In sleep, fantasy takes the form of dreams. But in waking life, too, we continue to dream beneath the threshold of consciousness, especially when under the influence of repressed or other unconscious complexes.

- Problems of Modern Psychotherapy

Chapter Ten: Harmful Considerations?

Kagome was settled on her bed, yawning a little and rubbing her sore arm from the long workout of the day, she was tired and perplexed by the strange little exchange they'd had while she was learning.

"Was I flirting with him?" she whispered to herself, unsure herself as to her intentions while she had been complimenting him. "But he does have such amazing eyes."

She sighed again and turned over. She needed to talk to her friends about all this, she certainly had some guys around worth giggling over, even if nothing was going to end up anywhere the thoughts and dreams didn't hurt, did they?

"Can't believe I did that." She decided not to speak out loud anymore after the last incident on a moment of retrospect. "I wonder if maybe it was like he said and perhaps looking into his eyes too long causes events he doesn't mean or effect? What an odd thing…but I guess he did say he was a chaos demon…that is a little unstructured for a power."

"I wish I could remember those nice people that came to try to help me. They say we were and are close friends but it's not faith inspiring that I don't remember them at all. They're somewhat familiar, but no more than Sesshomaru and he I didn't know as more than a passing acquaintance at best before my loss of memory." It was all just leading her in circles that didn't actually go anywhere. "Sometimes I think it might have been easier to have been in a car crash instead of this bizarre fairy tale world I ended up in."

"When I get back home though that well that Miroku told me about I can tell my friends about a really detailed and interesting dream I had at least." She thought girlishly before sighing some again. "I wonder why that doesn't seem as great as it might have a few days ago? Suddenly being more important than a normal teenager and having these powers to develop…it's all something I'm not sure I want to give up the moment that I'm well again."

"Quiet." The whisper came from below her in the bed and she was about to do just the opposite of it's request by screaming when an arm reached out of the mattress and a hand muffled that yelp. "Why can't people ever listen when I ask them to?"

She froze then, feeling an amazing amount of the dark demonic energy she'd been dealing with lately pouring into her from a small prick that had been put into the back of her neck. She was afraid to struggle any further and any consideration of staying here being an enjoyable option fading at the assault on her person.

Her own holy magic had risen in natural defense of the attack but it was already weakened from the long day of practice, having been slightly overused it was much less than it could have been, failing her as she started to feel light headed. It seemed like her very essence was being drained from her person, her spirit and resolve slowly fading away into a darkness she found her consciousness welcoming. If she just went to sleep she wouldn't have to feel the pain or the fear, it would just be all be numb.

She was half-asleep when the door to the room opened and there was a streak of white before the pain in her neck disappeared and she felt herself seeming to actually return to her body - as if whatever was happening was trying to pull her soul away from it.

It was a blurry minute after she realized the strange attack had stopped, she was floating not far from the bed, watching it drunkenly from her new position about three and half feet off the floor, it didn't have an arm sticking out of it anymore. Wouldn't it be funny if all beds had hands? Then you wouldn't have to worry about rolling off. Then it blurred more as she nearly fell and then went up and down, being shaken before lolling her head back toward the other part of the room to find a face full of white fabric.

She barely managed to make out the regal features of Sesshomaru's face above her, staring around him as opposed to looking at her. His voice penetrating the slight fear that remained and eradicating it. "Are you all right?"

There wasn't anything else she could think to say before she passed out.

"Now I am…"

"Who do you believe it was that made the attack?" Sesshomaru asked his Captain seriously, the demon was standing and looking out the window at grim clouds that were threatening an early frost.

"Most likely culprit? Nyn, they're the only demon in your employee with the ability to reach through matter. Though I doubt that she was the mastermind, which leaves us in the need of knowing who it was that she was working for considering she's fled the grounds - another thing that puts her as the likeliest of the assassins. It has not yet been determined just what they were trying to accomplish but Emera says that she should recovery perfectly fine."

"Send Trion to retrieve this Nyn then and have Saiya do what she can to discover who else is planning such treachery." He ordered, the clouds above curling and growing steadily darker with the fast winds that were picking up. "Also, I need you to revisit the local village. Word is another of the demon lords is looking for our guest as well and making quite a ruckus."

"Who will take over the watch of the lady?" He asked as he filed away the other needed actions in his mind.

"I suppose I will have to keep an eye on her in the meantime." He didn't sound pleased by the announcement.

"I know I've asked before but how long do you plan to keep the Lady Kagome here?" Rimida questioned seriously, watching the lack of movement from his lord. "There will be more turmoil for you the longer that she stays."

"It is my estate. I will have whomever stay here that I like, it is not the duty of my vassals to decide who they do or do not approve of. I will not tolerate this insolence from any of them. This woman helped me once before and I owe her at least sanctuary. It is disgraceful that my own servants would threaten the very safety that I offer her." His tone had taken a vengeful hint, this was something he would indeed not put up with. "All who act against my guests are considered to be acting against me and I will take every expected action for any that raise arms against me. Let that be known as well, you are dismissed Captain Rimida."

"As you will it Lord Sesshomaru." The man bowed deep before retreating from the office to leave the annoyed demon lord to his thoughts and the rain that had started to fall outside.

"If people are attacking Kagome she'd be better off just returning for medical attention in her own time." Sango observed to her friends with a frown.

"That's assuming she can return at all." Miroku answered with a shrug. "I know no one has wanted to say it after what happened with Inuyasha but without the jewel still existing there is no promise that she'll even be able to get back to her own time. I know she was worried if she did she wouldn't be able to visit us any longer but I'm not sure that's the largest of her issues."

"But I don't want Kagome to leave at all." Shippou commented sadly, he'd been looking down ever sense they had arrived. "She needs to at least get better first so she can choose on her own. It might be harder on her if we sent her back without that choice. She might think we abandoned her, I won't do that."

Sango smiled softly at the young fox, she had to admit the young fellow had become tough during their time together. "Don't worry Shippou, I doubt that Sesshomaru would let us take her before she was better anyway. He seems to be set on repaying her for saving him during the last battle with Naraku, it's surprisingly honorable of him. She'll get better sometime, hopefully soon, and then we'll be able to talk to her normally again."

"Let's hope so." Miroku shrugged a little. "I'm not so certain though. She suffered a major loss and betrayal with what Inuyasha did, I doubt that her brain will want her to remember the emotional trauma of that anytime soon."

"Well at least she woke up and was okay after the attack thought." Shippou changed the subject back, not wanting to talk about the idea of Kagome not getting her memory back. "That means she should be pretty much safe here with Sesshomaru himself looking out for her shouldn't it?"

"That's true." Miroku agreed with a wince as Sango twisted his arm when Shippou wasn't looking, nodding toward the fox kit to let the monk know to take his commentary easy when the kit was around. "I'm sure she's as safe here at the estate as she could be anywhere Shippou, and she'll remember us, we just need to support her and give her the time she needs. Maybe it would be good for us to get the guards to let us take a tour of the mansion here. It's quite immense and it would be great to have a chance to get our minds off all the trouble lately."

"That's a wonderful idea." Sango agreed immediately. "Kagome mentioned that there were some magnificent gardens here. We could ask and see if it would be all right to visit those after all the time stuck inside the past few days."

"Well, I guess that is okay." Shippou nodded slowly. "She needs to get more rest after what happened anyway is what the healer lady said."

The fox kit seemed hesitant to do to anything but waiting for his mom to get better but reluctantly agreed that the outdoors seemed like a nice break from all the worrying. He followed them to ask about the possibility of such a thing…

Kagome was still asleep, Sesshomaru needed to take her for her daily lessons but had paused in his steps to watch her at rest for a time. The mortal girl was certainly tougher than she appeared, especially to have survived an attack by a demonic assassin. The fact that her defense had been purely subconscious just added volumes to how much her power spoke. Yet in rest it was hard to imagine she was capable of calling forth the power that could purify the demons she was choosing to remain with.

Her eyes closed and lips just slightly ajar with the twitch on occasion from some unknown dream in that bizarre mind of hers. Her rich dark chocolate hair curled around her on the pillow and tickling at her cheeks. She was quite the creature for a mortal, for one of her race she had to be considered rather attractive and charismatic. Even if her personality didn't help his position of aiding her he had to admit it was different to see a mortal constantly fine with challenging anything or anyone; even if she was aware that that person could kill her without much difficulty. It was something that was foolish but still somehow admirable. The woman was confusing yet intriguing, just how she was suppose to bring prosperity with all this trouble he had yet to see but it was so far an experience that he would not easily forget.

He considered that she'd also at least revealed one of the members of his household that wasn't loyal and ousting such unappreciative servants was something to appreciate about her presence, however irritating having to come to her rescue was it was worth the annoyance.

Which lead him back to the thought that he needed to teach her to defend herself so he wouldn't have to be as concerned about saving her from every demon that might have an issue with her presence her, moving to shake her to wake her up.

End Chapter

This was a longer chapter - hopefully people enjoy that much at least. I had to break some things up but this should catch me up to where I need to be for the day I'm on of the month - I've been pushing it but so far I'm managing! cheer

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Cream-Bunny 156 - The scene wasn't suppose to be fully explained as Kagome in this chapter wasn't certain herself ;).

Asuka-2004 - Updated!

Evil RULZ - There you are!

LovingoOKawaiiOoGirl - Yeah Shippo is having issues there - which is only justified I would think.

Flirtymiyu - Lol, well he doesn't quite feel that way just yet.

Shadowkitty33 - Heh, yeah so it'll be a little larger than a triangle as you should be able to tell from the hints this chapter. Though Inuyasha probably won't show up or if he does it'll be a long time. There will be more with Rimida and Kag too in the future.