Chapter Three: Shortened Vacation

"We have to go," Kagome muttered to herself, not hearing their question. Without wasting another breath, she clambered to her feet and began to search the crystal dust. Spying her flashlight, she hurried over and picked it up, her trembling hand steadying once she had it.

"What's going on, Kagome?" Mama asked, watching her scramble.

"We have to go," she repeated.

"Why? Who is he?"

"We have to go."

Reaching out with a gentle hand, she took her by the arm. "Who is he?"

Her expression startlingly blank. "He's Sesshoumaru."

Mama shook her head, perplexed. "But who is that? I don't know who Sesshoumaru is."

Kagome blinked, jarred back into the moment. Swallowing, she tried to think of an explanation, but instead crafted perhaps one of the biggest understatements of her life. "He's Inuyasha's half-brother."

"Oh," Mama sighed and finished with a smile, "That doesn't sound bad. Inuyasha was a nice boy."

"He's his full-demon half-brother, mama," she explained. "He's not a hanyou and he's definitely not nice. We have to go." Tugging at her hand, Kagome tried to pull her mother away as she attempted to escape back to the tunnel.

Mama held fast. "If he's Inuyasha's brother, then he's family. We can't leave him like this."

"You don't understand. Sesshoumaru is dangerous. He's probably been sealed here for a reason."

"Wasn't Inuyasha sealed to Goshinboku for a reason too?"

"That was different-"

"Look at him," Mama interrupted softly. "Really look at him."

"But…" Kagome began, her argument dying. Prey to a reassuring smile, she finally relented and gazed up at the pinned daiyoukai. Pale like fine marble, again he reminded her of a statue. Lines of sinewy muscle carved his masculine frame with the kind of perfection that would make any sculptor weep. And as she poured over him, she felt an unmistakable force draw her in. Stripped of his armor and clothing and exposed to the elements, a strange sensation of vulnerability struck her. A quality she wouldn't have ever associated with him. He was powerless.

She relaxed and her mother's hand fell away. At the center of his chest was the scar of a spider, its body stabbed through mirroring his. Drawn to it, she climbed back onto the platform. Again, her hands began to tremble, but she ignored it as she reached out to touch his chest. Tracing the spider with her finger, it had a rough feel, reminding her of a scar or a brand.

Then her hands slipped through his hair to seek his face. Finding his jaw again, she cradled it on either side and lifted. Silvery strands fell away, revealing the face that had ushered thousands to their deaths. But the terror that tightened in her chest melted away as she continued to stare at that same face. His markings, striking and exotic in her memories, had faded away, leaving him plain. Sunken and empty, this wasn't the face of a ruthless youkai lord, but of a man broken deep down to his soul.

"We have to get him down," she said, looking back at her family.

Mama nodded.

Taking a small step back, she began to scan his body, searching for an easy means to free him, but it soon became clear that there was only one way. Her eyes settled on the rusted sword.

"The sword's the only thing holding him in place. I think if we pull it out, he'll be free."

Met with agreeing nods, she let his head droop back down. Moving to the side, she reached up and grasped the sword's hilt. The ancient silk woven around it turned to powder in her hands, but her grip remained solid. With a deep breath, she summoned every ounce of her strength, starting a mental countdown. And when it reached zero, she pulled. Straining as if she were moving a mountain, she struggled to pull out the sword. Frustrated by the poor angle, expletives spilled from her.

"Kagome, do you need some help?" Mama asked, taking a step forward.

"I got it," she ground out, and she sputtered a laugh of relief, "I can feel it moving!"

With a bright ring, the sword snapped off at the hilt. Caught by surprise, Kagome stumbled a few steps to the side before regaining her balance. Her chest heaving and her cheeks flush, she looked down, staring at the hilt in her hands in disbelief. Jagged where it broke, she fingered the end of the blade, flaking off crumbs of the brittle steel. "Damn it."

"Kagome?"

"Yeah, mama."

"Rather than pulling it out, maybe if we break off the sword closer to him. Then we can just lift him off it."

Kagome paused, considering her point. "That might work."

Mama let her backpack drop onto the ground before climbing onto the platform to stand beside her.

"Be careful. The edges are still sharp."

She nodded. Opening her hands, she placed her palms against the flat side of the blade.

Kagome did the same, and together they began to push. Their efforts were slow and steady as they tried to avoid making his chest wound bigger. Soon the sword started to bend, and then with another sharp ring, it snapped again. Clattering as it struck the platform, the piece bounced away to land in the dust.

Smiling, the two women looked at each other and then at Sesshoumaru. Leaning in close, Mama peered into his wound before prodding it with her finger.

"I can feel where it broke off," she said, her fingernail tapping.

"It's not that far. We could just slide him off."

They exchanged agreeing looks, and then they each took a side, sliding their shoulders under his armpits for support.

"Are you ready?" Mama asked.

"Yeah."

"Lift."

Bracing themselves under him, they began to slide the him forward. Heavier than they expected, they grunted in amazement when he was finally freed, the weight of his body buckling their knees. As gently as possible, they let him collapse onto the platform. Once he was down, the women straightened up and looked at each other, grinning over their achievement.

"You both know that he's lying on his face, right?" Souta said dryly. "How's he supposed to breathe?"

Dread flashing over their faces, they knelt quickly to turn him over onto his back. Pale and lifeless where he lay, he looked no different than he did on the pillar.

"I hope he isn't dead," Mama said as she rubbed his cold cheek with her hand. "Was Inuyasha like this when you unsealed him?"

"No," Kagome replied, shaking her head, "He woke up right away and grouchy too."

Moving in close, Kagome bent over him until her ear hovered just above his mouth and nose. Her gaze fell to his chest, and in the deafening silence of the cave, she listened and watched. Time seemed to unravel as she waited with every passing second lasting longer than the last. Then she laughed as she saw the slight heave of his chest rising.

"He's breathing!" she announced, but her smile sobered when she noticed tiny bumps of gooseflesh spreading across his skin. "He's cold. We have to warm him up."

Slinging his backpack from his shoulders, Souta set it down onto the ground. After unzipping it, he began to rummage through it. Big and plush, he pulled out a blanket.

Mama looked at the deflated backpack and laughed. "I wondered why your bag was so big."

Souta shrugged as he walked towards them. "I thought we were going to have a picnic."

"Wait," Kagome told him, and she looked at her mother. "Do you have a coat in you backpack?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Souta, go get the coat, please."

"Why?"

"We need to save the blanket for the stretcher."

"Oh, that's right," Mama said. "He can't walk on his own."

Digging it out fast, Souta brought his sister the wool coat.

"I need both of you to go out and find two long sticks that we can use as poles to carry him," Kagome asked. "They have to be straight and without any little branches on them. I'll stay back and watch him."

"All right. We'll be back as soon as we can. You'll be fine until then?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

Flicking their flashlights on, Mama and Souta hurried toward the tunnel.

Still sitting on her knees, Kagome watched them vanish into the darkness. Alone now, her attention fell to Sesshoumaru and she unfolded the heavy coat. Familiar with what it took to care for wounded comrades, she pulled him onto his right side and slipped his arm through the sleeve. Making sure it was tight against his shoulder; she tucked the rest of the coat under his back. Then she pushed him away, rolling him onto his other side so that she could sleeve his left arm.

When she was finished, she returned him to his back. Looking him over, she pursed her lips with dissatisfaction. Barely covering his chest, her mother's coat was a snug fit, but he needed something more. She climbed to her feet and sought her old, yellow backpack. Finding her jacket at the bottom of the largest pocket, she pulled out it and returned to his side. Laying it over his hips, she rolled him like before so that she could tie the sleeves around his waist.

Pleased now, she sat back onto her bottom and sighed. She felt better now that he was covered. It didn't seem right for a lord to be exposed like that, for him to be so defenseless. Her eyes drifted to his placid expression and her earlier fears returned. He wouldn't be this peaceful forever. He would wake up eventually, leaving her to wonder what he'll do when he does. Will he be dangerous? Will he kill people? Will she have to purify him?

She tucked her knees up to her chest and rested her arms over them. The future weighed on her mind as she imagined the worst and what she might have to do to stop it. Perhaps she should have left him pinned to the pillar to spend an eternity in slumber.

"Kagome!" Mama called out cheerfully, a long tree branch balanced on her shoulder. "We're back!"

Behind her, Souta trudged along, dragging his through the crystal dust.

Looking somber, Kagome stood up to greet them.

"Did something happen? Is he worse?"

"No, he's fine," she assured, smiling meekly. "At least, he's the same as he was."

"Oh. Well, we found some straight branches. Do you think they'll work?"

"I hope so." She climbed down from the platform and picked up the blanket. With a shake, it unfolded, and she laid it out on the ground, thankful that Souta brought such a big one. "Lay the poles parallel to each other on the blanket."

Once they set them down how she asked, Kagome rolled them across almost to the hemline of the blanket and adjusted the distance between them so that they were just a bit wider than Sesshoumaru's shoulders. With the pole ends sticking out just beyond the top and bottom edges of the blanket, she was pleased enough to begin. Taking the excess she had left on one side, she laid it across the poles until it barely reached beyond the furthest one, and then she tucked it under. Careful not to disturb them, she grabbed the rest of the blanket and folded it over in the other direction. Catching on, Mama picked up the furthest corner and helped keep it straight.

"What's next?" she asked.

Kagome hummed, casting about until she spied Souta, "Come here. We're going to need your help." She looked back at her mother. "Mama, you're going to have to pick up that end while I pick up this side. When we do, Souta, you'll have to pull the extra blanket under the stretcher so that we can keep wrapping it around."

"All right," he agreed.

"Ready, mama?"

"Yes."

Together, the women picked up the stretcher, careful not to dislodge the placement of the poles or the folds. Crouching low, Souta slipped under the stretcher and gathered up the excess fabric. Next, he pulled it across; making sure it was even and tight before he stood up again.

"Good job. Now layer it over the top again and keep going around until there's no more blanket left."

"Got it," he said and laughed. "It's sort of like folding a letter."

"It is," Mama added. "Where did you learn how to make a stretcher? Was it from your friends from the past?"

Kagome shook her head. "I read it in one of the survival books you got me."

Mama smiled, her eyes glossing.

"Sesshoumaru's weight ought to keep it together while we carry him, but we have to be careful not to let it come apart beforehand and to take it slow when he's in it."

With Kagome leading the way, they carried the stretcher to the platform and set it down beside the daiyoukai, making sure it was aligned with his body.

"I'll take the shoulders," Mama said as she crouched down by his head, "You take the feet."

She nodded and grabbed him just above the ankles. "Now?"

"Now."

Grunting, they both lifted and then sidestepped. When they were certain that he was centered, they set him down onto the stretcher.

"It's our moment of truth," Kagome said, taking her two pole ends with her mother following suit with her own.

After a deep breath and a ready word, they hoisted him up. Heavy but sturdy, the stretcher held, and the women headed down the platform, walking slowly toward the tunnel.

"Souta, please carry our bags, would you?"

"Yes, mama."

Soon they were surrounded by darkness with Souta and his flashlight leading the way. Though it was hard going, neither Mama nor Kagome felt the need to complain. After all, heroes never complain about what had to be done. After a while, sunlight filtered into the black, guiding them to where they had crawled in. They dragged Sesshoumaru through the hole, and once they were out, they patiently rewrapped the stretcher.

Beyond the tattered treetops, the sun retreated to the horizon, dyeing the sky in rich hues as the day faded into night. Having to take frequent breaks to rest and drink, their hike down the mountain was slow, and they soon gave up any hope of reaching the hotel before it was dark. As he had done in the cave, Souta led the way with his flashlight. Behind him, the exhausted women dragged their feet, their eyes bleary and their arms numb. Then at long last, the amber glow of streetlamps peeked through the trees.

"We're almost there," Kagome blurted out, stumbling as she tried to walk faster.

"I want a hot shower," Mama murmured next.

"So, do I," Souta agreed, "But I'll let you go first when we get back to the room."

"That's why you're my favorite son."

"I'm your only son."

"Wait," Kagome interrupted.

"What?" Souta asked.

"We can't go back to the hotel."

"What? Why?"

"We can't take him there. We have to go home right away."

Reaching the embankment beside the road, the others stopped where they were, shocked and confused.

"What do you mean we can't go back to the room?" Souta whimpered. "You don't make any sense. We can't go back to our house right now. We rode a bus to get here."

"Then we have to rent a car. They're still open."

"Just explain to us why, Kagome," Mama asked.

"Humans and youkai don't get along. There were quite a few times we were chased out of a village just over Inuyasha's ears let alone over Shippou or Kirara."

"But that was the past."

"Exactly and now it's the present and who knows how people might react. It could be worse than dirty looks and a few curse words."

They looked at her, hurt as if she had just eaten the last manjuu.

With a sigh, her mother conceded. "You're right. Souta and I will go check out of the hotel and get the car. We should have just enough. We'll be back soon."

The women set the stretcher down in the grass. Then with a drooping Souta in tow, Mama crossed the street, heading towards the hotel. Alone again, Kagome sat beside Sesshoumaru. Every so often, she reached over, letting the back of her fingers graze his cheek. He felt warm and she smiled. Once she let her touch glide to his neck where his heartbeat thrummed, indisputable proof that he was alive.

Headlights flashed over the road, followed by the pebbly sound of tires rolling over gravel. The car veered close, pulling up onto the shoulder before coming to a stop. Opening their doors, Mama and Souta got out.

"Open up the back doors," Mama told her son as she walked down the embankment. She looked at Kagome. "Are we ready?"

"Yeah."

Each taking a side, they picked up the stretcher and hauled it up to the car, the long rest in between making their efforts harder than before. Over the bench seat, they dragged him, bending his legs to make him fit into the cramped sedan.

"Should we save the poles?" Kagome asked as she pulled them out.

"There's nowhere to put them and we have plenty of brooms at home."

Nodding, she tossed them away.

"Souta, go sit up front," Mama ordered, and then she addressed Kagome. "You'll have to sit in the back with him. It's a long drive and you'll have to make sure he makes it all right."

"Okay," she replied and climbed in. Leaning over the back of the front seat, Souta watched as she lifted up Sesshoumaru's head and slid her lap underneath him. He had so much hair and she gathered up as much as she could to keep from sitting on it.

Finishing her walk around the car to make sure the doors were shut and that nothing was forgotten, Mama finally got in.

"Souta, sit down and put on your seatbelt please," she ordered. Once she heard the click of the belt, she shifted the car into gear, and they slowly began to accelerate down the road.

Whizzing by, light from the streetlamps filled the car, offering Kagome glimpses of the sleeping face in her lap. With each flash, an unsettling feeling sunk deeper into the pit of her stomach, a mix of fear and uncertainty over what the next few days would bring.