Kagome felt horrible, and the feeling wasn't going away. She liked being around Sesshoumaru, he was the only one to see her for a real person. Yet, she knew better than to let him so close. She wasn't stupid, she knew he knew what was going on. The problem was she didn't want him to know, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Except to try and keep him at a distance, for the good of them both. It wasn't fair, but such was life. She had known this for some time already, and nothing was going to change it. So as she walked out of the school, head down and focused only on the walk home. She didn't even notice when the object of her regret had stepped out in front of her, until she hit him. Thankfully he had noticed she was off in her own world, and had caught her before she hit the ground.
"Sessh! What are you…" she didn't get a chance to finish before he pulled her off the sidewalk and over to the playground at the side of the school.
"Hush, I just want you to listen." He said before he made sure she was paying attention and no one was around. "I have never asked what happens to you, though I have a pretty good idea based on the sounds I hear in your house at night, and the smells that don't fully rinse off…"
"You hang around outside my house?" she asked surprised.
"But I am asking now. What did he do to you last night?" he demanded.
"It's none of your business!" she yelled.
"Then why shut me out?" He countered.
"Because!" she screamed then turned her back to him. She was fighting back tears, Kagome didn't want to cry in front of him. Of all the people, not him! She felt his hands on her shoulders, turning her and she couldn't bring herself to fight him. When she was facing him again, she failed to stop a lone tear from sliding down her cheek. She truly looked like the child she tried so hard not to be, and it caused an unfamiliar twinge within his chest.
"Tell me." He gently prodded her. He knew it wasn't easy for her, far from it. He needed to know though, he needed to know everything if he was going to be able to help her. Even if he couldn't get her away from her parents legally, then he would watch out for her and be there for her. Sesshoumaru had never desired this, but his father had told him that when someone worth protecting then you don't turn away. He had never really understood him, until now.