Hey everyone! I know it's been a little while since I last updated. I've been trying to catch up on a bunch of everything. My bad. Lol. Well thank you all to those who have read and reviewed this far. It makes me really happy to know that you all like this fanfic. :3 Please enjoy!

- - - - means lyrics

Ill

He opened his eyes to the half morning light. Something didn't feel right… something felt completely strange about this day. He had a feeling that it didn't have to do with him directly, but someone he knew… something that was his.

Sitting up almost immediately and tossing his blankets to the side, his golden orbs looked around the room. The feeling was just wrong in the pit of his stomach. There was rain pouring outside his closed window and his eyes narrowed slightly at the omen. Rain first thing was taken as a bad sign.

He was on his feet in a few moments and changing from his sleeping robes to his daily white hoari. He didn't care if it was raining, and he was sure that she didn't either. Today he would meet his half bred friend in the forest. It had been four days since the cave and they hadn't found anything to be called treasure. Not yet anyway. There were many tunnels to wander through. They could find something; it was always a possibility.

The hallways were silent as he walked quickly through them. No one would be up, so he had the chance to see what this wrong feeling was. He just hoped that this wrong feeling had nothing to do with his young friend.

His stomach clenched at just the idea and the feeling thickened with concern. Bad for him now… now it would have to involve his friend in some way. She was the only thing he really seemed to care about anymore. Nothing else mattered.

The gate was pushed open and he let it silently close behind him. The guard wouldn't be present this early. His feet took off rather quickly as he ran through the forest. There was no time to waste. He could not take the chance of waiting for her. Something could be wrong with her and he could be the only one to help her at all.

His feet instinctively took him to the peasant village; his mind wandering to his friend's safety. He needed her to be alright… He didn't know what he would do if she wasn't.

The rain soaked his silver hair and hoari as he came to the village. He paused, panting slightly with his urgency.

"Nina…" he whispered as the feeling of anxiety grew worse.

What if she… what if she was dead? Anything could have happened within that four day span. She could have been attacked… She could have gotten seriously injured… But what would he do if she really was dead… if she was no longer in existence?

"I'd probably… go with her…" he murmured with a pained look on his face.

He couldn't bear the idea of that. He needed to know that she was alright.

Movement came to his senses as he started to run again. He did not know where the young girl lived, but he would use his nose if he had to. In his hurry, he found the hut quickly. His feet stopped moving and he opened the screen without thinking to knock.

There she was, lying on her back with a cloth on her forehead. Sweat was beaded on her face. His brows furrowed at the sight of her really pale face. The room was empty all besides her. Why was she by herself? Where was her mother?

- - - -

Playground school bell rings again

Rain clouds come to play again

Has no one told you she's not breathing?

Hello I'm your mind giving you someone to talk to

Hello

- - - -

The sight of her alone… it made his hands clench slightly. She was ill and no one was there to take care of her… to help her get past it.

"Nina," he whispered, concern being on his face.

He entered and he immediately went to her side. What would he be able to do for her? What could he do for her? She was ill… the battle was inside her body. He couldn't do anything for that. He wasn't a priest.

Nina coughed rather hoarsely and his golden orbs watched as she rolled onto her side. Her blue eyes opened slightly when the wet cloth fell off her forehead. She blinked a few times before looking up at him with some confusion.

"W-who are you?" she asked; voice quiet and almost… weak.

He didn't understand the question. She knew who he was.

"It's me, Sesshoumaru. Remember?" he asked with a slightly cocked brow.

Was the fever making her delusional? Was it really that bad?

"S-Sesshoumaru?" she murmured; even more confused.

"I see," he whispered to himself.

His expression was almost solemn at the idea of her forgetting him but he knew it was just the fever. She couldn't help it.

"Go back to sleep Nina," he told her, "Get your rest and get better."

She seemed to smile slightly before her eyes closed.

"If your mother won't take care of you… then I will," he whispered to himself.

It had only taken a few moments before Nina was asleep again. He caught himself rubbing her head slightly with his hand; his thumb gently stroking the top of her forehead. He made himself stop; forcing himself to stop thinking about his half bred friend beyond getting better.

His rows furrowed. Why did he have to stop doing it? He didn't want to… so why did he have to?

"Because it's wrong," he told himself coldly.

They weren't thoughts about what he would do if she couldn't get better. He knew what he would do…

They were thoughts about the future; not about the next day or the next… but after she recovered… after she wasn't a child anymore. Wasn't it wrong of him to think of her that way? …Especially at her age of seven?

His hand withdrew from her and his orbs caught her wince before her hand grabbed his. The small girl was still sleeping.

"Please don't go mother," she whispered, "I don't want to be alone."

He was caught off guard at how tightly she was holding onto his fingers. Then his expression softened slightly as he grasped her small hand.

"Don't worry," he assured her, "I'm not going anywhere."

He sat outside the back of the hut in the pouring rain. He had had to leave her by herself for a few minutes. She wouldn't be alone for long; her mother was returning from wherever the woman had gone to.

A small fire was lit inside the small hut. He had started it to make sure that Nina was warm enough. It was just about the only thing he could do for her. He had never been sick before.

"Nina, did you start that fire?" her mother's quiet voice asked as she opened the screen door.

There was no answer. The small girl was still asleep. She had been asleep since he told her to rest and that had been a few hours ago.

"Don't wake her up," he whispered to himself.

The small girl needed rest. That way her body could still fight the battle without any extra strain.

"You shouldn't push yourself like that," her mother told her before his ears heard a handle being touched against metal.

Was she cooking something? Was she boiling water?

He sighed slightly as he leaned his head back against the wooden hut. His stomach was still clenched slightly. He didn't enjoy not being able to do something… to be useless. He was his father's son and he had never been useless except when he was a small child. He had always been willing to learn, took charge when no one else would, and he always pulled his own weight… never a burden.

The feeling in his stomach made him feel like he was a burden when he knew he was not. His brows furrowed with the mere idea of that.

"Please get better Nina," he whispered, "Don't let me be here on me own."

With the idea of being useless in his head… he started to ponder what he could actually do. If there was a priestess of priest around… he could ask them to help…

"They wouldn't do it willingly," he muttered with slightly narrowed eyes.

He could threaten them… beat them over the head or endanger their lives. He would do it if it involved his half bred friend. He would die for her so she could live.

His claws gripped his pants slightly; annoyed with the idea of those mortals being unwilling to help.

"What do you want?" he asked, golden orbs looking forward coldly.

A man stepped out from behind a thick tree. He was only in human form. There was no doubt that he was a demon.

"I could ask the same thing of you, young master," the demon's deep voice replied rather suspiciously.

What would the lord's son possibly want in a place like this?

"That business is my own," he stated emotionlessly, "If you are involved with that business then you will be told."

"I am the father of the one who is sick in that hut," the demon stated rather coldly, "What is in there is my business."

"You are Nina's father?" he asked, brows furrowing slightly.

This demon was her father… the one who left her completely defenseless to the villagers of this peasant village. The one to blame for her being able to defend herself… that the option had been forced upon her in the first place.

"I can sense your anger young master," the demon stated, ice blue eyes staring coldly at him, "though I do not understand why. Does she matter to you as she does to us?"

He did not feel obliged to answer. He had a feeling that the demon did not enjoy people – other demons – getting close to his child. At the same time… there was a feeling that told him that her father didn't care.

"I am not a friend," he told the demon, "I have no desire to harm her."

"A friend?" the demon questioned, "She has not spoken of you."

The demon's tone was still suspicious. Why would a full blooded demon bother to befriend a half breed? Of course it was suspicious.

"Maybe you are the reason she hasn't," he suggested, "That you would not approve of her interacting with others."

His father may have approved of this demon, but he did not. There was a look in the demon's expression that bothered him. It was not the cold eyes or the expression itself… but how his friend was looked upon by her own father… like she was nothing but a simple object; a possession.

"What is it that you are implying young master?" the demon questioned.

"That you yourself do not love your own daughter," he stated, staring coldly back with his golden orbs, "That you dislike her for what she is. That a half breed has been given life because of you."

"What would a child like you know about giving life? …About giving life to such a being?"

"You prove me right then," he replied coldly, "You despise that Nina is a half breed… a hanyou."

The demon muttered and growled in response.

"I love my wife and my daughter," the demon told him, "My daughter is just what I hate most."

His golden eyes watched the demon as they walked around towards the screen door. How could one hate their daughter? …Their own flesh and blood? Parents should love and dote over their children when they are small. Not hate them because they were different.

"Oh Mitsuru, you're home," the mother said happily from inside.

"Yes," the demon replied, "What has Nina come down with?"

"I don't know," she admitted quietly, "The priest wouldn't come to see if she was alright…"

"Of course he couldn't." her father muttered, "None of them would do anything for her."

He narrowed his eyes slightly at the demon's words. Was he just putting on an act? If so... then for whom? Him… or Nina's mother?

"Probably her mother," he whispered to himself.

From her voice, Nina's mother sounded young… like she would be a year or so older then him. Though he kind of doubted it since Nina was seven and that would have made her mother ten when she had been born.

"She's probably in her early twenties," he told himself quietly.

The rain continued to pour around the village and western plains. He had no intention of returning home though… at least not tonight. Even if her parents were home, Nina might have needed him somehow. He just needed her to be alright.

"It's not a matter of her needing you," he told himself quietly, "Just a matter of how much you need her."

When morning came the next day, it was still raining slowly. It was just a mere drizzle; not as bad as the day previous. His golden orbs opened when he had caught movement from inside of the hut. His sensitive ears heard two rather small feet walking slowly towards the doorway. What was that child doing in her state?

Small feet touched the soft dirt next before making small splashes that came his way. His head was turned to her direction when she came around the corner. His small friend didn't seem to see him as she went to the trees slightly. His golden eyes adverted their gaze when he figured out what she was doing. A slight blush was present for his embarrassment. Of course she would have to go to the bathroom.

There were only a few minutes of nothing but rain before there was a small squeaking sound. He cocked a brow and looked at his friend with concern. Her blue eyes were surprised and were set right on him.

"Nina-"

"What are you doing here?" she asked; recovering from her surprise.

"Staying to make sure you're alright," he told her, brows furrowed slightly.

Her tone sounded almost angry or upset.

"Mother and father don't like other people here," she told him with her own slightly furrowed brows.

No… she wasn't angry. She was still confused. She didn't remember who he was because she was still under her illness.

His expression dropped slightly with that thought. They were friends and she couldn't remember who he was or what they did together. It stung slightly, even if it wasn't her fault for forgetting.

"My apologies," he nearly muttered as he got to his feet, "I thought my friend would have liked for me to make sure she was alright. Looks like I was wrong."

"Friend?" she asked with confusion.

He walked past her and towards the trees.

"Don't bother," he told her, "You'll forget by tomorrow anyway."

His feet took off to an immediate run and his brows furrowed. She spoke to him like he didn't matter… like they meant nothing to each other. There was a slight clench in his stomach at the thought. She was his only friend just as he was hers. He cared more about her than so many things. It was as if she was the only thing… his future lied with her.

- - - -

If I smile and don't believe

Soon I know I'll wake from this dream

Don't try to fix me, I'm not broken

Hello I am the lie living for you so you can hide

Don't cry

- - - -

Thoughts were disrupted when there was another set of footsteps close by; a guard's footsteps.

"Mother must have sent them to search for me," he whispered to himself as his feet ran towards the castle.

He secretly hoped that the guard hadn't seen anything at the village. His mother would throw a fit if she had known.

He made it back to the castle gates before the guard and entered thought the opened doors.

"Welcome back master Sesshoumaru," a maid greeted with a smile on her face, "Would you like for me to alert the lord and lady of your return?"

"No," he stated simply, "Let them worry a little longer."

His voice was cold since his mind was elsewhere. He was interested in what his mother would say to him if she found out. He wanted Nina to be alright above anything else with the hope that she hadn't forgotten him forever. Fate would be cruel to deal such a blow to him now after raising his hopes of understanding… of a good future.

In his slight frustration, he prepared his own bath. He did not have the patience to deal with other people, least of all the servants. Once the water was warm, he walked in and sat down with his back against the wooden tub.

"Nina…" he whispered as he closed his eyes.

It was like she was trapped in a delusional dream where she knew no one but who she saw every day. What id she never woke up from that dream? If he was forgotten by her forever then he would be journeying as he had always planned… he would rule and journey alone. There would be no dark brown haired girl with blue eyes with him. No one would accept his dream then… no one other than the one who ad already accepted it.

He knocked on his mother's chamber door. He had been called for from the study by his mother.

"The guard must have told her," he concluded quietly before waiting for her call.

"Yes?" her pleasant voice rang from the other side.

Her pleasantness was as fake as it had always been.

"Did you call for me mother?" he asked emotionlessly.

It was the day after he had returned and the rain continued so he had been put into the study. There he had to read books and practice his writing which he believed he would never use. He had been in the middle of an interesting history text when he had been called for. His patience was on the edges this morning.

"Please come in Sesshoumaru," she called, "We must discuss something."

His eyes became cold with her words. Who he chose to spend his time with was none of her concern. She would not live to see him rule.

The door slid open and he closed it before his eyes locked with his mother's. Her eyes were cold as they stared into his.

"Sesshoumaru," she started, "Is it true that you went back to that peasant village?"

"It is as you have been told mother?" he replied emotionlessly.

"What are your reasons for returning?" she asked; her tone even.

"A friend."

"Is it that pathetic half breed that lives there?" his mother asked, a perfect brow cocked.

He had to applaud his mother. She was all about appearance even when she was truly upset. That seemed to be when she was the most cold.

"She is but a friend mother. I assure you of that," he told her with slightly furrowed brows, "Did the guard not tell you that she did not want me there anymore?"

Inside he was smirking. If that was the only time they had been seen together… then he could use it to his advantage. She didn't want him there at the moment.

His mother's eyes had turned rather curious as a fake apologetic smile graced her lips.

"Yes, he had told me that that was the case," his mother told him, "I'm sorry my son but I believe that that is best for you."

She was buying it… taking the bait.

"We were friends, mother. We did things together, that was all," he assured her.

He was fake defending; as fake as her expressions. He would go to see his half bred friend anyway. If she truly didn't remember him once her illness was gone… then he would befriend her again. He needed her in his life now, as a friend. The ideas of a future past friendship were pushed to the back of his mind temporarily. It would come out again in the future, he knew it would.

"I'm sorry my son, but it's a decision best for your future. I do not want you to make any mistakes," she explained; her tone fake apologetic.

"…As you wish mother."

He turned and left her chamber with a slight smirk on his face. He was old enough to make his decisions without guidance. He was able to lead his own life on the path he had already chosen. Neither his mother not father could stray him from the path that was hidden from them.

The ill half breed would be his friend until something would completely tear them apart from one another. He swore that to himself.

Two more days passed until the rain had finally dissipated from the western plains. He took the chance and left the castle. The feeling in the pit of his stomach had disappeared the day before; gone with the rain.

The feeling gone… he left the castle and ran through the forest to the village. The hut was empty on the sunny morning. His golden orbs widened at the empty hut. Where was she? What happened? Did she… die?

His feet took off again; running towards the smell of the dead. The small cemetery was undisturbed. There were no fresh graves or dead bodies… just older graves.

"Then where?" he questioned, golden orbs searching across the cemetery.

Off again.

- - - -

Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping

Hello I'm still here

All that's left of yesterday

- - - -

His feet led him to the forest – to the log – in search of her. His nose caught a familiar scent and he stopped in his tracks. He knew that scent… lived off of it. His quiet footsteps were barely heard through the dead leaves. A small smile found its way to his face when he had found the old log. There she was, sleeping peacefully on the log.

The colour was back to her face, and her body temperature seemed to be normal.

"…Sesshoumaru…" she murmured in her sleep.

His smile became softer with her murmuring. She was dreaming about him.

"So you do remember," he whispered, sitting down against the log.

Somehow she seemed closer to him than ever with those words. His half bred friend had just gotten well and had sat outside over night. He knew then that she remembered him… that they would be there for each other for some time to come.

End of Chapter 3

So how was it? Was it alright? Did the song fit even though there weren't that many lyrics? I hope it did. o.O The song was Hello by Evanescence. It's not that short when you listen to it, but I guess there aren't that many words. xD Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter, I have more planned out already with songs to go with them. :3 Thank you for reading. Please R&R and I'll try to update as soon as I can. If there are any spelling errors… my bad. :F