A/N: Yo! WOW!.!.! This story broke 600 reviews?.! Crazy!.!.! Anyway, I realize it's been a little while, but... dude... going to school and having a job is sooo hard to do! Especially when your teachers are crazy taskmasters!.!.!

Disclaimer: I own this story, but not the characters. Aren't you glad? This means that Rin isn't really dead!

Previously:

Before long, Sesshoumaru and Kagome's interlude came to an end. Sesshoumaru kissed her softly on the lips once more, and again on the forehead. "Tomorrow," he told her quietly, before turning and leaving her to prepare for bed. Kagome watched as he left, and put her fingers to her lips after he closed the door behind him. This time, she felt no sadness or conflict over what they had done. After all, they were now a couple.

chapter 30: bittersweet happiness

Inu Yasha woke up in the middle of the forest in the Eastern lands, perched in the canopy of a tall tree. After all, he was trying to get as far away as possible from everything that reminded him of Kagome.

flashback

"Tell Sango and the others that… I'm sorry, and that I'll…" Inu Yasha couldn't bring himself to finish.

"I'll tell them you'll miss them," Miroku read his friend's mind.

"Ah. Thanks."

"Be careful."

"Keh, no need." Before Miroku could find something to say in response, Inu Yasha turned his back. "Ja!" And with that, Inu Yasha disappeared from sight, his last word hanging on the wind.

end flashback

"Keh, Miroku," Inu Yasha said out loud, his voice sounding raw and sharp, much as it did before he had ever been softened by the presence of Kagome, "There was no need for me to be careful…" Inu Yasha crouched on the branch of the tree, and looked down to the forest floor below. A careless oni had unknowingly woken Inu Yasha by creating such noise as it foraged for human flesh to devour. Seconds later, a woman screamed, and began to run toward her village.

"Great," Inu Yasha smirked. He leapt down toward the oni, creating a powerful downward thrust with his momentum. This was a wonderful excuse for him to relieve some of his pent up anger and frustration.

In less than a second, the oni was torn apart. It didn't know what was coming. "That felt…" bits of youkai flesh bounced off his shoulders and onto the ground, "…good." Inu Yasha knew that he had to keep himself occupied in order to avoid the grief that would come from thinking about what had happened in just the past few weeks. Just a month ago, he had been happy. And now- now, he was… nothing. He had long since stopped trying to halt his tears. Frankly, he didn't care anymore. All that he had once had was now lost. Miroku had Sango, Shippou and Kohaku were best friends, and Kagome- Kagome, who had once been his companion- was now mated to his brother. Inu Yasha had no doubt that Sesshoumaru marked her already. He didn't have a goal anymore. No one to protect, no one to love- no one to spend his life for. He was already considered a youkai, so not even that goal was a worthy one.

Inu Yasha began to lose himself in his desperation and sense of worthlessness. A strange, wild light flashed in his beautiful, once soft amber eyes as he sped off through the forest, looking for powerful youkai to challenge. And if he were to die in combat- so be it.

"Are you ready?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru. It was now late morning, and she stood at his doorway, staring in at the taiyoukai. Sesshoumaru had been sitting at his desk, most likely going over diplomatic protocol. He put the scroll down on the desk, and turned to face her. He said nothing, but stood, and walked over to meet Kagome- his wife.

"Let's go," he said, not terribly enthusiastic that he was going to see his in-laws. They stepped outside, and Sesshoumaru took flight toward the bone eater's well. Kagome recited the word 'yuketsu,' and was flying by his side in an instant.

When they reached the other side of the well, Kagome immediately understood the reason Sesshoumaru didn't want to stay in her time. The stench of pollution was unimaginable. It was bad enough for her- she didn't even want to know what it was like for Sesshoumaru, a full youkai. In a single bound, both of them exited the well, and began to walk toward the house.

"Welcome home, sweetheart!" Kagome's mom greeted her daughter with a hug. "Sesshoumaru, I see you've come as well," she said, bowing to the taiyoukai.

"Uh, mom, we have something to tell you," Kagome began, looking nervously between her mother and Sesshoumaru. Mrs. Higurashi's eyes sparkled knowingly, and she smiled.

"Right. Just a minute, I just happened to prepare some tea. Please, have a seat," she told her guests. Sesshoumaru nodded at Kagome, and the two of them sat down on the couch. Within a minute, Kagome's mom appeared, carrying a tray of three teacups as well as three slices of cake. "Now, what is it?" her mother asked, once she seated herself in a chair. Sesshoumaru remained silent; he figured it would be best for Kagome to break the news to her mother.

"Well, um… Sesshoumaru and I were married," Kagome told her. She thought it best to not tell her mom the specifics of marking; after all, her mother might not understand the ceremonies of youkai. Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened- she hadn't thought they would progress so quickly. However, Sesshoumaru did seem to be more refined than did Inu Yasha. Perhaps he was just more suited to her daughter. Kagome's mom put down her teacup, and smiled. It was a great relief to her to know that her daughter was going to be well provided for, and by such a handsome- and no doubt strong- husband. Just the look of Kagome in the traditional clothes from Sesshoumaru's castle told Mrs. Higurashi about the taiyoukai's wealth.

"That's great, dear! Shall we celebrate tonight? I can make some red rice, and Souta has been working part time at a bakery, so he should be able to bring home a cake," she suggested. Kagome looked nervously at her husband, and then back at her mother. She was about to decline the offer, but Sesshoumaru stepped in.

"Thank you for the offer," he told her, standing up and giving her a small bow. "We will remain here until after dinner." Kagome's mom looked at her daughter questioningly, and then back at Sesshoumaru. Her daughter's husband seemed to be the decision maker in their relationship- quite different from when she had been involved with Inu Yasha.

"Great," Kagome's mother smiled and bowed again, "I'll just go call Souta. Please, make yourself comfortable here." She turned, grabbed the phone, and headed into the next room to make the phone call. Sesshoumaru turned, and looked down at Kagome.

"It's proper to stay," he said, voicing his comment on the situation, giving his reason for answering her mother.

"Mm," Kagome nodded, "I'm glad."

The five of them sat down for dinner: Kagome, Sesshoumaru, Mrs. Higurashi, Souta, and Kagome's jii-chan. Needless to say, jii-chan was not in the mood to eat. He stared relentlessly at the youkai guest, and after about half an hour, a few popping veins could be seen under Sesshoumaru's silver bangs.

"Is it necessary to stare, old man?" Sesshoumaru asked, thinly veiling his annoyance. With those words, jii-chan was jolted out of his stare.

"Pardon me," he told the youkai, all the while looking at Kagome, who was by now giving him a look that shot daggers. Kagome's mother merely smiled, and Souta looked a bit disappointed.

"What happened to Inu-no-nii-chan?" he asked softly. Kagome's mother had kept all things concerning Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru a secret from the family. It was now up to Kagome to sort things out with her brother.

"He's… not going to be coming here any more, Souta. So just please get used to Sesshoumaru, okay?" she pleaded with her brother. Souta sighed sadly, but nodded at his sister, ignoring the obvious battle aura that was beginning to manifest itself over Sesshoumaru. He didn't like her sister's new husband- and he hated the idea of calling him his brother-in-law.

"So, are you also going to have a traditional wedding here?" Kagome's mom asked the couple.

"Uh, well, we just had tea ceremony, and that seemed like it was fine. Besides, I don't really talk to any of my friends here."

"I see," her mother couldn't hide the disappointment. "Then… would you mind taking some pictures in your wedding kimono, and bringing them here?" Mrs. Higurashi produced a camera seemingly out of nowhere. "That way, I can send out announcements," she smiled brightly.

"Uh… sure," the miko sweatdropped. Sesshoumaru glanced sideways at his mate. He kept silent, and slowly continued to eat the meal.

It had now been a few weeks since she had visited her family with Sesshoumaru. She had finally taken timed pictures of herself in the ceremonial robes and of the place where she and Sesshoumaru completed the tea ceremony.

"Ja, I'm going to return the camera," Kagome called down the hallway. She didn't see Sesshoumaru, but she could smell his scent, and knew he was there. There was no answer, but Kagome didn't think anything of it. In a moment, she was outside. "Yuketsu," she chanted. Manifesting herself into a ball of light, Kagome made her way back to the well to drop off the camera.

No one was home when she arrived, so she merely left the device on the kitchen table, with a note attached. Getting a few of her old clothes, Kagome reentered the well, and returned to her home in the Sengoku Jidai. When she surfaced, she took a deep breath. She didn't notice, but she had been holding her breath as much as possible while she was in her own time. Taking in the scents around her, the miko picked up the scents of those who were once her steady companions.

"I've got some free time," she said to herself, and made her way toward their old community house. "Sango-chan! Miroku!" She called, looking side to side to find them. "Shippou? Kohaku-kun!" Finally, she arrived at the house. She stood outside the door to what was once her home. 'That's right,' she thought, 'I once lived here… I wanted to live here forever with everyone. And.. Inu Yasha. I couldn't smell him anywhere. Has he really left everyone?' Just as she was beginning to become lost in her thoughts, the door slid open, and Sango stepped outside.

"Kagome-chan?" she asked in surprise, "Is it really you?" Kagome nodded, unable to say anything. She missed Sango so much. Not only that, but to see Sango standing there, no longer pregnant, it gave Kagome something like a quick trip down memory lane.

"Sango-chan!" The two girls embraced, and stepped inside the house. Kagome sniffed the air, and detected the scent of a new baby. "How's the baby?" Kagome asked with genuine interest.

"Good, he's good."

"So it's a boy? That's great!" Sango smiled, and began to walk toward the bassinet where the baby was laying. She picked him up, and carried him over to her friend.

"His name is Satoru-chan,"

"Satoru-chan… so kawaii," Kagome cooed softly. "Can I hold him?"

"Mm," Sango passed her son into the arms of Kagome. Just then, Miroku entered the house.

"So precious," Kagome said, looking at the combined features of Sango and Miroku. After a few moments, she handed the boy back to his mother. Sango smiled, and returned him to his bed.

"Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked, once the baby was back in the bassinet.

"Miroku," Kagome greeted the houshi-turned-father.

"Ne, Sango-chan, Miroku… what happened to Inu Yasha? He hasn't been here for awhile, has he?" Sango shook her head sadly.

"He hasn't come back since the day you left with Sesshoumaru," Miroku told her coolly. Sango threw her husband a cold stare. Over the weeks, Miroku developed something like sympathetic indignation for what Kagome had done to Inu Yasha. After all, she had accepted his proposal, hadn't she? And for what? Only to turn around and let him down. The one person whom Inu Yasha trusted with everything was the one person to betray him. While Miroku couldn't hate Kagome, he could at least show her a little resentment in Inu Yasha's place.

"I see." Kagome sighed, not oblivious to Miroku's tone of voice. "I had hoped that he would've stayed here with you guys. After all, we're his friends," Sango didn't say anything- she only focused her eyes on the floor in grief.

'I'm not sure he considers you his friend anymore, Kagome..' the taijiya thought to herself.

"With all due respect Kagome-sama," Miroku told her more gently, "I'm not sure he considers you his friend anymore." Those words stabbed Kagome harder than any knife ever could have. She stared at him, open-mouthed.

"He… he was different," Sango said.

"Different? How? I knew he was sad, but…"

"It wasn't just that… he was… he lost himself, Kagome," Sango explained

"He… he went crazy?" Kagome flashed back to the times when Inu Yasha let his blood boil to the point of no control. But he was past that, wasn't he? With the transfusion, that kind of transformation wasn't possible anymore.

"No- but… he's gone. I don't think he'll come back for a long time. He said that he needed to get away from everything that reminded him of his time with you," Miroku told her.

'You- broke him, Kagome,' both the taijiya and her husband said in their minds. There was no way they would tell it straight to Kagome's face, though. Sango wanted her friend- no matter what her choice was- to be happy. And Miroku- well, he believed that if at least one of them could be remotely happy, it would be better than both Kagome and Inu Yasha living their lives in utter misery.

"I see," Kagome said sadly. "Even so, if he comes back, would you tell me how he's doing?"The couple nodded. "It's probably best that I stay away from him, anyway," she finished. Miroku and Sango remained silent, waiting for her reasoning. "I… I have the mark of Sesshoumaru, now." Their eyes widened.

"So… so soon? Kagome-chan?" It was hard for her to hide the disappointment in her voice. Miroku remained silent. It was well enough- Kagome remembered the sound of his reprimanding voice when he discovered she had been temporarily marked a second time. The shock and hurt- and the disappointment- were enough to hear only once; it replayed itself in her mind clearly enough.

"It's too late to reverse anything anymore," Kagome told her friend. Being there, in that house, Kagome knew what Inu Yasha meant when he said that he didn't want to be around it. For the first time since her being permanently marked, she felt true loss at everything that she had given up. All for the sake of Sesshoumaru. "I didn't intend this when I chose to go with Sesshoumaru. I was only going to give him a chance…" Kagome trailed off.

"Kagome-chan… Sesshoumaru is a forceful youkai… how could you not have known?" The last six words of her sentence, Sango said under her breath. But Kagome, with sharpened senses, caught everything with crystal clarity. She shook her head.

"I don't know. But… Sesshoumaru isn't such a bad person," she began, trying to justify her mate in the eyes of her best girlfriend. Sango nodded weakly, remembering his hospitality toward herself and Shippou when they had visited her. Miroku made no motion.

"Then, would you say that the consequences of your actions will be worth the pain of Inu Yasha?" Miroku asked, showing no emotion. Kagome looked at him. She knew what he was getting at.

'You mean to ask if I think that helping Sesshoumaru was worth hurting Inu Yasha…' Kagome rephrased Miroku's question in her head. "I suppose only time will tell," she answered as best she could. Miroku nodded. While he was obviously disapproving of her decision, he was still willing to give her a chance and remain her comrade. Kagome smiled invitingly in the face of the confrontation. "You're all welcome to visit, any time." Sango smiled, and nodded.

"Perhaps we will sometime, once Satoru-chan is a little older," she told her friend. 'Even though she might not have decided the way we wanted… Kagome is still Kagome, after all,' Sango reasoned with herself. Miroku's thoughts ran along the same lines. Sango and Miroku valued the friendship that they had developed over the years. And after losing Inu Yasha, neither of them wanted to lose Kagome as well.

"Well, I need to be going. I just wanted to stop by and see how everything was doing."

"Well, Miroku and I are doing fine with Satoru-chan, and Shippou is joined at the hip with Kohaku. Nothing new there. I think, though, that we might begin to try to rebuild our town that was lost," Sango said, a glimmer of hope in her voice.

"That's great, Sango-chan!" Kagome smiled. "I'm sure it'll be even stronger than what it was before!"

"Mm!" Sango smiled. The three of them walked back outside, and Kagome stood to face her friends.

"Ja, I'll come by for a visit again!"

"Take care, Kagome-chan."

"Take care, Kagome-sama." The couple stood side by side at the doorway, warmth in their smiles, but sadness in their eyes.

"You too," she called. And with that, Kagome performed the 'yuketsu' flight incantation, and took off toward her own home.

"You're late," Sesshoumaru told Kagome when she arrived at the castle.

"Ah, I took a side trip," she replied. Sesshoumaru inhaled. Was it just her imagination, or did Sesshoumaru seem a bit more possessive of her recently?

"How was the baby?" he asked, not really pretending to care.

"Good. Everyone is doing well."

"What of Inu Yasha?" Kagome let in a small gasp of surprise. She hadn't expected that one. Was he actually concerned about his brother?

"He… wasn't there."

"I see." Sesshoumaru's back was to Kagome- which was a good thing, because it concealed the smirk that played on his lips. Kagome had done something that he could never do; she completely defeated Inu Yasha.

"What did you bring?" Kagome looked down at the bag in her hands.

"Oh… these are some of my old clothes. I thought about maybe starting to work out, and develop these new skills," she told him, putting her right fist in the air, and placing her left hand on her right bicep. She wondered what he'd say to that. He turned to face her.

"You're interested in becoming stronger?" he asked.

"Mm. It's a shame to have all this raw ability, and not know how to use it."

"Would you perhaps like to have a match with this Sesshoumaru?" Kagome smiled. He had stopped referring to himself as 'this Sesshoumaru' for awhile- but his use of it in this sentence displayed his competitive spirit and faith in his combative abilities. He wanted her to spar with him. And knowing this, she wanted it even more.

"Mm. When can we begin?" she asked, trying- and failing- to hide her excitement. Sesshoumaru smirked.

"We can begin now, if you wish." Kagome's smile widened, and she jumped toward Sesshoumaru, giving him a hug. His body stiffened upon their contact, but with the smell of her scent, and the knowledge that she was his mate, he relaxed into the embrace before setting her feet back on the ground. "Let's go."

After a few months, Kagome began to really integrate herself into Sesshoumaru's life. He began to find himself wanting to see her more and more, and becoming more and more possessive of her. Kagome also found herself forgetting about the pain that she had experienced letting go of her relationship with Inu Yasha- and the pain she undoubtedly caused him. The more time she and Sesshoumaru spent together, the more they began to feel desire toward one another. Already they had bonded emotionally over the death of Rin- and now, they were beginning to follow up that bond with that of companionship and physical attraction.

Kagome had tied her hair up in a high ponytail, and was wearing a pair of sweats and a sports bra during this match. She and Sesshoumaru had been sparring for about 30 minutes now, and while she was glowing with perspiration, the taiyoukai hadn't yet run out of breath. Sesshoumaru had loose fitting dark blue pants, and wore a tan undershirt. This was the first time Kagome was openly exposing her midriff to his view, and he had to admit, it was a good tactic for distraction. Her body had toned considerably since their first few sparring sessions. She had already become quite agile and her reflex capabilities had increased.

"You're improving," Sesshoumaru said. He sounded genial at first, but on second thought, Kagome decided he sounded more surprised than anything else. Did he think she wasn't capable of fighting?

'I'll show you I can fight!' Kagome shouted at her mate inwardly. In the next moment, she launched another attack. Charging straight at Sesshoumaru, Kagome drew back her hand and pushed forward, attempting a strike. Sesshoumaru dodged her easily. One after the other, all of her attempts to land a blow on the taiyoukai were either parried or avoided. Finally, Kagome realized that she was attacking in a rather predictable pattern. 'Maybe if I try something else,' she thought. She jumped back a few feet, and quickly thought up a new form of attack. 'Am I fast enough?' she asked herself, breathing heavily. 'Either way, it's worth a shot..'

A corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth turned upward. He was smiling at her. 'Kagome has finally realized it. She should attack quite differently now. Perhaps I should allow her to show me what she's capable of doing.' "Well?" He gave her a look of question. 'What kind of brute force and keen tactics are you capable of, Kagome? Show me.'

'Is he… mocking me?' For the first time, Kagome finally understood the kind of annoyance Inu Yasha was faced with during every single battle with his older brother. 'Alright.. Get ready Sesshoumaru, here I come!' Kagome moved faster than she ever had before. She moved toward Sesshoumaru's left, and faked an attack. He took the bait; her opponent's attention became completely focused on her supposed attack. Quicker than she had approached him, Kagome moved to his right side, and delivered a blow to his right shoulder. It was enough to knock Sesshoumaru back. 'No way.. I hit him? That's too good to be true!' Continuing her assault, she swung herself behind her mate, and grabbed his shoulders. Using the momentum that her first blow had caused in addition to the force from jumping off of the ground, Kagome put her full weight and force into knocking Sesshoumaru to the ground.

She was now straddling the taiyoukai, her legs on either side of Sesshoumaru's waist. Wasting no time, Sesshoumaru laid hold of her wrists and turned his hips to the side, sweeping his legs under hers. Turning, he rolled her body beneath his. He looked at the girl underneath him. Kagome's eyes were wide, her pupils dilated. She was breathing heavily from her last-ditch effort to take her husband down. Sesshoumaru could smell the rising scent of her arousal, and the scent affected him in a similar way. His breathing, while remaining steady, increased in volume. Suddenly, Kagome received an extra burst of adrenaline, and maneuvered him into a roll, positioning herself over him. Her forearms were on the ground on either side of his head. Locks of hair from her ponytail fell around her face, several of their tips sticking to her damp complexion. Her face was only inches from his, and her body was pressed against his chest.

Sesshoumaru had enjoyed it when Kagome pushed him to the ground. Of course he could've countered her, but it was also amusing to watch her put her all into taking him down. It was also a good way of gauging her full brute strength and agility. Sesshoumaru was not disappointed with what he saw. Kagome was the strongest female he had ever encountered- and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way. While she didn't have the attitude of Kagura or the coolness of the neko youkai princess, Kagome had a spirit all her own. Now he looked up at her as she leaned over him. Their faces were so close, and now there was nothing keeping them apart. Sesshoumaru placed his hand on the small of her back, prompting Kagome to close the gap between their lips.

The kiss was just as passionate as their first. Although their first was influenced by the temporary mark, this kiss was inspired by the true passion they felt for each other as well as their instinctual desires toward each other. Those who are strong desire to mate with others who are strong, and so ensure the survival of their blood.

"Let us go inside," Sesshoumaru told her when they finally stopped for a breather.

"Mm," Kagome agreed. They rose, and headed inside the castle. After all, for what they were about to do, it would be best to be in some kind of concealment. Kagome's head was spinning from all of the adrenaline and butterflies with which she had been bombarded. Sesshoumaru led her to a room equipped with several lush items of furniture, including a well-sized western bed. Kagome stepped through the doorway and was taking in all of the scenery when she heard the door slide shut. She turned around to face Sesshoumaru, who was slowly and steadily approaching her. There was no hesitation in his eyes; no room for her to object to what was about to take place. His presence carried an oppressive power, and Kagome found herself happily submissive to it.

"Ses-" her nervous speech was cut off when Sesshoumaru pressed his lips to hers. He pressed his hand to her back, and began slowly moving forward, forcing Kagome to step backward until she felt herself push up against the bed behind her.

Slowly, methodically, Sesshoumaru guided Kagome as he prepared to mate with her. The desire, tension, and passion that had existed outside in the sparring ring was reawakened in the bedroom. Kagome felt the heat rise to her cheeks as even more adrenaline was released into her body and dopamine into her brain. Everything seemed as though it were only a dream. All thoughts disappeared from Kagome's mind, except for the intense pleasure that was delivered to her through Sesshoumaru's confident touch.

Sesshoumaru was now on top of Kagome, his hair draping gracefully over his shoulders. He looked down at Kagome- a powerful woman… a miko. At this moment, however, she seemed more vulnerable than he had ever seen her before. She was his, and belonged to no one else. Kagome looked up at him expectantly, not sure what was next. Every fiber of her being was willing to do what he desired of her- all traces of her previous insolence was gone, leaving him in complete control.

In that moment when their bodies became one, both Kagome and Sesshoumaru experienced the greatest pleasure that either of them had ever felt. It was mind-blowing, to say the least. For Kagome, she enjoyed the domination that Sesshoumaru had over her. He was strong, and yet willing to share such a thing as this with her. He had given her no room for objection when he had moved her toward the bed. His supreme strength made her feel protected, even while she was vulnerable. Sesshoumaru's manner in taking the initiative was especially pleasing to her. Not only that, but she was sure she was doing everything that he desired. A strong, handsome, powerful lord had found interest and affection in her- and she was taken in by it. Sesshoumaru enjoyed feeling Kagome in his embrace. In these moments, Kagome was completely his- in mind, body, and soul. Yes, and it was the same soul that he had grown to love in Rin- only now, she was a real woman.

After the final burst of pleasure, Kagome laid on the chest of her husband. No coherent thoughts ran through her mind; only pictures of what her life had been like up until that point. She began to remember her experiences of pleasure and pain. Suddenly, with no warning, the image of Inu Yasha and the others flashed into her mind's eye. She remembered the moments when they had the greatest fun: playing cards, and paper-rock-scissors in the forest, when she and Sango were granted those temporary mind-reading abilities, and even when they built their house together. Yes, they had fun. Soon her thoughts drifted to what she had seen during her last visit to Sango's house. Everyone was separating, going their own ways. All that happiness and togetherness- it was all gone, now. A silent tear fell down her cheek and onto Sesshoumaru's chest.

Sesshoumaru had been gazing up at the ceiling, relaxing. The sensation of mating- it was wonderful, yet exhausting at the same time. He inhaled gently, not wishing to disturb Kagome, as her head lay on his chest. When he did so, he smelled a touch of salt. Suddenly, he felt a drop of wetness on his chest. Was she… crying? 'Is it normal for women to cry after this?' he asked himself. "What is it?" he asked aloud, refocusing his gaze to the top of her head. He was unable to see her face, so he was unsure of the kind of emotion that was running through her. Kagome heard his question, and realized that he must have felt her tear fall, or at least smelled the saltiness it created. She knew it wouldn't be the best thing to tell him the true reason for her silent grief. Thinking quickly, Kagome came up with a believable answer.

"It's nothing," she said quietly. "I'm probably just emotional, since that was… my first time," she finished. Sesshoumaru brought his hand up from around her body to her head, and gently stroked her hair. Kagome relaxed under the caress of her husband, her mate. They remained silent, but no matter how hard Kagome tried, she couldn't rid her thoughts of the past. One question quietly yet incessantly repeated itself in her mind.

'Did I really make the right choice?' The mere presence of this thought was disturbing.

It was a thought that it could have- and possibly should have- all turned out differently.

A/N: Sorry for the mature content! However! It wasn't graphic or whatever, so I didn't think it warranted a change of rating. If this violates any standards or whatever, feel free to email me and let me know, and I will gladly rate it higher.

Reviewer Responses:

Yessika: Yeah, it feels like I'm there! And... wow, all that in 3 days? That's dedication! Thank you!

Darkness Rises: I'm sure Sesshoumaru still feels for Kagome, but he's not all of a sudden all lovey-dovey with her. That isn't really his character.

Hoshiko Shinomori: Aha! Good question! The reason why there was more of a ceremony with S-dono and K-chan was basically because the relationship between those two is different from what the relationship was between S-dono and Rin-chan. Since Rin didn't really have a family, it wasn't necessary to induct her in that way. I hope that makes sense. Also, about the reincarnation thing... I think that since in the perfect world, Rin would've mated to Sesshoumaru, it's not possible that there would have been any reincarnations before Kagome. So it goes Kikyou-Rin-Kagome. Tough for Inu Yasha, ne?

Nilee: hehehe! Yes, yes, I agree with you completely. You are very right about Kagome. Hahahaha! You made me laugh out loud about the whole phallic thing. You're a genius!

Magick: Ah... generally he does use anger... but how many times have we seen Inu yasha sad when he thinks of Kagome as really leaving him for good? Usually in the anime it's just basic spat stuff where he gets angry, but when it comes to the big stuff, he gets serious, and sometimes depressed.

Beulah Page: I think that all of your thoughts on Sesshoumaru are accurate. And don't worry, even I have to go back and reread. Heh.

Thanks to: imafork01 (hahahaha!.! I love your name!), Hiroshi Kadaya, EmoChicka, Tracy J, Bethany A, sheenachi, Moon's Rain, animelover092 (thank you), tefi2007 (glad you liked that last bit), hermonine, Brittany, kyasarinyume07 (nope, I think many people like this ending better), zookie78, kandy42 (heh, heh...), InuyashaGal, sarah h, Lady Lenn, destinyheart15 (haha, thanks!), duckgirl566 (hahaha, yep, yep... thanks for making sure I knew that wasn't a flame...), Golden-Eyed-Girl, SubaruWings (wow, thanks!), Princess of the Saiyans 16, FallenAngel3691, and a huge thank you to whimsy for your insights and reviews.