Disclaimer: Well... You know what's gonna happen, right? I'm gonna say I don't cough not yet cough own anyone of these characters... But I'm saving up for them! They're on my birthday list! smiles maniacally

Okay... Once again, I am really really sorry about the long wait, but as I said in my profile, was not working at all for me for some reason. We just got our internet fixed, but I don't think it was that, because this was the only site that was not working. It's working now, though! (Obviously...cough) So... Sorry for the really long waiting... But it wasn't my fault! T-T

Oh! And thank you to Evanescence160 (Yay for Evanescence!) , Mad-4-Manga (Who is my now favorite reviewer for reviewing every story I have! Thankies!) , and (x.x) YokoYoukai, who... Beta Read for me again and... Is just plain freaky. (I changed it to freaky!) Hehe. Thank you guys! Now, onward with the story!

-Imomen-

"M' lord! M' lord!" Jaken scrambled over to the inu youkai, breath coming out in pants and short legs flying out from underneath him as he fell clumsily to the ground. Bowing, he pushed his face to the dirt and gulped nervously as he felt two cold amber eyes on him. "You have found her." It was not a question and Jaken nodded hurriedly, standing back up and rubbing his now dirty nose. "Yes, Sesshomaru-sama. Your humble servant has found the girl, although she-" A boot to the face by no other than Sesshomaru stopped his rambling and he let out a muffled whine, clasping his hands over his face and scurrying ahead. "Show me." The youkai lord demanded, his voice edged with annoyance. "Yes, my lord." Jaken nodded.

Less than a minute passed before he regained his courage and began to talk once more.. "It is most unfortunate, Sesshomaru-sama. The girl has apparently killed herself." he shook his head in disbelief before letting out a snort and adding, "Not that she was ever very useful, anyway. Baka ningen couldn't even do anything right, no matter how simple the task was." He continued to talk, unaware of the even more terse than normal silence from behind him as he led the way. "There she is, my lord." Jaken pointed a stubbly finger ahead of them, smiling almost proudly at his find.

"You may leave us now." Sesshomaru gave Jaken a cool glare before his eyes focused on the tree in front of them and the rather mangled body laying limply in front of it. "But m' lord-" the toad youkai began to protest. Sesshomaru raised a hand up, long fingers accented by claws that were beginning to turn the faintest of green colors. "Now." "Y-yes, Sesshomaru-sama." Jaken stuttered, obeying the order immediately and nearly running away.

A spark of anger found it's way into Sesshomaru's chest as he seemingly glided over to where what once had been Rin now lay. Certain that Jaken was out of earshot, he let an uncharacteristic growl form in his throat as his mouth pulled back into a snarl. She had not been dead for over a half of an hour, for which he was certain, and yet her flesh had already been snacked on in various places, leaving nothing but nearly raw bone. The growl accented as his anger grew. How dare she! He had been protecting her for years now, and this was how she repaid him? Killing herself? Her life belonged to him! After all the times he had saved her worthless hide, the least she owed him was her servitude until the day she died. True, he had been a little shocked when she had suddenly blurted out that she loved him, and didn't stop himself from staring. Hadn't he been telling her since day one that ningens and youkai were never to mix? Not in words, surely, but in his actions. To be so would be wrong...

The thought had crossed his mind occasionally that he might mate with her, but he had always pushed it to the back of his mind, refusing to even think about it purposely. It would be much better if she stayed with him as his toy, his concubine... He knew she might, if he could persuade her, though he had convinced himself that he would never beg or ask of anyone for anything, she could be different. He knew she like him- the way her scent would shift when he was around was truth enough. Frowning at the body in front of him, he mentally berated himself. No amount of thinking would make a difference now, even if he did wish he had done some things differently. If the wench felt the need to take her own life for her reasons, it was of no concern to him. Turning around stiffly, he started to walk back to Jaken. He would order some of his servants to come pick up Rin's corpse as soon as he got back to his domain. It was to late to save her now, even if he had wanted to.

Silver hair flew around him as he pulled to a stop as both of his swords started to pulse at his side. His eyes flicked from one to the other and then narrowed as the swords gave off a faint blue light, as if trying to speak to him. Blue... It was the color the Tenseiga glowed when it was reviving someone. Tojikin had never glowed any color before. Most unusual. As one, the two swords jerked toward the tree where Rin lay and he allowed them to lead him until he was directly in front of her. Tojikin began to give off its own distinct aura as Sesshomaru drew it, studying it intently. "Ah." Sesshomaru's voice was quiet. "You would have this Sesshomaru kill himself just to go save the mortal." He put Tojikin back, ignoring its request. "And then Tenseiga would save the both of us." The blades pulsed even more heavily than before as he turned, preparing to walk away before stopping again. "But why... There are other ningens who could serve me better..." He drew Tojikin again, watching as it shone brightly. Convincing himself that it was for the swords benefit only, he placed the tip at his stomach, stabbing through with one clean stab. Refusing to let his youkai blood heal the wound as it normally would, he could feel his knees weaken until he was forced to kneel on ground. Dropping the Tojikin with a clatter, he used his now free hand to put it over his wound, pulling it up and watching with somewhat interest as the blood dripped down him. He had never bled this much before... It was... rather... unique...

His eyes had never closed, he realized as his soul drifted out of his body. He could see them- a dull amber now, as his body was not functioning. He was still kneeling, as well, supporting himself on the Tenseiga, which he had drawn at the last minute. He looked around, noting how different everything looked. He wasn't even really sure how he could be seeing things, when he had no body what-so-ever... Only a white orb remained of him, and it wasn't very settling that he could now see through things as well. The world was drifting, no more than a shadow to him at his point of view. He needed to find Rin, or chances his Tenseiga would not permit him to come back. She would probably be close to something she was familiar with... And the closest thing around would have to be Ah and Uhn or Jaken. Since the toad was nearest, it was probably a safe estimate to say that she would be there.

He felt his body start to drift over to where he guessed that Jaken would be at the thought, sensing at once that something else was nearby. A small, blueish ball was hanging in the air besides him, and as he looked, changed into the form of the very girl he was looking for. His own body started to shift until it was transformed into his original shape as Rin looked away from him, refusing to meet his eyes. "Lord Sesshomaru..." she whispered. "I did not expect that you would..." a whimper escaped her mouth. "You killed yourself." her voice was aghast, a ghost of what it had been when she was alive. "As did you." came the reply. She didn't answer, and he felt his heart clench unintentionally. "You are to come back." He did not need to ask. She belonged to him, she would do as he said... Another silence ensued before an answer that shocked him for as long as he lived happened: "No." Sesshomaru's head shot up, shock apparent on his face that even his normal mask could not hide. She had disobeyed him. Rin, of all people, had ignored his demand. "No." Rin repeated again. "I- I'm sorry, Sesshomaru-sama... But now, there is no point to life." She smiled sadly, her eyes lifting up to his face and then back down to the ground. For the second time in one day, the youkai lord felt an deep anger start to well inside of him. Did the girl really think her life was so pointless? She served him, that should at least give her some reason to live. "You are coming back with me." his voice was no less than a snarl as he grabbed her wrist, intent on bringing her back. "Why?" she asked hollowly. "I have... nothing to live for." "Because if you don't, Tenseiga won't bring me back." It wasn't what he wanted to say... He, Sesshomaru, was scared of the feelings hidden under the anger that surfaced whenever she was around. His mind worked, desperate to find a way to make her return. "Jaken called you stupid..." he murmured under his breath. Apparently she had picked it up, as she gave him a disbelieving look. "Why that !" Sesshomaru clamped a hand over her mouth, dragging her up against his chest and forcing their way over to where their two bodies lay. He focused on the Tenseiga, willing it to realize that he was there...

A moment passed, and with a small sag, it hit him that Tenseiga wasn't responding... Something was wrong. He released the indignant Rin, who promptly sat down besides him, looking more than a little smug that sent off a signal in his brain- one that he only used against the worst of enemies. "I do not understand why it is not working." Rin sat down besides him as he continued to talk to himself, forcing his temper back before it got the better of him. "I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Lord Sesshomaru, though I am glad that your katana did not get the chance to bring me back." Something reared its head at her words, a dark, possessive side; and without warning he yanked her body on top of his own, face wearing a warning. "Do not wish for such things, ningen. You should be thankful that I even tried to save you." She started to protest and he drew her chin down with one hand; mouth closing over hers as he forced her body even further against him with his free hand. Her eyes sprang wide open when he tilted her head back, controlling the kiss and deepening it further. Sesshomaru could feel her trembling slightly above him, the movement somehow soothing his nerves and bringing him back to sanity as he abruptly let her go. His eyes, which had closed without his knowledge, opened slowly as the world around him started to shake. He could feel his soul being drawn to the body below them, sucking him closer to the ground of the living.

A shaky minute later, Sesshomaru reached a clawed hand up to his chest; finding himself relieved that the bleeding had stopped. Turning his head, he saw Rin reach her own hand up, touching slightly were the wound had been on her own body. The skin that had been eaten away had returned. In fact, she looked perfectly normal- as if nothing had happened at all, which was not usually the case when the Tenseiga brought beings back to life. "B-but-why...did it?" Rin's voice shook unnaturally as she gave her fingers a cautious flex, as if afraid they would fall off. "I didn't want to come back." she whispered. "I've already made a fool of myself once in this lifetime... I do not want to do it again..." Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt Sesshomaru's unrelenting stare on her face. "It was not your choice. It was mine. You belong to me." He stood up, brushing the dirt off of his clothing and putting the sword back into its sheath. Knowing better than to argue, the girl hung her head instead, wrapping her arms around herself. "What does that mean? I'm yours... Like Kagome is Inu Yashas? Or like Jaken devotes his time to you?" She shivered, remembering how he had kissed her when they were... dead. "It is of no business of yours." he snapped. She frowned, head shooting up. "But you kissed me... And it is business of mine. It's my life, in case you hadn't noticed." Her hand immediately slapped over her mouth. She had never, ever, spoken like that to him before. She was starting to sound like Kagome when she talked to Inu Yasha, which unfortunately, Sesshomaru-sama had always thought unbearable. Before she had time to blink, the inu youkai had her snatched in the air by the back of her kimono, pressing her small body against the back of the tree harshly. "I may have just saved you life, wench." His face looked lethal as he spoke and she bit her lip, cursing her mouth and how it always seemed to get her in trouble. "But do not make the mistake of thinking that you are worth anything more to me than a slave. I said you were mine because you owe me- life dept, and nothing more." He dropped her, stepping over her and back towards were he knew Jaken would be.

Watching as he walked away, Rin blinked back tears. She had deserved that. What was wrong with her? He had already made it perfectly clear that she was his slave on more than one occasion...but she had thought that just maybe... He treated her differently. And that kiss... It had been deliberate, try as he would to deny it now. She had liked it. He had shown more feeling in the past hour than she had ever seen him do for the past years she had been with him. That was a good sign, right? With a sigh, she stood up, following the tracks of her lord. She needed to talk to Kagome as soon as she got back. Until then... She smiled wistfully. She would wait. Even if there was no chance of Sesshomaru-sama returning her love... It would be nice to be with him, to be by his side. She would keep him company, even in the worst of times. Sooner or later that kiss would come back to haunt him and he would do something about it, she was sure of it. Even if he didn't... She would stay by his side, always. She was in love.

And she wouldn't change it for the world.

-Japanese Words-

Inu- dog

Youkai- demon

Ningen- human

Katana- sword

Sama- used after names, meaning 'Lord'

Kimono- a Japanese garment, sort of like a robe

Baka- idiot, stupid

Yup! Well, there it is, in all it's wondrous beauty, if that's what you want to call it. I'm not sure if I want to add another chapter or not... Yes, no, maybe so? You tell me! I kind of like it the way it is, but... I also have another idea for the next chapter, so... I'm not sure yet! I said I might add in a lemon, but frankly, I'm not sure I want to... Hum. I think from now on I'm just going to double space my stories... Who really needs paragraphs, anyways? (AGH! Here I am, editing for the last time on and for some reason it didn't come out double spaced. THIS ISREALLY ANNOYING! Humph. Anyways...) Thankies for reading and R&R please!

-Imomen-