Yukana- Well, now you've gone and done it.

InuYasha- What did I do now? It's not my fault every time something happens around here, you know.

Kaori- Yes it is. You're the only one around here stupid enough to do it.

IY- Knock it off, you two. This isn't funny.

Y- Maybe not to you. But it is to us.

Kagome- runs in and stands by door Have any of you seen Sesshomaru around here lately?

Ka- No, why?

K- He was supposed to take Rin to the mall today.

Y- Sesshomaru was taking Rin to the mall? Is it just me, or is there something wrong with that idea. That guy would never go out in public here.

Sesshomaru- Maybe not, but this Sesshomaru never breaks a promise.

Rin- bounces into the room It's time to leave, Sesshomaru-sama!

K- I'll go, too! It's been forever since I went to the mall. Let me just grab my jacket. runs out of room

Sango- Well, since they're leaving, I guess there's no reason to hang around. So, I'll just give you the story.

Archangel's Requiem- Oh, no you don't! That's my job! Okay, I don't own any of the original characters. I only own Yukana, Kaori, and the idea of Amira/Miyuki. I also own the plot of this story! But...

Miroku- creeps up behind AR Are you sure you don't own us?

WHACK!

AR- Ga! Don't do that, you hentai! Here, you guys can have the story while I deal with this pervert.

M- But, I didn't do anything...yet.

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Well, my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak
And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel
(Hinder: Lips of an Angel)

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Don't Fall Away

Chapter Ten: Mistakes

Sesshomaru set Kagome down in her bed. She looked beautiful when she slept, though Sesshomaru didn't want to admit it. He started to leave, but turned around when he heard a faint moan come from Kagome's bed. Kagome rolled over and whimpered into her pillow. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and quietly walked back towards her bed.

Kagome's sudden restlessness interested the taiyokai. Sesshomaru didn't remember her ever acting that way, not even when she was with InuYasha. He quietly walked back to Kagome's bed and placed his hand on her forehead, most likely making sure that she wasn't ill.

There was a knock on the door. A few seconds later Jaken scuttled into the room, followed by a young kitsune. He appeared to be about sixteen in human years.

"There is a messanger here for you from the northern taiyoukai, Sesshomaru-sama." the toad announced. The kitsune bowed when Jaken said his name. Sesshomaru nodded slightly. He cast a furtive glance at Kagome before leading Jaken and the messanger from the north out of the room.

Sesshomaru led them into his study and took a seat behind his desk.

"What does Lord Takeru need?"

"The lord and lady are pleased to inform you theat Lady Hikari has concieved a daughter." the kitsune announced. "The child will be born in approximately ninety days. The lady has extended an invitation to a ball that will be held thirty days after the birth of the princess." Sesshomaru nodded and dismissed the messanger, along with his retainer.

There was a gentle knock on the door.

"Enter." Yukana poked her head in and grinned. She walked in and closed the door behind her.

"So...I heard from a rather...reliable source that you asked Kagome to...accampany you to Lord Daijirou's ball." Yukana said slyly. "What did she say?"

"Yukana, is there something important that you wish to speak with me about? I am busy. I don't have time for an interrogation." Sesshomaru stated.

"It is not an interrogation, Sesshomaru. I just asked you a simple question. Why are you avoiding it?"

"I'm not avoiding the question. I don't have time for it right now." Sesshomaru turned to the large stack of paperwork that seemed to be begging to be finished.

Yukana huffed and started toward the door. Sesshomaru looked up from the letter he was reading with a faint look of pity in his eyes.

"Yukana, I need you to go find Kaori and send her to me."

"Why? Is it...?" Sesshomaru nodded and Yukana sprinted from the study in search of the young demoness.

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Kaori silently crept out of Kagome's room, closing the door as quietly as she could manage, trying not to wake her. She walked across the hall to check on Rin and Shipp, who had gone to Rin's room shortly after their return. Kaori opened the door and peeked in. Rin and Shippo were sitting on the floor and playing with Rin's dolls. They looked up when they heard the door open and grinned.

"Hello, Kaori-chan!" Rin said.

"Hi, Rin. I just came in to check on you and Shippo." Kaori backed out of the room and continued down the hall, peering into the rooms as she passed.

"Kaori!" Yukana called. Kaori turned at the sound of her name.

"Hey, Yukana. Do you need something?" she asked.

"Yeah, Sesshomaru needs to see you."

"Where is he?"

"Where do you think?" Kaori shrugged and started waking towards Sesshomaru's study. 'I didn't do anything wrong, did I?' she thought. 'Maybe he found out about my crush on Atoshi...' Kaori halted in front of the doors and nervously knocked. She heard Sesshomaru give her permission to enter and did so.

"How may I be of service, Sesshomaru-sama?" Kaori asked politely.

"Kaori, your mother has passed away." Sesshomaru informed her. "She died two nights ago. Your father wants you and Amira to return home as soon as you are able to do so."

Kaori froze. 'No..th..there must have been a mistake. It has to be a mistake...it just has to!' she thought desperately. Her body went numb and she felt the tears welling in her eyes.

Yukana silently entered behind Kaori. She walked up to the sobbing female and wrapped her arms around her shoulders.

"Shhh...don't cry. Everything is going to be okay." Yukana said soothingly. She let go and started coaxing her towards the door. "C'mon, Kaori, I'll help you pack. I will find another servant to do the rest of your chores." Kaori nodded and followed numbly behind Yukana, leaving Sesshomaru alone once again.

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Kagome awoke to the sound of loud hiccuping outside of her door. She slid out of her bed and made her way to the door. She opened it and saw Yukana leading a distressed Kaori down the hall. Kagome quickly ran up to them with concern clearly written on her soft features.

"Oh, no. What happened?!" Kagome exclaimed. "Kaori, are you okay?" Yukana shook her head sadly and pulled Kagome off to the side.

"Kagome, Kaori's mother passed away a couple of nights ago and she just got the news." Yukana explained. "Sesshomaru told her to take Amira and go home for a little while. He said that her father requested it."

Kagome gasped and covered her mouth. She unknowingly mimmicked Yukana and pulled Kaori into a tight embrace, making the demoness lose any composure she had left and start sobbing into her arms. It was loud enough to draw Rin, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku into the corridor.

Sango looked at her questioningly. Kagome frowned and shook her head, clearly trying to say 'not now.' Sango nodded and, with Miroku's help, hearded the children away from the unfortunate scene.

"It i...isn't fair!" Kaori cried, holding on to Kagome like a lifeline. Kagome kneeled, taking Kaori with her to the ground. "If I was there...if I was there I could...could have he...he...helped her! But I...I wasn't! It's m...my fault!"

"No, Kaori. Don't say that." Kagome whispered gently. "There was nothing you could have done to stop this."

"Father told me sh...she was ill! He to...told me not to leave, but I did! If I...wasn't mad...mad at her, maybe...maybe I would have stayed and...and she'd still be al...alive!" she wailed.

"Kaori, stop it." Kagome said sternly. "There was nothing, nothing you could have done. Do you hear me? Everyone makes mistakes. That's part of life. It doesn't matter what you are, human or demon, you still make mistakes." Kagome sighed.

"I know how you feel." she continued, softer this time. "I know what it feels like to lose somebody, how it feels to know that I could have made a difference and maybe even prevented it from happening. That's...that's how I lost my father." Yukana gaped at Kagome, who had begun stroking Kaori's hair, offering comfort. Her aura was a soft shade of purple, showing sorrow and pity. Kagome held Kaori tighter. 'Kagome riminds me of...my...my mother.'

Kaori calmed down considerably after that. She sniffed hugged Kagome tightly, finding comfort in the fact that she knew what she was going through.

"Arigatou, Kagome." Kaori whispered. She let go of Kagome and stood up, taking time to recompose herself and wipe the tears from her face before she decided to leave and pack her things. Yukana smiled warmly at Kagome, who was still sitting on the floor, and followed Kaori.

Kagome stood up and dusted the dirt from her kimono. She started heading towards the garden where she knew Sango and Miroku had taken the children. However, she decided to pay a visit to Sesshomaru before she checked on Rin and Shippo to see what he planned to do without Kaori there.

"Kagome! What's going on out here?" InuYasha asked, running up to her. "Who was crying?"

"Kaori was." Kagome said sympathetically. "Her mother died. She's going home for a few days. Apparently her father wants her and her sister there when they bury her."

"Oh..." InuYasha reached into his sleeve and pulled something out. He held his hand out for Kagome to take it.

"What are you doing, InuYasha?" Kagome asked. "I gave that to you. Why are you giving it back?"

"I don't want it. I don't know what to do with it, so I won't use it." InuYasha said, shoving the Shikon no Tama into Kagome's hand.

Kagome stared at the jewel, confused. 'Did InuYasha really just refuse to use the Shikon jewel?' Kagome thought. She looked up, but InuYasha had already left. Kagome shrugged and placed the jewel around her neck, then proceded to find Sesshomaru.

A young woman dressed in the traditional garb of a miko rounded the corner in front of Kagome. She stopped when she caught sight of the unfamiliar demoness that stood in front of her.

"Are you the one that is supposed to train me, Kiri, and Yue?" she inquired curiously. Kagome nodded. "Oh. I'm Sakurako."

"My name is Kagome."

"Well, I look foreward to our lessons, Kagome-sensei." Sakurako said courtly. She then calmly continued on her way.

Kagome shook her head. 'That girl seems a bit off...' Kagome thought. The girl, whom she believed had called herself Sakurako, made her feel uncomfortable for some reason. There was just something about her that bothered Kagome and made her suspicious of the young miko-in-training. Kagome decided that she'd have to keep and eye on the strange female.

Kagome continued walking to Sesshomaru's study. When she arrived, she knocked softly and, when given permission, entered. Sesshomaru looked up at her.

"You seem uneasy, Kagome." he observed.

"Oh, it's not important." Kagome said, blushing. "What I wanted to talk about was Kaori. What are you going to do without her? She seemed to be a very important figure among your staff. I heard that everyone else looked up to her."

"Hn."

"So what are you gonna do?"

"Her duties will be split among the other servants until her return." Sesshomaru answered.

"Oh, okay. I guess that's all." Kagome said slowly. "I'll leave now, then. You look busy."

"What else is on your mind?"

"What?"

"I do not repeat myself." Sesshomaru said.

"Oh, that." Kagome said nervously. "I told you, it's nothing."

"If it were nothing, it wouldn't bother you so much." Sesshomaru observed shrewdly, silently scanning Kagome's eyes for any hint of what she was thinking. Kagome sighed.

"It's just one of the mikos that I'm supposed to train: Sakurako. Something about her seems a bit strange." she explained. "I have this strange feeling, almost like she's up to something. But I'm probably just being paranoid. It's fine, really. I can handle it."

"Sakurako is of no threat to you." Sesshomaru informed her. "She is cocky, and therefore usually takes too much pride in her studies. She tried to out-perform the others and almost killed the other miko I had training them."

"Oh. Listen, I have to go check on Rin and Shippo. I'll see you later." Kagome hurried out of the room and headed toward the garden.

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AR: Yay! I'm done!

IY: It's about time. What took you so long?

M: Oh, InuYasha, calm down.

Ka: Why did you have to make me look like a baby like that?

AR: Uhh...

Hikari: When do I get to make an appearance? Will it be soon?

AR: Maybe in chapter twelve. The next one is for her visit home and to Totosai.

H: frowns

AR: Well, its time for me to get going. I have school in the morning. turns to face characters You all remember to stay put. Miroku, if you follow me to school again, I'll make your hands match. Got it?

M: sighUnderstood.

AR: Okay, y'all. I'm out. Dasvidanya! And remember, don't forget to review!