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Chapter 13: Illness and Jinenji

(( I don't Own anything in this fic. ))

"I think I have a fever. I'm dying, aren't I? I know it." Pagan kept her hand over the bandage on her arm. In reality, it would heal in three days and didn't even really hurt. She was just complaining about it because it was the only thing she had to complain about.

'I can't yell at them for that when 456 of 457 plans have failed. Only plan # 28, Hentai vs. Hentai is working, sort of. But of course everyone thinks that I'm a hentai because of it. Well…I am…but NOT as bad as Miroku. I don't touch men, I just watch them through my binoculars. Nevermind about that anyway, they should be couples by now. FUCK!'

"You're not dying and you DON'T have a fever. Nothing is wrong with you."

"If I die you'll be so sorry and you'll miss me…and cry…a lot."

"Shut up already." Several voices yelled at once.

"Jinenji's village is near here, I think we should visit him." Kagome smiled. "I brought some cookies for him, just in case. Inuyasha, why are you walking so fast all of a sudden? Slow down! What's your prob . . . oh, you ate his cookies after I told you not too, didn't you! Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome and the group walked on leaving the cookie monster in the dirt.

"Dammit, I wish Lady Kaede would make me some of those necklaces. I want like ten of them. I'd keep nine and give Sango one to put on Miroku. Do you hear me Miroku? I'm going to get you sit beads."

Sango watched Miroku ignore the girl's laughter and hurried up to walk beside Shippo. Pagan wouldn't try to touch the hentai if he was near Shippo. 'I' m not her play thing.' Miroku fumed.

"Who's Jinenji?"

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They walked through a small village. A few villagers waved, used to seeing this group of travelers. "They're the ones that helped us." Shippo heard one man tell another. He sat in the basket on the front of Kagome's bike, looking around as they made their way to Jinenji's hut. Everyone was quiet as they walked, lost in their own thoughts. Sango kept glaring at Miroku.

'I still can't believe that he carried me over his shoulder like a disobedient child. He even spanked my bottom before we got to the Inn. Why does he think he can get away with touching my ass in public? I'm a demon slayer, not some loose woman or a bad child. Oooh, I can't believe Miroku actually spanked my ass in front of all those men. HENTAI . . . BAKA . . . BASTARD!' Flames rose around Sango as she continued to think about what had happened. The rest of the pack wisely gave her a wide berth.

Kagome's behavior was different. 'She's been blushing a lot. Angel says that this is good and Pagan agrees but they won't tell me why Kagome keeps blushing. This is so frustrating. Why aren't they in love yet?'

"That's Jinenji's hut. Those fields are where he and his mom grow all sorts of herbs and plants. Jinenji?" Kagome called out to the hanyou in the field and waved. When he saw his dear friend Kagome had come to visit, he quickly walked toward the pack as his mother emerged from the hut.

"You're back. Do you need any cures or herbs?" The old woman asked.

"No, we were just passing by and figured we'd stop and say hello. These are our new friends, Angel and Pagan." The sisters, standing behind Inuyasha, waved. Jinenji blushed at all of the attention he was receiving.

"I see that they're hanyous like Jinenji. Well, come inside and have something to eat. The new hut the villagers helped us to build is big enough for everyone." Everyone walked into the large hut and sat down near the fire.

She served lunch while the group sat around talking. Inuyasha sat near the entrance eating Ramen. Sango sat by Kagome and across from Miroku. Every few minutes she would look up from her food and glare at the monk. Miroku, sitting in between Kagome and Shippo, safe from Pagan, would smile. Angel and Pagan sat next to Jinenji, asking him questions about his life and the area. "This food is very good." Shippo told the old healer.

"Thank you."

Inuyasha put down his Ramen and walked out of the hut. Sango and Miroku stopped eating. "A strong demon is coming this way." Miroku said and walked out of the hut. Everyone slowly got up and left the hut to await the demon.

"Dammit it's lunch time. It's rude to interrupt someone's lunch. Don't demons have any manners? " Pagan complained.

"I have manners." Shippo hopped into Kagome's arms.

"Bastard." Inuyasha whispered under his breath. A large two headed horse-like demon landed several feet away from the pack. Jaken jumped off of the demons back and, ignoring Inuyasha, ran toward Jinenji. "Jinenji, my lord demands your help with the child."

Sesshomaru walked up to Jinenji carrying Rin wrapped up in a blanket and his fur boa I don't know what else to call it. The demon lord ignored his half-brother and the humans standing around him and walked to the hut. Inuyasha stepped closer to Kagome and Shippo. "Rin is ill. You will cure her at once."

"Let me take a look at her." Jinenji's mom walked up to the dog demon and pushed back the blanket. Rin's small face was flushed and covered with sweat, her small frame trembling and racked with coughing fits. "Quick, bring her inside!" She walked over to her hut and pushed aside the reed door. "Hurry and bring her in already. The chill is bad for her."

Jaken stood shocked, his mouth hanging open. Everyone else stared waiting to see what Sesshomaru would do as his eyes narrowed at being ordered around by a human female. But when Rin coughed again, he looked down at the child and seemingly made an exception to that "kill first, ask questions later" policy and calmly walked into the hut.

"He's so pretty." Angel sighed in awe, as Sesshomaru walked past her. When he was in the hut she grabbed Miroku by his robes. "Who is that sexy man and is he single? If you value your life you will tell me everything you know about him."

Sango ignored Miroku and turned to Kagome. Both girls and Shippo were concerned about the young child. "Should we follow?" Sango asked. Kagome nodded and followed Jinenji into the hut.

Torn between watching over Kagome and being inside the same room with his half-brother, Inuyasha crossed his arms and ruminated a moment before exclaiming, "Feh, I'm not leaving that bastard alone with her." He entered the hut, followed by the rest of the group one by one except for Angel, Pagan and Miroku. The monk was busy filling the girls in on the handsome dog demon, which already had been dubbed a host of nicknames by Angel like Fluffikens, Sexshomaru, Hottie McHott, Mayor of Hottville, and the ever popular Sex on Legs.

Inside the hut, the tall demon laid the child down on the futon. Except for Sesshomaru glaring at Inuyasha, both brothers ignored each other. Kagome kneeled beside Jinenji and his mother. The old woman examined the child.

"This doesn't look good. I've seen this illness before and it's very serious and can kill." Sesshomaru flinched but remained quiet. "I have some medicine to give her and a plaster to put on her chest which will help her to breathe. Keep a cold cloth on her head to help with her fever. She needs to be kept indoors until she's better and should stay indoors for awhile after the fever breaks. But she looks strong and should recover in 2-3 weeks. Jinenji will make her some medicine to take with you and you can come back when you run out. I hope you don't live too far away, keeping her in this cold will only make her sicker."

"You will care for her here." Sesshomaru told her, standing and walking to the reed door.

"This child will be sick for a few weeks. I have others to take care of. Demon or not, you need to learn to take care of your own child." Everyone gasped and Inuyasha laid his hand on his sword hilt.

"How dare you speak to Lord Sesshomaru like that, old woman!" Jaken yelled, hopping up and down in anger. "You should be honored that he would allow you to…"

"I'll take care of her." Kagome announced to the shocked group. "I have some medicine from my time and Kaede can help me."

Sesshomaru stared at the young miko with cold unblinking eyes, finally nodding after a tense moment. "I will return here in one month for Rin." He then pushed aside the reed door and left in his usual regal manner. Jaken ran after him yelling, "Wait for me, Lord Sesshomaru!"

"That is very kind, Kagome." Jinenji said, blushing. He adored Kagome and saw only kindness and love in everything she did.

"Kagome!"

"Inuyasha!" She used her 'don't make me sit you' tone. "Rin is ill and needs our help. Sesshomaru knows nothing of human children. How is he supposed to take care of her? Would you really turn your back on a sick child because of your brother?"

The half-demon wouldn't abandon a child because of who she belonged to. 'I'd be just like him if I did that.' Inuyasha's eyes softened as he looked at the child moaning in pain. "Feh, Kaede's village is too far away if Rin shouldn't be outside. Is there somewhere near we can take her?"

"I know of an old manor house. Part of it is damaged but several rooms are in good condition. I will take you."

Inuyasha took off his haori and wrapped it around the child. He handed her over to Kagome. Frowning, he looked at the door. 'The old woman said the cold was bad for Rin. I wish there was a…' The hanyou smiled as an idea hit him. "Angel, Pagan, come in here."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII manor house IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Kagome walked in-between Angel and Pagan's out-stretched wings. Angel walked in front Kagome, her wings spread wide behind her back while Pagan walked behind Kagome, her wings spread in front of her to create a kind of shield against the wind. Kagome, holding Rin, hummed to the fretting child as she walked. The two winged hanyous walked slowly, afraid Kagome, not being able to see everything around her, would trip.

At the manor house, Inuyasha went inside it to make sure the place was empty. He came back out and told them it was safe. Four rooms in the manor house were in excellent condition, the main room, a bathing room and two side rooms. The rooms were dusty and dark, but fortunately the pervious owners had left behind some useful things.

Pagan found a broom and swept out one of the side rooms to put Rin in. Inuyasha and Miroku left to gather enough firewood for every room. Sango laid down the blankets that Jinenji had given them on the clean floor while Shippo busied himself with placing some twigs in the fire pit and Kirara transformed to set them on fire. Kagome walked into the warm, clean room and laid Rin down on the blankets.

"Mamma." The child called out fearfully.

"Sshhh, it's ok, Rin. Go back to sleep, I promise to take care of you." Kagome wrapped the blankets around the little girl and turned around to get the medicine Jinenji had given her. Inuyasha stood in the doorway, his arms full of firewood. Seeing the soft and tender look in his eyes Kagome asked, "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head and walked over to the fire. Kneeling down, Inuyasha stoked the flames with more wood. Raising his head slightly, the suddenly contemplative hanyou looked deep into Kagome's eyes. "Kagome, you're very good with children... do you…"

"Is there something I can d…Did I interrupt something?" Angel looked at the two teenagers in the room. 'Dammit, I have the worst timing in the world. A deep, intense moment is finally happening between these two and I mess it up. FUCK.'

"Sorry, I… wait you." But it was too late to stop Inuyasha from leaving the room.

"Can you bring me some water, please?" Angel nodded and left Kagome to her thoughts. 'What was he going to say?' She asked herself as she laid out the medicine Jinenji had given her on a mat above Rin's head. "Inuyasha."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII Plan # 458 ; playing house IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Dragging Shippo and Pagan into the empty side room doubling as a second bedroom and storage unit, Angel smiled to herself. 'PERFECT.' She had just come up with a new plan. A plan which would… might …Ok…could possibly work. Plan # 458: Playing House. Quietly, she told the two other members of The Love Crew. Together, they revised and edited plan # 458 until it was PERFECT.

"Dinner." Kagome called out from the main room. The Love Crew walked into the room ready to set their plan into motion. Everyone was waiting for them. Kagome served them the rabbit stew. Inuyasha had caught several rabbits and cleaned them for Kagome to cook.

"How is Rin?" Sango asked.

"She's sleeping. I gave her the medicine and put the plaster on her chest. After dinner I'm going to sit with her."

"We can take shifts so someone is always sitting by her." The older girl offered, wishing that she knew more about healing illnesses. As a demon slayer, Sango only knew the basics - field dressings and how to sew up a wound, but that was it. She could do nothing to help the poor child and it hurt her heart.

"Thanks. She looks so small and helpless lying there. It breaks my heart to hear her calling for her parents and yelling Sesshomaru-sama." The modern girl frowned into her bowl of rice. The quiet inuhanyou stood up. "Is something wrong, Inuyasha?"

"She's awake. Finish eating Kagome. I'll sit with her." He left the room ignoring everyone's shocked faces, his mind thinking of what he could do to help the child. 'Tomorrow I'll go hunting for the livers I need.'

"I'm surprised by Inuyasha's behavior. Not that he would be concerned about the child but that he would reveal his concern." Miroku said, reaching out his hand to grope Sango. She smacked his hand away, before he could grab her butt.

"He's come a long way." Kagome smiled, pleased that Inuyasha would show his friends how he felt. Everyone continued to eat, silent now so as not to disturb the child. In the silence, everyone could hear the fierce hanyou's soft humming. The young miko smiled inwardly, reminiscing about when she had been ill and he had sat beside her bed humming to her.

Pagan leaned toward her sister and whispered. "She's sick like Terry was. Terry…"

"SSSHHHH. You'll only worry them so be quiet. Don't make me hit you, Pagan." Angel picked up a wooden spoon and pointed at her loud older sister.

"Is something wrong?" The demon slayer asked. The sisters had been around them long enough for Sango to know when her say-sisters were hiding something.

"Yea, the child is …" Angel's hand cut off Pagan's sentence. The younger hanyou smiled and said, "Nothing is wrong. Ignore Pagan, she's…insane."

"IF you know something harmful you should warn us." Miroku scolded. Both hanyous frowned, their tails switching around angrily. They nodded and Angel began to speak.

"At the circus this girl we know got real sick. The doctor gave her lots of medicine and said that she shouldn't get cold or go outside. Also, the Doc told her to drink lots of fluids and stay inside for three months. Terry wasn't to leave her cabin at all for three months. She…She didn't listen to him. The moment she was better she got out of bed to have breakfast with everyone. Terry was feeling just fine and everything…but she…she…"

"She died." Pagan finished her sentence. "She didn't stay indoors for the three months and she died from the cold. Rin is sick just like Terry. That child shouldn't leave here for three months. Her dad said he'd be back in one month. That's not enough time, she'll get sick again. Someone needs to tell her handsome father that. I think that Angel should go tell him." Pagan smiled thinking about how her sister wanted to jump the demon lord's bones.

Worried, Kagome got up and walked into Rin's room to talk to Inuyasha. When she had closed the door behind her, something came to Miroku. 'The sisters can't think that a demon would adopt a human child, could they?'

"Pagan, I don't know for sure but I think that Rin is an orphan. She doesn't have a father. Rin travels around with Lord Sesshomaru." Miroku told her, hoping that she would understand.

"That tall silver haired, pretty boy is Lord Sesshomaru. Right?"

"He's so pretty." Angel said to herself. She sighed and imagined what he would look like without a shirt.

"Yes but I wouldn't call him a pretty-boy to his face." Miroku cringed at what the demon lord would do if actually called pretty boy to his face.

"Sessy looks after Rin, feeds her, and cares for her. And I know that he does because she is too young to do those things for herself. A father looks after, feeds, and cares for his children. Sesshomaru does that for Rin, therefore he IS her father. Don't argue with me when I'm right." She yelled. "Am I right Angel?"

Angel nodded at her sister. "I knew that I was right" Pagan stuck out her tongue and went back to eating. Shippo looked down at his food. 'That sounds like Inuyasha and me. He looks after, feeds, and protects me. Inuyasha already is my father.' Shippo looked at the closed door. 'I want to call him daddy.'