The Earth seemed unusually quiet as Kagome woke from sleep.
She had had the strangest dream.
Looking up from her comfortable place against Sesshomaru, she saw that he was either faking really well, or very much asleep.
Rin still lay silently across her lap, sleeping peacefully.
Reaching up silently, Kagome touched his face.
She ran her feather light touch across his features, tracing the demonic markings he had engraved upon his face.
She almost jerked back when her fingers rolled quietly, as if with a mind of their own, over his soft, firm, set lips.
'Velvet over steel.' She thought silently, returning her straying hand back up to the crescent on his forehead.
Just as she was about to withdraw her hand, another closed around it, not painful, only firm.
Kagome gasped but couldn't jump back due to the hold he had on her wrist.
His molten gold eyes looked at her, and Kagome noticed with relief they were not frozen amber pools, but swimming beams of light, like the fire around the sun.
"Ohayou Sesshomaru-sama." She sid softly, smiling despite his grip.
He nodded.
"Ano- Gomen nasai..." She said quietly.
He stood up all of a sudden and Kagome fought down a startled yelp.
Rin slid off her lap but did not awaken as Kagome stumbled to her feet with him.
They did not move, only stood, Kagome staying behind him while his even breathing was the only sound.
Their hands hung limply between them, locked together lazily but refusing to be seperated.
Kagome took a slow step forward, so her chest barely brushed his back.
He turned slightly at her touch.
She stood up on her tiptoes.
A distant bird chirped and sun rays flickered across the ground.
Then, their lips met.
*
Rin walked in front of Sesshomaru and Kagome, who were both unusually quiet in back.
Jaken walked along side Rin and only mumbled every once in a while.
When Rin had woken up she desperately wanted to cry, the flowers had dissapeared.
Kagome had walked over to her and straigtened her out, as she was disshelved from sleep.
Rin had been about to sob out her new found tragedy when she had glimpsed Kagome's eyes.
Glazed over with happiness, she seemed not even to notice the horribly neglected girl.
Something strange was with Sesshomaru too, though you would have to be Rin or Kagome to notice it.
As he stared ahead, his eyes were cold as colored ice, but when they fell upon the softly smiling Kagome they would melt considerably, and a prouder air would overcome the whole group of travelers for as long as Sesshomaru had that pride about him.
Clouds flew about the skies, Kagome could only stare.
The white feathery things swirled around and around, creating a lovely havoc in the sky above them.
They were soon to figure out that it would not be the only one, minus the 'lovely'.
As soon as the spell had Kagome transfixed, it was broken, just as soon as Naraku appeared.
*
Kagome's eyes widened considerably, but she uttered no sound, and though she pailed, she showed a somewhat not-afraid outer appearance.
Sesshomaru set a foot in front of her and Rin, lowering himself into a fighting stance, just as Kagome bent to embrace and lift Rin in a protective gesture herself.
"Sesshomaru..." Naraku said.
"Naraku." His voice was monotone, but Kagome could sense the hidden venom in his words.
Kagome took an unsure step back, until Naraku's evil red eyes glanced over her with malice, causing her to freeze where she stood.
Sesshomaru noticed Kagome's fright, discomfort, and automatically let out a growl of warning, eyes beginning to glow red.
"Take Rin." He managed to growl out before, in a whisp of silverish blue light, he charged at Naraku.
Kagome spun and ran as fast as she could, Rin held tightly in Kagome's arms.
The sounds of battle faded softly into the background as she continued to run on unending adrenaline.
Kagome found herself soon within the forest that had enveloped them only half an hour before, as Kagome ran her heart pounded and she flew past slightly familiar landmarks and trees.
She eeped as she suddenly slipped on a slight hill and tumbled into an almost still stream.
Rin and Kagome breathed heavily, seeming to wait for Naraku to step out of some trees and grin evilly at them, but it never came, and soon they were both shivering in the shallow water.
Kagome lifted Rin again and they climbed unsteadily out of the freezing water, as Kagome kept her ears open for any sounds of the advancing enemies.
"Bakas! Humans!" Jaken cried as he rushed up to them, "Y---"
"I'm so glad you're here Jaken-sama. I need you to watch Rin-chan while I make sure Sesshomaru-sama is all right!" Kagome cried, and, not waiting for an answer, burst into a run back into the direction she came from.
She burst again through the trees, ignoring Jaken's fading screams about who knows what, mind set on only helping Sesshomaru in any way possible.
She drew her bow and an arrow, her hand tightly clamped around the weapon, worry pulsing through her veins.
When she finally slowed then stopped, she was only yards from the raging battle.
Kagome realized she couldn't fight either, because both of them were moving so fast they were hardly detectible.
Stringing her bow towards the ground, she waited for an opportunity to arise, praying Sesshomaru would be all right.
*
She was hidden in the cover of trees, but still I could sense her, as always.
Did Jaken not obey my command to tell her to take Rin away from here?
Naraku will not have noticed her though, like Inuyasha, only stronger, he forgets everything but the battle as he fights, letting all his senses dwindle except the fighting instinct.
He will not scent her if I do not give him the chance.
-
With those thoughts Sesshomaru fought with even more vigor, trying to down Naraku.
But in his fail to realize the situation, his eager energy boost, he had not noticed the glint of the arrow.
Naraku moved in to strike him just as Kagome's arrow cut through the air and cut his arm.
Naraku's face was overcome with surprise, and he incidently turned his head towards the direction it was shot from, consequently forgetting his pounce to victory and crashing into Sesshomaru dumbly.
Sesshomaru pounced several feet back and took out his poison whip (?), taking a protective stance in front of the space he knew Kagome stood.
Naraku growled in malice as his eyes flickered over the wound Kagome had bestowed upon him.
It stung like a knife had cut through him, and it wasn't shallow at all, which was surprising as it seemed the arrow had only slightly caught his arm.
'What is this girl?' He thought with malice, 'Who is she with so much power... Comparable even to the deciesed and raised priestess, Kikyou.'
Caught so deeply within his thoughts, he almost didn't notice the lash of yellow light that flew at him at incredible speed.
He tried to bound out of the way, but he was too late.
He was unceremoniously sliced in half, falling to the ground in shock.
Sesshomaru dared not feel any pride, even as Kagome rushed up to him asking him if he was okay, and for good reason.
Kagome looked up and some of her previous relief and happiness dissolved from her eyes.
"It was just another one of his dolls... Why is he such a coward? Why does he play with us.... He makes so many peoples lifes terrible!" She cried as she burried her face in his chest, sobbing as the image of when she first met Miroku and Inuyasha and Sango flashed momentarily in her head.
He said nothing, lifting her from her sorrows he took to the air, retreating to find where Jaken and Rin were.
Kagome calmed down considerably by the time they reached the others, and she hastily wiped the tears from her eyes, refusing to upset Rin.
Rin seemed relieved and missed completely the fakeness of Kagome's smile as she greeted with ease the returned two.
Kagome smiled shamelessly and listened intently to the girls ramblings, but she couldn't think.
As the rest of the day passed them by, Kagome smiled almost lovingly at Sesshomaru.
***
"Sesshomaru-sama?" Kagome whispered later that night.
"Hm?" He said to signify that he was indeed awake and listening.
"I- ano... Do you regret letting me come with you?" Kagome asked quietly, desperately.
He was silent for a moment, but he could not escape this question.
"...No..." Sesshomaru said after a painful few minutes.
He glanced sideways at her, she wasobserving the stars.
'What is up there that fascinates her so?' He asked himself.
"Sesshomaru-sama...." She began quietly.
"Nani?" He asked, patiently but still reserved.
"What are the feelings you have for me?" She asked even quieter.
He snapped into attention.
Suddenly the stars seemed very interesting to him too.
He was silent for what seemed an eternity.
"Why?" He asked calmly, though he was sure his heart sped up only a little.
She lay down immediately, turning her back on him.
"Ano- oh, it's nothing really. It's just..." She trailed off.
He waited silently for her answer.
"Well, the thing is Sesshomaru-sama, I think I might love you." Kagome whispered.