The End of the Road by Tia Ariel

Chapter One

The End of the Road

(Sequel to "What's "Intended" Mean?")

By: Tia

Sesshomaru looked about furtively, before calmly entering his and his wife's room. Flicking the light switch up on the way in, he strode over to his desk, settling in his overstuffed chair and taking in a lungful of air. He felt horrid. All these years, his wife had asked him "What's in that locked drawer in your desk, Sesshy?" and he had calmly pulled her to him, kissed her, and effectively silenced her questioning.

Well, what was in that drawer was a deep, dark secret. Something that Kagome could never know about. Something he had kept since childhood, which she had demanded he get rid of. But really...until today he had been putting it off and putting it off, loath to succumb to the nagging his conscience gave.

Today was the day; he was finally ready to give that precious something up. Reaching deep down into the recesses of his pocket, he pulled out a tiny gold key, fingering it, giving himself one last chance to rethink his decision.

Seriously, was it really such a big deal that he would keep them? It wasn't harming anyone; though Kagome might deny him access to their bedroom for a while if she found out he'd kept these stupid things so long, always saying they were gone. Well...why should he even be ashamed to have them? Sure, no respectful early-thirties businessman with a wife and children really had these things, but...whom, really, had to know?

His colleagues didn't...heck, Kagome didn't need to know, even his children! Well...his son, maybe; a family heirloom of sorts, something secret, passed down from father unto son... No! That wouldn't do, he was too attached to his mother. He'd tell her right away, the little tattler... Brooding over it a few more moments, turning the key over and over between his fingers, Sesshomaru glared at the drawer where his precious something lay inside, as if trying to get answers from within.

No worldly answers were given. Sesshomaru had to go this one alone.

"Well, this is it..." he sighed, carefully unlocking the drawer. Pulling out his large oak box, he pried off the lid, staring down at the beloved, misunderstood part of his life. Kagome would never know the terrible pain this caused him.

No...she'd laugh something fierce.

And then, this grown man, with three children, a mansion, a secure job at the top of his father's company, and an adoring, beautiful wife had a brief thought that he'd run away with his secret, and leave this all behind...

Well, an interesting thought nonetheless, but not one he entertained for long.

So, Sesshomaru Tashio pulled out his batman comics, stuffed them into his jacket, and prepared for the drive to the pawnshop.