A/N: Alrighty, here's your last chapter! I'm debating an epilogue but it remains to be seen at this point.

As always, your reviews and kudos motivate me to write more so thank you all for continuing to motivate me to write.

It was the day Sesshomaru's guests arrived that Kagome located a scroll that she felt positive had to do with the jewel itself.

The scroll itself had been tucked away at the back of one of the shelves, haphazardly tossed upright while other scrolls had been stacked more neatly and horizontally after it. A quick glance at it that morning had her unimpressed, but when she'd reviewed the scroll, she'd quickly changed her mind about its value.

While the scroll hadn't specifically identified the jewel by name, it had referred to a jewel made up of the souls of yokai and a priestess, and its power represented the four spirits within a mortal heart: courage, wisdom, friendship, and love. According to the scroll, when the heart was fully in balance—the scroll took great pains to state that the balance must be positive—with each spirit at its maximum potential, the jewel could be utilized at its fullest potential.

If she read the scroll correctly, it seemed to suggest that while the evil could be purified and removed from the jewel—Kagome shuddered at the reminder of Magatsuhi and the fate he'd tried to force upon her—the jewel itself would remain on, now able to be used.

However, the jewel itself would not necessarily become 'good,' nor would it become 'evil.' Rather the scroll argued that the jewel could be used by any whose heart was balanced with a full understanding of its four souls, and therefore, the jewel would always require a keeper.

So did the jewel choose me as its keeper? Kagome rubbed at her temples, but the answer was not directly forthcoming, no matter how long she lingered in the library.

All in all, it had given Kagome quite the headache trying to understand the cryptic message of the jewel and not for the first time, she'd wished she'd paid more attention to the Shinto beliefs her grandfather was constantly espousing. She could always consult with Miroku, but his Buddhist wisdom would not be as helpful as say, Kaede, who Kagome dearly wished hadn't passed on the winter before.

She sighed as she sagged against the floor, uncaring that she was probably wrinkling her kimono as she lay in an unladylike position. No one except Sesshomaru and the occasional servant ever came to the library, so it wasn't like she had anyone to impress.

What if the jewel really hadn't disappeared? Kagome pondered the question. It wasn't that she doubted her grandfather's wisdom—because she wouldn't put it past him to be wrong, again; all she had to do was think of his many charms that never seemed to work to prove her point there—or his lore that said the jewel would vanish with a pure wish.

Wouldn't it?

Or had her wish not been pure enough? But if that was the case, would the jewel have even been properly cleansed in the first place?

As she puzzled over the question, she suddenly remembered Bokuseno's words. The power would have had to go somewhere, Kagome. That much power cannot simply just disappear.

That question had sent her mild whirling and when she'd questioned him about it, Bokuseno continued to suggest that the power had returned to her. The old magnolia tree yokai certainly knew more than he was letting on but she had the feeling that he derived far greater enjoyment from her bemusement than he'd receive in giving her any answers.

Ugh, she thought to herself, covering her eyes with her arm, I need food. I can't think on this on an empty stomach.

"You!" a voice suddenly hissed, startling Kagome into sitting upright.

She blinked at the yokai before her. The young woman was dressed far too elaborately to be one of Sesshomaru's servants, leaving Kagome to assume that the other woman must have been one of the guests he'd referred to the other day.

The other woman was filled with such fury that she was positively sparking with it. One quick glance was all Kagome needed to realize that this woman was inuyokai. Her long hair was black and her eyes were a stunning oceanic blue-green, highlighted by the delicate golden marks surrounding them. Unlike Sesshomaru, she carried no mark on her forehead, but it was obvious that she was a yokai of some strength—though her strength would have been like a puddle compared to Sesshomaru's own vast power.

"It's nice to meet you," Kagome said, more to be polite than anything else.

The other yokai stiffened as she glowered at Kagome. "I demand you leave at once!"

Kagome opened her mouth to retort and then thought better of it. Sesshomaru might not appreciate her causing trouble with his guests and she'd need him in a good mood if she wanted to pick his brain later about the scroll. Instead, she shrugged. "Sure, but I haven't gotten through most of the library so I'm not sure you'd find what you're looking for," she said, trying to be helpful. "If you let me know what you want to read, I can try to help."

The other woman stared. "What?" she snapped, though she sounded more confused than angry.

"The library," Kagome prompted helpfully. "It seems that it's supposed to be kept up by the lady of the house, but I'm guessing no one's been down here in a really long time to organize it. I don't know who Sesshomaru will marry, but I don't envy her the task."

Frankly, now that Kagome's own searching might be done, she was content to let Sesshomaru deal with his own library. It would take someone years to properly organize and catalogue the library and Kagome didn't see a reason to waste so much of her time on a problem that wasn't hers.

Sesshomaru's family created the problem so he could take care of it, as far as Kagome was concerned.

"The library," the other woman repeated faintly, her eyes scanning the room and growing wider as she took in all of it. "The Western Lady is responsible for it?"

Kagome shrugged. "That's what Sesshomaru told me, at least. From what I can see, it would take his future wife years to get it all back into order. Trust me, I know; I've been trying to find a scroll in here for weeks."

All hostility seemed to leave the yokai at once. "Years," she repeated, sounding lost. "But surely the great general has servants for this."

From that, Kagome gleamed that Sesshomaru must have inherited his father's title when he'd come into his own power.

"Evidently they're not too keen on maintaining this place," Kagome said dryly. "Sesshomaru said himself that it's a duty of his mate to maintain it as the mates of his ancestors have before him."

"He said this to you?" The yokai staggered in astonishment. "He gave you leave to address him so personally?"

Well, Sesshomaru hadn't exactly said she could, Kagome reflected, but he hadn't told her she couldn't, either. She finally nodded.

"And he allows you to organize this library as the mates of his line have before him?" Kagome could see the disappointment on the inuyokai's face before she nodded, resigned. "It seems this one has already lost, then. Very well. This one looks forward to hearing how one such as yourself managed to succeed when all others failed, Lady Kagome."

Kagome blinked, wondering why the inuyokai seemed so interested in Kagome's success in the library when she hadn't seemed interested before and completely missing the title the yokai had given her. "Um, it was nice meeting you..." she trailed off, realizing she didn't know the other woman's name.

"Lady Sayuri," the inuyokai offered immediately with a royal incline of her head. She turned to leave and then stopped abruptly, turning back to face Kagome. "You are the Shikon priestess, correct? This one has heard much of your exploits. When this one has mated, will you speak favorably to Sesshomaru of her future young?"

There seemed to be some hidden meaning in Sayuri's words but Kagome could find no logical reason to deny the request, either. Besides, the question might be moot since Kagome privately doubted she'd still be in the shiro by that point, so she nodded. "Of course, Lady Sayuri."

Sayuri smiled. "This one was pleased to meet you, Lady Kagome." With that, she inclined her head and then left the library.

Kagome sank back to the floor, resting her head against the wood. Suddenly, she was too tired to do anything at all, let alone chase down Sesshomaru for answers.

.

To her surprise, Sesshomaru sought her out later.

"Tell this one why Lady Sayuri and her father are under the impression that we will be wed," he said darkly.

Kagome whirled to find Sesshomaru glowering down at her. She'd initially intended to leave the library after Sayuri, but after a short nap, she'd decided to see if there was another scroll relating to the jewel near where she'd found the first one.

It had seemed like a logical idea at the time, but now she was regretting her presence there. She'd made it all too easy for Sesshomaru to seek her out.

And then his words settled into her mind as she gaped at him. "What?!" she practically screeched. "I said no such thing! To either point, in fact. We were discussing the library," she stressed at his incredulous look. "Honestly, Sesshomaru, no one in their right mind would even want to marry you if they knew this was the life that awaited them!"

"Fortunately," Sesshomaru continued as if she hadn't spoken, "she was also under the assumption that this one may choose to betroth one of his future children to one of hers and was willing to leave this one's shiro peacefully instead of pursuing an ill-advised attempt at matrimony with this one. In light of that, this one has decided not to render any undo action upon you."

Which was his fancy way of saying he wasn't going to do anything about it, Kagome guessed irritably.

She felt her temper snap at his pompous attitude, acting as if he was doing her some favor, though she tried desperately to hold it together. "Excuse me?" she hissed, jabbing a finger into his chest. She ignored how much it hurt to strike his powerful and chiseled pectoral muscles and jabbed him again for good measure. "You listen here, Sesshomaru! I am here for one thing and one thing only and that is for information on the Shikon jewel! I don't care who you marry—no, I take that back. I do care, if only so I can send her a bouquet of flowers in sympathy for the monumental task you'll be saddling her with!"

Sesshomaru stared at her, eyes wide in astonishment as his gaze shifted from her abdomen back up to her face.

"It's no wonder that Lady Sayuri made up a lie to get out of marrying you," Kagome continued, now too far into her rage to stop now. "She'd have to be crazy to marry you after learning what her life would be like! 'Clean up my library' is about as romantic as rock! Honestly, you and InuYasha are exactly alike in that respect. A woman likes to be romanced into a relationship, not ordered into one! But no, you expect that as long as you give her a roof over her head, she'll tolerate anything you give her, because you're a man and you can live your life however you want. As long as you provide for her, that's all that matters to you, right? I should purify you myself and save the rest of the women of the world the trouble!"

Kagome stopped, huffing as she tried to get air back into her lungs after her tirade. She wasn't sure when, exactly, her rant had turned into a litany of her problems with InuYasha, but she was too self-aware not to realize that's exactly what it had morphed into and she flushed with embarrassment as her eyes drifted to the floor.

She hesitantly met Sesshomaru's gaze a moment later to find that his astonishment had vanished. "You would dare threaten this one?" he asked neutrally, though it seemed as if each word was carefully chosen.

In spite of her best attempt, her temper welled right back up to the surface. "You think I can't purify you?" she demanded, insulted by how easily he seemed to handle that threat—albeit one she hadn't really meant. She felt her own power surge again with her anger, just as it had moments before.

His gaze seemed to grow heavy and dark as he stared down at her. "You could try," he said lowly, as if he was trying to goad her into doing exactly that.

Before Kagome could think better of lashing out against her host, she grabbed one of the thin wooden scroll holders that had lay empty on one of the shelves behind her and launched herself at him.

What happened next could only be described as chaos as Kagome's reiki rose to meet Sesshomaru's own growing yoki and the two distinct and opposite powers began to fight in what she'd later consider in an almost playful manner as Kagome and Sesshomaru brawled. Within a matter of minutes, she had him pinned to the floor, though she still wasn't entirely certain how she'd managed it.

But she couldn't deny how triumphant she felt seeing him underneath her. "Hah!" she crowed in delight. "I win."

"Hnn," was her answer as Sesshomaru stared up at her. His expression was so serious that she began to wonder if he'd intended this result after all. "Perhaps."

Kagome, feeling uncomfortable, moved to get up but found herself held in place by Sesshomaru's hands gripping her thighs. His claws exerted just enough pressure to let her know they were there, but not so much that they caused pain or drew blood.

"Um," she said, licking her lips as she struggled to find a way to tactfully ask him to let her get up without starting another fight. "Isn't it time for dinner?"

"This one has already recently partaken of a meal." If it was anyone else, she'd have said he said the words teasingly, but that seemed the wrong connotation to apply to Sesshomaru.

"Right." Kagome licked her dry lips. "Well, I haven't."

Sesshomaru's brows raised as his gaze shifted over to the empty tray a short distance away from them.

Kagome flushed as she recalled that she had, in fact, recently eaten as well. "Right," she said again, "well, then I really should get up and get some sleep, Sesshomaru." She began to move to do exactly that, hoping that, this time, he'd let her go.

"Do you not wish to claim your victory?" Sesshomaru's words stopped her.

She blinked at him. What prize was she supposed to collect.

"Or," Sesshomaru said slowly, a tiny smile forming at his lips, "perhaps you would prefer instead if this one claimed his?"

At that, Sesshomaru suddenly moved, flipping Kagome on her back as he loomed over her. He pressed himself against her, tucking her head into his shoulder with what seemed like supreme gentleness.

"Perhaps if this one does this," he whispered lowly in her ear as an odd tingling feeling began to spread with heat throughout Kagome's body, "you might see reason to threaten him so deliciously again. It is unlikely you would win should you decide to try again, but this one finds great enjoyment in watching you try."

"Try what?" Kagome squeaked, squirming as his breath ticked her ear.

"This one senses the great power within you when you try," he murmured as if she hadn't spoken, his mouth so close to her earlobe that he was practically kissing it. "It is enticing." The last word left his lips on practically a purr. "Kagome, the Shikon priestess."

Kagome could suddenly sense the jewel within her just as Sesshomaru's face moved closer, distracting her instantly with the soft press of his lips against her own. And Kagome, to her own surprise, kissed him back with equal passion, enjoying the sensation of his soft lips against hers.

And with that, she stopped thinking about anything else but the feel of the male above her, holding her to him like he never intended on letting her go.

.

Kagome stared at the small wreck of their clothing laying in a heap by their cooling bodies, hoping fervently that no servants chose to walk in on the library and find them. She didn't think her ego would survive that sort of exposure anymore than she'd survive Sesshomaru's own haughty delight in sharing that they would get married after all—he'd asked her moments before and without thinking, Kagome had agreed. She probably would have agreed to anything as long as he didn't stop and she fully suspected he'd exploited that moment for precisely that reason.

Irritating yokai.

There was, however, one thing Kagome was very much looking forward to sharing—telling Bokuseno that he'd been right after all. The jewel had, in deed, returned within her, for better or for worse—only time would tell.

Bokuseno had also been right in that the jewel within her had amused Sesshomaru. Amused and, she admitted to herself with a flush, aroused, but she decided she'd leave that part out—though she had the uncomfortable feeling the old magnolia tree already knew.

Yokai, she thought to herself with mild irritation. They all seemed to enjoy causing her trouble.

Sesshomaru simply caused her more trouble than most.

She looked over at the male dozing beside her. At least he was attractive, she reassured herself, because she had the feeling she'd be seeing his face for a long, long time. She would just have to work on that attitude of his because if he thought she was going to keep working on his library without help simply because it was tradition, well, they'd probably end up back in this position all over again.

She suddenly remembered an old English saying she'd heard on TV before: may your life never be dull. Well, if she knew one thing for certain, hers would not be dull anytime soon if today's events were any indication.

But this time, this man, she knew, would be different. Sesshomaru had never ran from his problems before and she doubted he would start now. No, he was here with her for the long haul, and that alone convinced her that they could weather anything else. It wasn't love, not yet, but she had the comfortable feeling that they'd have that conversation soon enough.

She had finally found a place to call home. She curled herself around Sesshomaru and dozed off herself with a tiny smile.