AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, it's been so long! I am sorry, I have two jobs now and I'm still a full time student! I don't know where I find the time, but I'm happy I finally am able to post this chapter. I've been editing it for a few days now. I don't have a beta so expect there to be some spelling errors I may have missed and as I'm sure you all know, spell check is a bitch. Anyway, I'm hoping I can stay focused and finish this story, I have a really awesome idea where I'm taking this and I'm desperately trying not to give it all away in one chapter! Also, I know the last few have focused a lot on Sesshomaru's responses emotionally and I just wanted to say this will be the last one like that for a while. Next chapter I want to tell it from Rin's perspective. I know I switch around a lot and for that I'm sorry! Anyway, please review I really appreciate every one of them I read. Even if it's just one word saying, 'awesome', it truly makes my day.

Oh! That reminds me.

Sarah: I read your review a day or two ago and I noticed you didn't have an account so I couldn't message you directly. I wanted to say thank you so so so much for the kind words! I loved your review; I think every writer on this site would be lying if they said they didn't wish all reviews were as insightful and long as the one you left me. I enjoyed reading it and I appreciated your suggestions and who knows, maybe I will throw in one or two of them? ;) But I wanted to let you know your review inspired me to finish this edit and post this. SO, I dedicate this chapter to you! Thanks so much for the kind words!

Xxx.

"I was worried about you, Milord."

Sesshomaru's ability to rein in his emotions had weakened, immensely.

Now he could feel them bleed into his eyes, his eyes that normally held no sign of his 'feelings'. It was overwhelmingly distasteful to feel his body respond against his own mind.

It sickened him that the sensation was so remarkably gratifying – the warmth that spread from the pit of his stomach and the uncontrollable thudding of his heart.

It was euphoric.

Sesshomaru's internal struggle was a strange clash self-disgust and involuntary compassion that swelled in his heart as he felt her small hands gently holding his own and her respectful gaze upon him.

His altered state had not affected his ward and he found it strange, almost insulting that she would so openly accept him in such a weakened state. But there she knelt beside him now gently wrapping a small cloth, which she often carried, around his own self inflected cuts born of his own rage.

He couldn't stand it his own heart thudding erratically inside his chest compelling him to…to do things. He closed his eyes angrily.

Enough!

He inhaled deeply trying to clear his mind and but successfully only clouding it even more. Rin's sweet scent sent his already fitful heart into over drive. Urgently he clung to the pathetic tendrils of his depleted demonic energy in this maladaptive form, trying desperately to regain some semblance of his former control.

xxx.

Rin curiously tilted her head involuntarily as she watched her lord unaware of the war raging within his body. She firmly tied the orange cloth around his palm; it had been a piece of her old kimono her lord had given her years ago. Rin signed, she had planned to keep it as a memento. But for fear of insulting him by ripping the sleeve of the rather new one she wore now, she had taken the keepsake and turned it into a bandage.

Lord Sesshomaru…

She thought watching her stoic faced Lord, whose hand she still held, much to her own surprise he'd yet to remove it from her gentle grasp. The shock she'd received in seeing emotion in his eyes had stunned her and fortunately he had not seen the traitorous blush that had appear on her cheeks, at least she was sure he didn't.

Becoming very aware of her hold on his she softly let go of his hand, his eyes did not open, and he seemed to be asleep or in deep thought. She decided on the latter, because although his breathing was quiet, his chest was rising and falling at a fast pace.

Rin furrowed her brows wondering if Lord Sesshomaru was alright, but perhaps all half-demons breathed as such, she was unsure and did not want to insult him further by reminding him of his new state.

"Rin, go to sleep."

Rin had been looking at her knees, her head snapped up to look at her Lord's face. Whatever he had been thinking or why he'd been breathing so hard had seemed to pass. He was now looking off into the distance, like he was trying to burn a path simply with his gaze.

"Hai!" Rin awkwardly jumped to her feet and was about to walk away, he still seemed to pay her no mind, and then her gaze fell to his ears which twitched in her direction.

She smiled and before taking her favored spot next to the sleeping dragon she said, "Goodnight, Milord."

xxx.

Sesshomaru felt bile rise in his throat at the sensation of his ears twitching upon his head.

Reduced to nothing more than a mangy mutt…how revolting.. he thought.

It had taken him longer than he would've liked but he had finally reined in his treacherous emotions. It had taken longer for his heart to finally sync up to his superior mind; although his physical self-had been feted by this abhorrent curse he took comfort in the fact that his mind remained his own.

Sesshomaru gazed up at the moon, its timeless state untouched and constant. Unaffected by the filth of the land it oversaw and Sesshomaru found he was envious of that superiority.

For he should be as constant as the moon and remain as untainted as the luminous midnight sun, seething at his own self-pity, another emotion he had previously never had to deal with. Sesshomaru effortlessly jumped to his feet, the wind having its way with the long strands of silver hair kissed by moonlight. His ears twitching ever so slightly as he surveyed the camp and his companions who all slept so peacefully, this too, Sesshomaru envied.

Discerning that there was no danger he silently made his way into the surrounding forest, to a distant sound of water. Sesshomaru noted that although his ears were now more doglike they were infinity duller than his natural full demon ears. It took him longer to discern all the sounds around him, as they bombarded his ears in an annoying cataclysm of sounds, assaulting his calm mind.

Exiting the forest he found a small river and knelt down next to it, splashing his face with refreshingly cold water. Sesshomaru di d this a few times, his bangs became soaked when he stood, droplets of water slid down his unreadable expression.

He considered hunting something down since he had not eaten in days but his mind began to drift to a much more important matter. His narrow eyes became slits as he stared viciously into the river before him. Sesshomaru's thoughts consumed him as he was now painfully aware of the severity of this curse. His senses were dull and he had overwhelming emotions he could not control, that came and went as the wind. His naturally matchstick personality and lack of patience had lessened and rage tensed the clenched muscles of his jaw as he considered how pathetically similar he was becoming to a certain half-breed.

Inuyasha…that sorry excuse for a demon.. .Sesshomaru's thought. He thought of his shameful half-breed brother and his precious sword, bequeathed to him by his foolish sentimental father. Sesshomaru could not suppress the jealous growl at the thought.

"Tessaiga…" He breathed, sluggish realization dawning on him.

Sesshomaru looked down at his own palm. In his half demon state it would prove harder to destroy that witch who had cursed him. But with Tessaiga…

Which I should now be able to wield…

For the first time in many, many, years, since before his future had come intertwined with Rin's or even before his quest to destroy Naraku.

Lord Sesshomaru smiled.

That witch will die and I will kill her with the Tessaiga, the sword which is rightfully mine to wield.

xxx.

High in the trees, far above even Sesshomaru's still keen half-demon nose, sat the old crone Tsubaki who had cursed the Demon Lord.

She smiled wickedly and suppressed the urge to cackle as she watched Sesshomaru come to a decision on how to deal with his predicament.

She had hoped that this curse would make him focus very much on Inuyasha and of course it had, it played perfectly on his prejudiced mind. His contempt towards Inuyasha was still alive within his own heart, regardless of the tenuous truce the blood brothers had formed a decade ago. The two brothers had been walking on egg shells for years now and had strategically avoided each other, though neither would admit that even on their death beds.

And now Sesshomaru was what he had hated most in the world.

An abomination worse than a pathetic mortal.

Lord Sesshomaru of the West was a Half-Demon.

She leaned casually against the trunk of her perch, her eyes focusing on those adorable silver white ears perched on the top of Sesshomaru's head, constantly twitching and focusing on various sounds throughout the night.

Her smile would not leave her face, this was far more enjoyable than simply using the last bit of her energy to directly kill Inuyasha.

No, using his brother to slay the half-demon for her was far more entertaining; watching the rather pompous, in her opinion, Lord. Struggle in the presence of the tiny mortal women was laughable; he no longer had the demonic power to barrier his emotions.

Her curse had not only altered him physically but she had taken away his ability to damn his emotions away.

"Soon, Lord Sesshomaru…Soon it will all be over."

She smiled wickedly once before taking her leave of the ignorant beast before her, he was falling right into her plans.

xxx.

It was early afternoon and the Monk and Slayer were already arguing, but it was playful enough, they were always fine once more within a few minutes. Shippo was attending the Fox Demon School they'd run across a few years back and was not traveling with them currently.

Sango's little demon cat, Kirara walked silently beside Sango mewing happily occasionally at her human couple. Inuyasha and Kagome walked a few feet behind the bickering couple.

"That guy never learns, does he?" Inuyasha mumbled as he watched Sango smack her husband over the head with her Hiraikotsu, a weapon forged from the bones of countless demons.

His once cursed right hand twitching slightly as he laughed embarrassing while saying, " It looks like remnants of Naraku's curse still hold strong on this hand, Sango."

Sango glared icily at him, "Yeah it's cursed alright, but because of Naraku? Of that I'm not so sure.."

Miroku laughed heartily while anxiously rubbing the back of his head, "Whatever do you mean, Sango Dear?"

"Don't you Sango dear me, you womanizing, Monk!"

"Sango, you know I love only you!"

"Yeah well, perhaps you should tell those wondering eyes of yours, Monk."

Kagome smiled at the banter between her two friends, locking her arm with Inuyasha's, whose face warmed to a light pinkish hue at her contact.

Inuyasha looked at her from the corner of his eye and she smiled at him, feeling her face warm as well. Even after all this time, she loved the affect she had on the shy dog demon, easily becoming befuddled by her flirty actions.

"What're you doing?" He said, though he made no attempt to push her arm from his own. Kagome smiled at his red face. She leaned up and kissed his cheek, his face got darker, rivaling that of his Haori, and he looked away from her now.

"Kagome!" he said under his breathe but still loud enough for her to hear, she snuggled closer to him as they continued walking down the dirt path.

Kagome laughed as Inuyasha huffed folding his arms her hand still latched around his left one, she leaned her head on his shoulder and looked up at him, "Oh, Inuyasha all I did was kiss you. Don't get so huffy."

"I'm not huffy!" he snapped back, still pouting beneath red cheeks.

Sango and Miroku had now stopped walking and were talking heatedly, whatever issue still unresolved.

Inuyasha and Kagome stopped giving them space, he still refused to look at Kagome. Her hand no longer intertwined around his arm as she now stood in front of him watching bemused.

"Are you going to pout for the rest of the day, Inuyasha?"

He was looking away from her defiantly, his eyes slid back to her and she laughed.

"What?!" he half yelled, his rough voiced irritated at her making fun of him. She knew he was sensitive to her scent, never mind her touch. She had just returned from her era after being away for a while and they had not been…physical in a while, so of course it was in the forefront of Inuyasha's mind.

"What!?" he repeated as her laughing finally subsided and was replaced by a soft smile.

"That look you just gave me, it was a really good impression of Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha felt his eyebrows twitch at being compared to the cold-hearted demon.

Kagome quickly responded by adding, "Oh stop! I'm not comparing you to him personally! It was just a good impersonation." She still smiled; Inuyasha huffed and looked away the blush had thankfully receded now.

"Inuyasha," she put her hands on her hips, he was being so childish. "Look at me!" He snorted and closed his eyes.

"No," he stated indignantly, Kagome just raised an eyebrow. Okay, he wants to play it this way then?

Before Inuyasha could do anything he felt her reach her arms around his neck, his eyes immediately flicked open and his head snapped down to look at her as his arms involuntarily slipped around her waist out of habit, he felt that annoying blush returning to his cheeks.

Holding her there he could feel his heartbeat quicken and felt his arms tighten around her slim frame, enjoying the euphoric surge of emotion overtake him as he leaned down and kissed her. Her soft lips deliciously sweet, Inuyasha savored the sensation of the heated contact, desperately wanting to deepen the kiss.

"Inuyasha!"

He felt Kagome flinch against him and tense at the sudden yell, he broke the kiss as he and his dazed girlfriend looked over to the now tense Demon Slayer and Monk, who were looking down the path and into the air and forests around them.

"What is it, Miroku?" Inuyasha grumbled.

"Do you not feel that presence? There is a demon approaching.."

Inuyasha pouted slightly as he let go of Kagome and began to clear his senses and suddenly feeling the demonic presence. Frowning more, he felt that it was strong but…nothing he could not easily take down.

Damn demons always cock blocking him.

He was never going to get to have some fun again if the feudal era had any say in it.

That being said, they were on a job, traveling to the west to deal with a demon problem in a small human village. After returning from an annual pilgrimage, some of their fellow villagers had informed Kagome about the problem they'd either seen or heard rumors about while traveling. All the stories had centered around one small village that lied on the edge of the western lands. Inuyasha and his friends knew that it would be a simple task, but a couple of days before after Myoga and Totosai's surprise visit they had all agreed that although Sesshomaru was indeed an ally his actions seemed suspicious. And with the reappearance of the demon priestess Tsubaki, they had to see if she perhaps had anything to do with this village and if not, search for her.

Inuyasha had decided he needed to see her with his own eyes to believe it and kill her with his own sword. It was he who had failed to do so long ago would not let it happen again and knew that the lives she had most likely taken over the last decade would be on his shoulders.

Kirara was suddenly engulfed in flames and transformed growling deeply at the forest directly to the left of Inuyasha.

Where are you…you bastard…wait…that scent-

"Move out of the way, Kagome." Inuyasha said as he pushed her behind him and let his hand rest on the hilt of Tessaiga and not a moment too soon.

Suddenly a flash of white appeared from the forest and Inuyasha unsheathed the Tessaiga, it transformed into a magnificent fang just barely stopping the single set of green hued claws as they clashed with his sword, almost hitting his face.

Inuyasha grunted, feeling his feet push back against the force of the attack and the the smell of poison was burning his nose. Inuyasha growled and quickly summoned enough force to lash back at his attacker and throw him off.

"Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru somersaulted gracefully backward, landing silently on his feet. His face plain but in his eyes burned with a fierceness Inuyasha had not seen directed his way in many years.

"Sesshom-" Inuyasha began to yell again then stopped. He sniffed the air, once, twice, three times. Each sniff twisted his face twisted in further confusion.

It looks like Sesshomaru…but…but he smells…

Suddenly Inuyasha really looked at his brother…

"His ears!" Kagome exclaimed, and then quickly covered her mouth when the Demon Lord's gaze snapped to her own with icy intensity.

"S-S-Sesshomaru…" it sounded more like a question when Inuyasha said it as he stared at his half-breed brother in disbelief.

xxx.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Please let me know what you think, Review! This was a little long, sorry!