Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any of the characters-as much as I wish I did. All original characters are mine and I make no money off of this.
Elizabeth grinned up at him and prayed to any gods listening that he never find out about the massive crush she had on him. He had just been the best character on InuYasha, not to mention the massive amounts of fanfiction she had read. But more than that, the way his arms had felt around her and the way he had said her name, oh she was in big trouble. Big, gigantic, enormous trouble.
As they traveled, Rin chattered away at Elizabeth. Jaken interrupted just once, but he was so incredibly mean to Rin that Elizabeth automatically smacked him over the head before turning her attention back to Rin. Only to find her crying. Just a little, but it made Elizabeth stop to hug Rin.
"Oh, hey, hey, honey, it's okay." She soothed, running her hand through Rin's hair. Rin's crying became louder, then whole-body wracking sobs.
"Oh sweetie." Elizabeth scooped Rin up in her arms and kicked Jaken out of the way. She resolutely marched up to Sesshomaru and stopped in front of him.
"Hold Rin." She told him. He stared at her for a moment. "You are the closest thing she has to family, hold her and offer her comfort. I'm going to start a fire and make some tea. I know tea always makes me feel better when I cry. Then we're all going to have a long talk, okay Rin honey?"
Rin nodded against her shoulder. After a moment Sesshomaru held out his arms and Elizabeth gently placed Rin in his grasp. He was clearly a little stiff but Rin practically melted against him, clung to his haori, and buried her face against his shoulder. Soon he was rubbing her back soothingly. Elizabeth deemed that taken care of and so turned to her self-appointed task of making tea.
She grabbed Jaken by the scruff of his robes and demanded in a quiet but firm voice that he make a fire.
"No!"
"Jaken." Sesshomaru said threateningly. Elizabeth realized she shouldn't have been surprised that he managed to be extremely threatening even while holding a crying child, but she had been. Jaken eeped and immediately demanded to be put down so he could gather wood.
Elizabeth set him down and began to go through the saddlebags on Ah-Un to find the teapot or a pot to boil water in and the tea leaves.
Fifteen minutes later, tea was served and the three of them-Sesshomaru, Rin, and Elizabeth- sat close together around the fire. Rin was seated between the two adults and was still clinging to Sesshomaru's haori with one hand as she held her tea with the other. She had stopped crying, but still gave the occasional sniffle.
"Alright Rin," Elizabeth said at last. "Are you feeling up to talking about what made you cry?"
She nodded.
"Rin is ready. Rin was crying because Jaken-sama said that nobody wanted to listen to Rin. Momma used to say no one had time to listen to Rin chatter." She set her tea down and curled herself into a little ball. Elizabeth immediately wrapped her arms around the little girl.
"Well that wasn't very nice of Jaken or your Momma. I'm sure she was a nice lady, but you're with Sesshomaru-sama now and me now. I know I don't mind you talking, I like hearing what you're thinking. And I think Sesshomaru-sama doesn't mind listening to you either. Am I right, Sesshomaru-sama?"
"Elizabeth-san is right, Rin." Sesshomaru spoke. "Your speaking is most pleasing to this Sesshomaru."
Elizabeth shot him a grateful smile over Rin's head. They made eye contact and an understanding passed between them. They each feared the other would never care for them as they cared for the other, but they would care for Rin together regardless of their feelings for each other.
"Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama, Elizabeth-sama." Rin said as she hugged Elizabeth.
"Of course sweetie." Elizabeth ran her fingers through Rin's hair. Sesshomaru nodded at Elizabeth.
"Jaken," he said. The kappa scuttled over to him. "Apologize to Rin."
"But milord-" Jaken squawked. A sharp glare from the inu-yokai silenced his protests. Elizabeth hid her smile behind Rin's hair as Jaken attempted to both apologize to Sesshomaru and protest having to apologize to Rin.
"Now Jaken." Sesshomaru's voice was as cold as ice and cracked like a whip. Morosely Jaken turned and walked over to Rin. A dark cloud hung over his head as he mumbled an apology.
"I'm sorry Jaken," Elizabeth said. "But Rin is asleep. She must have been exhausted by all that crying."
"What!" He squawked. Immediately Elizabeth shushed him.
"Shhhhh, Jaken. It's better to let her sleep." She said more to Sesshomaru than the little kappa.
"Hn." Now that the immediate crisis with Rin had been dealt with, Elizabeth took a moment to study Sesshomaru by the light of the fire. He was blessed with a beauty that allowed all types of light to do him many favors, but the firelight added a golden hue to his ivory coloring. Her earlier thought returned: she was in deep over her head. She gave a small sigh. She was definitely doomed. He would never return her feelings-he hated the weakness of humans and hanyou. He would never lower himself to mate a human and have hanyou children.
Elizabeth made a decision then. Even if she couldn't be with him, she could be content just to be near him. Especially if she had the chance to take care of Rin. So she would stay by Sesshomaru's side, support him, and never ask for anything more. She would never put him in a position to refuse her affections because she would never reveal them.
She shook her head to dispel her gloomy thoughts, deciding instead to focus on the present. She shifted Rin in her arms so she was lying comfortably in Elizabeth's lap. Absent-mindedly she began to hum. After she made it through the chorus twice Sesshomaru spoke.
"What is that you are humming, Elizabeth-san?"
"It's called Almost Human, it's a song about an angel who falls from grace and how he feels like he no longer is anything powerful."
"Sing it," he commanded.
"Okay then. Just let me think of the lyrics. Right! I think I've got it!" She cleared her throat and began to sing.
Elizabeth allowed her voice to trail away with the last note. She flushed as she realized that she had become completely lost in the song. Sesshomaru appeared to be lost in thought. Rin was asleep. Jaken was off doing who knew what (Elizabeth didn't exactly care that much-he was too annoying at the moment). So she was free to relax. Unbidden another song rose to her lips. This time it was the 'Edge of Night' from the Lord of the Rings. The last note hung in the air for a moment.
Elizabeth yawned and gently lifted Rin off her lap and placed her on the ground. Then she curled up around the girl. As she was falling asleep, she felt a blanket being draped over them and she caught a flash of silver-white as it stepped away from her. Warmth rose unbidden within her as she realized that Sesshomaru had covered them. Then she knew no more.