A/N: Okay, now we're getting somewhere! The plot starts to thicken a bit here, and things are starting to pick up! I loved writing this chapter and hated writing it at the same time, I can't say exactly why, it just mixed up my feelings, but I love it when my own story can do that to me! So please read and review, tell me what you think. Don't worry, I don't bite...er, um, not usually anyways...

Reminder-... /-/-/-/memory;... +-+-+-+past, not a memory;... /-/-+memory and past;... #(anything after)special pov

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha characters. Original characters are free domain for anyone who wants to use them, I don't make any money off this so I really don't care. Songs are not mine.

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Chapter 12-Unforgiven I (Metallica)

...he's battled constantly...this fight he cannot win, a tired man they see no longer cares...the old man then prepares to die regretfully...

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"Master Jaken, Lord Sesshoumaru looks troubled," Rin whispered softly to the imp.

"Leave him be," Jaken advised quietly. "You know the old saying-let sleeping dogs lie," he said.

"But Master Jaken...look at him," Rin frowned worriedly. "He looks like he's trying not to cry or something..."

"Don't wake him," Jaken warned. "If he's having a nightmare, he might attack whatever comes near."

"I hope he's okay," Rin said with concern. "Master Jaken, he didn't know how long he was gone-he thought it was the same day. And he looked all...well, I don't know. He just looked different-he still does..."

"How so?" Jaken blinked and looked at her, glancing at his lord briefly. He tilted his head a bit quizzically, wondering what she was talking about.

"Well, he looks so...I mean, I feel like he's thinking about something that's painful for him to think about."

"He probably is," Jaken admitted quietly. "He's got an awful lot to think about, I'm sure. After all, his past is very long and cruel, from what I've heard-and I'm sure that he's told me very little, even after all these years. His mother died giving birth to him-he was supposed to be dead as well, and his father had to choose between saving him or his mother. He chose to save him. After that, he grew up under the care of his father and a female wolf-demon by the name of Juzume. She cared for him as if he were her own pup. But when Izayoi came along-"

"Who's Izayoi?" Rin interrupted.

"The human mother of Inuyasha," Jaken explained. "Well, when she came along, then the old Lord InuTaisho and Lord Sesshoumaru-who was just a Prince at the time-got into serious fights over it. His father died before he ever had a chance to make amends with him. I think it bothers him, for he rarely says anything about it, and whenever he does, he remains in a very sulky mood for up to weeks on end. I suppose it can't really be helped, though-I've often wondered if he realizes that yet. He tends to dwell on the past, though he may not seem like he does. He plans ahead and sets up prospects for the future, but I know that he usually refers to the past whenever he speaks of anything significant."

"Master Jaken, why do you think they fought?" Rin asked.

"I already told you, child, it was because the old Lord InuTaisho took a human mate," Jaken said.

"Well, yeah, but if Lord Sesshoumaru was raised by Lord InuTaisho, wouldn't the older demon have taught him to be tolerant of humans, if he was so willing to take one as a...what's a mate?" Rin stopped and blinked.

"A wife," Jaken supplied.

"Right, okay," Rin nodded. "So if he took a human as a wife, then he must have been accepting of humans. Why did Lord Sesshoumaru get into fights with him about it?" she asked questioningly.

"Well, I don't honestly know. I think I have an idea, but it's not proven," Jaken said.

"What do you think?" Rin asked curiously.

"My theory is this," Jaken began. "You know yourself that humans are far weaker than a demon such as Lord Sesshoumaru, correct?"

Rin nodded her agreement.

"It's very hard to imagine, but just try to think of a demon that's possibly even stronger than Lord Sesshoumaru-that would be his father," Jaken said. "Well, now imagine that he has a child with a human. Three things will happen-his blood will mix with that of a human, which will cause it to dilute and become much weaker. The child would be a halfdemon, hated by all the demons of the court-the humans too, for that matter. And aside from that, humans live much shorter lives than demons. Inuyasha lost his mother at a young age simply because she grew too old-demons and halfdemons age much more slowly than humans, which is why we are able to live for so long. Now do you see, Rin? It accomplished nothing when Lord InuTaisho took a human for a wife!"

"Oh," Rin's face softened as she looked back over at Sesshoumaru. "So he really wasn't arguing with him to be mean or disagreeable-he was just trying to make his father understand that he was making a mistake."

"I think so," Jaken nodded. "Don't take it too closely to heart, though," he warned. "I've no solid proof, Rin."

"Master Jaken-do you think that Lord Sesshoumaru will ever get along with Inuyasha?" she asked.

"I doubt it," Jaken scoffed. "At first, I thought he hated anything to do with humans. Apparently, I was led along like everyone else, because if he truly hated all humans, you wouldn't be around. So I began thinking that he simply hated the fact that his brother was a halfdemon. I think Inuyasha embodies a sort of painful reminder of what happened so very long ago, and he hates that he can't change the past. So he tried to get rid of the reminder, or at least vent out his frustration by fighting against it. I don't think he really hates Inuyasha so much as he just can't tolerate the memories that his presence incurs. But again, that's just speculation-and I wouldn't tell him any of this, if I were you. I know that I never let on to my ideas. He would deny it even if I were right, I think."

"Probably," Rin agreed absently as she looked over at the demon lord. She furrowed her brow thoughtfully, trying to digest all the new information she had just learned.

"So, do you think he would care about Inuyasha if he ever got over those feelings?" she asked without taking her eyes from Sesshoumaru's form.

"I don't know, Rin, I honestly don't know," Jaken said.

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"Sesshoumaru...isn't there anything that you would protect?" InuTaisho asked softly, his breath bated.

"Something to protect?" Sesshoumaru practically spat. "No, there is nothing that I, Sesshoumaru, wish to protect."

InuTaisho had known, had felt all along that this would be his answer...and it almost tore him in two. He wished he could do something to change the boy's mind, but time was already running out for his mate and newborn child...and he left.

"Father...there is nothing that I, Sesshoumaru, wish to protect," the young demon repeated to himself, reasserting his statement. He turned and walked away from the bluff of the hill, not knowing that this would be the last time he saw his father alive.

How did it all come to this? Father...it isn't worth it...I can't overlook this...don't you realize that you remain unforgiven? Do you even care?

"Izayoi! Izayoi!" InuTaisho called, looking around frantically. There was a bothersome person in the way. What was his name? Takemaru? Who cared? InuTaisho sliced through his arm without hesitation.

"Izayoi!" InuTaisho looked at her, and his gaze hardened. "So, I'll have to use the Tenseiga..."

He drew his second sword, the sword of life, the heavenly fang...

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Okay, not really a terribly dramatic cliffy, but a sort of almost-cliffy just to keep the suspense going a bit. Next hcapter starts out in /-/-+ POV so take note of that. Please review! I always enjoy getting reviews! Anything welcome-criticism, commetns, suggestions, and yes even flames!