I do not own Inuyasha or any other characters. Also, yes, I am a little evil.

Pain was the first sensation to return to Sesshomaru as he struggled to regain consciousness. His entire body hurt. The parts that weren't sore were on fire. But the pain was less than when he'd lost consciousness. Someone had removed his armor, but he seemed to be dressed.

Smell came next followed by hearing. He could smell the forest and wood smoke, horses and humans. He could smell his sweet wife, he had her back. She was safe! The slow steady breath of his companions and the night creatures told him they were asleep, then he heard her whimper.

He forced his eyes open and saw the humans across the fire begin to stir as his wife whimpered again. He moved his eyes and saw her laying beside him, warm beneath a blanket but in distress as salty tears began to seep from under her lashes. She moaned something in her own tongue and the men across the fire were on their feet. They stopped when they saw his eye shine and hesitantly laid back down.

Then Melissa screamed and trashed out at the phantom that assaulted her dreams. "Melissa, you are safe. Melissa, wake up!"

She screamed again and sat up, still fighting her attacker. Then she realized she was not under attack. She began to cry into her hands, white with terror. He called her name again, softly this time, and she snapped out of it and turned to him.

"Sesshomaru! You ok!"

"Not yet, but I am mending." He replied, then she leaned against him and began to sob on his shoulder. With difficulty he raised his arms and put them around her before drifting off again.

When he awoke next the sun was high. A small fire was still smouldering but the only other person present was the younger of the two men. He was busy tending one of the horses, using a pick to remove rocks and dirt from the animal's hooves so it did not go lame.

"Where is my wife?"

The boy glanced over his shoulder and released the horse's hoof. "We found a small river on the other side of those trees my lord, Merissasama is washing. I know it's too cool but she wouldn't listen when I told her that."

The blanket that had covered him through the night fell as he pushed himself to his feet. He spared it a single glance, noting that his kimono had been removed and his chest and shoulder bandaged. He picked up his kimono but decided to forgo armor for the moment and walked in the direction indicated by the boy.

Melissa's back was to him when he saw her. She was kneeling in the cold water shivering and weeping as she scrubbed herself. The clothing was discarded by the river and fresh clothing from the supply wagon was folded by it. He'd have to get her another woman's kimono at the nearest opportunity.

She stood and turned to return to shore and saw him standing there. She began to hurry over on numb feet and he allowed his eyes to rove over her body. She was covered in bruises and rope burns. His eyes lingered on her badly bruised belly. Had she been pregnant?

There was no smell of pregnancy about her. Had they beaten his baby out of her or merely assumed she was with child? She saw the look in his eyes and paused, following his gaze to her belly. She shook her head, "No, Sesshomaru. No baby."

She wrapped her arms around him and went to kiss him but he turned his face away.

"Sesshomaru?"

"I will not ask forgiveness." He replied softly, eyes still averted.

"What?" She asked, thoroughly confused.

"I will not ask for forgiveness. I failed as your husband, I failed to protect you. I will never ask for what I do not deserve."

"Is not your fault! You not there!"

"Had I been diligent enough in protecting you you would not have been there either."

"I walk away. I get lost. Not your fault."

"I was careless, I failed to notice the change in the weather until the rain started. Had I paid attention I could have found you before it washed away your scent."

"We have fight, both angry. Both not paying attention. Was not your fault, Sesshomaru."

He wrapped his arms around her and gripped her tightly. He loosened his hold when she drew a sharp breath from pain. He held her at arms length to examine her nude body again "Are you badly injured?"

"Just bruises" She replied as he lifted her hands to examine the rope burns on her wrists. He was glad to see her tattoos had been spared, the ropes had cut into her skin just below them, closer to her hands. Perhaps it was stupid to feel glad about that, but he knew her tattoos were important to her and had no way to repair them if they had been damaged.

He leaned against a tree as she turned away to dress then they rejoined the other humans Just as the other man showed up with wild vegetables for the stew pot. Melissa slipped away with a bow and returned a few minutes later with a rabbit for her injured husband to eat. He insisted she eat it, but she refused. In the end he tore the animal in half, she cut the meat from her half and gave him the bones, which she couldn't eat anyway.

"We would have helped her sooner if we could, my lord." The older boy nervously told him, watching him chew through the bones like nothing.

"You are humans. The two of you could not have defeated that army as I did. You would have lost your lives in a foolish attempt and not been able to help her when the opportunity arose. You helped her when you were able. You got her out of harm's way."

Melissa did not want him to push himself to move before he was fit so claimed she needed to rest the next day, to continue to recover. He knew better but pretended not to, he did need to recover. When they did continue on their way she asked him to ride behind her on the horse, in case she fell again. He agreed.

When they arrived at the boy's' village the younger jumped from his horse and ran to his wife and son. He embraced them tightly then gazed in wonder at his wife's belly, rounded with a child neither of them had known about when he left. The other ran to meet his son. Sesshomaru and Melissa hung back, giving the families space but were greeted like gods by the grateful villagers. The next day they left to retrieve Jaken.

Jaken was where he'd been left. The corpse had been cremated so that the area did not smell and Jaken had made a small lean to for shelter as he waited. He was about to prepare a small fire to roast a lizard he had caught When Sesshomaru set down with Melissa in his arms.

Jaken greeted Sesshomaru then hesitated, unsure how to greet Melissa. The bruises had not yet faded from her face and neck. Melissa smiled down at him then scooped him up in a hug. When she placed him back on the ground he pulled a small cloth from his kimono.

"I don't know if I found everything, but I found as many as I could." She took the cloth and unfolded it. Her crystal and silver seashell were folded in it on top of a small pile of pearls. She started to thank him but he had already scurried off to find food for her.

The next day they took a path that was unfamiliar to Melissa, to a beach they had not visited the year before. Though they were now together again and should be celebrating the mood was distinctly somber. Unpleasant as it was for him Sesshomaru felt drawn to visit this beach now. Jaken stopped at the tree line and Melissa, noticing, hung back as well.

"Something wrong?" She asked quietly as Sesshomaru walked out toward the water alone and silently watched the surf.

"We rarely come here. This place always puts m'lord in a somber mood. I am not sure why." Jaken whispered to her.

She left Jaken standing at the trees and Joined Sesshomaru on the beach. He did not look at her but when she took his hand he squeezed her hand. His loss was palpable. "Sesshomaru, what happen here?"

He did not answer right away, but watched the waves as he held her hand, finally he answered. "I lost my father here."

"He die here?"

"His death occurred many miles from here. This is where I last spoke with him." He was silent for a few more minutes. "He was injured in battle with a dragon when we received word that Izayoi was in danger. He was in no condition to fight, he was going to his death but I knew that I could not stop him. I asked him to bequeath Tessaiga to me, but Tessaiga went to Inuyasha, I received Tensaiga instead.

I was angry with him. There was much I could not understand. Why he had cheated me by leaving Tessaiga to my younger brother. Why he felt I should receive Tensaiga instead. Why he would risk death for a human woman. Now I have done the same, except I survived where he did not."

Now he looked at her. He stared deep into her eyes and raised a hand to caress her cheek. "Now I understand."

He looked back out to sea. "I wish I could tell him so."

"Tell him now. He will hear you."

Sesshomaru turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her. He pressed his face into her neck, actively seeking comfort for the first time. He was never sure how long they stayed like that. It was a long time, long enough for the moisture in his breath to condensate on his cheeks. Why else would they have grown damp?

Melissa sat up and stretched with a yawn. She looked around, where were Sesshomaru and Jaken? She was alone on the beach, even Sesshomaru's footprints were missing. He could fly, true, but why would he? Why would she be left alone without anyone telling her?

Then she realized she wasn't alone, there was a man sitting on the beach near her. She took a frightened step back.

"Do not be alarmed, I won't harm you." He stated gently.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I asked you first."

"True, but you are on my beach."

"I thought this beach belonged to Sesshomaru."

The man smiled and replied "Our territories overlap."

"Are you a relative?" She asked. He did look a bit like Sesshomaru. He had the same hair, though his was pulled back in a pony tail. His eyes were the same shade of gold. He had the same facial structure but with blue stripes on his cheeks and similar but more extensive armor. Sesshomaru had mentioned cousins, it would make sense that he had an uncle.

"You're perceptive. Yes, we are related, though I have been gone a long time." He stood and stretched in a careless manner that reminded her of Inuyasha, but then faced the sea and watched it with the same intensity as Sesshomaru.

"So how do you know Sesshomaru?" He asked looking at her again.

"I am his wife."

"Wife?! But you are a human!"

"Yes." She replied defiantly, squaring her shoulders. She glanced over the shoulder, to wards the forest, where was Sesshomaru?

The man smiled. Then he began to laugh. "I have been gone a long time! Tell me, is he happy?"

"Yes, I think so. We have had our problems, but overall I think he's happy."

"I'm glad." He watched the sea for a moment longer then turned and stared at her intently, smiling. "I like you. I think you'll be a good mother."

"I hope so." She replied, shifting uncomfortably and looking for Sesshomaru again.

"You will be." He assured her. Then suddenly he was much closer to her, close enough to touch her. He placed a warm hand on her belly. Then he was gone and Melissa was staring up at a starry sky.

Melissa turned her head and saw Sesshomaru glowing in the dim light next to her, peaceful looking in his sleep. The warm hand still on her belly was his. She touched his hand with hers and watched his eyelashes flutter and his lips move as he spoke to someone in his dreams. Smiling she allowed herself to drift off again.

Sesshomaru woke as the sun rose above the horizon with his precious wife in his arms. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled deeply, she smelled amazing. He gently eased his arm out from under her and sat up to gaze at her. She smiled in her sleep, it was the first time in many nights her sleep had not been troubled by nightmares.

He leaned forward to smell her again. She did smell amazing, her scent seemed to call to him this morning. Sesshomaru pushed himself to his feet and walked away so he wouldn't be tempted to disturb her much needed rest.

Instead he disturbed Jaken's rest, trodding on the little youkai on his way into the forest to attend his business. When he returned he ordered Jaken to gather food and firewood then sent him away. He returned to Melissa's side and watched the waves lapping up on the shore.

It was late in the morning when Melissa stirred and sat up, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Once she had taken care of hr business and started a cooking fire she sat next to Sesshomaru while her food cooked. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap, nuzzling her neck.

After she ate she returned to his lap and hugged him tightly as she kissed his lips. He returned her hug and kiss with equal passion. Soon they were both breathing heavily and Sesshomaru was nibbling on her ear lobe and neck. He grew hard with desire for his sweet wife. He wanted her so bad he couldn't stand it.

He removed her from his lap and she looked up in confusion as he stood. "I must leave you for a moment, I will not go beyond the sound of your voice if you need me."

"Where you go?" She asked, confused

He looked at her, his eyes sad in his otherwise stoic face. "I still have needs my dear. I must tend to my needs and then I will return to you."

"You going to- uh, not know word." She made the jerking off motion with her hand.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I need sexual release." He replied.

"But why you not with me?" She asked, still confused.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and sighed then looked back down at her "I know what that monster did to you."

She looked down as tears filled her eyes. "You think I disgusting."

"No!" He answered sitting down and drawing her close again. "What that man did was disgusting. You could never be. I want you, Melissa, but you need time to heal. I know you need time, but I still have my own needs."

"Sesshomaru, you love me. I need to feel love." She replied holding him tightly.

He kissed her gently again and stroked her cheek. Then leaned back to gaze into her eyes. "Are you telling me you still feel desire even after what you have been through?"

"You are husband. My husband. I love you." She replied kissing him. She wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Are you certain you wish to do this?" He asked holding her tightly as she kissed his neck. When she answered that she was he slipped the kimono she wore from her shoulders and kissed them. "You are my wife, but your body is your own. If you need to stop I will."

He pushed her kimono completely open and laid her back in the sand. He kissed down her body, listening for any sounds of uncertainty. He reached her womanhood and inhaled deeply. "May I continue?"

She made a soft sound of consent and he thrust his tongue inside and lapped hungrily as she moaned in pleasure. She dug her fingers into his hair as she began to tremble and arched her back. He held on to her thighs and continued to feast as she called his name in ecstasy. His own desire growing with each taste, but it was absolutely vital to prepare his wife to receive him.

"Are you ready?" He asked gently. She nodded and he moved over her. With a low moan of pleasure he sank into his wife.

"Sesshomaru."

He froze and opened his eyes. "Do you need to stop?"

She shook her head. "Look at me?" She asked hesitantly. He was still for a moment then nodded and held her gaze as he began to move inside her. It was intense to stare into her eyes as he made love to her. She held his gaze too as their breath began ragged and she began to tremble again. Finally she closed her eyes and gave herself over to her orgasm.

Once her orgasm had passed she gazed up at him. He continued to hold her gaze as she'd requested even as he felt his own orgasm begin to build. He held her gaze as he flowed into her and heard her gasp in surprise as his eyes glowed red. Then they were gold again as his thrusts slowed and he became limp inside of her.

Breathing heavily he rolled off of her and pulled her to his chest.

"Your eye glow." She told him after a long silence.

"I know, they always do but this is the first time they were open." He nuzzled her sweet smelling hair, she smelled so good to him today. He was already hard again. "May I make love to you again?"

She nodded and rolled over onto her back, lifting her legs for him. Some time later he sat gazing at her. He had worn her out and now she was taking a well deserved nap. Her body still bore the bruises from her captivity, but they were fading. He ran a hand lightly over her tight belly then stood and walked to the water's edge, watching the surf.

He was still gazing at the ocean when she woke and joined him. "My father came to me in my dreams last night." She took his hand in hers and waited for him to continue. "I was able to tell him all the things I needed to say. That I understood what I needed to learn. And why he had to leave me. He told me he was proud. He also told me I was ready to pass that wisdom on to another."

"Who?"

"I do not know."