Chapter 1

Stepping up to the plate, and a Very Bad Meeting

Kagome scowled as she looked at the broken phone in her hand. It still worked of course, but Kagome was known as the clumsy one of the group, and her shattered screen just proved that. She couldn't even recall what had made her drop the thing, but he hated it.

Of course, the broken screen wasn't why she held that particular facial expression. No, the text she could barely read is what was causing that aggravation. She could have sworn she told the guy to leave her alone, but apparently she was wrong.

"That's the last time I'm nice to a stranger." She mumbled, throwing her phone to her bed and beginning to look through her closet as she had been doing before she was rudely interrupted.

Whatever the guys name was, he had been stranded at the restaurant she works at. She, being the kind person she was, lended him her phone so he could call who ever was needed. She never expected that he actually had a phone, and he simply used hers to call himself, getting her number in the process.

As many hints as she gave, he wouldn't go away, and it was starting to give her heartburn. How she hated annoying males. It was why she swore them off all together. That, and she really didn't have that much time to be dating anyone.

She was a single mom after all.

If you could call her that. She damn well did. She supported the twerp as a mom would. She dropped out of college, getting two jobs so the shrine would stay afloat and she could pay for Souta's schooling. There was no reason both of them had to suffer.

Remembering then that she had go to the restaurant for an early shift, one she had tried to forget and almost succeeded in, she turned from her closet with a sigh and grabbed her uniform off the floor. By time she got home last night she had been exhausted.

She was not about to do laundry.

With a shrug she began to get dressed, already dreading what she was about to have to do. While being known as a clutz, she was also the firecracker, and sucking up to people wasn't her specialty. Hence, why her waitressing job was her least favorite.

She hated it, but it was an income.

Her teaching job didn't pay as much as she needed, and because of this, she was forced to do what was needed. She loved her children, and teaching them all that they needed to know, but the parents could be ruthless. They almost made her want to quit all together, but she couldn't.

She had someone else to live for now.

She was lucky to even have that job. She had wanted to be a teacher anyway, and that was what she had been going to school for. She had been far enough along in her studies that she was able to substitute and after a year of that, she was finally able to become a full fledge teacher.

In fact, in just two short days, she would be starting a new school year as the kindergarten teacher of a nearby elementary school. She was excited, and completely terrified, but the day just wouldn't get here quick enough.

"Souta! I hope your almost dressed!" Kagome yelled, tying her apron into place. "I have to go soon, and your going to be spending the day with Kaeda!"

"Whatever!" Was her reply and she rolled her eyes. Sometimes, her little brother was a pain.

Eyes softening and a sad smile on her face, she couldn't blame him. He was only six after all, and learned the harsh truths of life way to early. Even she still remembered that day clearly, the day her entire life changed.

She had been sitting in her dorm, studying for midterms that were just around the corner when she received the call. It was the worst thing she had ever heard. If it hadn't been for her best friends Sango and Rin, she wasn't sure what she would have done.

She had received the news that her entire family had been in a car wreck. Her grandfather, her father, her mother, and her brother. All together, yet not. She had been told that her grandfather died instantly. His heart couldn't handle the impact, and gave out.

Her father had a knack for not wearing seat belts, and she now refuses to let anyone she knows to go with out one. Out of everyone in her family, he was the only closed casket. Her mother…Oh how her mothers death didn't really surprise Kagome at all.

Her mother somehow had time to act seconds before the impact, and threw herself over Souta. It was the only reason he survived…but she hadn't. She had died from a broken spine as the truck that hit them completely crushed her side of the car. Even had she lived…she would have been dead.

Wiping away the tear that formed in the corner of her eye, Kagome straightened up, nodding to herself as she looked in the mirror. It had been a year since that happened, and she needed to be strong. Not once after the initial discovery did she cry, and she wouldn't.

She needed to be strong for Souta. He changed after the crash, and withdrew into himself. She understood, but she missed the brother she used to know. She would never complain though, because she was still lucky to have him.

It was why she didn't truly mind stepping up and taking the role of mother. She would do it for her brother, over and over again.

She was running late, so very late. The "Whatever" she received was just that. A little, rebellious boy saying he didn't care. She had been thinking that he was up and dressed, and the twerp was still asleep and snuggled under the covers.

After five minutes of arguing with him, she was forced to drag him out of the bed by his ankle and onto the floor. He was awake then, and the mumbled 'I hate yours' didn't go unnoticed. She ignored them and the hurt they brought, and instead focused on his stench.

He literally smelled as if he hadn't showered in weeks. She was then forced to pick up a screaming and kicking brother and throw him into the shower, but in the process she had managed to get drenched.

She had to do the laundry that she didn't want to do.

A permanent scowl now etched into her face, blue eyes alive with fury, Kagome turned the corner of the street at a full blown run. She really should have been aware of her surroundings, because she promptly ran into a brick wall.

She really didn't remember them putting a wall up here.

"Damn it!" She cursed when she caught sight of the tear in her uniform. She really couldn't afford another one.

"Are you hurt?" The deepest voice she had ever heard asked, causing her head to snap up, and her eyes meeting with golden. She was trapped immediately.

She couldn't even stop staring, mouth agape, eyes as wide as the ocean they so resembled. It was amusing to say the least, and the male, who was still holding her captive chuckled.

It was the most amusing reaction he had yet.

"Oh, dear lord." Kagome mumbled as she realized she had been staring, and his amusement turned into a chuckle.

He held out a large clawed hand, offering her a chance to get to her feet, and hesitantly she accepted. He pulled her up with ease, grabbing her purse as well, and handing it to her when she was steady.

It was then that he bent down, beginning to pick up scattered papers, and placing them in a briefcase. She realized with horror that she hadn't run into a wall, but into him instead.

"I am so sorry!" Kagome panicked, leaning down and grabbing up as many papers as she could.

His chuckle turned into a laugh as he caught sight of the woman, clutching many more papers to her chest than she could handle. Every time she attempted to grab another, she dropped one she already held, never even knowing.

Hearing his laugh, Kagome suddenly got annoyed. She could handle a good laugh, but when it was her that was being laughed at, she wasn't very fond of it. She turned angry eyes on the male who was no longer even laughing, threw his papers at him, and then stormed away.

Again, she has to remember to stop being so nice to people.

Touga was at a loss for words as he sat at his desk, his eyes roaming over the crumpled paper from earlier. No matter what he tried, he couldn't get the image of that little spit fire from his mind. She was beautiful, her cobalt blue eyes mesmerizing. The way her hair was a mess, but placed so well around her perfectly round face.

It was all he really got to see, but it seemed to be enough to get his attention.

Of course, that was all it would have, because he would most likely never see her again. He honestly didn't know if he wanted to. He had only felt a pull like this twice before, and never as strong. He of course wouldn't follow the pull this time, it never led to anything good.

A knock on his door caught his attention and he looked up, ushering in his assistant. She gave him a few notes on an upcoming meeting then went on her way, and again he was left with his thoughts. Not a very good thing, if he said so himself.

He wouldn't go down the path that his very beast was wanting him to.

Never again.

Turning from his paper work, and rotating his chair, he stopped to look out the large glass window that held his office. He could see for miles from the top of his business, and he would often catch himself staring at the view, thinking on whatever needed to be thought of.

His mind would jump from thought to thought, and he would allow it, if only to take a break from work. Now though, he was still stuck on one thing, and one thing alone. His eyes flashed red for a moment in annoyance, as he once again locked away his inner self, not interested in hearing what it had to say.

Still though, blue eyes haunted him, and he leaned his head back against his cushioned chair, his eyes closing as his hands came to rub his face. He decided if he couldn't not think about the female, he might as well do so.

He was a daiyokai, one of the strongest, only ever matched by his son. Yet, that one female had managed to sneak up on him. Of course, she didn't intend to, but he hadn't felt her aura, or even smelled her, as any kind of warning.

No, she just rounded a corner, and attempted to bulldoze him out of the way. If he had been a lesser being, he would have went to the ground with her, but he was not. He attempted to catch her, but he was so caught off guard that it took a few moments for him to register what happened.

It wasn't until he noticed his papers floating to the ground that he did.

He's lucky it wasn't a windy day.

She was a very amusing creature, and when he first laid eyes on her, he couldn't help but stare. It was only for a moment before he caught himself, and began to do the gentlemanly thing to do.

Of course, her reaction to him almost had him bellowing, but he was able to hold it in. Everything after that moment attempted to make him laugh, and finally he was forced to. It didn't end that well though when his papers were suddenly thrown in his face, and he was left, kneeling on the ground and watching wide eyed as the female stormed off, hands in fist, and very angry.

He felt a bit guilty for laughing, but pushed it away. It was not his fault that he found the woman to be entertaining, and he wasn't laughing at her in a bad way, that was just the way she took it.

Another sigh escaped him as he looked back out the window, his reflection catching his gaze. The marks on his cheeks stood out in contrast to his pale skin tone, and sometimes he wished away his demon heritage.

As old as he was, he was tired. Emotionally and physically.

However, he had two sons to live for, one full grown, but the other still a young pup. He wouldn't leave Sesshomaru to raise InuYasha just because he wanted to give up. No he would make sure his sons had everything they needed before he crossed that road.

Honestly, without them, he lived a very lonely life, and it was how he wanted it.

It would be how he always wanted it.

-sSs-

New story! We'll see how it goes. A friend of mine helped me come up with this idea, and I want to see where I can take it. More will be explained with Touga's story eventually. I already have that planned out. I don't have much to say at this point, so I hope you all enjoy.

I do not own InuYasha.