A/N: I do not own Inuyasha or Goblin

Chapter Eighteen

Sturdy hands cupped the underside of her thighs while a firm chest supported her back. Her eyes fluttering open, Kagome realized that the Goblin carried her up the stairs to the shrine, his face expressionless as he did so. There was no noise coming from him other than the gentle rush of air rustling from his lips as he made their way up. Blinking, she didn't know what to say, or what she should do.

"This one will set you down at the top of the stairs, worry not," he grunted, refusing to look down to her.

"Did I fall asleep?" She whispered, blushing a bit.

"On the drive you did," he nodded before easing her feet onto the ground.

She landed easily and stood up without much trouble, only a bit of throbbing in her head to make her feel uneasy. Ready to thank for his trouble and bid him farewell, she was surprised when he took her hand and continued to lead her to the shrine house. They stood at the door and with a knock, he prevent Kagome from sneaking in.

She shot him a look with a small hiss. "You do realize I snuck out?"

"Hn," he answered with a roll of his eyes, reaching up to knock again. He did not need to however, because the door swung open and Mrs. Higurashi stood before them. There was an incredulous look on her face before relief washed over her. She reached forward and gathered her daughter into her arms. Hugging her tightly, the mother sighed in ease, holding her child closer as if afraid that she would disappear.

"I went to check on you," Mrs. Higurashi whispered, stroking the miko's long hair. "But you were gone. I had been so worried that you had…"

The mother cast a worried glance to Sesshomaru before shaking her head. "It was nothing but a silly worry."

"It was not an idle worry," the Goblin piped up, inclining his head. "This one is aware now of your daughter's peculiar and previous traveling situation. Hence why I tried to return her immediately."

"How did he know?" She looked down at the girl in her arms.

"He's a youkai from that time," Kagome answered with a bashful look. "I went to ask him something."

"A youkai from that time," the mother echoed before pulling away from her daughter. Opening her arms, she gestured for the Goblin to welcome himself into the home. "Please, let me make you some tea."

"This one would be grateful for the drink," Sesshomaru nodded, before following the two women into the house. The Shinigami can always leave the vehicle if he becomes too impatient for me.

The Higurashis helped him settle in on the tatami mat, bringing him a lap table to set in front of him. Once Mrs. Higurashi left to boil the kettle and brew the tea, the daughter remained with him, seated across from him so that they could see each other properly. Her eyes did not reach his, always falling to the floor each time again when she would try to look.

"Is there a problem miko?" he finally demanded, giving her an irritated glare when she looked down again for the umpteenth time.

"No there's nothing wrong," she answered with a jittery and startled look.

With a hum, he began to stand, deciding to retrieve his shoes from the front and leave. "This one is sorry if he has made you uncomfortable."

Without another thought, Kagome reached forward and grabbed the hem of his jacket. "No please…"

He stopped at her petered words and looked down at her curiously.

"I just can't...believe that you've done all of this for me," she murmured, looking away from him. "It's a bit for me to process, but...thank you, Sesshomaru."

"You have caught this one's interest, Kagome," he answered, sitting down slowly again, watching with an amused smirk as she was taken aback at the use of her name. "This Sesshomaru was more than glad to aid you."

With that they both quieted, content to just enjoy the company of one another. Mrs. Higurashi stepped in then, with a tray of green tea and a platter of soft cookies. She placed it on the lap table, a cup for each of them and the plate in the center before sitting down herself. Her guest and her daughter each took a sip from the mugs, careful and tedious. She couldn't help but giggle to herself. On the other side of the well, they must have been such good friends for the man to have taken care of her daughter.

"Have you lived long here in the city, Mister?" She asked.

"Taisho, will do, Kagome's mother," he responded, gracefully placing his mug back down. "This one has lived in Nakameguro for close to fifty years now. I recently moved to my current home thirty years prior to now."

"Recently, oh my," she laughed, resting her cheek on her palm. "Time certainly must pass for you youkai differently, right, Mr. Taisho?"

There was a pained look on the Goblin's face before he gave a stiff nod. "It is different."

Kagome cringed, forgetting that one particular detail about her new found friend. "Uh, anyways mama, Sesshomaru should probably be getting back home soon, he's got his tenant in the car."

"Oh my! Should we have let him in?" the motherly worry across the woman's face endeared the white haired male greatly.

Shaking his head, the Goblin almost laughed. "My tenant shall be able to take care of himself should the need arise. He will most definitely be fine, Kagome's mother."

"Mrs. Higurashi is just fine dear."

"This will address as he has been. You deserve the respect for upbringing a good young daughter."

The older woman flushed slightly. "Th...thank you."

Again, bringing himself to his feet, Sesshomaru gave a slight bow at the waist. "This one, will take his leave now. It is a late hour of the night and Kagome has school tomorrow, does she not?"

"She does," Mrs. Higurashi agreed.

"I'll see you out Sessh," Kagome said softly, looking for her mother for affirmation.

She waved the two of them off. "Please return any time, Mr. Taisho. I'm glad Kagome has found a friend from that time here."

A friend. The Goblin couldn't help the gentle upturns of his lips as he gave a gracious dip of his head. "This one is pleased as well. Until next time, madam."

Together, both the miko and the male walked out of the house to the front door. They made their way silently to the enormous stairs that led down the the street where his car awaited him. It felt strange when both of them tried to break the silence. The word "friend" spoken by the mother had left them in an odd mood. Was that how they were perceived? As such good acquaintances that they would be deemed friends. How bizarre.

But then again, Sesshomaru thought, watching as the girl tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Being friends with such a strange creature would not be entirely displeasing to one such as I.

"Sesshomaru, before you leave, may we go to the wellhouse?" Kagome asked suddenly, her gaze reaching his with some steeled determination.

"This one sees no reason not to," he answered before leading the way. "Is there something you wish to discuss?"

"Not in particular," she answered, following him closely.

With a bob of his bangs, he left it at that. He would not pry. A Goblin such as he would never stoop to prying. If someone wished for their privacy, someone respectable anyways, they deserved at least that much.

He slid the door open and they both stepped in, looking down at the dark object that could hardly be seen in the black of nighttime. Neither one said a word, just stared at the faint outline of the well. It seemed as though, the moment they entered the small shelter, that all time had stopped. Perhaps it was both the lack of light and sound that led to this illusion. But, there in the quiet and the solitude, it felt as though it were just them in the world. Not even his curse. Just a miko and a youkai, enjoying a new companionship that would have been forbidden in any other circumstance. And yet, here they were. Under such different terms as well, compared to the first time they had stood there in the same spots.

"I'm glad I found you Sesshomaru," Kagome finally said, her lashes fluttering as she turned to him a warm smile on her face. "It had been horrible and lonely by myself. And yeah, the kidnapping today wasn't fun because someone just had to decide to be a super rich guy here."

He gave her an mirthless chuckle.

"But, you saved me then too. You and the Inuyasha lookalike."

Ah yes, that was a problem. The person renting a room in his house. That was certainly a problem now.

"It's not so lonely anymore," Kagome continued, looking at the hand that he had held earlier.

"This one is glad," his voice was distracted as he looked out of the door back towards the way of the car. "It's not so lonely being dragged into such instances as these because of you."

"I'm not sure if that was an insult or a complement," she giggled.

He did not answer her, his brow furrowing as he seemed lost in thought. His gold eyes deepened in color and his forehead formed small worry wrinkles. Those things happening, she could tell something was off.

"Is something wrong?" the miko murmured, worried that she had something wrong.

"What do you think of him, the Shinigami?" Sesshomaru rumbled, his hand scratching his chin in thought.

"I think he looks deceivingly like Inuyasha." Kagome rubbed the back of her head, her eyes cast to their shoes. "In a discomforting way too much like Inuyasha than I would like for a coincidence."

"It is no coincidence, this one believes," he responded slowly. "Shinigami are made by men who had done corrupt things in their past. In return for malicious deeds, their memories of their past lives are erased and filled with a nothingness so that they may partake in their jobs without guilt or regret."

She looked at him suddenly, not liking how the topic of this was turning. "What are you saying?"

"Inuyasha helped commit the act of exile under the pretense of murder," the Goblin sighed, "towards this one. Remember? It could be very likely, the deities took his action and punished him since it was not made out of entirely evil intent."

"No," she breathed, thinking back to the first moment she had met the strange person on the street.

"As this Sesshomaru has thought for some time," he sighed, resting his observations on the well. It was the easiest thing to look at. A thought of a well did not make him mad. "That Shinigami may very well be the hanyou. Because he was not entirely evil, and not in his sane mind, the deities may have chosen to make him a Shinigami instead of banishing his soul. Because he was hanyou, they may have taken pity on him, and made him such."

Kagome followed the line of his sight to the well, her lip trembling in disbelief. Would those above be so cruel to someone who had suffered so much?

a/n: Hello everyone! I'm so sorry for this late, and albeit, kinda trash updateXD I've been in a real writer's cramp lately and just started to sort of swing back into things. So we'll see how this goes! Thank you for everyone being patient, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO READS! Y'all fill my little heart with joy!

Arigato mina!