AN: PLEASE READ-I did not change anything about the chapter, I only added the summaries to the story titles at the end. Please read and vote, thank you.

I'll update in about a week or so.

Now, the chapter.

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IT Takes Two to Tango

Chapter 8: Revelations

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"You sure you want to come?"

Sango was leaning against the sink in the woman's washroom, now dressed in loose black slacks and a white short sleeved blouse that seemed unnaturally tight for a blouse. Kagome was changing in the bathroom stall while Sango tried to lower her voice as much as possible so that Kagome could still hear but the other girls changing in the stalls couldn't. Needless to say, it wasn't working very well.

"What? I can't hear you, speak up," was the answer.

She let out a deep sigh and said in her normal voice, "Are you sure you still want to come to the after party?"

"Why wouldn't she want to come?" asked Eri as she came out of her stall, dressed in a plain denim skirt and blue T-shirt.

"Because that jerk, Inuyasha is gonna be there,"

"Oh.....so?"

"So, he's gonna try to talk to her,"

"I repeat...so?"

"Kagome doesn't want to talk to him, do you Kagome?"

There was a pause, and then a click, the unmistakable sound of the stall door being unlocked. She came out brush at her black wife beater, and said, "No, I don't,"

"Oh...." said Eri as she reapplied her eyeliner,

"Why don't you want to talk to him?" said Arimi, who had somehow magically appeared beside Sango without her noticing and was now dressed in jeans and a green baby tee.

"Are you kidding me?" asked Sango, "After what he did to that Kikyou chick? I can't believe he would do something like that,"

"Okay, I admit that it was pretty evil and cruel but....why does you care Kagome? It's not like the girl is your friend or something,"

"I just...." Kagome paused. Why was she so upset over the whole mess? Well, it would take way to much time to figure it out and then explain it, so she opted for the simple answer. "I sympathize with the poor girl. I'm sure we all remember the panties incident,"

"I don't remember that," said Eri, "But I remember the pink bunny rabbit panties incident--ow!--Kagome! What was that for?--ow!--damn, you're violent,"

"ANYWAY, if I was that embarrassed over the school seeing a glimpse of them on a screen, imagine how it would be if you were practically naked in front of the whole junior class and half of the seniors?"

"Well...yeah, I guess, but it just seems like you should be happy he didn't pull a prank on you for once,"

"Still...it was totally wrong of him to do something like that,"

"Well, he was justified," came a new voice.

All four girls turned to where a gorgeous girl with short flared red hair was applying natural looking lip gloss.

Sango was the first to speak, "What do you mean by that Fusei?"

"Well," she said, capping the lip gloss and turning to the other girls, "Didn't you guys ever pay attention to the gossip when those two were going out?"

"Ooh! OOH! I did," said Eri, suddenly looking smug as she leaned against a stall. "I heard that they had an awesome relationship, and Inuyasha treated her like a queen, but they had a REALLY bad break up,"

"What do you mean?" asked Sango

"Well, I don't know all the details, but from I picked up, Kikyou betrayed him or something."

Despite Kagome's reluctance to partake in this conversation, or for it to even continue, her curiosity was piqued. "Betray how?" she asked as she wiped her hand on the counter to make sure it was clean and dry then hopped up to sit on it.

"Well, there was this guy," said Fusei, coming close to the girls so they were almost in a conspiratorial huddle, "This college guy. I never caught what his name was but, apparently Kikyou fell hard. So, she broke up with Inuyasha and started dating him,"

.....

.....

.....?

"That's it?" asked Kagome, "That's his big reason for doing something so viscous?"

"Well, there's more," cried Fusei, "Apparently, instead of actually breaking up with him the traditional way, she sent him a video message."

Eri added, "Even kissed the guy on it is what I heard,"

Fusei nodded and said, "Just to prove that she really didn't want to be with him. And then, when the college dude broke up with her, she tried to get back together with Inuyasha." Eri nodded in agreement and leaned back up against the stall.

Kagome gave them both a queer look before she buried her face in her hands and her shoulders started to shake uncontrollably.

"Is...is she crying?" asked Fusei.

"I doubt it," drawled Sango, leaning against the stall and averting her gaze to hide the treacherous smirk.

"Kagome?" asked Arimi, going up to the girl, "What's wrong?"

"I think she really is crying," said Eri as she pulled Kagome's hands away from her face. Well, there was a tear rolling down Kagome's cheek, but it wasn't from sobbing.

She let out a fit of laughter and gasped out, "That has to be one of the dumbest things I've ever heard,"

Fusei huffed and said, "You try to share a bit of gossip and you get laughed at. See if I ever do it again,"

"No, no, Fusei, I wasn't laughing at you," said Kagome as her laughter died down, "I was laughing at the stupidity of it. Or rather, the stupidity of Inuyasha. Who the hell pranks someone for such a stupid reason?"

"Um...didn't your whole prank-war with Inuyasha start because he broke your camera?" she didn't notice Kagome stiffen, "I mean, that's a pretty dumb reason to get up set in and of itself," she didn't notice the other girls tense, "Let alone to start a whole feud over," she didn't notice Sango's eyes darting from Kagome, to Fusei, to the door and back to Kagome, "If you ask me, Inuyasha's reasons are a hell of a lot more valid than yours,"

Kagome shot the girl a steely cold glare and jumped off the counter. She folded her arms over her chest, looked Fusei up and down and said in a dangerously calm voice, "Well, then I guess it's a good thing I wasn't stupid enough to ask a dimwit like you,"

"Excuse me?" but that's all she got out before Kagome's fist came flying toward the girl. The punch connected with her jaw, forced the girl's head to snap back, resulting in her body turning in a ninety degree rotation before she caught herself on the stall door. Fusei rubbed her jaw gingerly and looked up to see Kagome storming out of the bathroom, Sango in toe. She looked up at the other two girls that were hesitantly making their way out of the facilities just as Arimi gave Fusei a helpless shrug and then they both disappeared behind the swing door.

Fusei righted herself completely and too a look in the mirror. A small trickle of blood was collecting at the corner of her mouth where she had accidentally bit herself and her left cheek was already starting to bruise. "See what I get for trying to be the nice guy," she said to herself as other girls in the washroom skirted around her, acting as if what had just happened, hadn't. One girl even had the nerve to tell her she'd missed a spot when she pulled out her concealer to cover the slowly darkening bruise.

*

Sango laughed when she and Kagome linked arms in the parking lot and veered in the opposite direction of Eri and Arimi, heading for Kagome's car. "I can't BELIEVE you just punched out Fusei!"

"I didn't punch her out. I just punched her,"

"STILL! That was awesome. That girl has had that coming ever since she told the whole school that Midori was a lesbian after Midori had told her in confidence,"

"I guess....but now I feel bad for hitting her. Maybe she was right about....the camera,"

"No way, Kagome. She doesn't know anything. The day I admit that Fusei is right about anything is the day they start making snow angels in hell,"

"Yeah but....maybe I really did overreact...I mean the feud and everything. I mean, I don't think I overreacted to the actual pranks. I was only getting even but....maybe if we hadn't put his car in his room..."

"If we hadn't done that, you would still think he was a total jerk, you wouldn't have kissed him and you wouldn't have danced with him,"

"Yeah, but now I think he's a bigger jerk than before. I mean look what e did to Kikyou," she said as she slipped her key into the car door lock. She sighed, wondering if she really shouldn't go to the after party, then opened the door and--

"SANGO!!"

Miroku was running towards the car, having just changed into a deep blue button up top and khaki pants. "Sango, wait!" he called as he stopped just before the car, both girls staring up at him impatiently. Or rather, Kagome was just staring at him with a bit of amusement in her eyes, Sango was scowling at him. "Sango, I've been looking for you everywhere,"

"Why?"

"Well, to go to the after party. I sent the limo home along time ago and went home to get my car,"

"And....?"

"And....your my date of course,"

"To the semi formal, not to the after party,"

"You would truly force me to go by myself?"

"Um, let me think. Yes,"

"Very well, I'll just have to ask someone ask. I hear Mayu's boyfriend just broke up with her. Perhaps I should-,"

"Fine you lech! I'll friggin go with you. But we're only riding together," she said as she stepped away from passenger side door. She stopped beside Miroku and looked to Kagome, "You don't mind do you?"

Kagome looked at her as though she had just grown a second head, "You're kidding right? After all the shit I went through to get you to go out with him you sure as hell better go with him to the party,"

"I take it you approve then,"

"No shit, Sherlock,"

"So, are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll drop off my car at my house and tell Arimi to pick me up,"

Miroku graced Kagome with a charming smile and mouthed "you're the best," before taking Sango's hand and leading her to his car.

She sighed as she slid into the driver's seat and closed the door. Just as she was turning on the engine she murmured, "That's what they all say," before she pulled away from the curb.

*

Arimi pulled up into the parking lot, turned off the engine and opened the door. Kagome almost immediately wished she hadn't done that because loud obnoxious music greeted her ears instantaneously. Sure, it was a great song, but did they have to be loud enough to shatter ear drums?

As Arimi and Eri jumped out of the car and closed the door, she readied herself, taking in a deep breath as she prepared to block out most of the surrounding sounds, and got out of the car. Then she hopped down the wooden stairs that led to the beach, made her way past the twenty or so students that were dancing on the sand to the fire where the surprisingly loud ghettobox* had been placed. She dropped to her knees in front of it and lowered the volume by half. And yet, the sound could still travel quite far and was still really loud.

Nonetheless, she got a lot of shouts and grumbled complaints. She turned to them, rubbing her temple for effect and said, "Sorry, but I'd like to be able to hear in the morning," before she got up again and joined a group of girls and guys gathered around the cooler.

A few of the senior students had decided to throw the after party down at the beach for several reasons. One, they could be practically as loud as they wanted without getting a complaint. The only houses around were the beach houses and those were usually only used during summer break. Two, they could start a bonfire, and what drunken teenager doesn't love a bonfire. And three, they didn't have to worry about the cleanup when the party was over because there were no parents that would be coming home to the party. Plus, they could bring in all the alcohol they wanted without worrying about getting caught.

Personally, Kagome thought, with exception for the noise thing, that the reasons were mostly stupid. But that probably had less to do with her aversion for alcohol, and more to do with her aversion for gigantic, out of control fires. She sat across from a couple and smiled at them, before she said, "Well, Yuka, I see you and Shinji are getting to know each other,"

Yuka's gaze broke to Kagome face and right after a deep blush settled over her features, she shifted her gaze, suddenly finding the floor incredibly interesting. Kagome smiled brightly and looked away, leaving the couple to themselves before she started up a conversation with the boy that had just handed her a soda. She knew him from chem lab and had chatted with him on occasion, but right now she wasn't really paying attention to him. She was more interested in the sea

She had always liked to come around to the beach and watch the water roll in on it self. It had always been peaceful but mysterious at the same time, never truly knowing what all that deep liquid was hiding. But at the moment, she wasn't thinking about the treasures that could possibly be in the murky depths of the ocean. She had just caught sight of the boy seated on the shore bed, scant feet away from the rolling tide.

Inuyasha.

What was he sitting there for? Why wasn't he joining the party? What was he thinking about? Hell if she knew. 'What do I care anyway?' she thought, trying fruitlessly to pay attention to the young man talking to her. 'It's none of my business what that asshole does.'

"....it's pretty cool," she caught the end of what he had just said.

She shook her head slightly and said, "Huh?" hoping that wouldn't offend him.

"I was just saying that I read those back issues of X-Men you told me about. They were pretty good, but nothing compared to Uncanny,"

"Oh...yeah, that's true. Um, listen, have you seen Sango or Miroku around?"

"Yeah, they got here a few minutes ago. I think Miroku is hanging around the barbecue,"

"Okay, thanks," she said, getting up as the boy joined another conversation. She made her way to the barbecue and found Miroku talking to Duo, each of them holding a beer. "Hey, guys," she greeted them, taking a sip of her soda, "Where's Sango?"

"Talking to Eri," said Miroku, sipping gingerly on his beer.

"How's the party?"

"Kind of lame," said Duo, "Yukio hasn't arrived yet with the keg,"

"Oh..." Kagome could never understand why seventy percent of the student body believed wholeheartedly that a party just wasn't a party unless they got drunk or high off their ass. Then again, she never touched the stuff herself. "Right, so anyway, Miroku, I was wondering if I could talk to you. You don't mind, do you Duo?"

"I'd mind less if you gave me a kiss," he said, taking a swig of his beer,

"Sure. I'll pencil you in for the year 2018," she said cheerily. Duo smiled and nodded and she couldn't help but wonder if he was already drunk. Rolling her eyes, she took Miroku's drink out of his hand.

"Hey!" the boy exclaimed.

"What kind of impression would you give Sango if you got drunk on your first date?"

"....oh...."

"Besides," she said, handing the beer to a passerby, "This stuff makes your breath reek. You'll need a few mints before you kiss her,"

".....right....."

"Come on," she said, grabbing his wrist and dragging him to a quieter spot on the beach. Not so far that they left the eyes of those at the party, but far enough away that Kagome could hear herself think.

Miroku graced her with a charming smirk, popping a few tic tacs in his mouth and said, "So, how can I help you, fair lady?"

Undaunted by his charisma, she got straight to the point, "I was wondering if you could shed some light on what happened at the dance for me,"

"What happened at the dance?"

"The whole Kikyou scandal. Don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about,"

"What, exactly, do you want to know?"

"Why Inuyasha did that."

"Ano...."

"Miroku, just tell me,"

"I think I'm going to have to put forth the best friend rule,"

"The what?"

"That rule that says that I don't have to say anything that could possibly be damaging to my best friend,"

"Oh. THAT rule. Can't you break that just this once?"

"Sorry Kagome, If you want to know that bad, you're just going to have to ask him yourself. Besides, if he ever found out I told you anything, I would be found dead in a dumpster the next day,"

"Wow....that bad, huh?"

"My lips are sealed,"

She looked over to where Inuyasha was still sitting by the ocean. He looked unusually ethereal, with his long silver hair blowing about under his black hat and his eyes closed to the sea, a look of peace adorning his face. He never looked like that, and when he opened his eyes again and looked out over the ocean, he seemed to fall into deep thought. A wistful sigh escaped her lips and almost immediately heard a strangled sound erupt from Miroku's throat.

She snapped her gaze to him and saw he was giving her a wry smile, as though deep down, he found the situation incredibly amusing. And he was obviously trying to keep his mirth under control. "Something funny?" she snapped.

"No, no. Not at all," he said in that smooth voice of his, "I was just wondering why you're so interested in Inuyasha all of a sudden,"

"It's not all of a sudden!"

"Ah. I see,"

"What? What do you see?"

"Nothing, really. Just...." he fixed her with what she figured he thought was a knowing stare and said, "I understand,"

'Geez, not him too,' she thought wearily, 'Sango's bad enough,'

"Please, excuse me Kagome, I'm going to go find my date,"

"Sure....whatever," she said absently as he left her side, the feel of a hand brushing against her ass, rushing away before she could retaliate. She turned back to the ocean and absently noted how it reflected the deep, dark blue of the sky as she walked back to the party.

*

"Come on, Kagome!" cried Arimi, her hand clasped around her friends wrist. Eri was talking animatedly with some guy behind her, but she had an amused glint in her eye that Kagome suspiciously thought had nothing to do with the conversation she was currently having.

"No-freakin-way," she said as she wrenched her hand out of her friend's grasp.

"Come on! Why don't you want to?"

"I just..don't,"

"Why? You got a secret boyfriend?"

"Obviously not, considering you people feel the need to pry into every aspect of my life,"

Arimi pouted, then smiled slyly and said, "So...if you don't have a boyfriend, I guess that means you like someone else,"

At the mention of this, Eri quickly broke away from her conversation, grabbed Yuka's hand to pull her away from Shinji and all three girls fell to their knees on the sand before the spot Kagome was sitting on a log.

"Who is he?"

"Have you told him?"

"Does he like you back?"

Kagome's jaw fell open at the open display and looked around to see if anyone was watching. Unfortunately, the scene had caught the attention of quite a few people. Though some were openly watching her, most were discreetly listening in as they faced someone else. But she could tell they were listening because it had just gone very, very quiet. 'All this because I don't want to dance with Hojou? What's wrong with these people? I swear, I go to school with a bunch of gossip hungry leeches,' she thought absently as she stared at the three girls before her that were still spouting off question, even going as far as to answer a few themselves.

Apparently, they had not noticed the sudden attention the four girls were getting.

Then Eri said something that Kagome, really, really wished she hadn't. Without even thinking, the girl had just blurted out, "I bet it's Inuyasha. Why else would she have continued that stupid feud for so long?"

It had, of course, been said before. But never in such a public place where people craved the rumours and gossip. Almost instantaneously, everyone broke off into heated whispers and excited murmurs and Kagome's face took on an unnatural shade of red. She had no doubts in her mind what they were talking about.

She said, "Of-of course I don't like that jerk." But the next part, she said very low trying to make only the three girls in front of her hear, "Not after what he did to poor Kikyou." Perhaps she was out of her mind, but she could have sworn she saw a mop of silver hair turn slightly away from her out of the corner of her eye, making her think that Inuyasha had been watching her. It was probably just in her head....

All three girls nodded thoughtfully and decided the best course of action would be to leave her alone. Good thing to, because Kagome was about one derogatory comment away from strangling one of them.

She sighed, looking up at the sky. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she noted the volume of the music going up considerably as she watched the stars. They were so dull looking, but it was to be expected. They weren't that far out from the city and the lights still washed out their natural sparkle. Well, it was better than in the city where you couldn't see them at all.

She remembered the talk she had just had with Miroku. What had he found so funny? Probably the same thing everyone was now currently jabbering on about. He had told her to talk to Inuyasha. Perhaps she should. He might be able to answer some of the questions currently plaguing her mind. She looked over at the boy in question and frowned when she realized she could only see his back profile. And he looked awfully small from this distance.

She pushed herself to her feet, wary of the eyes following her as she brushed off her pants. 'Yeah, I'll go talk to the ass wipe,' she thought. Though it was strange how her inner voice had no trace of venom.

*

Inuyasha tapped his foot lightly against the sand as he stared at the water that was just barely missing his white Uptowns. He had changed into deep blue, slightly baggy jeans and a button up light, almost pale, blue shirt that had been unbuttoned to reveal the white wife beater he wore underneath, the contours of his muscled chest showing through. He also wore a denim jacket several shades darker than his pants

He closed his eyes, feeling the cool air rolling off the water as he went over the evening's events in his head. He had gone to the semi formal, danced with Kagome, made out with Kikyou and humiliated her infront of the entire junior class and most of the seniors, and Kagome had said she though he was despicable. Then he had come to the after party, taken a seat by the ocean and hadn't moved since.

He had noted when everyone had arrived. His friends had arrived carrying coolers most likely filled with beer and set up the fire. A few of the cheerleaders he knew had set up the sound system and turned it up to an impossible level. People had begun filing in and mingling into the scene and the noise level had only gone up. Then, Kagome had arrived, walked passed everyone and turned down the music and he was thankful. Even from this distance, it had been giving him a headache. Miroku and Sango had come together, splitting up so that Miroku could help set up the barbecue and Sango had gone to talk to one of her friends.

Most, if not all, of it had been registered dimly in his mind as he gazed out at the ocean, wondering what could be down in the dark water below and whether or not he had been to harsh on Kikyou. That is, until Arimi had started trying to get Kagome to dance with Hojou. He had turned his head slightly to listen, surprised at how curious he was to see what she would do.

She simply resisted, and he had found that highly boring, until her friend had inquired why she wouldn't dance with the moron. '...I guess that means you like someone.' Did she? And if so, who? Apparently, he hadn't been the only one interested in these questions as it had gone very still and quiet, the only sounds being the insistent voices of her friends jabbering on and the still too loud music that only seemed to be getting louder.

Eri had implied that she liked him and he had smiled at the thought. A warm feeling had spread from his chest to the very tips of his fingers and he reveled in the feeling, only wondering briefly where it had come from. As expected, Kagome had loudly denied the accusation, but that didn't make it any less true. In fact, it only proved the point more. But then, much quieter she had said something only for her friends to hear, meaning it must be true.

"Not after what he did to poor Kikyou."

'What I did to POOR Kikyou?!' he had thought at the time, turning his head completely away from the scene. 'How about what that bitch did to me? She doesn't even know the whole story and she just starts making accusations! The stupid bitch,'

Of course, at the moment, he could see how Kagome would take that opinion. What he did wasn't exactly the most reasonable thing a person could do. Unless you knew the story behind it of course.

A familiar, comforting scent reached his nose and it wasn't until he saw a body plop down beside him unceremoniously out of the corner of his eye did he recognize who it belonged to. Kagome looked up at him and said, "I thought you might be hungry," before handing him a plastic plate with a freshly cooked burger sitting a top it.

"Um...thanks," he said, slightly unsure of his motions as he placed the plate on his lap and examined the burger.

When he lifted the beef patty off of the lower bun, she said, "Don't worry, it isn't poisoned,"

"Keh," he grunted before putting the prodded at burger back together and taking a tentative bite, chewing thoughtfully. After her eaten half of it, he said, "So, what do you want?"

"I wanted to ask you want happened. Today at the dance. Why....why did you do that?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"I just want to...understand why you would do something like that,"

"Why do you care?"

"I just never saw you as a guy that would do something so...horrible. I was wondering if it was just a random act of evilness or was there actually a reason behind it,"

It took him a while to answer, and during that time, he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts. But finally, he said simply, "There is,"

"What, if you don't mind me asking, is it?"

Before he answered her, he finished off his burger, wiped his mouth with the napkin that had been under his plate and crumpled up the plastic plate and threw it over his shoulder, and amazingly, it actually reached where the party was being held and the music had gone up by a sizable amount. He looked her up and down, pulled a pack of gum out of his pocket and offered her one before popping one into his mouth. Then, with more nonchalance tan Kagome though fair, said, "She betrayed me,"

"Um, how?"

He looked at her critically, seemingly sizing her up. "Do you really want to know, or are you just fishing for gossip?"

"I-I really want to know. I promise I won't tell anyone,"

Nodding, he leaned back, almost laying down, with his elbows propping him up. "She cheated on me,"

"Oh..." Kagome didn't really know what answer she had been expecting, but for some reason it hadn't been that. For one thing, why would anyone in their right mind cheat on a guy like Inuyasha? He was gorgeous, intelligent, and, if you looked carefully enough, caring.

Seeing a flash of disbelief flashed through her eyes, Inuyasha sighed and started his explanation, "You know me and Kikyou dated almost all of sophomore year, right?"

"Yeah...."

"Well, apparently, somewhere along the line, she decided that she didn't think guys her own age were good enough for her. So, she started seeing this guy behind my back,"

Remembering what Fusei had said, she interrupted with, "A college guy?"

"No," he said, sitting up again, "He was in his senior year in high school. A different school though, but he graduated that year. Anyway, she was dating him behind my back, and I didn't find out until...."

"Until?" she asked when he seemed as though he wasn't going to continue.

"I-I had gone over to her house one day to just hang out. She wasn't home, but her mom let me in, said I could wait for her in her room. When I got up there, I was just hanging out on her bed when I noticed a tape in her VCR. IT said 'personal' on it, so naturally, my curiosity got the better of me. Now I almost wish I hadn't pushed it in and pressed play. That she had just broken up with me, you know. I almost wish....that I hadn't known,"

"Inuyasha?"

"It was a sex tape...of her and guy, I think his name was Naraku or something like that. They made a tape of them fucking each other and I guess they had been watching it or something. As soon as I realized what it was I popped it out and confronted her with it. She just said I was to immature for her. That I could never be what she needed. Like I'm inadequate or something. I almost expected her to laugh evilly the way she was talking, but she just apologized. She actually apologized, but the way she said it...it sounded more like she was putting the blame on me than herself. And then, she dumped me. Not that I wasn't expecting it, but she could have at least given me the common curtesy to let me be the one to break up with her."

Kagome noticed that at some point during his explanation he had zoned out, like he had been talking to himself. He looked up at her, recognition flickering in his eyes, like he only just realized she had been listening to him. He sighed and said, "So, anyway, I guess that guy got bored with her or something because like a month later he dumped her. Ever since she's been trying to get back together with me. Those are my reasons. Do what you will with them."

She simply stared at him for a moment and he couldn't help but notice how her lips had parted slightly in a mix of surprise and shame when he finished. Wait! What reason did she have to feel shame? He fixed her with a scowl and waited for her response. "I...I'm sorry...that you were hurt in the past," she said slowly, deliberately, as though she were picking her words very carefully, "And....that I said....those things to you...and about you. I didn't know,"

"Don't be sorry. You didn't know. It doesn't matter,"

"It matters to me," she said so quietly it would have been inaudible if he were completely human.

"Why?"

"Because....your feelings are important. They're not just...something you can shove aside, or shove in a drawer and pretend they don't exist."

"Keh,"

She was starting to get really accustomed to that answer. "Either way, I'm sorry, for everything."

"It's okay...it doesn't-,"

"I swear if you say it doesn't matter, I will reach under that hat, pull off your ear and show it to you,"

"He stared at her for a moment in shock, until he was finally able to say, "Wow...you're violent,"

"You didn't figure that out already? Wow, your dumber than I thought,"

"Hey! Are you suppose to feel sorry for me and give me words of comfort?"

"This isn't a teen movie. Besides....you brought it on yourself,"

He smirked as he lay back again and gazed at the girl before him. 'She sure is something' he thought to himself, once again not bothering to ask himself where that though had come from. "Yeah well, I gave you an opening because I felt sorry for you,"

"Keep telling yourself that,"

"It's hard not to...I mean, just look at you,"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take it however you'd like,"

She grinned back at him unconsciously placed her hand over his. She may not have noticed her action, but he certainly did, and his smile wavered. "You're a jerk, you know that right?"

Ah...there was that infamous smirk.

"Yeah, I have been informed of that fact in the past,"

She graced him with a brilliant smile and turned back to the ocean, never removing her hand from his. An uncomfortable silence settled over them....or at least, it was uncomfortable for Inuyasha. But it was the fact that Kagome WASN'T uncomfortable, more like lost in her own thoughts, that was putting him on edge. He'd rather be talking, arguing with her...though the feel of her soft dainty hand over his was oddly reassuring.

She sighed and said, "I love the ocean," so quietly he almost thought she was talking to herself, until she turned and smiled at him. Why the hell was she always smiling? Usually when people smiled, they wanted something but Kagome....didn't. And they were pretty smiles to, that reached all the way to her eyes, making them shine like sapphires. What was it about her smiles?

Against his usual habit of grins, smirks and scowls, he gave her a genuine smile and said, "Especially at night,"

Her smile only brightened and he wondered if that meant something personal to her. Then he remembered something, buried in the deep recesses of his mind....something that had started it all.

"Kagome?" he asked, sitting up again and the smile on his face disappearing, slowly being replaced by a thoughtful frown.

"Hmm?"

"I was wondering...about...about your-your camera. The one I....the one that I broke,"

"What about it?" she asked, not a hint of malice in her voice

"Well, Sango told me...that your dad gave it t you before he died. Is that true?"

"Hai...it use to belong to him. He was a professional photographer, travelling all over the world and bringing back the best pictures he had taken to show to me. Souta had only been five when he had died, so he wasn't really old enough to appreciate it, but I know he remembers him...and misses him. So, yeah, my dad gave it to me on my tenth birthday. He said that he knew all the pictures I took would be beautiful, because I put love into everything I do. And he then he had said that he did the same thing with me, that he had put his love into me and my brother....that there was nothing in the world that he cared about more. Not even my mother. He died a month later,"

"He must have really loved you....I'm sorry that he died,"

"Don't be. His memory doesn't bring me pain anymore, just the memories of him. I've accepted it and grieved. Don't get me wrong, I still miss him, I think I always will but...there's n pain,"

"Well, then, I'm sorry I broke your camera,"

She giggled softly and smiled at him, something unrecognizable once again flashing across her eyes. She leaned into him, resting her on his shoulder and said, "I think we just shared a moment."

"Yeah, I think we did,"

"That was freaky,"

"Let's not do it again,"

"Deal,"

*

AN: So tempted to end hear...but I can't leave off without some comic relief to get rid of the tension from the 'talk'

*

Kagome snuggled her body closer to Inuyasha's, blissfully unaware of the eyes ogling the pair. When she finally did notice, she wondered why they kept watching. Were they waiting for something scandalous to happen? Right here on the beach? What kind of perverts were these people that she went to school with everyday and claimed to know? What kind of a pervert would-

Then a thought flitted through her mid, unbidden and seemingly out of nowhere. 'Where's Miroku?' then another one entered her mind, though this one made a lot more sense, 'Where's Sango?'. She lifted her head and looked at Inuyasha, distractedly registering how close their faces were. Close enough to-

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah,"

"Do you know where Miroku and Sango disappeared to?"

He smirked and said, "Knowing that lech, he probably dragged her to the rock face to grope her ass in private,"

"It's not funny. I haven't seen either one of them in hours. What could have happened to them?"

"Who cares?"

"Isn't Miroku your best friend? I think we should go looking for them,"

"Why?"

"Because, I'm worried,"

'God dammit, why does that wench have to ruin everything,' he thought as she got up and dusted the sand from her jeans, 'Here I am, enjoying myself in her company and she has to go get all worried about Sango and that walking hard on. Wait...I was enjoying myself in her company? Okay....to weird to even think about,'

"Come on," he said, getting up and walking a head of her, "I saw them go this way about an hour ago,"

They walked along the beach, their runners sinking slightly into the light tan sand. Soon they reached a point where the beach broke off into rock faces and as they crept closer, Kagome was positive se heard a soft moan. "Wait," she hissed, so quiet only he would e able to hear as she grabbed his jacket sleeve and pulled him back, "Maybe we shouldn't,"

"You wanted to go searching for them. Besides, I'm sure I could use the entertainment of seeing their embarrassment,"

"What if it's not them?"

"Only one way to find out." He pressed ahead, a nervous Kagome clutching his arm as she followed him along. She turned at a particularly large juncture between two giant rock faces and gasped silently at the sight that greeted them.

Situation analysis: Miroku and Sango tangled up in each other's arm, perched on a smaller rock, the top of Sango's blouse unbuttoned and her hands under the boys shirt. One of Miroku's hands was disappearing into her hair and the other was cupping a part of her body that he would get slammed into the ground any other day of the week for even thinking about touching.

Conclusion: This was going to be fun.

"Well, this isn't all together surprising," said Inuyasha, a smirk adorning his face as he broke the silence

Sango started, breaking away from Miroku quickly, shoving him to the floor in the act and clutching the top of her blouse together. She had already turned such a deep shade of red, her cheeks were starting to look purple. It looked unnatural, especially on her.

"Kagome-chan! What-what are you doing here?" she stammered.

"I think the better question," said Inuyasha, "Is what are you doing, and are you having fun?"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome scolded, though she couldn't help but smirk, stifling giggle with her hand. The situation was very funny...once you got past the wrong-ness of it all. She smiled at Kagome as Miroku picked himself off the floor, giving her and Inuyasha a triumphant smile as Sango buttoned up her blouse. "Sango, I don't think that shade of red on your face is healthy,"

Inuyasha let out a snort of laughter he couldn't contain before he settled on a mischievous smirk. "So, Sango, I guess this means you're more into Miroku than you let on,"

"D-don't be rude Inuyasha," said Miroku, trying to plaster his well known 'innocent' face on but failing miserably.

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" asked Sango

"Kagome was worried, so we came to look for you. Obviously, you don't need us,"

Kagome averted her face so that her friends wouldn't see her trying to kill her laughter, when she regained some composure, she gripped Inuyasha's sleeve and said, "Come on, Inuyasha, we should go and leave these two to themselves,"

"Okay," he said turning to follow her, and he called over his shoulder, "Sorry we interrupted you love birds," before they both disappeared behind the rocks.

Miroku turned to Sango and said, "Shall we pick up where we left off?"

Sango blinked. Then her eye twitched. These were Miroku's only worries before a rock was dropped on his head.

*

Inuyasha and Kagome rejoined the party, laughing hysterically. Inuyasha decided to make an announcement, "Guys! You should have seen it. Miroku and Sango were-,"

"Inuyasha!" cried Kagome, "You can't tell them that!"

"Why not?"

"Because Miroku's your friend!"

"Look wench, there's something you should know about our friendship. We take ever chance we...can...to...." he trailed of, looking toward the street.

"Inuyasha? What's wrong?" asked Eri, who was among of the many that had stopped to listen to Inuyasha.

"I...I hear....cars and.....sirens...."

Several people stood dumbfounded for a second, until the not-so distant sound of screeching sirens reached their ears.

Then one of the boys screamed "COPS! RUN!!"

*

AN: Cliffy...I love cliffies...BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA....what will happen? You'll just have to wait until next chappy.

The last two parts were written REALLY fast so...forgive anything that is screwed up sounding...until next time.

Pretty long chapter....16 pages....OKAY

This story is quickly coming to an end and when it's over, I want to start a new story. You can choose which one from the following three choices

1) THE SECOND KNOCK- AU InuKag mild MirSan. romance/humour

Inuyasha has found the girl of his dreams. She's everything he could have asked for: smart, funny, caring, 'amusing' quirks.....there's just one problem. He doesn't know her name. Now, after months of chance meetings, fleeting conversations and missing each other by a hair, he has finally summed up the courage to ask the nameless girl out on a date, but she's seemingly disappeared off the face of the Earth without a trace (or so he thinks) Will he get another chance with his dream girl? Will fate bring her back to him? Will opportunity knock twice?

2) IN THE END- future fic InuKag mild MirSan romance/angst

She wished for love-for Inuyasha. She dreamed of raising a family with him in the Sengoku Jidai once the jewel was completed. She dreamed of a comfortable life in the arms of the man she loved. She dreamed of no more pain or sorrow in her life. Dreams don't always come true....

3) THE TURMOILS OF A TEENAGE AUTHOR (title will be changed) AU MirSan mild InuKag romance/humour

Miroku Sakushamishou has it all: fame, fortune, and a prosperous writing career...except that no one knows he's rich, famous, or the author behind the Megumi no Bachiatari novels. But when the girl he's been crushing on for months starts snooping around his life and picking up things here and there, he starts to panic, wondering if his secret will be revealed. Then he does something he had promised himself he wouldn't: he considers giving it all up for a girl.

Personally, I wanna do one of the humours, cause angst makes me wanna cry, but.....well, it's up to you. I'm gonna write them all eventually, this is just for which one I'll start working on.

Oh, and number 3 was inspired by a CG and I'll have to get the artist's permission to post before I start on it. which I am currently in the process of trying to do....er....yeah. Don't expect an update for at least another two weeks. Exams should be over by then.