A/N: Thank you everyone that has read and reviewed, or liked and followed my story. I love hearing feedback and all your thoughts. I am trying to keep this story as cannon as possible (except for Kagome marrying Inuyasha, obviously) so let me know if things become too OOC. Also, keep in mind that it has been roughly 500 years since Sesshoumaru has seen Kagome, and Kagome is older now even if her body isn't aging.

Here is another longer chapter, 1600 words! I can't wait to hear everyones feedback, hope you Enjoy ^_^

Chapter 40: Bedtime

"Your wounds, can you heal them?" Kagome asked.

"No."

"I see. The necklace?" Kagome frowned.

"Yes."

"Can I remove the necklace?"

"No."

"I don't understand this at all. Does it give me complete control over you?"

"Yes."

"Can I tell you to heal yourself?"

"No. That ability is bound."

"Well... this sucks." She turned, leaving the demon lord staring after her as she disappeared down the dark hallway, returning a few minutes later with a large white case. "Will you allow me to treat them?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer.

"I want you to know, I don't intend to use you, like others may have tried. I don't want to control you."

"I am aware."

"I didn't want this. I didn't want to see you in that horrid place. I never expected to find you in there, you were... are so strong. I thought, maybe, one of my friends might have been here," Kagome couldn't even look at him.

"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said flatly.

"Yes. Or Shippo... my sweet little Shippo. Or Kouga." Kagome sighed. "Maybe one day I will see them again. Right now, you are here... and you're bleeding on my carpet." Kagome disappeared down the hall again, this time a light came from a doorway.

Kagome sat on the bathroom mat and started the water. She wasn't sure if he knew what a shower was, but he did know what a bath was. This was not going to be easy. From what she saw of his back, it was pretty brutal. Many would need stitches and would leave scars. Getting soap, even water, in them was going to cause a great deal of pain. From a doctors perspective, she was going to have to help him. ~How in the hell am I going to ask Sesshoumaru to let me giving him a bath?~ She rested her head on the cold metal of the clawed foot tub. Oh boy!

Once she had filled the tub with hot water she went to find her patient. It wasn't hard because he still hadn't moved. "Okay, you might have to help me here, or at least forgive me a little. I am a trained doctor, a healer, and I want to fix what they did to you. Not out of pity, but because it is the right thing to do. I know you say the necklace gives me control over you, but I don't want to order you to allow me to help you. That place was filthy, and the wounds I saw on your back are deep and need to be taken care of before they become infected. They are going to hurt, a lot, even with only water touching them. I am not saying you can't endure the pain, but I am offering my assistance, to try to make it as minimal as possible. Basically, will you accept my assistance in bathing you, then let me treat your injuries?"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow rose.

"I will give you a garment to cover with while I clean your wounds, then leave and let you finish." Kagome's face was hot, she knew she was blushing ferociously.

"That is acceptable."

Kagome let out a breath she wasn't even aware she was holding. She motioned for him to follow, stopping near the bathroom, in the hall closet she removed several towels before walking into the bathroom. Selecting one large enough she held it out for Sesshoumaru to take. "Remove all your clothes, and wrap this towel around you like this," she showed him using one of the other towels, "then you can get in the tub. I will come back in a few minutes to clean the wounds. I need to find you something to wear after the bath." Kagome left, closing the door behind her.

She walked to the end of the hall, into the spare bedroom. Thankfully, her brother was so unorganized he had left some of his things here when he had come to visit her earlier in the summer. She had washed and folded it all neatly in the dresser. She selected out a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. This would have to do for now. She tossed them over her arm as she walked back to the bathroom and lightly knocked on the door. "I am coming in now." she announced before opening the door.

Sesshoumaru was in the tub, his hair was wet already, meaning he had already got water in the gashes on his back. Kagome went to the side of tub and knelt down. Kagome watched, mesmerized, as the water trickled down his neck, onto his sculpted chest and down his toned stomach before returning to the rest of the water.

Sesshoumaru just raised an eyebrow in response.

"Do they hurt?" she asked once she snapped out of it.

"Yes."

"Stupid question Kagome, of course they do. Sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. If you could turn, I will start cleaning them. " Silently she chastised herself for staring at him like she had. She needed to be professional and take care of the damage Rolf had caused. Sesshoumaru turned, exposing his back to her.

"Um, you're gonna have to move your hair so I can get to them, please. I will be as gentle as possible." Kagome said. Sesshoumaru swept the wet curtain of silver over his shoulder, sloshing some of the greying water over the edge, onto her lap.

Kagome couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips. There were at least a dozen fresh gashes littering an already scarred back. Several more had been done a few days prior and had started to scab over in places where the new ones hadn't reopened the old. Carefully, she began to wash away the grime from his back with a clean rag.

"How can anyone be so cruel? I hate Rolf. I hate everything men like him stand for. So what if you're not human. No creature on this planet deserves to be treated this way. You're not an animal. Well, so to speak. Even so, you don't treat animals like that. It's just disgusting. It's horrible. He should have been in that cage, not you. Such a disgrace on humanity..."

"Miko." Sesshoumaru interupted her rant.

"Sorry. I am finished for now, try not to get anymore dirt on your back until I have a chance to cover them. Will you be able to wash your hair without it being on your back?"

"Yes."

"Okay. When you finish, there are pants for you here. Don't put the shirt on, though, until I have a chance to treat and cover your injuries. Shampoo for your hair is here, and soap to wash with is here. I'll be in the living room when you are finished."

Kagome didn't have to wait long. By the time she had finished setting out all the supplies to treat Sesshoumaru's wounds, he emerged from the bathroom. Again, she became mesmerized at the sight of him. The pajamas rode low on his hip, she stared at the arc of magenta stripes that peaked over the waistband. She couldn't stop herself as her eyes followed the lines of his markings to his stomach, toned smooth skin marked only by his belly button. Her eyes travelled farther north, over his chest. It was clearly visible the power and strength he had. His chest was firm and well defined, though not overly so. His skin looked like cream silk, she wondered if it felt like silk as well.

"Miko." Sesshoumaru stirred her from her ogling of his body.

"I never realized how beautiful you are before." Kagome said. It took a moment for her fuzzy brain to comprehend what her mouth had just said. Quickly her undamaged hand covered her mouth. Too late. She had already said it. "Sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru, that was out of line. Please forgive me."

Sesshoumaru said nothing.

Kagome cleared her throat, hoping it would clear the fog in her brain as well. "If you'd kindly sit I will dress your wounds."

Kagome focused on her task and kept her mouth shut. She didn't trust herself to speak at the moment. After making sure every wound was thoroughly cleaned and dressed she spoke, "You can put the shirt on now if you want."

Sesshoumaru didn't move.

She distracted herself with dressing her own cut hand. Once that was completed she addressed the demon lord, "Are you staying here? You know, with me, in this apartment?"

"Yes."

Kagome nodded, "I am sorry you are stuck with me, a human. The room at the end of the hall is yours then, if you want to sleep, everything is freshly washed. The room on the left is my room. The bathroom you used just now is yours to use... you know, whenever. I have my own bathroom off my bedroom. Help yourself to any of the food in the kitchen. I guess, just make yourself at home here." Kagome didn't know what to say or do, she had never been this close to Sesshoumaru without some battle going on. "I am going to go bathe and then it's bedtime for me. You will be okay?"

"Yes."

Kagome picked up her medical kit and headed to hallway. "Lord Sesshoumaru, why didn't you try kill me today? Not that I wanted you to, mind you."

"This Sesshoumaru has no desire to." he said after a long pause.