InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Second Chance At Love ❯ What Doesn't Kill Us... ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: If you haven't figured this out yet, then my repeating it won't help you....

(not to mention it makes me cry)

A/N I'm sorry its taken me so long to update. Please don't kill me!! I blame my muse she comes up with so many new ideas so quickly I don't have time to type... I'd strangle her if she'd just stay still long enough....

Chapter9: What Doesn't Kill Us...

They all watched as Inuyasha leaped high in the air with the transformed Tetsusaiga slung over his shoulder in attack mode. Sango held Hiraikotsu high above her head, ready to let go at a moments notice.

Inuyasha growled at the huge youkai in anger. He was not going to let the filthy beast touch Kagome. Not so long as he had breath to breathe with!! Inuyasha yelled as he swung Tetsusaiga with all his strength at the gorilla youkai.

At the last second Noridomo swung his hand up to swat at Inuyasha as if he were an annoying fly. Inuyasha was knocked backwards by the forceful blow, but he got a hit in before.

"Argh!!"

Noridomo screamed in pain at the huge gash across the back of his hand. Inuyasha smirked from his position on the ground. He was still laid out on his back where he hit the ground when he was knocked backwards by the blow.

"That hurt!" roared Noridomo as he starred daggers at Inuyasha.

"Yea, well this is going to hurt more!" Inuyasha yelled back as he bent his knees in preparation.

Sango and Mirouku glanced at one another in question before turning their attention back to the angry demon. While Noridomo was yelling at Inuyasha, Sango narrowed her eyes and took aim. When Inuyasha leaped into the air once more to fight the huge demon, Sango let her boomerang fly... and watched Hiraikotsu knock his feet right from under him.

Noridomo had just swiped his uninjured hand out to hit Inuyasha again when hefelt a sharp pain at his ankle. The pain shot quickly up his leg to his knee causing it to wobble beneath him.

They all watched as Noridomo fell, crashing, backwards to the ground. They had to steady themselves when the earth vibrated from the force of his weight. Sango stuck her hand out above her head and caught Hiraikotsu as it came flying back to her. They all stood quietly and waited.

"Is he dead?" whispered Shippou from beside the sleeping miko. He'd moved off of her when Noridomo had moved into the clearing making his presence known.

"I doubt it," replied Mirouku; his eyes never leaving the fallen gorilla. He could still sense something coming from the youkai.

Sesshoumaru stood in the same spot he'd been in when Noridomo came out. He didn't want to move from his position in front of Kagome now that he knew the gorilla youkai was here for her. He watched quietly as the other three inched closer to the demon on the ground as he focused all his senses on said demon. Even though Noridomo wasn't moving he didn't trust it; the demon was far too powerful to go down and stay down that easily. Sesshoumaru tensed when he felt something coming from the prone youkai.

"Get back! Its a trick!" he yelled at the others.

The other three froze when they heard the Taiyoukai's yell. Truth be told, they never heard the Taiyoukai yell before... ever. That, alone, would have made them stop if what he said hadn't.

But, the warning had given Noridomo the opportunity he was waiting for. When Inuyasha turned around to look at his brother in question Noridomo made his move.

With a speed they did not know the huge youkai possessed, he sat up and swept out a hand towards the hanyou in one fluid motion. Inuyasha sensesd the coming attack and swiveled back around, but he was toolate. Noridomo grabbed Inuyasha in the palm of his hand and squeezed.

"AAH!!" Inuyasha screamed at the pressure wrapped around him.

They all watched in stunned silence as the youkai stood with a squirming Inuyasha in his fist. Then they starred in shock when Noridomo hurled Inuyasha through the air and into the body of a thick oak tree.

"INUYASHA!" screamed Sango as she watched the hanyou's back impact with the tree.

Mirouku ran over to his friend when Inuyasha's unconscious body hit the ground. He flipped the hanyou over to make sure he was still breathing and sighed in relief. Mirouku turned around quickly when he heard a scream coming from Sango's direction.

Sango screamed and flipped backwards to dodge an attack from the gorilla. Kirara swept down close for Sango to jump on her back and flew up high again. She dodged the swinging arms of Noridomo.

"YOU HURT MY LEG!" yelled Noridomo as he swung his huge arms at the taijiya and the flying neko.

He was just a little too slow for the fire neko's speed. From Kirara's back Sango took aim again with her boomerang and threw it.

This time Noridomo saw the attack coming and moved to the side just in time to keep from getting knocked in the face.

"HA! HA! HA! I won't be falling for that trick again," Noridomo smirked. He meant that statement literally.

Just as he was finishing his laugh, Noridomo staggered forward from a sharp blow to the back of his head. Noridomo shuck his head to clear it as he brought up a hand to the back of his head; it was throbbing something fierce! When he swung around to see what had hit him he found nothing behind him.

"Looking for something?" asked Sango with a grin.

Noridomo turned back around when he heard the laughter in her voice. When he saw Hiraikotsu was back in the exterminator's hand, he figured the weapon must had hit him from behind when it was returning to its master. Noridomo sneered at the woman on the cat and puffed out his chest in rage.

They all watched as the demon's eyes grew an even brighter shade of green then before.

Sesshoumaru could feel the anger coming from the huge demon. He could since the demon gathering his power and wondered what the demon was about to do and braced himself.

Mirouko also felt the gathering power and began to worry. He noticed the demon was focused on getting back at Sango and didn't like what that meant. He watched as the demon's chest expanded and started getting a very bad feeling. He went still when the gorilla through back his head as if he was gathering air into his lungs... then he froze when he realized what the demon was upto.

"SANGO, LOOK OUT!"

Sango turned startled eye to the houshi on the ground and almost missed the attack.

Just then Noridomo puckered his lips and blew out his breath. A large gust of wind blew heavily across the sky slamming into Kirara and Sango.

"AAHH!!"

Sango screamed from the onslaught and tried to shield her face. The wind was stinging her hands and face though. It was blowing her and Kirara backwards. Sango lost her balance and fell off of Kirara's back. Kirara noticed this and tried to go catch her mistress, but couldn't get out of the wind. In a desperate move Kirara opened her mouth and spit a stream of fire at the gorilla. The wind sent the fire back at her making a shield for Kirara to use. Using the fire shield against the gorilla's wind, Kirara got out of the wind and went to the ground. She hoped Sango was okay. She was happy when she saw her mistress lying unconscious in the houshi's arms. She could see that Sango was still breathing.

Mirouku had run forward when he saw Sango falling and caught her before she hit the ground. The force of her body's impact had almost made Mirouku drop his staff. He looked down into her face and saw that she was unconscious. Just then Mirouku sensed an attack coming from behind him and jumped out of the way before lifting his staff above his head as he kneeled on the ground. Using his staff, Mirouku created a barrier around Sango and him. His heart was still pounding with the scare she'd given him when he saw her fall. He didn't like the feeling.

Noridomo beat at the purple shield, but could not get through it. Finally he stopped swinging and glared at the monk holding the taijiya in his arms before he spoke.

"No matter. You are not who I am here for, anyhow. If you wish to live you will stay inside that bubble, but come out.... and you die."

Kirara landed near Inuyasha and pawed his face. Then she turned away and placed herself in front of him. She would not let anymore harm come to the hanyou.

`So he is a wind demon.' Sesshoumaru watched as the large demon turned in his direction. He narrowed his eyes at the demon and waited calmly. Sesshoumaru brought up his hand with the poison dripping from his nails. He had no intention of letting the gorlla anywhere near his miko...`His miko??' he paused in thought. `Where in the hell did that come from!?' Sesshoumaru snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the youkai charging him. `He is a fool and will die.'

Sesshoumaru charged at the demon and met him somewhere in the middle. He jumped to the side as Noridomo tried to catch him in a bear hug, but ended up grasping air. Sesshoumaru pivoted around and swung out with his poison claws catching Noridomo on his side. You could see four bloody claw marks on the side of Noridomo; they were bubbling with the poison from his fingers.

Noridomo stood there for a moment? Arms crossed over one another as if he was hugging himself. He stayed that way as he tried to ignore the pain coming from his side.. then he tensed when he saw what was lying in his line of vision a little ways in front of him... the miko with a little kitsune next to her. Lying on the ground was the unconscious miko and a scared kitsune. Noridomo smiled with glee at how close he was to getting what he came there for.

Sesshoumaru watched as Noridomo stopped to stare transfixed at Kagome lying unconscious not too far away from the gorilla. Sesshoumaru froze when he realized what he'd just done. `Dammit!' He refused to think that he could not save her now! Sesshoumaru's blood boiled when he saw Noridomo reaching out to grab Kagome. He watched the scared kitsune step in front of the miko to shield her. He knew the kitsune was no match for the gorilla and he knew the kitsune knew this as well, but he admired the kit for trying to save her anyway. His eyes began to glow red with rage.

"Get. Away. From her," he whispered deadly.

Noridomo froze when he felt a flash of panic run through him at the sound of that voice. His arm still stretched out in front of him, he turned his head to look over his shoulder at the Taiyoukai. Noridomo's eyes widened with pure horror then. Standing behind him was the largest white dog he'd ever seen. The Dog's fangs were dripping with poison as his eyes glowed and angry red color.

Sesshoumaru had transformed into his true form and glared daggers at the stupid gorilla demon.

"You dare to touch what is mine?!" asked Sesshoumaru menacingly. "You will die for your foolishness."

Then Sesshoumaru pounced onto the back of the demon with a growl. He dug his claws deep into the gorilla's back. His adrenaline pumped with the rush of his blood. He'd missed this... the killing with no regret or problems. Sesshoumaru bent down his head and took a large bite out of the demon's shoulder before biting off the demon's head. He shucked his head hard and tossed the gorilla head far into the forest. He didn't want the head anywhere near the body... just in case...He still could sense a familiar presense nearby.

Sesshoumaru reverted back to his smaller self when the headless demon's body crashed to the ground.

Mirouku brought down the shield when he realized the gorilla youkai was dead. He sighed in relief at the sight; he had no idea how much longer he would have been able to keep the shield up. He looked down and saw that Sango was awake and smiled. Then he noticed that she was starring at something and followed her line a vision to see she was watching Sesshoumaru. Mirouku watched the demon weave a little and froze.

"Something is wrong with him."

Mirouku heard the whisper coming from his arms and gave a little nod in agreement. Something was, indeed, wrong with the Taiyoukai.

"Did you hear what he said?" he asked in a hush tone, before clarifying his question. "About Kagome?"

Sango turned her head to look up at the houshi as she still laid half on the ground and half in his arms. `He'd saved me from falling' she thought with a smile then twisted her lips with her next thought, `Well my body anyway.' She remembered his question when his purple gazed locked onto her brown one.

"Yes. He called her his." She turned a thoughtful gaze to the Taiyoukai, who'd moved to pick up the miko from the ground. "I wonder if he realizes the depth of his feelings. Does he know he's in love with her?"

Mirouku hoped she didn't expect him to answer her question. How was he suppose to know what the Taiyoukai is feeling!? Though, if he had to guess... he believed the Taiyoukai, deep down, knew exactly what he was feeling for Kagome. He had a sinking feeling the Taiyoukai was doing the same thing he, himself, use to do about his feelings for the taijiya in his arms: deny, deny, deny. Deny it to himself. Deny it to anyone else, and definitely, deny it to her who caused the feeling. Mirouku smiled to himself; it was nice to know the Taiyoukai wasn't too different from himself... and every other man in the world. Shoot, look at Inuyasha and where his denying got him! That's where he'd have to draw the line; he would not lose Sango to someone else!

Sango saw the fierce look on the houshi's face and wondered what he was thinking. She hoped he didn't think she expected him to answer her question. She didn't. She was only voicing her thoughts aloud.

"Hey," she touched a hand lightly to his chest. When she saw his eyes clear from the haze she spoke. "Are you alright?"

Mirouku gave her a half smile and nodded. "As for your other question: I have a feeling that he knows how he feels about Kagome and odds are he doesn't like it and is denying it with everything he has."

"How do you know?" she asked quietly.

"Because," he sighed heavily before continuing, "I've been there before."

Sango nodded at this and felt her heart plummit. `He'd been in love before,' she thought and turned her head away to fight off the tears that threatened. She starred, unseeingly, at Sesshoumaru holding Kagome as he, in turn, stared at the miko's face.

"He's up against Kagome thought. He will not win this battle... he will lose." She'd whispered her thoughts aloud. She'd realized this when she heard Mirouku's reply.

"Yes," he breathed then swallowed hard. His heart was beating fast at what he was going to say. "As did I... to you."

Mirouku watched her head turn slowly back to him. He saw the sheen of tears in her eyes and held his breath. `Oh God, she's crying.' His eyes softened on hers then. He didn't like to see her cry. He wondered what had brought on the tears. He was telling her he loved her; he hoped that wasn't why she was crying. Then he watched her smile sweetly at him and released the breath he forgot he was holding. He smiled back.

"So in losing, he really wins."

He smiled at her whispered words. They both turned their heads to look at the Taiyoukai again and saw him weave, slightly, again,

"Yes, but he'll have to see it that way before he admits to her winning," he replied then he frowned. "Something is really wrong."

With that he placed his staff on the ground and wrapped, the now free, hand under her knees and stood up. He removed the hand from under her legs and brought it to her face while he never removed his other arm from her back. As her legs swung to the ground he pressed the front of her body to his own and felt her curves. He watched as she tilted her head back slightly to keep her eyes locked to his. He leaned down and rubbed his lips against hers before sticking out his tongue to lick her bottom lip. He felt her shiver against him before she opened her mouth to give him access. Mirouku slid his tongue inside and locked his lips to hers as he kissed her. He felt her hands rest against his chest and deepened the kiss a fraction before pulling back to look at her face.

Sango sighed at the tingles going up and down he spine to rest between her legs. She opened her eyes to find him starring at her. She didn't even remember shutting them she thought and gave him a soft smile.

Mirouku rested his forehead against hers before he spoke.

"You are mine. Don't ever scare me like that again...I couldn't take it."

Sango frowned at his choice of words. She liked that he called her his but she didn't like the rest of his statement. Its not like she jumped off of Kirara's back from that height, she thought to herself.

Mirouku saw her frown and guessed the meaning of it. He knew she didn't cause herself to fall, but it was no less scary for him and the reason it was scary was because she was the one falling. That was her fault. Mirouku rubbed her lips with his once more. He couldn't help it; they were so soft they were calling to him. He sighed against her mouth.

"Now go see about Inuyasha, while I go and try to find out what's wrong with Sesshoumaru."

He gave her one last squeeze around the waist before letting her go. He watched her walk away for a moment before he turned to make his way to the Taiyoukai. He stopped a few paces away from the inuyoukai when he felt something strange coming from the demon lord.

Sesshoumaru sensed the houshi's approach but did not turn around. He was fighting to control his blood. It was not easy. He knew what was wrong with him, but he could do nothing about it; not until Kagome woke up and he knew for certain she was alright and able to take care of herself. He knew she had to be awake to do that, so he fought against the blood and its pull. It was very painful and causing his vision to blur. The kitsune was still trembling at his feet.

"Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru heard the houshi's voice and the question in it. He turned to look at the houshi in wonder. The houshi had never spoken to him directly before and because of this fact he gave the houshi his attention.

Mirouku took a step back when he saw the red in the Taiyoukai's eyes.

Sesshoumaru saw the monk's fear and shrugged inwardly. He had no intention of attacking the monk, who's name he did not bother to ever find out. He saw no need; the monk needed to know who he was, not the other way around.

"Do not fear houshi."

Mirouku took a moment to take in what the Taiyoukai said before taking two steps closer to him. He realized then that he did not feel any attack coming from the youkai, but he still could feel that strange feeling coming from him.

"Are you okay?"

Sesshoumaru could see the houshi's concern and wondered at it. He could not believe the houshi was concerned for him. `Perhaps he is worried for the miko in my arms,' he thought to himself and decided that had to be it. It was a foolish concern; he would not hurt the miko and told the monk this.

"I did not believe you would," said Mirouku in response to the Taiyoukai's words. "There is something wrong with you," he said and then gathered his courage for his question. "What is it?"

`He's worried about me?' Sesshoumaru said to himself. `Strange.' He'd never imagined the houshi, or any of them for that matter would ever worry about his welfare... except Kagome. It was an odd feeling. He decided he didn't like the feeling. He looked over to see Sango leading a still transformed Kirara towards them. Inuyasha was unconscious across the neko's back. He could see the concern on the taijiya's face too... and she was looking at him.

"It is my true blood. It is still raging within me because I transformed to quickly for it. It had no time to settle correctly so, it is trying to now, but cannot since I have reverted back to this form," he answered the houshi absently. His mind was still reeling with his discovery and he did not realize he'd answered another's question.

"If you were to change back into your true form would it stop? I can see it pains you?" asked Mirouku the concern still in his voice as well as shock. He had not believed the Taiyoukai would actually answer him.

Sesshoumaru snapped out of his thoughts at the houshi's question and realized he'd told the monk what was wrong. He really needed to get away from this group and the miko; they were making him do things that were not in character for him.

"What are you called?" he asked the houshi instead.

"I am Mirouku," he answered with wide eyes. The Taiyoukai's question had surprised him.

"Hm." Sesshoumaru nodded at this then started to walk away as he spoke. "No Mirouku, transforming to my true form will not help. The only thing that can help is rest and that is out of the question right now."

They all followed behind him as he led them back to their campsite from the night before.

When they reached the spot Sango immediately got Inuyasha off of Kirara and checked his wounds. She sighed in relief when she saw he was already healing himself and that there was nothing seriously wrong. His back was not broken in anyway. She went and told the others the good news. Mirouku smiled and Sesshoumaru grunted in response as he lowered himself gracefully to the ground. They watched as he settled Kagome in his lap while shippou hoped into the sleeping miko's lap.

Sesshoumaru wanted to tell the kitsune to move, but did not feel like wasting what strength he had left and leaned his head back against the tree. He shut his eyes as he realized he would not be returning to Rin and Jakin that night and used his mind to call his retainer to him here.

Mirouku moved to build up a fire and then cast a spell around the entire camp. No one who wanted to do them harm would be able to enter. He stood his staff beside the fire as the shield emanated from it. Sort of like the tree had done in the village, except this one was temporary. Then he settled down beside Sango. She laid her head on his shoulder and they both relaxed and waited. Mirouku could sense a presence outside of his shield...it was very familiar, but he had an odd feeling, like the person, who ever he or she was, did not belong here... kindof like the feeling he got whenever Kikyo was close enough for him to sense her. This was not Kikyo though.

~*Some hours later*~

Kagome stirred in her sleep then slowly opened her eyes. She starred up at a familiar face and realized she was lying in Sesshoumaru's lap. For a minute she thought it was still the night before then the memories of her battle with the tree spirit. She looked around her and saw that the sun was setting and her friends seemed to be okay. `Did we get attack?' she wondered before turning back to look at the Taiyoukai above her... and froze. His eyes were wide, open and starring down at her. She'd thought he was sleep.

Sesshoumaru had sensed her wake up and had just opened his eyes when she'd turned to look around her. She'd slept through the entire day and the pain that was running through his entire body was excruciating now. It took all his will power to not pass out. He was waiting for her to wake up and had vowed he'd not sleep until she woke. The pain had started to intensify when he'd sat down and now it was almost unbearable. His blood was raging something fierce.

Kagome saw the red in his eyes but did not see the anger that usually came with it. She could sense something was wrong and sat up quickly. She moved off of him and kneeled between his legs and touched a hand to his face.

"Sesshoumaru whats wrong?" from her touch she could sense the pain running throuh him and opened her eyes wide in shock. `Whats wrong with him?'

"Are you alright now?" Sesshoumaru spoke through gritted teeth. He saw the sheen of tears in her eye as she nodded at him. He was relieved to hear that and felt it was good time to sleep and let his blood heal. "No tears...."

Kagome heard his soft command as his eyes shut and he slumped forward against her. She panicked then.

"SESSHOUMARU!" she screamed, but he did not wake up. She was just about to scream again and shake him when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Kagome jumped from the contact she didn't expect. She turned her head and watched as Mirouku knelt down beside her.

"Kagome. He's fine. He just needs to rest."

"I could feel pain in him Mirouku. It was very strong." She turned back to look at the face she was beginning to love and sighed. "What happened? What's wrong with him?"

After assuring himself that Kagome was fine Mirouku told her all that had transpired while she slept. He assured her Inuyasha was fine when he saw the look on her face, then he told her what Sesshoumaru had told him.

"I imagine the pain grew as he waited for you to wake up and refused to sleep and let his blood heal and stop raging. That was early this morning. The pain must have been unbearable by now," he finished as he looked at the Taiyoukai with a sigh. He had to admit, if the pain was anything like he imagined, the Taiyoukai was very strong to with stand it for so long.

"Yes... it was. Yet, he waited for me..." she sighed. Kagome blinked away the tears that threatened and looked over to see Inuyasha sleeping soundly with a large Kirara wrapped around him to keep him warm. She saw Shippou asleep in Sango's arms; who was asleep leaning against a tree.

Mirouku gave her shoulder a pat before he moved back to Sango and wrapped his arms around the sleeping taijiya.

Kagome moved up beside Sesshoumaru and then positioned him so that his head rested in her lap. She decided she'd protect him like he'd protected her.

She starred down at his beautiful face and traced a hand over his markings and sighed. She was falling in love with him... or she already was, she knew. She also knew that he didn't want her love, but she didn't care. The love that was growing in her for him was too strong for her to stop. She just prayed she'd be able to survive him, but she wasn't too sure. Slowly she leaned down and pressed her lips to his as her tears fell on his face.

Sesshoumaru could feel her holding him. He was not actually asleep; it was more like a dormant state that his blood put him in while it did what it needed to do. He could not wake up and reassure her though, not until his blood was finish. That would take all night, he knew. He felt her press her lips to his and couldn't help wishing that he could kiss her back, when he felt the tears hit his cheek. `She was crying for me', he said to himself and growled. He did not like to see her cry... even for him. He preferred her smiling, though he didn't know why that was. Okay, yes he did, but he didn't like it. He knew he was starting to care for the young miko, maybe even love her, but he knew she still loved his stupid hanyou brother. He didn't like that, but he could do nothing about it. He would protect her until she got the jewel back, then he and Rin and Jaken would return to his castle and he'd never see her again. He knew it was for the best and it was what he was going to do, but he felt a large pang in his chest that hurt more than the pain his blood had put his body through, but didn't know what the pain meant. `Arigatou...' he heard her whisper word against his lips. Then he felt her lips leave his and immediately felt cold. He didn't want to want something he could never have, but he did. He wanted her.

Kagome leaned back up and never took her eyes from his face. She would wait for him to wake up. She had to thank him for saving her life.