Woow. Omg. I just read through this whole thing in 2 days. Update soon! Happy Birthday!!

Ok, first of all, let me just tell you that I love your writing. I've read all of your work so far in the past three days, and this one took me the majority of today, start to finish. I love it. I was pleasantly shocked when you mentioned that there were going to be around 40 chapters, I hadn't expected that given the pace and content of the story so far, but I love that there is more coming: more to enjoy and it's more unique for it. You have an amazing ability to mold the characters as you will to fit a plot without losing the essense of a person, it's wonderful. 

Please, more! More of all of your works. I'm utterly addicted!

Also, I really do think you've done a great job with the Sango arc, i've always wondered why so many haven't developed her character, there's a lot of potential there. 

Keep up the amazing work!

Luffed it =) I was glad to see that Sesshomaru cared for her as much as she cares for him. They really have grown close, and I can just feel their bond, whatever it is. And will you include the explanation of pack in the next chapter? I wonder how she will react to going back 'home', and really facing what she went through.

~lily

FINNALLY Naraku is dead!!! Now the story can progress in other... more... satisfying areas!

Loved their interaction during the quest inside Naraku... Sess thinking about throwing Kagome in the darkness... LOL!!!

Now Kagome is going to talk to her mother... I hope Mrs Higurashi helps Kagome to overcome her trauma.

And... 29 more chapters?? Delicious!!! But I hope they don't take that long to fall in love!

=]

Fantastic job, I'm waiting for more!

I don't think I've ever reviewed your story but let me just say that it is AMAZING as was this chapter! I'm really glad the way you have Kagome over-coming her problems and while Sango is/was being a real 'witch' I agree with you on how her emotions rule her when it comes to her brother and even though this horrendous thing has happened to her, Kagome is beating it and while she has help it is mainly her. I think it's made her more into an adult that any other fanfic I've read so far even if the way she had to grow was from something so bad. This chapter was great and I'm going to be on pins and needles waiting for the next and the next! Keep up the good work and HAPPY BIRTHDAY and have a great Thanksgiving! 

Happy Birthday! *throws confetti*

Great chapter and finally, Naraku is dead! I´m curious what you have planned, mourning? Bonding? I´m glad that nothing happened to the children especially Shippou, I love him to pieces.

Nice new chapter! Thank you a lot!

I don't complain about your portrait of Sango, on the contrary, I think she's kind of accurate. She's really annoying many times in the anime, and she's being pigheaded in your fic too. 

I don't believe in schizofrenic romances either, one minute Inuyasha is out of the picture, next Kags and Sess eyeball each other and fall in undying love... I don't particularly like neverending chapters of angst, but you can't have too easy resolutions.

I think Sess and Kagome, in your fic, are for the most of time confortable around each other, and developing trust. It's a nice foundation for developing tender feelings, but for love to evolve, the duo still have a lot for overcome.

You're doing an amazing job, slowly building the story and characters, and making me love and enjoy this fic. So, send more chapters soon!

=]

I don´t understand why the readers are complaining, your portrayal of Sango is great. She is the one who is the weakest when it comes to the mind and controlling emotions. She betrayed the group a few times and even in the last fight she was ready to sacrifice Rin to save Kohaku. She is not a bad person but she would do anything to reach her goal, no matter what the loss may be. Those character traits and her arrogance in overestimating herself has always been the thing why she never was a favourite character of mine.

Young female readers just like seeing the girls gossiping, giggling and being best friends but that´s not really canon. Firstly, Kagome´s best friend is and has always been Inuyasha. He is the one who knew her the best, who talked to her and asked her questions about the many things that he didn´t understand about her world. When one of them were hurt they always went to the other for companionship. Sure, girls can bond on another level than with boys but I can´t remember a time when the girls really talked with each other. Sango is so caught up in her own life that she never asked Kagome about hers and Kagome usually talks with her friends in the future. I still remember a scene when the girls were in the hot spring and talked about the boys for a minute or two until both clamped up because they were embarassed about talking over such a personal thing. People have to remember that the girls are Japanese and both are really reserved when it comes to talking about feelings. Especially Sango is from a time when you just didn´t talk about feelings so openly how we do now. 

Now that I´m reading the manga again I see a pattern. People who knew Kagome the longest, care for her the most and I mean it literally. The ones who love her the most are of course Inuyasha and then Shippo. And then it´s actually Miroku before Sango, just like in the order they met. It´s always him who runs to her side to see if she´s all right firstly and then Sango. But many writers just  ignore Miroku and turn him into comical reliev and make Sango her best friend. Actually, you did it too (the Sango part) but I´m still reading your story because it´s well written and I like the characterisations of Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

That you´re not rushing to write about how they instantly fall in love with each other is also a great bonus. Neither of them are ready for that and Sesshoumaru still has some character development to go through to come to a point, were it might be believable that he loves a human. And neither of them are shallow enough to fall for the other just because she´s pretty and different and he devastatingly beautiful and honorable. (That sounds more like the Twilight crap) Kagome still has to mourn Inuyasha and come to terms with his loss and Sesshoumaru is ..... well Sesshoumaru.

Sorry for the long review.

I don't believe that romance will come easy or fast between Sesshoumaru and Kagome because of his personality and what she has suffered.  I think you are doing a perfect job in the way you are portraying them.  Besides, I like a slow romance.  I'm afraid I do not believe in love at first sight, maybe a deep interest but not love.  True love needs time to grow and deepen.

You are right about the character of Sango in the anime and I find it refreshing and different with the way you are portraying her.  I have to agree with you thinking this is the way she would behave in this type of situation.  She is the most emotional of the group and has little control over them.

This is a crazy story - full of action, adventure, angst.....lots of anger and interaction.  I'm looking forward to seeing how the next part plays out - Kagome waking, dealing with her powers being sealed and how it affects the overall hunt.

I'm curious about what Kagome's true position in Sesshomaru's pack is as there seems to be some unwritten stuff going on there.

Is there going to be ANY romance? 

Anyway, good stuff.  Keep it coming.

Nicely written chapter. Hmm, Sango's being a real bitch, probably her way of dealing with all that stress and pain, too bad she can't channel it to someone/thing other that her friends. And yaay, Miroku's 'up', and in touch with the world around him.

And, most importantly, we get to see some headway with both Kagome (even if it was little, hugging Kouga), and Sessh's fellings for her. The seed needs some time to begin growing, espacially with him.

~lily

Wow, what's wrong with Sango? She's totally out of control, jealous and selfish! I'm glad Sess put a stop on it. At least, now Miroku is awake, and hopefully he'll tame the shrew...

So good to see Bakusaiga coming to life! And Totosai! =]

I love the way you blend the canon plot to the fic. Great work!

I'm dying to see what's next...

I shoulda known that it wouldn't be that easy, and here I'd hoped they'd get rid of Naraku soon so that falling in love could take place. What a naive lil girl I've been, ne? ;P

Sango's gonna break soon, I can feel it. 

Nice chapter, it's well written and flows nicely. Not to mention that I like how Kagome is subtly and slowly getting over her ordeal.

~lily

Honestly, I didn't think the chapter was too short.  The flow and pacing was good, natural, and I loved the dialog between Sesshoumaru and Kagome because it shows depth of character in him and growth of character for her.  She's never been a weak person, simply inexperienced, and it's really great to read her portrayed as someone who can overcome even the most horrible circumstances.  I genuinely like the direction you're taking Kagome, and you've managed to leave her desire to protect others even from emotional damage intact without making Kagome into a saint.  She is a flawed person, one of the things I love about the character Rumiko Takahashi created.  To allow Kagome room to grow while letting her stumble really makes her come alive.  Sesshoumaru's growth happens more slowly, but it reads naturally, which is awesome.  I don't think someone who'd been alive centuries would change his attitudes overnight, though it is obvious he is learning to respect Kagome a little more with each interaction.

Poor Mirkou and by extension Sango, though I do think her reaction was intense, I suspect mine regarding my husband would be if he were in a medical crisis.  I found Sango's disposition infuriating but totally human and understandable.  You've got a great story going here!  It's been a pleasure keeping up with it.  

No problem on the Kate Bush, heh, I'm such a fangirl for her music, but of all the remakes of anything she's done, Placeo has the best.  :D

It's good to have some lightheartedness in the story once in a while. It breaks away from the monotone and can be used as a strat point (or something like that) for feelings, Kagome's not all broken, there's still some of the old her somewhere in there.

Loved it =)

~lily

Wow, I had lost chapter 6 update! So I got to read two in one sit!!! Great!

It was nice to see Sango again. She was kind of a bitch on 6. Really, what happened was not Sesshoumaru's fault, so it's not due being so harsh about him. But she got better on 7. It was great to see the trio traveling, awesome group dynamics, very well written. 

Sess was also being a hard-headed on 6, but it seems he's mellowing a bit now. 

I'm sad Kanna is dead. I liked her and Kagura. Oh, well, so is life...

Anyway, great work! Wanna see what happens next!

So far I like the story, and it's good to see writers make more use of Sango.  I think she gets overlooked a bit in fic because her personality is fairly straight forward, and the direct characters are harder to write than the comic relief.

My only quibble is your title and to whom the credit should go.  Kate Bush wrote Running Up that Hill/Deal With God and released it on her 1985 album, Hounds of Love, but the group Placebo liked it enough they wanted to do a cover of the piece.  They did a great job of the cover, but it's not really their song.

Ya know, it figures that neither of them would realise that their combined attacks are stronger because they aren't 'at war' with eachother anymore. And Sango's back! ^^ I think those two (Sango and Kag) should talk, and I mean really talk, soon. Issues like those don't go away on their own, and no matter how selfish she's feeling, I don't think Kag would let any friend of hers suffer.

And Sessh is being stubborn.... hinda like a dog =D

Nice work, I like it.

~lily

Absolutely fascinating piece of work! Truly captivated by your writing, your plot and the way you portray the characters. :)

Love it, and can't wait for the next one. It figures Sessh would act like that, he doesn't strike me as the type that would be comfortable with a person being that close to him. I wonder when he'll finally snap?

~lily