His Brother by tragic kiyota

Should I stay or go?

How can I stay in this time if all he does is hurt me? I know I told him to choose but I never thought that walking corpse would win! Kagome thought to herself as she sat upon a large rock away from the main group. She felt totally rejected and alone now. Sango and Miruko had left to Sango's village with her younger brother and Shippo slept peacefully by the fire. Tears silently slide down her face and just as silently she got up from her perch walking away from everyone.

She knew her departure would go unnoticed as Shippo slept and Inuyasha was too involved in the dead miko to notice her moving. She knew they wouldn't search right away, thinking she simply would return to her own time. Inuyasha probably had forgotten she couldn't return to her time any longer.

Wandering and crying silently through the forest, she kept her eyes downcast not seeing the man before she was on the ground looking up at his stoic face. She didn't care if he struck her down at that moment for her mistake. When he said nothing, she got up muttered an apology and continued on her way.

"Miko." The cold voice called. Kagome stopped but didn't answer him. "Has he hurt you? Physically I mean." How could he possibly know that? How could he know Inuyasha had slapped me? Kagome thought to herself.

"The salt of your tears and the scent of the bruise gives it away." Sesshoumaru confirmed as if he read her mind.

"Does it matter?" She asked softly.

"Yes Miko. My family is tainted enough from human blood but I will not have it furthered by my worthless brother hitting women." Sesshoumaru growled.

"Don't worry about it." Kagome said walking forward.

"Where will you go?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Again does it matter?" Kagome asked.

"You can join us if you so wish. It would be safer." Sesshoumaru said walking in her direction.

"I don't understand your sudden kindness." She said turning towards him.

"I am not as cruel as you have seen." Sesshoumaru said. "Though my brother will not see a kind side of me for his betrayal."

"I suppose you are right. It is safer to travel with you. Thank You Sesshoumaru." Kagome said softly. He nodded and began to walk away. She followed him easily keeping up with his pace.

What the hell possessed me to bring this mortal with me? Am I becoming soft? Why do I do this to myself? I am turning into my father's son. Sesshoumaru asked himself glancing sideways at the Miko who kept her head down looking to the ground. He had never seen her so depressed. He didn't understand why his brother had chosen something long dead over this powerful woman beside him. Either way, it is in my benefit. She will finally become mine. Did I really just think that?

"Sesshoumaru where are we heading?" Kagome asked.

"Back to where I left Rin and Jaken." Sesshoumaru said. Kagome nodded and kept walking silently by his side. She wasn't as chatty as she was with Inuyasha. They walked in silence until they reached the clearing where Rin and Jaken waited.

"Lord Sesshoumaru you've returned!" Rin yelled excitedly.

"Yes Rin." He said patting her head as he walked by.

"Kagome you've come to visit us?" Rin asked.

"Yes Rin." Kagome said smiling slightly.

"YAY!" Rin said excitedly before settling down.

"We will rest here before I return to deal with my little brother's behavior." Sesshoumaru said removing his armor and settling back against a tree. Rin cooked dinner then fed herself and offered Kagome some, which she took a small portion of.

"Thank You Rin." Kagome said.

"You are welcome Kagome." Rin said happily.

"Miko, you should eat more then that." Sesshoumaru said noting how little she had taken.

"I'm fine. Thank you for your concern." She said before settling down against a tree herself. To her surprise Rin went to her side, lying herself down beside her. Kagome put her arm around the little girl pulling her close to her. She was slightly happy for the comfort of having someone there again.

"Thank You Kagome." Rin said softly.

"For what Rin?" Kagome asked softly.

"For letting me sleep with you. I get cold at night some times." Rin said.

"You're welcome Rin. Thank you for keeping me company while we sleep too." Kagome said settling down closing her tired puffy eyes. Sesshoumaru waited until they both slept, then removed his kimono, covering them. He stoked the fire before he himself allowed sleep to over take him.

The morning came to find Sesshoumaru topless and Kagome wondering how he had gotten that way. Kagome got up bringing the kimono over to Sesshoumaru, draping it over his bare chest. Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open to see the miko dropping his kimono over him.

"I do not get cold Miko. You need not worry about me." Sesshoumaru said putting his arms through the kimono.

"My apologies." Kagome said turning away from him walking towards the small stream to clean up. The small group departed to deal with Sesshoumaru 's wayward brother.

"Wait for me here." Sesshoumaru said to his group.

"Don't kill him Sesshoumaru." Kagome said half heartily.

"When I'm done with him, he'll wish I had." Sesshoumaru growled turning his back walking towards his brother's camp place.

Kagome followed slowly behind Sesshoumaru. Rin had pleaded with her not to go but Kagome couldn't allow Inuyasha to be killed because of her. When she finally made it to the camp, Sesshoumaru was holding Inuyasha above he ground with one hand.

"You hit her. You chose a dead thing over the one person in this world that loves you as you are. How foolish are you brother?" Sesshoumaru growled.

"Since when is it your business?" Inuyasha snarled back.

"Since you hit her." Sesshoumaru growled.

"You could care less if she lived or died Sesshoumaru. Why are you attacking me now?" Inuyasha growled.

"I will not repeat myself." Sesshoumaru answered tightening his grip. Kikyo raised an arrow to Sesshoumaru aiming so she would hit. Kagome seeing this knocked her own arrow aiming for Kikyo. I won't let her kill either of them.Kagome thought to herself as she released the arrow. Kikyo saw the light rushing towards but didn't have time to dodge. She changed her target to the girl standing on the hill top looking at her. She shot before she fell to the ground.

Kagome felt the pain as the arrow hit her chest. She didn't make a single sound, she just fell. Sesshoumaru threw Inuyasha rushing to Kagome's side. Kagome was breathing heavily and in obvious pain but not even a tear left her eye. She sat up as Sesshoumaru reached her looking down at the arrow.

"It didn't pierce my lung." She said. "I wouldn't be able to breath this easily."

"We have to pull it out or push it the rest of the way through." Sesshoumaru said. "Its going to hurt either way."

"Just pull it out. If I am going to bleed to death, then so be it." She said.

"Stop talking like you are already dead." Sesshoumaru growled at her grabbing a hold of the arrow and placing his other hand on her chest. He apologized for touching her breast as he pulled the arrow out. Kagome screamed in pain but quickly recovered placing her hand over the bleeding wound. Kagome turned her face into Sesshoumaru's arm when Inuyasha approached.

"Kikyo is dead." He said somberly.

"Good." Sesshoumaru growled putting himself more between Kagome and his brother. She was shaking out of fear, out of pain, out of everything that had gone wrong. She hadn't meant to kill Kikyo. A sob escaped her.

"Do not cry for the dead miko Kagome. You saved my life and Inuyasha's." Sesshoumaru said trying to comfort her.

"I didn't mean to kill her. Just to get the bow out of her hands." Kagome sobbed.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha began but was silenced by Sesshoumaru's growl.

"You have no right to speak to her."

"The hell I don't." Inuyasha growled back.

"Give me one good reason why I should allow it." Sesshoumaru challenged.

"I love her." Inuyasha said.

"Lies. You love her now because the other one is dead. You loved her enough to hit her and not even notice her disappearance brother. You've done enough damage to this woman. I won't allow any more." Sesshoumaru said picking Kagome up in his arms leaving. "Bury your wench. I trust you know how to get home."

"Hai." Inuyasha said very sadly.

Kagome drifted in and out of consciousness. Sesshoumaru wanted to scream at her for not listening to him but at the same time he knew she would only repeat this. It was in her nature to help when she could. It was in her to run to assist someone even if they didn't need it. Such was the large heart of this miko. She was totally selfless. She would have died protecting him and Inuyasha. It was something he respected in her. Settling her and Rin upon Ah-Un, Sesshoumaru set back off to the Western Lands Castle.