Dedicated to dakishime.

Kagome stared at the sky. It was crimson. Back in the future, it would have been a mesmerizing sight. However, here in feudal Japan, it meant a war with Naraku. It wasn't just a red splash of color. It was blood.

How long had it been? Two years?

Two years… and it was finally time to end it. Traveling with Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango had been the most amazing experience of her life. It still is. All that Naraku had done – killing people, destroying lives – had caused them so much pain, but as much has she hated to admit it, he was the one who bonded them like family. And it wasn't only them.

A rustle of the grass caught her attention. She turned and was greeted with the famous (or infamous?) sight of the Lord of the West, the last remaining Inu Taiyoukai, first son of Inu Taishou, Sesshomaru. The sunlight somehow obeyed his very presence. It illuminated his refined features, brought out the royal gold in his eyes and played with his silver hair. Kagome wondered why her hair could never be like that, no matter how much she conditioned. Without even touching his tresses (he would absolutely kill her if she did that), she knew that it was probably the softest and silkiest hair she would ever see in her entire life.

Her eyes traveled across his demon markings, the blue crescent and magenta stripes which marked him royalty, to a bulk of fluff that draped over his shoulder. It was his tail when he transformed into his demon form. It somehow reminded her of the fluffy boas women wore in the future, but it looked completely elegant on him and amplified his haughtiness.

Kagome trailed her gaze to a young girl trailing behind him. It was none other than Rin, a child she had met a few times but she never got to understand why was Rin with him. After all, she was just a mere child and he was the feared demon Lord. For a cold ruthless killer to take in a child, it didn't make sense.

"Kagome-neesama!" Rin called excitedly, running past Sesshomaru's stride to meet her.

"Rin-chan!" Kagome smiled and welcomed the girl.

Sesshomaru passed a side long glance as he passed where the two stood.

"Rin, stay with her," his dominating voice sounded out. Kagome flinched inwardly, but Rin appeared unaffected. She was as cheery as ever.

"Hai, Sesshomaru-sama!"

Sesshomaru nodded slightly to Kagome, asking her to take care of Rin and Kagome nodded back to show that she understood. But what she didn't understand was why he did he care for her?

Sesshomaru had come to discuss the last battle. Well, not actually discuss, but all forces against Naraku were to gather at Kaede's village. It would end where it started.

"Rin-chan," Kagome suddenly realized the ugly toad wasn't with her or Sesshomaru. "Where's Jaken?"

"Jaken-sama?" Rin pouted cutely, searching her brain for the answer. "I think Sesshomaru-sama sent him with Ah-Un out for an errand."

"Hmm... do you want to play with Shippo and Kirara, Rin-chan?"

"Hai, Kagome-neesama!"

Dinner had slightly different with Sesshomaru and Rin. Sesshomaru ate nothing and spoke nothing, whereas Rin eagerly received her ramen and answered every question the Inu tachi threw at her.

"What do you usually eat, Rin-chan?"

"Usually Jaken-sama and I take from the fields or we and Sesshomaru-sama go to villages."

The Inu tachi raised a skeptical eyebrow. Sesshomaru... went to human abodes just to get food for her? It was unbelievably caring of him.

"Sesshomaru-sama just needs to appear and we get a lot of food!" Rin exclaimed.

Everyone stifled their laughter, except for Inuyasha who was howling away. He was clearly enjoying his brother's discomfort. The villagers obviously gave them food or whatever Sesshomaru demanded because they were scared of him. Sesshomaru twitched his eyebrow and settled for a whack to the hanyou's head. He stood up and strode to the door.

"Rin, finish your food," he looked at her questioning gaze. "I'll be outside."

He left without a glance to the rest.

"Did I say something wrong?" Rin blinked.

"No worries, Rin-chan," Kagome bit her lip, trying not to laugh. Demons had super hearing, and no doubt will Sesshomaru hear it. "He's just embarrassed."

Done with their dinner, Kagome and Sango announced that they were going to a nearby onsen.

"You smell fine to me," Inuyasha stated bluntly.

"The final chance to relax," Kagome shot a pointed look at him. Before the battle begins.

"I'm going too," Miroku raised his hand.

"No you're not," Sango glared and he took a step back.

"Ah…"

"Rin-chan," she called. "Let's go."

"Hai!"

"Don't think about peeping, houshi," Sango called as they left. "Sesshomaru will absolutely kill you."

The three girls sighed as they entered the water. Areas where the muscles hurt relaxed as they sunk into the warmth. Kagome immediately rinsed her hair before applying shampoo she had brought from the future, while Sango leaned against the edge and closed her eyes.

"Feels so good..."

Rin was fascinated by the shampoo bottle. She had never seen something like that before.

"It's pretty."

"Rin-chan," Kagome spoke. "If you don't mind me asking… where are your parents?"

"They… otousan, okaasan and niisan were killed by bandits."

"Sou ka."

Sango and Kagome looked over to the girl who fell quiet.

"Then, how did you meet Sesshomaru?"

"Sesshomaru-sama saved me." Rin smiled. Cupping her hand, she brought water out and dripped it down slowly. "I was chased by wolf demons."

"Kouga's clan," Kagome whispered under her breath.

"It went black," Rin's gaze was steady on the water's surface. "But when I woke up, Sesshomaru-sama was holding his sword."

"He brought you back to life with the tensaiga?" Sango had a little disbelief in her voice. "But if you look at him, he isn't as bad as he tries to be."

Sango and Kagome chuckled. "That's true."

"But haven't you ever wanted to live with humans?" Sango tossed the question. As a taijiya, she knew how prejudiced humans were against demons.

"I know that Sesshomaru-sama is a demon. However, he isn't bad at all." Rin repeated. "He isn't bad at all." Her voice grew stronger. "The bandits that killed my family were evil… they are humans. Sesshomaru-sama saved me. He is a demon."

Sango and Kagome smiled and ruffled her hair. "You're right. He's a really nice person."

"Hai!" Rin beamed up at them. "I will follow Sesshomaru-sama forever."

"Sango-chan."

"Kagome-chan, what is it?" Sango asked worriedly, seeing the troubled look on Kagome's face.

"Rin-chan…" Kagome gripped her towel that she was holding. "Loves Sesshomaru a lot, doesn't she?"

"Hai," Sango replied. "He's like a father to her."

"It's going to hurt her a lot in the future," Kagome responded. "If we defeat Narak-"

"We will."

Kagome smiled at her friend's confidence. She took a deep breath and continued.

"After we defeat Naraku, I'm afraid Rin is going to experience something that will tear her heart. What Rin doesn't realize is that demons have a different lifespan from us humans. One day, she's going to grow up. One day, she's going to find out that Sesshomaru will outlive her many times. One day, Sesshomaru will watch her die."

Sango hugged the miko in front of her. "She's going to experience that, no doubt. But what makes the difference is that we'll be here for her. "

"It's not only Rin-chan… Sesshomaru is the one I'm more worried for. Maintaining a cool façade, he has never shown anyone his feelings. Rin's departure will just drive him overboard."

Kagome sighed.

"Those two… will never have their happy ending."

Kagome woke to the sound of rustling. It wasn't the wind outside. She strained her ears and sure enough, the sound of feet padding on the soft ground was heard. She sat up with a start, and then relaxed. The upcoming battle was making her paranoid. If Naraku was here, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha would have been up long before he reached. She smiled fondly as she looked over to the hanyou who was dozing at the corner. Kagome began to fall back into her sleeping bag until she noticed the blanket at was strewn across the futon beside her.

Rin was gone.

With a jolt, she realized that must have been Rin who was making all that noise. Curious, Kagome tip-toed out of the hut and spotted Rin in the distance. She was heading towards the forest. Breaking into a run, she followed Rin through the forest until she saw Rin enter a clearing by the river. Sesshomaru was sitting against a tree with his eyes closed.

Somehow she had expected it, but Kagome still could not help but wonder how did Rin know where he was? It wasn't like she knew the area well, and the forest was deep. Maybe he was some kind of magnet to her.

Rin approached the taiyoukai softly. She walked towards him cautiously until she was directly in front of him, and stared.

Kagome noted that the moonlight, much like the sunlight, loved him. Again, it praised the youkai's beauty.

"Rin, go back inside," he suddenly spoke scaring Kagome half to death.

Rin said nothing but continued to look at him directly in the face. Sesshomaru opened an eye which glittered in the dark. "Sleep," he commanded. It wasn't like Rin to defy him.

The little girl bit her lip.

"Sesshomaru-sama," her voice was shaky. "Remember that time I asked you if I could be with you forever?"

Sesshomaru stared passively at her. But he remembered, and she knew he did.

"It hasn't changed," This time, Rin spoke with determination.

Sesshomaru looked properly at her. "This fight is going to be dangerous."

"But you will win, right? Sesshomaru-sama?" Kagome held her breath. It didn't feel good eavesdropping. "Promise me!" However, she wanted to know Sesshomaru's answer.

It was a life and death situation. Even though Rin was young, she knew the danger. She knew.

Sesshomaru nodded.

Kagome couldn't help but smile. Even though Rin doesn't know that the future will be more heartbreaking for her, she could take it step by step. Sango was right. They would be with Rin, if she ever needed help.

Sesshomaru abruptly pulled Rin unto his lap. She looked at him with questioning eyes but he refused to look at her. Shrugging inwardly, she snuggled into him and closed her eyes. With her Sesshomaru-sama, everything was safe. It would be alright.

Sesshomaru ensured that Rin was sound asleep before he spoke.

"Miko. Go back inside."

Kagome fell ungracefully out of the bushes she was hiding in. So he did smell or hear her. "Ow…" Sensing Sesshomaru's eyes on her, she bowed apologetically and scuttled back.

Kagome grinned to herself as she thought back to the scene she just saw. They truly looked like father and daughter. Sesshomaru wasn't the unfeeling killer she thought he was when she first met him. Maybe he was, but he had certainly changed. There was no question in which what was Rin's role in it.

Suddenly, she understood. Rin may die in the final battle. Or it could be Sesshomaru. They both could survive the battle but Sesshomaru will witness her death one day. But it didn't matter. Because where they both were now – together – it was enough.

And she understood it perfectly well.