Chapter 12: The kidnapping and waiting

"Shut the hell up, already!" screamed Sakura when – after twenty minutes of non-stop arguing between Inuyasha and Kouga – she lost her nerves. After the two of them shut up, Sakura took a deep breath to calm herself and – murmuring curses under her breath – she walked off to her sister.

"Shit, I thought that only Kagome can be so terrifying when she is angry!" announced Inuyasha with a thin voice. Kouga who was shocked as well nodded.

"Obviously it's a family thing!"

Sakura caught her sister two minutes later. Without explanation she grabbed her for an elbow and dragged her aside. When they where from earshot the older from the sisters let her frustration went out.

"Kagome, I swear, if you not talk to them I will kill them!"

Kagome who had praxis with dealing with Inuyasha and Kouga only shrugged her shoulders. It was useless trying to talk to them and it was useless trying to calm her sister down when she was in such mood. When Sakura cool down Kagome spoke.

"Look! These two just can't stand each another and neither you nor me can stop them from fighting. So leave them alone."

Sakura nervously run her hand through her hair. The pressure she was under in last few weeks was clearly visible on her. Fear for Rin almost pushed her over the edge and she couldn't do anything with that.

"Sorry, I just wish to Rin was here and I could be sure that she is all right. I still thing that it was my fault. You know, the kidnap and everything around it."

Kagome gently put her hand on Sakura's shoulder in silent comfort. She couldn't help herself but she thought that she didn't know her sister well. After her returning from Kyoto was everything drastically different. Kagome tried to convince herself it was only from pressure and the fact her sister was five hundred years back in the past. Deep down she knew it wasn't because of it. Her big sister changed and she didn't know if it was for good or bad.

"Of course it is not your fault. Such a thing can happen. Don't worry. We will find Rin and Jaken and everything will be fine." Kagome didn't dare to ask her if she wanted to return back home or not. She was afraid that Sakura would stay here and she would never see her sister again. Kagome wasn't stupid and when Sakura told her to what an opportunity she got the star jewel, she understood how deeply Sesshomaru cared for her sister.

Sakura shook her head as if she wanted to convince herself instead of her sister. "Nothing will be all right. Or at least not easy." She sighed and looked at the western side. Her sister was confused and didn't understand at all, but Sakura was deeply lost in her own thoughts.

On the yard where everyone were waiting appeared lord Ryuumeru and Sesshomaru. When they were saying goodbye Sakura couldn't discard the feeling that lord Ryuumeru is more familiar to her that he should be. When they managed to continue in their journey Sakura slid to her own thoughts almost immediately. She was quiet and it started worried Sesshomaru. From their talk in the garden he didn't have any chance to talk to her again though he longed for it. With difficulty the demon lord focused on their travelling. He will speak to her when he will have a time for it.

Sakura sat along with her sister on the back of the Sesshomaru's dragon and gently hold Shippo in her arms. The little fox demon grew to her heart as strong as to her sister and Sakura surprised notice that his presence has a calming effect on her. Sakura's thoughts turned to the other fox demon but this time it didn't make her smile. Her last encounter with Kurama confused her even more that all the others before.

With her all will power she managed to stop thinking at the silver haired demon. Instead of that in her mind appeared Rin. It hurt her from the thought that something could happen to her. From the bottom of her soul she hoped they would find her in time.

The whole group was silent for the whole time of their travelling. Sakura could understand it. The closer they were to the Naraku's palace the heavier was their mood. Even Inuyasha shut up and kept his comments for himself. For that was Sakura more than grateful. She was sure that if he said something stupid again she would kill him.

In the air was smell of a poison and Sakura was about to throw up. She cowered her mouth and nose with a hand but it didn't help much. Kagome who sat in front of her started cough and Shippo were same as her. Sakura had a problem to recognize her surroundings because of the fog, which cowered everything around them. For a moment she started to be worried they will run into something or maybe don't notice Naraku's palace.

Sesshomaru shortly ordered landing. About two minutes after that they all hit the ground on a wide yard of obviously a dead palace. Sakura couldn't understand how was Sesshomaru able see in that fog. All of them were very aware of this place. Sakura's cough got worse. The poison, which made her weaker in the burned village, was nothing in compare to this. Again she had a feeling that her senses are weakened and everyone started to get away from her. It was like breathing in thick fog. It was difficult for her to breath and her body pleaded for air.

Where is that stupid bastard. I don't know what is in this shit but it stopping me from seeing his youki. How is that bastard doing this? It's almost like if he wanted something and we brought it for him straight away. He is probably waiting for Shikon no Tama, but why is this fog affecting me so much? She didn't have time to thing about anything else. Around her waist circled something, what with a great imagination she could call an arm. Immediately Sakura was torn back. She yelled but from that she breathed in more of the poisoned air and fell unconscious.

„Sakura okaa-san!"

Sakura opened her eyes and with the last remains of her power she tried to remember where in the seven hells she could be. She truly started to be tired of waking up in strange places. Her head was still spinning from the fog in Naraku's castle. It also left a sour taste in her mouth. With coughing Sakura got up and looked around herself. To her endless relieve Rin was right next to her. The little girl's kimono was dirty and her hair kind of messy but otherwise she was alright. The girl was looking at Sakura with her big, bright eyes. The older girl smiled and quickly hugged her.

"Rin, are you ok?"

"Yes, okaa-san!"

Sakura blinked. She couldn't say that she minded to Rin call her mother but it was kind of unexpected. Besides she was sure that it wasn't the best to explain her that she will truly return back home and never come back to her. With guilt she put her hands at Rin't shoulders.

"Rin, why are you calling me like that?" the small girl looked at her with such trust that it was almost impossible for Sakura to look into her eyes.

"Because if Sakura okaa-san marry Sesshomaru-sama then Rin will have parents. And Rin knows that Sakura likes Sesshomaru-sama so they will get married." This announcement left Sakura speechless. To think that such thing could come out of the mouth of six years old child was unbelievable. Sakura tightly closed her eyes.

"Rin, where did you get the though that I will marry Sesshomaru-sama?"

Rin looked at her like if she was asking something completely obvious. "You like Sesshomaru-sama so you will marry him!"

"Rin, I can't marry Sesshomaru, though I admire him. We are from two completely different worlds and I have to go back."

In Rin's eyes appeared tears and that tore Sakura's heart. "It's because of Kurama? That's why you can't marry Sesshomaru-sama?"

Sakura tried to hug the small girl but she didn't let her. "Rin hates Kurama. He makes Sakura okaa-san cry and now he's taking her from Rin and Sesshomaru-sama."

The taller girl didn't know what to say. Part of her wanted to stay with the small child and the demon lord but the reasonable part told her it wasn't possible. Sakura wrapped her arms around Rin's small figure and this time the girl didn't push her away. Gently, Sakura was rocking her and tried to comfort her. She understood her desire for mother but Sakura couldn't be a mother. Not to a small child like Rin. Not in the past - five hundred years since she was born.

"Rin,…" started Sakura but stopped when she heard steps behind the door. The steps were moving closer and then the door opened. Sakura could see a youkai with long black hair. Sakura immediately recognized his youki.

"Naraku!" his name slide from her lips without noticing. She was sure that it's him. There was no mistake for it.

"You know me? How sweet! I heard about you as well. To be honest I longed to meet you."

"Wow, all displeasure on my side."

"How funny little girl you are. Aren't you scared?"

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "Mother always told me that I fascinating all types of weirdoes. So you are not such surprising." She answered him sourly. Rin cried when Naraku slapped Sakura across her face. She didn't look like if she noticed it. The bored expression on her face was obvious.

"Are you happy now?" Sakura asked him dryly. Not because of her but for Rin she tried to look calm. It would be useless if she freaked out and scared the girl with her. To her utter pleasure Naraku looked pissed off. He took her face into hands and said with a grim tone.

"Your sister will come for you! She will come with the Shikon no Tama. I can hardly wait." With that he left the room. Sakura tightly hugged Rin. There was nothing else to do that wait and hell she hated it.