InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Meant To Be ❯ What The Night Can Bring ( Chapter 11 )

A/N: Fair warning I was not in a good mood when writing this so if it falls short of your expectation I'm sorry. But getting the flu while trying to nurse a flu stricken child and trying to reframe for killing your family will do that to a person.

And I feel so special know people actually thought my story was worth while to put in their favorites.

~*~*~*~*~

Chapter 11

The guard readied his weapon. "What business could you possibly have with the princess?"

"I believe that is for the princess to know. I don't have time to waste with you."

"Why you insolent little-"

"Stand down!"

Both men turned to the direction of the voice. Sango was hanging out of the window.

"Let him by."

The guard looked a little put out as the wolf smirked walking toward the princess.

Making a slight bow, he began. "Princess Sango, your father sent me to tell you that there was another raid."

"What? Is Daddy alright? How bad was it?"

Koga put a hand to stop her sea of questions. "The King is fine. This raid was worse than before. Luckily I was there with my pack. We did what we could to stop them but the damage was still bad. The King wants you to stay at the Youkai Kingdom until he sends a message saying it's safe. And I'm supposed to ask King Sesshomaru if he could send some reinforcements."

Sango paled slightly. "I..I can't go back there. There must be another way." The princess began to get upset at the thought of being forced under the same roof as the jerks that she just managed to escape. "I need to be there to help. I'm not helpless you know."

"Don't shoot the messenger. I'm just doing what he asked me to. Why are you out here anyway? He told me you were still going to be at the palace."

Clearing her throat she answered. "Well the important thing is that you found me."

"Yeah there's another thing I wanted to ask." He said, craning his neck in an attempt to see further inside the carriage. "I thought Kagome was with you."

Sango opened her mouth, but caught her self from talking. `Didn't he see Kagome plainly sitting opposite her?' Sango turned in the direction that Kagome was suppose to be and found air.

While Koga had been conversing with the guard, Kagome had taken the opportunity to move to the other side of the carriage and shrink down in the seat.

"Kagome sit up, so that Koga may see you." Sango said trying to hold back giggles.

The lady in waiting gave her a death glare. "But I can't."

"Why is that?" Koga asked, still trying to see into the cab of the carriage.

Kagome stammered. "Because..Because I..I hurt my ankle and its best if I keep it stretched out." Kagome began to gain confidence, seeing as she had made up a believable lie. "You wouldn't want me to make it worse would you?"

The wolf's voice drowned with concern. "Of course not. But how did you get hurt? Who did this to you? I will kill who ever dared to hurt my woman!"

Kagome widened her eyes. She couldn't tell him that part of the reason she had gotten hurt was InuYasha. She'd just have to leave that part out. Maybe if she let that `my woman' thing slide this time he wouldn't question her further.

She sat up a little bit and plastered a sweet smile on. "Oh no. It was all my fault. Stupid me. I tripped and fell. So no killing anyone.", she finished with a nervous laugh.

Koga frowned. "Kagome never call yourself stupid. You're the brightest women I know. No offence your majesty." Sango waved him off. "Are you sure you're okay? Maybe I should take a look at it."

"No!" Kagome's mind worked franticly. "I mean I already had the castle's healer look at it and..uhhh…she said not to move it. Besides I wouldn't want to delay you any longer. You still have to give the message to the King."

"Don't be silly Kagome, you're my first priority. And I'm not going to leave you two without PROPER protection.", he said loud enough for the soldier to hear him.

`Oh goody.', Kagome thought

"Thank you very much Koga. Would you like to ride with us? I know you would prefer to run but we won't be able to match your speed. So why not rest after such a long journey?" Sango smiled brightly. She loved taunting Kagome about Koga.

Kagome was going to kill Sango the moment they were alone.

~*~*~*~*~

Rin sung the same lullaby for the third time.

She rocked the baby in her arms but it just wasn't working. She knew what he wanted, however she was unable to supply him with it.

"Where is your father?", she asked.

There was a light knock on the door. Rin let out an exhausted sigh. She knew it wasn't her Sesshy. He wouldn't have knocked. Who ever it was, they were going to give her a much needed break.

"Come in."

Miroku poked his head in.

"Is this a bad time?"

"Oh, no." She said a little to quickly for Miroku's liking. "Come here."

The prince felt a little uneasy but did as she asked. The moment he was within arms reach she handed him the screaming child. Miroku looked at her in shock as he adjusted the demon prince.

"Thanks. I just need a little break. He wants Sesshomaru. But you're a male you should do. Now, what was it you wanted?"

"I was going to ask you about my dilemma."

"Oh Miroku.", she sighed sitting at the foot of the massive bed. "There is nothing wrong with being nervous before you get married."

"No. That's not it."

Rin's brow creased with confusion.

"See for the first time in my life I can actually see myself with someone. She makes the world look brighter. And everything ordinary seems fresh in new."

Rin smirked. "It's called being in love, you silly human. I thought that was the one thing your kind did understand."

`Love? That was possible. He did have this sick feeling now that she wasn't there. Not including the spells of tightness in his chest.'

Miroku began to reflect on the philosophy he had told InuYasha.

(Flashback)

"InuYasha. She was crying. You and I both know that is the second worst thing a woman can do to you."

InuYasha looked at him strangely. "What's the first?"

"Well it's a tie really. Between crushing your heart or crushing your jewels." InuYasha unconsciously rubbed both areas. "While I can't say which hurts more because I haven't experienced both to compare them properly. But I assume the heart would hurt more seeing as it will last longer."

(End Flashback)

Well now could definitely compare the two.

Snapping fingers and Rin's voice brought him back from his mental journey.

"Hello? Miroku?"

"Gomen. No, that's not the problem.", he started while sifting the now quiet baby. "See as far as I know everything was going great. We got along. She's intelligent, beautiful, and plays a remarkable game of chess. Her jab isn't bad either. I told her how I felt. Then the next thing I know she's gone."

"Well that's not good. Are you sure she didn't shy away because she was scared?"

He knew that he had left out some crucial information. He began telling her the story while excluding some parts.

"So why don't you go after her?"

"Well I want to but.." The rest of his sentence was cut short because the little prince decided smacking Miroku in the face was fun activity.

"Now. Now, little inu." The Queen took the infant back "I don't think Miroku likes that." The young prince pouted and began to whine. "Well what do you intend to do about it?"

"That's kind of the reason I came. I'm not sure what to do. I've been brooding about this for..", he paused to count the days since she left. "..three and a half days now. I just don't know what to do."

"Alright. Do you love her?" He nodded. "Okay then. Go find her. Find out what upset her and fix it."

Miroku blinked for a moments while scratching his head. The plan seemed so simple. He was having a hard time remembering exactly why he hadn't thought of it himself.

"Wahhhhh!"

The scream had hurt his human ears, he could imagine how Rin felt.

"Here you take him and I'll hunt down Sesshomaru."

The child became content as he picked up his game of smack Miroku.

"Don't forget what I said." She chirped, pushing him out of the room.

~*~*~*~*~

Naraku checked off the rest of the weapons and smiled to himself. Yes, everything had worked out perfectly. He didn't have to send his men away and he had gotten extra weapons to boot.

This was going to be a lovely day. The only thing that could make this day better was if he had her waiting for him. The general slipped into a daydream only to have it interrupted.

"General."

Naraku looked around. He didn't see anyone, so he went back to his daydream.

"General."

Naraku looked around and once again saw no one. Was he losing it?

"General Naraku!" The voice was getting angry. "Down here you baka!"

Naraku looked down to see the King's right hand toad. The little green demon was fuming.

"I have a message from the King. He is going to send a platoon. He wants them by the end of the week."

"But the marriage is off. Why is he still sending troops?"

Jaken closed his eyes and pushed his hands into the opposite oversized sleeve. "Not that it is any of your concern but he is doing it out of good politics."

"And why couldn't he tell me this himself?"

The toad snorted and put his noise in the air. "King Sesshomaru has more important things to do than deal with your attitude."

With that said Jaken strode off feeling important. The black haired general was swallowing his anger. So much for his perfect day.

~*~*~*~*~

InuYasha was going to kill someone.

Some wench had the nerve to come in and wash his sheets. Did he ask them to wash his sheets? No! It was the only thing he had left to remind him of Kagome and now it was gone.

He decided to hunt down whoever it was and kill them slowly with his hands. But he was denied such pleasure because the washing room was heavily scented with cleaners and he had lost the culprit.

Now he was it a bad mood. This had been a shitty week. He had accidentally started liking some girl only to have her snatched away. Not only was Kikyo being moody and snappy, but she had cut his hair. And the one memory he did have of Kagome had been destroyed.

Yes, it had indeed been an awful week. Maybe sitting in his tree would make all look brighter. And if that didn't help he could always go on a run. He looked down and sighed. That's what he had planned to do with Kagome.

This was frustrating him to no end!

Suddenly a blur of white streak by and the scent of mink tingled his nose. He looked up just in time a milky white hair and a pale skinned arm turn the corner.

"InuYasha!" He turned to find Miroku walking fast toward him. "Did she come past here?"

"What?"

"The girl.." Miroku was cut off as the little inu began a new round of smack Miroku.

InuYasha pointed to the corner the blur had taken. "Here InuYasha. Hold your nephew for a bit. You can…" Miroku snapped his fingers as if commanding the word to come forth. "…bond. Yeah that's it." And Miroku ran off.

Moving his eye off the retreating figure of his friend, InuYasha looked down at the gurgling baby.

"Oi, pup. We are going to go over the rules in case you don't remember them from the last time. Rule #1 - Don't poop `cause I ain't changing it. Rule #2 - You mess up my hair or clothes you get dumped on the first female that walks by. Rule #3 - I can and will add more rules when need be. If we have a deal, shake on it."

InuYasha held out an index finger. The baby's face took on the same expressionless one that his father possessed as he grabbed the offered finger.

"Deal." InuYasha said as he shook with the infant.

~*~*~*~*~

"Master."

Stiffening the speaker replied. "I thought I told you never to show up here."

"I made sure no one saw me."

"Well? What is it? What couldn't wait until later?"

"They turned around. They are coming back here. The princes should be back in a couple of hours. Is that what the plan was? Make them turn around?"

Smirking the speaker answered. "Actually it worked out better than I had hoped. We got more supplies and a reasonable fight from those wolves. I might consider the wolf lord as a commander when I am done."

~*~*~*~*~

"Koga will you please stop saying that."

"Saying what?"

`That I'm your woman!'

But Kagome chickened out of saying the thought that was screaming in her head. "That you will wait for me."

"But I will."

`Thank Kami, Sango is asleep. She'd probably kill me for saying this.'

"Koga, I want you to be happy. I have to take care of Sango. That's my duty. She is never going to marry anyone, so I have to look after her. And I don't want you to get old waiting for me."

"Kagome, I'm a demon. I don't `get old'. You know that."

The raven haired servant fought the urge to bang her head against the wall. How many hints did a girl have to drop?

"Find someone you can be happy with."

"I already did", he stated grasping her hands.

She sighed. It's not that she didn't like Koga. He was a wonderful guy. He had all the requirements of a good husband, but he did lack one thing. One thing that Kagome was beginning to pray to the gods that he would be blessed with at some point.

He didn't listen. Oh sure he did listen when someone told him to do something or his pack need to resolve a conflict but Koga had this bad habit of twisting the words to mean what he wanted or thought he heard instead of listening to the real meaning.

Case in point, the conversation they were having right now. How many different ways had she just said no only to have him think it meant wait a little longer.

"Koga, once you deliver the message to the King you're leaving right?"

"Yes, I need to review the damage that my pack suffered. But I will visit you Kagome, don't worry."

`How lucky am I?'

"But don't you need to stay close to your family…errr…pack?"

"I only live a couple of thousand miles from the palace." In Koga talk that meant: I can be there in thirty minutes or so. "Before you leave I will have to show you your future home."

The lady in waiting rolled her eyes. `Here we go again.' And turned to face the window. Hold on! She recognized these surroundings. They must be very close. True it was dark when she had seen them but her heart was telling her InuYasha wasn't far away.

She began to get excited about thinking how she would be near him again. Of course Koga took it as she was happy with what he had just said.

~*~*~*~*~

InuYasha sat in his tree thinking. Well more like trying to figure out who to talk to about how crappy he was feeling, while the future king trace his uncle's claws with his baby ones.

As much as he hated talking about his emotions, that is what he really need right now. Someone to just listen. Then he looked down at the baby. Why not? It was perfect. Who would he tell? And at the moment he seemed to be the only emotionally stable person in the castle.

He took a big breath. "See it all started when Miroku found out he was being placed in another arranged marriage…"

~*~*~*~*~

There he was! She must have checked everywhere except the tree. She felt so bad about what she did. She just had to apologize to him. Hopefully he would listen to what she had to say and not storm off calling her a crazy woman.

He had been avoiding her, but he did say he would talk to her when she was normal.

`What was he doing? Talking to himself?'

He hadn't picked up on her yet or at least he hadn't showed any indication of it. Whatever he was doing must be really important to distract him like this.

"…And before I realized it-"

"InuYasha?"

"What do you want?", the prince said not looking away from the mystery object.

`How do I start…' Kikyo pressed her lips together. "I wanted to say I'm really sorry, InuYasha. I…I don't know what possessed me to do that and if you still wanted to talk…I'm here."

InuYasha jumped down holding the baby with one arm. Kikyo was horrified.

"What are you doing with the baby out here? And in a tree at that? How did you get up there with him?"

The baby and his uncle looked at her as if she was speaking another language before looking at each other.

"I don't know what her problem is either." InuYasha said aloud as if they had been having a conversation with their eyes. "Don't worry they all don't grown up like that."

"You better be glad you're holding that baby."

The hanyou smirked. "And if I wasn't you'd do what?"

But is smile quickly faded as the wind picked up and brought a new scent to his nose.

`It's…It can't be. Am I losing it? No that is most definitely her. But I thought she left?' The celebration he was about to start quickly ended when he caught another scent, the stench of wolf.

"What's wrong?"

"Here." He went to hand her the baby but infant inu had other ideas.

The child grabbed a forelock and looked at him as if to say he hadn't done anything to break the agreement. Where was he going?

InuYasha felt bad now. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just have to go check on something."

Not waiting for Kikyo to question him, he took off going as fast as his legs would allow.

~*~*~*~*~

"Sango we're here." Kagome said, shaking the sleeping princess.

Sango stretched and daintily yawned. It took her a moment to remember why Koga was there and why she was not staring at her home.

Slightly depressed she marched up to the gate. The guards recognized the carriage but not the woman.

"I am princess Sango of the Mayan Kingdom. I have been told by my father to return to the Youkai palace because my land is not safe. I would also like to request an audience with the King. Thank you." She waited for them to open the gates and got infuriated when they didn't. "Why are you not opening the gates?"

"Ma'am we're sorry, but you're not the princess. She's already been here and left. And we would appreciate if you didn't waste our time and yours with your little scam."

"WHAT?!"

Sango was about to give both guards the tongue lashing of a lifetime when she was distracted.

"Koga, no! Don't worry about it. Koga! Put me down!"

"But you said your ankle was sprained, ne? I can't have you walking on it."

Kagome fell silent. She had told him that; Didn't she? She couldn't go back and say it was possible for her to limp on it because she had made it sound so bad before. So she gave in. He walked up to the gate.

The guards bowed at once. "Princess. We did not know you were back. Miss we are sorry for calling you a liar."

"But next time don't tell lies about you being the princess." The second one finish in a low whisper and was elbowed by first guard.

They opened the gates and allowed them to come through. The three started to walk up to the castle.

Kagome called over Koga's shoulder, "But I `m not the-"

"Don't worry about it Kagome. It was an unforeseen glitch on my part. I should have realized that everyone in the castle has yet to hear we switched."

"Sango, Why are we walking?"

"Because the horses are tired and the carriage wheel is mildly damaged from the bumpy road."

The princess failed to tell her the other reason. The fact that she was trying dragging out every moment she could before she entered the place that he was in.

Kagome sighed as the hopes that Koga would put her down were dashed away. Koga frowned. What was making his woman mope so much? He would have to cheer her up. He started to walk slower so that some distance was between them and her majesty.

It started off as just a twitch but Kagome soon erupted with giggles as he tickled her.

"No. No. No.", the girl said loudly. She meant for it to sound stern so he would stop but hadn't come out that way.

"No? No, what? No you don't want me to stop? Okay." He stopped walking so that he could balance her squirming body.

The dark haired princess looked back at them as she climbed the stairs. She was really going to love teasing Kagome about this later. `Now how to get passed these guards without her?'

Luck it seemed was on her side this time. Hiten just happened to be on guard duty.

"Sango? What are you doing back here? And what's with the clothes?"

"Well, my friend that is a long story. Right now, I was wondering if you could tell someone I need to see the King."

"Sure. Come on." He left the other three guards outside to watch the attraction to come.

~*~*~*~*~

This was one of the few times InuYasha wished the castle was smaller.

`Almost there.'

"No. No. No."

`What was that wolf doing? Was she laughing?'

He stopped a few feet away and was appalled by the sight before him. Kagome was in the arms of Koga. InuYasha stomach turned at a new height of disgust he hadn't known existed until now.

Kagome felt the muscles in Koga's body flex and tighten under her as he stopped tickling her. Still smiling she look up at him with the intent of doing some light scolding. But when she looked at his face it was not smiling like she thought it would be. In fact, he wasn't even looking at her at all.

"Hey wolf! Who told you, you could take over my job?" InuYasha hissed, the sparks in his eyes began to fly. "I carry Kagome not you.", he finished, walking up to the pair.

`Did he just use my name?'

"Is that why your stench was surrounding her intoxicating essence? If I decide to carry my woman that is my decision."

"Have you forgotten you're in my home?"

"Don't you mean King Sesshomaru's castle? And as I recall he likes me. I saved his life."

"Is that what your telling people, you tick covered coward?"

"Who are you calling a coward, you royal mutt?"

InuYasha let out a warning growl. "Weakling!"

Koga growled back and took a step closer. "Dog turd."

InuYasha stepped closer and bared his fangs. "Maggot breath."

"Insolent pup!"

"Arrogant jackass!"

They were now nose to nose with Kagome caught in the middle.

"Uhh. InuYasha. Koga. Could we not fight guys?"

"Don't worry Kagome. I can take him. Keep your hands off my woman, mutt-face. She needs a real warrior like me. Wolves mate for life which is more than I can say about you dog demons. You run after anything in heat. Isn't that what you father did? How else can you account for your existence?"

The hair on the hanyou's neck bristled. He snatched Kagome and stormed through the palace doors.

"Come back here, dog face!"

Koga rushed to follow but was blocked by the guards. This effectively ended their conversation.

~*~*~*~*~

Miroku was slumped against the wall. He was trying to catch his breath. That girl was fast! He had been trying to corner Mira so she would tell him what she said to Sango.

"Prince Miroku?"

He turned to the direction of the voice. It was one of the servants and she was holding a bunch of sheets.

"Did you need some assistance? I can help you right after I finish the beds for our guests or I can send someone to help you now if you prefer?"

"Guest?", Miroku panted.

"Yes milord. The princess had to turn around and I need to change the sheets on the bed before they bring in her trunks."

Miroku gained new found energy. "The princess is here?" He reframed from doing a happy dance. "I was wondering, what room was she suppose to be in again?"

~*~*~*~*~

For the first time in weeks everyone was sitting at the dining hall table. Everyone except for the Queen, that is. They had been waiting for her but Sesshomaru grew restless and started the meal without her.

He hadn't been able to sit down and eat in the dining hall for a month and he refused to eat a cold meal his first time back.

No one was saying anything. There was a tense silence for some reason. InuYasha was in his own world. Miroku looked extremely nervous. And Sango was looking down at her plate pushing the food around. Sesshomaru could careless what was wrong with them. He was intent on enjoying his meal.

The silence was temporally broken as an upset Rin entered the hall.

"Sesshy, I can't believed you started without me!" The Queen looked rather put out as she took her seat.

Miroku swallowed his laughter but InuYasha wasn't as quick and a chuckle escaped his lips.

The King on the other hand almost choked on his food. She was never to call him that unless they were alone. But judging from the glares he was getting from her could only mean she must have let it slip.

But he didn't dare fuss at her, at least not in front of everyone. Or she would cut out the little bit of quality time he did get. And the idea of a cold bed didn't sound good to Sesshomaru. However, he still needed to work out his anger. So what did he do? He found a scapegoat.

"InuYasha go to your room."

"Wha? What did I do? Your bitch broke the rules." He put up his fingers to make quotation marks. "Not me."

"Go!"

Mumbling InuYasha got up from the table and slammed the door on his way out. It wasn't like he was planning to be there much longer anyway. He wanted to get to his room early tonight.

~*~*~*~*~

Kagome tossed in her bed. InuYasha had been so mean.

(Flashback)

"Here is your room. And you're going to stay here for the rest of the night. I'll get you in the morning."

Kagome was shocked. Had he ripped her away from Koga to be mean? Sure it looked kind of awkward but he could at least let her explain.

"Well can you at least hand me the wash basin."

"Yeah you do stink." He said rudely while pushing the basin in her hands.

What he really meant was for her to wash off all traces of wolf off but Kagome didn't know that.

(End Flashback)

What had she done to deserve that? Even worse, now she was in the servant's quarters. That meant there was nothing to look at or do.

She covered her mouth as she yawned, at this rate she wouldn't get any sleep. How had Sango done it? Kagome was starting to feel a little guilty that she hadn't asked the condition of the room she had been given while she was `playing' servant.

But the past was the past, and after being in luxury for so long it wasn't going to take some time to adjust back.

Kagome stood up, testing her left foot. She wasn't stupid enough to put all her weight on it. Though her self-sabotage had bruised the skin, it hadn't done much else. In a couple of days she would be able to walk without a limp.

While walking to Sango's room she was making a mental note to make it back to her room before InuYasha came to get in the morning.

She pushed open the door as quietly as she could, in case Sango was asleep. To her surprise Sango had the room lit with candles and she was standing at the balcony with her back turned.

"Sango, I'm sleeping with you tonight." Kagome hopped in the bed savoring the heavenly softness of the sheets. "Mmm. I missed this bed. Oh, Sango remind me to get back to my room before InuYasha comes to get me.", she finished sleepily.

~*~*~*~*~

InuYasha stood at his balcony staring at the sky willing for the sun to come up or wishing that the moon would magically appear.

He hated moonless nights. His paranoia had made him light every dark corner on the room. But he did admit that he was getting better at handling them.

This would be the third time he hadn't locked the door. This was mostly for Kikyo's sake though. She usually would comfort him on these nights. And she got lost in the secret passage to easily. She probably wouldn't come tonight anyway. She had been acting weird. True she had apologized, but after the new hair cut she'd given him he wasn't sure he wanted her around without his demonic strength to aid him.

His thoughts turned to what had happened this afternoon. Kagome was back but he wasn't as happy about it as he thought he would have been.

When he gave that warning growl to the asshole wolf it wasn't a normal one it was one of possession. One that said he had his hands on someone else's property. He hadn't anticipated that it would come out like that. It just had.

But then Koga had ranted about how Kagome was his. The words echoed in his mind.

`…my woman… my woman…'

InuYasha tried to quiet the annoying voice. But as soon as he did the rest of the wolf's speech played.

`Keep your hands off my woman, mutt-face. She needs a real warrior like me.'

She was someone else's. He was happy because knowing they switched meant liking her wasn't wrong. And now he had everything snatched from him again. Did Kami enjoy poking fun at him?

He tensed slightly as he heard the door shut. `So Kikyo had come.'

"Sango, I'm sleeping with you tonight."

InuYasha seemed to be frozen to his spot. That wasn't Kikyo's voice. That was Kagome. How did she get here if she couldn't walk?

"Mmm. I missed this bed. Oh, Sango remind me to get back to my room before InuYasha comes to get me."

Did she like playing him for a fool? She was going to let him carry her when it was obvious she could walk.

He made himself turn around but had his eyes shut tightly. Maybe he had heard wrong. Maybe he was hallucinating. Forcing his eyes open he saw a small lump in his bed.

"Damnit."

He walked to the bed looking over her. She looked so innocent. How could someone with a face like that lie?

"Kagome."

But she only sunk further into the sheets.

"Kagome." He shook her shoulder.

Her face twisted. She could have sworn she heard InuYasha. She must be having a dream. The next thing she felt was a hand.

`What a strange dream, she could actually feel him touching her.'

The more InuYasha stared at her the more he was beginning to forget exactly why he was suppose to be mad. Something about something? He scratched the back of his neck.

`Why was he about to throw a beautiful woman out of his room?'

He suddenly felt stupid. He had the woman he had been thinking about all week in his room, in his bed and he was about to send her away? Any guy would call him dumb.

It might be his human emotions taking over but…He climbed into the bed with her and spooned against her wrapping her in his arms. It so felt right. He closed his eyes and nuzzled his face in her midnight colored tresses.

And for the first time ever, he actually went to sleep on a moonless night.

~*~*~*~*~

Kikyo stretched her arms. She had over slept. But that nap was just what she needed. InuYasha was so dead set on not going to sleep, but that was okay. One day she'd convince him that these nights were no different from any other.

She remembered the first time she saw him as a human.

There was something strange going on because InuYasha would go to his room early and lock it up tight. No one knew why and Miroku wasn't talking. So she made it her mission to find out what was going on. Since he locked the door the only other ways in were the balcony and hidden door. And there was no way she was coming in from the balcony.

But she sucked at trying to find her way in the hidden passage. After many attempts she had gotten very lost in the secret passage and finally found a door. Kikyo didn't care where it led to she just wanted out.

That's when she saw him. He had freaked out of course and made her swear under every god she knew that she would never tell anyone.

Since then she would keep him company. He said it felt better having her there. That he was not as scared knowing he was with someone he trusted. Well maybe he hadn't used those words but she knew that's what he meant.

She opened the door. Thank Kami he had started leaving it unlocked.

`Huh, that was strange usually he would be on the balcony. Where was he?'

A sleepy moan turned her attention to the bed.

`Had he actually gone to sleep?'

She would have to see this with her own eyes.

Creeping over to the bed she looked down at the slumbering lump. He had indeed fallen asleep but he was not alone.

Tears began to form in her eyes. That girl was doing it again! She had completely replaced her. This was the last thing that she had thought was only for her and InuYasha. Now this girl had come back and taken this away from her, too.

Kikyo began to run out the room not caring that she slammed the door on her way out. Though the tears were blurring her vision she didn't care. She just wanted to get away far away from her.

It had taking time and emotional struggle for her to gain InuYasha's trust, the kind of relationship that girl had managed to accomplish in a few weeks. And even worse she had surpassed her. She just came back and they were already in bed together!

She tripped and fell to the floor and there she sat bawling her eyes out.

~*~*~*~*~

He hated this. He had spent all day figuring out how to rearrange the `King's' men. Now he was wiped. He wanted nothing more than to go to his bed and sleep.

Just as he was about to turn the corner he heard a thud behind him. He whirled to find someone on the floor. He knew it was her. He knew her shape anywhere. She looked like she was crying.

He bent over her. "Kikyo? What's wrong?"

She mumbled through the sobs, "He…he…he doesn't need me anymore."

"Who doesn't need you?"

She tried to reply but was crying to hard.

Naraku made a quick scan to ensure no one else had seen her in such a state. She would not like for people to see her this way.

"Okay let's get you some where more private. Then you can tell me what happened."

Nodding she allowed herself to be led along. It was the start of the first real social interaction she had in weeks.

~*~*~*~*~

Kagome sat up in the bed. She looked around with half lidded eyes.

`I could have sworn I heard something.'

"Sango did you hear something?"

Sango didn't reply. She was sleeping soundly on her stomach with her head turned away.

Kagome rubbed her eyes. "Sango?"

"No. Tired. Sleep.", the pile of hair grumbled.

Sango sounded terrible. The lady in waiting hoped she wasn't catching a cold. She looked down at the sheet of hair.

"Sango." Kagome whined. "You know you're suppose braid your hair before you go to bed. I'm not spending the whole morning untangling it."

Beginning to wake up she started gathering the hair so she could braid it.

`Maybe if I do something with it now I won't have such a hard time in the morning.'

When she pulled the last section away from the face to find not Sango but InuYasha. Her first reaction was to scream but she clamped her hand over her mouth.

`Why was InuYasha in Sango's room? And what had he done to his hair?' Now that she was paying attention. `Had he cut his hair? How dare he commit such a vile act to those beautiful locks! And where were his ears?! Who gave him permission to get rid of them? How had he done that?'

She began to yank her hand along his skull in search of the missing appendages.

Although in her frantic mind frame she omitted the important question. Why were they in bed together?

InuYasha cracked an eye open. He was getting the worst headache.

"What did you do with them?"

His eyes snapped open. Kagome jumped back a bit when he bolted up right.

He rubbed his head. "What are you doing?" He asked loudly.

"What did you do with them?" She retorted just as loudly.

"Do with what?"

"Your ears? And what did you do to your hair?"

The last questions rebooted his brain. Tonight was the night he turned human.

`Damn! Now somebody else knew.'

"Oh my gosh!" He turned to see a frightful look on her face. "Why are we in bed together? What happened to Sango?" She put her face in her hands. "I'm in the bed with Sango's husband to be! She'll never speak to me again. I hope I live long enough to regret this."

"Don't get so up tight. You're not in trouble."

"No. No. How did this happen?" She ran her fingers through her hair still ranting.

"Your not-"

"Just go away. Kagome, you're so stupid. He is someone else's."

The simply words made InuYasha remember exactly why he had been mad earlier.

"Hey, you're in my room. You get out."

`His room? She had been staying in his room!' Now she remembered. She had been staying in one of the prince's rooms. Well that was besides the point right now.

"I don't want your boyfriend in my face because you're acting like a harlot."

Kagome's eyes went wide.

"Excuse you? A harlot. I am most definitely not…one of those!"

"Yes you are. You came here and flirted with me knowing full well you were somebody else's."

"I traded places because that is what I was told to do! And quit talking about me like I'm someone's property."

"You are that asshole wolf's mate, aren't you?", he asked sizing her up.

"NO!"

InuYasha scoffed and crossed his arms. "Not the impression he gave."

"He is diluted. It's wishful thinking."

The fight was drained out of the prince. She wasn't someone's.

"Even if she did call it off that doesn't change that fact that you are still betrothed to Sango." Kagome was unaware that InuYasha was no longer listening.

She was brought out of her ranting as she felt InuYasha plant both his hands on either side of her. She looked down to make sure it wasn't her imagination. Kagome looked up into his eyes. She didn't like that look he was giving her. She began a backward retreat.

"InuYasha?"

`I'll do it now. Now while I can truly say that I am out of my mind. Pesky human emotions.'

"InuYasha don't do anything rash. Remember you belong to my lady."

The feeling in the pit of her stomach got worse when she felt her body come in contact with pillows and then the headboard.

"No I don't.", he said in a low whisper continuing to corner his prey.

`Blast! She'd been going the wrong way.'

He put his forehead against hers. Kagome's heartbeat sifted in the overdrive.

"We switched, too. That's what I came to tell you the day you left."

She was having this weird feeling of déjà vu when his breath hit her lips.

"You..you mean you're not her fiancée?" For some reason it was getting harder for her to breathe.

"Nope."

Now he was through talking. He was going to get what he had been denied and refused to be denied again.

~*~*~*~*~

Where was all that light coming from? She yawned and fluttered her eyes open. She woke up to find herself in strange surroundings.

`Where am I?' She gasped. `And why don't I have on any clothes!'

( I usually wouldn't do this because I think it breaks the mood but I almost ended the chapter here! Be thankful! )

There was a sleepy moan and a body sifted beside her. Now she remembered. They had been talking. She had gotten a little emotional. That's when he suggested they move to a more private area. She had been crying on his shoulder and when she lifted her head up he came down on her lips…

She put a hand over her face and waited for the regret to come. But it never came.

Did she like him? He wasn't so bad. He could be a little cold at times but she, herself, was controlled. Yeah, she could do this.

An arm encircled her and reeled her in.

"Are you feeling any better?"

She nodded. "Thanks."

"Well, anything I can do to help.", he joked

Muffling a giggle she buried her face in his shoulder. A blush spread across her face as the thoughts of the night before flooded her mind.

"To bad I have to get ready for work."

"Work? I thought you'd be ready for another round."

Kikyo hit him playfully. "You're going to make me late."

He ran his fingers up and down her lower spinal cord. In the mist of their activities he found out this was one of her spots. "So, they're going to smell it anyway. You're too punctual. Walk on the dark side with me."

She shuddered. Something told her she was going to be late.

~*~*~*~*~

A/N: Hope this chapter long enough for ya. And sorry about not writing the lemon. But I don't think I'm capable of writing something like that. (Well at least not yet.)

Here are the answers to the reviews. And yes they are long. But that is me, I'm long winded. You should be able to tell that from my reviews. Thanks for reviewing!

cursed_jax - You were peaking! What a great guesser you are. And I bet you weren't even trying. Truly a reviewer after my own heart, I love to guess what is going to happen next.

And yes it will be later but there will be another spar and a fight scene, though they will probably suck if I write them myself. I plan to get someone else to write it for me.

fireash - You're right about the people in my story jumping to conclusions. They will do this a lot. But that is how we all are. People assume too much and they people in my story are teenagers. As far jumping to conclusions teens deserve a gold medal. I'm not calling you out just clarifying for others that might not get why I wrote it that way.

BabayBunny - Ryu'-sama thanks you for your praise. And I wrote this chapter in as short of time as I could. Now *flexes fingers* to answer your questions.

Why did Mira pick Manten? I'm so proud of you to comment on this. I was hoping someone would notice. Think of it this way, true on the looks scale cutie Hiten wins hands down but on the personality scale he would flunk! But that is not the reason I paired Mira with Manten.

I decided that I need to put some balance in this fictional world. True the washboard abs and hourglass figure always get the glory. But that is not always how it works in real life. The most beautiful person can look ugly when they open their mouth.

InuYasha's inner turmoil - Some of this was explained in this chapter but just in case you didn't catch it. InuYasha knows that Kagome had to leave but he would have felt better if she had at least attempted to say she was sorry or explained why she had not told him considering how close they had gotten.

Yes, he sees Kikyo as a friend. He is confused about why she is acting strangely. He's a man, thus he is missing the obvious. ( Don't get offended male readers. ) He doesn't understand why she is acting `weird' better know as jealous. I already explained why she doesn't like Kagome in this chapter. It's not that she wanted a relationship with him it's just that up until now she has been the only woman in his life and now she feels as if Kagome is replacing her.

As for Koga you all read the reason he showed up but don't worry he will be back. Yoraeryu asked me to work him and Ayame in the story in the story so that's what I did. I hope they won't be to OOC. But I love Koga-InuYasha fights so don't think that will be their last exchange. My Kagome is going to know when to get out of the way.