Kikyo, from a distant cliff, had watched without expression as her arrow snapped in Inuyasha's hands. Anger burned just below the calm exterior at his actions. With Naraku's assistance, Kikyo had planned to acquire Kagome's Shikon shards. The miko cared not whether Kagome was her reincarnation or not. Kagome was an obstacle to Kikyo reaching her goal. Kagome had foiled her chance to drag Inuyasha to hell once already. Killing Kagome would help her gain Naraku's trust as well as removing an obstacle. She knew Naraku would not trust her completely but it would benefit her to confuse him. By keeping Naraku off-balance about her, she would find a way to destroy him. He was responsible for her death and caused the strife between her and Inuyasha. When Naraku was destroyed and she was reunited with Inuyasha in hell, then and only then, will she finally be able to leave this parody of life she acted in.
* * * * * *
Kagome wondered how the rest of the gang was doing. They were probably worried about her, seeing how she just disappeared. Kagome wondered how Inuyasha would react to finding out that Kikyo had tried to take her life. The hanyou was probably hurt by Kikyo's actions, as he was still trusting of the miko. For once, Kagome didn't feel the stabbing pain in her heart when she thought of Inuyasha and Kikyo. She accepted that he loved Kikyo and only felt sympathy for the sad fate of Inuyasha's and Kikyo's tragic relationship. Kagome sighed and shook her head. It wasn't the time to think of such things. There were more important things to consider at the moment.
In her mind, she saw an image of Rin, smiling with her as they watched the firefly escape from her hands. She remembered the way the little girl had laughed, covered with flour from baking Sesshoumaru's birthday cake. Rin had a way about her that made a lasting impression. The little girl's smile had been comforting when she had been sad and held captive by Sesshoumaru. To think that such a child would be in subjected to the horror of Naraku filled Kagome with rage.
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the sudden flare of Kagome's power and felt a chill. Such power... The youkai lord had met many humans in his lifetime, but the number of them that held such power was few. Somehow, this mysterious girl had managed to surprise him once again. Sesshoumaru had thought the girl a mere human when he first noticed her with Inuyasha. She had surprised him by being able to free the Tetsusaiga when he had been unable to do so. But the power he had just felt was far more than he had first thought her capable of. As he had speculated, the girl was special somehow. There was something about Kagome that seemed to pull at him, drawing his thoughts to her even when she was not present.
"Human. That day, when I found you lying in the forest, you have yet to tell me what you have promised. What was that warmth in your heart in the midst of the red sea of pain?"
Kagome stopped in her tracks, staring at Sesshoumaru's back. He wants me to explain that now!? The young miko wondered why that feeling bothered the youkai so much. Doesn't he know what love is?
"Um...you want to know now?" Kagome panicked as she wondered how she was supposed to explain the greatest question of all 'what's love'.
"Seeing as how you might not be around after the battle with Naraku, I thought it prudent that you tell me now."
Kagome made a face at his casual tone, itching to just smack him one. Sighing, she decided to give it a try and just tell him what her view of what love was.
"Eto that so called warmth you felt. I'm not exactly sure what it was. If I was to take a guess, it was probably a feeling of love." Kagome lifted her head to stare at the sky. "Although it was Inuyasha that hurt me, some part of me still loved him."
Sesshoumaru watched the girl as a feeling came over him. It was the same feeling as that time. The time he had discovered his otou-san had left the powerful Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha while he was given the Tenseiga. Jealousy. The youkai almost growled at the errant thought.
"Love." Sesshoumaru laughed condescendingly. "Love. What is that feeling called love? My otou-san professed to have loved my okaa-san. Yet you can see what happened. Although otou-san had her, he married the bitch that gave birth to Inuyasha. Her gift of knowing others' feelings became a curse then. Because of her ability, she felt the love otou-san had for the human woman and the lack of love for her. That same day, her pride shattered, okaa-san left not wanting to see the one she loved bind himself to another. It was only a split second before she left, but in that moment I felt her pain emanating from her. Unfortunately, chasing after my okaa-san, I stumbled upon Ryuukotsui. Luckily, my okaa-san managed to save me but she was not as fortunate. Her emotions in turmoil, she had been unable to make use of her psychic powers to the fullest. It was on that day that she died. Love only bought my okaa-san indescribable pain and death. How can such warmth be love?"
Kagome's hand covered her mouth in shock. I've never really thought about it before, but Sesshoumaru is a full youkai and Inuyasha is a hanyou. It makes sense that they had different mothers. Kagome's eyes widened at a sudden thought. Seeing his okaa-san killed right before him, unable to use her powers because of her emotional state...No wonder he is so cold and unemotional.
"Ie. It is love." Kagome walked slowly until she stood a step away from Sesshoumaru. "To be in love is not always happiness. To watch as the one you loves walk away from you into the arms of another brings an indescribable pain. But the reason that pain exists is because the love for that person is so deep. If I didn't love Inuyasha, his choosing Kikyo wouldn't have caused me such pain. But," Kagome stared into Sesshoumaru eyes that for once, showed emotion. "to explain what love is exactly is beyond my abilities. All I can say is to be in love with someone is to always have that person on your mind. Even when you try not to think of that person, he somehow sneaks his way into your consciousness. To be in love with someone is not wanting that person to be hurt. Loving someone is wanting him to be happy, even if it isn't yourself standing by his side."
Her speech was followed by a deafening quiet that was relieved only by the beating of her heart. Sesshoumaru stood unmoving as he gazed down at Kagome. She couldn't seem to pull her eyes away from his usually inscrutable eyes that seemed to flicker with a multitude of emotions. There was something painfully sad about the youkai that always seemed so strong and impenetrable. Kagome slowly lifted a hand towards Sesshoumaru's face, something drawing her towards him, wanting to comfort the lonely youkai. Sesshoumaru caught her wrist a hair's breath from his face. His hold on Kagome was steady, his eyes not leaving hers. Sesshoumaru's gaze was penetrating as though searching for something in her eyes. Abruptly, with a jerk to her captured wrist, Kagome found herself in Sesshoumaru's arms. Her soft cry of surprise, at the sudden movement was muffled by his lips placed on hers.