Year 1

Istanbul, Turkey: Asil's home

"Kagome!" a servant called happily, "Your certificates are here!"

Peeking her head out of her room, she hollered back her reply in Turkish, taking care to keep her hand over the phone's receiver, "Just a minute Hilmi! I'm on the phone!" Going back to Japanese she returned to her conversation, apologizing for interrupting, "Sorry about that Teruo-san, people in Turkey are loud by default."

Chuckling the owl demon reassured her it was fine, "That's quite alright Kagome," he replied gently, "But I must admit I was pleasantly surprised to get your call, for the love of the kami girl it's almost been a whole year!" checking his watch, the owl demon noted that it was almost three in the afternoon where she was, though it was nine o'clock at night for him.

"I know Teruo-san," she answered, a certain sadness in her voice, "I wanted to call….or write...but Asil said it would be a bad idea."

"Asil?" a sigh, "I should have known as much. How else could you have escaped from a hospital much less an entire country like you did."

"Teruo-san, I'm sorry, I know everything you're thinking but I just really needed to get out of there, you saw it yourself! Taisho-dono…."

"Taisho is no longer your lord Kagome," he suddenly reminded her, "Now that you live in Istanbul, Asil is your leader, and him being your father and a cardinal council member, that now makes you…"

"The official translator to Europe's council representative and head of the Turkish capital Asil Emir Sadiq Adnan." Kagome halted his thoughts of her being a princess or some other high standing member of society now that she was officially living with her father for the first time since she was four. Though their relationship had gotten better over the months, he still had not fully recognized her as his daughter, though this time around she didn't mind considering she had access to a number of his personal assets including his bank accounts and credit cards.

"Translator?" Teruo repeated amazed, "I thought Asil already spoke several languages,"

"I've been attending some meetings in his place. He's been teaching me the finer points of the business world…"

"My word...really?"

"Yes, but Teruo-san, remember this is an international call, we only have so many minutes left you know."

"Yes of course, well is there anything you need Kagome?"

"No, I just wanted to know how you've been doing and...stuff.." she trailed off suggestively, hoping that he would answer her question with her having to specifically ask.

"Ah, well I have been working as you would imagine, saving lives and what not, and as for everyone else…" he paused in his words, not really knowing how to say what he needed to.

"Its okay Teruo-san, you can just say it,"

"So…." As the owl demon talked, Kagome went through a number of emotions, all of which held an underlying tinge of sadness. He started by telling her that her beating at the hands of Inu no Taisho had been covered up though that in itself had been of no great surprise to her. If anyone asked they were being forced to say that she had merely changed provinces, China having offered her opportunities that she didn't have many of in Japan. It had been a recommendation from doctors that she move out of the country for her health, though if anyone actually cared enough to try to find her there, the search would be in vain. Fortunately, nobody particularly cared enough to follow up on her disappearance, and Kagome made it a point to tell Teruo that she didn't either by this point. Her heart nearly broke when she was then told that Shin'ichi had recently taken a turn for the worst, the old man was currently confined to bed nearly 24/7 and though extensive tests had been performed to figure out the cause of his declining health, in Teruo's personal and professional opinion, after five hundred years of dealing with the bullshit of life, Honorable Shin'ichi was just tired.

He purposely omitted Sesshomaru however. He would treat that as a don't ask don't tell category until she specifically mentioned his name. After a moment of silence that felt like days, Kagome finally asked about the person she wanted to know about the most.

"Teruo-san…" she began cautiously, "How is Sesshomaru doing…"

"Just as you'd expect," he answered immediately, "Sesshomaru-sama...he hasn't been the same since...it happened," even the owl demon refused to name the incident that had sent Kagome packing, fleeing the country in a trauma induced fear.

"No I have no idea what I expected to happen Teruo-san," Kagome responded coldly, "What do you mean he hasn't been himself?"

"Oh my…" the owl muttered under his breath.

A heavily intoxicated Sesshomaru tore through the mountainous forest of Chichibu at break neck speed, disorientedly rushing the trees and howling at everything both real and imagined with a ferocious tone. Running as though he were being chased by demons, in reality, he was attempting to run from everything that kept him trapped. Behind him, he could feel his father still chasing him, his pleas for the boy to compose himself falling heavily on deaf ears.

"Sesshomaru you must listen to me!" Inu no Taisho shouted out in Inu.

His son's response was filled with loathing, "To hell with you!" he growled back loudly, "You're better off commanding your whores then you are me! I'm sure they would love to see you behave like the animal you are!"

"Boy!" With a mighty leap, Taisho managed to tackle his transformed son to the forest floor. Using his mighty jaws, he managed to grip the back of Sesshomaru's neck tightly in a show of dominance, reminding the boy of who was still alpha here.

It had taken extensive training and research on his part, but after many months of trial and error, Inu no Taisho had finally learned the ways of their ancestors, at last enabling him to transform into his demonic state just as his son was able to do. Just like in their humanoid appearances, his bestial state was naturally greater than his son's in both build and height, yet the boy still felt the desire to fight him. Though Taisho had been quick to subdue his son yet again, this was truly getting ridiculous. More and more nights were spent this way, Sesshomaru recently having taken to drinking heavily, leading to many lapses of judgment and to his eternal disappointment, the end of his engagement to Miyako.

"Sesshomaru," he growled low, his teeth remaining buried in the scruff of his son's neck, "This cannot continue, you must regain control of yourself, how did you get ahold of the liquor this time?" In the months that the boy had begun binge drinking almost daily, Taisho had been forced to take his car keys, throw out or lock up any type of alcoholic beverage so that he couldn't get to it, and had forbidden any servant to bring him any should he ask for it on penalty of termination.

"Damn you! Release me!"

"No! Sesshomaru I will admit mistakes have been made on both our parts, but if you don't stop these rampages of yours I'm going to be forced to lock you away entirely!"

Whining in pain, rather than submit the boy angrily declared, "You've already taken my freedom away from me, what's a mere four walls going to add!" The transformation back into his humanoid form was quick, Taisho releasing him and following his lead once he felt his aura fall back into place. Bent over on his hands and knees, a defeated Sesshomaru half-heartedly tried to pull out of his father's sudden embrace, his heart and mind desperate for any type of comfort made available to him at this point. "How could you! you took her from me! After everything, she did for us!"

"Sesshomaru…."

"I wish you were dead!" he suddenly growled out, "Ever since I saw you that day, all you've done is try to turn me into you!" It was true, as his body shuddered for unknown reasons, the memory of the day he lost faith and genuine respect for his father ran through his mind, he had only been ten years old.

A young Sesshomaru raced down the hallway and towards his father's study, the plans for a new video game gripped tightly in his tiny hands. Taisho had been working lately with a computer company that specialized in software and game design, and he had asked his son of all people what he thought a cool video game would look like. Finally reaching the door, just as he went to open it, the clear sounds of grunting could be heard from the other side. Now this wasn't the first time he had made out noises like this coming from a room his father was in, but usually a servant or nursemaid would steer him away before he could enter and see what Inu no Taisho was up to. With no one around, this time, a curious Sesshomaru swiftly entered the room, taking care the close the door tight behind him. After securing the latch, he turned to face his father and came to a stand still as he saw his father, naked and on top of Idane-san, the team lead of the project her and Inu no Taisho had been working on. Over and over he assaulted the woman's equally nude body, Idane holding onto his thighs as leverage while her legs busy being held up by the great lord's strong rippling arms. A whimper alerted him of another presence in the room and turning red rimmed eyes towards the other male in the room, without pause in his humping barked loudly at Sesshomaru in a warning for him to leave the room.

His son however was frozen in shock while he watched the woman who was not his mother rake her claws along Taisho's thighs, not even concerned that a child was in the same room she was rutting in. Seeing this, the lord shifted his body to conceal her form to him and in a deep voice, filled with lust and greed once more told his son what to do. "Get out!"

Faster than he had ever moved before, Sesshomaru ripped the lock from the study door and flew from the room, the continuing sounds of his father and that woman mating ringing through his ears as he rushed towards his grandfather's room, having no other idea where to hide. Unfortunately, Shin'ichi was nowhere in sight and rather than face the outside world, hid like the frightened pup he was and buried himself underneath his grandsire's sheets, the familiar scent of his family bringing him comfort on a nurturing level. With tears leaking down his cheeks, Sesshomaru remained in that position for hours, leaving the protection of his grandfather's room only when he heard Shin'ichi come into the space, startling the old man when he saw the little white head that miraculously popped out from under his sheets.

That had been the worst day of his life in Sesshomaru's opinion. It was the day he had lost his childlike innocence and began to realize his position and what he had to look forward to once he became an adult. From then on, every time he heard those sounds coming from a part of the house his father was in, he would avoid the area like the plague, instead holing himself up in his room where he had ended up discovering his love for technology and computer science. Taisho had never mentioned the incident again, and his silent denial had passed on to him as he grew older, though the event still haunted him from time to time, even more so now that the only woman he had been with was gone, his heartless father having driven her away in favor of someone more suitable for his status. Still heavily inebriated, Sesshomaru once more released a howl of pain, the only time he would express it was when he was under the influence. As he shook and suffered in his father's heavy embrace, Inu no Taisho muttered something to him about going to a therapist and though he was sure he wouldn't remember this tomorrow, he sadly agreed with his words, even as hatred stung his heart towards the man who managed to in his eyes to ruin his life.

"He….destroyed his fiancee's home?" Kagome repeated astounded, "How the hell did he manage to do that?"

"Bakusaiga, listen Kagome, though I'm not supposed to say this due to the laws of confidentiality, Sesshomaru...he isn't well and it isn't sickness like his grandfather, his issues are...psychological. It has been a whole year, things have calmed down greatly since you left, do you think you could handle…."

"No," she said so fast Teruo didn't get a chance to finish his statement. He didn't need to. She knew what he was going to say. When she had left Japan it hadn't been a vacation, she had left for good. Hearing an impatient knock on her door, she sighed when saw the folders slipped under the crack, both containing her name written in Kanji. Bending down, though it was hard in six-inch heels, she picked them both up, looking at the first one in surprise when she noticed the postage stamp on the first held the insignia of Jun-Long.

"Kagome...have you not heard me? Honorable Shin'ichi-sama is dying…..Sesshomaru-sama, he's a nervous wreck, when his grandfather dies I fear there will be no one left alive who understands him and hasn't walked away from him."

"Teruo-san…" she responded, her finger absently running over the envelope directly from the dragon king's office. "I know Sesshomaru is stronger than this, and...our relationship….it wasn't right….I've had a lot of time to think about this and I do him more harm than good. He wouldn't even be this bad if it wasn't for me fucking up his life." Sighing when she realized she had sworn at Teruo, she shook her head at her rudeness. She had been living in this country too long.

A heavier sigh was heard on the other end of the receiver before a beep alerted them that they had one more minute left on their call. "Kagome-san...thank you for calling," the old owl finally said, "You don't have to tell me not to tell Sesshomaru where you are, I pretty much figured that out considering the restricted number you're using."

"Teruo-san…" Kagome repeated her soft voice and cracking as a lump came in her throat.

"I wish you happiness and when you get a chance call me again, I fear Shin'ichi-sama will not make it another year, if you cannot come back for Sesshomaru-sama, at least pay respect to at least one man who saved your life." Feeling his emotions breaking through, Terio quickly slammed the phone back down on the receiver, not giving Kagome a chance to say a proper goodbye. Leaning back in his chair, the good doctor removed his glasses and rubbed his burning eyes, "get it together man" he muttered quietly to himself.

Kagome hung up the cordless phone only to collapse to her knees as tears openly began to leak down her own rosy cheeks. She had been wanting to talk to someone, anyone from her first home for so long, even though she knew it would have this effect on her. Wanting to distract herself, the demoness opened Jun-Long's packet and through bleary eyes read the embossed letter that was formally addressed to her. Shaking her head in confusion, the demoness narrowed her clearer orbs and reached again into the folder, this time pulling out what looked like a vacation brochure of some kind. Opening it, she drew back at seeing the stiff looking sheet of paper that fell from its folded pages. Revealing the leaflet completely unfolded, she raised an eyebrow at the map of the islands it spoke about, one in particular circled several times with the witty phrase, 'you are here'

Grabbing the paper that fell out earlier, she gasped when she saw the letter had been telling the truth. The first class airline ticket was dated for three weeks from now, plenty of time for her to get her affairs in order before she made the trip to the country written on it. Examining and re-examining the brochure in her hands, she turned it over to gaze at its cover and in English repeated what was written there in bold.

"Welcome….to Seychelles?"

A/N: There! Turns out, I was dying slowly from just editing. So Imma just have to keep writing and editing when I feel like it. I already got through Love is Not Blind, but from there my mind kept screaming out NEXT CHAPTER! So there you go. I don't know if there are any Teruo fans out there, but he's my personal favorite OC, next to Jun-Long of course. Anyway, I edited the first chapter of this story and this one as well so I won't worry about it later. I should have been doing this in the first place huh? Please review, they give me life! -Theores