Disclaimer: Inuyasha is soooo not mine.

Chapter 7

"Kouga-kun," Kagome breathed. She ran to him, throwing herself into his open, waiting arms. She didn't care if she rumpled his expensive suit. Apparently, neither did he.

"Kagome!" he muttered, crushing her to him. Behind him, two more figures emerged from the house.

"Kirara!" Sango cried, running towards her old friend. Kirara mewed as loud as she could, and jumped into Sango's arms.

"Kagome, what about me?" a deep voice asked from behind Kouga. Kouga turned, smiling, allowing Kagome to see who was speaking. Before her was a tall, red-haired youkai with huge emerald green eyes.

"Shippo-chan?" she whispered, tears now falling in a torrent down her face. "Shippo? Kami! Is...is that you?" Kouga released her and she ran to Shippo, throwing her arms around his neck, kissing his face fervently.

"Oh, Kagome," Shippo moaned softly against her neck, "I never thought I would see you again."

Reaching up, Kagome touched his sweet little face that wasn't little anymore. "But you have, Shippo-chan." She smiled up at him, thinking how strange it was that only yesterday he was still a little child. Now, he was all grown up.

"My Shippo, you have grown quite a lot since...yesterday," Miroku quipped, clapping the tall kitsune on the back. Shippo grinned and enveloped the houshi in a massive hug. Miroku felt as though his eyes would pop out of his head.

Shippo turned to Sango, who also hugged him. "It's wonderful to see you, Shippo-chan," she said, still cradling Kirara to her. "And you, Kouga-kun."

Kagome turned to Kouga, who was watching her intently. "Thank you so much for taking care of Shippo-chan. You didn't have to do it, but you did. I'll never forget that."

Kouga shrugged elegantly and Kagome marveled at just how sophisticated he had become. He looked cool and suave in his dark blue suit. Unfortunately, he had chopped his silky black locks short. But he still looked as handsome as ever.

Kagome took a step back to admire him. Kouga looked as though he had just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. "Wow, Kouga-kun. You look so...wow!"

She turned to gaze upon Shippo, who gave a little twirl for her inspection. He too, looked like a fashion plate. Kagome whistled softly. "Mmmm, Shippo-chan! You look really sharp!" He was dressed in a dark brown suit, which really brought out his green eyes.

Shippo smiled proudly. "Arigato, Kagome! I'd hoped we had impressed you enough. I almost didn't know what to wear today." He fidgeted with his lapels and brushed imaginary dirt from his sleeves.

They all went inside, happy to be reunited at last.

That night during dinner, Kouga asked if Kagome, Sango and Miroku would move in with him, Shippo and Kirara.

"I have a large house, so room is not a problem," Kouga added quickly when no one answered.

Taking a delicate sip of tea, Shippo chuckled. "It's a mansion. Kouga thinks that what he has is too small. He would have opted for something bigger, but Kirara and I managed to talk him out of it."

Everyone stared at Kouga. "You have a mansion?" Kagome asked, slightly awed.

Kouga nodded. "But if you wish for something bigger, I will get it for you," he answered earnestly.

"What could possibly be bigger than a mansion?" Kagome asked. She was slightly worried for the okami. Why was he talking like this?

"A palace," was his reply.

Kagome laughed. She couldn't help herself. "A palace?" she gasped. "Where on earth could you possibly get a palace?"

Kouga watched her steadily. "I'll build one for you," he replied quietly.

Kagome looked at him, then at Shippo, who nodded solemnly. She turned her attention back to Kouga, whom she was certain, hadn't so much as blinked in the past few minutes.

Everyone sat watching the exchange between Kouga and Kagome. Kagome was shaking her head in disbelief. Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore. She got up and excused herself. Kouga followed her outside.

Kagome heard him come up behind her. She turned to him, trying to see him clearly in the fading light of day. "I...I don't know what to say, Kouga-kun," she finally managed to utter.

He looked down at her. "Say you'll come live with me...with us. You have no idea how hard it was to watch you from the time you were an infant, watch you grow up, and finally go back and forth through the well. Every time I saw you leave, I wanted to go with you. Every time I saw Inuyasha come through to get you, I wanted to show myself to him, let him know I was here in this time." He came close to her, cupping her face in his large, warm hands. "I wanted you to see how I turned out. I wanted you to know that I was no longer that uncouth, loud-mouthed okami you grew to despise."

Kagome shook her head. "I never despised you, Kouga-kun! Never! You were always so sweet to me. It was just at first when you drove me crazy." She laughed softly and he joined her.

"I have always loved you, Kagome. But I will not lie to you when I say that in a moment of loneliness that I took a mate." He dropped his hands and looked away.

"Was it Ayame?" Kagome asked gently. She took one of his hands in hers and held it.

He squeezed her hand gently. "Hai. I always felt that she tricked me into mating her...and my instincts are never wrong."

"What happened to her?" she urged.

Kouga shook his head, his black hair swaying slightly. "She finally died, during an attack on an encroaching bear youkai clan. I won't say that I missed her, because I didn't. She gave me two sons and one daughter, whom I loved. But I never found it in my heart to care for her." He turned to stare at Kagome. "You must think I was a cold-hearted monster to hate my own mate," he muttered, more to himself than anything.

Kagome shook her head. "No, I don't believe anything such thing of you. You were lonely. That is understandable. At least you loved your children. What happened to them?"

"My daughter and one son are still alive. My other son was killed in the same fight his mother died in." Kouga raised her hand that was holding on to his and turned it over. He kissed her palm gently.

"I'm so sorry, Kouga-kun, about the death of your son. His loss must have been hard on you," she remarked, touched by his romantic gesture.

Piercing blue eyes met hers. "Not particularly," he said nonchalantly. "He was a poor fighter like his mother. Also, he was lazy, dull-witted, rebellious and disrespectful of his elders. If there is one thing I cannot abide by, it is disrespect of one's elders."

Kagome was stunned. Could this be the same Kouga she had known in the Feudal era? Because this Kouga was...cold. Too cold. Too much like...HIM.

"So? Will you move in with me? I have plenty of room." Kouga looked at her eagerly.

Kagome looked ready to object when he stopped her. "I want you with me, Kagome. I have been without your presence for so long. I...I just need to have you near me again." He looked pleadingly at her. "I know that you may still not love me, but I have always loved you. Give me a chance to win your love. Please."

Kagome stared up at him. It was now dark and she was completely alone with him. The God Tree stood not far from them. She could almost sense Inuyasha watching them. Whatever happened to him?

Her mind turned to the last conversation she had overheard with him and Sesshoumaru. He had made it pretty clear that she meant nothing to him. Inuyasha hadn't loved her. He never had.

And here was Kouga, his heart in his eyes and in his hands, giving it to her. His love had never faltered, never strayed, only taking a mate when he became too lonely without her.

"Yes, I'll live with you, Kouga-kun. I'm sure Sango and Miroku will want to as well. Perhaps you can help them adapt to this time. I'm not doing such a hot job." She frowned slightly, remembering what had happened earlier that day and Kouga laughed.

"Yeah, Shippo and I will help them. I mean, if WE could do it, then they certainly can."

Kagome just had to know. She hadn't really thought about "them" a lot since she had come back, but she had to know. "Ano, Kouga-kun, whatever happened to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru? Are they still alive?"

Kouga's face almost seemed to harden in the dark, but when she looked again, the look was no longer there. He grinned at her. "I'll tell you another time, Kagome. Right now, it's too dark to see far. Let me get you back inside, so you can finish your dinner."

He put an arm around her shoulders and led her inside, giving her a kiss on the top of the head before entering the house behind her.

Kouga had shot him a dirty look behind Kagome's back. He knew that Kouga knew he was there in the tree.

'That sneaky bastard! Damn his ass to hell!'

A shadowy figure moved in the dark. It was lurking in the boughs of the God Tree. The figure growled low and menacingly.

'You won't win her, Kouga. You've never had good luck with Kagome...and you never will.'

The figure leapt from the tree and ran to his car, which was parked around the corner.

Inuyasha got into his car and nearly slammed his door shut. He sat there in the dark and growled low to himself.

Damn that okami! Damn him! 'Like hell he's getting his filthy claws into Kagome! I'd lick Sesshoumaru's toes before that happens!'

Inuyasha nearly retched at the thought and started his car. As he drove away, he could hear his phone vibrate. But he didn't pick up. Why should he? He already knew who it was calling him and why. 'Bastard! Let him sit there in his high-rise office and wonder where the hell I could possibly be. Asshole!' Inuyasha thought viciously.

Kagome was his. By rights, she was his. He had never forgotten this or forgiven Sesshoumaru for dipping his stick in HIS honey. Sesshoumaru could argue all day long about her being his mate, yaddah, yaddah, yaddah. Keh! Whatever! Kagome loved him, Inuyasha! She hadn't loved his brother, who treated her so callously and who had forced her to leave.

Inuyasha put his foot down. The car shot forward, allowing him to speed along.

Damn he was pissed! He had followed Kagome, Sango and Miroku to the mall, then followed them back to the shrine where Kouga was already laying in wait for them. And Kouga knew... He knew that Inuyasha was watching, and he took full advantage of his helplessness. He knew that Sesshoumaru would cut him off if he found out that Inuyasha was trying to horn in on his show.

Inuyasha hated the fact that he was basically Sesshoumaru's toady. Whatever Sesshoumaru wanted, Sesshoumaru got. Bastard...

One day, his brother would find out the truth. He would realize that Kagome wanted nothing to do with him.

Inuyasha smiled coldly as he sped along. Finally, Sesshoumaru would get his comeuppance. It had been too long in coming.