"When they are alone they want to be with others, and when they are with others they want to be alone. After all, human beings are like that." – Gertrude Stein (writer)

…

The sun soaked through the leaves to illuminate the quiet camp site with the morning's first light. Two tiny silhouettes hovered over the lump that had cocooned itself in a sleeping bag as they prodded it with their little bony fingers. A light grunt was all that came from the lump as it shifted slightly in the sleeping bag. A few light giggles erupted from the two tiny silhouettes at the grunt the lump made.

"That was quite an undignified sound for a woman to make, of course you are human…" spoke a cool voice. The lump in the sleeping bag shifted again till it was sitting up. Angry blue eyes peeked out of the sleeping bag along with a mass of ebony hair as they glared at the early morning speaker.

"Hello Kagome," two cheery voices broke out from the tiny silhouettes that soon began to reveal themselves as more light started to fill the sky. Innocent brown and emerald green eyes stared at Kagome as they sparkled with mirth. A smile came onto Kagome's face as she slowly crept out of her sleeping bag.

"Good Morning! Shippo, Rin…" her slightly half sleepy and cherry tone began before turning more bitter towards the last name, "Lord Sesshomaru"

It had been two weeks since the "challenge" had been made and Sesshomaru had yet to give up. There he was sitting in all his glory as he leaned against a tree. This scene was somewhat familiar to Kagome, yet the situation seemed so much different. This time everything was calm and quiet for the most part.

Sesshomaru appeared to be in a relaxed state, if you could tell by the slightest of detail that this was so. His eyes were half-lidded in a bored nonchalant fashion. The wind seemed to play with each strand of his silver hair, and his robes looked pristine as ever. Noticing Kagome's stare, his eyes darted over to hers. She immediately avoided his gaze.

Kagome was embarrassed by the feel of his eyes on her. For some reason it always made her feel like she had done something wrong. Yet, why couldn't she gaze upon him in the same fashion and criticize him? She questioned this, because he'd been doing the very same thing to her for these past weeks. A reason came to Kagome's mind and she faltered at the thought.

"Where are the others?" Kagome asked as she fiddled with the hem of her night shirt. Her eyes and her mind still lingered off to some unknown region of space. A sound broke Kagome's daze for a moment. The sound had been Rin's giggling as Shippo walked over to Kagome with his newly adorned flower crown to answer her question.

"Well, Sango went off flying on Kirara to checkout some news about Naraku's whereabouts and Miroku followed as usual," Shippo answered with a smile on his innocent face. Kagome brought her head down to return Shippo's smile when an excitable Rin came scrambling over on her muddied bare feet with arms flailing and a vibrant twinkle in her eye.

"And Jaken has left to find food for Rin!" Rin squealed with her usual zeal. When this sweet little girl said something so trivial with such enthusiasm it just made Kagome feel so warm on the inside. Kagome had always loved children. It was their own world of illusion that they created for themselves that attracted Kagome to them.

Children could never truly see the bad things in life, the real bad things. Children also always seem to brighten at the simplest of things. In this world of illusion, as Kagome thinks of it, whenever a child can't understand something, they make up their own logic for it. It's always been an unwritten rule of human nature that added to this illusion of finding an answer for everything, even when it's wrong.

Yet, another thing that attracted Kagome closer to children was the thought that she could stop them from ever realizing what the real world was. It was her small hope that she could help them always have their world of illusion. For that magical world of illusion was truly a child's innocence. She could never let a child begin to fall into disillusionment. Falling into disillusionment meant only one thing, a loss of innocence.

This is why as Rin stood there with all the wonderment in the world sparkling in her eyes; Kagome couldn't help but smile. She had no idea why Rin was cheerful or why the girl seemed to stay so cheerful, but it made her happy. Yet, the happy moment was somewhat spoiled for something still didn't feel right.

Kagome shuffled around in her sleeping bag as she pulled her legs out of it. Sitting with her legs bent and hands laid by her sides, Kagome took an overview of the camp. Out of everyone in the makeshift group accounted for, there was still one missing. The cold feeling in Kagome's soul started coming back.

"Where is Inuyasha?" Kagome asked in a melancholy tone. Somehow she already guessed where he was. There were clues all around her to tell her this, and the one that stuck out the most was the gleam of guilt that show in Shippo's eyes.

"He left a while ago without saying where he was going..." Shippo's voice dropped to a whisper, "Inuyasha figured Sesshomaru wouldn't dare hurt us as long as Rin was here,"

A low grunt was the only acknowledgment that Sesshomaru heard that particular part of the conversation. Kagome glanced over to the taiyoukai beside the tree with slight concern, but remained quiet. Kagome slowly stood up from her sleeping bag and sauntered towards her yellow back-pack.

She felt his eyes on her as she walked. It was an odd feeling. Kagome felt the need to do everything right. She had to look "perfect" as she dug in her bag. She had to look "perfect" as she took out her clothes. She had to "perfectly" stand up from her crouched position beside her back-pack. She just had to be perfect.

It was all around the same reason she faltered earlier. The exact reason as to why she had to be "perfect". It was because he was perfect. Hewas perfection. She felt compelled by some inner-force to be "perfect" in his eyes, even when she knew it was nearly impossible. Kagome wanted to be perfect just so one person would notice her. Since no one else seemed to notice her except him.

Yes, no one but him. That thought lingered in Kagome's mind as she made her way into the woods to change. Deep blue orbs shifted left to right before Kagome began to slip out of her night clothes.

The leaves surrounding Kagome swirled, shifted, and scattered about like the thoughts and emotions inside her. Kagome glanced down at her attire for the day with a muffled groan. She swept a hand through her messy onyx hair as she hissed through her teeth. Kagome leaned her back on the rough bark of a nearby tree.

Looking at her clothes for the day made her feel as if the tiny fibers of cloth were against her. Yet, she chose to wear these clothes day in and day out. Perhaps she was against herself without realizing it? All of it was always the same.

Currently Kagome's white and green uniform went against all she was trying to fix. This outfit she wore was the same, while she was trying to change whom she was. It is known that changing is not based on looks alone, but her clothes stood for something else in her mind. They symbolized everything and all she'd ever done wrong.

She wore them when she got into all this mess. She wore them when she fell down the stupid well. She wore them when she met Naraku. She wore them when she got kidnapped and Kikyo came back to life. She wore them when she shattered the jewel. And worst of all, she wore them when she met Inuyasha…

A tiny tear slid down Kagome's cheek, which she persistently tried to wipe it away with the sleeve of her shirt as more began to fall. Rubbing away at her cheek a bit longer, Kagome shoveled all her discarded sleeping clothes in her hands. Kagome's nose twitched as she sniffled slightly before she started making her way back to the camp.

Rin and Shippo appeared startled when Kagome plopped her night clothes beside them. The two little rascals had created their own form of amusement by digging around Kagome's large yellow bag. Things were scattered here and there, some normal and some particularly embarrassing. A sigh escaped Kagome as she picked up a pink thong she had gotten as a joke from a friend and stuffed it back into her bag with a blush.

"Please don't dig through my things when I'm not here you guys…" She said in a somber tone. The young children's eyes filled with worry as they surrounded Kagome with coos of love. Shippo flopped into her lap and put his stubby arms around Kagome's neck while Rin leaned into Kagome's shoulder smiling.

"Everything is going to be alright Kagome…" Rin said in a light voice as she lifted a tiny flower clasped in her hand and gently placed it into Kagome's hair. Kagome tried to smile, but the feelings from earlier were coming back along with the tears that came with them.

The tears were falling too fast for Kagome to wipe them away in time. Out of the corner of her blurred vision, Kagome could see Sesshomaru approaching her and the children. The young woman immediately leaped from her spot. She couldn't deal with this now. She did the only thing she could think to do. She ran…

She ran away. She ran away from Shippo and Rin. She ran away from the camp site. She ran away from Sesshomaru. As Kagome was leaving the camp she almost crashed into Jaken upon his return, scattering the berries he had collected for Rin. She continued running till she was beyond their sight and shadowed behind mighty trees.

"WHAT IS THAT WENCH DOING!" screeched Jaken as he stumbled about until he was able to regain his balance. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at all the berries strewn about the forest floor. His anger began to grow again and he stomped his feet as he muttered curses under his breath about the wretched human.

"Jaken…" a chilling voice pierced through the air. Jaken froze in utter terror as he stared up into Sesshomaru's eyes. Golden eyes were mere slits as they glared down into the frightened eyes of the cowering toad. Jaken fell towards the ground and started begging for forgiveness. Sesshomaru merely scoffed and kicked Jaken aside from his path.

"Watch the children while I am gone; make sure nothing happens to them…" Sesshomaru said in the same sharp tone before he also disappeared into the deep of trees. Jaken, Shippo, and Rin were left in silence to watch as something they didn't understand took place before their eyes.

…

Kagome had found a rock to sit on. She currently had her legs bent and clutched against her chest, her head was bent down in a dejected fashion, and her tears were slowly drying with the force of the wind that had picked up since earlier this morning. Hair swept, swirled, twisted, and turned as Kagome released a shaky breath from her mouth.

"You seem to repeat actions often," a cool voice uttered. Kagome kept her head down, but her eyes narrowed. Sesshomaru walked over to Kagome whom was currently hunched over herself. He found this sight quite pitiful.

"Leave me alone!" bit out Kagome lifting her head up as she grit her teeth together. Hot tears streamed sprung up again and trailed down her cheeks faster now. Why did he have to see her when she was so weak? How would this prove to him she was worthy enough of… What was she trying to prove?

"What has upset you this time, human?" Sesshomaru as he moved to stand only a foot away from Kagome. His hair tousled along with the wind as he looked at her. He couldn't understand why she seemed so broken, than she seemed earlier. He had his assumptions though.

"I hate…these clothes that I'm wearing," Kagome responded, realizing how ridiculous she must sound. Sesshomaru was slightly taken aback by this answer. It was not what he had been expecting, at all. His eyebrows arched upward as he eyed Kagome more critically now.

"Why would you be bothered so much by something so trivial?" Sesshomaru questioned in a disbelieving tone. Sesshomaru began to muddle about this in his mind as he tried to understand why something so simple as clothes could hurt this young woman so emotionally.

"It's not so trivial to me… I always wear the same thing over and over. I make sure to wear the same thing to all of my failed attempts at being someone important. There's never been a time when I haven't worn this same stupid outfit!" Kagome started to yell as she stood up from her spot on the rock.

There was a brief pause in the conversation. A brief moment of silence entered Kagome's temporary sanctuary that Sesshomaru had invaded minutes before. The wind started picking up more speed and brushed passed them violently. All they needed was one more defining factor and it'd be 'perfect'. The grey clouds that were pulled in by the strong winds began to sprinkle upon them. Perfect…

"You are mistaken, Miko…" Sesshomaru said in an icy voice. Kagome growled angrily and jumped up from her spot. Her hands lay clinched by her sides as she pointed him with a sharp glare. What the hell was he talking about? In her frustration Kagome stomped her foot up and down on the ground.

"Excuse me?" Kagome bit out. Her face began to slightly tinge red from her anger. Her stomping stopped only momentarily, before she continued her towards Sesshomaru's general area. Kagome stopped just in front of him and looked up into his deep serious golden eyes.

Sesshomaru's lips pursed slightly as he sighed. Then those same lips closed to form a thin line once again. Sesshomaru's eyes became half-lidded as he went into deep thought about something. His gaze fell to the forest floor as different things filtered through his mind. Then Sesshomaru's golden eyes found their way back to Kagome's astonishing blue ones.

"Do you remember the saying I told you earlier? 'You Assume Much, You Know Little…' Do you know the rest of that saying?" he asked in a somewhat cryptic tone. Kagome was thrown through a loop by this.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kagome shot back with another question. The wind whipped her hair forward ruthlessly as she tried to bore her eyes into the demon in front of her. She wanted to show her confusion; to show her anger.

"What I'm trying to explain Miko, is as to why I've been paying such close attention to you. The reason, apparently, that I've been wasting my time for; to accomplish the full complete version of the saying. The saying being 'You assume much, you know little, Investigate to fill the gap'. You created a curiosity in me that I had to fill by finding out more about you," Sesshomaru answered in a calm tone. It was strange for Sesshomaru to admit feeling anything; stranger still that he would admit to an emotion as childish as pure curiosity.

"First off, you still have yet to explain how I was mistaken and what the hell this has to do with the earlier conversation; furthermore I really don't care that me killing Kagura made you curious. That's wonderful, that's absolutely great, but I don't give a damn about it," Kagome snarled at the dog demon lord. She was tired emotionally and physically at this point and time; and any more confrontation with anyone was going to push her over the edge.

"I don't know how often you like to be wrong in a day, girl…" Sesshomaru began and gave Kagome a stern look that said 'shut up till I'm done'; and continued with his speech, "But, the fight with the wind demoness was not the first time you caught my interest. The time you first interested me was the first time we made contact. Also, to go back to the so called constant apparel you say you wear, I can say that, you were not wearing this particular outfit on that occasion,"

During his little speech, Kagome had coughed and sputtered at his look in a fury filled fashion. However, towards the end her coughs and sputters ceased; and her mind began to rewind back and play past events. Sesshomaru was right; she hadn't worn this outfit when they first met. After thinking about this for a moment, the other thing he mentioned found its way to her mind.

"How… How did I interest you the first time we met?" Kagome asked in a lighter voice than she had used through their entire conversation beforehand. He stared at her with his deep golden eyes, looking as if he questioned whether or not he should tell her.

"The simple answer is that, you lived," Sesshomaru replied in an impassive voice. Kagome thought about what he said and nodded like she understood. It was odd that she had managed to survive Sesshomaru's poison and even more of a miracle that she had survived most of her encounters with him. Kagome then realized that most times they met were not the best of times. Kagome made eye contact with Sesshomaru again. He looked like he was ready to continue speaking.

"It intrigued me as well when you pulled my father's sword out, when neither I nor Inuyasha could," Sesshomaru started, "I also was surprised by the reaction I got from Inuyasha when it was thought you were dead or when you were in danger. He appears to care very much for you…"

A strange sound met his last few words. Kagome's body language suggested she was not pleased with something he had said. Her head was bent down and her hair shadowed her eyes; the sound had been her agonizing gasp. An aura of gloom now surrounded the girl; and as the rain started to pick up, it was hard to tell her falling tears from the rain.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

Suddenly, Kagome's clenched fist rammed into Sesshomaru's chest as a choked sob arose from her. Even though he hadn't really felt anything more than a light bump, Sesshomaru's eyes widened in surprise; and he reacted without thinking. A clawed hand met with Kagome's cheek and she crumpled to the forest floor in an undignified heap.

"Miko! This Sesshomaru might slightly respect a mere mortal such as yourself, yet that does not give you in any right to assault my being without reason," came a growl-like response from Sesshomaru on Kagome's action.

Kagome stumbled as she tried to stand up from the ground that was slowly turning to mud from the falling rain. Her eyes were lit with a fiery blaze, and she couldn't tell for certain what emotion she was experiencing was the most prominent; for at this moment she felt anger, sadness, heartbreak, pain, and the beginning of hatred for those whom bring about these emotions.

"Why are you doing this to me? What did I ever do to you? Is that it? I didn't die physically, so you're going to try to kill me mentally? Are you some kind of sadist that gets a kick out of each destructive blow to my heart and mind?" Kagome wailed in her broken sounding voice, as cracked as her heart.

"What Madness do you speak of? Calm yourself, Miko; you are becoming far too emotional over little things. In no shape or form, have I come to cause you any harm on this day," Sesshomaru said plainly. Kagome fisted her hands into her head and screamed. Her head began to swing back in forth. The tears she cried began mixing with the rain and streamed down her cheeks. Her teeth grit together as she cried aloud. Her hands dropped to her side and she panted heavily. She gazed up at Sesshomaru with eyes of hopelessness.

"You have no idea what kind of world I live in. What kind of bleak existence I go through day in and out. To love someone with all your heart, give them all you have, stay by their side, and wait… You have no idea how it feels to face the horrible torture of just waiting there with hopeful eyes and wondrous dreams of true happiness; and to have those hopeful eyes fill with gloom and your dreams shatter into a million pieces.," Kagome cried, "Do you have any idea how it feels to love someone with all your heart and receive nothing in return?"

What faced her after that declaration was unexpected. It was the eyes of someone that seemed as broken as her. They were filled with pain, heartache, and something else. Although, no obvious emotion showed on his face another story was told in his eyes. The words that left his mouth would send a shock throughout Kagome's body.

"I do…"

…..

Re-editing all these chapters is starting to get to me. Lol. I hope you can appreciate all my efforts and review if you can.