Chapter Fifteen

By: Mirei

Sesshomaru watched as Kagome calmed herself and prepared to meet the son of the owner of the company they'd be signing a merger with. Kagome was a wreck and he didn't blame her one bit. But after he'd said his words she'd relaxed.

"What if I really mess up? What if he hates me and decides to just leave?" Sesshomaru let out a sigh as she ranted. She'd done that a lot during their first year of their partnership.

"You've said that every year since we started this business and as you can plainly see this company is still thriving." She looked much like a small child on the verge of tears.

"And each year you give me that same speech that's much like a reality check." She said allowing herself to smile.

"It is my duty to bring you back to sanity."

"Clever, very clever Sesshomaru."

"It is a gift. Now-" He started but stopped when the door to the office opened. A tall English man walked in wearing a casual business suit. Kagome and Sesshomaru looked at one another and then back at him. Kagome allowed her eyes to paint a mental picture of him. He stood at about the same height as Sesshomaru and had thick light brown hair. His eyes were bright blue with tints of grey and they shimmered with a child-like giddiness. She expected a snobbish boy who'd lived off his father's riches but he looked like someone who enjoyed the little things in life.

"Ms. Higurashi, it's a pleasure to be in your presence." He said extending his hand and giving her a dashing smile. She took it and returned the smile. Sesshomaru looked at her and saw the look on her face. He knew she found this guy attractive and this made him uncomfortable. He glared at the British male still holding her hand and cleared his throat. "Terribly sorry mate, you must be Sesshomaru Taisho. It's a pleasure." He said letting go of Kagome's hand and offering it to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru took it but didn't say anything.

"So how about we get down to business." Kagome said sensing the tension.

"Oh come on."

"No."

"Please."

"No,"

"But-"

"I said no."

"But I love you uncle." Inuyasha looked at the ten year old and knew he couldn't say no to her when she said that. Uri could be convincing when she wanted to.

"Fine but you can't tell anyone." He said giving her a stern look. She grinned and handed him the dress and hat.

"I promise." she said placing her own hat on top of her head. "You're going to Yumi and I'll be Saka." She said.

"Fine." he huffed and took his seat at the tea party.

"You look really pretty Uncle Inu." She said grinning even more.

"I don't know how I should feel about that comment Uri."

She laughed. The door then opened and Akina walked in.

"If I had known that I'd find you in a dress and at a tea party I wouldn't have even come in." She said through fits of giggles. He glared at her.

"Come play with us Auntie Akina."

"I must say Ms. Higurashi you drive a hard bargain." Rowland said taking his seat and picking up his menu.

"Please call me Kagome." She said giving him a flirtatious smile.

"Alright Kagome. Where did you say Mr. Taisho went?"

"Oh he had to meet up with someone, he wouldn't tell me who but he seemed a little annoyed." She shrugged and looked through the menu. She'd been wondering all night why he suddenly canceled on their 'celebration'. Rowland didn't need much convincing about their company, he was too entranced with Kagome to even care. Plus his father really wanted the merger to go through.

"That's too bad." He said not seeming at all upset about the fact that he had Kagome all to himself.

"He's an odd man." She said looking off into space.

"I find it hard to believe that you and Mr. Taisho live together and nothing romantic has occurred. Also you two are so opposite." This caught her attention and she gaped at him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that well you're really friendly and nice and Mr. Taisho's stern and well cold."

"Sesshomaru isn't always that way and we've been friends for a long time. I trust him with my life and the reason he's 'stern' and 'cold' is because he's not a people person. As for our living arrangements we both wanted security and since we were the best of friends it seemed logical that we'd end up living together."

"And your daughter? Is he her father?" They'd been talking for two straight hours about their lives and he knew a few key things about her.

"She calls him dad and he cares for her very much but no he's not her biological father. Her mother died giving birth to her and she was my best friend since childhood. Yuri wanted me to take her and look after her and I couldn't say no. Sesshomaru loves her very much and she couldn't imagine a life without him."

"So basically its like you guys are one big happy family, minus the sex and romance." he said with a wink. She blushed. "But tell me Kagome does it bother you at all that you love him and yet you can't have him?" She felt her mouth fall open. "Oh come now Kagome I could tell throughout the meeting. I could help you if you'd like."

"Help...me?" She said still gaping.

"Yes, you see I could tell from the moment I entered the office that he wanted to rip me apart for looking at you. I'd say he was mighty jealous."

"Him...jealous?" She couldn't close her mouth.

"Yes. Have you two not noticed or something?" he laughed.

"Noticed what?"

"Oh wow, so you two have been wandering about without acknowledging the major love going on between the both of you."

"Love?"

"Yes love, you do know what it is since you're involved in it." She blushed. "It's really simple and yet you two seem to be playing cat and mouse."

"What should I do?"

"I have a plan..."

Sesshomaru glared out the café window as he continued to stir his coffee absently. People passed by the window and he just watched allowing his mind to wander. Kagome was a constant thought in his mind, how could she not be. Its simple, I love the damn woman. The trouble is that I'm sure she doesn't feel the same. She made it clear all that time ago that we were nothing but friends. No family. Which is why I have to fix this one thing that's haunting me, has been for so long.

"Sesshomaru...it's been a while." Came a voice from behind him. He jolted from his thoughts and sat up straight.

"Kagura...late as usual is see." He said in a stiff voice.

"I see you still haven't lost that grouchy exterior. Sometimes I wondered if you were the reincarnate of an old man." She laughed flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder.

"I see your childish ways haven't left you."

"Why don't we just drop the useless banter and get down to business?" She said placing her arms on the table and looking at him with seriousness playing on her face.

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

"You called this little 'get-together' so why don't you explain what you want?"

"It is fairly simple. I don't wish to continue with our parent's plans for our future." he said without his face changing expression.

"Oh and what makes you think I'd agree to this?"

"The deal was that the arrangement would be thrown out if either of us were with someone before the due date."

"And you, Sesshomaru-who-could-scare-a-woman-away actually found someone?" She said raising an eyebrow at him.

"Yes in fact I have." He said smirking.

"I don't believe you."

"Do you need proof?"

"Yes." She said glaring. He pulled out his wallet and flipped through the pictures. He then produced a group shot of Kagome, Uri and himself. They had taken it when Uri was five and heading off for her first day of kindergarten. Kagome was scolding him but had a smile on her face. Uri was sitting on his lap talking to him happily and he was trying hard to keep his cool with both females talking his head off. Inuyasha had taken the picture. The group in the shot hadn't seen it coming because Inuyasha had snuck up on them while they were getting Uri ready. He allowed a small smile to tickle his face before he passed the picture to Kagura. She took it in her hands and glared at the picture. "So this is the girl that you're throwing the deal away for?"

"Yes and frankly I hadn't planned on ever arranging this meeting, since there was not point. But then I received a letter from father and couldn't be rude. So now that you know you can move on with your life."

"What makes you think I was waiting for you?"

"When you are betrothed to a man of my stature you would wait for the fortune. I've known you for a long time and its simple."

"I'm insulted."

"You shouldn't be, its your specialty."

"I don't have to sit here and take this."

"You're right you don't." He said taking the picture from her. She stood and stomped out of the café. Sesshomaru let out a relieved sigh and finished his coffee. The thought of Kagome came to mind again and he wondered how she was with the young British male. He could tell from the moment that Rowland entered the room Kagome liked him, found him attractive. It scared him a bit when that feeling of jealousy crept up on him. The possibility that she might like this man brought out a beast within him. They had agreed that after the kiss there would be no more of it, unless they meant it.

hr

Akina pulled out the copied manuscript from Kagome's office. She flipped through it until she found her place.

"...Sesshomaru and Inuyasha seemed a lot closer since the last time I was here. When I left they were barely speaking and six years later I find them practicing together and actually running the Western Lands together..."

"Are you still reading that thing?"

"Yes, its interesting and romantic."

"And about my brother."

"I just want to know how its going to end and I'm getting closer to the end."

"I thought you knew how it ended."

"Not really, Kagome never really told me much about the dreams and such."

"So then get to the end of it already." He said sitting down next to her.

"You, Inuyasha are very impatient."

"Feh."

"Fine...I knew that I was going to die. Sesshomaru wasn't happy when I told him. He and I had finally come to terms with our feelings for one another and now I had to leave him again. I just wonder how many times I'll have to leave him before we can be together. He told me that no matter what time or situation we find ourselves in that he would find me and we'd be together. But he can't promise this. Who knows what I'll be doing in my other life or if he'll even be apart of it. I stood before Azulu in the final battle, this was the end. The mist began to surround us and I did the only thing I could and threw up a barrier around the others. Sesshomaru saw this and tried to break through but I couldn't have him ruin fate. Inuyasha began to pound on the shield as well and I gave them both a sad smile. I then looked back at Sesshomaru as the mist started toward me and enter my body. I mouthed 'I love you'. And he did the same, but I could hear his voice in my head saying 'forever, Kagome forever' before I vanished into a pool of darkness..."

"Here I thought I would end happily ever after." Inuyasha said sarcastically.

"It was a bit sad. How do you think they'll do in this time?"

"Nothing's happened for a while now, its been years."

"Maybe we could give them a push."

"More like a shove." Inuyasha said folding his arms.

"They both love one another so why can't they just be together?"

"You're talking about Kagome and Sesshomaru here. Sesshomaru will never admit that he's in love. Kagome will state it but will not make a move."

"So that's why we have to get involved."

"How?"

"I don't know but what if one day some guy just sweeps Kagome off her feet and she marries him? Then Uri and Kagome would leave and Uri loves Sesshomaru."

"I worry about that everyday, so we need to figure out why they aren't together."

hr

Kagome laughed as she and Rowland walked back to the office. Sesshomaru was supposed to meet them there. As expected Sesshomaru was in his office going over some contracts when they walked in still laughing. He glared at Rowland but stopped when Kagome's eyes locked with his. She game him a curious look.

"Will you calm down Sesshomaru?" She said telepathically.

No.

"Why not?"

I'll tell you later.

She rolled her eyes and watched Rowland leave the office, but before he left he gave her a light kiss on her hand. Her face went red as he closed the door. Sesshomaru's growl pulled her to attention.

"What's with you today?" She said grabbing her things.

"Nothing." He said clearly agitated by the whole day.

"Please just tell me Sesshomaru, I'm so sick of this." She said her voice cracking a bit. This got hit attention and he moved over to her.

"Sick of what exactly?" She blushed and looked at the floor.

"It isn't important." She said starting for the door.

"It is if you said that. I'll tell you if you tell me Kagome." He said gripping her shoulders and looking down at her sternly. She let out sigh in surrender.

"I can't Sesshomaru, not now. Everything is so perfect in our lives...I just don't want to ruin it."

"How could you possibly ruin anything?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"Simple. Let's just say that if I were to...well I don't know...confess something you might...you might not like to hear it..." She said blushing and fiddling with suit. She felt his hands move from her shoulders to her face. Her head tilted upward so that their eyes made contact.

"Tell me." He said in his usual voice but she could see the plead in his eyes. She felt them grow closer until they met in the middle. "Kagome, tell me."

"This was supposed to be over a long time ago Sesshomaru. We had a deal and you're making me break it." She said feeling herself start to cry.

"What deal?"

"The one about us."

"What are you-"

"Oh Sesshomaru don't you see...I...I.."

"You?"

"I love you." She cried covering her face. She didn't have to look at him to see the shocked look on his face.

"When...how...long?" he said slowly, still a bit shocked. She looked up at him and glared. She pushed him away and ran out of the room.

Writer's Note: Well how's that for a chapter? It took me forever to write this one chapter and its not even that long. I'm so sorry guys really I am but there's one more chapter and that's the Epilogue. I'll try and not make Sesshomaru too out of character, I think it might be a bit difficult though, so wish me luck on that. I would have just ended it here but a cliff hanger is nice every once and a while don't ya think ;) I hope the last chapter is longer. It's going to follow along the alternate ending I wrote a while back only it will have a happy ending. This is the 'sort of' fight. Kagome didn't stick around long enough so who knows what's going on in her head and Sesshomaru's right? Well laters ;)