Sorry it's been so long, but I've been very busy. That and I've been suffering from writer's block...I think because I had a lot of other things on my mind. Hopefully I'll have more time to get updates to you guys now.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the computer I wrote this with.

Ch. 6: Respect at Last

Sesshoumaru growled once Akira had left. It irritated that he would now have to find a suitable place for this gathering. He looked over at Naomi, who was being very quiet considering her temperament. Akira had been very blunt about his views about her, and usually she would explode when people treated her that way. He was surprised to see hatred in Naomi's eyes. He'd seen anger there, frustration, happiness, even dislike, but never hatred. Then she blinked and the emotion was gone, either hidden away or tamed out.

"What do we do now?" Kagome asked hesitantly, looking at Sesshoumaru. She added as an after thought, "My lord."

"I'll have to decide where this will take place at," he replied, looking away from Naomi.

"If it helps, you can use my compound," Naomi told him with a gesture towards her mountain. The very idea of letting Lord Akira and his family into her sanctuary made her hackles rise, but she wanted to help Sesshoumaru if she could. "It's isolated and there's plenty of room for the higher ranking guests."

He turned to her again. "I'll have to see it."

"Alright," she agreed easily. For some reason, knowing he would be on her compound made her very nervous. She shoved that aside for later examination. "It should only take two weeks to get there from here if we go straight there."

"I can't wait," Rin cheered. "Shippo said that your home was beautiful."

"I try," she said with her first smile since she'd seen Akira. She crouched in front of Rin. "My favorite part is my gardens. There's this old willow tree in the center surrounded by flowers and water."

"Really?"

"Really." Naomi grinned. "The tree enormous now and very old."

"I can't wait," the little girl said again, clapping her hands together.

Naomi laughed and lifted Rin into the air. Leave it to Rin to make her forget the anger and pain. "I love you, Little One."

"I know," Rin said through laughter.

Kagome found herself smiling and looked at Shippo, who was now sitting on her shoulder. The fox kit was grinning and seemed to vibrate with his own excitement. He would get to see other demons. Maybe some of them would be foxes like him. He hoped so. Naomi had begun to train him, but she was starting simple. Control was the big thing for her. Which was why he wasn't jumping up and down like Rin was. Every time he lost so much control that he wasn't paying attention to his surrounding, Naomi gave him a good bop on the head. He figured it was best if he mastered paying attention while calm before letting himself get all emotional.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, but something in him melted as he watched Naomi and Rin. With a low growl he turned and began walking towards the mountain. He felt them follow him, but still said nothing. It was starting to become obvious to him that Naomi was really getting to him. It was the little things, like not complaining about her life and seeking protection for a friend, that were getting under his skin. If he wasn't careful, he might actually begin to like her. The very idea had his blood turning cold. He would never fall pray to his father's mistake and care for someone beneath him. Rin was an exception because she was an innocent child. Naomi was not innocent nor was she a child.

Naomi watched the stiff line of his shoulders wondering if he was still irritated at having to host this gathering. He was growling periodically now. She didn't think he was even paying attention to his surroundings anymore - a rarity for Sesshoumaru. She'd never known him to not know everything that was going on around him.

"Naomi," Kagome whispered as she looked around.

Right about then, the hanyou felt something with a thirst for blood approaching. "Hold on."

She could feel it's desire for blood and carefully calculated it's path. Her eyes widened and she didn't think about what she did next. She raced forward as she uncorked the water skin at her waist. At her command, the water came out of the skin in the form a staff made of solid ice. She shoved Sesshoumaru out of the way as she brought up the staff to block the coming attack. Even with her reflexes, she wasn't quite fast enough. The charging bear demon rammed into her slamming her back through the forest. His eyes were a blood red and there was drool pouring from his jaws.

Naomi winced as she slammed into a tree and the bear's claws scrapped her sides when he managed to wiggle the around the staff. With a shift of her hands the ice staff became a shield. She grunted as she tried to shove him back. There was something not right about this demon. He was heavy and strong, and that was normal for a bear demon, but this was extreme. She could barely breathe because of the crushing weight. Now she knew what the middle of a sandwich felt like. Behind her the tree cracked. In front of her, she could see the bear trying to get at her with claws and teeth. If not for the shield, she would be dinner by now.

The shield cracked. Oh, god, she prayed. Please let the tree give before my shield. There was another cracking sound, and she felt sweat trickle down her face. Then the weight was gone and the bear was yanked away. She fell to her knees as she watched Lord Sesshoumaru dig a claw into the demon's back. Then Kagome was sitting next to her with a worried look.

"Naomi, are you alright?"

"Yeah." Naomi gasped for air. "Yeah. What is that bear on?"

"Jewel shard," Kagome answered. "That's why it took so long for Lord Sesshoumary to get here. I had to tell him about it and where it was."

Naomi vaguely remembered Kagome trying to tell her something just before the bear demon showed up. "You sensed it."

"Yes, but not soon enough apparently. You felt him too."

"Not the jewel. I can sense demon energy."

She forced herself to her feet. Sesshoumaru had jumped away from the bear demon, holding the jewel shard in his blood covered hand. Kagome jumped up to go purify the shard and add to her collection. Naomi turned her attention to the now bleeding to death demon. He was gasping for air, and she saw that his eyes were now a liquid brown.

"Did I kill anyone?" he managed, sounding afraid of the answer.

Naomi knelt next to him. "No." Sympathy welled up inside her. "What happened to you?"

"It was the jewel. Someone put it inside me and then I remember nothing but this burning need for blood." He closed his eyes. "I'm glad that I didn't kill anyone."

"Who did this to you?"

"He wore a baboon pelt."

"Naraku," Naomi growled.

She looked at the bear demon. No. Naraku would not win this time. She summoned all the water she had used as a shield. The water formed around her hand like a gel. She moved and placed her hand over his wounded shoulder where the jewel shard had been.

"Naomi, what are you doing?" Kagome demanded.

"Healing him. Be quiet. I need to concentrate." The water on her hands began to glow as she focused her powers. The damage was extensive, but she could fix it. She would fix it. "I need more water."

She heard Kagome scramble to do as she ordered. Her body began to shake with the effort she put into the healing process. She felt it as the bear's muscles began to mend and nerve ending were regenerated. Sweat trickled down her face and the bear demon was crying with the agony. She started holding him still as she healed. Then someone grabbed the bear demon to hold him still. Her eyes jerked up to see Sesshoumaru. His cold amber eyes met hers, and to her surprise, contained understanding.

Kagome came back with water. Naomi took it and continued the slow and exhausting process of healing. After what felt like hours, the wound was sealed shut. Naomi fell backwards, but before she could hit the ground, Sesshoumaru grabbed her. Kagome was sitting next to the bear, tending to his less serious injuries.

"He should live now," Naomi managed between breaths. She was so tired now.

"You need rest," Sesshoumaru told her gruffly.

"I know." She leaned into him. Exhaustion lowered her guard so she was barely aware of what was going on anymore. "The children?"

"They're fine. Rin was scared."

"I'm sorry for that." She shifted as he began walking slowly so she could keep leaning on him. His arm was like a iron band around her waist, supporting her so she wouldn't fall. "I didn't think. Just moved."

"Idiot. That demon could have killed you."

"You weren't ready for him. I was." Her eyes took on a stubborn look. "I wasn't about to let you get hurt."

"Why?"

"Because I made a promise."

They were in a clearing now where the two children and Jaken had set up a camp. Sesshoumaru lowered her to the ground carefully. Now he had to go get the bear demon. The creature was defenseless right now and he wouldn't let all of Naomi's healing go to waste by leaving him for dead.

He couldn't wrap his mind around what she'd done. Naomi had been willing to sacrifice herself for him. Something no one had been willing to do. Then she had saved the bear demon that had tried to kill her. There was just no end to Naomi's honor, and honor was something the Western Lord appreciated above all else. Sesshoumaru looked at the hanyou and sighed in resignation. She'd won. He now respected her more than he did most full blooded demons. So now she was one of his pack for life, and he wasn't sure he like that idea. Still, he wasn't one to dwell on things he couldn't change.

Sesshoumaru turned and made his way back to the area where the miko waited. Kagome was standing next to the bear demon with a bow in hand and an arrow ready. When she saw him, she relaxed and put the arrow back in her quiver. "Is Naomi alright, my lord?"

"Yes. She'll just need rest."

He reached down and lifted up the bear demon. This would be so much easer with both arms, he mentally growled. Outwardly, his expression didn't even twitch. Kagome followed him to the clearing and immediately began to tend to Naomi's wounds. The hanyou had fallen asleep and didn't even stir when Kagome poured something she called disinfectant onto the wounds. In fact, Naomi didn't wake until nearly noon the next day.

She stirred and sat up. Confused, she looked around trying to figure out just where she was. Rin and Shippo were playing a few yards away. Kagome was watching them, sitting next to the bear demon.

"You're awake."

She turned and saw Sesshoumaru standing behind her. "Hello, m'lord. Where are we?"

"Not that far from where you fought the bear. He woke a few hours ago and won't leave until he speaks with you."

"Do you mind if he stays?"

"No." He met her eyes and held out a hand. "Come, Naomi. The others were worried."

She stared at him. Had he actually used her name? Lord Sesshoumaru had just called her by name. She knew it was a peace offering and that he would never voice the change between them. That was fine with her. Naomi gave him a large smile and placed her hand in his. "Alright, Lord Sesshoumaru."

He pulled her to her feet. She dusted her self of thinking that maybe the two of them would finally call a truce. Slowly, because her muscles were stiff, she made her way over to Kagome and the bear demon. They looked up at her with identical looks of relief.

Before she could say anything, something with the force of battering ram slammed into her followed by another one. Because her muscles ached and her energy wasn't quite back to normal, Naomi stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud. Still she laughed as the two children held on tight babbling incoherently about how worried they'd been. She managed to sit up and convince Shippo that she was find. Rin however, refused to release her. Feeling indulgent, Naomi let the little girl hold on tight.

"I'm glad you're awake," Kagome said, trying not to laugh at the children's antics. "It's been nearly twenty-four hours since you passed out."

"I'm fine," Naomi reassured her friend. Her stomach rumbled. "Starving though. Healings always leave me needing food."

"I'll make some lunch then." Kagome stood. "Rin, why don't you help me."

Needing to do something to help Naomi feel better, Rin jumped at the chance. "Okay."

Naomi turned her attention to the bear demon. "What is your name anyway?"

"Hiroto," he supplied.

His brown eyes looked more tired than she felt. Must be the blood loss, she thought. One thing she couldn't do was replace blood...well, she couldn't bring back the dead either. Hiroto also looked more human than he had the day before. Yesterday his body had been coated in thick, brown fur and his snout long. Now he had only the animalistic traits of a normal demon with a humanoid form - clawed hands and sharpened canines. The monstrous look from yesterday must have been the tainted jewel's doing.

The bear shifted a little. "I must apologize to you. Because of my carelessness you were injured and forced to exhaust yourself to help me."

"It's alright," she assured him. "It wasn't your fault."

"I wish to repay you, since you saved my life twice."

"Twice?"

"The penalty for attacking a demon lord is usually death." He glanced back at Sesshoumaru then back at her. "Then you healed my wounds."

"Well, I don't need anything right now, but if Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't object, you can come with us. Maybe something will come up later. Besides, I'd like to keep an eye on your wound for a little while to make sure it stays healed. Sometimes, when I heal while tired like yesterday, the would can reopen."

"I'll speak with Lord Sesshoumaru then." He stood. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind someone to watch you three while he is on patrols."

She smiled. "Probably not providing you don't talk too much or question him."

"He has a right to his pride."

"I know, but it still annoys me." She looked over at Sesshoumaru. "But I think we've finally reached an understanding. A good aftereffect of your brief moment of insanity."

"Glad to help," he said dryly.

Naomi laughed and held out a hand. "My name is Naomi. It's nice to meet you Hiroto. Hopefully this is the beginning of a friendship."

He accepted her hand. "I think it is."

Sesshoumaru watched the interaction between Naomi and Hiroto without much interest. At least that's what he told himself. Despite being willing to accept Naomi into his pack now, he wasn't quite willing to accept that he could like her. It had taken him hours to convince himself that yesterday wasn't the beginning of an odd friendship between them. It was bad enough that he respected her, there was no way he would add to that by taking a liking to her of any kind. On that he was determined. He turned away from her and a voice in his head reminded him that he'd been just as determined not to respect her before yesterday. He growled and walk away to begin his patrol. Hopefully he would find some poor irritating demon to destroy so he could get rid of some of this frustration.

That's it for now. Hope you enjoyed, and if you did feel free to let me know what you thought. Until the next chapter.