Okay fair warning, I had a HARD time writing this chapter. It was a combination of writers block and in all honesty, I just didn't know what to write or how Sesshomaru should act. Phew. Really set myself up for failure with this one. Oh well. The next will be better. Please review :)

Chapter Twenty Three

Brilliant lights encased them as they fell through the portal. Rin closed her eyes and tucked her head in close to Sesshomaru's chest, shielding herself from the brightness.

"It worked!" Kagome called out excitedly. Inuyasha scooped her up and jumped out of the well with Sesshomaru following suit. When Inuyasha opened the door, Rin stared out disapprovingly.

"Nope! Don't like it. Lord Sesshomaru, can we go back now?" She whined as they were crossing the yard to Kagome's house.

"What's the problem, runt?" Inuyasha turned to look at her and Sesshomaru growled, resulting in the former glueing his ears down flat.

"There's no trees and it smells funny."

"You won't have to be here long, don't worry." Kagome pushed open the door and led them inside.

"Hey I'm home," she called out and her mother peeped out from the kitchen smiling.

"Hi Kagome, Inuyasha. Who's this?" She peered up at Sesshomaru who had Rin still curled in his arm.

"Inuyasha's half brother. His uhm...friend...is sick and I'm taking her to see one of our doctors today." Kagome fidgeted uncomfortably, now knowing exactly what to call Rin, and also not wanting to give her mother all the gory details of how a little girl fell into the care of such a powerful demon.

"Does Inuyasha's brother have a name?," her mom laughed.

"Half brother," Sesshomaru corrected. "And you may call me Sesshomaru."

"Okay then...strange character." She turned back to her cooking. "Would any of you like something to eat? Or maybe hot baths?"

"Pass on that death trap, but I'm starving," Inuyasha took his sword from its place on his side and propped it against a wall, simultaneously plopping down at the table. Sesshomaru scoffed at his brashness and turned to Rin.

"Rin?"

"I'm hungry too, but I really want to take a bath, My Lord."

"The girl would like to bathe," he answered. "If you could just point me in the direction to take her I'll-"

"You'll do no such thing! Kagome be a dear and help her figure out how to work the bath tub." She turned and gave Sesshomaru a harsh look.

"Yes, momma." Kagome took Rin by the hand and scurried off upstairs.

"I don't know how they do things where you come from, but here, grown men in their twenties do not accompany young girls to bathe."

"I'm five hundred years old for one, wench. And another thing, I can take perfectly good care of my ward so why don't you-"

"Heyyyy Sesshomaru why don't I show you Kagome's bedroom!" Inuyasha grabbed his older brother by the arm and drug him out of the kitchen before Kagome's mom had a chance to sign her own death warrant. Or vise versa.

"Unhand me!" Sesshomaru slapped Inuyasha's hand away once they reached Kagome's bedroom.

"The goal is to blend in, idiot." Inuyasha stomped over to Kagome's drawers. Opening the bottom one, which was essentially full of his things, he yanked out some clothes for himself and started stripping out of his regular ensemble.

"There's clothes in here. You need to get changed if you want Kagome to let you out of the house." He kicked his pants into a small basket in the corner and sat on the edge of the bed so he didn't bust his face open trying to contort himself into the pants Kagome said were her 'personal favorite'. Sesshomaru rummaged through the drawer while Inuyasha struggled with the godforsaken belt. His elder brother turned to look at him just as he was shrugging on his jacket.

"What on earth makes you think I would wear these?" He held up a pair of boxers and Inuyasha snatched them out of his hands.

"Those are my undergarments you may not even try it," he hissed and reached into the drawer, pulling out a pair of sweat pants, a white t shirt, and a hoodie before slamming it shut. "Im going to eat," he shoved his feet into his shoes. "Damn it all, I hate these things. Get changed. Kagome will bring the kid back to you after her bath. If you come downstairs, just...don't talk to anyone. I don't need you ripping Kagome's family's heads off." Before Sesshomaru could open his mouth to speak, Inuyasha had slammed the door behind him and was tromping down the stairs.

'I will play nice for Rin's sake,' he thought to himself. 'But once we're back on home turf I'll kick Inuyasha's ass for speaking to me like this. Now, how to put on these strange clothes..." he turned the garment over in his hands, contemplating.

"Lord Sesshomaru! I found you!" Rin burst through the door as he was trying to squeeze his head through the top of the hoodie Inuyasha had given him. He finally managed and looked down at Rin still wrapped in a giant bath towel.

"You will not be wearing that," he scolded.

"I'm not!" She laughed. "Kagome is coming and she's going to find me some clothes,"

"Alright. I'll be outside." Sesshomaru's nose twitched. The smells of this time we're really getting to him.

"Okay!" She smiled and sat on the bed to wait for Kagome. He didn't waste time getting out the door and walking over to the edge over to the edge of the property, examining the strange new world in front of him. There were buildings taller than he'd ever seen, everyone had huge houses, and rode around in/on strange iron carts of various sizes. His eyes narrowed when he heard Inuyasha approaching.

"Now what?," he said without ever turning to look at him.

"This time period is different. Kagome wants me to make sure you agree to blend in before she lets you out of the house.

"Yes I agree."

"And don't talk to anyone either. If someone in Kagome's time finds out we're demons they can't really do anything to us, but Kagome's family would suffer. I know you don't give a damn. But I do."

"Do not worry, Inuyasha. I will not risk exposure. For Rin's sake. I assume these same implications could possibly harm her?"

"Yeah...I mean it's unlikely but there is a possibility."

"Then rest assured I will take no such risk."

"Appreciate it."

They managed to make it to the doctor with no issues. However, Sesshomaru was not at all happy when they took Rin back and only allowed Kagome to accompany her. He tapped his foot impatiently, earning an annoyed scowl from Inuyasha.

"Could you stop that? They'll be right out. Seriously. This never takes very long at all." Sesshomaru just huffed in response and did his best to still his foot. Finally, after what felt like hours, they emerged from behind the door. Kagome had a few papers in her hand and Rin was sucking on a popsicle. She strode to Sesshomaru, smiling as always.

"Lord Sesshomaru! You waited for me!"

"Are you finished?"

"Mhm...we have to go and get medicine now," she answered and he looked to Kagome.

"Lead the way."

...

Once back at the shrine, Sesshomaru wasted no time scooping Rin up and jumping into the well. When he hit the ground with a thud, he hissed and looked up.

"Damnit."

"What's wrong? Lord Sesshomaru?"

"We need the damn jewel," he huffed and jumped back up the well. Storming to the house and into the kitchen, he threw the door open and found everyone sitting around the table.

"Kagome, the jewel?"

"Oh crap. Sorry. Mama I'll be right back, I just need to help them cross over."

"Okay dear, hurry though. Your dinner will get cold."

"Yes mama," she pushed away from the table and followed Sesshomaru to the well. Once they were to the other side, she climbed out to wish them goodbye.

"Now you have everything you need. Right?"

"I believe so," he answered.

"Okay good. Stay close to the village and come to Kaede if you need help again okay?"

"We will be staying at an abandoned hut on the hillside behind the shrine."

"Good choice. Take care you too!" She waved to Rin before jumping back down the well.

...