Blood Stained

Thanks Eve for Beta-reading!



Blood Stained



Chapter 39: The Wolf Prince



Kagome's stress level was dangerously increasing with every passing second. Neither males were saying anything to each other. Instead, it had turned into a staring contest and nothing good could transpire from it. She didn't want to be the one to break the silence, but someone would have to say something soon.



Kagome herself had been shocked out of her mind when she had opened the door and found two men standing there. She had not recognized them because they appeared so different, but when he had walked in, he had looked just the same.



He was missing his pointy ears, but he had the same piercing blue eyes, long black locks, pulled into a ponytail. He was still the same wild, stubborn Wolf Prince that had kidnapped her and claimed her as his woman many years back.



At first, she had felt tears but not of pain, but of joy. He was after all the first familiar face she had seen since Sesshomaru and it was a relief. Kouga had been very surprised by her current state and she couldn't blame him.



Quickly, she had felt the shard on him and at that point, she realized that they had a lot to catch up on. But somehow, him having a shard just made things feel right. Then, they had moved to the little living room where they would be more comfortable.



She had quickly warned them that Sesshomaru might be back soon and they had been extremely confused, but since it was a long story, she had said they would get to it in due time. They had seemed impatient, but had listened. How was she supposed to explain everything that happened between her and Sesshomaru to Kouga?



They had begun exchanging a few words, but quickly enough, they had heard commotions and voices coming from outside, which was Sesshomaru interrupting their little reunion.



And now here they were with those two arrogant, proud males.



Her fingers were twitching as she finally decided to end this. But, apparently she was too slow for them. Kouga had moved things along. He broke the eye contact with Sesshomaru and headed towards Kagome.



The Wolf Prince, who didn't know the nature of the relationship between Sesshomaru and Kagome, was daring enough to put a hand on her shoulder. Never in a million year would he have expected Kagome to carry Sesshomaru's child, so the thought never crossed his mind.



Surprisingly even Sesshomaru felt a growl ready to rumble through his chest. An eyebrow arched, he held it back. He would not do this.



The Miko might be bearing his mark and his pup, but she was not his.



Well, technically she was, but only in a superficial way, because his beast had wanted her as its mate.



He had to remind himself. He kept repeating it in his mind.



Their mating clearly did not make her happy. As that thought crossed his mind, he found himself gazing at the pair in front of him. Kouga was very close to her, even touching her and she did not look stiff. Stressed perhaps, because of the situation, but not nervous. From the look of things, she had no problem with Kouga being so close to her.



But then again why should she? He had sniffed and spotted him around her and his half brother many times in the past. He guessed that they could be considered as friends, especially knowing the Miko's good nature.



Sesshomaru wasn't any of that to her. She was, stuck to put it at best.



But there was a youkai male, that she was comfortable around, who seemed to have strength to protect her. Unlike, any other humans in this era were capable of.



He remembered the words he said to himself. He wished for her happiness, but he never thought she would find someone because of everything that happened to her, but because she was different. She could not ignore all the tales of the past and what she went through. A human would never understand.



But this wolf, he might be the one she needed.



Sesshomaru had felt a tingle of fury the first time the wolf had come into view, but now his feelings were different, or were they? There was a whirlpool of emotions inside of him and he didn't know how to deal with them. Once again, he glanced at the Miko and at the other youkai.



Her grey eyes were shining, as if she was about to cry and it happened.



Sesshomaru felt out of place. For the first time in a long time, even though he had lived through different eras, he felt out of place.



This was obviously a friendly reunion, it wasn't his place to be there. He didn't know nor particularly like the wolf. The Miko might also be more comfortable if he was not there.



"I'll leave you with them, Miko."



He knew nothing would happen. She was protected, if they revealed their youki, she would not be harmed. Could he be feeling jealousy, tinted with guilt? He nearly shook his head, what a silly thought.



Kagome opened her mouth, as if she was ready to speak, but she didn't, she couldn't. What was she supposed to say? To, not leave her? Why not? There was nothing to say, nothing to add.



Sesshomaru quickly glanced away from her, before turning around and exiting their room, wanting to be somewhere else. He desperately needed to go for a drive to clear his mind. The shard was found, their search didn't need to go further. This extra time was for her. Perhaps she'd like to stay a little longer now than she had found someone from her past and he would allow it.



Why not? Maybe it would make her happy.



As he began walking down the stairs, he found himself wondering what exactly she would be telling them about their history together.



Kagome exhaled deeply as she let some of the stress leave her body. This situation was tearing her up inside and she wasn't sure why. It felt like it was a lot to deal with all at once. She couldn't help the feeling of strangeness, as if her heart was ready to burst. But then, she wondered if it was her own pain, or Kiyoshi's pain? As time had gone along, it had become harder for her to distinguish between them.



She gently pulled away from Kouga, his hand dropping into the emptiness, before she ran her fingers through her hair. Then, she sat down on the sofa, her bottom lip slightly quivering. Why was she feeling this way?



Kouga, concerned, sat down beside her, his heart hammering in his chest. He had a small idea of what was going on, but he didn't want to face it. The pieces were so easy to put together, yet he wouldn't do it. Kagome had always been his woman. Over the many years, he had looked for her, but he hadn't found a trace, although he had stopped searching, he had always hoped. It was a silly dream since humans didn't have a long lifespan, but he had always felt her light.



Now there she was, as beautiful as ever, but heavily pregnant. With someone's else child.



Sesshomaru's presence was quite unexpected, but Kouga refused to believe the Lord would have taken a human as his mate. It just wasn't who he was. You did not need to know him well to know he despised humans. Though his opinion could have change over the years…



And what were they doing in Australia?



Kouga had been driving through the city, without his youkai concealed, when he had gotten a familiar scent. Her scent. He had told himself he was crazy, he had chased it away. After all, how does a human live for five hundred years? But, often throughout the town, he smelled her and then, he admitted to himself he hadn't been insane. He had followed her scent to her hotel, had hidden his youkai identity before leaving the car.



He never thought it would have been real, but she had opened the door and there she had been. At first, she had been aiming at them with her arrow and bow, but when he had come into view, she had dropped everything.



She had actually seemed happy to see him and his heart had melted. Millions of questions had gone through his mind when he had caught sight of her, but he hadn't been able to have an answer. She had wanted to start from the beginning, which they never got a chance to do because of Sesshomaru's entrance.



But now, he had left and although Kouga didn't understand why everything was happening, it didn't matter because he was now alone with Kagome.



Nothing else mattered.



He turned his head in the direction of Ginta and Hakkaku, his blue eyes narrowing. "You two should stay outside," he semi-ordered.



Although Kouga didn't hold the status he used to, they had always followed him and they obeyed him. He considered them his friends, but he never really let go of his status of leader. Ginta and Hakkaku glanced at Kagome and Kouga before nodding. Although they were more than thrilled to have their little sister back, they knew this moment was important for Kouga, his infatuation with Kagome had never died.



They smiled at their little sister, before leaving the room, wishing Kouga the best.



Kagome's heart was pounding as she felt him come closer. She was not nervous, no, now she was overwhelmed. Although Kouga had been arrogant, stubborn, and sure as hell he could not take a hint, he was a friend. He might not know she was from the future yet, or that she had been from the future, but he knew the past she had seen, if someone could understand, it was him. Nobody else in this era, except Sesshomaru had known her back then and still lived.



It was a nice feeling.



He had annoyed her many times, but not only was it the past, but he had always done everything out of a good heart. Kouga had never meant any harm, and he had often protected her.



"Kagome?"



His voice brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to look at him. His blue eyes were locked on her face, she offered him a small smile.



"I'm sorry," she almost mumbled.



He flashed his fang free smile at her, but this time, he kept his hands to himself.



She knew he was waiting for her to explain everything that happened, including her pregnancy and why in the world Sesshomaru and her were sharing a hotel room. Kagome decided to get the easy part out of the way first.



Kagome explained how she was from this era the whole time, how the jewel had come from her body and the bone eater's well had been the portal. He listened carefully the whole time, not asking any questions, since he was probably waiting for her to be done. Suddenly, she skipped a big chunk and came right to what they were doing now. Kagome told him about the growing darkness in the jewel and how only two shards were left to find, well one, now that they knew he had one.



Half an hour later, she had clarified everything, except anything that concerned her pregnancy and Sesshomaru.



To be honest, she didn't know what to say. It was clear that her and Sesshomaru were not together, even Kouga would be able to tell that, yet she was carrying his child and bore his mark.



What lie could she say that would explain all that? There was none, which left her to tell the truth.



Could Kouga handle the truth? She didn't want a fight to happen, she wouldn't be able to bear it if someone else lost their life for her. He could be so reckless, that even if she made him promise not to go hunt down Sesshomaru, he might just still do it.



But she couldn't remain silent. He was waiting on her answers.



She might as well get one of the big parts out of the way.



"Sesshomaru and I are mated."



Kagome watched as his eyes lost their twinkle and for a brief moment they seemed to narrow.



"What?" was all he could say.



"It was –"



Kouga should know about beasts right? He was a youkai after all, meaning he had one as well.



"His beast,"



Immediately Kouga's expression changed and it hardened.



"He took you by force," he finished, disgust in his voice.



Kagome expected him to get up and fly out of the room, like the old Kouga would have done, but he didn't. Instead, she watched his eyes flicker as he probably pictured the scene in his mind.



In an attempt to control the situation and for her sake, she put her hand on his arm.



"It wasn't his decision. The beast made it and forced it upon both of us."



She would leave out the way Sesshomaru had treated her back then. It was a personal detail that Kouga didn't need to know about. And it would only cause more trouble.



He was not glancing in her direction, but she hoped he was listening.



"I escaped his beast through the well," she swallowed hard, "Sesshomaru helped me. And now, he wants to atone for what happened and he's helping me complete the jewel."



Kagome waited for a change in his face and she saw none. In all honestly, she wasn't trying to spare his feelings. After all, she had tried to make him understand many times that they were just friends in the past, but now she was trying to avoid conflict.



She didn't need another load of stress added to her life.



Kouga finally tilted his head to the side, to look at her. "Is it his?"



She nodded.



He imitated the gesture before letting out a sigh. What happened to her was extremely common back then. Of course, it was not something he found acceptable, because it had happened to her. Kouga had often desired her and he had kept his own desires in check.



No matter how hard it had been to not steal her away again.



His feelings of fury were swirling inside of him, he was trying to keep it under control for her. Kouga could see she was not doing well, emotionally. She looked as if she was ready to break down. He didn't want to do this to her. But, his own feelings were threatening to pour out.



His heart ached at the thought of what she had been put thru, that she was tied down to a man she did not love, while carrying his pup. If one person should have had happiness, at any cost, it was her. He had been willing to let someone else have her, as long as it was what she wanted.



"Does he want to keep you?" he managed to ask.



Keep her? Oh.



"No."



The answer was obvious and easy. They were only doing this to complete the jewel. Afterwards, they would have as little contact with each other as possible. And it would most likely only involve Kiyoshi, nothing else.



That answer seemed to lift up Kouga's spirits. If Sesshomaru didn't want her, then, this situation might not be as bad as it looked. Kouga loved Kagome and he didn't mind if she had the inu's pup. He'd take care of both of them.



As long as Sesshomaru didn't wish for the mating, Kouga could break it. It would be tricky and it would require some research, but there was a way. He knew there had to be one. He had seen it perhaps once or twice in his lifetime. Although she couldn't remain unmarked, meaning that, Sesshomaru's mark had to immediately be replaced with his own.



But considering everything that happened to her and what that involved, Kouga wasn't sure she'd be open to such a proposition. It was then that he made the decision to wait a little before sharing his idea with her. Maybe until she became familiar with him again.



He did not want to chase her away.



The best way to have her trusting him was to change the image she had of him. He was no longer a wild cub and she had to see this. He couldn't let his emotions, no matter how intense and raw they were, show. He had to prove to her that he could support her.



Kouga swallowed his desire to kill and turned to gaze into her grey eyes. Before Kagome could utter a word, he had wrapped his arms around her, hugging her softly. Immediately, he felt a feeling of comfort and a of rightness by having her in his arms. It didn't take her too long to return the gesture. She lay her head on his shoulder and allowed herself to somewhat relax in his embrace, yet she remained on her guard a little.



Kouga could feel that she was slightly tense, but he chose to ignore it.



"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you Kagome," he said, his words holding more meaning than she'd know.



She offered him a weak smile. "Don't worry about it."



He was the last person she'd expected to see, he had even slipped her mind. But he was there.



And in him, she found a friend.



-B-



Sesshomaru had been driving around the city and outside of it for over an hour, though he was heading nowhere, he couldn't go back to the hotel, for mostly two reasons. The first one being she deserved privacy while meeting with her friend and the second one being, he didn't want to be in there while he was.



My woman.



It was the way in which he had referred to Kagome.



Although he knew she had been a virgin until their mating, perhaps she had shared an emotional relationship with the wolf? Though, he had thought her to be in love with his half-brother. Then again, he had never known her pack enough to be aware of what was happening with them.



Though he couldn't chase the feeling of annoyance away, it did not bother him that she might find someone else. After all, it was what he had wished for her. So many things had happened in her life, that were wrong and it was only right for her to get some happiness. It did not bother him. It was right for her. It really was.



He had absolutely no say in this or in her life. Even if they were mated, she was completely free to do as she wished and he would never stop her.



Sesshomaru was usually a calm, collected person, who no matter how bad his feelings were, he could control them. He always did it on his own and rarely had any weakness.



But this time, for a reason beyond him, it was different.



For the first time in a long time, Sesshomaru wanted to release his youkai. Not because there was danger and he needed to protect himself, but because he felt a rage stirring up inside of him and that seemed to be the only way to relieve it. It was reckless and dangerous. It was most probably a very bad idea. Sesshomaru tried to chase away the idea. There was no way it was his beast affecting him. He was locked away and his feelings could not reach him.



He would not do this. The Miko could be harmed and so could the Wolf, although his well-being didn't concern him as much.



This could only go wrong. And why should he not be able to control himself? There was no reason for him to be feeling angry.



Though perhaps if he secluded himself enough, no harm would be done to anyone? He was already far from the limits of the town. It might relieve his emotions.



No.



Sesshomaru quickly decided against it. It would not be safe, he refused to be endangering her like when he had taken care of the little youkai's. He had to keep himself in check. But, Sesshomaru knew he might be able to relieve some of his feelings without resorting to his youki.



Sesshomaru, who knew the area, quickly indicated a destination to his driver, who changed course.



He tapped his fingers against his leg, waiting to arrive. He didn't like the feeling of uneasiness. His whole body was twitching, he ran his fingers in his short black hair. At that moment, he despised his short hair. Sesshomaru had cut them to blend in easier. He hadn't wished to stand out as a businessman. Until that day, he had never cut his hair. That wolf still had his long hair, but from how smart he remembered him to be, he probably wasn't doing anything really important.



Why was he thinking about the wolf? It was perhaps a good thing that Kouga was the one who had the shard. This time, there would be no unwanted incidents and obtaining the shard should be easy.



The Miko's safety would not be compromised.



Their traveling plans would be sped up, they would be able to move on to their third destination very quickly.



Sesshomaru sighed, it almost sounded like a growl.



He then decided that, his feelings could be explained in a lot of ways. Perhaps the beast's feelings still lingered inside of him and also, the mating mark. Even though they didn't consider each other as mates, they were mated. The fact that a male was threatening to take away what was his was causing the bond to react. There was nothing else to it. In a few hours, it would be gone and everything would be back to normal.



A few instants later they reached their destination, once the car came to a stop Sesshomaru got out. Immediately the breeze danced upon his skin and the scent of the fresh grass filled his human nostrils.



It was peaceful.



He indicated for the driver to leave the place, because he didn't want anyone around. He wanted to be by himself, he needed to be alone to retrieve himself.



His watch was shining as the rays of the sun were hitting it. But, he quickly chased the thoughts of using it away. It was clear in his mind that she would not be harmed. He would deal with his unknown feelings in his own way.



Sesshomaru walked deeper into the forest, until he could no longer see the exit. He didn't fear for his life, nor did he mind being alone. It was better than with people. As he kept walking he closed his eyes and though his senses couldn't guide him as well, he trusted himself.



Being surrounded by silence, he allowed his mind to come up with a theory of what was happening to him. What were those strange feelings he did not know? Why had they started when the wolf had arrived?



Their mating.



Could it be that it was in their bond? Granted it was extremely weak since they shared no feelings and didn't have a relationship in any way, but it was still present. Was it his bond reacting to the presence of anther male?



Was it threatening to the mating?



Personally, Sesshomaru did not mind if the Wolf took over, but those feelings, would they ever go away? Sesshomaru remembered feeling an ache in his heart in the past, but he never knew what it was.



Now that he was feeling it again, he knew it had to be the link to her.



But the Miko had not done anything with the Wolf, so why was the bond reacting? Was it her feelings that were influencing it? She didn't feel anything good towards him, but she did for the Wolf. In a normal situation, she wouldn't experience more towards another male than her mate.



He was quite to blame for it, but there was nothing he could do about it. They were mated and he wouldn't kill himself, or her to break it.



Then, Sesshomaru found himself wondering if the Miko was experiencing pain as well. The bond works both ways and if he felt this way, she should be as well. Although she was always in constant pain, so perhaps an added one, especially during a stressful situation went by unnoticed.



If they had been true mates, he would have been able to tell her emotions, but they weren't, all they had was a weak bond, which was only making their lives difficult.



He blamed the Wolf as well.



Sesshomaru didn't mind what the Miko did with her life, since it was her choice, but he wasn't sure how he felt about the Wolf being around his pup. Especially considering that the pup already needed a bond. If Kouga stuck around, it would make it difficult for Kagome and him to create a link to lessen her pain. What if it caused trouble when they would want to form a connection for the sake of her moving on.



Though, the Wolf might be what she needed to move on and forget all the horrible things that happen. Maybe it would be the way for her to retrieve the light from within her.



He was coming up with many reasons why this was a good thing, while not being in a perfect situation, but he was ignoring his own feelings. Since the bond was affecting them, he didn't think they could be trusted.



Yet, he was completely unable to chase the unsettling feeling deep inside of him. Why did an emotion similar to jealousy rise inside of him at the thought of her being taken away by the Wolf?



She wasn't his.



She didn't belong to him.



He was just helping her, trying to repair his mistakes.



-B-



"Thank you," said Kouga as she handed him a coffee cup.



Once again, it showed her how different he and Sesshomaru were. Kouga was now in his youkai form, which was fully harmless and he still ate and drank. Why was Sesshomaru so different?



She took a seat beside him, before playing with her fingers. She had yet to ask him about the shard. Even in the past, she had let him keep them, never asking. It was him who obtained them. Actually, if she re-called properly, Sesshomaru was the one to retrieve them. No wonder they didn't seem to have a good relationship.



As Kagome glanced at the clock, she realized Sesshomaru had been gone for a long time. For a brief moment, she pondered on where he had gone. Kouga cleared his throat causing her to focus her attention on him.



Kouga had noticed how distracted she had been, he didn't know if she was thinking about Sesshomaru or the jewel. He hoped it was the latter.



"Where is the shard?" she asked intrigued.



Kagome could only imagine how tainted it was. She hoped Kouga didn't insert it on his body like he had done with the last two. It could easily corrupt him if he wasn't being careful.



Kouga reached out for his wallet in his back pocket and pulled it out. The once pink shard was not shining, instead it was giving off a black glow. Kouga put it down on the table, right in between them.



"I figured it wouldn't be wise to put it on."



He remembered what the shards could do if they were tainted and how you could be controlled. But, since it was still a Shikon shard, he had decided to keep it. Not for the power, but perhaps because it reminded him of Kagome.



But he didn't need it anymore, he had the real her now. Well, and alive.



To his surprise, Kagome didn't take the shard, she didn't even touch it. Why didn't she purify it? Wouldn't it be much safer that way? He raised his head to look in her eyes, but quickly found that he couldn't.



Her own eyes were locked on the shard. Looking at it only made Kagome feel like a failure. She could not touch it, could nor purify it. This was supposed to be her duty, she could not do it. Sesshomaru and her had tried for a few days to form a connection, but so far, not much progress had been made. How long would it take? She knew they couldn't complete the jewel until it was over with, but she feared it would take too much time.



They couldn't put the three missing shards in the jewel to finish it, because it was safer to have an incomplete dark jewel, than a full one.



It was then that Kagome realized she had been lost in her own thoughts and she raised her head to look at Sesshomaru.



"I'm sorry," she said, offering him a weak smile.



Kouga softly shook his head.



"I know a lot of things are pre-occupying you right now." He wanted to ask about the shard but he didn't.



Then he asked himself if it was better if he kept the shard, or if she did. She might be insulted if he kept the shard from her, but what if he didn't see her again because she didn't need him anymore?



He trailed his fingers along the table, unsure.



"About the shard…" Kouga looked into her shiny grey eyes and he knew what he had to do. "You should keep it."



She shook her head.



"Are you sure?" She knew they had to have the shard, but it didn't feel right to just take it away from him. She hadn't been able to back then and it was the same now.



He nodded. "You need it more than I do, Kagome."



"Thank you."



For hours they had talked, Kouga finally sharing his story about how he came upon the shard. It had been over 70 years ago. Back then, Kouga still had a little pack consisting of ten wolfs and cubs, - much larger than his current five wolf pack – and one of the cubs had fallen into the water. Too young and panicking, he had begun to drown, Kouga had been the one to launch himself into the water to retrieve him. As he had dove into the deepness of the ocean something glowing with a strange power had attracted him.



First he had taken the cub to shore, but after wards, he had returned under the water to inspect what could have given him that familiar feeling. After searching the bottom of the ocean for a while, he had found it. A black as night shard staring at him, tucked carefully between a shell and a rock, nearly all buried under sand. It was then that he had took it and ever since then, he had been carrying it with him, never putting it on.



After the story about the shard, he had told her about his current life and they had chatted a few hours away, but Kagome couldn't chase the unsettling feeling she had inside of her. She knew Sesshomaru wouldn't come back until Kouga had left. But why would she prefer Sesshomaru there over Kouga?



Perhaps she had grown accustomed to his presence. He had not yet done any terrible mistake yet. Or maybe it was because she didn't know how to act around Kouga. It wasn't easy around Sesshomaru, but she could still be there.



With Kouga it was different. She noticed the little glances he was giving her sometimes and she found herself wondering if he wanted more than a friendship. After so many years, could he really still feel that way about her? Maybe she was mistaken as well. After all, she wasn't used to having someone being friendly and close to her, except her family, Sesshomaru had been the only one around her for the past number of months.



She was afraid too.



She didn't need more complication, but she didn't want to lose Kouga. Not only could he help them, but he was a friend too. She was still allowed to have friends wasn't she?



It could be steps going back to a normal life.



And he knew her past, her history. She could be completely honest with him.



"Have I overstayed my welcome?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.



Kagome had a small blush decorating her cheeks. Was she really so out of it, that she didn't notice she kept being lost in her thoughts. She couldn't let him know everything that was on her mind.



"I'm just a little tired," she said, making it up on the spot.



Kouga had been waiting for that moment and although he had no desire to leave her, especially alone with Sesshomaru, he still had to show her he wasn't wild anymore.



A sigh escaped his lips before he rose to his feet.



"You should rest, especially in your condition" Smiling gently to her.



He reached for his wallet again and took out a card, before handing it to her.



"I'll be close by at any time. Just call me, and I'll come."



Kouga closed the distance between them, ready to hug her.



"You should stay a couple extra days."



Even if she left Melbourne, it wouldn't matter. Kouga was considering going with her. He was a youkai as well and he could offer her a certain degree of protection and he was not as dangerous as Sesshomaru for her. Perhaps his job would be to protect her from Sesshomaru's beast.



"I will," she answered truthfully.



Why not? After all, they had barely been in Melbourne for one whole day. They had expected this to take longer than it had and since she could not purify the jewel just yet, a few days wouldn't make any difference.



Although she wondered what kind of uncomfortable situations this would bring. Would Sesshomaru and Kouga talk or interact? After all, Sesshomaru needed to be around for Kiyoshi and for the connection they were trying to form.



She wouldn't chase him out of her life.



Kouga bent down slightly and hugged her.



"Be careful," he whispered into her hair, before pulling away from her.



He flashed her a smile before walking out of the room and leaving her all by herself, closing the door behind him.



Kagome let a sigh escape her lips before she walked in the direction of her bed. She felt completely exhausted, her pains were bothering her. Was it perhaps because Sesshomaru had been away for a while, or because Kouga had been around?



Did the presence of another male bother her son?



Kouga and her would never be anything past friends. Not only was she nowhere ready for this kind of a relationship, but even though Kouga was a good guy, he wasn't right for her. She knew it back then and she knew it now.



They could stay for another day. Maybe she could allow herself a day where she would relax. It sounded so selfish, but she wanted to pretend everything was simple and normal for just a day. She allowed herself to rest on the bed and closed her eyes. Her thoughts went to Sesshomaru for a second and before she could ask herself when he would be back, she heard someone open the door.



Without looking up, she knew it was him.



Slowly, she sat up and even though she gazed in his direction, their eyes never met.



Sesshomaru knew she probably wondered why he arrived so quickly after the Wolf. Truth was, when he came back Kouga had still been there and he had waited for him to leave.



"I did not wish to interrupt," he said, before making his way to his own bed.



Kagome nodded, before noticing something strange about his expression. Sesshomaru looked like he was in pain. Actually, it was worse than pain, it was something else, but she couldn't figure it out. He was also avoiding her eyes, so it was hard to tell. The little pain she felt inside of her increased slightly. It forced her to look away. Why did she feel so twisted inside and all upside down?



Her lips parted slightly, as her breathing rate increased.



It was when her breathing pace changed that caught Sesshomaru's attention.



"Are you well?" he asked, as he watched her transform under his eyes.



Kagome softly nodded, before re-focusing her self. Why was she such a mess?



Once she felt a little better, she thought about sharing what she had somewhat decided with Sesshomaru.



"I thought we could stay an extra day or two."



Sesshomaru immediately knew why.



"It is acceptable." His voice was cold and different from usual. She was used to it being neutral, but not this void of emotions.



Was it because of Kouga? Did it really bother him? Kagome couldn't understand why though, Sesshomaru didn't want her in his life, just like she had no desire to keep him in hers.



Perhaps he was just worried that Kouga would slow down the progress they were doing? It shouldn't do anything. They would be gone in a day and it would all be well. Plus she had no intention of being anything with Kouga.



She had so many more important things to focus on. Like her son and the connection she was forming with Sesshomaru. Kagome wanted to move on, be free and until she could purify the jewel, she couldn't focus on her life, or love.



Her duty always came first and they always would.



Everything else and everyone else came before her.



Sesshomaru watched as she became engrossed in her own thoughts. He knew his attitude probably appeared different, but he was still working on pushing aside the feelings brought on by the bond. He was just glad that the Wolf was gone for today and that if he came around to check up on the Miko, he could not sense or smell him. He didn't need that added stress right now.



He had thought the Miko would have been somewhat happy that Kouga had been there, but she looked more in pain than when he had left. Perhaps things had not gone as she had planned. Not that it was any of his business. He ran his fingers through his hair, before laying down on the bed and reaching out for his book. Reading usually calmed him down.



He didn't glance her way, so he didn't feel her eyes on him.



Kagome had a desire to say something, but she couldn't explain why. The pain and emotions were messing her up, perhaps it was why she felt this way. Maybe if she just came out and said it, it would all be well.



She grabbed a book as well, but not for leisure reading. She took one of the Miko books he brought and laid almost in the same position as him. She opened the first page, but before reading, she tilted her head in his direction.



"He's a friend."



Sesshomaru raised his eyes from his book and slightly glanced her way. But, Kagome was no longer looking at him, she was focused on her book.



And all of the sudden, he didn't feel as heavy within.



-B-