Disclaimer: I don't own any characters of Inuyasha; expect some characters that I created.

Chapter 1:

Dear Life

"What are you looking at, Rin?" Kikyo asked as she finished showering her body with water using both of her hands. Rin sent her a big smile before she answered the former miko's question. "You are really beautiful, Kikyo-sama," Rin commented. "Thank you," Kikyo gave the child a pure smile in turn. "You are beautiful too."

Rin was so amazed about what her eyes caught in a sight; the voluptuous body of a woman and every curve that seemed drawn by the hand of Gods. The pale skin was glowing under the moonlight but her cheeks were blushed in peach color. Her black tresses were long and silk, mixed with two loving mahogany orbs.

"Rin wishes that Rin would be as beautiful as Kikyo-sama when Rin grows up."

They had been bathing together for quite long, but Kikyo seemed not plan to done the bath. It was a long ago since she could feel the water flowed against her skin. She enjoyed her time bathing with Rin; moreover Rin knew how to make Kikyo laughed with her jokes and many simple stories about Sesshomaru.

"Rin happy that Kikyo is alive again," Rin smiled contently. "Now we could be a family. I would be the child of Sesshomaru-sama and Kikyo-sama, while Jaken could be my uncle and Ah-Un as my pet!"

Kikyo smiled and touched the little girl's cheek softly. "I don't think Jaken would accept the idea."

"He must!" Rin insisted. "Or I will always disturb him with my voice." Rin's answer made Kikyo giggled softly.

"Let's finish the bath. It's getting late."

Kikyo stepped out from the hot springs, followed by Rin. They were both naked but it didn't matter, Sesshomaru and Jaken were quite far to spy on them, beside it would be so disgusting if they do it.

"Kikyo-sama," Rin called out. "Milord wants you to wear this."

Rin handed Kikyo a haori, Sesshomaru's haori. Kikyo had no idea about what the little girl said about Sesshomaru's haori and Rin knew it. "Milord thinks your clothes are dirty and torn, so he wants you to wear his haori," Rin explained.

Kikyo looked at her usual outfit, the white haori and red hakama, her miko attire. Indeed, it was dirty and ripped around the sleeves and the hakama was cut half, caused of the battle with Naraku.

With a slight smile, Kikyo took the haori from Rin and wore it, so did Rin who wore her clothes immediately. After finished dressing themselves, they walked back to the group, leaving her miko outfits laid on the rock.

..oOo..

"We are done!" Rin shouted happily as she and Kikyo approached the place where they left Sesshomaru, Jaken and Ah-un to take a bath. Sesshomaru was sitting against the tree; his arms were folded upon his chest while he closed his eyes. Jaken was resting on Ah-Un before he shocked hearing Rin's shout. "Your voice always annoys me!" Jaken grumbled.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes and lifted his head up as his gaze met Kikyo who was wearing his haori now. The haori was big enough for her but only covered half of her thighs. He looked at Kikyo for a quite long, still expressionless but he knew he was amazed the beauty of a woman before her eyes. Sesshomaru sighed softly and got up.

"Jaken, take Rin with Ah-Un," the dog demon commaned his loyal servant.

"C'mon, spoiled brat!" Jaken urged.

"But Rin wants to go with Kikyo-sama," Rin whimpered.

"Go, Rin," Sesshomaru ordered.

"You shouldn't disturb them," Jaken warned in a whisper and drag her away. As the words came out from the impish demon's mouth, Rin suddenly flushed. She memorized about what she saw before, Sesshomaru and Kikyo kissed in front of her virgin eyes. "Are they going to kiss again?" Rin asked whisperly shyly. "Who teach you to ask some kind of that question?" Jaken snapped as his shocked to hear Rin's plain question.

"I think they will," Rin giggled, she couldn't hide her big smile as she looked at Kikyo.

Rin jumped on the back of Ah-Un, followed by Jaken, and then the two headed-dragon took Rin and Jaken flew high to the sky, left Sesshomaru together with Kikyo.

After they disappear from sight, Sesshomaru walked closer to Kikyo. He brought his hand to gently stroke her cheek. His golden eyes looked deeply into her mahogany orbs. This woman before him was indeed beautiful; she must be an angel, not the mortal one. And she had successfully trapped his heart into unknown feelings and emotions he never felt before.

"You haven't answered my question yet," Kikyo broke the silence.

"What question?" Sesshomaru asked while kept touching her cheek.

"Do you love me?"

Sesshomaru seemed did not bother about her question. "You have time now. And like I said, let me prove it," Sesshomaru stated dryly.

"Do you really love me?" Kikyo repeated her question and made Sesshomaru stop touching her cheek and withdrew his hand. "Do you more believe in words than acts?" Sesshomaru asked in turn.

"Say it then prove it. So I don't have any reason to doubt anymore." Her voice carried pain and trauma of love's betrayal. Sesshomaru leaned down until his forehead touched hers. He closed his eyes and inhaled her intoxicating fragrance. It was so soft and sweet. At the other side, Kikyo still waited for the Great Dog Demon's respond of her question. 'Why does he so hard to tell me that he loves me?' She wanted Sesshomaru to say those words badly but he was too cold.

The next second, Sesshomaru wrapped his arms around Kikyo's slender waist and locked her lips in a passionate kiss. Kikyo permitted herself to drown in his tight-almost possessive embrace while she brought her hands up and hang them on Sesshomaru's shoulders. Her hand ran through his silver locks as the other one caressed the back of his neck to deepen their kiss. Using his tongue, Sesshomaru assaulted her lips, forced her mouth opened and exploring the sweet taste of her mouth. Kikyo could felt her teeth clashed against his fangs. Kikyo never felt like this before, she felt so alive after a long time being a dead-corpse. His kiss was so soft yet passionate and his embrace seemed won't let her go.

Sesshomaru tighten his embrace as he brought his right hand traveled down to Kikyo's thigh which caused the dark-haired woman shivered and moaned softly inside their lip-lock. He could feel the softness of her breast against his well-built chest for it was just a tiny slayer of his haori which separated their skins. It aroused Sesshomaru as the peaked of Kikyo's soft buds brushed his chest. Instantly he reminded himself to stop, it surprised him to be patient toward a human.

Kikyo gasped as Sesshomaru picked her up in bridal style and their lip-lock reluctantly parted. Kikyo gave him a questioning sight as Sesshomaru kept gazing at her. She seemed so small in his embrace. One of his hands clutching her shoulders while the other one propped her bare thighs. The night air was cold but he could feel the warmth of hers under his silky haori. The rubbing of their skins had just aroused his every sense. But he knew he would never let his beast seized control of himself.

All of sudden, Sesshomaru used his demonic power of super speed to ran fast penetrating the dark forest. He moved faster than the eye can see but his embrace on Kikyo was still steady. Kikyo clutched tight on Sesshomaru's shoulders. She closed her eyes for she was afraid Sesshomaru accidentally dropped her down, but she told herself not to felt such kind of stupid feeling. She trusted Sesshomaru.

Kikyo slowly opened her eyes and saw they were still running penetrated the forest. Sesshomaru noticed that Kikyo was more relaxed now.

"Want to fly?" Sesshomaru asked in soft tone.

Not waiting for her answer, with one gentle step Sesshomaru used his Mokomoko to bring them up high to the night sky. And now, they were moving faster in the air through the clouds of almost-dawn sky.

Kikyo glared down through Sesshomaru's shoulders. Under them, she could see the whole forest and a large mountain at the north side of the forest; the river flowed calmly and its sounds of flowing water really relaxing. The birds started to sing as the sky turned into orange color.

Kikyo sensed a heat behind her so that she turned her head. In the distance, she saw the bright light of morning sun. She narrowed her eyes and hardly saw something like a high tower surrounded by the morning mist, but then she drowned her head at Sesshomaru's chest. After an enough time flying in the air, Sesshomaru slowly went down.

Sesshomaru gently landed using his feet. Kikyo lifted her head up and laid her eyes to the something in front of her eyes. It was a high and hefty wall with its big-wooden gate opened. There was standing a tall man; Kikyo could tell he's a lion demon. He has shoulder-length wavy light-brown hair which is loose; a blue kimono with white pattern and a black hakama which both made in silky fabric covered his muscular body. His face was firm but yet calm, his shining grey eyes were so friendly. He suprisingly sent Kikyo a warm smile but full of meaning.

"Your servants has arrived not long ago," the male demon informed Sesshomaru. He did not bow; even he talked to Sesshomaru in a usual way. Kikyo guessed that he must be a Lord like Sesshomaru or a mighty-noble demon or they were friend since long ago. But the idea of Sesshomaru having a friend was make no sense to her.

Kikyo shifted her gaze to Sesshomaru as he looked down at her and whispered softly.

"Welcome to the West Land."

..oOo..

Kikyo looked around the entire room; it was big with ivory colored wall and many large windows on its side but the room seemed vague. She was sitting on a soft sofa, still wearing Sesshomaru's haori. The Dog Demon left her in that room after the demon whom they met at the front gate whispered something to him. Sesshomaru told her to stay there until the palace's servants came and took care of her. That indicated Sesshomaru has something to do for he was the Lord of the West Land. Besides, she hadn't seen Rin yet since she arrived at the palace.

After an enough time to waited, the door opened. Kikyo turned her head and saw a male deer demon came with a female rabbit demon behind her. The deer demon has a short-brown hair; his chocolate eyes were faded but friendly. His face line showed that he was no longer young; an old demon but eventually demons are immortal. No matter how old they are, they always look young. He wore a fine black kimono and from his gesture, he must be a well-manner demon. As the rabbit demon was a young one, Kikyo could tell that the rabbit demon might younger than her. Her snowy white hair was put in high pigtail at both sides of her head, tied by pink ribbon. Her dark eyes were plain just like her little smile. And she also wore a fine kimono. Both of them bowed before Kikyo.

"Welcome to the West Land Palace, Kikyo-sama," the deer demon greeted, his voice was firm but somehow tremble for the old age. Kikyo was a little bit surprise for the deer demon knew her name before introduced herself. "I am Yamada, the head servant of West Palace," the deer demon informed his name. "And this is Aya," said Yamada as the rabbit demon once again bowed to Kikyo.

"Ohayou gozaimasu, Kikyo-sama," Aya greeted. "I am your personal servant as Milord told me." No wonder why those demons knew her name. Sesshomaru must have told them about her before. Kikyo immediately stood up and bowed sligthly. Yamada observed Kikyo as he noticed that Kikyo wore only his Lord's haori and she smiled.

"The Mother Queen…" Yamada started to speak. "Ever said to Milord not to bring any woman from any kind to the palace," he paused as he saw Kikyo tensed for guessing she was not accepted in West Land palace. At least, this palace was full of demon and even though she was once a powerful miko, she didn't sure her power recovered by now if the demons attack her.

After a while, he continued. "Unless Milord intends to make her as the Lady of the West Land."

It caused Kikyo suddenly flused. "No, we aren't like that," she stated shyly.

Yamada only smiled for the former miko's respond; he didn't mean to tease her after all.

"Aya," he called out the rabbit demon. "Take Kikyo-sama to her room and give her a kimono to wear," the older servant ordered. "And let her rest. She must be tired"

Aya instantly approached Kikyo and invited her to go outside the room. "Come, Kikyo-sama."

"Where is Sesshomaru?" asked Kikyo before left the room.

"Milord and Edo-sama went to fix the problem at the border line," Yamada informed.

"Edo-sama?" Kikyo echoed whisperly. Edo-sama might the name of demon whom she met at the front gate. Without asking further, Kikyo followed Aya who led her the way to her own room at the West Land palace.

A/N: Reviews, comments, critics, flames or anything would be accepted, except Kikyo bashing!