The Better End of the Deal

Disclaimer: I don’t own Inuyasha. It belongs to its respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

The Better End of the Deal
Chapter 2: Night Terrors


Nothing stirred the miko while she slumbered, proving to everyone just how injured she still was, even if it was just illness now, and no other physical harm pained the girl; that made the taiyoukai frown. The sword should have healed her without leaving her ill, but for some reason, it did not; yet another mystery to discover at another time. For now, he just wanted to get back to his palace.

The morning light shone down brightly at the small group, though none of them seemed to be in good spirits. They were all worried about their friend and companion, and her well-being came first. Sango and Miroku wondered to themselves what Sesshoumaru’s ulterior motive was, but they had finally decided that he was just being honorable. It wasn’t in his way to leave a debt unpaid or to be dishonorable, no matter what the circumstances were, so he was just fulfilling his duty, nothing more. However, they both wondered how Kagome would take the news once she awoke.

They knew she harbored deep feelings for Inuyasha, and had kept faithful to him for all this time, but to hear that he had willingly abandoned them for Kikyou was something that neither had the heart to break to the miko. They were thankful she was still asleep so that they could have a little time to figure out some way to tell her. No matter what happened, they would still be there for her, even if the hanyou would not.

Both were surprised when the taiyoukai picked up the miko with the aide of his arm and tail and held her to his chest. If it were any other creature, they would have honestly thought that he was worried about her. Unknown to them, he was--just a little--though he would –never- admit it out loud to anyone.

Rin and Shippou took up the lead of the small group, walking through the forest as Jaken moved after them, muttering about filthy humans and damnable half-breeds. Sango flexed her hand in an attempt to stop herself from backhanding the small toad, but Sesshoumaru beat her to it by kicking the small green youkai high into the air. “Do not speak disrespectfully of this Sesshoumaru’s pack members. You will show them the same respect you show this Sesshoumaru. Is that clear?” he barked out, irritation lacing his voice, though his face remained as passive as ever.

“Y-yes, Milord.” He replied in a quaking voice, rubbing his backside where he landed on the hard ground. Sango and Miroku were both doing the perfect imitation of a fish as they watched him walk on ahead, seemingly oblivious of their shock.

The taiyoukai knew he was appearing out of character to them, but he knew he only had himself to blame for their uneasiness. He –had- tried to kill them before, after all. Actually, though, he hadn’t tried to kill them per say, but he had tried to destroy the miko once before. He briefly wondered what she would do when she awoke and how she would react to the news. Mentally he reminded himself to have Rin and Shippou there, so that she wouldn’t try to purify him. He knew she had a temper, as his half-breed brother had so frequently discovered.

The scent of his castle brought him out of his reverie. Instantly the gates were opened and they were ushered in, earning questioning glances from his staff and guards. What were all these humans doing here? They noted that there was also a fire neko and kitsune kit with them, and recognition dawned on them all. These were the ones traveling with Inuyasha; however, they also noted that the inu-hanyou was not with them.

What surprised them most was that their lord was carrying the strange human miko that was rumored to be the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. It was hard to imagine their lord willingly being that close to a miko, but if they were surprised, they did not dare speak a word, for fear of his wrath.

“She will need to be cared for. She is ill and in need of rest. Place her in the room next to my chambers.” Sesshoumaru ordered, off loading his cargo to one of the female demon’s that worked in his castle. With a subtle nod, Kagome was carried away to the aforementioned room to be placed in bed. She was cleaned of all the remaining blood and put into a silk nightgown before she was given a mix of herbs to help combat her fever.

Sango and Miroku watched the taiyoukai a moment, wondering what they were supposed to do. After a few moments silence he turned to them. “You are pack now, and though I am sure you do not understand the meaning of that word, to those of us who are inu, it means family of sorts. This Sesshoumaru will protect you, and you will protect this Sesshoumaru. The kit is too young to fight, so he will also be given protection by me. As well, Rin will also fall under your protection. Do you understand?” he questioned, giving them both a leveling stare.

They nodded mutely, now confused further as to why he would go to such lengths to protect them, and furthermore, why had he even interfered with Inuyasha? Kagome had saved Rin, that much was true, but how did they get entangled in this strange web of fate?

Satisfied with their nods, he continued, “This castle is your home now. The servants will be informed that you are lord and lady of this Sesshoumaru’s home. However, I am the superior, and will remain so. Do you understand this?” his voice held a tone that held no room for arguments, though he was sure that they would quickly agree. They seemed much more intelligent than his idiot half-brother, and he was sure that there would be little trouble with them cooperating. The only one he was concerned about was Kagome, and until she awoke and was healed, nothing more could be, or would be, done.

They both nodded again, understanding perfectly. They had respect in the castle, but in public, Sesshoumaru was the top dog, figuratively speaking, and they were his immediate underlings. That was fine with them, as long as Kagome didn’t have a problem with it. They weren’t sure how she would deal with the new situation, but hopefully she would not be too distraught over what had transpired.

With a nod, Sesshoumaru left them in the courtyard, and as he did so, word started to spread slowly about the new pack members of the Western House. Sesshoumaru knew he would have to explain about the histories of these humans, or other lords would be on him quicker than cloud to ground lightening. However, because they were the group searching for, and intent on, destroying Naraku, it would be a different story. Especially considering Kagome was with them. A miko was the most deadly force against a demon, and having her to help destroy Naraku would ensure that other lords would leave the Western Lands be.

Yes, he wouldn’t have to worry about that aspect of taking the humans into his pack, and that was one of the advantages of taking them away from Inuyasha. He still could not wait to see how his brother would fall into a deep pit of disgrace and despair when he discovered that he had made a horrible choice. He really was thinking with the wrong brain when he made his decision and the taiyoukai would particularly enjoy this victory.

The day passed peacefully and Rin’s and Shippou’s joyful laughs could be heard in the backyard, filling the air with a sense of calm. It was a sound that the taiyoukai didn’t mind as much as he thought he would have. At least the two children would get to enjoy what childhood they could under his protection. To hear their laughs and see their smiles was worth any tribulations that might occur, though he foresaw none.

Dinner was a quiet affair, and not much was spoken. Each of them was worried about the young miko that had taken a huge risk to save Rin. If Sesshoumaru had not been there, she would be dead, and that thought lingered in Sango and Miroku’s minds. They shot worried glances to one another, before looking to Sesshoumaru, who looked as stoic as ever. He seemed un-phased by their looks or the chit-chat that carried on between Rin and Shippou.

Afterwards, he ordered the young ones to take a bath, and they quickly agreed, as their conversation continued on even as they walked down the hallway. It seemed they were forming a tight relationship, and that eased the taiyoukai’s mind. He knew that Rin craved attention and companionship, and the kit would do nicely for a friend.

Standing silently, he nodded to the monk and taijya, before moving towards his study. He had letters that needed sent immediately, and now was as good a time as any to finish them. As he entered the room, he let his mask slip just a little, letting just a little bit of the weariness he felt show on his face. No one was around, so it was okay for now. Irritation set in as he realized that much of the day, he had been thinking about the young miko that was still asleep. He worried that should she not get better, the sword would not work a second time. She, of all humans, did not deserve this sort of slow torture. She did not act better than others, but she was, at least in his mind. She had learned to care for a hanyou, and was devoted in her task to live, and to collect the jewel shards. She could have just left it to anyone else, and had refused to work to regain them, but she did not. She understood honor and duty, and upheld them, unlike many humans he knew.

In short, she was a perplexity to him, and he wondered how it was she came into contact with his brother. Rumor had it she had released him from the tree he was pinned to by the miko Kikyou, but he had not confirmed that himself. Or rather, he did not care to find out if the rumors were true.

Shaking his thoughts away, he went to finish up the letters he had started to the lords of the East, South, and North. Just as he finished, he heard a sob coming from Kagome’s room. Frowning, he opened his door to look down the hallway to her room, before seeing her handmaid move towards the door. He held out a hand to stop her, before he moved forward to check up on her himself. Was she awake? If she was, why was she crying?

~*~

Kagome was burning up. She could feel the flames licking at her calves as she ran towards Inuyasha and Kikyou. She had her arms around him and was taking him to hell with her. Why was she still doing this? “Inuyasha!” she called out, screaming in frustration as she tripped and began to fall. “Inuyasha!!” she cried, sobbing as he disappeared from her sight, leaving her on hard ground looking up into an inky dark sky, surrounded by her friends.

‘Hang in there Kagome!’ she heard Sango shout, pushing something on her chest. She hurt so much, though it was fading fast. The pain was receding quickly, and for that she was glad. However, fear gripped her. She couldn’t turn her head, but she could hear the sobs of Shippou and Rin. ‘Shippou…Rin...’ she spoke mentally, her voice barely above a whisper as she tried to move to comfort them.

Muffled voices reached her ears and after a few moments she placed them. ‘Inuyasha, and…Sesshoumaru?’ She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she could hear when Inuyasha started to shout and become angry. ‘Don’t worry; I’ll be fine, I promise.’ She voiced mentally, trying to move and get up. What was wrong with her body?! It felt like she was made of lead!

Frustration made more tears leak from her eyes as she sobbed. “Help me…help me…please…” she cried out softly, trying to get some semblance of order around her. What was going on? Why couldn’t she move? It felt as if she were suffocating! A few more struggled moments passed before she was reduced to sobs, confusion and upset reducing her mind to shreds as she lost control of her emotions.

As the moments passed, the tightness around her lessened, and soon it was as if she were free again, as her mobility was restored. Though she couldn’t move still, she could at least breathe, and that was better than nothing.

A gentle hand soothed her as it wiped away her tears and rubbed her forehead, while a soft growl lulled her back into a dreamless sleep. She didn’t know who it was, but she was grateful to them, whoever they were.

~*~

Sesshoumaru was assaulted by the scent of Kagome’s fear and unrest as soon as he entered the room. Quickly he checked the surroundings in case something was amiss, but afterwards he detected nothing. It seemed she was having a nightmare, because she wasn’t awake, but deep in sleep.

Moving closer to her side, he sat on the edge of the bed as she struggled with the sheets that she had bound herself up in, leaving her unable to move freely. She was sobbing profusely, her tears racing down her face. Whatever she was dreaming, was terrifying her. Frowning, he moved his hand to help unwrap her when she whispered almost mutely, “Help me…help me…please…”

Her voice sounded so weak and broken that it made his heart lurch in his chest. He may have just taken her under his protection, but the urges that his beast made him feel were not weak by any stretch of the imagination. He was to protect her, even if it was from the shadows of her own mind. Calming his inner beast, he took his hand and began to tug gently at the sheet that she had tangled hopelessly around her body. After a few moments it finally came free and he situated it back to a normal position above her body.

His eyes softened as he watched her contorted face smooth, and for some unknown reason, he felt the need to comfort her, so he brought his hand up to her cheek, and gently wiped away some of the tears that had fallen, before placing it on her forehead. She was still running a fever, though it seemed to be less than before. Remembering Rin and how he was able to calm her night terrors, he began growling softly. It had the same effect on her as it had Rin and the darker emotions that were on her face left to reveal contentment and ease. He could sense she had fallen back into a deep sleep, and was assured that she would sleep through the night.

Standing, he moved towards the door, contemplating why he had done that. Sure she was pack, but he had to make sure that the relationship stayed that way. While having these particular humans in his pack was acceptable only for the reason that they were going after Naraku, he still could not let his guard down and end up like his father. She was off-limits to him, and anyone else for that matter. Whoever thought they would be able to suit her would have to go through him first, as he was the alpha male. Shaking that thought away, his mask slipped back into place as he left the room, pushing those thoughts away for now. It was late and he was tired.

As he slipped into bed, he subconsciously lifted his hand to his lips and licked away Kagome’s lingering tears. He would try his damnedest to make sure she never cried ever again.

~*~

The night stretched on, and Kagome’s fever finally broke, giving her the reprieve she so desperately needed. It would be another week before she actually awoke, though no one was there when she did.

The noonday sun peeked into her room and fell upon her eyelids. The miko breathed in deeply as she stirred, weariness still upon her face as her eyes shifted and opened, leaving her to look into a brilliantly painted tapestry.

“Where am I?” she spoke, though her voice wasn’t audible. She tilted her head over to a night table next to the bed and spotted a glass of water. Eagerly she went to lean up, before crying out lightly at the stiffness in her back and chest. Shaking it off, she went after the glass of water with more determination, and smiled triumphantly when she finally grabbed it. Pulling the glass close, she took a satisfying sip, before looking back around to her surroundings.

It was too fancy to be her house, and the moments before she fell asleep were kind of a blur, and she was having trouble remembering much of anything. She took another drink of water before shifting to get up out of the bed, and wondered where the bathroom was. She seriously had to go now; however, as soon as her feet touched the floor, she paused, testing it out a moment. Standing up unsteadily, she grabbed the bedpost for support as she shuffled her feet towards the doorway. Someone had put her in a nice nightgown and she liked the fact that it was soft and moved with her. One glance into a nearby mirror and she grimaced. Her hair was sticking up at odd angles and she could feel sweat and grim on her body.

As soon as she slid the wooden door open, she paused, cautiously looking around for any sign of life. As she did, a child’s voice got her attention, and in a big way. “Kagome!!” as soon as Shippou’s voice rang out, she heard Rin’s. She didn’t have any time to prepare herself as they launched themselves at her legs, sobbing out their relief.

Confusion spread across her face. What was going on? They were acting as if she died or something…

“Hey you two…it’s alright, why are you crying?” she said softly, kneeling down to envelope both of them into a tight hug.

“K-Kagome…you-you were hurt so badly…” Shippou hiccupped out, clinging to her as if she would disappear the moment he let go.

“You saved Rin’s life, Kagome, but you were all torn up and hurt!” Rin cried out, also clinging precariously to the miko, however, said miko was a little lost. The last few moments before she woke up were a blur to her, except for an ever constant presence that calmed her nerves and eased her mind.

A thought finally occurred to her and she asked, “Where are we?”

“We’re at Sesshoumaru’s castle, Kagome…you’ve been asleep for a long time.” Shippou answered, wiping his tears away as he finally calmed some.

Her eyes widened in disbelief and uneasiness. “Sesshoumaru’s castle? Why?” she questioned, confusion filling her as she processed the information.

“Well, Inuya--…” he began, but was cut off by another voice. “That’s enough kit.”

Kagome stood, her eyes uneasy, but they held no fear. The taiyoukai stood a good two feet taller than her, but she was determined to not let him intimidate her.

Sesshoumaru stood in his pristine white haori, watching as different emotions flittered across the miko’s face. The one emotion he did not see, however, was fear, and for that he was slightly relieved.

“What is going on Sesshoumaru? Why are me and Shippou here?” she asked, her tone wavering slightly, but not from nervousness, rather, her strength was limited right now, and she didn’t want to show him precisely how weak she was.

He noticed it, however, failed to respond. She obviously wanted to put up a strong front in front of him, not that he minded, instead, it improved his opinion of her a little.

“It’s not just us, Kagome! Miroku, Sango, and Kirara are here too!” Shippou burst out, tugging on her night shirt a little to get her attention again.

The miko raised an eyebrow as she looked to her kit. “…again, why are we here? What happened?” she asked, her tone slightly firm as she demanded answers.

That’s when the kit fell silent, his eyes drifting to Sesshoumaru’s quickly before he looked down to the ground; a look that the miko did not miss. What in the hell was going on?

“We will talk later, but for now, you should rest. Should you want a bath the facilities are down the hallway there, the third door on the left.” Sesshoumaru replied, dodging her questions.

Her irritated huff of frustration was not lost on any of them, as she retorted, “I want to know what happened! I don’t know how I got here for one, and where is Inuyasha?” she questioned, her anger and unease at the unknown spiking in her scent.

Sesshoumaru refrained from sighing, as he looked to the two children. “Go play. Lunch will be served soon, so stay close.” He said quietly, an order that was instantly obeyed.

Kagome’s eyes widened lightly. Shippou hardly obeyed anyone but her and Kaede, but Sesshoumaru commanded him as if he were his own child. Quickly, she pushed that thought aside, before looking back to the taiyoukai. What was so serious that he couldn’t talk about it in front of the children? Furthermore, what was that look upon his face? She had never known him to show emotion or to even care for creatures other than himself, until Rin came along, but in the past few minutes he had shown that he cared a little for Shippou as well now, and was even giving her the time of day and consideration.

Had hell frozen over? What exactly had happened, and what was going on? Sighing softly, she looked up to the stoic lord, before asking quietly, “Sesshoumaru? What’s going on? Is he…did Inuyasha…” she couldn’t voice her thought. It was the only thing she could think of right now, was that Inuyasha was dead and he was protecting them for the moment. Even that sounded weird in her head. Sesshoumaru never struck her as the type to protect her or her friends. However, right now he seemed like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place as he thought of the best way to tell her about the hanyou.

“No, the hanyou lives, and is healthy.” He said dryly. Of course the first thing she would ask was if the hanyou was okay, however, he was perplexed at her behavior. Did she not remember anything that had transpired?

“Gee, sound more enthusiastic, will you.” She muttered sarcastically, before looking back to the demon lord. Gold eyes clashed with blue for a moment before Sesshoumaru shook his head. The girl had no idea what the hanyou had done, and he was certain that it would break her heart to know he willingly abandoned them.

The rare look of pity that crossed his features had Kagome stop in her tracks. What was she missing?

The seconds of silence slipped on until Kagome spoke up. “Sesshoumaru…” she said softly, fearing the strength of her voice at the moment. Did she really want to know what had happened?

He looked to her eyes, the tone of voice she used having touched him. She was afraid of what he would say, but he knew that unless she knew, she would never come to terms with anything else that was going on around her, such as him taking the role of alpha male of their pack.

“Later, Kagome. For now, rest. You have had a trying week.” He finally voiced, noting that she looked rather ill still.

Her face flamed for a moment. He used her first name?! Since when were they on a first name basis? Usually it was wench, miko, human, or something else derogatory that he referred to her as, but he had actually used her first name?! What in the hell was going on?!

He felt her aura spike in confusion and held in a smirk. This girl had too many emotions and he found it rather amusing at how he could push her buttons.

“A-alright…” she replied, a bit flustered. Yep. Hell had frozen over. The devil was in a snowsuit and gloves. The fires were frozen and the lakes of lava were frosted over. Shaking off the mental images, Kagome turned to walk down the hallway to take a bath. It would definitely ease the aches in her muscles, and sooth her already frayed nerves. However, in the back of her mind, the questions she had asked and more were bouncing around madly, wanting answers, but that would have to wait until someone felt free to give them to her.

She couldn’t help but feel uneasy as she walked away from him. Something she couldn’t quite describe, but tried to ignore was resonating in her mind. What was she missing?

Sesshoumaru watched as she walked away before he headed to his study. He wanted the monk and slayer there when he told her of what had transpired. He had to remind himself that she was only human, and how fragile she was not only physically, but mentally. For not the first time in his life, he cursed Inuyasha’s existence, however, he had made this choice, and he would deal with the consequences. He was relieved though when she talked to him normally. She didn’t fear him it seemed, and that was a plus in his favor. He wondered if she could ever trust him.

Quickly he shook that thought away. Why did he care if she trusted him or not? Just as long as she obeyed him, he could care less if she trusted him…right? 'Right...' he told himself mentally, however, even he didn't sound too sure of himself.



A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this one! Please Read and Review, onegai!