InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Much Needed Healing ❯ A Taiyoukai's Resolve ( Chapter 4 )

He sat behind his large mahogany desk, lost in his thoughts. It was atypical for him to do so, and he was well aware of this fact. On a typical day, he would be here, on the top floor of his building, absorbed in work or perhaps at some meeting, furiously correcting everyone else's mistakes and misconceptions regarding his business's future.

But not today. Today he found his thoughts devoted wholly to the broken little woman who had once belonged to Inuyasha. Despite his best intentions, he had been drawn to her. It had seemed some plan of the fates that he had found her on that night a week ago. What else could explain away the coincidence that, on the one rare evening he allowed himself to become lost to mourning a bygone era, abandoned himself fully to the feelings of remorse and loneliness these memories created in him, it was then that she had crossed his path? As he had indulged, for the first time in centuries, in thoughts of her, she had breezed through the door almost as though the last 500 years had never happened.

But there was no doubt that they had happened, just as he remembered them. She was the same, and yet she was not. No longer innocent and jubilant, she was now fractured and lost. He found himself, against his better judgment, feeling pity for her. For some reason that he could not fully grasp, he wanted to save her, restore her to her former glory. Perhaps he only wished for some reminder of the time that he had loved so desperately. Or maybe he wished to save her from herself and for another that he had so wronged so many years ago. Yes, he would rescue her for the sake of the hanyou who loved her. By saving her, he could consider his debt to Inuyasha repaid in full.

And so, for these and many other reasons, he had continued to frequent the grimy bar where he had first encountered her on that fateful evening. When he had confronted her that first night, as she cried her pain out on the bathroom floor, she had recognized him. And then, whether from disbelief, shock, or just the sheer volume of alcohol that she had imbibed, she had passed out. Reluctantly, he had picked her up and, ignoring the curious stares of the others in the bar, had carried her out onto the street. Once there, he had flagged down a cab, and withdrawing her identification from her purse, had given the driver more than enough money to take her to her listed place of residence. And then, never once thinking about his actions, he too had stepped into the cab and gone with her. She had slept the entire way to her home, which he was not surprised to discover was actually quite near the bar, and when they had arrived, he had once again picked her up and stepped out onto the street.

It was at that exact moment that his brain caught up with his actions. Looking down at the pitiful creature cradled in his strong arms, he was inwardly disgusted with himself. He felt a sneer begin to mar his perfect face as he continued to stare unblinkingly at the woman. A low growl began to work free from his throat, and he saw her open her eyes and tilt her face up to look at him. As blue crashed into amber, she only stared at him before softly saying “I've waited for so very long for you to come to me.”

He was startled. She was waiting for him? He managed to contain his shock as he told her “Woman. You will clarify why you were waiting for this Sesshomaru.”

“Oh. I wasn't waiting for you in particular, just for death. So when you kill me, make it quick. I'm so tired of the pain.” She muttered.

Although he was unacquainted with the emotion, he was truly flabbergasted. Did she long for death so much? Perhaps he should do them both the favor and release her from this mortal coil? Looking down into her face, he realized that she had passed out again. He wanted to kill her; to spill her blood here in the darkened streets of Tokyo and finish what he had certainly started many centuries ago.

But he found that he could not. There would be no joy in the death of a creature who was so broken. He would find no release in such an action. And so, with a heavy sigh, he had carried her into her building, to the elevator and through her front door.

Her furnishings were spartan, to say the least, and yet he could not deny that the place surely cost someone a pretty penny. The apartment was more than spacious, with vaulted ceilings and wide rooms, most of which had their own private balconies. This woman had money coming from somewhere, but he was certain that it did not stem from her. Another mystery.

With a soft grunt he placed her on the single couch and placed her into what would be considered a comfortable position. Why should he care how she made ends meet? It was no concern of his. He reinforced the fact that he did not care by walking to her door. He reached for the handle before casting one final glance at her from over his shoulder.

She was absolutely pathetic, curled up on her couch, shivering. Hissing softly from between clenched teeth, he stormed over to her and watched her as her teeth chattered in her sleep. Incensed by what he was doing, he walked down a long hall to what was obviously her bedroom and gathered up a soft comforter from her bed. Still furiously stomping, he returned to the miko and placed the blanket atop her.

Looking down at her to make sure that he had indeed accomplished what he had set out to do, he found himself thinking of his human ward from the feudal era. As he stared at her, once again lost to times of long before, he found himself suddenly sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch. She was very much like his Rin. She too had a pure and open heart. Both had become beautiful young women. He reached out one large hand and gently pushed a stray strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind one delicately curved ear.

He realized now, sitting at his desk, safely away from her on the forty-third story of his main complex, that had been the moment his decision had been made. Looking at her there, in all her shattered splendor, he had resolved to save her, remake her, heal her. Even though she had become a mere fragment of what she had once been, she had still lured him in; drawn the mighty taiyoukai to her. He shook his head and allowed himself a small, and rare, smile.

His hand fell to his pocket and toyed with a delicate article of cloth that he had taken from her home only the night before. He had continued to return to that bar on a nightly basis, never coming close to her until she was so intoxicated that she would not remember his presence. He would either gather her in his arms after she passed out, or follow her and some strange male to her home. Once there, he would follow them to her door and as she left the man standing in her living room, he would enter and persuade the man to leave. They always left. Sometimes there were questions, but he had never had to answer a single one. Sometimes silence inspired more fear than words. He knew that she was always perplexed as to why her evening company had departed so hastily, but he had not yet decided to confront her while she was somewhat sober. He was going to rescue her, certainly, but she did not need to know this yet. And he certainly was not going to share with her the reasons why he was going to do so. As much as it irked him, he was not yet prepared to share these reasons with her or anyone else. She would know, but not yet.

He pulled forth the delicate bit of lace and allowed her scent to permeate his office. Inhaling deeply, his eyes closed and another rare smile graced his mouth.

The heavy door to his inner sanctum burst open with a sudden shove. Golden eyes shooting open while hastily shoving the very telling bit of lace back into his pocket, Sesshomaru released a growl at the invader of his privacy. There was only one creature who would be so brash as to enter in such fashion. Eyes narrowing, he glared at the wide-eyed ookami before him.

“Kouga. What would bring you to so abandon your few senses and invade my office in such a way?” He growled out. He saw the wide-eyed look the ookami cast him as the wolf scented the air. Further narrowing his eyes, he continued, “Do you find something amiss here wolf?”

Coming back to reality, Kouga realized the precarious nature of his current position. “Uh, no Sesshomaru-sama. It's just that I thought I smelled...” he trailed off.

“Yes?” The taiyoukai questioned dangerously.

“Nothing. Anyway, I thought that I'd let you know that you're American representative would be returning next week.” Kouga was still sniffing at the air, more and more certain that he was indeed smelling Kagome. But it couldn't be. She had disappeared before Naraku had even been defeated. She had been a mortal, and surely had died many centuries ago. But that smell was undeniably hers..... Why was it here, in Sesshomaru's office though?

“Thank you Kouga. If you have nothing else to tell me, then you are free to leave.” Sesshomaru told him blandly. He had noticed the wolf scenting the air, and as lacking as he could be in some respects, if he was allowed to remain here much longer, even he would be able to put two and two together.

“Oh, yeah. Okay.” The wolf was near speechless from this discovery and knew that it was time to go. Turning, he began to close the door behind him when he heard the taiyoukai's final statement.

“And Kouga, never again will you encroach on my privacy by invading my office in such a manner. In the future, you will inform me of your arrival before you come crashing in here.”

There was no mistake, Sesshomaru was furious. But why? Normally, he would be irritated, but so obviously enraged? His tone was cool, but the words were clear. Kouga didn't know what the tayoukai was trying to hide, but he was certain it had something to do with a miko from long ago. Could it be that he had found her? That she had survived so many years?

A bright smile lit the ookami's face as he walked into the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor.