Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

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"Happy Birthday to you!!!"

Inuyasha winced, resisting the urge to pummel the monk singing off key as he, Sango, and Kagome rolled in his birthday cake. Baka . . .

"Make a wish!"

The hanyou broke out of his thoughts of murder and focused on the cake in front of him, twenty-two candles burning bright atop the chocolate frosting.

Cocking an eyebrow, Inuyasha grumbled, "Do I gotta?"

"Yes!" The three chimed.

Giving an exhasperated sigh, Inuyasha shut his eyes, wondering what the hell he was going to wish for.

A car? Nah . . . I have more than plenty . . .

Money? The old man left me enough to last the rest of my unnatural life . . .

Beautiful women to wait on your hand and foot? Not just any woman . . .

Cracking an eye open, he noticed Kagome's bright smile on her face, her coffee-brown eyes twinkling with happiness. A smile crept on his face, his wish suddenly apparent to him.

"C'mon Inuyasha, we don't have all night."

Sending Miroku a warning growl, Inuyasha shut his eyes once more. I wish that Kagome would find peace . . . for her to forget about that Nababu guy, and to find real love . . . with me, hopefully . . .

Smiling inwardly, he blew out the candles and leaned back into his chair. "Happy, baka?" he grunted, crossing his arms as he watched Kagome cut the cake.

"Can't you two get along for once?" Sango rolled her eyes, passing out plates.

Inuyasha didn't answer, but Miroku gave him a cheeky smile. "I'll get along with Inuyasha when he tells me how he and Kagome got together."

The heiress nearly dropped the knife on Sango's foot as she gaped at the monk, her face turning the brightest shade of red any of them had seen. "Na-nani?!"

"You know what I'm talking about," the monk replied, giving each of them a sly look.

The hanyou turned his face away, his face clearly flustered. The night--well, actually morning . . . it was 2:45!--he had gone into the heiress' room to comfort her thoughts about her sister, he had accidentally . . . well, fallen asleep on the bed with Kagome. Inuyasha felt the heat rush to his face as he remembered Miroku and Sango coming into the room and eyeing such a, ahem, compromising position.

"What exactly were you two doing that night?" Sango smiled, nudging her best friend in the ribs. "C'mon, you can tell us! Are you two an item now or what?"

"You make it sound like we're merchandise," the heiress blushed, stooping down to pick up the knife.

"Alright then," Miroku grinned, "a couple. Are you two a couple now?"

"Ah . . ." Kagome glanced over to Inuyasha, who's eyes were now burning into hers. Are we?

Feeling the heiress' distress, the hanyou began to growl low. "What's it to you, baka?"

The monk chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I'll take that as a: 'we've admitted our feelings, but we're not exactly official.' Am I right?"

Inuyasha felt his face burn up for the second time, ducking his head as he dug into his cake quickly. Sango quickly snatched the knife out of the younger woman's hands, her own eyes soft with happiness for her friend. "Aww, Kagome-chan . . ."

"I . . . um . . . ." She stopped, hearing her cell phone ring in the other room. "I'll be back!" she smiled, rushing to the other room.

Sango shook her head, turning to see the police officer taunt the poor hanyou.

"I knew it!" Miroku crowed, crossing his arms across his chest. "I knew that you two were together! Why didn't you tell me, Inuyasha? I thought I was your best friend?"

The hanyou, rubbing his face irritably with a hand, glared at the officer. "Whoever said you were my best friend?"

"Alright fine, maybe not best friend," the monk sighed, his eyes lighting up with a sudden hope. "But what about best man? I will be there for the wedding right? I mean, after all we've been through together . . ."

Rolling her eyes, Sango turned to cut herself a piece of cake just as a snarling Inuyasha pounced on Miroku.

"Boys will be boys . . ."

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"Moshi moshi," Kagome answered, dropping on her bed as she flipped her phone open.

"Kagome?"

"Mama?" the heiress sat up, hearing the worried tone of her mother on the other line. "Mama, what's wrong?"

"It's your grandfather, Kagome," the woman informed shakily, "He's in the hospital."

"Nani?! Why?! What happened?!"

"We--Souta and I--were having dinner at his house, and all of a sudden he collapsed. The doctors say it was food poisoning."

"Oh Mama . . . we're going home right now," Kagome said firmly, rushing around and throwing things in a suitcase.

"But the land--"

"I'll explain later," the heiress snapped her luggage shut. "We're going home."

"Okay dear, be safe."

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Sango licked her fork as she watched Inuyasha trap Miroku in a headlock, the poor monk pleading for mercy.

"Inuyasha! C'mon, I was just joking!"

The demon slayer giggled, setting her plate aside as she leaned forward for a better look.

"This is better than wrestling," she muttered.

The door to one of the bedrooms suddenly swung open, the heiress disgruntled and worried.

"Come and join the fun, Kagome-chan!" Sango smiled, beckoning her closer. "1000 yen says Inuyasha wins."

Kagome shook her head, turning around and heaving her heavy luggage in front of her with a resonant thud. The men stopped their antics and stared at her, confused.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, releasing Miroku from his pinned position.

"We need to go home," she answered with tired eyes, raking her hand through her hair. "Jii-chan is in the hospital."

Sango gasped, jumping up. "What happened?!"

"Food poisoning. Inuyasha, go pack while I call a cab."

The hanyou scrambled to his feet and rushed to his room while Sango and Miroku quickly gathered all the party treats. Kagome pulled her phone out of her pocket, dialing the number for the taxi service.

Jii-chan . . . please be alright . . .

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The room was dark and musty, the moon's light cut off by the drawn blinds. A lone figure sat on the bed, her head resting against the headboard as she stared into the inky darkness of the hotel room.

They'll all pay . . .

Jii-chan . . .

Kagome . . .

They'll all pay . . .

Her thoughts were cut off by the ringing phone on the bedside, its noise echoing throughout the silent place. "Hello."

"It's been done."

"I expect there were no complications?"

"None, none at all. The plan went smoothly."

"And the old man?"

"In the hospital as we speak. The dosage we administered was quite hight; I doubt he'll be able to recover fully."

"Good . . . very good . . ."

"And when will I recieve payment?"

"Tomorrow morning; it will be where I said it would be."

"Alright. Goodbye, Kikyou."

The woman set down the reciever, her eyes cold and narrow as she grinned a cynical smile.

One down . . . one to go . . .

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AN: there you go, a little more into the plot . . .

I did an outline of the story, and I expect it to end around chapter 55 . . . I know, so sad that the story's ending!

anyways, thanks for the reviews! and stay tuned!

P.S.- don't forget to read "Past the Shadows!"