For The Love of Another

Disclaimer:  I don't own, don't sue or I'll contersue.

For The Love of Another

Sesshomaru held her close to his person.  He growled savagely as the taijiya tried to approach.  No one would touch her, no one would come near her while he was here.  He looked down at her soft, sweet face.  Gratefully, she was unconcious.  Her body was littered with wounds, some deep, some not so deep.  Her face had a scratch that reached from the center of her forehead, across her right eye and down her cheek to wrap around the back of her neck.  It was deep, but, thankfully, it would not scar.  He gently ran his knuckles down the unscathed side of her face.

It was wrong for this kind young woman who had so generously accepted him into her heart.  Aniki, she called him.  Aniki-sama when in the presence of others.  Aniki, can you take me back to the well?  Aniki, can you help me find some firewood for tonight?  Aniki this, Aniki that.  He never spoke his feelings simply because she was so vocal with hers.

Brown eyes fluttered open and looked into his concerned gold ones.  "Aniki?" she said softly.

Sesshomaru felt his breath leave his body in a great whoosh.  She was alive.  "Kagome," he replied, just as softly.

"What happened?" Kagome asked, trying to turn her head to see around her.  He stopped her, though, gently putting his hand up to keep her looking at him and not allowing her to see the gruesome battle field.  Such a soft heart should not be hardened by such a sight.  "What happened?" she asked again, this time with a little more desperation in her voice.

"The final battle," the taiyoukai said, his heart pounding in his chest.  Why did he have to repeat all that had happened?  Such a waste of life.

"Kagome," the taijiya said, stepping forward to stand above the two.  Her breathing was ragged, her clothes in the same shape as her breath.  She held the near lifeless form of her faithful nekomata in her arms.  The two tail's pulse was weak but definitely there.

"Sango?" the young miko asked, exhausted.  She left her unspoken question hanging in the air.

"Oh, Kagome," Sango choked on her words.  "They're gone, they're both gone."  She collapsed to her knees, sobbing her heartache.  She cried for the love of her life, for the life he was cruelly denied, for the life she was so cruelly denied.  Only time would tell when and how she would move on and pick up the pieces of her shattered life.  The young woman gently stroked the cream colored fur of the neko in her arms.  Tears ran in torrents down her face, leaving clean streaks among all the dirt and grime.

Kagome's eyes widened before she turned her head into the Taiyoukai's chest, sobbing her misery and heartache.

Sesshomaru gently ran his clawed hand through her hair, removing the knots and debris.  A deep croon resonated from his broad chest, soothing the young woman in the only way he knew how.  He leaned his head down and gently nuzzled her temple.  His little sister.  She was safe, unharmed.  Alive, she was alive.  

Naraku had tried his best to kill them all.  He succeeded in piercing a barrier the houshi had erected around an unconcious Inuyasha.  Two birds with one stone.  The evil hanyou's malevolant laughter filled the air around him as he withdrew his putrid, fetid tentacles from the two men's bodies.  He was so high on his victory that he did not notice Kagome in all her righteous anger.  The young woman, with tears in her eyes, loaded her last arrow with the remaining amount of her miko ki.  "Naraku!" she had roared, the only warning before she released her final weapon.

The arrow's course was straight and true.  It struck the heart of their deadly foe, disintigrating him into ashes in seconds.  The young woman collapsed after expelling the last of her energy.  She was drained.

Sesshomaru had been battling a tentacle and rushed to her side to catch her before she hit the ground.  The blood soaked figure cradled her gently in his arms, kneeling down to the ground.  He gently talked to the unconcious girl, telling her all manner of things.  "We did it," he whispered.  Then, with a grin on his face, he ammended his statement.  "You did it.  You did it, Kagome.  You defeated Naraku."  He stroked her hair in a soothing manner, more for himself than for her.  His pulse was racing and his beast was roaring at the near death of its sister.

The girl was so small, so fragile.  Yet her will to live was so strong it surprised the Taiyoukai.  He thought back on how she had ensnared him to join their little tachi.

He had been patrolling his lands, in search of a demon to vent his frustration upon in a most brutal and deadly way.  She had purposefully gone alone to a hotspring, hoping to bath and perhaps lure him there.  He had caught her scent on the wind and made his way the onsen where she was soaking.

"Miko," he had called her.  

The young woman tilted her head back to look at him with her soft brown eyes and a smile on her face.  "Hai, Sesshomaru?" she had responded.

"What posses my half brother to leave you alone?" Sesshomaru asked.  This girl was a vital part in the fight against Naraku.  Should she die, their hopes of an easy victory would die with her.  But then, the victory had not been easy anyway.

"Um, the fact, perhaps, that I sat him around twenty times to let me go?  Oh and the fact that I had Miroku cover him with sutras to prevent him from following," she giggled at the memory.  "I guess you could say that's what possesed him."  She grinned at him again.

"Hn, then perhaps it falls to me to protect you since it seems Inuyasha is clearly incapable of doing so."  With that, the Taiyoukai had taken a seet about a yard from the edge of the natural pool.  He sat in a cross-legged manner, closing his eyes yet raising his senses to their highest levels.  When a youkai moved too close, it merely took a flick of his wrist to elminate the threat.

Kagome giggled behind one of her hands as she washed her body, removing the evidence of the day's travels.  

"What is it that you find so funny, Miko?" Sesshomaru had asked, his eyes still closed.  This woman had a funny way of making anyone who really knew her want to protect her, to see to her well being.  Perhaps it was some sort of spell?  No, it was not a spell, not one that he could tell anyway.  It took him a moment before he realized what it was.  It was her personality.  Her vivacious, lively, talkative, sweet personality that drew people to her.  It was the way she accepted anyone and everyone who was kind, youkai and demon alike.

"Nothing, Sesshomaru.  Oh, and my name is Kagome.  Ka-go-me," she repeated it in syllables like she did for so many.  

The Taiyoukai glared at her and repeated his question.  "Alright then, Ka-go-me, what is it you find so funny?"

"Simply the fact that you want to protect me, a human girl," Kagome smiled at him.  "Turn around for a minute, will you?  I need to dry off and get dressed."

The Taiyoukai obliged her, responding as he did so.  "You are a valuable asset in the fight against Naraku.  I would not have it be said that I left you alone to your fate when I was nearby.  I have reasons of my own to defeat Naraku, but I know when help is needed.  I am not the foolish pup my half brother is."

"Of course you aren't, Sesshomaru.  You are much smarter than he can be sometimes."  He heard her sit down behind him.  She wrapped her arms around his neck in a light hug.  "Should anyone ever suggest something like that, just send them to me and I'll set them straight," she giggled.  

"Hn," was his response.

Kagome laughed as she stood, gathering her things to leave her little place of semi-solitude.  She turned to make the ten minute trip back to their camp only to find Sesshomaru standing before her.  "Oh!" she cried, a little startled.  "What is it Sesshomaru?"

"Kagome, how far is it to your camp?"  

The young woman blinked, and blinked again.  Okay...  "It's about a ten minute walk.  Why, Sesshomaru?" she asked, her head tilted to one side in confusion.

"Come," he offered her his arm.  "This Sesshomaru will escort you, to make sure you safely reach the hanyou."  Kagome blushed and accepted the offered arm.

Ten minutes later they walked into the camp only to be confronted with the sight of a houshi out cold, a kit and nekomata curled up together and a taijiya raging at a hanyou who was foaming at the mouth.  Apparently he was still mad about being sat.  Oh, and the fact that she went off alone.

"Hey guys," Kagome called.  "What's up?"  Her eyes scanned the camp, taking everything in.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, flinging spittle everywhere.  "Where the hell have you been?  It's been nearly an hour since you left the camp.  Some demon could have killed you."  His eyes caught site of her hand placed in the crook of Sesshomaru's arm.  The were reduced to little slits as he stared at her.  "Oi, bastard!" he called.  "Let go of Kagome."

"Calm down, Inuyasha!  Sesshomaru found me in the hotspring and sat guarding me until I was finished.  Then he offered to escort me back to the camp.  I accepted.  Now calm down before I say the 's' word," Kagome threatened.

"Keh, woman.  Mind your own business."  He grabbed his sword and unsheathed it, brandishing it around.

Sesshomaru, never one to back down from a challenge, stepped up and unsheathed Tokijin.  He looked down when he felt a gentle touch on his arm.  

Kagome looked up at him, her big brown eyes watering.  "Please, Aniki," she whispered, drawing all shocked eyes to her.  "Please don't fight with Inuyasha.  Come join our group, I know you can work together."

Everyone stood there for a moment, wondering what was going to happen.  Finally, Sesshomaru broke the silence.  "Hai, I will join your group, Kagome.  It seems that the hanyou is incapable of correctly protecting you.  Therefore the job falls to me.  I will return with the sunrise."

And so he did.  The next morning, Kagome was awakened when a eight year old, black haired ball of energy landed on her sleeping bag.  The child wrapped her arms around the older girl.  "Kagome-nee-san!" she squealed.

"Rin!" Kagome hugged her in return.  "It is good to see you, too."

From then on, Sesshomaru's group became one with Kagome's group.  On many occasions when Inuyasha would sneak off to the clay pot, Sesshomaru would hold his "little sister" in his arms as she cried her heartbreak.

Then, came the final battle.  The group had been on a fervant run in the northern direction.  Kagome was riding on her aniki's back, still furious with Inuyasha over something, with Shippou on her shoulder.  Miroku and Sango sat astride Kirara while Jaken and Rin were on Ah-Un.  Kagome's ability to sense the jewel shards led them to a small clearing where Naraku was waiting.  Ah-Un along with Jaken, Rin and Shippou were quickly sent back to a small clearing where they would be safe.  Then, the battle had begun.

Within twenty minutes, Inuyasha made a careless swing with Tessaiga and was knocked unconcious by a tentacle.  Miroku quickly moved to stand in front of his prone form and created a barrier to stave off Naraku's deadly miasma and tentacles.  Sango and Kirara valiantly fought against Kagura and Kanna.  Eventually, with one of Kagom'e sacred arrows, Kanna's mirror broke and both incarnations retreated to safety.  Sesshomaru fought his way to the near center of Naraku before one of the evil hanyou's tentacles broke the monk's barrier.

Kagome's convulsions brought Sesshomaru back to the present.  She was talking to him.

"...about their bodies?"  She looked up at him, tears pouring from her eyes.  What was she to do?  She had lost the love of her life and one of her best friends in one fell swoop.  How was she supposed to cope with all this grief the fates so cruelly decided to throw on her?  She looked to him, her new Alpha.

"We will bury them.  Both were honorable warriors and will be given all the proper funeral rights," Sesshomaru said softly, getting to his feet.  He carried his little sister in his arms as he walked to where Jaken would be waiting.  His ears twitched slightly when he heard the rustle of grass and fabric as the demon slayer stood to her feet.

"Wait," Kagome whispered.  He stopped and looked down at her.  "Please, don't leave their bodies here.  Please," she begged, tears beginning to flow again.

"What would you have me do?" the taiyoukai asked.

"Isn't there some way you can bury them here?  I'll stay and wait until you get back or get done or whatever."

"We passed a village with a proper monk earlier this morning," Sango piped up.  Her voice cracked as she spoke.  She tried and failed to smile.

Sesshomaru nodded.  He was thinking of a way to deal with the situation when a tornado erupted from the trees and stopped before him.

"Oi, where's the mutt--" Kouga began, only to stop and sniff the air.  He looked around him and his face fell as the gravity of the situation hit him.  "It happened, didn't it?"  Sango nodded mutely.  "Without me.  Is there anything I can do?" he asked, his eyes travelling to Kagome who was still in her Aniki's arms.

The white dog growled low and hugged her closer.  No one would touch his sister, especially not some flea-bitten wolf.  

Kagome looked up into Kouga's soft brown eyes.  "Oh, Kouga.  He's gone!" she wailed.

The wofl prince stepped up to the young woman and gently smoothed her hair.  "Is there anything I can do?" he asked again.

"Can you take Sango to go and retrieve a monk to give Inuyasha and Miroku proper funeral rights?" she asked timidly.

"There's no need for me to take her, I can smell the village from here.  I'll be back shortly," he promised her with a nod before rushing off in a flurry of wind and dirt.  Indeed, it was only a scant twenty minutes later when the prince returned, one furious monk in tow.

Kagome gently disentangled herself from her aniki's arms and walked over to the monk who was now standing on his own two feet.  "Houshi-sama," she started quietly.  The monk looked up at her with beady, suspicious eyes.  "Would you please perform funeral rights for my two friends?" the young woman choked out.

The short, bald man looked behind her to where Inuyasha's and Miroku's bodies lay.  "I will perform the service for the houshi but not for the hanyou," he spat the last word.

"But you, you have to!" Kagome insisted, her knees beginning to wobble.

"I will not."  He crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"You will," Sesshomaru, who had stepped up behind Kagome, threatened with a growl.  His brother would be honored for his valor.

"Do as he says.  Otherwise..." Kouga trailed off, his knuckles cracking.

The fat little man gulped and immediately set about preparing the two bodies for the funeral.  

In time, Kagome accepted Inuyasha's death.  She moved on from his love, though he would always hold a special place in her heart.  She and Sango both stayed with Sesshomaru's group after their loves had been buried.  They traveled his lands, accompanying him wherever he went.  

Kirara recovered from the poison thanks once more to Jinenji.  Shippou took Inuyasha's death especially hard.  The inu hanyou had been the closest thing to an older brother he had.  Though he was often bullied by the half dog, they still held a familial affection for the other.  The young dog moped around the campsite, not playing with Rin or talking with Kagome.  When worse came to worse, Kagome pestered Sesshomaru into try and cheering up the kit.  Needless to say, that didn't work.

One year to the day of their friend's and family's deaths, the small tachi met with Kouga at their gravesite.  The women laid flowers on their respective lovers' graves and said prayers for the happiness of their beloved in the afterlife.  

Sesshomaru remained after everyone had left and whispered a few words into the wind of the fading light.

&&&

Ha, I thought about continuing but I'm not sure I will.  This was pretty much drabble.  No real plot or anything.  Tell me if you think I should continue.  Oh, and I had a thought about making it a Koga/Kag but I'm not sure...tell me what you think.  Oh, and FYI, a male fox can be called a 'dog'.