Ghosts
...OOO...
Kikyo could only stare helplessly, the tearing of her heart inside more painful than the physical wound, as she watched the boy back away from her in horror.
Sesshomaru intervened.
"Boy," he commanded harshly. "Back to the village- get help for the priestess."
The boy stared at him in bewilderment, but did as he was told and fled.
"How badly are you hurt?" he asked Kikyo, kneeling down beside her.
"I'll live," she answered not removing her arm. "But please," she pleaded, "take me away from here. I must summon my Soul Collectors."
She tried to stand but stumbled, and he caught her around the knees with his good arm.
"Hold on to me," he commanded, and she wordlessly obeyed, wrapping her free arm around his broad shoulders and burying her face into his neck, shutting her eyes in an attempt to shut out the pain.
Feeling her secure against him, he took off deeper into the forest, gliding along the ground gracefully in order to cause her as little discomfort as possible, and didn't stop until they came to a small clearing surrounded by massive trees and a bubbling brook. Kneeling on the soft mossy ground, he set her down as gently as he could in between his knees, supporting her head with his hand.
"Hold still," he warned and without hesitation opened up her haori (taking care to only expose the wound and nothing else) to better ascertain the damage.
Frowning, he studied the damage. The laceration was deep and wide, running from the lower half of her abdomen and up her left side. Had her body not been made of clay, she should have already died from it with, at the very least, the blood loss that should have entailed. Instead of blood however, a blackish purple light- her life energy- seeped out.
"It doesn't look good," he told her honestly.
"I'll live," she reaffirmed breathlessly.
Already her soul collectors had began to gather, feeding her the life sustaining souls, and with each one she absorbed the wound closed little by little. But she was still in great pain and he did not move from his position.
"Is there anything I can do?" he offered, truly vexed by her condition.
"No," was all she could answer.
For the first time in his life Sesshomaru found himself helpless, unable to do anything but watch as she suffered in silence and solitude, no one to aid her but her serpentine guardians.
A sudden thought occurred to him- Is this how Inuyasha felt as he left her to die in that mountain?
...ooo...
As the night set in, Inuyasha had taken leave of Kagome, Shippo, and Kaede, and was now lying on his back on the roof of the hut, staring off into the star studded sky, but seeing only Kikyo.
'Live and be happy,' she had said, but how could he be truly happy without her? With the knowledge that once again, it was his fault she had perished... How could he be happy with such a memory haunting him? Did she just expect him to forget?
"I'll never forget you, Kikyo," he murmured to the darkness. "No matter what..." not realizing that Kagome had followed him outside and was sitting just below where he was, hearing his every word.
She held back the tears that threatened to break forth, held back the feelings that had been growing overwhelmingly inside of her since Sesshomaru's visit.
How could she blame Inuyasha for feeling the way he did?
Sometimes I wonder which one of us is truly the ghost- me or Kikyo...
As each sat contemplating his and her own thoughts, an iridescent silver glow in the distance caught Inuyasha's attention. Straining his eyes, he stared after it, and a small gasp of wonder escaped his lips. He wasn't mistaken- it was a Soul Collector.
"Kikyo...?"
Without another moment of hesitation he leaped from his vantage point, taking off in the direction of the demon.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome called after him, when she saw him bolt, but he did not hear her.
Only one thought occupied his mind- Kikyo was alive!
...ooo...
The wound had grown less severe, but still Sesshomaru stayed where he was, not even realizing it. Kikyo had slipped into a shallow unconsciousness, every now and then moaning quietly from the still present pain.
On impulse, he reached over and brushed a strand of hair from her face... a face that even in pain, always remained beautiful...
He pulled his hand away, the sudden thought riling him.
Luckily, he didn't have much time to reflect on it.
...ooo...
Inuyasha had pursued the glowing demon deeper and deeper into the nearby forest, skimming easily past the darkened trees.
He had not given a thought as to what he would find when he reached his destination, but what met his eyes was definitely the last thing he had ever expected- Kikyo, lying deathly still on the ground, her haori wide open, and his older brother on top of her!
"GET OFF HER, YOU BASTARD!" he screamed, drawing the Tetsusaiga and launching himself at Sesshomaru.
Instinctively, Sesshomaru leapt back and unsheathed Tokijen.
"Inuyasha," he greeted coldly, though somewhat surprised by his arrival.
"What do you think you're doing to Kikyo?" Inuyasha snarled in return, planting himself between her and him.
Sesshomaru scowled at the insinuation but answered only with, "What I choose to do is none of your business."
"Oh yeah?"he challenged. "Well it is if it involves Kikyo!" And they lunged at one another, swords clashing and repelling in midair.
"Inu...yasha?" Kikyo murmured softly, trying to see him through the blackness that had engulfed her mind.
"Hold on, Kikyo," Inuyasha answered. "I'll get you out of here after I finish off this perverted bastard." And their swords collided again.
"Inuyasha..." she repeated, her voice raising despite the agony that it inflicted, trying to draw his attention.
"Just stay back, Kikyo," he insisted over his shoulder.
Her anger flared at his ignorance. Ignoring her suffering she pushed herself to her feet and took up her bow and an arrow.
"INUYASHA!" she yelled, taking aim.
"Huh?" he asked quizzically turning to face her as she let the arrow fly. His eyes bulged in shock, and for a split second his mind flashed back to fifty years ago...
This time, however, the arrow merely pinned one wide sleeve to a tree.
"What the hell?" he yelled, completely dumbfounded.
Kikyo's bow clattered to the ground as her strength failed her, and she reached out a hand to the nearby tree for support before crumpling to her knees.
Vaulting from where he stood, Sesshomaru caught her and helped her back to a lying position.
"What is going on here?" Inuyasha reiterated, shaking off the protruding arrow. Then seeing her wounds, he dropped down beside her crying, "Kikyo! What the hell happened to you?" and then glaring at his brother, "You bastard! What'd you do to her?"
He was about to start another fight when Kikyo's harsh voice stayed him, "Inuyasha!" Catching his attention, she softened her tone as she explained, "Sesshomaru did nothing to me- he was only helping me."
"WHAT?" he asked incredulously. "What the hell are you doing with him in the first place?"
Sighing wearily she answered, "It's a long story..."
"Kikyo," he persisted stubbornly. "We need to talk."
"Not now, Inuyasha." Every word she spoke required more and more of the energy she did not have.
"Then at least let me take you back to the village so you can rest and recover," he insisted.
With horror apparent in her features she yelled, "No!" and pushed him away.
Intervening, Sesshomaru spoke firmly though not harshly, "Inuyasha, the priestess is tired and needs you to go so that she may rest."
"Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?" he shot back accusingly.
"Don't be a fool," Sesshomaru replied with disdain. "I have no interest with human wenches- I leave that to you."
He was about to protest again when Kagome's voice stopped him short.
"Inuyasha!" she cried, stumbling into the clearing, having evidently followed him. Her mouth flew open when she beheld Kikyo lying on the ground. "Kikyo!" she exclaimed, then with more confusion, "...is alive? And why is Sesshomaru here?"
The demon lord ignored her, addressing Inuyasha, "Kikyo will speak with you tomorrow when she has recovered."
Casting a doubtful glance at the priestess, Inuyasha asked, "Is that right?"
"Yes," Kikyo agreed.
"Can someone please tell me what is going on here?" Kagome pleaded, exasperated.
But all Inuyasha said was, "Let's go Kagome." He marched past his brother and in a low calm voice warned, "If anything- I mean anything- happens to Kikyo, I will hold you responsible."
Sesshomaru did not answer, but met his glare steadily, until Inuyasha looked away and stalked off into the forest.
Kagome shot Kikyo an uncertain glance but wordlessly followed him back to their village- neither speaking a word of what had just occurred.
"Thank you," Kikyo whispered to Sesshomaru in sincere gratitude.
"Don't speak," he told her. "Just rest."
At the admonishment Kikyo's eyes slowly closed, and the last thing she saw before sleep overtook her was the sight of the proud demon lord standing guard over her.
...OOO...