The Missing Link
By:
Summary: Kagome is an archaeologist who's teams digging around Japan. In her search, she comes across the only known existing demon, frozen and preserved in the mountains. Once he's thawed up, it is up to her to attend to him, teach him the ways of the new world, and comfort his aching heart.
'Blah' –Sesshomaru's strange language
'Blah' -Thoughts
'Blah'- Sesshomaru's beast
Chapter 3
He reached for her, startled further when her aura flared with fear. 'Afraid? She is afraid of me?' Stepping back from her, his lips thinned. "You are as the other humans are." If she didn't want him there, if she was so afraid, then he would leave her be. Without thought, he climbed out of the window.
Sesshomaru pushed himself further. He couldn't shake the memory from his mind. The thought of her being afraid of him, it didn't make sense. She'd showed no fear at previous times, even when he had attacked that male. Nor had he truly given her a reason to fear him. He'd done her no harm. In fact, he was far gentler with the human than he would've liked to be.
There had to be something between her and that pathetic fool of a human. That was why she was constantly with him, constantly protecting him, constantly reeking of him, and oh how he hated to smell her crisp scent tainted with that of that male. Fear and confusion gripped his heart when a car skidded to a stop, only inches from him.
"Watch it, weirdo!" Startled, he started forward again, moving back when more cars began to skid and honk, people shouting obscenities at him. "Get the hell out of the way! Move it, asshole! Get out of the street, punk!"
Suddenly, there was a shattering pain in his right leg. Howling, he found himself reeling back, falling on his butt before a car that kept moving. Eyes wide, he grabbed the bumper of the car, holding it so tightly that the metal bent. He pushed the car back with as much force as he could, shuddering as he watched the cars pile up. They were even more intimidating that way. Standing, despite the pain in his leg, he hurried off.
His heart raced frantically as people called after him, yelling words he had never heard before. He quickened his pace, pushing through the crowded streets. The more they yelled, the more afraid he became and the faster he ran.
A bystander who he'd knocked down rushed to the nearest police officer. "Keikan! There's a man, a strange man dressed in strange cl-clothes! His hair is died a shining silver! And his eyes, the most terrifying and realistic golden contacts I've ever seen. He's tearing through the area!"
"Show me to him!" He followed the young woman through the streets to where Sesshomaru's was being crowded by a mass of angry humans. Lifting his walkie talkie to his mouth, he spoke, "I've got a 10-9 on Daisa, a 10-9 on Daisa. I require backup." It hardly took five minutes for sirens to ring through the air.
Sesshomaru, having given up on acting highly, covered his ears with his hands, backing deeper into the alley.
"Out of the way, people, we'll handle this guy." The officers started toward him.
"No!" He yelled, grabbing the nearest thing, a trash can, and throwing it at them.
"Whoa!" The crowd of policemen dispersed momentarily to avoid being hit. Re-gathering, they whipped out their guns and advanced toward him. "Calm down! We won't hesitate to hurt you!"
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "Keep back."
"Let's tame this psycho!" A man cried, taking a tire iron, which he'd taken from his care, he whacked the hydrant as hard as he could, smirking and laughing when water shot at Sesshomaru, full forced.
The demon snarled as he was tossed back into a dumpster from the force. He was soaked from head to toe by the time the hydrant ran out of water. He growled, taking a step forward to show the human what was coming to him, then yelling out when his leg flared with pain as he felt the bone cracking inside. He tried to move back again, but fell, slumping against a dumpster. His eyes swept over the crowd, angry, confused, afraid, and distrusting. He was overwhelmed. This new land of scents, sounds, tastes, sights, things! It was too much. He shrank back as the approached him. "Get away from me!" He snapped.
"We won't hurt you unless you fight." The male in front reached a hand out to him, touching his right arm gently. "Calm down and take my hand. I'll help you, sir."
"Don't touch my person!" He clutched his arm to his chest, eyes flickering an intense red like a four way stop.
The male didn't seem to notice, nor did he heed the warning. When he reached out to touch Sesshomaru again, he found himself punched and thrown back at least three feet. Guns cocked, and shots were fired.
Sesshomaru's aura wrapped around him tightly, forming an invisible barrier as he shielded his face with crossed arms and brought his legs closer to him. Crouched in a ball, he gritted his teeth to refrain from crying out when the bone in his leg broke through the skin. He wanted to kill them, kill them all to reducing him to this frightened being. His anger spike the more he thought on it. His eyes began to glow an eerie red when a familiar scent wafted into his nose.
"Where could he be?" Kagome looked around frantically. "He could be in so much trouble by now. Or worse, hurt." She gasped. "Oh, please, God. Don't let him be hurt. It'll be all my fault." She was running past a pawn shop when something caught her attention. She gazed at the showing televisions in the window.
A reporter smiled charmingly into the camera, his black hair slicked back into a small rattail. "We have breaking news on Daisa Street. A strange, silver wigged male with golden contacts has been tearing through the downtown area, destroying everything in his wake. We give you live feed in ten minutes. Stay tuned."
"Sesshomaru!" Kagome smiled. "He's on Daisa!" Urgently, she turned from the screen and hurried down the street, cutting a quick left, then another until she was on Daisa. Noticing the loud, crude crowd around an alley, the horde police cars, and the News 6 truck, she knew she'd found the place. She tried to get through the crowd, pausing when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she came face to face with the violet eyed, black haired reporter she'd once had a 'celeb' crush on.
"Hold it right there, my beautiful little lady." He grinned flirtingly. "It's too dangerous for a little flower like you."
"I can handle it."
He shook his head. "Dearest, I mean it. You're too precious to go in there. That man is senile."
Kagome's shoulders shook. "He isn't. He's scared. I have to make it through to Sesshomaru."
"Sesshomaru?"
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Pushing him away, she forced her way through the large mass of people before coming to a throng of policemen and women. "I have to-"
"Get back! How'd you get so close?!"
She waved her hand at him. "Look, I need to get to him."
"And who are you?"
"I'm…I'm his guardian. He wasn't supposed to get out. He ran away. Let me take him back home."
The man regarded her silently, considering her words for a moment, then shaking his head. "I'm sorry. That man is dangerous. Something isn't right in his head."
Kagome clenched her fists at her side. "I'm sorry for this, really sorry." Kneeing him in the groin, she took off when he hunched over in pain. Slithering her way through the crowd, having to yank her limbs free as the officers struggled to grasp her, she finally managed to reach Sesshomaru. "Oh, Sesshomaru." She ran to him, kneeling by his side and pulling him close to her. "W-what have they done to you?" She eyed his leg.
Sesshomaru gently grasped her forearm, pressing his head to her bosom. "Kagome." She always managed to find him when he needed her, when he wanted her. "I do not like this time." He whispered softly.
"I know." She replied, tears in her eyes. It was all her fault. She'd caused him this pain. She could only imagine the fear he'd felt. All the strange things in her time surrounded him, a demon from the 1500s. "It'll be okay, Sesshomaru. I'll get you help."
"Hn." He grunted as pain seared through his leg. His grip on her tightened then loosened as he fell unconscious.
Kagome held him tighter, stifling her tears. She spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and turned to glare. "Don't come near him…What did you do to him? What did you do?!"
"That man is a menace to society!"
"Did he harm anyone?! Is anyone here bleeding more than him?!"
There was silence, before a meek, "No," was heard.
Kagome nodded. "Exactly. I hope you're all happy with yourselves." Threading her hands through Sesshomaru's hair as the people slowly began to disperse; she pulled her cell phone from her pocket and dialed her home. 'Hojo should be awake now.' "Hojo," she said when he answered the phone.
"Kagome," he rasped, "Hey. I was worried that that demon had hurt you. Where are you? Where is it?"
"He and I are on Daisa. You'll notice the big van. Sesshomaru's hurt and I need your help getting him to the lab so we can heal him."
Hojo sighed. "Kagome-"
"Hojo, I won't take no for an answer. Either…either you help, or I drag him there myself."
"You shouldn't go straining yourself, Kagome. You shouldn't have left without your car in the first place. You know your asthma has been horrible."
"Then don't make me do it."
Sighing once again, the male gave in. "I'm on my way." He jingled the keys into the phone. "Don't you move an inch until I get there."
"I don't think I could if I wanted to." Kagome said, referring to the way Sesshomaru held a tight grip on her, his face pressed deep into his chest and his body curled against her. "Thank you, Tanaka-san." She smiled.
"You're welcome…Kagome."
Kagome slid her phone closed before placing it back into her pocket and resuming her tease of Sesshomaru's hair. She tensed when a shadow fell over them. "He's hurt enough. If you want to harm him, you'll be going through me first."
"It's quite remarkable," the deep baritone voice began, "how you can care about someone that you hardly even know."
Looking up, she smiled a bit, blushing. "Houshi-san."
"Please, call me Miroku."
"Miroku, then. And you can call me Kagome. How do you know that I hardly know him?"
"You embrace him, though caringly, a bit awkwardly. And he seems to take to you, but not fully…So, tell me," He lowered his voice, "Where did you find a living demon?"
Kagome gasped softly, pulling Sesshomaru tighter to her. "W-what do you mean?"
He smirked. "Really, my beauty, it takes a fool not to see, so I suppose that means that half the city is. Anyway, I'm a houshi. You should have noticed that." He hinted at her miko heritage.
"Right, right, your last name. I thought it was just something you thought up."
"My last name? No, I mean-" He stilled when he heard a horn beep loudly. "Your boyfriend or husband?"
"Ex-husband." Kagome replied as he helped her to stand with Sesshomaru.
Miroku nodding, lifting Sesshomaru into his arms. "My, is this guy heavy."
Kagome giggled. "He's a practically 7 ft demon. I mean, really."
"I know." He laughed, sliding Sesshomaru into the backseat before closing the door. Once Kagome had climbed into the front seat, he stood by her window, smirking a bit. "So, Ka-gom-e," He brushed his bangs back with his hands. "You never told me how you came upon this demon." When she opened her mouth to speak, he held up a hand. "Not now. Your friend is in need of healing. Perhaps when he is better, over dinner?"
Hojo's eyes widened. 'T-that flirt is asking her out right in front of me! A-and she's letting him do it!'
"D-dinner?" Kagome's face flushed.
"Yes, dinner. Don't tell me the answer now. Here," He handed her a business card. "You call me when you get the chance?"
"O-okay."
"Promise?"
She blushed, bowing her head. "I promise, Miroku-san."
Hojo gaped at her. 'She promises?!'
Miroku winked at her. "Don't keep me waiting, Kagome. I know how quickly those demons heal. Good day…" He arched a brow at Hojo.
"Tanaka Hojo." He grouched.
"Yes, Tanaka, Hojo. Is your last name still Tanaka, Kagome?"
"No. No. It's Higurashi."
"Ah, that sounds beautiful. Higurashi Kagome." He smiled at her blush. "I'll see you soon, Higurashi-san." Bowing, he turned on his heels and walked off.
Sighing, Kagome leaned back in her seat. "He's such the charmer."
Hojo snorted as he began to drive. "Oh, isn't he though?" He said in a high pitched voice, blinking repeatedly.
"Why'd you say it like that?"
"Like what? I was agreeing."
"Riiight…baka." She muttered with a smirk. 'Jealous baka.'
Sesshomaru gazed up at the ceiling, blinking slowly. He turned his head to face the door when it creaked open. When he saw Kagome entering alone, he narrowed his eyes at her, then looked back to the ceiling.
"You're angry with me? I understand…I'll just check your wound and leave you." When he made no move to reply, she placed her hands on his legs, peeling back the wraps, then gasping. "Wow, I knew they healed fast, but this is simply spectacular. A day, only a day! Heck, my scrapes take longer than that!"
"Youkai possess superior bodies." Sesshomaru told her softly.
"I noticed." Kagome smiled at him, sighing when he looked away from her. "I'll run an x-ray."
Sesshomaru arched a brow as she placed a thick cover over his body, all but his leg, and lowered a machine over his body. The curiosity rolled off of him in waves, but he refused to say anymore to her than he already had.
Sensing his anxiousness, and knowing he wouldn't ask, Kagome filled him in, "This takes a picture of the bones inside your body, through the skin, tissue, cell, all that. It's really quiet fascinating. Close your eyes for me." Once he'd obliged, she took two x-rays before lifting the machine and walking over to the other side of the room to retrieve the pictures.
'Is she not going to say anything?' His eyes narrowed at the thought. Was she truly going to allow him to remain even more distant from her than usual? Fine. He didn't need her. She was but a pathetic human. Despite his own words, his fingers twitched anxiously, awaiting her to speak to him. When she returned to his side, still silent, he growled softly.
Kagome jumped in surprise, then looked to him curiously. "What's wrong with you?"
Stubbornly, he turned his head from her as she analyzed the x-rays of his Tibia.
Sighing with a small smile, Kagome gazed at the x-ray, scrutinizing the cracks in his bone. "I suppose this will take a little longer, a day or two. And I assume you won't want a cast. I'll see if I can rustle you up something to eat." Turning away from him, she made to leave, but when her hand touched the handle, Sesshomaru spoke.
"Why did you…s-suddenly fear me?"
"Fear you? I've never been afraid of you." Kagome brushed her bangs from her face and she pivoted so that she was facing him. "Was that why you left? You thought I was afraid?"
"You shuddered, and your aura…shimmered with fear." He replied simply, his eyes hardening. "Perhaps you thought me a beast, who f-fought and killed blindly." A harsh growl vibrated through his throat. "I am far more…"
Kagome's eyes softened as he struggle, racking his brain for a word he knew was there somewhere. "Controlled. I know you're far more controlled than that…Sesshomaru, I wasn't afraid of you. I was afraid that Hojo was severely hurt. I was afraid that you were going to hurt him more for saying those disrespectful things. He's an idiot sometimes, but he means well."
Sesshomaru sat up slowly, dismissing the throbbing pain in his leg as he swung them over the side of the table. Looking down his nose at her, he asked curiously, "Hojo…what is he to you?"
A light blush sprinkled over her cheeks. Covering her face with a hand, she answered, "He's my ex-husband."
"Ex-husband?" He repeated, unfamiliar with the term.
"He's like my…my mate. Or at least he was. Things didn't' go so well. Now, we're more like acquaintances and work partners." The last phrase was spoken with a soft, melancholy tone. Lowering her head, she looked down at her hands.
"Mate cannot part."
Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, looking up into his narrow, liquid gold eyes. "Well, they can now. And I'm glad. I don't want him with me if he doesn't want to be."
Sesshomaru frowned, but left it alone. No alpha in his right mind abandoned his mate. Perhaps that Hojo was insane. He was snapped from his thoughts when Kagome touched his hand. "Hn?"
"When you were unconscious, did you have a memory?"
He stiffened at her question, then lowered his gaze. That familiar scent had triggered a memory, but he hadn't been able to properly see or gage who it was. The memory was choppy and blurry. "Not one that I could comprehend."
"That's alright. Like I promised before, I won't stop until I help you to remember. I know how it feels to lose everything you held dear. For you, it was your memories, for me, my very life." She flinched as the pain she'd felt when she'd been handed the divorce papers by Hojo himself resurfaced. Feeling Sesshomaru's finger under her chin, she allowed him to lead her gaze upward to his face.
"You once called this Sesshomaru a…friend. If you will be…assisting me, I will assist you. You will not be lost forever, Kagome." Leaning down, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him and stroking her back.
Smiling gratefully, Kagome embraced him back, pressing her head against his chest. Absently, she listened to the rhythmic beating of his quick paced heart. She couldn't quite understand why she felt so drawn to the male in her arms. He was the complete opposite of her, demon to human, strong to weak, agile to clumsy. Everything he did was with grace and prestige, while she practically tripped over herself. And she found herself wondering what went on in his head.
'This strange little human miko…does she have any i-idea what she is? Does she know that she can recall her past lives? If- If I teach her what I know of it, could she reveal her connection to myself in the past? And she can summon ghosts. Could she sum-summon my Rin?' Sighing softly, he rubbed his nose into her hair. Perhaps he would ask later.
"Can you make it up the stairs?" Kagome asked, looking up the stairs to her condo. Before she could speak again, Sesshomaru lifted her up into his arms and jumped, landing with a grunt at her door. "Stop that! You aren't fully healed!"
"I am fine." Sesshomaru argued back, surprised that she'd had the gall to yell at him that way.
She scowled at him, fishing through her purse for her keys in an angry huff, she ranted, "Your bone is going to shatter, stupid. Demon or not, it's gonna take you some time to heal that, if you can at all. Humans can't you know. And another thing, what I say goes! I brought you into this world and I can take you out! Kami, I must sound like your mother. But that's just how frustrating you are, Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru blinked for a moment, still stuck at the part where she'd called him stupid. Was she serious? Growling, he leaned down until they were face to face, about to berate her when she finally grabbed her key, sprinting to the door. "Kagome." He growled after her, following.
"Kagome, my foot! I meant everything I just said!" Shoving her key into the lock, she twisted it and kicked the door open. "I mean, honestly, you broke your leg just yesterday. Jumping all the way up here was just, just STUIPID!"
"I am not stupid, woman!" He snapped at her, furious at being downgraded.
"I beg to diff! And that's the end of this conversation." She stormed into the house, squealing when Sesshomaru jerked her back to him, holding her bridle style.
"This conversation is over?" He smirked viciously. "No. I beg to differ." Carrying her into the house despite her struggles, he carried her to the living room, pausing when a new scent caught his nose. Holding Kagome tighter, he went to the source, a pretty young woman in the living room. "Who are-"
Kagome beamed. "Sango-chan!" Jumping out of Sesshomaru's arms, she raced to her cousin. "Oh, Sango-chan, I've missed you so much! I'm so glad you're back from Spain! How was it?!"
Sango smile. "Muy bien. We won every game."
"Wow. Playing overseas must be amazing."
"Yes. It is…Who is that?" She inquired, eying Sesshomaru with none too trusting eyes as he returned the icy look.
"Oh, that recent dig Hojo, the teams, and I did paid off. I found a real live demon. He's staying here with me."
Sango nodded, storing the information in her mind before her face turned red, her brows furrowing. "ARE YOU RETARDED (no offense intended) OR JUST PLAIN STUPID?! Th-those things a-are freaking killers! You remember the stories grandfather told us! H-he's supposed to be a mythical killing machine. He's supposed to be a fable like miko and hanyou!"
Sesshomaru frowned. So he'd thought right. "Miko, hanyou, and youkai are not m-mythical. Kagome, herself, is a miko."
Kagome's eyes widened. "N-No, I'm not. I'm human."
"You are a human…miko."
"A human…miko. Prove it."
Complying, Sesshomaru allowed his aura to wrap around hers, drawing aout the miko energy in her own aura and making it visible to her eye. "As I said, you are a human miko."
Kagome nodded, repeating, "A human miko," before her eyes rolled back and she fell back onto the couch.
