Beloved Fans, Readers, and First Time Viewers, I've come to the decision to rewrite this story. My writing evolved over the three years I wrote it and I'd like for the entire story to be written on the same level. It will stay the same story you've come to love, but it will be updated with better wording and scene setting. I have made the original 19 chapters of the story available to read elsewhere for those that love the original story or would like to compare them. As always feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think. The link to my original story can be found on my profile page.

It started like any other festival night. Dancing, eating, binge drinking with Miroku, heavily flirting with Kagome as she helped him back towards their shared abode. That was the last thing he remember, but according to the tiny split above his eye and his split lip he found upon waking this particular morning, on the ground no less, his night hadn't ended there. Kagome was nowhere to be seen and Miroku had no information to impart as he seemed to still be partially inebriated. Without much else to go off of he went looking for possibly the only other person who would know what happened, Kagome. Whom he found wasn't her, but Sango and she didn't seem the most pleased to see him, given she marched up to him and tried to deck him.

"Whoa, what's with the violence?" He practically yelled at her as he dodged her swing. Given her aim he figured she was probably the cause of the split in his lip.

"I told you very clearly to stay the hell away from myself and Kagome." She said through gritted teeth as she took another swing, which he once again dodged.

"When the hell was this!?" He asked angrily as he dodged yet another swing.

"Obviously after you came looking for Kagome last night, when she came to me crying. You buffoon." She said huffing angrily. InuYasha stood there dumbfounded, which led to her final swing clocking him in the temple. He jumped back out of her reach and shook his head to both clear his head and the polka dots her strike had caused.

"Why was she crying?" He asked, watching the woman very closely.

"You REALLY want to play that game? After what you said and did to her I'm surprised she left you breathing." She retorted.

"What the hell did I say and do!?" He yelled, he was starting to get worried.

"I doubt you don't know, think hard." She said, her arms angrily crossed.

"All I remember is drinking WAY too much sake with your husband and Kagome and I walking home. THAT'S ALL!" He yelled, as a knot started to form in his stomach.

"You're telling me, you don't remember pushing Kagome up against the hut and forcing a kiss on her? Or the fact you slid your hand inside her kimono and decided to fondle her. How about the fact that you tried to coerce her into giving herself to you right then and there? Not even the fact that you had the nerve to call her Kikyo, and profess how much you missed her and would always love her? No recollection?" She said bitingly. InuYasha's features blanched.

The night before

Kagome was used to the overly friendly actions of normal inebriated InuYasha. The InuYasha she didn't know was the one she found crumpled in a bush, he'd seemed to be his typical drunk flirty self, until they turned past a hut headed towards their shared "home". InuYasha had pushes her up against the hut and passionately, though drunkenly, began to kiss her. This had happened a few times and she WAS still in love with the bumbling fool, so she went with the flow, usually he'd pull away and blush bright red before trying to stumble off towards home on his own. Tonight something was different, instead of backing down he'd slid his hand into her kimono and began to fondle her breasts, all the while continuing to explore her mouth. She was overwhelmed by the passion, in a breathless sigh he pulled away and whispered softly in her ear.

"Give yourself to me." He said heavily as he continued to fondle her. He moved from her ear to her neck before muttering, "I've missed this, I've missed you, we were so in love and I'll always love you, make love to me like you used to Kikyo."

Angrily she shoved him away and when he'd leaned back in to try and kiss her again she decked him and strode off towards the last place she'd seen Sango. With tears in her eyes she'd walked directly up to Sango and laid her head on Sango's shoulder before weeping.

Sango ushered Kagome off away from the rest of the villagers and let her cry until she was ready to tell her what was wrong. By the end of Kagome recounting what had happened Sango was fuming. Her anger got no reprieve as the source of her anger and her friend's tears came stumbling into view.

"Where's Kagome?" He drunkenly called across the field.

Sango turned and looked at the still upset Kagome.

"Sweetie, go head to Kaede's, I'll meet you there after dealing with that " She said gesturing with her head towards InuYasha. Kagome nodded and took off across the field.

"Sango," she heard InuYasha say, "where's Kagome, I thought I saw her." He said, his speech slurred as he looked around. Sango drew back and slugged the hanyo in the face, he stumbled and looked up at her dumbfounded.

"Stay away from Kagome you ass, and as a matter of fact, stay away from me or next time it won't just be your face I make bleed." She said angrily before walking away from him, not caring whether he found his way off the ground or not.

Morning had long since come and she'd spent it out in the forest gathering herbs and crying. Kagome angrily wiped the tears from her face, the initial shock was over, now she was just angry. So angry she didn't see Sesshomaru until she ran into him, literally. Kagome grumbled as she picked herself up off the ground and started dusting herself off. Sesshomaru just glared at her, he'd never seen her this angry, the harsh licorice root sent of that anger burned his nose unpleasantly.

"Miko." Was all he said before she flipped him off and walked towards Kaede's hut. He'd have broken that offensive finger off if it wasn't for the fact his Rin cared for the angry woman and it'd only hurt her to see the miko injured. He wondered what could make the generally obnoxiously friendly Miko so angry, his guess, InuYasha. He had no intention of following her, but it seemed her destination was the same as his. He decided to slow his pace and watched as she entered the hut. He waited a few seconds then followed her inside. Once inside he found his Rin with the miko, who was now crying. Rin was softly stroking Kagome's hair and wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her kimono. When Rin noticed Sesshomaru she gave him a sad smile and gave Kagome one more hug before going to his side.

"I'll be right back Lady Kagome, I'll let you know when Lady Kaede comes back." Rin said softly. Kagome nodded and leaned back against the wall, trying to stifle her tears. Sesshomaru was grateful to leave the small hut, the smell of licorice root and salt were thick in the air, and it made him feel uneasy, but it also made him curious.

"Why is the Miko weeping? He asked Rin who just shrugged her shoulders.

"Probably InuYasha, everyone tells Rin she's too young to know things, but Rin isn't stupid. She has eyes." She said blatantly. Sesshomaru just nodded his head slightly. Behind the hut Ah-Un waited patiently, that was until he heard Rin's voice, then he began to slowly inch his way up to peek around the corner. Rin happily called for him and he moved to nuzzle her. While she was preoccupied, Sesshomaru reached into the saddle bag and pulled out a cloth wrapped box and handed it to Rin. Opening Rin found two hair combs and a small bag that matched a kimono Sesshomaru had brought her before.

"Oh, thank you, Lord Sesshomaru!" She said happily as she hugged his waist and he patted her head.

Kagome sighed heavily before adjusting her garbs and wiping away the tear stains on her face. She stood up and clenched her fists.

"That stupid jerk," she muttered, "He'll never see me as me, just as her." Kagome felt her body shake, she wanted to sob more but she decided she wouldn't cry over InuYasha anymore. She took her hands and smacked her cheeks to keep her focused. She sighed heavily once more and walked out of Kaede's hut. She'd been rude to Sesshomaru and she felt the need to apologize, he hadn't said or done anything to her and she had no right to take her anger out on him.

Sesshomaru looked up as the Miko exited the hut, she no longer smelled of licorice root, but more like the forest on a rainy day. She was depressed, that was a more common scent when it came to InuYasha's stupidity. She walked towards him and bowed to him as she spoke.

"I'm sorry Sesshomaru, I had no right to take my anger at your stupid half brother out on you." She said before sighing. Sesshomaru was surprised, he hadn't expected her to apologize.

"Hn." Was all he said. 'So she was depressed because she took her anger out on me, what a strange human.' He thought to himself as the Miko righted herself into a standing position. She'd started to walk away then turned on her heels to look at Sesshomaru once again.

"Would you be against having another traveling companion? Or two?" She asked before continuing. "I can't return to my time and I don't wish to stay in this village around that idiot a moment longer, I don't really have anywhere else to go."

Sesshomaru mulled the idea over, it wasn't as if he'd really planned on traveling, but the cold season was only a few months away, and Rin would be returning to his estate with him anyways, having a couple more people to entertain her wasn't a bad idea.

"Hn." He replied, "Gather your things, we leave tonight." He said to the Miko before turning to Rin. "Find the Elder Miko and inform her you will be headed to the estate tonight." A tiny red tail flashed by with a group of children and Sesshomaru gestured towards it for the Miko to see. Quietly she nodded and chased after the boy. He noticed her scent changed once again, this time to the smell of sunlight, the small cub had taken very well to his adoptive mother, though he still had troubles with InuYasha, which wasn't a surprise, his half brother was a moron.

"Shippo, we're going traveling." she said as she weakly smiled at him and he happily ran to her side.

"Where are we going, Mama?" He asked before looking around and not seeing the rest of the group. "Where is InuYasha, isn't he coming too?"

"He isn't, we'll be traveling with Sesshomaru and Rin. So come with me, we have to pack, we're leaving tonight." Shippo excitedly jumped from her arms and ran towards their hut. She looked back and smiled softly at Sesshomaru.

"This may be just what I need' She thought to herself.