Chapter Four: Plus de pertes, je ne promets.

-No More Losses, I Promise.-

By: KitsuneArasi

Disclaimer: I don't own it.

"Sister Kagome! Sister Kagome! Oh, you have to wake up, sister. Your companions are almost here!" "Huhh?" Kagome sat up slowly and stretched with a wide yawn, "My friends are here?" she came to her senses slowly, looking around the chamber and realizing with a warm smile that Kouga had left quietly in order to let her sleep after the celebrations that had continued well into the previous night. 'So that was the feeling on my forehead a while ago…he's definitely getting a big thank you.'

"Sister?" "Oh! My friends! Don't worry, I'm coming!" Kagome quickly slipped into the outfit from the previous day before heading out after Matoko. Kouga had arranged for Kagome to receive a few sets of clothing and armor identical to his (though feminized) in a few days' time.

"Sister, what do you intend to do? Will you wait for them in one of the other chambers?" "No," Kagome shook her head and continued walking, "I'll meet them at the entrance, Matoko-chan. Are you coming?" "If…you don't mind, sister. They sound so very interesting, and," she giggled, "I'm sure Brother Kouga would want you to have an escort." "All right then, Matoko-chan, it's settled: You're going to be my escort." The girls linked arms before continuing on their way, chatting and giggling as they walked on.

Kagome walked out onto the ledge and to the left side of the cave's entrance to watch her friends approach from the distance. She and Matoko talked as they waited, Kagome telling her new friend more about her time, eventually walking back and forth as the other girl sat on a rock by the edge, listening with interest sparkling in her eyes. It was merely testament to Kagome's improving senses that she and Matoko heard them on a path a ridge or two below, clearly visible when standing on one of the rocks as Matoko did. "Hey down there!" The group stopped to look up, clearly surprised at the calling, especially from a female voice. They had never, after all, met (or known of) the non-adult male members of the Kouga's clan and they were not expecting someone to greet them, at least not at this point.

It was a refreshing bit of normality to hear Miroku's voice answer, "Well hello, Miss Matoko, do you know if our friend Kagome is all right?" At this, Kagome came to stand on the rock as well, "I'm just fine, Miroku…," she trailed off a moment, then shook her head, "No. I'm better than fine. I'm amazing, fantastic, wonderful!" she laughed, giving a twirl and stopping on the ball of her right foot, her right hand also on her cocked hip as she grinned down at them, "How are you?"

"We're great, Kagome. It's good to know you're all right. How did you manage to heal so quickly?" Sango called with an answering smile. Kagome continued grinning as she answered, "Ohhh, Kouga might have had something to do with it." This seemed to leave the others confused as Matoko broke out a grin of her own. "Anyway, why don't you come up? We'll talk some more!"

And so they did.

When they finally reached their destination, the group settled on the ground with Kagome and Matoko, Kirara returning to her smaller form and sitting beside Sango while Shippou cuddled up in Kagome's lap. It was the fox child who first spoke, "Kagome, why are you wearing Kouga's clothes?"

Kagome smiled down at the kit she regarded as her own and glanced at Matoko before taking the plunge, "Simple, Shippou, I'm wearing Kouga's clothes because it will take a few more days for Nami to finish my mine," she wrapped her arms around him more tightly, "I'm Kouga's mate now, after all." Shippou blinked up at her, distressed and thinking that she was leaving him. As the others responded with various shocked reactions (Inu Yasha's being the rather loud WHAT THE HELL!) she whispered in his ear, "Don't worry, we're going to be your new parents, if you'll let us…" to which he nodded vigorously.

The other two proceeded to congratulate her, while the hanyou sat silent, his bangs shielding his eyes. He seemed to be attempting to soak in whatever was going on through a thick coat of surprise…

Yet when Sango, surprisingly, asked how the wolf demon was in bed, he snapped.

"WHAT IN HELL IS GOING ON! I mean, did I miss something here! Well? What's going on Kagome? We left you with wolfbreath for one day and you get yourself mated to him? How's that work out! Huh! Last time he showed up- what, a month or so ago?-and you told him you were 'just friends' like always, and now, we leave you with him for one day and all of a sudden you're mated to him? What's next, kids?"

Those words were all it took to make Kagome smirk as Matoko giggled, "Yep. As a matter of fact, you're about nine months from being Inu Yasha-ojiisan as we speak."

"What! You're fucking pregnant, Kagome! No way is this happening. You're coming back with us. This is nuts! Look inside your soul or whatever, there's gotta be some part of you that knows this is bullshit."

"You know what, Inu Yasha? In the three years that I've known you, I've done a whole shitload of soul searching and, when I think about it, that's probably not such a good idea since, thanks to your psycho-embittered helldweller of an ex-girlfriend, I'm missing part of it! I'm still more than willing to be your friend, but I love Kouga and by no means will you be dictating my love life!"

She touched her stomach gently as her other friends came in even closer to congratulate her, Shippou, being a youkai, pressing his ear against her stomach in an attempt to listen to his baby siblings. Inu Yasha just sat there, blinking dumbly, until Miroku noticed a few minutes later, "All right. Matoko-san, would you mind taking us to see Kouga while these two resolve their problems?" Matoko nodded and proceeded to do as she had been asked.

"Well, Inu Yasha, what have you got to say for yourself?"

She came to crouch before him.

"…Kagome…?"

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry, Kagome…you're…really in love with Kouga? I thought he…just wanted you because you were my friend…" "What!" "I'm sorry I make it so hard for you, that I fight with Kouga…and you. But you're-Kagome, you've always been my closest friend. I never had one before, ya know? I just thought…he was trying to take you away, and I don't want to lose anyone else, not after-" the girl frowned, expecting to hear him voice the name of his former love interest, but… "Not after my mother."

And after he'd finished speaking, the hanyou did something he hadn't done since his mother's death, something Kagome had never seen him do and hoped never to see again. He cried. The tough-as-nails half demon broke down in gasps and tears.

All Kagome could do was hold him and rub his back and coo soothing words into his ear, as, perhaps, his mother once did while he buried his face in her shoulder.

When he'd finished he sniffled once before wiping away the traces of his emotional outburst on his sleeve, "So…uncle, huh?" The girl exchanged a strong, confident smile with his hesitant one, "Mmhmm. Inu Yasha, don't worry. You're my best friend, too, and you're not going to lose me. I'll tell Kouga," a hint of forcefulness gleamed in her eyes at her next words, "you'll both talk it out, and the problem will be resolved. Don't complain. Up now, you're staying for a while, right?" They stood up together, and Inu Yasha gave one of his rare, honest smiles…

"…Yeah."

A/N: All right, there you go! Chapter 4. I'd also like to mention…

I got my first flame! I don't actually know why I'm excited about this, but I laughed so hard that my story was compared to a steak…with some disturbing points about eating it raw. I was sort of annoyed that she submitted the flame without reading the note regarding the mistake at the end of the third chapter.

That's it for now…

Ja ne!