CHAPTER 11

When the two arrived back at Mearle's house Kikyo was outside waiting for them. She stared at Inuyasha, surprised to see him back to normal. He told her nothing and she didn't ask.

Kikyo turned to the cat girl. Mearle asked. "How is he?'

"I got the poison out but it will be touch and go all night," the woman replied.

"But will he live?" Mearle presisted.

"Only if he chooses to," Kikyo eyed the cat girl. "Would you like to stay with me until morning?"

The cat girl nodded, looking relieved. "Yes, that would be great."

"All right." Kikyo went back inside.

Mealre noticed Inuyasha staring at her, a question in his eyes. "What?" she asked, looking over at him.

"You called me half demon before," he said. "How did you know I was a half demon?"

Mearle told the truth. "I was the one you tried to kill twice."

That answer was obvious enough. "You... you were that giant cat weren't you?"

"Yes," she said nodding. "The one you thought was going to eat your brother."

"You attacked that village! It was you!"

"I was cursed," she defended herself. "Naraku cursed me and my whole village."

"And now..."

"He lifted the curse when I went to kill him."

"So you can't get that big anymore?"

"No. I don't really like that form anyway."

He said nothing to that.

"So you're trying to save my brother's life?" he asked.

"Why should you care?" she demanded. "You hate your brother!"

"I know that's because he hates me. But I'm surprised he even let you get close."

"I'm not human, hanyou, or a quarter human," she pointed out.

"Oh." that explained some of it.

He looked at her. Mearle's golden eyes were half open and she was smiling. "Why are you so happy?" he asked.

Mearle started purring.

"Why? Is my brother really in there?"

She looked at him without moving her head. "Don't go in there. I don't want you trying to kill him."

"I won't." he started for the door.

"No!" she hissed, grabbing his arm. "Leave the man I love alone!"

"WHAT?" he gasped. "What did you just say?"

She looked away, her face suddenly flaming. "Nothing..."

Inuyasha started laughing.

"What's so funny?" she demanded.

"You're in love with me brother!" he cackled.

"So?"

"Does he know?"

"No."

"You should tell him," he snorted, falling on his back. "I'm sure he'd be glad to hear it!"

She hissed at him and tried to scratch him.

He stood but and backed away. "Okay. I'll knock it off. Sorry," he said.

She stopped herself but glared at him. "You'd better be," she said, folding her arms. "You still can't see him."

"But what if he wakes up and kills Kikyo?" he asked.

"I doubt he'll kill someone who saved his life," she pointed out.

"You wanna bet?"

"Just stop it, Inuyasha!" she shouted, slapping him. "If you don't cut it out I'll turn you back into a human!"
You'd better not!" he shouted.

She raised her hand, her claws getting longer. "I will!"

He backed away from her. "Well all right. I won't say anymore."

And he didn't. Not for the rest of the night.

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Sesshoumaru was suddenly feeling better. He felt a lot cooler like a breeze was blowing over him. Something was different. Better different. He opened his eyes. He saw a blurred figure staring down at him. As his vision cleared he could see it was a woman. A pale woman with dark ebony hair. He had no idea who she was.

"Who are you?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"My name is Kikyo," she replied. "Your friend Mearle asked me to come here so I could help you. You had a badly infected wound that got poisoned."

"She poisoned me?" he exclaimed sitting up.

"No," Kikyo said, shaking her head. "She didn't know what the plant was that she put on your wound. She wanted to save your life like you'd done to hers."

"Hers...?"

"She told me you saved her life."

He didn't look at her. He suddenly remembered the cat girl he'd saved awhile ago. That was her? Mearle? That was her life I saved?

He slowly started to stand. "Where is she?" he asked.

"I think she's outside," the woman replied. "But I think you should wait a minute."

"Why?"

"I have to let her know you're all right."

"..."

Kikyo didn't wait for him to say anything. She stood up and walked out of the house. Mearle looked at her expectantly, from where she stood leaning against the building.

"He's alive," Kikyo informed her.

The cat girl's face softened in relief.

"He wants to see you," Kikyo went on.,

Mearle stared at Kikyo. "He does?" she asked, looking surprised.

"Yes." Kikyo nodded.

"No, no, I can't," Mearle said backing away. "I just can't." she turned and ran.

"Mearle!" Kikyo called after her.

Inuyasha asked from his position on the roof. "Is it Sesshoumaru?"

Kikyo nodded. "If he comes out ot go after her, which I know he will, I think it would be best if he didn't see you. He might... you know..."

"Yes I do," the hanyou said nodding. "I'll wait out of sight until he's gone."

"Good idea."

Kikyo headed back into the house.

"So where is she?" the dog demon inquired when she entered.

"She went into the forest," the woman replied. "She was afraid to talk to you."

He slowly pushed himself into a standing position. "Well I want to talk to her." He picked up his robe and put it on. "I don't care what she wants. She wasted a lot of her time trying to get me better. I'm not going to leave until I talk to her." he headed for the door, opened it, and marched outside and into the forest.

Inuyasha met Kikyo, who had followed his brother out of the house, at the doorway. "Where's he going?" he asked.

"He's going to find Mearle," she replied.

"Why?"

"He wants to talk to her."

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Mearle sat on a tree root, her chin rested in her hands, thinking. Why did I run away like that? He wasn't going to hurt me. But how can I be sure? He might be mad at me about the poison. He might want to kill me. I don't know... she closed her eyes. He mustn't know how I feel. I don't even know how I feel. Do I really love him? Am I really inlove with him? I barely know him. For all I know he could be a real jerk or worse...

She wasn't aware that Sesshouamru was coming up behind her. Since he knew her scent she was easy to find. He saw her sitting beside a tree and slowed his pace. Why am I doing this? Do I really want to? He stopped and thought it over. I do want to. Only a few people have ever cared for me when they didn't know me. She saved my life... I never asked her to. I never said anything. But she did. Was it just because I saved her's or does she really care?

Mearle's sharp cat ears finally picked up the sound of his breathing. She slowly turned without standing. When she saw who it was she stood up.

Sesshoumaru noticed she didn't make any other move. All she did was stare at him with deep golden eyes. She's waiting for me to say soemthing, he figured. He didn't want to speak first. He waited for her.

"Yes?" she spoke when he didn't.

He walked up to her. "The woman who you asked to help me said you were out here," he said.

She nodded. "Is there something you wanted to say to me?" she asked, not looking at him anymore. "You told me a few days ago that you just wanted to leave."

"I know," he said.

She slowly raised her hand and rested it gently on his injured arm. He flinched slightly at her touch and she removed her hand. "I'm sorry," she said. "But you have to understand why I couldn't let you then. If you had you would have opened your wound and bled to death. Do you understand? I might not know you well but I care for injured and dying people. I hate seeing them suffer. I always have but..."

He nodded, causing her to stop talking. "And for that I thank you. Very few people have ever helped me when I'm hurt. If you hadn't found me in that field I probably would have died."

"But I gave you that poison-" she started to protest.

He put a finger over her mouth. She stopped talking again. "You didn't know what it was," he pointed out.

She nodded. "That's true," she said.

"So.. to put it all in a few words." he touched her cheek lightly with his hand. "Thank you... for helping me."

She nodded again, suddenly shy. "I'd do it for anyone."

Then he did something he's never done to a woman before. He pulled her in and hugged her close (you thought he was going to kiss her didn't you?). "I owe you my life," he whispered.

Then he let her go and started to walk away.

she couldn't let that happen. "Wait!" she called, reaching out her hand.

He stopped and looked back over his shoulder at her. She walked up to him and didn't look at him for a minute. "I know I don't know you very well but..." she hesitated. "I like you."

He blinked. "Mearle..." he said.

She looked at him."You're the one I saved," he said. "The one I saved in the forest the other night."

She stared at him. "Yes," she admitted. "How did you know?"

He reached up and tweeked one of her ears. "Your ears," he said simply. She put a hand over one of them but didn't comment.

"You want to come with me don't you?" he questioned.

She nodded slowly. "Ever since everyone in my village died I have been alone," she said, not looking at him. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

"If you want to come with me you can," he offered, looking away. "I don't care."

She looked at him. He heard her purring. Is she happy with me?

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "Only if you don't mind," she said in his ear.

"I said I didn't," he said a little shocked at her kiss.

"I will," she said. "I might be able to help you find your friends too."

He smiled at her, a small almost indistinguishable smile. "Okay."

He took her hand. They walked deep into the forest together.

A/N

Man that chapter is loooooong! Just to let you know this isn't the last chaper. I have one left then it's over and I'll be so happy! I should have finished this a long time go. It's so crappy. I must have ben high or something.,.. (No I don't do drugs)