InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ Protection ( Chapter 18 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

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Sesshoumaru sat near the well in Inuyasha's forest, waiting for a certain young miko to return to his era. After what she had been through at the hands of the undead (now dead) woman and her erstwhile protector, Inuyasha, a few days ago, he had sent her home, to give her time to recuperate and think things through.

After all, dying at the hands of your former incarnation, and betrayal by the person you loved, weren't easy things to handle - and she'd done well to react with the dignity that she had.

It wouldn't hurt anything for her to take a little time and recover a bit of her spirit.

He looked down at the bundle of flowers that lay next to him, and wondered if she would know what he was saying just by seeing them. He'd had Rin look through her book for a flower that stood for protection - and then sent Jaken to acquire them.

He had just finally returned - it seemed these flowers were rather difficult to find.

Fingers brushed softly against the silken, tiny petals of the flowers, and he wondered idly if Kagome's skin would be as soft - then wondered where that thought had come from as he placed the flowers in the sleeve of his haori.

It matters not, I suppose - since my mind asked the question, somewhere inside, something inside must wish to know the answer... maybe at some point I will endeavor to find out.

For now, however...

It had not taken much thought to understand that Inuyasha could no longer be allowed to be the protector of the miko. He had failed, actively failed, by proving that, when it came down to it, there were things that were more important to him than her safety.

He, on the other hand, had no such problem. For whatever reason, and he himself didn't know exactly what his reasons were - yet - Kagome and Rin, and protecting them, were the most important things to him.

Therefore, he was now Kagome's protector.

This was something that he would not allow any other to dispute. If and when Inuyasha came back, for he had not shown himself since that day, he would quickly find that he was no longer the alpha of his pack, and that his alpha female was no longer his... alpha female.

Now, she was the alpha female of Sesshoumaru's pack.

Do you have something to protect?

That infamous question of his father's...

Apparently, now, he had something to protect. And he would do so.

He was pulled from his thoughts by the tingle of magic as it flared against his skin from the depths of the well, and he stood, waiting for the young woman to reach the lip of the structure before reaching forth his hand to assist her over it.

Kagome was surprised to see Sesshoumaru standing there when she reached the top of the well, and even more surprised when he offered his hand for her to take.

She reached out slowly and grasped it, looking up at him curiously, and smiled at him as he pulled her easily over the lip of the well and set her on her feet.

She bowed to him. "Seshoumaru-sama... thank you for helping me," she said, eyeing him quizzically. "Did you have a question for me, or something?"

She was openly wondering why he'd met her here.

Silently, he reached into his sleeve and pulled out the flowers, and handed them to her. She took them, looking at them for a moment, then up at him, a question visible in her eyes.

"Do you know what they are and what they stand for, little miko?" he asked, baritone voice smooth and deep.

"H-hai... white heather," she said, hesitantly. "They are for protection."

He nodded once, still holding her gaze. "Inuyasha has proven that he cannot be your protector - therefore, I will take that place. Does that thought bother you?"

Kagome stared at him for a moment, then looked down at the flowers in her hand.

Does it bother me that he will be my hero now?

Slowly, she shook her head, eyes still locked on the flower. "No. I am just grateful that one such as yourself would consider doing this thing for me - and honored, though I do not understand why."

"There is no answer for that question save that it is because I wish to do so."

He gestured for her to accompany him as they began to walk back towards the village and the other members of the group.

"Have you come to terms with what has happened?"

She nodded slowly, lifting her gaze to the horizon. "I have. It is difficult - but my path will never be one with Inuyasha's. He is my friend, but that is all he will ever be, I know this now." She sighed faintly. "It hurts still."

Sesshoumaru did not look at her, content to keep his gaze fixed straight ahead. "But it will not always hurt."

And she laughed, then, eyes suddenly sparking with a bit of her old spirit. "No... it will not always hurt. Pain doesn't last forever."

"When you are ready, I will answer your questions about what happened."

She nodded, smiling a bit secretively. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama - for everything that you have already done - and for what is still to come."

With that, she ran ahead of him, waving merrily to her friends as they came towards her, leaving him to stand behind and watch.

I... have never known another like this miko, and...

I do not believe I ever will.

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A/N: And it begins. Now that Inuyasha's fate has been sundered from Kagome's in her eyes, she is finally free to begin healing - and seeing another who is worthy of her - and is right before her.

Amber