Love after Loss by MissTeak

A Meeting

Disclaimers: I do not own Inuyasha in any way. The only thing I own is this story.

A/N: The story takes place in an AU setting, with Kagome and Sesshoumaru being divorced three years ago. Rin, their daughter of age five, has contracted acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow.

In order to save Rin, Kagome seeks far and wide to find a suitable donor to save her daughter's life with a bone marrow transplant. However, no matches could be found so far, not even Kagome's own bone marrow. Desperate and left with no other choice, she resorts to her final strand of hope – her ex-husband, Taisho Sesshoumaru.

Sometimes, you find love after you lose it.

Title: Love after Loss

Chapter 1: A Meeting

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Taking a deep breath, Kagome stepped into the towering building which read "Taisho Holdings". The chilly air-conditioning greeted her, before glass sliding doors closed behind. The clean, fresh scent of the building seemed ever so professional and oddly detached, for she had not visited this place for three years.

Yes, three long years since they finalized their divorce.

If it was not for the fact that she had no choice at all, she would never have opted to come here. Not when it was so painful, reminding her of all the pain she tried to numb herself to.

She felt like running away when she saw the ever familiar receptionist area, the elevator, the café...everything reminded her of him, and the time when she used to be working here as well.

But her mind went back to the little life that was waiting for her. It all started two months ago when she started noticing tiny red spots under Rin's skin, her frequent bouts of high fevers, and paleness of her face and complains of constant ache.

"I'm sorry, Miss Higurashi, but your child has contracted a disease called AML, more specifically, acute myelogenous leukemia."

"L-Leukemia? Isn't that...isn't that cancer?"

"Yes. It is the cancer of the blood and bone marrow, occurring very rarely in young children. We have to act as fast as we can, Miss Higurashi. If we start treatment early, there is above ninety percent chance of a long-lasting remission for your daughter..."

Initially, she could not accept the devastating news. How could that be? Rin was only five. She has already been disadvantaged as a child, growing up in a single parent family. Furthermore, given the social stigmas attached so strongly to single mothers in Japan, Rin had suffered more than her fair share with Kagome, always having troubles with finding lodging and such.

The first round of chemotherapy did not go well, and subsequent treatment sessions proved complexities in Rin's body's response to the treatment planned for her. Things were not going well, and there was nothing she could do as a mother but watch her daughter suffer.

"Mommy...is Rin going to die?" The little girl had asked when she saw Kagome crying after a chemo session. "Don't cry, Mommy...Rin will be a good girl."

Helpless and almost tearing up apart inside, Kagome approached the doctor, only to be told that a bone marrow transplant was Rin's best chance of survival. However, a suitable donor was needed, and that was often the greatest obstacle.

After failed attempts of testing out to be a donor, lack of compatibility in the bone marrows available at the National Marrow Donor Program Registry, things were looking not so good for the little girl.

Kagome could only recall the numerous nights she spent crying alone when the tests revealed that her own bone marrow, and those of her own mother, brother, grandfather, friends like Sango and Miroku all could not match that of Rin's.

"How...How am I going to find a suitable donor, doctor?" She had asked out of desperation, breaking down in tears in front of the oncologist.

"I do have an idea in mind, Miss Higurashi," The aged doctor replied softly, as if hesitant. "I understand that you are divorced, are you not?"

Kagome had nodded silently.

"Then there is still a chance of survival for Rin, if you can manage to get in contact with your ex-husband. Since Rin is related to him by blood, there stands the possibility of their HLA tissue types being compatible..."

Her only chance left was him. Her ex-husband, Taisho Sesshoumaru. If there was any hope left for them, it was him. There was no other alternative when Rin's life was at stake. Even if he was unwilling to help him, she would beg him until he agreed. After all, Sesshoumaru did dote on Rin...Kagome could not think of any reason why he would not agree to save their daughter if he could help it.

With her determination renewed, Kagome took another step closer to the elevator, before the attendant in the elevator asked for the level she intended to go to.

"Level 60, please." Kagome replied softly with a small bow.

As the elevator ascended, Kagome looked out at the buildings on the other side of the glass with odd fascination as they became smaller and smaller. The sunshine cast a warm glow over everything, while her thoughts went back to her daughter lying in hospital with only her grandmother for company.

No matter how hard it was for her to face Sesshoumaru, she would do it for Rin's sake. However, these determined thoughts were not making things any easier for her. Simply thinking of seeing his face again in person after so long was making it laborious for her to breathe.

Even though it has been three years since they last saw each other, Sesshoumaru has been doing his part as a father until Rin reached the age of four. He visited her dutifully on weekends, before Kagome and Rin moved to another apartment. She did not know why she did it, but she withheld their new address from him. She did not know it was because she could not forget him at all, and that was her last ditch effort in doing so.

As the elevator came to a halt, Kagome bowed her thanks to the attendant, before stepping out onto the spacious office area of her ex-husband. Walking over to the receptionist area, Kagome spoke up after clearing her throat.

"Excuse me, but I would like to see Mr. Taisho Sesshoumaru."

The lady at the counter peered at her for a good three seconds, before her eyes widened in recognition.

"You are Mrs. Taisho, aren't you?"

Kagome forced a small smile onto her face at being recognized, before saying. "I was."

The lady nodded, for there was no one in the entire building who did not know of the divorce between Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

"So, you wish to see Sesshoumaru-sama right now?" She asked. "Do you have an appointment scheduled with him?"

"I...No," Kagome shook her head, her grip on her handbag tightening. "But I have to see him right now, this is very urgent. Please understand, I have to see him no matter what."

"I wish I could help you too, but there is nothing I can do now. Sesshoumaru-sama is currently having a conference with our clients from Taiwan, and-"

Her words paused abruptly as sounds of a door opening came from behind Kagome and what could be heard next was unmistakably, the voice of Taisho Sesshoumaru.

"We look forward to working with you again."

"Of course, it has always been great pleasure to work with your company..."

At the familiar voice, Kagome spun around on her heels, only to come straight into face with the man she spent so many nights trying to erase from her memory. She could feel the few strands of sanity holding her in reality strain as she mentally took note of the close proximity of her ex-husband.

"Sesshoumaru..." She whispered, barely audible.

From where she was, it was not hard for her to see the shock in his eyes at seeing her after so long. His slightly parted lips gave him away. But the shock did not last long, for he very characteristically hid the surprise under a mask of indifference and subtle arrogance almost instantly. That was the Sesshoumaru she knew.

He had not changed at all since they parted, and she could not help but wonder if that was a good thing. If there was anything else, it would be his appearance. He was still every bit as good-looking as she remembered him to be, to the point of being the very epitome of perfection itself.

She evaded the eye contact quickly, before bowing in greeting. He nodded in her direction, before walking the group of Chinese clients to the elevator. She stood at the receptionist counter awkwardly, unsure of what to do or say, now that she had seen him with her very own eyes.

As the doors to the elevators closed, Sesshoumaru turned to her, silently regarding her with a cool gaze. However, the look on his handsome face reflected the slightest trace of what she thought seemed like sadness. But that was impossible, wasn't it?

Dispelling the nagging thought, Kagome exhaled slowly before taking a deep breath, the chilly air making her nose ache slightly, before saying, "I need to talk to you, Sesshoumaru."

He blinked once, before looking at her again. His silence was almost unnerving, and the heavy tension that lingered like a blanket was threatening to drown her.

"I really have to talk to you...this is urgent." She was almost losing her composure. Trust him to create such an effect on her.

"Do we have anything more to talk about," He finally spoke up in his deep, baritone voice. "Kagome?"

Hearing her name from his lips only managed to send a weird tingle through her being. For how long had she not heard from him? It felt so odd now...to think they were once in love.

"So you do remember me." She said in a soft voice.

"There is no reason for me not to." He replied. His voice was ever so impassive, giving her no clue at all as to what he was thinking or feeling.

"If so, can I talk to you in private?"

He regarded her silently for another moment, as if trying to read her intentions for this sudden visit, before agreeing.

"Fine, we will talk if that is what you wish." The heavy presence of detached professionalism faded ever so slightly from his voice. He cast a glance over at the clock hanging on the wall. "Have you had lunch?"

His question surprised her. She had expected him to simply ask her into his office and demand for her to get to the point, for he had always been a straightforward, no-nonsense sort of person.

"No, not yet." She answered dutifully, shaking her head slightly as she did.

"We will talk over lunch then."

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To be continued...

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed this so far! Please review if you liked it to reward my efforts!