A Word Before You Start: I am sorry for the l-o-n-g wait, but thanks to my beta I am able to get this out! I finally overcame a authors worst nightmare: writers' block. Enough of that. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I once had a dream that I owned Inuyasha, but it turned into a nightmare when they took the rights back. Something about me being too crazy to own something such as Inuyasha… Then I woke up. Turns out, I never have, nor will, own it.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Four

Guilty Suspicions

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Kagome found herself lying in a cloud-like bed. She roused herself when she heard a soft humming coming from nearby. Turning, she found that it was the maid Naraku had assigned to tend to her needs.

"Aiko-chan," Kagome muttered, "where'd you learn that beautiful tune? I've never heard anything like it."

"Oh, that? My mother used to sing it to me when I was a little girl."

"What happened to her?"

Aikonichi had a solemn look on her face. "She died a long time ago."

Shocked, Kagome replied in the only suitable way. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up any painful memories."

"Don't worry about it, Gome-chan. As I said, it happened a long time ago."

"How long?"

Aikonichi made a movement with her fingers that resembled counting on her fingers. "About one hundred years ago."

"What?" Kagome cried. "One hundred? Exactly how old are you?"

"I am one hundred and sixteen years old."

"H-how can you possibly be that old? You look like a normal ningen, no older than I am!"

"Looks can be deceiving, Kagome-chan. In all actuality, I am a transfiguration youkai."

"How come you never told me?" Kagome asked with tears in her eyes. She had thought that this girl -- no, youkai -- could be truthful to her.

"I didn't want to scare you. You are in a castle where there are only youkai. I thought it best that I took on a human appearance as to help comfort you. I…guess that was stupid of me, huh? I'd best be going now. Gomen. I promise not to be an inconvenience to you any longer." With that, Aikonichi bowed to the young miko and showed herself out the door.

Kagome, stunned, stared out the door Aikonichi walked out of. She was my only friend in this cold, dark place, she thought. I have to go and apologize to her!

She quickly ran out the door and looked down the hall on either side of her. It was almost as if the youkai had vanished into thin air. Then she felt the presence of another individual to the left. Deciding that was where she would find the other girl, she headed in that direction.

"Aiko-chan!!" Kagome called into the dark corridors. After a few minutes of running, Kagome bumped into something. Falling on her butt, Kagome looked up to see...Naraku.

"What are you doing...Kagome?" asked Naraku.

"I was looking for Aiko-chan," she averted her eyes from his. "I kind of...made her feel badly, so I wanted to apologize."

"Aiko...chan?" asked Naraku as if he had never used the honorific 'chan' before, which he probably never had.

"She is my maid," she clarified to the seemingly bewildered hanyou, never looking directly at him.

"Hn. She can wait, Koishii."

"'Wait'?" Kagome repeated. "No, it can't. I have to go apologize right now. I'll see you at breakfast?"

The black-clad man glared at her, turned on his heel, and walked away from her. Kagome then continued on her voyage and, soon enough, spotted the youkai spot-cleaning here and there.

"Aiko-chan, gomen nasai! Please, I didn't mean to make you feel badly. I was surprised, is all. Can you please forgive me?"

Aikonichi turned to look at Kagome. For a second, she didn't show any emotion on her delicate face, but then a warm smile bloomed. "Gome-chan! You're forgiven!" Kagome smiled also and hugged the other girl. When she let go, Aikonichi let out a small gasp. "Gome-chan, I forgot to get you dressed! How foolish of me. Let's get back to your quarters and get you changed, ne?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Naraku headed back to his chambers. There was something going on with the miko...but what was it? She didn't even look at him while they were talking earlier. What was the matter with the girl? Perhaps it was because of what had transpired the previous night. Or maybe there was some other reason; he could not be sure. He did know, however, that he felt a need to keep watch over her.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

"How do I look?" Kagome asked her personal maid. Aikonichi looked at Kagome and smiled brightly towards her.

"You look beautiful, Kagome-chan. I wish I were as pretty as you."

Kagome scoffed. "You, my friend, underestimate yourself! You're more beautiful than I am. I'm quite ordinary in comparison to you."

"You tease, I'm sure. I'm a very plain female. I don't wear flattering clothing, make-up, or do my hair in intricate designs. You, though, are different. You are, I would suppose, sort of like me in this, yet very different. Where normal ladies do these fancy things, you have a very natural beauty opposed to their artificial ones. I, myself, have neither."

"There you go again. Didn't I just tell you to not be so harsh on yourself? Now, let's get out of this stuffy room and head to...eh...somewhere else!" She threw her arm into the air and pointed her index finger skyward. Aikonichi nodded her head and followed Kagome out of the room.

They wandered around the house for a couple of minutes before they reached a pair of enormous double-doors. Aikonichi opened them, finding that it lead to an indoor garden with a sunroof to let the natural light in. The room itself was tall enough to fit moderate-sized trees in it and big enough to have plenty of moving space. It held a various array of shrubs, flowers, and trees. Along a cobblestone path laid a few benches to sit upon.

Never before had Kagome encountered such scenery within one's home. Neither had she ever once seen a bench located anywhere. She gazed at the various flowers that surrounded them. It just took her breath away.

"I had no idea that there was somewhere like this in this dreary place. It kind of makes me feel at peace. What confuses me, though, is why Naraku has a garden where he lives."

"It was here before we came here. The previous owners were very fond of botany. Naraku-sama kept it because Kagura-sama and Kanna-sama seemed to like it. He felt that they deserved a place where they could be in peace without having to leave the castle grounds." Aikonichi explained.

"Kagura and Kanna...? Oh, that's right, I haven't seen them in a while. I wonder why...?" She pondered on this for a couple seconds before Aikonichi explained.

"Kanna-sama is usually around Naraku-sama, whereas Kagura-sama is usually here. We might run into her."

"That's nice," Kagome said with a wistful look on her face. "I haven't really ever talked to her on friendly terms. I hope that maybe we can start over and become friends."

"You're so kind, Kagome-chan! I'm sure that that will happen, absolutely positive!"

Kagome laughed and gave the youkai a hug. She then took a seat on a bench. The peaceful surroundings pulled her into a lull, and she found her stress uplifting from her body. It wasn't an easy thing, to be living inside of your one true enemy's home and "sleeping" with him.

The raven tendrils of her hair slipped over her shoulder and she found herself playing with it.

"Aiko-chan, come take a seat beside me! You don't have to just stand there." Aikonichi nodded her head and took the offered seat.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Naraku sat against the wall, one knee up and an arm draped across it. Thoughts of Kagome plagued his mind and nothing could divert his attention, no matter how much he wanted it to do so. Finally, he called for his faithful servant.

"Kanna." She came to him in an instant. "Show me Kagome."

Kanna's mirror glowed white in color and an image of Kagome appeared on its surface. She sat on a bench and peacefully looked ahead, gazing into the many colors and kinds of flowers. A slight ping went through him at the image and found himself staring a little longer than intended.

Suddenly, without warning, Naraku stood from his position on the floor and left the room. Kanna was unfazed by this and did not wish to seek an answer from her lord and master.

Naraku walked through the winding corridors, unable to even recognize where his feet were leading him to. As his steps continued, he searched within his mind as to the reason for leaving his chambers. All the while he held his breath, wondering about what was to come. At the end of the hallway lurked a forbidden doorway, and past that doorway appeared a utopia of sorts.

His hand instinctively reached out to grasp the doorknob and quickly opened it as to make a startling crack, even to his own ears.

Kagome, having heard the loud bang, jerked her head towards the sound and her eyes locked with his.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: Hey, people! I am sooo sorry for the long wait for this small chapter to be uploaded. Sorry for the cliffie! I went through a major writers block... Hopefully this wont happen again as I write the new chappie, eh? Thanks for sticking with me! I love you all so much!