.::Winter Downfall::.

.:Weakness:.

Rin had been asleep for almost three hours and after those three hours she would awake with a terrible headache only Sesshomaru would be able to get her mind off of. He wouldn't comfort her like a father or mother would, he'd let her lay on his lap while the fur on his shoulder was wrapped around her. She felt safer with that because Rin had been living with that ever since her childhood and from then on she had to find her own way to keep her mind off of pain. That's what Sesshomaru wanted, right?

Rin's breathing sounded more like pants when she was alseep, Sesshomaru knew why her breathing was growing much like pants. Her heart was skipping it's beats as well he noticed. But Jaken realized the worse, he'd see Rin coughing up more and more blood and her eyes would swell for a couple of hours until soon they would cease. The illness gotten worse, but Sesshomaru refused to let her stay in the village with Inuyasha and Kagome.

Rin had thought she was experiencing the worse but it seemed Sesshomaru and Jaken were the ones who were suffering much more than she was. They thought it the other way around.

The small abandon house they sat in was very clean and comfortable for Rin to sleep in. Jaken was put in charge as always to make sure Rin was alright. Sesshomaru had ordered Jaken to keep Rin from danger or any bad weather changes while he was gone. It wasn't the first time Sesshomaru would ditch like that, it happened every so often and each morning the group would be led off by Sesshomaru into some other area.

Rin stirred, Jaken awoke from his sleep quickly. Ah-Un twitched their ear and lifted their head.

Jaken wobbled to Rin's side and put a hand on her forhead, she was getting really warm, he took his hand off and lifted a concerned expression on his face.

"Rin... you're still.."

Rin opened her eyes and blinked, "Master Jaken...? What is it?" She asked sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and yawned. She looked around the large house and starred at the opened sliding door. Jaken gasped, the wind had blown the door open without him realizing it. He jumped over to the door and closed it shut.

"Great! Lord Sesshomaru will know about this! I should keep watch over you more, I don't deserve to sleep!!" Jaken wailed with a sob.

Rin had a blank expression but then she smiled and giggled.

"It's not your fault master Jaken, the wind blew the door open so you have nothing to be upset about and the only thing I hate more is to see you complain over yourself." Rin said as she walked over to the door and slid it open. "Besides, it was helping me cool down a bit. My headache is still there but I'm fine, the wind helped me get over my pain." Rin said as she sat down outside on the wooden porch of the house. Jaken sighed.

"You still are a childish girl, aren't you? You never learn." Jaken said shaking his head as he walked back inside the house. Rin heard shuffling of cloth in the back but she didn't bother to see what was going on inside. She was so busy gazing up on the starry skies. Her eyes sparkled.

"I'll disappear from here... I might be able to stand next to those stars someday.." Rin said softly as she put a hand to her heart, Jaken turned over his shoulder and stared at Rin with sadden eyes. "Don't talk like that.." Jaken said choking on the large lump in his throat. Ah-Un's ears flatten, they continued listening.

"But.. isn't it great? To see the stars like this.. I wonder if Lord Sesshomaru is looking up at the stars too." Rin spoke as she began a very terrible cough. She continued that same terrible cough, she looked at her hand and her eyes widened. There was more blood, she shut her eyes and held back a whimper and her tears. Until finally she felt comforted when a blanket was put around her shoulder.

"You fool, you'll catch more than a cold if you sit in a breeze like this!" Jaken scowled as he folded his arms and turned away. Rin blinked, "Master Jaken..."

Rin cuddled into the blanket and continued to stare up at the sky, she was hoping for a shooting star.

"Rin," Jaken called over his shoulder, his voice a bit shaky "do you remember anything of when you were little?" He asked.

Rin nodded, "All the time. I can never forget. Not even the day Lord Sesshomaru and you saved me."

Jaken looked at the floor, "Yes..." He said, still uncertain if that was his master's intention when he saved Rin.

The girl stood up but trembled, she coughed again. Jaken couldn't do anything but stare, he knew she could make it. Maybe..

"Master--" Rin coughed, "Master Jaken!" She cried in panic as she began coughing more, she gripped her heart and collapsed onto the wooden floor. Jaken stood up and gasped, he scrambled to Rin along with Ah-Un. Jaken didn't realize he had tears in his eyes. "Oh Rin, Ah-Un, find Lord Sesshomaru quickly!!" Jaken ordered. The dragon gave a nod and leaped up, Ah-Un's paw giving a hard push off the porch, they were in the skies.

Jaken watched for a moment and then turned to Rin who was growing warmer, her pulse was still there but each time the pulse grew faster then slower, repeating over and over in a pattern. Jaken was panicing so much he was growing sick.

Rin opened her eyes weakly, "Lord... Sesshomaru..." She managed to say as her eyes grew heavy. Suddenly a shadow crept over Rin, there stood the dog demon with Ah-Un standing behind him. Jaken fell forward with dizzyness. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at his servant, "This is no time to act silly." He said with a serious look on his face. He noticed Rin lying on the floor, he knelt down and picked her up with his one arm and gently placed her down on Ah-Un's back.

"Jaken!" Sesshomaru called as he jumped onto Ah-Un's back with Rin in his lap. Jaken snapped back to himself and scrambled over to Sesshomaru and Ah-Un. He held tight and they left off into the night with endless speed.