A/N: Okay here's chapter seventeen. Its short but I thought that you all deserved it for waiting so long for chapter sixteen. And hopefully if you didn't like chapter sixteen because of how angsty it was you will like this one better.

Again thank you everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Let me know what you think.

I do not own Inuyasha

Chapter Seventeen

I hadn't seen Sesshomaru in a week and I was starting to get worried. This time it wasn't about whether or not he regretted our date, this time it was about his health. No one had seen him in days. I knew that because I had asked them. On the seventh day I gathered up the courage that I had been lacking a week before and went to his room. He didn't answer when I knocked and when I pushed the door open it looked like he hadn't been there in days. Now I was really worried, so I set out to find Jun.

I found Jun in Sesshomaru's study, "Jun!"

He jumped scattering papers, "What?! Princess Nicole, what are you doing in here?"

I winced and stooped down to help Jun pick up the papers that landed on the floor, "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to ask you if you know where Sesshomaru is. I haven't seen in a week and I've asked around and no one else has seen him either, and I thought you might know where he is."

Jun went back to reading the papers, "Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm worried about him."

Jun sighed and finally gave me his full attention, "Sesshomaru's gone."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean gone?"

Jun sighed again, "The other night he said that he sensed that Naraku's barriers were weakening. He left in hopes to attack while he was weak."

"Are you serious, what if it was a trap?!" I exclaimed.

The that Jun looked at me made me feel as if he were an adult trying to explain something really simple to a child, "That's why he went alone. That's also why he didn't tell anyone that he was leaving."

I was silent a moment, letting the new information register in my mind. "When did he leave?"

Jun turned back to the paperwork, "He left the night that you two were interrupted."

"You mean to tell me that he has been gone all this time."

It was clear that Jun was about to go back to ignoring me, "Yes."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, Sesshomaru went and put himself in danger. Alone. He was the strongest person I knew but that didn't mean that he couldn't get hurt. What an idiot! I took a minute to compose myself and organize my thoughts. But if he has been gone the whole time then that means he hasn't been avoiding me. At that thought I suddenly felt better than I had in days. If Sesshomaru was gone that means that he didn't necessarily regret that night, and maybe he left by himself to keep us safe. "Thank you, Jun."

Jun didn't respond, not that I had expected him to, so I turned and left the room.

I was hurrying down the halls to Rin's room, I was late for lessons. When I finally reached Rin's room I was silently out of breath, slowly I opened the door, completely prepared to be reprimanded. But to my surprise they weren't having a lesson. Rin sitting in her bed under her covers and Chieko-sensei was sitting on the edge of the bed. I recognized this scene from what took place in my bedroom a couple of days ago.

I went over to Rin, "What's wrong?"

Rin pouted, "I haven't seen Lord Sesshomaru in a really long time. When we are traveling it happens sometimes but I always get to see him when we are at home."

Chieko-sensei looked up at me and I understood, I wasn't the only one having Sesshomaru withdrawals. I got into bed with Rin and sat next to her under the covers, "Yeah I know. But I just found out a secret about Lord Sesshomaru, do you want to hear it?"

Rin sat up straighter and even Chieko-sensei seemed to paying more attention, "Uh huh."

"I found out that the reason we haven't seen Lord Sesshomaru in a while is because he's not here. In fact, he left a week ago. You know about Naraku right?" Rin nodded, "Well apparently Naraku has become weak and Sesshomaru went to fight him while he could find him. And he left us here because he didn't want anything to happen to us while he was fighting Naraku. So we can't be sad about him being gone because he did it to keep us safe."

Rin looked at me, "Really I didn't know that he cared so much."

I smiled at her and put my arm around her, "He may not always show it but he always cares."

A while later Chieko-sensei gave up on the idea that we were going to have lessons today and left me and Rin to ourselves. Finally I coaxed Rin to get out of bed and took her out to the gardens to get some fresh air and sunlight. I told Hotaru to take the day off so that it was just the two of us.

We spent hours chasing butterflies, picking flower, and making flower crowns. When we finally stopped to catch our breaths it was well into the afternoon. We lay down in the grass and watched the clouds.

"Oh look that one looks like Shippou," I said pointing to a cloud.

"Where?" Rin asked.

"It's right there."

"Oh, it does look like Shippou," Rin laughed. "Look that one looks like a flower."

"Yeah, and that one looks like a bird."

Rin laughed again, "Nicole, that is a bird."

I giggled, "Oh, I guess you're right."

We were silent for a moment until Rin spoke up, "That one looks like a feather."

I looked at where Rin was pointing, "It does look like a feather." I paused, "Does it look like it's moving to you?"

Rin giggled, "Nicole all of the clouds move."

I sat up to get a better look, "Yeah I know, but that one is moving in the wrong direction."

Suddenly Rin was very serious, "And it's getting bigger." She gasped, "Its Kagura!"

"Who?"

Rin didn't have time to answer because suddenly the garden was taking over by huge gusts of wind. I had to fight not to fall over. As fast as the wind had started it was gone and in front of us stood a very pretty lady with red eyes and a fan. Next to her was a child, a girl with white hair and dead eyes. She was holding a mirror.

She smiled at us and it gave me a feeling of uneasiness, "Naraku told me that Sesshomaru had another pet besides the human child but I never thought that it would be a panther demon."

I moved Rin behind me, "What do you want."

She laughed, "What do I want? Nothing. Naraku, however, wants Sesshomaru's weakness. And there she is."

"You're not getting Rin."

She laughed and raised her fan, "We'll see about that." She flicked her wrist and blades shot out of thin air, "Dance of Blades!"

I grabbed Rin and jumped out of the way as fast as I could, but not fast enough because one of the blades left a deep gash in my leg. It hurt but I tried not to let it go as I stood back up taking my place in front of Rin.

The woman smiled and raised her blade, ready to attack us again until the little girl next to spoke, "Take them both," her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

The woman turned to her, "Both? Are you sure?" The little girl just nodded, and the woman scoffed, "I have to do all the work around here." She raised her fan again and flicked her wrist and this time I didn't move fast enough, I got a large gash on my side. And when I fell I hit my head on the ground, leaving me disoriented. Slowly I stood back up, I could feel myself getting ready to attack like I had all the other times someone had threatened Rin and myself.

The woman smiled again, "You just don't give up do you? Fine, Kanna you take care of her and I'll get the human."

I growled at the woman when she started to approach ready to attack, but suddenly I felt the air rush out of me. I couldn't breathe or think, and suddenly I was very tired. It didn't take very long for the world around me to turn black. The last thing I heard was Rin calling my name.