Heart of Mine
(Prompt – Bells Ring)

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome pick at the food in front of her wondering what had caused her disconsolate mood. She was the one who had asked for the outing, breaking what had been an extremely pleasurable week-long cloistering in her apartment. He had agreed, mostly because despite his desire to remain alone with her, Sesshoumaru also found that he couldn't say no when she batted those beautiful, gray eyes at him.

It had been one of the best days of his life, but as they sat at a late-night supper, he was growing increasingly concerned the longer Kagome's food remained essentially untouched.

"Is something bothering you, Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked carefully, his deep voice cutting through her thoughts.

"Huh?" Kagome looked up, startled, wincing at her own eloquence.

"Is your food not good?"

"Oh, no, it's wonderful. See? Mmmm…" Kagome hummed as she popped a piece of the chicken marsala in her mouth, hoping to satisfy Sesshoumaru enough so that he wouldn't pursue his initial question.

Unfortunately for her, Sesshoumaru had not gotten as far as he had in the business world by being easily fooled. Even though their more intimate relationship was only a week old, he knew her well enough to know that it was not like her to fall into such melancholy. Something was on her mind and he was determined to find out what it was, and bring her smile back.

Sighing, he placed his fork down next to his plate. "If the food is to your satisfaction, then what is bothering you?"

"Nothing's bothering me, Sesshoumaru," she insisted, flashing him a smile that was far too toothy to be convincing.

A single brow lifted in disbelief as Sesshoumaru stared her down with this piercing, golden gaze. It was a tactic that served him well in business, though he hated that he'd had to turn it on her. He would have hoped that Kagome knew she could be honest and open with him. He didn't know why, but the very idea that she was withholding something from him inspired equal parts anger and trepidation.

"Just… don't worry about it, okay?" Kagome whispered looking away as she stabbed at the little mushrooms that decorated her dish.

"Kagome…" Warm fingers wrapped around her slender wrist, stilling her nervous movements. "Kagome, look at me."

Tears filled her eyes and she shook her head in silent protest. Why couldn't he just drop it? She didn't want to do this here.

"Please…" he whispered, releasing her wrist to place a finger under her chin and gently urge her to turn toward him. Taking in her watery eyes, his own widened in surprise as he wondered what in the world could have upset her so badly. "Kagome?"

Unable to stand the pressure of holding back her emotions, Kagome did the only thing she could think of in that moment – she fled.

Sesshoumaru, stunned into inaction, watched as Kagome bolted from the restaurant. It took but a moment for his paralyzed brain to register what had happened. Throwing some bills on the table to cover their meal, he quickly gathered both of their coats and followed her out into the cold, wintery night.

xxx

Kagome ran into the darkness of the park across of from the restaurant, blinded by her own tears, finally collapsing into one of the swings on the small playground. Shivering in the cold, she realized she'd left her coat behind in the restaurant. Curling in on herself to try and stay warm, she let her tears flow freely silently berating herself for losing control of her emotions. The last time she had, the result was one of the happiest weeks in her life. Tonight, however, she knew she would not be so lucky.

She didn't know how long she sat there huddled in the cold like a child before she felt the warm, comfortable weight of a coat settle around her shoulders.

"Are you ready to tell me what is going on in that head of yours?" asked a familiar, deep voice.

"I'm sorry," she hiccupped in answer. "This is not how I wanted…" Kagome trailed off as she fought to keep her tears at bay.

"Kagome, please tell me what has got you so upset," Sesshoumaru gently prodded, wanting to slay whatever demons were plaguing her so that they could move on.

"It just that you…" Kagome paused, looking up at him, unsure how to voice what she was feeling.

"I what, Kagome? Have I done something to upset you?" he asked, looking down into anguished eyes completely bewildered. Quickly replaying the events of the past week in his mind, Sesshoumaru was at a loss. She'd been just as happy as he had – at least that's what he'd thought.

"No! You have been wonderful and I love y-… I've loved every moment with you," Kagome quickly covered her near foible. She didn't want to reveal the depths to which her feelings for Sesshoumaru had grown. It would just make what was to come that much more humiliating.

"It's just that," Kagome continued shakily, "come Monday, everything will go back to how it was before."

Hanging her head, Kagome pulled her coat tightly around her shoulders, as if it could protect her against what she was sure was coming. Sesshoumaru, for his part was stunned. For several minutes, he stood behind her gripping the chains of the swing trying to process what she had just said. It wasn't until he heard the fire crackers set off too early by some New Year's Eve revelers that he broke the silence.

"Kagome," he began, coming around in front of her, laying his large hands on her smaller ones, "why would you think things would go back to the way they were before?"

She laughed bitterly. "I am your secretary, Sesshoumaru."

"So?"

"So?" she parroted back at him, suddenly angry. "So? Do you even know how cliché this is? You're screwing your own secretary! Do you think that I didn't notice that you took me to places today where we wouldn't run into people we know? It's pretty clear you don't want anyone to know about us."

Kagome stood abruptly. Brushing past him in full rant mode, she unleashed the full force of the irrational anger and hurt that had been slowly building in her all day. "Come Monday, I get to go back to being the dutiful assistant…" she spat the found words like venom "…who has your coffee and morning reports ready before your get to the office. I get to pretend that all of this… this… wonderful, amazing week never happened! Well, maybe you're okay with that, but I'm not! I quit, Sesshoumaru. You'll have my letter of resignation on your desk Monday morning."

She'd rounded on him, face flushed, eyes blazing, and Sesshoumaru was certain he'd never seen her look more beautiful. But if she thought he was going to let her walk out of his life, she was sorely mistaken. In two long strides, he was before her, towering over her small form. Without a word, he threaded his fingers through her thick hair and claimed her mouth in a searing kiss.

Kagome tried in vain to push away, unwilling to allow herself to be played the fool again, but with one hand behind her head, the other wrapped around her waist, Sesshoumaru held her firmly in place. The effect of this kiss was just as powerful as the first had been Christmas Eve, and soon she was unable to fight against the pull of the passion.

"I have no intention of letting you go, Kagome," Sesshoumaru growled when he finally broke the kiss for need of air. "Not now… not ever. Quit if that is what you truly wish, but know this. I will find you wherever you choose to run."

Kagome whimpered, "But—"

"No buts," he interrupted, his tone softening. "I've never been good with words or expressing my feelings, but I thought you understood how I felt. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear before, so let me see if I can be now."

Cupping her beautiful face in both hands, Sesshoumaru swept his hands across her chilled cheeks, erasing the traces of her tears. "This past week with you has meant more to me than I thought possible. I…" He paused, searching for the right words. "It took me too long to realize what I felt for you, but now that I'm with you, I can't let you go. I won't. Whether or not you want it, you hold my heart; it is no longer mine."

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome whispered, tears flowing once again.

"Please stay."

"But what about the office?"

"What about it?" he asked, shrugging lightly. "I think I can keep our personal relationship separate from our professional one. What about you?"

Silently she nodded, afraid to speak lest she break down sobbing again, this time for joy. Sesshoumaru bent to softly kiss her again, the gentle touch sealing the promise. In the distance they could hear to sound of church bells ringing in the New Year and though she didn't know what the year ahead would bring, of one thing Kagome was certain: they would face it together.

AN: Well, we've come to the end of our little story. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, and also those who silently followed along. A very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate the holiday. Until next time...