Promise

It was hard, as a father, to watch the girl curl further and further into herself. It was even harder knowing that for now, there was nothing he could do about the actual problem. As a youkai though and having been acknowledged as pack, the least he could do was to calm and soothe her. Stepping past Sesshoumaru and the detective, he moved cautiously forward and crouched before her.

Kagome watched the three men enter her apartment, all with white hair and gold eyes and fierce features. Immediately, she recognized that they were related and though she knew she shouldn't judge a book by its cover, she assumed the other two were as cold and insensitive as the father of her child. When the tallest of the three approached, she curled further into herself, unwilling to submit herself to more scathing comments and snide glares.

Toga frowned but reached forward and took a soft, small hand. "I won't hurt you, little one," he said softly, rubbing small circles in the palm of her hand with his thumb, a trick his second mate had shown him. "Right now, you are safe, this I promise you."

Her blue eyes widened and though they were dry now, he could still the terror within them. Sighing, he reached forward and tugged gently on a lock of hair. "From what I've heard, you've escaped this kind of thing before; where is the young woman who fearlessly yelled at my son and who has, thus far, stopped him at every attempt he has made to harm you?"

Kagome blinked and something inside of her snapped back into place. Her cheeks colored and her spirit came rushing back to the forefront. She couldn't stop herself though from launching at the older youkai who held her hand and wrapping her arms around him in a startling hug. There were no words to describe what she was feeling as she hugged this near stranger; she had only forgotten for a moment what it was to be strong, but that moment had nearly cost her everything. "Thank-you," she whispered.

o.O.o

Word Count: 349