-1Author's Note: Felt like updating. I'm rather excited about this story. There are so many ways I can take it. Now, on with the chapter.

Incapable

Freedom never tasted… like anything

Kagome yawned and sat up in her bed, rubbing her eyes in the process. "God, I had the best dream ever last night. Inuyasha wasn't my master anymore. And I had the most amazing room every. And clothes galore!" She stretched and looked around the room, a sleepy smile spreading across her face. "And it seems like I haven't woken up yet."

"Kagome, hurry up. You still need to get ready and eat breakfast." A voice called through the door.

She glanced at her clock and jumped off of the bed. "I'll be out in ten minutes!" She called back. Kagome ran out of the room, nearly knocking the person down, and quickly grabbed a towel from the hall closet before running into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.

"Could have gotten me up earlier. Stupid bastard. He loves making me late." Kagome hissed as she washed her hair. About five minutes later, she jumped out of the shower, wrapping the towel firmly around her body before running back into her room. It wasn't until she closed the door again that she really had time to notice where she was.

"Holy crap. It wasn't a dream…" She muttered. "I slept there. The clothes are there. That was my bathroom… my bathroom… someone please pinch me."

"I will if you don't hurry up." It was that person again. Kagome sifted through the fully stocked closet, biting her nails anxiously.

"I've never seen so many clothes in one place!" She laughed before pulling out a pheasant type skirt and a nice blouse to match. "Shoes… ah, I love him!" She pulled out a pair of pale pink ballet flats to match the color of the shirt. After pulling the clothes on, she ran a brush through her hair and stepped into the hall.

"I would just like to point out two things. One, I've never seen a human, female at that, run that quickly. Two, you nearly knocked me down when you were running to the bathroom." Sesshoumaru towered above her, his arms folded in front of him.

"Oh, god. I'm sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. I won't let it happen again." Kagome leaned forward as if to bow, but caught him shaking his head.

"No more bowing. No more 'Lord'. Come on, breakfast is on the table." He turned on his heel and walked down the stairs.

'I'll never get used to this.' Kagome thought as she walked after him.

"Morning, son. Morning, Kagome." Lord Maeda greeted them. Kagome bowed to the man, staying at the back of the dining room.

"Don't just stand there. Eat." Sesshoumaru told her.

"You mean sit at the table and actually eat with you?" Kagome asked hesitantly.

"I did not stutter, Kagome. Now, sit." He ordered. Kagome nodded slightly and sat at the far end of the table. "We will have to work on your posture after auditions this afternoon."

"I beg your pardon?" She questioned.

"My brother's orders have damaged your back." Sesshoumaru replied. He politely wiped his mouth on a napkin, balling it up in his hand before rising. "Try to hurry. I don't want to be late."

Kagome nodded slightly and grabbed a piece of toast. She stood up, straightening her skirt, and walked towards the door.

"That is all you are going to eat, Kagome?" Lord Maeda asked, lifting an eyebrow curiously.

"Yes, Lord Maeda." Kagome answered. With another bow she followed Sesshoumaru out of the house.

Kagome unwittingly walked past Sesshoumaru, heading towards the stairs that led to the sidewalk.

"Where are you going?" Sesshoumaru questioned. He had stopped in front of a rather nice looking car.

"Umm… school. Like I always do…" Kagome replied.

"Get in the car. I'm driving." He told her. Kagome gave him a puzzled glance but got in the passenger side seat.

"I think I'm in love with your car." She stated, pushing a few buttons.

"Maybe if you follow orders I will feel inclined to give you your own car." Sesshoumaru answered. He pulled the black Lamborghini Diablo out of the driveway and sped towards school.

"Hmm… one and a half minutes." He muttered. "I need to work on that." He got out of the car once they pulled into the student parking lot and walked towards the building. Kagome gaped slightly and ran after him. "You will have the bottom half of the locker. I don't think you're tall enough for the top half."

"Okay." She replied. 'I want that car!' She thought.

"You can come whenever you want, but I don't want you carrying anymore than two text books at any given time." Sesshoumaru twisted in the combination and pried the door open, sliding two books out of it. "I trust you can handle getting to chorus on time." He said to her before walking off.

"So, easy enough. Right, 46... Left, 16... Right, 47. Oh, yeah. I am female. See me conquer the combination lock." Kagome cheered. She knelt down and took out three of the five books in her book bag. She pushed them into the locker, followed by the book bag. "And now, to find Naraku."

She closed the locker door with a snap and turned around, glancing down the halls. It wasn't long before she spotted the familiar looking teen-ager swimming through the sea of students.

Several students glanced at Kagome and quickly moved out of her way. 'No way I want to get caught between them.' Some thought. Kagome squealed and tackled Naraku, straddling his waist.

"Guess… what!" She said excitedly.

"You'd think after twelve years of knowing you I would get used to being greeted in such a manner." Naraku laughed. "Now, what is so important that you had to tackle me?"

"I… wait for it… don't work for Inuyasha anymore!" Kagome screeched.

"I think the circulation being cut off from my legs has impaired my hearing. Get off of me and repeat that, please." Naraku replied.

Kagome rolled her eyes and stood up, pulling Naraku with her. "I said that I don't work for Inuyasha anymore." She repeated.

He stared dumbly at her for a second before shaking his head. "Did you just say…" He began.

Kagome nodded excitedly. "Yep!" Naraku blinked a couple of times before pulling her into a big hug.

"That's wonderful!" He replied.

"Dude, tell me about it. I can finally kick his butt in gym." Kagome laughed. Naraku put her on the floor for a second and then pulled her onto his back.

"Okay, so we have so much catching up to do. I say… movies tomorrow night. Then dinner." He said.

"Hmm… I don't know. I'll have to check with Sesshoumaru to see if it's okay." She answered.

"So, you're working for Sesshoumaru, then?" Naraku asked.

"Yeah. Trust me, he's like a gazillion times better than Inuyasha. I'll ask him about it in chorus and tell you in gym, okay?"

"Okay. See you later, Kags." Naraku replied. He put her back down in front of the chorus room and made his way to band.

Kagome stepped into the room, humming happily to herself. Sesshoumaru was sitting towards the back, a novel opened his hands. 'What if he flips out and tries to kill me for asking for a night off so soon?' She thought. 'Won't know till I ask, though.'

She walked to the back and took a seat next to him. "What are you reading?" She asked casually.

"The Phantom of the Opera. I feel it best to have a good background in the subject before I attempt to play a character." Sesshoumaru replied.

"Oh… well, I was wondering if I could ask you something…" She began.

"There is nothing preventing you from doing so." He answered.

"Okay, so, Naraku wants me to go the movies with him tomorrow evening and then out to dinner." Kagome stated quickly.

"All right, go then." Sesshoumaru told her.

"Just like that? I can go?" She asked. "This isn't some kind of joke, is it?"

"I rarely joke. I said you can go, so you can go." He answered. Nanaka was now standing at the front of the room, waiting for the students to get into position. Sesshoumaru closed his book and stood on the top level of the risers while Kagome went to the front.

"Good morning, my little stars on the rise!" Nanaka really was a bit too perky for a schoolteacher. "So, I know you're all going to hate me for this, but I have decided to have a sort of pop quiz over Lovers. Only thing is, it's in front of the student body. So, leave your books and things here and follow me to the gym."

The room filled with the noise of students jumping off of the risers, chattering excitedly. "Oh, Kagome. You can go ahead and scream." Nanaka added.

"Thank you." Kagome replied. She clamped a hand over her mouth, screaming loudly into it.

"Feel better?" Miroku asked as he stifled a laugh.

"Not really." She answered.

"I don't what your problem is, baby sister. You've had so many solos before."

"Yeah, but… oh, just leave me alone, big brother." Kagome huffed.

"Ahh, I'm just messing with you, baby sister. You'll do fine." Miroku chuckled slightly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Kags, Kags, Kags. You never change."

"You're treading on dangerously thin ice, Houshi. " She growled.

"Hey, my hands are completely above the waist! Believe, I learned when you chased be around the gym for the entire class period. Don't you ever get tired?"

"Nope!" Kagome's demeanor changed once they walked into the gym. No one was in there yet, but she could see all the bleachers were pulled out.

"All students please report to the gym for the chorus recital. I repeat, all students to the gym for the chorus recital." The PA system announced.

"Breathe, Kags. Breathing is good for you. In through the nose, out through the mouth." Miroku attempted to calm her nerves but to no avail. "Want me to get Naraku once he gets in here?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, I'm fine." She replied.

"Sesshoumaru, Kagome, over here, please." Nanaka yelled as students began filing into the gym. Kagome exhaled slowly and made her way over to the teacher. "Okay, a few things to remember. Don't stand too close to the microphones. Don't panic, you'll both do fine. And Sesshoumaru, please try to calm her down so she doesn't have an anxiety attack."

Sesshoumaru glanced at Kagome for a second, noting her pale face and shaky hands. "You've done just as many solos as I have. Why do you always get so nervous?"

"Because I actually care what people think about me and my performance. These are our peers, after all." Kagome replied.

"Two minutes, everyone!" Nanaka announced. Kagome closed her eyes, clenching her hands into fists.

"You're going to make the palms of your hands bleed." Sesshoumaru told her. "Just relax. It's not an actual performance. And your friends are sitting in the front row."

Kagome opened her eyes, seeing Kouga, Sango, and Naraku in the front. She exhaled again and stood in front of one of the microphones. 'Calm. I really need to start meditating again.' She thought.

Nanaka raised her arms and signaled to the piano player. She nodded to Kagome, who slowly began singing the song.

"There was a field in my old town
Where we always played hand in hand
The wind was gently touching the grass
We were so young, so fearless." Her voice was gentle, yet matched the operatic tune of the song.

"Then I dreamt o'er and over
Of you holding me tight under the stars
I made a promise to my dear lord
I will love you forever." Sesshoumaru soon joined her, his voice a few octaves below her own.

"Time has passed
So much has changed
But the field remains in my heart
Oh, where are you?
I need to tell you I still love you
So I reach out for you
You fly around me like a butterfly
Your voice still echoes in my heart
You are my true love." The chorus sang together as Nanaka waved her arms slowly in the air.

"There was a field in my old town
Where in spring all flowers blossomed wide
We were chasing butterflies
Hand in hand 'til close of day
Your voice still echoes in my heart." Kagome and Sesshoumaru completed the song, the gym filling with applause.

Kagome couldn't help the smile that formed on her face. She hated performing in public, but she loved it when they received standing ovations. Naraku smiled broadly at her, as did Kouga and Sango. She could see Inuyasha scowling towards the back.

Both soloists bowed as they always did and walked with the rest of the chorus out of the gym. "Oh, yeah. I didn't faint!" Kagome cheered once they got back in the room.

"No. You only paled about ten shades and started shaking uncontrollably." Miroku replied with a laugh.

"I can still cheer, big brother. Because I'm still conscious." She stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner.

"Okay, you two. Have a seat." Nanaka laughed gently and Kagome and Miroku sat down. "Very nice performance everyone. I would like you all to give another round of applause to Sesshoumaru and Kagome, though." The class applauded, smiling at the two.

"Auditions are now being held for smaller, though still important, roles for The Phantom of the Opera. Carlotta, Madame Giry, Meg, people like that. Everyone is welcome to come. People who auditioned yesterday, you will have to come for the rest of the week." She stated. "You are dismissed."

The class stood and walked out of the room as soon as the bell sounded. "So, are you not working for Inuyasha anymore or something?" Miroku asked once they were in the hall.

"What makes you say that?" Kagome replied and gave him a confused look.

"A few things, actually. One, you've never worn that skirt in the six years you've worked for him. Two, Sango, Kouga, and Naraku were cheering for you after the recital, and three, I saw you tackle Naraku in the hall earlier." He answered. "And didn't your mother ever teach you to keep public displays of affection to a minimum?"

Kagome shot him a glare, punching him in the arm. "I knocked you out once, Houshi. I can do it again." She threatened.

"Oh, come on, baby sister. It was a joke." He sighed and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him.

"You're so lucky we've been friends forever, big brother." Kagome laughed quietly, leaning her head against his shoulder as they walked into the gym. Miroku hid a smirk and followed her towards the girls' locker room. "But, if you don't stop following me it won't matter how good our friendship is you perverted monk!"

"That hurts, baby sister. Truly." Miroku feigned a pained expression but walked into the boys' locker room. Kagome laughed quietly and stepped into the girls' locker room, the door swinging closed behind her.

"Kags!" Sango cheered almost immediately. "Naraku told me the good news!"

"Man, I was hoping to surprise you." Kagome kicked at the ground, a twinkle in her eyes. "No offense, Kikyou, but your boyfriend is a complete ass."

"He was only mean to you. I don't know how many times I have to say it." Kikyou replied.

"All right, fine. But, I hope you don't mind me beating him to a pulp today." Kagome stated. "You know he deserves it."

"You're the only person I'll let beat him up. Naraku's just going to have to cope with it." She answered.

"Ahh, come on, Kikyou. He's just watching out for me." Kagome told her as she pulled her t-shirt on.

"Yes, but Naraku would actually kill him if he got the chance. You'll just beat him to the point where I have to carry him to the nurse's office."

"But, you can't tell me he doesn't deserve it after what he's done." Kagome interjected defensively. Kikyou sighed gently and finished tying her hair back before walking out of the locker room.

Sango and Kagome stifled their laughter and walked out after her. "Are you really going to beat him up?" Sango asked curiously.

"Either that or just blast him to smithereens. I think Kikyou would rather me beat him up." Kagome laughed quietly and joined the class around Kaede.

"Kagome!" Sango exclaimed, bewildered.

"What? It's not like you didn't know I was going to once I didn't work for him anymore." Kagome replied nonchalantly.

"All right, class. Have a seat. Due to some issues currently going around school, I am not permitted to teach you anything for the next week. So, I figured I'd just show a movie instead." Kaede announced. Some people let out shouts of joy, though the majority groaned.

"Man, Kaede. This couldn't have come at a worse time." Kagome muttered, getting a laugh out of Naraku.

"Oh, I know, Kagome. But, you can handle your business with that certain person next week. I promise." Kaede did a little salute and turned to the television near the wall. "We are watching… The House of Flying Daggers. Look at the different techniques used in the film as far as martial arts goes. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy." She turned the lights off, the gym only lit by the light from the device.

"Hey, Kags. What did Sesshoumaru say about the movie tomorrow?" Naraku whispered to the girl currently leaning against his chest.

"I can go. He said it was fine." Kagome replied before placing a finger to her lips. "I like this movie." Naraku chuckled quietly and draped his arms casually around her waist.

"Holy… crap. I forgot how hot Takeshi Kaneshiro is. The things I would do to him if he came here…" She sighed quietly, staring blankly at the television.

"Drooling is not a very attractive thing, Kags. And you know they pile make up on every single one of those guys." Naraku answered. Kagome frowned slightly, burrowing further into him.

"Ruin my fantasy, big brother." She muttered.

"Just trying to keep your pretty little head from going too high into the clouds, little Kags." He whispered to her. Kagome grinned at him and turned her attention back to the movie.

"Now, I'm sure all the girls would love to watch more of Kaneshiro-sama, but class is about to end." Kaede stopped the movie, several groans filling the room. Naraku smiled at his friend's displeasure and smoothly pulled her to her feet.

"You'll get to see more of him tomorrow, Kags." He laughed, gently pushing her towards the girl's locker room. "I'll see you in third period."

Kagome laughed and quickly walked into the locker room, ignoring the talking that was going on. She pulled on the skirt and blouse she had been wearing before slipping her feet into the shoes and meeting Naraku in the main part of the gym again.

Naraku was already waiting for her, his arms shoved casually in his pockets. "Ready for Math?" He asked. He had pulled a hand out of one of the pockets, grabbing one of hers.

"What do you think?" Kagome replied. Naraku chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist. Now, don't get the wrong idea. The love they share for each other is strictly platonic. Though, it has often been mistaken that they are romantically, or just flat out sexually, involved. The thought had crossed both of their minds, but it was shortly followed by an 'Ew, that's almost incestuous.' So, there was no sex, there was no kissing unless it was just on the cheek, there was no nothing, really. They drew the line at holding hands and hugging, really.

"Random question. What's the first thing that pops into your head when you hear Inuyasha's name?" Naraku questioned.

"Castrate him and face the wrath that is Kikyou afterwards." Kagome answered matter-of-factly.

"You will make one man very, very scared of you one day, Kags." He sighed gently and shook his head. Kagome giggled, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I only want to castrate him. All other guys are cool, though… for the most part." They shared a laugh together and walked into the math class.

----------------------

The end of the came soon enough, with much talking between Kagome and her other friends. Much to her dismay, as well as Naraku's, she didn't have the opportunity to beat Inuyasha. That would have to wait, she assumed.

Kagome walked to the locker she now shared with Sesshoumaru and twisted in the combination just as the said demon arrived. "Oh, can I make another request, Sesshoumaru?" She began.

"Go ahead." He replied, putting his books on the top shelf of the locker.

"Naraku wanted me to walk with him to auditions. The theater is just around the corner, after all…" She finished. 'Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.' She repeated.

"Fine by me." Sesshoumaru answered indifferently. He fought back a wince as Kagome squealed and gave him a quick hug, which surprised them both, and ran out of the school.

"So, he said yes?" Naraku asked once he saw her running down the steps.

"Yep, now let's go! I want to know what scene they want us to do." Kagome replied. She grabbed one of his hands and ran off, dragging him behind her. They arrived at the theater some minutes later to find half of the students already there.

"Welcome, you two. Kagome and… Miroku, on stage, please." Mikita greeted them. Kagome bowed to the man before walking to the stage, Miroku following shortly after. "Flip to the last scene in the script you were given yesterday. When Christine, Raoul, and The Phantom are all in the lair. Raoul is not needed here, yet."

Kagome flipped to the designated scene, quickly scanning over the lines. 'Aw, man! I have to kiss him!' She thought as a frown formed on her face.

"Man, I hope you wore some good lip gloss today, baby sister." Miroku muttered, more to himself than to her. But, she heard him and rewarded him with a kick in the shin.

"Ready… action." The drama teacher stated.

"You try my patience. Make your choice." Miroku spoke. His eyes trailed the page as Kagome began singing.

"Pitiful creature of darkness,
What kind of life have you known?
God give me courage to show you,
You are not alone…" She begrudgingly kissed Miroku, a hand going to his neck. After about a second she screeched and pulled back. "Damn it, Miroku! No groping!" She shouted.

"Okay. One request though, Kags. Wear strawberry kiwi flavored lip-gloss tomorrow. Watermelon is too sour." A smirk formed on his face and he held his hands up defensively as Kagome raised her fist.

"I'll kill you!" She yelled, slapping him across the face.

"Children, children. Please do stick to the script. Try it again, please. Miroku, no groping. Kagome, no slapping." Mikita groaned slightly, rubbing his temples.

Miroku muttered something and moved back to his original position. "You try my patience. Make your choice."

"Pitiful creature of darkness,

What kind of life have you known?

God give me courage to show you,

You are not alone." Kagome sang again before kissing him. She pulled back at the indicated time and kissed him again.

"Oh, god. Someone get me some mouthwash." Kagome groaned jokingly, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand.

"That felt like kissing my sister." Miroku replied.

"Who else was up for the Phantom?" Mikita asked, looking around the auditorium.

"Me." Naraku answered and raised his hand. Mikita nodded for him to go on stage.

"Mikita-sensei, are you kidding me? I can't make out with Naraku! He's like family!" Kagome stated indignantly.

"Different scene. The mirror scene when the Phantom first takes Christine to his lair." He replied. Kagome sighed in relief and turned to the new scene.

'Nope, no kissing. He just almost gets to molest me. Joy.' She thought. Naraku seemed to sense her discomfort and gave her a gentle smile.

"I'm not Miroku, Kags. Hands shall stay well above your waist and away from the chest." Kagome laughed at his choice of words and the scene began.

"Insolent boy!
This slave
of fashion
basking in your
glory!

Ignorant fool!
This brave
young suitor,
sharing in my
triumph!" Naraku sang. Though his voice didn't hold the same quality as Miroku's, he was good.

"Angel! I hear you!
Speak -
I listen . . .
stay by my side,
guide me!

Angel, my soul was weak -
forgive me . . .
enter at last,
Master!" It was Kagome's voice that rang through the auditorium.

"Flattering child,
you shall know me,
see why in shadow
I hide!

Look at your face
in the mirror -
I am there
inside!" Again, Naraku sang.

"Angel of Music!
Guide and guardian!
Grant to me your
glory!

Angel of Music!
Hide no longer!
Come to me, strange
angel…" Almost time for one of her favorite scenes in the movie. Just a little bit further…

"I am your Angel ...
Come to me: Angel of Music …" Naraku's voice now held a sweet, seductive tone to it. He held out his hand and Kagome hesitantly took it, ending the scene.

"Very nice. And no kissing, Kagome. So, there." Mikita joked. He loved this job. "Now, I need a scene with the prospective Raoul and Christine. So, Sesshoumaru, up you go."

Sesshoumaru stood up and walked onto the stage, Naraku walking by him.

"Now, a scene with just Raoul and Christine…" Mikita muttered to himself. 'Oh, god. No, don't do it, you senile old bag.' Kagome pleaded. "Ahh, All I Ask of You. The roof scene."

Kagome whimpered and kicked at the ground. 'Damn it. I'll kill him.' She thought bitterly.

Naraku and Miroku, curious as to her sudden change in demeanor, flipped to the scene.

"Holy crap. They have to kiss!" Miroku laughed loudly, staring at the page. Naraku stifled his own laugh upon seeing his friend's obvious dread.

"Sir, this is against my religion." Kagome stated, trying to think of any excuse to keep this from happening.

"And what religion is that, Kagome?" Makita asked.

"The… no-kissing-my-employer religion. Yeah, that's it." She replied. 'Smooth, Kags. Real smooth.'

"Well, Sesshoumaru is not your employer in the theater. I suggest you suck it up if you truly want the role of Christine." He barked.

"Aw, man." Kagome grumbled, once again kicking the ground. She, though reluctantly, turned her attention to Sesshoumaru and waited for him to begin.

"No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you

Let me be your freedom
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here, with you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you." Sesshoumaru sang, looking intently at Kagome.

"Say you'll love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summer time
Say you need me with you now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you." She bit her tongue in distress. 'Someone gag me with a spoon. Please.'

"Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, no one will find you
Your fears are far behind you." He wrapped his arms gently around her shoulders, standing firmly behind her.

"All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me
To hold me and to hide me." He'd already given her the freedom part. She wasn't so sure about the him being next to her all the time, though.

"Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Christine, that's all I ask of you." Sesshoumaru's words were gentle, though it was just a façade to go with the song.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me, each night, each morning
Say you love me." 'Someone can come through the doors at any time. Just something so that I don't have to kiss him.'

"You know I do." 'This is about to get very awkward, very soon.' Sesshoumaru thought.

"Love me, that's all I ask of you." They both sang the last part before Sesshoumaru slowly began closing the gap between them. Kagome stood on her tiptoes, their lips finally meeting. Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, picking her up. 'She really is light.' He thought.

'I do recall the script saying kiss. Not make out. But, he's an excellent kisser.' Kagome mused. Sesshoumaru finally put her back on her feet, breaking the kiss.

"Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me, that's all I ask of you." They kissed again, though not as long as the first time.

"Bravo!" Makita cheered. "Everyone, you're dismissed." Kagome leapt off of the stage, walking with Naraku and Miroku out of the theater.

"Damn, I think I need an entire tube of toothpaste, now." She spat on the ground, wiping her mouth.

"Was he really that bad of a kisser?" Naraku asked.

"No, he was actually really good. But… gah! He's… him. And I'm… me!" Kagome answered. "It's just wrong."

"Wait, you mean you actually enjoyed that? Like, you like him now?" Miroku questioned.

"Oh, god, no. So not my type, Miroku." She replied, punching him playfully in the arm. "Anyway, I have to go. I'll see you two tomorrow." With that, she ran down the street the Maeda household lived on.

She quickly keyed in the code to open the gates and made her way up the driveway, entering the house through the servant's door. 'So, he isn't waiting to yell at me. That's a good thing.' Kagome thought.

"He's in his room, Kagome. He told me to tell you that he needs to speak with you as you got in." Kagura was always good at relaying information.

"Oh… thanks, Kagura." Kagome smiled at the older woman before walking towards the staircase. 'Worst case scenario… oh, god. Don't even think that, Kags.' She told herself.

Finally, she stopped in front of Sesshoumaru's door and knocked gently.

"Enter." The demon replied. Kagome opened the door, stepping into the room. Sesshoumaru was seated at his desk, his head buried underneath stacks of homework.

"Kagura said that you wanted to talk to me…" Kagome began weakly. 'Don't yell, please.' She begged.

"Yes, I did. I have a list of chores you are to complete every day." Sesshoumaru pulled a sheet of computer paper out of a folder and held it out for her.

Kagome took it, quickly reading it over. "Clean bathroom, clean bedroom, dust, vacuum. Simple enough." She muttered to herself.

"After you have completed your chores we will have chorus practice. After that, we will have martial arts practice." He stated.

"Martial arts practice?" Kagome questioned.

"I was watching you in gym yesterday. Do not misinterpret that. Though you have some basic skills, you lack definition and grace." Sesshoumaru answered. "We will work on that. You are a miko, correct?"

"Yes." She nodded slightly.

"But, you are not properly trained in the art?"

"No. Again, Inuyasha would not allow it." Her voice held the bitterness it always held when she spoke of him.

"Very well. You will see one of my masseuses after practice. You are dismissed." He replied. Kagome stood up and walked out of the room, the piece of paper clutched at her side.

"Hmm… may as well do the bathroom first." Kagome muttered.

It didn't take but about an hour to complete all the chores. Sesshoumaru was impeccably tidy, so there was really nothing she could do. As said, there was chorus practice after she was finished. It was pretty straightforward. They practiced Lovers, as well as some songs from The Phantom of the Opera, without the kissing, mind you. And then it was martial arts practice. Let's just say Kagome wasn't all too thrilled about that aspect of her day.

Sesshoumaru had taken her out to one of the gardens surrounding the house, a fountain placed in the middle of it. "You lack grace and definition in your movements. That must be corrected as soon as possible."

"Thanks for that critique." Kagome muttered sarcastically. 'Show him respect, he'll show you respect.' She reminded herself. "How do you plan on doing this?"

"You will see." He answered shortly. Without wasting another minute, he grabbed her wrist, throwing her over his shoulder. "You also lack the proper speed."

"In case you don't know, this ground happens to be extremely hard, especially when someone five times larger than you is throwing you like a rag doll!" She yelled indignantly.

"An attacker is not going to take the time to lay out mats for you, Kagome. I am simply treating you as you would be treated in a real life situation." Sesshoumaru replied. Kagome muttered something and slowly pulled herself to her feet. After being tossed around a few more times, she was finally able to go back inside.

'I hurt in places I didn't even know I had!' She thought. Before she would take a shower and actually relax, she had to see the masseuse. Supposedly a woman trotting on your back and pulling your arms is relaxing. Hah! Kagome left the room in more pain than when she went in.

She finally crawled into bed, her limbs creaking as she pulled the blankets up. 'At least I'm not working for Inuyasha anymore, though.' Kagome thought, a peaceful sigh escaping her.

Author's Note: Next chapter: The date thing with Naraku and Kagome. Possibly some fluff. Don't know, though. The songs in this chapter are, again, Lovers by Kathleen Battle, Down Once More/Track Down This Murderer from The Phantom of the Opera, The Mirror from The Phantom of the Opera, and All I Ask of You from The Phantom of the Opera. I don't own any of them. Final count: 19 pages and 5746 words.