Summary: Rin turns 20 and Sesshomaru has to decide to let her go or keep her. This will get lemony :)

Ok I am in a Sesshomaru and Rin kick at the moment. And the only way to alieviate it is to write, write, write!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!

Rin sighed as she let the steam from the hot spring caress her aching body. They had been traveling a lot lately. Sesshomaru seemed agitated. Although his emotions were only ever portrayed in subtle ways, Rin had become quite literate in these things.

"Rin, it's getting late! Lord Sesshomaru doesn't like it when you're alone after dark." Jaken's shrill voice pierced the air from somewhere behind the bushes.

"Yes master Jaken, I'll be along in a few minutes. Don't worry about me." She said rolling her light brown eyes. Once she heard him scamper off she stood up and rung her long light brown hair out. She picked up her kimono and put it on. It was a soft peach, solid in color except for a few delicate pink flowers along the bottom and the collar. The obi was also the same shade of pink. The Kimono hugged her curvy body. She had grown into an elegant young woman. She quickly made her way back to the camp site and laid down in her sleeping sack. She took one last glance around to see Jaken sleeping soundly a few feet from her. Her sleepy gaze lifted to Sesshomaru who was sitting against a tree trunk on the other side of their campsite. She noted shyly that his eyes were watching her as she turned on her side and let sleep take her body.

Next morning

Rin yawned and sat up. She went to jump out of her sleeping sack, but was startled by a firm hand on her shoulder. She looked up perplexed to see Sesshomaru standing over her. He knelt down and handed her a small box.

"You stumbled across me twelve years ago today." He said looking away from her. "You must be around twenty now." He said as Rin looked down and opened the box. It was a necklace. It was a gold chain that had a jade charm on the bottom. The charm was the Kanji symbol for protection. "Most mortal women your age have already married. Many have at least one child by your age." He said as his eyes moved from the edge of the thick forest back to Rin's face. "Don't you desire those things?" He asked with his usual emotionless composure. Rin blushed and looked down at the necklace.

"I guess… I've never really thought that much about it." She shrugged.

"You have never lied to me, why start now?" He asked as a slight frown crossed his brow. Rin felt her chest tighten. She didn't know what to say. 'Was this why he has been so agitated.' She thought to herself. "I would not stop you if you desired a life of your own." Rin shook her head.

"I know that. You've taught me to make my own decisions." Rin stated looking up at her lord. His golden eyes stared warmly down at her. Rin felt her heart beat faster as she looked up into his eyes.

"Then why do you stay?" He asked calmly. The intensity of his gaze drilled a hole through her soul. 'Because I can't imagine my life without you.' The thought brought a blush across her porcelain skin. "Rin protection is all I can ever offer you." He said and she felt her heart stop. However, she had learned a thing or two about suppressing emotions over the years and kept her tears at bay. She hadn't realized she had looked away from him until she felt a finger under her chin forcing her to look back up at him. She could almost see a shade of sadness hidden beneath the layers of his icy façade. "You deserve more from life than I can give you."

"But Lord Sesshomaru, you have given me so much." She said trying to fight back the painful nightmare she knew was coming. Somehow she had always known this day was coming. Even the shooting star she wished upon wasn't enough to stop it. She felt his hand brush through her silky brown hair as he seemed to look through her, deep in thought.

"We will part ways at the next village. We should be there before the sun reaches its highest point." He said once again focusing his eyes back on the young woman in front of him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at him heart broken. "I have nothing left to say." He said as he tore his eyes away from the betrayal he saw in her chocolate orbs.

"Ah-un and I got the supplies you requested my Lord!" Jaken said excitedly as Ah-un came in for a landing. Jaken hopped down and looked at Rin. "What ever are you crying about?" He commented on her uncharacteristic demeanor.

"I'm going to leave you at the next village." She said as she got up and tried to compose herself. She quickly began to pack her supplies up so she wouldn't burden her Lord any longer.

"What do you mean? Why?" Jaken asked surprised.

"It's time for her to move on." Sesshomaru said as he picked up Rin's bundle of supplies and put them on Ah-un's back. The group began to move along without another word. Rin who was usually well ahead of Jaken and Ah-un lagged behind with the imp and their mount. Rin felt a tiny hand grab hers. She looked down to see Jaken looking up at her with teary eyes. She gave a faint smile. She hadn't realized how much she and Jaken had grown on each other.

"You won't forget us will you?" He asked sadly. Rin shook her head.

"I could never forget you Master Jaken." She said giving him the warmest smile she could. They continued for awhile in silence until they could make out the village through the trees. Sesshomaru stopped and waited for Rin to catch up to him.

"This is where we part." He said looking into her sad, broken eyes. "Jaken give the bag of supplies I had you get earlier to Rin." Sesshomaru watched as Jaken didn't even say 'yes my lord' and sluggishly brought the supplies to Rin. 'Has she grown that much on him?' Sesshomaru thought.

"You won't forget me will you?" She asked quietly not wanting her composure to falter in front of her lord. She felt a finger tilt her chin upwards. As she came face to face with his demanding golden eyes she couldn't contain herself any longer. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. To her surprise she felt his lone arm wrap around her body and hold her close.

"You are so silly sometimes. You know I will always remember you. Long after you're gone you're memory will still haunt me." He said softly. It was the most emotion she had ever heard in his voice. He drew away from her and looked into her eyes one last time before walking back to Ah-un and Jaken.

"Good bye Rin." Jaken said almost tearfully as he hopped on Ah-un's back. Even Ah-un looked depressed. Rin stole one last look at her lord. He refused to look at her and she thought for a split second she saw his eyes slightly well up as he turned away and took off on his cloud. Jaken waved as Ah-un took off in pursuit. Rin fell to the ground unable to move. She hadn't felt so alone… so cold since the day her family died.

Review!!!!! The more reviews I get the faster I'll update!!!!!