Kagome was relaxing on her bed. Her eyes were half closed as she replayed the same scene in her mind over and over. She took a deep breath and shifted a little. She had never felt that way before, and for a stranger to make things even worse. But this did not satisfy her questions. Why did she feel on fire when he touched her? Why did his voice make her shiver with an unknown feeling? She opened her blue eyes and started at the ceiling. She was rude with him, she felt as if she had to slap him for an insolence that she could not even identify. He helped her not to fall but she could not shake the feeling of anger towards this unknown man.

"Mercedes?"

His sound broke her thoughts as he entered her room. She immediately shot up from her laying position and smiled.

"Naraku!"

"How do you feel?" he asked, leaning on the door frame. She simply shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you were crying when you phoned me and now you act like if nothing happened!"

Kagome smiled again.

"Well, maybe I was crying so that you come and pick me up from the airport." She lied. She would never tell him that she felt vulnerable and lost. He would be disappointed.

Naraku looked at her with suspicion before replying.

"I must tell you Mercedes that I am not happy with you for disobeying me. I told you to stay in France."

His tone was harsh and she felt sad all over again. He noticed it because his voice softened a little.

"Please Mercedes, don't do anything without telling me first."

Kagome lowered her head.

"It's just that I missed you. I wanted to see you so badly Naraku. I…"

They were interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone. They both searched for it with their eyes and Naraku finally spotted it just next to him. He took a few steps towards it but Kagome immediately jumped, blocking his passage.

"It's not mine." She told him with an uneasy smile. Naraku furrowed his eyebrows as the ringing went on.

"What do you mean by that? Whose cell phone is that?"

Kagome gulped.

"A guy."

"A guy?!" Naraku exclaimed, his voice rough. He shoved her out of his way and grabbed the cell phone. Without even paying attention to the identity of the caller he flipped it on.

"So, did you pick them up?" came a question from the other line. Naraku looked at Kagome who was playing innocently with her newly polished nails. He decided to remain silent as the other voice spoke again.

"I told you to pick the clients from the airport. Please tell me you did it Inuyasha."

Naraku's face darkened immediately as he closed the cell phone. He could feel blood rushing in his face. Inuyasha? How was it possible? How did she get his cell phone?

"Mercedes, where did you get this cell phone from?"

Kagome exhaled loudly.

"I know it is strange but this guy bumped on me in the airport and crashed my cell phone. Well in fact I was about to fall and…"

"Enough!" shouted Naraku, his face livid. Kagome flinched. She had never seen him like that before.

"I asked you: where did you get this cell phone from?"

"A guy in the airport."

"Since when do you know this guy behind my back?" he yelled, throwing the phone on the wall, crashing it. Kagome was in tears due his sudden anger.

"I am sorry okay?" she said, her voice cracking a little. "I needed a cell phone and he gave me his. It is not a big deal. I don't know him and I don't do anything behind your back!" she nearly sobbed. Naraku paced the room angrily. He had tried and tried and tried to keep her away, and on the day of her return she would smash with the same man he was trying to hide her from, from his rival, his enemy.

"Naraku!" he heard her, trying to reason him. "I don't see the reason for which you're so upset!"

He realized that he had to give her an excuse that will get her attention out of the subject.

"I don't like you talking to strangers. They could kidnap you or even use you against me. I already told you to stick with the people I know. At least you will be safe. I just fear for you Mercedes."

Kagome looked at him, her blonde hair slightly reaching her shoulders and her mascara showing the blueness of her eyes.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." She replied and reached to hug him but he stepped back.

"I have something to do Mercedes. You are not to leave this room until I tell you so. Do you understand me?"

She nodded as he left the room. She looked at her surroundings before falling on her bed. She wanted to sleep, she needed to sleep but she couldn't. She didn't want to dream of that again. But soon, sleep took over.

"Is that so?" Chris asked, smiling in his chair in Naraku's office. Naraku gave him a hard look.

"What is so funny Chris? I just told you that he saw her. He saw Mercedes. I have hidden her for years and he just saw her the first day she came here. What the hell am I supposed to do? She's mine Chris; I won't let him take her, especially him. I hate him; I hate him with great passion."

Chris looked at the man in front of him with fear.

"But Naraku, if Inuyasha did recognize her, she wouldn't be here, would she? He would have tried to take her with him; he would have made a scene."

Naraku leaned in his chair, his eyes suddenly sparkling. A smirk grew on his lips.

"I never thought of it that way. He didn't recognize her did he?"

Both men exchanged knowing smiles before Chris took the conversation.

"And you can use it in your advantage. He defied you didn't he? He took the European deal from you. It's payback. Inuyasha has only one weakness and this weakness is your strength."

"How?"

Chris smirked.

"We all know that Inuyasha chooses his employees carefully. He just picks the ones in whom he trusts the most. Even I am not allowed to be in his private office."

"I know," responded Naraku. "That's why I don't know any of his movements, and I can't anticipate the deals he makes. He's so careful, so reserved."

"But he's looking for someone to help him in the European deal. Someone who can speak a foreign European language, someone he trusts, someone with experience…"

Naraku exhaled loudly.

"But he won't give the job to anyone. He's so picky, so careful."

Chris smiled.

"He would give the job to Mercedes. He gave her his cell phone didn't he? Perhaps he didn't recognize her but I bet he saw the similarity. He was shocked, he was moved, and he was overwhelmed. He would do anything to get her near him. He would give her the job."

Silence stretched before Naraku left his seat and went to the window.

"Too risky." He finally said. "What if she recovers her memory?"

"She won't." Chris insisted. "The doctor said that the shock was too big, too great. She will never remember. She's Mercedes. She changed in and out. She's not that girl anymore. Even her own mother would not be able to recognize her."

Silence again.

"But how am I going to tell her this? Maybe she's arrogant, selfish and snob but it doesn't me that she's like us. She doesn't deceive in this level. We are special Chris. We can commit treason without even flinching. She cannot. Not my Mercedes."

Chris laughed loudly.

"Well, I guess that she would need some persuasion."

Naraku looked at him and smiled.

"I guess she does. I will tell her how bad Inuyasha has been with me, how he stole all my deals and left me in a weak state. She will hate him in no time. I will get my revenge from Inuyasha and so will Mercedes. I will not be using her, I will be helping her. Helping her to get even for what he did to her."

Chris nodded and lifted his drink towards Naraku.

"To Inuyasha." He said, laughing in the process. "I hope he finds the love he's seeking for so long."

Laughter rang in the huge office.

Sesshumaru was sitting on his bed, livid with anger when Rin entered. She took a deep breath before heading towards him.

"What's the matter Sesshumaru?"

He looked at her sharply.

"What's the matter with me? The right question would be what's wrong with that insolent little brother of mine. He didn't call me to tell me what happened in the airport and when I called him he simply hung up on me without even bothering to answer. Who does he think he is?"

Rin sat next to him and pt her hand on his shoulder.

"You know that Inuyasha had a rough time. He's still getting used to his situation. You know, he didn't fully recover from her death. Just give him some time."

"What does she have to do with anything?" he snapped standing up. "Every time he does something wrong we talk about her death. If he loved her that much then why did he not show it to her when she was alive? He left her when he thought that girl was pregnant. If it is someone's fault, it is his. So can we just stop talking about her? He's not man enough to recognize his own mistakes and take charge of the responsibilities he has instead of hiding behind a ghost! She's a ghost and he thinks that by wearing those dark glassed he could get her back to life."

"Sessh…" Rin tried to interrupt, her face pale but he would not let her.

"But the least he can do is let her sleep in peace. She dies but he's still alive…"

"Yes I am alive."

Sesshumaru turned around, seeing Inuyasha standing on the door, his jaw tightened, his eyes covered by his glasses, his muscles tensed and his hands clenched into fists.

"Inuyasha, I…" Sesshumaru began but he did not let him continue.

"I am alive but I wish my death every single day. Maybe I am hiding behind a ghost or eve behind the darkness that I put myself into, but my pain is still unbearable and you would never understand it. I was responsible for her death. I betrayed her once but I shall not betray her twice. At least, give me the satisfaction of understanding my reasons. I am not the boy you used to know, I am a man."

Sesshumaru nodded, guilt making its way in his system. Inuyasha turned to go but stopped before disappearing.

"About the airport, they are in the hotel by now. I made sure they are well happy and satisfied. And my cell phone, I gave it to a ghost."

And with that he left.

He went to his car and sped away. Sesshumaru's words were still echoing in his mind. And then her eyes, the eyes of that girl, that ghost he met. Blood rushed in his face as he sped more. Her voice, maybe her voice had a slight French accent but it was hers, her voice and nobody else's.

"Why did your face return? Do you wish to hunt me my love?" he asked, his voice laughing but his insides crying. He needed, he wanted, he yearned but his needs, his wants and his yearns would never be satisfied. He thought that time would heal wounds but as time progressed he could feel himself drift again and again in a world of sadness and sorrow. Her touch, her love, he needed anything, even a taste of her. That girl in the airport, she had awoken him, he realized, and there is no way of shutting it down.