Chapter 2

A Shopping Trip

"Your time smells bad." Sesshomaru stated in a disgusted tone. He was sitting on the couch, but refused to get comfortable. His back was perfectly straight, his hands folded together in his lab, and his feet straight on the ground.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "You don't smell that great either but you don't hear me complaining." She heard a growl escape his lips. Unlike him, she was perfectly comfortable. Her back was against couch cushions and she was slouched down. Her feet were propped on the coffee table. Sesshomaru looked at her with disgust.

The one thing Kagome was happy about was that he couldn't kill her. He needed her or he would be stuck in this time without a roof over his head and no idea what to do.

"Kids," her mother's voice broke Kagome from her thoughts. "why don't you come and explain to me what happened over a nice hot meal." Her smile was filled with warmth towards Sesshomaru, and to Kagome's surprise he bowed to her.

"Hey why don't you ever bow to me?" she pouted as he gave her a glare.

"I do not respect you." He stated coldly, taking a plate from her mother. He nodded his thanks towards her and she smiled. Kagome crossed her arms over her chest.

Everyone was now seated around the table, but only Souta had started to eat. "Please, let's hear the story." Her mother said, eyes filled with interest.

Kagome started off the story by telling her about how she felt the demonic presence while making sandwiches. "I thought it was Inuyasha so I thought nothing of it." She shrugged and took a bite of her chicken.

"I fell down a well." Sesshomaru stated. He hadn't touched his food, but was staring at Kagome.

She swallowed her chicken, oblivious to his gaze on her and continued. "So when he didn't come in I decided to go to the well house and check." She took a sip of her water. "Turns out it was Sesshomaru sitting down there. I jumped down but it didn't take us to the feudal era. We tried again but nothing happened." She took another bit of her chicken.

Sesshomaru stayed quiet, eyes still on Kagome.

Her mother noticed this and smiled.

"So anyway," she continued. "some crazy lady started talking to us in the well. We couldn't see her or anything but I could feel her aura and it was strong." She gulped. "She told us that she sealed off the well and we couldn't pass. She said I was Sesshomaru's opposite and had to change him or we could never go back." She purposely left out the rude things she said to Sesshomaru for her mother's sake.

Her mother didn't look shocked. "I'm not surprised. These things always seem to happen to you, Kagome." Kagome blushed and continued eating her chicken.

Sesshomaru finally averted his gaze and started to eat. It was very good.

As if reading his mind Kagome told her mother the food was really good. She smiled and told her to take more.

Kagome sighed. "So I guess we're stuck with each other for a while, huh?" She looked at Sesshomaru who was staring out the window. She tapped her chin. "You can't wear that, here."

Sesshomaru's head snapped towards her. "What is wrong with what I'm wearing?" he growled.

She shrugged. "Nothing. We just don't wear those kinds of clothes here. We have to get you to fit in." She swirled her fork around her rice.

"I'm sure he'd fit in some of your father's old clothes."

"No." Kagome's voice was hard. "I don't want him wearing his clothes."

Her mother understood and let the subject drop. She grabbed her purse off the counter and pulled out her wallet. "Best get him some items to wear, no? He might be here a while." She handed Kagome all the money in her wallet. "This is all I have right now. Try to get him as much as you can." She smiled as Kagome took the money.

"Thank you, mama." She smiled back. She looked at Sessshomaru. "Are you done eating?"

He nodded and stood up. "Thank you for the meal." His words were directed at Kagome's mother. She smiled at him.

Kagome motioned for Sesshomaru to follow her and the two left to go buy clothes.

Inuyasha was growing impatient. Kagome was a day late and he was worried. He didn't understand what was taking her so long. He wanted to jump in the well and go after her but he didn't want to make her upset. He had already done enough of that.

He didn't understand why every time he went to Kikyou it hurt her. He thought she understood that he loved Kikyou and no one could ever replace her in his heart. He didn't know how he felt about Kagome and he didn't understand it. He knew he loved Kikyou but he felt something else towards Kagome, something he couldn't place..

"Has she come home yet?" Miroku asked, almost giving Inuyasha a heart attack.

"Way to sneak up on me, monk! You almost gave me a heart attack!" Inuyasha kept mumbling to himself about monks and how stupid they are.

Miroku rolled his eyes. The hanyou was constantly getting on his nerves lately. "INUYASHA! Answer my question." Inuyasha's ear flattened on his head.

"No. She hasn't returned yet." He sighed. "Should I go after her?"

Miroku pondered the question. "Yes. We need to get a move on as soon as possible." And with that he walked away, leaving Inuyasha to retrieve Kagome.

Inuyasha didn't hesitate and jumped right into the well. Nothing happened. He waited and then jumped out. He was still in feudal Japan. 'What the hell?' He jumped in again. Nothing happened. He scratched his head. The well had sealed itself, no wonder she hadn't come home. Inuyasha sniffed. He could smell his brother's scent through the well and into the future. He was there.

Kagome skipped along the sidewalk with two bags in her hand. They were swaying and she skipped, back and forth, back and forth. It was really starting to irritate him. He didn't understand how he had such bad luck.

"Miko." She stopped skipping and glared up at him.

"That's not my name." She quickly started to skip again as if nothing happened.

He growled. She was so stubborn it irked him. She would not listen to him when he talked, she would not submit to him when he over powered her, and she glared at him every five seconds. He didn't know how much of this he could take.

He grabbed her hand roughly, making her stumble. She almost fell but he caught her before she did. "Thanks." she mumbled and ripped her hand away.

"We need to talk." He stated.

"About..?" She crossed her arms over her chest, a habit that was starting to eat at his nerves.

"About this. Me being here. What are you going to do to fix this?" his gaze was cold and she shifted under it.

She snorted. "What am I going to do? If I'm not mistaken YOU'RE the reason we're in this mess, buddy. You're the selfish one not me. You're the one that has to fix it." She brushed her bangs out of her face and looked at him. He was glaring. "Stop glaring at me." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and continued walking, the skip no longer in her step.

He watched her as she went. He had never met someone who stood up for themselves quite like she did. He couldn't smell any fear on her, only irritation. He didn't like when people didn't fear him and he didn't understand why she didn't. She was turning into a mystery, and he was going to solve it.

"Sesshomaru." His name being called snapped him from his thoughts. He looked up. She had stopped in the middle of the side walk, people passing her on both sides murmuring how rude it was for her just to stand there. "Are you coming?" her gaze was questioning but he didn't hesitate to move towards her. Something about her drew him in.

They quickly fell back into step together. She looked up at him. "So I guess we could hit the mall next. These clothes" she held up the bags. "Will definitely not be enough for your stay here. Plus we have plenty of money left." She grinned. "Maybe if we have extra I can buy Souta a present."

"Hn."

She smiled and grabbed his wrist, dragging him along.

"I'm shopped out!" she huffed, plopping herself on the nearest bench she saw. They had been shopping for hours. She didn't think Sesshomaru would be so picky about clothes, but there he was, hating everything she picked out. Finally she just grabbed things and started getting them whether he liked them or not.

He sat down next to her, taking the bags from her grasp. "Let's leave." He said. He was tired of being out here. People get giving him weird looks and he had no idea why.

She looked at him. "If anyone asks, the marking on your face are tattoos."

"Tattoos?"

"Yes. They are a form of art on the skin. They are disgusting in my opinion, but no one will believe you if you said you were born with them. Just trust me." She stood up, now only carrying one bag and started for the exit, with Sesshomaru in suit.

They walked in an awkward silence to her house. Kagome kept looking in windows of stores, staring at the beautiful things she wished she could buy. Suddenly she stopped and pressed her face to the window. It was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. The pendent was a huge ruby in the shape of a heart with smaller rubies up the chain. It made her think of the love and she smiled.

Sesshomaru watched as she smiled in the window. His curiosity got the better of him and he went to see what she was looking at. It was a necklace, like one he had never seen before. He understood why she liked it so much, it was striking. "Come, Miko. Your mother is expecting us home."

She frowned and nodded at him. She took one more glance in the window and started to walk. He looked back at the window and saw the manager of the store take the necklace and show it to another woman. Something in his chest churned, but he kept walking following Kagome's scent.

Her scent was like a cloud of lavender landing on his nose. He had to admit out of everything in this time she smelled the best. He had focused his nose on her scent the whole time, so he wouldn't have to smell the pollution of her home world. He had lost sight of her as he was watching the necklace. He didn't think she noticed. Soon her scent was unreachable to his nose, with all the other scents drowning it out. He felt an emotion he hadn't felt in a long time. Panic.

He had no idea how to get around in this world. Someone bumped into him and he growled, frightening them away. When they had first left the house, Kagome had warned him not to go off killing people. It was looked down upon in this society. Being so wrapped up in his commotion he didn't feel the familiar scent coming back.

A small hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned around. Who dared touch him? His eyes were tinted with red, but it soon faded when he saw it was Kagome.

"Sorry I got ahead of myself." She blushed. "I had forgotten about you." She wrapped her arm in his and he growled. She ignored it. "Do you want to get lost again?"

He sighed in defeat and let her lead the way.