-Several Hours Later-
"Stay down Inu Yasha."
"Where's Kagome? Is she ok?... And where the hell am I?"
Miroku sighed, Inu Yasha was being as stubborn as ever. "Until you get your sight back you are staying in this room. And Kagome is alive and safe."
"What happened?"
"She and Sesshoumaru.. well mostly Kagome, finished off Tsukinoshi. Sesshoumaru's out with a hole in his chest, and Kouga's only sporting an injured arm and some bruised ribs by the looks of it."
"Where's Kagome now?"
"She's resting, Tsukinoshi leaving her body and well.. being dead for a few minutes drained her. She'll be fine though, she had a bad fever for a bit, but it's gone down already."
Even blinded Inu Yasha grabbed the front of the monk's shirt, "You better be right bouza."
Miroku hit Inu Yasha on the head with his staff, "Just keep washing out your eyes."
~*~*~*~
"How is he?"
Sango looked up at the door way and saw Kagome there, leaning against the doorframe. She smiled and turned back to her patient she had just finished treating the hole in his chest. "I think he will live, when his people return hopefully one will know of some medicine to make it heal faster."
Kagome knelt beside the bed and huntress, staring at the beautiful face of the youkai prince before her. "He will be fine," she almost laughed, "He did the same thing to Inu Yasha once. If he can recover from it so can Sesshoumaru."
"Kagome?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure this is wise? I mean staying here. Won't he attack Inu Yasha just for the Tetsusaiga?"
Kagome looked back at the unconcious youkai. "No, I don't think he will. He won't say it but I think through not attacking us he will thank us for our help." She turned to Sango, "I have learned more and less about him while I've been here. There's more to him than Inu Yasha and the Tetsusaiga."
"Like the girl?"
"Yes, like Rin." She stood and put a hand to her dizzy head, Sango stood and gave her support. "Could you help me to go check on Inu Yasha?"
She didn't go to see Inu Yasha first? "I think I should help you back to your room. Inu Yasha would want you to get your rest."
"But.." the miko saw the resolute look on her friend's face. "I guess you're right. Oh! you know what would be better? How about a bath?"
Sango grinned, "Alright, should we aqquire Shippo for a door guard?"
~*~*~*~
*knock knock knock* "Yeah yeah yeah, keep it up," the wolf muttered wondering when he became a door man. He opened the door seeing Jaken, Rin and some of the other servants standing there.
"Is the witch dead?"
Kouga sighed, "Yeah she's gone, you can take the ward off now."
Jaken eyed him suspiciously, then Miroku appeared walking towards them, "What he says is true, the woman is gone from this world."
Jaken nodded and two servants removed the wards around the gate, "Where is Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"He is resting in his room," the priest answered, "Tsukinoshi injured him and he is recovering."
Rin gasped, "Sesshoumaru-sama can't be hurt! Sesshoumaru-sama is the strongest and the best!"
Miroku could not help but smile at the girl, "Even the strongest can be hurt sometimes." Rin was not so sure she believed him.
~*~*~*~
Sango sighed, somewhat dissapointed at ending the bath but they had been in there for some time now. She eyed Kagome as she put on the oversized bathrobe. "Kagome-chan?"
"mm?"
"Where did you get that?"
"In here, it was the first one I found... when I was in here.. the first time," she answered as she remembered each detail separately.
"Oh... you still wear the same one? Isn't it too big?"
Kagome looked down at herself then shrugged, "I just figure why bother with another one?"
Sango looked at her wondering how naive her friend could possibly be, "Kagome... you do realize whose robe that probably is don't you?"
Kagome raised a brow at her then looked at the extra long sleeves and the excess that was on the ground behind her. She shrugged seeing nothing wrong with it, "Well it's not like he's wearing it now." She giggled at Sango's reaction. "It's not that big a deal Sango-chan, really."
The two walked out and the kitsune guard jumped right into Kagome's arms. Sango ruffled the kit's hair, "Thank you for your services Shippo."
The kit puffed up his chest proudly, "No problem!"
~*~*~*~
Having dismissed Rin Sesshoumaru turned to his retainer. "Jaken."
"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"See that the garden is repaired and ask that our guests stay through to tomorrow. And see about getting them some decent clothes."
"Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"We defeated a powerful enemy, Jaken, a celebration would be appropraite." A grin touched his lips, "And I fought with my worthless half-brother, I would think that it would make our father happy that for just one night we managed to be civil."
"That has never been a problem for you Sesshoumaru-sama."
"That is true, but you had best remind Inu Yasha."
"Hai."
"Good then go." Jaken left with the door closed Sesshoumaru gently put a hand to the bandage on his chest. He wondered if Kagome had done it, then he wondered why that thought was so pleasent and welcome to him. He stood and took the tenseiga from its sheath. Slowly he waved it through the air idly, watching the ripples of energy it left behind. I never imagined I would appreciate you so much Tenseiga. You helped me destroy a dangerous enemy and you saved... He paused in his thought, wondering how he should categorize Kagome in his mind. An ally? Certainly. A friend? Maybe?...Something more? For some reason he didn't want to think on that. You saved Kagome. And he left it at that.
~*~*~*~
Kagome sat brushing her hair, wondering about the experince she had in that place between life and death. She didn't remember much, she just knew she was confused, then scared... and pulling. She remembered a disinct tug on her soul. Was it the call to move beyond... or was it Kikyou?
Then it had just stopped, likely thanks to the potion Shippo had given her. She had been worried, but not long before she woke again she felt warm and safe... It must have been Tenseiga. But she had to wonder if it was more than just that, did she fell nice because of the healing powers or because she knew wh- *Knock Knock Knock*
~*~*~*~
Miroku had finally given in to the hanyou's whining and took him to see Kagome. By now, about nine hours since the attack, Inu Yasha could see shapes of color and light, but it was a far cry from his normal vision. Miroku knocked on the door. The door opened a few seconds later. "Ah hello Inu Yasha, Miroku-sama." She looked carefully at the hanyou, "Inu Yasha are your eyes ok yet?"
"Iya, they're better, but all I really see is colors."
"What are you doing here then?"
"I wanted to make sure you were ok."
She smiled, "Thank you Inu Yasha, I'm fine... just really tired."
"Yeah Miroku mentioned it."
"Excuse me." They all turned to the voice, one of the random servants stood behind them in the hall. "Sesshoumaru-sama has asked that you stay through to tomorrow night."
"What?"
The servant smiled, "He wants to have a small celebration. He has asked to specifically mention to you Inu Yasha-san that he would like there to be civilty between you two in honor of your father." Kagome could not help but giggle at hearing the hanyou called Inu Yasha-san. "Also we were told to see that you all recieve nice clothing for the event."
~*~*~*~
He stood overlooking some rolling hills and a castle settled into a mountain side. "Father's castle..." he muttered. He knew he was here for a reason. He started slightly and two slim arms wrapped around his waist from behind.
"Are you ready to go?" she whispered. Her voice was annoyingly familiar in the way that he could not pinpoint it, but he knew she was important.
"I've wanted this so long.. but I haven't-"
"Yes you have, here let me help you." One of her hands drew back and rested on his left shoulder blade. He didn't feel anything until he looked down, seeing his left arm was whole. "There, see? You have now. That wasn't so hard or bad now was it?"
He grinned, "No I suppose not. Will you come with me?"
She almost sounded sad, "I don't know.. I can't right now though."
"Who are you?"
He heard a small laugh, then one of her hands moved back again and whapped him upside the head. "baka, you're not supposed to ask that question so wake up."
Sesshoumaru sat up in his bed. He looked out the window seeing the morning light just creeping over the sky. Then he realized he had pushed himself up on two arms. He stared at his arm, he let the grin to pull on his lips. Sesshoumaru couldn't help himself, he let himself fall back in the bed and laughed.
~*~*~*~
She lay on her side only a sheet covering her midsection and pulled up over her chest. She was halfway between sleep and wakefulness when she felt someone sit in the bed behind her. A hand and a kiss landed on her shoulder. She knew almost then and there that she was dreaming, and that this was the same person from before. His hand ran down her arm untill his fingers interwined with hers. Another kiss touched the nape of her neck and smiled and let out a small, happy squeal. "I told you I'd protect you."
She grinned, "No. You only said you wanted too."
"Close enough."
She turned her hand and looked at their fingers gathered around her palm. All ten, his and hers, had claws. Eh?
Kagome woke, dressed in her sleeping robe and alone. Something told her she was keeping herself from knowing who he was. On the other side of her door Sesshoumaru debated whether or not he should wake her.