The tetsaiga's wind scar was barreling straight at Naraku, but it was too late the beam was mere feet away from Sesshoumaru now. "I'm not going to leave you, Lord Sesshoumaru.", Rin whispered as she clung onto his fur. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru let out a loud growl and broke free of Naraku's claws. He raced straight at the beam. Naraku grinned triumphantly. "There is no way he will survive.", he thought to himself. But Sesshoumaru ran into the beam, and attacked right through it. His teeth tore off a chunk of Naraku's shoulder and arm. Everyone gaped in surprise. Naraku grimaced at his mutilated upper torso. "How did he manage to attack me?", Naraku thought to himself in anger and awe. In a gust of wind, he and the entire castle had disappeared.

Sesshoumaru had transformed back to his normal form. Rin lay unmoving in his arms. He looked down at her in deep regret. "Lord Sesshoumaru!", Jaken called. "You are unharmed!" Sesshoumaru didn't turn around. Jaken saw Rin in his arms. "Is she dead?". Sesshoumaru didn't answer. "Lord Sesshoumaru?", Sesshoumaru looked at Rin in surprise. How could she still be alive? Her eyes opened. "I'm sorry. Are you mad at me Lord Sesshoumaru?"she asked.

"Don't speak, you are badly wounded.", he said. Rin coughed violently. She closed her eyes and let herself rest in Sesshoumaru's arms.

Inuyasha, Kagome, and the others watched from a distance. Kagome walked towards Sesshoumaru and Rin. Sesshoumaru turned around but said nothing to her.

"Kagome be careful!", Sango called out to her."Umm, may I treat her? I mean, I don't mean to impose but she inhaled a lot of those poisonous fumes and the medication from my time might…" Sesshoumaru lay Rin on the grass.

"Thanks.", Kagome murmered. Nervously, she gave Rin some medication. "Maybe he's not so bad." Kagome thought to herself, "but, he's still pretty intimidating." When Kagome had finished treating Rin, she ran back to Inuyasha and the group. Sesshoumaru picked up Rin and walked into the forest.

"Damn it. Naraku's scent has disappeared again. Leave it Sesshoumaru to let him escape.", Inuyasha growled angrily. "If you guys had let me take off on my own, I would have finished Naraku off once and for all."

"Perhaps," Sango contemplated. " But now that Naraku's been injured, he will be more vulnerable if we find him, right?"

"You mean when we find him." Inuyasha said as he cracked his knuckles. "That's the spirit Inuyasha.", Kagome said smiling; this setback hadn't fazed Inuyasha at all.

"Hmmm, it appears that Inuyasha isn't the only one who inherited his father's feelings for people."Miroku mused. Inuyasha frowned.

"It's still hard to believe that someone like Sesshoumaru, who claimed he had no use for humans, would care for a human child." Kagome smiled. "Maybe Sesshoumaru isn't as bad as we once thought."

Rin awoke under the shade of the willow tree. She sat up. Her head hurt and she had a few scrapes, but she was okay. Lord Sesshoumaru sat beside her. His eyes were closed and there was a large bloodstain in his kimono where Naraku had pierced him. His eyes opened and he stared back at her.

"It's my fault you got hurt, isn't it Lord Sesshoumaru.", she looked down at the grass and began to cry.

"Stop that, Rin.", Sesshoumaru said. Rin tried to force back the tears and looked helplessly at Sesshoumaru.

"Come here." he ordered. Rin moved towards him and stopped. Sesshoumaru reached out his hand to her face and brushed the tears from her cheek. Rin stifled a sob and sat beside him. "Then you forgive me?", she asked. 'Don't put yourself in danger like that again." Sesshoumaru answered. Rin smiled. She rested her head against his shoulder and quickly fell back to sleep. Sesshoumaru looked over at her and couldn't help letting himself smile just a little. To think, this human girl had risked her life just to be with him. At one time he might have called her foolish, but now she seemed invaluable. He recalled how tired he had felt while Naraku's claws had drained his energy. It was Rin's voice that brought him the surge of energy he had needed to defeat Naraku. But in the end, it had not mattered to him whether or not he was victorious, Rin's life was all that had mattered. "Rin.". He murmured her name, closed his eyes and drifted off.