InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Til Death Do Us Part ❯ The Orphan ( Chapter 9 )

Disclaimer: You would've guessed that you've got the picture by now. Me no own.

AN: Sorry for the late update. You know how it is. School. Homework. PROM! - I'm going to prom and have been searching for the perfect dress for two weeks. And I've found it and its absolutely gorgeous and it only cost $300.…and that's on sale. :sigh: I'm so lucky to have a stepfather that is able to convince my mother to buy me such lavish things. : D

Anyway, thanks so much for all of your reviews! They totally make my day and I'm glad you all seem to enjoy this fic so much. You all make me so happy. :throws cookies at reviewers: That's why I made this chappie kind of long. I hope you find it to your enjoyment!

The Orphan

“So how long have you known?” she asked her companion in a soft tone, her green orbs fixated on the portrait of a sunset that hung undisturbed in its dormant state above the full length mirror. Once they Kaede reassured them that nothing serious had happened to the loved ones of their friends, everyone else had graciously aided Kaede in straightening up the dining hall they had virtually destroyed as a result of their childish antics. Then both she and Sango had departed to her room to discuss the events that took place in solitude.

Sango shifted uncomfortably on the queen sized bed as she deliberated over how she would reveal that she had known one of her best friends possessed a secret crush on the boyfriend of the other's. “Well-”

“It hasn't been long, I swear!” Ayame whipped around with her interjection before she could finish. “It's just some stupid infatuation that will eventually be reduced to nothing. You know I would never betray Kagome like that! I'd rather die than to be disloyal to one of my friends over some stupid male!”

“Shhh, Ayame. You don't want to alert the entire household do you?” She scooted over and wrapped a comforting arm around the wolf youkai's shoulder. “I know you would never dream of hurting Kagome so stop beating yourself up over it.”

Unshed tears began to brim the red head's eyes as she leaned onto Sango`s shoulder for support. The complexity of the situation was almost too much to bear. “But I just can't rid myself of feelings for Kouga. I'm so confused and feel so helpless, because not matter how much I try to discourage and tell myself that he belongs to someone else, I can't help having these overwhelming feelings for him. He's always in my mind. Every time I sleep, his handsome face constantly lingers in my dreams. Every time I`m awake, I always imagine him by my side to the point where I can practically smell his husky, masculine scent. Every time I-”

“Ok, ok, I get the point,” Sango cut in, her brow furrowing in contemplation. She had no clue Ayame felt so strongly about Kouga. She had written if off as something akin to puppy love or a small crush, not something along the lines of obsession.

Sango grinned and snapped her fingers in realization as a idea popped into her mind. “Why don't we go out to the club tomorrow? I'm sure that you'll meet a youkai just as sexy as Kouga there,” she suggested, a hopeful lilt in her voice.

Ayame sniffled and lifted her head to meet the gentle brown eyes of her friend, misery and unhappiness encasing her usual exuberant emerald gaze. “Don't you think I've tried? That's why none of my relationships have never worked out. I keep thinking of him.” She brought her long legs onto the bed and hugged them to herself. “What am I supposed to do Sango? I've never felt this way about any guy before. I want him to acknowledge my love.” She paused before continuing. “I want him to become my mate.”

Pity welled up inside the taijiya's chest for the pathetic soul that sat in a dejected lump beside her. She had never seen Ayame so melancholy before and it was really disconcerting to see her as such when the wolf youkai was usually overflowing with energy and spirit. Sango's chest heaved. She had never been in love before, therefore couldn't begin to fathom what her friend must be going through now. The closest she had ever been to developing strong feelings for a guy had been Miroku, formerly known as the geeky and skinny little dork who had continuously persued her in his adolescence. But the little crush she had for him had deflated after she had seen what a flirtatious pervert he was.

Sango cringed at the awakening of childhood memories of the monk. Some things were better left in the past. Her mind refocused to the problem at hand. “Why don't you just tell Kagome how you feel about Kouga. She would be more than understanding to your situation.”

“She would never give up someone as wonderful as Kouga,” Ayame muttered despondently and burrowed her face in the warmth of her thighs. “She's head over heels in love with him.”

A smirk played on Sango's lips. She knew full well the extent of the love Kagome had for the handsome wolf youkai and it didn't run as deep as Ayame thought it did. Being the perceptive taijiya that she was, she had seen first hand how one sided their relationship was. “I have a feeling that Kagome wouldn't mind if you tried to take a shot at Kouga. Her feelings for him have pretty much waned to a comfortable friendship. And need I remind you that she is a married woman.”

Sniffling, the red head lifted her face from the warmth of her legs to meet the comforting gaze of her long time friend, hope beginning to illuminate her visage. “Are you absolutely positive that Kagome only thinks of him as a friend and not a lover?” she inquired hesitantly. The last thing she wanted to do was come between that special bond two people shared, even if it meant conceding defeat unto the warring emotions that raged incessantly in her heart over the love of Kouga.

“I'm beyond certain.” Sango smiled and hugged her friend encouragingly. “Now wipe those tears from your eyes and go tell your future mate about your feelings for him after you talk to Kagome.”

Ayame returned the heartening gesture with a grin and blinked away unshed tears. “Ok then. I'll do it.” She stood to her feet with a renewed sense of willpower and determination sparkling in her emerald green eyes. “Thanks Sango, I'm going to go find Kagome as soon as she gets back.” With confidence oozing from her aura, Ayame marched out of the room doggedly, passionately fixated on her current goal of obtaining the heart of the love of her life. And nothing was going to stand in her way…that is if Kagome gave her permission of course.

Sango sighed thoughtfully to herself once her friend exited the room. `If only I could solve my relationship problems as easily as Ayame,' Sango mused wistfully, her thoughts turning to a certain perverted monk whose invitation to dinner still stood.

Inuyasha shifted gears and stomped on the accelerator fervently, his livid thoughts flying through his head almost as fast as his vehicle was traveling on the two lane highway. `How dare they dictate what I have to do and what I can't do,' he thought gritting his teeth angrily. `I am a fucking adult and they still treat me like some naive whelp who needs to be constantly reprimanded and told what to do.'

He cursed and braked suddenly upon realizing that he was practically on the bumper of the car in front of his Ferrari. Shifting gears, he switched lanes aggressively and bypassed the slow car that was cruising at a painstakingly slow speed before returning to his original lane. Inuyasha growled and gripped the steering wheel. Bastards. That's what they were for making him give up his entire summer to spend on the stupid islands where he would be forced to do actual work and be cut off from the rest of the world, including his French fox. He wondered how he would tell his mistress that he would be going on a two month trip to Hawaii with his wife instead of her.

Inuyasha inwardly winced, virtually hearing the French model cursing him out with in her beautiful language. He had told Clarice he would be taking her out of the country soon for a vacation. Just the two of them and now he had to go back on his word.

Inuyasha sighed, and wondered if she liked chocolates and flowers. Maybe if he buttered her up enough she would eventually forgive him for going back on his promise to take her on a vacation, for ignoring her calls the past couple of weeks, and for getting married to his arch rival.

His snow white ears twitched atop his head, causing a silver brow to arch in incredulity at the silence that engulfed the interior of the car. It had been a full fifteen minutes and Kagome had yet to say a word, save for when they had had that brief argument upon exiting the company over who should drive back since she believed he was too reckless a driver. And since Kagome couldn't drive without a key, which he had purposely withheld from her reach, in the end he had been the one driving back.

With her uncharacteristic silence unnerving him to some extent, Inuyasha glanced inquisitively at her slack form out the corner of his eye, and frowned after a moment. She was staring out of the window with unseeingly, her eyes clouded over with unreadable emotions that flicked almost erratically through her blue depths before returning to an impassive state.

Inuyasha's frown deepened. She still couldn't be upset over something as trivial as him choosing to drive them back home instead of her…could she? He should be happy that she wasn't pestering him with her inane chatter. So why was he so disturbed by her silence? Inwardly groaning and fed up with her atypical behavior he spoke up. “Oi bitch, what the hell is your problem?” he asked roughly.

Kagome blinked, coming back to reality at the sound of Inuyasha's gruff voice. “What do you mean?” she countered with another question.

An impatient snort escaped through his nose. “I meant what the hell is wrong with you? Why aren't you talking my damn ears off like you usually do?”

Kagome hid a small smile, detecting the not so obvious concern he had for her hidden in his rough demeanor. But the smile wilted after a moment, and she turned her attention back to passing scenery. “I'm just thinking about stuff.”

Inuyasha drummed his claws edgily on the steering wheel when she didn't offer anything more. “Would you care to elaborate?” he questioned once more, sarcasm laced in his every word.

She chose to ignore his blatant cynicism and continued to stare out of the window. “This summer has turned out so differently than what I had expected it to. I thought I would be spending time with my friends just hanging out and having fun.” A wry smile curved on her lips. “I never imagined that I would be forced to marry you and have to undergo rigorous training to prepare us to take over the company. It all just seems so…surreal, like my imagination is working overtime or this is some bad dream that I have yet to wake up from.”

Kagome yelped in surprise when he nipped her wrist with two clawed fingers. “What did you do that for?” she hissed at him angrily while stroking the stinging area on her flesh that had just been pinched.

“I only wanted to assure you that you are very much awake,” he smirked at her response, his amused amber orbs trained on the annoyance that swirled in her misty blue orbs.

“Well aren't you a saint,” she grumbled averting her gaze to the countryside once more.

“Is this the thanks I get for reassuring you of your mental-”

“Inuyasha! Look out!” Kagome shouted unexpectedly and yanked the steering wheel out of his grasp to the left, narrowly missing a tiny creature that had just scurried onto the road.

The car swerved dangerously and began to veer onto the grassy landscape. Kagome screamed bloody murder and clutched the dashboard for dear life. She was too young to die.

“Would you shut the hell up!“ Inuyasha snapped and smartly slammed on the brake pedal, the force of the swift braking maneuver resulting in both occupants of the vehicle being jerked abruptly back onto the headrests.

Kagome bit into her bottom lip hard to restrain herself from screaming any further while the hanyou calmly and skillfully steered the Ferrari so that it wouldn't change direction any longer. As the speed decreased, the car skidded across the grass and finally came to an abrupt halt.

“What the fuck were you thinking taking the wheel out of my hand? If this car had flipped over or if the engine had blown, you could've gotten your stupid self killed! And for a damn squirrel?” He cut the engine and turned to glare at her, and immediately felt bad for snapping at her.

Kagome sat with white knuckles as she gripped the edge seat, shaking slightly from the pure adrenaline and fear from the whole situation, her eyes wide with shock. That had been the closest near death encounter she had ever experienced. What a rush. She could still feel her blood pumping heatedly through her veins, making her light headed and slightly dizzy. That had been the first shock, the second coming when Inuyasha cupped her chin gently with one hand, tilting and turning her head so that she faced him. Kagome gulped nervously, her eyes darting from the hand that rested lightly on her jaw to the unreadable expression in his eyes.

“There'd better not be blood on my new rims wench,” he murmured dragging the calloused pad of his thumb over her bottom lip, effectively wiping away the blood she had drawn at some point during the incident, then got out of the car, leaving a confused and flustered Kagome poised in his departure.

She licked away, with a certain amount of disgust, what was left of the acrid tasting blood on her lip. `Was Inuyasha just being nice to me?' Kagome thought with a half smile as she followed his lead and got out of the car. Inhaling the sweet fragrance of nature as a cool breeze swept passed her, she threw a quick glance at the hanyou, who was currently crouched on all fours scrutinizing his precious and expensive rims, before venturing over toward the road where it all took place.

A frown tugged at her lips. She could see the skid marks where they had veered off into the grass, but there was no sign of the little creature that had ran onto the road. Had it only been a figment of her imagination? The scowl deepened. Maybe it had ran off. Shrugging it off, Kagome turned to go back over to the Ferrari, when a huge fur ball launched itself up her shirt.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome screamed at the top of her lungs as the thing burrowed itself underneath of her shirt. She screamed again when she felt little claws grasp onto her abdomen.

The hanyou was by her side in a flash, worry and agitation flickering in his sunlit eyes upon hearing her screams. His eyes hardened when he saw the lump nestled inside of her shirt, his anger spiking at the prospect of anything that dared to touch what was his. That thing obviously had a death wish.

With fangs bared and a throaty growl rumbling through his chest, Inuyasha pulled up her shirt and yanked whatever had burrowed itself against her flat stomach, his claws more than ready to shred it to pieces. He flung the creature to the ground and placed a foot on its furry body to make sure it didn't escape.

The furry creature squirmed fruitlessly under the pressure of his shoe, trying to no avail to flee from its oppressor, before breaking down in tears, much to the surprise of husband and wife.

“Wait Inuyasha, its crying.” Kagome immediately bent down and smacked away his foot to get a better look at the poor defenseless creature that had laid pinned beneath his shoe. Her heart melted when she locked eyes with the kitsune. Big, teary green eyes stared uncertainly up at her. His wild flaming red hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail with a blue bow. His miniature clothing was torn in several places and caked in dried mud. Streaks of dirt and tears marred his innocent face and small clawed hands. Both his bushy tail and pointed ears twitched curiously, bringing a smile to his savior's face.

“Can I kill it now?” Inuyasha inquired dryly, apparently unaffected by the innocent and cute visage of the young child.

Kagome shot him a glare and scooped up the kitsune in her arms protectively. “No you can't kill him. He's just a child Inuyasha.”

“A child who almost trashed my Ferrari, nearly ruined my rims, and could have gotten you killed.” Inuyasha glowered at the kit, who squeaked and buried his face in her arms.

Kagome ignored him and turned her attention to the scared bundle in her arms. “Its ok little one, I won't let the mean hanyou hurt you,” she crooned softly to the child.

Inuyasha's ear twitched in annoyance. She called him mean and he was the one who saved her from the thing that had jumped into her shirt. He clenched his fists, restraining, to some extent, his anger at the memory of the kit burrowing itself into her. The little fiend. Inuyasha made a mental note to kick the crap out of the kid for all the stress he was causing him when Kagome wasn't looking.

The kitsune hesitantly lifted its head from the warmth of her arms to look her in the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. They were giant pools of blue, sparkling with an endless supply of warmth and compassion. The sight of her soulful orbs and the calming scent of jasmine that exuded from her entire being settled the kitsune's distraught spirit.

Kagome cocked her head to the side and smiled caringly at him. “Do you have a name little one?”

A light blush crept onto the kit's cheeks. She was so nice. “Shippou,” he said shyly.

“Well then Shippou,” Inuyasha spat his name, “why the hell did you go running out onto the road like an idiot? If Kagome hadn't turned the wheel when she had, you would've been a pancake by now, which would've been fine by me.”

Water began to well up in Shippou's eyes. “They're dead. They're all dead. My papa, my mama, my sisters and brothers. They're all dead.” Fat droplets of tears rolled down his face. “The ugly scaled youkai ripped them all apart. I tried to beat him with my fox fire, but…but he was just too strong, and I had to run.” Sniffling, he buried his face in arms once more. “I couldn't save them…I was too weak,” came his muffled voice from the warmth of her limbs.

The annoyance and irritation that had been boiling inside of Inuyasha toward the kitsune was almost immediately replaced by pity for the young child and spite for the youkai who killed his family. His golden gaze swept across the road and into the woodland where Shippou had fled from. No doubt the bastard who had done this was still lingering around somewhere in there. The faint smell of blood clung to the kit, further inciting his anger. “Kagome, get in the car and stay there till I get back,” he ordered in a low voice, never taking his eyes from the dense forest.

Kagome stared at his rigid profile, amazed at how he could be childish and immature ass one second, then a valiant hero the next. “Good luck,” she said in an equally low tone, then reluctantly retreated to the vehicle with Shippou, whose soft sobbing had been reduced to sniffles.

“I won't need it,” she heard him mutter before dashing heedlessly into the thicket without a backwards glance.

“So what are you going to do with him?” Sango asked after her friend had relayed the events that had transpired over the course of the afternoon, her heart going out to the poor kitsune that lay snoring softly beneath the satin sheets on Kagome's bed.

Sighing, Kagome stopped throwing clothes into her suit case to look at the vulnerable child buried under the layers of sheets, her blue eyes laden with pity and helplessness. “I don't know,” she replied softly. “After we reported the incident to the police, they said that we should just give him up for adoption and put him into foster care. But I don't want to because there's no telling how long he'll be staying there. He has no other family he can go to and I don't want to leave him alone in the care of strangers. So I offered to look after him until they could find suitable foster parents.”

Ayame frowned. “How do you know he has no other relatives?”

Kagome's throat tightened at the mention of his other family members. When Inuyasha had returned from woods, she had immediately noted the solemn expression on his face and the emptiness in his usually bright golden eyes. She had also seen the faint blood stains on his claws that he had failed to rid himself of. “There were no survivors,” she explained in a barely audible voice. “Apparently some kind of reptilian youkai who wanted their pelts attacked his family while they had been on a picnic and slaughtered them right in front of Shippou. The poor guy was the only one who survived.”

There was a brief silence on their part as her words sunk in before Sango spoke up. “I guess you can say this is one of the reasons why I want to uphold my heritage by becoming a taijiya just like my forefathers. Vile youkai that slaughter innocent families for no apparent reason don't deserve to live and I intend to make sure they don't.” Her eyes hardened with determination.

Smiles appeared on both Kagome and Ayame's faces. This was the first time they had ever heard Sango speak with such passion about becoming a taijiya. Usually she was always complaining about her family burdening her down with their traditions and what they wanted her to become instead of letting her choose her own destiny.

Kagome's smile waned a bit as she thought about her predicament. At least one of them could be happy with carrying on their family business. Shifting her attention back to task at hand, Kagome began stuffing her suitcases with more clothes and shoes. “Take care of Shippou while I'm gone guys. I'm counting on you all to be there for him since I`m going to be gone most of the summer.”

“You can count on us Kagome-chan,” Ayame announced confidently. “Us wolf youkai treat our young with the utmost care and protection. And I plan to take care of the kit as if he were one of our own. So have no fear Kagome, for I, and Sango too of course, will take good care of Shippou.”

The hardened expression on Sango's face melted at Ayame' s proclamation. “She`s right Kag. We`ll look after him, no charge.” A sly grin spread across her face as she remembered something she wanted to give her before she left for her trip. “Oh, and before I forget…” She came to her feet and pulled a small package from her pocket. “Here, maybe this will come into handy during the course of your stay on the islands.”

“Sango!” Kagome choked out in mortification upon realizing what they were, her face turning as red as a tomato. “I doubt that we will need condoms. I don't even like the guy.” She wrinkled her nose in disgust and tossed the small package back at her.

Ayame rolled her eyes. “Oh, Kagome, come of it. You know you two are going to end up getting down and dirty sooner or later. Sango maybe you should give her a box instead. You know inuyoukai have that outstanding stamina,” she broke out into a fit of giggles when the raven haired girl's face turned a darker shade of red, if that were even possible.

“I'll just leave it here for the time being. Tell me if you need anymore.” She placed the package on the bed and began to take her leave. “But you never know Kag. Phenomenal things happen in the strangest places. Maybe it will come when you two are taking a midnight stroll on the beach under the light of the full moon.”

The wolf youkai laughed even harder. The thought of Kagome consummating a relationship with the playboy hanyou was laughable, and on a beach no less. She doubled over with laughter and ended up falling onto the floor.

The kit continued to snore softly, oblivious to the racket the females were making around him.

Kagome`s eyebrow twitched. “Nothing, I repeat, absolutely nothing, will ever occur between Inuyasha and I on the islands, especially love. That's ancient history,” she responded, her cool tone a stark contrast to her face, which was still colored in red.

“Remember if you need more than one, you know where to find me.” Sango squeaked and bolted from the room when a shoe narrowly missed her head.

With the heat gradually receding from her face, Kagome ignored Ayame's unremitting giggles and began the tedious task of packing once more, Sango's words a constant repetition in her mind. What had Sango been thinking giving her condoms? It wasn't like they were going to…do it, now or ever. They had tried the love thing before and look where it got them, hating each other more than ever.

Wiping tears from her eyes, Ayame hefted herself from the floor onto the satin clad bed, her sides aching from all the laughter that had been invoked within her. “I'm sorry Kag, didn't mean to laugh at you like that. I just find this whole arrangement funny.”

“It's only funny because it has never happened to you.” She zipped the last of her suitcases. “There. Now I'm done.”

“Tell me again why your parents are just shipping you off tomorrow. Isn't it kind of short notice?”

“Who knows? Maybe its just another one of their ploys to get us to like each other.” Kagome sat down next to her and sighed heavily. “I don't know why they keep fooling themselves in thinking that we will ever fall in love each other. I can't see it happening, now or ever.”

“Is the reason you won't allow yourself to love him because of what happened when we were younger?” Ayame asked quietly, her face all seriousness as she tried to get to the source of the problem.

“No,” Kagome said a little too fast. “It has nothing to with it.”

Green eyes bored into hers skeptically.

Kagome shifted edgily on the bed. “Ok, maybe it has something to with what happened, but that's all in the past. What I learned then is not to trust that two timing fiend.” She stared at her hands that lay splayed across her lap. “He violated my trust that day…and my heart. If it hadn't been for the support of you and Sango and all of the affection Kouga-kun showered on me, I don't think my heart ever would've healed.”

A resounding pang echoed within the chambers of Ayame's heart at the adoration in her voice when she mentioned Kouga's name. Maybe Sango was wrong. Maybe Kagome truly did love him. She shook her head. No. She had to think positive. “I'm glad to know that we helped in some way,” Ayame murmured absently, her mind still on how she was going to tell her friend that she was and always had been in love with her ex-boyfriend. “Umm, Kagome?”

“What's wrong?” Kagome inquired with a degree of worry upon detecting the hesitancy and timidity in the read head's usual buoyant voice.

Ayame opened her mouth, the words dancing at the tip of her tongue yet refused to spill from her mouth. She twiddled her claws nervously. “Umm, how would you define your relationship with Kouga?”

Kagome arched an inquisitive brow at the question. “Why do you ask?”

“Just asking,” she muttered, her head bowed and claws still twiddling.

Kagome peered curiously at the uncharacteristically coy wolf youkai. Something was definitely up. “Ayame, is there something you want to tell me?”

“I'minlovewithKougaandwanttoaskhimtobemymatebutifyoulovehim IwillgivehimupbeacauseIdontwanttoriskourfriendshipoversomeguy,” she blurted out entirely too fast, but hoped that her friend understood so she wouldn't be forced to repeat those words over again.

Kagome didn't say anything for a moment as she tried to decipher what her friend was trying to relay to her. Her blue eyes widened slightly and her mouth formed an `o' as the wolf's confession converted into legible comprehension in her mind. “So you're in love with Kouga and want him to become your mate,” she said slowly, her voice not hinting what emotions she was feeling at the moment. She was unsure of how she should be feeling.

Ayame swallowed a lump that had lodged itself in her throat. “Yes,” she admitted in a subdued manner and waited for the shouts of outrage and betrayal that she probably deserved.

A part of Kagome was relieved. Now Kouga would have someone to shower his endless supply of love on instead of her, who couldn't love him in the same way he deserved. But the darker side commanded her that she should be angry at the wolf for even thinking about mating her boyfriend of four years. Ok, so they weren't officially a couple since she was already married to someone else but they still had feelings for each other, or rather he still had rather strong feelings for her.

Kagome frowned at her selfish thoughts. She shouldn't be thinking about herself, but about the well being of her friend, who was at present silently beating herself up over the issue. Kagome hid a smile. She had never known Ayame had had such a huge crush over Kouga. If she would've known this beforehand, she would have let the female wolf have first dibs on him.

Ayame stiffened when an arm slid around her shoulders, but instantly relaxed upon realizing that it didn't bear any hostility. Lifting her head, she met the gentle gaze of her friend. “So you're not angry at me?” she asked uncertainly.

“No. I don't think I could hold a grudge toward someone who is obviously head over heels in love.”

“So you don't love Kouga?” Inquiry shined in her sharp eyes.

“Not in the way you love him,” Kagome reassured with a smile. “I love Kouga, but only as a friend. Even when we were going out, I always thought of him as a good friend rather than the love of my life or my soul mate. And by the look on your face I see that you've already found yours.”

Ecstatic, Ayame squealed and encircled Kagome in a tight embrace. “Oh Kag, you don't know how happy you've made me!” She squeezed even harder, her current state of mirth causing her to fail in realizing that her friend was merely human.

“Ayame, can't breath,” Kagome whispered, the compression of her oxygen deficient lungs beginning to feel the after effects of the bear hug, or more precisely, wolf hug.

“Oh, sorry,” she said sheepishly and released the gasping human. “Are you sure that you're ok with me courting Kouga? If you're the least bit offended-”

“No, I'm positive Ayame,” Kagome said upon regaining her composure. “Let me go talk to Kouga first and then he's all yours.”

Ayame grinned so wide Kagome was afraid her lips would split if they were stretched any further. “Thank you so much! I'm going to go tell Sango the good news!” She jumped off the bed. “Oh, and good luck with your relationship with Inuyasha. You'll warm up to him sooner or later. Instead of focusing on the past, maybe you should concentrate on the future. I mean the both of you will be spending the rest of your lives together, so you might as well make up and become lovers now or just be miserable the rest of your life. Bye!”

The wolf youkai rushed out of the room in a flurry, leaving a taken aback Kagome in her departure, who was steadily trying to digest the advice that Ayame had just thrown in her face. Too tired to even bother to assimilate what her friends had said to about her liaison with Inuyasha, Kagome rubbed her temples in an attempt to alleviate the oncoming headache. Why did relationships have to be so complicated? What happened to the simplest scenario: girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, girl and boy live happily ever after.

With a yawn that threatened to dislocate her jaw, Kagome scooted off of the bed and walked over the light switch. She didn't care that it wasn't even seven o'clock and that weak rays from the sun infiltrated through her curtains. All she wanted to do was to sink into a dreamless sleep and put all of the stress and trials and tribulations of the day behind her. After flicking off the light, she stripped, put on her silk pajamas, and slipped into bed with Shippou, who immediately curled up against the warmth of her stomach and sighed contentedly.

A smile curved on her lips at the antics of the child. Who could push away a kit as cute as him? Not having the heart or the strength to put him into one of the other twenty something vacant rooms, Kagome ruffled his tail playfully before yawning once more and closed her eyes. Thoughts of Inuyasha, Kouga, Ayame, and the inevitable trip to Hawaii disappeared as she drifted into a black abyss.

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“So I beat the shit out of the little bastard. I bet he's at home right now crying to that whore of a wife of his,” Bankotsu bellowed in a semi drunken state, inciting a round of laughter and cheers around the table, either from his actions or just because they were intoxicated and had nothing better to laugh at.

Inuyasha tried to enjoy himself and laugh along with everyone else, however, for some unexplainable reason was unable to do so. Usually he took pleasure in coming to his club and partying and seducing and drinking and clowning around with his friends, but tonight, he just wasn't in the mood. He had just got there and already felt like leaving. The thrumming and pulsing of the deafening music was echoing loudly in his skull and the stench of sweaty bodies was enough to make his head swim. Why the hell was he being so hypersensitive to everything when he typically liked this kind amusement? Maybe it was because of that stupid internship his parents were making him go on. Or maybe it was the woman he was going with.

The subtle caress of a woman's touch on his thigh jarred him from his thoughts. “Inu-kun, what's the matter? Why are you so quiet? Aren't you having fun?” purred the seductive voice of a brown haired woman in her early twenties.

His brow furrowed. What was this chick's name again? “Umm, Samura?”

“Sakura,” she corrected unperturbed and ran a manicured fingernail down his jaw line.

“Right, Sakura.” Inuyasha removed her hand from his face and thigh. “Have you seen Clarice tonight? I need to talk to her. Now.”

Sakura pouted, making her cherry painted lips glisten even more under the garish lights of the club. “Don't you care about me anymore inu honey?”

Inuyasha smirked. “Obviously I don't, now where is LeBeau?”

Rolling her eyes, the brown haired woman waved her hand in the direction of the bar. “The bitch is over there. I don't know what you see in her.” She took his hand and kissed his palm softly, her eyes trained intently on the golden orbed god in front of her. “You know I can give you more than she or your wife ever will be able to. My love for you exceeds those wenches, you know that.” Her kisses began to trail slowly up his arm.

The hanyou had half the mind to remain firmly rooted to where he was and let Sakura work her magic, but eventually the better part of his judgment took hold. Snatching away his appendage, Inuyasha stood up abruptly and glared down at her. “Your love don't mean shit to me bitch. So waste it on some pathetic fool who gives a damn.”

“Oi! Three cheers for Inuyasha, who knows how to keep his women in check!” Akira announced lifting his mug to the retreating hanyou.

Inuyasha didn't bother to stick around for the hoots and hollers of the intoxicated morons or even acknowledge those who encountered and waved at him. He only had one thing, or rather, person in mind. Inuyasha grabbed the strawberry blonde haired women by the wrist and began to make his way to the back rooms of the building, pointedly ignoring her protests and curses.

When he reached the desired room, Inuyasha jerked her in and closed the door behind them and locked it, successfully shutting out most of the blaring music and brilliant multi colored lights from above.

The model stomped her foot angrily. “Inuyasha, vat is za meaning of all of zis? You couldn't talk to me out zere?”

“Evidently not. Sit down, I need to tell you something.”

“Is zomething za matter Inuyasha?” she asked, a hint of worry in her tone.

He decided just to come right out with it. “I'm going on an internship with my wife in Hawaii for the next month or two, so I won't be able to take you out of the country like I promised. But I'll make it up to you. After I come back, we can-” She silenced him with one finger against his lips.

“You don't `ave to explain Inuyasha. I understand completely.” She removed her finger and placed her glossed lips against his in a simple gesture of affection. Clarice ran her tongue on the lower part of his lip and began tracing the outline of his cut abs with her hands. “All I vant is you. `ere and now,” she murmured against his lips.

`This is wrong,' Inuyasha thought as she deepened the kiss and pulled him over toward the bed. He wasn't a bachelor anymore. He was a married man that had a wife at home. Granted he hated her guts because of all the crap she put him through and wished they could get a divorce so that he would be free of her again, but until that time came, he would have to honor and respect the wench. With a considerable amount of effort, Inuyasha broke the kiss. “Stop Clarice. This isn't right,” he warned in a husky tone.

She frowned. “Vat is za matter vith you? We've alvays done zis. Why does you're aving a wife change anything?” Clarice intertwined her hand with his, as if to prove that they belonged together.

The electric tingle had raced up his arm and down his spine when he had touched Kagome`s silky skin earlier that day, failed to occur with Clarice when their skin made contact. Inuyasha searched her pale blue eyes, which were at the moment filled with lust and wanton desires. They lacked the brightness and enthusiasm and innocence of another pair of blue eyes he secretly adored. When the French model pressed herself against his lean body to tempt him, his blood didn't race, his heart didn't pick up speed, his head didn't become dizzy and light headed with the inhalation of her scent.

“I need to go,” Inuyasha growled pushing her away and turned on his heels to go. Why the hell wasn't his body reacting to hers? What force of nature was preventing him from enjoying the pleasure of a woman's body?

`Love of another,' a tiny voice in the deeper regions of his mind offered.

Inuyasha inwardly snorted at the stupid voice, which was wrong. The only woman he loved was his mother, but even she was beginning to grate on his nerves the past couple of weeks. Clarice jumped in front of him before he could reach for the knob.

“If you go out zis door, zat vill be ze end of zis relationship,” she stated, her pale irises flashing with determination.

Inuyasha hesitated. What's a guy to do when caught in a situation like this? Should he go with his brain, which was telling him to take the sexy model back to the bed and have his way with her? Or should he go with his heart, which told him this was wrong and that he needed to leave before giving into temptation? He inwardly groaned. Why did his life have to be so complicated?

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AN: Would've kept going, but too tired. I can barely keep my eyes open. The words on this screen are making me dizzy. L

I know you're all like when is the honeymoon…I mean the trip to Hawaii and when am I going to reveal what happened to kag and inu in the past. I only can divulge one of the two. Hawaii Next Chapter! Past -

Anyway, the next chappie will be up real soon since I already know what's going to be happening and my writer's block is totally gone, well for this fic anyway. And I'm working on a new fic that'll be up soon too.

More reviews Faster updates. - Make me happy and press the button.