Title: Always the Damsel

Author: c_e_s_09

Theme: Explosion

Genre: Romance

Rating: T

Warnings: Language

Word Count: 3550

Summary: A miko with a penchant for being a damsel in distress. A youkai with no problems being her white knight.

"Kagome! Watch out!"

A loud bang was heard throughout the field. Silence reigned over the beings there. Smoke cleared as the others held their breath, not knowing what to expect. What met their eyes, however, was not a bit expected.

Kagome had been protected from the backlash of Inuyasha's attack by the very being said attack was aimed at. An unconscious miko was held in the right arm of the Lord of the West, Sesshomaru. Inuyasha stood in shock, not believing what his eyes were seeing.

"Oi, you fucker! Get away from Kagome!"

An amused chuckle echoed across the field. "Pity, little brother. Perhaps you should take better care of your toys, else another might come along to play with them."

In a flash, Kagome was safe in front of Sango, who sat on Kirara's back. Sesshomaru was gone.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

A scream bounced off the walls of the canyon as the clumsy miko ducked to shield herself from falling debris caused by a surprise attack by a youkai. Separated from the tachi, she was all but defenseless. When nothing landed on her, she cracked an eye open. Falling back on her rear, eyes wide in shock, she stared up at Sesshomaru, her savior once again. His giant muzzle had batted away the falling rocks that would have crushed her fragile body. With a gruff bark, he nudged the miko to her feet gingerly with a paw three times her size.

Carefully balancing on his one front paw, he leaned down, motioning for her to climb onto his back. She did so, feeling as though she were dreaming. Gripping the soft fur tightly, she held on as the inu bounded away. Ten minutes later, Sesshomaru slowed his pace. As the huge dog lumbered along, his jyaki swirled around them. A second later, she found herself on the demon lord's back, his glorious silver hair in her grasp.

"You may release this one's hair now, miko.

"O-oh. Sorry."

The stoic lord grunted. The two walked for a few more minutes until Sesshomaru stopped abruptly, causing Kagome to yelp and side-step the large youkai in front of her. "Why'd we stop?" Sesshomaru said nothing, but cocked his head to the side. Copying him, Kagome heard the faint strains of Inuyasha's cursing voice. Little more than a minute had passed before a red blur tackled her and drew her away from the youkai.

"What the fuck, Kagome? Why are you with this bastard?"

Adding fuel to the veritable flame of Inuyasha's temper, Sesshomaru deadpanned, "I believe my parents were mated when I was born, half-breed. Can you say the same?"

Flames leapt in Inuyasha's eyed, but he kept uncharacteristically silent in the face of his sibling's antagonism. Turning to "his" miko, he asked, "Are you okay, 'Gome? Did he do anything to you?"

Rolling her eyes at his paranoia, she said, "Yeah, 'Yasha. He whisked me away to a palace on the moon and we secretly mated."

Both males choked. Inuyasha's eyes bugged out of his head. Sesshomaru's brow lifted in disbelief at her remark. Kagome burst into laughter that had her bent over and clutching her sides. When she could breathe again, she clarified. "Just joking, 'Yasha. He saved me from a rock slide when I was trying to make my way back to you guys."

Slightly mollified, though still upset about her joke, Inuyasha's response was a simple, "Keh!"

Shaking her head, Kagome turned to the youkai. "Thank you for saving me again, Lord Sesshomaru." With a slight bow, Kagome turned to Inuyasha. Before she could say anything to him, Sesshomaru was behind her, close enough to feel his warmth through both of their clothes and his breath upon her neck as he bent down to whisper, "Any time you find the pup lacking in protection, this one shall be there to pick up the slack." And he was gone.

Inuyasha apoplexied.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Kagome cursed. Not only was she once again the damsel in distress, this time she couldn't even move! And the little creep dancing around her was trying to marry her? No way! She lay still, conserving strength. When the poison-master of the Shinitachi crouched over her, she used the bit of force she had saved up to stab the man in an effort to get him away. Just as he was about to retaliate, part of the wall of the hut they were in exploded. Kagome looked up at the one she was coming to deeply admire.

Sesshomaru.

A breathy sigh left her lips. The youkai glanced at the miko for a split second before going after the one who had dared attempt to harm his...something. The youkai hadn't quite figured out what she was yet.

Later, he would muse that he had been too lenient on the man.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Finding Kagome curled into a ball on the forest floor, tear tracks down her face and scratches where she had disregarded branches on her mad dash, gave evidence to her state. Rin immediately jumped to the unconscious woman's aid. "Lord Sesshomaru, we have to help her!"

Though he only grunted and nodded his head at the young girl, inwardly he was seething. The half-breed had once again hurt this kind-hearted woman, this time even physically. His sharp eyes caught the darkening of a bruise on her jaw and upper arms. The smell of blood came from her face, but even more strongly from her thighs, where deeper scratches had been gouged into them.

Vowing to get the full story, the youkai gently picked up the woman and motioned for Rin to mount the two-headed dragon, leaving Jaken squawking in shock. Once she was there, Sesshomaru took to the air.

He was headed for Edo.

%%%%%

Once there, he strode into the village as if he owned it. The first person he came across, a young woman with a baby on her back and a toddler at her knees, where the old miko's hut was. Stuttering, but strangely unfearful when she saw how the youkai was cradling Kagome, the woman told him where to find Kaede.

The hut was easy to find, and Sesshomaru simply shouldered the reed mat aside to walk into the old woman's home. Her reaction was expected.

"What are ye doing with Kagome, youkai? Are ye not Inuyasha's older brother? Have ye come to once again steal his heritage?"

"Cease babbling nonsense, old one. This Sesshomaru is returning the miko Kagome. This one found her in the forest miles from here, covered in blood and tears."

"Oh, Kagome. Put her down over here, if ye will. I expect the child has gone through a great ordeal. Inuyasha was in a fine temper when they last left." She cast a sly glance to the lord as she paused from cleaning Kagome's wounds. "Over ye, in fact. He believes ye are trying to steal his Kagome from him."

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed. "She is not his to have. She is free to choose."

"Ah, but you hope for her to choose ye, eh? I don't think that choice will be too hard if what I expect happened really did occur. But that will wait until the child is awake and ready to talk. Why don't ye bring the young girl ye care for inside? She must be hungry."

Nodding, the youkai strode outside without a backward glance. Had he turned to look, he would have seen an old miko staring back at him, knowing in her eyes and smile of approval on her lips.

%%%%%%%

"He's gone, child. Ye can open yer eyes."

One blue eye cracked open. "How did you know I was awake when he didn't even realize it?'' Kagome asked huffily.

"I know ye, child. Now, are ye hungry? I have soup made up."

"That sounds great, Kaede. Is...is Inuyasha here?" Kagome asked, a fearful note in her voice that had Kaede looking sharply at her.

"No, child. He had not returned since the group left three days ago."

Kagome released a shaky sigh of relief, only to suck it back in as a gasp when Sesshomaru demanded, "So the hanyou did this to you?"

Rin jumped to Kagome's defense. "Don't do that, Lord Sesshomaru! She's still scared, can't you see it in her eyes? You have to show her she can trust you before you go demanding answers like that!"

Four pairs of eyes stared at the little girl, marveling at her wisdom. Kagome smiled. "Come here, Rin, and give me a hug."

Squealing, the child threw herself at the miko, only to bring herself to heel just before her, then gently put her arms around Kagome. The concern in Rin's eyes and the restraint the child showed to not hurt her, brought tears to Kagome's eyes. Patting the girl's back, she pulled away. "Time to eat, Rin. Are you hungry?"

The little girl nodded enthusiastically. Kagome took over the little girl, mothering her until the child fell asleep later that night. When Kagome sat back in her spot in front of the fire, Kaede gently asked, "Are ye ready to speak on it, child?"

Taking a shuddering breath, Kagome nodded. "Before we even left, we were fighting. He was livid that you kept saving the day, Sesshomaru, stealing his thunder. Then he started worrying that you were trying to court me, and he got so defensive. Kouga came along with his usual "my woman" crap and Inuyasha almost killed him. That's when he started accusing me of leading males on. Making them love me and then walking away. When I tried to defend myself, he backhanded me." She all but whispered the last part, holding a hand to her bruised jaw.

"So, I waited until he was asleep and tried to leave camp to come back here. He caught me when I got just out earshot of the camp. He accused me of sneaking away to meet with Sesshomaru or Kouga, and then said that they couldn't have me. He...he tried to mate me. He had already clawed my underwear off and was working on my skirt when Shippo saved me. My little Shippo transformed into you, and ran off in the opposite direction, then transformed back into himself to say you went another way, away from me even farther. As soon as he was gone, I ran, and never looked back. I guess I wore myself out and fainted."

Silence reigned as Kagome's words faded from the air. Kaede stared into the fire pensively as Sesshomaru stood to pace. Finally, the old miko spoke. "Kagome, should ye not go home? Would that not be safest?"

Shaking her head, Kagome replied, "Inuyasha can still go through the well. And...I don't want Mama to see me this way. I know she loves me, but she would freak out if she knew what Inuyasha had tried to do."

Sesshomaru came to a stop in front of Kagome, only to kneel down and meet her steady gaze. "This one proposes a solution. Become my intended. A single mark placed here," he began as a single clawed finger grazed her neck, "will keep you safe from unwanted attentions. Males will find it painful to touch you in any way, and will be rejected by a barrier should they try to harm you."

Kagome stared into Sesshomaru's eyes, seeing more emotion there than she would have ever guessed. She saw concern, and anger, and caring. She also saw her salvation. Without taking the time to think over the consequences, Kagome nodded her head.

Kaede smiled. Fate had a way of making the impossible happen.

%%%%%%%

When Inuyasha finally made it back to the village, he had been subject to the cold shoulders of Miroku, Sango, and Shippo, for three days. Finally, he took off alone, leaving them to follow. What he found when he got to Edo was not what he expected.

A celebration was going on, one to honor the Lady Kagome in her future mating. Thinking she had come to her senses and had set this up to mate with him, he sped off to Kaede's. Seeing Ah-Un wandering in front of her hut, the hanyou stopped in his tracks. Kagome and Rin were playing a game just past the hut. When Rin caught sight of him, she told Kagome, who immediately picked the little girl up and raced to the safety of Sesshomaru. Inuyasha followed her into the hut, only to find his half-brother standing protectively in front of the two dark-headed females. Kaede sat in her customary spot in front of the fire.

"What the fuck, Kagome? What's going on?"

"It would seem she has chosen, half-breed," Sesshomaru intoned.

"I asked Kagome, not you, Lord Fuckhead."

"Inuyasha, stop cursing in front of Rin!" Kagome snapped.

"Well then tell me what the fu...what's going on!" Inuyasha quickly edited his speech at the look Kagome gave him.

"I've decided to go with Sesshomaru, Inuyasha. Rin needs a mother, Shippo needs a stable father-figure, and I need someone who can take care of me without insulting me. Or trying to rape me," she added as she met his gaze with her head turned to the side, highlighting the ugly bruise there.

Inuyasha exploded. "What the FUCK? You're going with him? He's tried to kill us BOTH more than ONCE! You're MINE, Kagome, and you know it!"

Kagome didn't flinch. She looked Inuyasha in the eyes, blue meeting red-tinged gold. "He's saved me more times than he tried to kill me. He also saved me when he found me, bruised, bloody, and unconscious in the woods. He also respects me. No, Inuyasha. I'm not yours. I doubt that I ever was. Go back to Kikyo. I don't need you anymore."

The hanyou stood, dumbstruck, as Kagome walked past him out of Kaede's hut. Sesshomaru followed, but not before giving the half-breed a nice wallop, forming a bruise to match Kagome's. Outside, she was met by Sango and Miroku. A tired Kirara lay in Sango's arms, while Shippo rode on Miroku's shoulder.

"What's going on, Kagome. The villagers are saying you're to be wed," Miroku asked.

"Sesshomaru and I are getting married. We aren't mating yet, but I wanted this to be a legitimate thing until we do. I...I'm leaving the tachi for now. I'm not sure when I'll be back; it kind of depends on how quickly Inuyasha comes to grips with this."

Sango looked saddened by the news, but hugged Kagome nonetheless. "I'm happy for you, nee-chan. You deserve to be happy, and Inuyasha never could make you happy for long, could he?"

"No, no he couldn't. But Sesshomaru...I think he really could make me happy. He's very kind to me, and he's saved me so many times. He respects me, and he listens to what I have to say. I want to make him proud to have a human for a mate, and the other cardinal lords and ladies, too. I won't have my mate disrespected because of me."

"It is good to hear you say so, miko. I would hate to have to hide you away because you disgraced me, though this one doubts you will do so," Sesshomaru spoke lowly from behind Kagome.

Blushing, Kagome squeaked and ducked her head.

Sesshomaru smiled. A sight that struck terror in Jaken's heart, the opposite occurred to Kagome. A responding brilliant smile transformed her face. "Is it almost time, Sesshomaru?"

"This one was informed that the headman in prepared."

Taking a deep breath, Kagome nodded her head. "I'll just go change, then meet you there, okay?"

The lord nodded and strode away, leaving the monk to follow. Sango followed Kagome into a hut she had never seen before. Seeing her confusion, Kagome explained, "Sesshomaru had it built when we agreed to the mating. Works for me. There's more privacy."

Sango helped Kagome into her wedding kimono. It wasn't as elaborate as it could have been. Kagome just wanted a simple kimono to match the House of the West's colors, with the added embellishments of strands of pink fibers for her reiki. The overall effect was quite beautiful.

Once she was ready, the girls walked to the headman's house. Sesshomaru was standing there, Miroku by his side, as they waited for Kagome. When his eyes caught sight of her, Sesshomaru felt a vise squeeze his heart. Brushing it aside as indigestion, he held out his hand and turned to the headman.

The entire thing was over quite quickly, and then the feast started. For hours, everyone danced and laughed and sang...badly. Finally, Kagome took Sesshomaru by the hand and tugged a bit, asking wordlessly for him to follow her. Standing, the lord acquiesced. She led him to their new hut, and inside to the futon. Shyly, she dropped his hand and sat on the bed. "I know we're not mated, but human custom is for the newlyweds to sleep together after the wedding."

"We will sleep together every night, miko," Sesshomaru said tonelessly.

Blushing, Kagome clarified. "Not sleep sleep. I mean...mate. Or rut, I guess."

"This one knows what you meant. We will do this every night." When Kagome blushed harder, he murmured, "Youkai stamina is good for many things, miko."

%%%%%%%

Two years later, Kagome pushed herself up off her chair. Her large belly made it hard for her to maneuver, but it was worth it. Looking out at her mate and son, she smiled as she thought back on life after their wedding night. For two months, Inuyasha stayed gone. Finally, he returned with Shiori, the bat hanyou they had met years before. She already carried his mating mark, causing more than one raised eyebrow. Seeing the together, however, and doubts were erased.

The inu hanyou doted on his mate. She wanted for nothing. He built a new hut on the edge of the village for them, with room enough for the many children he wanted to have.

That first child came soon, for both couples. Kagome was pregnant within that first two months, Shiori not long after. Both pregnancies were hard, taking a toll on the women. When Kagome gave birth, Sesshomaru vowed to never get her pregnant again. His son was worth it, though. Silver tufts of hair, golden eyes just like his father's, and a blue crescent moon on his forehead, he was the embodiment of the heir of the West. With the reiki powers from his mother, little Akihiko lived up to his name. When he was upset, his body glowed a bright blue.

Inuyasha and Shiori's first child was named Hiroki. With his father's hair and his mother's eyes, he was certainly an odd combination of the two.

Sango and Miroku, who had married just after Kagome and Sesshomaru, had twin girls on their first try. Hanako and Haruko were a handful for their parents, having inherited their father's inquisitiveness and their mother's agility.

As Kagome had predicted, the other cardinal lords did not like the thought of Sesshomaru having a human mate. However, after meeting Kagome and seeing for themselves just how smart and kind-hearted she was, they were won over.

Shippo lived with them still, and was growing into quite the warrior. As Kagome had always expected would happen, he began to develop feelings for Rin, who had becoming quickly more and more like Kagome. She and Sesshomaru both approved of the future mating.

Naraku went down almost without a fight. It seemed he had attempted to absorb the wrong youkai, one that was eating away at the hanyou from the inside out. With the combined efforts of everyone in their expanded group, and his own incarnations, Naraku departed the world with little fuss. Miroku's Kazaana disappeared, as did the scar on Sango's back. Kohaku survived the removal of his Jewel shard, his body having had enough time to heal on its own without it. Kouga was less enthused to remove his, but after a nice little jolt from getting to close to a mated Kagome, he gave in quickly. He had mated Ayame finally, and they had three pups already.

The final wish on the Jewel was such a simple one that Kagome felt stupid for not thinking of it before. Simply wishing for it to leave this world and never return erased the Jewel. With it gone, Kagome's powers actually increased. She was able to gain more control, and later teach her own children how to control theirs.

When a little foot connected sharply with her ribs, Kagome jerked out of her musings. Looking past her family, she saw Miroku and Sango with the twins and the newest child, a boy named Toshio. Hearing her name being called, she looked the other way to see Inuyasha and Shiori with their son, Shiori even more pregnant than she herself was. Smiling, Kagome sent up a quick prayer of thanks to the Kami.

Thank you for my odd, colorful, rambunctious, crazy...family.

Written for the LJ-Dokuga Community Oneshot Contest.