Thanks SO much for all the reviews! When I came home on Sunday afternoon, I was thrilled to see all the reviews!

Hiei's.punk.rocker.girl: Lol. Don't kill me! Everyone's threatening to do that! crawls under desk and hides I'll do anything!... Except change the nonexistent plotline for this story!

Saturns-Angel1985: Is this any different than other Sess/Kag stories? ::looks frantically through them:: Hmm…

InuJinx: I so happy you took the time to review this one's lame story! (I just read the tenth Rurouni Kenshin book; sorry.)

Abi: Thanks for reviewing so many chapters! You actually took the time to do that! You're not lazy, like me. :)

Meilin H: Did I already review your story? I can't remember. I'll go check soon, and, if I haven't, will. (My memory extends to a limit of a week ago, I swear.)

Thanks also to sheenachi, inlovewithsesshomaru, stacerue, inuyasha-fan91, mikkey hodge, Kikyouhater101, CherryBlossomLove, emmi, zeddy222, Rose Petals, Elie Karae, i-wish-i-was-kagome, and Sesshomaru13!

A/N: I know, I know, lame chapter title. I know. Hmph.

Beta Read by: Kalliel/ Banana Rum

Chapter 8: Hot Springs

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Inuyasha turned to her, eyes flashing red, his claws elongated and dripping blood. He rushed at her, drawing blood from her stomach. He eyes grew wide as she saw him now: he was covered in her blood.

Behinds him came Sango, Miroku, and even Shippo. They all ran towards her, war cries piercing her eardrums. Then they were upon her, and all she could feel was pain, first as Hiraikotsu slammed into her, breaking all her ribs, one driving deep into her left lung. Then the rest were upon her, their weapons glinting in the pale sunlight.

She moved her arm up in self-defense, but it wouldn't obey her. She looked down, and saw her arm disconnected from her body. She reached down to retrieve it, but was kicked from behind, falling onto the warm, slick ground.

She was jerked up, and turned around to see Sesshomaru, who smiled wickedly as he gouged her eyes out, blood welding her mouth shut. She stumbled away, until her spine was ripped; her lungs and heart- still beating- hung out of her body. She collapsed, and felt teeth, and claws, and swords, all slowly killing her, while she convulsed in agony, arching her mutilated back, when suddenly she could stand.

She had no control of her body, and she saw herself lash out, killing Sango first, then Miroku, then Shippo. They looked at her and cried, and she tried to tell them sorry, but her mouth didn't work.

Then Inuyasha was dying, and she reached over to him, but he spat in her face. "I hate you…"

Kikyo was there now, smirking triumphantly at her while taking Inuyasha's body to hell. He leaned up and kissed her-

Kagome jerked awake, panting heavily, as if she had just run ten miles straight. She clenched her fists, willing herself not to scream. 'It's not real, it's not real.'

She inspected her body closely, and with relief, when she didn't find any wounds. 'But… it seemed so… vivid.'

She shakily rolled out off the futon, standing up unsteadily. She stood up, and heard footsteps outside. She could tell it was Hatsue, but wondered why she was coming so early.

Hatsue bustled in, and Kagome immediately dropped her visage of suspicion. 'Wouldn't want her to think I'm mistrustful of her.'

"I'm glad you're up, Lady!" Hatsue said brightly. Then she turned sober. "I've heard rumors about yesterday, about Bokkai… Is it true?"

"Um, yes?"

Hatsue gasped. "I'm sorry! That must have been horrible, Lady."

"It was." Kagome felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, and blinked rapidly to keep them away. "Can… can I be alone for a bit?"

"Yes, Lady," Hatsue said, walking out quickly.

'I forgot all about him! I hate him so much,' Kagome thought, her mood changing from horror to anger. 'I can't believe he almost- almost did that- but I'm glad Sesshomaru saved me, but why kill him? Can't lords just exile their servants or whatever?

'But what was with Sesshomaru, saving me like that? It's not that I wish he hadn't, but that's so… unlike him. Showing emotion. To me, who he hates.'

"Lady, are you okay?"

'Hey, when did Hatsue come back in? I need some privacy! Aren't I supposed to be a lady, and be treated with respect?'

"Hatsue," Kagome breathed, sounding slightly angry.

"Yes?" Hatsue asked.

"Please, go away." Kagome closed her eyes and counted to ten, slowly. When she opened them, Hatsue was gone.

'Good. Now I can explore more,' Kagome thought. 'I know it's dangerous, and that I'll probably be kicked out, but does anyone care about me anyway?'

Still, there was a lingering fear, crouching right behind her walls of courage, ready to tear them down and consume her.

'I'll be fine,' Kagome told herself as she crept down a long, winding stairway. She knew that this wasn't anywhere she had been before: the dungeon, or that other room…

'Sesshomaru must have really cared for Rin. If the rumors are true, he may have even loved her….'

She saw a narrow crack in one of the walls, just big enough for her to get through. She squeezed through it, and pushed her way through cobwebs and dust, the passage becoming narrower. She got to the end, and only barely managed to get through it.

Kagome walked along this new path for a while, before turning onto another. She stopped upon seeing something she entirely hadn't expected. She thought she would come to servants' living quarters, but she was somewhere else, apparently.

'Hey, where am I?'

She stopped, staring out into the long hallway. There were many doorways, and billowing out from underneath all of them was steam.

'I guess this is the hot springs,' Kagome thought. 'Maybe I should go in. I'm filthy.' She attempted to finger comb her hair, but failed, her finger coming out covered with mud and other debris. She looked down at her clothes, which were in a similar state. 'I don't care if it's off-limits or not. I've broken enough rules already. What's one more?'

She discreetly pushed open the screen, and immediately made her way to the nearest hot spring. She looked around, and, satisfied that there was no one else around, stripped of her clothes and stepped into the hot spring.

'This is nice.' Kagome sank in up to her neck, and savored the feeling of being able to bathe. She let her tightened muscles relax and willed her mind to do the same, but it remained pensive beyond belief.

'If anyone finds me, I'm not coming out,' Kagome thought fiercely.

--

Sesshomaru paced around his room, wearing a rut in the floor. He was thinking of how to get out of this predicament. He walked around, and around, not really caring about how this would affect the tatami.

A servant came up to him, bowed, and asked respectively, "What is wrong, Lord Sesshomaru? You seem troubled."

Sesshomaru ignored him. He walked back, and forth, and back.

Another servant walked up and bowed. "Lord Sesshomaru, is there anything you need?"

"I have to get rid of her," Sesshomaru said aloud.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru glared at the servant, who gave a small cry of fear, and scuttled away.

He made his way back again, but this time turned to the route that led to the hot springs. He went in, and noticed Kagome there. He paid her no heed, but stayed far away from her.

He sat down at the edge of one, and took off his armor, carefully laying it down next to him. He then pulled off his shirt, his toned muscles flexing. He removed the rest of his clothing and slipped into the hot springs.

'I'll relax. For now.'

--

Kagome ducked underneath the water's surface again, and emerged, a minute later, breathless. 'This is great! I wonder if anyone else's here.'

She lazily looked around, and saw a figure about one hundred feet away from her. 'Probably a servant. Nothing to worry about.' But she was worried. 'What if he's like Bokkai?'

She got out, the water dripping off her, forming small puddles that merged together to form more of a lake. She tugged on her shirt and skirt, moaning. 'I don't have a towel! And with my clothes all wet, they're see-through!' Blushing, she covered her chest with her arms. 'Now, about that guy over there...'

'I know! I can hit him with something heavy, so he won't notice me getting out of here!' She looked around. 'Where to find something heavy, though?'

She glimpsed a statue in the corner of the room, and lifted it up, her arm muscles straining at the weight. She stumbled over, and when she was close enough, threw the heavy object as hard as she could.

It missed by a fraction of an inch, sailing past the demon's head. It turned to look at her, and Kagome gasped when she saw who it was.

Sesshomaru.

'What'll I do?!' Kagome thought, frantically.

--

A/N: Sorry about this chapter. It sucks, I know. I absolutely hate this chapter. I really, really do. ::sigh:: Anyway, I rewrote this about three times. Oh well. And all bow down to Kalliel, for helping me sooo much. ::bow bow bow::

Please review.