Hoo-boy, has it been a long time since I updated. If you want to look in my bio, you'll find the reason there. So sorry for the wait, all, but there you are.

The fourth chapter of Ten no Chi. If anyone has suggestions, they are welcome. Ridicule me, and I shall block you. . . . If it's possible to do that . . . I'll have to check. But do drop a comment.

The door from the roof to his apartment eased open as he nudged it with his toe. The girl had cried herself hoarse, and now he decided that she needed rest. She was awake, in his arms, and he led her down the stairs to his barely-above-shabby chambers.

His carpet was frayed and her foot caught in the fringe. She stumbled, but Sesshoumaru caught her, and laid her on his couch, which was really the only decent piece of furniture in his entire apartment. Grabbing his cleanest and most whole blanket from a shelf, he shifted her until she lay on her back. The raven-haired young woman blinked drowsily up athim, covering a yawn as he laid the blanket over her, and murmured, "Who are you?"

He froze; did he want to tell her? Would she remember if he did? The demon cleared his throat. "Go to sleep." Then he turned, cursing his vocal cords, and stalked to the window. Against his will, he listened to her uneven breathin, hitching at intervals and combining with her little sniffles. He sighed in exasperation, leaning his forehead aginst the chipped-paint-wall, and walked back to the couch. Sitting, he snatched his remaining Kleenex box from the broken coffee table and handed her a tissue. "Blow."

The young woman rolled her eyes, just like she always did, he though sadly, and accepted the tissue, bloing obediently. As she tossed it in the garbage can, she asked again, more insistently, "Who are you?"

The demon closed his eyes. "I am merely a person--"

She sat up, clutching his upper arm. "What is your name?" She would not leave it alone.

He looked at her, then muttered, "Sesshoumaru."

"See, now? That wasn't too hard, was it?"

Her nonchalance still had him staring openmouthed after the first few oundings came upon his door. He made himself stand, walk to the door and open it, only to find a very irate hanyou brother glaring, hand poised to slam again, at the door.

InuYasha lowered his hand, growling, "Are you trying to piss me off?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head dumbly, saying, "Uh- no, no, come in, InuYasha." The tail-end of his sentence was said with distaste, as though he only just realized who he was talking to . He stepped aside and allowed his brother and his convoy to tread upon his sacred apartment floor.

The hanyou immediately turned to his brother and demanded, "All right, where's the girl?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "I beg your pardon, InuYasha, but I don't believe I know your friends."

InuYasha was fuming, so Kagome stepped forward. "Good day, sir. My name is Kagome Higurashi. This is Miroku no Kazaana and Sango Taiji'ya. They are nurses at the hospital which your brother and I were of late in residence." A quick little bow, and she straightened to meet his eyes squarely and coolly.

His brow was cocked, and he returned the bow with little care, noticing her anger aura spike at the slight. "I am Sesshoumaru, though doubtless you already knew that." He regarded the human for a moment. "Are you a Higurashi of the Higurashi Shrine?"

Her features registered no surprise. "Indeed I am."

He liked her more and more. "Your grandfather is quite a character."

It was her brow to cock now. "You speak of him with such familiarity. I assume you know and are on speaking terms with him?"

The demon inclined his head. "Makoto is very well-respected in the company he keeps."

A sly smile tugged at her lips. "But how do you know him?"

Sesshoumaru grimaced inwardly. She'd caught him out. "We met at a library."

Sango snorted, covering it with her hand and turning to face Miroku, who was having just as hard a time as InuYasha in controlling his laughter. Sesshoumaru glared at them, which quelled their hysterics. . . . Momentarily. When Kagome spoke, he heard the laughter in her voice. "Really. So, you must have an interest in the Sacred Jewel? The Shikon no Tama?"

His surprise was evident. "And you knew this how?"

She chuckled. "And you claim to know Jii-chan?"

InuYasha was struggling valiantly to hide his hysteria, and Sango was shaking in Miroku's arms. Miroku, himself, had his face buried in Sango's abundant hair, to hide the tears of mirth streaming down his face. Sesshoumaru had never been so affronted in his life, and Kagome was staring at him coolly, a smile quirking her lips.

The demon lord sighed. "I yield." He glanced at Inuyasha. "Where on earth did you find such a witty creature?"

The hanyou turned red, muttering sheepishly, "We, ah, bumped heads at the hospital."

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "So very clever on his feet, isn't he?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" A gentle vocie floated toward them. The entire comapny turned to see a tired-looking girl laying on the great lord's sofa. Her face was mildly frightened.

Sesshoumaru looked at InuYasha, jerking his head at the young woman. "There is the girl. Do you wish to speak with her?"

"I do," Kagome murmured.

Doubt flickered i nhis eyes, and he asked, "For what reasons?"

"I was on that plane."

Understanding laced his features, and he stepped aside as she walked forward. When she reached the sofa, she knelt, staring at the plainly scared young woman. "Thank you."

Confusion joined the fear. "What for?"

Kagome smiled benevolently. "I was on the plane."

The young woman's mouth formed a silent 'Oh', and she looked down, then past Kagome at her rescuer. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

The demon came immediately to her side, kneeling as Kagome rose and murmuring, "Yes, young one."

As Kagome walked back to her entourage, she smiled at the murmur of voices, one tenor and one soprano, behind her. The soprano ceased, sleeping, and just as they were about to walk out the door the tenor joined them.

"InuYasha, why did you come here?"

"Oh, yeah." Sango rolled her eyes as Miroku snickered. "I wanted to ask why you saved her."

Sesshoumaru looked surprised. "You don't remember her?"

At his brother's blank look, he murmured, "You don't remember the girl who saved me, in the Feudal Era, and then I saved, with Tenseiga?"

Slowly, InuYasha shook his head, as though his brother was daft.

Sesshoumaru glanced back at her, then met his brother's eyes. The lord's contained an uncharacteristic softness. "She is Rin."

InuYasha's eyes opened wide, and he whipped around to stare at the being on the sofa, then to stare at Sesshoumaru. The elder nodded, smiling wistfully as he stared at her. "Rin . . ."

You like? Suggestions are welcome. If you ridicule me, however, I'll block you. -.- sinister glare