Wow that was almost scary! I knew he would come and save the day! Good old Sesshomaru!

Reader: You finally updated, took you long enough!.

DarkEyesBlinded: (Places story on table and hides) (Startes working on the next chapter)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, some lucky person in Asia does!

Chapter Eleven: Fears

Kagome awoke to the soft sounds of birds outside the window. Slowly, she opened her eyes and shielded them from the brightness that seeped in front the window.

Suddenly she remembered the demons and sat up too quickly. She felt a spasm of pain in her shoulder and side before she realized where she was.

She was lying in a large bed piled with the softest down and the warmest of pelts. She looked about to see the room was mostly bear say for the decorations on the wall of drawings and a small pedestal with a water basin and metal polished until it shined that must have served as a mirror.

A mirror!

Careful not to anger her wounds again, she got up and quickly made her way to the metal object, not having seen her reflection in almost three years in a mirror.

Her hair was definitely longer; it seemed the hold more body than it used to. She looked thinner, but then that was what small meals gave you. Same brown blue eyes, same olive toned skin.

Yet she didn't recognize the clothing she wore. She was wrapped in a large white kimono with a red tie about her waste. She lowered the shoulder to see hers had been stitched tightly. She knew she would see the same for her side. Her faces held a few scars and scratches but that was to be expected. She didn't exactly live her old easy life in Tokyo anymore.

But still . . . she couldn't find it. The flaw in her face, or the feature that would make her utterly repulsive to Inuyasha to the point he would continue to think of her as Kikyo and not Kagome.

Nothing, say for her resemblance.

Pulling the kimono back she made her way to the large, circular window and looked out.

The garden view was breath taking. It was large with a small water fall and river that flowed easily to a small lake where in the middle was a gazebo and stepping stones leading to it. She could see the greenery that grew wild there along with the grove of cherry blossom trees that seemed in full bloom.

It took her breath away.

"Do you like it?"

She spun around quickly, but a spasm of pain almost made her fall to her knees. And she would, had it not been for the pale hands that shot from out of no where and steadied her.

"You shouldn't be moving," Sesshomaru said. "Get back to the bed and don't move until you are better."

"I can't stay in that bed all day," Kagome said. She felt her heart triple hammer as he held her shoulders.

He was a stunning sight still for her eyes. His long silver hair was still tied up and he wore his red and white kimono and hayori and carried Tenseiga, but his armor was missing.

Not giving her a change to complain, he picked her up and carried her back to the bed.

"Put me down!" Kagome snapped. Sesshomaru ignored it as he set her down.

"I have already gone through the trouble of bringing you here without alert others of my kind. Let yourself get better so you can be able to defend yourself when you leave this place." Kagome paused as she looked around.

"Where am I?"

"In the palace of the Great Lord of the western skies, my home" Kagome froze as she let what he had jus said sink in.

She was in his home.

Inuyasha's father's home

She looked around as she sat up.

"Where are my friends?" She asked.

"I left them behind to follow your trail. The water demon was unable to drag you down due to being attacked herself and you were caught by the current and carried down stream. I caught your scent again and killed the half demons that held you." Kagome froze as she heard his words.

"You . . . killed . . . half demons?" She asked softly.

"Yes." She looked into his face. His eyes were neutral, guarded if not a bit arrogant. She felt her heart sink as she thought of the men who held her captive.

"Why didn't you let them go?" She asked.

"They chose their fate when they tried to attack me. I mere disposed of them," Sesshomaru said. Kagome saw no ounce of remorse as he spoke of killing. She knew he was a killer. She had seen him kill time and time again. He had even tried to kill her at one time, but he had never succeeded.

Because Inuyasha was there

But she was here now, alone, with no one here to protect her.

Would he hurt her to?

Sesshomaru reached out to touch her cheek but she flinched.

"Why do you flinch from my touch?" He asked in the same even tone he had spoken in about killing. She met his eyes and knew hers betrayed her.

She was afraid of him.

"I have been alone with you before, lady miko, yet when you are here, in my home alone, you show fear. Why?" He lifted her chin so she could see the intensity that his words cared.

"I . . . don't know," She said. She took a breath to slow her racing heart. "You just speak of killing so calmly. I can't imagine how many people you have killed to make you so indifferent about it." She looked up at him as his eyes darkened.

"It a way of life, lady miko. People are always seeking death or seeking my death. I choose to live and if someone gets in my way, they die." She closed her eyes at the coldness of his words. "Are you afraid that I will hurt you?"

"Wouldn't you?" She kept her eyes down on her knees, he towered over her. "Inuyasha was right about one thing. You have always shown distaste and hatred for anything human. You hated me in the beginning, so wouldn't you hurt me?" She heard a small growl emit from above her. She looked up.

Sesshomaru's eyes had darkened to a reddish orange color and his expression was hard. Kagome sat frozen in fear as she felt like a mouse caught in the eyes of a cobra.

"If I had wanted to end your life, lady Miko, I would have done so long before." He snarled. Kagome jumped back but he grabbed both of her wrists and held her were she sat. "If I had wanted to hurt you I would have done so! Why now do you question if I want to hurt you now?" She felt his iron clad grip on her wrists as she met his livid gaze. She felt her cheeks go red as she looked down.

"I am just don't like the sound of someone killing a half demon." She said softly. At first his grip increases, she braces herself for a blow or the strike that would end her life.

But slowly, the iron shackles on her wrists loosens and she falls to sit on the bed. She looks up, confused/

He stood perfectly still, staring down at her with opaque gold eyes. At first she thought he just didn't care. But when she saw the small trembling of his lip and the subtlest change in his eyes she realized that she had hurt him.

He had seen right through her.

"You still care for Inuyasha," He asked nonchalantly, indifferently. His tone made her flinch.

"No," She said. "I just am worried about him."

"You worry about the man who would trade you for a dead counterpart?" She flinched at his blunt reference to Kikyo. "You would worry about the man who has caused you nothing but sorrow for years and has not once shown he cared until you decided to move on with your life?"

"He is still my friend, Sesshomaru," She said meeting his gaze. "I always care about my friends." She stood to try and gaze some head leverage, but was forced down by a small pain in her side.

Sesshomaru's hands on her shoulders were there to steady her again. "Rest and a servant will be up in a few hours with clothing for you and a hot meal." She looked up at him and felt her self trembling.

"Are you still afraid of me?" He asked.

"Afraid of what I want to ask." She said softly.

"Ask. I will either answer or not."

"Will you stay with me?"

The question caught him off guard. At first, the small widening of his eyes showed his shock but then his eyes smoothed over again as he composed himself.

"If that is what you wish." Kagome nodded once, feeling herself on knife's edge with nerves.

She didn't know why she wanted to, but for once, she wanted to lie next to someone. She felt cold and wanted someone beside her.

She wanted Sesshomaru.

He leaned so close to her now. He was barely inches from her face. She felt heart beat race as she thoght he was going ti kiss her.
But he didn't. Instead, he pulled away and nodded.
Lying down, she felt him move to the other side of the bed as she moved to lean against him, leaning into his chest.


Sesshomaru knew he shouldn't be doing this. Never, once in his life had he lain like this with someone. Not even with lover, never had he truly just laid down like this. He never wanted to. It wasn't something he usually thought of doing.

Yet, when Kagome had asked, she had looked the way he felt. Afraid. She was afraid of his rejection and by all rights he should have. He didn't have time to be wasting lying in bed.

There was something foul coming from the eastern lands, he knew it would be a month or so before it reached his and came for him.

And he, Sesshomaru, Great Demon Lord of the west, the Demon prince, wouldn't allow such a thing to happen.

Kagome curled up against his chest as she timidly placed herself in his embrace. For a moment, she reminded him of Rin. The girl did this on the nights when the cold was too much for her and she needed extra care.

But the difference between them was with Rin, he never thought anything of it. It was a human reaction to try and keep warm in the face of cold. With Kagome, it was more than that. It was as though, she was reaching out to him timidly, afraid of being hurt. She wanted to be next to him but she was afraid. She wanted to be with him.

With him.

She awoke something inside him. This protective urge to keep her safe. She was so breakable, yet he wanted to keep her from breaking. Touching her injuried shoulder he remembered her bleeding, that alone bright rage to the forefront, wanting to shred the demons again and again for hurting her so.

Do you have something to protect, my son?

As gently as he could, he pulled her close and leaned her closer, covering her with one of the fur pelts he had for this bed. She leaned against him and almost instantly fell asleep.
As he watched her, there was something that changed in her expression. It was almost, serene. She looked so peaceful when she slept and so, fragile.
Leaning his head down on hers, he let his mind drift.


"Aye, lad, that be the way."

"Thank you sir," Miroku said.

It was dawn and they had rented a room for them to stay the night. They had traveled for two days strait with no rest and everyone needed to rest before someone past out. Koga even complained saying his legs were going to fall off if he didn't stop.

But that morning, once again they were on hot pursuit.

"Inuyasha's not going to let up is he" Miroku asked. Sango looked at the half demon. He fastened Tetsusaiga to his hip as he waited for them.

"No, not until he has Kagome back in his arms," Sango sighed.

"He's gotta know by now it's too late," Koga said. "She chose Sesshomaru, we all know it."

"He doesn't nor does he want to believe." Miroku said. "He doesn't want to believe he lost his last link to Kikyo."

"Feh, stupid mutt," Koga said. As they began to walk again, Sango watched Inuyasha with sad eyes.

"No, stupid Kagome."


Kagome, wait till I get a hold of you! Inuyasha thought as he continued to walk ahead of the group. I will make sure you're safe then, after I kill Sesshomaru, I will make you my wife, for sure this time.

As though mocking him, the wind blew towards west.