Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha

Chapter Nine


"Can you walk with me?" Rina stood. He followed.

"I can't hear anything." Miruko complained.

"They're leaving." Sango stated.

The night was a cool spring one. The breaze brushed lightly against the tall meadow grass, swaying it ever which way. Inuyasha and Rina were quietly walking, listening the light sound.

"I always wondered if you'd come back Inuyasha." There was an open area of just dirt, a couple of feet ahead. In the middle a 7 foot tree was dying.

"What do you mean?"

She smiled. "Look around, don't you reconize this place?" He scanned the area. It wasn't a nice of an area as the other parts. Things lay burnt and half covered from the years past.

"Am I suppose to?" He wondered.

"This is our home Inuyasha, after the bomb exploded. This was where we said hello...and goodbye."

Little flashes of the past went through his mind. "I never forgot that day. We were in a tough bind, mother and I, but then there your family was. Three weeks and I was hooked." He stopped. "It tore me apart when you left and I vowed when you came back I wouldn't let you go." Smiling he brushed his hand acrossed hers and continued. "I didn't let you go when you did get back. You stayed and life was happy again."

"Until that fateful day when everything changed." Rina whispered.

"You mean with Bakio and Bakin."

She shook her head. "No I mean with Kikyo, even those they were half of the problem."

Inuyasha stopped in his tracks. "After all these years you're still on about that. I know you didn't like her but come on Rina. Past events are past events."

She looked at him. "Your right I didn't like her. I didn't like her coming, her going, and I've disliked her ever since."

"Look you need to let that go."

"I can't Inuyasha." He looked at her. Rina was shaking some. "Do you know what happened that day Inuyasha? You broke my heart, I was crying, and you left me to die. Kikyo found me before you woke up that morning. Of course I was human so she didn't reconize me right away. But when she did...her attitude was different. She new that if no one found me that I wouldn't make the night."

Inuyasha was shocked by all this. "That can't be true. She told me you didn't make it."

Rina sat on a rock near the tree. "I wouldn't have if Ayano didn't come. She saved and I've been grateful to her everyday."

"She's still alive you know. Kikyo I mean."

Rina nodded some. "She's here but not alive. She has no real soul. That is her punishment for hurting you I believe. More worse then dying is living, knowing you can't have the one you love." Though the subject was Kikyo, she was talking more of her own situation.

"I'm sorry Rina. I never knew. If I did you know I would have been out there searching, never giving up." He moved from the place he was at and gave Rina a soft hug. "I'm truly sorry." He whispered.

She smiled some. "Your here, that's all that really matters." She hugged him back. /Now I can leave with a clear mind./ "We should be getting back."

Inuyasha pulled away. "Of course." They walked until the edge of the dead area. Turning around Inuyasha smiled. He knew where he was at. Home, the place where he found his best friend again.

An arrow flew through the air hitting Rina in her left shoulder. She screamed in pain as the sharp metal tip sliced into her skin. The archer laughed evilly.

Begin human at the moment, Rina had the weaknesses. Breathing heavily she fell to her knees, holding the arrow where blood was rushing out. Inuyasha ran over to her. "The war is beginning again. That was just a warning." Rina's eyes were becoming heavy, the pain was really bad.

"Rina! Rina stay awake!" Inuyasha tried to shake her, but she collasped against him. Laying her down Inuyasha pulled off the cape and ripped the left clothing shoulder area. Mixed with the gushing blood was a neon green liquid. "What?" Placing a finger in the liquid, he smelled it. "Posion!"

Picking her up, Inuyasha ran quickly back to camp. He picked up speed when she started coughing. "Hold on Rina, please hold on."