Evergreen

AN: All right, I couldn't leave you guys without an update. It just feels totally wrong! So I've uploaded chapter ten to keep you guys occupied until next Saturday. (: Enjoy! I hope the other characters that I've introduced in this chapter are not hugely out of character. If they are - please tell me!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Karan Johar respectively.

CHAPTER TEN

"Hey… little Kagome? I found this in your kimono." The woman offered the folded letter to the girl, whose eyes widened alarmingly as she saw what was in the woman's hands. Little Kagome snatched back the object, her eyes narrowed.

"You didn't see what was written inside, did you?"

Kagome looked perplexed and a little put out. "Of course not. I don't peek at other people's things," she spoke in a haughty tone. Little Kagome didn't seem to notice the woman's cold words and hugged the papers close to her chest in obvious relief.

"Thank goodness…" Little Kagome tucked the papers away into the folds of her clean kimono. Her cheeks were flushed – she'd let the hot water run for a little too long, and had almost scalded herself before Kagome had come to the rescue. Still unused to being so clean – Kagome had then proceeded to scrub every inch of little Kagome's body – the girl extended one hand and gazed at her palm, noticing how the skin on her fingers looked wrinkled.

"Hey… why did this happen?" The girl thrust her hand into Kagome's face, wiggling her fingers for extra emphasis. "Why did my skin go all strange?"

The woman blinked, gently pushing little Kagome's hand away. "It's because you spent so much time in the water," Kagome explained. "It tends to make your skin wrinkled like that. Don't worry, it's temporary."

Little Kagome felt hugely relieved. If the wrinkly state of her hands had been permanent… well, it would have been one more excuse to avoid baths.

The girl touched her hair with one hand, running her fingers over the wet strands. Kagome had brushed out the tangles from the hair with infinite patience – she never tugged at a stubborn snarl, and she never yanked the comb through little Kagome's hair like Sango did. The girl had a sneaking suspicion that she had actually fallen asleep while Kagome had been brushing her hair.

She could feel the woman's eyes on her. Little Kagome turned to meet Kagome's gaze, and was startled by the raging curiosity in them. Her hands instinctively went to where she had hidden the letter, and she saw Kagome's eyes narrow.

Well. So that was what the woman was interested in. Little Kagome let her hands relax and drop into her lap. Why had she come into the future era in the first place? To take Kagome Higurashi back to her own time. Perhaps it was time to start dropping hints.

"That letter you found… it's a letter from my mama." Kagome's gaze sharpened with interest as little Kagome continued. "See, my mama died giving birth to me… but before she died, she wrote me ten letters about herself and her life. So I could get to know her a little. This letter," she touched the hidden object, "is the last letter she wrote to me."

She saw Kagome's eyes soften with sympathy. The woman looked as if she was about to scoot closer, but hesitated. Little Kagome wondered why.

"It's nice having her letters," Little Kagome finally spoke after a small pause. "But at the same time, if I didn't have her letters, I wouldn't be able to miss her. If I didn't know what she was like… I wouldn't have anyone to miss. I would just grow up without knowing what a mother is like."

She heard Kagome inhale sharply and felt the woman's arms around her.

"You sound so old when you speak like that," the woman murmured, gently patting the girl's hair. "Why? Why is it that you are so wise and so childish at the same time?"

Little Kagome tensed in the woman's hold, unsure of how to react. But as Kagome's strokes lengthened, and as she rubbed small circles in the girl's back with one hand, little Kagome felt herself relax into the embrace. It felt nice to be held so tenderly.

"I'm not wise," she found herself saying in an almost scornful tone. "I'm not wise at all."

Kagome pulled away and gazed levelly at the girl. "Why would you say that?"

Little Kagome clenched her hands into fists. "I'm just not," she repeated stubbornly, unwilling to admit the truth to the woman. If she was wise… if she was wise, she would know how to stop her father from hating her. She would know how to make him love her, how to win his trust and adoration. It was hard to be without a mother. It was even harder to be without a mother and a father.

Kagome shrugged slightly, unwilling to argue. "So that's why you carry it around with you, huh… your mother's last letter…" She felt a surge of pity for the young girl in front of her. "That's tough."

Little Kagome wrinkled her nose and did not respond.

"Well." Kagome got to her feet, stretching her arms above her head. "I think it's time you returned to your family, then. Your father… your father must be worried about you."

The girl started, as if the idea had not occurred to her. She glanced at Kagome with round eyes.

"Yeah…"

"Shall we, then?" Kagome offered. "Go find him, I mean."

For some reason, panic seemed to flash across the girl's face. "No!" little Kagome spoke loudly. "I mean… not yet. Please. Can't I stay with you one more night?" The girl looked pleadingly at Kagome. "I like it here."

Indecision made Kagome's stomach churn. On one hand, she felt a strange affection towards the child – she seemed like a strong child, but she had a fragility under the tough exterior. But on the other hand, she couldn't keep the child with her, not when her family might be looking for her. For all she knew, her family might have already alerted the police, and she might be arrested for trying to kidnap a child.

Oh, yes. It sounded like something that would happen to her, of all people. Kagome sighed, placing one finger on the bridge of her nose.

"I think you really should go back. Your family must be out of their mind, searching for you." The girl looked crestfallen, and Kagome felt her resistance melt at the sadness in her eyes.

"Well…" She relented. "Maybe just one more night."

"Sango?" The demon slayer turned, brow furrowed, at the sound of her husband's voice. Miroku approached her slowly, his expression concerned.

"Sango, you've been sitting there for an hour, muttering about something… what's wrong? Why won't you sleep?"

After returning from the bone eater's well, Sango had been unable to fall asleep. Worry and anxiety for little Kagome made her toss and turn, and she had eventually slid out of bed and had taken a spot near the cluster of sleeping mats where her children slept. She felt oddly peaceful as she watched their small sides rise and fall in slumber.

"It's nothing, Miroku." Her voice sounded dull. The monk frowned, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Come now, Sango. Do not insult my intelligence so. I can tell that something is bothering you." He took a seat next to her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "You know you can tell me."

Sango leaned into her husband's side, taking comfort from the warmth of his body. "I'm just… just so worried," she confessed, gazing at her sleeping children. She glanced up at Miroku's face and was met with a frown.

"Worried? About what?"

Sango rubbed the knuckles of one hand with her fingers. "About… about Kagome." She heard a small, rasping cough from the place where Kaede slept and stiffened immediately. Miroku hugged her closer in reassurance.

"Don't worry, lady Kaede is fine for now. About Kagome? Why, what's happened to her?"

"She's somehow managed to activate the bone eater's well and has passed through it." Sango rested her head on Miroku's shoulder, exhaling slowly. She felt his body tense in surprise at her words.

"Activate… the well?"

"Yes. She asked me to show it to her a few weeks ago, but it didn't work for her then… I didn't expect it to, but I was still disappointed. But now… Inuyasha saw her go through it himself. There's no doubt about it, she somehow opened the well again."

"Can't Inuyasha use it to go and fetch her back?"

"That's just the thing… he can't. I went with him and Koga to try – "

"Hang on, Koga?" Miroku's voice was an incredulous hiss as he spoke. "What does Koga have to do with all of this?"

Sango shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure. I thought he would return to the mountains as soon as he discovered that Kagome wasn't here, but he hasn't left…"

He sighed, rubbing at his temples. "Sango… I know it is hard not to know what she is up to." His voice was soft. "But you have to stop fretting about her. You cannot do anything to help her right now. Besides," and here Miroku's voice took on a wry tone, "she is Inuyasha's daughter. I daresay she is able to take care of herself."

Sango laughed, and then immediately pressed a hand to her mouth as one of her children grumbled and rolled over in her sleep. "True. I'm just… she was like another daughter to me, Miroku. I loved her like one."

"You speak as if she no longer exists." Miroku's tone was light.

"I know it's wrong… but she's in a different world now. A different era. How will she be able to cope? I'm so afraid for her…"

"Ssh." The monk cradled his wife to his side, rubbing her upper arm reassuringly. "Don't worry, Sango. Kagome will be all right."

"I certainly hope you're right." She sighed, allowing her husband to lead her back to their sleeping mat.

"Well, damn. What the hell is he doing here?" Inuyasha stared at the person in front of him with narrowed golden eyes. The tall man blinked slowly, pushing past his half-brother.

"Step aside. I am not here to see you, and you know it."

"I kind of figured that out," Inuyasha grumbled, whirling around to watch the retreating back of his brother. He knew that Sesshomaru was heading for Kaede's hut – that was, after all, where Rin usually stayed. However, as he saw his brother halt in mid-stride, Inuyasha was sure his brother had detected the girl's fresher scent coming from Sango and Miroku's hut.

Rin had moved in with the demon slayer and the monk when Kaede had fallen ill, unwilling to leave the old priestess's side. It was a good thing that their hut was big, Inuyasha reflected, what with all of their children and old Kaede and Rin to boot.

"Why is Rin with the monk and the demon slayer?" Sesshomaru's voice was cool as he turned to fix his half-brother with a questioning look. "Does she not stay with the old priestess?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Kaede had to move in with Sango and Miroku," he informed Sesshomaru curtly. "She's on her last legs, after all, and I ain't about to look after her."

"No, I don't suppose you would." Sesshomaru's tone held the faintest trace of amusement. "In any case, I suppose I shall visit her at their home." He was about to continue on his way when something seemed to occur to him. The demon turned, looking as if he was about to say something, and then suddenly snapped his mouth shut. Keeping his gaze ahead of him, Sesshomaru almost glided down the path towards Sango and Miroku's hut.

It was only when his half-brother had disappeared from sight that Inuyasha noticed a crumpled-looking green bundle at his feet. The hanyou rolled his eyes and knelt down, unceremoniously poking the imp in the side.

"Oi, Jaken." Sesshomaru's constant companion leapt up with a start, his bulbous eyes nearly bugging out of his head as he looked around frantically.

"Where is my lord?" he squawked. Inuyasha pointed towards Sesshomaru's destination and Jaken took off in the same direction, huffing and panting. Inuyasha felt his lips twitch upwards. Really, Jaken's devotion to his brother was almost touching.

Deciding he really had nothing better to do, Inuyasha trailed after them, making sure to keep a few feet away from Jaken. He didn't want to make it look obvious that he was following the imp, after all.

As he arrived at the hut, he saw Sesshomaru waiting outside with Jaken next to him. A moment later, Rin appeared in the doorway.

She had grown tremendously since Sesshomaru had first left her with Kaede – her transformation from child to woman seemed to stun the demon, even though he regularly visited her to give her all sorts of gifts. Lately, however, Sesshomaru hadn't visited the village in a while, and Rin's delight and relief at his appearance was written all over her face as she approached him.

"My lord Sesshomaru!" she spoke, bowing her head in front of the demon. Sesshomaru brushed away her courteous action with one slender hand.

"Rin. You are well?" His voice was cold and flat as always, but it was possible to detect a faint undercurrent of warmth in his words. Rin brightened and nodded her head eagerly, her dark hair flying. She no longer wore it in her childish style of a single side ponytail – her hair was now braided, and fell past the middle of her back.

"Yes, my lord. I am well."

Inuyasha was sure that his half-brother knew he was nearby, but Sesshomaru ignored the presence of the hanyou. "Has the old priestess been treating you well?"

"Yes, my lord." Rin hesitated, looking as if she was about to say something, but decided against it and inclined her head once more. "Lady Kaede treats me most kindly."

"Good." Sesshomaru studied the woman carefully. "Rin… I come to ask you to make a decision."

Rin's head flew up, and her startled gaze met Sesshomaru's golden eyes.

"I left you here, in this village, so that you would learn what it is like to live amongst humans. You have lived here for twelve years. Have you enjoyed this time of yours?"

The woman bit her lower lip. "Y-yes, my lord."

"Will you join me once more, Rin? Will you travel with me?"

Inuyasha tensed, shocked at his brother's words. Since when had Sesshomaru ever been so polite? Since when had Sesshomaru ever asked instead of demanding?

"The world is dangerous. I will not try to hide this fact from you. You will be lonely. You will not have the company of other humans."

Rin lowered her gaze once more. The demon kept his eyes on her, and Inuyasha sorely wished he could see Sesshomaru's expression – his half brother's back was turned to him.

"I…" Rin's voice faltered. "I like it here, my lord. I have made many friends in this village." She raised her eyes, looking imploringly at the demon. "I know… I know I cannot ask you to stay here," she spoke. "Truly, lord Sesshomaru, I will never forget the days of my youth, when I travelled with you… but I have grown too used to these surroundings. To leave here would destroy me."

"I see." Sesshomaru appeared oddly calm. "That is your decision, then? You will not accompany me?"

"I…" Rin looked anguished. "I'm sorry, my lord."

Sesshomaru did not reply to her apology. "I am glad to see you are well," he spoke brusquely. "Jaken and I will be on our way, then." The demon turned away, and Inuyasha was surprised to smell a tinge of sadness in his brother's scent. Sesshomaru very rarely felt such an emotion.

"My lord!" Rin ran forward, tears blurring her eyes. "My lord, please… please do not be angry. I merely… I mean…"

Sesshomaru turned, raising a hand to silence her. Rin fell silent.

"I am not angry." His voice was composed. "This is your decision. I am not angry."

"Forgive me, lord Sesshomaru…"

"There is nothing to forgive." Sesshomaru's eyes softened ever so slightly. "I only wish for you to be happy. If you can only attain happiness in this village, then so be it."

His words seemed to stun Rin, as the woman remained frozen while Sesshomaru turned. Appearing upset at his lack of restraint over his emotions, the demon lord picked up speed as he raced down the path. Rin watched him go with tears dripping down her cheeks.

"Inuyasha." The hanyou jumped at the sound of his name and glanced at his half-brother. "Take care of her." Sesshomaru's tone sounded more like a command than a request as he sped past his brother, heading for the surrounding forests. Jaken ran after the demon lord, his sides heaving.

"M-master! Please wait…!"

AN: Aww. I've been wanting to write a Sango/Miroku and a Sesshomaru/Rin scene for a long time. I hope I didn't make them too out of character! I figured Miroku deserved some love and so I did not have him grope Sango. I mean, geez, there's more to him than being a pervert, right? And to make this abundantly clear – I do not ship Sess/Rin. I look at them as father/daughter ONLY. I'm hoping that scene comes across as a father/daughter scene.

Gosh, I think I'm making little Kagome's life way too miserable. She seems like such a Mary-Sue with the tragic past and all that. I promise you, though I will try my best not to make her into a cliched character.

Sesshomaru was too nice with those last words of his to Rin. Bah.