A Little Advice by Forens

Chapter One

Kagome tore through the dark foliage. Trying with all her might to get as far away from Inuyasha as possible. Thorns and leaves slapped her as she ran, further imbedding her pain. Tears froze as the wind whipped against her face. For an half an hour she ran, sure that if she stopped she would hear him behind her. So used she had gotten to the constant belt of branches that she stopped in her tracks when they ceased. She had come to a clearing. There was one tree in the middle, it almost shown with blue as the moonlight drifted down upon it's lone form. Neither flora nor fauna resided close to it. The tree was a god to the surrounding forest and they respected that by giving it space. Kagome walked up to the tree, unheeded by it's majesty. After all, she had met it once before, when Kikyou attached her to it and forced her to witness Inuyasha's devotion to the dead miko. She sat at the base of it, leaning back on it's strong trunk. She bore no grudge to the tree, it wasn't the one who forced her to see the horrible scene.

As she relived that day in her head she was reminded of how she ended up here in the first place. Inuyasha, the bane of her existence, yet her reason for being. She had no reason to live anymore though. He had forced her away. Saying she was just a shard detector, and that she was worthless otherwise. Her only possible other use was as a replacement Kikyou. His normal angry visage was replaced with a look of utter disgust. He really hated her. He didn't want, didn't love her. Kagome couldn't handle the massiveness of it all. So she ran.

Kagome's head shot up as she heard someone approach. She knew it wasn't Inuyasha right off, his steps would have been angrier, and he would have been yelling. The person approaching, however, seemed more to be gliding than walking. It was a youkai, Kagome didn't care. If it killed her it killed her, at least she wouldn't be in Inu's way anymore. However, instead of a big, slimy, ghastly monster appearing, something slightly more disturbing did, Sesshoumaru.

"I thought I smelled you." He stated. Kagome just looked at him. A sad expression, full of bitterness and fallen hope. It hurt Sesshoumaru to see her like that. Since the first time he saw her, two years ago, he'd been somewhat fascinated with her. How she was just a human miko, and yet was so much more. He been following her ever since, Inuyasha's hanyou sense of smell, and the kitsune's undeveloped one were too weak to detect him, but he was always there. In all reality he'd be watching when Inuyasha said those horrible things to Kagome, but it would be a blow to his pride to let her know that.

He looked her form up and down, noting the many scratches, some a bit deep, all over her exposed skin. There was a bruise forming on her left calf. The school outfit which she still wore was ripped and dirtied in several areas. It alarmed Sesshoumaru to see her this way, she always kept herself so clean. What really worried him, though, was the blankness her eyes held. Like every emotion in her had left in one fail swoop. Her eyes, with their beautiful combination of every blue imaginable, was what made him wonder why anybody could see her as only a reincarnation of Kikyou. Kikyou's eyes were dull, lifeless, while Kagome's held the very power of creation within them.

"Kagome." He started. Her lips twitching into a crooked smile stopped him.

"I thought you didn't call humans anything but wenches or filthy beings." She whispered, her voice filled with cynical sarcasm. "I use the names of those I respect." He answered. Rather than be awed that he respected her she went right on.

"You've been around longer than I have. Answer me this question." She said. Sesshoumaru sat down in front of her, a silent signal for her to continue. It surprised him how complacent he was being. He realized now, in her presence, that he would do anything for Kagome. And it had only taken him two years and her happiness to show him that.

"What would you do, if the person you gave your whole heart to, every last fiber of your being, told you that they hated you. That you were worthless. How would you handle that?" Kagome asked, her voice full of sadness.

"If I gave my heart to someone, and they betrayed me like that, I would take it back." Sesshoumaru answered after thinking for a few moments.

"What if your heart is shattered into so many pieces you can never put it back together again?" Kagome added. Sesshoumaru moved to lean against the tree next to her, and thought for a few minutes, trying to figure out how to word what he wanted to say.

"If that's the case, then you should seek the aid of someone who truly loves you to help reassemble the pieces." He slowly whispered as he looked at her. She returned his gaze evenly.

"What if no one loves you?"

"I've searched for the answer to that question for the last sixty-eight years."

Kagome's head dropped and she leaned over on Sesshoumaru, she didn't care if he disliked it.

"Let me help you put your heart back together Sesshoumaru." Kagome murmured. Something inside of her told her that if their was any hope for her being happy it now resided with the person next to her. Sesshoumaru too sensed something. But his was something he had last sensed half a century ago, hope.

"Only if I can help you with yours." He stated. Kagome nodded her head and let it rest on his shoulder. Sesshoumaru let a small smile appear on his face. The pieces were mending already.