To Fulfill a Duty by DeadBHunter

Chapter One

To Fulfill a Duty

Chapter One

By: DeadBHunter

Summary: When Sesshomaru is saved by Kagome, he has to save her from the brink of death. He brings Kagome to an aged miko where Kagome learns the tai youkai has feelings under his cold mask. Sess/Kag

"talking" 'thinking'

Chapter One

"You bastard! What do you want now?!"

"I am rather busy, if you wish to delay me, I will have to kill you..."

"Are you going help Naraku again?"

"I do not conspire with the likes of hanyous such as yourself."

"Then why is Naraku's army all around us?!"

"Baka hanyou..."

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The group of shard hunters had gotten themselves in another problem. On their way to look for a rumored shard near the border of the Western Lands, Sesshomaru came through the clearing. Inuyasha being Inuyasha, attacked before asking the tai youkai why he was here. While the two were fighting, Naraku's army, complete with saimyoshou, to prevent Miroku from using his kazaana, appeared. Sango, Miroku, and Kirara were appointed the task of protecting Kagome and preventing any youkai from interfering with the fight between the two brothers.

~~~~~~~~~~

Kagome was glad she had told Shippo to stay at Kaede-bachan's hut. With Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Naraku's army all fighting against each other, her adopted son would have only gotten in the way.

Behind Sesshomaru, Naraku approached seeking death to the Lord of the Western Lands. With Sango and Miroku protecting her, Kagome was the only one who noticed the incoming danger.

'Doesn't he have a little girl with him?'

Kagome recalled seeing the tai youkai with a young girl with black hair and a gap-toothed smile.

'Rin! What will she do without him? Who will watch her? What will she do?'

The hanyou was now so close he couldn't miss the tai youkai of the West. A dark sphere of miasma appeared in front of him, aimed right toward the inu youkai.

"No!"

~~~~~~~~~~

"Kagome-chan!" "Kagome-sama!" "Kagome!"

'Nani? What is she doing?' were their only thoughts as their friend sprinted off toward the stoic tai youkai.

~~~~~~~~~~

She wouldn't make it. She could tell. A sickening feeling began to squeeze at her heart.

'No! I have to make it. What about Rin?'

With that thought she surged forth thinking only of saving a Rin's future, not noticing the light purple glow surrounding her.

Her speed doubled that of an average human, caused by her growing miko powers and her compassionate nature.

'I made it!'

But before she had time to react, a swirling mass of youki drowned out the sight of Naraku in his baboon pelt.

'Inuyasha, Shippo-chan, Sango-chan, Miroku-sama, Mama, Souta, Jii-chan! I'm sorry!' Were Kagome's thoughts before she closed her eyes, expecting to never open them again. She never noticed the purple glow that surrounded her, the same color that helped her save Sesshomaru from death.

~~~~~~~~~~

Sesshomaru defeated the tiger youkai and turned around to see Inuyasha's wench shield him from Naraku's attack. 'What is the bitch doing?'

~~~~~~~~~~

Everyone looked toward Kagome at the sound of her scream, only to see her collapse with Naraku cackling right in front of her.

"No!" all three of her traveling companions yelled worry in their voices.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Kukukukukuku. Inuyasha, your little bitch is mine!" With that said, Naraku picked Kagome up and started to leave.

"Kagome!!!!" was all you heard before you saw a red blur race toward Naraku.

"Sankon Tessuo!" A wooden doll fell on the ground where Naraku was.

Nearby, Kagome lay face down in the dirt.

Everyone rushed toward her with the exception of Sesshomaru who looked as indifferent as ever.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Why should she go with you, Sesshomaru? How do we know you won't kill her in her sleep or something?" Inuyasha shouted.

"I have more honor than to do that. It is a disgrace to my name to kill a worthless ningen in her sleep. A female one at that..."

"She doesn't need to go to some healer with you; Kaede-baba can fix her!" Inuyasha cried out at his brother.

"I will not take her to some healer." 'Many healers have useless spells and chants that do nothing.'

"She will be taken to Junsui, a miko located in my lands. Hopefully your hanyou mind has not forgotten the miko; she was the miko present to help your mother in birth. A disgrace to the miko for touching your human mother and your dirty blood, but she obeyed our father. If she did not, her life would be forfeit. Your bitch has saved my life, as much as it pains me to say so. My honor will not allow your wench to be unrewarded. I am in her debt for the time being. Besides, this is for your bitch's own good. If you do not want to her to live, then so be it. I could care less if another ningen dies."

Sesshomaru did not like this idea any better than his brother. But if he helped her now, then he would be out of debt.

Sango and Miroku, who had been listening throughout the inu youkai's speech, were both hoping that Inuyasha would not let his pride and hate toward his half-brother get in the way of helping Kagome. Even Kaede did not have the knowledge or the training to cure Kagome. Their only hope lay in the youkai in front of them who had more than once threatened their friend's life.

Shippo was devastated! He did not like the thought of Kagome leaving anymore than Sesshomaru liked taking Kagome with him. Especially that it was Sesshomaru who was going to take his surrogate mother away. He had already seen too much death and lost too many people that were close to him in his short life.

"Feh," was Inuyasha's only reply. All knew that Inuyasha had agreed to Sesshomaru's proposal and was willing to let her go with the demon lord.

"If you harm one hair on her head, I will personally hunt you down and cut off your head," Inuyasha growled to his brother, soft enough so that only those that were close enough and with youkai ears could hear his threat.

It was bad enough that his brother would know of his feelings for the injured miko. He did not need the others to know how he felt about her as well.

'I will be out of the miko's debt soon. No one has power over me... even if it is for a favor.' The tai youkai knew that if used correctly, a "mere" favor could cause the downfall of himself and his lands.

He did not like the thought anyone having power over him, be it demon, human, or hanyou.

A/N: For those of you wondering, Junsui means pure. Please read and review! I'll update as soon as I can.

~Jennifer