HERE I AM.

I OWN NOTHING.

Sesshomaru gave Rin the biggest smile she had ever seen on him and she left strange. Like everything was going to be okay with him.

Rin smiled as Sesshomaru slipped the ring onto her finger. He pulled her in close and kissed her deeply. It was the first real kiss they shared. There had been affectionate cheek kisses and light lip kisses, and even forehead kisses but nothing like this kiss. Rin felt tingly all over. She liked it.

''You have just made me the happiest I've ever been in my life my love,'' Sesshomaru said as they broke apart to catch their breaths.

''Is that saying much?'' Rin teased.

''I assure you it is,'' Sesshomaru smirked. ''I would like us to live in my house in the country. I'm sure you are going to love living in the countryside. People there are more honest, more open.''

''But let's see, tell me what you do when you're over there,'' Rin said.

''Mostly paperwork. I get up really early so I finish in time to go to bed. I oversee everything,'' Sesshomaru informed.

''Oh,'' Rin responded.

''You have never lived in the countryside?'' Sesshomaru questioned. ''Doesn't your family have a house out there?''

''No, well yes, but I've never even been there. My mom doesn't like to visit the countryside and when my dad goes, he only stays there for a couple of days,'' Rin answered.

''Then I suppose you wouldn't like to live in the countryside,'' Sesshomaru resigned.

''I would rather not move far away from my family, mostly because of my dad, he's so sick,'' Rin said.

''Yes, yes, I understand,'' Sesshomaru relucted. ''I would like us to set a date for the wedding. When do you want us to get married?''

''What were you thinking?'' Rin asked.

''Well if it's up to me, we'll get married next month,'' Sesshomaru answered.

''Yes, one month is fine,'' Rin responded.

Sesshomaru smiled.

Elsewhere, two men were getting off a bus in the middle of town.

''We're back here, as you wanted,'' Shippo snarked.

''That's exactly why we need to be very careful,'' Kohaku said.

''Really. You don't say,'' Shippo retorted.

''I say this because if Rinny's family did this to me, their home is probably under heavy surveillance, okay?'' Kohaku

''Then how are we going to do this, Kohaku?'' Shippo questioned.

''Well, I don't know. The first thing we have to do is get some money, then we need to figure out where we're going to sleep and then...'' Kohaku sighed.

''Then nothing, Kohaku. We should have never come back here,'' Shippo growled.

''Don't you see, Rinny hasn't heard from me. She must be anxious. Can't you understand that?'' Kohaku pleaded.

''This is too dangerous Kohaku! And all for a girl!'' Shippo scoffed.

Their arguement was interrupted by a group of men loudly talking to a girl on the street.

''Isn't that..?'' Kohaku realized as soon as Shippo had already rushed forward. ''Shit.''

Rin fought back her tears as she got ready for bed.

''Princess?'' Her mother called out.

Rin glared at the wall infront of her before turning to face Raven.

''I hope you're satisfied,'' Rin sneered.

''Happy!'' Raven exclaimed. ''You and Sesshomaru made my day, sweetie. But getting married in a month, I think it's a bit too soon, don't you?''

''Isn't that what you wanted?'' Rin asked.

''Well yes, but it won't give us time to make the wedding arrangements-the wedding dress, the clothes for the honeymoon, intimate things that are so important. Besides, we need to organize a party, to let everyone know you're engaged,'' Raven said.

''No, no, no, mom. I don't want any of that,'' Rin told her.

''But this is your wedding we're talking about, Rin,'' Raven tried to persuade her daughter. ''And you only get married once in a lifetime. Well, usually.''

''This isn't a party for me, mama, and you know it. I am responding to an obligation I have with my family and it's not much fun to celebrate an obligation, is it?'' Rin whimpered. ''So can you at least let me have things my way.''

''Yes but what is everyone going to think, princess?'' Raven questioned.

''I don't care what people think, mom! I don't care!'' Rin yelled.

''Really, Rin. You are impossible to talk to right now! You're so stubborn,'' Raven sighed. ''When? When will you please me, just once in life, Rin?''

''Please you, mother? Please you? I am your puppet! You planned my wedding, found me a husband! What else do you want, mom? What else do you want?'' Rin yelled. ''And go away from my room, go, go, before I change my mind, go!''

Raven pushed her daughter's her from her face to try to comfort her.

''Don't touch me, mom! Don't touch me! Leave me alone, leave me, just leave me,'' Rin shouted.

''Forgive yourself, princess, forgive yourself,'' Raven responded.

''Just leave me, go, go!'' Rin cried.

Sesshomaru poured the alcohol down his throat and sighed.

''Everything okay, Sesshomaru?'' Inuyasha asked as walked into the living room to find his brother drinking alone.

''I believe so,'' Sesshomaru answered.

''Then what are you doing here all alone with the lights off?'' Inuyasha questioned.

''Just thinking,'' Sesshomaru shrugged.

''About what?'' Inuyasha asked.

''Do you want a drink?'' Sesshomaru asked instead.

''No, thanks,'' Inuyasha declined.

''You are going to have to go back to the ranch,'' Sesshomaru told him.

''Why?'' Inuyasha asked.

''Because I have decided to stay in town,'' Sesshomaru informed. ''I'll take care of the factory and the properties here while you take care of things down there in my place.''

''...''

''What?'' Sesshomaru asked. ''I thought the news would please you. Most of all because that way, you are going to be closer to Sara.''

''That isn't what bothers me,'' Inuyasha said.

''Then what?'' Sesshomaru questioned.

''Days ago you told me you wanted to go back, that you couldn't stand this town. You missed your people, the horses, the quiet, the country,'' Inuyasha reminded.

''Well, I have changed my mind. Rin and I are going to get married. We are going to live here, in town,'' Sesshomaru informed.

''Now you're going to marry her,'' Inuyasha sighed.

''Yes. In a month,'' Sesshomaru told him.

''Why the hurry?'' Inuyasha questioned.

''Why would we wait?'' Sesshomaru asked.

''Aren't you afraid she could regret?'' Inuyasha suggested.

''What? Rin has no reason to regret,'' Sesshomaru denied. ''If she didn't want to marry me, she would have said no.''

''Who's idea was it to stay and live in this town? Hers, I suppose,'' Inuyasha guessed.

''Yes, and I want to please her,'' Sesshomaru said.

''Sesshomaru, maybe you'll think I'm sticking my nose in, but here it goes. You set your mind on this girl so hard that you made deals that go against the person you are. Once she accepted, probably pushed by her mother, they made you stay in a town you dislike, surrounded by people that don't love you, and away from the only people that really care about you. Don't you think you're giving up too much?'' Inuyasha questioned.

''Look, I only want to know if you are willing to manage things down there in my place,'' Sesshomaru glared.

''Of course I'm willing to, Sesshomaru. But open up your eyes. They're using you like a puppet!'' Inuyasha exclaimed. ''Her mom, we know how she is, and the daughter, who's probably no better than her.''

''I forbid you to talk that way about the woman who is going to be my wife!'' Sesshomaru yelled.

Inuyasha sighed and just left, leaving Sesshomaru to his own thoughts.

The next morning came.

''Good morning,'' Sesshomaru greeted as he walked in. ''Is Rin home?''

''Yes, she'll be down in just a moment,'' Rin's mother smiled. ''Can we speak for a moment?''

''Yes, of course,'' Sesshomaru nodded.

''Come to the office, please,'' Raven gestured. ''Sesshomaru, I'm going to cut to the chase. I'm not okay with you and my daughter getting married so quickly, because I want to organize everything. As you understand, my only daughter is getting married, and I don't want that wedding to be unnoticed. We have to buy the trousseau, the wedding dress, invitations, a thousand details.''

''All that can be solved with money,'' Sesshomaru guessed. ''How much do you need?''

''Well, I don't know exactly because I have to do some calculations. Besides, given that your marriage is a fact, I'd like to complete our deal, as promised. Because I assume you are going to go on a honeymoon. While you are away, we could end up in trouble,'' Raven suggested.

''Fine, I'll write a check for you right now and you can come up with an excuse so your husband doesn't know you sold your daughter,'' Sesshomaru deadpanned. ''May I see Rin now?''

''Yes, of course,'' Raven glared. "Let me remind you that my daughter doesn't know anything about this.''

''I hope so, ma'am,'' Sesshomaru gave her a glare of his own.

''I swear by God that Rin knows nothing,'' Raven responded.

''Can you explain to me that thing I still don't know about, mama?''

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