Scarborough Fair

Part 3

It took a few minutes for a hut to come into view, with a few other people surrounding it. They seemed to be waiting for them.

"Hey, Kagome! We were worried when you ran off like that. Is everything alright?" another woman's voice asked, holding what looked to be a cat.

"Who's this?" a monk asked, a weird smile on his face.

"Everyone, this is my friend from my time, Rosemary," Kagome introduced the slightly shaking woman beside her, an arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"From... your time? Kagome, I thought only you and Inuyasha could go through the well?" the woman asked in worry.

"I'm not sure.... I was hoping Kaede would have some answers," Kagome began to chew on her lip.

"Come, child. Let's see what ye brought us," an older woman said from inside the hut, causing everyone to file in quickly.

"Who asked you here, flea bag?" the one she assumed to be Inuyasha asked angrily.

"I'm the one who found her. If it wasn't for me, she might've died," he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

I... I could've died, she thought to herself with wide eyes.

"Everyone," Kagome cleared her throat," this is Rosemary."

"This is Sango, Miroku. Shippo is the little fox demon in the corner," she pointed him out for her before continuing," There's kirara. Of course, you've met Inuyasha. And Koga. He's a wolf demon."

"Wolf... demon....," Rosemary whispered in thought.

"And I'm Kaede," the older woman responded with a slight nod," Let me see ye hand, child."

"My... hand?" she slowly held it out, Kaede grabbing it with her rough hands.

"Hmm....," she said in thought," I don't know ye reason for being here. But there must be, since ye were able to get through the well..."

"She can't stay here," Inuyasha barked out, arms crossed over his chest.

"But, Inuyasha...," Kagome started but stopped when Inuyasha let out a growl.

"She's a human, Kagome. Whether you like it or not, she can't defend herself here. She's going to die, by demon or other humans. You know it's true," he barked out.

His hand grasped Rosemary's wrist and started to drag the girl up from the floor.

"H-hey!" she started but was stopped by a hand around her waist.

"What did I say, mutt? Hands. Off." Koga growled out, his blue eyes harsh, as he pulled her into his chest possessively.

"Hmm.....," Kaede murmured to herself, bringing everyone's attention back to her," Rosemary is an odd name for a child."

"My parents weren't very.... Traditional. I used to live in America, before moving to Japan," she murmured, still very aware of Koga's hand gripping her side.

"A... merica?" Sango asked, trying to pronounce the word.

"Oh, I guess.... You wouldn't really know about that," Kagome said in thought before shrugging her shoulders.

"Why'd you move to Japan from your hometown?" Miroku asked curiously.

"My parents were....," she swallowed a lump forming in the back of her throat.

"Rosemary," Kagome whispered," you don't have to...."

"It's okay," she whispered back in a small voice. She took a deep breath in and stood up straighter," My parents were murdered when I was eight. They never caught him...."

"I'm so sorry, Rosemary," Sango said softly, her hand squeezing her fingers lightly.

"My.... Family was murdered, too," she continued, her eyes lightly watering.

Rosemary remained quiet but nodded her head softly.

"Did they force you to watch, too?" Rosemary muttered underneath her breath, almost angrily.

"Wh... what?" a voice quipped out beside her.

"He.... He made me watch them die. I was the reason my parents died," Rosemary responded back almost in a monotone voice," He told me he'd come back for me, when I was older... "

Kagome nodded sadly towards her best friend – she wished she could help her, but she couldn't do anything, except just be there for her.

"That's when I moved to Japan," she took a shaky breath in and then smiled," Kagome's family took me in. They didn't have to... but they did. They treated me like another part of the family. I'm so proud she's in my life. I don't think I would've made it if not for them..."

"Ye have had a tough life," Kaede broke the silence," But now ye must decide what to do with ye."

"She goes back." Inuyasha said, but in a more softer tone.

"But... Inuyasha," Kagome started but was cut off.

"You know she won't be able to take care of herself here. Unless she has some secret fighting skills she has hidden somewhere in there, which I doubt," he ended with a light humph.

"I.... I don't want to go back," Rosemary whispered, almost too low for human ears to hear.

"This isn't a choice you get to make, girl," Inuyasha said between clenched teeth.

"If she doesn't want to go back, she doesn't have to. Don't force her to do something she doesn't want," Koga quickly defended her.

"Oh yeah? And what are you going to do? Take her with you to your little wolf den?" Inuyasha gave a small laugh," Are you going to take care of her? Huh?"

"Yes." Koga's answer seemed to stop everybody in place. He stammered nervously," I-I mean... if she wants to.... I'll protect her."

"You'd.... you'd do that? But, you hardly know me? An-and Inuyasha is right.... I'm ... I'm just a human. I'll only slow you down," she hung her head, biting her lip.

"Oh, please. I'm a demon – you'll be no hindrance to me. Plus, Kagome wants you safe – so if it gets her to love me, then it'll get her to love me," he gave her a smirk.

"L... Love you?" Rosemary squeaked out.

"She is to be my woman," he casually said while shrugging his shoulders.

"Like hell she will, wolfy!" Inuyasha barked out towards him.

"The girl goes back, that's final," he snarled as he cracked his knuckles," She's in heat. I can smell it – I know as hell you can smell it, too. That's the only reason why you're defending her so much. You just want to fuck her."

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed at his language.

"Shut it, Kagome. Every demon can smell a woman's heat – it's a wonder we haven't gotten a stray demon or two already with how strong hers is," he growled again.

With is final word, the ground shook violently as something big appeared to be walking their direction.

"See?" he snapped as he pushed past Sango and Miroku blocking the doorway.

"Get her back home. I'll take care of this," he said as he ran outside, sword drawn.

"Do I... can you...," Rosemary's eyes widened, cheek red in embarrassment.

"It's....," Koga cleared his throat. So that's why she smelt so nice.... But there was something else about her.... The way her gaze looked up at him....

No, he shook his head, Kagome is his woman. Not this... not this little girl. The only reason he felt this way ... he hated to admit it, but Inuyasha was right.

"Maybe... maybe you sho....," he started to say but was interrupted by a familiar scent getting closer to the village.

"Naraku!" he suddenly growled fiercely, making Rosemary freeze at his frightening tone.