Ch. 5

I do not own Inuyasha

Rin had just finished her own meal and was cleaning up when Sesshomaru walked into the kitchen.

"Thank you for the meal," he said, handed her the plate a cutlery and walked away. Before she could ask him how he liked it, looking down at the plate, she had her answer. Nothing but bone was left, she couldn't help but smile. She made a mean steak.

She tossed the bones and finished cleaning. Then after leaving the kitchen, she went to her office to fill out paperwork for her job. She worked for the local veterinary clinic and she made rounds to the nearby farms and ranches.

It payed the bills.

Her life as a rancher payed her property taxes. They nearly kill her every year when they are due, but with confidence and a bit of luck, she makes it through with a smile on her face.

After she was done with that, she went back outside to check on Lily and her foal. The foal was running rampant & having a good ol 'time.

Rin leaned against the fence & enjoyed the sight. She loved watching the babies. They were so carefree a full of energy.

With a big sigh she grabbed Lily's harness and gave a loud whistle. Lily's ears perched and started trotting toward the gate where Rin was waiting patiently.

"Hey girl, have a good day," Rin said and Lily answered in a huff. "That's what I thought."

Rin turned and as she did she looked toward the house. She saw a curtain flutter. The same curtain that belonged to the guest bedroom.

She didn't give it a second thought and turned toward the barn to take care of Lily and her foal.

XOXO

The next day package after package started to arrive.

Rin watched as Sesshomaru hauled each one towards the garage.

Was there that much wrong with her truck? It was old and the last overhaul it had was when her father & mother were both still alive.

So it's been a while. A long while.

So Rin went about her business, doing her menial chores, ending with getting up on Big Brother & Kohaku in the wagon with hay to go feed the cows.

All the while she kept Sesshomaru in the corner of her eye.

And he could feel her stare. It was probably wise of her to watch him. A lot of people tended to tred carefully when around him and be suspicious.

For he was Sesshomaru, Dog Demon of the West. Everyone feared him or would eventually fear him given time. Same thing would happen with this woman named Rin given enough time.

This is what he thought as he worked on the woman's truck. He couldn't be more wrong.

XOXO

At the end of the day, when Rin was dog tired, no pun intended, she went to the garage to see what Sesshomaru had done so far.

"Knock, knock," Rin said out loud. Sesshomaru poked his head around the hood.

"Yes Ms. Johansson?" "Just wanted to see what you've done so far. Curiosity got the better of me," she responded, trying to look around without invading his personal space.

Sesshomaru appreciated it, but she did look kind of silly trying to peek around the hood balancing on one foot. He politely stepped aside to let her see. It was her truck after all.

Rin cautiously looked around. Now before when Sesshomaru had first taken it apart, Rin really didn't see the extent of what he had taken apart. She was still in shock when she saw it the first time.

So upon looking down in the cavity that held her trucks engine ... there was no engine.

"Where is everything?" Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow, but just stepped further back to reveal the emaculate display of every part, numbered and in order that it would go back in.

"Wow." she said," You are very organized, but I was hoping more would be put back together with how fast you took it apart."

"Everything needed to be fully visualized to see the extent of the damage. You had a blown head gasket and the rings that go around the pistons were broken and causing damage to the inside walls," Sesshomaru said, now walking around her to the engine block.

Rin saw the damage. There were big gouges where the pistons would go up and down.

"I am strongly considering getting your truck a new engine."

Rin went wide eyed at that. "You think the damage is that severe?"

"I can have someone grind the walls down, but I don't know if anyone here can do that. If not then yes, a new engine is highly recommended. "(or a new vehicle, but he didn't say that out load)

"Let me call around and I'll give you an answer before the evenings out."

Sesshomaru nodded and Rin was about to leave.

"Hey would you like some dinner? I'm making spaghetti."

Sesshomaru took a moment and considered.

"No thank you," he said and went about finishing up for the day.

"Well if you change your mind," she said giving a small smile as she left.

Sesshomara watched her go, wiping his hands on a rag.

Such a weird woman. Did she not fear him? She was a great mystery to him.

So instead of delving into that mystery, he left the garage and went inside, avoiding the smells of food and the woman, to take a shower.

XOXO

Rin heard Sesshomaru come in, making her look over her shoulder to look out the kitchen. She honestly didn't think he would change his mind.

How did she know it was Sesshomaru you may ask? He's very light on his feet.

Kohaku on the other hand had hard footfalls and he tended to drag his feet. He came in about 10 minutes after Sesshomaru.

"Hey Rin," he said in greeting.

"Hey, dinner will be ready in a moment," Rin said, placing garlic bread in the oven.

"Great, I'm starving," Kohaku replied in the process of snatching a tomato from the salad.

* Slap *

"Did you wash your hands?" Rin asked with a disapproving look on her face. Kohaku put on pouty face on while rubbing his hand.

"Meany," he said while walking away and to that Rin took a towel, twisted it a whipped him before he completely left the room.

"Ow, dammit Rin!"

"That's what you get for calling me a meany!" Rin yelled back, quite satisfied with her whipping skills. As she was taking out the garlic bread, she remembered fondly of when her dad taught her how to use a whip.

Kohaku came back into the room as Rin was slicing the bread. He still held a pouting face.

"Hey Kohaku, do you know of anyone who can grind down cylinders in town do you?"

"Was your engine that bad?"

"Apparently so," she replied and explained to him what Sesshomaru told her.

"Wow, possibly a new engine huh."

"Ya," Rin said as she finished setting the food on her dining table.

"Why don't I call Miroku. He's the best mechanic in town. Besides... him," Kohaku said, waving in the general direction of where Sesshomaru was at.

"I would ask him but with Sango- "

"Hey Miroku," Kohaku spoke, already on the phone. Rin sighed and served herself as Kohaku talked.

"Cool deal. Okay, see ya later," he hung up, "I can take them tonight and Miroku can get them done on Monday and have them back same day if it doesn't take too long."

"Awesome. I'll let Mr. Takahashi know now," Rin said getting up as Kohaku stuffed his face.

Rin walked down the hallway & gently knocked on the guest bedroom door. It opened a crack, just enough to see.

"Hey, Kohaku can take the block to his brother-in-law tonight, but they won't be done till Monday. Will that suffice?"

"That will suffice. I will prepare them for transport now," Sesshomaru said. Rin stepped back to let him pass and watched as his hair swayed with every step.

Rin would not deny it. Sesshomaru was very good looking. Too bad he wasn't available.

XOXO

The next morning Sesshomaru started early, even before the woman. Putting back together the truck as far as he could till he got the cylinders back.

It took him all morning to get it to where he wanted it. Only then did he leave it. When he rounded the corner of the front of the house the woman was descending the porch steps.

Her look made him stop.

She was not in her usual garb of jeans, a t-shirt, hair up in a ponytail. She was in a dress with a floral design. It was buttoned from top to bottom and had a v-neck with collar. Her hair was down.

He watched as she ascended into a buggy pulled by a horse, the man taking the reins.

Sesshomaru was slightly unsettled. Why though? He looked at his watch a noticed it was Sunday. Of course she went to church.

Sesshomaru gave himself a very vigorous mental shake & went inside to wash up and to make some calls.

The rest of the day was pretty much uneventful. Sesshomaru kept to himself, updated his father knowing that he was a worrywart. Being mated to a human made his father such a... there really was no word for him.

To think he used to look up to that man. Who was once feared by many, but ever since he mated that human and had that half-breed, his father became a big pile of mush.

He swore to himself a long time ago that he would not fall to that same fate, but he also started to realize the longer he stayed at this woman's ranch, he would.

He started to feel it and he started to resent her for it. The sooner he got done with her truck the better and he could get the hell out of here.

XOXO

The next day, as soon as Sesshomaru had those cylinders in hand, he worked on the woman's truck nonstop. A couple smashed thumbs and curses later he looked at his handy work. It was time.

He grabbed the key off the workbench and hoped and prayed that the damned thing would start.

Moment of truth.

He inhaled and turned the key. It gave a couple chugs. He let go of the key and turned it again.

The engine turned over & came to life with a roar.

Sesshomaru gave a sigh of relief and let it run for the next hour before turning it off. He cleaned up putting everything in order then got in, turned on the truck and drove it out of the garage. It ran smoothly as he parked it in front of the house.

Getting out of the truck, the woman was nowhere in sight, but then he remembered the woman was out in the field.

Well that gave him time to clean up and pack.

Then he would be gone and glad to put this place in his rearview mirror, never to come back.

XOXO

A couple hours later, Rin came riding up on Big Brother and saw her truck parked in front of her house. She gave Big Brother a nudge in the side to move him into a trot.

As she came closer she saw Sesshomaru come out of the house, bags in tow. Guess he didn't want to linger.

She dismounted her horse and approached cautiously. She did notice that he was avoiding all contact with anybody lately.

"Mr. Takahashi?"

Sesshomaru turned to face her. "You need to be gentle with it for a while. Give it regular oil changes and it should last you for a couple more years at least," he said, shutting his trunk with a kind of finality that meant that he was leaving.

"So, um, thank you for fixing my truck and I pray you have a safe journey," she said holding out her hand.

Sesshomaru took it as a formality, but feeling her hand in his, those rough callouses, made him slightly uneasy. So he let go just quickly as he took it.

"Well goodbye," she said, turning to lead Big Brother back to the barn, but before Sesshomaru could get into his vehicle, she turned around.

"You know, if you ever need a place to crash, to get away... you are more than welcome to come back. Anytime," and with that she turned to leave. Sesshomaru was stunned for a moment, but that statement made him want to leave that much faster. So without further contemplation of her invitation, he left in a peal of rock and dust.

XOXO

A/N: Well here is another update. I won't get to update again till next week. Going camping! Ya I can't wait. Till next time peeps!