I'm sorry to everyone for the late update. I'm especially sorry for the people who read PaperCut. The story is gone, it really saddens me. My suspicions are that my parents took the book….I think I might cry…it was my favorite story…I worked so hard on it…I probably will put up a new story called Lunacy Fringe, but it has nothing to do with Kagome or Inuyasha in general, so I'm taking a second look. It deals with youkai and hanyou and such, but it has nothing to do with Rumiko Takahashi's character, if you get what I mean… The other book I was thinking is called My December and it's very deep. It's kinda on the depressing side, but I believe it has potential. I'm gonna put the summary on my bio page so if you're interested, go look there. Alright, here's my update:

Keeping Secrets Is Futile

Chapter Eleven) The Wedding

"Oh my god, this is…beautiful!" Kagome exclaimed the night before her wedding as she looked over the wedding kimono. White silk down to the floor with embroidery. She was in love with it. Tears came to her eyes as she hugged Kaede and Sango. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Keh. It's not that exciting…" Inuyasha grumbled to himself as he looked the kimono over. He knew Kagome would look stunning in it and he felt his blood call for her instinctually. The thought of Kagome in a traditional kimono instead of the usual girly school outfit was shell shocking. This girl would be married to him…it was unbelievable…

'Keep in mind that this is a fake wedding…' his youkai whispered.

'Yeah, I know, I know…'

"Inuyasha, you have to understand that this is the most exciting part of getting married for a female. The wedding dress is the 'best part' in Lady Kagome's words." Miroku spoke from the sidelines.

"Why? It's just a kimono."

"But it will make her look her best. Of course she will be excited." Shippo exclaimed while chewing on some pocky that Kagome had given him earlier.

"Are you not excited at all to be married to the most beautiful girl in all of Japan short of Sango, of course?" Miroku asked as he looked over the girls with a lecherous smile.

"Keh." Inuyasha responded and turned away to go outside.

Once gone, Kagome noticed his absence, "What's wrong with Inuyasha?"

"I think realization has hit, Kagome, that's all." Miroku said as he looked over his scrolls set before him.

Kagome's face showed all of the confusion from his statement, "What do you mean?"

Miroku chuckled, "You should ask him."

Kagome nodded slowly before setting her kimono back down and running after the hanyou.

"Monk, you realize that Inuyasha will not appreciate that, right?" Sango asked as she sat down in front of the fire in the small hut. Kaede walked out of the smaller room and went to her bedroom to lay down for a bit.

"Yes, dear Sango, I do. But I believe Inuyasha will thank me later."

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"Inuyasha! Come down so I can talk to you!" Kagome yelled up the tree said hanyou was currently sitting in.

Inuyasha eyed her, "I can hear you just fine."

"But it's easier to talk to someone when you know what their feeling." Kagome complained with a scowl.

"And me being down there will let you know how I'm feeling?" he questioned with a chuckle.

"You're not your brother, Inuyasha. You can't hide your feeling behind an unemotional mask. It's what makes you more…approachable." Kagome stopped to gather the right words, "I think of it as…an advantage when I talk to you."

"Keh. Well, your advantage can't be used at the moment."

She sighed and sat down a the base of the tree, her back to the trunk, "Fine…" they stayed in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts when she spoke, "Inuyasha,…why did you leave so suddenly?"

"When?"

"Just now. You just…up and left. Did I do something?"

"Keh, no. I just felt like a little air." he lied and winced after he said the words. He sounded so lame.

Kagome let out a short laugh, "Yeah right, Inuyasha. Miroku said something about…realization? Do you know what he's talking about?"

Inuyasha was silent for a moment and then sighed, "Yeah…I do…"

"What's wrong? What did you…Realize?" Kagome let out a gasp when he suddenly jumped down from the tree and landed in front of her. He sat down in his usual position as his ears twitched.

"Keh. Like I'd tell you. It's none of your business, wench.."

Kagome shook her head and frowned, "You know, Inuyasha, I just wanted to know what was wrong. You don't need to bite off my head."

"I'm not biting off your head, wench, I'm just stating a fact."

"Oh, thanks, Inuyasha that makes it so much better. Why don't you at least try to be nice about this situation? It's not like I did it on purpose, you know!" Kagome yelled.

"Yeah? And how do I know that?" he scoffed.

"Because I'm not lying to you!"

"And I don't know that either."

"Ugh! You're useless!" Kagome yelled and stood up, moving around Inuyasha and going back into the hut.

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"You look beautiful, Kagome!" Shippo exclaimed as he looked her over in her kimono. It looked even better on Kagome then when it was shown to her. Her hair was pulled up into a high pony tail with red rose buds embroidered into her hair delicately. Her lips had been painted dark red to match the roses and she had a light colored eye shadow on her eyelids. The kimono wrapped around her body perfectly and even hid the bulge of the baby in her stomach. In five minutes she would walk out and marry Inuyasha. She thought she couldn't be happier.

"Thank you so much, Shippo." Kagome smiled and hugged the kit before him and Sango went to the area where the guests sat. Kaede was going to give the vows and only certain guests were allowed to watch. Sesshomaru and Rin were among those people since he was the only family on Inuyasha's side and someone from the each side of the family had to be there. No one was presenting her, but she was happy anyway.

Kaede gestured for her to come out and slowly she made her way to where Inuyasha stood, wearing his usual fire rat kimono. The first person she made eye contact with was Sango who was crying and smiling at the same time. Kagome returned the smile with one of her own as she continued foreword. The last person her eyes met was those of Sesshomaru's and Kagome almost froze on the spot. His eyes were full of an emotion she couldn't read, but they were watching her with all of his attention. She smiled at him good naturedly and he nodded to her in response. When she looked ahead to Inuyasha as she reached the alter, she smiled with such joy as tears welled up. Inuyasha smiled back and took her hand, leading her to where Kaede said. They started the wedding.

Kagome was in such anticipation she barely listened at all to what Kaede was saying. She was lucky to give Kaede full attention when she asked the question.

"Do ye, Priestess Higurashi Kagome, take Lord Inuyasha, Prince of the Western Lands to be your husband, to love and to cherish until death do ye part?"

Kagome shakily answered, "I…I do"

"And do ye, Lord Inuyasha, Prince of the Western Lands, take The Holy Priestess Higurashi Kagome to be your wife, to love and to cherish until death do ye part?"

Inuyasha gave her a small smile, "I do" his ears twitched with excitement and Kagome giggled lightly and smiled, tears falling gracefully down her porcelain cheeks.

"The rings?"

Shippo ran up at this time and held out the two wedding bands. Inuyasha took Kagome's hand and slipped it on, Kagome doing the same for him.

"Does anyone object this union of these two? Speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I object!"

Everyone present looked to the miko who was angrily staring at them. Kagome gasped and Inuyasha stared in shock.

Kikyo.

"What is your reason for objecting to this marriage?" Kaede asked anger laced in her voice.

"Because Prince Inuyasha of the Western Lands has promised me his life. Marrying her would go against his word."

"Kikyo-" Inuyasha started.

"No, Inuyasha! Even if this marriage is fake, you owe me your life." Kikyo looked at Kagome with disgust, "If the wench got herself pregnant, that is her problem."

"Did you, Inuyasha, swear your life to her?" Kaede asked.

"I…yes, I did."

"Then this marriage cannot be done. I deny you the chance of being married."

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After everyone went back to the hut and Kagome was knocked back into the world, she started crying by the river, away from everyone and everything. Self pity and sorrow filled her being and a sense of hopelessness and defeat washed over her. What would she do now? She'd have no choice but to be a single parent and be ridiculed for it. She was still wearing her wedding kimono and she looked the same, just heartbroken. The tears fell off her cheeks onto the ground below her as she wept. She felt someone come up from behind her and looked to see Kikyo.

"What do you want, Kikyo?" Kagome mumbled and looked back to the ground.

Without a change of expression, Kikyo spoke, "Kagome, you should have known about this. Do not wallow in self pity. It's selfish."

Kagome let out a dark laugh, "Yeah that helps, Kikyo."

"He was mine fifty years ago, he is mine now. Nothing changed, Kagome. You need to get over it." Kikyo sneered, "He will never be yours. Get over your childish crush and continue on with the new problem in your hands."

That said, Kikyo walked away.

Kagome looked back down into the water as her mood just got worse. She busted out crying again with new tears. She brought a hand to her eyes and wiped away the new tears as new ones made their way down her face and to the ground. The reminder of the baby made it only worse as a new wave of pain wrapped itself around her.

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"It's been a long time, Miroku. Shouldn't we go after her?" Sango asked the monk sitting across from her. Shippo and Rin were sleeping peacefully in a far corner of the small hut while Inuyasha and Kikyo had taken off into the wood to 'talk'. Sesshomaru was standing against the wall of the hut with an unreadable emotion on his face. He stared strait ahead, lost in his own thoughts. His ears would twitch every so often, but he never looked away from the wall.

"Lady Sango, I think it would be wise to let her cry it off. She will be fine. She always is." Miroku sighed with that said and looked at his staff, wiping it down to keep it clean.

Suddenly though, Sesshomaru stood taller and he walked out of the hut, a bad look on his face.

"Oh no…You don't think he'll go to her, will you?" Sango asked as she pet Kirara who was in her lap purring happily.

Miroku sighed, "I don't know, Sango. He may…"

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Kagome had calmed down somewhat, but sobs still escaped her occasionally. She froze, though, when a powerful aura hit her. She continued to stare out into the water even when he spoke.

"Miko, why do you cry?" his voice like ice hit her and she shivered.

"Why do you care, Sesshomaru?" she turned her face to him, "Why? Why were you here? Why have you always been there?"

Sesshomaru lifted an eyebrow, "What are you speaking of, wench?"

Kagome hugged herself sadly, "I knew you were there, Sesshomaru. You may be able to mask yourself, but I always knew…somehow I always knew you were watching me…"

Sesshomaru was silent for a few minutes before answering, "You intrigue me, human. That is why. If that pup is mine, I will not hesitate to take him and you with me."

Kagome was shocked as she looked at him, "What? But…you-you can't!"

Sesshomaru, moving faster than the eye could see, kneeled down and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up at him, "If that pup is mine, I will do with you what I wish. That pup will be the heir to the Western Lands. I cannot have him stay in a village and become just like Inuyasha." he snarled.

Kagome felt the shivers running down her back from the contact between them and she nodded, saying, "You will not kill him?"

Sesshomaru smirked, "No. Not if he is mine. I can already feel the pup's power. His aura surrounds you to protect you. It will be a hard childbirth. If you live through it, you will earn my respect."

Kagome's eyes widened and in a blink of an eye, he was gone. She knew he wasn't far off and she somehow took comfort in that. She put a hand to her abdomen and smiled despite herself, proud that her pup would be strong and have miko powers. When she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could feel his aura around her and she laughed, happy to know that her pup would be a strong, protective one.

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And that would be the chapter for you all. Hopefully I can get the next one up soon. I'm starting to really like this story again and I hope you do to! I've got 80 reviews now! Wow! Cookies to the person who makes it 100! That's what I'm waiting for! Hopefully I can reach that goal soon! Oh, and for you people that were reading the media miner one, I realized today that something was wrong with it! It was chapter two! Ha! How weird is that? Well, I fixed it and it now has the right chapter! This is the first chapter that is actually different from the media miner version. Sessy's a little different in this chapter then on the one on media miner. I'll update as soon as I can and please review!

-Steph