A/N: AHHHHHHHH! Best Buy is evil incarnate, I swear! They had my computer for over three weeks! THREE WEEKS! I am so sorry for the delay of this fic. I promise that I'm not working on another fic until this one is done. And all of the reviews are great! I don't require a certain amount before I update or anything, I have just been delayed. Darn you Best Buy! (shakes fist and glares at the big yellow sign)

They are lucky I haven't sent Sesshoumaru in. That would teach them…

Anyways….here is the next chappie! Thanks for everyone who has sent their reviews. I'll work double time to get the next chapters out. Bye now! (wanders off to think of all the terrible ways Best Buy can meet its doom at Sesshoumaru's claws)

Last time: Arago forces Kagome to ingest some of the poison he has collected from Sesshoumaru. The demon lord doesn't believe she will make it through the night, but attempts to make her comfortable….what happens in the morning? Find out below!

Prisoners

By WildcatYST

Chapter 6 – Musings

Kagome ran quickly down the steps of her school. She had left her books at home again and her father was coming to drop them off before he went to work. She saw his car pull up in the parking lot and she ran to the window.

"Sorry dad." Kagome apologized. She had a bad habit of forgetting her school work and he often had to drop by to get them to her.

"Here you go." Her father handed her the book she was missing. "Don't worry about it, sweetie. It's on my way to work anyways." He smiled at her.

Kagome had her father's smile. But she also had his eyes. Everyone in the family would remind her of the resemblance they shared, and she was proud of it. He was a very respected doctor and she knew that he worked hard for his family. In fact, his family was the most important thing to him.

"Don't forget to get your brother after class. Your mom has some errands to run so you'll both have to walk home." He told her.

"Alright daddy." Kagome gave him a kiss on the cheek and waved goodbye as she ran back up the stairs of her school. She turned around to watch his car leave as she always did.

The car pulled out of the parking lot and approached the stoplight on her school's street. She saw him wave out the car window as he drove through the green light. Her cheerful smile soon turned into a horrified scream.

A large truck came speeding through the intersection and slammed into the side of her father's car. She watched in shock as the small sedan flipped over several times as the force of the truck barreled into it. Kagome dropped her books and sprinted down the steps, running towards the sight of the wreckage. She scrambled across the street as terrified motorists slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting the girl and the wreckage.

"Daddy!" Kagome shouted, climbing through the broken window of the car, which had landed upside down.

She reached her own hand out to his, which was covered in blood. His head had a large gash in it and he hung limply in the seat belt that kept him suspended in the vehicle. Kagome grasped his hand and prayed that he was alright.

"Kagome?" Her father's voice was weak and he opened one eye to look at her.

"I'm here dad." She replied, squeezing his hand softly for support. The faint sound of sirens blared in the distance and she knew it would only be a few moments for the ambulance to get here. "Don't worry, help is coming." She tried to reassure herself as much as him. Tears gathered in her eyes as she saw the carnage left behind from the bone crunching impact of the cars.

She struggled to unbuckle his safety belt and with the help of motorists that had gathered to assist, she pulled him from the crushed car. She pulled his head into her lap and kept a hold on his hand.

"Kagome…" Her father whispered her name. "Promise to take care of your brother." He managed to choke out.

"No." Kagome whispered. "Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine." She felt hot tears roll down her cheek.

"Promise me Kagome." He insisted, squeezing her hand for emphasis that this was important to him.

"I promise." Kagome gave in, wiping her tears with her sleeve.

"Good." He answered, his breath ragged. "Don't blame yourself, Kagome. It's not your fault." His breathing slowed and he looked up at her with the eyes she inherited from him. "Tell your mother and brother that I love them." He struggled to breath now. Kagome could hear the ambulance pulling up and people coming out.

"The paramedics are here, dad. You'll be okay now." Kagome looked down at him as tears continued to roll down her face.

"I love you, Kagome." He squeezed her hand again, and then his hand went limp.

"No." Kagome shook her head in disbelief. "NO!" She screamed, not able to believe that the eyes that once sparkled with happiness were now staring at her lifelessly.

Paramedics swarmed around her and attempted to pull the girl away as they checked her father's vitals. They rushed to revive him, but Kagome would not let go of his hand.

"Daddy!" She screamed loudly as everything swarmed around her. Men were trying to save his life, but she knew he was gone. Her father had known he would not survive the extensive wounds and internal bleeding he had undoubtedly suffered. Still, she was swallowed by her grief.

Kagome curled up in the middle of the street with the chaos of trying to save Dr. Higurashi's life surrounded her. She buried her face into her knees and rocked herself back and forth as she cried.

Sesshoumaru dabbed at the forehead of the miko in his lap with a cold cloth. She had calmed at some point in the night. Despite his assurance that she would die, she had not. It even seemed as if she was fighting off the poison. He was not one to be surprised, but this was an exception.

Perhaps it is her miko blood that fights against my poison. He thought to himself as he listened to the even breaths her small frame was taking in. Sesshoumaru knew what Arago wanted with her and he was certain she would die in the process. If the girl didn't succumb to the poison, then she would die once Arago took her life to claim the power that legend claimed it would produce.

Kagome's body suddenly stiffened and her breathing became labored. Sesshoumaru watched as the girl became fitful in her sleep, but it was not from the poison she had consumed. Instead, she appeared to be dreaming.

"No." A whisper escaped from the young miko's lips. Sesshoumaru's golden eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the girl.

She was an odd creature, that he was sure of. Her bravery is battle was either caused by an unselfish wish to protect her friends or plain stupidity. She had even stood up to the Lord of the West on a number of occasions. It wasn't everyday that Sesshoumaru faced an opponent completely unafraid of him, and this one was a human girl to boot. Over the last few days in the cell, he had come to think of her as an ally.

She could prove to be useful. Sesshoumaru thought as he pondered what to do with her once they escaped. Her powers had grown considerably with the meager training he insisted she undertake. He could only imagine the possibilities if she were to truly train her abilities. Not to mention, she could be a useful tool in gaining his father's sword from his half-wit brother.

"I promise." Kagome's soft voice floated to him. It appeared that she was having a nightmare. Her head tossed lightly in his lap as her entire body trembled.

She is also able to detect the shards of the Shikon jewel. Perhaps she is of some value to this Sesshoumaru. The inuyoukai thought. He would never use the shards to add to his power. Sesshoumaru was strong enough and would not lower himself to using the tainted trinket to gain physical power. But, it could be useful in negotiations with the other youkai lords. If he were to possess his father's sword and the Shikon jewel, he would be a force to be reckoned with. Not that he already wasn't.

Sesshoumaru had heard the whispers surrounding his acquisition of the human child, Rin. He was certain that uprisings might follow should his enemies gain favor from some of his current allies. They assumed he was following in his father's footsteps, but he was not. Rin was merely a fascination, a passing amusement that merely entertained him. He would be able to squelch such rebellious talk with the two items he was now plotting to obtain. The miko would either cooperate by choice or by force, it mattered not to him.

"Daddy!" Kagome screamed. The sound was ear piercing and caused a faint scowl to appear on the youkai's face. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulder and shook hard.

"Wake up, miko." He demanded, watching as her eyes opened suddenly and she sat upright. A groan quickly followed and she laid back down into his lap. A few moments of silence passed as Sesshoumaru glared down at the woman child and she squeezed her eyes shut in pain.

"I feel like I've been run over by a truck." Kagome moaned, curling into a fetal position as she tried to ease her pain.

"What is this truck you speak of?" Sesshoumaru's cold voice made chills run up Kagome's spine.

"Nothing. I'm just talking nonsense." Kagome insisted, hoping her half hearted cover up wouldn't be challenged. Sesshoumaru appeared to shrug his shoulders, then proceeded to ignore her.

Great. Another day with the ice prince. Kagome groaned again. Things just weren't going well for her lately. She sighed as the inuyoukai pushed her roughly off his lap and onto the cold floor. She immediately missed his warmth.

"How long have I been out?" Kagome asked, rubbing her sore muscles to sooth away the ache.

"For the better part of the day." Sesshoumaru answered.

"I feel sick." Kagome groaned and wrapped her arms around her midsection. She could still feel the faint traces of poison coursing through her body, but the majority had been taken care of by her purifying powers while she slept.

"My poison is strong." Sesshoumaru had the faintest smirk on his face, making Kagome roll her eyes and sigh.

He and Inuyasha are so much alike. Kagome immediately felt her heart sink. Where are you Inuyasha? She sighed again and leaned against the cold stone of the cell. Her hands worked over her sore muscles and she tried to hang on to what little hope she had left that her friends were coming for her.

Kikyo looked up at Inuyasha, who was perched on a low hanging branch in the tree she was leaning against. They had stopped to rest after the day's long journey. The undead priestess could tell something was bothering the hanyou in the tree. His mind had been preoccupied all day long.

He is still thinking of my damn reincarnation. Kikyo seethed. She had done many things to keep his mind off the annoying girl. She was there under the pretense of helping Inuyasha find the miko, but her true plan was to keep him occupied long enough for Arago to finish his ritual. Once he was done with the girl from the future, Kikyo could have her soul back.

Still, I do not like this Arago. His is not to be trusted. Kikyo glanced back up at the man she had once loved. No long did such petty feelings run through her. Her fake body could only harbor hatred and regret. But some small part of her former self still resided in her clay body. And it was that part of her that made her feel a tinge of guilt for betraying the hanyou in the trees above.

Well, it's a kind of short chapter. It's more of a break between some action that will take place next time. Let me know what you think! Sorry again for the delay. I'll get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Bye for now!

WildcatYST