Something wet and warm was on my cheek, it was slimy and dripping down to my neck. I opened my eyes and reached up afraid to see what the substance was. With Jasper jumping around on the bed begging to be let down I could have made a pretty good guess.

"Jasper!" I scolded bolting off the bed and into the bathroom, his punishment was to be stuck on the bed while I washed my face.

I heard her foot steps before she burst through the door, "Morning!" Irina squealed then turned to the whimpering puppy, "Jasper! Come here boy! Come here boy!"

I pulled my T-shirt over my head and begun to get dressed, "Irina, wash your face and hands, hurry so you can help me make breakfast." I told her as I rummaged around for a shirt to wear.

Irina put Jasper down on the floor and let him scamper off, "What's that thing you wear on your chest called again?" She asked brushing her hair out of her face.

I smiled and had to hold back a laugh, "It's a bra. Go get Jasper before he pees in the house and take him outside!"

She tilted her head to the side, "When can I have one?"

This time I did laugh, "In a few years now go get Jasper and hurry or else I'll make you clean up his mess!" I threatened.

"Eww!" Irina wailed scrunching up her nose and running after the pup slamming the door shut behind her.

I was fixing my hair when the door opened again, Sesshomaru stood for a few minutes watching me, I couldn't help but feel a bit out of sorts when Kagura jumped to mind only to be swept away when he begun to talk, "We are going to meet and have dinner with my father and his wife at five, be ready and dress accordingly." He said.

"I know how to dress, Sesshomaru, I am not a child." I snapped.

He just starred at me for a bit before quietly walking out.

I needed to ask him about her, I had to or else it would continue to haunt me. I couldn't put it off.

I finished my hair and walked into the kitchen, Irina was there talking with one of the cooks.

"Good morning." I greeted with a small wave.

"Morning Ma'am what can I make for you?" She asked.

"Actually I thought I'd cook for myself today if it isn't too much trouble." I said pulling out a box of pancake mix.

"Oh are you sure, Ma'am?" The woman asked,

"Yes, we'll be fine. Did you wash your hands Irina?" I pulled on an apron and begun to get out the ingredients and pans we would need.

We made a simple meal between the two of us and sent a plate up to Sesshomaru only to have him send it back half uneaten. I threw it away before Irina could see it.

As noon approached we cleaned up and headed out for a walk to a nearby park up the street from the house.

Irina played a multitude of games with Jasper who happily went along with each one. I sat back and watched them thinking to myself about Kagura and Sesshomaru.

I was so intent with my thoughts that I hadn't realized the hour until I heard a shrill honk.

Sesshomaru stepped out of his car giving me the dirtiest look alive.

"Rin, it is already three thirty you should have been home hours ago." He said.

I felt like a child being reprimanded for some mischievous deed.

"Irina." He called.

She turned to him, "Daddy!" She squealed running into his arms.

"We're leaving now." He told her as he picked her up.

"What about Mama?" She asked looking back at me.

"She'll be fine." He assured her before setting her in the car with him and driving off, leaving Jasper and I to make the short trek back home.

Jasper ran back to me his tail twitching, I looked down at the small white puppy and smiled, "I think we have just been ditched." I looked back to the road but the black car was already out of sight. "Come here boy!" I ordered Jasper who came bounding into my arms and slipped his leash on.

When we got to the house the staff was already gone for the day making it seem all very lonely, Sesshomaru came out of his study and paused to look me over, the corner of his mouth turned down before he walked off.

I let out a sigh and walked up to my room, Irina sat wrapped in a towel on the bed, her hair damp and flopped over her face.

"Mama daddy told me to take a bath and wait for you to pick out my clothes when you get here." She said falling back on the bed.

"Did he?" I asked going into the closet.

I sorted through her things and finally decided on a blue and white dress. "Here, put this on and then put on panty hose and these shoes," I said pulling out her newest pair. "I'm going to go take a shower, I want you to be waiting right here for me to do your hair, okay?"

Irina nodded as she pulled on the dress.

We spent most of the afternoon getting ready to meet Sesshomaru's parents, I was nervous but felt somewhat calm. Irina on the other hand had no idea what was going on, just that there was going to be something special that evening.

When we were all done Irina was as beautiful as I had ever seen, her hair was curled and pined back, her bangs feathered out around her face and her eyes seemed to be as bright as ever. I chose a plain white button up and paired with my nicest jeans and boots it looked good, not great but good. Sesshomaru on the other hand thought different, he took one look at me and stalked away taking Irina with him and putting her into the car.

As we drove up to his parents house I felt a small tug at my heart, it was the same as it had been the first night I had been with Sesshomaru, a few changes were noticeable here and there but it was still the same, the moment was gone though as a woman with long black hair stepped out to greet us, "Sesshomaru, how have you been?" She asked her voice deep and melodious.

"Izayoi." He said walking past her.

"Please forgive him." I said helping Irina up the stair case that led to the great house. When we finally got to the woman I felt a bit of a shock hit me.

She was beautiful, her skin was flawless and held a pale porcelain complexion. She barely had any make up on but that little bit that she did enhanced every bit of her.

I had forgotten about Irina momentarily until she reached out and grabbed the woman's hand.

"Hello, I'm Irina!" She chirped.

"Hello, little one, my name is Izayoi and would you happen to be Sesshomaru's child?" Izayoi asked shaking Irina's hand.

"Yep my daddy says this is your house and that I can't put my feet on the couch." Irina answered.

Izayoi laughed, "Is that right?" She asked before turning to me, "Now is Sesshomaru's wife going to join us soon, my husband has been looking forward to meeting this woman."

I blushed and turned away before I could say anything further Sesshomaru came out side with us casting a glare at Izayoi, "This is my wife." He growled.

Izayoi gasped and reached out, taking my hand in hers, "I am so sorry, I thought you were-, ah well never mind, welcome to our home, your name must be Rin!" She said bowing.

"Oh no ma'am it's okay, yes my name is Rin, this is my daughter." I murmured still not able to meet her eye.

Sesshomaru took hold of my arm and pulled me into the large house. I was swept passed a large hall through a sitting room and finally inside a dinning room where Inu Taisho sat at the head of the table.

"You must be Rin." He said his voice deep as he took me in.

"Yes." I answered holding my head high, Irina peeped around my hip, I pulled her out from behind me, "And this is Irina, my daughter."

"Our daughter." Sesshomaru interjected.

Inu Taisho raised his eyebrows. "Really? I have a grand daughter? How long were you planning to keep this bit of information from me son?" He asked casting a glance at Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru in turned looked toward me, "I just learned of her existence as well, father." He answered then gave a pointed look towards me.

I stood proud and rested my hand on Irina's shoulder. "We all are forced to make difficult decisions in life, and I for one am not sorry for mine." I said.

A second passed before Inu Taisho nodded and we all sat down.

Through dinner Izayoi and I carried on a few conversations, Inu Taisho and Sesshomaru sat in silence though while Irina added in a bit of information here and there.

I learned that they were both still holding up in the medical field although Izayoi was considering retirement and also learned a bit about the Taisho's family history. They were very proud of their heritage as it turned out and felt strongly in their political views.

I was a bit surprised to learn that Izayoi was Inu Taisho's second wife but quickly got over that. The night had come and gone and as Irina and Sesshomaru filed out of the house Inu Taisho stepped in front of the thresh hold blocking my exit.

"Rin, there are some things I would like to speak to you about in private." He said.

I was a bit mesmerized by him, although the man was old enough to be my father there was no mistaking his beauty. It was like looking at an older more refined Sesshomaru.

"Not at all." I said following him into his study, I stole one glance over my shoulder to find Sesshomaru looking after us and if I'm not mistaken there was a bit of worry in his eyes but I quickly dashed the thought away when he turned and sharply exited through the front door.

Inu Taisho led us into a large room filled with bookcases, each one stocked with books on what seemed like every genre to be had. He strolled over to the seat behind the lone desk located in the middle of the room and motioned for me to take one of the two seats positioned in front of it.

As I sat he remained standing beside the chair, I heard the doors we had just come from open and close quietly.

Izayoi walked in and took the seat Inu Taisho had been holding for her before looking up at me.

"It is clear to me that you and Sesshomaru do not love each other and that there is something you two are keeping from us." Izayoi said taking a deep breath.

I flinched at her words but nevertheless nodded, "Yes, what you say is true."

Izayoi nodded, "And are you willing to fill us in on what we seem to be missing?"

I thought for a moment, was my marriage any concern of theirs, although they were now officially my in laws? Why had Sesshomaru not told them about us? I opened my mouth prepared to speak when the doors opened once more.

Sesshomaru waltzed into the room, "You speak as if you have the right to question my life, Izayoi," He said coldly casting her a belittling glance and then turning to his father, "What ever it is that you need to speak with Rin about can be discussed with me as well."

A shocked silence fell over the room.

Was it my imagination or was he coming to my aid, I wondered while I watched Sesshomaru as he came to stand beside me.

It was Inu Taisho who broke the quiet. "Very well, have a seat then, my son." He offered.

"I will stand." Sesshomaru retorted.

Izayoi sighed and looked at the two of us, "What are the circumstances of your marriage?"

"That does not concern you." Sesshomaru answered.

"Sesshomaru..." Inu Taisho warned.

"We seem to be getting no where, if you do not have a valid question then Rin and I will be on our way." Sesshomaru said grabbing my arm and helping me out of the chair although I neither asked nor wanted it.

I quickly snatched my arm back and stood on my own, Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he gave me a hard glare, I in turn raised my eye brows and continued on my way to the door until a burst of laughter halted me.

Izayoi giggled as a deep blush spread across her cheeks, Inu Taisho looked down at his wife a bemused smile on his face.

"I'm sorry...It's just that...how on earth did the two of you ever wind up together?" She managed to say between bouts of laughter.

Inu Taisho chuckled and took her hand in his, "Izayoi this is the most inappropriate time to laugh." but even as he spoke, Inu Taisho raised his wife's' hand to his lips and pressed a light kiss onto it.

"Yes but dear lord, look at them!" She said smiling at us, "Oh Rin, forgive me for my earlier rudeness, it's just that Sesshomaru means so much to us and his happiness is really all we're looking out for." She explained.

My throat had constricted with tears then, I opened my mouth but no sound came out. I gazed at Izayoi and Inu Taisho, their hands linked looking so enamored with each other that it physically hurt me to see them.

It was the two of them against the world it seemed, their love was destined to last, and mine was already failing.

"Thank you for your hospitality and time but I have to go now." I said turning and walking out of the study, I heard Sesshomaru saying something to his father before the doors of the room closed behind me but didn't quite catch it.

Irina was waiting in the front room flipping through channels on the TV when I found her.

She looked up from the set as soon as I walked in and her small face contorted into pain when she saw the tears slipping down my cheeks.

"Mama, what's wrong?" She asked jumping off the couch and hurling herself into me.

"Nothing, come on, we're going home, turn off the TV put on your shoes and let's go." I told her.

She did as she was told and came running after me. I held the door to the car open for her, "Put on your seat belt." I instructed before shutting the door and slipping in the passenger seat.

"Mama, what's wrong?" She asked again her own eyes beginning to fill with tears.

"Nothing, Irina, everything's fine."

"But then why are you crying, huh?" She pressed.

"Because I'm dumb, look here comes your daddy, you don't' want him to see you crying do you?" I asked looking back at her and wiping away the tears on her cheeks.

She shook her head, "No."

"Okay then." I said and turned back ahead.

Sesshomaru opened his door and seated himself in the car without a word. He turned the ignition and backed out of the drive way.

The drive home was very quiet, even Irina seemed to sense that something wasn't quite right because she too kept to the silence.

After we got home Irina and I stayed outside for the rest of the day walking around the garden and feeding the large Koi fish in the oval pond before the night chill fell.

The sun had already set when we finally did go back inside. I laid down with Irina and watched TV with her until she fell into a deep sleep, Jasper nestled up next to her, I slowly extracted myself from the bed and creeped out of the room.

My night pants swept the wooden floor where I walked but other than that I made no noise while I made my way to Sesshomaru's room.

It was on the other side of the house, the door was slightly ajar so that when I knocked it fell completely open revealing Sesshomaru as he sat on his bed looking over a few papers, his hair had been let loos from it's earlier pony tail and his spectacles sat perched on the very tip of his nose but other than that he had not changed from his earlier attire.

His room was vastly different from mine and Irina's. While ours was made up of very soft beige's and baby blues with hints of gold his was made of dark blue, white and reds. His bed screamed masculinity with it's black silk sheets and pillows, ours was feminine with beige blankets littered with blue roses.

A nightstand and two other doors made up his room, I was guessing one was a bathroom the other his closet but my ventures were cut short when Sesshomaru looked up at me with a raised brow.

"What is it?" He asked pushing up his glasses.

My hands were shaking and a knot had formed deep in my guy but I had come here with a promise to myself and I wasn't going to leave until I had an answer.

"Sesshomaru..." I started as I walked over to his windows and pulled back the red drapes to look out into the back yard, the view was amazing, it not only showed the gardens below but over the tree tops that begun and the end of the yard to the mountains afar.

"Yes, Rin?" He asked in his monotone voice.

I let the curtains fall back into place and I turned to face him head on, "Tell me about Kagura."