Four Seasons by Tsuki no Tennyo

Time Passes

A girl around the age of 20 sighed softly. Her life was once again normal. No more demons, no more magic, no more excitement. She half-wished that she was back in feudal Japan, chasing demons instead of in a classroom listening to the teacher's boring lecture about Sengoku Jidai.

She wants to be there, not sitting here and listen to stuff she already knows. 'I should be grateful I even got into college with the grades I had.'

Just then she heard the sound of someone smacking a ruler on her desk. She jumped a little in her seat.

'Higurashi-san. I'd expected better of you and here you are daydreaming," said the teacher, not happy to see one of her students not paying attention in class.

Kagome got out of her seat and bowed to the teacher. "Gomen nasai, Sensei. It won't happen again."

"I hope not," was the only thing the teacher said before she returned to the front of her class.

Kagome sat down again and sighed. 'I wonder if Inuyasha is still alive. And Sesshoumaru..."

Inuyasha reached for Tetsusaiga. "What do you want, Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru just looked at his brother with no feelings visible on his face. "I have come to assist you, dear brother."

"Assist us in what," demanded the short-tempered half-demon.

"If you would, for once, be quiet I will explain. Like I said, this Sesshoumaru will assist you in defeating that vile creature, Naraku."

Inuyasha raised a brow. "What's the catch?"

"No catch. Just revenge for when he deceived me."

Inuyasha looked at his brother suspiciously before agreeing. "Just don't get in my way."

"Likewise."

Kagome, who had been watching the two inu brothers discussed, was now a bit curious. 'Inuyasha seemed to agree to it a lot calmer than I thought. I'm surprised he didn't even swear at Sesshoumaru. Now what? Will Sesshoumaru join us in our journey or-'

Kagome was broken out of her thoughts when she heard the all too familiar calm voice of Sesshoumaru. "Women, I'd appreciate it if you do not stare at me."

Kagome blushed. She hadn't realized she was staring at him. She whispered softly, "G-gomen."

Sesshoumaru sighed. He was now going to be stuck around humans, and his brother. Already he was getting a migraine when he heard the sound of the fox demon crying and his brother swearing at the young demon. He regretted the alliance he made. He placed a hand over his forehead, hoping the migraine would leave.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

'It's the wench again,' thought the demon lord. He looked at her. Such strange clothes she wears. Too revealing with the way they show her long, slender legs. Legs that could be wrapped around his-No! What on earth is he thinking? He was a demon, a demon lord to be exact. He shouldn't even be thinking something like this, let alone about a human!

"Kagome was it," asked Sesshoumaru, all too calm for anyone to tell he was thinking about things he shouldn't.

"Uh, yeah," Kagome said, biting her bottom lips a bit. Her eyes showed that she was a bit worried. "Are you alright, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru raised a brow. Why did she care about him? He tried to kill her and her friends on numerous occasions, and yet here she is concern about him. Perhaps she doesn't care about him. Why should she? But the emotion she held in her eyes. Her beautiful, blue eyes. Eyes that he could stare into forever.

Argh! There he goes again. Why is he thinking about such thing? Before he never even acknowledge her existence, and now he was thinking about her in ways he shouldn't. Then again, before all he wanted to do was get Tetsusaiga. Now that he looked at her, she was beautiful. For a human, that is.

"Hm. I don't want any humans to-"

He was cut off by her. "A simple 'no' would've been fine."

He looked into her eyes again. This time instead of concern her eyes held anger. He inwardly smirked. She was a fiery one. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew she was different. That sparked an interest in him, though he doesn't show it.

'What could she be thinking?'

'That pompous, arrogant...jerk! Just because I was a bit worried about him, he had to go and act all mighty and...ARGH!'

She glared at Sesshoumaru for a bit before she heard Inuyasha's voice. "Oi, wench. When are we going to eat?"

She had a bad feeling about this alliance. How long can the two brothers stand each other before they try to kill each other? How long can she stand it before she wants to kill them both?

"The jewel shard is in its neck," cried Kagome, pointing to where she said it would be.

Inuyasha sliced off an arm of the demon in front of them. He was about to sliced off the head when one of six arms of the demon slammed him to the ground. "Damn, bastard."

"Hiraikotsu," cried Sango as she threw her boomerang at the arms that pinned Inuyasha to the ground.

"Thanks," mutter Inuyasha, wiping off some blood on his mouth as he got up. He glanced over to where Sesshoumaru was. He couldn't believe what he saw. 'That bastard. He's just watching this for his own amusement!'

"Sesshoumaru," yelled Inuyasha. "How about some help, you bastard?"

Sesshoumaru looked at his brother coolly. "One: You're the bastard. Two: I agreed to help you fight Naraku, not some worthless demon."

Inuyasha glared at his elder half-brother before returning to the fight. Sesshoumaru turned his head toward Kagome when he heard her cried help. The demon had grabbed her and is holding her above its head.

"Let me go!"

Sesshoumaru frowned. No one touches what was his. Wait, Kagome didn't belong to him, so why should he care if she gets hurt? Truth is, he does have feelings for her, but he'd be damned if he lets anyone know he has feelings for a human.

At the moment, he lets all his feelings for how disgusting humans were to be pushed aside. His whip quickly appeared and with a flick of his wrist, the arm that held Kagome was cut off.

'I'm going to die. I'm going to die,' was the only thought Kagome had as she was falling. Instead of hitting the cold, hard ground, she was suddenly in the arm of Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru landed gracefully, holding Kagome close to him with his only arm.

For a moment, everyone was shocked by the action of the coldhearted demon lord. They quickly returned to reality when they heard that the demon was going to kill Sesshoumaru for that.

Sesshoumaru smirked. Him? Kill Sesshoumaru? He wanted to laugh at that. With one swing of Toukijin, the demon was killed. The demon fell to the ground hard. Kagome walked cautiously over to where the jewel shard was, pick it up from where it fell when Sesshoumaru killed the demon, and purified it before it became one with the Shikon no Tama that was around her neck.

Inuyasha walked up to Sesshoumaru and stared at him in the eyes. "Hey."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow as a signal for him to go on.

"Why did you save Kagome? I thought you said you didn't want to help us, so why did you?"

"That is none of your business, little brother."

Inuyasha glared at his brother before stomping off to see how the others were.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," a soft voice spoke. "Thank you for saving me."

Sesshoumaru didn't respond. Kagome bit her bottom lip again. Sesshoumaru noticed that it must've been a habit for when she was nervous. "What do you want?"

Instead of her getting mad at him like he expected, he saw her look at where his left arm should be and then grinned. She placed a hand over it. Her hand glowed a light purple color. Everyone was now staring at her, wondering what she was doing to the demon lord. Suddenly, a new left arm appeared.

Kagome stand back and grinned. Sesshoumaru, along with everyone else, stared at the new arm in confusion. He moved his arm a bit. The only question that came out of his mouth was, "Why?"

Kagome smiled. "Just think of it as a thank you present for rescuing me."

For the first time ever, the demon lord didn't know how to respond to this. He began looking at Kagome in a whole different light from that moment on.

'Inuyasha is going to kill me for being late again," thought the young priestess as she climbed out of the well. 'Why did I have to come here just as it was getting dark?"

"So this is how you traveled from this world to yours," spoke a calm, cool voice that made her jumped.

Kagome looked toward a tree and glared at the owner of the voice. "Don't scare me like that!"

Sesshoumaru, who was leaning against a tree, had been watching the well for a while now. He heard that Kagome was coming back today from her world, so he decided to come and see how she could travel, using the well. He saw her nervous expression the moment she gotten out of the well, which was when he decided to make himself known. She gotten angry at him, an emotion he noticed she feels quite a bit.

'Such an interesting human you are, Kagome. Angry one moment, and then happy the next.'

He heard her set her huge backpack on the ground. "Where are Inuyasha and the others?"

"At the village in that old priestess' hut."

Kagome nodded before lifting the backpack again. She stopped when Sesshoumaru took it from her, and carried it for her. Kagome stared at him, puzzled.

'Why is he carrying it for me,' wondered Kagome. She shrugged, and then followed Sesshoumaru back to the village.

The walk back was quiet. 'This silence is driving me nuts!'

"Thank you," she heard a voice that stopped her from pulling her hair.

"For what," she asked, confused.

"The arm," was all Sesshoumaru said before he entered Kaeda's hut. Kagome stood there and looked at Sesshoumaru's back before smiling.

"You're welcome."

Kagome sighed happily as she slowly got into the hot spring. "Nothing beats a nice soak in a hot spring!"

Sango smiled and agreed with her. "You know, Kagome. Ever since Sesshoumaru-sama joined us, we haven't heard any arguments between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru-sama, have we?"

Kagome placed a finger to her chin as if in deep thought. "You're right, Sango. I wonder why. Well, it better if we just leave it that way."

Sango nodded. The two girls stayed in the hot spring in silence for a bit before Kagome spoke up. "Say, Sango."

"Hmm?"

"What do you think of Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"I don't know. We're usually enemies whenever we see him. Why? Do you like him," teased Sango as she nudged the now blushing Kagome.

"W-what? Of course not!"

Sango giggled and continued teasing her. Shippou joined in the teasing before Kagome splashed Sango and Shippou with the water. Soon, the two girls and the young fox demon were laughing and splashing each other with the water.

Meanwhile, behind a few bushes were three gentlemen. One who was grinning lecherously; one who was grumbling about his friend being a perverted monk; and one who was wondering why he even followed the two idiots.

The three guys were suddenly interested in the girls' conversation when they heard Kagome mentioning Sesshoumaru's name.

'So she likes me, does she,' wondered Sesshoumaru with a slight smile on his face.

"My, my, it seems Lady Kagome's heart is captured by a certain gentlemen here. Lord Sesshoumaru is so lucky," Miroku said with a depressed sigh. He received two glares for that comment.

"Feh, why would she even love ice prince over here?"

Sesshoumaru replied coolly, "It is quiet obvious, half-breed. She fell in love with me because I'm stronger, more responsible, more dependable, and clearly better than you in all ways possible."

"What's that supposed to mean," yelled Inuyasha, causing the girls to notice them.

"Osuwari!"

Inuyasha fell headfirst to the ground while Miroku was hit on the head with a rock. Sesshoumaru smirked at the two unconscious guys on the ground, and turned around to walk back to the camp.

Later that night, as everyone was falling asleep, Kagome got out of her sleeping bag, careful not to wake Shippou or the others.

She walked toward the hot spring, surprised when she saw a head with silver hair sitting against a tree near the hot spring. For a moment she thought it was Inuyasha, but the person there has a deeper voice than Inuyasha's.

"What do you want, human?"

Kagome walked over and sat down next to Sesshoumaru. "Couldn't sleep."

"And why not?" asked Sesshoumaru, a bit curiously. Kagome shrugged.

"Probably about the battle with Naraku we'll have any day now. And about other things," her voice trailed off. Sesshoumaru looked at her.

"What other things?" He won't deny it anymore. He'll admit to having some feelings for Kagome. After spending months with her and her friends, he found himself falling for her. Instead of living a cold, lonely life, Fate has other things in mind for his future.

Kagome blushed when Sesshoumaru asked. 'How can I tell him that I possibly like-no love him? He'll just laugh at me and call me stupid or foolish or unworthy of him...'

"Just things," Kagome mumbled softly. She felt Sesshoumaru lifting her chin so that she was facing him. Sesshoumaru leaned down a kissed Kagome gently. Kagome was in a state of shock. The shock quickly vanished as she mentally grinned. She returned his kiss, deepening it

They broke from their kiss, a bit reluctantly. Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl that was now in his arms.

"Aishiteru, Kagome."

Kagome smiled. "I know."

They kissed again, wanting the moment to never fade away. Of course, time moves on and they have to return to camp before everyone wakes up. For now, they'll let their love stay a secret.

"N-Naraku, you asshole," groaned Inuyasha as he got up, feeling the numbness in his legs from all the running and fighting.

One of Naraku's tentacle pinned Sesshoumaru to the ground, and breaking his armor in the process. Sesshoumaru sliced the tentacle, but glared at Naraku as a new tentacle grew in its place.

Sango and Miroku were slaying all of the demons that were around them to stop them from distracting the fight between Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru, and Naraku.

"Kaze no kizu," cried Inuyasha as he used his wind scar to kill the demons that got in his way. One demon escaped Inuyasha's wrath, and was about to attack Sesshoumaru before an arrow pierced it in the heart.

Sesshoumaru noticed the demon, and was about to kill it before the arrow killed it. He looked over to where Kagome was standing and smiled slightly at her before returning to the fight.

Hours of endless slaughtering had passed before everyone, but Naraku was exhausted. Naraku laughed cruelly. "I expected a better fight from all of you, especially you Sesshoumaru-sama," Naraku sneered.

Sesshoumaru had to suppress the anger he was feeling for Naraku. First, tricking him, and now disrespecting him. What would Naraku do next?

His received his answer when one of Naraku's tentacles aimed for Kagome. Kagome stood there in fear. She couldn't move or even feel her legs.

"Kagome," cried her friends as they watch it horror as their friend was about to get hurt or worst killed.

'Why can't I move my feet? Someone help me. Help me...' Kagome cried Sesshoumaru's name, wanting nothing more than for all this to be over with. She closed her eyes, waiting for her death. Instead of feeling a sharp pain, she felt warm arms wrapped around her. She slowly opened one eye; she opened the other as soon as she realized who it was.

"Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru was groaning. Naraku's tentacle had pierced him in the shoulder. He could feel him loosing a lot of blood really fast. However, the only thing on Sesshoumaru's mind was Kagome's safety.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Could it be Sesshoumaru is falling for a human wench," Naraku laughed evilly. "So even the Great Lord of the West has a weakness."

Sesshoumaru glared at Naraku with hatred burning in his eyes. He stood up, but his wound stopped him. Kagome held him close to her, trying to remove the tentacle in his shoulder.

Sesshoumaru ignored the pain as he slowly got to his feet.

"Sesshoumaru, you can't fight in your condition," Kagome cried out, fearing for the worst.

"I'm a demon. It'll heal faster," murmured Sesshoumaru as he got to his feet. He was even more determined to kill Naraku now. How dare he touch what was his! Sesshoumaru turned to his brother. "Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded when he heard his brother spoke. He looked over to his friends. They all nodded, holding their weapons tightly in their hands. Naraku saw their actions, and used his power to attack them before they could attack him.

With the last bit of their strength, they attacked together. Inuyasha using Bakuryuuha, Sango using her Hiraikotsu, Sesshoumaru using Toukijin, and Kagome using her purified arrow. The Shikon no Tama that Naraku had forced itself out of his body. Miroku used his wind tunnel to suck Naraku up before Naraku had a chance to regenerate.

When the last bit of Naraku was sucked in, Miroku's wind tunnel disappeared. He smiled weakly as he looked at everyone else. Everyone, but Sesshoumaru smiled. Kagome walked over to pick up the Shikon no Tama. She purified it before it joined with the rest of the Shikon no Tama around her neck.

She smiled, but the smiled quickly vanished when she heard someone collapsed. She turned toward where she heard it and gasped. She ran straight to Sesshoumaru and lifted his head so that it was resting on her legs. "Sesshoumaru? Sesshoumaru, open your eyes."

Tears were streaming down her face. She noticed the amount of blood he lost. Even if he was a full demon, there is no way he could survive from that much blood loss. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes weakly. His visions were blurry, but he knew whose tears he felt. "Kagome."

Inuyasha stared at Kagome and Sesshoumaru. He couldn't believe what he saw. His brother and Kagome together like that. He saw how close they were, and had a feeling that they've been close for a while now. As shocking as this is, he was even more shocked to see his brother dieing. He couldn't be dieing. Of course not, but even Inuyasha couldn't help it when he felt tears streaming down his face.

Sesshoumaru's breathing was becoming difficult. He wouldn't die. Not now. Not yet. Kagome still needs him. But even he can't deny the fact that his chance of living was slim to none.

"Sess-Sesshoumaru. Don't die on me now. Please don't..." She didn't want to loose him. Not yet. She felt him brushing her tears away. One teardrop fell and landed on Tensaiga, causing it to glow a blue color.

Everyone stared as they watch the light engulfed the couple. Kagome covered her eyes, using her right arm. The light disappeared a few seconds later. When Kagome lowered her arm, she felt warm arms wrapped around her. Her blue eyes looked into his golden eyes.

Sesshoumaru's clothes were still bloodied, but his wounds were completely healed. No scars or anything. He looked at Kagome, and smiled. He didn't care if her friends and his brother saw the smile. For Kagome, he'll show his emotions.

"I was wrong. Tensaiga is not a worthless sword," whispered Sesshoumaru as brushed away Kagome's remaining tears.

"What do you mean she have to leave, half-breed," snarled Sesshoumaru, grabbing his brother by the neck and pinning him against the nearest tree. The hanyou just stared at his brother with sadness in his eyes.

"Like I said, she has to return to where she belongs now. She doesn't belong in this era, Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru knew for once his brother was right. He lowered the half demon and sank to his knees. Inuyasha had never seen his elder brother like this. "Hey."

Sesshoumaru looked up, all emotions he was feeling gone as his face was once again stoic. "What?"

"I'll help you."

"What," Sesshoumaru repeated. Why would his brother help him? He decided not to ask why. "How can you help? In a few moments, she'll leave me forever just like my mother."

"In the future, about 500 years from now, I'll help you find her."

Sesshoumaru stared at his brother. "What do you want? Surely, you know that I would give you anything you want for her."

"Just treat her right. Don't break her heart," was all Inuyasha said as he turned around to see Kagome walking up to them with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou behind her.

Kagome sighed as she set her yellow backpack down. She looked at everyone, tears brimming in her eyes. "Well, I guess this could be the last time we ever see each other."

Shippou latched himself onto Kagome. "I don't want you to leave, Kagome!"

Kagome smiled at the young fox demon. "I don't want to leave you either, but you know my home and my family are in the future. Don't cry, Shippou. We still could meet each other again in the future, you know."

The young demon nodded, gave Kagome a hug before letting her go. After whispering some final farewells and good luck's, Kagome turned toward the demon she fell in love with. She walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Look for me in the future, Sesshoumaru," whispered the young priestess, not able to hold back the tears in her eyes anymore.

"I will," Sesshoumaru replied, brushing her tears away. "I swear."

With that said, Kagome let go of Sesshoumaru, kissed him, and whispered good-bye before she jumped into the well, not looking back.

"I swear I will, Kagome," whispered Sesshoumaru as he touched his lips.

"Ahem," a voice came, causing Kagome to jump in her seat once again. "Higurashi-san, I see you're daydreaming again. Are my lectures that boring?"

Kagome got out of her seat, and bowed to her teacher again. Before she could say anything something outside the window caused her to look outside.

"Hig-,"

The bell rang. Everyone, including Kagome grabbed their stuff, and left the classroom. The teacher stood there, and then sighed, wondering why she even bothered.

Kagome hurriedly ran through the hallways, eager to get outside. When she got outside, a tall figure with long silver hair was standing under a sakura tree. Everyone whispered, wondering why this mysterious stranger was here. Kagome knew why. She quickened her pace and ran toward the stranger. The stranger turned his head toward her and smiled, arms wide, ready to catch her.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome cried as she was once again his arms. "How did you find me?"

"A certain friend of yours," was all he said as he buried his face in her hair. He missed the scent of her hair, and her for that matter.

"Who?"

He chuckled. "Would you rather ask questions or kiss me?"

His received his answer when Kagome kissed him. Meanwhile, not too far away from where they were stood another silver haired figure, smiling. 'You owe me, Sesshoumaru...for finding her. And if you break her heart, I'll break every single bone in your body.'

The figure turned around and left, leaving the reunited couple alone on the now empty campus. Sesshoumaru lifted her chin and stared into the eyes he missed looking into.

"Aishiteru, Kagome. I'll be damned if I ever let you leave me again."

"You won't ever have to worry about that," whispered Kagome as they held each other, hoping that time will freeze this moment. "Never again will you be alone, Sesshoumaru."