A/N: I would just like to say I really appreciate your reviews, favs/follows. Thank you, really! Writing emotionally-charged stories is draining. Your feedback always gives me the motivation. :) Unfortunately, I can't answer all your questions in my A/N. (especially the memory one.) Of course it will be addressed. But everything will unfold as the story progresses. =)

Warning, this chapter contains mature content.

Intervention

I realize... as the days with him pass by...

She clutched the covered bowl of soup tightly in her hands. Kagome stood by the doorway, doubting herself. She had texted him a few minutes ago asking him where he was. He never replied, and so she decided to walk up to his classroom to bring the food to him.

She realized it was a foolish mistake.

He was sitting by the window, his eyes glued to his phone as if in a trance. His best friend Naraku was leaning by the windowsill, and he had his arm around his mate, Kagura. He was leaning down attentively as she was pointing at something with a frown on her face.

To what she was pointing at was another girl, whom she recognized as Fourth Year Yamada Rin, probably the prettiest girl in school.

She had her arm around Sesshomaru's, and she was leaning forward to press a soft kiss on his lips.

I'm starting to feel things I shouldn't.

Naraku's gaze suddenly snapped towards her, and their eyes met. She watched as his eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly turned to Sesshomaru, his mouth open to tell him something.

She did not bother to watch whatever happened next. Her feet backpedaled away, and she spun around and ran.

Stupid, stupid Kagome.

Her feet carried her as fast as she can, down the stairs, bumping through students on her way, she was struggling to catch her breath. She stopped at the back of the school building, and she leaned on the dusty wall. The horrible smell of the dumpster wafted in her nose, and she clutched the glass bowl that held her homemade soup tight.

What had ever possessed her to make this?

The image of a drenched, shivering Sesshomaru flashed on her mind, as she left him outside the rain last night without even saying goodbye. She tried to rectify it by sending him a text message saying 'goodnight,' but it did not help the smidge of guilt she felt.

Even if she harbored this grudge against him, she was still her, still Kagome, that humble little girl who grew up in a sheltered shrine.

Don't show him kindness. You already started your torture four days ago.

Being nice to him now will only drive the knife you planted deeper

when you leave him for Chicago.

She shook her head, unable to believe how heartless she had become.

Her eyes steeled, and Kagome strode forward towards the dumpster. Reaching her hands out she dumped the bowl in the trash, along with the many other garbage the school had collected for the morning.

Tears streaked down her eyes on her realization.

Aside from hurting yourself, you're hurting other people. What are you doing?

Stop this, Kagome. Just stop. If you're leaving him, just go now.

Stop prolonging his agony. You've become a monster.

"Kagome," a familiar voice suddenly interrupted her thoughts, and she spun around, meeting his golden eyes. He looked at her, shocked at the blatant tears running down her cheeks. "Kagome, what's wrong-" he stepped forward, but she backed away.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "It's nothing, Senpai."

His eyes narrowed. "You're calling me Senpai again..." he said, "Just last night, and this morning in your text message you were calling me by my name,"

"I said its nothing," she dismissed. She steeled herself. She was ending this torture now, "just go back. She's waiting for you there, I can manage by myself." she looked at him, but did not expect the panic that was rising in his expression.

The dead mask melted into one of fear, and it was when Kagome had realized, he had completely misunderstood what she was saying.

"I was reading your message," he said, his tone miserably hopeless as he strode forward and caught her by her small shoulders, "I couldn't believe that you texted me first- Kagome, I didn't know what she was doing until Naraku yelled at me-"

Stop, Sesshomaru, just stop...

youre making this harder for both of us-

"Kagome," he crushed her in his arms, "I swear, I never even dared to touch another...

the rumors, they spread only because I rejected them," she tried to pull away when he abruptly did himself. "What did you throw in the dumpster?" he suddenly asked, and she looked away.

"Nothing." She said, when he swiftly disappeared before her. She watched in horror as he jumped inside the filthy container and started rummaging.

"Stop," she whimpered, "What are you doing?!"

He emerged from the garbage dump, his pristine white uniform dirtied and filthy. He had recovered the bowl in his hands. "Did you make this for me?" he said as he opened the container.

Kagome looked helplessly at his pathetic form as he tried to salvage her soup.

Why are you doing this?

"Stop... it's from the garbage, it's disgusting," She reached out, her body shaking with absolute anger, "Just stop,"

I'm supposed to hate you, Sesshomaru...

stop making me pity you-

"Stop!"

But his hands were like steel, as he lifted the dirty bowl to his lips. "It's still good," he said as he finally took a sip. "I feel as if it's been forever since you made something for me-" he said as he lifted the bowl again to take another taste.

"Sesshomaru, just STOP!" she screamed, knocking it forcefully away from his hands, and the bowl toppled to the ground, the precious contents spilling on the concrete. Sesshomaru stood frozen at where they were at.

She was holding him, her arms around him in an angry embrace, trapping his movement as she dug her face into his chest. "I'll make you another one," she said, infuriated, her tears soaking his shirt. "Its home economics after this period- I'll make you another one. Just... stop trying to salvage that dumb soup from the garbage,"

Why are you doing this?

I'm not supposed to be nice to you!

"You're making another one for me?" he echoed, and Kagome cringed at the distressing tone of his voice.

Stop acting so pitiful...

"Yes," she replied, and slowly her grip loosened, and he wrapped his own arms around her.

"Kagome," he whispered, "Kagome, you have no fucking idea how happy you just made me -" he pulled away and cupped her face, and trailed her with tender kisses all over.

How can you be this way?

You hurt me, force me to do things I don't want to,

yet another side of you...

He wiped her tears away with his hands, "I'm sorry about Rin... Kagome I didn't -"

Another side of you...

makes it harder for me to leave...

She shook her head, "It's nothing, Sesshomaru." He sighed as he heard her mention his name, and he smiled.

Her last period was Physical Education, and Kagome, still clad in her shirt and gym bloomers, was on her way to the classroom to retrieve her water bottle. Ever distracted she kept her gaze cast on the floor as she made her way through the empty corridors.

That article was on the 1860s...

A hundred and fifty years ago.

"The Higurashi Shrine celebrates the birth of their daughter Higurashi Kagome."

She climbed up the stairs absently, her mind absorbed in her thoughts.

Was that girl really me? Why don't I remember anything?

"What if I told you we met before, and you promised me you'd love me until your last breath?"

I want to ask him too. But seeing how desperate he is, I won't be able to find out the real truth.

Mama... I'm so confused... There are gaps in my memory...

and I have no one to talk to,

Unchecked tears escaped down her cheeks yet again, and she stopped her walk.

Ah, I can't stop crying.

She stood hidden in the corner, trying to force her tears to cease. After a few solemn moments she finally breathed, and she opened her eyes. She steeled her resolve. I will get through this.

As she started her strides she suddenly hit something tall and firm, and it knocked her balance off. She fell back two paces, and she realized, there was nothing underneath her feet.

She had reached the edge of the stairs, and she was falling backwards.

"Woah there!" a male voice exclaimed as she lifted her gaze. The man reached out to her as she was falling, and he roughly pulled her to him and wrapped her in a protective embrace, as he spun around to the other direction- avoiding the stairs.

They finally steadied and regained balance, as they both released a sigh of relief.

"Are you okay?" The young man asked, as she opened her eyes and looked up. He was indeed a tall one, as tall as Sesshomaru- he was wearing a blue, form-fitting button-up shirt with an amber tie.

A professor? She read the name on his badge. Hasegawa Kouga.

"Shit, I guess I should say we should both watch where we're going," he laughed apologetically and released her. Kagome, despite herself, gave him a small smile.

"Physical Ed?" he said as he knelt down and picked up his scattered books.

"Can't you tell?" she answered as she dropped down to help. She didn't mean to be sarcastic, but unfortunately it came out that way, and he laughed so easily.

"I was on my way to my class myself. Guess they'll have to wait then."

She piled the last book at his hands. "What do you teach?"

"Youkai and Human History. I exclusively teach the Fourth Years, that's why you don't see me often, Kaguya-san." The mention of her name left her frozen, and she quickly stood.

She stiffened when he grabbed her wrist.

"Do you want to have coffee with me after class? Or if you're not into caffeine, there's some French Pastry in Shinjuku. Expensive, but if you're with me it'd be worth it," he asked so very casually, and Kagome pulled her hand away, feeling a terrible knot form in her stomach.

Shit. What have I walked into.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sensei." she tried to emphasize the last word to him, in hopes that it would snap him back to his senses. He merely chuckled.

"You're what, Third Year? Next year you'll graduate. Waiting a year more is nothing for me, Kaguya-san. I'll admit... the moment I laid eyes on you during the opening ceremony, I was smitten. And if it worries you, I'm a wolf, I belong in the canine family.

Which would make me a pretty loyal mate."

"I have a boyfriend," she said, "so NO."

She winced when he leaned forward, and she braced her legs to deliver a kick to his balls, teacher or not, when he stopped at a distance and whispered. "Think about it, Kaguya-san."

He sauntered away, and Kagome let out a long breath of relief. Ensuring that her goosebumps had recovered from that creepy encounter, she turned around, and stiffened.

Sesshomaru was at the top of the stairs, his eyes teetering dangerously from gold to red.

"Who were you talking to?" he said, the anguished tone in his voice obliterated, replaced by a harshness that made her hackles rise again.

"Your crazy teacher, that's who." She said as she started her way towards him. But she suddenly felt herself slammed back against the concrete wall, the blow knocking her breath away.

"Why do you smell of him?" he growled, his nails digging into her arms. Drops of blood ran down her skin as he raked his claws into her flesh angrily-

"I almost fell down the stairs," she whimpered in pain, her resolve faltering, "He was only trying to protect me...Sesshomaru, you're hurting me-"

"You're mine, Kagome! Don't you understand that?" he slammed her again on the wall, "All of you belongs to me!" he screamed, and her whole body was drenched in fear.

His eyes were completely red.

He suddenly grabbed her by the hair and dragged her with him up the stairs, her pathetic protests drowned by his rage. They entered an empty room, and he slammed the door shut. He threw her small body across the wall, and she sank on the floor, losing the strength of her knees. Her breath shook, as she realized-

It's happening again...

"You're hurting me," she cried, as he appeared before her and started ripping her shirt off.

"Sesshomaru, stop!" she thrashed wildly against his arms of steel, and tears spilled from her eyes as he started running his hands all over her body, running his tongue across her skin, madly trying to erase the wolf-youkai's scent and replace it with his. Goosebumps rode over her flesh from where his tongue ran, and she felt her skin burning, that strange heat starting to inflame her again.

"Sesshomaru, no!"

He yanked her hair roughly as he pulled her towards him and assaulted her with a searing kiss. She moaned her protests, but he drowned it with his desperate need to dominate, "No one is to touch you like this, understand?" he crushed her half-naked, bloodied body against his, staining his white shirt with copious amounts of bright red, and Kagome couldn't help but cry.

Why do you do this?

She fought back, her feet kicking, her arms pushing him away, but he was too strong. Panic consumed her being as he pulled her bloomers down, and even before she could realize what was happening, his finger penetrated into her unprepared folds.

She cried out in distress, and he dragged it out, only to plunge in again with two digits. His finger curled inside her, and her knees buckled, her muscles clamping down in shock. She tried to squeeze her thighs together, tried to reject the unwanted intruder. But he thrusted, and with every thrust brought in a shameful wetness that started dripping down her thighs.

"Stop...please, Sesshomaru- not like this," she cried as her body thrashed uncomfortably, but he held her down with his weight, his lips trying to seal her desperate pleas.

"Only I can touch you like this, Kagome. See how your body reacts,"

Why do you do this?

Kagome shook her head, her sobs like a little girl desperately wanting to be heard,

You say you love me,

you say it over and over again... but why...

He wiped the tears away from her cheeks. She stiffened as his fingers gained a faster rhythm inside her, his digits plunging in and out of her slick folds. She shook, from the unwanted heat rising in her core, as his thumb found that little nub on the apex of her womanhood, and he rubbed on it, his fingers slippery with her fluids.

She felt electricity run from his hands, directly shooting through her spine.

"Stop... please, not like this, Sesshomaru please!" she whimpered like a wounded animal, but he wouldn't listen.

Why do you do this?

You say you love me... but if you really did,

You wouldn't hurt me like this!

And Kagome moaned, as she felt herself reach shattering heights, and her muscles clamped down on his fingers as she climaxed, a heavy substance spilling out of her, soaking his hands, soaking her ripped, bloody bloomers. It dripped on the floor, and he pulled her into an embrace.

"Kagome," he whispered madly, "two more days." He pulled his hand out from her slit, and he stroked her hair, trying to comfort her sobs,

he dared to kiss her lips.

I'm confused,

and my body is sore all over, I feel so alone...

Sesshomaru, you could have at least been gentle,

Kagome could only lean on him, and she cried. She cried her heart out, and Sesshomaru was whispering sweet nothings to her, covering her with his jacket, as she sobbed like a little child in his arms.

I can't trust anyone...

Mama...

why did you leave me by myself?

In the empty playground, Kagome stood from the swing she had been sitting on as she scanned the gloomy afternoon sky. She had to head home pretty soon, or else rain would fall. She had not brought her umbrella with her.

Kagome straightened her skirt and slung her bag over her shoulder as she started the walk.

Sesshomaru had an important meet with the Taekwondo team, and it took an awful amount of persuasion not to let him cancel it just to walk her home.

Just as she stepped into the pavement, she bumped into someone.

Her bag fell on the floor, the contents spilling on the ground. "Sorry," she heard him say.

Kagome, you klutz, bumping into a lot of people lately-

She was exhausted. She did not even bother to lift her eyes up, as she knelt down and collected her spilled things. The student, she could tell by his uniform, knelt on one knee and helped her retrieve her scattered belongings: miscellaneous papers, and her torn, bloodied gym clothes.

His hand hovered over her flight ticket, and he paused.

Kagome snatched the ticket away. The wounds on her arms were still raw and red from Sesshomaru's outburst, and she quickly hid it, not wanting anyone to see.

"Thanks," she mumbled, as she turned and ran, leaving the student alone in the empty playground, the harsh wind of the upcoming storm blowing his long, raven hair.

"Naraku," a newcomer said, and the student turned around and stood up.

"Kagura," he answered, and he watched as his mate's eyes followed the girl's receding form.

"Isn't that Sesshomaru's girl?" she said, and he shifted his gaze towards the Third Year. The look on his eyes softened.

He recalled her ripped, bloodied clothes, and the fresh lacerations on her arms, the bruise marks all over her skin. "Kagura, I'm afraid he'll break her even before he gets the chance to win her back."

Kagura followed his gaze. "He's too traumatized from losing her, he doesn't realize he's hurting the girl," she answered.

He ran his fingers through his unbound hair. "I would be," he said,

"I would have gone mad, too, if I lost you."

They fell silent for long moments, and Naraku took his jacket off, covering his mate protectively from the strong gust. "I'm leaving tonight, I have something to settle in Shibuya."

"Naraku,"

"She's too confused and lost, and he's too desperate and blinded. They're not helping each other. If this goes on any further, he will lose her completely." He took out his phone and typed a message to his driver. He hit send. "I saw a plane ticket to Chicago, Kagura. She's leaving him on Saturday. Tomorrow's her last day with him."

Kagura's eyes subtly widened.

"I have to go to Shibuya. I have to talk to Kagome's cousin... That Kikyo girl, she's been too quiet, she might hold some answers. She might shed some light on us, most especially to her." He paused. "As ironic as it may sound, Kagome's affection is the only thing that can bring his sanity back."

"I'll go with you," Kagura said, "If it's to stop Sesshomaru's girl from leaving... I don't want to find him as we did the first time we met him. Who knows, this time,

we won't be able to stop him if he decides to take his own life again."

Naraku nodded, and Kagura reached out, and he took her hand.