(A/N Okay, thanks for the reviews. To FFchick thanks, nice to know others like they way I did Inuyasha. To lyn, come on. A little more than "write more" wouldn't kill you. ) Here's your response zoeluver.)

Disclaimer- If I did….

Kagome watched as Sentaru, with a look of annoyance, told something inaudible to Sesshoumaru, then he darted one way and Sesshoumaru went the other. 'What is going on?' she thought with her usual curiosity. "Rin," her wonderfully cheerful voice drawing Rin's attention. "Do you know where Sesshoumaru is going?"

"No lady Kagome," answered the young girl with her very adorable gap toothed grin. "He sometimes rushes away and comes back covered in red stuff though."

'Then he is probably going off to fight,' Kagome reasoned.

"Fox youkai are proud, intelligent, and strong," Shippo stated sitting back in his chair with a smug look on his face. But Rin came back with her own little list of what she thought fox demons were like. Causing him to get Kagome involved. "Kagome, she's being mean to me."

"Okay you two, knock it off." She took a drink of her tea and smiled, remembering how her mother did the same exact thing with her and Souta. The next thing she heard made her snicker out loud. The perfectly timed simultaneous apology from the two of them.

"We're sorry," they voiced in unison.

"It's okay. Now finish your breakfast so we can get started on our lessons for the day." With no other need for convincing Rin and Shippo finished their breakfast in a speed that was just mind boggling, leaving Shippo with the hiccups.

Rin sat back and laughed, as Shippo was hiccuping uncontrollably. Kagome just shook her head with amusement. Shippo's expression was one of pure irritation, not knowing how to stop them. "Kagome…hiccup…I…hiccup…can't…hiccup…stop."

Kagome did her best to not laugh out right, but Rin looked at him and told him the best way to stop them was to hold his breath, puff his cheeks, and cross his eyes. As soon as he crossed his eyes, Kagome looked at him and started to turn red trying to stifle her laughter. She finally shook her head and looked at Shippo.

"Okay Shippo, what you do to stop them is drink something."

Shippo did as he was told and finished his tea. No hiccups returned. He didn't look upset, instead he playfully glared at Rin. "I'll get you back for that." He stated simply.

"Okay…that's enough." She added quickly before they started to argue again. "Let's go start your lesson." Her firm words, but soft tone reached the children just as she wanted them to. They nodded and started to put their cups and silverware, that was actually silver to Kagome's surprise, on their plates so the servants could clean it up faster. The dishes clanged and clanked as the two children hurriedly put them together and walked away from the table so the servants could clean up. Kagome led the two out of the dining hall, but realized she had no idea where Sesshoumaru's study was located in the vast palace.

"Rin, can you lead us to Sesshoumaru's study?"

"Okay lady Kagome," Rin exclaimed and took her by the hand. Shippo, a little jealous jumped up onto Kagome's shoulder and glared down at Rin as she lead them down the hall. Kagome leaned over to his ear and whispered to him so that Rin could not hear.

"Don't get jealous Shippo," she said as she used her free hand to scratch his head, an action that always seemed to calm him. "I don't think she's met another girl who would play with her."

Shippo heard her, and it sunk in after a few moments, then he started to feel a little ashamed. "Sorry," he murmured earnestly.

Kagome smiled and gently kissed his cheek raising a blush from the small kit as he loosened his tight grip on her shoulder. Rin kept walking, guiding Kagome by the hand, unaware of what just happened and enjoying the new company she was in contact with. Rin squealed with glee as the came with distance of Sesshoumaru's study. Rin released her grip on Kagome and sped for the door, Shippo jumped off of Kagome's shoulder and followed suit.

Rin being the first to reach the door used all of her might to open it just as Shippo ran inside. "Hey," yelled Rin after Shippo. "Wait for me."

Kagome was the last to reach the door and peered in, what she saw amazed her beyond words. Rin was on top of Shippo, tickling him into submission as he rolled on the ground in laughter. 'They are just like siblings,' Kagome contemplated bringing a thought that was more than she bargained for. She mentally saw herself sitting in a chair, Shippo on her knee, Rin right next to her and Sesshoumaru with two arms, one on Rin's head and the other across Kagome's shoulder. And he was smiling.

The picture caused her to blush and physically shake her head, but she couldn't help smiling. 'What was that?' Kagome mentally inquired, feeling a warm sensation grow in her torso. 'That was weird.' She looked back up at the two children and was relieved that they did not see her resent actions.

"Come on you two, let's get started before y…lord Sesshoumaru gets back." 'Why was I just about to call him their father?' She inquired again. 'Why am I…No, never mind…I am not going to ask.'

"Okay, Kagome," Shippo said as soon as Rin stopped tickling him. They both got up and ran to the closest bookcase. Kagome nodded, satisfied at her authority as she walked over to the bookcase and looked at the shelves. She was amazed to find they were organized by subject and title. Her soft gaze moved down to Rin who was sitting on a soft, blue cushion and Shippo on a similar, but red one to the right of her.

"What have you been learning so far?" Kagome questioned, feeling more at ease.

"Lord Sesshoumaru was teaching me how to write and read."

"Okay, let's start there."

Kagome's hand ran along the bookshelf, searching out an appropriate book for the two to learn from. They were mostly history books and ones about complex science, but those she would save for a later time. 'If I'm still around that long,' Kagome thought, keeping in mind that she was still going to try and escape. She continued to look along the shelves until she found a simple book to have Rin and Shippo to read from. It was about how to enforce an economy and the economy itself. 'Good,' she thought with a prideful smirk. 'I can teach them two things at once.'

She sat down in front of Shippo and Rin with her back to the bookcase and had them both read from the book. She thumbed threw a few of the pages until she found the section that gave a short description of each king of government and economy. She first handed it to Rin, who read an excerpt then handed it to Shippo who did the same. Neither of them had a lot of trouble reading the text, but when they did, Kagome helped them sound it out and told them what the word, the ones that they had a hard time understanding, meant.

It seemed enjoyable to all of them as they read along. Rin reading and looking at Kagome with a smug grin when she read without slipping up. But, when Shippo tried and stumbled, Rin did not laugh or jeer, she helped Shippo with it and smiled with him at his success. This went on for most of the morning, with the exception of a break in between the numerous chapters. They went through almost half the book when Shippo came upon a word they could both pronounce but couldn't understand.

"Kagome," Shippo started sheepishly. "What is a totalitarian government?"

Kagome smiled and moved closer to the two of them, who were now sharing a pillow. "It is a system where the government controls all trade and jobs in the country, and the government is usually ruled by a dictator." She picked up Shippo and put him on her lap, then motioned for Rin to sit on her other knee. She more than happily obliged as she crawled onto the older girl's thigh.

Shippo gave a satisfied hum as he looked at the word with a new understanding, but it seemed he was confused again. "What's a dictator?"

Kagome almost laughed out loud but held it back as best she could. "It is…like a tyrant…One person in charge of every thing."

"Like lord Sesshoumaru," Rin conjectured.

'Uh oh,' Kagome thought as her heart skipped a beat. "Almost…a tyrant…is a very bad person…lord Sesshoumaru seems to be a very fair ruler." 'Good save Kagome,' she though to herself satisfied.

Shippo was thinking the exact same thing and decided to change to a different subject. "How about we do some math, Kagome?"

Rin excitedly nodded and grinned ear to ear. 'My, they are eager to learn. I was never this eager.' Kagome thought perplexed. "Ok," she said as she took a book of math equations from the shelf and opened it. "What is 4+4?"

"8," yelled Shippo.

"Good, but raise your hand if you know the answer." 'Now I am beginning to sound like a teacher,' She thought as she ran her finger down the page and found another equation. "What is 5-3?"

Rin raised her hand and grinned. "2."

"Very good Rin. Okay what is 7+8?"

Shippo raised his hand. "15."

"Very good."

"Come on Kagome, give us a hard one," Shippo dared.

"Okay," Kagome agreed as she shut the book. "What is 335x75?"

Both of the children were baffled. Shippo looked at Rin and she looked back at him. They both began counting their fingers and thinking hard. Kagome watched as the children tried to figure the answer out.

"25,125," answered a cold voice from behind them. Kagome and the children turned around to see Sesshoumaru walk into the room.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin squealed as she got up and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around his leg when she met him. Shippo's gaze fell, it seemed like disappointment. Kagome saw it and put her arm on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Shippo." Kagome whispered to him. "I'll find a good father for you, it may take some time, but I will." Shippo's reaction was one she half didn't expect. A few tears streamed down his face and he gripped Kagome tightly. She put her hand on Shippo's head as she raised her eyes to watch Sesshoumaru turn his gaze down to Rin. He slowly moved his hand to her head and patted it lightly, and then it just dropped back to his side.

"Rin, take Shippo with you and go play." He stated monotonously. "I must speak with your teacher."

"Okay lord Sesshoumaru." Rin ran to Shippo and pulled him out of Kagome's lap as he was wiping away his tears. She almost dragged him out of the room by his arm. As soon as they left the room and shut the door behind them, Sesshoumaru started to walk over to his desk.

Sesshoumaru walked over to his desk and sat in his chair but it seemed to Kagome that he had a problem lifting his arm on to the desk, but succeeded non-the less. 'He must have been injured.'

Sesshoumaru was fighting back the urge to grimace, not wanting to show pain in front of Kagome. 'How could I have let that damn insect trash me with it's tail.' He scowled mentally, still trying to hide his dislocated shoulder. 'If I still had my left arm…Doesn't matter, it's over. A victory is a victory.' He took in a breath and let it out as he looked up from the desktop and met Kagome's glittering brown eyes as she sat half a room away. "How is Rin doing?" He stated, projecting his voice just enough for Kagome to hear his words.

"She is doing better than I expected," Kagome answered getting up from the floor. "She is very intelligent."

"Indeed she is." He watched as she got up from the ground and walked over to the front of the desk, never breaking eye contact. His eyes scanned hers, knowing there was a question that yearned to come out. "What do you wish to ask me?"

"It is nothing really important, I just wish to know where did Rin leave off with math and her other studies."

'Where did we leave off,' he questioned himself as he thought back to the last lessons he had with her. It took him a minute to gather the answer. "Long division in arithmetic, biology in science, and I was planning on starting her on economics before our paths crossed."

"Thank you," she said, thinking that she was one step ahead of him, smiling smugly in her mind. She was going to tell him about the lessons they had that day, but noticed that his arm dropped just below his shoulder. Without word or warning she walked over to him, and knelt by his side. Causing him to look at her in bewilderment. "What happened," she inquired as she lifted his sleeve, inspecting the dislocated limb.

"Nothing of importance." 'What is she doing and why does she care,' he thought coldly as his eyes turned icy.

Kagome scanned his arm, palpating it to find if it was actually dislocated. 'Okay, now how did Keade tell me how to do this?' Kagome never raised her eyes to meet Sesshoumaru's, who was questioning what she was doing.

Kagome remembered what Keade had taught her and raised her gaze to Sesshoumaru. "This may hurt." She took his wrist in her right hand and put the other under his arm. In one quick motion, she wrenched it back into the socket. Sesshoumaru winced and growled at the excruciating pain, but was able to fully move it once again. She began checking the rest of his arm when she came across, a large scar under his forearm stretching almost six inches in length. "You need to take care of this." Kagome pointed to the large laceration.

"It will heal," he said as he took his arm from her, ignoring the sheer pain from the motion.

"Not if you don't have it mended," she retorted as she grabbed it again which caused him slightly more pain. But once again, he ignored it. 'I need to disinfect it before I can wrap it,' Kagome theorized. "Do you have any sake?"

"This is no time for a drink, miko." Kagome stared at him and sighed. He didn't know what she was going to use it for, but he pointed to a cabinet that was right behind her. "Over there on the shelf."

Kagome let go of his arm and got to her feet. She gazed at and admired the beautiful piece before she opened its glass doors. She looked at all of the shelves until she found it and took the bottle out. 'Now where is that handkerchief,' she thought. 'Oh, yeah.'

Sesshoumaru watched as she took out a white piece of cloth from her obi and soaked it with the rice wine. She replaced the bottle and knelt by his arm again. As she placed the cloth on his arm she felt Sesshoumaru's arm twitch and heard him hiss slightly at the sting.

"What are you doing," he asked as he watched her rub the cut with the cloth.

"I'm disinfecting your wound so you won't get an infection and lose the whole arm." Kagome replied with a firm tone. 'What the hell does he think I'm doing?' When she was done and took the cloth away, she noticed that it was already beginning to heal. 'That's right, he's a demon.' She scoffed and looked up at him. Her eyes caught his as they stared into her soul. She was frozen with fascination and curiosity at his unmarred complexion. 'My god he's gorgeous,' she thought silently as she kept staring into his eyes.

While her thoughts raced, Sesshoumaru had his own contemplation on the situation. 'She is intelligent, she is beautiful, she is fragrant…but she is human. She has the inner strength of a powerful demon, but she is human. But most of all, she is a miko.' He looked deep into her heavenly eyes and realized that for the first time since his mother died he did not feel the outskirts, or any other part of his constant migraine. 'What witch craft is this miko using.' He thought as he felt a warming in his chest, a soothing of his unstable rage. His eyes caught her movement and another question came to mind. 'Why is she moving closer towards me?'

Kagome moved closer to him, and then stopped, their lips were only a hand's breadth apart. 'Why is he staring at me like that? If he keeps looking at me like that, I might…' She placed her hand on his leg. 'I might…'

"Miko," his words snapped into her head like a physical blow as he stood out of the chair and stared down at her. "What sort of sorcery are you up to?"

His cold tone made Kagome start to shake. "What sorcery, I do not know any kind of spell." Kagome stated back as she stood to her feet, still falling head and shoulders shorter than he did.

He stared into her eyes coldly, his familiar migraine hitting him again at full force, but her eyes told no lie. She did not know any spell. "I must get some work done," he said simply. "Can you meet me in my chambers later so we may speak?"

"Yes, of coarse lord Sesshoumaru." Kagome was still fearful of what just happened and was on the verge of crying. She turned around and hurried out of the room. As soon as the door closed, Sesshoumaru once again hit his desk with his clawed fist.

'WHY DID I DO THAT?' he screamed in his mind. He prided himself on never loosing his temper, no matter how angry he was. 'I lost control of myself. I should never lose control of myself. I can not lose control of myself.'

He put his head in his hand and leaned on the desk as his painful migraine started to grow past his ability to bare it. His breathing quickened and he could feel his eyes begin to water. He clenched his teeth tight enough for his fangs to draw blood from his inner lip and his vision was going hazy and a clear almost blue liquid was threatening to seep out. He forced his eyelids closed, trying to keep the bluish liquid from flowing.

His head was pounding harder and harder as his teeth crushed against each other. His jaw lightened and his mouth opened, allowing every breath to sound like a growl, or a near scream of agony. He felt the trickle of blood fall from his nose and heard it's light pats on the marble desk. He let out one last, loud groan as his vision darkened and his head fell onto the desk unconscious.

It was a few short moments till Sentaru entered limping slightly. His eyes glued to the piece of paper he was holding. "Hey, I got the body..." He raised his eyes and cut his sentence short, he found Sesshoumaru slumped over his desk, blood and foam flowing from his nose, mouth, and ears. Ignoring the pain in his leg, he ran to the desk and put his hands on the shoulders of the taiyoukai.

"Sesshoumaru," Sentaru called as he shook him. "Sesshoumaru!"

It was a few moments until he came around and found himself being shook and his head in a small puddle of...blood and vomit. He raised his head slowly, being helped by Sentaru who was speaking indistinctly. His head was spinning, but it finally stopped, and he regarded Sentaru's presence.

"What the hell happened?" Sentaru asked as he took a rag and began wiping the sweat and fluid from his head and chin, but was soon waved off.

"Nothing. It was nothing."

Sentaru started to clean his desk next. "The hell it was." Sentaru did his best to bite his tongue, but he could do it no longer. "We both know exactly what caused this. If you don't let go of what ever hate you keep feeding, you are going to DIE!"

Sesshoumaru's hand shot out and grabbed Sentaru by the throat, almost sealing it closed. "My hate...gives me strength. Without it, I will never live up to my father."

Sentaru ripped his hand from his neck and stared daggers at his friend. "And with it you will not see the next spring."

"WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME DO!"

"Find a mate, have a few kids, and be a damn father. At least then you'll live and might just like it."

"You are out of place, Sentaru!"

"Who cares?" Their voices were now loud and threatening, and Sesshoumaru's head was once again pounding. He could taste the copper like tang of blood welling up in his throat.

Sesshoumaru's head was spinning and he was getting dizzy. He sat down and lowered his gaze to the report in Sentaru's hand. "I'll take that now," he said holding out his demanding hand.

"You okay?" Sentaru asked as he held it out to him. His anger being replaced with concern.

"Fine," Sesshoumaru answered coldly as he took the body count sheet from Sentaru and began to read it, never meeting his eyes.

"Bullshit. I know you better than that."

"I'm fine." Sesshoumaru repeated, his anger growing.

"You're lying."

"DROP IT!" Sesshoumaru shot out of his chair and stared at Sentaru, his teeth clenched in pain as his head began to pulse again.

"Okay." Sentaru raised his arms in sign of surrender. It took a minute for Sesshoumaru to sit back down and Sentaru watched intently. 'I have to change the subject.' He thought, noticing a small drop of blood at the corner of Sesshoumaru's cold lips. "How's the arm?"

"Back in place. How's your leg?" As the throbbing began to ebb, so did his temper.

"It hurts like a son-of-a-bitch."

"Have the miko look at it. She is skilled in bones and anatomy."

"By the way. I passed her in the hall. It looked like she was crying."

Sesshoumaru stared at him for a moment and went back to reading the report. Sentaru shrugged and just left the room. When the door shut, Sesshoumaru put the report back on his desk and stood up. 'Why is all of this madness occurring now?' He took a deep breath and let it out as he faced the window. His guards that were off duty were playing some kind of sport involving a ball. He often watched his men play this game where the object was to kick the ball through two poles that stuck into the ground on each end of the small area of grass. This was something of a pass time for him. He thought of how his mother used to watch the guards play with him when he was a child. His migraine was beginning to return, so he shut out the memory, making it regress back into a dim pain.

He stood for a few moments, thinking of how he should approach the pile of papers and reports on his marble desk. 'I wish I could just walk away from this.' He thought as a frustrated feeling came over him. 'But where else can I go and who do I have to go with?' His bitter thoughts came out as if he were condemning himself to an eternity in hell.

As he was about to walk away from the window and back to his desk, he saw Kagome step out of the window's blind spot. His gaze fell on Gaten who was leading her out. The guards seemed to be overjoyed at her presence and allowed her to join the game. He watched as she moved over to one of the teams and Gaten over to the other.

The game started when the ball was tossed in from the sidelines and both teams went after it; Kagome was the first to get it. Sesshoumaru was amazed at how she expertly maneuvered past the demon guards with great ease and took a final kick at the white sphere.

As she kicked the ball into the goal, she jumped for joy and then was lifted up by her team. Her arms were stretched into the air in victory as her team jumped around her. The other team did not look sad, they looked happy, as if there were no one else they'd rather lose to.

The young miko looked up to Sesshoumaru's widow, she found him looking down to her. He tossed his head to the side as if he wanted to see her at that minute. Kagome watched his motion and got off of the guards' shoulders, as she ran into the castle, there were groans coming from the guards.

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Kagome ran out of Sesshoumaru's study and right passed Sentaru who just watched in disbelief as she disappeared around the corner. He lost sight of her, but the potent scent of tears did not disappear with her. 'What the fuck did he do?' He thought bitterly as he moved closer towards the door.

Kagome hurried past Sentaru, trying to hide her tears from him. She moved around the corner as if the speed she did it with was her only chance for survival, but she found herself face to face with Gaten who had just come off duty. She ran head long into the armored demon and staggered back, letting her tears glistening cheeks show themselves to his gaze.

"Lady Kagome," he whispered as she turned her gaze back down. "Are you alright, my lady?" His answer was a silent, but unbelieving nod. He raised her head with his finger and saw her shimmering eyes. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Kagome said, regaining some of her control. "I'm alight…I just…need some fresh air."

Gaten smiled and took her by the hand. "I have just the cure for what ever ails you."

"Gaten, please I just want to be alone."

"Oh, no. No one who is found crying should ever be alone. It just isn't right." He led her back the way they came, but they took a flight of stairs that descended to the floor, just before they reached the study door, where Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's bellowing voice. "This always cheers up the servants."

He brought her to the courtyard where she found the guards playing a game of soccer and the servants who were all females were cheering them on. She was met by a wave of hellos and my lady's, but she was most surprised when they asked her to play. How could she not accept? 'I haven't even met most of these guards and yet they all know me.' She thought as she took her place with one of the teams. "Are you ready to get your butt kicked, Gaten?" She yelled in a pleasant tone. 'Hey…he was right. This does cheer one up.'

"My butt is ready and waiting, Lady Kagome," Gaten countered. The ball was thrown in and Kagome was the first to get it.

'Gym class finally came in handy.' Kagome thought as she zigged and zagged across the lawn. She dodged one guard, then two, and made Gaten fall on his face before putting the ball between the poles. As soon as the ball went through them, the crowd jumped with joy. Kagome was shocked when her team lifted her up onto her shoulders and paraded her around.

But her eye was caught by Sesshoumaru, who had been watching her from his window. He motioned for her to come up with his gesture of his head. "I must go," she told the guards as the lowered her to her feet. "Thank you for cheering me up." She yelled as she ran off into the palace. She was followed by quite a few disappointed groans as she left, but paid them no mind.

Miroku, Keade, and Sango all sat around a humble fire that illuminate the small hut. Sango couldn't stop wondering what Miroku was thinking as he stared into the fire. His eyes still burned with anger from the day before. Sango was seeing a side of him nobody ever saw, and it scared her.

They were cold and showed no sign of the kindness she once looked for when she was saddened. Sango could only see hatred in those violet orbs of his. Miroku shifted his gaze from the fire to Sango and watched as she looked away from him. He blinked a few times before he realized why she looked away from him.

He got up and walked out of the hut, leaving Sango and Keade alone. As he left the hut, Keade looked to Sango. "He is worried, child," she said in her grandmotherly tone. "He needs his other friends to comfort him."

"But why do his eyes look so cold?"

"He has grown up alone. He spent all of his life alone, without anyone close to his heart. Kagome, Inuyasha, and yourself especially filled that void in his soul."

"But he still has all of us."

"Child, he knows something we don't. I am sure of it."

"But what?"

"I don't know, but to him he has lost Inuyasha and Kagome. All he has left is you and when he looked at you, you turned away. To him, you won't even look at him."

Before Sango could comment on Keade's interpretation, A villager ran in screaming. "SANGO, KEADE, MIROKU'S LEAVING!"

"WHAT?" Sango yelled, worried she would lose him.

"He's leaving the village!"

Sango got to her feet and ran after Miroku. She never knew she could run so fast, but that was the last thing on her mind. She didn't want one of the few people she cared for to leave her life. She just caught up with him as he was crossing the bridge into the village. "MIROKU!"

"Go away, Sango," he said with no feeling in his voice.

"Miroku, wait," she said in return as she got in his way. "Why are you leaving?"

"Because I have business to finish. I must kill Naraku."

"We can do that together!" She screamed at him as she put her hands on his.

As soon as she took his hands, he wrenched them away. "No, we can't. I'm going alone."

"Miroku, you stand no chance going alone! You'll die!"

"Than I'll die. You really think I care?"

"Don't say that! You have to live!"

"Why?" he questioned her as he moved around her and kept walking. "Why must I live? If I die than my curse dies with me. I don't give a damn about children or women anymore. I WANT to die!" He left Sango standing on the bridge screaming at him.

"Miroku, please don't say things like that!"

"Why not!" He screamed back as he turned around to face her. "I have nothing anymore! Two of my friends have been torn apart because of one's stupidity and ignorance and you won't even look at me anymore. What reason do I have to live? TELL ME WHY!" His voice almost deafened Sango.

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" She brought her hands to her eyes and fell to the ground crying. She fell to her knees right in front of him, crying and wailing into her hands. He could feel a tear burning behind his eyes as he watched Sango lay there and cry. She said she loved him, and he knew he loved her. That is why he stayed with the group for so long, if for nothing else.

He dropped his staff and crouched down to help her to her feet slowly. Once they were fully standing, Miroku looked deeply into her eyes and placed his lips to hers. Expecting a slap in the face, he made it quick. But as he pulled away, her lips followed him. She put her arms around him and held on to him tightly. Miroku did the same and deepened the kiss that seemed to last hours.

As they finally broke away, Miroku asked her a question he's been wanting to since he realized he loved her. "Sango, will you spend your life with me and be my wife?"

Sango was surprised he asked her this question. She knew exactly what she wanted to say, but she didn't know if he meant it. But she trusted him. "Yes, I will be your wife, and the mother of your children."

Miroku couldn't help but smile when she told him that she would be his wife. The fact that she agreed to bear his children had no effect on him. At that moment, he didn't care. He was happy that he found someone he loved and he would spend the rest of his life with. "I love you, Sango." He took her again in a deep kiss and they both started to walk back to the hut. Before they got on the other side of the bridge, Kagura came down from the sky.

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Kagura waited for Naraku to enter his sub-basement chamber and for the barrier to fall. 'He is going into his dormancy early.' Know was her chance to warn the miko's friends about the danger. She ran out of the palace and boarded her feather and speed off for the village where the group usually stayed. She found it in a few uninterrupted hours later; the monk and the slayer were on the bridge, holding each other.

Kagura looked at the two lovers, oblivious to what just happened between them. She set her feather gently on the ground and leapt to the ground. She stood there and just looked at the two, waiting for them to make a move.

Miroku saw her and reached to unravel his wind tunnel, but before he opened it, he stopped. He saw her just standing there and with out moving shouted to her. "What do you want, Kagura?"

Kagura looked at both of them and answered the monk's question. "I am here with information that you may find interesting. I have found that Inuyasha has beaten your friend Kagome. And that she now resides with his brother Sesshoumaru. And that he is bringing her with him to the lord of the southern island's home."

Sango stood there, surprised to near tears of what happened to her friend. She stared at Kagura with glaring eyes. "That's a lie. Inuyasha loves Kagome." She looked to Miroku who was staring at Kagura with knowing eyes. "Doesn't he?"

Miroku looked into her eyes and almost cried when he found what he was going to tell her would make her cry. He said nothing and only nodded his head. Sango crashed against him and wailed in sorrow for her friend. Kagura just stood there and watched the strong slayer cry against the monk, who was rubbing her back. Crying silently with her. Miroku looked over to Kagura and his eyes turned cold again. "Where is Inuyasha?" he asked, his voice as cold as his eyes.

"He, Naraku, and Kikyou are planning on crashing the southern lord's little party and have the intent on taking Kagome's soul and giving it to Kikyou. They are taking a small army with them."

"An army of what?"

"Of demons. He has convinced numerous groups of youkai to fight with him. A few, such as your friend Kouga's pack and the loyal lords of this land. So the only real threat to him are the dangerous lords, who are all going to be in the southern islands, without their armies."

"And Naraku plans to take them out without a war," Miroku finished. "Are you sure Kagome's going to be there?"

"No. But it is possible."

"How can we trust you?" Sango bit out. "You are the ones who have my brother."

"I'm sorry Sango, but your brother has died, killed on a mission Naraku gave us."

Sango's tears of pain started to return again and she stared at Kagura hatefully as tears streamed down her face. "Where is he?" She forced out in a low threatening voice.

"If I show you, will you trust me about this?"

"No. But I will think of making your death painless."

"Fine. Follow me."

Kagura leapt back onto her feather and proceeded into the air. Both Miroku and Sango riding Kirara shortly joined her. She flew through the air, heading to the eastern lands. At the speed they were traveling, they arrived at the out skirts of the lands. As the traveled further into the lands, Sango looked back to Miroku, who was holding her closely by her waist. "Are you okay Miroku?"

It was a moment or two before he answered. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered as he held her closer.

"Why are you worried about that?"

"Because this could be a trap. I'm worried that you will be captured or killed and I will lose you."

She looked back at him and gave him a small smile. "I promise you, I will not die. I promised you I would marry you."

Miroku placed his head on her shoulder and gave her a light kiss that she could barley feel, but the feeling lasted a while. "I will wait until then, I promise."

Just after they returned their eyes to the wind sorceress in front of them, Kagura started to descend to the ground. Miroku and Sango followed cautiously. As they landed Sango found a grave, the dirt still fresh from being replaced. Sango immediately knew what it was from. "Is…that his…" she couldn't finish the rest. But seeing Kagura start praying answered her, no matter how much she told herself it was a trick.

"He was so young," Kagura spoke quietly. "He didn't deserve this." She got up and looked at Sango and Miroku, who were both ready for a fight. "No matter how much you don't trust me, I only did what Naraku told me. He holds my heart and keeps me from being free."

"Why didn't you help him? Why did you let him die?" Sango said, trying not to cry.

"I did try to save him, but the demon that possessed the shard we were after was too strong," she turned back to the marker. "And poor Kohaku no longer wanted to live."

"Why should we trust you?"

Kagura turned back to face them. "You shouldn't. I'm not here to help you. I'm here to help me. As long as Naraku has my heart, I can not be free."

"And if you were free?"

"You wouldn't hear from me. I have other plans besides doing Naraku's biding."

Sango accepted her answer and replaced her harikatsu on her back. Miroku didn't stand down until Sango put a hand on his shoulder. He looked to her and silently asked her why she trusted her. And with a small glance, she looked at Kohaku's grave that Kagura dug. Miroku nodded and looked at Kagura.

"We will help you."

88888

Kagomestalked through the castle looking for Sesshoumaru, before she reached his study door, she walked straight into him. She expected to crash on the floor, but was being held up by a very powerful right arm. She looked up and found his unmarred visage looking at her.

She twisted out of his grip and straitened her clothes. "Did you want to speak with me?"

"I did…very observant. I wish to know if you trust me? And try not to lie, I can smell it like a rotten corpse."

Kagome didn't really know how to answer. The truth was that she didn't, but then again she did. 'Do I trust him?' She looked up to see him watching her intently. "Yes, I do trust you."

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath…and detected no trace of a lie. He could feel his migraine start to evaporate again and hid a small smile. "You speak the truth, now as will I. I wish you to stay here with us to watch over Rin. Not just as a teacher, but a female role model. Also I wish you to assist me with some minor secretarial work. You will spend your daytime in my study with me and when I am caught up, you will tutor Rin in exchange for a reasonable wage. Do you accept?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Yes, but you will not enjoy the alternative."

"Than I accept." 'Now I'm his secretary…This just keeps getting better and better.'

(A/N Okay. I know. Really fast and hard to keep up with. It's unbeatable writer's block. Sorry. Try to find it in your hearts not to flame me.)