Somewhere in Time

Compromise

The group was tense as Kagome stood in the middle of the camp, brown eyes flashing with conviction. Inuyasha stood across from her, nostrils flaring in indignation.

"It's only for five days!" she said firmly.

"Keh! We ain't keeping 'em!" he retorted in the same tone as he crossed his arms and huffed.

Sango petted Kirara on her lap, Miroku sat cross-legged beside the wide-eyed Shippo and Rin, and Sesshomaru showed no interest at all. Still, the priestess and the half-breed battled it out. After another round of expletives, however, Inuyasha was starting to lose ground.

Miroku sighed, finally deciding it was time to intervene. He put himself between them and waved his hands. "Now, now, my friends, let us be reasonable here. Perhaps we need compromise to settle things peacefully?"

Seething with rage, Kagome jabbed the air with her pointy finger, clearly aimed at Inuyasha. "Miroku-sama," she said, trying to control her shaking voice. "Tell your friend that whether he likes it or not, I will keep the child with me until I'm sure of her recovery."

"She ain't your responsibility!" Inuyasha reasoned out, but faltered as a tendril of spiritual charge brushed against their senses. Miroku glanced at him warningly, silently telling him to back away before Kagome zapped him.

To everyone's surprise, Sesshomaru rose to his feet. "Rin, we are leaving," he said calmly. The child quickly rushed to his side but she cast a longing gaze towards the priestess.

"See!" Inuyasha snorted smugly. "They ain't even planning to stay!"

But Kagome wasn't having any of it. In a fit of blind fury and concern, she stormed towards the daiyoukai who only regarded her with a bored expression.

"Kagome-sama!" Miroku tried to grab her arm but she brushed him off. This is bad, the monk thought. If she doesn't control her temper, we'd all be dead. He looked helplessly at Inuyasha, begging him to stop her, but the hanyou only smirked, now enjoying the situation.

"You!" Kagome pointed at the feudal lord fiercely. "You're not taking her anywhere until I'm sure she's okay!"

No one spoke. Miroku flinched inwardly. Kagome had just sealed their fate.

###

What audacity! A low growl issued from Sesshomaru that would have sent every lowlife youkai running for their lives, but the miko stood her ground in front of him fearlessly. Her flaring spiritual energy jarred his youki and in turn, he expanded it until he could almost taste the fear of the half-breed's companions.

But not this girl. How dare she give command to him, an alpha? He bristled, his own wrath colliding with her rage. The ground started to tremble as their powers clashed. The air thinned considerably. But the miko did not give in, pushing her own spiritual power against his formidable youki.

Sensing danger, the hanyou stepped in, putting his miko protectively behind him. "Oi, just give in, Sesshomaru."

"It's for Rin's well-being," the woman supplied with clenched teeth.

Sesshomaru's instincts rallied to overpower the miko's will. Vaguely, he knew she was taken to his young ward and she only wanted the best for her. She saved Rin's life, he reminded himself.

Bitterly, he dropped his youki and nodded once. "Five days."