I know I know. I'm a horrible author. We'll discuss my problems after the chapter...

Disclaimer: Clearing her throat, the accused offers her defense: "I have a dream that my fellow writers will one day write fan fiction without judgment of ownership rights..."

Without further rambling ado, here's the newest chapter!

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Henteko Shuushin (Strange Infatuation)

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Last Time...

Nervously the kit asked, "What do you suppose is wrong with them?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," he assured the young demon. What could hit them all at the same time?

"Do you think Balinda had anything to do with it?" Kaede asked seriously, stirring the contents of a pot.

The hanyou just grumbled in response.

Shippo was coloring when Miroku woke up later that afternoon. He looked quizzically at the young monk who appeared to be fine, better than fine actually...he appeared to be quite spry. '

Must have been dreaming about Sango he thought to himself with a roll of his eyes.

Shippo knew he was a cub and didn't understand all the love nonsense stuff. The others actually tried to shield him from the birds and the bees, but he still saw the underlying tension between Miroku and the exterminator. What that tension was remained to be seen, however.

Looking up from his book the cub asked, "How are you feeling?" He listened for his pulse, which was beating at a furious pace but didn't smell any fever on the man.

"Wonderful," Miroku answered with a smile. "I'll live."

"Where's Inuyasha?"

"He's hunting," Shippo explained absentmindedly, already lost in his coloring again. A clunk came from Kagome's direction, causing both to jump. "What was that?"

Miroku said, "I'll check on her." Shippo nodded. "In that case I'm going to show Sango-chan my pictures. She wanted me to draw her one!" He bounded out of the room on the quest. Miroku chuckled and turned to the side room. He couldn't explain it but he felt more alive than he had in years. He didn't care about his Kazaana or any upcoming battles.

Opening the dividing screen he asked, "Kagome? I heard something and wanted to make sure you were-"

His voice caught in his throat when he saw her resting peacefully on her raised pallet, a school book lying haphazardly on the floor beneath her.

I guess that was the thud. Taking a deep breath he gazed at her and thought, I new she was beautiful, but wow… His hands ached to run through the long, raven tresses streaming silkily over her pillow, and his lips longed to see if her tempting mouth tasted as sweet as it looked.

He shook his head in confusion. Where did that come? It's Kagome for Buddha's sake. She has a nice rump, but I could never feel that. Even as he tried to clear his thoughts his heart started pounding furiously in his chest and a warmth spread through his body as he noticed how the uniform top and short skirt hugged her slim body leaving very little to the imagination. He walked to her side as if in a trance, barely able to hear her soft breath over the blood rushing to his head and his own ragged breathing.

Miroku sat down beside her and leaned over to inhale her fresh scent. The smell of soap and blossoms were quite a heady combination and he sighed happily. She stirred and her slight motions brought her into contact with his thigh. Fire leapt through him at her touch and he couldn't contain himself any longer. He bent down until his lips were inches from her own and with infinite tenderness kissed her. When he pulled back several heartbeats later, she was looking up at him with a gentle smile.

xxxxx

Inuyasha walked up to the hut minutes after Shippo had bounded out of it. Animal slung over his broad shoulder, he called out, "Oi, I got food. Who's gonna cook it?"

Hearing nothing, he decided the brat and demon hunter must have been checking on Kagome. Perhaps I'll just go look in on Kagome he thought, opening the door and setting down his kill.

The dark-haired miko dominated a good portion of his waking thoughts these days, and it was nice, but also confused him. He still felt guilty about Kikyo, and with the slow progress they were making in collecting the shards he felt that dealing with that issue would be far off. He needed to kill Naraku and avenge Kikyo before he could begin to start anything with Kagome, if he decided he wanted to.

He paused at the door when he heard muffled voices from within, so soft that even his demon senses couldn't pick up what they were saying. The smells were of Kagome and Miroku, and the hanyou couldn't think of anything they should be speaking of in such hushed tones and plunged through the door without a sound.

To say he was surprised to see Miroku holding Kagome's hand as he sat beside her would have been an understatement. Jealousy overcame reason, and he fought to keep his emotions under control.

"What the hell is going on here?" He growled.

They didn't jump apart guiltily as he expected them to and though it should have made him feel better, an uneasy feeling took root in his stomach.

Instead, Miroku turned slowly towards him and said, "Nothing that can't be continued later."

Now what the hell is that supposed to mean' Inuyasha thought to himself. As hard as he tried to ignore it, he couldn't help but notice the melting look Miroku sent to Kagome before he got up and started towards the door.

Looking back over his shoulder, Miroku smiled at the brunette and said, "We'll talk tonight, my Lady."

Inuyasha lifted an eyebrow at Kagome as the monk left. She returned his look as he settled himself in the place Miroku had recently vacated at her side.

With an annoyed glint in his eyes, Inuyasha said, "It's good to see you and Miroku are on such friendly terms."

She sighed happily and with a satisfied grin said, "Very friendly terms! Oh, Inuyasha, isn't it wonderful?" She threw her arms around him excitedly and gave him a friendly peck on his cheek. She was in love and happy. Vaguely she realized that her feelings for Miroku were closely mirroring the ones she had felt for Inuyasha, but the oddity of her newfound emotions didn't put a dent in her enthusiasm.

The hanyou sighed happily, all thoughts of the monk forgotten, as he tightened his grip on the girl in his arms. It took a few moments for reality to soak into his rosy dream world but once he realized she was struggling in earnest to free herself, he let her go.

"Oi, what's wrong? You're not feeling ill again are you?"

"No, it's not that," she hastened to answer. "It's just...we need to talk."

His weariness took a queasy turn when he saw the look in her eyes. Just a few hours ago, there had been warmth in them when she looked at him. Now, there was nothing but polite interest and pity.

Standing up, he inquired, "Are you sure you're really up to that right now Kagome? You looked rather pale earlier and with that dizziness...maybe you should just rest for a while."

He didn't know why he was so reluctant to hear what she had to say, but he knew he would do just about anything to keep her from continuing the conversation. His heart shattered when she sent him a sympathetic look and she softly said, "You're such a good friend, Inuyasha."

Never had the word "friend" sounded more disgusting to him. Suspicion and rage reared their ugly heads and he demanded, "What exactly did the pervert say to you?"

Before Kagome could fly to her beau's rescue, Kaede chose that moment to appear and say, "Inuyasha, I need to have a word with you." She had been standing nearby for a few moments and could tell something wasn't right with the pair. That's not entirely correct she amended. Kagome appeared calm, collected, and happy while Inuyasha looked like he had just been punched through the stomach by Sesshoumaru.

Inuyasha nodded to the hag, for once grateful for the distraction. He would just have to find Miroku and have his own heart-to-heart with the monk…

And maybe rip his throat out for whatever he said to make her look at me that way. He glanced at Kagome and ordered rudely, "Get some rest."

As soon as they were out of earshot, Kaede asked, "How is she feeling?"

Inuyasha didn't answer her, as he was still too lost in his thoughts to realize the question had been asked. "Have you seen Miroku?"

"Yes, and he's completely recovered. But Inuyasha, I think there's something wrong with-"

"Do you know where he is now?"

She didn't know what had passed between the hanyou and the miko but Inuyasha seemed to be in some sort of daze, and none too pleased.

"Inuyasha, snap out of it I'm trying to tell you that Sango is acting odd as a result of her illness."

That got his attention. "What do you mean?" Kaede glanced at her feet quickly. Will wonders never cease? First Miroku and Kagome have taken to holding hands and now Kaede is nervously tittering!

Kaede searched for a delicate way of expressing the dilemma but finally gave up and blurted out, "Sango is trying to seduce your brother!"

They stared each other for a few seconds as the statement echoed in the empty room. Then Inuyasha started laughing.

When he could manage to breathe again, he said, "Now that's funny..." When humans fly that'll happen, Sango and my bitchy brother.

"This isn't something I made up to amuse you Inuyasha."

And as if to prove her point, Sango stepped into the room and purred, "Kaede, did you see which way Sessy went? I lost him at the clearing."

"No, but I'll help you look for him in a moment. Go outside," Kaede said in a harried voice without even glancing in her direction. With a little pout, she disappeared again from sight. The old miko noticed the hanyou's expression: if his jaw dropped any lower it would hit the floor. Not being able to resist, she simply said, "I told you so."

Pointing at the spot Sango had been standing, Inuyasha stammered, "Did you see-? Did she just? WHAT THE HELL!" Kaede quickly ushered the dog demon out of the room.

When they reached the forest cluster close to their hut, Inuyasha collapsed against a tree, still numb from shock, his mouth gaping open.

Not fazed by his reaction, Kaede squatted across from him. "I think this must have something to do with that wave of dizziness they all experienced earlier this morning. Have you noticed any strange behavior from Kagome?"

Inuyasha replied sarcastically, "Only if you think her holding hands with the local pervert is odd." I still have to kill that hentai.

"I should say so. I wonder what could have caused these symptoms," Kaede mused quietly.

Alarms started sounding in Inuyasha's head and the image of a little brunette filled his mind's eye.

"Balinda." He growled.

"Balinda? Do you think she's responsible for this?"

"Yes," was the deadpan answer. "We have to find her - soon. I don't know how much longer I can take these...displays." Not without significant bloodshed, that is. "And if Sango was in her right mind she'd be killing that houshi too."

"Yes," Kaede agreed gravely. "I don't know how much longer I can distract Sango from going after Sesshoumaru." The old miko glanced to the nearby hut and, upon not seeing Sango, groaned. "Please tell me she's inside..." and she hurried out to the other building, Inuyasha fuming but following. As they opened the door, the woman sighed; no sign of Sango.

Miroku walked into the room with a bounce to his step and a smile on his face. "Where did you two go off to?"

Inuyasha studied the young man as Miroku made his way over to the table to pour himself a glass of water. I wonder what he would think about this. "It seems Sango's decided she's in love with my brother."

Miroku nodded slowly, deep inside he knew this information should bother him but he was too focused on his upcoming visit to Kagome's pallet that night to pay attention to those obscure feelings.

With a grin he commented, "A demon? I didn't know she went for the white-haired type."

Kaede looked at him as though he just sprouted another head. "It doesn't bother you that she's interested in him?"

Miroku laughed. "Of course not! I admit, Sango and I shared a sort of...flirtatious relationship. It just wasn't healthy! And now," he continued with a twinkle in his eye, "I know what real love is."

Even knowing there was something strange causing Miroku to say those words, Inuyasha had a hard time keeping himself from clearing up that little misguided assumption in a quick and painful way. He would have preferred to make the man a smear on the floor, but knew that it wasn't his fault and Kagome would kill him when she recovered from her illness.

Not to mention Sango. And there was no doubt in his mind that they would recover, he would make sure of that. He could imagine them sputtering and tiptoeing around each other in the coming weeks and it made his lips start to twitch into a smile.

"This really is good water," Miroku commented, completely unaware that he had just looked Death in the face. He poured another glass and strolled in the direction of Kagome's room.

"Where do you think you're going?" Inuyasha might be amused by the situation but that didn't mean he was going to let Miroku within ten feet of Kagome unsupervised.

"I was just going to take her some water and talk with her for a while," Miroku stated, as if it was something he did every night.

"I think she needs her rest more than company right now," Kaede interjected before Inuyasha could make some sarcastic-or painful, remark.

Disappointed, Miroku finally relented and announced he would be outside meditating. Kaede sighed as she walked to the table and sunk into the chair. Her eyes stared off into the muted shades of dusk. Minutes later, her gaze rested on the glass of water Miroku had poured for Kagome. There was a fine red powder floating through the clear liquid.

With a triumphant look, she stated, "I think I've found the source of their mysterious illness." And before Inuyasha could say another word she left to start for the local healer's nearby hut, calling behind her, "Don't do anything rash, Inuyasha. Think of what Kagome would want." A frustrated growl was the only response.

I'm an idiot. And a horrible person. I have no excuse whatsoever other than writer's block, and that's still not good enough. Now that summer is here I promise to update better. I'm back rolling on this story with a general outline so never fear. I appreciate all those who are reading this still and offer my apologizes again.

Rebecca Ashley