If you would've asked a young Kagome Higurashi what she thought she would be doing at the age of 27, it wouldn't have anything to do with robbing casinos for a living. In fact, she would tell you about how much she loves working at casinos. How the fact that her older cousin; Kikyou Higurashi ran a casino even. That she had got her a job there the day she turned 21. She loved her job. The atmosphere of pure entertainment, luck and endless possibilities to strike rich simply at the push of a button. She'd admit, it has its downfalls. Strangers leering at you when they lose a bet, casual harassment by drunk folk and the constant feeling that big brother is watching your every move. But, she loved her job. It was simple. She was a croupier, a dealer. She dressed her best and took strangers bets. Kagome was a dealer for all sorts of games played at the casino. Black Jack, Poker, Pai Gow, Roulette, Baccarat. You name it, she could run it. Kagome also thought she could spot cheaters on a dime. So why, on a month before her 28th birthday did everything in her life completely change?

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Buttoning up a white blouse while rolling her eyes, Kagome was facing her closet. Grabbing her black vest and sliding her arms in. "Ma, you know I don't really do much for my birthday. I work anyways. I'll probably try to leave early, get a couple of drinks and maybe stop by in the morning for some breakfast?". Himari Higurashi groaned into the phone at her daughter's response.

"You can't get the day off? Kagome, I worry about you there. You work such long hours. It's no wonder you have the schedule of a night owl." Hitmari knew Kagome's work ethic wouldn't allow her to strive for anything but the best. Always throwing herself into her work 100%, or not at all. She can't even remember the last time she saw Kagome without her just coming from or just heading to work. "Look, we'll do whatever is easiest for you, dear. I know you're busy." Kagome smiled at the phone that was sitting on her night stand. She was envisioning her mother at home, sitting at the table with her warm tea. Probably looking out the window, watching the morning birds, a warm biscuit on her plate and a newspaper by her side. Souta, her younger brother, would probably still be in bed, just counting down the minutes till he had to be up for school.

"How's grandpa doing? Some ladies in the bingo hall were asking about him, you know." Kagome shuffled around her room, grabbing a matching pair of black stockings. "He apparently brags to them about how his granddaughter works there, and how I give him unlimited steak coupons for the buffet." She could hear her mother's muffled laughter.

"He's doing fine, Kagome. Just misses his coupon fairy, I'm sure." Himari just smiled into the phone, shifting her tea to the other hand. "But, your brother has been a bit of a hassle lately." Her voice lowered a little, probably as to not wake Souta. "He has been fighting at school. I think he is gambling again." Kagome could hear her mother's voice tremble at that last sentence. She felt her chest tighten at her mother's words. She knew the effects gambling could have on someone just barley starting out in high school. Kagome had felt all the blame since her younger brother was caught gambling on the streets just a few years ago. Souta said he had picked it up from friends, but their mother always knew it partially had to do with her daughter's choice in professions. Himari would never blame Kagome for Souta's bad choices, but she would turn to her daughter on how to address it.

"Ma'… I can come down and talk to him again. I can show him what happens to people who pick up an addiction to gambling. Hell! I'm trained to recognize the symptoms of gambling addiction. Whatever you need, mom. Let me know. I feel like I am to blame in this." Kagome was now cradling the phone near her head, listening intently for her mother's response.

"Kagome, you know it's not your fault. Honestly, I think it's your grandfathers fault more than anyone. But, I don't want you to go into work today with something like this weighing on your shoulders. We can discuss it later. He is safe, and that is all that matters." Kagome figured her mother was going to say something like that. Kagome signed into the phone and nodded her head. Her mother was right, there was no use in talking about it now.

"Alright then, Ma'. I am going to finish getting ready for work then. I have a weird split shift today, so I gotta stay at the hotel for a few hours in-between shifts. I will try to call you around then. Have a good day, okay?" Kagome was standing now, scanning around her small one-bedroom apartment for her personal effects before she headed out the door to start the day. She heard her mother's goodbyes and hung up the phone, throwing it into her clear vinyl work bag. Going through her mental checklist, she nodded to herself, grabbed her keys and shut the door with a soft click. Turning around to lock the door, she jiggled her keys trying to get the tumbler to lock. While her back was turned, Kagome felt like someone was gazing at her. But, as she leaned up to turn back around, she only saw the backside of a man walking down the apartment hallway. Long silver hair tied up into a high pony tail, cascading behind him in his rushed, but quiet footsteps. A small bell attached to his pony tail tinkled softly with his movements. He stepped into the open elevator without a sound. Even from her distance of at least 40 feet, she could she the man's build. Tall, well-defined and tan with a wild mane of silver hair. Wearing lose fitting black dress pants and a red t-shirt. Right as the doors began closing, he looked up. Catching Kagome's stare with molten gold eyes and arrogant smirk. The elevator doors closed with a soft ding, and the silver hair demon was gone. Kagome snapped back into reality with a shake of her head.

I wonder if he is new to this floor? … I've never seen him before. She pondered. Kagome headed the opposite direction, towards the other elevator. Her foot steps echoed in the hallway, scuffing along the carpet. Her mind was plagued with images of the silver hair demon with golden eyes.

Those ears were so cute! Holding her bag, she waited for the elevator patiently. 'I just wanna touch 'em. If he is new maybe I'll make him a bowl of udon! That's the neighborly thing to do, right?' Her thoughts were broken by a loud elevator ding and a metal door sliding open. Stepping inside the elevator she started humming to herself, smiling. She was going down a mental grocery list for udon to make for her hansom, and possibly new neighbor.

'I'll have to get some broth... I wonder how he feels about tofu?' She tapped her chin. 'Oh! And some leeks. Maybe I'll make some of those yummy rice balls Ma' used to make.' Once her elevator door open, depositing her on the ground floor she found her way through the center lobby and outside. And slightly to her disappointment, no peaks at the silver haired man.

The walk to her local train station past by in a blur of stop lights, car horns and foot traffic. Once on the train, taking her seat she pulled out a small paperback book. It was a crummy, older book that talked about the symbolism in numbers. She figured it was a decent light reading just for these moments of too and from work. Giving her finger a quick lick to flick to the next page, the train gave a small shudder and then a stop to allow the next station of people on. Glancing up at the new people shuffling in, she noticed the one person her thoughts had been drifting around for the last half an hour. The silver haired man sat alone, leaning against a wall and seemingly to be as far from people as he could. He had a slightly agitated look about him while a leg was crossed, his head propped up by one arm. He was focused on the phone in his lap, the LCD screen giving his face a soft glow.

Kagome already found herself staring at him while have an internal debate. 'What if he just wants some company?... Eh! Get a hold of yourself Kagome! Does that facial expression really say 'Hello, I am sad and upset, please sit next to me!'.' She visibly scoffed at the idea.' I'll just ask him if he's moving in! It'll be perfect conversation starter.' Already giving herself a mental high five, Kagome gathered her purse and book quickly. Standing, she made her way over to him and with a plop, sat herself one seat away from right next to him. Dumping her effects into the empty seat between them, she looked up at him with a friendly smile. "Hi! I had happened to see you in the apartment complex this morning heading out! I was wondering if you're moving in? If so, I can give you a lot of helpful tips about the building owners and the good local shops." Kagome had already felt herself faulter. Soon as she had sat down, he barley glanced at her. But now as she started talking to him, he gave her full eye contact with one dark eyebrow raised. "There's even this pesky washing machine that eats socks in the wash room, I swear!" She was rambling now. She felt her palms sweating while she suffered under his unrelenting stare. "I mean…" She started to drift off, realizing that he wasn't speaking, or even really listening to her. With her silence now in full effect, he leaned up, shutting his phone off. There was an awkward pause of silence between the two.

"Do you always talk to strangers this much?" His rash and rather rude question came without any sort of warning. He had no smile, or friendly looking body language. Just slouched in his chair with a small leering look at the strange and rather loud girl that chosen to sit next to him. She wasn't all bad looking, he thought to himself. She had a nice shapely figure that let any man know that she was a grown woman. Long raven black hair that had subtle curls framing her face and cascaded down her back. Her heart shaped face was framed by soft bangs. She had a beautiful smile that had straight and white teeth. But, when she blinked at him in confusion at his brash question, he got distracted by her eyes. Expecting to see the stereotypical brown, which was most common. Instead, he found a soft grey blue hue. Her eyes reminded him of a storming ocean. With all things accounted for, she was quite easy on the eyes for him. He could give her the benefit of the doubt.

Kagome had double backed at his question, instantly frowning. "I sit and work with strangers all day. So, I guess you could say it's not out of the normal for me." She stuck her hand out towards him. "My name is Kagome!" she was smiling again.

"Inuyasha." He said flatly. His hand came up and did a sort of shoeing manner at her handshake. Her hand dropped back to her lap with a bit of disappointment. Sucking on her lip for a few seconds in nervousness, she sighed. I don't know why I'm nervous! My job is to talk to strangers!

While Kagome was stuck in some sort of inner turmoil, Inuyasha glanced her over once again. Her clothing looked familiar to him. Some sort of workers uniform. He mentally shrugged at the idea. 'She did just mention she is employed. Probably on her way to work.' Shifting in his seat slightly, he was staring at the purse she had put in-between them. It was a clear vinyl bag that allowed anyone to see it's contents. She had a lot of cutesy girl stuff that he just rolled his eyes at. But, what caught his eye was the ID badge that was neatly tucked in her bag. 'Kagome Higrurashi: EMPLY ID: 00264, Shikon Casino and Hotel Resort… You gotta be shitting me! This is just too good to be true.' His thoughts were followed by laughter in his head. His face stayed blank, despite the inner humor he was suddenly feeling at the situation. He spoke up again "Do you read a lot of books about numbers?" He asked. Inuyasha had noticed the small paperback she had. It looked like an older book on numerology. He glanced at her, waiting for her response. Kagome almost jumped up out of her seat at the sound of his voice. She wasn't expecting to hear him speak again.

"Oh!" She grabbed the book, shuffling the pages. Inuyasha could smell how old the book was. The dust that came from the pages after she shuffled had him almost covering his nose. Instead, he chose a small grimace. "I work with numbers, kind of. I've loved the whole mystical part of numerology since I can remember. There is so many hidden meanings in numbers and the ways they can be arranged!" She held the book out too him, smiling. He reached a clawed hand out to grab the book from her tiny hands. He flipped over the book to act like he was interested in reading the bio on back.

'So, she works with numbers at the casino, even better! I gotta tell Miroku about this. That perv will get a kick out of it.' Inuyasha nodded at her statements, handing the book back to her. "I used to work with numbers, you could say." He murmured. This was too easy, he thought. Kagome was beaming. She was getting somewhere with him!

"Oh, how fun! I work at one of the local casinos! I'm a croupier." She was almost bouncing in her seat now. They had something in common!

'Bingo.' He thought. "What do you work with the most?" he asked. This is all the information he needed. The last part of his mental puzzle. He would call Miroku soon as he was off this damn train and give an updated plan. She tucked her book back with her bag and shuffled into her purse. Grabbing out her ID badge to show him.

"I work just about any game that deals with cards. I sometimes work in the bingo hall but working with decks is my forte!" Inuyasha had to crack a small smile. She probably just took it as that he was enjoying their conversation. This was the kind of break he had been looking for. She was almost too good to be true. Kagome's bubbling conversation came to a quick halt with a sudden announcement on the train. They had hit the next station. The train shuddered and stopped. Before she understood what was happening, Inuyasha was standing, preparing to leave. Kagome jumped up to say goodbye, waving quickly at him. He spared her a small glance with a few words mumbled out about crazy wenches. The train doors parted, and he stepped off. Kagome plopped back down on the seat, her head tilted in thought. 'Well that didn't go as bad as I thought it would. Maybe I'll see him around the apartment complex every now and then. God knows I'm hardly ever home.' She sighed and picked her book back up. She still had several stops till she was even close to her work.

As the train pulled away Inuyasha quickly grabbed his phone, dialing his friends number. Holding the phone near his head, he paddled his way thought the crowd. 'God, I hate the human train stations. So smelly and loud. No where near as clean as the demon ones either.' Inuyasha growled in annoyance. "Pick up, pick up, pick up…" Soon as Inuyasha broke the surface from the underground train station, his longtime friend answered the phone.

"Inuyasha! I thought our call was for this afternoon. What's up, my silver eared friend?" Miroku jingled into the other line. Inuyasha just rolled his eyes.

"We're going to have a small change of plans on the next job." He heard Miroku cough on the other line, sputtering at the idea of such a sudden change.

"Those plans took a few days to get ready! Why the change now?" Inuyasha just gave a toothy smirk at the phone, flicking a cigarette out of his pocket while he walked towards his friend's apartment. Lighting his cigarette, he took a drag and exhaled.

"We have a perfect little lamb sacrifice." Instantly, all Inuyasha could hear from the other line was Miroku's voice asking a dozen questions a mile a minute. In all Miroku's excitement Inuyasha quickly told him that he will explain more once they meet. Turning his phone back off, Inuyasah sighed out another drag of his cigarette and gave a wide toothy smirk at nothing in particular.

'This is going to be the easiest casino job we've had in a long time.' Being a casino scam artist wasn't always easy. But, it was when you had someone on the inside. Someone named Kagome.

A/N: Well, I haven't written any Fanfiction in years but the urge is always there. I don't want to claim this as some great masterpiece(far... far from it). I haven't written anything at all, in ages. Soooo, here we go.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.