AN: here it is, chappie two! Read and Review please!

Haunted

"Inuyasha, stop!" Kikyou cried, trying to pull the hanyou off the young miko before he killed her. Kagome wasn't afraid, this wasn't the first time and she knew he would not lose control.

She didn't say a word. That only made the beating worse.

Finally he tired of the game and threw her to the ground. "Don't even think about leaving camp again." he snarled. "You stay with me." He turned went back to Kikyou's hut. Old Kaede had died shortly before Naraku's defeat. Now Kikyou was village miko, even though her powers were weakened.

"I'm so sorry!" Kikyou knelt down next to Kagome, who was holding her sides in pain. "I couldn't stop him, I couldn't-"

"Enough." Kagome slowly forced herself to her feet, her voice harsh with pain. "This isn't your fault. It's his. He's trying to keep things the way they were before." She laughed bitterly. "Like that's ever gonna happen." She turned to walk away.

"Wait! Even after what he did, you're still going to leave camp?" Kikyou sounded incredulous.

Kagome's smile was as bitter as her laugh. "I need to get away before I purify him." she said simply. "If he tries to hurt you for letting me go, tell him I'll purify him when I get back. I don't want you to get hurt for my sake." Kikyou nodded just as Kagome disappeared into the woods.

----------/

Despite the downpour, Sesshoumaru knew he was heading in the right direction. He had smelled the miko's sweat and blood, and curiosity had gotten the better of him once again. Now he was standing in front of the god-tree, staring at the broken woman before him and feeling the stirring s of an unfamiliar emotion.

Concern? He brushed it aside.

"Are you crying, miko?"

She looked up at him, her eyes remarkably clear. "No," she said softly, "it's just the rain." She didn't look away and neither did he. They were caught in each other's gaze, trying to find something inside the other that they couldn't even name. To her surprise, Sesshoumaru looked away first. He let his eyes drift to the bruises and blood, the rain washing away the latter to reveal deep gashes down her arms and across her face. His golden eyes hardened at the sight.

"did he do this to you?" His voice was cold, but Kagome could see the emotion in his eyes, barely in control: anger.

"Hai." She was uncertain. "Are you angry at me? I let him do this." Se closed her eyes and bowed her head, letting her hair trail in the puddle she was kneeling in. A clawed hand cupped her chin, gently raising her head so she would look at him. It was clear he was uncomfortable; the only person he had ever had to comfort before was Rin, but this miko reminded him too much of his ward for him to do anything else.

"Iie, this Sesshoumaru is not angry with you." he said quietly. HE did not elaborate, and she did not ask him to. That was all that needed to be said. She smiled then – a small one, but he could see the hope glittering in her eyes.

"I think my chains are breaking."