Pink Carnation by Madison

Sunflower

A/N: That's right. A new chapter story. (Now for those who read Blood Stained, don't worry it won't delay the regular updates, and I'm not giving up on it). I just had this plot bunny attack me, and I couldnt get rid of it.

The chapters' titles will be based on flower meaning;

Pink Carnation: (I'll never forget you)

Sunflower: (Pure and Lofty Thoughts)

Thank you so much to Daniella for beta-reading!

Pink Carnation

Chapter 1: Sunflower

The bright sun was burning her eyes as she painfully opened them. A deep sigh rolled off her lips as the rays of the light danced upon her grey orbs. She carefully stretched her arms above her head before plumping herself in her bed. All the blankets were gathered at her feet, while half her pillows were on the ground.

She tilted her head to the side and glanced at her open windows. From the fifth floor of her apartment building the view was almost breathtaking. She slowly rose to her feet and dragged herself towards it, before lowering herself on the edge, sticking her head out, the gentle breeze playing with her long ebony locks. She took a deep breath enjoying the fresh air, while a smile adorned her face.

The sun had just risen, and the magnificent colors were still present in the bright blue sky. It was her favorite moment of the day; the one instant that reminded her that hope was everything. Once upon a time, the sunrise nearly saved her life.

She lingered a bit longer, before tearing herself away from the window, and swiveling around setting out for the kitchen. Her apartment was fairly simple and cozy, but she was rather fond of it. It had been part of her new beginning, part of her starting a new life. Then again, all of it had happened a long time ago. One long year had passed since the moment she had taken hold of her own life.

With his help of course.

She raised her head to peer at the collage of pictures she had assembled in her kitchen, right above her stove. Plenty of pictures were of her with her friends, but one of them was with him. Sesshomaru. She unhurriedly extended her hand and dragged her fingers across their faces.

The picture had been taken four months ago when everyone went to the attraction park. She had ice cream on the tip of her nose, while Sesshomaru was busy wiping it off for her.

He was her biggest support, her best friend, the one she probably couldn't live without.

Sesshomaru had been there since the first day her heart had shattered, and ever since then he had not vacated her side. Ever since, he had come to her aid in put the pieces back together, and frankly, the task was basically complete. The rest, she had to do it on her own. She had to let go, and no one could do it for her.

Light and hopes danced upon her facial features as she began making herself a cup of coffee; it was the only thing that could give her energy for the rest of the day. Unfortunately for her, she never had the chance to pour it since a knock on the door interrupted her. She gently put her mug down before rapidly heading in direction of the door.

Once she reached it, she went on her tippy toe, and glanced through the bull's eye. As soon as she realized who was behind a smile appeared on her face, and she hurried to open the door.

"Happy Birthday Kagome," he said, while holding a bouquet of roses.

Immediately a blush decorated her cheeks. "You didn't have to stop by before work because of that."

She was conscious that the past few weeks had been hard for him. Sesshomaru was slowly taking over his father's company, and his workload increased with each passing day. She even caught him skipping meals, and staying awake all night a few times. Kagome wanted him to rest, and not skip his precious sleeping hours to wish her a happy birthday.

There was nothing special about turning twenty-two anyway.

Kagome took the bouquet from him, before giving him a gentle peck on the lips. They were a bit more familiar than friends, but they were not dating in any way. Most of their gestures she classified as close friends' behavior. More than once he had slept over and they had shared a bed without anything occurring.

Once they finished their greetings she traveled to the kitchen to put them in water, and he followed her.

Kagome was most likely the only woman he could tolerate being around. Not only did she bring calmness to his soul, but also there was something about her. He could be himself when he was with her, and although he enjoyed his time alone, she brought him a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time, at least, not since he lost his mother.

He had to protect her.

Moreover, he had fallen in love with her since the first tear had rolled down her face that faithful rainy night.

Before her, he had often been secluded from the world, never needing company, but she had transformed that. For the first time, he had wished to protect someone, to shield her from the pain of the world. That night, after seeing her tear stained cheeks, he had almost killed him.

Sesshomaru leaned against the wall, observing her angelic features as she carefully put each rose in the vase one at a time. All of her movements were planned, and delicate; just like her. She came across as a porcelain doll, but he had experienced her inner strength.

"Do you have work tonight?" she inquired, bringing him out of his reverie.

Deep inside, she hoped he would be able to come visit her again. However, it wasn't because it was her birthday, but because she had something for him. There was a surprise she had been working on for four months now, and she had finally completed it the previous night. She was impatient and nervous, but she wanted to give it to him.

No he didn't have work. He had cleared up his whole schedule for her, but he couldn't tell her that. He had prepared a big surprise party, and so far, the secret hadn't leaked, and he wished for it to remain that way.

"Yes. My father left for New York yesterday, and he left me all of his unfinished reports," he replied, the lie leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Never on her features was a feeling of disappointment visible. She would give it to him another day, and there was no reason to make a big deal out of it. She slowly nodded, before turning around with the vase in her hands.

"Maybe we could have dinner tomorrow?"

They often had friendly dates, nearly as if they were a real couple. Sometimes, she almost speculated if she made it impossible for him to have an actual girlfriend, but every time she brought the subject up he assured her she didn't.

Sometimes, when she found herself thinking about him with someone else, she felt a pinch of jealousy in her heart. Of course, she would always chase it away, telling herself it was because she would miss her best friend. If he got married, it wouldn't be right for them to be so close.

"Home cooking," she said, trying to tempt him with her culinary skills, which he always enjoyed mocking.

A tiny smirked formed on his lips. "Then, I cannot refuse."

Sesshomaru intended on keeping true to his words. He would indeed be spending the next two days with her. He had to do so much for the company lately that their times together had been cut short and he missed seeing her. Kagome was a true friend to him, and he wished to be more, but knew he couldn't.

The wounds in her heart were still present, and he preferred to have her precious friendship, than nothing at all. For now, all he allowed himself to do was to be there for her whenever she required his presence.

It was the best he could do.

His answer caused her face to brighten with joy. "I'll make your favorite," she replied before glancing at the clock. "Now, look at the time, you'll be late."

"Yes, wifey."

She tilted her head to the side in the most adorable way before putting her hands on his back and pushing him in direction of the door. The more time he spent with her the more he would be behind in his work. If she wanted him to make it to their dinner he needed to get going.

Although he was going in the direction she hoped for he still was taking his time. When he reached the door he smiled at her, as if to annoy her. "Miss Higurashi, you are lucky I allow you to order me around. Most people would have lost their head."

She smirked. "I am not most people, Mr. Taisho."

There was no doubt about that. "I know," he said before running his hand through her hair.

She laughed a bit at his gesture before her smile disappeared from her lips. He didn't fancy it when she wasn't smiling because it reminded him of darker days. Of a past he didn't like that she possessed. He gently grabbed her chin and lifted her head.

"Smile today, okay?"

As if she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to, Kagome gazed away, blushing a bit.

"Don't forget about tomorrow!" she said, not answering what he said.

At least, she was smiling again, and it was all that mattered. He shook his head softly as he headed in the hallway before lifting his hand and waving a goodbye.

Kagome liked that Sesshomaru. He was always different around her than he was with his family and other friends. He had a stoic mask whenever people were around and only in her presence did he shed it. She cherished the fact that she was the only one permitted to see him.

She pressed herself against the doorway as she observed his figure disappeared in the elevator. Kagome waited a bit longer before going back inside and closing the door behind her.

Today was going to be a great day.

-P-

Every day he had busted his ass for everyone, including her. Yet did he ever get a simple thank you or a sign of appreciation? No, it was as if everyone treated him like he was a fucking slave. He hated them all, and he hated that place the most. Mostly because of him.

His footsteps were heavy and loud as he walked through the halls of the office, his mood nothing short of pissed off. He had just gotten back to the city and already his stupid brother was demanding he did some work, just so he could go to some party tonight.

Couldn't he have come up with a better excuse? His loser, cold, anti social brother did not party. He couldn't even recall the last time he had seen him be around people.

When he finally reached his dreaded destination, he came to a brief halt. Inuyasha groaned heavily before opening the door of Sesshomaru's office without bothering to knock, something that greatly annoyed his older brother.

Sesshomaru lifted his head, and glanced at his exasperating half brother. Inuyasha was hot headed, stubborn, and he had absolutely no work ethic, which made it easy to hate him. Although it had nothing to do with the reason why he despised him so much. No, the reason why he hated him ran through his veins, slowly poisoning him, until he would rot.

"Why did ya call me for?" he asked, before leaning against the nearest wall.

He put down his current file, and sighed. Clearly, Inuyasha didn't know how to be polite. "Did you start on the Korimasho case?"

The only thing he had given his worthless brother to do was one mere easy, still important though, case, and yet, from the look on his face he could already tell that like everything else that Inuyasha started in his life, he threw it all in the garbage as if it meant nothing.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before plopping down on the nearest sofa. "Man, I didn't have time for that. I'm having my own problems to deal with right now."

His brother couldn't comprehend what it was like to have it hard sometimes. It seemed that his perfect life was never disrupted by anything. Whatever he started, it went along without a flaw. The same couldn't be said about Inuyasha, who shattered everything he touched.

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to scoff. "Problems? Did you take a Playstation break?"

"Kikyo left me." Jerk. Didn't he know how to be sensitive? It wasn't like he was playing video games every day; he limited himself to every other day.

For an instant, Sesshomaru completely froze, unable to move, as his heart ceased to pump his blood. He quickly recovered though, but he glanced away from his brother, not wanting to see his idiotic face.

"You had it coming. Did she leave you for someone else?" he said, his words laced with many meanings.

He couldn't help but hope that she had dumped his sorry ass for another man. Then perhaps Inuyasha would experience some sort of pain and betrayal. The worthless being had never been hurt in his whole life. His parents always made sure he was overprotected from life, never experiencing anything.

An aggravated look appeared on Inuyasha's face as he glared at his brother. "No, she just decided she wanted more, like a family or getting married or something, I don't know, I ain't paying too much attention to that kind of shit."

"And you wonder why she left," he casually mentioned, now that he had collected himself.

Sesshomaru refocused his attention of his files, completely shutting out Inuyasha as he waited for his brother to understand he was not wanted. It was a miracle he could spend so much time in his company without wanting to break his neck. He deserved nothing less after his miserable actions.

As per usual, Inuyasha didn't get the hint. He began slumping, and grabbed the first thing in his reach, which was one of Sesshomaru's pens. As he played with it his brain began working, and he wondered if he could catch his brother in a lie. After all, where exactly was his brother partying that was more important than his work?

Surely, he had to be lying. He was probably not busy at all, and he was simply trying to make his life more miserable by giving him more work.

"Hey."

His rude call was ignored.

"HEY. Asshole."

Sesshomaru raised his hand he rubbed the side of his head gently, trying to unwind himself. If Inuyasha didn't remove himself from his office soon, he was going to give Sesshomaru a headache that would ruin the rest of his day.

"What do you want?" he harshly inquired.

"Where ya goin' tonight?"

It wasn't that he didn't like his brother having a social life but he simply found it suspicious. If he was finally opening up to the club life than it was great, after all, he was 28 years old meaning it was about damn fucking time, but he highly doubted it was the case.

That question could not be answered. Sesshomaru did not intend to invite his brother to Kagome's surprise party; after all, it was supposed to be a nice evening. In all honestly, he was nearly shocked that Inuyasha hadn't found out about it yet, since he didn't exactly trust all of Kagome's friends.

Also, he didn't want Inuyasha anywhere near Kagome and, his personal business was none of his half-brother's concern.

"Out with friends."

Inuyasha scoffed. "You ain't got no friends."

"Neither do you."

The truth of his words stung Inuyasha, but he didn't allow Sesshomaru to see it. So what if all of his so called friends had abandoned him over a misunderstanding? He didn't need them in the first place. Anyone would love to be seen hanging out with him since he had it all; the fame, the money, and the looks.

"Whatever, I'm getting out of here."

Good. Not bothering to escort him out, Sesshomaru turned around slightly, and opened up his laptop, before typing away much like he had intended to do before his brother had rudely interrupted him.

Unfortunately, Inuyasha had one more thing he needed to know before he could leave. He wasn't sure why he was about to ask such information from his brother out of all people, who knew nothing of her, but he was his best option. Every day he wondered, and Sesshomaru was the only one who could provide him with some sort of answer.

It had been killing him for a whole year now. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about her. How could he not? He never meant to lose her or hurt her. At first, he was doing it for fun, not to mean any harm. If only she hadn't found out about it, they would still be together.

Before Inuyasha reached the door, he stopped in his tracks. "How is she?"

The blood in Sesshomaru's body did not circulate as the words echoed and his fingers discontinued their movements. He could tolerate Inuyasha's presence, he could bear with the fact that he had to talk to him, but he would not authorize him to even inquire about her well-being.

"It's none of your concern," he said, his tone ice cold.

His brother's tone surprised him to the point of causing him to back away a bit, but he quickly resumed his tough act. "Man, what's got your panties in a bunch? Since when do you care about her anyway?"

"Inuyasha, if you do not leave this office I will make you."

Inuyasha's golden eyes widened a bit before he slowly nodded his head. "You know what? None of y'all know what happened between me and her a'right?"

His words still rung through the office as he slammed the door behind him. As soon as he was out of view, Sesshomaru threw his pen violently at the door, chipping off a piece of the wood. Fuck.

His whole body was trembling as he remained on his feet, wanting nothing more but to go after the worthless bastard and give him a piece of his mind. How dare Inuyasha claim he didn't know what happened? Of course he knew! He had to hear the tale over and over again; dry tears shed over that idiotic foolish man, and mend a heart broken beyond fixing.

If anyone knew what happened between Kagome and Inuyasha, it was him.

Once some of his anger dissipated, Sesshomaru slowly sat back down in his chair, his heart still hammering like a drum in his chest. He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling the sweat drops formed by his rage. There was no way he could work in this state of mind.

Every day, his half-brother made it more difficult for him to not kill him.

Sesshomaru had often been surprised by his own self-control, especially when Inuyasha had begun bringing his whore home with him. It was that day that Sesshomaru understood that Inuyasha had no shame. He was a selfish being who didn't care who he hurt as long as he obtained what he desired.

One day, he would pay.

Suddenly, a knock on the door brought him out of his revengeful thoughts.

"Mr. Taisho? Miss Ishii on line 1."

Sesshomaru grinded his teeth, washing away all memories of Inuyasha before picking up the phone. "Sango? What is it?"

"The food is late. They called, and they said they might not make it in time."

Fucking great. As if he needed another fucking problem in his day.

"Then find somewhere else, tell them the price doesn't matter. I'll pay them triple what they usually charge as long as it's ready on time."

Without waiting for Sango to answer, he hung up in her face. He didn't have anything against her, but she had caught him in a bad moment. It was Kagome's first birthday since the event and he wanted to make sure she was blown away. She and Inuyasha used to have a tradition for her birthday, and he was doing everything in his power to make sure she wouldn't notice his absence in her life.

Sesshomaru had devoted the last year to her completely, every second of his life, night or day. Anything she needed, he had provided her with. During that whole year he had kept his love for her hidden deep inside. He feared scaring her away, and it was weighing on him.

If only she had never met that bastard, if only she hadn't fallen in love. Inuyasha never deserved her, and he had shown it.

But he would protect her, and never again would she fall victim to his claws. Not after all the effort, it had taken to bring her back on her feet.

Inuyasha would never be a part of her life again.

-P-

"Kanashikute kanashikute nakida shisou ni naru. (Sadly, sadly I burst into tears at the thought of becoming) Tada tsuyoiku nari tai dake namida wa nagasenai (However, the tears not shed are only for the strong team)."

Kagome was singing to herself as she finished cleaning up one of the boxes. Since she just finished the final draft of her newest project, she had decided to re-arrange the place a bit and fix up a few things. She always kept many useless things often because they were sentimental, but currently, they were taking up way too much space in her apartment.

She carefully folded the empty cardboard box before moving on to the next one. A smile immediately graced her features once she realized it was filled with pictures. Enthusiastic about the memories to come, she rapidly dug in. Kagome took a handful of pictures before pushing the box aside, and laying flat on her stomach.

One by one, she peered through the pictures, her smile still vivid on her lips.

Most of them were of her and Sango back when they were in elementary school. Since the first day they had met in second grade, they became inseparable, going through mischief and love together. Now that Kagome thought about it, she realized she hadn't seen much of her best friend during the past few weeks.

Maybe she could call her later?

She made a mental note to do so before moving on to other pictures. However, quickly enough she realized it might have been a bad idea. She gulped, before it dropped down to the ground. The smiling face of Inuyasha and herself were staring right back at her.

It was a picture of happier, better times.

A scoff escaped her lips before she dropped the pictures on the ground. Perhaps she had done enough cleaning for today. She dragged herself on the couch and lay down before closing her eyes. The apartment felt empty and the silence was killing her. Before him she used to always be surrounded by people, but when it happened a year ago, she had decided to always remain alone.

She pressed her lips together, before she sighed.

No, she was not doing this to herself. Kagome decided that the best way to clear her mind was to focus on some of her work. Not the one she did for money but, the personal art she did for herself, to distract her mind. It took her a few seconds to get on her feet, but when she did, she headed towards the next room.

The room was completely white, most of the pieces of art covered by white drapes. Kagome didn't like to share her works, at least not when it was incomplete. Only the finals were seen by others. Although, Sesshomaru had seen a few works in progress, but that was because he had gone on his own, and disobeyed her.

She walked to the farthest end of the room and reached a big canvas. Slowly, she pulled on the drape, only to reveal a completely black painting. Kagome had done it after the incident between her and Inuyasha. Her world had become darkness, and she had decided that when she would be ready, she would paint over.

A small part each time would be painted, until she had fully recovered. She had meant to get started on it much sooner, but each time, she was afraid. No, she wasn't in a bad state of mind anymore, but looking at the blackness reminded her of what happened and she wanted to forget it. Painting it would only refresh the wound of betrayal in her heart.

Problem was, if she never faced it, it would never go away.

Her fingers were burning, so she released the fabric she was holding, allowing it to fall upon the ground. Her grey orbs were locked upon her painting as many thoughts went through her mind. Could she take the paintbrush for the first time, could she add color to her world?

Because to say she was drowned in somberness, was a lie.

Sango, Miroku, Sesshomaru, Shippo, and all of them, brought a strike of color in her heart. She refused to think that darkness was all there was in her beating organ.

With a trembling hand, she reached out for a paintbrush, any, just the nearest one and grabbed it. She took a deep breath before pressing the naked brush against the black. She hadn't dipped it in color yet, but she brushed strokes along the canvas anyway, as if it had an effect.

It didn't change the darkness, but it made her feel better. It felt as if she could hold her own against him and the memories, and what she was experiencing was freedom. You couldn't forget the person you loved for 12 years in an instant, but she was getting close.

She kept stroking the brush around for a bit longer before putting it back where it belonged.

Kagome glanced around looking at her current art supplies, but nothing seemed to catch her eye. Perhaps she could refurnish herself a bit for this project? She had used almost everything she had on a gift for Sesshomaru after all.

Decided, and determined, Kagome left her art room, without covering her black painting. It was perhaps the only work she didn't mind showing to people. She herself had always been an open book, and since the painting was her, than others should be able to see it.

She grabbed her blue coat and put it on before shoving her wallet in her side pocket. Gazing at her apartment one last time, she gently closed the door behind her before locking it. Slowly, Kagome began heading down the hall, a little jump in her step.

After everything that occurred, today was still going well.

It didn't matter that it was her birthday, and that there would be no dark sky filled with bright stars.

She didn't need it.

-P-

Sango was barely holding in place as she jumped from one room to another making sure everything was perfect. They had spent a month preparing Kagome's birthday party and even though they had a few setbacks, it seemed that everything was finally going well. They even had found someone to provide them with a quick buffet for the birthday girl!

The whole party was happening in her apartment, which irked her just a bit. She would have rather used Sesshomaru's since it was more spacious, but he had planned for his excuse to be work. At least, it was a believable excuse Kagome would be able to take for granted. When it came to lying to Kagome, Sesshomaru was often horrible.

Then again, she couldn't blame him.

However, this was the good type of lie, since it was to surprise her, and make her happy.

Usually, every year at her birthday, Inuyasha and Kagome would drive out to the country and bring a blanket and a small picnic. They would always leave when the sun would set, and they would watch the stars together. When they were younger, Kagome's mother used to drive them, and then when they got older, they had begun doing it themselves.

This year would be the first time Kagome didn't celebrate her birthday that way.

At first she had been scared that making a big deal out of it would hurt Kagome, but then again, if they didn't occupy her mind, the poor girl would dwell upon it during the whole evening. At least if she was having fun, Inuyasha might not sneak into her mind.

For the fiftieth time, Sango re-arranged the balloons, waiting for Sesshomaru to show up. She was almost starting to believe he really was working.

Sesshomaru had been a miracle in disguise.

Kagome had known him for twelve years since he was Inuyasha's brother, but they had never really talked past the formal greeting. He hadn't been a part of her life in any way, and since he didn't like his half-brother, he didn't particularly enjoy Kagome's presence.

But then, something had happened.

Nobody knew what it was, but not too long after the incident, as they all referred to it as, Sesshomaru and Kagome were friends. Actually, they were more than friends. There almost wasn't one day they weren't together. Sango, who had been trying to do her best for Kagome was grateful.

Sesshomaru had something she didn't have; he could heal her heart.

To be honest, she had expected them to get together in the long run but nothing had happened. At first, she thought it was because they only had platonic feelings for each other, but as she had spied on them, she had learned differently.

She wasn't sure how Kagome felt about Sesshomaru, since Sango didn't dare to ask, but Sesshomaru loved her. If you observed him carefully, he had that longing puppy love look in his eyes, and Kagome never noticed. Of course, she had always been oblivious to those kinds of things.

Secretly, Sango was rooting for Sesshomaru. She wouldn't voice it out loud since he would be upset if he knew she was aware of his feelings, but it didn't prevent her from hoping. After the terrible thing that occurred in Kagome's life, some true devoted love was what she needed.

If only she could open her eyes.

"Sango, you should fix those balloons down there, they are falling off."

She snapped her head in direction of Miroku before frowning a bit. She hadn't put balloons so low, what in the world was he talking about? Her curiosity getting the best out of her, she bent down slightly to inspect what he was referring to. It wasn't until she began descending that it hit her. A blush of anger quickly decorated her cheeks as she headed in his direction.

Quickly, she slapped him across the face. "HENTAI!" she exclaimed angrily before walking off.

"Sango, my dear! I was simply trying to help!" said Miroku, rubbing his cheek as he walked after her.

"I would appreciate it if you kept your lecherous ways to a minimum while there is still work to do."

Miroku stopped chasing after the love of his life, although she still wasn't aware of it, to turn around and glance at Sesshomaru. He was wearing a black business suit, his long silver hair wrapped into a ponytail, and he was evilly glaring at him. Yikes! An angry Sesshomaru was never a good thing.

"Sesshomaru!" he said, removing his hand from his cheek. "Don't worry about a thing; Sango's got it all under control."

Slowly Sesshomaru nodded. "Does Kagome know she's having lunch with Sango?"

Miroku's violet eyes flickered from left to right, then right to left. "No."

Darn it. He knew they had forgotten something!

"BUT!" he added before facing Sesshomaru's anger, "It's something that can easily be fixed. We both know Kagome has nothing planned today, and will be easily joinable."

"She better be," warned Sesshomaru before leaving Miroku behind so he could discuss the final details with Sango.

He wasn't sure why he felt so nervous since it was a rare occurrence for him, but he had a feeling he could not chase away. He wanted everything to be perfect, yet he just knew something was going to mess it all up. Hopefully, it wouldn't be anything too bad.

"Sango?" he inquired when he walked into the kitchen.

The brunette rapidly turned around while holding a plate full of food. "Hey, you're here."

Sango was one of the few people who wasn't afraid to address Sesshomaru casually. She had seen him act very down to earth with Kagome, and it had shattered the monster image she had of him. She could see it bothered him, but he never really addressed it, so she continued to do it.

He had meant to arrive much sooner, but because of Inuyasha he had been delayed. The idiot had literally done no work, leaving him to catch up on the missed work. His work was not more important than Kagome, but certain things were pressing, and his father wouldn't allow him to leave until someone completed them.

Of course, his father never asked Inuyasha to do it. Then again, they never put any pressure on the worthless idiot for obvious reasons; he couldn't do anything right.

"May I help?" he inquired before removing his jacket, and putting it on the nearest chair.

Sango quickly nodded. "You can grab, that, that, and that, and put it on the table over there," she said, while pointing to a million different things with her chin since her hands were busy.

Once she was done with her quick explanation, Sango aimed for the kitchen, leading the way for Sesshomaru.

He grabbed everything she said, and followed right behind. He doubted they required so much food, but he much preferred have more than less. Every detail needed to be considered from Kagome's favorite foods, to her preferred colors. Sesshomaru did not want one thing wrong.

As Sango and Sesshomaru were putting the plates down, Miroku rushed in the room, looking a bit uneasy. "Sango, was Kagome going somewhere today?"

She tilted her head to the side, thinking it through. "I don't think so; she hasn't taken freelancing work in a while. Why?"

Miroku ignored her question, and glanced in direction of Sesshomaru, asking a silent question.

"From what I understood, she was to remain home today."

"Well, she's not answering," said Miroku before putting the phone down on the table.

Sango shrugged her shoulders. "Kagome is a big girl; she can go out for a few minutes to shop if she wants. I'm pretty sure she won't be out all day."

Sesshomaru agreed with her yet his bad feeling only grew stronger. Kagome could always be reached one way or another. "Did you try her cell phone?"

Miroku nodded. "I tried her Mom, her apartment, and her cell phone. I didn't get an answer anywhere."

"Maybe her phone is dead," said Sango, re-arranging the plates for the third time.

As they all fell silent, a weird emotion installed itself between them. Why were they so worried? Wasn't it normal for a person to not stay in all day? Perhaps it was because they wished for everything to be perfect. Maybe it was also because they had known Kagome's darker side, and ever since, they couldn't help protect her.

Sango opened her mouth, ready to speak, when suddenly, the phone rang. Her expression transformed into a smile. "See, it's probably her calling back."

Miroku was the one to answer. "Hello?"

Then, for a few seconds, he fell silent, and it caused Sango to frown. From what she could hear someone was speaking, but she could not make up the words.

"Yes, she is here."

He handed Sango the phone, a concern look on his face. "It's for you."

Sango's heart sank in her stomach as she took the phone with a shaking hand. She didn't know what was wrong, but Miroku's expression made her feel distressed.

"Hello?" There was a pause, which nearly drove Sesshomaru and Miroku insane. "Yes, this is she."

Feeling a bit dizzy, Sango sat down on the nearest chair. "I see… where did you say?"

She moved her hand in the air, gesturing that she required a pen. Miroku frantically looked around like a headless chicken, until he found one. He quickly gave it to her, and Sango began to scribble on her hand, very quickly, while repeatedly nodding her head. Her eyes were beginning to water, but she was holding back the tears.

No. No.

Something was wrong, and both men knew it.

Then, she hung up.

Miroku and Sesshomaru's eyes were locked on her waiting for her to break the tension.

Sango slowly put down the phone, before taking a deep breath; it was then that the first tear rolled down her cheeks. She wanted to tell them what was going on, but it was hard to find her voice.

Miroku was the first to speak. "Sango, what's going on?"

She slowly looked up at him, her eyes already red with the pain throbbing in her heart. "It's Kagome," she said her heart sinking.

The only reaction Sesshomaru could have was to close his eyes.

"She's- she's in the hospital."

The only thing Sesshomaru could hear in his head was his own heart beating, everything else fell silent. Kagome was in the hospital. It was the only thought echoing through his mind.

Then he heard Sango's voice, it was faint though, because he was so retracted in his own mind. She mentioned a car, a truck, and he couldn't make out the rest. His grip on the edge of the chair increased as he felt a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach.

When a few seconds passed, he did the only thing he could do. He ran out of Sango's house, heading straight for the hospital.

If he lost her…

He would lose himself.

-P-