I kissed him with all my might, I knew deep inside I had fallen for him, but I tried to keep it a secret and for some reason… 'I just blew my cover, I'm gonna die once our lips part…he's going to kill me! OH SHIT! ...and this was my first kiss too. Whatever, might as well make it worthwhile.'I ran my fingers in his silken hair, enjoying my last moments on earth, kissing him, the only way to tell him I truly liked him, and all his cold ways.

He walked to the bed, laying me down, parting our lips, as I opened my eyes to his golden orbs, they were unreadable. Sesshomaru sat down next to me, just staring at me, it was scary but also enchanting. "Why?"

"Huh?" I sat up, looking at him.

"Why did you do that to this Sesshomaru? That is the first level of courting, but why?"

I blushed, as I started to play with my hands. "I…I just did."

"Are we courting? Did my Mother convince you to be another chosen bride elect?"

I shook my head, I wasn't being completely honest. Mother Taka did say that I should travel with him to perfect my powers, and she did imply that he might fall for me, because of my spirit and defiance against him. I did agree with her, about the traveling, and inside, I wanted Sesshomaru to fall for me, like in my dream, no matter how long it took.

"Then why did you do it?"

"I like you!" I got up from the bed, as I walked onto the balcony, looking at the sky, staring at the crescent moon. I started to feel stronger, just basking in the moonlight, it made me calmer but I was still uneasy about the matter at hand.

"Like?" I could hear his footsteps toward me, as he stood next to me.

"Yes, I like you."

"Why?"

I looked at him, seeing him stare at the moon, then at me. "Why? Isn't it obvious? If you have so many bride elects that Mother Taka has shown you, shouldn't it be obvious why they like you."

"I want to hear your reason."

"Why should my reason differ from theirs?"

"Tell me." He sent a shiver in my spine, as I looked away for a moment.

"You send a feeling inside me, that I've never felt in my life…I've always been blocking people out of my life, till I met my friend Kagome, she was the only one to see my insides. I always was strong and noble, like you. As time passed, I started to block Kagome too. Then I met you…" I looked into his eyes, hoping he would see my feelings through them; I finally opened the safe, the safe not even my own father could open, as a tear ran down my eye.

Sesshomaru stared at the tear, as he lifted his hand to catch it in his palm, taking his other hand wiping my face. "Why do you cry?"

"Because I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"That you might hate me…" I hugged him tight, as I shoved my face into his boa, crying. I never felt so open in my entire life, I was proclaiming feelings and crying, I'm not who I used to be. I was the girl who used to glare a guy to stop hitting on me, the girl who would never cry if she got hurt or was in pain, the girl to always be in the back of the group but ahead in the grades, the girl to always keep her mouth shut and keep her eyes open, but that wasn't me anymore.

He wrapped his arms around me, I gasped, as he caressed my hair, it calmed me. Sesshomaru picked me up again, as he took me to my bed, lying me down, slipping my top kimono and shoes off, now I was wearing the underneath blouse and pants, he pulled the blankets over me. I stared at his eyes, to see no emotion, but I saw a glimmer, it seemed to be…compassion?

"Sesshomaru," He looked up at me, as he finished tucking me into the blankets. "Why?"

"This Sesshomaru…likes you." I blushed crimson; it must have turned my face back to its normal color, because he shed a small grin, but it disappeared as soon as it was there. He leaned over my head, as he placed such a small kiss on my forehead, and left the room, closing the door behind him.

I laid there under the satin sheets staring at the ceiling, as I started to get deep in thought. 'He just said he liked me, I can't believe it…My dream is coming true…But it will take a long time to reach the girl I was in that dream…' I sighed, thinking of so many ways to make Sesshomaru fall for me and ways he could notice how strong my feelings were for him. I started to drift to sleep, as I turned onto my side, towards the balcony, while I lay in the moonlight. I fell asleep, having feelings of strength, happiness, and…the flutter of being in love.

++Early Morning++

I groaned as the sun shined in my face, I turned over in my blankets, burying my face in a pillow, hoping to go back to sleep, to wonderful sleep. I thought to myself, as I closed my eyes tight, having visions of last night run through my head. 'I hope to god, I was dreaming… that I passed out after dinner, and everything was just a food induced…heaven…' I heard my door open, I already knew who it was.

"Morning Rin." I sat up to see her bright and smiling face at the foot of my bed, holding a kimono in her hands.

"Morning, Miss Mika." She laid down the kimono and jumped up to sit next to me, I yawned, rubbing my eyes. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. I slept wonderfully, the blankets are even better than the ones back home." I looked at the kimono, as she passed it to me. "Did Mother Taka send you to give me these?"

She nodded. "She did, but Lord Sesshomaru put something special in the sleeve." Rin jumped off the bed, and to the door. "I'm gonna play with Ah-Un, Miss Mika."

"Ok, just be sure not to get dirty." Rin nodded again, as she left the room, I stared at the kimono in my hands. I lifted the sleeve, to see the sapphire pendant I had found in the spring, it now had a sterling silver chain to hold it up. I smiled as I slipped it around my neck, moving my hair out of the way. 'So it wasn't a dream…' I blushed as I thought over everything; I shook my head to get it off my mind, while I got out of the bed. I put on the kimono, remembering how Sesshomaru did it. The kimono was looser than the last one, this one had short sleeves stopping at my elbows, it seemed to be like a casual kimono.

Jaken walked into the room, as I looked at myself in the mirror, fixing my hair, it was all messy from having it in a ponytail for so long, I brushed it and put it into a bun. "Lady Mika?"

"Yes, Jaken?" I glanced at him for a moment, as I went over to the dresser to see if there was any make up, for the first time in my life I wanted to look nice, but not just some black eye liner. I found some, I put something that seemed to be lip gloss and some cover up, to cover the purple bags under my eyes. I finished as I turned to him, with a smile.

"Lord Sesshomaru wishes to see you in the study, as Lady Takara would like to see you in the garden."

"Who needs to see me the most?"

"Her Ladyship."

"Then tell Sesshomaru, I will get to him after I see to Mother." I bowed my head, as he bowed, I learned some etiquette from Mother Taka when I was with her, she taught me everything she could in such a little time. I went to my balcony, as I took a deep breath of the garden, I could smell her scent, I jumped down and ran towards her. I slowed down when I reached her, as I bowed my head, she did the same. "Morning Mother."

"Good Morning, Mika dearest. How did you sleep?"

"I slept so well, the moon was shinning down on me and it felt as if Buddha had given me new life." We sat down under the Sakura blossom tree to her right, as she took my hand.

"I can see that you have grown stronger, in just one day."

I smiled, brightly. "Mother, it is only thanks to you for taping me into my powers."

"It was not of my doing." She smiled back.

"Mother, do not be so modest, if not for you, I would still be a weakling." I fixed my necklace, as Mothers face changed, it seemed pale. "What's wrong?"

"Where did you get that pendant?"

I looked down, as I lifted it. "I found it, while I was swimming in a spring; it was at the bottom of the floor. I gave it to Sesshomaru, wondering if he knew, and he said he would ask you. Is there something wrong with it?"

"Something wrong with it?" She looked at me, straight in the eye, just like Sesshomaru would do, but her stare didn't make me shake in fear or make me feel as if my soul was being read, it was if she wanted me to see what was wrong, but I couldn't. "That pendant belonged to Sesshomaru's fiancé."

Author Note

I want to thank the new readers for joining us to Another Life. I hope you enjoy the story

Hey! (Mika called out from behind issue 52 of Inuyasha) I already warned you before, my job!

Geez! Why do you always have to argue with me?

Because its my story!

Im the writer! Dont make me get Sesshomaru to put that collar back on you!

(growls) Alright... Srry! (goes back to readin)

Thats better. Well, see everyone for the next chapter. And please-

Fave and Review, readers! (Mika called over)

MIKA! *sighs* Later guys! lol ^^