Ten long years had passed since order had been restored to the world. Time was not something she had ever worried about nor even considered and she had let it slip so easily through her fingers. Ten years ago she had had all the time in the world, but ten years was a very long time and many things changed. Now, time was something that she struggled to hold onto, and it was moving much faster than it ever had before.

Kagome had returned from the other world seven years ago, although it seemed like just yesterday Inuyasha returned to the village with her in tow. It had been a truly special day as she announced that she would be staying in the feudal era. Seven years later she had adapted quite well and it was no surprise that she and Inuyasha were expecting their first child. Sango and the monk had stopped after the birth of their fourth child, after Sango nearly lost her life in the process.

Lady Kaede had passed on two years ago to join her beloved sister Kikyo and Rin was left to tend to the needs of the villagers.

It was something she had been looking forward to during her time with Kaede and something that she had been prepared for, but that made it no easier. Kaede had warned her that her troubles had not ended despite the fact that she had not strayed from the village in years. At the time, she had brushed off the warning with the belief that her troubles were long gone.

She sat beside Kagome in the grass and watched as the young woman struggled to reach a basket near her feet. It was almost comical, but after a moment of inward smirking, Rin leaned forward and grabbed the basket for her, "Here you go."

Kagome smiled, the humiliation evident in her flushed cheeks. "Thanks," she responded quietly before dropping the herb into the basket and leaning over to pluck more from the ground. "I can't wait until this is all over," she said finally, sitting back with a long sigh.

Rin looked over at her swollen belly and smiled. "The baby will be here soon. You won't have to wait much longer. Then there will be sleepless nights and lots of crying to look forward to," she said with a soft laugh.

"I know," Kagome shook her head as she smiled. "Inuyasha doesn't realize what we've gotten ourselves into. It's bad enough taking care of him let alone a baby," she gave an exasperated sigh.

"At least you have Sango and me. We'll help you, Kagome." After all, Rin had helped poor Sango many times when Miroku was away. She hadn't mind at all. The twins were a handful but they always kept her busy and on the move.

"Thank you. I really appreciate it. Maybe I can repay the favor once you and Kohaku get married," Kagome giggled and Rin forced a laugh.

She picked a blade of grass from the ground and studied it carefully. She had been trying to forget her betrothal to Sango's younger brother, Kohaku. It was just another one of those things that had happened during those ten years and another reason she was so eager to find a way to stop time.

She was eighteen now and more than ready to marry and become a wife and mother. Though she had accepted the proposal from Kohaku three months ago, she had never been entirely convinced that she had made the right decision. She would always care for Kohaku, but her heart was not with him and she feared that it never would be. In fact, her heart was on a journey of its own, and she hadn't seen it in many years.

"I should go back to the village now. Inuyasha and Miroku should be returning soon. I can't believe they've been gone for an entire week," Kagome shook her head as she rocked herself onto her side so she could push herself up onto her knees before pulling herself into a standing position. Rather than watch her struggle helplessly to reach for the basket again, Rin lifted it up to her and was thanked with a soft smile.

"I'll be here a while longer. I think I may take a walk," she said with a small shrug. Kagome nodded and turned to leave without another word.

She watched her walk away before standing up and brushing the dirt and grass from her kimono. Sango and Kagome had given it to her as a gift and she had fallen in love with it only because it reminded her of another kimono that had been gifted to her as a child. The colors were different, but the pink and purple flower pattern was nearly the same.

She crossed the field and ducked into the forest, pushing low hanging branches from her face as she walked. The demons had not given up on their attacks, but they were fewer in number and less severe. Once the reign of Naraku had ended, the world had become much more peaceful and manageable. It was finally acceptable for Rin to wander off without the fear of being devoured.

She walked without purpose or a destination and she was certain she had circled the same tree several times before deciding to sit beneath it. She scooted herself up close to the trunk and folded her hands in her lap as she searched the thick foliage with her eyes. There was nothing out of the ordinary, as she expected. The birds sang overhead and the bushes shuddered as a little furry creature darted out from beneath it to find a new hiding spot.

She exhaled slowly and rested her head back against the tree. "I don't want to marry Kohaku," she murmured into the silence. Her voice sounded so much smaller than it usually did. "I don't want to have his children. I don't want…him," she bit down on her bottom lip and closed her eyes.

She still had two more months before they could wed as Kohaku had left once more to attend training for the demon slayers. He had found another village, one that knew nothing of his past but accepted his as an equal and agreed to train him among their own. Rin knew he had been wary to join them after what had happened, but she had spent several long days convincing him that nothing like that would ever happen again. He needed to do what he loved, it was only fair. She promised him that she would wait patiently and the excitement in his eyes when she accepted him was too difficult for her to crush. She would never forgive herself for hurting him, he was too dear of a friend.

She ran her fingers through her dark hair and felt it tickle her face. She knew where she wanted to be and why, but she had kept the secret tucked safely inside of her. But the idea of marriage was bringing it to the surface along with a wave of panic.

"Lord Sesshomaru… where are you?" Her voice was barely a whisper and the answer that followed nearly made her heart stop.

"Looking for someone?"

Her eyes flew open and she blinked several times. She would recognize that voice anywhere and for a moment she was certain that she was dreaming. She'd probably fallen asleep beneath the tree and her mind was playing games with her as it usually did when she thought of him.

"I…" She sat up and gaped at him. He was just as handsome as she had remembered and it nearly brought tears to her eyes. He hadn't aged a day and she swallowed hard. The urge to rush forward and throw her arms around him was overwhelming. Her body twitched slightly and she dug her fingernails into the moist ground.

Rin forced herself to look away and take a deep breath. She closed her eyes and opened them again, wondering if maybe it was just an illusion. But he remained and she shook her head.

"It's been a long time," she said finally, chancing a glance at him. His eyes softened for a moment and he gave her a simple nod in agreement.

In that moment she felt a rush of pure anger towards him and she wanted to tell him everything that he had missed during his time away. She wanted to tell him how fruious she was with him for abandoning her even when he promised that he never would. But rather than shout at him, she frowned and narrowed her eyes as she stood up. Her small hands wiped the dirt away.

"I need to go back." With that, she walked past him and was vaguely aware that he was following her silently with his eyes.

"You're angry with me," his words stopped her and she stared hard at a tree a few feet in front of her. He didn't pose it as a question because he already knew what the answer would be, if she even gave one at all. "You've grown up," he added casually.

"I'm eighteen now," she answered him coolly.

He remained silent, as expected, and she could feel his eyes burning into her back. The tears burned in her eyes no matter how hard she tried to suppress them. They betrayed her and her shoulders slumped forward as she gave into the sobs.

"You abandoned me. You lied to me," she sounded so much like her eight-year-old self again that it frightened her and she turned to give him a hard look before facing forward again. "I'm going now," she began walking and refused to look over her shoulder once more. One more glance would surely break her and she already felt broken enough.

She found her way back through the forest with ease and broke into a run once she found the field. She barely felt the grass beneath her feet as she ran towards the two shapes in the distance. She knew those silhouettes by heart and before either of the women could question her, Rin threw herself into Sango's arms. The wood Sango had been holding clattered to the ground and she blinked in both concern and confusion before winding her arms around the girl.

"Rin, what happened?"

She was unable to answer and instead she sniffled loudly and buried her face in Sango's shoulder. It wasn't what had happened that had upset her, really. But rather what hadn't happened. She could never tell them that without an explanation and she was in no position to offer one at the moment. So rather than answer at all, she chose to continue sobbing until her tears had run dry and all that was left was a runny nose and dry snuffling.

As she finally pulled away from her she cast a glance towards the field and felt her heart sink. She shook her head as if he could see her and hear her thoughts; begging, pleading and warning him to remain far away from her. But Rin knew that it would not be the last she ever saw of him.