A/N: Oh the horror! I'm sorry this one took so long, but oh! The stories I could tell you! My computer died this week and I spent days curled up in a fetal position. All I could do was mutter "Everything is gone! It's all gone!" over and over again. It was horrifying. Not just this story but everything! Every story idea, fanfiction and otherwise. Pictures, music, important documents I've been too lazy to print out. Ugh, I shudder just to think about it. Well, after a few days of debilitating terror, my friend noticed the battery wasn't in my computer and put it back in for me. I nearly fainted from relief when it turned on. Seriously. It was a very frightening two days. It was like my soul died. Or someone had killed my puppy. In front of me. But I'm back! And this is the next chapter! And my soul is intact! So yippee and celabratory chocolate milk all around! And to all those people who reviewed during my time of pain: Thank you so much! I was kind of cool seeing them all at once as opposed to getting them one at a time every few days. IGirlWhoLikesHerStuff, thank you for the support, and actually I like your penname. It's creative! PumpkinPi, as always, you are a lovely, lovely person. And I can't wait to give our couple 'that time of the month' trouble. Or, you know, more of it. NekomataHanyou, your reviews make me extremely happy. Lola, thanks for continuing to read, despite Jaken's distressing wart problems. Lol. BamaBabe11, you are great so far as well. Haha, thanks for reviewing! It's like popping inspiration pills. Seriously. And also, thanks to the anonymous reviewer. I wish you had a name so I could really thank you, but I think you'll know I'm talking to you. Your review was simple, but in it's simplicity it was one of the nicest ones I've read. On another note, I would appreciate any constructive criticism anyone might have. I kind of like it, it gives me goals when I write the next chapter. So enjoy the chocolate milk everyone. There is a birthday cake to your right (Thats the only virtual kind they were selling. I couldn't find one that said "Congratulations on not losing Your Life's Work!" so it'll have to do.) and here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

I woke slowly, stretching beneath the warm pelt. My outstretched limbs were unimpeded by Sesshomaru. I blinked lazily in the late morning light. Late morning? Sesshomaru usually had everyone up and on their way by dawn. Not that I was complaining about sleeping in but the circumstances were suspicious. I stuck my head out and looked around.

Rin was munching on an apple and talking to her doll and Ah-Un. Jaken was sitting and muttering to himself, tapping his staff on a rock. Sesshomaru was glaring at me… from all the way on the other side of the meadow. I frowned at him. His eyes reddened.

"Whatever," I muttered, sitting up and bundling up the pelt. I stood up and headed over to the grumpy youkai. He immediately stood and strode parallel to me, keeping the same distance between us that had been their before. I stopped. He stopped.

I stepped forward. He stepped back. I tried to step closer than the thrity feet that was between us a few more times with the same results.

"Um… What are you doing?" I asked wearily, quickly tiring of the strange game.

"You will keep your distance ningen," he growled.

"… Don't you want your pelt back?" I lifted the fur toward him and made to walk toward him.

"No!" I froze. "Ahem… You may keep it for now."

"What? No thank you. It's too warm today to really do much good," a breeze ruffled my hair and I wriggled the fur at him. I watched in fascination as his eyes darkened and he actually flushed. The pink in his cheeks was light but it was definitely there.

"Give it to Jaken than, and we will be on our way."

I muttered to myself about weird dog behavior as I stalked over to Jaken. I tossed the pelt on the toads head, who squawked in surprise. The water in the stream shimmered as I crouched next to it. I cupped my hands and splashed the sleep from my eyes. Rin bounced by, singing a shy good morning on her way over to Sesshomaru.

The little girl skipped over to the youkai and chatted away about her new Kawaii-sama and how Ah-Un had been chewing on his foot that morning and that was why "Kawaii-sama's foot is soggy and lumpy now!"

I toddled over to join the group as we set out, ignoring the way Sesshomaru kept careful distance between us. At the moment I was too distracted to care. The familiar signs that a certain time of the month was approaching were making themselves known. My chest was swollen and ached and I was hungry. All too familiar portents signaling that I would soon be writhing in pain. Not to mention I was taking much too much interest in watching the smooth swing of Sesshomaru's hair as he walked. Not to mention the fluid, almost minute way he swayed.

I blinked and jerked my eyes away from him. Yup, I would definitely be having my period soon. If the signs were showing now, I should be fine until I saw Kagome again.

I chatted amiably with Ah-Un as we hiked, talking nonsense and stroking the neck nearest me. By midday Rin was lagging and I had long since run out of things to say to the dragon.

"Sessho!" I finally whined when he showed no signs of slowing for a rest. "Where are we going? I was to stop for lunch!"

"Eat while we walk."

"Rins tired," I tried.

"She may ride Ah-Un."

"I'm tired."

"Hnn." He kept walking.

Hnn? That was it? I frowned at his back. Really! Too annoying.

"So uncute," I muttered. I sped up, trying to close the ridiculous gap he was keeping between us. He didn't even turn around as he matched my new increase in speed. I frowned. Then I sprinted at him. He spun and stared at me incredulously as I launched myself at him. I had a glimpse of his startled face before he disappeared from my line of sight. I stumbled to a halt and whirled. Sesshomaru was as far away from me as before, merely in a different direction. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't know what's going on, but that is really annoying," I told him flatly.

"Just. Keep. Your. Distance!" he snarled at me.

"Whatever. I'm stopping for a rest. I don't care what you do," I stalked over to a convenient rock and sat down, pulling out an apple from my sleeve and biting into it defiantly.

"You can eat and walk at the same time ningen!"

"Yes," I answered his growl calmly, taking another, slower bite of the apple. "But I don't want to." His eyes blazed at me. Rin ignored the tension and promptly plopped onto a springy grass patch. Ah-Un lumbered over to her and began munching on the grass near her feet. Jaken began rummaging in the saddlebags. I smiled. We weren't going anywhere.

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The girl was infuriating. He shot a glare at her as he leaned against a tree. She smiled smugly back at him as she took another slow bite of onigiri. Infuriating. She had been drawing out her lunch for over an hour. Ridiculous.

A breeze blew through the leaves, ruffling the girls hair and carrying her scent over to him. He stiffened and bristled, fighting his instincts her scent was bringing to the fore. A growl escaped him before he was able to muffle it. The girl eyed him and stood. Sesshomaru straightened, thinking she might be planning to move closer to him again.

"Ok, I'm done," she wiped her hands on her thighs as she stood, shooting him an apologetic glance from beneath her lashes. "Sorry I took so long."

He narrowed his eyes at her, unable to keep the red from leaking into his irises at the suddenly submissive look she was casting him. Utterly infuriating.

He stalked ahead of the group, listening for them to fall in behind him. Thanks to the girls stubborn insistence on such a long break, it would be after dark before they reached the place they would stay for the night.

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I collapsed in an ungraceful heap, my legs buzzing from too much exercise. The sky was the dusky purple that signaled the end of the day. Rin had long since given up walking in favor of riding Ah-Un, and she slid bonelessly from their back now. I watched her totter over to the cool youkai and murmur sleepily to him. He answered her in his quiet way and rested his hand on the top of her head for a moment. I smiled through a yawn at the sweet moment, scooting back into the tree.

I pulled the collar of my shirt away from my skin. The sweat gathered at the small of my back was drying and I was feeling decidedly grimy. Sesshomaru's head snapped up at my uncomfortable grunt as I shifted. He frowned at me, I ignored him.

"Ningen," he called from where he stood next to Ah-Un.

I rolled my eyes at the silliness of him calling to me from so far away. "Youkai?" I replied sardonically.

"There is a hot springs nearby. You will accompany Rin there." I ignored his brusque manner in favor of the hot springs he mentioned. I sat up in interest, but Rin's frown stopped me from rising.

"Rin doesn't want to go tonight. Rin is tired!" I stood and approached the girl. Sesshomaru backed away.

"Are you sure? It's been a long day," I knelt before her. She nodded sleepily, her doll drooping in her arms. Hmm, she really did seem tired…

"Ok. You just sleep then," I stroked her hair and stood to arrange her blankets. I frowned as I did so. A little girl should have a house to sleep in. But she seemed happy… or at least, she wouldn't be happy if she didn't have Sesshomaru, no matter the comfort of her surroundings.

I tucked her in and stood, turning to Sesshomaru. He was watching me strangely. I cocked a brow at him.

"So, where's this hot spring?"

"Ah…"

"What? Just point me in the right direction. I won't take very long." Lie. I was going to soak until I was as wrinkled as a dried plum.

"Hnn. The last time I allowed you to bathe alone, it was very troublesome."

I frowned at him, "That isn't likely to happen again… Probably. Oh, come on! I want a bath! I can't just not bathe."

I watched in interest as Sesshomaru's face grew tight with tension. I stepped toward him without thinking and Sesshomaru practically jumped away from me. I rolled my eyes. It was very strange for him to suddenly act like I had cooties. I took another step forward and watched him take one back. Ridiculous.

"Fine! The springs are that way," I followed his agitated gesture and nodded, quickly gathering my kimono and the little bundle of toiletries Kagome had lent me. I walked into the forest, not conscious of the silent youkai following me. I did notice however when I dropped my bundle, and when I bent at the waist to gather everything back up a snarl scared me into dropping everything again.

"Aaah!" I yelped, the momentum from my frightened jerk launching me face first across the mossy ground. "What the hell? Sesshomaru?"

I twisted and glared up at him, surprised when he returned the glare with a wholehearted scowl.

"What?" I asked grumpily. "Why are you following me?"

"Believe this Sesshomaru when I say I have no desire to follow you to your bath. However, leaving you to bathe alone would be unwise."

I stood with my things in my arms and eyed the dog in annoyance. "Believe this ningen when I say that I bathe alone."

"Hnn. As long as you are this Sesshomaru's mate, and as such a liability, you will not be doing anything alone."

"Ugh! You are so annoying!" I paused considering. "You would just be… nearby, right? Not like, right there?"

"I will be within sight of the springs."

I scowled at him, "But you won't be doing any sighting." I whirled away and began stalking toward the springs, muttering to myself all the while. At the moment I was much too tired to indulge in futile arguments with a self-important inuyoukai. Besides, it wasn't as if he didn't have a point. I was a liability and bathing so far from the protection Sesshomaru could offer was illogical. If I were to be captured by Naraku again, I doubt he would waste time playing games as he had the last time. I was in danger from lower level youkai as well, nevermind simple forest predators. I allowed a sigh to escape me, imagining Sesshomaru dying because I had been attacked by a wild boar. What an ignominious way to go.

We came to the steam filled, mossy clearing that housed the springs. I stopped at the edge of the water and waited. Sesshomaru stood impatiently near a tree, watching with narrowed, crimson eyes. I tapped my foot.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Turn around! Haven't we been through this before? I'm not stripping down with you staring at me like that!"

Sesshomaru snarled but turned away. He leaned against the tree in the same position he had before, only facing the other way. I kept my eyes on him the entire time I undressed, slipping into the water as soon as the last bit of cloth slipped from my frame.

A soft sigh escaped me as the heat of the water immediately sank into my sore muscles. Nice. I swiped the honey scented soap and the soft washcloth that went with it. I lathered myself with a happy hum, ignoring the quiet growl from Sesshomaru. He had been so grumpy the last few days!

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This was extreme torture. The heat and steam of the water was intensifying the scent of the girls fertility in a way he had not accounted for. Her scent coiled around the clearing, carried along with the curls of steam and mist. He was being tortured.

Her own natural scent of female, moss, pine, grass, good, strawberries, vanilla cream, was being intensified and accompanied by the honey scented soap she must be using. His demonic instincts were practically screaming at him. Screaming that she was his, his, mine, mine, MINE!

Infuriating.

And she was not helping matters with the little noises she made of enjoyment. She was humming for kami's sake. He growled. The girl's humming stopped for a moment, before she began again. Louder this time. He clenched his claw uselessly. He wished like hell that he could at least suppress his sense of smell, but doing so now when his very presence at the spring was to better sense danger would be the very definition of idiotic. So he was stuck breathing her in with the strength he had been avoiding her all day to evade. His skin was practically quivering with youkai.

He shifted uneasily. How long was she planning to bathe? He would order her to finish as soon as he sensed the actual cleansing was coming to an end. He would not force himself to endure such temptation for long.

A sudden gasp and the scent of blood had him spinning in place, searching for the cause of the girls distress. She cradled her hand protectively, her other hand holding a foreign looking item. He was immediately at her side, ignoring her startled gasp as he took her hand.

"Hey! Stop that!" She jerked away from him, covering her chest with her arm. Sesshomaru grabbed the little pink stick from her as she tried to wriggle away.

"How did you cut yourself?" He examined the thing he had taken from her.

"I was shaving! Let go! You aren't supposed to be looking," she jerked away from him in vain and sank down to her chin, an embarrassed groan curling up out of her throat.

"This is a razor?"

"Yes! Its from the future. I got it from Kagome. Please turn back around!"

"Stop twisting please. I merely wish to heal your hand," He tugged her palm up to his mouth and uncurled her fingers. He ignored the way her smell tugged on his libido as he held her hand out flat. He swiped his tongue across the small cut across her fingers. His mouth stilled on her instantly, his eyes flying wide at once… and bleeding red. He glanced up at her, meeting her wide, embarrassed gaze.

Her blood tasted stronger during her fertile time as well. He had not realized he was moving toward her until he was inches away from her face. His jaw clenched rhythmically. The girl was holding her breath. The girls hand was still clutched between them. Another red drop of her blood pearled at the edge of her cut. He growled and an unsteady breath stuttered from her lips. Sesshomaru shuddered.

"Bare your neck mate," he growled softly.

The girl's eyes narrowed, "What do you mean bare? I am naked you halfwit!"

"I am aware girl!" he snarled in response. "Show me your neck." He dropped her wrist and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her part ways out of the water, using the way he was crouched at the waters edge to brace himself. The girl shrieked and struggled to keep herself covered. "Submit!"

"OK! Here! Neck!" she twisted her head to the side, displaying the curve of her shoulder up to where his mark rested beneath her ear. A snarl ripped from him as he buried his neck beneath the fall of her sodden hair.

The girl yelped and squirmed uncomfortably as he dragged his tongue across the taut tendon that ran the length of her neck. He stilled when he reached her ear.

"I am sorry," he growled. "This is not intentional." He couldn't resist gently closing his sharp fangs over the lobe of her ear.

"Ah… really? It seems kind of on purpose to me… Oh! Ouch, don't bite so h-hard!"

He growled into the soft hollow triangle under her chin and she shuddered. Then he bit her chin.

"Um, Sesshomaru? Seriously, what are you doing? You don't like me remember?" He licked her lower lip in answer. At this point, his demonic side was completely in control. He could feel his more sentient self angrily snarling at his lack of control. He licked the corner of lips.

"Mmph! Stop that! Is this a dog thing?" He raised his head to look at her. Her eyes were glazed and uncertain. Her ribs beneath his arm shivered, and heaved in time with her pants She wasn't fighting him. If she had fought him, he would have pulled back in a heartbeat. His demon would never force himself on a mate. It would have gone against every instinct an inuyoukai had to harm a mate in such a way. But she was not fighting him. Instead she was arching into his embrace.

And that was just fine. He lowered his lips once more to hers, eager to taste her mouth once more, when a frantic rustle in the brush jerked him up once more. He narrowed his eyes at the intrusion. He knew that stench, and Jaken would pay for his interruption.

"My Lord! My Lord Sesshomaru! Please, you must come quickly!" Jaken stumbled to a halt and looked at the tableau they presented with wide eyes. His words escaped him in baffled counterpart to his earlier frantic yelling, "What are you doing?"

Sesshomaru growled but released the girl, who promptly released a startled cry and sank below the water only to come up sputtering.

"What is it Jaken?" he asked impatiently.

"It's the child! Rin is… there is something wrong with her!"

Sesshomaru stood swiftly. The girl was pulling herself out of the spring before he could her order her to. She pulled on the kimono she had laid out for after her bath, heedless of Jaken's embarrassed squawk, or Sesshomaru's own swift perusal.

"What's wrong with Rin?" she asked as she belted her obi.

"I don't know!" Jaken wailed. Sesshomaru moved swiftly back to the campsite, Kodi close behind him. They poured into the clearing and instantly hurried to surround the child.

She lay face up under blankets, her face flushed and her breaths huffing in pants in her chest. Kodi fell to her knees next to the child, bringing her hand up to rest on her forehead.

"Oh! She's really hot… Sesshomaru? What should we do? This is not a little fever," she looked up at him in entreaty.

Sesshomaru crouched as well, bringing his hand up to rest hesitantly on the child's forehead, only to jerk it back in surprise. Rin was burning!

"I… She has not been sick before," Sesshomaru replied slowly.

"Don't you have any medicine?"

"Youkai do not have need of such things."

The girl frowned at him, "But you have a human child with you!"

"There is no precedent-" he began indignantly, but the girl was ignoring him.

"If we were in modern times we could just give her a few pills… Kagome!" She looked back up at him. "We need to go back to Kaede's village now! We can send Kagome through the well to get some medicine. And Kaede is supposed to be a healer right?"

"A priestess," Sesshomaru murmured in response. He had no experience with human illness. Was this that serious? She was very warm certainly, but…

Rin rolled to her side with a whimper and vomited into the grass. Kodi sprung forward and pulled the child's hair back, cradling her when she finished and began to cry weakly.

"Sesshomaru?" Kodi asked desperately. "Please, we need to go now! She's really sick! I don't know what to do for her out here!"