Thank you all so much for your reviews! You make me so happy, you have no idea! Rachael Dalrymple was the first reviewer on this chapter and therefore officially the one who got the caller right first. hands Rachael Dalrymple a cookie. Almost none of you that guessed got it wrong which makes me happy that I portrayed the character well enough for you to get it. That and y'all are obviously smart so YAY you guys! Have a go at this chapter!

Disclaimer: Biology is an interesting subject if you think about it. We talked about meiosis today and my Prof kept asking us, "What is Meiosis about again?" "It's all about sex!" Mind you this is a lecture of nearly a thousand college kids... my point? Sex is fun but even funnier... Oh yea, Inuyasha is not mine but if he was I could cross over some homologous pairs with him... ooo baby.

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It was not the time to panic. Panic would only make things worse. Not to mention it would wear her down. She schooled her features before approaching the small crowd and pushing her way through. She had to be calm and collected, she couldn't yell and crying was absolutely not allowed.

"I can handle it from here."

"But miss..."

"Trust me, I can handle it." She turned a slightly cold gaze, unlike herself on the police officer. He recognized her after a moment and nodded silently, allowing her through. Thanking him silently for not stopping her she approached the tree.

She heaved a deep sigh, flicking her eyes up into the branches above her head before sinking down against the trunk of the tree. She heard a rustle but didn't look up again. She took another deep breath, trying to think of what to say.

"Care to tell me what you're doing up there?"

"Feh."

"Fine. I can wait." She heard a growl but ignored it in favor of looking intently at her nails. He was stubborn, there was no doubt about that, but she could be just as stubborn should the need arise. As the time passed the crowd began to disperse and only the one police officer was left, sitting in the cab of his car. After a long time spent in silence she heard a voice drift down from the leaves.

"Why are you here?"

"Someone came running into the dorm yelling about a boy up a tree. Who else could it be?" She heard an uncomfortable rustle but still would not look up.

"Hmph... it's dark out. You shouldn't have come alone."

She rolled her eyes at the statement then rose from the ground, brushing off her butt and back. She made it blatantly obvious that she was planning on leaving. A more distinct rustle was heard from the heights of the tree.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Bingo, her mind sang out. She slowed to a stop but didn't turn to face the seemingly disembodied voice of the tree.

"Either back home or for a walk through campus." After an impatient silence the voice called out angrily to her.

"Well which one?"

"That's really up to you." She heard grumbling mixed with frustrated rustling coming from the branches. Hearing a muffled thump she began walking again still keeping her back to the boy behind her. "Glad you decided to join me."

"Yea whatever. You'd get yourself mugged or something and I'd have to come and save you. This way I'll be there already."

"So you do care!" she cried in mock surprise. She heard a "Feh" from her right and finally looked over at the boy at her side. After a few moments he took her hand but still said nothing of substance. She breathed a sigh, her earlier thoughts of panic forgotten. Her panic, which had changed to relief, soon turned to anger at the silence being prolonged between the two. "Why are you being like this? What'd I do?"

He turned his golden gaze on her, a slightly baffled look on his face. Obviously she had misjudged the root of the problem. She couldn't help it though. This morning he had woken up surly and silent. She had assumed it was her fault and left without comment, not trusting herself not to get emotional. But now she could tell by the look in his eyes that this wasn't the case.

"Kagome..." He squeezed her hand tightly before pulling her into his arms and resting his chin on her head. "It's not you at all. I'm sorry I made you think that."

"You disappeared all day and wouldn't answer your phone. What was I supposed to think?" She felt herself getting ready to tear up. Now was not the time. "I thought you regretted asking..." She was interrupted as Inuyasha pulled her back and looked her in the eye.

"No! That's not it at all. I just... I was angry after... Sesshomaru called last night. He's coming into town and he wants to meet you." He caught the puzzled look on Kagome's face, but he wasn't sure what it was about. She was being very closed with him, well for her anyway, and he wasn't used to that.

"I don't get why that's a bad thing. What does it matter if he wants to meet me?"

"Sesshomaru doesn't like humans much and really doesn't like me because I'm a "taint" on his pure and perfect little life. I'm surprised he even called to tell me he was coming. I still haven't figured out why he wants to meet you."

"Isn't that a good sign then?" she asked hopefully. Inuyasha sighed. Now with Kagome to even out his bad temper he was beginning to realize she just might be right. Maybe he hadn't been thinking about this the right way. When left to himself he tended to think only of the negative and depressing things that could happen to further complicate his life.

"It could be... I guess." He sighed. "I'm sorry Kagome, I let my brother's old taunts get to me and I assumed the worst." She laughed lightly before stretching up to kiss him quickly.

"It's alright. But from now on... try to talk to me about these things and um... stay out of the trees." Inuyasha laughed. She was right, as usual. She was going to be his mate and they were supposed to share things like this to help each other. He'd fallen into his normal custom of taking to the biggest tree on campus to brood, ignoring the people below. In the past it had only been Kagome who could get him down, just as it had been tonight. He wasn't sure what had possessed him to think he could escape her persuasiveness this time or any other time for that matter.

"Sure Mate." Kagome blushed at the term, smiling gently. Inuyasha dipped down, kissing her to reassure her of his promise and to remind himself that she was there for him. Her arms slipped around his neck, pulling him closer and deepening the kiss. They broke apart for air only to have Kagome squeal in surprise as Inuyasha scooped her into his arms. He was about to leap into the air when he caught a familiar scent nearby. "Miroku, when are you going to quit being a peeping tom?"

A soft laugh was heard just before said voyeur unblended from the shadows of the building and a boy with black hair and light eyes was revealed. He smiled at Kagome, bowing in that strangely polite way he had. Given his appearance no one would suspect the perverted nature that lurked under the surface. He also had one of those disarming smiles that melted a girl's heart. Kagome was wary of this boy because of his relationship with women in general but he was trustworthy guy apart from one appendage. He had a hand that had a particular affinity for buttocks and he claimed to have next to no control over it. Right, and pigs can fly.

"Really Inuyasha, I was merely walking home from class and I happened to see the two of you. I had heard you were treed so I figured the night was safe for me to walk." He gave a soft smile at Kagome. "But it seems the lovely Kagome is the one who has made the night safe by occupying you. I've been pounced by you plenty of times to be wary of walking at night." Kagome smiled back but didn't give the sly boy any leverage in the conversation. Inuyasha smirked at the memory of those past assaults. He liked pouncing unsuspecting friends, Miroku especially because the stupid lecher never learned to watch his back. Miroku was one of his good friends but he still didn't like the look he was giving Kagome.

"Feh. You better leave her alone."

"I think Sango was waiting for you back at the dorm anyway Miroku." Kagome saw the way his face lit up at the mention of his girlfriend. He got a slightly far off look on his face and started to drift in the direction of the dorm, as though he was floating. He snapped out of it when a sudden thought apparently hit him.

"Oh uh, Inuyasha. I saw Rin yesterday, she said something about Sesshomaru coming into town this weekend?" Inuyasha growled.

"Yea, I know. He called ahead." Miroku looked heavily surprised.

"He... He called you?" Inuyasha nodded tightly, a definite scowl on his face. "Well that's a change... Are he and Rin for sure...uh?"

"You mean sweet little Rin and the monstrous beast that is Sesshomaru? Together?" Kagome teased. However at Miroku and Inuyasha's nods she turned serious. "I thought Sesshomaru didn't like humans."

"Rin seems to be a highly treasured exception. She seems very excited to see him, as it's been a couple of months. She told me he calls her once a week to make sure she's alright and to let her know what he's up to," Miroku rattled off. Inuyasha stared at his friend in startled amazement.

"He doesn't even talk to my dad more than once a month, if that!" he nearly whispered. Kagome practically felt the awe coming off of him in waves. Apparently this girl was special enough to merit the mighty Sesshomaru's, though obviously restrained, affection. Kagome had met her once or twice in the past. She was a bubbly girl, quick to smile, talkative but not to a fault and made friends easily. If Sesshomaru were not the kind of person he was, Kagome would have understood why he had become attached to her. She was only a year below them in school, not too much younger in age if she remembered correctly. But that meant she was still a good deal younger than Sesshomaru. She'd ask Inuyasha about it later.

"Well I'm sure Rin has probably changed him, she has that effect on people... speaking of effects, I think Sango is calling me. I shall leave you two to your walk." Miroku dug his vibrating phone from his pocket and strode off toward the dorm with a backward wave. Inuyasha growled after the departing boy but it was obvious his heart wasn't in it. Kagome squeezed his arm and was alarmed to see the deep scowl on his features. She'd thought they were past this. He took her hand again but wouldn't look at her directly and practically dragged her back to the dorm. He took her to her room, kissed her forehead and left without a word.

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The next few days were intense for Inuyasha but even more so for Kagome. As much as she had calmed him before and Miroku's words should have calmed him, he was still sure that Sesshomaru had no good intentions planned for this visit. Finally, the day before his half-brother was to arrive, Kagome had had enough. She stalked up to his room, surprising him from his attack on his homework.

"This has gone on long enough." He looked at her, not sure what she was talking about and not sure he wanted to ask if she was this angry about it. On the other hand he was quite sure she was the most radiant he had ever seen her. Her face was a light rosy shade from her anger and from her exertion. Obviously she'd been too upset to wait for the elevator.

"What's got your undies in a bunch?" he grumbled.

"You have been in a foul mood all week and I have had enough! I don't know if you're aware, but I can feel you being angry all the way downstairs. I can't imagine how uncomfortable your neighbors are!"

Inuyasha stared at her in wonder and slight confusion. She could feel his anger? His eyes flitted about as his brain searched for an explanation. He felt a hand on his arm and looked up into the worried face of Kagome. Either she was worried herself, she was feeling his anxiety or the effects or both their emotions were overwhelming his mate-to-be. He had to do something to make her stop worrying or he was afraid it would consume them both.

Doing the only thing he could think of to calm her he gathered her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her tightly. He rumbled gently, soothing her as time went by. When he felt her relax and in turn himself relax he came to a realization.

"Kagome... I don't think anyone else can feel my anger. I think it's just you." He felt her get angry, not only from the rigidity in her body but a thought of, "How dare he?" raged in his mind. He laughed lightly but stopped when he felt Kagome's confusion overtake her anger. "I think our mental "mating" has started already."

"Um what?" she squeaked. He smiled, rubbing her back and growling gently to calm her, as was his duty. Much to his pleasure he felt her relax instantly.

"Mating isn't just physical Kagome." She looked puzzled for a moment before looking up at him with a small "oh." Inuyasha was surprised at how well she was taking this. He himself was still coming to grips with it and he knew what was going on. Of course... it wasn't supposed to happen until after they mated, but he wasn't complaining.

"That must be why youkai mates are so loyal to one another. They would probably go insane without the other." Her quiet words struck a chord in Inuyasha. It made him intensely happy to think she would feel as lost without him as he would without her. To be honest he'd never even thought of this aspect of their mating so he hadn't mentioned it before. He felt a sense of pride at the intelligence of his mate. She giggled quietly in his arms when she felt the emotions welling in him.

"Damn Kagome. What would I do without you?" He kissed the slightly exposed portion of her throat from her leaning her head on his shoulder and he sensed the warm feeling it gave her. He decided to do that more often from now on. Starting n... damn. She got up from his lap, a seductive smile on her face. He raised an eyebrow, not sure what she was up to.

"You'd be shit outta luck, that's what." She kissed him quickly, laughing at his growl as she scampered out of the room before he could grab her. His growl faded soon enough. She always did know what to do to make him smile, that was for sure. He went back to his homework, hell-bent on finishing it now so he would have one less thing to worry about this weekend. He felt an immense giddy sigh flood his mind but it was not his own. Kagome obviously. He chuckled to himself as he sent a rush of his own relief that they were both happy again at her. Inuyasha then got an idea in his head and thought to try it out. Sooner versus later was obviously better.

"You sure you don't want to skip town with me before Sesshomaru gets here?" he sent. He heard a surprised "eep" from a few floors below and laughed. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

"We can... oh my. We can talk like this?" her mental voice asked tentatively.

"Another reason you'll have to be loyal to me. I know where you are at all times." He grinned at her indignant mental huff. Then he felt a slightly disappointed edge to her and he instantly felt guilty.

"Do you really have that little faith in me?" was her quiet reply. He sighed aloud, smacking himself for his stupidity.

"No. I was joking Kagome. I didn't mean it like that." He felt her mood lighten a bit but not enough for his liking. "The offer to skip town still stands." He felt her laugh at that and it made him feel better.

"You have to face your brother sometime. Plus, he may actually of changed. Even if he hasn't, we have your parents' blessing, what can he really do?"

"Who knows? He's a devious son of a bitch... literally." Kagome felt him fill with laughter at his own joke. She rolled her eyes at her mate-to-be, sighing.

"You know you're really not as funny as you think you are." She could practically see him scowling at her in her mind and couldn't help but laugh as his sudden transformation into a grumpy puppy.

"I am not a grumpy puppy!" he growled, or perhaps pouted. Kagome wasn't sure. She blew him a mental kiss before telling him to finish his homework. She turned to her own and set in to write her short history paper before tomorrow. Tomorrow, Saturday, was going to be stressful and she wanted to be able to completely relax with Inuyasha on their free time away from Sesshomaru and work.

"You and me both babe." Kagome smiled.

"You're supposed to be..."

"I know, I know! I'm doing it. Jeez. Pushy bitch, aren't you?"

"Don't get me started Inuyasha." There was silence and Kagome started to write again. She got through half a sentence before she was interrupted again.

"Do you have any soda?"

"INUYASHA!"

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Man he's a pain in the butt when he wants to be. Er... that's technically my own fault. So yea! I've actually gotten a few compliments on the hair so it isn't a complete disaster. Still feels really short to me. Anyway, the next chapter won't be out for a little bit. I'm still working on it and the following chapter. And remember, Meiosis is all about sex!