Things between Touga and Kagome will get better, I promise. All relationships have a tough spot they have to get through. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter 39

Kagome looked at herself in the mirror, making sure her dark blue dress looked appealing. She still wasn't used to all the high dollar clothing she now had access to, but Touga refused to let her wear anything he deemed not worthy. He wanted to spoil her, and spending money was one of his way of doing that.

He loved her; she knew. He showed it any chance he got, making sure she never had to question his feelings for her. It was something she appreciated because there were times her mind was her own worst enemy.

Just like now. She felt her hips were too wide, her stomach not flat enough, her breast too small. It made her think the dress wasn't flattering, but the last time she wore this particular dress, it had looked good on her.

She hated the days her low self-esteem reared its ugly head. If Sango wasn't requesting that they all have dinner at a nice restaurant, then Kagome would just crawl right back into bed and read. With a sigh, she ran her fingers through her hair, the only bit of styling she really did.

She wasn't one for makeup or dressing up nice. To her, it too much time and you just looked fake at the end. She was okay with being herself, even if she didn't always like the way she looked.

A knock on the door had her looking to it, watching as Touga walked in. He smiled at her, eyes roaming over her body hungrily. "You look amazing." Stepping towards her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and she smiled up at him. She should have known it would take one sentence from him to make her love this dress again.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she kissed him. This man had done so much for her, and she loved him for it. She hadn't wanted to be with anyone, but now she was mated and married. She couldn't be happier. When she pulled away, she leaned back slightly to get a better look at him. "Do you know why Sango has asked us to go to dinner?"

"She is your friend." Touga chuckled, his hands slipping below her waist to rest on her thighs. "You would know before me."

"The last time she did this, she and Miroku left for two months. He needed to travel for work." Kagome leaned her head against his chest, and he held her, enjoying the closeness. "I hope she isn't leaving this time. I will miss her and Miroku."

"We will have to wait and see." He picked her up, setting her on the counter and stepping between her legs. "You are a wonderful friend, Kagome. Sango and Rin are lucky to have you."

Kagome reached up, trailing the almost completely faded scar on Touga's eye. Within another day he would be healed, and the evidence of his run-in with Kouga would be gone. "After Kouga, they were the only two I had. I couldn't go to my mom, because she would have been devastated, and become hysterical. She would have made me go back home. She died a few months later, and I ended up going home anyway, but still, Sango and Rin were my rocks."

"Then I must thank them. They kept you safe and sane." He leaned down, claiming her lips as his own. Arching her back against him, she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer and telling him what she wanted. Who was he to argue when his woman called to him? "I think we have a little extra time, don't you?"

…

Arriving at the restaurant, Touga stiffened the moment he caught a whiff of Sango. It had been a few weeks since he had seen the woman, and now he wished he had skipped this dinner all together. His night with Kagome was going to be ruined. The last time he saw Sango, her scent had not been ripe enough. Now it was unmistakable.

As they sat down, Kagome greeted both Sango and Miroku with a hug. They fell into casual chatter until Rin and Sesshomaru showed up. Sesshomaru did not react to Sango's smell, and Touga narrowed his eyes, speaking under his breath so only Sesshomaru could hear. "Did you know?"

"Yes. However, it was not my place to tell. I smelled it ages ago." Sesshomaru patted InuYasha on the head, trying to calm his little brother's excitement at seeing him. It didn't matter that Sesshomaru still lived with him. InuYasha was always happy to see his big brother.

"You could have warned me?" Touga grumbled, taking a large swig of the wine he ordered. He was going to need it.

"Why would you need to be warned of such a thing father?" Sesshomaru looked at him with suspicion, but Touga looked away. He wasn't about to be questioned by his son while in front of everybody.

"We decided to have this dinner because everyone has been having such great news to share lately." Miroku held up his glass of wine. "Kagome and Rin are both now married and mated to the males they cherish. I felt that was enough reason for us to celebrate."

"Thank you, Miroku." Kagome held up her wine glass, and Touga looked away. She could see that he was upset about something, his shoulders stiff. She didn't know what was bothering him, but she didn't like it. He didn't get like this until they arrived, meaning it had something to do with her friends.

They all raised their own wine glasses, taking a sip to celebrate. InuYasha lifted his small cup, mimicking the adults, and everyone chuckled at him. Souta was beside him, playing on his phone. He knew to put it up when the food came, but he wasn't interested in the adult conversation around the table.

Sango looked to her glass, her fingers fidgeting with the stem of it. "Kagome, we never did properly get to thank you for saving us from the council. There was so much going on that day, and we just left, but now… if you hadn't have saved us." Tears came to Sango's eyes and she wiped them away.

"Of course, I would save you Sango. Your one of my best friends. You and Miroku mean so much to me." Kagome grabbed Sango's hand, squeezing the upset woman's hand.

"You don't understand, Kagome. If you hadn't saved us…" Sango trailed off again, Miroku leaning over to kiss her cheek and rub her thigh.

"Kagome, there is some news of our own we would love to share." Miroku beamed, looking at Kagome. "We are expecting our first child."

Kagome squealed in happiness, standing from her chair. Both she and Rin ran around the table, hugging Miroku and Sango excitedly. Kagome understood what had Sango so upset now. She had been pregnant when she was taken, and if Kagome hadn't come to save them, the baby could have died. All because no one knew of its existence.

"I'm so happy for you two." Kagome wiped at her eyes, her arms still around Sango.

"Thank you, Kagome." Sango was holding onto Kagome's arms, crying the hardest out of them all.

After a few minutes of celebrating, the girls finally made it back to their seats. Kagome wiped at her eyes with a napkin, and then placed it in her lap as the food was brought out. Touga tried to grab her hand, but she pulled away from him, causing him to look away.

Kagome knew he was upset at her refusal to touch him. However, at the moment she just couldn't handle it. She was so happy for Sango and Miroku. She would love their baby as an aunt could. But it hurt. She wanted what Sango and Miroku had. Even now, as she discreetly scooted her chair away from Touga, Miroku was rubbing on Sango's belly, completely in love with the child he had never met.

Kagome knew Touga was scared. At first, she had been angry, even hurt that he was saying he didn't want any more children. Then she took the time to think about it. He was afraid for her. He had tried to push away the growing bond between him and Kagome when they first met. He was under the belief that Izayoi had died because of him.

He lost his wife and daughter in childbirth. He went to the hospital expecting to go home with three but left with only one. That scared him, left a deep and gaping wound on his heart. She thought that she had healed him when he finally admitted that there was something between him, but now she realized she had only scratched the surface. He was still terrified of losing Kagome.

That doesn't change that he refused to tell her the truth. He had lied to her, saying he had enough kids. He should have trusted her with what he was feeling, and that is what hurt her the most. But then, she remembered that she kept her being the Shikon Miko a secret, and she could no longer be mad. They had both kept secrets.

It wasn't good for them.

Sighing, she reached over and grabbed his hand, squeezing. Touga looked at her, reading her eyes. She didn't hide the hurt she felt, but she didn't act on it either. She wanted a baby. It didn't have to be right that minute, but she still desired one with the man she loved. However, Touga was once again stuck in his past, on the death of his last wife. Sometimes, it made Kagome feel as if she was the other woman.

Touga sighed, knowing that Kagome was upset. She didn't want it to affect their relationship, but his inability to let go was hurting her. He was a fool. "If you would excuse me, I need to step outside and make a phone call." He stood, not looking back at anyone as he made his escape. He needed a moment alone. A moment to reflect on what he was doing. He hated himself at that moment.

…

Kouga sat across from Naraku, eyes narrowed. Naraku had called Kouga in, asking for an update. He had told the spider about the confrontation, and the fact that Touga had called Kagome his mate. If he had truly mated her, then Kagome was out of their reach.

Kouga was furious about it. Naraku was supposed to have broken them apart, but instead, he ended up pushing them together. "I don't think I need your services anymore. You are weak and have made this situation worse. Now I'm going to have to figure out another way to break them apart so I can have Kagome."

Naraku lifted his head, red eyes as furious as Kouga's. "You were never going to have Kagome. She is mine." Patience gone, Naraku lashed out, a tentacle rising from his back and growing. Before Kouga could react, his was impaled, miasma seeping into him in painful white-hot agony. He was dead before he hit the ground.

"Kanna is it true." Naraku looked towards Kanna, growling as she turned her mirror to the left half. Inside, he could see Touga and Kagome mating, watching as he sunk his fangs into Kagome's flesh. The dog had marked Kagome as his. Fangs bared, Naraku flipped his desk, not even carrying when it landed on Kouga's still-warm body. "Now what to do. Separating them will not be easy. Only death or the betrayal of the other can break the bond."

"Killing Touga will not be easy. Killing Kagome will defeat the point." Kagura was sitting beside Kikyou on the couch, fanning herself. She really couldn't be bothered with all of this planning and scheming.

"The demon lord has a fear. One that could ruin them." Kanna spoke, her voice monotone and eerie. This time she turned her mirror to the right, and what Naraku saw had him grinning in malice. He would still have Kagome.