Title 07/10/2011

I would just like to say, thank you to Jolie luv, squirtlepokemon215, and the VERY insane Tani Hunter for their support, suggestions and… and… ssss…. Silliness? Couldn't think of a third 's'. but thank you guys! Hope you are still enjoying the story.

Rin had never before realised how the wind crossed the roof when she was up there before. It was strong and cool, blasting her face. She sighed then looked down. About five floors below was the ground, a ring of small dots looking up at her.

She could just about hear their teases, begging her to jump, encouraging her to let go of the aerial she was holding and just let gravity work. Her cold and depressed mind thought for a moment.

No more loneliness, no more tears at night… no more of them teasing her… no more running away… no more being ashamed of who she was.

She closed her eyes and loosened her grip.

"Rin."

That voice. Her hand tightened again and she looked back. Sesshomaru was stood a few meters away from her, slightly out of breath. She turned to him a little, her face a deep sadness. "Sesshomaru? What you doing up here? I thought we stopped meeting for lunch."

"Rin, get away from the edge." He said, looking at her as she stood on top of the thick meter high barrier around the roof that hid the pipes from view.

"Oh? This edge?" She said, swinging back to it, looking down. Behind her Sesshomaru flinched a little closer. She gave a dry laugh and leant away. "It doesn't look that far does it? But… if my calculations are right… if I let myself fall, I'll land face first… I wouldn't even feel it."

"Rin, stop talking stupid."

"It's not stupid. It's just fact. I mean, after all, isn't that why I'm here? Because I'm smart. But that's all I am… smart. I'm not rich… or connected… I have no… no power or… or… anything… I just have… I just have my brain."

"You have much more Rin."

"No I don't." She let go of the pole, still facing him. "I don't even have you Sesshomaru. You belong to Brandy." She turned back around to face the drop.

Quickly, Sesshomaru stepped over to her and grabbed hold of her forearm, digging his nails into her skin in the tightest grip he could manage but as he did, she grabbed hold of the pole, stopping him from pulling her backwards as he planned. "Rin, let go." He tried to pull her but she just leant forward towards the edge again and he stopped. "Let go of the pole Rin."

"So you can stop me?"

"Please, let go."

Rin stood for a moment, looking down at the ground. "Why do you bother with me Sesshomaru? I'm just… I'm just a no one."

"You're not Rin. You're not a no one. What about your aunt and cousin? What about Kuroya and even Inuyasha. What about me? You are the smartest, most honest person I have ever known. You're not a no one to me. I like you for who you are. I'm not the only one." He stepped towards her, loosening his grip. "And… if you do jump…" he moved his hand down to her hand, holding it loosely. "Then I will be right behind you."

She blinked, turning back to face him.

His face was cold and stern, his eyes a level of hope in them. But his voice was soft and filled with genuine compassion. Slowly she let go of the pipe and allowed him to pull her away, jumping down to the floor. Before she even had time to breath, his arms wrapped around her and he pressed her into his shoulder. A little shocked, Rin stood and put her arms around him before realising something strange.

His heart was beating fast. His breath on her ear was hard and sharp. And he was shaking. Only slightly, but definitely a shake. "Sesshomaru… you're… you're trembling."

"Of course I am you scared me half to death you stupid girl don't you ever do that to me again." He said it all in a single breath, hardly pausing between words.

In his arms, Rin tried not to cry. She now knew. If she had jumped… he really would have followed.

-0-

After Sesshomaru saved her from jumping, Rin began to return to her normal self, smiling a little more and talking to her three friends. The president decided to pass the accusations to another member of the council, saying he could no longer be impartial. It was a weight off his shoulder and Rin's.

Knowing that she had such a powerful friend as Sesshomaru, many of the students backed away from Rin, leaving her alone. However, at the same time, some people who wouldn't dare do anything against Sesshomaru now knew his weakness and used it against him.

Some of the pranks were harmless, less than annoyances. Someone took her phone but Sesshomaru's GPS meant he tracked it down. Someone deleted everything off her memory stick but Kuroya's dad had put some special software on the drive, backing it up every time it came in contact with the internet.

But some were a little more dangerous. Someone tried to push her down the stairs, another one left a dead rat in her locker.

Now she was stood outside the main entrance of the school, frozen in place as paint dripped off her. It was cold thick and slimy, not to mention bright neon red. A teacher ran over to her quickly. "What happened?"

Rin shook her head slightly. "I… I don't know."

The woman looked up at the school. At the second floor window right the school entrance were several open windows with around twelve large paint tins, all tipped on their sides so the content dripped down onto the floor. "Ah, it's the 23rd isn't it?" she said, a shy smile on her lips, looking back at the paint covered student. "I'm so sorry Rin; you're an unfortunate victim. The blood shower is a school tradition I'm afraid, dates back to the start of the school. Back then it was deer blood but now its water soluble red paint."

"You… you can't do anything?" Rin said as she pushed some of the paint out of her hair.

"We do try and find the culprits but there are normally about twenty of them and it's such a tradition… there is rarely a punishment." The teacher smiled at her. "It will come out. Go to the gym and have a shower before heading home. Come see me after the weekend if you still want to press on it."

Rin nodded and began the long and slow walk to the girl's gym. Many of the students laughed at her but it was a light hearted laugh. A couple even came over to her, saying how they had been caught in the 'blood shower' in the past.

The teacher was right, the paint came off easily and soon Rin climbed out of the showers, taking one of the towels the school provided and dried herself off.

She looked to where she had left her clothes and her eyes widened. Her shoes, underwear and bag were where she left them… but her dress was gone. She'd washed the paint off as best she could in a sink and left it by the side to dry but it was gone. Then she spotted some weak pale red drops on the floor, starting where she left the dress. It went from the side across the room… and out the door. It was another prank.

She sighed and went to her bag, pulling out her phone. She called Kuroya but the phone rang out. She tried again with the same result. She sighed down at her phone and pulled a towel over her underwear.

Kuroya had suggested she kept a spare change of clothes in her locket. But that was on the other side of the school. She had to leave the safety of the showers to get them. With another deep breath, she stood and walked over to the door. It was late now, the afterschool classes would be over and the school would be mostly empty. She pushed the door open and had a look both way. There was nothing there, no one, no sign of her dress or any more of this punishment. They must have just hoped she'd have to travel home in just her underwear.

Slowly she walked out, still careful. She didn't trusted who ever had done this. Nothing. She walked out a little more, a little bolder, holding the towel close over herself.

She began on her way to the locker, rounding a corner slowly. But then she was faced with about thirty people, all laughing and pointing at her, some with phones to record it. There were two identical twin boys at the front of the pack, one holding a female uniform over his arm. The other laughed. "What's the matter?" he laughed as she began to back away. "Don't want to show anyone?"

The twins laughed. "Come on Rinny, you're not shy are you?"

"Ahem."

The group turned quickly to see a tall silver haired student stood behind them. "Sesshomaru…" one of the boys stammered, the others very quickly leaving them alone. "Wha…what are you doing here?"

"If you're going to text people… watch who you send it to." His eyes narrowed. "Now, get out of my sight."

The twins bristled and ran away, dropping the dress. Rin just stood, clutching desperately at her towel. Sesshomaru looked at her and she turned bright red. He soon moved his eyes and picked up the dress, holding it carefully.

The red had turned the white slightly pink but it was in a worse condition than before. The boys had drawn rude pictures and written horrid things all over it. Basically, it was ruined.

Rin let out a deep sigh as she looked at it. "My uniform." She moaned. She had two uniforms and two only. Now she only had one.

Sesshomaru looked at her again then stepped over, holding out the dress. "Here, get changed."

"I can't wear that! Just look at it."

Slowly, the president slid out of his jacket and passed it over as well. "Hurry up, I'll drive you home."

Returning to the showers, Rin dressed quickly, her uniform then covered by the jacket. She made sure she buttoned it up as much as it would go, hiding the horrid things written beneath. Sesshomaru was waiting outside the showers, leant on the wall, texting but he looked up at once. "Come, the car's ready."

With a nod and a smile, Rin followed him out to the front of the school where the large black car was waiting, the driver by the side giving them a polite nod as he opened the door for them. As they got closer, another royal blue sports car into the school, speeding towards them and skidding to a stop but narrowly avoiding a collision with Sesshomaru's car.

The driver climbed out quickly and hurried over to them. "Sesshomaru, you're still here?"

"What are you doing here father?"

Rin by his side widened her eyes. This man was Sesshomaru's father? She looked over him as he came over. He was wearing a black suit and white shirt but it was half undone and without a tie. His face was clean shaven and his darker silver hair pulled back into a short ponytail. His eyes were wider than Sesshomaru's and his face was filled with emotions, unlike his son. He stood before them, one hand casually in his pocket. "You're late coming home so I came to get you."

"I am old enough to look after myself father."

"Oh? And when did that happen?"

"Maybe while you were off flirting with a waitress!"

Rin jumped at his voice, he genuinely sounded angry. She grabbed his hand quickly. "Sesshomaru." She hissed.

He blinked and the anger in his face faded. His father blinked as well and looked at the young girl wearing a red school blazer. "And… who are you?"

With a swallow, Rin let go of Sesshomaru's hand. "I… I'm Rin."

"Ah so you're little Rin!" he said, laughing and reaching for her other hand. He pulled it from her side and lifted it to his lips, bending down in a bow. Softly he kissed the back of it. "Pleasure to meet you. My wife hasn't stopped talking about you."

"I… it's a pleasure to meet you too Mr Taisho."

"Please, call me Inutaisho." He looked at her, letting go of her hand. He stood up straight and looked at his son. "It seems you still have a few surprises for me Sesshomaru. After all this time… you finally have the one thing you were missing."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "What's that?"

His father grinned and turned back to Rin. "You really must come to dinner Rin. I want to know all about you. You can come tonight."

Rin tried not to look surprised. "I… I don't think I can."

"Oh? How about tomorrow?"

"No thank you."

"The night after?"

"Father."

"Well I want her to come to dinner. Even if I have to go to her house and take her by force."

"You wouldn't do that again."

Rin blinked. "What?"

"Anyway, I'm escorting her home." He pulled Rin towards the car, climbing in after her.

His father lent on the car and looked inside. "I can't wait to have dinner with you Rin. You've clearly made a change on my son."

As cold and hard as he could manage, Sesshomaru reached out and slammed the car door shut, almost trapping his father's fingers in the door. The car moved away and Inutaisho stood waiving as they left the school grounds. Sesshomaru sighed inside his mind. He knew his father. He knew Rin would eventually be forced to come for dinner. But today was not the time to ask, she was still shaken from the prank. He sighed again and tried to think.

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