Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own any character's from IY. Sobs

Sesshomaru slowly eased his way back into a conscious world. 'Where am I?' he thought. His eyes began to gain their focus and he found that he knew nothing of his surroundings. Now on full alert, he began to study all the strange smells and objects in the foreign room. 'Oh no! Rin! She must still be in the forest!' With that thought complete he shot out of bed and was immediately frozen as a sharp pain began throbbing in his left side. He looked down and noticed a large gash beneath what would have been where his left arm was. It was bandaged, but it hurt nonetheless. No sooner did he lay back down in defeat, he heard soft footsteps outside his door. An elderly inuyoukai walked in. Arthritis had obviously claimed his back and legs from years of being the active Lord of the Northern Lands. "Lord Sesshomaru, are you feeling any better?" the youkai asked. Sesshomaru just glared at the man. "Where am I and how do you know of this Sesshomaru." He asked quite bitterly. "I didn't think of you to be so forgetful my Lord. You spent much time here as a pup. Most of the time you begged your father to stay the night because you didn't want to leave." The man chuckled. "With all do respect, you should know this place better than you know your own domain." Sesshomaru shot up and before he knew it, (injured or not) he had the man by his neck up against the far wall. "How dare you mock ME? You will pay for your insolence!" His tone was unnaturally smooth, but also slightly aggravated. "If it is the young human that you are worried about, place your mind at ease. She is safe within my eldest daughters care. If there is anything else you should need, my servants will attend to you." And with that the youkai was out of Sesshomaru's grasp and out the door. "I shall not be kept against my will. I am much stronger than he takes me for. No one will make this Sesshomaru out to be a weakling!" He mustered all of his strength and got back up off the bed. He needed to find his clothes; it would be beneath him to walk around in his glory. No sooner did this thought pass through his mind, he noticed what would have been the shreds of his blood stained kimono. 'This cannot be happening to me!' he thought. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a kimono on a rack beside the futon. There was a letter that simply read "Sesshomaru-sama" he grabbed the garment and put it on and headed out the door.
He began looking through the partially opened doors to see if he could spot Rin. The sooner he found her, the sooner he could go back to his own lands. This castle began to bring painful memories back to the surface of his mind. He did not like this.
A young child ran up to him from around the corner and crashed into his front. This brought him out of his thoughts and back to reality so fast he could have swore it made his ancestors dizzy. He doubled over in pain as the wound on his side reopened and began spilling his blood all over the stone floor. Just then a soft voice cooed in his ear. It seemed faint at first, but he could just make it out.
"Sesshomaru? Sesshomaru?! Can you hear me? Look at me! Sesshomaru..." the soft voice was like that of an angels. So soft and soothing to his ears. His senses picked up two familiar scents. One he could remember mildly from his childhood, and the other was Rins! He looked up into the most beautiful, soft, crystalline blue eyes. They were slightly foggy and they sparkled in the dancing candlelight. She long silky silver hair that nearly touched the floor. Her lips were a soft crimson; it beautifully contrasted against her pale skin. Rin ran to his side snapping him out of his daze.
"Lord Sesshomaru-sama! Rin was so worried about you! Rin and Maya made you this picture to make you feel better!" Rin said nearly crying against his chest. She and the little girl that had run into him sat on either side of him where he sat slumped against the wall. Maya handed him a tiny piece of folded scroll and smiled at him warmly. He looked over at the beautiful woman who sat in front of him with a questioningly look on his face. She smiled reassuringly and gestured for him to open the paper. Inside was a funny little picture of a 3 stick people. One had the name 'Rin' under it, one had 'Sesshomaru-sama (Rins new Daddy)' beneath it, and the last had 'Maya' under it.
"Arigato Rin, Maya. It's lovely. I'll hang it in my study so I may look upon it when I work." He said. Both girls giggled and began chasing each other down the hall. The woman got up and held her hand to Sesshomaru. After hesitating briefly, he took it and pulled himself up. Once again, he was captured in her crystal pools. For a moment, neither of them could move, slowly and tenderly she reached up and caressed Sesshomaru's face. Tears began brimming in her eyes. She quickly glanced at the floor as so he wouldn't see her cry, but with one clawed finger placed beneath her chin, she was forced to look into the eyes of her childhood once more.
"Why do you cry Lady? Do you not wish to look upon me?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Come and let me clean your wound, you don't want it to get infected." She answered. She then led him to the bedroom he had been held in and closed the door. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle hug. "I've missed you so much! You promised you'd always be there for me! I loved you more than anything, then you left me ALONE!" she cried into his chest. 'You loved me?' he thought silently.
"My Lady, how is it that you have come to care for me so much, yet I have no recollection of who YOU are?" he asked softly. She had begun to shiver and so instinctively he wrapped his tail around her to warm her. She cuddled into him and began caressing his toned back. "My name is Sakura." She replied. His eyes nearly bulged out of his head!

Flashback "Come on Sesshomaru! Lets see if we can see our Mommies on the ridge yet! They should be home soon from tending to Nana!" Sakura exclaimed. "Race ya!" Sesshomaru shouted. No sooner was that said, he and Sakura were running as fast as their 6-year-old legs could carry them up and over a big hill. The smell of blood was present here...his MOTHER'S blood! Both Sakura and himself could see and smell the blood of their mother's lingering in the air as they neared the top of the hill. When they reached their destination, they saw the bodies of the women that gave them life, lying in thick pools of their own blood. In the distance they saw a dragon youkai walking off in its true form, they could almost hear it's sickening laugh. 10 year later
"Lord Sesshomaru, Lord InuYasha, my family and I came to express our sincere regret to the loss of Lord Inutaisho and Lady Ayuka. If there is anything you need, I trust you will contact us immediately." Lord Chion said. Sakura stepped up to him and wrapped both he and InuYasha in her arms. "Sesshomaru-sama, Inuyasha-sama, I'm going to miss you both so much," she said. Then turning to Sesshomaru she added "Would you like me to stay for a while and help you out?"
"I'm sorry my Lady, but I think it would be best if we tried to make it by ourselves for a while. I am strong and do not need the company of a female to make things better. What has happened has happened. There is nothing we can do to bring them back or change the outcome. I believe it is in your best interest to get on with your life. Find a mate who will care for you. Do not let your feelings for me get in the way of your logic. You are old enough to have a family of your own." Sesshomaru said in a semi harsh tone.
"How can you say that? I love you! We were meant for each other! Do you not love me?" She cried in shock. Sesshomaru just stared blankly at her. His mask was now molded to his heart. Never again would he allow others to know how he truly felt. Emotions were such a waste of time. They made one weak and soft. Sesshomaru was neither.
"I'm sorry if I may have lead you to believe such falsehoods, but do you really think that even for a second I would have the time to care for you? Do you think I will be able to satisfy your desires? For the next few years, I will be quite busy learning all I can about the land that has come to be mine. I will rarely be home enough to give you the attention you will want from me. I cannot let you get hurt from my own selfish desires. Please, forget whatever it is you think we had and move on. I will be here if you ever need me, and you are always welcome in these lands." With that she ran from his embrace and fled for her own castle. Her parents, both shocked and appalled by the unexpected turn of feelings on Sesshomaru's part, left feeling that their daughters only chance at happiness just turned his back on everything that mattered to him.

End Flashback