Yeah.. so you all know, I really don't go over a chapter all that well after I write it. Maybe I should get a beta, I'm not sure. So usually as soon as I get done with it, I post it. With school and all, yeah, it's been a while. Stupid school. I even forgot to turn an assignment in over my online classes because I was working on this finally. It was only worth 10 points, oh well.

Ch 6

"They start on your skin." But by then Sesshoumaru could see it too, for it was his own youki. I leaned back and lowered his beautiful hand. After that revelation, I desperately needed a break. "I need to rest." I heard a low growl, it was my stomach. "And eat it seems." Sesshoumaru flexed his clawed hand.

"My youki is more respondent." He said looking at me, I realized how close we were, and realized a beautiful creature like Sesshoumaru needed his space. I moved back slightly, noting how he was mesmerized by his hand.

"How are you feeling?" I asked gingerly, not really expecting an answer. I was still unsure how to act around Sesshoumaru.

"Thighs." My head shot up at what he said. "What did you mean by that?" Then I instantly turned red. Why me? Why did he even remember that? I got up to head towards my napsack.

I wanted to take a page from the book of Sesshoumaru, but I found I was compelled to answer him. "I-I… I was just thinking of something I should not be thinking about." There. Would he understand that? I sure did hope so. I picked up my cargo and started back towards Sesshoumaru.

"How old are you?" Okay… I guess when he just wants to change a subject, there's no stopping him. My he was being talkative, I should try not to mess that up. Besides, his voice… just so damn mesmerizing.

"Twenty-one." I replied, where was he going with this line of questioning? Was it just that maybe he was getting more comfortable around me? I moved back and sat down across from him and pulled out my bread, I had to eat that before it spoiled. I readjusted myself, there were more rocks here than I thought.

"I assume it is because of the Shikon no Tama that you are alive." His voice finally clicked on the light bulb in my head.

"Ahh.. Not really." I squeaked, then figured I should tell him the same thing I had told Karoi, the story about a portal. Not really when I was from, but enough that he would understand what had happened.

When I was finished with my story Sesshoumaru didn't say anything to that and turned his head away I figured I would try my hand at the questions, after all, I would be spending a bunch of time with him. "Hey," I started slowly. "You know… I just have one request right now." I watched him swivel his head back to me and I pushed ahead. "Can I have your word that you won't kill me?"

Oh. My. God. Did I just see a hint of a smile? Okay, that made me nervous.

"I assumed you already knew."

"Knew…?" I waved my hands around. "Okay… please, feel free to continue." I said.

"It is not in my best interests to kill you." He stated and I mentally jumped for joy.

"That's very good to know." I said happily, and he seemed confused, well I'd just let him be then. I took a bite of my bread. I wished I had some butter or.. Something.

"Do you want anything to eat?" I asked belatedly, and took another bite as the slight shake of his head.

I fell silent as my thoughts turned from his problem to mine, and finishing off my bread, I wasn't as hungry as I thought. It was because I was edgy. There was a Shikon Youkai running loose. Granted not a very powerful youkai, but the problem I had with that was the fact that it was going to happen again. I assumed that Midoriko expelled the weakest first. Which meant that I was going to have my hands full. I felt a headache start up at that and I put my hands to my face. Boy did I not want to worry about that right now at all, but I still felt slightly responsible for the Shikon youkai tearing up around Japan right now. I could only hope that it would piss off some massive youkai and got itself killed… a girl can hope right?

I pulled my hands from my face and stretched out my arms above my head and yawned, I didn't feel that comfortable with Sesshoumaru. Just tired. I wished for some ibuprofen at my growing headache. I didn't usually get headaches, just last time…

Realization hit and I glance up sharply at Sesshoumaru. "I think that it's going to happen again soon." I whispered, slightly anxious. "I mean the whole youkai trying to take over my body thing." I elaborated… mostly.

"Then I suggest you remove more of this curse." He said and I nodded and set out working at as much of a frantic pace as I could on his hand. "How long?" He questioned.

"I don't know…" I shrugged while I was pulling. "Maybe about half an hour?"

He nodded . "Do you know how many youkai are trapped within the Shikon no Tama?"

"No, I don't even have a clue.." I said, feeling slightly worthless, but the pain was quickly overriding anything else. I stopped working on Sesshoumaru's curse and pulled my hands to my head. "Sesshoumaru…" I groaned. "I don't think that we're going to have half an hour."

Sesshoumaru inched closer to me as he took his armor off, I was confused, but I didn't question him as I closed my eyes to the pain. I felt his arm spin me around and when my eyes flew open I found my back against his chest, straddled between his legs while his hand gripped both of mine.

"Wha-What are you doing?" I freaked, adrenaline shooting through my body.

"Did I not mention that you attacked me last time?" His voice came out next to my ear and I shivered despite my pain.

"I'm sorry?" I said as a question and I grinned even though he couldn't see me.

"Hn." His monosyllable answer.

A sharp wave of pain overcame me and I tried to pull my hands up but failed due to Sesshoumaru's hand. "This hurts more than last time." I said between clenched teeth. I was surprised when his right hand clenching both of my wrists pressed against my left shoulder and pushed me back against his chest firmly.

"Relax." He said. Was he trying to comfort me? I did as he asked and relaxed against his chest as much as I could despite the pain. I tried to lengthen my shallow breaths and focus on matching my breathing with his. His chest firm against my back. I wish I could have found it erotic, but I was in so much pain. I took comfort in his presence and let his youki permeate the air around me, I wasn't alone.

Then it felt like before, like I was drowning, no up, down, left, or right. However, this time I knew what to do, I focused my untrained powers on the intruder, who was much more powerful than before. As soon as I felt Sesshoumaru's youki, the tables turned. The intruder did not give up without a fight, I felt like I was burning slowly, and the pain was so intense. I would have cried out if I could, and I felt Sesshoumaru's youki helping me, suffocating the intruder until he fled.

Light came back to my eyes, and I blinked rapidly and realized tears were streaming down my face.

"Are you alright?" Sesshoumaru whispered in my ear again.

"I think so…" I said as I found my breath, I was shaking.

Then the hand holding my wrists went limp and I felt sick when I heard a thump to the side of me. I flipped around and saw Sesshoumaru struggling to right himself by pushing up with his arm. My heart leapt to my throat.

"Oh god-" I reached under his right arm with my left hand and my right around his waist and pulled him up. He was heavy. With my help he managed to right himself and I froze when his forehead landed on my left shoulder, his breathing was shallow and fast. He was struggling to stay conscious. His head righted itself and he glared at me. This had to be a stab to his pride.

"Remove yourself." His voice came out strong and sure, despite the way the rest of his body was acting.

"No." His eyes narrowed but I stayed determined. "You helped me, please, let me help you." He didn't say anything, so I took that as a yes. "You need to sleep, and I'm afraid this ground isn't the softest." I said as I glanced pointedly at the rocky ground.

"No matter." He replied

"It matters to me!" My voice was fierce. "You didn't help me for me to just let you sleep like that! I can't do that!" As close as I was I didn't miss the way his eyes drooped, the way his breathing increased to keep him awake. "Just work with me for a second okay?"

I didn't wait for an answer as I wound my way slowly around him, helping him stay propped up. I stopped when I was on my knees behind him, but he did not lean back. I then did what he did to me, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him back towards me. I had to stay on my knees to keep him up, I wouldn't have been able to sitting on my butt. My legs were going to kill me later, but at the moment, I didn't care.

He resisted, of course.

"Sesshoumaru…" My voice was soft and fast. "I know you don't want to, but I promise, no one will find out. I-I.." I couldn't find the right words, but I tried anyway. "I am trying to repay my debt, I will not speak of this to anyone, and if I do…" I gulped. "My life will be in your hands." There… I felt like a blabbering fool.

"Your life is already in my hands." He said as he relaxed in my arms and his weight fell against my body, his head rested on my shoulder. I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding. Arrogant bastard.

I realized that he truly was asleep as I watched his face from the side. He was… gorgeous. I rested my cheek against his head and marveled at how soft his hair was. He didn't have to use so much youki to save me, but he did. It was because he couldn't afford to lose me when I showed that I could remove his curse. It wasn't because he cared. Did this show that he could trust me? Or was he just comfortable in the fact that he could kill me when this was all over if I spoke out?

It was probably because he could kill me after this was all over.

What would happen if I got rid of his curse before all this mess with the Shikon no Tama was done? I knew he would just leave. My heart felt heavy, of course he would leave. I felt tears come to my eyes and I willed them not fall. I swallowed hard, and the ache spread in my chest. How the hell would I live through this if I didn't have help? That last youkai was too powerful for me to overcome myself. What about the rest of them? I pressed my cheek harder against his hair above his right temple and tightened my arms unconsciously, willing the tears not to fall. Would he help me if I asked?

With Sesshoumaru in my arms, I never felt so alone.

I wanted Miroku to grope Sango… I wanted Shippou to steal food from Inuyasha's plate and then get chased all the while yelling my name out to save him…

A traitorous tear fell down my cheek and I quickly moved my left hand to catch it. I would not start crying here, not when Sesshoumaru needed me to sit still so he could recuperate his youki.

He needed me. Did that make me feel better? Not really. I wanted him to want me to be around, for my amazing conversationalist skills and what not. Not because he had to keep me around to get rid of a curse. My left arm was brushing the stump of his left arm, and with the mood I was in, I wanted to cry about that too. After all, I was there when it happened, even though it wasn't me.

I tried to shift my legs that were already starting to ache, I wanted to slap myself for offering, but of course, I had thought first about Sesshoumaru and some rocks, now said rocks were digging into my knees. I sighed, how long had we been like this? Only fifteen or twenty minutes, great, my legs were gonna give out on me and then I wouldn't be able to do jack squat in the next few days. Great, just great.

I worried over the villiage, even though we were in no shape to go back, I wanted to. Even if I could help a little, but hopefully, the blood Sesshoumaru smelled was from a single human who just happened to be stupid enough to get in the Shikon Youkai's way.

A snap of a twig flung me out of my musings and my head shot up. I heard talking. Just another thing I needed… some people were coming down the path, moving toward the village we had just left. Granted they were humans, but I didn't want anybody to see Sesshoumaru like this. I heard them talking and I knew I needed to wake Sesshoumaru up.

"Sesshoumaru!" I hissed as I pushed myself forward to sit him up more. "Sesshoumaru! There are people coming…" I was rewarded with the opening of his golden eyes. I looked on with apologetic eyes. "Can you get up?"

He nodded and struggled to sit up, so I kept my hands on him as I helped him up, but I could only go so far. I kept glancing back where I knew the humans would come walking out, slightly on ease. I moved around to his front and placed my left arm on his right forearm. "Are you sure you're okay?"

He glanced down to his arm my hand was attached to. "You take to many liberties." I yanked my hand back.

"S-Sorry! I was just worried!"

His eyes narrowed. "I do not need your-" He was cut off by a couple of gasps from the trail, but at that moment I didn't care, I knew where he was going with that sentence. I didn't even give the girls a glance.

"Hey." I said angrily, but it did not stir his attention from glaring at the pair of girls. So I did the only thing I could think of, I snapped my fingers no more than 6 inches from his face. "Hey! I'm talking here!"

His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. "Do that again and I will sever your hand." I tried to yank my hand back but his grip was like steel. It just made me angrier.

"Hey! Let me go! You are the worst drama queen I have ever met!" That's when I heard it, the tightening of a bow string.

That's when it happened.

Something flipped the switch in my brain to 'ON'. Everything seemed to slow, yet I was still moving normally. I glanced at Sesshoumaru in horror when I took in our attacker, or rather, Sesshoumaru's attacker. A Miko, why did I not look? He tensed and I looked back to the holy woman. Who let her arrow fly. I watched in amazement as it slowly flew to us, and I felt Sesshoumaru let my arm go.

This was weird.

The arrow was flying true to impale Sesshoumaru. He was fast, but with his strength as it is would he be able to? I reached up and took a hold of it, my eyes wide as I felt it's momentum stop. Was there some sort of spell that I wasn't affected by? Possibly. I turned to look for Sesshoumaru but everything must have sped back up, because he was now holding the miko by the throat. Time sped back up, and sounds rushed to my ears.

"Sesshoumaru! Let her go!" I ran as fast as I could over to where they were standing. Could I even prevent Sesshoumaru from killing her? I would have to try. The girl's face was already red and her eyes were huge and terrified.

At the risk of my own hand, I put it on his arm that held the poor miko by the throat.

"Sesshoumaru, please!" His eyes flickered to me, so I had his attention. "She thought you were attacking me. It's supposed to be her job to protect humans from youkai! It was just a mistake." I noticed her face was gathering a bluish tint, and panic fought to take a hold of me.

Then Sesshoumaru tossed her. He didn't just drop her, he tossed her several feet away and she landed on her back, coughing and gasping. I wanted to run and help her up, I really did, but I knew Sesshoumaru did not have the strength to stand there and wait for me to make nice with the Miko. So I just watched her as she scooted back away from us.

"There's a village just down that path," I pointed . "Please, your services are needed there. They may have been attacked by an oni." She nodded and with one last look to Sesshoumaru, she ran. I stared after her, I had wanted to tell her to make sure Inuyasha was okay. Something had held me back.

I turned to see Sesshoumaru heading off into the trees.

"Wait!" I called to him as I ran to gather my things.

"We will find more suitable sleeping arrangements." He said when I had finished getting my stuff and I had caught up to him.

"That's fine." I said, not wanting to engage him in further conversation. I had my own thoughts to contend with. Like how did I grab that arrow? Well I know why, because everything was going so slow. So then why was everything going so slow? Was it another adaptation from the shikon? I know I couldn't do that before, so it had to be the Shikon no Tama responsible for that. I wondered at the other powers I could have, but I shoved it to the back of my mind. Why had Sesshoumaru not commented on it? Surely he would have noticed, but then again, I didn't notice when he had moved to grab the Miko.

We moved into a grassy field with sparse trees. He wouldn't just sleep on the grass without anything would he? I looked up, I realized with a heavy heart that it wasn't even noon. Would every day be like this? I was just so tired. Maybe I could nap as well, the purifying, the fights, the miko, I was tired. At least I knew a miko was headed to the villiage to help. I knew in my heart the Inuyasha was okay, as I doubted he'd returned to the village by then.

I had set my mind, if those youkai were roaming around and there were more to try and possess me, I needed to rid Sesshoumaru of his curse as fast as I could. Armed with that knowledge, I pushed the doubt that he would leave as soon as the curse was gone to the back of my head, along with the other thoughts I did not want to confront.

Sesshoumaru sat down with a little less grace than I had expected him to have. He leaned his back on a tree and propped one knee up.

"I'll be working on your curse, can you sleep if I do that?" He gazed at me with sharp eyes and I swallowed. He closed his eyes. I took that as a yes.

I waited for him to fall into a deeper sleep before I started. Kikyo had cursed him, why? Who cursed Inuyasha? I knew the two curses were related. I just didn't know how. It was too much of a coincidence that the two brother's were cursed at about the same time. I watched as Sesshoumaru's breathing slowed and fought the temptation to touch his face. I had such a strong urge, maybe it was because people always want what they can't have. I could not have Sesshoumaru even if he did want me. I didn't love him, I was still loving and mourning Inuyasha. I would not want his brother in that way.

I blushed as I realized how off track my mind had gotten. This ethereal beauty before me, part of me yearned, but at the same time, I was disgusted by that fact. I was not some wanton whore.

I reached for his hand and started my work. I guess I had compromised with myself and was holding his hand up. Even his hand was beautiful, and smooth… and dangerous. The stripes on his wrist attested to that fact. You didn't just see markings like that for no reason, it was nature's way of telling you to back off… or natures way of telling females how powerful they were in order to mate. Just look at the peacock! Bad direction of thoughts…

I wondered what my family was doing, Mom and Souta wouldn't be worried yet… Though after my grandfather's death some 2 odd years ago, my mother had seemed like she wanted me home more, worried that I somehow might leave her too…

I made up my mind.

Tomorrow I would try to get through the well.

I had to, there was no choice in my mind. I had to.

Just like I have to remember to do my homework before I work on my story. Damnit.

Well..

Peace out Girl Scout.