A/N: Just to let you know, Sesshomaru is seriously OCC in here. I've been experimenting with different styles of writing and thought I might try flipping him a little. You might not like it so just giving a heads up. Enjoy!

Day 1: Damsel in Distress

As another drunk bumped into him, he cursed and held in a deep animalistic growl. Just my luck… the car breaks down the day of a big match. He grunted as a man bumped into him again, tossing him to the side. The train buckled around a bend. The drunks cheered but the man gasped in pain as an elbow bumped into his side. This is pathetic.

The train slowed for the station and people buckled to move out or climb on. "Uh… ah… uee." Something was pushed into his chest and pressed hard against him. He looked down and saw a fragile woman grab hold of his shirt for support. Her eyes looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Sorry." She tried to push herself away but someone pushed her back into him. A cheer flowed over the train as it pulled away but she gasped in pain and fear, tossed around like a doll between the moving people.

The tears began to fall as she pushed back but clearly too weak and too scared to fight against it. He understood her fear. Trapped in a loud, hot, sweaty train, where they couldn't move or breath was a terrifying experience. Even for him. Letting go of the rail above him, the man grabbed hold of her, pulling her close. "Hold onto me."

She looked a little shocked at his request but grabbed hold and held tight. "Thank you."

"Where are you… going to?" He asked, grunting in the middle as someone bumped him again but managed to protect the woman from the tussle.

"Ten Shrine. The next… ah!" she gasped again as the whole train shook and people pushed against her.

"Watch it!" he shouted on her behalf he held her tight, even pushing back against some of the men.

But at last the train pulled to a stop and the doors open. The many football fans didn't want to get off but with a tight grip on her wrist, the man pulled the poor woman off the train and into the station. The man stood as the train pulled away and the station cleared. "Well… that was eventful." He looked to the woman as she bent double, panting as her hands pressed on her knees, keeping her up. He blinked. "Are you alright?"

"I… I… just… need… to get… my… breath back." She gasped once more then managed to stand up but then put her hand to her head. "Wow, I feel dizzy." She staggered over to a wall, her eyes closed as she leant on it. "Ah my head…."

"When was the last time you ate?"

She leant on the wall, eyes closed and breathing deeply. "Umm… lunch… yesterday."

She's nearly fainting. "Look, you need to eat. Keep your strength up." His hand grabbed her arm and pulled her up. "Come on, there's a newsagent just up ahead. I'll buy you a coffee."

"I'm alright."

"It wasn't a request." He almost pulled her across the station to the stairs. By then she was walking willingly but kept her eyes away from him. The coffee was bitter and cheap but warm and the sticky bun with it was the first to hit her stomach in a long time. "Umm… thank you." She swallowed a mouthful of cake and looked up at the man beside her as they sat in a park just down from the station. "Thank you… for everything."

"It was nothing." He said, not looking her in the eye. But his mind was running over things he's observed. "Where are you going? I'll escort you."

"I… I'm fine."

"No, I will escort you. So where are you going?"

"To my friend's home. It's just a few blocks away… I think."

"You… think?"

She kept her head turned away. "I haven't been here in a long time alright?"

"Humm. Which way?"

The woman stood and began walking down the path in the park. The man stood and walked beside her. She was so small, her hair was black with a slight wave in it, coming to her shoulders. She wore tired old jeans and her shoes were almost worn out. The only new thing about her was the shirt she was wearing but it appeared to be a man's shirt. And from how it hung on her, three sizes too big.

"What's your name?"

"Umm… it's… it's… its Rin."

"You sound uncertain."

"No… I just… well…"

"How can you be uncertain of your own name?"

"It's complicated." She brushed her hair over her ear and looked the other way. "There, that's Kim's house." She ran to the crossing and went over to the house she motioned to. It was small and tiny. "Well… here we goes." She reached up and knocked twice, wiping her hands down the jeans.

Stood behind her, the man looked at her hands. She's nervous?

The door opened and a woman in a long green dress came out. "Yes? Can I help you?"

"Yes, is Kim in? She's not expecting me but…." She shrugged and smiled.

"Kim who dear?"

The smile vanished. "Kim… Kim Night. Kimberley?"

"Oh…" the woman stepped out onto the street and shook her head. "Kimberley use to live here but… that was about three years ago. She moved away."

Rin's eyes widened in shock. "No…"

"Yes. I remember the name because she had some post come here and asked me to forward it on to her."

"Do you… still have her address?"

"I'm afraid not, she must have dealt with the change of address as they stopped coming. I threw out where she is now. Sorry dear."

"No, it's… it's alright." She sighed and lowered her head. "Thanks for your help." Once the woman was inside, Rin gave a deeper hopeless sigh and covered her face with her hand. "Shit."

Behind her, the man blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Oh… just… I had hoped Kim would put me up for the night."

"You have nowhere to stay?" He looked over her again. No luggage, hardly dressed… no contact with the person she was meeting… "You're running away."

She turned and stared up at him. "How did you know that?"

"I'm very good at observing people. I can see things others can't."

"Bit like that BBC Sherlock show?"

"I'm not that good. But I can tell you're running away from someone. And you decided to do it quickly, with no plan."

Rin sighed and lowered her head. "Yeah. I have no plan, no family to call on, and my only friend has moved."

He looked over her again. "Follow me."

"Eh? Why?" She looked up suddenly, eyes wide. "Where we going?"

"To my apartment. You can spend the night at mine then think up a plan tomorrow."

She blushed bright red and looked at her tattered old shoes. "I… I really don't need that. Besides, you don't even know me."

"And you don't know me. But you are in need of help. And…" He looked away to the floor suddenly and slid his hand into his jacket pocket. "I can never deny a damsel in distress."

The blush on her face grew even deeper. "I… I really do appreciate your help. I'll make it up to you, I promise!"

He turned his back on her and walked away. "Just come alone."

"Wait… umm… I…" She bit her lip as he looked over his shoulder. "I… I don't know your name."

He turned back a little, a breeze passing over him and shifting his hair slightly. "It's Sesshomaru. Now… let's go."

"Hai!"

He blinked at the strange sound then shook his head and went on down the road, the girl a few stepped behind. He kept his head down and thought over the woman. His observations were biting at him. The most obvious one of all was how she was dressed.

A man's shirt.

It didn't take long to reach his apartment block, a tall stone building with at least fifteen stories and large glass windows. Quite expensive looking but also quite humble, fitting in with its surroundings. Sesshomaru walked inside without hesitation and went right to the lift, pressing the call button.

Rin fiddled with the edge of her shirt, suddenly conscious how she looked in this clean place and beside a man in a black semi-formal suit and shocking ear length silver hair. The lift arrived and they were the only passengers to climb aboard. The man pulled out a key and slid it into the top lock on the lift, allowing an extra floor to be lit up.

'P'

Penthouse.

Rin almost fainted as he pressed the button and the lift began to move, overriding all the other floors and taking them straight up. She held herself together as the doors opened to a small hallway with green plants and white walls and carpets, a window looking over the city. But she almost fainted again he opened the door.

She laughed nervously as he walked into the apartment, taking off his jacket and throwing it over one of the large white sofas with its massive pillows, overlooking a large flat screen TV with a black glass coated fire place to its side.

There was a kitchenette to the side with a work space in the middle and a long black glass table by the panoramic window, overlooking the wonderful city around them.

Rin took a step inside and could see there were at least four other rooms in the apartment, the man vanishing into one of them. She walked timidly among his possessions, walking around the kitchen, her hands eyes caught to the top of the range cooker and hob that were part of it and the stainless steel sink. The large fridge also drew her attention and she dared herself to open it.

Four bottles of white wine, a six pack of bottled beer, lemons, limes, cherries and a few bananas… milk, orange juice and bottled water…

She frowned at its bareness.

"I don't eat in much."

She jumped about three feet backwards, slamming the door as she did with a shattering bang.

The man blinked at her outrageous behaviour then held out a phone. "Call whoever you need."

Rin's eyes went between him and the phone. "I… I've no one to call."

"There must be someone."

"There are… but I can't call them. They don't even know I'm gone. The less they know, the safer they are."

What kind of trouble is she in? He put the phone down and sighed. "Well… would you like something to eat? I'll order in pizza if you want. I'm starving as it is."

"I… I'd be very grateful."

"Alright, go sit down, I'll find the menus."

She walked slowly around him, keeping a good two meters between them then went over to the sofa, sitting down and leaning on a pillow. Sesshomaru kept an eye on her as he hunted in the spotless kitchen for the take away menus. Dam Miss Culer always moving them when she cleans…

Finally he gathered them from their assorted hiding places and went over to the sofa. "Right, what do you want? We have…" he stopped as he rounded the chair, looking at her.

She was fast asleep, her hands tight to the pillow, her breath steady and calm. He let his shock melt away and smiled softly, putting the menus on the side and sliding his hands under her. She was as light as a she looked, which was very, and he was able to carry her without waking her to one of the bedrooms in his house, lying her down on top of the covers then finding a light blanket to cover her with. He watched as she rolled and tossed for a moment then settled back down.

Slowly and silently, he left, pulling the door closed and pulling out his phone.

"Jack. We need to talk…."

A/N: Don't be fooled by this first 'day'. Sesshomaru is different. He's just… well, after being in a hot sticky train for a very long time… he's a little moody. And yes… I gave him a haircut. And No, Jack is not Jaken, as you will find out on Day 4.