It was a beautiful sunny day as the InuYasha gang walked down the familiar path to Kaede's hut. Sango and Miroku were sitting on a transformed Kirara's back and Shippo was sitting on her head talking to Myoga, who was perched upon his shoulder.

Kagome was being carried in InuYasha's arms, bridal style, and had fallen asleep. InuYasha was trying hard to ignore Kagome's intoxicating scent, and her steady, content breathing could be felt upon his chest. And those factors weren't helping much!

'She smells like lilacs, strawberries and roses' He thought…'I think it must be that stuff she uses to wash with…' he inhaled… 'Mmmm… she doesn't reek… I can't believe I ever said that she smelled horrible… I never meant to hurt her… I… I… I love her…'

As InuYasha said this to himself, he realized that he really meant it.

Kagome had woken up, not fully, but wanted to stay in InuYasha's arms a bit longer, so she just faked it.

InuYasha leaned his head down and whispered softly in her ear "I…I love you… Kagome"

Kagome smiled when she heard this, but not so much as to be noticed by the hanyou whose arms she was in. It was then when she realized it. 'I can't believe I am in his arms! He never carries me like this; I wonder what made him do it this time…but I like it. No, I love it- wait… that's not right… I…I love him. I hope he is "the one for me."… I just hope…'

Meanwhile

SSSLLLAAAPPP

A loud slap echoed throughout the woods, followed by an "Oww! What was that for?"

InuYasha turned around to find Miroku on the ground with a huge crimson red handprint on his face and an appalled Sango with her hand still in the air and the look of disgust still upon her face.

Kagome was out of InuYasha's arms and was standing there with her arms crossed over her chest, and her head shaking from side to side at the perverted monk.

"What did you do this time you lecherous monk?!" InuYasha snapped.

"Nothing! Honestly! I di-"

"He groped me again!" Sango interrupted Miroku.

"But doesn't he always do that?" Kagome questioned.

"Well… yeah… he does…" Sango said blushing and giving Miroku an angry look. "But…HE WENT A LITTLE TO HIGH FOR COMFORT THIS TIME!!!!!…" Then she quickly added, "not that I find it comfortable when he gropes my ass…"

Kagome got all agitated and Sango got all pissed off at Miroku and InuYasha wanted to pound Shippo into the ground for messing with the Tetsusaiga, but everyone held their anger until they reached Kaede's.

It was very quiet for the rest of the walk, except for Shippo and Myoga talking about the Sacred Jewel and whatever it is that kit's and fleas talk about.

As they reached Kaede's, they didn't see the usual glow coming from the windows that told them Kaede was home and had a fire started.

"Ano… InuYasha?" Kagome said, a little bit worried about Kaede not being home.

"Yeah we-?" InuYasha replied and caught himself before he could call her a 'wench'.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at him before continuing on. "Well, aren't you worried about Kaede? I mean, she's usually always home when we come-"

"And she isn't here this time." Sango butt in. "You can tell because when does she not have a fire going? And you can usually see it through her window."

"I'm a little worried too…but I'm sure she'll be home soon, nothing to worry about." Miroku added, hugging the two worried girls, without groping them.

"Keh! Why do you guys worry so much? I'm sure she's perfectly fine. She's probably gone out to re-stock on herbs and such, she'll be all right. She probably posted a note on the door saying where she went in case we were to come, so don't be a worrywart." InuYasha said with confidence in his voice, but wasn't really confident at all.

'Why isn't she here…' InuYasha thought, a little worried for himself. 'Everyone's right… Kaede is usually always here when we come… I hope I'm right and she really is just out collecting herbs-' InuYasha lost his train of thought when he felt something tugging at his pant leg.

"Come on InuYasha!" Shippo said, trying with all his might to get InuYasha to move.

InuYasha looked around and saw that the others were already halfway to the hut, so he quickly walked to catch up with them.

As they approached Kaede's naked door, Kagome and Sango's expressions got a little more worried.

They looked over at each other and Kagome walked over to InuYasha.

"Hey InuYasha…?" Kagome looked down at her now-twiddling thumbs as she spoke. "Kaede isn't back yet, and she didn't leave a note on the door…" she looked up at InuYasha and her eyes met him.

Her eyes showing as much worry as a mother whose child had just run away. Kagome was almost in tears.

InuYasha looked down into her big, brown, worried eyes. 'I know how much Kaede means to Kagome. She's practically a second mother to her…' InuYasha thought with honesty and knowledge. 'Kagome loves her about as much as she loves her own mother and her jii-san. I wonder if she gets this worried when I am away because I threw one of my fits…'

"I'm a little worried too Kagome…" InuYasha was serious as he said this and pulled Kagome into a tight, reassuring hug.

Feeling Kagome go slightly limp and relaxed in their embrace brought a small, unnoticeable grin to his face and he leaned down to smell her scent.

'Her scent is so calming and relaxing… I love it… No… I love her. Her scent just drives me overboard…' He smelled her again 'Mmmm… lilacs, strawberries and roses… I love that stuff that she cleans her hair with…but it hides her natural scent-'

"Hem hem" Miroku cleared his throat, and InuYasha's thoughts were disturbed and he and Kagome pulled away from each other. "I think we should stay here for the night," He continued, looking at the sky, not paying any mind to the InuYasha and Kagome, who were slightly blushing. "Its getting dark, and there isn't any other hut close by."

"Uhhh… Yeah… that would be a good idea, considering the moon-" he pointed up to it. "I need a place to stay. So its perfectly fine with me."

"Yeah, me too." Kagome said as she yawned "I'm a little tired."

"Okay… I guess its fine with me then…" Sango said then sighed.

"YEAH!" Shippo kinda

"Great." Miroku said and a small smile played across his face that nobody saw.

They entered the small hut, and looked around. Shippo immediately bounded into the backroom, which was his room that Kaede let him have, for she had no use for it. Shippo usually stayed in there, because he had a stash of food and drink in there, that nobody could seem to find.

"Well," Miroku said to everyone, and looked at the fireplace, "looks like we need some firewood for the fireplace."

"Yeah, 'cuz I have some matches in my backpack." Kagome said and rummaged through her bag until she found the box. She read the label out to everyone as she pulled them out. " 'Strike-on-box matches' Perfect!" she exclaimed as she rattled the box. "I must have grabbed the new box my mom bought… Oops… Oh well. Better for us eh?" with that, she smiled and stood up and placed the box on top of the fireplace and went and sat down on the futon in the corner.

"Sango-sama, would you come with me to get firewood?" Miroku asked.

Sango looked to her friend and Kagome gave a small, reassuring nod.

"Come on Houshi-sama." She said and hooked her arm around his awaiting one.

"Well then, all right." Miroku said and smiled then lead her out the door.

InuYasha went and sat over by Kagome, who turned so she could see him.

He waited for Kirara to pass before he spoke.

"I need to talk to you-" They both said this at the same time.

"Ladies first-"

"No… no you go ah-"

"Okay, fine. InuYasha, I heard what you said to me this morning. I was awake." Kagome felt her face go red, and figured she was about five shades of red, but didn't particularly care right now, and kept her eyes locked on to InuYasha's.

InuYasha didn't know what to say. "Kagome… I… I…-"

"Did you mean it? Do you really love me InuYasha?" Her eyes went from questioning and somewhat lonely, to full of love and hope.