Authors Notes: Hung out with Matt on Tuesday, watched Romper Stomper, cuddled a lot. He took me out to dinner, which is the first time that a guys taken me out and paid for it. Then we watched hocey, which is awesome because I used to play roller hockey. And we're going to a movie on Friday. And I will shut up now.

Disclaimer: I owns nothing Inu Yasha. I own my characters that I created and I also own the plot.

Falls On Me

Chapter 21

The week was up. Kagome smiled gently at her little brother and hugged him. Next her grandfather, who seemed close to losing control and breaking into tears.

"Kagome, take this. I know you forgot it last time," Her mother said, handing Kagome a small framed picture. Kagome looked at it and almost lost everything then and there. The picture was of herself when she was only eight years old, and Souta had been one. Souta was being held by her mother, and she was on her father's shoulders, with grandpa standing in the middle.

"Thank you mama," Kagome whispered gratefully as she embraced her mother tightly.

"You're welcome baby. Now don't let so much time pass before you visit again. And don't forget Souta is spending fall break with you," Mrs. Higurashi reminded Kagome. The young miko hugged her mother back and then stepped back.

"I promise," Kagome said. "I love you guys."

"We love you too!" They chorused. Kagome jumped over the lip of the well before they saw the tears in her eyes as she clung to the picture in her hands. Magic washed over her and she wished that for once the well wouldn't work and she'd only end up in her own time again. But once again she pictured Rin and Shippou and realized she couldn't, wouldn't, do that to them.

She landed at the bottom with a dull thud and briefly wondered if she had twisted her ankle as she stood up and brushed the dust off of her clothing, which was one of her old school uniforms. Then she began to climb up the well, wondering who would be waiting for her when she got up there. Surprisingly she saw no one as she climbed out.

"Weird," She thought aloud as she took off her bag and placed the picture in it gently.

"Hello?" She called out. No one answered.

Okibi hurried towards the well, praying she would arrive before Kagome. The phoenix had had to keep Anei from trying to come and get Kagome, and it hadn't been easy to put him off. In fact he had gotten downright surly when she told him it would not be possible. Ferimaru had used her infinite knowledge of etiquette to point out the fact if he wished to court her and not compromise her reputation, he wouldn't do it.

Of course he had finally agreed, but it had taken almost an hour for him to do so, and now Okibi had to hurry to pick up the woman. Normally she would not be this anxious, but for the fact Kagome was a well known miko, she carried the shikon jewel, and she had absolutely no training when it came to defending herself. Granted yes, she had defeated Naraku, but she still had not trained her powers to react with a single thought.

"Damn those stupid males," Okibi muttered. She would never admit it, but she was seriously worried about how she could get Sesshoumaru to see Kagome was the one. Not just another woman, but the woman for him.

"I really, really hope Jinchi can talk some sense into him," Okibi muttered as she used more of her energy to fly a little faster towards Kagome.

Kagome was tired of waiting. It had already been half an hour. She had even told Okibi she'd meet her at noon! Resolutely Kagome began walking towards the village, angry, annoyed, and cursing fate.

"Hello?" A woman's voice called. Kagome looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Help, help!" The woman's voice begged. Always one to help others in need, Kagome ran towards the source of the call. She never noticed how things seemed to change around her, like some sort of illusion.

After a while though, she had to stop running so quickly, her breath coming in short spurts, a stitch in her side.

"Where am I?" She asked aloud. She didn't recognize this place! What the hell was going on?

"Welcome miko," A voice said. Kagome looked around fearfully. She knew that voice from somewhere. Where though?

"Who are you? Show yourself!" Kagome commanded, trying her best to keep fear from making her voice crack. She was proud she managed it.

However, she began to shake as a cat demon appeared from out of the trees, a smug smile dancing on her features.

"Yome! What are you doing?" Kagome shouted.

"I'm getting you out of the way. Don't think I didn't notice you in Sesshoumaru's room that day you stupid bitch. I thought I could distract him from you, considering I am much more of a woman than you are. I still don't know what he could want with a puny little human like you," Yome chuckled throatily.

"W-What are you talking about?" Kagome stammered.

"Don't play coy miko. I know exactly what was going on. I don't blame you, he is a rather beautiful male isn't he?" Yome asked. Kagome felt her cheeks redden.

"And who's to say you haven't had all of the good males in the castle. Mother found out you were rutting with you guard, and he is a rather delicious male too," Yome chuckled.

"What the hell? I've never rutted with Anei or Sesshoumaru, or anyone besides my ex-husband!" Kagome snapped, finally losing her patience as Yome insinuated she had slept with so many men!

"I find that hard to believe miko. But it won't matter anyways. No one will ever find you, or should I say, what's left of you!" Yome screeched as she flew at Kagome. Kagome tried to doge the attack and partially succeeded. Only her leg was cut open by the youkai's claws. She flinched at the familiar pain in her leg. Once Naraku had cut her leg open, and somehow Yome had cut almost exactly on it. Now she would have to vertical, identical scars.

"Damn it! Stay still bitch!" Yome shouted as she dove for Kagome again. Instead, Kagome ran as fast as she could, but everything seemed to be the same! She was running in circles!

"Come out little miko! No matter what I'll find you. Why fight me?" Yome asked. Kagome snorted. As she listened to the taunting banter of the cat youkai, Kagome tried to do her best to build up her energy. Unfortunately it didn't gather into her palm like she hoped it would.

"So much for movies," She muttered.

"Found yo-" Yome said as she grabbed Kagome's shoulder, but her words were cut off by an unearthly screeching sound as she yanked her hand away from Kagome's shoulder. Kagome looked at the cat youkai as if she had lost her mind when she noticed the severe burn on the demon's palm.

"Bitch!" Yome shouted as she dove for Kagome again. Kagome did her best to dodge the attack, but once again failed as Yome's claws dug into her sides. The cat demon had her pinned down and was on top of her back.

But the cat demon was screeching loudly, her own screams drowning out Kagome's.

"No, no! What's going on?" She yowled in an unearthly wail. Kagome tried to ignore the pain in her side as she struggled to get up, but every movement she made caused Yome to dig her claws in more deeply. Pain shot up through her entire body.

"If I die, you die too!" Yome gasped in a raw voice after several minutes.

As Kagome drifted in and out of consciousness, she noticed the scenery around her wavering. Fleetingly she wondered if it was all part of losing so much blood. She knew it had to be true when she saw Sesshoumaru approaching her, his face strained with worry.

"Kagome," He whispered. She wondered if she was about to die.

At that point Kagome fell totally out of consciousness.

"Sesshoumaru! Get that damn sword of yours NOW!" Okibi shouted as she landed in the courtyard, Kagome lying within her arms limply. Without asking the servants opened the doors for the phoenix as she rushed into the castle and down the corridors towards Kagome's room. Her mind was so focused on keeping the young miko alive that she didn't notice Airon and Anei following behind her closely.

Yotogi, who had been outside of Kagome's door, opened it for the woman and rushed in behind her as she lay Kagome on the white sheets of the bed. Kagome moaned in delirium as she writhed on the bed.

"She's got a high fever and has suffered blood loss. I've tried everything but it's not enough! Without the other Lords and Ladies here we can't save her with just our powers! Only Tenseiga can help her now," Okibi said in a worried tone. Where was Sesshoumaru?

"Where the hell is he?" Okibi demanded.

"He's bathing," Anei said.

"Well don't stare at her you foolish ass, go get him!" Okibi thundered. Anei looked once more at Kagome, sweat forming on his forehead. Suddenly her moaning turned into a name.

Sesshoumaru's name.

"What the hell?" Anei whispered.

"Go get him fool! If you want her to live go get him!" Yotogi said as he pushed the panther youkai in the direction of the door.

"Well, it seems she hasn't forgotten the esteemed lord," Airon said.

"She wouldn't. She loves him. And stubborn ass that he is, he has feelings for her too," Okibi muttered as she used some of her energy to keep Kagome's lungs inflating and deflating. Yotogi kneeled beside her and moved is hands over her sides, where the wounds were pouring blood onto the white sheets, staining them. The scene was familiar to Okibi. A long time ago she had watched the former Lady of the West, Akari, die slowly on the bed from poison. Like Kagome, her face had gotten paler and paler by the minute and she had writher in pain as the poison took it's affect.

"She can't die Airon. She just can't," Okibi whispered in a broken sob.

"She won't. I won't let her," Airon grunted as she added her powers to Yotogi and Okibi's.

Only a few seconds passed before everyone was pushed out of the way by Sesshoumaru. They looked on in stunned silence as a dripping wet Sesshoumaru drew Tenseiga from it's sheath and concentrated.

'He didn't even take the time to put on a yukata,' Okibi said with a blush as he swung the blade around Kagome's body.

Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she looked at the youkai standing above her, his eyes guarded.

"Ah! Hentai!" Kagome shouted as she let her foot sail into his groin area. He easily dodged her feeble attack and thankfully her shout wasn't too loud, but still enough to make his head hurt a little.

"Kagome, he came as fast as he could," Okibi began.

"Put something on you pervert!" Kagome shouted. Sesshoumaru began to growl and was getting ready to say something, but then noticed he had an attentive crowd watching him, naked, shout at Kagome, who might as well have been considering the tattered state of her clothing.

"Everyone get out right now!" Sesshoumaru roared. Airon and Yotogi chuckled as they dragged Anei out with them, and Okibi merely looked him up and down and smiled.

"More like your old man than you think," She chuckled. Sesshoumaru felt his cheeks actually redden as she left the room giggling.

"You still haven't put anything on!" Kagome said. Sesshoumaru looked over to her and noticed her eyes were closed.

"And just how can you tell? Peeking huh?" He snarled.

"Not on your life!" She shouted back.

"Look you, I just saved your life and the first thing you try to do is cripple me? You're an ungrateful wretch!"

"You could have put something on before you decided to come here!" Kagome shouted.

"I was bathing! You're always interrupting my baths. Gods woman, can't you defend yourself?" Sesshoumaru snarled. Okay, he admitted some part of himself was shocked, appalled and disgusted with his behavior at the moment. But he was so grateful Kagome was alright that he had to shout at her lest he show just how happy he was.

"Sesshoumaru, I must interject here. While it is highly entertaining to listen to you, she has a point, you should get dressed. Secondly, she can defend herself. By the time I got to her, she had killed Yome," Okibi said as she poked her head in the door. Sesshoumaru was grateful he had wrapped his tails around himself to cover his body from her gaze.

"Okibi," He muttered.

"Yes?"

"Get out!" he snapped. Okibi chuckled and quickly closed the door. Sesshoumaru could hear Anei protesting loudly and quickly made a gesture to put a sound barrier around the room so he heard nothing and no one heard them.

"Thank you, for saving me," Kagome whispered. Sesshoumaru sighed and looked around for something to wear. It was a fruitless search, that is until Kagome stood up and stumbled over to the chest. Her sides still hurt, but she opened the chest and pulled out a kimono.

"It might be a little small, but it's something," She muttered as she turned her back.

"This is a woman's kimono," Sesshoumaru said.

"It's clothing!" Kagome snapped. Sesshoumaru put the kimono on, thanking the gods that it was a white one decorated only with his family crest. It was a bit small, as least as a kimono. As a regular robe it fit alright. Sesshoumaru thanked whoever made it stylish for kimono to be over half a foot longer and very wide in the shoulders.

"You can turn around now," He muttered. Kagome turned and almost giggled at the discomfited lord standing in front of her.

"Thank you again," She said as she walked towards him slowly. Sesshoumaru had no clue what she was doing. She could bow from where she had been couldn't she? She wasn't going to kiss him, was she?

All of his thoughts came to a halt as Kagome suddenly gasped and collapsed only a foot away from him. He went over to her and picked her up gently, then laid her down on the bed.

"The pain will fade Kagome," He told her.

"Sesshoumaru, don't be scared," Kagome told him as she looked up at him. It was obvious she was straining to stay awake.

"I'm scared of nothing," He told her in a cold voice. She smiled weakly.

"Don't be scared of my love," She told him, right before she passed out again. Sesshoumaru stayed still, looking at her for a long time. As he studied her features, he tried to comprehend her words. Why would he be scared of her love? She didn't love him! He knew it! She simply couldn't love someone like him, it was against her nature. He was the opposite of everything she was!

After a time he stood and walked away from her bed, still confused by her words. Her love wasn't directed at him, and never would be. It was only infatuation, and it seemed she hadn't gotten over it while she had been in her time.

'I will force her to see the truth,' He told himself as he left the room, only to be confronted by several youkai and a phoenix staring him down.

"How is she?" Airon demanded.

"What were you two doing in there?" Anei asked in a cold voice.

"First off she is fine, she needs rest. Second off she thanked me, no we didn't mate. Don't worry Anei she is all yours," Sesshoumaru snapped as he walked away from the group.

"Hey Sesshoumaru," Okibi called out. He felt his control quickly slipping and he was on the verge of killing them all as he turned around. Okibi took in his eyes, which were bleeding red, and smiled mockingly.

"Nice kimono," She told him.

He snapped.

His eyes turned crimson as he charged at her, his face morphing, taking on the features of the beast.

"Good boy Sesshoumaru!" Okibi chuckled as her own face began to morph slightly. Everyone scattered as the two clashed.

"In favor of not waking Kagome, let's take this outside," Okibi snarled. She began muttering a short incantation and then she and Sesshoumaru were outside in the garden. His private garden.

"You bitch!" He snarled.

"No that was your mother!" Okibi shot at him. He lunged at her and they clashed. Sesshoumaru was too far gone in his rage to remember his sword, and Okibi, who wanted him to vent out his anger and stress, wouldn't use her magic to seriously hurt him.

Both received wounds though as they clashed together, stirring up plants and sending dirt and water flying everywhere. At this point Sesshoumaru was a parody of a beast, looking like a monstrous hybrid between human and dog. Okibi tried to send minor bolts of energy at him, hoping to shock him into reality, when she accidentally hit the willow that protected Akari's grave.

"No!" Sesshoumaru roared as he bowled Okibi over and pinned her to the ground. Okibi was stunned as he got up and bolted to his mother's grave and threw the fallen branches of the willow trees somewhere into the garden. Her astonishment went into full fledge shock when she saw him kneel and begin to shake violently.

"Sesshoumaru?" She asked as her features took on their normal cast.

He didn't answer and she walked over to him and laid her hand on his shoulder gently.

"She was weak, wasn't she?" Sesshoumaru asked. Okibi could almost hear the pleading in his tone for her to deny it.

"She was a good woman, and she was strong to last as long as she did. Her suicide was selfish though Sesshoumaru, and cowardly. She left behind people who cared for her very much."

"I won't be like her. I won't let emotions control me," He said resolutely as he stood and let his features smooth out to their normal appearance.

"Sesshoumaru, you can still-" Okibi began.

"No, Okibi. I made the choice years ago. I've faltered. But I can't become her," Sesshoumaru said.

"She'd slap you if she heard those words," Okibi told him.

"Because she let her emotions overcome good sense. She was a fool," Sesshoumaru said as he walked towards his room. Okibi was angry and despairing all at once. She had tried so hard. But it had backfired.

"Damn you, you blind fool. And damn you too Akari," She said, holding back sobs as she hurried out of the garden.

Authors End Notes: Royal blueKitsune, I got dumped for my birthday. This is all actually belated. But Happy Belated birthday and good luck on finding a good guy, they do exist, theyre just kind of hard to find.

And to everyone, thank you so much for reviewing. You make me smile. A lot. Hope you liked the chappy.