Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own InuYasha.

Chapter 30: Mates

InuYasha crossed his arms in his haori in protest. "I ain't no monk-sitter. Why do I have to watch him?"

"Please InuYasha?" Sango pleaded. "Just for an hour or so. I need to be alone for awhile, and Miroku won't just stay here and let me be."

"That's because it's dangerous for you to be off like that."

"I'm not really going to be ALONE. Kagome is going with me." She smiled. "And you wouldn't want Miroku spying on me and Kagome when we're taking a bath, now would you InuYasha?"

His ears twitched as he sighed. "Alright, alright. But only one hour. After that you're on your own."

Sango hugged his neck and waddled out the door. InuYasha followed.

"Sango? Where are you off to?" Miroku asked noting the bathing supplies she carried in one arm.

"I'm going to the river with Kagome to take a bath. YOU stay HERE. And I mean it Miroku. InuYasha is going to watch to make sure you don't follow us this time." She started walking off.

"But Sango, you shouldn't…" InuYasha grabbed Miroku by the collar of his robes. The monk was jerked back and Sango walked out of sight. "What is the meaning of this, InuYasha!"

"Keh. She asked me to keep you here, monk, so that's what I'm going to do."

"But she…and the baby…I need to go with her."

"She's with Kagome; she'll be fine so just sit down and shutup." InuYasha plunked down in the grass and pulled out Tetsusaiga. He sliced the air a couple of times looking over the blade. Miroku watched and silently started to sneak away. "Don't even think it." He pointed the sword toward Miroku.

"I was just…"

"You were just heading down to the river to spy on Sango and Kagome."

"Fine, InuYasha. You want to play that way, so be it." The monk stormed inside the hut. InuYasha shrugged his shoulders, turning back to his sword. Miroku reemerged a few minutes later with one hand behind his back. "Alright Miroku, just what do you think you're up to now!"

"Sorry about this, InuYasha, but you left me no choice." He whipped his hand around, dumping the contents of a small jar in InuYasha's face.

"WHAT DO YOU-" InuYasha sneezed, then sneezed again.

After another sneeze from the hanyou Miroku took off toward the river. "Later InuYasha!"

"Miroku!" he sneezed. "I'm gonna get you for this!" and sneezed again.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

"I'm really, really, REALLY sorry Sango! I didn't mean to yell at you, I shouldn't have done that."

"It's alright Kagome." Sango shifted her weight in the cool river water. She hated to admit it, but she was huge. With only one more month to go in her pregnancy she had good reason to be.

"It's not alright Sango. I feel really bad. I was just in a bad mood yesterday and I took it all out on you and InuYasha."

"Apology accepted, Kagome, now hush up about it." She giggled. "The baby kicked." She rubbed her inflated tummy. "What do you think? Boy or girl?"

"I hope it's a little girl. It would serve Miroku right to have a girl. That way he'll someday know how all the father's of the girls he flirted with felt."

Sango joined her in laughing. "That's for sure. And I don't know if this village could handle a Miroku Junior running around the village. If that were to happen, the villagers would probably run us out for good. They almost had enough with just him here."

Kagome squeezed out the last bit of her shampoo. She sighed. That was the only bottle she had. Now she was going to have to use ordinary soap when she washed her hair. There was really no other way around it. She couldn't go back to her time for more so she was just going to have to get use to it. Kagome got a good lather up and savored the tingling feeling. She reluctantly dunked herself under the cool water washing it out, and then resurfaced.

Sango stood up and pulled herself to the bank. Kagome followed her. She put on a navy skirt, one of the few short skirts that had survived and a red spaghetti strap shirt. The day had just begun and it was already a scorcher.

"I've been thinking, I really should go talk with Kouga. I mean, he just handed me his jewel shards without question as soon as I told him I needed them. I need to at least thank him." She pulled on her clothes waiting for Sango's reaction.

"I think that's a great idea. I wish I could go with you, but I doubt that Miroku will let me go that far. I had to make InuYasha promise to keep him in the village just where I could take a bath without him following me down here. I swear he thinks I'll break if I do anything on my own."

"He's just concerned. As well as any good father-to-be should."

"I guess you're right." She sighed. "I'm just ready to be back to my normal size. The sooner the better."

"Hey lecher! You better not be looking at Kagome!"

Sango and Kagome turned their heads. InuYasha skidded to a halt in front of them. He quickly looked around in the bushes for any sign of Miroku.

"Sit!"

"Gah!" THUMP

"InuYasha, what are you doing here!" Kagome stamped her foot on the ground, thankful that she and Sango were already dressed.

He pulled himself up and sneezed. "I'm looking for that stupid monk!" he replied, sneezing again. "He was gonna come down here and I tried to stop him. Then he threw some kind of powdery junk up my nose!"

"MIROKU!" Sango yelled at the top of her lungs. InuYasha and Kagome covered their ears. There was a scrambling in the bushes, followed by the sight of Miroku standing and running in the opposite direction. "MIROKU YOU GET BACK HERE NOW!"

Kagome was amazed at how fast she could still run when she was mad. She heard InuYasha sneeze again, and walked over to him. He was rubbing at his nose with his sleeve. "Stop rubbing it, that'll only make it worse."

He sneezed again. "And what do you suggest. Whatever this is burns! When I get my hands on that monk I'll…"

"Get over here, InuYasha." She was kneeling down next to the river, wetting a cloth in the water. He walked over and sat next to her. "Smells like spice." She said as she lowered the cloth to his face. She was careful when she wiped around his sensitive nose. It was a little red but not that bad. Kagome was angry that Miroku would stoop low enough to throw spice under InuYasha's nose. That was a new low even for the monk.

On cue, he sneezed again. Kagome pulled her hand away. "Sorry." He rubbed his nose again.

"I said don't do that." She dipped the cloth back in the water and raised it to his face again. When she was sure she had gotten all the spice off, she set the cloth down by her side and turned to face InuYasha.

He gave his nose a few good sniffs before being satisfied that the spice hadn't permanently damaged him. "Thanks. I didn't know if I'd ever be able to smell again." He fell backwards to the ground with his arms crossed behind his head. Kagome fell back and joined him. "You feeling okay?"

She nodded. "Yep."

"Good." InuYasha turned his head towards her, moving his arm around her waist, one leg crossing over to straddle her. He leaned down, nuzzling Kagome's neck.

"InuYasha…" she wrapped his hair around her fingers.

InuYasha grunted. "No one's here…" he layed kisses on her neck. His hand moved down from her hip to her thigh, tickling her soft skin with his claws but careful not to apply too much pressure. He pressed his forehead against hers, looking straight into her big brown eyes. Kagome gasped as his lips took hold of hers. InuYasha ran his tongue against her lips, asking silently for entrance. Kagome parted her lips, allowing him anything he wanted. This new sensation ran down her spine in electrifying tingles. When he finally released his hold, all she could do was gasp for breath. She was shaking all over.

InuYasha moved back down to nuzzle her neck. Every cell in her body tingled. She loved him, she wanted to be with him. InuYasha leaned into her palm as she cupped his cheek, closing his eyes to her touch. Kagome saw everything in those golden eyes; what he wanted, what he felt, his unasked questions. She was going to be with him forever. InuYasha laid small kisses on her lips, stopping for a moment to nibble on her bottom lip. He laughed at Kagome's reaction. Her heart skipped a beat and she could only take in quivering breaths.

"What are you laughing at?" she playfully shoved his shoulder.

"You, wench." He sighed and rolled over to his side. Kagome laid her head against his chest.

"InuYasha?"

"Hm?"

"I've been thinking…"

"Keh. Don't do that too much or you'll hurt yourself."

"InuYasha!"

"What!"

She shook her head. "I've been thinking that we should go see Kouga."

"What? Why do you want to see HIM!"

"InuYasha, don't be so childish. When I asked for his shards he handed them over to me, even after I told him I was using the jewel to bring you back." She held him closer, holding back her tears.

InuYasha was silent for awhile, then spoke up. "If you want to go, then we'll go. But I'm doing this for you, not that mangy wolf. And if he makes one move toward you I swear I'll use Tetsusaiga and slice him to bits!"

"Really?"

"Yea. Tiny bits."

"Not that! I mean you'll really take me to Kouga's?"

"If that's really what you want, then yea."

"I'll go pack my bag then." She kissed him on the cheek and stood up.

"Right now!" he pouted.

Kagome laughed. "Yes. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave and get back. I'll tell Sango and Miroku too. Just stay here, I won't be too long." She went to their hut first, grabbing her yellow bag and stuffing it with all the things she thought they might need. Then she headed to Sango and Miroku, who ended up not being home, so she went to Kaede's instead. Sango and Shippou were sitting out side, and Kagome could hear Miroku grumbling inside the hut.

"Sango?"

"Oh, hi Kagome."

"Is…there something wrong with Miroku?" she glanced at the hut.

"No. Nothing at all."

"Yea right!" Shippou spoke up. "Sango really fixed him good this time. Kaede's stitching him up right now."

"Stitches? Sango, what did you do to him?" her tone was more curious than sorrowful. The exterminator's attitude reflected the change in her hormones as her pregnancy was drawing to an end, and with it her emotions escalated. As much as Kagome was angry at Miroku, she hoped Sango hadn't injured him too badly.

"Nothing more than he deserved. He admitted that he used spices to get InuYasha off his back long enough to sneak down to the river. I can promise you that he'll never do that again."

"I believe you." There was another scream from the hut. "Anyway, InuYasha and I are going to be gone for awhile."

"On your way to Kouga's?"

"Yep. We shouldn't be gone that long. Shippou, would you like to come with us?"

"No, I promised to play with Tani and Taro tomorrow. Their father is gonna take us fishing, but it's not like how InuYasha fishes. They use long wooden poles with string and hooks on the end."

"I'll see you when I get back then. And Sango?"

"Hm?"

"Don't kill Miroku while I'm gone."

She smiled. "I'll try not to, but I'm not making any promises."

Kagome walked back toward the river. Looking around she didn't see her hanyou. "InuYasha! Where'd you go?" She squealed as she was lifted up off her feet. InuYasha kissed her lips.

"Miss me?" he gave another quick kiss.

"You seem cheery." The hanyou was practically bouncing around her in his heightened moon. Running his hands down her sides, sending chills over her body.

InuYasha smiled. "Why shouldn't I be?"

She giggled. "Kaede's stitching up Miroku. It seems Sango really did a number on him."

"Keh! Serves him right!" he moved his hands to ball them up in front of him to exaggerate his rambling. "I would have done a lot worse if I had gotten to him first!"

"Let's get going. I want to get a good distance before nightfall."

The hanyou cocked an eyebrow. "Hey, that's my line."

She leaned over and kissed him. "I know."

They set up a small camp just before sundown. They had got a good distance away, but it was still going to take them another two days till they reached Kouga's den. They had eaten a couple of rabbits InuYasha was able to catch and snuggled on Kagome's sleeping bag. She was lying in his lap, arms wrapped around her loosely.

"I think I remember Ayame being there, but I'm not sure. I wasn't really paying much attention to anything but the shards." Kagome continued telling InuYasha of how she had completed the jewel.

"Kouga. Keh. Maybe now he'll stay away from you."

"Why would he want to do that?" she joked.

"Like I said, if he so much as looks at you funny, Tetsusaiga's gonna see a side of him it's never seen before."

Kagome shook her head. InuYasha had always been jealous. Whether of Hojou in her time or Kouga in his. But there was something more she needed to know. Was he jealous because he loved her, or just because he didn't want her with anyone else? It was a question that had been nagging at her for a long time now. She needed to know the answer. "InuYasha? C-can I ask you something?"

"You just did." Seeing her serious look, he sat her up and looked into her eyes. "What is it?"

Okay girl, this is your only shot, you can do this… I hope. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "Did you really mean it the other night, when you said you wanted to stay with me?" His ears twitched toward her. Great. Way to go, Kagome. You just scared him off for good!

InuYasha sat silent for awhile. He really didn't know how to respond. He had wanted to wait for a special night for what he was about to do, but then was as good of a time as any. "Kagome," he lowered his mouth to her ears and whispered, "I will always love you, I'll always want to be with you, forever." He kissed her cheek. "Do you love me?"

She gasped. His soft breath was tickling her ear as he whispered. His words pierced her very heart and soul, making her thoughts hazy and her vision blur. Kagome nodded in answer to his question, silently praying that her message was getting through to him. "I love you, InuYasha."

"Then, I-I…" he stopped to clear his throat, "I want you to be my mate, Kagome." He waited for her reaction. This was his moment, the moment he had ran through his head hundreds of times in the past few weeks with different scenarios. Scenario One: Kagome would be horrified by his proposal and reject him big time. Scenario Two: Kagome would still be horrified by his proposal but say they are 'just friends'. That was the one InuYasha was betting on. Kagome's too sweet to reject him big time. Scenario Three: Kagome would be thrilled, instantly throwing herself into his arms. That scenario was the one he hoped for. That was the reaction he wanted to gain from his beloved miko.

"Before you say yes or no, there's something about it you need to understand." He waited for Kagome's reply. She nodded, swallowing the knot that had formed in her throat. "When, if, we become mates, it'll be forever. You'll really belong to me, Kagome, and nothing can change that until one of us dies. I don't have anything to offer you but my unconditional love. I'll protect you, take care of you. I really want to be with you forever, but it's your choice, Kagome." He pushed her hair back out of her face, hoping that his speech didn't sound too rehearsed, because he had rehearsed it more times then he could remember. He was surprised to see tears in her eyes.

Kagome let her actions speak for her. She threw her arms around InuYasha so fast she sent the hanyou falling backwards to the ground, knocking the wind out of his lungs, drowning his face with tender kisses. "Yes."

"Y-yes?"

She nodded with a smile that seemed to light up the night.

InuYasha didn't need any more said. In one swift movement, he had Kagome gently pinned under him. She let out a yep, followed by a nervous giggle. "I love you, Kagome." He kissed her lips.

"I love you too, InuYasha."

His claws gently grazed her cheek, trailing down her neck, across the goose bumps forming on her shoulders and arms, until they rested on her hips, gripping her tight in his embrace. He listened to gasps, her moans, her giggles; memorizing what he had done or touched to get that reaction. No more wondering, no more hoping; she had agreed and that's all he needed. InuYasha growled deeply from the heat radiating off of Kagome's body, causing pleasure to shoot through his body. She giggled; he groaned. His youkai was working with him, making his want turn into a need. As he lowered his lips to her neck, she tilted her head to the side, giving him full access. Kagome's throat was completely exposed to him; the ultimate submission to an inu-youkai. InuYasha's blood boiled as he felt her pulse beneath his lips; racing as her heart beat faster and faster.

Kagome herself was in a state of complete bliss. Her skin burned with every touch the hanyou made. She was no longer scared or embarrassed; she no longer had doubts or fears. She still didn't understand fully what being InuYasha's mate meant, but she knew enough. He said he loved her and that it would be forever and that's all she needed to hear. He would never leave her and always protect her. Knowing this, Kagome willingly submitted to his every whim. She knew his youkai blood made him dominant and most likely even more so now than ever. She resisted the urge to pull herself closer to him, to force him closer to her. She groaned as his fang grazed her neck and nibbled there a few moments before returning to her lips.

InuYasha couldn't contain himself anymore; he had lost control of all reason and control of his body. His hands and lips were moving on their own accord, touching her, caressing her, kissing her, making her need him as much as he needed her. His mind was completely blank with the exception of one thought …mine…

A/N: Yay fluffiness! For the older people reading this I hope you got the meaning well enough, since I'm not doing a lemon. But you ahem get the idea. For the younger peeps reading this, I'm gonna explain it how my friend's mother explained it to her: InuYasha and Kagome gave each other a 'special' hug.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the story so far. And it's still got a way to go, so as I've said before just hang in there a bit longer. More awards will be given out soon, so if you want one you better review!