I still do not own Inuyasha or the characters. But I do own this story and Ryu na Takuan and Oujo Matsuko.I hope you guys enjoy the chapter, and since you all reviewed I'm going to post this early...I had wanted to post on Saturday but today was the best I could do..Please read and review as I love to hear from you all...

Reflections of the Past:

Hidden Emotions chapter 23

Rin leaned closer to Sesshomaru, her arms reaching to wrap themselves around his neck pressing her body firmly to the front of his rock hard chest as her hands twisted themselves into his silky silver hair, pulling him closer still, her lips moving beneath his in response to his kiss. He released them as he trailed a feathery soft trail of kisses across her jaw, his tongue darting out to taste the skin of her ear, his breath caressing her as he whispered her name softly. But just then the shrill laughter of some village children drifted through the trees to effectively ruin the moment for them both, reminding them that they had to get back to the others so that they could begin their journey. Sesshomaru sighed as he bent to pick her up before turning tword the village, his pace slow as he tried valiently to control his raging blood that still raced through his veins as well as the demon within him that screamed to mark it's mate..and once he suppressed himself as much as was possible he opened a connection to her, not wanting any to hear their conversation..." Later Rin, we will have our time later.." he muttered as he tried to curb the irritation in his voice the children had caused with their untimely interuption."Mmm..." Rin replied, her eyes drifting shut as she curled closer to his warmth, her body relaxing in his embrace as sleep took her, leaving her connection with Sesshomaru open.

Sesshomaru sat against the wall of their hut holding Rin close to his body, the sleeves of his haori covering her naked body from view, only her upper shoulders and her legs visible, but he couldn't bring himself to release her...not yet.

He studied her angelic face, upturned twords his, her raven eyebrows twitching in response to the dream she was currently entertaining, her pale ivory skin radiating with the vibrance of life, and small, full pink lips that were made for kissing...her dark hair flowing around her to fall off her shoulders to gather into a silken pool in her lap, hiding her nakedness from his view. And even now she snuggled into his embrace, a look of complete peace gracing her slumbering features.Their connection was still open between them allowing him to read her emotions while she slept, her memories blending with his, forming one complete line of thought.

He had spent alot of time with her over the last month, had taught her how to handle a sword, as well as some tecniques for hand to hand combat, but these things merely woke up his sences, alerting him to the fact that while she was essencially the child that followed him around during the last three years, she was not however a child...hadn't been even when she had found him injured and armless those few years ago. Technically she had been about twenty one years old when they had found each other, and while her body and actions were that of an eight year old child, her inner emotions were that of the twenty one year old that lay trapped within the shell of a child's body, unable to escape, unable to voice or express herself in any other manner but those acceptible to the child shell she remained trapped in. .and she had been inexplicably drawn to him, a demon Lord who, at first, had shown her no kindness.

He had been with her for three years, knew her better than anyone.Her personality hadn't changed, she was still the carefree Rin she had always been, she was just free to be herself, to be who she had grown to be on the inside. She was no longer the child that the conceiling spell had made her, she was now the woman she had always been meant to become, she was still the loyal being that followed him tirelessly, still the being who loved him without reservation, who trusted him completly, who would place her life on the line for his if ever it was required... She was the other half of his soul, and through the trials of her childhood, through the years of entrappment she had endured through necessity, she had still managed to find him, to work her way into his heart so that he would be unable to cast her away, so that one day she could be with him as they had been destined to be. She had been determined to stay at his side knowing full well that he would only see the image the conceiling spell cast, the child that everyone saw, holding on to the hope that one day...one day he would see her for what she truely was...a woman completly in love with him...

These were the feelings he could sense coming from her sleeping form, feelings that mixed with his knowledge..confirming his own emotions,and since the conceiling spell had been removed and he had spent time getting to know her true form, he had undoubtedly seen it...No, he no longer saw her as the child she was, he now saw the woman she had become...for he had come to understand though the connections they had... thanks to Kagome, how she felt...and how she feared that he would never see her as anything but that little girl she had been forced to be...but more so he could feel her immense pleasure at his acceptance of her new form, that he had truely seen past her outer shell to see the woman that lay within...and love her as such..And he planned on doing exactly that, loving her as the woman she had become...just as soon as they got out of this damn village and all it's damn interuptions.

He thought back to the vision that met him earlier at the spring. She sat wide eyed, her knees drawn up protectively against her as she tried to shield her nakedness from view, but he'd still gotten a good look at her now womanly body. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, her body shimmering in the morning light as small drops of water cascaded off her hair and down her shoulders to caress their way between the fullness of her breasts that lay hidden from his view behind the length of her perfectly shaped legs.He'd reached for her out of instinct, not wanting anyone to see the beauty of her nakedness as he wished to have that part of her all to himself. He was certain that Inuyasha had kept his view directed only at his mate as he was devoted only to Kagome, but the monk was something entirely different...and though he had been suprised that the monk had kept his gaze trained on the demon slayer, he had reached to shield Rin from view anyway, not willing to offer the monk any temptation, regardless of his attatchment to the human woman who fought as well as any man, maybe better.

No, Rin was most definately a woman, in heart, soul and body...and soon she would be his...and he'd spend the rest of his lifetime convincing her that he saw her as the most beautiful woman in his world...

...He now understood why Tensaiga had wished him to save her...she was his intended...and the sword had seen through the conceiling spell...had urged him to save her. His father had gifted him with this sword and while at first he was angry with the choice, now he was greatful, for it had already saved his mate...long before he even knew who she was destined to become.

Kagome lay wrapped in Inuyasha's embrace, lying still while he traced soft patterns upon her stomach. "We should ask Keade if she can make a conceiling spell to cover your scent Kagome, I don't want Naraku to know of our child." Inuyasha whispered, his hand stopping to rest itself protectively upon their unborn baby.

" Okay Inuyasha,Kagome replied before wrapping her arms around his neck.." We'll be fine Inu, we'll destroy him before he can hurt anyone else, and we'll go on raising our family. We'll get through this , I won't let him tear us apart...not now, not ever." Kagome growled, it's harshness raising the hairs on the back of his neck...and he believed her, she would fight for her family... for him and their pup...for Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kilala, Keade, Rin and yes even Sesshomaru, and he wouldn't deny her,as much as he wanted to tell her no..to tell her to stay out of the fighting to protect their baby, he knew it wouldn't do any good. She would not leave them to fight Naraku alone, and they both knew that she was needed, that her powers were needed, so he would fight by her side...defend her with his dying breath, for he too was determined to protect her and their pup...as well as the others in their small group.They got up quickly, hugging and kissing tenderly before reluctantly letting each other go, as Inuyasha turned to leave. Kagome waited patiently while Inuyasha went in search of her dress.

Inuyasha walked quickly twords Sesshomaru's hut, his scenses telling him that he and Rin were indeed back from the spring. " Sesshomaru, where is Kagome's dress?" Inuyasha spit out as his hand raised to push aside the cloth door, his eyes meeting the golden hues of his brothers...his ears picking up the low growl emminating from him as well. " You really should learn to announce yourself...BEFORE you invite yourself in." Sesshomaru growled as he remained seated by the wall, Rin still held protectively within the strength of his arms.

" I would think you would've known it was me Sesshomaru, or is your nose failing you?" Inuyasha grumbled as took in the sight before him. Sesshomaru sat resting against the wall, eyes narrowed dangerously as they watched him intently. Rin lay within his embrace, her still naked form covered in the sleeves of his haori. Inuyasha averted his gaze trying in vain to hide the smirk that was quickly spreading to his face. His brother, the 'Lord' of the West was cuddling with Rin. Ha, even his brother of all demons had emotions, though he hid them extremly well, and right now he seemed a little perterbed at being interupted during what was obviously ' happy hour'.

"Feh, whatever...I have better things to do than to sit here talking to you. Ya might want to get your self moving, we gotta get outta here soon." Inuyasha bit out still trying to surpress his grin as he turned to leave." We could've been gone earlier, but by the time we returned to this pathetic village you and the others were otherwise occupied, so you may want to put more effort into controling your 'needs' and spend less time worrying about this Sesshomaru" he growled as he stood still holding Rin in his arms, his eyes still focused on Inuyasha. "You've got a lot of room to talk big brother...judging by the scent that is still clinging to your skin, I'd say the two of you were ALOT closer not to long ago..though I'd say not completly mated, hmm, sucks to be interupted doesn't it Sesshomaru." Inuyasha smirked as he continued making his way away from the hut, not paying any mind to the aggrivated demon inside,knowing full well that privacy near this village was a rarity. Sesshomaru had just learned that first hand, and was not to happy about it.

Inuyasha headed to Miroku's hut..."Miroku, get your lazy ass up and tell me where the hell you put Kagome's clothes." Inuyasha yelled as he neared the hut.

Miroku and Sango laughed at his impatience, both getting up to gather their clothing before meeting in the middle to kiss each other leisurely before Miroku bent to pull on his hakama and turning to the door grabbing both Kagome's and Rin's dresses on his way. He leaned casually against the frame of the door as he pushed the cloth aside to stand face to face with the aggrivated hanyou. "Just because you 'finished' far earlier than I did does not mean that I am lazy Inuyasha, and had you not left the spring in such a hurry you might have remembered to grab Kagome's dress." Miroku said as a letcherous grin spread across his face upon hearing Sango's embarissed gasp come from inside the hut.

"Just get ready to leave Miroku,there's been far too much down time already..." Inuyasha muttered as he grabbed the dresses from Miroku's hand before turning to leave, depositing Rins outside ofher hut as he made his way back to Kagome, Miroku's voice trailing after him.

" You may have had some 'down' time Inuyasha, but I most definately haven't had much down...owww, Sango, what was that for?" Miroku grumbled as he turned to look upon the woman who held his heart, and the boomerang that seemed to have his name as well as his pain written all over it. '' Get dressed Monk, I'll go find Shippo and Kilala." Sango laughed as she made her way past him, eyeing the beautiful expanse of his bare chest, the rippling muscles of his abdomin as they trailed their way to the dark recesses of his hakama...'oh dear lord I've become just as letcherous as he is.' Sango told herself as she brought her gaze up to meet the brilliance of his.."Like what you see my dear Sango.?" he whispered as he reached to grab her. "MMM, yep, I believe I do letch, but we've gotta go so we'll have to continue this later." she giggled as she danced out of range of his hands and dashed out of the hut to search for Shippo and Kilala.

A short time later, once all the members of their group were ready they headed out of Keade's village, Inuyasha and Kagome more than a little worried since Keade had been unable to mask the scent of their pup. Things just didn't seem to be working for them today, and if this was any indication of the way the rest of the day would go, than they could expect it to only get worse...