Okay, I know I said Kouga could make his entrance in chapter ten, but I was really sleepy and I just wanted to stop writing. Sorry. Anyway, better luck this chapter, ne? Standard disclaimers do apply (unfortunately for me, fortunately for the anime).

Chapter Eleven: Pre-wedding Jitters and an Unexpected Guest

InuYasha gave Kagome a kiss (very chaste, her mother WAS watching) and left her to unpack the things that had mysteriously already been brought up. He then led Higurashi-san to her guestroom right across from her daughters.

As he turned to go to his own room, the older woman stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Inu-kun, I just wanted to let you know that I was scared. When my daughter, my little Kagome-chan, was carried off by a large and rather gruff hanyou a couple of days after she turned fifteen, I feared the worst. I thought you, being older and stronger, might try to take advantage of my little girl." Higurashi-san paused.

"Higurashi-san," InuYasha started with a hurt look on his face but was interrupted by his future mother-in-law.

"No, InuYasha. Let me finish. After a while, it became obvious to me that you would never intentionally hurt my daughter. But then I was afraid that she was starting to fall for you. Kagome has a very delicate heart. After hearing about all this nasty business with Kikyo and the fact that you were battling monsters every day, I was afraid that one way or another, you'd leave her and she'd be crushed.

Now I see you and I can't believe how wrong I was. You got rid of Kikyo. You proclaimed to love Kagome even before that. But do you want to know what clenched it for me? It was the fact that after feeling my daughter's sadness and hearing her loving voice, you came back from the dead. She must really mean a lot to you.

Besides, I know you'll protect her life with your own. I'm not worried. I know you won't break her heart. And I don't think she could ever break yours. She loves you too much." Higurashi-san tuned to walk into her room and unpack but was stopped by something InuYasha said so softly, she nearly didn't hear.

"But she will, Higurashi-san. She will break my heart."

"Oh, you're just having pre-wedding jitters, I assure you."

"No, she will break my heart. She'll leave me. It's certain."

Kagome's mother was shocked. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm a hanyou," the boy replied. "I'm not going to die. She will. One day, all too soon for me, I am going to loose her. It will break me. I don't know if I'd want to keep living. With her children near me for all eternity but no Kagome. I can't bear to think of it."

Higurashi-san noticed a tear making its way out of his eye. "InuYasha. Are you trying to tell me you want Kagome to become a hanyou? So she will live as long as you do?" He nodded. "All right. Tell me what exactly is involved."

"To begin with, I'd have to bite her. It won't cause any pain. I bite her and then I lap (I love that word. So…dog like) up the blood that comes out of the wound. Then she spends the night in my arms bleeding out. I watch her. When I smell death on her, I bite open my own wrist and she drinks from my veins. Then she'll fall asleep. The next morning, she wakes up…a hanyou."

Higurashi-san looked worried for a moment, like she was thinking.

"If you promise not to let her totally bleed out, I give consent for Kagome to become a hanyou. I have no problems with the species, I just wanted to make sure Kagome was safe."

"Domo arigato, Higurashi-san. This means a lot to me and Kagome."

"You're welcome," she said. "By the way, call me 'Mama' from now on, ne?"

InuYasha smiled and walked away calling out, "Hai, Mama!" behind his back.

After going downstairs to check on dinner (Yes he DID have servants, he is a young lord, ya know!), he went up to check on Kagome.

He knocked on her door. "Kag-chan," he called out.

"Come in," she said. Then giggled as he shut the door behind him. "Kag-chan is it? It's cute that you have a nickname for me, Inu-chan."

"Inu-chan?" InuYasha wrinkled his nose. "Why does it have to be so… kawaii?"

She giggled again. "I considered 'Bunny' maybe I'll go with that!"

"No, that's okay!" InuYasha backed up. "Inu-chan is fine."

"Good," she replied wrapping her arms around his neck and tilting her head up for a kiss. "It's so hard to think of a masculine pet name for my strong, sweet, bishounen." He smiled and kissed her. She melted right away.

InuYasha felt an unwelcome presence approaching the manor. He stiffened.

"Well if I kiss that badly…!" Kagome huffed.

Inu snapped out of it. "It's not that. I love the way you kiss. I mean I love the way you kiss!" He paused. "Someone's here. I felt someone approach the house. I need to check this out. Stay here. Please." He bounded off. Kagome stayed put for about three seconds. I may be becoming a mate, she thought. But I refuse to let him control me.

InuYasha stood at the front door and stared at the intruder.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he snarled.

"I sniffed out my woman, Dog-breath. I can barely tell where she is. What did you do with her?" Kouga said.

"He did nothing with me!" Kagome interrupted.

"Kag! I told you to stay inside!" InuYasha protested loudly.

"Let me deal with this, Sweetheart." InuYasha blushed at the pet name.

"Sweetheart?" Kouga said with hurt disbelief in his eyes. "You chose him? You picked Dog-turd over me? A wolf prince? BUT YOU'RE MY WOMAN!"

"Kouga! I am no such thing! I was never yours. My heart always belonged to him, he just recently realized it. I don't care about power. Even if I did, I'd still end up with him. Son of a taiyoukai. Besides. I know he loves me. Never call him Dog-turd again, or you're wedding invitation is taken back."

"You would invite me?"

"Invite him?" InuYasha said.

"Yes. I would love Kouga to be at my wedding. Just to show no hard feelings," Kagome looked into Inu's eyes pleadingly.

"For you," he said, caving.

"No way! I don't want to see my woman married off to another! Besides, I don't want to fight

Dog- I mean, InuYasha. I'm going home."

Kagome looked sad. "Please, Kouga. I want you to be happy for me. I'm happy for me. InuYasha. Tell him it's okay!"

"You're too compassionate," InuYasha said to Kagome with a small smile.

To Kouga he said, "C'mon in. We have another guestroom. If Kagome wants you here, dammit, so do I."

A/N My longest chapter so far. YAY. Did you like it? E-mail me and review please!

~Kei