Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha.

Last time on FFY:

A mysterious flashback led into the description of Kagome's predicament. She finds herself inhabiting the body of an unfortunate candidate and learns that she isn't as technologically stupid as she thought. After much time asking Sesshoumaru questions, she finds herself about to get some answers from him during a visit to his house. As for Naraku, we see two different sides of him – one of a caring and doting… father? Lover? Friend? Another… of a manipulating boss, of course. Inuyasha, on the other hand, does some soul searching on the beach overlooking the ocean. And what of Izayoi? She meets Kyoko for the first time… and doesn't know whether to like her or hate her guts.

Chapter 12 – Surprise

"Huh." Kagome said blandly, upon realization. "Does this mean that she's dead?"

Sesshoumaru nodded, taking another shot from the vodka bottle that he was holding.

"Well, what do you know. The body was missing a soul, and I was missing a body… Wait a minute… are you telling me that I'm in a dead person's body?" Her voice escalated in volume as she spoke.

Sesshoumaru nodded again, finishing the bottle of vodka and placing it firmly on the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"On a completely random note, I didn't know you drink Sesshoumaru. Anyways, back to my outburst. DEAD! I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD BUT SOMEHOW I'M ANIMATING A DEAD BODY!" Kagome leaped off the sofa.

"Please tell me this isn't fate's way of apologizing to me after having been left at the altar and hit by a car all in the same day… I can't accept this apology! It's just too WEIRD. I'd rather be somewhere rotting in a coffin than be in this dead woman's body… who IS she anyways? She must've been against all this!"

Sesshoumaru kept silent throughout her outburst. He just stared at her with his intelligent amber eyes.

"… Okay, maybe rotting in a coffin isn't my ideal place to be, and being cremated isn't that good either…" Kagome said as an afterthought.

"Perhaps you can view this as a second chance at life," Sesshoumaru said with a tone of seriousness. That sentence stopped Kagome cold.

"A... second chance at life?" She scoffed. "What did I ever do to deserve this? I'm no martyr, I'm not particularly beautiful, I don't have a particularly good personality. I have no family and very few friends. Which reminds me, why did you do what you did?" Kagome asked sternly.

"This Sesshoumaru believes that you can be of more service to him with a physical body than without," He stated brusquely. Kagome felt her jaw drop in surprise.

"You want me to… help you? Whatever the hell with?" She asked rudely.

"You are an anomaly, Kagome Higurashi. This Sesshoumaru needs to find out how you became what you became," He had a steely grip on her chin. She glared at him, watching as his amber eyes glared with the same intensity at hers.

"... Understood?" He growled, ignoring the aching feeling in his heart. Something about her large cerulean eyes struck a chord within him. They were tearing up, probably from the bruise that he was leaving behind on her chin. Kagome gave him a small nod. He let go in glum satisfaction.

"… Who was she?" Kagome asked softly, keeping her gaze steady on the empty bottle of vodka on the coffee table.

"This Sesshoumaru believes that her name was… Midoriko." He heard himself say. Then, darkness enveloped him.

oooo~~~oooo

Rain was falling in sheets… thunder was clapping… lightning was flashing. There was a thunderstorm that day.

He first saw her in front of his company's building. She was kneeling on the concrete pavement in the pelting rain. She was soaked from head to toe, and shivering uncontrollably. She was mumbling to herself incoherently, just outside the glass automatic doors to his building.

"Who is she?" Sesshoumaru asked the receptionist to the building.

"Taishou-sama, she came a few hours ago and asked for an audience with you. She wouldn't explain why she was here. She didn't have an appointment with you, and you were in an important business meeting with Inuyasha's company, so I told her that you were busy and that it was impossible for her to speak to you in person today. She became really emotional and said that she had to see you today. I told her that she could wait on the chairs in the lobby if she wanted, but then she ran for the elevators… I called security and they took her outside. She's been waiting outside and kneeling ever since…"

"Who is she?" Sesshoumaru repeated venomously.

"I… didn't catch her name, Taishou-sama." The receptionist whispered in fear.

"This Sesshoumaru will deal with you later," Was all he said before he walked out into the rain. He stood in front of the kneeling woman who was delirious from the rain for a few minutes.

"… please help us… I don't know what to do… please help us… I don't know what to do…" She kept mumbling, and looking at a fixed point on the ground.

"Who are you? Why do you seek an audience with this Sesshoumaru?" His loud voice appeared to go unnoticed through the pelting rain and claps of thunder. He crouched down and pulled her long black tresses back, making her look at him.

"Who. Are. You." Sesshoumaru reiterated with barely concealed anger. He was tired from the hours-long negotiations with his half-brother's company and all he wanted was to get home and relax in his Jacuzzi. What he DIDN'T want to do was be in the rain waiting to hear about a stranger's pitiful sorrows.

"I…" Was all the woman managed to say before her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fainted. Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. He carried her to his car and drove her to his home to recuperate. He wasn't normally this nice to strangers, but he didn't want tomorrow's headline news to be 'Pitiful woman faints in front of Taishou Enterprise – The Ice King sends another to the gallows'.

God knows how much grief the paparazzi gave him after a malfunctioning Life Capsule caused the guy to die instead of be sustained cryogenically. Glitches happen, but he couldn't go home for a few months because of the swarms of reporters.

He sighed inwardly as he concentrated on driving to his home. Upon arriving, he carried the drenched woman to a guest bathroom. He decided against throwing her into the bathtub, because she'd probably sue him for raping her or something from the bruises that would result.

Once she was fully submerged in steaming water, he placed some bubble bath into the water, watching the bubbles appear on the surface. Then, he peeled her clothing off and threw them into a pile on the tile floor by the window. Her head fell to the side of the bathtub, revealing her slender and flawless neck. Sesshoumaru paused as he considered the woman in front of him.

She had long black hair, and a healthy body, from what he could gather from brushes against her as he took her clothes off. He leaned in closer to examine her face when she began to stir.

Groggy green eyes met surprised golden ones.

Then, a scream echoed throughout his house.

oooo~~~oooo

He rang the doorbell again, this time impatiently. He's been in front of her doorstep for the past half an hour, hoping to see her. He didn't drive all the way from the other side of Japan for nothing, you know.

"Kagome? I know I'm probably not a person that you want to see right now… But I really want to talk to you. Kagome? Kagome?" Inuyasha yelled, not caring that he might be disturbing the neighbours.

"What the hell are you doing here, Inuyasha?" A disgusted voice spat from behind him. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he recognized the voice. He turned around and faced him.

"Shippou! I'm really glad you're here! Can you please convince Kagome to talk to me? I really need to talk to her…" Inuyasha trailed off as he saw the murderous look in Shippou's eyes.

"Get out of here before I start swearing at you and using you as a punch bag," Shippou snarled, his emerald eyes flashing in anger.

"Look, I know what I did is unforgiveable… but I need to know how she's doing…" Inuyasha begged pitifully.

"How she's doing? Funny you should ask. She's been lying on a hospital bed in a coma since the day of your wedding… which was rubbish by the way. You don't deserve to see her, let alone talk to her, after what you've done to her. As for your apology? Go shove it up your behind because Kagome sure as hell won't accept it." Shippou growled and hit him square in the jaw. He heard a satisfying crack before turning to leave.

"Ka…gome…" Inuyasha gasped through his broken jaw, tears springing to his eyes. Shippou didn't know if the tears were from the pain of his broken jaw or from the pain of realizing Kagome's condition… but he sure hoped that it was both.

Shippou closed the door behind him as he stepped back inside his place, which was beside Kagome's. Inuyasha lay still on his back on the floor, eyes closed in regret and guilt.

oooo~~~oooo

"Sesshoumaru? Are you okay?" A faint voice traveled to his ears. He slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was her concerned blue ones staring at him. His head was hurting like someone was trying to drill through it.

"Get off me, woman." He growled, closing his eyes and bringing an arm across his forehead.

"Hold on, let me get that," Kagome plucked the cold white towel from his forehead before his arm brushed it off. "Are you feeling better? It seemed like you fainted on me for a second…"

"This Sesshoumaru does not faint," He growled more menacingly. He opened his eyes to glare at the woman in front of him, and when he did so, felt his insides twist in recognition.

The woman in the rain…

"Well you just did in front of my eyes, so it's no use denying," Kagome growled right back at him. He pushed her off her straddling position on top of him and watched her land on the wooden floor on her behind with a thump.

"I was just trying to help!" She said angrily. "I know better than to help you next time," She spat venomously. She gingerly got up from her fallen position, too angry to take his apology in the form of an extended hand to help her up. With a huff, she threw the towel on the coffee table beside a waiting cup of water and bottle of aspirin.

She felt his hand around her arm pulling her back towards him just then. She struggled against his grip, whimpering as blood began to pool where his fingernails dug into her skin. Tears began to pool in her eyes as the pain on her arm began to become unbearable.

She could see the surprise in his eyes as he turned her around and loosened his grip on her arm, her blood now matted on his hand and on the wooden floor beside the sofa.

"If his highness is done with abusing me for today, this lowly servant will take her leave," She said bitterly through her tears. Just as she was about to leave, she felt a warm and tickling sensation on her injured arm. She turned in surprise and saw Sesshoumaru bending over her arm and licking the blood.

The warmth soon spread throughout her entire body and made her feel like a gloop of jello. She tried to pull her arm away, but Sesshoumaru wouldn't let go.

He hadn't meant to draw blood. He hadn't meant to cause her distress. He hadn't meant to take a whiff of her blood. He hadn't meant to ease her distress by licking her injuries, in a very canine like fashion.

He must be delirious, because he would never meaningfully pull her towards him on the sofa and lick a trail up her arm. Most of all, he would NEVER (should he be in his right mind), kiss her. And yet… he did.

Kagome never felt more content in her life as she felt Sesshoumaru press his lips upon hers. She was beyond logical thinking the instant their lips met. She forgot about her injured arm as their kiss intensified. Their bodies appeared to be moving in a familiar rhythm as they kissed. Sesshoumaru rolled over and pressed Kagome against the sofa as they kissed, one hand lost in her dark tresses and another running across her body… underneath the sole piece of clothing that she wore. Kagome was hugging him tightly, legs wrapped around his waist as they kissed feverishly.

Sesshoumaru felt all of his thoughts fly out the window as he let the feelings of pleasure wash over him. He couldn't figure out for the life of him why she felt so right in his arms, or why he was doing what he was doing, but one thing he knew. He hadn't felt this way in a long time. What will bother him was this revelation – that he had felt this way at all.

oooo~~~oooo

"What the hell am I doing naked in a bathtub in your house?" She snarled, green eyes flashing in anger.

"PERVERT!" She had called him. Pervert indeed. He had even made the bubble bath to preserve her modesty.

"You fainted on the street in front of my office building. Had this Sesshoumaru left you there you probably would've been sexually harassed and this Sesshoumaru would have endless paparazzi on his tail," He glared at her. He gave her a minute to digest this before growling under his breath.

"Did you… see… anything?" She mumbled after a while while playing with the bubbles in the bath. Sesshoumaru mentally counted to ten before replying.

"This Sesshoumaru is not dishonourable," He stated simply.

"I figured," She nodded in the direction of her clothing.

"Why did you want to speak with this Sesshoumaru?" He asked as he sat cross legged beside the bathtub. The woman in the tub didn't speak for a long time.

"Taishou-sama," She began. Sesshoumaru shifted uncomfortably. Somehow, it bothered him that she would speak to him in such a formal manner.

"You see… it's my sister. She's… sick… and there's no way to cure her sickness so far." She hugged her legs, looking lost as she peered at the surface of the water, refusing to meet his gaze.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. Thanks to his enterprise, there was next to nothing that hospitals nowadays cannot cure. Of course, that sounded probably arrogant… but it's true. Over just this past year, they had managed to find a cure for asthma and various types of cancer, including one of the most devastating ones, blood cancer. They also inadvertently found a way to change one's height, but they would never admit it to the press because of the potential damages it might do to society.

"What ails her?" He asked inquisitively. She breathed deeply before replying.

"Since her eleventh birthday, she hasn't aged a day."

Sesshoumaru contemplated telling her about the height adjustment option that they have at his enterprise when he realized that the problem probably wasn't in her height.

"And why would you consider that to be an illness?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Since the beginning of time, humans have been obsessed with the concept of eternal youth. It appears that your sister has managed to achieve what many before her have tried to do… the only difference being that she succeeded."

"As you said, Taishou-sama, humans are obsessed with eternal youth. But though my sister is human, I know that she doesn't want it. I can feel her sanity slipping with each increasing day… Do you know how old she should be right now?" The woman in the bathtub asked. Sesshoumaru shook his head.

"She's supposed to be twenty-five. Because of her condition, she can't befriend anyone. All she has is me… It's killing me watching her sanity slip away because she's actually an adult trapped in a child's body…" She began to sob.

"And why do you think that this Sesshoumaru can help you… cure… your sister?"

"I've read all about your company, Taishou-sama. You have achieved in a few years what plagued the world for centuries. From cures to asthma and cancer, from advanced technology to mask the increasing demonic population, you have successfully achieved them all. Now I ask this of you – to find a cure for immortality. I am confident that you alone are the one who will succeed…" She said with widened eyes.

Sesshoumaru eyed her warily. "Demonic… population?" Only those of said population knew of its existence – how can a mere slip of a human like her know?

"Promise me that you will help my sister, and I will tell you how I have knowledge of you and the rest of your kind," She promised solemnly.

"Are you not… afraid?" He said a voice so soft that she barely heard it.

"No," She replied confidently. She placed both of her hands on his cheeks as her brilliant green eyes came into contact with his cautious golden ones.

"Because I know that you must not be an evil demon from all that you have done for the human community," She whispered.

"Perhaps I was just doing it to increase my wealth," He whispered back.

"Maybe… but the fact that you haven't incarcerated me yet speaks volumes for your character," She smirked. Sesshoumaru found himself speechless for the first time.

"So you'll help me right, Taishou-sama?" She released his face as she peered at him in anticipation.

"On one condition." He replied.

"Name it," She smiled as she rose to his challenge.

"Be mine," He found himself saying. Without waiting for her reply, he placed his lips on hers.

oooo~~~oooo

Kagome slowly opened her eyes, unable to remember what happened last night. She turned to see a muscular chest. She moved her arms and found one of them tangled in fine silver hair, and another haphazardly draped around a body. Then, she was about to move her legs when the figure beside her grunted and pushed her underneath him.

"Oompf!" She grumbled in protest. She clawed the figure with her blunt fingernails and was rewarded with a very pleasurable feeling throughout her body. Her half asleep body felt electrocuted as she felt every inch of him across her body… She blushed upon realizing the position that they were in, and what exactly happened last night. She couldn't remember the last time she had ever been so happy…

Let's just say that it wasn't a coincidence that she woke up naked next to an equally naked Sesshoumaru.

"Uh… good morning?" She tried pushing him off her, which caused his arms around her waist to tighten. "Are you… awake?" She peered up at his visage. Her jaw dropped instantly.

His face was perfect. It looked completely at ease, unlike the usual mask of indifference she saw. The fringes of his hair were tossled, the only indication of what they had done the night before. Her heart fluttered.

"Mi…dori…ko…" He whispered, his breath on her neck causing a shiver to run down her spine. She felt cold upon realizing whose name he spoke unconsciously. A wayward tear fell from her eye, disappointment rushing throughout her.

Of course he wouldn't see her as… her. He probably had history with this Midoriko character, and she just so conveniently animated her dead body. Was this what he meant by being of service to him? Suddenly, Kagome felt really dirty.

Empowered by her depression and her need to take a bath, she pushed herself away from him, only to find their lower bodies still connected at a very intimate level.

She began to cry. She didn't notice his eyes flicker to wakefulness, or the confusion that was evident in those golden orbs. She didn't notice being enveloped in his warm embrace. She only knew the inferiority she felt, and that what they had last night wasn't real.

oooo~~~oooo

"Sorry," Kyoko mumbled as a blush spread across her face. Touga waved it off with a nervous smile.

"It's okay, you tripped," Touga replied quickly. Izayoi took his arm in hers in an attempt to comfort him.

"Where to next, my love?" She asked in a too cheerful voice.

"How about the ride where you shoot aliens?" Touga suggested. Izayoi smiled in agreement.

"See you later, Onigumo." She gave him a quick wave before tugging Touga towards the ride, with Kyoko staring after them.

"Kyoko, right? Looks like we're on the same boat," Onigumo taunted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," She nervously denied.

"It's obvious that you like him. Since I like her, we're going to make a great team." Onigumo continued. Kyoko feinted nonchalance.

"So? It's just a one-sided crush. He doesn't like me that way, and she sure as hell doesn't like you that way. What they have is none of our business," Kyoko said stiffly.

"Here's my number should you change your mind," Onigumo whispered into her ear as he wrote the numbers on the palm of her hand.

Kyoko glared at him before following after Touga and Izayoi. First thing that she was going to do is wash off the number on her hand. She felt awful even thinking about being the one to come between them. They were perfect for each other… besides the fact that he was a dog demon and that she was a human.

oooo~~~oooo

A/N: Poor Kagome… first she was left at the altar by the one that she thought she loved… and now she discovered that she might harbor feelings for Sesshoumaru… only to find out that it wasn't her name he whispered unconsciously, but the name of the girl whose body she inhabits.

Coming up:

"Well, hell-o beautiful," An feminine, yet somehow masculine, voice whistled.

"Eh… Stay away! I'm afraid of clowns!" Kagome screamed in terror.