Thanks to my reviewers: Hekele Masuyo and Demonic Devils-you guys rock

Hekele: Thanks for the help, I hope this one's better

Demonic: It's Kag/Inu Sesshomaru was talking about Destiny

Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the plot and my own charaters

Chapter 5: More shards come with a price

"I want to talk. And you want to talk, I know." She said gently, looking into his eyes.

Inuyasha could tell she was serious. And, as much as he didn't want to admit it, she was right about his wanting to talk to her.

"Feh. Whatever." He said, sitting on the ground at the base of the God tree and patting the dirt next to him, inviting her to sit down. Kagome did, smoothing out her shirt when she was seated and comfortable.

"Inuyasha," Kagome started, "Were you angry that Star and Tiny took over after Sesshomaru transformed?"

Thinking for a minute Inuyasha shook his head, telling her that in a way he was glad that they took over, after Sesshomaru transformed the last time it took them a while before they got him to transform back.

"But…it kinda makes me feel like I didn't do my job, helping you and the rest of them, keeping you all safe." He said, eyes to the ground, "I'm sorry Kagome."

Kagome was startled, she had never heard Inuyasha apologize, unless he was demanding she stay and then got her mad or something like that. So instead of questioning him, and smiled and reached over, hugging the silver-haired hanyou.

"Don't ever think that you incapable of protecting us. Sometimes you just need help. Don't worry, we're all here to help." She said, releasing him and standing up, brushing her pajama's off.

Inuyasha looked up at her, startled, but she said, "Really. And I promise I won't say a word to the others, Inuyasha. Now come on, come back to Keade's hut with me."

Like a solemn puppy, Inuyasha allowed her to grab his hand and lead him to the edge of his forest. There, however, he slipped his hand from hers and they continued walking, Kagome in front and Inuyasha behind her.

As Inuyasha watched her back he let his mind wander. 'Do I like Kagome? I can't…I'm only allowed to like or love Kikyou. But then why do I wonder how it would feel to hold her in my arms?'

Once they had reached Keade's hut, a figure jumped from the shadows and stood in front of the door.

"Come with me to talk and I will not harm your friends inside." The figure said, holding a long stick that they understood would have something harmful in it. Knowing that he very well could toss it through Keade's worn door any moment, Kagome nodded.

"We'll come." She said shortly, and Inuyasha checked his side, to be sure that the tetsusaiga was still there. It was and so he followed Kagome and the dark form back to the outskirts of the village, where there was only silence and not a sound from the villager's, some still awake in their huts.

"I have a proposition to make." The silky voice said to them, "I want to join your group. And in return you will have a great monk, one of the best."

Inuyasha snorted, "How are we supposed to know you aren't someone sent to kills us, and the moment we say something in regards to you joining you'll slaughter us?"

As he said it, though, Inuyasha knew it made no sense, as did Kagome. She decided to cover by somewhat translating to the stranger, "What he means is that we don't know why you want to join us. Also, we haven't seen your face."

A man stepped out of the shadows, dressed in purple robes. Kagome and Inuyasha were startled, as this man looked exactly like Miroku.

"Um…Do you by any chance have a relation by the name of Miroku? He is also a monk?" Kagome asked politely, and the man nodded.

"I am always in search of him. Miroku-chan is my nephew and I wish to find him, in hopes we can build a great shrine. He is among my favorite family. Why do you ask, Madam, is it that you know him?" The man responded, and Kagome nodded her head vigorously.

"Yes, come with us." Kagome then said, motioning for the man to follow her. Inuyasha followed behind the man, lest he try anything weird. They made it back to Keade's hut without any problems, and the man smiled when the door opened to reveal none other the Miroku himself.

"Uncle Menshi!" Miroku cried out, hugging the man tightly, "I haven't seen you in such a long time. How is Kitsin?"

"Oh, great, great. How did it come for you to be with the great Inuyasha and Kagome?" Menshi asked, waving a hand toward the two, standing dumbly in the candlelight, watching the two talk.

"Well, I was simply taken with the young lady and could not let her go off on her own. However, another young lady has come to join us and I must say, with no offense to Lady Kagome, that she is much more scrumptious." Miroku told his uncle, and was about to go on when Menshi interrupted, "How? Lady Kagome seems like a fine young lady. Is she taken? Is that the case?"

"Yes uncle Menshi," Miroku sighed with a smile, "By the great Inuyasha you seem to admire."

Inuyasha almost gave a outcry of protest, saying that he had not taken Kagome and would never want the wench when Miroku shot him a look telling him to go along. Kagome had gotten the look also and didn't tell Inuyasha to sit when he snaked an arm around her waist and smirked at the man.

"Oh, I see." Menshi said, and didn't seem to notice when he looked away Inuyasha dropped his arm and gave Kagome and apologetic shrug.

"So what are you doing here uncle Menshi?" Miroku asked, looking curiously at his uncle.

"I wanted to come and help these young people, when I had heard of their quest. I was always feeling the need to help someone when they were in need and I knew that this group must deal with many demons everyday. I want to help." He finished, sticking his chest out a little bit.

Miroku nodded thoughtfully, then looked at Inuyasha and Kagome, as they were the leaders of the group, in a sense.

Kagome nodded while Inuyasha shrugged, and Miroku gathered his uncle into another hug, saying, "You've done it again uncle! Welcome to the group."

Laughing, Kagome and Inuyasha went back into the hut, leaving the two to catch up on things. Inuyasha went to a corner of the small hut and watched as Kagome rejoined her friends and they began talking about something to do with himself and Miroku.

Sango was blushing madly and the other three were laughing at her.

Kagome glanced out of the huts one window and said, "I think it's late enough, we should really get some sleep and get up in the morning. We need to travel an gather some jewel shards before we have to go back so we can spend a day or two in modern-day Japan before you leave."

They all went to their own sleeping bag, Kagome allowing Menshi to use hers while she slept in Sango's with her.

Starling and Destiny had each their own sleeping bag, but insisted on giving Destiny's to Miroku, after Inuyasha refused a sleeping bag already.

Watching the group lulled to sleep by the gentle wind outside the hut, Inuyasha thought more about Kagome, Kikyou, and where he stood with both of them before finally nodding off to sleep.

Next day

Inuyasha was the first to rise, as always, and began to yawn as he noticed Kagome was also getting up. She rose silently from the sleeping bag she had shared with Sango and dug into her large yellow bag, getting a few packets of ramen out and beginning to cook them in a pot.

Inuyasha stayed where he was, though he longed to put his arms around her, until Menshi woke and glanced at him. He had his eyes partially closed, and so the monk quietly went to the fire where Kagome was and slipped his arms around her.

Turning around so she was facing the man, she said, "Inu-Menshi?"

She shrieked and feel backwards, to the left of the fire. Inuyasha felt rage build up in him as Menshi crawled over to Kagome and touched her leg, rubbing it slightly. As he moved up Kagome grew more scared and whispered, "Inuyasha…"

Jumping up, Inuyasha picked up the man by the cuff of his shirt and growled, causing the man to squeak and look at Inuyasha with wide eyes.

"Inu…yasha?" Kagome whispered, happy that he was here. Inuyasha tossed Menshi to the floor and helped Kagome to her feet, meeting her eyes and almost smiling until he heard someone getting up.

It was Miroku who stirred and sat up, looking at Kagome and Inuyasha looking at each other. Inuyasha strode over to where Miroku was and picked him up. "We've got to talk." He said, and went over to Sango to shake her awake.

"Ugh…what?" Sango murmured, and Inuyasha shook her again. "Get up Sango, I need you to stay with Kagome while I speak with the pervert."

Sango sat up groggily and rose shakily, stumbling over to the fire. "Hey Kagome," she said as Inuyasha dragged Miroku out the door, "What's that all about?"

"Um…" Kagome said, unsure about what to do, "Well, Menshi over there tried to…hurt me…and Inuyasha saw and I think he's mad."

Sango laughed, "I couldn't tell." But she did glare at Menshi, causing him to scuttle backwards and widen his eyes more at the woman that he was told to stay away from.

Starling had woken up by then and overheard what Kagome had said, grabbing one of her katana's and pressing the tip to Menshi's throat.

Smirking, Starling glared at the monk, him smiling weakly to try and convince her to move the katana.

Inuyasha and Miroku

"Miroku…that leach of an uncle of yours is going to have to keep his hands to himself. Or else I will kill him!" Inuyasha growled, and Miroku gave him a questioning look.

"He was trying to hurt Kagome!" Inuyasha told him, and Miroku was surprised at his uncles actions. He was known for his leacherous ways, but he had never gone for a already taken woman. That's the reason he had been sure to say that Kagome was Inuyasha's mate. He never had thought this would occur.

"I…I…" He said, lost for words, "I never thought this would happen. I'm sorry. Give me a minute to talk to him, okay? I'll straighten him out."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow, but Miroku looked so serious he couldn't help but believe him. Giving his friend a nod, they walked back to Keade's hut quickly.

"Uncle Menshi, let's go." Miroku said, and everyone in the hut was surprised to see him look so serious.

Menshi looked surprised but stood up and walked out of the hut with his nephew. They walked to the outskirts of the village and Menshi sat down on a tree stump, sighing.

"Whew. I thought I would never get out of there. Go straighten them out, okay?" Menshi said, giving Miroku a wink and settling back.

"No Uncle Menshi. I will not cover for you. You need to stand up for yourself, even though you should not have been, under any circumstances, been forcing yourself upon Kagome." Miroku said angrily, actually serious.

Menshi looked startled at the words of the fellow monk. He sounded like he believed what the half-demon had said.

"What?" Menshi asked dangerously, "are you trying to say that you actually agree with the hanyou?"

"Yes," Miroku told his uncle, "I do believe Inuyasha, he is my friend and I will stick up for Kagome. She is such a nice girl and you are trying to taint her and who she is. That's wrong."

Menshi glared at his nephew, then stood up and walked away. He was heading toward the village and in a moment Miroku understood what his uncle was going to do.

"Oh no…" Miroku groaned, then raced toward the village, trying to get to his uncle before he created chaos. Menshi could do anything to his friends, and he was worried.

When Miroku got to the hut he saw Menshi was arguing with Inuyasha and already had his scrolls out behind his back. Miroku was already running as fast as he could, but he was still a while away and so he called out to Sango.

"Get the scrolls!" He yelled, and Sango practically flew at Menshi, tackling him to the ground. She ripped the scrolls in half just as Miroku got to them and he used his staff to knock other scrolls out from his hand.

Inuyasha, Kagome, Starling, Destiny, Kirara, and Shippou were still stunned at the whole thing that has just taken place. They stared wide-eyed at Miroku, Sango, and Menshi as they wrestled on the ground. Menshi had taken that moment to grab Sango's ass, a bad move on his part, as she shrieked and hit him so hard he fell unconscious.

"Let's drop him into the woods." Sango said, but Kagome suddenly gasped.

"He's got shards!" She exclaimed, "They're…in his heart. Oh Miroku."

Miroku, hearing that, knew exactly what happened and what needed to happen now. His uncle was dead, and had been for a while.

He turned and Sango rubbed his back twice before he nodded at Inuyasha. "Do it." He said, sighing, "Just wait for me to move."

He walked off, into Keade's hut, and Sango followed, hoping to take his mind off of what was about to come.

Kagome took out her arrows but was stopped by Starling, who shook her head. After putting her bow away Kagome watched as Inuyasha went over to the man, flipping him over on his back.

Then he brought his hand to the mans chest, tearing open the shirt and plunging his claws into the man's chest and bringing out 5 shards. Starling and Destiny hadn't turned from the gory scene, as Kagome suspected they might, but watched as Inuyasha brought out the jewel shards and handed them to Kagome, then watched as she purified them, making them a pure pinkish color.

O.o…………

Ooooo…! Cliffie! …Kinda…hehe New chappie soon, I promise

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