Author's Note: I'm on the search for a Rin/Sesshoumaru fic my House Elf suggested. It involves Rin dying and being stuck in limbo, and Sesshoumaru going to hell to buy her way out. It ends when they are both reincarnated. I will be forever in your debt if you can tell me who writes this.

Chapter Seven: The Way to Dusty Death

Shippo walked quietly away from the home. No one noticed he was gone. They seldom did, when he was careful and mindful to stay away for only a few moments. The others would blame a young girl for catching his eye, or a bird, or a bauble that he had never seen before; it was a child's whim they would say, and it would be dismissed, and never questioned. So he set out, quietly as he went, and walked till the woods became darker, and the creatures became silent.

Then, as carefully and as assuredly as Inuyasha would be, he stood up and summoned the demon he was hunting.

"Tama." He called. "Tama, I know you can hear me! Show yourself!"

There was a stir near his right side, then from the trees above. Shippo narrowed his eyes, and looked away, waiting. Somehow he was no longer in the mood for his cousin's games.

The rustling stopped suddenly, as if the wind had breezed past and the forest, thankful for its departure, had settled down into its regular course. Tama came into sight then, not stirring a leaf as he did, and watched him carefully.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" Tama whispered, nervously. "I know you can swim, but I worried when you didn't appear…" He tried to smile, reacting to Shippo's steady glare. "We played that game so many times to your father, I knew you'd remember it. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"You almost killed Rin."

Tama's eyes darkened as he looked away.

"And you hurt Miroku! And Sango, and Inuyasha! Tama, you can't hurt those people! They're my friends."

"They were trying to hurt me. Can I not defend myself? Inuyasha is protecting Sesshoumaru, even now. When you said he wouldn't!"

"He's not protecting Sesshoumaru. You attacked him…" Shippo folded his arms around himself. "Tama, you can't do this…"

"Listen to me, Shippo." Tama implored as he kneeled. "I would never harm you."

"You almost did!" Shippo said, putting distance between his cousin and him. He couldn't touch Tama now. It would make his resolve silk away. "You almost killed my friends!"

"I have to protect myself, Cousin. And I won't rest till this is finished. I can't." Tama reached over, turning Shippo's face to meet his eyes. Shippo was sure he had never seen such fear before, and it made him sick to see it there. "There's too much that has passed to let me walk away now."

Shippo closed his eyes, burying his face in Tama's hand. "Just…leave my friends out of this."

Tama seemed to hesitate. "I will do whatever I can." There was another beat. "Is Sesshoumaru with you now?"

"Yes. In the Headman's home." He looked up. "He's pretty weak. It won't be long till..."

"How long?"

"A few nights, Miroku says. Probably less."

Tama swallowed, and met his cousin's eyes. "Does the Hanyoi's life mean that much to you?"

"He saved me."

"Tomorrow night is the New Moon," Tama supplied. His hand fell to his sides, as he flexed his fists. "Inuyasha will lose his demonic powers then."

"You'll attack on the New Moon?"

Tama nodded. "He won't be able to defend himself, and if he is wise, he'll stay away then. That is all I can do to grant your wish. I must ensure that he and the others do not interfere with my business with Sesshoumaru."

Shippo let the weight of the words seep into his marrow. "You're going to kill him, aren't you?" There was a shadow that passed across the Fox's face. Tama seemed saddened by this revelation, and could only nod. The sickness in Shippo's stomach deepened. "Is there no other way?"

"I'm afraid not, cousin."

"But…"

"Listen to me…" Tama suddenly interjected, standing as he spoke. "Sometimes, despite what you feel or what you wish for, all that you can do is the right thing."

"It doesn't feel like the right thing, Tama."

"No." Tama agreed. "It seldom does."

XXXXXXX

Sesshoumaru looked asleep even though Inuyasha knew the truth. Walking closer, Inuyasha could see that his brother's hair had turned gray, and then brown. His skin was now the pink hue before, as beads of sweat rolled from his crown and water came intermitted from the corners of Sesshoumaru's eyes. Every so often, Sesshoumaru would hiss sharply, or moan and his face would contort into pain and then, he would roll his face to hide it in his boa. His body trembled, at sometimes from the heat, at others from the cold.

Inuyasha made his way quietly from the doorway to the bed, ignoring the darkness; his attention fixed on his brother.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flew open suddenly. The gold of his eyes were light brown now, marked with red. "Who's there?"

Inuyasha felt an unexpected stab in his chest. Had this been any other time, Sesshoumaru would have known him miles away: by scent, or by the sound of his footfall, or the beating of his heart; Sesshoumaru would know. On purpose, Inuyasha added weight to his step, saying nothing as he continued: hoping it would trigger something, some part of Sesshoumaru that was still the figure of his memory.

"Who's there?" He asked again.

"It's me."

"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru mumbled, nodding slightly. "I have new respect for you brother."

Inuyasha arched a brow, waiting.

There was a bitter sort of laugh that followed. "I can barely hear, hardly taste…and see nothing at all. My poor brother, to be forever cursed with these infirmities." Another beat. "When I kill you now, it shall be a mercy killing, not only for my honor."

Inuyasha felt hope blossom in his chest at that defiant insult. "Thank you." He said dryly. "I'll remember to return that mercy when I finally finish you."

"You will never get that chance." Sesshoumaru retorted, turning towards his brother's voice. "…I can't see, Inuyasha. Everything's gray."

"It's not gray, you fool. It's just dark in here. Your eyes need to adjust to the darkness."

"They would have already if…"

"I know." Another stretch of silence. Inuyasha turned and stared down at his hands, cursing himself from coming here at all. He should have left him. He should have hunted down Tama. He should be doing something! Not keeping vigil over a dying man…

No…

"Rin."

Inuyasha looked up, suddenly. Sesshoumaru was staring into the darkness. His hand had appeared from under the sleeve, groping the covers for something tangible. Quietly, Inuyasha reached over and touched Sesshoumaru's knuckles. His bother's hand stopped there, under his own.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru repeated. "Jaken."

"Outside. Nanashi won't let them inside. She doesn't want them to see you like this."

"Jaken deserves to. He's been by my side through everything else."

"Is that gratitude I hear in your voice?"

"Merely an observation."

"And Rin? What does she deserve?"

Sesshoumaru's face did something odd then; it softened and his lips parted just slightly, just enough to release and audible sigh. "Rin." Sesshoumaru repeated, "Rin deserves death."

Inuyasha blinked, and leaned back. He didn't know what exactly to expect from his brother but that certainly was not the reply. He opened his mouth to speak, but realized a moment later, the hand under his had begun to tremble.

"She deserves that which belongs to all humans." He continued. "That relentless journey they all take towards death: that journey that involves kin and kith and history. A husband, children…an assurance that someone will adorn their grave after they have passed from memory. She deserves that slow death they all get." He turned away. "And she deserves that excuse of a life they get in between."

Inuyasha turned away, unable to find the words.

"Inuyasha."

"Hm?"

"Ensure that."

"What?"

"You're the one with the fallacy for humans," Sesshoumaru explained. "I do not have that capacity, so ensure it. Ensure that Rin gets her death, decades from now, when she is old and broken bodied, when she has children gathered around her legs like chickens." He closed his eyes, swallowing hard. "Make sure that happens."

Inuyasha felt his blood freeze as he rose. "Do it yourself."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"Because I won't have the time."

"Damn you, Sesshoumaru! Don't you dare pin this on me! Don't you dare speak like this now!" Inuyasha erupted, throwing aside the quiet reverence of the room. He was fed by the fuel of the anger in his blood, by the fear and the damned determination to agree with his brother in nothing. He would not accept this: not if Sesshoumaru had. He couldn't. This could not be how it ended. Not this way. Not before…

"You want all this to happen, do it yourself! Don't you dare leave me to do your dirty work, Sesshoumaru! I won't be your slave."

Sesshoumaru's eyes had tightened, and a dull growl escaped him. "You think I want to leave this in your care? Is your selfishness so complete that you would refuse this just to spite me?"

"You're damn right I will!"

"You stupid, arrogant child! You filthy dirty blood! I'll…"

"You'll what? You dare call me arrogant, take a look at yourself! You think you can do anything! You come back into my life after years, to try and murder me, try to murder Kagome, and then suddenly I'm suppose to forget all that because you send your stupid little orphan to me and expect me to pick up the pieces! Damn you! Do your own dirty work!"

"If you do not stop yourself now, you'll regret it!"

"Try to stop me!"

Sesshoumaru had sat up sometime during this tirade. His hand went to his side, searching for Tokijin. In his eyes was the look of pure hatred and contempt. Inuyasha met that gaze fearlessly for a long time. For a long time, they stayed that way, daring each other to move.

"See?" Inuyasha said after a length of time. "I knew you could do it."

Sesshoumaru blinked out of his anger, and looked down, searching for something. He tilted his head a little. "How?"

"You're Sesshoumaru. The only one that can beat you," Inuyasha allowed himself a pause. "Is me."

He thought he saw Sesshoumaru almost smile. Almost, but not quite. "You are nothing compared to me."

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha chided. "If you can do anything, I can...Clap."

Sesshoumaru's gaze returned to his face, and for a moment, Inuyasha felt like a pup again, looking into his mother's face. The age and world weariness that shone in Sesshoumaru's face burned like the stars. There was quietness there too, as if he accepted something Inuyasha still refused to face. Inuyasha removed his hand from the bed and stood, turning to go. Sesshoumaru made no acknowledgement of the departure but Inuyasha imagined he could hear his brother's heart quickening in that frail chest.

"Sesshoumaru?" There was no reply, but he continued anyway. He knew he had his brother's full attention. He always did. "I will do what you ask, on one condition." Another long pause. Inuyasha closed his eyes. "You ask me, as one brother to the other."

"I despise the day you were born…"

"I know. But for this moment, this breath," Inuyasha felt like the words were thorns, choking him. "For this enemy, can we stand as brothers?"

There was a long time before Sesshoumaru chose to speak, and when he did: there was word; forced, quiet and as terrible as the sea.

"No."