Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor its characters.

I decided to make this a chapter stories thanks to all the lovely reviews and encouragements. Please continued reviewing.

Also, I already edited this chapter and I was ready to submit it when my laptop decided to go insane on me and when it finally loaded, nothing was saved. Fantastic! So I need to redo everything. Ughghgh. It was so hard retyping everything and doing it again all over. I probably missed something.

There would be grammatical errors and probably some misspelled words. I apologize in advance. Sorry!

Anyway, sorry if this did not meet your expectations. I really am but I am up for any suggestions and requests.

I hope you enjoy this and please review! 10 reviews before the next chapter.

"The person who care the most is the person who would most likely not care at all because it takes more time and effort for him/her to start caring."

Chapter 2: The night you would gladly let me die.

Her eyes opened involuntarily as she felt another shiver ran through the small furry body of her adopted son, the fox kit Shippo who was safely tucked in her arms. But it seemed like even her body temperature and warmth provided by her blanket over them were not enough to chase away the coldness that the freezing night of the forest brought upon them.

She frowned. Did they not have any fire to provide them extra warmth through the night?

She sat up and rubbed her eyes to keep the sleepiness from coming back. She looked around and saw that their fire was already out for a while just leaving some of its already consumed wood ashes that were now cold. They were cold just like her other friends who were visibly shivering across from her.

Her frowned deepened.

She noticed that the culprit or most likely the hanyou who was supposed to tend to the fire to keep them warm through the night was not anywhere near the vicinity.

He should have been tending to the fire while looking out for any lurking demons to keep them safe especially at night when demons took advantage of their mortal senses. The final battle was coming. She can feel it. She had almost the half of the jewel, Naraku had a full half while the rest were scattered everywhere.

Therefore, Inuyasha should have been protecting them more. It was his duty just like he promised to protect them, to protect her, but it seemed like he really have a nick for breaking his promises.

Sadness and a bit of frustration raised from her chest making some constriction that she wished she could stop. He left them unprotected while they were in their most vulnerable moment, while they were unconsciously sleeping.

How foolish.

She shook her head as she carefully tucked Shippo under her blankets to keep him from shivering even more as she put on her white hakama over her pink tank top from her time in the future. She ran her fingers across the kitsune's hair then kissed him fondly and slowly just like how a mother should kiss her son.

She stood up and started the fire to keep the others warm again somehow.

Miroku and Sango were both curled up with each other and for once, Miroku's hands were not doing something perverted but were actually placed around Sango's body like a protection.

Their sight was heart warming. She smiled fondly towards them.

She waited and somehow hoped that Inuyasha would be back soon from wherever he went but part of her heart already knew that he went to Kikyou again, as usual.

But it was not definite so she did not doubt Inuyasha's loyalty yet towards their friendship and so she continued to wait while tending to the fire.

She continued to wait while tending to the fire, alone.

She continued to wait not because she wanted to know if he really did go to her once rival. No, she knew for a long time now that Inuyasha and her's relationship would never be more than just friendship. She knew he would continue to go back to Kikyou and do whatever Kikyou said no matter what the consequence were. That was why, sometimes, her heart tremble of the thought of Inuyasha completely betraying them to prove Kikyou his undying love for her and just to please her. Kagome's heart ached whenever he would choose her over them, their friendship, just like tonight. That was why Inuyasha's loyalty had always been questioned in her mind.

But Kagome continued to forgive him, accept him and smile at him like he did not just break her because he was a friend. And she knew that her love for him once, even though it continued to lessen as time passed, will remain in her heart.

Her love for him once still lingered in some part of her heart that ached terribly whenever he would betray it. What was worst was her love for him as a friend was still being questioned all the time whenever he would do something foolish like this.

Therefore, crying not because of the unrequited love but because of the losing friendship, trust and loyalty was always inevitable.

She looked up as she heard something from above her, it was Kikyou's soul collector.

She felt a crack in her heart.

So Inuyasha really did go to her.

She inhaled then exhaled and forced the desire to kill the hanyou down once she see him. She picked her bow and arrow beside her bag to look for the hanyou.

Gone was the foolish younger Kagome of her who would walk through the woods without even thinking first and just relying for others to come and save her whenever she would get into trouble.

No, It was different now.

Before Kagome left the campsite, she looked around and saw Kirara looking at her curiously. Kirara purred but she only signaled her to be quiet with a small tired smile before she erected a barrier around their camp to keep any demons from entering it.

Kagome's barrier was stronger now because she knew how to fully use her spiritual powers. Years of fighting and experience in the feudal era forced her to learn it. The barrier should hold off any average demons who have any malice intentions lurking near it even without herself near it. If ever it was attacked by a higher demon, it should alert her and she would go back immediately to purify it.

Kagome gave a last long look towards the now protected camp before she followed the soul collectors.

Kagome found herself standing in a wide open meadows filled with yellow, orange and white daffodils. She knew Inuyasha and Kikyou were near ahead of her but she stopped herself before she can see the physical betrayal of Inuyasha.

She looked up and watched the soul collectors lowered ahead her where Kikyou and Inuyasha would be. They would be in one of those tall trees in front of her which she thankfully could not see.

Kagome found herself smiling sadly.

As she continued to stand there, she felt a great masking presence behind her. She turned around immediately to face her enemy with her calculating eyes.

She felt her body tense as she let her senses reign and pinpoint where the presence was. She gripped her bow more tightly and forced herself to relax to clear her mind.

She was ready for anything. She would not run nor scream for help for someone to help her.

No.

She continued to assess the strong masking presence and was surprised to found out that it did not move from another place.

It was very static. It never left its position since she first felt it.

How ... odd.

Demons usually attack her from behind especially at night where her mortal senses were at its limits.

But not this particular demon.

No. It seemed like it was watching her.

Was it watching her to make the first move?

"I know you are there. Come out to the light and show yourself." She said as she braced herself for anything.

When nothing happened, she narrowed her eyes to where she knew the enormous demon presence was hiding.

It was slightly to her left, somewhere in those thick bushes and trees that covered it completely without any moonlight to show its features.

But she stood her ground firmly.

"I said, show yourself! Why are you watching me?" She demanded at the direction she knew it was watching her from.

She thought she would need to ask it again when she heard some rustling coming from its direction.

She picked an arrow and ready her bow for any encounter.

The night was cold and chilly. The wind was blowing her clothing and hair towards the south but she continued to raise her arrow and ignored the coldness.

What came out to the light was the least of

her expectations.

She did not even think she would encounter him in this peaceful night.

She did not even know what to feel because what was in front of her was a nightmare of many people.

A giant grizzly bear. No, it was a hungry, unpredictable, giant, grizzly demon bear.

He looked like a normal grizzly bear but his size could have been an elephant's. His fur was much darker and thicker and his claws were much longer and sharper. Also, unlike any bears, his eyes were burning crazy red.

And he only had eyes on her.

How lucky she really was.

"Shikon Miko…. Jewel.. Give me the jewel." The demon bear said in his low almost growling voice.

She did not let the demon bear intimidate her. Instead she focused on her power and prepared for anything.

"No." She said short and firm without losing eye contact with the dangerous burning eyes.

"The.. die."

Without any thought, the demon bear ran towards her to pound on her with his claws outstretched reaching for the Shikon Jewels in her neck.

She let out an arrow with some slight purification to see the capabilities of the demon.

Rule no. 1: Never use more than enough power when fighting. If possible, use lesser.

So she knew she should not waste any energy and power because she knew this small fight she was doing was enough to attract a lot of attentions and unwelcome visitors.

The arrow hit the demon bear on his bare chest just barely missing his heart but the demon was not an average demon nor a weakling.

He handled her first shot quite well but he stopped for a while to remove the arrow she placed upon him.

He roared rather loudly when he removed it and she knew it stung.

"Kill.. you.. Kill you now." The demon said so lowly

"Don't think so low of me, bastard!"

It just made him more angry.

He swiped with his outstretched arms again towards her but she dodged it by jumping backward as she pulled another arrow aimed at him.

She ran around him by using her speed to get some advantage angle from him.

He was much slower than her with his weight and larger feature and she used that fact to her advantages.

That was why when he turned around to swipe again at her, she was more than ready.

She let out the arrow with much stronger purification and sent it towards his stomach.

The demon bear roared again like a mighty animal he was when he was hit by her holy arrow again.

"I am going.. to kill you!"

The demon's stomach was starting to be purified but he was persistent, he charged again towards her direction like a wild animal.

She intended to dodge it to avoid using her energy again but when she felt the cold hard tree behind her, she cursed.

Damn!

There was no space to move with the roaring demon bear charging towards her.

So she immediately placed an arrow in her bow and aimed it at the bear but she did not put any holy powers in it because she knew the demon was already beginning to be purified by her previous arrows.

There was no point in adding more suffering when clearly he was already dying.

The demon bear landed in front of her and she allowed herself a moment to sigh and compose herself.

She looked at the dying demon near her feet.

He was just lying there coldly and stiffly in front of her with his body slowly getting purified like a torture.

She wondered how many more demons would the jewel seduced just for the promise of power in exchange for their lives. The jewel was dirty as long as she was concerned. She hated it. It caused so much hardship and death more than it was worth. Demons and even humans who should have been living peacefully and minding their own businesses fight like wild animals for its powers.

It was ridiculous and frightening at the same time. It was plain terrifying how just a single jewel can put so many lives into their ends.

She was disgusted by it but she realized that it was just hanging in her neck like a mere accessory. At the same time, she realized that her life symbolized it, she was the Shikon Miko whose duty was to protect it and prevent creatures with malice intentions from having it.

It was her duty since it formed in her body and literally came out of it.

She felt like sometimes she was just born to bring the Shikon Jewel in the world. To bring the jewel in the world to bring more misery.

Was she Pandora and was Pandora's box the Shikon Jewel?

Most creatures did not even know her as Kagome, they just knew her as the bearer of the most powerful jewel, one of the most powerful miko in the timeline of history.

Sometimes, if she was not the Shikon Miko, she was the reincarnation of Kikyou.

Her eyes saddened. She would never be just Kagome.

She looked down at the demon bear.

She slowly lowered herself to stop his torture and end his life. The creature suffered so much already. She stretched her right glowing hand with her purification power to fully purified the demon.

But she was not prepared for what happened next.

The demon she thought was almost dead had still some remaining energy to claw at her.

He lifted his left arm nothing else to strike another attack at her with his sharp claws.

As a reflex, she lifted her left arm to protect herself from the sudden attack. It was such a close proximity that there was nothing else to do but to use her arm as her only protection.

The claws pierced her skins in her forearm and she let out a scream even though she tried to conceal it.

The wound was a pure burning pain and hot red blood was pouring from it. Though she did not pay a lot of attention to it because the second attack from the claws was coming and all she can do was keep raising her left forearm because there was nowhere else to go.

She knew her arm wouldn't be called an arm anymore after this second forceful attack but all she cared about was her life.

She waited and waited for the claw to land upon her bleeding arm again but it never came.

Maybe the demon bear finally died or maybe he did not have enough energy anymore?

She dreaded about all the possibilities.

She slowly opened her eyes without lowering her bleeding left arm, the only thing that was protecting her.

Then she gasped.

What... What was going on?

There in front of her was Sesshoumaru. A very very angry Sesshoumaru.

From all the journey and traveling she did in the Feudal Era, she learned that a very hungry demon bear at night was bad but a very angry taiyoukai was worst.

And a very menacing Sesshoumaru was in front of her with his usual white and red regal kimono and his armor.

He had a raised left arm and at the end of those poisonous claws was the demon bear who was just about to attack her. It was still struggling and trying to break free but she knew Sesshoumaru would have none of that.

He was after all, the killing perfection.

The demon bear was trying to reach Sesshoumaru's face with its long claws but Sesshoumaru's arm was so long its outstretched arm couldn't reach his face.

Sesshoumaru's face, on the other hand was so calm and deadly but what was so unusual was the burning red eyes.

Where the demon bear's red eyes were wild and unconscious, Sesshoumaru's were like rubies, illuminating and enchanting.

She did not know if she should be scared or thankful that Sesshoumaru interfered because whenever Sesshoumaru was involved, she always had no clue what was going on nor what was about to happen.

So she sagged and sat in front of the tree and cradled her bleeding arm but her eyes never left the figure of Sesshoumaru who was now about to impale the demon with his tokijin.

As she continued to watch, she couldn't helped but be mesmerized and be awed at the dead gracefulness of the taiyoukai in front of her.

He looked so natural doing it like it was just spontaneous as breathing.

She whimpered when she felt her arm throbbed again.

She tried so hard to keep watching but her eyes were starting to close with blood lose. She could also feel her consciousness started to leave her.

All she can hear was groaning and screaming coming from the demon bear and she couldn't help but smile a little.

Sesshoumaru was definitely ruthless especially when angry.

She did not know when she finally lost her conscious nor when the screaming finally stopped but she felt someone tugging her wrist.

When she opened her eyes, her blue sky eyes immediately found those deadly gold eyes.

"Se... Sesshoumaru." She said with labored breaths as she tried so hard to regain her consciousness.

"Miko." He said with his normal tone as a greeting as he continued to hold her wrist with surprising gentleness.

He did not even bothered in correcting her about how she called him because he knew his efforts would be futile. That was just how stubborn she was.

"Are you here to kill me?" She asked.

"No."

"Hmm.. the bear?" She asked weakly as she tried to clear her mind.

She was still sitting and sprawled in front of the tree and her clothing was definitely a mess with a fair amount of her blood staining it.

"Dead." He said as he continued to examine her wound.

"You lost a very good amount of blood, miko. I suggest you stop the bleeding." Sesshoumaru said so serious before leaving her wrist alone and stepping backward.

Kagome couldn't help but let out a humorless chuckle.

Sesshoumaru looked at her like she finally lost her mind.

"I do not see anything amusing here, miko." Sesshoumaru said with his thinned line lips.

"I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru, but you just keep stating the obvious.. believe me.. I sort of figure out that I lose so much blood already…" Kagome said as she groan again.

Bead of sweats were on her forehead and her hair was just everywhere. She was definitely a mess.

Sesshoumaru just looked at her boredly. "Then this one suggest you proceed on stopping the bleeding if you want to continue on living."

Kagome looked at him clearly annoyed.

Sesshoumaru just raised a perfect eyebrow at her.

"You are a miko, are you not? Heal yourself."

Kagome couldn't helped but scowled slightly even with her throbbing headache and losing consciousness.

"I couldn't even move without hurting so much, Sesshomaru! We mortals could only handle so much, you know?"

It was true, the blood lose took a toll on her but she knew her reiki was still trying to heal her wound but it was taking so slow.

She would probably be dead before it can even finish healing the wound.

Sesshoumaru just looked at her impassively.

"Then I hope you had a satisfying life and ready to die. Goodnight, miko."

Kagome thought he was just kidding but when Sesshoumaru turned his back on her and started walking away, she couldn't help but gave an indignant sound.

"Sesshoumaru! Come back here!" Kagome screamed weakly while cradling her wound.

Sesshoumaru stopped then looked at her curiously.

"I do not grant last wishes, miko."

Kagome couldn't helped it this time. She scowled then glared at him.

"I know that, you conceited person! So come back here and help me live!"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes on her. "Do enlighten this Sesshoumaru why this one must waste his time on helping you."

Kagome was ready to pull out her hair. "Because… because Rin-chan would be sad and mad at you if she ever finds out that you let me die!"

She knew it was pathetic and low but she was dying.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes even more but when he moved closer to her, she almost did a happy dance.

"Be glad, this one's ward is so fond of you." He growled as he kneeled in front of her with an almost annoyed face.

"I'll do that." She said weakly as she tried to tear some piece of her clothing for a bandage.

Sesshoumaru looked at her pathetic attempts with disdain. He then grabbed her clothing so fast before tearing a piece for her.

"This one could not understand why you couldn't just die, miko. It will save both of you and this one a fair amount of trouble."

She gave him a menacing glare.

"Shut up."

"You are the one who insist on talking, miko."

Kagome almost lost it there.

"It really makes me happy knowing that there is a special place for the types of you in hell, Sesshoumaru."

He just looked at her boredly.

"Take comfort on whatever makes you happy, miko. It won't last."

"Hmmp." She looked at the other direction as Sesshoumaru was finishing in tying the clothing since her pathetic attempts were annoying the great taiyoukai to no end.

She rested her head on the tree to rest again and before she knew it, she was being raised.

"Ahhhh!" She squeaked and her uninjured arm automatically flew around Sesshoumaru's neck.

She fully glared again at his magnificent form. "What in the world are you doing?!"

"Cease your screaming foolish woman before I drop you." Sesshoumaru said without even looking at her.

Sesshoumaru picked her up in a bridal style. Well, a bridal style that only involved one arm since his left arm had not fully grown yet. Yet even though he only had one arm, the man was strong as a god.

"I will if you did not just picked me up like a child."

No response.

"Where are we going?" She asked again with a sigh as she rested her head on Sesshoumaru's chest.

There was nowhere else to place it and she knew the taiyoukai wouldn't like it if she complained even more.

"I'm bringing you back to your pack." He said.

She blinked at him. That was.. really nice.

"Um.. thank you.. Sesshoumaru."

"Hn."

She continued to rest on Sesshoumaru's chest like it was just normal to be carried by the killing aristocrat.

"Miko."

"Hmmm?"

"This one would like to know what are you doing in the meadow so far from your pack." Sesshoumaru demanded.

"I was… I was walking for some fresh air." She said nervously.

"Your lies are futile on this one so I suggest you say the truth." Sesshoumaru stopped walking then looked at her.

She blushed a little for being caught. "I was looking for your brother."

She looked away as he continued on walking.

"Half-brother." He corrected her. "Do you really struggle sleeping without him in your mere presence?"

She gave an undignified sound. "I was not looking for him because of that, for your information!"

"Then I do not see any other reason."

"Hmmp. I was about to give him a piece of my mind." She said with an annoyed face and before she turned her face away, she could have sworn she saw Sesshoumaru's lips twitched a little into a small smile.

When she looked again, it was back to its neutral place. Yeah, she probably was just imagining it.

"What are you doing here, Sesshoumaru?" She asked him softly as she tilted her head curiously.

It was not like the taiyoukai just popped up whenever she needed help and to be honest, they never seen Sesshoumaru for a while. It was almost a month since they last saw him and that was when he pinned her on a tree to demand some information about her mortality. Not that she wasn't thankful for the absence of the taiyoukai because it made Inuyasha less irritating and they prevented some fights but she was still curious.

"This one can go wherever he pleases to be, miko." He said straightly.

She frowned. "That is not an answer."

"This one do not care."

"Hmmm, fine. What have you been doing? We haven't seen you for more than a month."

"This one did not know he had an assigned meeting with you nor an obligation to look after you." He said without any faltered and sarcasm was definitely dripping from every words.

"No one enjoys sarcasm, Sesshoumaru."

"Nor a talkative and loud woman, miko."

They fully glared at each other before looking away.

Silence then fell on them and all could be heard were the sounds of the forests. Kagome knew they were almost half way there which she was thankful and she wished Inuyasha wasn't there yet. Kami knew what the hanyou would do once he saw her in the arms of Sesshoumaru.

She would not hear the end of it.

"Searching." Sesshoumaru suddenly said leaving a confused Kagome.

"Huh?"

Sesshoumaru sighed. "To your question earlier. This one was searching for some answers."

"To what?" She asked curiously.

"It's none of your business, miko."

"Fine." Oh how she dislike that taiyoukai.

"Hn."

"What do you want to talk about?" She asked hopefully since silence was really awkward with her.

"This Sesshoumaru would like some silence but since it seems impossible with you then I would humor." He said then stopped walking to look at her.

"What is it then?" Kagome asked nervously.

"Say, miko, and answer this truthfully: Have you encountered this one even before this one saw you in the tomb of our father?"

The question really threw Kagome off. "What?"

He did not looked amused by her answer.

"I mean.. I.. no. no. Of course not, as far as I can remember, it was the first time I saw you." Kagome said while looking at him weirdly.

Sesshoumaru looked at her intently and when he did not sense any lies nor a change in her scent, he continued walking.

"Hn." Was all he said.

"Hey, what was that all about?" She asked.

"None of your business."

"Have we met before then?"

Silence fell for a second.

"No, I guess not."

Before she can even more or insist on the matter, the emerged in their camp. Thankfully, Inuyasha wasn't still there and everyone was still sleeping. The barrier let them both in safely because of Kagome. The fire was still burning.

Sesshoumaru lowered her slowly beside the kitsune and there she thought he was just going to drop here.

When she finally tucked herself, Sesshoumaru was already already walking away.

How rude.

"Hey, Sesshoumaru." She said softly because she knew he can hear it with his sensitive ears.

He turned around and he looked at her expectantly as if to say "what now?"

She lowered herself even more in her blanket before saying softly a sincere "Thank you."

He looked at her for a second before saying his "Hn." before he was once again walking away from her, leaving her behind once again.

"Goodnight, Sesshoumaru." She said at the shadows of the forest where she last saw the figure of Sesshoumaru.

And she could have sworn she heard a soft "Goodnight." back.

She smiled that night before sleeping.

It was just dawned when Kagome started walking up. She still felt disorientated and tired from last night but she was always used to in waking up early to prepare their necessities.

Something was different this time though.

When she finally opened her eyes in the morning, the first thing she saw because it was facing her face beside her sleeping bag was a medium sized package wrapped in an elegant blue and white fabrics.

Where did it came from?

She tore the packaging carefully and silently. Inside it was a salve for her wounds last night and from the smell of the aroma and amount of it inside, she knew it was going to be good for her wounds.

There was also a kimono inside of it, a white and pink kimono with flower patterns on it. It was not extravagant but she loved how she can move freely with it Also, the fabric it was made of was definitely high quality. It was silk, a very fine silk, and she knew just how expensive it was.

As she continued looking at it, a small paper fell from it. She picked it up and read the content.

In the paper was a small crescent moon that can only symbolize the heir of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru.

She let out a small laugh before smiling softly.

Unknown to her, a pair of golden eyes was watching her the whole time.

AU: Who the heck was watching her? Creepy right? Anyway, once again, I am sorry if this chapter did not meet your expectations. I will try harder next time. Also, please keep in mind that this story will be an alternating POV whenever I think it is necessary. Sesshoumaru's chapters will be deeper, emotional and heartfelt because I want his chapters to be very expressive to capture his emotions. On the other hand, Kagome's chapters would not be as deep nor dramatic and lyrical as Sesshoumaru's because I want to use her chapters to further the story.

So overall, Sesshoumaru's chapter is mostly for reflections and emotions while Kagome's is to move the story plot. Does that make any sense?

As usual, 10 reviews before the next chapter. I do this because I want to know if there are still people who wants to read this story. If there aren't any then writing another chapter would be a waste of time. Right?

Also, the story is not yet definite in my mind since I just started it but any suggestions and requests are already open for everyone.

Thanks for reading and review!

I'm so sleepy! Goodnight!