A/N: We have reached 100 chapters, YAY! Thank you everyone for bearing with me while I try to get over whatever illness I have. I managed to write some last night, and I assure you there is much more to come! There will be, what I hope, some unexpected twists that you won't see coming and will be original. I will 'try' to update at least once a day for the chapters I have already completed (if I don't get admitted into the hospital again, because the hospitals internet is horrible! Lol) Enjoy! XoxoFrenchFlutter

Chapter 100: Counting Stars

The rain finally came to a halt as the sun began to ebb. Kagome had long since finished her book, boredom had crept in during the several hours she was confined to the tent. She was thoroughly relieved when she unzipped the tent and was able to breathe the fresh, damp forest air. It had become rather stuffy inside the tent after being stuck there since last night.

Quickly, she put on her shoes and stepped outside. Standing there in her long, oversized t-shirt, she stretched. The air had a damp chill to it that clung to exposed flesh, but she didn't mind. She was just happy to be able to stand once again as she moved her sore muscles around. She never realized just how exhausting it was when all you could do was lay around for the majority of the day. Being lazy definitely wasn't for her, she decided.

She gathered her soaking wet clothes from the corner of the tent and grabbed her yellow backpack, slinging it over one shoulder, before zipping the tent back closed. While she wasn't afraid of being out here alone, she was afraid come back and find some critter had decided her tent was it's new home. At least with the tent closed, no critters could enter in her absence.

Kagome had to jump several times to reach the red towel Sesshoumaru had snatched from her the night before. He was taller than she, so when he had tossed the towel over a branch, of course, it was one out of her reach. After many failed attempts, she finally managed to grasp the bottom corner and pull it free.

She hummed to herself on the way to the waterfall. She didn't have much time, the sun was already starting to set. Also, she wondered if the storm would return, the sky seemed darker than it should be at this time.

She began washing all her clothes in the flowing water, one by one. Wringing each out as much as possible so they would dry faster. The dampness in the air certainly wouldn't help in the process, but at least they would be clean when they eventually dried. She removed her lace bra and panties as well, after making sure Sesshoumaru wasn't in the area, and washed them. They would dry much faster than her other items, so she would be able to put them back on before long.

Sesshoumaru still had not returned by the time she entered the campsite, nor had she had any indication where he was. Truth be told, it bothered her a little that he hated her so much that he would rather be in the rain then inside the tent with her where it was dry. Was she that aweful to be around? Yes, she was human, but had she not been kind to him? Had she not gotten him out of that filthy place? Had she not tried hard enough? She was trying everything she could to make things at least acceptable for him, if not pleasant.

Sure, she had done some things that maybe she shouldn't have, and said some things that might have been better left unsaid, but she never claimed to be perfect. No, she wasn't perfect, far from it. Mental she chastised herself for not thinking ahead and being mindful of Sesshoumaru's warning of rain by storing some dry wood inside the tent so she could make a fire. Now, she wasn't even able to use the heat from a fire to help dry her garments. Frowning, she began hanging most of the clean clothes over low hanging branches. She just hoped the sky wouldn't open up again.

She had not felt his aura since she had woken, which was odd. He had previously told her that he was bound to her, thus unable to go far from her side. She knew very little about how this necklace business worked, but from what she did know, her case with Sesshoumaru differed from others.

She had achieved a red spectrum glow when she fused her blood into the beads. Rolf had told her that he had never seen or heard of someone else gaining a red spectrum, and that it meant Sesshoumaru was forever bound to her. She shuttered at the thought. She didn't know how much she liked the idea of Sesshoumaru being around her forever. It didn't have anything to do with the fact that it was Sesshoumaru, moreso she just wanted some sort of privacy back.

"Stupid inu overly sensitive hearing and sense of smell..." she muttered under her breath. For the most part, she had enjoyed her time with Sesshoumaru. He hadn't tried to kill her yet... threatened a few times, but no attempt to follow through. It was rather shocking, how quickly she had become accustomed to his presence in their home.

Their home?

Kagome paused in her hanging up of damp clothes.

Her home?

No, that wasn't right either. While it was originally her home, he now lived there as well. It was theirs. She didn't own him, necklace or no. He was a grown demon. When she found a way to free him, if he chose to leave, she was completely fine with that idea. She highly doubted he would stick around long enough to even consider the idea, if she was able to remove the necklace.

Her attempt last night had been an utter disappointment, to say the least. She had discovered that she wasn't shocked by the necklace, like Kati had told her would happen. That was another difference in her situation from Sesshoumaru. Neither of them had felt anything when she had tried to remove it. She was at a loss of where to continue her search for answer. Kati had provided very little help in the matter and Rolf, the greedy scumbag, had told her to use Sesshoumaru for personal gain, which she had no intention on doing. Ever.

Sesshoumaru himself, was no help. He just stated, matter-of-fact like, that the necklace could not be removed. He humored her in her attempt, but other than that was of no assistance. She would need to question him further when he returned. Maybe if she knew who the creator of the binding was, what magic was used, anything really, she'd have a better starting point for her research. Possibly.

Once all the clothes were haning to dry, she entered the tent again. The natural light from the sunset was nearly gone, and with the overcast, she didn't expect the stars and moon would be seen tonight to provide her with light. She munched on some granola bars as she tucked herslf under her covers. Maybe tomorrow would be better. She fell asleep listening to the sounds of the forest and thinking of her friends lost in time.

(0o0)

The morning sun was bright, waking her from her slumber at daybreak. It would take a while for the sun to penetrate the canopy enough to dry the newly watered earth, but Kagome didn't care. At least it didn't rain again. She dressed in clean jeans and a t-shirt, closed up her tent, and set out to explore. Her ever trusted yellow backpack in it's place on her back.

She traveled up the mountain, taking a clearly marked trail so she could easily find her way back. It was near lunch time when she broke through the trees at the top. The view was phenomenal. Kagome settled herself on the grass covered cliff and stared in awe. As far as the eye could see, tree covered mountains jutted out of the earth. To the right, she could see a river winding a path through the terrain. The pale blue sky, dotted with cotton ball like clouds, touched the many shades of green leaves that reached towards it to gather light from the sun. Birds were scattered, here and there, soaring free and catching the unseen wind currents in their flight.

She sat, watching the birds and sipping a bottle of water. There was definitely beauty to still be found in her time. The serenity settled over her. The ache of losing all she had in the feudal era didn't weigh so heavily on her heart for a moment. She missed them, all of them. There wasn't a single day since the well had closed her out that she hadn't thought and ached for them.

(0o0)

She returned to camp before night began to fall. She had enjoyed the tranquillity she had felt up there on the cliff, but reluctantly she needed to come back down the mountain before visibility failed her. While her body hadn't aged, at least she had gown in the graceful department some. There was no Inuyasha to save her here if she had tripped and fallen down the mountain. Granted, unlike in the feudal era, she wasn't running for her life nearly everyday. Maybe it was fear that had made her so clumsy? Regardless, she made it back to her campsite withought injury.

She dropped her backpack on the ground and began gathering up the, now dry, clothes hanging randomly around the area. She folded each one and place it inside the tent. Once that was taken care of she pulled out her sleeping bag. She would need to return home tomorrow. She hadn't packed enough food and bottled water to remain out here another night. She intended to make the most of tonight and sleep under the stars, besides she had seen enough of the inside of the tent.

She walked around the area, looking skywards, trying to find the best location that would give her a nice opening to the approaching night sky. Once she was certain she had found the best spot, she began clearing the ground of discarded sticks and rocks. There was nothing worse than getting all cosy in your bedding only to realize there was something sharp stabbing you in your back. Once the space was adequately cleared, she spread out her sleeping bag.

Unfortunately, the sun hadn't dried up the fallen wood, so she would still be unable to light a fire. It didn't bother her that much. She settled herself in the middle of the blanket with her yellow backpack and waited for night. It wasn't long before hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights could be seen overhead.

She laid back, hands behind her head and soaked in the simplistic beauty it created in the forest. It didn't grant much light to her campsite, but that mattered very little. She just laid, relaxed, and observed.

"Miko?"

Kagome jumped. A familiar aura washed over her, almost soothingly. Kagome leaned up, propped up on her elbows, blinking. ~Damn him and is insanely stealthy movements! How out of it was I that I didn't even feel his demonic energy nearing? ~ Once her eyes were able to focus, she scanned the area for the source of the voice. She knew it was Sesshoumaru, and soon her eyes confirmed what she already knew. Who else would be calling her Miko in that smooth, icy tone?

"Good evening, Lord Sesshoumaru." She smiled in his direction, off to the side near her feet, before returning to her previous position and watching the sky.

"What are you doing?" His voice broke the silence a while later.

"Counting stars! You are welcome to join me, if you'd like?"

"Pointless."

"I disagree." Kagome frowned. "Do whatever you want to do. The offer still stands." Kagome patted the sleeping bag next to where she laid.

"To what purpose?"

Kagome chewed her lower lip as she considered. "Not everything in life has to have a point or a purpose to be enoyable. Haven't you learned that by now?"

"Hn."

Kagome laughed, "You'll never know unless you try. Even the Great Lord Sesshoumaru needs some enjoyment in life... besides killing people."

Kagome didn't notice his eyes narrowing at her as she continued to stare at the stars. However she did notice when Sesshoumaru sat down in the clearing, but not on the sleeping bag as she had offered. It hurt. He didn't even want to be next to her. Kagome sighed as she went back to the night sky, at least he had come back. Though, likely, not by choice.