Chapter 18

Sesshomaru got into his car and drove around for an hour. Although Inuyasha had told him about Kagome, he just couldn't bring himself to her apartment just yet. The truth was, he was scared. Scared that he took too long to redeem himself and she would reject him. Then there was the possibility Inuyasha was wrong and she wasn't pregnant. Perhaps she grew tired of the drama that he and Inuyasha caused her and sought closure already, though it only had been a couple of weeks since he last seen her. The screen on his dashboard lit up, Koga was calling him.

"Yes?"

"Yo..." he greeted.

"What is it, Koga? Now isn't the time."

"Man, for you, it's never 'the time'." Koga cackled.

Sesshomaru stopped at a light and looked down at his leg. It was shaking. His hands were clammy against the steering wheel.

"I just called to check in and see how you're doing? Everyone's wondering when you're coming back to the office and if they're getting their money back."

"I'll send Koura the money so she can disperse it to them by the end of the month." He said.

"Alright. Why don't you come over?"

"Why?" Sesshomaru grimaced at the dashboard.

"...because I'm lonely and want to hang out?" Koga answered.

"Lonely? Call Ayame."

"But I want some bro time."

Sesshomaru cracked a partial grin. "Fine, text me the address and maybe I will show up."

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Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea to hang with Koga for a little while. It might help settle his nerves since the thought of talking to Kagome made him want to hurl in his car. Why was he so nervous suddenly at the thought of seeing her? He stepped into the lobby of Koga's apartment and took the elevator to his apartment.

"Decided to come?" Koga teased as he answered the door. Sesshomaru kept a neutral gaze and entered his apartment.

"Make yourself at home." Koga cackled as he closed the door and went to the kitchen. "Wanna ber?"

"A ber?" Sesshomaru cocked a brow as he walked towards the sofa and sat down. He noticed wires all over the place and looked around. The place was decent.

"Yeah," Koga chuckled as he held a beer bottle in his hand. " a ber."

"Oh..." Sesshomaru nodded once he noticed what he was talking about and shook his head. " No, thanks."

Koga shrugged and opened the beer bottle, guzzled it down, and wiped his mouth. " You're my first guest. Ayame still hasn't come."

"Mmm.." Sesshomaru muttered not knowing what to say.

"You should feel special." Koga smirked as he went back to glancing at the instructions to set up his soundbar and flat screen TV. He grabbed a cigarette from his chest pocket and lit it as he glanced at the instructions.

Sesshomaru felt the urge to smoke one himself and fished his pack out of his jacket pocket. "May I?" he raised the box.

"By all means.." Koga shrugged. " Doesn't it kick ass that we can smoke a thousand of these shits a day and not get cancer?" he chuckled shortly followed by a sigh.

Sesshomaru nodded. Kagome hated his cigarette habit, he thought about stopping. Perhaps after this pack. He watched as Koga unwrapped wires and growl to himself when he couldn't figure it out. "Those things are simple. Just run the HDMI into the bar from the TV and connect the Bluetooth."

"So then what are these wires for?"

Sesshomaru shrugged. "Alternatives."

He placed his cigarette between his lips and helped Koga mount the TV onto his wall. They set the soundbar after and finally sat down after they were done. They were quiet for a while and Sesshomaru couldn't help wonder anymore. He needed to know.

"Have you…talked to Kagome?"

Koga turned to him and smirked. "Yeah."

"How is she?"

"Doin' alright. She got herself a job with Youkai Entertainment and registered for classes."

"That's good..." Sesshomaru said. He knew about the job. CEO of Youkai had called him asking for references. "Anything…different about her?"

"What'd you mean?" Koga cocked a brow.

Sesshomaru sighed to himself and closed his eyes. " Is anything different about her?

"No..." Koga answered suspiciously. " Why, should there be?"

"No.." Sesshomaru answered flatly. " Just a question." He fell into a daze. So, Inuyasha must have lied. If he had sensed Kagome being 'pregnant', so would have Koga.

"You know, nothing happened between her and Inuyasha." Koga leaned back into the couch.

"Yes..." Sesshomaru crossed his arms. "I know."

"and I'm sure the same goes for you and Shurran..." Koga smiled revealing a fang. " You both just had a misunderstanding. Dealing with all that unfaithfulness from Kikyo and Inuyasha, no wonder you guys had trouble dealing with all that trustin' shit." Koga threw his arms behind his head.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he looked down at his lap and looked up at Koga. He was right. That's what it all was about, he was just too stubborn to see it. He needed to see Kagome and tell her how he felt. Tell her everything.

"It's getting late, I should go." Sesshomaru stood up.

Koga looked up at him from the couch. "Okay...are you showin' up to work tomorrow?"

"There are things that need to be handled." he said.

"Later, man." Koga mumbled as he closed the door behind him.

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Girls' night. For someone under the age of twenty-one, Kagome hated being dragged out to celebrate the stupid occasion. She rather be home with Kirara watching reruns of Law and Order instead of listening to the awful bass drop. The butterfly lounge was a trendy spot on Broadway and due to Sango's pleas, was the only reason she would be caught coming here. There were a large group of them, all of them having gone to the same high school except for Koura and Ayame.

Sango sipped her sparkling water. "Man, I wish I could have a Vodka-Cran right now."

Kagome giggled. "Oh stop, Mom!" All the girls at the high top cooed at Sango and she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, whatever!" Sango murmured as she guzzled down her bottle of sparkling water like it was a beer.

Kagome took off her sweater and placed it behind her seat as she picked up a falling strap of her white pencil dress.

"Wow, Higurashi, you're looking hot." Kagura howled.

Kagome blushed. " Whatever."

"No, seriously." Kagura smiled. "You're looking classy in that dress."

Kagome blushed as she turned to look at Sango who was pouting toward the dance floor.

"You have no idea how bad I want to dance." Sango continued to frown." but I only dance when I drink."

Kagome turned to Ayame who was quiet amongst the girls. "So, Ayame, how are things with Koga, been to the new place?"

"Not yet." Ayame raised her voice when a song blared through the speaker. "He told me he wants to set it up first before I see it."

"Kagome, there is a guy at the bar looking at you." Sango pointed with her lips.

Kagome looked over nonchalantly and saw a guy in a black button down and black slacks at the bar. He smirked with his hazel eyes as he raised his beer bottle to her and drank it. She smiled and raised her cocktail and sipped it.

"Uh oh...look at Kagome getting on with her bad self." Sango sang.

Kagome smirked and bowed her head. She looked at the guy and he pointed to an empty seat next to him.

"I think he wants you to go over there." Ayame gasped. " You should go!" she cheered.

"No…I don't think so." Kagome shook her head and stirred her martini.

"Ugh, don't tell me it's because of Sesshomaru." Sango spat.

"Shut up, Sango." Kagome gritted her teeth.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagura leaned forward in shock. " Wait, you're not talking about Lord Sesshomaru, are you? Inuyasha's brother? Wait...you and him -?"

"Excuse me." Kagome dismissed herself from the table to prevent the girls asking her a plethora of questions. She glared at Sango and made her way toward the bar.

"Sorry..." Sango mouthed wordlessly through the music.

Kagome blushed as the guy at the bar gestured for her to take a seat.

"Hi." He said.

"Hey…"she said, not really feeling comfortable with talking to a complete stranger. She also felt under the weather, she barely drank her martini and set it to the side.

"How are you doing tonight?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Good." He said. Okay, this was already boring. She now understood what Sesshomaru meant about hating small talk. "This dress is pretty on you." He traced his finger against her dress strap making her cower in her seat. She forced a smile to hide her discomfort. Did she do something to give him the wrong idea?

"Shy?" he flashed a fang. Demon.

"No." she cleared her throat. She could do this. She had to get back in the game at some point. "What's…your name?"

"Rikotsu, you can call me Ricky if you'd like."

"Okay. my name is Kagome." she said and looked back at her friends who were making faces at her. She mouthed the words 'fuck you' and looked back at the guy.

He shot a sideways glance at her. "Is that how you talk to your friends?"

"Sometimes." She nodded sheepishly.

Ricky ogled her up and down, licking his lips. " Want to go somewhere quieter?"

Kagome's eyes went round. "Um.."

He brushed her hair back and frowned when he narrowed his gaze on her shoulder.

"Actually, I have to get going. My friends are probably looking for me." he said, not wasting a minute before walking away.

Kagome blinked back confusion as she turned to go back to her table of friends.

"That was quick..." Sango commented.

"Said he needed to go back to his friends."

"Right…" Sango pointed to him on the other side of the lounge talking to a group of girls.

"Oh well..." Kagome shrugged and looked at Kagura who was squinting at her shoulder. "What are you looking at?"

"Is that what I think it is?" Kagura pointed with a smirk. Sango, Ayame and her other school mates followed her finger to the mark on Kagome's shoulder.

Ayame gasped. " Kagome, you're marked?" she covered her mouth.

Kagome grabbed her sweater and immediately put it on. She avoided the stares from her friends, especially Sango.

"That'd explain why he blew you off." Kagura giggled. "You're off limits, girly!"

Sango frowned and looked away from Kagome. She tilted her head at Kagura. "What do you mean?"

"When a demon marks you, it means you're theirs. Good luck getting a demon to tie down with you now. Oh my god, was it Sesshomaru? You lucky biotch."

"Hey, guys, I'm going to go home now...I have to get up early for my new job." Kagome grabbed her purse.

"Boo!" Kagura groaned.

"Come on, Kagome. Stay a little longer. You might meet someone." said Sango.

"I…don't want to meet anyone right now." Kagome looked at her. "Ok?"

"Ok. Whenever you're ready. I'll see you tomorrow. Let me know what the new job is like. Don't fall for the boss." She teased.

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Sesshomaru scanned the accounts on his laptop as he continued to think about Kagome. He had her desk removed from his view. It pained him to see it empty. As promised, he gave Koura the two million to pay everyone back and warned them that if they were to gamble in office again, immediate termination would follow. They were to have a meeting shortly to go over new office policies and he would deduct everyone's salary as punishment for the next three months. Everyone at this point was afraid to blink the wrong way in fear of angering him. Hiten walked into his office looking pale.

"Hiten, if you've come to apologize for the millionth time, I beg you, leave me be."

"I'm not trying to suck up or gain brownie points for this but...there is something you should know." He said. "We were going to tell you but thought nothing would come of it. Koura and I believe that Shurran and Naraku may have intervened your relationship with Kagome."

"How so?"

"I'm not completely sure. Koura said Shurran had plans to ruin your relationship with Kagome and Naraku got involved and then he visited Naruto, there were rumors he was trying to get you to stand down from your position and if he put a hit out on Kagome, that you would do it."

"What?" Sesshomaru stood up. "A hit? What do you mean a hit? Who does that? For what reason?"

"I'm not sure, sir. It could be a ruse to scare you, but I thought you should know in case…it was real. I'm really sorry not to have told you sooner." Hiten bowed and left.

Sesshomaru couldn't believe the drama still continued. This office was filled with traitors. Naraku, his right-hand man was trying to overthrow him? After considering handing him the company at the end of the year, the nerve of him. He had a feeling Shurran was up to something, but he was too wrapped up with Kagome to look into it. He had to fix this, all of it. Before doing so, he needed to abolish the problem, make sure Kagome was safe. He made a few calls to the sentry at his manor and ordered them to coordinate with the NYPD about any possible hits toward anyone he knows. He would send people to watch her apartment and make sure she was safe and hopefully this could be settled without the public eye knowing.

"Ok...there is a party Saturday night at my new casa and you are coming." Koga smirked as he strode in like he owned the place and sat at the edge of the desk.

"I am not..." Sesshomaru flicked a quick annoyed look at him as he mentally strategized how to alleviate potential issues that could arise for Kagome.

"Oh yes you are" he uttered nasally as he turned his head to the side and sneezed into the crook of his elbow. "and you know how I know you're coming?" He shot a derisive grin. Sesshomaru let out a sharp breath and looked at him impatiently. "because Kagome will be there..."

He watched as Koga got up to leave his office, shooting a teasing grin over his shoulder as he cackled. Did he think that he was going to get him to go to this party just because Kagome was there? Damn wolf isn't so dumb after all. Still, before he mustered the courage to see and talk to Kagome, he needed to eliminate any further conflicts from the picture, starting with Naraku. He made another phone call to a friend of his in the FBI, requesting to tap into any emails, phone logs on Naraku for the past two months.

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Kagome typed away at her laptop as she guzzled down the rest of her Pepsi trying to finish up her article. She was settling into her second week at her new job at Youkai Entertainment. Though the position called for Executive Assistant, her boss reviewed and considered her interest in journalism and gave her a small column in the back of the company's magazine to express her thoughts on today's culture. Great opportunity for a nobody but such bad timing. Her mind wasn't there right now dealing with her heart break, appetite loss followed by appetite gain, headaches, nausea, terrible mood swings that she dismissed as PMS, though she thought for a moment when did she have her last period. Before she checked, she mentally scolded herself to finish her article. It was almost five o' clock and everyone was heading out. She didn't want to be the last one there. Her boss, Lorena, was pretty lenient but if it was one thing she did not like, it was an employee milking the clock. She scrolled through her article and decided to read what she had so far.

'Judge me not: Is the book really shown in the cover?'

For anyone who claims they do not judge, just do me a favor and put your foot in your mouth. Go on, do it because everyone judges, even the most glorified soul and you know what? It's okay to judge, really, but not according to looks, especially at first glance. No, sometimes, we need to open the book and actually read what's inside because you may be taken by surprise or even learn something. My friend 'Mango' for example, is your quintessential suburban girl, who drives a BMW and wears anything Banana Republic yet the mouth on her can put any sailor to shame, and I'm convinced she partakes underground street fighting on the weekends when she's bored due to how easy it was to flip some guy over her shoulder when he pinched her butt as we waited for our Pumpkin spiced lattes'. My male bestie, 'Hoga' is a metal-listening, chain smoking man-child who makes women clutch onto their purses in elevators, but he's a softy who loves his soap operas and will cry when a puppy dies in the movie (though he'll deny it to the grave).

Then there are charming successful bachelors like Messhomaru (Note: change name, too obvious) who are great at everything in life and everyone and their mother wants to get in his pants. He can hold you, look you in the eyes like you're the most beautiful thing that has fallen from the heavens above then crush your heart into pieces when some slut-bitch ho bag with a big forehead and no class 'accidentally' spills something on herself and gets practically naked on his bed. (Note: You should probably delete this part)

Basically guys, what I'm saying is: Try not to judge and make your assessment based on first impressions. You have to look beneath it all and sometimes even deeper to get a sense of who someone is because you may be ruining a good thing in the future and—

Kagome stopped reading when she looked down at her phone. A notification alert from Koura came through, some link to the New York Post.

"Twenty-Seven year old Naraku Onigumo, has been taken into custody by the NYPD for aiding in laundering of company funds and conspiring hits with downtown Triad boss Naruto Saganawa. There was reason to believe the intention was directed at Crescent Corporation's CEO Sesshomaru Taisho to remove him from the position. This is not the first time Naruto's name has popped up in allegations and officials believe they have enough evidence to put him away for good."

"Oh my god." Kagome gasped as she looked up from her phone. Koga's name popped on her screen and she answered his call within the second.

"Dude, did you get the link?"

"Yeah, oh my god!"

"Yeah, the drama is unreal, there was a bet going on about you and Sesshomaru, two million dollars, Naraku put a hit out on Sesshomaru or something, better than any soap opera I've watched.!" Koga cackled. "Shurran's fired too?"

"What?" Kagome said. "What for?"

"Eh…I don't know."

"Is…" Kagome's mouth became dry. "Is…he okay?"

Koga sighed. "He's in tears, crying in his office now as we speak." He paused then snorted. "Come on,"

"Ass..." Kagome rolled her eyes. " You know what I meant."

"He's…holding up." Koga said. "Um...party, Saturday, my place."

"Um..."

"You can't say no or I will forever hurt!" Koga whimpered like a puppy.

"Fine…" Kagome hung up with a sigh as she turned off her computer and grabbed her coat to leave.

When she got home, she looked solemnly around the apartment remembering all the times she and Sesshomaru ate together in the kitchen, watched television, the way he would stand on the fire escape and she'd marvel at his backside. She had moved her belongings to his bedroom, his bed was much bigger and comfier but mainly it was because his scent was still on the sheets and pillows and it helped her sleep at night. Even though it had been two weeks since he left, she still expected to hear his keys at the door, or the influx of email alerts that pinged his phone every five minutes. She hated when he smoked but she was even missing the smell of that. Her stomach grumbled and she suddenly got a craving for peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Kirara was on the couch beside her watching television as she continued to work on her article. A belch came out of her throat and she rubbed her stomach after having the last bite of her sandwich. The next belch sent her flying onto her feet toward the bathroom. She heaved everything she ate today and possibly yesterday. After she washed up, a knock at the door rattled her nausea. Was it Sesshomaru? Oh, god, please don't let it be Inuyasha again.

Before she got close to the door, the knob turned and she took a few steps back. Oh my god, an intruder? Seeing the familiar black bob and pale as a geisha face, she frowned and took a step forward.

"What are you doing here?"

"Is that any way to greet your sister?" Kikyo sighed as she removed her sunglasses. "I see you still don't lock your doors."

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Inuyasha sniffled as she wiped his eyes dry, finishing the last of his cigarette as he paced around the pool. The night air was filled with a chill combined with the emptiness he felt sent a shiver down his back. He sat on a patio chair and grabbed a bottle of beer from the little cooler wedged between him and the table. He reclined his seat as tears fell down his face and tried to wash down the pain with a large gulp of Heineken.

"Please tell me you're not crying." A disembodied monotonic voice sounded from behind him. He didn't bother looking behind to see his ruthless hubristic brother coming down a path from the side of the manor.

"What do you want, Sesshomaru?"

"You lied to me."

"I did no such thing.." Inuyasha said then sniffled. "at least, not as of late. What are you referring to?"

"You said Kagome was pregnant."

"Uh huh?"

"I haven't heard anything yet."

"Did you talk to her?"

"No."

"Then how would you even know?"

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "That brainless wolf would have said something, I'm sure."

"Look, I told you that I think she is. I caught a scent, it wasn't strong. If you are so concerned, go ask her and leave me the hell alone!"

"So touchy." Sesshomaru smirked, taking a seat beside him. He grabbed a beer from the cooler.

"Why are you obsessed with her possibly being pregnant, do you want a kid or somethin'?" he dropped his head back into his seat and laughed. When Sesshomaru's face didn't change, he stopped. "Holy shit, you do?"

"Don't be foolish."

"Ladies and gentlemen! The almighty prince of assholes wants an heir to the throne!"

"Shut up, halfbreed." Sesshomaru jerked the opening of his beer and spattered drops of it onto Inuyasha's face.

"Ok, ok…stop." Inuyasha scoffed. "You're lucky I'm drunk or I'd throw you into the pool."

"You wish." Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. They were quiet as they sipped their beer in thought.

A choking sound exploded from Inuyasha's throat and Sesshomaru turned to see him sobbing into his palms.

"What is wrong with you?"

"I miss her." Inuyasha cried. "I can't believe I messed it all up. Now I have nothing. No career, my friends all hate me, and no Kagome because I messed up and now she fuckin' loves you and you're just sitting here with me. You actually have a chance you stupid son of a bitch and you're wasting it."

Sesshomaru sighed. "Just be quiet. You don't even know what's going on."

"I know that if you take too long, you're going to be joining me here, crying over the loss of her." Inuyasha snickered in between. "Ugh, I don't deserve to live."

"You're right… "said Sesshomaru. "You don't."

Inuyasha stopped crying and cocked a brow from the side. " ...Thanks a lot."

"At the very least pull yourself together and go out like a man." Sesshomaru teased. If Inuyasha was looking for advice or some peptalk, he was barking up the wrong tree. Needless to say, he felt a stab of sympathy for his brother.

"Do me a favor, don't ever become a therapist. Suicide rates will quadruple."

"I was not trying to dissuade you. If anything, how can I assist?"

Inuyasha looked over at his brother and saw a slight hint of a stifled grin. Sesshomaru was trying to make him laugh, in his own way.

"I can hold your head underwater." Sesshomaru suggested. "I will break the news to father gently."

"Glad to see your enjoying my pain."

"Isn't that what celebrities do when their career is over?"

"You're such a fuckin sadist." Inuyasha scoffed but he started chuckling.

"I wouldn't be very brotherly if I did not help you end your pain. Have you thought about traceless toxins? I know a guy."

"Ok, enough. I don't want to die anymore." Inuyasha shook his head.

From afar, in the east wing of the manor, Inutaisho hovered just below his balcony ledge with a set of binoculars. His butler Jeffrey had a set of his own.

"Look at that Jeffrey, it appears I will be able to witness to some sort of truce before my death." he let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm not sure it's a truce." Jeffrey said. "I practiced lip reading in the marines, I believe Sesshomaru is trying to aid in Inuyasha's suicide."

"What?" Inutaisho whipped his head toward him.

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Kagome stayed beside the door and looked disbelievingly at her sister as she gave herself a tour of the apartment. "Kikyo, what are you doing here? I'm really not feeling well. Can you please go?"

"I love what you've done with the place." Kikyo pursed her red lips as she nodded with approval. "It has Sesshomaru written all over it."

"Kikyo..." Kagome gulped away her nausea. "I really don't want to get into it with you."

"Relax, I have come to make amends with you."

"You're a little late for that." Kagome scoffed.

"I just came back to town and this was my first intended stop."

"I didn't even know you were out of town." Kagome gave up and went to the kitchen to make herself some tea.

"Well," Kikyo sucked her teeth. "Thanks to Sesshomaru I was."

"You…and Sesshomaru back together." She tried to sound nonchalant, but her stomach twisted in knots as she poured hot water into a mug.

"It's not like that." Kikyo sighed. "Though how I wished it were."

"I don't really care to know." Kagome said.

"You should. He did it for you." Kikyo crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway of the kitchen.

"What?"

My whole issue with Naruto? He gave me the money to pay him off, told me to leave town. Then I got a call to stay under the radar because he had an investigation going. They indicted Naruto so it's safe for me to come back."

"and what does this have to do with me?

Kikyo chuckled. "Oh my naïve little sister. Don't you know, it was always about you? The money he gave me to pay him off was so it could stop the threats accidently made toward you. And this wasn't in the news but there was never a hit on Sesshomaru. You know Naraku put a hit out on you, right?"

"What? For what? What did I do?"

"Nothing, as usual. Just you being you." Kikyo snorted. "Everyone knew you were important to Sesshomaru. He's a hard person to trifle with, so it's easier to go after those he love."

Kagome bit her lip and kept her back toward Kikyo. Hunger struck again and she reached into the cupboard for Oreos. Popping them into her mouth like tic tacs, she turned to face her sister. "Why are you telling me this? Why are you here, damnit! You hate me, you always have!"

"I don't." Kikyo said quickly then swallowed hard as her eyes welled up with bitter tears. "I was…jealous of you. I just wanted to have someone love me the way…the way Inuyasha loved you, the way Sesshomaru loved you. Even when you caught me and Inuyasha, he didn't want to be with me. He withdrew right away and then Sesshomaru moves in with you and—"

"How did you know?"

"He said he moved downtown. Sesshomaru would never move downtown but it didn't take me long to figure out that he lived with you. Something in my gut told me he would somehow…" Kikyo ran her palm over her mouth as she sobbed into it. "You literally took everything from me."

"How?" How is any of this—"

"your fault?" Kikyo finished with a raised brow. Kagome had been tunneling through the box of Oreos like the world was ending. "It really wasn't. You are just those people who you can't help love. Even when I thought you took everything from me, I still loved you. These past few months, what I did, the mess I caused, it made me think and I don't want to ruin things anymore for myself or for anyone. I feel like I got a chance to start over and I thought I would tell you that I'm sorry for what I've done, but a part of me feels like it had to be done…to bring out the truth."

"What truth?"

"That you and Sesshomaru were…meant to be."

"You're not going all born-again Christian on me, are you?" Kagome teased and they started laughing. For a moment, she remembered what they were like before high school, nearly inseparable.

Kikyo chuckled. " No..." she bowed her head and smiled sincerely. " It's just...Sesshomaru called me earlier today."

"He did?" Kagome blinked. He was calling everyone else but not her? Ugh, she couldn't help become annoyed.

"Yes, I know..." she laughed. " I was surprised too."

"What for?"

"He had told me Naruto had been incarcerated and it was safe for me to come back if I wanted to."

Kagome set the empty box of Oreos aside and crossed her arms. How she missed him so much. But he didn't reach out to her, not to talk, not to check in. Maybe he was forcing himself to move on.

"He's a good guy, Kagome. He really is. There is a sweet endearing side of him that I could never bring out but since you guys got together, he's just… " Kikyo sighed. "I think you two may have something, if you give it a chance."

Kagome unexpectedly dry heaved making Kikyo dodged to the side with urgency as Kagome bolted passed her to the bathroom. Cringing at the sounds of Kagome retching and groaning, Kikyo poured water into a cup and sauntered over to the bathroom.

"Um…so," she said. "Been eating and throwing up like crazy lately?"

"Ugh…I can't keep anything down."

"Mmhm..looks like you two have something alright. A baby on the way." Kikyo shook her head with round eyes.

"No..." Kagome shook her head and heaved back into the bowl. " No..."she spat into the bowl. " I can't be..."

"Only one way to find out I guess.." Kikyo looked at her nails and back to her sister.

Moments later, after they both made a quick trip to the pharmacy and back, they paced around the living room as the timer counted down. Kagome refused to look at the test strip beforehand, as if perhaps looking at it prematurely would be bad luck. No, this was not good. She couldn't be pregnant. She paused, gnawed on her thumb as she plodded toward her bedroom and searched through her dresser for her birth control pills. Kikyo nosily followed.

"Looks like you missed a week." Kikyo commented over her shoulder as she pulled out the blister pack from the drawer.

"Shit."

The timer dinged and they both widened their eyes at each other.

Dum, dum dum dum, dum dum dum dum dum dum dum…." Kikyo sang.

"Stop it." They both walked over to the test strip. "I can't look, please check."

Kikyo faltered then scoffed as she picked up the strip. "Shit, why am I nervous."

Kagome watched Kikyo's expression carefully, seeing her frown and looking confused.

"Why can't it be a simple yes or no, tell me what's the minus again?"

Kagome let out a relieved sigh. "Oh thank god, it means not pregnant."

"Oh, I just…wanted to know for my own information but…you got a plus sign, so…that means you are."

Kagome staggered over to her and looked at the test strip. Whimpering, she threw her hands over her head and started panting.

"Oh my god, Oh my god, Oh my god…"

"Looks like you two were busy, huh?"

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my-I can't be!

"Well you are." Kikyo said as she plopped on the couch. "Um, are you going to tell Sesshomaru?"

"No way! How do I even mention it, hey how've you been? Oh, me? Just a little pregnant!"

"Kagome...he deserves to know." Kikyo warned. "It's the right thing to do."

"No, you don't become an expert on the right things to do because you suddenly have an epiphany and set out to do one good deed! He doesn't need to know, because… because I am not going to have it!"

Kikyo's face stiffened. "Kagome! What? You can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"because it's not like you! I remember you saying you would never do that!"

"Well, I didn't think I would be single and eighteen years old pregnant with a demon kid!" Kagome cried. "I can't do this! I…I can't do this!"

"You can and Kagome, Sesshomaru will do right by you, you know?"

"I don't need him to feel obligated to be with me because of this! If he wanted to be with me, he would. I won't let a baby affect his decisions and it's my body, so it's my decision!"

"Kagome, you're being selfish. Sesshomaru has a right to know! You're going to regret it if you make this choice without thinking clearly."

"School starts in a few days and I just got a job! I'm just getting my life back and I'm in no position to...to…have a child."

Kikyo put her sunglasses back on. "Look, I have to go. Kagome, don't do anything hasty. Please, let him know before you do anything."

"It's my problem and my problem alone. I will figure it out. I don't need anyone!"

"I know this is scary and I'm the last person you want around but I'm telling you, just try and relax. It will be okay."

Kikyo shook her head but didn't say anything else. She left the apartment and Kagome felt her heart was going to explode. How could she have been so careless? Never had she forgotten to take a pill when she was with Inuyasha and in the two months she was intimate with Sesshomaru, she misses an entire week and not notice? How was she supposed to have an apartment, go to work and school and take care of a child on her own?

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