InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ From Ice to SunShine ❯ Christmas Vows, New Year Celebration ( Chapter 16 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter teaser: More surprises ensue for Sesshomaru and Rin just what is Sesshomaru's family up too? Hiten has endearing worlds for Kari, as well as the secret to why he left Yura is revealed.

Disclaimer: I have no claim over InuYasha and Company. However I do own Bradley, Kari, Toki, and Raynor.

(A/N: Just wanted to say that I'm glad everyone who reviewed enjoyed the last chapter of mine. Someone asked me to post before Christmas so here it is. I'm going to give quick recap and then on with the story.)

Last Time in From Ice to Sunshine:

Kari smiled weakly up at Hiten as she handed him the child. There was one thing that Hiten was happy to see, the baby was going to look like his mother. His hair was a dark brown and his sleepy eyes looked like they were going to be the same warm chocolate as his mother's.

“You should name him, Hiten.”

“What, who, me, no way I wouldn't know what to name him, you do it.”

Kari just smiled at him.

“No, really, Hiten, I want you to name him. You're the one who was with me these last couple of weeks.”

Hiten sighed as he looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms.

“Well, I don't know but he looks like a Raynor. Never mind, it probably sounds stupid.”

Kari however just smiled as she placed a hand on one of Hiten's.

“I think Raynor is a perfect name for him. After all, he will grow up to be some one strong, having you in his life.”

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Chapter 16: Christmas Vows, New Year Celebration

By TaintedDarkInuShemeeko

Souten's garnet eyes danced as she looked up, at the huge tree that was set up in the parlor of the Tenseiga home. The house was the biggest one she had ever seen, the minute she had stepped in out of the snow she felt as if she had stepped into a Christmas Wonderland. Garland, holly, mistletoe, and tinsel was draped everywhere. The soft melody of the First Noel could be heard playing in the background.

“So you're Hiten's little niece Souten, I presume?”

Souten turned her eyes away from all the Christmas glitter at the sound of a cold yet warm voice. When she glanced behind her she saw a stunning man with long silver colored hair and golden brown eyes, sitting in a wheelchair.

“Yep, that's my name alright, and you must be Sesshomaru. My Uncle Hiten talks a lot about you. He thinks pretty big of you, and even though you're in that chair now. He says that one day you'll be back to your old self.”

“Did he now?” was Sesshomaru's normally cold answer.

Souten's eyes looked around the room once more.

“You're family sure does like Christmas a lot. I've never seen so much stuff before.”

The sound of jingling bells reached Sesshomaru's ear before the person making the noise even appeared. However, Sesshomaru was already aware of who it was. A minute later Rin appeared wearing a green felt elf hat with a small bell on the end. She was dressed in a green and gold elf outfit that was finished up with red and white striped cloth stockings that went all the way up her legs. On her feet were two green pointy elf shoes.

Without even thinking about it, Rin leaned over Sesshomaru's chair and placed an upside down kiss on Sesshomaru's lips.

“Souten, are you enjoying your self here?”

“Yes, thank you, Rin, this house sure is big.”

Rin giggled slightly at Souten's words.

“Yes, it sure is. Tell you what, we're short one elf, to help out in the kitchen with some sugar cookies. Think you might be interested?”

Souten gave it some thought before answering Rin.

“Sure I'll help; I'm getting bored waiting for Hiten and Kari to get home from the hospital with the new baby.”

Rin smiled as she dropped a small felt green elf hat on Souten's head. Pointing the way to the kitchen, Rin then turned back to Sesshomaru.

“Are you sure you don't want to join us?”

“Perhaps I will join you later on.”

Rin smiled at him and then whispered an ok as she kissed his forehead. She had barely taken five steps away from him when Sesshomaru spoke.

“I shall join you later, Rin, Hiten and Kari should be here soon. I will simply wait for them to arrive.”

Sesshomaru's eyes picked up some thing in the glow of the fire and tree light. Rin's bright orbs looked glossy was she about to cry. Was today going to be too much for her? However she had disappeared into the hallway before he had got a chance to ask her if she was alright.

Sesshomaru's mind soon started to mill over just what his mother and father were up too this Christmas. The list of attendees was much longer then last year, plus as much as he knew his step-mother loved Christmas, this year was a little over kill.

`Father just what are you and Izayoi up too this year?'

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Hiten's ruby colored orbs glanced up at the huge house that was before them. Candle lights could be seen in each of the windows, while wreaths with red and gold ribbons hung from each one of the windows. This was the first time that Hiten had truly looked at the Tenseiga home.

“Well, Kari, we're here. I never really knew how much Sesshomaru's family enjoyed Christmas. I bet Souten is having a ball inside that house.”

Kari smiled at Hiten as she climbed out of the car and stood beside him. A small giggle escaped her lips as she looked up at Hiten and then over at the Tenseiga home.

“You know, I think you just might be right. She's probably gotten tired of waiting for us by now.”

Hiten gave Kari a simple smile as he turned to get Raynor out of the back seat. Kari returned the smile as she watched him get her son out of the small back seat.

“Well, I have the diaper bag and you have the carrier with a sleeping Raynor in it. Unless there was something else we needed, I think we have everything.”

After making sure that the blue and yellow baby quilt was draped over the car seat, keeping Raynor out of sight as well as protected from the cold winter snow, Hiten said.

“It looks like we have every thing to me; let's go find my little niece.”

Walking hand and hand Hiten and Kari started walking toward the front door. Kari smiled at the first couple notes of jingle bells that the door bell made when they rang it. A few seconds later an elderly short and stocky man opened the door.

“Good evening Master Hiten Kaminari, it has been awhile since you have graced this house with your presence.”

They old man's eyes soon fell on Kari.

“Ah and you must be the lovely Ms. Kari.”

Hiten grinned playfully at Myoga as he whispered a warning to him.

“You better watch it, Myoga, I remember all of your old tricks.”

Myoga then played the innocent card.

“Why, Master Hiten, I have no idea what you are talking about. However, please come in out of the cold.”

He bowed as Hiten and Kari entered inside the warm house with their precious treasure. Once inside Kari caught sight of the massive Christmas tree.

“Oh, Hiten, it's beautiful, I've never such beautiful decorations before.”

Hiten just grinned at Kari for a moment before speaking to her.

“That's just the Tenseiga class shining through.”

The sound of a familiarly cold voice speaking from behind him caused him to jump slightly in surprise.

“So you have at last learned what class looks like. I am very impressed, Hiten.”

A grin appeared on Hiten's face when he realized that Sesshomaru was behind him. Turning, he then smiled at his high school friend.

“Sesshomaru, it's good to see you again.”

Reaching out the two gripped each other fore arms as they shook them. Sesshomaru then smirked at his old friend.

“I believe we saw each other a few days ago. You were just distracted at the time.”

Kari blushed at hearing this, because she knew he was talking about her. Sesshomaru then motioned toward Kari.

“It is good to see you again, Kari; Rin and Souten are in the kitchen. I am sure they both are excited to see your son.”

“Oh ok, Raynor and I will just go and join them then.”

Taking Raynor from Hiten, she then excused herself as she headed off to the kitchen. This only left the two men alone in the parlor to catch up with on another, though the first couple of seconds were strained. In the end, it was Sesshomaru who ended the silence first.

“So you have decided to start a new life with Kari, and your niece?”

Hiten nodded as he answered Sesshomaru's question.

“Yeah I have, after all, Souten is going to need a stable family; now that her parents are gone.”

Sesshomaru however did not completely believe him.

“Are you sure that she is the one you want? Can you truly say that she makes you happy? I know that at one point you and Yura were inseparable; how do I know that you won't leave Kari and her son to go running back to her?”

Hiten gave off a feh, as he walked over to a window and watched the snow gently fall to the earth.

“You don't have to worry about that; I never plan on having anything to do with her again. Our relationship ended five months ago, when I caught her and Manten in bed together.”

Hiten then turned back to face Sesshomaru, who now wore a surprised look on his face. He then gave off a light laugh as he noticed Sesshomaru's reaction.

“Yeah, that was my reaction when I first saw them. The funny thing is I really can't say that I hate them or was even surprised that it happened. Now that I think about it, I don't think I was ever really in love with her.”

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Rin couldn't hold in her laughter, as flour suddenly exploded all over her and Souten. As she giggled, Souten blinked through her mask of flour. Stunned at first and unable to do anything, but after a little bit of time passed, Souten found herself laughing as well.

“You know, Rin, this is the first time I've had fun in a long time. I've really had fun today.”

Rin smiled at Souten words.

“I'm glad you've had fun today.”

She then turned her head toward the kitchen doorway when she heard some one coming down the hallway. That was when she saw Kari carrying Raynor. Souten's eyes widened at the sight.

“Aunt Kari, your back.”

The little girl soon started to smile and coo at the newborn baby. Souten then started to explain all the things she had been up to; right down to why she and Rin were covered in flour. Kari just smiled at Souten as she helped her dust herself clean.

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Sesshomaru stopped for a moment as he watched Rin, Souten and Kari coo and tickle the newborn baby. It was then that he once again felt self pity and hate boiling inside his heart once more. Then suddenly Rin lifted her head and smiled in his direction. Just as he was about to leave, he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

“Are you sure you want to do that? Rumors have it that pushing her away was your specialty of late. Then again you just patched this up, too. Don't you think it's time you stopped worrying about hurting her? Besides, this girl you've been with really truly loves you. You'd have to be really blind not to see it.”

Hiten then removed his hand as he walked into the kitchen to join the three ladies and the baby.

It was in that moment, watching Rin smiling and laughing, that Sesshomaru made his decision, he had found his reason to change and it was her. She was his reason to change; he just had to remember that. Without another word Sesshomaru turned and wheeled himself from the room.

Rin caught Sesshomaru leaving out of the corner of her eye. A sigh escaped her lips causing both Hiten and Kari to glance over at her. Seeing a strange sadness building up in her eyes, Hiten tried to say something to comfort her.

“I wouldn't worry about him so much, you know Sesshomaru, he still has a lot on his mind; he'll come around. I'm sure he is just unsure how to act around family and all.”

Rin gave Hiten a weak smile, before turning to wipe her hands on a dish towel. She then exited the kitchen and followed the path Sesshomaru had just taken ahead of her.

Waiting for the elevator in the manor to reach the floor that he desired, Sesshomaru kept seeing Rin's smiling face. It wasn't that he was mad at Rin, though his life had been turned upside down the very day that Rin had stepped inside of it. Sesshomaru's true anger and hate was directed toward Bradley Holmes, he had never let emotions interfere with his life. However, now it was almost as if he no longer had control over what he was feeling or acting.

The elevator chimed and opened its doors for Sesshomaru as it came to a stop. Placing his gloved hands to the wheels, he then wheeled out the door and onto the floor. His father's personal gym had always bought him peace of mind at times. Right now however, peace of mind was not something he was looking for. He had come up to this floor for a different reason.

With his mind made up, Sesshomaru headed for the parallel bars.

`I wish to walk for you, Rin. However, for right now, I must do this for myself. Forgive me, Rin.'

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Helping Souten place a tray of cookies into the oven, Hiten looked over at Kari as she spooned more cookie dough onto a tray. Feeling Hiten's eyes on her, Kari looked up and smiled at him. Closing the door to the oven, Hiten then rubbed the back his head with a hand.

“Kari, I was, wondering, that is, if you would do me the honor of spending the rest of your life with me?”

Seeing Hiten drop slowly to one knee, Kari gasped and dropped the spoon back into the bowl of dough.

“Hiten Kaminari, are you asking…?”

Hiten just smiled back at her as he answered her.

“…you to marry me? Yes, I am, that is, if you will allow me.”

There was a brief pause before Kari stood up and flung herself into Hiten's arms causing the two to fall backwards.

“Yes, I will, I will, Hiten. I wasn't sure if these last couple of months were real or not. I've never felt safer than when I am with you.”

Souten just giggled at Kari and her Uncle Hiten, while Raynor just cooed happily, before she decided to ask a question that was nagging her inside.

“So this means that I'll have a real family again, right?

Hiten just smiled at his niece.

“That's right, squirt.”

“So does that mean I get to have a little sister soon?”

This question caused both Hiten and Kari to laugh lightly. After a few seconds Hiten decided to answer Souten's question.

“Well, not exactly, Kari just had Raynor so it might be a year or two before her body is ready for a new baby.”

Souten placed a small finger to her chin as she seemed to be giving it some thought.

“Oh okay, I think I understand. You will let me know when it's time, right?”

Both Kari and Hiten did their best not to giggle at Souten's serious face as she asked what she had thought to be a serious question. This time it was Kari who answered Souten.

“Of course we will, Souten, after all you're part of this family too. Having a baby makes a lot of changes. So when the time is right, we'll know.”

This answer seemed to please Hiten's bright eyed niece.

“Ok, sounds good to me, now we have to start planning your wedding.”

Hiten and Kari smiled at each other as Souten ran off to find some paper and something to write with. Hearing a noise come from Raynor, Kari turned her head toward the spot where she had set the car seat down. Her soft eyes watched as her son signed in his sleep.

“He's such a good baby.”

As stressed out as she had been over the last several months had been, Kari had not expected her son to be such an easy baby. She then looked back to Hiten as she spoke.

“The best thing about it is that everything good that has happened to us has been because of you.”

A frown appeared on Hiten's lips as the memory of a week ago returned to him.

“You're wrong, I wasn't there early enough to protect you from him. It was because of that man that Raynor was born so early.”

Kari gently placed a hand to one of Hiten's cheeks as she made him look at her.

“You know what, all of that is in the past and I have no plans of looking back.”

Hiten just smiled at him as he brought her lips to his in a loving kiss. He then pulled a small velvet box out of his right pants pocket. Pulling the lid open slowly Hiten presented it to Kari.

“Here, I almost forgot to give this to you. It's not the stone I wanted to give you, but with my changing budget, it's all I could do at the moment.”

She gasped at the modest round rose colored stone that sat in the center of a braided 10k band.

“Oh, Hiten, it's beautiful, I love it just the way it is. I couldn't even thinking about wanting more, when I have so much all ready.”

Hiten then slide the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand.

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Sesshomaru's harsh golden eyes, stared at the metal bars that lay before him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a band to tie his long silver locks back. Once that was completed, Sesshomaru wheeled himself closer to the parallel bars. As he looked over to the other side, his mind's eye caught sight of the very reason he was sitting in this retched wheelchair.

Bradley Holmes, the man that was responsible for all the pain and misery he and Rin had been through. The part of him that was stuck in reality knew that he wasn't really standing in front of him; however, the anger he felt toward him only made him go forward. Grabbing onto the end of the bars, Sesshomaru pulled himself on to his feet as cold harsh words escaped from his lips like invisible vapors.

“You are not even worth my time, yet this hatred I feel for you sorry excuse of a human wouldn't subside inside of me. If I ever get to see you in person, I will make you pay for every thing you have done to my family. You, Bradley Holmes, are nothing but a bastard; you take pleasure in torturing a person's soul.”

With each word he spoke his left foot slowly started to move and was followed by his right. Even when the muscles in his legs and back were screaming at him to stop, Sesshomaru pulled his legs onward. Without even really realizing it, he had made it to the end, only to realize that he was the only one in the room and Bradley had never truly been there.

Sesshomaru however could still see him standing there mocking him, laughing at him.

“You bastard, you stole my son or daughter from me. You took mine and Rin's child from us. For that I will make sure that you suffer for what you have done to us.”

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Rin remained in her hiding place, as she continued to watch her secret husband struggle to his feet. She then watched as he slowly began to take a step and then another in front of himself. In her eyes he truly was an amazing person, he was strong and determined. Sesshomaru was all the things that Rin wasn't even sure she could ever be.

Deep down in her heart, Rin knew that she was the reason that the only man she would truly ever love was confined to a wheelchair. Her breath was stolen from her when Sesshomaru's legs suddenly gave out on him. Causing him to tumble to the floor, beneath him, tears then unexpectedly started to run down his cheeks. Without another thought, Rin ran to Sesshomaru's side. When she first saw the tears in his eyes, she was sure that he had hurt himself.

“Sesshomaru, are you all right, where does it hurt?”

As Sesshomaru looked up at the one joy in his life, she was taken by surprise at what she saw in his eyes. Regret was the biggest thing that she caught shining back at her.

“Would you believe this Sesshomaru, if I told you it was my heart that was hurting?”

“Your heart is hurting?”

Sesshomaru's voice remained emotionless as he continued to talk.

“When I took you as my wife, and found out about the child you were carrying, I made a promise to protect the both of you and as far as I see, I have failed to do that.”

Once again wanting to remain strong in front of Rin, the prince of ice used the bars to try and pull himself up.

“Sesshomaru, please let me help you.”

“I do not plan on asking for help, I made the choice to try and walk so I shall be the one to get myself up.”

However as he worked on pulling himself up, the air was sucked from his lungs as a sharp pain surged from the injured place in his back, all the way down to his toes. The pain he was feeling caused his mind to spin as he lost his balance completely falling backwards onto Rin.

“Sesshomaru!”

Rin's voice was laced with panic when she realized how limp Sesshomaru had become. With his head resting in her lap Rin continued to speak softly to him as she brushed a stray strand of hair away from his eyes.

“Your father told you not to over work yourself; he wasn't just talking about the office.”

Tears were starting to well up in her eyes; when the elevator chimed letting her know that help was on its way.

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InuYasha grumbled to himself as juggled three boxes of new weights in his arms.

“Damn this sucks, I get off from school early and then dad makes me do manual labor.”

After a few seconds the bell on the elevator chimed to let him know that he had reached the floor he had wanted. Upon the doors opening up, InuYasha stepped out only to see something he had not expected, Sesshomaru was lying on the floor with his head on Rin's lap. Rin looked like she had been crying. Forgetting about the boxes he had in his arms, InuYasha let them fall to the floor as he hurried to Rin's side.

“What happened, Rin, why isn't Sesshomaru in his chair?”

Rin lifted two sad eyes up to look up at her brother-in-law. She swallowed a sob as she started to explain.

“He was…he was trying to… no he was walking, when his legs gave out and he fell.”

Without waiting to hear more, InuYasha ran to the phone and called down to his father's study.

“Toga Tenseiga here, how may I help you?”

“Dad, InuYasha, I'm down in the gym.”

Toga at first chuckled at hearing his young son's voice.

“Come now, InuYasha, those boxes can't be that heavy. Miroku is due to come over tonight, isn't he, so why complain?”

“Dad, I'm not calling you about that, it's about Sesshomaru. He was in the gym working out, when his legs gave out and he passed out.”

InuYasha didn't even have to say more before he heard the line go dead. It was that sound that told him that his father was on his way. Hanging up the phone, InuYasha hurried back to where Rin sat with Sesshomaru. He winced when he realized that Rin was crying.

“Come on, Rin, don't cry. Sesshomaru is a fighter, so I'm sure that he'll be all right.”

Rin however just decided to remain quiet; just what was it that she was going to say? The only thing she had felt like telling InuYasha was that this happened because of her. It was the truth, if she had never looked at Sesshomaru that day in High School, then Bradley would have never known how she had felt about Sesshomaru and he wouldn't have had to rescue her.

InuYasha's head turned toward the elevator doors when he heard it chime and the doors slide open. His father along with two paramedics came rushing out. Seeing that help was here, Rin stood up on two shaky feet and took several steps away from Sesshomaru. It didn't matter how many times someone told her that none of this was her fault. She would still blame herself, for everything that had ever happened to them.

Time froze as Rin watched the two paramedics work on Sesshomaru. One of the men checked Sesshomaru's pupils, while the other checked his pulse. The young man checking Sesshomaru's pupils then spoke his name.

“Sesshomaru, Sesshomaru, can you hear me? Everything is going to be all right.”

Without any warning, Rin's world started to spin suddenly. Unable to catch herself she started to go backwards. At the sound of jiggling bells, InuYasha turned his head to look in Rin's direction, only to see that she had fainted and was falling toward the ground; moving as quick as he could, InuYasha was there to catch her.

“Hey, Rin, are you okay? Rin, are you all right? Dad!”

Hearing his youngest son yell for him, Toga turned to find InuYasha holding an unconscious Rin in his arms.

“InuYasha, what happened?”

“I don't know, she just fainted.”

Knowing that Sesshomaru was now strapped safely to a grunge, he then hurried to InuYasha's side to help him with Rin.

“Rin, can you hear me; Rin, sweetheart, wake up?”

Some where in the dark abyss, Rin could hear the voice of Sesshomaru's father calling out to her. Every once and a while she could hear InuYasha's voice following Toga's.

A soft moan came from Rin as her eyes fluttered open.

“What happened?”

“What happened, you fainted that's what. If I hadn't been able to catch you, we'd be taking two the hospital too.”

“InuYasha, that is quite enough. I think she has had enough happen to her this evening.”

At hearing Toga's words, her eyes scanned the room that they were in.

“Where's Sesshomaru? Is he all right?”

Toga's eyes grew sad and soft as he looked at Rin.

“He's on his way to the hospital as we speak. I'm sure he's fine. The question is are you all right?

Without another word, Rin started to stand as she spoke.

“I'm fine, really, I'm just a little over whelmed with everything that has happened. Really I'm fine. I think we really should get to the hospital.”

She then hurried to go and change her clothes.

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In record time, Rin had managed to beat the Tenseiga family to the hospital. She covered her mouth as a sudden cough overcame her. Once it was over, Rin walked up to the front desk, to ask about Sesshomaru.

Once learning that Sesshomaru had been once again rushed into an emergency surgery, a cold fear sweep over her heart, all these feelings felt so familiar, yet this cold fear she was feeling felt stronger this time. She was so deep in thought she didn't even notice that some one was saying her name until she felt a warm hand touch her shoulder causing her to jump.

“Hey, Rin, long time no see, right?”

Rin turned to find a pair of blue gray pools looking down at her. The man's long black hair was braided down to just above the middle of his back. It took Rin a few minutes to register who it was sitting beside her.

“Oh hi, you're Bankotsu, aren't you?”

He just continued to grin at her.

“I'm surprised, I hadn't expected you to remember my name.”

This time it was Rin who smiled as a small giggle came from inside of her.

“Well, I'm not perfect but I do alright when it comes to people's names. So what brings you here to Midoriko General?”

Bankotsu just grinned as he answered her.

“Well, I'm here working on my internship, I'm doing a little nursing on the side.”

“Wow, when Sesshomaru told me you were working on getting your doctorate, I didn't believe him at first.”

“I know, it's a little far out there, isn't it? What can I say, the human body fascinates me.”

Rin looked him over with her cinnamon orbs, as she asked,

“So have you decided what your doctorate is going to be in?”

Bankotsu just nodded as he answered her question.

“Yeah, I have an O.B.G.Y.N. I just liked the idea of helping new life come into the world.”

Before Rin even got a chance to say anything, Bankotsu placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Don't worry so much about him, Sesshomaru will be fine. This is only a bump in the road. The two of you will make it through.”

Rin did her best to smile as she tried to hold back another cough; it was the fifth one today.

“Are you all right, Rin?”

“I'm fine…Bankotsu…it's just a cough.”

However, before she could say anything else, a cough worse than before came, causing her world to spin around her once more.

“Rin!”

Bankotsu reached out to catch her as her head bumped the wooden arm of one of the waiting room chairs.

“I need some help in here!”

One of the nurses that were on call with Bankotsu hurried into the waiting room, pulling a grunge behind her.

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Izayoi was beside herself as she got off the phone with her husband. Seeing that the atmosphere had changed, Hiten cleared his throat as he spoke.

“Mrs. Tenseiga, if you need anything just let us know. Come on, Souten, Kari, we should go.

“No, wait, Hiten, please stay, dear, there are so many things that need to be cancelled. I don't think I'll ever get it all done by myself. This was supposed to be a holiday to remember but now.”

Kari gave Izayoi a soft smile as she took her hand.

“Don't think like that, Mrs. Tenseiga, everything will be fine.

A tear slowly slide from one of Izayoi's violet eyes.

“You know, Kari, you're right. I'm not doing anybody any good sitting here and crying. So let's get to work, I want to be there to give Toga my support.”

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The snow clouds still blanketed the sky as Christmas morning came. Toga Tenseiga was sitting in the waiting room with his wife and InuYasha. Toga had decided that it was best for their daughter Toki, to stay with his sister Taka. Last night had been a night that he would never forget, first there had been Sesshomaru over excursing himself, then upon arriving he and InuYasha had learned that Rin had been hospitalized due to another fainting and coughing spell.

He was startled awake as someone spoke to him softly to him.

“Mr. Tenseiga, we have news on your son Sesshomaru.”

At hearing this, Toga quickly opened his honey brown orbs to find Dr. Jiro looking down on him.

“You have news on my son. How is he?”

“Well, he made it through the surgery alright. There was some scar tissue building up on the plates surrounding his spinal column. It was a very complicated process but in doing so we were also able to repair some more of the nerve damage caused by the accident.”

“We have already seen some results that he can feel touch sensations on the bottoms of his feet. As for total repair, I can only tell you what was said before: only time can tell. I just hope he will take it more slowly.”

Toga nodded a thank you to Dr. Jiro as he asked,

“When may we see him?”

“In a little while, for now, I will go and find some one who can update you on your daughter-in-law's condition. I wish I could wish you happy holidays, but right now it would seem a little out of place.”

Toga placed a firm hand on the doctor's shoulder.

“Thank you, doctor, for everything you have done.”

Dr. Jiro just nodded as he turned and walked away to find information on his friend's daughter.

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Being the intern really sucked some times, but seeing that he was in charge of Rin's care; until Dr. Sasa Rei arrived to help Bankotsu with his female patient. There was fluid building up in her lungs, but what had baffled him the most was the sudden spike in Rin's temperature.

“Where are those blood tests I ordered?”

One of the nurses turned to speak to him as he worked on making sure Rin was stabilized.

“They should be on their way as we speak, doctor.”

Bankotsu was about to tell her that he was almost a doctor, but he decided not to worry with it now. As a gasp came from Rin he placed an oxygen mask over her mouth. Just then Dr. Rei came through the double doors of the ER, a file folder clutched in her hand.

“Dr. Shichin, it looks like you're about to have your first patient. Ms. Tenseiga is expecting. On the other side, she has a strong infection in her lungs. The thing is it's a strain of pneumonia that I've never seen.”

“The one thing that I can't understand is why she never said anything about it.”

Bankotsu knew the answer to the doctor's question. The thing was that he wasn't sure of how he was going to explain it to her. Rin had a lot on her plate over the last couple of months; letting Rin believe that her cough was just that of a simple cold and nothing more.

“We can't really dwell on why she let this go. What we need to do is get her stabilized, after all we have two lives that we're responsible for now.”

All along I was searching for my Lenore,

Just as it says in that poem, but nevermore

The Raven has come to bother me at home

Bankotsu's eyes widened as he caught the sight of tears escaping from Rin's closed lids. Was she in more pain; was it just one of those uncontrollable responses from the human body when it is in trouble? His mind then reminded him that Sesshomaru was some where in this hospital injured as well.

I'm calling you back,

Calling you back home to me.

But you are gone and then I remember

The Raven calls Nevermore…

This I know is wrong because two hearts

Never felt as right, as our

Two hearts do together.

To Be Continued………

(A/N: I know it's been a long time, I do hope you enjoyed it. Yes my plot has twisted some since the last time I worked on this story. However the way I plan on ending is still the same. There is at least I think ten chapters more before this story comes to a close. I then plan on working more on Darkness Inside, which is the side story to From Ice to Sunshine.

I plan on doing a lot of revising on all of the chapters of Darkness Inside that I have already posted. I would also like to say I'd planned on this chapter being a little long, however it was not meant to be.)

Next Time,

Chapter 17: Turn Tears into Courage

Ja ne!

TaintedDarkInuShemeeko