The two walked hand in hand into the village and then into Kaede's hut. Kagome was greeted by smiled and a big hug from her favorite little fox demon. Shippou looked around expecting to see the half demon that always picked on him but he was nowhere in sight. But when he saw the two hands entwined he decided that he would ask when the sick wolf wasn't around.

Kagome asked around if anyone had an extra hut that she could use to nurse Kouga back to help and she was in luck when a very kind villager said that she could use her spare hut only for a small fee of 3 fish. Kagome accepted with thanks and led Kouga into the hut. She told him to lie down on his stomach so she could use an herb that she would massage in that would help heal his congestion. He did as he was told not arguing. I mean why wouldn't he want a back massage from Kagome the girl of his dreams?

Kagome straddled his back and rubbed the green goo between her tiny hands and then rubbed small circles in his back and then rubbed out all of the tight muscles that were building up over the years. She then got up and walked over to her bag. Kouga whined when she got up. He had never had a back massage and it felt sooooo good. His back that was aching with pain from tense muscles was magically gone. Kagome came back over to Kouga and told his to sit up and face her. He did as he was told again. But this time Kagome put her hands and put on each side of his chest. She closed her eyes and her hands started to glow. Kouga's hoarse and sore throat felt better after Kagome got done. And then she handed him a liquid.

"Kouga I need you to drink this. It will make your fever go down but I have to warn you that it doesn't taste good. It is nasty but you can't spit it out once it's in your mouth. If you do the fever will just continue to rise."

Kouga nodded and put his head back slurping the liquid down. He sat there for a minute with the most stupid look on his face. But then after he drank some water that Kagome had bought him the look went to a goofy smile at the sight of Kagome smiling at him.

"Kagome what's the matter. Do I have something on my face or something?"

Kagome giggled and put a hand on his forehead.

"No I was just watching your face when you took that medicine. It was pretty funny. But now its not. Now it's just as cute as always."

Kouga blushed and then put his hand from his knee onto the floor. But instead it landed on the hand that Kagome was leaning on. She blushed this time and looked into Kouga's glacier blue eyes. What was she feeling now? It felt like butterflies in her stomach. Not something that happened when she was around Inuyasha. Kouga got closer and closer but Kagome moved away. It wasn't that Kagome was scared she just didn't know how she felt for Kouga at least not yet. Maybe she could see over the next couple of days as she healed Kouga. Even though he was a demon and he healed faster from wounds he doesn't heal faster from sickness. Kouga on the other hand Kouga was looking forward to just spending time alone with Kagome. He actually didn't want to get better. If he was gonna stay with Kagome then he didn't care if he was sick he would take that chance in a heartbeat.

Kagome got up after the incident with Kouga and walked out the door.

"Kouga I am going to go get some more water in case your fever comes back in the middle of the night. I will be back soon. You stay in bed if I catch you out of bed I will teach you a lesson!"

Kagome left without another word and then walked down the dirt road to a small stream. She took out a small pale and filled it to the brim with the cool water. She put some in her hands and took a sip. She was content with her work and started to walk back towards the village when she sensed a demonic aura heading towards her. She put down the pale and took her bow and notched an arrow onto the tightly strung string.

Then appeared two wolf demons followed by a small pack of wolves. She could tell through the moonlight that it was Kouga's best friends and lackeys Giinta and Hakakku. They were out of breath and bending over when the stopped. Ginta waved to Kagome.

"Uh.. H..ello..Sister Kagome….Do…you..know where….Kouga…is?"

Kagome un-notched her arrow and put away her bow picking up the pale of water.

"Yes Ginta I do. He is very sick. I am taking care of him back at the village. He probably shouldn't see you though. I think if he does he'll wanna act all tough and that will just postpone his health. It's not that it's your fault it's just hw Kouga is. You guys should know best of all."

Hakakku looked at Ginta and then back at Kagome with big eyes. (O.O)

"Yes Kagome we do know how Kouga can be. But Ginta and I barely know anything about his personal life. We are his best friends but he doesn't tell us anything personal. You are the only one he really shows his true feelings around. That's why he always is such a goof around you and protective around Inuyasha. He doesn't do that with anyone else that's how we can tell that he is in love with you. Plus if it was anyone else that offered their help to heal him he wouldn't have taken it."

Ginta nodded and crossed his arms as if to add to the point. But then Ginta opened his eyes.

"Hey Kagome we were looking for Kouga because we had news to give him from the elders but since you said we can't go see him can you pass it on to him for us?"

Kagome nodded her head and then started walking which was a cue for the two wolf demons to follow.

"Okay Kagome this is what you have to tell Kouga: The elders of the Northern Mountains said that if Kouga does not find a mate within the next 2 months his tribe leader rights and the throne will be revoked. Everything he has done in the tribe will be over and things will go back to the way they were before Kouga was leader. That means disaster for the tribe."

Kagome heard these words and got a knot in her stomach. She knew that if Kouga left the throne the tribe would be in disaster. But then got a little idea. Maybe if Kouga asked her to be his mate she would use that time to see if she was falling for him. She would tell him that they would have to go on "dates" see what would happen. It seemed like the perfect idea. And 2 months would be enough time to see if she really did love Kouga. Or if it was just a feeling of the moment. Kagome came back to reality and bid the two good byes. She walked back to the hut and walked through the door to find Kouga looking at a photo album Kagome had brought form her time. He had a very confused look o his face. It was like he had just seen Kagome for the first time.

"Kouga what are you doing with my photo album?"

Kouga looked up and got up to greet Kagome who only gave him a cold look which told him to stay where he was. She came to him and gave him a hug.

"Oh Kagome I just got bored so I saw this thing sticking out of your bag. So I started looking through it. All of these things in here are so weird. They look so different from all of our stuff here. Is this from your time?"

Kagome nodded and pointed to each of the pictures while she sat leaning on Kouga's shoulder. This is a car it is used for transportation. And this is my house where I live. These are my friends. These people are my mom, brother, and grandpa. And this is me at my 16th birthday. The picture that Kagome pointed to was on her birthday showed her dressed in a pink kimono and with chopsticks in her hair. She also had makeup on that brought out her eyes and lip gloss that made her lips shine in the summer sun.

Kouga listened with open ears and then pointed to the picture of that had Kouga in it. It was of her and Kouga in front of the bone eaters well. Kouga had his hand around Kagome's waste and a warm smile on his face. Kagome was smiling and had her arms wrapped around Kouga's waist. It was a loving picture and they looked like a happy couple.

"Kagome this one's my favorite. You look so happy with me. And look at the smile on our faces. We look like a couple don't we?"

Kagome blushed and then looked at the picture again.

"Yes Kouga we do. And I was very happy there. But I have to tell you something that s very, very important. But you have to promise not to get mad."

Kouga nodded and closed the book setting it down beside him.

"Kouga while I was out fetching water Ginta and Hakakku found me. They said that they had a message from the elders of the northern mountains. They wondered where you were and I told them. But I wouldn't allow them to come see you because I thought it would just postpone your health. So they told me what the message was. It was: if you don't find a mate within the next two months you will be dethroned and your leader rights will be revoked and the tribe will be reverted back to the way it was before you were its leader causing disaster. But if you do find a mate you will remain the leader and the tribe will stay the same."

Kouga put his hands over his face. He was just sitting there until Kagome said something.

"Kouga don't be sad. Please don't be. We'll find you a mate. But first we have to get you better."

Kouga looked up and had a sad look in his eyes and his voice was cracking.

"But Kagome you are the only girl that I would ever even consider having be my mate. There s no one else that I would pick! But you don't like me so I might as well surrender the throne to someone else."

Kagome sighed and then pushed Kouga's chin up so his sulking would stop and he would look at Kagome.

"Kouga now that Inuyasha is gone you don't have to fight him for me. And now I realize I don't love him I will give you a chance. We'll go off together alone so we can get to know each other. But I wont promise you anything. Okay?"

Kouga jumped up and brought Kagome with him spinning her around.

"OH THANKS KAGOME. I PROMISEYOU WILL FALL FOR ME. WE WILL FINALLY BE TOGETHER AND HAPPY YOU WILL BE TREATED LIKE ROYALTY. OH NOW I CAN'T WAIT TO GET BETTER!!!"

Kagome laughed and got out of Kouga's arms.

"Now Kouga I am gonna sleep over here if you need anything just ask. Go to sleep."

And with that Kagome blew out the candles that lit the room and layed down in her sleeping bag right across from the wolf demon and so Kouga did as he was told and went to sleep dreaming of the month to vome with Kagome.