Last chapter folks!

A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! I hope your holiday is fun and much love to you all!

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The once falling snow had ceased it's presence. No longer did it blanket the land with bright white flakes. Stopping after a seemingly endless week. Stopping…as if saying goodbye to the holiday and preparing for a seasonal hibernation until the coming new year. A true peaceful ending to a perfect day?

Well maybe not that perfect for the good doers of the land. It was a rather depressing day in it's own manner. Confusion, sadness, uncertainty and yet love was shared between friends. The fox and dog had their disagreements, monk and slayer talked without a certain perverted gesture, cat demon ate as much as her tiny stomach could handle, and most importantly the human and half demon were able to express their love for one another.

Still for their teenaged companion it was a more sorrowful day. Sure her gift was accepted and loved…but what was the point of having such a present if it didn't obey it's owner's wish? That was it's soul purpose for being made. To grant one special wish on a very special day. And for the girl who wore the bright pink bracelet it was especially important for her wish come true. If it had been any other wish than she would understand why it had not yet been granted…but this wish was made for this day only. It involved this particular day and no other.

I guess it won't come true…That's okay too. I'll just have to wait and see if it happens next year…I hope it does.

"Oh…"

Rin whined quietly to herself in frustration. Gripping the elegant mistletoe bits that she held. After gathering a few visible ones it got much harder to find the still-hanging pieces. Some had been up in tall trees, no doubt that Kagome had climbed up there just for her holiday celebration. As for others that hung limply on lower bushes. Those were easier for Rin to grab hold of.

But as of now she spotted a higher hanging plant. A small jungle bell attached to it's stem as it remained unmoved on a tall tree branch.

"Kagome why do you have to put them up so high?" She set the small clump of previously gathered plants on the ground. Grunting once more before pulling herself up onto the tree's enormous exposed roots. Untangling her dainty feet as she reached higher levels.

Next Christmas I'll have her put them lower…Ow it poked me.

She gasped as her foot almost lost balance on it's small ledge. Flashes of her previous attempts to climb running around in her mind. As was the time when her master demon needed medicine for his poisonous stings. She had challenged the cliff the rare flower had sat upon and luckily acquired it. But at that time she had help from the ever loyal Ah-Un.

This time she was on her own but not in a big hurry unlike last time. Still the higher she got, the more nervous she became.

"I can reach it from here…"

Using the very tips of her toes she raised herself slightly higher, her hand reaching out to the dangling mistletoe.

'Jingle.'

Her finger tapped the bell lightly. It tolled with the melody that she almost had grasped it. Yet it remained out of reach even as she stood on the giant roots. Still she would not give up.

'Jingle.'

'Jingle.'

"Almost…"

Her fragile feet began to turn light red with the strain she put on them. Her determination to obtain the mistletoe was all she could think of. It had seemed like many things had gone wrong that day and if getting a whimsy plant was the only thing to go right than she would get it!

"Come on…"

In a desperate move she hopped from her unstable balance on the root. Giving her a short boost and limited time to grasp the jingling greenery.

Her hand got closer as her fingers twiddled at the tips. It tolled once more before her hand slipped back away from it…her feet loosing their balance as she slipped from the high, shaky plant.

A large gasp erupted as she toppled backwards from her goal. The ground awaiting her in a melting sheet of ice. Another unfortunate happening for a depressing holiday.

My wish didn't come true, I don't really understand the point of Christmas,…I guess it's suitable that I couldn't even get Kagome's decoration down.

Her lips couldn't find the shape to let out a scream. Her body was numb from the still lingering cold weather. And even if she did cry there wouldn't be time to save her. Even InuYasha wasn't fast enough to help.

The teen's limp body continued to fall ever closer to the earth. Faster and faster until it was clear that no one would come for her. So close she began to sense the ice's cold chill rising towards her already cold body. A horrible first Christmas.

'Whap!'

Suddenly her fast moving stopped. An abrupt jerk tugging at her before landing. No feeling of icy chill, no pain, just a stunned feeling overcoming her.

She blinked her surprised eyes once before looking to see what happened. If a tree branch had caught her kimono, her body slammed so hard that the shock had subsided yet, or maybe even that the fall killed her and her soul already left.

But none of those applied. For when she felt that warm clutch holding her she knew what had happened. Her savior had somehow got to her in the knick of time.

She looked up to see his eyes beaming down at her. His hold amazing warm against the snow's fading presence. And his eyes warming her even more…had they lost their usually ice stare?

"Lord Sesshomaru? How did you get here so fast? I thought you were with Master Jaken."

He only blinked at her before setting her gently down on a smaller tree root. Where she had begun to climb the unforgiving tree.

"Unless…You were already here…this whole time."

She kept her almost hurt eyes on his face. His own trying to avoid her as he simply gazed up past the tree's covering branches. Looking at the bright moon, no doubt that his thoughts were elsewhere. It didn't surprise the human that he wouldn't keep his mind on her. He never had and probably never would even if she begged.

"You where here…but you didn't join us. Why?"

His silence was answer enough. His hatred of his brother was enough to keep him at bay. The foul stench of InuYasha's half human blood, the stupidity of the groups actions, and their ability to annoy him would always have purpose for staying away. No matter how hard he may try to get along there was a constant doubt that he hated. Not that he ever tried to be friendly with the others but something, over time, had made his mind think of them more often. Perhaps because his own mortal spoke so highly of them. Or maybe he did feel some compassion deep down for his sibling. No. It was surely something still hidden.

"Lord Sesshomaru."

He gazed uninterestingly back at her. Her face was only a short distance from his, as the root she sat upon made her appear taller.

She narrowed her pools at his own, "Yesterday I wished that you'd come to our party and have fun. And…well maybe even though you weren't with us you were still here. So in a way my wish did come true."

Her opposite hand tugged on the bracelet until it's flimsy string restraint broke. The beads scattering along the ground, most getting stuck in the shallow snow pools. Their bright pink color fading into white as the snow engulfed them.

"Kagome says the bracelet will break when the wish comes true…I had to help it a little." She sighed.

I still didn't get that mistletoe down…

Of course it wouldn't hurt to leave one measly plant alone. Who knows? With rain and the sunlight it would get, maybe it would still be hanging there the following year.

Rin accepted the new theory as she prepared to hop off her rooted seat. Nothing more was really to be said to the dog. The party had ended and she just wanted to go home.

'Flap.'

The dog's kimono top rustled lightly as he held her back from jumping. His eyes not even pointed at her. They seemed to have returned to their gaze at the moon…or the tall tree branches above.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

He gently pushed her back to her upright seating position. His head slowly reverting to hers as his hand touched her cheek. A light rouge tapping the human's face as the dog lowered further towards her. Finally pressing his mouth against her own in a passionate manner. His eyes closing as he did so.

The mortal could only stare in a confused state. Why was he doing this? He hadn't come to the party where he wouldn't have even had to talk to his brother yet he would kiss her? Why?

He soon pulled back from the girl. Realizing she obviously wasn't as thrilled as he had hoped for. An almost irritated look upon his face.

"L-Lord Sesshomaru, I don't understand wh…"

"InuYasha's mortal, she spoke of gifts on this Christmas. I would have liked Tetsusaiga but couldn't bring myself to take it. But there was something I wanted more…"

He whispered softly to her as he took his hand from her face. Exposing the bright blue bracelet that hung from his wrist. Bringing it up to his mouth as his teeth quickly broke the string.

"Had to help it a little?" Rin blushed as she laughed.

A small smirk crossed his lips, "I got what I wanted."

The human smiled wider in a more understanding way. Her lord definitely had his ways of showing what he wanted…and had ways of getting them. So even if he didn't join the fun, if he hated his brother and didn't act social with the others he still celebrated with them. It was distant but he did give in to the Christmas spirit.

"Umm Lord Sesshomaru…There's something else I wanted for Christmas too."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "What?"

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"Okay I think that's the last of it." Kagome dropped the large bundle of mistletoe next to the resting Kilala.

The cat only wiggled a bit before shutting her sleepy eyes. Glancing momentarily at the still going fire.

"Good I was afraid of getting stuck beneath one with pervert here." Sango laughed jokingly.

"That's not very nice…" The monk quickly knelt over, planting a light kiss upon the slayer's cheek.

"Oh now behave you two, there's kids here…Wait where's Rin?"

"Haven't seen her since you left." InuYasha flicked a piece of cold turkey at the irritated fox.

"Oh…I hope she's okay, it's getting really late and all…"

"Kagome!"

She turned to see the girl heading towards her, waving manically as she did.

"Oh good. Rin I thought you might have been hurt." She sighed.

The teen stopped before her older friend, holding out a large remainder of the mistletoe.

"Ah you found the rest." She took the clump, dropping it in the pile she had already made.

"Yup but this one was a little tricky to get." She jingled the cute plant that had thwarted her before.

"Hmm?" Kagome's eyes studied the noisy plant.

"Something wrong, Kagome?"

"Well it's just that…I don't remember having one with a bell. That's odd."

Rin's face turned a light red when understanding what had happened. She didn't really have the heart to tell Kagome…

"I-I'll keep it then. But I really have to go home now, Lord Sesshomaru is probably worried."

"Hmm? Oh yeah! I guess we'll see you later. Merry Christmas." She waved as her curiosity began to rise.

Rin waved back as she headed back off into the thick woods. Her running becoming faster as she raced herself to get home. Her lord was waiting there with Jaken by now.

Lord Sesshomaru got his gift…But I think he gave more than just a little help to that wish.

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Looks like Kagome wasn't the only one who decorated with mistletoe.

Again I hope your holidays are fun!

Please review.