Pink Carnation

Thank you Daniella for beta-reading! You are the best!

Aloe: Grief.

Pink Carnation

Chapter 15: Aloe 

She applied a bit more lipstick on her already red stained lips while carefully staring at her reflection in the mirror. Once she was done putting on another layer Kikyo smiled at herself; perfect. Today she had to look her best since she would be on the hunt. Inuyasha would soon be all hers.

Since both brothers were after Kagome, she had decided to go after the easiest one first. She truly had no interest in Inuyasha, but she had to take him away from Kagome. After all, he was supposed to be in love with her forever, he had just apparently forgotten it. No matter, it would take her no time to remind him.

Kikyo ran her fingers through her hair, adding a bit of volume to it. Inuyasha had been unable to resist her in the past and she knew it hadn't changed.

Once she was satisfied with the way she looked, she grabbed her keys and exited the hotel room she was currently residing in. Stupid Inuyasha. She was there because of him, meaning he should technically be paying her hotel fees. Maybe she would make him do it once he was wrapped around her finger once more.

Kikyo didn't have a date with Inuyasha per say, but she did know where to find him. He was a creature of habit and he usually repeated the same actions, especially when depressed. If it had been early in the day, she would have tried the restaurant where they met, but now that the night had fallen there was only one location where she could find him.

The bar.

When Inuyasha was depressed he'd drown his sorrow into alcohol, which she always found a bit pathetic. He drank a lot at first after Kagome found out about them. Of course she had fixed the situation quickly by threatening to end things, and he had quickly stopped. Though he could have continued doing it being her back…

Why did she want that man back again?

Of course, it was so Kagome couldn't win.

It wasn't fair that she had to spend her life competing against the useless woman. Kikyo was much more of a woman than Kagome would ever be and she had everything someone could desire. She should be on top; she shouldn't have to fight for the attention.

Once Kikyo was outside, she grabbed the first cab that came her way and entered it, prior to directing the driver to Inuyasha's location. Her lips were tightly pressed clearly displaying her annoyance while she ticked her fingers against the seat, waiting to arrive at the destination. If Inuyasha wasn't at the bar, it would be a set back.

The minutes went by before the cab finally came to a stop. She paid the man, barely leaving a tip, and exited the vehicle with her temper flaring. She had the feeling something wasn't right, and it was unsettling. Quickly enough she made her way into the bar and headed straight for the bartender.

She offered a weak smile before ordering a vodka orange and then proceeded to scan the area for a sign of Inuyasha. Usually his silver hair popped quite well in a crowd. The darkness wasn't helping so she frowned. . She was about to give up when suddenly she spotted silver hair and a red shirt; it had to be him.

Kikyo tossed money on the counter, grabbing her drink afterwards before heading there. She made sure to add a seductive swing to her hips as she put her best smile on. As soon as Inuyasha would see her, he would be jumping in joy she knew it. Quickly enough she reached his side, and in an attempt to flirt, she rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Inuyasha?"

She felt his whole body tense as he turned around, clearly surprised that she was there. He blinked a few times, not a word coming out of his mouth.

"You can't even say hi?" she asked, faking a happy tone and taunting him.

His mouth opened, and then closed before he opened it again. "Kikyo? What are you doing here?"

Inuyasha already thought his situation was bad, but he didn't know it could get worse. Why was Kikyo in town? He thought she left him a while back? Why would she want anything to do with him? If Kagome knew about this… he'd be screwed. It would already be hard enough to get her back, and he didn't need Kikyo added to the mix.

She did look beautiful, he wouldn't deny that, but this was wrong. This whole situation had made him realize that the girl he wanted was Kagome, and no one else. He wouldn't fall into the same pattern twice; it was a mistake he would not repeat. Plus, Kagome truly wouldn't forgive him.

Kikyo quirked an eyebrow at his unexpected reaction; why wasn't he happy to see her? "What do you mean?" she asked, brightly smiling. "I'm here for you silly!"

Without being invited she slid in beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. He didn't seem very receptive to her, but she wouldn't let that stop her. "You know, I've really missed you."

"Yeah?" he asked, his tone letting her know he was a bit angry. "Then why did you leave me?"

No he didn't want to return to Kikyo, but he still found it unfair the way she left him. Who broke up with someone just because they said no to getting married? They would have gotten hitched eventually; he just hadn't been ready then. As a matter of fact, he was ready now.

Putting her best acting mask on, Kikyo's eyes flooded with water. "I was confused Inuyasha, can you blame me?"

She sat up straight and looked right into his eyes. "You wouldn't commit, and I was afraid you'd leave me. I did the only thing I could think of; I tried to protect myself. I thought if I left you first, it wouldn't hurt as much." One lonely tear rolled down her cheek. "But I was wrong, I miss you. I can't be without you Inuyasha."

Kikyo held on to his shoulder, almost digging her nails into his skin. "I just… please Inuyasha…"

Inuyasha felt like his heart was caught in his throat. Why was she crying; she wasn't allowed to! She was the one who left him when all he wanted was to be with her! It wasn't fair; she couldn't make him feel guilty because he didn't want her back. She couldn't toss him aside and then come back for him!

"Look, Kikyo… it was fun but I'm not interested anymore."

Inside Kikyo felt a rage develop, but she did her best to hide it from him. If she flipped in anger, it would blow her whole cover. Instead, she allowed more tears to cascade down her face. "Why not?"

"I'm…" Could he tell her the truth? She couldn't be blind to his love for Kagome, after al, they had been together for a long time… "I'm trying to get Kagome back."

Kikyo raised an eyebrow. "Trying?"

Inuyasha sighed heavily. "She doesn't exactly want me right now."

She pressed her lips tightly together in an attempt to control herself. Kagome didn't want Inuyasha? So what, Kikyo was supposed to get the scraps? The whole point of this was to steal Inuyasha from Kagome so that the little bitch would suffer! Why did she have to ruin every single plan she had?

Kikyo was so close to fuming that she did the only thing she could think of. She raised her hand and smacked Inuyasha across the face. Though it did not hurt him, it left him stunned. Meanwhile Kikyo took that opportunity to walk out of the bar angrily.

Apparently it was time to move on to the big fish; Kagome wouldn't know what hit her when Sesshomaru would be taken from her.

-P-

An annoying alarm blared through the room, as Kagome began smacking her hand around trying to shut it off. Her face was still buried in the pillow and she didn't wish to move, thus the blind attacks. Finally, her hand landed on something that felt like the alarm and she smacked down hard. When all noises ceased, she smiled into her pillow. Peacefulness at last.

Today she had work, so to speak. A lot of the pieces in her art studio were orders from people and they were not finished. Of course, all the clients had been called and the situation had been explained. , Some of them even offered her a few pointers as a reminder. Sesshomaru had spent the day helping her organizing everything because apparently, on her own, she was quite messy.

She had glared at him, but had been grateful.

Thus now, for the first time in a while, she had to wake up. Of course she should have prepared herself better for that but… she couldn't resist sugar and now had a sugar hangover. When Sesshomaru had come, he hadn't stopped her from making different treats and she had swallowed down more than her share.

She was going to blame him next time he came over.

Kagome sighed heavily before dragging her body off the bed, one hand on her head. She could tell by now that her hair was probably a mess, but she didn't care as she dragged her feet against the wooden floor slowly making her way to the kitchen. Her eyes were barely open and she held on to everything to assure she wouldn't trip.

The first thing she did when she reached the kitchen was to begin boiling the water so she could have a nice black coffee. She leaned against the refrigerator running her fingers through her bangs and pushing them back. She found herself glancing around in her apartment and it almost felt empty.

Almost every day since her accident people had surrounded her. Now, each time she was alone it almost felt out of place, though she did enjoy the silence. Quietness was something she had when Sesshomaru was present though. It was quite difficult to get him to talk, and share.

She couldn't help but wonder if he was more open… before her accident.

Ever since she had made the decision to turn her life around, Sesshomaru had been coming over almost every day. At first she strongly believed it would be weird but as time went by, she realized she was comfortable in his presence. It wasn't like he was invading her personal space or imposing. No, him being there was quite nice.

The thought alone almost made her blush.

The only other person she could remember being this at ease around was Inuyasha. Though, that had not turned out as nice. It would have been easier to be friends with him and to let go of the future they thought they would have together if he hadn't cheated on her. But at least that proved that you never knew someone.

He was hotheaded and an idiot but she never thought he'd take it that far.

Kagome shook her head knowing she shouldn't be wasting any more thoughts on him. Inuyasha was no longer a part of her life, and it was his own fault. She shouldn't be the one dwelling on him.

The familiar click of the kettle brought her back to reality and she quickly gathered a mug and coffee before pouring the water. After the very first sip, she almost found herself completely recharged. A coffee in her hand, and still in pajamas, she was ready to head to work.

Kagome took the first step in direction of her studio when a knock on the door was heard. She raised her eyebrows, not expecting anyone, before putting her mug down on the counter. Maybe it was Sesshomaru bringing her breakfast; if it were donuts like the previous time, she would have to turn him down. No more sugar. Well, one donut wouldn't really hurt…

She hopped to the door, grabbing the doorknob and swung it open. She was about to smile and tell him he couldn't possibly come uninvited like that, when she suddenly found herself face to face with Inuyasha. Her smile dropped and she let go of the door."What are you doing here?" she inquired with a harsh.

Hadn't she been clear last time? Why couldn't he just leave her alone? He obviously didn't care or he wouldn't have betrayed her! All she wanted was some peace as she attempted to get her life back on track.

Inuyasha swallowed hard while he tried to remember the words he was going to tell her. He had already figured she wouldn't be too happy to see him, but he thought a few days would have been enough for her to calm down a bit. Ever since Kikyo had come to see him he knew he had to fight for Kagome.

Kikyo had been a test and he had passed; he had successfully turned her down. Now, wasn't it time to retrieve the relationship he once had with Kagome?

His heart was hammering in his chest as he peered at the sight in front of him. He still remembered those pajamas she was wearing, which had been a gift to her when she had turned sixteen. Yellow with white clouds and bunnies. Kagome was an adult, but she had this innocent side to her he loved so much.

God, he missed her.

"Just give me a chance Kagome."

A bittersweet feeling enveloped her; a chance? Inuyasha had been given more than one chance and he blew them all. "Your chance was when I didn't remember anything and guess what; you were terrible then too."

The whole time the charade of them dating had been on she had known in her heart something wasn't right. Maybe it was when she was void of memories that she had the best judgment.

Her words were sharp and painful but he refused to back down. Obviously she was still hurt and he couldn't let what she said stop him. If he truly loved her, he was bound to get her back.

"I'll never betray you again."

"You're the worst liar Inuyasha. All you do is betray me."

At least she hadn't wasted herself on him. All those times he had asked for more and she had denied it… Now she was glad she did. It wasn't something she wanted to share with someone like him.

In frustration, Inuyasha slammed his palm against the doorframe. "I won't do it again. Kikyo, she came to me and I said no."

His eyes widened a bit since he had not expected to share that information, but it had slipped from him during his anger. At least now Kagome would know he had no interest in Kikyo anymore. He watched her face carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Kikyo, again? At first Kagome thought that maybe Kikyo hadn't been able to stop herself. Maybe she had fallen deeply in love with Inuyasha, and girlfriend or not, she had chosen to be with him. But now, after leaving Inuyasha, and maybe even moving on, she was coming back?

Clearly Kikyo had something against her. Perhaps Kagome was being paranoid, but she couldn't see why Kikyo wanted Inuyasha back now out of all times.

"Then maybe you should go back and change your answer."

It mattered very little to Kagome if Kikyo obtained Inuyasha or not. She wouldn't return to him. Plus, if Inuyasha had someone, maybe he would finally leave her alone. There was nothing wrong with them enjoying their sinful life together.

Inuyasha's squinted, almost as if he was trying to hold back an emotion she had never seen him display; fear. He slowly extended his hand in her direction before sliding something in her hand.

"Don't give up on me Kag. You're the only one who never did."

He would make it right by her.

Inuyasha's eyes remained on her form just a bit longer before he turned around and began walking away. His actions caused Kagome to be a touch surprised since Inuyasha wasn't one to give up that easily. But, at least this time he had listened.

She was… relieved?

Kagome stood there for a few seconds, the door still open, and her hand still firmly clasped. What could he have possibly given her? She let the seconds tick away before she finally opened her palm and looked down. It was a small dark rock, sparkling with white spots. It was easy for to recognize where it was from.

Each year, when Inuyasha and she would go observe the stars at night with a picnic, they would collect one each. It was a souvenir.

Why hadn't he thrown them out when he had moved on with Kikyo? Why did he still hold on to something that was so personal to the two of them? Most of all, why was he doing this to her? She knew they had enjoyed good times together, but they didn't make up for the bad things he had done to her.

Her arms dropped and the rock fell upon the floor before she closed the door shut. Her eyes glanced upon the door of her studio, but she knew she couldn't. Even if she attempted to paint right now, everything would turn out terrible.

Once again, Inuyasha had sucked the life out of her.

-P-

Sesshomaru tapped his fingers along his desk, his eyes glued on the clock. He had promised himself he would not leave early again. Also, there was no reason for him to since Kagome was supposed to be working all day. If he went to her apartment, he would only be distracting her.

It was harder than before to remain far from her. During their first relationship, she had been broken, and had seen him as her rock. Now, she was apparently looking at things differently, meaning he might just be able to sweep her off her feet. The part buried deep inside of him that wanted her to be his was almost getting impatient.

A long year he had waited by her side, being nothing more than what she needed.

Perhaps now she required a bit more?

A knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts, and he raised his head to glare at the wooden door. "What is it?" he asked, almost hissing.

"Someone here's to see you. They have an appointment." Kagura had to give it to the girl; she was not giving up. Thought that didn't mean she would win Sesshomaru over.

Sesshomaru sighed heavily. "Let them in."

When the door opened, nothing prepared him for her entering his office. Immediately he bared the fangs that were not present and rose to his feet. "Get out."

Kikyo put her most charming smile on. "But I have an appointment."

"I don't care," he said as he walked around his desk so he could close the distance between them. "Get out."

He was being difficult, but Kikyo had expected that much. "Now, please. We're both adults. Why can't we have a civil conversation?"

"Because you're nothing more than a lying bitch."

He wasn't one for using such words, but in her case, there was nothing else he could call her. He hated her and everything she did. Did she really think she had a chance at fooling him?

Her mask almost dropped at his words, but she held herself back. All he wanted was for her to reveal her true nature and she would not give him that satisfaction. Since he would not listen to words and reason, she would take another approach.

It was obvious that Sesshomaru was head over heels in love with Kagome. He wanted her to be his and he probably wanted her body as well. As a youkai, he was probably becoming very impatient. Maybe she could play on his desires, though what she would have to do was a bit sickening.

But the ends justified the means.

She put her hand on his shoulder, allowing her long nailed fingers to drag down his chest. "You know, she and I are quite the lookalikes. Why do you think Inuyasha was attracted to me in the first place?"

Saying those words was disgusting, but she was a good actress.

Sesshomaru opened his mouth, ready to speak, but she stopped him. "I know you want her."

Kikyo closed the distance between their bodies, pressing herself against him. "I could be her for you. You can call me her name, and you won't notice the difference."

He was a man; he was bound to fall to the temptation. Doing what she was offering would be terrible, but at least it would be one step in the right direction. Surely he wanted Kagome enough to at least give Kikyo a try didn't he?

She gasped as she felt him grab her wrist forcefully. Slowly, he bent down, their noses almost touching and their mouths so close. Kikyo couldn't help but smile in victory, as she waited for him to close the distance between them and kiss her. This would be her greatest win.

Suddenly she felt a strong hold on her throat, and she panicked. She looked up at his eyes and all she could see was rage. Sesshomaru was squeezing harder on her neck, blocking any oxygen to reach her brain. Kikyo panicked and began kicking around trying to free herself. Raspy sounds were coming out of her throat as she did her best to breathe, but he wouldn't let her.

"If you come near me or Kagome again, I will kill you."

He waited for a few more seconds before releasing her. Immediately she dropped to the ground, her own hands around her throat, trying to breathe. She coughed, and almost spat, before glancing up and glaring at Sesshomaru. He was way more insane than she thought and she couldn't even gather herself enough to yell at him.

Instead, she scrambled to her feet and rushed out of his office like her life depended on it. Her heart rate was skyrocketing as everything became a blur, and all she could do was hurry to get out.

Sesshomaru stood in the same spot he did when he almost attempted to kill her. He usually kept his temper, but she had pushed him to his limits. It didn't matter how much he wanted Kagome, he would never sink as low as to take Kikyo. If he couldn't have Kagome he certainly didn't want someone who thought she was her lookalike.

Hopefully this time, Kikyo had gotten his message. Next time he wouldn't be so kind to her. She was lucky enough he allowed her to walk away with her life.

Meanwhile, outside Kikyo screamed every swear she knew as she punched the wall. She never hated anyone in her life as much as she hated Sesshomaru at the moment. How dare he try to kill her? He was way more stubborn than she thought. Usually most men would at least be tempted a bit and at the worst she would be dismissed.

Nobody ever tried to strangle her before.

Now even more then before she wanted to wrap her fingers around him, and have him obey her every desires. Nobody was allowed to turn her down like that. She would have Sesshomaru no matter what it took.

This wasn't even about Kagome, anymore, no the little whore could wait for the revenge. For now, her main priority was to get Sesshomaru. If he thought she played dirty, he hadn't seen anything yet. She would pull every string she could; she would use every trick she had.

Sesshomaru Taisho would be hers, no matter the cost.

-P-

"Are you okay?"

Sesshomaru snapped out of his thoughts and glanced down at Kagome. She was bent down a bit, looking up at him, her head slightly tilted. Her eyes were opened wide a bit and she seemed confused. Ever since Sesshomaru had come over, he had been stuck in his own world, which was a bit unusual for him.

"Sorry, I'm a bit tired."

It was a lie, but he couldn't possibly tell her what had happened with Kikyo. First of all, Kagome didn't need the extra stress and he didn't want her thinking that maybe she would lose him to Kikyo one day. He wouldn't do that to her, he cared too much. Since Inuyasha had already betrayed her how could she trust him?

His heart was beating a bit faster than usual as he lied to her, but he hid it from her.

Kagome frowned a bit, before nodding. To be completely honest, he seemed like he had something on his mind, but then again so did she. She wasn't sure if she should tell him about Inuyasha visiting her. She had no reason to hide it from him, and frankly she had been dying to tell someone because it had ruined her whole day.

But was Sesshomaru the right person to share it with?

Kagome took a deep breath before deciding to do it. "Inuyasha came over today."

Sesshomaru didn't really hide his surprise, as he stopped cutting vegetables. Inuyasha came to see her and Kikyo came to see him? "What did he want?"

Kagome shrugged her shoulders. "Forgiveness. I guess he wanted me back."

Sesshomaru quickly nodded. "Is that where the rock came from?"

She was a bit surprised that he had noticed since she hadn't been really careful with it. All she had done was put it on the edge of the window, where she had many other things. Did he know her apartment so well that he noticed when something new was there?

"Yeah. It was from…well from an old memory."

Sesshomaru glanced at the rock before looking at Kagome. "Does it mean something to you?" He wasn't asking it in a jealous manner, but he wanted to know if Kagome still cared about Inuyasha. He didn't think she did, but he wouldn't involve himself with her if she still had remaining feelings.

It wouldn't be fair to either of them.

She shook her head. "No, it's just… I don't know."

"He used to mean so much to me. Why can't I let go?"

Kagome froze as she was hit by the sound of her own voice echoing in her mind. The scene she was currently in with Sesshomaru felt similar, as if they had been in the same situation before.

Sesshomaru had heard her say the same thing in the past.

"No, I just… I don't know, Sesshomaru." She sighed heavily before sitting down on a chair. "He used to mean so much to me. He betrayed me so why can't I let go?"

"Because you loved him and perhaps still do."

He wished she would let go of Inuyasha, but he couldn't force her. He was bad for her, yet she kept everything that linked her to him. Maybe it was easier for youkai to move on than humans.

"I don't want to love him. He's not good for me. All he does is hurt me," she said, tears threatening to fall. "I just… he was with me for my whole life."

Sesshomaru had spent most of his life alone. Once his father had found someone else, and had another son, Sesshomaru had been somewhat tossed aside. He understood that his father wanted his new family to be perfect and most of the time it didn't include him.

It was fine; he had grown up normal even without anyone.

Until Kagome came around, he always thought that loneliness was best. But that was not what he wanted for her. He didn't wish for Kagome to be alone and experience pain. He would be there for her even if it would be painful for him.

"You'll learn to be alone and you'll feel better."

He didn't want to seem weird and tell her he'd be there for her if she needed him. She would never have to learn to be alone though. If it wasn't him, someone else would be there for her.

And to this day, he had kept the promise he had secretly made to not let her go through anything alone. He almost had when she had lost all her memories of him, but at last it hadn't happen, and he was grateful. He wanted to be there for her as much as he could.

"I'm just being silly. Sometimes you hold on to memories. But I'm not holding on to Inuyasha."

The good times would always be there but so would the bad ones. She didn't wish to lose all of her memories; they made her who she was. However, that didn't mean she wanted to be engaged to Inuyasha again. He was a nuisance in her life and he never cared. Now she was surrounded by people who did.

"I'm glad to hear that," he said, searching for confirmation in her eyes that she was saying the truth. Kagome would sometimes hide her pain and concerns from others and he needed to know if she was trying to do that now.

Kagome's lips were glued together as she nodded.

She was over Inuyasha's betrayal, she wouldn't return to him. Yes, he had ruined her day, but that was because he reminded her of the pain he had brought in her life. How could she be happy when all she could think of was that he had chose another woman over her?

It was not because she had leftover feelings.

Suddenly she was pulled from her thoughts when she felt arms being wrapped around her body. She looked up at Sesshomaru whose head was resting on her shoulder and she raised an eyebrow. She could feel the warmth coming from his body and she found herself leaning in.

All of the pain she had felt from Inuyasha she had gone through alone. She had sent her friends away; she had isolated herself in her room and in her tears. Her friends were always trying to help her and protect her from everything. Kagome was trying to deal with things by herself and she didn't want everyone to constantly be worry over her.

She could handle things on her own; she didn't need everyone to worry about her life.

Yet there he was holding her and it felt as if he was taking some of the pain she had been bearing on her shoulders, it made her feel lighter. Once again, she leaned into him even more and he tightened his hold around her. His nose was buried in the crook of her neck, and perhaps he was breaking some intimacy boundaries, but sometimes he knew Kagome better than she knew herself.

She was strong, and even though she wouldn't admit it, she needed help. He could tell that everything happening back-to-back was a lot for her to handle. If he could take away some of that stress for her, he would. Her skin was soft against his face, and her scent was overwhelming him.

Kagome had always smelled divine, but to be so close after being so far for a while made it difficult. He knew she was his, and he wanted to be able to hold her like that more often. It had nothing to do with wanting her body: it was her he wanted. Unlike his stupid half-brother.

Before Kagome knew it, the first tears spilled on her cheeks and then upon her shirt. She was trembling a bit as her strength left her. All that held her up was Sesshomaru holding her. His arms were her support and she held on to them.

Their embrace went on for a few more seconds before Kagome stood carefully on her own two feet. Sesshomaru waited a little more prior to pulling away from her, and clearing his throat. She had been fine in the moment, but he didn't know how comfortable she would be around him now.

Kagome brushed her wet bangs away from her eyes, before offering Sesshomaru a weak smile. "Sorry about that."

She hadn't meant to cry or to find so much comfort in his embrace, but perhaps she had needed it more than she knew. She took a deep breath to calm herself, as a blush appeared across her cheeks. She couldn't believe the way he had been holding her. He had done it for her comfort, but the closeness…

"I'm sorry if I made you feel uneasy," he said as he took a step back.

She clearly looked a bit out of it, and he felt terrible. Whenever Kagome would feel upset in the past, he'd help her. Of course, he hadn't always resorted to physical contact, but that was because he hadn't been around people. She was, as a matter of fact. the one who taught him that.

"You know when someone is crying, it's not nice to act like they have the plague. I'm not contagious."

Kagome was bundled up on his couch, her clothes and hair still wet, and some blood on her clothes. She was aware that perhaps she was staining his couch, but he didn't have to be so rude. Then again, he wasn't really a people person. He had picked her up when she thought she was dying…

"What else is one supposed to do?" he inquired as he put two teas down on the table. He had been nice enough to bring her to the warmth of his apartment, and he was giving her a hot beverage. What else did she want from him? She was not his problem, or any of his concern.

She shrugged her shoulders. It was Sesshomaru, he was related to Inuyasha, and she didn't want anything to do with him. Why was she seeking comfort from him, what was she doing in his house? Why did he pick her up? He should have left her where he found her!

In a moment of rage, she rose to her feet and tried to hurry to make it out of the room. Sesshomaru stood there watching her walk away. If she wanted to leave, he wouldn't stop her; she could do as she pleased. He shouldn't have picked her up in the first place.

He could hear her footsteps fading away, and all he could do was frown. Why did this girl make it so difficult? She shouldn't be any of his concern, so why was he about to go after her and stop her?

Maybe it was because she was bleeding and he couldn't let her walk out of his house like that. When he picked her up she became his responsibility. Next time, he'll know better.

He walked at a fast pace behind her until he caught up to her. He grabbed her arm, but not too forcefully so he would hurt her. "Wait."

Kagome's eyes were burning, her whole body ached, and her heart was broken to pieces. She didn't know why she got in the car with Sesshomaru, and why she didn't let herself die in the cold. She didn't even know why she asked for comfort from him! He was an ice cube with no skills in social life… he was a loner. A rude loner.

Still, she ceased to walk and remained still. "What is it?" she asked as more tears came rolling down her cheeks.

He had never done this before, and he wasn't sure how to proceed. He approached her slowly and he barely pressed his chest against her body before putting his hand on her shoulder, and gently patting her. Wasn't this what people did? He failed to see how it provided comfort, but apparently humans enjoyed it.

Kagome blinked a few times at the unexpected contact, before leaning in ever so slightly. As soon as her face made contact with his shirt, the tears spilled down.

Out of everyone, he was the one holding her when her whole life was shattered.

Who would have thought?

-P-