Brother Nurses

Finding some old sheets, Inuyasha tore them into strips and bound up hands, feet, paws and hooves. In another situation, it might have been funny but not now. Simply watching them all was part torture. Inuyasha stepped out into the darkening night. It was cool outside and it relieved the fever he carried. He didn't go far, his dog ears caught the sounds of curses, moans and some screams but at least he didn't have to see them.

He'd only just forced pills into unwilling mouths – they'd all tried to bite him. After that scare a while back when she'd been attacked by the water demon, Kagome had shown him a special bottle marked 'antibiotics', to use in an emergency and this was that as far as Inuyasha was concerned. Luckily there was enough for everyone; even Sesshomaru took one though he was the least infected.

Inuyasha knew he should be in there cooling them down but he needed time away from them, the poison was still battling for control over him.

"Cold water."

"Huh?" Inuyasha was unnerved; he hadn't heard Sesshomaru come up.

"I washed in cold water. The poison hasn't really affected me. Try it." Sesshomaru didn't look at him when he spoke. "It could be your human half that's causing you to fall prey to the …infection."

Inuyasha thought on this a moment but then shook his head. "But Jaken is acting like everyone else and he's a full demon. Didn't he wash at the stream too?"

"Jaken is an imp. He is not a son of a powerful demon. Do it or not, I don't care." Sesshomaru turned and went back to watch over Rin.

Inuyasha's mouth dropped open. Somewhere in there, had there been a – compliment? Had he just said that, I was a strong demon? A small smile formed and deciding not to think about it too much, Inuyasha went to wash in the stream.

Inuyasha did feel better. He didn't know if it was from Kagome's medicine or the wash in the stream, maybe both. Afraid poison lingered on his kimono, he changed into some jeans which had Sesshomaru raising his eyebrows. Inuyasha just shrugged his bare shoulders. He didn't feel right only walking around in a robe.

Fetching more cold water he began wiping down the others. It was a bit embarrassing for all they had on were the white robes and he had to cover them again. It was okay for Miroku and Kagome but he tried not to look at Sango when he closed her robe and covered her legs.

Sesshomaru to Inuyasha's surprise did the same for Rin. He gently righted her clothes and bathed her face with cool water. Ah-Un and Jaken each got a bucket of water poured over them.

They'd stopped muttering but the itching hadn't stopped. It seemed Kagome's medicine was indeed working; now they just need Myoga to return.

A crow flew into the room, mouth full of plants. "I'm back!" Myoga popped up then down next to Shippo. The little fox was wiggling frantically against the floor – no more anger showed in his dazed eyes but he couldn't lie still. "Her medicine worked? Good." Myoga was glad because there was only so much he could do. "Just give me a little time to mix this up and soon even their itching should stop."

The night seemed to pass slowly. Once Myoga's mixture was finished it was poured down the throats of the afflicted. Torches were lit and the brothers silently kept watch. In the end it was only Mygoa and Sesshomaru who stayed awake. Inuyasha had taken Kagome into his arms and with Tetsusagia by his side, slept.

"He's happy. My lord lived a long time alone, even you his brother avoided him. He spent fifty years bound to a tree but now he's happy. She did that for him – that strange girl from another time with miracle medicines and weird clothes." Myoga didn't know what to make of the fabric covering Inuyasha's legs.

"And you Lord Sesshomaru. You are more content now than ever. That human girl and a certain lady dog-demon have changed you." When he saw amber eyes rake him, Myoga explained. "I have many friends and know about that particular village, I was servant to your great father. He would be proud of the two of you working together – he wanted you two to get along." Myoga waited for a reply but was denied. He sighed forlornly.

Morning came on birdsong. As the sun appeared over the tops of the trees waking the sleeping songstress'. Dew shone heavy on grass and leaves, lending a fairytale quality to the land.

One white ear twitched upon hearing the singing. His chest rose and fell in time with the song. A light breeze from the open door caressed his bare chest making his nipples stand tall. Inuyasha brought up his hand to warm the cool flesh, his other arm pulling Kagome closer to shield her from the cool air.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's eyes popped open and he sat up quickly. Luckily he didn't wake her. He looked down at her then checked out the room. It was in worse shape than when they'd first arrived. There were holes in some of the walls, parts of the ceiling had come down and bodies were laid here and there but they were alive.

Inuyasha looked down at his chest and arms. Claw marks covered most him, marks he'd made himself but the itching was gone! Myoga had done it! Inuyasha looked for the flea but a sudden movement at the door had him reaching for the Tetsusaiga.

"You're awake." Sesshomaru stated.

Slowly Inuyasha released his grip on his sword. "Yeah. Sorry." He didn't know why he was apologizing to his brother. Sesshomaru probably felt that he'd fallen asleep on purpose. "Kagome's medicines sometimes cause people to sleep. She says it helps the healing." He didn't look up but checked Kagome out. She had no fever and was breathing easy but she was covered in whelps and scars from scratching and fighting. They were all going to look a sight for a while but they were going to be fine.

Relieved Inuyasha stood stretching. "No problems?"

"None." Sesshomaru watched his brother check on his friends and Rin as well. Inuyasha nodded satisfied that everyone seemed to be better. Inside he felt disbelief; He, Sesshomaru had protected his brother- watched over him and a bunch of humans during the night! The Tetsusaiga was within his grasp and yet he'd made no move to take it!

This situation had to end soon before…Sesshomaru turned to watch the sky. Danzaemon should be arriving soon, high in the belief that he'd weakened his enemies and that they would be easy to kill. Danzaemon would learn the hard way not to underestimate me, he thought.

"Master! You're awake!" Out of the depths of Kirara's fur, Myoga jumped up onto Inuyasha, latched on and began sucking.

Inuyasha brought up his hand to slap Myoga but stopped. For once, he let the flea drink his fill and let him fall into his palm. "Thanks Myoga."

"M-master?" Myoga tilted his head. "Are you okay? Maybe this is another side effect. Your personality has changed! Eeep! Never mind." Inuyasha squished him between his thumb and forefinger.

"That'll teach me to be nice." Inuyasha muttered as he flicked the flea away. He stood and walked over to stand near his brother. Together they stood as sun woke other animals and warmed the air.

"Do you think Danzaemon will send more bugs after us or come himself?"

Sesshomaru was silent, he did not want to answer but Inuyasha was helping Rin and for now they were working together. "I don't know. If the venom from those locusts had worked we'd all be incapacitated by now." He looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha's friends. "Actually it did work but I'll take him on when he shows – you just stay out of my way."

Inuyasha crossed his bare arms and chuckled. "Always got to do things by yourself, huh? Fine, take Danzaemon on but if he comes after me or the others – I will kill him." The two turned looking at each other, golden eyes hard and uncompromising, silver white hair lifted by the wind. They were brothers, similar in look and thought.

Myoga watched them. They could rule this land easily. Both men were powerful enough, if they worked together anything was possible. Myoga often wondered how his late master would have dealt with his sons had he lived. What kind of life had he wanted for them?

"Mmm. Oww!" Kagome was waking up. "Inu-yasha?" Kagome tried to sit up but her whole body was stiff.

Inuyasha nodded his head at Sesshomaru then leaped lightly to Kagome's side. "Shh, lie still." He propped her up and helped her to drink some water. Once she had swallowed, Inuyasha shifted Kagome so that she lay in his arms. Kissing her forehead he whispered, "It's good to have you back."

Kagome was finding it difficult to think. What did he mean? Opening her eyes she blinked to clear them then blinked again at the damage done to the room. "What happened?"

Inuyasha looked around the room too, again taking in all the damage they'd done. "You don't remember? We did this. Yeah, we did it after being infected with the venom from those locusts."

Kagome frowned, vaguely she remembered being attacked but…they'd won. Then…bathing but after that… "What happened?"

Before he could explain, Miroku, Sango and the others began waking up. Inuyasha found himself playing nursemaid. He had to fetch water and treat wounds, even help them move about because they were all sore and stiff. Sesshomaru was amused but found himself helping Rin and providing water for Ah-Un and Jaken.

Finally with everyone propped up and fed, Inuyasha could tell them what happened. Disbelief clouded their faces as they looked around.

"We-we did this?" Sango asked. Her hand trembled as she stroked Kirara.

"Well not so much you humans as the demons. Kirara, Ah-Un and Shippo caused a lot of the damage."

"Me?" Shippo's wide eyes looked at Inuyasha.

"Yes you. You're powerful when you're angry." Inuyasha said with a grin.

Miroku was staring down at his hands. "You said…we attacked each other? Did I…did I hit…Sango?"

Sango blinked and looked from him to her own hands guiltily. In times past, she'd attacked Miroku but the thought of doing it now so soon after they'd made love was a pain worse than her sore body was feeling.

"It was the venom. None of you could resist it. You did as Danzaemon intended." Sesshomaru spoke to them all but was staring at Rin. The little girl nodded and wiped away her tears.

They stared at him in shock but knew better than to speak to Sesshomaru. Instead Miroku looked to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha how is it that you were able to fight the effects of the venom? Even Shippo, Kirara, Jaken and Ah-Un were affected and they're full demons. I can understand why Sesshomaru didn't have any problems but why were you, a half-demon, able to resist it?"

Inuyasha shrugged but it was Myoga who spoke. "Master Inuyasha was acting the same as you but Lord Sesshomaru helped him to snap out it. It must have to do with them being the sons of their great father. He was as strong as they come and it's only normal that his sons would inherit his great strength."

Eyes went from the flea to Sesshomaru. He'd helped Inuyasha from going over the deep end? Would the strangeness of this situation ever end?

"Thank you Sesshomaru." Kagome said. She didn't except an answer and didn't get one.

"Don't I get a thank you? It was I that came with up the antidote for your itching! You'd all still be scratching like crazy if I hadn't!" Myoga was feeling unappreciated.

"Thanks Myoga, really." Said Sango. Shippo and Miroku added theirs as well.

"He helped but it was those antibiotics of yours Kagome that helped out the most. It worked against that venom. I only gave everyone one, should we take more?" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's bag and took out the bottle.

"Yeah, probably. Is there enough?" She helped him count the pills. "There's plenty, for now." Kagome handed out pills to everyone.

"We'll have to get more next time we go home. Will Mom have some or will we have to buy it?" Inuyasha passed out water bottles and didn't notice Sesshomaru's raised eyebrow.

Kagome laughed a little, "No Mom will have some. She keeps medicine and bandages stocked up since we always come home asking for more. It worries her but she never says a word." She grew thoughtful.

"Mom's a strong lady. I promised to bring you home safe and I will." Inuyasha had squatted down beside her and kissed her cheek.

"She worries about you too, you know. Mom wants you back home safe too and I'll do what I can to make that happen." Kagome pulled him close for a hug. While their friends watched with smiles.

What was Inuyasha talking about? His mother was dead. The girl's mother? Had she accepted him and made a half-demon apart of her family? But…Kagome was from another time! Why? Why would she take in Inuyasha? Sesshomaru couldn't understand it. But it had to be true for Inuyasha called the girl's mother 'Mom'.

"I told you. Inuyasha is happy now. He has a woman and a family and friends. Now if only he had his brother." Myoga spoke low from deep within Sesshomaru's fur pelt.

"Leave insect or die." Sesshomaru too kept his voice low not wanting any attention from the others and in moments he saw the flea hop away.

It was a day of rest and recovery. After taking more pills they also downed Myoga's horrible tasting but effective cure for the itching. Sesshomaru took his post up outside again leaving Inuyasha to continue taking care of the others. Luckily it remained quiet with no more attacks.