Second Chances by Animeclo

Chapter One

The sky was a canvas of muted grey and deep blue tones, a promise, maybe even a warning, to what was coming. Dark clouds slowly obscured the last remains of visible dark blue sky and Kagome watched as one droplet fell onto the large pane of glass before her. Then another, until rain blurred the picture of the city before her. Each droplet made a pathway down the glass and her eyes followed, watching as they freely fell wherever they wished. A contrast to her and her life.

White sterile walls surrounded her, harsh fluorescent lights bore down on her, the bright screen she sat in front of moved closer and closer until-

"Kagome?" She sat up suddenly, clearing the haze in her eyes with a few blinks.

"Hi Sir, how can I help?" A forced smile stretched across her lips as she turned to her boss. He wasn't terrible, nice enough. Just so damn annoying. Even if she was a higher up… there's always someone higher and luckily enough for her, she was stuck with the laziest of them all. She could do something about it and had it been a few years ago, when she craved to climb the ladder, had the passion and drive to do it all, she would have, but now?

"I need those files on my desk before you leave today." She nodded and watched as he walked away, a facade of a businessman masking the clueless idiot he was underneath. Kagome typed away on her keyboard, the numbers and letters before her blurring. Turning to the window she sighed, one thought filling her mind.

What's the point?

Minutes slipped away and Kagome's mind wandered into the past, each memory passing as a whisper of what could've been. Ten years seem so long, yet for her, as she thought about her life then, it seems only like it was yesterday. Vibrant, hopeful, happy. That was her. Yet somewhere along the way, her dreams faded into what life is now.

The clock before her read "17:00". Home time. Sighing in relief, Kagome closed down her computer, gathered her belongings and escaped.

As she took a tentative step into the rain-drenched streets, Kagome pulled her coat tightly around herself, seeking refuge from the biting environment that clawed at her. As she usually did on her journey home, her thoughts drifted back into her past.

Today, the memory of her first apartment lingered on her mind - the excitement of newfound independence, the joy of shared celebrations with friends… and him, Sesshoumaru. Their meeting was nothing short of electric, a bolt of lightning ignited within them at the mere sight of one another. Promising passion and love. Yet now, in the present, their love had shattered like glass, scattered to the winds of time.

Kagome was deep within her own mind as she carelessly walked across the street and suddenly her world was thrust into chaos, in a blur of blinding headlights and screeching tires, everything went dark.

It was quiet. Serene. Kagome felt like she was floating. Yet a sudden voice shattered the tranquillity of her slumber, it was calm and soft.

"Kagome, wake up." She didn't respond.

"Hellooo?" The voice called again. Kagome's senses slowly returned to her as she struggled to make sense of her surroundings.

"Kagome, if you don't wake up right now, I'll have to resort to other tactics." The voice persisted, its tone tinged with humour. Was that, Sango? Why was she here? As Kagome's eyes fluttered open, she found herself within the familiar walls of her old apartment—the exposed brick, the dark wooden floors—a relic of her younger days. But how was she here?

"Um, Kagome? Are you okay?" Sango's voice cut through the fog of confusion, her expression etched with worry.

"Sango? W-what's going on? How did I get here?" Kagome's voice trembled with uncertainty as she struggled to comprehend the surreal turn of events.

"We live here?" Sango replied matter-of-factly, her brow furrowed in concern. "You didn't drink that much last night… Are you feeling alright?"

"Sango, I..." Kagome's voice trailed off as she tried to piece together the fragments of her memory. She remembered walking home, there were bright lights and then, nothing. Now she was back in her old apartment, a place she hadn't been for years. It was as if time had folded in on itself, dropping her back into a reality she thought she had left behind. "I don't understand," Kagome murmured, her mind racing with questions. "How did I get here?"

Sango's expression was evidently concerned as she reached out to grasp Kagome's hand. "Kagome, you're freaking me out. Did you take something last night?"

Looking into Sango's eyes Kagome murmured quietly. "A dream, surely." Her heart pounded in her chest as she struggled to comprehend the enormity of what was happening right now. It was impossible, inconceivable even, that she could have travelled back in time. Yet, the evidence was right in front of her—the familiar surroundings, the sense of déjà vu that permeated the air.

"Seriously girl, is this a prank?" Sango placed a hand against Kagome's forehead, seeming relieved at the lack of fever. "Was it that guy? Did something happen?

"Guy?" Kagome responded.

"Yeah! The tall, dark, handsome type." Sango paused. "Minus the dark part. His hair was bright white, kinda insane, I've never seen it before." Kagome choked on her own breath, her mind reeling at Sango's description. The image of a tall figure with striking white hair flashed through her mind, sending a shiver down her spine. It couldn't be... could it?

"You saw him?" Kagome asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sango nodded, her expression serious. "Yeah, he was here. He was like a puppy following you around. You seemed really into each other."

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as memories flooded back to her—memories of a time long ago, with her friends, family and with him. Sesshoumaru.

"It can't be..." Kagome murmured, her voice filled with disbelief. "Sesshoumaru." She whispered, the name a prayer upon her lips.

"Kagome, you're being weird. What is wrong with you today?" She saw Sango's eyes scan her frame, again observing her, a mixture of uncertainty and concern.

Kagome shook her head, escaping the wave that threatened to engulf her. "I'm fine, Sango. It's just... hormones." Sango arched a brow.

"Hormones, usually, make you want sugar. They don't cause you to act like you just travelled into a different dimension or something." Sango huffed and with a shrug, left Kagome and started her pursuit of food in the kitchen.

Kagome chuckled nervously, attempting to deflect Sango's concern and failing at the face of her friend's astute observation. "I guess it's just one of those days, you know? Hormones can make you act in all sorts of ways."

Sango gave her a sceptical look but decided not to press further. "Alright, if you say so. Just know that I'm here if you need to talk about anything."

"Thanks, Sango," Kagome replied with a grateful smile, relieved that her friend didn't pry any further into her sudden bout of insanity.

As Sango carried on with her task, Kagome was left to ponder. She couldn't shake the feeling that fate was leading her back to him, that their brief encounter was just the beginning of something much larger than herself. She'd failed her first time around, but now? She could change things.

"I'm gonna just go and lie down for a while, um… cramps." Wincing in 'pain', Kagome waved farewell and retreated into the comfort of her own space. The memories of Sesshoumaru still swirled in her mind like a tempestuous storm. She couldn't deny the pull she felt towards him, the magnetic force that seemed to draw her closer with each passing moment. It had been this way from the beginning, she remembered the day after they first met he-

As she settled onto her bed, her phone buzzed with a new message—a text from Sesshoumaru.