More Than What She Seems

A/N: Haha! You guys are so funny!

Anyways, some of you have asked why this story's rating changed to R (and since when it was changed to R which I already told in a few chapters ago, but I'll tell you again). The answer is that I wanted to be safe...for writers here, remember when posted up that message that if a fanfic was not rated appropriately, they'd kick you out or something? That's when I started having thoughts about the rating for this fic...well what do you think everyone? Would it seem rated R to you? Or PG-13? I'm going with what the majority says!

By the way...some of you asked about fluff. Hehe. Well...all I'm saying is: not much of that is gonna happen until chapter 25 or so. And for Miroku/Sango lovers out there...just wait and see :D

Chapter 23: Memories Resurfacing

It was around 6:54 AM when Kagome woke up. She blinked her eyes open and looked around.

"Where am I?" she murmured.

When she caught onto the soft snoring from behind her and when she felt familiar arms around her waist, she remembered.

"Oh, that's right..." she breathed. "I stayed the night at Inu Yasha's house."

Kagome closed her eyes again, closing her hand over her boyfriend's and feeling his breath tickle her skin on her bare neck.

'Should I wake him up?' she wondered thoughtfully. 'How long does he usually sleep on Saturdays?'

"Only one way to find out," she sighed. Kagome turned around in his arms with minor difficulty and faced him. He was back in his hanyou form again. He looked so peaceful...it almost made her feel guilty. For a brief moment, she thought of reconsidering, but when the images of her step-mother hurting Souta came into her head, she shook her head.

"Inu Yasha," she shook his shoulder. He didn't wake.

"Inu Yasha," she shook harder.

He just tightened his hold on her waist.

Kagome took a deep breath, grabbed onto some of his hair, and screamed in his ear, "INU YASHA!!"

He jolted awake, "What?...Ow! Ow! Ow! My hair...my ear! Kami, what is going ON?!"

"Wake up," Kagome sniffed.

"What day is it?" he moaned, slightly drifting back to sleep.

"Saturday."

"Okay...then wake me up again at 12 in the afternoon..."

With that said, Inu Yasha slipped his arms from her body and turned onto his other side so that his back was facing her. Kagome let out a frustrated growl and sat up. Let him sleep. She had her bike...but a bike wouldn't be able to save her from the wrath of her step-mom...a wrath that was bound to happen when she went home.

All of a sudden, a shrill beeping sound rang out near Inu Yasha's side of the bed. Kagome heard a soft slap beside her. A few seconds later, Inu Yasha sat up in the bed yawning tiredly.

"Hey..." she blinked. "I thought you were going to sleep till 12."

"What?" he raised an eyebrow. "And break a promise?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. Her boyfriend was so unpredictable sometimes...

"You thought I really meant it when I said that I'd sleep till 12, didn't you?" Inu Yasha asked with a sly grin.

"No," she answered too quickly.

He laughed, "I don't sleep that late on Saturdays."

"Well, you can keep sleeping," Kagome waved him off. "I can use my bike to get home."

For a brief moment, she was given no answer.

"Inu Yasha?" she turned towards him on the bed to find herself staring straight into a pair of golden eyes.

"I don't break promises...especially promises to you, Kagome," he said thickly. "What the hell do you think I set the alarm for?"

"To watch a favorite television show?" she asked with an innocent look. He rapped her head with a fist.

"No!" he scowled. "So I would be able to wake up early to take you home...but apparently...you woke me up 5 minutes early."

"I'm sorry," Kagome said apologetically.

"You should be," Inu Yasha replied gruffly. "You made me lose 5 minutes of my sleeping time."

"More like two minutes. You fell right back to sleep right after I woke you up."

"Well, for you information, I wasn't able to fall back asleep. I just laid there with my eyes closed."

Beep Beep

Beep Beep

BEEP BEEP

BEEP BEEP

Inu Yasha sighed, "Shoot. I forgot I pressed the snooze button."

"More like slapped," his girlfriend remarked and watched as he reached over and slapped his hand over the clock again, making it shut up.

"The annoying thing keeps beeping after five minutes since the time it's been pressed," Inu Yasha murmured grimly.

"Yeah...that's what it's programmed to do," Kagome said back.

"Being fresh with me now, are we?" he questioned with laughing eyes.

"Yup."

He threw his pillow at her. She shrieked as he lunged at her and landed right on top of her.

After her squeaks and squeals, Kagome opened her eyes and found herself staring into his golden eyes again...only this time, they were way closer.

"Tell me, Kagome," Inu Yasha said softly, his nose pressed lightly against hers. "When was our last kiss?"

She stared back at him, "To tell you the truth, I have no clue."

"Then it's been too long," he said quietly. Kagome felt his mouth brush against hers. The familiar tingly sensation went through her body. "Way too long."

He closed his eyes and pressed his mouth against hers firmly, his fingers tangled deep in her hair.

For a moment, Kagome wanted to cry. She'd never be able to really enjoy a kiss until her step-mother was out of her life...the woman who made her worry about her step-brother and step-grandfather every single second.

But in someway or another, she found herself kissing her boyfriend back, pulling him in closer and making their kiss more passionate. After a minute, the two pulled apart panting heavily and breathed in air.

The two of them gazed at each other for a moment and then closed their eyes again, ready to begin another kiss. And just when they were about to lock lips...

Beep Beep

Beep Beep

BEEP BEEP

BEEP BEEP

Inu Yasha sighed and carefully got off Kagome.

"Stupid thing," he growled.

BEEP BEEP

BEEP –

Kagome blinked as he slammed a fist down onto the digital alarm clock. A crack formed in the middle and its screen blinked 12:00 AM continuously.

"Inu Yasha, look what you did. You broke it," she laughed. "You should be more careful."

He shrugged, "It's happened about 100 times already."

:o:O:o:O:o:

Inu Yasha leapt into the sky with an arm secured onto Kagome, and the other onto her bike.

"Hey," he murmured. "How bout you and the squirt stay for awhile at my house today?"

Kagome didn't reply for a minute or two.

"I guess we could," she said slowly.

"Heh," Inu Yasha leapt up high into the air. His eyes landed on a particular house. "There's your grandmother's house...wanna visit her for a little while?"

He felt Kagome shake her head against his back, "No. Right now, it's best to stay away from her and Shippou. I don't want them involved any further than they already are."

Her fingers clenched his shirt and Inu Yasha heard her whisper, "Enough people have been hurt already."

His eyes softened, 'Kagome...'

:o:O:o:O:o:

"I'll pick you up in an hour," Inu Yasha said before turning around and walking away.

"I'll be waiting," Kagome nodded and closed the front door behind her.

"Where have you been?" a voice asked behind her. She jumped.

Kagome turned around and found herself staring into the cold eyes of her step-mother.

"Didn't Souta tell you?" she tensed.

"Yes, he did. But does it really take all day and all night for school errands?" Ms. Higurashi narrowed her eyes. "Or did you ask him to lie for you?"

Before Kagome could say anything, her step-mother shoved her to the side and opened the door.

Ms. Higurashi's blood went cold when she spotted a silver-haired teenage boy descending the shrine stairs.

"You spent the night at that boy's house, didn't you?" she hissed, grabbing a huge wad of her step-daughter's hair and yanked her head towards the open door. Ms. Higurashi noticed a small flicker of anxiety in Kagome's eyes when the young teenage girl spotted who she was talking about.

When Kagome didn't answer the question after some time, Ms. Higurashi pulled harder on her hair. Kagome let out a small shout.

"ANSWER ME!" her step-mother exclaimed harshly. "DID YOU SPEND THE NIGHT AT THAT BOY'S HOUSE?!"

"Y-yes," Kagome choked out.

"Keh," her step-mother spat, letting go of her step-daughter's hair. Ms. Higurashi slammed the door shut.

"You are not to see that boy again!" she barked. "You hear me?!"

Kagome stared blankly at her.

"I said, do you HEAR ME?!" Ms. Higurashi screamed. "I forbid you to see him! And if I ever catch you seeing him again, you and Souta will be paying for it! Got it?!"

After hearing Souta's name Kagome sucked in her breath, her mind recalling from what she said to her step-brother just yesterday. She'd said that she wouldn't let him get hurt anymore. And by 'see', her step-mother probably meant that she didn't want her to 'date/hang out after school' with Inu Yasha...but it didn't matter because no matter what, she'd see him in school anyway.

"Hai, I got it," Kagome whispered hoarsely. "I won't see him anymore."

:o:O:o:O:o:

Kagome lay grimly on her bed in her bedroom and stared up at the ceiling.

"Guess I'll have to tell Inu Yasha that I can't come to his house after all," she murmured.

"Kagome?" a familiar young voice asked in the open doorway.

"Souta," she turned her head and smiled at him. "Come in...and close and lock the door behind you."

He did so and walked over to her.

"She didn't believe the story when night came yesterday," he said grimly. "She kept interrogating me and said that I was hiding something from her."

"Well, you were," Kagome pointed out. She took a strand of her hair and twirled it around a finger. "But thank you, Souta."

A loud rap on the window made both siblings jump.

Kagome shot up from her bed, her eyes flickering over to the side of the room.

"Oi!" Inu Yasha knocked on the window from the other side, his voice muffled from the window pane. "Let me in! I feel like I'm gonna fall out here."

"What do I do?" Souta heard his step-sister whisper.

"Uh...how about opening the window?" he pointed out with an obvious tone.

"But if Mom finds out that he's here..." her voice trailed off.

"I don't get it Kagome," Souta shook his head and went over to unlock the window. "Isn't he your boyfriend?"

Kagome didn't answer. She stared at the floor and bit her lip.

Souta sighed and opened the window.

"Thanks, squirt," Inu Yasha gave the boy a wink and then climbed into the bedroom. "So everyone all set?"

"All set?" Souta repeated. "What do you mean?"

The hanyou blinked. Inu Yasha's eyes flickered over to Kagome, who was still staring down at the floor with a grim look on her face.

"Guess Kagome didn't tell you the plans for today," he murmured and walked over to his girlfriend.

Kagome cringed when he knelt down in front of her.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" he asked quietly.

When she didn't reply, he reached out and took hold of her chin, tilting her head up so that they were eye-to-eye. Kagome started wavering under his steady gaze.

"I don't think Souta and I should go," she finally blurted out.

"And why's that?" Inu Yasha raised an eyebrow and dropped his hand from her face.

"She threatened me," Kagome whispered.

"That poor excuse for a step-mother of yours?"

"Hai. She said that if she ever caught me hanging out with you again...she'd hurt Souta and me."

"That's a freakin' bluff," Inu Yasha snorted. "I'm one of the obstacles for that bitch. She wants me out of the way so you're even more vulnerable for attack."

The couple jumped when Souta spoke up. Obviously, they'd forgotten that he was still in the room.

"I think what Inu Yasha said is right," the young boy agreed. "And I'm not really scared of Mom's threats anymore...she threatens us so much that it seems so ordinary now."

"Majority wins," Inu Yasha said softly. "I don't care if that bitch told you to stay away from me...cus I know that you know that I won't ever stay away from you."

(Now is that the sweetest thing ever said by him in this story or what? :D)

"Yes, I know," he watched her nod and noticed a small smile overtaking her face.

Kagome took a deep breath and smiled at her step-brother, "Souta, get your shoes. We're staying over at Inu Yasha's house for the day."

:o:O:o:O:o:

After leaving a private note about where they were going to stay at on their Grandfather's bed in his bedroom, Kagome and Souta stumbled into their shoes.

"Are we going to stay at Inu Yasha's as long as you did, Kagome-chan?" Souta asked with an anxious tone of voice.

"No," his step-sister answered. "Now bundle up with a jacket. Inu Yasha told me it was cold outside."

After the two siblings zipped up their jackets, Kagome was about to open the door when they heard a voice behind them.

"Where are you two going?"

They turned around slowly and stared into the eyes of their mother.

"Um," Souta began. "We're going to-"

"The park," Kagome interrupted him. "We're going to the park."

Mrs. Higurashi narrowed her eyes, "Oh, really?"

"Yes, really," Kagome glared at her straight on. Her step-mother just let out a 'humph' and walked to the kitchen.

"Whoa," Souta gawked. "That went better than I expected it to."

By the time he turned around, his step-sister was already out on the doorstep.

"Hurry up, Souta," Kagome said impatiently. "Get out of the house."

He did so and the two of them ran down the shrine stairs. Inu Yasha stood at the bottom and waited for them patiently.

"Fly or walk?" Inu Yasha asked directly to Kagome.

"Doesn't matter to me, but you should ask Souta," she said.

When the two teenagers turned to him, Souta squeaked, "Fly?"

"Fly it is then," Kagome confirmed. "Alright, Inu Yasha. Let's go-"

"No, no! Walk! Walk! " Souta shook his head wildly. Kagome had told him about her rides on Inu Yasha before...and even if it sounded fun...he didn't want to go high up into the sky because... "I'm scared of heights!"

His step-sister sighed heavily, "Alright then, we'll walk."

"Is it alright?" Souta asked guiltily. "I mean, Inu Yasha, if your house is far then-"

"It's fine. My house isn't that far," the hanyou ruffled the boy's hair. "Common, let's go."

:o:O:o:O:o:

Noon came quickly that day.

Mrs. Higurashi sat in the living room, watching the news.

"A huge lightning storm is coming to the area around the late afternoon," the newscaster reported. "It is advised that houses with wooden roofs have lightning rods attached to them."

"Way ahead of you," Mrs. Higurashi rolled her eyes. "All of the roofs here in this shrine are made of wood...we've had lighting rods on them since forever."

"Stay away from trees. It is advised that people stay away from parks."

Parks.

Souta and Kagome.

"Keh..." her voice trembling. "It's not like I care about them. Those two are a pain. I don't care if they get hit by lightning..."

However, her mind thought the opposite. Images of the two kids standing under a tree to shield themselves from the rain flooded into her head. Lightning striking the tree and maybe the children too. Them dead...just like her second husband was now. Those two were still in the park...and they were there for about 4 hours already.

"Father! I'm going to pick up the kids!" she found herself yelling. "I'll be back in awhile!"

She clutched at her chest. What was happening to her? When'd she start caring for those two brats? She hated them. She absolutely hated them!

Right?

A/N: And there you have it! Only 3 chapters left. :D Oh boy. Better start typing the next chapter soon...lol.

Anyways, I know at least one of you noticed that I keep reloading chapters. Ack, every time I reread previous chapters, I find a mistake...so, I fix 'em. :P

Sorry for the LONG update (but seriously, I needed the break)!

Please review!