A/N: Wee! Snow day XD (1/28). We had a violent snow storm up here ):D. Yah, well, this is our third snow day within 3 weeks, so now we have to add on a day of school =_=. Anyway, midterms are over! But I got a C (2 questions away from a B!!) on my chem exam. I'm glad they only count 1/6 now instead of 1/3 of our grade. The C won't bring down my grade at all XD. Wee! Anyway, here we are, at the last chapter, and things have finally come to a halt. Thank you guys for sticking with me for this story and enduring the Sess torture! I love you all. Enjoy this last chapter! XD

–

Water and Blood

~

When he finished clothing himself, he sat down on the ground and leaned his back against the well, waiting to get back to how he was before. His eyes closed as he leaned his head back, and the sigh of relief came quietly from his lips after giving a slight touch to his two swords.

-

Chapter 12: Missing You

Kagome rolled her eyes at an obstinate Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, we have to go! Stop eating all of our ramen!"

Inuyasha slurped up the last bit of ramen and turned to Kagome. "Fine, fine," he muttered sordidly. "Let's go, then."

The two of them walked to the shrine after Inuyasha mentioned that Sesshoumaru's scent was there. Kagome walked in front of Inuyasha to the entrance of the shrine. "Sesshoumaru—" she paused. "Ano…" she said as she turned back to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, maybe we should let him…rest…" she suggested.

"What?" Inuyasha asked. He looked over Kagome's shoulder and was quite shocked when he saw Sesshoumaru sleeping against the well. Sesshoumaru—sleeping!—was something that he'd never seen in his life. "Hen…" he muttered. His eyebrows then furrowed. "He can rest in my time! Keeping him here isn't…"

"Safe?" Kagome finished. She smiled as Inuyasha turned his back to her with a 'Keh!' "Inuyasha, as much as you care for your brother—" her voice was seeping with sarcasm "—bringing him to your era right now might be a little…overwhelming. Besides, what if he's never able to go back?"

"…I didn't think of that," Inuyasha admitted. "Well, he'll be able to get through."

"Whatever you say, Inuyasha," Kagome muttered. "Let's just let him stay there for a few hours. We'll go back later on today."

"Fine," Inuyasha muttered, turning around and walking back toward Kagome's house. "But you're making me more ramen!"

Kagome rolled her eyes with a smile. "Sure."

-

Hours later, Kagome and Inuyasha returned to the shrine. "He better be awake, the bastard, because I ain't waiting for him any longer!" Inuyasha said heatedly as the two of them neared the shrine.

"And if he isn't?" Kagome asked.

"I'll—"

"Let him rest some more?" Kagome asked. "Oh, that's so nice of you, Inuyasha!" Inuyasha threw her a glare, making her laugh weakly before turning to the entrance. She stopped short when she saw long, silver hair staring at her. Sesshoumaru's back was turned to them as he sat on the edge of the well.

"Hmph…"

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome started, taking an unsure step toward the youkai. "If you're ready to go…we'll be leaving." The inu youkai didn't do as much as acknowledge her presence. Kagome cocked her eyebrow angrily. Ready to speak once more, she opened her mouth, but was cut off.

"What perilous times you live in, human…" Sesshoumaru said.

"Pardon?" Kagome asked. She didn't know what to make of his statement. Was he saying that he felt bad for her for the fact that her time was so disgusting and dangerous? No, it couldn't be that; Sesshoumaru felt bad for nothing, no one. "I don't understand…" she muttered.

"Hnh…" Sesshoumaru retorted. Unexpectedly to Kagome and Inuyasha, he turned to them, an almost dour look on his face. "Humans like you waste their breath on futile things…"

Kagome was taken aback by his words, and she really didn't know what to think of them. She cocked her eyebrow as Sesshoumaru descended into the well. She turned to Inuyasha. "What did he mean by that?" she whispered.

"A lot," Inuyasha muttered as he shrugged his shoulder. Pushing Kagome into the well, he followed her.

-

Shippou perked up, as well as Kirara. "Hey," he muttered. "I smell Kagome!" The feline at his knees mewed in accordance to his word.

Rin looked up at Shippou. "Nee, Shippou-chan, Kagome-sama is back?" she asked.

"I think so," he said excitedly, standing up and dropping the game in his hands. "Miroku!" he called. "Sango!" He ran toward the two, who were sitting near the stream, relaxing. He stopped as he saw Sango throw her hand on Miroku's face. Rin soon got up and dropped her game pieces before following Shippou. "Kagome is back!" Shippou screamed at the two.

It didn't take long for Sango to angrily stomp away from Miroku, uttering fowl curses toward him. "Kagome-chan?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Shippou said as she neared him. "I can smell Kagome, and so can Kirara!"

"Oh, I see," Sango said. "Houshi-sama!" She called over to Miroku, who was wiping the dirt from his clothing. "We're going to the well to greet Kagome at the village. Come on."

Miroku smiled as he walked toward Sango, rubbing at the sore mark on his face. Rin stood still as Shippou and Sango passed her. Grabbing up Kirara, she waited for Miroku to catch up to her before she stood in front of him. "Miroku-sama…" Rin started. "Has Sesshoumaru-sama returned?" she asked hopefully.

"I don't know, Rin-chan," he muttered before picking her up and holding her to his side. She smiled sadly at him. "Let us return to the village to greet Kagome, and we'll ask her then, alright?"

"Hai, Miroku-sama," she muttered softly.

As the two neared the village, Rin caught sight of Kagome and wriggled herself lose from the houshi's arms. "No need to be in a maddened rush," Miroku muttered as he set her down and she ran off.

"Kagome-sama!" Rin yelled as she neared the school girl. Sango and Shippou were already around Kagome, asking her how she faired.

Kagome turned from Sango and looked down at Rin. "Rin-chan," Kagome started as she bent down to her haunches to get even in height with the girl. "How are you?" she asked.

"Has Sesshoumaru-sama returned, Kagome-sama?" Rin asked anxiously, her eyebrows flowing upward.

Kagome soften her mood for a few seconds before a wry, fake smile came to her lips. Fixing Rin's hair and then placing both hands on the girl's shoulders, she spoke. "Sesshoumaru is by the well." Her mouth widened with a smile as the girl's eyes lit up.

"Hontou ni?" Rin asked as she leaned forward. "Sesshoumaru-sama has returned?" Her delight couldn't be contained as Kagome gave a nod, fixing the tangles in her hair once more. "Arigatou gozaimasu, Kagome-chan! Where is Inuyasha-sama that Rin may think him?"

"Keh," Inuyasha muttered walking past Rin and Kagome. He crossed his arms and stuck his nose in the air haughtily, and then he mumbled something inaudible. His eyes widened as his balance was nearly thrown off, small arms clasping around his legs. "Brat, get off me!" he screamed, nearly kicking the girl away.

"Arigatou gozaimasu, Inuyasha-sama! Rin will never forget you!" She hugged at his legs tighter, eyes filled with the most joyous tears that she could muster.

Inuyasha gave a sigh before giving her a pat on her head. He glared at anyone who dared to speak of what he'd just done ever again. "Good. Now scram," he muttered before pointing behind him.

Rin got off of him and let out a sound that resembled a squeal of happiness before she ran off.

"Well then…" Miroku started, a bit rejected. "I feel so ignored…"

"Houshi-sama, don't look so dejected," Sango said with a smile and a giggle, patting his shoulder.

"But she didn't even say goodbye to me," he muttered.

"Nor did she say goodbye to Shippou and me, but you don't see us complaining…" Sango reasoned. Miroku turned away.

"Well then, at least we can get back to normal living," he stated. His hand casually found its way to Sango's backside. "I think I want to watch this strange reunion," he stated quickly before scampering off after Rin.


Rin paused as she neared the clearing, not yet seeing Sesshoumaru. She idly took a flower from the ground before running toward the well that she'd fallen in many days prior. Twiddling the flower, her eyes widened as she saw a tall, regal figure standing next to the well, and instantly the weight that she held over her heart for days was lifted.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin screamed in delight, breaking into a run. The little girl quickly noted the whirring around of her lord. The smile on her face grew, albeit that her tears flowed freely down her rosy cheeks. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Sesshoumaru stood absolutely still as he looked down at the little girl running toward him with emotions of absolute jubilation and relief. The human whelp was relieved to see him?

Rin stopped in front her lord and stared up at him guilelessly. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin is happy to see you!"

Sesshoumaru continued to stare down at her, not making a single movement. A sense of relief swelled around him as well; he hadn't known what had happened to the girl after he'd gone through the well. He snuffed disgustingly as human scent overrode his senses. "Rin," he started, "you were at a human village."

Rin looked down guiltily before staring at her lord again. "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama," she drawled. She started to have an air of sadness around her. "Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin was worried that you were hurt." Her eyebrows turned downward in heartache as she twiddled the flower in her hands.

The brunt of Rin's body flinging around Sesshoumaru's legs nearly caused him to become unstable. Instead, the force reinstalled disgusting flashes of images into his mind of just days before. His feral, defensive instincts instantly clouded his mind, and before he could control himself, his claws elongated and a hiss escaped from his lips.

Rin instantly let go of him after seeing an unfamiliar flash of red in his eyes, taking a step back and staring at Sesshoumaru incredulously—fearfully even. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked shakily as she took another step back. A short gasp escaped her lips as his long fangs flashed toward her dangerously.


Miroku had been watching quietly from afar, and wasn't very surprised when Kagome, Sango, Shippou had joined him. Inuyasha was another subject, and he'd shocked them all.

"Youki…" Miroku muttered. He wrapped his left hand around his right wrist, ready to pull the beads off. "He lays a single claw on that girl and I'll personally let him experience the kazaana."

Their eyes widened as the claws of the youkai hurtled toward the little girl, Inuyasha's mouth shut but with a sound escaping from him. 'He's being defensive…' Inuyasha thought with the cock of his eyebrow.

The shriek of the little girl caused Miroku to stand straight, and he nearly loosened the beads from his hand before Kagome dragged him back down. "Miroku," she started, "don't…do anything. Just…wait…"


Rin had fallen on her rear and was fruitlessly trying to crawl away from her deadly looking lord. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she muttered, her voice shaking and wracking with fear. The claws came closer to her as Sesshoumaru pounced over her. "What did Rin do wrong?" she asked loudly with tears before shutting her eyes with a shriek, the hand with the flower shoved into the youkai's face as he nearly tore her to shreds.

Everything stopped. Time nearly stood still for the girl, her eyes shut. "Rin…" She heard, flinching at the sound of the voice.

Rin slowly tore her eyes open, surprised when the youkai was standing feet away from her. "Sesshoumaru-sama…?" Her eyes widened as he continued to walk away. "What did Rin do wrong, Sesshoumaru-sama, to make you so angry with me?" she questioned as she instantly got up and followed him.

The response took a while to come from his lips, but when she had finally caught up to his left side, he glanced downward slightly before opening his mouth. "Nothing," Sesshoumaru answered. "You do nothing wrong."

A smile tore her lips as she stared up at him. She grabbed softly at the sleeve of his haori and continued to walk with him. "Rin is glad…" she said.


Everyone stared with wide eyes—everyone. "I swear that was an act of sentiment on his part…" Sango muttered.

"Hn…" Kagome agreed. "I never thought I'd see the day…" she uttered. "But I have to admit, it's pretty cute…"

"Keh. Cute, she says," Inuyasha said as he stood straight and crossed his arms. "I say it's disturbing. He's like a pedophile or some—"

"Osuwari!" Kagome said quickly after smacking Inuyasha on the back of his head. "Inuyasha no baka! I doubt that Sesshoumaru would stoop to such disgusting levels! Osuwari, osuwari, osuwari! Yuck!"

Inuyasha twitched before his muscles went limp.

"Kagome-sama," Miroku started, "do you know why he would react in such a way?"

Kagome paused before looking at anything but the rest of the group. "Well?" Sango asked.

"Sesshoumaru…" Kagome started, "didn't exactly…have the…best of times in my era…" she muttered.

"What do you mean, Kagome?" Shippou asked. He leaned forward from Sango's shoulder. "What happened? He had band-ajes around his neck."

They noted how Inuyasha stood up and walked off. He hadn't an annoyed look on his face like they would have expected. His features were rather…sullied.

"Kagome…what happened?" Sango asked.

Kagome hesitated. "I…really don't think that I should talk about it…" she muttered. "It's more of a darker side of my era…" She turned around and followed Inuyasha.

-

Sesshoumaru had stopped by the stream that he would have brought Rin to days ago if she wasn't as thirsty as she was. He sat down on the ground, leaning against a tree before closing his eyes. His mind was still on the three words that that worthless half-brother of his had told him before he left toward the village. The words filled him with self-disgust and anger toward the hanyou for peering into him. That half-human had a lot of galls to speak those words to him, though.

The girl was splashing in the water, but Sesshoumaru heard when she stopped. His ears twitched as he heard her taking muddied steps onto the grass and toward him. His eyes opened to thin slits.

The sun was beginning to set. Rin walked in front of him, standing in front of the bright light radiating from the clouds. "Sesshoumaru-sama," she began.

"Hnh." He acknowledged her presence.

She pointed to his neck, the gauze still around it with little drips of blood seeping through. "What happened to Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked worriedly.

Though young, Rin expertly noticed the dimness of his eyes at her question. Disgustingly enough, Sesshoumaru averted his gaze from the girl. "You as too many questions, Rin," Sesshoumaru answered.

Rin grew quiet as she noticed the strained movement of his neck. She hadn't noticed that before. Her eyes suddenly glimmered with tears and sadness. "Something bad happened, Sesshoumaru-sama," she stated perceptively.

"Yes," Sesshoumaru stated shortly.

"Will Sesshoumaru-sama tell Rin?" she asked.

Sesshoumaru turned to her, his eyes hardening before her, his eyebrows furrowed. "No," he answered. Her questions pestered him. He only wanted rest from what experiences he had from that evil era. A sudden feeling began to well in his stomache as his mind began to overflow with images "Rin, stay," he muttered shakily before he stood up and walked off. As soon as he was far enough from her sight and was further downstream, he leaned against a tree, breathing raucously.

Rin stared at his figure with her eyebrows drawn up in question. He had looked so pallor before he left, she was quick to notice that. But he had also clenched his teeth shut as much as possible when he spoke. She stood up in question as a soft sound came to her ears. It sounded almost like a hurt or sick animal.

Not thinking of Sesshoumaru's words, she took a few steps in the direction where she heard the noises from. Pushing through low branches and bushes, she quickened her pace until she came to a boulder, a few trees surrounding it and the stream right by it.

Rin's eyes widened in shock and a gasp escaped from her small lips as she saw Sesshoumaru walk toward the stream and bend on his haunches while rinsing his hand and mouth.

Sesshoumaru turned around instantly at the presence of the small girl and stared at her almost angrily. She hadn't done what she had been told. "Rin," he started, his voice seeping with disappointment.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…" Rin muttered. "Sesshoumaru-sama is sick?" she asked, taking steps forward.

"Rin, we stay here tonight," the youkai said, averting attention away from her question. "Jaken is near. We will retrieve him tomorrow and continue our travel."

"Hai…" she drawled. She watched closely as he walked toward the boulder and sat on the ground, his back leaning against the rock.

There wouldn't be a fire tonight if he didn't tell her to get twigs. Rin took slow, unsure steps toward Sesshoumaru. With what little sunlight that was left, she found her way toward him and stood next to him. She leaned her back against the boulder as well, but peered down at him as he stared off upwards, seemingly deep in thought. The gauze around his neck alerted her, and she inadvertently reached out toward it.

His fingers caught her tiny wrist centimeters away from his neck. Rin stared at him with her breath held before widening her fingers toward the gauze almost obstinately, a whimper escaping her lips as his fingers tightened. He stared at the small girl almost—almost!—incredulously before letting her wrist go. She was brave.

Her tiny, cold fingers pulled on the gauze softly before she looked at the (healing) wounds on his neck, pushing away his silky silver hair. She poked at a wound, surprised when the youkai gave the slightest of winces.

"Sesshoumaru-sama was hurt," she said shakily, tears forming in her eyes. "Rin missed Sesshoumaru-sama. But Sesshoumaru-sama was being hurt." Her voice now had turned into a drawling mass of gabbling sniffles.

The youkai said nothing to acknowledge her words. His eyes widened and he winced as the girl's arms wrapped around his neck, her small cries like horns in his ears. Her scent was full of sadness and despair. She pulled away from him seconds later. "Rin will make sure that Sesshoumaru-sama is safe all the time."

"Rest, Rin," Sesshoumaru said in return of her words.

The small girl feigned a smile on her lips before walking to his other side and resting against his side, pulling his arm over her tiny body to keep her warm. "Rin will never leave Sesshoumaru-sama," she uttered, clinching closer to him. "Oyasumi nasai."

Owari

–

A/N: (1/29) Ramen-chan is sick with an evil cold and she can only breathe through her mouth, but she wants to chew on something =_@. Oyasumi nasai means goodnight. I think that ended quite…well *sneeze*. *cough hack cough* I finished writing this story at 5.45 in the morning. Why? Because I woke up too early by mistake, thinking that I was late, when I was too early. ._. But anyway, just so that you guys know, some of the subjugation formula hadn't worn out of Sesshoumaru's system yet, and that's why he puked in this chapter…His body was trying to purge the chemicals and what not from him.

Lord Fluffy: I feel bad =_=. The minute after I posted the 11th chapter, your 10th chapter review came in my email @_@. But yes, the scientists have been taken care of :D.

Rejected Angel: I'm sorry, I've just about given up on your name. It's so hard to write, and I'm so sick right now that I haven't the patience to change it. Gomen, dun' be mad at me =_=. Anyway, I hope you liked Rin's reaction :D.

Fluffylovero7: Thank you :D. Yah, Sess is a free man—…youkai :D

Ieva: Really :D? I wouldn't think. I've read good stories before, but this definitely isn't it =_= *self-critical and can't take compliments* Hehe ~_~. Sporks are fun :D. I'll attack them with you! *poke poke poke*

Inuyasha'sDreamGRL: Yay! I'm glad that you do :D. Of course I'll read your stories. Wait until the weekend. I hardly have enough time for myself, but I'll try to get to your story by the weekend. If I don't, email me and smack me over the head a thousand times to remind me. Seriously >:O.

Koki: @_O. I'm sorry…I really didn't understand what you wrote. Did you mean that you'd read my stories? :D!! THANKYOU! XD

Darkmoon0829: Thank you :D. And you're welcome :D.

Evil-Miyu: *dance dance* Sess is saved. Wee! Yuppers, next chapter right here :D.

RedHerring: Thank you XD. Yah, Rin was in for a surprise ):D…Er…that's a good question. Both of them are good questions. Hehe @_@

Lord Fluffy: Hello again :D. how can I do what to Sesshoumaru?? How can he get revenge when he can hardly stand?? They'll hurt my poor Sesshy all over again @_@. Yay! Thanks for reading my stories:D.

Kivrin: Yup, this is the last chapter. The scientists can only suffer with wounds. But Inuyasha knows well that human lives are actually accounted for in Kagome's era. XD.

Cyhiraeth: Yah, I got obsessed with fan fiction when I heard about it from The Anime Society (old school club) XD. Yes, I'm a junior. This is the devil. Yup. The devil and his EVIL SCHOOLISH DEEDS!! I HAVE THE DEVIL'S MOTHER AS MY ENGLISH TEACHER AS WELL! I GOT A C ON HER FINAL!!

Kay's Craft: Me? Cute? *blush* Why do people ALWAYS call me that?! *punches face until she's ghastly* >:D. I didn't realize I made Sess human/normal o_O. But I guess if you noticed…:D….Well, Kagome wouldn't let Inuyasha kill them because she knows that murder is bad….in her time.

anhimals: Yeppies, I've updated again! A bomb @** ending? Heh…I was going more for a cute ending….but I'm sick. I might change it when I feel up to it…FINALS ARE OVER!! XD

Miharu210: Yay! Me too! Next chappie is here :D. Hope you enjoyed.

Crow T R0bot: They're not going to die at all… No, he won't go out for revenge. In a way, some of the subjugation formula is still in him, but he doesn't realize that…EW!! KAG/SESS SHOULD BURN!! *belch* Yah, I was hoping that people wouldn't think that I was a Kag/Sess fan. Rin/Sess all the way, baby *pumps fist*! Definite Inu/Kag, but uh…Mir/San and Sess/Rin? Rin's a 6 year old girl! That's disgusting!! Bleh! Kaede sounds stupid, and her voice annoys me. Yah, Sesshoumaru's name is like pronounced Seh-Show-oo-mah-dhu in Japanese, while it's pronounced "Suh-show-muh-roo" in English @_O. I hate it. You'd notice if you heard the difference. Kagome is "Kah-go-meh" in Japanese, not "Kuh-go-may" in English. Many others, but my brain is filling up with sickness x_x Kawaii means cute and Ja ne means goodbye.

Mintvee: Wee :D. Yah, there were five people, I do realize =_=. I just didn't expect the plot to become like this. Actually, I was originally planning on Kagome, Inuyasha, and Kagome's mother to save Sess, but oh well. Yah, I have two older sisters =_=. Bai!

demonhuntress20-04: Ooooh, thank you a thousand times XDXD.

yamitamashii: Thanks :D. I'm glad I kept everyone in character. Well, there are times in the episodes when Kagome will act rather cold toward someone, but that's in later episodes, when her attitude becomes stronger. I don't like her either, don't worry (if you're talking about Asako).

KawaiiLil-InuGurl: o_O…O_o…o_O;;;. Er… :D……I've updated. By the way, I saw your Sesshoumaru picture. I'm keeping it on my computer forever and ever and ever and ever.

Houndingwolf: Would you LIKE to see Sess go through more pain?? O_o. The story ends here =_=

bearmoon: Yah…er…I really didn't put Higurashi's feelings into this o_O. She's not a very important character…Yah, I'm glad Sess is safe as well. Oh, Rin made him feel a squishy XD *kidding*. Er, you can trust Asako and Takana :D. Er…sorry if the end was disappointing… =_=;;

I'm so sorry if the end of this story was disappointing =_=;;. I just felt that Rin and Sesshoumaru needed a cute moment together, and why not like this? Ya know? I was mainly trying to get away from the dark theme of the story and get to a lighter mood, if you guys actually noticed that…:D. Anyway, I've posted a new story on Tuesday and I already have 11 reviews for it! :D. It's a Rin/Sess pairing, my second one. So, read that >:D. It's called Clouds that Fall. And read Silent Echoes, my other Rin/Sess story for a contest >:D. Read, read, read, read, read, read, read, read. >:D.