A/N: Wow, this fic is taking a turn for the speedy! I'm getting hit by lightening and my head is swimming with all sorts of ideas! Not just for this fic, but I've finally become inspired to write more for Standing the Test of Time and possibly Sacrificing Humanity for Life! Yay me! I'd also like to point out that this fic has received a whopping 65 hits since I put up chapter two, but what has me is that there are only four reviews. ? Well, some of you guys must like something here to have made it to 65 hits within a matter of a couple of days!

So, without further ado, here's your story:

Chapter 3: Unexpected proposition

Kagome, Sango, Shippo, Inuyasha and Miroku sat around the glowing fire pit of Kaede's hut. They watched the stew cook and Kaede mend to Miroku's bruised head while Miroku pouted about the whole incident.

"Looks like you're going to have quite a bruise there, Miroku." Kaede stated.

"Yea, well I'm sure that bruise is nothing compared to the one on his ego." Kagome replied. She eyed the monk as she watched him get bandaged up. She was also observant to Sango's furious stares and silent treatment towards Miroku. 'He must have really caught her off guard.' Kagome mused.

"So why exactly did you decide to follow Sango and Kagome to their baths?" Inuyasha inquired.

"Same reason you did, only I wanted to talk with Sango. But alas, I left after you and therefor got there too late and found Sango preparing to bathe." Miroku replied while looking as if he were reflecting on the day. "Ah yes. If I had it to do all over again, I wouldn't change a thing." He said wistfully to himself, but loud enough for a certain demon exterminator to hear.

"Pervert! If you didn't already have a cracked skull, I'd crack it again!" Sango spat at the monk. She was flushing a bright red and became quite flustered. "I'm going for a walk, I need the fresh air anyway." She stated as she stood abruptly and stalked out the door, but after retorting with, "Miroku, don't bother giving your hopes up, I'm not planning on bathing or anything along the lines that'll satisfy your lecherous thoughts". And left the group in silence.

"Wow, she's angry." Shippo said. "I think you messed up pretty good, Miroku. What'd you do to her any way? I bet it was something perverted."

"Thanks for reminding me, kid. I caught up to her just as she was preparing to undress, and immediately notified her of my presence and told her I wanted to talk." Miroku said.

"Yea? So what got you're skull smashed in?" Inuyasha asked.

":Sigh: I merely told her how beautiful she was and how I wanted to eternally bask in her beauty and asked for her hand in marriage." Miroku simply stated.

Every one in the room just about face planted in mere shock. Miroku had actually tracked Sango down when she was getting ready to get naked and bathe, just to ask her to marry him. This was definitely a new predicament for the group. Sure they could handle demons and power-drunk hanyous. But finding and putting the shards back together to form the Shikon Jewel was a piece of cake compared to the damage control that'll fix this problem.

"You couldn't wait till they got back, because?" Inuyasha sighed, obviously irritated that this whole problem could have possibly been avoided.

"I didn't think I'd have the courage to wait." Miroku replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Poor child. Ye have a lot to learn about love." Kaede commented.

"I guess I do." Miroku sighed out.

"Yea, no kidding. Ok, I'm going to go find Sango and talk with her. Maybe I can help smooth things out a bit." Kagome said.

"Will you do that for me? You're a saint." Miroku exclaimed.

"Yea, besides, I really want to enjoy Christmas with you guys. Not to mention, it really is a romantic time of year. We'll be celebrating the winter season and the warm rays waiting for us around the corner. That's usually the time to propose, you know." Kagome replied with a knowing look. She left the hut in search of her dear friend.

"You know Miroku, you really are an idiot." Inuyasha commented after Kagome had gone out of sight.

"You don't need to rub it in. At least I'm able to express my feelings instead of bottling them up like a certain hanyou I know." Miroku retorted, crossing his arms and huffing.

Inuyasha sputtered a bit at Miroku's accusations. "Wh-wh-wha? I don't know what you're talking about." Inuyasha huffed back and crossed his arms indignantly.

"Oh please Inuyasha, we can all see how fond you are of Kagome and yet you're the one who acts indifferent to her all the time. You're the only person I've seen to make her cry. You're so blind to the fact that she cares about you so deeply that the at the slightest sign of danger or betrayal from you and she falls apart at the seams. Have you even thought of that, or do you get joy out of making her cry?" Miroku accused, almost raising his voice as he spoke. It really did make him mad to see such a wonderful woman's emotions toyed with by Inuyasha.

"I-I-I" Inuyasha's mouth gaped.

"You know, Miroku's right Inuyasha. You do seem to make Kagome cry a lot. Why can't you just be nice?" Shippo retorted.

"I think ye be right. Inuyasha, ye can be so cruel." Kaede commented. The old woman never missing a chance to put in her two bits.

"Why won't you all just leave me alone!" Inuyasha cried out.

The hut did turn to quiet conversation, but only after Inuyasha stomped out, frustrated at his so called 'friends'. But in the forest, Sango sat by the river that provided the village with fresh water.

"Sango?" Kagome's voice made Sango jump and turn towards the darkness that promised to spit Kagome out.

"Kagome. I'm here" Sango said, instructing Kagome to her whereabouts. Sure enough, Kagome came out of the woods on the path before Sango. "Is everything allright?" She asked.

"That's what I was going to ask you. Miroku told us about what happened today." Kagome shyly stated.

Sango blushed a furious red. She was embarrassed enough and wanted to talk to Kagome, but her stomach lurched violently at the thought of what had transpired earlier that day. She felt nervous, embarrassed and overall, confused.

"I totally didn't expect anything like that from him. And what bad timing!" Sango exclaimed.

"I completely agree." Kagome giggled out. "But, Sango, his intentions are honest."

"That lecherous hoshi? I know where his intentions lie. Pervert." Sango snorted.

"But he really meant it. He does want to marry only you and he's sitting back at the hut absolutely heart-broken. If anything, can you forget that today never happened?" Kagome asked.

"I guess I can give the pervert a second chance. But if he blows it, I'm cutting his lips off." Sango said.

Kagome laughed a little. "Deal, but I think you should make that absolutely clear to him. But I think that it'll get better from here. When Christmas comes, I'm hoping to have you guys ready for the big day. We'll have lots of fun and lots to eat. I'm going to bring lots of goodies."

"Thanks Kagome. You know, the more you talk about this Christmas thing, the more I get excited for it. It's funny how none of us have a family to spend this magic day with and from what I gather, it's a real family event." Sango said evenly, looking at Kagome with a smile. "But I guess we are as close as they get without being blood related."

"That's true. It's kinda funny how I see you guys as my extended family." Kagome admitted.

"And what about Inuyasha?" Sango suddenly asked, surprising Kagome.

"What about him? He's just as much family as you guys are." Kagome said fondly.

"That's not what I meant. Where does he fit in the scheme of things in your life?" Sango asked.

Kagome's mouth hung open. The question took her off guard as she contemplated it. Where did Inuyasha fit in the grand scheme of things? Kagome wasn't sure as of this moment, but if there was one thing she was certain of...

..."If there's one thing I know for sure, I wouldn't give Inuyasha up for the world. And the same goes for you guys too. I don't know why Inuyasha gets so paranoid that one day I'm going to leave and never come back. Maybe I can prove that to him through celebrating Christmas this year. After all, it is celebrating everything good that'll come our way." Kagome smiled genuinely at Sango.

"You love him, don't you? What if he asked you to marry him?" Sango asked, her eyes locking on Kagome's.

"Sango, why do you need to know this? Is this about Miroku?" Kagome asked. She could feel the blush burning her face.

"Something like that, plus I am honestly curious. You know he loves you, right?" That was the bombshell for Kagome. Her heart felt like it stopped at those three little words and dropped into her stomach when she realized that Sango was stating the truth.

"Well, um, are you sure?" Kagome countered.

Sango laughed and replied "I'm sure. You didn't hear his obsessive talk while you were gone. He was sure that you either had died, gotten sick of us or another male swept you off your feet and you were off somewhere having babies with him".

"You're not serious! Inuyasha was THAT worried about me?" Kagome squeaked.

"He said this was the longest he had ever been separated from you ever since he met you. Honestly, there were days where I worried he'd tear out his hear from worrying himself to death. Shippo said he saw Inuyasha pacing by the well one day. Come to think of it, I think everyday he found an excuse to busy himself near the well. I bet he was gathering wood when you finally came back." Sango mused. Her voice was serious and even as she informed Kagome of Inuyasha's behavior in her absence.

"Yea, actually he was. Now I feel like a real heal for leaving him so long. You wanna hear something funny?" Kagome turned shimmering eyes to Sango and smiled. "There where days that I wanted to rip my soul from my body and send it down the well if it meant being near Inuyasha and you guys. I feel like such a mama bird, leaving the nest when I go home, as if you guys were vulnerable the instant I left." Kagome sighed.

"Like we'd fall apart without you here?" Sango commented. Kagome looked up at her and smiled. She realized that Sango knew what she meant.

"Exactly. I worry that something will happen when I'm gone that'll push you guys apart, and I'd hate to see that happen."

"Like today, for example. Honestly, if you weren't here, I don't think I'd forgive that monk for being so bold. He definitely took me by surprise." Sango laughed. "But you know, I have to admit, we do feel like baby birds when you leave. Worrying that you might not return, leaving us to fend for ourselves and drifting apart due to it. Kagome, you really are our strong hold, we probably wouldn't be alive today, let alone as close with each other, without you. And I think Inuyasha is affected the hardest. When you leave him, he acts as if the very red strands that bind you two together are easily broken." Sango sighed. She remembered days when it felt it wasn't even worth getting out of bed. Kagome's absence left such a hole in their daily lives. She was there to cheerfully greet them in the morning, or twitter on about stories from her time and playing with Shippo and the local children.

"Yea, I understand. I really do feel like I leave my heart back here when I return to my time and I always find myself holding my breath and anticipating the next time I can jump down that well and reclaim my heart. I almost wish I had been born in this time, but I'm still glad nonetheless. You know, Christmas teaches us that no matter the distance between friends and family, it's a time for travel and sacrificing to spend that precious little time with family and friends. The people you're closest too." Kagome replied, emotion lacing her voice.

"Even if you have to reach past the hands of time to be with those people, right?" Inuyasha's voice sounded from the bushes. The hanyou stepped out from the dense woods and noticed that he had surprised the girls from his sudden appearance.

"Inuyasha, you scared me!" Kagome cried as she clutched her hand to her chest, trying to slow her rapid pulse. "But actually you're right. That's the reason why I want to bring Christmas to you guys. I know that you'll understand it's meaning better than anyone in my time, plus I really want to spend that time with you guys."

"Sorry about scaring you. Miroku was bugging me so I had to get out of there before I lost it. So, Sango, you still angry or are you going to make up with the monk?" Inuyasha asked.

Sango's face went red for a moment, but she got her blush under control before replying. "Actually I was thinking about having a talk with him. I admit I overreacted, but he really could have had better timing."

"I won't argue with you there." Inuyasha answered and crossed his arms at that. He thought about Miroku's accusations shortly after the girls had left and huffed.

"Inuyasha, are you blushing?" So Kagome did notice Inuyasha was a bit flustered.

"NO! I don't blush, I'm not a girl like you." Inuyasha retorted and instantly mentally smacked himself.

Kagome's eyes bugged a bit as his comment hit her. "What are you talking about? Obviously you're not a girl, I never said you were, but it did look like you were blushing a minute there." The humor lacing her voice.

"Well I wasn't, so just drop it, ok?" Inuyasha sighed heavily, he just wanted to drop it until he could sort out his own feelings. "So you wanna go back to the hut? It's getting late and Shippo is convinced on getting an early start in the morning with all this Christmas stuff you've been talking about."

Kagome gave Inuyasha a sideways glance, his demeanor changed so suddenly that Kagome didn't know what to make of it. She smiled regardless, letting Inuyasha know that she was in fact in a good mood. "That sounds like a plan. Honestly, I'm a bit tired and you guys really know how to keep me on my toes." She glanced at Sango and smiled.

"Well, then let's walk back together." Sango suggested.

The three of them walked back to the village in silence, just enjoying the fresh air and each other's company. They were deep in thought about the events to come, excited about Christmas and the fun it promised. Kagome thought about the gifts she wanted to bring from her time for her friends while Sango contemplated crafts she wanted to make for her friends for Christmas and poor Inuyasha was left clueless about what kind of gift to give Kagome, the girl he felt he had nothing to offer.

Well, Christmas is the season of miracles. Maybe Inuyasha would find his, but he highly doubted it, however, that didn't mean he wasn't hoping.

.:End of Chappy:.

A/N: Sigh I'm sorry I didn't keep by my deadline. I had family staying over and they somehow thought they were now computer savvy and I had NO time on the computer before Christmas weekend. So now I'm pumping out the chapters, as you read this I'm typing furiously to get the rest of my stored up ideas onto the computer.

Speaking of holidays, how did you spend yours? I hope you got lots of goodies and ate yourself silly! I had a pretty good Christmas, got my favorite movie, Monster-Inlaw, which by the way reminds me very much of the relationship between me and my boyfriend's mother. We're planning on getting married very soon and she's doing everything she can to break our relationship, only if a slapping fight ensues before my wedding, I'm putting the bitch in the hospital and my boyfriend's agreed to taking pictures for our album, that's something I don't want to forget! Lol, anyway, I know I shouldn't speak so ill of her, but oh well, she's only brought it on herself.

Here's in hopes that you had a rockin' good time and that your new year's is crazier than the last as each new year's should be!

Sunny.