InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sesshoumaru's Flame ❯ Chapter Second to the Last >. ( Chapter 12 )

First off I would like to say... not much has been changed... I just took thirty some-odd pages and turned it into two sets of sixteen or seventeen... who's counting anywho? But since no one got the memo that I updated... this should be pretty new to most of you! Enjoy... sorry, but I didn't even go over it for grammatical errors, I swear that one of these days, I'll do that for the entire fic!!!! It needs to be done!


TRIPLE BIG TIME A/N!!!! This last chapter is dedicated to thesoulcollector! You've been so much of an inspiration to me since we started our little random emails! You've got such talent and a wonderful mind that obviously can come up with some pretty awesome stuff... Seriously people! The Blood That Binds is an amazing work of art!!! But anywho, I couldn't really think of how to properly thank you for all of the support that you've given me and I suppose that this is really the best I can do for you. I know it's not much, you really deserve something better-- but I did try! Much love from myself to you dear!!! Keep up all the great work! I hope you like this chapter!

P.S. Hooray for corn!!!!!! Yummmmmmmmm ^______^!

~*~

A/N: Whelp, let's see if I can tie up all the loose ends here in this little chapter... 'cause all ya'lls know how much trouble I have with those kinds 'a things ^_^V. Oh, and just a little FYI, there will most likely be two sequels-- one for Sesshoumaru and Kagome the other for InuYasha and Kouga... the sequels will have absolutely no serious moments in them... okay, that's a little unrealistic, but they won't be seriously serious... Oh yeah, I'm gonna enjoy writin' d'ose uns'!!! Anywho, review thanks will be posted at the end. Mostly 'cause last time I answered the reviews before the chapter, they kept coming and coming... not that I had a problem with that, quite the contrary! But, in the essence of... organization (A foreign word people are trying to shove into my vocabulary -_-VV), we'll wait 'til the end! Thanks and enjoy!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: Here we are at the end of my happy little fic, *SIGH* and still, I have not managed to acquire any of these characters or ideas and make them mine... BUT! If you guys really love me then you know what I want for my birthday! Until then, enjoy the random ways that I screw with other people's stuff!!!


Chapter Eleven- Endings

Sesshoumaru exited the wash room still drying his long hair, a small smile gracing his usually stoic face. His eyes strayed to Kagome who was busy trying to get all of the tangles out of her hair, since it had been left wet and uncombed for a while. Sesshoumaru laughed silently as she cursed every strand of hair that she owned; he walked behind her, taking the brush from her hands, she looked up and smiled at him.

"Hey there!" she said happily. "You smell much better now," she inhaled deeply and her brows furrowed. "Like I should talk! I probably smell like a circus! How many days did you say I was out?" she waved her hand as though dismissing the question. "It doesn't matter, if it was enough to make you smell it was definitely enough to make me stink like none other." Sesshoumaru looked to the floor and cleared his throat as he remembered his bathing efforts. Shaking the memory from his head he lifted his hands to commence in brushing Kagome's tangled mess. But, instead of taking a section of hair all he got was air as she stood, put her hands on her hips, and said, "I'm gonna go bathe." An accusing finger flew to point at her hair, "And maybe, just maybe, this'll be easier to tame!"

With his chin resting in his hand that had been propped up on a knee, Sesshoumaru shook his head and laughingly said, "I do not believe that anything shall be able to tame that."

"Well I'm gonna try, 'cause if I don't I have a feeling I'm gonna be bald before any of these knots come out." She walked slowly to the washroom, untangling a tiny section of hair while muttering, "Geeze, it's like that time I fell asleep after a shower before I got around to brushing my hair, weird!"

He had missed even her voice while she had been laying before him, barely breathing. Sometime during that horrid period of time he had made up his mind to do either the best thing he had ever done or the worst. Today he had to make good on his promise to himself and even partly to Rin. He heard Kagome sigh in pleasure as the warm water splashed over her body, he leaned against the wall and began to brush his own hair.

~*~

"Ahhh," Kagome sighed contentedly as she walked from the steamy room. "That was great! And I'm really glad that you don't use much water 'cause I completely forgot that you gotta call for water here. I suppose there are some things that I'll never be accustomed to here," she added without thinking. As soon as she realized she had said it though, her head snapped up to see if Sesshoumaru had noticed, he hadn't.

She looked at him, he was in a state of deep thought. 'That's odd,' she mused. 'He was so happy just a little while ago, I wonder what's wrong,' she took a tentative step towards him and he looked up to her.

"Oh, yes, they bring too much water up in the first place," he said, still sounding a little detached. Noticing the vexed look on her face he smiled and patted the floor in front of him, motioning for her to sit so that he could fix her hair. Her face immediately lit up and she jumped to sit between his outstretched legs.

"Good luck," she said seriously. "I tried and I tried, I couldn't do a thing with it."

"I know, I heard a few obscenities directed at your hair," he chuckled. "Do not fret though, I have had my fair share of experience with unruly hair."

She snorted. "Yeah right! You forget, I've seen you in the morning, mister. Yours practically falls into place when you wake up! Oh excuse me, I don't think practically is the right word... It DOES FALL INTO PLACE!" she cried. Her eyes closed and she crossed her arms, "It really isn't fair, that only happens to the beautiful people on T.V. or in the movies."

He laughed, "I don't even think I want to know what you speak of, but I shall take that as a compliment." A small sigh escaped him, "No, I never really have had trouble with my hair."

"See! I told you!!" she accused.

He laughed again, she really could bring out the best in him. "No, but I there was one I knew long ago, her hair was truly a mess," since he hadn't begun brushing yet Kagome turned to look at him, his eyes were clouded over in memory. "She was always so frustrated with her hair," (We aaaaall know how that one goes! -_-VV) he said, looking to the floor again, his mind in a world far, far away and long, long ago. "None of that mattered though, especially since she always wore a brilliant smile and held a ready embrace."

"Who was she?" Kagome whispered, not really wanting to break his connection to the past.

"She was a friend, she was confidante, she was going to be--" he stopped mid-sentence, realizing that he had probably said too much of something he had never revealed to anyone.

"No, please go on," Kagome urged. "I would really like to know."

The understanding look in her eyes were too much for Sesshoumaru to hold back from, and he laughed almost bitterly, "Your eyes seem to have some sort of a power over me." He sighed, "I shall go on." He broke the contact between their eyes as his darted to the floor, back into a state of unhappy nostalgia, "She had agreed to become my--" he stopped, unable to continue.

"Your... mate, lover, wife, partner?" Kagome tried to help.

He looked to her and nodded, smiling half-heartedly, "Yes, I suppose all of those fit. But in the end she betrayed me and my family."

Kagome gasped, "How so? /Why/?"

Bitterness took over his lovely features and Kagome felt as though she had been allowed to see something that no one had seen in a very long time. This was true emotion and she would not let a moment of it pass without her total and undivided attention-- that seemed to be what he needed most anyway.

"She betrayed me for a worthless hanyou, she betrayed my family for money." He picked up his arm and made a sweeping motion with it, taking in the room, "Did she not see that I had enough to keep her happy?" His arm dropped back to the floor, "It did not matter, I was not her precious hanyou, nor could I have provided her with what she was really after. First, she left me for that hanyou," he spat. "After she got what she wanted from him, she left him for the money."

"She what?" Kagome asked breathlessly in disbelief.

"She sold our secrets," his head dropped down nearly enough to touch his chest. "She sold my heart," he said in resignation. "She sold all information she had been entrusted with and an army descended upon these lands," he whispered, and with the same lack of volume he added, "she crushed me."

Kagome had never heard him admit something so personal, he bared himself to her. She reached out to him.

His head snapped up in surprise when he felt a soothing caress on his cheek, Kagome was kneeling between his legs and with her hand and still, calm eyes, she was trying to comfort him. "It's okay to feel like that," she said with a soft voice. "It's okay to feel betrayed, it's normal to feel as though your heart has been ripped from your chest and run over about a billion times with a Mac truck," her tone turned a little bitter but she snapped from her rant. "Oh, sorry!" she apologized quickly. "I can't say I know exactly how you feel, but I do understand a bit of it," she said, calming down a bit.

He looked deep into her eyes and saw the pain that he had seen the first day that he had acquired her, "InuYasha," he whispered.

The shock that she felt registered on her face, she turned away quickly and blushed quite a bit, "W-well, I-I..."

"I suppose we have all had our share of heart ache," his hand rose to turn her face back to his. "But hearts are supposed to heal. Perhaps not quickly, but they do heal." A large smile spread across his face, "Rin is a prime example. Her heart has been shattered, yet she accepts everyone."

"Gotta love that kid," Kagome laughed. The atmosphere was brightening as they spoke of the cheerful girl.

"Yes, indeed. She has the ability to pull one into her."

"Well she does it really well, especially if she got you to love her so easily," Kagome said, a bit of admiration in her voice.

"Turn around," he said shaking his head and laughing quietly. She did so and he started to brush her hair. He really was as experienced as he said, he took one section at a time and started brushing from the bottom so that as he worked his way up the knots did not tangle in the knots that had been below them.

"Wow," Kagome said with her head tipped back and her eyes closed. "That feels wonderful."

"Good, it's supposed to," Sesshoumaru chuckled as he ran the brush through her now soft hair. When all of the tangles had been banished Sesshoumaru resorted to running his fingers through her hair.

"Ooo, that's muuuuch better," Kagome cooed as she practically melted on the spot (Eeeww! Runny Kagome... is that like sunny side up or somethin'??).

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru leaned in, close to her ear, whispering.

"Hmm?" was the languid reply.

"Would you be mine?" (OMGosh!!! It's a valentine!!!!!)

"Your what?" she asked, not quite all there as she enjoyed the feeling of the fingers running through her hair.

"My mate, lover, wife, partner," he answered, so close to her ear now that she could feel his warm breath as he spoke.

She jumped up, "Th-that w-was pretty unexpected."

"Was it really? I would have thought otherwise, but then again, that's me," he shrugged.

Kagome turned to face him, "You realize that you know nearly nothing about me?"

"I believe that I know plenty," he stated sternly.

"Heh," was the nervous reply. "You don't even know the half of it," she said as she thought of home and how different it was from where they were.

"What don't I know?"

"Mainly all the stuff that you would never believe," she said with a nervous smile.

"Please," he said sitting back against the wall. "Go on."

"Awe man," she groaned, "I really don't think you'll believe me though."

"Try me."

"Well, here goes nothin'," she proceeded to tell him all about the time that she came from. The cars, the technology, the changed morals and beliefs, and all in all she did a fairly decent job of it. 'Too bad he'll never believe any of it,' she thought sadly.

"See? Not really a story that many can swallow, but it's true," she looked down to her hands that were resting in her lap.

"Yes, it is a bit hard to believe, but it does explain quite a bit," his tone thoughtful. "I do believe it though."

Her eyes grew, and grew until they looked like something that came straight from the most sparkly, magical, pink shoujo in existence. "Y-you do?"

"Yes," he answered easily. "Was that all you wanted me to know?"

"Um, that and," she inhaled deeply and said all in one breath, "I'mtherencarnationofyourbrother's ex-girlfriend." (Had to put a space between brother's and ex-girlfriend... you put it together and see whatchya get...)

"Hm, you mean the dead one?"

"Was there another?" she shook her head. "No, that's not what I mean, I mean, does it bother you?"

"Not really," he answered simply.

"Oh, well then," she threw her arms around Sesshoumaru. "I'm glad."

"Yes, but you have--" her finger stopped further speech.

"Yeah, I know. I have a few more questions for you, bud," her hands went back to her lap while her eyes stayed locked into his. "What gave you such a change of heart?"
"Change of heart?" he was confused (Yes, even the Great Sesshoumaru-sama can become utterly confuzzled).

"Yeah, you hated humans, you hated me a few days ago, then all of the sudden... Poof! You no longer hate me..." she trailed off and looked to her fidgeting hands.

"That is a good question, is there a reason behind it?" he countered, sensing something more.

"I-I don't know what you mean," Kagome suddenly became oddly enthralled with the floor boards.

"You're a terrible lair," Sesshoumaru said softly.

She sighed, "I know, my mom always says that too."

"Well?"

"Well, I suppose it's because-- even though you've assured me otherwise, and I completely trust you, it's just that, well you know, some times people can change without realizing it and then they--"

"Kagome," she stopped and looked up. "You're babbling, please, don't feel as though you can't tell me."

"It's not that, it's just that I don't want to offend you or something, because I know how much you hate being compared to your brother and--"

"Oh, I see," realization dawned upon him. "Do you think that I will confuse you with my past as InuYasha has?" she gave a tiny nod. "You have finally acknowledged it," another nod. "You are tired of being compared to the past, to something that you had no control over," a nod and a tear. Sesshoumaru leaned forward to catch it, "If I had thought of you as anything close to the woman of my past I would not have even come close to baring my soul to you in such a way. A point that you have made often-- I am not normally a very open being."

"I know," she whispered. "It's just that.."

"I know, I understand, perhaps I should not have brought this up," he said as he gathered her into his arms.

She shook her head violently, "No, you were right to. I'm doing, to you right now, what I hate having done to me. You have no control over what InuYasha-- or anyone else for that matter-- has done in the past." She looked up to him and smiled sadly, "You understand how hard it is to heal after something like that."

"Yes, of course I do," they had switched roles and now he had to understand what Kagome was saying-- and for the first time in a long while, Sesshoumaru understood exactly what another was feeling. He felt the pain that she was suffering from, he was feeling true empathy, and deep down somewhere, it felt wonderful. On the surface though, he knew that he had to do something to assuage the pain. The only problem was that he wasn't quite sure what would help.

Kagome surprised him once again, though, as she fixed the problem for both of them. She brazenly pressed her lips against his, the feeling was electric and immediate. He reacted instantly to her action and pulled her closer to him, one hand at the small of her back and the other cradling her head, his fingers threaded through her hair. She was a bit shocked at first-- she hadn't exactly been expecting such an intense reaction from him-- but little by little, she was able to relax into his embrace and return the passion that he was offering her.

He was the first to pull away, to look at her, to smile gently, to caress her tear damp-cheek, and thus he comforted her as she had been able to comfort him. He raised an eyebrow, and, still smiling, he asked, "Better?"

She nodded, "Much, thank you, Sesshoumaru-sa--"

A finger cut her off, "Leave it at Sesshoumaru, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled. "Sesshoumaru," he gave a small nod of approval. "About becoming, your--" she was stopped mid-sentence again, only this time it was not because of Sesshoumaru. Her head snapped towards the door in response to a loud crash that came from the main room of the house. "What was that?" she asked worriedly.

Sesshoumaru knew exactly which vase it had been and whose head had hit it, but that didn't matter, what mattered was getting Kagome to finish the sentence she had started. "It's fine, go on."

"No, really. We should go down there and check," she stood from where she was, and ran to the door to go check on the other occupants of the house.

After she had exited the room Sesshoumaru begrudgingly rose and sighed, "D**n it brother, do you always have to steal those closest to me?" And exited the room ready to face the opposition that was sure to arise.

~*~ (Earlier in the other room)

InuYasha and Kouga sat next to each other, a few bruises scattered about their bodies, but all in all, looking as though they hadn't a care in the world, even though they hadn't yet sensed that Kagome had woken. "What are we gonna do now?" Kouga asked, trying to keep busy and finding that being bored wasn't part of being busy at all.

"I don't wanna do anything with you," InuYasha pouted.

Kouga rolled his eyes, "Geeze, you're one sore loser!"

"I wouldn't be if you hadn't cheated!" InuYasha spat back.

"How the h**l did I cheat, you blathering moron!"

"I don't know, but I do know that you did!"

"Oh, okay! That proves everything! InuYasha's got a feeling about something so that automatically makes it true!" Kouga sighed. "You're just pathetic."

InuYasha gaped a Kouga, and after a few blinks regained his composer enough to land a right hook on Kouga's jaw, "Cut that out! You sound just like Kagome!"

Kouga sat back up after being knocked down by InuYasha, and, clutching his jaw with one hand, he punched InuYasha in the nose. "Firstly, you're an idiot for not seeing that one coming! And second, it's the friggin' truth so get over it!"

"Oh yeah?!" InuYasha had recovered and was holding his nose.

"Yeah!"

"I don't think so," InuYasha seethed.

"That's just the thing-- you don't think!" Kouga answered.

"That's it!" InuYasha hurled himself at the wolf demon and once again, a scuffle began.

~*~ (Minutes later)

Again, Kouga and InuYasha sat next to each other on the porch outside, only this time, there were more bruises. "Whaddaya wanna do now?" Kouga asked. "And this time, could it not involve pain?"

"Wuss," InuYasha muttered. "I dunno, got any ideas?"

"I'm gunna pretend that I didn't hear that," Kouga replied. "Yeah, I think I got one idea."

"What is it then?" InuYasha asked impatiently.

"It's something I learned a long time ago from a friend, grab a twig and come 'ere." Kouga went down to where there was dirt and drew a small three by three grid with a small stick, InuYasha squatted down with him, looking on in interest. When Kouga was finished he sat back and looked proudly at how even it was.

"Stop starin' at the d**n thing and tell me what comes next, unless this is all there is."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, don't get your loincloth all in a wad. This is what you do," he took his twig and drew a circle in one of the squares on the grid. "Each person gets a shape, a circle or a "x" and whoever's going first puts their shape in a square. Then the next person does the same thing, the aim of the game is to get three of your own shapes in a row before the other person does."

"I get it," InuYasha said happily.

"Good!" Kouga exclaimed while wiping the circle away. "X's go first, so you can be "x" so you get the feel for the game."

InuYasha nodded and put a "x" in the middle square, Kouga put his circle in the top right-hand one. They continued until there were three circles in a row... and only three on the board, meaning of course that InuYasha was beaten horribly.

"Ah, ya know," InuYasha said. "Just a warm up round. I'll get ya next time-- draw another one!"

So they did it again, and again, and again, and even again, each time Kouga won.

InuYasha got up and threw his stick down, "I'm tired of playin' your games, they suck." He walked back into the house, Kouga following angrily.

"They do not suck! You just suck at playin' 'em!"

"That's 'cause their stupid!" InuYasha retorted.

"You just think that 'cause you're inept when it comes to playin' games!"

"Take that back!" InuYasha fumed.

Kouga crossed his arms against his chest, "Not until you take that comment back about my games."

InuYasha crossed his arms and huffed, "I ain't gonna do that! Not when it's true!"

"Then I'm not gonna take what I said back!"

"Oh yes you are!" InuYasha threatened with a fist in the air.

"Oh yeah? And who's gonna make me? You? Not likely!"

"Oh, I'm gonna make you alright!" another lunge and they were both on the floor, rolling about, each trying to kill the other.

InuYasha won the top position for a moment and socked Kouga. Kouga rolled them over and knocked InuYasha's head into a giant vase that was in a corner, thoroughly shattering it to a billion tiny pieces.

~*~ (Enter Kagome! ^_^)

"What do you two think you're doing?!" Kagome screamed when she saw the two enraged boys on the floor.

They both looked up simultaneously to see Kagome staring straight at them, Kouga was the first one to her side. "Kagome," he said taking her hand in his. "You're alright!"

"Yeah," she answered, yanking her hand from his grasp. "I'm fine, thanks."

"I was so worried about you, I couldn't stop thinking about how you were fairing."

Kagome looked to the puddle of black glass that had once been a beautiful vase, "Uh-huh, it sure looks like it."

"Glad to see you're up," InuYasha said, coming up behind Kouga. "You are feelin' alright, aren't ya?"

"Yes, thank you for your concern, InuYasha," Kagome crossed her arms across her chest.

"Woah! Heh-heh, that sounded cold!" Kouga smirked.

"It wasn't cold, you idiot! She's just not feeling one hundred percent yet, right Kagome?"

"Where were you when I was kidnapped, InuYasha?"

"What?! I-I, well I-I-I, I was, well, I don't-- I think--"

Kagome sighed, "No InuYasha, no you don't. Thank you for finally finding me I suppose. You're just lucky it was Sesshoumaru who was the one who took me." She brushed passed him and went to take a look at the shattered vase.

"Wow, you guys really did a number on this place," she said squatting down to pick up a few pieces of the glass, examining them, and then setting them back down.

"That used to be a priceless heirloom, InuYasha," the three turned to see Sesshoumaru standing looking at the that glass littered floor. "I just thought you might like to know."

InuYasha snorted, "No, I really didn't." He walked over to Kagome and grabbed her upper arm, "'Kay, you're up and rested-- are you feeling well enough to go?"

"What?!" Kagome exclaimed.

"We gotta get you back, Kagome. Kaede can have a look at you and you can go home for a few of days-- I won't even bug you about coming back for a while! But only a couple of days, though." InuYasha promised.

"I suppose my mother is probably a little worried," Sesshoumaru inwardly cringed at the confession. "I mean I did promise her that I'd be home for my birthday and I didn't exactly show up on time."

Kouga lit up at the mention of Kagome's birthday, "When was your birthday, Kagome?"

"Uh," Kagome paused for a moment. "I-I really don't know," she admitted. "I've honestly lost track of how many days since. Probably about a week?" Kagome looked to Sesshoumaru in question, in response she got a cock of the brow. She turned back to Kouga, "Sure, we'll go with that one."

"A week, eh?" Kouga rubbed his chin. "Well, how's about a belated birthday present?"

"Huh? But you didn't even know when my birthday was two seconds ago. How could you have a present for me?"

In the blink of an eye, Kouga was standing mere centimeters away from Kagome and smiling devilishly, "Yes, but what could be a better present than becoming my mate?"

Kagome sighed, 'Not this again!'

Sesshoumaru had been standing off to the side, but in no time at all Kouga had been replaced by a side view of Sesshoumaru with Kouga in the air held up by Sesshoumaru's right hand. And all of the sudden-- Kouga was on the ground, landing with a loud and unhealthy sounding thud.

"Hey!" Kouga jumped up to face Sesshoumaru. "What the h**l was that for?!"

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but instead turned to Kagome and caressed her cheek staring deep into her eyes as though he were asking silently if she were alright. When he seemed to receive the answer he was looking for his hand dropped and he walked back to where he had been standing. InuYasha just stared on in sheer horror.

Kagome turned from Sesshoumaru and saw the look in InuYasha's face, the best she could do was to give him a half-smile and a little nervous laugh. InuYasha didn't take notice and simply took the incentive to unsheathe Tetsusaiga and point it at Sesshoumaru's back.

"What was that?" he asked in a low dangerous voice.

InuYasha received no answer from the taiyoukai.

"Well?! What the h**l was all that?" InuYasha's voice rose.

"InuYasha," Kagome interceded, "really, it's okay, you should calm--"

"No!" he interrupted. "I wanna know what the h**l he thinks he's doing?!" he was at full fledged yelling now, his sword still pointed to Sesshoumaru who was still unresponsive as ever. "Answer me you bastard!"

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin poked her head into the room. "Rin thought she heard Kagome-chan's voice. Is Ka--" she stopped abruptly when she saw the giagantimoungous sword pointed in Sesshoumaru's direction. "Oh, are Sesshoumaru-sama and InuYasha-chan fighting again?"

Kagome turned to usher the child out of the room, as she did so Rin pushed further, "What are Sesshoumaru-sama and InuYasha-chan fighting about this time?"

"It doesn't matter, sweetie, just go out and play, everything will be alright!" Kagome gave the girl a quick kiss on the cheek and hurried her out of the room before turning an angry glare on InuYasha. "Okay, time to put it down mister! She did not need to see that!"

"Shut it, Kagome! I'm doin' this for you!" InuYasha never took his eyes off of Sesshoumaru as he stepped closer with his sword leading the way.

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and sighed sarcastically, "Oh dear Heavens, where are my manners? Thank you my savior, where would I be without you? How romantic is this? What girl in her right mind could resist such a valiant action? Oh my!"

"Okay! I get it, you don't hafta be so b**chy about it!" InuYasha snapped, and still neither his sword nor his eye contact wavered.

"Well I'm glad you get it! So put the sword down, Rin is still right outside this door!" Kagome was quickly losing patience.

All the while Kouga merely sat where he had been dropped and watched the exchange, taking it only as free entertainment.

Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was not so amused. He had had enough, before anyone could blink he had InuYasha's wrist in his hand and was moving the sword from its original place, slowly forcing it back into its sheath. Sesshoumaru growled under his breath, "I believe she said that we have an unwanted audience, there will be plenty of time to finish this later." With that Tetsusaiga was fully sheathed and Sesshoumaru was towering over his brother, looking down upon him for all the world appearing very intimidating indeed.

When was the last time that intimidation actually worked on InuYasha-- in fact, when was the last time he didn't react to it with anything but violence? Seeing Sesshoumaru like that merely angered him, he pushed him to throw Sesshoumaru's hands off of himself and immediately fell into a fighting stance. "Fine then, we can do this without a sword. Besides, all I want is an answer."

Sesshoumaru took none of this to heart, in milliseconds he was beside InuYasha smacking him to the side and sending him flying into a wall. He jumped back up and in front of Kagome, this time in his defensive stance. "Kagome, you need to leave-- now!"

"InuYasha, have you even been listening? I don't really want to leave right now, I'm fine."

"Yeah, I have been listening, and this sounds all too familiar!" InuYasha didn't allow his eyes to break from Sesshoumaru but still turned to Kouga so he could be heard. "Doesn't it sound familiar wolf-boy?"

Kouga looked thoughtful for a moment, "No, nope, can't say it does, dog-breath."

InuYasha finally broke the searing eye-contact he was engaged in to look at Kouga, "What? Whaddaya mean you haven't heard this before?"

"I mean, I've never heard that or anything like that come from her," Kouga smirked. Sure he was egging the situation on, but hey, it was turnin' out to be pretty fun!

InuYasha turned back to his brother, "Well, for your information, Sesshoumaru, this is pretty much the same thing she said when Wolf-boy over here claimed her as his." An evil smirk played on his lips, "Well at least she's consistent. Heh, I think she even did a played down version for the monk after he called her beautiful."

Kagome was outraged, sure she had liked it when they had said something nice about her, but that was just because she had received almost nothing from those around her-- minus of course, Hojo. All of this was different! Wasn't it? She heard Sesshoumaru shift in front of InuYasha and her heart began to flutter-- yes, this was most definitely different from anything that she had felt before. And since she was sure of this-- she walked over to InuYasha's side, putting her hand on his arm, she had his attention, so... she slapped him with all her might.

"Serves ya right you jerk!" her hands were on her hips and she looked like she was ready to go a round with him, verbally sparring or otherwise. Sesshoumaru was taken aback by Kagome's behavior, she was normally not a very violent person, even when provoked-- he rethought that, over all the time he had been with her, especially that first day, she had been indeed a bit violent. He supposed that he just wasn't expecting any of that anger to be veered towards InuYasha.

"What the h**l are you doing? I'm just tryin' to get you outta here with less hassle!" InuYasha was holding his cheek attempting alleviate the pain.

"You're what?! This is less hassle?" Kagome was really fuming now. "You decided to make fun of me and then expect me to be okay with that!"

"I told you, this is for your own good! I'm savin' your a**!"

"And I told you, I don't wanna be saved!" Kagome walked from InuYasha so that her back was towards him and she was facing Sesshoumaru, who at the moment was showing absolutely none of the surprise and amazement that he was experiencing.

"But I gotta save you!" InuYasha yelled to the back of Kagome's head. "You're gonna be my mate!"

At this both, Sesshoumaru and Kagome looked up to each other for a brief moment of utter shock. Kagome was the one to break the eye contact as she slowly turned around to look InuYasha in the face to see what in the world he thought he was saying. For Sesshoumaru it took everything he had to hold back his rage, he wanted to see what Kagome would do. Before she could do anything though, Kouga jumped up.

"I told you a long time ago mutt-face! She's mine!" he yelled, jabbing himself in the chest to show that she was his to posses.

"Shut it ya flea-bitten mongrel! No one takes you seriously anyway!" InuYasha countered and then grumbled under his breath, "ya Co-Co Puff." (If Kouga were a food, he would be Co-Co Puffs, no one really takes them seriously! Also from another site... don't ask 'cause I can't remember!)

"What?" Kouga growled deep in his throat. "She is pledged to me and there's nothing you can do about it!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

Both men were poised and ready to go after each other but before they got anywhere a wall of fire stopped them. They both turned to see a fuming Kagome, fire coming forth from all around her. "Cut it out, both of you," she seethed.

"K-Kagome," InuYasha stuttered. "Maybe you shouldn't be doin' that so soon after--"

Kagome held up a finger to silence him, "Mmhm, and was what I going to do instead? Put myself between you two? Do I really look suicidal to you?" She took a deep breath to calm herself, once she felt that she was under control the flames dissipated into thin air and she opened her eyes with a large smile. "Hey, that was pretty cool, huh? I didn't even have to raise a finger to summon it or to call it back!"

All three of them stared at her in disbelief, she could change the subject like none other. She sighed and rolled her eyes when she saw the looks on their faces. "Anyway," she continued going back to before she had inadvertently switched tracks. "This is really a flattering situation, but uhhh--" she paused as though she had news that she was hesitant to break. "I really don't think I'm ready for something like that."

"Whaddaya mean not ready!? You're almost too old to be married off!" InuYasha shouted and Kouga nodded in agreement.

"Well not where I'm from," she said matter-of-factly. "Where I'm from there are women who don't marry 'til they're like forty! And some don’t marry at all!”

InuYasha cringed, “Eww, forty? That sounds a little nasty considering what human women look like when they’re forty!”

Kagome folded her arms across her chest and said simply, “Well, we have Botox for that.” All three demons looked at each other, each hoping the next would know what the heck she was talking about this time. Finding nothing but a mirror of their own curious eyes they gave up and Kouga approached her.

"Is there anything that I can do to change your mind?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively. Kagome's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates and she shook her head vigorously.

"No, really, I'm fine," she said quickly as Kouga was shoved out of the way by InuYasha.

"What about me?" he pointed to himself with an incredulous look on his face. "What about all we've been through? You-you kissed me!!!"

For a change Sesshoumaru showed what he was thinking by raising an eyebrow at Kagome. She blushed furiously and replied quietly, "You have another mate, though."

"Who?!" yelled the outraged hanyou. "Do you mean Kikyou? 'Cause just to tell you, that's NOT TRUE!!"

Kagome' looked up from the place on the floor that she had been concentrating on so intensely, "I-it's not?"

InuYasha gave a tender smile and walked slowly towards her and gently cooed in her ear, "No, no it's not."

"Really?" she whispered.

"Really."

She giggled in response and rose her arm; it looked as though she were about to embrace him. Sesshoumaru almost gasped but he found it in him to hold back. Lucky that he did, considering instead of embracing him she pulled him closer merely to jerk her knee upwards very abruptly. InuYasha's eyes shot open from their sly, seductive form to one of pain and surprise.

"A gift of departure, InuYasha," she whispered.

"You b**ch!!" InuYasha screamed while clutching his injury. "What the h**l was that for?!"

"You don't want me back because you love me," Kagome started low but her voice was rapidly rising to immensely scary heights in her vocal range. "You want me back because it's a matter of pride for you. You want me back because you just got used to having me hanging at your side like a love sick puppy dog! You-you disgust me!!" All restraint that she had been attempting to exercise was broken and she let loose. Flames surrounded her and she looked like she had jumped straight from a painting of Hell.

Sesshoumaru smirked, he was proud of her for finally standing up for herself in the face of her personal adversity. He crossed his arms over his chest and chuckled, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and the miko is p**sed." He was content to merely stand there and watch her rip his younger brother to shreds until he heard a small sniffle from Rin, she was coming towards the room they were in, most likely to check on Kagome and himself. She would not be happy if she were to see Kagome in such a state. Jumping from his relaxed position against the wall, he came up behind Kagome.

Through all of her anger she still managed to hear Sesshoumaru shift and her flames dissolved, she turned around and surprise washed over her features. "I-I--" Sesshoumaru cut her off by holding a finger to his own lips and let his eyes flicker towards the door, where three tiny shadows could be seen, each belonging to one no taller than three feet. They were listening to what was going on inside and nosily attempting to catch a glimpse of the action.

"Shh! Shippo-chan is way too loud!" Rin whispered almost loud enough to constitute talking.

Udon pushed Shippo to get him to move forward so that the little puppy could see too, "But Rin, your dog's tryin' to push me!"

"Udon only wants to see too! So Shippo-chan needs to move so that everybody can see," she sounded for all the world like a tiny mother.

Udon growled a bit and Shippo jumped out of the way, Udon made his way between Rin's legs. After they were settled Shippo went back to his spot from before and peeked in-- all he was able to catch was a sliver of Sesshoumaru's tail. He decided to open it just a little further so that he could--

"Ahhhh!" all three youth came tumbling from behind the door, each on top of the other. Kagome giggled and rushed to help them up, totally ignoring the looks that she received from those around her.

"You guys okay?" she asked lifting Shippo the Rin off the floor. They nodded and Udon barked his reply. "Good," she nuzzled each little cheek and looked out the window. Her head snapped toward Sesshoumaru and she asked with a bit of shock in her voice, "What time is it?"

"Late," was all she got.

"Okay then-- bedtime!" Rin, Shippo, and even Udon let out a little groan of disapproval. She set them down and gave them a tiny push on the rump, "You guys head up to bed and I'll be there with a bedtime story very soon!"

Rin and Shippo looked at each other, "Woo-hoo"-ed, and raced to the bedroom, Shippo yelling, once again, "This isn't fair though!! I don't know where it is!!!"

Kagome giggled at the sight they made and smiled warmly as they disappeared. When they were out of her sight she turned back to Sesshoumaru, InuYasha, and the long forgotten Kouga. InuYasha looked like a fish out of water, he kept opening and closing his mouth as though he wanted to say something but couldn't pull himself together enough to get it out.

"Yes?" Kagome asked innocently.

They all looked to InuYasha who was still having speech problems, Sesshoumaru sighed and answered for him, "Suffering from mood swings, Kagome?"

She looked thoughtful for a moment, a huge smile spread across her face and she nodded happily. No one was paying attention to Kagome's response though, they had all turned their attention to Sesshoumaru.

"Did you just call her Kagome?" Kouga asked, InuYasha nodded to signal that he wanted to know too. All they got was a raised brow, telling them that he did not have to explain any of his actions to them.

"Yes, yes he did," Kagome said cheerfully. She turned, a little shyly, to Sesshoumaru, "Um, Sesshoumaru-sama, about what we were talking about earlier?"

He lifted his head a tad to show that she had his attention, he had wanted her to finish what she was saying before they came down here in the first place.

"Well, I was hoping that you might still--"

Sesshoumaru was two inches away from her before she had a chance to finish her sentence, "I believe I told you to drop the sama, did I not?" He graced her with a dashing smirk before he descended upon her lips with his and for one electrifying moment they were all alone in the world. The only thing that existed was feeling, the feeling of pliable lips, the feeling of an all enveloping embrace, and the overwhelming feeling of being loved for who they truly were. (You can tell my best friend read farrrr too many romance novels for her own good-Best friend/Beta) There was no one to pretend for, there was nothing that they had to hide-- this in mind, Kagome deepened the kiss and they were lost in each other.

Kouga sat there, staring at the two intertwined, "Ewwww, is that even natural?"

InuYasha couldn't tear his eyes from the sight, 'She left me, she left me for him!' and realization dawned on him.

When they separated InuYasha cleared his throat, "I see what this is, sad attempt Sesshoumaru."

Kagome and Sesshoumaru turned to the plotting hanyou. "What?" Kagome questioned.

"Well there's something that you don't know about him Kagome," her head snapped up to look Sesshoumaru in the face, he continued to stare at InuYasha though, waiting for what he hadn't told Kagome, not quite sure himself.

"Ya see, this is all for revenge, just 'cause I stole his girlfriend forever ago," InuYasha gave a toothy smirk. He was sure that he had Sesshoumaru just where he wanted him.

Sesshoumaru's own smirk wiped InuYasha's off of his face and left him staring at the demon incredulously, but when he heard him laughing-- a deep, low rumble from his chest-- the hanyou became enraged. "What the h**l's so funny?!"

"Um, InuYasha?" Kagome piped in quietly. "He already told me about that."

"He-he what?! Sesshoumaru's never told anyone about that! You son of a b**ch! What'd you do that for?"

Sesshoumaru's iron grip was around InuYasha's neck before he took another breath, "Firstly, InuYasha, yes, my mother was a b**ch, but that is merely a technical term. Secondly, why I told her has nothing to do with you, you disgusting excuse for a living being." InuYasha was dropped and Sesshoumaru turned to see Kagome retreating.

"I promised the kids I'd tell them a story," she looked out the window again-- it was pitch black. "That was forever ago, I gotta go! We'll finish this later! I promise, 'kay?" she tossed back over her shoulder.

And she was gone.

"You are lucky tonight, little brother," Sesshoumaru stalked away to Rin's room, he was not about to miss Kagome's story telling session.

A sigh snapped InuYasha from his thoughts and in the darkness he saw Kouga, chin in hand, elbow resting on a knee, "The author forgot about me again."

~*~
A/N: Okay, so the truth was... this was the last chapter, the fact is that it was just waaay to effin' long! Not only that, but evidentially... as I said before, no one was notified that I updated -_-V I'm hoping that that was the only reason I didn't get any reviews!!!! This chapter (which used to include the one after this) has been up since the summer time and absolutely no one reviewed!!! I was so sad... so, you guys are gonna review now, right? +^-^+ I hope so!! Much love!!!! And go on to read the ACTUAL last chapter!