Disclaimer: I do not own the following characters I've used in this fan fiction! That is the almighty job of Rumiko Takahashi-sensei!

Warning(s): Cursing, intense battle scenes.

Summary: Sesshoumaru is ill, possibly dying, and poor Rin is in search of a way to cure her master's sudden illness. Going against Jaken's orders, the young girl seeks out the one person she thinks might be able to heal him, but can a certain miko cure a sick dog demon without falling head over heals for him first? SessxKag

"Hold Me Closer"

Chapter 8

Written by: UnspokenDreams

The journey back to the clearing had been silent and an uncomfortable sentiment had lingered amongst the atmosphere. Once they'd arrived Inuyasha had made sure Kagome was safe with Sango, who immediately took the miko under her wing, and then left as to be in solitude amongst the forest. Miroku had taken Shippo away from the scene, the fox fit curious as to why his mother figure was in such an unstable state. Nevertheless Kagome's cries had long since stopped yet the girl was still wracked with occasional shuddering breaths. The experience itself had been horrible and the last thing she'd wanted. Still, nothing had changed since she'd arrived. The girl still remained within Sango's embrace as the demon slayer stroked her hair, humming a soothing tune as to calm her. Kagome was her friend and she'd do anything to help when it most needed. Kirara also tried to aid the situation as well. The small golden cat demon sat at their side, rubbing her head against Kagome's hand and speaking out in soft, curious cries.

"Sango..." Kagome began in a soft whisper, her grasp on the older girl slightly shifting. "I've done such a terrible thing."

The other lifted her head from Kagome's and gazed towards her through sincere brown eyes. "What've you done, Kagome?" She asked gently and set aside a drape of black bangs from the miko's face.

Kagome took in a deep breath before continuing. "You were right… Sango, you were right. I do love Sesshoumaru. I don't know how it happened and I've never felt this way about anyone but it's there and I know it for sure now. I love him so much but… I'm not supposed to! I'm supposed to love Inuyasha, right? We've grown so close over these past few years and I destroyed everything in just one night with Sesshoumaru! I'm a horrible person and Inuyasha will never look at me the same way again," She explained as fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

Sango soaked in her words, nodded, and brushed away Kagome's tears using the side of her draped sleeve. "You can't help the way you feel Kagome. It's not your fault you've fallen in love with another. You've only done what your heart has told you. Yes, Inuyasha's hurt and only time and acceptance can heal that. Moving away from that how does Sesshoumaru feel towards this all?"

"He hates me. He told me to go back to Inuyasha and he said that everything that happened between us was a mistake. What can I do? The one I love hates me and the one who cares for me hates me!" The teenager cried and buried herself further into the hold.

Sango's grasp on Kagome tightened. It was awful to hear her friend sound so troubled, so very hurt. "As much as it might hurt Kagome you need to talk to Inuyasha regarding all of this."

"I can't! I just can't!"

"Yes you can and you will! You need to be strong Kagome…you need to overcome this grief. I know it's hard and it won't be easy but you're not going to accomplish anything by feeling sorry for yourself. Believe me," Sango said softly as Kagome looked up to meet her gaze.

Silence and then, "You're right. I have to talk to Inuyasha. I just hope he'll listen to me."

"He will Kagome, he will."

Separating herself from Sango's body, Kagome nodded and leant forward to give her friend a final embrace. "Thank you Sango. You're a great friend. What would I do without you?"

The demon slayer smiled as she watched Kagome stand and wipe at her eyes. "It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me."

Kagome returned the smile and nodded before turning on her heel and heading off in an unset direction.

XXxX

"I trust all went well…" A cold voice proceeded forth from the shadows of the dim room. The door slid open and revealed the form of a tall, silver-haired being that walked and knelt in the presence of its master. Amber orbs rested on the figure that remained clothed by darkness.

"Yes master. The human girl truly believed I was this "Sesshoumaru" you spoke of," The creature answered before its Sesshoumaru-like body underwent a transformation, revealing a raccoon-like demon. Unlike the raccoon demon that aided Inuyasha and Miroku this one was vicious, cruel, and reeked of an evil aura. A bitter smile upturned Naraku's lips as the demon's crimson eyes flashed.

"Excellent. I'm sure Sesshoumaru is aware I've kept a close eye on him and his whereabouts. Although I must say… I myself was surprised to find that Inuyasha's little human girl felt so strongly about his brother. Interesting to say the least, don't you think? And what of Sesshoumaru?" Naraku inquired as a slender finger traced across his lips.

The demon servant before him grinned, fangs bared and silver pupil-less eyes glowing. "The distraction worked perfectly. By kidnapping his little human runt I was able to lure him away from the girl long enough to do what you asked. Once he'd found the younger girl and gone back the half demon had already taken the other."

"By this point Sesshoumaru is surely to know I've been involved. The fool…" Naraku chuckled darkly and ran a hand through his wavy tresses. "I can only imagine how Inuyasha is taking all of this. Now then… you will go now and execute my final task. Kill Inuyasha and the girl."

"Yes master. Consider it done," The slave before him grinned and in an instant retook the previous form of Sesshoumaru. "I will make sure to bring you back their heads." Sesshoumaru's voice followed and shortly left the room.

Naraku merely sighed and looked to Kanna who sat with her mirror clasped within her grasp. "It's a shame, isn't it? I really liked that servant to."

XXxX

"You can't catch me Inuyasha!" She'd laughed as the wheels on her bike turned faster, the hanyou in hot pursuit behind her.

"Like hell I won't! I can outrun that thing any day!" He shouted his reply and gave a great leap, landing a few feet in front of her path. Her eyes had widened as she realized she wouldn't be able to stop the bicycle in time.

"Inuyasha, watch out!"

He didn't know when the impact had happened or even if she'd hit him but he found his body, along with hers, tumbling down the hill in a tangle of limbs and shouts before they came to rest against the bottom of the hill in a grassy growth of plant-life. Opening amber eyes he sat up quickly only to find her body on top of his, her brown eyes looking directly at him. A blush covered both of their faces as they realized their position yet neither one of them shifted as to change it. Instead he'd wrapped his arms around her and she'd leant against him.

"Are you okay?" His voice was soft, sincere and far from its usual manner.

"Yeah, I think so."

"Good."

The two of them had remained like that for a short while as the evening was littered with fireflies and the sky bruised above them.

"Inuyasha?"

Shaking his head a bit the hanyou was brought out from his thoughts from the voice that'd called to him. He turned and found Kagome standing a few feet behind him, expression nervous and lacking its usual form. "Hey…"

"Can we talk?" A simple and yet needing question.

Inuyasha sighed and looked away, a signal for her to come over. She took the un-implied hint and slowly walked over to his seated body, kneeling onto her knees in a traditional way. Before she could so much as get a word in he'd already begun to speak.

"Ya know Kagome… when I first met you and even a few months after that the one person I would see when I looked at you was Kikyo. No matter how hard I tried I'd always see her face in yours. It pissed me off beyond belief because I knew…that she was gone. Well, the old Kikyo at least. And then out of nowhere it hit me. You're not Kikyo…you're Kagome and I want to be with you. I want to be with Kagome, not Kikyo. I wanted to be with the person who made my life a hell of a lot easier." The half demon laughed a little before turning to face Kagome who was fighting back tears. "Pretty stupid huh? I guess now I have a reason to hate my brother. It's not so much that he wants to kill me anymore. It's that he stole the girl of my dreams, the one I loved and I wanted to be with."

"Inu…yasha…"

"No, no it's alright Kagome. Losing someone dear to you is... painful. It will always be painful. The only way to get over it is to accept that that person is gone and far from reach. It sounds like a stupid thing to do - as if you are being asked to forget. But remember, I still got memories. I won't forget-"

Inuyasha was suddenly cut off as Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck, shaking her head against his chest. "You'll always be my friend Inuyasha. I love you, I really do. Just not the way I'd hoped. I made a promise to help you find all of the jewel shards and if you'll let me I plan on keeping that promise!"

The dog-eared boy remained frozen beneath her hold, amber eyes wide and trembling before he placed a clawed hand on top of her head. "You don't have to do that Kagome."

"But I will! I'll stay by your side until each and every one of those shards are found!"

He remained silent after her previous answer, feeling a sudden sadness imprison him as reality sunk in. His vision soon became blinded by a screen of tears and for the first time in a long while he, Inuyasha, cried into her shoulder. Kagome held him close, eyes squeezed shut as she felt his body shake and she couldn't help but try and soothe the scar that'd never heal.

What have I done?

"INUYASHA! KAGOME!"

The two's heads immediately snapped upwards as Miroku's form came into the sight. It appeared the monk was in a great disturbance as he finally caught up to the pair.

"You must come quickly. There's been an attack in the area. Sango is currently fighting the force back but sadly she, like myself, is not a match for him."

Kagome stood, followed by Inuyasha who immediately ran an arm across his damp eyes. "Him?" they both asked in an unplanned unison.

Miroku's expression seemed to take a downcast, "Sesshoumaru…"

The miko gasped into her hands and turned to face the half demon only to find he was no longer by her side but far ahead, eyes filled with rage and hands rested at the hilt of his sword.

XXxX

"Is that really all you have to attack with? What a foolish little human," Sesshoumaru stated and sneered as Sango's previously thrown attack had missed. The demon slayer winced, having earned herself a wound, and caught her boomerang just as it returned. Nevertheless she stood her ground.

"Say what you want but I won't forgive you for hurting Kagome!" She shouted and mounted Kirara, the fire cat immediately taking to the air.

Sesshoumaru smirked coldly and held up his claws. "You really are pathetic."

"Hold it right there you bastard!"

Amber eyes turned and found Inuyasha standing a few feet in front of him, teeth bared and sword held out in front of him. "Why Inuyasha… have you come to strike with revenge? It wasn't my fault the little wench had her way with me."

"Don't you EVER talk about Kagome that way!" Inuyasha snarled and took a step forward. "Why don't you shut the hell up and fight me!"

"I thought you'd never ask," Sesshoumaru replied and within seconds stood in front of Inuyasha, claws tightly wrapped around the smaller male's neck. Sharpened nails pierced through Inuyasha's skin though the he neither cried out in pain nor flinched the slightest bit.

"I'll kill you," The half demon choked out the harsh whisper as Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, increasing the pressure of his grasp.

"Where have I heard that before?"

The sound of a narrow object flying through the air was faint though grew as a stream of light immerged. Sesshoumaru gasped as he felt something sharp strike him in the back and turned to find Kagome staring at him.

"You let him go Sesshoumaru!" She cried as she tried desperately to cease in shaking.

Releasing his hold on Inuyasha's throat and allowing the dog-eared male to fall to the ground in a fit of coughing, Sesshoumaru approached Kagome who stood her ground uneasily. "Why did you strike me Kagome?" he asked softly and removed the arrow from his back with the unpleasant noise of something sharp being removed from the flesh. "More importantly how could you strike me? Wasn't I the one who saved you? The one who held you through the night and treated you with utmost gentleness when in reality I could have ripped your pretty human face off?" He grasped her face with his hand and forced her to look at him.

"LET HER GO!" Inuyasha screamed and charged once he'd gathered himself, only to be blocked by a sudden barrier Sesshoumaru had put up. The half demon froze. "A barrier! Since when can you put up a barrier!" He shouted and slashed at the glowing blue force with his sword.

Kagome could feel as Sesshoumaru's nails were slashing through her delicate facial skin though the miko was too focused within his eyes to even care. There was something about his eyes that she hadn't noticed before and her theory was only proved correct as his eyes flashed a brief silver. A gasp and then, "You're not Sesshoumaru!"

The demon before her smirked and dug its claws further within her cheek, "You've finally figured it out. Then I suppose I am in no need of this form anymore." And having said his last statement the creature morphed into its natural state. Kagome found herself being held up by the raccoon demon, unable to reach her arrows much less escape. The creature, as it had done Inuyasha, grasped at the girl's neck and held her upwards until her feet no longer touched the ground. Eyes widened Kagome grasped at his hand, trying with everything to remove it. She began to see an array of black followed by the feeling of her lungs closing. The atmosphere around her was spinning as her last moments of life were being mercilessly tugged from her grasp.

"Let the girl go."

The creature was momentarily distracted, this causing its grasp on Kagome to loosen, as it quickly looked forward. The girl gasped a lung-full of clean air and slightly turned her heard within the demon's hold. It couldn't have been- it was.

"Se-Sesshoumaru?" she whispered and watched as the demon lord approached the two of them.

The raccoon demon laughed, "So you finally figured my whereabouts. A little late I'm afraid. In the next second I'm going to crush this human's neck. You needn't worry though. I was instructed to give you her remains as a parting gift."

"I believe your intentions are incorrect for in the next second I'll have ripped off your arm," Sesshoumaru replied and met his words for in the next second the demon stood facing the raccoon, raising his poisonous claws and slashing the arm that held Kagome completely off. The raccoon hissed in pain as a pool of blood drained from its previously held together arm. Meanwhile, Kagome had fallen to the ground, holding her neck and coughing a bit. She soon felt a soft mass behind her and turned to find Sesshoumaru knelt at her side, eyes sincere.

"Are you injured?"

Kagome gaped before answering. "I'm fine- just a small wound." The silver-haired being nodded though allowed his eyes to widen as the girl grasped onto him. "I thought I lost you," she whispered and seized his lips in a small kiss.

He stroked her hair, capturing the thin strands of midnight through his claws before turning and seeing that the raccoon demon had gathered himself and was prepared to fight.

"What's this? The great demon lord Sesshoumaru has fallen in love with a human? Disgusting!" the opposing force spat with eyes of hatred. "You're a disgrace to all that's demon and your life should be taken!"

Sesshoumaru was rarely insulted and when he was, sadly, there'd be a life to take. Slipping himself from Kagome's grasp he stood to his full height and glared sharply. "Treasure those words fool for they are your last…"

Kagome, still seated on the ground, watched as her lover's eyes colored a deep crimson and a sudden wind picked up around them. A large demon dog soon replaced Sesshoumaru's form and growled deeply at its prey.

The raccoon took a step back, eyes widened in horror. "Master Naraku never said you could take on this form!" It stuttered and could only watch as the beast gave a mighty roar, standing in front of Kagome and growling deeply. Trembling in fear the teenage girl covered her eyes with her hands, hearing a horrid screeching followed by the sickening sound of a body being torn apart. After a few minutes everything seemed to stop, sound and time alike. Kagome removed her hands from her face and cautiously opened one eye to see Sesshoumaru returned to his natural form. Not a single drop of blood or carnage stained him or his white attire. He held out a hand to help her up, which she accepted, and stood by him shortly afterwards.

"I had no intentions on doing what I've done. You'll come to find that I dislike arrogance beyond all reason," Sesshoumaru told her as Kagome spooned a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"It's okay. Not like I haven't seen that form before, right?" She laughed slightly and watched as his hand met with her face, her hands reaching up and holding his slender fingers against the skin of her cheek. She smiled and gazed at him with softened eyes. And yet she didn't see a high and mighty demon lord but a gentle and protective lover.

"Kagome, are you alright?"

At the sound of a voice behind her Kagome, still keeping Sesshoumaru's hand at her face, turned to face Inuyasha. The half demon had shielded his sword and was currently watching the pair with eyes of forced acceptance. Kagome's previous loving expression deteriorated to look of sorrowed happiness. "I'm fine Inuyasha. I'll be there in a minute, okay?"

The hanyou nodded, eyes narrowing as they rested on Sesshoumaru before he turned from the scene and walked as to where Sango and Miroku stood.

Turning her attention back to Sesshoumaru Kagome began to speak. "Thank you for everything. You've proved to me that I shouldn't judge and… I'm going to miss you. I made a promise to Inuyasha and I plan on keeping it. I-I love you and I know it now more then ever." She cradled against the furry part of his trademark as his hand slipped from her face, only for his arm to wrap around her.

"Our paths will cross again Kagome, I'm sure of it and until then you will always be in my thoughts," He replied against her hair before resting his lips at the side of her forehead.

"Be sure to tell Rin and Jaken goodbye for me," Kagome added before giving Sesshoumaru a final quick squeeze before she pulled away from him, firmly pressing the tears that had built away as she laughed lightly.

"Agreed."

She nodded and turned from his sight and found the task of leaving him harder then she'd imagined though shortly after she came to stand before her friends. The first to approach the reincarnated priestess was Inuyasha who took the girl into a hug. When he pulled away from the embrace the half demon smiled and stepped aside as two more members of the group approached Kagome. Whilst Sango wrapped an arm around Kagome's waist, Miroku clamped a hand onto the girl's shoulder, the both of them showing their support. Kagome smiled sincerely at all of them as she wondered how she'd been lucky enough to receive such amazing companions. Eyes of chocolate averted away from the small crowd and focused on a figure that was just about out of the area though a brief image of silver still remained.

"I-I love you and I know it now more then ever…"

She smiled at the words that replayed over and over within her mind as a breeze encased around them. Though he hadn't replied to her expression of affection somehow she'd heard him do it anyway.

-THE END-

Author's Note: Wow… I can't believe I'm actually finished with this. I'm seriously all emotional right now XD I'd like to thank all of you for reviewing and keeping my writing spirits up. I love each and every one of you! -Hugs every single person who reviewed- you guys are freekon' awesome. I hope you liked 'Hold Me Closer' and I hope that you'll enjoy…the sequel that's in the works! -Runs away before she gets killed- Farewell for now guys! Love, G-chan.