Inuyasha exchanged a knowing glace with Miroku.

"It's your lucky day, Yash." Miroku said low enough so that only the hanyou, with his superior hearing, could catch what he was saying.

Inuyasha nodded, never taking his hawk-like gaze away from Kagome.

As Sango released her from another hug, she caught sight of a man standing with Miroku.

His intense golden gaze was locked onto her, and she became terribly conscious of herself. How she looked, how she was breathing, how she was feeling. How she sounded.

Sango was talking but Kagome could only half hear her. Looking at the guy in front of her gave her the same sensation she'd had when she had first climbed onto the stage.

He was physically attractive, being tall and lean like he was. He was in top physical condition, but it was something about the way he stood, his arms loose at his sides while he was examining her with just as much scrutiny that really caught her attention.

He had a nice face, kind of boyish with hints at roughness. His eyes were a deep amber color that caught wildly in the colored lights of the room. He had the sure stance of a predator. His dominance was in his aura. His posture. His eyes.

He had the eyes of someone who had so many secrets it seeped and pooled in his amber orbs

A few locks of platinum hair fell from his hat and framed his face..

Bad-ass meets casual Friday.

Suddenly realizing she was staring, Kagome averted her eyes back to Sango. But Inuyasha was just as guilty.

While she had examined him, he had examined her just as much if not more. She reminded him a little of Kikyou at first, with her facial features and hair and eye coloring.

But that was just a small illusion. She had wider, kinder eyes that showed every thought racing through her head. Kikyou's eyes showed nothing unless she needed them too.

Where Kikyou was secretive, this girl was wide open to read like a book.

They were both beautiful. One in a untouchable way, the other in a more tangible way. Kagome's blue-black hair tapered off near the middle of her back, and curled slightly at the ends. She was unconsciously toying with a stray strand as she said something to Sango.

Her top had been hitched up by her movements, and now showed a good amount of slim belly skin. He could smell her sweat and her pleasure, and her embarrassment all at once.

He made himself look away. His interest in her was purely business. Sure, she was very attractive. Sexy in her innocense. Beautiful. But so were a lot of women.

She just happened to be the woman that he planned on bringing to the top of the charts.

It hadn't really registered with him, but soon everyone was seated at the bar again, congratulating, teasing, and playing with Kagome.

"Excuse me for a minute." Inuyasha excused himself and got up from his stool and made his way outside, unaware of the fact that Kagome was following his swanky movements until he faded out of her view.

"Kouga." Inuyasha spoke into his cell phone the minute Kouga picked his up.

"Dog breath?"

"Yeah, yeah." Inuyasha muttered, letting it slip this once. "Listen. I found someone."

On the other line Kouga could tell this was someone special if it had Inuyasha this excited. He didn't get excited for anything less then spectacular.

"The suspense is killing me." He said in a bored tone, even though on the inside he was pretty curious.

"Her names Kagome Higurashi. The most amazing voice you've ever heard. I'm sending you a picture." He informed Kouga as he sent him a picture he'd taken of Kagome while she was on stage, and one where she'd been talking to Sango. Both times completely unaware that her picture was being taken.

After a few moments Kouga received them. "Dude, she's hot." Kouga said kind of shocked.

"Is she single?"

"What?" Inuyasha barked. "Your unbelievable."

"Yeah, so is she. Answer my question kibble breath."

"I don't know, I haven't even really talked to her. I just saw her fifteen minutes ago." Then as an after thought he added, "Dumb ass."

"Your calling me a dumb ass? I'm not the one who's thinking of signing someone he's never even talked to!"

"I have so talked to her. I said Hello...besides, Miroku tells me she's in the perfect situation. Anything I offer will be a dream come true to her."

"Yeah, I second that motion."

"Your worse then Miroku! Look, just get everything prepared, ok? I'll handle the girl."

"Aw, you get to do all the fun stuff!"

Inuyasha closed the phone, stuck it in his pocket and went back inside.

When he got back in, everyone was just about to leave.

He didn't see Kagome anywhere.

He looked around, scented the air for her only to find that she wasn't even in the building anymore. His nose informed him that she'd taken another exit.

He sighed heavily and ran to catch up with her.

"Hey!"

Surprised, Kagome paused on the side-walk and turned around to see who was calling. She was even more surprised to see Inuyasha standing a few feet away from her.

"Inuyasha?" She called.

He gave her a cocky half smile that she could see by both the moon and the nearly non-existent rays of pastel colors from the slowly rising sun.

"That would be me." he replied.

For no reason, Kagome blushed.

Slowly, she started walking again. Inuyasha followed beside her.

"Happy birthday, by the way."

"Oh, thanks."

She wondered why he was walking with her.

"Um, I could have sworn you came in a car."

He chuckled dryly. "You want a ride?"

Her blush ignited once again. "Oh, no I couldn't." She shifted uncomfortably, wishing she hadn't worn a tank top. Or at least brought a jacket.

She couldn't get into a car with a guy she'd just met...

As if reading her mind (well he was reading her smells) he looked at her sideways. "Afraid to get in a car with a guy you just met?"

Kagome scuffed her toe against the pavement, averting her eyes. "Um...not really afraid really. It just doesn't, well it doesn't seem...I shouldn't..."

He actually laughed, shocking the hell out of himself. Really laughed at how uncomfortable he was making her.

"Don't worry about it Kagome. You have a long walk, I have a car. It's late, your tired. I can get you home faster. It's safer with me then it is walking the streets at night." Thinking he sounded like he was persuading her too hard he added, "Plus I wouldn't do anything to you. I'm not Miroku. And Sango would cut my balls off if I even so much as hugged you too familiarly."

Kagome laughed. She was a trusting person, and he was right about her safety.

So she ended up in a car with him, sitting beside him in the passenger seat. It was a very nice car. Kagome was afraid to touch anything.

She had a feeling why he was being so nice. Weirdly nice. He didn't seem like the kind of person that was super polite to anyone.

And yet he was being polite to her. And complimenting her!

Because of her voice.

While he had stepped outside, Miroku and Sango had explained Inuyasha reason for even coming to the bar.

To look for a new talent.

When he had mentioned nonchalantly that he worked for Fueled By Ramen (A/N: Yeah, so I'm using the label Fueled by Ramen. It's a real label, but I'm going to make some stuff up about it Ok? I DO NOT own it. I hope I don't get yelled at...Oh and it's a pretty cool label. It's not as mainstream as I'm going to make it in this fic, I just thought since Inu likes ramen so much it would be cute.) Kagome had nearly fainted.

"Are you serious? That's like...A really huge company!"

"Kagome you have the potential to work for a really huge company. I don't think you realize just how good you are. If you let me, you could be really big. Very big. Monumental. I've never heard anyone like you before. You could be the start of something new..."

He loved how she was looking at him like he'd just grown Mirokus head out of his shoulder.

She wasn't conceited. ..

"You- You're joking? This is some birthday prank you, Sango, and Miroku schemed up, isn't it?" She asked, her Hershey-kiss colored eyes widening in disbelief.

He could hear her heartbeat increase.

He pulled the car over.

"Listen to me Kagome. I am not joking. This is not a scheme. I'm dead serious. You. Could. Be. Big."

Kagome shook her head frantically. "No." She said firmly. "I couldn't. Not me..."

"Yes you!" damn it! He added mentally since he couldn't say anything like this out loud until she signed his contract. Your voice is fucking amazing! Your fucking hot! You'd be backed up by me! That's the fucking recipe for fucking success! Now drop the damn clueless innocent crap, it's pissing me off!

"No! There is no way! That just doesn't happen to people like me!"

"Oh, right." Inuyasha said sarcastically. "I forgot beautiful people with incredible talent who happen to have major record label interest never make it anywhere in life."

That shut Kagome up. And she was blushing again since he had somewhat inadvertently called her beautiful.

"It doesn't take much to make you blush, does it?" He asked, noting that she had blushed nearly twenty times since he'd met her.

"No...not really." Kagome admitted as she was blushing.

"Your cheeks are going to stain red."

"Your not really helping." she snapped, taking Inuyasha by surprise.

Ah, so she had a little fire in her? Good, submissive pansy people got on his nerves.

"This just doesn't feel real." She slumped in her seat, and glanced sidelong at him.

He started the car back up and began driving, falling into a bout of silence for a moment.

"I have an idea..."

"What do you think, Shippo?"

Shippo glanced over at Kagome from his seat on her bed as she came out of the bathroom, dressed in a pair of low-rise jeans and a orange shirt with quarter sleeves. She also wore an olive-green colored cap that matched the green design on the shirt.

He thought she looked really pretty. But she'd looked pretty in the last three outfits she had tried on. The first one she had said looked too professional, like she was trying to impress someone. The second was too bum-around-the-house-in, she had said.

Now it seemed she'd settled on a mix of the two.

If she hadn't given him a popsicle to occupy himself with he'd be long gone by now and terrorizing her small home.

"I think you look pretty Kagome." He said truthfully and as coherently as he could with ice-cream in his mouth.

"Thanks Shippo-chan." Kagome smiled at him through her mirror. She wasn't used to worrying about how she looked so much. But Inuyasha seemed so important. And she didn't know where he was taking her. Or why.

So she hadn't known how to dress. And she was nervous. She had tried explaining to Shippo about how she'd been offered the chance to sing for a living. Offered to make her famous. Her! Famous!

Shippo hadn't gotten the full concept of it and had only been delighted.

"Are you going on a date, Kagome?" Shippo interrupted her thoughts with his curious question.

"A date?" Kagome laughed. "Hardly anything of the kind, Shippo-chan."

"Oh...can I come then?"

Kagome took a seat beside Shippo.

"Well...I don't see why not..."

"Yay!" Shippo yelled happily, his small voice muffled by his popsicle.

"We'll have to ask Inuyasha first." Kagome smiled down at him. Over time she had developed motherly feelings towards the kit.

Whenever she was home Shippo was right beside her, or in her refrigerator. Which Kagome was perfectly happy with. She felt lonely whenever she was alone...

"Hey! That's the door bell! He's here!" Shippo chirped, happily racing for the door.

Kagome smiled after him and got up, grabbing her small backpack/purse. Maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to give him ice-cream after all...

Inuyasha had been slightly surprised when the scent of a fox-demon met his nose. When the door opened a young kit was standing there, tail quivering with excitement.

"You must be Inuyasha! I'm shippo!"

"Uh...Hi."

Why did Kagome have a baby fox with her?

"Hello Inuyasha." Kagome greeted him politely. "I see you've met Shippo-chan." She graced the kit with a fond look, informing Inuyasha with her scent that she was affectionate with the kit in a maternal way. "Shippo, this is Inuyasha-san."

"Can I come with you?" Shippo asked bluntly.

"Uh...sure?" Inuyasha answered hesitantly.

Something seemed off about him...Kagome looked him over trying to figure out just what it was that seemed amiss.

He was wearing a dark blue T-Shirt that fit loosely, as well as slightly baggy jeans. Kagome was glad she had dressed casually.

No hat, She realized suddenly. Two silver lined ears were visible among his mass of silver hair. She almost reached her hand out to touch them, but caught herself and pretended to cough instead. The unusual eye color tipped her off to the fact that he was a demon, but she'd never seen a demon with such ears before.

"Should we stop by your place and make sure it's Okay with your mother if you come with us?" Kagome questioned as they exited her apartment.

Inuyasha looked uneasy. "I think we should go."

"What's your problem?" Kagome now questioned him.

"That...old lady up front really creeps me out. I don't think she likes me." He explained, looking over his shoulder as if he expected aforementioned Kaede to pop out of thin air and cause bodily damage.

Kagome laughed and explained to Inuyasha that Kaede was suspicious of everyone, and it took time for her to warm up to any individual, while Shippo tugged on the leg of her jeans.

" My mom won't mind. Besides, she's not even home." Shippo pleaded

"Well, we can't leave you all by yourself. It's okay with you, Inuyasha, if he comes?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever." He consented as they made their way to the parking lot, notching up his pace when they neared Kaede.

"Yay! Cool! Hey, what car are we taking? Is it the red one?"

Inuyasha shot the small kit an amused look. "Nah, the black one over there is mine."

"Oh." Shippo was disappointed for a fraction of a second before perking up "Okay! That one is cool too!"

Kagome giggled at Shippo's antics as she slipped into the passenger seat for the second time in the past 24 hours.

"So where are we going?" Shippo voiced Kagomes thoughts as he jumped onto her lap.

"Someplace to convince Kagome that she has an incredible voice - one that is major record label material."

"Inuyasha! You don't get it...I couldn't do it...I can't handle all that it implies..I can't!"

Inuyasha was beginning to hate the word 'can't'. With a passion. He wished he could erase the word 'can't' and all that it implied from this girls memory because she was filled with so much 'can' it was seeping out of her damn pores and showing in her voice.

"I'm telling you that you CAN. It's not as overwhelmingly hard as your making it to be inside that head of yours, and I'll be there any time you need me, people will be there to help you. It's just plain wrong that your denying the rest of the world your voice."

Kagome turned away from him, letting her nervous fingers play with Shippos hair as she watched scenery fly by the slightly tinted windows.

Everything looked dark...

"And just where are you taking me that's going to convince me of this?"

Even though she was no longer looking at him he smirked over at her. "You'll see..."

In all reality he wasn't sure if this was really going to convince Kagome of her talent. Miroku had actually suggested the idea while he was intoxicated...so maybe it wasn't going to be all he needed it to be, but it was worth a shot.

Damn it, Kagome. Why can't you be like every other female and jump at the chance for a little bit of fame? Must you make this difficult?

"Wait." Kagome said alarmed as they pulled up to a building. "This...is a karaoke bar. Why are we at a Karaoke bar?"

Inuyasha got out of the car, raised an eyebrow at her, then closed the door and started walking towards the entrance.

"Hey! Inuyasha! I didn't agree to this!" She shouted angrily even as he disappeared into the building.

"Come on Kagome!" Shippo scampered off after them.

"Oh, come on! You've got to be kidding me." She wined to one in particular as she reluctantly got out of the car and started walking slowly after her companions.

The moment she entered the bar high-pitched notes assaulted her ears. She spotted Inuyasha and Shippo at a small table near the left side of the stage.

Inuyasha had his hands pressed over his ears as Kagome approached.

"You have to at least admit you sound a helluva lot better then her."

Kagome gave him an annoyed look and sat down beside him.

"Can I get chocolate milk?" Shippo asked, his hands too clamped over his ears.

"We didn't come here for you to get chocolate milk."

"I am not getting up there in front of all those people."

"Oh, yes you are."

"Oh, No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

A small smaddering of applause drowned out their conversation. A cat-demon with white-blonde hair got up on stage as the previous woman left. "Okay, Okay, thanks for the performance. Any one else care to try? Someone not inanely soprano?" the cat joked.

Inuyasha took the opportunity to pinch Kagome on her thigh.

"Hey!" She shouted jumping out of her seat, making the legs of the chair scrape against the wood floor.

"Ooh...we have a volunteer." Lights immediately started to shine around. "The cute one wearing orange." The youkai directed so the lights fell on Kagome.

"Oh, no...I - I didn't mean..." Putting her horror aside she shot Inuyasha a poisonous glare.

"Come on honey, don't be shy. Get on up here and sing us a song!"

The crowd followed the blondes lead and began shouting urges.

Kagome looked like she was about to faint.

"Go on." Inuyasha tried to hide his obvious pleasure.

She mouthed I hate you at him, while the neko pulled her up the stairs and onto the stage.

Despite her terror, the wonderful detached feeling started to flood Kagome as the lights blurred her vision so she could no longer see the crowd. An invincible feeling started to pound through her with each heart-beat she could hear with perfect clarity as her blood pounded in her ears.

Music started playing, and the only thing she could really see, a small screen, started displaying words.

Kagome realized she knew the song, it was actually a favorite of hers. The moment the screen implied that the first words should be sung the first note silenced the crowd as her voice wound it's way up their bellies and constricted around their hearts.

Not a word was spoken as Kagome closed her eyes and swayed to the music, her voice thrilling everyone's pulse to quicken.

Soon, she had forgotten where she was, who she was, and there was only the music reverberating through her and echoing out of her throat.

She owned every individual in the crowd until the last note was uttered, piercing the air and floating through the building until it, quite sadly, died off.

Silence.

Then wild applause and cheers. So much that a blush rose to Kagomes cheeks as shouts of encore chorused through the room.

Somewhere in the crowd she saw Inuyasha seated, his hands laced behind his head as he smiled smugly at her.

Cries of more deafened her.

Ignoring the desperate protests of her leaving she made her way swiftly to the door, and she didn't stop until she'd made it to Inuyashas car.

After a few moments the door opened again and Inuyasha slid into the drivers seat.

A cocky grin was tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Well?"

Inuyasha collapsed onto his bed, fully clothed later that evening. He was exhausted, but a feeling of victory and relief had settled over him.

Kagome had said she needed more time to think his offer over, but he knew it was now only a matter of time until she consented.

She had hinted that she wasn't all that financially stable, that she wanted to go to college but hadn't the means to do us money wise.

He could solve those problems for her. Her and her grandchildren's grandchildren if he had anything to do with it.

People under his management always went big, and this time it wouldn't be a pain in his ass because the girl he was working with wasn't like the others. She wasn't conceited or full of herself...actually, he wished she were a little more full of herself. He had also been surprised to see how un-vain she was. Most girls who didn't even look as good as her were vain enough to drive him to shoot himself.

A presence at his doorway jolted him out of his thoughts.

"You look happy..."

For a moment Inuyasha wondered how he'd ever seen a similarity between Kagome and Kikyou. Then Kikyou entered his room and sat on a corner of his bed, pushing all thoughts of anyone else out of his head.

"Yeah, I finally found someone. It takes a big weight off of my shoulders."

He held his breath as she leaned over to touch lips with him, he was afraid to find someone else's scent marring her own.

He regretted giving her a key to his apartment.

He kissed her back, still holding his breath. He wondered when and where she'd obtained this power over him.

His lungs were about to burst, and she still wasn't leaving. In fact, she motioned for him to slide over so she could lay next to him.

"I'm tired." She said as she released her long locks from the clip it had been bound in.

"Mind if I take a nap?"

He wanted to laugh. She knew very well that he would never refuse her anything. Asking him was like slapping him in the face.

He needed to breath. She lay down on her side. She was wearing jeans. It was a rare occasion, Kikyou hardly ever wore jeans. She preferred slacks, or skirts. Some kind of dress pants. Never something as casual as jeans.

And she hardly ever let her hair down, even though Inuyasha had told her that he loved her hair loose.

When he could no longer stand it, he carefully let his breath out, and even more carefully he took a breath back in.

Needing comfort, he molded his form to hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. There was no warmth in the embrace.

He wrapped his hand in hers, trying to warm it. Her skin was always cold to the touch.

He felt cold even though the temperature was a comfortable 60 degrees.

He buried his face in her jet black tresses, at first only inhaling her pristine, jasmine-like scent. His body sagged with relief.

Then another scent stabbed at him.

Wasn't hers.

Wasn't his.

He embraced her so tightly that she had to mumble for him to let her go.

But the last thing in the fucking world he wanted to do was let her go.

Kagome and Sango were seated on Kagomes's bed, Shippo in-between them. Kagome was near the head-board, Sango was at the foot of the bed to leave enough space between them for the large amount of Chinese food they had spread across the comforter.

Fried rice, Lo mein, and egg rolls galore.

"And they liked it! Can you believe it? The crowd went friggen' nuts. Because of me. It was bizarre!"

Coming from anyone else, the recount of the karaoke bar would have sounded snobbish, but from Kagomes mouth it was anything but.

Sango giggled, almost choking on the noodles she had in her mouth.

"Yeah, actually, I can believe it. You have an incredible voice." Sango said truthfully while shippo nodded in agreement, his third egg roll hanging from his mouth.

"I...I want to do it! I do. I know it's an amazing opportunity...but.."

"No! No buts! You are not going to let this amazing opportunity, as you so called it, slide by you. It's too amazing! Yeah, sure you'll have to deal with all the crap that comes along from being famous - but you'll get to travel and meet so many cool people, and you'll get to wear all these cool things, and go to all these special places. It'll be incredible!"

"I wish I was a sure as you, Sango-chan..."

"Kagome!" Sango shouted in a frustrated tone, pointing her chop sticks like a weapon at her friend. "I'm am not going to let you let this go. Didn't you tell me that it was your dream to sing? That you felt alive getting up on that stage? That you love to sing? Hasn't it occurred to you that you could do what you love for a living?"

Sango relaxed some. "You wouldn't believe how wonderful it is to do that. I used to do it before I broke my leg. Dancing was my life. It still is, and if a similar offer came my way I would dig my teeth in it and never let go."

Shippo clapped at the end of Sango's speech.

Ignoring the applause she continued on. "Didn't you leave home to do something greater? To be someone greater. Kagome-chan, this is your chance. It's destined! It's your fate, you have to do it."

At the same time Shippo and Sango asked, "So what do you say?"

Averting her eyes she reached out for her fortune cookie. She tore it in half, then stuck one portion in her mouth while looking at the slim piece of paper in her hands.

A new voyage will fill your life with untold memories.

"I guess I say...Let's do it."

A/N:

Wow, I could not believe the positive response I received. So of course I immediately had to sit down and write up the next chapter. I really hoped you guys enjoyed it, I'm really not sure what to think about it. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone...

I'm sorry about how jumpy it's been. Sometimes the spacers I put up to shown a scene change don't show up when I upload the document. Sorry if that's been confusing. Just in case your wondering, this is a Inu/kag fic. It might not really seem like it at first, since I'm trying to avoid making Inuyasha and Kagome fall, totally and randomly in love the second they meet each other.

Again, I want to thank everyone who reviewed. I really love hearing anything you have to say, so...make me happy and review again? Please?

(It's so sad how even the proudest of people reduce to begging for reviews here at F.F. net.)

--SilverSqueakyInuEars

(P.S. I forget to mention in the last chapter that the song Kagome was singing is by From First To Last. I can't believe I forgot that. -sweat drop- Also, I put one big disclaimer in my profile so I won't have to do it every single chapter.)