AN-Okay, you may have noticed I recently posted, then deleted a Rin/Sess story...I posted it but then I thought about it and it just didn't work - What was in my head wasn't what was on the screen. So I changed a lot of things around and came up with this. So tell me what you think pretty please! PS I don't own InuYasha, though you probably already know that.

Plot Summary: Rin is bored, her parents are pushing her in a direction she doesn't want to go and then there's the creepy maths teacher. But she finds escape in the form of one cold, deadly demon lord - only to be dragged into his deadly sibling rivalry.

Something Else
Chapter 1 - Missing

The day seemed to drag on and on. Rin stared at the cheap plastic clock at the front of the class, willing it to move faster. It wasn't working. Outside a light sheet of rain was falling, making everything seem grey and assisting her melancholy mood. The torrential downpour of the last few days seemed to be easing off. Absently she wondered if it would get better - or at the very least stay the same - long enough for her to walk the twenty-minute route home. She wasn't entirely keen on the idea of getting drenched…again.

A sharp reprimand from the balding, owlish maths teacher reminded her she had work to do. She skimmed briefly through the page of algebraic equations and tried to muddle through some of the easier ones. Finding even the simplest questions hard she sighed desperately, remembering the parents she had who expected her to be an intelligent, well educated woman with a high -paying job. Being the daughter of those parents however, had also taught her that high-pay meant high-stress. Rin being a slacker at heart, didn't want that and she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to go to college anyway.

Rin was fairly sure of the life she did want. The independence-seeking, sixteen year old feminist that she was, wanted nothing more than to be a stay at home mother with a ruggedly handsome husband. If it were to happen in an exotic country away from her parents, all the better. She had spent so many hours living with her fantasy family that she'd perfected every detail.

Her husband was muscular and tall without being bulky. He was in fact, quite lean. He'd dark, unruly hair and dark eyes that glittered with emotion just for her. He had an intelligent sense of humour and was a loving father and husband. Together they had three children. Her girl was gorgeous, with her large doe eyes and the sweet ringlets that framed her pixie-like face. She was witty, creative and was a brilliant writer. Her oldest boy was the musician and he idolised the old rock groups. He never seemed to stop growing and so he was very tall, while his hair always covered most of his face but he liked it that way. Her youngest was the spitting image of his father, only he hated to have his hair like his father and brother did. He kept it relatively short so it wouldn't get in the way while he worked on the different projects he had going - like pulling apart radios so he could study exactly how they worked and make his own.

Except there was something unattainable about her dream. She believed that she had a very little chance of actually finding her perfect man, or ever escaping the controlling grip of her parents. Some days she felt like she was a monkey in a zoo, who was being forced to learn how to eat with a knife and fork. In other words, trapped and forced to act against her nature.

Her school work was forgotten as she stared out the window. "Rin, now how much work have you done?" Mr. Crowley leaned over her shoulder inspecting her mostly blank workbook. She edged away from him uneasily, he was far too close for her liking. "Not much at all, is this." He said tapping her book with a fat wrinkly finger. "So unless-" Whatever else he said was drowned out by the bell and the clamour of students eager to get home. She herself picked up her belongings and rushed out in the middle of Mr. Crowley's sentence, having no intention of staying a moment longer. She jammed all her things in her locker in favour of a long, black, hooded raincoat. Then, wading through the sea of boisterous teens she sought out her best friend. Catching Kagome by the arm, she dragged her out of the school building without so much as a hello.

"Did you have Mr. Crowley last period?" Kagome asked sympathetically. It was a well known fact amongst the female population that Mr. Crowley was a slimy pervert. However no-one had been able to come up with enough proof to condemn him. "Yes."
"I could tell. You're always grouchy after his classes."

"That's because he's always finding excuses to invade my very personal space." Kagome laughed. "Sure, because he's singled you out from the thousands of girls here." Rin frowned at the lack of support. "He has! I swear it! He's plotting something I can tell." Kagome smiled and hooked her arm through Rin's as they walked home. "Of course. Anyway on to more exciting news, Hojo remembered my birthday! He asked me out to a birthday dinner this Saturday."

"Oooh, Kagome and Hojo sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Rin teased. "You are so immature sometimes." Kagome retorted. "But you love me for it." Rin thought of something. "Hey! Saturday I'm staying the night at your house!"

"I know, so that's why I rescheduled. I'm not putting pretty boys ahead of you so don't worry." Rin and Kagome stopped in front of the long driveway leading to Kagome's house. "See you Saturday then, Happy Birthday Kagome!" Rin waved and continued home, settling back into her earlier depressed mood without Kagome to keep her distracted.

She unlocked the ornate, front door and punched in the code for the security system. The walk home had left her freezing and slightly damp so she went to defrost in front of the gas fireplace. She thought with dread, about the book report she was supposed to be doing. Groaning she left the warm living room for her bedroom, turning heaters on as she went. She changed out of her school uniform for a pair of dark-wash jeans and a woollen sweater before settling down at her desk. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the sketch she had begun yesterday. Deciding she still had plenty of time for the report she picked up her sketchbook and a pencil, contentedly continuing the drawing.

That night during dinner the phone rang. Getting up from her seat, Rin heard her mother mutter something about telemarketers under her breath. "Rin? Mrs. Higurashi wants to speak with you." Rin wiped her hands on a napkin before taking the phone from her mother. "Hello Mrs. Higurashi."

"Rin dear, is Kagome with you?"

"No, is something wrong?"

"Well, I'm not sure yet, but Kagome never came home from school today. I know what she's like and she probably just forgot to call but I do get worried." Rin frowned.

"What do you mean she never came home? I walked home with her today, I left her right outside your house."

"Oh dear. This isn't right, I was at home all day today, and I never saw her." Rin could hear a note of panic rise in Mrs. Higurashi's voice. "Well, I'll call around see if anyone's seen her."

"Thank-you dear, I appreciate it."

"I'll call you back later okay? And don't worry, she's no pushover I'm sure it's like you said, she just forgot to call."

"I hope so. Thank-you Rin." Rin hung up and looked at the expectant faces of her parents. "Kagome's disappeared?" her mother asked worriedly. Her father put a calming hand on her mother's arm. "It's likely she's just run off to meet some boy, that girl was always rather flighty-" Rin cut him off angrily. "Dad! Kagome is not like that! She's missing and all you can do is insult her?" She stormed away from the dinner table, "I have to make some calls."

Rin must have rung about a dozen people, and no-one had seen Kagome. Frustrated and scared for the girl who was like a sister to her, she logged onto her computer to see if Hojo was online. She didn't have his phone number, but she'd talked to him occasionally over the internet, thanks to Kagome. Personally Rin wasn't sure what Kagome saw in him, he was rather dense and boring in her own opinion. Thankfully he was on, but a few messages later revealed that he had no clue about Kagome's whereabouts either.

Giving up on her contacts, she walked over to the Higurashi house, to see if maybe she could do something else to help. She rung the doorbell and the door flew open. Sota's expression fell. "Oh, it's you."

"Hey, don't look so glad to see me," Rin half-heartedly joked with a strained smile. "Heard anything about sis?" he asked hopefully. "I'm sorry, I just came to see if there was anything else I could do." Sota shrugged. "Ma called the police before but they said they had to wait twenty-four hours. She's half in shock I think." Rin nodded and followed Sota into the kitchen where his mother sat slumped at the small wooden kitchen table.

"I'm sorry, no-one I talked to has seen her." Mrs. Higurashi nodded, her face pale and drawn with worry. "Oh, Rin, I'm so scared for her, she's been gone hours. She's never been gone this long before." Rin made a sympathetic noise -not knowing what to say- and set about the kitchen making a pot of tea.

"Drink," she ordered the older woman. Rin stared out the kitchen window into the back-yard. It was a small lawn with a flower bed and a vegetable garden. A thick row of trees and bush lined the back where it, like her own house, bordered the natural reserve. She stared at it a while, half -formed thoughts floating about her mind. Then she spotted something, a dark lump in the corner of the garden that may have been a school bag. "Mrs. Higurashi, have you found any of Kagome's things?"

"No, why?" Rin motioned her over to the window. "Do you see that? Over in the corner." Mrs. Higurashi frowned. "No I can't see anything, it's so dark." So Rin's sharp eyes had found something Kagome's mother hadn't. "I think it's Kagome's bag. Do you have a torch? I'm going to look around the forest a bit." Mrs. Higurashi gasped in horror. "Rin! I'll call my neighbour, I'm not letting you out there by yourself at this time of night, you just sit down, you've done enough already." Rin frowned. "Well at least let me make sure it's really Kagome's bag first, otherwise he'll come over for nothing." Mrs. Higurashi bit her lip worriedly, but then consented.

Outside the rain was pouring down and the wind howled. Wrapped in her raincoat Rin shivered in the cold. She held the heavy metal torch high and made her way to where she saw the lump. The torch revealed that it was indeed Kagome's bright yellow bag. She lifted it up and shone the torchlight on it so Mrs. Higurashi and Sota, watching from the kitchen window would know to call the neighbour.

She put the drenched bag down and made her way into the thick, forest growth, permission be dammed.

Once she was under cover of the trees the rain had lessened. It was still enough for Rin to get completely soaked but regardless she threw off her hood so her vision wouldn't be impaired. "Kagome?" There was an ominous sound of something cracking, like a tree branch. Putting it down to the wind she went deeper into the forest. She walked along the path she and Kagome had often taken during the summer, when they would visit the small river they both loved hanging around. One day they'd found that if they followed the river upstream they would end up behind Rin's house. Rin also remembered that there was a little abandoned hut a little from the river. Maybe Kagome was there. The closer she got to the river the more frightened she got. There was another loud crack. Something screamed and Rin couldn't be sure whether it was real, the wind or her own imagination. "Kagome?" she yelled hoping to find her friend soon.

The trees thinned and Rin was standing on the steep river bank. "Kagome?" She shone her torch around. "Kagome?" This time to her immense relief she heard an answer. "Rin?"

"Kagome? That you? Where are you? I'm coming to get you!"

"I'm over here! Rin! I'm here!" Rin swung her torch in the direction of Kagome's voice. She wa leaning against an old fallen tree trunk, clutching her side. Kagome was covered in blood. "Oh god, Kagome you're hurt! What happened?"

"Later, let's just get out of here. I am so glad to see you." Kagome muttered. Rin looked at Kagome. She needed medical attention. Supporting most of Kagome's weight, she helped her friend best she could up the bank.

"What happened?"

"Dog, chasing Buyo, went to make sure he didn't get hurt. I fell down the bank and opened up my side. I think I must have blacked out, next thing I know you were calling me." Kagome gasped in pain as she stumbled over a tree root. Three very bright lights could be seen up ahead. Kagome froze. "What do you think that is?" Kagome asked, sounding slightly hysterical. Rin looked at her friend curiously, it was almost like something had seriously spooked her. "Torch lights?" Rin suggested, "Hey guys? Over here!"

"Don't call out unless you know for sure!" Kagome hissed. "I'm sure." She said before yelling out again. "I found her! Kagome's hurt but I've got her!" Three men Rin knew as neighbours of the Higurashi's came forward. "Told you so."

Kagome collapsed and Rin dropped her torch trying to keep her upright. "I'll take her." The tallest of the men picked up Kagome while another helped Rin find the torch she'd dropped. Mrs. Higurashi was in full panic mode. "Don't worry Noriko, we've got the girls." Mrs. Higurashi screamed when she saw Kagome. Rin made it to the phone so she could call the ambulance. "Oh god! My baby, ambulance, we need an ambulance!" Rin waved the phone in the frantic woman's direction. "Already done."

Several phone calls to her parents later, she sat in the waiting room with Kagome's very stressed mother. Digging a few dollars out of her pocket Rin produced a soothing hot chocolate for her. "Robert said you were the one who found Kagome, did she say what happened?"

"Umm, yeah there was a dog, a stray dog or something chasing Buyo into the forest I think and she was worried that Buyo would get hurt so she chased after them and then she fell, and she got cut and she…thinks she blacked out then." Mrs. Higurashi nodded, "But she was awake when you found her, right?"

"Oh, yeah, but she seemed really distressed." Mrs. Higurashi took a long sip of her drink. "I can't thank-you enough for tonight, but really, you shouldn't have gone into the forest yourself."

"Kagome might've bled to death by then," Rin said angrily and immediately whished she hadn't. Mrs. Higurashi choked back a sob, recognising the truth in Rin's words.

The doctor came towards them. "Well Kagome had a large gash in her side, but we've cleaned that out and stitched it up so I'm confident that as long as it's kept clean it will heal well. She has suffered a lot of blood loss and also seems to be suffering a concussion from a blow to the head, so we'll be keeping her here tonight. Other than that she has a few minor scrapes and bruises but nothing serious." The doctor continued. "Could you tell me what happened?" Mrs. Higurashi seemed unable to answer so she Rin repeated what Kagome had said. "Can we see her?" Rin asked. "Yes, though she may be a little groggy from the anaesthetic we used." Rin offered her arm to Mrs. Higurashi, who shook her head. "Give me a moment to collect myself dear, you go on and see her." Rin did so.

Kagome was lying in bed and staring at the ceiling. "Hey," Rin called softly. Kagome flashed Rin a weak smile. "Hey to you too." Kagome was usually so strong that it felt a little surreal to see her so pale, tired and hooked up to different machines. "It was really stupid of you to run after Buyo."

"I know."

"He's a cat, they're supposed to run circles around meanie dogs." Rin, against her better judgement was getting really angry with her friend.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You better be, everyone was so worried about you."

"I know, but you found me, thank-you." Rin softened at that. "Hey, what are best friends for?"