I do not own Inuyasha.

Please read and review. I like reviews, I like to know what you enjoyed. Personally last chapter I enjoyed when she told Sesshomaru he'd better be a nightmare. And her thought process about why her mischief was his fault, but that's just me.

This isn't a funny chapter, the next one will be.

Melissa was playing with fire. The sun had set just an hour ago and Melissa was playing with the camp fire, concentrating on making the flames leap high in the air, higher than the dry wood should have accounted for. Then concentrated on the fire burning low and slow. Making the smoke blow this way then that though there was no wind.

She wasn't sure where Sesshomaru had got to this time. They'd stopped, made camp, and then while she was fishing he'd disappeared. Where did he keep wandering off to? He'd wandered off twice in two days, three times now.

She hoped he hadn't gone to get more stuff for her. She was grateful for his help, but she had no idea why he was helping her. No way to communicate with him. No way to ever repay him.

She had come here with nothing, not even clothes on her back. He'd provided her with clothing, silk at that, and shoes and a comb as well. He'd saved her from being raped, maybe even killed. He left Jaken behind to take care of her whenever he left. She had nothing to offer as repayment. She still wore her necklace, but it wasn't valuable, just a uncut quartz point on a hemp twine cord.

She was a witch, she could do some magic, but he was a motherfucking elf, he didn't need her magic. She would offer to read his future for him, but they didn't speak the same language. He'd probably had his fortune told by more skilled witches than she anyway. Or he didn't want it read. He was armed like a warrior after all, he might very well die in battle and who wants to know that?

She heard him speak behind her, why did he keep calling her "On'na" anyway? It was not her name. When he called "Merissa" She turned to look at him.

His hair was wet. The silk of his kimono clung to his arms and legs as though his skin were also damp. He had apparently snuck off to take a bath. He called her to come and beckoned her.

"Where are we going?" She asked as she followed him away from camp. And why were they leaving camp this time of night? It was dark, she could barely see to follow him. Whatever he wanted couldn't wait until day time? And why hadn't he called Jaken to come with them?

She stopped short and a chill shot through her, he was taking her into the woods in the dead of night alone. Was he going to... No, he'd saved her from that fate. But she didn't know why. Was he planning to be repaid for his kindness? Had she unknowingly been pick up as his sex slave?

He stopped and looked back at her questioningly. He didn't seem menacing. But men could seem charming and then turn on you. But he wasn't charming at all. He was cold and aloof. But then he had no need to try and trick her, did he? If he wanted to rape her who would stop him? Why even bother taking her from camp?

He called her to come again. Did she dare disobey? She couldn't outrun him, he could fly. And he had shown no obvious interest in her. Did elves even find humans attractive?

"Where are we going, Sesshomaru?" She asked, as she continued walking. "-sama." She added hastily when he looked back at her. He spoke again, his back still to her, but his words sounded like a question. She sighed and wrapped her arms around herself as she followed, hoping his intentions were honorable.

The air became foggy as they walked but she didn't really notice. She looked up when he spoke again, they had come to a hot spring. Sesshomaru said a few more words and pointed to the spring then turned and walked away.

"Sesshomaru-sama." He turned his head to look at her. "Thank you." He nodded and continued to walk away. he had brought her to bathe and left her alone to do so.

Once she was sure he was gone she removed the layers of silk and linen, folded them carefully and laid them on a rock near the edge of the spring. She carefully stepped into the steamy water, it felt so much better than the cold river. Esspecially after all te walking she'd done in the past couple of days.

Sesshomaru had been watching the campfire since it first came into sight. Burning low then suddenly flaring high then low again. The smoke billowing one way and then the other without the assistance of a breeze. He could feel the miko's aura flaring with the fire. Controlling it.

"Woman." He knew she heard him, but she did not look around. Did she really not realize he was calling her, or was she willfully disobedient? "Merissa."

She turned and smiled at him when he used her name. "Come." He beckoned her and she followed him into the forest back the way he'd come. She spoke as they walked. It sounded like a question. A question the silly girl knew he could not understand, much less answer.

After a while her footsteps stopped. He looked back, he could see fear in her face, could smell it coming off of her. What had frightened her? There was nothing around but the woman and himself.

She was staring at him. He had frightened her? How had he frightened the foolish human this time? She was a human. Alone in the dark with a youkai. But he'd never harmed her, so why was she afraid? Foolishness.

"Merissa, come." For a moment he thought she'd disobey. She looked ready to flee him. Then she'd begun walking towards him again and he turned to continue on their way. She again spoke, questioned him. He looked back over his shoulder and she added the honorific sama, as though afraid she had offended him.

"Why do you fear this Sesshomaru?" He was being foolish, she could not answer him.

"We are here." He turned to her and saw her look up, then she spotted the hot spring. "You have half an hour to bathe yourself before I return." He pointed to the spring so she would understand he wanted her to wash herself. He began to walk away.

She called his name. When he glanced back she thanked him. He nodded his acknowledgement then continued back towards camp.

Back at camp he combed his long hair standing by the fire. He hadn't been able to sit and comb his hair in well over a century. It would tangle in a pile beside him if he tried. Or he'd find himself sitting on the section he meant to be working on. But he liked his long hair so he put up with the minor hassle of standing to comb it.

The action calmed him. The repetition, the feel of the comb sliding through his locks, the softness of his hair. It induced an almost meditative calm.

He contemplated the miko as he groomed himself. She was a confusing creature. Why had she been afraid of him? Because they were alone? Was she afraid he would hurt her? Or maybe she thought without Jaken there to see... He was not such a man, but there were many who were.

She seemed comfortable being alone with Jaken. Was it the kappa's diminutive size that made him seem nonthreatening? Or something else? Jaken was not particularly friendly. And he was a hideous little wart, he looked nothing like a human.

Was that it? He, Sesshomaru, resembled a human male. And she had almost been raped by a human a couple of days ago.

Her time was up. He briefly considered sending Jaken to get her as she seemed to trust him. But Sesshomaru had told her he'd be coming himself. And he wanted her to trust him, the only way to do that was to show her that he was trustworthy.

He stopped just inside the tree line, the woman appeared to have drifted off in the hot water. She had good reason to be wary of males, once you got past her odd appearance she was actually quite beautiful. And her odd eyes made her look quite exotic. Most males would be excited by her.

He was not most males. He could appreciate beauty, but was not excited beyond reason. In fact, only one woman had ever excited any feelings in him, but she had died before he realized those feelings. How long had it been since he'd thought about Kagura?

'This is not the time.' He thought to himself and stepped out of the shadows. "On'na" She opened her eyes and quickly sank deeper into the water as she turned her head to look at him. He locked eyes with her for a split moment then turned his back on her.

"It is time to return." He listened for her to move. She hesitated for a moment then got out. She didn't have a towel so had to redress soaking wet. He didn't look around until she spoke, she looked relaxed and happy. He turned to walk back with her following close behind.

When they returned Sesshomaru settled down under a large tree while Melissa sat by the fire near him and began combing her hair. Jaken welcomed his lord back enthusiastically and was told his presence was not needed at the moment. He was dismissed to do as he pleased, including find the hot spring if he wished. As long as he didn't smell Sesshomaru didn't really care.

Jaken wandered off and Sesshomaru thought he'd have a few minutes of quiet. Melissa had other plans. He opened his eyes when she softly called his name. Her face lit up when she saw that he was still awake. She pointed at the fire and seemed to ask a question.

He simply stared at her. What did she want? She got up and came to sit beside him. She pointed to the fire and repeated her question. Then spoke a single word in her language, still pointing at it. Was she asking the word for it?

"That is called fire." She stared at him blankly. "Fire." he simplified.

She smiled broadly. "Fire?" then she pointed at something else and repeated her question. His gaze drifted in the direction her finger indicated.

"Tree." He informed her.

"Tree?" He nodded. She pointed to another. "Tree?"

"Yes." He pointed at the first tree then the second. "That one is an oak tree, that one is a maple tree."

...