InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ You Don't Know What You Have 'Till Its Gone ❯ Prelude to a Jump-Off ( Chapter 16 )

{Disclaimer: Inuyasha doesn't belong to me so don't sue. ::sighs:: unless someone would like to give him to me. I would have a ball playing with those ears.}

You Don't Know What You Have 'Till It's Gone

By Striking Falcon

Chapter Sixteen: Prelude to a Jump Off

"Demon!" a villager yelled. Kaede and Miroku ran out of the hut as the villagers panicked. Children and women ran to the fields as the men of the village went for their weapons. Kaede grabbed her bow and quiver, tossed Miroku his staff and headed for the village square. Sango ran to meet them, boomerang and Kirara in tow.

"Where is Inuyasha?" Kaede asked as a streak of white bounced out of one tree to another. It streaked along the trees, seeming to search for something. Inuyasha jumped down from the roof of a nearby hut, Tetsusaiga drawn and ready. Sesshoumaru leaped from the trees, crouching low to the ground. He eyed them warily. His gaze fell on Sango, and his face relaxed slightly. He stood up and walked past Inuyasha. He stopped in front of Sango, grabbing her arm.

"Come with me," he said, roughly tugging her arm.

Inuyasha snorted. "You already have Kagome. What are you trying to do, start a collection?"

"Where is Kagome?" Sango wondered aloud.

Sesshoumaru looked at her, so only she could see the fear in his eyes. "She is sick."

The group around him gasped.

"Sick?!" Kaede asked, approaching him slowly.

Sesshoumaru nodded and handed Sango a piece of paper. "She said to give you this, that you could help."

Sango took the paper. She wondered over the strange symbols for a minute, then remembered what she and Kagome were working on four months ago. 'This is English,' she realized as she struggled to read the note.

Sango,

I wrote this in English because Sesshoumaru doesn't know the language. I plan to get home soon, but I need your help. Rip the bottom part of this note off and give it to Inuyasha. Tell him to give it to my mother, then give you what she gives him. Bring it to me. Hurry, I don't know how long I can keep this up.

Kagome.

Sango nodded and ripped off the letters on the bottom of the paper.

"Here, Inuyasha. Take this to her mother. Hurry!"

Inuyasha ran off, in the direction of Inuyasha's forest and the well. A few minutes later, they could hear him coming back, with some kind of whirling brush. Sango took the strange wand and crossed her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist.

"What do you think you are doing, huntress?" he growled, his claws digging in her arm.

"Kagome needs help. If you hurt me, she won't get it."

Sesshoumaru sighed, the thought of another female under his roof bothering him to no end as his tail wrapped around her waist.

"She will be back when Kagome is well. Do not follow, or I will drop her."

Sesshoumaru flew into the distance, leaving Miroku and Kaede to wonder as Inuyasha stomped into the hut.

"Maybe it's the effects of old age, but did Sesshoumaru look…worried?" Kaede asked.

Miroku shrugged. "Naraku did call her Sesshoumaru's mate."

"Is she?"

Miroku shook his head. "I didn't think it was true, but after today, I'm not so sure."

++++++

"How is Kagome?" Sango asked as Sesshoumaru leaped across a field of bellflowers.

"She has lost control of her power. She has nearly destroyed my home."

Sango chuckled. "That's why you look so worried. Kagome is destroying your den. Poor thing."

Sesshoumaru snarled, taking to the air. His tail unwound from Sango's waist, sending her head first to the ground. He swooped down and caught her as her ponytail grazed the grass.

"I suggest you chose you words wisely, exterminator. Next time I might not be so fast."

Sango gulped and nodded, "I didn't mean to insult you, it's just that if I didn't know better, I'd say you were worried about her."

"I am."

Sango sputtered, patting her chest to clear her airway.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at her. "You are not getting sick, are you?"

"No, I'm fine. I didn't expect that answer from you."

"Why?"

"You hate humans."

"Kagome is more than human."

"Is she your mate?"

"Not yet."

"Does she know you love her?"

"Not yet."

"Will you say anything else?"

"Not yet."

Sango sighed, then squeaked as a bolt of lightening zipped past them, setting a nearby tree on fire.

"She is awake!" Sesshoumaru hissed as he ran faster, his castle coming into view. 'So that's why he got mad,' Sango realized as his home came into view. 'He doesn't live in a den, he lives in a castle.' Sango could hear the cries of panicking servants as Sesshoumaru landed in Kagome's window. Sango turned away from him, paling at the sight in front of her. A little girl sat crying on the floor, shielded inside a flaming bubble as a lightening storm flared inside the room. Kagome lay on the bed, lightening zapping out of her body and across the room. She glanced at Sango, then screamed as she started to convulse again. 'Maybe this is serious,' Sango thought. She held the wand Inuyasha brought from her time in front of her.

"Kagome, its me, Sango. Let me help you."

The lightening seemed to calm, coming out in sputters instead of full fledged bolts. Sesshoumaru sighed as the shield around Rin faded.

"Take the child, and any non-human servants, and leave," Sango ordered.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "This is my home. I am not leaving."

"Do you want what happened to Naraku to happen to you?"

"Rin could stop that."

"Kagome doesn't know what she's doing. If you stay, she could hurt Rin to get to you." Sango turned to him, silently pleading.

"Please. If you care so much for her, you won't stay. I'll call for you when she's well."

Sesshoumaru cast a distressed glance at Kagome, then grabbed Rin and jumped out the window. He mentally ordered his servants to vacate the castle, going as far away as the barrier spell in the forest.

+++++++

"Are they gone?" Kagome asked, startling Sango. Sango whipped around as Kagome sat up, smiling. Her eyes still flickered between colors, but she seemed to be under control.

"Kagome?"

"Yeah?" she asked, pointing to the window. Lightening flew from her finger out the window. "Just making sure we're alone."

"Kagome, this is the craziest thing you've ever done!" Sango exclaimed. Kagome laughed as Sango hugged her.

"I had to think of something! How is everyone?"

"Inuyasha, when we left, was very upset about you not being there. Miroku is the same pervert, Shippou misses you so much, and Kaede misses you too. Inuyasha goes back to your time every now and then to assure your mother that you're not in the hands of some ferocious demon." Sango looked around, noticing the rich layout of what remained of her room.

"Although I wonder if we should have been worried about you to begin with."

Kagome scoffed. "Don't let Sesshoumaru fool you. He could care less about me."

"You should have seen the look on his face when he arrived at the village. Your intentions are good, Kagome, but I believe you really scared him."

Kagome shrugged. "So? I'm tired of this. If its not Inuyasha playing with my head, its him. It's getting really old."

Sango placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder. "They both love you, you know."

"Yeah right. I don't want to play 'who loves me' anymore. I want to go home."

Sango sighed, handing her the wand. "What is this thing, anyway?"

Kagome smiled and stuck the whirling brush in her mouth. "Thank God! I was stuck with my old one for so long, I thought my teeth would fall out." {yes, it's a battery operated toothbrush.} Sango groaned, then ducked as Kagome shot another bolt out the window.

"We need a plan," she said, jerking the brush out of Kagome's mouth.

Kagome pouted. "I was just getting to that. What I plan to do is, in a month, tell Sesshoumaru that I need to return to the village to get the rest of the jewel and put it back together. We'll meet you and the others at the well. When the jewel is complete, I'll fall in the well. I'll seal it in my time for a few months, then come back when I think Sesshoumaru has given up on me."

Sango shook her head. "I don't think that'll work. Sesshoumaru cares for you more than you realize."

Kagome waved her off, another blot flying out the window. They heard Jakken curse colorfully, and they giggled.

"Oops. Oh well. Anyway, will you help me?"

Sango nodded, hugging Kagome tightly. "Of course."

Kagome grinned, hugging her back. "Good. Now lets give them a show before they come back."

Sango stepped back as Kagome raised her arms. The lightening changed to waves of ki, spreading over the castle and across the field outside. The waves split in front of Sango like before, then swirled back when Kagome shrieked. She flopped down on the bed, winking at Sango as her eyes returned to normal.

"Don't worry about me, Sango. I just need some sleep."

Sango nodded as she drifted off. Seconds later, Jakken burst through the remains of the door as Sesshoumaru landed in Kagome's window.

"How dare that wench!" he growled. He reached for Kagome's neck, ready to strangle the defenseless girl. Sesshoumaru punted the toad, Jakken rolling over and over until he crashed into what was left of the wall.

"But my lord, she almost killed me," he sputtered. Sesshoumaru said nothing, setting Rin on the bed beside Kagome instead. He looked at Sango and she nodded.

"She'll be fine. She just needs rest, and a little food when she wakes up."

Sesshoumaru nodded and picked her up. Warning Jakken of the consequences should he do anything to the girls in his absence, he flew off, taking Sango back to Kaede's. Setting her down in the village square, he took off again. He landed an hour later in Kagome's window, a small smile creeping across his face. Rin was asleep in Kagome's arms. He picked them up and carried them to another room. Settling them down on the new futon, he laid down beside them. He looked down at them, Rin between him and Kagome. He smiled again and went to sleep, dreaming about the two girls under his care.

++++++

Sango turned to Inuyasha and Miroku, a smile on her face.

"Guys, you'll never believe this, but Kagome is fine. She has the perfect plan to get home."

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SF: Ok, everybody find Sesshyangel and give her a big hug. I had no idea this chappie was missing until she said something was weird about chapter 17. So everyone glomp Sesshyangel! Thanks!