Yes it's been a while, but do you want to kill me or enjoy this chapter? Can't have both…heheh…

Enjoy!

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It was the first time in a long time that Kagome slept without the taunting visions of a nightmare. She hadn't dreamt at all. It was a pleasant sleep, one where the black, blank slate of her subconscious allowed her freedom, granted her peace.

She woke up with the soft feel of the white silk sheets beneath her and feeling the soft, plush pillows by her head. Careful not to agitate her injured side, she propped herself on her elbows and slowly sat up. She looked around tentatively, taking in the un-hostile and unfamiliar place.

Several feet away from the bed was a large, dark brown drawer. Hanging on top of it was an oval-shaped mirror with intricate golden designs outlining it. To the left was an empty closet the same color as the drawer. The walls were painted a pretty beige color. On the wall behind the bed was a large window with brown curtains draped over it. The curtains fluttered lightly from the breeze. She craned her neck upwards and squinted her eyes at the bright lights that emitted from the multiple globe-like chandeliers.

The room was far grander than the stone cold walls and broken mirrors she was used to. Carefully, she swung her bare legs over the bed and put one foot on the ground. The soft, fluffy material of the white carpet met the pads of her feet. Gingerly, she put her other foot on the ground and stood. She shifted her feet, trying to get used to the foreign sensation.

Her haggard reflection caught her eye. Clusters of hair stuck out here and tangled over there. She wiped the trail of dried drool that stretched from the corner of her mouth to the base of her neck.

A warm breeze brushed against her, and she shivered slightly. She turned to see the translucent curtains billowing slightly from the wind.

Mesmerized by the fluidity of their waves, Kagome walked slowly towards the window. She stretched her hand forward, brushing the tips of her fingers on the lace-y feel of the dancing curtains. She continued to stare at the curtains when she had the urge to look up.

The view outside the window took her breath away. Magnificent tress stood proudly, their green leaves reaching as high as they could to touch the heavens. Flowers of all kinds decorated the vibrant green grass. In the center of the clearing was a small lake, clear and crystal blue, glittering with the light that reflected from the sun. She had never seen something so wonderful and pure. Something so full of life. Something so out of her reach.

Still, Kagome found herself leaning outside the window, eager and desperate to get as close to the garden as she could. Her body was halfway out the window, her arms stretched out, when the door swung open.

Enchantment gone and replaced with fear, she ripped herself from the window; afraid she had been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to.

"I-I'm sorry. I was only looking." She stuttered. Her face shrouded with panic.

Kaede watched the frightened girl warmly. She had heard movement from the girl's room and thought she would greet her, only to walk in and find her leaning halfway out of the window.

"It's alright child. No need to be frightened. I only wanted to say good morning." Kaede said with a motherly smile.

Kagome physically relaxed, it was only the nice old lady from yesterday. For a moment she had feared it was…Kagome shook her head. No. She wouldn't think about that. "G-good morning." Kagome greeted. She rubbed her arm, not knowing what else to say. It wasn't as if she had had good practice talking to people, or any practice at all. Kaede's smile broadened, the crinkles on the corner of her elderly eyes deepening.

"Well, it seems I haven't had the opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Kaede, and yours?" Kaede walked closer.

"I-I'm Kagome." She pressed herself closer to the windowpane, uncomfortable with Kaede's growing proximity. "Pleased to make your acquaintance." She bowed at the waist, nervous.

Kaede waved a hand in front of her face. "Oh no need for the formalities child, this is the twenty first century! Although it is nice to see people your age show respect to their elders. I swear, kids these days are just awful! You know, the other day I was walking down the street when this disgustingly dressed young man, with his pants halfway down his legs, bumped into me! Imagine my shock when he spouted such crude language directly in my face! Why if I was twenty years younger I'd give him a good kick in the— oh listen to me prattling! Excuse my language child."

Kagome had watched, thoroughly entertained, as Kaede acted out her story with wide gestured of her wrinkled arms. She had never seen someone who became so easily excited, and all because she had said 'hello'.

"Anyway, I have drawn your bath, would you like to take it now or later?"

Kagome visibly reeled back, shocked. A bath? For her? Perhaps she had really died on that street and her soul had missed heaven and landed in an alternate universe. It was the only explanation! Usually, she was the one who was tasked with drawing baths for…them.

"Now…please." She gave another bow.

Kaede squealed with glee. "So polite! I can tell we will get along swimmingly! Well come, come, don't want your bath to get cold now do we?" Kaede rushed behind Kagome and began to gently, but firmly push her out of the room and down the hallway.

Kaede stopped pushing when they reached double gray doors in at the end of the intricate hallway.

Kagome watched silently as Kaede pushed the doors and they swung open, revealing an elegant bathroom.

"Don't just stand there, child! Step in! Step in! Please take off your clothes." Kaede waved her hands in a beckoning motion and turned to busy herself with different soaps, shampoos, and conditioners. Kagome did as she was told. She peeled off her white shirt and skirt as well as her undergarments and stood in the middle of the bathroom awkwardly naked and awaiting Kaede's next orders.

"Ah…I did as you asked." Kagome said.

Kaede's back stayed turned. "Wonderful! Would you step into the bath while I sort these things out dearie? It's to your left. Just push the button and step in."

Kagome nodded and blushed when she realized Kaede's back was turned and had not seen the gesture. She turned to her left and came face to face with a door. Her eyes searched for the handle and instead found a button. She pushed it and stepped back in surprise when the door slid open and disappeared into the wall.

She looked into the dark room and stepped inside. When her foot touched the floor, light flooded into the room. Kagome squinted her eyes from the assault of lights and waited for them to adjust.

When she opened them, her eyes landed on an unnecessarily large tub. The circular bathtub took up most off the space in the marble finished room and could almost be mistaken for small lake. Foam and bubbles covered the surface of the tub in a reasonable coat.

Kagome took a few shy steps toward the bath and stopped at the edge.

'Do I just…jump in?' She silently questioned and concluded that there must be another solution. So, she spent the next to minutes roaming the edge of the tub in search of a way to enter the tub when she found glass stairs, covered in foam. There was no railing and the stairs were slippery so she took slow, cautious steps until she was one step away from the water. She took the step and submerged herself in the water.

Kagome basked in the warmth of the water. It definitely beat bathing in freezing cold water.

"Oh my gosh! I've killed her! I'm a murderer! Kagome! Kagome dear! For all that is good and holy, please be alive!" Kagome could barely make out Kaede's frantic, distorted voice from underwater. She poked her head out of the water and took a deep breath.

"Oh thank goodness! I thought you drowned!" She struck a hand to her chest. "Don't scare me like that. Now I'll never reach sixty. Oh cruel fate!"

Kagome looked at her sheepishly and wiped the water off of her face. "Sorry. I hadn't realized I was underwater for so long."

Kaede recovered from her hysterics and smiled. "It's alright child, I'm just glad you're okay." She clapped once and brought out a basket filled with different bottles. "Ok, so which scent would you like?"

"Pardon?"

"Which scented soap and shampoo would you prefer? Peach? Watermelon? Lavender? Or rose?" She asked, taking each bottle out to name it.

Kagome blinked and stared at Kaede. "Um…" She pointed to the purple bottle. "Lavender?"

"Excellent choice!" Kaede exclaimed. She selected two purple bottles and tossed the rest over her shoulders. Kaede hiked her skirt above her knees and sat at the edge of the pool-sized tub and waved Kagome over.

"Your skin is so pale and smooth!" Kaede commented as she used a sponge to wash Kagome, who absentmindedly played with the foam. "It's as if your skin hasn't had a drop of sunlight!" Kaede laughed at her own joke and didn't notice when Kagome abruptly stop fiddling with the soap and her body tensed.

Painful memories passed through Kagome's mind and uncontrollable (she had learned over the years) quivers racked her body. All her life she had not seen a ray of sunshine. She was only accustomed to dark hallways, dark rooms, even when she managed to escape into the forest to play her beloved piano, it was in the dead of night. She hadn't noticed the tears streaming down her face till Kaede spoke.

"Kagome dear? What's wrong? Was it something I said? Oh me and my big mouth!" Kaede slapped her mouth with a foamy hand and sputtered when soap entered her mouth and nose.

Kagome smiled weakly and blinked rapidly in an attempt to stop the tears. "No. It wasn't you Kaede."

Would you like to come out of the bath?" Kaede asked.

"Yes please…if you don't mind."

The old maid patted Kagome's shoulder and stood, her knees cracking. "I'll go get you a robe and a towel." She walked out of the room, the door slid close behind her.

"Thank you." Kagome whispered although Kaede was long gone.

She got out of the tub and stepped onto the small shower area in the corner. She waited until the water washed away the suds and her tears before she stepped out.

Kaede came in later, carrying a large robe and towel.

"Im sorry dear. I could only find robes in Master Sesshomaru's size." Kaede said while she draped the large cloth around Kagome and wrapped her wet hair in the towel.

'He's huge!' Kagome thought. The heavy robe weighed on her slight shoulders and could easily wrap around her small frame three times. A few feet of the robe trailed behind her as she walked out of the room, tripping more than once.

Kaede led Kagome back to her room, holding her arm since she didn't trust her to walk on her own two feet, which Kagome was grateful for (she didn't trust herself either). When the reached the room, Kaede forced her into a chair and dashed across the room into a wide closet to retrieve a sleek, silver…thing.

Kagome stared at the thing while Kaede plugged it into a power socket in the wall and uncoiled the wire. She watched as Kaede turned on a switch on the thing and it burst to life, spewing hot air. Kaede caught her questioning gaze and raised a brow. "What? Don't tell me you've never seen a hairdryer before." Kaede said. Kagome blushed and shook her head.

Kaede blinked, surprised. 'What an odd girl.'

"Well…it's used to dry hair." Kaede explained while she removed the towel from Kagome's hair, letting the wet mess of black hair fall freely. "You child, have wonderful hair. So silky and long! I almost want to shave it off and attach it to mine." Kaede laughed as she ran the hairdryer and brush through Kagome's hair. "But of course I wouldn't do that…I lost the razor." Kagome's eyes widened and Kaede laughed once again. Kagome, after she understood that Kaede was only kidding, sat silently while Kaede chatted about this and that and those and these.

"All done!" Kaede exclaimed proudly and walked away to return the hairdryer. Kagome stared at herself in the mirror. It felt strange: to look at yourself clearly for the first time. Her hair looked less like a bird's nest gone wrong and more like a black waterfall, cascading down to cup her plush bottom. She jumped when Kaede's wrinkly hands clamped down on her shoulders.

"How about some breakfast?" Kaede clasped her hands together with the suggestion. Kagome nodded and said, "I will make it right away." Kaede frowned. "…Child, I've already made the food. You must have misunderstood."

Kagome gave a small smile to appease Kaede's questioning gaze. "Well, alright then. Lets go downstairs shall we?" Kagome nodded and accepted Kaede's help to help her stand. They walked together, with arms looped, 'till they reached the kitchen. After sitting Kagome down, Kaede bustled around the kitchen, muttering about where she put the forks and what not. Kagome laughed silently as she watched the elder woman.

"Ok! I have eggs, ham, bacon, cheese, toast, and pancakes. Master Sesshomaru also instructed that you take your medicine after you eat, so here's some juice to help you wash it down." Kagome stared at the food, then at a smiling Kaede, then at the food, then at Kaede. "T-thank you. I've never had so much food."

"Well, you've never had me cook for you. If you had, you might be obese!" Kaede let out another hearty laugh and Kagome laughed with her, thoroughly relaxed and amused. She ate as much as she could before speaking. "Your master…Sesshomaru, does he do this often?" She asked quietly.

Kaede continued busing herself with cleaning. "Do what, child?"

"Take in strangers and ask them to live with him. Does he do it often?" She wouldn't be surprised if he did, the house was definitely big enough, too big for one man to live in. She was surprised when Kaede dropped the mop in her hand and laughed, hands clutching the marble-plated sink for support.

Kagome did not know what was so funny. "Did I say something strange?"

Kaede waved her hands in front of her to say "no", since she was incapable of speech at the moment. She came around the table to smack Kagome on the back, causing the girl to jolt forward.

"Child, the day that block of ice willingly brings someone unto his property, besides Jaken and I, while in the right state of mind, will be the day I start acting like a proper lady! Needless to say, it will never happen." Kaede answered in-between chortles. Now Kagome was confused. If he was so opposed to others setting foot in his home, then why had he asked her of all people to live here?

"It's because you're special." Kaede answered her unspoken question. "I don't think he would have done the same for anyone else." Kaede said with a kind smile and a pat on Kagome's back.

Special? Her? Kagome stared wide-eyed at the older woman for a while before she too smiled.

"How about I take you on a tour around the house, after you've taken your medicine? You've been cooped up like a bird in that room." Kaede suggested.

"I would love to."

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"And this room," Kaede informed while pushing open a heavily stickered door, "used to belong to Rin. Oh, she's Master Sesshomaru's adoptive daughter. She moved out ages ago. I believe she's getting married soon." Kaede explained kindly, while she fumbled around to find the light switch. "Ah! There we are." The old woman said as the room flooded with light.

Kagome did not doubt that the girl, Rin, was well cared for: it was clear in the grandeur of the room. Though it was a bit on the childish side (which would make sense since Kaede did say that she moved out) but Kagome could still feel that the girl had had a wonderful childhood, the happiness she felt radiating from the room could attest to it. Kagome wished she could say the same about her upbringing…

The room was large, with pink walls, pink curtains, pink drawers; everything was in one-way or another a shade of pink. The room was well kept; the bed was made, the floors were clean, and the furniture kept dust-free.

"And this," Kaede's voice turned Kagome's attention to see her standing by a door within the room, "was Rin's art room. Talented one she was…" Kaede beckoned Kagome to follow her into the room.

Unlike Rin's bedroom, her art room had no need for artificial light; a whole wall was made of glass, allowing sunlight into the room. The room had not been kept; it looked as if it was left just the way it was after Rin left. Paint splatters colored the floor, papers were strew about, books upon books on art and drawing techniques sat on shelves or other places, and several isles either had unfinished works attached to them, or they were toppled over.

"They're beautiful…her paintings I mean." Kagome complimented while studying the completed, but unhung masterpieces.

"That they are…Do you dabble in the arts, child?"

The question silenced Kagome for some seconds before she answered with a cautious tone. "Y-yes…somewhat…I…uh…I play piano." She rubbed her arm and her eyes wandered.

"…Is that so...?" Kaede trailed off.

They left the room to wander around the house for the remainder of the day. Their conversations mostly consisted of questions about the house from Kagome and humorous answers from Kaede. Kagome would not say that they bonded, but she had never felt closer to anyone, ever.

Soon night fell and Kaede rushed off to prepare dinner and, of course, Kagome offered to help. The old maid had objected at first, pointing out Kagome's healing injury, but when the younger girl had pick up a knife and chopped a pepper in under 10 seconds, Kaede's objected ceased. The two talked as they cleaned. Kaede joked about girls her age not knowing what a blender was and Kagome responded with laughs and a few jokes of her own. When the mood died down, Kaede tried to ask Kagome where she came from, but took back her questions with Kagome's eyes darkened anxiously.

"What the hell is going on here?" A cold, clipped voice asked.

The two women dropped the spoons and spices in their hands and turned to face a seething Sesshomaru.

"Master Sesshomaru." Kaede greeted with a bow, Kagome did the same.

"You let her cook, in her condition?"

"I-I'm terribly sorry Master Sesshomaru."

"Are you incapable of following orders, Kaede, or possibly too old to do such a simple task yourself? Perhaps I should look elsewhere for proper help?" Kagome felt the kind woman beside her stiffen. Kagome kept her head down; the irritation and rage in his voice ran her blood cold. She was used to this feeling—this fear.

"P-please don't blame her. I only wanted to h-help…" Kagome trailed off. She was never good at defending others. Truth be told, she wasn't good at defending herself either. Kagome could feel Sesshomaru's gaze snap to her, but she didn't see it soften at the sight of her.

She could hear his footsteps as they approached her, slow and deliberate, the complete opposite of her frantic heartbeat. Kagome held in her breath as they stood toe-to-toe.

She gasped when she felt strong fingers cup her chin and lift her head to make eye contact with blazing golden eyes.

"You're injured, you should not be out of bed." Sesshomaru insisted, still irritated that Kaede had defied his orders.

"I-I'm sorry." She tried to bow again but Sesshomaru held a firm grip.

"Don't. Only you should never bow to me. Kaede escort her to her room, then come to my office." Sesshomaru ordered and Kagome was ushered to her room before she could get a word in.

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Sesshomaru had had a very tiresome day. His former business partner Yoshiro had decided today would be a wise day to disrupt the order of his company, by personally threatening him. Sesshomaru would have thought it a pitifully amusing scene, had it not been for the amount of time the pest had forced him to waste.

Sesshomaru had looked forward to coming home, expecting to see his angel sleeping so he could watch over her, only to find her cooking and chatting happily, albeit shyly, with his old maid. His anger was immediate, and though he would never admit it, irrational. It seemed Kagome had taken to Kaede, and so easily, but she flinched and fidgeted whenever he came within a foot of her!

A knock on the door sounded as Sesshomaru removed his tie and jacket. "Come in Kaede."

Kaede slowly opened the door, and with a nervous gulp stepped into the dark room, or as she and Jaken secretly called it: the demon's lair. "You wanted to see me Master Sesshomaru."

"Yes. Take a seat Kaede." His back was still turned; he was facing the window. Kaede reluctantly obeyed and sat on the plush couch while she broke out in a cold sweat. She had seen this type of scenes in movies and read them in books, and they never ended well. If this was anything like the fictional world, one of them would end up dead. But of course, she knew Sesshomaru was not that foolish. If he wanted to kill her, he would do it in a way where her existence was wiped off the face of the earth.

"Kagome," Sesshomaru's chilling voice forced her to digress from her tirade, "She seems to have taken to you."

Kaede was shocked; she was going to live? "Uh…y-yes Master Sesshomaru, I took her around the house and we talked here and there."

"Does she seem to require anything? What did she say about herself?" Sesshomaru tried to keep the impatience and curiosity void in his voice and barely succeeded.

"Well she hasn't said a word about it, but I noticed that she only has one outfit. And as a matter of fact, she did mention something about playing the piano."

"Hn…that will be all. Leave." The dismissal was short and precise, and Kaede wasted no time in bolting from the room. Once she was gone, Sesshomaru called Jaken and before the man could reply, gave out his order. "Purchase women's clothes, I will send you the measurements, and place a special order for a concert grand piano. I want it all here by tomorrow."

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Sesshomaru closed the door behind him softly as he walked into Kagome's room. He did this every night. To others, this type of behavior might have seemed obsessive, but it was the only way he could get close to her without her shrinking away in fear or uneasiness.

She lay in her usual, ball position, with her hair framing her like a dark halo. He sat by the bed; she didn't stir.

"I will do what I can to make you mine, angel. Whatever you desire, you shall have it." He whispered to her slumbering form, while he caressed her face with open-mouthed kisses. His affections knew no bounds when it came to her, and she would soon realize it.

She didn't wake; she never did. He stopped himself before he took things too far, and simply settled with stroking her hair, listening to her mumbles and trying to soothe her tensing form.

"…Sorry…I'm sorry…" was her mantra.

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Yeah, I know Sesshomaru seems little weird, but trust me, ill develop his attitude. Kaede is a crazy, sweet old lady. You wont see very much of Jaken in this story because lets face it: no one cares about Jaken. It's the painful truth.

And contrary to the norm here on , Kagome isn't immediately going to depend and fall for ol' Sessho.

All main characters of Inuyasha (whom I do not own) will be in this story, except Kikyou, because I don't want her contaminating my story. I might change my mind, but don't count on it. Haha.

Stay tuned!

Review and God Bless!

-Crims.