A/N: Hey, sorry about how I didn't update it yesterday. I went for my first snowboarding lessons let me just tell you this: if you ever get a chance to learn how to board- Don't do it! I still hurt like hell. God. Today was our second day of school. Actually got homework. Fun. Anywho, the number of people that participated in the contest was remarkable. We got a grand total of… none (give or take a few). I had a good insult, but I didn't want to offend the dogs. This story goes out to the people affected by the tsunami. Donate today! Unfun fact: the earthquake that caused the tsunami actually knocked the Earth of course by two degrees. This could totally affect our seasons. There are little hearts in this story (courteously provided by Raine). If you can tell us how many, I'll give you another picture. Totally different one. So, to sum it up, don't learn how to snowboard, don't offend the dogs, donate to the tsunami fund (Red Cross is good) and another new contest. You better participate, or else….

Rin woke to darkness. Where was she? She couldn't move. It felt like a tight blanket was surrounding her. The only places it wasn't covering was her eyes, nose and mouth.

She looked to the far left. There was a thin strip of light coming from under a screen. Rin tried to move her body closer to the door, but it was like her muscles had given way. She couldn't even open her mouth. It was too much work.

She lied there, for what seemed like hours, when she heard a voice from outside: "Inu Yasha, may ye please go check on the girl?"

"Why do I have to do it?"

"Because ye be closest."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Inu Yasha, always everyone's lapdog." The voice got closer, until it was right outside the screen. There was a moment's pause before the screen was ripped open and blinding sunlight lead a pathway to Rin. Inu Yasha walked slowly towards her a paused, just a foot away from the girl's bed.

"So you're awake," Inu Yasha stated dully, as if he knew it all along.

Rin wouldn't look at him. She looked to the right and tried to squeeze her eyelids closed, but it hurt when they connected.

Inu Yasha bent down so that they were at eye level. He twitched his nose.

"Hey kid, why don't you look me in the face? I'm not going to kill you if you do, ya'know."

Rin did her best to choke back tears. She wouldn't show this dog any fear. She would look at him in the eyes without any emotion but hate. But as she thought this, her body started shaking uncontrollably. At least she was regaining movement.

"Okay, look, don't start crying or anything," Inu Yasha seemed genuinely startled. "If Kagome comes and she sees you...just come on, stop crying."

And Rin didn't know why. She stopped. She stopped the tears and she stopped the shaking. And for the first time she looked Inu Yasha in the eyes.

"That a' girl!"

For once, Sesshomaru actually felt excited. He was fast approaching the village Rin was in. He could see it below him, surrounded by vast farmland and forest. He hoped that in a few short moments, he would see Rin...

♥ ♥ ♥ o:p /o:p

Rin was feeling better, so she let Kagome carry her out into the open air. She felt confused, though. These people who she had feared, who she had despised, were not at all how she thought they were. Inu Yasha, the aggressive, evil half-demon she thought he was was actually kind and caring when he wanted to be. The girl Kagome was kind and caring to Rin all the time. Sango, the demon-slayer, was nice and seemed concerned about Rin. Even Miroku seemed nice, although the others warned her to keep her distance from him.

"Look at the stars tonight;" Kagome said in awe to no one in particular, "They look so bright."

Rin stared into the sky, but at that very moment something else caught her eye. It was flying silently over the forest. It wasn't a star, that was for sure. In fact, it looked like...

"Is that Sesshomaru?" Inu Yasha asked in a disgusted tone.

Rin suddenly felt new energy coursing through her body. It was Lord Sesshomaru! Had he come to save her? The energy flowing through her body finally took effect and she scrambled out of Kagome's arms and landed on the dirt with a thump. She ignored Kagome's shouts for her as she rushed in the direction of Sesshomaru.

"Get back here!" Inu Yasha shouted and he ran after her. He was so fast, Rin doubted she could escape him, but maybe she could lose him in the forest.

She ran and ran for what seemed for hours until the sound of footsteps behind her disappeared. But Sesshomaru was also nowhere to be seen. She stumbled into a clearing. She was so tired from her injuries and running, but persisted in trying to find Lord Sesshomaru. She scanned the skies, but the stars were getting blurry. She felt dizzy. Finally, the stars blended with the sky and everything went black.

♥ ♥ ♥

Sesshomaru ran incredibly fast through the woods, hoping to find the clearing he saw in his dreams. Jaken was now far behind him, huffing and panting and pleading him to slow down. But Sesshomaru would not slow down, not until he found Rin.

Then, he saw her. She was lying perfectly still in the middle of the clearing. Sesshomaru's heart seemed to stop. Was she okay? He rushed beside her, but then he caught a glimpse of someone else. He knew who it was. It was a man. Actually, it was a despicable half-demon wearing a red kimono and glaring angrily back at Sesshomaru...