Two figures stood on the white path, snow fluttered around them. His angry golden orbs glared at the woman ahead of him. Blood dripped to the snow as his claws dug into his palms. He growled as she refused to look at him. Her ebony bangs shadowed her eyes from his view. Her hair was braided and pined in a tight spiral. Her small hands clutched her blue heavy jacket tightly, keeping the cold out.

"Why?" He yelled. The kit cowering behind her legs flinched at his angry voice. "Why are you seeing him? You know he could kill you. Why do you go to him?" She lifted her head. He stepped back to stare into her shimmering blue orbs, her warm smile on her face. "Kagome . . . "

"Because . . . " She turned her back to him. The kit watched her as she began walking away. He latched onto her bag so he wouldn't be left behind. "Because Inuyasha . . ." She turned her eyes so one shimmering eye landed on him. "Because I can." He watched her, dumbfounded, as she walked away. Kagome Higurashi. One of the only people to show him more compassion then any other. Kagome, the girl he had come to love so dear, was gone. He had been so blind as to not see her love before. And now she was out of his reach forever. Lost forever to a man he never expected.

Snow fluttered as she walked along the frozen path. She wore jeans and a blue heavy jacket. Sitting on her shoulder was the kit. She patted his head with a smile. "Mamma? Will we be going with him today?" She nodded. He knew more than any one of her visits with him. He had been present at one. He had grown accustomed and actually joyous. He was gaining an opportunity to have a family again.

They reached the well in the snow-covered clearing. She sat the pack on the ground and stretched her arms above her head. "Mamma?" She looked at the kit perched on the lip of the well. "What did you mean, when you said you saw him because you could?" She smiled and brushed the snow off the lip with her gloved hand. She sat next to him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Well, Inuyasha is actually the one he want's to kill, not us. I see him because we have nothing against each other. Pretty much anyway." The kit curled up in her lap and sighed in content. "Are you tried?"

"No. Just happy. Will we ever come back here?" She shrugged. "I wouldn't mind. Really I wouldn't."

"Hm. I'm not for sure. We'll just have to see how things turn out." She stocked his small body lovingly. He purred in pleasure and she smiled. He often said she would make a wonderful mother. It made her blush when he had said she was a strong woman, excellent for baring pups. She didn't mind much anymore. He often talked of such things to her. She soon found the kit asleep, cuddling against her fury sweater. It was one her mother had bought for her.

She hummed as she stocked the boy. She had told him. She had told Inuyasha how she felt now and then. And he was angry. Why had he not seen it before? He could have easily seen her love for him. But it wasn't Inuyasha who saw it. It was him. And he had taken it for his own. And she didn't regret it at all.

She looked up at the gray sky. Three years. She was now eighteen, far past a woman's age for marriage as he said. Most women in this time had already wed and had born at least one child. However, by her standards she was till young. And he respected her for that. He thought it disgusting how some women threw themselves at a lust hungry man. She however had dignity. She had pride in herself and her virginity. And he respected her for that.

She remembered their fist meeting. Not her first meeting with Inuyasha, the one when it was on her terms. A meeting where they were merely strangers, not enemies. She had been crying, again. He had come to her and gave her silent comfort. He had told her he wasn't worth her jeweled tears. That was what he saw her as. A priceless gem that should never be tainted by anyone. A gem that only he should possess, if she so wished it. And she agreed. It was what his heart told her and she listened.

She no longer listened to lies, but to his heart, and his alone. He told her truth, whether it was good or bad, it was truth. He cleared all lies and led her along the straight path. And she was grateful. And he was grateful to her as well.

She had opened his heart to her, allowing him to view the world without hatred. He released to her all his thought, all his frustrations. He told her of all his pains and sorrows. He even spoke to her of his joys. The joy of watching his young daughter dance and play. The joys he had when he watched her smile at him. He was grateful because she had renewed the flame in his cold heart once more.

She enjoyed seeing him so emotional, saying it was a sign of power and courage. The courage to admit. And he welcomed the thought. And he once again began to feel in secret. He only told of these emotions to her. And he eagerly welcomed her emotions as well.

Her blue eyes darted from the boy and to the trees ahead of her. Her eyes shimmered like cold steel as she glared at the endless whiteness. Footsteps echoed through the trees as a figure approached. She rested the boy in her bag, never taking her eyes off the figure. She stood firmly before the well and the form took shape. Her red hakama brushed in the snow and her socks were nearly socked.

She wore a straw mate over her shoulders and a woven hat. She stepped from the trees, her equally cold blue eyes landing on her. "So, you're still alive, are you?" She notched an arrow in her bow and aimed it for her. "I'll have to change that. You've overstayed your welcome in this place." She released the arrow.

With a thunk it embedded in the trunk of a tree across the clearing. Her eyes widened a fraction than narrowed. She took another arrow and turned to her left, aiming once more at the girl. She glared at the girl before her. "What are you? You were never so fast. Are you a demon in my form after all?"

"Nye Kikyo. I am merely . . . " She disappeared and came up behind her. "Far better trained then you." Kikyo yelled out as an arrow embedded in her back. "And you were saying I am over staying my welcome? You are the one who is dead." Kikyo fell to her knees and growled in frustration and pain. She glared at the girl above her. "Leave me Kikyo. Never set foot in my sight again."

She turned and returned to her bag. She picked it up, the kit remaining inside, and began walking away. No blood hit the snow and Kikyo struggled to her feet. "This body is of no use to me now. It shall crumble soon." She glared at the retreating form of the girl. "But it should last me long enough to kill off that girl."

"I think not." A calm voice said behind her. She turned only to meet sharp claws in her middle. "Perish." Kagome walked through the snow and trees until she reached a frozen stream. She set her bag down and lifted the groggy kit from it. He blinked the sleep from his eyes and smiled up at his mother. She sat him down on the ground and dug through her bag. She sat on the ground and laced up her shoes.

The scrapping of the blades on the ice echoed in the white darkness as she skated along the frosty surface. The kit glided on her paws as if he had his own ice skates. She glided over the ice with ease. The kit stayed near the edge while he watched his mother perform. She twirled and landed with grace, skating backwards. She had told him of her figure skating classes and love watching her. She had told him she would compete every year at the competition of all aged girls in her world and almost always won.

He clapped his little hands as she finished. She did a bow as she skated past him. She skated backwards, humming to herself. Arms fell in line with hers and folded around her, entwining his clawed fingers with hers. She leaned into him as they skated. His boots served as his skates easily. He twirled her out of his arms and she smiled.

Shippo watched his mother preform the duet on the ice. It was a rare sight. She had said she learned duets but never preformed them. She had never found the right partner. Not till now. He clapped as they danced on the ice. She was drawn into his arms again and she sank into his warm embrace. His warm breath played over the skin of her neck and she smiled. His lips grazed her junction but noting else. He respected her choices and did not wish to break what they had by marking her to soon.

The little girl stood on the edge of the bank, staring sadly down at the ice. Her feet felt numb for she had no shoes. Sparkling green eyes followed her gaze and he smiled. He bounced toward his mother's bag and dug through the items. He pulled out a small pear of socks and skates. She looked up to see him next to her, shoes outstretched to her. She smiled and took them from him, eagerly putting them on. She wobbled onto the ice and yelped when she fell to her bottom. Kagome giggled and skated out of his arms toward them. She helped the little girl up and held her hands tightly. She guided the girl along the ice, helping her gain her balance.

He watched her as she taught the girl and let his smile slip onto his face. She looked up at him and she smiled. "Come on! Skate with us." She grabbed his hand and pulled him along with her. He smiled a little more, as she laughed in joy. Little Rin gained her balance and began skating on her own. She giggled and skated with Shippo. He drew her into his arms and breathed in her scent. She smiled and leaned against him. They glided along the ice with her in his arms.

Her blue eye searched the gray sky as she let him control their corse. The wind brushed her red face but she payed no mind. She was warm enough with his arms securely around her. His lips pressed her skin and she smiled. His lips were warm on her neck. He nuzzled into the crock of her neck and purred. "You will be joining us today then?" She nodded against his shoulder. She buried her face deep into his fur with a small laugh.

"Yes. I told Inuyasha."

"I noticed. I could smell his blood." He responded.

"He was a bit to angry at the thought. I met Kikyo too."

"And you never will again." She looked up into his golden eyes. "A threat to you and I should not be allowed to walk this earth." She sighed and shook her head. He was relieved to see no disappointment in his eyes. He never wanted to displease her. "I only worry for you, love."

"I know. But she's not that bad." She protested.

"She tried to kill you more than once." She had no response to this. He had a point and he had the right to remove any threat he saw to their relationship. It was only natural. "You do not argue? That's a change. Have I put you into submission already?" He smirked. He always tried to prove he could do anything to her with a little power. She frowned at him.

"No." She protested. "I'm just agreeing with you." She stated. He chuckled into her hair and licked the back of her neck, right across her weak point. "Eep." She shivered. A blush smeared her nose. He smirked again.

"Now do you have anything to say?" She stared at the ice. He slid his tongue over the spot once more and she stifled a giggle. "Such an easy target you have, with your hair up so." He wedged a claw between her coiled braids and traced the spiral design. "It's very nice though. You do it yourself?"

"No. My mother did it. But I know how to. I just can't do it to myself." She said.

"I'll have to watch you do it so you can have your hair like this more often."

"You do it for me?" He nodded. "Like I do it to Rin with you watching me then turn around and you do it for me? How could you do that?" He smirked.

"I'm a taiyoukai, remember? I can remember these things." She shrugged it off and smiled. "How long will this hold?" He continued to finger the braids.

"A while, if the spiral is tight enough." She took his hand and rested it on her middle with the other. "But if you play with it to much, it will come out. You could cut my hair off."

"Oh, I'd never wish to do that." He licked the spot again and she giggled. "I love hearing such music."She smiled again. There were very few things he liked and most of them were part of her. "I can't wait to hear it more often." She giggled again and he purred in pleasure. "So beautiful."

"You're funny. Scares me sometimes." His eyes flashed and he stared into her eyes. "I'm joking okay?" She said quickly and he relaxed. He hated that most of all. He never wanted to see or hear she was afraid of him. And he would only believe it if he heard it from her. Kagome turned in his arms and rested her head on his chest, careful of his armor. "You know I don't really fear you. I can't like this. I admit, at first you did scare me but . . . now I know differently."

"That memory plages my mind every day. The sight of you fleeing at the sight of me. The memory of almost killing you, I shudder at the thought. I am grateful now that you drew the Tetsusaiga when you did. I began rethinking at one point whether I deserve you for those deeds I had done." She slapped his face lightly.

"Never, ever doubt that you should be with me. I forgave you, didn't I? So stop worrying about it." He smiled and nodded. She placed her head back on his chest with a sigh. "Actually, I doubted at first." He smacked her head. "Ow. Hey."

"You hit me, and I hit you." She pouted and he smirked. "Why ever did you doubt?"

She sighed and buried herself into his chest. "I just thought you of all people could never love me. I thought it was impossible."

"Koi, you believed demons exciting was impossible before you came here. You should now by now anything is possible. You believed also life could never be given back to the dead." She blushed and her fingers fell to the sword at his hip.

"Yeah, I guess I know that theory a bit to well." His arms tightened around her.

"But aren't you glad I am able?" She nodded.

"Do you ever wonder why your father gave you the Tenseiga?"

"No. I know its purpose now. Father knew I would befall his ways and wished to protect my heart, the same as he did for Inuyasha." She nodded.

"He must truly have loved you both." She said. "The only real problem I sense in him is what he did to you. Or at least by mistake."

"Mother didn't die in vain. She protected me until the end. She had no bitterness to him either. It was an arranged marriage after all." She nodded.

"I still think it was wrong."

"Would you think it wrong if I abandoned my arranged wife for you?" She nodded vigorously.

"Yes! You have a duty to her. I know I'd be upset but it's your responsibility." She was cut off by his warm lips. Her lids drifted shut and she sank into him again. She stared into his warm soft golden eyes.

"The only duty I would ever want or have is that to you. I would never think of abandoning you so." He growled. He pulled her closer and rested his head on hers. "I love you to much to do such things as that. I understand what my father did and that is why I am no long bitter." Tears shimmered in her blue eyes and she buried her face into his chest.

"I'm sorry." She hiccuped. He stocked her head.

"Hush. You are forgiven. I understand." He cooed as she cried. "There is nothing to fear Kagome. I'd never do that to you, you know that." Her sobs subsided and she peeked out from his armor. He knew her fear. She feared he would abandon her for another demon or even his land and demon heritage. It frightened her to think of it. And he did his best to sooth her fear.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Hm?" He looked down at the smiling girl. He blue eyes followed the two children as they skated.

"Do I mean that much to you?" His hold around her tightened.

"Of course. You three are my world." She buried her face in his chest again.

"I love you, Sesshomaru." He held her tightly.

"And I love you."