Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

As you might know, this started as a one-shot. I'm writing this thanks to an awesome reviewer named RamenLover! Thank you so much for the encouragement! Please forgive me if Sesshomaru being OOC.

Tater Twig is ticked about me writing a second chapter! That just makes it more fun! (She refuses to read it)

Something you might need to have seen understand a character in this fanfiction (not that important) is the episodes involving the panther demons. If you have not, it is pretty simple. Sesshy's dad beat their leader, they wanted revenge on the sons. Battle fight. Panther demons brought leader/master back from the dead. He betrays them and uses their souls to gain his power back. Sesshomaru kills him, souls go back and they thank Sesshomaru. (Inuyasha was there to) That's it.

Enjoy! -

Into their heads

One would think everything would change once they saw their love for one another and that they would suddenly be lovers, both part of the same whole, but things didn't work out that way. Rin and Sesshomaru knew they loved each other, yes, but neither knew what to do with that precious information. After all, even if their love was as strong as the seven seas, Rin was still human and Sesshomaru was still a demon. Their life spans were so different. How could they live their lives together? Within a few years Rin would grow old and fragile, and then die while Sesshomaru stayed the same and was forced to watch the love of his life die slowly in front of him without the ability to save her from the passing of the years.

For the first time in his life Sesshomaru would be utterly helpless. He knew this, and had known this since he had first started to see Rin in a new light. Sesshomaru had tried desperately to beat some sense into his heart before he lost it to a human girl and had failed horribly. And now that he finally knew she loved him in return, those same fears came pouring back to him, stronger then ever.

Rin knew his fears, though she did not know he also feared them. She worried so about leaving Sesshomaru alone. How could she let a man give her his heart and know all along that she would tear it apart in the end? When she had first kissed his soft lips, she had been more joyful than in any other point in her short life, and for awhile after, as they walked down the forest path, she was bubbling with glee.

Then it had hit her like a rock. The things Jaken said that day so long ago, the day she had first realized she wouldn't be with Sesshomaru forever, came flooding back to her.

"You'll be long dead by then!"

She would die. Sesshomaru couldn't stop it and she would leave him behind, taking away a large part of his heart in the process. That is, if she let herself be with him. Rin knew then she should leave his side forever and let his heart let her go before it was too late. But she also knew she could never make herself leave. She hated herself for her selflessness, but could not overcome it.

Start of action

So much turmoil was going on inside the pair's head that even Jaken had to notice something was wrong eventually. It finally happened the next day somewhere around mid-morning when they were near the Western border, and not even Rin had shared Jaken's enthusiasm.

"What is the matter with you, Rin?!" Jaken squawked in his usual annoying voice. "You're never quiet, but when I'm excited about something, you're as quiet as a mouse!"

"Sorry, Master Jaken," she whispered sadly, still lost in her own thoughts.

Jaken jumped into the air, his two-headed staff rose in hand and bonked Rin on the head in his temper. Not hard enough to hurt too much, but more then enough to get her attention. "Wake up, girl!" he yelled.

The moment the staff made contact with her head, Sesshomaru went rigid. He halted mid-step and let his foot fall to the ground. Jaken didn't notice and trotted straight into the back of Sesshomaru's leg.

"Why have we stopped, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked innocently. Regaining control over himself, Sesshomaru merely turned to Jaken and introduced his foot to Jaken's face once again. Jaken lay on his back with a footmark indented across his face, and Sesshomaru turned back to the path and began to walk once more.

For a moment, Rin only watched Sesshomaru's back as he walked away. No, she could never leave him. Never. Her love was too strong. She would tell him. Tell him aloud that she loved him and let Jaken and everyone else in the world hear her. Rin opened her mouth slowly, feeling those sweet words on the tip of her tongue. But she didn't get to say them before a voice came from the surrounding trees.

"So you're Lord Sesshomaru!" the voice said mockingly. "You don't seem that tough!" At that moment a panther demon leapt into the path ahead. He was slim and muscular with a braid of orange hair extending to the middle of his back. Smirking, his face looked much like that of a cat who had mischief at work. "Are you really the one who beat our master?"

"…Make way," Sesshomaru said coldly as if the panther had not spoken at all.

"Aw, now I feel bad!" the panther demon laughed. "You're not a very nice guy, Sesshomaru!"

To that remark Sesshomaru just glared.

"Oh well, not that it matters. I didn't come here to be nice either," he continued, face darkening. "I came to test my skills against yours. So far, I'm not impressed."

Sesshomaru made no reply. He didn't want to fight this insignificant creature. Rin was right there watching, so he didn't think he should kill him if it could be helped.

A scare tactic would be more efficient, Sesshomaru decided. He started to transform into his true form. Sesshomaru's eye turned as crimson as blood, and the corners of his mouth began to stretch, teeth growing larger ever second.

The panther demon looked shocked and jumped off the path away where he was just looking out of the trees. "Ok, I get it! You're stronger! You're strong, okay?!" This panther is a lowlife and only challenged Sesshomaru for kicks. Now he realized that he bit off more then he can chew and is merely attempting to save his own skin.

Sesshomaru stopped his transformation and slowly went back to his original form. It truly would be best, he reasoned, if he didn't have to spill blood while in Rin's presence, no matter how much he wanted to kill the shivering whelp.

"Ok, that was close," the panther demon said, his cocky manner returning as current danger left. "Oh well. So you're stronger then me," he shrugged. "I have to find something I can gain because of this ordeal!"

His eyes scanned the surrounding area and landed right on Rin. Quick as a flash, he reached her, gathering her up into his arms roughly. "I should find some use for this!" he taunted.

Sesshomaru's eyes lit with anger and he jumped, attempting a rescue, but the panther, though not stronger than Sesshomaru, was faster on his feet. He jumped out of the path and while in midair he threw three small balls where he had just been standing. There was a poof of sickening purple smoke that erupted from them with a scent so strong Sesshomaru was completely blinded for a few seconds.

It was enough. The pungent odor blocked the panther's own pungent scent from Sesshomaru's keen nose. It would be a few days before he would be able to track them because of the smoke hanging over the area.

Sesshomaru stood alone in the middle of the path, with the exception of a swirly- eyed Jaken at his feet, and made himself a vow. He would save Rin and the panther would pay. With his life.

If you're wondering why it took so long to write, it is because I gave up on it right in the middle. Now that I finished the second chapter it shouldn't be so hard to continue. I might even have the next one up by Friday! (Like I said, this was supposed to be a one-shot, so I don't have the story planned out at all. This means you can send me suggestions and I can put them in! You actually have a say in a story for once! Yay! I probably won't take all suggestions but there is a really good chance of me using at least a piece of your suggestion in the story+ I will credit it to you in the end notes!!)

PS: PLEASE HELP! I need a name for the panther demon! I can't think up a good name to save my life!

R&R