I do not own IY-Rumiko Takahashi, I do own Yume, who's full name means "Beloved Dream"

~*~Sweet Dreams~*~

Ch. 5

Yume awoke to a strange feeling. A warmth of something…or someone. She looked over and was surprised to see that Sesshoumaru had fallen asleep holding her hand. She smiled and tugged her hand free of his grasp. She pulled Sesshoumaru's shirt up some and then a thought popped into her head.

This was Sesshoumaru! And she had his shirt! On her! She sniffed the shirt some and smelt his masculine scent on it and smiled to herself. She looked over to the still sleeping teenage boy and looked over his head.

His silver locks were moved to the front of his shoulder, why, she didn't know, nor did she care. She just caught a "great" glimpse of his wide, broad shoulders and lean muscles. Her heart pulsed quicker at the mere sight of him and she had to tear her gaze from his beauty.

Sesshoumaru's fingers twitched some and her eyes moved towards them. So long and experienced with hard work. She could tell that he was not one to like construction or anything but those fingers had seen paper cuts and ink blots. She grinned at the thought of it.

~*~

Sesshoumaru at a HUGE desk in a LONG room doing some paperwork and all of a sudden…SPLAT.

"Of all the obscure inks in the country of Japan, and perhaps the world, this ink must be the one I chose! I cannot write with such a rebellious color to have stained my pale skin, let alone my wonderful, and so beautiful sleeves of my favorite business suit! I will not tolerate such a thing! Maids! Maids!"

~*~

She didn't realize he was awake till she was tapped on the shoulder because she was giggling. She started and then looked at him with awe.

"Are you alright or have you finally gone insane?" he asked, his hair slightly mussed.

Long Silence…

"WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

By the time Yume was done, Sesshoumaru was in a state of blinking and wondering whether to put her in a padded room and straight jacket.

Yume had calmed down when her sides began to ache and her sore spots were unbearable. Sesshoumaru shook his head and got up, stretched some because his legs and back were sore and turned to her. "Are you alright now?"

"Yes." she smiled widely and then turned to the door. "Um…what happened to everyone?"

Sesshoumaru shrugged, went to the window that shown out the front of the house and smirked, "It seems they have left to go have some oddities that they call fun."

"You mean what I call fun?" Yume said defiantly.

Sesshoumaru nodded and turned to her, "Do you wish to go have this…'fun?'"

Yume rolled her eyes, "Fun is not fun if you're alone."

Sesshoumaru blinked, "Fun is not fun?"

"Nope." she smiled and tried to sit up. He casually walked over and supported her. "Sesshoumaru, I can manage." she snickered.

He chose to ignore the snicker as well as the last words she said as he pulled her up gently.

"What about Rin?" Yume asked and Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"No. Rin may have went with Shippou and Miroku."

"Why Sesshoumaru!" Yume played a drama queen to a T, "You…know their names?!" she giggled as he gave her an unamused look.

"I will refuse to acknowledge that comment." he said stoically.

She lifted a brow, "You already have by answering that comment."

He shook his head and helped her up.

"Sesshoumaru…" she started and he looked at her with a questionable face, "When do you want your shirt back? I should get back to the uh…house…" she kind of quieted down some and Sesshoumaru caught the hint of a choked back sob.

'What is going on…' he wondered and shrugged, "Whenever you wish to return it. It is but one shirt." he said as though he didn't care at all.

"Good…I will return it perhaps next weekend?" she asked.

"Why so late?" he asked with a furrowed brow.

"Oh…well, you said it didn't really matter and I didn't think you'd want the girls at school getting the wrong idea or anything…"

"I will pick you up Monday." Sesshoumaru said, cutting her off.

"Excuse me?" she asked, bewildered.

"I will pick you up on Monday…for school…" he said so she could understand more of his talking, as if it was that hard to.

"No…I walk and my dad…he wouldn't let--"

"He wouldn't let you ride in my truck?" he asked, bewildered.

"Well…"

"Or is it because I am a male?" he asked in a casual tone.

"That…would be more like it." she said apologetically.

"I will talk with him."

"WHAT?!" she didn't mean for that to come out so odd but…damn!

"I will speak with him today as I drop you off at your house." Sesshoumaru sighed.

"He's ummmm…" she paused and then swallowed, "at work…yes, at work." she hoped he would take the bait.

"Alright." Sesshoumaru shrugged, "I will talk to him on Monday morning. Surely we can work something out."

"Uh…please don't?" she asked and he looked at her. Really looked at her. Her eyes were stricken with fear and pain. Why was that though?

"Yume, I will speak to your father." he said calmly and picked up a few of the things and headed down the stairs.

"NO!" she ran after him, past him and stopped in front of him, "PLEASE!" she cried and he was startled.

'What has shaken her up so much?' he thought and then coolly said, "Nothing you can say will change my mind." he said and brushed past her. "Get ready, we're leaving in a few minutes."

Yume paled. He was a cruel, heartless, assholic, average teenage boy! He didn't care about her at all! What was she supposed to do?! Offer herself so he wouldn't go meet her father?!

Sesshoumaru stepped out the door, "Good day, Mrs. Higarashi." he gave a curt nod and held out his hand for Yume, "Please, Miss Ittooshi."

Mrs. Higarashi smiled and waved, "Have fun!"

"Yes, ma'am." Yume said politely and walked out without taking his outstretched hand. She waited for him to unlock the passenger door and close the door behind her. He then went in front of the truck and opened his door, climbed inside and shut the door.

"Seat belts." he instructed and she nodded, putting hers on as his snapped in place. He started the engine, placed the truck into reverse and backed up out of Kagome's driveway, threw the engine into drive and drove towards Yume's house as she gave directions.

He pulled in front of her house and placed the truck into park. Getting out and quickly getting to her door before she could, he opened it. He waited as she got out hesitantly, waiting for any moment her father to come out.

She knew he was there. The car was there. She paled as she saw the living room blinds move. She tensed and backed back into Sesshoumaru's truck.

"Yume?" he asked, a tad concerned and then looked over. The look on the man's face was unmistakable. He was angry, pissed, fuming like fire. As Sesshoumaru pulled Yume out some gently and she clung to his shirt that he changed into, the look became more engulfed. It was like putting gas in the raging fire.

The man came up towards them and Yume tried to back away but the man's hand was too quick. Sesshoumaru figured this was the father as the man spoke, "I see you have brought Yume home safely. My thanks to you…" he sent Yume a menacing glare in which she stilled and swallowed hard.

Sesshoumaru didn't trust this man as far as he could smell the alcohol on his breath. The man was swaying and he caught a glimmer of the fear in Yume's eyes as she shot him a frightened look.

Sesshoumaru cleared his throat, "Thanks are not necessary." he paused and glanced quickly at Yume, knowing that her father wouldn't see the passing of conversation that flickered between them in that single instant. "However…" he said and Yume looked at him, blinking, "I would like to take Yume out for a quick meal…perhaps the coffee shop?"

The man, at first didn't look as though he'd let her go but then swayed, hiccupped and pushed Yume towards Sesshoumaru, who caught her before she fell from the force. "Sure…go ahead! Bring her back soon…" he hiccupped and staggered back inside. The alcohol had been going into his system more then and Sesshoumaru quickly ushered Yume into the seat as he slammed the door. He ran around the front and climbed in, started the engine and threw the gear shift into drive and they were gone.

After a long silence and him not exactly telling her where he was taking her. She looked at her folded hands, "I'm very sorry…" she said quietly.

For a moment, she didn't think he heard her. But when he shifted some, she was sure her words struck him. How hard, she didn't know because he wouldn't show that. But he gripped the steering wheel more and turned into a street that she had never been on.

"Where…are we goin?" she asked and looked around. In a few moments, she was answered as she saw a humongous home…no, a mansion! Screw a mansion! A fricken castle! "TO YOUR HOUSE?!" she exclaimed and then looked at him in disbelief.

"Yes." he said through gritted teeth.

"Sesshoumaru! I can't!"

"And I can't let that drunken beast be with you alone for a mere second." he countered and her eyes widened.

"How…did you--"

"You're scent. It was mixed with someone else's, I just couldn't figure it out. When I smelt his scent, no matter how drenched in sake it was, I knew who it was."

"Scent…what?! What are you talking about?!" she cried.

"I see they have not told you." he pulled up a road that led away from the castle that she looked at and then a nice little Victorian style home came into view. "Demons are real."

"I know." she said solemnly.

"They have told you?"

"No…my father…he is a demon. The worst, he's cruel and uncaring!" she crossed her arms and looked at the home, wishing she could escape. Again.

"No, he is no demon. Not in the case I am speaking of."

"You mean…like living demons? Real cruel and possessing kinds?"

"Some." Sesshoumaru nodded.

"But what does that have to do with--" then she stopped. It all made sense…the memories. His golden eyes, the slits, the claws that protruded into her back, the strong sense of smell. "HOLY SHIT!"

"Yes." Sesshoumaru nodded and pulled into the driveway of the Victorian style home. He unhooked his seat belt and got out. She was in a case of shock as he came around to get her. He opened the door, had to undo her seat belt and lift her out of the truck and into the home.

"No…"

"Yes." he said calmly and set her down on the couch. It was an elegant white fabric of fine cloth woven skillfully and gold rims as the seams of all the cushions. She looked around and the living room set was all on golden stands.

"Are they…"

"Real gold?" he asked and nodded. "Yes."

"Wow…"

"Yes." Sesshoumaru nodded and looked at her, "Would you care to have a drink?"

"I don't…drink."

"I realize that." he sighed, "I meant as tea or something."

"Oh…oh yes, thank you." she nodded and swallowed hard.

In a few moments, he appeared with two glasses of tea and she took a glass, thanked him and sipped it slowly. It was cool tea, thank the heavens, she thought. She didn't want to have a hot drink right now, that would remind her of why she was here. And…that she fell for a demon is just unbelievable.

"Yume" he said softly and she looked at him with hooded eyes, "What…I don't understand."

"You must…" she said sadly and looked down.

"You never offered." he said as a conclusion.

"NO!" she paled and set her glass down before her shaking hand betrayed her on his elegant white carpet. What the hell is with all the elegance?!

"Calm down." he said calmly and set him tea down, "I did not mean to upset you." he looked at her more intensely, "I cannot let you go back."

"Why does it matter to you?" she was a tiny flick of flame that was ready for that gas to sizzle up her scorches.

"Yume, if I can prevent such a thing, I will."

"He will take it out on momma." she defended.

"I will get her out of there." he promised.

"Why…why would you do that for me? I'm nothing but a nuisance and--"

"Yume. I would not offer this if I did not have a reason." he said solemnly and she knew he wasn't lying, no matter how much he did, he had a reason for it all.

She swallowed hard and looked at him, trying to hold back the tears, "You'll get momma out?"

Sesshoumaru was impressed. She didn't care what happened to her at all as though she didn't matter. But she did. She mattered to him. He would not admit such a thing but she had touched something he forgot he had long ago…his soul. His heart was found when Rin was around and he figured it had been there as he tried to keep Inuyasha out of trouble but would never admit that either. His soul was locked up with the key thrown out to who knows where. She found it, found him, unlocked the door, unlocked his soul.

"Yes." he nodded and put out his hand to tell her that she promised. As though it was a deal.

She looked at his outstretched hand. It held everything she needed. The support, the strength, the power, the promise. She took it. Regardless of her mission, she was sure she could do this for the one who's womb bore her. The one she loved for everything that had ever happened. Her 'momma.'

He nodded. "I will send out my guards right away. Where is she?"

"She is at work. She works at the paper--"

"Tokyo Times?" he asked.

"Yes…"

"Done." he made her wait in that spot as he walked into his office. He picked up the phone, dialed a single number and spoke in the room. "Yes…Yes…Mrs. Ittooshi…Tokyo Times…"

"Her name is not Ittooshi." Yume said as she walked in and caught Sesshoumaru's attention.

"Hold…" he looked at her for an answer and she lowered her gaze.

"It is Yamazaki."

"Alright." he nodded, "Correction, Mrs. Yamazaki…Yes…thanks." he hung the phone up, "She shall be here soon."

"Thank you…for everything." she said, though her eyes were cast to the phone. She didn't realize that he had moved close to her until his hand touched her shoulder and she looked up into his golden orbs.

"What is it?" he asked, bending some so he could look at her in the eyes.

She sighed, "It's a complicated story…"

"It cannot be as complicated as mine."

"That's right!" Yume exclaimed and edged back some, "You…are a demon!"

"Very much so." he nodded and stood up straight.

"You are a hunter!"

"Depends on what is to be hunted." he said stoically.

"You are a predator!"

"Most astounding that you can think of such things and be right on all accounts." he smirked slightly.

"You…are…a demon…" she said softly and he nodded.

"I think we already figured that out." he said and passed right by her. "Mi casa es su casa." he said in fluent Spanish.

"But I'm sure you could put us in an apartment--"

"No." he shooed the thought instantly. "You will stay here."

"But Sesshoumaru!" she pleaded, "No!"

"I will not have him perhaps find you and then feel guilty about it." he said. "You will stay here and be safe."

"I want to go out and see things!"

He went over to the dining room, opened the long curtains with a rope and her eyes widened. He opened the double glass doors and stepped out, stood by the door and lifted a brow, "Seen enough?"

"But…Sesshoumaru. I just can't." she said, nearing him and looking at the scenic backyard of the demon's.

The spring had made all the flowers, bushes, and trees blossom. Cherry blossoms of pink and white were along the path that led from the door to the lake where a tiny canoe was resting. The path of beautiful gems and stones imbedded into each other was covered with some of the cherry blossom's flowers. She looked at the other paths that led around, taking them in exploration. The Wisterias were surrounding a beautiful wooden white swing and their purplish colored blossoms gave off such a glow that she felt her excitement rise. She took another path and there was a huge playground, no doubt for young Rin, that was surrounded by violets and pansies. She came back over to Sesshoumaru who was sitting on a cushioned chair out on his veranda. A few tiny bushes with beautiful flowers were around the entrance as she walked up.

"I suppose you like what you see?" he asked.

"Oh yes! The gardener is very skilled!" she just couldn't hide the fact that the house amazed her. "I can't believe these homes actually exist!"

Sesshoumaru was amused, "The gardener 'was' very skilled.

"Oh…you fired them?" she asked in a disbelieving voice.

"No." Sesshoumaru shook his head, "The gardener who worked in the gardens here was my mother."

"OH!" her hand flew to her mouth and he looked at her in a bit of confusion, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to bring up old memories!"

Sesshoumaru chuckled some and shook his head, "No, it is quite alright. She loved this garden."

Yume glanced around, "Has anyone…"

"No one has looked after the garden since she has passed, no." he shook his head.

"Why not?" she asked and looked closely as a flower and then saw a butterfly flutter out from the petals and away into another part of the garden.

He shrugged, "I believe that she had the green thumb and no one wanted to ruin her art."

Yume nodded, indicating she understood, "Sesshoumaru?" she looked at him, "Has anyone even weeded it?"

"No."

She glanced around and saw weeds growing around the flowers. "That's so sad…"

"I suppose." he shrugged. "Foolish human emotions are a waste of time and hurt."

"You must have hurt so much." she murmured and his gaze locked with hers in complete shock. "Losing both your mother and father. I don't think I could have done that. Lived through all that I mean. Have you ever thought of suicide?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, "No."

Yume smiled at him and he looked at her once again in shock, "That's wonderful."

"How so?" he asked, dumbfounded but not showing it.

"Because if you were dead now, you wouldn't be helping me." she smiled more, a true warm sincere smile. A smile that he would never forget no matter how many others had given him, this one was sealed in his memory forever. "And I thank Buddha that you are still here. I don't know where I'd be without you." she smiled more.

Sesshoumaru nodded, "It is nothing--"

"Oh but it is." Yume smiled even more, if that was even possible. She walked up and sat on another chair and spoke to him in uneven, quiet words, "If you were not to help…I'd be…well, I'd be--" she froze and shivered, fighting back the tears.

Sesshoumaru stood and for a moment, she thought he'd leave her to cry. When he knelt beside her chair, she was surprised. When he took her hands, she was bewildered. And when he pulled her by them into an embrace, she was just downright confused.

But she wasn't about to forget what she had been talking about. She let out tears into his shoulder as he held her to him. His usually stoic look, now that he knew she wouldn't see his face, became one of pure pain. One of which, he never showed anyone. He encircled his arms around her arms and waste, pulling her even more to him. With one hand, he brushed her hair back out of the bun and wished silently that she'd cry his pain out as well.

Just to be sure that he would not have to do it himself, he prayed that she take his tears, his fears. His pain and agony. Anything that tormented or tortured him to no extent, he wanted her to cry for him.

He wanted her to take the tears away. The fears, he wanted her to kiss away. He wanted her to hug his tenseness away. He just wanted her to take his heart away…

And replace it with her own---

*******

Seems as though Sesshy is lonelier than everyone thinks, neh? I know, it's a little out of Sesshy's little…thing, but hey! We don't really know what's going on in his mind. And he's gotta be a bit teenage to 'trick' the humans so he's not gonna be 'arrogant-bow-down-to-me-worthless-morsels-Sesshy like he usually is in the anime…this is modern time and Tokyo! Work with me! LOL

Kage1586

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