A/N: Thanks for the reviews and all the other stuff. Here's the next chapter. I hope you all enjoy it.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha or any related characters. Leave credit where credit is due.

The story line is mine.

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He shifted uncomfortably, he didn't like the place he was in, it was dark, and it was cold. The murky feeling he got from it reminded him much like a dungeon, an imprisonment on the will. He casually walked through the corridors of the area observing where he had been taken.

"Hm..." he said looking to his sides his weapons had been removed, along with his fake arm. Then he heard it, a blood curling scream, it was hers, he turned around and saw a small light, he quickly rushed towards it, in hopes he'd find her safe.

"Pathetic..." the deep voice of Naraku leaked to Sesshoumaru's ears. He looked at Kagome's limp lifeless corpse. He was enraged.

"You... will die now." Sesshoumaru said angered. He leaped into the air to deliver a blow to Naraku, but he felt slow, and groggy, he was deflected immediately, he looked at his reflection in the glass nearby, he had black hair, his face was un-marked, and he was... human.

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He jolted up in bed like someone had electrocuted him. He looked around and noticed the sun had already rose and it was about mid-day, Kagome shifted next to him but didn't stir. He pondered why he had a dream like that, he almost never dreams. He stood from the bed and walked out.

She turned over to snuggle into Sesshoumaru, but to her displeasure he had already left, feeling pouty she clung to a nearby pillow. Sighing and burying her face into it, she wished the sun wasn't so bright and that she could sleep more. She growled and threw the pillow, deciding to get up anyway.

She walked right into him she smiled and hugged him. Looking up into her eyes, she couldn't help herself anymore with the random bursts of affection. She was just so content and happy when she was near him, she felt invincible.

He placed an arm over her shoulder and pulled her close, he'd never openly admit it, but these bursts of affection were nice. He looked down into her eyes and felt blown away with that adoring smile.

"Get ready, we're leaving relatively soon." He said calmly releasing her and watching her walk off to dress herself.

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He looked back at her awkwardly sitting on his dragon-pet. He chuckled to himself, she was dressed in that school girl outfit, but he wouldn't complain. He knew she'd be delighted once she found out where they were going. He walked along side it, the silence wasn't awkward, but calming and peaceful, like he didn't need words with her just to feel in place like there was a purpose to be near. It was nice, but he couldn't let himself show too quickly, it was for the best of both of them that he forbid that.

She shifted once again on the back of the dragon-beast. She didn't like being on it's back, she felt unsafe, soon Sesshoumaru also mounted the beast, and they took off into the air. She squeaked and slid, but was caught by the strong arm that belonged to Sesshoumaru. She felt safe once again.

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They haven't moved from where Sesshoumaru last met with Inuyasha for days. He didn't want to go anywhere, he sat off in a tree, sulking. He was depressed, he didn't feel like living, much alone doing any other activity. He really did it this time, and if she really was in love with his brother, how could he compete with that. For the first time in his life, he had felt like there was no hope and that he was truly weak.

Shippou sat on a log near Miroku, he was worried that he'd never get to see Kagome again, maybe he shouldn't of asked for so much from the demon lord. But Kagome was like a mother, strong or not, he was still a pup, and he needed love and care that only Kagome could give. Kirara perched herself next to Shippou, and he hugged the small cat.

"Miroku, do you sense something?" Sango asked looking around. Everyone seemed restless and just waiting on Inuyasha.

"Actually, I do." Miroku said propping himself up on his elbows looking to the west. There he saw it, Sesshoumaru's winged beast with Kagome on it. He jumped to his feet in defense. Kirara morphed and stood in front of Sango and Miroku growling.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called out looking at the tree where he last recalled Inuyasha being, he wasn't there. Miroku sighed and tensed when the dragon landed behind them.

"Kagome!" Shippou screamed at the top of his lungs as he pounced at her. She squeezed him tightly tears flowing freely from the little kitsune's eyes.

"Shippou! I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed nuzzling her face into the top of the child's head.

"Kagome!" Sango said still in a defensive position. Kagome looked up at Sango and smiled before running to her friend, hugging her as well.

"Oh Sango! It seems like forever!" she hugged her friend tightly.

"I know! Has this bastard hurt you?!" she glared at Sesshoumaru from over Kagome's shoulder. Who just held an emotionless expression. She also rubbed over a red mark on Kagome's neck that looked like a scar that she never had seen before.

"Um... No." Kagome said nervously, she didn't know how to tell them that she doesn't love Inuyasha, but Sesshoumaru. She didn't know what they'd do or say.

"It is most definitely nice to see you again, Kagome-san" Miroku said approaching the two girls and kistune. Kagome hugged Miroku as well. She walked back to Sesshoumaru's side and looked at the ground kind of embarrassed and guilty like.

"Sesshoumaru hasn't harmed me... He's actually been really caring and making sure I was well kept. I... don't know how to say this... But, Sesshoumaru stole my heart from Inuyasha, and he's keeping it." she looked up at saw Miroku and Sango's jaws hit the floor, she sighed.

"As long as you're well kept, and happy, then I'm glad for you Kagome" Sango smiled at her dear friend and Miroku nodded in agreement.

Sesshoumaru looked to the east and narrowed his eyes. Kagome and her friends chatted a bit and the kitsune cub whined about how mistreated he was whilst Kagome was gone. He placed his hand protectively on Kagome's shoulder.

"You're not safe here." he said, he sensed Naraku. Kagome sensed the shards and nodded. "We must go."

She hugged everyone once more, placing Shippou back into Sango's arms.

"Waaaait! Sesshoumaru said last time he was with Inuyasha that I could come back with you!" Shippou jumped out of Sango's arms onto Kagome's shoulder. She looked at Sesshoumaru who nodded.

"I hope you two don't mind." Kagome said, looking at her friends who just smiled. She hugged Sango tightly once more before turning to Miroku and hugging him just as tightly. She felt his hand move to her lower back, but stop like someone paralyzed him, she looked over her shoulder and saw Sesshoumaru watching them both intently. She giggled and petted Kirara before approaching Sesshoumaru who was annoyed with a small Kitsune perched on his head.

"Make your presence more often, Kagome!" Sango said as Kagome climbed on the two-headed dragon. Kagome nodded and waved at her two friends.

"Oh... could you guys tell Inuyasha that I'm really sorry..." she bowed her head in shame slightly as Sango and Miroku looked at eachother then to Kagome who seemed deeply ashamed, neither Sango nor Miroku could blame her for her actions, Inuyasha was in-sensitive, and rude. If anything, he deserved this after mistreating Kagome for such a long time.

"Of course, Kagome-san. Please be safe." Miroku bowed his head in respect towards Sesshoumaru, and action he thought he'd never do. As the three took off into the sky on back of the dragon, they faded into nothing. He looked over at Sango who had a sad expression on her face.

"Is something wrong?" he felt stupid asking that question, but she seemed un-phased a moment ago, now she seemed on the brink of tears.

"I missed Kagome dearly, this small visit was a breath of relief, but I still wish things could go back to how they once were. Now Shippou is gone as well, it seems like the normal for us is now falling apart. And it's all Inuyasha's fault." she confessed everything to the monk she grew dangerously attached to.

"I miss how everything once used to be as well, even though it all hasn't been amiss for too long, it's still not right, knowing things will probably never be the same again. Kagome has someone powerful in her life now, we seem almost useless." he hugged Sango close to him, "And it might be Inuyasha's fault, but then again, sometimes fate plays cruel tricks to make everything alright."

Sango nodded and nuzzled into Miroku's comforting hug, his arms squeezed her tighter as Kirara yawned and curled up in a small ball next to the embers of the nearly dead fire nearby.
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A consistent babble was exchanged between Shippou and Kagome as Sesshoumaru attempted to tune them out, but to much fail, he kept alert, he felt Naraku's presence still, and he knew that he could only be after one thing, those useless shards Kagome possessed.

He mentally scoffed, he couldn't believe someone would make it their life goal to complete a jewel that was taken from this earth many years ago, brought back, and shattered. Not to mention upon finishing this burdening task of finding the thousands of shards, tainting it to gain power, by the time the task would be complete, humans will have advanced farther and might very well overpower medial demons like Naraku.

They landed and were instantly greeted by a couple of maids, they all dotted over Shippou, and followed Sesshoumaru's orders to have him bathed and fitted into newer clothing. Kagome giggled at Shippou's terrified look as they dragged him away. She looked up at Sesshoumaru who looked back at her, she turned away quickly and started to walk forward, only to be stopped by his hand on her shoulder.

He turned her around and wrapped an arm around her waist dragging her petite self closer to him, she was small and fragile appearing, but strong at the same time. And he completely adored that a simple human could make herself so powerful in such a short amount of time.

She nuzzled her face into his shoulder, avoiding the cold armor that covered his chest most of the time. She sometimes felt like she was ruining his otherwise cold and dark-hearted image, but if he didn't want that to happen, she would've been either dead, or traded off awhile back when he had the many opportunities to do so.

"Your family, they are in another time, correct?" Sesshoumaru decided to interrogate her about her family that wasn't in existence in this time. He felt her spirit sink as she held onto him tighter, he rubbed her back reassuringly that he was going to make everything better.

"They live half-of a millennium in the future... I go back and forth between that time and this time through the bone eaters well in Inuyasha's forest. Before, I always needed a piece of the Shikon Jewel to make travel between the times happen, but later to find out that all I needed was to be bound to something in that time to make this happen. Then it was Inuyasha, and the task we had to complete. Now I haven't a clue on what it will be." she sighed, Mama and Souta adored Inuyasha, how could she tell them Inuyasha will no longer be apart of her life, and that Sesshoumaru, someone they probably couldn't meet, was the holder to her young heart? Things always got simple for her, and then complicated.

"You're bound to me now." he pressed his finger firmly against the bite mark on her neck, it was a seal, marking her as 'his'. It was a ritual that wasn't practiced much anymore, but since it's too soon for marriage for both of them, he decided to go with the old way of keeping her his, and that was marking her.
"How? How is a simple bite mark soul binding?" she placed her hand over his and looked up at him with her big brown eyes. He let a slight smile show, and she smiled back.

"You wanted to be mine, and I wanted you to be mine. This mark is an ancient ritual that was performed before marriage among demons became customary. The only way the pinkish red mark would stay surfaced on the flesh like it was a fresh scar, is if both the marker and the marked shared the same desires, which is a lifetime together. Which makes it nearly impossible for one or the other to be separated." he watched her eyes slightly begin to glow, it was like a strange romance story to her, he kissed her forehead before sweeping her up bridal style.

"Sounds cute in a creepy kind of way." she giggled and snuggled close into him, avoiding the spikes on his armor. She noticed his eye roll before sticking her tongue out playfully.

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Inuyasha fell to the ground, a painful grunt escaping his lips as blood trickled down his face. The half-demon put up no struggle, nor any fight. Naraku was disappointed.

"Why do you not fight now, Inuyasha?" he said tauntingly and confused. He watched Inuyasha sit up and stay down on the ground.

"I have no need to be battling you anymore Naraku." Inuyasha said in defeat. Naraku looked slightly shocked for a brief moment before letting a sinister chuckle out. He casually walked over to Inuyasha, knowing he was too stupid to perform any intelligent kind of tactic to fool him.

"Is it because you have lost your precious Kagome to your obviously better elder brother, Sesshoumaru?" he picked at the already obvious wound on Inuyasha's heart. The only response he got was a low growl from the hanyou in front of him.

"What do you want, Naraku? I don't have any shards, Kagome has them, and she's with Sesshoumaru, where ever he is." Inuyasha glared at his once arch enemy who held no importance in his life anymore, no one did. He had nothing else to live for.

"I came to make a trade... I know of a priestess that could 'switch' Kagome's mind into loving you and not Sesshoumaru. For this, I require two things, your sword, to trade off with Sesshoumaru for Kagome, and Kagome's shards, in payment for the favor I am doing you." Naraku attempted to negotiate with the stupid inu-hanyou that sat before him.

"No." Inuyasha said simply. Looking to the sky, before continuing, "Sesshoumaru cannot wield Tetsusaiga, you may be able to change someone's mind, but not their heart. And I will never let you get your wish, if I cannot have mine..." Inuyasha stood up looking at Naraku, "So you might as well kill me now because that's the only way you'll be able to attempt to get this plan underway."

Naraku glared at Inuyasha, he underestimated him once again. He brushed off Inuyasha's challenge and turned to leave, "I will get my wish, even if it means I have to end yours and Kagome's lives. And anyone else's who comes in my way. I will get my desires." he disappeared into the shadows.

Inuyasha fell to the ground and sighed, going back into sulking mode, he knew he should find Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, but he didn't feel like doing much else than mope over his permanent loss.

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A/N: Another update! More involved with Inuyasha and the others, that should clear up any confusion of what was happening since I know I tend to skip some major details to fill in the blanks with stories. If anyone has questions, I'll be happy to answer them, just ask in a review or send me a message, either way, I'll assist you in anyway I can.

Now for the main reason for this authors note; I showed this story to some of my anime fanatic friends and they think that sometime in the future I should have a lemon(s). I wouldn't do this unless I ask my readers! So tell me, should I or should I not make this story a lemon?

Let me know! Majority will win, and everyone's input is crucial to the fate of future chapters.

Thanks much for everyone's interest in my story once again, and I will update soon!