This takes place after Lost Memories. ***Lots of Spoilers if you have Read it***

This is for Heartonsleeve :) If anyone else has requests leave a review. I'm up for ideas. I'm toying with the idea of Rin getting fever when she was still following him around and I want to write the scene that's mentioned in all my stories where Rin rides on Sesshomaru's back in his true form with Kohaku when they were children in the field that would become their home when she is older.

Hisato leaned against a one of the Orchard trees with his arms folded. He shook his head. She was at it again, this time she was tearing apart the Healer's hut. Rin's eyes were bloodshot and she was screaming hysterically. Yuki and Harutoga were nearby cowering in a corner. Yuki was trying to get her mother's attention but with each slash of the green whip extending to tear apart another piece of the wooden hut, Rin's blood curdling cries filled the afternoon air. Hisato considered letting her continue she had every right to, but appearances were everything. They had all but avoided the entire village knowing that the lost her memories for a month. Shippo covered for Rin during that time. The villagers were none the wiser not even when she killed the Healer. The Fox demons hid the battle.

It was whispered that he found a post somewhere else. Only the inner circle of Sesshomaru's house knew the truth. The spell he cast, and the child they lost. Hisato was certain that neither Sesshomaru or Rin were aware that a month later they were both still suffering. Sesshomaru hovered and Rin's emotions were unstable, when she was like this none could calm her but Sesshomaru. Hisato wondered how long it would take them to both acknowledge how much the loss of their child effected them. Where they used to be more affectionate Hisato had watched the slow unraveling of their relationship. Even before the Healer, the fights were more frequent. Hisato was forced to watch from a corner with his eyes downcast or remain on the other side of a door and pretend like he didn't hear what was on the other side of the door.

Now Rin still woke with nightmares, no longer about Sesshomaru but about the Healer taking her memories. There were mornings she woke up terrified if she was alone that everything was the way it had been. If he and whichever maid that was on duty that day were lucky they could calm Rin themselves, if not he would send Jaken or one of the children to retrieve Sesshomaru. Only their bond calmed her these days. They were both clueless.

But saying so, wasn't part of his job as a guard, his sole purpose was to guard Rin and if he failed again, he was certain that he would end up dead. But this, what she was doing right now, was too much. Rin wasn't even dressed, she was still in a Yukata, her hair wild and frizzy, with her two children next to her yelling at her to stop. Her yukata was loosely tired, it was slipping around her waist, she wasn't even aware how immodest she was.

This wasn't good. Rin already had an audience. Hisato tsked and walked forward, he took out one of his own swords, he would need it to block hers. She may have been human but that sword of hers was deadly. Rin was out of control again. Next to Hisato was Hideyoshi a white haired Inu-Yokai. The only thing they had in common was the faint scent of humanity that pumped through their veins. Hideyoshi had a human grandfather many generations before preventing his line from ever becoming full blooded.

"Go get Sesshomaru-sama," Hisato ordered him. "I can already tell she won't calm for me."

"He's in meetings with the wolf-demons. It's the last one before we set out this evening. He isn't going to like the interruption," Hideyoshi answered softly. "You go, I'll make sure she doesn't destroy anything beyond the hut."

Hisato frowned, perhaps it would have been better to tell the villagers the truth, perhaps it would have been better to keep Rin in the house. These outbursts were getting more frequent. Hisato knew from experience they were both becoming too reliant on their bond, this would be one of those time Sesshomaru would have to engage the bond to calm her.

"Great now the house is on fire," Yuki folded her arms next to Hisato, "do you plan on doing something about this?" And then there was the eight year old Queen of the house who thought she had just as much authority as her father.

Hisato pursed his lips, "come, you can help me get your father out of the meeting with Koga-sama." Hisato bent over and Yuki climbed onto his back, the only thing she liked more than causing him trouble was causing her father trouble. Interrupting was right up her alley and she wasn't likely to be strangled or killed for interrupting. "Harutoga, come!" Hisato ordered the little boy. Harutoga at least was a peaceful boy. He had a soft temperament, but great power, Hisato saw it from the day the boy was born, he would rival even their uncle Inuyasha one day.

Hisato flew into the air, he touched his own heart, he didn't get to see her often, the last time was fice years ago, but he knew she was there. These two needed an intervention badly. He landed in front of the public entrance of the home. The children dropped off his back and ran ahead of him.

To his surprise Sesshomaru was in the public dining room with Koga and several of the wolf demons.

"Ka-san is out of control again," Yuki blurted out in front of everyone. All eyes including Sesshomaru's turned to her, "oops." She averted her gaze.

Hisato walked over to Sesshomaru. Jaken jumped in front of him. Hisato dreamed of taking Nintojo and frying the toad with it. "He isn't to be disturbed."

"She won't be calmed," Hisato spoke the words to Jaken but they were loud enough for Sesshomaru to hear.

Hisato watched as Sesshomaru closed his eyes, he placed his hand over his heart, then furrowed his eyebrows. "Dammit she's resisting me, if you'll excuse me for a moment," Sesshomaru spoke to Koga.

Koga inclined his head, "woman troubles?"

If looks could kill, someone should have told the wolf leader not to speak about Rin like that.

"Where is she?" Sesshomaru's voice was low. Hisato wanted to ask if he really needed to know? Besides her scent Sesshomaru should now be able to sense her location, there was so much about their bond that Sesshomaru was still unaware of. I suppose it's time we teach them eh, dear one? He thought to himself.

"Destroying the Healer's house, you should take something for her to wear," Hisato's voice was as low as Sesshomaru's.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened. A second later he was gone.

Again this was one of those moments Hisato was supposed to pretend like he didn't see what was going on. Sesshomaru held Rin in the boughs of a magnolia tree. The villagers were putting out what was left of the burning hut. Hisato walked cautiously towards them with the kimono and sash. Hisato left the children with Atsuko at the manor.

Rin's face was buried into Sesshomaru's neck. For a man who was as powerful as Sesshomaru, his demeanor towards his mate was the complete opposite of his reputation. But that was also something Hisato had to pretend he didn't notice. Sesshomaru's ran his claws through Rin's hair. Hisato faintly heard, "he was there," that was Rin's soft voice.

Hisato couldn't blame Sesshomaru for taking a human, especially not that human. Rin was beautiful, strong, powerful and perhaps the only person that could scold Sesshomaru and not die for it, besides his mother who rarely visited. And when Rin saw Sesshomaru, Hisato knew Rin probably didn't even know the scent that came off her was intoxicating to all the sentinels that guarded the house and any guest who had a heightened sense of smell. It was the most sensuous flavor he had hardly smelled on a woman.

"It was a dream," Sesshomaru's pitch was so tender it was almost disturbing. Hisato could feel the rise in yoki. As predicted Sesshomaru had to engage his bond to Rin to calm her again. This was happening more and more often. He hovered and she clung to him. Hisato had no idea how they were going to travel like this. Sesshomaru was going to take Rin and the children with him. He said it would take two months to re-solidify his borders and recover from the debacle the Healer caused.

Hisato left the Kimono at the base of the tree, Sesshomaru glanced at him long enough to acknowledge his presence. Then Hisato walked several lengths away and took up his post. He did his best to ignore what he heard coming from the boughs of the tree. "It didn't feel like a dream."

"You killed him, my heart, he can't hurt you anymore."

"It still hurts."

"I know."

Then there was the day in the grove that Hisato had to pretend like he didn't see them both doubled over crying. The miscarriage affected the entire house, not just the two love birds alone. Someone was able to infiltrate Sesshomaru's home, the powerful Dai-yokai, perhaps one of the strongest demons of the age, and came very close to stealing his mate right out from underneath him. For the world, he was still a powerful force to be reckoned with, for the inner circle he was cracking.

Hisato felt a whoosh of air next to him, "Sato," another Inu-yokai again like Hisato. Sato's grandmother was human. All of the sentinels had human ancestors, none of them could transform, none of them could heal human injuries.

"There is a disturbance at the barrier," Sato scratched his black beard. Sato was Hisato's cousin. He had more human blood than Hisato but was still more than a hanyou.

"I'll go. You stay here," Hisato was about to fly into the air, when he noticed Sesshomaru's eye come out of Rin's neck.

"She's come," Sesshomaru jumped out of the tree, "Hisato, take Rin back to the house," Sesshomaru blocked Hisato's view as he helped Rin get into her kimono. "I'll come shortly." There it was again that tender almost sickeningly sweet voice that was reserved just for Rin.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama," Hisato walked up to Rin, "do you want to walk?"

"No."

"Fly then?"

"No," her voice was flat and monotone.

"What's left?"

"Train, let's go on the other side of the lake."

"He said to take you home," Hisato argued. This woman would be the death of him yet, if he didn't listen to her he would face consequences, if he didn't listen to Sesshomaru-sama there would be consequences. He knuckled his forehead, "for an hour and that's it."

Hisato followed Rin as she went to the clearing on the other side of the lake. They were near the border of the village where the barrier began now. Rin slid her arms through the slits at the shoulders of her kimono and tucked the loose sleeves into her sash. She hefted up the sides of the kimono. Hisato couldn't help but admire her muscular legs. "Have you finished preparing to leave?" Hisato asked her.

"Just take your swords out," Rin was not the same young woman Hisato used to guard. Not anymore. He met her when she was eighteen and Yuki was just a baby. Hisato guarded them from a distance until their home was finished and then it was his job to ensure their safety.

Hisato removed both his blades. Rin was good but if Hisato fought with full force she would be dead within minutes. He slashed at her knees, she blocked. He used his other sword to go for her neck she ducked. The battle ensued. The dead look in Rin's eyes was replaced by a fire. It did Hisato's heart good to see that, at least some part of the old Rin was there. She was like a spider, he slashed at her arm, she blocked, and released the serpentine whip. He smacked it off with his hand singing his fingers. She released it at his neck, he held up one of his swords and slapped it away. A moment later he spun and drove his other sword into Rin's shoulder, "shit," he cussed. It cut just below her shoulder on her left arm.

"I'm fine," she bent over her arm holding the bleeding wound with her other arm.

"No that's deep," sometimes even Hisato forgot his own strength. He ripped a piece of his shirt to tie onto it, "he's going to be here any minute."

"It's fine," Rin stood up.

"Oh dear," came an effeminate voice from behind Hisato, "you really should be more careful."

Rin's entire arm was covered in blood.

Hisato's hid a smile, "Gobodo-sama, so you were the disturbance?"

The female Inu strutted over to Rin, "let me see. Well, he's not going to like this."

"What are you doing?" Stop," Rin tried to pull from Gobodo-sama's grip.

"Silence," Gobodo-sama hissed, "and stop fighting me."

"How can you?" Rin's face was full of confusion, "it hurts, stop."

Gobodo-sama waved her off, "I can access your bond because he is my son, although somewhat uncomfortably for you and me and not without consequences."

Rin's arm stopped bleeding, Hisato watched as the cut slowly healed.

"Consequences?" Rin asked.

Sesshomaru was in his true form in the clearing roaring at his mother not a moment after she said that, "consequences," Gobodo-sama pointed at Sesshomaru, "oh do calm down, I didn't hurt her."

Sesshomaru's red eyes stared fiercely at his mother. In a flash she matched him in her true form.

Rin looked at Hisato and then at Sesshomaru's mother, "why would she care if I got hurt?" Rin grabbed Hisato's arm.

"Probably didn't want her son to feel pain for you," Hisato answered quickly while turning to watch the stare down between the two large white dogs.

"He would have healed me himself, but he would have gone after you for hurting me," sudden realization ran across Rin's eyes, "you two? Really? For how long!"

"I bonded her a century ago," Hisato chuckled to himself, "why do you think she recommended me."

Rin started laughing. "What are they doing? They're just staring at each other."

"They're doing more than that. He felt the intrusion to his bond to you. After what happened to the healer he's practically screaming at her to never touch your bond again. She's not saying much, just brushing it off as natural."

"She can access it because she is his mother?"

"Something like that and because she is as powerful as she is. But he is more sensitive to it now since," Hisato chose not to finish the sentence.

"The healer," Rin finished for him. "Why couldn't he sense the intrusion when the healer put the spell on me?"

"Arrogance, he spent his entire life believing he would never bond a woman, 900 years of stubbornness isn't erased overnight. He thought his father was a fool for bonding a Izayoi and dying, he swore he would never be so stupid and then he met you. The only problem is that he never allowed either his mother or father to explain Inu-yokai bonds to him. He only now has some idea how powerful it can be even if it's not reciprocated in your case."

Both mother and son were in human form now. "Why are you here mother?" Sesshomaru snarled at her.

Gobodo-sama walked over to Hisato and squeezed his hand, she placed a soft peck on his cheek, "I was summoned."

Sudden knowing hit Sesshomaru's eyes, "you bonded my mother?"

Hisato flicked his eyebrows up and shrugged his shoulder.

"Oh don't be a fool Sesshomaru, I bonded him and after some convincing, some very good convincing," she toyed with Hisato's ear, "he reciprocated. But that was a hundred years ago, it took you this long to figure it out?"

"He's younger than me," Sesshomaru glared.

Rin tried to stifle her laughter.

"Only by a few hundred years. And how many centuries younger than you is your human? Did I say anything when you took her as your mate? What was she twelve when you bonded her?"

"Seventeen," Rin interjected.

"Silence, I was merely healing your mate to avoid you lashing out at mine," she nuzzled Hisato's neck.

"Why did you summon my mother?" Sesshomaru turned his eyes on Hisato, "and what did you do to Rin?"

"It's nothing," Rin ran over to Sesshomaru trying to salvage the situation, "we were sparring and my arm was cut, she was just healing it."

"He summoned me because you two are acting out of sorts and if it doesn't stop you are going to end up just like your father!" Gobodo-sama yelled at Sesshomaru. "You are too dependent on that bond and she is weak!" She pointed an accusing finger at Rin.

Hisato knew those weren't the right words, but it did need to stop.

"Because you turned your back on father?"

"Oh please Sesshomaru not that again," Gobodo-sama rolled her eyes, "did you think your father and I were bonded? I had an itch and he scratched it. In fact he scratched it so well you were conceived can you really be so angry? Did you think we were in love?"

Hisato took Rin by the wrist, "we should probably leave now." Hisato was stopped by a death grip on his shoulder.

"Don't touch her," Sesshomaru's voice was low, carnal, his eyes red.

"Oh dear it really is as bad as you said, what happened here, dear one?" She looked at Hisato.

Hisato looked at his mate then at Sesshomaru and couldn't decide who's warning glare to respond to. "I think it would be better if you two spoke alone, Rin and I will sit by the lake where you can see her Sesshomaru-sama."

"Release his shoulder Sesshomaru," Gobodo-sama's hand was on top of Sesshomaru's.

Sesshomaru looked from Hisato to his mother and then back at Rin. "By the lake," Sesshomaru released Hisato.

When they were further away, Rin turned to watch the interaction between Sesshomaru and his mother. "Ok…what's going on? You sent for her?"

"What you two are doing isn't healthy, it's not how the bond is meant to work, may I speak plainly?"

"Always," Rin laughed, "at least with me."

"You know my great-grandmother was human, she was also bonded to a great Dai-yokai. That's why I can fly. If your children bond full blooded yokai like their father it's possible the children born will be able to salvage some of the skills they will lose by having human blood. My great-grandmother and great grandfather were deeply in love with each other. But one day, when she was expecting my great uncle, she was attacked by a powerful demon. The blow wasn't fatal to her, it was to the child she was carrying. They were never the same afterwards. He hovered and she clung to him. Eventually they shunned everyone around them, and she became a liability to him. They were both killed by a dragon, my grandfather was just a boy at the time barely older than Harutoga and he had to raise himself in a world where Hanyou's were not accepted. Do you know how took him in?"

Rin shook her head.

He pointed at Gobodo-sama.

"Her? I thought she hated humans and half-breeds!"

"She does, in her own right. She finds them weak and useless. She likes you because of your fighting spirit, and because you brought out her son's real strength. Grandfather bonded a pure blooded inu-yokai, and likewise the two children he bore, meaning I am mostly made up of pure blood. I can't transform, my blood and saliva can't heal humans. Rin-sama, you don't want to do the same thing to your children, I know your heart is broken right now, but it's only temporary. It will heal if you let it."

Rin folded her knees up to her chest. "Have you ever lost a child?"

"No, but she has, before Sesshomaru-sama and it wasn't a miscarriage. The child was killed when she was away. She left her daughter with servants, when she returned the child was murdered. After that she became cold and calculating, not unlike Sesshomaru."

"He had a sister?"

"She's telling him now," Hisato nodded in their direction.

"Were you there when I was a child at her palace?"

"I saw you from a distance. I was sure then that he would bond you when you became of age."

"How did you know?"

"It's obvious to those that are onlookers. She asked Jaken over and over, what Sesshomaru's relationship to you was, she saw it as I did and anyone watching. The connection was there, you just needed to mature."

Rin took a deep breath, "I don't know how to stop. Unless I can feel him it's like my heart doesn't stop hurting, it doesn't stop racing, my hands shake. I can't sleep if he isn't in bed next to me. It's not just losing a child, the Healer stole my memories, he locked me in my own mind, I was there the whole time trying to break out and I couldn't, I wasn't strong enough unless his yoki was with me. How do I stop needing him so much?"

"Mourn," Hisato scratched the bottom of his shoe, "mourn deeply. Let the tears stop on their own. He's right, you killed the Healer, he's gone. He can't hurt you again."

"What if someone else does the same thing?"

"They won't be able to now."

"What do you mean?"

"Inu-yokai bonds are also protective. Your bond wasn't strong enough then to stop the spell, it is now. Now that he knows how to wield it he will sense any intrusion and know to come. You saw how quickly he came when his mother used it to heal you, and I will not make the same mistake and leave your side again Rin-sama. Mourn your child, mourn deeply, for your sake and his, this can't continue. You have two live children to think of and this village where so many like me have found a place where they matter. You have to move on."

Rin bit her lip.

Hisato put a tentative hand on her shoulder, "stop holding back, let the tears come. And if he cries again he'll be the better for it."

"You saw that?" Her voice was thick with tears.

Hisato nodded, "I see much and I say little. It's not my job to speak as I have done now."

"Thank you," Rin hugged Hisato.

"I wouldn't do that," he removed her from his embrace, "go hug your angry mate, who looks like he wants to kill me."

Rin ran to Sesshomaru. Before she could reach Sesshomaru, Gobodo-sama had Rin by the arm, and pulled on the back of her Kimono revealing the long scar down her neck, the puncture wounds on her shoulder and the slash that ran the length of her right shoulder down to her waist, "you really are a beast Sesshomaru, this is how you make children?"

Rin flushed.

Sesshomaru pulled his mother's arms off of Rin. "That is private."

"You know you could try again without hurting her, but that would involve talking to your mother about what is private."

Gobodo-sama practically glided to Hisato planting an even more passion filled kiss on his mouth, "well…I think I got through to him. You?"

"I can only hope." Hisato responded.

"A serrow demon? I haven't seen one of those in centuries, she must really have strength if one tried to take her from him. Think we can get a few minutes alone?" She tickled Hisato's ear.

"Not in public," he pushed her hand down.

"But I have an itch," she licked his ear.

"Your son is watching."

"Maybe we'll teach him a thing or two," Gobodo-sama chuckled. "Would you like to watch Sesshomaru? Perhaps I can teach your human about pleasuring males, come my love, those bushes look inviting."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened, Rin's mouth was on the ground.

Hisato smiled and led his soulmate away from watching eyes, "he may fire me."

"Let him, more time for me," she giggled as she pulled him to the forest floor.