Kagome tried not to let the familiar existence of Sesshomaru distract her from the trek across the afterlife, she really did. He was just outside of her immediate senses where she knew he was present but needed to look around to verify. It was unnerving and she was still mad at him which made the whole situation awkward.

But in reality, as upset as she was towards him, Kagome was truly mad at herself. Inuyasha had always said his older brother was a selfish prick but she had let her adventures at the castle overrule what she had witnessed to be true.

It hadn't been hard though, to see something else. In truth she had been forced to see a different side through his father and then linked it to her own troubles growing up. She had then witnessed him nearly die, protect and play all within such a short time span. How could her opinions not change? The way he had assisted Shippo and recognized Inuyasha had nearly melted her with relief. Sesshomaru was known to protect what was his and a very large part of her knew that even if she did survive the miraculous trip back to her world her body had been days away from giving out.

Kagome had needed him to look after her friends where she could not and now it was all crashing down.

With a sigh she buried herself deeper into George's fur as a source of comfort. It was softer than she expected and while not perfect, it did feel a bit like a hug if she closed her eyes hard enough.

The skies rumbled precariously.

"Are you hungry? The skies indicate something is amiss," spoke a suddenly much to near voice.

Kagome's eyes shot open as she contemplated how to answer. She could be petty and ignore him, or make some snide comment and dear lord she wanted to be petty. But she knew this place responded to her in the oddest way possible and she was highly reactive to her own emotions. It was probably best to not purposefully instigate anything. "I'm just tired."

Sesshomaru continued to remain just out of her peripheral where only his hair and sometimes a sleeve were visible to her. Still she could tell he was not two steps to her left. "We can rest for a bit." It seemed he to recognized that no night time was present here so they would need to make their own schedule.

Kagome pushed herself up as she listened to him. Her frustration mounted as she told herself it was probably because he found any potential for rain annoying and not for any true concern about her state of being, "It's not physical, I'm just tired of being lied to and used. Both by myself and others. No one will ever help or look out for you as much as you would yourself. Anything else is just a lie."

Eyes hardened as she nudged the bear forward to which he complied easily. She purposefully blocked out everything after that. Her mind needed to with how much she wanted to ignore the oppressive feelings this land instigated in her.

For Sesshomaru's part he continued to walk but at a slightly slower pace if only to give the priestess room. It was disheartening to see her so upset, no, not upset…broken. Her faith in something had been shattered and a very primal part of him wanted to fix it. Everything in him wanted to scream and tear what hurt her limb from limb but he knew that was impossible. It was not one thing that had her this way but many, himself among that long list.

As a demon he fought the urge everyday to fight; to kill; to assert dominance in a world that only acknowledged the strong. He tried to be better than others, to show control when he wanted none of it and his instinct became too strong. She defied every aspect of what he was and ignored all protocol. He was the alpha of the group and the most capable of ensuring her protection but she spurned him. She ignored the unwritten laws and held on to this perceived anger.

Sesshomaru knew he needed to stop. He needed to turn around and give himself room from the woman but another part demanded to be near. His rage had not dissipated knowing that she was in danger and in this wasteland. At the same time it hurt to be near her, to smell her disappointment and disapproval. He felt like an admonished pup who scared away the prey in the middle of a family hunt during a barren winter. His instinct to protect himself was being overridden by this woman and he knew what that meant. That only happened when his baser self saw an equal, someone to give life and limb to protect.

With a deep breath that he had not indulged in since his initial days training Sesshomaru centered himself.

She was a woman, her opinion did not matter just like all the other females in his life. Just like all the other people in his life.

Except it did.

She did.

He respected her more than he knew and what's more his instincts demanded her protection. And you only protected things you care about. Briefly his mind wandered back towards his father's statement that Kagome would only be upset with him if she also held a form of affection for him.

Positioning himself back to his more distant spot Sesshomaru watched her back with the quiet attention of a man determined to protect.

Touga glanced at the two animals currently playing a game of catch the bird with their mistress. The bear would swat in annoyance and Kagome would giggle as she jumped around either side of the bear pretending the bird was to fast for her. It was nice to see her laugh and he wished it wasn't so rare. It pained him more to think that her source of comfort would need to leave if his goals were to be fulfilled. He reminded himself of the bigger picture though; the future was a tricky thing. With her around both of his children could have the life he had dreamt for them. They could have happiness and family, purpose and strength. To include into that was her role as a celestial. If she survived this transformation what would that mean for the world? What deeds could she change or accomplish that no others could? What events and hearts could she change over the years?

A low grumble ruptured from his throat and before the bear noticed the noise Sesshomaru's form was in front of him. The movement was smooth, calculated and swift. It was followed with a temperamental glare and unwelcomed tones in his speech. "Do not disturb her one moment of happiness. I will rip your head from your limb and will feed your bones to the beasts".

Touga's eyebrow lifted, "I simply wish to speak to the bear alone, I will not cause it harm. Of that you have my word."

Sesshomaru's stance remained firm as they both mentally monitored the distant scene of the girl playing. "You will not disrupt her."

Touga sighed, "My boy you should know that my goal is the same as yours-"

Sesshomaru turned his back and made a beeline for the creatures that were now staring, "Of that I seriously doubt," Sesshomaru still managed to whisper.

Before Touga could counter Kagome had turned towards them only to stop in her tracks. The woman's instincts to resolve disputes was being tested as her own need to protect herself came forth. The agony of wanting to help but not wanting to engage in conversation with them was apparent. Just as Touga thought she may try she turned back towards her comforts and rested in the bear's fur with her back towards them.

Rubbing his ear absentmindedly Touga sighed again. Great, now he needed to speak with the bear and get around Sesshomaru's sensitive hearing. He doubted the boy would purposefully leave him alone with anyone after that possessive display.

It appeared a new strategy was in order. Catching himself briefly Touga remembered a rather temperamental tiger demon that lived further up the mountain. It regularly killed everything within sight with no regard to if it was even hungry. It was a common problem in these lands and perhaps one he could use to his advantage. Here one killed because they were awake and fixated on baser thoughts. The most common were blood and fighting.

While he was sure the bear knew about the creature Sesshomaru would be none the wiser. The bear was concentrating on Kagome though and would not suspect anything as long as she was within a safe distance of him. The tiger demon was an excellent huntsman and always stayed down wind. Furthermore there was so much demonic energy here that scent was the primary method of detection rather than demonic aura.

Glancing up again Touga hit a rock as hard as he could with the side of his fist. With the rumble everyone turned towards him. A few of the rocks had tumbled downwards and the crater was apparent. Pushing his fist behind his back Touga whistled, "Just marking our trail in case the little miss here gets lost. I spent enough time with you in the castle to know your sense of direction is not of demonic caliber."

Kagome's thoughts spiraled as she remembered all the times Touga had very patiently walked her through the various twists of the castle. While she was sure that if she got lost here her end would happen quite quickly she was also confident in her protectors. George would not let anything happen to her and she had two of the strongest dog demons to live by her side. Still she pretended that his rationale made sense, it was easier that way.

Five minutes later she pretended again when his foot completely shattered another boulder and pushed the remains halfway down a hill. The third time, about thirty minutes later, even she could not ignore him. He had caused enough problems for her in the real world that she knew his scheming when she saw it and the man was purposefully making a ruckus. Before she could properly scold him a large creature jumped from nowhere straight towards her.

Screaming absentmindedly as she rolled off the bear Kagome pushed the dirt out of her face. Looking up briefly Kagome was horrified to see how large the creature before her was. It was about half of Sesshomaru's transformed size and quite pissed off at everyone before it. Glancing at George Kagome watched as he rushed towards her but was pulled away by the massive claws of the beast. Reaching her hand out instinctively a large gust of wind blew the impossibly mad creature back on its two back legs before she watched it straighten itself back on four paws. It shook its head in confusion as if trying to process that it had been standing on their back legs rather than all four. Her accidental attack had quite quickly garnered the interest of the beast as something new reached its senses. Rolling to the side Kagome found herself covered in mud and dirt while trying to find anywhere to hide. She was not foolish enough to think she could ever take that thing without at least her bow and arrows.

Leaping to the right Kagome was magically pushed to the left as she was caught midair by a pair of clawed hands. Touga had pulled her shirt collar and tossed her in the opposite direction of where she had been heading. "Get her out of here, we will catch up".

Kagome was suddenly caught by another pair of claws as she felt her body encased in silk and fur. Glancing up she saw Sesshomaru's eyes bleed red and claws extending. With her in his arms he dodged the fire encased tail and Touga landed once more in front of them "I will ensure her friends' safety but right now she is the target and you are too vulnerable to these lands. The bear and I are accustomed and the bird is hiding in the bush across the way. We will meet you on the other side as we draw it away."

Kagome reached out as he was once again gone and she saw a flash of brown charge while biting into the tiger's foot. Her breath was knocked out of her half a second after a large growl was heard and she was suddenly far to high in the air for normal methods of transportation. Wind rushed past her and she felt herself being nearly tucked into a ball as tree's almost broker her skin, her body being adjusted minutely before ever being hit. Feeling a sudden jolt to her right Kagome watched as a bed of plants suddenly sprung from nowhere and attacked her ride. One claw moved and three of the plants were decapitated as they rushed from the scene, the remaining plants devowering the fallen forms around them.

Cannibalism at its best.

She glanced back briefly to see only small pinpricks of where they had barely touched the ground. A few moments later she looked forward again only to find them travelling straight up as he leapt from rock to rock scaling the mountain as if they were stairs in her mother's house. The tree's grew to be higher and she could only guess that either the climate was opposite here and timberline didn't exist or animals rarely came this far up due to the altitude. Once they rounded a bend and a flat opening came their way she felt the body below her come to a rather long stop.

Her hair moved briefly around her and she looked around while catching her breath. Knee's locked together, body tense in anticipation and heart racing Kagome assessed the quiet site around her. After a few short seconds she scrambled out of Sesshomaru's hold and rushed to the side of the mountain where she could look downwards. Grabbing a tree Kagome choked on a sob before turning back towards Sesshomaru angrily, "We left them!"

She was ready to berate further but immediately saw him struggling with himself. The collected demon lord of the West was no more and his agitation apparent. His eyes were as red as the day he had been infected and his head was turning from side to side, his claws retracting and then visible again as if just on the urge of bursting from his skin. Nearly taking a step back but then remembering the likely fall Kagome took another deep breath of air.

"Sesshomaru?"

He put his palm out in warning not only for her step forward but for the inquisitive tone in her voice to cease, "This land-"

But he did not say anything further as he took a shaky step backwards.

Realization dawned on her in that moment like a blow to the head. This land affected him as well, just as it did her. Well maybe not the same but enough that even he was struggling. Slowly stepping towards him Kagome braced herself for being pushed off the mountain knowing just how much Sesshomaru enjoyed being vulnerable around others.

Her steps were slow and her breathing even. She hadn't really noticed him much since they reunited and she had not recognized any of the signs of him being in turmoil, not really. He took a few more paces back and dropped to one knee as if in pain. Kagome halted again as she made sure her heart rate was as steady as possible. Any spike in her adrenaline could easily set him off on a full rampage. After a few more minutes Kagome was finally close enough to place her hands around his arm. She felt him flinch but utilized much the same tactic that she had in his castle when he was feral. Kagome gently ran her nails down his arm and made hushing noises, assuring him that he was not alone. "It's okay, we are safe," she stated over and over again.

He ultimately took another sigh and she felt his tension release around the same time his claws shrunk down. Eventually she glanced up at him to see pink tinting his eyes but not the same deep red. He moved away quickly and she immediately felt the rejection in the movement. He did not want her support, her help. Frustrated at the level of hurt she felt Kagome pushed it away while trying to focus on something else, "We need to go back for them."

Sesshomaru did not look at her but stated very clearly what his opinion on the matter was. The tone was not as smooth as his usual voice and she could hear the growl in each consonant he hit, "No, we will meet them on the other side. I have no doubt that Touga will keep your friends safe if only to avoid any further disappointment he may cause you."

Digging her toe into the ground, and oddly fidgety with her hands, Kagome ran her fingers through her hair. This was incredibly frustrating. As if she was not already trying to avoid him for good reason now she had the homicidal version on her hands. "Sesshomaru I need to know you are okay. I cannot travel alone with you if I am worried you will gut me in my sleep."

Sesshomaru turned on her fiercely, his eyes flashing again, "You are in no danger from me, Touga will be separated from his internal organs though for the chaos he has caused."

Kagome took a step back but caught herself mid movement. Deciding to hold firm to her ground she rounded on him, "Really because you listened to him pretty quickly".

"Yes because that infernal racket was clearly a rouse to draw out the beast and I came to that conclusion much too late. Between killing the tiger, shredding Touga's lungs and getting you to safety I needed to make a rather quick decision. The fact that he put you in danger again is maddening and I want nothing more than to return to the fight and remind him why he is sporting such a dark circle on his cheek," he growled.

Kagome attempted to counter but he roared in disapproval while spouting out, "Stay, I will obtain food."

She tried again but he was already gone, though she doubted he went far enough that he couldn't hear her stomping her foot and calling him an idiot. Huddling herself down to the ground as she assessed the space around her Kagome tried to piece together what had happened. Touga had separated the group for some unknown reason and Sesshomaru was mad beyond belief about it. But what did that have to do with Sesshomaru punching his father? Maybe it was a dominance thing?

Looking around her Kagome slowly made sure she was not surrounded by poisonous or man eating vegetation. Assessing that Sesshomaru had thought of her safety, or perhaps it was convenience to keep her mostly uninjured, she began gathering firewood in hopes of staying a bit warm. While she had produced some fruit the only fire she had made was from lightning strikes and there was no guarantee she would not electrocute her current traveling companion given that route.

After a few more minutes of wallowing in her own misery and gently pinching her cheeks to get her out of her mood, Kagome had a small fire lit. Building it up with weeds and some of her cloth Kagome had a decent fire burning by the time Sesshomaru returned. She knew it would be a demon they were eating as no other food was present but words could not express how thankful she was that it was clearly a boar demon. It was one that had seen better days and was probably taken out of its misery. Without a word he had sliced the skin off and put a smaller piece of meat over the fire. They worked around each other quite well and Kagome could not help but hope they found the others soon.

It wasn't until she tried taking a bite of the meat that Kagome knew this endeavor would be less than pleasant. It seemed as if her body naturally repelled the food as both her mouth and arm threw the items away. Within seconds a gust of wind had launched itself out of nowhere and buried her small slab of meat under the ground.

She looked at her hand briefly, inquisitively, before reaching for another piece. The stump she sat on creakily rolled from the ground and pulled her entire body away from the beast. With her now on the earth, feet up in the air she stood up and angrily while assessing the situation. At her feet small patches of strawberries rose but she paid no mind to them.

Instead her eyes remained focused on the boar in front of her. Leaping for the food she was dragged down quickly as the log rolled forward and tripped her footing. Nearly falling straight into the fire Kagome's waist was grabbed as the demon near her placed her on her feet. "It seems I am not able to adequately provide food for you either."

Turning to face him, because really what did the universes wish for her to become a vegetarian have anything to do with him, she stomped her foot. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

She was shocked to see his defeated look and slightly slumped shoulders. Sesshomaru had never bore such a feature on his handsome face and it immediately set her back. He walked over to the stump and steadied it, knowing that it should not have moved on such a flat surface unless her powers had instinctively reacted to her food choice. It seemed as if the universe really did have a way of life that she must live. He reached down again and picked some of the now riper strawberries from the vine. He handed them out to her and gestured for her to sit. Before she agreed to it Kagome remained steady in her eye contact, "What is happening Sesshomaru? I do not understand why the world is so opposite here."

He pushed her down to the ground by a slight pressure on her shoulders. Once she had reached the right level he glanced again. "This world creates a stronger intensity for us, it reflects how we originally were. Both demon and more spiritual beings such as yourself. It also shows us what chaos and selfishness can create when left unchecked."

Kagome glanced at the skies, "So chaos comes from me eating meat?"

He shook his head, "No, but I expect that it is no longer as compatible with your system, just as plants are not with mine. Instinctively a part of you must know that even if your mind cannot rationalize why. Perhaps it has to do with taking another life to benefit your own, there are too many questions to truly know for sure. But this land touches on our basic instinct. I am on edge by being surrounded by this amount of death and chaos; you are sad knowing the pain this death and chaos has caused."

Kagome sighed and pushed herself all the way on her back, eyes glancing up at the sky. She still had not yet seen a night here, just the dark gray of the clouds to hide the overbearing sun. Taking a few bites of the strawberries Sesshomaru had provided her Kagome tried to wrap her head around what was happening. Surely the few times humans had come to this world they had not been met with so many changes. Then again she was a time travelling priestess who was in her second round in the world of the dead without being dead. Maybe special rules applied to her. After a few more seconds Kagome asked something else that had been on her mind. "What-What did you mean provide for me?"

He took a bite of his own meat, this portion being uncooked and he did not pause in his chewing. When he did not answer her she chose to turn her head towards him, her blush at having to ask such a ridiculous question turning into confusion when he refused to answer. While watching him she noticed that he took small well-proportioned bites unlike his brother who basically swallowed his food whole. It was not until he took another sample that she realized he was ignoring her altogether. Rolling onto her front in a frustrated manner she glared, "Listen, you may not like me but we are stuck here and I need to know at least a bit on what is going on in your mind. I will work on protecting myself so you won't have to worry as much but this silent thing can't work if there is a giant tiger out to kill us."

His eyes shifted to the opposite direction before glancing at her again. The fire captured his attention before he spoke, "I am your protector while separated, it is my duty to ensure your safety. That includes meals and it seems I am incapable of that due to your body's requirements for certain nutrients. When we return to the group I will be sure to notify the bear so he may scrounge for additional sustenance for you."

The venom in his voice was palpable and Kagome felt herself instantly withdrawing in on herself.

Kagome reached for his arm but thought better of it as she felt the resentment seeping from him. He was no longer a wild beast needing to be reminded that he was safe. Nor was he someone who found comfort in her touch. "Sesshomaru, you do not have to protect me. I do not want to be a burden on anyone. You have to know that I don't actually mean to be such a-"

The man stood and looked as if he was about to say something but instead turned away. He glanced back at the forest as if scenting the air. "I will return, wild demons have entered the territory. Eat more of the fruit to keep yourself replenished and we will work towards re-entering the land of the living."

Kagome glanced back down at the ground as she pulled a few more strawberries from the dirt. Her sadness overwhelming her again she felt a few drops of rain hit her face as she tried to stifle down her emotions. She really was not actively trying to be a burden to him and he was undoubtedly feeling obligated now to look after her. Well he was in for a surprise if he did actually manage to get her back to her friends. It was not as if she would live much longer there anyways. Her body felt more alive here than it had been in months. Chewing briefly she desperately wished he would talk to her but then remembered the heartbreak she felt when she realized why he came here.

Touga.

He was here for a final showdown with his father and him protecting her probably just got in his way. She felt like such an obligation. Throwing the fruit to the ground Kagome felt a sense of irrational thought come over her. If he was that desperate to be rid of this burden who was impossible to care for then he could just hunt wind animals on his own and sit by his lonely little camp fire.

Looking down on what was left of her clothing, and to be truthful there was very little left what with how many times she had ripped it, Kagome grabbed her remaining food and quickly headed in the opposite direction that Sesshomaru had headed. Part of her was aware enough that she grabbed the infamous sword that permitted no one else to touch it as she knew it could not be left alone. No use leaving it with a total idiot demon it didn't want anything to do with anyways. She would just find her friends on her own and live here with them, George would protect her and he seemed perfectly happy to do it. And the baby bird needed someone to look after it anyways. It was too young to be on its own and probably had difficulty find food for itself. The irrationality came with a sense of dread again and her frustration mounted when the small droplets went back to being a rush of water covering her.

She nearly screamed when she realized the stupid oaf was once again affecting her enough to cause the rain and it killed her that she cared. Instead of fighting it this time she welcomed the downpour knowing it would make it harder for anything to scent her. She slipped down a rock but caught herself with her right hand as a miniature mudslide tried to help her down the mountain. Grabbing her side as a stitch developed she continued walking in the hopes she was heading in the correct direction. She did not need to go up any further but around would be a nice option. Eventually it began raining hard enough that she could no longer see her own hand in front of her and growled in frustration.

She hated this stupid land, with its stupid demons and their stupid killing intent. With that last thought her foot caught on something unidentifiable and she began rolling down the mountain in a very unpleasant fashion. Her head eventually hit something hard and she felt the welt forming, but not before her ankle twisted at an awkward angle and the side of the rest of her shirt completely cut in half from something sharp. Placing her feet as much forward as she could in order to brace her against extra rocks Kagome landed horribly wrong on a boulder as she attempted to use the momentum to steady herself. She still had the sword wrapped around her arm from a sling they had made the previous day but that did nothing to balance her. Instead her foot gave way and she stumbled to the side and into a cavern. The weeds covered her and a small opening further into the ground engulfed her body. She fell a good few more feet until the air was knocked out of her when hitting the hard dirt.

Her body was still as she tried to gather her bearings and assess for further injuries. She moved her arm briefly but found it difficult to breathe, though not impossible. Pushing herself up with her hands Kagome glanced around but found herself in a completely pitch black atmosphere with nothing to light her way. Not even knowing how small or large the opening was that she landed in Kagome first pat the ground to make sure it was firm enough. She felt something warm and wet, immediately assuming it was blood based around the coppery smell, and tried not to gag. She had ripped her shirt and it made sense with the pain in her side. Slowly moving around she reached in front of her but was met with writhing dead roots, or what she assumed were tree roots. They broke easily and had a stringy feeling to them that reminded her of items she would dig up from the ground when young.

Assessing that nothing sharp or hard was above her head Kagome stood slowly while reaching above. Even the small opening she had come through seemed to have closed off and she could only assume it was a testament to how far she rolled. Rubbing her arms as the cold was now seeping in Kagome tried calling upon the one source of herself that she had dared not touch. Looking inward she looked for that bright pink light that usually indicated her spiritual powers. They were buried, so incredibly deep inside of her they were near non-existent. She tried more knowing that at minimum they could assist with being able to see but was met with an obscene amount of pain. Kagome dropped to the floor again and tried to suppress the sweat and tears her body was producing. God it hurt more than she could say, it was like her body was turning itself inside out trying to reach what had once come so naturally to her.

Kagome hit her palm against the hard ground as she tried to cause any form of distraction. Eventually she collapsed in a tired mess, her body no longer having the ability to hold her up. Tears welled in her eyes again and she knew these were of frustration and longing, not physical pain as they had been before. "Please, please help me. I cannot do this on my own."

Her nose began running as she curled herself into a ball now on the verge of sobbing. It wasn't until a feint light hit her closed eyelids that she gave herself a moment to pause. Opening them she saw a small pink light dangling in front of her. Her eyes widened as she recognized the familiar, albeit, small presence. It would not have been more than the size of a firefly but she welcomed it with an open heart. Kagome felt her hopefulness mount as the essence of her spiritual powers floated around her. She opened her heart up again and felt the connectedness to it. It was so small, as weak as a newborn but it was hers and a very small part of her had felt itself mend.

Kagome stood up slowly as the light followed her will, the slight twinge in her ankle and the pain in her side nothing in comparison to the new hope within her. She glanced around and saw that it was a makeshift tunnel or opening she had landed in. To her right there seemed to be what used to be a door. Sliding through the rotting and broken edges Kagome suddenly felt the spiritual light flicker. Her shock had broken her concentration and she had to remind herself to pour further life into the small ball.

Before her stood a massive hall with archways and what could be presumed at one time smooth floors. It looked grander than even Sesshomaru's castle and the way the plant life grew was beautiful. For some reason a few green plants remained in the area and it was the first true sign of life Kagome had seen that had not been caused by her. She stepped over the rubble as she assessed the battle that must have taken place here. Destruction surrounded her but awe kept her moving.

Eventually she reached the far end of the wall where metal carvings had been etched into the area. It depicted so much life, a party possibly with beautiful demons together. Her own stories from growing up played in her head and she wondered if perhaps all of them were not demons but some form of angels. Sesshomaru had said something earlier about this land specifically impacting demons and those with spiritual powers. Touga had basically stated the two were more closely related than anyone could ever know. Maybe she was standing on something sacred, something ancient. A part of her receded at being at such a place and it was only when her light flickered again that she caught herself.

Kagome glanced up and saw that if it was not for the dirt and rubble the building would not have had a roof. How did a mountain fall on such a beautiful place? Pushing herself into a corner as she placed a bit more pressure on her stomach, Kagome thought about everything that had happened while here.

She had the distinct impression that multiple things were afoot and she was not being told the majority of them. It hadn't mattered to her at the time but this place affected her to much for her to ignore it anymore. And this building how was it she could feel so at peace and at the same time so broken from standing in a run-down room?

Kagome felt a rush of heat hit her and somehow, beyond all comprehension knew something was wrong. She glanced down at her stomach and saw something rather horrible. The light was still limited but strong enough to have comprehension dawn on her. Black blood was dripping from her side and it looked as if her body was purging sludge from her intestines. Her eyes rolled back into her head before she could make heads or tails of what that could possibly mean.

Kagome woke with the distinct impression of being in someone's arms. She didn't know who they were but their hair was wet, their body warm and their embrace empowering. Her eyes fluttered briefly and she was met with a green glow off to her left. Her eyelashes fluttered again and she felt the arms tighten briefly around her, then they constricted again without any intent to release.

Her eyes eventually glanced up and she saw the outline of Sesshomaru above her, his gaze locked on something in the distance. She attempted to push herself up but was met with the unwavering hold of the man before her, his crossed legs not even budging as her tired form attempted to move. A jerk with her legs caused her breath to catch as her eyes tried to find the wound that had caused her to lose consciousness.

"You had a demon claw inserted into your stomach. Undoubtedly you accidently landed on it during your trip down the mountain and it poisoned your body," came the smooth voice. It echoed in the silent room and gave an eerie feel to everything around her. He continued to face forward when he stated "I extracted it and gave you my outer layering of clothing since you seem intent to kill yourself if not through poison then through sickness."

Kagome moved her gaze from his jawline as she saw the rage building there. That tick was present in his jaw, the one that she seemed to cause by being near him. Part of her was incredibly thankful that he had found her but a much larger part was still upset, and felt more than a little shame that she could not survive a few hours on her own. As she was processing her feelings in silence Sesshomaru moved his arm and doused a dead plant with poison and then quickly moved his hand back to her leg. She watched as it re-lit the area with the familiar green glow.

Sighing she swallowed her pride, "I am so sorry you had to save me again."

Silence greeted her and she felt like an admonished child. His head did not turn, his gaze did not waver and at this angle she could not even determine if he was blinking. Eventually he spoke, "Why did you leave?"

Kagome felt her face flush. At the time it had felt so right, so important and necessary to leave but it had nearly killed her in so many ways. Everything in this world was dangerous to her at an entirely new level. Her wits and negotiation skills could not get her out of these battles; her power was that of a newborn and that was when it did react to her. "I just…you didn't want me there and I felt so stupid and angry-"

He cut her off, "Why do you think I did not want you there?"

She curled in on herself right before she felt the urge to run away again hit her. She squirmed briefly but the hold tightened, "You are in no condition to stand or walk as your wounds heal. And you will answer the question instead of this game of chase."

Kagome tried kicking again but her strength was nothing compared to his, "Why would you want me around? I am a stupid human whom you hate. Why don't you just go kill a bunch of things and let me rest-"

"I did, I killed everything. I killed everything I came into contact with looking for you. The rain obscured your scent and I had to search every broken twig, every imprint and drop of oddly colored mud to finally find that you had fallen into a buried tomb with you nearly dead on the ground. Now answer the question, why did you leave?" he said but this time with more ferocity.

Her own jaw clenched and she was so confused by his tone. If she did not know any better she would say he cared. Kagome found herself pulling his inner shirt closer to her face in an attempt to hide since she could not run. "It's just, god Sesshomaru, it hurts to be around you."

This time she did see his eyes narrow, "I see."

Her eyes puffed up and her chest constricted, "No you do not see. I kept thinking that you are even a little bit fond of me. I think that maybe I have some level of respect from you; that maybe I am more than your brother's annoying shard detector who overtook your house and then you just…leave. You leave to prove your superiority to your father, you leave to fight demons, you leave to get away from this annoying creature you have the unfortunate situation of being attached to. So I left, I left to make it easier on both of us."

Beyond every level of prediction she could have made Kagome felt a sense of relief overtake his body. Had she not been so closely pressed against it she would never have caught it or the change in his heartbeat. He did not speak right away, as if digesting his own words before he shared them with her. It seemed true to his character to keep everything inside before he was ready to share.

"I left because I was frustrated, but not with you," he spoke softly. Before she could interrupt he continued and she could tell from his previous body response it was important to listen. "While yes you have taken over my home and continue to challenge everything I do, you have impacted much in a positive way. My house has never functioned so well, you admonished me when I was wrong but at times will listen when you see your own errors too. Inuyasha is no longer as annoying as he once was and you kept me alive when even this Sesshomaru would have fallen to that illness."

He paused for a short second before glancing away. "With all you have provided and changes you brought, I could not provide for you, a basic instinct and skill that a pup is taught at the youngest of ages. I could not give you food, I could not give you shelter and you had to comfort me until I could be rational. When those insignificant demons entered the area I had the urge to do something, anything, to make up for what I was clearly failing at. I am not accustomed to failure."

Kagome felt herself breathe at a much more shallow pace as his words caught up to her, "You were mad at yourself? Not me?"

His gaze drifted downwards briefly before looking back out in the distance. "I am out of my depth, and at a loss on how to care for you properly. I apologize if my frustrations with what is happening caused you distress."

His arm outreached again and she watched as he lit another tree to supply her with the glow of the light. She realized briefly that it was for her, his vision most likely did not need the light to get him around the area. Based on the amount of newly destroyed things near her he had been doing this for some time, most likely for when she woke up and would then be less afraid.

Her eyes took in the area, "Sesshomaru, you cannot hold yourself responsible for my broken body and whatever is going on with me."

"It is not a responsibility Kagome, it is an urge. A need to-" he stopped himself and she wondered what he was going to say. He sighed and she found herself loving the human action, "Demons are possessive and protective in their nature. I know this place is dangerous for you and it overcomes me."

Kagome pushed her nose back into his shirt and tried to recalculate her thoughts. Normally she would never do such an action but his sincerity had shocked her. She had thought so little of him and while she still wavered this Sesshomaru was so different, yet so familiar. It was like his feral form but with words and rationale. "So you don't hate me?"

She watched as a small side smirk lifted his features slightly, "No, I do not hate you. And yes, I do know your name and no, keeping you safe is not a task I take lightly."

Kagome felt herself choke back a sob as a random thought hit her. He did not hate her, she wasn't crazy and he may actually hold some form of affection for her in the heart of his. He had even smirked and begun to tease her. He would also take care of her friends. He would protect them and she did not have to worry. Her fear of Inuyasha being left behind seemed unfounded if he had been this upset at the idea of not being able to properly feed her.

By this time his grip had lessened and she pushed herself out of his arms briefly. Her heart hurt less and while there was still pain in her side it was far more manageable. Looking him in the eye, and ignoring everything the screaming non-vulnerable inner Kagome was telling her, she made her thoughts rather clear. "Then you have provided for me. Maybe not in the demon sense but I needed clothes for warmth and you gave them to me, I needed energy and you made sure I ate those stupid unripe strawberries. I was impaled with a poisonous demon claw and you tracked me down in the mud to hold me as I healed, you know, once you pulled it out. I think your definition of protection needs to change just a bit if it means that much to you. I mean the biggest danger to me has never been a demon, it's always me. I get impulsive and want to help everyone and just throw myself into stupid situations."

He looked down at her, "You are rather reckless."

She rolled her eyes but stopped herself at the seriousness of the conversation, "Thank you Sesshomaru. I…my thoughts just spiraled on me. I know I may not be the most important person in your life but I am glad to hear that I rank high enough for protection status."

She watched him pause, his right claw ticking against her thigh. Her body flushed as it slowly dawned on her the position they were in. He was holding her? Why was he holding her? She knew why initially of course, to comfort her and keep her warm but why was he still holding her? Her blush deepened as his hand on her thigh became the only point of focus she could feel, his claws making lazy circles on her body.

Was he even aware that he was doing that? She looked up and saw that he probably wasn't. His mind seemed to be processing once again as his hand moved in no immediate pattern. She had never pictured him as one to fidget though and considered bringing it up. Even she found it too embarrassing to say out loud though. Maybe demons perceived intimacy differently and they did not consider that quiet as…affectionate as humans did.

The man seemed to be a vat of mixed freaking messages.

Eventually Sesshomaru worked up whatever conversation he had determined was important in his head. "I believe we should discuss why I came here-"

But they were cut off as a loud sound boomed throughout the cave. The ground above them rumbled and she found herself covered by the form of the imposing lord as the dirt came down from the ceiling. His body caged hers protectively as she was on her back with him hovering above. His body could not have been more than an inch or two away from her chest and if her breathing was any harder they would definitely be touching.

She looked up and his golden eyes were solely focused on her, not a speck of attention deviated to somewhere else. Her flashback from when she smashed him with a vase was permeating her mind but this time very different emotions flooded through her. This position just had to come right after he had been all vulnerable and telling her that she was important to him. Any other time and she felt like it wouldn't have been so personal, so intimate. Mentally she wanted to slap herself into remembering that this was Sesshomaru because, well, it was Sesshomaru. He would never be interested in her to that capacity no matter what the current situation looked like. Her blush intensified tenfold when she watched his nose twitch and he inhaled noticeably. Could he smell her? Was she as much a mixture of scents as she was feelings?

When another loud sound hit and the cave rumbled his arms flexed as if preparing for further dirt. It was nothing avalanche worthy but certainly impossible to dodge as a few piles hit his back and dirtied his inner layer of clothing. His eyes remained transfixed on her form throughout the shift of land. Eventually he reached up to brush some dirt from her hair. After a few seconds he moved to his side and placed the majority of his wait on his hip. Looking up at the structure she watched as he calculated their level of safety in the tomb. Sesshomaru stood gracefully and did not bother brushing the dirt from his person. Before she could move his hand had reached for her own to assist her from the ground.

Kagome was not quite so graceful with her injuries but managed not to topple straight into him which was one saving grace given the situation. It did not last long of course as she took one step and fell clumsily into him anyway. He cautiously grabbed her by her shoulders to steady her and provide support. Once she was steady and leaning on him appropriately he spoke, "We should return to the surface. That could be any number of creatures terrorizing above and this structure is not sound."

Kagome looked around as she watched his previous poison sizzle as the dirt covered it. She reached back into herself and found that familiar small ball of light. It was less painful to summon it and this time when she staggered from the pain a clawed hand steadied her. He attempted to grab her other arm and carry her but she pulled that arm back, permitting him to hold onto the first one only. "No, I can walk I just may need some support."

His narrowing of the eyes indicated he disagreed. "I've got this, I feel better now it is just taking more work."

He reached for her side and reluctantly permitted her to walk. It did not escape her notice that he probably carried 80 percent of her weight but she at least felt a bit more independent. Going back to their previous conversation she tried to get him talking. Most of it was to distract her from her continued feelings of confusion and another part was to gain further insight into his thinking process, "What were you going to say about coming here?"

Sesshomaru's eyes continued forward and gave no indication of importance to the conversation, "It was nothing, we should get you to fresh air though."

He had transitioned again to a demon on a mission, nearly all compassion and speaking ability evaporating like water in the sun. Inwardly she recognized the signs of a closed off male and tried not to take it personal. She had most definitely been reading into his behaviors earlier. Kagome let it slide as further metal work depicting those beautiful creatures on the walls. "Do you know what this place is?"

Sesshomaru glanced around briefly before focusing on whatever spot he had deemed their destination, "I believe it was a celebration hall. In the olden days it is said our two kinds would celebrate the changing of life together."

Kagome glanced within the walls for any depiction of humans. She did not see any and guessed he meant whatever the original forms of demons were. "You know, part of me wants to stay here in the land of the dead."

He stopped abruptly and quickly turned her to face him, "You will be returning home." His anger was palpable and briefly she wondered how to keep up with his emotions. Inuyasha had always been far more predictable in his moods.

She pulled out of his grip but found her weight giving out on her swollen ankle. She permitted herself to lean back up against him, "To what Sesshomaru? I am practically dead on that side anyways and who knows if I will be cognizant the time I cross over when I am actually supposed to. Human's do not last long here."

His growl was a low rumble in his chest before he spoke in hushed tones, "You have far too much to live for in order to give up."

She was suddenly swung around and in his arms as he reached around her waist and lifted her to chest level with him. He all but catapulted through the roof of the mountain as Sesshomaru pushed through the dirt and rock. His body seemed to cover hers and it was not until she felt the warm air on her face that she looked around. They floated briefly as her hair remained in a temporary stasis while taking in the beautiful scenery before her. It was half a second but in that moment she could see miles past them, the former oceans and worlds that existed before them. She could all but imagine the paradise this universe once harbored. Within that time they were headed back down to the ground and the vision disappeared.

They landed smoothly and Sesshomaru placed her gently on the dry dirt. "You will not die. You will live a normal human life and what plagues you will be stopped. In the mean time we will find you shelter and you will rest. Perhaps the others will find our scent now that the rain has cleared."

Kagome turned to face him and grabbed his sleeve, "Sesshomaru you do not know what I felt, my body was giving out."

His eyes narrowed, "Your body yes, but not your soul."

Kagome and Sesshomaru had fallen into a rather set rhythm by the time they had obtained shelter. He permitted her to walk, undoubtedly delaying them indefinitely through her stubbornness and she pretended that it did not mean the world to her that he did so. But when they found a small opening, and Sesshomaru effectively punched it in until a decently sized cave was present, Kagome noticed that she could not sleep for the life of her. His clothing was incredibly warm as well as comfortable but she found that with everything that had happened she really just wanted someone to hold her. All the revelations and emotional upheaval had taken a toll mentally. Normally she would find comfort in nestling in with Kilala or Shippo, heck even George.

After another turn Sesshomaru eventually spoke, "What is wrong?"

Kagome attempted to smash her face into the ground as she struggled to think of anything that would get her out of asking to snuggle with him. Eventually she chickened out and wrapped his haori further around her. As much as she adored his body heat and strong arms before she was not crazy enough to think that he would welcome that now. "It's nothing, just a rock digging in."

A few more seconds passed and without ever hearing him she suddenly felt a warm hand against her. It made soothing circles across her back as another reached around and played with the tips of her hair. The feeling was instantly calming and she felt her body go into a deep calm state which she had never before experienced. Her mind seemed to have found some peace and her body soothed instantaneously as if no aches and pains were present. As she drifted to sleep a small part of her came to the conclusion that he was far better at comforting her than he gave himself credit for.

Sesshomaru had watched as her mind drifted in and out of awareness, Kagome's breathing finally becoming even. The last heartbeat evened to a level rate and he felt himself relax. He continued his hand movements though to keep both himself occupied and her steady. He was thankful she had not asked why they had changed directions or inquired about how he found her. He had all but destroyed that half of the mountain and doused everything in acid. Sesshomaru had been in a rage when he found her scent gone and her trail cold. He could not even claim it was his beast; he had been in full control as he ripped everything apart. With a small flick of his wrist his hand moved up to the top of her head as he ran his claws through her locks. He was surprised to find that they were not as delicate as they seemed but still impossibly soft. Undoubtedly another change she was experiencing.

He still felt that rage, that need to pace, to kill and to secure his territory. When he found her there covered in poison and tattered clothing it was as if the world had stopped. No longer was his father, his lands or his return home important. It was possibly one of the worst moments of his long life. He knew why and he suspected so did his father which was vexing on its own level.

He wanted to mate her.

Everything in him screamed at him to take her and mark her. He wanted to ensure he had every right to make sure nothing like this could ever happen again but he stopped himself. One she was unconscious, two he was out of his mind with demonic instincts and three she was dying.

He had prioritized the last one and sniffed out the offending claw. It smelled like rat but who knew in this land. His own acid had disintegrated it the moment he pulled it from her stomach as he pictured the creature originally attached to it squealing in pain. Something had dared to hurt her while under his watch. As an alpha he should have protected her. The urge to kill emerged again as he recounted the experience in his mind.

By the time she had woken he was attempting to sate the second one, the demonic urges overwhelming him. He needed to know she was safe and logically he knew her abilities would heal her once the claw had been removed but his instincts had not cared. So instead he drove himself mad thinking of the inane conversations they had experienced back at his castle: the times she had undermined him, when he bested her, training her kit and essentially reminding himself why this woman was not permitted to die. It had not really been working but her in his arms was helpful as he felt her pulse strengthen, her normal scent return. Her comment about the pain he caused her was not helpful though. Admitting his failure was humiliating and any demoness would have held it against him, shown him how weak he was and foolish to try for her hand. She had done the opposite and comforted him…again. She had been recovering from death and she was still trying to understand him.

Who was this woman and what was he going to do with her? Frustration was not the appropriate word. Loss, guilt, hope, elation, anger; none of them really conveyed what he was experiencing. When he was speaking with her he knew she did not truly understand what she was saying, the feelings she was evoking in him. He had unconsciously started to court her in his need to provide. He knew it; he knew it from before they had even reached the underworld. But she had instilled herself in his life in a way no one had, in a way no one ever could.

In truth he hated humanity; he hated it with a passion because it all faded. They left either through age or destruction. She would be no different. She would leave him and he would prefer that because her life would be far less painful were she to remain as a mortal. Immortality had its failings and he doubted her heart could stomach the loss of her friends if she were to live on.

Her legs shifted slightly and he watched as his haori rose slightly on her thighs. He was disgusted to see her flesh so cold and once again berated himself for not having longer clothing. He wanted to blame her for tearing her outwear to shreds but knew it was no use. He made a quick decision on pulled her into his lap in hopes his body would keep her warm. Sesshomaru was flooded with her scent and found his body relaxing again. She carried no scent of death or ill will. She was as pure as her soul and it calmed him immensely. Back when the cave had been crumbling it had taken every ounce of willpower not to bask in her. Her scent and space between their bodies had been torturous. Everything he had questioned in his plan to distance himself from her came tumbling as if an insignificant thought.

Sesshomaru's first priority though had been to get her to safety and care for her until healed. He recalled the way she had nurtured him when sick and hoped he was doing things correctly. As a child no one had held him when injured and he had no practice in the act. His kind believed in certain rules but she continued to defy them as if they had never existed.

Honestly, who had an army of bat demons at the ready? Who could tame a demon in a feral state as she had done for both him and Inuyasha? Who could possibly garner the respect of Malik without having to face thousands singlehandedly in combat? How was one person this important to him?

She had been wrong of course; she was quickly becoming the top of his priority list. His other arm reached across her stomach as he pictured for just a moment what it would mean to have a pup. He had never pictured himself a father even to continue their family line. He had never wanted the responsibility or the burden. His lands could be passed to someone worthy, a lord or war hero. He had never imagined what he would be like as a father but his mind had wandered lately.

Would he be patient? Would he be demanding and perfectionistic? Would he continue the terrible family trait of selfishness? Would his pup hate him as much as he despised Touga? Fleetingly he placed his head on Kagome's forehead before looking back up at the ceiling. One woman had him thinking things he swore to never truly contemplate. His decisions to isolate had already been made…and then he brought Rin back to the castle. The damn woman had convinced him to bring Rin back and she hadn't even needed to directly speak with him about it.

Briefly he recalled her words. Was it true? Did he need to change his definition of what it means to protect?

His eyes snapped to the entrance of the cave as a threatening scent entered his nose. Slowly, as if sensing the hatred forming a silver tipped claw reached around the wall. Sesshomaru growled threating as his sire walked into the mouth of the cave. His eyes were playful and it wasn't until a brown bear trotted around him as if nothing was wrong that he realized why. Sesshomaru would not attack with Kagome in his arms and her companions that could be placed in danger. The damn dog had known that. The bear of course ignored the potential death match and pulled itself closer to the slumbering woman.

Sesshomaru was inwardly pleased to see that she remain tucked by his side of her own volition instead of the warm fur of the bear.

The bird poked its head from the base of the bear's matted neck and moved to the tip of the creature's nose. It did not jump onto Kagome though as it so desperately wished. It knew an alpha when it saw one and this one was mad.

"Leave," he snarled out.

Touga shook his head, "Calm down my boy, everyone is safe and she is mostly alive."

Sesshomaru did not move for fear of waking her. His aura flared and the rock around them rumbled with the reaction to the power. "You are the threat to her, not these lands. You have caused more damage and harm than any combination of the creatures here have done."

Touga remained on the outside of the cave as he sat down, making both him and Sesshomaru eye level. "What am I supposed to do son? Watch you die of misery? See her with a life that is unfulfilled and broken? Watch Inuyasha's demonic side take over?"

"You are to let your children discover their own life, for good or for bad," he countered.

Touga's eyes became sorrowful, "No true parent will ever let their child walk to their death if it can be prevented."

"Yet you lead her to hers," snapped Sesshomaru. His mind flashed him back to finding her in the cave and his rage must have showed for Touga took immediate note of it.

Touga stood abruptly in his own response, "She is a catalyst my boy and decisions had to be made. This is our world Sesshomaru! This is what we have left. Since she has been here two demons have regained their own mind, patches of food have begun to grow and water comes from the skies. Can you imagine what changes she could do for others? The hearts she could change, the lives she can save? Your life? The life of my first born son that you were so willing to destroy? The day will come when I will have to face her for all that I have done and I will pay penance. I will grovel at her feet for forgiveness because throughout all of this I have come to care for her as a daughter. I could never wish her harm any more than I could wish you pain but I had to choose. I had to take a chance."

"It was not your choice to make," Sesshomaru growled.

"No," he whispered softly. "No it was hers and it was taken away from her the moment I entered her life. I recognize that and I recognize my selfishness. I know I broke the trust of so many even in death. But I will never permit you to give up on happiness Sesshomaru. I will never let you become me alone in this barren land wandering for centuries fighting every day to not lose your mind to madness."

He was prepared to argue, to stand and defend the woman and life he had developed. Instead a very small and whisper like voice broke the tension.

"I forgive you," came her scratchy voice.

Both demons immediately drew attention to the presumed sleeping woman. When they glanced down they saw what they had both missed. Her eyes were wet with tears but the skies had not rumbled. She pushed herself up briefly and Sesshomaru attempted to grab her arm but Kagome pulled it away. Eventually she was steady on her feet and standing near the broken lord.

"I missed it; I cannot believe I missed it. This land, this land affected you too. It brought out all the things you hated about yourself so that you could not see the good. You may not have gone feral but everything was negative, everything was horrible and you have been here so long. So you focused on something you could fix no matter what happened," she said it as his pain became apparent to her. How long had he been in this realm? How long had he been living with these doubts not even knowing how they were consuming him. The other demons had a release were they could ignore the world and go on a rampage but he chose to remain sane. He chose to remember and still exist. Her hands shook as the gravity of his misery reached her.

Touga tried to cut her off "Kagome I-"

But instead Kagome threw her own arms around him and let her tears fall, "Whatever it is you have done, whatever it is you blame yourself for I forgive you. I don't know what you did to me, I don't know what it means or how you went about it but it doesn't matter. I forgive you."

His arms slowly reached around her and she felt his muscles tense. Eventually he participated in a fierce hug and she could feel the tension leave his body as his arms grew tighter. When they parted she saw a new light inside of him, a red tint gone from his iris's that she had never before noticed. She took a step back only when she saw a flash of light next to the back of the cave. Turning her head she witnessed the sword pulsing with renewed energy. Covering her eyes Kagome stepped towards Sesshomaru. "What is happening?"

The cave began to shake as the sword grew more powerful. The light pulsed as if testing its own strength and the energy wave nearly tumbled her over.

Always the logical one Sesshomaru looked at his father and the surrounding creatures, "I imagine the sword as determined it the appropriate time to return."

Kagome's eyes quickly returned to her new found family. It was terrifying to think of returning home knowing that her death was quickly approaching. She could remain here and try her hand at the afterlife. One glance at Sesshomaru told her this was not an option. It was fair though, it was important she say her goodbyes to everyone properly. Turning towards George she watched as he stood slowly. She stumbled briefly as the light pulsed again and shook the ground. Wrapping her arms around him she kissed both him and the bird on their forehead. "Be safe and look after one another. Don't forget that one over there, Touga needs help too."

The bear nuzzled her and the bird tried burring itself in her hair. She slowly moved towards Touga who looked both defeated and relieved. Perhaps this entire endeavor would change him. Whatever she had done while here she hoped it would remain true and each one of them could begin healing. He reached out and pat her head affectionately, then cupped the side of her face lovingly with his palm. He rested it there for a few long seconds before finally speaking, "Good luck, my little one."

Her eyes watered at the familiar term and she remembered all of the great moments they had together. His jokes and stories, his assistance with her powers and the familiar frustration she always felt in his presence. "Will you be there, when I return?"

The ground shook again and the pulsing noise from the sword became louder. It buzzed until a small portal began developing around it. It was small and seemed to outline the sword itself as if it could barely manage the trip. It showed that it was the direct link to the world of the living. Lightening seemed to surround it and she assumed it had to do with the difficulty in opening the portal. Kagome strained her ears but was still able to hear him with effort.

Touga shook his head, "The gate between the worlds has been closed. I hope to see you in the future though. I imagine we will have much to talk about after you mate my son and are officially part of the pack."

Kagome wiped her eyes sorrowfully as she laughed at his joke, "Please, that is just nasty. Inuyasha is practically a brother."

She completely missed the look he gave Sesshomaru over her head when Touga pulled her close to hug her again. With a sigh he gestured to the now floating sword and the dog demon stoically standing beside it as said stoic man glared, "I had hoped he would have made more progress than that."

Sesshomaru and him both made eye contact, a message stated between them that was indescribable. Kagome eventually walked over towards Sessomaru and he wrapped his arm around her waist. It settled there instinctively as her curves fit into his palm perfectly, both for protection and comfort. Kagome pushed herself towards him as the crackling grew louder. Once they were close enough Sesshomaru reached for the weapon knowing it would take them both home, hopefully without the lightning shock it had displayed before.

The world seemed to shake in on itself and he steadied while preparing both of them for the transition.

Before his fingers could fully grasp the weapon he heard something in the wind, the beginning of his father's voice. Sesshomaru had to strain his ears before snapping his head in Touga's direction once the message became clear.

"I remember now, how to become her protector. It is trust, complete and utter trust in the other individual. With her life, soul and body. Sounded an awful lot like a mating bond to me."

Then Sesshomaru's fingers were fully around the sword and they were gone.

Firevixen73- So what do you think? A lot happened in this chapter and I am so excited to run with it. I have a really good idea of what I am going to do next. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it. And just as a small teaser for you, time certainly did not stand still while our favorite two were in the underworld.