Chapter 8: We are Broken

Keeping his eyes on Kagome, Sesshomaru roughly commanded, "Inuyasha, leave."

"No way!"

"Now!" he barked out.

"Keh. Fine." grumbling but relenting, the half demon stood to go, but just as he reached the door, he turned back to Kagome, "Make sure to ask him about the book."

"Inuyasha!" the elder demon roared out, going over to his brother with elevated speed, he grabbed the hanyou by the scruff of the neck and threw him from the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Placing his palms flat against the wooden surface, Sesshomaru peeked over at the demoness who was watching him with an unreadable expression. Unable to take the silence any longer, he gruffly asked, "What?"

"I don't like door slams."

"What?"

"I don't like it when people slam doors," Kagome repeated softly; fingering her scarred palm with the tips of her pointed claws. "It's rude….and it aggravates my hearing."

No response; Sesshomaru returned to his previous position in his office chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had a serious migraine now. "I'm sure you have questions now,"

"I've had questions since I got here. Now it's more like demands."

"Hn." ignoring the demand part of her words, Sesshomaru took a deep breath and asked cautiously, "What are they?" giving her an even look he told her, "I can only answer so much."

"We can deal with the lover declaration later," Kagome told him immediately; noting the way the dog demon's shoulders seemed to relax when she said it. Right now bigger issues needed to be dealt with. "First thing's first, how do you know me?"

Leaning back in his chair, the proud demon closed his eyes and responded, "You were a researcher for my family during my father's rule from the early to late fourteenth century."

"How long specifically?"

"I don't know," he exasperated, "work contracts in our kingdom lasted twenty-five years a piece, and you were in the middle of your third term when you left. So around sixty I would say."

"Work contracts? I...nevermind" she shook the thought from her head. Recalling the job title she looked at him confused. "What did a female researcher do in the 1400's?"

"You were offered the position after you discovered the secret to accessing some of the world's first and most powerful alchemy. It would have been your only job, but you are a curious and nosy women and one discovery would lead to another be it with the stars, blacksmithing, or even cooking. Eventually, my grandfather just decided to give you the blanket title of researcher."

"I take offense to that nosy part…."

"Hn. It is true, you were always the first to ask questions about everything."

"Wait...so you're saying I'm a genius?"

"Genius?" he scoffed, "Hardly, you were just hardheaded and lucky. Suicidal even, but that is of little importance now."

"Suicidal? I tried to kill myself?"

"No, you continuously put yourself in situations that nearly got you killed, all for the sake of knowledge….though come to think of it…."

Debating on whether or not she actually wanted to know, Kagome finally probed, "...What?"

"Oh nothing…" he snorted softly, "It's just…there was a time when you were trying to discover how to revive the dead….you had an associate from Egypt who gave you an artifact that was said to reanimate the deceased…"

Perking up, the demoness leaned forward and encouraged him to continue, "What happened?"

"Long story short….you wanted to see if it was authentic and I spent the next ten days trying to keep you from committing seppuku. At one point I was forced to tie you up and lock you in my room when I went to train with my father…"

"You're...making that up…"

"I only wish I was." She continued to look incredulous but said nothing. When she continued to remain silent, Sesshomaru sighed and asked, "Anything else?"

"What book was your brother talking about?"

"The book of Kokumajutsu (black magic) that you translated from Celtic writings."

"I don't remember any of this….What about it?"

"There was a spell in it you used, and it had formidable consequences."

Her nose twitching, Kagome appeared confused. "What spell?"

"The enchantment you placed on the well that enabled you to travel through time."

Kagome sat back stunned. "Excuse me?"

"The book of black magic you wrote. The spell you used was incomplete and it caused serious damage to the natural flow of time."

"I….traveled through time?"

"Yes….apparently just moving to another country wasn't good enough for you." there was a certain coldness in his eyes though she could swear she saw the beginnings of hurt hidden behind the mask.

"That explains…." she muttered to herself. Remembering when she first woke up in a strange time, Kagome sighed. Back then she had only thought she was suffering from the effects of amnesia. She had been forced to learn everything in the new land that was familiar to her, but not.

"You ended up in the 1800's. You skipped over three hundred years in time…."

"I….I don't remember any of this…." holding her head, the demoness groaned as her palm began to burn again. "I just….woke up next to a well…."

"I don't understand why you cannot remember," Sesshomaru said, watching her carefully. Furrowing his brow, the demon lord went back over his words. He had to watch what he said around her, technically they still weren't fated to meet. "But that is all I can answer for you now, there are many things we need to discuss, but now is not the time…."

"What!?" standing up, Kagome growled to express her frustration, "Are you kidding me? You tell me all of this and just expect me to drop it?"

"Yes," he replied firmly. "I was not supposed to bring you here. Not now. Not until you produce that book."

"I can't remember anything! How am I supposed to find this book when I couldn't even remember my own name two hundred years ago!"

"Then how did you know what it was?"

"It was engraved on a set of reed pens I found in my bag."

"Hn. The book was not in your sack?"

"No, just parchment…." staring up at the ceiling, Kagome tried to remember her first moments as an amnesic in the eighteenth century. "And….there was my reed pens….." absently she gripped at the necklace around her neck, making Sesshomaru look at the pendant.

"My pendant?"

"Huh?"

He rushed the woman, coming to stand directly in front of her. Pushing her hand aside, Sesshomaru palmed the pendant, rubbing his thumb across it. "This is my pendant," he repeated gently. "I lost it….many years ago…."

Staring up into his downturned face, Kagome watched his eyes as he spoke. There was a sense of….longing in his expression. "Sesshomaru….." she called lightly, causing him to look at her. "Why did I leave?"

Searching her gaze, the dog demon seemed hesitant to tell her. She could see the conflict in his orbs. "You left because of me."

"I know that, but why?"

"Because….I broke my promise to you."

"What promise?"

"Kagome…."

"What….did you promise me?"

A flash of red, the show of fangs, the tight grip of his fist around her pendant; all of these things Kagome saw just as she was forced back while Sesshomaru's hand pulled forward, ripping the necklace from her neck. Falling onto her bottom hard, the demoness let out a yip of surprise; her tail bone taking the most of the impact. "The fuck!" looking up, she growled hard at the man standing over her, the pendant he had snatched from her body hanging ominously from his hand. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Get out."

"Huh?"

"Get out, now." the corners of his eyes were red, revealing a hidden anger that she apparently unleashed. "And don't come back until you find that book."

"Why don't you just find it?"

He snapped at her. "I cannot find it because I do not know where it is! You do! Search your mind."

"What…," she began to shudder when she felt his aura covering her body. On shaking legs she followed her instincts that were telling her to obey. Marching over to the door, Kagome placed her hand on the doorknob and looked back at the demon who was still positioned in place. "What if I never find this book you're talking about?"

"Then you will never come back." he responded coldly.

"..." not saying another word, Kagome left the office, forgetting to get her poncho which remained thrown haphazardly on the side of her couch. Using her nose, the demoness searched for the exit, finally finding it a distance away. Seeing a green toad-like creature she acknowledged it briefly and headed for the door, which was a back entrance located in the mansion's luxury kitchen. Hearing the pitter-pattering of feet, she turned and saw the green thing rushing towards her; his little claws awkwardly reaching for the door. Opening it for her, it bowed deeply as she stepped out, saying as she left;

"Nice to see you again Kagome-san…."

A/N: What will happen next? Oh wait, I know! (lame I know already) Next chapter will be another past memory. I'm trying to be different this time around and just make it so that random chapters are situated in the past. I think it's best that most of the story be focused on the present. Please review! -Theores