A/N: Well, there was a problem with the updating, and I couldn't see my story anywhere, so I figured the best way to get my story seen is by putting up another chapter. The first two were more Prologue than anything. Now we get to the 'meat'. I like meat..

hands A-1 Steak sauce to all the readers

And now. . Chapter 3 Enjoy!


Sesshoumaru breathed in deeply, savoring the clean scent in the air. That was what he hated more than anything else about Kagome's era, the filthy air. For an inuyoukai, it was sickening. The stench of smog, exhaust, industrial pollution, and millions of humans packed together like sardines clung to his form, even after having washed himself several times. It was almost crawling inside him.

Catching himself before allowing a shudder to pass through his body, he sucked in another breath. Clear skies, rolling hills covered in grass the rippled in the breeze, and another familiar calming scent reached him. Sakura blossoms wrapped around him; though the flowers had long since fallen from their branches, relaxing and irritating at the same time.

Rin walked behind her master, keeping herself a respectful three paces back. The Lord could feel as well as smell the agitation in the young girl. Something was definitely bothering her, and he was determined to discover what it was so that they could continue their stroll in peace. He slowed his strides to allow her to catch up to him, only to find that she slowed her own steps to once again match his. He stopped altogether, and was not surprised to find that she also stopped, still three paces behind him. He was, however, surprised when he realized that it bothered him.

"Rin, come here." He waited for her to approach him, her eyes staring at his feet. "I demand to know what is worrying you."

The girl bit her lip, ashamed that her emotions showed so easily. She would never reach the stoic perfection of her idol at this rate.

"My lord, Jakken told me that Kagome-sama is very ill. Is this true?" His terse, "Yes." had her more afraid than if he had growled at her. If it was not as Jakken said, he would have made a comment about the 'weakling human' and how his hanyou brother 'pampered her'. "Then it is serious." She stated it more like a fact than an actual question. "What happened to her milord?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not wish to divulge any details." At her crestfallen look, he continued, not more gently, but possibly less sternly. "You are still very young Rin, it may disturb you greatly."

"Please, Lord Shesshoumaru-sama."

He blinked. She never said please, simply because she never asked him for anything. Perhaps she was older than he thought. Mentally he calculated her age. . 'Fifteen, already she has lived almost a quarter of her life span. She is a woman, by human standards.' Indeed she would be considered an adult by any standard. Her body had developed early in life, transforming almost overnight from an awkward child to a soft, feminine, graceful woman.

Her long dark brown hair was swept up into a style reminiscent of the geishas that resided in his castle. She wore no makeup though, a fact he was very grateful for. Wrapped in a silk kimono, the same color as the flowers whose scent she bore, he supposed she could be considered beautiful. A surge of pride for his ward would have hit him right about then, that is, if he felt anything at all toward her. Which of course he didn't.

Suddenly he realized she was still awaiting an answer, and spoke, choosing his words carefully.

"The human returned to her time to bear my half brother's pup. A male was born, but soon after the hanyou's mate began to bleed heavily. Her heart stopped," He paused at Rin's gasp. "The healers were able to revive it. However, it took some time and the miko's brain was without oxygen for too long. She is in a deep sleep that the healers believe she may never wake from."

Rin blinked as three tears managed to escape the corners of her eyes. "And the child?"

"This Sesshoumaru believes that the pup lives, and is healthy."

The young woman placed a hand over her heart, a pain stabbing it with every beat. Kagome-sama was the first human to show her any kindness. She remembered being afraid of her at first, as she was never around anyone but her master, but when she saw Kagome smile, all reserve melted away. She had even begun to look on her as a mother figure. And now she was 500 years in the future, dying slowly, with a child that may never know his own mother.

Rin felt a fresh onslaught of grief as she identified with the baby hanyou already. She had almost no memories of her own mother, only faintly being able to recall a smile and a song she had sung. Sometimes when she was sad, she would hum it to herself, but this was not the time for that little girl. There was only Lady Rin now.

"Do you think she will live?"

"There is no way of knowing the future Rin. Death was in the air outside her room, both InuYasha and I could smell it. The miko may very well die."

"Isn't there anything you can do milord?" Rin finally met his gaze, his features swimming in her watery eyes. Without a word exchanged she knew his answer. The all-powerful Lord of the Western Lands was completely powerless to help the woman she loved. "But if there was, anything at all, you would right?"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes briefly in a silent sigh. 'Curse humans and their emotional attachments.' "This Sesshoumaru will not speculate on events that may never come to pass."

Rin didn't take that as a yes, but it couldn't be construed as a solid no either. She would have to be satisfied with that answer for the time being. She knew by his tone that the conversation was now over, and lowered her gaze once again to the grass carpeting the hill where they had been standing.

The green blades were highlighted a brilliant orange as the setting sun painted the sky. A small smile touched her lips as she looked at the glowing orb of light. Today was ending; tomorrow held new promise. That was the way of it. She wouldn't borrow trouble. Kagome was being cared for by skilled healers and if anyone could nurse her back to health, it would be them.

"With your permission milord, I would like to return to the my quarters to ready myself for dinner." She had been trained in the proper ways of a lady of court, and one did not attend dinner in the same clothing one wore for lunch. She wasn't vain; it was simply done that way.

At his nod, she thanked him and bowed respectfully. She turned, making her way over the path, to the castle entrance. Sesshoumaru found himself watching her leave, wondering when she had stopped being the little girl that threw herself at his legs when he did something that made her happy and became the young woman who smiled warmly and simply thanked him. He wasn't sure which he disliked more. Surely the lack of physical contact was a relief, after years of feeling the judgment of others who could smell the human on him. At the same time, it made him very aware that he had changed in the eyes of his ward. She no longer saw him as a father figure, and he was unsure of her perception of him now.

Confusion irritated him; there was no denying that she had grown into an attractive woman, and he wondered how long it would be before suitors would begin to show interest in her. He could easily kill the first dozen or so, but eventually she would begin to catch on. Perhaps she would never wish to leave. Not that he wanted her to stay, she was an inconvenience to say the least, but the staff and his subjects all adored her, and he didn't feel like dealing with the annoyance of a mutiny were she to go.

Blinking he realized that he had been staring after her the entire time; her form had disappeared through the gates long ago. The sun had set, leaving only a purple glow as the stars made their appearance. The InuYoukai allowed himself a slight sigh, which ended in a snarl of self-disgust. He had allowed a human to affect him. How revolting.

Souta's white face watched the door anxiously as the doctor and nurse hovered over his older sister. Checking connections, readings, levels, their hands moved swiftly and efficiently over Kagome's body. The worried glances the nurse shot him over their patient spoke volumes to the doctor. She knew something was not quite right with the promising physician. He had just been introduced to the case an hour ago, as the shift change took place. He had been told the seriousness of her condition as he flipped through her chart, already forcing himself to disconnect emotionally from Patient #4892-TK.

"Doctor, are you alright?" The neko-youkai asked him. She had seen her share of strange things today; the human girl bearing a hanyou's child, her mother and brother in the waiting room surrounded by youkai, the strange brotherhood between two men whom obviously barely stomached the presence of the other, but this topped it all off. The confidence that the doctor normally exuded was completely gone. While completely capable of handling the case, his arrogance had disappeared, much like it had when he had handled his own wife's case. Those memories scared her and she left that train of thought quickly.

"I'm fine nurse. Watch that monitor and stop worrying about me. Do your job." A small, almost imperceptible gasp issued from the nurse letting him know that he had hurt her. He would pay for that later, but at least she would stop staring at him for a few minutes. The scents of the two females created such conflicting emotions within the doctor. "There's no time for this here baka. Concentrate."

He read her vitals once more. Her blood pressure, pulse, and oxygen levels were all satisfactory, but it had been close. The explosion at the door blew all other thoughts away. The doctor allowed himself a slight smirk before lifting his head. "He hasn't changed a bit." Quickly adopting his 'aloof' expression, he lifted his head to meet the eyes of the hanyou and his mother-in-law.

"What happened?" InuYasha practically barked.

"InuYahsa!" cried Souta. "She moved! Kagome moved her hand!"

Izumi covered her mouth with her hands and looked from her sons to the still form of her daughter lying on the hospital bed. She looked so alone, even with all of them in the room. As if she were somewhere else altogether. Her eyes were drawn back to the boys as InuYasha rushed forward to take Souta by the shoulders.

"Did she open her eyes? Did she say anything? Why didn't you call me sooner?"

"InuYasha!" A voice halted his tirade. He turned and growled at the tone, glaring at the man across the room from him. The doctor recognized that look and quickly tried to amend. "Lord InuYasha, as soon as you calm yourself, I would be more than happy to tell you of your wife's new status." He returned the hanyou's gaze, then dropped it in an obvious sign of submission. The hairs at the base of InuYasha's neck settled back against his skin as the growl died in his throat.

InuYasha straightened, releasing the boy's shoulders. He sat down heavily and left one hand resting on his brother's shoulder. "I'm alright. Tell me what happened." His eyes went to her face. She didn't look any different than she had twenty minutes ago, save the shift of her right hand. Kami, had it only been twenty minutes? A second glance at the clock on the wall confirmed what he had originally thought. It had felt eternal. In fact, all perception of time had faded. She had been his entire life for the last 7 years, and now without her he was completely lost. Briefly his brain reminded him that he could lose her at any time to this unseen enemy. There was nothing he could do. So now he was lost and helpless. Great.

"Your wife did move. It wasn't a conscious movement. What I mean to say is that she didn't purposely move, she may not even be aware of her movement. However it is still a good sign. Her nervous system is still intact; her brain sent a signal, so there is brain activity. We were rather concerned that it had suffered too much time without oxygen. However, I am afraid I do not have all good news for you."

The doctor cringed inwardly at the haunted and golden orbs that pierced his. He hesitated momentarily before continuing. "We didn't call you because she moved, we called you because she went back into cardiac arrest." At the hanyou's confused look he explained.

"Her heart stopped again." InuYasha's forehead hit his hands as a shudder passed through him. The horrible words didn't stop though, and much as he wished he could shut his ears he found himself listening to every syllable. "We were able to resuscitate her very quickly this time, which tells me that she is slowly gaining strength. However, her body is very weak, and though her pulse is strong enough, I fear that her heart may very well fail if she doesn't wake up soon. Next time we may not be able to get her back."

Nobody could miss the worry in the doctor's voice and it was almost InuYasha's undoing. He curled into himself, digging his talons into the hair at the base of his skull, grabbing handfuls of the white silk, clutching tightly as if they alone would keep him from breaking. He fought for breath through the dry sobs that wracked him, and felt an unfamiliar touch at his shoulder. It shook him enough to bring him back. His right hand moved in a blur, clutching that of the one resting on him, not caring whom it was. He was glad it wasn't his mother or brother, if they had touched him he would have lost it completely.

He took a minute to collect himself, reminding himself that the doctor had said Kagome was gaining strength. There was hope then. He could always hope. His thoughts returned to the hand he was squeezing the life out of. He relaxed his grip when he realized it was female, and that he was probably hurting her. The fingers slipped from his and he opened his eyes, straightening slowly looking for the owner. He blinked, "The neko?" Yes. . And she looked just as shocked as he was. For that matter, so did everyone else in the room, save the sleeping miko.

"Nurse Watanabe, please go and get housing forms for Lord Inuyasha and his family to sign." The neko fled, obviously glad for the excuse to leave the room. The doctor followed her with his eyes only. He would certainly have a few words with her later about that.

Turning back to the family he spoke again. "I am sorry to have to tell you this so soon after the birth of your son, milord, but I felt it was necessary. I also need to tell you that Kagome-san's body temperature is low, and we have placed warming blankets on her bed to keep her comfortable. And we have upped her fluids, to counteract some mild dehydration."

The fact that Dr. . "What is his name?" kept calling InuYasha a lord was starting to get on his nerves, but he didn't have the time nor the energy to care enough about it. At least not enough to do anything more than get pissed off by it. Hell, he was already hurt, scared, lost, helpless, lonely, and confused. Why not add pissed to the mix and see what happened? The hanyou allowed himself a tiny smirk as he got a mental image of the doctor mixing emotions in one of those glass 'beakers' Kagome told him about. Like a 'mad scientist'. He hoped he was prepared for an explosion.

"The nurse is retrieving housing orders for you and your family. We have rooms deeper underground, for the purpose of accommodating the relatives of our patients. We will be assigning you a small suite. When I say small I mean that it is simply two bedrooms with a bathroom adjoining. We will have meals for your mother and brother-in-law in the cafeteria upstairs. One for their kind. I'm afraid we don't have much in the way of meals down here."

Izumi smiled and spoke in that soothing tone of hers. "I'll just bring him some ramen. He'll be fine doctor. I would like to thank you for your concern, and if there is anything else, we will be sure to contact you, however I know my son would appreciate some privacy right now.. If you don't mind that is."

He returned the smile and bowed gracefully. "Of course ma'am. I understand completely. There is not much we can do now except wait, and talk to her. Brain activity indicates that she may very well be able to hear us now, and we have seen remarkable recoveries in patients whose loved ones spoke to them often. Oh, and my name is Dr. Isamu." With that he turned and left.

Kagome's breath began to come in rasps as she screamed for Inuyasha, screamed until she was hoarse. She was in the middle of a desert. It glowed white in the moonlight, and was horribly foreboding. Nothing but sand as far as she could see. She had been stumbling around this freezing darkness for hours and couldn't find a trace of anyone that she knew. She was tired and confused and alone. The thought that her swollen belly was noticeably less swollen had not escaped her, and fear for her child gripped her. It clawed its way through her stomach, curling around her spine, her heart, her throat, choking back the screams that wanted to tear through her. She gasped for air and fell to her hands and knees on the luminous sand.

She forced herself to calm down, to steady her breathing, to think rationally. She tried concentrating on her miko chi, knowing that if she could give off a pulse of purification, he would sense it and find her. It took her a moment to realize that her powers were gone. Completely and totally gone; not just drained. She was helpless. Helpless and tired and confused and alone, she began to shiver. InuYasha had to find her; she was so cold. She heard her name on the wind and whirled around to see where it came from. The only thing she saw was the moon.

A/N: Well there it is, the third installment. Hopefully you like it!