Incomplete

- Chapter Three –

In a secluded glade, tucked away from civilization by a densely wooded forest, Kagome was indulging herself in a much needed bath. The only sounds to disturb the relaxing dusk time symphony of forest birds and crickets were her quiet splashes.

When her fingers and toes finally began to prune, she made her way to the water's edge and hurriedly wrapped herself in the oversized fluffy towel she'd brought from home. A tiny shiver ran down her spine as the cool night air whispered against her water laden skin and she made quick work of drying herself off.

"Man! That really hit the spot!"

Her appreciative remark went unanswered by the forest around her and after uttering a relaxed sigh she occupied herself with towel drying her hair.

She'd spent far longer than she'd planned to in the hot spring thinking about the events of the past few days. She was still trying to wrap her head around Sesshomaru's part in it all. Had he really saved her? It seemed too ridiculous to be true. Sesshomaru hated her as much as any other human. It just didn't make sense! And not only that, but why had he brought her to Kaede of all people?

Despite her lengthy bath, she was no closer to finding the answers she sought. Only one demon could assuage her curiosity and of course he was nowhere to be found. Not that they hadn't tried. Inuyasha had been particularly determined to get answers from Sesshomaru but as it turned out, if the Lord of the West didn't want to be found it was impossible to track him.

When he wasn't searching for Naraku or Sesshomaru, Inuyasha occupied himself with being attentive to the point of annoying. Since the battle with Naraku he'd barely allowed her out of his sight for more than a few minutes. She didn't even want to think about the amount of persuasion, pleading and outright threats she'd had to level at him to buy herself enough alone time for a bath. It was sweet that he was finally showing that he cared, but couldn't he find some sort of balance?

As if on cue a tingle of familiarity ran up her spine. Assuming that Inuyasha was already breaking their agreement to give each other some space for the evening, she closed her eyes in frustration and stood to her full height. With an impatient stamp of her foot, she wrapped her towel tighter around her naked form and glared at a nearby cluster of ferns.

"Inuyasha, if you've been spying on me I'm going to sit you until you end up in China!"

A thought suddenly occurred to her and with an even deeper scowl she added, "Same goes for you too, Miroku!"

The ferns ahead of her were curiously silent, but the sensation of another's eyes on her didn't cease. She turned heel in a huff, ready to shout out a dreaded 'sit' command, but a squeak of surprise forced the 'sit' back down her throat. She took a startled step backwards as her eyes took in the imposing figure staring at her on the opposite bank of the hot spring.

A gentle breeze rustled through the glade, stirring the long silver hair that hung down his back and the wet tendrils of ebony that clung to hers.

Sesshomaru...

His piercing golden gaze swept over her half dressed form with apparent disinterest and he glanced away without further comment. Thankful to no longer be subjected to his uncompromising eye, Kagome took a moment to catch her breath.

She never knew how to act when he was around. One harsh look from him was enough to make her hands tremble and her breath catch in her throat. Normally it was okay because Inuyasha was at her side and his courage gave her strength, but tonight she was alone and defenceless. She suddenly found herself wishing the hanyou really had come to spy on her.

After a moment of awkward silence Kagome swallowed hard and delicately cleared her throat.

"What are you doing here Sesshomaru? Looking for Inuyasha?" she prodded, trying to sound casual.

"I have no business with him," he answered evenly.

In the time it took her to blink he'd disappeared and she found herself staring stupidly at the spot where he'd been standing. It took a second for her to realize that he was now standing much closer than before. In a fraction of a second he'd moved from one side of the hot spring's bank to the other and she'd been none the wiser. She swallowed hard as she lifted her gaze to meet his.

'Killing Perfection' indeed.

The cold golden eyes that looked down on her held none of the warmth Inuyasha's did and she was tempted to take a self-conscious step backwards. It took every ounce of courage within her to hold her ground in spite of his imposing presence.

He may have saved her life, but she couldn't find it within herself to trust someone who'd built his career on killing people. He wasn't like Inuyasha. With the subjugation beads Inuyasha had been tamed but Sesshomaru was still wild and unyielding. He was utterly unpredictable and that was what made him so frightening.

"W-what do you want then?" she managed to stammer out.

Fisting the damp terry cloth in her hands, she sent a silent prayer to the gods asking them to send Inuyasha her way before it was too late. When Sesshomaru pointedly chose not to answer her question she felt her shaky courage weaken.

"Don't you dare try anything! All I have to do is scream for Inuyasha and he'll be here in a second!"

In a situation like this one she figured idle threats were just as good as real ones. She tried to block out the voice reminding her that if he wished it, she would be dead long before Inuyasha got there.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed at her threat and he took a step forward, forcing her back. He paused and tilted his head, regarding her with a critical eye.

"Do I frighten you woman?" he asked suddenly.

His face was impassive and his expression unreadable. Averting her eyes from the demon's gaze, she shrugged her shoulders haplessly and answered in a small voice, "Yes. I never know what you're going to do."

"You are right to fear me," he acknowledged with a stern look and then added, "but I have no intention to end your wretched human existence."

Kagome lifted her head in surprise.

Why the sudden change of heart? she wondered.

Her eyes swept over him, taking in his stoic expression and standoffish posture. There was nothing different about him in that regard. He still looked as though he didn't give a damn about humans which was why she couldn't understand where his words were coming from. As far as she knew, Sesshomaru cared for her about as much as he did a flea and he had no qualms about squashing her if she got in his way.

"So then... Why are you here if it isn't to see Inuyasha?" she asked, finding her voice once more.

"Your injuries, I trust they are healing well?"

Confused, she blinked up at him and re-adjusted her towel. "You came all this way just for that?"

He answered her with a long look. Nervously glancing away, she busied herself plucking her clothes off the nearby tree branches. If he'd come all this way, the least she could do was answer him, right?

"My wounds are doing fine, thanks. Look, there's hardly any scaring." She turned her back as she said this and pulled her hair to the side so he could see for himself.

After a moment of silence on his part, she let her hair slip back in place.

"I should head back. Inuyasha gets worried if I'm away too long."

She took a few steps towards the path that would lead her back to camp and paused. Turning around she offered him a hesitant smile.

"I never got a chance to thank you..."

Her hands nervously twisted her clothes. She hated talking to him. His expressionless way of speaking always left her feeling uneasy.

Sesshomaru easily dismissed her gratitude.

"Do not thank me," he chided.

She wanted to ask what he meant but he chose that moment to take his leave and retreated soundlessly into the night. She watched him go and shook her head in disbelief. The day had actually come when Sesshomaru didn't try to start trouble with Inuyasha - it was almost too good to be true.

Her eyes drifted up to the moon on the horizon and a frown flitted across her lips. They only had one more night until the new moon, when Inuyasha would return to his human form.

"Let's hope we don't run into any more trouble," she muttered quietly and began the slow trek back to the campsite.

oOo

Miroku returned to the edge of the campfire and sat himself down next to Sango on the ground. Sango glanced at him and narrowed her eyes.

"And just where were you?" she asked, her tone suspicious.

Without missing beat the monk smiled genially and laid his staff down on the ground next to him.

"I sometimes like to take relaxing walks to help clear my head, my dearest Sango," he explained with an innocent smile.

The demon slayer arched an eyebrow ruefully and crossed her arms in front of her chest. Inuyasha watched them from the other side of the campfire and rolled his eyes. This was only going to turn out bad for the monk, but it was amusing to watch him try and talk his way out of it. He had knack for coming up with excuses for his perverted ways.

Shippo, who'd been playing with some sticks by the fire, pounced on the opportunity to chime in, "I think it's funny that when Kagome said she was going to take a bath in the hot spring Miroku decided to go on his walk."

Miroku blushed and laughed nervously, looking sheepish as he put a hand behind his head. He glanced at Sango warily out of the corner of his eye. Her expression was murderous.

"No...no of course not," he placated in a soothing tone as he took one of her hands in his. "Sango, you know you're the only woman for me."

Sango, for her part, didn't look too inclined to believe him. The monk's unfortunate decision to attempt to grope her behind with his free hand was the final straw. He received a rather hard slap for his efforts and the demon slayer stormed off to find a new seat.

"You are such a disgusting lecher!" she raged, causing everyone to smirk but Miroku, who was left tenderly rubbing the large red handprint on his cheek.

Kagome's sudden return provided him with a much needed reprieve and he smiled at her in relief. She smiled back briefly before ducking into the makeshift tent Inuyasha had erected for her to change her clothes in.

After several long minutes of silence Inuyasha stood from where he'd been seated next to the crackling flames and wordlessly entered the tent. Miroku and Shippo hunched their shoulders expectantly and waited for the loud screams of 'SIT!' that were almost guaranteed to emerge. They looked at one another in shock when after a solid half minute they heard nothing. Even Sango glanced over at the tent looking puzzled.

Unable to deny his natural kit curiosity, Shippo tip-toed to the opening in the hopes of overhearing what was going on inside. He was barely a foot from the door when Miroku bopped him on the head with his staff.

"Ow! Miroku! What'd you do that for? Don't you want to know what they're saying in there?" he demanded indignantly while rubbing the goose bump forming on his head. The monk shook his head.

"Leave them be, Shippo. Even they need to have private conversations sometimes."

Shippo's face fell and he glared at Miroku but he eventually skulked away from the tent in defeat.

Inside, Inuyasha stood in the doorway watched Kagome's foot tap against the earth in an anxious rhythm.

"What did he want?" he asked gruffly, careful not to let his temper flare. Kagome sighed, unsure what she should tell him.

"So you can tell?" she wondered quietly and watched Inuyasha's brows knit together as his face distorted in anger.

"Of course I can tell! I could smell him on you the second you got near the campsite. So what'd that bastard want anyway?"

His face blanched as realization dawned that Kagome had been completely naked and without her arrows at the hot spring.

"He didn't...hurt you did he?" he asked in a gentler tone, showing the first signs of concern that perhaps his half-brother had done the unthinkable.

Kagome was quick to shake her head 'no' and put his fears at ease.

"He didn't do anything. I'm fine, really. I just don't understand him. He said he came all this way to see how my injuries were healing," she explained, her derisive expression indicating just how much credence she put in that particular excuse.

Inuyasha took a step backwards, his face awash with disbelief. "What?"

"I don't buy it either," she conceded with a frown. "I'm just trying to think of what his other motive might be. He insisted it had nothing to do with you."

Her brow furrowed in thought and Inuyasha uttered a 'Keh!' before crossing his arms.

"I don't buy that for a second! Sesshomaru's always planning something. I won't let him hurt you Kagome," he said seriously. Kagome offered him a weak smile and made room for him on the fallen log she was using as a makeshift chair.

"Thanks, Inuyasha. The weird thing is he said he wouldn't kill me. Well he didn't say it exactly like that. He said, "I have no intention to end your wretched human existence."

Inuyasha snorted. "Yeah, that sounds like Sesshomaru."

"What do you think he meant? I mean, why the change of heart?"

Inuyasha thought it over for a few moments before answering with a shrug.

"I don't know. Next time he shows his face, tell me! Whatever he's got planned, we gotta be ready for it!"

Kagome nodded and rested her head wearily against his shoulder. Even though his words were comforting, she couldn't get Sesshomaru out of her mind. She knew she shouldn't trust him, but at the same time hadn't he shown her that he had a good heart?

Then again, Sesshomaru wasn't called the 'Killing Perfection' for nothing. Whatever he had up his sleeve, there didn't seem to be much more they could do besides wait and hope they were strong enough to come out on top.

Author's Note: All reviews are welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for taking the time to read Chapter Three:)