"Shou youkai."

"It is Jaken, m'lady." 'You'll never remember, will you?'

"Who is that woman?" Inukimi had watched as her son had carried the kaze-youkai into the castle curiously. She was no ordinary servant that was for sure. She knew that any of the staff would not answer truthfully, so she had gone to the only other person who knew her son almost as well as she.

"Kagura?" the imp sighed. He had wanted to avoid this, but his worst fears were becoming true all too quickly. Jaken had avoided the wind witch like a curse, doing any and everything Sesshoumaru-sama asked of him as long as it kept him away from her damned presence. He saw no harm in telling the Lady Mother who she was, Inukimi deserved to know whom her son had been sniffing around the last month.

"Even though she is a full kaze-youkai, she is the spawn of a hanyou, the very same one Sesshoumaru-sama fought and killed three years ago. Troublesome woman, she was always trying to bribe Sesshoumaru-sama into saving her, she desired freedom so much." The imp scoffed, "she was supposed to have died!"

"Hn. Daughter of an enemy? Interesting." Inukimi turned and began to walk away from him, intending to return to her own designated rooms. "I cannot say I disapprove."

Jaken cursed as he tripped over his robes.

~xXxXxXx~

Sesshoumaru didn't know what to do with himself.

He had brought her back to his room without thinking; the only thought going through his head had been to take her away. It didn't matter where, didn't matter how, but he wasn't going to leave her alone.

Just as before, he was waiting, watching the woman beneath the covers.

She had lost consciousness shortly after he had carried her back, several hours ago now, it was already dark. He supposed he would not be able to crush the whispers now, after this was the second time he had held the injured woman in his arms. The damning thing was that now his mother was here, along with several other relatives he didn't care for. Inukimi would surely have some smart comment for him when he returned.

He should have just taken her back to her room, should have let that man take her. It would have been easier.

But he couldn't bring himself to care.

He hadn't wanted to, so he didn't. And he was a man that did what he wanted, after all.

But it didn't matter, it truly didn't matter. Nothing did right now. Not even the fact that those two damned dragons had run off bothered him. Oh, they would die, of that much he was certain, but at the moment he was not determined to go after them.

Tatsuya's poisons should have worn off by now. He would die first, if anything Sesshoumaru would use that sword against him. The paralyzer that the sword had been covered in was like fire in the veins, but shouldn't have caused the reaction in her that it did. She had said he had her heart… which made no sense. When the poison reached the heart the pain was like no other, but who-

He vaguely recalled that. Her saying Inuyasha-tachi had offered to get her heart back for her. He still didn't understand what that meant exactly, or how it was even possible. Humans often talked of their hearts being stolen by another, but he highly doubted she had meant it in that sense. No, she had seemed all too literal when she said it.

Kagura stirred and Sesshoumaru turned to watch her eyes, waiting for the crimson orbs to meet his.

"Nn…" her brow furrowed, mouth opening slightly to reveal clenched teeth. He reached out his hand, trailing his thumb across her forehead, feeling the sweat forming. His touch caused her breath to become shallow, quicker than it should have been.

"Kagura."

She whimpered, her shallow breaths turning into gasps.

'Nightmare?' That wouldn't do.

He could smell it. That salty scent. He placed a hand on her shoulder, probably gripping tighter than he should have. "Kagura."

The tears began to pool under her lashes until they broke free, leaving pale streaks down her cheeks. They mingled with the sweat that held her hair to her face. Her whimpering became louder, grating on his ears. This wasn't right.

Kagura suddenly jerked, kicking the covers off her legs and throwing her arm above her head. The whimper forming in her throat came out as a strangled scream. The scent of fear clung to her skin.

He hated it.

Before he knew it, Sesshoumaru had pulled her into his lap, one arm looped around her waist and a hand gently cupped underneath her jaw. This didn't seem to help, as almost as suddenly she began to thrash violently, struggling to get out of his hold. He had to grasp both her wrists in his hand when she began to throw her fists in every direction, almost landing a punch to his jaw. But even holding her like that was a struggle as she continued to fight against him.

"No! Naraku!"

Sesshoumaru froze and Kagura blinked, trying to focus on the face before her.

"Sesshoumaru…" she rasped, crimson eyes as big as saucers.

He released her wrists, bringing his hand back to her cheek. He wiped away a remaining tear, and she winced. Kagura leaned away from his hand, slapping her own across her face in hopes of covering her distress.

Golden eyes narrowed as he pulled them away. Her eyes still sparkled with unshed tears.

Kagura looked away from him. From those eyes, she didn't want him to see. Didn't want him to see this weakness.

Sesshoumaru let out a growl, startling the woman enough to snap her head to face him. He took the opportunity to cup her chin, keeping her from turning away again.

"Do not hide from me."

Kagura stared up at his stern face, his voice had been rough, but his eyes were warm. She could only nod, leaning against the mokomoko. She wanted to touch him to feel him, but found herself too exhausted to even try. Too afraid that he would reject her again. She settled for gripping the front of his haori.

"Does this happen often?" he tried to keep his voice level.

Kagura nodded against his chest. "Sometimes." She let out a breath, "Before, when I first left you, they were almost every night." She tried to chuckle, the sound was dry. "used to scare Kize shitless when I would wake up screaming."

He ignored the man's name, captivated by the silver glow of her hair. Sesshoumaru listened as her breathing became steadier, her trembling subside. He waited several minutes after she stilled before he shifted his position, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. He wanted to remain like that, just being able to hold her, but he didn't want this becoming something else again…

Kagura took this time to look around, realizing that she was not in her room. It was much too large for one thing, and it was darker here, no windows to illuminate the space. The only light filtered through the shoji screen doors. She could see a desk, scrolls strewn across it, near the corner. An ink painting hung on the wall, an inu-youkai, the two swords, Tenseiga and Bakusaiga on display beneath it.

Sesshoumaru straightened, bringing a hand under her thigh to lift her off him. He felt her freeze.

"Can I stay?" her voice was a whisper as she gripped the front of his haori. She realized that her words might be misconstrued. "Just like this, can I stay?"

He released the hand on her thigh and brought it up to rest lightly on her hip, pulling her deeper into his hold. He allowed himself to place his lips lightly on her forehead, burying his nose in her ebony fringe.

"Yes."

He heard her let out a sigh, the tension she had been holding relaxed. "Thank you."

Sesshoumaru could only nod. What was he doing? Going along with this, allowing it. The woman in his arms was wondering the same thing. Why he treated her the way he did and then acted this way. But she should not worry about that now, she was comfortable there, in his arms, still afraid that he might toss her away.

Be happy for the small things. Any child of Naraku knew that.

Through the fabric of his haori she could hear his heartbeat, strong and steady. It was comforting, that, a heartbeat. Even now she found herself bring a hand to her chest, asserting that the organ was still caged between her ribs.

She sighed, hearing his heart rivaling the feel of her own. A testament to their freedom.

"Is that you?" her breath was cool in the exposed skin of his neck. She was looking at the ink painting again. She didn't want to sleep just yet, and the sound of his voice was soothing.

"No."

"Fn, at least you dignified me with a response…" Kagura scoffed, rolling her eyes. She should leave, shouldn't bother with his mood swings, no matter how much she wanted to stay. She began to move, to crawl out of his hold, but two hot hands, one at her hip and one around her waist, kept her in place.

"It is my father."

"Hn," She nodded, only now noticing that the facial markings were different, the fur too grey. "What was he like?"

Sesshoumaru paused. He hadn't spoken to anyone about his father since the man's death, he chose not to dwell on it. Life was easier that way.

"Strong." That was the only word that came to mind, it was always the word. The only one that could possibly describe the former Inu no Taishou. No, there were others… "But he was a fool."

She could feel his voice reverberate through his chest when he spoke, "Why?"

He had to suppress a growl. It wasn't directed at her. Never at her. "Why do you want to know?"

"I'm curious." She shrugged, dropping her eyes to her lap. "I didn't have parents. You did, you do. I'm curious."

He nodded, letting out a small sigh. "He died while protecting my worthless hanyou brother and human mother. His foolishness was his downfall, it made him weak."

Those golden eyes were dark, unflinching. He didn't look at her, as she craned her neck to examine his face, instead he focused on some spot on the wall. Kagura titled her head to the side as she watched his expression. When it didn't change, didn't move, she sighed. "I'm sure he didn't think of it that way."

He turned to look down at her slightly, awaiting an explanation.

"If he died protecting them, he must have loved them very much." She couldn't keep his gaze and turned away, "to him, it was probably worth it, knowing they were safe. I'm sure he would have done the same for you." Two fingers lightly tapped his chest. "Wouldn't you do the same? For Rin, or Jaken? Your child and the woman you love?"

Sesshoumaru was never one to laugh, and had he been anyone else at that moment, he most likely would have. To risk his life for Rin would be idiotic, and he doubted it would ever come to that. For Jaken was just ridiculous, why she had even bothered mentioning the imp was beyond him. For his child, his heir, would be conceivable, as without one he would no longer have valid claims to his title.

But for a woman? Hadn't she been listening to what he had said at all?

"Love? A foolish human emotion."

She felt her heart clench.

"Is that so…" now she would leave, now she couldn't stay. And when those hands tried to hold her to him, she barely pried them off with a growled "I'm uncomfortable." and a small gust of wind. She sat with her back to him, her legs still heavy from the poison.

"If you still wish to stay, you may."

The wind witch turned to look over her shoulder. It seemed so strange, that this man could say such things with that face of his. So impassive and apathetic. If it was anyone else, she might think they had some agenda against her, some ploy to get something from her. But he had no need of such.

With a sigh she lay down, mokomoko slithered to her side, the fur was warm as it pressed against her, providing a pillow and cover. She wound her hands into it, reveling in how soft it was, but she did not turn to it's owner.

"When the festivities are over, I'm leaving."

He watched her shoulder as he lay next to her, on his back, his eyes traveled to her pale neck, taking in the stray hairs that had slipped from her bun. "Where will you go?"

"I don't know." Her fists clenched and unclenched in the fur. "I am the free wind, I can go wherever I like."

With a nod, he turned his eyes to the ceiling. "I will not stop you." He had no right to. No matter how much he didn't want her to.

But it was this that made her turn to look at him, to see those golden eyes focused on something else. Only to have a hand slip under her waist and pull her to him once again. She looked up, to those golden eyes that pierced her.

As the sound of his heartbeat lulled her eyes closed, she could only think about how much she hated him sometimes.

Honestly, even though I wrote this fic like 5 years ago I'm just making this shit up as I go along. So, sorry about that.

Ok, I tried really hard to make this long, ok gaiz, for you. Let me know what you think. Please?

But LOL. I'm a tease.