Only Human Chapter 25: Healing Hands, an inuyasha fanfic

A/N: When it gets tough, keep reading. You need to trust me... but don't trust me too much.

They stopped when they finally made it to the river's edge. Inuyasha wasted no time transferring the young woman he was carrying into his brother's waiting arms, and the symbolism wasn't lost on any of them. Kagome was dressed in the hanyou's fire rat robe, and that was how it was going to stay. He insisted she keep it while he was gone, because it felt less like he was abandoning her if he left a piece of himself behind.

His clothing was resistant to fire, but water as well. It would have dried instantly if he'd swam across in it, but he wanted to leave it for her in case it rained tonight. The white juban he always wore underneath was not so well crafted, so he took a moment to remove it as well, and held it out to Kagome. But she was just as resistant accepting that shirt as the one she currently wore. She didn't like the idea of him running around topless with nothing to protect him.

"I'll be fine. I'm a hanyou remember." After the kidnapping, he seemed inclined to remind her. "Besides, it's just gonna get wet anyway. What good'll it do me?"

She couldn't argue with that, but she didn't get the chance anyway. He balled up the clothing and dunked it right in her lap, adding to Sesshoumaru's bundle slightly.

While the brothers exchanged words about his solo mission going forward, Kagome worriedly eyed the raging river before them. She didn't like him doing this. It was too wide, and the water was rushing too fast to ensure his safety. Not to mention, there was a modest waterfall downstream much closer than she was comfortable with. She knew he was hanyou, and therefor much stronger than your average man. But he also had a tendency to jump into trouble that was slightly out of his league. But she didn't mention it. He needed her support right now. It wasn't like they had any other options.

"Can't forget about this." When she felt Sesshoumaru tense around her, she tore her worrying eyes away from the rapids to see what was going on. The sight of Inuyasha removing his sword and holding it out expectantly to his brother quickly answered her question. Then, she tensed too.

"But you need it," she reminded him, somewhat relieved that Sesshoumaru made no move to accept his generous offer. "What if there's danger over there?"

"What if there's danger right here?" he countered, not withdrawing his arm. "I still got my claws, but you two are sitting ducks." He turned to address his brother directly, leaving Kagome out of the conversation. "It's my job to protect her. This is how I can do it while I'm away. If any demons come, I need you to take them out with this."

Sesshoumaru seemed to be considering it, but he still had yet to reach for the sword. Seeing him waver, Inuyasha turned back to the miko in his arms. "It ain't like I can swim with it. It'll probably fall out of my obi, and then it's at the bottom of that river. And I for one ain't diving down there to look for it."

He made a damn good argument, but the couple still looked at him pensively. There was just one more little problem with his plan.

"What about your demon side? If you're away from it too long, you'll break your seal." Thinking about him losing himself again was almost too much for Kagome to handle. That was why the grin he flashed her bordered on annoying.

"Guess that's extra incentive to get back quickly, ain't it?" Kagome frowned, but the hanyou was done arguing. His mind had long been made up.

"It ain't up for debate. Either you take the sword, or I ain't leaving, simple as that."

And that was really that. He had the upper hand here, and he knew it. Seeing he had his hands full, Inuyasha placed Tetsusaiga gently in Kagome's lap, and she finally took hold of the weapon. With that settled, he was all ready to go.

"Once you are across, the journey will be simple," Sesshoumaru said reassuringly, instead of drawing more attention to his brother's symbolic gesture. "I do not see why you should not return tomorrow by mid-day, assuming you secure a boat quickly."

"Keh, I'm sure the houshi already has a woman with a boat, and shelter waiting for us when we get there." None were willing to voice concerns that the others might not be in the village.

"Alright, enough stallin'. It's time for me to go." He took them in one last time, and made meaningful eye contact with his half-brother.

"Protect her." That was an order. "And yourself." That was too. The determined nod he received was all the affirmation he needed, so he turned to Kagome next.

He leaned down to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek, but it wasn't until he whispered something lowly in her ear that she finally deigned to blush. Sesshoumaru couldn't hear what it was, but her reaction had him aching to know... and more jealous than he'd ever admit aloud.

And then Inuyasha was off. An impressively long leap got him somewhere near the middle of the river, but the current was faster and stronger than he'd anticipated. Without a moment to get warmed up, he was instantly rushed downstream as he tried to kick his way over to the other side.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome immediately called, her worst fears coming true as he was swept closer to the steep waterfall that awaited. He was aware of his plight, so he spent some effort paddling his way back upstream while at the same time trying to get himself over. The method had him kind of stuck in place; going against the current and not making any progress.

She saw him struggling, and got scared. Sesshoumaru felt her whole body clench, and then instinctively wiggle to get free. With her bum knee, he didn't know where she planned to go. He held her firm.

But when Inuyasha suddenly disappeared beneath the surface, and did not instantly pop back up, she began to panic.

"We have to go down there!" she pleaded, but there wasn't much they could do. Her irrational mind simply told her to get closer to him. They'd figure the rest out later. But Sesshoumaru did not comply. When she started to struggle in his arms again, he squeezed her, and lowered his mouth to her ear.

"He is strong. Trust him." She instantly stilled at his simple command. He was right.

She had faith in Inuyasha, he knew she did. He knew what he was doing. He was going to be fine.

That was the mantra she repeated in her head over and over as she waited on pins and needles for him to reemerge.

'He is hanyou,' she reminded herself. 'He can hold his breath much longer than any man.'

Then, as she managed to calm her breathing, she saw a soggy silver head pop up a ways down the river, but very close to the other side. From there, the current became less forceful, and it was an easy swim to the shore. He'd made it.

She exhaled deeply, relief washing over her as she witnessed her friend crawling up the rocks and collapsing on his hands and knees. It was hard to see from the distance, but it looked like he was retching up water. It was followed by a familiar dog-like shake, and he rid his body of any excess moisture he had collected. The result left his hair a wild mess, but all in all, he looked fine.

He confirmed it by offering them an exaggerated wave, followed by a thumbs up as high as he could hold it. Sesshoumaru's hands were full, so Kagome waved extra hard for the both of them, and threw in a winning smile to boot.

Then, they watched as he assessed the land behind him, and took off as fast as he could go. It wasn't long before he was a red dot in the distance, and then nothing.

Out of sight, but not out of mind, Kagome turned her focus to the stoic man holding her with unconcealed concern. He knew she was worried, but it would do no good to dwell on it. He vowed to try and distract her as well as he could until the whelp returned for them tomorrow.

"Come. We must elevate your knee. It is beginning to swell again."

Sesshoumaru set Kagome up as comfortably as he could manage at a small open clearing off the river bank. The soft patch of grass was surrounded by trees, and just inside the edge of the forest at the mountain's base. He cleared everything out of the way that would make it unpleasant for sitting, or sleeping on later, and designated a spot in the middle where their fire would burn throughout the evening.

He gathered enough material to keep the flame roaring indefinitely, and even happened upon a bush that hosted delicious - but more importantly, non-toxic - berries for them to snack on. Kagome was happily doing just that, and with her leg lowered back down from its elevated position, she put her busy hands to work whittling Sesshoumaru a stick.

She'd wanted to start the fire; it was the least she could do after he collected all that wood for them. But he refused, telling her to rest her busted leg while he easily got it going. He was slightly amused when she pouted, and grabbed the sword he'd stolen from Juzo. With it, she began carving one of the nearby fallen branches into some kind of a weapon.

At first, he thought she might have intentions of raising it to him. But finally, he got her to admit she was crafting him a spear. Unless they wanted to eat berries for dinner, the only way they were going to enjoy a meal was if they managed to catch a fish. Swords would only slice through them, so she decided a spear was the way to go. And since she most likely was not going to be the one to catch it, she wanted to do her part. It also didn't hurt that the task kept her idle hands busy, and her bored mind occupied.

It started out as a simple enough task. But the longer she worked on it, the more invested she became. Every time she was almost done, she thought of one more thing that would make it just a little bit better. In the end, she had carved him a very handsome tool, shaved and smoothed with a grip and a handle, and not one, but three sharp prongs protruding from end like a trident.

Finally pleased, she announced its completion and held it up to him for inspection.

"All finished! Here you go!"

He immediately popped up and crossed over to her. He enjoyed the dazzling smile she flashed him, obviously very proud and expectant of kudos.

He wore a small smirk as he snatched the stick from her, and she preened when he made a show of scouring it over with his discriminating eye.

"Hn. A brilliantly forged weapon," he finally deigned. She squirmed in excitement while he held it up to his eye, and closed the other to look down the length of it. "Beautiful toolmarks. Perfectly reinforced."
He continued to gush and shamelessly pander as he held it in his grip and took a couple practice stabs. "Tailor-made for my very hand. Impressive." She knew he was hamming it up, but she still enjoyed his praise. She highly doubted Totosai had ever experienced such a reception at the conclusion of his commissions.

"What do I owe as payment for a fine spear such as this?"

She wore a huge grin as she considered his question, and he eagerly awaited to hear what the young woman would come up with.

"Hmm. For you? I could let it go for... 5 million coins."

"A pittance," he scoffed dismissively, and she wondered if that really was nothing to him, or if he was just exaggerating. He played it so straight, she honestly couldn't say.

"Tell me, is it my good looks for which you offer such a gracious discount, or my charm?"

His eyes twinkled with amusement as her grin grew even wider. They fed off each other this way, until it just bordered on ridiculous. But they were stranded in the middle of nowhere, with no one else around for miles and nothing but time to kill. They were well within their rights to let go of sanity just a tad.

"Neither. It is for fear that the Lord of the West may be displeased with me and burn my modest arsenal to the ground."

"Ah, understandable." He nodded and looked back down at the weapon in his hand. She couldn't contain her giggling as he did, and he relished it. "However, I cannot in good conscious offer anything less than a fair sum to the poor, pathetic, destitute weaponry dealer of the village. Not with the unfortunate family she has to support."

"Oh really?" she laughed, very much enjoying this new game. "Tell me about my family."

He smirked as he lowered his eyes, and she knew she was in for it.

"Well, there is her husband," he began, running his hands along the smooth wood and testing the sharp ends with his fingertip. "Nice enough fellow, but not incredibly bright. Lost a leg attempting to step over a dragon, and an eye as well."

"He lost an eye to the dragon?" she asked suspiciously, and he shook his head.

"No. The eye was taken to satisfy his gambling debts. It's why he didn't see the dragon."

"Lovely," she complained. "Sound like a real winner I picked there."

"Indeed. Lucky for him, your compassion overrides any superficial judgments, though it may explain why you are so inclined to give handsome young lords a discount in your shop."

She was going to contest what he considered 'young,' but the way he was smiling at her kept her snarky retorts in check.

"Anyone else?" she asked sweetly instead. He straightened, and attempted to regain his serious air.

"Your three children, of course."

"Three?" she asked incredulously. "Guess the one-legged gambler has got a pretty solid game." Sesshoumaru nodded in agreement.

"He is virile." He caught himself off guard with that one, and broke into a smile again.

She decided that he was having entirely too much fun with this, and was starting to regret encouraging him.

"At least he's got that going for him," she muttered. "Are my poor kids ugly too?"

"Fortunately, they inherited their looks from their mother," he offered sweetly, but she knew when she was being lured in. "But unfortunately, they take after their father in wits. Too dull to employ, they will likely rely upon your kindness to your death."

He didn't seem very sympathetic to her plight, so she scrunched her face in displeasure.

"Man, that's a pretty bleak picture you paint."

"Indeed," he agreed with a shrug, and pretended to hand her back the spear. "It is why I cannot accept your generous discount."

She turned her nose up at his supposed rejection, and turned from him with her arms crossed.

"Well, I'm afraid your money's no good here."

She could feel it when he knelt beside her in one swift, fluid motion, and was not prepared for the sudden flip her stomach took at his proximity. It only got worse when his voice lowered an octave.

"There must be something I can give you."

Her eyes widened a fraction, but she quickly schooled them back into place. She knew he was having fun with her. He knew the reaction she would have. Well, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. She could get him just as off-kilter as he could get her.

She turned to him, and confirmed he was incredibly close. She attempted to look coy, and he was immediately suspicious.

"There is something I desperately need, that you would perhaps be willing to give me."

He lifted an eyebrow at the way she was obviously trying to bait him. But he was no fool. If she wanted to play, he was more than willing to indulge her.

"Protection?" he asked innocently, but she shook her head.

"No. I'm a weaponry dealer, remember?" She did her best to try and make him uncomfortable with her eyes, and when she failed, she put her palm against his chest and stroked up and down. "But there is something I want, if you would be so kind. Something that you might be willing to put inside me..."

He looked down to where she touched him. It wasn't that he didn't completely enjoy the attention, or the fantasy she'd concocted. He just knew this woman well, and unfortunately, she was not going to make it as easy as all that.

He thought for a moment, and tried not to let her drive him too wild.

"Fish?" he ventured, wondering if he'd gotten it. Her answering smile told him he had.

"You're good at this game. Catch me a big one and we'll call it even."

He smiled to himself, not too disappointed, because he was not at all taken by the mislead.

"It will be done," he assured her confidently, and took his new spear out for a test drive.

It couldn't have been twenty minutes when he returned. She had no way of knowing, since her watch broke falling in that stupid hole. But just when she was starting to get bored, and wondering what to do with herself until her entertainment got back, there he was.

He'd stripped himself of his borrowed shirt before getting into the river. And even though his pants were basically waterproof, he'd still synched them up to his knees for wading in the shallow end. Boots had been removed, of course, leaving him looking like some sort of castaway on some deserted beach. Except instead of a sexy tropical island, they were stuck camping in the cold. Still, she was not complaining about the view as the well-cut shirtless man approached her with the biggest fish she'd ever seen.

"Look at that!" She marveled at his catch, which he held up proudly by the gills. Trident in other hand, this fish was easily a third his body length.

She wanted to get up and appraise it, but with her injury, she was kind of stuck sitting on her butt. So, she patiently waited for him to approach her, and tried to relay her approval from where she sat.

"Yes, it was a grueling hunt, wrought with much peril," he bemoaned dramatically. "But in the end, her quick was no match for my cunning." Apparently, he was still in the mood for over the top, braggadocios theatrics. It was a nice change from his low key, subtle yet still incredibly annoying narcissism, so she decided to go with it.

"Come then," she beckoned warmly with a welcoming gesture. "Regale me with the story of your epic hunt while I scale and gut her for you."

He smiled down at her in admiration. She still wanted to do her part. He knew it killed her to be a burden on others. She was, at the moment, but he found he enjoyed this burden. He might even prefer it. He liked waiting on her; taking care of her. He didn't know if the independent woman would ever give him another chance to.

"Such tales are better left on the battlefield. I should not like to give you nightmares with the gory details of my vicious attack."

With that, he took the large fish to the other side of the fire – far out of her reach – and proceeded to clean it himself with his stolen sword. She seemed disappointed, and could only watch on helplessly as he took yet another task for himself. But, aware of her turmoil, he sought to distract her again with more foolish roleplay.

"I am afraid, however, that the effort expended capturing a fish of this size is far too much payment, even for a quality spear such as this."

As he tore open the gut and pulled out the innards, he spared her a glance just long enough to see her excited approval. He so rarely played around, and he knew she liked to see this side of him. With no other witnesses, it was the perfect time to indulge her.

"Oh, great Lord of the West!" she beseeched, and it took him a little off guard how the way she used his title like that affected him. "I am but a poor, simple spearsmith. What could I possibly give you that you do not already have?" Then she gasped, and pretended to be horrified. "Not my first born!"

"Your dimwitted children are of no use to me," he mocked coldly, earning an indignant scoff for his assessment. "However, you do possess something I very much want. Something every woman has to give, should she be so inclined."

Recognizing the tease from earlier, she was eager to see what he had in mind. Though she couldn't deny the insinuation – and the suggestive way he inflected – had her mind reeling with possibilities she was certain he didn't mean. Or did he?

"Oh? Something of value?" she asked coyly, but the intent way he was looking at her caused her mind to blank.

"Yes. The most precious gift you could ever bestow."

He had a predator's eyes, even now. She could practically seem them glowing red in the dark; stalking his prey. Waiting patiently beyond his trap. He was still in there...

"What's that?" she breathed more than spoke. But when he answered, the was not a hint of amusement or mockery in his tone.

"Your loyalty."

She faltered. It was not the answer she was expecting. And why did he sound so serious?

"What?"

"I would have you pledge your loyalty forever to the Western Lands. To the lord that rules them, and the house he represents."

She still couldn't tell if he was joking. She decided it didn't matter if he was. It wasn't like he would hold her to it. Then again, it wasn't like she didn't mean it.

"I do," she finally offered with a smile, hoping that would satisfy him.

"You do what?" She was relieved when that hint of amusement returned to his tone, and his eyes. He was still frighteningly intense, though.

But with a flippant smile, she raised her right hand as if swearing in court, and offered him a little propriety.

"I, Kagome Higurashi, the Shikon Miko, hereby pledge my undying loyalty to the Western Lands, it's lord, and the house that rules them, denouncing all others for all eternity. Happy?"

Thoroughly amused now, he raised a suspicious eyebrow at her, and tested the bounds of her claim.

"Hn. What of your responsibilities a shrine priestess? Surely the purity you swore to uphold cannot withstand all I require of you?"

She knew he was trying to shake her again, but she was still willing to play. She gave him a little more.

"I hereby abandon my oath of purity, so that I may continue serve the Western Lord in any capacity he deems fit without fear of hypocrisy or reprimand."

Forgetting himself, he pushed his grilling a little farther still.

"You would shirk your duties to my brother and to your homeland, to come to the West and serve This One?"

He tensed over his fish immediately.

That was too far. As soon as he said it, he knew he fucked up. In an instant, the fun atmosphere was killed, and both recoiled into the depressing reality they lived in.

Because he knew she wanted to come with him. At least, she thought she did. And he wanted her to come with him. Right now he did, anyway. But it was never going to happen. He cursed himself. She was only just getting over that troubling fact, but it was too soon. He could see on her face the wound he'd just scratched open, and he couldn't think of what to say to make it better.

He settled on saying nothing, and she seemed okay with that. He finished prepping the fish in silence, and that was how he cooked it, and how they ate.

"Not really the hunting trip we planned, is it?"

He was relieved when she finally broke the tense silence, and that how she did it was somewhat cordial.

He was trying to think of something to say, but just then, he'd shifted to cross his legs, and the grunt of pain he'd released while doing so caught the astute young woman's attention instantly.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern. When he didn't make eye contact, she became even more worried.

"Fine," he insisted. But he actually grimaced. He was throwing up all sorts of red flags. She raked her eyes over him meticulously, studying him intently.

"But you... oh my god, your leg! I completely forgot! How is it? Are you hurting?"

She was instantly mortified that she hadn't given one thought to his stab wound since it happened. What kind of pack mate was she? He had been attentive to her injury to the point of almost being overbearing, and she hadn't even thought of him at all. She was disgusted with herself.

"Nothing compared to yours. I will endure," he assured her, but she wasn't buying it. Now that it had been brought to her attention, she was going to have to make a fuss.

"Yeah, but I didn't carry both of us all day. Kami, you must in agony." It would have been sucky enough to walk around with a knife wound in his thigh, but he was dragging around her dead weight with him every step of the way. And even when he'd been able to set her down, he was busy making sure they had everything they needed.

"I am not as fragile as you seem to think." His admonishment was offered with a tinge of amusement, but she could detect that he had taken a bit of offense.

"Let me see," she demanded firmly. The look he gave her suggested she check her authority.

"Come on, I need to see if it's infected. That knife did not look sanitary."

He knew he wouldn't hear the end of it. When she was stuck on something, the woman became insufferable. Deciding to save himself a few hours of torment – and perhaps make up for his unfortunate comment before dinner – he resignedly got up and crossed to her side of the fire to sit beside her.

When he began to work the ties of his pants, she flushed a little. The cut had been made on his inner thigh, but she really wasn't sure how much she was about to see. She wondered if he was wearing undergarments right now, but realized quick she wouldn't be wondering for long.

He didn't look uncomfortable as he shimmied his hakama down past his hips to about mid-thigh. He was wearing a fundoshi, and she settled on being relieved for that. It was short lived, however, when high up on his inner right thigh was a large, angry slice through his skin.

It was maybe two inches south of his underwear, which she supposed could be counted as a blessing. A little to the left would have been a much more devastating injury. But it was gaping, and swollen, and the redness told her it would get worse before it got better.

"Sesshoumaru! Just a scratch, my ass! That's really deep."

She had a feeling he had been downplaying it, but this was worse than she expected.

"It is not-"

"For a human, that's deep," she informed him. "And dangerous. And, it's getting infected. Didn't you learn anything from your scuffle with the tiger clan? It's all red and puffy. Why didn't you say anything?"

Through with show and tell, he pulled his pants back up petulantly, and began redoing the ties.

"What could have been done about it? You do not have your supplies."

"No, but we followed a clear stream all the way down here. We could have been washing it out. In fact, go do that right now."

He tried to keep his annoyance at bay. He knew she was only concerned for his safety, but he was not used to being ordered about. When it came to helping with chores and such it was certainly one thing, but in regards to his own person, it was another. He would not be told how to handle his own body.

"I will do it later."

"No! Do it-"

"I will do it later. Miko."

She heard his displeasure, and his finality. She knew she'd lost this round. But he was just being fussy. She would get him once he was in a good mood again. She relented.

"Fine. I'll go with you and make sure the water is nice and clean."

At least she had that going for them. She might not have ointments and pills, but they would always have sterile water.

"Could you not simply purify the wound?"

"What?" she asked, and turned just in time to see him finishing with his pants and reaching to put his shirt back on. He continued to answer, as he did though, he seemed to only be paying half attention.

"As opposed to troubling yourself with the water. You can purify a demon's flesh. What of a human's?"

She considered his question a moment, and wondered if he might be onto something. She only knew she couldn't harm a mortal with her purity. But could she heal one?

She was aware that powerful mikos like Kikyo had healing capabilities, but it took years of training to get to that point. All she had was un-honed, albeit natural born abilities.

"My reiki considers a demon's flesh as tainted, so it purifies it. Maybe the foreign bacteria in your cut works the same way. It's worth a try."

The hopeful way she was looking at him had him regretting his ill-conceived question. He did something he wasn't sure he'd ever done before. He backpedaled.

"I was not insinuating you actually purify me. It was simply speculation, for curiosity's sake."

He tried to act dismissive, and nonchalant at the notion. But under the surface, he was nervous. He knew that look in her eye, and what it meant.

"Well, I want to try it for more than curiosity's sake. I want to see if I can heal you. You're not scared, are you?"

He scoffed, but hated how observant she was becoming in regards to him.

"Ridiculous."

He wasn't scared, of course. Just... operating with a healthy dose of caution. He still had a demon's soul, and every instinct in his body told him to avoid her power at all costs. He was only just getting comfortable being so near when she released it. He could handle her purified water, but a straight shot of her purity to his body was more than unsettling.

It would be a death sentence for him in his previous form. Even if he survived it now – which he was only 90% certain he would – it would not do well to become complacent.

"Sesshoumaru, you aren't a demon anymore. It isn't going to hurt you."

"I know that," he only 10% lied. "I simply... do not wish you to trouble yourself."

"It's no trouble at all," she informed him tauntingly. "But if you're scared..."

He scowled then. But even in his attempt at intimidation, he knew she had him.

"You are baiting me."

"I am. Is it working?"

And she knew it too. That's when she was at her most insufferable.

He had no choice but to give in.

With a sigh, he finally relented.

"Where do you want me?"

She was smiling again, and it was almost worth it. But not quite.

"Lay on the ground," she demanded too quickly, and too giddily. "And take off your pants."

He rose an eyebrow at that, and briefly wondered how she thought to placate him. Perhaps he should have held out longer...

"Do you trust me?" she asked, when he hesitated. He smiled mockingly, and answered mockingly, but he found he was dead serious.

"With very my life." She smiled wider at the answer as he took down his pants again, and laid on his back so she could reach him where she sat. He exuded calm, but really, he was worried.

But he also trusted her. And really, he hoped this would work. Not just for him. He knew she was capable of much more than she realized. It would please him if she were to tap into that raw power, and unleash just a piece of her potential.

She scooted beside him, dragging her crippled self near enough to reach him, and he only just registered the intimate position they were in. She blushed, and met his eyes, right before lifting her hands, and placing both of them directly onto his wound. She felt like she was using a Ouija board.

Her fingers were dangerously close to his groin, and the proximity caused the beginnings of things to stir within him. Luckily, his trepidation kept him from reacting too excitedly in her presence.

He waited anxiously as she drew her power forth. Just like putting it into an arrow, she called it to manifest in her hands. The energy would build until it was ready, and then... bam! She would let it go. But this time, she would have to order it into his flesh, instead of an inanimate object. She just hoped to the kami that she didn't hurt him.

It was starting to build in the tips of her fingers, and she focused more of it down her arms. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, because the sight of her intimidating, youkai-frying power building to a crescendo was setting his nerves on edge. But even with eyes closed, even with dulled human senses, he could feel the heat of it swirling around him. Forming above him.

She focused on his wound; tried to picture what she saw, and all the filthy things that must be inside, and imagined her light making him nice and clean again. Good as new.

Finally, when she felt she'd reached her limit, she released it into him. His breath hitched when a burst of light encompassed the clearing. Flashes of pink and white were blinding, but only for a moment. And then there was heat. Pleasant, prickly heat deep in his wound. But only for a moment.

And then, just as quickly, it was gone. It was over. Like a bolt of lightning, the power was raw, and substantial, and fleeting. A bit dumbstruck, they shook themselves off, and looked to see how she did.

What they saw on his thigh rendered both of them speechless, for several long, awestruck beats.

Minds were blank as they tried to register the enormity of what they were seeing, until finally she was able to give voice to her accomplishment.

"I healed it."

She stared down, still in shock, at the skin on his thigh that looked to never have been punctured.

She had expected to see some of the swelling reduced, maybe a scar starting to form if she was lucky. But Sesshoumaru looked like he never had dagger in his leg.

"Miko-"

"The whole thing."

He'd propped himself up on his elbows to get a better view. But though his initial reaction to her rousing success was indeed surprise, he got over it quickly to marvel at the implications.

"Miko-"

"That was amazing!" Kagome, however, remained somewhere near shock, venturing into pride. "I wasn't even trying, and-"

"Kagome!"

And, she should be proud. But there were more important things to do now. Her name from his lips startled her from her stupor, and she lifted her eyes to his at last.

"You realize what this means?" he asked hopefully, prompting her to climb aboard his train of thought. But she reached a different conclusion.

"I'm a god."

"No," he responded instantly, and confidently.

"Well, some kind of magical-"

"No," he assured her again; eager to get her there. "Miko, your knee. Simply heal your affliction as you healed mine."

Realization dawned as she interpreted his meaning, and she looked down at her leg with mounting insecurity.

"Oh. I don't know... It's not a surface wound. I can't even see it."

"So? Just do as you did with me."

But see, the thing about that was...

"I don't know what I did," she admitted a little quieter, her voice somewhat ashamed. Sesshoumaru let out a light huff in response.

"Some god."

Looking at his thigh again, she leaned forward to touch it. That tingling feeling returned to him as she caressed his new skin experimentally, and with awe. But this time, there wasn't that underlying fear to help keep him in check.

"I was focusing on purifying it, and then it was healed." It all happened so fast, she didn't know if she could replicate it.

"Then do it again," he demanded. She had to admit, this was huge. If she could get this down; if healing bodies was something she could do at will, it would make her somewhat invincible. Or at least, less destructible. Sesshoumaru seemed to catch on to this as well. He had this look in his eye, like most demons would get when a jewel shard was around. Almost...covetous.

"Perhaps it is not unlike how my youki heals me. Simply picture what you wish to happen in your mind's eye, and focus all of your energy into that location." Was that how it worked? Could her reiki work like his youki? He seemed to think so. If it was, perhaps he could help her learn to master it.

Obviously on the same page, Sesshoumaru sat up and quickly fastened his pants closed before scrambling behind her. She flushed a bit when he saddled up against her back, putting a bent knee on either side of her and pressing himself against her.

Her leg was suck out in front of her, and like he was teaching her to shoot pool, he wrapped his arms around to cover her own, and guided them to rest atop her injury.

"I want you to focus on your ligament," he began, putting his lips by her ear as he touched her arms instructively. "Picture it as it is, torn within your knee." She obliged him, now holding her arms up on her own, and trying to recall her MRI images from last time to help her envision the damaged area.

"Now I want you to envision each fiber melding back together. Focus on that area within you. Command it to be so. Command your power to flow down to the point which causes you pain, and force it to fuse together again. Control it."

His voice was in her ear, husky and mesmerizing. Combined with the way he was stroking up and down her arms made it harder to focus, so she closed her eyes.

Once again, she called her power to her fingertips, and let it build. It grew as she envisioned exactly what Sesshoumaru was telling her, and with her hands hovering above her knee, she began to feel warm prickles of light going to work inside her. At first, she couldn't tell if she was just imagining it, but now she could feel it. She was healing. Reconstructing.

"When you feel it mending, demand more," he continued, as she concentrated on her task. "Instruct it to repair, and improve even further. It is your body. It is your knee. It is your power. Make it obey you. Your will must be done; your word, heeded. Enforce the law within your form, and demand yourself. Obey yourself."

His smooth voice spoke with authority, and she tried to draw from him as she ordered her torn ligament to reform in her knee.

He was rubbing her arms more forcefully, and she couldn't tell if it was meant to show his support, or as an outlet for his own uncontainable excitement. His tone became even huskier when he pressed his lips close enough to touch her ear. But she forced herself to concentrate.

"To have it as it was before will not do. It will be better than before. Better than it had ever been. You are Kagome Higurashi, the Shikon Miko who killed Naraku, and your power must be acknowledged." As his encouragement became more intense, so did the light. So did the feeling in her knee. She could feel herself building to something.

"Not only that, but feared. Respected. It is formidable. You are formidable. Feel your power. Impose your will."

And then, just like with him, all that power in her hands exploded in a flash of pink and white. He braced himself against her, squeezing her tight in his arms as he seemed to enjoy the thrill of her purity washing over them both. No longer tainted with fear, he could finally marvel at her greatness; revel in it.

She'd felt the progress as she was rebuilding it, but Kagome still tested her knee out very cautiously. Bending slowly, and lifting with such care, as if afraid she was going to feel the acute agony of her failure.

But as her foot slid back toward her, and she found she could move her leg without any trouble or pain, her trepidation shrunk down to nothing. Smiling wide, she gave it a little rougher treatment, until finally turning her head back to confirm it.

"I did it."

Oh, he knew. He was right there. He saw with his own eyes the magnitude of her power; the immensity of her strength. He felt it. He tasted it.

He relished it.

It was so raw and untrained, but so beautifully magnificent.

To watch her wield such power, to conjure it, and bend it to her will caused his heart to race with excitement and his blood to simmer in his veins. It had an effect on his libido as well.

He wanted to test that power, and tame it, to feel it mingle with his own. He was sure she could feel his approval digging into her lower back, and he looked into her eyes with naked intent as he guided her jaw towards him.

"Indeed. You are an impressive woman. Your power is indomitable," he all but purred at her, his eyes falling to her lips as he continued to stroke her jaw.

"Your generosity, humbling. Your kindness, undeserved."

Taking her chin firmly in his grip, he finally crashed his lips to hers, hoping for just one more taste of her amazing, alluring essence. She was in a trance, not able to respond, but permissive enough to let him have his fill.

He broke the kiss to look into her eyes once more, and lowered his hand to rest atop her bare, freshly repaired knee. He eyes began to glaze over.

"Your strength-" he continued to flatter, but she wouldn't hear the end of that sentence. She passed out in his arms right there. He easily supported her, and couldn't help but smirk. '...is depleted.' He finished the thought in his head, now that she wasn't awake to hear him. It wasn't a surprise. She had yet to tame her power, and what she just did took a lot of energy. After a nice long rest, he predicted she would be good as new. Better. It was not so unlike taming youki after all.

'But you have a dog's loyalty, and he shall protect you until you are able to protect yourself.'

He looked down at her unconscious form with open admiration, and was forced to be honest with himself. 'And even then.'

He gathered her in his arms and stood to carry her back to the fire. But no longer because she was injured. This time, she was simply tuckered out.

She woke hours later feeling well-rested and void of pain. Despite being grateful, she couldn't shake the feeling she had gotten away with something. Like she'd spent the whole night partying, only to wake up without a hangover.

The fire beside her had obviously been well-tended, as it was still roaring impressively and doing nicely at keeping her warm. But either they'd barely made a dent in their supply, or Sesshoumaru had ventured out again to gather more wood to burn.

Noting his absence, she peered around the clearing in search of him, and finally spotted him closer to the river bank. The sun was setting beautifully, and he was gazing off into it, and she assumed enjoying his increasingly rare moment of solitude.

She only debated robbing him of it a moment before shifting to stand. She grinned madly when she popped up on both legs without any issue, and gave a few celebratory kicks to commemorate the occasion.

As she got closer, she quickly noticed the large, rusty sword sitting proudly at his hip, and wondered how many times he'd dreamed of this moment. How often he'd imagined possessing the famous sword, and how it must feel now that he did.

Pretty disappointing, she'd gather. He had been so single-minded back then, and had probably expected the whole world to change once he claimed its great power. To him, Tetsusaiga was the answer to all of his questions. It was the one thing holding him back, and owning it was going to fix all his problems and put to bed any doubts of his unrivaled supremacy in the land of the living, and the dead.

But the catch-22 was, that in order to be able to even hold such a sword, he had to first realize that the power he sought was not only unattainable, but useless without having someone to protect with it. And once he'd learned that, the power felt empty and cold in comparison. Having the trust of those who depend on you made him feel a thousand times more powerful than holding some weapon, some borrowed assistance from a late youkai who perished before his time anyway.

She'd wager he was feeling like the dog who'd caught the car. Except instead of catching it, he'd lost interest, stopped to lick his wounds, and got hit by it on the way back regardless.

She slid her arms around his waist from behind, and pressed her cheek up against his back as she tried to offer him her silent comfort. Looking at the sword at his hip, she wondered if he was hoping for a demon to appear. Itching for an attack, just to have an excuse to use the weapon legitimately.

"Aren't you going to try it?" she asked. But then, maybe he was afraid of being deemed unworthy yet again. Even if he no longer wanted it, the literal burn of rejection had to be discouraging.

"Afraid it won't work?" she asked when he gave no reply. He turned his head slightly, and she wasn't sure if he meant to scold her for her presumptions, or give credence to them.

"Better to find out now, than after a demon comes. Come on, I know you're dying to."

She wasn't wrong. If the sword rejected him in the midst of battle, it would only add injury to insult. Or death.

She released him from her warm embrace, and stepped back enough to give him some room. He wasted no time wrapping his long fingers around the pattern on its hilt, but he did hesitate once it was firmly in his grasp.

He might have a little PTSD, she reasoned, but she couldn't honestly claim to know what was going through his head right then. He looked down at hit, and in one confident motion he removed it from its sheath.

She hardly had time to release her baited breath as she marveled at the transformation. Each section of the blade seemed to reach its full potential the instant it became exposed to the elements. Like it oxidized with amazing power instead of rust.

She was relieved at his success, and not just for the protection it afforded her. She knew what he was capable of, she just hoped Tetsusaiga was smart enough to know it too.

Held high above his head, his father's fang seemed to sparkle and gleam in triumph. She couldn't ever remember it taking on that exact air when in Inuyasha's grasp, and maybe she was projecting, but it seemed to shine in relief at being held in Sesshoumaru's capable hand.

His focus was on the blade as he held it out in front of him. And as she took in his profile, she could all but hear his thoughts.

'Accept me. Obey me. See my will done.'

He issued his silent command, and awaited further recognition. Transforming was one thing, but acknowledgement was another.

But Tetsusaiga did not keep him waiting, any more than he already had. He could have sworn that the sword had been anticipating this encounter.

'Eldest Son of no Taisho, you have returned.'

The deep, booming voice reverberated in his skull. He tried to respond casually, but he was willing to bet the sword could hear his pulse increasing.

'Hn. So you do speak.'

'Only to those worthy of hearing.'

He'd managed to force the sword's transformation before. His stong will to wield it had afforded him those ends. But it had never spoken to him, refusing to accept him as a true, worthy owner until he deemed it so.

'You have Father's voice,' Sesshoumaru recognized. It had been jarring at first, as he hadn't expected it. The sound of it so many years later still caused him to snap to attention. It also inspired a few unpleasant memories, and reactivated dormant emotions he'd yet to fully remedy.

'I am an extension of him. As are you, now it seems.'

He scowled at the comparison. He was well aware of the ever-growing list of parallels that could be drawn from him to his father. Connecting them, in a way which – had he been made aware sooner - may have filled the gaping chasm between them, instead of stretching it. In a way for which he was both endlessly grateful, and deeply resentful.

'I sense the change in you,' the sword deigned further. 'You have finally discovered the path. You now hold the key."

He decided to ignore the connotations, and skipped straight to the important part.

'You submit then?'

The booming laugh that ensued took him back to a time so long ago, and made him feel small in a way he could barely recall ever being. Had it been that long since his father had laughed like that? Or had he been too consumed with hatred to let the sound affect him?

'I will lend you my strength,' Tetsusaiga clarified, still brimming with amusement. But Sesshoumaru was in no mood for semantics, or games.

'You will carry out my will.' It was a question disguised as an order.

'If your will is to protect her, then I shall.'

"And if it isn't?' he asked, trying to be defiant. Trying to be petulant. But it was no use. The sword now knew his heart, and any resistance he offered it would only serve to convince himself otherwise. Perhaps that was his goal.

'A moot point. The last time you held me in your grasp, supreme conquest was your only desire. It consumed you, and tainted your will, allowing for nothing else. Now, you desire...'

"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome's timid, yet concerned voice tore him from his inner conversation, and he turned to acknowledge the woman who was approaching on his left. But the sword quickly commanded him back.

'Give me to her.'

'What?' He snapped to look at Tetsusaiga again, and it seemed to pulse with power as waves of intent rolled up the steel blade.

'I wish to know her will. I would hear her desires.'

He wanted to refuse. He did not like the idea of his father's sword invading her heart and her head. What might he leave behind? What might he take with him? What good was the interference to any of them?

But the blade, as it had so many times before, possessed him. He was fool to ever think it was the other way around. But instead of possessing his thoughts, and tapping into his insecurity and greed, it would simply have its will done.

"It's amazing..." she marveled at the sword from her new position by his side. She was close enough to touch it, and looked like she might. He wondered if it could enforce its will by mere exposure...

Extending the hilt to her, he placed his other hand on her back in invitation.

"Grab hold." His command pulled her from her appreciative stupor.

She looked up at him in question, trying to discern his intent. He had a strange look on his face, something like worry, but also encouragement. But she shook her head.

"It doesn't transform for me." Didn't he remember his father's tomb? She'd been able to pull it out, sure. But that did not mean she could ever wield it. She'd even tried a few times, when Inuyasha was sleeping. She'd never seen something so amazing, and was curious how it would feel to hold something so powerful in her hand. Would it feel like the Shikon? Just another hollow, burdensome duty? Or something else entirely?

"Hold between my hands."

Before she could protest, he used the hand at her back to usher her between his arms, and caged her in. With her back up against his chest, he widened his grip on the hilt to allow her enough space to take hold.

Seduced by the raw, inviting power of the sword, she found herself gazing at it only a moment before reaching forward with both hands.

She was hesitant, and unsure, but the instant she grabbed it, she felt a warmth wash over her that she wasn't expecting. It was invasive, but not unpleasant, as it seemed to flow in through her hands and back to her heart, and then it was everywhere, being pumped through her system like a lifeforce. It was the opposite feeling of releasing her purity. Did that mean she was being corrupted? It didn't feel like she was.

She marveled at the power thrumming through her body. The confidence it gave her. The clarity of mind. Was this how Inuyasha felt when he held his sword? No wonder he loved to use it as often as possible. She could see how it would make every battle easier. If she felt like this when she held her bow, she'd be arrow-happy too.

It was so strange that Sesshoumaru wanted it so badly. It felt like cheating. Like taking the easy way out. No wonder he stopped lusting after it. There was no satisfaction in it for someone like him.

She, however, would take all the help she could get.

She was surprised when he let go, and left her holding it on her own. Surprised the power stayed, and the sword remained transformed for her alone. More surprised to find the huge weapon had not fallen from her hands the second he released it. She thought he was holding it up with his strength, but it was light as a feather. No heavier than it was in its sheath.

He backed away a few steps, but the chill of his absence was soothed by the warmth of the weapon in her hand, and in her body as well. She was about to turn and question him, but a voice in her head stopped her.

'Shikon Miko.'

The deep, masculine voice reminded her of someone. But he was older. Happier, maybe. More relaxed. It was hard to pinpoint it.

'Tet-susaiga?' she ventured, pulling the sword in closer to inspect it, as if she was looking for some little ghost, or perhaps a pair of lips to blame as the source.

'Indeed. It is an honor.'

'Uh, same here.'

But the sound was clearly coming from inside her mind. She immediately dismissed the notion that she was crazy, and focused on the voice. There was genuine respect there, but a thinly veiled amusement as well. She wasn't sure if she should be irritated at that, but her impulse was to let this play out.

'You inspire the protection of my wielder's quite expertly. Twice now, you have been the key to unlocking my power.'

She knew it was his desire to protect her that caused the sword to accept Inuyasha. But she was not so convinced about Sesshoumaru. Rin was the one who taught him compassion for humans long ago. She wondered, if he'd grabbed the sword for her, if it would have accepted him sooner.

But it didn't matter now. In fact, she was starting to wonder why he spoke to her at all.

'What did you want with me?'

It was strange, but she could feel the sword smiling. It would have struck her as sinister, but the heavy, oppressive power seemed to lighten around her just then.

'I was curious to learn what is that you hold precious. What you would see protected.'

Now, she was irritated. If he wanted to know that, he could have just asked her. It shouldn't be a huge secret, anyway. Anyone who knew her knew that she valued her friends and their happiness above everything.

So then why did she feel like her privacy had been invaded?

'I now know your heart, miko. When you both held my hilt, the answer was clear. You and the Western Lord are in the midst of forming a bond that could not be broken by time or death. Your souls are tied together, along with your fates. You belong to each other.'

The suggestive statement caused her eyes to widen, and she froze. How could he possibly know that? Who was he to insist such a thing?

'But the fates cannot complete the bond for you. You both must accept each other. You both must have the will to remain.'

Foreboding burrowed deep in her gut then. Instinct was preparing her for realization, and she was already feeling the sickening effects of it.

'If you do not, you will be forced to live your lives as half instead of one. Incomplete.'

And she knew it. She felt where this was going before he even said it. But she wished he hadn't.

She became dizzy then. Overwhelmed with feelings she had been successfully repressing ever since that night at the mansion.

Depressing, soul-crushing feelings with which she was all too familiar. Sesshoumaru had already made himself clear, and despite her displeasure, she could actually understand. Duty prevented him from pursuing his own happiness, and he couldn't turn his back on it. She'd convinced herself that she was okay with it, or, that at least, she would be. And she had been well on her way to accepting it.

But this was a harsh reminder of what they would never have. Because she knew him, and this news wasn't going to change his mind on the subject. It was just going to make it more painful for them.

Hell, he might have already known.

Suddenly, she was angry. Why was she always forced to ignore her desires for the greater good? Was what she wanted so terrible? So outrageous?

It was bad enough when it was just something she thought she wanted. But if Tetsusaiga was right, and he was someone she needed to finally be whole, it was just excruciating.

She wished he hadn't told her. She wished she hadn't known. Because it didn't change anything. And she hated it.

Resentment burned hot, and impotent tears started to stream down her face at the complete injustice of it all. Before he could question her, she shoved the sword back into Sesshoumaru's hands, and ran back toward the fire.

Frowning, he tore his focus from her retreating form and returned it to the bane of his existence.

'What did she tell you?' he demanded, eager to simply sheath the thing and go after her.

'The same thing you did. That her heart is yours, as well as her happiness. If you do not accept each other completely, you are each in for a harrowing, hollow existence.'

His body yearned to growl, but no longer had the ability. He should have known he would pull something like that.

He remembered his father talking about tied hearts and tethered fates closer to the end. He did not take it seriously, simply attributed the nonsense to the human woman who seemed to take hold of his senses. He did not believe in such things. But even if it was true, it did not matter. It didn't change how things were. And he could take the pain of it all just fine. What he hated, was how she would be forced to as well. It wasn't fair.

'You know nothing, but you will know your place.'

He received another laugh, but unlike the last, this one was low and humorless. This laugh was much easier to recall.

'How like him you are. Your father also resisted when I told him he belonged to that human. Eventually, the pull became too strong for him to ignore. Pity, though. All that wasted time.'

'Silence.'

He didn't want to hear it. Didn't want to know any more about his father's relationship with that woman, or Tetsusaiga's role in it. But the sword cared not for his preferences.

'And then he died. If only he had listened sooner-'

'SILENCE!'

Through with his interference, he sheathed the great sword harshly, and turned to join the miko by the fire. But when he got there, he found himself alone.

Disdainfully, he removed Tetsusaiga from his obi, and tossed it to the ground with little consideration.

He looked about, in only a mild panic. He knew she was upset, but also that she was too smart to venture very far.

He went deeper into the forest, but didn't have to go long before he found her curled up behind a tree in a vain attempt to hide from him. She reclined against the base, and upon noticing him, immediately moved to wipe the evidence from her cheeks and eyes.

His features softened sympathetically at the sight of her, and his feet took him forward until he knelt at her side.

"What's wrong?" he asked, pretty sure he knew the answer. "Are you alright?"

He didn't want to drag anything out of her, especially if she wasn't ready to deal with it. He hoped she would talk to him, though. Let him privy to her thoughts. Even if there was nothing he could do, he could at least try and ease her pain.

But she disappointed him with her answer.

"Fine. My knee was just hurting. I must not have totally healed it."

He did not express his displeasure in the obvious lie. But if she didn't want to talk, perhaps he could distract her from her troubles.

"I am going down to the river to bathe. Would you like to join me?"

He was hopeful in his request. A moonlit, clothing-optional swimming session had been on his mind as she rested from healing them. But that was before his father's sword killed the mood with his infuriating proclamations. Now, instead of emboldened to move forward, she was likely less certain about their relationship than ever.

His fears were confirmed when she refused, claiming the water was surely cold. It was, he supposed, but that wouldn't stop him.

Near where he caught the fish, the edge of the river was not so aggressive. In addition, there were several large boulders in the way which promised to stop anything that tried to wash downstream. He could walk out to his neck without worrying about being swept away by the current.

He made his way down alone, carrying his brother's haori to the bank with him to use as a towel when he got out. His clothing would join it in waiting for him as he made his way into the flowing river.

The water was freezing, but it was clean. Even a burst of the miko's purity would do little to improve the crystal-clear substance that washed through the mountain range. He hoped it was enough. Enough to purify him, and rinse him of the clutter and grime, and troubling excess he felt he was walking around with.

No, it wouldn't wash him of his sins. There was likely no body up to such a task. But the bite of the cold, the solitude of the lonely river was just enough to distract him from all of this clamoring new.

His brother's sword never ceased to bring him trouble. It was something he vowed would never again occur. And it was bad enough to have his father's voice inside his head, rearranging the furniture and making a mess of it, but he was in her head too. Spooking her and sowing doubt, and disrupting all of the slow, steady progress they had been making. It was too much too fast, and it was putting expectations and demands on them both, with a sense of urgency that was only adding to her stress.

She already had so much duty, too much burden. The last thing he wanted was to cause her any more. He wanted to be the one to ease her tension, not add to it. She deserved that much. If only she would let him soothe her. He may not have all the answers she wanted, but he could be a temporary respite from her pain and suffering, if only for a little while. If only she would let him-

The water was only knee high when he felt her bare arms slide around his waist. He nearly jumped at the unexpected contact, from the unanticipated company. But it was not unwelcome.

She'd decided to join him after all, it seemed.

She released him when he turned in her grasp, and retreated just enough for him to take her in. The sight that greeted him when he did so had him frozen in place.

Of course she was naked. He didn't expect her not to be. But he didn't expect her at all, and he was in no way prepared for this woman's boldness, her unrepentant nudity close enough to touch; all he had to do was reach out in front of him. The acceptance, and expectance in her features seemed to indicate he should do so.

But he couldn't. Not yet. All he could do was stand in shock, and shamelessly rake his gaze over every piece of her body.

At first, his eyes were drawn to a thick mass of black curls. Several inches above the water, the wild triangle of only previously groomed pubic hair shielded pink lips, and engorged flesh from his view.

Or so he'd assumed. He'd never actually seen her this close before. And what he had felt that night in the cave could only aid him in imagining what her sopping core might look like.

She had much more hair now, which made sense. Whatever grooming habits she normally adhered to had been disrupted to aid him in his cause. He recalled how she felt; how satiny soft, slick wet skin coated his fingertips, and left damp trails along his thigh as she tried to resist grinding into him.

But he had not been paying due attention at the time. He was too fool then to appreciate her, and with each passing day, he had to strain to keep the fuzzy memory fresh. He was sorely in need of a reminder.

Dragging his dumbfounded, appreciative stare from the apex of her thighs, he took in the sight of a child-bearing form. The womanly curve of her hips dipped in drastically at the waist, clearly indicating where her pup- baby would be resting before he made his entrance. Above that was where twin, heaving globes comfortably sat, and promised nourishment. Constantly growing, and just waiting to produce the milk her child would need.

He remembered when he'd first glimpsed her. She'd had fairly large assets for someone so young. Not that he was looking, or even viewed humans as anything biological. But just in passing, his keen eye could quickly discern her dimensions.

Ever since that day, she had been hurdling through her metamorphosis from girl into woman; slimming down in all the right areas and filling out in others. Her breasts, billowing and large and – he remembered – soft, were not the least of her ongoing continuous transformation to adulthood. As frazzled and near death as he was, he still recalled the shock he felt at having those pillowy, welcoming masses pressed firmly against his chest. Soothing, and comforting him in a purely basic fashion. She had obviously hit another large growth spurt since he had seen her last, and he wondered how such a thing could have escaped his notice. Perhaps, he unconsciously forced it so.

They looked too large for his hands, and he found himself desperately wanting to test his theory. He briefly wondered, how in the freezing cold depths of this unforgiving river her pink- tipped nipples managed to look so soft and warm... Probably the same way his cock didn't seem to mind the brutal cold, and stood proudly at attention between them. And, well above water level, it was no secret to either of them. He wondered what she thought of it. Of him. Was she pleased? Was she impressed?

At least, she didn't seem offended. Not in the slightest.

Before his gaze continued its path upward, it stopped to admire the glittering diamond necklace he had given her. Rows after rows of life-saving gems glimmered and sparkled as they cascaded down her chest. They were meant to direct attention downward, but he was already coming from there. It was all she was wearing now, and he wondered if it had any significance. If she did it to please him, or if she just did not think to remove it. It didn't matter, he was pleased either way. And would have been even without it.

When finally, he arrived at her face, flushed features met his. Lips parted tantalizingly as he watched her draw and release soft breaths for him. He was growing familiar with those plush, delicious lips with progressive regularity, and he couldn't help but picture them sampling another part of his body. He recalled how they tasted, beneath the flavor of whatever had been tinging them on that particular occasion. Her natural taste laying beneath was always there, waiting for him.

Finally, he met her eyes. Patient and permissive, she graciously waited in silence as he admired every part of her he could find, and burned it into his memory. They looked back into his, and she must have seen the yearning, the desperation, the unspoken question in his own; for without another word, she stepped forward, pressing herself to him, and claimed his lips at last in an act of what he could only describe as benevolent mercy.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling his face down to hers. All the while, his encircled her waist, and crushed her unforgivingly into his toned, solid stomach. He led them back towards the rocks, never releasing her lips as they moved their tongues sloppily, feverishly against each other. She took his lip bottom between her teeth, and tugged back only slightly. He groaned lowly at the rough, aggressive treatment he hadn't expected from her, but the sound deepened and extended when she squeezed him tighter, and his now submerged cock became trapped between them in the most pleasing of ways.

At his reaction, she ground her belly into him, enjoying the feel of his rock-hard body sliding against her soft, firm skin.

He gasped, relieved and excited that she did not shy away from his physical reaction to her touch, and his obvious enjoyment of it. In response, he turned them so that her back was pressed up against the smooth rocks that kept them from being swept downstream, and grabbed her firmly at the hips.

The water didn't quite reach his chest, so when she lifted her legs to wrap around his waist, her firm tits were in plain view. He barely had time to register the unexpected position change before her fingers weaved through his short, dark locks and pulled him to her, encouraging him to feast on her generous offering. He of course acquiesced. His mouth found her glistening mounds, and finally her buds tightened under his enthusiastic attention.

He sucked on each one; opened his mouth wide and ran his tongue excitedly over each tight peak again and again and again. Holding her up with one hand, he used his other to lavish attention on whichever unfortunate breast was not the current recipient of his oral appreciation.

With his eyes closed, he was able to focus all of his sensations on touch. Squeezing her, sucking her, biting her, licking her. Kissing her, all the way from the hard, tightened peaks of her chest up to her lips which released shaky, incredulous breaths and needy, appreciative moans. And everywhere in between. He was worshipping her, as he'd so often dreamed of doing, and as eager as he was, he was not going to miss his chance. He was going to savor her.

She moaned, and arched as he kissed his way down her neck, and when she shifted to trap his throbbing member against her aching core, he panted her name. He could feel the warm, wet heat so plainly against his shaft. Even through the moisture of the river and the coldness; the heat of her dripping center made itself known. She was squirming, grinding against him. Threatening to take him in with one well timed slip of her hips. And more than anything, he wanted to let her. But he needed to be sure.

His grasp on her thighs tightened, and at the sensation, she lifted her head to look into his eyes.

She saw the question there, the plea, but also the concern.

'Are you certain?' they seemed to ask. 'I need you to be sure.' And he desperately hoped she would say yes. But there was something else in his eyes. Something that also told her it was okay if she wasn't. She could turn them around, and he wouldn't resent her. He'd have a painful affliction he'd need to see to personally and immediately, but he would understand. No hard feelings.

He gave her raw, unobscured access to his inner thoughts and desires. In that moment, he had displayed more emotion than she, or anyone had ever seen of him. He was bare for her perusal. Completely vulnerable.

And she answered him, in equally raw fashion. Continuing to look right in his eyes, she braced herself on his shoulder. Her other hand slid between them, and in one seamless motion, she'd aimed the head of his cock at her entrance. With angled hips, she used him to breach her virgin opening. She sunk down on him, and just like that, he was inside of her.

All of the air had been stolen from his lungs, and he bent his head forward to help handle the sensation. His forehead found support on her shoulder while she arched herself against him; threw her head back to moan, and relish the sensation of being completely full of him.

It was strange, he thought, how easy the transition had been. She offered no resistance, not to say that she wasn't tight. But the warm, welcoming feeling around his cock was completely fluid, and he was happy to see that she appeared not to have any discomfort in the act either. It must have been the water.

After a moment to adjust, he lifted his face to hers. He was still panting, drawing labored breaths while he watched with unbridled joy as she reacted rapturously to the pleasure he caused her. Her eyes were still closed, and her head still thrown back, and a smile graced his lips as he committed the moment to memory.

When he gasped her name again, she slowly lifted her head. Her fingers were in his hair before she'd managed to open her eyes, and then she brought her smile closer until it pressed against his own.

She kissed him sweetly, gratefully, and he returned it tenfold. He honestly couldn't remember ever being so happy. She held him around his jaw with both hands, and when she pulled back, she placed those kiss-bruised lips right next to his ear. She whispered his name, before lowering herself enough to kiss, and nibble her way down the side of his throat and back up. When she switched sides, and put her lips to his other ear, she gave him a light lick before issuing her demand.

"Move."

It only took him a moment to consider her request. Pressing her up against the rocks, he pulled his hips back. Slowly, he slid out of her, not quite all the way. Then, gently, he rolled forward, earning a long groan for his efforts.

He repeated this several times, picking up speed with each greedy thrust. Until finally, at her encouragement, he was working at a fevered pace. Her moans were coming out wild and wanton, and the faster and harder he went, the tighter she had to hold onto him.

As she screamed in ecstasy, he helped himself to all of her. Her breasts and her neck were fair game as he raked his long fingers deep into her hair. Water sloshed violently around them at his increased movements, and she braced herself. He felt her body stiffen as her walls began to clamp down, and with a perfectly timed deep thrust, she came undone around him.

His name, broken and attempted time and again on repeat was his hard-won reward, and it wasn't until she began to come down that he released the last thread of his control and emptied himself inside her.

She was shaking as she held him close, and he was still pumping into her; unwilling to rest until the last of the aftershocks were done quaking through his system. Finally, he slowed to a stop, and joined her in catching breath, harsh and heavy next to her ear.

She was hugging around his shoulders, keeping herself in place as if she feared releasing him would release them from the moment forever. He was trembling as he pulled back, and tried to catch her eyes before dipping close and taking one more affirming kiss.

Wordlessly, he pulled out of her, and carried her bridal style out of the river. It was dark and cold, and he had to get her warm again before she got sick.

He picked up his brother's haori, and used the super absorbent material to quickly dry her off. It dried itself in an instant, and he proceeded wrap her in it snugly. He picked up his hakama and dressed himself in them, and threw his shirt over one shoulder before lifting her again and leading her back to the fire.

Gently, he placed her down right beside the flames. His fire was impressive, and doing a fine job of keeping the cool night air from chilling his bared upper half. With her on her back, he stretched out beside her, propped on one elbow as he doted on her form.

The haori she wore acted more as a robe, with her arms through the sleeves, she let the opening part down the middle, and expose her naked body to his view once again. Though concerned for her warmth, he appreciated her gift to him, and looked on appreciatively as he admired her beauty in the firelight.

He was basking in her presence, letting his eyes feely roam a bit before he could no longer go on without touching her. He lifted his hand to gently rub her thigh, and traveled up her satisfied body to explore her generous breasts yet again.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, somehow relaying genuine concern and maintaining eye contact while rubbing his open palm over her tightened nipples.

She smiled, looking at him half-lidded, understandably a bit worn out from their actions.

"Wonderful. You are amazing, Sesshoumaru."

He smiled in obvious relief. He didn't want to hurt her, and he was glad she enjoyed herself. He became even more captivated when she suddenly took on a nervous air.

Blushing, she lowered her gaze, and he wondered what she could possibly be shy about anymore.

"Was I... okay?"

She couldn't tell? He thought he'd made his enjoyment perfectly clear. But he knew she had unfounded insecurities. Very unfounded, particularly in this department. He was going to make it his mission to help her overcome them.

He inched closer, abandoning her breasts to gently grab her chin, and made her look at him so she would know without question.

"You have given me more pleasure than I had ever thought possible. I never want to be with anyone else."

He needed her to know that, and her answering smile satisfied him. But then she was looking down at him with something akin to pity.

"You don't have to. But you can't stay with me, you've already decided."

He released her, taking his hand back, and now he averted his gaze.

He didn't want to talk about this now. He wanted to bask in the afterglow with her a bit more before being forced to face those dark realities. He wanted to forget, just a while longer.

"I know." He tried to sound strong, but his harsh voice relayed his inner torment.

"But you can have me until then." He returned his eyes to her, this time filled with hope. But she became thoughtful as she seemed to be mulling something. "Do you think you can enjoy yourself, I wonder? Knowing each time you have me is only one rut closer to our last?"

He looked away again, he couldn't help it. She was only speaking the truth. But being forced to consider it now seemed like cruelty. He didn't want to think about it.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. He certainly enjoyed it this time. But the more attached he got, the deeper in he delved, it was only going to get harder.

He forced himself to look at her, and lifted his hand to brush loving fingers along her cheek. "I know I will cherish any time I spend with you."

"And what about after?"

After? After she was gone? After she was out of his life forever? At the moment, he couldn't even conceive of it. He was going to need to build a wealth of strength for when that day inevitably came. For now, he simply couldn't endure even the thought of it.

Instead, he opted to try his luck in another department.

"Why were you crying earlier?" he begged. "I know it was not regarding your knee." He asked it so softly and with such concern, and he hoped it was enough to convince her to trust him.

Maybe now, she would finally feel comfortable opening up to him. She didn't have to hide anymore.

"It was not," she admitted, and he hoped she would indulge him.

"Will you tell me? What was it?"

Hovering over her relaxed form, he saw her breath a large sigh of resignation.

"I was just... disgusted."

"With what?" he asked, on baited breath for her answer, and leaning in close.

She turned her head to look up at him, and her obvious displeasure made him ache.

"With myself." He creased his brow in confusion as to what she could have possibly done wrong. "I knew I was going to give myself to you, and I was depressed to think of how I'd sunk to laying with a man who used to be such a vicious, cold-blooded youkai."

He frowned, and looked away. It was just as he feared. And she wasn't wrong. He wondered when it was going to hit her. He knew she'd realize it eventually.

"I mean, you're fine now," she seemed to offer for his benefit. "But that doesn't change the fact that I'm rutting with a former demon who actually tried to kill me." She scoffed in mild disbelief, as if she should have known better. "I'm a priestess! I used to be pure and good, and I've let myself become tainted by one of the most unrepentant killers the world has ever known."

He looked down at her apologetically. He knew she was right. And he didn't want this for her. It wasn't fair.

"That demon, who only sought power, failed to impress his father, so he spent his life torturing his brother- a mere half breed." She fixed him with a distasteful expression. "To think, that the pathetic youkai you used to be, had all that strength, but still went toe to toe with a half demon, and lost! No wonder your father did not trust you with his sword. You are nothing compared to him."

"I know." He dropped his gaze. He was too ashamed to look at her. He didn't even deserve to.

He should have been stronger. He'd let his weakness rule him, and now she was going to suffer for it. Just like Rin...

She sat up then, the edges of his brother's robe falling open as she did so. She didn't seem to care, but he wouldn't shame her by looking. He was unworthy of it.

"Only now can you wield Tetsusiaga, and its only because of me, and only because you are human." He continued to listen to her biting assessment, cowardly eyes still downturned. "If you were that youkai still, you would never have found the way. And you'd probably still be picking petty fights with Inuyasha and I trying to figure it out. It's disgusting."

It was true. All of it. He wondered how he had been able to walk around with this knowledge. How did he live with himself, knowing his shameful past? Knowing what the association would mean for her.

"I never should have let myself fall for you," she declared, obviously disgusted with herself as much as him. "But you lured me in with a handsome face, and the promise of carnal delights, which, I'll give you, you came through on." It offered him the barest of solace, that he at least had been able to give her pleasure. It was the very least she deserved, and only the best he could do. "But if it wasn't for that, you would have no value to me. Only your prowess, and pity keeps me near."

And he thanked the kami for that prowess. But cursed it as well. Without it, she never would have lowered herself for him. But then, she would be a lot better off.

And he wished he didn't have her pity. He knew that her compassion would never cease to be her detriment.

Finally, as if only just aware, she grabbed Inuyasha's haori and closed it; wrapping it around herself tightly with disdain. He continued to look at her sadly, longing to help her, but completely powerless to. He was lost.

"It just sickens me, the thought that one day, you will go back to being that demon once again." Now she dropped her gaze, and shook her head in exasperation. "I'm so ashamed of myself. Is my self worth truly so low? My self-respect?"

What was he thinking? Was he truly so self-serving? He had claimed to want to aid her in building up her sense of self. How could he do that when she was letting her enemy violate her? Perhaps he was not so different as he used to be. He was just as loathsome as he'd ever been. Just as selfish.

"I'm better than you deserve. And I just hope you can live with yourself, for making me care for you, only to break my heart just like your brother. You are not worth my anguish. How dare you cause me pain, you selfish bastard."

At least she was aware now. The one bright side was that now, she could finally see it. She was no longer deluding herself by viewing him through a rosy tint. He hung his head, and let her berate him. Trying to let his debasement serve as some small form of penance.

"And you know the saddest part?" He forced himself to look her in the eye this time. She deserved his full regard as she finally told him truth he needed to hear. And he waited to hear it; prepared for the pain. "For a moment, you actually thought you might be worthy of me. You will never be worthy. Not now, and certainly not when you are demon again." She leaned back down again, and turned her head away dismissively as she spoke. "So you enjoy every last taste of me you get. Savor it, and let the memory serve you well on those cold, lonely nights for the rest of your long, miserable life."

"You are right, of course. And I apologize." He sounded low. Defeated. Still unable to look at her, still too ashamed to even remain in her presence, he forced out his suggestion. Both hoping she would take him up on it, and deathly afraid that she would. "Would you like to be rid of me?"

He waited in agony as she paused to consider his fate.

"No. Not yet." He watched her part her clothing once more, and felt shame in his instant, powerful reaction to her naked body. "You are only good to me for one thing, so you can at least make yourself useful. And make it good. If you lose the ability to pleasure me, you will have no value to me at all."

Eager to please, and heeding her warning well, Sesshoumaru placed his hand gently on her thigh, and stroked softly up her leg. The throaty moan, along with the arch of her back told him he still had value for the moment, and was relieved. Her pleasure was his own, so he was going to focus it all on her.

With a half-lidded, sultry smile, she grabbed his face and began to pull him near. She needed to be harsh with him, but she still gave credit where credit was due. He requested her honesty, did he not?

"But kami, I love the way you touch me. It is almost enough to make it all worth it. That is why you are so dangerous, Killing Perfection." His lips touched hers from where he hovered beside her, and all of his stress and regret melted away at her welcoming embrace.

She bent her legs, while he brought his hand up to her chest, to fondle and tightly squeeze the large mounds that were bared to him. She moaned into his mouth at the contact, and he lowered himself to suck and lick her taut nipples. One hand roughly played with an aching breast while the other was pleasured by his mouth.

In a swift move, he was between her thighs. She had to spread wide to allow for his intrusion while he kissed and nipped his way down her stomach. She couldn't restrain her giggles as he tickled her with his tongue, but her back arched in anticipatory pleasure the closer he got to the thatch of tight curls.

Her breathing became labored as he descended, and the sight of him hovering over her womanhood caused her heartrate to soar. He looked down at the treasure between her legs as if in reverence, and after admiring her for a moment, he lifted his hungry eyes to hers in a silent plea for permission.

The vision of him had her throbbing, and her chest continued to heave up and down dramatically as she nodded her consent, initiating a predatory look in his eye that had her thrilling with excitement.

He brought his hands before him, one on each side to open her to him. She gasped at the feeling of cool air hitting where she was now exposed, but he only continued to stare. Eyes glazed over, as if he were admiring a painting, but with determined intent, as if studying a map, and a pink tongue poked out between his lips, parting them, and wetting them slightly.

He was practically salivating.

She was about to scream that he get on with it, but he was half a second too quick for her. He extended his neck forward, and opened his mouth wide to place her swollen clit on the center of his tongue. She wailed at the pleasurable attack as he hooked his hands around her thighs to keep her open and pull her to him.

She wiggled and squirmed, unable to handle such intense, pointed treatment. He adjusted his neck; angling his head just right to put his mouth exactly where he needed it. He used all of his tongue to find each and every one of her favorite spots, and a few she didn't even know she had.

He ventured lower for a moment, to test and tease her recently breached opening, but a sharp order from her put him right back where he was, licking and darting his talented tongue around the tender pearl above.

As she cried her appreciation, he decided to compromise by moving in to explore her with his fingers. First one, then a second was added, and he proceeded to saw them in and out of her all the way to the hilt.

He fucked her with them, and with his mouth, and she blissfully responded by praising his name and thrusting her hips up into his face. He didn't mind at all, happily taking the abuse while his chin became sticky with the evidence of his success.

Her breathing became heavy and quick, and each moan that left her lips began to run together in an endless string of words he'd never heard, and butchered fragments of his name. When she stiffened, he recognized the familiar tell, so he wrapped his lips around her puffy clit and sucked, while at the same time pressing down hard on it with the tip on his tongue.

Not expecting the sudden onslaught, Kagome shrieked, and cursed, and then praised his name, over and over as she rode out the waves of pleasure he'd induced. She continued grinding up into his mouth until they'd finally run their course, and in turn he did not conclude his attentions until she indicated she was through.

Finally, as eyes rolled back beneath closed lids, she reached down for him, and pulled him up to her. She kissed him, appreciated him, thanked him, and he smiled happily at the reaction. He was simply pleased to give her the little bit of happiness that he could. And when she relaxed, he could as well. She went limp as he gathered her in his hold, and her contentment was his own.

He wished she had agreed to join him. He could feel her arms wrapping around his middle. He could see her standing before him, ready and willing, and despite the cold water, he took his thick, hard cock in his hand and indulged in an act he had been doing well at avoiding until now.

She'd been too near lately, too receptive. He was starting to get a grip on his human body and its needs, but he'd had her pressed against him for much of the last 24 hours, and he'd tasted her lips more than once.

He was gaining control, but where she was concerned, it was much harder to come by. He pictured taking her against those rocks. Taking her innocence, and she loved it. He gripped his cock in his hand, and drug it from base to tip over and over, until visions of her screaming his name finally caused him to expel himself into the river around him.

'Move,' she told him in his mind's eye, and he was happy to comply.

Even if he never got to have her, she would always have a space just for her carved out in the corner of his mind. A place where he could always find happiness, and truly be free.

The current immediately washed his shameful indiscretion from the area.

The water was cold, and now he was clean. He was ready to dry himself off, and join her once more. He imagined briefly how the exchange by the fire would go...

She was relieved when he stepped into the firelight at last. She was a bit embarrassed at her previous display after holding Tetsusaiga, but she'd managed to get control of her emotions in the time he'd been away bathing, and she was once again ready for his company.

He said nothing as he approached, and sat wordlessly on the other side of the fire she'd kept going for them. His hair was still wet from the river, and tight skin over taut muscles was evidence of its invigorating effects, as he'd only bothered to dress his lower half. His stolen shirt, as well as his brother's haori were deposited casually at his side before bending his knees, and stretching his neck dramatically.

She watched him a moment, unsure of what to say and hating the discomfort she was feeling. Why did she have to make things so difficult? He never felt awkward, so she shouldn't need to either. But then again, he still wasn't looking at her; just rubbing the moisture out of his hair, and wiping a few remaining droplets away from his freshly washed skin.

"How's the water?" she finally thought to ask, just desperate to start conversation.

"Refreshing." But he'd still yet to look at her. He was twisting awkwardly this way and that, as if trying to pop a certain joint, or stretch a certain muscle. She watched on curiously as he pulled his arm in front of him, and realization finally dawned when he tried to subtly rub at a hard to reach spot on his upper back.

"Are you okay? Did you pull something?"

He stopped, frowning at being caught, and unwilling to cause her any worry.

"It is fine." But she knew that tone of voice. He so hated to show any form of weakness, and she wished that wasn't so. Just like his knife wound, he did not want to admit to being susceptible to pain; did not want to concern her with it. But of course she would; his reticence just made her job harder. She really had to be paying attention to detect what he was unwilling to betray.

But he was her friend, and the thought of him hurting hurt her. He was so attentive to her every discomfort, and she wished he trusted her enough to share those things with her.

Knowing he would refuse if asked, she wordlessly stood, and made her way over to his side of the fire. When she sat down on her knees behind him, he twisted around to stare at her uncertainly.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, but her gentle push commanded him to turn back around. He was still resistant.

"Where does it hurt?"

"Miko, it is nothing you-"

"need concern myself with?" she asked, her irritation clear. "I'm afraid it is. You carried me all over these mountains, so if you pulled a muscle, I consider it my responsibility to care for."

Seeing as he appeared unwilling to direct her, she placed her hands on his naked back and began to poke around. She squeezed at his shoulders, and felt how tight they were, but continued her perusal for the most offensive culprit.

"I do not need-"

"I thought we were pack, Sesshoumaru." The hurt in her voice stopped his objection cold. "Pack takes care of each other. So let me do this, please. It's important to me."

She took his silence as permission to continue, but he also seemed uncomfortable instructing her to his pain. But she saw where he had tried to inconspicuously rub at his shoulder, so she focused on that general area.

It didn't take long to find the tender spot. A rock-hard lump was easily discerned. And now that she looked at it, she could basically see it poking through his skin. He groaned involuntarily when she pressed on the gnarly knot, and tried to hide his embarrassment at his pained reaction to her touch.

"Kami, it's so bad." Her sympathetic tone displeased him, but he could only hiss when pushed on it again a little harder.

"You should have told me sooner," she chided, and ran her hand over it very softly this time; gauging the exact location and size, and trying to pinpoint the muscle in relation to others in his back.

She frowned as she recalled the previous week. He probably injured it hanging from the bridge. Carrying her around must have exacerbated it. She wish she'd have known, but then, what could she have done about it? It only would have worried her and made her feel guilty.

She found the center of the knot, and pushed her thumb into it firmly. The shameful noise in the back of his throat told him of her accuracy, and she slowly added more pressure to see how much he could take.

She could tell he was struggling not to retreat, as his body trembled slightly while fighting the urge to pull away.

She got up higher on her knees, and leaned in to wrap her left arm around his shoulders. That would hold him in place, and she lowered her head to place her lips by his ear.

She rolled her thumb over him again experimentally, and his initial agonized groan was now laced with gratitude.

"Good pain, or bad pain?" she whispered softly. His eyes and teeth were clenched tight at the intense pressure.

"Good pain," he whispered back, and she smiled in relief. She kneaded slowly, getting past the swollen muscle of his rhomboid and finding the hard little pebble that caused the disruption. She felt her finger skip roughly over it with each pass, and tried to smooth it down for a less dramatic journey.

He felt her breasts smashing tightly into the other half of his back, and enjoyed the hot breathing on his neck as she worked his abused muscle. She was getting winded herself, with all the force she had to apply, and she rested her perspiring forehead on his opposite shoulder as she ground into his damaged body.

She started gently, getting him used to the feeling as she gradually applied harder, more pointed pressure. Until eventually, she was able to dig the boney knuckle of her middle finger right into the throbbing mass.

He gasped, and screamed silently at the unbelievable impact. The painful pleasure of it was nothing he had ever experienced. Youkai do not pull muscles, so he had never felt the amazing duality of raw, exposed nerves being untangled, and unwound with such beautiful force.

He hated it, and he loved it. He wanted it over, and never to stop. And then she leaned back, and dug her pointy elbow right into the crux of his anguish and just pushed; pressed her weight into it, and held there without moving, and he was paralyzed. He didn't dare move either as he felt tendrils of sharp, terrible relief shooting through his body.

That one point on his back, perfectly activated, shot tingling pulses of hot pleasure to several surrounding locations. He was getting a quick lesson in human anatomy, and learning how that particular spot on his body, when properly engaged, could spell relief to his neck, his shoulder, and all throughout his back as well. He felt how they were connected, and the exact road that current traveled to get there. When she touched him, he could see clearly, and became acutely aware of new pains he hadn't even been aware of. It was wonderful and terrible at the same time.

"Breathe," she actually had to remind him, and he did. Heavily, through open lips, he was panting like the dog he was, and a bead of perspiration rolled carelessly from his temple all the way down his jaw.

She was panting too, with all the effort she had to expend. And when she finally removed her elbow, she pressed herself to his back again. Softly now, gently, she soothed his abused flesh with the less pointed palm of her hand. Feeling her progress, she could detect the much smoother conditions of his upper back.

She rubbed lightly now with her thumb, more interested in providing superficial pleasure than effective relief. Both of their breathing calmed down as they relaxed, and she moved to rub closer to his neck, lightly pinching and smoothing smaller knots along the way.

His eyes became hooded, and he tingled at burned where she touched him. And when she lowered her lips to the other side of his neck, he groaned. He bared himself to her, no longer able to feel ashamed for his wanton response. He whimpered like a needy bitch as she ran her tongue along the juncture of his shoulder, and up the side of his sensitive neck.

When she scraped her teeth behind his ear, he found another pressure point that shot tingling pleasure throughout his form. It ran down his neck and shoulder, and down his spine and absolutely to his groin. He just came in the cold river, but he was so hard again. He couldn't move, though. He was powerless to stop her. She dominated him, and he was happy to let her.

Soft lips traveled back down his neck, and set to chew lightly on the rope of his upper shoulder. Across his impressive traps all the way over to the rounded bone of his arm. She placed one last kiss there as she stopped rubbing him. When he turned his head to look at her, she lifted her hand to his cheek and guided his lips seamlessly to hers.

His tongue was impatient, and sought hers immediately. He intended to relay this gratitude; to show his appreciation for caring for him. He didn't realize how good it felt to be looked after; how much he needed it. Not just for the physical relief and repair she had offered him, but just to know he had someone, he had pack who worried and wanted for his well-being, for his safety was a need he was not aware he possessed. He didn't know how good it felt; how nutritious.

He'd intended to relay that gratitude, but his desire for her in that moment demanded acknowledgement, and was strong. He pulled her into his lap to straddle him, and a small squeak of surprise left her throat, and he swallowed it. His hands found her hips, and she moaned in realization as he ground her harshly into another throbbing mass of hard, aching tension. Perhaps she would be willing to see to relieving it as well...

Her hands returned to his shoulders, and she gripped them tight as she pulled herself to him to kiss him harder. She cradled his head in her hands, and rocked on him slightly as her lips, and tongue, and breath combined with his.

She pulled back to look down at him from above. Her hair fell around him, dusting his cheeks as he stared up at her in admiration. He was willing to give her anything; wanting to give her everything. So he simply leaned back, and tried to discern what a woman like her could possibly want from him.

But as he took in her flushed features, the look on her face gave him pause. His mind was fuzzy, and cluttered after what she had just done for him, but it began to clear away at the look he received.

Eyes, usually filled with such life and fire, had been dulled. Void of the sparkle and excitement they usually possessed, they were fixed down upon him somberly, and with unmistakable regret.

Did she regret him? Regret what she had done? Did she resent him for it?

He gazed desperately into them, the lust within him ebbing at the heartbreaking sight, and became ill with concern when a single, lonely tear rolled down her cheek.

She moved quickly to wipe it away, before he was given the chance, and pressed forward again in what he assumed was an attempt to distract him from her pain. But his hands lifted to her shoulders, holding her back. This seemed to upset her further.

She looked away, down to the side, but he would not let her hide from him. He lifted a hand to her cheek, and commanded her attention back. She leaned into his touch, but the sorrow on her features took him back to earlier, before his bath in the river.

"Why were you crying before? I know it was not for your knee."

He knew she had lied to him. Again. But he wasn't angry with her. He wasn't even offended. It just made him... sad. He wanted her to trust him, but more than that, he wanted to help her. Just like she had done with him. Maybe he couldn't, but he would try. If she only gave him the chance, he would do everything he could to cure her sadness. Even if it had something to do with him, they could work on it together.

But he saw her hesitance, and became crestfallen. He looked away feeling rejected; defeated.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

His soft, dejected tone cut her to the core. She didn't want to burden him; she had no right to. But she couldn't let him think she didn't have faith in him. Either way, she was going to hurt him.

"Tetsusaiga spoke to me," she finally admitted, and earned his complete attention.

"He said our hearts are tied together."

He'd assumed as much. He hated seeing her so upset. Hated being the cause of it.

He looked down, tired of the hurt in her eye. Ashamed of having put it there.

"And you do not wish to be tethered as such to me."

She instantly tensed, and became startled at his assumption.

"What? No! I do," she insisted frantically, and commanded his attention returned with the flat of her hand. She made him look her in the eyes. "I really do, more than anything. That's the problem."

He looked at her in confusion, but she might have been more perplexed than he was. It wasn't like Sesshoumaru to totally miss the point.

"He said we will never be whole if we don't complete the bond."

Slowly, it dawned on him.

"... and we cannot."

She scowled, and shot him an accusing glare.

"So you say."

She folded her arms and retreated slightly, and he softened in response; hating to have to go through this again. That damn sword.

"Miko, we have discussed this. We decided-"

"That what?" she demanded hotly, effectively cutting off his rationalizations. "People might not like it? So what? It's better than knowing we are definitely going to be miserable." It was different now. Before, it was only heartbreak they were going to have to overcome. That was a pain that could be healed with strength, and time. Now, something much larger was at play. Something they couldn't run from. "I think it's worth it to take the chance. Screw what anyone else says. Since when do you care about other people's opinions?"

But that wasn't it. If that was all it was, there would be no problem. Well, not as much of one. He regarded her firmly, setting his hard features with a cloak of determination.

"I do not. What I care for is your safety. I will not compromise that."

He was tired of reiterating himself. Did she think he wanted this? Did she not think it would hurt him too? This was just as hard for him as it was for her.

"What about my happiness? Will you compromise that?"

He scowled. Of course he wanted her happy, she must know that by now. But he had already thought of that. That was the other thing.

"You will endure. And even thank me, I believe, when I return to my form and you are forced to recall who I truly am."

"Why do you keep saying that?" she demanded desperately; angrily. "You are who you are right now. That isn't going to change."

Why was he so resistant to that thought? Surely, he couldn't think he would forget about her and go back to hating her again, did he? It seemed impossible.

"It will. You have a selective memory. You tend to romanticize. You cannot see it now, but when you lay eyes upon my youkai self, I am sure you will recall quite quickly who I have been. What I have done."

She wanted to tell him he was wrong. She was sure that he was. But he painted a powerful picture. In truth, she hadn't really considered looking at Sesshoumaru the youkai much since his change. Not at all, really. Would she feel differently, when he was back to his old self? It might not even ever come up, but she'd learned her lesson about voicing that thought.

"That sword assumes much, and knows very little. You say you trust me? Then prove it. Trust me now. I know of what I speak. I will not put you in danger."

He hated telling her no. He hated that sadness in her eyes, and that he had put it there, and that he could not remove it. But he had to hold firm. All he had to do was think of Rin, to remind him of why he could not indulge her.

He pulled her to him, pleased when she allowed him to hug her close. He could not give her the answer she desired, but he could offer her comfort. She seemed to relish it, and he was greatly relieved for the opportunity to attempt and assuage her pain.

He rubbed her back lightly in an attempt to soothe, and enjoyed the way each breath she took pressed her to him a little tighter. He closed his eyes, and let the rhythmic sound of it calm him. He hoped it was having the same effect on her, and took the resulting moment of silence as a sign that it was.

"I want to see your cut. The one on your leg."

The demand out of nowhere surprised him, and he pulled back from the embrace.

The curious look he gave her betrayed his confusion. The wound was gone. She'd completely healed it.

At his obvious suspicion, she pressed further.

"I need to look at it again. Will you show me?" Her tone betrayed nothing, and did nothing for his uncertainty.

Checking on her work, perhaps? Maybe assuring herself of its absence?

He saw no harm. It was her doing, after all.

She slid off his lap so he could undo the ties of his hakama, and sat anxiously by as he proceeded to do so. He pulled them down enough to once again expose his inner thigh, where his stab wound had been. He didn't expect her to grab the material, and pull it down his legs a little farther than was needed.

He watched as she boldly reached forward, and stroked the patch of skin that was now free of any marring. Not even a scar remained, a testament to her craftsmanship.

Gentle fingers continued to stroke the area, back and forth as if transfixed. He watched her lovingly caress him, stoking the fires of arousal with each pass of her delicate hand. His fundoshi concealed his hardness as she drew dangerously close to his hip. His breath caught in his throat when she unexpectedly lunged forward, leaning in and placing her face near his leg so as to better inspect the damage... he assumed.

But he hissed low and long when she pressed her lips to the spot where his terrible scar should be; the small part of him she'd made brand new. Her cheek brushed the cloth at his hip, and the feel of her lips – and now her tongue – so near his manhood had him tingling wonderfully, and straining to burst free of his confines.

Her fingers strayed then, rubbing upward to trace the material resting at the top of his thigh. She fingered it, teasing it, before leaning forward and placing an opened mouth kiss on the furry patch of skin far below his navel. Her chin came in contact with his clothed manhood at the action, and he gasped her name in surprise as he reclined back onto his elbows.

Her other hand lifted to toy with the fabric at his other hip, and each of her fingers hooked behind the material and threatened to slowly peel it down. Both hands moved inboard, still remained slipped beneath his waistband, and she got a better hold as she slowly yanked them back.

Her face hovered just inches above him, and his eyes looked almost startled when they came in contact with hers. She smiled at the sight, and the vision became too much for him. He closed them tightly, and threw his head back in helpless need.

He wanted to make sure it was alright. Make sure she was alright with this, but shamefully, he could not find it in him to make her question her choices. She truly made him weak, and he couldn't bear to look at her.

He felt her, though. Felt her hot breath ghosting across his lower abdomen. Felt the backs of her fingers tickle lightly as they dragged along his pelvis. Felt her pull his undergarment away from where it rested low on his hips, and begin to peel it down his shaft.

The material slid down his aching cock, painfully slow. He felt each throbbing inch of himself become exposed to her view, cool air and hot breath battling to overwhelm him with sensation. The neck of his cock was bare, but the fabric sliding down his hips got caught on the head. The way it reached out for her had it fighting to spring from cover, but the last couple of inches remained restrained by the confining cloth.

She held it like that a moment, stuck in a maddening limbo. Near trembling with barely restrained desire, he forced himself to look down at her again, to make sure she wasn't having second thoughts. The seductive look she gave him told him she wasn't. There was need in those blue eyes too, and the knowledge of that caused his heart to soar with contentment. With acceptance.

He smiled down at her lovingly, and she took the opportunity to ask her burning question.

"Is there anything I can do to convince you to stay?" she asked, barely above a whisper. It took a moment to register, as lust and anticipation rendered his mind foggy. But once it finally did, his smile instantly vanished.

The suggestive question was tainted with hope, and as soon as he recognized it, he willed himself back from the brink.

He didn't know how he did it, perhaps he was not as weak as he assumed. But as frustrated, and wrought with turmoil as he was, he was proud of himself for his restraint. He may be a weak, pathetic, useless human. But at least, he could maintain a sliver of his honor. At least he could live with himself. He would do right by her, he vowed. And if that meant denying himself, so be it. He could do it a thousand times over. His pleasure would not be worth her life. He would not lose her.

Her face fell when he sat up, and she got a clear view of the resignation on his. There was not hurt, or anger, or disappointment on his beautiful features. Just concern, and pity.

He did not relish his task, but he would do it all the same. He would do what needed to be done. Sesshoumaru always did.

"No," he offered confidently, crushing the hope in her chest, and her heart along with it.

He was happy to proceed. Desperate, even. He could think of nothing he desired more in that moment than for the woman between his legs to finish pulling his cock out of his pants, and wrap her lips around him. Accept him. Console him. Please him. And he was more than willing to return the favor.

But there was one thing he wanted more. More than even the feel of her soft, moist mouth gliding firmly along his neglected cock, he needed to know she would be okay. He needed to keep her safe.

And if she still held out hopes for him to forsake that, just to keep her with him, he could not oblige her. Even the pleasure of her tempting body would not lure him from his duty to keep her protected.

Until the day she could accept that – and kami, he hoped it was soon – he could not allow things to progress between them. She might hate him now, but she would see in time that he was right. She might think he was breaking her heart now, but he knew he was protecting it.

With stunning restraint, he tucked himself back into his fundoshi, and pulled his pants back up over his hips. He worked the fastens as she helplessly looked on.

"Perhaps you should go to sleep."

His heart clenched at the hurt flashing across her features, but he steeled himself. He had to be strong for her. But he flooded with worry when she rose, and ran from the fire they had agreed to sleep by.

He cursed to himself as he hurriedly finished tying his hakama, and took off after her.

When he found her, she was laying curled on her side, in the soft grass beneath one of the shorter mountain trees. She sobbed pitifully into her hands, and for a moment, he debated whether he should disturb her.

She clearly wanted space from him; clearly was upset. But more than anything, he wanted to gather her into his arms, and hold her close, and comfort her. To make her understand it has nothing to do with her; that his feelings for her were not deficient.

That it was because he cared for her so much that he could never subject her to a life with him...

And after a moment, he decided he would go to her. He'd denied himself enough for one evening. She was just going to have to put up with his nearness.

He approached cautiously though, thoroughly aghast at her obvious distress.

All this over him? This woman's priorities were grossly out of balance, to waste her tears on him. She was too good for that, and he wasn't worth it. He was going to have to do some serious work to help elevate her self-respect to an acceptable level.

She heard when he settled in behind her, and felt him gather her to him, and pull her against his body with his vice of an arm.

"Go away," she demanded in between sniffles. Tears continued to leak, but her violent sobbing had halted.

"No."

He rubbed his hand up and down her arm soothingly, as she tried to get ahold of herself in his presence. She hated that he was making her. She hated that he was here to see it.

"Please, just leave me alone," she pleaded, her voice a hoarse whisper. He responded by nuzzling his cheek against her back.

"I cannot."

His insistence and confidence was pretty much expected. She didn't know what else she could do. She was so tired of fighting him. She didn't have anything left.

"It is for the best," he tried to explain, but she'd heard it all before. "One day, you will see-"

"Shut up," she ordered, but it sounded like begging. "Please. If you aren't going to leave, can you at least just shut up?"

He could grant her that, he supposed. He only wanted to offer comfort, and support. He didn't need words to do that.

He felt her clench and tighten in his hold, and began running his hand over her cramped flesh. Kami, she was so tight. So... stressed out. He wished he could just rub his hands over her, and heal her as she healed him earlier with her magnificent touch. Soothe her tense muscles with deft fingers, relax and calm her with his very presence. Show her without words how much he truly cared for her.

Her hands had given him so much today. She'd healed his open wound with her reiki, and reduced his pain to nothing with only her loving caress. And she would have done more for him, if only he'd allowed it. She gives so much of herself. Too much. And in return, she is forced to bear the burden of her anxieties alone. Anxieties pertaining to him.

If only he had a magic touch, like she did. If only he could melt away her troubles and worries with his regard for her, as a true alpha should do. If he were a good alpha, he would-"

And then he realized, he could.

It would be wrong of him to take from her body while knowing what she desired was a future. But that did not mean he could not give...

So long as she understood he was not promising forever, he could use his capable hands to relieve her of her burden, if only briefly. She deserved at least that.

It would be just like in the cave. This was maintenance, not love. He was simply taking care of her. He was curing her pain. As tightly wound as she was, it was clear she needed it, and he would be neglecting her to deny it.

She was shaking from poorly restrained sobs when he slid his hand over the curve of her hip, and found his way beneath her skirt. Then she stilled with a gasp when he took his two fingers and began rubbing pleasing circles into her outer lips.

Caught somewhere between shock and need, she allowed him to continue. The initial jolt of shock turned quickly to a tingle of pleasure. His motions worked to part her lips, and he easily found the tender nub that hid between. She grabbed his arm, not to stop him, but to brace herself. To give her something to hold onto.

She moaned with mounting relief as he continued to stroke her, and arched into him in response to the wonderful pressure he created. He never said a word. She never asked him to. Just accepted his silent comfort; taking all he was willing to give.

She bucked into his hand as he worked out her tension. He brought his chin over her shoulder, touching her cheek to his to reaffirm his nearness. He could hear her increased panting at his marvelous attentions, and he decided he wanted more.

He lifted his hand until he found the waistband of her thin cotton panties. When he did, he slid his fingers inside them, separating the sticky, wet material from her skin in favor of his own.

Another loud intake of shaky breath was his reward, and he accented the increase in friction by turning his head to kiss her sweetly on the cheek. He moved his lips down to her neck, remembering when she did the same to him, and how wonderful he found the sensation. Now he was dominating her, and he needed her to know she had his complete attention. She was his only concern.

He continued to massage her clit, taking cues from her reactions as to what she might enjoy as he feasted on her neck and throat. He snaked his free arm under her head, and wrapped it around so he could massage her chest as well. The feel of his large hand squeezing her breast had her making the most erotic sounds. He was incredibly hard again, and could not refrain from grinding himself firmly into her ass.

Feeling him there, she arched into him, grinding back against him harder, and earning a low groan for her efforts. This caused him to increase the pressure on her clit, and suck harder at the crook of her shoulder. His other hand was squeezing her roughly, and as he pulled her tighter, he continued to thrust his hard cock against her supple curves.

He heard her breathing quicken, so he increased his pace and pressure between her legs until he felt her become stiff in his arms. She sobbed her strangled release, still thrusting into his hand as she rode out her pleasure to the end. Her pleasure was his own, and knowing he got her there ensured his next thrust against her ass threw him over the edge with her. He held her as he came, trembling slightly, and grinding against her until every last drop was spilt.

He pressed his forehead into her shoulder, and continued to squeeze her tightly as he recovered from the intense sensation. He needed her to know he was here with her, and even though he could not stay that way forever, he was right now, in this moment. He wanted that to be enough for her. He needed it to be. He wanted to be enough for her.

He felt her relax in his hold, and he hoped that was a sign that some of her stress had left her. He relaxed as well, though he did not loosen his grip.

"Did you... come too?" she managed to ask between ragged pants of breath. Very much in the same boat, she felt him nod before he was able to answer her.

"Yes." The admission delivered amid a bundle of heavy breathing made her smile in contentment.

Twin sounds of harsh rasping filled the silence between them as they came back down to earth.

"I'm going to clean up, and return to the fire," he finally managed to inform her, releasing her at last from his embrace. "Will you come with me?" He pushed himself up with one hand, and she turned back to look at him. He was delighted to see that she was smiling.

"I'll come too," she deigned. "It's only fair."

She woke up in his arms beside the dying embers. Held protectively in his grasp, she smiled when she realized he was still asleep. It was a rare feat to catch him off guard, and she was going to enjoy it. Her arm was still sprawled across his chest while she used his as a pillow, but she shifted a bit, digging her chin into his pecks to gaze upon the Western Lord.

She studied him for a moment, and was disappointed to find he didn't snore. It would have made for some great taunting, but it looked like in sleep he was just as silent as ever.

She felt amazingly refreshed, no doubt thanks to him and his talented fingers. She didn't realize how stressed she had been, or how well a little physical relief remedied it. Maybe her friends were right, she really did need to get laid.

No, her problems weren't over. Each of them was still readily waiting for her. But it was nice to take a few hours off, and recharge her tightly wound batteries. From his deep, peaceful sleeping, she hoped she had been able to ease his burden for a bit too. He put so much pressure on himself...

He must have felt her staring, because sleepy eyes cracked open to take in her doting features. Seeing her dazzling grin, the corners of his lips lifted too, and he lifted his arm to hold her closer to him.

"Morning," she offered pleasantly. He indulged in a modest stretch.

"Miko." His formal address was amusing, and he smiled a little bigger at her reaction.

He couldn't describe his relief at the sight that greeted him upon awakening. She had been so upset before; so distraught. He was looking at a new woman, and he couldn't help but wonder if just that little bit of attention he'd given her had really made such a difference.

It was hard to believe, but he supposed it was possible. Her simple touch had improved life for him as well. But no matter what it was, he was happy that they both got to start this day in better shape than the last.

He just looked down at her; watching her watching him, and giving her the gift of his pleasant smile for as long as she wanted to look at it.

She wore hers as well, and it did not drop from her rejuvenated features when she felt compelled to offer up her small atonement.

"I'm sorry about last night. I was being over emotional."

He ran his fingers through her hair, and regarded her sympathetically. But also, gratefully.

He understood the way she felt, because he felt exactly the same. He was pleased now that she appeared to have come to terms with the realities of their situation, and just like him, she was refusing to let it defeat her.

"No need to apologize," he informed her. "Do you feel better?"

She got a playful look on her face, as she recalled how he eased her tension. It made him want to try it again, and make sure there wasn't any more stress she was holding onto.

"Much better, thank you." Her answer was dripping with suggestion, and she threw a sly glance his way. "And you?"

He pulled her tighter to him, and rubbed soothing circles on her back while he recalled the amazing massage she'd given him the night before.

"Better than I have in some time."

And he meant it. Yesterday morning, he'd woken up a horrible cramping pain in his back, and a throbbing, infected knife would in his leg. Now, he was repaired, refreshed, and ready to start again with renewed energy. Having a happy, much more relaxed miko clinging to his side was not a terrible bonus, either. He just hoped he had been able to do even a fraction for her what she had done for him.

He hoped that now she was aware that he would do anything in his power to give her what she needed, and she didn't have to keep things bottled up to deal with on her own.

"I just want to say, I understand what you've been trying to tell me. I know you're just trying to protect me, and I appreciate it."

"You do?" he asked in surprise, not expecting the confession. He feared that while she grudgingly accepted his decree, it was only because she had no option. He was certain she still did not understand, or agree with him on the issue.

But if she finally did realize, it would be a huge weight off his shoulders. Not to mention, it would mean she was that much closer to accepting a short term, albeit more intimate, relationship with him in the near future. And he hoped it was soon. With the way her body pressed tightly against his, he didn't know how much longer he could restrain himself before doing something rash. This was promising.

"Everything you've done... I just want you to know I'm grateful. You have been an amazing friend to me."

Friends? Was that what they were? It didn't sound right to him. But if not, then what? They were not yet lovers. Would never be intended. He supposed they were friends... They were at least friendly. But no. His brother, and the monk were her friends. Whatever they were, it was different than that. It was more. He breathed an inward sigh of relief. Good. He still didn't have friends.

"Kagome?" he inquired softly, and she was immediately intrigued. "There is something This One has been wanting to ask..." Okay, now she was really interested. In addition to slipping back into the third person, there was a note of something in his voice that she was certain she'd never heard there before. Something almost unrecognizable coming from his lips. It sounded like... insecurity. When she took note of the slight blush dusting his cheeks, she was sure she was right.

She waited for him to continue, and was fascinated to watch him flounder, and even hesitate with his question. She was about to prompt him when he finally spit it out.

"When we arrived at the river yesterday... what did Inuyasha say to you?"

She furrowed her brow in confusion. It was clear she had no idea what he was talking about.

"When?" Sesshoumaru huffed, not wanting to draw out his humiliation.

"Before he left. He kissed your cheek, and whispered something in your ear. What was it?"

Realization dawned, and a blush stole her cheeks now as well. It was not unlike the one his brother had induced yesterday, and he tried not to scowl at the effect it was still having on her.

She looked into his increasingly uncomfortable features, and smiled. Instead of making him suffer, she graciously put him out of his misery.

"Keep him warm."

"What?"

"That's what he said. 'Keep him warm.'"

Understanding flooded through him, followed by approval. He recalled the conversation with his brother inside the hollow tree, and he was pleased to confirm that Inuyasha seemed to be displaying his approval as well.

That he'd trusted him with Tetsusaiga was monumental. But Sesshoumaru found he appreciated his trust in regards to the miko even more. She so valued his opinion, so his acceptance meant everything.

It looked like the hanyou no longer disapproved of her efforts to save him that night in the cave, either. The knowledge of that pleased him more than he had been expecting.

Inuyasha returned just a few hours later with a boat. He'd found Miroku and Sango at the village, and despite them wanting to come with, he ordered them to stay put until he returned. The owner of the boat and his son came along, however, and that was good. The river was harsh, and they needed experienced rowers to take them across.

It was a terrifying journey, but they managed to make it over without incident. Now all that was left was to return to the village, and reunite with the rest of their party. Then, plans to storm the compound could finally begin.

A/N: You didn't think it was going to be that easy, did you?

I know, that was a dirty trick. But I gotta keep my lemon skills sharp. Might need 'em later...

Anywayz, I hope you aren't too mad. And hopefully, you still enjoyed the fantasy. You can let me hear about it either way.