Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and Co.
The next 24 hours were a complete blur to Kagome; all she knew was that the pain was gone, and she could finally sleep peacefully. It had been so long since she could just rest, completely ignorant of the cares in the world.
Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru settled himself by her side for the duration of what he knew would be a long sleep for Kagome. He couldn't imagine how hard this had been for her these past months, and there was no way he was going anywhere now.
Of course, he hadn't expected to encounter Souta and his friend, who was introduced to him as Kouga, so soon, but that couldn't be helped without leaving Kagome. There had been a hushed argument, nothing loud enough to awaken Kagome, and as soon as the two noticed Rin, their hostility was melted by the charm of the hanyou child. Once his intentions were clear, everyone settled down for the night. Sesshoumaru accepted a blanket and pillow from Souta, but refused to leave Kagome's side for the comforts of the bed in the next room.
As he closed his eyes for the night, Rin tucked away in the spare bedroom, he listened to Kagome's steady breathing and took a deep breath of his own. He was in the U.S.; he couldn't be further from his home than he was right now, but he felt more comfortable lying on the floor in this apartment, than he ever did in the wide expanse of his house in Japan. He allowed his mind to drift, smirking ever so slightly in the dark at the sound of Kagome's muttering. He couldn't wait to for her to wake up; he was starting to forget the exact hue of her brown eyes, and the lilting happiness in her voice.
Kagome could hear the television as is played mid-morning cartoons even before she was aware of where she was. She bit back a sigh as her dreams of the night drifted back to her. Sesshoumaru had been there. Wishful thinking on her behalf; it was depressing how low her mind had slunk to keep her sane.
"Rin, eat your breakfast, or I'll have to turn the television off."
Kagome sighed as she propped her pillow up with her hands. Talk about pathetic, her heart, and pups for that matter, jumped at the imaginary voice of Sesshoumaru chastising their daughter despite the fact they were halfway around the world at the moment.
Wanting nothing more than to fall back to sleep, her stomach had other ideas about what she should be doing at the moment, showcasing her hunger with an immense growl. I'd better get up and get something to eat before the pups rebel as well. She thought half-heartedly. I'll be happy when my body is actually mine again.
As she slowly sat up, she awaited the nausea that she knew was to come. Instantly, she was on her feet, making a mad dash to the bathroom, the smell of bacon causing her mouth to fill instantly with bile.
Ahh, the joys of motherhood, she wasn't even actually awake yet and she was already dry heaving into the white porcelain basin before her. She rested her head on the cool rim of the seat, certain it was clean, as she had cleaned it just before crashing on the couch for the night.
This was an unusual morning for her. The smell of bacon was new…she had never known her brother, or Kouga for that matter, to be home late enough in the morning to prepare such an "elaborate" breakfast. Most of the time, they just ate a bowl of cereal before rushing out.
The refreshingly chilled, masculine hands that held her hair from her face was also a new addition to her morning routine. She had made it clear to her roommates when she had moved in with them that she wasn't the kind of person who wished people to hover over her while she threw up every morning. Why would this morning be any different?
Slowly, as to give ample warning to her stomach that she was doing so, she turned to face what she assumed was her brother or even possibly his roommate. Instead, what she faced was her past. Sesshoumaru scooped her up gently, without warning and placed her back onto the couch before she could even process what was happening. So, instead of her head hitting the cold, hard tile when she fainted, she landed on the plush pillows that now surrounded her.
A.N: Okay, I know it's not the longest, or the shortest, chapter update I've ever had, but I wanted to get something up, and this seemed an opportune chance for a decent cliffhanger. So, next chapter we'll deal with the rest of Kagome, Sesshoumaru, and Rin's reunion of sorts. This story is updated primarily on , so I can not guarantee weekly or even bimonthly updates on this site...but I will try! Thank you!