Sesshomaru sat alone in the darkness of his office. Everyone else had left, and he had Kagome go out with her friends for a girls' night out, and a distraction. She had since started her position as his personal assistant at Lune Corp, and she loved it. Once, when he asked for coffee, he was surprised to see she hadn't gotten herself one and insisted that if she wanted something she could take it. Ever since her first day, which was about two weeks ago, they'd been growing closer. They'd sneak off to vacant offices to have lunch, and lurk in shadowed doorways to share kisses of sweet and steamy variations.

In his heart of hearts, Sesshomaru knew Kagome was falling hard and fast for him, but he couldn't help but to wonder if it was because he played the savior card. He truly did want her out of that situation, he genuinely wanted to help her, but could she be swooning because she saw him as a hero? His beast said it didn't matter, but the regal daiyoukai wanted to be sure his new PA was kissing him and not a glorified image she had of him.

As he sat hunched over his desk with his hands folded and thinking about the Higurashi girl's cherry-flavored lips, the phone began to ring. He sneered and let it ring twice before picking it up.

"You're late." He bit curtly.

"Give me a break, Sesshomaru, I had to run out for Rin. She doesn't know about this." The fox bit back defensively. "And before you ask, yes, I got the information you asked for." There was an uneasy tone in his voice that made the daiyoukai feel the minutest bit of worry.

"Where is he?" There was a short pause.

"He knows. He'll be on his way." Twelve seconds of silence passed after the statement was made, which was more than enough to make Shippo uncomfortable. "Sesshomaru?"

The demon struggled to control his breathing and fought not to break the phone in his hand. Part of him regretted not making Jaken dig up the information so he could kick and squash and pound the little demon into a pile of dark green sludge. However, he knew full well that if he wanted said info quickly, Shippo was the man to go through. On top of that, the fox's memory was far more superior to the fearful toad's. "How much time do I have?"

On the other end of the line, Sesshomaru picked up on the sound of a chip bag opening. "Until daybreak on Thursday. He picked the soonest possible flight he could get." Breathing heavily, Lune Corp's CEO tried to think of a reasonable plan to get Kagome out of town for the next few days. It was almost as if his partner could read his mind, as Shippo commented. "I mean, you could take Kagome out for a long weekend getaway or something because he can't afford to stay here for very long, but realistically, she won't go for that. You've done too much for her already, she's not going to keep accepting gifts."

"Then I'll have to make her an offer she can't refuse, and my idiot brother will just miss her." What better way to avoid pesky feelings from the past than to go shopping in France?

Obviously, this was not going over well with the fox demon at all. "If you just told the truth, you wouldn't be in this mess right now."

He never did outgrow the childlike sass.

"If I told the truth, I wouldn't have her." There was a sigh on Shippo's end.

"Really, Sesshomaru, you hardly have her now. You guys aren't dating or anything, and I'm willing to bet neither of you have told the other how they feel. Sessh, I talk to him every week. He misses her so much and he would do anything just to see her, that's why he's coming. Look, I want things to go well for you and Kagome, I really do, but if you don't make a solid move soon… You know he's not going to hesitate."

As much as he hated to admit it, the younger of the two demons was right. He tried pacing himself in wooing the priestess because he was under the impression he had all the time in the world, but that wasn't an option anymore if Inuyasha was on the move. "She hasn't asked about him at all. Not once. She meant to but I think she was too caught up in the Silver Lotus to remember. I believe she's over her adolescent feelings for him."

"Then why go through all the trouble of keeping them away from each other? Because you don't want to deal with Inuyasha? Maybe you shouldn't have told him she was dead." Shippo spat out in disgust.

Gold flashed a dangerous crimson before reverting back, glowing ominously in the shadows of the pristine office. "Watch your tongue, kit. Don't think I won't cut you down just because Rin is pregnant with your child. Do you forget who is responsible for your success?"

The fox hissed. "Yeah, yeah; without you, I am nothing. I've gotten the speech before. But you know what, Sessh? You're being really unfair to Kagome, and if you want to see how she truly feels about you, then let her see Inuyasha." Shippo sighed then muttered. "I'll tell Rin you said 'hello'."

He hung up then, leaving Sesshomaru alone with the dial tone and his thoughts. How desperately the daiyoukai wanted to obliterate everything in sight could not be described in words, and by just one look at him, you couldn't even tell he wanted to go on a violent spree of destruction. His outer demeanor was as calm as ever, but on the inside, he was a hot mess.

How could he have found out? After all the measures I've taken, all these centuries of planning, gone to waste in the blink of an eye. I was too careless.

We got what we wanted.

No, the kit was right. We don't have her, and there's still so much to do.

Then we must mate her before the hanyou arrives.

"Are you so barbaric?" He scoffed aloud. "Times have changed, women are not so easily swayed into commitment. They've grown independent and are reluctant to give up their freedom."

His inner beast whined, and Sesshomaru soon felt the yearning to see the woman that caused him so much trouble and happiness at the same time spread throughout his entire being. Getting up from his desk, the one he still wished to flip over, he shook his dark locks and left to go home. He rarely ever utilized the house he bought, instead opting to stay at Kagome's apartment as often as she let him. He didn't mind the small space, especially where it smelled like her in every nook and cranny, and that greatly put him at ease. And there were several occasions where the miko offered to let him sleep in her bed instead of the couch.

"No demon lord should have to sleep on the couch that often." She said with a laugh and that perfect smile of hers. Kagome Higurashi was, without question, everything Sesshomaru ever wanted and more. In some ways, he was glad he hadn't followed all of the rules he set for himself. After all, buying the house next to her apartment building was no accident. Dog demons had an exceptional sense of smell and had a greater sense of dedication, it's not surprising that Sesshomaru was able to track her down from the moment she was born. For years, he strategized using what little information about her he managed to obtain and his own wit. He knew that he could sway Inuyasha into leaving Japan for a while, and he would promise the half-demon that he'd look over Kagome himself while he was away. They didn't want to mess anything up by popping in on the miko while she was still playing hopscotch with time.

A few days after the well closed up, Sesshomaru realized Inuyasha would soon return to fetch the inconsolable priestess, and that wasn't very good. So, the pureblood told the half-blood that the teenager was involved in a fatal car crash and did not survive. Inuyasha then became inconsolable. Never had he looked so worn out and broken, he appeared to be ready for death himself. His older brother encouraged him to return to whichever country he was previously staying in, informing him that the Higurashi family no longer wanted anything to do with him as it would just be too depressing. All the while, Sesshomaru continued to keep watch over the very much alive Kagome until he felt she had gotten over the past enough to see him. Then he planned on coming into her life when she turned twenty-five, but that plan was set in motion prematurely by three years simply because he didn't want to wait anymore.

Shippo, of course, knew the whole story. His marriage to Rin had granted him certain benefits, like being Sesshomaru's partner as he built Lune Corp up from nothing because the daiyoukai wanted his ward to be in secure hands. Naturally, there were disadvantages as well, like figuring out Sesshomaru's frantic scheme and being threatened with his life. To make matters worse, when Shippo told Rin, she took Inuyasha's side and was furious with her former protector. The dog demon distinctly remembered her saying "Lord Sesshomaru, I love you, you know I do, but this is lower than I ever thought you capable of sinking."

The revelation of Sesshomaru's interference with what she believed to be true love just flat out pissed her off, and she made sure to tell him repeatedly how selfish it was. They didn't speak too much after that. He'd been checking in on her a little more frequently since he heard she was expecting a child, which was about six months ago, but she was still upset with him and wished he would set things right. Rin was also especially angry that Sesshomaru forbid both her and Shippo from seeing the twenty-two year old; she knew he feared she would spill everything. And she would, if she had the chance.

Did it hurt? Of course it did, Rin was practically a daughter to him. At the same time, though, Kagome meant a great deal to him. She was the only person on this earth that could soothe him completely, even if it didn't start out that way. He'd spent far too much time looking from a distance and imagining what it felt like to hold her for as long as he wanted, to breathe in her scent whenever he wished and let her lull him into a peaceful slumber. Those dreams were becoming an actuality. He was able to sleep next to her, and wake up to her soft snoring and her legs tangled with his own. During those mornings, the fearsome daiyoukai knew the true meaning of the word euphoria. There was no way in this world or the next he would give that up, not without a fight. Knowing Inuyasha, there was definitely going to be a fight, one that Sesshomaru fully intended to win.

xxx

Earlier that day on the other side of the globe…

After all this time, all these years of loneliness and thinking he'd never be happy again, all those drunken nights where he contemplated taking his own life, there was finally a giant ray of sunshine lighting up his life once again. She was alive, she was living and breathing and working for that bastard who told him she was dead. He'd make sure his older brother got a thorough ass-kicking the next time he saw him, which was going to be very soon.

Inuyasha was upset with himself, too, for believing Sesshomaru so easily. He never went to see her family, or even call, to at least offer his condolences. He prayed to her every night, but he never attempted to visit her grave, that might have been because he wasn't strong enough to. Regardless, the effort should have been made either way. He didn't even look up her obituary. His brother knew how to play him, and he played him like a fucking fiddle. How could he have been so stupid? Grief-stricken to the point of idiocy, and so caught up in taking the blame for her alleged death that he never put any thought into it, he'd never forgive himself for it. Hopefully, Kagome would, and she'd do it with that beautiful smile of hers that always told him everything was going to be okay.

To see her again, feel her warm skin and look into her bright blue eyes and hear her laugh, it was more than he could ever ask for. One thought in particular crossed his mind, though, and that was why she hadn't tried to look for him. Sesshomaru must have told her he died in a fight hundreds of years ago, or maybe during the Second World War. Who knows, she probably would have bought that, considering he did fight in World War II for the Allies when he lived in North America. He was more than relieved to see no one he knew fought for the Axis Powers. It dawned on Inuyasha that this must have been Sesshomaru's plan from the get-go. With him so distracted with wars and other countries, the pureblood could easily have time to plot for whatever reason he had. As far as Inuyasha knew, Sesshomaru didn't have much reason to do what he did other than to hurt him. Whatever the motive, he would find out sooner rather than later, since he was currently packing for his flight, wearing nothing but sweatpants. The only reason he bought a round trip and not a one-way ticket was because there was no way he'd be able to bring all the stuff he needed, and part of him really wanted to bring Kagome back with him and show her the world like that corny movie he saw forever ago.

When he got there, and he was finished kissing Kagome and holding her as tightly as he could without breaking her, he was going to pay Rin and Shippo a visit to thank them. Shippo was the one to drop so many subtle hints that he just couldn't pick up on, not until recently. The couple also did their part in trying to keep Inuyasha's spirits up and Skyped him every week. Rin would show him her very full tummy and that instantly made the hanyou feel better. He wouldn't say it, but he was very much looking forward to the birth of their child. They didn't want to know the gender of the baby, but Inuyasha and Shippo both had a feeling it was a boy. Rin, using her mother's intuition, said it would be a girl.

Excitement and adrenaline filled the half-demon to the brim, nearly to the point where he had the jitters as if he'd had too much coffee. The anticipation of seeing her left him feeling paralyzed, but he fought against it like his life depended on it. Kagome, his Kagome, would be in his arms once more by the end of the week. Nothing would stop him, and Sesshomaru certainly wouldn't get in his way.

"That bastard," Muttered Inuyasha. "Thinks he can pull the wool over my eyes? Well, he's got another thing coming!" Oh yes, he'd get him back, and he'd get him back good. Sesshomaru had screwed him over plenty of times in the past, but this… this was something entirely different. He'd taken it too far. "Just wait 'til I get my hands on that mangy dog."

He huffed as he angrily pressed another shirt into his luggage bag. Inuyasha stood straight with his black hair falling just beneath his shoulders, crossing his arms and furrowing his brow as he looked up through his window and at the half moon. The gentle stellar glow it emitted was enough to soften his face and beckon his arms to drop by his sides. "Kagome," He whispered. "Wait for me just a little longer. I'll see you soon."

Shaking off the lunar trance, Inuyasha resumed messily adding clothes and hygienic essentials into his bag. His flight did leave the next morning, and he didn't have a lot of time to waste.

xxx

As for Kagome, who was completely oblivious to the turmoil the inu brothers were getting themselves into, she was having an absolute ball with Yoko and Izumi. Though they were sad to hear about her quitting the Silver Lotus, they understood completely once Kagome filled them in on what exactly happened. So, the trio gathered at Yoko's house to stay for the night, drinking as much as they wanted and trying to get as much dirt on each other's lives as they could. But of course, it was the former dancer who experienced the most harassment about her personal life.

"You never did tell us what's going on with you two," Yoko coyly slurred, martini in hand. "Spill."

Flipping her hair, Kagome took a swig of the wine cooler she had. "Why, whatever do you mean, Yoko?" Being shoved on the shoulder had the miko laughing drunkenly. "Ok, ok, I'll tell you. He's my boss now, so, I don't know. It's kind of strange but it's really exciting all at once. I've been trying to keep it as professional as possible but-"

"But you totally want to get in his pants, been there." Yoko finished. "So you guys aren't official?"

Scrunching her nose, Kagome shrugged. "Well, we're definitely not official. We're both single but I'd say we're both unavailable. We kiss a lot, and he sleeps over all the time."

"In your bed?" Questioned Yoko.

"Sometimes, but not always. He's pretty insistent on taking the couch every here and there."

"K, what is wrong with you! You have this dead-sexy, jaw-dropping hunk of a CEO in your bed and you haven't slept with him? You're a stripper!" Shouted the crude brunette.

"Was, she was a stripper," Izumi corrected. "But you know what? It's not even a big deal. It hasn't even been a month and they're not a legitimate couple anyways. Give it time, let them fall into a relationship and it'll blossom into something beautiful." She said dreamily.

The fantasy made Yoko scoff in disdain. "This one," She used her thumb to point to their friend. "Still believes in fairy tales. But either way, I'd hop on that if I were you."

Gulping down another mouthful of fruity alcohol, Kagome wiped her chin. "And that is precisely why I haven't introduced you to him." Blatantly ignoring the whines and cries of how unfair she was, Kagome checked her buzzing phone to find a text from Sesshomaru asking how her night was going, making her smile. "He really is the sweetest."

Izumi, setting down her own drink, grinned happily. "It's pretty great that he has so much trust in you, too. You know, cause you're an ex-stripper and you're hanging out with your currently-stripper friends. I feel like a lot of guys would think we'd try to get you to cheat or something dumb like that."

Kagome half-listened, texting her demon back quickly and being especially mindful of her spelling and grammar. She told him it was going well, that she was having tons of fun, and that she missed him. Putting the phone back in her pocket, she gave some thought about the relationship she was beginning to form with Sesshomaru. Not once did she consider if they were compatible; he was definitely smarter and more successful than she could ever hope to be and he went through that whole aristocratic assassin phase back in the feudal era. And she had just quit her job stripping, only because he offered her a better, safer job. She believed he was way out of her league both intellectually and physically.

She was a being of holiness, and he was a creature of an unholier nature. Could they ever hope to have some kind of stability were they to share a future together? Humans and demons made lives for themselves many times before, but a priestess and a purebred dog demon? It had never been done before.

I traveled five hundred years through time and back and I'm sitting here, drunk, wondering if it's at all possible for Sesshomaru and I to have a solid relationship. Who am I to question the possibility of things?

He answered her text as rapidly as she answered his. I miss you very much. He wrote. Simple as it was, it made her heart jump to know someone like him missed someone like her. It got her mind racing even further than before.

He misses me, Lord Sesshomaru misses me, and I miss him just a much. He wanted to ask me to join his pack. I've seen how ruthless he can be, but he's so tender when he's with me, and every time I kiss him, he returns it. But I still have no idea what we are to each other.

At that moment, Kagome made a very big decision. She texted Sesshomaru to come over as soon as possible, then excused herself and went out to the front porch to wait for her boss. Sesshomaru, being the wondrous marvel that he was, showed up within five minutes and parked in the driveway. He was still dressed in his suite, she happily noted, and it made her a little weak in the knees.

Oh gosh, I don't know if I can do this!

"Is everything alright?" He questioned with a bit of concern coating his tone.

She cleared her throat and nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, yeah, everything's, um… everything's fine." Kagome flashed a nervous smile prior to letting her face fall to a serious expression. "Sesshomaru, what am I to you?" It was best to just get to the point.

The question took the demon aback, he tilted his head and took two steps forward so he towered above her. His arms encircled her waist to bring her body closer to his, and he bent his head to whisper in her ear. "You are extremely important, Kagome, you are so special to me." He hugged her tighter and let her return the embrace, adoring the feeling of her nuzzling into the crook of his neck.

"Then, would you be my boyfriend?" She was shaking violently now, and Sesshomaru had to hold her up. This was the very first time she ever asked a guy out and it was far more terrifying than she initially expected.

Sesshomaru smiled into her hair. "Gladly."

xXx

AN: I had every intention of posting this sooner, but there has recently been a death in my family and I've started college within the last month as well, and it's a little difficult to balance with work. But I assure you, I will not abandon this story and leave you guys hanging, especially after all the drama bombs in this chapter. I apologize if updates take a little longer, but know that they WILL come until the story is finished. And as a side note, may I just say, holy freaking crap I cannot believe how many views this story has gotten, almost 13,000! And with so many reviews, favorites, and alerts, I can't believe how many people enjoy the story. Thank you all so much! I'll do my best to work on the updates and keep you entertained.