Kagome had stumbled into her own campsite dejectedly. Well, as dejected as she could be while still half awake. She had been long accustomed to getting half a night's sleep, but this was getting harder and harder to pull off as the weeks piled on. She was too used to modern day life.

Which, she chastised herself, was a good thing. She was living, just as she should be.

The rest of the girls were waking up as she got back in to camp and no one particularly noticed her absence. Tohru smiled at her as she walked in and a pang went through Kagome as she brushed aside any jealous thoughts she had had of the brunette earlier.

No one was as loving and kind as this young girl. She deserved only the same in return. The realities of this world were too much for such frail shoulders.

"Kagome! Good to see you back. Breakfast just started." Her happy shout alerted some of the other girls to Kagome's presence, most of who smiled kindly at her and wished her similar sentiments. No one inquired as to where she had been and for that she was grateful.

Kagome smiled complacently at the girl. "Thanks Tohru! I'll just go change first."

Tohru nodded with a wide smile, and turned back to answer some question from one of her friends. Kagome's smile faded slightly as she walked off to the washrooms, backpack in hand.

What she had done last night had been foolish and wrong. She was not to get in the way of the group. She was not to let herself feel any of these troublesome emotions until she could properly deal with them. And most importantly, she was not going to risk hurting any of her new friends simply because they were foolishly kind to her. If there was one thing her past had taught her it was that everything could be ripped away at a moment's notice, no matter how valiantly you tried to make it otherwise. All this drama in life was just so pointless. She wasn't going to waste any of their lives with her troubles. The friendship she'd been privy to was more than enough.

So why had she gone and jeopardized the whole thing last night? It was not that she making a mountain out of a molehill. Yuki was not like that. Falling asleep with him, something so personal and intimate, meant more.

And it couldn't mean more. Because he could not deal with her 'more'. She couldn't even deal with it. With was pathetic but oh so true.

She headed into the washroom. She just had to convince him that whatever connotation went along with last night weren't actually there. And then, she had to start keeping her distance. This was certainly not a relationship that he deserved.

She sighed softly to herself. Oh well. It was good enough that she had their friendship. And the day was beautiful. She was going to live in the moment, and stop worrying. She could do that much, couldn't she?

The washroom light flickered – despite the fact that there were better facilities (well, facilities at all) in the modern era, it was still rather rustic – and Kagome wrinkled her nose and stifled a sigh. Gross. Anyway, a new day meant a new mind set. She had an iron will left over from her fighting days, right?

The rhetorical questions were starting to annoy Kagome so she brushed her way into one of the cleaner stalls and changed as fast as she could. Breakfast was already cooked, so she should at least try to get back in time to help clean up the camp.

They met up midday, when the two genders converged to continue the hike up the mountain. Tohru had spotted Momiji first, then Kyo, and of course, with the group was Yuki. Kagome ducked down to hide her pained smile and picked up Momiji, swinging him around up so that she ended up carrying him on her back. She ignored the others protest (they may not know it, but she was a strong women, and was used to a small weight on her shoulders as she travelled) and welcomed the warmth on her back.

Momiji cuddled against her, chattering in her ear. "How was your sleep Kagome?"

She swayed him around a bit and smiled at his giggle. Is this what Shippo would have been like, if she could have seen him grown up?

"It was a wonderful, deep sleep Momiji. And yours?"

She tried to miss the way Yuki glanced over her at this statement. She was not giving him any ideas, she told herself over and over in her head.

The sun blinded her for a moment, lightening Momiji's hair into a white blonde and drawing her attention back on his answer. "Me too! The guys were planning ways to sneak into the girl's campsite last night, but Yuki put a stop to them. So everybody got to sleep early."

Kagome couldn't help herself. She shot Yuki a wry look. "Don't want anybody going off together in the woods?"

He chuckled. "Who knows what could happen out there. Bear attacks and all that."

Kagome couldn't help herself. She laughed. Momiji just stared at the two in confusion. "But there aren't any bears out this way. You know that."

Kagome shrugged it off, and started spinning Momiji around for his amusement. All for the best. Yuki couldn't get her into conversation, and she could make this adorable boy laugh. Win-win.

When they stopped spinning, and stumbling along for a few moments afterwards, Tohru stopped her conversation with Kyo to shoot Kagome a concerned look. "Are you alright Kagome? You aren't too tired, are you?"

At first Kagome thought Tohru was referring to her lack of sleep, but before she could stammer out an excuse, she felt Momiji giggle. "Kagome's strong! She told me herself that she could make this hike in twice the time it took the others."

Kagome's face brightened and she looked away in embarrassment. She had in fact told the little boy that, but also along with the reasoning that she enjoyed having the companionship. She figured if she made the whole situation about herself, Momiji was more likely to placate her and let her carry him around.

Thankfully he didn't mention that aspect, and Tohru just worried herself into a circle. "But that's-"

Kagome laughed. "I was serious Tohru, so do not get anxious. I'm used to getting exercise like this, and Momiji is just so light-"

"Are you calling me skinny? I'll have you know I'm only a few years younger than you!"

Kagome turned sideways to laugh at the young boy, whose face was hanging over her shoulder. "Of course, of course. You're plenty manly."

He huffed. "That's right. And don't you go forgetting it."

With this declaration the young boy curled his arms deeper around Kagome's neck and snuggled into her back. "Of course, that doesn't mean I need to go walking myself around. A growing man needs his beauty rest as much as he needs his exercise."

Kagome laughed out loud, a pleasant adaptation she had come across in the last few weeks. A joyous bubbling that spilt out of her throat in a helpless way that was awfully reminiscent of her years at fifteen. It was nice. Momiji seemed to agree because she felt him smile against her back and join in with her.

Oh how happy she was to have these things in her life. Kagome knew that no matter how much sacrifice she had to make, it would be absolutely nothing to keep these friendships around.

The moment she thought of this though, Yuki sidled up to her and Momiji. Kagome's mood took a quick 180 and she was about ready to pull her hair out in frustration if not for two things. One, Momiji was currently occupying her hands as she needed to keep him stable on her back. Two, well, Kagome only had to glance behind her to see Tohru and Kyo, their heads together in some conversation or another. She smiled softly, and turned back around to Yuki, the pieces fitting in her head.

"How's your morning going?"

Yuki looked at Momiji quickly and smiled at Kagome. "It's been good. And yours?"

She sighed dramatically. "Oh horrid really. I had to clean up this morning. Without gloves. I almost broke a nail."

Both Yuki and Momiji laughed at this and Kagome started swinging the young boy on her back again. "You jest now, but when I'm decrepit and my hands are short stubs of their former glory, you'll regret it!"

No one bothered to mention the fact that Kagome's hands were calloused and the farthest thing from well-kept. They were kind in that way – they rarely pushed her for information that she was unwilling to give. Like the scars she occasionally showed (she was proud of the battles she had fought for, and despite some preconceived notion of beauty, she was not about to hide them) or the long silences she induced herself into whenever the past became too much to keep behind her and she had to focus on it for a while.

And it wasn't that she didn't want to tell them. Well, she really didn't. It wasn't that she didn't trust them, or she was concerned that they wouldn't believe her. That was precisely what she was afraid of. Should they believe her and learn of her darker past, she didn't think either of them would be able to continue this easy friendship. It would become something darker and strained.

She looked up into the blue skies so reminiscent, but no longer in quite a depressing way. Perhaps one day they'd all be free of their dark secrets.

Yuki was still laughing, and through it he laid his hand on her shoulder to keep his balance. From the sly grin Kagome could feel on her cheek she was positive that Momiji could feel the heat on her face blossom. She scowled as discretely as she could and sniffed at Yuki. "It is improper to laugh at a lady."

Momiji giggle. "If you're a lady, what does that make us?"

She smiled complacently. "Why, the jesters of my court of course!"

Yuki, smothering his laughter, turned bright eyes towards Kagome that made her stomach twist a little. He raised his eyebrows and shot Momiji a look.

"Oh so she's a Queen now is she?"

Momiji buried his head into Kagome's hair, messing it up a fair bit. "Oh she's always been our Queen."

Kagome huffed and nodded decidedly at this. "Of course. I can't find an argument there."

The trio laughed, pulling ahead from Kyo and Tohru as they joked. No one even noticed when the pair ducked back and started talking in hushed tones.

Especially since they were, you know, hushed and all.

Thankfully in the last few years, particularly these last couple of months with Kagome and her ever present rants, Kyo had matured to the point where talking to Tohru was pleasant, and not quite as awkward. He no longer felt the need to be as crude and rough as he had once been; although of course, he wouldn't be himself if he didn't act like the immature ruffian that he was. Not that you'd catch him saying that.

So with barely a blush (although this was Kyo, and he still stammered around the young brunette) the redhead knocked Tohru on the shoulder. "Did you notice Kagome getting in late today?"

Tohru, who had been watching Kyo with her own faint blush, thought about the question for a brief moment. "Well, not necessarily late. I didn't see her wake up though; she just came into camp this morning. Why?"

Kyo shrugged. It wasn't that him and Yuki were exactly the best of friends, but Kyo could admit to the slight concern towards the rat. "I saw Yuki leave last night for a long time. And I think I can feel Kagome on him but I just don't know."

Tohru gasped. "Do you think they were out together last night?" She paused for a beat, but before Kyo could answer she smiled brightly and chirped on. "That would be so wonderful! They get along so well."

Kyo laughed, partially endeared to the young girl's kindness, partially relieved that she seemed to have no lingering feelings for the rat. It was petty, but he could not stop the happiness he felt whenever he thought of the young girl, nor could he stop the jealousy whenever she and Yuki were together. Especially since Kyo suspected Yuki harboured feelings for her.

Or had at least. Since Kagome had appeared, well…things were changing. And the only two people who couldn't see that the other liked them were of course the two in question.

Tohru sighed. "But I don't know how Kagome feels. She's so quiet sometimes."

Kyo nodded. "She's stupid keepin' everything holed up like that. Idiot girl."

Tohru laughed. "You are worried as well?"

The red head blushed, as he was prone to do, and said nothing. Kagome had never been one to try and worm her way into their lives, demanding answers to the odd questions that had to crop up occasionally. In turn they did the same for her situation; whenever she acted strangely or weird occurrences happened, they kept quiet. But all these secrets were difficult on Kyo, who was neither cunning nor sly. He just wished that everyone could be honest with each other. Particularly with Kagome. Kyo had become less distrustful since meeting Tohru and coming to understand the concept of complete acceptance. That is was possible. Kagome had done her fair share for the Sohmas and accepted every weird trait and eccentricity that had come her way. She deserved to know.

His blush deepened. Not that that particular piece of information would ever come out in actual conversation.

Tohru, who had been watching Kyo, nodded determinedly. "Why don't you ask Yuki tonight, and I'll talk to Kagome. Surely as their friends we can help them somehow!"

Kyo didn't bother correcting the friend comment and instead smiled up at the girl. The wonderful, beautiful, innocent girl. Of course he would do as she asked. He nodded.

Besides, this gave him a chance to annoy the damn rat. Win-win situation.

Hey everyone, I just want to take a minute of your lovely time AS IN LOOK HERE PLEASE to sincerely say thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU for the lovely and reassuring reviews you've given me. And if not that it's the alerts or favorites etc, etc. Really, it's so kind of you all to take the time to show you care :D SO. A big shout out to all you gorgeous folk out there. I adore each and every on of you.

Now on a more self-centered approach: OMG LOOK IT'S THE THIRD UPDATE IN LESS THEN A YEAR YAAYAYAYAY. Seriously, we're going places people. I'm just not sure where quite yet.

Actually, it snowed today. Which is late in the year, sadly enough. IT'S SO COLD ; - ; So lets shoot for somewhere warmer. Like south. Although not Playa del Carmen, or however you spell that. Gas explosions are terribly frightening I'm afraid. Spain maybe? Anyone know the climate in Spain this time of year?

Oh, alsoooo. I'm concerned that having a plotting Kyo and Tohru is terribly OOC. Comments?