"Kagome…" Kikyo began carefully, thinking over their current predicament. She did not disagree with having Rin remain with them, seeing as she was now orphaned, but what her sister proposed was foolery. Surely even Kagome understood this. "It is too dangerous for either one of us to go alone and bless the nearby homes once more. I realize it is needed, however-"

"But sister, Sesshoumaru or Inuyasha could accompany us. One would stay here and protect our home, the other would accompany us to the village." Kagome begged, her blue eyes bright and hopeful.

"It is too dangerous even then." Kikyo argued. "Think carefully sister. If thirty human men could not protect our house-"

"Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are undoubtedly more capable than thirty human men." Kagome snapped, unable to contain herself any longer. "Either one alone would be far more capable, if I do say so myself. We are needed sister, can't you see that? We have a duty, not only to our family, but to those villagers! If we don't do something, who can they look to!" Kagome's chest heaved with her anger, her body trembling ever so slightly.

It was rare to see her younger sister so upset, so Kikyo had to admit a little surprise as she looked into those angry blue eyes. She did not show it, but she certainly felt an overwhelming amount of it. Still, Kikyo could not simply give into Kagome's hopes just because her sister was so adamant. It was better this way… It had to be.

"I will not argue with you on this any further, Kagome." Kikyo said firmly. "It is done."

"Kikyo-"

"The subject is closed!" Kikyo almost shouted, standing and slamming her palms into the desk.

Silence remained between them for a breath before Kagome hissed angrily and stomped from the room. She left Kikyo with a throbbing headache in her wake. "I swear…" Kikyo sighed, massaging her temples.

It was hard denying Kagome this when her sister echoed her own thoughts, but how could she not understand that it was far too dangerous to separate the family? They would become vulnerable. And if they were vulnerable, they could be killed.

Kikyo closed her eyes for another moment, concentrated and pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind. She still had hundreds of tax forms to look through, letters from allied lords and opposing, and, more alarmingly, warnings of drought upon most of the crops that fed the surrounding villages.

Had her family angered the Gods so greatly, or could they have such coincidental bad luck? Her inward ponderings would go unanswered, per usual and after a moment or two, Kikyo called out softly. "Sesshoumaru-sama, I realize Kagome left you in charge of my protection. Would you please step inside?"

The once demon prince did so, his gate slow and cautious. His eyes held Kikyo's in a way that reminded even she, a priestess, why it was that humans feared demons. How many humans had he felled in his life? How many lives were taken and the last sight they had ever seen being those hard, frigid amber orbs? Shouldn't such a color hold heat and magma and… What use was there in looking for fire when there was naught but a blizzard in those frozen depths?

"I also know that Kagome gave you a far more important order long ago, that you should protect those who are in the most need. Inadvertently, she had given you the right to judge for yourself who would need it most." Kikyo kept the demon's gaze unwaveringly, nary a bit afraid of him for the bonds that kept him shackled. Even without them, however, she would prefer to believe that she would still not fear him, for what was there to fear of death? "I am certain you deem my presence the most necessary to protect, as head of this house, yet I am fully capable of handling myself in any number of situations. Perhaps, instead, you should look after those who are in more need of it. Souta, Keade, Rin, even Kagome."

He watched the human, who was not his master, giving him an order without doing so and felt old annoyance crawl up his spine. Yet, intelligent thing she was, the thought had already been spun and the bands recognized the truth before he even allowed his mind to think it. When they pulsed once in warning, his frigid eyes narrowed on her, promising what he would do, could he.

"I am sorry." Kikyo said softly. "Yet I need to be left alone. I wish for no presence to occupy any of my thoughts."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, only turned and left the office. You could not see his agitation, nor feel it. Well, not if you did not know the demon personally. Inuyasha, however, knew his brother's foul moods most extensively and his ears twitched in Sesshoumaru's direction. "What's got you so grouchy?" He asked as Sesshoumaru stood just near him, before Rin's door.

Sesshoumaru declined to answer his brother and listened to the near silent sobbing inside of the girl's bedroom. He was sure she would cry herself to sleep soon enough, and perhaps, eventually, she would allow herself to overcome her human loss and rise from the tragedy she'd found herself in. Until that time, she would forever remain weak and utterly useless to herself or any other in this life.

"You always gotta be such a stuck up asshole?" Inuyasha asked his brother, glaring from across the hall.

"Must you forever be a pest, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru questioned tonelessly.

"Depends on how ya look at it." Inuyasha grumbled.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru could agree with that. A difference of perspective naturally brought a difference of opinion, yet personal opinions themselves usually proved invaluable due to the feeling one felt behind it. Facts were useful, not emotions.

"The kid's been real upset all night." Inuyasha indicated toward Rin's room. "The other priestess, Kagome, checked on her, but the girl wouldn't talk to her. Won't talk to the other two brats either."

Sesshoumaru listened disinterestedly, but Inuyasha knew his brother was storing away the information. He had to wonder if the bastard felt anything about this at all, or maybe he was just all ice and no feeling.

"Do you think they're gonna keep her?" Inuyasha asked, fairly sure they would.

Sesshoumaru nearly snorted. "They do seem ever so fond of strays."

Inuyasha almost wondered if he could have been including the two of them in that, but didn't ask. Instead, he quieted and focused once more on his environment. And tomorrow… Tomorrow night brought a problem, one that he wasn't sure Kagome had read of in the slave owner's hand book.

It was a well known fact that his human blood posed a problem at times, but tomorrow night was the worst of it. Tomorrow he would be human and miserable. He would have no defenses, no way to defend himself or others, and something told him that tomorrow was going to prove interesting…

Kagome had determined it was time to override her sister's demands and prove a point. She'd never really overstepped such clear boundaries before, but there was a time for anything. She just hoped it wouldn't be too obvious…

Sure, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha would sense something was up, but she prayed her sister didn't. Maybe Kikyo would just think she was tense because of their argument, maybe she wouldn't suspect a thing… And maybe she would know every detail…

Stilling her inner thoughts with a huff, Kagome opened the door to her room carefully, looking around to find that Inuyasha was gone. Perhaps the children had woken early, or maybe he had to sleep or something. Either way, Sesshoumaru still stood between her door and Rin's door, probably having never moved in the night.

"Good morning." She said cheerily to the demon. He stared right through her, per usual, so she asked. "Did Rin fall asleep at all last night?"

He nodded.

This was going to be more difficult than she'd thought. "Okay… Well, I guess I'll just go check on her then…" She said, walking beside him to the door. Sesshoumaru did not move, not even as she slid the door open and her kimono sleeve brushed over his own sleeve. She looked up at him apologetically, tucking her hand toward herself and hustling inside of Rin's room quickly.

The young girl was still sleeping, dark circles beneath her eyes and salt residue left against her cheeks. Kagome looked upon the girls face with deep sadness, brushing strands of her dark her from her small face. She wasn't sure if she should wake her or not and decided to leave her as she was. Standing from the bed, she stepped out of the room and shut the door, pain in her heart for knowing the same loss Rin now faced.

Clearing her throat of the tightness that was suddenly there, Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru and said. "I would appreciate it if you would remain here to look after her." The bands recognized the weak command and he stood staring at the wall across from him. Kagome sighed and murmured. "Thank you."

As she turned away and walked down the hall, Sesshoumaru turned his gaze to the human that left. He could have looked in her eyes for the command she had given him previously, but something about this girl irked him. He did not like looking in her blue eyes, for something about the warmth there made no sense for such water-like eyes. He almost thought they should have been cold and commanding, not warm and forgiving. However, when she walked away, he could not keep from watching her, as though studying the mortal would waken some monster within her to where he would realize she was like all the rest of them.

Disgusting, immoral, greedy and power hungry.

As she rounded the corner and he lost sight of her, he had found none of those traits and it nearly made him growl.

Kagome walked into the dinning hall and never looked at her elder sister as she came to the table, pulling a tray over to her and setting all sorts of food stuffs on it. Keade and Souta looked at her in interest, glancing at Kikyo before looking to Kagome once more. They both surmised something must have happened between the two last night, but knew neither would divulge any details even if pressed. "Aren't you eating with us?" Keade asked instead.

"I'm taking food to Rin's room." Kagome told her sister, giving her an apologetic smile. "I'll munch on the way there."

"Oh, can I come too?" Keade asked, her young face eager and hopeful.

"No, Keade-chan, not this time. Rin will need time to heal and I don't want her to be bombarded by having too many questions-"

"I won't ask any questions!" Keade promised. "Sister, let-"

"Keade." Kikyo said warningly. When she had her sisters eyes, Kikyo continued. "Do as Kagome says. It is best for Rin, this morning, to be with Kagome alone. Perhaps later today you can visit her."

Keade nodded, turning away from Kagome and sitting as she had been, picking at her food. Kagome felt bad, but it was best for Rin. Keade would have her chance to make friends with the young girl soon enough. "Thank you, sister." Kagome kissed Keade on the cheek and Keade giggled a little. "I'll see you all later, today."

Standing with the tray of food, she caught Inuyasha's golden eyes, blushed a little and gave him a bright smile. "Don't forget to have something to eat, Inuyasha. I'm sure you have to eat sometimes." The bands recognized an unwittingly given command. What did she want? For him to eat breakfast. He could tell it wasn't intentional, but resented the hum against his skin.

"Yes, my Lady." He said. Looking into her disappointed blue eyes, he could see that she didn't like what he'd just said. She'd wanted something more, but without commandment, what more was he expected to give? He just couldn't understand this strange human…

"I'd like you to be who you are." She said, seeing his confusion. At his surprised eyes, she continued with a soft smile. "Whoever is inside of here," she pointed at his heart. "I want to meet him. Whether he's cynical, funny, a book reader, a great hunter; whatever the case, I'd like to meet that Inuyasha. The one that existed before the bands, if that's possible."

He didn't exactly know how to reply to that. What she'd just… It wasn't even a request, so he didn't know how to explain it, but what she wanted was for him to live in a way he hadn't dared in a long, long time. "Kagome, weren't you going to Rin's room?" Souta asked, not liking the way that the two had been watching one another. The over protective brother came out in him.

She blushed and laughed. "Yup!" Then, balancing the tray, she pulled off a yam and handed it to Inuyasha. "Enjoy." She said, almost bumping into Miroku as he came into the dining hall tiredly. "Good morning, Miroku."

He yawned a "good morning" in return, making the children laugh.

And then she was gone, leaving Inuyasha standing there with a yam in his hand and confusion in his mind. She was a strange creature, like his mother had been… The pain that thought brought lashed around his heart and he looked down at the yam, an expression on his face that somehow tightened a fist around Kikyo's own heart. He was remembering something he'd lost, she knew. That expression was not one she had to see on her own face to understand. She could feel the lines of despair on his face like they were on her own and understood.

"Inuyasha," she said, drawing him from his inner thoughts. Everyone was looking between the two, especially the monk and protector, Miroku. When she had Inuyasha's eyes, she asked. "Will a yam be enough to fill your hunger, or would you care to sit with us?"

He stood there uncertainly for a moment, looking at all the faces in the room, not knowing what to do. Should he take them up on the offer and assume the best, or refuse because his past encounters after becoming a slave taught him humans were the worst? "Come, Inuyasha, sit." Miroku encouraged. "Kagome is not here, so her plate can be used by you instead."

The hanyou looked around to all the faces in the room carefully once more and stiffened when Keade took his clawed hand in her small human one. "Come on, Inuyasha. Eat with us."

"Keh." He snorted, sitting down beside the girl and glaring beyond everyone.

Kikyo gave a small smile before biting into a yam herself.

Sesshoumaru sensed the human coming, her energy a clear beacon in the household. It was a flame of sorts, one that could burn even his powerful demon flesh if necessary. That kind of purity was irritating to be near, but he was not lowly enough to show his general ire.

As she rounded the corner, Kagome smiled brightly at him, even though he stared straight ahead. "Hey," she called and his eyes coldly moved to hers. "I brought enough for three… I think." She amended. "What would you like to eat?"

His eyes shifted away from hers. "I do not eat human food."

Kagome frowned. "Well… What do you eat?" She asked instead. Then, further, she wondered. "Is there a specific food for youkai?"

She hadn't meant as an insult, though Sesshoumaru took it that way. "Youkai all differ, therefore there is no specific culinary manner in which to please all demons. Inu youkai, however, prefer raw, freshly killed meat."

"Oh…" She said, sounding more like she'd wanted to say 'ewww', but settled for something more polite. "Well, if you're hungry, you can go and… do that…. Just, come back when you're finished eating. And please, uh, no blood in the house…"

He raised a brow, looking down at her once more, and she flushed. "Kay, thanks!" She hustled into Rin's room, feeling like a child.

Sesshoumaru was certainly not sure what to make of the human, not by any means. Her personality was a montage of things that would leave you spell bound at her stupidity. Or at least, that's how Sesshoumaru preferred to describe her.

Kagome, unaware of the demon's inner mockery of her person, continued to move forward in Rin's room, setting the tray of food on the other side of the bed. Kagome slowly sat down and gave her a gentle shake. "Rin?" She asked softly, giving her another gentle shake. "Rin, would you like breakfast?"

Rin's face scrunched a little and she rubbed at her stinging eyes, flakes of the salt from her cheeks falling down. As she tried to sit up and little and blinked, her surroundings gave her a start and she nearly fell from the bed. Kagome steadied her. "Slowly, Rin. I don't want you to fall."

The little girl looked at Kagome's face, recognizing her immediately and shook her head, her eyes watering up. "Momma, papa…?" She asked, looking around more. "Rin-Where's my momma and papa…?"

"I'm sorry sweetheart," Kagome calmly explained, knowing the girl was in shock. "Your mother and father are gone, to the spirit realm." She said softly, remembering how, once Rin passed out from exhaustion and searching for her parents, she prayed for their souls safe journey to the spirit realm.

"NNNNOOOOO!" She cried, jumping down from the bed and running to the door, yanking it open.

She almost fell back when she seen Sesshoumaru, looking up into his emotionless eyes with some fear before she ran down the hall. Kagome came flying out after her, never demanding anything from the demon. It didn't take her long to scoop up the child into her arms, Rin fighting to get away. "No! I want my momma! I want my papa!" She cried loudly, shaking her head and trying to get away.

"I know, sweetie, I know." She whispered, hugging her into her, sitting them both down against the floor of the hall. Rin stopped fighting her slowly, just crying into Kagome's chest while the young priestess held her against her. "It will pass," she promised. "It will be slow, and it will be painful, and you'll never forget them or the place that no one can replace, but you will live." Kagome's cheeks were marred by her tears, and her mind was full of memories. "I know, sweetie."

"Momma…." Rin sobbed, holding tightly to Kagome.

Sesshoumaru had been watching the two, but when Kikyo, Inuyasha, Miroku, and lastly, Keade and Souta rounded the corner, he looked to them stoically. Inuyasha's ears pinned a little and an expression of grim understanding crossed his face. Kikyo strode forward, Keade running and grabbing her hand to go with her and Souta came to her other side and took her other hand. Miroku closed his eyes, raised his hand to the center of his chest and whispered a soft prayer.

The Higurashi family surrounded the young girl and said nothing to her, but shared their overwhelming sorrow with her, their understanding and their love.

A/N:

As much as I love TSTUWB I really do love this story as well. I can see it shooting off all kinds of ways. Looking forward to updating soon. Thanks for all of your patience.