Kouga watched Kagome wishing he could get her alone. It had been twenty-four hours since the fox joined them, and he hadn't been able to sleep a wink.

He thought back over yesterday's events, after Shippo joined their party of two. For the rest of the day Kouga fell to the back to watch him closely. They had only gone about ten more miles that day. Kagome chose not to return to her place on his back, so they walked at human pace. Probably slower, as the two ahead stopped a few times and made chit chat about where she'd been and what she'd learned, and what he'd learned, and who married who.

He had been able to end the conversation quickly each time, pointing out they had to make better time. While they were marching, they were blessedly silent. Kagome, to keep her breath, and the kit, to listen for any threat to their party. When she finally admitted she was tired they stopped and made camp. He kept mostly silent himself, to listen to the old companions catch up.

According to the kid, after she left, their pack stayed together for a few weeks until the mutt decided to go off alone. The fox opted to go with, and the monk and slayer had settled down in their own village. The mutt had trained the kid to fight in what ways he could, but the fox had picked up some new magic that he was more inclined to brag about.

Shippo was vague about some disagreement between him and the dog, and said he'd not seen the mutt in a year. It was more than enough information for Kagome. She squirmed uncomfortably, painfully almost, as the kit wove the tale.

Kouga watched Shippo observe her while he spoke. He realized the little shit must suspect she'd be upset by any mention of Inuyasha. He was testing her and the woman hadn't even noticed. He was relieved when the kid dropped it suddenly, and switched to bragging about his tricks again.

But the way he still watched her for a reaction-it was obvious the kid was looking for clues. Answers to questions he hadn't asked.

Could he sense it already? Her strange aura? How off she was? Something in her, just not right.

Or could she fool him too?

Kouga wondered, as the woman poked at the fire they'd built for the night, lost in thought. She seemed worried. A stranger couldn't tell, but he wasn't a stranger. He could see how nervous she was and he wondered why she was suddenly so tense.

Even as Shippo excused himself to look for their dinner, he could see it. He waited until the kid was out of range and didn't hesitate to make conversation while he was gone.

He sat down beside her and she managed to smile at him.

"Give me your feet."

She shimmied until she was facing him, legs stretched in front of her, feet resting in his lap. He removed her shoes and went to work rubbing at the day's knots. She flopped onto her back dramatically, arms splayed, and groaned.

"You shouldn't have pushed it so far today, woman."

He smiled at her antics, but his face grew serious as he continued. He was afraid of setting her off, but he couldn't hold his tongue.

"So we heard an awful lot of the kids stories today."

"Mmhm."

"Considering the amount of time you spent chatting today, it's impressive he managed to fill the space in its entirety."

Her relaxed face scrunched with annoyed confusion and she sat up.

"What are you getting at?"

"It's a little strange you didn't share much about your own story-"

Her teeth grinding in her skull was loud.

"You got something to say to me, Kouga?"

She was glaring now. He briefly considered dropping it.

"It's odd to me neither of you brought up the fact that you ran away. Or more so, why you disappeared. Or that you're still running. He didn't ask. You didn't tell. Why are you avoiding it? If he's coming with us he's bound to ask. Unless the dog told him. But what if he didn't? Are you gonna lie to him?"

She stood and moved away from him but he followed.

"I know you're thinking it. What if he really is still in contact with-"

She spun to face him. "Don't say his name!"

"Fine!" He huffed. "You gonna answer my question?"

She glared up at him

"I'd never lie to him. He's family."

Kouga glared back angrily. Her answer was bullshit, and very like Kagome.

"No. Never lie, not Kagome. Just keep him at a distance like everyone else."

He turned to remove himself to cool his head, but she grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"What the hell did you just say to me?"

She looked bewildered and pissed, but she was embarrassed too. She knew it was true, and she knew, he knew it was.

"You ain't fooling me woman. I know you."

"And what do you know?"

"I know you're terrified of admitting the truth to that kid."

"What truth?" She hissed.

"Why you ran away." He stepped closer to get in her face since he knew she hated it.

"And for all we know he's off right now, on his way to that bastard you've been running from."

"He said he's been alone. That he doesn't talk to him anymore-"

"But isn't this a good enough reason to? His alphas would-be mate. Not gone. Here!"

"Stop saying that word. I'm human! And it doesn't matter what we think he's doing. He said he was getting dinner. So that's it. I trust him. If I tell him to keep this a secret he will. If he asks why then I'll explain it to him. Not lie. But thank you for the guilt trip asshole. Message received."

She stormed away and her attitude was so infuriating, he wanted to scream. He bristled at the sight of her back turned to him. She was going to go into a full lockout. He could already see it. Even he had a hard time getting to her when she was like this.

If he never said anything, she would lie. If not lie, she would omit some truths from her story. He knew the kid would bring it up, and he knew she'd let out some small accord-some twisted version-just like she'd practiced on strangers who asked where she'd come from.

Before, it wasn't his business, but now they were closer than ever and he had chipped away at the wall. He didn't want the kids presence undoing what he'd done, and here he could see it happening.

So he'd make her face it. He'd already taken the first step and watched her flounder, but so be it. She wouldn't dare try going back to how she handled shit before. He refused to let her. He was angry at just the idea of it.

He turned for the treeline, too angry to look at her back anymore.

"Where are you going?" She demanded loudly.

"Away from you!" He growled back.

He left camp, right then, trying not to stomp away. He needed to cool off and he could faintly hear the sounds of the kid returning.

It was Kagome's turn to gawk at the back of his head. He was angry with her? She found it ludicrous. He had snapped at her out of nowhere.

She went over the events of the day, trying to find a reason for his confrontation. She'd been careful not to show her unease or distress. He was only assuming Shippo's arrival was affecting her.

And she was pissed off that he was right.

She was muttering angrily to herself about pig headed men when Shippo arrived.

"Yo." He said casually, squatting next to her.

"And how much did you hear?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

The look she gave him dared him to lie, and promised consequences if he did.

He shrugged. "Okay. I heard the end. But out of context it makes no sense and I wasn't gonna ask. How could anyone guilt trip you?"

Was that really all he'd caught, she wondered? He said he wouldn't ask but he looked awfully curious.

She sighed.

"Alright. What do you want to know?"

He seemed almost hesitant.

"Well, Kagome." He finally began. "Why are you out here with Kouga?"

He made it sound hard to believe she was. He was genuinely confused. Just how much had Inuyasha said after she left?

Her eyes went back to the fire.

"We are trying to complete the jewel."

Would it be enough? He said nothing and she knew it wouldn't.

"I've been living in his forest for about a year. Before that, when it wasn't too cold I was on my own. I got along okay enough after a few months. Kept myself fed and alive. But I couldn't survive the winter."

She shivered despite the fire remembering the winter chill on her scuffed feet.

"The first village wanted to marry me off. The second village was full of cruel men. It was better being in the wild."

"But not safer." He interrupted.

He looked serious. And worried.

"Well, it is within Kouga's borders, so don't you worry about me Shippo."

"Fat chance." He supplied. "Why didn't you just find another village when you had to leave the last one. You could have lied, told them they needed an exorcism and stayed free, like that sham Miroku."

She burst into laughter and even though he was somewhat serious Shippo joined her. It went on for some time, and got louder when Shippo transformed into the monk, asking her to bear his children. Kagome held her gut and only stopped laughing to catch her breath.

Shippo quieted too, but smiled ear to ear at her.

"He'd be surprised to see you." He added.

Kagome swallowed the lump that formed knowing she couldn't go and do just that. She held her smile though, careful not to let it slip.

"No doubt. Which reminds me." She continued, aiming the conversation elsewhere. "I didn't want to work in a temple. Not after the last village tried to make a murderer out of me."

Shippo's eyes widened with questions.

"That's why i left it. They wanted me to kill a demon. Just a boy. It was sickening. I went back to the woods where there were no humans. And even less demons."

"Then why'd you end up with the mangiest demon of all?"

She bit her lip and smiled like she knew he'd hate her answer.

"I said less demons. One captured me."

"Ah gee Kagome, what'd you do? Waltz right up an introduce yourself?,"

"I'm not a ditz you know!" She defended. "He ambushed me."

"Even better." He chided.

"Anyway!" She emphasized to cut him off. "I forgot to fight him off. I was cat food. Then I sensed my first jewel shard in almost two years. Two shards to be exact."

"Kouga." He finished for her.

Her smile was brilliant. It was a fond memory to her despite its evening's scars.

"Been with the wolves since then. That night he took me back and patched me up-"

"That guy?" Shippo exclaimed, face full of disbelief. "What's he know about caring for humans?" He scoffed.

"He did." She insisted. "Wanna see the scar?"

His distaste turned to worry. "You got scars Kagome?"

She smiled, feeling her pride rise up. "Yeah I got a good one on my back."

Why did she sound so pleased to offer?

His face turned sour. "He must not be that good at it, if you still have a mark."

She nudged him softly with her elbow.

"You're too hard on him. Kouga did a marvelous job. He always does, no matter what he's doing."

She hoped he was listening. She didn't want to fight with him and knew if he heard her compliments he would let his anger go quicker.

"When I got restless there, and he agreed to help me finish my quest for the jewel, we left the next day. He's been with me this whole time-away from his pack when he doesn't have to be-to look out for me."

Shippo looked contemplative. She tensed, sensing another question form in his head.

"Kagome."

She swallowed. Here it came.

"Why didn't you come back? Come find me? Kagome-"

He found her eyes and they were filled with sadness.

"When you came back, why didn't you tell us? You what? Just snuck out of the well and out of our lives?"

She expected it, his questioning, but still she wasn't ready.

"Shippo." She began. A million reasons formed on her tongue and lodged in her throat.

"I'm sorry." Was all she managed.

"We all thought you were in your time. That you sealed the well. According to Iny-"

"I did seal the well." She cut him off before he spoke his name. A guilty expression marred her face.

"Just reopened it long enough to come back again. It is sealed."

"But why?"

The pain in his voice broke her heart.

"I should have found a way to tell you."

"What do you mean, found a way? Walk up and say 'Hey, I'm back!' Sango and Miroku waited a long time for you to come back."

She leaned forward and gripped his shoulders. She needed to convey her truth as quickly as possible while saying only what was needed. She was already starting to choke.

"Shippo, I couldn't face him." She inhaled through her nose. "I've regretted not seeing you everyday since I came back. But I couldn't do it differently. Kouga is right. I ran away. What happened between me and Inuyasha, I can't say. You have to believe me, that it was the only way. I did what I had to. I still had a jewel to find, so I came back to do that and nothing else."

She swallowed hard, hating how harsh she sounded at the end.

"So when it's fixed, then what? You'll just go home?" The desperate edge in his voice was gone but he was more upset.

She shook her head no. "I can't. It's too late for that now."

She didn't bother explaining what she meant.

He surprised her by pulling her into an awkward hug from his seated position, opposite her. His strength surprised her more. He was only half her height and he dragged her as if she weighed nothing.

"Good. You're my family Kagome. You belong here."

His words touched her and she believed them wholeheartedly. She returned his embrace best as she could with her head smashed to his face, and let out a shaky breath.

"I know Shippo. I love you."

He only hugged her tighter and she let him squish her head until he heard the sound of Kouga approach. Shippo let go and Kagome watched him glare up at the wolf demon. She turned her attention to Kouga and found him looking down at her with something akin to pity.

Shippo sniffed once and surprised her again.

"Guess I owe you a thanks then, for keeping her safe." He said, despite the glare.

Kouga smirked. "I'd say you owe me, since she's a danger magnet. Guess you'll have to help from now on."

Kagome held her tongue as she waited for the kit's response. He gave the wolf a shallow nod in return.

"I will join you. I'll keep her safe. And finally, maybe, we'll finish this god-forsaken quest."

The boy stood and Kagome took his offered hands and stood with him. The fang toothed smile that suddenly shone on his face was a curious thing to her.

"This will be interesting if nothing else. Right Kagome?"