Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha

(AN: Sorry for the lack of update… I went on spring break… and well… I kinda forgot to update… oops! ^-^ )

The Golden Rule

Chapter Five:

Free At Last

The next day, Kagome's parents including Inu Yasha's, Miroku's and Sango's parents all left for the countryside which was on the other side of Japan. If Kagome estimated correctly, it would take them about two days to get there, and since they said they were going to be there for about a month (or as Kagome would like to recall…)

*--- Flashback ---*

Kagome's mother came into her room bright and early that same day to tell her daughter what was going to happen and what they were to do, and all that stuff that a parent worries about a child.

She walked into Kagome's room and it was pitch black. The curtains were drawn but you could see sunlight shining through the cracks of the curtains. Queen Higurashi did, like any mother would, to wake up their lazy daughter. She opened the curtains with full force.

"Kagome! Wake up dear! We have a big day!" She yelled for Kagome to wake up.

Kagome was still registering the light that was shining through her eye lids. With great speed she shielded her eyes with her blanket and went back to sleep. "Mmm" Kagome mumbled in her sleep. "Leave me alone!"

Queen Higurashi got slightly irritated. 'The next person inline to inherit the throne, and she sleeps like a bear!' She thought. Ok, now we see a very pissed off mother…going for the blankets…and she tears them from Kagome's bother exposing her to slight chills going down her body.

"Ok, I'm up! I'm up!" Kagome drowsily said accompanied with a yawn. She slowly stretched and rubbed her eyes due to the immense light coming in. "What time is it?"

Kagome's mother was about slap her upside the head. But she resisted the urge of doing that. "Get ready, everyone's waiting for you!"

Kagome yawned again, as if not paying attention to her mother; but she was. "Who's everyone?" She asked. Kagome was still on the bed sitting on it (Well she made progress right? ^-^).

"Everyone means Sango, Miroku, Inu Yasha, and their parents! We're just waiting for 'the princess' to get ready!" Kagome's mother was a little on the edge today. Kagome couldn't understand why.

"Oh, ok then. I'll get ready as soon as you leave…please?" Kagome said, she said the last part sweetly or else she would get an ass-whipping from her mother for being disrespectful to her just before she left. Queen Higurashi could only comply with Kagome's request and left her room as soon as possible.

----

30 minutes later, Kagome emerged from her room. She took a bath, (so that explained the fresh smell permeating the room…^-^) and put on some new clothes, something casual. When she reached the end of the big main staircase, everyone was spread out in the living room. Sango and Miroku with Inu Yasha in one big couch. Since there was an extra space, Kagome knew it would be for her. 'Great' she thought bitterly.

Kagome politely greeted everyone and went to sit down next to Inu Yasha. "What's happening?" Kagome asked quietly to Inu Yasha, when she glanced back at the adults, they seemed to be huttled up like a football team (to give you an idea) about to review plays.

"Your mother hasn't told you yet?" He replied just as quietly, but he knew that his father, being a youkai, could hear him crystal clearly. "They're gonna tell us what's gonna happen. What rules they're going to put on the house and everyone in it."

"Oh." Kagome said quietly. She then thought to herself. 'What kind of rules did intend on putting?'

King Higurashi was the first one to break the group that was huttled like a football team. "Ok, we have thought up of a few rules," He started off, then out of no where, he took out a long sheet of paper that curled onto the floor.

'Uh Oh…' Kagome thought, 'Why the hell are they putting so many rules?' While she was thinking that, she heard everyone else grumble something under their breath like, 'Damn parents' or 'Why Cant they trust us?' and 'It's not like we're gonna create havoc while they're gone' Well, that was Inu Yasha's statement. Kagome saw he had a slight smirk on his face.

About half an hour later, Queen Rizu (Inu Yasha's mom) was the one to finish the 138 rules that they should follow once they're gone. Most of them were something like 'Don't kill any villagers just because you want to have fun.' Or 'Don't sell the kingdom to bandits' and other stupid, idiotic rules like it. Of course, no one was listening to none of the rules they said, since Kagome was tracing patterns with her finger on the cushion that was next to her. Inu Yasha fell asleep and he was drooling very, very slightly. Miroku was trying to grope Sango every chance he got. Every time the adults would turn their backs, he would try again. He always faltered though, thanks to Sango's lightning fast reactions. Go Sango!

When their little reunion ended, Kagome's mother called Kagome to her bedroom. Sighing she left the comfort of the seat next to Inu Yasha and followed her mother.

"Yes Mother? What is it?" Kagome said closing the door behind her. Her mother gestured for her to come sit with her on her bed.

"Kagome, I want you to know that I know you are a responsible person…" She trailed off. Kagome knew where this was going.

"I know, 'I trust you being alone in a house, with 2 men and Sango' but you're also forgetting the people who work inside the castle!" Kagome kinda blurt it out. She was tired of being treated like a little kid.

Queen Higurashi just sighed at her daughter's reaction. "Kagome, just listen to me, Ok?" her mother said with a concerned voice. Kagome could only look at her mother with pity and just stood quiet. "Kagome, I love you. I know that you hate it when I push you towards a guy, but you know that it's for a good cause. I don't want to lose the only daughter I have." She paused and looked at Kagome with a sincere face. She touched her chin gently, like a mother would do, and continued on. "I just want to tell you to give Inu Yasha a chance. I know that a lot of time has passed since you two were the best of friends, but give it a chance? Please? Besides," She said with a smile. "I've seen the way he looks at you."

Kagome could only blush and turn her head towards her right side. "Mother!" She scowled. Kagome just then got an idea. "Mother, what if I needed more time to convince myself and Inu Yasha that we need more time than just a month?"

Kagome's mother had to think about that for a moment. That would be a problem. What if they did need more time? This never crossed her mind. "Well…" She started off. Queen Higurashi thought for a bit more and answered. "Just send a messenger to where we will be staying at, but remember! It has to be a day or two we are scheduled to leave."

Kagome could only smile. She had now all the time she wanted with Inu Yasha. She was now free from parents for as long as she wanted. 'Great' she thought to herself. 'Just wait till the guys hear the good news'

---* End of flashback *---

Kagome was outside enjoying the beautiful day. The sun's rays were hitting the lake which made it look tempting to just jump in. It just looked so inviting. Under the tree's shade, Kagome was sitting on the roots of the Goshinboku tree. Enjoying the breeze, Kagome almost fell asleep but the breaking of twigs made her alert to her surroundings.

She turned to find Inu Yasha coming towards her. She smiled and just turned back around and closed her eyes. Inu Yasha smiled at her resting figure and invited himself to sit down.

"So, whatcha doin'?" Inu Yasha started off the conversation.

"Nothing really, I wanted to see if any of you guys wanted to go towards the interior of the forest. Remember when we used to do that? Just get lost inside the forest?" Kagome said, cracking open one of her eyes and watching Inu Yasha. She saw a smile creep on his face, which made her smile as well.

"Yeah, those were the days. Remember when you fell and I had to carry you back because you scraped your knee on a rock?" Inu Yasha said, putting his arms behind his back to support his head that was on the tree itself.

Kagome laughed a little. She remembered how strong he used to be, even for a little kid only 12. She sighed and let the swarming of the butterflies in her stomach run free. She loved that feeling. "You were always there when I needed you the most." Kagome said and turned to face him. His eyes were still shut and he looked so peaceful when he slept or he looked like he was sleeping. Kagome just stood still watching him sleep until Inu Yasha opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What?" He questioned her. Kagome just turned and blushed slightly. Her hair was covering her blush, and thanks to the wind that was making it dance in the wind. Inu Yasha just smiled and got up. "Come on, lets go find the other love birds." He said without thinking. He blushed himself when realized what he said. Inu Yasha held out his hand so Kagome could grasp it, which she did. Together, hand in hand, they walked back to the castle.

When they were in view of the castle, both of them saw a very angry Sango holding Miroku by the neck and trying to drown him in the fountain that was located behind the house. Inu Yasha and Kagome just laughed out loud and decided to rush to save Miroku from the clutches of the very pissed-off Sango.

Inu Yasha grabbed the almost unconscious Miroku and threw him (very lightly) to the grass. On the other hand, Kagome was trying to relax Sango to prevent her from killing Miroku.

"What did he do now?" Kagome asked Sango, trying to restrain her from going after the perverted prince that was laying on the floor semi-unconscious. (Poor Miroku… ^-^). It was a very dumb question since she already knew what the answer was.

"He was trying to grope me… AGAIN!" Sango screamed. Inu Yasha was still trying to revive him, until the idea of throwing his head into the water occurred to him. So he did, and that made Miroku wake up.

"Waa…" He started off sounding kind of drowsy. "What happened?" Miroku put his hand on his head to try to stop the headache that was coming his way.

"You were groping me again!" Sango yelled at him. It seemed like her screaming made his head worse.

"Oh… Right" He said quietly. "Could you please stop screaming? It's making my head even worse."

This got Sango furious. Inu Yasha and Kagome saw this coming and took cover behind the nearest object they could find. "YOU WANT ME TO STOP SCREAMING? WELL GUESS WHAT?! I'M NOT GOING TO!" She screamed. The whole kingdom seemed to tremble, fearing Sango's wrath. She just tried to kill Miroku again.

Inu Yasha and Kagome sighed and sweat dropped. "Damn love birds" Inu Yasha muttered. Kagome could only put her hand on her head and agree with him.

"Let's go inside. I'm starving. I haven't eaten anything since the morning." Kagome exclaimed. Inu Yasha followed her inside while leaving Sango to strangle and kill Miroku anyway she liked since no one was around to stop her. Well, there were a few gardeners that were trying to pry Sango's grip off Miroku, but she wasn't going to budge anytime soon.

----

Inside the kitchen, Kagome's family's chef was preparing food. The smell only made Kagome's stomach run wild with hunger, and it made it sound too. Inu Yasha heard and laughed. Kagome could only blush with embarrassment.

Both of them ate lunch together. Sometime they would make a small conversation here and there, talking about their childhood and what happened to them during the years that they were separated. Sometime, they would just sit in a comfortable silence.

Sango entered the dinning room a while later and took a seat next Kagome, since it was the nearest one. She sighed and put her head down on the cool table.

"What's wrong?" Kagome asked.

"Nothing." Sango said with her head still on the table.

"Where's Miroku?" Inu Yasha asked, seeing that there was no perverted man in sight.

"Oh, he's busy…" Sango trailed off. Kagome and Inu Yasha didn't like the sound of her tone of voice. What if she killed Miroku? Nah…

"Doing what?" Kagome insisted on.

Sango could only smile very evilly. "I bound him to a tree." She said simply.

Kagome and Inu Yasha kind of spitted out their food in surprise. "You what?!" Kagome yelled.

"I tied him to a tree. Why? Is something wrong?" She said still smiling.

"What tree?" Inu Yasha dared to ask.

"The Goshinboku tree. You know, that old tree that's about a half a mile away from the castle. Yeah, that tree." Sango said

Inu Yasha and Kagome ran out of the castle as soon as possible and went towards the Goshinboku tree. What they found was something they had not expected.

Miroku was tired to a tree, with only a few pieces of garments left on his body. He seemed to be in good health, except for the fact that he was yelling at the top of his lungs. Kagome and Inu Yasha just started laughing and forgot to untie Miroku.

This was going to be a long month… If not more…

(AN: Yes well sorry it took so long to update. I went on a cruise and I really count get anything done. I also hurt my thumb on the car door… It got stuck and it hurt =(  Well, Tomorrow, (I hope) I'll start (if not) finish Life Isn't Fair. *sigh* don't quote me on that…)