A/N: Long interlude I know, but believe me it is for good reason. If you guys have played the Sims 2 you would understand my obsession. (O.O) It is addicting I say, but I have broken away this time in order to bring you the next chapter of the story. By the way, last time I left off Kagome had just fallen unconscious. And who is this woman? Don't know? You will find out later.

---Chapter Seven---

Proposition

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

Sesshomaru was lapsing back into a silent state, mind reeling and mulling over his options at hand. Obviously, the girl was more of a burden than a help, not to mention that infuriating child she had. Strange things had been going on and he was beginning to get very annoyed. An account for the events, he decided that the thing he needed to take care of first was the problem of this woman, and then he would move onto deal with that irritating bet.

Sesshomaru let out an annoyed sigh, resting his head in his hands and taking deep breaths in order to regain himself again. Perhaps, this was just useless.

He shook his head, first, he needed to call the Eastern Lord for a chat, the Western Lord had a feeling he was the one hiding all the secrets behind the woman who kept appearing to him.

Scalding hot flames.

Sesshomaru snapped his head up, suddenly feeling the temperature rising.

"Help me Sesshomaru! I can't breath! It's hot. HELP ME!"

The Western Lord stumbled backwards, a force knocking him off his feet. He held his chest, gasping for breath. What the fuck was that he thought, startled by what he was hearing. Looking up, he couldn't help a faint blush painting his face. Kagome stood staring at him, eyes uncaring.

"Are you alright Sesshomaru?" She asked, holding out a hand as a gesture for helping him. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at her and stood up on his own, brushing himself off and sitting back down at the table. He watched mutely as Kagome followed his motions. "I came here to ask you something," she said, looking at him pointedly.

Sesshomaru nodded, not really caring what she had to say, but manners got the best of him and he stayed silent. She looked at him a little longer and sighed, glancing back down at the table. "Perhaps, I was just afraid you would reject me that I did not tell you earlier," she said, "but the night you took me away, I had to wonder why you did it. Why would you rescue her- me?"

Sesshomaru didn't miss that last slip up and narrowed his eyes even more, if possible. He paused at the question though, it really did make him think, and it brought him back to the first problem he had received. Those words she had spoken to him, that made him wonder what his bastard of a brother had actually done.

Inuyasha did something.

Did something, she never said that he said anything, like he usually did. Yelling at one another, it confused Sesshomaru how much both of them could yell at each other, but he always brushed it off. Suddenly, everything seemed to crash down around him. The child she was holding, her panicked voice, the haste in her movements in order to get away from him.

He had raped her, pure and simple.

But why would she freak out right then, when she had a whole nine months to do that? He snapped out of his thoughts when a hand was placed on his arm.

"You lapsed into silence," Kagome whispered, "and you still haven't answered my question." Sesshomaru was silent. This was his chance to make the bet a reality, and he would be free from that wretched burden.

"Because I…" he paused, not knowing if he was able to say it, "…I loved you. I had for a long time." If she agreed, then it would all be over, the bet, everything, and he could kick her out after the bet was complete. He could be rid of her and her annoying son.

Kagome seemed to hesitate. "Do you really love me? Or do you still love…Yuko?" Sesshomaru's eyes widened, suddenly unable to breath.

"Because the way I see it," Kagome continued, as though oblivious to his little problem at hand, "your memories had been washed away thanks to a little friend, but tell me Sesshomaru, do you even remember her?" Her eyes turned deadly, anger blazing around them.

Sesshomaru kept a strait face, but the heat had risen again, making it harder to breath.

"It's hot! I can't breath! Sesshomaru save us please! SESSHOMARU HELP ME!"

The demon lord took a shaky breath, getting to his feet in a calm manner and walking to the door. "I want you to leave now woman," he growled, opening the door for her to walk out, only she stayed put. Kagome continued to stare at him eerily.

"She gave you long enough time to remember that fire," Kagome whispered, "but you wished to forget, because you were afraid." Sesshomaru growled again, deciding that he was going to be the one to leave. He was about to when the last thing she said caught his hearing.

"Your lost memories won't save you now."

And he left.

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

Miasma filled the air; it could easily melt a human's flesh if in it for even more than five seconds. It was his barrier, a way to keep people out and not be suspicious about the current 'lord' living there. Kagome stepped up in front of the large gate, looking around herself in wonderment.

"Well, the miko whom travels with Inuyasha," a voice said from behind a paper sliding door. Kagome walked forward, sliding the door open and stepping in quite calmly, not a reaction expected from her.

"Naraku," she said calmly. The demon looked at her annoyed, not liking her presence. It was different, dark, and strangely hot, as if the girl was burning with a constant fever. Kagome though, seemed calm and sat down in front of him, not a hint of fear in her manner.

"Whatever brings you here miko?" Naraku asked, red eyes calculating. Kagome smiled faintly. A sight that made a fear etch its painful way into Naraku's chest. She was too calm, as if scheming something deadly. Well, passed the fear, he was rather interested in this new demeanor.

"You know of Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older brother," she said, once he nodded she continued, "He is a danger to me, an obstacle, I need you to get rid of him, I don't care how." She was using Naraku's lusts for the demon lord against him. It was her best weapon at this negotiation, she needed to use it.

"Why would you want to be rid of him?" Naraku asked, genuinely curious. Kagome smiled sweetly. It was the first time he noticed a transparent woman standing behind Kagome, holding a child and body melted. The next time she spoke, it wasn't Kagome but the woman behind her.

"He did something bad," she said softly, "and now 'what goes around comes around' as they say and Sesshomaru is getting his come around." Naraku smirked, for some reason he liked this woman, not the girl but this dead spirit behind her. He cleared his throat, leaning forward.

"We have a deal, I will get rid of Sesshomaru," he said, "but what are you going to do after that?" She paused, wondering that herself.

"Use this body and raise my children, like I couldn't for my little Rena,' she said softly, "I will drive out the spirit of Sakuya from the baby's body and put Rena in it, so we can grow up together."

"Sakuya?"

"Yes, this girls son, apparently Inuyasha had raped her and concealed the pregnancy with spells from her," the woman explained, "the boy is adorable I must say, looks just like Inuyasha, except the eyebrows, he has Sesshomaru's." Naraku nodded, not finding any use in the boy as of yet.

"You may leave," he sighed, nodding to her in thank you. Kagome got up and bowed slightly before making her exit.

"I'll make you remember Kagome."

"Remember what?"

"What Sesshomaru said to you…"

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

Sesshomaru sat on a rock in the garden, chin resting in his hands which were balanced on his knees. If someone were to walk to by they would think it just a statue at how strait he was sitting. His mind was wandering again, he thought vaguely, but it was quickly passed over because of his more persistent thoughts.

The girl was not herself anymore.

That innocent smile had turned into one of hate, sadness, and bitter need for revenge. Almost of if the miko was being possessed by something far greater. Sesshomaru opened his eyes, feeling himself tense as someone neared him. Opening his eyes, golden stared into wide brown as Rin neared him.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she said softly, "I wanted to see if you were alright was all." She stepped nearer and laid down on the ground at his feet. She stared at him through a bright smile. "What troubles you Lord Sesshomaru?" She asked, looking at the clouds. Sesshomaru ignored her, following her gaze instead to the sky.

"Don't want to tell me, okay," Rin said softly, "but my parents, before they were killed, always told me to let out what I was feeling. It really does make you feel better, you know." She looked back at Sesshomaru and saw him staring at her.

"Rin, I am ordering you to stay away from the nanny," he said, looking back at the sky as if stating that was end of discussion. Rin frowned, she did not like that order at all, like hell she was going to follow it, even if she would be disobeying Sesshomaru.

"Don't you dare disobey me Rin," Sesshomaru snarled, making the young girl jump, "if you want me to dump you back in another village, I suggest you obey that command." He knew he was being harsh, but it was for her own safety, and besides, he couldn't really do that, he had grown too attached.

Rin's eyes watered with unwanted tears and she quickly got up and left. She would respect her Lord's wishes, after all, she didn't want him to dump her back in an abusive life, where she was mute. Rin wiped the tears away and went back to her room.

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

Kagome opened her eyes to see that she was sitting in the rocking chair, cradling a sleeping Sakuya. She didn't remember being here, or falling asleep but passed it off as Sakuya awoke with a fussy whine. Kagome cradled the boy and fed him, going back to her own thoughts.

"I loved you…I had for a long time."

Kagome blushed, she remembered, Sesshomaru had told her that, but did she love him in return? Right now, she was still recovering from what Inuyasha had done to her and she still had Sakuya to deal with. Not to mention the fact that she had been waking up in random places lately. When she felt the bottle being moved she saw that Sakuya was done, smiling at him and burped him.

This mother thing wasn't too hard.

"Not hard at all."

She had been hearing that voice a lot lately and passed it off as just a voice in her head, normal but quite creepy. The voice that sometimes spoke with her was upset, sad all the time, as if being near Sakuya made it that way. Kagome paused, before responding.

"With Sakuya, waking up in random places, and Sesshomaru, I thought this would be more difficult."

"He is a handful, Sesshomaru is after all."

"I should find this creepy that I am talking to voices in my head."

"Not that weird, but tell me, how much do you know about Sesshomaru?"

"Wants Tetsaiga, hates Naraku, hates Inuyasha, and actually thinks before acting. What about you? Oh god, I am asking my own mind the same question."

"He was my first love and my last."

"What?"

"I am jealous; he harbors feelings towards you, though hidden from even himself. But tell me, could you actually love a man who bets the love of someone."

"What are you talking about?"

"You love him?"

"Well, yes but, what does that have to do with anything?"

"He will never love you back; he only took you in because of a bet with his drinking buddies."

Kagome couldn't breathe; this voice held such hurt that she found herself putting Sakuya in the carrier basket and raced down the hall as fast as she could go with a baby. Sliding to a halt outside his study, Kagome opened the door with a soft 'creak' and walked inside, setting the basket down after the door had shut behind her.

Kagome sifted through the many papers, not sure what she was looking for but her hands were doing all the work for her. The young girls mind reeled with questions, but stopped when she found a partially hidden document. With trembling fingers she picked it up, hesitating on folding it open.

"Read it. This is the one."

Kagome closed her eyes, folding it open, and her eyes shakily reading over what it said. "A contract," she whispered, "a contract to seal a bet." He was going to let her go once it was fulfilled, meaning this was the only use he had for her.

"If you don't fall in love with him by the end of the year he looses everything."

"Shut up! Shut up!" She snapped feverishly at the voice, effectively making it disappear. God dammit why was this hurting her so much? What did she care? Kagome closed her eyes, breathing softly in attempts to feel alright again.

"If this is what he wants," Kagome whispered, "I will give it to him."

I am that much in love with him Kagome thought I am so stupid for not realizing it sooner. It would be better if this contract was lifted from his mind. Who am I to judge Sesshomaru anyway, he said he loved me.

"He said that to win you over."

Kagome frowned; the voice was right, I mean why would he suddenly come out and say it like that? The miko shuddered, letting the document fall to the ground and she stood up on shaky legs. The door opening caught her attention and she looked over to see that Sesshomaru had just entered.

Kagome slid the paper under the desk and walked over to him, smiling. "I was looking for you," she said softly. Sesshomaru recognized that tone to be the girl he knew, though an underlining of sadness was hinted.

If this is what he wants She thought, setting her hand down on his shoulder, leaning up to his ear so he could hear her clearly.

"I love you," she said, moving back down to kiss him. She briefly caught surprised amber eyes before she moved in for his mouth.

"Good girl…"

---TBC---

Wow, that was a good update! Review!

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