Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.

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oOOOo

Kagome stood with Sango and Lexie in the conference room as they wrapped up the maintenance meeting with the crew. Sango was leaning back in her chair, spinning a pen in her fingers.

"You know, I never understood why they capitalized 'HEAT.' It doesn't stand for anything," she said, eyeing the muted TV in the corner. Kagome looked over to find the reporter's lips moving silently as he stared at the camera, a big splash logo of the HEAT Races in the corner.

"It was a typo," Lexie said, collecting her papers. "Someone in the IRL marketing department left caps lock on or something and no one noticed until it was too late. It increased viewership by a percent."

"You're shitting me," Sango said, clutching the pen in her fist. "You serious?"

"Yep. They've been capitalizing it ever since. It's loud and gets attention."

"Did you know that?" she asked, looking over at Kagome.

"No, but I guess it makes sense. The PR people in IRL aren't clever enough to do something like that on purpose." She turned to Lexie. "By the way, I'll be indisposed this weekend."

Lexie let out a sigh. "What now?"

"Just visiting family."

Both Sango and Lexie glanced at each other. "Why the sudden urge?" Sango asked, sitting up.

Kagome shifted slightly under their gaze. "Well, after what's happened between you and Kohaku… I've kinda been thinking about my own family and how I haven't seen them in a while."

Sango crossed her arms. "Uh-huh. Inuyasha's going too, isn't he?"

"Now before you say anything—" Kagome started, looking to Lexie.

"You do remember that you aren't officially dating yet, right?"

"Not publicly, but there are rumors floating around already. I'm surprised Minori hasn't ambushed me about it yet."

"Actually, the rumor is you're seeing Hideki, not Inuyasha." Sango said, grinning. "And after you dodged her ambush on that live segment, she's not going after something small fish like that. She'll want something big."

Lexie looked unhappy as she stared at Kagome. "You do realize we only have until the end of this month to get ready, right?"

"I know, and I'll be 110% after this weekend. I just… I think I need this."

Pushing her bangs up, Lexie sighed before nodding. "Fine. I'll set it up."

"I actually bought the tickets and everything already," Kagome said with a guilty smile. Lexie gave her a hard look before gathering her things and walking out.

"You know she hates it when we do things like that," Sango said, eyeing the door Lexie left through. "It's like we're dancing on her toes or something. More importantly," she said, turning her attention to Kagome. "What's with the family visit?"

Shrugging, Kagome tried to keep nonchalant. "I told you, I haven't seen them in a while."

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Come on Kagome, you can't fool me. You always visit them off-season. Only when something major happens do you visit during the season. Something happen with Inuyasha? You pregnant? Getting married?"

Kagome's eyes shot open, looking towards the door. "Idiot! You trying to get Lexie on a rampage?" Sango shrugged. "God no. And no. We've only been going out…" She paused. How long had they been going out?

Sango grinned. "What? Forget how long you've been dating?"

Crossing her arms, Kagome shrugged. "It's been complicated." It was odd that she never thought about marriage, at least not in any serious capacity. Inuyasha was serious about it. He made it clear that if they continued, marriage was definitely on the table. It always seemed to be an outside event. Other people got married. She just had boyfriends. Marriage just sounded so… permanent. It wasn't that she was opposed to it, just not completely sold on it either – especially when it related to her.

Sango tipped her head to the side, studying Kagome. "It's about the other day, isn't it? Back at my apartment."

Kagome let her head hang. "I can't hide anything from you."

"Of course not. I'm your teammate and your friend." She paused. "So, what's the problem? Did Kohaku tell Inuyasha?" She rested her head on her propped up hand. "I love him, but he can't keep his mouth shut to save his life."

"No, I did." Pulling out a chair, she sat across the table from her. Folding her hands, she set them on the table in front of her. "I think Inuyasha is reaching the point where he's no longer going to overlook things." She looked up from her folded hands. "I can't lose him."

"That was fast." Sango said, resting her elbows against the table as she leaned forward. "What?" she asked defensively at Kagome's scowl. "I'm just saying."

"This is serious Sango. I want this to work. It's nice to be in a real relationship for a change, with someone that actually genuinely cares about me."

"I care about you."

Kagome smiled. "I know, but this is different."

Sango nodded slowly. "The 'L' word is it?" Kagome only shrugged. There was a brief silence between the two. "But you have to admit," Sango said, breaking it with a smile. "That guy had a really nice cock."

Kagome chuckled, setting her hands back on the table. She knew exactly which one Sango was talking about. The worst part was Sango was right. She had enjoyed herself far too much – several times. "Seriously, I don't know how you find them."

"It's an art," she said with a shrug. "I'm just surprised you let him put it in your ass."

"Oh shut it," Kagome said, flicking a nearby pen at her. It made her wonder how her relationship with Sango would change as she made progress. There was always a mutual sharing of tales in the bedroom – part of what made all this so difficult to stop. Sango would always have her wild stories, but her? If all goes as planned, I'll only have Inuyasha. While he had made vast improvements in the bedroom, Kagome had the feeling there would never be anything truly earthshattering – not to the level she was used to anyways. That wasn't to say sex with Inuyasha was terrible. It was nice. Nice, but not enough to shake the heavens.

Laughing, Sango stood up. "We better get started on the sim then or Lexie is going to find some way to put you on the no-fly list." Standing, she followed her out the door.

oOOOo

"You okay?" Kagome asked, resting a hand on Inuyasha's arm. "You seem tense."

He glanced over at her with a small smile. Hats did not suit him. With his ball cap pulled low and a pair of fake classes, Inuyasha clearly graduated from the Clark Kent School of Disguises. Fortunately, no one seemed to notice either of them in the airport or on the plane. It helped that Kagome was an expert. While Inuyasha might be mistaken for a look-alike, with the right makeup and clothes, she looked like a new woman.

"Just nervous."

Her smile widened. "I didn't know you were scared of flying."

"Oh, it's not so much the flight as what's waiting on the other end of it."

"I promise, my Mom won't grill you or anything. She's really relaxed." She'll probably be overjoyed that I actually have a real boyfriend. If anything, she was nervous. This would be the first time she introduced a guy to the family since the disastrous relationship with that other guy. "And you lucked out."

"Oh? How so?"

"No father to really rake you over the coals."

"Oh fun."

She giggled softly. "It'll be fun. Promise." As he looked forward to watch the flight attendant give the mandatory lecture on safety, Kagome glanced out the window as the plane began taxiing to the runway. What am I expecting out of this? While it had been a spur of the moment decision, she increasingly felt like this needed to happen. Weather this would help or hurt was still in the air, but she knew something important would come out of it, even if it wasn't completely apparent. Taking a deep breath, she felt her hands tighten on the armrests. A few minutes later, they were in the air.

oOOOo

Kagome paid the taxi driver as Inuyasha collected their luggage. She gave a slight bow and watched as the driver got back in and pulled away. Turning, she ran her eyes along the length of the house. It was a big house, passed down for generations on her Father's side. The land it sat on was many times more expensive than the house. The surrounding wall prevented outsiders from looking in, but it was prime real estate – especially in this city.

"Ready?" she asked with a nudge, snapping Inuyasha out of his reverie.

"It's beautiful," he said, lifting the bags.

"Please. This is just the outside," she said, walking up to the gate. She tapped out the code and listened for the lock to click open. Once it did, she lifted the handle and pushed. Inside was a large garden with a slightly winding stone path running to the house. To the right was a pond and most of the larger plants. The left had a smaller house that was mostly used for storage, unless Souta finally got around to claiming it for himself.

"I was not expecting this," Inuyasha said softly as he followed Kagome through the threshold. Making sure the gate closed behind them, Kagome led the way, ducking slightly from some overhanging branches.

"My Mom loves gardening, especially after my Dad died. Most of this came from then."

"I see," he said, eyeing the landscaping.

Climbing the few steps, she slid the door open and stepped inside. "Mom! I'm home!" she called out, automatically flipping her shoes off before stepping up into the hallway.

"Shoes!" she heard that familiar, warm voice call back. "Don't just leave them all messy."

Kagome was already a few steps in before turning and quickly righting her shoes. "I know Mom. I'm not a kid anymore."

"Uh-huh," the voice returned, closer this time. Turning, Kagome found her Mom standing at the end of the hall, a warm smile on her face. She took a second, both of them looking each other over before Kagome rushed forward, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"You've gotten older." She felt the sting of her Mother's slap against her back before they separated.

"And you look thinner than on the TV."

Kagome shrugged, smiling. "They say TV adds 10 pounds."

"You aren't doing any of those stupid diets are you? Eating properly?"

"Of course Mom." She watched as her Mother's eyes tracked past her. "Oh, this is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, my Mother." For the briefest of moments, her mother looked at her, the faintest of eyebrow lifting in curiosity.

"Pleasure to meet you," Inuyasha said, offering his hand.

"It's not often my daughter brings home a guy," she said, taking his offered hand. "But a most welcome change."

"He's my boyfriend," Kagome said, answering her Mother's unasked question.

"And finding out about this from Kagome first and not the news. Either you're getting better at hiding things, or this is recent."

"A few months now."

"Oh, where are my manners? Come in! Come in! I'll go get some tea." She grinned over at Kagome. "It's your favorite."

Kagome smiled back as Inuyasha joined her at the end of the hall, still holding the bags. "Oh, just set them down there. We'll take it to my room later. Come on," she said, grabbing his hand. "I'll give you a quick tour."

oOOOo

Sango was getting antsy, but she couldn't figure out why. The day had actually been amazing. With Kagome taking off early, she managed to coax Kohaku into going to lunch with her before taking him to the hotel he would be staying at now that Inuyasha was with Kagome. She still couldn't get him to come back to her place to stay, but maybe that was for the best. She needed her space just as much as he wanted to stay out of it. So now she was in this big apartment, alone, and nothing to do for the next few days. No, that wasn't strictly true. There was still plenty she could be doing, but not doing it was so much better.

Laying on her couch, she tried watching TV, but nothing caught her interest. Going out and having some fun was out of the question too. As tempting as it was, she needed to stay relatively low key for the coming gauntlet. Reaching up, she grabbed her phone off the table. She read the text from Kagome telling her they had made it before scrolling down the contact list, sighing. A name caught her eye, bringing her scrolling to a stop. Lips pressed tightly together, she stared at it, debating in her mind. Do I, or do I not? She antagonized over it for a few minutes before pressing the button to create a new message. Fuck it. It'll be something to do tonight.

oOOOo

Miroku stretched as he rolled his neck, feeling all the small pops. Checking his watch, he paused to rub his eyes. Another long day was coming to a close. He was using this time to reinforce some sections of Inuyasha's machine while Elizabeth ran new wiring to the new engine area. He took a moment to admire his work. The chest where the cockpit was had a more roundish shape to it. The armor they removed had shed nearly a thousand pounds from the total weight. It was a risky move removing so much armor, but he hoped the more angled panels that now resided there deflected more than they absorbed. The arms were still long, though not as long as Hideki's machine. They also shifted some of the parts around the primary engine to make room for the new, more robust transmission they were going to install over the weekend. It was all risky, making so many adjustments to the machine before such an important series of races, but both Myoga and Sesshomaru decided it was worth the risk. Inuyasha and his brother were going to need all they possibly could milk from their machines if they stood a chance. Not that Miroku was too worried. They were both good machines, and the brothers were good drivers. It was all going to work out in the end.

"About time to call it a night," Elizabeth said, wiping her hands on a rag as she approached. She stifled a yawn. "Night crew is already here."

Seeing her yawn caused the familiar urge to rise in himself as he suppressed it. "Been here for a few hours now."

"I didn't even notice," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "I think we made the right decision to remove some of that chest armor."

"I hope your right. I'm a bit concerned now that I see it. Direct hits are going to do more damage to the cockpit armor.

She grinned. "Incentive not to get hit."

He chuckled. "If only it was that easy."

Rubbing at her nose, she took a deep breath. "Ready to head home?"

"Sure, give me a moment to clean up and I'll meet you out at the car," he said, feeling his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he glanced at the message as Elizabeth walked off. He wasn't sure whether he was more surprised at the name, or the message.

Hey hey. Feeling a bit lonely and bored. Want to keep me company? I'll make it worth your while.

He frowned at the wink emoji at the end of the message. Turning his phone sideways, he tapped at the screen. What's wrong? Get bored of your young friend already? He put the closest thing he could to a dismissive emoji and sent it, hoping she would catch on to the annoyed tone he was going for. He was still pissed for that stunt she pulled last time. It was humiliating being led around like a dog only to be traded out at the last minute. He was halfway to the locker room when his phone vibrated again.

First message was a sad face. A few seconds later, text followed. Don't be like that. I offered you to join us. Two is better than one. Less down time.

He didn't respond, putting the phone back in his pocket. Switching out of his filthy jumpsuit to his casual clothes, he paused to splash water on his face. He checked his phone again before leaving the locker room to find another message waiting for him.

I'm sorry for the way I treated you last time btw.

He sighed. I said I was a one-man show.Pressing send, he headed out of the locker room.

Now is your chance to prove it. Impress me and I'll make it worth your while.

He found Elizabeth leaning against her car, arms crossed as she watched her breath plume out in front of her. She straightened as she saw him approach. "Ready?" she asked. It took her half a second to detect something was off with him. "What's up?"

Miroku scratched at the back of his neck. "Slight change of plans." She raised an eyebrow. "Sango texted me," he said, looking guilty as he studied her reaction. For the most part, she didn't show any emotion. Instead, she simply gave a small nod.

"Okay. Hop in. I'll give you a lift," she asked, pointing back at her car.

"You would do that?"

"Well I'm not going to have you walk. It's fucking freezing out." She paused for a moment. "You meeting her at a hotel, or going to her place?"

"Her place."

"Have the address?" He nodded. "Okay, let's go," she said, opening the door. He walked around to the passenger side and climbed inside. "Sorry for making you do this."

She shrugged. "It is what it is."

They drove in silence. It was awkward, but Miroku had no idea what to say. It wasn't like he was going to give up this chance with Sango. For real this time. It wasn't going to be in some bathroom stall either. He felt bad for Elizabeth, but as she said, it is what it is.

"I would love to live here," Elizabeth said as she pulled over in front of the tower where Sango lived. Leaning forward, she glanced out the windshield, admiring the high-rise.

"If we both combine our incomes, we could probably afford a unit here."

She snorted. "Yeah right. Unless you are embezzling some funds I don't know about, we would both need to put in a lot of overtime." He grinned. "Well, get going. Your princess awaits."

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Uh-huh. Have fun." It felt odd hearing her say that to him, knowing what he was off to do.

"You know, that offer to join us is still on the table. I don't think it ever expires."

Her smile shrank a little. "You know the answer to that."

So it's still a no.. Maybe it would be possible to change her mind, but did he really want to do it? This was already an amazing setup he had. Why was he so obsessed with pushing things? Nodding, he got out of the car. Closing the door behind him, she waited a few seconds before driving off. Nodding to the doorman, he went through the revolving door, suddenly feeling woefully underdressed in such a luxurious lobby. There was a lot of gold, the floors made of white, polished marble with red rugs scattered about. He slowly made his way to the front desk, taking in the high ceilings and paintings that hung from the walls.

"How can I help you?" the woman asked, giving him a warm smile.

"Uh… I'm here for Sango."

"Your name?" she asked, typing in the computer.

"Miroku."

The woman nodded. "I was told to expect you." Leaning forward, she gestured over to his right. "Security is over there. Once you are past that, take the elevators to the fourteenth floor. She is room 1405." Pulling a plastic card from a stack, she slid it through the machine next to the computer. "This is a temporary key. It is for suite 1405 only and will expire in eight hours."

He took the offered plastic, looking at it uncertainly. "So uh… do I just go in?"

The woman nodded. "Those were her instructions."

"Okay. Thanks," he said, putting the card in his pocket. Walking over to the security checkpoint, he submitted himself to the full-body scan before they waved him through. After the elevator ride, he found himself in front of room 1405. With a big breath and some mental encouragement, he slid the card into the slot. He could hear the lock slide open and he cautiously opened the door.

"Hello?" he said loudly as he cautiously stepped inside. So this is how the super-rich live. It seemed oddly plain. Nice, yes, but not as decorated as he expected from someone like Sango. Unlike how she acted, she actually decorated fairly conservatively. Paintings, either fake or real, were hung around the walls in strategic positions that his eyes naturally gravitated towards. The kitchen was large, but looked untouched. Before him was the giant TV screen and couch. "Sango?" he called out to more silence. Don't tell me this is all another joke. If it was, she was putting a ton of effort into putting him down, and for what purpose? Standing in the area between the kitchen and the living room, he finally heard the sound of a bathroom fan. As he gradually moved towards it, he peeked into a room as he passed, finding a massive bed sitting inside. How many men have been in there? Tonight there would be another one added to its probably impressive record.

The door a few down opened, spilling light into the darkened hall and making him jump. Clad in a white towel, Sango stepped out, jumping when she saw him. "Jesus, you scared me," she said before going back to rubbing her hair dry. She smiled at his uncertain demeanor. "I'm glad you're here though. A little earlier than I expected," she said, giving a small gesture to her current dress. "Give me a minute to get dressed and I'll get you something to drink," she said, moving towards him.

"Why bother?"

"Just trying to be a good host. Besides, some guys like to undress me."

"Just 'some?'"

He could see her grin as he backed away, letting her slide past him as she moved towards her bedroom. "Okay, most." She paused, turning to look back at him. "Should I bother though?"

Miroku shrugged. "What else is there?"

There was something in the way she asked and moved that he couldn't quite get a read on. She was damn good at hiding things she didn't want others to see. Sexuality poured from her, nearly drowning him. Everything she did, how she moved, how she rested her hand against the door frame, even how she looked at him, all dripped with honey, baiting him ever closer. He was surprised he hadn't simply jumped her already. Still, underneath that, he felt like there was something else. He just couldn't figure out what. "A lot of fans like to talk and ask questions." The corner of her mouth pulled upward. "Or we could just skip to the part where you fuck me."

Spreading his hands out in front of him, he gave a nonchalant shrug. "I've always lived by the, 'give the woman what she wants' philosophy."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And how's that working for you?"

"Pretty damn good. From what I've experienced, women tend to want the same thing I do."

Standing in the doorway to her bedroom, Sango looked thoughtful as she mulled over his words. Reaching up with her hand, she untucked the towel. Suspending it in the air for a fraction of a second, she released it, sending it pooling at her feet. Miroku sucked in a sharp breath as his eyes roamed her naked body. Still leaning slightly against the doorframe, she made no effort to cover herself, letting him soak up her body with his eyes.

"So much better in person," he whispered, feeling the familiar tingling in his gut. This was the first time seeing her fully naked – and it was well worth the wait. A smile locked on her face, she slowly backed into her room. Like a lost puppy lured with food, he followed her in, his clothes soon joining the towel on the floor.

oOOOo

"This is an amazing home," Inuyasha said as Kagome's mother poured him tea. "For such a grand house, there is a humble aura here. It really makes it homely."

Smiling, she poured Kagome's. "Why thank you. I'm not sure my late husband would approve of what I did to it. He was always one for flashy."

Kagome laughed. "I remember when he bought the BMW. I don't ever think I've seen you so angry!"

Her mother huffed, remembering old emotions. "He used your college fund to buy it!"

Smiling, Kagome took a micro sip of tea. "I was well on my way to the G-2. It was pretty clear that I wasn't going to college. Even if I didn't climb as high as I did, I'm not the college type of girl."

Her mother crossed her arms. "Still, there was a lot we could have done with the money at the time."

"You let him keep it in the end."

"Oh, he had to beg for it," she said, grinning. She sighed, the grin fading. "But he really loved that car. He was always making sure you and Souta had what you needed that he barely did anything for himself. I just didn't have the heart to deny him his little indulgence."

"I remember he was out there every Sunday the weather was good, making sure it was polished and washed for the week." There was a long silence as the two reflected on their own thoughts. Inuyasha shifted uneasily, sipping at his tea. Since he didn't know the man, he had nothing to offer to the conversation, so he did the best thing he could and remained silent. "But on to more recent topics, where's Souta? I haven't seen him."

"Ah," her mother said, coming out of her contemplation, "He went out with friends from school earlier this morning. I told him you were coming but…" She sighed.

Kagome had a concerned look on her face. "Is this a good crowd?"

"What? Oh yes! They are a lovely group of people. Very polite and caring." Kagome seemed to relax at that. "It's just he's growing up, just like you. Pretty soon it will just be little old me in this big house."

"I should visit more often," Kagome said, looking down at her cup.

Her mother waved it aside. "Nonsense. I know you're busy." She smiled. "Besides, I'm finding ways to keep busy. I joined a gardening hobby club that meets every other week and I meet with a few women every month in a book club."

Smiling, Kagome nodded. "Well if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to let me know."

Reaching over, she held her daughters hand. "I know. Thank you." She laughed lightly, taking her hand back to sip some tea. "Never did I think I would be getting a monthly allowance from my daughter. If I had known, I wouldn't have been so stingy with yours." She looked over at Inuyasha. "But I'm afraid we have been keeping poor Inuyasha out of the conversation."

He looked up from his cup. "What? Oh no! Don't mind me."

"Nonsense! This is the first time Kagome's introduced a man to me in years." Her eyes shifted sideways to glance at Kagome. "Usually I find out on the news."

He could see Kagome's face turn a few shades redder. "Mom, please."

She waved her hand in a dismissive motion. "I know all about the racing lifestyle. Still, I'm glad you are moving on from—"

"Don't say his name. Please," Kagome said quickly.

"Sorry." She looked over at Inuyasha. "And just how did you two meet?"

Clearing his throat, Inuyasha sat up straighter. "I regret to inform you, your daughter is a stalker."

"You liar!" Kagome said, shocked as she looked at him open mouthed.

"She has been following me for months now. I can't seem to shake her off."

"Bastard!" she said, hitting him in the shoulder as her mother laughed.

"Kagome never was one to let something interesting out of her sight. She can be stubborn, just like her Father was."

Kagome let out a huff, crossing her arms. "It really wasn't like that. I was trying to do research on an unknown rival." She glanced over at Inuyasha. "I found something even better."

"You have no idea how happy this makes me!" her mother said, setting her cup down. She gave Inuyasha a pointed look. "But it is my parental duty to warn you, if you break her heart, I will hunt you down."

With a nervous smile, Inuyasha nodded. "I won't do that."

"Please Mom. No need to make this anymore awkward for him."

She sighed. "Fine, fine. You have to let me have that one though. I don't think your Father would forgive me for giving up his precious treasure without some fight."

As the conversation turned once more to Kagome's Father, Inuyasha sat back and watched the two talk. He could see how important this trip was for her and was glad he fought to make it happen. This was the most relaxed he had ever seen her. The smiles were genuine and the tension in her shoulders had all but disappeared. Even her laugh sounded natural and free. Hiding his smile behind his cup, he let the two talk, content with his view of a Kagome he had never seen before. She was almost radiant. Eventually, she caught him staring.

"What?" she asked, somewhat defensively.

He smiled, shaking his head. "Nothing."

"Okay," she said, looking slightly flustered by his stare. It didn't take long for her mother to pull her back into conversation. So this is the true Kagome. This was the woman he loved. The carefree way she laughed, how she always had that beaming smile. She looked absolutely radiant. The doors to her emotions were wide open, the walls unguarded. For the first time, she was truly open. He knew it wouldn't last. Once they were back on the plane, her mask would return, the guards back on alert, locking down her heart. Now, how do I keep her like this? Or if that was impossible, how does he get inside before the doors closed and locked again? This would be his only opportunity for the foreseeable future, and he only had a few days as a window. He had a lot of work to do.

oOOOo

On the other side of the world, Sango was cumming. Her mouth in an 'O' as her hands gripped her bed covers. Her first meeting with him in that stall months ago had been a teaser. As good as it had been, the real thing was so much better. Fucking hell, she thought, staring up at the ceiling as her body quivered slightly from the wave of pleasure rolling through her. If I had known it would be this good, I'd have done this a long time ago.

"Oh god," she gasped, her legs tensing as she felt another orgasm building. Plenty of men were willing to go down on her, but few had any real skill. Miroku on the other hand, he was a miracle worker. A divine prophet sent to deliver her the great and glorious message of the 'Big O.' "Oh god, oh god!" she gasped, voice getting louder as she grew ever closer, his tongue running along her slit, flicking at her sensitive clit. The key was his focus was not solely on just any one area – a trap many men seemed to fall into. He seemed to be everywhere at once. Hitting one area, then quickly shifting to another, always stimulating her from another angle when she least expected it, never giving her a chance to calm down. It was why she was nearly on the edge of orgasm for the past… Who the hell cares? It never seemed to end – not that she wanted it to. She had lost count of how many times she came by now, blurring them into one continuous ride of pleasure. When his fingers joined the fray, she utterly lost it.

"No more! No more please!" she squealed. She screamed, losing utter control over herself as his finger plunged into her as his tongue assaulted her sensitive clit, bringing about the most intense orgasm of the night so far. Feeling the heat of his breath and face leave her, she collapsed back against the bed, still shaking from her climax. Her chest rose and fell as she gasped for breath. Her limbs felt like rubber as she stared, disoriented at the ceiling above her. The entire room seemed to spin as she sucked in precious oxygen.

"How am I doing so far?" she heard him ask. His voice sounded far away, yet smug. He has every right to be smug. He knew what he was doing, and it was clear by her current state that he was having an effect.

"Fuck," was all she managed to gasp out, her voice barely a whisper.

"If that's what you want," he said. It took her a second to realize what was about to happen as she felt his hands against the inside of her legs, spreading them wider for him to squeeze between.

She barely had the energy to lift her head, watching as he positioned himself. He paused for a moment, letting her see his enlarged member standing proudly before him, a grin on his face. "Oh no," she moaned softly. "Give me a moment to rest. I need to catch my breath." Her skin was slick with sweat, her entire body felt like a furnace, heat radiating from her. Fortunately, Miroku wasn't in the mood for waiting. Pulling himself back slightly, he positioned himself at her entrance. She barely had time to register his tip pressing against her well moistened entrance before he was inside. Throwing her head back, she let out a guttural moan as he filled her. The only word she could use to describe it was magical.

She had often wondered about the mysterious g-spot. She usually leaned more towards myth than reality. Sango, like Kagome, was a sensitive woman and was blessed with the ability to orgasm with penetration, but it wasn't always a sure thing. It depended a lot on the man and his ability. If his hands were idle, usually she was going to have a rough time hitting climax. For Miroku, she was a converted believer. Maybe it had been the position, but this was not the same as that cramped stall. His thrusts were steady, slow, and powerful. Each time he slammed against her, she slid on the bed. Powerful hands clenched at her waist, locking her in place. It wasn't the force that got her, or even the fact that she was still sensitive from her recent chain of orgasms. When she had first seen him in all his glory, she had been disappointed with what he offered. She had misremembered their first time, mistaking him for another man that had been absolutely huge. He was more on the modest size, but a nice girth. Now that he was actually inside her, she was ashamed to have misjudged it. Over her life, she had hundreds of men inside her, all with their different shapes and sizes, each bringing a slightly unique way they brought her pleasure. Miroku was in a realm completely different than anything she had experienced before. Each time he drove himself into her, he hit something she had never experienced before. It was like a spike being driven into her gut, only instead of pain, it was pleasure unlike anything she felt before. Maybe a man had nudged it a time or two and she had forgotten it, but Miroku was consistent. Each time, he drove into the same spot, and it was making her melt into the bed. She might have thought it was deliberate, except his face had a goofy oh-my-god-it-feels-so-good expression as he tipped his head back.

She felt like crying, unable to hold back the flood of emotions running through her. Her moans seemed woefully inadequate to express how good she was feeling. Even those were lost in her cry of passion as she orgasmed, tightening around him. He made it worse by switching to a more brutal jackhammer pace, encouraged by the increased tightness around him. That only made her cum quicker, her voice raw as she screamed, powerless to stop the pleasure that overwhelmed her. She heard her name being called over and over, each one becoming more intense.

Then it was over. Utterly spent, she lay exhausted, body unwilling and unable to move. Staring up, she listened to him grunt. Inside her, she could feel him throb as he ejected powerful streams of his seed into her. For the first time in recent memory, she was completely sated. More than sated. It felt like she had gorged on delicious food and was now bloated to the point that bordered on pain. God damn can this man cum! He was making weak grunts as he made micro thrusts into her, still milking out a few measly spurts, his throbbing weaker, but still noticeable. Finally, he stopped, his breath ragged as she felt him begin to soften inside her. His gaze fell on her chest, but it was more like he was looking through her than at anything in particular. He looked just as ragged as she felt. He managed to find the energy to pull himself out. It felt like a damn bursting as fluid oozed out of her. It hadn't just been her imagination, he really had unloaded a staggering amount. Usually it took a guy a few times – or a few men – to feel like she did.

He flopped to the bed beside her, joining her in staring up at the ceiling. I really should put a TV or something up there. She smiled at the thought. She did spend a good amount of time staring at it.

"And?" he asked, still breathing heavily. "Have I impressed?"

She shook her head – or tried to at least. The reality was more like rolling it from side to side. "I think you just ruined sex for me forever." He chuckled lightly. "No seriously. I don't think I've ever experienced something like that, and I have a lot of experience."

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it. I certainly did."

She sighed. "Normally, I'd be looking for a second round." She let out a groan. "But I'm drained. Completely."

Another chuckle. "I don't think I could manage, even if you wanted to. Give me a bit."

She sighed, content. "Take all the time you need."

This guy… he's a keeper. There was no way in hell she was going to let this one go. So far, everything about this was perfect. He had a carefree, no-strings-attached policy and that monster he was packing! She wasn't sure how it was with other women, but it was her perfect match. It was hard to resist the urge to lock him in this room forever and use him as her own personal sex toy. Tempting as it was, she was a generous woman. Such wonder was too much for any one woman to horde. It deserved to be shared and enjoyed by as many as possible. A sudden thought hit her, something she had never been concerned about before, which made the whole thing odd. As wondrous and amazing as it was for me… what about him? She rarely cared about how her partner felt, rather if she got off or not was all that mattered. Rolling her head over, she fixed her gaze at him.

"How was it for you? Everything you hoped for?" It surprised her how much anxiety asking it caused.

"Better," he said, relaxing her considerably. "I was a little pissed off how you treated me last time, but this more than made up for it." She rolled over, half onto him. Sango knew she was smearing cum over his leg as she straddled it, but if she could deal with it leaking out of her, he could stand a bit on his leg. What really surprised her was the kiss she planted on him. Long and demanding. He seemed a bit surprised as well, but rolled with it, wrapping her in his arms as he matched her enthusiasm. Pulling away for breath, she looked in his eyes.

"That normal?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She smiled. "No. Consider it a special perk for a special man."

He considered that for a moment. "Works for me."

"Good." She kissed him again. It was just one of many for the night.

oOOOo

Kagome quietly sat next to her mother, joining her as they looked up at the night sky. Like all cities, there wasn't much to look at. Still, it was a peaceful night.

"Where's Inuyasha?" her mother asked, glancing over at her.

"I left him in the room to get the futon ready."

Her mother nodded slowly, looking back up at the sky. "He's a special one, isn't he?" Kagome nodded, not saying anything. "I'm actually surprised you two are together."

"Oh?"

Nodding, she continued. "I read the news."

It took Kagome a few minutes to put the pieces together to find what she was referring to. She smiled. "That was his brother, Hideki."

Arching an eyebrow, she glanced over at Kagome. "The one with the fiancé?"

Kagome nodded, bringing her knees to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them. "Hideki is a womanizer like most men in his position. Inuyasha's different," she added quickly.

"And what about you?" Before Kagome could answer, she continued. "And before you deny it, remember, I read the news."

Sighing, she tightened her hold on her legs. "I'm seeing someone who's helping me with my problem."

"Problem?" she asked, a concerned look moving over her face. "Something wrong?"

"I've been with a lot of men. Inuyasha's been…" She hesitated for a long moment. "Supportive. More than he should for a guy in his position. I'm trying to straighten myself out."

Her Mom scooted closer to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Automatically, Kagome leaned her head against her. "You know I'm not judging you, right?" she asked softly. "You're an adult. I trust you to make your own decisions to bring you happiness. Whatever they may be."

"I love him. I really do," Kagome said softly.

"I can see that." While Kagome couldn't see it, she heard the smile in her Mother's voice. "I haven't seen you this happy since—" She caught herself. "Well, a long time."

"Mom, can I ask you something personal? It's okay if you don't want to answer."

She heard her chuckle. "Honey, you're an adult, and I have a feeling you are more anxious about hearing than I will answering it."

Kagome could feel her face heat. She was certainly right about that. "Was Dad your only?"

"Believe it or not, your Mom was quite popular back in the day. That was before two wonderful kids and a lot of beautiful years raising them."

"Please, you still got it. Definite MILF material."

Her mother snorted. "Please. You flatter me with those lies. Still, please continue telling them," she said between laughs. "But to answer your question: no. Your Father was not the first, but he was the last. There was nothing casual about any of them. Each one I had been dating for quite some time, though some were more serious than others. In the end, things just didn't work out. When I started dating your Father," she tipped her head back, remembering a distant memory, "there was something special about it. I know it sounds corny, but I just knew he was the one."

"I'm a terrible person," Kagome said softly.

"Rubbish."

Kagome shook her head against her mother. "I've been with so many men since I started dating Inuyasha… I know what it's doing to him, but I can't stop."

Her Mother gave her a squeeze. "If there is one thing I know about you, it's that you can do anything you put your mind to." She grinned. "And I'm not just feeding you that garbage any parent feeds their kid. I mean it. Just look at you. Kagome Higurashi, the best racer in the world in one of the most competitive sports in the world. So many men and women have tried to get where you are, but they are not there, you are."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks Mom." She had no idea how good that made her feel. For the first time, she felt like maybe, just maybe, she actually could pull it off.

"Just… do whatever makes you happy. I understand that you love Inuyasha and want to make things work, just don't lose yourself. Take a moment to look at yourself, really look at yourself. The good, the ugly, everything. Look at yourself and make your decision from there." She rubbed Kagome's arm softly. "If Inuyasha is worth the effort of changing yourself, let nothing stop you. If not… Well, there are plenty of men out there to help you forget."

"Mom!"

"I'm just saying! You are in a position where you can do so much more than the average person. Embrace it. Do what makes you happiest, and to hell with anyone who judges you."

Kagome gnawed on her lip, looking out at the pond. A gentle breeze ruffled the leaves of the plants, joining the gentle bubbling of the tiny rock step waterfall that fed the pond. "This wasn't exactly what I was hoping to hear."

"Oh?"

Kagome gave a humorless chuckle. "I was expecting you to encourage me to latch on to Inuyasha."

"You have no idea how much I want you to do that." Kagome looked up at her, surprised. "What? He's a nice boy. So polite. It's was a little disorienting at first, with him having the same face as Hideki."

"They are light-years apart in personality though. So far, I have trouble picturing them as brothers."

"Sorry I wasn't able to help you more."

Kagome shook her head. "No. This was more than enough. I have a solid start point now. It's more than I had." Her Mother gave her another quick rub.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Just know, whatever you decide, I'm always behind you."

Smiling, Kagome gave her mother a peck on the cheek. "Thanks."

"Can you do me a favor tonight?"

"Hmm?"

"Keep it down tonight?"

Kagome's face flushed red. "Mom!" After a few seconds, she nodded. "I'll try."

Her Mom patted her on the leg. "Thanks."

oOOOo

Kagome wondered if she would ever meet Souta's gang. Of course she would. It didn't seem like he had any choice. A lot of them seemed to be fans of hers. Considering how much praise her Mother had showered on them, she was more than happy to give them all personal autographs. It was nice seeing Souta with such a tight-knit group. There was a lot of laughter. Cute too, seeing how one of the girls obviously had a major crush on him. Whether anything was going on between them was a mystery. I'll have to play Big Sister later. Knowing him, he probably hasn't even noticed it. It was obvious. So much so, Inuyasha even picked up on it. There was only one person in the group that rubbed Kagome the wrong way. He was a little brasher than she expected to be hanging around with Souta, who was generally very reserved. Souta was nothing but praise for the kid, saying that personality aside, he was brilliant and more than a few breakthroughs are in large part to him. Still, in a rare moment alone, he had heavily implied that he wouldn't mind a fan appreciation moment. Basically, he wanted to screw her. For one, even without Inuyasha, the boy didn't have a chance in hell. He was a friend of Souta. No way would she ever do that to him.

"We are working on a new drive engine prototype," he said, excitement in his voice as he explained to her what they were working on now that all his friends had left. "It still has a long way to go, but it is nearly half the size for the same output. It will also use less fuel."

"Wow. I'm glad someone in this family is putting their mind to use," Kagome said, leaning back in her chair, genuinely impressed. She had no idea her brother was working on something so awesome – or that he was so smart. It was clear that while he was relatively reserved, even in his group of friends, they were all looking towards him. Even his asshole friend.

"Sadly, even if we get it to work, it's going to the military first. The project is funded by a joint US-Japan defense grant. The lead of the project is actually American. Apparently, they want to use it to power a next-gen VTOL transport craft. The idea is to replace helicopters in that role. Imagine, a troop transport that could hit the altitude and speed of a jet aircraft, yet hover in place like a helicopter."

"Don't they already have something like that?" Inuyasha asked.

Souta nodded. "Yeah, but it's clunky and the thrust limits the size. There is still a lot of engineering that needs to be done by others, but this new engine will be a big help in making it happen." He looked over at Kagome. "And it helps not having to worry about tuition. Even with the scholarships, I'd have drained both mine and Kagome's college fund a year ago."

Kagome crossed her arms. "I'm just surprised that the government isn't paying for it – or even the school, considering how important it sounds."

Souta shrugged. "I don't know the politics behind it all, but they made it clear I have a job if I want it after school. Sure, the salary isn't anything next to what you make, but I was surprised to see what they offered for someone right out of college."

"You going to take it?" Kagome asked.

There was some hesitation. "I don't know."

"It sounds like an amazing opportunity."

"Of course it is, but there are two problems. One, it's for the US military. I know most things eventually get filtered down to civilian versions, but I'm still designing weapons of war. Two, and most importantly, it's in America."

Their mother sighed. "And I've told you countless times, don't worry about me. You're gone so often now, you might as well be living out on your own."

He shrugged. "I still have another year before I graduate. I'll see what's open then."

"Well your Big Sis is proud of you, whatever you decide to do."

Souta glanced over at Inuyasha. "I've seen your races. Pretty impressive."

"Thanks."

"Still have a long way to go before you can properly face my sister."

"Souta, be nice," Kagome warned. He seemed unusually aggressive.

He shrugged. "Just telling it how I see it. He's sloppy on his turns. Doesn't press openings in his opponents like he should. Honestly, it's pretty painful sometimes. You can't be timid out there."

"Ouch," Inuyasha said, smiling.

"Souta!"

"No, he's right," Inuyasha said, nodding. "There are quite a few people who would fill the slot better than me."

"Eh, you have promise. Just have to be more aggressive."

Kagome tightened her arms across her chest. "And when did you become a racing expert?"

"I've been watching you race since forever. I think I've picked up on enough to have some input." He looked between the both of them. "But isn't it awkward? Racing against someone your dating?"

They looked at each other. They both answered at the same time.

"Kind of."

"Not really," Kagome finished, a half second after him.

Souta laughed as they eyed each other, somewhat surprised by the others answer. It reminded Kagome that even though they were close, there was still so much they had to learn about each other. After the HEAT races… Yes, she would be busy with training and sponsor work, but there would be far more time available to both of them and the schedule would be far more flexible. Then, they were going to be spending some serious time together. Soon, she thought, giving him a smile.

oOOOo

Kagome hadn't had sex in her room since her last year of high school. There was a bit of a thrill, knowing that her family were close by. She kept her voice down, breathing hard as she rocked against Inuyasha. Her breasts swayed slightly as her hips spun in gentle circles. It had taken some coaxing to get him to play, but there was no way she wasn't going to take advantage of their time together. There was almost a therapeutic feel to their lovemaking. The built up stress simply melted away, leaving her lightheaded. With her eyes closed, it almost felt like she was floating.

Maybe it was the new location, or the fear of being caught, but Inuyasha didn't last like he normally did. For once, Kagome wasn't too concerned with it. It had been fun. Tying the condom off, she wrapped it in a few tissues and tossed it in the garbage, making a mental note to take it out later. For now, she was still expecting another go later.

What really surprised her, was that Inuyasha wasn't finished. With a curious gaze, she watched as he slowly slid down, his head finding its way between her legs. A whimper escaped her lips as his tongue found her sensitive spots. It was a long process, but he eventually finished her off, biting her finger to keep her voice to whimpers.

"Better?" he asked, face appearing in the dark, barely visible through the moonlight from the window. She nodded as he leaned in to kiss her. She could taste herself on his lips, but didn't much care. By this point, she was used to it because of Sango. "I'll do better next time."

"Inuyasha," she said softly. "You're doing fine." Her voice was a whisper as she reached up to gentle caress his cheek. "Don't ever feel like your lacking in any capacity. You make me happy. You know that, right?"

She could tell he wasn't looking at her anymore, his eyes more in the direction of her chest than her face, but there wasn't anything sexual about it. "I know, but I can tell."

"What?"

"I need to do better."

"Inuyasha…"

"I've seen the video's Kagome. I know what you sound like, how you look when you are in total bliss."

"That's unfair. This is totally different than that."

"Is it?"

"Absolutely." Her voice was firm. "Is this the best sex I've had? No. But this isn't just sex Inuyasha. I've had plenty of sex, both bad and good. This is something so much more." She reached up to tilt his chin up so he was looking at her eyes. "We didn't have sex, we made love. You may not know the difference, but I do. There is something so much deeper about what we have than simple pleasure."

"I just want to satisfy you."

"You do!" she said, a little louder than she wanted.

"Do I? If that was the case, a lot of problems would be solved." She knew what he was talking about. "Why do I have to work so hard to get you off? I've seen other men do it with so little effort, yet I have to do so much."

Kagome felt the beginning of tears threatening to form. "I don't want to make you feel inadequate, honestly I don't. That's not the case at all."

"Then why?"

Realizing that she was still on top of him, she dismounted, sliding in beside him. She took it as a good sign that he wrapped his arm around her. Feeling the heat of his body against hers was comforting. She bit her lip gently, putting together the words in her mind. "There is something animalistic about it. I love that feeling. It's pleasure for the sake of pleasure. For you… there is emotion. Real emotion." She paused, trying to figure out a way to explain it. "With you, it's always controlled. I don't want to be like this wild affair. I love how you make me feel special, how you care so much."

"That makes no sense. If you love it so much, why is it so difficult for me to pleasure you?"

"I honestly have no idea. I'm… not used to this. But you have to understand, just because I didn't orgasm, doesn't mean I'm not satisfied. Well, maybe a little, but!" she added quickly. "When someone else doesn't get me to cum, I get temperamental, like I was promised something and it wasn't delivered. For you, I'm happy either way because I know you felt good." She gave him a quick kiss on the chest, patting it lovingly with her free hand. "Besides, you always get me there, even if it does take a bit longer."

There was a brief silence. "Would it help if there was another guy helping?"

She jerked upright, holding herself up with her elbow. "What?"

He didn't meet her eye. "I mean exactly what it sounds like. I've been thinking about it and—"

"What the fuck." He jerked to a stop, giving her a surprised look. This time, tears really were falling. "I am trying Inuyasha. I know, I fuck up, but I am trying. Don't… don't tempt me like this."

He reached up to her. "I'm sorry." She lurched away from him, turning her back to him. Tears of anger rolled down her checks as she struggled to stop them. But her anger wasn't directed at him. No, this was her fault. She had been worried that she would eventually push him away. That he would get sick of it all and finally give her the boot. Now she realized how wrong she had been. Here he was, offering to step over the line he himself had drawn. It's not completely my fault. As easy as she could blame herself, Inuyasha was guilty too. Once more, he was bending over backwards for someone else, willing to throw out his principles for the sake of someone he loved. All at a time when she needed him to be strong. How am I supposed to fight this, if he won't even fight for himself?

The mood shattered, there would be no more lovemaking tonight. Inuyasha pulled the covers over both of them and cautiously draped his arm over her. She didn't fight him, but didn't answer his soft goodnight. Instead, she closed her eyes and forced herself to go to sleep.

oOOOo

Now that he had bathed and dressed for the morning, Inuyasha still felt like crap. He had fucked up last night. He was still trying to understand what Kagome was telling him. Contextually, he understood what she had told him, but emotionally, it just didn't click. She enjoyed being with him, but didn't. It just didn't make sense. While he expected his proposal would get one of several reactions, anger was definitely not one of them. He honestly thought she would be happy. It was a nice middle ground. He could handle another guy every so often. It was certainly better then how it was now. She would be doing great, a blink, and she was screwing two guys in the same night. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do.

Wondering through the house, he searched for Kagome, who had been missing when he woke up. Stepping out onto the front porch, he found her mother standing on the path, admiring a plant. "Keep me company for a moment," she said as he turned around to leave her in peace. Slowly, he joined her on the path.

"If you're looking for Kagome, she's in her Father's study." She looked over at him, a smile on her face. "I think she needs a moment. You two had quite the argument last night."

He could feel his face flush. "You heard?"

"Kagome was never as quiet as she thought she was – or maybe she thinks the walls are thicker than they are." She let out a light laugh. "I remember when she was still in high school, she snuck a boy in at night. Her Father was always so protective of her and it took everything I had to keep him from going in there and busting her." She smiled. "It's not easy listening to your daughter become a woman, but I respect her enough to make her own decisions. Fortunately, it didn't last long." Her smile faded into a frown. "Now I did fly into a rage when I found out she didn't use protection. I set that straight pretty quickly, but they have all sorts of fancy pills and drugs for all that now, don't they?" Inuyasha didn't answer, taken aback by her open candor. She studied him for a moment. "Are you thinking if I was stricter with her, she would have ended up differently?" He shook his head and she gave a curt nod, approving of his answer. "Because she was different. Before Hojo."

"I saw the video."

"I know that probably wasn't easy. I've seen clips of it, back when it was newsworthy." Her expression turned sour. "Just because you censor a few area's doesn't give you the right to air someone's private business." She sighed. "Kagome was never quite the same after that. When she finally did dump that scum – well, you know the rest."

"I just want to make her happy."

Her mom smiled, resting her hand on his arm. "And you do. You are too close to see it clearly, but the difference from when she last visited to now is night and day." She gave him a sad smile. "Sadly, I can't give you any magical advice that would make this all better. Believe me, I wish I had something. The curse of being an adult. There are no easy answers anymore. You finally see the world for what it is, a mess of greys, not black and white." He sighed, looking towards the ground. "Just… Know that Kagome loves you. I don't have to be her mother to see that."

He gave a weak smile. "Thanks."

She smiled. "I wish I could help more." She motioned him to get closer. "But I know something that will take your mind off this unpleasant business. I need someone tall to help be prune some branches. It's getting a bit out of control."

oOOOo

Kagome knelt in her Father's study. It was pretty Spartan in terms of decorations. This was her Father's place to go when he needed to think. He had always been into meditation. His desk was gone, the shrine taking its place. She had lit an incense stick, trying to remember the proper way to do this. He had shown her so long ago with her grandparents, but she had been a kid then, not to mention living in America at the time. Learning Japanese traditions was pretty low on the priority list. So many things I never paid much attention to. Staring at his smiling picture, she fought back some tears. He was a Japanese through and through. It was upsetting to her that she had forgotten just how fuzzy her memories had become. Yes, she knew he was Japanese, but that was factual information she remembered. Both her and her brother leaned more towards her American mother. Yes, they had the brown eyes and black hair, but their skin was lighter and eyes were more Mother than his. When she tried to picture him, it was so hard to conjure up what he actually looked like. Nothing as clear as the picture that sat before her.

"God, it really has been a long time," she whispered, sitting back on her legs. She took a deep breath, looking at the photo. "What would you think of your little princess now? I haven't conducted myself in a very princess-like manner, have I?" Breathing in the sharp smell of incense, she continued. "I really wish you were still here. You always seemed to have the answers to everything. It didn't matter what it was, you always knew what to do." She laughed. "Or at least pretended you did. I still remember when you got us lost on that hiking trip. Mom was so mad, but you just marched on ahead, convinced you were leading us back. If not for that park ranger, we would have never made it out."

She smiled sadly. "Of course, I know you would have kicked my ass the moment you saw that stupid video with Hojo and set me straight right then and there." She spread her hands helplessly before her. "But here I am, stuck between two lives. On one hand, I have Inuyasha. I really think you would have liked him. He's such a nice man and deserves so much better than what I have to offer. I love him. Had I met him years ago…" She laughed. "I'd probably be introducing you to your grandchildren now." Her smiled faded. "But that's not all." She gave her other hand a small shake. "On the other hand, I have Sango. You probably would hate her, but I love her as well. Not… like Inuyasha. He's a special category of his own, probably like you and Mom. That doesn't change the fact that I love her. There is just so much energy about her, it's hard not to get swept up in it all." Her face tightened. "And that's the problem. I do get swept up. I've done the drugs, I've had sex – so much of it with so many different people."

She averted her eyes. "Yes, I know you wouldn't like that one bit, but I do. I hate admitting it, but I enjoy it so much that I actually find myself finding myself debating – seriously – on whether I want to continue it, or be with the man I love. Stupid, isn't it? That I actually have to sit and contemplate if I would rather continue to slut myself out rather than be with the man I love. It should be a no-brainer."

She fell silent, turning inward as she mulled things over. She found herself seriously considering Inuyasha's offer. It might have helped in the short term, but what about longer term? Once they crossed that line, where did they stop? They invite another man to bed, then two. Eventually, Inuyasha would finish, only to watch as others had their turn with her. She knew it would happen, because the thought actually excited her a little – which immediately told her it was a no-no. And why stop at men? Kagome enjoyed women too. Yes, Inuyasha didn't necessarily have to do much with the other woman, but eventually, it would probably happen. Then what? Would he be like Hideki? If so, would there be anything special left between them? Without that bond, she would move on to more exciting prospects. So it all circled back to one decision. Inuyasha, or Sango?

Damn it!

There was a knock at the door. Looking over her shoulder, she found Inuyasha sliding the door open. "Oh, sorry," he said seeing her kneeling before the shrine. "I'll come back."

"No," she said, pushing herself up. Her knees hurt, making her a bit unstable as she stood. How long have I been kneeling here? The incense stick was long burned to ash. "I was just finishing."

He scratched nervously at the back of his head. "I'm sorry for last night. I said something stupid."

"Yeah, you did," Kagome said bluntly. He nodded, but said nothing more. She took a deep breath. "Inuyasha, I am only going to say this once. If you offer me that again, I will take it."

"I understand."

"No, I don't think you do." He blinked, looking at her in confusion. "If you waver again, you will lose me. I will fuck and fuck and fuck and nothing will ever stop me. Do you understand?" His eyes were wide, but he managed to nod. She took a step closer. "I need you to be strong. I need you to be my lighthouse. Can you do that?" Her voice was soft as she pressed a hand against his chest. "I'm going to fuck up. I know I am. But I will continue to see Zoey. Every week without fail. I'll fill out her stupid little book. I'll get better. Little by little, less names will go into that book. I promise you that, just… don't offer me that again." She leaned her head against his chest, tightening her grip on his shirt. She felt his arms wrap around her. "I want you to, so badly it hurts. I want you to give me permission to go wild, enjoy myself, but never give me that. Promise me. Never ever give me permission. No matter how much I beg you. Don't indulge me, or you will lose me or worse – I'll drag you down with me."

"Okay."

She separated slightly, looking up at him. "And please, please stop comparing yourself to other men in bed. I am choosing you, you Inuyasha," she said, driving a finger into his chest. "That should end all discussion about the subject there."

"I got it."

She gave a curt nod. "Good." Standing up on her toes, she managed to kiss him on the lips, a smile on her face. "Good. Now come here, let me introduce you to my Father…"

oOOOo

Kikyo woke up, a hand in her face. It took a second for the events of last night to trickle back in. Things with Hideki were tense. He was still pissed at her – at her! – for the other day. Since he didn't talk to her much anymore, it was more in his actions. The way he brushed her off when she did try to talk to him, or how he gave single word answers to her questions. And classic Hideki, he simply decided to do what he always did and brought a woman home last night. In his own, childish way, he had barely touched her the entire night. The woman was more than happy to please her, but it was clear Hideki was trying to punish her. The anger flared anew as she crawled out of bed and got into the shower. She looked at the ring on her finger as she let the hot water wash over her. Taking a deep breath, she set her jaw and turned the water off. Dry and dressed, she ignored the two sleeping on the bed.

She went through the day like any other. She saw the woman out after letting her use the shower and giving her a small breakfast. She was surprisingly civil, but the girl was a fan. No sense pissing her off for something that was between her and Hideki. What truly pissed her off was the smug attitude Hideki had as he strutted around the house as if daring her to do something about it. He was the king of the house and he wanted her to fall in line.

Kikyo knew Hideki. She waited until he left for his nightly prowl. She knew it was coming, there was no way he was done with his petty display of dominance. But she was about to show him that he wasn't the only one who could play. Selecting one of her more risqué outfits, a fitted black dress that ended halfway between her knees and waist. It showed more cleavage then she was comfortable with, but it accented her curves so well. Some makeup and perfume and she was ready to hit the town. Armed with Hideki's credit card, the doorman got her a taxi and she headed for downtown.

It had been a long time since she had been in the club scene. It was overwhelming, the music, the dancing –if you could call it that now – and the blinding lights. She had been worried about flirting. It had been so long since she had ever seriously flirted with another man, and considering how Hideki and Inuyasha were, she wasn't confident in what skills she did still hold onto. A few drinks to loosen her up and an hour on the dance floor, it turns out she had nothing at all to worry about. It was actually flattering how men were throwing themselves at her. It felt… good. The men wanted her. Yes, they were just after a one-night stand, but so was she. Knowing that she had several to choose from was almost intoxicating. It swelled her self-confidence. She ended up choosing the buff one. It was clear he never missed a day at the gym, and to be honest, it was a little off-putting. Still, he was completely different than Hideki, who was in shape, but nothing like this.

With him in tow, she took him to a nearby hotel. It was the nicest one there, which she paid for with Hideki's card. It wasn't until she entered the room that her confidence faltered. That euphoria from the mix of alcohol and anger at Hideki had given away to reality. She was here with another man. This was for real. It wasn't a friendly face this time, she had never seen this man before, and if it went as planned, never would see him again.

Her jaw quivered as she felt his hands against her skin, the sound of a zipper running down her back. Her dress grew loose on her and was soon on the floor. She hadn't bothered with anything under it.

"God damn girl! You look so hot!" he said, before diving his face between her breasts. Gasping, his tongue ran across her breasts as he grabbed them in hand, playing with her nipple in one hand while suckling the other. It was growing more real with each passing moment. She was backed towards the bed, he was shedding clothes as he followed. He nearly laid on her as he sucked at her breast, the other hand running along her slit. She was suddenly glad she had touched up the area the other day, a perfect runway leading to the hanger.

He paused for a minute, eyeing her questioningly. "First time cheating on your man?"

"W-what?" she asked, shocked.

He nodded towards the ring on her finger. "If you want to keep that part on the D/L, might want to take off the ring next time."

"Oh," she said sickeningly. Still, it didn't feel right to take it off.

To her surprise, the man propped himself on one of his large arms. "Babe, if you want to call it off, now is the time. We can blame it on the booze and go our separate ways."

"You'd do that?"

He grinned. "Well… I'd like for you to at least blow me – or a quick hand before we part."

She gave him a small smile. "Thank you for the offer but… Have a condom."

He laughed. "Hoping you would pick that." Like magic, a condom appeared in his hand. "No worries. I'm going to fuck you so hard, you won't have time to think about him."

She felt her throat tighten as she forced a smile, anxiety turning her stomach around. Seeing him rise above her, his cock standing proud behind him as he expertly rolled the condom on it. It was… big? There was precious few to compare it to but – Holy shit! He wasted no time getting it in her and the man wasn't there to mess around. He slammed into her with purpose. His large hands clasped down on her breasts, squeezing them and playing with them as though they were putty.

"Fuck yeah babe," he grunted, "Take it! Take it all!"

She suspected that she had little choice in the matter – not that she really cared. This was a new level of rough, one that she had not been prepared for. There was little concern for her pleasure. Despite what how he acted before, he was just using her to get off. But she found that it didn't really matter. The roughness surprised her, but it didn't take her long before she was enjoying it.

"Fuck me," she commanded, gasping through clenched teeth. She could hear a wet slapping noise as he slammed against her. "Come on! Fuck me! Fuck me harder!"

It was painful, it was rough. Her breasts were especially tender, not used to this kind of abuse. But just as quickly as it started, it was over. With loud grunts and a rhythmic, "Yeah baby," repeated over and over, he filled the condom and pulled out.

Taking a deep breath, he released it slowly. "You okay?"

She nodded, out of breath. Her breasts were sore and her pussy throbbed, but the fear she felt before was gone. No other words were exchanged. She watched as he dressed, gave her a nod, and walked out the door – and her life – forever. Wincing as she rolled out of bed, it took her a bit to dress, fidgeting as she struggled to zip her dress back up. A stop to the bathroom and she was mostly put back together again. She was about to walk out the door when she stopped, suddenly remembering the most important part. Reaching into the wastebasket, she removed the used condom, tied off at the end, and dropped it into the waiting plastic baggie. Sealing it, she put it back in her purse and headed out the door.

oOOOo

Tired and sore, Kikyo opened the front door, kicking off her shoes as she entered. I'll clean them up later. She immediately noticed the pair of women's shoes already neatly placed off to the side. Gathering herself, she closed the door and headed inside.

"Where have you been?" Hideki asked, appearing from the direction of the bedroom. He was wearing only boxers, probably something he had quickly pulled on judging by the perspiration over his body.

"I was out," she said, keeping her voice cool. "I needed some air."

"Well you didn't leave a note, so I started without you." He grinned. "I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all."

His eyes ran over her, noticing her dress for the first time. "You went out for air in that?"

Keeping her expression neutral, she reached into her purse. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the baggie at him. He caught it in midair, confusion on his face. "I'm glad you didn't wait up. I didn't either," she said coolly as she brushed past him. God I wish I could see the look on his face!

"What the fuck!" he cried out, finally realizing what was inside as he dropped it. Kikyo continued walking, giving the woman on the bed a smile as she headed for the bathroom.

"Oh, and honey," she called out, voice dripping with sweetness as she stopped at the doorway to the bathroom. "Don't wait up for me. After my shower, I'm going to sleep in the guest room. I need my energy for tomorrow." She let her statement hang for a few seconds. "I have two to bring home tomorrow." She smiled at the woman on the bed, who looked extremely confused as she continued to cover herself with the bedding. "Don't worry love, enjoy your night."

"R-right," the girl said, trying to return a smile, clearly unsure what to do.

With that, she closed the door, hitting the fan. Any response from Hideki was drowned out by the running water.

oOOOo

Hopefully there are no inconsistencies with other chapters. If there are… /wave hand "There are no inconsistences"

Anyways, hope you few troopers who are still here enjoyed it! Please leave a review if you can/want. Thanks and I'll see you next chapter! (Whenever that may be)