A/N: Hey, sorry for not posting anything in forever, I'm only JUST getting the time to write XP don't worry, I'm going to take advantage of that as much as possible and write as much as I can before school starts again J

ENJOY!

Sesshomaru winced as another scream pierced his sensitive hearing, resisting the urge to run to the owner of those heartbreaking cries of agony. He fisted his hand around the flower in his hand, his own pain ripping through his being like swords.

Rin, his poor, wonderful, beautiful mate, suffered from a strange illness, one that no had heard of, and one that no one could heal. Everyday she would be bedridden, struck by bouts of unbearable pain that seared through her body. Healers, priests, priestesses, monks, even the mate of that bastard Inuyasha had tried to cure Rin, and all had failed.

With each strike, Rin's pain became worse and worse, lasting longer and longer, and happening more and more often. There was only one way left to rid her of the pain, and Sesshomaru currently held it in his hand.

He looked down at the ironically beautiful flower, desperately holding back the tears that threatened to fall. Rin needed this flower. They both did. Sesshomaru didn't know how much longer he could bear seeing his mate writhing in pain in his arms. It was for the best.

Sesshomaru turned on his heel and began walking back to the palace, a numb feeling settling over his being. As he reached the front doors, Jaken walked up and bowed low.

"My Lord," he squeaked. "Lady Rin's pains seem to have calm down and she is resting. She ask that you see her as soon as you can."

The blank look never left Sesshomaru's face. "Jaken." he said, forcing himself to say the words that needed to be said. "Take this flower and make a tea out of it, then bring it to my chambers."

Jaken nodded and obediently took the flower, then ran to the kitchens. Sesshomaru continued walking, finally stopping when he reached an ornately decorated set of double doors. He paused only for a moment, then making up his mind, he entered the room and crossed over to the bed.

Rin turned and smiled at him, that warm, loving, wondrous smile. It was torture to Sesshomaru. He lay down next to her and pulled her into his arms, doing everything he could to not break down. He had to be strong for Rin. This was the last resort, the only thing left to end her pain.

He stiffened when he felt a hand reach up and touch the moon on his forehead, a wave of love and concern washing over him. He gently pulled the hand down and placed it on his cheek, looking deep into the eyes of his mate.

He couldn't hold back any longer, tears streaming down his face. He pulled her tightly to him and buried his nose in her hair. Rin understood immediately. She returned his embrace, gently running her fingers through his hair in a soothing motion.

A knock sounded suddenly at the door, pulling Sesshomaru out of his stupor. He quickly composed himself and wiped the tears from his face.

"Enter." His voice wavered slightly, but he didn't care. What did his dignity matter anyways, when he was about to sentence his mate to death?

Jaken scurried into the room, carrying a teacup in his hand. He handed it to Rin, then bowed and made his exit. Rin looked from her mate to the cup then back again. He refused to look at her, his body trembling slightly. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring down at his hands.

Rin set the cup down on the bedside table and gently took one of his hands in her own. His sad eyes finally turned her to hers, filled with a pain greater and deeper than any her illness could ever make her feel.

"I love you." she whispered, gently brushing her fingers along his face.

Sesshomaru leaned into the touch and closed his eyes, his hand covering hers as more tears fell from his eyes.

"I love you too, Rin. I love you so much….."

He pulled her close to him again, savoring the feel of his arms wrapped around her, her scent flowing around him, her very existence next to his. Suddenly, Rin's body stiffened and began to shake, her breath coming out heavy. Sesshomaru pulled her closer and cradled her against his body as she began to scream and writhe in pain.

This time, the attack lasted hours, Rin's screams getting louder and louder with every minute that past. Sesshomaru held her tightly the entire time, gently rubbing her back and whispering comforting words in her ears.

Eventually Rin calmed down and laid limply in Sesshomaru's arms, to weak to move. After some time, she finally caught her breath and looked up at her mate, whom she found staring at her with a distant look in his eyes. He reached over to the bedside table and grabbed the tea, gently placing the cup in her hands.

"Don't suffer anymore, Rin." The said girl opened her mouth to protest but Sesshomaru silenced her by placing his lips against hers, knowing exactly what she had been thinking. He pulled away after a moment, taking her face in both of his hands. "Don't suffer anymore." he repeated. "Not for my sake."

And with that, he gave her a small kiss on the forehead, then quickly left the room, practically running down the hall, slamming his study door and locking it behind him. He stood there a moment, then collapsed, falling to his knees with his head in his hands.

"Rin, my poor sweet, beautiful Rin. What have I done?" he silently sobbed to himself, wishing for all the world that he could die as well.

- line breaker -

Rin stared after him after he left, her heart heavy. She could feel through their mated bond how hard this was for him. Rin knew what was in that cup, and she knew that it was for the best. It hurt him when she had her attacks, much more than it did her. She knew that he had left because he couldn't bear to see her die, on top of the fact that it was he who had ordered it.

Rin looked down at the cup in her hands, then back at the door. Her mind was made up. She set the cup back down on the bedside table.

"Jaken."

The said green toad scurried into the room and bowed. "Yes, my Lady?"

Rin reached around her neck and unclasped the locket that hung there. It was a small trinket, nothing fancy. Simply a silver, heart-shaped locket on a silver chain. However, it was the inside that was special. Rin had decorated it with small bits from her past with Sesshomaru. A scrap of cloth from that first kimono he had given her, a dried flower that had been in her hair at their wedding, etc. It was all glued to the inside, hidden safely away so that Rin would always remember. She had worn it ever since her tenth birthday, where Sesshomaru had given it to her as a present. It was Rin's most cherished possession.

She placed it in Jaken's outstretched hands. "Make sure he gets this." she said softly.

The small green toad nodded his understanding, then with a final bow towards Rin, he left the room. Rin sighed and retrieved the tea from the table, bracing herself for what was to come. She slowly brought it to her lips and drank the bittersweet liquid. The second the last drop had left the cup, Rin felt a wave of fatigue run over her.

The cup fell from her hands and shattered on the floor. Rin fell backwards into the pillows, a strange darkness seeping into the edges of her consciousness. Rin smiled to herself.

"If only for you, Sesshomaru. I love you with all of my heart. I always have, and I-" she struggled for breath, "I….always….will." her frail body fell limp, and Lady Rin was no more.

- line breaker -

Sesshomaru stood from his spot on the floor, a hollow feeling spreading through his body. He walked slowly to the door, unlocking it and walking out slowly. He was just outside the bedchamber when Jaken walked up to him. The small creature bowed and held out his hand, the locket nestled safely in his palm.

"Lady Rin asked that I give his to you, my Lord."

Sesshomaru took the locket from him, then nodded his thanks. Jaken bowed (again) and scurried away. Sesshomaru stared down at the necklace in his hand, feeling the guilt and anguish over his mate's death wash over him. This necklace…Rin had intended it to be a message. Be happy, it said. Remember all of the good times we had together, don't dwell on the bad.

Sesshomaru closed his hand around it and blinked back tears. He shook his head lightly and entered the bedchamber, closing the door behind him. Rin lay in the middle of the bed, her head against the pillows in a peaceful way, almost as if she was sleeping. A light smile smile, barely visible, graced her lips. If it weren't for the shattered glass on the floor or the heavy scent of death in the air, one may have mistaken the Lady for resting.

But Sesshomaru knew the truth. He didn't know how or when he had gotten over there, but suddenly he was kneeling beside her, his fingers tenderly brushing along her face. Even in death she still remained the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes upon. It was heartbreaking.

The next day, all of the servants watched on as their Lord buried his mate in the garden, beneath a bush of beautiful roses, demonic energy causing them to bloom into lovely silver and gold. All eyes were on Sesshomaru as he gently lifted Rin into the hole, a heaviness settling over his heart. Before filling in the grave, however, he took his last look at the woman who had once made his heart and soul complete.

She lay on a bed of blood red roses, her dark hair loose and pooled around her shoulders like rivers of black silk. Her expression was one of peace, a serene tranquillity that can never be paralleled. And wrapped around her like a cloak was the very same kimono that he, Sesshomaru, had worn during all of this travels, Rin's favorite out of the many he owned. It was the only thing Sesshomaru could give for her to bring along to the netherworld, the best thing to remember him by.

He gently tossed three flowers in, three roses, one black, one white, one red. "Rest in peace, my Rin." He stood there a moment longer, then signaled to the men waiting nearby, who placed a lid over the coffin and began to shovel the dirt on top. When they were done, everyone slowly began filing away, eventually leaving Sesshomaru standing there alone, lost inside his own personal hell of sadness.

- line breaker -

Miyabi finally found her father in the garden, standing alone in the same place he always did. She sighed and walked up behind him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Papa, what have I said about brooding."

A light, half-hearted chuckled was heard as the Great Lord Sesshomaru of the West turned towards his daughter. She had arrived from her home in the East shortly after Rin's death, summoned by a frantic, worried letter from Jaken about Lord Sesshomaru's mental health. She was the spitting image of her mother, the only difference being the two black dog ears sitting atop her head. While her presence helped ease Sesshomaru's pain, it was still normal to find him in the garden staring at that grave marker, even after 300 years.

"I wasn't brooding." he stated calmly, ignoring the girl's snort of disbelief. "What is it you need, Miya?"

"You to get a life?" she shot at him.

Miya rolled her eyes when her father sent her a dark look. "I miss her too, you know. We all do. But," she said, wagging a stern finger at him. "you, father dearest, look like the world's about to end! Mama wants us to be happy, not mope around for the next few centuries!"

They always spoke like that, as if Rin was still alive and simply away somewhere. Far far away. Sesshomaru allowed himself a small laugh. "You are so much like your mother."

"And I know it!" Miyabi stated. "Which is why you," she poked him in the arm. "are going to listen to me and come inside and do normal people stuff!"

Miya grabbed his hand and dragged him inside, Sesshomaru reluctantly following. He briefly wondered if this child had inherited anything from him other than the ears. She even had her mother's determined, fiery attitude, which seemed to have lifted the dark cloud that had hung over the palace when Rin had died. She was the only reason Sesshomaru was able to drag himself out of bed every morning. She reminded him of Rin so very much it nearly pushed away all of his sadness. However she had managed Rin's death was a mystery to everyone.

But Miya had brought light into his life again, and he could finally be happy once more. It was almost like Rin had never left. A small smile worked its way onto Sesshomaru's face. He knew what Miya had said was true. He needed to get over Rin's death and continue on with his life. And….

So he shall.

A/N: So, what do you think? I honestly think my writing style has improved awesomely XD

Rememer: REVIEWS = L3VE!