Winter Grace

Author's note: When something is in italics it represents thought. I'm fully aware of how to do this in the technical aspect of writing, but it takes too much concentration. So sue me I take the easy route sometimes. Oh and I don't any of the Inuyasha charcters, just the things I make the characters do. Enjoy!

An ounce of prevention

Mia stared out the window of the third floor apartment. Even though he'd been gone for months now the ghost of his memory still lingered. Sometimes at night she felt him lay next to her and hold her, and yet when she woke she was always alone. Sighing she looked down at her coffee cup at the happy scene it displayed. It was Christmas. A happy Victorian family was bustling about with presents and glasses of eggnog…or wine. A grandmotherish figure was walking in with what appeared to be a fruitcake. She was standing next to the roaring fire near the trimmed tree. Frowning, Mia mustered her best cockney accent and said to herself. "Merry Christmas children now off to bed so Santa can bring you your penny whistles and moon pies." She smiled and finished her coffee.

"Shouldn't be drinking it this late."

Jumping at the sudden voice Mia raised her empty cup ready to bring ceramic holiday justice down on the intruder. "Oh god." She sighed before flopping on the couch. "Kouga don't do that."

"What," He said stepping off the fire escape and through her kitchen window. "Can't I come see my best friend?" He shut the window and shivered at the cold from the December air.

"You should be wearing a coat." Mia said getting up to get more coffee.

"And you should lock your windows." He said sitting leaning on her kitchen counter. "You really shouldn't drink that stuff this late."

Smiling, Mia poured another cup and mockingly moaned when she drank it. "Oh, god. Coffee." She said making writhing motions. "Hurts so…good."

Kouga laughed as she messed up her hair and sighed on her way back to the couch. "That's it, no more theatre work for you." He sat down on the couch next to her. "Feeling any better about the break?"

"Totally. I couldn't imagine a better way to start the holiday season that to be single and alone." She ran a hand through her shaggy red hair and laughed. "You know I honestly thought he'd put up a fight when I said I was done with his bull shit."

Kouga put an arm around her shoulder and kissed her temple. "You don't have to put up with it anymore, and as for being alone…you're not. I mean come on, I live right above you." He pointed to the ceiling. "If you want I can install a ladder through my flood so we can have a duplex. It could be fun."

"Can we have a fire man pole instead?" She laughed at Kouga's thoughtful expression.

"Hmm, well I suppose if we talk to the land lord…"

"No, no. Kouga I'm joking." She smiled at him. He'd been her best friend since eighth grade. He was handsome with his dark long hair and blue eyes, but for some reason them dating never came up. She didn't mind. He was handy at interpreting what guys did when she was stressed. He'd once loved her older sister Kagome, but that ended quickly when Inuyasha came back from college. "Kouga we've been friends a long time right?"

"Yeah…why? You wanna break up with me too?" He said pretending to be offended.

"No, nothing like that. I just wanted to ask you something?"

"Yeah like what?" He leaned in close and held her hand. "Go ahead, I wont laugh."

"Is it me?" She said not lifting her eyes to look at him.

"You?" He craned his neck trying to get a look at her. "What do you mean you?"

Her eyes were glazed with tears threatening to fall as she lifted her face to meet his. "Why does every relationship I have go wrong?"

"They don't all go wrong sweetie." He said wrapping his arms around her.

"Yes they do. Why do guys want to hurt me? Why do they try to control me? Possess me? Hit me? Why?"

He felt her tears leaking through his tee shirt. Her muffled ramblings slowly became heart broken sobs. The only thing Kouga wanted right now was to punch that Naraku guy in the face for treating her like this. What ever he'd done had been bad. "Shh, it's okay." He soothed. "You'll find a guy some day who'll sweep you off your feet and that'll be that. I promise." She sniffled and sobbed a few more times as Kouga held her. Noticing her lack of movement or speech, Kouga lifted her to look and realized she'd fallen asleep. "Poor girl."

He adjusted her body so they could both lay on the couch. Grabbing the blanket that always hung over the back he wrapped them up and held her tight as he kissed her forehead gently. "Sleep well Mia. Someday your prince will come."

Chapter two coming soon. Any and all constructive criticism is appreciated