A/N: sorry for all the delays everyone! My computer crashed and I had to buy a new one, and I've been having a lot of problems with moving and starting school again. I didn't mean to have another hiatus, I promise! Everything should be sorted out now, fingers crossed!

Please also note there is an important poll you can find on my profile page! Please go and vote on it!

Jaken and Sesshomaru continued reading the scroll, the toadlike imp with nervousness and Sesshomaru with some anger. "they must have heard rumors that you took a human mate, and took offense," Jaken noted with some trepidation. "er, milord…weren't the Dou the ones that…?"

"caused the Yume Massacre? Yes. And there were far more of them than there are of the Tsuki clan now." He had been worried of this possibility since he had been forced to live through the vision his mother had shown him. He had known if Rin stayed human, they would likely all be doomed. He gave a dark smirk, and Jaken gulped at his expression.

"m-milord?"

"I shall invite them to the palace in two weeks' time. They shall see no human as a mate." He gave a chuckle and picked up his brush, almost wishing it was a sword instead. He wished for a moment he could spar with Rin like they had just a short time ago—but then he remembered once again why he couldn't do so, and his smile warmed a little. He grabbed a sheet of paper and began his rather overly cordial invitation. He heard jaken shuffle his feet, wanting to leave but unable to as he hadn't been dismissed yet. He heard the imp hum thoughtfully, but mostly ignored him until he gasped sharply and held his mouth shut to prevent a loud squawk just in time.

"is something the matter, Jaken?" he glanced over at his alarmed servant, who clearly didn't trust himself to speak quite yet. He managed to calm down enough to yelp, "I-is there something I should know, Sesshomaru-sama?" Sesshomaru was puzzled at his reaction, then realized that Jaken still didn't know about Rin yet, and why she was still in bed after all this time.

"everything is fine. Rin is becoming an InuYoukai." Jaken opened his mouth and took in a breath—that really raised more questions than it answered!—but Sesshomaru wasn't finished talking yet. "the process is a slow one, and it is taxing for her. That is why she is still resting. In two weeks, it will be complete." He gestured to the page he was writing on. "so, when the Dou arrive, they shall see no human."

"is that so?" Jaken hummed, rubbing his chin with one three-fingered hand. His expression brightened. "but that's wonderful news! She can stay with us for much longer now!"

Sesshomaru nodded, seeming distracted again as he weighted the page down so he could continue writing and allow the ink to dry. "I know. But you must be careful around her, Jaken. Remember, for now she is human, only changing, not one of us yet. But her instincts are running ahead of the change. She cannot control herself yet. In the heat of the moment, she could hurt you or others, or even herself, without even knowing she was doing so."

Jaken gulped. "I see…I'll be sure to remember that…" he picked up the next scroll in the pile, checking the seal. "this one is from the eastern Umi clan…"

He worked through lunch without really intending to do so. A servant made sure Rin was fed and he himself wasn't hungry, only wanting to get through the mountain of paperwork that seemed to have formed in his brief absence. Jaken was especially cheerful today, and Sesshomaru supposed it was mostly due to the fact that he was getting to serve his lord once again. He weighted down the latest response to a missive on the floor with a couple of inkstones, at this point all he could spare for the job. The sound of the shoji in his room sliding open caught his attention and he looked over his shoulder to see the futon empty and Rin gone. He got quickly to his feet.

"stay here, Jaken. It may not be safe for you." He stepped quickly through the bedroom and straight out the open door, wondering where Rin was trying to go. Jaken, despite being told to stay, was too curious, and followed along at his master's heel.

Rin was walking along the upper hallway with her nose in the air, seemingly sniffing for something. Sesshomaru became uneasy—she looked too much like a pup on their first hunt. Rin finally heard the steps behind her and turned, spotting Jaken pattering noisily along behind Sesshomaru's nearly silent tread. Her eyes narrowed as she focused on him, in her instinctive haze only registering prey.

"AAAAHH!"

Jaken screamed in terror as Rin lunged suddenly at him, fingers outstretched and mouth open in a snarl far more ferocious than any he'd seen. He cowered, but she never touched him. Sesshomaru-sama caught her as she'd jumped, holding her tightly as she growled and struggled to get to him, her pupils barely visible they were so thin. He scampered back to the doorway and hid, shivering slightly in worry as Sesshomaru restrained his mate.

"RIN!"

Rin went still as she came suddenly back to her senses, confused as to why she was in the middle of the hallway in Sesshomaru's arms. "I…what happened?" she asked softly, looking around. She heard him sigh in relief as she relaxed against him.

"it doesn't matter. You're all right now."

"no, what happened? Why am I out here?" she needed to know—she couldn't remember anything!

He sighed softly again. "you were trying to hunt. Luckily for Jaken, you're not good at it yet." Rin gasped in horror—it was exactly her worst fear come true! Poor Jaken…

"oh no! is he okay? I didn't—" she had to know she hadn't hurt—or worse, killed—one of her only friends. She couldn't see him from the angle she had, looking over her husband's left shoulder. At her words, he actually gave a slight chuckle.

"he is fine." He glanced over to where he could just see the little toad hiding in the doorway, trembling slightly. "you're fine, Jaken. she didn't mean to attack."

"No! I would never, Jaken, you have to know that!" she quickly affirmed Sesshomaru's words, and the imp reluctantly stepped forward, bowing slightly to her.

"I-I think I see what you meant now, milord," he stammered, looking up at Rin with newfound respect and fear. She was sad to see it. She didn't mind being respected, but she didn't want anyone, especially someone like jaken, to fear her. Her stomach rumbled slightly and she realized why she'd come out in the first place—she'd meant to go to the kitchen.

Rin let out an indignant squeak as Sesshomaru scooped her up once again like she weighed nothing and quickly returned her to the futon she'd only barely escaped. "I'll fetch us dinner. Any requests?"

"um…can I have some meat?" Rin asked in a sheepish tone, and he nodded, unable to give her a smile with his concern for her. If her instincts were coming in this strongly already, she was going to have a very hard time. He got her to lay back down and returned as quickly as he could with dinner for the both of them. She hummed as she ate quickly but neatly. "I never meant to hunt jaken," she muttered between mouthfuls. "he probably wouldn't taste good anyway."

He hummed softly in amusement. "we both know you didn't mean to do it, Rin. I warned you about the instincts, and I warned him. It was his own fault to follow me when I told him to stay back." He finished his last bite and set down his plate. "don't worry."

"I can't just not worry—this is the biggest thing I will ever worry about, no matter how long I live now…" he pulled her gently into his lap, holding her close to comfort her, rubbing her back lightly.

"once you are fully a youkai, the urges will stop, or at least become controllable, I swear it."

"it's not just that, Sesshomaru," she sighed, looking up at him as her eyes began to water, threatening tears. "it's the baby, and in a few months they'll be here, and you're going to take the throne, and I'll be a lady…" she was clearly very confused and rather frightened by it all. He held her gently closer to him, rubbing her back a little more vigorously as she sniffled.

"everything will be fine, Rin. And do not be afraid to ask for help. I want you to be comfortable with all this." He kissed her forehead but was surprised by her suddenly angry expression.

"how could I be comfortable with all this?!" Rin demanded in a loud voice, glaring at him. "My own home village hated me as a child, but now they would kill me on sight. I am becoming something I don't understand…and I don't mean just the youkai part." He frowned, not sure what to say to that, or even if there was anything to say that would help. He settled for pulling her head to his shoulder and stroking her hair, feeling her let out a few tears as she held him close. He sighed deeply and rocked her slightly side to side until he could feel her slowly relax once again.

"everything will come out all right. I will make it so."

A/N: go vote on the poll! I mean it! =)