Rin

His green eyes bore into my back as I piled my belongings in a nice stack and wrapped it in a leather bag. Shippou watched over me silently and hadn't said a word since I won the argument last night. It went on for an hour, and by that time almost everyone but Shippou and me went to bed.

I shrugged. "If you don't want to come with me, you don't have to."

"Oh I'm going. I'm going to stop you."

I turned toward him, my bag slung over my shoulder. "You're not going to stop me. I have to find him, Shippou." I said walking past him. I was on the threshold when his hand rested on my shoulder, soothingly, but also slightly restraining.

"Rin, please don't go…" He pleaded as a last resort.

I rested my hand lightly on his and squeezed it affectionately. He looked up hopeful but soon turned back to being defeated as he saw the obvious determination glazed over my eyes.

"Shippou…I love him…I have to find him."

Finally, I thought I saw the understanding in his eyes, and he started to nod shakily, the tears returning. I turned around and hugged him as if I would never see him again. I tried not to think about the possibility that it could be. I backed up; I was looking at his human face but green demon eyes…the sorrow in then looked undoubtedly human.

I wiped the tears away, and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back…I promise…" I whispered into his ear. When I started to walk away, he grabbed my wrist.

"Let Kohaku and I go with you for protection." He said suddenly. For a moment, it caught me off guard, since I already told Shippou I wanted him to come, but when he said Kohaku, I was a little shocked.

"Why does Kohaku need to come?"

Shippou pondered for an answer, almost as if he didn't have a reason in the first place. After a moment his voice broke the silence. "The more protection for you, the better."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not a little girl!"

He snickered. "Yes, you are."

"I'm an adult! I'm at the age most women should be married having kids."

"According to Kagome, in her time, seventeen year old females are still girls." He said in a matter-of-fact tone. Kagome's time was more interesting to him than anything else. He had always wanted to see it, but since the Shikon Jewel was gone, he had to simply listen to Kagome's tales of things called "trollies" and "skyscrapers" and, one of his favorites, "fireworks".

I, too, had wanted to see Kagome's strange world. I think we all did, but sadly it wasn't possible. With the Shikon Jewel gone, and no magic to help open the portal in the well, it had made it impossible for any of us to get to Kagome's home.

"Well…we don't live in her time." I cut back.

He sighed. "We're going."

I decided this was okay. It was better than not being able to go alone. Plus, it was good having Kohaku come with us. After all, he knew where he was going. But, I had to admit telling everyone that he was going with us was very hard.

"You…You're taking Kohaku with you..." Sango looked back and forth between me and Shippou. This was, by far, probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do; I was telling Sango her brother was leaving once again.

Shippou cut in, seeing my distress. "I thought it would be better for Rin. I mean, I'm still in training, and I don't know my way around very well…That's where I thought Kohaku would come in handy."

"Please, Sango…we know that he just got here…but we need him…" I looked at her in the eyes. They were full of sadness and grief and for a brief moment I though t about taking this all back. Taking back what I said about taking Kohaku with us, taking back this whole trip, but we needed him.

She took a deep breath in and sighed. I could see that she was trying to fight back tears but slipped as one fell down her cheek. But, she smiled. "Yes, you do need him. He is a smart boy, isn't he? He takes after my father with his sense of adventure…He can go."

I smiled and gave her a big hug. "Thank you, Sango."

We parted and she smiled at me, wiping away the tears. I bowed respectfully. She bowed her head back and smiled. After that, we found Kohaku playing with his nieces and nephews. We asked him to come along and he accepted. But, he had a look of anguish. I didn't blame him, he wanted to stay with his family, but he said he would love to come. I didn't know whether it was because he felt like he needed to, or if he wanted to be the one to protect us.

Before we left, everyone came to say goodbye. The little ones didn't know where we were going, but they all ran over to give all three of us hugs. Shippou looked like he was on the verge of bursting to tears when Kimiko stumbled over to say goodbye.

Her silver hair was now running down her back, and her little white ears perked up then folded down. She was Inuyasha, but younger. She even had his golden eyes. The only trait she had that was Kagome's was that she had no claws, and she had the facial structure of her mother. I supposed she also had her mother's seemingly innocent personality, and she always cried. Right now, she seemed to know more about what was going on than any of the other kids. She cried and whined for her big brother to stay, and I swore than Shippou cried with her, but his tail would not reveal anything. When he stood to leave, she was still crying, clinging to his leg; Inuyasha had to step in to pry his daughter off of Shippou's leg.

"C'mon, kid. Don't cry now." He murmured to her. "Big brother Shippou will be back soon..." She whined and shook in her father's arms but soon fell asleep, exhausted from the animosity.

We exchanged a few more hugs waved goodbye, strolling into the black shadows of the forest I had always wished to venture into.

Lord Sesshomaru, I thought, looking straight ahead in anticipation. I'm going to find you.