Rin awoke the next morning alone again. The way the sheets were on the other side of the bed appeared as if someone had been sitting on the other side of the bed at one time, but she dismissed that fantasy. Maybe it was the fact that now she was going to be close to Sesshomaru always because now there was no where to run off to. They were surrounded by water, and leaving the island was not an option.

Right now she didn't want to go anywhere. This was the first time since she had learned the awful truth that she had to really be alone to her thoughts. The more she sat there the more the tears poured down her cheeks. Her breath hitched in her throat as she sobbed into her pillow. 'What a fool I am,' she thought, 'that I should be crying again. If there were any way I could steal him away from her it's not through crying. I have to prove that I'm worth giving up on his clan.' Her tears dried and she determined that today she really would try to win him back.

As she got to the harbor she realized that she was one of the last ones to get there. They were listing off the duties that were assigned to each of them as they turned their new home into a habitable place with the sheer size of the population now. Rin listened carefully as they listed off each person's name and their new job title. Some were assigned to run the power plant, others to build houses and fix streets, and still others to run the businesses including the stores.

Finally Rin found herself alone in the harbor besides Sesshomaru and the fox demon from the night before as everyone had left to see what was needed to be done. As much as she needed to talk to him she would not do so in front of the fox demon. Sesshomaru would not look at her and left without saying a word. The fox demon stepped up to her and asked, "How do you like your house?"

She was quite certain the fox demon was aware that she was not watching him but Sesshomaru's vanishing figure. "It's okay," she said mindlessly.

"Good. Well, I'm not sure if you remember me," he said as he ducked into her line of vision. "I'm Shippo. I used to travel with Inuyasha and his group in the Feudal Era."

Rin looked at him carefully before her face lit up in recognition. "Oh, right, Shippo. You've grown up since then."

"I have," he said puffing out his chest to impress her. "Well, I hope you enjoy accounting."

"That's what I went to school for," she informed him wondering what he was getting at.

"Sesshomaru determined that we are to work under him at the town hall. You are to make sure people are paying their taxes and the city's bills are getting paid. I will be working with you making sure everything is getting done. I have to do the inspections and awarding of licenses, etc. We'll both be working under Sesshomaru, but he's also in charge of the police force and the island's economy. But he'll be working from his office at home."

Rin nodded her head and followed after him when he started towards the city hall. The lack of supplies and organization vexed Rin for a good part of that week, but then again it seemed like her life had just ended and she was merely floating through the motions.

What didn't help was that Haruka often came by to "check in" on Rin and try to boss her around. She knew not how it was that Haruka had figured out that Sesshomaru was certain that it had something to do with the way she was treated by the woman. In truth, Haruka had figured it out when she often came over to see Sesshomaru only to smell Rin's scent on him from his nightly visits to watch over Rin. Haruka had also figured out that there was a specific reason behind why Sesshomaru had rejected mating with her now, and Rin seemed like the only thing out of order in the population, especially when the cold Sesshomaru decided to bring an unmated human with them.

It would be a couple of months before Rin would see Sesshomaru in person again. He showed up at the office looking for Shippo, who was currently out on his lunch break. Seeing that it they were alone he locked the door behind him and closed the curtains. He then sat down in Shippo's chair. As he opened his mouth to say something Rin was already sitting in his lap pulling him in for a kiss that he gratefully returned with equal fervor.

As they kissed she tried her hardest to touch him in ways that would turn him on, but he pushed her away from him. "Rin, I almost took advantage of you once before, but it would be wrong of us to go too far when we can't be together. It would only make it harder for you."

"It's already too hard for me," she whined giving him a pouting face. Her hands tangled themselves in his hair and she massaged the back of his head with her right hand, a low groan coming deep from his chest. "I want you more than I can tell you." She once again kissed him but he did not kiss her back.

"I love you, Rin, too much to let you get your way right now." With that said he stood up and straightened his kimono just as Shippo was unlocking the door.

"Did I interrupt something?" Shippo asked looking between Rin and Sesshomaru, who were still in close proximity to each other and Rin's face was still flushed. "Because I can leave if you need me to."

"I was coming to talk to you," Sesshomaru said as if nothing had happened. The two men left Rin alone as they walked out of the building and down the street together. Rin slumped into her chair frustrated. This was not like her, throwing herself at someone, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

The rest of the day Shippo wouldn't even look at her. "Stop it!" she finally yelled out loud as the work day was coming to a close.

"Stop what?" he asked her.

"Stop trying to pretend like I'm not here! I know what it looked like when you walked in, and it was probably close to what you are thinking it was." She waited for him to look back at her but he still wouldn't.

It took him a couple of seconds to respond calmly, "I know he's your soul mate. Kagome informed me of that a month ago."

She grew more frustrated at his behavior since he knew the truth. Putting her hands on her hips she asked him, "Then what is the big deal?"

"I thought I interrupted you." Rin furrowed her eyebrows as he looked up at her. "I can't pretend that I don't think you're good looking, and I assume that he doesn't turn you away even though you are not his chosen."

"Don't worry about it," she said in a forgiving tone. "He's too honorable of a man to do that." Not one more word was said between them for the remaining 20 minutes. Rin was quick to leave for home and locked herself inside. Her back rested against the door as she slid down to the floor. "Sometimes I wonder if I should even try anymore." The tears in her eyes welled up again, but she tried her best not to let them fall.

Sesshomaru got home from his day to find Haruka at home again. "Why do you smell like that human?" she questioned him, a scowl deeply etched into her face. "I told you that I would not be disrespected by her."

"You have nothing to worry about," he assured her. "I have made a promise to you, and I intend to keep my promise. I will not forget my responsibility to our race." Her eyes grew red at being called a responsibility. "I will not mate with you just yet, so you do not have to worry about being disrespected by her presence." He walked past her and up towards his bedroom before stopping to say, "Get out of my house," without even looking at her.

He tried to sleep in his bed tonight, but his body simply would not allow it. This afternoon feeling Rin sitting in his lap trying to throw herself on him felt right and wrong all at the same time. That was not the Rin he fell in love with, but he realized that she was probably trying hard to keep him to herself. Yet the feeling of her desiring him only mirrored his own desire for her.

After tossing and turning for a couple of hours he decided that he would not sleep until he sat by Rin's sleep side for a little while. He knew it was wrong to spend nearly every evening at her side, but anymore he had come to depend on it.

Once there he could smell the tears that had been shed for him before she had fallen asleep. He took his usual space on the bed and leaned his head back against the headboard as he slouched into a more comfortable position. Sleep overtook him not long after.

At some point during the night Rin was awakened by something touching her. She woke up with a start, which, in turn, woke up the sleeping demon who was now spooning her. "Sesshomaru," she gasped as she saw him through the light caused by the full moon streaming in through her open window. "What are you doing here?" She turned in his grasp to look at him fully.

"I come often," he said sleepily, not entirely in control of his speech and reactions. All he knew at the moment was that she looked angelic with the moonlight highlighting her face. His lips crashed upon hers as he scooped her up so that she was now laying atop of him. "I love you, Rin," he whispered in her ear as he kissed the side of her face.

The lovers finally gave into their passions as the night became day.