Blood Stained: Chapter 15: Yellow Friendship

 

Kagome's Pregnancy; 1 month.

Now the question is, how long will it take for her child to be born?

Blood Stained

Chapter 15: Yellow Friendship

Chaos.

Sesshomaru didn't enjoy chaos in his life; he had everything organized the way he wanted it. Of course when the Miko had came into his life, everything had been changed much to his discontentment. He now had a human mate, pregnant with a hanyou child; everything he had swore he would never have.

Somehow, it felt as if his father was laughing at him wherever he was. If Sesshomaru wasn't so displeased with the situation, he might have found it entertaining too. And now, after many weeksimprisoned with her, he was enjoying so much deserved quietness and peace. When he had left about a week ago, Kagome had still been in a deep slumber, which had obviously worried his ward.

Sesshomaru had not been shaken by her state, but he had gathered some Mikos to look after her, since her state had worsened. Obviously the events occurring between her and his beast had not helped her improve, but he was not responsible for that. In Sesshomaru's mind it was clear the Miko wasn't doing much to prevent the beast's actions.

After all by now she should have known that provoking Sesshomaru or the beast's fury would only result in actions she would not appreciated. From what he had seen she was not one to give in, but then if she did not wish to obey, she should accept the consequences of her acts.

Contrary to what some might have believed he had not fled his castle because of her and his beast problems. Before she had come in his life, he had set goals and priorities to take care of and she had shifted everything around. He had decided that it was now time for him to set his life back on course and take care of what really mattered.

He did not need either Jaken or Rin to help him complete these tasks, but up until now, he did not trust anyone with Rin. Sesshomaru didn't like the Miko but he knew Rin would be safe with her and she would be cared for; she was a natural born mother. Jaken mostly got in his way and he preferred him with Rin, at least until Kagome would come back from her deep slumber.

As for Sesshomaru he would resume with his goals slowly once he would be done taking care of his main problem, one of his goals was to kill Naraku; he had not forgotten what the disgraceful hanyou had done and the only possible payback was to take his life. He was not doing this in any way for the power, or the jewel; he was already powerful and did not need tricks and fake power to be stronger.

Also, he obviously was not doing this to save people or help his pathetic half-brother since this was all about revenge. Sesshomaru could not wait until he wrapped his fingers around Naraku's neck before ending his life but the hanyou was not a threat to him, which was why it wasn't his priority.

Also, maybe this was a way to push aside his beast problems concerning the Miko. Although he was not running from it, that did not mean it wasn't getting out of control a little more every day. At this point it had been proven Sesshomaru could not stop his beast from taking over whenever it wanted.

That was probably attributed to the fact that his beast represented his youki; it was almost impossible for Sesshomaru to fight his own youkai powers and win. Of course, that did not mean Sesshomaru wasn't trying every time and sometimes he would even manage to keep some sort of control, or at least remain present.

Obviously, it was not always pleasant since the beast only desired their mate, but Sesshomaru rather have some type of control than none at all. It wasn't hard to guess that the only way he could keep full control of himself was if he gave in to his beast demands, and took the Miko himself, but it was something he refused to do.

Although the resemblance was disgusting, it was a little similar to Kagome; he would lose, but he rather fight it and fail then give in willingly. It was evident that being far from her would probably keep his beast away for a while, but once again, this was not why he left his castle. P

lus, he would return very soon, since he had no intention of resuming his goal of killing Naraku right now. Unlike his hotheaded brother, Sesshomaru planned carefully all of his actions and unless he was being directly provoked, he would take his time and assure his success.

When it came to Naraku, he had a plan to make him suffer and he would make sure he learned his place, which was under Sesshomaru. He had to start by tracking Naraku, which was harder now since the hanyou made sure to remain hidden and only send out incarnations, so that he would be safely protected. Obviously that showed how much of a coward he was and it was something Sesshomaru truly despised. But, even the tracking would have to wait until later.

The other goal, which he would start first with since the matter was more pressing; his beast. He had no intention of running away from his beast, and problems and he had to find a way to deal with it. From the information he had gathered, there was no way for him to seal his beast away since it involved sealing his youki away.

Although that did not mean there was no way to fix things with his beast; he had to deal with it. He intended on taking what could be seen as a spiritual walk and try in some way to converse with his beast and try to make peace, or at least, to come up with some sort of arrangement or agreement.

For the moment, there was no way for him to get rid of the Miko, but he had no intention of having his beast take over whenever it felt like it, interfering with Sesshomaru's life, especially if he wanted to go against Naraku. If in the middle of the battle his beast took over, things might not go according to plan and Sesshomaru could be the one to end up injured since all his beast cared about was the Miko.

He had decided it was better to be away from Kagome when he would do this since that way it would be impossible for her to interfere and distract his beast. To him, it didn't matter much how long it would take, since aging and time had no real meaning and he was determine to fix the problem.

As Sesshomaru kept his mind clear, some thoughts of the miko entered his mind and he found himself wondering if she awoke. He was in no way pondering this because he cared about her, but because it was clearly unusual for someone to sleep for such a large amount of time.

Maybe from her point of view she had gone through some stress, but it was in no way an excuse for such a long slumber. Also, it wasn't as if she was being physically abused; he might not be the one in control, but his beast made sure Sesshomaru could know everything that was going on and he knew his beast always tried to bring her pleasure.

Sesshomaru couldn't stop himself from growling as he remembered the last encounter between the Miko and the beast. His beast had gone down on the Miko, almost putting her into a dominant position while he pleased her and only her. Sesshomaru found the act absolutely degrading; it was one thing to please her while he was using her body, but this was out of line.

As if this Sesshomaru would have ever done something so degrading of his own free will; she was the female and it was her job to do everything she could to please him and not the other way around. This act only added to the list of why he despised his beast.

By the end of this either the Miko or the beast would drive him mad.

-B-

For the past two days Kagome and Rin had bonded with each other. The little girl was obviously fond of Kagome and was enjoying a motherly figure for nearly the very first time, while Kagome held on tightly to the only person in the castle who could take her mind off things.

Kagome hadn't felt sick, nor had a fever ever since she had woken up from her near coma and her energy had been going strong. Kagome and Rin had almost remained in bed or the garden the whole time, since the Mikos had ordered for Kagome to take it easy for the first few days, just to be safe.

She hadn't wanted to remain stuck in a bed, but the women had been very insistent and Kagome had no desire to fight with them. The fact that Sesshomaru had not come back yet had also helped Kagome recover, but he could not be chased away completely. Kagome could push him aside during the day, when Rin kept her busy but once the night came, it was a different story.

Every time she closed her eyes and tried to sleep it was hard to chase away the memories. Of course Kagome made sure it did not tarnish her progress, but it was a little hard to sleep and usually her nights would be very short. Another reason why she did not sleep for very long was because she shared a room with Rin.

The little girl had insisted she remains with her and since Kagome didn't feel like acting as if this was her house by picking another room, she agreed. Rin would go to bed fairly early, while Kagome would remain awake for a long time, lying in the bed staring at the ceiling. Rin would usually wake up early in the morning, cutting her sleep hours very short but Kagome did not mind.

But, today Kagome desired to actually do something again, just like the time Rin and her had cooked their own meal. It had been so easy to clear up her mind from the previous event and Kagome wished for the same thing once more. Without Sesshomaru in the vicinity she felt a lot more comfortable in walking around and she wanted to take advantage of his leave to do things.

It was now early morning, the sun barely rising, but Kagome was already awake, laying on her side, watching Rin sleep. As the young woman observed her sleep, she couldn't help but feel a tingle of happiness when she thought about her own child growing inside of her.

No matter the circumstances involving the creation of her unborn baby, Kagome would devote herself to the child. She was aware that she was still young and a child would be a big responsibility, but Kagome already felt her growing love for the baby. On top of that, if she had to remain in the castle, she would have nothing else to do but take care of the child.

It was obvious the infant would be provided with everything it needed and Kagome wouldn't need a job to buy whatever it needed. In her time it would be harder to care for a child at such a young age, but in the feudal era, it was different, heck she had seen girls nearly half her age with babies of their own.

The only worried Kagome had for the baby was Sesshomaru, since the child would be hanyou, but every time the thought crossed her mind she tried to remain herself that he would not kill his own child, hanyou or not. She also told herself that the beast probably would not let Sesshomaru commit such an act, just like it had stopped Sesshomaru from removing her bracelet.

The beast seemed to come around every time something it did not desire was about to happen or when he wished to be with her. It was almost ironic the way he tried to care for her when he was the reason for all the pain and suffering in her life. Kagome had thought Inuyasha brought her pain in the past with Kikyo and everything but she had been wrong.

That was also mostly due to the fact she never thought something like this would happen to her or that her life would turn out to be this way. After all who would have thought that her of all people would end up being Sesshomaru's mate against both of their will? It seemed very unlikely, especially to her who knew nothing about youkais and their beasts.

"Kagome?"

The sweet sound of Rin's voice brought Kagome back to reality as she softly smiled at the little girl. "Morning," she said, her voice almost a whisper.

Rin rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself up fully. She had really been enjoying bunking with Kagome those past two days and had grown a lot closer to her. Rin loved Sesshomaru above anything else, but it was a nice experience to have another woman there with her, especially when sometimes there were things she could not tell/ask Sesshomaru about.

Also, she had noticed how much Kagome's mood had improved during these days and how her sickness had not come back. Of course, Rin made sure to prepare the special tea for her at least twice a day, just to be sure. Rin couldn't help but still be a little worried that Sesshomaru was not back from his travel, since he had gone along, but she was also aware of the extend of his power; she doubted anyone was as strong as him.

Plus, she had other things to focus on today; she intended on passing a full-occupied day with Kagome! Rin was aware that Kagome preferred to stay in bed lately, but the little girl decided it was time for her to get some fresh her; being locked inside all the time would do her no good.

First of all, they would cook their own breakfast, which they had started a habit of, even though it always left the servants perplexed and then, Rin would take Kagome with her for her daily lessons before heading outside. Without Sesshomaru around, Rin had been able to avoid learning, since Jaken didn't seem to have much of an authority on her, but Rin knew it was bad to not follow what Sesshomaru had ordered.

"Morning Kagome! Are you ready to make breakfast?" she said, before pushing her blankets away.

Every time, Kagome would teach her a new meal to cook, which left Rin excited for new day; if they kept going like this, she also would be a great cook one day, just like Kagome. Not only that but it was also something important to learn; it would be part of her tasks when she'd be a grown up.

Kagome slowly nodded, before getting out of the bed herself. She wasn't very hungry, but she knew Rin really liked it when they cooked together and she figured that even though she was not hungry, her child might be, and its desires and needs were above hers.

As long as she could keep the food down, she'd be happy.

"Absolutely!"

Quickly Rin ran to her side and grabbed her hand in hers, ready to let her to the kitchen even if Kagome knew the way. Deep down, Kagome had a feeling Rin was doing it as if she was afraid Kagome would disappear, or get sick again so she was holding to her, keeping her close.

But, the young woman didn't mind, because the little girl was her only source of comfort in this castle at the moment and she enjoyed her care and company. Rin was also probably the one who helped her escape her room and do things during the day. Without Rin, Kagome would probably be way too shy to explore the castle on her own and act as if she knew the place, but Rin wasn't since she knew the place like the back of her hand.

The thought of one day knowing this castle better than her own house made her quickly shiver. She could let her mind be filled with dark thoughts and she could allow herself to be reminded of the hell she was trapped in, but she wouldn't. She couldn't drown in a pool of darkness any longer.

Kagome had a tiny smile on her face, as they finally reached the kitchen and Rin, filled with enthusiasm, announced to everyone that Kagome and her were about to cook. Of course, the servants were used to it by now and they had already begun to exit before Rin even spoke.

Every now and then they would still throw glances of confusion in Kagome's direction, but she would simply brush them aside; she knew they weren't used to it, so they were so reason to make a big deal out of it.

"What would you like to make today Rin?" asked Kagome as she began to prepare the cooking area.

It was quite different from the kitchen she was used to in her own time, but it was much better than the little fire she had been using with her friends while traveling. Though she'd trade this moment now, for a moment then in a second. Anything to have that back.

Rin touched her mouth with her little finger, slightly tapping it, as she began to wonder what she would like to eat. Ever since Kagome had arrived, Rin had discovered a bunch of new way of cooking food and she could not make up her mind. Suddenly, her eyes began filled with a twinkle, and she pointed to a bowl on the corner of the counter.

"EGGS!"

Kagome nodded, before grabbing them, wishing she had some bacon to go with that; gosh she missed the huge breakfast her mother would prepare sometimes. Though, that was before Kagome began to travel in the Feudal Era, because ever since that time, she never shared many meals with her family and with the way things were looking now, she wouldn't share one ever again.

Tears immediately appeared in Kagome's eyes and Rin didn't fail to notice it and thus she rushed by her side, rubbing her arm slightly. Her gesture caused Kagome to look down and at that instant, she tried to stop her tears to not cause any worry to the little girl and even to herself. Tears made her heart feel light and heavier at the same time.

It was useless to let such things gets to her at the moment, after all she was feeling better for the first time in a long time and she should enjoy it. Quickly, her tears went away and her eyes were slowly drying, before she forced a smile on her face, chasing away all of Rin's worry, even though the little girl's hand remained on Kagome's arm as if she didn't quite believe the smile.

"How about we get started?" asked Kagome, to bring her attention and focus on something else.

Rin nodded, before grabbing a spoon and lifting her hand up in the air, as if she was getting ready for war. A soft giggle escaped Kagome's mouth as she watched her carefully break the eggs, doing every single step Kagome had taught her. She then ran her hands over her stomach, where a slight, small bump could be felt, well, she could feel and see it, but that was probably because she was so used to her flat stomach and smiled.

Kagome couldn't wait until she could teach her own child and create happy memories, which would hopefully chase away all the bad that happened. It might be wishing for too much and maybe she was expecting more than she should, but for the first time in a long time, Kagome could see the light through the darkness and she wasn't about to give up.

If she could hold on then maybe the light would shine through.

-B-

For about three hours, Kagome had sat in the room with Rin and a teacher, listening as the little girl was being taught. More than once, she had the urge to either correct, or intervene in the lesson, but every time, she wasn't sure if it was her place or if it was the right thing to do.

It was one thing for Kagome to be well aware of the future, but could she really teach or explain everything to Rin? First of all, she wasn't positive that Rin would understand everything, after all Sango and Miroku had been confused sometimes, and second of all it might only interfere with her current study and finally, she wondered if it was wise.

History had already been written and should not be disrupted, which left Kagome unsure about teaching people about the future. Plus, the teacher would probably think she was only saying nonsense; he wouldn't say it out loud though since he would be afraid of Sesshomaru.

So for the whole length of the lesson, she had remained silent but kept in mind the whole time every mistakes and errors that had been told to Rin. Kagome wasn't convinced it was a good idea but she wouldn't push it aside yet. At the moment, Rin, who seemed more than happy to be done, was dragging her through the castle, refusing to tell her where she was leading them.

It couldn't be anywhere harmful meaning Kagome didn't push the issue any further and simply let Rin drag her around to her heart's desire. After spending so much time with herself, Kagome desperately needed the distraction. Technically she had been with Rin and the teacher, but since she couldn't disturb the lesson she had been left alone with her thoughts.

Kagome was indeed feeling better, but that did not mean the memories were gone; every actions were still very present in her mind. Suddenly, Kagome's thoughts where interrupted, when she noticed they were going in direction of the door, which would lead them outside.

"Where are we going Rin?" asked Kagome, obviously curious.

"Rin is not allowed to go outside the castle limits by herself, but Rin can if Kagome's with her."

She also wanted Kagome to get out a little but she didn't include that part. Rin was so used to being outside all the time, fetching for herself, collecting wild flowers and splashing around in the water, that it made the castle seem too normal. She wouldn't dare ask one of the guards to go with her and she wouldn't feel comfortable around them anyway.

A glimpse of worry crossed Kagome's eyes; if she was not allowed outside of the limits of the castle, it meant there could be danger and without her power, Kagome would not be able to protect her.

"Rin, I'm not sure this is such a good idea." The young woman found it terribly hard to go against a child's wish.

Rin ignored her words for a few instants before pushing the door open and only stopped once Kagome was outside with her.

"We won't go far, I promise," she said, offering Kagome her best grin.

Kagome looked around, spotting the guards that were guarding the entrance of the castle and slowly nodded. As long as they remained in the youkais' view they should be fine right? After all, unless Naraku came, the guards would be able to handle a few youkais and Kagome doubted Naraku would come, since in the past never had her group followed up his trail into the Land of the West.

She would still remain on her guard, though and make sure they wouldn't go too far. Kagome had to admit it felt good to feel the sunshine on her skin, making her feel warm and it was if it helped brighten up her spirit. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Soon enough they were near where the forest began, but Rin stopped before they crossed it; she could tell Kagome wasn't quite comfortable with them going very far just yet. The little girl was the first one to sit down in the grass and at the same time encouraging Kagome to do the same, which she did.

Kagome enjoyed the feeling of the cool grass under her fingers, nearly digging her nails into the earth. A gently breeze was playing with her hair, tangling it slightly as she felt the heat hit her cheeks. Kagome's back was resting against a tree trunk while Rin rested her body against Kagome's side, a perfect mother/daughter scene.

Unconsciously, Kagome began to gently run her fingers in Rin's hair, causing the little girl to bury her face in her shoulder, trying to be closer to her.

"Kagome, can Rin ask you something?" she asked in a tiny voice, breaking the silence that had installed itself between them.

Right away, Kagome turned her head in her direction, giving the little girl her full attention. "What is it?" she asked staring down in Rin's chocolate eyes.

Rin chewed on her bottom lip slightly; the question had been burning her lips for weeks now, and only now did she have a chance to ask her. "Rin was wondering if you already had a name in mind for the baby?"

The question slightly took Kagome by surprised, but instantly a smile appeared on her face, before she shook her head gently. "Actually, no I don't."

But then again, she had apparently been sleeping for most of her pregnancy, making it impossible for her to be able to think but now Rin had created a pressing question in her mind.

As soon as Kagome's words escaped her lips, a twinkle of happiness seemed to appear in Rin's eyes, before she pulled away from Kagome.

"Do you think I could help you?" she asked, extremely excited.

Kagome knew that Rin would be the most enthusiastic person about the pregnancy in her entourage. She could hardly see the real Sesshomaru giving a damn about the baby or about picking a name. The beast might slightly have an interest in it, but he wasn't around much and he only impregnated her because he thought it would make her happy which hardly made him interested in the baby.

Kagome would be more than happy to have Rin involved, and helping her with the baby and the pregnancy.

Slowly Kagome reached out for Rin's hand, and put it on her slightly bulging stomach, and smiled. "I'd be honored if you'd help me pick a name."

Her answer obviously made the little girl happy, since Rin's face immediately light up with joy. "It will be a boy right?" she asked, just to make sure the names she already had in mind would be right.

Kagome shrugged her shoulders; she assumed it was way too early to tell even for a youkai what the sex of the child was, but just like Rin she had strong feelings that it was a boy. Honestly could Sesshomaru created anything but a male?

"I'm not sure," she answered truthfully.

Kagome really didn't mind the sex of the child, since she loved it as much that it was a girl or a boy. All she wanted was for the baby to be healthy and grow up with a life filled with love and happiness, just like her own mother had provided for her. Though at the moment it seemed like an impossible task.

"Well, if it's a boy, Rin has an idea." She looked into Kagome's eyes, making sure she had her attention, before revealing the name.

"Kiyoshi."

Pure. Kagome smiled, showing her appreciation of the name. No matter the circumstances surroundings her child, it was not to blame and it would never affect her love for it. It would be a good name for a little boy and unconsciously, she began to ponder a name for a girl, and the first one that came to her mind was Yuki.

But, there was still much time for her to figure out names since if the pregnancy followed a human pregnancy, she would be pregnant for another 8 months or so but she would remember Rin's suggestion. Her last thought left her wondering if she would indeed be pregnant for such a long amount of time or if youkais pregnancy were much shorter.

"Kagome? Do you like the name?" asked Rin, bringing her back to reality.

Right away an apologetic smile appeared on Kagome's face; she had been so lost in her own thoughts that she had completely forgotten about Rin.

"Sorry. Of course I love it," she said, slightly titling her head to the side.

It was at that moment that something caught her attention creating a panic within her; red eyes in the bushes. Kagome knew very well whom they belonged to and immediately, her heart began to race, but not out of fear; it was Kirara. The neko youkai was looking at her, in her untransformed state, and Kagome could swear she had seen a flash of pain going through her eyes.

As Kirara stared intensively at her, Kagome was stabbed by the painful memories of the life she used to lead. Tears burn her eyes as she was drowning in the memories. She missed Sango, Miroku and Shippo terribly. She could picture her little boy growing up, while she was away, missing all of it.

Every night he used to sleep with her and even though she knew one of her friends had probably taking her task over, a sadness filled her. For these past three years, she had taken care of Shippo has if he was her own son and there was a hole in her chest now that he was far.

She couldn't say she missed Inuyasha as well, not after what he had done to her. Quite some time had passed, but the pain she felt from his betrayal was not going away. Kagome could barely resist the urge to pick up Kirara, but she didn't want to do it in front of Rin.

She knew the little girl might tell the events to Sesshomaru when he would come back and Kagome didn't want to ask her to lie, so it was better if she didn't see it. She wasn't worried about Sesshomaru's reaction, but the beast's reaction; if he thought her friends were a treat he might try to get rid of them.

"Rin, honey?" she asked, in her sweetest voice, immediately catching Rin's attention. "Do you think you could pick some of these yellow flowers over there for me?"

In an instant, Rin was on her feet and running in direction of the patch of flowers. They weren't the prettiest or didn't have the sweetest scent, but Rin was glad she could do something for Kagome. The young woman had a certain kindness and warmth about her that Rin hadn't felt with anyone else before and every time she was around Kagome, she felt at ease, and extremely relaxed.

She was fairly used to always moving and traveling with Lord Sesshomaru that this was quite different for her. It's not that she did not enjoy being with Lord Sesshomaru, but this was a nice change, especially since he was not there at the moment. Without Kagome, she'd be alone.

Kagome felt her heart clench slightly as she watched Rin hop away; she felt bad about trying to do something behind her back. But, she quickly tried to chase it away as she turned around so her back was facing Rin, before watching Kirara, slowly come out of the bushes.

The neko rubbed her head against Kagome's hand, before slightly purring. Right away the first thought that crossed her mind was that Sango might be around.

"Kirara, is Sango here?" she asked, her heart skipping a beat. She would be more than thrilled to see her friends, but she didn't want her safety to be compromised.

Kirara purred, slightly shaking her head and Kagome assumed she was alone. Could it be that Sango sent her alone so that Kirara could check up on her? The thought brought even more tears to her eyes as one slid down her cheek. At the moment, the thought of using Kirara to run away crossed Kagome's mind.

She could hop on the neko and run away from this nightmare, making sure she would never have to see Sesshomaru again, but it wouldn't be forever. As long as that damn bracelet was around her wrist, there was no way she could ever escape Sesshomaru, since she would be unable to go back to her own time.

The only thing running away would do was put her friends' lives in danger. Unless she was freed, she would be unable to proceed with any type of escape plan, not that it didn't sound extremely appealing. Even the idea of not being on his grounds for a few hours seemed like a dream.

"Kagome, Rin has the flowers!"

Immediately a sense of panic took over and Kagome turned her head in direction of Rin, trying to not look nervous. "Thank you," she said as she picked up the flowers from her hand.

Then, she turned her head slightly only to find out Kirara was not behind her anymore. With a sad smile on her face, Kagome took one of the flowers and put it in the bush, under Rin's confused eyes. Deep inside Kagome hoped Kirara was still in there and that maybe she could get a message across to Sango.

She prayed her friends were healthy and safe and she found herself wondering if they were still chasing after the few remaining shards. Unless they had Kikyo on their side there was no way they could find the shards and Kagome would hold no grudge against them for using the help of the dead Miko. The completion of the jewel should be their priority, especially Miroku's since he was quickly running out of time.

Before Rin could ask her any questions, Kagome rose from the ground, flowers in her hands. "What's next?" she asked as she smiled through her tears.

Rin noticed the tears in Kagome's eyes, but from what the young woman was trying to portray, Rin decided it was better to leave it alone. After all, Kagome wasn't crying, but she seemed sad; maybe she was missing her friends? Rin decided she would do her best to make sure Kagome made new friends at the castle and maybe that way she wouldn't feel so alone anymore, especially with Sesshomaru-sama gone. Mommies were always sad when daddies would go away right? Kagome might be worried about Lord Sesshomaru's safety.

"Don't worry Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru is strong."

Kagome was shocked by Rin's words since they came extremely unexpected. Did the little girl think she was concerned about that monster? Although, it was natural, after all, Rin was probably extremely worried herself.

"I know," said Kagome, trying to close the issue. Sesshomaru was gone and she had no intention of talking about him while she had some peace.

If one person was aware of how strong, cruel and cold he wa, it would be Kagome. The beast might have been the one to rape her and humiliate her but it didn't mean Sesshomaru himself was a good person. It was obvious he did not care one bit about her well-being and to him she was nothing but a nuisance. But, it didn't bother her, since she did not wish to mean anything to him.

All she desired was to be away from him, and never had to look into those emotionless eyes ever again. Deep down, and against all odds, Kagome knew that one day she would be free from Sesshomaru.

-B-

"Sango?"

The taijiya immediately raised her head and looked up at the houshi, her dark brown eyes filled with worries. It had been a long time since they had any new information about Kagome; even Kirara hadn't seen her in weeks, yet she went over to the castle every day. Sango's concern for her friend grew each day, and it was slowly becoming unbearable.

She was not only carrying the loss of Kagome, but also of Kohaku and her whole family and village. Each day, her heart became heavier with pain and each time she tried to fight it away. Miroku had remained by her side the whole time, trying to lift her spirits while she knew his owns were probably engulfed in darkness.

"Sorry, I guess I was distracted," she said, offering him a small smile.

Miroku had even been behaving lately, keeping his hands to himself, which told a lot about his current mood. The only person she wasn't aware of was Inuyasha. He was still somewhat traveling with them, but they were not talking, nor walking near each other. Inuyasha would remain much ahead of them, keeping to himself and he would never sleep close to them.

To be honest, Sango didn't really care about how he was feeling because she blamed a lot of this on him. She knew he couldn't stop Sesshomaru from marking Kagome, but he was entirely at fault for betraying her again, except this time it was much worst. It was still hard for her to understand how he could try to rape Kagome when she had been crying for help, throwing herself in his arms.

All the sudden, Sango jumped slightly when she felt something on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly only to find herself face to face with Kirara. The first thing the taijiya noticed was the bright yellow flower in the neko's mouth. Sango stopped in her tracks, attracting Miroku's attention and picked the flower, twisting it between her fingers. Why did she have this with her?

"She smells like Kagome."

Immediately, both Miroku and Sango turned their heads in direction of Inuyasha, not expecting him to be so close to them. His ears were flat against his head and his eyes were filled with sadness as he eyed the little flower Sango was holding. It hadn't been hard for him to recognize Kagome's scent and he had come running, nearly hoping she was back. He had been extremely disappointed when all he had seen were his old friends looking confused.

A sad smile appeared on Sango's face as she observed the flower; did it come from Kagome? "Kirara, did you see Kagome?" she asked, her voice extremely hopeful.

Kirara rubbed her head against Sango's cheek, purring as an answer.

"Is she well?" she questioned, her voice nearly cracking.

The neko seemed to nod and Sango felt as if her heart was lighter.

She carefully tucked the flower behind her ear, the ghost of her smile still present on her lips. To know that Kagome seemed unharmed was enough to keep her going for now. But she didn't give up on freeing her friend and bring her back to her family. Now, she had something to help her; Kagome knew about Kirara.

Maybe they could use the neko to communicate notes between each other; Sango knew Kagome could be careful enough and that Sesshomaru would never find out. She closed her eyes, hoping this would help give her friend some of her freedom back.

Sango touched the flower, her eyes filled with tears. Kagome.

-B-