InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Girl and the Band ❯ Revelations ( Chapter 12 )

A/N: Shoot me…all of you. Come on…get it out of your system and shoot me down…have you done it…good. Now that I'm dead and you've calmed down, just let me say, there is a very plausible reason…or many reasons together, that explain my sudden disappearance from the earth. I haven't been updating or even been on my computer much. It has lots to do with outside reading, school, and flying to Oklahoma to drive a car back home 2,000 miles. If you want a full version…email me. Now…more story for those who are sticking with it despite the author's absence…and please…if you're still angry…just maim me some more…I know I deserve it.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own 'um. Not in the slightest. I can dream though.

By the way…that riddle…you guys aced it. The answer was three and language…depending on the version (email me if you don't understand). A few provided actual words that would fit. I was so impressed. I'll have shout out's later maybe for excellent ones…some were very good.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Revelations

"Kagome! Are you still sleeping?" Three loud knocks accompanied Sango's voice. "Come on Mistress sleepy head. It's almost time for our dinner outing." Sango waited with her ear to the door. Silence. "Kagome, you don't what me to come in there. I do evil things to late sleepers. That's why I sent Inuyasha, but he refused this time so I'm stuck doing it and I swear if I miss one more second of my show I will break the door down and beat you senseless."

This time Sango received a very annoyed grunt, followed by a disheveled Kagome opening the door. "Where's the finesse in that?"

Sango smiled and leaned against the door panel. "Mornings are not your friend. You look like crap."

"Well, it's not morning is it? This morning I recall skating my ass off."

"Oh really, cause I recall you sleeping your ass off while I stayed up to win the challenge."

Kagome's drawn face lit up, "Did we win?"

Sango put on an air of arrogance, obviously mimicking Inuyasha, "Course we did wench. But I don't see any 'we' in it. You're to weak, you pathetic girl. Good thing I was there to cover for you. I am great and mighty, I can do anything. Humph!" Sango and Kagome shared a laugh as Inuyasha came strolling down the hall.

"What's so funny?" he asked, genuinely curious. Sango and Kagome couldn't answer. Both were too far-gone with laughter. Inuyasha took a good look at Kagome. "Evening sunshine."

Kagome abruptly stopped laughing and glared at Inuyasha. However, instead of the argument expected, Kagome's face fell into a frown and she stepped back into her room, heading for her bathroom. The echo of her surprised and terrified voice reached the hall. "Holy lord, you're both right. I look horrible. God, I look just as bad as Inuyasha. I'LL HAVE TO WEAR A BAG ON MY HEAD."

Sango burst into peels of laughter, grabbing her stomach and sliding down the wall, too weak to stand. Inuyasha's face reflected his outrage. When Kagome again joined them her hair had been brushed and her face looked like it had been recently washed. "Never mind, false alarm," a sly grin spread across her face, "A little hygiene and I was back to normal. I hate it when I wake up looking like a mangy dog."

Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed before he turned to sander off, his hands deep in his pockets. "Yuck it up losers. Paybacks are hell. Oh and Sango dear, it's 5:28."

Sango's eyes widened with understanding. "My show!" She ran down the hall with dizzying speed, while Kagome shrugged one shoulder, turning back to her room. It would take much more than a threat to intimidate her. She lowered herself the carpet in front of her dresser and began to pick out her garments for the evening. Sango had promised to take her out tonight, so she needed to look special. She pulled her chosen clothes on and modeled before her mirror, satisfied with the reflection.

A low knock came to her door and Kagome walked over to it and swung it open. Before her brain could register what was going to happen Inuyasha turned the nozzle on the hose in his hands and drenched the now screaming Kagome along with half her room.

He turned it off and watched as Kagome stood dripping wet in the middle of her soaked room, a stunned look on her face. "Ah the pleasure of hose extensions. I thought you could use a shower to erase all traces of mangy dog."

Kagome looked at him with wide glistening eyes. She looked down to her clothes, and then studied her ruined room. She slowly looked back to Inuyasha and puckered her lip.

Inuyasha was instantly contrite. "Kagome? You're not gonna cry, are you? Don't cry, please." He walked closer, reaching out to pull her into a hug.

Kagome, however, had other ideas.

She snatched the hose from Inuyasha's hand and twisted the nozzle, aiming for Inuyasha. His reaction was much akin to hers, stunned.

Kagome looked him up and down and gave a loud bark of laughter. "Now shake puppy and we'll see how much of a dog you can be."

"Ooo, you are so dead."

"Only if you catch me." She made a mad dash for the door but Inuyasha easily appeared in front of her.

"Gotcha." Inuyasha pulled Kagome down to the soaked carpet and straddled her, attacking her ribs as he tickled her mercilessly. Kagome giggled as she struggled to escape the torture.

"No, stop," she gasped, pushing at his hands, "I can't breath."

"Good, then you won't be able to talk either."

Inuyasha and Kagome rolled around the carpet, bumping into walls and furniture in their effort to gain the upper hand. "You can't win Kagome, I'm stronger than you," Inuyasha pronounced arrogantly as he flipped them so he was once again on top.

"I'm not giving up."

"I would be disappointed if you did." There struggles soon annoyed Miroku who could hear them above himself as he sat with his paper. He sighed and stood slowly, tucking the paper under his arm and walking up the steps to investigate.

When he made it to Kagome's room and stared at the scene before him, his eyebrow lifted slightly. A drenched Inuyasha and Kagome were rolling around on an equally wet floor in an equally wet room. Very interesting. He cleared his throat, gaining the embarrassed attention of the two on the floor. "Yes, well…I can see you're busy. But are you sure the bed wouldn't be more comfortable for such sport?"

"Miroku, you are a fucking lecher." Inuyasha blushed and pulled himself off Kagome, helping her to stand.

"You were tickling her. The bed is more comfortable to lie on, for obvious reasons. Seems you're the lecher this time. At lest we know what you truly wish to do with Kagome." The blushes of before were nothing compared to the ones after Miroku's little speech. Inuyasha growled and kicked the hose nozzle into the air, catching it and aiming it towards Miroku.

Miroku just smirked and stepped forward, putting pressure on the hose beneath his foot and cutting of the flow of water. "You're going to have to be much more clever to best me." He dipped down to pick up the hose and Inuyasha put his hand in his pocket as he drawled out with little enthusiasm, his eyes never leaving his friend, "OH MY, Kagome, I can see your breasts through that wet shirt."

Miroku looked up quickly and stepped forward to confirm the claim. Inuyasha quickly twisted the nozzle and sent the hard spray towards Miroku, knocking him to his feet. When he was satisfied with Miroku's state, Inuyasha turned the hose off and walked over to him, grabbing his arm to lift him up. "Miroku, you are a fucking lecher."

The three wet teens glared at each other. Kagome finally broke the silence with a small huff as she scanned her bedroom and proceeded to charged out of the room and down the stairs, the two boys following. Sango was reclining in her favorite chair, watching her show. She glanced up to the three who approached her and folded her arms across the back of the chair, placing her chin on her arms. "So tell me…how was Niagara Falls?"

"Funny Sango, very funny," grumbled Kagome. "We can't go out until I change."

Sango smiled and turned back to the screen. "Take your time."

Kagome shot one last glare to the author of her troubles, commonly called Inuyasha, and marched up to her damaged bedroom.

"Where are you two going?" Inuyasha asked casually as he flopped down on the couch.

Sango looked at Inuyasha's clothes with disapproval. He caught her glance and stood up with a sigh. Sango smiled and answered his question, "I told her I would take her out. We might go out for dinner instead of eating here, or maybe see a movie. I'm sure she would like to go dancing and I haven't been to many of the clubs around here. It will be an adventure, a girl's night out."

"Can we come?"

"The key word was 'girl's', Miroku. Besides, it is easy to get around when it's the two of us. I can disguise myself enough. But there's no disguise in the world that could keep girls from recognizing you two."

"I disguised myself at the concert."

Sango gave a sideways glance at Inuyasha, "I'm far from convinced."

"Sango, if we are not there to protect you both, you will be attacked by boys. Even if you don't look like someone famous, you are too pretty to not stand out."

Sango blushed as her eyelashes swept her cheeks to hide her embarrassment, "That's very sweet but I remember it was Kagome who saved you two last time we were out. Kagome and I didn't have any problems."

"Kagome did. And besides, that was roller-skating. If you go to a club, the amount of boy hormones present will increase."

"Thank you both for your concern, but we will be just fine."

"Stop hounding Sango you two, we just want to go out for one night." Kagome voice drifted down the stairs as the three turned to greet her. Then watched, stunned as she descended. She was wearing a short skirt and a tank top, a small purse hung over her bare shoulder.

Sango smiled, "Perfect. I'll go get ready and we'll go." She jumped up, giving Kagome an excited look and dashed up the stairs.

"You are not going out like that." Inuyasha moved to stand next to Kagome his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well, my attire was more conservative, but those cloths are all wet now, aren't they. So I had to wear these. And besides, I don't remember having to ask your permission about what I choose to wear…I don't take kindly to orders."

Sango came flinging back down the stairs dressed much like Kagome, having changed in record speed, "And I think the clothes are perfect. Lets go."

"Right."

The girls started chatting as they headed for the door. Inuyasha watched Kagome as they left. 'There is no way she's going out without me.' He jumped slightly when a hand was laid on his shoulder.

"I know what your thinking. But they want to go out by themselves."

"So, we can tail them without them noticing."

"Yes, but if everyone else notices, they will too."

Inuyasha sat back and sighed. Miroku was right of course. They couldn't go anywhere without drawing attention. "Fuck."

After changing, the two boys resigned themselves to spending the night watching television and movies full of action, killing, and destruction. "This is boring."

"Yes, it does seem to be somewhat droll around without the girls present."

Shippo looked up from his spot on the floor. "You two always had stuff to do before. When it was just Sango, she was always off doing something, how is now any different?"

Miroku leaned down and patted Shippo's head, "It is complicated. I'll tell you when you're older."

"Older? I'm a teenager in a band who lives on his own with a bunch of delinquents, and am probably the sanest person in the house. I think that that qualifies as being old enough." Shippo looked up to find that neither was listening. He sighed and rolled his eyes, reaching out to turn off the neglected movie and get back to a video game. 'No respect…I get absolutely no respect.'

"I can't stand it, we should have gone out like I sa-," Inuyasha was cut off by the sound of the telephone ringing. He sighed again and pulled himself off the couch, slouching his way to the phone. "What do you want?" he asked irritated as he turned on the phone.

"Nice to talk to you too brother."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Fuck."

"Still an immature child I see. Well, I have important matters to discuss so please, try and listen."

"This day cannot get any worse. What do you want?" Inuyasha sat down in the couch again, his face drawn and depressed. Miroku gave him a questioning glance and Inuyasha drew his finger across his neck, the symbol of death. Miroku nodded his head in understanding.

"I can understand if the band needs a break, but as your manager, it would be ill advised of me to let you waste away precious days you could be filling with work."

"Wasting? Shessomaru, have you ever heard of fun. Lots of people experience it once and awhile."

"I am quite aware of the noun 'fun' Inuyasha, but I would rather discuss work. Your slacking on your job so I have taken the liberty of booking you another performance date. It is at the end of the month. You will need to come into my office so I can debrief you on the details, and until then, I want the entire band practicing. Do make myself clear."

"Stop bossing me around. There's a problem with your 'plan', we have a guest staying over till the end of the month and-"

"You have no time to build relationships right now and giving your undivided attention to a woman can come later. Your little girlfriend will have to wait her turn."

"Who the fuck said that our guest was a girl, much less my girlfriend."

"Shippo is too young to have a girlfriend, Miroku would be dead if he brought a girl over, Sango likes Miroku so it's not her guest, and unless it is someone important to you personally, namely a girl, since you have few male friends you would spend time with, you wouldn't care whether or not you left them out because you are a bastard and rather addicted to your music. Therefore, it is a girl and she's your girlfriend…or you want her to be such and due to your cowardice, you have not acted upon your feelings."

"I hate you."

"The feeling's mutual. Be at my office tomorrow morning at nine sharp. Bring Miroku, Sango can stay and entertain your little friend."

"Keh, fine." The other line went dead as Inuyasha pressed the button to turn the phone off. He looked over to Miroku who also had a cordless phone in his hand and a slight blush on his cheeks. "You were listening."

He cleared his throat, "Of course. So we have to go in tomorrow. This will put a damper on things."

"No it won't. Tomorrow we'll get things straitened out and at the end of the month, Kagome will go with us to the concert."

"She didn't seem to like the last one she attended."

"Well, I'll put her somewhere where she'll be safe. We don't need much practice, so the month can continue as planned."

Miroku nodded his head as Inuyasha turned towards the television and watched Shippo play his video game. 'Inuyasha saying we don't need much practice? Normally he is a slave driver when it comes to practicing.' He laughed softly to himself, 'Girls will do that my friend. They mess up all your plans and turn your life upside down, but deep down, you can't get enough.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kagome and Sango had decided to go to a nearby sit-in restaurant for dinner. When they were seated, Sango ordered hot tea and Kagome decided on a glass of soda. The sat facing each other, oblivious to the male attention they were already receiving.

"So, how are you enjoying your stay?" Sango asked casually as she played with her napkin.

Kagome smiled softly as she thought of her new friends. Shippo was the sweetest little boy she had ever met. He had a natural innocent and trusting nature, much like herself, and his child devotion to her was heartwarming. Miroku was sophisticated, patient, and always talked in relaxed tones. His antics and notions about women were amusing, as well as his infatuation towards Sango, obvious to everyone but the said two. Sango had become one of her best girl friends. They understood each other, and Sango's sarcasm and wit were always fun to be around. She could brighten a room if she so chose.

And Inuyasha…he was arrogant and cocky. He thought he ruled the world and everyone on it. He lived by the motto, follow my directions or take it up with my fists. But she sensed that other side of him, the side she had only glimpsed momentarily. He had compassion and depth. He felt fear and pain. Inside he was vulnerable, but his heart was all the more pure because of it. Not to say that his outward attitude was not appealing. She loved to banter with him. She loved his sly smile that sent shivers down her back. She loved his big amber eyes when they shined and glinted with amusement. She loved the way he crossed his arms to look tough, but the corners of his mouth would twitch, giving the hint of a concealed smile. What was it about him? Lots of guys were arrogant and funny. Lots of guys were sly and witty. Lots of guys were drop dead gorgeous with facial expressions that made a girl melt. Lots of guys were compassionate on the inside. Kagome knew this, and as confusing as it was to her, she also knew the answer. Inuyasha was not just any guy; he was himself. He was…Inuyasha. However like Inuyasha another guy was, he still wouldn't have that something, that essence that makes Inuyasha who he is.

But the real question was, what did she think of him?

"Hey Kagome? It's polite to stay on earth when someone's talking to you." Kagome snapped out of her thoughts to see Sango's hand waving in her face. She cleared her throat and pushed Sango's hand down.

"Sorry, I was…thinking?"

A smile slowly slid onto Sango's face. "Really? Thinking huh? With your eyes glazed over and that whimsical smile on your face…" Sang put a finger to her chin and asked sarcastically, "Now what could our little love bird have been thinking about?"

Kagome glared at Sango as she folded her hands in her lap, "That's ridicules, I don't love Inuyasha." Kagome's eyes widened suddenly at what she had said. She slapped her hands quickly over her mouth in a futile attempt to stop the sentence from being said. 'Crap, crap, crap, crap…love? I don't …love him. I can't…can I?'

Sango's smile widened as she laid her chin on her hand, "Did I say anything about Inuyasha? I don't think I did. Just what were you thinking about?"

"One question, do you enjoy being evil?"

Sango's smile reached her eyes, "With a passion." She laughed merrily as she sat up straight and leaned over the table to pat Kagome on the shoulder. "I'm just teasing. You know, were girlfriends. We can tell each other anything and make some weird pack to never tell another soul. It's nice to have someone to talk to, isn't it?"

"Yeah…it is." Kagome sighed and relaxed. She was really having the best time of her life. "You know I'm having a great time Sango. Compared to my other summers…well, compared to my life…this is more fun than I've ever had. Although, I'll have to change rooms, mine is soaked thanks to Inuyasha."

Sango was silent for a moment before her eyes widened slightly and her mouth fell open. "I bet the stupid jerk did it on purpose."

Kagome looked up from her soda with a questioning glance, "Did what?"

Sango sighed and began to explain, "He soaked your room right," Kagome nodded, "So you'll have to switch rooms right," another nod. "Well, the house is sorta split into four sections: mine, Miroku's, Shippo's and Inuyasha's. Remember when we said the house has fifty some bedrooms," Kagome shook her head again, adding a 'get to the point' look. "Well, it has fifty in theory. We never really bought enough furniture to supply fifty rooms." Kagome was getting a very bad feeling. "Miroku has his room, and Shippo has his. I have mine, and a spare for when my brother visits. Inuyasha also has a spare room for when his brother stays with us. A door, just like our rooms, connects it to his. And other than your drenched bedroom, the spare connected to Inuyasha's room is the only other room available."

Many things ran through Kagome's head. Killing Inuyasha, Sango has a brother, maiming Inuyasha, Inuyasha has a brother, and torturing Inuyasha were just a few of them. "Ohmigod. That big jerk…why he…?" Kagome sputtered, her face expressing her total shock. She was speechless. The dirty freak had tricked her into the bedroom connected to his. That was the final straw. That boy was gonna rue the day he ever met her.

Kagome's vicious thoughts were cut off when a low voice startled her, "Hello ladies, mind if we sit here?" Sango and Kagome looked up to see a group of guys circled around their table, eyeing the empty seats.

"As a matter of fact, we do," started Sango with a growl.

Kagome cleared her throat to get their attention. "You see…if you sit here, it would aggravate our boyfriends. And we do so tired of watching them rip others boys to shreds…after the first couple of times it gets quite boring." Kagome and Sango shared an amused glance at the looks on the pale faces around them.

"Humph…like that wimp of a man could harm me. Besides…from the smell of things…the dog breath ain't even here." Kagome spun around in her chair at the unmistakable voice.

"Kouga…what are you doing here?" 'And what do you mean by…the smell of things?'

"I've come to claim my woman. Looks like one of you get the other as well." He motioned to Sango as a few hungry eyes passed over her.

"Kouga, Sango and I were just leaving. So if you would excuse us…"

"I don't think so." Kouga reached out and grabbed Kagome from the chair as three others grabbed a struggling Sango. "You're my woman and I can't have you running off to that stupid mutt."

Sango grunted as she struggled to free her hands. "What is wrong with this restaurant?" she screamed out. "Is it normal for two girls to get abducted from the table in the middle of dinner. A little help would be nice." The customers around went back to eating after a small pause. Sango rolled her eyes, "Oh for cry'in out loud…" She pulled her arm away and shoved her elbow in the gut of one of the boys, knocking him back into the others and freeing herself. "Wow…those tae-bo moves actually work. She worked her way to Kagome and forcefully pulled her from Kouga. "Sorry…but we have to run. Be a gentleman and pick up the check, K?"

She pulled Kagome towards the exit and both girls ran for the bus, jumping on just as the doors closed. They waved to the dejected Kouga as the bus rolled away, and then made their way to the back of the bus, laughing their heads off.

"Did you see his face…it was priceless."

"Totally…that was great." They jabbered on for many bus stops, laughing and gossiping until their throats hurt. Kagome sighed and sat back with a smile. She looked out the window and didn't recognize her surroundings. Curiously she cocked her head, "Sango, where are we?"

Sango looked out the window and frowned. "I don't know."

Kagome's brow creased with worry. "You don't know."

"Uh-uh." Sango stood and moved towards the front of the bus, Kagome trailing behind her. She stopped behind the bus driver. "Sir where are we?"

"Downtown," he grunted.

Sango blinked and confirmed with a shaky voice, "Downtown?" The bus driver didn't reply. "Does this bus go back it's previous route?"

The driver rolled his eyes, "It's one way from here lady. It don't turn back till morning."

"But we have to get back…I don't know my way around here."

"What am I, a taxi? You should of thought of that when you go on."

Sango flared, "Well excuse me for being chased by crazy boys trying to assault me and boarding this bus for safety."

"Tell it to someone who cares."

"What you fat ugly piece of…I ought to…" Kagome held Sango back and reached up to pull the stop cord.

As the bus slowed, Kagome held Sango back from mauling the bus driver, "Calm down Sango, we will catch an actual taxi." She pulled Sango off the bus. "Do you have any money on you?"

"Yeah lots. Right here in my purse…" Sango trailed off as she realized she had left her purse on the bus. "Oh shit."

Kagome and Sango started screaming, turning to run after the bus. They pounded on the doors screaming though the glass, but the driver just chuckled and ignored them, driving on. Sango and Kagome stopped running, out of breath. Kagome bent over her legs and Sango put one hand to her pounding heart and the other she balled into a fist, waving it at the bus. "Stupid…hunk…of …lard…" Sango gasped as she caught her breath.

She turned to Kagome, "Do you have any money?" Kagome searched her purse and pulled out five bucks. "Shit, that won't get us far." Sango haled a taxi and they both jumped in. Sango looked to the driver and told him where to head, "Oh yeah, we only have a five. Tell us when we are up."

Four minutes later, Kagome and Sango where standing on the curb, still deep in the downtown area. "What do we do now?" Kagome asked as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Sango sighed, "We walk." They trudged down the streets; slowly making their way in what they hoped was the right direction. Kagome shivered and massaged her arms with her hands. "Well this sucks. This couldn't possibly get any worse."

The magical cursed words. As spoken, thunder boomed above the to girls and the downpour began. Kagome glared inwardly, "Should have seen that coming."

Sango and Kagome walked in silence for a long time. "You think things would have been better if the boys had come along?"

Sango pondered Kagome's quite question. In truth, the night would have been much better if the boys had been with them at the restaurant. "Kagome, I think it would be good to never leave without them again."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"You're actually quite good at this game Shippo."

"I know." Miroku watch Shippo kill the mutant warriors in abundance as Inuyasha lounged on the couch fidgeting and lifting his eyes to the clock on the VCR every couple of seconds.

"Really Inuyasha, must you do that nervous twitching, it is quite annoying."

"Shouldn't they be home by now?"

"Maybe they are having a very good time." Both pondered the possibility of the girls having so much fun without them. The thought was not welcome.

Miroku sighed, "One thing is sure. When they do get home, they will both want to go directly to bed. They will probably be very tired." At this Inuyasha widened his eyes and he raised himself from the couch. "What are you doing?"

"Kagome needs her stuff moved to her new room before she gets back."

Miroku's brow creased in confusion, "New room?"

Inuyasha smiled and laughed softly, "Yeah, her room is soaked remember. Gonna have to move her to the other spare room."

Miroku's sharp mind quickly deduced the meaning of Inuyasha's words and flashed a sly grin, "You sly dog."

Inuyasha smiled with no intention of retorting the remark. This time he had truly been a sly dog.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kagome and Sango slopped frozen cold and dripping into the mansion and headed for the living room. Inuyasha, Miroku, and Shippo were all lying peacefully around the TV watching Shippo play his game.

Kagome gritted her teeth, 'How dare he have a good time with out me.' 'What, did you want him to be miserable?' Kagome thought momentarily, 'Of course I did!'

Sango cleared her throat and gained the attention of the two older boys. Inuyasha stared at the shivering girls and quickly jumped over the back of the couch and rushed out of the room, soon returning with a large towel which he promptly wrapped around Kagome. "What the hell happened to you?"

Sango scoffed and turned her nose up, "We had a bad night, but thanks for your concern." She was cut off from her angry triad when another towel was swept out and wrapped around her, along with large, strong, warm arms.

"Of course we are worried, what happened?"

Kagome stepped closer to Sango and gave Inuyasha a frightened look, "We sorta ran into Kouga at the restaurant."

Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed to tiny slits, "What?"

Sango plunged in, unaware of Inuyasha's darkened mood. "He started to pull some 'Kagome is my woman business' and then tried to abduct us. So we ran and escaped onto a bus, which took us deep into downtown without a return back. So we got off to catch a taxi but I left my purse and the bus driver was an asshole so he wouldn't stop for us. Kagome only had five bucks so we were a little short and had to walk back. Then it started to rain. All and all, it was a shitty night and we are very tired."

"Kouga tried to kidnap you?"

"You walked home through all of downtown?"

Sango looked to Kagome, "Quite the selective hearing."

Inuyasha decided that was a good time to explode, "I told you that you shouldn't have gone out without us. We spent all night bored without you, and then spent hours worrying about you both but thinking you were having a great time witout us when really you were walking on downtown streets where you could have been hurt or kidnapped or…"

Kagome leaned up and gave Inuyasha a quick kiss to shut him up. "Thank you, but we are tired and want to go to bed. We will argue later."

Sango and Kagome both yawned at the same time and the looks on Inuyasha and Miroku's faces softened. Kagome followed Sango towards the stairs until Inuyasha voice stopped her. "You need to go up the other stairs to get to your room Kagome."

The conversation she and Sango had had earlier came rushing back. Kagome turned to see the wide goofy grin on Inuyasha's face. She was instantly enraged. "Why…you…bastard. Sango was right. You did plan it." Inuyasha made his way slowly towards Kagome. "Well forget it. If you think for one second that I am sleeping in a room joined to yours you are quite…mmph." This time it was Inuyasha who did the silencing.

"Sleep tonight and you can argue unsuccessfully tomorrow." Kagome would have come up with something witty, but she was truly tired. She had just spent a horrible afternoon walking home, terrified of the strange dangerous world and wishing that this person beside her had been with her the whole time. In reality, she didn't care much to argue, she was just happy to be with him again.

She nodded her consent and yawned again. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and swept her up in his arms and ascended the stairs. Miroku looked to Sango and they both wandered over to the couch and the boy who played video games with his headphones on. They snuggled down into the couch and Miroku draped his arm over Sango. Funny, he was doing the same boring thing as before, but with Sango here, it was infinitely better. He chuckled softly to himself. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I just missed you."

Sango blushed but snuggled into Miroku closer. She had also been afraid while walking home. She had been with Miroku for so long, that she hadn't realized how safe she felt, how happy she was around him, until he wasn't there with her. "I missed you too."

Inuyasha laid Kagome down and went to fetch her a dry nightshirt. He brought it over to her and turned around as she lazily pulled off her wet clothes and replaced them with the dry shirt. Inuyasha turned back and went to tuck Kagome into the covers. When he was sure she was in securely, he turned to leave.

"Please," Kagome called out, interrupted by another yawn, "Please, will you just stay a little while and hold me till I fall asleep. I'm still cold."

Inuyasha nodded and moved back to the bed, climbing on top of the covers and wrapping himself around Kagome's small form. He pulled her close and tucked her under his arm so her head rested gently on his chest. She sighed peacefully as her body finally began to warm. Inuyasha stroked her back softly and ran his finders through her damp hair.

Kagome could smell his scent radiating off him. It smelled like musk, leather, and something else…something distinctly male. She could also hear something from deep down his cheat, near to where her ear rested. It sounded surprisingly close to the purr that her lazy cat made when he was content. The sound was melting her conscious and she was drifting into sleep.

This was by far the best part of the night. 'Maybe I do love you Inuyasha." She thought dreamily as she drifted off. She was too tired to realize that she had already fallen deeply, madly, in love with Inuyasha.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Inuyasha stayed with Kagome long after her breath had slowed, telling him she was asleep. It was calming to lay with her, holding her softly and protecting her from the world with his strong arms. He had never felt so protective of anyone in his life. And at the same time, she made him feel vulnerable. She had penetrated his defenses and found his inner self, and she had embraced it.

This was a treasure he held safely from harm and fear. This was a priceless treasure, and it was all his. She was his. Of that he was sure. He still hadn't quite worked out the meaning of all these new feelings, but his instincts told him that Kagome was his, now and forever. And he always kept a strong hold to what was his.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

A/N: End of chapter. Finally. Can't say why it was so hard to write this one but here it is. Hope all those who waited for it liked it.