Hiya guys, I'm glad to hear that some of you like Kikyo in this fic! Haha. Her reaction was a bit different in the previous version and I didn't like it but I couldn't just go back and change it! So, I'm glad I'm redoing this. I also want to let all of you who review know that I appreciate it the feedback more than you can imagine! It's always great to hear what people think of your writing and you all inspire me when I feel like I can't write anymore. : ) Thanks! If anyone has any questions, reviews for this chapter WILL be answered IF an answer is requested!

Anyways, I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I've had a bit of writer's block, haha. Even though I'm rewriting, I'm changing a lot, and I still get hung up every now and then but I'm back to work with a new idea!

Forever Mine

Chapter 5: Homecoming

By Sesshyskoi / Blueishadow

Sango poured herself a glass of orange juice while she waited for Sesshomaru to come back downstairs. Kagome had remained asleep for the ride home and was currently being carried to bed where she could hopefully continue to sleep in peace. As she picked up her glass and raised it to her lips, Sango noticed that she was shaking. She'd never been kept out of any part of Kagome's life before, and for something to have her so shaken up, Sango was scared to death at not knowing the reason behind her demeanor. She took a long gulp and set the glass back down to take in a deep breath and walk towards the living room. Plopping down, Sango sunk into the couch and waited for Sesshomaru, forcing herself to stop shaking.

She felt the couch shift next to her and turned her questioning gaze on him. He was not looking at her, which was very odd for the usually straightforward Sesshomaru. They sat like that for a minute, Sango becoming more and more uncomfortable as she stared at Sesshomaru waiting for him to move without having to prod him. Finally, he raised his chin, his hardened amber eyes meeting hers, silently demanding respect and authority for this conversation. He didn't want her angry with him in the end. Sango watched as he let out a sigh and listened intently as he began.

"Before I begin, you must swear to me that I will not be on the receiving end of your anger, and that this is a subject that will not be touched upon in the presence of Kagome unless it is she who conveys anything in relation to it." His posture slackened just barely with Sango's mute nod, a small portion of the stress over sharing this information with her leaving his body.

"I came home late one night with Rin and watched Kagome walking down the stairs. My brother went to her as if to shield her from something, which I later discovered to be hiding her from myself, and she basically threw herself down the stairs. I saw blood and went to pick her up, she was crying and so I carried her upstairs. I went into my brother's room, not really paying attention to the way she flinched away from the door. The room was torn apart."

Sango's eyes glistened with unshed tears as her mind worked to process everything she'd just been told. It wasn't hard to put it all together, but until Sesshomaru said the words, she wouldn't know exactly what had happened that day. Now, however, she wasn't sure that she wanted to know the whole story.

"Her clothes were scattered, some things in pieces on the floor. I noticed something tied to the headboard of his bed and examined her wrists. They were already bruising by then. All I could do was help her clean herself up and give her some fresh clothing. She's stayed here with me since, hasn't told her mother yet. Inuyasha hasn't been back since he left the morning after."

The tears had finally spilled from her eyes, leaving angry trails in their wake. She knew what had happened, but he hadn't said it. It was as if it hurt him to speak of the situation, and it probably did, but she needed confirmation. She needed to hear it said. Her eyes were pleading with his, silently begging him to confirm her fear, although she already knew it to be true. She continued to stare at him expectantly, letting her tears continue to snake down her cheeks.

Sesshomaru sighed as if he could read her mind and closed his eyes for a few seconds. When he reopened them they were void of any emotion whatsoever, as if he was mentally preparing himself to hear something that he didn't want to listen to, didn't want to believe. And he didn't.

"Sango, Inuyasha raped Kagome."

That was all it took, Sango was now in hysterics. She brought both hands to her mouth and tried to regulate her breathing, but she was too upset to think straight. She sobbed as quietly as she could into her hands, not wanting to waken the sleeping girl upstairs. Leaning towards her legs, she rested her head in her lap, doing her best to breath. She felt the couch shift beside her and knew that the older male had left her to her emotions. A loud bang from upstairs finally calmed her enough to be aware that Kagome had probably woken up, though she was still crying.

She looked up towards the hallway to see Kagome tiredly approaching the stairs towards Sesshomaru, who was already halfway up them. When she reached him he lifted her into his arms and brought her the rest of the way downstairs and towards the couch Sango was occupying. Sunlight shone through the living room window, reflecting off of Kagome's face in such a way that a small trail of fresh tears glistened upon her cheeks. She'd been crying, again.

Kagome finally noticed Sango as Sesshomaru set her on her feet and began to vigorously wipe away at the tears on her face as she approached the older girl. "Sango-chan, what's wrong?" Startled as she found herself instantly in her friend's embrace, Kagome could do nothing but hold onto the older girl as she cried into her hair. The events from the day finally pieced themselves together in Kagome's mind; running off when Inuyasha was seated next to her, crying in Sango's arms in the library, and probably falling asleep. Although she wasn't positive on the specifics, Kagome could only guess what had happened from there. Sango confronted Sesshomaru and he brought her back to the house to explain.

"You know don't you?" Sango pulled away from Kagome and sat down on the couch again, pulling her down beside her by the wrist. Kagome looked around for Sesshomaru and didn't see him. She realized that he was giving her this time to talk to Sango, alone. Her friend still had yet to answer her. "It's okay Sango, don't you start feeling bad for me too. Sesshomaru's been taking real good care of me since it happened." Kagome's voice was slightly detached as if she were trying not to think of the situation herself.

"I just wish I could have been there for you in the beginning, you know?" Kagome nodded, suddenly feeling guilty at keeping such a secret from her best friend. "No, no! Don't take what I'm saying the wrong way, I wouldn't be able to speak of it either if I were in your position so don't think you've hurt me at all. You're the one that's been hurt." Sango silently cursed herself. She couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't have a chance of being taken in the wrong way, so instead of speaking she picked up the remote and pointed it towards the TV. "Like old times, ne?" She asked, flipping through the channels. "Just minus the gummy worms!" Sango smiled as Kagome giggled at the reference to their childhood together and sat further into the couch as Kagome rested her head in her lap.

Inuyasha drove angrily down the street, running various stop sign and narrowly missing a dog that ran across the street as he turned a corner too fast. "Fuck!" He growled out, slowing to a stop and pulling over onto the side of the road. "Fukin' pig!" Not caring about the fact that he'd just been pulled over, Inuyasha rolled down his window and turned off his car, still grumbling about police as a man in a uniform stepped out of the cruiser that was parked behind him and walked slowly towards Inuyasha's window.

"License, registration, and proof of insurance please." It was a demand, the word please thrown in probably to soften Inuyasha's foul mood. It didn't help. Inuyasha leaned upwards and grabbed the wallet from his back pocket before reaching for the glove box and pulling out the necessary information to hand to the officer along with his license. "Do you know why you were pulled over?" Inuyasha plastered an innocent look on his face before shaking his head to which the police officer sighed irritably.

"You ran a total of four stop signs, were driving at least twenty five miles over the speed limit, almost hit a dog, and you're not wearing a seat belt." Inuyasha scowled at the steering wheel. He could have sworn it was only three stop signs, and he'd just forgotten about the seatbelt, but saying so wouldn't particularly help his case so he opted to keep his mouth shut.

"Shouldn't you be in school young man?" Officer Domek, as Inuyasha read from his badge, asked him. The stubborn teenager huffed and looked away. "I went home sick." Sighing once more, the officer advised him to wait where he was while he sauntered off most likely to write up a few tickets.

Inuyasha picked up and flipped open his cell phone debating on whether or not he should call Kikyo. She'd broken up with him on the spot and didn't even know all the details. He shuddered thinking of what would have happened to him if he'd told her the whole truth, although he assumed that before she blamed Kagome, he would have to let her know what really happened. Snapping his phone closed, he sighed knowing that he couldn't stand to hurt her even more right now.

He noticed the officer walking back towards him from the side mirror and tuned him out as he explained the tickets and returned his information. He silently glanced over the fines he would have to pay as he watched the police cruiser drive out of sight. "So much for my PSP." Sighing, he put on his seatbelt and started his car back up, driving coolly down the street the rest of the way towards his house hoping that Sesshomaru was in a better mood and without a single clue that Kagome was staying there.

Sesshomaru had finally returned and taken Sango's spot on the couch while she made herself and Kagome something to eat. Kagome was snuggled into Sesshomaru's side, seeking comfort from him while she watched a movie on the history channel. Sesshomaru's arm was wrapped lightly around her waist, unconsciously holding her to him while he watched the various fighting techniques performed centuries ago.

Sango carried two bowls of macaroni and cheese along with a plate full of various sandwiches to the coffee table and set them down in front of Kagome before running back for the third bowl and some forks. "I know you said not to, but there was too much for just us girls so I made you a bowl too Sesshomaru." She handed out the silverware and saw Sesshomaru nod uninterestedly from the corner of her eyes as he continued to stare at the TV screen, his interest piqued.

Everyone jumped as the door flew open and Inuyasha threw himself into the rooming, freezing in place as he noticed the audience gathered in his living room. He heard a whimper escape from Kagome who was nestled into his brother's side. Inuyasha wasn't sure he liked the picture the two of them created together. Kagome was supposed to end up with him, not his brother!

Suddenly, a movement to his left brought Sango face to face with him. His tall frame overpowered her small stature as she glared up at him. He never saw it coming as Sango's fist impacted with his jaw. He tasted the blood that pooled in his mouth, most likely from a tooth that she'd hit and caught her wrist as she swung at him again. He had to forcibly restrain her as she thrashed against him wildly, trying to hit, kick, or elbow him anywhere that could cause even the slightest amount of pain.

Suddenly Sesshomaru was there, pulling Sango from Inuyasha's body to restrain her. It all happened so fast, but where was Kagome? That's when he heard the whimpering. The younger girl was curled up on the couch her eyes darting back and fourth from himself and Sesshomaru before resting on Sango. "What are you doing here?" Sesshomaru asked once Sango was under control and seated next to Kagome.

"The last time I checked, I live here!" Sesshomaru glared at Inuyasha for once unsure of how to deal with the situation. All he could envision was his fist breaking the face of his brother standing before him. Suddenly it was silent except for Kagome's increased breathing as she fought against tears that threatened to pool in her eyes.

Inuyasha's eyes roved over her body, the malice leaving his face to be replaced by guilt as he took in the way she shook, hiding in Sango's embrace. His hand rose of it's own accord, reaching out towards Kagome as he turned his body to face her. Sesshomaru's hand shot forwards and enclosed around his wrist. "Watch what you're doing, little brother. You will not go near her."

Inuyasha snatched his wrist from Sesshomaru's hold and stormed around him towards the stairs. They all waited until a door was slammed upstairs before they let out a breath. All but Sesshomaru who was still trying to control his rage, wanting nothing more than to destroy his younger sibling for the pain he'd caused Kagome.

He walked to where Kagome was seated as she detached herself from Sango and stood up, letting Sesshomaru take her into his own arms. "I'd better leave, Miroku's upset with me as it is." Sango stood up and squeezed Kagome's shoulder gently and walked out the door waving to Sesshomaru who nodded back.

Glancing at the clock, Sesshomaru realized that he hadn't eaten yet and released Kagome slowly. "Let's go get something to eat." She nodded, a small smile adorning her lips as she followed him out the door. "How does American sound?"

It seemed like hours before Sesshomaru was finally driving home, Kagome occupying the seat next to him as she slept soundlessly. Pulling out his cell phone as he sped around the corner to his home. He flipped the device open with one hand while the other occupied the steering wheel and dialed his brother's number.

"Whad'ya want?" Sesshomaru's eyes tightened into slits as he pulled the phone from his ear.

"Are you still home?" At the affirmative response from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's lips tightened dangerously, his hand gripping the phone a little too tight. "You will stay in your room and you will not leave it until I have Kagome safe in my bed, at which time to you answer to me. We need to talk about a few details that could have a bit of a negative effect on your already pathetic life." The phone was snapped shut and thrown carelessly over his shoulder as he pulled into the driveway.

Turning the ignition off, he reached over to unbuckle the sleeping girl's seatbelt after quickly undoing his own. Sesshomaru got out of the car, wind whipping around his face forcing his hair to blown effortlessly around his torso. He walked around to Kagome's door and opened it, scowling as the cool autumn air caused the petite woman to shiver slightly as the breeze caught the exposed skin of her arms.

'Doesn't she know when to bring a jacket?' He lifted her from her seat and cradled her gently against his chest as he closed the door and locked up his vehicle at the press of a button. Unlocking the door to his home, he shoved it open and stepped inside, closing and locking it after himself and hung his keys by the door. Shifting Kagome into a more comfortable position, Sesshomaru walked upstairs to his bedroom and pulled the blankets closely around the form of the still slumbering girl.

He watched as she shifted a few times, looking for the warmth that had previously encompassed her form before settling back into a comfortable sleep. Turning heel, Sesshomaru stalked slowly from the room and shut the door behind him as he ventured downstairs.

Surprisingly, Inuyasha was already there waiting for him. "Ya know, it seems like the longer it's been since it happened, the less I remember of it." Inuyasha's voice was low and dejected, his hands fisted in his hair as he looked anywhere but Sesshomaru's face. "Like every morning I wake up from the nightmare of what happened and I can't for my life remember something she said. I can see her lips moving, her tears, but I can't hear her voice." His hand left his hair to slam into the coffee table set out in front of him as he finally looked up to meet Sesshomaru's gaze, tears threatening to spill from his eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to let them go. "Or," his voice become soft, almost a whisper as he cradled his now injured hand, "I'll have visions of it happening differently. It's like my mind is fucking with me! These are thoughts that I'd never conjure on my own! Not after what happened!"

"I'm not sure I understand, Inuyasha. That is to say, I do not understand how you cannot see what is going on. It's obvious that you feel remorse for what you have done. However, I'm still trying to figure out if you were on some sort of drug or had been drinking the day it happened. Now, if you put logic into your questions, it's easy enough to answer them. Forgetting. To forget a wrong you've committed against another is always easiest when you cannot hear their pleas. And to see the situation from another light, to see her wanting you as well, gives you the feeling that she did somehow want what happened. If you are not careful, brother, these thoughts could easily manifest into something more powerful than even you can control. Belief. The turmoil inside your mind will make you believe any twisted version of the story that you can get your mind to accept and it will take you over. You could easily enough begin to blame and even hate her for it. Or worse, you could become so obsessed with the need to believe something else, you could repeat the act in hopes that you are right."

Inuyasha's uninjured hand connected to the exact spot he had already hit the coffee table once before, feeling it crack under the pressure. "No! You're wrong, that can't happen to me! I would never hurt her again! Never!" He continuously fought against the defenseless piece of wood in front of him, hoping it would calm him down, and yet all he felt was more frustration rising to the surface of his mind. Willing himself to cease his brutal attack on the once decorative piece of furniture that was now nearly in shambles at his feet, he looked up to face Sesshomaru.

"I don't know what is going to happened but please take care of her Sesshomaru, and if it comes to it, protect her, keep her safe from me." Sesshomaru nodded once, inwardly scoffing at the notion that his brother didn't realize that he'd already taken up the vicious role of her protector. No one would touch the raven-haired girl lying in his bed at this very moment.

Both brothers glanced towards the stairs as a cry out for Sesshomaru was called, followed by a 'thump.' Sesshomaru sighed as he walked towards the stairs to his room. 'I take that back, no one will hurt her but herself.'

Naraku trembled in finely masked rage as his plan seemingly failed to execute itself properly. The boy was so weak, his will so easily bent to do as his body so desired, once given the right push, that is. So why wasn't he able to get through to him? It was as if he were protecting his mind from such an attack, as if he thought it could actually happen when really the young boy was too naïve to believe anything of the sort. So what was holding the stupid kid back from accepting him? Fists clenched, Naraku growled out menacingly, taking his frustration out on one of his many lackeys.

"Kagura, come." He growled into the seemingly abandoned room, only abandoned it wasn't. The room was crawling with those Naraku called kin, small eight-legged insects swarmed to the site of fresh blood available to them thanks to their master. It was always nice when someone got punished, for they were in charge of destroying the evidence. It was always a treat.

Shivering involuntarily, Kagura walked haughtily into the room, doing the best she could to look down her nose at Naraku who simply smirked back at her. "Yes, Master Naraku?" Pulling her arms tightly around herself, she stepped carefully towards Naraku while doing her best to avoid the spiders crawling at her feet. She scowled when he said nothing but beckoned her over to him with a cock of his head. She obeyed silently, what else could she do?

"I wish for company tonight." He whispered huskily into her ear once she was in front of him. He claimed her lips roughly and quickly secured his hand to the back of her head to prevent her escape. Kagura's eyes widened as her escape was halted once again by his other hand, which was now crushing her body to his own. Tears welded up underneath her closed eyelids, but she would not shed them. Knowing what was to come, Kagura surrendered, hearing stories from other females within the dark household who had fought against his animalistic nature. Her submission would save her a great deal of physical agony, yet she knew she'd never forgive herself for giving up so easily.

"He – yawn – llo?" A voice sounded into the receiver, barely awake enough to understand that he was on the phone.

"We need to talk. Tomorrow. I'm coming over before school." Came the collected, obviously feminine reply.

The male, now startled awake, bolted upright in his bed. "Kikyo? Is that you?"

"Goodnight, Inuyasha." Then came the click of obvious dismissal.

"Fuck!"

For once, it was not a bad dream that had the young girl stirring from her restless slumber, nor was it the alarm clock that wasn't due to ring for a good hour longer. Sitting up in bed, Kagome tossed the comforter off her legs, before throwing the over the edge, now completely awake as she recognized the voices from downstairs that woke her up in the first place. 'Kikyo and Inuyasha?'

Glancing towards Sesshomaru, she realized how deep of a sleeper he really was and smiled softly before standing and walking towards the bedroom door. Opening it quietly, she tip toed down the hallway and peered over the edge of the stairs to the living room where Inuyasha and Kikyo were blatantly arguing.

"Kagome? You would cheat on me with my own fucking cousin? You stupid, idiotic, asshole! I hate you! Where is she?" Kikyo picked up the nearest heavy object she could get her hands on, which luckily for Inuyasha was only a book, and hurled at the male who barely got out of the way in time. "I know she's here! Is she in your bed? Huh? KAGOME!" Kikyo made a mad dash for the stairs, stopping dead in her tracks when she noticed Kagome at the top, tears streaming down her face while her hand covered her mouth. The younger girl barely had time to register what was happening before Kikyo let out a scream and charged towards the stairs.

"Kikyo! Kikyo stop it's not what you think!" Inuyasha ran after her, if only the dumb broad would listen to him!" "Kikyo, I, I forced her okay!" Inuyasha watched in slow motion as Kikyo's movements came to a halt only seconds before she would have impacted with Kagome's small body. She looked towards the only man she had ever truly known, pleading him to deny the very words that had just escaped his lips seconds before.

"It's true. Why do you think I haven't wanted to come home? You know Sesshomaru, he beat the shit out of me already and with him taking care of her coming home means facing them both." His shoulders drooped as he stared into her eyes, watching her spirit break from the inside out, just as he had watched Kagome's do. Then he couldn't look at her any longer, he dropped his eyes and fell to his knees. The last thing he'd wanted was to hurt either of them, and somehow he'd done both of them in.

"Kikyo?" Kagome whispered dejectedly at seeing the hurt in her cousin's actions. Her tears, her eyes, her wavering stance because of shaking knees said it all. She reached her hand out towards the older girl, watching with widening eyes as she began to sway unsteadily from her position on the stairs. "Kikyo!!" Kagome leaped for her as she seemingly lost the battle with gravity and began plummeting towards the ground. Latching onto her, Kagome barely felt shock at being grabbed roughly from behind.

'Sesshomaru.'

"Damnit woman!"

He heard yelling, noticed that he was the only occupant in his bed, and heard someone scream out for Kagome. What the hell would possess her to leave him so early in the morning? So he roused himself and located the girl in time to see her reaching out for Kikyo, of all people to be in his home at this particular time. Realizing the irony of the situation, Sesshomaru bolted for the stairs as Kagome practically jumped off of them to 'save' Kikyo, which in reality would have gotten them both killed.

So there they were, a quarter of the way down the stairs, Kagome planted firmly in Sesshomaru's lap with his arm securely tightened around her waist while the other held firmly to the banister, and both of her arms literally squeezing the life out of a dazed Kikyo. If it weren't for the current events and the reason why they were in said position, and the fact that he'd almost watched the two women he cared about more than anything else leap down stairs, Inuyasha would have laughed.

Sesshomaru stood and gently left Kagome sitting on the stairs as he moved to lift Kikyo into his arms and continue down the stairs, Kagome following him. "Now, what the hell are you people doing this early in the fucking morning?" He laid Kikyo down on the couch, where she finally gained some semblance of what was happening and turned his gaze to hers with raised eyebrows.

"I told her the truth." Sesshomaru turned towards Inuyasha, who was glancing brokenly between the two girls. Kagome, who was currently standing behind Sesshomaru, peeked towards her cousin from under her protector's arm. "Kikyo?" Their eyes locked, and Sesshomaru walked away, grabbing ahold of Inuyasha before resuming his walk towards the stairs. The girls needed to talk, because he was getting sicker and sicker of the drama that presented itself to him on a daily basis. Thank god Rin had seemed to sleep through all the commotion, the last thing he needed was to console the child as well.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Kikyo asked quietly once the boys had left the room. "I really wish you would have just told me!" Kagome sat down next to Kikyo after she'd sat up and thought about the question that had been asked of her. Why didn't she say something? Why had she still not said anything? To her mother even! Kagome sighed, she'd been living with a boy for the past week and hadn't given her mother the respect she deserved; honesty. She would deliver the truth today, no matter how hard it would be.

"I'm sorry." Before Kagome could protest the words that left Kikyo's lips, she was caught in a crushing embrace. She couldn't even mutter that it wasn't her fault before Kikyo relapsed into another bought of hysteria. All she could do was hold the older girl and do her best to comfort her, for Kagome was not the only one that had been hurt.

So I was thinking of leaving off at the phone call, but I figured you've all been waiting long enough for this chapter, I couldn't do that to you! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed it, I'll do my best to get more out soon!

Also, I'm thinking about redoing a few of my other fics, if any of you have read my stuff before, that's You're Love Belongs To Me (sk), Runaway With Me (sk), and It Wasn't Supposed To Be Like This (nk)

Let me know

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