Black and blue, those colors matched her hair that lay plastered to her pale face as well as the misshapen blotches that covered her skin. Salt mixed with heavens water, obscuring what were her tears and what was not. Though her eyes were blank, her chest clenched with pain and sorrow. Her figure leaned back against the bench with one leg pulled up against her chest, the bench sat in front of a huge oak tree. Though the limbs couldn't stop the rain from soaking her through.

'What did I do?' She asked herself. It was a common question, but the answer was always the same. Nothing, Kagome had done nothing to deserve the bruises. Lifting her face to the sky she welcomed the rain, it was refreshing and cleansing. Allowing her to forget, forget her sperm donor that insisted she was worthless. Forget the wanna be mother that sat and watched, pretending she didn't see it. The man that called himself her father that ripped her innocence from her over a decade and a half ago, when she was only four years old. No one knew about that, except those directly involved and her closest friend of course. She only had one friend, and surprisingly it wasn't a girl. The only person she could confide in, the only one that knew the real her, was a man. Not only that, he was the son of their landlord, but he had promised to keep her secrets. She could tell him everything, and he would just listen. He was quiet, strong, and behind his cold mask he was gentle and kind. Everyone saw a stuck up rich boy, she saw a kind soul that enjoyed making people fear him. Except her, he had on more than one occasion gone out of his way to make her happy. Which was a rare emotion because of her home life. But he was the only one that could make her feel, feel cared for, and feel important, just feel alive. Even with her eyes closed against the cold rain, Kagome could still see those piercing gold eyes of his.

'When did I start loving him?' Her thought made her sigh. She couldn't remember when it had started, but she knew it wasn't returned. They may be friends, but he was way out of her league. He was handsome, rich, well educated, and could have his pick of any woman in the world. She was only nineteen, barely graduated high school, hadn't found a job, and was by no means attractive. She stood 5'4 and was 125 pounds, mainly because she barely ate, and was covered in scars. He knew of her cutting habit, and had made her promise to stop doing it. But she hadn't, even though she had promised it didn't take away the temptations. And she was too weak to fight them, it took away the emotional pain that tore her apart. Physical pain was much easier to handle, the feel of control among chaos. Closing her eyes again she envisioned his smile, though rare, it was a beautiful sight.

"You're going to catch a cold if you keep this up." His voice was like silk caressing her ears, so sinful yet angelic. She had expected him, which was another reason to be outside. He had returned from college the day before her birthday, and had been coming to see her every day. Like the old days.

"It doesn't really matter." She said as she looked into the very eyes she had been daydreaming of a moment ago.

"It does matter, contrary to the lies you hear you do have worth." He moved to cover her with his umbrella while putting a jacket around her shoulders. His long silver hair falling against her face, it was so soft she had to fight back a shiver.

"Only to you Sesshoumaru, and I question even that." She said through an involuntary quiver, though she was sure she could blame it on the cold. He had sat next to her on the bench, this was their usual meeting place. A bench nestled under a large oak tree at the far back of her parents' property. No one but them ever came there, and they wouldn't be bothered.

"It should be to you as well." His response didn't faze her, it really never did. He always ignored her attempts to question his views of her, she honestly didn't understand them.

"Well it's not, anyway how are you?" Quickly changing the topic was her escape plan, though it rarely worked. Sesshoumaru turned to her and smirked, she only did that when she had been daydreaming. Sadly he had yet to uncover what she daydreamed about, though he had an idea. He wasn't blind, he knew she had feelings for him. What she didn't know was that he had the same thoughts since they had been kids, but he just hadn't figured out how to go about it, until today.

"I'm fine as usual, though your condition is cause for concern." Sighing she turned to face him.

"I'm fine, besides why do you worry about me so much?" She didn't notice the look in his eyes they had softened, more so than usual. He knew what she thought of herself, and he had intentions to change her view quickly and drastically. He had tried in the past, but today was going to be different.

"Someone has to, your sorry excuse for parents don't. And there's this..." he paused to pull up her sheer long sleeve, showing new slice marks. Kagome looked away, she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She had hoped he wouldn't figure it out, but he was too smart to be fooled. She only wore the long sleeves to hide her scars, and only black when there were fresh marks to cover up the blood that might seep through.

"I'm sorry, I know I promised to stop." Her voice was no more than a whisper. She wasn't surprised when his hand guided her face back by the chin, but she was surprised when she felt him kiss her arms. With every feather light caress her self-inflicted cuts healed, he had never done this before. She knew what he was, and she knew what he was capable of, but he had never healed her like this before. Usually he had just brought a salve that only he knew how to make, she now knew what was in it. With the last of her cut healed their eyes met again, dark blue clashed with gold. His right hand still held her face and his left replaced her sleeves, but his eyes never left hers.

"I don't want to see another mark on you, whether your doing or theirs." His glare was directed towards her house as his fingers found a large bruise at the corner of her jaw. It still had a knot which told him it was fairly recent, that morning most likely.

"Yeah well, I doubt that will happen. He won't stop, and I have no way of leaving." Kagome brushed his hand away and stood, turning to face the huge tree behind the bench she ran her hand over the rough bark and found an indention. Looking closer, she saw a swirly S and K were carved into the tree. She had forgotten that they had put it there, years ago when they were kids. Kagome didn't realize Sesshoumaru had come to stand behind her, but when his hand came to rest by her head against the tree she remembered he was there.

"I had forgotten this was here." She said as she stroked the letters.

"I didn't." His breath was so close to her ear that it made her jump a little. Turning to see his handsome face inches from her own, Kagome's breathing stopped. He had been close to her many times before, held her while she cried, rubbed the salve into her skin, even carried when she was too weak to walk. Danced with her, held her the whole time, but never had he been this close to her face. Then there was the look in his eyes, she could see something new within and it weakened her knees.

"I put it here to remind you that someone did care, and still does. And you do have a way to leave." Brushing a stray hair from her face, Sesshoumaru leaned closer so their noses touched.

"I don't have a job, so how could I leave?" she asked, though it was nothing but a whisper against his lips.

"You won't need one, I can take care of you." he whispered back as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Your father…"

"That is a story for another day, Kagome." The way he said her name made her gasp, how many times had she heard her name from his lips? But never like that, with such emotion.

"But why me? You could have anyone you want." She knew what he was getting at, she just couldn't understand why.

"And I am getting who I want, I just had to wait until you were old enough and for my father to allow me." She had every intention to say something else, what it was she couldn't recall because his lips descended onto hers. Warm velvet massaged her cold lips in ways she had only dreamed about, and all she could do was hang on for the ride. Her hands clutched his shirt as his arm wrapped around her waist. He had waited, waited until the time was right to show her his hidden feelings. Feelings that were just for her to see, he had loved her for so long. However, her situation was delicate. Her father was a useless bastard and his father wanted to remain in a false reality, or so it had seemed. Now, Sesshoumaru had finished his schooling, gained a high position in his father's advertising company, and moved into his own apartment. He was fully prepared to remove the girl from her current situation. He had wanted to do so for years, and today was the day. When he sensed that she required air he parted from her sweet mouth, only to relax his forehead against hers.

"Are you serious Sesshoumaru? You really want to be with me?" Her breath was coming out in gasps as she fought to fill her lungs. That was her first kiss, and it was everything she had dreamed it would be and more. Especially coming from him, Kagome had wanted this ever since she was fourteen.

"I am." No two words had ever sounded so good to her. She was finally free, free to love, and free to live. And live she would!