The woman suddenly jumped to her feet, her skin paler than normal and dashed out of camp into the trees. Surprised, he ran after her and easily caught up to her. Grabbing her arm, he spun her to face him as he trapped her against a tree so she couldn't get away and saw her shaking violently in his grip.

"Let me go, please… I can't… No… not again!" she sobbed but he noticed her eyes glaze over as she started to collapse.

He caught her before she fell with one arm and looked at her as she laid limp against his arm, her vacant eyes turned towards the trees above as her breaths became shallow and rapid. Sensing the hanyou and his miko rapidly coming towards him, he pulled Nova into his arms as her eyes finally closed. Securing his grip on her, he rested his free hand on his blade as the two appeared.

"What did you do to her?" Kagome demanded as she got off Inuyasha's back.

"Nothing," he spoke and Kagome quietly walked closer.

"Kagome, don't…"

"She is my family, Inuyasha, don't tell me what to do," Kagome snapped as she finally stopped about a foot away and touched Nova's cheek. "She had an episode, didn't she? Freaked out then collapsed?"

"Hn."

"Her episodes vary, there's been times where she'll end up in a coma for days or weeks due to them," Kagome spoke as she backed up a few feet. "She knows some martial art styles and if she starts practicing again, that may help. May I remain nearby until she wakes up?"

"That is acceptable," Sesshomaru spoke simply.

Turning back towards where his pack slept, the miko followed closely. The hanyou scoffed but followed at a distance. At the camp, Sesshomaru laid Nova on her sleeping furs and kagome sat beside her. Sesshomaru sat against a tree on the other side of the clearing as Inuyasha jumped up into a tree near Kagome.

"Bastard, I smell blood and you on her. You're still hurting her?"

"She is this Sesshomaru's servant, it is within my right."

"You disgust me," Inuyasha sneered.

"Continue to insult this Sesshomaru and you will die," Sesshomaru threatened. "When a servant is disobedient, they are punished.

"No…" Nova's voice was quiet as she stirred. "Kags… what…?"

"Nova?" Kagome spoke as the woman slowly sat up, pain evident in her movements.

"Kags?"

"I'm here. I tried to bring Khendon over but wasn't able to. I'm so sorry. I brought the bag that had your personal hygiene products but your boss told me not to worry about clothing since he would provide for you but failed to mention what this one has been doing to you," Kagome spoke as she pulled the edge of Nova's bodice up to reveal several of the wounds on her side from Sesshomaru's claws.

"It's to be expected, I am his servant, but you know I sometimes have issues listening. I seem to have lost time the last few months Kagome. I remember receiving injuries, but there's no scars except the one on my cheek. You say I had stayed at his home the last few months but the last thing I remember clearly was the elevator accident."

"Well you did hit your head hard then so some things will be hazy or feel missing, but you're being…"

"I know, Kags. It's a price I'm paying, but I'm alive and being provided for. I appreciate the concern and I thank you for trying to bring Khendon, but we all have our different roles to play, this is just a part of mine."

"It's not right…"

"I know."

"What about mom? She's worried sick."

"Tell her I'm okay. You can even tell her that somehow I ended up here, unable to go home, but do not tell her the circumstances of my survival. That will only worry her more."

"But what about you?"

"Unless he was able to tell you how to get me home, I don't think there is one Kags. This is my life now until my service is no longer needed. Now it time for you to go, his hospitality won't last forever," The woman spoke as she hugged the miko.

"I'm so sorry, Nova," Kagome whimpered as she pulled back and the woman smiled as she touched her cheek.

"So am I."

"Come on Kagome," Inuyasha spoke as he dropped down from his tree and helped the miko to her feet.

"I'll see you around, Nova."

"I'll be here," Sesshomaru saw her nod once before the miko and Hanyou started walking away. "I feel like I need to apologize to you, Lord Sesshomaru. When I am actually able to feel the onset of an episode, my response is always to get away from people. Also for not mentioning my episodes. Usually Khendon is there to help with them…"

"Who is Khendon?"

"I mentioned him once though not by name possibly. He is the canine companion assigned to me. He could sense when an episode would happen and help get me somewhere safe. I honestly thought that I wouldn't go into an episode considering how often I've mentioned that bit of my past though it seems that I hadn't been out long this time."

"The miko mentioned that you know martial arts and yet you have never actually tried to fight back."

"I couldn't tell you why. For some reason the moment I saw you in that clearing, I felt like I knew that this was my fate. That your daemon would thrill in my pain, but I couldn't tell you how I knew that or if someone had told me. Possibly some time in the months that I cannot recall."

"Jaken," Sesshomaru spoke as he got to his feet and the imp woke silently. "Watch Rin. Come Onna."

He saw her pale slightly but nodded and got to her feet slowly. He walked out of the clearing and she followed a few feet behind. They reached the large field of flowers that was not far away from camp and he turned to face her and she looked uneasy as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"What are you going to do?" She asked quietly, fear in her voice and he could see the vein in her neck pulsing rapidly.

"How many years of training do you have?"

"About two that I can really remember but it has been roughly seven years or so. I vaguely remember my father teaching me some moves but I have holes in my memory due to the trauma. Why, you going to teach me?"

"Hn."

"A Lehenga Choli isn't really the best clothing for fighting," she frowned but he watched as she moved the veil so it was tied around her waist and lifted up a corner of the skirt and tucked it into the waist of her skirt so that the fabric was above her feet and moved her body into a fighting stance. "But I doubt that would be good enough of an excuse for you."

Rin woke up and noticed immediately that both Sesshomaru and Nova were missing. She jumped to her feet and was going to say something when she noticed Jaken standing by a tree facing the field of flowers. She walked over and gasped seeing the two fighting among the flowers. She had never seen Sesshomaru fight with just his hands, it had always been his swords or poison whip, but both of their movements were graceful and she even saw glimpses of a smile on Nova's face.

"What are they doing, Master Jaken?" Rin asked quietly as she sat beside him.

"He's teaching her though from watching her movements, she has experience in hand combat. She has amazing endurance as well, they have been at it since before the sun rose."

"If she knows how to fight, then why was she was so scared of him yesterday?"

"I do not know the circumstances behind her servitude but she must have done something that caused him to be displeased and her to be punished."

"He doesn't take you away for hours to punish you…"

"Servants get punished differently depending on what their role is, that's all I can tell you," Jaken squawked as they watched Sesshomaru's fist connect with Nova's stomach, causing her to collapse to her hands and knees.

"Lady Nova!" Rin called before dashing out into the field to her as she heard her coughing for air.

"I… I'm okay…" Nova coughed and as Rin reached her, she saw a smile on her face as she straightened up, still on her knees. "Thank you Lord Sesshomaru for the spar. I haven't felt this good of a soreness in a long time."

"Your skills show that you have honed your skills recently."

"I vaguely remember seeing my boss spar in a large dojo so maybe he had started to teach me again since I had been a target by some of his enemies?"

"Hn."

Rin watched as he held his hand out to Nova and she took it and let him help her to her feet. She watched for any signs of fear from Nova and frowned, not seeing any hint of fear. Nova straightened her skirt and fixed her veil so it was around her shoulders once she was standing and turned to her.

"Shall we go find something for breakfast, Rin?"

"Yes, Lady Nova," Rin smiled, her worry momentarily forgotten as she grabbed her outstretched hand and they headed out to find breakfast.