I just wanted to add in a little info that isn't included in this story but is in this FanFiction's universe. In the story Rin is 19 years old meaning it has been 8 years since the end of the anime. Although she appears younger Inume is 3 years old (ages slower than normal babies) meaning that it was five years later that Kagome got pregnant with Inume. In my opinion 3 years with a kid and 5 years with a wife made Inuyasha mature a little bit. So, although he's still hot-headed, Inuyasha is a little bit more mature in this story. You'll see ;p. Also, he's a lot more humble.

So, anyways, this is a REALLY long chapter. Now that I have the rest of the story planned out and not just sitting there I can finally get started on my story. Sorry if the transition from little to big chapter is weird, but I promise the next one will be just about as big.

Inuyasha

For the first time after I had come into possession of it Tessaiga's hilt felt odd in my hands. Then again, technically they weren't my hands, they belonged to the annoying bastard that is my older brother. Unfortunately, I was stuck in this dumbass's body and as it stood there wasn't a way to get outta that one. I flipped Tessaiga over in my hand one more time in an attempt to adapt to the way it felt; no success. It'd be easier if that damn Sesshomaru didn't have the girliest fucking hands in the universe.

"Perhaps instead of wasting what little amount of knowledge you have inside of your brain to attempt to slander this Sesshomaru you should be paying attention to what the spirit woman is saying, fool." Sesshomaru's deadpan voice echoed within my head. I rolled my eyes.

"I wouldn't be talking, jackass. I can feel literally nothing up in your head." I mumbled back to him under my breath. When Sesshomaru said nothing in return I smirked in victory, though when the spirit doctor spoke up I jumped a bit.

"May I ask you to repeat that, Inuyasha-san?" She said in her weird, (and frankly scary) cloud, soft voice. For a second her small, happy, grey eyes seemed to turn red and a chill ran down my spine; one I couldn't suppress.

"Weak." Sesshomaru drawled.

"Will you just shut up?" I snapped back at him.

"I fail to see just what I have said that had offended you, Master Inuyasha." She said again with the marshmallow voice.

"Yeah Inuyasha, why are you being so rude?" Rin asked from across the dinning hall as she rubbed her still invisible baby bump with one hand and held a sleeping Inume in the other. My face got warm as I realized that the spirit woman had taken what I had said as directed towards her. I scratched the back of my head nervously as I bowed a little in apology.

"Fool." Sesshomaru piped in.

"Oh . . . uh, sorry, I was talking to Sesshomaru." I said quickly, trying very hard to not respond to Sesshomaru's words. The extremely murderous aura about her seemed to dissipate slightly as I apologized, but it bothered me that it still remained. I reminded myself to avoid this woman at all costs while she stayed at the castle.

"I will except your apology, Master Inuyasha," she said creepily, "on the occasion that you cease getting lost in your mind and pay attention to my words. They may get you out of this predicament with milord."

"Yes, please do, seeing as how when you don't pay attention I cannot either." Sesshomaru added. I ignored him and bowed my head towards the spirit doctor to let her know I was listening. She let a small smile creep onto her face as she bowed to me.

"Anyways, as I was saying-"

"Milady, all members of the council party have left the castle," I turned from the now (once again ^ ^') angered spirit doctor to the guard from earlier. He kneeled in the middle of the doorway to Rin, long black hair shadowing his face. Rin seemed slightly surprised by the man's words but after a moment she smiled gently at him and nodded.

"Yes, thank you for reporting," she acknowledged , "may I ask for your name? I do not believe I have ever learned it, and I would very much like to thank you for what you said back at the council meeting." The guard seemed slightly taken aback as he raised his head to look at Rin full on, his thick brows scrunched together as he processed what she had said. For some reason I felt the need to acknowledge this man, to acknowledge his existence and power. It was just something about his aura that was noteworthy,

"The captain of my guard, Tensoumaru. I have held off Rin and his meeting in order to keep a barrier between her and the official dog demons. It seems I've failed, although I can entrust Rin's safety to Tensoumaru; he is remarkably strong and can defend her from officials. Though, when I have the power of my body restored to me, I will make sure to execute every one of those officials." Sesshomaru spoke darkly. I frowned while staring at the slightly shaken form of the guard captain.

"But why would you do that? Keep a barrier between Rin and the officials I mean?" I whispered, low enough that no one else heard. Inside my mind Sesshomaru released a tired sigh.

"Simply to protect her," he replied wearily, "dog demons of rank tend to be extremely disinclined to acknowledge humans."

"Like you?" I deadpanned.

"I. . . hated humans at a time, yes. I still dislike them, but the dog demon officials are people of old ways. They have always believed in slaughtering humans by the thousands. I had never bothered to do anything about this until I had wed Rin. That's when I stopped them. I indivertibly caused them to hate her."

I was taken slightly aback by the words of Sesshomaru and I found myself clenching my knees as I sat.

"Was . . . Was father like that too?" I asked quietly. For a moment Sesshomaru stayed quiet, seeming to not acknowledge the question at all. "Sessho-"

"Yes. Before he met your human mother he was like that." Sesshomaru responded coldly. Something in his voice told me to drop the subject, so I did.

"I see." Was all I said. I finally turned back to the conversation that Rin was having with Tensoumaru and was surprised to find that he was already sitting down before Rin and the two were chatting it up like there was no tomorrow. In the corner the spirit doctor seemed forgotten as she released a killing aura, all the while smiling. I shuddered.

Tensoumaru

I wasn't completely bothered by the fact that the Lady Rin had forgotten that we had, in fact, met before. Though I wouldn't say it was a very memorable event so it was to be expected. It was the first night that the Lady had come to the estate. If I recall correctly she was eight in human years. It had been the middle of the night and the Lady, being a child, of course, had to use the restroom. I recall that that night I was on my shift and I had been wandering throughout the hallways on the usual route. Suddenly, I had heard a set of small pattering feet rushing down the hallways. I was immediately alert when I smelled the scent of human and I drew my blade. Most of the castle had been informed of the arrival of Lady Rin but I was sleeping in preparation of the night shift when she had arrived so I wasn't expecting a human to be in the castle. When I turned around the next corner and found the young Lady Rin standing there shaking and clutching her . . . um . . . lady parts, I was shocked. I stood there frozen with my blade in hand all the while staring at the equally shocked Lady. It was quiet for a moment as the two of us regarded each other. When, suddenly, the Lady Rin perked up and smiled at me I froze. I looked at her deep chocolate brown eyes as they were highlighted by the wall torches as she hopped up and down in an attempt to stop herself from urinating right then and there. Still smiling she looked me in the eye and said, "Excuse me, pretty man, do you know where the restroom is?" Of course I was completely taken aback by her request as I stood up strait and sheathed my sword. That's when I smelled milord Sesshomaru's scent on her. I had no idea why milord had taken in a human but I didn't question it. His father was the exact same.

So I turned on my heel and told her to follow me. She grinned and followed behind me all the while bouncing on her toes. When we reached the outhouse and she entered I began contemplating the reason as to why our lord had brought in a small human. I had thought of fetish which was completely out of the question then I had considered that she was an important lord's daughter that milord had taken prisoner. By the time the young Lady had come out of the outhouse I had come up with more than enough ideas to slander milord. Still curious, I offered milady my services as an escort back to her room. She seemed slightly bewildered for a moment then she smiled brightly and nodded. So I walked the Lady back to her bedroom all the while she asked me questions.

"How tall are you?"

"6'4'."

"What color are your eyes?"

"Blue-silver."

"Do you have a wife?"

"No."

"Why are you so pretty?"

"I do not understand that question."

"Are you prettier than milord?"

"No."

"Is milord pretty?"

". . . Milord is beautiful."

"Wow! You think so too?" She exclaimed, brining us out of our questionnaire. I turned to her, slightly bewildered as she smiled brightly at me. We stayed like that for a moment and it grew uncomfortable. Needing to break the awkward silence I cleared my throat and kneeled down to her level.

"This is milady's chamber, is it not?" I questioned, pointing to the door behind her. She stared at me wide eyed as I crouched before her, still about a head taller than her. She nodded slowly and turned to enter. She paused with the door half open and her body half through. Suddenly she spun around and rushed over to me. I didn't have enough time to react as she placed her small lips on my cheek, spun around, and ran back into her room, the door shutting quietly behind her.

"Thank you for escorting me!" she whispered loudly through the screen. I was shocked for a moment before I stood and bowed towards the screen in respect.

"The pleasure was all mine, Milady." I said back as I turned and retreated back to my post.

I remember that night like it was yesterday, which, for demon's, it technically was. I also recall being very excited to hear of the betrothal between Milord and herself. I attended the wedding, though in the background, and remember clapping harder than most at the end. That was the last time I had seen my lady up so close. Then when the problem of milord's comatose came up I caught a glimpse of her in the garden crying. Duty kept me from going to her.

When the council meeting arose and I was placed as guard to her I was both slightly excited and angered. For the council members to call a meeting during such a hard time in the main family was outrageous. Than when they slandered against the Lady I had lost all form of restraint and I found myself coming to her defense. When milord entered with the spirit of the half-demon in control of his body I was shocked. When Lady Rin remembered where the Tessaiga was and left with him I went and fetched the spirit doctor under Lady Rin's orders, as she had told me to do so before she left with milord.

Afterwards I overlooked the departure of the council as duty called, then reported to milady.

She was in what appeared to be a slightly humorous battle between the spirit doctor and milord, or just at the end of it.

"Milady, all members of the council party have left the castle," I reported. She turned away from the two other people sitting in the dinning hall to regard me. She smiled and a jolt of admiration shot through my heart. I was sure it was going to explode.

"Yes, thank you for reporting," she acknowledged, "may I ask for your name? I do not believe I have ever learned it, and I would very much like to thank you for what you said back at the council meeting." I was taken aback by her words for a moment before I gathered myself and bowed my head lower.

"My name is Tensoumaru, milady. I am the captain of the guard." I replied. She looked shocked as it seemed she realized something but then smiled largely.

"I see," she said gently, "I was never able to get your name all those years ago. I am glad I am able to now. Will you come sit with me?" While hearing her words my head shot up and I regarded her with pure shock. She had remembered me! Bowing once more I got up and made my way over to milady and sat before her. In the corner I noticed the spirit doctor radiating what could only be a killing intent. Probably from being ignored.

"I apologize for looking shocked earlier," she said softly as she stroked the hair of the slumbering child in her arms, "it wasn't because I didn't remember you, it was because I was unaware that you were the captain of the guard. I should have met you again long ago."

I was stunned slightly at the kindness and familiarity that milady used when speaking to me. I was unable to come up with any prolonged way to respond so I simply said,

"Yes. That would have been preferred." I nearly jumped when she began to giggle wildly.

"'Preferred'? You sound just like my husband!" she laughed. At the mention of milord I turned to the mute form of him on the other side of the room. He was staring at me and milady as if he was trying to decide something. When milady's laughter finally came to an end I turned away from milord back to her. Her eyes had descended back unto the baby in her arms as she began to rock it.

"Have you found a way to regain milord's soul yet, milady?" I questioned. Her head shot up towards me in horror, effectively making me regret what I had said. When instead of anger or distress she looked regretful I became bemused. She slowly turned from me to the spirit doctor in the corner.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Yuzuna-san," milady relented, "I had completely forgotten about our discussion." The spirit woman seemed to relax when the attention was returned to her, from both milady and milord who had turned as well from the other side of the room.

"No, it is quite alright, milady," she said softly though upset radiated from her, "it is common in pregnant woman to forget things." Milady Rin looked slightly displeased to hear this but apologized anyways.

"Still, I'm very sorry. I believe that you had been talking how to get Sesshomaru's soul out, yes?"

Rin

I felt terrible for ignoring Yuzuna but I completely blanked on the fact that she was still there after I became interested in the guard captain's name. I had recalled his aid when I was eight, but I simply didn't know what to call him by.

"Yes, this is very important I believe it would be wise if you listened closely, Master Inuyasha." She directed towards said person who had been drifting off again, probably talking to Sesshomaru.

When I had first heard Inuyasha say that he could hear Sesshomaru I recall being completely overjoyed, relieved, and wanting desperately to speak to him. I almost had but I refrained when I noticed the disheveled appearance of Inuyasha after I gave him back his Tessaiga. His hair was slightly messed up, his eyes were red, and even his voice was slightly hoarse. He had been crying. If it were any other situation I would've laughed at the appearance of my husband. Instead I found my lips utterly sealed.

I had decided then and there that I would refrain trying to talk to Sesshomaru too much through Inuyasha. If nothing else it probably made him feel worse about the situation with his wife, and I didn't want to make it worse. So, after the hilt of the Tessaiga left my hands and entered Inuyasha's I simply told him to tell Sesshomaru that I loved him and that I would bring him back. Inuyasha said that Sesshomaru understood and since then I hadn't prodded the matter too much.

Instead, to keep myself from taking back my promise to myself and bugging Inuyasha, I preoccupied myself with Inume. I had taken her from the nurse maid and she quickly fell asleep in my arms. Yuzuna had come in moments later and sat in the corner of the room. She was going to explain the procedure of getting Sesshomaru back, but just then Tensoumaru entered.

I retreated from my thoughts when I heard Yuzuna clear her throat, signaling the beginning of her explanation. In a show of respect, Tensoumaru stood up, prepared to leave. I was about to stop him myself but was beaten –unexpectedly- by the spirit doctor herself.

"Wait, captain of the guard," she called out, "if this plan is to go accordingly than we will need your assistance as well, as I surmise the soul of milord is indeed a complex one." Tensoumaru looked confused as he straightened up and turned to the woman full on.

"I do not see how this will affect me," Tensoumaru spoke wearily. From across the room Inuyasha, whom had been unusually quiet the entire time, perked up.

"Sesshomaru also wants to know what you mean by his soul being a "complex one"," he questioned. Weirdly enough the woman replied with a small laugh.

"It is truly ironic that just before I came to assist in this matter I had just completed a treatment similar to this one." She said quietly, almost inaudibly to herself.

"How so?" I asked, bewildered. She looked up at me and for a moment hesitated. Just as soon as she did though she resolved herself and looked me in the eye.

"The appearance of an aged woman that I have obtained now is not truly my form as I am only a thousand years old in human years." She began, "I have temporarily reverted to this older form due to over-usage of my spiritual power and to the fact that while I was bringing my patient's spirit back into his body my body aged while being separated from my spirit."

"I do not understand," Tensoumaru spoke from beside me. She smiled loosely as she stood and walked over to the dinning room table. She kneeled down in front of it as she brought forth a piece of parchment, a brush, and ink from her robes. Uncapping a jug full of water that rested on her side, she wetting the ink and stirred it with her brush. It soon turned onyx with the wet liquid and she picked it up and brought it over the parchment. With inhuman speed she flicked her brush and the previously blank parchment then had the picture of a person with a circle in their chest drawn neatly onto it. She pointed to the person.

"It requires a large amount of spiritual energy to perform what it will take to bring forth Sesshomaru's spirit and there's no telling how long we're going to be in his Soul Chamber so you'll have to be prepared to-"

"Wait a second," Inuyasha interrupted, "what do you mean by "we're"?"

"I would also like to know what this soul chamber is." Tensoumaru added in. The spirit doctor let a large sigh escape her lips as she ran a hand over her eyes.

"To put it simply, in a way you would understand, Sesshomaru has a limited time before his spirit is forcefully removed from his body-"

"What do you mean by that?" I asked hurriedly. I had just lost my husband for longer than I needed, I sure as hell wasn't letting him go again.

"What I mean by that is that Sesshomaru has been forced to enter a place called the "Soul Chamber", seeing as how a spirit has already taken up his body. Basically, the "Soul Chamber" is a place that a spirit must enter when the body has died. The spirit goes here to be stripped of its memories, consciousness, and unconsciousness in order for it to be judged in its purest form. Depending on wither or not the soul has been dirtied it can either be sent to heaven or hell. Sesshomaru isn't dead, but with another spirit in his body his spirit has no where else to go." She explained as she pointed to the circle drawn in the center of the man.

"So basically he has a limited time before he's judged?" I cut in. Yuzuna turned to me grimly and nodded.

"In order to cleanse itself of its earthly self, the spirit must pass through five gates in the Soul Chamber. First, the gate of memories. This is where the spirit looses its memories from its left life. Next, is the gate of fear, where the spirit looses its fears from its left life. Then there is the gate of feelings, where feelings are lost from the left life. After that is the gate of consciousness, then the gate of unconsciousness. Finally, at the end of the gate of unconsciousness the spirit is sent to be judged by god; either heaven or hell. Judging by the feeling I had when I retrieved Master Inuyasha, Milord should be somewhere around the gate of consciousness."

"How long does that give him before he is judged? Does he even have a time limit" I asked urgently. The doctor sighed as she rubbed the back of her neck. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at me.

"In all honestly I have no idea. I've done something like this only twice before, but for some reason milord is passing through the gates while still maintaining his spirit's mind. Usually the spirit has about seven weeks to get through the Soul Chamber, one week for the first, second, and third gate, and two weeks for the last two gates. It all depends on how many weeks milord has been trapped in there." She looked to me expectantly. I gulped down a thick lump in my throat as I counted the weeks in my head.

"He's been in that state for about five weeks," I admitted weakly. The doctor bit her lip and placed a hand to her chin.

"That means that milord has about 14 days before he is unable to come back." She said worriedly.

"How long does it normally take you to retrieve a spirit from the Soul Chamber? You said you had done it two other times, correct?" Tensoumaru asked. She seemed to be calculating something when she didn't respond for a moment but then turned to him suddenly, obviously distressed.

"The last time I did this I was gone for a month." She admitted weakly. I felt myself grow weak with the thought of Sesshomaru permanently taken away from me. Tears came to my eyes as the sudden realization that I might never see him again hit me. I was about to ask more questions when I was cut off.

"Earlier you said "we're", you intend to use our help?" All of us turned to Inuyasha as he asked his question. At first the doctor was silent, but eventually she nodded her head and spoke,

"I intended to ask the three of you to accompany me through the Soul Chamber. If you did this than there's a chance that we may still be able to retrieve milord's spirit in just enough time to bring him back."

"I will go-"

"But that still doesn't solve the problem of where his spirit will go when I pull it out, Inuyasha is still in his body." Yuzuna cut me off. Suddenly Inuyasha perked up from his spot in the group of four.

"What if you transfer my spirit to a separate, temporary, body so I can enter with the rest of you than go back to that body when we're done?" he asked. The spirit doctor seemed to consider this for a moment and nodded.

"Yes," she said, "but after we are done you will need a permanent body to house in. You can't stay in a temporary body." Inuyasha was quiet for a moment as he thought of any possible openings or loopholes to his plan. Suddenly his eyes went wide and it seemed as if he was far away from the dinning we were currently housing.

"You mean Urasue?" he asked the air. All of us remained quiet as Inuyasha undoubtedly talked with Sesshomaru. I had no idea who this "Urasue" person was, but from the sound of Inuyasha's tone it sounded as if she could solve our problem.

"No," Inuyasha said suddenly, "but her daughter, Enju, is still alive. If we can convince her to make me a clay body we'll be able to get you out and give me a body as well." Hearing this I smiled. I didn't know what they were saying to each other but the outcome looked hopeful.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said, "I'll make sure to." Suddenly, as if the he had been thrown back into the dinning hall, Inuyasha looked alive again. He turned to the spirit doctor and smirked. "If we can get one of Sesshomaru's people to go to my village and get my friend Myoga than we can find a person that can make me a body."

"How?" Yuzuna questioned.

"A person named 'Enju' knows how to make bodies that can hold dead human souls, all we have to do after we find her is figure out a temporary body that I can be transferred to before we go into Sesshomaru's Soul Chamber." Inuyasha explained.

"Yes," Tensoumaru cut in suddenly, "but if my knowledge on spirit housing is correct than you are going to need a temporary housing that is attuned to your spirit." Yuzuna nodded.

"This is true," she said sternly, "and to my knowledge there is no such body near by, is there?" Inuyasha seemed completely deflated by her words as he lowered his head to ponder further. I sat quietly with Inume in my arms as the three of them thought of any temporary housing for Inuyasha. While this happened I began to ponder back to something Sesshomaru had said to me when he first attempted to teach me how to use a sword. It was something about the spirit and, currently, it seemed as if it was direly important. I though hard on what he said and when it suddenly came to me, I gasped.

"A sword is an extension of your spirit, Rin. Treat it as if it was another limb such as your arm or leg." I heard Sesshomaru's deep voice ring.

"What is it, milady?" Tensoumaru asked when he heard me gasp, "Did you think of anything?"

"Yes!" I said happily as I realized that the likelihood of saving my husband became greater and greater. "We can use Tessaiga!"

The three of them seemed to consider this deeply and when they found no faults in this proposition they smiled.

"Rin," Inuyasha said cheekily, "your husband says you're a genius." I blushed at the praising words delivered from Sesshomaru's mouth and smiled larger as I knew I was going to be seeing him soon. "You totally are y'know?" Inuyasha added happily as he clutched his Tessaiga closer to him. For the first time in the stressing discussion, Yuzuna laughed.

"This is good," she said happily to me, "like this we'll have your husband back in his own body in no time!" I grinned back at her and giggled,

"I certainly hope so . . ." I said quietly, "I certainly hope so."