Disclaimer-  I don't own any of the characters.

Rin folded her legs under her and watched the sun come up.  She yawned slightly but she wasn't sleepy.    Rin hated sleeping.  She'd have weird dreams and then wake up feeling disoriented.   She always had this overwhelming feeling that she belonged somewhere else.  And that if she didn't get there, she'd be in a lot of trouble. Yet she could never figure out where that somewhere else was.   Rin would usually stay curled up in a ball shaking in terror until the feeling passed.  So to keep from feeling like that, she had learned how to get by on as little sleep as possible.  After about another hour, she got up and got dressed.  For a few minutes, she stared at Sesshomaru's door because she had no idea what to do.  He hadn't told her what he expected of her.  Rin didn't want to be accused of being lazy so she decided to do some cleaning.  Over the next two hours, she cleaned as silently as she could.  

"Rin what are you doing?"

She stiffened and dropped the sponge she was using.  She looked up and saw Mr. Takani.

"Let me rephrase that.  Why are you cleaning the floors?"  he asked.    "Did Sesshomaru tell you to do this?"

She got off of the floor and shook her head no.  Even if he had, she wouldn't tell.  Rin was going to do everything in her power to keep him from becoming angry with her.

"Well, this isn't your job so you don't have to do it."  he said.  "Sesshomaru will tell you what he needs done, but he usually sleeps late on Sundays.  So until he wakes up, you have some free time on your hands.  Why don't you do what you usually do?"

Soujiro looked at his watch and mumbled something.

"I have to go.  I have a golf game in an hour."  he said walking off.

Rin silently bit her lip.  Cleaning the floors is what she did with her free time but he said don't do that.  Rin sighed and once again wished she was in the retainer house.    At least there they told her what to do.  She picked up the stuff she used for the floor and put them where they belonged.   She then went into the kitchen and took out things to cook for Sesshomaru's breakfast.  The only problem was the fact that she didn't know what he liked to eat.  She was still staring at everything when the back door opened and a woman walked in carrying bags.  Rin made a move to help her but she held up her hand to stop her.

"I've got it but thank you anyways."  she said as she sat the bags on the counter.  "You must be the new retainer.  I'm Marie, the cook."

She noticed the things Rin had taken out and smiled. 

"Trying to figure out what he likes?"  she asked.

Rin just nodded her head.

"Not much of a talker are you?  That's okay, I can talk enough for the both of us."  she said.  "Now as for what he likes to eat, it would be easier if you remember what he doesn't like."

Marie continued talking and Rin listened.  She was actually glad to listen because it had been a while since someone had actually talked to her.  Most people at the storehouse thought it weird and creepy that she couldn't remember her past or didn't talk so they avoided her.   Rin was helping Marie make a fruit salad when Liasa came. 

"Good morning Rin, Marie."

Rin acknowledged her and continued what she was doing.  A few minutes later, Sesshomaru came in. 

"Good morning Sess."  Liasa said.

"Morning."  he replied as he went to get a glass from the cabinet.

Just as he turned to get some juice, Rin was standing there holding the pitcher.  He frowned slightly.  After telling her to go to her room last night, he hadn't given her much thought.  She poured him the juice.  Sesshomaru went to fix himself some breakfast but Rin once again beat him to it.  She pulled an already fixed plate from the warming oven and held it out to him.  He reluctantly took the plate and went to sit down.  A minute later, Rin came and set a cup of coffee next to him.  He looked at her but didn't say anything.  He would admit that she was good at what she did but he knew that it would get old really quick.  Sesshomaru lifted a fork to his mouth but stopped when he noticed her still standing there.

"I don't need an audience."

Rin quickly backed off and left.

"Go easy on her."  his mother said.  "She's only trying to help."

Instead of responding, he turned his attention back to his food.  After he finished, Sesshomaru got up and put his dishes in the sink.   

"Where are you going?"  his mother asked.

"Mall.  I have to pick up some things for school."

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

"No."

"Rin."  Liasa said with a sigh.

"What about her?"

"Take her with you.  I bet she'd like some fresh air.  While she's there, she can pick up some clothes for herself."

"There's no way I'm taking her clothes shopping." 

"You have to.  She can't keep going around in ill fitting clothes."

"Well then you take her shopping."

"She's your retainer."

"You chose her."

"Sesshomaru...."

"Fine."  he said interrupting her.  "I'll take her."

He didn't have time to argue.

"Did you see where she went?"

"It looked like she was heading upstairs."

Sesshomaru went back upstairs to get look for Rin.  He walked by his room and his eyes narrowed slightly.  Rin was in there making his bed. 

"I don't want you in here." he snapped.

She jumped and dropped the sheet she was holding.  She stared at the floor.   Stupid Rin, she thought.  She had forgotten that Liasa said that he didn't like anyone in his room.   Rin prayed that he wasn't too angry.

"I've got things where I need them to be so...." 

Sesshomaru stopped mid-sentence as he watched the blood drain from her face.   Why did she look like she had seen a ghost?   It took Sesshomaru a few seconds to realize that she was reacting to his snapping at her.  But why?   He knew that he sounded harsher than he meant to but it wasn't cause to react like that. 

"Forget what I said.  Get your things, we're going out." 

Sesshomaru watched her walk to her room and frowned.   If he hadn't been sure before, he was now.  There was no way he'd be able to treat her like he had the rest.   He barely said anything to her and she reacted like he was going to kill her.  This is what he deserved for not picking out a retainer on his own.  At least then he would've gotten someone who would've done what he wanted without looking like they were going to die of fright.  No, he was stuck with the poster girl for pathetic.  After she got her things, they went to the mall.   Rin trailed behind him as he went to a few stores for his supplies. 

"We're going shopping for you now."  he said suddenly as he stopped walking.  "My mother has decided that you need better fitting clothes." 

She gave him a blank stare so he shook his head slightly and continued walking.  Rin fingered the end of her sleeve.  She didn't want to get new clothes.    She understood that her old ones were too big but strangely she liked them.  

Stop acting like a big baby and be thankful that they're nice enough to buy you something, she silently told herself. 

After a few more minutes, Sesshomaru stopped again. 

"Let's go in here."  he said pointing to a woman's clothing store. 

They went inside and a saleswoman came over to them.

"Can I help you?"

"No."

"Call me if you need me."  she said as she walked away.

"You have forty five minutes."  Sesshomaru said to Rin. 

He sat down on a chair that was near the door to wait for her to shop.  

"Choose something." 

Rin looked at him and then looked at all the racks.  Choose something.  Easier said than done.   She was beginning to feel incredibly uneasy.  Why didn't he just tell her what to get?   After a few seconds, Sesshomaru noticed her still standing there.  She looked like she had no idea what she was doing.  He rubbed his eyes and looked at her.  Not only was she mute, she was an idiot.  He didn't have time for this so he got up and went over to her.

"Pants, skirts, or dresses?"  he asked as he pointed to racks.

Rin pointed to the pants.

"Long sleeve or short?"  he asked as he held up the shirt.

She pointed to the long sleeve.

"Light colors or dark?"

She chose dark. 

"Fine."

Rin jumped when he grabbed the back of her dress and looked at the tag.  He estimated what her size should be and then began grabbing clothes for her.  Rin followed him around the store as he picked out things for her.  She started blushing when Sesshomaru held a bra against her and declared that it looked like it would fit.  It didn't help that she noticed a few people look their way and snicker.  He handed a few more bra sets to her.  Once he thought she had enough things, he turned and looked at her.

"There.  Now was that so hard?"  he asked.

Rin looked down at the ground.  No, it wasn't hard.  She wasn't the idiot that he obviously thought she was.   She had been going to pick out a few things for herself like he had said but when she went to do it, she couldn't.   It was like she was afraid to make a move without his approval first.   Even when she was at the retainer house she felt like this.  She hated it then and she hated it now.  Rin sighed and stood back as Sesshomaru paid for her things.  They then went to a few more stores to pick up more things he needed and then went home.  Rin followed him to his room where he sat down his bags.  They then went into her room.  He sat her bags on the bed.

"Put your things up while I go get something." 

Rin pulled out the clothes and begun to fold them neatly while Sesshomaru left the room.  A little while later, he came back with a computer.   She watched curiously as he begun to set it up.  

"This is now your computer.  I want you to learn how to use it."

A small sliver of excitement ran through Rin.  She had always wanted to use a computer.  There had been plenty at the retainer house but only retainers who had special privileges or who were being trained got to use them.   Unfortunately, she had been in neither of those categories. 

"Can you read?"  he asked breaking into her thoughts.

Rin nodded her head yes.

"Good, then you should find this useful."

Sesshomaru handed her a book and she read the title.  Computer Basics.  He expected her to do this on her own?  She looked up at him questioningly. 

"If you want to be useful to me, then you're going to have to be able to do things on your own."  he said.  "You understand?"

She nodded her head.  If this was what he wanted her to do then she was prepared to do. 

"Good.  You don't have to start now but this is what I want you to concentrate on."

Sesshomaru went to his room and closed the connecting doors.  He honestly didn't care if she got the hang of the computer.  All he was concerned with was the fact that it would keep her occupied and out of his way.  If she did get it, he'd buy her some games or something.  He'd worry about that if or when the time came.   Next on my list is get her to learn sign language, Sesshomaru thought.  Jaken's constant talking had been annoying but for some reason Rin's head nodding was even more so.   He'd go crazy if he had to keep watching her do that.  He sat at his desk and begun doing some work on his laptop.  Some time later, someone knocked on his door.  Before he could tell them go away, his mother walked in the door.

"You busy?"

"Yes."

"What are you working on?"

"Some research for work."  he said as he kept working. 

"How was shopping?"  she asked.

Sesshomaru stopped working and looked at her.  He was wondering when she'd get around to asking.  That was why she had come to his room in the first place. 

"Uneventful."  he said.   "Just so you know, I took that old computer from the study and give it to Rin."

"Why?"

"I want her to learn how to use it.  And I want her to learn sign language."

"Why?  What are you up to?"

"Why do you insist that I'm up to something?  Is it possible that you're the one up to something?"

"No.   You went from not wanting any retainer to giving her a computer and having her learn sign language.  Usually when you back down like that it means you're planning something."

"Or I can be too busy to argue and fight you.   Since I have to keep her as my retainer, I would like her to have skills that I find useful.  As for the sign language, what use are those skills if we can't communicate."

"You have a point."  she said.  "I'll leave so you can get back to your work."   

Sesshomaru watched as his mother left.  Despite her protests, he knew that she was up to something.  He had a sinking suspicion that it had to do with Rin.  And if his suspicion was right, then that meant one thing.  That it was going to be even harder to get rid of Rin.

I'm having a little bit of trouble with this story, but I don't want to discontinue it.  So that's why it's taken me so long to write another part.  It's kind of boring but I hope you liked it anyway.  I would like to thank everyone who's been reading and/or replying.  I'm very sorry that I didn't reply to everyone individually but I have to hurry up and get off.   To the people who asked, Sess is 18.   

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