"Where am I" Kagome awoke, opening her eyes slowly. She looked around, the setting was different from last night."Sess-Sesshomaru?" she called out rubbing her eyes to ease the pain of the blinding sun light.

This place looked like some sort of inn. Kagome opened the door to her room and traveled down the slender hallway.

"Sesshomaru?" she continued to call for him. "Se-"

"KAGOME!" Her friends greeted her in unison. She almost suffocated in the smiles and hugs.

"OK, OK guys, um," Kagome paused uncertain of how to word her question." Have any of you seen Sesshomaru?" Kagome's faced the ground, she couldn't look anyone in the eye.

"Why do you care about that pompous bastard?" Inuyasha shouted. "He said so himself he had no reason to care for a useless human like you" Inuyashas cocky attitude landed him a few blows to the head curtesy of Sango and Miroku.

"don't be so insensitive!" Sango criticized Inuyasha. "I'm sure she just wants to thank him for-eh- not killing her" Sango smiled in Kagome's direction.

'Nows my chance, or rather excuse.' Kagome thought to herself. Putting on her most convincing smile she lifted her head. "Thank you Sango, I just couldn't find the words." Kagome let out a childish laugh and the rest joined in. "He could have killed me but he didn't, so I beilieve a thank you is in order." Kagome looked around at her friends; everyone seemed to believe her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Later in the evening, though not really late at all, Kagome was getting ready turn in early. She had been through a lot these last couple of days and she needed the sleep. Once she wound down and retired to her room she heard a knock at her door. Kagome's heart skipped a beat. 'Could it be...?' She thought to herself. Trying to walk when her heart felt like running, Kagome slammed in to the person in question. Looking up, her heart dropped in disappointment, but she did not understand the sensation that had previously taken her over.

"Kagome" it was Inuyashas voice that spoke. "I was coming to check on you, did I scare you?"

"No, I was just heading out to the bath is all." Kagome smiled trying to cover for her actions.

"You just had a bath" Inuyasha stated quit bluntly.

"Well I wanted another. Its...Its relaxing" She attempted to make sense only failing miserably.

"Tsk. Women..." Inuyasha trailed off. "Well I only came to check on you and your OK so...Night!" He turned and left without a second thought.

It still boiled her blood to know she was second place in his book. 'Ugh! He is so foul sometimes!' Kagome screamed inside her head. Now wide awake and hot headed, Kagome decided to take a stroll along the forests edge. She had not gone far before she sensed a rather strong presence. Of course, it was Kekyo. Kagome followed the presence she had felt, bringing her to a clearing in the middle of the woods.

"Kekyo!" It was Inuyasha calling for her. Kagome couldn't believe this. After all she had been through he couldn't even think about her then. It seemed like he had really worried about her before, but now he just looked like a lost puppy dog searching for his owner.

"Inuyasha don't be so loud" Kekyo glided toward Inuyasha."If someone finds us I cannot come again, you understand right?" Kekyo placed the palm of her hand against Inuyashas cheek.

"Kekyo" Inuyasha closed his eyes, breathing in her scent. "I'm sorry I didn't come the other night, i kind of ran in to some trouble" His eyes shifted as if guilty of something.

"Inuyasha, do you peg me for a fool?' Kekyo smiled. "I already know what said trouble was, but you did the right thing; saving a human that is." Kekyo pulled Inuyashas head down to kiss his forehead. "This is why I will always love you Inuyasha." Kekyo choked through her words, with tears streaming down her face. Inuyasha embraced her tightly.

"I love you too." The two stood in the moonlight just holding one another.

'I'm just trouble?' Kagome asked herself. Her fist were balled and silent tears streamed down her face. She could not take this scene anymore. She ran off , heading deeper in to the woods.

Only managing to find Kekyo in the woods by her presence, she had no idea how to get out. Here she was tired, alone, and lost deep in the forest. She cried aloud now, for she knew no one was close enough to hear her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOX

Kagome was so absorbed in her own thoughts that she was unaware of another presence creeping up on her. Several men from the surrounding village had circled her with lecherous deeds on their mind.

Kagome heard one of the men chuckle deviously, and her eyes widened. She took in the scene and stood quickly; ready to make a break for it, only to be grabbed from behind and tied to a tree. She struggled with the ropes unable to break free. 'Why does it have to end this way?' She thought to herself.

"Don't look so grim." A man who Kagome took to be the leader stepped forward grabbing her by the chin. "It will only hurt for a little bit, then you will just go numb." The man and his followers cackled and Kagome burst in to tears. A loud noise echoed through the forest and a stinging pain seared on Kagome's cheek. The man had slapped her.

"Don't be so noisy!" The man grabbed Kagome by the face once more and ran his course tongue across her cheek, licking her tears. "I love the taste of a defeated woman's tears." The man laughed and took out a sharp knife, He slit Kagome's clothes straight down the middle only leaving her undergarments.

"What is this?" the man looked confused. He grabbed one of Kagome's breast to examine her bra. "Are you royalty, I have never seen such a thing before." Kagome thought that at this he might let her go. "Well I cant say that I don't enjoy the de-flowering and degrading of a princess." The mens laughter rose again and cut through Kagome's heart.

She felt helpless. Kagome was in no way able to save herself, her friends probably thought she was still in her room, and Inuyasha was much to busy with Kekyo to care. She had decided to make herself pass out, that way she wouldn't have to be awake for what the men had planned. All she could think of was to hold her breath, but before she could let go, she heard the men around her screaming and begging for mercy. Then everything went black.

"In-Inuyasha?" Kagome couldn't force herself to move, but she also couldn't believe that Inuyasha had actually come to save her. It was day light, Kagome could tell from the searing pain in her head behind her eye lids. She opened her eyes to see the sky, slowly letting them adjust. Kagome sat up only to realize that she was still in the forest. That struck her as odd.

"Inu-" Her voice was cut short.

"Call me that disgusting half breeds name again and I will leave you here as is." That voice...that voice belonged to Sesshomaru! Kagome suddenly felt a sense of calm, like she was safe for the first time. Without paying any attention to herself or her surroundings, she jumped up, letting the sheet she was covered with fall, and jumped in to Sesshomarus arms.

"Sesshomaru!" Her eyes began to water again only this time with joy. "Sesshomaru I-eh?" Kagome looked down noticing for the first time that she was still in her undergarments. She flushed, and grabbed the sheet re-wrapping herself quickly, turning away from the demon lord in front of her.

"I don't care to ogle at such things" Sesshomaru walked past her. "Why would I take advantage of one human girl if I could have all the women in the world?" He continued to walk; Kagome took this as a gesture to follow.

Kagome hadn't made it very far before she stepped on a thorn; she yelped loudly. 'Oh yeah' she thought. 'Those men took all my clothes and my shoes'. This thought saddened her, but she had to continue. There was no way Sesshomaru would stop for her.

"Miko" Kagome looked up from her bloody foot to see Sesshomaru turned in her direction. "Come here". He was very demanding, she noted; even so she walked toward him, slightly wary.

Sesshomaru Snatched her up, and she yelped once more. The demon lord chuckled, and Kagome blushed. Sesshomaru Carried Kagome bridal style the rest of the way through the forest, not speaking a word or looking down at her. Kagome was fine with this because it gave her ample amount of time to study his perfect features. Kagome had been so enthralled with Sesshomaru that she had not even realized they were flying.

"Please stop that." Sesshomaru broke the pleasant silence.

"What do you mean 'stop that'?" She was utterly confused.

"Staring, it is very impolite." She was caught but she just couldn't help it, there was something about Sesshomaru that made him so perfect.

"Sorry" She really wasn't but the last thing she needed was for someone like him to be angry at her.

"All is forgiven this time, but next time there may be no excuse." Sesshomaru grinned but not where the little Miko could see. He felt her heart rate accelerate; giving him the exact reaction he was looking for. Only if she knew.