Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine; they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. The following story is for entertainment and not profit.

Chapter 22: Preparations

"You realize it is possible that the outcome may remain the same regardless of what part I play. You may all still die." Putting aside the fact that the most likely outcome of her actions would be nothing more than a temporal paradox, Naosu still harboured fear that no matter what she attempted it would never be enough to make a difference.

"If that is so, we will die fighting."

"Yes, but that is how you died last time."

Ever since the plan had been agreed on and the details worked out, Naosu had begun voicing her doubts and Sesshomaru was beginning to tire of it. However, he understood the logic behind them. The knowledge that he had been defeated, and may again be, by someone as lowly as Naraku did not sit well with him.

Naosu had spent the last three days proving her abilities to not only Lord Sesshomaru and Inu Yasha, but also to Sango, whose concern for Naosu's wellbeing was not so surprising. The first two days, Sango had insisted on seeing Naosu's skill with the boomerang, which she was more than happy to comply with. Her enjoyment had nothing to do with the fact that Inu Yasha had been volunteered as her practice target, of course. She had even succeeded in hitting the hanyou, who had found himself caught both off guard by her mastery with Hiraikotsu and knocked across the room by her unexpected blow. Her excitement instead came from the fact that it was her great-grandmother's weapon she was being asked to use. Hiraikotsu had been the first weapon she had learned to use, the giant boomerang had been passed down through the generations even though the bone it was made of had become horribly cracked without proper care. Naosu, like her mother before her, had attempted many times to have it fixed but no matter how hard they tried the wound it had received had refused to be healed. Getting the chance to handle the unscarred heirloom filled her with uncontainable hope.

Afterwards, Lord Sesshomaru had insisted on testing her ability with a blade, and so that is how she had spent the last two days. "That is enough." He said, stopping her sword with one hand. "Tomorrow morning we shall leave for the north. Rest now."

Naosu lowered the weapon, as he released his grip, and bowed, "Yes, my Lord."

Her eyes fluttered open as sleep again eluded her. She had been trying for what seemed like hours to fall asleep, but her mind refused to be quieted. Kagome lay listening to the deep silence of the large room and released she had it all to herself. Sango and Miroku had asked for a small sleeping quarter alone, so as not to disturb the others with their affections and to enjoy some much needed privacy.

Kagome remembered that she had insisted Shippo stay with Rin and Kohaku for the night. She had wanted him to have one more night as a child before accompanying them into battle. It had been decided that Kohaku would stay behind and take care of Rin. The relief had been clearly displayed on his face when he was told, thankful to not have to face the puppet-master that had controlled him for so long.

The only person she couldn't account for was Inu Yasha. She wasn't surprised that he had left the room, however, as it was the night of the new moon and he was always moodier when he was stuck in human form.

Kagome let her eyelids fall. They were leaving in the morning and she needed to get some sleep, but as she let they close she heard the soft padding of bare feet crossing the floor of the main room.

"Kagome? Are you awake?" A voice whispered through the break in the screens.

"Yes." She replied. "What do you want Inu Yasha?"

"I need to talk to you." He dared to raise his voice a little as he stepped around the divider to kneel beside the only occupied bed. "It's important."

Kagome sat up, pulling her legs under her, mirroring his posture. The tone of his words was serious and it worried.

Inu Yasha took a deep breath to steady his nerves, "Kagome, I … I … I don't know if I can say this…" He had been rehearsing what he was going to say since their close encounter in the hot spring, but now that she sat right in front of him all he could do was stutter.

Kagome sat patiently waiting for him to proceed, her heart beating in hopeful anticipation. She lifted her hand to him arm in a gesture of support. Inu Yasha's gaze moved from her touch to meet her eyes, the dim light of the oil lamp across the room dancing in their depths. He knew at that moment that his words would never be enough, so with courage he never thought he would find, Inu Yasha trapped her lips under his own and forced upon them all that he had never been able to say.

Kagome inhaled deeply, her mind racing from the unexpected kiss. 'Please don't let this be a dream,' she thought, her eyes still locked on the enigma that sat before her.

"I love you, Kagome." It slipped out, almost as an afterthought. "I had to let you know before –"

"Shhh…" She knew what he was going to say and she didn't want to hear it, not now, not ever. The same fear lay in her heart. All she wanted was this moment without the worry of the future. Her body cried out to have him closer to her and it was as if he could hear it. His arms reached out to crush her against him, as her lips eagerly locked with his, their shared fears quickly forgotten as they found comfort in one another.

The air of his home was thick with musky scent of human lust and Sesshomaru couldn't stand it. The smell seemed to have permeated every inch of every room leaving him only one escape, the crisp evening air of the balcony. Even there, however, it attempted to linger filling his nose with things he would rather not smell, and disturbingly causing him to feel things he would rather not feel.

He wasn't the only one who was bothered by the unwelcome smell, Naosu also found herself affected. The dreams that would overtake her would wreak havoc upon her body, causing her to start awake with a sheen of sweat covering her flushed skin. In an attempt to cool herself she had removed what clothing she had left, but to no avail. Pulling the thin bed clothes around her, to retain some modesty, Naosu ventured out onto the private balcony.

Sesshomaru didn't need to turn around to know he was no longer alone on the naturally formed shelf, the strong scent of her arousal clung to her overpowering all others.

"I apologize, my Lord, for invading your privacy, but" Naosu hesitated as she fought the overwhelming urges brought on by her heated dreams, "I will not get any rest if I stay in there tonight."

"And you believe I will allow you any rest if you stay out here?" His words were more carefully measured and colder than normal causing her to shiver under the unexpected heat of his stare.

Naosu woke to the gentle caress of the cold sea breeze across her exposed skin. The hard surface below her felt nothing like the plush futon she had become use to over the past two weeks. With the brilliance of a flashbulb going off the memories of her most recent event came back to her. A wistful smile parted her lips as she let her eyes flitter open. The sky was still dark and the stars were shining more brightly for the lack of a moon. The smell that had driven her out of her bed had dissipated leaving only the slightest whisper of musk in the air.

Sesshomaru stood at the railing, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond the horizon. Naosu looked at the back of his statuesque form against the shimmering canvas of midnight sky and water, and felt her warm expression fade. Something about his stance seemed wrong; the muscles of his back were held a little too tight, the tension of his frame conveying displeasure and irritation. Her eyes drifted to the clenched fist that hung at his side sending a frightened shiver through her.

Getting to her feet quickly, Naosu scooped up the discarded sheet to cover herself, feeling unwelcome and out of place in the presence of the fully clothed demon. She choked back the tears that threatened to overtake her as she reprimanded herself for being so naïve to think that what had happened would have meant anything to him.

Feeling very frail and foolish, Naosu turned towards the arched entrance way to return to the room and reclaim her clothes. "Once Naraku is defeated I will never have existed and this will have never have happened." In an attempt to salvage what little dignity she had left, she pushed down her emotions and walked into the gaping hole, allowing its darkness to swallow her completely.

Sesshomaru listened as her slow even footsteps moved deeper into the cavernous room of his private chamber, her last words echoing through his mind. His hand tightened on the railing as the stone beneath it began to crumble under his poisonous grip.