Disclaimer: Next time you see Inuyasha and Kagome singing a musical, just think of me… hey… that's not a bad idea. *Inuyasha's ears twitch and he glares at Lei-chan* kidding, kidding… maybe.

AN: Crud, still no reviews. Oh well… chocolate covered crud, I have to sing a song for school with four others friends of mine. That sounds fun… Oh jeez, hope you review this chapter!! Also, I'm naming all of my chapters, since it's usually what I do… so the names for the chapters are changing now. Oh and here's a whole chapter dedicated to Sesshomaru and Rin! Just because I've been avoiding them a lot, since I haven't really even seen Rin… Well, on with the show!

Icari

Chapter 10

 Brooding, Sesshomaru watched the hut as the humans inside scrambled to get the half-breed back to normal. Slowly, the movement inside began to slow, and Sesshomaru guessed that his brother was beginning to heal. But his attention was nearly undivided as he watched Rin, whom was now a bit older, as she sat with those other two female humans under the opposite window.

 Certainly, with her "growth spurt", she had gotten prettier, beautiful even, but Sesshomaru could not guess at why he felt so attracted to her. Yes, he had been attracted to her innocence before, but now, it wasn't just that. No, then he had felt like her protector, or guardian. Now, he was still her protector, but not as much as guardian, and he wanted to protect her from so many more things than before.

 For example, he didn't like the way that kitsune was sleeping too close to her. Also, whilst they were coming back, he had smelled some more cat-youkai, and they were all males. Then, he had felt like slashing their heads off, but resisted the urge to do so. This Sesshomaru did not show his emotions. He did not let his instincts take over, he was in complete control.

 But he currently felt like losing control right now, as he watched the girl sleeping peacefully. Leaning back, Sesshomaru looked up to the lighting sky and thought. There was no reason for him too act like this, was there? His thoughts went to when they had been traveling back, and how he had carried Rin in his arms. She had nearly fallen asleep, and snuggled in closer to his robes to try and get warm.

 It was during that tiny scene, the war inside him had begun. Her scent was pure and natural, of flowers and the deep, fresh air. There was also the smell of the forest they had been in too, which seemed to enhance the other scents. Something within him had stirred then, and he pulled away abruptly as he nearly fell off a branch.

 If Inuyasha ever knew that… Sesshomaru shook his head, clearing his mind of the possibilities. And with Icari between them, there was no way he could touch the half breed.

 His ears twitched, and Sesshomaru thought he had heard something from far, far away, but it was gone as quickly as it came. There was no way it could be a threat from the distance it had been at. Still… if it had been his sister… he should check on her… A twig snapped and Sesshomaru turned quickly.

 "Lord Sesshomaru?" It was Rin. So she wasn't asleep yet. Even though the voice had been a lot lower than before, Sesshomaru would know it anywhere. He looked down at the girl who was standing under him, almost, and was giving him a questioning look.

 Sesshomaru nodded slightly, letting her know that she could speak. "You can't sleep either, can you?" Rin began to climb up the tree, but the new body and fit of the clothes stopped her. She sighed, defeated, and sat on one of the lower hanging branches. Having no answer, she spoke again. "Me neither. This new body, it's… odd." Apparently, that Sango woman had been teaching her a bit of etiquette since coming back.

 "You can tell, can't you?" he looked down at her, silently asking her what she meant. Lifting her lowered head, Rin saw the question at first glance. "How awkward it is for me… All of the sudden I'm taller, faster, heavier, and something has been bothering me lately…" she hugged her stomach to show him what she meant.

 For a while, there was nothing but silence. Rin sat with her legs close together on the bottom branch and Sesshomaru quietly sitting a good few feet above her. The silence was normal for the youkai, but to Rin, it was unnerving.

 "Lord Sesshomaru… do you mind letting me come up there?" Sesshomaru hesitated for a moment, she was the person that was bothering him, but he made the worst mistake of his life and looked down. Her innocent, questioning face made him comply, and he swiftly jumped down to scoop her up in his arms before jumping back into the tree.

 Funny thing, a strange smell assaulted him as he did this, but he couldn't figure out what it was. It certainly wasn't familiar…

 Settling them down on a branch, Sesshomaru sat back to watch the sun rise. As the sky turned from a deep blue to pink, he felt Rin leaning against him, and felt oddly at peace. Something pulled him towards her, but something kept him away. With conflicting feelings inside of him, the youkai stiffened slightly, before Rin's larger, slimmer hand reached out and rested on his shoulder.

 "What's wrong?" Again, he gave her no reply, be instead melted into the contact. The force drawing him to her was currently winning, and Sesshomaru's arms went to wrap around the girl's waist. The child didn't question him, but instead leaned more into him. It was nice to have human, or youkai, contact like this.

 To say the least, she was rather surprised when her Lord Sesshomaru had gone and held her, but she didn't fight or anything; there was no threat, at all. Instead, she listened to some intriguing voices and leaned into him, feeling his warm body through the cloth.

 Rin watched the brightening skies contently as she sat in her Lord's arms, not really caring about much else. As exhaustion began to creep up to her, Rin's eyelids began to feel heavier. Silver streaks of hair fell in front of her face, and she took in a deep breath. Lord Sesshomaru smelt of the mountains… and forests… and water as well. The girl reached out a hand to touch the strand, and let her fingers entangle themselves into her Lord's hair.

 As her fingers played, Rin could've sworn she had felt Sesshomaru's face, which had been on top of hers, pull into a small smile. She smiled herself, and let the darkness take over, knowing that her Lord was right there in case anything should happen.

Sesshomaru watched Rin's fingers play with his hair, and smiled slightly, before getting control of himself and wiping it off of his face. It only proved how much of an effect this girl was making on him, the Great Lord Sesshomaru. He had never allowed himself to feel like this before, but now…

 Now, he had a human girl pressed up against him, playing with his hair silently as the both watched the sun rise. Not only that, but he was damn sure she was about to fall asleep and he would have no choice but let he sleep against him, in fact, her fingers were beginning to lessen in pace. Her hands went to rest on his thigh, and Sesshomaru thought in fascination of how this girl was changing him, slowly, bit by bit at a time.

 Not long ago, he hated humans, and hated him brother for tainting his family's blood line. But now… just look at the position he was in. Rin squirmed against him a bit, and Sesshomaru's hand instinctively went up to caress her shoulder.

 Exhaustion began to take over the youkai too, and he slowly let himself fall asleep.

*~*~*~*~*

Rin woke up hours later inside of the hut, near the other two woman. Had it all been a dream? Or had Lord Sesshomaru really held her like that? These questions plagued her mind as the other people within the hut began to stir as well. That included her Lord's brother, Inuyasha.

 The miko, Kagome, had been the first to react.

 "Inuyasha!!" She jumped to her knees and began to cradle the hanyou's head in her arms as he slowly shook it. "Don't you ever do that again! Why didn't you let go of the sword? He would've died anyways. Sango, go get Icari, she'll want to know about this. Take Rin with you, she must be tired of sitting around." How wrong she was… After they left, Rin could hear an argument beginning to begin between the two.

 She followed the demon exterminator into Inuyasha's Forest, but was soon stopped by Lord Sesshomaru. He had jumped in front of her, calm and collected as usual, and led her away slowly. Sango shot her a worried glance, but Rin smiled, assuring her that she'd be okay. With that, Sango ran off, leaving her with Sesshomaru.

 "Lord Sesshomaru," Rin began to second they were alone. "Is there something bothering you?" her stomach oddly knotted at the thought of the debatable dream that morning.

 He didn't answer for a moment, which mildly confused Rin. Sure, he might've led her out to who knows where, then not talk to her, but Rin knew that her Lord was not one who liked to talk. Now she was another subject altogether.

 "Rin," his breath fanned her neck, causing indescribable tingles running up and down her spine. "I wanted to ask you how you feel, now that you've… changed and everything." Something inside of her sunk at the realization that the scenario had indeed been a dream, and she sobered a bit.

 "It's… different, but I'll get used to it." She then gave him a reassuring smile. He opened his mouth, as if to speak again, but decided against it. Had he been about to ask her something? Maybe… maybe that scene had not been a dream, and he was about to question about it, but then…

 "Lord Sesshomaru, I'd like to be excused." He nodded slightly and Rin walked off, slightly stunned. Now, she was also thinking up dreams and hopes, but she knew that it wasn't possible. If there had been something, surely her Lord wouldn't have asked her that question?

 The girl walked slowly through the woods, hoping to come upon a path, but knowing that Lord Sesshomaru would help her should she get lost. Soon, she stumbled across the hill that over looked Lady Keade's village, and headed back. She still needed to learn how to adapt to her new age… which was presumably fifteen… or was it sixteen?