Finding Home again by Kahdejus

Reminiscing

As she sat there in her bathroom staring, almost breathlessly, at the little pink stick that could so radically alter her fate, she reminisced on the events that had started it all.

2 years 4 months earlier

As the smoke cleared from the final battle Kagome was left there, barely standing, the completed jewel clenched safely in her hand. “Finally.” she thought “Finally it’s all over...” those were her last conscious thoughts before the darkness looming at the edge of her vision swallowed her. Unbeknownst to her, as she began to collapse, a tall silver haired youkai was making his way toward her. Seeing her small form begin to fall he rushed to her, catching her well before she even got close to hitting the ground. Quickly checking her over for injuries, he sighed internally in relief to find only the minor cuts and bruises she had sustained from the battle. Lifting the tiny miko into his arms he started toward her little group of friends.

At the sight of the unconscious body of her heart’s sister, Sango forgot all about her own injuries and ran to the demon lord cradling Kagome in his arms. “Is she okay? What happened to her? Where is she hurt?”

Sesshomaru looked at the slayer and calmly replied that she was merely exhausted and needed her rest. Calming at his words the frantic light in Sango’s eyes disappeared and she just nodded her head, relieved. Sesshomaru silently strode past the slayer, intent on reaching the village where he had left Rin. Secure in the knowledge that the old miko there could take care of her, he gazed down at the fragile woman in his arms, silently contemplating her importance to him.

He had noticed it just a few months prior, when he first started traveling with his half brother’s strange pack. She was different from most ningen females, but to be fair he did not know many ningen, female or otherwise. Though even if she were youkai she would still be a peculiar female. She was, quite surprisingly, significantly educated, which, in his experience, was a rarity when dealing with females who were not of a royal line. He himself thought it was an incredible waste to not teach all classes of females. They could be used for so much, even if  they could only read or do simple mathematics their usefulness could be increased tenfold, hence the reason behind Rin’s education. But no, it went beyond her intellect, she was not only selfless and brave, but she was loyal and honest. Hard qualities to find in either gender or any species he had come across, he truly was fascinated by this little miko.

He could not quite name the feelings he had for this woman, only that when she was in danger his heart seemed to suddenly stop, or when she smiled his stomach would get this irritating fluttering feeling, as if he had fallen a great distance without warning. It was two nights ago when he finally identified his strange reactions to her, he was infatuated. Him, the great Lord Sesshomaru, cared deeply for this tiny human miko, and for all of his vast intellect he didn’t understand why.

Looking around he spotted the old miko’s hut. Halfway there he was suddenly bombarded by two small bodies. One jumped up onto his shoulder and proceeded to call for his mother, while the other grabbed his hakama and looked up with wide tear filled cinnamon eyes. “Is Miss Kagome going to be alright Lord Sesshomaru?” Rin asked him in a soft whisper.

Looking down at the female child, that might as well have been his own pup, he nodded his head and told them exactly what he had told the slayer. This seemed to calm the children down just as it had calmed the slayer, and they parted to allow him to move forward.

Continuing towards the hut, he was greeted inside by an elderly woman wearing the garments of a miko, with an eye patch covering her right eye. “Oh my, is she alright Lord Sesshomaru?” Kaede asked concerned.

“She has merely fainted due to overexertion, I will leave her with you.” Sesshomaru stated, setting down his small burden onto the futon, he then stood up and turned around to leave, Rin no more than a step behind him.

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Kagome awoke to a pounding headache and Inuyasha’s screeching, which certainly was not helping. “Ugh… Inuyasha shut up or I will ‘it’ you,” Kagome mumbled angrily into her pillow.

“Kagome!? Oh thank god you’re awake, I was so worried,” Sango exclaimed causing Kagome to cringe.

“Shhh, please my head hurts.”

“Oh, sorry,” Sango whispered.

Kagome just smiled at her. Looking around she noticed that they were missing a few faces, three to be exact. “Where are Sesshomaru, Rin, and Jaken?”

Inuyasha was, of course, the first to reply, “Keh, that bastard left a long time ago. Apparently he dropped you off here and went home. By the way, why did he bring you back anyway? Huh?”

Kagome was both shocked and a little disappointed at this news. Shocked because it was Sesshomaru, of all people, who brought her here and disappointed because he had left and now she couldn’t thank him. Sure he was an anti-social jerk, but he had his good points. It was those good points that had her falling in love with him, though she would never tell a soul. After all, she would be deluding herself if she thought for one second that he would ever return her feelings.

Sighing, she just glared at Inuyasha, the idiot. How was she to know why he brought her back, it’s not like she asked him to, she was unconscious for Peet’s sake! Rolling her eyes she told the moron just that. Oh how stupid she was to think at one time she was romantically in love with this doofus, sure she loved the guy, but only as a really good friend.

Just then she was tackled but an orange fur ball. “Momma! Are you okay? Do you hurt? Oh I was so worried!” Shippo squealed.

Patting his back and thanking every God she knew that her earlier headache was dissipating, otherwise she would be crying from the pain. “I’m okay Shippo. See. I guess I just over exerted myself.”

Smiling at her, Shippo asked “So do you have the jewel?”

Kagome remembering the jewel dug in her pants pocket to show everyone the completed Shikon Jewel. “What wish will you make on it Lady Kagome?” Inquired Miroku.

“I honestly don’t know yet, I mean I know it has to be selfless, but I can’t seem to think of a wish that is without any selfish desires. I could ask for it to disappear, but that in its own way is selfish, because I would be giving up the duty I was born to fulfil, just because I don’t want to deal with it anymore.” Nodding his head Miroku agreed with her statement.

“I don’t know guys I guess I’ll just have to hang onto it until I can think of the proper wish. In the mean time I can finish my training with Kaede, and put a concealing barrier around it.” The others all murmured their agreement with her plan and they all gathered around the fire to eat dinner, then got ready for bed that night.

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After only a few weeks had gone by Kagome was already just days away from finishing her miko training with Kaede. After Sesshomaru defeated Magatsuhi and her powers were fully released the difficulties that she had had in the beginning had disappeared. Suddenly, everything seemed to come significantly easier to her. She could make a barrier so strong that not even the Red Tessiaga could break it. She was able to hide her aura and scent so well that Inuyasha and Shippo could not find her. In fact, ever since she put the barrier around the jewel not so much as a single demon had come for it.

The moment Sesshomaru arrived just so happened to be a moment in which she wanted to spent some time by herself.  She was up in one of the trees surrounding the well, her scent and aura hidden to the best of her abilities, when all of a sudden she was bombarded by a large youki signature. Noticing the familiar feeling of it, she looked down only to see Sesshomaru with Rin, Jaken and Ah Un. Excited at seeing Sesshomaru again, she immediately jumped from the tree to go and greet them.

Hearing someone approach, but unable to sense them Sesshomaru instantly went on the defensive. Twirling around with Bakusaiga drawn, ready to cut down anyone so foolhardy as to attack Him, Sesshomaru came face to face with... the miko that had been haunting his dreams for months. Shocked at the slender blade so suddenly thrust toward her face, Kagome jumped back, a little offended. She then quickly relaxed, realizing just why he had done that. “She was a total idiot! Of course he would be on the defensive, she just basically snuck up on him!” She mentally berated herself. “I’m so sorry Sesshomaru, I was just trying to get away from Inuyasha and forgot about my concealment.” Kagome said with a blush, as she quickly released the spell.

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Sesshomaru just stared at her. Externally, he looked as impassive as ever. Internally though, he was rather upset with himself, he had almost harmed his little miko after all, yet he was quite impressed that she was able to hide herself from even him. “Hn. Just don’t do it again.” Smiling Kagome nodded her head and went over to talk to Rin. “Hn yes, this Sesshomaru will most definitely court her. She is loyal, brave, and most certainly strong. The perfect mate for one such as himself.”

Okay here it is!! My very first fan fiction on here, I have been mentally working on this story for quite some time, and have just now decided to put it down in writing. Tell me what you all think.  Well, enjoy and review. (^.^)