InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ On a Leash ❯ Silver and Gold ( Chapter 15 )

Disclaimer: When have I ever…?

A/N: Well, here we are, about to start chapter fifteen. I'm actually pretty happy, but I hope everyone else is too. Harry Potter movie #3 is out today-or at the time I wrote that.

Ok, quick Q&A:

I got my info about Inu's age from Takahashi; she never said he was 15. What she did say was he had the mentality of a 17-year-old boy, so I went with that.

My pronunciation on Tetsusaiga/Tessaiga was courtesy of the Brandi Bor who used to run Sengoku Jidai, a wonderful Inuyasha site, but closed down a while back. The college student takes Japanese, and explained to me the pronunciation. I had thought the same thing, but, hey, watch the Japanese episodes.

The other about not talking about Inu's predicament: I can't beat it to death. We know it's there, but Inuyasha can't dwell on it until his brother tells him more. For the moment, this is all he can really do. Don't worry, we'll get back to it. Just not at the moment. Other things have to be explained.

Looked up 'shined' and 'shone' and it says they are indeed related and are fairly interchangeable.

The thing about Mr. Higurashi was something I fabricated; Takahashi has never mentioned him in her manga, and as far as I know, he has never been mentioned in any of the filler episodes. I haven't seen the movies, but I do not think they make light of him there.

Thank you for noticing the 'summer' thing from the last chapter! My mom and I both missed it! You guys rock! I will try to post all the corrected chapters when I can; I had so much e-mail that I had by the time I was going to, my 1 hour time limit was up!

Chapter Fifteen: Silver and Gold

The Higurashi family had come home quietly, but after some time, everything had reverted to normal.

Mama was in the kitchen making another batch of gingerbread cookies, Grampa was trying to 'bless' the batter-or just trying to sneak a taste, Souta was outside building a fort, while Kagome tidied up the living room.

And Inuyasha was just happy to have everything back the way it was supposed to be.

At the moment, he was lying on the floor watching his mistress restring the tree lights; Buyo had gotten one of his paws stuck and unstrung it. Safe to say Buyo was all right and had scuttled away before Kagome could get her hands on him to strangle him.

Kagome had calmed down considerably, her temper only flared wildly for a bit before it died away. Currently, she was singing "Let It Snow", which pretty accurately described for the weather right now.

The sky was dark, even for quarter past eightat night, and the snow was just careening in heavy falls to the ground. Supposedly it was going to snow several inches. Pity it would all be disrupted by the noisy snowplows and street-sweepers come five in the morning. Boy, was Inuyasha not looking forward to that. Wind stridently hissed around the shrine grounds, slightly rattling the frosted windows.

"While the weather outside is frightful, the fire is so delightful," Kagome sang, bobbing her head to the tempo of the song, "and since we've no place to go-let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" She stepped back to admire her handiwork. "Not bad. Hopefully Buyo won't Sumo flop it again, huh, Inuyasha?"

"I think a diet would be good for him. One piece of food every meal sounds like a good idea." Inuyasha thumped his tail on the floor cockily.

The girl shook her head. "Don't be unkind. Surely you were raised better than that."

"Is this a trick question?"

Laughing, Kagome plugged the middle string of lights back in. They winked to life once more, and the teenager sat on the sofa. She grabbed the mug of cocoa that Mama had brought out a few minutes ago and brought it to her lips. It tasted sweet like always, with a touch of cinnamon, marshmallows and whipped cream-exactly the way she liked it.

She licked a swirl of whipped cream from her top lip. "Mm… Mom makes the best hot chocolate ever, boy. Too bad you can't eat anything but carob or I'd give you some."

"Oh, please, torture me a little more, Kagome. I simply love the pain," he sarcastically retorted, coming up and tugging on her sock, careful not too take too much into his mouth-he really didn't want to taste foot ala mode.

Kagome giggled loudly, trying to kick him off and not slosh warm cocoa on herself. "Quit! Bad dog!"

"What's all the fuss in here?" Mama asked, stepping into the living room with a plateful of gingerbread men. Grampa toddled after her with different colored tubes of icing and candies.

"Inuyasha," she involuntarily shrieked, "is trying to get my sock off and it tickles."

"Looks like he just wants to play." Mama set the plate on the coffee table in the middle of the room. "There, now we just have to wait for Souta. I called him in, so we should be able to start soon."

A loud slam came from the kitchen. A few more noisy moments, and Souta eventually entered the front room, carrying his wet coat over an arm. "It's really cold," he chattered, hanging his coat and scarf up to dry on the rack.

"Souta," Mama bustled over, "your nose and the tips of your ears are crimson! You probably got wind-burn again. I'll get you some hot cocoa, too. Go grab one of the throws and warm up."

He nodded and snagged a throw-blanket from the sofa. Plopping beside Inuyasha-who had since stopped his persecution of Kagome--, Souta tented himself beneath the coverlet so only his head peeked over.

After a bit, Mama returned, and, with a kiss on the forehead and sweeping back of his bangs, presented her son with a steaming cup of the promised drink. Upon the table she laid a stack of paper plates.

"Thanks, Mom," he said, swallowing a mouthful of loving warmth.

She smiled. "Now that you're here, Souta, we can let light the candles. Kagome, would you like to light them?"

Kagome blinked in surprise, placing her empty mug on the end table. "Me? Sure, if you want, Mom." The girl slipped from her comfy spot on the sofa and took the old lighter from Grampa-one that he had continued to refill with butane since he was nineteen-years-old, and the same he had used to light the incense at the gravesite earlier-and lit the first candle. The taper's wick flickered to life.

Setting the lighter on the coffee table, Kagome took the candle and lit all the others that ringed around the room. Flame by flame, as Grampa dimmed the overhead light, the luminosity from the tapers bequeathed soft glows. The alternating multicolored bulbs on the tree also added a sort of gentleness. Odd sparkles from the silent radiance reflecting off the garland mottled about the air as well.

"Wonderful, Kagome," Grampa chirped as his granddaughter took her spot back, resting her feet atop Inuyasha's side.

She bowed her head. "Thanks, Gramps."

"Can we start decorating the cookies now, Mom?" asked Souta, leaning forward hungrily.

"Of course. Oh, and I have one just for you, Inuyasha," piped Mama, digging out from the bottom of the plate a dog-shaped gingerbread cookie. She held out to his muzzle with a smile. "Here you go."

Inuyasha stared at it for a minute. "Is that really for me…?" he inquired, sliding away as Kagome's footrest.

"Come on, boy, take it," coaxed his mistress.

Head lowered slightly, Inuyasha cautiously moved his snout forward enough to take hold of the specially made cookie. Creeping back, he laid down to eat.

"I think he likes it, Mama." Kagome smiled, taking one of the holly berry patterned paper plates. "Let's decorate ours!"

For the next hour or so, as the frightful weather dredged on, the Higurashi family took solace in the warmth the heater produced. Gumdrops for buttons, icing for trim, licorice for hair, and other candies were iced onto the gingerbread men. It was a colorful array of food, and there was no mess to speak of-all anyone had to do was lick their fingers off.

"Why don't we tell stories?" suggested Souta, coating a piece of strawberry licorice with some icing.

"Sounds good to me!" Kagome agreed. "Right, Inuyasha?"

"Sure, whatever. As long as it has some fighting in it, I'm good."

The girl shook her head. "I want something romantic."

Souta stuck his tongue out distastefully. "Ugh, girly stuff. Fighting!"

"Whatever, you dork, it's Christmas."

Mama laughed into her hand. "Do you have a suggestion, Grandpa?"

The old man looked up from his handful of gumdrops and thought. It was a dark expression, one of debating and doubting, a decisive one.

Kagome and Souta sighed (so did Inuyasha); they figured Gramps was going to launch into some long, fabled story with no point at all…

"During the war," Grampa began slowly, wracking his brain for the proper way to put his memories into words, "I was a mechanic. A plane mechanic, to be exact." He nodded once, rising to his joint-popping legs and hobbling over to his favorite blue armchair. Sitting down with a long exhale, he continued. "We didn't always have pilots going on suicide missions, though those are the most memorable. Well, anyway, we had a mighty training crew. One of my closest friends there was a dog-demon named Inutaisho."

Inuyasha's ears perked up, and listened intently to Gramps.

"He was a pilot, and an excellent one at that. He was an honorable man, a real war dog from the first war. I was only a kid then, eighteen or so, and he was well older than I, but he took really good care of me. His wife Setsuna was as sweet and beautiful as they come. I think she was a mystic or something like that. I met their son once--boy was probably only about two or three--during a dinner." Grampa paused for a second, looking to his granddaughter. "That boy would be your fiancé, Kagome."

She nodded. "Yes, Gramps."

"Well-ahem-anyway, I don't recall his name, sadly, the war really has rattled some of my memories around, all the violence and such, but I remember he was an adorable kid. A troublemaker, but he was loveable." He popped a couple of candies into his mouth.

I don't remember that… Inuyasha thought, staring from the old man to his unwitting fiancée. I don't remember being that…innocent…

Gramps shook his noggin, rather scratching his scalp pensively. "I remember that boy was always asking his folks questions about everything-how they met, how planes worked, where babies come from." He chuckled. "But, the point of me even telling you this, besides you wanting to hear about something, Souta," the boy promptly bobbled his cranium once, "was to tell you about the day I was given Tetsusaiga.

"I'm sure you've wanted to know. You all think I've gone completely senile, but in my mind, I'm still a young mechanic, born into a dinky shrine family, not even really an adult yet, and it's only when I look in the mirror that I remember what I am.

"I'm now an old man with a beautiful daughter-in-law, and two sprightly grandchildren."

The group didn't make a sound, just pondered on the elder Higurashi's words.

Clearing his throat, Gramps went on. "I was injured, laid-up in a small clinic in Ninohe-I'd been shot in the leg by 'friendly-fire', gods damn 'em morons, I say-and Inutaisho came up to me. He was going to escort his family to Chōshi from Tokyo and he was going to report to General Izumi. He gave me Tetsusaiga, telling me it was extremely important I hold onto it. His wife had told him she foresaw death in both their futures, and that I was to be of some help, somehow.

"What Setsuna told him was that the sword would be given to my first born granddaughter, and that their son was to marry her-Tetsusaiga would be the validity of our claim, and the boy's rightful dowry. Being that he would be half-demon, he wouldn't age as fast as I would. He'd probably still be in his prime, I suppose, but that's not the point. All else I know is that she would be well-suited to him and whatever would come. Inutaisho said Setsuna had collapsed after that; she'd fainted, but said she was not able to stretch past the limits of it. Her powers, I mean.

"I often wonder if she was able to push those psychic boundaries and find out more." Gramps shrugged. "But, I'm not too sure. My place is here at the shrine as its head priest, not a psychic, or 'gifted one'."

I never knew any of that… Kagome contemplated, rubbing her toes over Inuyasha's coat again. It answers a few questions, but I still want to know more… I'm not quite satisfied.

Inuyasha blinked his eyes slowly. His musings were not much different from Kagome's.

"I found out a few weeks later he'd been killed, his wife as well, still preserved though by their combined magic. Their son was nowhere to be found. If I remember that boy as well as I do, he's probably still out there somewhere, and whether he knows to come to the shrine or not is a mystery in and of itself." Stretching, Gramps worked his way out of the chair. "It's ten o'clock at night, a bit late for this old man. Think I'll go and catch some shut eye."

"Well, open a present first, Grandpa," Mama pleaded. The look in her eyes revealed her yearning for the father of her deceased husband to stay for a bit longer. "I'm sure the kids would want you to."

Souta and Kagome nodded vigorously. "Please?" the pair begged.

Chuckling softly, the old man agreed. "You decide which one to give me."

"Open mine, please, Grampa!" begged Souta, digging out a lopsidedly wrapped package.

He accepted it, and it turned out to be a book of medicinal herbs and their uses. "Ah-hah! Something useful. Thank you, Souta, this will be excellent. Now you have to open one."

"Ok." Souta scoured amongst the presents. "Hey, this one's from Mom." His eyes lit up as he clawed through the paper. "A multi-tap for my PlayStation! Thanks, Mom! You open a present."

Mama laughed. "I'm glad you liked it. Now, what to open. They all look so nice."

"Mom! Worry less about the wrapping paper and more about the gift!"

"How about…this one? It's from you sister." Mama peeled away the chuckling Santa paper and her eyes coated with tears. "Oh, Kagome…" she whispered, extracting the locket on its fine silver chain. "It's beautiful."

"Look inside, Mom," the girl suggested.

The woman opened the face of it and the tears softly ran down her cheeks. "Oh, sweetheart…thank you so much. Come here." She spread her arms wide, and her children scrambled into the orifice and hugged her tight. "I love you both so much."

The siblings expressed their love as well, before Kagome was allowed to pick out a present. "This one's from Grampa." She rattled it gently. It doesn't sound like anything funny… "Cool! A new set of leather gloves."

"Real Italian leather, my dear," Gramps beamed proudly.

Kagome bopped up and embraced him. "Thank you, Grandpa."

Glad they're happy, Inuyasha thought, seeing the dozing Buyo, curled up with the catnip mouse he'd dug out days before.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said, dragging over a large rectangular package, "rip the paper off boy."

He looked to her. "For me? Really? …Thanks…" Taking a paw, he used his unnaturally sharp dog-claws to shred the wrapping paper away. A large dog bed was spread out. He laid down, and had to admit it was pretty comfortable. The foam was cushy and the cloth covering still new smelled.

And it was all his.

"I think he likes it," Mama chirped happily, leaning over and rubbing his side. "But I do have to agree with Grandpa, it is getting pretty late. I think we should all call it a night. You don't want Santa to skip our house, do you, Souta?"

The boy waggled his head. "Uh-uh."

Kagome helped Mama pick up all the paper before blowing all the candles out and starting for the stairs. "Coming, Inuyasha?"

With a doglike nod, he trotted after her to bed.

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Christmas morning was busy but enjoyable. Everyone had risen a little later than usual (managing by some miracle to ignore the snow plows and street sweepers), with the exception of the Santa-believing Souta who "proved" to his sister that Saint Nick did exist because there couldn't be presents in their stockings otherwise, and had opened their presents in quite a happy flurry of colorful paper, bows, and giggles. No one had been left out, not even Buyo and Inuyasha. (The dog made good use out of his bed as he blissfully watched Kagome squeal gleefully at the presents).

After a breakfast of eggnog, chocolate chip pancakes, and sausage, everyone had hastened into their clothes.

"Let's see," Kagome mused, picking up a soft V-neck, mid-arm sleeved red shirt and a scarlet-and-gold dragon patterned skirt that hung an inch above her knees. She began to change out of her nightclothes, and Inuyasha abashedly turned to stare out at the snow outside. "Hmm…this should work," he heard her mumble behind him.

"What's everyone getting so gussied up for?" he asked.

"People like to come by and visit us on Christmas Day, boy, and later we go caroling. Most years we go on Christmas Eve, but the weather was bad last night."

"Oh, joy…which am I, Kagome: a tenor or a bass?"

"I'm thinking you'd be a bass," the girl laughed, pulling out a long red ribbon. "Here, I'm going to tie this over your collar. You should look festive too, Inuyasha. Even Buyo has something to wear. I'm letting Souta put something on him this year."

"You're not going to tie it in a bow or something, are you?" He eyed her nervously.

She rolled her eyes, sitting next to him on the bed. "I'm just going to knot it and let it hang down in a loose kind of bow. Not a perky, bowtie looking one. You are a boy dog after all."

"Just thought we'd clarify that."

Kagome carefully looped the long ribbon around Inuyasha's scaly collar and knotted it. "There. We all know you're a boy dog-you're just a very Christmas-y, stylish one."

"Yeah…when you say stuff like that…it scares me." Inuyasha glimpsed at the ribbon and saw it hung in two long, even loops. "Eh, it's not the worst thing I've endured…" There was no way he going to be caught admitting he kind of liked the idea of getting spruced for the holiday. That was not something (overly) macho guys do. Only (overly) sensitive guys did that sort of thing.

Or maybe because Kagome did it he liked it…

…Shut up.

"Well, boy, let's go downstairs and have some fun." Double checking that everything was in place and that both she and Inuyasha looked good, they descended.

In the living room, a few elderly guy friends of Gramps stood chattering with said old geezer as they approached.

"Ah, is this your little Kagome?" one of the men said, watching as the teenager made her way down. "She's growing to be more beautiful each time I see her. Boys must just chase after her, eh, Yomato?"

Grampa grinned proudly. "My Kagome is twice as smart as she is stunning."

"Gramps!" the girl admonished, red in the face. She bowed slightly. "Thank you for your kind words. Can I get you anything?"

"No, no," a second one waved his hand, "we're fine."

A third one piped up, "My grandson is about your age…"

Inuyasha had to chuckle slightly at Kagome's distress until all the pensioners left. They were either half-deaf, half-blind, or both. And, to top it off, they did have the possibility of being perverted, and while the hanyou-in-a-dog-suit wasn't all that keen on anyone getting near his Kagome, it was still hella funny!

The rest of the day followed in a steady stream, mostly shrine worshippers, friends of Mama's (any of whom that had teenage sons Kagome's age wanted her to date them, always saying "he's simply so sweet and charming…"), or friends from Kagome's school that Inuyasha hadn't met.

Like those girls…

"Oh, he's so cute!" Yuka had damn near shrieked in his ear, playing with said appendage rather roughly.

"And gods you're fucking loud!"

"Are you sure it's a he?" asked Eri, going around to look at his hindquarters.

Inuyasha had scrambled away and found sanctuary behind Kagome's legs, his tail zipping between his own legs. "Yes, I am, and I'm absolutely sure, thank you very much!" he snapped tartly. "That's private property back there!"

"I think he's quite handsome, Kagome. His coat is shiny and soft to the touch. He looks like pure silk," Ayumi, the only one out of the three Inuyasha could stand, cooed. She obviously knew how to treat a dog.

Kagome grinned. "Yeah. He's a pain-in-the-neck, too, but that's what I like about him." She rubbed his head fondly. "He's got a personality. He's not a doorknob and he's not scared of his shadow either. He's great with Souta, and he's just all around cool."

Inuyasha puffed his chest out proudly and let out a bark.

After the three hens left, in came a certain red-haired boy that the canine last remembered with a handkerchief pressed over his bleeding nose.

"Hey, Higurashi," said Hojo before holding out a gift to her. "I got you some new house slippers. I hope you like them."

Kagome opened the package and smiled weakly. "Hojo, I'm so sorry. I don't have a present for you. But the slippers look really comfortable. How'd you know blue was my favorite color?"

The boy grinned. "Don't worry about it, Higurashi. The fact that you like them is good enough. And I asked Sango what your favorite color was. Well, I hate to have to leave so soon, but my folks and I are going up to see some friends out in Kawagoe. See ya!"

She waved. "Bye, Hojo. Thank you! I'll get you something as soon as I can."

Inuyasha frowned. "Why do you need to get that dork something?"

"He gave me a present. It'd be rude not to give him something in return." Kagome stowed the slippers in the shoe rack. She slipped on her jacket and loafers. "Let's go for a quick walk around the yard, ok?"

For Inuyasha, he couldn't have felt any happier with that idea. All those people touching him and trying to play with him and talking stupid talk to him…there was only so much he could put up with. And, oh gods, the smells! Some of them hadn't quite gotten those funky scents off yet or had bathed in cologne. The crisp, serene air outside was a godsend.

He ducked around a tree to do his business, and felt his chops raise as the wind changed direction and something putrid touched his sensitive nose.

"Hey, Kagome," that oh-so-annoying-to-Inuyasha's-ears-voice smoothly said as the body attached to it came up closer.

Kagome smiled. "Hey, Kouga. Merry Christmas. Are you going caroling tonight?"

The wolf-demon shrugged. "I wasn't planning on it, but," he grasped her hands, making Inuyasha growl insanely, "if you wish for me to come, then I will."

"Well, you're welcome to join us, Kouga."

"What? Are you crazy?!" yapped the canine madly. "You cannot have that scum around you, Kagome! I forbid it! As your fiancé I'm tellin' ya to stop being so fucking nice! Tell him to go somewhere and die!"

"Quiet, mutt." Kouga waved a hand at him prior to jamming it into his pocket. "Don't think of biting me again." A lanky wolf padded up beside wolf-boy and sat promptly in the snow. "I'll leave you someone to contend with."

Kagome glanced over to Inuyasha. "He's just extremely jealous, Kouga" she defensively stated. "Inuyasha doesn't like guys very much. He's just trying to protect me, so he doesn't like other males too close."

"Yeah, and this asshole is breaking the rule of a yard of personal space!"

"Kagome, Kagome…" he laughed, drawing something out of his pocket, making her look upwards. He dangled it above their heads. "I brought us some mistletoe. You wouldn't turn me down a kiss on Christmas, would you, Kagome?" He gave her the most disheartening look.

The girl tipped her head. "No, of course not."

"WHAT?!" Inuyasha made for Kouga's leg, when the wolf blocked his path.

Kagome leaned forward and kissed Kouga on his cheek before pulling away. "Well, Merry Christmas, Kouga. I have to go back inside and help play hostess. I'll see you later. We'll be out caroling later." Waving, she made her way inside.

"Merry Christmas, Kagome. I will try and meet up with you if I can. But don't be upset if I don't make it; remember that you're my woman."

"Huh?" She blinked, but once she turned around, all she saw was a tornado of white and a wolf trailing after. Kagome waggled her head once. "You know, Inuyasha, wolves are too forceful and demanding for me. I like dogs."

Inuyasha smirked. "Good, 'cause you're stuck with one."

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"We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year…" the Higurashi family drew out. Gramps had to stay home because his arthritis was acting up, and Mama refused to let him out in such a state.

This was the last house on the walk as it was getting a little later and a little nippier. Inuyasha's toes were toasty because of the fur between them, but his ears weren't nearly as lucky. It had been kind of nice to get all the pieces of meat from the people they'd visited, and the looks on the faces of those they sang for. For Inuyasha, this was probably his best-remembered Christmas. (It was even nicer that Buyo had to wear a jingle bell collar and with reindeer antlers on it for the day, while he only had the red ribbon).

"I'm so sleepy," murmured Kagome blearily, a dopey smile on her face as they trudged their way home through the high snow. "I think I could sleep until the beginning of next semester."

Souta nodded. "Uh-huh. I think I'm even too tired to play video games. There were so many people who came by. I'm exhausted."

"So am I, sweetie," Mama agreed, an arm around each of her children. "But, doesn't it make you feel good to have sung for others who might have needed Christmas cheer with your family?"

"Yeah, I guess."

The streetlamps hummed blissfully above them. They had only gone around two blocks this year, but that was only because the new weatherman---the previous one having been fired-had promised more snowfall. With the chilliness right now, none of them doubted this meteorologist's claim. Snow crunched beneath their boots, and ice cracked on the shrine steps as they ascended.

Grampa greeted them at the door and ushered them in. Everyone had slipped out of their Christmas attire and enjoyed some regular, warm pajamas. After a round of hot chocolate and some TV, the entire family shimmied off to bed.

Kagome yawned widely. Smiling lazily at all the lovely gifts she'd received she headed for bed, but stopped halfway and Inuyasha near bumped into her legs. "I almost forgot," she said, turning around to face Inuyasha, "I have to take the ribbon off. Being our luck, one of us might accidentally choke on it."

"Yeah, and it'd probably be you."

"You're not being nice, are you?"

"Sarcasm, Kagome, sarcasm."

She shrugged and knelt down. With nimble fingers even now, Kagome undid the knot and started to pull the ribbon lose. She tugged it once, and frowned in annoyance. "It's stuck." She peered closer. "Looks like it's hooked on the clip or something…"

"Eh?" Inuyasha suddenly felt his whole body get surrounded by a warm rush, deep in his core.

"I think I need to loosen it here and…" Kagome pushed the collar through the clasp, and pulled the metal prong out of the hole, allowing the scarlet ribbon to flutter to the floor.

The pulsing of energy, cool yet hot, made a whirlwind thru Inuyasha's body and his soul felt like it was expanding, stretching.

"Huh…?" the girl bemusedly queried as flashes of pinkish white light lit up her room up even brighter. "What is that…?" She shielded her eyes with a hand as a huge shockwave of old energy rushed by the girl and the luminosity grew. I feel a youki… she thought as the strange glow dimmed, and the bedroom lights took over. Removing her hand, Kagome gasped.

There sat a boy with dramatic aspects, with tapers of moon-spun-silver hair and bright molten gold eyes with catlike slits for pupils and dog ears atop his head.

And he was completely naked.

Inuyasha stared at her, trying to think of something to say. He managed to slowly grind out, "Whatever you do, Kagome: Don't scream."

Kagome gawked back uncomprehendingly.

"Don't scream," he pleaded again, reaching a hand out to her.

She sucked in a deep breath and opened her mouth wide.

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A/N: Duh-duh-duh- duh! Alright! Finished this! We've all been looking for this chapter. Was it alright? God, I hope so. So scared. I'm always worried that this is going too fast-paced, but everyone I've asked says no. Anyway, do you think Kag screams?

I can't remember any more questions right now, but I do love how well this is doing. I should be able to go to the library near everyday, so maybe I'll be able to get a chapter out everyday, or every couple of days. I hope. No promises though.

I found out, by the way, that SH got 3rd place for Best AU, and 3rd place for Best Humor. It didn't win best IY/Kag Romance and "Seeds, Soil, Water, and a Hanyou" didn't win anything, but hey, third's not bad.

~Moonlight Shadow