Summery: Sesshomaru, under the curse of a dark priestess, is now trapped in dog form, until he can find someone that he can love, and who loves him back in both forms. The Inuyasha gang are also there, both helping and interfering, as always.

Warning: May be some lemons later,but not for a while. AU, SesshomaruXOC, and some OOC, but I don't think so. If I need to add anything else later, I will.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or it's characters. I own Leslie. I give credit for the general idea to Striking Falcon, and her wonderful story "Second Chance." If I hadn't had read it, I wouldn't have been able to put my own ideas onto paper. I'm trying to keep the majority of the story my own. If anyone notices anything too similar, please inform me, because I don't wish to copy anything directly. I tried to make a name for Sesshomaru in dog form, and came up with what you will see. I don't think it matters much anyway, since he'll only be called that for a little bit.

Please read if you review. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and criticism are welcome. No Flames.

"I'll catch you later, Kagome," Leslie waved to her, pushing a light-brown strand of hair out of her violet eyes.

"Okay, Leslie," Kagome called back, as her friend strode out of the door. "Hey, Inuyasha," she greeted her dog-demon fiancée.

"Came to pick you up," he said, kissing her. Kagome was twenty-two, two years younger than Leslie, while Inuyasha only appeared her age.

"I was planning on working late," she objected, and then lowered her tone, "Have you seen anything of Sesshomaru lately?"

"Nope," Inuyasha shook his silver hair, "I'm not his keeper."

"Technically, you are," she pointed out in exasperation, and sighed. "Well, we may a well go. Maybe Koga can help us look for him."

At the mention of Koga, the wolf demon whose twenty-five year-old looks belied his age, Inuyasha's ears flattened, but she ignored him.

Leslie sighed as she drove down the back roads of the town, humming along to the radio. Her headlights were on, but did nothing to brighten the blackness around her – which was added to by the lack of streetlights.

Suddenly, she saw something out of the corner of her, and slammed on the brakes.

"What the hell is that?" she wondered, stepping out of her Jeep. Walking cautiously to the figure, she jumped as a huge white dog with blue eyes appeared.

"You're gigantic!" she gasped. At 5'7", Leslie wasn't exactly short, but the dog's head came up past her elbow. He gazed at her, and she thought that it looked like he was being condescending.

"That's stupid – a dog can't be condescending," she thought out loud, and cast another glance at the creature. "Or can they?" she corrected herself, as he rolled his eyes at her. Looking around, she groaned when she didn't see a house or car in sight.

"Well, I can't leave you out alone – you'll probably get yourself run over," she said to him, and opened her back door. "Get in!" she said, waving her hand. After pausing, the dog climbed in the back without a second glance at her.

"Acts like I'm his chauffeur," she thought ruefully, and started her Jeep up again, heading to her ranch house.

"All right, you can come in if you promise to behave," she relented, after trying to keep him in the yard in vain.

He gazed at her, as if to say, "Was there ever a doubt I would come in?"

Locking her back door, Leslie tossed her bag on the table, kicked her pumps off, and headed to the fridge.

"I don't have dog food, you know," she said, and then slapped her forehead. "I'm going crazy, talking to a dog," she mumbled, and glared at him, "Well, I've got some leftover steak I suppose you can have."

His tail moved slightly, as if he was too important to wag his tail like a common dog.

"I can't find him, Kagome," Koga panted, "I've searched everywhere."

"Me too," Inuyasha agreed, "It looks like Sesshomaru really took off for a while this time."

"You don't think he's searching for another girl again, do you?" Kagome wondered, and the two demons burst out laughing.

"I doubt it," Inuyasha gasped, "If Sesshomaru didn't hate being in a dog form permanently, he wouldn't even bother with anyone else. He's never gonna get out of that curse, and he knows it."

"I guess you're right," Kagome said, frowning, "I just wish Sesshomaru didn't have to be under that curse."

"Well, he was a bastard, but it's not like he deserved it – directly," Koga agreed, and shrugged when Kagome glared at him. Several centuries ago, Sesshomaru had been placed under a curse by a dark priestess, who had failed to seduce him. He was stuck in his dog form until he learned to love someone unconditionally – and that person loved him in both dog and human forms as an equal person.

"I believe this woman is insane," Sesshomaru thought to himself dryly, as Leslie gave him his food. He had seen her dropping Kagome off from work several times. His pride rankling at the indignity of having to be a pet to his half-brother and his woman, Sesshomaru had decided to take off again – this time for another person.

"Good dog," she scratched behind his ears absently, and to Sesshomaru's horror he felt his tail wagging. He quickly stopped it, but Leslie smirked at him.

"Ha! So you can wag your tail," she nodded, and sat down with a sandwich. Chewing thoughtfully, she gazed at him, and blinked when Sesshomaru met her gaze coldly.

"Who does she think she is?" he wondered.

"You look familiar, but I've never seen a dog like you before," she said, after swallowing a rather-large bit. "Hmm…I can't take you to the pound tomorrow – my car's going in for inspection. I guess I could put posters up, but you don't have a collar or anything."

"As if this Sesshomaru would allow anyone to collar me!" he thought contemptuously, as she continued.

"I might as well name you, since it seems like we're going to be stuck together – for a while, anyway," she added, and began to scribble on her napkin.

"What a scatterbrain," he said to himself in amusement, and then growled softly as she muttered the name "Fluffy".

"All right, not Fluffy," she grinned at him, "That's a cat name, besides. How about…Bach? He's my favorite composer – and he was rumored to be cranky, which you certainly seem to be."

"I'll show you what it means for me to be cranky, woman," he thought, flattening his ears. Not to save his life would he admit that he himself was fond of Bach, having listened to it at Kagome's for years.

"Bach it is, since you're not growling at me," she nodded, and washed her plate. Glancing at the giant dog on her floor, she sighed again.

"I wish she would stop sighing at me," Sesshomaru thought in irritation, and then raised his head as she crouched in front of him.

"You look clean to me," Leslie noticed, stroking his head. Looking him straight in the eye, her tone became authoritive. "You can sleep on my bed, but if I find out that you've got fleas, ticks, or anything like that, I'll take bleach to you, Got me?"

"As if I would be dirty," Sesshomaru sniffed, and she giggled.

"I honestly think you understand me," she told him, standing back up, "I think I really am going crazy. Oh, well. Come on, Bach. The guys are coming to tow the Jeep out early in the morning."

"Why do they have to tow it? It appeared fine to me," Sesshomaru wondered. As if Leslie could sense his question, she spoke again.

"Since I live so far out, they tow it for me so I don't have to walk back," she explained, checking her front door as they walked by to make sure it was locked. Striding past the bathroom, Leslie stopped in what appeared to be her bedroom. The living room and kitchen were combined into one big room, and two bedrooms and a bathroom were down a hall.

A double bed was in one corner of the room, and a dresser at it's foot. A desk was on the opposite wall, next to a closet door.

Sesshomaru sniffed the pale-blue rug, and noticed in satisfaction that there was no trace of any other animals – though why he cared, he didn't know.

Leslie closed her white curtains, and sat on the bed with another sigh. A dark-red quilt covered the foot, and pillows and blankets in various colors were spread on it.

"It gets cold in here easily – the heating and insulation was messed up when they built it," she explained, seeing Sesshomaru's glance. "But it's all I can afford – well, all I could get, actually. Mom and Dad willed it to me a few years ago, so it's my best choice. But it's not too bad," she shrugged, and began to tug her blouse off.

After a brief debate, Sesshomaru lay down on the floor, closing his eyes. Feeling her foot shove him over, he opened one eye lazily.

"You can sleep on the bed," she laughed, in a yellow nightgown that barely covered her tanned legs, and set off her hair and eyes. "It's big enough," she continued, and climbed under the blankets.

"If she only knew I was the Lord of the Western Lands once, she wouldn't even suggest sharing a bed," he thought in amusement, and easily climbed on the bed, which was raised on a slight platform.

"Good boy," she yawned, resting her head on his neck. After thinking it over, Sesshomaru did the dog equivalent of a shrug, and promptly fell asleep.

"I wish I knew where he was," Kagome worried the next day, "You don't think he's hurt, do you?"

"Listen, Kagome," Inuyasha interrupted her. "Sesshomaru may be a dog, but he's still got his demon strength and healing capabilities. The only way someone's gonna even scratch him is if they take him out with a wheat thresher, okay? So calm down."

"I suppose," Kagome sighed, and picked up the phone.

"Now what?"

"I told Leslie I'd call her today and see if she needed a ride anywhere," she explained, "Her car's going in for inspection today."

"Oh," Inuyasha continued eating as Kagome talked on the phone. Looking up as she hung up, he rolled his eyes. "Well?"

"No, she said she's fine for now," Kagome shook her head, "Let's go out and search for him some more, all right?"

"Damn bastard," Inuyasha muttered, "Even as a mutt he's annoying."

"Hey, Koga," Leslie greeted him, as he backed into her driveway with tow truck. She had met him through Kagome, who had finally stopped Koga from chasing her and had hoped to set her two friends up. Nothing had happened yet, but Koga had shown some interest in her.

"Hey, Leslie," he waved, "How're you doing?"

"I'm planning on sorting out the library today," she laughed, "I've been putting it off for so long, and now you've given me no more excuses."

"Sorry," he shrugged, grinning, and turned as he saw something in her window. "Is someone over?" he asked, in what he hoped was a casual tone. Leslie glanced, and blinked in remembrance.

"Oh, I picked up a stray dog last night," she said, "I almost ran him over. I'm taking him to the pound as soon as you give me my ride back."

"I'll do my best," he nodded, and began to pull out. Driving down the street, he shook his head to clear it. "I could've sworn that was Sesshomaru!"

"I hope you don't eat books, Bach," Leslie informed him, and headed to the several built-in bookcases she had in the living room. "I've got to clean 'em out today."

Sesshomaru glared at her, and lay down on the floor next to the kneeling young woman. Her hair was in a ponytail, with strands constantly getting in her face.

"If you're bored, you can always go chase squirrels," she said, gesturing to the door.

"I don't think so," he retorted indignantly, with a short bark. Glancing at him, she suddenly did a double-take.

"That's interesting…" she mused, putting her face closer to his and inspecting his forehead. Rubbing it with a finger, she frowned in confusement when it didn't rub off. "Where'd you get this tattoo, boy?" she asked, giving up on rubbing out the small crescent moon.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," he informed her, but with an odd feeling in his stomach. The only other woman who could see his mark was Kagome, due to her priestess powers. "I wonder what this means," he mused, as Leslie returned to her task at hand, "If she had inherited holy powers from an ancestor, she would have seen it instantly."

"Hungry?" she asked, checking the clock. It was almost two in the afternoon, and both their stomachs began to protest at the time. "I guess so," she shrugged, heading to the fridge. "Lucky for you I've got some extra steaks Kagome gave me a few days ago to hold me over," Leslie informed him, placing another piece of meat in front of him, "Sorry, but I've got nothing else. When I go shopping, I'll pick you up some regular food."

"I don't eat dog food," he growled, and she cast a sharp glance at him.

"If you keep growling at me like that, I'll have to put you down," she warned him, "I don't need a dog bite, trust me. And I get the point – you're a people-food dog only, right?"

He observed her, and his look clearly said what he thought of her intelligence.

"Of all the strays," she muttered, heating up some chicken, "I had to get the cranky one. It figures." Looking at Sesshomaru again, she corrected herself. "He doesn't look like a stray, though," she thought, "He's too clean and well-fed and groomed to be that. Oh, well, maybe he ran off or got lost. Or dumped."

"I would never get lost," Sesshomaru retorted, but his growling in check, her threat in the back of his mind, "And no one would dare 'dump' this Sesshomaru. Stick with running away – we'll both be happier if you do."

"What a giant," she mused, through chicken, "I wonder if you're a new breed, or a mutt? You kinda look like a mutt, to me."

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to bite her, not wanting to be put to sleep.

"Want to go for a walk?" Leslie asked, once she was done with the bookcase. Brushing her hands off on her boot-cut jeans, she looked at him. "I won't put a leash on you if you don't run away."

"You won't put a leash on me either way, woman," Sesshomaru said disdainfully, but followed her out the door. After locking it, Leslie slipped the keys in her pocket and looked at him.

"Let's go, Bach. There's nothing but woods for a few miles, so we won't have to worry about someone else hitting you," she joked, "Not that you're a target that's easy to miss, mind you."

"I wish you would shut up," he muttered, keeping pace next to her as they began their walk. Leslie zipper her jacket up, as a protection from the October cold, and glanced at him.

"Your coat looks nice and thick, at least," she commented, "So I don't have to worry about you getting sick on me."

To Sesshomaru's surprise, she remained silent for the rest of the walk. He did notice, however, that at a certain area she picked up her pace so fast that she was almost running past. After a few feet, she slowed down again, and looked at him in embarrassment.

"I'll explain later," she said, glancing over her shoulder, "Not now. Let's head back home, okay? I'm getting stiff."

"Good idea. I wouldn't want you to drop dead on me, and then I have to return to Inuyasha," Sesshomaru agreed, and watched her carefully. "What is it about that spot that you dislike so much?" he wondered, and sniffed the air. The first thing that came to his mind, after living for so long, was a rape, but her scent confirmed that she was still a virgin.

"Koga should be back soon with my Jeep," she thought, as they neared the house. To her delight, he drove by, and slowed down when he spotted her.

"Walking again?" he asked, pulling up in the driveway as she jogged up. "I told you not to walk by yourself – it's too secluded."

"I've got protection now," Leslie joked, and gestured to Sesshomaru, "Meet Bach."

"Sesshomaru?" Koga wondered, his eyes widening. He instantly recognized the lord's glare warning him to keep quiet, and he complied. "That's a good-looking dog," he commented, "Where'd you find him?"

"Oh, last night I almost hit him," Leslie said. As the pair went into the house, Sesshomaru followed.

"At least that wolf isn't stupid enough to say anything," he remarked, and frowned. When Koga had commented about it being "too secluded", Sesshomaru had sensed an undercurrent of understanding between the two, and wondered what had happened in Leslie's past.

"I guess I better be going," Koga said almost an hour later. "Nice seeing you, Leslie. Catch you later."

"Sure thing, Koga," Leslie nodded, and went to wash the dishes. Sesshomaru followed Koga out quietly, and the wolf turned to him in amazement.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he hissed, "Kagome's worrying about you!"

"I grew tired of living with my brother," Sesshomaru returned coldly. Luckily, he was able to communicate telepathically with other demons, helping him greatly. "You may let them know where I am, but I wish to remain here – at least for the time being."

"This is stupid," Koga growled, and then paused as an idea suddenly occurred to him. "You slept with her, didn't you? And you…didn't you…?"

"No, I did not," Sesshomaru informed him. "I kept my eyes closed. I'm still Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, wolf. Watch your step. I have some dignity – even if she does think I'm a mutt," he admitted sourly, and Koga broke out in a large grin.

"I'm surprised you didn't bite her," he commented, "She said she'd put you down, didn't she?" At Sesshomaru's nod, he burst out chuckling. "That sounds like Leslie, all right. Fine, stay here. I'll let Kagome know where you are."

"Good. Now get going, wolf," Sesshomaru ordered. Koga, still chuckling, jumped in his truck and pulled out. Snarling slightly, Sesshomaru turned and scratched at the back door.

"Oh, I wondered where you went," Leslie told him, opening the door. "I thought you snuck out, Bach. I got you some more food – chicken this time. I figured you'd be sick of steak after two days in a row of it."

"How astute," he agreed dryly.