Hide.

Shelter.

Somewhere.

Clutching his shoulder, the creature looked at his surroundings. A gun shot… how… primitive. How could he have…

The sound of dogs and sirens came even closer as they went over the buildings and streets, getting closer. Normally he wouldn't be bothered, he could out run them or fight but tonight… with this wound… he needed to do the one thing he never normally would do.

Hide.

He looked over the alley and over to the streets. The world was dark… apart from one window. A soft light came from it and a curtain could be seen flapping in the wind.

That'll do.

He pushed off the wall and looked at the street, checking for any police then ran across and up to a fire escape, climbing the tree stories as fast as he could, flinching from the wound. The window was just before him and he snuck in, his eyes adjusting and taking in the room.

A child's room. Female. Like animals. Awake in bed.

He blinked at the last observation. Two soft brown eyes were looking over at him, blinking in the glow from her nightlight.

"Who are you?"

The man ran over quickly, grabbing her by the throat, pushing her back into the bed. Scream and I'll kill you. His body language screamed the same message but his voice just wouldn't say the words. He stared at the child. Eight, maybe nine years old…

He let out a breath and released her neck. His arm was throbbing and he felt dizzy… and the pillow looked so…

"Let me rest." He managed at last, dropping his body slightly. "Let… me rest."

Her tiny hand pressed into his face as she sat up… and eased him into the bed. "Lie down."

He didn't have the strength to fight her, he just collapsed onto her bed, rolling onto his back and trying to get his breath back.

The girl sat next to him, her eyes trapped on his shoulder as the blood stained his clothes and now her bed sheets. Her hand touched it softly. "You're hurt."

"It's nothing."

The girl didn't listen, she jumped out of bed and ran to a chest of draws by the bed, opening the bottom draw and pulling out a large thick bandage, some medical tape and ran back, her footsteps silent on the carpet. She looked at his wound and put the bandage on top before securing it in place.

It was a sloppy job but considering her age… she did very well. The man looked at his wound then at her. "Why do you have bandages in your room?"

She lowered her head. "I'm sick." She turned around and lifted her shirt, revealing a similar bandage at the base of her back. "Daddy tries to help but… he doesn't know what's wrong with me."

"I see." He smelt the air. The child was more than sick. She was dying. Her body was rotting away. He sighed and closed his eyes. "I won't hurt you. You're too young… no one will believe you've seen me."

"What's your name?"

He opened his eyes fractionally and looked at her. "Sesshomaru."

"I'm Rin." She laughed and smiled at him.

His eyes narrowed on her. Dying… yet she looked so full of life. He had to envy her. He had a life that any would envy and yet he hated it. This child… with so few days on the earth… was more alive than him. He felt his mind melt and he reached up his good arm. "Come here Rin, lie next to me."

The girl nodded and put her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her as they lay on top of the sheets. So close… he could feel her heart… how weakly it beat, how many times it failed for a moment before some small machine in her body got it to work again. How her breathing was hard and how she shook with pain. How close death was for her. How many times it tried to take her away.

She was pure sickness.

And it broke his heart.

-!-!-

Rin opened her eyes with the normal pain that every breath brought her. Daddy will bring the medicine soon. It'll be alright.

"Rin… are you alright?"

She blinked and looked up at the man she was lying on, her arms tight on his clothes. His name was so clear in her mind. "Sesshomaru?"

"Are you in pain?"

She nodded and fell back slightly onto him. "Daddy will bring my tablets… they help."

He sighed and held her shoulder. "Rin… how long have you been sick?"

"I was born this way. I've hardly ever been home… this is the first time in three months."

His hands ran back in her hair. "I'm sorry Rin. If I could help…"

"I… I know I'll die. Daddy does his best but… everyone says it's pointless."

They were silent for a while then the man pulled away from her, putting her back down on the pillows. "Rin…" he stared into her eyes and held her cheek. He stared at her for a while… then leant forward and kissed her brow. "Rin… make me a promise… if I come back… you won't give up."

"You'll come back?"

"Yes. But you have to promise me to keep living. To keep fighting." He grinned at her. "Would you believe I am immortal?" he reached up to his shoulder, pulling the bandage away and revealing his healed shoulder. Even the blood was gone. Only a small burn pattern on his clothes remained. "I can never die."

Rin blinked and looked up at him. He smiled softly and held her face. "One day, I'll come back… and I'll make you like me. You will never be sick again. I promise. But you have to be alive when I come back. Promise?"

She nodded and smiled. "I'll keep fighting."

"Good girl. Now, I have to go, before your father comes and finds me."

A/N: Thought I lost this when my memory stick crashed! Haha! Well, I guess it got saved, somehow.

I'll probably never finish it but its not a bad place to leave it…. :-D