Thank you thank you to all those lovely people who liked my first chapter! Here's the second one! Enjoy. Oh, PLEASE rewiew! Even if it's just to say: "This was good." Or something like that! Disclaimer: I.Own.Nothing Thanks to: Ree, Helen, Ana for her hit man techniques, Steph, Heather, Pegah. etc!

"Inu-Yasha!" Inu-Yasha looked down to see Sango staring up at him.

"What?" He grunted in reply. Sango chewed her lip, this was going to be tricky.

"Well?"

"Um..." She thought on the spot.

"How generous are you feeling today?"

"Not very, why?"

"Well," think girl think, "Kagome gave me some Ramen before she left. Want some?"

Inu-Yasha sighed. It had taken him a while to get the most comfortable position you can get on a branch and he didn't really want to move. But his weakness prevailed and before Sango knew it he was down from the tree in front of her. She got out the noodles and Inu-Yasha quickly devoured them.

"Well," she said, "you really like Ramen don't you?"

Inu-Yasha gave her the best pissed-off look you can give with a mouthful of noodles, swallowed and said,

"What do you want?"

"I don't know what you mean"

Inu-Yasha hated people playing dumb, especially when they appeared to him that way in real life and repeated the question.

"Well, she smiled, when you come to mention it..." Inu-Yasha raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Kagome was really looking forward to that dance was and she?"

Inu-Yasha prevented himself from saying yes and instead shrugged,

"I haven't really noticed." Sango looked slightly worried.

"Well she was and now she can't go because she doesn't have any one to go with..."

She looked it Inu-Yasha suggestively, eyebrows raised. It took him at least five minutes to catch on.

"Wait wait wait! Hold on! Are you suggesting that... that..." He acted like it was too disgusting for words

"Yes!" Sango replied happily. "Why not?"

"Why not? why not?" He seemed lost for words. Sango decided to get tough.

"Listen!" Inu-Yasha listened. "She has saved your life plenty of times, she has put up with you being rude obnoxious, lazy, ignoring her, trying to kill her at one point, spying on her, lying to her and just generally been nasty so don't pretend this is much to ask!"

Inu-Yasha seemed to actually be considering it for a moment.

"Feh!" He seemed pleased, "I can't go, my ears."

Sango smiled sweetly - quite different from her outburst before.

"It's a Hallowe'en party, just go as you are."

Inu-Yasha, who didn't get the joke, replied

"I'll think about it but i'm not promising anything." And climbed up the tree.

"Just remember," Sango shouted up, "it would mean lots to her." Smiling she left.

~*~*~*~

Kagome forlornly regarded the black silk witch's outfit lying on her bed. Hojo was going with someone else. She had heard it after science test. She didn't blame him. She wouldn't have stuck around if she was always getting Gout or rheumatism. Gazing into space she remembered how she looked forward to the dance. Sewing her black and red witches costume, picking out the cobwebs tights, the black thigh boots, finding someone to go with. She looked out of the window at the slowly darkening sky. Her friends were probably getting ready to go right now. They had comforted her of course but no one had been prepared to give up their dates to stay with her. She wouldn't have let them anyway but it was the thought that counted. She threw herself on to her bed. Where they pitying her right now? Whispering about how sad her life must be. If there was one thing she couldn't stand it was pity from others. Immersed in her own self pity she didn't hear the first knock on the door. The second was loud and caught her attention.

"Kagome?" A voice called.

"Yes, come in grandpa."

Her grandpa entered the room and showed his surprise about her lack of readiness to go to the dance.

"Where's the costume?" Kagome nodded to the silken pool lying on her bed.

"I'm not going," she said "my date caught syphilis."

"Oh, really..." Her grandfather was smiling, "because they are just so happens to be a handsome young man downstairs waiting for you!" Kagome's heart leapt. Hojo hadn't let her down, he came after all.

"Tell him I'll be down in five minutes." She gabbled and she grabbed her outfit.

~*~*~*~

Inu-Yasha had sat in the tree long after Sango had left. Although he didn't like to admit it to himself, or to anyone else for that matter, he had been thinking about Kagome. He didn't see why he really had to go. Sure she had saved his life a couple of times pulled the sword out for him and generally put up with him but there was the small matter of the equally small word sit. That was the thorn in his side, the dagger in his back, the arrow in his eye and other metaphors as well. Besides, he hated her didn't he? What was this feeling? It was strange. Most of the time he wanted to rip her guts out but other times, like when Sessomarru was fighting them, he wanted to protect her. He shook his head violently. On no condition was he going to that mortal dance. Whether he need didn't need a costume or not. Smiling to himself he studied the sun disappearing behind the trees. Let that bastard Hojo be the hero for a change...

~*~*~*~

Tugging at on the black thigh boots Kagome surveyed herself in the mirror. She looked good very good. Hojo was in for a shock. She vowed to herself that tonight would be a night to remember.

"Kagome!" Her grandfather shouted.

"Just coming!"

She shouted back. So maybe she didn't exactly love Hojo that much but he was sweet, kind and totally into her, and that was what she needed right now, a little bit of look-at-me time. Checking her blood red lipstick for the last time she dashed out of the door to meet Hojo. But that wasn't who she found. Inu-Yasha was standing about talking to her grandfather. When he saw her his face said it all. She did look good.

"Kagome... um, i... er.." Quickly he pulled himself together. "I heard you didn't have anyone to go with to you're stupid dance so... I thought I owed your favour."

Kagome smiled it was the nicest thing anyone had ever set her but as far as Inu-Yasha's speeches went it was one of the best. He was dressed as he normally was but he carried a white flower.

"I - er" he caught us staring at it, "I brought this for you."

And shoved it at her. He obviously didn't do this very often. She smiled and said goodbye to her Grandfather. He wished her luck and she left the house with a dog demon on her arm.