Chapter Three

Melting the Ice

Disclaimer: If I owned InuYasha I wouldn't be writing about him … duh!

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Kagome slowly awoke, laying on something comfortable that felt like her sleeping bag but there was something warm that was draped over her. She could sense the barrier and when she sat up, she saw the kimono shirt that felt like InuYasha's.

Her head came up when she heard a slight movement and a blush spread across her cheeks as she saw a very wet and very hot demon lord. Though he was still wearing his pants, he didn't have a shirt on and his broad and chiseled chest was the only thing she could look at for the long part of what seemed like forever.

Slowly, she tore her eyes away from his chest and up to his eyes, the blush growing on her cheeks before she quickly looked away and down at his hiori that had kept her warm the entire night even after the fire had died out.

"Your … hiori shirt … it … arigato, Sesshomaru." For some reason, hearing his name come from her lips made him want to kiss her … again …

"It should have kept you warm throughout the night. It is made from the fur of the firerat." Kagome frowned a little.

"But, isn't the fur red?" He set down the fish he had caught for breakfast and started to build the base for a fire.

"Hai but only the poor and uneducated wear it in its original color. Most dye it. It shows high status." He told her simply, his tone uncaring and sounding as if he was explaining it all to a small child.

"Oh." She said quietly, running her hand over it. Sesshomaru didn't miss a beat. He studied her out of the corner of his eye as she stroked the soft fabric. It probably reminded her of his baka of a brother. That thought made him want to growl but he quickly pushed it aside, ordering himself to stay focused on the fire even though it was simple and he could have done it in his sleep. He needed something to distract himself from images of Kagome sleeping and her slowly consuming scent.

"I take it you're hungry." He stated in his usual monotone voice. He noticed her look at him and nod lightly.

"Breakfast will be ready soon then." He put them on sticks and stuck the sticks in the ground close to the fire and then stood again, walking over and putting his undershirt on again and then walked over to Kagome.

Kagome had been lost in her thoughts until Sesshomaru stopped in front of her. A blush covered her cheeks and she looked away.

"If you don't need it anymore, I'll take my shirt back." Kagome nodded a little, handing it to him. Their hands brushed and she pulled hers back like he had burned her.

Sesshomaru frowned slightly. The miko's reaction to his touch, as bare as it was, didn't please him in the least. In fact, it stuck somewhere inside him painfully. He recognized it as the pain he had felt when he found out his mother had passed on. He growled inwardly, pushing the memory out of his mind and going back to the fire and letting the barrier down.

Kagome rolled up her sleeping bag and went over to the fire. "Sesshomaru … " She had called his name so softly, he thought that his heart would stop beating.

"Hai?"

"Why did you put up that barrier?" He looked over and she was just looking down at her hands that were folded in her lap.

"I'm not going to let some weakling demon get the better of this taiyoukai. This Sesshomaru needs you, miko. For Rin's sake." He saw Kagome's expression fall a little and he cursed himself silently.

"As strong as you are, your powers have not fully been awakened yet. You are too important to lose, Kagome." He said. Her name on his tongue felt like sugar and it almost made him smile.

Just as he was going to say something else, he felt a demon presence, along with Kagome, he noted. He looked to her.

"You feel it as well?" Kagome nodded and he rose, offering her a hand. Kagome looked to him and then to his hand and slowly took it, feeling herself being pulled towards him and blushed a little.

"What do you feel, Kagome?" Sesshomaru asked. Kagome looked to him and frowned a little but seeing that he probably wasn't joking, she closed her eyes.

"I feel … anger and … " She gasped. "I feel a jewel shard!" Sesshomaru allowed himself a small smirk but Kagome caught it, making sure she didn't give any indication that she saw it.

He nodded. "Good. Now, can you single out the shard?" Kagome frowned again, looking to him. This time he gave a small, encouraging nod.

Kagome smiled a little and she closed her eyes, sifting through the auras and focusing on the shard she felt. "Good. Now, try and call it to you?" Kagome opened her eyes, giving him a quizzical look.

"Call it to me?" She echoed. He nodded again. "Imagine having it in your hand or yourself reaching down and picking it up." Kagome sighed a little, thinking that it was a little impossible but decided to try it anyways.

Closing she singled out the shard again and winced a little. "It … burns." She said softly. Sesshomaru gently snaked his arm around her waist. "It's alright. Try and ignore it." Kagome nodded a little, concentrating hard and slowly, she felt like something was in her hand and she no longer felt a demonic presence, except for the obvious one.

"Open your eyes, Kagome." Sesshomaru said softly, his lips almost grazing her ear, making her shiver a little. Slowly, she opened her eyes and gasped a little. There was the jewel shard! It was in her hand! She did it!

Without a second thought, Kagome threw her arms around Sesshomaru's waist in a grateful hug. This action took the demon lord by surprise but slowly, he allowed himself to return her embrace. Kagome must have realized what she was doing and she jumped back, not realizing how weak she had become.

Sesshomaru saw her knees buckle and her body start to fall but he easily caught her, carrying her bridal style, frowning a little. That simple little task had taken more energy than she was used to. No matter, though, she would get used to it and get stronger.

Kagome, still barely conscious, felt Sesshomaru pick her up and she smiled, snuggling into his embrace, gently laying a hand on his chest. One thought came to her mind before she slipped into a peaceful sleep:

I guess I must be melting the ice …

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A/N: Well people! What do you ya'll think? –smiles- I hope that I'm not melting Sesshy's cold, cold heart too fast! Thank you all for your awesome, awesome reviews! This story has gotten the most reviews out of all of my fanfics!

Now .. an EXTRA special thank you to …

BlackWolfofFire: Thank you so much! And .. I'm sorry about not responding to your PM thing. I don't know how! –cries- I'm glad that I gave you ideas! –Blushes-

Silver Volken Raven: No! Don't sick the cookie monster on me! I've updated already! See?

Thanks again everybody!