The Story Continues by Nile-sama

Chapter 1

AUTHOR'S NOTE: All characters are copyright of Takahashi Rumiko... the rest is creative license from a starry eyed IY fan! ;)

Reviews can be sent to nile@a-single-spark.com

I believe this story is nominated in 1 category here at A Single Spark. Thanks for nominating my fanfic!!!

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"Well, the jewel is complete. Miroku's kazaana has disappeared. Sango has Kohaku back thanks to Sesshoumaru's benevolence and his Tenseiga. Inu Yasha got his revenge. Kikyo has peacefully passed on and given my soul back and the jewel returned to my body from wence it came," Kagome sighed, looking out from her seat, barely aware of the merriment of the festival in honour of their victory.

Sesshoumaru had joined up with the Inu- tachi as well as Kouga and the last of his pack members. After the problems with facing Naraku in Mount Hakurei, they almost gave up. However in the end, they pulled through. Naraku had tried to split the earth as he had in Mt. Hakurei and Kagome had fallen into the crevice. As her feet had hit the shouki, Sesshoumaru had caught her and brought her back to stable ground. Though in pain, she persevered throughout the ardurous battle. Kagome itched the bandages on her legs and feet, the jewel quickly healing at an annoying rate, leaving her a bit perturbed. But it was good to know Naraku was no more. She, Inu Yasha, and Sesshoumaru together had been the last hit to destroy Naraku.

Now Kagome had nothing to stay for. She loved Inu Yasha deeply but did not see him wanting anything to do with her, had gained a slight friendship with the Ice Prince himself, and everyone kind of seemed happy celebrating without her. She was not jealous. For once, everyone was happy, unburdened from the thoughts that Naraku could be lurking around the next tree. She wished she could stay, but she did not want to face the heartbreak of knowing that Inu Yasha never loved her or just considered her a friend. There had been too many implied intimate moments between her and the hanyou that she was too scared to find out what he really felt. She did not belong in the feudal era. She was a modern Japanese girl on the brink of going to college. Yes, she had managed while trekking through the wilderness to complete her secondary school studies and surprisingly with high marks. It had taken many sleepless nights and once Sesshoumaru had teamed up with the group, she found that the taiyoukai was a great study partner. He had practically gobbled up all the information from the books she had brought from her time and understood without question, unlike everyone else who often questioned about the strange contraptions she brought every so often for hers or the groups convenience.

'Kuso, why do I have to be so melancholy?' she berated herself.

Kagome slowly rose, and limped her way to her bag. She threw it over a shoulder and proceeded slowly from the village. Her face filled with the turmoil of emotions that practically choked her but she made a brave face and disappeared into the night toward the Bone Eater's Well. Each step was indeed painful. The acid from the stone oni had been quite painful and even though the jewel soothed her somewhat, she almost grimaced with each step. She tried to take deep breaths of the clean air, more for the purposes of her memory, rather than trying to gather her wits. It was even hard to breath. She was almost beginning to think that staying was best, but quickly stomped the thought down with a hard swallow, the knot forming in her throat intensifying her to almost breaking out into sobs.

Upon approaching the well, she felt a youkai presence and knew who it was, turning to see him.

"So, you are leaving," he said, his amber eyes glinting in the moonlight, his baritone voice giving off a slight echo in the clearing.

Although the inu brothers both amber eyes, there was a definite difference in the colour between the two. While Inu Yasha held a deep burnt amber, like a piece of gold slighty worn, Sesshoumaru's eyes were a multi-faceted display of gold, from shining to burnt gold. Kagome had surmised that the difference was simply in the blood, being that Sesshoumaru was full youkai and Inu Yasha only a hanyou. Even their hair was slightly different. Both had silver hair, but Sesshoumaru's shone like perfect platinum while Inu Yasha could have been almost said to have plain white. She kind of liked Sesshoumaru's features better, but it was definite, if Inu Yasha was simply gorgeous, then Sesshoumaru was definitely a specimen that most men would have assume were modeled from.

In a way she felt guilty comparing the brothers, but she was not dating either one so she felt she had free reign over her thoughts.

"Yes, it is for the best. I have to go back to where I belong. It is something I have had to deal with from the beginning of this quest. There is nothing here for me, Sesshoumaru," Kagome slowly said, almost wanting to cry, the tears apparent in her eyes, but she managed to grin. "And yes, I will miss everyone, even you, you big ice cube."

She laughed and the tears rolled down. Sesshoumaru thought it a heartbreaking sight and admired the young miko for her efforts at trying to keep a brave face on. She had proved herself worthy to be in his presence. She had been the cornerstone to defeating Naraku and shown her intelligence despite her youth and sometimes awkwardness. He knew the clumsiness was due to her changing from adolescence to a woman. She did not appear to be fully Japanese as most very small and very fragile looking. When he had first met her, she was tall and almost a bit lanky, tripping and getting into trouble far more than even his ward Rin had done. When he had finally allied himself with the Inu- tachi, she was a bit taller and more filled out, perhaps a bit more pleasing to the eye than most demonesses he had encountered. He often had to berate himself for thinking perversely as he was youkai and she but a ningen, but in the end, it did not matter. He often growled in the inu language, teasing Inu Yasha for the smell of arousal emanating from his half brother for Kagome. In fact, he found it even more amusing that Inu Yasha actually got turned on when the two would argue. It was no wonder other demons sought highly for her hand. She was Kagome, a formidable miko warrior of unrenowned beauty that had attained his respect without trying.

"One moment, before I go. Please, come here. I need to give you something that you have been missing. It was a terrible shame to see you had to throw your arm into Hell, but I knew it had been necessary since Sou'unga was attached and refusing to relinquish its hold," Kagome said as Sesshoumaru nodded and approached her.

Kagome reached up and rolled Sesshoumaru's haori sleeve over the stump of his left arm, and then gently cupped it. She closed her eyes in concentration as blue light erupted from her hands. The results were almost instantaneous. Sesshoumaru's arm reappeared in perfect condition. His eyes widened slightly with shock, however the rest of his face never gave him away, something he had worked on and held for years.

"This Sesshoumaru thanks you, Miko-sama," Sesshoumaru leaned down and kissed her on the lips.

It was no chaste kiss. He coaxed her lips, molding them with his own, then teasing them open with his tongue, before plunging it into the cavern of her mouth. She definitely tasted even better than she smelled. No ningen held the same scent or one as pure. It was sakura blossoms, honey, lavendar, and jojoba. He knew the jojoba was mostly from her 'shampoo' that she brought back from her time to wash in. He had heard that Egyptians often smeared jojoba oil on them to smell better and it was indeed a pleasing scent. Most other ningens consisted more of urine, dirt, and sweat. They did have a slight pleasing odor, but the ningen of this era compared to what Kagome had illustrated before had no training in hygiene.

Kagome slowly responded, teasing back his tongue with hers and softly moaning. She had never been kissed like this. Sure, she had shared but a meager few kisses with Inu Yasha, but none had involved tongue. Maybe it was because Sesshoumaru had more experience with women. He was a demon lord so she assumed he had no problem with quenching his needs.

'Oh my Kami! I'm kissing Sesshoumaru!'

He slowly withdrew, resting his forehead on hers, as their breath billowed out between them in the chilly night air. His eyes only inches away, as if reading her soul. He had done it. He had kissed a ningen and it felt so right. Her grey- blue eyes were filled with uncertainty and he even dared to summise, love.

Kagome, finally recovering from the kiss, blushed and stuttered, "Y-you're welcome. My work is done here. I wish you well. Please tell everyone I will miss them and that leaving like this was necessary. I don't think I could go through saying goodbye to all of them without breaking down."

"This Sesshoumaru will honour your request. Farewell," Sesshoumaru replied with a bow, and turned, his silver hair following gracefully behind him.

Kagome took one last look at the demon lord's retreat, licking her lips, relishing the taste of him and then closed her eyes, breathing deeply then letting it out, her last breath of the feudal era. She then pulled one leg over and then the other, and hopped into the well, letting the well's mystical powers bring her home.