WACHA! HERE YOU GO! THE LATEST INSTALLMENT! I would've had this up sooner, but FF. net was being evil…so yeah…<__>

Disclaimer: MUKASHI, MUKASHI there lived a poor little girl who DIDN'T OWN INUYASHA! …But that was a long time ago…MUAAHAHAHAHA

…

Ok, it still applies…

------------------------------------------------------

"HAAAAAAAAAAPPY Birthday TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO YOUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

"And many moooooooore!" Kohaku added in, winking at his younger sister.

Rin tried hard to keep a smile on her face as she cut the pizza into slices and served everyone their dinner. They had sung that song at least five times since she had sat down and it was starting to bother her. She was sure that Sesshoumaru would've done something to make them stop, if he was here…her eyes wandered to the empty spot across from her and a sudden look of sadness rushed over her. She quickly shook it away before she thought anyone would have noticed, but Sango and Kohaku saw and looked at each other knowingly.

"Rin, do you think you could help me with something really quick?" Sango asked scooting back in her chair and walking through the hallway to the stairs, glancing behind to make sure Rin was following. The walked quietly to Sango's room, neither saying anything. Sango opened her door and motioned for Rin to sit on her bed. Sango watched her lovingly, a gentle smile caressing her face. She sat down next to Rin, taking her small hand in hers.

"You know, I remember when you were only a little girl. You were the happiest little thing I'd ever seen. I was so proud to show you off to all my friends, and I wouldn't let anyone come close to you; I wanted you by my side 24/7. Do you remember that time when the neighbors' dogs got to you? Kohaku and I were practically beating them to death for what they did." She smiled fondly at the memory.

"I got a little older, and makeup and parties became my life, and I assumed that Kohaku would take over the older sibling position. Never in the world would I have thought that Sesshoumaru would become your new guardian." She paused and tightened her grip on her sister's hand when she felt her stiffen at the mention of Sesshoumaru.

"At first I was against the whole thing, I didn't think he was going to be a good influence on you. But his distant nature didn't seem to take a toll at all; you didn't even seem to notice it! So I gave in, finally deciding that he wouldn't do you any harm. Rin, he cared-cares about you so much. There were countless times that he saved your little butt, he was there when you lost your first tooth…those little things when I was too busy with other stuff to even care…" the older girl gazed wistfully at the door, remorse heavy in her voice.  She cleared her throat,

"The point is, Rin, Sesshoumaru still cares. I'll bet he really wanted to come tonight too." She held a hand up as Rin tried to argue. "Ah-ah-ah, I'm serious. Even Haku can see the way he looks at you, and he's about as thick as a brick." Rin giggled and laid her head on Sango's shoulder. Sango closed her eyes and laid her own head on top of the younger girl's, pleased to have made her feel even a little bit better.

"You know what, Aneue?"

"Hm?"

"I'm gonna make Sesshoumaru-sama like me again. He's not gonna have any choice in the matter, either." Sango lifted her head to look at Rin, grinning widely. Rin turned to face her and they both started to laugh.

"Now, that's the little sister I know!"

--------------------------------------------------------- ----------

As soon as he heard the door upstairs close, Kohaku raced to the phone. 'There are some things that need to be…dealt with.' He thought angrily, practically destroying the phone with the force of his button pressing. He waited impatiently as the line rang, until finally a familiar voice picked up on the other end.

"Sesshoumaru Nish--"

"Where the fuck are you?!"

"Excuse me? Who, might I ask, is calling?"

"Don't play dumb, Sess, you have Caller ID. You know damn well what I'm talking about."

"…"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Come on, man! What the hell is your problem?! Is it so hard to just come to a little fourteen year old's birthday party?! She was really looking forward to seeing you!"

"I had other plans tonight."

"Bullshit. If you had plans, you wouldn't be home right now."

"I was just on my way out."

"Dude, what's your problem? Do you enjoy making my sister cry?"

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment. "I have to go. Tell her I-tell her I wish her a happy birthday."

"…That's it?"

"Yes."

Kohaku sighed and leaned against his wall, "if you continue to deny her, it'll only come back to haunt you. Ja." He slammed the phone on the hook furiously, moving to sit on his bed with his hands covering his face. He was so caught up in his fury that he barely heard the light footsteps of his girlfriend as she walked in and sat down next to him.

"Kare ha onaji madate aru ka?" she asked quietly holding him to her gently. He nodded and pulled her into his arms. She sighed, knowing how much it pained him to see two people who he cared about so deeply in so much pain.

"Demo, ato dorekurai?" she mumbled against his chest. He breathed in deeply,

"Shiranai…"

--------------------------------------------------------- ---

Sesshoumaru stared at the phone for a long time, pondering his friend's words. 'Deny her? What was he thinking? I simply have other plans tonight…that's all.'  He finally decided that Kohaku was just angry and didn't know what he was talking about. Seemingly pleased with his justification he headed off to find Kagura. She said that she needed to talk to him about something important, and to come over as soon as he could. Usually he wouldn't have bothered, but it did prove to be a good distraction. He walked over to her dorm room and was about to knock on her door, when he heard voices coming from inside.

"Naraku! I told you, NO! Yamate!" a woman's voice shouted. Sesshoumaru immediately identified it as Kagura's. Straining his ears he could just barely make out a low chuckle and growled. 'Naraku.'

"I'm afraid that 'no' is not the correct answer I was looking for, my free willed friend. Now, do as I say and this will go very quickly."

Sesshoumaru quickly grasped the door handle, cursing under his breath when he found it to be locked. Searching his pockets desperately, he found a small pen and used it to expertly pick the lock on the door. Kagura's cries were becoming louder and she was nearly screaming by the time he got the door open. He flung open the door and flipped the lights on, finding the couple in a rather…compromising position. (It's only rated PG-13, and I'm already pushing it with all the cussing…^^;) Naraku grinned his malicious grin before sliding himself off of the frightened girl.

"Hello, Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru nearly flinched; Naraku had a way of saying his name in a way that made it sound so…dirty. "It is a pleasure to see you again. I must take my leave now, but I hope to be seeing you both again very soon."

The silver-haired man narrowed his eyes fiercely and glared at Naraku's retreating figure, before turning his attention to the now composed red-eyed woman on the couch.

"Was this what was 'so important'?" he asked coldly.

She glared at him before standing and making her way to the window, gazing out at the dark, bleak night. A few clouds were evident, but otherwise the night was clear. If not for the glow of the city lights, Kagura was sure that she could see stars. She let out a deep breath, trying to erase the previous events and get on with it. "No, I wasn't planning on being raped, thank you very much." She said sarcastically, not taking her eyes off the window.

"Say what you need quickly and let me leave." He growled impatiently.

"You may want to stay and hear everything I have to say."

"Give me one good reason why I should." Kagura turned back to look at Sesshoumaru, her face solemn.

"It concerns Kohaku's sister."

Sesshoumaru's eyes went wide.

'Rin.'

---------------------------------------------------------

Rin fiddled nervously with her sweater glancing every once and a while to the irate man next to her. 'Everything was going so smooth! Why did that lady have to ruin it?! And what in the world was she doing anyways?!'  Finally getting up the nerve, Rin took a deep breath,

"Sessho--"

"Rin, have you ever heard of Inuyoukai Press?"

She looked at him puzzled, "yes…I think so, isn't that a--"

"Tabloid, yes. And then there is Kumoyoukai. You know of them?"

Rin thought for a little bit before remembering something she had read a few months beforehand, "oh yeah! Now I remember! There was an article in the paper on them. Apparently the two people in charge were in a big fight or something, and they started threatening each other and things got really messy and stuff. And then I think the dog one posted a cover story on the boss guy of the spider one and got him into a lot of trouble. Right?"

Sesshoumaru nodded. "Now, do you remember the names of either of the 'boss guys'?" Rin shook her head and he continued, "The owner of Kumoyoukai is a man named Naraku. And the owner of Inuyoukai is called Sesshoumaru." Rin's eyes nearly bulged out of her head in surprise. 'Her Sesshoumaru-sama was the owner of a huge tabloid company? A tabloid?! Why the hell would he own a tabloid?!'

"When I was in college I had a…a friend, that was in a big mess with Naraku. I wouldn't usually care, but I didn't like Naraku much myself, and so I decided to help her." Sesshoumaru carefully edited out the part that concerned Rin, deciding that now was not the time to worry her over such things.

"When I got out of college, I decided to start a tabloid business, so that I could hire the girl to work for me. That way she would be out of Naraku's grip. But she did something stupid, and he refused to give her up. It was stupid of me to even think I could help her. I don't know why I did…" Rin looked at him worriedly before turning to stare straight out of the windshield, quietly lacing their fingers together. Sesshoumaru was almost surprised by this, gave her hand a quick squeeze and continued.

"I talked to her a little bit these past years, gathering information about Naraku to use. I put an article about his…'love life' in my magazine and he's been pissed at me since. The last time I saw her, she was at Miroku's wedding--"

"Oh! She was that girl with the bun that was talking to you!" Rin blurted out, covering her mouth when she realized what she had just said. 'Smooth one, Rin. Very smooth.' Sesshoumaru lifted a critical brow at her, but chose not to ask.

"Yes, that sounds like Kagura…she wanted me to get her out of her latest jam…but I refused her…I can't keep bailing her out. But…there has to be something else…something she's not telling me." Rin nodded, "and today…I don't know Rin, but this is bad. I can't explain everything, but just--" he looked nervously over to the small girl next to him, "we're going to have to go on a little bit of a-a road trip." He waited for her to say something, to ask him why, to tell him off, but he wasn't prepared for what she said next,

"I trust you, Sesshoumaru-sama. If you want me to go with you, I will." She bowed her head into her chest and looked at her lap. Sesshoumaru couldn't help but crack a small smile at her. She was so innocent…how could he get her mixed up into all of this?! He squeezed her hand again as they pulled into her driveway. She unbuckled herself and started to get out, turning back to place a quick kiss on his cheek, blushing furiously.

"Eto, Sesshoumaru-sama? What exactly do you mean by 'road trip'?" she asked, leaning over the open passenger's window.

He sighed, "Rin…I think it's best if I explained it tomorrow morning…it may take some time." She nodded and Sesshoumaru watched in fascination as she started to walk to her door before stopping suddenly and jogging back to the car.

"Ano, Sesshoumaru-sama? Doko de konya nemutteiru ka?" she asked through the window.

He shook his head and shrugged, "Shiranai…probably just a hotel or something." She gave him a disapproving look.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, I won't let you stay at some hotel. You can stay in Kohaku's room. And no buts about it." She added as he opened his mouth to speak. She turned and beckoned for him to follow, heading back into her house.

'She's not a child any more, Sesshoumaru. Even you can't deny that any longer.' He thought to himself as he followed her inside.

--------------------------------------------------------- ----------------

VOILA!!! IT IS DONE!!!! AND WE ARE STARTING TO GET A PLOT! WHOOSH! EVERYONE BE HAPPY!!! *Ducks the random objects being thrown at her* aah! Hey now, I did update. NOT ONLY THAT but I am also about half way through the next chappy for I'm Sorry… YOU ALL THOUGHT I HAD DROPPED IT DIDN'T YOU!? Well, I didn't! I was just stuck. Very badly. And now I think I might know what to do! Whoosh! Anyways, my excuses this time are 1. Personal reasons (regarding my moms boyfriend…*shudders*) and 2. I'M SO TAKING DRIVERS ED!!! ROFLMAO! BEWARE! WAHAHAHAHA!

::::::::VOCAB::::::::

Aneue: Older sister

Kare ha onaji madate aru ka: Is he still the same?

Demo, ato dorekurai: But, for how much longer?

Shiranai: I don't know (I do know what it means, it just means "I don't know")

Eto/ano: umm/er/that is

Doko de konya nemutteiru ka: Where are you sleeping tonight?

Yamate: stop

THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY REVIEWERS! I LOVE YOU ALL!

New Fan: Maybe, not really, and I think I might now…lol

Animegirl007: I hope this helped explain things a bit, ne? ^^; thank you very much!

Athar-Luna: Mweee! I did! Thank you! Reminds me, I should get working on Ten Things I Learned In Italy again… ;-; so much to do….lol I am very glad you liked it. I love your reviews…*glomps* lol…sorry… SAS: scary authoress syndrome, it's somewhat contagious…lol

Sammyosa92: lol, pizza…mmm…yes, pizza again…always pizza…you'd think they'd get sick of it, ne? *Shrugs* oh well…

Lynn-Minmay: yeah, Kagura…hm…she's one of my favorite characters actually ^^; lol, but there is more to her story than I'm telling ya now…^_~ you'll just have to wait to find out. Hehe! But yes, I did sorta vilify her, didn't I? AND THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT AGAIN! It is greatly appreciated ^^; lol

KaworuSaiai: thanks! Yeah, I get tired of stories just every once and a while saying "baka" or "hentai". Might as well educate ya a little, lol. As for action, there will obviously be some of that in the future…lol! But, I'll keep it clean…it's rated PG-13 after all.

BIG THANKS ALSO TO Youkaigirl99, aphrodite24goddess, SakuyaTsuki, Gohansfav1, and A.K.