A/N: Hello dear readers. Here is a sess/kag story that I posted to A03 over the summer and just finished it yesterday. Initially I had tried to post it on here as well but for some reason I could not post new stories at that time on here, only update the ones I had. Since it is done I can post a chapter a day. It came out to be twenty chapters total.

Enjoy

Kagome was terrified of Sesshomaru.

The way he moved, especially when engaged in battle, and glared at his adversaries with eyes she couldn't even begin to describe other than predatory and calculating, along with the fact he did not like humans made her inwardly panic every time they crossed paths.

Outwardly she spoke up and stood her ground. Remembering well the heat from his poison as he had tried to kill her all to vivid in her memory keeping her always on edge knowing he could attempt to kill her at a moments notice.

She was more than surprised when he explained to her how to assist Inuyasha into transforming into his mindless, demon. Even more shocked when she thanked him and he uttered a soft, 'you're welcome'.

That event made her contemplate the characteristics that made up Sesshomaru. Her thoughts would drift and seemed to linger on what exactly he was all about. After some time she thought maybe he didn't know really at all.

Maybe he was just trying to make the best of his own circumstances and dealing with the consequences day to day the same as the rest of them.

There was also the enigma of the little girl called Rin that followed him around but why? Writing down notes as she studied under the sacred tree she sighed placing it down.

Looking upwards at the leaves on the tree she really could not wrap her head around any of it. Sesshomaru was complex, intelligent, and strategic. Every move he made seemed to make sense in some way as she studied him when given the chance.

Of course Inuyasha was adamant that his brother was just a cruel, cold, monster but she was beginning to think that was only how he presented himself. People hid their true selves away to protect themselves after a traumatic event, maybe thst was what had happened to Sesshomaru.

Based off of what she knew as fact regarding the two brothers past Sesshomaru felt slighted and tossed aside despite the fact he was his fathers legitimate heir.

Kagome personally had no idea how that felt but did know what it was like to not have a father with only a memory, as vague for her as it was.

In some regards she thought that she and Sota were not that different from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, neither her brother or Inuyasha knew their fathers, while she and Sesshomaru had.

"I'm just making myself dizzy with all of this." She sighed out putting her books aways. "Seriously, what's with this guy taking up so much free rent in my head."

Suddenly hearing a commotion she grabbed her bow and quiver going to the source. Stopping in her tracks she saw Sesshomarus dragons had somehow gotten themselves tangled in a nasty patch of large thorny bushes.

Its reigns were ensnared causing the two to try to free themselves only becoming more entangled. It stomped and bellowed twisting around as the thorns dug into its skin.

"Hey you two." She called out to let it know she was approaching. "I can help you out, if you let me." Placing her weapon down she steeled herself to be pricked and cut by the bush as she went in.

One of the dragons looked at her clearly distressed as she was able to grab the reigns and begin to work on freeing them. "How'd you get yourselves so twisted up like this? Ouch! That hurt."

Taking out her utility knife she kept in a small leather pouch st her side she began to cut the worst of the branches finally setting the dragon loose.

Helping it out of the patch it still seemed agitated. At first the thought both of them were going to attack her as they began to bob and nod their heads only to realize they were trying to tell her something.

"Where is Sesshomaru? Something happened didn't it? Is Rin okay?" Picking up her bow and arrow the beast laid down as if inviting her to climb on the saddle. "You want me to go with you? Alright."

Climbing on she grabbed the reigns for purchase as they ran to take flight. Rounding over the bramble she saw they were heading to a cliff side some ways off. Curious she soon saw once they were above it what their distress was.

Rin was in a precarious situation.

Somehow she had gotten herself onto a very thin piece of the ledge that had cracked and threatened to break off. The dragons landed some feet away in a safer spot and Kagome ran towards her.

Stopping in front of where the stone became weaker she crouched down.

"Rin. Don't move." She ordered. The girl had crouched herself down and had her face hidden in her knees with her arms drawn around her legs. Looking up she was dirty with tears streaking down her cheeks.

"Kagome, help me. I'm scared." She sobbed out.

"I will." Kagome said confidently not feeling very confident at all. Scanning the ground there was no way she could walk over when suddenly she had an idea. "Let's play a game."

"A game?" Rin asked timidly.

"Yeah." Kagome smiled to put her at ease. Standing she took some steps back. "The game is hopscotch. You tell me a number and I'll skip to you. Then I say a number and you skip to me. Okay?"

Rin looked around fearfully and was visibly trembling.

"No, I'll fall." She shook her head.

"I'm right here Rin. Everything will be okay sweetheart. Come on. Give me a number." Kagome encouraged.

"Two." Rin said.

"Alright. One, two." Kagome counted as she hopped on one foot. "Your turn, how about one?"

Timidly Rin stood and steadied herself with her hands. Skipping once she sniffled. "See? Now how many skips?"

"One." Rin managed out. Taking her turn Kagome gripped her bow tightly. "Alright Rin, on your next turn reach for my bow and grab it. Okay?"

"Okay Kagome." She agreed.

"Three big skips to me." Holding out the bow Rin did so grabbing the wood. Kagome hauled her back with two hands as the rock began to crumble under her feet.

Screaming out Kagome pulled her backwards with her as she stumbled falling onto her back with Rin landing on top of her. Picking the girl up she ran over to the dragons tossing her on.

"Kagome!" Rin yelled as the entire cliff side gave away. One of the dragons tried to snatch Kagome up in its jaw by her arm to no avail.

Yelling out as she began to fall Kagome saw Rins terrified face as she fell before there was nothing.

Sesshomaru had been engaged in another pointless fight with one of Narakus golems. It was beginning to become extremely tiresome at this point and redundant.

"That Naraku is a crafty one, no doubt." Jaken mumbled out. "No match of course for you sire."

Stopping where he had left Rin and the dragons he turned his head to follow their scents. The coppery scent of blood hit his nostrils along with Rins. He knew that blood mixed with other properties he could not decipher and knew whom it belonged to.

Taking flight as Jaken protested about being left behind he found Rin huddled against the dragons as they tried to soothe her by nuzzling her head and face.

She was crying, in hysterics, and immediately saw why. Inuyashas human companion had met a rather gruesome end. Glancing up he figured she had fallen off the recently shattered cliff and had not only hit the unyielding ground below but had been crushed by falling rock.

"Rin." He said causing the little girl to look up.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Kagome…she saved me. I was trapped. An and Un brought her to me and she fell." Rin managed out.

He had been so engrossed in his banter with the golem he had neglected to notice that Rin has been in trouble resulting in the human woman's death. The failure was his and he would correct it if he could.

Pushing the heavy rocks off of her easily to toss them aside Sesshomaru knelt down fixing her limbs where they should be and pushing in the broken pieces of her skull.

Standing he withdrew the Tensaiga and waited for it to respond. When it didn't he thought maybe the extent of her injuries were to grave when it began to pulse in his hand.

He saw the denizens of the underworld cultivating her soul to take away as they did. Swiping across to dispatch them Kagome was engulfed in its blue healing wave as well.

When it dissipated into a fine mist he saw she was whole once again. The only traces that anything had happened was still the copious amount of blood that stained her clothes and had pooled on the ground.

Anxiously Rin tripped over herself to go to Kagomes side. Leaning over her closely she watched as Kagome took a deep breath with her eyes shooting open.

"Kagome!" Rin cried out wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"Rin?" She asked uncertainly. Her eyes went to Sesshomaru as she seemed confused.

"I'm sorry you fell and died. I promise to be more careful." Rin said.

"I died." She repeated the disbelief clear in her tone.

"Yes." Sesshomaru affirmed. Sitting up slowly as Rin moved off of her she looked past him up at the cliff.

Her gaze moved down to where she was sitting. Her eyes fell to the bloodstained rocks and ground.

Looking at herself she picked at her clothing where the worst of the blood had settled.

"You bled a lot." Rin said. "But you're okay now thanks to Lord Sesshomaru."

"Thank you Sesshomaru." Kagomes voice was wooden and her eyes were glazed somewhat being very much in shock.

"You're welcome." He said turning to leave. Standing Kagome looked down to see the worst of the blood. Reaching back to her head she felt how stiff her hair was and plastered to her skull.

"Are you coming with us Kagome?" Rin asked expectantly. "You can if you want. Lord Sesshomaru won't mind."

"I-I don't know." Closing her eyes to try to get her bearings she placed a hand to her forehead. Feeling the tug on her skirt she figured it out be in her best interest to be with someone.

Picking up her bow and quiver Rin helped her to gather up the arrows they could find. Rin took Kagomes hand walking with her to the dragons.

Surprisingly Sesshomaru had waited for them, albeit with his back turned.

"You shouldn't be walking. An an Un will carry you." Rin offered.

"Okay." Kagome replied climbing into the saddle again. Reaching down she helped Rin scramble up and allowed her to take the reigns.

Sesshomaru began to walk and the dragon followed taking Kagome with them.

A/N: The scene were Kagaome saves Rin was inspired by a scene from the movie Rise of the Guardians. My kids started watching it again and it inspired me to write this story. Until next time, happy reading.