The time Kagome spent with Sess passed all too quickly; the weeks melted together and flowed like quicksilver under the increasing heat of their desires. As the days grew cooler and winter began its approach they reveled in any possible opportunity to use the cold as a reason to hold each other tight and bask in the warmth of their intimacy.

It was the final week of fall and Sess had told Kagome to be prepared for a surprise at the end of her day. When Kagome finally got out of class and saw Sess standing ready for her by his sleek, silvery millennium and she felt an undeniable draw to him. Dressed in jeans, a white sweater, and a black trenchcoat with his hair flowing freely, Kagome immediately felt giddy and hurried to him while thinking to herself He's mine, all mine! A second later she noticed a basket full of food was held in his right arm. It's going to be a great day Kagome thought as she smiled and closed the last few feet between them. Reaching him, she immediately ran a hand through his untamed hair, savoring its softness, and placed a kiss on Sess's lips that took his breath away. Their heated embrace felt like a dive into each other's hearts, almost like bathing in their mutual desire.

"Well aren't we affectionate today," Sess said as soon as the kiss was broken.

" So what did you plan for today?" Kagome asked while still holding onto Sess.

" I thought the park would be an excellent place for us to have a picnic," Sess replied

Kagome smiled radiantly, and released her hold on him, as he escorted her to the passenger side door and opened it for her. She got in and waved goodbye to Ayumi, Yuka, and Eri.

" I envy, hate, and admire her. Finding a college guy like that is like winning the lottery," Ayumi said, her voice filled with glee and frustration.

" She deserves it though life hasn't been the easiest," Yuka said in a much more reasonable tone. Although secretly she was wondering if he had a brother. Please God…

" Yeah, I wonder if they'll get married," Eri said while trying picture Kagome in a wedding dress.

Sess drove to the park with amazing ease, successfully avoiding traffic with the help of the radio's warnings. Upon arrival, looking at the trees with their naked limbs, Sess felt a sudden sense of deep unease. An impossible image entered his mind...the trees reaching out to him with their grasping branches, almost like tentacles…

The swirling sense of unease suddenly morphed into a vortex of terror by the appearance of an old man. An old man whose left sleeve flapped emptily as he walked by…for a moment Sess felt a deep sense of vertigo, and at the edges of his mind he felt some unknown and horrifying knowledge trying to make its way into his consciousness. A hideous emptiness exploded in his stomach, and only the reassuring hand of Kagome prevented him from passing out.

"You ok? You look as though you'd seen a ghost," she asked him with a trembling voice.

Willing his body to stop shaking, he faced Kagome, "Yes, thank you. I don't know why…" Taking her hand in his own, he said "Never mind, as long as I have you with me, the rest is unimportant."

Traveling into the park, they found a clearing they liked (Sess had wanted to sit away from the trees) and the two of them laid out a red blanket to enjoy themselves on. Sess grabbed a thermos of hot chocolate and began to pour two cups of the steaming liquid out.

"I thought since it's a little cold out here we could use something warm," Sess said while secretly thinking like each others body heat.

Kagome smiled a knowing smile, as he pour the rich hot chocolate. He then carefully laid out a warm meal he had painstakingly made and she looked at him with surprise on her face.

"Wow! Are you a chef in your spare time? Most men couldn't cook to save their lives but this looks great," She said teasingly.

Sess beamed with delight, then leaned over to her and kissed her cheek. She blushed and glanced at him and then gave him a sweet smile, one she never showed anyone except Inuyasha. Sess took her delicate hands in his hands and kissed them both, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her skin. He gazed at her and pushed her fallen hair from her face and kissed her on the lips. For Kagome and Sess, that kiss melted the rest of the world away as their tongues danced sensuously around each other, guided by the rhythm of their desire. Darting in and out, holding tightly to each other only to let go and entwine furiously once more. That twining of the tongues wove them so closely together that Kagome could swear she was brushing his thoughts. As the realization of their profound connection became apparent part of her mind tried to bring to her attention how Sesshoumaru had done something similar. But she was enjoying the moment to much to let that concern her. The erotic dance they engaged in was both exhilarating and exhausting, with both breaking the kiss reluctantly. As they sat there, leaning against each other, both breathing heavily, Sess tilted Kagome's face toward his own.

"I have longed for someone as wise and beautiful as you, now I have the perfect woman," He said as he willingly drowned in the dark seas of her eyes.

"Perfect?" Kagome almost laughed, " I'm far from perfect."

"Your right, I was searching for perfection but found something far better."

Sess smiled his perfect smile and reached into his leather carrying case and handed her a present. Although it was covered in silvery wrapping she felt almost certain by its size and weight that it was a book. Opening it she saw that it was indeed a book and it was entitled "Japanese Mythology: A guide to ancient legends."

" I bought you this book of legends and fact, I know how your interested in history and stories, so I bought you this," Sess explained, unsure whether or not she liked it " There's one story that kind of reminds me of you."

Kagome looked at the hard cover book and her breath caught in her throat. There on the cover was a raised seal. The very same seal that was on her family's shrine. She unconsciously traced its outline with her finger, remembering the adventures she had with Inuyasha and the horrific end that they finally climaxed in. Seeing the seal, her emotions threatened to overwhelm her as she thought about that horrific moment when her first love betrayed her. As her eyes filled with tears, she savagely repressed them, not wanting to burden Sess with her emotional torment. She opened the book and read the story titles and facts trying to distract her mind from those painful memories.

But Sess was not fooled, and for a moment an intense fear gripped him that he had somehow offended her. "Do you like it? I can take it back if not," Sess said asked in a strained voice.

"No, I love it…thank you," She replied in a whisper. She then wrapped his arms around her and buried herself in his loving embrace. Please God, wipe this pain from my heart. I just want to be happy again.

Sitting there, with Kagome in his arms, Sess knew that he should be happy. He had the girl of his dreams, one that he felt he had been searching forever for, one that made him feel complete. But in some dark corner of his soul he felt something demanding its freedom. Something that was seething at its unwitting warden.

Kagome unconsciously picked up on the inner conflict within Sess. She looked up at him and smiled and reached over and touched his face. His soft skin was much like Inuyasha's, but also Sesshomaru's. Sess you bring me the sweetest pain with your love. Sess placed his hand on her hand and stared at her.

"Why stare at me so distantly…what's wrong Kagome?" He asked as worry filled his eyes.

"Nothing, your like a fallen angel, there's not a flaw in you,"

She looked at the prepared food and pangs of hunger immediately started flaring in her stomach. Gently separating herself from him, she commented that it would be a shame to let all his hard work at the stove go to waste.

"Yes, that reminds me lets play a game I thought of last night." Sess said with a gleam in his eye. He then produced from one of his pockets a black bandana that had been folded to make a blind fold.

"Why Sess, I would never have imagined you to have a streak of kinkiness in you." Kagome giggled.

"You wound me to the quick fair maiden. I can be just as creative as any of those studs in the Soap Operas on TV. Nay, more so since I write my own scripts and can deliver them convincingly" Sess said while maintaining a serious face which Kagome found hysterical.

After Kagome had composed herself except for some minor giggling, Sess placed the blind fold on her.

"So what game has your mischievous mind come up with." Kagome asked trying to imitate Sess's comical deadpan voice.

"The nature of the game is to try and guess without looking what is being served to you."

"You twisted maniac! Well I'll play your game and beat you at it, you rogue!"

"Oh, so I'm a roguish twisted maniac. I'll make sure to mention that when your family that when they ask me to tell them about myself. But get ready here comes your first trial." So saying Sess lifted one of the bowls closer to Kagome's mouth and placed a portion on her waiting palate. After savoring the tangy taste and swallowing, Kagome remembered that her mother had made a similar dish. "It chicken that has been marinated with orange juice."

"Hmmm…I should've chosen a more challenging dish."

"Just your bad luck that my mother happens to like that recipe. Of course so do I."

"Well let me try something else..."

Glancing at the selection arrayed before him, he chose one that he had been meaning to use later. What the heck.

Kagome once again took a mouthful but wasn't quite able to place the taste. "Mmmm…Let me have another taste of that…I know that taste from somewhere…is it pizza?"

"No, it's a miniature Calzone, a dish from Italy. I think just took a pizza rolled it up and served with some different spices. Of course now you must pay a penalty." Sess declared in a stern voice.

"Reeeaaallyy? What will it be?" Kagome asked in a mock fearful voice.

"A severe tongue lashing."

"Oh heavens, be merciful good sir, it was but a minormmm..." Whatever else Kagome was about to say was lost as Sess took advantage of her open mouth and eagerly explored its inner recesses. Words were no longer needed between them as their passions were spelled out with the subtle nuances of their sinewy tongues in a gentle but intense embrace.

When Kagome's "punishment" was over she said, "I believe that was a tongue sandwich sweetened with some honey."

Nodding to the blindfolded woman, Sess said "Good guess."

"I believe it is your turn now Sess. I want to see how sensitive your tongue is." Kagome announced as she removed the blindfold from her eyes. Mischief shined in them.

"Well we both know it is very sensitive, but I'll prove it anyway. After all as a law student. I've got to learn how to use it to persuade people beyond a reasonable doubt."

Later…

"Well that was a good picnic," Kagome purred as she rested her head on Sess's stomach who had lain down to watch the sky. The sun was descending into the horizon, hiding behind the clouds like a child playing a game.

"I'm glad you liked it. Being with you makes me feel as though I have an angel by my side," Sess said in a contented voice while trying to think of why that angelic image he had of her seemed so right. Regretting that the inevitable had at last arrived, he gently propped himself up on his arms and looked in Kagome's understanding eyes. She didn't want the moment to end either. But they couldn't spend the night in the park as though they were protected from the outside world within its confines.

Raising herself and stretching, Kagome consoled herself. It was good while it lasted.

Sess held out his hand to Kagome and with the other picked up the picnic basket which held the only tangible remains of their fleeting moments in a private paradise. Approaching the car, Sess something occurred to him, "Kagome we've been together for a while now, but we have never met each other's family. You know the school break is coming up and I was wondering if you would come back with me to my house and spend sometime with my family. No more than a week."

"Well if you swing by for dinner next Saturday around seven and impress my mother and grandfather, that would certainly improve the chances."

"Oh I see you want me to meet your family first. I remember you telling me once that your little brother drove you nuts; what about the rest of your family?"

"If you leave with your sanity intact that will be quite an accomplishment."

""You've managed it."

"Don't be so sure."

After reaching her house and giving Sess and farewell hug, she began climbing at the steps with at a leisurely pace wondering what the hell she had been thinking when she invited Sess over for dinner. Her family knew inuyasha well enough that they would never miss the obvious resemblance to Sess, but what really worried her was the fact that they also knew about his half brother. The half brother that had tried to kill her numerous times. The half brother that he was in the spitting image of, but was the exact opposite of in temperament. Warm, generous, caring, gentle, not at all cold or imperious. Then the question that she had been running desperately from finally caught up to her. What do I think? How do I feel about this youkai made man? I was torn to shreds on the inside when Inuyasha chose Kikyou. I felt so worthless knowing he had chosen a memory over me. With Sess I feel, I don't want to say, not yet. Not even to myself. But I'm going to stay with him no matter what. Whether he's youkai, man, or something in-between or beyond.

At dinner that night, Kagome decided to plow ahead and be damned with the consequences. "I've invited someone over for dinner next Saturday, please try not to scare him away."

"Whats his name?" her mother asked, deciding to ignore the sting of her daughters words.

"He's Sess Ryusaki." Please no questions, please no questions...

Souta, young and uninhibited by social conventions, blurted out what Kagome's mother and grandfather were privately wondering "Sess? Is that short for Sesshoumaru? Your dating someone named for a vicious youkai whose name signified destruction. One that almost killed you a few times. Wow, you really know how to pick them."

"Souta..." Her mother said in a warning tone. However her expression betrayed her own uneasy feelings on the matter.

"Look, the name Sesshoumaru also refers to one who is calm and responsible, not just a killer. Not only that but you shouldn't judge someone base on their name alone." Yeah wait till you see who he looks like then flip out. Oh god this was such a bad idea.

"Besides," her mother said "Didn't Kagome tell us that Sesshoumaru had been killed in the end as well? I'm sure the name is less important than the person."

Grandpa, who had been quiet up until now, decided to break in with his own thoughts. "What if he's a reincarnation? He may be human but his heart might be that of a youkai."

As the days passed, bringing the Staurday deadline ever closer, Kagome became more and more nervous. She started imagining horror scenarios where her grandpa would start trying to attach scrolls on Sess while chanting at him. Or her brother doing something unbearably stupid like holding a doggy treat out telling him to sit.

God forbid.

Consequently she was jumping all over her brother for any minor infraction while trying to dream up away to have her grandfather called up for exorcism on the other side of Tokyo. When Saturday evening finally did arrive she was so wound up with nervous energy she was walking the fine line between hysteria and despair.

"I'LL GET IT," Souta shouted as he raced out of his room to open the door.

The hell you will Kagome thought as she raced out to intercept him. It was a close race, but Kagome's desperation proved faster than Souta's determination as she managed to grab his collar and yank him back sending him spinning into the next room. Taking a moment to run her hand over dress before opening the door she once again wondered what she had been thinking.

"Kagome, did I just hear your little brother?" Sess asked with his usual charm.

"Well-"

"Excuse me young man," Kagome's grandfather appeared suddenly at her side "I was wondering if you would examine this scroll with me and give me your thoughts on its contents."

Kagome immediately recognized the scroll as one youkai containment scroll, before Sess could extend his hand Kagome jerked him in the door and toward the living room hoping for escape. "Please forgive us, grandfather we need something in the kitchen."

Her brother, who had apparently recovered, came in on Sess's flank trying for another shot. "Do you like dogs? Do you know about the legend-"

Although Kagome wasn't a true martial artist, she had picked up a few things from Sango. Pushing Sess in front of her through the living room, she placed herself to Souta's back and delivered a swift kick to the back of his head before her brother could finish his question.

"OWW!"

"Wha..." Sess was beginning to turn around to find the source of the disturbance, but Kagome quickly stepped forward catching Sess's hand and tugging him toward the kitchen table, a place of relative safety where her mother had laid out dinner. In her house the table was a sacrosanct place where a disturbance was not tolerated. However her grandfather had somehow managed to get ahead of her and blocked the path to the table with what looked like a dried lizard. Sess whose eyes were filled with confusion and revulsion, found himself at a loss for words. Kagome, however, was far from it.

"Look grandfather, a Noh Mask!" Her grandfather whipped around so fast Kagome feared he might get whiplash. Stepping past him, Kagome directed the befuddled Sess to a seat just as her mother appeared from the kitchen with the final course for dinner. Ha! Made it!

"Well I see your friend is here, " Mrs. Higurashi said "So let's all be seated to have a pleasant dinner." Although it was said in the mildest way, neither Souta nor grandfather missed the underlying message. Don't you dare embarrass Kagome.

As everyone began taking seats, Kagome made certain that Sess sat between her and her mother, thus marginally protecting him from Souta and her grandfather.

And so it begins Kagome thought to herself.

"So then" Mr's Higurashi said, "I get the impression that haven't been given proper introductions to our family yet. I am Kagome's mother of course, and Souta there is Kagome's younger brother, and her grandfather is also the priest for the shrine."

"A pleasure to meet you all"

Souta, while afraid of his mother, could not contain himself. This man Kagome had brought home looked strikingly similar to Inuyasha. The silver hair, the yellow eyes, the general facial features, were practically begging for an explanation. Everyone at the table could see it clearly but no one was willing to comment on it openly for fear of his mother and sister's wrath. I may not be able to say it openly but I can skirt the fine line pretty well. "So Sess, what kind of stuff are you into."

"Well as Kagome probably already told you, I'm a law student so naturally arguing constantly and twisting people's words against them are high on my list of things to do. But I also like to dabble in history, collecting rare items when I can. I've picked up a few swords here and there."

"Oh so you like swords?" Souta continued "do you just collect them or do you know how to use them as well?"

"My father, who in his younger days was a kendo champion, instructed me so I have a fairly good idea how to use them."

"Yes, your father," grandfather broke in "tell us some about your family and how your parents decided upon your name."

"Well father's line of work is with imports and exports and he just happens to have a love for the past and mythology so that's where I got my name. Our family isn't all that remarkable. I have a brother and sister making their way through middle school and that is pretty much all there is too it."

As dinner progressed, Kagome began to relax some seeing that with her mother present no disaster would be allowed to occur. She was skillful and ever so subtle in directing the conversation away from anything that might infuriate her daughter.

Thank God for mom Kagome thought to herself.

When the dinner neared its end, Mrs. Higurashi advised Kagome to show Sess around the shrine preventing the possibility of Kagome being embarrassed by further questions.

Going outside, Kagome gave him a well rehearsed tour, one that she could have given in her sleep if she had wanted to. She told him all the stories and how the shrine had been in her family for generations until she got to the God tree. It was her favorite part of the shrine and her hushed tone made that clear.

"This is the God Tree, its been here for the last 500 years, a silent witness to everything that has passed. It has only bloomed once but when it did, it was breath taking."

"However stunning it was, it could never match your beauty."

"You are such a flatterer Sess."

"No, flattery is empty, I am sincere. So let me ask you what are the chances that your family will let me steal you away to meet my own family?"

"I've got a pretty good feeling about it."

When the house was quiet after Sess's departure, Kagome sought out her mother who was sitting on the couch in the living room clearly waiting for her.

"Mom, did you enjoy meeting Sess?" Kagome asked while taking a seat next to her mother.

"He seemed like a charming young man with a warm personality. But the way he looks..." Her mother trailed off but the unexpressed thought was clear to Kagome.

"I'm confused as well. There is only one thing I know for sure, he makes me happy. And after Inuyasha chose Kikyou I thought I would never feel that way again. If I can overlook his...appearance..and all that it reminds me of then can't everyone else?"

"I recognize that type of question from when I was younger. There is something else you want to ask me isn't there?"

"Well he wants me to meet his family, but they're farther away and so it will be more like a week long trip than a visit of a few hours and I was wondering if I could go."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and brought her daughter close like when she had been a little girl. "Kagome, you know what one of the hardest things about being a parent is? Its knowing when to let your children make their own decisions. You have no idea how difficult it was for me as you traveled around 500 years in the past. How many nightmares did I have? I can't even count. If you had died there I wouldn't have even your body to mourn over. But I also knew that you were special and that you had to have a special purpose. I prayed every night for your safe return and when your quest finally was over I realized that my little girl wasn't so little anymore. The innocent smiles, the cheerful eyes, the eternally optimistic outlook, they had all been left on the other side of the well gone forever. When you emerged from the well for the last time I knew your childhood had been flayed away forever." Mrs. Higurashi pushed her daughter back gently so she could look into her eyes. "Now you're a woman and its time for me to step back and trust in your choices."

Although she wasn't sure why, Kagome found herself once again in her mothers arms, silently weeping. Mr's Higurashi looked down at her daughter.

"I know, I know. I felt it all before."