Naraku paced around his dark office. He was considering his next move very carefully. He knew that everyone's main focus was on the Panthers and he would use that to his advantage. There was some speculation on him of course. But Naraku's greatest asset was his patience. He would patiently wait in the shadows and allow everyone to concern themselves with a pack of overgrown cats and then he would strike. Sesshoumaru was the weak link here. His wife would be his downfall and by the dark Gods will he enjoy every minute of it.

He threw himself into his seat and casually spun around it. Grabbing a small dagger he began to twirl the pointed blade around his middle finger, after dialing Kagura's number on speaker.

"Naraku," she answered smoothly.

Blood began to drip from his finger. "Kagura, I see you've done well in getting Sesshoumaru out of the country."

"Of course. I wonder why I did though."

"Peace of mind," his eyes grew dark. "He left because of a threat but once you inform him that the threat had died with the three demons his mind will be put at ease. And he will enjoy himself and he will soon forget any attack."

"Oh, I see," Kagura replied. "Is there anything else you want from me?"

"Yes," he switched the blade to his forefinger. "How is the company doing?"

"Better than ever. Touga has temporarily stepped in to help while Sesshoumaru is gone and things are going smoothly. And although Inuyasha was supposed to be taking his place in the company, he simply sits there and doodles."

"Hm," he remarked. "Well, Kagura, keep your eyes and ears open. I will contact you when needed."

He hung up and then spun once. He stopped and grabbed a picture of Kagome on his desk. She really was quite pretty. He could practically hear her screams leaving her pink lips and he nearly shuttered thinking about the light leaving those bright blue eyes.

Oh Kagome, he stood and tossed her picture back down on his desk. How prettily you'll die. He stabbed the dagger into her picture, blood from his fingers dripping onto her face.

Kagura stood, completely still with her phone still pressed to her ear; her features betraying no emotion other than her typical cool self-confidence. After her momentary pause, she finally hung up her phone and made the mental note to consider everything that was said at a later time. For now she had work to do; she had to place a detailed report of what happened yesterday on Sesshoumaru's desk. It was obvious that he employer did not trust his father, so before he left he instructed her to record every little thing that involves the company daily and to have it on his desk ready to be read when he returns.

Personally, Kagura thought it ridiculous. After all, the company was created and flourished under Touga. There was no reason to not trust his ability.

Turning around to leave, Kagura saw Sesshoumaru's office door open. And then with all the arrogance in the world Satori waltzed in and closed the door behind her.

"Pleasant seeing you here," Satori regarded coldly.

"Likewise," Kagura said in her usual sultry voice.

With an arrogant glance, Satori looked at Kagura from head to toe. "I must say," Satori walked towards her sons desk. "I am so glad that my son did not get saddled with the likes of you." She dropped a folder on his desk that contained evidence regarding the panther demons. Stupid little things.

"The likes of me?" Kagura repeated calmly.

"Yes, the likes of you. A pretty face and not much else – besides any common demons whore that is."

"I wonder if your dearest Kagome is keeping Sesshoumaru," she paused for a moment and then smiled. "Interested? It'd be a shame for him to become so bored to where he would have to come crawling back to the likes of me."

Satori narrowed her eyes at her insolence. "I'll have you know that they are extremely happy together."

Kagura smirked. "As always it's been nice speaking to you, but I must go," she left the office and Satori seethed.

But just as quickly she calmed down. After all things were going well between her son and his new wife. They were continuing their honeymoon and he had saved her life. Yes, things were well.

/\\\\\\

"It's amazing," Sesshoumaru commented wryly while staring at a bowl of white mush. "I didn't think it possible to mix common household ingredients and create such a tasteless, odorless, and colorless bowl of poison, and yet, here I am staring at it," he then turned to face his wife and said in all seriousness, "I am impressed."

Insulted, she placed her hands on her hips. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"It means," he said slowly. "That I would rather rip out my heart with my own claws and die than ingest whatever this," he paused to find the word. "I'm not even sure what to call this."

"First off you ungrateful ass, it's food. And second, I'm never cooking for you again!"

Sesshoumaru scoffed. "Food? Don't make me laugh and also, you never cooking for me is not a threat. It is a blessing."

Kagome and Sesshoumaru arrived at the hotel safely. Miraculously enough, Sesshoumaru unpacked their clothing while Kagome made dinner in the pre-stocked kitchen. The sun had already set and only stars occupied the sky.

Kagome marched her way out of the kitchen muttering under her breath about how she'll never do a nice thing again – while Sesshoumaru disdainfully stared at the offending dish on the table. He noticed how she didn't make herself bowl; clearly she knew how vile her cooking was but did not wish to admit it. He glanced at his watch and then followed Kagome.

"I will order room service," Sesshoumaru said. "Is there something you would like? Unless you actually wish to eat the slop you prepared?"

Further insulted, she huffed and stomped her foot. "You are going to waste food AND order more?! You're unbelievable."

"No," he calmly said. "That blasphemy in the kitchen is what's unbelievable. And you for expecting me to actually eat it. Tell me Kagome, why don't you eat it?"

"Because," there was a brief pause as she thought of an excuse. "Because I made it for you."

"Eating that would be sacrilegious."

"As in sacrilege," there was a hint of censure in her tone. "Really? Are you that conceited?"

"I am Godlike and eating that would be defiling my body; so yes, sacrilege. And not wanting to eat your shitty ass cooking does not make me conceited. It makes me incredibly intelligent." He turned and walked away to go and order room service.

"Ugh! Shitty ass husband!" She shouted at his back. Angrily, she looked around the common area for something to do, reluctantly she went back to the kitchen – she was hungry after all. Staring at her culinary creation, she loathed agreeing with Sesshoumaru but fact of the matter is, she wouldn't even eat it and she made it. She wasn't even sure what to really call it. Porridge? Stew? Chowder? Bowl of painful and imminent death? Her stomach made a faint sound that made her realize her current predicament. She wasn't going to eat the 'chowder' and everything that was in the kitchen had to be cooked and prepared. She could order room service… but then Sesshoumaru would know…

Defeated and despondent, she pulled out a kitchen chair and plopped down on it. As if he chose the perfect time to walk in and gloat, Sesshoumaru came in with a covered tray.

"Not eating?" He mocked, taking a seat and placing the tray down.

"No," she answered. "I suppose you were right. I wouldn't feed this to a dog." As soon as the words left her mouth, she grimaced. Sesshoumaru was a dog demon.

As if reading her thoughts, Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "Don't assume that a dog and dog youkai are the same. However, I ordered two," he pulled of the lid revealing to plates of food. "I knew from the first time I witnessed your cooking that I would be buying all of our meals for the rest of our lives."

Rest of our lives. It was funny. He had insulted her, but those four words rung loud in her mind. It didn't sounds like an insult; it didn't sound like a jibe at her cooking. It sounded like a promise. As if he had resigned himself to her for the rest of eternity and even worse, he didn't mind. And she wasn't exactly going to go and say that she fell in love with him – but she didn't mind him. Maybe it was the fact that he saved her life or the fact that when he wasn't infuriating her, she was actually aware that he was quite good looking… but she enjoyed his company.

"I understand that you're some incompetent," he stated blandly. "But even you should know to eat your food while it's warm or it will become cold and less appealing."

Nope, she changed her previous thought. She hated his company.