Chapter 21! It's shorter than 20, (no really?), but it's worth it. Read and review, comment and criticize, but no flaming. Thanks!

-Jack Knights


Kagome rolled over and opened her eyes. Light flitted into the room through closed blinds. With a pang, she realized Sesshomaru wasn't in the room anymore. She sighed and turned to look at the alarm clock. 11:29 AM blinked at her. She sighed and swung her legs over the side of her bed.

Time to get up… she thought, stretching. Kagome looked down at her leg, the dull throbbing that usually came to her when she put weight on it was gone. She wiggled it experimentally, surprise when she felt only a twinge of protest when she moved to much. Weird, my foot's already better…

Kagome walked awkwardly out of the room, hindered by the cast, and made her way to the bathroom. The was closed and locked, the sound of running water coming through the wood. She knocked anyway. She got no answer, but the water was shut off and the door opened. Sesshomaru stood there, in a towel, his body still dripping water. His hair had lost the black tint he had put in and stuck to his face in silver strings.

"You didn't have to get out," she said. "I just wanted to know if it was you in there."

"I'm done anyway," he said, shrugging. He opened the door fully and let her pass. He walked out behind her and went into his room, closing the door behind him. Going to the mirror, Kagome whipped the steam off it with the sleeve of her pyjama top. She looked at herself, frowning. Her face was pale and dark rings had begun to form under her eyes from lack of sleep. There was a yellowing bruise showing up under her chin from where InuYasha had throttled her.

Kagome sighed and closed the door, turning on the hot water. She stripped quickly, putting a plastic bag around her foot and got in, letting the hot water run over her.

InuYasha is… dying, at least the one I know. He can't keep going on like he is… she thought miserably. She washed her hair, trying not to dwell on it too much. Maybe I can help him, get his human side back in control. So much for not thinking about it.

But how; how do I save him? She stood under the water, letting it hit the top of her head. If I had the Jewel, I guess I could… no, not the Jewel. That thing's brought nothing but pain and suffering to those around it. The water went cold and she shook herself from her thoughts, putting the dilemma in the back of her mind, grabbing a towel and getting out.

Later, Kagome was in her bedroom, cleaning up the mess InuYasha had made. Most of her desk, or at least what was left of it, was already in the trash. Broom in hand, she swept the little pieces of wood and metal into a small pile. She'd been at it for almost an hour, and still the room was a mess. Worse still, she hadn't heard any news about her grandfather, who was presumably still in a coma at the hospital. Sesshomaru strode into the room, took one look at her and grabbed the broom from her hands.

"Hey, I'm trying to clean up here!" she protested. He responded by merely forcing her to sit on the bed.

"You are in condition to be doing any work," he said simply, quickly and efficiently cleaning up the last of the scraps.

"I'm fine, my ankle's better," she said, standing. "Honest," she added when he looked at her, an eyebrow raised in silent question.

"Sit, and let me look over it," he said finally. Kagome sat on the edge of the bed, extending her foot out in front of her. He kneeled, letting it rest on his thigh. Gently, he touched the skin above the cast, then moved onto moving her foot. When she didn't protest in pain, his face was overtaken by surprise.

"See, I told you so."

"Hn," he mumbled, standing. She looked at him, his face frowning as he thought silently for a while. "It makes no sense; a human could not heal that quickly. No normal human anyway…" he mumbled.

"I am a priestess," Kagome pointed out. Well, sort of. "Besides, what does it matter? At least I won't be a burden to you and my family any longer." She stood and looked at him, his eyes focusing on something outside.

"Do you want to go see you grandfather at the hospital today?" he asked suddenly as she looked out the window, trying to follow his gaze.

"Actually, yeah; I haven't got any news from Mom yet, so I better get over there and find out what's going on."

They went down the stairs, Sesshomaru's hand lightly under her elbow. Kagome squeezed on her one shoe, frowning when she remembered that she had a cast on her other foot.

"Hey, where are the crutches? I can't find them," she said as she dived into the closet, searching for the elusive things.

"I think we left them at the park the day before yesterday," he said and she came out the closet, frowning.

"Can you fly us over there then? I don't have any money for a taxi, and I can't 'walk'," she said, air-quoting herself, "all the way to the hospital without the crutches."

"Certainly," he said, nodding. She grabbed her phone, dialing the hospital.

"Hey Mom, how's things over there? Any change in Gramps?" she asked, pausing as she listened. "I'm coming over anyway. Oh, could you leave the window open? Yeah, Mom, he is," she said, rolling her eyes. "I will, see you soon. Bye."

"Ready?" he asked. Kagome nodded and Sesshomaru lead the way outside, holding her hand. His hand went around her waist, as usual, and they were off.

"Oh my God!" Kagome's mother startled when she saw Kagome and Sesshomaru come in through the open window. That's one way to save on money… "Kagome, couldn't you have taken the bus?"

"Please Mom," Kagome said, waving away her concern. "I'm a big girl now. I think I can handle flying with Sesshomaru; he wouldn't let me fall. Besides, I have no money for the bus fare," she added when her mother's eyes went steely cold.

"Yes, well… I wouldn't recommend doing it again," she said with such finality that Kagome shrugged and stopped the conversation. Souta was sitting in the corner of the room, his arms across his chest, his pose indignant. His eyes bore into Sesshomaru's, but the demon merely blinked, unfazed.

"Anything new?" Kagome asked as she approached the bed. Her grandfather was lying amid pillows and blankets, dwarfed by the sheer size of the bed.

"No, nothing. The doctors say he might stay this way for a while," her mother sighed, closing her eyes.

"Can't they tell what happened? People just don't got to sleep and stay that way for no reason."

"They said it must be a combination of his age and stress," her mother said, shrugging. "He's always been a little on the stressed side, but he's still young. Sixty-three is hardly 'old age'."

"Could you go to cafeteria for me Kagome?" Souta said, speaking for the first time. "And take Mom with you; she hasn't eaten in a damn long time."

"Why don't you go with Mom?" Kagome asked, reluctant to leave. Her mother's hand touched her forearm and she looked at her mother, understanding the look she gave her. Grudgingly, she walked out of the room, her mother following closely behind. She gave Sesshomaru an apologetic smile and closed the door on her way out.

"So… have you taken my suggestion into consideration?" Souta asked, standing. He kept his distance from Sesshomaru, but he let his anger show.

"I have," he responded calmly.

"And?" Souta prompted. "What are you going to do?"

"Well, seeing as I very well can't leave," Sesshomaru began. Even if I really wanted to. "I have decided to stay here, with Kagome, if she will have me."

Souta frowned and stood over his grandfather, his fists clenching and unclenching. He shook with fury, but he remained as quiet as possible.

"So you're gonna use her and toss her aside when she gets old then?" he spat it out, the hate behind it meant to sting. "I know all about you demons; you'll outlive her by hundreds of years, thousands if you're careful. And when she's old and gray, you'll still look like you started college a month ago."

"Listen to me—"

"No, you listen to me," Souta interrupted, letting his anger taking control. "InuYasha nearly killed her when he left her here. Maybe he didn't hurt her directly, but those scars on her, the ones you can't see, those never go away."

"All she wanted to do was lay down and die. There was nothing left for her to strive for anymore. She buried herself in school, work, everything. But she was hallow, I could see that under her plastered smiles, she was cracked, damaged underneath," he gritted his teeth, remembering the bitter moments when he could nothing for his sister.

"And then you come along, and instead of ripping her apart, you stick around. She got better, she is better and it's because of you."

"Then you should be thanking me, not reprimanding me for sparing her life," Sesshomaru said icily.

"You don't get it! You should have killed us all, at least then she won't have to suffer when you get up and leave!" he was shouting now, going red in the face. "Face it, you're not going to stick around forever; you want to find a way back through the well. Fine, do whatever you have to do to get back. But leave her out of this."

"Are you finished?" Sesshomaru asked, trying to keep himself under control. "Listen to me, and listen carefully and closely. I will do nothing to hurt her, in any way. I need to get back, and if I can, I will take her with me. If not… we will cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Look, I know you mean well. Well, sort of," Souta said, running his fingers through his hair. "She gives so much when she falls for someone; so much that it actually hurts her sometimes. And when you leave, and you know you will, you'll take a part of her back with you; something she'll never be able to get back."

He sighed and sat down, looking the part of a battered man at his wits' end. Sesshomaru felt his anger disappear slowly. All he wants is to protect his sister. I would do the same in his position.

"Look, all I'm saying is, be careful with her. Kagome's fragile and if you aren't careful, you're gonna break her. Either way you look at it, she's gonna die for you."

"I'm afraid I don't understand you," Sesshomaru said, swallowing audibly.

"Say you stay, and you and Kagome work things out. She'll grow old and die, and for you, that'll be like a day in the long life you'll live. And if you go, she'll die anyway. Younger, certainly, but it'll be because of you. Either way, you'll live long after her death, and she'll be miserable in life, knowing she can't stay with you forever."

Sesshomaru felt sweat trickle down his neck, something that hadn't happened to him in decades. The boy has a point. The question now is, do I stay or do I go? Kagome and her mother returned then, stopping their conversation before it could go any further. Souta went back to his chair across the room, looking every bit the defeated man he felt. Sesshomaru was overly formal and nervous, his mannerisms becoming stiff and unnatural.

After another two hours, Kagome couldn't take the awkward silence and she left with Sesshomaru, holding onto him as they flew quickly back to the shrine, unnoticed to the busy humans below them. When he remained silent, she refused to take the hint and persisted in her efforts to get him to talk.

"Look, Sesshomaru, I know what my brother said to you isn't my business," she said, grabbing his arm. You have no idea how much of it actually is your business, he thought miserably. "Don't let what he said get to you, OK? He's always been so… overprotective of me, ever since InuYasha."

"His heart is in the right place," Sesshomaru offered, finally speaking. She shrugged, clearly not wanting to go any deeper into it.

"You know I… like you, right? You've been a great friend to me, helping me get through… well, through life in general. And I wanted to say thanks, you're one of the few people I know I can trust."

She trusts me… but she doesn't love me, like her brother suspects. Now would be a good time to leave… he thought as he followed her inside. But, after InuYasha showed up, I can't leave her here to fend for herself. I owe it to her, and to my honour to see this through, he added resolutely.

"Kagome," he said as she went into the kitchen.

"Hn?"

"I just want to let you know that I'll be here for you until we figure this out," he said awkwardly.

"Figure what out?"

"I won't leave until we've dealt with InuYasha, once and for all," he amended.

"Thanks, Sesshomaru," she said, gripping his shoulder. "Hey, do you want something to eat? We never did get anything at the hospital."

"Sure," he mumbled, unsure whether she had taken his oath seriously. Now I have to stay here, at least until InuYasha's dead.

And then what, came that small voice in the back of his head. Will you be greedy and stay with her while she wastes away? Or will you do the noble thing and leave before she gets to attached to you?

Before I get attached to her, he responded stubbornly.

No, it said simply. The question is, can you leave her behind, whether you want to or not?

Sesshomaru didn't have an answer for that.

Well well well… Sesshomaru's falling for Kagome,while she remains oblivious about his, and her own, feelings. Tragic :'( I must remedy that ;)

Anyway, after the amount of time I spent on this one, I hope it turned out alright. Please let me know if there are any corrections to be made in grammar, I am really tired right now; 12:12 AM as I write this, and I don't have the energy to continue.

Mmm… sleep, she beckons to me…

-Jack Knights