Train Ride by Furuichiko

Chapter 1

I do not own InuYasha or any other part of this contrapment. All rights reserved. I make no monies. Is done for pure enjoyment.

First of all, I would like to thank my beta for this… “misadventure”; MomoDesu. I would also like to thank JeniNeji for her art work: Train Ride [http://dokuga.com/gallery?func=detail&id=3583].

Author’s Note: This has been on the back burner for a while. It is rated MA for…to be safe of content. There was supposed to be a lemon in here, but as I was writing said lemon, it just decided to stop in the middle and refused to write anymore. I may however, and that’s a big may, write a lemon and add it as a second “chapter” although I am not sure how that is all going to go down…we shall see what the future brings.

And on one final note: I hope you enjoy this, and as always, but rarely ever said; R&R&R? [Read Rate Review].

Train Ride……

He sat at his desk and pinched the bridge of nose; he looked at the time in the corner of his computer screen and remembered the date. It was Kohaku's and Inuyasha's anniversary.

Today was the four hundred and ninety-eighth-year anniversary of their deaths. Miroku and Sango had barely made it out alive, Kirara and Shippo were not in much better shape, but at least they had survived. Sesshomaru did not like reliving any past memories, especially that one.

The more time that Sesshomaru had spent with his brother’s group, or what had been left of it, he had grown to respect them, not only for their courage and bravery, but also for the kind of people that they were. Sango and Miroku had even offered to take Rin in, if he would allow it, saying that the death of battle was no way to raise a child. He had agreed with them, and left her with them, and periodically came back to check on her.

At one point, he had even offered to shelter them in their own home on his grounds; they had graciously declined, saying that it was better if they did things on their own, as that was how they had always done it.

Little Rin grew up to marry, only to pass a short time later to what is now known as breast cancer. Sango and Miroku married shortly after the death of Naraku, and started on having a family right away. They lived long and healthy lives until a ripe old age.

No doubt Jaken would probably still be alive, had Sesshomaru not killed him out of boredom and annoyance.

Kagome; Kagome disappeared after Inuyasha’s death, as if she had never been there. He was sure that she had died long ago, like Sango and Miroku had.

Shippo lived for another four hundred years before succumbing to a slow and agonizing death only known to purebred demons. After a few years, Shippo finally came to him asking to end his misery. He had done so, but with a heavy heart.

He even out lived his mother; she was a very resourceful woman. Yet he had not expected to outlive his own mother.

He remembered the day that he had made the vow to himself, to never care for another human being again. He could not remember when the last time he ever felt this lonely, he would never go through the motions of being attached to someone only to end up losing them in the end. Miroku and Sango would be the last ones.

There was a buzzing sound in Sesshomaru’s head, which he soon realized that his secretary had been trying to get his attention. Pushing the button on the intercom, he growled his answering reply and then waited for her to answer. “I am sorry to bother you sir, but there is someone on line three. He said it was important.”

“Thank you,” He said in a polite tone. Picking up the line, he said, “This is Matsumoto.”

“Sesshomaru!” the dark yet happy voice said.

Sesshomaru growled threateningly, knowing exactly who it was and why he was calling. He wished he had killed him when he had the chance centuries ago. “Did you call me just to piss me off, Koga?”

“Me? I am hurt, Sesshomaru.” He sounded wounded, but Sesshomaru had known better than that. “Just wondering if you had gone to see him yet?”

“I do not see how that is any concern of yours.” Sesshomaru thought, as he wished that Koga had perished all those years ago, instead of his brother.

He knew that was insensitive and ruthless, but contrary to popular belief, he admired his brother, though he would have never admitted it. Most half-breeds would have given up on life early on, but he stuck it out until the very end; Sesshomaru admired Inuyasha’s courage and determination and over all drive for anything he had to fight for.

“I was curious, because I know you go every year on this day to visit his grave.”

“What, you’re following me now?”

“No, I know, because I go to see him as well. He was a worthy adversary.”

“I will have to agree with you on that. Now, if you don’t mind, I have some work to do,” he said before hanging up and hearing Koga’s plea for him to wait.

~*~*~*~

He stared at his reflection in the window as they traveled through the darkened tunnel. Long ago, when humans nearly killed off all the weakest demons, the stronger went into hiding; Sesshomaru learned how to conceal his demon traits. His long ago prominent markings of his demon heritage were now discolored and faded to look like scars. His hair was dyed a dark brown to an almost black, he had a five o’clock shadow on his jaw line and chin.

Had he realized today's date sooner, he would have taken the day off to travel his grave and visit all day. He supposed he could do it tomorrow, considering it was the weekend, he did not have to take the day off. A few stops after he had boarded the train, he watched as more occupants boarded the train, not really seeing them. He kept to himself, and continued to stare out the window.

After a short time on the crowed train, a familiar scent crossed paths with his sensitive nose. At first, he had trouble concentrating on the scent as there were a few dozen other scents mixing with it, not to mention its intoxicating effect on his senses. He did not know what to do about the scent, so he tried concentrating on whose scent it was. He knew that he had not smell the sweet scent in nearly five hundred years.

He tried scanning all the faces through their reflections, but none of the faces matched the beautiful scent. He kept scanning the train car, and came up unsuccessful. He was nearing the stop he was getting off at, every second, and the car was almost empty. He gave up on searching for the person that belonged to the wonderful scent that it was emanating from.

Minutes later, at the next stop, he watched as two American tourists exited the train, to reveal a small young Japanese woman. Her hair was long, ebony in color and moving with her body’s movement with the train. Her eyes were the color of a rainy day sky; she wore a red half coat, with a matching shirt to the coat, with a pair of black skinny jeans and shiny red pumps.

His eyes returned to her face, knowing he had seen it; and then as if a lightning bolt had struck him, her smiling cheery face popped into his mind, as if saying, duh, how could you not remember me. He called out to her, but she could not hear him. How could this even be possible, unless she has is a doppelganger. But then again she was also a doppelganger of Kikyo, so that might be possible. No, they had the exact same smell.

The train was stopping, and she was preparing to exit the train. He had to know, was she the doppelganger of Kagome, even though this woman looked to be about ten years older than he remembered Kagome to be. If memory served him correctly, the last time he remembered seeing Kagome, she was in a junior high school uniform.

He watched as the doors opened, and she exited. He had just got out of the doors in time, only to lose her in the crowd leaving the platform. Following where the scent was leading him, he reached her just as she reached the stairs. He gripped her by the wrist, seconds later, her free arm produced a small can of mace, he had gripped her other wrist as well.

“Please, tell me your name.” was all he could muster.

Her face displayed many emotions; the more recognizable being bewilderment, surprise and wonder. “Sesshomaru-san?” she said, her voice portraying all emotions on her face. He let her wrists go, with the one not holding the mace; she reached up and touched his hair, which had been hacked off to a more stylish, modern short look, then she touched his cheek; tracing his marks, that she knew were not scars. “How can this be? I thought you were dead.”

He understood when she said you she actually had not meant him in particular, more so of his kind. “The smarter and stronger ones hid away,” he told her. “So, then, it is you, Kagome?”

She nodded; she put her mace away, and asked, “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing. How is it possible?”

“You mean that I am here and not dead?” When he nodded, she answered, “I can’t really explain it all, but as I was growing up my family ran a shrine, and on that shrine was the bone eater’s well. I traveled back in time. I am originally from this day.”

“May I ask where you might be going?” he asked, gesturing down the stairs, as if saying 'ladies first'.

“I am bringing some papers to my boss; he is staying at a ryokan for a few days up here, and asked me to bring him his work, and a few other things as well. What are you doing here?” she replied, starting down the stairs with Sesshomaru walking right beside her.

“Well, actually, I was going to Akita prefecture, but my trip can be postponed a few hours.”

“Oh, I am sorry. Why did you get off then?”

“I had to find out if it was you or not.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, Sesshomaru-san, what takes you to Akita Prefecture?”

“It is not really a what, but someone.” Then added mentally, ‘Actually a few someones.’ After a moment he asked, “Would you like to join me?”

“To meet whoever is in the Akita prefecture? I would not want to impose on anyone.” Kagome turned down a side street.

Sesshomaru gave her a little smile. “I am sure he would not mind, besides, I am the one inviting you.”

“You know, for as long as I have known you, I don’t think I have ever seen you smile.”

“I have learned to let things go over the last five hundred years.”

“Hm, well, I guess that is a good thing.” She smiled back at him.

They made small talk while she guided him to where she was going. Once she delivered what her boss had asked for, she turned to Sesshomaru, “Well, if you insist on me accompanying you to visit with your friend, might I suggest we leave now.”

Sesshomaru looked at the time, and sighed. “I think it would be better if we stay here for the night.”

“Are you kidding? I can’t afford a place like this.”

“I will be willing to pay for you.”

“With all due respect, Sesshomaru-san, I don’t know you all that well.”

“Do you honestly believe I would hurt you?”

“Um, you tried killing me when we first met, and many times after that.”

“Kagome-san, had I wanted to hurt you I would have done it on the train platform. I intend you no harm, I am merely suggesting that we share a room for the night.”

“Whatever, I guess, only because I am getting hungry and tired.”

~*~*~*~

‘Ah, now this is what I call a hot spring,’ she thought as she leaned against a rock and looked up at the stars. They were a few kilometers out of Aizu at a traditional onsen ryokan. It seemed like it has been unchanged from time. ‘It sure was a big surprise to actually run into Sesshomaru-san. I wonder whom he is going to see in the Akita Prefecture tomorrow. Must be someone important if the Sesshomaru-sama is traveling to see them. I wonder why he asked me to come along, though.’ Kagome sank into the spring up to her nose. Seeing him again was starting to stir up old buried and forgotten feelings she had for him. She would never admit it to anyone, but she had a thing for him. It took her a few years after the well had stopped working for her to admit her feelings to herself.

After Naraku had died, she was pulled back to her time, never to see if everyone had been all right. She really wished that Sango and Miroku got married and had many babies, Shippo to grow up to be a fine demon, and Kohaku and Sango have repaired their relationship. Most of all, she hoped that Inuyasha got everything he wanted.

She got out and went to sit on a stool to wash her body. After washing her body and her hair, she picked up her belongings and then slipped back into the hot spring to enjoy it. She swam about leisurely for another twenty minutes or so before getting out again and putting on her yukata. She returned to their room to a lavishly spread of their dinner, she put her clothes into the corner before going over to the shoji screen and sliding it open to enjoy the weather outside, it was late in the summer, but fall was just around the corner, the night air was starting to cool.

She had not heard him enter the room, so when he called her name it made her jump a little. “Welcome back,” she greeted him with a smile.

“You ready to eat?” he asked.

“Mhm.” She sat next to him, “Itadakimasu,” they said in unison while holding their hands together and bowed their heads slightly, and then proceeded to eat.

Kagome nearly squealed at every bite she had. Never had she had anything so delicious.

“I hope you don’t mind, I ordered a bottle of sake,” Sesshomaru said after a while “Would you like to join me after dinner, gazing out at the beautiful garden, drinking sake?”

“I don’t usually drink all that much, but I guess tonight could be an exception.” Kagome finished her meal and put her hands together once more, bowing her head and said, “Gochisosama.” She placed her chopsticks back onto their holder, and placed all the dishes in the same place as they were at the start of her meal, with the lids back on the dishes as well. Going over, she leaned against the wood of the shoji screen and gazed up at the sky.

“It is not as beautiful as back then, but it sure does come close to it,” Kagome said, when she noticed that he was coming toward her with two glasses and the sake. “To the old days,” Kagome said holding up her glass before gulping it down. Sesshomaru filled her up again. “To the Gang.” Kagome repeated her motions, as did Sesshomaru.

Before she could make her toast, he wanted to say one. “To Inuyasha, wherever he may be.”

A few more glasses and toasts later, Kagome was nearly passed out on the floor.

‘No wonder she doesn’t drink,’ he thought with a smile.

~*~*~*~

Kagome woke up to the sun shining in on her face. Sitting up, she realized that she was laying on a futon; the last thing she remembered was drinking with Sesshomaru. Her hands went up to hold her throbbing head. That was the reason why she did not drink. Getting up, she went into the washroom to wash her face. Retuning, she lay back down; their attendant must have thought that they were together, so she had pulled out the single large futon, no matter though. She cuddled close to him and closed her eyes.

She does not know what made her curl into his side; she just knew that it felt right. She felt like a fat cat laying in the sunshine, laying her head on his arm, she put her hand into his and let out a small smile. She almost regretted her choice of curling up into his side as he turned from his back to his side and wrapped his free arm around her. She really hated to wake him, but there was no other choice.

“Sesshomaru-san,” she called in a soft voice. When he did not stir at her calling his name, she patted his hand that had been resting on her hip while calling him, this time a little louder. He still did not stir.  She then resulted to growling his name and slapping his hand, to get him awake.

“You hit me like that again, and I promise you will not like the repercussions,” he growled at her, keeping his eyes closed. However, his growling had not been threatening, to her it was more of a promise that was twisting with a tone that she had not heard in a while from a man.

“Do you not think that we should get up to continue on to the Akita Prefecture?”

“No, not particularly,” he said, pulling her closer.

“Sesshomaru-san, I really do not think that this is not the time to be in this position.”

“On the contrary Kagome-chan, I believe that it is the perfect time.”

“I think that it is about time for breakfast. Besides, are you not supposed to meet someone in the Akita Prefecture, which you were supposed to meet last night?

“I do not think that he will be going anywhere any time soon.”

“Sesshomaru-san, I have to use the bathroom.”

“But you just came back from the bathroom.”

“You were awake?” she asked, almost appalled.

“I have been awake for hours.”

She blushed and nearly died of embarrassment in her own mind, before asking after a few short minutes. “So that is why you have not been up.”

“Oh, I have been up quite a lot, you just have not realized it.”

“Well, whatever, can you let me go so I can get up and go have breakfast?”

~*~*~*~

They were driving in a car, riding in silence, mostly because Kagome did not know what to say and Sesshomaru really had nothing to say.

Kagome was wracking her brain trying to figure out why Sesshomaru would ask her to accompany him to where he was going, when she had no idea where he was going, who he was going to visit, and for what. For that matter, she really did not know much about him, except what she had remembered from the days of feudal Japan. She did not know how many times she wanted to start a conversation with him about what he has been doing for the past five hundred years. However, the conversation never got past her tongue.

Off in the distance, Kagome noticed a large property with a wall as high as the buildings behind the wall. “What is that?” she asked, pointing out the side of the window.

“That is where we are going.”

“Is it like some tourist trap?”

“Everything behind that wall is closed off to the public.”

“So what is it?”

“My home.”

Kagome was silent as they drove up the drive, mostly because she was taking everything in. There were many buildings on the property, but none were as impressive as the main building was. It was four stories high; and at least a kilometer long. Sesshomaru stopped at the main doors, before getting out of the car and walking around to the side Kagome had been seated, and opened her door. Getting out, she felt like a tourist in a new city with gorgeous buildings and surroundings.

Sesshomaru led Kagome into the house, and gave her a tour, pointed out where everything had been; what had been modernized and what was still traditional. Kagome could not get over how huge his house was. It must have been the “house” he had when she had known him back in feudal Japan, she had reasoned.

Sesshomaru offered to let her stay in the library while he checked on a few things. Nevertheless, she decided to follow him around, because she wanted to see what she knew was not possible back when she knew him then. First, he stopped to see if the kitchen was well stocked; she guessed he planned to stay for a while. Then he went to his study, to make sure things were in order and bills were paid. It took a little longer than she thought it would, so she browsed his bookshelves and found something she thought was interesting. She then curled up on a reclining chair in front of the unlit fireplace and started reading.

When things were all said and done, which took her until about the middle of the book she had been reading, a tale she already knew of, as she traveled the countryside with Inuyasha and their friends that they had made along the way.

“You seemed engrossed in the book, so I figured that I would go head and finish up what I had to do around here. You ready?”

Closing the book and placing the book on the arm of the chair, she stood up and gave him a small smile. “Sure. Where are we going exactly?”

“Just follow me.”

‘He must be taking the scenic route,’ she thought to herself as they walked silently through the castle’s beautiful garden.

A short while later they came to a small building that was crypt-like; Sesshomaru stopped at the entrance, turned to her and looked at her. “Would you like to go in first?”

Kagome could not help but look at him, bug eyed. “Why?”

“Whether you go in or not is totally up to you. But I came all this way to pay respects.”

Kagome watched as Sesshomaru walked down the few steps then opened the door and disappeared inside the small catacomb. She had come all this way; she may as well see why Sesshomaru wanted even needed her to come with him. She walked in, almost as if cautiously.

Inside, the place was as dark and dank as it seemed from the outside. However, near the ceiling was a mantel like shelving that held what looked like oil; that Sesshomaru lit with fire. To Kagome’s surprise, Sesshomaru was cleaning a head stone. Beside him had been a bunch of flowers.

Kagome looked around; these were graves of her loved ones. She saw Sango’s and Miroku’s, Shippo’s, Kohaku’s, even poor little Kirara. Kagome noticed the one that Sesshomaru was currently cleaning was little Rin’s and someone she had not known, her husband, Kagome guessed. Then she noticed one more head stone, with Inuyasha’s name on it.

Kagome was at a loss for words, everyone she had known back then was dead. She fell to her knees, shock written all over her face, unable to utter a sound. Kagome watched as Sesshomaru finished with one grave cleaning and then continued onto the next.

“Inuyasha and Kohaku died in the battle with Naraku,” Sesshomaru said over his shoulder as he was cleaning Kohaku’s head stone. “Rin grew up into a beautiful young woman, in a way, she kind of reminded me of you. She married; unfortunately she and her husband had trouble having children. She died about ten years after they married, of breast cancer. Kirara, I guess, died of old age. Shippo grew up into a fine young lord; he died about a hundred and twenty something years ago. Sango and Miroku got married soon after everything had settled, and had many children; I lost track after a few generations.”

Sesshomaru turned to look at her; she had yet to move, or even make a sound.

“They really missed you up until the end.”

“No one is left?”

She watched as Sesshomaru shook his head a few times. “Well, there is that annoying wolf.”

“Koga?”

“He called me yesterday and reminded me of the date. Not that I really needed to be reminded. He sometimes comes here to pay his respects.”

“Why would he call you and remind you of the date?”

“Yesterday was Inuyasha’s and Kohaku’s “anniversary”. It has been four hundred and ninety-eight years since the battle with Naraku.”

“What about Naraku?”

“He died along with Inuyasha and Kohaku.”

The head stones were all cleaned, and flowers were placed in the small vases around the stones; Sesshomaru held out his hand for Kagome, as she had yet to get off the ground. She knew her pants were ruined thanks to the damp and dingy ground of the catacomb. She let him help her up and they went around to each headstone, and with a small leaf from the flowers in the little water basin on the headstones, they flicked a few droplets at the headstones, placed their hands together and said a little prayer paying their respects to their old friends.

“I don’t get it; I thought you hated Inuyasha.”

“Just because I disliked my brother does not mean that he should not get a proper burial and a little respect. Sometimes things are not always as they appear. My brother was a worthy adversary, as Koga had said yesterday, I admired him for that.”

“Why, if you don’t mind me asking, would you want to keep them on your property? I mean, why not just have them buried at shrine or temple?”

“Easy accessible, I guess. Besides, should family not be buried together? Are they not a family, for all that they went through together?”

“Mhm.”

~*~*~*~

The room was opened up to a view of the garden; they had just finished dinner and were lounging on a tatami matted floor that reminded her of the ryokan. Traditional style Japanese houses had always fascinated her. She had always dreamed of what it would be like to live in one, and now she had the chance, as Sesshomaru offered her to stay a few days.

“Back then, it must have been a really beautiful place,” Kagome said, admiringly.

“Is it not beautiful now?” he asked, looking at her and cocking an eyebrow.

“Oh, don’t get me wrong, it is magnificent, I just meant in the prime of the demon society. Everywhere you turn, there is a demon. But now, it is dull in comparison.” She smiled at him. She finished off her drink and set the glass beside her.

“I don’t know whether to take offense to that or not.” He looked over to her and saw what she had changed in to. She had found his old kimono, and was now wearing the haori, tied with the sash that he had always worn with said kimono. She pulled the haori around her frame so much that he could see every outline of her body, the hem of the garment just barely reached the top of her knees. He was suddenly overcome with a possessiveness that he could not fully understand. Sniffing the air, he called to her saying he thinks that she might want to move back, as it was about to rain.

She perked up at his announcement. She loved the rain. She got up and went outside. The moment she crossed the threshold of the door, it began to pour. She loved the sound rain made when hitting a surface. She twirled around in the rain, feeling like a kid again, especially when Sesshomaru chuckled as he watched her. Never in her life had she ever imagined that she would be hanging out with Sesshomaru like she was; never had she thought that she would out live Inuyasha or Shippo.

In that moment, she started to question her morals, and the whether or not she was human anymore. What normal person would not feel a thing when they just found out that her loved ones have passed away? Granted, it was a few centuries before, but she still knew them and felt for them, but she could not get that numbness out of her that everyone she cared about in the Past was now completely gone. Maybe, over time it would sink in.

“How did it feel when you realized that he was dead?” she asked, as she leaned against the wooden hallway, watching and listening as the rain fell.

He knew who she was asking about, and the reason why she was asking, so he told her. “Honestly, it was so long ago that I had forgotten what I had felt. But I will tell you, whatever you are feeling right now, time will take it away, and then maybe the event will finally sink in and you will come to grip the reality that Inuyasha is gone.”

“I suppose you are right. I figured the same thing, but I was wondering if you felt the same as I do right now.”

“What is it that you are feeling?”

“At this very moment, numbness. Is that a good thing?”

“I really can’t be judge of that. I cut myself off of almost all human interaction.”

“Why would you do that?” She thought for a moment, but he started answering before she could continue.

“After everyone started dying, I vowed to myself that I would never get close to another living thing again, only to watch it age and then eventually die. So to save myself the agony, I cut off all human ties, except for business purposes.”

“And what of me? Do you plan on shutting me out too?”

“As much as I want to so much, because I know the end result, however, I can’t bring myself to do so.”

“You know, back then, I kinda had this thing for you,” Kagome admitted with a little blush.

“And now?”

“I don’t know. I mean, you’re still sexy as hell, I'm a little not so crazy about the beginning beard that you have going on, but over all, you are one sexy man, especially in the “modern” look.” She went to go twirl around some more in the rain.

He smiled as he watched her from inside the dry room; she truly was the carefree spirit. He was really starting to like that about her. “Are you spontaneous person, Kagome?”

“I suppose so, why do you ask?” she answered, twirling around in the rain.

He watched as the drenched fabric clung to her skin as she twirled around. He took a sip of his drink and continued to watch her play in the rain. “Why don’t you come in now, before you catch a cold?” he called out to her. He did not see the point in asking her the question that was going to after the spontaneous one. Then he could see the appeal in wanting to know her answer. He figured that asking her at a little later time would be more appropriate. Sesshomaru watched as Kagome twirled towards the house, she stood in the hallway, dripping wet.

He handed her a towel, he watched as she dried herself then wrap the towel around her head. “I think I will go change clothes. I’ll put it in the dryer with my clothes.”

“Just leave it in the bathroom, I will dry it. I don’t want it to shrink.”

“Good point.”

~*~*~*~

He had been in his study working on some paper work, when he could smell her from three rooms away. She smelled heavenly to his sensitive nose. He really had not been able to concentrate, especially since the question he wanted to ask Kagome was still at the forefront of his brain.

He noticed that she was walking towards his study. It was as good a time as any to ask her the mind boggling question that would not leave his mind in peace. A short time later, there was a soft knock on the door. He told her to enter, the door opened slowly and Kagome popped her head in. “May I come in?”

“By all means,” he said, gesturing for her to enter. He watched as she walked into the room, closing the door quietly behind her, then walked over to the chair that she had been occupying earlier that day and proceeded to pick up where she had left off in the book she had found.

There was a fire going in the fireplace, lighting the room in a soft hue. Getting up he sat in the chair opposite and just stared at her. She had ignored him for some time before becoming fed up, placing the book down, and raising an eyebrow at him, in question.

“What would you have to say if I asked you to marry me this very moment?” he inquired blatantly.

She stared at him for a few moments before she burst out laughing, almost to the point where she was holding her sides and wiping away tears. She finally calmed herself after some excessive gut bursting laughs, and wiped one last tear before looking up at him to see his stoic mask back. Eyes bulging from their sockets, she stuttered, “Oh my god, you’re serious!”

“Hn.” Was the only reply from him.

“Honestly, I would think that you were totally insane.” She watched as he hunched just the fraction of an inch, and then decided to add, “But personally, I think I would be totally speechless.” She watched him slumped back into his chair, this time more noticeably. It was at this that she decided to ask, “Sesshomaru-san, is there something wrong?”

“Please, drop the formalities. Considering all the history we have between each other.”

“Why would ask me that? What I mean is, why would you want to marry me?”

He let out a sigh and was silent for some time. He was staring into the fire, so she thought that he did not really want to talk about it. She decided to drop the subject, at least out-loud, and just stare into the fire as he had been doing. After a while she heard him inhale deeply, hold it for a moment, then exhale slowly.

“I have out-lived everyone I have ever cared about. Inuyasha, Rin, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippo. Until yesterday, I thought I had out lived you as well, come to find out you were here the whole time. After everything had settled down with Naraku, every last one of us became closer.” He watched as she looked surprised and smiled. “They had become my second family. After Kirara died, she lived until shortly after Shippo, I had vowed to never care for another being. But you; I will never love another. I will not out live you as well.”

Kagome was truly at a loss for words. Never would she have figured Sesshomaru to be the sentimental kind of person. She guessed that she had a lot to learn about this new Sesshomaru that she was starting to fall in love with.

One Month Later

For a week, he had been reading nothing but resume after resume for a position that he desperately needed. Some had been so over qualified, some had been under qualified, and others were perfect, but he still had not been what he was looking for. He pushed the intercom for his secretary, and said, “Please send in…” He paused a moment and shuffled some papers. He did not know how many times he had shuffled through the papers and read names, but this last time a name had popped out at him. “Please show Ms. Utada in.”

He waited, getting edgy with every second that went by. For what seemed like a million years for him was only moments in reality, he watched as the door opened slowly, revealing the woman his mind had not would not forget. Kagome.

She seemed surprised to see him, as if she had not realized that it was him that was looking for a new staff member. “Sesshomaru?” she called, inquisitively.

He watched as his secretary had given the woman a disgusted look, as if she wanted to say something to Kagome. “Suzu-san,” he called to his secretary. “She is an old friend.” He then beckoned her with his finger, and then whispered into her ear. “Send all the others home for today.”

Kagome sat down on a chair in front of his desk.

“You know, you never really did answer the question I had asked you that night,” he said first before getting into business mode.

“I wasn’t aware that I hadn’t,” Kagome said, sticking her nose in the air. She then slouched into the chair. “What question was it again?”

Sesshomaru chuckled. He could not help it. “It matters not. Why did you leave your previous employer?”

“Who says that I am not still employed?”

“You’re trying too hard to impress me. Or trying to seduce me.”

“Now, if I were trying to seduce you, you would be on your knees by now, begging me to continue.”

He cocked an eyebrow, “Oh really?”

“Mhm.”

“The way that I see it you have two choices.”

“Oh? How so?”

“I both hire you and then immediately fire you because I will be too distracted by your presence, and you marry me or you just right out marry me.”

“Why you would you hire me and then fire me?”

“I would prefer not to, as that is too much paper work on my part.”

“So either way, I would have to marry you?”

“Exactly.”

“And if I were to refuse you?”

“Why would you want to?”

“I have not comment on that.”

He growled at her before getting up and walking around his desk to lean against it in front of where she had been sitting.

“Why do you want this job?”

“I am not happy with my current employer.”

“Why are you not happy?”

“He is too demanding.”

“What makes you think that this job is not demanding?”

“Honestly, you don’t seem to be the demanding type. More domineering.”

Sesshomaru scoffed at her comment. “Is that really how you see me?”

“Your whole presence screams dominance.”

“You think you could change that?”

“Again, with the marrying thing?”

“I am very serious about this, yes.”

“And what if I have a pup or two or five?”

“I would love them all. I do not see what this has anything to do you marrying me.”

“Let me point out, the first time I met you.”

“He had the better sword. And I wanted it.”

“Ugh. Men and their toys,” Kagome scoffed at him.

“I am begging you, marry me?”

“Before I marry any man, they would have to court me.”

“That can be arranged. I will start now. Would you like to go get something to eat?”

“For a considerable amount of time.”

“I have all the time in the world.”

A year later

She stood in front of the mirror, staring at her refection. Her mother had just put the finishing touches on her wedding outfit by placing the vial on top of her head. She then looked at her mother’s reflection in the mirror. Her face was starting to wrinkle; her hair was like salt and pepper, still in the short hairstyle she had always worn. She had decided to wear a black kimono, traditional of the mother of the bride to wear in a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony, and she donned her lilac obi. Her mother looked beautiful.

Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her daughter’s reflection. “You look beautiful my dear.”

“Arigato, Mama.” She smiled at her mother.

“Maybe this marriage you can give me some grand-babies,” Mrs. Higurashi teased her daughter.

“Maybe.” Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out and repeated a few more times before saying. “Okay, I think I am ready.” She opened the door just as her brother was about to knock on it.

“You look magnificent, sis,” he declared after looking her over.

“Thank you.”

Kagome took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, ending with one long inhale and a slow exhale. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road.”

As Souta went to grab the door, Kagome couldn’t believe how much her little had grown over the last ten years. He towered over her. She asked both him and their mother to walk her down the aisle.

The wedding march began just before the doors opened to reveal Kagome to the rest of the wedding guests, and to Sesshomaru. She slowly walked down the carpeted path scattered with rose petals.

She looked through her veil up at the man standing at the altar waiting for her. She smirked a little. Never had she thought that she would be marrying Sesshomaru. But here she was, walking down the aisle, walking towards him. She hoped that somewhere, wherever he may be, that Inuyasha was happy; she hoped that he was happy for her and his brother.

During the ceremony, Kagome couldn't help the feeling of her friends being there. Every last one of them smiling and wishing her well on her marriage. Everyone that was, except Inuyasha. At one point, she had looked over her shoulder and thought she seen her friends sitting in the pews, watching her walk down the aisle to the altar, smiling and crying, cheering her on. Although, a grown Shippo was containing a rather frustrated Inuyasha who, from all body language, was against her marrying his brother.

Getting up to the altar, she confusedly glanced at Sesshoumaru, who looked at her questioningly. She only turned her head to where she had last seen her friends and just stared for a moment. Sesshomaru leaned towards her and whispered, "Seems like their spirits wanted to be with us today."

"So I'm not totally insane?" Kagome asked in a whispered tone.

Sesshomaru smiled and shook his head.

The ceremony went on without a problem, except for Inuyasha’s protesting, though no one could hear him but the other spirits with him and the two standing on the altar. Kagome could tell that Sesshomaru was becoming irritated with his brother's spirit. When the kissing part had come, all other senses ceased, except the touch she was now feeling from her husband.

When he heard "you may now kiss the bride", Sesshomaru gripped Kagome behind the neck, pulled her to him and smashed his mouth upon hers. His brother's voice had faded, as all he cared about that moment was the taste of his wife's lips.