AN: Hey, the fastest I've ever gotten an update on this thing! I'll update Night Terrors sometime this weekend hopefully, the next chapter is important and I don't want to screw it up. As for Even Me . . . I don't know when. Either way, enjoy!!

Lose Control

Rin's whimpering woke both of them late at night. Kagome quickly gave the girl more pills and tried to soothe her back to sleep. Rin flinched away from the touch. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she called out weakly.

"I am here, Rin." came the steady reply. "Let Kagome help you now." Rin nodded and let Kagome gently rub her back. Her eyes closed, but she was reluctant to fall asleep.

"Will Sesshoumaru-sama be here when Rin wakes?"

The question caught the taiyoukai off-guard. For a moment, his mask slipped and Kagome could see his surprise. "Hai, Rin." he said finally. "I will be here."

The little girl smiled sleepily, and her breathing soon grew soft and steady. Kagome smiled to herself. "Her fever broke. She'll be fine in a few days." She lay back down on her trundle bed and studied Sesshoumaru intently. "She must be really special to you." she commented lightly.

"Hai."

"How did you meet her?"

For a moment it seemed like he was going to ignore her, but he decided against it. After all, she had been rather forthcoming with his questions. His eyes were shadowed from her sight when he responded. "She helped me in my time of need. Honor would not let me abandon her, and now – it seems that she has grown on me."

Kagome chuckled quietly. "Children will do that to you." She looked as if she wanted to say more, but pain flashed across her face and she turned away. The salty scent of her tears reached his nose, and he found he could hardly keep his distance from her.

He held himself still until she fell back asleep.

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He was awakened once again by the strong scent of tears and pain, but this time it was not Rin. He opened his eyes and saw Kagome sitting on the bed, her fists clenched and her teeth clamped tights against the low keening sound threatening to erupt.

"Kagome."

His gentle voice was enough to break her fragile self-control. She flung herself against him, clinging to his haori like it was her last connection to her sanity. Her tears dampened the material, but he could tell she was holding back.

Her reaction to his presence didn't surprise him nearly as much as his instinctive response to her pain. He reached out and pulled her closer, letting her rest against him. "Sometimes it's best if you lose control." he whispered in her ear. "Otherwise you will never heal."

Kagome shook her head, her body trembling violently. It seemed as if she would simply shake herself to pieces. "They died." she whimpered. "In the final battle – Naraku killed them. All of them. Only we survived." Her strained sobs intensified. "He chose her, he was so broken, I had to stay strong – I failed him."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed as he finally understood her pain. None of her friends had survived Naraku's final blow, and she had not even been allowed time to grieve. Inuyasha, what have you done? Did you not even think to allow her time to heal?

"Kagome, listen to me." She looked up at him reluctantly. "You did not fail him. If anything, he failed you."

Her reaction was instantaneous. "Iie, he never failed me." she protested. "He's been trying to protect me. I just don't know why he changed so drastically."

She seemed much calmer now, though it was clear she was just teetering on the edge of control. He adjusted his hold on her so she was cradled in his single arm, all the while wondering why he hadn't pushed her away. "I suspect Inuyasha is more broken than he will allow himself to admit." he observed. "He was trying to stay strong for you as you were trying to stay strong for him."

Kagome nodded thoughtfully. Her eyes were half-closed, and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smile at her. "Rest now, kouyuu." he said softly. "You will need the rest."

She smiled softly. "G'night, Sess." Her breathing evened out, and he knew she was asleep.

He leaned back against the wall, confusion overcoming him. What on earth had possessed him to call her his friend? And yet, it was true. She was his friend, a feat no one had been able to accomplish since his father had died.

A smile touched his lips, and he closed his eyes. Friend. He rather liked the sound of that.

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AN: Like it? I hope I used the right Japanese word for that; my translator doesn't give me context clues. Review, please!!!