Hey all, sorry for the delay, I been really busy with work, and I got a new phone! Yay! Do a happy dance! I'm so sorry I've made you guys wait so long, I hate myself for it, but I just could not get over that writer's block...until now! I typed this whole chapter today, so hopefully I'll get more done after work tomorrow! I promise to work on it!

Deds:

Kitsune Lover - Thanks sooo much for being such a faithful reader, I haven't had any reviews since my last update, so I'm going to thank everybody who's read this far in your ded, if that's alright. Thanks you guys, you make me want to keep on truckin'! If it weren't for you, and this awesome show, I'd have no excuse to write anything! So...thanks! Kitsune, hope you like this one, it was such a bitch to get out, took sooo long...enjoy everyone!

Disclaimer: Screw off, this took forever, I'm not about to fuck it up with something like a disclaimer! We all know that no one makes a cent, must we rub it in? Gawd!

Every Time We Touch

Naraku sat inside his castle, watching the skies through the barred window of his bare room, Kanna kneeling by his side, silent. He narrowed his eyes. He could have sworn he'd seen something up there in the clouds, but dismissed it as an over-active imagination.

Kagura strode into the room, her face screwed up into a frown. How she hated him, and he knew it. He did not care, though, for she was created from him to serve him, and though she'd proven to be a bit of a nuisance, he would not return her to his body until he really needed her; she was a good snoop, despite her frostiness toward him.

He turned his head lazily to watch her approach. "Well?"

"Well, what? They're gone."

He glared at her. If this was her idea of a joke…

He continued to glower at her, but her face never changed. He felt reasonably sure that she would have at least averted her eyes if she were lying. He stroked his chin.

"So, they've disappeared, have they? Well, we'll just have to wait them out."

He thought about sending Kagura out again, in some obscure direction, to see if they would follow her, but he decided against that. Having her gone would leave him short one pair of eyes, and he needed all the sentries he could get right now; he had a distinct feeling that though his enemies seemed to have vanished into thin air, they were in fact close by, just waiting for him to screw up, and would pounce on that opportunity to kill him. He snickered. That will never happen…

He returned his gaze to the cloudy sky outside his window. Kagura, growing weary of standing, sat heavily on the floor, her face fixed in a pout.

Naraku slid his eyes over to watch her, but did not bother to turn his head. She wrapped her arms about her knees, shivering in the spacious, yet gloomy room. Kanna did not move, but she did occasionally blink. Kagura let her gaze rest on the child for a moment. She was so loyal to Naraku it was disgusting. Kagura could not understand her close relationship with the awful hanyou who held her own heart in the palm of his hand like a chain, yanking and ripping her apart with the slightest pressure. Oh, how she loathed him.

Funny, she thought, how things hadn't started out that way. Of course, she'd always resented having him for a master, for she was more independent than even Naraku himself, when given half a chance. But she hadn't really started to hate him until he'd used her to test the strength of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, when she had almost been killed.

It was from that day afterward that she began to scheme for her escape; more than anything in her life she wanted all of her ties to Naraku severed permanently, and she'd tried several times to do just that, but to no avail.

She even went so far as to ask Sesshoumaru for help, and continued to spare Inuyasha's life, when she realised that his death meant Naraku's never-ending dominance over her. As much as she didn't like Inuyasha (though secretly she thought he was cute, but nowhere near as heart-stopping as his brother), she continued to let him live whenever she encountered him, for he was one of her "Trump Cards", which were what she referred to as her very last means of escape. If she had to, she would gladly help Inuyasha defeat Naraku, even if it meant freedom in her death. She sincerely hoped it wouldn't have to come to that.

Her memory returned to the night when she had requested Sesshoumaru's help in vanquishing Naraku, had pleaded with him to free her from his grasp; his refusal still burned her whenever she thought of it. If only he knew how much she admired him…not only his strength, or his handsome face, nor his power, but she that truly loved him, because he was just as lonely as she was, though she knew he would never admit to such feelings. She often felt her heart go out to him when she watched him walk away, with only a toad and a child for company.

She regretted having to present herself as heartless and scheming, but it was too late to change her stripes now. She just hoped she hadn't ruined her chances with him completely.

She wondered if Sesshoumaru was even capable of loving a woman; his tongue was sharper than hers, and he didn't give the impression of a ladykiller. She clenched her fists; an idea had popped into her head, and as her fertile mind fostered it and it began to grow, her red irises strayed to Naraku's back. She knew that he had planned to go away tonight; she'd overheard him telling Kanna of his plans. Although he'd caught her once before, she decided to take another risk and leave the castle as soon as he disappeared. Now that she knew where he went, all she had to worry about was Kanna…

oOo

A few hours later, Naraku rose from his spot on the floor and strode silently from the room. Kagura was amazed that his seat was still shiny like the rest of the floor; he sat there so much, she expected him to have worn it to a dull sheen by now.

Kanna followed a few minutes later, leaving Kagura alone. She moved to sit in Naraku's warm spot by the window; looking up into the early morning light, she saw something through the clouds, something silver. Whatever it was, it was massive, and she quickly looked back into the room to make sure she was still alone. Confirming this, she returned her gaze to the sky, and again saw what appeared to be a giant dragon slowly circling over the barrier, and, squinting, could just make out a bright red splotch on its back, next to some green, black, purple, blue, brown, and white…was that Sesshoumaru? She hoped so.

Her blood began to rush through her veins in anticipation. She knew where they were, all she had to do now was get to them. She had a plan, and it coincided perfectly with Naraku's plans to sleep in the room beneath the cellar tonight.

Though he'd told Inuyasha that he could choose when his time of frailty was, he had lied in telling him that he did not actually become weak during this time. Kagura knew for a fact that he did, and the opportunity to use it against him now couldn't have been more tempting to her than a piece of candy tempts a starving child.

All she had to do was sneak away without anyone seeing her, which was easier said than done. She watched, fascinated, as the barrier began to ripple repeatedly, going down, but coming up again, only to dissipate once more.

Quickly, she walked to the doorway, and slid closed the screen behind her as she left. Walking briskly down the dark hall, she panicked when she turned a corner, the last one before the screen that led outside, and ran smack into Kanna, her mirror held in a death grip to her little chest.

For the first time, Kagura became very aware of the threat the child posed to her. What she said, did, and looked like right now was paramount to her success if she was to escape, and the look on Kanna's face truly made her doubt her acting skills; still, she kept her face a mask, and then got angry.

Kanna's face had an accusing look to it, and just as Kagura feared, she asked in that quiet yet disturbing voice of hers, "Where are you going, Kagura?"

Kagura, her hand to where her heart should have been, glared at the child.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kanna," she defended, glad that her room was just past the outside screen. "I'm going to bed, not that anyone cares." And she swept by, heading for her room, affecting a hurt look to take form on her features.

It's alright, she reassured herself, nothing's changed; it's just going to be a while longer before I can slip away.

Unfortunately, Kagura's room had no windows. This was Naraku's way of letting her know that he wouldn't even give her a chance to escape, and that if he had his way, she would never find freedom. His arrogance only strengthened her resolve to prove him wrong, and, closing her door behind her, she quietly lay on her futon and thought long and hard about the perfect time to escape.

Fifteen minutes passed; not a sound could be heard. Kagura opened the screen a crack and peered down the hall, searching for a sign of Kanna, Naraku, or even Hakudoushi, who occasionally spied on her, the brat. She hadn't seen him lately, so maybe he'd done her a favour and bit the bullet, or so she hoped. That little bastard could read her mind, and was the last person she wanted to see right now. If she ran into anyone else, she would just say she was going to the toilet, but he would see right through her.

The more she thought about it, the more she wondered if her suspicions were true; Naraku did seem a little depressed lately, he had been quite fond of the little insect…maybe he was dead?

She fervently hoped so as she eased her door open and stepped silently into the hall. Slowly, she creeped along the wall, pausing several times to listen. Finally, she reached the door, and was outside. Jumping off the porch, she ran through the purple air and flung her feather out of her hair at the same time, obscured by the mist as she made her escape. Now all she had to do was hope that Naraku didn't discover her missing, and that the Inutachi in the sky wouldn't kill her when she reached them.

oOo

The group was quiet, thinking. Sesshoumaru kept a wary eye on the barrier below, and blinked when it rippled, and dissipated. His eyes widened a fraction.

Without looking he reached out a hand and found a lock of his brother's hair, and yanked him forward. Inuyasha yelled, but immediately understood as his brother pointed out the invisible barrier.

"It's gone!" he shouted, and Sesshoumaru smacked him.

"Shut up, you want him to hear you?"

Inuyasha glowered, but his features smoothed out as Kagome took his arm, and slipped her hand into his. He smiled at her. Kouga frowned.

"I smell something," he said, and pointed below them. "Look who's coming."

Everyone turned to see Kagura on her feather, hovering closer.

"I wonder what she wants," Kagome murmured, and Sango nodded her agreement. Miroku frowned too, and Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga, and when Kagura came within earshot, yelled, "What do you want, witch? Going to spill our location to Naraku like a good little spy?"

Kagura affected such a look of hurt, which was so sincere, that even Inuyasha felt a stab of regret. Sesshoumaru touched his arm and shook his head, silently warning his brother to say no more.

She took a deep breath, and dropped onto the dragon's back in the space they'd cleared for her. Her feather flew back into the ornament in her hair, and she stood up straight, her eyes meeting Sesshoumaru's.

"Kagura, we weren't expecting you. What brings you?"

"I came to help you."

A silence fell over the crowd that was so complete, the only sound anyone heard was the wind as it blew gently. Kagome squeezed Inuyasha's hand; Kouga snorted rudely.

Kitana looked from Sesshoumaru to Kagura and back with only her eyes.

Was there some sort of connection between them that ran deeper than mere acquaintance? she wondered, for Kagura still held his eyes with her own, though he had looked away twice since her arrival. She felt a peculiar feeling in the region of her heart at the thought of this.

Kouga nosed his way forward and grabbed Kagura roughly by her collar, exposing her shoulder, and growled, "What do you think you're doing? We aren't going to believe a word you have to say, you lying bitch! You're on his side!"

Kagura glared, and said calmly, "Remove your hands from me, Kouga. I have no loyalty to Naraku any more than you do; in fact, I hate him just as much, if not more. There is no love lost between us."

Sesshoumaru glared. "Then why do you come here?"

She sighed heavily. "I told you: I came to help. I'm taking a huge risk in doing so; if Naraku discovers my absence, he'll likely kill me; he holds my heart in the palm of his hand."

Sango and Kagome exchanged a look. Kagome began to realize that maybe Kagura was telling the truth. She had given indications in the recent past that she was attempting to stray from her master, and she noticed that Sesshoumaru seemed to turn his thoughts inward, as if this made sense to him, too.

"Look," she said, her hands up, palms out in front of her, "I know that none of you trust me; frankly, I wouldn't trust me either. But I came with sincere intentions to help you destroy Naraku, and even if he kills me, I plan to see his demise. Death would be better than how I'm living now."

Sesshoumaru thought about her words, and nodded. But he added, "If you are underhanded, I will personally remove your lying tongue."

Kitana smiled a little; she didn't trust this Kagura. Oh, she didn't think she was insincere about helping them, she just didn't like the way the woman was looking at Sesshoumaru; she didn't like it at all.

Inuyasha spoke up, "Well, if you're going to help us, what can you tell us about that barrier down there? Do you know what's going on?"

Kagura drew her eyes to meet his. She smiled, almost giddy. "I do," she said, and sat down to make herself comfortable. Everyone followed suit.

When she had everyone's attention, she began. "Naraku has chosen this night as his night of weakness. Inuyasha, do you remember when he told you and the monk that he didn't actually become weak during this period?"

Inuyasha, still wary, said, "Yeah..."

"Well, " she continued, "he lied to you about that. He does experiment, but the last time he did it, I found him, and he was weaker than that kitsune child over there."

"Are you serious?" Inuyasha blurted.

"Completely. He only managed to subdue me because he scared the living daylights out of me, then kept me shackled down there for a whole week, that asshole!"

Tears began to gather in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.

"Did Naraku do that to punish you?" Kagome asked quietly.

"Yes. I was trying to escape from him when you saw me last. By the way, Inuyasha, I never told him when your night of weakness was, even when he threatened to kill me."

Inuyasha bowed, in thanks.

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at the silver scales beneath him, deep in thought. He was trying to think of a good way to use Kagura's information against Naraku. She had said that he would be weak tonight…

"We should attack him tonight," Miroku said, speaking Sesshoumaru's thoughts.

"Yes," he agreed, to anxious nods all around.

"He hides in the room beneath the cellar in the castle," Kagura whispered, as if she was afraid he would hear her. "That's why the barrier is fluctuating; soon it will disappear completely in his inability to keep it raised."

Kitana stood. "Well, I think we should sneak in, subdue anyone we find, and then burn him out. What do you say?"

Everyone thought about it, and finally Sesshoumaru said, "Sounds good. We'll go with Kitana's plan. Get your weapons. We've got a battle to fight."

With those words, he turned his back on them and went to meditate for a moment on his own.

Kitana watched him go, then saw that Kagura was watching him, too. She caught the other woman's eye and gave a frosty smile, one that plainly conveyed, Stay away from him, he's mine.

Kagura ignored Kitana's warning and turned her back on her, removing her fan from her obi and licking its edges with her tongue, to test its sharpness. When she cut her tongue, she was satisfied.

Kitana walked away, to help Sango strap Hirakotsu to her back. Kagome was massaging Inuyasha's shoulders and ignoring Kouga, for he wanted the same treatment his rival was getting; Inuyasha only growled at the wolf and told him to get lost.

Miroku was sorting his sutras, and Kirara was licking Shippo's face, to wake him. Kitana smiled indulgently as the child tried half-heartedly to smack his friend away.

When she turned around again, however, Kagura was not where she had left her. Kitana growled inwardly as she spied Kagura next to Sesshoumaru, making herself comfortable beside him, her sleeve brushing his, her thigh briefly brushing his knee. That slut… she thought.

Kagura settled herself next to Sesshoumaru, and whispered, "You like her, don't you."

He opened one eye to peer at her, sidelong. "What makes you think that?"

"I saw the way she looked at you, and she's practically spitting nails just watching us now," she said, looking back over her shoulder at the blue-haired woman.

"Is she?" he didn't sound particularly concerned. Of course, Sesshoumaru was as adept at hiding his true feelings as a chameleon was at blending in with its surroundings. "I hadn't noticed."

She turned her head. "Yes you have."

Now he turned to face her, his face carefully expressionless. "Are you jealous, Kagura?"

She frowned a little; he had such an annoying habit of nailing her right where she lived. She decided to throw his own words back at him.

"What makes you think that?"

Now he smiled. Her blood heated to see it; she knew he would have a beautiful smile, when he had an occasion to show it.

"Well, I can't think of any other reason you would disturb my meditation, except to inquire about my relationship with Lady Kitana. I'm not blind, Kagura; I know you feel something for me."

Her cheeks reddened. "That's a pretty arrogant thing to say, don't you think?" she hissed, and to her complete embarrassment, he laughed.

"Not at all. We are two of a kind, you and I; both of us are more confident than everyone thinks we have any right to be. Lady Kitana, on the other hand, is very sweet-tempered, a perfect example of the female demon, someone I admire. My question to you, though, is what do you think my relationship is to her? That's what you came over here to ask me, is it not?"

Kagura wondered when he had grown so insightful. She was beginning to feel slightly out of her element here, a rare thing for her, and she didn't like it.

"A better question, my Lord, I think, is what do you feel for her?"

Sesshoumaru turned his head away, his eyes closed once again. "You're not a subtle woman, Kagura," he pointed out, then continued, "Don't you mean, what do I feel for you?"

Once again she was struck without a word to say. His instincts were getting sharper all the time.

"It crossed my mind once or twice," she admitted, smoothing the wrinkles from her red and white outer kimono, and flicking the end of the yellow obi back and forth through the air.

He was quiet for a moment, before he whispered, "Do you really want to know?"

Her hand froze in mid-air, and once again she looked over her shoulder, to see where Kitana was, but found the girl no longer watching, her back turned to the scene she and Sesshoumaru were facing: namely, the ass-end of a silver dragon.

"More than anything," she choked quietly.

Sesshoumaru sighed, and placed his hand atop hers on her knee, and suddenly she had a bad feeling. Would she wind up like Kouga, stuck in a one-sided love? She hoped not.

"I don't know what I feel for you."

She released the breath she'd been holding. At least he didn't hate her, as she'd feared. He'd left the door open for her, anyway.

"Do you know what I feel for you?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Does that change your mind?"

He remained silent this time, and her chest began to feel like lead. He didn't love her, she knew it…

"Yes," he finally admitted, then he said, "but I feel something for her, too. Why must you complicate everything in my life, Kagura?"

Kagura felt a smile creep up her lips, and reach her eyes. She had a chance! AND her suspicions had been correct! Suddenly she realised that that was not so good for her.

"Well, I love you, Sesshoumaru. I know that you will make the right decision in the end, and I guess whatever you decide I will have to accept."

He grunted, surprised by her boldness, then turned away, dismissing her.

She bowed, and whispered, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama…for everything."

He hadn't given her much, but she'd cherished every moment spent in his presence, every fight, even the time she'd questioned his manliness. She regretted that, of course, but until she had his favour, she would not apologise for it. That would make her look desperate, and the last thing she needed was to look needy.

Rising, she left him, and hovered near the others, listening with half an ear as Kagome chastised the monk for his "wandering hands." Kitana glared at her, but only for a moment; nothing appeared to have changed, and she began to relax. Suddenly she felt foolish for worrying at all.

Approaching Sesshoumaru, she was met with a less than warm face - one she'd not seen since they'd first met. Her gut sank.

Taking his empty sleeve, she pulled him closer, despite the warning look in his eyes.

"What is she to you?" she hissed, releasing him, but staying close.

"She is an acquaintance, as you are," he said, and she felt as if he'd slapped her.

"I'm just an acquaintance, am I? Was I an acquaintance when you were kissing my throat? When you were getting your way with me?"

She felt betrayed, and his face softened a bit. "No, Kitana, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. You have to admit, though, we barely know each other."

"Still!" she insisted, "I know what you feel for me, I can see it now in your eyes! I know it's been only a day or two, but I believe in love at first sight, Sesshoumaru. I think you do, too."

She looked at her feet. Bringing her chin up, so he could look into her cool blue eyes, so different from Kagura's warm red ones, with their passionate independence, and her helplessness…what he saw before him in her blue depths was not only independence, but confidence; not confidence resulting from torture, to keep up appearances, like Kagura's, but confidence that came from discipline, and in knowing that you were what you'd made yourself to be, and had had love behind you from the start. He envied that of her.

"Do not give up hope, little Kitana," he whispered, and smiled for her, and her alone. Kagura saw this, and turned away, her red eyes moist.

Sesshoumaru saw her, and his heart stopped. He'd never had to decide between two women before. What was he to do?

oOo

Kagome kneeled behind Inuyasha, his haori around her shoulders and his under-kimono draped over her right one. She methodically rubbed oil into his bare skin, oil that heated on contact, to ease stiff muscles and prevent stiffness later on. He was practically purring, and he basked in Kouga's jealous glow as he watched from afar.

Kagome smiled a little; it was so nice, this feeling she felt whenever Inuyasha held her, spoke her name, touched her. She was his, and he, hers.

She wanted this feeling to last forever, and with the battle of their lives eminent in the very near future, she wanted to stretch the sensation out as long as she dared.

She happened to glance up at one point and see Kagura sitting docile next to Sesshoumaru, who appeared to ignore her. She thought this a trifle odd, but was soon consumed with her task once again. When she happened to glance that way a second time, Kitana was standing nose to nose with him, and she didn't look happy. Kagome immediately knew that something was wrong.

Leaning close to Inuyasha's ear, which twitched from her breath, she whispered, "I think Sesshoumaru's got more admirers than he can handle."

Inuyasha opened his eyes and took in the scene before him. "He does?"

She nodded. "I saw him talking to Kagura a while back. I think he's got quite the problem on his hands."

He snickered. "Sucker," he hissed happily. She nudged him reprovingly.

"Now, Inuyasha, that's not nice," she whispered, licking the inside of his ear as he barely managed to close his mouth in time to silence the loud groan that tried with all its might to escape.

"It makes me feel good though," he growled, fisting her hair in his hands, bringing her lips to his own.

"Alright, you two, curb it, eh? There are children present." Miroku interrupted, Shippo watching with morbid fascination from his left shoulder.

Kagome laughed, as Inuyasha glowered, but smiled…a little. Putting his clothes back on him, and tucking them into his pants as he rose to stand before her, Inuyasha wrapped his arms beneath hers and brought his face to hers. "Be safe, Kagome. Promise me you won't leave my side unless I tell you to."

She chewed her lip. She didn't want to leave him, not ever, even if he died she wanted to die with him, but now was not the time to tell him that. He would only grow more concerned and insist she stay behind, which she absolutely refused to do.

At last, she brought her gaze from his rosary to his amber eyes and whispered, "As you wish."

He smiled, and kissed her, long and hard, satisfied with her answer.

Releasing her, she picked up her bow and quiver, and asked, "Is everybody ready?"

At a collective response in the positive, Kitana ordered Storm to take them down to the castle, as quietly as he possibly could.

oOo

Well, that's that. I have more yet to write, so stay tuned peeps! I will try my very best not to get writer's block ever again! At least until this story's done, anyway. This chappie went much smoother than I anticipated, I'm so happy with it! All I have to do now is finish, and then on to a new story! Yippee! Review babes, I haven't had any in so long, I'm depraved!!! Thanks for reading!!