For the sake of this story's new version, the time frame runs after Naraku offers Sesshoumaru the arm but before he had Rin kidnapped. So yes Sesshoumaru only has one arm and I haven't decided yet if I'm going to keep him that way or give it back to him somehow. I guess we'll see where it goes.

Hope you all enjoy the new version without all the rapeyness (love made up words lol) that the original had. Although this new version now runs almost into the Stockholm Syndrome arena but it's fiction and gotta get them together somehow. Then again we all know that they'll end up together anyway; there's a sequel that say so.

Oh. and yes this version will bring in some of the characters in the sequel so they are more a part of the overall story line. Also there will be parts of this with chunks of the original to pay tribute to where this whole thing started. Then once I have this one done Remember Me will be rewritten to make it fall in line with the new story line this fic follows. Then after all that the final fic in the series will begin being posted. Good times; hope you all enjoy. Much love for you all. Keva

xx

Sesshoumaru leaned against the base of the tree and tilted his head back letting his eyes fall closed to begin his nightly meditation. His companions were sleeping nearby and his senses were on high alert as they always were. Enemies were constntly lurking around waiting for that one moment of inattentiveness so that they could attack.

The birds were down for the night and the night bugs were moving about preparing webs to capture whatever happened by. Then there was the slithering creature that was in the tree he was currently leaning against. It, as all other mindless creatures, maintained its disinterest in him as it should so long as it desired live to see another day.

While his eyes were closed he began letting his thoughts drift away allowing his spirit, mind, body, and beast to unify into one entity. Going over every scenario that could come up in battle and what moves would be the best to counter another's attack.

He felt the snake in the tree creep a little closer to him but paid no mind to it as it was paying no mind to him.

xx

Naraku watched the little group within the small clearing from a safe distance to keep from being detected by Sesshoumaru's keen senses. His eyes moved from each one until they landed on the great taiyoukai of the west causing his insides to tighten.

There was no denying that he wanted Sesshoumaru, wanted him so bad he had been plotting and planning on how to capture the inu from the moment he first laid eyes on him. His biggest obstacle seemed to be that inu pride, pride the inu seemed carry near and dear to his heart.

Not to mention Sesshoumaru's hatred for him and he wasn't exactly sure why the inu hated him so much. Upon their first meeting when he offered Sesshoumaru the use of that arm to gain Inuyasha's sword he was quite forthright with him. Sesshoumaru asked him if he was intending on using him to get revenge on Inuyasha and he said yes.

So, where was the problem exactly?

That was the one and only time he had ever done anything untoward towards the inu and he really didn't DO anything to him at all, except for offer him a human arm. Granted it had a shikon shard in it but that was only so the arm would stay intact and be usable for Sesshoumaru's purposes.

Although, in the end Sesshoumaru failed in his quest to acquire Tessaiga and he wasn't exactly sure how he failed. He like himself most likely under estimated Inuyasha and that damn meddling miko. However, his failure was hardly his fault; he wasn't even there and only heard about it through rumor and speculation. So then, why did Sesshoumaru hate him so?

Well since the inu hated him anyway then what he was about to do wouldn't make anything worse or better. May as well give the inu a real reason to hate even if that was completely counterproductive to what he wanted from the inu.

He lifted his hand up in front of him and produced dozens of tiny little spiders, they weren't so small as to go unnoticed but small enough one would think them to be harmless. "You know what to do." He ordered the little spiders before he blew them off his hand towards where Sesshoumaru and his group were resting.

xx

Sesshoumaru glared across the clearing at the hanyou standing across from him. "You dare show yourself to me hanyou filth." He growled as his hand went for Tokijin.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, if you will," he crossed his arms over his chest. "explain to my why you have such hatred for me. What is it I have done that has caused you to determine that I should no longer reside upon these lands?"

"Your existence is enough to want you dead." He countered.

"Oh?" He arched a dark brow at him. "And what has my existence ever done to you to cause you such discontent with me?"

Amber eyes narrowed deeply as he stared at the kumo. "Your existence is foul and you have used me and others for your evil gains. That is enough to want you dead."

"Ah," he smirked over at him. "but I only used you once and the one time I did you conceded to being used." He pointed out. "I was nothing but forthright and honest with you when you asked if I was using you. You have no one to blame but yourself for agreeing to being used." He uncrossed his arms and held his hands out in front of him. "So again, do tell Sesshoumaru, what exactly have I ever done to you to cause you such discontent?"

Really he had no real reason to hate the hanyou but he did… why? Naraku never did anything particularly terrible to him, never really interacted with him, and was in fact honest about using him. Yet something about him made him want to rid the world of his existence.

"Is it because I wish to destroy your half-brother?" He questioned making sure he used the term half-brother to appease Sesshoumaru's hatred of his relation to the hanyou. "Is that not what you yourself are trying to do? Does it really matter that much who does it or how he is gotten rid of just so long as he is no longer a shame to the Inu no Taishou name?"

Now he really wanted to kill the bastard. How dare he question who he is and why he does what he does. "My reasons for wanting you dead are irrelevant." He growled.

Naraku sighed deeply as he stared at him. "Do I not at least deserve to have a reason for such hatred? To want someone dead is a heavy burden; therefore the reason for it must be powerful." He took a step towards him and watched as he gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. "What is your reason Sesshoumaru?" He questioned and took another step towards him.

Sesshoumaru withdrew Tokijin from its hilt and pointed it towards the hanyou. "Reasons are useless much like your existence." His ambers narrowed as he watched the kumo take another step towards him. What was he doing? Why was he coming closer knowing that he could move like the wind and cut him down faster than he could blink.

"Are you really so cold hearted you would cut me down and let me die without giving me reason for taking my life? To let me wander through the hereafter for the rest of eternity and make me wonder why you killed me." Not that he was just going to let Sesshoumaru cut him down. For that matter Sesshoumaru would be lucky to even be able to use his evil sword against him or any sword for that matter.

By now the venom from his spiders should running through the taiyoukai's veins suppressing his powers. Providing at least five of his spiders got to him and bit him as he instructed them to do.

"No excuses are needed for why you need to die." Sesshoumaru growled and attempted to draw forth Tokijin's power only to have the sword remain silent.

Naraku drew ever closer and smirked at him. "What seems to be the problem Lord Sesshoumaru? Have you decided not to cut me down today?" He mocked to get the inu to react to make sure his spiders did in fact get to the inu.

Sesshoumaru not wanting the hanyou to see that he couldn't use the powers of his Tokijin, sniffed and sheathed his sword. "I see the game you are attempting to play hanyou and I will not be goaded into your trickery this day."

Naraku stared at him with a dark brow arched and took the last step towards him bringing them arms length from each other. "Oh? And what trickery am I playing at?" He questioned and reached a hand out towards him.

Sesshoumaru grabbed him by the wrist and narrowed his ambers deeply. "You are about to over step your bounds." He growled deadly.

"I crossed them the first step I took towards you." He smirked. "You should have attacked the second I appeared before you." He jerked his hand free of his hold, grabbed him by the edge of his armor, pulled him close, and leaned in until they were nose to nose. "Use your powers against me Sesshoumaru-sama." He smirked at him.

Sesshoumaru tried to break free of his hold but found he was weak and unable to tap into his powers. "What have you done to this Sesshoumaru." He demanded with a deadly growl.

Naraku grinned pleasantly as he stared into his golden eyes. "I have sealed your powers, making you as weak as the humans you hate so much."

A growl erupted from his throat at that and again he tried to break free but again found himself too weak to much more than struggle against his hold.

Naraku released his hold upon him. "Now you have some options here and only one of them is best suited to keeping you alive and well." He stepped back and stared the inu up and down. "You can walk away from me right now and take your chances against any and all that would attack and pray you survive being as weak as you are, or…" He trailed off and arched a dark brow at him.

"Or what?" Sesshoumaru growled on the brink of a deadly rage. He could feel how weak he was and was certain that even the weakest of demon or human could bring him down easily.

"Or," Naraku smirked. "you remain with me for one moon cycle and I will grant you all the protection you need from any and all that would wish to do you harm." His smirk turned dark. "And know this Sesshoumaru before you deny me, that you have cut so many bonds in your quest to the top that there is no one that would be willing to protect you from harm. Not only that," he went in for the final blow. "even if you managed to find someone to protect you how long until they grew tired of protecting you from those who wished to see you suffer that they cast you out on your own."

Sesshoumaru glared deadly at the hanyou. "One moon cycle is hardly worth concerning myself with."

"Oh?" He arched a dark brow. "I never said it would last for one moon cycle only that you had to remain with me for one moon cycle. You see," he reached out and grabbed him once again pulling him close. "much like that useless monk and his wind tunnel that travels with your sibling, I can make it last longer or take it away. Walk away now and be as weak as a pathetic human for the rest of your days or one moon cycle with me; the choice is yours."

That was no choice at all seeing as how both were unacceptable yet what other choice was there. "What do you want from me," he demanded coldly. "to go through all this to force me to depend on you for such a length of time."

Naraku leaned in until their noses were barely touching. "What I want will be revealed in due time." He smirked, released his hold upon him, and stepped back putting some distance between them. "What will it be Sesshoumaru; remain with me or risk life on your own with no one to protect you during this time of weakness?"

What choice did he really have? Neither option was acceptable but he just couldn't go at it alone being this weak either. Oh the hanyou was going to pay and pay dearly for this once he got his strength back. "I will see you die for this." He growled.

"We will see about that." Naraku nodded as he once again stepped up to him and gently grabbed him by the wrist. "Let's go home, shall we?" He smirked at him before letting his miasma surround them both in a dark haze and carried them both off.