Hello 'ello! Thank you very much to all who have reviewed so far. It feels really good to know that you like what I'm doing. J 

Tori, sorry for making you have nightmares…. *Oops* The story creeped me out a bit too when I first wrote it – I just couldn't understand where it came from! My stories are usually kind of silly and funny… this one's just weird… I think it's my insane alter ego who popped up and wrote it.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Inu-yasha.

Chapter Four

  "Rin missed Lord Sesshoumaru! Why does Lord Sesshoumaru go away all the time!? Rin wants Lord Sesshoumaru to stay here!" The little girl spun and sparkled, grinning at him and trying to catch his hand. He allowed himself a smile and lifted her up into the air.

"Lord Sesshoumaru has to go away because he has lots of important things to do," he said as she giggled and squirmed. "I will stay here for only a day or two."

"But Rin is so alone when Lord Sesshoumaru is away!" she pouted, or at least, tried to pout. He doubted that she was even capable of pouting. Yet he remembered a time when she had been afraid and sad, and silent. That was while she was trying to save his life when he was wounded, by bringing him water and food – that he couldn't eat, but still. Since he saved her from death in turn she had become a cheerful girl who didn't shut up for two minutes at a time.

"I know, Rin. But it's too dangerous for you to come with me, so you have to stay here. And besides, who would bother Jaken if you were not here to do it?" He grinned at her, making her laugh.

"Er… m'lord?" asked Jaken at his feet. Sesshoumaru looked down, the smile vanishing from his face. Jaken was looking as if he was upset about something.

"Why the face, Jaken? Enemy demons in the lands? My filing cabinet on fire? What has happened?"

"Er… nothing, m'lord. I just came by to welcome you home again…but maybe I shouldn't have bothered," Jaken finished bitterly. Sesshoumaru looked at him curiously.

'What is with him? He's looking hurt, or something. And that comment he just made certainly didn't sound like his old grovelling self. I wonder if he is ill? Or maybe it's just age. I should really get myself a new sidekick.' He knew he wouldn't though. Just as with Rin, there was something that made him hold on to Jaken, something he couldn't quite explain.

"Well no, it was not necessary of course," he said out loud, watching as Jaken became even more glum. "If there aren't any news for me, you don't have to bother with meeting me. I will see you tonight, at dinner."

"Right, m'lord. I'll just leave then." Jaken turned to go. "I'll be in my office if you feel the need of kicking something."

'He's starting to get an attitude….' thought Sesshoumaru, once again reacting over the lack of slimy sucking up. He was almost worried. Jaken had never acted like that before.

'Oh well.' Sesshoumaru shrugged and smiled at Rin.

"Maybe I'll stay longer this time. How about it?"

"YAY!!!" Rin squealed, laughing and throwing her arms around his neck. "And Lord Sesshoumaru will be with Rin all the time!!"

"Of course."

*************

The group was meanwhile battling two beautiful demons called Ryuuri and Hari, cousins of the late brother demons Hiten and Manten. The two sisters possessed between them four Shikon shards and were very powerful, as well as vengeful and angry. They had as it turned out been looking for Inu-yasha since the news of their cousins' deaths reached them, gathering shards and increasing in power along the way.

It was a long battle and they were all stumbling with fatigue, having already walked several miles that day. Finally the sisters fell, one by Kagome's arrow and one by Miroku's staff.

"Ooh, that was hard," Sango sighed, relaxing and putting away her boomerang. "Congratulations, Miroku – not only did you manage to kill that demon, but you did it without drooling! I'm impressed."

"I do wish you wouldn't say things like that," said Miroku, looking pained. "I'm really working on my lechery, you know."

"That's why I say it!" smiled Sango, widening her eyes innocently. "Encouragement, Miroku, encouragement!"

"It hurts when you mock me, Sango. Especially when you mock me."

"Why is that?"

"Inu-yasha, could you help me with something?" asked Kagome loudly, straightening up after picking up the shards and starting to walk away.

"What? Why?" said the clueless half-demon. "Why can't Sango help you with what – "

"Come on, Inu-yasha, I need your help," she said, taking a firm hold of his arm with one hand and grabbing Shippou by the scruff of his neck with the other. "And yours too, Shippou."

"Hey, no fair, I wanna watch them fight…"

Ignoring the little demon's protests she dragged them both away, leaving Sango and Miroku alone.

"What did you want my help with?" asked Inu-yasha as she let them go, a safe distance from the clearing where they had fought the two sisters. She rolled her eyes.

"You're so clueless Inu-yasha, it's almost sad," she said. "Sango loves Miroku, Miroku loves Sango, they need to sort some things out between themselves and all I'm doing is giving them a bit of privacy."

Inu-yasha was looking as if his eyes would pop out of his head.

"They do what? They love each other? How? Since when? Why?" Kagome and Shippou sighed and looked at each other hopelessly.

"You are amazing," Shippou then said, snorting. "You mean you haven't noticed at all?"

"Well, I know we talked about that once, Kagome, but I didn't think you were right when you said Sango loved him. And even if you were, how do you know he loves her back?"

"HELLO??! WAKE UP!!!" yelled Shippou, losing his patience. "Why do you think Miroku's stopped asking girls to bear his child? Why do you think he attacks without thinking if someone behaves badly against Sango? Didn't it tell you anything when he said "It hurts when you mock me, Sango"?!"

There was a long, pondering silence.

"Oh," said Inu-yasha. Kagome started to giggle, happy that he got it relatively quickly this time. Shippou started to laugh, too, while Inu-yasha looked like he was trying to accept what he just had learnt.

"But why – " he began, and was interrupted by Kagome.

"Just watch them for a while and you'll see I'm right. Jeez, you're hopeless. It's no wonder you've got a screwy love life."

At that moment Sango and Miroku arrived, looking much calmer and happier. Inu-yasha forgot about Kagome's comment. That night however, as he watched over his friends while they slept, her words came back to him. Did he have a screwy love life? He knew who he loved and he was close to her. For him that was enough. What was screwy about that? He looked down at Kagome and smiled, shaking his head. She might not always make sense, but he loved her all the same.

*************

Five days later as they were sitting round the campfire, eating breakfast, Sesshoumaru strolled into the camp and sat down beside Sango.

"Good morning. Slept well?" he asked, while they all stared at him in shock. Sango was the first to regain her senses, whipping out the sword hanging by her hip and striking at his chest. He bent back, avoiding the strike, and then jumped up and out of her reach.

"Not very good hosts, your friends, are they?" he laughed, turning to Kagome as he ducked Miroku's staff which came soaring through the air.

"You're getting annoying," said Inu-yasha. "Fight me properly!"

"Don't want to," said Sesshoumaru casually. Then he had to bring out his sword to parry Tetsusaiga.

"I said I don't want to." Inu-yasha didn't seem to care, striking at his brother who was forced to retreat.

"Do you feel we've been in this situation before?" asked Sesshoumaru conversationally, sidestepping a particularly powerful blow from Inu-yasha's sword. When he got no answer except another strike he shrugged and jumped into the air, landing behind Kagome. He sheathed his sword as quick as lightning and then brought his claws up to rest against her throat. They all froze.

"Reckless, reckless, Inu-yasha. Do you want her killed?" He pressed a bit harder with his talons, enjoying the whimper this brought from Kagome.

"Let her go," said Inu-yasha hoarsely. Sesshoumaru smiled.

"You know, I think I will." He lifted his hand from Kagome's throat and stepped back. Immediately she spun around, drawing an arrow and laying it against the bowstring. She let fly and it hit his armour, shattering it. He frowned.

"That's really no way to treat me, when I just spared your life." Another arrow came flying and he ducked it just in time. Then he had to throw himself in the opposite direction to avoid Sango's boomerang. Looking around him, Sesshoumaru realized that he had no chance against all four of them, and leapt into the air.

"Four against one is no fun!"

"This time he won't escape," said Sango, jumping on Kirara who rose into the air. Kagome quickly hopped on Inu-yasha's back before he leapt up, landing behind Sango.

"Can she take this much weight?"

"No problem," answered Sango. "Away, Kirara!"

"Hey!" shouted Miroku, unheeded down below. "HEY! What about me?!!"

They flew fast and caught up with Sesshoumaru before long – he had after all not had much time to escape and had flown slowly, not expecting them to pursue him.

"Boomerang Bone!" Sango's boomerang flew through the air, narrowly missing Sesshoumaru's head and then returning to her hand. He turned his head, saw how close they were and then dropped down in altitude, making them soar over his head.

"I won't let you kill me now," he said calmly as Kirara swerved and came swooping back again. "I prefer ground battle."

"Then let's return to the ground, bastard!" yelled Inu-yasha, as his hand strayed to his hip and then stopped. He didn't want to draw his sword while still in the air, as he was unsure if he could control it without hurting his friends.

Sesshoumaru frowned.

"No, no, brother, I don't want to. I have a girl who is waiting for me at home today, and I don't want to waste my time with you any more. And I think you should return to your camp, too –" he avoided Kirara again – "because Kagome looks about ready to faint. Brother, can I advise you on something? Twice now – " he ducked Sango's boomerang – "you have had me cornered, but I escaped easily both times by simply springing over you. You may want to look into that. Always cut off all escape routes for your enemy – that includes the route that goes – UP!" At the last word he rose quickly into the air, above Kirara who had charged at him a third time, and then flew away, too fast for them to follow.

And then Kagome fainted, just as he had predicted.

*************

References: The names Ryuuri and Hari come from a manga called WISH (which is really cute, but that's beside the point).