Disclaim: I do not own any of the Inu Yasha characters.

Back at Sesshoumaru's Camp

"Gahhh! What am I going to do? Lord Sesshoumaru is going to kill me for losing Rin! Why did I have to be stuck babysitting? Rinnn!!! Where are you?!! Where could that little brat have gone? When I find her I'm going to..." ranted Jaken.

"You're going to what?" Interrupted Sesshoumaru.

"L-Lord S-S-Sesshoumaru?!!" squawked Jaken.

"Jaken. Where is Rin?" questioned Sesshoumaru.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, f-forgive your lowly servant! Rin ran off somewhere and I don't know where she went. Please forgive me!" begged Jaken.

Sesshoumaru hit Jaken into a tree and took off to find his ward. He kept repeating in his mind that Rin was just an enigma to him, and that he owed her for helping him when Inu Yasha hit him with the Tetsuiga. Not that he actually CARED about her.

Back at Kagome's camp

Kagome was making ramen for the children while they played not to far away from her. She was troubled about seeing Sesshoumaru, for she knew he would come to get Rin. She wondered why a demon that hates humans would keep a little girl.

'Maybe he's not as cold as everyone thinks.' Thought Kagome.

She rounded up the children for dinner and they ate while Kagome listened to Rin talk about her life with her Lord Sesshoumaru.

"At home Rin plays with Jaken, but Jaken sometimes bops Rin on the head with his staff. When Lord Sesshoumaru finds out Jaken goes flying! Rin likes when Jaken goes flying! Rin makes flower chains for Jaken and Lord Sesshoumaru, but Lord Sesshoumaru never wears Rin's gifts. He does put them in his room, though. Rin loves Lord Sesshoumaru. He always takes Rin with him unless it's too dangerous. Lord Sesshoumaru also gives Rin pretty things like toys, kimonos..." rambled Rin as she spoke of all the things Sesshoumaru had given her.

'Sesshoumaru treats Rin like his own daughter. He probably doesn't think that, though. I know he cares about her or he wouldn't take her in and protect her. I wonder who the real Sesshoumaru is, and what happened to make him so cold...' thought Kagome.

While Kagome pondered on the REAL Sesshoumaru, she didn't sense the evil presence that was watching the small group.

'Jewel shards. I must have them!' thought the demon.

"HAND OVER THE SHARDS, MIKO!" raged the demon that Kagome recognized as a spider demon.

"Shippou, Rin, hide while I take care of this demon." Spoke Kagome in a deadly calm voice.

The demon lunged at Kagome, which she dodged easily. What she didn't realize is that this particular demon was an incarnate of Naraku. The demon whirled around and caught Kagome in her side. Kagome winced at the pain, and swiped at the demon with her claws. The demon saw this coming and charged up its energy to shoot a blast of web at her. Kagome didn't see the web coming and got caught in the sticky substance. The demon tackled her to the ground and was about to tear her up when all of a sudden the demon's weight vanished off of her.

There, standing a couple feet away was Sesshoumaru. He stood there with a regal air of arrogance and pride. He looked ethereal in his white kimono with red flowers on it. His crescent moon mark that showed that he was the Lord of the Western Lands shone from the light of the fire. His eyes flashed gold and he attacked the demon. With one flick of his wrist, the demon was destroyed with his energy whip. Jewel shards were the only thing left.

"Sesshoumaru...um...thank you for saving me." Spoke Kagome, not knowing what else to say to him. The only other times she was with him was when he was saying 'Die Inu Yasha!'

"Rin." Spoke Sesshoumaru.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Rin missed you! Rin went to go pick flowers for you, but a big demon attacked Rin! Kagome saved Rin and Rin made a new friend! Kagome also healed Rin with her powers. Can Rin stay with Kagome and Shippou for a while?" Begged Rin with puppy dog eyes that Sesshoumaru couldn't resist.

'Not that face...anything but that face!' thought Sesshoumaru.

"Yes Rin." Answered Sesshoumaru.

'Hmm...so that girl is the one that traveled with my half brother. She has changed greatly. I never would have guessed that she would be an immortal...' pondered Sesshoumaru.

"Miko, this Sesshoumaru will stay the night for Rin. You shall go with us to my castle for your reward of saving Rin. I have a few jewel shards that this Sesshoumaru does not require." Said Sesshoumaru.

"MY NAME IS KAGOME! KAMI CAN ANYONE NOT GET THAT?!! NOT BITCH, WENCH, MIKO, OR WOMAN! KA-GO-ME!" she yelled.

Next thing Kagome knows is that she is pinned against a tree with Sesshoumaru's hand wrapped around her throat.

"YOU shall not speak to ME that way ever again if you value your life." Spoke Sesshoumaru with ice in his voice.

Kagome gathered her energy and blasted Sesshoumaru away from her. She smirked at him and said,

"Sesshoumaru, you would do well not to try that again. I may be disrespectful to you, but that is only because you have not earned my respect." Spoke Kagome with equal ice in her voice as him.

'Hmm...this girl...she dares speak to me like that. She must have a death wish. She is also very beautiful and intriguing...WHAT AM I THINKING?!! THIS IS THE HALF-BREED'S WENCH!' thought Sesshoumaru.

"Very well...Kagome. This Sesshoumaru will show you respect for exchange of yours. But do not push me too far. That is your final warning." Said Sesshoumaru.

"Hmph!" snorted Kagome.

"Momma, are you okay?" said Shippou as he came out of hiding.

"Yeah, baby. I'm okay. Just give me a couple hours to heal." Said Kagome, feeling the effects that the spider demon did to her.

She went to her famous yellow backpack and took out her emergency kit. She started to clean the wound on her side that the demon struck her with his claws. She also cleaned up her scratches and cuts that's she got when she was thrown on the ground.

"Why don't you just heal yourself, Kagome?" spoke Sesshoumaru.

"Because I can't heal myself. I can only heal others. And I haven't come into my full power until my birthday." Answered Kagome.

"We shall head out for my Castle in the morning. You should get some sleep and rest." Said Sesshoumaru sending a telepathic message to Jaken to meet him here.

"Alright. Shippou, Rin, lets eat and then get you ready for bed. Tomorrow will be a busy day." Said Kagome with motherly love in her voice.

The group ate and retired for bed.

The Next Morning

"Gahh!!" Screamed Kagome. "Get away from me you hentai!"

When Kagome awoke this morning, it wasn't to birds chirping. It was to Jaken's ugly face in her own. You'd be pretty scared to if it was you!

"Wench! You dare speak to me that way?!! I ought to whack you with my staff of..."

WHACK!

And Jaken goes flying into a tree. Kagome dusts off her hands and starts to make breakfast. The children slowly awoke when they smelled the scent of breakfast. Sesshoumaru came out of the woods to join the group.

"Where did you go?" asked Kagome.

"It does not concern you." Answered Sesshoumaru.

"Well...someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed..." said Kagome.

After the group finished breakfast, Kagome packed up her things and prepared to leave.

"We shall take Ah-Un. Kagome you will ride with me on my energy cloud so we can get to my castle sooner. It's about an hour away, but on foot it would be four." Commanded Sesshoumaru.

"Why can't I ride on Ah-Un?" asked Kagome.

"Because your kit, Jaken and Rin, plus your bag will take up all the room on Ah-Un." Spoke Sesshoumaru.

Jaken, Rin, and Shippou gathered on Ah-Un's back with Kagome's pack. Sesshoumaru gathered his ki and created his energy cloud. Kagome stepped on and Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her to keep her steady as they flew.

'She smells like sakura blossoms and jasmine.' Thought Sesshoumaru.

'His arms are so warm and they feel so protective and strong...WHAT AM I THINKING?!! THIS IS SESSHOUMARU THE ONE WHO TRIED TO KILL YOU TO GET TO INU YASHA! Although he did save me last night...' pondered Kagome.

They lifted off the ground and headed to the Western Land Castle.

Back with the Inu Yasha group

"I miss Kagome and Shippou..." said Sango, "do you think she's okay?"

"I'm sure she's fine, Lady Sango. Although if you need some comfort..." rub rub

SMACK!

Thump!

"When will you ever learn, hentai..." said Sango.

"Hey Sango, Miroku. Let's get moving. Kikyo says that she senses a shard somewhere in the Southern Lands. We'll make a stop at Kaede's before we head there." Spoke Inu Yasha. As he went off into the woods to scout the area.

"I still can't believe he invited Kikyo into our group after Kagome left. It's like how Kagome said 'he only thinks of her as a shard detector'." Said Sango to Miroku.

"Lady Sango, I think Inu Yasha does miss Kagome. Maybe even her 'sits', but he wants to collect the shards and without Kagome we can't see them. Only her and Kikyo can. Haven't you noticed that when you and Kikyo make dinner, Inu Yasha gets quiet. Kagome used to always talk to him at dinner time and they would always quarrel, but with her gone..." Miroku left off.

"I guess. I hope she comes to visit us soon. I need to talk to her. I can't warm up to Kikyo after she tried to kill Kagome. I know Inu Yasha knows that, but I think he refuses to believe that his 'love' could do that to his best friend." Said Sango.

"Let's pack up so Inu Yasha won't rant and rave about how slow we are." Suggested Miroku.

In the trees not far from the Inu Yasha group

'Hmm...so the miko has left the half-demon. Naraku will want to know of this new change. Where could she have gone?' thought Kagura. 'Kagura. Report back to me now. I wish to know of this change.' Spoke Naraku in her mind.

'Yes, Naraku.' Answered Kagura with hate in her voice.

Well, that's it! How's you like it? Good? Bad? Thanks for reading! R&R!

Dbzfan