Human Compensation

“I want to see her,” Kagome told Inuyasha after he told her about Sango. Rin had fainted when she heard about her friend and Sesshoumaru had carried her to their bedroom.

“No way,” Inuyasha said, folding his arms and shaking his head stubbornly.

“She’s my friend! I have to go see her. Besides, someone should be with Miroku, we can’t let him go through this alone!”

“Kagome, you are not leaving the safety of this mansion! I said no and there’s nothing you can do to change my mind!”

Kagome glared at Inuyasha, her brown eyes burning into his. Inuyasha backed away from her when she took a step closer to him. “I’m going to see Sango and you’re going to take me there NOW!!!!!!!!!” Her voice could be heard echoing through the hallways and scaring a flock of birds outside.

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Inuyasha followed behind Kagome grumbling to himself as they entered the hospital. Miroku was sitting in the waiting room with his head down. Kagome ran to him and hugged him. Shippou was sitting a few chairs down. Inuyasha sat beside him and growled softly. Shippou sweat dropped and inched away from him.

“Kagome, what are you doing here?” Miroku asked in surprise after she let him go.

“I made Inuyasha bring me here to check on Sango,” Kagome said. “Miroku are you okay? You’re filthy.”

“I didn’t want to go anywhere until the doctor came back,” Miroku said.

Kagome hugged him again despite his dirty, blood-stained clothes. Miroku looked terrible. His eyes were blood-shot, his face covered in bruises, his clothes burnt and torn. There were cuts left unattended to on his arms and hands. She took out a wet wipe from her purse and began to clean his face. Miroku smiled at her and let her have her way.

Inuyasha watched her fuss over Miroku feeling a little jealous. Miroku sat calm and quiet beside her with his eyes closed and his face held up obediently, like a five year old. ‘Look at him,’ Inuyasha thought, ‘he’s loving every minute.’ He decided not to say anything since the guy had just been through hell.

“Is that better?” Kagome asked, after she’d finished.

“Yes, thank-you,” Miroku gave her a hint of a smile before turning to Inuyasha who was watching them closely.

Kagome spotted Shippou in the room. She hadn’t noticed he was there. A small blush came to her cheeks when she spoke to him. “Uh, hi Shippou,” she said almost shyly.

“Hi, Kagome,” Shippou said, staring down at his feet.

Miroku raised a brow. Shippou was usually all over Kagome by now, yet he sat across the room as if she was a stranger. He heard Inuyasha growling softly at Shippou, almost as if he didn’t want Kagome to hear him. He wondered if Shippou was acting so strangely because he’d finally accepted that Kagome was never going to be his.

“Miroku, tell me what happened,” Kagome asked.

“He doesn’t want to talk about that now,” Inuyasha snapped.

“It’s okay. I was in the parking lot when I saw the first explosion. Sango was still in the building, but it hadn’t reached her floor so I ran back in to save her.”

“That’s so heroic, Miroku.” Kagome said, clasping her hands and staring at him with stars in her eyes. “You must really care about Sango.”

“I love her,” Miroku admitted as if it was something he said everyday.

Inuyasha, Shippou, and Kagome stared at him in shock. Kagome hugged him again. Inuyasha gritted his teeth.

“Will you stop grabbing him!” He shouted giving in to his jealousy. He grabbed her and hauled her into his lap before she knew what had happened.

Miroku stared at her wistfully, missing Kagome’s warm, comforting, embrace. Right now, she was the only person who made him feel like he wasn’t alone in the world.

An hour passed as more people filled the room to await the news of their loved ones. Kagome had never experienced anything like this. Inuyasha had passed by the building and she’d caught a glimpse of the ruins, the hundreds of ambulances, bodies covered in white sheets on the ground. There was so much death in the air. She’d closed her eyes and turned away from the gruesome scene. She only saw stuff like this in movies on television. She couldn’t even comprehend this happening in real life, but it did, and right before her own eyes. She sat beside Inuyasha leaning against his him, his arm wrapped around her waist. Neither had spoken to each other since he pulled her away from Miroku.

Shippou’s cell phone rung. He answered it, then turned to Kagome.

“Oh yes, she’s fine Mrs. Higurashi,” Shippou said in his best casual voice. “Well yes, she’s still out of town with Inuyasha.”

Kagome sat up staring at him. He put his hand over the mouth piece. “She really wants to talk to you,” he said.

Kagome nodded.

“Okay, I’ll dial the number to her cell phone and connect you,” Shippou said to her mother.

He handed the phone to Kagome.

“Mom?”

“Kagome, are you alright?” her mother asked.

“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine!”

“Well, where are you?” She asked.

“I’m in... I’m in New York ,” Kagome said, looking at Inuyasha who shrugged nonchalantly and crossed his arms.

“Well, when are you getting back home? There’s been so much happening in the city. You don’t even have an apartment to stay in anymore.” Her mother asked.

“I know. I’m sure I’ll be home in a few days, Mom. Don’t worry, I’m safe and sound and Inuyasha is taking good care of me.”

“Oh really?” Mrs. Higurashi asked. “You’re on first name level now?”

Kagome laughed, nervously.

“Just come home soon, Kagome. I won’t stop worrying until I actually see you.”

“I will Mom,” Kagome said.

“Alright, I love you dear.”

“I love you too, Mom.”

Kagome hung up the phone the same instant the doctor entered the room.

Miroku stood up looking at him expectantly.

The doctor gave them an encouraging smile. “It’s a miracle she survived at all. She has a concussion and a broken arm. We managed to stop the internal bleeding which was caused by a broken rib that pierced the inside of her chest. She’s still in intensive care, but we’re expecting her to be out by tomorrow and put into a normal room.”

“Can we see her?” Miroku asked.

“She’s still asleep. I’ll allow only one of you to see her right now, but all of you can come back tomorrow to visit her.”

Kagome looked disappointed. Miroku turned to her. She smiled. “Go ahead,” she said.

He smiled back gratefully and followed the doctor.

Sango was sleeping peacefully when he entered the room. Her once flawless face was now covered in tiny scratches, bruises, and cuts. A patch of her hair was missing from the side, where they had shaved it to attend to her head wound. She was still beautiful to him.

“I always knew you were a fighter,” Miroku said as he held her bruised hands in his. “I don’t know why I was so worried,” he joked as two tears ran down his face and unto her sheets. He bent down and kissed her lips tenderly. “Keep fighting for me, Sango. I want to see those beautiful brown eyes again,” he whispered. The doctor only gave him a few seconds with her before he came back into the room to escort Miroku out. His friends were still in the waiting room when he got back.

“Is she okay?” Kagome asked.

“She looks like death,” Miroku said, remembering her shockingly pale face. “But I think she’s going to survive.”

Kagome nodded. She talked Miroku into coming back to the mansion with them. He didn’t have much choice at her insistence, she wouldn’t leave him alone until he agreed. They took his car back. Sesshoumaru demanded to know why Miroku was at his home. Kagome stood up to him along with Rin until he glared at them and silently walked away. Kagome should have stopped at that, but her being so totally naive of what Sesshoumaru was actually capable of, followed behind him.

“Don’t you even care about what happened to Sango?” She asked.

“No, not really,” Sesshoumaru said, as he glided gracefully down the hall.

“Why not? She’s one of your best employees. All those people died because of you! You should at least feel sad about it!”

“They knew what they were getting into when they signed up to work for me,” Sesshoumaru said, coldly.

“What about the people you forced to work for you. What about me? Would you have cared if I had died or even Rin?”

“Do not bring Rin into this!” Sesshoumaru said, icily. “And as for yourself you would have had a proper funeral since my brother is so fond of you.”

Kagome could feel her temper rising. “Listen you...you cold-hearted, overbearing, pompous pile of dog shit!”

Sesshoumaru stopped and turned around. She’d insulted him in his own house... again. He’d warned her before...

Kagome continued, completely forgetting about his previous warning at her behavior. “You walk around in your big fancy mansion living off the hard work of your employees who dedicated the majority of their lives to you. Those people died working for you and you turned your back on them? How could you leave them like that? Stop acting so arrogant and take responsibility for what’s happened!”

She suddenly found herself against the wall. Sesshoumaru had pinned her there using the long claws from his fingers to surround her neck. His left hand glowed a sickly green color. The toxic from it made her cough. Acid dripped from it burning a hole into the floor.

“I’ve warned you before about insulting me. Now you will be punished,” Sesshoumaru said, menacingly.

“Go ahead Sesshoumaru, if it makes you feel like a big man to kill a woman over words of truth! My death will only add to your despicable character.”

Sesshoumaru blinked. “You’re not afraid of me?”

“I’m not afraid to stand up for something I believe in,” Kagome said.

Sesshoumaru stared at her for a while before retracting his claws. A small smile played across his normally stoic features. “You’re spirited and brave. I can see why Inuyasha wants you as his mate. You remind me of my Rin.”

He walked away as he said that leaving Kagome to gape after him. She couldn’t believe it. He was never angry at her?? It was all just a show or maybe a test? Had she earned Sesshoumaru’s respect?

“Kagome.”

She turned around to see Inuyasha watching her with a smile. She ran to him and threw her arms around him. He held her close.

“I...I thought I was going to die!”

“Sesshoumaru had no intentions of hurting you. If he had, I would have interfered. He was just trying to scare you. I’m so proud of you Kagome. You just stood up to one of the most ruthless, powerful, men in the world,” Inuyasha said.

“Do you think he listened to me?”

The answer came in the one million dollars Sesshoumaru sent out to each of his employee families the next day. ....He might not have been able to bring back the lives that were lost, but he could certainly help their surviving families.