Kagome touched down on the other side of the well and used the vines to climb out. She was just about at the top before a hand reached down for her. "Thanks Inuyasha" she smiled, taking his hand and letting him pull her out.

"Wrong brother." Sesshomaru whispered in a cold voice, eyes locking with hers as she looked up at him.

"Oh...that's not good" she said before trying to pull away. If she fell she'd just fall back through the well.

The dog demon pulled her close, scooping her off the ground and leaping into the trees, making his escape from the village.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to see how high they were. She was still terrified of heights. Inuyasha tried not going too high whenever he carried her because of it.

Noting her expression, Sesshomaru came to a stop, dropping down to the ground.

He assumed the issue was her fear of him, which seemed to radiate from her in waves. "You have nothing to fear miko. I am not going to harm you." He assured her in what he thought was a reassuring tone.

"You just kidnapped me" she said taking a good few steps back. "Why should I believe that?"

"Because I have not harmed you." He said simply. "And I stopped"

"And now I'm going to go back and pretend you didn't kidnap me..." she said taking a step only to find herself pinned to a tree.

"No, you won't. I did not "kidnap" you. I simply borrowed you because my idiot of a brother would have gotten in the way."

"The way...of what?" She asked very confused.

He didn't answer her. He reached up and grasped her chin before claiming her lips in a hard kiss.

Which she was too shocked to respond to. At all.

She was still staring at him wide eyed when he pulled away from her lack of response.

"W-what the hell..."

"You act as if you've never been kissed before." He said, then raised a brow. "Have you not?"

"No-yes-that's not your business!"

"As your mate, it is."

"Excuse me?" She asked surly she was not hearing him correctly!

"Well, I suppose mate is strong yet. I am only starting to court you."

"I-I'm sorry what?" She stared at him, having no idea what the hell he was talking about and really wishing Inuyasha would show up and help.

"I am courting you." He repeated. "What would humans call it...?" He paused in thought for a moment before looking back to her. "I am asking you to to 'marry me', I believe is how humans would phrase it?"

Ok...she wasn't expecting that. She REALLY needed help now.

"Is something amiss, miko?" He asked. He had rather been expecting a somewhat more positive response.

"I need to go home. Right now." She said taking another step away, but being blocked.

"the western home is the other direction." He said simply.

"I'm not going to the whatever it is I'm going back to MY home."

He raised a brow. "the village?"

"sure yeah." She said, before stepping around him quickly and hurrying back in the direction theyd come. She needed to get home. She now had words to share with her time Sesshomaru!

He followed along in silence as she hurried back towards the well.

Inuyasha was going to be so angry! He was going to find some way to blame her-her thoughts were cut off as a red blur rushed by, picking her up and rushing her into the trees.

"We're getting you out of here. Now." Inuyasha growled, very aware of his brother hot on his heels.

"Your brother is insane" she gasped holding onto him.

"I know." He growled, landing next to the well. "Get back home. I'll come get you when hes gone."

She nodded climbing on top of the edge of the well before she was scooped up again. "Put me down!"

"I will not let you jump into some filthy well." Sesshonaru chided. He was confused as to why shed be in the well to start.

"I said put me down!" She growled in frustration trying to push him away

"No." Sesshomaru scowled.

"Yes!" Inuyasha snarled, aiming a kicking into his brothers back, knocking him off balance.

Tackling Sesshomaru, Inuyasha wrested Kagome away from him, before lowering her down into the well.

"If I'm not at the house just wait" she said before he let go and she dropped down, vanishing.

"What have you done, cur?" Sesshomaru growled angrily. "Where is she?"

"Home" Inuyasha growled.

"What sorcery is this? There is no home there, just a filthy hole!"

"She's home now and you can't reach her" he growled. Not like he could go through the well.

"Then I will simply wait for her here." Sesshomaru growled, walking to the nearest tree and taking a seat.

Inuyasha sat at the well. He'd wait out his brother.

Kagome stormed out of the elevator and to the large doors to what she assumed was Sesshomaru's office.

Upon returning home she'd dug through her mother's phone book for the information. Before she'd been scared.

Now she was pissed.

"You bastard!" She yelled at him seeing him sitting at his desk talking to a red haired female.

"Ooo what did you do this time" the woman asked.

"I do not know. But I aim to find out. If you will excuse us, Ayame." He nodded to the redhead.

"A-Ayame?" She blinked at the woman taken aback. She hadn't expected that…

"I think I'll take my lunch now." She winked.

"Yes, Ayame." Sesshomaru nodded, moving to join her. "Would you care to have a seat?"

"I'll be back in an hour or so. Depending how hungry the pups are" Ayame said standing, hand over her stomach before waving at Kagome and walking out of the office.

"That means she will be gone for a while. Eating for twins is a time consuming affair." He said, urging Kagome to a sitting area to the side of his office and seating her on the couch.

"She's pregnant? With twins? With who?"

"Koga, of course." Sesshomaru took a seat next to her. "who else would she be pregnant with?"

She scooted over, putting one cushion between them. That was not why she was there, to find out that they finally ended up together. She was here because she was angry!

"Now, what can I help you with, my dear?"

"You kidnapped me you asshole" she growled.

"I kidnapped..." he frowned. "Ah, I remember." He nodded. "I am terribly sorry about that, Kagome. I will say I only intended to borrow you."

"Borrow? I'm not some stupid sword to borrow! And by the way why the hell did you not think to warn me? Did you just show back up to cause problems?"

"As I said, some things are fuzzy. I am sorry I did not warn you. And no, I would never dream of showing up simply to cause you trouble."

"You've certainly caused some. How do I get rid of you"

"Well... you don't." He said simply. "He said he wants to court you, yes?"

"Yeah and I don't have a clue what you...he means by that. Or what his end game even is."

"Courting would be the demon equivalent of dating. Though in that time, it was more a matter of demonstrating one's ability to protect and provide for a partner."

"Ok, then I'll say no and he'll have to leave" she said standing

"Demon courting does not work like that. The only thing that will end this is his deciding to end it."

"but I'm not a demon. Why would it apply to me?"

"but he is. This is the only way he knows how to engage in courting."

"Why? Why is even trying this? And why are we talking about him like he's not you!"

"Because he is a past version of myself. What he's doing may be my past, but because of your travelling through time, we are largely two very different people." He explained. "As for the why... it is right now, greatly because you saved him. But it grows to other reasons too."

"So this really is my fault" she groaned rubbing her face with her hand.

"Do not take this as a matter of fault, Kagome." Sesshomaru said firmly. "Had you not acted when you did, he- I would have died. The bleeding was worse than it looked. You bandaging me up was the difference between life and death. I do appreciate how... inconvenient and unpleasant this courting may be for you right now, but please do not blame yourself for having compassion."

She certainly hadn't wanted him to die. Didn't want him dead still..."how long does this last before he gives up"

"Um... quite a while." He said evasively.

"What does that mean? A month? Two?"

"A while." He repeated. "I cannot tell you too much, partially because I cannot remember every detail, and partially because, I just do not think I should tell you. It could effect what you do and change the future: our present." And the only thing he wanted to change was to have her back.

"Maybe I want to do that? I just got to a good place with Inuyasha. We're not fighting...really, and we're talking. We're actually friends...Now he's going to blame me for this and be angry again"

Would it be better...? If she changed the future, then maybe she wouldn't..."I cannot recall exactly how long this will last, but I can assure you it will be for an extended period. He may not realize it yet, but he cares for you more deeply than he knows. Inuyasha will get himself together and realize this is not your fault." He assured her. "Though he will not like my being there, he will get over it." He thought about it for a second. "he has a mate. He knows who she is. Talking to him about it could keep your friendship. Though, to be honest I do not remember you two ever falling out…a few bad fights, but he does not ever hate you. I swear to you that at least."

Well, that was actually helpful. But…"Your still hiding something"

"I am." He nodded.

At least he admitted that. She wanted to roll her eyes but didn't. "If this is like dating he's just going to travel with us right?"

"...mostly, yes." He nodded after a moment. This wouldn't be a problem to tell her, he was sure. "but remember, this is a demon courting. There will also be favors."

"What favors?" She asked suddenly feeling sick to her stomach.

"Part of courting is that both participants will go back and forth asking favors of one another. Since he initiated the courting, you will get the first favor."

"Koga goes around spouting off that I'm his woman and he never did this." She commented.

Sesshoamru growled but shook his head. "Koga is, was I should say, just a boisterous loud moth ass…he's a good mate to Ayame and loves her and their three pups though."

"Wait, we'll come back to that later. I can ask anything for a favor?"

"mostly"

Then...I can request this end"

"While that is clever reasoning, that is not allowed."

"This thing having rules is stupid." She crosses her arms.

Sesshomaru chuckled, finding her pouting as cute as he remembered. "Nonetheless, the rules are the rules."

"And how am I supposed to know demon rules?"

"You ask. He cannot lie to you or deny you the information you ask for."

"You've already admitted your hiding something" she pointed out.

"Yes, I am. Not him. I'm not courting you. He is." He'd already won that courting challenge.

"That still doesn't make sense"

"No, I'm sure it does not." He nodded. "I will have to ask you to trust me and take my word at face value." He paused a moment to give her a chance to consider his words before continuing.

"There will also be time spent alone with him, daily."

"If he's traveling with us we'll spend all day together," she said getting up and moving to lean against his desk.

"Not alone. This is specifically to be alone, to get to know one another."

She reached up again to rub her eyes. Oh yeah this will be great.

"Is there anything else I can explain?"

"Go back to the favors" she said. "What does he get to ask?"

"Whatever he wants, within reason. No sexual favors, he cannot ask you to abandon your quest to kill Naraku. Things like that."

The sexual part was kind what she was worried about, but she'd never considered him asking her to stop hunting.

"Likewise, you can ask nothing sexual of him, nor can you ask him to leave, as I said."

"Yeah, got that." If she could that would have been her first thing...

"Other than that, favors are pretty much open for anything. Since they are meant to be used to get to know each other, most demons do not request much more than that."

"Are you most demons or do I need to be prepared for something?"

"I am hardly like most demons." Sesshomaru said, a brief hint of his old self shining through for a moment. "In this case, however, you have nothing to fear. He will not ask you anything objectively inappropriate."

"I'm slapping you if that's a lie" she warned.

"It is not." He assured her, fairly sure everything he asked was appropriate. "Remember that I said 'objectively.' Just because you think its inappropriate doesn't mean others will."

"That's open to a lot" she said. "Your over 500 years old you should know what I would find inappropriate, so are you going to ask a favor I find inappropriate?"

He paused a moment to think, trying to remember all the favors and when they happened...

"I do not think so. I am confident that they will remain appropriate."

"My threat still stands" she said. She wasn't sure she bought it.

"As you wish." He said simply.

She was becoming used to headaches lately. "This is too messed up..."

"It will become less outlandish with time. Trust me. You may even start looking forward to some things." Like when they could take time together in hot springs. Or inns.

She shook her head "I need to go home. Inuyasha will be there soon..." she said pushing away from the desk.

"Yes, of course." Sesshomaru nodded, standing.

"I can see myself out" she shook her head.

"It would be rude of me to not see you out." He said, smiling warmly at her.

"I still think you should have told me" she muttered under her breath.

"Would that have helped?" Sesshomaru asked, catching her by her hand and pulling her to a stop. "Would you knowing what was about to happen have made you feel any better about it? Or just made you try to avoid it?"

"Avoid it, but I would have had to go back eventually and then I'd have been prepared and not think you were about to kill me" she said honestly.

"I'm sorry I did not warn you and caused you undue worry over your safety. I thought if I told you, you would just try to avoid it. I was wrong. I'm sorry."

She sighed "like I said I would have but what choice was there really? It's not like I can use the well and come out some other place."

"You're right. I should have been more thoughtful."

She didn't have much else to say. He wasn't spilling anymore information so she could assume he either was lying and didn't care, or there wasn't anything to warn her about.

Not releasing her hand, Sesshomaru gently pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace.

She stiffened unsure how to react. "W-what are you doing?"

"I am holding you." He said simply

Yeah she got that...but the scary part of it wasn't him holding her...it was...not feeling wrong...

"It has been so long..." he whispered to himself, giving her a gentle squeeze before releasing her. "I am sure my brother will be arriving at your house soon. Would you like a ride?"

"I..." her mind was spinning..."sure...that might be best..."

He smiled softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead before releasing her.

"Let me grab my keys." He smiled fetching his car keys from the desk.

Ok Kagome needed to make a rule about touching. Apparently this Sesshomaru liked doing that and thought it was appropriate.

"Let's be off, shall we?" He asked, smiling as he approached her, leading her back through his office.

She nodded fallowing him into the elevator. "Do you two fight because of this?" She asked after a minute.

"What do you mean?" He asked, leading her to his car.

"You and Inuyasha. Is this going to turn into a daily battle"

"Oh. Not really. Inuyasha will be angry, but my younger self will mostly ignore him in favor of you. I cannot confirm there will not be any fights at all, but I do not remember any happening that are particularly bad. Nothing you have to bandage anyone for."

"...does he get over it?" She would rather him not be visibly angry the whole time.

"Yes, he does. Though he will remain distrustful for some time."

Well that wouldn't be good for the kids she thought as he pulled onto the busy street.

"Any other concerns?" Sesshomaru asked as he neared her shrine.

One, but she wasn't sure she wanted to talk about it. "Not right now. Still processing you having lost your mind and thinking you wanted to marry me" she said.

"You think he has lost his mind?" Sesshomaru asked with an amused chuckle.

"Well yes...why do you find that funny?"

"You do not give yourself enough credit." He chuckled.

"I'm an 17 year old human. You know, the kinda thing you don't like"

"Surely you know that is hardly the case anymore." He chuckled.

"If your talking about Rin, she doesn't count. Anyone who meets her falls in love with her." She shook her head. Then blinked. "do you leave her at home or does she come with us?"

"I was quite fond of you aswell." He pointed out. "I seem to recall you openly yelling at me several times. And I did not stop you, did i? and as for your question, yes, Rin comes with us."

"You were more interested in the fight and trying to kill Inuyasha" she said. "And you have tried to kill me"

"Not directly. Mostly because you were in the way. Otherwise I would have been content to ignore you." He shrugged.

She shook her head. "You still have lost your mind."

"You can think that if it makes you feel better." He chuckled, patting her thigh reassuringly.

"Nothing's making me feel better" she shook her head. "Thank you for the ride"

"You're most welcome." He smiled, leaning over and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Ok I'm really confused about why you keep kissing me" she said.

"Because I enjoy doing it." If you would rather I stop, I will."

"The way you said that is like this was normal" she said, and judging by his face not changing she doubt he was admitting to anything.

"It is what it is." He said simply, giving her another smile. "the next time you come back, give me a call. I would like to take you to lunch. I could even reach out to see about Shippo joining us."

She…didn't hate that idea…"I'll thank about it."

He smiled. "it will be fine. It is good to have fun once in a while." He said.

She shook her head, thanked him again for the ride and climbed out, closing the car door.

Sesshomaru watched her enter her home before he began to pull away. He could sense the younger Inuyasha there, watching. Not wanting to give the younger man any more reason to be short with Kagome, Sesshomaru pulled back down the drive quickly.

Kagome dropped onto her bed and pulled a pillow over her head. No good deed went unpunished. She didn't think she'd ever believed that till now.

"Who was that?" Inuyasha asked, perched on her windowsill.

She groaned into the pillow. "A demon who remembers what happened 500 years ago that I went to yell at" she said moving the pillow

"Why? What happened? Does he know something about Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha growled, ready to hunt down and kill the man immediately.

"Somewhat." She said. "Close the window it's cold." Once he was sitting in her desk chair she sat up. "He's someone we haven't met yet" she explained, it wasn't a complete lie, they didn't know him that well. "But he's been a friend to my mom for a while. He was giving me some information about this...demon courting thing."

"What kind of information?" Inuyasha asked, doubting the man could be trusted.

"Mostly it takes a while, but he does leave us be" she said.

"Good. How long is a 'while?"

"He couldn't remember exactly. He also told me about the actual courting. Do you know anything about it?"

"Not really... mom didn't tell me much. And no other demons really thought it mattered for a half-demon to know."

She frowned. "Apparently, we exchange appropriate favors, and "alone" time, until either I agree to marry him or he gives up."

"Great..." he scowled.

"Hopefully he'll get board quickly" she said, shrugging.

"Yeah. Hopefully." Inuyasha muttered.

"I think we should stay here and just go back tomorrow" she said. She really didn't want to go back and deal with him. "Get an early start tomorrow" and she also wanted to pack a few things now for Shippo and Rin.

"Works for me. I don't want to be around him anyways."

She nodded. "Well it's a good opportunity to get more supplies"

"Yeah. All the better." Inuyasha nodded.

She sighed and leaned back on the bed. This was not going to go easily...