"I need a tap out." Eri slumped against the beverage cart, rolling a foot as she slipped off one of her shoes.

"I told you not to wear those," Kagome said, finishing with the ice and moving on to the snacks.

"It's not so much my feet but the constant running back and forth for the entitled sharks that are first class," Eri replied, sighing heavily. "I think I might take some time off after we get back. I need a break."

Kagome patted her friend's shoulder. "I told you it was too soon." Eri had thought returning to part-time work after her son was only six months old was a good idea, needing some time away from the house. "Hobbies are better."

"I honestly thought I was ready." She sat down, tears pricking her eyes. "I miss him."

"Talk to Houjou. You know he'll understand."

Eri snorted. "He was the one trying to talk me out of it." She looked at Kagome with a slight smirk. "I still can't believe he ended up with me and not you."

Kagome shrugged. "I told you three from the beginning that he wasn't my type."

"Have you even figured out what your type is?"

She sighed wistfully, her hands hovering over the plastic cups. She knew exactly what her type was: tall, pale, and emotionally unavailable.

At least in this time.

She'd thought she'd had a chance after they'd defeated Naraku. There had been an interest in his golden eyes during their unplanned meetings in Inuyasha's forest. She'd even begun to think he returned her feelings, but then she'd missed one—one that he'd specifically ask her to show up to—and been given nothing but the cold shoulder afterwards.

So, she'd returned to the future, set on switching careers and putting the past behind her.

Literally.

There'd been something special, something significant, about that meeting, and she'd blamed everyone under the sun for not making it there on time. Sango had needed help corralling the twins, Kaede had asked her to distribute herbs to some of the villagers, and Shippou had taken that particular moment to push Inuyasha into a mudpuddle, the ensuing fight almost destroying her hut.

In the end, she could've ignored all of it, should've ignored all of it, but her compassionate heart refused to allow her to say no, leaving it to bleed every time he snubbed her.

Plastering a smile on her face, she gripped the handles of the cart. "I'll switch with you for now. Most of the regs are eating or watching movies anyway."

Eri gave her arm a grateful squeeze. "I owe you."

"I'll add it to your tab," she said, the edge of the smile turning genuine.

Her friend groaned. "Don't remind me! It's probably a mile long by now." They both chuckled, and Kagome wheeled the cart into the front of the plane, placing a bottle of wine and the current beer selections on top for the passengers to see.

She usually never worked first class; she'd been dubbed 'the baby whisperer', as she seemed to have an affinity to help calm small children down during their first flights. Plus, she'd take crying kids over stuffy elitists any day.

"Evening, everyone. Dinner will be served shortly, but please let me know if you'd like a drink before then." She went through two bottles of wine before getting to the other aisle, her smile waning as the first man yanked his beer out of her hand before she'd finished pouring it, some of the froth spilling onto her green skirt.

"Next time, pour it faster," he grumbled, turning back to his computer. Kagome counted to ten, her smile faltering as she stepped to the next pod.

"Hello, would you like—" The man looked up, his glamour flickering as gold met sapphire. His hair was shorter, and she almost whimpered at the loss, clapping a hand over her mouth to keep from uttering his name.

Had she conjured him up from a mere thought?

Swallowing the emotions bubbling in her throat, she gave him a curt nod of acknowledgement, then grabbed the cart, knuckles turning white as she moved past him.

"Is the idea of even conversing with me so repulsive even after five centuries?" The bite in his tone was unmistakable, stoking the fire of her temper.

"You have some nerve after completely ignoring me back then," she whispered, pretending to organize things on her cart.

"You are the one who refused me."

Her grip tightened around a cup of water. "I didn't refuse anything! I missed one meet-up, one, and you disappeared!" It still hurt, his presence opening up old wounds that she'd long thought healed. "I had been late before. Why was that one so—"

"You know why." His tone was so matter of fact, so deadpan, that Kagome whirled on him, throwing the water in his face.

"The only thing I know, is that I thought we could be more than we were, and then you turned back into the heartless asshole I met in your father's tomb," she bit out, the last words catching in the back of her throat. "I kept trying to leave, but everyone and their dog needed my help, and by the time I got there, you were gone."

Droplets fell off his bangs, and she suddenly realized he could and would get her fired. Biting the inside of her cheek, she bowed, her voice mechanical. "I apologize for my clumsiness, sir. Allow me to fetch you a towel." She turned to walk away, but his fingers wrapped around her wrist.

"You still came?" He seemed surprised by the news.

"Of course I did! Why wouldn't I? Even with Jaken squawking orders at me the whole time, I still planned on—"

The air turned so cold that Kagome swore she could see her own breath. "Jaken knew of your dealings with the other members of the village?"

She frowned. "Yes? He kept encouraging me to help them."

"Did he give you anything?" The question was almost too low to hear, and she probably wouldn't have if she hadn't been looking at him when he asked it.

"Was he supposed to?" She jerked as his fingers dug into her skin, his other hand slowly reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a piece of parchment. The edges were well creased—as if it had been refolded many times, and she gave him a questioning glance as he opened it and handed it to her.

Elegant calligraphy danced across the page, his name signed at the bottom, right underneath a letter of intent and the words forever yours.

"This is—"

"He claimed you refused the offer." The muscles of his jaw clenched and unclenched, his thumb fluttering over her pulse point. "That you'd laughed."

Angry, red spots formed on her cheeks. "What?! I would never—" She stared down at the parchment, tracing the fold lines. "Wait, why do you still have this?"

Sesshoumaru covered his face with his hand. "To remind myself of the humiliation and torment I felt that day." Golden eyes peeked at her through his fingers. "To stop myself from hunting you down and confronting you."

"Have you wanted to do that a lot?" she asked, holding the parchment out of reach when he tried to retrieve it.

"Daily."

The sounds of the other passengers fell away, Kagome not even blinking as she stared at him. "And what would you have said, if you'd given in to the temptation?" The last word seemed to trigger something, and he raised her hand to his lips, kissing the centre of her palm.

"That would have solely depended on your response."

She opened her mouth several times, but words refused to form, the sound of the call bell pulling them out of the privacy of their conversation.

Kagome looked between the end of the aisle and back to him, conflicted. "I have to go back to work, but—"

"Are you free after this flight?" She nodded stiffly, his lips moving against her palm. "Would you be opposed to having the discussion I had planned for that day?" She shook her head this time, unable to stop herself from cupping his cheek.

"I'll listen to anything you have to say." She was earnest in her tone, thumb sliding along one of the hidden stripes on his cheek. The predator stared up at her from behind the mask of his glamour, finally releasing her hand.

"I look forward to it."