First of all…HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you had a very Merry Christmas (or if you celebrated something else, I hope you enjoyed that too).

This is it! The last chapter of my fic. No, I'm not crying, there's just something in my eye. I want to thank you all for sticking with me and for keeping me motivated with your reviews and messages, without them I don't think I would have ever finished the story. I want to thank my friend icegirljenni who I met on this site, icecreamapparition (whose birthday is in January, Happy Birthday!) and kagome7304 (whose reviews are EXTREMELY entertaining), there are many more I would like to individually thank but I think it's best that I do so with this final chapter.

Though the new year won't see another update of this fic, I'm sure you'll see me around. I hang around deviantART and Tumblr a lot, plus I have a Facebook so if you want to add me just drop me a PM or review so that we can keep in touch!

So, once again, thank you and remember, chin up and stay positive. Don't forget to work for your dreams! *hugs*

Filling the Glass

I took a cab home. Leaving the hotel unseen was easy, I didn't have a high enough social status to garner a second glance from anyone. My heart pounded and my palms were sweaty but I strode out of the building and had enough presence of mind to ask the valet to hail a cab for me.

I thought I would break down into tears during the ride home…but I was strangely numb. As if the last few moments hadn't even registered in my mind. My eyes, only minutes ago filling with tears, were now dry, but the lump in my throat hadn't subsided. Neither had the ache in my chest. I knew what this was, of course, but I didn't want to think more on it until I was safely back in my apartment for fear of breaking my calm resolution.

I knew it was loss.

I arrived at my building, paid the cab driver and climbed the stairs to get to my floor. My feet were killing me because of the shoes but the discomfort felt oddly distant. When I closed the door behind me I leaned against it for a long while, just thinking. Had I won? Did tonight's occurrence signify my triumph over Sesshoumaru? How many times had I fantasized telling him all I felt to his face? And for the moment to finally arrive when I could say that I didn't love him, that he was wrong…to reject him the same way he had rejected me. The truth had set me free, hadn't it? But it wasn't the truth. My heart pounded with my real sentiments.

I closed my eyes and recalled his face the split second I glanced back before leaving him there. His eyes were lifeless and cold, his face a stoic mask. But I know I hurt him, I was certain I had cracked his pride and humiliated him. Being aware of that caused me physical pain, and it was a ridiculous sensation because I was only giving back what he had handed out. It should have been a victory for me tonight, yet I didn't feel like celebrating. I wanted to mourn instead. I slid down onto the floor and brought my knees up to my chin.

Loss. It was so peculiar. When Sesshoumaru had rejected me I felt nothing but searing, heart-wrenching agony, but now that the tables had turned I experienced a cold and hollow ache. What was done couldn't be undone. I knew Sesshoumaru had too much pride and I had all but destroyed it with my brash words spoken out of resentment. What did it matter that I still loved him so much it hurt? He was lost to me for good this time.

I bent my head over my knees. I was surprisingly dry-eyed and dead calm. What more could I do? I didn't want to cry anymore, or fall once again into the abyss I had pulled myself out of. There was nothing more I could do but accept my fate and the consequences it brought. I would crush the love I felt for Sesshoumaru permanently, I would squeeze until every last drop of it was gone.

Because I knew he would keep his word.

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Of course, Reika and Yue wished to know absolutely EVERYTHING at work the following day. I was hesitant to tell them, it wasn't like last time. Last time, I shared my anguish and bitterness with them because it helped, because Sesshoumaru had been the villain of my story. But now, it felt like I was the villain. And it felt like this because I know I lied to him when I told him those things right before leaving. He had been cold and indifferent to me when he broke it off back then, but wasn't that how he always was? And hadn't I been an immature, naïve idiot at the time?

I had no idea what his life had been like, I had no right to judge his decisions (no matter how callous they had seemed). I had practically forced myself on him at the start. Now that I knew him a little better and seen parts of his life that were important to him, I couldn't help experiencing an uncomfortable and nagging guilt. If I were to tell Reika and Yue the details of that evening, I would be sharing something much more personal. I couldn't relay Sesshoumaru's humiliation and damaged pride to anyone else, I even wished I hadn't been there to witness it, let alone have caused it.

But I had to tell the girls something, they were like bloodhounds and could smell a juicy secret from miles away. Plus, I wasn't exactly good at being as expressionless as Sesshoumaru. So I did the only thing that I considered was right. I told them the truth.

"HE SAID WHAT!?" Both screamed, making heads turn in our direction. I cringed.

"He said he loved you!?"

"You rejected him!?"

I flapped my hands to shush them but my efforts were mostly in vain.

"How did this happen!?"

"He said he LOVED you!?"

I gritted my teeth. "Yes he did, now please turn down the volume or everyone on this floor will want to hear the details too!"

The girls stood across from my desk, mouths agape and still processing my narration of that unfortunate evening. They plopped down in their seats and I bent my head, busying myself with some sketches, taking a deep breath as I did so.

"I told you everything, and that's what he said."

I glanced up. Reika was looking especially pensive.

"But why would he say that? You know, after what happened last time?" She wondered. I gave a light shrug.

"I don't know Rin, I thought he was a complete asshole because of what he did to you…but a man like that wouldn't confess his feelings just to save face." Said Yue. I had reached that conclusion also…and it didn't make me feel any better.

"…Do you still love him, Rin?" Reika asked tentatively. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat. I paused in my sketches.

"You girls may think me a masochistic idiot…but yes, I still love him. I never stopped." I mumbled.

"But after what you told us about his company and the campaign, we don't think you're either masochistic or an idiot…we just didn't know who he really was. There's no need to be ashamed about your feelings, silly." Yue reached out and patted my hand. I gave a wobbly smile.

"Well, I just hope they go away soon. It's too late to do anything more about the situation now." I sighed. My heart felt pierced as I said the words and I only hoped the girls wouldn't see it in my face.

"If you're sure, Rin. You know we'll always be here for you." Reika said warmly. I grinned at her, masking my pain.

"Just as long as you quit matchmaking, I'm fine with that."

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Usually when I talked things out with the girls I would feel much better, as if a weight had been lifted. This time, however, it was as if an extra ton had been dropped upon my shoulders instead. Just mentioning his name in conversation made him real and present, my heart would pound at the mere thought of him. I would have the urge to cry but no tears flowed, which I supposed was welcome. Tears fixed nothing.

Instead, I tried my hardest at work and to stay positive like I used to. Often I would force it but I found myself smiling more and doing more to stay cheerful. During those moments where I would have no other company but my own, I let my thoughts wander to him and the hollow sensation would return, an ache that refused to leave. I would sigh, and then I would abruptly shake my head and think of brighter things.

I also wondered what might have happened had I stopped and considered his words and told him what I really felt. And it was useless, I had nothing to gain by yearning and wishing for what never could be. I had dealt my own fate this time around. Made my bed and currently lay in it. But what if I were to actually go to him and straighten things out? Yes, hello Sesshoumaru, remember that night I said I didn't love you anymore? Yeah, turns out I still do, how about that?

He would freeze me on the spot with one look. But if only I had paused to actually think about what he was saying. It was obvious that he wouldn't confess to someone just to free himself of any previous blame. Yes, he broke it off with me coldly, but did he do anything else differently? He hadn't denied that it was his plan to stop whatever we had upon his marriage, and he admitted that he had fallen for me somewhere along the way. I had refused to believe it, who wouldn't? He said he had never lied to me…and remembering that intense look in his eyes made me accept it as truth.

Despite everything, the regret I felt and the empty place left inside me, I was warmed by the simple knowledge that I had been loved, and by the man I thought was unreachable, untouchable. Even if I were to live to a grand old age, I would remember this-as I sat in my armchair surrounded by hundreds of cats. I was certain that this would be my future, given the path I was currently on. And Sesshoumaru…well, he had his own life, a hugely different one, and I convinced myself that we were both better off this way.

Had I forgiven him for what he had done? Probably. Now that I understood his motives, my resentment had simply dissipated. He hadn't handled our situation in the best possible way, but we hardly knew each other and what we were doing wasn't precisely…right. Though it didn't feel wrong either. I was conscious of how much I had matured since then and I accepted that it was a lesson I needed to learn, no matter how painful. It had been a lesson for both of us.

But why was I still thinking about this and going round and round in circles? Rin, you have work to do!

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It got colder. A whole lot colder. I didn't mind the cold much but I infinitely preferred summer, its golden afternoons and velvety nights that glittered with fireflies. I missed being a carefree child sometimes, when I didn't have to worry about things like deadlines and an aching heart. Weeks had passed since the evening at the fundraiser and the pain was still there but it had dimmed slightly. Maybe it would completely disappear.

And he kept his word. I occasionally saw him in mags and newspapers and my heart would clench but I trained myself not to look for his name. And it was frustratingly difficult, him being a rich and powerful corporate magnate, his name was practically on everyone's lips.

Walking to my aunt's house, burrowing deeper into my coat, I wondered (as I sometimes did when the mood took me) what he could possibly be doing at that precise moment. Had he found someone else? Should I have started seeing someone else? Would it have helped? This lingering feeling of a problem that hadn't yet been resolved persisted yet there was nothing I could do about it. It was the result of abruptly (and rather dramatically) ending all acquaintance and communication with someone without having discussed everything that stood in between.

I asked myself how long it would take for this thought to stop circling around my head and if it ever would. I hoped so! It was messing up my mojo, so to speak. Rin needed to have a clear head! I had plans to move out of my apartment, away from the memories, and my growing nest egg in my savings account fed by what I had received for the campaign would help me.

I rang the doorbell and put a bright smile on my face as my aunt opened the door.

"Rin! Come in, dear, the temperature has dropped so quickly!" she embraced me and I caught her familiar scent, one that reminded me of childhood.

We sat down in the living room with a cup of green tea each (mine with plenty of sugar despite my aunt's disapproval) and chatted about various things. I hadn't seen her since before the fundraiser and we had a lot of catching up to do.

"Rin you look so pale, are you eating properly?"

"I've been so busy lately aunt Kumiko, I hardly have time to sleep! But yes, I make sure to have my three meals a day and some unhealthy snacking in between." I sipped my ultra sweet tea cheerfully as I said it. She didn't look too convinced.

"I still don't think you're as well as you claim to be Rin, I know you're still having a hard time moving on after what happened and I still feel there's something you're not quite telling me. I just hope you will, in time. After all, I'm the only family you have…and you're the only child I ever raised."

I choked on my tea and felt the blood drain from my face. I looked at her, searching her for signs of disappointment or condemnation but found none. And she was right, I hadn't told her about the night at the fundraiser, I mean there was no point getting her worked up over me. Still, it was time she knew the whole story and I let her hear it, without exaggerations or embellishments. She didn't utter a word, she just listened carefully and drank her tea. When I finished, I stared into my now cold beverage and waited for her to say something.

"You have changed, Rin…undeniably. I believe you are much stronger and much more mature than before. You remind me of myself at your age. "

I looked up at the sound of a smile in her voice. She was gazing at me with such fondness that filled me with warmth. She placed a hand on my arm.

"Rin, there are no right or wrong decisions. You thought he felt nothing for you and later discovered that he did. Your choice to leave has made you think about the important things."

"But my work is important…my own life is important. I should be over it and concentrating more on myself." I mumbled. Aunt Kumiko patted my arm.

"Yes my dear, but sometimes things happen that rearrange our views on what is essential. Look at us, I had no idea I would be the one to raise you. I thought I had priorities and then my family was reduced to one person in an instant. I made my decision, and I haven't ever regretted it."

My sight blurred as she said it, and I felt tears seep out. My aunt gave me a bone breaking hug and upon hearing a subtle little sniff I knew she was feeling the same rush of sadness and affection as me. We broke apart and discreetly wiped our faces, giggling a bit with embarrassment.

"It may be too late for you and your young man, but just look at what you have now. Newfound growth as a person, loyal friends, plans to move into a larger residence and a workplace that respects you even more than before." My aunt reminded me, after we had cleaned up a bit. I nodded. She gave my knee a quick pat.

"And one of these days we must take a trip to Nee-chan's café again and treat ourselves to something sinfully sweet."

I laughed. "Yes, I'm still having withdrawal symptoms!"

I gazed at my aunt, the woman who raised me and taught me so much. "Thank you." I whispered.

She flapped a hand at me dismissively, fighting down a pleased smile. "We're family, there's no need to thank me for that."

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I was extremely pensive during the walk back to my apartment. I almost failed to notice the sharp wind stinging my cheeks….almost. I shivered. The sun was setting and the day was ending, but my thoughts were as active as ever. I sighed, watching my breath form delicate clouds in front of my face. Ugh, even my nose was starting to run in this cold! I quickened my pace, looking up as I passed the General Hospital, feeling memories slam into me despite everything. I hoped everything was going well with the fundraiser proceeds, and that the labs were being built and equipped. I often thought of going there to have a little peek but I could risk running into Sesshoumaru. Not that he would actually be there, he would most likely send someone to oversee things, he was such a busy man now.

Noticing Nee-chan's café further down the street I remembered what my aunt said. It had been positively AGES since I set foot in that place. I hadn't really been in the mood to eat sticky buns (or brood over memories of certain meetings with a certain someone), which explained my past weight loss (which I was now heartily remedying), so it surprised me when I was suddenly struck with the urge to go in and order some cake and hot chocolate. Night was falling and it seemed like the perfect thing to do so I dropped in.

I pushed open the glass doors and was caught in the heavenly warm waft of baked goods and comforting beverages. The place was full, as these places often are when the temperature cools. I took my place in the line and waited for my turn. As I finally approached the counter, the barista recognised me and grinned, asking how I had been and why I hadn't been there in so long. I chatted animatedly back, it felt good to be here in this familiar place. She took my order, which was a scrumptious slice of Black Forest Gateau and a small hot chocolate (extra cream and cinnamon) to take home, and it was promptly in my hands not one minute later.

I noticed that a lot of the people inside had left as I had been at the counter, but I didn't want to sit at a table, I preferred to head straight home and enjoy my treats with a nice long book. I felt girlishly excited at the prospect, it was something I hadn't done in practically forever.

Turning to leave, I abruptly caught sight of a near empty table further down, by the window…where I usually sat. And I say near empty because someone was sitting there. My mouth turned to cotton wool and knees felt rubbery as I took in the long, silvery hair and the smooth, chiselled features.

What was he doing here?

I couldn't move. I was unprepared for this. I didn't expect to see him sitting in what used to be my preferred spot, staring at an un-drunk cup of black coffee, after months of not having any sort of contact whatsoever. My feet were rooted to the ground and my mind was screaming at me to move and get away and I was seconds away from obeying until Sesshoumaru happened to glance up.

I felt my whole body turn hot and then ice cold. People bustled around me but all I was aware of was my thundering heartbeat and sweaty palms. His amber gaze had locked right onto mine and it seemed as if time had stopped. I knew I should leave at that moment, but my body refused to comply. Sesshoumaru slowly rose, lips slightly parted as if to speak. His expression was carefully neutral as always. My feet moved on their own, and like a moth to a flame I was drawn to him almost magnetically. What was I doing?

I neared the table, and I swallowed convulsively, my mouth as dry as a desert. Sesshoumaru towered over me but I wasn't intimidated…only awkward and extremely nervous. He should be feeling nothing but hatred for me right now. We just stared at each other, neither being able to utter a word. His face remained expressionless, but even for him to be completely speechless was unusual. He seemed to recover his poise and gestured to the seat opposite with one elegant hand. With my stomach in knots I sat down, placing my chocolate and box containing my cake slice upon the table carefully, trying to control the tremble in my hands. Sesshoumaru sat down himself and I felt his scrutiny, even with my head bowed as I focused on the table. What must he be thinking? His cologne reached me and my heart clenched. Nope, I still cared about this man and it was obvious I wasn't ever going to move on.

I felt very trapped.

The silence was long and uncomfortable, brimming with things unsaid. I braced myself to initiate some sort of conversation (or apology?) but Sesshoumaru beat me to it.

"The lab equipment was installed today at the General Hospital."

I looked up, genuinely interested. "Oh! That's good to hear, I was wondering about it…" I stopped myself before I gave away that I hadn't stopped thinking about him or his work. I lowered my gaze again. I couldn't help feeling that I had been given another chance here today…but what could I possibly say? And how could I say it? My heart pounded and I felt like throwing up. I wasn't going to let it all trickle into small talk. I needed to tell him, I needed to sort this out and be at peace with myself at last.

"Sesshoumaru…" I began. He leaned forward, placing both palms flat on the table. My own hands were on the table and his were now inches away.

"I kept my word." He said in a low tone. His eyes bored into mine.

I couldn't reply to that. "I-I…" I stammered.

"I will continue to keep it. More carefully, in future." He made a move as if to stand and unthinkingly I grabbed one of his hands, frantic because I didn't want to lose this last chance to explain myself.

"Wait!"

He stared at me, eyes narrowing and searching for some sort of deception. Nevertheless, he settled in his seat and waited. I realized I still held onto his hand and I let go as if scalded.

"I…wanted to tell you something before you left, I didn't have a chance to do so last…last time." Rin, get yourself together and say it! He was watching me silently. I took a deep breath.

"Okay, here goes. That night at the fundraiser I reacted a little…well, you know how I reacted. I didn't expect to hear a lot of the things you said, which made me say a few words I didn't really mean."

Sesshoumaru sat a little straighter. "What words didn't you mean?"

"Well, um. I…did tell the truth about being tired of everything. But the rest of it wasn't the truth at all."

"Speak clearly, I don't follow."

There was the Sesshoumaru I knew, blunt and to the point. I wasn't about to let that deter me, on the contrary, it only spurred me on. I let out a puff of breath.

"What I mean to say is…you caught me unawares when you…confessed." I heard a 'hmph' from him but continued. "If I'd have been prepared for it, I would have thought of a better, more truthful answer. But you have to understand, I believed differently then, so I reacted true to my convictions."

I swallowed. "I love you. I never stopped. I always thought it was one-sided, up until that night when you told me it wasn't." I clenched my fists in my lap. All I got was a stony silence. I glanced upwards and he just sat there, staring at me with those penetrating eyes, as if he could see right into my soul. His gaze seemed to be searching mine for lies or tricks. After a while, he spoke.

"Why didn't you tell me this?"

I was surprised. "I thought you wouldn't want to hear from me again after all that."

He closed his eyes. With a graceful movements, he pinched the bridge of his nose with thumb and forefinger, as if stalling an oncoming headache.

"I did wish to hear from you." His baritone was soft, his eyes still closed. "Each day I wished it."

My heart jumped in my chest and I felt my breath quicken. Sesshoumaru opened his eyes then, and I was lost in pools of shimmering gold. He stared at me intensely, as if through his eyes he were trying to communicate everything he was unable to say, and in that brief space of time, I understood him.

I'm sorry.

I love you.

My eyes filled with tears, but this time they weren't the stinging, bitter ones of the past. These tears were sweet. We regarded each other, not touching…simply conveying our longing for something we were hesitant to claim.

I shakily lifted a hand and slowly placed it over his. His skin was cool and I waited for him to draw away but instead he gently grasped my hand, never tearing his gaze away from my own.

"I didn't know…" I whispered. "I thought-"

"My intention was never to hurt you. I have never lied… and what I said that night still holds true now." He said, and though his tone was as cool and controlled as always, I knew the words were genuine. Very slowly, he lifted his other hand to reach out and softly cradled the side of my face. My heart thumped crazily somewhere in the region of my throat, threatening to burst as he leaned in to brush his lips against mine. My eyes fluttered closed and a single tear seeped out and rolled freely down my cheek. His mouth was so warm, so familiar…so yearned for. I couldn't help it and I deepened the kiss, threading my fingers through his silky hair and feeling his scent envelop me like a comforting blanket. The fragrance of mountains, forest and ice…how I missed it!

And he loved me. He loved me, he loved me! I felt I would explode with sheer happiness. I was unable to stop myself from smiling against his mouth and he broke away, leaning his forehead against mine, eyes closed while the tips of our noses touched. I was trembling, giddy with nervous joy. I let out a small giggle, causing Sesshoumaru to open his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just…can't believe this is happening. I never in a million years imagined that we would end up here where it practically all began, I mean, here in the café because obviously it all began at the hospital, but I don't really want to remember that bit because, well, you know why, and to think that all those things had to happen to get us to this point-mmph!"

My unfortunate babble was silenced by Sesshoumaru's kiss. Breaking away he regarded me with a piercing scrutiny.

"There she is." He said, unsmiling but I could feel the intensity of his words.

"There who is?" I asked nervously. This time, a corner of his mouth quirked upwards.

"My Rin."

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He earned an exquisite moan from her as he plunged his tongue into her mouth. Deciding to head to her apartment, his only intention was to show her how sincere he was. A kiss, an embrace, whispered words. But he was not much of a romantic and this was the language he could communicate his love by. He had abstained for so long, agonized and suffered for so long under a cold, stony façade, believing he must shut away all remnants of emotion and dedicate his life solely to his company and his mother's cause.

To realize that he could once again have this enticing little nymph to call his, filled him with an unfamiliar sensation, one he had seldom experienced in his lifetime. He had no time to think on it, he was hard, hot and the insistent whimpers coming from Rin made reason increasingly difficult to maintain. He was not letting her go. Never again.

Rin touched his tongue with hers, her dainty hands roamed over his chest and downwards to pull up his dark sweater so that she could feel the taut muscles beneath. They were only in the dim living room of her apartment, which was currently filled with boxes of Rin's possessions. Had she planned to move away? Sesshoumaru banished the thought, and in one smooth move he scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom, recalling its location from the last time he was here, making his way easily despite the darkness.

The place was filled with the lavender scent that so characterized her. Sesshoumaru gracefully placed Rin at the centre of her bed and joined her, finding a place in her outstretched arms. He kissed her with barely supressed hunger, nipping at her swollen lips and entwining his tongue with hers, swallowing her little gasps and moans as his hands slipped underneath her blouse to lightly squeeze a perfect breast. There were too many layers between them, a fact that was to be soon remedied. Separating, Sesshoumaru straightened and without breaking eye contact he began to remove his jacket and sweater. Rin's hands impatiently flitted up and over his abdomen, chest and nipples, not wanting to waste a moment.

Tossing his sweater aside, Sesshoumaru moved to unbutton Rin's blouse, which he did with deliberate leisure, pausing to place hot kisses upon the skin that he exposed. Rin's fingers ran through his silvery mane, tightening with mounting excitement. When he reached the last button, he opened her blouse and sat back to observe her. Flushed cheeks, bright eyes and tousled hair, heaving breasts still captive inside a pure white lace bra. How could she exude so much provoking sensuality and still seem so untainted? His member pulsed with the need to sheathe himself inside her but he restrained himself. He would make love to her slowly and purposefully, as she deserved.

Sesshoumaru cupped her breasts through the bra, running his thumbs over the hardening nipples. Rin bit her swollen lip, and he leaned down to run his tongue over it. He slid his palms under her torso, gently lifting and thrusting her breasts unto his face and simultaneously unclasped her bra, using his teeth to remove the delicate article of clothing from the front and his fingers to slip the straps over her arms. The now freed breasts were just as he remembered…no, better. Milky white and rosy tipped, he licked and bit each nipple until Rin began to writhe. She grasped his head to pull him up and place a passionate kiss on his mouth, then her hands moved to undo his belt and trousers.

Sesshoumaru mastered the impulse to explode upon the first light touch of her fingers on his rigid member as it was liberated from its constraints. He grabbed her hands and stretched them above her head and bent to nip at her fragrant neck as he parted her thighs with a muscular knee. Holding her hands with one of his own, his free hand travelled down the curves of Rin's body, past the waist, along her hip and cupping a buttock, pulling her up against him intimately. The press of their hips initiated a slow, purposeful rhythm, a sensual grind that would soon lead to fulfilment.

She was already wet for him and he was more than ready. Later then, later there would be time for an unhurried exploration of rediscovered pleasures. Now he must possess her, brand her with his body and make her completely his.

He released her hands so that she could touch him. He swiftly probed her sweet entrance with a finger, earning a small gasp.

"Se-Sesshoumaru…please."

Her hands were at his hips and moved to press against his buttocks, urging him to enter. He could stand it no longer. Gazing intensely into each other's eyes, they experienced the joining once again. Sesshoumaru pushed into her slowly, clenching his jaw slightly at the exquisite pressure and heat. He thrust forward until he was completely sheathed, feeling Rin tremble and release a little shuddering sigh as she was filled.

His soft, silver hair fell between them like a shimmering curtain as he began to move and Rin gripped his waist with her thighs while he rode her. Her panting breaths and muffled sounds of pleasure excited him, and he leaned down to press his chest against her breasts, stifling a groan against her neck. Her moist heat squeezed him deliciously and it was becoming increasingly difficult to enforce any kind of restraint over his urges. The pace quickened and he thrust more powerfully, closing his eyes against Rin's hair and grasping her tightly in a slick embrace. Her fingers were in his hair and her moans at his ear, her cries climbing as she neared completion. Sesshoumaru himself was very close, and he bit her earlobe before uttering a husky, "I love you."

Rin cried out his name and came with wonderful abandon, milking him, squeezing him until he climaxed with a hoarse groan, pumping his whole self into her. Panting and slippery they both lay, but ultimately and irrevocably satisfied. Sesshoumaru moved to lie on his side to avoid crushing Rin with the weight of his spent body, but he did not detach himself from her. As his breathing and heart beat slowed to a normal rhythm, he watched Rin with solemnity. She stared back in wonder. This time had felt vastly different.

Maybe it was that they had found each other again after lessons learnt, consequences endured. Perhaps it was the fragile and newfound love that they had rekindled. Or, perchance, this time the experience was made sweeter by the fact that they were unburdened by obstacles, secrets and guilt.

This time it was just two of them.

THE END.