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Last Time:

"Betrayal always has a nasty way of sticking with you." Sesshomaru spoke, having silently been observing her.

"Yeah, yeah it does." Kagome softly replied, a faraway look still in her eyes. Inwardly shaking off the funk she had let herself fall in, she sent him a small smile, "So, how's being a father."

Shooting her a glance, Kagome hastily answered, "Shippo told me."

"Extremely frustrating, though it does have its moments." Sesshomaru smirked. "I see I'm not the only one Shippo's been telling stories about."

Confused, Kagome asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Shippo tells me of a fling between you and a famous pop star. Care to elaborate, Shippo didn't."

Blushing, Kagome responded, now avoiding Sesshomaru's gaze, "There's nothing going on, at least nothing for sure now."

"What do you mean by that?"

Sighing, Kagome told him everything that had been going on since she left the shrine. Including her fears about letting her heart get broken again. She was barely managing to get through the pain now, what would happen to her if it happened a second time? Would she be able to handle the pain again?

Chapter Ten

"What! This can't be happening. This ruins everything." Shuichi cried dramatically, pacing back in forth in front of an annoyed Yuki who had been busy trying to work on his novel.

Taking a long drag from his cigarette, Yuki slowly blew out a puff of smoke before asking, "What's got your panties in a twist now?"

"Haven't you heard Yuki-kun?"

"Have I heard what?" He raised an elegant eyebrow questioningly.

"Ryuichi is going back to the U.S. for some movie." Shuichi sobbed. "And that's not even the worst of it. Gome-chan told me she's moving out, half of her stuff is already packed. She hasn't even told me where she's going."

"I know."

"I can't believe this, after all our carefully laid plans. Shippo and Tatsuha …" The pink haired singer stopped mid rant his eyes wide and eyebrows meeting his hairline. "Wait you know."

"Of course I know."

If possible, Shuichi's eyebrows rose even higher "And you're totally fine with it. What about getting Ryuichi and Kagome together?"

"Relax idiot." Yuki put out his cigarette, slowly standing up. Draping an arm around the younger boy's shoulder, he sighed, "Come on let's go grab something to eat brat."

"Wha?" Shuichi was at an utter loss now. A week ago Yuki had been just as concerned over his cousin's love life like everyone else. He didn't show it but those who knew him knew just how worried he was. Now he was completely nonchalant about it.

"Okay, what's going on?"

"Nothing you need to worry about now let's go get some lunch." Yuki all but growled out.

Letting himself become relaxed in Yuki's arms, Shuichi obediently nodded his head. He wouldn't keep him out of the loop forever. Yuki-kun would eventually tell him what's going on.

Humming a soft melody to herself, Kagome plopped down on her bed, having finished packing the last of her things. Though she had only stayed with Yuki and Shuichi for a few months and most of it was on tour, she had enjoyed her time here immensely. She was gonna miss this place.

Yawning tiredly, she rolled over only to feel something dig deeply into her side. Groaning, she grabbed the offending item. It was her old sketchbook. Apparently she had forgotten to pack it.

Sitting upright, she slowly began to go through each drawing, each showing something different, a younger Buyo, the Goshinboku, and a few familiar faces. This one had been before her time in the Feudal Era, the first and last sketchbook she had shown to anybody.

Her father had been the one to inspire her to first take up an art. He himself had been a gifted painter. She didn't really like talking about him, especially since he had abandoned them not long after Souta turned three. About a week before he took off she had shown him her sketchbook. Ever since then she was afraid to really show anyone her art, afraid that was what drove her father away. She knew it was a silly notion but she couldn't help but feel that way.

"You all set Gome-chan?" Tatsuha asked, standing in the doorway of her room, Shippo right beside him.

"Just about." Kagome replied, sending a knowing look at Shippo. "You two have spending quite a lot of time together. Anything I should know about?" She observed.

"Wha, no we just happened to arrive here at the same time." Tatsuha stuttered, blushing. "There is absolutely nothing going on between the two of us."

Smirking, Shippo wrapped an arm around the younger boy's shoulder. "Oh come on Tatsuha-kun, you know you find me devilishly charming and hot."

Rolling her eyes at the kitsune's behavior, Kagome changed the subject before her cousin started to hyperventilate. "I'm leaving tomorrow and all you can think of is my cousin, I'm seriously hurt Ship."

"Don't worry Kagome-chan, you'll always have a place in my heart." Shippo smiled, removing his arm to go sit by Kagome. "Why is it you're going to America Kagome? You haven't told me yet." He pouted.

"Two reason actually. Sesshomaru wants me to paint a mural in his home and you remember me telling you about that painting I did for Mika, right?"

"Yea, Yuki and Shuichi kept complaining about it days afterwards and they didn't even get to see it." Tatsuha replied, joining Shippo on Kagome's bed.

"Hey I asked them if they wanted to see it, not my fault they never did." Kagome haughtily replied. "Anyways, apparently Mika forged my signature and sent in the painting and an application to some fancy art school in New York and I actually got in, scholarship and all. She even got my plane ticket for tomorrow."

"Wow that's great Kagome." Shippo congratulated.

"Yea it is, but hey isn't that where…" Tatsuha started to say only to receive an elbow in the gut by Shippo.

"Where what?" Kagome questioned.

"Where, where Central Park is?" Tatsuha laughed nervously.

"Yea." Kagome answered, not quite believing him.

"Come on its almost six o'clock and Yuki and the others are probably waiting at the restaurant already." Shippo stated, standing up and straightening his jacket.

Ryuichi stared at his ticket for the longest time. He had agreed to this movie a few months ago but now he wasn't so sure. Being a famous pop star had taught him a lot, especially when he first started out. Most importantly he had learned to never give and had stricken the work quit from his vocabulary which was one of the reasons why he wasn't going to back out of this movie.

The other, well maybe Tohma had been right all along, maybe he should give Kagome some space. He had seen the pain in her eyes and he had wanted nothing more than to make it go away.

"Now boarding to New York, New York."

Sighing, Ryuichi headed towards the gate. It's not like he'd be gone forever and when he did come back, he'd just try harder with Kagome.

Not many people knew it, but she had first inspired him to take up music. When he was babysitting Yuki and Kagome one night, Yuki had instantly gone straight to bed, tired from a day of training. And Kagome, she had been quiet the whole night, choosing to stay in Mika's room.

When he had gone to try and figure out what was wrong she had instantly told him everything about her drawings and her father leaving. She had started to cry and would not stop and so he had done the one thing that had come to mind, he had started to sing. It wasn't the first time he had ever sung and when he had, people would always complement him.

But when he was singing to Kagome, lyrics had just started to pop into his mind. And when he looked her in the eyes, she had stopped her crying and the pain that had been evident in her eyes moments ago, was gone.

With one last, regretful look back, Ryuichi boarded his plane.

Kagome wasn't an idiot. She knew that Ryuichi was also going to New York to shoot some movie there. After she had settled down, she had planned on working up some nerve and actually visit Ryuichi, hoping that he didn't hate her for ditching him at the park. Mika had been kind enough to give her both his cell phone number and the address where he would be staying at.

She had never expected that they would be on the same plane or be sitting next to each other. Double checking her ticket number, Kagome took in a deep breath and slowly started to approach her seat. She had long ago made up her mind but as always, things were a lot easier than said.

Gradually she made it to her seat, Ryuichi having yet to notice her. Bit by bit she sat down and this time, Ryuichi did notice her.

Eyes wide in shock, he hastily discarded the headphones he had been wearing. "Kagome-chan, what are you doing here?"

"I'm actually headed to New York also." She stuttered.

"Really! Me and Kumagorou could show you around once we get there if you want and maybe get something to eat. New York has a lot of great sights and you have to check out Central Park and the Statue of Liberty." He started to ramble.

Letting out a chuckle, Kagome nodded her head in agreement, glad that Ryuichi still wanted to hang out with her and did not hate her for standing him up. "That'd be nice Ryuichi-san."

Beaming, he asked, "Would you go out with me Kagome, once we get to New York of course?" the words spilling out before he could remember Tohma's words about giving her space.

"You know what I'd really like that Ryuichi." Kagome smiled, bravely reaching for his hand, even going as far as leaning her head on his shoulder as the plane started to take off.

Entwining their fingers, Ryuichi could barely contain his excitement. Now if only this plane would hurry up.

TBC

AN: Yes I put to be continued, in the sequel which will hopefully be out by the end of this month, depends where I'm at with my YuYu Hakusho crossover and I'd really like to do an X-Men Evolution story.

But I would really like to explore the relationship with Ryuichi more. Everybody has their ups and downs and not many stories write about them, only the good stuff and the sappy parts.

Anyways I hope you like it and I'll only really do the sequel if you guys want me to.