Don't own Inuyasha... cries .o.o.

"talking"

'thinking'

The entire group was shocked when hearing the child answer to the deceased princess' name. Both Sango and Miroku, and even Shippo weren't around when the un-mother took the form of Inuyasha's lady-mother; and despite being a fake, Inuyasha later told Kagome that the image she portrayed was a dead on hit for what his real mother looked like. And except for the eyes and the puppy ears, and the fact that the child wasn't wearing make-up, she looked exactly like her grandmother.

"Your name is Izayoi?" Sango was a little confused with the conversation, she had heard the name before in passing, knowing it had to do with Inuyasha's past; but she never pushed the matter.

"Yup, I was named after my grandmother; it was mommy's idea when I was born because daddy said I looked like her."

'It was my idea?'

'Kagome?'

Once they got all the information that Izzy was willing to give them, even though Kagome had a feeling she was still keeping secrets from them, the group discussed their latest shard rumor. They decided to head north towards the mountains where a village near Mushin's temple was having trouble with a band of badger demon; they were also going to visit the old monk to see how he was holding up. Kagome was saddened however when Izzy refused to come with them, she was going to stay and help Keade in the village; so Kagome couldn't beg her to come with them, Keade was aging fast and she really needed the help.

After Kagome put Shippo and Izzy to bed, she headed outside to the tree Inuyasha planted himself in after the news broke that Izzy's full name was his mother's; she didn't really want to disturb him while he was thinking, but she really wanted to know what he thought about all this. "Inuyasha... are you okay?"

"Keh, why wouldn't I be wench?"

Kagome bit back the 'sit' she was going to say for him calling her a wench, because she realized he was trying to hide his true feelings about the whole situation. "I was just worried you would have a problem with what Izzy told us... I know you don't like talking about your mother so..." she had slid down to sit at the base of the tree the half demon was currently in.

She was startled slightly when he appeared in front of her in his normal crouching position. "Her name doesn't bother me one bit woman, I'm just still trying to get adjusted to the fact... that I eventually will have a pup to honor her name."

'I can understand how you feel, especially since we haven't even talked about... I mean Kikyo's still.' It dawned on Kagome then that Kikyo was indeed still in the picture; how would Inuyasha handled having to give her up for that little girl that was sleeping in the hut? Kagome didn't want to bring it up, or even think about it; but Inuyasha could sense her distress about something, and he began to panic.

"Kagome...?"

"I'm okay Inuyasha."

"Well... it's getting late, aren't you going to go inside?"

"Can't I stay here a little longer?"

The pleading look she gave him made him break easily, "Keh, yeah."

"I-Inuyasha... what are you doing!" Kagome was surprised when he boldly picked her up, and brought her high up in the tree branches to where he was previously sitting. "You want to stay up that's fine, but you can't sit down there when it gets dark; I don't feel like chasing every demon away from you all night."

'Thank you so much... you jerk,' she actually thought he was going to say something nice to her for once, but he put his foot in his mouth again.

"Kagome?"

"Hm?" she was having a hard time staying awake in his warm embrace, completely forgetting she was suppose to be mad at him.

"Are... are you okay with all this?" he tightened his hold on her, hoping she would say yes; despite what she thought and sometimes his actions... he did love her, he just couldn't tell her yet, not until he talked to Kikyo first.

"I... couldn't be happier Inuyasha," her voice was a slurred whisper as she fell fully asleep.

'Yeah... me too Kagome.'

The sound of soft giggles pulled Kagome from her peaceful dream back to the waking world; where after her eyes adjusted to the morning sun she came face to face with a pair of green and gold eyes.

"Morning mommy!"

"Kagome, why did you sleep with Inuyasha up in this tree," Shippo pouted, fake tears on his cheeks.

'What is he talking about?' After her mind registered what he actually said, and blushed from where her mind went at his statement. Kagome tried to recall what happened the previous night. She remembered falling asleep in Inuyasha's arms, but she assumed he would have brought her back into the hut when he got tired of holding her. But when she was about to voice her confusion, she heard a low, rumbling growl coming from behind her; the vibration was lulling her back to sleep. When she shook the feeling off, an iron clad belt around her waist tightened, and the growl deepened.

"Daddy doesn't want you to move yet mommy," Izzy playfully warned while trying to stifle her giggles again, her baby puppy ears were moving a mile a minute trying to make out her father's growls.

'Well that's nice for him and in other circumstances I wouldn't want to move, but falling asleep in a tree isn't the best idea; my body is stiff and I need to move now!' "Inuyasha... I need to get up," her wiggling didn't help much either however because Inuyasha just ignored her, and buried his nose into her neck. 'He's asleep! He doesn't know what he's doing; if he knew Shippo and Izzy were up here in the tree with us he would be mortified.' "I-Inuyasha, we have visitors."

"Hm? Keh... tell the runt to beat it." Kagome watched as his eyes shot open to glare at the children, "What the hell are you doing up here!"

"We were worried about Kagome when she wasn't in the hut this morning! Why you hogging her Inuyasha?" Shippo jumped on the older boy's head, and began biting at his vulnerable ears. Immediately after the tiny fangs sank into the sensitive flesh, it didn't hurt as much as it was annoying, Inuyasha grabbed the fox by his tail, and dropped him nearly thirteen feet to the ground.

"Inuyasha! You could have hurt him"

"Keh, he landed on his feet, and if he knows what's good for him he'll stay the hell away from me for a while!"

"Yeah right you big jerk!"

"Kagome."

"No, he's got every right to do what he pleases, you shouldn't have dropped him!"

"Keh... pup why are you up here?"

Izzy smiled when he looked her way, "Sango and Miroku sent us to come get you, and they're ready to go if you are." With what she had to say finished the child jumped down, and ran off in the direction of the rice paddy fields.

Inuyasha finally noticed Kagome's discomfort, and so he jumped down from their night perch and headed into the hut. Kagome ran to pack up her sleeping bag into her pack, while Inuyasha stayed at the door watching the others.

"Well my friend, since Sango has threatened my very manhood should I question what happened last night, shall we just head out then?"

"K-keh... yeah." Inuyasha averted his gaze from the perverted monk, and headed back outside.

Sango looked to her best friend, and noticed the girl from the future had frozen in mid stuffing of the sleeping bag into her back pack when Miroku opened his mouth. Not wishing to embarrass her anymore than she was, Sango knelt next to Kagome's side and gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Kagome-chan, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah... I'm fine," Kagome smiled and continued packing her bag as if nothing happened.

"Come on! We ain't got all day, hurry up!" Inuyasha barked from outside causing the three humans to chuckle.

'It seems that the earlier events have been pushed aside for now, I suppose it's for the best at the time,' Keade wished the group good luck on their journey; not knowing what surprises awaited them.

Note: So Inuyasha is trying to be nicer to Kagome, but she's worried about what will happen with Kikyo now. And I wonder who they will bump into while up in the mountains?

Thanks to:
maire 53
inuyashaxkagome321
Drama Kagome
For reviewing!