The manor was in complete chaos as maids rushed about to gather bandages, wash cloths, and clean water as a healer moved through the halls towards both rooms. Upon reaching the demon's quarters he was stopped by Aisu. "He will live," she stated. "Look after Akiko first."

"Lord–"

"Will be fine. He's already healing, I assure you." One glance into the room over the wolf's shoulder the elderly woman saw the demon lying on his bed, armor and kimono top removed. Rin was sitting beside his bed with two other wolves positioned by her side for company. The blood had yet to be fully cleared away, but nothing appeared to be life threatening.

"Very well." And moving down the hall she came to another door opening it to find Tobi already by his master's bedside. There were two maids as well helping strip away the clothing, but there was a lot of blood as it spilled onto the sheets. The healer rushed to her side and began to examine the injuries quickly setting to work and wetting a cloth.

"Akiko!" a voice called out in the hall. Looking out the door Aisu watched as Kagome rounded the bend. "Akiko?"

"Down here," the wolf called. Rushing to the former queen's side the teen then looked into the open room and paled at the sight. None of it looked good. Stripping off her bow and arrow Kagome rushed inside and stood beside the healer.

"What can I do to help?"

The old woman glanced over at the teen for a moment before answering, "Wash your hands and start stripping bandages. We need to stop the bleeding."

It never seemed to end for the cousin noticing that the first wound from Naraku had indeed reopened, though it hadn't been completely healed in the first place. Only a temporary fix in order for the young woman to carry out his murderous plan. It kept her weak enough to be consumed once murdering every one of them. It made Kagome all the angrier and determined to save her.

After hours of touch and go Akiko was finally stable enough for the healer to leave and check on Lord Sesshomaru. Tobi sat on one side of the bed, head resting on top of the sheets and pressing against the reincarnation's arm. Meanwhile, Kagome occupied the other watching as a fever set in and pacing a cold cloth on Akiko's forehead to try and cool her down. "It's up to her," Aisu stated from beside the archer. "But she is a fighter."

"This is why you wanted to travel north, isn't it?" Kagome asked.

The wolf nodded. "Akiko is stronger since the last time we met, I will admit that, but we must rediscover our domain. And being in our element in the mountains will allow us all to train her without interruption. She will be able to take on Naraku one day, even after everything he has done to her, but without fully understanding the extent of the gifts she possesses he will one day succeed."

"I won't allow that to happen," Kagome declared.

"I know. And we won't allow it either," the wolf stated, looking Tobi in the eye. "We'd sacrifice ourselves before that happened."

"I'll rip him and his reincarnations apart if they try," Tobi snarled. He refused to allow Akiko get taken again. Too many times had it happened. One could say that it was because the former general was out of practice, but that was just an excuse in his eyes. The half-demon needed to become stronger as well in this form.

There was a knock at the door. "Kagome?" Glancing over Sango stood there observing the room. "I just came to check in that everything was okay. We were worried you were taking too long."

"Fine..." the teen answered. "Inuyasha sent you in here, didn't he?"

The slayer gave a small smile. "He refuses to come inside, which is understandable, but we did want to be sure Akiko was all right."

Kagome looked back to her pale, sleeping cousin. "It's all my fault she's here in the first place... if I hadn't forgotten something important at home she wouldn't have had to try passing over. The blade would have never found her... Naraku wouldn't have hurt her so many times."

"It was only a matter of time," Aisu spoke up. "If Akiko didn't come to us in the Feudal Era demons would have passed over to hunt her down instead due to the prophecy foretelling her right to the throne. Then we would have been at a bigger disadvantage. Tobi was going to bring Akiko to us either way, but we had wished for it to happen in a few years. But you cannot change the past and must work with what we have now."

They paused for a moment in silence before Kagome spoke up, "If Akiko has allies why aren't they helping?"

"Because many are too afraid to stand up against Naraku," Aisu said. "And there are still some that are second guessing her right to the throne due to her absence." Their eyes met. "That is why the longer she stays the better. To show she will not run away."

"They are making her do this by herself? That's just cruel and selfish!"

"Demon are selfish beings. It's in their nature. Only if something will benefit them will aid come. There are few who would offer their assistance without question, but asking for it now would only get them killed."

"She's still all alone."

"Akiko has you and this pack to stand by her. That's enough, because you are not afraid to stand against Naraku."

But Kagome was still unsure and doubted herself. They were only halfway in collecting all the jewel shards and it still wasn't enough. The teen just hoped that whatever happened wouldn't get her cousin killed. She'd never be able to forgive herself if that happened.

Akiko groaned the next time she was conscious feeling absolutely horrible. Everything was spinning and warmer than normal, glancing over to find Tobi's slumbering figure pressed up against her side. And that was when the young woman noticed the familiar room around her. Sesshomaru's manor. Her head was pounding, groaning lowly and causing the half-demon to shift beside her. "You should be sleeping," his low voice came.

"Everything hurts," she groaned.

"As it should. Means you're alive and healing."

"How long since..."

"Three days." Tobi's head turned so their eyes met. "Your body is still trying to ward off the lingering effects of the jewel shard and close up the two holes in your chest. If you hadn't begun to freeze over your blood and skin tissue it could have been worse."

"Did I hurt anyone?" The half-demon was silent. "Tobi?"

"Yes, but no one died and no one blames you for what you did. You tried to fight it."

"I failed..."

"You survived. As did everyone else because you managed to purify the shard and expel it."

"Did we get the shard?"

"Yes."

"At least something good came from this..."

Tobi watched his master's delirious state for a moment before asking, "Did he hurt you in any way like the last time?"

"Besides running me through... no. It left me weak enough to press the shard into my forehead. I couldn't fight back." Turning away to look at the ceiling she sighed and spoke, "We need to head north..."

"When you're strong enough to move again."

"I almost killed everyone... I'm sorry..."

"There's nothing to forgive." Akiko highly doubted that as a figure came to the doorway. But before she could even focus the young woman lost consciousness once more.