A/N: This Chapter is dedicated in loving memory of Celia Cruz, La Reina de la Salsa!

Disclaimer: Inu Yasha is NOT MINE!!!!!!!! He belongs to Rumiko Takahashi

P.S. I HAVE NO DINERO SO DON'T SUE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Through the Rose Colored Lenses

CH.5

By Sailor Scribe

Kagome sat by the bar nursing her diet coke as the strobe lights and the music danced around her. The place was packed with sweaty bodies grinding on the dance floor and men with too much cologne wearing an invisible sign that read 'Momma warned you about me" tattooed to their foreheads. Why had she agreed to come? Something about this being Sango's favorite club, and her begging Kagome not to let her ride alone with Miroku and Inu Yasha. There was more to it; Kagome was sure of it.

"Kagome!" Sango rushed to great her friend. "Why aren't you dancing? The music is hot and the men are hotter!" It was Latin night at Diminuendo, and appropriately Sango was wearing a red little Latin number with matching heels that screamed 'don't you whish you had my body." Her legs were bare as well as her arms and her hair was up in an elegant pony tail. Kagome was glad to be in a skirt, even if it was as short as her middle school uniform. She had always loved skirts, but ever since she got her bike she had retired them in favor of pants. Sango had insisted she wear her black lace see-through shirt with a black top underneath and her knee-high boots. The shirt covered every bit of her, but exposed her to all who wanted to see as well. Dressed in black with her hair riding crazy waves past her shoulders, Kagome looked exquisite.

"Don't let Miroku hear you! He will think you are talking about him!" Kagome shouted over the music. On cue both Miroku and Inu Yasha emerged from the crowd around the bar. Inu Yasha was wearing black jeans with a loose red shirt, and Miroku sported his favorite jeans with a purple silk shirt.

"Damn, you practically have to kill someone to get a drink these days!" Inu Yasha complained more to himself than to anyone else.

"Come on Kag! At least come dance with me! Why did you come if you didn't want to dance?"

"Because you said you would gut me alive if I didn't come." Kagome replied seriously. Inu Yasha stared at her.

"I thought girls like the club scene?"

"Give me a café with good music, good friends, and good conversation, and I am all set."

"But how are you going to meet men in a café?"

"First of all, who says I want to meet men. Second of all, you always say that you can't meet your soul mate at a club. Third of all…"

"Kagome, I am not talking about a soul mate; I am talking about dating! Girl, can you even remember your last date?"

Kagome replied with a 'so this is what this is all about,' glare.

"For your information, yes I do!"

"Was it within the last year?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has to do with everything. You are almost twenty-five-years-old, and you are living the life of a divorced forty-five-year-old woman! Kagome, you have to start living your life! And, it is going to start tonight! On that dance floor! You do remember how to dance, don't you?" Sango finished with a challenge. Miroku, who had only been able to hear the last part of the conversation over the loud music, interrupted.

"Sure she does, and if she doesn't, I can sure remind her! I am a dancing king!"

"Dancing duce is more like it!" Inu Yasha, who even with the ear plugs he wore to protect his sensitive hearing had heard the entire conversation, did not enjoy the idea of Kagome's first dancing partner in over a year to be a hentai like Miroku. Though if he had to pick, he would rather it be Miroku than any of the other anonymous males present that night.

"If you think you are that great, why don't you show us what you got?" Miroku countered.

"Nice try, Miroku." Sango interrupted. "Inu Yasha never dances."

"Are you saying I can't?"

"Well, just that you seem to have an issue with eye to hip coordination." Sango replied. The music changed from Enrique Iglesias' Bailamos, to Celia Cruz's La Vida Es Un Carnaval (Life is a Carnival).

"Keh!" He took Kagome's hand and dragged her to the dance floor. Their friends stared in surprise, and quickly followed. The quick beat of the music allowed for group and partnered dancing, the latter being what Inu Yasha was interested in. When they entered the dance floor he turned Kagome three times, so that she would finish right in front of him. He placed one hand on her waist and kept the other locked with hers as he began to lead. Kagome was pleasantly surprised at Inu Yasha's sense of rhythm, and was happily surprised when he began to turn her with ease. If felt like a child's game. She turned and moved with equal grace as they danced. As the lyrics ran through her head, she forgot she was dancing with Inu Yasha, or that Sango had forced her to come. She was Kagome Higurashi, lover of all Latin music, specially a huge fan of Celia Cruz, la reina de la Salsa, the queen of Salsa. She quickly translated the lyrics in her head as her body moved on its own free will.

"All those who think that life is unfair, it's not so,

Life is a beauty; you have to live it...

There is no need to cry, life is a carnival,

and it is so beautiful to live singing.

There is no need to cry, Life is a carnival,

and your sorrows are overcome singing."

Inu Yasha was amazed by Kagome's fluidity. "How did she get so good? I thought she didn't dance." Their bodies moved in perfect sync to the music. It was a beautiful thing to watch as they began to make complicated turns and not miss their footing. A few couples stepped aside to watch them, and soon they had a circle around them. Kagome was too lost in the music to notice, but Inu Yasha only cared that this gave him more room to move. Sango was hypnotized by the duo as she stared open-mouthed at the dancing couple. Not even Miroku's wondering hands were able to bring her to her senses, well at least not until the third grope at which time, Miroku found himself becoming better acquainted with the floor and Sango's designer shoes. The song finished with a bang, at which time Inu Yasha dipped Kagome. The gathered couples began to clap, and Kagome blushed a lovely shade of crimson. Inu Yasha just "Keh," and moved towards the bruising Miroku, and the angry Sango.

"Inu Yasha, how did you learn to dance like that?" She asked as he approached.

"Years of martial arts training." He shrugged in response.

"Kagome, you were wonderful. How did you learn?" Miroku asked peeling himself from the floor.

"Kagome dated the captain of the dance club in High School." Sango offered, making Kagome blush.

"Actually, I really got into Latin music in College. I joined the Spanish Club in order to get extra credit, and ended up staying for the music and food. I made lots of friends, who taught me how to dance Salsa, Merengue, Bachata, Cumbia, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I even met a Mexican who taught me how to dance Quebradita."

As the music changed again, both Sango and Kagome's eyes brighten once again. "Juanes!" they screamed and raced to the dance floor. Inu Yasha looked questionably at Miroku.

"A Columbian singer Sango would love to marry!" Miroku sighed over the guitar based music. "Something of saying what she wants to hear."

"What does he say?"

"If I die, let it be of love. If I fall in love, let it be with you, and your's this heart, I pray to god." Miroku recited. Inu Yasha smiled.

"You got it bad for her, don't you?"

"I haven't groped another girl since."

"For a strange reason I don't think that is exactly the proof of love she is asking for."

"But that is who I am…I want her to love me for me, not for being the perfect little puppet she can string around."

"But you would let her in a second if it meant she would be yours." Miroku sighed. "You're pathetic."

"Yeah, well, let's see when you fall in love! Bet you will be twice as pathetic as me!"

"That's the difference between you and me my friend, I will never fall in love." Miroku looked at Inu Yasha with starry eyes. "What now?" He asked half annoyed and half scared of that look.

"You called me your friend! That is the first time you referred to me as your friend! Oh my Kami, Inu Yasha, you are willing to commit! You've made me the happiest man here!" Miroku said as he hugged his friend. Inu Yasha tried to pull away but failed.

"Is there something I should know?" Sango asked as she returned to them.

"Yeah, your boyfriend is wacko!" Inu Yasha declared as he managed to get free.

"Inu Yasha, I'm hurt!"

"He is not my boyfriend!" Sango protested. In a flash, Miroku was by her side.

"Don't you see it is obvious we belong with each other, my dear Sango? Even someone as dense as Inu Yasha can see it!"

"Hey!" Inu Yasha protested as he hit Miroku's head. "Where is Kagome? I want to go."

"A guy asked her to dance." Sango replied as she was trying to free her hand from Miroku's grasp.

"It's three a.m. We got to shoot in the morning. Get the car!" He declared as he saw Kagome being led to the V.I.P. Lounge by a sweet boy faced young man. Inu Yasha took a second to size him up. "Yup, the type that looks like what you want to bring home to mom, but are exactly what she warned you about!" He thought as he was blocked by Sango.

"Come on, Yash! Kagome hasn't been out in ages. Let her have her fun. What's one dance?"

"We got to shoot in the morning, and that girl is impossible to work with if she doesn't get at least one hour of sleep!" Inu Yasha made his way to where he had seen Kagome disappear to. A bouncer the size of Texas stepped in front him, but quickly moved away saying,

"Sorry Mr. Morimotto; I didn't recognize you without your fan club." He stepped into the lounge where the music was low enough for people to talk, but loud enough to still make the walls vibrate. It was his favorite room in the club. He spotted Kagome laughing with the browned hair guy in a corner, and Inu Yasha stalked the pair ready to use the easiest intimidating move he knew. "Do you have a problem with my girlfriend?" Inu Yasha asked as he slipped his arm around Kagome pulling her close to him. The boy looked at him in surprise and then at Kagome, whose jaw had intersected the floor.

"No, but you seem to have a problem with mine. Do you mind removing your hands from MY girlfriend!" Inu Yasha was a bit shocked; usually, guys like him wanted to avoid confrontation and backed away at the mention of a boyfriend. This guy seemed to be clueless about proper club etiquette. He growled dangerously at the intruder, and Kagome stepped between them.

"Hojo, I would like you to meet my colleague, Inu Yasha! Inu Yasha, I want to introduce to you my ex-boyfriend Hojo."

"You work with Higurashi?" Hojo asked in concern. Inu Yasha growled in response. His eyes flickered a dangerous shade of red, which Kagome caught.

"Come on, we are leaving!" He declared as he grabbed Kagome by the arm.

"Hey, if Higurashi doesn't want to leave, she doesn't have to," Hojo declare as he reached for Kagome's other arm. He didn't have time to defend himself. Before he had time to touch Kagome, Inu Yasha had punched him unconscious.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome tried to race to Hojo's side but one growl from Inu Yasha kept her in place. His eyes were glowing, almost red. She wanted to sit him, but he was so close to becoming full demon that one sit might push him over the edge. Instead, she let him drag her out of the club. He, on the other hand, was too angry to notice the spike of fear in her scent.

Once outside, he searched for the car, and saw Miroku opening the door for Sango to get in. He took the opportunity to get into the driver's side and declared,

"I'm driving."

Kagome noticed his eyes had a calmer look to them and ventured to begin the argument, but placed herself in the back seat with Sango for safety reasons.

"What the hell were you thinking back there?" She demanded with fiery eyes as soon as everyone was in the car.

"Me? What about you? Throwing yourself like a common slut at that Baka!" Inu Yasha peeled out of the parking space.

"Inu Yasha, please! This is my baby!" Miroku begged as Inu Yasha ran a red light.

"Slut?" Kagome choked on the word. "Why? Because I ran into an ex-boyfriend and decided to catch up with him? What about you? You are with a different girl every week! If there is a slut here, then it's you!"

"Inu Yasha! Signal! Signal!" Miroku held on tight as Inu Yasha took a sharp right. Where were the cops when you needed them?

"We are not talking about me!"

"Yes we are! You had no right to hit Hojo! He did nothing to you!" Inu Yasha suddenly stopped the car with a large squeak of the breaks in front of a red light. Miroku sighed in relief.

"He asked for it!" He said as he turned to face her, eyes flashing with anger. Kagome returned his glare, both were growling now. "Besides," he continued calming down a bit. "You could have prevented it!"

"Oh, so now it is my fault that you got into a fight!"

"All you had to do is get up and leave! Instead you sided with Hobo over there!"

"It's Hojo! And how the hell did I side with him! As I recall, I stepped between you two!"

"Colleague!" Inu Yasha roared. "You introduced me as your colleague!" Someone beeped their horn, and Inu Yasha let out a string of curses as he peeled away. Miroku had begun to pray.

"But…That's what you are? I guess I could've said boss, would that have made you feel better?" Inu Yasha pulled over, and both Miroku and Sango ducked for cover. How could Kagome be so dense?

"Are you an idiot?" Inu Yasha growled as he stepped out of the car. He opened her door and dragged her out of the car. This time the fear and anger spike in her scent did not escape him.

"What? Did you want me to go along with the boyfriend bit? It was quite unnecessary! Hojo isn't some creep I needed rescuing from!"

"No!" Inu Yasha growled.

"Then what, Inu Yasha? What should I have introduced you as?"

"Nothing!" He pushed her back into the car defeated. He did not want to continue this conversation.

"No, enlighten me Inu Yasha!" She stopped him from closing her door. "You seem to know what is proper for everything; teach this poor ignorant human!"

"As your friend!" Her shock was enough to let him close her door. He got back behind the wheel and drove off in a saner manner that Miroku was grateful for. Kagome remained quiet for a long time before Sango ventured it was safe to talk.

"So you ran into Hojo?"

"Like you didn't know it was him." Kagome whispered back.

"I just wanted to make sure my eyes didn't deceive me…puberty was good to him. He definitely got taller, and cuter, but still has the little boy face."

"I guess; I didn't really notice."

"Did you know he graduated Suma Cum Laude from college two years ahead of schedule?"

"No." Kagome answered eyeing her friend cautiously.

"Yeah, and now he is one of the top residents at Children's Hospital. I hear that he is going to be a great doctor someday."

"You don't say." Kagome folded her arm defensively in front of her. She could sense what was coming, and did not like were Sango was going.

"Yeah, and I also heard that he hasn't gotten over you! How about you? Any lingering feelings for your high school sweetheart?"

"Could you two shut up?" Inu Yasha growled from the front seat. "I'm trying to drive here."

Sango looked up in surprise. Sure Inu Yasha was hurt from Kagome's response, but could she have misread him. "Could he be jealous of Hojo?" she wondered. "An ex-boyfriend who your girl doesn't hate always has a fair chance of becoming Mr. Right. Could Inu Yasha be thinking of seriously going after Kagome? But they are so different! Kagome would never stand for any of Inu Yasha's crap! And it's not like Inu Yasha can be patient with Kagome. What she needs is someone understanding, romantic, a genuine Don Juan but with the loyalty of a priest. Someone like Hojo!" Sango laughed to herself. "Kami, I was the leader of the bandwagon to get her to dump him because he was too quiet, safe, and dull! But that was high school! She needed to date someone exiting, dangerous and fun! That way she could be ready for safe and dull in her later years." Inu Yasha pulled in front of the shrine steps and opened the door. Kagome quietly got out. He began to escort her up the steps but she calmly said,

"Don't bother." He didn't listen to her and followed her up the stairs with the intention of carrying her. She snapped at him, and from the car Sango could see them arguing again. With the windows rolled up, they were out of earshot, which Sango was grateful for. She looked at the two: Inu Yasha towering over her, his silver hair dancing in the light wind, and Kagome standing straight, her black hair in waves. Tonight, even their clothes looked good together, and as Inu Yasha's hand fell on Kagome's arm, Sango envisioned them kissing. "They would make a cute couple."

"Sit!" Even the modern sound filtrating abilities of the car couldn't keep that scream at bay. Sango sighed.

"What's wrong Sango?" Miroku turned to face her.

"What do you think of Yasha and Kagome?"

"Cool peeps…provide great entertainment when they argue, though tonight was a bit scary."

"No, I mean as a couple."

"Like you and me?"

"We are not a couple!"

"Yes we are, you just don't want the tabloids to know."

"Miroku!"

"What? Sango, you can't take back what you said." He took her hand.

"I was tired and extremely hungry…I would have said anything for a piece of gum."

"Sango…I am not afraid to tell you how I feel. I love you." The girl's head shot up and desperately searched his eyes for the truth. "Don't push me away. Please."

"We argue a lot." She complained as she saw Inu Yasha escorting Kagome up the stairs, they seemed to have called a truce.

"So do Yash and Kag."

"But that's sexual tension!"

"And ours isn't?" He began to rub circular patterns on her hand as she blushed. Giving her his most seductive smirk he began, "Don't tell me you don't feel it too?"

"Miroku…" Her eyes were downcast but the blush was greater. "I…I just don't know. I…I'm scared."

"Sango, what if I proved to you that it could work?" He looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"How?" She asked in a whisper.

"How about if we got Inu Yasha and Kagome together? If those two can manage, then we can't fail!"

"Sounds good, but why we?"

"Because if we are going to play with fire, might as well get burned together. Let's not forget they are both our friends. Yash is my best friend and Kagome is yours. If I have to risk their happiness to be with you, I will, but it is only fair we both have the same to lose. After all, isn't that what a relationship is all about: Two people with everything to lose trying to find happiness together?"

"I guess…"

"So what do you say?" She remained quiet for a moment.

"Yes!" He pulled her close for a kiss, which surprised Sango. For the first time in a long time he had hoped for the future, for happiness, for a life with Sango. They broke apart and Sango blushed madly. He could still taste her on his lips as a sound broke through the closed windows.

"Sit!" A thump was heard followed by a,

"Bitch!"

"Then again," Miroku thought. "Hoping never gets you anywhere."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Where the hell did you spend the night?" Inu Yasha growled before Kagome had a chance to pull off her helmet.

"None of your business! I'm here and on time, and that is all that matters!"

"I left you in front of your door! I expected you to go to bed, not to run off with that Hobo guy!"

"His name is Hojo! And you are not my father to tell me when to go to bed!" She got off her bike and pushed by him. Last night's tension weighed heavily between them.

"Don't walk away when I'm talking to you!" He grabbed her arm and turned her around. In reply, she smacked him. The whole set went silent. "Bitch!" he growled.

"I let you know that I didn't need a ride! What else do you want Inu Yasha? My itinerary?"

"Your first priority should be this job! You're lucky I consented in letting you tag along for this!" His eyes glowed dangerously red as he sniffed her scent. "You worked nights again!"

"I don't work nights!" She pulled her arm free. "We just had an emergency. Those don't wait until morning. I barely had a chance to change before going to meet Kaede! Anyway, it isn't any of your business!"

"Keep putting this job second and you will find yourself without it!"

"You don't have to tell me that Inu Yasha!" She spit. "I know my days in this company are numbered! But even if I know that I won't be working here past next month, I still give you 110% of my abilities! Why the hell do you think I drove up here during rush hour instead of going to bed?"

"You are a lousy photographer and an even worse liar!"

"If you think I am that bad, then why do you keep me around?"

"Because my brother makes me!" There was a moment of silence before Kagome took a step closer to him. Her face locked in defiance.

"Do you want to know why I introduced you as my colleague instead of my friend last night? Because whenever you do anything nice for me, it isn't because you want you; it's because your brother makes you!" Her voice was dangerously calm and her eyes glassy with anger. Inu Yasha took a step back. "I'm going to make it easy for you Inu Yasha Morrimotto. I quit!" She walked towards her bike, but he grabbed her arm again.

"You can't quit because you're fired!"

"The only person that can fire me is Sesshomaru-sama!" She untaggled her arm. "So why don't you SIT!" He crashed to the ground and she got on her bike. She took off like a bat out of hell, and turned into the nearest intersection.

WOW! 19 PAGES!!! THAT HAS TO BE MY LONGEST UPDATE YET! Well, let's just say it's a gift to make up for my skipping a week in updating! For those of you who want me to update sooner…is 2 days fast enough for you? J

Again Special Thanks to Meche-Benz; if she hadn't corrected this chapter for me, you guys would have had to weight a day or so to get it.

As usual, don't forget to read and review! Remember, it's those wonderful reviews that keep me going! Just as proof, the idea of the ending of this chapter came from one of you guys, who said I did a wonderful job of keeping you in suspense. So what do you think? Suspenseful enough? Bet you guys didn't see me killing off Kagome this early on, or am I?