A/N-Thanks to my beta, my muse, and my loyal reviewers. Where would I be without you…? And if you haven't realized by now exactly who this fluffy character is…there's a major MAJOR spoiler in this chapter. this chapter is a CHRISTMAS gift...although i should be able to update more during the holiday break.

Eternity Chapter 4

"I'll try to come back to you…" Riki jolted awake, and sat up with a start. Rubbing one chocolate eye furiously, she squinted in the moonlight. Why was she having the dream, again…now? She hadn't had that particular nightmare since the time she had it when she met Fluffy almost 10 years ago. Could it be-she touched a fresh wound-that the reason she was having this nightmare again was because her mother had passed on?

That thought made her want to cry, and for that matter a silver line filled the bottom rim of each eye. Her mother, her last family surviving on this earth, had passed away the day before, leaving her alone. Her father had been killed a while back in the wars. Tears that had barely filled the bottoms of her eyes began to overwhelm these same eyes and she threw herself back across the pillow sobbing. "Mamma…I'll miss you…but why did you have to die?" She muttered through sobs into the soft material. Once she had made friends with Fluffy her mother and herself had been moved from the dingy servants quarters they resided in before to a more decent apartment. For the life of her Riki couldn't figure out why but she figured 'why knock a good thing?' Her sobs subsided as she heard a noise scrape at the windowsill.

Halfway across the castle the Lord was going over some papers concerning a treaty with the East when he smelt salt. The salt of tears of immense grief. Looking up at the moonlight he determined exactly where the scent was coming from and shot out of his study, traveling to her window almost instantaneously. He made sure to make noise, causing her to turn her tear-stained face up to him. With a grateful look she held out her arms as he wrapped her in a comforting hug.

"Fluffy…she…my mom…" he held his arms tighter around her small frame and breathed comforting whispers into her hair, rocking her young body. Moving one had from his waist, he moved it so he was stroking her hair comfortingly as she sobbed out all of her frustrations, hurt and grief to him. "Shhh…Riki. It's ok. Surely the Kami's will bless your mother in the afterlife for loving you as she did on earth." The moonlight snuck out from behind the cloud and illuminated the two, outlining their silhouettes in silver for anyone who cared to look.

As Riki's sobs finally subsided she leaned back to face her friend, smiling softly. "Thank Kami-Sama that you have such a good nose…you always seem to know when I need to be comforted. Even when my mother was alive."

"Riki you know I'll always comfort you whenever you need it…" Chocolate eyes sparkled as she said "Yeah…I do know."

Just outside the window, the waif-like spirit of a female Inu-youkai watched the scene unfolding in front of her along with the spirits of her mate and his second wife. "And she doesn't know who he is yet?" Said the male slightly incredulously. "Inutaishou keep this in mind. She's never actually met Sesshie." "That's right" chimed in Izayoi. "She's met Fluffy but she's never met Sesshomaru-Sama of the Western Lands. To her the second one is so far removed from her reality…it's like she's a servant to a ghost." Inutaishou was thrown aback by the cool logic of his two wives. They were both right. "At least they get to fall all over again." He smiled

Rkki flicked her chocolate brown eyes up to Fluffy's face and chocolate met amber. She could only imagine how red-rimed her eyes must look as she met his eyes. His hair formed a shimmering silver curtain around them, glittering in the moonlight. He leaned over, she leaned up and their lips met, softly first, then deepening.

Finally breaking apart Riki's dark eyes once again met Fluffy's golden ones. There was an unknown emotion reflected in the depths of those amber eyes, a sort of unsettled emotion that reflected the turbulent emotion in her own gut. But she had no idea what it was. This emotion was identified however when Fluffy said it. "Riki…this might not be the best time but…I love you." He leaned in and, again lightly kissed her softly.

The gazer Riki now gave him was embedded with confusion and sadness. He could also smell the sharp tang of fear on her normally sweet Sakura mixed with roses scent. 'What's wrong with her?' he wondered inwardly. Outwardly he said, "Now would be an excellent time to say something."

Riki but her lip and ran through her head what she was going to say. Her best friend and confidant had just kissed her and she couldn't deny her response. But had she only, as she was scared she had done, responded from loneliness about her mother being taken from her?

"Fluffy…I…I need time to think about how I feel. I don't know…if I love you or if I…I'm trying to fill the void that my mother dying put into my heart."

He felt as though someone had punched in him the stomach. She didn't know if she loved him? But Rin had been so sure of her affections…Abruptly he got up and raced off into the night. He was horrified at what he had mentally done.

Riki called after him, panicked that what she had said had caused him to leave her forever. She ran to the window he had just left out of. "Fluffy wait! Please!" she cried, tears threatening to fall again. She collapsed back onto the bed sobbing. But this time…"He broke his promise… he's not here to comfort me." She whispered softly.

Sesshomaru kicked himself furiously. He had almost made the same stupid mistake that his half-brother had made. He wanted to be assured of what the dead felt when the living was right in front of him.

Kida sighed as she watched Riki sob, and then looked through the castle walls to where her son was. He was using the golden whip to angrily destroy everything in his study except a picture of his two loves. She looked to the two standing beside her and opened her mouth to speak when she felt a small tug on her spirit. They were being called back to the castle of the heavens. And she had a suspicion that it was because now, after so long, the Kami's were finally aware that in essence, Rin remained on Earth.

A/N- Like? No like? R&R…but constructive criticism only please! MARRY CHRISTMAS WHEREVER YOU ARE!