Jami – 8th chapter! Whoo hoo! Hell yeah! I updated much quicker this time! I dunno, I guess the reviews sounded more pleading this time around! Plus… I only really write when my fingers are aching for the keyboard's touch! Hehe!

Anyways, I'm here all by myself cause everybody else went out and had a good time while I was stuck at home being grounded, but, you know how it is…

High school sucks…

Here's the chapter… it might be a little angsty but well, just go along with it…

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Chapter Eight: Realization and a New Beginning

Inuyasha led Kagome out of reach of Kouga all the way to his bedroom chambers. He let go of her hand and placed his hands on her shoulders. He asked worriedly, still a little steamed, "Kagome, are you alright?" Kagome peered up at him with wide eyes, tears enveloping them, and her eyebrows furrowed in anger.

"How dare you!" She said curtly, yet still weakly, and backed away from him, causing his hands to fall back to his sides.

"Kagome, what are you-" Kagome shrieked.

"NO! You! You knew how much I loathed being fought over by lecherous men and here you are, fighting over me! What the fuck am I, a piece of steak!?" She left the question hanging in between them, as if the words could be swallowed up and forgotten.

Inuyasha blanched, and stuttered, "I-I'm s-sor-sorry!"

Kagome icily stared back at him. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wanted to believe him, that he really was sorry. But then she couldn't shake the images of other lords feeling her up, and raping her and constantly harassing her all they wanted. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she drifted in front of Inuyasha and slapped him frigidly in the face.

The sound of palm hitting face echoed throughout the room, bouncing off the walls and hitting the floor like some kind of ball. Inuyasha lifted a trembling hand up to his burning cheek and pressed down lightly on the red area. Kagome regained her composure and turned away from him, covering her face in her own hands. She began weeping again.

Inuyasha, finally returning from the shock he had recently just explored, peered back at Kagome and reached out to grab her shoulder. With a shaky grasp, he reached his destination and rubbed her there softy, attempting to release all areas of tension.

After a sad, awkward silence, Inuyasha spoke up. He cleared his throat.

"Ka-Kagome?" He rasped out of stunned stillness. Kagome stiffened a bit. "Kagome, I really am sorry. I didn't mean to upset you, I just… he was making me so angry, and I, I just sort of jumped." Kagome sniffled. "He… he just was trying to take advantage of you. You looked so helpless." Kagome turned around in exhaustion.

"Inuyasha! I can take care of myself!" She said coolly, slapping away his hand from her shoulder.

"Can you?"

Kagome was taken aback. "I-I…" She clambered out. "What do you mean?"

"Kagome. You may be strong, but you would never be able to fight off someone like Kouga. At any given moment, they would be able to take advantage of you, like Kouga tried earlier."

"Oh yeah!"

Inuyasha took a step forward. "Yeah." Kagome took a step back. Inuyasha took a step forward. Kagome took a step back.

"I-Inuyasha! Wh-what are you doing!" Kagome asked as they repeated their actions.

"I'm just trying to prove something to you." He said calmly, taking another step. Kagome gave him a dirty look, but still held her terrified expression. She stepped backward.

"Like what?" Kagome asked, fearing the worst. They repeated the pattern of stepping forward and backward. Kagome felt her back hit the wall and she moved her arms beside her, trying to find an escape or possibly something to hit Inuyasha upside the head with.

"Like this." Inuyasha pressed up against her with ease and nuzzled his face into her neck, sucking in a breath. Kagome's spine tingled as Inuyasha pressed more tightly to her.

"Inu-Inuyasha…" Kagome whispered, tears welded up in her blue orbs. "Please, please st-stop…" She trailed off.

Inuyasha moved his mouth to hover over her lips, brushing up against them softly. It was weird, and it sent electricity over their bodies. Inuyasha backed away and his bangs covered over his eyes. He smirked.

"I wasn't gonna do nothing." He said arrogantly. "I was just showing ya how easy it would be to take advantage of you." Kagome fumed.

"You jackass! Scaring me half to death like that! You deserve this!" She stomped up to him and shoved him. Surprisingly, he fell to the floor with a loud thud. Kagome stuck her head up in the air proudly and before she walked out of the room, she snickered airily, "If you need me, I'll be in the courtyards with Sango."

Inuyasha watched her form leave the room and smiled a true smile. Sure, Kagome could be a bitch, but damn, she sure was cute when she was angry. He should definitely piss her off more often.

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Kagome stormed her way downstairs and finally found herself in the courtyards. She had only been there a few days and didn't really know her way around the castle to well. Most of the time, she had Rin or Inuyasha to help her, but Rin was nowhere to be seen and well, Inuyasha was being an ass, so there was really no choice but to go alone.

She peered around outside, trying to find Sango. Kagome wasn't even sure if Sango was even out here, but she needed someone to talk to. She was bored, and being with Inuyasha was no help. Her eyes widened in disgust and she turned around, determined to get as far away as she could from the person she had just so happened to spot in the clearing.

'The asshole!' She fumed and began speed walking. Said insulted one unfortunately followed and swung himself in front of her to stop her from going any further.

"Leave me alone Kouga!" She spat in his face before he had a chance to say anything. Kouga smirked and leaned against one side of the wall, lifting a leg up and shooting it out in front of him to greet the other wall so Kagome couldn't go past him.

"Not until you give me what I want." He closed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Yeah, well what do you want?" Kagome seethed through gritted teeth.

Kouga opened his eyes again and looked her up and down before licking his lips and saying, "You."

"You disgusting pervert! What makes you think I would want to go off with you somewhere and do whatever you ask me to do!?" She yelled.

"Well," he began. "If you're not volunteering, than I might as well take away you're free will." He repositioned and stepped in front of her. Kagome took a step back. They repeated their actions.

'Inuyasha was right.' Kagome realized. 'I can be taken advantage of easily.' Tears welded up into her eyes again. She didn't feel like crying again. She already had her fill of crying over the past couple of days, and her eyes felt heavy and they stung from all of the tears. "I told you to leave me the hell alone!" Kagome called as she was backed up against a wall once again.

"I can't leave you alone Kagome, not with all those scary perverts around." Kouga snickered. "I'm just trying to protect you."

Kagome shoved him but to no avail. Kouga was just too strong. "You're doing anything but protecting me! You hypocrite!" Kagome shouted in his face. She tried shoving him again, but she was still unsuccessful.

"Just relax, Kagome." Kouga whispered. And wrapped his arms around her waist. He licked her lips and stuck his tongue inside her mouth. Kagome grimaced as she tried to fight him off, but it wasn't working to well. He would just keep plowing ahead and became more aggressive as she hit and pushed. Kagome felt she had no choice but to give up and be taken over. It's not like anyone would actually help her anyways. Well, maybe one person…

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called.

"Shut up, bitch!" Kouga slapped her across the face leaving a nasty red mark. Kagome, being stunned, barely even noticed when she was carried off into the woods beside the castle to be consumed once again.

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Inside his bedroom chambers, Inuyasha was sprawled out across of his bed, still shirtless, a dreamy look in his eyes. It had only been no more than four days, and he couldn't stop thinking about that damn Kagome. It was happening all over again. Just like with Kikyou. This was how he had fallen in love with Kikyou. Night by night, he wouldn't be able to stop fantasizing about her. She was everywhere. In his dreams, in the sky, beside his reflection in mirrors, in rivers. And now, the same thing was happening with Kagome.

No. Not because she resembled Kikyou. He was falling for Kagome because she was Kagome. Though they may appear to be the same person, they were completely different. And he liked the fact that Kagome wasn't like Kikyou. He needed someone new. Someone who could show him love again. And that's what she was beginning to do.

Inuyasha was falling in–

Just then, Kagome stepped into his room, closing the door with trembling hands. She didn't turn to look at him, but he could tell something was wrong. Something had happened, and he was determined to find out. He walked over to where she was in front of the door.

"Kagome, are you-" Inuyasha began, but was cut off of his words when Kagome turned and flung herself onto him, hugging him tightly and gripping onto his broad, bare shoulders. Inuyasha instinctively wrapped his arms around her with a worried look in his eyes, totally forgetting about his little conversation with himself a few moments before.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shrieked. "Y-you were ri-right!"

"What do you mean, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, stroking her hair gently. Kagome peered up at him, tears staining her face. Her eyes, blood shot and worn.

"H-he to-took advantage of m-me!" She told him shakily. "I-I was ra-ra-ra-"

"H-he didn't!" Inuyasha growled and clenched his teeth. "That bastard!" He held on more tightly to her and kissed her forehead softy. "Don't' worry, I'll go and fuck him up for you!" He said with full honesty.

He let go of her reluctantly and grasped the doorknob. Before he had a chance to leave, he felt someone grab onto his muscular arm. He peered back and saw Kagome's tear filled expression and nearly died of sympathy. His eyes gleamed with warmth and caring.

"Stay with me." She whispered. Her arm fell to her side as he once again wrapped himself around her body. Her arms tangled around his neck and they held each other in an embrace for what seemed like an eternity.

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"Sango?"

Sango turned around and saw her lord enter through the door. "Lord Miroku." She said simply, fear in her words.

"Are you ready?" He asked solemnly and pulled of his kimono, letting it drop to the floor silently. Sango nodded, tears already beginning to form into her eyes.

"Good." Miroku said with satisfaction and waltzed over to her. He began kissing the nape of her neck, trailing his hands down her body, fumbling with her robes. Sango placed her trembling hands onto his broad, muscular, bare shoulders. Miroku, already successfully opening the front of her robes, began kissing and biting at her cleavage. Sango whimpered slightly. Yeah, it felt good, but she wished she had some say in the matter. She loved Miroku, but she would rather lay with him in a nice comfy bed, snuggling, than, well, you know. Not that she'd get what she wanted. At least she got to be with him.

Miroku, lost in sheer bliss, began kissing more aggressive. Before he got to his destination, he felt something warm and wet drop onto his nose. He opened his eyes and lifted a finger up to wipe away the unknown liquid. He peered up and saw that tears were spilling down Sango's cheeks, raining down on him like water vapor. Sango refused to look down into his eyes, and stared ahead at the door, wishing she could be anywhere but there at that moment.

"Sango?" He asked quietly, standing up to her eye level. Sango, giving in, locked eyes with his. She didn't say a word, but by studying her expression, he could tell she was hurt and abused. He could tell that she didn't want this.

His bangs shadowed his beautiful violet eyes and he whispered with a weak smile, "Let's just go to sleep, okay Sango?" He walked over to the bed and got into it, sheets covering over his body. Sango gasped and with stunned eyes, she followed him to the bed, yet on the opposite side.

She laid down on her back, glancing over at his still body. He was turned away from her and his back and chest heaved with every breath he took. Sango sighed in wonderment at what he had just for her. He actually cared about her. He actually cared about her enough to respect her feelings. Maybe being with Lord Miroku wasn't so bad after all.

Of course, she really didn't know why on earth she loved him anyways…

Falling asleep quietly, she smiled.

Unknown to her, someone else in the room was smiling as well.

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Jami – well, did ya like it? It was only a page longer than the last chapter, but well, whatever. I've had that little vision of Sango and Miroku playing in the back of my mind for a while now, and I finally decided to use it in a chapter.

I wonder what'll happen to Kagome and Inuyasha now that Inuyasha has realized that he likes Kagome. And what about that bet between Kouga and Inuyasha? Will it follow-through? Will Kagome find out about it? Will anything change between Sango and Miroku? Find out next chapter… maybe…

Well, until next time…

Ja, love ya much,
Jami