Chapter Five: Running out of Time

She was shocked. This couldn't really have been why that happened. The old guy just died on accident, right? She looked up at the stoic youkai to see that he was not joking and sighed. So, now there was a whole new mess with Naraku to clean up.

"Okay. So what do I need to do?" There was no question in her mind if she should do it. It was, in a way, her fault that this time alteration had occurred. She would have to change things for the better.

Sesshomaru shifted slightly and seemed to frown. He didn't look so sure. "Collect the jewel, defeat Naraku, but you could just focus on the shikon. Once you have it you can make a wish, correct?" She nodded but a look on her faced caused him to wonder if this would work. "Then you can simply wish for the man to have not died and this time will be altered back to its original state."

Kagome shook her head. "That won't work, Sesshomaru. That's a selfish wish, you and I both know it, and I can't make that kind. The shikon only will grant a wish that is made for the purest of reasons." She sighed and smiled a little at him. "Nice try, though. Maybe we can think of something else?"

He glared at her and grunted. "Yes, perhaps." He didn't like how friendly she always tried to be with him. "You should get some sleep. We train tomorrow."

Odd enough she seemed to smile at this and then cuddled under her blankets. She watched as he got onto the floor to lie down and frowned. Biting her lip she stared into the darkness of the room before making her mind up. "Sesshomaru?" He didn't say anything but she knew he could hear her. "Um. Would you like to lie on the bed? I mean, you can just lie next to me on top of the blanket, I'll move over as far as possible. I promise. It just has to be really uncomfortable on that floor and…"

"Woman, stop your rambling and move over before I lay on you to stifle your chatter." Kagome blushed, glad for the darkness, and moved over as she had promised. His weight shifted the bed and she turned away, looking at the wall for a long time before sleep overcame her.

Sesshomaru listened as her breathing evened out into sleep. What had motivated her to ask him up here? And why had he joined her? He had made it out that it was only to shut her up, very easily; but the truth was he had no idea. Kagome was different from the other humans he knew of. She cared about everyone, regardless of their past or their future. It went against everything he believed true of the species. Only one human had ever been this honest: Rin. She, too, was clumsy and stupid in her own way but she was so giving and trusting that it was near blinding. Her innocence was so contrasting to his dark persona that it seemed to mock the world that they would be partnered in any way.

And here he was again, with a woman just like her. Fate seemed to love laughing at him.

Turning his eyes to where he could see her, he was surprised. She had tossed in her sleep to where she was now facing him. Her hair flew about her in the fury of her movements and now it was pasted to her skin in an alluring shade over her face. Her lips were slightly parted and partially moist and her eyes were closed lightly, peace written across her form in all ways. For a human, and when she was quiet and still, she was quite alluring.

He turned away from her, facing to the door and looking into the dark room before he decided that his sleep addled mind must be playing tricks on him. Soon, he joined her in sleep.

"KAGOME HIGURASHI! How dare you do something like this in my home? Get up right now!" A bright light flashed on along with the booming voice and suddenly the blanket was snatched away. Kagome groaned and squinted her eyes tighter shut, trying to block the light away.

She wanted her blanket back, what was wrong with her mother? Then she noticed as she went to reach out for it that her hands were pinned down and that she wasn't as cold as she should be. Kagome's eyes snapped open and she looked down, mouth wide in shock and fear as her worst imagination came true.

Sesshomaru's arm was wrapped around her waist, the hand that she had been trying to use pinned underneath. Kagome squealed in surprise and then fidgeted, trying to be free. "Sesshomaru! Sesshomaru, get up now! Please! Sessho…" He released her, rising from the bed. She ran a hand through her tousled hair before she turned to look at the angry face of her mother and the glaring stare of Sesshomaru. "What are you looking at me like that for? You're the one who had themselves wrapped around me!" His glare deepened and a slight growl could be heard.

Her mother looked appalled. "So is THIS why you constantly get sent back; because you take advantage of young girls?" Sesshomaru looked at her, disgusted that she would even suggest something like that. Kagome agreed. She groaned and rubbed at her eyes, trying to wake up.

"Mom. He didn't do anything. I don't get why you're so worked up about it. He was on top of the blanket with me inside. It's not like there was much going on." Her mother shook her head at her and held the blanket up in her hands, shaking it furiously.

"Oh you mean this blanket! The one I just tore off of the two of you? Yes, I said the TWO of you! Kagome, don't you dare lie to me! You weren't just under the covers together; it was as if you were trying to resemble a human pretzel. Or in his case, youkai, whatever; Kagome! What is going on here?"

Kagome frowned. When had he got under the blanket? She remembered when he got in, didn't she? Rubbing at her forehead she tried to get her sleepy brain to wake up but it was no good so she did the next thing she could do, she got angry. Turning her gaze onto Sesshomaru she ground her teeth in rage. "You got under the blankets? I told you on top! Not make yourself comfortable with me!"

Sesshomaru had enough. "You're disgusting. I would never do something like that. I will sleep elsewhere from now on so that you and your mother are both far from me when I wake!" He stormed out of the room, running into Sota who begged him for breakfast, before leading the boy into the kitchen.

"The nerve! Why I ought to…"

Kagome screamed and covered her hands with her face. "Mom! Shut up!"

Her mother stood there for a moment, speechless, before turning and leaving the room; closing the door behind her without a word. Kagome balled her fists and thrust them against the bed along with her feet, another tantrum. They certainly helped with the frustration of this whole mess. Throwing herself against the bed she smothered her face in the pillow, screaming hard into it. What was going on here!

"Ow! That really hurt, you know!" She cried out as her hand went up to her shoulder, rubbing it gently. He had thrown her against the side of the well-house. He merely stared at her, waiting for her to move. Getting back into a ready stance, as she had observed from him, she watched, then sidestepped as he lunged at her with his claws and jumped, rolling across the lawn and out of the dangerous point against the wall.

He turned to look at her, raised eyebrow and amused expression on his face. She was learning much faster than he had thought. Perhaps he had misjudged her? Not possible. Perhaps it was due to her miko powers, yes, that could be it. Every miko was like a youkai only on the opposite side of the spectrum, but they each had their own unique abilities. Perhaps hers was her ability to adjust and ascertain the situation.

Jumping up he landed about three feet from her right before he ran up the side of a tree, bounced off and landed behind her, shoving her with his open hand. She cried out again as she hit the tree with the same shoulder. Maybe he was giving her too much credit. He watched as her face remained downward, staring into nothing, chest heaving for breath. Her hair fell over her eyes and he could smell the heavy scent of her sweat waving off her body with the heat of the day.

Then she growled low and ran right for him, not looking at him, he dodged by feinting to the left only to have her drop, throw her leg out, and undercut him hard. She didn't stop. His body began to fall and he went into auto mode, rolling to get out from under her. He rose from the roll on her right side, expecting to see her standing two feet away and blinking like an idiot. She wasn't there.

A sharp pain entered his senses as he felt her foot connect with the back of his shoulder. The woman was trying to exact revenge! This was amazing! He turned, grabbing her ankle and twisting hard. She squealed, body flipping through the air from the motion, but reached out to grasp him around the neck, effectively pulling him down with the momentum he had created. Her back crushed against the ground hard and she cried out, all air escaping her lungs, as the pain seared up her spine.

One problem led to another as she tried to turn and found her ankle had been sprained, keeping her from moving. It was too late. Sesshomaru fell on her, crushing her body with his, a grunt escaping him as he tried to brace himself from the fall. Absently Kagome realized that, watching his movements, he was trying to keep from completely hurting her. Why?

Looking up she saw his face, next to hers, staring down at her as a man would check his car for slight signs of damage. She felt like a piece of meat under inspection at the butcher block and it was very embarrassing. With a sigh she bit her lip and then decided that she should do something, since he would not. Opening her mouth to say something she stopped short when he spoke first. "Don't say anything. Be still. I want to make sure that you're not injured."

She blinked. What? Did it matter to him if she was injured? She was about to protest but rethought it. Here he was, being gentle and considerate and she was about to go ruin it. How stupid, Kagome! He lifted up, sitting next to her, and observed her body before a frown came to his face. "You are injured."

Huh? She looked away from his eyes, shaking the hazy thoughtless moment from her mind, before she spoke. "Am I?" He nodded and stood, crouching over her before lifting her in his arms. A squeak escaped her lips as she felt his hand go around the back of her neck, holding her firmly. He had done this before. He had held a human, a woman, like this before. When?

Kagome's mind wandered while he walked to the house. She heard her mother squawking in the background at Sesshomaru and he replied with something that seemed to make it okay. Then they were going upstairs and he laid her on the bed, pulling the covers over her body. Somewhere in her mind Kagome had to wonder what the real reason for his actions were.

Sesshomaru left the room, returning with a glass of water and some Tylenol. He handed her the pills and wordlessly prompted her to drink them down before he went to the desk in her room, lifted the chair, and sat it next to her bed. He sat, and did nothing else, seemingly waiting for something. A few moments more and Kagome knew what. She was exhausted. They had trained all day since breakfast and now her body was overjoyed with the idea of rest. Her eyes became heavy and she sighed contently, the last thing she saw was Sesshomaru, looking away from her, a bored look on his face.

Somehow, that was such a comforting image.

She had finally fallen asleep.

Good. He couldn't risk the chance that someone might think he had purposely injured her. They would take him away and then who would prepare her to defeat Naraku? It had to be done, and he was the only one with the skill able to do it. No. There would be no risk taking with this girl.

Girl. With a scowl he purposely looked in the opposite direction of her. When she had attacked him he had seen a new side of her. It attracted him to her in a way that was so base yet so wrong on so many levels. She was no girl, anymore, at least not to his mind. He growled slightly and frowned. He couldn't allow this risk either. She was human, he was disgusted by them!

Oh father. You have surely cursed your sons.

He knew he couldn't escape it now. The protective side of him, his inu side, had already taken her in. She was to be guarded by him no matter what and there would be no mistaking who protected her. He was the lord of the western lands and the last of his kind, hell be a welcoming place for those who sought to endanger those in his protection.

It had been when she fell, that she had slid so easily into the slot in his mind, right next to Rin. A place designated for those who he would die to protect. A place he wasn't sure how to control or how to access. Rin, too, had found her own way there.

When she fell he felt something in him scream in rage. How could he do that to her? She was in pain and here he was, increasing it? The logical side of him tried to express that it was for her own protection, she needed to know how to defend herself, but the logical side couldn't win this battle. He already knew that.