A/N: SORRY for the delay, guys! I have literally been working about 50 hours at my new job, and so I've sort of fallen out of whack. BUT here's the next chapter, and I hope it makes up for the dry spell!

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After a few moments of silent surprise, Sesshomaru turned on his heels and left the castle, leaving Kagome fuming as she chased him. Initially, she'd had it in mind to let Sesshomaru in on a rant that would have left his ears ringing for days, but there was something in the emotionless look Sesshomaru had sent her that had surprised her into silence as well, though she couldn't quite figure out what it was that had her so uncharacteristically reserved.

Sesshomaru had kept his silence as they'd left the castle, though Kagome wasn't sure if it was because of what she'd revealed . . . or something else. He had that look on his face now that reminded her so much of InuYasha—she ignored the silent pang that came with his name that reminded her how she missed her best friend—one that suggested that he was searching for something, to the point of obliviousness to near anything else.

He led them away from the castle and down a dirt road with such a regal air that even Jaken didn't dare squawk out a query.

Kagome admitted to herself was still miffed that Sesshomaru hadn't even tried to unsheathe his sword and do something, but Jaken had mumbled out something about the spirits of the yokai already passing. He'd even gone as far as to suggest that the yokai had probably accepted their deaths as it'd come, but Kagome wasn't so sure herself.

Nobody wanted to die, especially not a whole castle full of what had undoubtedly been a vibrant collection of yokai. If Jaken was right—and that was a big if, because the kappa was generally more wrong than he was right—then it was a useless gesture for Sesshomaru to even touch his sword, but Kagome couldn't help but resent his general air of apathy.

Even if it was pointless, Sesshomaru still could have at least tried, and so Kagome settled for glaring petulantly at Sesshomaru's back because she couldn't quite bring herself to speak up. Snapping or whining would have no effect, but she wasn't happy and she wasn't going to pretend that she was.

She ignored the little voice in her head that told her it wasn't Sesshomaru that she was actually unhappy with. Part of her understood that those people, those yokai, were beyond their help, even if she refused to admit it to herself. She understood, but her heart ached, and though aloud she blamed Sesshomaru for not saving them, she internally placed the blame squarely on her own two shoulders.

She had the knowledge, she had the power, and yet, there were dozens of yokai in the palace, and not a soul survived. That fact alone ate at Kagome with a ferocity that nearly drove her to her knees in pain. If she had been just a day or two earlier, if she had not tarried so, if she had come back quicker from the past instead of insisting on graduating high school, if she—

Sesshomaru stopped so suddenly that Kagome collided into Jaken, who'd stopped short himself to stop from colliding into his lord.

Against her earlier resolve not to speak to Sesshomaru until he'd properly apologized—or at least explained himself—she called out Sesshomaru's name. "What's wrong?" she asked after a moment when he didn't reply.

When he still didn't reply, she shifted to peer around his back and noticed a trail of blood leading to a monk . . . who was attempting to carry off a single, bloodied yokai. In fact, the yokai was so wounded that Kagome couldn't immediately make out their gender, let alone their type, other than the fact that they appeared humanoid.

As soon as she saw the wounded yokai, she immediately forgot why she was so ticked off at Sesshomaru in the first place.

The yokai groaned softly, and Kagome immediately assumed the worst, that this was someone out to harm a yokai who seemed to have survived the slaughter. She stepped in front of Sesshomaru, whipped out her bow and notched an arrow, aiming it squarely at the monk's chest.

But she saw black hair pulled back to drape over purple robes, and a golden staff strapped across his back, and her mind whispered, Miroku. And she hesitated.

It didn't matter that his hair was too long, or that his staff was different, or the fact that she knew Miroku was back in the tiny village by the well, tending to his pregnant wife and three children as InuYasha helped him earn an honest living.

She knew he wasn't Miroku, but still, her hands shook, and her voice wavered as she shouted, "Stop!"

Please don't make me shoot you, she found herself pleading, Please don't be one of the bad guys.

The monk froze and Kagome ignored Sesshomaru's raised brow as she moved closer to the monk. "Put the yokai down," she commanded, but her voice didn't stop shaking. She'd save this yokai, but she would also save this monk. She had to; she wouldn't settle for any less.

She'd already failed to save enough lives today.

"I can't," the monk replied without lifting his head to face them. "But you should leave."

His voice was deeper than Miroku's had been, and though she couldn't see his face, it was enough to reassure her that he wasn't Miroku. Still, her bow lowered against her will, and her hands refused to attempt any movement whatsoever.

"I can't," Kagome echoed, though she didn't raise her bow enough to make any sort of decent shot. Her arms felt like jelly, and her legs were suddenly weak, and then she remembered that Sesshomaru had told her that reiki users were targeted and destroyed as much as yokai themselves were.

He was likely as much a victim as the yokai in his arms, she realized, even if before yokai and those with holy power would have nothing to do with each other. She had no idea why, but it seemed the yokai and the monk had somehow decided to trust each other, and she relaxed slightly.

The monk didn't move from the tree he'd sagged against, nor did he relinquish his hold on the upper body of the bloodied yokai. "I suppose you want to finish the job," he said tonelessly. "It won't take long. As you can see, neither of us are in any shape to fight you off."

Kagome shook her head, and deliberately made a show of putting away her bow and arrow. "No," she said, showing him her empty hands. "We're not here to hurt either of you. I travel with yokai myself," she waved one hand to Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Shippo, who was once again sitting on Ah-Uhn, "and I'm a priestess." Sort of, she mentally corrected.

The monk's gaze traveled first over Kagome, and then each of her companions in turn. Jaken huffed and refused to meet the monk's gaze, but Shippo gave the monk a smile that was all sharp canine, and Kagome wasn't too surprised to note that the monk looked even less reassured when he took in the commanding lord behind her.

Sesshomaru, for his part, seemed completely disinterested. "They both reek of blood," he announced dispassionately. "This one doubts they need any help seeking their own demise."

The monk gaped at Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome shouted sharply, placing her hands on her hips as she glared at him. "Not. Helping!"

There was a slightly twisted smile on the inu yokai's face, so faint that she would have missed it if she hadn't begun to become accustomed to the nuances of his face.

Rotten yokai and his rotten sense of humor, she grumbled to herself, irritated at him all over again. He's utterly impossible!

"Ignore him," she said, waving a hand at Sesshomaru, who, for his part, did not seem happy at being dismissed so easily. "He gets cranky if he hasn't eaten. Or bathed. Or chased things. Actually, he generally gets cranky about everything."

She wasn't sure when she'd stopped seeing Sesshomaru as a terrifying force to be reckoned with—had she ever seen him so?—but she wasn't the least bit concerned at his minute irritated expression. She figured his ego was large enough it'd likely survive an attack or two, and he wasn't likely to kill her now, not when he had larger problems to deal with.

He'd survive, which was more than she could definitively say for the two in front of her.

"Let me help," she said, stepping forward. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Shippo already diving through the dragon's saddle bags, looking for her medicines and healing supplies.

The monk looked stunned. "Why?"

"Because you need my help," she said simply, ignoring his surprise. She was used to others' reactions of her lack of prejudice by now, and she paid it no mind as Shippo handed her her yellow backpack.

"What about him?" The monk indicated Sesshomaru with his chin.

Sesshomaru stepped away to sit by a tree on the opposite of the road, which was clearly his way of saying he'd allow the detour. She wasn't sure if he allowed it because he sought information from the survivors, or if he was just humoring her, but she wasn't about to question his actions either way.

She shrugged. "He doesn't bite."

Sesshomaru chose that moment to rest one hand on his knee, allowing his talons to glow green for just a moment.

The monk paled and wobbled as Kagome glared at Sesshomaru, and snapped, "Not. Helping!"

Sesshomaru didn't seem the least bit repentant, and as Kagome forced the monk to release his yokai companion and sit down, she cursed herself once again for ever agreeing to travel with the inu lord.

She should probably start making a list, she decided as she removed her supplies one by one from the bag and simultaneously assessed the injuries of both yokai and monk. Clearly, someone had to make sure Rin's work didn't go to waste, and if anybody was up for the task, well, after dealing with InuYasha, she figured his half-brother couldn't be much worse.

Then again, she decided, watching Sesshomaru idly study his poisonous claws and their lethal green glow, he might be even beyond her help. His people skills clearly sucked.

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A/N: Couple of points to note: I try quite hard to stay IC, as true as I can to the manga/anime. Therefore, Sesshomaru is a bit sassy and snarky, but also with that wicked sense of humor we see from time to time in the manga. He's not exactly fluffy and adorable, and that's probably never going to change much.

Kagome, on the other hand, is fairly naive and loving, as her character I've felt has always been based on heart. She wants to save everyone, to rescue anyone—though she's not afraid to defend those she cares about, either. But just as she rescued Kikyo and Naraku in the end from themselves, her pure soul is so strong that she'll try and rescue everyone else, too. She's forgiving, but she's toughest on herself . . . especially, I think, as she's matured.

Please keep that in mind before messaging me. I appreciate and welcome any and all feedback, but I'm human, and I have my opinions, just like you have yours.