a.n. Okay! I am updating again! I truly don't know how close to done I am… to be honest I want it to be soon. We shall see!

Kagome was floored. She was hoping he would tell her he wanted a raise, or to be transferred, or that he was quitting. Not this. Why couldn't he tell me he is resigning? It would be easier to deal with!

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked, jerking her out of her thoughts. "Did you hear me?"

Kagome wasn't sure how to answer him. She had originally planned on marrying him just so she could take her father's business. She hadn't known anything of it, but she felt it was her duty to keep it in their family. But she had dragged it out long enough so she was able to take it without marrying Sesshoumaru.

"How about we discuss Rin for a while?" She changed the subject. "How are you lately?"

"Not good," Rin said with a sad face.

"Why not?"

"Sesshoumaru keeps making me meet all these ugly girls," Rin complained. She knew her father was paying attention, although he pretended to look through the menu. "I don't like them."

"Why?" Kagome asked. "They can't be all that bad."

"They aren't nice to me like you are," the girl complained. "They don't like it when Sesshoumaru takes me with them out. They try to make him ignore me for them."

"You talk to grown up," Kagome stated. "And I'm sure they're just jealous because you're so pretty and the apple of your fathers eye."

Rin smiled at the older girl. She wanted Kagome for her mother, not only because she was kind to her, but Sesshoumaru was more willing to do the more outstanding things that usually came with a small child.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said. He sounded his old, cold self. Void of all emotion in voice and face. "We do need to discuss things."

"I get that," she said roughly. "Although, I don't see why we have to do it in front of Rin."

"When would you find it… convenient to discuss things?"

"If we are done early," she said slowly. "We can go back to the apartment. Rin can play video games in my room with Sango, and we can discuss whatever it is you feel we need to speak about."

"That seems acceptable."

Kagome rolled her eyes slightly. She was trying to figure out why he was all of a sudden acting his old self. Admitting out loud would let Sesshoumaru know that she still had feelings for him. I cannot allow him to know. Thing's have worked out well for me lately, and I cannot go back to the way things were.

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"Sango…"

"NO!"

"Why not?" He pestered.

"Because I don't want to!" she argued.

"It'll be fun," begged the boy. "Think of it as an experiment!"

"Miroku," she sighed. "Allowing you to switch my room with Kagome's because you are bored is a bad idea."

"I think it will be funny," he said with a snicker. "See how long it takes her to notice."

"She will notice the second she gets home," Sango told him. "Besides, she sent me a text message earlier saying that she was bringing Sesshoumaru and Rin home for a bit."

"Are they back together?"

"I don't know," Sango replied. "She said earlier they were going to discuss things."

Miroku nodded. As her friend, he didn't want to see Kagome go down the same road with Sesshoumaru. He knew Sesshoumaru had turned a new leaf, and was hoping to win Kagome back. He hoped for both of his friends, things would work out for them.

"How about we clear out," Miroku suggested. "We can go back to my place and pick on InuYasha and his new girlfriend."

"I have to study," Sango stated. "Another time."

Miroku pouted, but resigned, "I will hold you to that."

"Go away!" Sango exclaimed as he tackled her. "I need to study, and you need to pick on your friend."

Miroku laughed as he got his stuff to leave, passing Kagome and Sesshoumaru on his way out. He just raised a eyebrow's at his friends and left without a word.

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"Did she ever set a day to meet you?"

"Not yet," he responded. "Soon, though."

"Are you sure?" the other man asked. "Sesshoumaru mean's to propose to her tonight."

"From what she has told me over the phone," Naraku said with a grin. "She will not give him a answer just yet. I have a small amount of time."

"Then you might want to contact her first thing in the morning."

"Do not tell me how to do my job," Naraku snapped.

"This is hardly a job," the other man drawled. "It is your quest to win back a foolish girl."

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"So what did you want to talk about?" Kagome asked him.

"Well for one," he started. "As I already stated, I wish for your hand in marriage. Also, I wondered how you would react to looking for a new secretary."

"Okay so one," Kagome started, kind of annoyed and instantly wanting to avoid that last question. "What reason do I have to marry you? And second, why would I want to find a new secretary?"

"I believe we are well together," Sesshoumaru said. "We complement each other, in multiple ways, as well as that fact that I know you care for Rin and I the same way we do you."

Kagome stared for a second, deciding that Rin needed her assistance although the girl had not come to ask for anything. "I will be right back."

Kagome found Sango in her room playing Mortal Kombat with Rin, laughing and trying to figure out how this young child is beating her at a game she played and conquered a few years older.

"I swear he is trying to be a weirdo on purpose!" Kagome complained, throwing herself on the bed.

"That is how he naturally is," Sango grunted. "Just go back in there, discuss things like the adults you both are."

"You are no help."

Sesshoumaru was trying to figure out why he could not hear Kagome; it used to be he could hear her even when she whispered. She must have sound proofed her room.

"Sesshoumaru," she said softly. "Sango has agreed to watch Rin for a while; I think we should go on a walk." Sesshoumaru nodded, and followed Kagome out of the apartment.

"Is there a reason for this?" he asked, aware of how cold he was sounding.

"It's a beautiful night," Kagome said with a sigh. "I figure we can talk this way without anyone really around."

"I see," he replied. "Did you think about my proposal?"

Kagome nodded, "I think we should just start new."

"New?"

"Yes," she replied. "As we had in the beginning. Get to know each other again, but instead of as a couple forced into the relationship, as a pair who decided on their own to be together."

"I understand," he replied. "I will be courting you again?"

"Yes," she replied. "I think it is the only way to do things."

"And my question about you finding a new secretary?"

"Well it will add more rumors at the office if we were to be together again and still working so close together," she said slowly. "Why would you want to leave in the first place? I thought things were going quite well."

"Honestly," he said not looking at her directly. "My father has decided that since I have finally gotten my degree, and have learned quite a bit in the business world, should I choose, he will now step down from his position in the company and sign it over to me. So long as I eventually split my shares with the idiot."

Kagome stared for a minute; she wasn't sure how to take things. He was not only going to leave the company she was running, but he was going to one that was so closely linked to her own. "How much notice will you be giving me to find your replacement?"

"Depending on what you decide," he started. "I will be giving notice first thing in the morning. I figure a simple two weeks is not enough, so I will give resignation with one months notice to assist you in finding a proper secretary and train them to get your schedule down pat."

"If this is what you want to do," she said sadly. "I cannot stop you."

"Of course you can," he said. "If you wish me to stay with your company, I shall do so."

"And get in the way of you inheriting your own? Hell no!"

Sesshoumaru allowed the ghost of a smirk he trademarked, "I believe this is the step I require. As well as it is more proper for us to have a relationship and you are not paying my bills."

Quite literally. This could possibly be a good thing.

"Well I support you," Kagome said with a smile; taking his hand. "This is a good thing. It is time for you to branch out on your own!"

"You make it sound as if I am a mere child," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "I am a grown demon; I do not need encouraging as if I were just a pup."

"Oh I'm sorry Mister Grumpy Tail," Kagome said gruffly; ruffling his hair. "I won't do it again!"

"That either," he said.

Kagome giggled. To her it felt like nothing had ever happened between them, causing their eventual break up. It might be too good to be true; she was hoping she wasn't just imagining things going so well.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome started.

"Yes?"

"Do you think we ever did wrong by going through with a arranged marriage?" she asked. "I mean, by letting our parents think we were going through it to be good sports?"

"No," he answered shortly. "I know it started somewhat like that as we saw no way out of it; but I also know that it was the best mistake I ever made."

Kagome smiled; mostly to herself. She knew it was his way of telling her that he was glad thing's had gone the way they had before it went bad. She wanted to be with Sesshoumaru, and to be honest she wasn't sure why. He was rude, tended to be crude, and he wanted everything to be his way; whether it inconvenienced others or not.

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"Sango," Rin asked the older girl. "Do you think Kagome will marry Sesshoumaru?"

Sango was a little shocked, and wasn't sure how to answer the child. "I don't know Rin. Do you want them to get married?"

"Yes!" the child exclaimed. "I need a mother and Sesshoumaru need's a wife! Kagome is nice, and she likes to have me around! I want her to be with us!"

Sango smiled. She knew her friend loved Sesshoumaru; as well as his daughter, but she also knew Kagome didn't want to be hurt again by the man. Thing's had turned out badly, and Sango was convinced (even though he broke into their apartment that one time) Kagome was going to get back together with Naraku.

"I think," Sango started to tell the girl. "If you wish real hard on your lucky star, everything you want will come true."

Rin beamed, "let's go outside! We can both wish on our lucky stars!" Sango agreed and went outside with Rin so they could see the sky. She smiled finding her favorite constellation, Orion, being chased across the sky by Sirius. "Did you make your wish?"

"Of course Rin," Sango said with a giggle. "Did you make yours?"

"Yup!" Rin squealed.

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Kagome's phone started ringing out of nowhere, she was slightly upset by the disturbance as she was having a very good time just walking hand in hand with Sesshoumaru.

"Hello?" she started slowly when realizing who called. She sure had hoped Sesshoumaru wasn't listening when he wandered ahead to give her a bit of privacy.

"Hello Kagome," Naraku's raspy voice said from the opposite side of the line. "How are you this beautiful evening?"

"I am very well," Kagome said with a small smile. She and Naraku had settled a few things after he broke into the apartment, and they were now very good friends once again. "How are you?"

"Fairly well," he said with a smirk she could hear through the line. "I was hoping you would meet me for coffee."

"It is a bit late," Kagome said with a laugh.

"I know," he said sorely. "It has been a off day for me and I was hoping we could just chat and enjoy a warm drink."

"I'm sorry, Naraku," Kagome said. "I have a early day and I need to go to sleep soon."

"I understand," he said. "I will talk to you later."

"Good night," Kagome said sweetly.

"You are going to bed?" Sesshoumaru asked. He was obviously listening to her entire conversation, although she was grateful it didn't turn into one of Naraku's usual claims of love.

"I just said that to get off the phone," Kagome sang. "I do have a semi-early morning, but I don't need to be there until 10."

"Last I checked you have a meeting at 9:00," Sesshoumaru said knowingly. "Unless, you are planning to play hooky."

"I was originally planning on sending my secretary," she replied with a smile. "But I received a call this morning from the assistant of Takeda Inc. owner stating the meeting would need to be rescheduled until a later time due to a emergency."

"I understand," he replied. "Shall I let you go home to get some sleep?"

Kagome looked at her watch; it was only 9 pm. She knew Rin would most likely be asleep when she returned home, and she wanted to keep Sesshoumaru to herself just a little while longer. "How about we go down to the park?"

Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement and led her in the direction of the park not far from where they were currently located. "Any specific reason you wish to go down there?"

"No," she smiled. "It's just so beautiful out tonight."

"You have said that before," he replied.

Kagome grinned and leaned into him as they he sat down on one of the parks many benches. She was testing him; as his typical behavior had Sesshoumaru set up to avoid public displays of affection at all costs. She was in shock that he was allowing such behavior.

"Kagome," he said slowly; causing her to look up. "I wish for you to know that no matter my behavior in the past. I do indeed love you."

a.n. I'm what you call a sadistic little bitch at times. This will be the end of my chapter for a little while. It took me a good long while to figure out how to do this, and I have to admit I like it. 2,400+ words, be happy! I tried making it 3,000 but I know this is the best place to leave it!