Rin threw her arms out like a bird and laughed as the wind twirled and danced around her body. She was a kid at heart, what could she do about it?

She shrieked and giggled when Ah-Un dove and spun in the air, teasing her. She trusted Ah-Un and knew it wouldn't let her fall. She watched the land fly by below her and rested her head lazily against the demon's neck.

"You know, Ah-Un," she began, "I wonder about things in life that make no sense. Like why the ocean is blue and why I can wiggle my fingers and toes but not my ears. Why are trees green and why do birds fly?"

The demon grunted.

"Yes, I know I'm being foolish, but I can't help but wonder these things; I'm curious."

After a few minutes ride, Rin felt her transportation being to descend from the air. She glanced below them to see where it had taken her. She saw green, with spots of pink and yellow and blue. She watched as the green grew underneath her.

When Ah-Un landed in the meadow, Rin slowly slid off of the demon's back and stared, open-mouthed at the beautiful haven. A large smile seemed to find its way to her lips and she let out a cry of joy. She ran with open arms through the meadow and squealed with delight as the tall blades of grass grazed her fingertips. She felt like a seven year old again. She felt light and careless. Nothing could touch her when she was like this.

Rin twirled, letting her head fall back and her eyes fall shut, taking in the sun. She hadn't felt this way in a long, long time. She wanted to hold on to this feeling forever. She never wanted to let it go. She opened her eyes and looked at Ah-Un. She laughed at its expression.

"Don't be so surprised. You know how much I love the meadows," she said.

Rin marveled and dug her nose through every flower within her reach. She could spend eternity here, she knew. Time could fly by and she would still be here, in this meadow, smelling flowers and dancing the day away.

Rin spun again, faster this time. Around and around, her eyes closed, her arms opened wide. The sun warmed her skin. Rin stopped spinning for a moment and opened her eyes. Through her dizzy gaze, she saw an opening in the tree. Curiosity kicked at her and made her feet begin to move forward, toward the forest.

Behind her, she heard Ah-Un grunt with disapproval. "Don't fuss, you big demon," Rin said. "I'll be back before you know it."

With that, she continued on through the trees.

. . . .

Sesshomaru stalked down the hall, ready to finish his work quickly before returning to Rin. He blinked a few seconds longer than needed in order to clearly figure out why the hell he called Rin his mate in front of Dragon. Did he even know Rin was surely his mate? Did he want her to be—?

Yes. What a stupid question to ask, he though. She invaded his thoughts and dreams. He simply ignored her when he first taken her as his ward. But ever since the scene at the river—he couldn't tear his thoughts away from her scent, her being, her everything.

She was still just a child and he shouldn't just take her away from such things as her beloved flowers and plants, which was why he ordered Ah-Un to take her to the meadow he knew she would adore greatly while he did some paperwork on the new provinces he recently added to the Western Lands.

He entered his—soon to be their bedroom. He sat at his desk and silently began to flip through pages, trying desperately to focus on the writing and not the image of that sweet, innocent girl.

Not so innocent now, because of you, asshole. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his forefinger and thumb. His eyes snapped shut and his other hand massaged his temple. He leaned back into the chair, trying to shut out his inner monologue, but couldn't seem to control it as it kept spitting out the cruel truths.

Did you even ask her if she wanted to mate with you? Did you even have the decency to ask her to have sex with you? No, no you didn't. Monster. She's a human—you're a demon.

How many times has that damn inner voice said that now? Of course he knew he was a forsaken beast. But he would swear she knew that and accepted that. She obviously consented to the penetrating of her womanhood. He knows she wanted his almost as much as he wanted her.

She could learn to love him. But no, he thought. He will not force her.

He opened his eyes when he heard footsteps on the other side of his door. Slowly, the door opened and there stood the person Sesshomaru was least expecting.

"And who gave you permission to enter my chambers?" he asked the young boy who traveled with them.

The boy's cheeks grew red. "I was just looking for Rin."

"She went out," Sesshomaru said, leaning forward and grabbing his writing instrument.

A pause and then, "When will she be back?"

Sesshomaru glared at the boy. "You ask too many questions about her. Go find something else to play with."

He knew the boy only asked one question, but he could help to push him away because Sesshomaru always had the feeling the boy wanted something more than friendship from his mate.

The boy said no more and left the room.

Get yourself together, dammit.

. . . .

Birds chirped happily and the wind swayed the topmost branches on the hundred year old trees that surrounded her. Rin partially skipped through the vast forest, pausing multiple times to smell a flower or admire a pretty plant.

Suddenly, she came to a complete stop and tilted her head so her ear had an advantage to the sounds around her. She found the reason to her halting—voices, familiar ones at that.

"Ah, come on, Kagome! Not this again! You overreact way too much. It's not a big deal! Please stop."

Kagome. Rin ventured forward until the voices sound like they were right in front of her. She hid behind a tree with a thick trunk and peered behind it. There was the beautiful, but infuriated Kagome, big yellow backpack and all, huffing across a clearing toward a wooden object in the middle of the flat green. A white haired half demon was following her.

"Enough, InuYasha!" She swiveled around so fast that InuYasha had to back up to keep from running into her. "I'm tired of it! All of it! I'm tired of this era, I'm tired of you, I want to fricken text again! I want to go onto YouTube and watch Bruno Mars' music videos."

"Who the hell is Bruno Mars! Are you cheating on me?" InuYasha's voice grew and grew as his last sentence growled out.

"You stupid, over jealous asshole! He's a singer that I like. Jeez. After all this time you don't know the littlest things about me that you should. I feel like you don't put enough into this relationship like I do. Kami! I'm leaving. I'll return when I feel like it. Good bye!"

"Kagome!" Kagome climbed over the edge of the wooden box then dropped in. Rin silently gasped. She knew the pair fought a million and one times a day, but it was always miniature things, rarely something this huge.

She heard InuYasha growl and then saw him begin to pace. He stopped suddenly. His eyes snapped toward Rin's direction. She foolishly let out a small squeak and hid behind the tree again.

She silently prayed to Kami, but knew it wouldn't do her any justice. She began to count seconds before she could turn around again, but she didn't get to three before InuYasha grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into the clearing, scraping her bare legs against the bark of the tree. It stung but she bit her tongue and let the pain pass.

"Did Sesshomaru sent you to spy on me, little girl?"

Rin shook her head. "Who would want to spy on you?"

Rin learned over the years that if you want to be around Kagome, you had to have a sharp tongue to deal with InuYasha.

InuYasha didn't smirk. He frowned. "You shouldn't be here. Go back to your master."

"Sesshomaru is not my master, dog." She hesitated. His words hurt her, but she knew hers hurt him just as much. "Sorry, but you made her really mad."

InuYasha released her and sighed. "I know. I'm really stupid for doing so, too." He rubbed his face tiredly.

"What did you do?"

He eyed her then sighed again. "I told her she wasn't cooking the noodles correctly."

Rin stared at him for a whole second before her lips folded inward, desperately trying to hold in a laugh that screamed at her body to let out. Eventually, she caved and the laugh came out and she nearly fell to the ground.

"You know she doesn't like to be told how to do things."

"Yeah."

"Then why did you do it?"

"Because it's what I do. And I'm stupid."

"Why don't you go after her?"

"Because she'll still be angry at me."

"You don't know that. She never said she didn't want you to come after her," Rin pointed out.

InuYasha frowned again, putting his finger to his chin in though. "I'll let her calm down for a few days, then I'll go after her if she doesn't return by the next full moon in four days."

Rin shrugged. "Who knows how far you'll get if you wait that long."

InuYasha started to argue then abruptly stopped. "Hey, wait a minute." His eyes brightened. "I have an idea!"

Before Rin could protest, InuYasha swept her up in his arms and brought her to the edge of the well. Rin struggled desperately. Was he out of his fricken mind? "Go after and talk her into coming back." Kami, he is out of his mind!

And with that, InuYasha threw her into the opening while Rin gave a blood curdling scream as she fell into the darkness.

. . . .

Sesshomaru threw down the instrument and stood up quickly. His work was done; it was time to spend time with Rin. He walked as dignified as he could down the hall and stairs. As he walked through the front hall, he heard his loyal servant following behind him.

"Lord Sesshomaru, where are we off too? Going to conquer another province so soon?" Jaken asked fervently.

"No, Jaken. You stay," he said brutishly.

"But—but, what if I'm needed?" Jaken asked desperately.

"You stay or you die by my hand."

The green man obeyed and stopped just as Sesshomaru exited through the doors. He instantly went airborne and flew to the meadow he directed Ah-Un to fly Rin to.

Upon arrival, all he saw was Ah-Un sleeping amongst the flowers. When he landed, he woke the demon and said one word, "Rin."

The demon gestured to an opening in the forest. Sesshomaru approached it and followed the scent that lingered in the air. His heart raced, his desperation was on the brink of pure insanity. He needed to find Rin for his own satisfaction. Rin's name bounced around his mind, constantly pulsing through his veins. In the distance he heard a horrifying scream that he knew belonged to her.

He moved faster than he can ever recall and in mere seconds, he reached the end of her trail—a tree. He looked past the tree and found a clearing that was completely empty.

He tried to approach the well, but was forced back. He tried, harder this time to push past the barriers that surrounded it. No such luck.

His eyes grew red and his blood pressure rose. He was not happy. With all his energy and all his power he possessed, Sesshomaru tried to force through the barrier. His hand almost touched the edge of the well, but before he could even blink, he was pushed thirty yards from the well.

His energy burned out, his eyelids heavy, Sesshomaru made himself stand and try again—two more times. And the final try, he couldn't lift his little finger he was so drained. He sensed Ah-Un near him and fell to the ground, allowing the demon to pull him onto its back.

"Rin . . ."

. . . .

A | N: I know. It's super later and super sloppy. If you're even still with me, I'm so sorry. I'll update again as soon as I can. But for now, consider this on a short, temporary hold. Thank you.

Willow