A/N: I realized that it IS a horrible cliffhanger. So, here ya go!

~ * ~ Chapter Sixteen: I Just Know He Didn't ~ * ~

"So I guess you are a whore after all."

Kagome's smile disappeared off of her face. "What did he just now say?!" Sesshoumaru practically spat to no one in particular. Kagome was shocked. She couldn't believe what she just heard. But Sesshoumaru's question brought her back to reality.

'I just know he didn't!' She lunged herself at Inuyasha, pinning him to the ground.

'What the hell. When did she get that strong?' Inuyasha was just as surprised at Kagome's actions as Sesshoumaru. "You better take that back you stupid mutt! Before I rip you apart Inuyasha!" Taking him apart she was.

Kagome had knocked the wind out of him; now, she was slamming her fists on his chest. Inuyasha was relieved of pain when Sesshoumaru pried Kagome off of him. Kagome's movements almost made him stumble backward. He had to get her to stop because in a weird way the situation was turning him on.

He held her still against his chest until she stopped. "Calm down Kagome. It's alright, love."

Inuyasha's ears perked up. 'Did he call her love?'

Just then Sango, Miroku, and Kaede came out of nowhere. "Kagome! I'm sooo glad you're still alive. I'm sorry I gave up hope." Sango ran to her best friend, tears spilling out of her eyes.

Kagome jumped out of Sesshoumaru's tight hold (only because he let her) and ran to her best friend. "Gomen ne Kagome. Shippo told us to say but-" Kagome shushed the girl, tears coming out of her eyes now. Miroku came up and wrapped his arms around the girls, "Gomen nasai, Kagome-sama."

This time, Kagome nor Sango objected to Miroku's hands. Sango was glad things were back to normal. 'I'll kill him later.' They broke away from the embrace.

Sango looked around frantically and thought she was missing something. "Oh Gods, where's Shippo? He isn't. dead is he?" Kagome shook her head no. Sango and Miroku both let out a breath they didn't know they were holding.

"Kagome! You're wearing miko clothing. What have you been doing all this time?"

Kagome blushed. She lifted her hair and turned her neck to show them the love mark. Miroku didn't understand, but Sango and Inuyasha did. He started to shake with rage, "You bastard! How dare you take MY Kagome?!" Sesshoumaru sighed and walked over to Kagome, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, loving the fact that she held his arms in hers.

"She's not your Kagome anymore, especially since she saw you and your dead bitch."

Understanding dawned in Miroku eyes. "Well, I'm happy for you. Congratulations," Sango said while prodding Miroku to do the same, and he did.

Just then, Kikyou came. "Ah, so there's my reinc- Kagome. I knew she was the one collecting the shards." At the mention of 'shards' Inuyasha snapped out of his stupor, "You saw us?"

Kagome nodded and looked at Kikyou, "She knew I was there, she looked at me and smiled. But don't worry, I forgive you Inuyasha. In fact I'm glad you did it," Kagome finished with a smile and hugged him, but after a short moment she went back to Sesshoumaru. "Friends?"

Before Inuyasha could say ok, Kikyou intervened, "Give me the shards."

Kagome shook her head no.

"Give it now, I'm the jewel's protector!" Kagome stepped forward to the dead miko.

"No, you're dead. I'm the protector, the jewel told me so. Plus, what do you need it for anyways? Kikyou, use your brain. You're undead, Inuyasha's immortal. You don't need the jewel. And plus, if you love him so much you would accept him as his is." Everything was silent because everything Kagome said was true.

'I wonder if there's another reason she wants the jewel.'

Sesshoumaru and Kaede were the quietest though the whole scene. Kagome ran to Sango and took her hand. "C'mon, lets go. I wanna take a bath."

They left, and Sesshoumaru was getting a little uneasy, "Lady Kaede, I need to speak to you." Kaede nodded and started to walk away when Inuyasha shouted, "Hey get back here. I'm gonna kick your ass!"

Sesshoumaru turned around, "for once, I'm not here for you." Sesshoumaru walked towards the old lady and picked her up. Miroku followed automatically.

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They arrived at Kaede's hut and Sesshoumaru set her down immediately.

"I don't really need to talk to you." Sesshoumaru said simply. Kaede nodded. She understood what he meant.

"I must say, I do believe she is with the better brother," Kaede continued, "You love her, don't you?" She didn't get an answer because he was already gone.

'I'll take that as a yes.'

~ * Meanwhile *~

Sango and Kagome were laughing and giggling in a field full of flowers. She'd told the demon exterminator what had happened after she was 'kidnapped', but she refused to give her details about the night she because Sesshoumaru's mate.

"Part of me was hoping you went back to your time."

"Why?" Kagome asked.

"So you wouldn't see Inuyasha acting like this."

Kagome thought about that for a moment, "Naw, he's ok. I would still like to be his friend." Sango nodded, but looked away.

"Kagome and Sesshoumaru; the odd couple,

(A/N: has anyone seen the old version of the old couple?) (T/N: yes I have, very weird yet humorous series ^_^;)

battling youkai and inner demons, collecting the shards along the way. Hmm. I kinda like that, Kagome do you love Sesshoumaru?"

The said girl didn't know the answer to that question. 'Do I? I mean, when you lay everything down; do I love him?'

She responded indirectly to Sango, "Speaking of couples. When are you and Miroku getting together?"

Sango noticed how Kagome deliberately changed the subject, but made no comment. "We decided after we finish Naraku off." Kagome gawked at the girl, but stopped because she had no reason to.

"You know sometimes I feel sorry for Kaede, she has nobody to care for," Kagome paused, but then added, "I think Shippo has taken a liking to a human girl Sesshoumaru's taking care of. It's so cute." Sango smiled.

'Yep, everybody but Kaede.'

She sighed, "Kagome, what do you think about Kikyou?"

There was no answer for a long time. "The same thing I always do. It seems she doesn't want Inuyasha in hell with her, but it's also obvious she doesn't want me on earth. I don't trust her with me. But whatever makes Inuyasha happy."

Sango beamed at the girl. "Come on, let's start heading back."

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"But I wanna stay in here!" Kaede had insisted that Kagome and Sesshoumaru have a room to themselves. She had witnessed Kikyou try to kill Kagome on my occasions, and she didn't trust her sister. 'I cant let anything bad happen.' Meanwhile, Kagome was having a fit.

"Why do I have to sleep in there? It's not like there's an assassin coming to get me!" After she said that, everything was deadly quiet. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at Kikyou then turned back to Kagome; "You know what she's talking about." Kagome just looked at him with her mouth open.

After a few moments of a stare down contest he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. "Wait a minute. Hey what are you doing? Are you listening to me?!"

"Stop being difficult." She knew better not to say anything else because she heard a threatening growl that nobody else heard. Maybe Inuyasha. She sighed, her long black hair falling over Sesshoumaru's shoulder, all the way down to the length of his hair.

Sango noticed this, but refused to think any bad thoughts. The couple disappeared into the darkness of the room. "Goodnight" was the last thing they heard from the room.

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"Apparently, you don't trust your own sister." Kikyou spat out.

Kaede opened her eyes and replied, "I am sorry to say; but no I don't, Kikyou. Because you are not the sister I remember. I advise you to go to sleep. Don't think about going in there, he's very fast." Those were the last words spoken for the night.