Disclaimer: Alright, alright, it's true! I don't own Inuyasha. Happy, now?

Chapter Five: The Man who Awakens her Heart

This world, this world is cold

But you don't, you don't have to go

You're feeling sad you're feeling lonely

And no one seems to care

-Good Charlotte "Hold On"

He had stayed at that village for almost an entire day. The girl had barely let him have a moment alone. He had eaten, and was completely recovered. His back was still stiff from being in the same position for three days, but begrudgingly he realized that he did feel better.

Yukina peeked into his room again. "Are you doing well, Sesshoumaru-san?" she asked politely. It was the first time she had spoken to him in hours.

"I am fine," he answered coldly. "Though perhaps a little overcrowded." She didn't get the hint.

"Do you need anything? Would you like some cool water? Or are you ready for a morning meal? You haven't eat yet."

He looked up at her with disgust. Then he stood and proclaimed in a manner that could have frozen a fire, "If I need anything, I can get it myself. I am leaving." And he did.

Proudly he marched out of the little house- and straight into Yukina's father. "Hello," he said jovially, crushing Sesshoumaru in a friendly embrace. "I am glad to see that you are have turned out well. Yukina was worried about you, though I can't see that you were in very much harm." He laughed.

"Otou-san," Yukina said, "please be nice." Both seemed oblivious to the short look of undisguised rage and shock that quickly flashed upon their guest's countenance. He was very close to slitting the throats of them both. He felt a pulse at his side, and quickly realized that Toukijin was eager for a kill.

It dawned on him suddenly, the noisy chatter of the villagers drowned out by his thoughts. He was no longer strong enough to wield Toukijin. The rage he felt at all the world came suddenly pouring out in a low savage scream he let loose from somewhere deep. Yukina and her father both backed away in surprise, and the girl timidly raised a hand to him.

"Are you alright?" she whispered. "Are you-"

But her voice was cut off as he slapped her hand away. She put the offending appendage behind her back, and looked away at the ground. This time her quiet voice was almost inaudible. "Gomen, Sesshoumaru-san."

"I am leaving!" Sesshoumaru cried out. "I want nothing to do with you pitiful humans. I want to be left alone. I cannot live like this any longer!" And with that, he turned and began to walk away. He got about twenty paces from them, when he broke into a desperate run.

"Will he be alright?" Yukina asked. "He is still sick."

Her father looked over to her sadly. "I do not know if he will ever recover. He hasn't got any physical ailments; it is his mind and heart that have been infected. But he will be back, my daughter. He belongs nowhere. I know that he will come to call this place home, if only for a short while."

Sesshy P.O.V.

'Those fools. Did they not realize how close they came to death? If I had been angered further, I would have unsheathed Toukijin with no thought to the repercussions. And they would have been destroyed. It is possible I would have even become possessed, and ultimately met my demise from my own former servant. I am beginning to think it wise to rid myself of it.

And that is the last straw I can handle. I will not be reduced to this. If I cannot exist as I once was, then I will not exist at all. My resolution had been made.'

Modern-day

It had been noted by more than one person, that Mai had been frequently walking in the city's newest park. She was there almost everyday after school for the past week. Her friends were curious; they could see no attraction in the meager patch of grass, though apparently Mai had found something that kept her coming back. She was drawn there, and the reason was simply- for the others- impossible to see.

"I'm home!" Mai called happily, racing inside her family's small apartment after a busy Friday of school. Her younger sister was doing her homework in their family room, and their mother occupied the seat on the couch beside her.

She took a sip of her coffee and smiled at her eldest child. "How was your day?" she asked. "Exceedingly tedious," Mai replied. "I am worn out. A nice soak and then bed is just what I need."

"Do you have any homework? I want it finished before dinner, please." Her mother coughed lightly.

Mai sighed. "I'll get it done, I promise you. And I want to know why you are coughing again. You aren't sick are you? I am worried about you." It was very likely that her mother had contracted another illness. She had recovered from a bout of pneumonia only two weeks ago, and both of her daughters were eager to see her rested and well again.

"I am fine Mai," she said sternly. "I am taking good care of myself, and I expect you to respect my decisions." Not talking about her health being one of them.

The youngest girl, Sakura, put down her paper and pencil and said brightly, "Let's go to that new city park! Beautiful! Take me please Mai." She smiled hugely.

Covering their small snickers at the little one's not so subtle attempt to relieve the short tension, the two eldest nodded cheerfully at her suggestion. "I trust you to take care of her, Mai," she told them. "I'll stay here if you don't mind. This weather doesn't exactly agree with me."

And the two set off.

Mai was more that excited to see her "mystery man" again. He had haunted her thoughts for days, and finally she hoped that she would have the courage to speak to him. Every time she went for a stroll, she tried to inconspicuously pass him by. There was a strange pleasure she got just from seeing him, though he never saw her. It was very strange the first time she saw him walking around. Normally he was at his same spot at the ancient tree. On passing, Mai couldn't help but flush a little, and one eyebrow raised as he held her gaze for a mere second. Apparently she wasn't as inconspicuous as she thought.

In fact, the man had noticed the girl who had been innocently stalking him. It was just a fact, and he didn't think anything of it, except brief annoyance at her persistence.

That particular Friday, as Mai and Sakura walked happily along, the man happened to be just waking up from a nap on a hard wooden bench. A bright flower caught the youngest's attention, while different sort of beauty had captured the eldest's eye. As casually as she could, she walked over and sat next to him.

Deciding not to even pretend he didn't know who she was she bravely said, "You're here again." He looked annoyed at having been spoken to. "Yes, that would appear to be true."

"You don't have to be rude about it, I was only making an observation. I noticed that you always seem to be here. I come quite often myself, and so I'm familiar with the whole place. But you don't seem to really belong."

He didn't respond, nor seem to even notice she had spoken. "Aren't you going to say something?"

"You're right. I don't belong." He looked at her directly for the first time. And she was absolutely struck by his eyes. At first gauging him to only be a few years older than herself, those golden mirrors told of ages of knowledge. Yes, they were wise and lovely, but that was not why she couldn't look away.

There was a deep, mournful expression there, wet with his strong, piercing gaze. It was all too perceivable that he was still scarring over from a torrentially painful past. The sadness within him was buried and hidden; he did not want to open his heart. But that look in his eyes didn't lie. There was pain and suffering, and the passionate struggle of his heart ot overcome it.

"Well I'm sorry," she said.

"And I suppose you wish me to ask why."

"No, but I will tell you anyway. I am sorry for you, because you don't belong. Everyone needs to belong somewhere. I know that you only meant the area that surrounds you now, but your attitude indicates you feel the same way about the world."

She hoped that he would say something- anything- so that she would know how close she had hit to the mark. They had never spoken before, though she must have seen him so many times. That brief exchange of words, however, had sparked a connection between them.

'I want to get to know him,' she thought. 'I want to make him see that he can have a friend.'

He looked down at the ground for a moment, then slowly he stood without a word, and began to walk away. "Wait!" she called, "Where…when…"

He faced her again and shook his head. "I do not believe in goodbyes. I shall probably be here tomorrow." Then he left.

As she gathered Sakura and headed home, Mai found herself to be very frustrated. Every word he spoke was full of implied and hidden meaning. All of that short conversation replayed in her mind as she headed home. 'Does he want to see me again?' she asked herself. 'Why would he have left like that if he didn't? But then why would he have been so cold if he did? I'll just try and forget about him.'

She was fooling herself however. She didn't want to forget about him. And deep in her heart, she wanted to help him. Hers was a soul that could not stand to see pain. Never would she leave a being that was so steeped in sadness alone and without a friend. As she lay in bed that night, she came to a decision. The hint was enough. She would see him… "Tommorrow."

A/N: I was actually kinda displeased with this chapter. It didn't turn out at all like I had hoped. However, it did relay some necessary information, and set the foundation for later chapters. I'll fix it later.

Once again, THANK YOU for reading! --smile--

Love and Peace to all, -A.D.D.