Usual disclaimers. . .blah, blah, blah

Time for chapter now!!!

9: Alone in Strange Company

Kagome woke slowly as the cold morning breeze tickled her face. She let out a shaky sigh as wakefulness forced her to remember the events of the past few days. Inuyasha was dead. He told her he loved her and then he had just died. She felt a few tears brim and run down her face. She hadn't even had the chance to say that she loved him too; it had happened so fast. She put her face in her hands and allowed the voiceless sobs to toss her small body. Every time she closed her eyes she was back in the small clearing kneeling next to Inuyasha. Watching him bleed his life away for her. She would have rather been tortured to death by Naraku than let him die. 'I love him,' she thought, 'and now he's gone forever.'

She jumped when she felt a small hand squeeze her arm. "Kagome Nee-san, are you ok?" Rin was looking up at her in concern, waiting for Kagome to acknowledge her.

Kagome fought for several moments to stop her shaking, though she could not prevent the tears which were pouring down her face. "I'm fine, Rin-chan," she answered breathlessly. "I'm just sad."

"Why are you sad?" her little voice sounded so worried.

"Because my friend has died." Saying it out loud hurt more than she had thought possible. "Now I'm all alone," she whispered.

"But Rin is here, Nee-san. And Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin was very sad when my family died and I was all alone. But now Rin stays with Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama and Ah and Un and Rin isn't alone anymore." Kagome could see Rin was desperately trying to cheer her up, and in truth it comforted her some to have the little girl close by.

Kagome looked up at the girl and gave her what she knew was a less-than-convincing smile. "Thank you, Rin-chan, I feel much better."

Rin gave her a doubtful look but accepted Kagome's statement with a hesitant smile and small hug. "Later, Rin will find some flowers for Kagome, so she won't be sad anymore." Kagome answered her with a little hug in return before releasing the little girl.

Kagome glanced up to find Sesshoumaru standing not far from the two, gazing impassively down at them. As Kagome brought her eyes up to meet his, she felt anger stir up inside her. He had been calmly standing there and watching the entire exchange. She could feel her body temperature rise at the idea of him seeing her suffer like this. It apparently wasn't enough that she had to struggle through this pain alone, she also had to endure the loathing and pitiless scrutiny of the demon who was preventing her from returning to her friends or her home. What she saw behind him made her blood boil even more. Tetsusaiga was hanging strapped to Sesshoumaru's dragon. Sesshoumaru, she thought, must have been pleased to see his brother's death; it had delivered everything he might want directly to his hands.

Sesshoumaru had watched the woman cry at the memory of his brother and Rin's attempts to console her. He knew that keeping Inuyasha's woman would be a handful, but he was not prepared to handle her grief. The smell of her tears was strong, he wished she would stop crying. It was frustrating knowing she would probably not stop if he told her to, though Rin always had. He pushed down the whispers of guilt that threatened to surface as he watched her. She was just a means to an end, and he held no obligation to his brother or to this woman.

When she raised her eyes he could feel the pain and anger in her. She seemed desperate, like a caged animal. She glared at Sesshoumaru, and even several meters away his heightened senses could feel the heat rising off of her. She glanced behind him and Sesshoumaru did not move, though he guessed what had caught her attention.

"Why do you have Tetsusaiga?" she ground out venomously. Seeing the sword with Sesshoumaru seemed like the greatest possible insult to Inuyasha's memory. She remembered all the times Inuyasha had fought to protect her with it and how important it had been to him. The sword being with anyone else was just wrong.

"My brother no longer has need of it." He watched as she seethed at his words, her muscles tensing. She wanted to attack him, strike him for mocking her suffering and insulting Inuyasha, but reason and fear still held her back. Rin was still there, and she had no choice but to sit and let the emotions pull her apart on the inside.

"It's not yours," she said.

His even manner was only serving to irritate her more. "Your friends suggested I take it in exchange for your safety. Perhaps you should consider yourself fortunate I accepted." He did not give her any time to react, instead he shot over to her and lifted her to her feet before she could object. He heard her gasp in surprise but she kept her feet. "There is a river just through the trees. Go clean up before we leave. Take Rin with you." He handed her a bundle he had the sense to send Jaken out for last night. He could still smell Naraku on both the girls, and would not tolerate it longer than he had to.

Kagome took it numbly and walked away in the direction he had indicated, with Rin grasping her hand and Sesshoumaru's dragon dutifully following behind. She got the impression that the animal knew that Rin was its responsibility, it seemed to be constantly aware of the little girl, though she wasn't sure if it did this on it's own or at Sesshoumaru's orders.

She had had to bite her lip to keep from yelling at Sesshoumaru. She had resolved not to give him the pleasure of watching her suffer, and she wasn't sure what he would do if she attempted to oppose him anyway. The demon lord was impossible to read.

She welcomed the cold water she splashed on her face, it helped her shake off some of her numbness, made her feel more real. Without going so far as to remove her underwear, she carefully cleaned away the dirt and grime covering her. There was dried blood too. She shuddered when she wondered how much of it had been Inuyasha's. She noticed the state of her uniform, it had been mostly shredded and had a lot of bloodstains. She thought wistfully of her yellow bag, which she hadn't seen since she came through the well. The event seemed years away.

She helped Rin wash her hair in the cold water and let the little girl assist her. It felt so good to get clean, remove the lingering hints of her ordeal with Naraku. They finished quickly and dried as best as they could. Kagome unfolded the clothes Sesshoumaru had given her. There was a new kimono for Rin and another garment for herself. It was the style miko's wore, and though she had worn that kind of thing before in this age, she had attempted to avoid it so she wouldn't have to look so much like Kikyou. Oh well. Putting her uniform back on was not an option, and at least these things were pale blue, not red and white. She ran her fingers idly through her drying hair, knowing if they lingered much longer, Sesshoumaru would probably just come and get them.

When they came back to the little campsite, Sesshoumaru was a little surprised by the change in the woman. The light blue fabric made her look so much more regal and beautiful. Her damp black hair was still glistening and her wet dark eyes stood out all the more against the cool sapphire backdrop. The effect made her appear almost cold and icy, and she had raised her chin as she had entered the clearing, her resolve almost palpable. She moved gracefully, he noticed, her loose clothing seemed to flow around her as she walked. Despite her steely exterior, she was still so small and fragile though, her slender fingers curled around Rin's small hand. He was surprised when she had the strength of mind to look him expectantly in the eye.

She stopped right if front of him and waited. Sesshoumaru could smell her clearly now. Naraku's scent had gone and so had the scent of blood. Her own slightly sweet scent snuck through the air teasingly, undeniably feminine. 'She smells good,' he thought, a little surprised by this realization. The anger and the sadness were still there, but she was stubbornly refusing to let it surface. She had some strength and will power, and he was surprised by her control. He did not think she could be this strong.

"Let's go," he said, turning abruptly and beginning to walk off in pursuit of Naraku. He could hear the shuffling of his companions as they fell in behind him.

Miroku and Sango had brought Inuyasha's body back to the village, and after some deliberation, decided to bury him under Goshinboku. It had been an important place to him, and it was close to the well and the village.

Shippou had been unconsolable since Inuyasha's death and Kagome's departure, and clung constantly to either Miroku or Sango, who did their best to comfort him. Only Kaede joined the group for their short funeral for their friend.

After Miroku said a few prayers, he hesitantly put his arm around Sango, who rolled into him and wept into his chest.

"It seems so wrong," she said, "We buried him with nothing. . .his demon blood gone, Tetsusaiga and even Kagome have been taken away by Sesshoumaru. All that he fought for. . ."

Shippou, sitting on Sango's shoulder and crying into her hair, nodded in agreement.

Miroku continued to hold her. His friend's death had shaken him as well, and he felt hope slipping away. Naraku had managed to kill the strongest of them. Kagome was gone. Still, he knew that he had no choice but to continue. To stop searching for Naraku was to give into his own death. Sango and Shippou, though, did not need to share the same fate. "Sango," he said softly, "perhaps you should stop going after Naraku."

She looked up at him, her wet eyes wide in surprise. "Just me? And leave you alone to kill Naraku or die trying? He has taken everything from me-my village, my father, Kohaku, and now Inuyasha. If I stop now there is nothing for me. You are the only people I have left. I will not lose you without a fight; and I would rather die than give up on those I love and live alone. We will finish this together."

Miroku was relieved that he would not have to continue his mission alone, but another part of him wished she would agree to stay behind where she could be safe. After all, everyone that had been near to him had been destroyed by Naraku as well. He did not have the heart to make a suggestion to Shippou, though. The little kitsune had no where else to go if he didn't stay with their group, and had already been through so much.

"Houshi-sama. . .we should not have allowed Sesshoumaru to take Kagome-chan." Sango voiced the thought that had been tormenting since they had left Naraku's castle. "Even if he does not harm her, she loved Inuyasha. She will be hurting worse than any of us, and she is a captive now to his brother. What will happen to her? She was wounded, too, and we just abandoned her."

The same thought had bothered him as well. "We could not have stopped Sesshoumaru from taking her," he tried to convince her as well as the little voice in the back of his mind that suggested they should have tried anyway. "We can only hope that she'll be alright. She is a very strong person after all."

He tousled Shippou's bright hair and tried his best to force some life into his voice. "Someday this will all be over, and Naraku will be dead, and all of us will have something to live for."

Sango gave him a bitter ironic smile. "Eternally optimistic, Houshi-sama?"

Miroku returned her smile half-heartedly. 'It's either that or death,' he thought resolutely.

They all turned away slowly and headed back to Kaede's hut to get some rest. Tomorrow they would take up their pursuit again, following Sesshoumaru after Naraku.

It had been a very long day. They had been walking for most of it, though Sesshoumaru had let them stop briefly a few times for food and rest. Apparently supplying the group with human food also had been part of Jaken's errand. Kagome had steadfastly kept her feet all day, walking numbly alongside Ah-Un, doing her best to keep her resolution not to lose it in front of Sesshoumaru and Rin. Rin, with apparently inexhaustible energy, spent the day skipping and scampering around the other members of the group, making sure to procure the promised flowers for Kagome, which before long hung in a limp bouquet from the miko's hand.

She had little to do but stare at Sesshoumaru's back all day, trying to hold back her anger and grief. Sesshoumaru's long white hair and Tetsusaiga riding strapped next to her were taunting reminders of Inuyasha's death and Sesshoumaru's offenses. She fought hard to keep her rage at him at bay. He had just stood there and watched Inuyasha die, then had kidnaped her and taken Tetsusaiga. On top of that, he was completely ignoring her now. It seemed the greatest injustice of all, that he could just walk ahead of her so calmly as if none of it had happened.

As night began to approach Sesshoumaru could hear the girls behind him beginning to tire. Rin was walking subdued behind him and he could hear her feet shuffling and her breathing change pace. The woman also was showing signs of fatigue, though she hadn't spoken to him all day. He had listened as Rin had jabbered away at the miko, while the girl made patient and polite responses. He could still tell she was angry-or at least very tense, he could hear it in the way she moved, spending an extraordinary amount of energy to reign in her emotions. He wondered that she hadn't made any attempt to resist him. She hadn't even opened her mouth to complain or object. He supposed he should be thankful, but her indignance was only frustrating him. Still, he couldn't think of a way to improve the situation, so he continued to ignore her.

He glanced up at the darkening sky. Often, Rin simply slept on the dragon while the demons kept walking all night. With two of them, it wasn't an option.

Kagome watched as Sesshoumaru's pace slowed until he was walking alongside Rin. Without a word, he effortlessly lifted the little girl and deposited her on the dragon's back. Rin leaned forward onto one of the dragon's necks and gave a little yawn. Kagome was surprised when he turned and looked back at her, as if he was waiting for her to say something. She just stood, dumbstruck, her eyes hopelessly trapped by his golden scrutiny. "We'll stop soon." She nodded mutely in response, a little ashamed that he had startled her so much. When he turned around again she was left quietly trying to reconcile Sesshoumaru's interactions with Rin with the image of him that had been festering in her mind all day. She could still feel his eyes on her.

They had stopped shortly after, as soon as they came to a small clean stream. Rin had cuddled up to Kagome as soon as they halted and in moments was back asleep. Kagome, though she tried to fight it, drifted away soon after her.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the exhausted pair, huddled together in the shelter created by the dragon's neck. The miko's dark hair fluttered across her face, though the girl remained oblivious and bonelessly still. In the moon and starlight her pale skin was cast with a blue hue, it almost seemed as if she was glowing of her own accord. Satisfied with the girls' silence, he slipped off to investigate the surrounding area.

Kagome woke with a start. It took her a moment to realize she was not next to Inuyasha's body anymore. Instead she found her self breathing shakily with Rin's sleeping form cuddled against her. She couldn't see Sesshoumaru anywhere close by. .She put her hand to her face and felt the tears trickling down, hot against her chilled skin. Carefully, she pushed Rin up and replaced her to lean against the dragon and quietly rose to her feet. Jaken was there, but he appeared to be asleep, leaning against his staff. She wasn't sure why Sesshoumaru was gone, but perhaps she could take advantage of the few moments of peace. As silently as she could she crept away from the campsite to the nearby stream bank. She didn't think Rin could hear her from here. She fell to her knees on the soft riverbank with her head buried in her hands and let out the sobs she had been holding back all day.

Sesshoumaru returned noiselessly to where he had left his companions. He immediately noticed Rin curled up alone and Jaken asleep nearby. Frustrated, he sent out his senses in search of the missing miko. It was not hard to determine where she was, she hadn't gone far from the camp. He could smell her scent coming from the direction of the stream and she was even close enough that he could hear her. He kicked Jaken hard in the head, the toad tumbling a few times before landing sprawled. "Stay here and stay awake." He said it calmly, but the hard look and edge in his master's voice told him Sesshoumaru was angry.

Ignoring the groveling of his retainer, Sesshoumaru stalked off after the miko. He was angry that she had left the campsite and even angrier that Jaken had fallen asleep on the job. He expected his servant's obedience and commitment, especially where protecting Rin was concerned, and the toad youkai let him down far to often. Still, he suspected Rin had grown an attachment to the creature. Jaken was stupid not to realize that the little girl he always belittled was often the only reason he was still alive and in Sesshoumaru's service.

He could hear the miko crying as he approached, his sensitive ears caught every gasp and cough. He could even smell her tears mingling with her normal scent. He heard her choke a little more in an attempt to slow her crying as he approached; he suspected she must have sensed him, because he had been utterly noiseless in his movements. When she came into sight, her small form was kneeling and upright, but still shaking with unvoiced sobs.

"What do you want, Sesshoumaru?" she hissed, her words laced with agony and bitterness.

She was faced away from him, head bowed, silhouetted darkly against the moonlight dancing on the surface of the water. "You were not given permission to leave." Still angry that she had disobeyed him, his voice cut mercilessly through the air.

He saw her hands clinch into fists at her sides, still shaking. "Not given permission?" she said sardonically. "I'm sorry, I forgot, I belong to you now."

Her insincerity and fearlessness stirred his anger anew and in a moment he had her pinned to a tree by her shoulder. "Yes, you do," he said lowly, glaring her down.

Her own eyes snapped up in rage. "I belong to no one, especially not you. You have taken me away from my home, my family, and everyone I love." She answered him as fearlessly as she had before, spurred by the grief and her growing hatred. She could feel his claws pressing into her skin but she didn't care. "Kill me, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure we'd both be a lot happier."

He was shocked at her invitation and her refusal to submit. He searched her eyes for a moment, hesitating. She was looking at him expectantly. 'She's really hoping I'll kill her,' he thought, surprised.

The moment lengthened and Kagome lost her patience. "Do it!" she cried desperately, almost pleading.

The demon lord regarded her for a moment before dropping his hand to his side. "No."

"No? Why not!" she demanded.

"I've already told you. You are going to help me find Naraku. In addition, a deal has been instated for your safety. This Sesshoumaru does not go back on his word."'

Kagome was so enraged now she could feel the heat coming off of herself. "Damn you Sesshoumaru! You've denied me my freedom, you've taken me away from my friends, and now you even take away my solitude and won't even let me grieve." The sobs were finding their way back into her voice now and she was becoming increasingly difficult to understand. "You've taken everything!" She raised her fist and beat as hard as she could on his chest plate. His eyes widened almost unperceptively at her boldness, but she didn't stop.

"It's all your fault," she coughed, hitting him as hard as she could, wishing his damn emotionless face was easier to reach. "Why!" she demanded, pounding again, a small ripple of pinkish energy rippled off the armor where her small fist struck. She shuddered as she finally spat out the reason for her hatred. "How could you let him die? You could have saved him. You just left him there! Was it because you wanted the sword, or did you want to keep me?" She was ranting uncontrollably, still pounding so hard the impact of her arms was reverberating down her whole body. "How could you let him die?" she asked again, a little more feebly. "You could have saved him. . ."

Sesshoumaru had stood impossibly still while the girl hammered away for all she was worth against him. He had been shocked when she had actually tried to hit him, it must have looked ridiculous; the top of her head didn't even come up to his chin. He became slightly concerned when she sent out small bursts of her energy, but fortunately they were not focused, merely a side-effect to her rage. It had gone on long enough. He deftly caught both her wrists in his hand and held her hands tightly in the space between them.

She looked up at him, startled to realize what she had just been doing.

He saw the pain and anger swimming in her eyes, but also the return of her fear. Somehow, though, he wasn't reassured by this. She was so small and fragile, she looked as if the fear alone could break her. He found no pleasure in knowing this delicate creature was terrified of him, though he knew she had every reason to be. He felt her give a small shudder in his grasp and he felt a tremor of guilt stir inside him. "I tried to save him."

Kagome's eyes widened. She had been waiting for the consequences of her outburst. Sesshoumaru's quiet confession was the last thing she had expected. He was looking down on her and for a moment she thought she saw and expression of frustration and something that almost looked like sympathy. "You did?" she asked, disbelieving.

Sesshoumaru wondered why he was bothering to tell the girl this. Somehow, though, he didn't want her hatred and disliked seeing her cry. He let out a small breath, that, had he been any other person, would have been a sigh. "I tried. Tenseiga refused to allow me to revive him."

He released her hands and she dropped them slowly to her sides, still staring at him in wonder. He felt strangely attracted by her glistening dark eyes. In fascination, he brought his hand up and gently brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek, feeling her smooth skin and allowing a tear to slide along the path his index finger made while she stayed statue still. "Why would you try to save him," she asked breathlessly, her breath cool against his arm.

He turned his hand around and slowly ran his fingers along the line of her jaw, leaving his hand to linger on the side of her face while she waited without breathing for his answer. "I'm not sure," he said slowly. "He was my brother, and he did not deserve death at the hands of one as dishonorable as Naraku." He felt her shudder again and wondered what she was responding to. He remembered who he was touching and wondered why he was doing it. He had always been one to act on his whims, but this exchange was not in his character. Curious about what was effecting him, he let his hand roam down her arm where it found her wrist again and held it lightly and tried to analyze what was happening.

"He said he loved you." The girl's lip quivered and she bowed her head, her face masked again in shadow. "Were you his?" The question had come out almost without his bidding. Still, he waited for her to answer.

He saw new tears reach the edge of her face only to plummet down and splash on her blue collar. "His? I wanted to be." She sniffed again. "I loved him." He felt her go limp and allowed her to fall against him, sliding his arm under hers to support her. "It's too late now,"she whispered to herself, whimpering at the emotions so strong the pain reached out and grabbed her physically. One of her hands went to the arm that was holding her, the other rested on the opposite shoulder, trying to support herself.

Holding her like this, so helplessly, Sesshoumaru wanted to be able to do something to stop her suffering. He had forgotten for the moment that she was human, that she was his brother's, that she was his weapon against Naraku. "I am sorry," he said simply.

Both of them jumped when Tenseiga flared brightly at Sesshoumaru's side. Sesshoumaru felt Kagome's grip on him tighten and felt warmth spread outward from where her hands touched and down his arm where he still held her. She was glowing lightly, and abruptly both her light and Tenseiga's flared simultaneously. She looked down in amazement at Tenseiga.

"Sesshoumaru," she said quietly, holding tightly to him. "I think you should draw your sword."

Alright, I know what you're thinking-'why can't I get a frickin Twix bar around here?' Oh, wait, that's what I was thinking. YOU are probably thinking-'Alright Aiwendil, enough with the stupid confusing cliffhangers!' If it makes you feel better, I wasn't going to be so cruel, but this chapter was long so I stopped it here. Next chapter will actually have some answers and the mood is a little less dark.

I can't believe I'm posting already after just two days-you guys are lucky things have been slow this week, 'cause I thought about making you wait. However, I'm not gonna post the next chapter until I get some feedback on this one (or a Twix bar)-so get on it.

Thanks to everybody who's sent in comments, I really appreciate it! No one's quite figured out what's happening yet, though. All will be made clear in time. Keep reviewing! Good or bad, I'd like to hear it.

-Aiwendil