AN: I can't remember how long it's been since I've updated this… Sorry to have kept you all waiting so long, I hope you didn't lose hope! As far behind as I fall, rest assured, I won't ever leave this story without finishing it.

Chapter 15

"It's still such a shock…" Sango murmured to herself loudly as she and the others walked behind Kagome and Inuyasha, holding hands and smiling at each other as if they were the only people in the world. Love and devotion shone like a beacon in their eyes, drawing them together and promising an eternity of happiness.

"Yes, if I had been told that those two would be able to go weeks at a time without arguing, let alone that Kagome would become a hanyou, I never would have believed it," Miroku agreed. Although it was a new situation to have the hanyou and miko so open about their emotions, he was glad that the two finally realized the love that he knew had been there all along. 'It's about time,' he added inwardly.

"Anybody in the mood for some Ramen?" Kagome asked, though everyone knew whom the question was really directed towards.

"Of course," smiled Inuyasha. He knew that he would never tire of his miko's ramen, 'Or her smiles, for that matter…' he admitted in his mind.

The others nodded in agreement and soon group quickly settled into a small clearing to prepare for lunch. Sango and Kagome got to work preparing the food with the small metal burner and pot she had brought from her home, while the boys, and Kirara, of course, settled down in the shade under a nearby oak. Several minutes after the girls had begun cooking the noodles, Kagome accidentally brushed one of her fingers against the side of the boiling pot and drew in a sharp hiss of breath as she instinctively pulled her hand back to survey the damage. Upon hearing his love's cry of pain, Inuyasha dashed to her and pulled her injured finger towards him to inspect it.

"I'm fine, it's nothing," Kagome assured. It really wasn't a bad burn, and she knew that she had been in much worse condition when they had collected three shards from a particularly fierce fire sprite several weeks ago. 'Still,' she thought, 'it's cute how he worries about me.'

Inuyasha picked up his future mate carefully, and once sure that she was comfortably situated in his arms, rushed out of the clearing after muttering, "Lake, be back later," leaving Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara standing with their mouths open in shock at how fast everything had happened.

"Well," Sango said after a slight pause, "the ramen's ready."

Kagome lay on her stomach by the water's edge playing with the soft petals of a water lily before she looked up at Inuyasha, who was softly playing with her hair and smiling down at her.

"I take it you wanted some time alone?" she giggled. It had surprised her when Inuyasha had taken her from the others, but after a moment, she knew what was going on, and perhaps it was the fact that Inuyasha had pulled her closer to his body and laughed softly while carrying her that had clued her in as to what he had in mind.

A fang slipped out of his mouth as he grinned at his loved one and leaned down next to her ear whispering in a husky voice, "Now whatever gave you that idea?"

Kagome laughed quietly and rolled over onto her back before pulling her hanyou down to meet her in a flaming kiss. He settled into the embrace and returned it all too eagerly before running his hand from the back of her head to her ears to play with them affectionately. He was pleased when he heard her purr from his tender ministrations and coaxed her mouth open with his tongue to deepen the kiss. 'She's so adorable.'

In the back of her mind, Kagome knew that if they continued at the pace they were going, they wouldn't make it back to the others before sundown, which was several hours away, yet surprisingly, she made no move to slow her beau and his intense kissing but returned it with as much ardor as she could muster. After several minutes of this heated activity, Kagome forced him to lift his right arm and with as much strength as she possessed, flipped Inuyasha onto his back and moved to continue kissing him, only now she seemed to be much more interested with his neck than his mouth. She barely heard the gasp that followed as she grazed a fang across his collarbone, but when she did it made her content to know that she could place the same spell on him that he seemed to cast so easily on her.

'Oh gods… I love it when she takes control like this!' Inuyasha hummed to himself as he concentrated on feeling everything his lover was doing to his body. He instinctively began to run his hands up and down her sides slowly, but smirked when she giggled and shifted away from said appendages when he hit a ticklish spot.

The miko knew what was about to come, but couldn't get away fast enough when she felt Inuyasha react. In mere seconds he had her pinned to the ground with one arm while the other was used to tickle her mercilessly. "No… hahaha… pl…plea- hee hee-se, haha… STOP!" she screeched as he kept on with his painless torture.

Inuyasha smirked in his usual fashion and replied, "What's in it for me?" 'I love to see her beg…'

"I… hehe… I'll -hahahaha- make you … tee hee…. ramen!" she squealed. 'I can't take much more of this!' She struggled as much as she could, but it was futile, and she knew that she'd agree to anything to get him to stop.

"Nope, try again," the hanyou laughed.

"I'll do –hahahahahahaha- whatever… hee hee…. you want!" Kagome gasped breathlessly. His tickling immediately stopped, but Inuyasha still held her in place.

"Anything I want, huh?" he smirked. 'This'll be interesting.'

'Oh crap…'

Review please! Snow days make me happy, but reviews would make them so much better for me! Please??