Jackie: Two chapters in one day. I do try to apologize in my own way.

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Chapter 31;

Kagura flew. She flew as fast as she could. She flew as if a devil were at her heals, and in a way she felt he was. Surely the devil himself could not be much worse than Naraku. She flew at this excessive pace through the night, as day dawned exhaustion started to settle in. Still she flew. No place was far enough away from his haunting laughter.

Her body began to tremble. Tears ran down her face. She was free. She was finally free. In delirium she reached out to the sun. Free… Free to touch the heavens… Then the world went black and she fell from the sky.

Eating lunch in a clearing below was none other than our favorite group of travelers. Rootousi was playing with Rin when he noticed an odd shadow growing larger on the ground in front of them. He had grown to know the shadows of birds and various flying demons as they passed over head. He could tell you when it was the shadow of a cloud as well. But this shadow had no wings, no claws, and no amorphic wisps. It was simple a long dark spot. A dark spot that seemed to be growing four appendages and… Why don't you just look up, dummy?

Rootousi looked up and shrieked, "Oh CRAP!"

He lunged into the air and snatched Kagura from her mortal descent. He landed gracefully cradling her in his arms. The first thing he noticed was the blissful smile on her face, and the second were the bruises on her face. She had been struck repeatedly and very recently. So why was she smiling? And why had she fallen from the sky?

"Put her down, Rootousi," Sesshomaru said coldly behind him, "Had you been a second later I would not have been able to stop the blow of my sword."

"So you saw her falling too?" Rootousi asked.

"Yes, but I had no intention of saving her," Sesshomaru said, "She belongs to him. She is dangerous. Stand aside."

Rootousi would have told him where to stick it but Rin spoke up first, "But it's not fair, my lord! Kagura is a slave, not a servant. She hates Naraku! Don't you remember? She asked for your help and… You turned her down."

Some new expression dawned on young Rin's face. Was it… Disappointment? In him, lord of the western lands? Sesshomaru thought to lash out at her in anger. How dare she impugn his honor! But a small ache pierced his heart. Rin wasn't even looking at him. She was looking at her feet with shame. Sesshomaru turned on his heal saying, "When she wakes up, bring her to me for questioning. If she was sent by Naraku, willing or not, she must be dealt with."

As soon as he withdrew Kagome and Miyoiki were at Kagura's side. Rootousi shoved them away and barked, "Do you think I got this old without being able to handle an injury or two? I will take care of her."

He stood up cradling her defensively against him. He gave a look at Sesshomaru's back that shot daggers. He grumbled as he walked away, "You're not going to touch her, you pompous ass. No one is ever going to touch her again."

Everyone within ear shot backed away. Rootousi took her down by a brook that was more like a glorified trickle of water. As a water source, it would do. He opened her kimono and stared, not out of perverse fascination but out of shock. Dark purple bruises lined her body and her delicate neck as though someone had hung her by her neck and used her as a punching bag. He bit back his anger and looked at her carefully. None of the injuries were life-threatening. He closed her kimono and sagged down against a tree for a moment.

No doubt it was her master that had done this to her. When he was done reflecting on the many ways he could inflict far superior pain on Naraku he scooped Kagura up into his lap. He wetted a small handkerchief in the water and started wiping her face. Tiny crusts of dried tears flaked away from her eyes. In mere moments her face was clean and glowing. She really was quite beautiful with her ruby lips and thick eyelashes. He smiled and loosed the binding around her hair. He pulled out a brush his last wife had so loved and began to gently brush out her mangled hair. When he was done, her hair hung over his knee like a shimmering main of liquid midnight.

"With hair like that, beauty," He said softly, "You should wear it down more often."

"Free—" She mumbled, "Free… Freedom…"

Rootousi pulled her close to him, resting her head against his chest. He waited there most of the day. He was actually quite surprised no one came looking for him. As the sun was setting, Kagura began to stir.

She could hear a heart beating beneath her ear. She was cuddled up to something warm. Was she being held? Whoever it was smelt like the forest on a crisp spring morning. There were hints of moisture and pine needles mixed with the musk of the forest floor, and spring flowers soaked in morning dew. Could anyone really smell that wonderful? No, of course not. This is nice… Thought. What a great dream…

"It's not a dream, beauty," Rootousi purred, "And as nice as this is, I could make it even nicer."

I said that out loud… no… Kagura laughed, quite certain she was dreaming. Just a dream. I don't need to speak to be heard. She said, "But it must be a dream. Naraku would never free me, and you smell too nice."

Rootousi smirked at her sleep-drunken admission about his smell, but before he could respond she sat up and turned toward him. She purred as she said, "But so long as I'm asleep, I'm going to enjoy this."

He gasped in shock as she plastered herself against him and plundered his mouth as ravenously as he had plundered hers. She doesn't know it's real! His mind warned, but his body was far quicker to respond. He growled and rolled her roughly to the side until she was pinned beneath him. His hands explored her through the fabric of her kimono, and he nipped at her neck and collar bones.

Kagura moaned beneath him as her hands started their own exploration. Rootousi reached to undo her kimono when his mind reasserted. THIS IS WRONG!

Rootousi sighed and stood up. Kagura glanced at him, bewildered. Seeing her, sprawled out on the ground in front of him almost got him started again. He growled out, "This is NOT a dream."

He turned on his heal and stomped away from her saying, "Damn, stupid, I… HATE… Being the GOOD GUY!"

"Not a dream?" Kagura gasped and touched her burning lips, "Then I?"

The dread of embarrassment quickly subsided to the elation of knowing she really was free. She stood and yelled, "Rootousi, get your arrogant ass back here! I owe you something."

"Oh yes," Rootousi said, "I recall you telling me I would pay?"

Rootousi smiled and turned toward her. He stood in a cat stance and said, "Well, come collect then."

Kagura smiled a wicked smiled and simply start walking toward him. In spite of the calm cool expression on her face inside she was scared to death. What was she doing? She was about to throw herself at this man, and probably seduce him completely. She had no intention of anything deeper.

She was free. She was free to do what pleased her. This man, as infuriating as he was, pleased her with his touches. Didn't she have a right to be pleasured after so much pain? Did she really need to make excuses? She wanted this, and she was free to take it.

Rootousi blinked as she sauntered toward him. Was she? Could she possibly be? He looked her up and down and asked numbly, "Wh-what are you-?"

"Making you pay," Kagura said and gripped the collar of his shirt, "With interest."

With that she pulled him to her roughly and planted a kiss on him that was sure to melt his bones. At first he responded hungrily but then he pushed her away. He went into a fighting stance again and asked, "What the hell is going on here? One minute you can't stand me, and then the next time I see you you're practically in heat over me."

Rootousi arched a brow, "You're only half demon, spawn of Naraku, correct? Sesshomaru told me all about it. Half demons don't have heat cycles."

"Yes I have that annoying human monthly trend that has ruined some of my best kimonos," She scoffed, "But the up side of that is being willing to have sex at just about any time."

She winked at Rootousi and he had to force down a smile. He growled, "Don't change the subject! What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"No change of heart," Kagura drawled, "I still think you're horrible, but you ignite a certain hunger in me. Now that I am free to explore it…"

She let that last sentence trail off on purpose. Rootousi still looked quite confused. He slowly lowered his hands and said, "So… You're free?"

"Yes."

"How did that happen?" Rootousi asked.

A sudden pain hit Kagura's heart. Worthless… She stamped it down and remembered that under previous circumstances she wouldn't even feel her heart. She leaned back against a tree and felt her heart beat in her chest. She relished the sensation of its steady rhythm.

Rootousi was officially lost. One minute she looked like she would start crying, and the second she was rapt with joy, leaning against a tree like she might be swept away. He again noted her bruises. Without thinking he bridged the gap between them and found his fingertips lightly brushing a bruise on her cheek. Her ruby lips curved into a soft smile, and he sighed. Such a beauty.

"Did he give you these bruises?" Rootousi asked softly, "And then he kicked you out? Is that it?"

Kagura's eyes flung open and she glared at him, but this close she could not mask the watering of her eyes. She struck at him. How dare he! How dare he refuse her and then make her feel this way. He was the one making passes at her all this time and now he had the gal to refuse her advances.

Rootousi was caught off guard. Her fist made contact with his jaw, and he sputtered for just a minute trying to process what just happened. Then it sunk in. In his thousands of years he had seen this before. Her fist was still in contact with his face and he turned his face slowly back to her, forcing her fist back with nothing but the strength of his jaw and neck.

He planted his hands to both sides of her, effectively pinning her between him and the tree. Kagura shut her eyes and prepared for the assault, but there was none. Slowly, tentatively she opened her eyes, and she lowered her fist. Rootousi's emerald eyes were not angry, at least, not at her. In them she saw the deepest empathy, and tenderness. He smiled shyly at her and said, "I understand, beauty. No one will ever treat you that way again."

He closed his eyes and turned from her. He whispered with tight fists, "Not so long as I live."

What was he saying? Kagura felt warm all over. She felt a rush of heat to her cheeks. She shook it off and glared at his back. She sniffed and growled, "Hey! I don't need anyone's protection, and I don't your sympathy."

"Of course not," Rootousi said off-handedly, "You're not helpless."

He flashed her a dashing smile and chimed, "So, you coming or what?"

With that he started to walk away. Kagura gaped at his back. For a moment she hesitated, but for some reason beyond her comprehension, she followed…

Neither noticed Naraku's poisoness insect buzzing off into the night sky. Naraku's laughter was particularly haunting that night.

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Jackie: LOVE YOU!