Kagome woke-up around four am to the sounds of her someone calling her name. She looked around and realized she was still in the well, her arms wrapped around the bone with Inuyasha's claw marks in it. She started to climb out of the well then stopped, turned around and broke the rib off of the skeleton it was attached to.

Putting it in her book bag, Kagome climbed out of the well. It had been weeks and yet those bones still hadn't gone anywhere. The bone eaters well had lost its power completely. She looked back one last time, it was all over and she had to move on. Of course that wasn't going to happen anytime soon. Kagome knew it would take time, that's why she took the bone.

"Kagome?" a voice called "Are you in there?"

Kagome turned around to a flash light pointed right at her face. A police officer stood at the door to the old shed that protected the well.

"I've found her." He said into a walkie talkie "She was in the old well."

The police officer wrapped a blanket around Kagome and led her to an ambulance parked in front of the shrine. Her mother and grandfather were standing there in their pajamas and fall coats answering questions to a uniformed officer with a pen and pad of paper.

When her mother saw her, Mrs. Higarashi pushed the police officer out of the way and ran to her daughter.

"Oh Kagome" she said as she wrapped her arms around her daughter "I was so worried about you."

Kagome was frozen, her mother had never worried about her before; and she was fighting demons in feudal Japan until about a month ago.

"I fell asleep in the well." Kagome said

"The well?" Her mother snapped, pulling away. "You worried me sick all night because you were trying to get to Inuyasha again?"

"No mama, it wasn't like that I just, I just…"

"Just what Kagome?"

Her mother glowered at her, arms crossed over her chest and lips pursed in anger. She was obviously on her last nerve with Kagome, especially since she hoped her daughter would be safe and at home from now on.

"I just wanted to be someplace he had been." Kagome finally said as she dropped her eyes, refusing to meet her mother's gaze.

sighed, she understood what Kagome was going through but that didn't make her feeling helpless any easier.

"Let the paramedics check you to make sure you don't have frost bite and then go get cleaned up."

Kagome did as her mother told her; it would be suicide to do otherwise. The paramedics checked all of her vitals and determined she didn't need further medical attention. The police asked the sort of questions that police are required to ask in these situations and then left. By the time the police left the sun was rising, Kagome groaned; she was filthy and hadn't gotten any of her homework done. She walked up to the house, showered, bathed (quickly) got dressed and grabbed a piece of toast on her way out the door. Jaken would be here soon and she had agreed with Sesshomaru to be on time.

As luck would have it, the limousine was pulling up to the curb just as she was walking down the steps. A disguised kappa got out of the drivers seat and opened the door for her. Kagome thanked him and slid in next to Sesshomaru.

He sat there quietly, reading files from a briefcase on the floor; not even acknowledging Kagome.

"Jaken?" Kagome called "Can you drop me off a block from my school? I don't want the other students asking questions."

"No." Sesshomaru said

"Why not?" she demanded

"Because, if a demon or other creature does decide to attack you it would be easier to do so away from your school. The crowd of students offers you protection."

The fact that he was right wasn't what upset her the most; it was that he said it without bothering to look up from the file; as if she weren't worth the trouble of lifting his head.

Kagome leaned back in her seat, hoping that somehow she could just melt into and disappear. Then she wouldn't have to deal with Sesshomaru. Jaken dropped her off in front of the school, and just as she suspected every student there wanted to know what Kagome Higarashi was doing getting out of an expensive foreign car. She made up many ridiculous excuses, her mother was dating a chauffer, she had a wealthy cousin visiting, she had won a raffle, but no one believed her. She spent the rest of the day seeing people whispering in the hall as she walked by and pointing her out in class. On top of that teenage hell, Kagome got reprimanded for not having her homework done.

The day dragged and dragged and then finally the chimes announcing the end of the day sounded and Kagome was free. At least until the other students saw her getting into that limousine again.

Determined not so suffer the humiliation of the day over Kagome left through the back entrance, across the baseball field and through back neighborhoods. When she got to the elementary school playground she stopped and rested. This was the long way but it was worth it. She sat on a swing, her feet swaying and making odd designs in the dirt. Why did she really need Sesshomaru's protection anyway? The only reason demons had chased her was for the Shikon no Tama and that was gone. And while there were still demon's around, all of the ones that had tried to kill her and get the jewel were dead. There was no reason for Sesshomaru to protect her, and she would tell him so when he picked her up in the morning. Kagome would make him see it her way. Determing this was the best course of action (even though she was away of how ineffectual it would be) Kagome got off the swing and walked started home again.

"Excuse me?" a voice said

Kagome turned around and came face-to-face with the most gorgeous man she had ever seen. He had beautiful pale blue eyes, shoulder length black hair and fair skin. He wore a tight t-shirt, leather jacket, jeans and a silver choker around his slender neck.

"Yes." Kagome said, unable to take her eyes off of him.

"I believe you dropped this."

The man held out a gold chain with a pink stone dangling from it.

"Oh no, that's not mine."

"Are you sure?" He pressed "It looks like it would belong to such a beautiful young woman like you."

Kagome blushed, no one had ever said that to her before. It made her want to take the necklace even if it didn't belong to her.

"That's very kind of you to say, but it's not mine."

"Oh, well then could you give it to the police for me? I have somewhere to be."

"Of course!" Kagome said, more than happy to help this attractive man whom caught her eye in a way no on else had.

She held out her hand for the necklace, as soon as it touched her skin she realized the mistake she had made. It was sucking her energy out, the more it took the brighter the stone got. The man laughed as Kagome fell to her knees, she couldn't move to drop the necklace, and her hand was frozen in place.

Then a spray of red covered her face and the man fell to the ground, lifeless. Kagome looked up and saw Sesshomaru standing over her, his claw dripping with blood.