Previously:

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes into the sun that hung in the sky. Was he falling into the same path his father had? The great demon had allowed himself to love a human, and the cost had been his own life and his son's trust in humans. Sesshomaru had always viewed humans as weak and insignificant. But he couldn't deny the strength of his apprentice. Nor could he deny the importance she held in his life now. Not to mention young Rin.

He sighed. Whatever was happening to him was new to him. He didn't like change, but he already knew it wasn't within his power to stop what he was feeling. Now he only had to wonder if it was lust, or love.

Chapter Twelve

Confrontation

The demon's amber eyes gazed down at her from the height of the Alsa tower. Her mind was focused as she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her body glowed a soft pink for only a moment before it poured from her every limb, swirling and twisting in agitation. Even from atop the tower, he could feel the deadly radiation. Her eyes, glowing a bluish white, snapped open. Staying perfectly still, she began to send bolts of energy at each of the straw dummy targets. They bounced back and forth violently from the force of each push. Within seconds, each one snapped and fell to the dirt floor. The energy continued to pulsate off her body until suddenly, it was gone.

He stared intently as her eyes returned to normal and she observed her handiwork. Grinning in satisfaction, she drew her sword and poured her miko powers into the steel. With lightning fast slices, she attacked an invisible foe.

Sesshomaru finally pulled his eyes away and squinted into the midday sun. A sigh escaped his lips. After six full months as his apprentice, there was nothing more he could teach her. In fact, he should have ended her training a month before. She had reached and surpassed his expectations. He was confident she could handle anything thrown her way. And, more importantly, so was she.

He couldn't draw this out any longer. Today was the day she would have to leave. He had wrestled with the idea for the past four months, perhaps longer, hating that she wouldn't be within arms reach anymore. But it was time for her to choose now.

The demon looked back down to see her looking straight up at him. With one fluid movement, he jumped from the tower and gently landed on the dirt before her. She smiled at him, a sight he was only just realizing he cherished. They stared at one another for a moment before he forced himself to finally speak.

"Your training is complete." He studied her face, which flashed disappointment and then playfulness.

"What, no final test for me to endure?" she teased.

His face remained hard and his eyes serious. "There is a final test, but I will not be administering it. You will." She raised an eyebrow and waited expectantly. He sighed mentally. Time to get this over with.

"You started your journey seeking strength and independence. You knew that with my training, you could achieve both. But there's a reason you went through all this." He paused, taking a moment to study her. She listened attentively, as she always did when he spoke. Her flowing hair picked up in a stray breeze, creating a breaking veil between her face and his eyes.

Following instincts, he was suddenly inches away, brushing the hair from her face. Her heart beat flared as she stared up into his amber eyes.

"Your final test is to settle your past," he said softly.

Realization began to find its way to her pupils. Her mocha irises captivated him, as they often did, for a moment. Suddenly realizing his claws were still tangled in her hair, Sesshomaru withdrew his hand.

He could feel his emotions being torn, wanting to set her free, but wanting her to stay at the same time. He'd never confided his attachment to her openly, but he felt she could sense it through his eyes and aura. Despite his best efforts, it became increasingly difficult to control his aura over the months. He tried to keep it normal instead of the calm flowing state she unknowingly seduced it into with her presence. She undoubtedly picked up on his struggle. And he suspected she could read his eyes as well as Rin now.

The great demon turned his back towards the tower. "The Meeting of the Lords is in half a moon. Should you choose to return, you will be appointed an officer of the Western Lands then." He forced himself to walk away.

"Sesshomaru."

The sweetness of her voice when she spoke his name was almost tangible. He turned to face her, his eyes automatically gravitating towards hers. The emotions in hers mirrored his own. He stood frozen in place as she approached him, not trusting himself enough to move an inch.

A simple hug. He sat rigidly as her arms applied gentle pressure around his torso and her body leaned into his. He forced himself to ignore her irresistible scent and concentrated on controlling himself.

"Of course I'll choose to return," she promised, her eyes dancing, as she released him.

"Soon," he murmured involuntarily. A smile spread across her whole face.

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The full moon as his only light, Inuyasha ran through forests and hills. He was alone tonight. No one could slow him down. Kagura's words several months before had robbed him of sleep, so he had to find someway to spend his nights.

Kagome with Sesshomaru, his self-absorbed indifferent half-brother? It didn't make sense, and Inuyasha refused to believe it. Kagura could have been talking about anyone. Or perhaps she'd said that to bait him into confronting his brother, knowing of their hatred for each other. It could've been a trap to take out them both set up by Naraku. Maybe she was just looking for entertainment, like she'd said. His stubborn nature refused to take part in her games. But despite everything he had convinced himself of, Inuyasha couldn't help but shake the uneasy feeling in his stomach.

The hanyou finally slowed at the top of a hill, his breath coming in slightly heavy. A willow tree caught his eye. He would rest until morning, he decided. Maybe he'd make his way back to his friends then, if he felt inclined. They were used to his outings, so it wouldn't matter much when he showed up again, just as long as he did.

A breeze ruffled the tree's sea green branches as Inuyasha made his way over to it. He froze as a scent drifted into his sensitive nose. Her face sprung to his mind's eye as he breathed deep, taking in the aroma. It was very old, he noticed. The only way it could have lasted this long was if she'd spent a lot of time here.

Inuyasha stood by the tree's trunk, running his hand along its bark. He stayed there for a moment until he instinctively jumped into the trees branches, making himself comfortable. A smile came across his lips as he felt the scent get stronger. She must have slept in this very spot several times. His eyes closed, taking in the moment.

The hanyou was awakened by the sun's morning rays, surprised that he'd fallen asleep. It'd been at least a month since the last time he'd passed out like that. He took a deep breath, absorbing her scent one last time before he jumped down from the tree.

Whether his stubbornness would allow it or not, he would have to see if Kagome truly was with Sesshomaru. He'd denied the idea so strongly he hadn't even told any of his friends. But he couldn't ignore the possibility, especially since he didn't have any other lead to go off of.

Inuyasha sighed. He hadn't checked the well since he'd talked with Souta. Procrastinating wouldn't hurt anyone, right?

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Kagome picked her way through the tangled forest. Out of habit, she kept her aura tightly concealed and traveled downwind. She'd been running all morning, only recently deciding to slow her pace to catch her breath for a moment. After two days of traveling, she was close to her destination anyway. It normally would've taken longer, but, finally free from her weights after four months, her speed and stamina had increased dramatically.

Her heart's beat picked up speed and butterflies invaded her stomach the closer she got. The moment she'd been preparing herself for two years and six months was finally here. She had no idea what to expect. Despite her anxiety, excitement overwhelmed her. She could finally prove herself to… Well, she could finally end this once and for all.

Finally, her landmark came into sight. A calm tranquility took over her aura as she welcomed the familiar sight she hadn't seen since she left so long ago. The great sacred tree still looked exactly the same. The browning leaves swayed with the fall breeze, sometimes covering the tiny hole Kikyo's arrow had created over 50 years ago. Its roots curled and buckled around its trunk.

Kagome's gaze lingered for several moments until she realized she hadn't come to see the sacred tree. The miko continued on until the ancient well came into sight. Her legs stopped her at its edge. She stared into the depths, wondering what waited for her on the other side. Would her mom, Souta, and Grandpa be there to greet and welcome her? Or had they given up hope? Did they still even live there?

Adrenaline suddenly shot through her system as a hostile aura closed in on her. She'd sensed it long ago, but it only now decided to be unfriendly. Drawing her sword automatically, she back flipped easily as an enormous sword crushed the earth she'd been standing on.

Her eyes began to swirl into the familiar white. Her mind shut away all emotions and memories to focus only on her senses, instincts, and skills. Her aura sparked furiously and pure pink energy flickered throughout her whole body. Her sword sparkled with a slight pink hue as she held it expertly in her right hand, her wrist loose. Her lithe body hung close to the ground, perfect for fully utilizing her extensive speed.

The sight was the result of her six months of intense training.

Without hesitation, Kagome sliced at her newcomer, narrowly missing the flesh beneath the red clothing. Her slashes were relentless and quick, coming from every angle with incredible speed. Her enemy dodged every attack until he was forced to use his enormous sword to parry. With a flash of steamy smoke, it shrank to a fraction of its original size.

Oblivious, she continued to carve into the air. He jumped away in avoidance with a flash silver hair. She sensed his aura flicker in surprise when she easily jumped and covered the same distance to deliver a deadly blow. He scrambled to dodge it and jumped again. Tired of the game already, she charged her left hand with energy and sent the pink bolt at his anticipated line of movement. By luck, a tree shielded him from the blast.

Kagome began to send bolt after bolt from the palm of her hand. He evaded every one. Feeling irritation swelling up, she sheathed her sword and jumped across the small field halting in front of him as he landed from another jump. He froze in place as both her hands glowed pink. She glared at him a moment before she called the energy back. He had long ago lost his hostility and she refused to kill unnecessarily.

As her mind released her from its attack mode, she suddenly felt herself enclosed in a tight embrace. She prepared to get hostile again until he spoke.

"Kagome!"

She blinked. Did she just imagine that?

"Oh my God, it really is you Kagome!"

The voice unearthed forgotten memories and struck an intensely familiar chord. Suddenly, the pieces began to fall into place: the red clothes, the silver hair, the shrinking sword.

"Inuyasha?" she whispered as ancient tears began to pool in her eyes.

At the sound of his name, he released his hold on her. Cupping her cheeks with both his hands, he swiftly and forcefully pressed his lips against hers. Shock paralyzed her mind and body. Before she could make sense of it, he stopped and tightly embraced her again.

"I'm so sorry, Kagome," he whispered in her ear. "So, so sorry."

As he continued to mumble apologies, she hesitantly returned the hug. Her mind struggled to keep up with the turn of events. Of all the ways she'd imagined this scene playing out in her head, a kiss was the last thing that she'd expected. Did he do that at the spur of the moment, or was it something more?

After a moment, he pulled away to look into her tear stained face. "You've changed so much," he whispered. "I didn't recognize your scent, aura, or appearance at first…" He trailed off, eyeing her armored outfit, long hair, and lean, muscular body.

Suddenly, his mood shifted completely. "Where the hell were you this whole fucking time?" His eyes blazed with so many emotions she had a hard time distinguishing them. There was undoubtedly anger in the mix though. This was the part she'd expected.

Calmly, she replied, "I was wandering the land training myself."

"You couldn't tell us that?" he raged. "We spent two and a half years looking for you! Do you have any idea how worried we all were?" His eyes expressed pain among the anger.

"Would you have let me leave?" she asked quietly.

He opened his mouth, ready to follow instincts to answer the question until he realized that those words would be false. Instead, he growled, "You didn't think about anyone else's worries before you left. Was it really that important that you couldn't tell anyone?"

Her eyebrow twitched. If not for the mental training she'd endured, she would've been on the verge of angry tears now. In a perfectly level voice, she asked, "Inuyasha, how many times did you have to save me during any given battle?" When he didn't answer, she continued. "Why did you say the words you did that day?" He tightened his lips. "Do you really think it was easy going through every day not doing a damn thing to help everyone out?" Her eyes penetrated his, daring him to contradict her.

It was silent as he glared at her and she stared with calm passion. Finally, she sighed. "I had to do it," she said. "For myself. I didn't want to leave you all behind, but I couldn't keep going through life being only a burden to everyone and nothing more."

Anger continued to swirl in his amber eyes despite the realization he felt now. He quickly fired off another question. "Did you do it yourself, or did Sesshomaru persuade you?"

A flicker of anger flared through her body at his assumption. Somehow he'd found out, but she ignored his obvious jealousy. "I was alone for two years. Sesshomaru trained me these last six months."

"Trained you?" his voice raised in disbelief. "Are we talking about the same Sesshomaru?"

"Yes." Kagome refused to lose her temper. He'd already ruined their bittersweet reunion with his.

"My half-brother Sesshomaru? The same one who hates humans and tried to kill you in the past?" He struggled to wrap his mind around the concept.

She only nodded, not sharing his astonishment. "He fine tuned what I'd already learned and opened my mind to new aspects and abilities."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at her. He couldn't deny that she was considerably stronger, faster, and more skilled that before. He'd never even seen her handle a sword before this day. He'd also never seen her use so much of her miko powers or be so focused that she'd ignore emotions or memories that might've stopped her attacking before. Their conversations usually never even lasted this long in the past because she was always too overwhelmed with emotion that she would have to walk away. The Kagome of his memories was no longer the Kagome that stood before him.

Jealousy practically radiated off his skin. The fact that his half-brother knew where she was before he had a clue angered him beyond measure. Not to mention the deep respect that sounded in her voice with Sesshomaru as the subject. Inuyasha had always been slightly obsessed with power, always seeking to become stronger, so the fact that his Kagome found that with his despised half-brother infuriated him.

The half demon stared at her without a word. Gradually, he regained his temper as he lost himself in her cocoa eyes again. He immediately felt the desire to kiss her again, but he didn't dare. He'd had the element of surprise the first time around.

Finally he asked, "So what now?"

He saw her grin for the first time in nearly three years. "We kill Naraku, of course."

He blinked at her excitement. "What makes you think it'll be that easy?"

Her grin glowed with mischief. "I have something he wants." As he eyed her with curiosity, she called on the last jewel shard embedded in her body. She held it between her thumb and index finger for him to see, his jaw dropping slightly.

"You've had it this whole time?" he asked astonished.

She nodded. She could tell he couldn't decide if he should be enraged or relieved. Before he could pick one, she returned the shard to its hiding spot and walked to the ancient well's walls. "First things first though," she said with a serious expression. With a stubborn look, he joined her at the well's edge. She shrugged as she effortlessly jumped into the darkness, Inuyasha following.

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Yes, I know this chapter was probably cut unfairly short. I started the next one already if that's any concilation (I have no idea if I spelled that right...). I just thought it was a good break in the story.

For anyone who's wondering, yes, this still is a SesshomaruxKagome fanifiction. I just like adding twists to the story every now and then. I'd tell you what to expect in the next chapter, but I honestly have no clue, lol. I kinda winged this chapter so I'm already feeling a little skeptical about where this is going. I figure it'll be fine though. I somehow manage to make everything work in the end, despite my disorganization.

I apologize in advance for how late the next update will be. I hope it won't take that long, but I've got so much on my plate to deal with. On top of all my other drama, I have a job now. It's just as time consuming and tiring as school, so life's even more hectic these days. I can already feel writer's block invading my mind too... Anyway, I hope you all continue to stick with me. See ya!

Hiko