Disclaimer: I claim no rights to Inuyasha

TENDERNESS

"When I die will you remember me." The tine voice once again forced him awake and made him fear the inevitable. He looked over at her body, grown now, feminine and beautiful. And as he had when she was a child he stepped over to her and lifted her with his one good arm. She awoke now and sat up pulling him near her in return. and resting his head on her heart. Here he remained and listened to her heart beat and felt her blood flow until he was able to rest again.

For some time she had been aware of these nightmares plaguing him. He never discussed with her what they were about, nor did she ask. Instead, she learned to know when to expect them and ready when he awoke in the night to comfort him and before Jaken or he would wake she would assure that he was alone and she was not still lying with him.

This was a strange change in the dynamic of their relationship. He was exposing a vulnerability to her that she had never expected. She remembered waking many times as a child in his arms but always pretended to be asleep. But now….

They had been traveling for months looking for something that she had not been made aware of. She hoped he wasn't planning on leaving her again. She would ask Jaken "what are we looking for, where are we going?" he would answer her the same every time:

"Insolent child, why do you question your master just do as you are told!"

His reply always made her laugh; he himself didn't know where they were going; not to mention she was anything but a child now.

They finally found their destination in a village which surrounded a mountain far in the north. "Are you certain this is the correct village toad? The one the humans built to protect the 'well of life'?" Sesshomaru barked

"Yes, my Lord I am sure this is the place… it has to be" Jaken muttered in return.

"Jaken stay in the forest around the village and wait. Send Rin here." He ordered

Rin found Lord Sesshomaru looking onto the village. "Rin, Go to the village and find the truth about the 'well of life' if it does exist I need you to take from it…"

"Is this what we've been looking for? This well? For what? For me?" she interrupted him

"Quit!" he demanded. He picked up his instructions in softer, more pleading, tone " Rin, drink from the well. Ill be here waiting your return."

She took his instructions and headed into the village. There were many monks here guarding a shrine in the middle of the village. She questioned villagers as she made her way to the shrine. None of the villagers seemed to know anything about a well or immortality. She could sense they were lying, but didn't want to cause a stir by making any accusations.

Upon approaching the shrine a monk greeted her "Traveler you have come seeking the Well of Life I assume."

She hesitated and nodded.

"Turn back, there is no well."

He is defiantly lying she resolved. "Please, my friend is dying and must drink from the well." Two can play at this game.

"Come back tomorrow" the man said as he walked into the shrine and closed the door behind him.

She left the village quickly and returned to where Sesshomaru waited. She reported to him her findings and they concluded that she would return in the morning and give an account of her dying friend in order convince them to tell her if the well exists or not. That night they did slept in the forest alone, Jaken had not returned but they were sure he would by morning. He had been annoyed the whole time they had been on this journey, so they left him to sulk.

Rin woke in the middle of the night to Sesshomaru's sudden movements and growling. The monk stood in the clearing staring at the two of them. She jumped to her feet sword in hand and addressed the monk.

"I sensed it in the village the demonic aura around you made me ill. I was right here you are with a demon. I knew it. You disgust me, a young good looking woman lying with a demon. I cant even begin to image the ways he had defiled your………."

Sesshomaru readied his whip drawing his fingers back. Before he could strike the man stopped talking. He looked over at Rin standing, bloody sword in hand. She wiped the blood off the blade on the dead man's kimono and turned to Sesshomaru.

Her mercilessness made him smirk a little. If it had been any other man he may have felt some remorse for the fact that Rin bloodied her hands, but this man earned his fate.

"Let's go, there's nothing here" she beckoned the demon lord.

He began to take a step forward but felt weak. With his second step he fell to his knees. Something was draining his strength. How could this be. He struggled to hold on to conciseness. A group of village men came from the forest surrounding them and drew Sesshomaru to a tree, binding him there. He struggled to free himself but had trouble merely holding his head up.

" So you found our well," a voice from behind him said quietly into his ear. "Our well is very special, some of the men here tonight are over 200 years old." As the man stepped out in front of Sesshomaru he was surprised to see that the man was identical to the dead monk. Twins he thought. "Our well is very special indeed. You see, it gets its power from the immortal souls of demons; demons like you." The monk grabbed Sesshomaru's face examining his markings and ignoring the demon lord's growls.

He looked past the monk to Rin. The village men had restrained her, it took five of them to hold her down as they restrained her to a tree across from the one Sesshomaru was restrained to.

The monk then made his way and addressed Rin; solemnly stepping over his brother's corpse, "And you whore, killed my brother." He stated as he slapped her across her face. She didn't even look at him as he assaulted her, her gaze was focused only on Sesshomaru's, and there she held herself.

He watched helplessly as the village men beat her. They had torn her clothes off and tore at her naked body. She didn't cry, she didn't scream, she didn't utter a sound. She just stared into his eyes.

His blood began to boil, he was beginning to transform into his true form. He tried to control his transformation as he searched himself for other options. He feared that in his demon form he would not recognize Rin and might harm her in the process. In his true form the spell the monk was using to drain his powers would not be able to control him. He had no choice, he let himself go.

His eyes burned red as he grew and changed into a mighty demon dog. In this form he was more powerful than the monk's magic. With a few bites and steps he effortlessly killed all the men including the monk, permanently relinquishing his spell. He growled a mighty roar warning and challenging anyone else who might seek him and his mighty power. She stared up into his mighty eyes, unafraid, as she lost consciousness. He nuzzled her with his nose smelling her blood. Despite the air being thick with the smell of blood, one stood out, it was hers. Something inside of him, something primal and instinctive told him that it was his duty to protect her. The smell of her blood and the connection with her eyes pulled him back into control of himself.

He slashed through the chains that held her to the tree and freed her limp body. He took off his own kimono to cover her. He then carried her to a cave nearby where he felt they would be safe. He knew her fragile body could not survive being transported far or fast, so this cave would have to do for now. He gently laid her on the ground and inspected her wounds. He licked her skin closing any wounds where skin had broken, but that was all he could do. He held her head in his lap and waited for her to wake up.

Days passed and her sleep was restless, she still hadn't woken up, but she tossed in her sleep as if she were still struggling to free herself. "Your safe now." He reasoned to her unconscious mind. This would calm her for a moment then she would begin to toss again. She would move so violently that she would reopen all of her wounds. When ever one would open he would gently lick it again forcing it to close. This restless sleep persisted for a week before she woke.

It was the middle of the night when she woke up startled and disoriented. She immediately and instinctively found Sesshomaru's eyes and found peace in them as she relived what had happened to her. Knowing that he was the only one present made her feel secure enough to allow herself to cry.

"What are your dreams about?" she choked out when she was able to contain her tears.

"What are you refereeing to?" he answered avoiding the question.

"You know what I mean, you wake up at night tormented by your dreams; what are they about? Is that why we came here looking for some well?" she pushed all of her questions out on one breath.

How could she be concerned about my dreams NOW, bloody and beaten, she is questioning me about my dreams. "Death." He replied. "End this now." He demanded.

It would be weeks before Rin would have the strength to walk again. Sesshomaru gathered her food and assured that she was clean and fed. He had suggested they leave and return to his home many times, but she refused, she wanted to be able to walk out of the cave on her own. She stressed to him that she needed her dignity. He had found Jaken in a cage near the place they were assaulted. He left him there on Rin's request so he would not see her in her weakened state.

And there they stayed for as long as they could. They shared their weaknesses without fear now, certain that the other would never exploit them.