I don't own anything Inuyasha.

A/N: Unedited. If you see something, you can let me know. I'm not offended.

…

Kagome sat at her kitchen table for a long time after Nathan had left. Normally, she would feel as if the day was wasting away, but her mind was too occupied to worry about what she should be doing.

Chores, weekend work emails, and grocery shopping just seemed… silly. She was trying to determine the fate of one of the oldest and most dangerous creatures she had ever known. A creature so out of place that most people believed his kind were strictly fairy tales. A creature that could kill without remorse, and one that was currently curled up at her feet. Well, 'at her feet' wasn't exactly correct. Perhaps, 'at her knees' was more accurate.

Sesshoumaru laid by where she sat, his head resting on enormous paws and his ears brushing against her knees. The faint outline of a crescent moon was on his brow and the two vague stripes that curved along each jowl were a glimpse into all that was hidden beneath this facade. Nathan had been right, she did not have long to decide at all.

So, she had a creature from the most brutal time period of her country's history waiting to be unleashed on a world that was woefully unprepared. Kagome was not sure what his motivations and hesitations towards supreme conquest were back then, but she was sure they were going to clash horribly, and possibly violently, with the present.

When she was younger this decision would have been easy. If she saw wrong, she fixed it, regardless of what her friends had tried to warn her about. Her idealism had gotten her into no small amount of trouble when she was a teenager. No, she did not regret it, but she also had the luxury of spouting off her convictions to an era that could not relate to her tolerance, quality of life, and level of protection. The unyielding optimism and lack of caution that had guided so many of her actions were considered so odd back in the Feudal Era because, normally, those things got people killed. Every day she grew more aware of how lucky she was to have found the family that she did through the well. Gripping her cold tea cup, she wished she could ask their advice now.

The huge white dog sighed so deep that it rumbled through herself and the table. Tentatively, she reached out to stroke the hint of demonic markings and she took his lack of reaction as acceptance of her touch, and possibly a sign of trust. Her heart wrenched.

Once again, the world was trusting her to do the right thing and to do her duty, but it physically pained her to think that Sesshoumaru was also trusting her and the right decision might not be his awakening.

Would he want to be back? Once he fully transforms into the present, would he resent her for waking him? What could possibly be here for him that would make all those years of waiting worth it?

Across the room her cell phone went off again, notifying Kagome of a new text. She sighed. As she sat there considering the future, with a fair amount of wallowing, the world was still turning. Time did not stop, even when it spun backwards for her all those years ago. She had been naive then, thinking that her adventure could last forever. But nothing does. Life moves on. It changes. She looked down and ran her fingers through the thick, white coat of the trapped demon in her care. Maybe, it was supposed to be this way.

The chair squeaking across the linoleum woke Sesshoumaru. His languid expression followed her as she stood. Kagome groaned and stretched her stiff limbs, enjoying the feeling of the blood rushing through tense muscles, and was reminded of how her reiki had felt. It had been resistant in the years that followed her last trip through the well, but had come so naturally this morning. Experimentally, she focused on her hand and tried to access it.

At first, nothing happened. Her growling empty stomach showed more sign of life than her outstretched hand. Kagome huffed, focused on her annoyance, because it all seemed to be connected to her emotions anyways, and stared intimidatingly at her fingers. She did not realize she was holding her breath until a cold nose bumped into her other hand. She gasped, turning her attention quickly to Sesshoumaru, and felt her arm begin to warm.

It was faint, just a flicker. A quiet beckoning, like just getting a glimpse of someone you recognized in a crowd but had a hard time tracking them. Her grin was automatic and, it seemed, so was the large dog demon's displeasure.

Sesshoumaru growled low in his chest in response to the flickering power. It wasn't dangerous, but it wasn't entirely without warning either.

"Shh," she tried to sooth the massive, fluffy almost-youkai, brushing her free fingers on the top of his head and hoping to hold onto the feeling of trust from earlier. Along with the weakly blooming reiki, a nagging, cold fear dropped into her stomach. Being this close to an irritated Sesshoumaru was probably a bad idea. One thing that had stayed the same was her dumb sense of bravery.

They held their eyes for a moment and she concentrated. Slowly, Kagome knelt down in front of him, her head now at his level, and tried to keep her breath steady. Between her achingly slow movements and trying to keep the feeling of her power focused, her body was tiring quickly. Sesshoumaru's large, canine eyes bounced between her alit hand and the calm expression she was forcing.

"It's okay," she chanted quietly, trying to convince herself as well. "It will be okay."

His growl ceased, but not his apprehension. She could feel his tension, years of being around skittish animals heightening her sense for it, but she couldn't stop now. Remembering the first meeting in the warehouse, when the spiritual power could touch him without harm, gave her the confidence that she could continue. Her non-reiki hand rubbed soothing circles behind his ear and, gulping the heavy lump in her throat down, she brought her pink fingers between them.

The inuyoukai huffed and tensed to back up.

Kagome froze. "Can you understand me, Sesshoumaru?"

His eyes flicked to her face briefly, then back to the light emitting from her offered hand.

She was tiring quickly. Her weak hold was dwindling, but she had to try it. She had to know.

"Do you trust me, Sesshoumaru?" The reiki was now just a dull glow, her arm was sore, and her head began to pulse with a threatening headache. With a weak nod, she reached out with her power-laced hand and cupped Sesshoumaru's dog face where the ghost of his once vibrant stripes were.

Instantly, the block that prevented pulling her energy to the surface eased. Matching the struggle she had been applying to access it, a flood of reiki spilled from her.

The air sizzled between her and the once youkai. Sesshoumaru stood, knocking her backwards as he broke away from the touch, and towered over her. Suddenly, Kagome felt very vulnerable.

"Oh, this was stupid this was stupid this was stupid…"

She gasped and began to crawl backwards. Her breath was ragged and vision tinged with pink. No, she was still glowing! For years she couldn't get the damn energy to come when called, and now she couldn't turn it off! Deep down, she recognized it as a defense tactic.

Not that it would do much good.

A bulky, white foot took a step towards her. Deep, narrowed, golden eyes locked her in place. Her chest burned, and she realized she had stopped breathing. He got closer, his front paws trapping her to either side as she laid almost completely prone. He brought his muzzle to her face and Kagome could feel his growl, like resonating thunder, come from deep within him. Then, she noticed his markings.

They were sparkling as the unleashed reiki faded into his fur. The magenta on his eyelids made the amber of his gaze more intense. The crescent moon bled a deep, navy blue, and the pale stripes she had touched just a moment ago slashed across his face.

He lowered further down. His whiskers tickled her cheek, the soft fur almost fully encasing her, and she felt his nose in her hair. She finally took a breath as she gasped, feeling the small space between them sizzle against their conflicting energies again, and waited for a shock, but it didn't come. Kagome reached out and touched his chest, feeling the strong beat against her shaking hand. There was a sharp, tingling sensation, and she felt her body warm, but it didn't hurt either of them.

The mighty dog nudged the side of her head in… approval? "Oh…" she realized. "He isn't trying to stop me. He's feeding off of me."

She gulped again, her throat sore, and forced herself to calm. Her hand left his body, her head turned away, and she started to slowly scoot backwards. Wincing, Kagome concentrated on the long dormant reiki within her and forced it down. The turbulent waves were reluctant, but too slowly began to dwindle. Finally, she was able to breathe deep as she felt it die down and sleep once again.

Still inching away, Kagome brought her focus back to Sesshoumaru.

In the empty space she had put between them, he had laid down, his head between his front paws, and flattened his ears against his head.

Then, he whimpered.

Her heart stopped. It was just once, but the fragile plea conveyed its meaning. He might not understand what was happening to him, what would happen if he continued, but he was seeking it out. God, she hoped he didn't understand, because Kagome didn't know if she could go through with this.

Thankfully, her cell phone chirped again. She wanted to jump up and run. The aching slowness of cautiously rising to walk to her kitchen did nothing to lessen the tension.

It was her tripping on the rumpled carpet as she watched Sesshoumaru rather than where she was going that broke the mood. She glared at him, as if he had posed no danger just a moment before, like he was just her monstrous, terrorizing house pet, as she picked herself off the floor again.

At her scowl, Sesshoumaru huffed and turned his attention towards the patio, gazing outside with partly vacant eyes like the dog he currently was.

It was disconcerting how quickly he had switched back, but Kagome was grateful. Whatever had just happened was ridiculously close to making a decision for her. Sesshoumaru shifted and the floor creaked dangerously under his weight. She had to get him out of here. She had to think. She needed just a little more time… and space.

Kagome's expression brightened. She knew exactly where she needed to go.

Her hands were still shaking when she finally retrieved her neglected cell phone, then she balked at the amount of notifications. Other than the normal email and social media nonsense, there were four missed calls and texts from her brother.

"Sota?" she asked out loud, trying to make sense of it. Of course, there were no voicemails. Sota hated leaving voicemails, claiming no one did that anymore, and had been exasperated that his lame, older sister didn't just know that inherently. How leaving a message was considered uncool was beyond her, but teenage boys had always been far beyond her urgency in his messages, however, broke her short-lived, tenuous calm.

'Hey! Call me back!'

Today 0714

'Hey! Where r u?'

Today 0905

'Nee-chan! Text me!'

Today 1206

'Nm its okay tytl'

Today 1327

Her brow furrowed in irritation. Seriously, the lack of information he offered was just offensive. Kagome's thumbs typed harder than necessary out of concern and a small amount of ire.

'Your grammar is horrendous. Are you sure everything is okay?'

Today 1329

In the buzzing quiet of her apartment, Kagome stared down at her phone waiting for an immediate answer. Of course, it came, since Sota was never without his phone anymore.

'Yes, everything is okay. Do not trouble yourself. I was mistaken earlier and thought there was a situation I needed help with, but it turns out it was nothing. Thank you for getting back to me hours after it would have been useful.'

Today 1330

Kagome sneered, annoyed in the special way only siblings could. Out loud, she complained, "Smartass."

With the not-an-emergency out of the way, she brought her full focus back on the very real situation. A quick call to the office cleared her schedule for the following Monday and Tuesday. The reservation for an obscenely large vehicle cost an arm and a leg, but she was able to pick it up by tonight. She texted Kimiko her general plan in case they became worried and, she acknowledged with no small amount of fear, if anyone needed to know where her last known location was. Finally, and Kagome always felt content organizing what came next, she scheduled a five day cabin trip out by Mount Kumotori, where they would be surrounded by the forests, and open sky, and all the things that reminded her of when she was fifteen and felt like she could change the world.

After the booking was complete, Kagome looked to Sesshoumaru, lazing in the early afternoon sun and sleeping. Today had been eventful for him as well. Tonight they would have to drive out of the city. Whether tomorrow meant she would do what she could to bring him back, or if she would release him back into the wild, Kagome didn't know. He had survived this long on his own, alone… right? He could be okay. Maybe he will even go back to a somewhat normal size…

Kagome was suddenly very sick to her stomach and she hurried to her room as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb the possibly sleeping Sesshoumaru. Her covers were still twisted and falling off her bed from this morning, reflecting the current torrent of her thoughts. As she attempted to settle her emotions and half-heartedly packed, she kept trying to distract herself with memories of the past, of who he once was and what all he was capable of.

He could slay entire armies without batting an eye.

And care for one little girl with all the power in his heart.

He would attack his own half-brother without mercy.

And then learn from his mistakes and fight alongside him.

His past mistakes had dire consequences, and a slip-up from someone as powerful as he was would be catastrophic.

But, did that make it alright to judge him by his mistakes and not how he sought to atone for them? Did his potential harm mean more than the potential for good she knew he had in him?

Would trusting him to be the tempered conqueror from Nathan's poem be her catastrophic mistake; another jewel shattered, leaving devastation and despair in its wake?

It was too much. This was too big and she felt so, so small. Still clutching random clothes she had been throwing in the luggage, Kagome slumped to the floor and felt the squeezing of her heart break her. She hunched over, unsure, and wept.

...

A/N: Thanks for reading/reviewing! :]