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Suffering and Rebirth	By : scattered-dimensions Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Sessh?maru/Kagome > Sessh?maru/Kagome Views: 8846 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 4
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters. This is for fun not monetary gain.

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
- 11
Kagome woke and dressed in the most comfortable outfit she could find. She chose a baggy sweater that had been her father’s. It was three sizes too big, but she couldn’t stand to have anything rubbing against her bandages. She complimented it with a pair of leggings. Her back felt better, but any excess movement caused the skin to stretch and pull. She just tried her best not to aggravate it which was harder than she thought it would be.
She was going to scar, her mother had confirmed it, but she couldn’t leave Sesshomaru unattended. He hadn’t caused any problems so far. He hadn’t asked for anything, but a bucket of water since their arrival and that had been so he could clean the blood off of himself. Kagome didn’t know Sesshomaru that well, so she couldn’t properly predict his thoughts. She just couldn’t take the risk. She’d rather be scared for life than to have an angered Taiyoukai on the loose.
Kagome joined her family for a hearty breakfast and fixed a plate for Sesshomaru. She didn’t really know what he liked, but her mother’s cooking had to better than anything he had ever tried whether he agreed or not. Either way, she couldn’t allow him to starve. He seemed to be hell bent against accepting anything from humans which didn’t surprise her. He still had a stack of blankets sitting beside him completely untouched.
She found him fast asleep leaning against the God tree his pelt wrapped around him hiding his armor from view. She watched him for a moment, amazed at how peaceful he actually looked and the fact that he hadn’t sensed her presence yet. Then she remembered. They both had lost their powers. She knew what that meant for her because it had happened before, but she didn’t know how that affected Sesshomaru. She knelt beside him and set the tray down.
“Sesshomaru?” She said softly, but he didn’t stir.
She was hesitant to touch him, but she didn’t see any way around it. Her hand paused above his shoulder and she took a deep breath. She nudged his arm and watched as his eyes flutter open. He looked confused at first, but once he looked over at her, his face fell back into indifference.
“Good morning, Sesshomaru. How are you feeling?” She asked politely.
He looked at her coolly and gave her a “Hn.”
That was more than she had expected out of him. They hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms since their last talk four days ago.
“I brought you breakfast. I thought you might be hungry considering you didn’t eat last night.” She said motioning to the covered tray.
He looked at it for a moment then turned his nose up haughtily.
“This Sesshomaru does not eat human food.” He said and her eyebrow twitched in irritation.
She brushed the fleeting feeling off and stood slowly. She winced when her back began to sting, but it was something she was getting used to.
“I’ll just leave it here just in case…Um, I was wondering if we could try to get back through the well today. Since we came through together, it might be best to try to jump down together first and if that doesn’t work we could try it separately. That is if you feel up to it.” She couldn’t keep the nervousness out of her voice if she tried.
He stood shaking the grass of his pelt and adjusted his armor, his fingers narrowly missing his swords. He ran his clawed fingers through his mussed hair and Kagome watch in amazement. She had never seen him any state of disarray except for the time that InuYasha took his arm. Oh, and the time he grew it back. She kind of felt special like she was the only one witnessing a mythical unicorn.
He shot her a look that said ‘it’s about time’ and walked towards the well house leaving her scrambling to catch up. She found him waiting by the well peering down into the dark hole.
“How do you want to do this?” She asked more out of courtesy than anything else.
“The acceptable manner would be to jump would it not.” He said as if she were stupid.
Kagome bit her tongue to keep from flying off at the mouth. Instead, she sat on the lip and swung her legs over gingerly. She waited until Sesshomaru was in position before sliding over. They both fell in simultaneously.
Kagome landed on her feet, but lost her balance winding up on her knees. The movement tore at her back and she clamped her throat around a squeak of pain. She stood and looked up seeing the roof of the well house. Her head fell in disappointment and she looked over to Sesshomaru. Her brow furrowed in confusion.
He was kneeling with one leg, his head bowed, and his face covered in a silver curtain. She could see his shoulders rising and falling exaggeratedly as if he were taking deep breaths. She couldn’t understand why he was still like that. Maybe he was angry or maybe he was trying to force his powers to work. She didn’t know.
After a moment, he stood and she saw the reason he had remained still for so long. There was a shard of bone protruding from his kneecap and an unusual amount of blood soaking the white of his hakama.
“You’re hurt.” She said forgetting who she was talking to and rushed forward to inspect his injury.
She dropped to her own knees ignoring the jarring pain in her back. It didn’t look like it had gone deep, but his hakama were so baggy she couldn’t be sure. She could tell that he wasn’t able to extend his leg all the way and kept his balance on his toes.

“We’ve got to get you into the house so I can take a look at this.” She said standing and brushing her clothes off.
“That is not necessary.” He said stoically his nose turning up at her again.
“Look here, Sesshomaru. I’m trying to help. There’s no sense in you being so stubborn about this. You can blame me for the situation you are in now all you want, but that doesn’t change the fact that you may need me to get back and you definitely need me to explain this world to you. So, would you like to go up the ladder first or shall I?” Kagome said forcefully asserting herself against his snobbery.
He was silent for a moment before motioning to the ladder gracefully with his hand.
“After you, Miko.” He said.
It took Sesshomaru longer than she would have expected to climb out of the well. His leg must have really been hurting him, though you couldn’t tell from his facial expressions or lack thereof. He was limping by the time they walked into her house and it worried her.
Blood had soaked the silk of his hakama to the point that it was dripping on the floor causing the silky material to cling to his leg. He should have healed himself by now. Even if the object was still imbedded in his knee, his body should have at least staunched the blood flow. InuYasha had never had such troubles and he was only half demon.
She had him sit at the kitchen table and he pulled his pant leg up over his wounded knee for her to inspect it. She washed her hands thoroughly before gently prodding the area which earned her a raised eyebrow. He had no clue what germs were and she wasn’t exactly in the tutoring mood at the moment. His leg looked horrible. It was swollen and was starting to bruise, which was an odd reaction for a demon’s body to have, not to mention all the blood.
She extracted the bone fragment with a set of pliers from her grandfather’s toolbox and silently praised herself for getting it out on the first try and in one piece. When she applied the antiseptic, though, he jerked his leg away and narrowed his eyes at her. The threat was clearly written across his face. She swallowed thickly around a sudden lump in her throat. She’d never missed InuYasha more than she did in that moment with the cold golden eyes of Sesshomaru boring holes through her.
“It stings, I know, but it will prevent infection.” She explained hastily.
He allowed her to continue. She had his knee wrapped in record time and he stood testing his weight on the injury after he replaced his hakama leg. His face scrunched in a grimace and he shifted the weight back to his toes.
“Do you think the spell affected your healing abilities as well?” She asked unable to contain herself any longer.
He glared at her and limped back outside.
Just great. Now he was mad because she asked a simple question. Jerk. She hadn’t even gotten a lousy thank you for her efforts. So much for trying the well again today. She’d check on his leg tomorrow with any luck it would be right as rain and they would be able to return to his time.
Kagome trudged into the living room after cleaning up the mess she had made and switched on the television. They were calling for snow in a few days and her thoughts drifted to the stoic Lord sitting under the Goshinboku outside. Was he really okay or was he just putting up a front? Kagome didn’t know and it bothered her.

“My sight goes dim, Noriko.” The gravelly injured Taiyoukai said.
“No, My Lord. Do not say such things. You are strong. Your body just needs a few more days to heal itself.” She refused to hear it.
“Such a strange human you are, little one. You know as well as I that my time here has ended. There is no reason to despair.” He said with a weak smirk.
Noriko couldn’t help the sadness that welled up inside her. She had come here to make a difference and had done just that, but she had never expected to care this much for him. She respected Lord Masahiro like no other. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she jumped when a cool, claw tipped finger followed the salty paths.
“A human shedding tears for a demon. I did not think I would live to see the day.” He chuckled lightly and his hand fell back onto the futon.
“My Lord, I…”
“Listen now, Noriko. My time grows short and there is much that needs to be said.”
Noriko dried her face and sat enthralled awaiting him to speak again. He took a deep, shuttering breath and began to speak, his voice authoritative.
“The Northern Taiyoukai will move against these lands once I am gone. InuTaishio is not prepared to handle both political ventures and the battlefield. He is a natural born General and the men address him as such, but he will need you to handle the human affairs. Avaka is…” He paused for a moment deliberating his next words.
“I will be blunt. She is a loathsome, vain female who cares for no one but herself. She hates humans with a passion and once she becomes Lady of the West I fear she will exact her wrath upon the very ones we’ve worked so hard to protect. InuTaishio doesn’t see it yet, but we need to live in harmony with mortals or it will be the death of us all. You understand don’t you?”
Noriko held back her gasp at the unexpected vehemence in her Lord’s voice and her eyes widened when he took her hand in his.
“It will take more than the lifespan of a human to accomplish this, Noriko.”
Her hand began to hurt and she tried to pull away, but his grip was strong.
“Do not give up on him.”
The pain was unbearable now and still he refused to release her. She felt her reiki begin to fluctuate and battled it back. She refused to harm her Lord.
“This is my final gift to you. It has been an honor to have met you, Lady Noriko. Forgive me for placing this burden on your shoulders.”
The room exploded in blue energy and her powers flared to life fighting against the youki trying to invade her person. She could barely hear herself screaming in excruciating pain over the roaring in her ears. Then it was quiet and her hand loose from the vice grip in had been held in.
The guards came barreling into the room, weapons drawn, but when they saw her covering the demon Lord’s face, they dropped to their knees in reverence.
“Summon Master InuTaishio. His father has just passed into the next world.” Noriko commanded choking back the emotion invoked by the loss of her friend and the sizzling pain that was crawling towards her chest.
She held her composure until she entered the hall and closed the heavy chamber doors behind her. She looked about the empty corridors and broke into a run. Tears stung her eyes and she fisted the fabric over her heart. The vital organ thundered and she nearly collapsed when her vision flared white. She pushed her shoulder up against the cool, stone wall and tucked herself into a dimly lit alcove.
She brought the hand that Lord Masahiro had grabbed up to her face, inspecting it meticulously. She saw no change in the flesh, no burn marks, not even a scratch, but there was something appearing on her wrist. White hot agony seared behind her eyes and she dropped to her knees bracing herself against the opposite wall trying to control her breathing. The discomfort passed and her heartbeat regulated itself. She brought her hand up again and this time focused a small amount of her reiki to the tips of her fingers.
They flared a dark purple and she gasped. Her powers had always been pink. Surely it could not be possible? Had Lord Masahiro infused her with his own youki? She let the power die out leaving her in the shadows once more. As ludicrous as it was, there was no other explanation.
Noriko felt tears spring anew and she openly wept for the demon Lord. He had just given her a gift more precious than all the gold in the world, one that had ultimately ended his life. She felt unworthy of his sacrifice, but she would honor it. She would see peace brought to these lands.

Noriko’s eyes opened and she was surprised to feel hot tears sliding down her cheeks, pooling in her ears. She raised her hand to wipe them away and stopped to look at the appendage. She hadn’t expected herself to fade so fast. She did have to expend quite a bit of energy to stay ahead of the inu brothers’ attacks. Perhaps she depleted more spiritual reserves than she had originally thought.
“How do ye fair, Noriko?”
She turned her head to see the elderly Miko, Kaede, stirring a pot over the fire pit.
“I’m dying. How are you?” She asked not being cynical in the least. It simply was the truth.
“I am as well as an old woman can be.” Kaede said spooning broth into a bowl.
Noriko could hear her bones popping as she hauled herself to her feet. She felt a twinge of regret that this woman was caring for her in her current state. It was never Noriko’s intention to involve others in any part of her scheme, especially not this stage. She was nothing but a burden now and even though she knew they were trying to gain information about Kagome, she had none to give.
Kaede grunted when she lowered herself back onto the floor and began spooning the broth into Noriko’s mouth. After the meager meal was over, Kaede sat about changing her bandages. The changes in her body had been expected, but Noriko had not been prepared mentally for it.
She supposed this must be what Sesshomaru was feeling. A stranger in his own skin. She smiled devilishly. She was sorry for Kagome’s unfortunate involvement and for the fact that InuYasha had been spared, but Sesshomaru had not gotten away. At least one part of her plan went right and she could pass on with the peace of knowing that.
“Ye have been here for almost a week. Care to tell me why you haven’t answered Miroku’s questions?” Kaede asked while placing a clean blanket over her.
“There is nothing that I could tell him that would get Kagome back. The reasons for what I did are my own. I have given the last bit of strength I had to cast that spell and now I will fade from this world.” Noriko explained her weak voice foreign to her ears.
“Are ye truly not concerned with what happened to them? To Kagome?” Kaede asked.
Noriko felt her mood darken.
“I care not what happens to him. He’s an arrogant dog just like his father and deserves every bit of suffering the human hating bastard receives.” She spat in reply.
“And Kagome?” Kaede asked gathering the discarded bandages.
“I have told you already that I regret her involvement, but she was warned. It is out of my hands.” Noriko replied with a sigh.
“I see.”
Kaede stood with a grunt and tossed the soiled bandages in a waste basket. Noriko watched as the old woman busied herself around the hut, sorting herbs and folding linens. It was clear that Kagome held a special place in all of their hearts and it made that flood of guilt wash over her again. What if something terrible happened to the girl at the hands of Sesshomaru?
Noriko shook her head. No, she would not dwell on it. The young Miko had involved herself after being thoroughly warned. Whatever fate she met was of her own doing. Noriko’s hands were clean.

A/N: Want to give a heartfelt thank you to Luminari_Lilium for her review and encouraging words.
Thank you to everyone reading and voting as well. You guys are the best!
~scattered-dimensions~
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Suffering and Rebirth