Authoress here.

I'm finally updating this.

Hey, guess what! I dissected a crayfish yesterday! They smell like Sea World!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha (but Sesshomaru is another story...)

Haru: Ahem.

Fine. I don't own anyone from Inuyasha, Sea World, or a crayfish. Maybe that's a good thing.

START CHAPTER

Sesshomaru watched her drift off to sleep, and was startled to see her lips curve up into a smile. He almost smiled himself. She had not smiled since the day they had met. How long ago had that been? Three days? Maybe four? It was irrelevant anyway, so he dismissed the thought.

As soon as Akina had fallen asleep, Jaken had sidled forward. He now found it safe to speak to his demon master. "My Lord, why resurrect her? There are plenty of other humans out there that you could have used. Why this one?"

Sesshomaru didn't even glance at the imp. "She is a healer, and I had a debt to repay. She saved me, so I saved her. We're even."

"B-but Lord Sesshomaru-"

"Silence, Jaken." Sesshomaru glanced at the human girl snuggled against him, her features revealing how peaceful sleeping could be to someone who needed it desperately. "She would follow us even if I left her behind. It's also a nice change talking to her when compared to you."

Flabbergasted, Jaken could only watch as Sesshomaru lifted Akina and began walking. "Come, Jaken," he commanded. Barely pausing to wait for the stunned little imp to catch up to him, Sesshomaru began walking towards Inuyasha. He followed the scent.

Elsewhere, a fire crackled as the last rays of the sun vanished over the horizon. Inuyasha and his companions sat around a fire talking amongst themselves.

"She shoved me away when I tried to help her escape Sesshomaru," Miroku was saying quietly. "She's traveling with him out of her own free will."

"But she's human! Sesshomaru hates humans!" Kagome exclaimed, sneaking a glance at Inuyasha to see his reaction to them chatting about his brother. She knew that the human girl was bothering him as well, but hadn't figured out why until Inuyasha spoke.

"He's after the Tetsuiga," he snapped simply, focusing on the fire before him, his eyes glinting. "He's a demon, so he can't touch it. But that girl can."

Miroku shrugged. "That's probably it...but I can't help wondering why she would choose to stay with him. If all she's there for is to get the Tetsuiga, then her actions don't make sense."

"Maybe she loves him," Sango said, coyly casting a glance at Miroku. He too was staring intently into the fire.

Inuyasha scoffed, chucking a rock he had been toying with into the woods on the other side of the fire. "Who'd even like Sesshomaru? He's an ass. It doesn't take a genius to see that."

Kagome frowned. "She had a weird energy. I think she might be a healer," she said quietly, trying to change the subject to be kind to Inuyasha.

"That's another reason why Sesshomaru would want her around," Miroku said calmly.

Inuyasha glared daggers at a log. "But it doesn't explain why she'd want to be around him."

Shippo glanced at the serious faces around him. "Does it really matter?" he asked innocently.

"I know I hurt him worse than he hurt me during that fight," Inuyasha said snappishly. "He'll be back and ready for more before I recover if he's got a healer on his side."

Sango let her eyes drift to the angry canine. "So does that mean we have to get her away from him as soon as we can?"

Inuyasha did not reply. Miroku fielded the question instead. "I suppose so."

"But how do we do that?"

Inuyasha's knuckles cracked as he punched the palm of his hand. "I kick Sesshomaru's ass, and one of you runs in and grabs her."

Miroku and Sango exchanged a look, unsure if the plan would work. Shippo voiced their concerns. "But Inuyasha, you're still hurt. You can't win against Sesshomaru if you – Ow!"

"Don't hit Shippo just because you're angry at Sesshomaru!" scolded Kagome.

Inuyasha glared into the fire, returning to his seat. "He's coming back for me."

Inuyasha was not quite right. Sesshomaru was indeed heading towards his rival and half-brother, but was not coming to fight him. Getting the Tetsuiga, his original plan, was back in his mind, if only just. But that was not the main thought in his mind.

The girl was currently asleep with her head on his shoulder; the one without the spikes, that is. Sesshomaru was walking along a tiny path, Jaken trailing behind him. He moved calmly and without any sign of restlessness.

Akina's fever had gone down a short time beforehand, but that did not deter the demon from being careful not to jostle her when he walked. His mind wandered. The monk Miroku...why had she healed him? There was much about this girl that he did not yet understand. For example, why had she never smiled before?

Why was she wandering around on her own? He had to admit that she wasn't exactly foul looking, and at least a few men would want to wed her. Was she married and fled to escape her husband?

Why do I care? he thought sharply. I only need her until I get the Tetsuiga. After that, she's useless to me.

Akina sighed softly and stirred in her sleep. Jaken was not aware that he was not the only one who watched her curiously to see if she would awaken.

When he got to Inuyasha, he would win. This he was sure of.

A twig snapped and exploded in the fire sending ash in all directions. A piece stuck in Kagome's hair, and she brushed it away swiftly. "He's on his way here right now, isn't he?" Inuyasha didn't answer.

As of ten minutes beforehand, they had been the only two still awake. The others had gone to bed one by one until Inuyasha and Kagome were left in an awkward silence. Kagome had decided to break the ice.

"How are you going to beat him, Inuyasha? You're still hurt."

A scathing glare later, and Kagome fell silent for a moment. "You don't have to be mean, Inuyasha. I'm just trying to help."

"You're not helping," he replied curtly.

"Will you just stop?"

"Shut the hell up," he replied coldly.

Tears brimmed in Kagome's eyes. She blinked, once, twice, and two pearly tears fell to the ground. Dirt turned to mud.

Inuyasha glanced up, his sensitive ears having picked up the soft pattering sound. "What the-! Kagome! Why are you crying?" he asked, anger dissolving at once.

Kagome turned away, choking back tears. "I-I'm only trying to help you because I d-don't want you to fight him w-when you're like t-this!"

Inuyasha glanced guiltily at his bandaged chest. "Demons heal faster than humans."

"Not that much faster," Kagome gulped. "He'll kill you if he finds us."

"If you're that concerned, wake the others. We're leaving."

Kagome beamed, tears vanishing as quickly as they had come. "Thank you, Inuyasha."

As if he had heard them although he was several miles away, Sesshomaru stopped walking. "They're moving," he muttered quietly. Sneaking a final glance at Akina, he stepped off the beaten path.

END CHAPTER

I'm sleepy as hell. That, and I have cramps. To all my male readers (if there are any, I'm not really sure), I apologize sincerely.

Review, kiddies! You know you want to!

Authoress trudging upstairs to get an Oreo.