Chapter 15: Healing

Her eyes were sticky when she tried to open them. Her arm was stretched out by her side and felt scratchy and sore. The other wrist felt cold, and she felt some tubing bump against her eyes when she tried to rub the yellow crust off them. She groaned in pain rolling to her side to find herself in a darkened room and definitely not in her own bed.

Against her will, her heart started racing and before she knew it, there was a loud beeping filling the room she was in. She cried out, reaching for the tube in her wrist to try to pull it out when a clawed hand covered her own as she panicked. "NO!" she screamed.

"Rin stop," he knelt down in front of her and smoothed her hair out of her face.

She felt hot, like someone was cooking her. She knew that voice, but her eyes were going in and out of focus. "Sesshomaru?" She held onto his wrists as if they were her lifeline.

She heard more footsteps in her haze of a fever. She rubbed her temples trying to catch her breath as she heard his voice again, "she has anxiety. It's not her heart."

"We need to check her," said a female voice.

"No." Fingers wrapped around her shoulders. They felt like coals, and she nearly fell back over into the bed. "She needs to know she's safe first. Rin," the clawed hand pushed her damp hair back again. "Calm down. Breathe with me."

When the red and black world finally came into focus she stared down at golden-eyes that looked tired and lined around the edges. "Sesshomaru?" her mouth was dry as she spoke. "I'm thirsty."

A straw was put into her mouth. She didn't bother to ask what it was before she drank. It was sweet and cold and made her shudder. She swallowed faster, choking on the liquid.

"Not so quickly," he encouraged her. The beeping slowed and so did the tension in the room. "See? It's not her heart. Give her space."

"We'll tell the doctor she is awake and come back for vitals in a bit," they told him and then she was alone with Sesshomaru.

"What's going on?" She lay back feeling the world start to spin. "I thought I broke up with you."

He sat down on the edge of her bed and said, "You did. But I don't remember you telling me we were no longer friends." His hand came up to her cheek again and he tsked his teeth. "You are still boiling."

"You should leave." She rolled onto her other side. "I don't need a friend here."

"Well then it's good I am also your sensei." He smirked at her. "I came to visit my student."

She wiped her nose and sighed, "you aren't going to make this easy are you?"

"Why would I do that? I told you I would use considerable effort to prove myself should you reject my advances. Rin, talk to me. I know you were attacked by Kagura, Naraku, and Takahiro. What happened?"

"None of your business. Ouch," she touched her arm. "What's wrong with me? Why am I here?"

"They wouldn't tell me because we aren't mated, but that didn't stop me from eavesdropping on their conversations. Should I tell you that your burned wrist is infected because you didn't get medical treatment? Naraku has a deadly kind of miasma he hit your arm with and had you sought out medical attention sooner it wouldn't be this bad."

She stared at the window, curled into a ball, avoiding his eyes. "Get off my bed." She kicked at his backside just as a knock came at the door.

He got up and pulled the door open. Dr. Okinawa entered the room with a clipboard. He had the same golden eyes as Sesshomaru, shorter hair, and was wearing a long white coat. "Rin-chan. I'm so glad you're awake. I'd like to talk to you about your condition. How do you feel?"

"Get out." She glared at Sesshomaru. "I don't want him here with me."

Dr. Okinawa only chuckled, "my mate is also human. I think in the beginning we fought more than we got along. Don't worry Sesshomaru, we'll take good care of her. And if you don't go willingly, I'll have to have security escort you out."

Sesshomaru cursed under his breath as he left the room slamming the door behind him. "Can you tell me what happened?" the doctor asked.

"I was attacked," she whispered, wiping her nose on her hospital gown. "There was a spider hanyou, a wind demoness, and a human. I punched the spider-hanyou in the head and he absorbed my arm and then it started burning."

"I hate to tell you that it's infected and not responding to antibiotics," he pushed his glasses up on his nose. "I'm sure you know that dog-demon saliva is very potent. It's still complicated to use it ethically in a hospital setting. I cannot use my own, but you're boyfriend-"

"He's not my boyfriend," she interrupted.

"Well whatever he is. If he could clean it, there's a chance we could get the infection under control enough for the antibiotics we have been giving you to work. Now we have already spoken to your parents."

"My parents know?" Great, that was all she needed.

"Your not-boyfriend spoke to them to let them know what was happening and we needed to know if you had any allergies and your basic medical history."

"Great." She wiped her sweat soaked brow. "I feel so hot."

"You've been consistent around 103 degrees since you were brought in."

"What happened?"

"You passed out in your bathroom. Your roommate called an ambulance, but your not-boyfriend carried you from the ambulance. I allowed it. I'm a dog-demon, I know how possessive we are. He's been in your room with you for two days."

"Two days?"

"It's cellulitis. It's an infection of the deep tissue in your arm. The fever can be nasty and so can the pain. You've been in and out of consciousness for the last few days."

Her phone started buzzing next to her. She saw her mother's ID and wiped another tear. "It's my mom."

"Go ahead," he said. "Our plan of treatment right now is to let the antibiotics do their job. Although I would beg you to reconsider allowing your not-boyfriend to clean the injury. Had you gotten help sooner it wouldn't be this severe," he said as he left.

She wiped her eyes again and answered the phone, "hi momma."

"Rin, you finally woke up!" her mother felt relieved. "How are you?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want us to come? I told the director I may need to leave."

"I don't know," she felt like she was a child again. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"You didn't tell us you were dating a dog-demon. He looks quite handsome."

"How do you know what he looks like?"

"We Facetimed with him. He's a little curt and short, but he was very polite and let us know what happened and helped translate with the medical staff. You seemed like you were in such good hands and we didn't feel like we needed to come yet."

Rin swallowed the lump growing in her throat and drank more of the sweet liquid drink. "I broke up with him," she started to cry.

"He told us that too. You're doing it again, Rin. You're pushing people away who want to love you. Ever since you came back from China two years ago, you've been pushing everyone away."

"I have not!" she screamed. "Aren't you supposed to be on my side? He's a jerk. He's a selfish, self-absorbed asshole."

"Assholes don't spend days in the hospital with you, Rin. They don't spend hours on the phone with your parents, making sure they aren't scared and they certainly don't risk their jobs and grades to take care of you when you are sick. Why are you pushing him away? He said you were attacked and didn't tell him and when he found out you dumped him."

"Why can't you be on my side?"

"Because I want you to be happy and that makes me on your side. He speaks fondly of you. The way every parent wants a lover to speak about their child. Why are you pushing him away, do you love him?"

"Momma please," she sobbed into the phone.

"Do you love him?"

She closed her eyes, gripping the phone, "please don't ask me that."

"Rin, do I need to fly all the way across the ocean for 20 hours, abandon my set and crew just to have this conversation face to face? You cannot keep pushing every good thing away from you. You deserve happiness. I want someone to love you as much as your father and I do and so would your biological mother and father. Do you love him?"

"Yes," she sputtered out and then covered his eyes. "I'm scared, momma. What if something happens?"

"What's going to happen? Besides three assholes who have been suspended from the school indefinitely. Toga said they are going to be taken to the demon courts. What could happen?"

"I don't know," she found the tissue box next to her bed.

"Is he there?"

"I told him to leave," she coughed and wiped her eyes.

"You need to think about what you are doing Rin. That's all I am going to say. Do you want us to come? I don't want you to be alone in the hospital."

"No, I'll be fine."

"If you love him, enjoy him Rin. There's no reason not to. Besides, he is a hunk. Have you seen him with his shirt off yet?"

"Momma!?"

"I assume you haven't had sex yet, or you would have called me."

"Mom!"

"Make sure to buy a pack of condoms before you do. Oh and get yourself some birth control. Don't get an IUD it'll hurt too much, maybe the pill or the shot."

"I'm not talking to you about this!" she growled frustrated that her mother was making her laugh so much. "Why do you have to be so cool about this?"

"Your eighteen Rin, it's your life now. Now call that hunk before someone else gets him."

"That's not really how it works."

"Call him," her mother said more firmly. "Let me know if you want us to come. I don't mind abandoning this set. Tom Cruise is not nearly as hot as he was ten years ago."

"I thought you hated working with him?"

"I do. He's too short and the inverted cameras make me look fat. I'm going to let you rest now. Your father will call later."

"Thanks mom," she laughed as she hung the phone up. Her stomach tightened before she dialed the next number. It was answered before it even had a chance to ring. "Are you still here?" Secretly she hoped that Sesshomaru hadn't left.

"I'm here," his voice was bland and timid.

"Can we talk?" her voice was quieter than she meant it to be.

"Sure, I'll be back soon. I'm getting something to eat."

"You can eat it here."

"You want me back that badly?" a nervous chuckle came into the phone.

"If you don't hurry up I'll change my mind," she blew her nose again and touched her forehead. "Or pass out from a fever."

The door opened and he stood there with a bag of food, with the phone still by his ear, filling the room with an annoying echo. "Flying has its perks."

She patted the bed next to her with her good arm. He sat wordlessly by her side and exhaled heavily, setting the food aside. "I'm sorry," she covered her eyes with her hands regretting moving the hand that had been burned, a flash of pain shot through her muscles, making her cringe in pain.

He touched her forehead and pulled her into his chest breathing heavily, with relief. "You scared me." He rubbed her back and placed a chaste kiss on her brow, waiting for her to say more.

"I'm scared," she whispered while she melted into his arms.

"Of what?" he said quietly in her ear, gathering her into his chest.

"You and me. How I feel about you," she sniffled as she spoke and said. "I'm sorry."

"I also fear my feelings," he rested his chin on her head. "I missed you this week. The bed was empty and cold. I've grown used to having you around."

She wrapped her good arm around his waist and said, "I had a hard time sleeping without you. Why didn't you come?" She felt betrayed in those moments, isolated, terrified and hopeless like before. It was too much to bear and why she chose not to go to him immediately.

"The dojo is soundproof. I can still hear what happens in the courtyard and if I strain the closest classrooms. I can't hear by the lookout, inside the dojo." He picked her chin up and kissed her burning lips. His tongue dipped lightly, not wanting to ask for more as it was obvious she was already exhausted again. "If I had heard you calling for me, I would have come. You know that right?" He held her chin as he gazed into her eyes.

"I know," she swiped hair from her face. "Rest with me?" She so desperately needed someone to hold her.

"I thought you would never ask," he set his food on a table next to the bed and maneuvered himself around the tubing in her wrist and the wires attached to her chest. She curled into his chest as he held her around the waist. He yawned, feeling tired and closing his eyes. "You should let me clean your wrist."

"He told you, didn't he?"

"Dog-demons. We tend to stick together." He lifted the swollen wrist up carefully. "It's going to hurt. Your skin is very irritated and swollen," he ran a clawed finger up the purple and red skin.

"It's okay. Just do it." She grasped the front of his shirt and closed her eyes. The first lap felt like a knife along her skin. She wrapped her free hand around his neck and tried to focus on breathing. The EKG machine next to her gave a warning beep as her heartbeat picked up. The second lap felt like she was being lit on fire. "Ow," she swallowed again trying to fight back the pain as he started regular swipes across the skin.

"Shh," he muttered as he continued. "I'll try to finish quickly."

She closed her eyes and between the fever and the warmth of him next to her and the pain in her wrist she began to see black specks. His tongue felt like sand-paper against her skin. It wasn't long before the tears started again and she felt like she couldn't breathe. Every so often he stopped and whispered in her ear before he started again, but before she knew it, the pain was too great and darkness covered her eyes as the world went black.

He held her as they both slept, only waking when the nurses came in to check her temperature, blood-pressure, and heart-rate. Each time his exhausted golden eyes opened, he glanced at the swollen appendage that rested on the side of the bed, beneath her. It was less purple now and the skin more red. He held her other hand, running his thumb along her skin when she writhed against the pressure of the cuff on her arm. He soothed her with strokes to her brow and when that didn't work, he pressed his mouth against her cheek.

As the night wore on, she began to stir, and the movements woke him. He opened his eyes to see her trying to stand. She leaned over awkwardly against the table on the other side and nearly toppled. He flew out of the bed and caught her by the elbow. "What do you need?"

"Bathroom," she said. "My hand's stuck." She tugged on the IV line in her left hand. "My head hurts," she tried to catch herself on the bed only to slip and if he hadn't been standing next to her she would be on the floor.

He caught her by the waist and eased her onto the bed. Unplugging the IV pole, lifting it off the ground, over the bed and over her head and saying, "Do you need help in the bathroom?"

"Maybe," she pushed herself up again. "My hair is gross. I want a shower."

"We should ask them first." He helped her up again and into the bathroom.

"Where is my underwear?"

"Necessities," he joked, there hadn't been time for changes of clothing and they had cut her old clothes off her. They came within fifteen minutes of Koharu calling them, loading her into the ambulance. He forced them to allow him to ride in the ambulance with her by threatening to fly over it. Once they had gotten into the ER he was forced to sit back in chairs until he heard her screaming and flew into the room to find her thrashing and fighting against the nurses. She must have been fighting hard, because they were about to give her a sedative and they had restraints out, something he knew was setting her off. He calmed her by speaking in her ear and it was then that the doctor on call said he should stay with her. When she was transferred to this ward, he was allowed to go with her. Her parents had called twice in that time and by the third time he answered her phone and then facetimed her explaining who he was and what had happened to her.

The three were going to be prosecuted and that was all that mattered. The only problem was after he checked in with Inuyasha and they were suspended, no one knew where they were.

"I think I'm going to be sick," she crooned, sitting down on the toilet weakly.

He barely had enough time to get the trash can in front of her face before she started heaving. Because she'd barely eaten in two days, it was mostly bile and water, followed by dry heaves. He picked up a washcloth and wetted it with cool water, setting it on her shoulders. His eyes averted while she wiped, and he helped her wash her hands before half carrying her back to her bed. He set her down gently, trying to avoid the hurt arm and jostling her too much. "I want a bath." She curled into a ball whimpering in pain.

He pressed the call button on her bed and took an emesis basin from one of the nearing cupboards. He filled it with cold water and started patting her forehead and her chest down with the wet wash-cloth. He ran it down her shoulder-blades and over her back, then along the parts of her legs that were exposed until her teeth began chattering. "Yes?" a voice came over the com.

"Rin would like a bath," he said curtly.

"Okay, your nurse will come help you," the voice said and clicked off.

He covered her with a blanket and climbed into bed with her again, this time their chests touching. He pressed his mouth into her forehead and gingerly picked up the infected hand. "I love you," she muttered.

His eyes shot down as a knot formed in his stomach. She was breathing peacefully, with her brow pressed into his chest. He ran the back of his finger up and down her cheek and said, "you're talking in your sleep."

The door opened and she remained mostly asleep against him as the nurse removed the line to the IV and said, "I'm going to put waterproof covers on. When she's done, call us and we'll take it off. She looks asleep."

"There was only a shower in the bathroom," he ignored her. She'd barely been conscious over the last few days. He had spent them bathing her body with a wet washcloth and yearning to smooth her arm with his tongue.

"Down the hall there is a proper bath. You'll want to keep it cool for her." She smiled in a knowing way. "Keep her head above water."

He nodded as the woman left. "Rin," he said as he slid one arm under her knees and the other under back. "I'm taking you to the bath now." He carried her down the hall and then down another one wrapped in a white hospital blanket. "I love you too," he said as he balanced her against his knee and opened the door. Inside it looked like a regular bathtub with a toilet, sink, and an extra wide tub. He turned the water on and slowly untied the strings on the back of her hospital gown. Her eyes opened as he pulled it forward.

"Don't look, please?"

A lazy smile crossed his face as she sat up, red cheeked, and shaking. She leaned away from him as the gown fell to the ground by his legs. She stepped in and said, "it's cold."

"You're too sick for it to be any warmer. Lay down, I'll help wash you." He let the water cover her until it came just below her shoulders.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked as she sat down in the water.

"Because," he said quietly as he helped her body into the water. He breathed in deeply seeing her naked body. This was not how he had envisioned the first time he would see her naked. Her legs were thick around the thighs with muscles, her calves well defined. She had a dainty triangle of curls hiding her vagina from him and her stomach was defined with deep lines and a clearly visible six pack. He ran one finger down the line from her sternum to her navel. "You mean everything to me." He knelt down and cursed the lead pipe twitching in his pants.

She only shook her head back and forth.

She'll forget saying she loves me. He started with her hair, massaging the base of her neck with shampoo until thick white suds foamed on his fingertips. "Mmh," she moaned as he kneaded her, still defensively holding her hands over her breasts.

He could see the rise of the peaks, but her nipples were hidden by her fingers. Sesshomaru helped her dip her head back into the water and rinsed out the shampoo, only to repeat the same motions of massaging her skull and adding combing his fingers through her hair to smooth out the loose tangles with conditioner. "Do you want me to braid it when we get back to the room?"

"Yes," her lips trembled against her teeth. "You're looking."

"You're beautiful, how can I not?" He found another washcloth and helped her sit up. She leaned against the bathtub with her knees bent into her chest. He slicked hair off her back and sighed. The scar was gigantic and covered most of her back and neck. He touched it with his fingers, wondering the agony she must have endured before A-Un pulled her from the wreckage. He lathered her back and her legs. "Lean back."

"You're going to look."

"I won't touch as much as I want to." He supported her weight. The way her skin felt so hot and wet made him pulse. He shivered in air as she leaned back and he licked his bottom lip in anticipation of her removing her hands from her chest. Her skin was already so battered from the battle she fought earlier that week.

"I've… no one has ever…" she gulped, trying to speak, somewhat more alert. Her hands came down and laced against her stomach as her eyes shifted away and a tear left her eyes.

He caught it in his finger and turned her face to his. "I'm here," he whispered, trying to get the husky tone to go away as he washed her chest then tried to calm his aching cock as his hands soaped her breasts with the thick cloth. He cupped her chin and pressed his forehead to hers as he washed her stomach, her hips, and then fluffed her curls. "I'm here."

"I know."

He lifted one leg and cleaned it and then the other and then cupped his hand rinsing her.

"I'm cold."

"Come," he said with a smile as he helped her up and wrapped her in a towel around her waist, and then back into the white blanket to protect her modesty. "Do you want to walk?"

Her head lolled against his shoulder again. He lifted her up and carried her back to her room. She boiled against his skin, making his hair stand on edge. There was a fresh nightgown waiting for them on her bed and also Dr. Okinawa sitting on the bench by the window. He came over quietly and inspected her red right hand. "It looks better. You can see some patches of fresh skin and the red is receding."

"It's in her blood."

"You shouldn't be eavesdropping."

"Tell me the truth. Will she lose her arm?"

"We'll do another blood-test in the morning. I'm hopeful. I can't ask you to clean it again, but the more of your saliva that gets on her arm will help the antibiotics fight what's in her bloodstream. For now, let me save you waiting on the nurses and get her hooked back up to her IV." Dr. Okinawa took her left hand and connected it back to the IV lines. "Take good care of your future mate, Sesshomaru."

He nodded and waited for the doctor to leave before he set Rin down and opened the blanket and towel. He sucked in air and felt himself twitching again. Her nipples were so perfectly pink and this was the closest she had let him get to her naked, even if it was during a raging fever. He lifted her limp body up and threaded her arms into the sleeves of the hospital gown and then helped her back into the bed. He gritted his teeth at his painful erection as he rummaged through the drawers, searching for a comb. He always had extra hair ties in his pockets. He found one in an armoire and removed the rest of the tangles from her hair, then plaited her medium length black hair into a neat braid. "Sesshomaru?" Her eyes fluttered.

"What?" He slid into bed next to her sighing at the comfort of being near her again. He was exhausted from caring for her non-stop for two days. He would tell her another time how he had held her while she cried in pain and sobbed in fear. How he stayed up two days soaking cloth after cloth with cold water to cool her fever.

He lifted the damaged wrist to his mouth to lap at it and give her his strength.

"Ow, you're hurting me."

"A little bit more," he turned her wrist over so the palest side was facing him and gingerly licked her skin. He set the wrist back down.

"Stay with me. Don't go? Please?"

"I'm here." He moved closer, feeling perhaps she needed to have him closer to her.

"I can't feel you."

He snorted, wondering how she couldn't, when he was pressed against her back and his arms were around her. Her head was pressed into his bicep and the other arm rested around her waist. "Take your shirt off?"

She must have really not felt good, he laughed to himself, sitting up, and removing his t-shirt. He pulled it and his undershirt over his head, then lay back down against her. He exhaled, pressing his bare skin into the open back of her hospital gown. "Mmmh," she groaned, rolling into him. "I love you," her eyes remained closed as she said it.

"Will you remember this trust you are showing me when you wake?" He said more to himself than he did to her. She was so hot against his skin and it felt so right having her with him. He ran his hands down her shoulders, enjoying the contact of their skin against each other. "Do you know how I want to make love to you? How much it aches not to?"

She only rolled into him, sweating and straining against her fever. Then she reached behind her back and fumbled with the ties of her nightgown, letting it fall around her waist as she sat up and then threw it across the room. Why now? It was dark, and hard to make out her form completely, but he could see the shadow of her breasts, which made him imagine what it would feel like to lick them, to roll his tongue against them, and hear her moan his name. He covered his eyes with his hands as she lay back down. He pulled the white blanket up over her, only for her to kick it off. He pulled it up again and she threw it off, then again and she cried, "I'm too hot!"

He laid down, waiting for her to come into him again, and she did, pink, puckered nipples, pressing against his chest, making it very hard for him to sleep. All he wanted was to feel himself pulse inside of her and she was teasing him in the worst way possible. Every other time he had tried to kiss below her collarbone, touch under her bra, and do more than a heated make-out session, she denied him and now, burning with fever, she pressed her naked body into his bare chest making him pant for air. At least she looked comfortable. He closed his eyes and told himself to sleep. He desperately wanted to sleep. He satiated some of his lust by stroking the soft skin of her back and lacing the dip of her neck in tender kisses while she slept. Once, he dug his teeth in enough to taste her skin, dreaming of the day when he would finish the mark. Soon sleep took him as he breathed in her scent.

"Good morning!" a nurse came into the room with a bright smile on her face and a rolling computer terminal.

Rin heard the voice, then felt the draft all over her body. She shrieked, flying up to find herself completely naked. Sesshomaru bolted upright with her, quickly grabbing the blanket at the bottom of the bed to wrap under her arms.

It wasn't just the nurse that walked in but the morning doctors and students with red cheeks. Sesshomaru was still bare from the waist up.

"Ahhh!" Rin screamed, flying into Sesshomaru's chest. "Where are my clothes?!"

"You took them off," he pulled another blanket over her shoulders to cover what was left of her skin.

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did!"

"Why is your shirt off then?"

"You asked me." He rose off the bed bending over and pulling on his shirt.

"I did not!"

"Do you two need a minute?" the doctor asked, with a sheepish grin on his face.

"Ten minutes, if you don't mind," Rin said, rubbing her head. As the door shut she asked, "Why did you take my clothes off?"

"I said I didn't," he repeated himself, taking the blanket off her shoulders. "Good morning," he whispered, taking in her mouth. He tasted the skin against her neck and under her chin and then along her shoulder. "Your fever broke."

She smiled and picked up his other shirt. "Don't look."

"I saw it all last night. But you may go into the bathroom and then I won't be able to look."

Rin snarled at him frustrated just as the door started opening again. She struggled into his undershirt and flew back onto the bed, throwing blankets over her lap, because she still didn't have any underwear on.

"Oh hi!" Kagome smiled, bringing in a big bag. "Izayoi called me and asked me to bring you a bag of supplies. I think she figured that I would know what you needed. They're coming soon with something for breakfast for you two."

"Thanks." Rin carefully stood up, trying to keep her butt covered. "Please say I have underwear in there?"

Sesshomaru only snorted.

"Yep, I brought that and some," she glanced nervously at Sesshomaru, "pads and tampons, just in case. Anyway, here," she handed her the bag.

"Is that all Kagome?" Sesshomaru growled.

"I was going to visit. Is that a problem?"

"She can visit," Rin poked his stomach. "Stop being rude."

"Fine." He stretched out on the bed and turned the TV on.

Kagome only shrugged her shoulders as Rin went into the bathroom.

Rin grinned like a school girl when she saw the clothes. There were sweat-pants, a hoodie, and comfortable T-shirts inside. If only it wasn't so hard to get dressed with an IV pole attached. She stared down at the tubing and exhaled before cracking the door enough to ask Kagome to come in and help her, not missing the sneer from Sesshomaru as she did.

They walked around the hospital's outdoor atrium together. There were picnic tables where she had eaten a simple breakfast with Inuyasha, Kagome, Izayoi, and Toga. They had brought light rice balls wrapped in seaweed and fresh fruits for her, leaving plenty behind for her to avoid having to eat hospital food. Sesshomaru held her hand as she bent over and sniffed the flowers growing by the walls. There were trees, a path, and at the end a small fountain. "It feels like heaven out here."

They approached the fountain as she sat down on the lip of it with a goofy smile on her face. "This reminds me of something."

He snorted in return with his hands in his pockets.

"You look tired, Sesshomaru." She tugged on his wrist. "Sit with me?"

He let himself down behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her wrist up to his mouth. It was mostly streaked with red skin now. Her test results were normalizing and they said if the fever didn't come back she could be released as early as the following morning.

"I'm getting antsy," she told him. "I'm tired of being in one spot for so long."

"Perhaps we will spar when you are feeling better. They said you should take it easy for a few days after your release."

"I don't even want to know how far behind my school-work is."

"Izayoi is waiving your assignments. Your other teachers have offered to give you incomplete assignments for your classwork. You can finish them as you are able to."

"You look tired."

"I've been up with you three nights in a row."

"I'm sorry," she muttered, feeling the guilt seeping in again.

"We need to talk."

"I knew you were going to say that. You were so quiet at breakfast I wondered where your head was."

"I can't stop feeling what I do for you," he began dryly. "It doesn't turn on and off for me the way it does for you. When I saw your injuries, I was furious. I would have killed the ones who did this to you if my father hadn't stopped me. But it's more than just your scent Rin. It's you," he pulled her lips against his for emphasis. "You are one of the strongest, most independent females I have ever met. I enjoy sparring with you, reading with you, and just being with you. Why didn't you tell me when it happened?"

"I was embarrassed and scared. I thought if I ignored you, maybe they would leave me alone."

"Did they use me to threaten you? What happened out there?"

She swallowed, feeling her stomach begin to churn. "Um…" she exhaled heavily. "I went for a morning run and stopped by the lookout to stretch. Where we usually spar and then Naraku came out of the bushes, then Naraku and Takahiro. They attacked me. I…" she felt a tear welling in her eyes.

"It's okay," he held her face and whispered.

"Um… I fought, or at least I tried to but Naraku pinned me down. I punched him in the face, but he sucked my arm in and then it burned. They lifted my shirt up," she touched the scar on her back. "And said she's the one."

"The one for what?"

"I don't know."

"Did they say anything else?"

"I don't know. It's hard to remember I was so scared. I haven't had to fight like that," she stopped herself from saying more. "I never thought I would hate this thing again." She rubbed her back uncomfortably. "I thought that if I stopped being with you, I could go home. I could leave, it would all be over. I don't know." She rubbed her heart uncomfortably. "The panic is worse here. I'm tired of feeling like this. The only time I don't is when I'm with you."

He smiled lightly at her. "I'm sorry that I didn't hear you. You want to leave?"

"I've thought about it. Maybe it would be easier at home in Florida."

"Maybe," he tugged her defensively into his chest and kissed her neck. "I would miss you."

"I'd miss you."

"Then stay with me," he lifted her chin up to his mouth. "Stay until the end of the year. They won't come for you again. They've been suspended and they are being searched for. You know this would be easier if you were marked. I would be able to sense your emotions, your location. I would know if you were being threatened." He dug his teeth slightly into her neck.

She didn't answer.

"What are you afraid of?" His eyes became a deep shade of gold.

"Nothing."

He slithered his hand up the front of her shirt, until his fingers lifted the sports bra she was wearing. She caught his hand and glanced over her shoulder to face him. "Are you afraid it will hurt?"

"Getting bit usually does hurt."

"You know that's not what I am talking about."

"You want more from me than I can give you right now."

"You said you trusted me."

"I do."

"Then let me make love to you."

"And then what? It's like we'll be married, and we've only been together for six weeks."

"Most couples would have already."

"Made love yes, but not like this," she gripped his fingers even tighter.

"What would happen if I touched you now," he scraped a claw against the skin of her chest.

"We're in public."

"No one can see. You touched me, let me touch you." He scooted closer to her, kissing the side of her neck.

"We're in public.

"Then when I take you back to my dorm." He tested her by running the pad of his finger along the soft skin just by the rise of her breast.

She held his hand. "Sesshomaru? I'm tired."

He removed his hand from under her shirt and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "I won't hurt you."

"I know." She rose, her legs shaking beneath her. "I feel light headed."

"Lean on me," he said as he wrapped an arm around her waist. "We'll go back to your room."

They sat curled around each other like spoons in her hospital bed. He ate from a white take out cup filled with something that made her nose wrinkle while she worked on glazed chicken and rice. She could only eat one handed and had to ask for a fork while the container sat on top of the tray table because her left arm was still sore enough it was hard to grip things. She had been at the hospital for four days now, one without fever, but they were still giving her IV antibiotics every six hours to combat the infection in her blood. She lifted the remote and turned on the movies, flipping through them. "Why did you send me to a children's hospital?"

"You're eighteen," he answered between bites of his meal. "They take care of those up to twenty one. The rooms are bigger here and the accommodations much nicer."

"What about your homework? You know I've never actually seen you do homework," she said curiously.

"I do it when you are sleeping."

"Then when do you go to class? You teach from 6:00am until 3:00pm and then spend the afternoon with me."

"There are late night classes for those of us that don't sleep."

"I want popcorn," she said with a pout.

"Why?" He set his own food down.

"We could watch a movie and pretend we are at a movie theater," she moved the pole tying her to her room. They didn't like it if she wandered around while getting the medicine.

"When we are mated, we'll use your money to buy a giant house with a movie theater."

"On the beach," she added.

"With a porch that overlooks the beach."

"A picket fence too," she said giggling.

"A dojo on the top floor so I can practice outside."

"You'll get blown away in a hurricane."

"I'll come in before it comes. There aren't any hurricanes in Japan."

"We can't live in Florida?"

"My life is here," he said somberly.

"Mine isn't," she admitted under her breath. "Would you at least come home with me one day? See it?"

"Winter break. We'll spend it with your family."

"What about your family?"

"I hate them," he said, genuinely confused. "Why would I spend the holidays with them? Choose a movie. We'll make out. It will be just like the theater." He laughed as he pressed his lips into hers.

"You won't go buy me popcorn?"

"It will cost you," he said leaning back with his hands behind his head.

"How much?"

"Five minutes."

"My whole body is bruised!" she folded her arms and then winced.

"Then I will lick it clean," he said standing up. "I'll be back."

He returned twenty minutes later with a large bag of popcorn, a cup of black coffee for himself, and a pumpkin spice latte for Rin. She grinned as he opened the door. "Pumpkin spice?"

"I thought it would be like when we first started dating." He set them down on the tray table and then produced chocolate bars from his pockets. "Which one?"

She smiled back at him and sat up, hugging him tightly. "Thank you," she reached up and kissed his mouth. "Milky way."

"Good choice, but first," he opened the wrapper and broke the top off, "you owe me. Open." He popped the piece into her mouth then, tangled his fingers into the hair around her neck, tilting it and kissing her deeply, swishing the chocolate around her mouth until she started giggling. He pulled back laughing. "I can't eat chocolate."

"Really?"

"Dog-demon. It makes our stomachs upset and the thrombin causes our hearts to race. It's an unpleasant feeling." He broke off another piece and popped it into her mouth. "Now, that was okay." He sidled up next to her, picking up the bag of popcorn. "But I think you could do better."

"Better at what?" She rolled onto her side to face him and kissed his lips. "This?"

"Mmh, this," he raised his eyebrows excitedly. "I'll give this last session a D… maybe a low C…"

"Hey!" Rin pulled back.

"Well you do have to make up for the missed days in my class."

"What?" she protested.

"Let's see if you can improve your grade," he pulled the back of her bare knee over his hip, pushing himself into her core. "I think I'll give you extra credit for wearing this hospital gown," he nuzzled her nose then nipped at her neck. "It makes some things easier." He tugged on the string that held it around her waist to loosen it, lifting it up to reveal her belly. "Lay on your back."

"What are you doing?"

"Extra credit."

"Isn't there some rule about having sex with your teachers to get a better grade being against the rules?"

"Of course," he sat back on his knees. "It's despicable, but we aren't having sex and we aren't improving your grade, merely making up for missed classes." He started dropping kernels of popcorn over her stomach then leaned down and licked them off, swirling his tongue on her sides, her navel and across her muscles. He made sure to focus his power on healing the yellowing bruises.

Rin's body felt like it was on fire, like she could feel on her nerves exploding as his mouth breathed against her skin. He held the sides of her stomach and dragged his tongue up her stomach. He nipped at the hem of her hospital gown playfully then came back up to her lips. "Let's see if there is some improvement. His lips came down on hers and this time she wrapped her arms around his waist, then slid them under his shirt to feel his skin. He was always warm like a heater.

She dipped her tongue into his mouth, allowing him to suck on the tip before he pulled back with a smile. "I would give that one an A. But I don't think we've made up all your missed days yet."

"I guess I'll have to try harder, but if we are going to continue this I will get to be on top. You're hurting my stomach," she pushed on his chest. She was still sore after all.

"Mmmh… But I'm hungry," he dumped more popcorn on her belly and dug his nose into her skin, nuzzling, and nipping at her as he lifted the kernels into his mouth.

Takahiro and Naraku sat in front of a computer terminal. Takahiro punched buttons on the keyboard with a wicked smile on his face. "She'll bolt if we do this and when she does we'll take her. You're sure they aren't mated yet?" he asked devilishly.

Naraku glanced back at Kagura and another girl that were both chained to the wall. "I'm sure. She isn't giving off his scent or his youkai. Kagura, how are you fairing back there?"

She leveled him with a glare and snarled, "you promised not to do this again!"

"Promises are meant to be broken and you know it. Hurry up," he dug his elbow into Takahiro's shoulder. "So after this sends her running, when do we take her?"

"Where do you think she will go?" Takahiro wondered. Rin was a brave girl, he knew that, but when pressed she ran and he knew it.

"Home," Naraku smiled. "We'll get her after she returns home."

"We don't know where home is…" Kagura called from the wall tugging on the chains on her wrist. "You two are idiots. And what if he follows her? You can't take her on the plane, you'll have to wait for her to get home."

"So we'll follow her after that…" Takahiro said. "We need a hacker to do this. It's beyond my skill-set. Two weeks… once she's out of the hospital, that's when we'll do it."

K4termur: (Elohiniar) so I get where you are coming from and everything you say is extremely logical and that's the problem. Often when people are injured or threatened, they don't behave logically, so yes, she could have saved herself, gone to the people in charge, told Sesshomaru, gotten attention for the wrist but instead did the complete opposite because people in crises don't often respond the way we think they should. In our opinion, she wasn't being a damsel in distress, she thought the wrist would heal on its own and didn't. She went to Judo class because she was already in trouble for missing it and was withdrawing rather than going and getting help. We hope you like the rest of the story!