion dollar corporation and your standing here complaining about the elevator?" She gave him a glare and stepped through the elevator doors.

"I wouldn't be complaining if you'd just call someone to fix them. Elevators aren't supposed to go that slow."

"Neither is your brain but you aren't bent on fixing that either." He retorted and felt the elevator moving down toward the ground.

"When will you get off your high horse you jerk?"

"When hell freezes over or you get a life which ever happens first." She folded her arms over her chest and listened to the ding of the elevator as it made its way to the second floor. The door opened on the second floor and allowed a man about Kagome's age in. He stood next to Kagome on the far left while she remained in the middle. The gentleman standing next to her smiled at her and she did the same.

"You must be Ms. Higurashi." He finally said as they reached the last floor.

"Why yes I am and you are?" He looked a little started by her polite tone. From what he heard from some of the guys around the office she could be deadly on her bad days.

"Drake, I moved here from America two years ago." She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You look as if you are a descendent from this country."

"My parents were originally from here; they raised me in America and moved back out here when I turned 15."

"Well we must be off. It was a pleasure to meet you Drake, you should swing by my office sometime or better yet come to this address and we'll talk about getting you into that office at the top." She handed him a Frontier Corp. business card and gave him a wink. She and Sesshomaru stepped off of the elevator and went out to their cars.

"Do you even know that guy?" Sesshomaru asked while standing at the driver's side of his car.

"Yes of course. His name is Drake Kayo and he's been here in Tokyo for about two years. His parents are the owners of that shop down the road where we purchase Uri's art supplies. He could be valuable to us on the eighth floor. He has the skills to shape up the advertisement team."

"Fine but just know that whatever happens is all because of your decisions."

"And need I remind you that all my decisions have always turned out for the better?" He rolled his eyes. "So do you want to pick up Uri from soccer practice or do you want to pick up something for dinner?"

"I'll get Uri you take care of dinner." He climbed into his car and started off for her school. Kagome sat in her seat waiting for his car to leave before following him out of the parking lot. She turned left once she reached the curb while she watched his car disappear to the right.

Her thoughts were on all that had happened over the past few years. She'd fallen for her partner and man that she lived with. It was bad enough that she had to look at him each day and know he'd never love her. Love wasn't something Sesshomaru could muster and she refused to even say a word about her own feelings for the stone known as Sesshomaru. He had always been one of her best friends, someone she trusted with her life, just not with her heart. That was something she couldn't give him, for if he shattered it, she would never be able to look at him let alone forgive him. But then there was the fact that she even trusted him at all. He was a good man, no doubt about that, but thinking to herself that he couldn't love her the way she did him made her feel horrid.

Shaking her head of her thoughts she focused on the road but also meeting that was scheduled the next day. The son of a very important client was due to arrive the following day and sign papers for a merger. He was also to remain there at the company until the end of the year when the contracts were set into motion. She didn't feel up to dealing with some rich kid doing daddy's work. Rowland Terence was going to be around her nonstop for the next year and all she really wanted to do was bury herself into the ground. He haled from England and lived in Wales. His father had two other children and Rowland was the only boy out of the three. His two sisters were also younger than him. She knew a few things about him, since his father talked nonstop on the phone with her. The man was insane, just simply insane. He never knew when to shut up or when he's said too much.

(LINE HERE)

Kagome pulled up to the house after getting dinner. She usually would cook but she wasn't up to it that night. She just wanted to sit in her office and write more to her story. Sitting everything in the kitchen she headed off to her office. She'd beaten Sesshomaru and Uri home, as usual. Sesshomaru would usually end up getting too involved with Uri's school life. He'd usually talk with her coaches or organization runners. He always needed to make sure she was alright there, and some of the people were just scared of the guy. Uri adored him though. She'd ramble on about her day as if he were her best friend. Kagome felt truly blessed that he'd even allow the girl to call him 'dad'. Sesshomaru seemed to ooze fatherly instinct. He knew what to say and what to do, much like her own father. It fit him.

Flopping into her chair she pulled out her manuscript and started to flip through it. She had finished writing it, but now she needed to type it up and have a few people rad over it. She had been writing it for over five years and she'd finally finished the thirty seventh chapter. She flipped open her laptop and began the long tiring process of typing it out. She had about twelve of the chapters completed on her laptop.

She just wondered how Sesshomaru would feel if she actually had it published. Most of it was about him, her and their crazy spiraling 'relationship'.

Inuyasha and Akina raided the kitchen for something to eat but found that Kagome hadn't done any grocery shopping. Inuyasha decided to just veg out in the living room with his 'niece' Uri. It was a normal Saturday afternoon and the owners of said house were at work. Sundays were their own off days, so that left the lovely couple to watch Uri. Akina wandered about the house and soon found herself in Kagome's private office. She was unfazed by the bit about privacy, seeing as how she knew Kagome well enough and knew the girl wouldn't get upset about her old roommate snooping through her office. Pushing the door open she entered and looked about. It wasn't too big or too small, it seemed to fit Kagome's style and warmth. All the walls were covered with book shelves and thousands of books. In the very center of the room sat her dark brown oak desk with a few books piled on top of it. On her large calendar mat sat her laptop.

Akina sat down in Kagome's large chair and flipped through a few of her papers until her eyes caught something in particular. A large stake of stapled papers that sat inside of a manila folder. Opening it she read the first bit and gasped. She knew Kagome was writing a story of some sort but she never expect this. Akina continued to read until she found herself trapped in its plot and romance. She kind of felt bad for Kagome though, she knew that her friend had written it about Sesshomaru, who else could it be?

"...I don't mind much that he doesn't feel the same for me, just that I can bask in his wondrous persona, soak up his voice and drown in his eyes..." Akina read aloud feeling the words leave her lips. "...I closed my eyes and tried to fall asleep but the voices wouldn't yield. I tried with all my might to control them but they continued to shout at me. I knew I had to decide but how could I. I don't think I could ever live with him, it was a decision that I alone would have to live with. He had given me to the end of the summer to decide and somewhere inside I knew it wasn't enough time. We'd been friends for quite some time but my feelings for him had shifted so dramatically that I wasn't sure about what we were to one another anymore. He'd kissed me more than any of my past boyfriends had, yet we're not together. Still before he left me for Paris he had kissed me. I at the time didn't think upon it as much because I was more than sure it was reflex, not only for him but me as well. It was a kiss that said There's-nowhere-I'd-rather-be-right-now-than-right-here and how true this was. I'd melted into the kiss like I was beginning life again. I had questioned that day a lot more than I would have liked. I even remembered the words I said to him as well. But I shall not repeat them, for they are lodged into my brain with a nail. I miss the feel on his hands in my hair and his soft lips pressed to mine, like I was his only oxygen..."

"Akina what on earth are you doing in Kagome's office?" Came Inuyasha's voice, causing her to nearly jump from her seat. She closed the folder and put on her best face. "Well?" He said rather impatiently.

"Well you see what happened...oh Inuyasha really now. I was just curious. Plus you'll never guess what I found."

"What's that?" He said coming into the office. He looked about him and then shrugged. He then swept over to his girlfriend and peered over he shoulder at what she was trying to show him.

"It seems that our little Kagome's written some sort of story. The thing is I believe its about Sesshomaru. Only there seems to be two separate stories. One is called 'Mirror' and the other is 'The Future looks Brighter' but she's combined them as one."

"That's strange, so what are they about?"

"Well I got through part of Mirror and a little of the other one and well Mirror seems unrealistic to me."

"Why?" He took the one she was talking about and opened to a part of it and read. "...Our well known dislike for one another was wearing thin with the other members of our group. No one really knew why we were so angry with one another, seeing as how we didn't have a spoken relationship, or lack there of. He gave me a stoic glare before resuming his guard duty. He thinks that just because he's some powerful lord of the western lands he can intimidate me, ha. As if reading my thoughts he raised an eyebrow at me from across the campfire and I just glared. I hated it more when he was confused, glaring means one thing but a confused sort of curious look can mean many things. It means the wheels are turning in his mind and that he's overanalyzing things again. Inuyasha looked between us and gave him brother a withering look. That look could scare poor, small children. But then most times people were scared of Inuyasha and he never even asked to be half demon. No I do not pity him, he's my friend and I care about him deeply. Through our travels we've become many things and through all of it we still remain friends. But this I cannot tell him. I cannot reveal to him the truth...the mere fact that I, Kagome Higurashi, love his full demon brother–lord of the western lands–I'll-kill-you-if-you-look-at-me-funny, Sesshomaru. I'm so stupid for falling for him. He's the most difficult man to deal with. Though he may be a dog demon he's still got man-like characteristics..."

"See what I mean. But its good isn't it." She said grinning at Inuyasha. He was still gaping at the story in his hands. "Close your mouth hun." she said starting to laugh.

"Listen to this part, I opened it closer to the end...I may have been gone for so many years but if felt like I never left. When he held me close I felt my breath hitch inside my throat and I could no longer take in oxygen. I was angry with him for the year I was gone but that didn't stop the fact that I missed him like crazy. It felt horrid being apart from him. Father said that I shouldn't worry myself over him, that maybe one day we'd be able to be together, that he loved me even though he'd never say it. I have great confidence in him and I know he loves me. Maybe one day he'll tell me himself. I crashed onto my bed and tried to sleep but found that my mind was bouncing about in my skill. Coming back to this era has taken its toll on me.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru held a meeting. I of course attended, not out of choice but by force. Inuyasha felt that I shouldn't avoid Sesshomaru, that though his brother could be quite difficult I could be too. I gave him a hard glare before wrenching my arms from his hands and went inside for the meeting. I tried to stay out of the spotlight but soon I was up and taking charge of the meeting. A few of the other lords didn't like the fact that 'the great warrior' who defeated Naraku was reduced to a human. The nerve of that guy. Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and the rest of our friends were human too and for good reason. Sometimes Inuyasha just surprises me. I mean it was like he knew that that evil mist was going to attack. Too bad I had to lie to them all about it. I know what I must do and I don't like the idea.

Death wasn't something I'd expected, I couldn't do it. But Sahori said it would work out in the end and that Sesshomaru and I would be together again..."

"Don't you think its odd though. It sounds as if she's writing an autobiography or something. I mean we both know she's part demon and all. She even told us that Onigumo and Kiki aren't her real parents, that she doesn't have any parents. See listen to this...I always sort of figured that I never truly had a family. I know I have a mother and father, but in another time I hadn't my mother had died and my father was trapped inside of a crazed guy who had all these demons inside him. No they weren't my actual parents but they raised me and that counted for something right? I mean in this time I've got friends, family and things are sort of normal...minus being a demon and all. Oh plus there's the fact that I was created by the eight sages to do their bidding on earth, how fun is that? Each month I go through a day of torture. After the sun sets I must hide in my room and allow the stem of my wings to push its way through my flesh, then slowly through the night my feathers grow, but by noon the next day they fall out and the stems press themselves back into my back. Blood loss is possible, but I heal rather quickly. Sesshomaru knew about my transformations and often helped me get away for the night. He never spoke a word to anyone, which I was grateful for. He didn't have to and I kind of always wondered why he did it. I'd say because of the love we shared but before we even acknowledged that he helped me..."

"So you think she's writing about those weird dreams she had when we were in college?"

"Yeah, she told me about them and the journals from her other selves. Its kind of strange but kind of interesting at the same time. You know."

"Yeah and the fact that she even knew me then is kind of mind blowing." He said running a hand through his shoulder length hair.

"Maybe you two were lovers in another life." They both went silent for a moment. Then they laughed and hard.

"Good -gasp- one -laugh- Akina." Inuyasha said trying to control his breathing.

When they both calmed down Akina flipped through the books pages some more.

"...I lie awake each night here and for some reason it feels like home. It isn't my home though, for I live in the real world filled with skyscrapers, cars, and pollution. In the Feudal Era there isn't anything like that, in fact there's demons, creatures of different origin. Its so beautiful here too, forests and large spacious mountains. But the downside are the bad demons who are after us for the Jewel Shards."

Kagome turned the corner and made it to her office just in time, only to have Sesshomaru follow her in and close the door. She hadn't seen him since they left for work that morning. It was nearing the time to meet Rowland and Kagome was a nervous wreck. Sesshomaru looked calm, cool and collected.

"Why are you worried?" He asked leaning over her desk with his eyebrow raised.

"Because I'm not sure what to say to the guy. I mean I know but I don't. What if he doesn't want to sign the merger? What if-" Sesshomaru held up his hand to stop her from speaking.

"We've been doing this for years now so don't become a wreck just before we sign the most important merger of our lives." He said and she took in a breath and released it.

"You're right I'm sorry. I think I'm okay now. Just keep me on track and I think I'll make it." She said smiling at him. He nodded his head and allowed a small smile to embed on his lips.

Writer's Note: Well I guess we'll all have to wait and see what happens huh. I got some reviews and well I've decided to make this story a happy ending. I had a whole other ending to this all written out but then I thought about my kind readers and decided against it. I think I'll share it with you though so you can see what I had planned :D

Don't freak out people this isn't the real ending it's just what I was working on. Tell me if you would have liked it to end that way or if I should continue with a happy ending :D

Ending I Wrote—isn't the real ending though

The wind whipped against her hair as she passed through the crowds of people. Uri looked at her mother with utter confusion as she followed. Her mother had said that she couldn't handle living in Japan any longer, that she needed to get away. She had heard her mother on the phone the other night talking with Rowland. She had said that she needed to visit him in England for a while. That was what caused this little trip to the airport. She loved her mother but she didn't feel as if this decision was wise. She knew more than Kagome and Sesshomaru thought she did. She knew that Sesshomaru loved her mother and that he had planned to ask her to marry him despite the fact that he'd hurt her. He honestly loved her. Uri could be sure of that.

She could remember when she was younger when her mother fought with Sesshomaru and he'd say something to hurt her without meaning it. Worst of all though he couldn't bring himself to ever tell her that he loved her. She heard him talking to Inuyasha once when she was younger. He had said that if he were to ever love another it would be Kagome because her face was the only thing he'd want to wake up next to in the morning. Inuyasha often wondered why his brother avoided telling Kagome of his feelings. Uri also wondered this too. If her mother and the man she saw as her father could join together in a union of love then she'd have a perfect family.

Before this fight they seemed to have a great life. It was until Roland came along that is. He seemed to attract her mother's attention and pulled her away from Sesshomaru. I don't know why she's running away. He does love her but he's just as freaked out as she is. Then there's the fact that she's already got a boyfriend, sort of. He did lie about having a fiancé, who happened to be my aunt.. He did seem sorry about lying but then mom's put up with enough. She does love him and she loves me. Most of all she loves herself enough to admit when some thing is out of her control.

Kagome looked at Uri for a moment and then found the way to their private plane. Uri's long curly hair bounced on her back as she walked faster to keep up with her mother. She didn't want to go with her mother on this trip. She knew she might not see Sesshomaru ever again and that just killed her inside. Not only that but there was her grandfather, grandmother, uncle Inuyasha, aunt Akina, aunt Yuki, uncle Tojin and so many other people who cared for her. If they went on this trip they most likely wouldn't be returning.

The pilot of the plane smiled brightly at Kagome as they approached. Uri knew him as Jin, and she'd met him a few times through her life. He'd been in the band with her mother for a while and then went on to become a pilot and writer. He and Kagome talked for a bit and then allowed them to board the small plane.

Sesshomaru glared at his brother's retreating back and then he glared at his own reflection. He'd hurt her in more ways than one and she stormed out with the child he'd come to care for. He grabbed his keys and made his way out of the house they'd shared for so many years. Uri had looked rather upset when Kagome lifted her up and left. He felt his heart break with every step she took but he refused to chase her, refused to accept that he might love her just a little. He'd never say it, he refused to.

Upon reaching the airport he rushed through the crowds and made it to the information desk he asked the woman sitting there about Kagome's plane but she said that her plane had left just before he arrived. He felt his anger melt away and was replaced with something he'd never thought possible...regret. He regretted every single word he'd said to her. He shouldn't have denied his love. It was a mistake that he'd made the entire time they'd been friends. He made his way back home and crashed onto the couch in defeat. He'd lost her for good this time. She'd be going back to Rowland and he'd be back to where he started. He grabbed the remote and flipped on the television. The news was on. He allowed his bored expression to draw slowly onto his face as the woman rattled on about the weather.

'Back to you Sanyo' she said and the frame moved back to the man with short choppy hair. He looked rather startled.

'Yes yes, terrible news has just been reported. Long time business tycoon Kagome Higurashi has died today at the age of twenty six. Her plane that had been heading toward England one way crashed into the ocean, no survivors were found...' Sesshomaru's heart stopped beating the moment he said the word 'died'. He threw the remote at the television and cause it to go right through the it. He hunched over and felt hot tears form around his eyes until he couldn't stop them from falling down his pale cheeks. He covered his face with his large hands and wept. Muttering softly to himself 'I loved you...Kagome...I loved you and I failed you...'

Okay so yeah I wrote this a long time ago and yeah this was my ending before I changed my mind. I'd like to give thanks to the following reviewers :D

Crest01
Yanee
Evfrosyne
animefreak404112
Shezel
Wolfye Productions
SesshiesPersonalAssistant
WonderiousPriestess
Allwitchesmustdie
Yami Chikara
MacDuffyGirl
juupen
gem gamgee
veithunnie
Demented Dope
mksanime
Emmybelle
KKSG
ladyslivefox1
Screaming Confessionals
Tsuki ikust
animeadhdgeek14
spirit-huntress
bridgette53
mevneriel
fang
Kirin Kage the Shadow Girl
archer362
Ashley41791