A/N: Well, I'm back, plot notes in hand. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: Don't own what? Oh, right.

Chapter 15: Suitcases, Suitcases

Well, Inuyasha thought as he lay staring at the ceiling above the bed later that night, at least he had gotten the job. It wasn't that he was nervous, he assured himself, so much as that he was surprised. After all Kagome'd said, and Sango and Miroku too, he'd basically assumed that the process would've been a bit more, well, challenging.

At the thought of Kagome, he lifted his head a little, trying to see her slight figure where it lay on the sofa. He was unsuccessful of course, dogs are not known for their night vision any more than humans are. Laying his head back on the pillow, Inuyasha resumed his thoughts

He'd walked into the building with no job experience, no references although Kagome had offered to give him one until she'd remembered that her reference number was the same as his contact number and no obvious qualifications (except maybe his physical strength; Inuyasha grinned and flexed a bicep in the dark), and he'd been hired. Not that he would ever admit it, of course, but he was slightly disappointed with how easy the entire procedure had been. It was a bit of an anticlimax.

Damn, he thought, as he finally drifted off to sleep, the Bellevue Hotel must be getting desperate these days.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Nine o'clock the next morning found Kouga pacing in his office, his track zigzagging between three bulging blue suitcases. They were more than an hour late. He checked his watch for the third time in the past two minutes.

"Dammit you guys," he muttered grumpily.

"What's that you say?" inquired a chipper male voice from just outside his door.

Looking up, Kouga saw Sango and Miroku standing in his doorway, both holding suitcases.

"About ti " he started to say when he was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the black telephone that sat on the corner of his desk. With a sigh, he reached over and picked up the receiver. "Kouga here," he said into the instrument.

"You shouldn't be," growled the well known male voice on the other end. Kouga automatically straightened as he recognized he not so dulcet tones of his supervisor. One hand crept up to his throat in a vain attempt to neaten his already impeccably tied tie.

Sango turned to Miroku, "Well, I guess this is going to take a little longer." In perfect unison, the two agents sat down on their suitcases and prepared to eavesdrop shamelessly. Unfortunately for them, all that they heard in the next five minutes was a series of "yes sirs" and "no sirs" and the occasional "I'll get right on it."

When Kouga finally hung up the phone, he found his team competing fiercely in a thumb war. "Sorry to interrupt," he said, jerking his own thumb towards the door, "But do you think we could leave? Finally?"

Sango smiled at his attempt at sarcasm, Kouga was not known around the office for his wit. Without changing her expression, she took advantage of Miroku's distraction to snag his thumb and count to four, then hopped off her black suitcase. "I'm ready."

Miroku struggled to his feet. "Yep. Life in the city, here we come." A faraway look crossed his face, causing the young woman next to him a fleeting moment of worry. She hoped he wasn't going to get any ideas that would be detrimental to himself. Or the city.

Behind them, Kouga groaned as he tried to figure out how to carry all his luggage without dropping anything.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Inuyasha's first day with a job was much like anyone's first day, except that he had to do it while wearing a small, round, red hat with a chinstrap. He scratched idly at the latter--the bloody thing itched.

"All the bell hops complain about them," said the receptionist at the desk with a gesture at the hat. The short plump man smiled at the hotel's newest employee.

"That's because they're fu ummm, slightly uncomfortable," Inuyasha replied, barely stopping himself. Kagome had pounded the need for politeness into him that morning as he was getting ready to leave. "And absolutely no swearing!" she had said, sitting up on the sofa. He smiled, thinking about the way her hair had been mussed around her face and her brown eyes half closed as she gestured vaguely at him. "Got that Inuyasha? Be polite!" He had nodded and grunted in reply. Briefly he wondered what the girl was doing right then. Probably still asleep, the lazy... He let the thought trail off, as he realized that he was supposed to be doing something.

"I'm looking for some guy called Myouga," he told the man at the help desk, as he remembered his instructions. "Some guy upstairs said to find him and that he would tell me what I was supposed to do."

The receptionist scratched his pointy nose before a seraphic smile spread across his face "Myouga, huh?" He said. "While, that just happens to be me." He beckoned the newest bellhop to the desk and began explaining to him the complicated art that is bell hopping.

Which, Inuyasha felt half an hour later, could probably have been summarized in the two phrases "be nice" and "carry bags for people." His eyes glazed over as the little man, showing no sign of flagging, picked up a suitcase that was behind the counter and began to enthusiastically demonstrate the different types of hold one could use when carrying it.

I'm so gonna kill that brat Shippo, Inuyasha thought as "Now, you have to be careful about the thumb here. It should go around the handle and touch the first knuckle of the fourth finger, not the third fing " drifted past his fully covered ears.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"How'd it go?" Kagome asked the moment Inuyasha walked through the door later that evening.

"Not bad," he replied, ripping off his hat and tossing it on the bed. He let out a sigh as he began to rub his ears.

"Does it hurt them?" Kagome asked, gesturing at the hat.

"Hmm? Oh. No, not really." The boy crossed to the couch and threw himself down on it.

"Well, at least you get that...exciting...uniform," Kagome grinned. Actually, the fitted red shirt part was pretty sexy. It was the brass buttons and gold braid that she found amusing.

"Thanks." Inuyasha shot her a wry look.

"So, what'd you do?" asked Kagome. She was dying for some conversation, having spent the day with Shippo and Hojo. Both of whom she liked, she reminded herself, it was just that intelligent conversation was not exactly their strong suit.

"Well," Inuyasha turned towards the girl, "Did you know that the union recognizes thirteen official ways to carry a standard suitcase?" His face was completely blank.

Kagome grinned, "Oh my."

"Yeah. And nineteen for duffle bags, although there are at least two 'unauthorized' holds."

"How controversial."

"Apparently the union is split over whether to include them or not."

Kagome giggled.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Wow," Miroku nudged Sango. "Looks like they're really shelling out for this investigation."

"Yeah," said Sango. "That's what has me so worried."

"Nah. Look who they have leading the team?" Miroku pointed over to their leader who was currently in an argument with a diminutive receptionist. "See, he can't even read that guys name tag."

Sango snorted. It did sound like Kouga was having a little trouble.

"Now listen here Mig…Me…My…umm…Midga…Mega? Dammit. Who chose that font?" Kouga pointed belligerently at the curly script on the little man's nametag.

"I think it's pronounced something like Me-yoh-gah." Kouga whirled around to glare at his upstart teammates. Miroku stared back at him with a look of blank helpfulness.

"I knew that. I was just taking my time," Kouga scowled. Sometimes Miroku was too helpful for his own damn good.

The little receptionist seemed to be choking behind his desk.

"Now, Myouga."

The receptionist straightened as a finger was suddenly waved right underneath his nose.

"Yes?" He asked, wearing his most helpful look.

"What was the problem with our rooms?"

Miroku turned back to Sango. She was hiding a yawn. Watching her, he had to suppress the urge to yawn himself. It was a pretty long car ride, after all, and the second time they had done it that week. Plus Kouga's incompetence had made it even longer, what with not getting started on time, then reading the map incorrectly and sending them over an hour in the wrong direction. Of course, he or Sango could have corrected him at any time, but why help the case at all, when all they had to do was keep silent and Kouga would mess up on his own?

Sango sighed. "I'm surprised they're paying this much for our rooms though." She looked around at the marble tiled floor and expensive potted plants in every corner.

"I know," said Miroku, "They must finally be recognizing my worth."

"I'm sure that's it." Sango rolled her eyes.

At that moment, Kouga came hurrying over to them, breathing a little bit heavily. "Alright. They are only giving us two rooms. Miroku, you and I can take one room, Sango, you can have the other."

"What?" Miroku stepped closer to Sango in alarm. "No, no, Kouga, that's not necessary. My dear Sango and I would be more than happy to share a room. You can have the single." He put an arm around Sango's waist.

She gritted her teeth, if that hand went even three inches lower, he was going to get hit, well-intentioned lies or not.

Kouga blushed. "Oh. Umm, right. Sorry."

Miroku grinned. Sometimes Kouga just seemed so sweet and innocent. And oh-so-easy to manipulate.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Kagome lay on the bed. Inuyasha was snoring on the sofa, a fact that was probably contributing to her inability to sleep. Also, however, she was thinking.

It was good that Inuyasha had a job. He needed to be able to support himself. Only, she sighed, it was so boring without him around the house. She supposed that she would have to go out and do something tomorrow. Maybe get a little school shopping done? Anyhow, she brightened, he had said that he had the day after off. Maybe then they could do something.

She frowned into the darkness. Inuyasha hadn't mentioned it again, but he hadn't talked to Kaede yet. They still didn't know what she knew. Kagome tried to remember how many days of vacation she had left, but her brain was too sleepy to count. Not as many as she'd had when they started, she supposed. And she really wanted to get to the bottom of this. She was curious, dammit. In frustration, she punched a fist down on the covers.

On the sofa, Inuyasha spluttered, mid-snort. Kagome froze, but he merely shifted, then became quiet. She relaxed under the covers. Really, the amount of time she spent thinking about him was getting to be somewhat ridiculous…

She slept.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Sango had had a little bit of difficulty with Miroku. Not that she hadn't expected some, considering that she was actually sharing a room with the pervert. She had to forcefully remind her fellow agent that they were there on business. He had kept "accidentally" climbing into her bed with her. He claimed it was due to poor eyesight and a slight difficulty in telling his right from his left.

"Honestly," he'd said, all wide-eyed innocence, "I thought it was my bed."

"I didn't believe that the first time," she'd responded, "I'm certainly not going to believe it now. And why the hell would I be in your bed?"

"I thought maybe I was getting lucky," he'd said with that sudden grin that she found so (please god do NOT let him find out) disarming. "Or maybe you were my pillow?"

Sango had grunted and nudged him off the bed. "The day your eyesight fails is the day light bulbs start to sing."

Miroku had accepted defeat cheerfully. After all, can't blame a guy for trying.

As they, finally, settled into their own beds, Sango turned to face her partner. "Miroku, do you think they're all right?"

"I'm sure they're fine," he answered, without lifting his head from the pillow. A corner was caught in his mouth, causing his words to become slightly distorted. "After all, it's a pretty big city, and Inuyasha should have a job by now. The chance that we run into them is practically non-existent."

"I suppose you're right." She sank back down onto her bed. At least they didn't have to share a room with Kouga. And thank god the Bellevue Hotel offered two double beds in each room.