Author note: Sorry for the late update; I have no excuse.
As always, the chapter is not revised by a beta; I tried my best in eliminating the mistakes - I know that i failed. Please excuse my poor english.

Chapter 15 Old Foe *yeah, that bitch will show up

Disclaimer:I do not own Inuyasha

Chapter 14

Sick

Luxuries, extravagant parties or charitable parties were a part of Sesshomaru and Rin's life. Since the day she gave up to his charms, he made sure the whole world to know about her existence. During those parties she was there, on his side, making him proud of her.

When he found out about the charitable party he's currently attending, his first impulse was to call her, to invite her to be his partner. Their relationship was better now. During the time that has elapsed since they agreed to become friends, they often spoke to the phone once or twice a day. However he had never seen her. The words "Let's have lunch together" never left his lips, nor hers.

It was too soon.

He broke her heart in million pieces, her heart still held the scar of his betrayal. If it would have been any other woman, he would have asked her to be his again…but she was not. She was the woman who loved him with all her heart, gave him everything; he was the man who trifled with her life, her heart. She was the woman who needed to run away to a place he's not; to heal, to be humane again.

She said she's okay now. He knew she still needs time to trust him.

His golden eyes scanned the luxury ballroom, his mind drifting to the times when she was part of this world, when her only presence warmed the whole room.

"Are you ready?" for the tenth time in the last 3 minutes he watched his wrist watch. His new girlfriend was in the dressing room for far too long. "How much time a woman needs to put a dress on?" usually his Rin was a time keeper, never being late to any event. However in that night Sesshomaru find out that in a way all women are the same: when they need to be pretty they indeed take their time.

"I never wore a dress like this one before. This dress doesn't suit me. I think I am in need of another one."

"Rin, I picked up that dress myself. I am sure you look fantastic in it. Come out and let me see." When the say woman refused to come out Sesshomaru pulled the curtains to the side, revealing her frame to his eyes. The blue dress embraced her body beautifully, revealing her curves to the bare eyes. The deep cleavage revealed the shape of her chest, almost making him to growl in satisfaction.

"I can deal with the front but the back – " she turned around to show him what made her so ashamed. Her whole back was bare, his hands having a will of their own, to touch it. Upon his fingers he felt the softness of her hot skin, sending shivers down his spine.

Beautiful, erotic, he chanted in his mind.

"Indeed, you need another one." Sesshomaru left her dressing room, and picked the first dress his eyes fell upon on, and gave it to her. No man other than him is allowed to see her bare skin. Picking up the discarded dress, he gave it to the sales woman to wrap it for him.

The dress is only for his eyes to see.

o.O.o

"Relax! Everything will be okay." Indeed was a good idea to change her attire. Her new dress was simple, decent, nothing inappropriate revealed to the eyes. If she was so nervous wearing her new attire, he didn't want to imagine how she would have been with that dress on. He doubted she would have climbed off his car.

"It's my first time attending to such fancy party. I am nervous."

"You have no reason to feel like this. And is fancy not at all. It's just a fundraising for orphans. Beside, here you will see many faces you know."

"Sesshomaru, I am not part of this rich world. I can see these women looking at me like I am a pest of something; and I am here only for five minutes. They don't agree with my presence here."

"What they think is irrelevant. You shouldn't pay attention to their words. It pays no matter what they think."

"Sesshomaru, promise me you will never leave me alone all night. I am afraid that I will make a mistake if left alone and embarrass you."

"Leave you alone never crossed my mind." At the beat of the music, he took the lithe woman in the middle of the ballroom into a dance. In that night all knew Sesshomaru's heart was won by that woman.

Without her on his side, this place feels cold, un-welcomed. Just one hour he will stay before making his leave. He will make sure to give his check for the sickly children, and leave before any woman from here to try hitting on him. Two years he did his best to avoid their advances. They were the predators, he the prey.

"Takahashi-san" hearing the voice, Sesshomaru recognized it immediately.

Damn. Can't she leave me alone? Just find an excuse and leave Sesshomaru.

"Mrs…"

"Miss Takenori Maria. You can call me Maria." Six months ago, to the high society was introduced a new person, a woman who shortly became Sesshomaru's nightmare. For six months, this new members tries to catch his attention, to make him hers.

The moment his eyes fell on her, he could see similarities with another woman to whose charms once he gave up. Takenori was similar with Meiya. Instinctively he felt repulsion for her.

Never look at a woman as Meiya ever again. He told to himself when his world crushed down.

"Takahashi-san, will you dance with me?"

"I apologize but I can't. My dances are reserved for my partner." And now you need to find a partner and coax her to play along. Nice job Sesshomaru! Couldn't you say you need to leave?

"Why are you lying? I know you came alone. You are single aren't you?"

"Sorry I am late!" this voice he could recognize with anywhere. Turning his gaze to where the sound was coming from, his visage was filled with her. She was here, his Rin was here.

The only parties she liked to attend where only the ones from the gallery, where she felt comfortable. She didn't like to stay too much at the charitable parties. The reason she attended was due to the children; she wanted to do something for them. If this reason wouldn't have existed she would never have attended to one.

"She's in there, she's waiting for you." the voice woke her up from her daze. She was about to meet the person who strongly denied her existence in this fancied world. Truth, the last time when they meet she was gentler; however Rin could never forget the cold shoulder she got from the woman.

"Thank you Suikotsu-san."

"I have someone to meet and cannot come in with you. Beside I doubt she wants me there too. She really wanted to talk with you. Don't know what but she said it's important. If she's mean to you tell me about it."

"It's okay. I am sure your wife will do me no harm."

Being left alone, Rin gathered her courage and opened the wooden door. Hearing the sound of the door cracking open, the other woman, a woman passed to her thirties, turned around to welcome her visitor.

"Welcome Rin! I have been waiting for you!"

"Good evening Yura-san! I was surprised to hear words from you. Thank you for the invitation!"

"You're too modest. I should be the one thanking you. Despite the way I treated you in the beginning you helped me when I asked your help. Thanks to you, Suikotsu is having some sort of relationship with his half brother."

A year ago Rin was surprised to see Yura, the woman who never lost any occasion to make nasty comments about her person, at her door, asking for help. In an instant, the imposing, apparently cold woman, turned into a mere human being, capable of feelings.

"I thought it's better if Bankotsu will let the hard feelings to go, and try to have a relationship with his other family. For many years he harbored hatred for his biological father, and the members of his family. It was time for him to move on, and prove to be better than them."

"No matter what the reason, thank you! Our lives it's better since then. But that's not the reason I wanted you here. Yesterday it arrive the tea set you made; it's wonderful. I am sure it will sell well. But that's not the reason I wanted you here either. Why don't you take a seat next to me?"

Soft clicks made by her shoes heard inside the spacious room while she made her way to the cushioned seat.

"The reason why I wanted you at this party is because of Sesshomaru."

"What?" her eyes almost left her sockets. Yura was the last person she expected to talk about it. "Why?"

"Sesshomaru often talks with Suikotsu, and Suikotsu talks with me too. I am sure Sesshomaru wants those discussions to be private but my husband cannot say no to me. I – " Yura took a deep breath, unknown to her how to approach the subject.

Can she, the woman who disliked Rin to the core, giving love advice to Rin? The whole situation was too strange. If the places would be switched she will just leave the room not looking back.

"I am sure that I am surprising you. I bet you never see it happen – having a discussion about Sesshomaru. It's strange for me too."

"Indeed." She wanted to get away from here; she prayed for someone to interrupt them, and she to dash out the room.

"Despite the fact that our dear ones were close, business partner, and met often outside work, we never became close. I disliked you. Do you know why?"

Oh Kami, do we need to talk about that? "I guess because of my humble origins. Most women didn't like me. They said I am using him for fame. Some changed their mind, but some are the same."

"You're wrong. You know that I and Sesshomaru was a couple in University?" Rin's breath stopped. "For four years we were called the best couple."

"I – " Rin wanted to get out of here. She didn't want to hear this woman saying to her how appealing to the public eyes they were.

"But we weren't in love with each other. I realized this when I accepted without thinking twice at my marriage proposal. And I knew he's not in love with me when I have told him about my upcoming marriage and he just said ok."

"I did not know that. I don't know what to say."

"You need to say nothing at all. That's not the reason I disliked you. It was because my husband likes you, and not me his wife. My marriage with him was decided by our parents – both parties had something to win. I did not have feelings for him, nor he for me. But when I have heard him, more than once how lovely you're, than anyone is fortunate to have you by his side, I felt jealous and gave you a cold shoulder. At that time I mistook his liking for you as love."

"But you and Suikotsu are one of the most envied couple. You're madly in love with each other."

"Now we're. We weren't like that in the beginning. What got us close was our first child. When she was born sick, he blamed himself a lot. he blamed himself for not taking better care of me during my pregnancy. A sad event got us closer; we developed feelings for each other, and find out we have things in common. Later, he discovered he likes children very much, and this is the reason I am pregnant for the third time. Also, he gave up having affairs."

"What?"

"You did not know? He had so many affairs that I even lost count of them. I got rid of them each time I knew about ones existence; though I doubt he tried much to hide them. At that time I didn't have feelings for him and I still didn't allow him to trample on me. I am very mad on you Rin. You allowed that tramp to trifle with you, your name. You should have got rid of that whore the moment you find out about her existence. You should have fought for your man. If I could do it for a man I had no feelings for at that time, you could have done it for the man you were in love with."

"I had no idea what to do. I was afraid to ask him; I was afraid to find out that I became nothing for him. I regret my mistakes."

"What is in the past will stay in the past. However I want to know about now. Will you take him back, or will you let another tramp take him away from you?"

"I don't understand." Yura stood up, heading towards the wooded door. Opening the door slightly ajar she turned her gaze to Rin.

"Come, I want to show you something." The moment Rin stood next to Yura, the latter started talking. "Do you see the woman dressed in red? The one whose chest is spilling out? I can swear she's a copy of that tramp from your past. Around a year ago she married a very old man; I think he was around 80. Few months later he died, and his young wife inherited everything. She's still wearing her deceased husband's name: Takenori."

"Why are you telling me about her?"

"For months she's after Sesshomaru." Air stopped filling her lungs. "She wants to make him husband number 2. He avoided her, and even gave her signals he's not interested in her; she's too dumb to catch the message. Will you let this woman have what's rightfully yours? When will you fight for what's yours? Look, she spotted him and heads to where he is. What will you do?"

What shall I do? Her eyes were still on that woman, the woman dressed in red. Rin saw her heading to Sesshomaru's direction, and even see how that woman tried to flirt with him. He was uncomfortable around the woman; anyone could tell, except that woman. Rin let her body respond by itself. She knew where her steps are heading her. Now she was so close that she could even hear them. He doesn't like her. She smiled at the thought. No matter how much that woman would throw to his feet he cared not at all. This woman should know he belongs to me.

"Sorry for being late!" hearing her voice, his look turned immediately on her. For a moment he looked surprised. "My make-up took more than I thought." Rin stood on his side, her arm hooking around his own. "I missed only few minutes and you're already attacked by women. Why?"

"I was telling this lady here that I am not alone. She thought I am lying."

"You aren't. Hi, I am Harada Rin; Sesshomaru's partner for this night and for many nights now on. And you're?"

The show displayed by this unknown woman displeased Takenori. She watched this man from afar for so many months, her eyes seeing not this woman ever before. A rival she thought will never have. She was wrong.

"Takenori Maria. Nice to meet you, Harada-san!" she stretched her hand for a shake, Rin however refusing to do the same.

"Takenori-san, I would appreciate if you would leave my man alone. He will never be available for you. He's mine only."

"I apologize, Harada-san. My intentions towards Sesshomaru were probably misunderstood. I never tried to hit on him."

"That's a good thing; because you will never have him. Beside, he has eyes only for me. Personally I think it's shameful for a woman to chase a man who constantly rejects her." silently Sesshomaru was watching these two women interact. They were having a battle; one for his heart. His heart jolted in joy by hearing his beloved words.

She thought at him as her possession.

several days later

"Hello" Rin stopped working when her phone buzzed, and answered her cell phone.

"Rin-chan I need a favor to ask!"

"Kagome – "

"I need you to check on Sesshomaru. I think he's sick." Seeing Sesshomaru? No, she doesn't want to. A week had passed since she technically chased that woman away and claimed he's hers, and he didn't even ask her out. She put herself on a silver plate and he didn't take it. She won't be first to make the first step.

"Sesshomaru never gets sick. If this is your new way to bring us together learn that it won't work." She won't fall again for this woman's tricks.

"I am not joking Rin-chan. When I visited him yesterday at his office he looked pale. And minutes before Momo called me and said Sesshomaru left home early. According to her, he didn't look well. I truly think he's sick."

"Why don't you check on him?" she still didn't want to see him. Only by hearing his name, her mind flew back to that night a week ago. She couldn't forget the grin he had the whole night.

"Thank you!" he whispered into her ear. "I thought she will never leave."

"You're welcome. When I had seen you looking to pitiful I had to do something. I couldn't ignore your help's scream."

"That woman is a pain. I rejected her in any way possible and she didn't even dodge. If I would have known she would back away if another woman appears I would have asked your help earlier. You were really something else; you were like a lioness protecting her piece of meat. I am flattered."

And when he called her afterwards he friendzoned her. He must have a sick pleasure to tease me.

"I would if I could. I have an important appointment which cannot be missed. The only one left it's you."

"Fine. Turning a favor back it's normal. He once took care of me when I have been sick; I will do the same. I hate to own something to that man."

Her head throbbed; she felt like someone hit her head with a hammer. How much she wants her head to feel better, and her empty stomach to be filled. She was too sick to move, too sick to cook, too sick to even chew. If she would have known this will happen she wouldn't have jumped in that pool.

She blamed him.

It was his fault for catching a cold. Summer colds were the worst.

She turned around on her bed, her mind fixed on various foods. Unable to eat, she decided to sate her hunger with thoughts.

"Rin?" a hand was touching her gently. She must be hallucinating; to feel his hand moving up and down her arm. Must be because of her hunger. "Rin, are you okay?" if her mind plays pranks on her, at least she should indulge into it.

"My nose is running, my head is hurting and I am hungry. I am not okay."

"Should I prepare something for you?"

"If you want." She felt his lips pressing softly upon her skin, sleep catching her. In her dream he was on her side, taking care of her. Moments later, the same touch touched her feverish skin, waking her up from her dream.

"My sleeping beauty should wake and eat something."

"Sesshomaru, why did you leave my dream? You should have stayed there; it was good for me there."

"I promise to return there after you would have eat and take your medicine."

"That's a promise." She paused seeing the food. "I want you to feed me. I am too sick to do it myself." In her perfect dream world he will pick up the spoon and feed her. She wanted to be pampered by this man.

"Okay." He took the spoon and dipped it in the food. "Say ah – " It tasted good.

"You know – " They were half way through the food, words she never would have said while being healthy wanted to slip out through her lips. She was in a dream; she was allowed to say them. "I fell for you the first time when I met you. I was afraid of getting hurt so I played hard to get. A part of me was happy that you gave me attention because I liked you, but the other one was annoyed. If you wanted to woo me you shouldn't have stalk me. You even went as far as adopting a kitty to draw me into you. If I wouldn't have known you're a mentally sane person with no reason to hurt me, I would have screamed for help and asked a restrain order."

"You – "

"I knew you hate cats. To spare that kitty being your pet I suggested you to give it to be someone else's pet. It was the best for the kitty, not for your carpets, or furniture."

"It's okay for you to confess these to me?"

"Of course. Because this is a dream. When I will wake up none of these would have happened."

"Then, my sleeping beauty shall sleep."

*several hours later

"Good morning my love? Have you had a good dream?" Rin froze. In the middle of her kitchen her lover was, cooking.

"Sesshomaru you're here? Since when?"

"My sleeping beauty shall not be worried about it. This man merely took responsibility over what he facilitated. Shouldn't I have look over my lover when she's sick?"

Sleeping beauty? In her dream she was called like that. Many times. To the man in her dream she confessed her hidden thoughts. That was a dream isn't it?

"What I said yesterday – "

"Didn't that happen in your dream?"

"Oh shit!"

"Sesshomaru!" she burst inside his apartment, her eyes searching for him. She found him laying in the living room, on his couch, a hand covering his eyes. "Are you okay?" she kneeled beside him, her fingers gently touching his face. "You look pale. You really are sick."

"Rin – "

"Shh… you shouldn't speak. I will call a doctor and everything will be fine. I will take good care of you."

"I love you Rin!"