On My Wedding Day by Luna

Chapter 1

Standard disclaimer applies.

Please read it people, for I've dearly come to love this story. A review wouldn't hurt either...

On My Wedding Day

Flight

By: Luna

Kagome Higurashi looked hard and deep at her reflection, looking for any flaws that might be present on her wedding day. Her hair was arranged in a bun held loosely on the top of her head, black obsidian curls spilling themselves down her back and over her shoulders. Baby's Breath and pearl pins were stuck throughout her hair arrangement and her white veil fell down all the way to the floor. Her makeup was perfectly flawless, her lips were plump and pink, and her cheeks were given extra blush so she really could be in every sense of the word a blushing bride.

For in truth she didn't feel that way at all.

Clutching her stomach, Kagome gasped back a wave of panic, her insides twisting and her hands clammy underneath the fabric of her gloves. The pearl drop earrings dangling from her ears jerked as she made herself stand up right, even while she pressed her hands to her heart to frantically stop its pounding rhythm. She gasped again since for a moment she couldn't breathe, and she wondered if this was the normal reaction for every bride-to-be. She didn't think so.

She knew the real reason. She wasn't a blushing bride. She wasn't a happy bride. In fact, she doubted if she'd be a bride at all. She knew that Inuyasha probably did love her in his shallow, selfish heart, and she knew that once upon a time she really did love him. But it wasn't enough. She saw him with her, that bitch of a cousin Kikyo. He always denied any... penetration.... But Kagome always knew he thought of her. She always saw him watching her every time she walked into a room, in a way he never looked at her. It was as if Kikyo held his world in her hands, and the only one stopping him was Kagome. She wouldn't deny she felt bitter, so she wouldn't let herself feel guilty about her mean thoughts towards Inuyasha or Kikyo. Could she really do this?

When she finally got him to propose - without any manipulation on her part - she had been overjoyed. He loves her. He had chosen her. Out of the two of them, he looked at Kagome and found her worthy. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.

If only she could really believe that. He had chosen her out of duty, or maybe obligation since they had been together for so long, but she doubted if love had really been a part of that decision.

Slowly, she bent down and toed on her three inch white satin stilettos, she stood tall and took one last look at her reflection and prepared to meet her grandfather to walk down the aisle. Her dress was corsetted and beaded with sequins and lace. The bodice was tight and emphasized her tiny waist, and the skirt poofed and billowed out like a princess. Her white gloves went all the way up to her elbows. The tiara her veil was attached to sparkled like diamonds, glittering amongst the Baby's Breath and pearls.

Her blue eyes, usually so bright with life and happiness, were blank with worry and nervousness. But she would be married today. To Inuyasha. The man of her dreams. She smiled, and in the mirror her reflection sparkled and looked beautiful. With that smile on her face, she took a deep breath and opened the doors, walking slowly down the aisle and taking in every breathtaking feature.

The walls were dark and polished, her footsteps were muted by the white carpet. The large white lilies, called Casablanca's, covered the entire hall and filled it with their sweet perfume and she breathed it in, memorizing them and their beauty so she could remember it always. She hadn't always wanted such a large wedding. In truth, the only kind of wedding she wanted was simple and filled only with close friends and family.

Inuyasha's idea of a wedding was a room filled with all of his important clients, with no family members in attendance. She knew he had a brother somewhere that was extremely wealthy, but he hadn't invited him. Everyone else on her side was her mother and grandfather, brother, and her three best friends from high school. It looked so sad that Inuyasha felt forced to add a few more of his clients so it wouldn't look so pathetic.

Her grandfather was waiting for her, a worried look in his eyes. He always had reservations about Inuyasha, but he hadn't put up too much of a fuss when she mentioned being engaged since he knew how much she was in love with him, but he looked worried now. She put on a brave smile and looped her arms loosely with his, leaning in on his shoulder as she took a deep breath. Her mother was there holding her bouquet of pink roses, and she was a little teary as she handed them over and listened to the music start before taking her seat.

They turned, and Kagome saw Inuyasha standing by the priest, talking to his best friend and business partner Miroku Ono, an arrogant grin on his face. She slowed her steps, watching as his eyes met hers and he swept his eyes down her body, warm as they looked onto her eyes once again. Miroku must have said something, for his eyes ticked away and seemed to be glued somewhere in the crowd. With a hitch in her breath, she followed his gaze and found Kikyo, sitting in a bright red dress and her hair falling loosely down her back.

Kagome stopped, startling her grandfather as she suddenly had to gasp at the panic filling her. She couldn't do this. She couldn't. Not when her Inuyasha was looking at another woman with that look in his eyes on her wedding day. Without another word and without ceremony, Kagome turned on her heel and ran back the way she came, hearing but not listening to Inuyasha call her name, confusion, embarrassment, and panic in his voice. She didn't care. She ran down the steps, seeing and feeling grateful when she saw the church's front gates still open. As her rose petals scattered and left a trail in her wake, she burst through the opening with her arms outstretched towards the light.

She stopped at the top of the steps, looking around and trying to find the best possible mode of escape. There was a tall man striding away from the church, but Kagome didn't recognize him as a guest. He was about to enter a gleaming black limo with windows that were impenetrably dark and impossible to see through. When she heard Inuyasha calling her name, she panicked, and started running as fast as her three inch heels allowed. The minute the chauffeur opened the door, she dived in the limo in the same manner as she escaped the church; arms reaching out and literally diving into the cool vehicle.

Without a word she ignored the shocked owners of the vehicle and grasped the door handle, slamming it shut. With bated breath, she sat up and watched Inuyasha pound his way down the stairs with anger all over his face. Kagome felt panic seize her once again and thought that he must, he must know that she's inside and he can see her through the impossibly thick glass, but all he did is rush towards the man who still stood in shocked silence outside of his vehicle and started yelling.

"Sesshoumaru! What the hell are you doing here?!"

Sesshoumaru? As in Sesshoumaru the hated brother of Inuyasha? Kagome held her breath and leaned in to listen. "Did you see a woman in a wedding dress come by?" Inuyasha looked so handsome in his tuxedo, Kagome almost choked on a sob, but she wouldn't allow herself to cry. This was for the best. She couldn't marry him just for status while she no longer loved him and he loved Kikyo.

The man, thank God, merely scoffed and turned to face Inuyasha, his voice filled with contempt. "What, little brother, you can't control your women?"

Inuyasha bristled like a dog and clenched his teeth. "Shut up! Did you see her or did you not?"

Kagome saw this Sesshoumaru tilt his head to the side as if considering before shrugging his shoulders and reaching for the door handle. Kagome closed her eyes and waited for her hiding spot to be revealed. "I have not."

Her eyes shot open, and she watched the scene outside the window.

With an irritated growl Inuyasha took off down the street, and Sesshoumaru calmly opened the car door. Kagome obligingly scooted over to make room for him and tried to push down her poofy dress skirt. He sat there calmly, looking at her with a cool, expressionless face. Then he raised an amused brow. "I assume you're his missing bride?"

Embarrassed, Kagome looked away, fiddling with her skirt. "Er, yeah." Then she brightened, sticking out a gloved hand. "Hi! I'm Kagome Higurashi! And you must be Inuyasha's brother, right?"

"Half brother." The response seemed automatic, as if he was used to saying it. "Sesshoumaru Eishi."

Kagome studied him for a moment with a smile before leaning back and sighing. "I've put myself into a pickle, haven't I?"

The car started rolling, but for some reason Kagome wasn't too worried about where they were going. Sesshoumaru, for his part, seemed to be taking the fact that he had a complete stranger who obviously just ran away from his brothers wedding in stride, merely grabbing a file that was hidden under a particular poofy part of her dress and started rifling through them. "Am I correct when I state that you have no place you particularly wanted to be right now?"

Go with Sesshoumaru or face Inuyasha after she just embarrassed him in front of his entire company and clients? "Er, no, not really."

"I'm in a bit of a rush at the moment, so I hope you don't mind coming with me as I make stops." It wasn't really a question, so Kagome didn't bother answering in the negative.

"Of course not! You just do what you gotta do." Silence reigned for about ten minutes before Kagome saw the button panel, and immediately her eyes widened. "Oooh." She said in awe, as if she just found the Holy Grail. She scooted over on her hands and knees, not worried that Sesshoumaru would be able to see up her skirt since there were so many layers and poof to her dress.

One button she pressed started opening up the windows, and she hastily pressed a few more trying to shut it, not wanting to chance Inuyasha seeing her. But pressing those buttons automatically resulted in the complete opposite, and the windows continued to roll down, the radio started playing, and a mini television popped out from the ceiling and started playing the news. Panicked, she started pressing a few more, and the window that blocked the driver started to roll down, and she looked up and saw his amused eyes watching her from the review mirror. She gave a nervous laugh. "Uh, help?"

The window rolled up again, blocking her view of the driver, the side windows rolled up blocking the tornado that was created by them being opened in the first place. The radio shut off abruptly and the mini T.V. was muted and silently disappeared within the ceiling once again. Looking over her shoulder, she looked sheepishly at the irritated Sesshoumaru that held a small remote in his hand, his papers lying all over the place and his perfect silver hair displaced.

She ducked her head down guiltily and set about picking up all the papers that were strewn about the car. She hoped none of them escaped out the windows. "I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. Here you are helping me and I'm ruining it for you. Is there anything I can do that will help you?"

"Sit there and be quiet." His voice was curt and he grabbed the papers from her and started rearranging them in his lap.

Guiltily, Kagome did just that, sitting there with her hands in her lap and started studying her surroundings. Her eyes slowly moved over to Sesshoumaru, studying him, really studying him for the first time. He was outrageously beautiful. Inuyasha was rugged and handsome, but this man captivated her more than Inuyasha ever did, and she assumed that was a downfall in their fractured relationship. He was masculine, and she could tell he had muscles from the way his silk shirt ripples across his chest. His fingers were slim and smooth as he pulled out a laptop from underneath his seat and started typing quickly, his eyes moving from the screen to his papers, his fingers never pausing except to rifle through his papers.

Looking outside the window, she thought about Inuyasha and hated herself for what she did to him. It wasn't as if their relationship was that bad. They did love each other. They had, at one point, had been everything to each other. So what had happened?

"You know, I never thought that I'd ever do this to Inuyasha." She said, her voice low and sad. She didn't care if Sesshoumaru cared, or even if he was listening. She had to talk to someone. "I had loved him once, really I did. And I'm sure he loved me too."

I heard him sigh frustratingly as his fingers slowed down and eventually stopped typing. "So why did you run out on him on the day you two were supposed to get married?"

She looked down at her hands, at the glittering engagement ring that still rested on her finger. "I... I don't know. I guess I didn't feel it. We grew apart, and then he met Kikyo."

"You're saying he dishonored you?" His voice was low and filled with disgust. Kagome looked up in surprise, for some reason feeling grateful.

"No. I mean, he says he never did, and I trust him." She looked away again with a frown, absently blowing a curl away from her face. "But I've seen the way he looks at her. As if everything doesn't matter except her. He looked at her like that right as I started to walk down the aisle, and I couldn't seem to breathe. I had to get out of there, and I knew I couldn't marry him. Not when he looked at her like that and not me."

She felt his eyes on her and turned to look at him, and her breath caught in her throat at the intensity of his golden eyes. "He did dishonor you."

Smiling, she looked away. "In a way, I guess he did."

The car stopped and the door opened, Sesshoumaru sliding out without further ado. Kagome sat there, wondering what she was supposed to do, when suddenly Sesshoumaru ducked his head inside. "Are you coming or not?"

Blinking in surprise, Kagome smiled brightly and scooted out, ignoring the slack eyed looks of the businessmen walking out of a tall imposing building. One of the men, dressed in an decidedly unprofessional suit, stopped and whistled as he stepped out of the building. "Whoa! Were you so desperate for a bride that you had to go and steal one?"

Sesshoumaru stopped, his body tense, and Kagome stopped and watched as Sesshoumaru's expression, if possible, turned even icier. "Mind your own business, Kouga."

Kagome cocked her head to the side for a moment before striding forward, looping her arm through Sesshoumaru's and leaning intimately into him, surprising herself at how easily it was to fit herself against him. "Don't feel jealous, Kouga-kun. I know Sesshoumaru is like, the most hottest man to walk the planet, but he's mine now. You're going to have to find someone else. I hear his brother Inuyasha is now available."

Kouga sputtered, his face turning red, and Kagome gave him a wink as she leaned up against Sesshoumaru's shoulder and lead him inside the building. When she looked up, Sesshoumaru was staring at her with a frown. She blushed. "What?"

He didn't answer her, and without a word they went inside the elevator.

Kagome sat in the waiting office, kicking her feet for about thirty minutes as she waited for Sesshoumaru to get out of whatever meeting he was in. One secretary kept giving her weird looks while another one made a point to ignore Kagome. Kagome could have laughed if she didn't feel so bad. She kept her smile on her face, never letting what she was feeling inside come out. Poor Inuyasha. What had she done to him? Instead of drawing him aside and telling him privately, she had to go and embarrass him in front of his entire company, including all of his clients.

She kept her hands folded in her lap and a smile on her face, but she tilted her head down just a little so her bangs and curls could hide her eyes. Inuyasha hadn't deserved that. It was true that she trusted Inuyasha when he said he never cheated on her. But there was a difference on cheating physically and cheating emotionally. Inuyasha was in love with another woman. There was no going around that fact. Kagome has known Inuyasha for years, and she knew that look in his eyes.

"Miss Higurashi?" A deep voice interrupted her musings. Looking up, Kagome was surprised to see Sesshoumaru standing there with a frown on his face and impatience in his eyes. "I think it would be in our best interests if we leave."

Crinkling her eyes in confusion, Kagome opened her mouth to say something when Inuyasha's voice was suddenly heard. "I know she's in here somewhere! This is the exact type of sick joke that bastard would play on me! Now where is she?"

No.

Kagome got that sudden seizure of panic that clutched at her stomach and fought back a gasp. She couldn't face him yet. Not yet. Kagome reached up and clasped Sesshoumaru's hand. "Please don't let him see me."

He stared at her for what seemed like a long moment, when suddenly his fingers seemed to close around hers so quickly that Kagome thought she must have imagined it, since he was already pulling away. "Follow me."

She followed him down a short hallway that took them to a service elevator, and the doors shut on them just as Kagome heard the office doors slamming open and Inuyasha yelling, "Sesshoumaru!"

Kagome studied his face, wondering what he was doing. His face was blank, showing no emotion, and his golden eyes stared directly ahead at the closed elevator doors. He looked similar to Inuyasha, but so very different. The way he held himself; proud, but not overly arrogant. Well, if he and Inuyasha were related, no matter how distant, she was sure he had his own healthy dose of arrogance, but at least he hid it better than Inuyasha. He was taller, lankier too. But there was no mistaking the power he kept under tight control.

But why was he helping her? Wasn't she just a stranger to him?

The doors opened, and soon Kagome found herself in a limo with Sesshoumaru. Frowning, Kagome asked. "What made you and Inuyasha hate each other?"

That wasn't exactly what she meant to ask, but it was a good question.

Sesshoumaru looked over at her, and she thought she saw surprise pass through his eyes for only a moment before disappearing. "That's none of your concern."

"O-okay." Kagome said slowly, leaning back. "How about... how long ago did this rift happen? You might as well answer me. You know, this could go on forever."

"And I could just drop you off."

Kagome opened her mouth, then stopped. He had a point. "Hum. I didn't think about that."

What might have been a smile crossed his lips before he gave a long suffering sigh. "Seven years."

Kagome brightened, thinking he was about to open up. "Seven years, huh? That's about the time me and Inuyasha hooked up."

He looked over at her, running his eyes over her curls and the flowers and the pearls still gleaming in her hair. Then he looked away. "Right."

Confused by the sudden heat she felt in her face, she hurriedly asked another question. "So why the rift? Inuyasha told me that you once were close when he was little. He said you were jealous, but he never told me why."

Sesshoumaru didn't look at her again and he didn't bother with the papers in his lap. He only stared out the window with a frown the only expression on his face. Kagome thought back, wondering what she had been doing seven years ago. "Hmm, lets see. Seven years ago I just moved to Tokyo from Osaka, since my grandfather couldn't manage his shrine by himself anymore. Inuyasha had been walking by the shrine when I literally fell down the last steps and landed right in his arms." She crinkled his nose. "He called me a bitch for running into him and dropped me right on my bum."

"Yes, I see now what attracted you to him." His voice was dry, and Kagome thought just a little bit harder than before.

"Nah, that wasn't it. I chased after him down the street and pulled on his ears until he apologized. They've always been really sensitive for some reason. You've probably heard the rest, of course. I guess that's why I feel so guilty on why I left him like that. No matter what, I don't think he deserved getting embarrassed like that. I should apologize but..."

She felt his eyes on her and felt obligated to look and see. He looked genuinely interested in what she was saying, but there was still that hard look in his eyes she didn't understand. Then he said, "But what?"

She shrugged. "I just don't want to face him. He can get really angry, and when he gets embarrassed and angry, well... he can say some pretty mean things. I know I probably deserve it, but I just can't explain the panic I felt when I stepped down the aisle." She smiled at him. "But I feel better now, just sitting here with you. Isn't that weird?"

He didn't say anything, but she didn't expect him to. She turned on her side and curled up against the chairs arm guards, resting her head against her folded arms. They drove around to a few more places, Kagome opting to stay in the limo and wait for him. She didn't know what was developing between them, but she felt something. It was nice. She felt warm when she was with him, and safe and comfortable. She hoped he felt something similar for her. She wasn't sure she was completely okay with even liking her grooms brother, but she couldn't help it. Sesshoumaru's been so generous with her today... When he got back in the car, Kagome made sure she talked about idle things, filling him in on everything from her childhood dreams, to her favorite memories. The sun was setting, and she watched as Sesshoumaru got back into the limo for the last time for the day.

"You know, when I was little, I used to go to the park a lot. Before my dad died, he would put me on the swings - you know, the harness kind? Where it's like a plastic scoop with little holes on the bottom to stick your legs through? We'd swing for hours. It was just me and him. Souta, my little brother was just born, so a lot of Dad's time was spent with mom and him. But he'd make sure to spend that time alone together, just us." She closed her eyes and smiled, sighing softly. "It's my most precious memory. What's yours?"

He was silent for so long that Kagome thought he wouldn't answer, but then he said, "My mother."

Kagome opened her eyes, studying him. From what she gleaned from Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru's mother had died young, and it wasn't anything that could be explained. One day she had simply went to sleep and never woke up. So she listened intently on what Sesshoumaru was saying, because she knew it was important. "My father never paid much attention to either of us once he started keeping his mistress, Izayoi. It had just been the two of us until she passed away."

Kagome was silent for a while, watching Sesshoumaru and noticing how he made a point not to watch her. "I wish I had known you."

He jerked his head over, his eyes narrowed. "What?"

"I wish I had known you then. I think we would've been great friends, don't you think?" She smiled at him, barely noticing when the car rolled to a stop. She sat up, surprised to find them outside Tokyo's Juuban Park. They walked around for a bit, looking like an odd pair with her in her sparkling wedding dress and Sesshoumaru in his Italian silk suit.

They ended up by the swings, and with a smile Kagome sat down, looking like a carnation flower on its side since her dress poofed out so much. She didn't say anything when she felt him gently push on her back, merely leaned her head back and let him push her, swinging back and forth for what seemed like forever. When Kagome opened her eyes, her feet dug into the soft sand before her to stop her progress, her eyes wide and glued to a figure across the park. Inuyasha was sitting on a park bench, his back turned to them. She felt Sesshoumaru's hands settle on her shoulders. "You should go to him."

She looked up at him, then settled a hand over his. "Will you wait for me?"

His eyes held that intent look that she'd seen so many times throughout the day before they seemed to shutter before her eyes. "Of course."

She held his eyes for just a moment longer before standing, walking slowly towards Inuyasha. She was nervous, but she owed him an explanation. She loved him, she always would. He was her first friend when she moved to Tokyo, her first lover. He would always be important to her, in nearly every way. But she no longer wanted to marry him. It was odd, but her one day with Sesshoumaru seemed to open her eyes. Sesshoumaru, it was true, didn't talk much, but he listened. She was one hundred percent certain that, even though he didn't say much, he remembered what she said simply because he actually listened when she spoke. Inuyasha got to the point where he'd simply be nodding his head and 'uh huh' 'ing whenever she'd be chattering. She was a chatterbox, and yet Sesshoumaru showed no sign of being annoyed. Well, not as if he'd show he was irritated.

She stood behind him, her hands folded demurely in front of her as she smiled at the sunset. "Beautiful day, isn't it? The sunset is truly beautiful."

He jerked around so fast she was surprised he didn't fall off the bench. His eyes took her in before sliding behind her. Kagome looked over her shoulder and watched as Sesshoumaru watched them by the swings, before he turned on his heel and went towards the limo. When she heard Inuyasha laugh darkly, she turned her attention back to him. "It figures."

"What?" Kagome looked down at him in confusion, watching as he stood and stuck his hands in his pockets.

Inuyasha studied her a moment before jerking his head towards a path. "Let's go for a walk."

They walked in silence for a while, stopping only until they reached the scenic overview that pointed towards the bay. "Why'd you do it?" He asked quietly, watching as the sun cast her in it's last glorious rays. She looked truly beautiful.

His question caught her by surprise, but she knew it shouldn't have. She looked down at the rocks below them, watching as the water splashed hard against them. "Because I know, Inuyasha." She said sadly. "I know that you are in love with Kikyo."

He flinched as if she slapped him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I've never lied to you, Inuyasha. Please don't start lying to me." She didn't look at him, instead staring straight into the sea. "I know you, Inuyasha. And I know that look in your eyes when you look at her. It's okay, though. You should be happy that I ran out on our wedding!"

He looked at her, studying her face intently. "Why are you so calm about this? I thought you wanted to get married."

Smiling, she gently shook her head, but still couldn't look at him. "I thought I did too, at first. At first, I think I knew it when I stopped loving you as a lover. But then Kikyo came into the picture and it was almost like a competition. And then you asked me to marry you, and I was so happy. I won, you see. Beautiful, perfect Kikyo for once was second best. It only took me until today that it was me who was second best to you, and I couldn't marry you with me not loving you like I should, and you in love with her."

Inuyasha was silent for a few moments before he sighed, his tone rueful when he spoke. "It just figures Sesshoumaru would be the one to find you."

"What does that mean?" Kagome asked, looking over at him at last and was even more confused at his rueful grin.

"To tell you the truth, they only reason I had asked you out seven years ago is because Sesshoumaru liked you first." As Kagome listened, shocked, she couldn't say anything or do anything but listen. "We always had been on even grounds with each other. Never really close, but close enough, and always competing. The minute you stepped out of your car that first day with your arms filled with boxes and dressed in that stupid outfit, you should have seen the look on Sesshoumaru's face when he saw you; as if the world were a shining jewel that had been placed in the palm of his hand. Never in my life had I ever seen him look like that."

Inuyasha leaned up against the railing, his eyes on the sea. "It was gone so fast that I thought I imagined it, but looking back I know I didn't. So I asked you out, of course thinking it was all part of the "competing" part of our brotherly relationship." He looked over at her, smiling. "It didn't take too much for me to love you. You're so easy to love, Kagome. You almost never stop smiling, and for people like us... well, it's something very rare and special to find."

Here, he paused, a regretful frown on his face, and Kagome couldn't help but smile at how grown up he's become. He could actually hold a serious conversation and all his sentences didn't start with the F word. "But... Sesshoumaru got really quiet after that. He stopped talking with me unless to say something cruel and he became even more withdrawn. I think his saving grace was when he found Rin abandoned on his door step. She kept him from retreating too far into himself. I feel so guilty. I took away a chance for his happiness, and I don't think he ever forgave me for that. But once I loved you, I just couldn't let you go. I guess it was smart for us to wait nearly seven years before even thinking about tying the knot, eh?"

She didn't know who Rin was, but that question could be answered later. Instead, Kagome smiled, looking at the diamond engagement ring still on her finger. "Yes. I think we both had to grow up first." Slowly, she wriggled the ring off her finger and put it in the palm of Inuyasha's hand, curling his fingers over it. "You should take this."

Inuyasha stared down at the ring for a moment before slipping it into an inside breast pocket. "He was at the church, did you know that?"

"Yes." Kagome said calmly. "I was in his car. I had panicked, and I dove inside just seconds before you came outside."

After a few shocked seconds, Inuyasha laughed. "No shit? That must have made his day. He was probably on his way to object, you know." He looked over at her shocked expression, grinning. "What, don't tell me the Ice Man didn't make a move on you at all?"

"No..." Kagome thought hard, trying to remember if Sesshoumaru ever made a move on her. Would she have even recognized it if he had? "The first time he actually touched me today is when we were at the swings. He didn't talk much, but I have a feeling that he listened to every word I said. And that matters a great deal to me."

Inuyasha studied her for a moment before draping an arm over her shoulders, drawing her close to his side and kissing her forehead. Kagome closed her eyes, taking it in. She knew that this was the last time they would ever be so familiar with each other. "You like him, don't you?"

Sighing, Kagome rested her head on his shoulder. "I think I do. There's just something about him..."

Inuyasha gave her shoulders a squeeze before reaching for her hand and intertwining their fingers. "C'mon, woman. I think we've left him waiting long enough, don't you think?"

"What about Kikyo? Are you going to go after her?" Kagome asked as they made their way back. The sun was gone now, leaving the sky a blur of pinks, oranges, purples, and blues.

Inuyasha scratched the back of his head. "Believe it or not, Kags, but nothing happened between us. In fact, you should know now that she's beating herself up for even liking her cousin's groom. She's been such a bitch to me, I'll have you know, because she knew that I was starting to like her. I knew that you resented her when we first met; I know you well enough to tell. But you shouldn't. She really didn't even want to like me."

"You two will have a lot to talk about then, won't you?" Kagome said, smiling. She stopped dead, however, when they reached the curb and Sesshoumaru's limo was no where in sight. "He... he said that he'd wait for me."

"The idiot. He probably got the wrong impression. C'mon, I'll drive you to his place." Inuyasha and Kagome talked the entire time, laughing and joking as if their wedding had never even taken place... or, more like that day had never taken place. When they rolled to a stop in front of Sesshoumaru's mansion, Kagome sat and smiled at Inuyasha until he turned to look at her.

"Kiss me, will you?" She asked with a smile, and he leaned in to comply with the ease of someone who knew her well, not of someone that was bitter. Relieved, Kagome closed her eyes and kissed him slowly for the last time. Then she leaned back and patted his cheek. "Good bye, Inuyasha."

He smiled, his eyes warm. "See ya around, Kags. If you don't have that guy wrapped around your finger by next week, I'm gonna be disappointed."

Kagome laughed and opened the door. "Only you would say that."

Excitement was filling her, filling her chest to the point where she thought she'd explode. Inuyasha, ever chivalrous, had already driven off, so it wasn't as if she could change her mind. So instead of running, she walked slowly to his front door and rang the door bell before nerves got the best of her.

A little girl answered, and Kagome could only stare dumbly at her and wondered if Inuyasha got the wrong house. The little girl smiled shyly at her, and Kagome snapped out of her daze. "Er, is Sesshoumaru here?"

She turned, yelling with a surprisingly good set of lungs. "Daddy! There's a princess waiting at the door for you!"

Kagome was still trying to hide her smile when Sesshoumaru appeared. He looked surprised and, Kagome prayed, hopeful. "Miss Higurashi?"

"You can call me Kagome, you know." She waited, and only when she cocked her eyebrow at him did he seem to move.

"Please, come in. Kagome, meet Rin. Rin," His tone of voice reminded her of how her mother sounded when she was little, and she smiled.

Rin gave a little curtsy. "My name's Rin. Are you Princess Kagome?"

Kagome laughed, unable to hold it in. Then she leaned down and ruffled the girl's hair. "I wish. But I'm just plain Kagome."

"Rin, why don't you go play in your room?" Sesshoumaru said, giving Rin's head a pat as she passed them.

"Bye-bye Kagome-chan!" She waved before she ran upstairs.

"Cute kid." Kagome said as she looked shyly up at Sesshoumaru. Before stepping further inside she took off her shoes, and was surprised at how much shorter she was compared to him. She was only about five six, but Sesshoumaru was nearly a foot taller, with her head barely reaching his shoulder. "Um..."

Kagome was relieved that he seemed as much at a loss for words as she was, and it made her not as nervous as she was before. Gathering up her courage, she gathered her skirts in her hands since it was now brushing the floor, and strode past him into the living area. "So I was thinking," she started, careful not to look at him lest she lose her courage. "There's this new show playing down at the theaters. Want to come with me?"

She felt a touch on her shoulder and, in her nervousness, she jerked away more sharply than she expected and surprised them both. She blushed, looking down. She felt his fingers curl underneath her chin and had her look up at him. He was very close, and she held her breath. Then he said, "This Sesshoumaru does not watch shows."

At her hurt expression, a whisper of a smile crossed his face. "But he will make an exception just this once."

Smiling, Kagome went to say something, but Sesshoumaru beat her to it. "But first I would like to advise you to wear something different."

Laughing, she twirled. "What, you don't like it?"

"Not that one, perhaps." He said quietly, and pulled Kagome in closer.

///\

Four years later....

Her gown was white silk, this time strapless with an empire waist. It was simple, not as sparkly or as poofy like her first wedding gown, but far more elegant. She didn't wear gloves this time, but her hands were perfectly manicured and soft to the touch. Her hair was unencumbered and fell in loose waves down her back, and flowers were laced throughout her hair. She didn't have a veil, but she didn't think she needed one.

She did not want to hide her face from him.

When she walked down the aisle on her grandfathers hand, this time she didn't need blush to make her a blushing bride. The minute she met his golden eyes, she smiled shyly and ducked her head a little. "This is it, Grandpa." She whispered, awe and happiness in her voice. "I'm getting married."

"That you are, my girl. I'm happy for you." When it was time to part ways, he cupped her face in his wrinkled hands and bushed her forehead. "Be happy, Kagome."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome once again looked into her grooms eyes before reaching for his hand. "Hello, Sesshoumaru." She whispered, unable to stop smiling.

His face was as blank as usual to eyes who didn't know him like she did, but she could see the warmth in his eyes, and it burned and loved her more than any expression or words ever could. "Kagome."

She couldn't seem to let his hand go as they turned to face the priest, and Sesshoumaru gave no intention of letting go either. So, hand in hand, they turned to speak their vows.

And this time Kagome had no intention of running away.

////////\\\\

Read, review, and tell me what you think.

Luna