Simply Business Chapter 34, an inuyasha fanfic

A.N. Thanks for reviewing! Thanks especially to the fantabulous (actually a word according to spell check…) the. dead. addict. who was my 1000th review and now the love of my life, though all of your reviews make me so happy to read. Thanks everyone for following this story, I am writing and editing as fast as I can to meet my deadline. Two more days!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Inuyasha, or Mariah Carey and never claimed ownership at any point during this story.

(Tsuki)

Simply Business

Chapter Thirty-Four

(Tsuki)

Sesshoumaru felt as if things were somewhat amiss as he boarded the plane. This time it was not even his coach dilemma.

It was the fact that no raven haired girl had seen them off that was bothering him. He had gone out of his way to stress when they would depart and when they would return under the guise of letting the girl would know the dates she needed to take care of the dog. But he was, dare he say, somewhat eager, in the slightest, of course, to see what the girl would cook up. Yet, there she wasn't and he was certain there would be no elaborate welcome home decorations like the time prior.

She was now acting restrained without the downcast attitude and the vomit-inducing cooking.

It was irking…

Rin and Shippou did not even seem to mind the fact that the girl was not there to say farewell. Undoubtedly it was since it was only two short days rather than lengths and lengths of time. Still, that further annoyed him.

He was the only one unappeased by that girl's lack of appearance.

And it bothered him to all hell.

He seated Rin and Shippou and took a seat in between them. He immediately pulled out his laptop and prepared for hours of brooding.

But Rin had other plans in mind, "Papa! Yesterday in school, Ayumi told Rin a funny story!"

Sesshoumaru glanced up briefly from the spreadsheets he was working on to supply with a rather uncommitted tone, "Oh?"

But his obvious distraction allowed the not-so-conspicuous thumbs up she shot to Shippou, to go unnoticed.

Rin nodded so fervently he feared the girl would suffer vertigo, "Ayumi told me how her mama accidently forgot to pick her up from aftercare, 'cause she was working late! Ayumi said she waited three hours by herself," Rin smiled as if she had just told the best story in the world.

Shippou tried to give her a looked that blared, 'stop talking,' as Sesshoumaru raised his brows and murmured, "That sounds very unfortunate for your friend…" He returned to his work with a slight shudder as what children found humorous these days.

"But Ayumi thought it was funny," Rin insisted, "Like the time when Ayumi was out with her mama and she started pretending that this stranger was Ayumi's daddy!" Near by plane passengers within earshot had to glance over at the brunette's statement.

Shippou smacked his forehead.

"Ayumi's mother seems to lead a very …vicarious lifestyle." Sesshoumaru made a mental note to never allow Rin to spend time with this Ayumi or her mother in the future.

Shippou smacked his forehead another time and pouted at the flopping of his brilliantly concocted plan. As it looked like Rin was about to chime up about another 'funny' thing, Ayumi's mother did, he said with gritted teeth and false exuberance, "Hey Rin, why don't you tell the old man about Tachi's mama. She seemed normal," he said under his breath bitterly.

Rin's eyes lit up brightly, "Oh yeah! Tachi's mama is so nice, Papa!" Rin's eyes shone brightly, "She let's Tachi run through fields at night and pretend he a dog! She feeds him these little cookies that look like what we buy for Gome when he does good on tests!"

Sesshoumaru shut down his laptop and said firmly, "And just what else do these mother's do?" The more important question on hand: just what kind of school were these two enrolled in?

Cheating? Questionable sanity? Could he possibly be the only functional parent in Rin's grade? If so, that really was not saying anything about them at all.

Shippou threw his head back against the cushioned seat and groaned as Rin continued her storytelling. Trust Rin to turn his idea gold, into idea suicide!

If Sesshoumaru had considered ever getting Rin a mother, Tachi and Ayumi had just helped shoot that idea to hell.

(Tsuki)

Thanksgiving with the Taishos and all close enough to join their festivities was something that occurred every year. It was a mixture of Thanksgiving and Christmas for the family. It had been dubbed, Thanksmas, by Inuyasha. And though that name had a very feeble ability to catch on in the household, it was as annual as Inu Taisho's company checks. There would be food and an early exchange of presents. That never changed.

However this year the event was a tad different.

Usually it happened in Japan, as opposed to America. What made it unusual was that Inuyasha was that year's host. Inu Taisho for years had hosted Thanksmas dinner in his Hokkaido home, but the man had stayed longer in his Massachusetts estate than he had in other years.

Some of it had to do with the fact that the old romantic knew that winter transition in New England was his wife's favorite thing to experience, but most of it had to do with wanting to spend time with his late friends' daughter.

When the kids were growing up, he always imagined her as his daughter-in-law since she was starkly similar to his own son. But neither had ever shown any romantic interest and Sara had fallen in love with a boy almost her polar opposite.

He looked across the checkers board at the deteriorating girl. She was doing far better now than she had before, but her body was still wafer thin and paler than usual—quite the feat for her normally porcelain skin.

Sara abruptly joked, "How am I still kicking your butt at checkers with a continuous stream of drugs entering my system? Are you letting me win, Inu Taisho?"

Inu Taisho huffed, "I wish I was." He moved one of his black pieces and studied the board, "Maybe I'm just a chess man."

Sara smiled slightly, "You don't have to stay in here all the time with me like this. Even Shippou takes breaks from seeing me. All of you have been amazing for keeping me company but don't force yourselves." She sighed and listlessly moved a piece, "I don't think I could spend as much time with me, if I were you."

Inu Taisho rolled his eyes, "Nonsense, child." He moved a checker and captured one of her red pieces. "Do note if I win, I dictate how much you eat tonight."

The woman hastily became alert and made an impressive double jump.

(Tsuki)

Inuyasha's house was a little less of an inconspicuous abode than Sesshoumaru's. Although the youngest son lived a few miles away from downtown Boston, he had landed himself a cozily large estate a half hour's drive from his corporation sans traffic.

The house was built on an enviable size of acreage, and was white with quaint cherry red shutters. Besides the size of the house, the most notable thing about it was the lawn. Other than being obsessed with the color red, Inuyasha was fascinated with grass.

The amount of sweat, attention, and fertilizers that went into keeping his grass green was almost as ridiculous as the red overalls he wore whenever he worked on it.

So the November cold was more than a bit depressing for said Taisho.

And this cold Massachusetts Thanksgiving was no different. As Izayoi prepared the various sides for the still baking turkey, to everyone's chagrin, Inuyasha drifted around the windows, like a ghost.

Kikyou had taken up a corner of the kitchen's island counter to herself so that she could teach Rin and Shippou how to make a pumpkin pie for later that evening. She ceased helping the two smooth the dough crust over the foil pie pan in favor of calling sharply, "Inuyasha, either lend a hand or get out. You're distracting."

Izayoi nodded and placed a saucer of gravy to boil, "Honestly, Inuyasha, your grass is lovely, yes, but really to mope like this every year isn't healthy. Go play with your brother or something."

Kikyou had to laugh at the idea of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha playing. However, the two brothers had seemed to get along better as of late, which was definitely something nice to see, considering they had known each other for a good two decades.

Inuyasha's ears seemed to perk up at the realization that Sesshoumaru was in his home, "Do you know where he is?"

Izayoi smiled softly, "Working in the guest room again. He hasn't done anything else since his flight came in last night, remember?"

He looked affronted that his new, though very possibly one-sided, best friend would keep hidden from him. "I'll be back later," he murmured, and Kikyou wasn't sure whether he was talking to his grass or to the occupants of the kitchen.

(Tsuki)

"Hey—!"

"I'm working." Sesshoumaru did not look up from the open laptop that was lying on a table in front of him when the other male entered, again thanks only to his access to a skeleton key.

"But you haven't even said two words to me since you showed up here!" Inuyasha pouted and helped himself once again to sitting on the guest bed.

Sesshoumaru drawled, despite knowing that Inuyasha was using an expression, "'I'm working' constitutes as two words, Inuyasha. There. Now I've said seven more words to you and counting. Happy?" His fingers kept typing rapidly on the laptop keyboard and Inuyasha asked curiously, "Whatcha doing anyway? You've been like that since yesterday."

"I'm writing my end of year report, though it is truly none of your business."

Inuyasha put his feet on the bed, a cringe causing action seen through Sesshoumaru's peripheral vision. "Why are you doing it a month early?"

Sesshoumaru rubbed his temples and finally stopped typing and his tone became irritated and sharp, "Perceptive little brother, for your information, I always type my report up during this time wasting gathering."

Inuyasha angrily put his feet down so that he was facing the other brother. He scowled and asked, "You don't really think this is time wasting do you? We're only together two times a year: Thanksgiving and Dad's checks. We don't even do Christmas! I'd like to think you enjoy the what—maybe twenty days—out of a year that you see your family! Even a little!"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Inuyasha, "Do not intrude on my time to scold me."

The younger male sighed and stood, "Why do you always have to be the asshole all the time? Why can't you just pretend that you don't hate everyone around you?"

Again lithe fingers massaged pounding temples and Sesshoumaru said in lieu of an apology, "I have been a little irritated lately. Any conversations now will not end pleasantly."

Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru before returning to sit on the bed, "I see. So what'd Kagome do now?"

Sesshoumaru scowled, "First and foremost, you were just given a warning that any—and I truly mean any—conversation with me will end terribly. Secondly, what makes you think that I am having trouble with my employees?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Heard and subsequently ignored your warning." He smirked, "And this has Kagome written all over it. Employee my ass," the blond exclaimed, "she's like an unofficial wife!"

The silver haired male frowned at hearing that.

An unofficial wife?

Was that why he was so upset? He shuddered a bit. He was upset because that foolish girl of a worker was now acting the indifferent role of an employee?

Surely it was improbable that he'd feel annoyed at her for ceasing her 'spouse' like actions?

Sesshoumaru looked up at Inuyasha wondering if his eyes conceal any of the uncharacteristic lack of composure he felt.

By the victorious glint to the other male's eyes, yes, his loss of poise was very evident.

(Tsuki)

Kagome was right about one thing.

Winter break undoubtedly made time fly… But so did burying oneself in their work to escape impossibly possible and truly unwanted realizations.

December.

For perhaps the first time since she had begun working for Sesshoumaru, she arrived at the same time as him to his house.

Sesshoumaru pulled into his driveway seconds after Kagome took up the space in front of his house.

She grinned to herself as she shut off her car's engine. "This is new." She reached over into her passenger seat to get the gloves she had flung onto it when she had left her dorm.

She slipped them on before exiting her vehicle and locking the door. Kagome gave a small wave upon stepping out onto cold sidewalk.

"Hey there," she called, still with a smile on her face.

Sesshoumaru gave her a curt nod and dug through his briefcase for something. Kagome crossed her arms, more out of indignation than from the cold and crossed over frozen blades of grass until she reached him, "I haven't seen you in almost three weeks and we've been communicating via post-it notes! What the hell kind of greeting was that?"

Cool amber met heated brown… and then heated brown met the back of the coat the man with the cool amber eyes was wearing.

Kagome's jaw dropped.

Did he just walk away from her?

Sesshoumaru unlocked the front door and entered. Though he left the door open, he might as well have slammed it in her face.

Kagome grit her teeth and asked herself rhetorically, "Need anymore proof as to why you need to stay away from randomly hormonal businessmen, Higurashi?"

The girl made her way up the front steps and into the house, grumbling up a storm about the man who had made and ruined her day in the span of five minutes.

Gome eagerly greeted her and Kagome was forced to smile. In a loud voice she said, "Ah! Thank you, Gome. I'm glad you at least know how to greet someone you haven't seen in awhile." Albeit, Gome had seen her a mere twenty four hours earlier and given her the same greeting then, Kagome had hoped Sesshoumaru was somewhere within hearing range to hear her statement.

With a final pat on the canine's head, she went into the kitchen.

Sesshoumaru had in fact been within ear shot, and within the room she had just entered. And that infuriating man was scribbling down a note to stick on the fridge.

Kagome blinked and let out a small wry laugh, "You're not serious are you? I'm right here, Mr. Taisho!"

He looked up at her as if she said something completely obvious and continued to write.

Kagome crossed over to the fridge and place a hand over his. She was surprised when he visibly flinched and quickly removed her hand. She looked him over and with uncertainty asked, "Hey, what gives? What's wrong with you today?" She gave a nervous, dubious giggle, "Are you mad at me?"

Sesshoumaru snorted, "You've been too wholesome for anyone to be angry with you, Higurashi. You've acted completely perfect," he gave her a chilling smile. "A model employee."

Kagome frowned and asked incredulously, "But that's a bad thing to you?"

She snatched the post-it note from his hands and read it out loud.

"Higurashi," she altered her voice to sound monotone and cold and stared evenly at Sesshoumaru, "These are the words I could not say to you in person despite the fact that you are a mere foot away." Her eyes returned to the square note.

"'As I will be home until the week of New Year's Eve, decrease the amount of hours that you come in for. If you wish to take the holiday off, take it up with my fridge?'" Kagome read with a disbelieving tone that hiked the man's written statement into a question.

She looked amazed, "The only thing I can say, Mr. Taisho is what the hell?" She waved the post it in his face, "If you don't want to talk to me, well fine, two can play at this game!"

Sesshoumaru smirked at her and scribbled something down. As he brushed past her, he pressed what he had written onto her forehead.

Kagome reached, mouth agape at the post-it note, he had put on her.

She let out a muffled shriek of frustration as it merely read, 'Hn.'

(Tsuki)

Rin and Shippou were at a loss.

They weren't sure if this was some odd game adults liked to play or if there was some blatant dislike between the two.

Dinners had been a tad…awkward lately.

Sure the two were happy that both adults now frequently joined them, but they were turning the two children into human carrier pigeons.

Kagome leaned over and whispered something into Rin's ear. The brunette sighed and said with a tone of careful recitation, "Papa, nee-chan wants you to know that she will be taking Christmas Eve off until New Year's."

The older girl smirked as her message was relayed and she put a spoon of rice in her mouth almost victoriously.

Sesshoumaru delved into his breast pocket and pulled out a now lime green pad of post-its. He scribbled something down and handed it to Shippou.

Shippou let out a sigh that mirrored Rin's, "Here, nee-chan, the old man has something to say."

Kagome took the post-it and she angrily read, "'I thought I told you to take up your vacation time with the fridge?!'" Kagome crumpled the post it and furiously tossed it at the man across from her. It landed smack in the middle of his chest.

The girl ground out, conscious that there were children present, "You're a pain in my behind, Sesshoumaru! Just wait! Jakotsu and I have been hanging out together a lot lately—so mark my words, we'll get you!"

Sesshoumaru's answer to that was to crumple a post-it note of his own and toss one right back at her.

It landed approximately where Kagome had hit Sesshoumaru, the only difference, though was that Kagome had paper attracting cleavage.

Kagome gave a scandalized yelp and crossed her arms, "Y-you!"

Rin and Shippou exchanged looks and slowly left their seats. Shippou asked the older girl as they snuck out, "Wanna go watch a movie?"

Rin nodded as Kagome fished out and consequently snapped the post it ball right back, "Rin will make the popcorn…"

Sesshoumaru had to wonder if it was perhaps too immature of him to provoke his 'employees' like this to get them to what he considered, 'back to normal.'

(Tsuki)

"What would you like for Christmas, Higurashi?" That was the greeting that met her when Kagome next saw Sesshoumaru.

The girl eyed him suspiciously "Last week we had a post-it war and this week we're discussing exchanging presents? What is wrong with you, Sesshoumaru?" She clutched tighter at her satchel that carried Jakotsu's donated lace lingerie and matching camisoles that were going to replace his underwear and wife beaters before she left that night if he acted up.

Their new pattern of driving in at the same time had stuck but today happened to be the first day that they had spent the walk up to the house together and speaking.

"I suppose I owe you an apology for that," he murmured with an amused look as he unlocked the door and held it open while she entered. "I had been undoubtedly unprofessional."

Something Kagome had grudgingly come to love about being there the moment Sesshoumaru stepped in from the biting cold, was the effect it had on his face.

In the time it took him to take off his heavy, black, wool trench and his silky looking gloves, his face did a transformation.

His normally porcelain skin was enviably attractive yes, but when he his cheeks and nose had a light and natural undertone of rose, he looked positively…adorable.

Even if he was infuriating.

Kagome slowly slipped off her own winter jacket and mused, "I suppose it had been fun…in retrospect though."

He chuckled and took her jacket from her. Kagome laid her gloves on a table next to the closet where Sesshoumaru had placed his own gloves and mail whenever it arrived.

Kagome kept her scarf on, as she still felt a bit chilly and she rubbed her sweater covered arms, "Where's Gome?"

"With Rin and Shippou at the orphanage," Sesshoumaru answered and stepped into the kitchen for a bottle of water.

"They really spend a lot of time there," The raven haired girl murmured in response as she followed him, still instinctively clutching her satchel.

After a sip of water, the platinum blond, replied, "The kids there are better influences than her classmates. I wholly encourage their visits. It gives them something to do while I finalize things at the office, anyway."

Sesshoumaru had decided and informed her through post-it a week ago, that he wanted her to come in around one-thirty. Rin and Shippou frequented the orphanage in the mornings and Sesshoumaru himself still worked so there was no need for Kagome to really be there by herself.

Kagome smiled, "I'd like to go there with them one day. I always hear such positive things about it."

The man glanced at the stove clock in the kitchen, "I pick them up in an hour. Care to join me?"

"Why are you being so civil? Should I be worried?" She touched his forehead with the back of her hand, "Are you sick?"

Sesshoumaru removed her hand, "I am not ill. It was a simple and fleeting matter of …juvenile behavior on my part."

The two drifted into a lapse of silence and Kagome finally uttered something that had been on her mind since her employ.

"I've been meaning to ask, but I really don't want to pry—I've been really curious though, and mind you, you don't have to answer this—"

Sesshoumaru leaned against the counter and in amusement he finished for her, "You wish to know if that's were I adopted Rin from, correct?"

She flushed and nodded a bit as she sat on the counter next to him.

The silver haired man shook his head, "It is only coincidental that Rin likes the children at the orphanage. She is my mother's niece."

Kagome looked over him, "Your mother?"

He nodded and continued, "I know about her family only from what my father told me and her journal accounts she left for me. Apparently, she had a younger sister she was close with. Both of them suffered various forms of heart malformations so they both vowed to take care of either's children were one to pass away. Even though it was my mother that eventually died first, she had included that vow in her will. I was her back up, I suppose, if she couldn't do it herself. So several years ago, Rin was placed under my custody."

"Both of her parents died then," Kagome asked sadly, thinking of how it must have felt for the girl based on her own losses.

"Her mother did, but her father wanted to remarry and did not want to have extra baggage. Due to my mother and her sister's combined wills, Rin was legally bound to our family, so that's where she went once things were settled in court. By that time I had moved in here, so I just set her up with a room."

Kagome felt insulted for the girl, "Her own father deserted her?" She furrowed her brows together, "That's just horrible. Was Rin alright? Does she remember that?" Sesshoumaru had to study her face at the sight of her genuine concern for the girl and Inuyasha's words seemed to haunt him at that moment.

She's like an unofficial wife…

But he squashed them to reply, "She only seemed saddened by her mother's death when I met her. I regrettably did not pay as much attention as I should have to her, but at this point, she doesn't even remember having had a mother since she had been considerably younger."

Kagome hugged her torso loosely and considered that information as she and Sesshoumaru conversed for a few more minutes. Eventually the silver haired man left and Kagome began to make a quick lunch for the four of them.

While she made deli style sandwiches and sliced apples, she could not keep Rin off her mind.

A part of her wished she could erase all the unhappy in Rin and Shippou's childhoods. She thought back to the red headed boy's nights of tears and of how abandoned Rin must have felt.

In her preoccupation, she ended up applying to much pressure to her knife and it slid through the apple down the length of her index finger.

Kagome winced and both objects fell out of her hand.

She grimaced at the sight of the rapidly pooling blood and rushed over to the sink. She blasted the water over the wound just as Sesshoumaru entered the kitchen.

"If you wish to leave, we should head out now." After the words left his mouth, he caught sight of the fallen utensil, fruit, and splattering of blood on the ground.

He shook his head and murmured, "I'll get the first aid kit."

Kagome smiled wanly, "T-thanks."

The silver haired man was gone for perhaps a minute before he returned with the familiar white box. He shut off the faucet and grabbed a paper towel. "Hold this against your finger and try to apply pressure to it."

Kagome let out a breath, "Don't worry, I'll take care of everything. Go pick up the kids and I'll have everything cleaned up by then."

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes heavenward as he removed an antiseptic salve and a large bandage. "You said that you wanted to see the orphanage. This will only take a moment."

Kagome's heart pounded in her chest as Sesshoumaru gently took hold of her hand and removed the reddening towel. He dabbed the lengthy cut one last time before he applied the salve and quickly wrapped it.

He looked at her, "Better?"

The girl gingerly took back her hand and nodded. "Thank you," she said softly before grabbing another sheet of paper towels and to clean up the apple. As Sesshoumaru rinsed off his hands and returned the kit, Kagome washed the knife and scrubbed the area where her blood had dripped onto.

She internally berated herself for injuring herself in such a foolish way. Mid self-deprecation, Sesshoumaru returned. "Were you finished with lunch?"

"I just have to pour lemon juice on the apples so they don't brown, but otherwise, I'm finished."

Sesshoumaru briskly walked to the fridge and brought out the liquid in question. He poured a sparse amount over the slices and slipped them into the fridge where he saw the sandwiches.

Kagome again thanked him and finished what she was doing before they retrieved their outerwear.

As she slipped it over her long forgotten over the shoulder satchel, Sesshoumaru inquired, "What's in the bag? You've refused to relinquish it since you arrived."

Kagome's face flamed up and she squeaked, "Nothing!"

"Hn." He headed towards the door as if the matter was of no consequence to him and he opened the door for her. Kagome stepped out, warily clutching her bag. Sesshoumaru smirked at her and closed the door behind him. "You hardly pull off the guise of it being nothing."

The girl did not respond, but made sure to keep a safe distance ahead of him as they walked to the car and when she slid into her seat, she kept one thigh on the bag. She doubted Sesshoumaru would invade her personal space so purposefully.

And she proved to be correct.

The slight downward push of his brow alerted her to the fact that he was annoyed that she was being so secretive.

The raven haired girl almost giggled at the sight but kept herself under check as they drove.

"So, Higurashi, what distracted you enough to attempt to cut off your finger?"

Kagome crossed her arms, mindful of said cut, and sniffed, "Someone's a little nosy today, huh. Why all the questions?"

Sesshoumaru spared her a glance, "Although this is hard to believe, that type of carelessness is actually rather uncharacteristic of you."

The raven haired girl one-handedly twirled her hair. After a moment she admittedly softly, "I was just thinking about Rin and Shippou…"

They pulled into the parking lot of the orphanage then and neither moved for a few minutes.

Finally Sesshoumaru asked, "Shall we go?"

There were times when Kagome liked to imagine that she and Sess were thinking along the same lines.

And now was probably one of those times.

(Tsuki)

The visit to the orphanage was perhaps one of the highlights of her time with the Taishos. One thing she hadn't really gotten to know about was Sesshoumaru philanthropic side.

Seeing bronze plate after plate of, 'donated by Sesshoumaru Taisho' was something almost heartwarming.

She had never been inside an orphanage before, but she had no doubt that his was perhaps the coziest one ever built. Sesshoumaru had expanded on the building to allow for each orphaned child to have a comfortable amount of personal space and even at a glance one could tell Sesshoumaru had donated enough to make it almost like a quaint hotel.

However, when he showed her around, it was not because he wanted to astound her or flaunt by showing how much he had at his dispense, it was out of regard for her genuine interest in the building. Sesshoumaru had given her a brief tour of the living quarters and their dinning hall, and then finally they came to where the children all were.

A spacious recreational room greeted them and so did a mass of excited children.

Kagome giggled as several rushed over to the tall man and began to tell him that they were being adopted. But the tone in their voices made it almost sound as if that fact were something tragic.

But one look around told her why, there were computer stations donated by Taisho Tech and a large flat screen mounted on the wall displaying popular children's shows.

Board games and crayons littered colorful tables of various sizes and cubbies that lined the entirety of a wall seemed to insinuate that a lot more was at their disposal. The raven haired girl instantly spotted Gome, sprawled in the middle of the floor.

Amidst the twenty or so faces of various ages, Rin and Shippou were a bit harder to find. But eventually Kagome was able to point them out.

A few curious faces glanced her way and asked who she was. Rin and Shippou proudly introduced her as their nee-chan and that was enough to turn a flustered Kagome into somewhat of a celebrity.

A young woman peeked into the room at the increase in commotion. She was a curly haired brunette with kind doe eyed eyes. Her height rivaled Sango's and she looked pleasantly surprised at seeing Sesshoumaru. She smiled, "Are you here to take Rin and Shippou now?"

Sesshoumaru nodded and continued to watch in amusement as Kagome attempted to answer an endless stream of questions. The woman gestured towards Kagome, "I see the children love your friend there, Mr. Taisho."

The man snorted, "They probably find her easy to relate to."

After a moment of seeing that there would be no further conversation, she clasped her hands together, "Yes, well it was very nice seeing you again, Mr. Taisho, however I only wanted stop in for a few minutes to see what all the commotion was."

He nodded and said a farewell before walking back to where Kagome was. He addressed the children around the girl, "If you all don't mind, I must insist on taking these three from you."

Kagome waved with a giggle as she heard groans and took Shippou and Rin's hands in hers. "Time to go Gome!" Gome rolled onto her feet so that she could follow the four.

As she left, she had to gush, "I see why you guys love being here. Everyone looked so nice."

Sesshoumaru smirked at her a bit as they placed the kids and Gome in the car.

As they drove off, Kagome couldn't help but wonder what new side of Sesshoumaru she would see next…

(Tsuki)

At the doorway before she left later that evening, Sesshoumaru decided to stop her. His eyes glistened almost mischievously, "You never told me what you wanted for Christmas, Higurashi."

Kagome only smirked at him and tightened her scarf against her wind exposed neck, "Here's the deal—I'll tell you when you tell me what you what."

Before he could open his mouth to respond, she had taken a step down the front steps with a wave, "Good night!"

When she was younger Kagome used to hate that song by Mariah Carey entitled, 'All I Want for Christmas'. She never understood how a person could only want another person, when an unstable world such as theirs produced so much to wish for. Whether it was material or not, Kagome just felt it an irrational thing to say, 'all I want for Christmas is you'.

But as she started her drive home, that was all she wanted to listen to.

(Tsuki)

Kagome and Sango always went Christmas shopping early, due to Sango's dislike of procrastinating during holiday seasons.

Who could blame the brunette though; sales plus frantic last minute shoppers only equaled disaster in abundance.

The two girls had both agreed to be one of the few crazy workers who did work during the Christmas preseason, to further their nest egg financials for the end of the year. Therefore, this December morning found the two rushing to shop for those they cared for, before they went their respective ways off to work. Sango kept her arm linked through Kagome's on one side and her hand clasped tightly on her purchase on the other side.

She grinned at Kagome, "I'm beating you, I hope you know. I got my mom, Kohaku, and your mom. All you have is the creepy present for your jii-chan."

Kagome rolled her eyes, "That only because you stole almost all of my ideas! I was totally eyeing that plate set for mama and Mirouku already gave Souta the game I was thinking of getting him." She clutched her gift to her chest, "Besides, the petrified pygmy marmoset skeleton I bought is not creepy, it's original. According to the shopkeeper it's even supposed to bring good luck."

"What I love the most is how you didn't even buy that in the mall! You went to an equally original store that was behind it!" Kagome giggled and murmured for the girl to be quiet. Sango laughed, "All I'm saying is Jii-chan is just getting some really nice tea from me…or maybe some Ouija board," she snorted.

Kagome cried, "Don't you dare!" as she pulled the girl into a CD store. Imagining how many séances would be held in their poor well house outweighed her desire to see her grandfather content with his gifts.

Sango giggled and followed Kagome to the Alternative Rock section. Kagome picked up several American released CDs from before moving further down the aisle and finding a table filled with discount discs from the past decade.

The brunette suddenly realized who the music was for. "I didn't even think of that," she murmured as Kagome fished out a Sing the Sorrow album. Kagome grinned, "Unlike Souta, Kohaku will forever and always be easy to shop for since he seems to like a new genre every year."

Sango smiled a bit, "It's still three to two, Higurashi and you have way more people to shop for than I do."

Kagome huffed, "Not really!"

Sango grinned. They went to the register and as Kagome readied her bank card she listed, "You have my parents, your mom; let's not forget how we always get something for Buyo and Kirara. Then there's Gome, Souta, Rin, Shippou, me, Kouga…and Sesshoumaru."

Kagome flushed as she paid, "We're going split-sies on our cats and Rin and Shippou, though so that doesn't count." She thanked her cashier and put her card away before taking her bag and placing it with her boxed skeleton.

"Hey! Don't let those two touch! I don't want you unintentionally cursing my brother," she joked.

Kagome hooked her arm back through Sango's and said, "You're done, Sango. Now come on! I think I have the perfect idea for what to get for our favorite munchkins."

They spent another hour an a half shopping together before they deposited their bags in the car and decided to separate to shop for each other.

Kagome ticked off who she still needed to shop for, "Sango, Kouga and Sesshoumaru…"

She probably could hold off on Sesshoumaru's gift until she gleaned more about his interests from him.

As she walked around though, she found the perfect pair of shoes for Sango. The brunette had an enviable shoe collection, if not a shoe infatuation that she had not own up to yet. The magenta pair of heels, were at a comfortable height and had attractive flowers going up their outer facing sides, until they reached the buckle.

Sango had dozens of matching clothing that were fitting for the shoes, so Kagome quickly snatched up a pair in the other girl's size.

She jubilantly walked to the register to make her purchase. As she waited on line, she glanced at her watch to check the time. She still had half an hour before she had to meet Sango at the food court for lunch. That was plenty of time to get gifts for Kouga and Sesshoumaru.

Kagome's triumphant grin was plastered on her face, until she finally saw their price when they were rung up. She winced as the shoes ran over what she had budgeted out for her friend.

But they were so perfect!

She closed her eyes and handed over her bank card. Apparently she was going to have to make time to open Sesshoumaru's checks, she mused to herself as she carried out her purchase.

The raven haired girl walked around and into store aimlessly, hoping gift inspiration would strike and soon she found herself down to her last fifteen minutes. With a sigh she did an about face so that she could head to the food court.

The girl walked by the stores and as she did she happened to glance into one of the newer additions to the mall. She had never been in there before so she decided to just glance inside to kill a little more time.

As soon as she stepped inside she saw two perfect gift ideas.

One would have been perfectly suited for Kouga. The other, she was almost certain Sesshoumaru wouldn't hate.

She groaned. Her guesstimate of what was checking account was too close to being overdrawn if she went with both items.

Kagome cursed the price tag on the shoes and cursed her procrastination on heading to the bank with nearly three months' worth of paychecks.

She rubbed her brow and her hand reached for the item that seemed to call out louder to her.

Sesshoumaru's…

(Tsuki)

The first snow was perhaps the best snowfall of the year.

Kagome arrived covered in fresh white flakes and a large grin on her face. Pajamas clad, Rin and Shippou met her instantly, "It's snowing nee-chan!"

The raven haired girl pulled a shopping bag in front of her, "And what better way to celebrate than hot chocolate and mini marshmallows? Who's going to help me set this up?"

Sesshoumaru came down hearing the excited squeals and giggles. Kagome noted he was carrying a large box.

Kagome handed a bag to each child and let them head into the kitchen while she took off her boots so she could leave them at the door way. As she slipped off her coat she questioned, "What's in the box, Sesshoumaru?"

He spared her a glance, "Rin insists on wasting electricity with frivolous Christmas decorations."

Kagome giggled and offered, "I'll give you a hand once I get those two in the kitchen their chocolate fix."

Sesshoumaru commenced to set the box that read, 'Outside lights,' on the foyer table. "No need. They're not going up today. I am just bringing the boxes down."

The girl rolled her eyes, "Why go through all the trouble and get none of the satisfaction from seeing at least some of the lights?!" She looked exasperated, "Come get some hot chocolate and then we'll wreck the crap out of your electric bill."

Sesshoumaru gave her a look that seemed to explicitly say that that was in no way, shape, or form, the plan of action for the evening.

But of course, contrary to what his face believed, for four people that evening was spent detangling lights, deciphering tree assembling directions (as Sesshoumaru refused to massacre a tree simply to 'watch it die and litter his living room'), and performing nothing short of acrobatics to hang decorations.

With lots and lots of hot chocolate…

(Tsuki)

Kouga nervously pulled up to the Taisho house and parked across the street, seeing as how the spot in front of the other man's house was occupied by Kagome's car.

Sango very clearly had been right in her guess that Kagome was there at the house.

The man stared out the window blankly for a moment. The inch of snow they had received had been reduced to icy patches by the rain and cold that had followed.

Kouga lifted a bouquet of flowers from the passenger seat and sucked in a deep breath. In a deeper, practiced voice, he recited, "Kagome, there's no one else that I want to bring the New Year in with. Help me start off a year to remember—I want you to officially be my girlfriend."

He rubbed his temples. Maybe that would be an insulting thing to say… After all girls had a different way of looking at relationships. Maybe she already started calling him her boyfriend and by saying that he could upset her. Or maybe she would hate his gift—or the flowers. Maybe there was a secret meaning behind the ones he chose that had negative connotations…

He opened the collar of his coat a little more and breathed, "Calm down Kouga." He suddenly got an idea.

The blue eyed male looked at the card that was attached to the bouquet. It merely read 'Merry Christmas,' despite the ample space.

He fished for a pen in the dashboard compartment and when he found one, he carefully wrote down a message that more like him. It was simple, but something he hoped would convey.

He looked out the window again, still hesitating on exiting the car.

His fingers clenched the door handle and just as he was about to pull the door open, a car pulled into the driveway.

Kouga groaned and cursed his luck at missing a chance at catching Kagome alone, "That guy hadn't even been home?"

But he had not been as lucky as he thought.

He saw the raven haired girl laughingly exit the car, a light looking, white grocery bag in hand. He heard her voice, albeit somewhat mutedly because of his rolled up windows, despite of his distance. She called into the car, "I'm telling you, this is the best thing to eat in the winter. It's great!"

The two children she looked after slid out of the car, the eldest, holding a bag of her own. And then Sesshoumaru exited and locked the car. "That is not what I worry about, Higurashi—it's your addiction to sugar that concerns me!"

The redheaded boy crossed his arms, "Stop trying to ruin a good thing old man!" Kagome stuck her tongue out and lifted Shippou onto her shoulders. "Ha! See! You're the only Debby Downer here!"

Sesshoumaru looked appalled at the title as he walked up the walkway to the house.

The brunette girl, Rin, squealed as she slid a little, "It's so icy, Papa!"

The silver haired man frowned and stopped walking and removed his car lock from his ring of keys. He held out his house keys. "Open the door for them Higurashi. It slipped my mind to salt the walkway."

Kagome brought Shippou down for her shoulders, to his dismay, and set him down, "Be careful, on the way up," she warned as walked ahead of him to get the keys. But no sooner were the words out of her mouth, did she end up, slipping herself of a thin coat of ice.

Kouga nearly flung the door open as he saw her fall, but Sesshoumaru smoothly stepped in and caught the surprised girl amidst the children's gasps.

He held her until she shakily steadied herself and after what felt to Kouga to be an eternity, she finally stopped clutching his coat and let out an embarrassed giggle. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink and she finally took the keys from Sesshoumaru.

He smirked at her and said something to her that the blue eyed man was unable to hear and Kagome hit him with a huff. As he walked over to the trunk of his car, Kagome gave one glance back at the man, before slowly bringing the children to the front door.

That moment of pure shock on the raven haired girl's face, had opened her face up like the pages of a book.

The look in her eyes as she looked into his eyes…

Suddenly Kouga knew what he really needed to write.

(Tsuki)

Kagome opened the door only to spot a bouquet and carefully wrapped present sitting on the doorstep. Judging from the look of the flowers they had been sitting there for a few hours.

The raven haired girl raised her brows in surprise and called, "Seems like you have secret admirer, Sesshoumaru!"

In the back of her mind she had to wonder if Kagura had somehow gleaned Sesshoumaru's home address from a very bribe susceptible Jakotsu.

The silver haired man appeared behind her looked as if her voiced statement was a ridiculous thing to say until he saw the flowers and package.

He mirrored Kagome's look of surprise. "Is there a message?"

Kagome giggled and smacked her forehead gently, "I didn't even think to check." She saw a white card amidst the irises, baby's breath, and larkspur, so she picked up the bouquet.

Blood drained from her face as she read the card.

"What does it say," Sesshoumaru asked sharply, seeing her expression. When she didn't respond, he took the bouquet from her and glanced over the card.

'Join me for a New Year's Eve dinner. I'd to introduce someone important to me, to my family.

Love, Kouga'

That would have been a very normal message considering who it was from. However…those words had been crossed out and replaced with one concise sentence.

'Let's end this.'

Kagome, in spite of her heavy winter clothing, felt herself grow cold.

(Tsuki)

A.N. Homeward bound. I've been chapter jumping like crazy. I was writing this and coming up with ideas for other chapters, which explains the lack of update yesterday haha.

Fun little thought: during the kitchen seen I had initially written Sesshoumaru to have gone to the fridge and produced the lemon juice, (the words, 'brought out' totally slipped my mind). It stayed that way until I did edits and had a nice little laughing fit at a sudden image of Sess taking a piss to 'produce' said lemon juice (maybe because I thought yellow, idk. Maybe it's because I've been writing for twelve consecutive hours…) So yeah. Just thought I'd share.

Tell me what you think (of the chapter, not what I think about when I write).

R&R