Update: Chapter edited.

Disclaimer: Inu and Co are not mine…Julia is ;D

A/N: Yay, I'm glad you are all still liking it. As promised here is the update.

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Chapter Twelve: Party Time!

Julia could not believe how much time had past since she had come to this time. A full two weeks, it was incredible. It seemed like such a short time. She continued to glance down at the date on her watch as she waited for Wakana to finish tying her obi. She could imagine the number of messages that must be on her machine at home especially since she hadn't left any indication that she would be gone for any length of time. Granted they were not expecting her for another week and a half or so, but that did not mean her office would not be calling her. But all that did not matter right now. Today they were going to forget everything and have a great time.

She glanced at the other two girls in the room. Both Kagome and Sango looked beautiful in their kimonos. Wakana had finished with their knots and they were now having their hair done. Kagome could not stop giggling about the fact that she had only ever dressed up in traditional clothes for festivals and super special occasions. A comment that had caused a curious look to cross Wakana's features, but Julia figured she took it for a human oddity. Sango on the other hand was blushing the entire time. She apparently had never worn anything as fancy as the kimono she currently sported.

Kagome was wearing a light pink one with an intricate flower pattern designing the long sleeves done with an almost shimmering white thread. Around her waist was a darker blue obi with the same shimmering thread worked through it. Sango's was a deep maroon color with similar needle work forming shapes of what looked like birds. The obi around her waist was a mixture of deep green and gold. Even Rin had gotten to dress up, though her little kimono was not as elaborate as the older girls. Julia had decided to stick with the deep blue one that Wakana had first dressed her in, though Wakana insisted that she had others.

The boys were also supposed to be dressing up, but she had her doubts that they would. Wakana had told her that she had sent someone to each of them with a change of clothes, but had not heard the results yet.

When she had told Sango and Kagome of the plan this morning they both seemed a little apprehensive at first, but quickly embraced the idea of a little party. She hoped the boys would be as happy. Wakana would not tell her what she had planned for the day, but the tone of her voice told Julia that she was evidently proud of herself.

Wakana finally proclaimed them all ready to go. She winked at Julia and announced that they should all go to the main hall as she ushered the other servants out of the room. Julia smiled at Kagome and Sango then took Rin's hand. The little girl had been surprisingly patient with the whole process. Julia told her she could go play, but she had insisted on staying.

They walked into the main hall and Julia's breath caught in her throat. It had been transformed. Normally it was very ordinary. The only piece of any kind of decoration that adorned the room in the past was the dais that sat at the head of the room. Now there were banners hanging down from the ceiling depicting, what she assumed was, the Inu Crest and tapestries covered the walls displaying epic battles between the previous lords and various enemies. The dais area had been turned into what looked like a stage surrounded with various props and further out various cushions had been arranged for the audience to sit in. In the corner stood a group of musicians playing, to Julia's ears, very traditional Japanese music. It looked like a curtain had been put up between the dinning room and the main hall and along the wall that separated the two rooms was a veritable spread of more food than Julia could imagine being eaten in a life time.

It was in that area that Julia spotted the boys. Inu Yasha, true to form, had not changed clothes and was happily stuffing his face along side Shippou, who was wearing a very cute outfit. He still wore his little blue pants, but his top had been changed to a green one with a matching sash to tie it off. Kohaku had also apparently put on his new clothes, a light blue kimono with a deep green sash to tie it, though Julia had to admit he looked as uncomfortable as Sango had at first. To her great dismay neither Miroku or Kouga had changed either. She had wanted to see them in something other than their usual attire. But, I guess Miroku being a monk would insist that those clothes were the only ones he needed and Kouga was just, well … Kouga she thought to herself.

"Kagome," called Shippou as he turned from stuffing his face to see that the girls had entered. The call brought the others eyes to them as well. Julia smiled inwardly at the dropped jaws as they walked over to join the guys. Miroku was the first to recover, but still eyed them, especially Sango, appreciatively. Inu Yasha and Kouga almost ran over each other to get to Kagome before the other could.

"Geeze, what am I chopped liver?" she asked with a laugh as the boys continued to fawn over the other two girls.

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Hardly, thought Sesshoumaru upon hearing her question. He stood in the doorway watching them. She was wearing the same blue kimono she had worn when he'd first brought her to his home. But Wakana had not done her hair as before. Instead it was mostly down with some pulled up into a small bun crowning her head. It was definitely more fitting for her. She looked quite beautiful…for a human he added to remind himself who he was staring at.

He pulled his attention away from her in order to survey the main hall. Wakana really had worked a miracle to get this all done before midday. She had finally come to him that morning with the plans for the event, though he knew she must have already started most of the preparations before even asking for permission. It surprised him that she did not mention in was Julia's idea. But then the thought hit him that she may have been afraid to mention that it had been a human's idea, he probably would have denied it in the past.

He shook his head slightly to clear it and turned his attention back to the little group against the far wall. The females were turning and showing off their garments. Even Rin was there, one of her giant smiles in place, twirling incessantly. Before long Julia laughed and reached out to catch her before she fell over from dizziness.

Wakana walked out from behind the curtain now separating the dinning room from the hall and got the attention of the others. She welcomed them all and asked them to please have a seat. Her eyes met Sesshoumaru's for a moment, happiness reflecting in them. She had always loved planning events like this and he was sure it was something that she missed. But he had never had any reason to hold one and he was not the type to put them on just to impress the other lords.

Let them have their fun he thought as he turned and headed back to his study. He heard Wakana telling them about the shows that she had planned for them as he slid the door shut.

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Julia took a deep breath as she stepped outside. The hall had become quite warm and the cool evening air felt wonderful. The others were still eating and talking about the performances they had already seen. Wakana had announced a short intermission and then they would continue. The old demoness really had out done herself. It was all far more than Julia had ever imagined or believed could be put together with the short notice she had given Wakana. She would have to give her high praised when she saw her next.

Julia wandered down the steps of the front of the manner towards the sandals that were kept there. She decided that she would take a little walk before she went back inside. She always needed a little quiet time during the day and today that had yet to happen.

As she meandered down the path towards the little bridge her thoughts turned to their missing host. Wakana had assured her that Sesshoumaru had approved the idea, but she had not seen him all day. Could it be he doesn't like parties she thought to herself as she rolled her eyes.

She decided it did not matter what he liked. The idea seemed to have worked great. There were honest smiles tonight that she had not seen them used in quite a while. Though she knew that none of them could completely forget about their up coming battle, at least for a little bit they could enjoy life.

She hugged herself and standing in the center of the bridge she let her eyes follow the little stream that fed into the pond at the front of the house via a small waterfall. Now that the sun had set the fireflies were starting to light up and she watched their reflection follow them as they bobbed over the water beneath her.

She told herself that she was not going to think about the present, but the constant presence of her watch continued to remind her that her stay in this time was coming to an end. She had considered taking it off, but somehow she could not bring herself to break that link to reality. She was not a time traveling super hero. Far from it in fact, she was an ordinary twentieth century working woman. She knew she had to go back and a few days ago that seemed an easy choice, but now … now things were changing.

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Sesshoumaru watched her slip out of the main hall and followed her with out thinking. It was the first time he had looked in on the festivities since early that day. He had kept himself cloistered in his study attempting to read through the missives that Jaken continued to bring to his attention. He'd had to send Jaken away much to the little toad's displeasure, due to his constant ranting about the silly humans and their party. Didn't he realize that the demons who were performing were enjoying it just as much as the humans. Wakana had organized the whole thing with great happiness and unless his ears were failing him the whispers he caught from the other servants were also very happy at the change of pace.

Sesshoumaru knew that Jaken was just reacting to the incursion as he thought his master would have, but he was merely reminding him how much he seemed to have changed in the last few months. He continued to work through the letters and requests that littered his desk for some time after he had dismissed Jaken, but his curiosity had finally gotten the better of him. However, when the main object of his curiosity left he found that he lost interest in what ever else had been going on in the room.

He had shadowed her through the garden as she slowly walked around the path that hugged the pond and the stream connecting to it. When she finally stopped on the bridge he had kept in the shadows watching her silent contemplation. Though, as he began to feel no more than a lowly peeping Tom, he decided it was either time to leave or approach, and he did not feel like leaving.

"Did the evening become to much for you?" he asked quietly walking towards the bridge, but stopped just short of it. She turned her head at first and then her body followed suit.

"Not at all," she replied with a smile as she sat on the railing on the bridge and folded her hands in her lap, "I just needed a little air. It's gotten quite warm in there." He nodded his head at her explanation. "You should have come. Wakana really did a great job." He had expected that comment, but he still did not have a good reply.

"I was busy," he replied though he could tell that it was not the kind of explanation that would allow for missing a party in her eyes, "Besides I've been to them before."

"But not this one," she replied with a wry grin, "I mean how often do you get to party with a group of humans?"

"Too often these days," the words were out before he had really thought them through, but what was said was said. He could not undo that. He waited for her to defend her kind with her typical hot tempered attitude, but instead her smile faded and she merely nodded like she knew something he didn't. Suddenly he would have preferred that she was yelling at him.

"Are we really that bad?" she asked in a low voice. He opened his mouth to list the faults of human kind, but the way she had included herself in that statement made him pause. She was human, and so was Rin, and yet they were…no he was losing his focus. Just because he found no reason to end their lives did not mean that humans were worth his time. And yet, he still could not open his mouth to tell her this.

"It does not matter," he finally said and turned to leave. It didn't matter. As Inu Yasha had said, they would all leave after Naraku had been defeated so why did he have to answer her.

"Hey wait a sec-WHOA," he turned back just in time to see her take too big a step and start to fall forward. He moved quickly to catch her without giving it a second thought. As she was still on the incline of the little bridge she landed with her hands resting on his shoulders and her face buried in his chest his hands supporting her at the sides of her rib cage.

"So I don't think I am ever going to wear one of these things again," she finally said with a laugh after, what he could only assume, was a string of colorful expletives in her language.

"Perhaps for your own safety that might be best," he added his previous mood evaporating. She used his shoulders to push herself up right bringing more of her body in contact with his own causing him to momentarily stop breathing.

Because of the added height of the bridge when she looked at him her eyes were just about level with his. Eyes that sparkled with her amusement and at the same time seemed to be searching his very soul. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, simply standing there holding her was the only thing he could concentrate on. Her eyes seemed to be drawing him in and it wasn't until he realized that his head was dangerously close to her's that he fully regained his senses. He stepped back slightly and finally relinquished his hold on her.

His breathing gradually returned to normal and he finally looked at her once more. She stood with one hand resting against her stomach and the other on the rail of the bridge. She looked as confused as he was feeling and the same nervous smell from the previous night surrounded her. What was going on? Why was his heart still racing at the very thought of her being near to him?

Then his heart steeled and he regained his well trained composure. He would not become a weakling like his father. He could not allow this to happen. He turned and left with out a word, and this time she did not call after him.

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Julia watched him leave and could think of nothing to say to stop him. Did she want to stop him? Her heart was still beating wildly, but she had finally gotten her breathing under control. She had never felt anything like that before. It had all started as him rescuing her from a face full of gravel, but as he held her….

No, she told her self as she crossed her arms and leaned against the railing on the bridge, this can't happen. It couldn't happen. But, it hadn't been just her standing there. She had seen something in his eyes that said he too was lost in the same moment she was. Perhaps that was all it was, she thought, a moment.

Laughter from the manner brought her out of her stupor and back to reality. She glanced down at her watch and realized that she had been gone from the party for quite a while. The others probably hadn't noticed, but she should still go back. Before lowering her hand she glanced back at her watch once more, but this time focused on the date.

Not a time traveling super hero she reminded herself. This is not some cheesy romance novel or fairytale where the heroin finds love on some crazy adventure. She wrapped her other hand around her wrist and squeezed slightly. This is not my reality. In the end it doesn't matter if things change or not, I still do not belong here.

She pushed up off the railing and headed back towards the manner. She had a party to get back to. A party that would hopefully do its job and help her forget for a little while.

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Inu Yasha had been awe struck when he saw Kagome enter the main hall earlier that day, she was stunning. He'd always hated it when she wore the clothes of a priestess, it reminded him too much of Kikiyou, but the elegant kimono suited her.

He'd spent most of the evening fending off the attentions that damn wolf continued to lavish on her in between the performances. He was sure Wakana had a hand in producing those plays. Even though he was little he had memories of the plays she would put on to make him laugh. Julia had definitely made the old demoness happy when she'd suggested this plan. He had not been to keen on the idea, but the moment Kagome walked in all thoughts he had against it vanished.

Julia had helped to draw Kouga's attentions away from Kagome at one point but she seemed to have vanished. He hadn't really thought to hard on it as another play was beginning but as the play ended and they all laughed at the performers parting antics he noticed she was still missing. He began to wonder if he would have to continue to fend off Kouga alone for the rest of the night when she finally walked in the door.

She smiled as she walked in, but to him it looked somewhat forced. He wondered what had happened when she had left and as she drew nearer he got his answer. She smelled very strongly of Sesshoumaru. The whole place smelled like him so it was hard to tell where he was at times, but his scent clung to her. He glanced over at the wolf and noticed that he too was staring at her. He must have smelled the same thing and to his surprise did not look very happy about it.

"So what did I miss?" she asked in a cheerful voice as she reclaimed her previous seat next to the other girls. Rin and Shippou both immediately jump to sit next to her and began telling her about the show they had just watch. They seemed to be taking turns telling it, when one stopped the other jumped right in. But, Inu Yasha was more concerned with their newest friend. She was clearly trying to be happy, but something had happen, something that concerned his brother.

He had seen the two of them together often enough to know that both seemed to get along, a fact that still made him grit his teeth. Regardless of what kind of person Sesshoumaru may appear to be now he would never change. 'You did,' echoed in his head and he once again reflected on Kagome's words. They were completely different, he and his brother, just because he had changed did not mean that…. He looked once again at Julia's smiling face and for the first, or perhaps maybe the second, time in his life hoped that his brother could change.

"You okay," he heard a soft voice in his ear and felt a hand connect with his shoulder. Kagome had come to sit next to him. He then wondered at the change in his own attitude towards life. She had helped him to see the bigger picture and helped him to work through his past. He no longer wanted to be anything other than what he already was. Looking at her just then he knew that he could never be separated from her.

"Yeah," he answered, "You wanna get some air?"

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"Sure," she replied with a nod. Inu Yasha stood and then offered her a hand. She was mildly surprised by the gesture, but the evening had already been full of surprises. She looked back at the others who all seemed to be content with filling Julia in on what she had missed. She then followed Inu Yasha out the door Julia had just entered through still holding his hand. She'd thought for sure he would remove it as soon as she was standing, but instead he seemed quite content to hold on.

They walked around the porch until they found the side entrance to the garden at which point Kagome took a moment to slip on a pair of sandals that waited there. They walked downs the little steps from the porch that led to the bridge. Kagome had fallen in love with this garden. It was beautiful, and at night it was exquisite. She had wondered what it might be like to walk its paths with Inu Yasha, and her she was.

She glanced up at him as they walked. He had not spoken since they'd left and appeared to be lost in his thoughts. The only reason she knew he had not for gotten her was the presence of his hand covering hers. She was just happy to be able to spend time with him like this, so she let him think.

They came upon the little bridge and started the climb over it. Kagome looked out over the little stream and paused.

"Inu Yasha look," she said softly as she gave his hand a little squeeze. He turned to see where she was pointing and she turned to look once again. The fireflies were out. They only dotted the small stream below them, but hundreds of them appeared to be covering the water in the small pond the stream flowed into. They made the whole area glow with a soft light. She smiled and turned back to look at Inu Yasha, but he was not looking out at the water he was looking at her.

"Tell me you'll stay out of the fight with Naraku," he said softly. His eyes were just like they were when he had first told her to stay out of the battle after their last fight with Naraku. They were his and yet they weren't. She looked away from him for a moment, unable to respond.

"I can't," she finally said, "I can't tell you that." She looked back up at him then and could see that he was not happy with her response. "I have to be there to help you," she added before he could speak.

"You would help me by being out of the way," he said sharply.

"You know I can help," she shot back as she removed her hand from his and poked him in the chest.

"But you could be hurt," he said in a gruff voice as he once again took her hand, but this time pressed it against his heart, "or worse."

"Inu Yasha, I can't just sit back and watch you risk your life for something I caused," she said softly as she placed her other hand over his.

"Kagome this isn't your fault. It all began fifty years ago with Naraku's treachery," he said in a low voice.

"But, if I hadn't shattered the -,"

"If you hadn't shattered the jewel I never would have known you," he interrupted, "I never would have…I…," his voice trailed off, but he never took his eyes away from her own. His eyes seemed to burn with an inner light that held her spell bound. "There are too many things that have happened because I met you and I am grateful for all of them," he said slowly as he cupped her face with his other hand. "I can't lose you Kagome."

"Inu -," she was about to consol him when he abruptly cut off all forms of vocal communications by placing a soft kiss upon her lips. So instead of telling him she felt the same she showed him by kissing him back. They parted and he immediately enveloped her in his arms. "We'll get through this Inu Yasha, but we'll do it together," she whispered softly. His only response was to tighten his embrace.

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A/N: That darn Sesshoumaru, ruining a perfectly good moment…hee hee hee. Oh well at least Inu Yasha finally stepped up to the plate.

Also, I am honestly not really sure what would go on at a traditional Japanese party, but from the little research I was able to spend time doing, I got the feeling that there would be performances and the like…so ummm…yeah…that is what I went with.

Review ;D