Returning To You

A/N: I will still be working on my other stories as well. This one kind of hit me today while I was changing a bed pan. LOL. It's stuck in my mind all day so I wanted to get what I wanted down while it was still fresh. = )

Chapter Two


Sango ordered Shippo to fetch some water while she put the fox down. The kit came back with the pail, full of questions. Where was the hoshi and who was the fox with her. She tried to answer his questions the best she could while she started to tend to the injured youkai. What she wouldn't give to have Kaede to help her but she was alone. A groan escaped her knowing she'd have to strip the man.

She'd seen Miroku naked plenty of times by now but he was her husband. Her mind told her to think of it this way, he was injured and asleep. Not like she was stripping him to ravish his body. That in mind Shippo helped her get the man's clothes off. They would need to be washed and repaired. The kit put them in the corner for now. 'Perfect.' The one word entered her mind as she looked down at his nude form.

"Sango, you're staring." Shippo informed her.

"Oops, sorry. Here help me wash him up so we can find were the wounds are." She tried to focus on the job at hand along with the kit. Sometimes she wasn't sure what she'd do without him. "I only see two so far that we need to worry about. Can you fetch me the cream? I'm going to see to the one on his side first."

"Okay." Shippo did what he was told humming to himself the whole time. Things were peaceful in the small hut when Miroku wasn't around. Sometimes he prefered it this way. He handed the taijiya the cream, noticing that her hand was shaking. "You alright?"

"Yes, Shippo. Just really tired from the last few days." She went to see about the wound on his right thigh, trying to ignore something else. Were all youkai like that? A blush spread across her face as she cleaned the wound. That done she picked up the jar, putting some of the ointment on her fingertips. Focusing on the cut, she rubbed it in. Her hand stopped when what she was trying to ignore came to life. Her soft brown eyes popped out her head as she watched it grow.

"Bandage him up Shippo please." She stood up needing to get some air and fast. The air hit her flushed face, cooling the hot skin. What was wrong with her? He was badly hurt and she was acting like some giddy virgin. She leaned against the hut, she'd go back in a few minutes.

Shippo came out, "It's done. I covered him with the blanket so you don't have to get embaressed again." He had the dirty water in his hands. "I'll go throw this out. Need some clean water, to get his clothes done."

"Hmph." Several minutes later she felt calm enough to walk back inside. He was still sleeping soundly so she stoked the fire. Shippo came back with the water so she began to wash the clothing. The kit sat down and watched the strange man as he slept.


Youko slowly came to, his thoughts all jumbled together. Was he dead? No, he was in pain which meant he was alive somehow. The last thing he remembered was looking up to see someone walking towards them. What had happened to the guards? Was he in a dungeon back at the Northen Lord's castle? He opened his eyes, they felt heavy. His head turned, taking in his surroundings.

The first thing he noticed was a fox kit sleeping next to a fire. The boy was snoring softly as he rested. His eyes shifted and he saw the girl. She was resting not far from the kit on a blanket, a neko curled against her side. Had it been them two he'd seen before blacking out? Had the villagers come to his aid for some reason?

His eyes stayed on the girl for several moments, he usually didn't care for humans. Most of them smelt bad and were weak to the point of being annoying. For a human he had to admit that she was very pretty, very desirable. He closed his eyes as pain shot through his head. Sleep claimed him within a matter of minutes.

They next time he woke up was to find the girl leaning over him wiping his brow. She hadn't noticed him awake yet so he closed his eyes. He felt the blanket being lowered as she washed his chest and checked on the wound. Why was she tending to him? Most humans wouldn't have interfered much less nurse him. He listened as she hummed to herself, unaware of his inspection. She got up and walked outside leaving him alone with the neko.


Sango had Shippo walk with her to fetch some more water and wood. She had sensed it when the fox had woken and wondered why he hadn't spoken. Probably wondering where he was and who she was. "Shippo," the kit looked at her. "He was woken up. He will have questions, let me answer them. No matter what happens go along with whatever I say."

"Okay, you don't trust him?"

"No, we have no idea who he is." She carried the wood, Shippo had the water. "Please do this for me." He nodded so she was satisfied for now. Wasn't that she didn't trust the man but she was unsure of why he had been chased. Someone else had made the mistake of tending to an evil person over fifty years ago in this same village. Look how that had turned out.

He was watching them as they came in. Shippo put the water down, Sango stoked the fire. She felt the man's eyes on her as she began to make some food. Her nerves began to grate the more he stared. One would think he'd never seen a human before. She refused to look at him.

Once the stew was going she took out what she needed to begin stitching up the youkai's clothing. Shippo started to play with Kirara, forgetting the wounded man also. Giving up after thirty minutes and poking herself twice, she decided to eat. Her eyes finally looked over, he was looking around.

She filled a bowl and walked over to sit beside him. "Think you can eat something?" He nodded at her. "You'll have to sit up some for me.

He got on his elbows, holding himself up. "What is your name?"

She looked down at his face, he had sexy eyes. Not sure why she lied. "Kaede, now eat." She began to feed him, hoping he'd save the questions. He watched her face the whole time, it made her extremely nervous.

"Where is your mate?" He could smell the lingering scent of a man in the hut and on her.

"In the next village, he should be returning soon. He is a hoshi, his services are needed." Sango didn't think it was a good idea to let him know that Miroku wouldn't be returning for a few weeks. Let him believe a man would be back at anytime. Not that she needed her husband's protection. Without his kazaana his fighting worth had been cut in two. She on the other hand had continued to grow stronger. The death of her brother and loss of her friends had hardened her somewhat.

"I see. The kit?"

"He is family." She replied.

"He is youkai."

"Really? I wouldn't have guessed, thanks for informing me." She stood up leaving him glaring at her. So he was one of those youkai, who thought humans to be beneath him. Maybe she should inform him, that this human had saved his pathetic life. Thinking better of it she sat back down and started her sewing again.

After finishing his clothes, folding them neatly aside, she looked up to find him sleeping once more. She debated accidently leaving the needle in them. Give the prick a good prick. Shippo was already laying down trying to fall asleep for the night. "I'm going to take a bath, I'll be back soon."

"Okay," He paused for several moments not sure if the fox was really asleep. "Kaede."

Sango grabbed a fresh kimono and walked out. The night was cool, winter begining to set in finally. A few people were outside, they greeted her as she walked past. She always went to the stream to bathe, even in the winter. Unless the stream was frozen then she was forced to wash out a bowl.

Her thoughts went to the youkai laying inside her hut. How would Miroku feel knowing that a strange male had stayed with her while he'd been away? What was he doing now? Better yet where was he sleeping? Her brow quirked at that thought. She wasn't sure if she wanted the answer to that question. Maybe she had been wrong to leave him there alone. Then again if he was going to cheat it would happen sooner or later. If she hadn't come back when she did then the fox youkai would be dead.

After washing her long hair she dried off and got dressed. The walk back cleared her head some, things would get better when Miroku returned home. She sensed that the man was awake again as she sat down in front of the fire. She ignored him as she brushed through her long hair.

Youko watched as she pulled the comb through her long strands. He wondered how it would feel to run his hands through it. He scoffed at the thought, what was wrong with him? He turned his head towards the opposite wall and closed his eyes.


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