A/N: Well, thank you for the reviews!

Guest: Sorry :( I warned you. I tried to keep it discreet.

kagomeLove2: Sorry, haha. You will see in this chapter.

Taraah36: It's nice to hear from you again. And yeah. I thought I'd reveal a few other things that those bandits probably did in the series. And I do believe they are dead now, so... Darn.

Anywho, on with the chapter!


Chapter 8:

The next morning, Rin woke up alone again.

Part of her was partially relieved, because she immediately remembered her promise.

She had been so used to keeping it to herself, that she wasn't sure how it was going to come out.

Although another part of her told her, 'Who else to tell it to than Sesshomaru?' He probably already knew part of what her dreams were.

Rin changed into a clean pair of clothes before going out to face the morning.

First she went to check up on Kagome, grabbing something small to eat. Since she wasn't feeling very hungry for what was to come.

"I heard you again last night, Rin. Were you alright?" Kagome asked her.

Rin glanced down at her friend's worried eyes, "Yeah. Um, Sesshomaru was there again."

"He sure is staying longer than usual. Have you decided yet?" Kagome asked.

"What?" Rin asked suddenly, taken off guard from the task at hand.

Kagome smiled, "Have you decided to be his mate yet?"

"... Oh... Um... Yeah. I have." Rin said slowly.

Kagome's eyes brightened, "That's great!"

"... Yeah. Look, I'm going to go for a walk. I need to clear my head. I'll be back soon, okay?" Rin said. She always made sure Kagome knew where she'd be at all times.

"Okay. Take your time." Kagome responded, before returning to her work.

Rin walked off from there, without having to look back.


"So. What happens now? I choose to be your mate, and then I come find you in the forest every day?" Rin asked when she had found Sesshomaru again, joining him up in a tree he had chosen.

"It will take some time to grow accustomed to your lifestyle, Rin. You know that." Sesshomaru focused on her.

"I know. It took me a while to get accustomed to it too." Rin said, glancing back to the village, that was small due to the distance between them.

"Rin." Sesshomaru drew her attention back.

She took in a sharp breath, knowing what was to come.

"I know it pains you to say, but I need to know what's hurting you so that maybe I can help you." Sesshomaru explained, already sensing her tense up, "Be honest, did something happen while I was away?"

Rin shook her head absently-mindedly, "No. Nothing happened."

Sesshomaru moved closer to her, making her focus on him again, "You can trust me. You know that right?"

Rin smiled sadly, "I do trust you, Lord Sesshomaru. More than my life. I just..."

"If you do, then first, stop using the formalities, and talk to me." Sesshomaru continued to say soothingly. If she trusted him, she wouldn't hesitate so much into telling him.

Rin took a deep breath, shakily letting it out, "My dreams... They are memories."

She didn't continue for a long time. Which left Sesshomaru trying to put the words together himself. Which nothing made sense.

When, in her life did she ever feel that terrified? It had to be before he knew her, before he...

Sesshomaru's blood ran cold.

"I don't really know how it's possible. But I remember. I remember my life before I died the first time." Rin continued, but paused again, the memories flooding her again.

Sesshomaru perked up with immediate interest, "What happened, Rin?"

He tried to keep himself from demanding. He had only asked that question once, long ago, but never got much of an answer. Just a smile that changed his world.

But she wasn't smiling this time.

"You wondered before how I had so many bruises." Rin continued, there was no backing out of this, "... Bandits overthrew my home. Killed off a majority of the village. Except me... To be honest they never even knew I was there. Until I revealed myself in search of my parents."

Sesshomaru listened intently, his mind wandering to visions of that forsaken village that he had stayed only a couple miles from.

"They didn't kill me. Which, in all honesty, I wish they had." Rin continued.

Pain, came straight from Sesshomaru's chest. Hearing her say that after everything he'd done to keep her alive. Even if this was in the past.

"They used me... I did whatever they wanted to stay alive. And if I didn't..." Rin paused, last night's dream merging with the memory.

Sesshomaru battled to keep a calm composure.

The reason he was always able to contain himself so well, was because any emotion he felt, he would contain it deep within his beast. But now, not even his beast could contain the amount of rage he was feeling.

"What did they do, Rin." Sesshomaru demanded, averting his eyes down, glaring at the bark between them rather than at her.

Rin stayed quiet for a while. Maybe this was a bad idea. She couldn't.

"Rin...-"

"They ruined me. Beat me. r-raped m-me." Rin managed out loud, tears forming and falling freely.

That. Was what he wanted, but hated to hear.

He assumed it from the start, but he wanted to hear it. And it enraged him even more.

If she had told him this 11 years ago, those wolves wouldn't have had a chance at those bandits, because he'd be bathing in both of their's blood.

Before he could phase on the spot, he went for the next thing that would suppress that thought.

Rin.

He pulled her closer to him, pressing her up to his body, holding her close, taking her tears as his. He wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't phase and leave her.

"Damn it, Rin." He growled against her, why did she keep that from him? All these years?

"I'm sorry." She managed in between sobs.

Twice now, in the last 24 hours, she's allowed herself to cry in his presence.

"Rin. You have nothing to be sorry about. Those low lives of a human are the ones who should be sorry, should any of them be living today. Not you." Sesshomaru told her fiercely.

Rin's cries had softened as she listened ot his words.

He was angry, and angry was not good on him. Lives were at stake when this would happen.

She shyly gripped his kimono in one hand, taking a deep breath, "And then... I met you."

She began again. All of her fears slowly fading at the next memory that rarely came in the dreams.

Sesshomaru was prepared to stop her from continueing, until he heard her next words.

"You... You were different. I barely knew you, but I knew I trusted you. I knew you'd save me." Rin recalled, glancing up at him for the first time.

Sesshomaru stared back at her, unsure of what to say to that.

What could he say?

"Rin." He began, lifting a hand to her wet cheek, "If I'd known..."

Scratch that. He did know, at least, about the beatings, but he could recall at the time, those emotions he was starting to feel were all new to him, which was why he left so soon that day. And he shouldn't have.

"I'm sorry, Rin. I should have saved you sooner." Was all he could manage, though war was still fighting inside him.

Rin smiled, "But you did, and I'll never thank you enough."

"You don't need to thank me, Rin. That's the last thing you need to do." Sesshomaru sighed.

Rin nodded lightly, although in the back of her mind she would always be grateful. Be grateful that she could truly trust him, and not live another life of fear as she did before.

She could hardly believe it, but, telling Sesshomaru her dark memories filled her with so much ease and relief.

She'd never thought such events would give her that feeling.

"I will never leave you again, Rin. I promise." Sesshomaru spoke again.

She was pulled closer to his body again, which she willingly allowed, and their lips crashed together again.

The kiss was deep and a little fierce at first, but slowly softened, to a slow and steady kiss.

It felt like hours they stayed like this, but in all honesty, there was nowhere else she'd rather be.


A/N: Well... At least this chapter doesn't have much of a cliffhanger.

Hope your enjoying so far.

Well... Not really "Enjoy" this part, but... You know

Leave some reviews!

~Wolflover235