Author's notes:

I want to cry. This is not the original chapter. The original was the most beautiful piece of writing I've ever done, and fate saw fit to rip it away from me with my own ignorance. I didn't save, and as I was making a small edit to the chapter, MS Works crashed and I lost it all. I attempted to recreate it and this is what you are reading now. Hopefully it retained at least some of it's poignance, I'll let you be the judge.

Contest Alert: At least one of my reviewers was saying they wished they could write as well as they drew/painted. Well, I personally admire the various fan artworks out there and thought up an idea. In the next few weeks I'll be creating a small Inuyasha website for posting my stories and I would like to invite my talented artist readers to create pictures depicting scenes from the story. I'll choose the top pictures and use them in the story, but all entries will get recognition in a separate fan art gallery. If you'd like to submit an entry, send it to mrskim47@ufl.edu.

Talum's crazy friend: I was a little concerned about keeping the scene so innocent myself, but then I remembered three things: 1) the main theme of this story is Inuyasha's unique blend of human and demon courtship instincts. His human side being as sweet as it is, I felt he'd want to make the first night romantic for her and be gentle. 2) As discovered in chapter fourteen, giving in to his passions has the effect of soothing them. So by that token, if he's actively making out with her, then he's being relieved a little. Finally, 3) The fact that he believes he's finally about to get what he needs makes it possible to hold out. I'm sure you've been in a situation where you were so excited about something and then when its about to happen, even if it's not happening yet, you feel more calm about it. Anyway, that's my explanation.

There will likely be more heavy citrus action later. Be forewarned. However, it doesn't happen here.

Chapter Sixteen

Inuyasha sailed down darkened halls toward Sesshoumaru's chambers, his outer kimono forgotten in the moment. Kagome ran to follow after haphazardly retying her own kimono.

When she finally reached the room's wide-open door she was struck immobile by the scene playing out inside.

Inuyasha was crying.

Over Sesshoumaru.

His silent tears were not sentimental sobs but the angry desperation of a man losing a possession he never knew he had. The hanyou was shouting out orders to attendant servants, demanding medicines, water, clean cloths, anything that might help in bringing the demon lord back from the edge of death.

Kagome remained still in the doorway, finally reaching out to tug it closed for privacy when Inuyasha called out to her.

"Kagome."

After a moment's hesitation she entered the room, carefully padding her way to the edge of the bed.

"The people in your time… they know more about sickness than we do. Can you do anything for him?"

She studied the prone inuyoukai who lay before her. His eyes were open but unfocused, his body shaking with spasms from uncooperative organs. The already pale color of his skin was whiter still, and sweat drenched his silver hair, pasting strands to his cheeks and forehead. He was a mere shell of the fearful demon she once knew.

Sadly, Kagome shook her head. "It's too late. When he was first poisoned, perhaps, but there's nothing I can do for him now." Even her miko powers couldn't purify the evil that seeped through his blood.

A stirring from the bed snapped his attention upward.

"Inuyasha."

The hanyou's gaze met Sesshoumaru's own eyes, which focused on him with great difficulty.

"My time is drawing near, Inuyasha."

Refusing to accept his words, Inuyasha barked at him. "You're just being lazy, baka. Fight this!"

Another spasm wracked the demon lord's body. "I've fought this poison with my own for these last few weeks," he replied quietly, "but this jaki is stronger than my own."

"We'll get you more of the medicine. Make it stronger. You can't just give up like this!"

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru closed his eyes against the pain, waiting for it to ebb away before continuing. "You are prepared to take your place among our ancestors. I am sure the upcoming battle will go in our favor and you will emerge victorious."

Inuyasha continued to shake his head, not wanting to hear the words that his half brother spoke.

"Make our father proud of his youngest son," he whispered,

"as I am proud of you."

A final spasm overtook the demon. He sucked in a large gasping breath, released it, and fell limp into the mattress beneath.

"SESSHOUMARU!"

Inuyasha grabbed at the inuyoukai's lifeless hand. "Sesshoumaru-onii-san!"

The room was completely still, and the body before him did not respond.

"KUSO!"

Inuyasha punched an angry fist into the sheets. He cursed to the heavens above, panting in heavy breaths for seemingly endless moments. Finally rising from the floor, he stalked out the room into the now empty hallway beyond.

Kagome ran after him, grasping at his shoulder when she reached him. "Inuyasha, where are you going?"

He whipped around, a ferocious gleam in his eyes which sent Kagome backing away in fear.

"Naraku dies tonight!"

"You can't be serious!"

"He destroyed my only family!" he roared back at her, his fury born more of despair than anger.

Tears welled up in her eyes at his palpable pain. "You still have me," she pitifully replied.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, his glare focused inward. "Until he takes you, too."

Kagome searched her mind for a way to talk some sense into the fuming half-demon. "You can't honestly think you'll find him so quickly when we've been searching for months!"

He growled. "I have to try."

Popping out of nowhere, Myouga landed on his master's shoulder. "Lord Inuyasha, it would be inadvisable for you to go out alone at this time. Your heat will soon render you incapable of fighting at full strength."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing!" he shouted back, whipping around to continue his trek down the hall.

A clinking sound halted him as his careless movement swiped his katanas against the side wall. He grasped at the hilt of Tetsusaiga, ensuring the fang was still securely at his side. Suddenly a wild look took residence in his eyes, and he shifted his hand to the other katana. Drawing it from it's scabbard, Inuyasha watched the dim light glint off it's blade.

"I can use Tenseiga…"

Kagome's eyebrows rose in disbelief. "If that were possible, don't you think Sesshoumaru would have done so already?"

Myouga shook his head. "The one who wields the sword cannot use it to save himself, that is true; but Lord Sesshoumaru gave it over to Inuyasha, effectively making him the katana's master."

The almost insane glint in her mate's eyes sent nervous shivers down Kagome's spine. He shoved past her, storming off toward Sesshoumaru's room with purpose.

Several servants attending to the inuyoukai parted at the return of their lord. He came to a stop at the head of the bed, suddenly unsure as to his course of action.

"Milord?"

"I don't know how to use it," Inuyasha growled in self-deprecation.

"You must swipe at the hell demons," Jaken answered him timidly from the other side of the bed. "They should be visible preparing his body for the journey into the afterlife."

"I can't see them!"

Kagome came into the room and stood beside her frustrated hanyou. Reaching out with the remainder of her miko powers she searched for a sign of spirits.

"I can see them," she finally spoke, "but only faintly. There are three; one at his left shoulder, one on his stomach, and the last at his right leg."

With a gruff answering nod, Inuyasha raised the Tenseiga and slashed the blade at the positions indicated. A small sparkle of blue light crackled around the demon lord, but nothing more.

"Did it work?"

Sesshoumaru lay still.

"It might take a while," Myouga announced cautiously. "Even if you brought him back from death, the poison will need time to retreat."

"Leave us."

Myouga nodded, hopping away from his master and retreating toward the door. Jaken hesitated, but finally followed the flea. Bowing her head, Kagome turned to join them but was held in place by a hand from Inuyasha.

"Not you. Please, Kagome. Stay with me."

She silently acquiesced and came to stand beside him, allowing him to reach an arm around her waist and pull her close. They stood there, together, watching for any sign of life.

* * * * *

An hour passed with no movement from the bed. Kagome had long since fallen asleep, and Inuyasha had carried her to a soft rug before the blazing fire in Sesshoumaru's room before coming back to his vigil.

His ears twitched when a faint rustling of fabric echoed in the room.

Then a breath.

"Inu…yasha…"

He shot forward, leaning over the bed to see with his own eyes what his ears where telling him.

"You brought me back."

"It worked…"

Sesshoumaru's eyes fluttered beneath their lids before slowly opening to see Inuyasha hovering above him. "Of course it did," he rasped. "Have you no faith in our father's power?"

Inuyasha wanted to throw his arms around the demon lord, but wisely held back the instinct. Sesshoumaru was already trying to sit up, so he satisfied himself by aiding him in the endeavor.

"Why did you save me?"

Blinking, Inuyasha couldn't find the words to explain himself.

Sesshoumaru read his younger brother's expression and found all the answers he needed. Then he noticed the lump curled up before his fireplace and again studied the hanyou.

"You haven't mated yet."

"No."

"What are you waiting for?"

"You--"

"I will recover now," Sesshoumaru answered his unspoken question. "The servants will see to my care."

Nodding, Inuyasha backed away from the bed and walked over to Kagome's sleeping form. The light danced over her features and a soft smile lit her face. It was as though even in sleep she knew the danger had passed.

Bending down, he raised her up with an arm supporting her shoulders and another cradling her legs. At the sudden movement she opened her eyes.

"Inuyasha?"

"Sesshoumaru is alive," he answered her.

She smiled again. "Yokatta…"

The relief in his eyes quickly morphed into heated desire at the proximity of her body. The fever was becoming uncontrollable.

Kagome recognized the gleam and was suddenly wide awake. "Take me to bed, Inuyasha."

He needed no further encouragement. Quick as lightning, Inuyasha whisked them out the door.

* * * * *

Vocab for those who requested it:

Yokatta -- "it's good" but as used often in IY, "I'm glad"