…So not motivated to write this right now, but I did manage to get it out…

"Hey there kiddo! Happy to see me?"

Rin nodded enthusiastically with an arm reaching out to wave goodbye to Kaede. The elder woman put on her coat and a shawl over her head. It was a gauzy white, not exactly see-through and was to prevent the wind from disrupting Kaede's graying hair. It was long and usually just left down in a pony tail, but tonight it was pulled back into a tight bun above the base of her neck by a few inches. It made Kaede look years younger and Kagome smiled lightly. It looked like Kaede was going out on a date, not to a go parlor, but it wasn't any of her concern. Even the curious matchmaker part of her was itching to follow this vein of thought; Kagome resisted and closed the door behind the woman after bidding her a good night.

"Your dad caught me as I was leaving work. His arms were full of a stack of folders this high!"

Kagome's hands stretched from her waist to a foot above her head. Sesshoumaru had been carrying an arm full, but where she had exaggerated he'd only had maybe twenty or so. Kagome placed her hands on her hips. She had put Rin down minutes ago back on her feet on top of the couch. Rin gripped the back of the couch and laughed quietly. Or maybe it was at the pained expression on Kagome's face that was supposed to reflect Sesshoumaru's at carrying such a heavy load.

"Hungry?" At her nod Kagome continued, "Well then we better get started."

"We're going to cook together?"

"Uh huh! If that's okay with you, of course…?"

"Yes! Rin would very much like that Kagome-chan."

Kagome smiled. The girl seemed to slip when she wasn't constantly thinking about what she was going to say. In this case, her emotions stopped her mental processes and she blurted it out. Kagome smiled, emotions did some wonderful and terrible things. They set Rin free and chained her down. It was funny, so Kagome laughed while Rin trotted little circles around her. Kagome slowly meandered into the kitchen, her progress much burdened by Rin's movement around her, not that she minded. Kagome smiled and stopped waiting for her chance. With sparkling eyes she leapt into action grabbing Rin around the waist, careful not to hold her too tightly and hurt her. Kagome sat her down on one of the counter tops, near the dish washer.

Kagome pursed her lips, walking over to the fridge. Opener the door she found it wasn't exactly full. There were some snacks obviously stocked for Rin. In the freezer, the compartment to the left of the refrigerator was some salmon on ice.

Kagome called over her shoulder, "Was this salmon for anything special?"

"Leftovers."

Kagome glanced back and Rin was swinging her legs side to side. Her head bopped to the music playing in her head and really- it was adorable. Rin's hair was down for once and a pale blue bandana trapped her bangs back. A few hairs, though, crept from underneath and stuck up in the air. There were white daisies with yellow centers on the cloth that seemed to be evidence of Rin's love for flowers.

"Mind having it again?"

"Nope! It was good."

Kagome shrugged and pulled it out. It was frozen, naturally, and would a few hours to thaw if left as it was. Kagome stuck the salmon block in the sink and washed her hands. She sighed drying her hands on a nearby rag. She bent down to where she now suspected the pots and pans to be located. Of course they weren't. Rin giggled at her growl, which dissolved her anger. Kagome stood up and after a smile that clearly held her plea; Rin pointed one cabinet to the left, towards the sink. Kagome nodded.

-Always the last place I check…-

Kagome grabbed a soup pot and filled it with hot water. She dropped the fish into it, trying not to splash herself, and held it under the water's surface for a few seconds.

"This will thaw faster this way, but we'll have to keep changing the water to make sure it stays hot, okay?"

"Okay!"

"You won't let me forget will you?"

Rin shook her head rigorously back and forth.

"Of course not Kagome-chan."

Kagome was almost concerned her head might just pop off with how much force there was in the action. Rin certainly felt responsibility was important and it was no wonder considering the person she was living with. Kagome laughed lightly picking up the kid from the counter and settling her on one hip. It wasn't a bad thing at all either. Shippou was, but that had to be just his nature. There was no way he developed it from her example. Kagome smiled, remembering all the things she'd forgotten over the past couple of days. In the moment, it always frustrated her, but after the fact it really was funny. Shippou always liked watching her run away like a crazy woman looking for stuff or standing there with one hand on her forehead trying desperately to remember what she'd forgotten to remember.

"Want to play a game Rin-chan?"

Kagome set Rin down on the couch again and the girl immediately plopped down. When Kagome sat as well Rin took her hand. Rin was holding her hand loosely, just looking at it.

"Which one Kagome-chan?"

Kagome watched the child before squeezing her hand in what she hoped would be a reassuring gesture. Rin peeked up through her bangs hesitantly. Seconds later a beaming grin stole her features and she held onto Kagome's hand with both of her smaller ones. Kagome's heart clenched. Why did Rin always feel like contact was above her? Her childhood must have been awful. At one time, from Shippou, she knew that Rin didn't speak at all. Rin wasn't one to ask for anything or even come close to being an actual burden. It was like she expected it all to fall out from underneath her and Kagome though sadly, maybe it always did.

Kagome shook her head and lifted Rin's hand placing a quick kiss on the back of one. Rin gasped and her eyes grew large with shock. Kagome smiled softly, her eyes lightening in color slightly.

"It's okay Rin-chan…its okay." Kagome spoke gently, quietly.

Rin's eyes began to water and she was about to shrink away when Kagome held tightly onto her hand. She did not pull Rin towards her in an aggressive gesture nor let the girl pull away. Instead Kagome left her lap open and allowed Rin to crawl on her own into Kagome's embrace. Once she was there though Kagome enveloped her and tucked Rin's head under her chin. Rin gripped a lock of her hair that fell over one shoulder. Kagome could only wonder at the reason to why she had come so easily into her arms at the door. Did she feel that she had overstepped her bounds before and was now staying at a distance? Rin had appeared very melancholy then probably from Sesshoumaru not coming home.

-Stupid Sesshoumaru…you have responsibilities higher than work you know…Oh I am so going to tell him that!-

Kagome sighed and thought of a game they could play. Kagome was the master creator of all stupid games. She could come up with anything in just a few moments with a full set of rules. After many long car rides to relatives houses' and with Souta crammed in the back seat with her this skill had become quite handy. It was also necessary to keep the little brat quiet. Kagome thought fondly of her little brother now turned teenager. He had a girlfriend as her mother had told her in the latest update about what was going on back home. Kagome would have to go back and tease him the way he did with her, making kiss noises, etc.

"It's called this or that. I play it with Shippou often on the train."

Rin pulled back, her eyes sparkling.

"He told me about that! We've played it before at the playground with Kohaku too!"

"You have?" Kagome said somewhat surprised.

"Yes, Shippou said it was a good one."

Kagome smiled languidly then tipped her head to the side. Shippou was such a sweet boy, she sometimes forgot among everything else. Kagome had just been shocked that one of her stupid games was good enough to spread around. Though Shippou probably thought all of them were awesome, using his phrase.

"Can I start?" Rin asked excitedly, bouncing in her lap.

"Sure."

"Scuba diving without a mask or rock climbing without any ropes?"

"Rin-chan! Quite the adventurous I see…"

Rin smiled, but it was merely a tilting up of her lips.

"Um…scuba diving…I've always liked doing that."

"You've gone scuba diving?" Rin asked with wide eyes.

"Twice- I've gone once with my family, but I was really young and the other time was with my friends, right after I entered college." Kagome closed her eyes, letting the memories wash over her briefly.

"Was it fun?"

"Definitely, I love fish."

"Me too!" Rin exclaimed.

"So I'm guessing you would choose scuba diving too then?"

"Yes Kagome-chan!"

"Hey, maybe we could go one day."

Rin paused, "Really? You would take me Kagome-chan?" She asked quietly.

"Of course! We'll drag Sesshoumaru along too!"

Rin smiled then gasped remembering something.

"Kagome-chan, it's your turn!"

"Okay…let's see…would you prefer living with an orangutan or a gypsy?"

Rin laughed, "Can you imagine Sesshoumaru-san living with an orangutan?"

Kagome thought about it and chortled immediately. In her over imaginative mind, Kagome had just pictured Sesshoumaru sitting at the breakfast table while a monkey wearing an apron that said 'kiss the chef' swung around the eves of the kitchen serving him breakfast.

…With Sesshoumaru…

He sat at his desk, the lights still on in his office, but everyone else had gone. The hallways outside his closed door were dark and empty. The custodians had already finished up and gone home for the evening. So there wasn't a soul that could witness Sesshoumaru's grinning lips or the dark, triumphant chuckle falling from them.

Sesshoumaru sat back from hovering over his desk. His sadistic side found too much pleasure in this. It was kind of sad, but Naraku's ruin was seemingly hilarious. Sesshoumaru felt very proud of himself and Kagome for her intuitive theories. Kanna had been more than willing to look into it too. Most of the documents regarding the substance known as miasma and its effects had been destroyed, except for one. The very one he held within his grasp was enough to incriminate Naraku into a position not even he could weasel out of. This went beyond the local authorities that were his lap dogs. This information went beyond Japan, it concerned the world. Naraku was contaminating the atmosphere at such a rate that the entire world would be furious. Naraku was in deep shit and Sesshoumaru could only chuckle again. Sesshoumaru could only imagine the Americans indignation and for god's sake- the environmentalists!

One hand pushed the bangs from his forehead and covered his eyes. It was too much.

Sesshoumaru had received the report on the epidemic from Bankotsu three days ago. It was speckled with assumptions, but not outrageous ones. Sesshoumaru had approved testing, first on Shi's brain tissue then a careful observation of one living patient to try and find similarities between the two. The results claimed that Kagome wasn't very far off base on most of her theories.

Shortly after, Sesshoumaru had called Kanna into his office. It seems that Naraku knew Kanna had helped Rin escape, but as usual was waiting for this fact to become an opportune moment for him. So the woman was under surveillance all the time, except when she went into Naraku's building. It was redundant to watch her when Naraku would do so. Kanna just had to be careful of the many security cameras, but otherwise she was home free.

In the end, her stealth had come through. Naraku would realize the file's absence, if he hadn't already, which was why Sesshoumaru was leaving for the courthouse at this very moment. His lawyer was to meet him there as he just called the man halfway through eating dinner. Sesshoumaru wasn't an impatient man nor would he be one to take the father away from his family meal with his family so they were to meet in an hour. Besides he was in too good a mood to argue or demand.

It was six thirty now, but he didn't have far to go. There was a lot of traffic, but it was letting off a bit. Sesshoumaru pushed the file into his briefcase and set out for the parking lot. He wasn't paranoid, but he kept an active look out just in case Naraku had noticed the file was missing. Nothing would steal this away from him, Sesshoumaru's hand clenched on the handle of his briefcase. A dozen paling faces came to his mind and he sighed finally feeling the effect of Kagome wash over him. That woman would be the death of him, but not his clear head when it came to business.

…With Miroku…

He opened the door slowly feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise. He walked into the apartment and felt his stomach jolt. His eyes widened and his mouth watered. The most delicious smell was coming from the kitchen. His eyelids dropped and his stomach growled hungrily. A dark head poked out and violet met laughing brown eyes.

"Hungry?" Sango asked innocently.

Miroku appeared slightly miffed so she walked out and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"I hope you are because I made it for you…"

Miroku's eyes lighted up and Sango laughed out loud this time.

"What is it?" He asked, her laughter warming his disposition despite her earlier teasing.

"Well…there's marinated pork tenderloin, grilled onions and mushrooms, grilled flounder with lemon, and potatoes. Plus I have a special dessert for you…" Her voice darkened at the last sentence.

Miroku shuddered. He was affected very easily by women, but none as much as Sango. He was wrapped around her little pinky and he didn't mind it in the least. A scary thought for an eligible bachelor such as himself, but that food smelled so good. Pork and Sango's firm rear would be his ruin for sure, but what a lovely disaster it would be.

…With Naraku…

He swiveled in his chair smirking for all he was worth. Kanna had been more than helpful. She so gullibly took the file folder from his safe not even thinking about how it was too easy. That information was planted there on purpose so that the little traitor would deliver it into Takarashi's hands. No doubt the man would be going to the courthouse this very night. No reason to stop him.

Naraku chuckled and slid a hand lazily over the folder's cover. He glanced at the clock whose numbers stared vacantly back at him. It was seven thirty and soon he would go home to meet his latest attraction. She was particularly feisty, much like Kagome.

Long fingers opened the manila cover and triumphant red eyes skimmed over the contents. Very slowly the information sunk in and anger replaced the arrogance. His mouth tightened.

"That…bitch…"

This wasn't the folder he'd planted. Kanna had discovered the original documents in the floor safe taking the original then she replaced it with the copy from the safe behind the painting hanging in his office. Kanna was too intelligent for her own good. The floor safe was effortlessly accessible either. It was placed half under the wall between his office and the head of security next door. The man never left his office. Suikotsu was constantly watching the company's cameras. The lock is a finger code, on Naraku's side of the wall, and if the wrong code is in place the safe automatically locks down for a complete six hours. Not even Suikotsu knew the code, so how? Suikotsu could have aided her in opening up the wall. The wall had a cut out three feet wide by two in height. Steel replaced the dry wall in those parameters, but there was an inch of drywall fitted firmly against the steel on both sides.

Inside the wall was hollow and the steel, when accessed, simple rose up higher into the wall. It took some work to pull the drywall out though. The key pad to access this door was on Suikotsu's side and was a simple panel that opened asking for a password. Normally Suikotsu opened the steel covering over the safe, working open the drywall with ease after years of practice while Naraku did as well. Then Naraku punched in the code for the safe while Suikotsu entered his password. It was a dual effort. The safe expanded the steel covering by three inches each way. The finger code sat right up against the wall so that the bulge under the carpet of his office went unnoticed. Naraku, up until now, hadn't doubted Suikotsu's loyalty, but then that didn't mean he trusted the man. He trusted no one.

Naraku gritted his teeth. Kanna was intelligent, but his code was random. It had nothing to do with anything about himself or anyone he knew. It was just a composition of four numbers. The possibility of getting it right on the first try was impossible. Naraku didn't write it down either, so how? Naraku sulked; it had to have been a code cracker. This was a thief's device that downloaded the safe's code by hacking into its programs. As he was thinking this however, an instance came to his mind. Kikyo had walked in on him one day just after he had opened the safe. She seemed disinterested, but Naraku had known better. Could she have seen his code even though the door was shut as well as the blinds?

Naraku narrowed his eyes. There were three people on his list right now. His fist clenched.

"God feel pity on you…"

Naraku left and locked his office. His mind was awhirl with ideas and plans. There was vengeance to be had and blood to run. On his handsome face a grinch-like smile spread his lips and a malicious chuckle rumbled deep in his throat. It was well known that when in a corner, an animal will show its teeth. He had been quiet for too long. There wasn't much time to lose now.

…Um…Yeah…So I updated quickly because I've been lazy about them for awhile. Oi- you have my apologies dear readers…