Hey again. =]. Sorry for the delay. School has started and it's been hectic ever since. With barely enough time to myself I finally got this chapter done. So here it is. I hope you all like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho and its characters or Inuyasha and its characters.

Chapter 4

With Sango and Miroku off to deal with a nuisance of a problem with some local demons, Inuyasha lay in a nearby tree of the small village. His injuries that were viewed more like identical scratches to Inuyasha were the reason why he was told to stay close. One would think that with all the fatal wounds that he attained over the years and survived each one with different degrees that his scratches now wouldn't be cause for alarm. The hanyou sighed, more out of boredom than anything else. Kagome flitted in and out of his mind and so did that other demon that had gotten the best of him.

Inuyasha didn't believe he was beaten fair and square. Well, one—there were a lot of things on his mind and two, the fox had a friend nearby. Not fair… Inuyasha shrugged and shook his head. Of course he thought that now, but he would've been more excited to fight the two of them at once if he had the chance to. Nowadays, the hanyou got no action… in any sense of the word that he cared about. His thoughts traveled back to Kagome then, but quickly went blank. "Our relationship is nothing like that… Never was…" He admitted to himself. The most they ever did was kiss… make out a few times, that was it. He couldn't fathom anything beyond that point. "Kagome… and I doing that…" His cheeks reddened as he shook his head vehemently. "Feh, not likely; ever," He scoffed, resuming what he was dong before his thoughts had gotten complicated. Staring at the various leaves sprouting from this tree always mesmerized him, relaxed him so.

"I know you're not used to doing this sort of thing, Shuichi. Humor your mother anyway, would you?" Kurama peered down at his human mother thoughtfully. Both of them stood in front of her old friend's door waiting to be greeted. He nodded once, "Of course, mother." He kept his reply short not wanting to worry her further. Sure, he felt like he shouldn't be here right now, but who was he to complain? What would he be doing right now if it wasn't accompanying his mother?

The door opened finally and another woman around the same age as his mother greeted them both. "I'm so glad you could make it. This must be your son you've talked about. Hello, I'm Mikoumi Higurashi; it's nice to finally meet you." Mikoumi smiled brightly at him, which he returned half-heartedly.

"Yes, this is Shuichi." His mother confirmed. Kurama bowed respectfully before motioning his mother to walk into the house before him. "It's nice to finally meet as well. I, too, heard much about you."

The trio walked to the living room where Mikoumi motioned them to sit while she brought out the tea.

"Oh Kagome, wipe that frown off your face. Company will be over soon." Kagome was rout with worry over Inuyasha.

"But he's never been gone this long without telling me anything." She justified.

"Inuyasha's a man, Kagome dear. I'm sure whatever is holding him up will be explained when he shows up."

"I hope you're right…" The bell chimed before her mother squeezed her shoulder reassuringly and went to go get the door.

The murmurs of voices in the next room forced Kagome to mask her ever growing worry. She busied herself with getting cups for the tea that was heating up on the stove and a platter to hold it all on. With the insistent whistling of the kettle Kagome turned the stove off and placed the steaming hot kettle on the platter; her mother came back into the kitchen just then.

"Oh thanks sweetie. You didn't have to do that." Kagome smiled weakly and followed her mother out to the living room. As soon as she laid eyes on Kurama, she blinked and stared. He was gorgeous; so gorgeous he could make women jealous. His flowing poppy red hair augmented by his emerald eyes. Oh eye candy, where have you been all my life? She sighed inwardly before blushing once she realized he was staring right back at her. "O-Oh, hi," Get it together Kagome. You're not some ditsy teen. She bowed to him and his mother before sitting down on the opposite couch. "I'm Kagome," She smiled kindly curious to know more about this man.

He nodded in her direction. "I'm Shuichi, nice to meet you." His eyes glittered in curiosity, Kagome figured and hoped.

"Oh, I must show you the pictures that I have of us! Come, come." Kurama's mother seemed to perk up at some hidden signal and scurried out of the room right behind Mikoumi. Kurama raised an eyebrow before turning his attention back at her. "Your mother seems… lively." His smile was friendly.

Kagome shook her head, catching on to what was going on a beat after Kurama. "I can't believe she just did that. I'm so sorry." She apologized looking very embarrassed.

"No need." He shook his head with an amused glint in his eyes. He eyed the steaming kettle, "You seem… distracted. Is everything alright?"

Kagome looked up at him with surprise. Was she that obvious? She shook her head minutely as she busied herself with the tea after seeing Kurama stare at it. She pushed a cup toward him before pouring her own tea. "No… Yes, everything is fine."

Kurama let it drop for now as he sipped his tea with his eyes closed. "I see your house is a shrine. Do you work on it too, a priestess perhaps?" Kagome seem to light up at the change in topic.

"I help clean it up, but my grandfather does most of the work for the shrine." Kurama noted that she didn't answer about her being a priestess or not. Hm…

"I feel that you're different Kagome." Kurama smiled then knowingly, wanting her to tell him. She had spiritual power, pure spiritual power; quite rare.

"Different?" Her eyes clouded over with suspicion. "How do you mean?" Kagome guard was up with lightning speed. She put her cup down, rising up from her seat. "Do you want to accompany me on a walk?"

Kurama nodded, sensing the change in her demeanor. He put his cup down as well and followed her out of the door. Kagome led him first to the thick old tree. She looked at it as though so many memories were encased behind the strong bark of it. "Does this tree…" Kurama started to ask but stopped as soon as Kagome started to nod. "It means a lot to me." She turned to him then, "How do you mean, Shuichi-san?"

Feeling that she needed to hear the answer, Kurama dropped the cryptic response he was planning to use for the direct truth. "I sensed it within you. Your power, your purity; just like a priestess." She absorbed that answer before nodding.

"I have to ask, what are you?" Kurama knew this was going to come up. He hesitated. He first unraveled this girl's secret and now that she was peeking in on his he felt affronted. With her being a priestess though, would she be keen on knowing that she was entertaining a Kitsune?

"Inuyasha… please tell me you weren't in that tree all day." Sango queried. Inuyasha peeked down at the woman to only leap down in front of her. "Fine then, I won't."

Sango ignored that response. "You've been here for a while. Is everything going ok with Kagome?" Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. She asked more for Kagome's welfare than his. He sighed, did it matter?

"I would think so." He said carefully. Not knowing what kind of mood Sango was in. If she found out that he just up and left she might throw a fit… no it was guaranteed.

Sango eyed him with growing suspicion. Before she could inquire further, Miroku walked up about to greet Inuyasha but fell short looking at his beloved. "Did I come at a bad time..?" He inquired, ready to turn and bolt from the scene.

"Feh, boneless shit," Inuyasha mumbled about to turn around himself and head back into the tree. "Was that all you wanted to ask me? Good. I'll be on my way now."

Sango grabbed his shoulder and tightened her hold. Sometimes Inuyasha forgot how strong Sango was. Without her big boomerang laying securely against her back it was hard to tell. "I wasn't done talking to you." Her tone was bordering anger and impatience but since when did Inuyasha take heed to tone?

"Sango… let go of me."

"What's wrong with Kagome?"

"Nothing is wrong with Kagome." His tone hovered on exasperation as he twisted his body away from Sango's grip. He faced her again. Women! Why must they pry their noses into everything?

"Your answers are suspicious Inuyasha." Her voice lowered and Miroku took a step back. He was not getting caught in whatever Sango had in store for Inuyasha. "Does she know that you're here?"

Inuyasha faltered then. As much as he claimed to hate Sango he still respected her. That entailed not lying to her. His hesitation, however, was answer enough and Sango flew at him, clocking him square in his soft dog ear.

"Yow! You bi—"

"How can you sit here, lazing around when you know full well that Kagome would be worrying herself sick over you since she doesn't know where you are?" Her voice was booming and Miroku shook his head. "Inuyasha, Inuyasha…"

"It hasn't been that lo—"

Sango lashed at him again, clocking his other ear that he wasn't shielding.

"Woman, do that again and I'll forget that you're a friend."

"Oh," Sango found her way in Inuyasha's face. "I wish you would." Her voice dripped venom as her body tensed to hit him again if necessary. Miroku intervened then; walking in between the seething pair.

"Instead of standing there like an impaired idiot, how about you find your way back to Kagome? Doesn't that make a lot of sense?"

"I can stay where—"

"Inuyasha," Miroku's eyes narrowed, "Go."

Reluctantly Inuyasha turned around with a fuming growl, stomping away as he did so in order to punctuate how frustrated he was.

Before Kurama was forced to answer, Kagome's head swiveled to the old well a ways away. Something was coming out of it soon. "Inuyasha…" She sighed in relief before running in that direction. Kurama had sensed it too but he was tense with uncertainty and anticipation. There was a portal here? Kurama ran after Kagome, "Kagome! Is that wise? What's coming?" She seemed like she knew what was going on, that just confused the Kitsune even more.

Kagome couldn't care for Kurama at that moment. Inuyasha surely was coming back from the portal. Hot anger welled up within her. "Inuyasha, you big jerk!" The portal in the well yawned open as Kagome stopped next to it, peering inside. Inuyasha stood at the bottom of the well a second later. He looked disgruntled before he looked up. "Kagome…" He stopped, seeing a familiar red headed person run up beside her, peering down at him just like she was. "You..!" Inuyasha snarled, leaping out of the portal, unleashing Tetsusaiga as he did so.

"Inuyasha… What are… Wait!" Kagome tried to grab for him but as Kurama reeled backward Inuyasha followed, moving himself out of Kagome's grasps. She couldn't move for a heartbeat, two as she saw Inuyasha hack the air ruthlessly toward Kurama; three heartbeats, four when she saw how effortlessly Kurama evaded each swing.

Her shock dissipating she looked around frantically, "There," She ran over to her bow and arrows resting against the back wall of the little shed the well was in. With her arrows strapped onto her back and her bow in her hands, she charged out to the battle.

Barely anything changed as Kagome got in view of the two. Inuyasha was still leaping towards Kurama and Kurama seeming having no time to strike back just backpedalled or leaped away all together. And what a leap! With her arrow in place ready to shoot she shouted over to Inuyasha, "Inuyasha, sit boy!"

With a loud thud Inuyasha plummeted to the ground with Tetsusaiga still held tightly in one hand. "I swear!" He bellowed, slowly picking himself up. As Kagome walked up beside him she spoke again, "Sit and stay down." Another loud thud and Kagome turned her focus on Kurama. "Give me a good reason why I shouldn't let this arrow find your heart right now."