In the dark hours of the night he allowed himself to take to the skies, quickly covering distances which would take weeks for mortals to walk, drawn, always, by the scent which most called for him. He lingered near the tiny crude dwelling in which she resided, hating how he had been forced to give her up to this; this low, poor life, when always he had wished to give her the best things, the finest things. Now he gave her nothing, not even his presence, which he knew she even now longed for. So often he smelled the salt of her tears, heard her sobbing and low tearful whispers of his name in the night, his sharp senses hearing every mournful sound she hid from her friends and neighbors.

He hated himself for this weakness. It was below him to lurk in shadows. And it was far, far below him to lurk in shadows merely to breathe in the scent of a mortal, when by all rights he should be at his estate, with the smell of his mate, his heir, and his unborn pup lingering around him. He knew his mate knew of these ventures, knew she could smell the vague taint of human on him when he returned, but never was it strong enough to suggest he had actually interacted with mortals, and for that cause she wisely did not mention his nighttime absences.

Given the fertility of dog demons, he had not been forced to lay with his mate often before she had conceived and born him a son. From that time, he had refrained from going to her bedchambers at night, preferring rather to sleep alone, or simply sit on the balcony outside his room staring into the night sky, pushing away the longing for her: for the days when a little girl followed him around, one bright warm spot in his cold, dark life; for the days when an awkward, gangly adolescent girl tripped over her too-long legs and puzzled over her changing body; for the days when awkwardness sprouted into lithe beauty and grace, and his heart slowly shifted from the affection of a caretaker for his ward into the love of a man for his woman.

Normally, three years would have been to him not much more than three days. Time did not pass for him the same way it did for mortals. Yet these three years since his mating had been the longest in his life. He distanced himself from his faithful vassals even more than he had before, and had never been close to his mate. Of late he had seen the dissatisfaction, the restlessness, in her eyes. He had suspected she might take a lover, in which case he would be forced to kill both her and her consort to regain his honor. And, though it shamed him terribly, in the darkest recesses of his soul he knew he would have been glad of the excuse to be rid of her. Instead of finding someone else to amuse and satisfy her, however, the abominable female had seduced his beast. No easy task, given his years of practice with controlling his more feral side. Yet her defiance had forced him to subdue her, and her submission, along with the long ignored needs of his body, had compelled him to take her. When he'd come back to himself he had stormed from her chambers, and had not spoken to her since. The scent of the newly conceived pup was more sickening than it was pleasing. He would accept the child, of course, for it was no fault of the babe's that its mother was a conniving wench.

His heir was a source of great pride to him, yet the boy was still young enough that he spent most of his time with his mother and the women of the court, and he was becoming something of a spoiled brat, which irritated his father to no end. No matter, though. In a few years he would call in the best tutors, both of physical and mental skills, to ensure the boy became a demon of quality, not some pathetic mongrel clinging to his mother's kimono.

He wrenched his thoughts back to the present, scenting lightly the smell of Rin's tears. And something else. A strange mix of fear and determination lingered in her scent. He could smell something else, an object…it was vaguely familiar for some reason. He suddenly recalled the scent of the dagger he had given her long ago as a means of protecting herself. It had been a pretty little thing, but very sharp, its main purpose to cause death, not pleasure to the eye. This worried him. Her scent reminded him people he had seen die; the ones who had accepted death calmly, with only a mild fear in their scents. Something was not right here.

He couldn't believe he was lowering himself to this. He growled irritably to himself as he moved to peer in the dim window. He was careful to ensure he looked in the one behind her. She was sitting on the floor. So beautiful. It occurred to him that this was the first time he had actually looked at her in three years. She was lovely. But too thin, and there was a sad look about her. His mind quickly bypassed her looks though, as he spotted her turning the dagger over in her hands. She was whispering to herself, he realized.

"How should I…I don't want it to hurt too much…I wonder what the best way to do it is…maybe…maybe I just shouldn't do it at all…No! I can't take it anymore…I'm not staying in this world…"

Fear…an almost completely foreign emotion…welled up inside him. She meant to…to take her own life? He debated quickly what to do. He could not show himself to her…that would only worsen the pain for both of them. He glanced around him and noticed a light coming from his brother's house. Rin didn't seem to have any intention of harming herself within the next few moments, so he turned and walked towards InuYasha's dwelling.

…

Kagome leant to kiss little Kaede's soft head as the baby slept peacefully. She still felt a deep ache in her heart for the loss of the old woman her youngest child had been named for. Old Kaede had been her mentor, her friend, her midwife, and in some ways had even taken the place of Kagome's mother who she could never see again. She sighed deeply.

Warm arms wrapped around her from behind, and she nestled herself into her husband's loving arms. Life was so good, despite the sorrow of the old lady's death. Their life was so full of joy. The children; Shippo, InuSota, Eri, and Kaede, as well as Kohaku's daughter and Sango and Miroku's five children, were a source of constant delight. InuYasha had built the house from a small hut into a large dwelling which almost resembled some of the smaller houses in the era Kagome had been born in. Many of the villagers had followed that example, and the town was growing, thriving.

Kagome's only real worry was Rin. Especially after the news today that Sesshomaru's mate was expecting again. Rin had sobbed for a good long while…but then a strange, disturbing calm had settled over her, and she had assured Kagome she was alright and practically shooed her away. It worried the older woman greatly. Something was very wrong…but she could not decide what exactly. She thought of going back over to see Rin again and assure herself the girl was alright, but didn't want to wake her if she was already asleep.

Pushing her worries aside, she leant up to kiss InuYasha softly, reveling, as always, in the warmth of his arms around her, and his soft, loving nature which he so often hid from all others.

A soft but firm knock sounded upon the door in the next room. Looking at each other in puzzlement as to who might be knocking at this time of night, they headed towards the door. Kagome opened it and bit back a gasp.

"Sesshomaru?!"

He cocked on eyebrow at her and nodded politely. InuYasha moved forward.

"What are you doing here, Sesshomaru? It's been three years since we've even heard from you, let alone seen you!"

There was a strange look, Kagome thought, in her brother-in-law's eyes. He looked…worried? And somehow guilty, too, like a lad forced to admit he'd had his hand in the cookie jar.

"My business required I pass by this village this evening. As I walked along the outskirts, I happened to hear a voice and stopped to listen…Rin was speaking to herself…It seems she is contemplating taking her own life. I can not speak to her myself, due to the conditions of my mate's father. So I came here thinking you might wish to stop her, Kagome."

Kagome didn't speak a word before hurrying out the door. InuYasha considered following her but knew that he would be of little assistance. Besides, he was very interested in the holes in Sesshomaru's story.

He watched his older half-brother with interest. Sesshomaru's whole body was tense. His seemed to have each of his senses strained in one direction; InuYasha guessed he was tracking Kagome's progress through the village while also carefully scenting for the smell of Rin's blood.

"Sesshomaru..." The older man responded with a harsh glare.

"Silence."

Irritated, InuYasha crossed his arms and waited. After a long moment, Sesshomaru shifted and seemed to relax without really adjusting his usual upright stance. InuYasha spoke again.

"Did Kagome get to her?"

"Yes. She's gotten the knife away from her."

InuYasha cocked a brow at the youkai.

"So, Sesshomaru, since when do you walk through our village on business this late at night? Seems to me that you could get where you're going a lot faster by flying. And how'd you know she had a knife?"

"My business and means of travel are none of your affair. As for the knife, I gave it to her some years ago, and recognized its scent."

"Uh-huh. Sure. And what do you think might have driven her to suicide, Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru glared.

"It's your fault, you know. She loved you with her everything, still does after all this time. And you chose some ridiculous duty over her. She was starting to recover. She made herself think that maybe you didn't love your mate, maybe you really were just doing a duty, but then you got your bitch pregnant again, and Rin assumed you must love her to have slept with her when you already have an heir. So she decided to kill herself."

"I seem to recall you once choosing your duty to that priestess over Kagome. You have no right to speak, half-breed."

"But I chose Kagome in the end, didn't I? I didn't let it get to the point where Kagome tried to commit suicide late at night with only darkness and tears for company."

InuYasha could scarce believe the reaction he got. Sesshomaru rested his forehead against the doorjamb and sighed heavily, his shoulders actually slumping.

"I had not thought…that she would cling to her childish emotions for such a long time. I do not wish her harm or sorrow. Yet there is no different way to go about it. I must stay with my mate and pups, and she must stay here with you. This is my duty, to our clan, InuYasha."

"Sesshomaru? Are you saying that if it weren't for duty, you would have taken her as your mate?"

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and seemed about to speak, but Kagome came bursting in the door, barreling into her brother-in-law and nearly falling over. Sesshomaru growled quietly at the mortal woman as he lightly gripped her arms and set her upright. He was irritated that she would be so clumsy as to run into him, but was too wearied and sorrowful to react in anger and end up fighting with InuYasha. Sesshomaru and InuYasha both winced at the anger in Kagome's eyes a second before she stood on tiptoes in a failed attempt to get right in Sesshomaru's face and began chewing him out.

"You jerk! How could you?! This is all your fault! I understand your call to do your duty, but you could have at least come to visit! You could have at the very least sent Jaken to see her, just to let her know you remembered her! You are going to see her tonight, mister, whether you like it or not, and I don't give a dang about your father-in-law's opinion!"

Sesshomaru blinked at her, startled. InuYasha's ears were flattened to his head as if at any moment he expected her fury to be undeservedly redirected onto him.

"I'm bringing Rin here. InuYasha, don't let Sesshomaru leave. Restrain him with force if you have to. I'll be right back."

She stormed out the door, head held high. Even Sesshomaru looked relieved at her absence.

"Little brother, your bitch needs a lesson in manners."

InuYasha normally would have picked a fight over such a remark, but Kaede fussed, her mother's rant probably having awakened her, so he let his elder brother's remark slide by as he went to retrieve the baby. Coming back, he shoved the baby at Sesshomaru, fighting back a grin.

"Here. You haven't met this one yet. Her name is Kaede."

It was as good a way as any to distract the older man and keep him from leaving. He took the child with all the calm skill he applied to everything else. InuYasha irritably wondered if there was anything that didn't come naturally to Sesshomaru. Well…considering this mess with Rin, maybe he could at least cross "love" off the list of his half-brother's accomplishments.

Sesshomaru took in the child with mild curiosity. He knew he should leave…knew that if he encountered Rin, his mate would smell her on him, even if he didn't touch her. Just being close to her would be enough. And there would be hell to pay. Yet he just wanted to see her, once, for a short period. His bitch was mated to him, no matter what her father might say, and it was him she would obey, as was her duty. She would not leave him no matter how her father ranted and raved.

The baby looked like Kagome. None of her features, at first glance, suggested her demon heritage. Then suddenly she wrapped her little hand around one his fingers and drew blood with her tiny claws. He winced slightly and offered the babe back to her father, licking away the blood, feeling no need to act anything less than the dog demon he was in his brother's presence.

"The small bitch is like her mother…with claws."

InuYasha smiled wryly as he settled the baby in his arms. The door opened again…this time Sesshomaru moved several paces away…and Kagome came in, leading Rin behind her. Kagome didn't even look at Sesshomaru, just left Rin standing by the doorway, grabbed InuYasha by the sleeve, and tugged him out of the room.