Kagome shifted as she clasped her necklace together. It was Saturday. Her date with Bankotsu was today. Oh, why did she ever agree to that…Oh, yeah. Now she remembered. Sango had been going to blackmail her.

She gritted her teeth and decided a little dating never hurt anybody and it wasn't like she was going out with anybody so…

Kagome sighed and stared at her reflection. Then she shook her head and walked into the living room where Inuyasha was sitting on the couch. He looked at her when she walked in and raised an eyebrow before going back to watching TV. She sat next to him on the couch and tried not to fidget. She really didn't want to go on this date despite the fact that Bankotsu was a good looking guy. Thinking that reminded her that Inuyasha was also a great looking guy and that made her flush deeply.

Inuyasha looked at her again and asked, "You okay, wench? You're all red…"

Kagome scowled and immediately replied, "I am not a wench."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to reply when there was a knock on the door. Kagome smiled slightly and went to answer it. She expected to find Bankotsu on the other side, smiling charmingly. What she did not expect was to see her mother there with her brother, Souta.

"M-mom? What are you doing here?"

Her mother smiled kindly and said, "I need you to watch Souta for me. I couldn't get a hold of any babysitters and Grandpa is in Kyoto with his friends." Her smiled widened the tiniest bit.

Kagome's mouth dropped open a bit. "I can't! I have a date."

Her mother's smile wasn't kind anymore. It was more of a predator's grin. "But your Aunt Tohru is in the hospital. She fell down some steps. I need to help her get home."

"But mom…"

"I'll pick him up later. Thanks." Then she was gone. Souta stood in the doorway.

Inuyasha peered around Kagome and Souta saw him. His eyes widened. "Is this your roommate? Cool! What's with the ears? Is that your real hair color? Are those contacts?"

Inuyasha started twitch. He wasn't good around kids and this one kept asking questions. Kagome must've noticed the slightly murderous look his eyes had taken on because she turned to Souta and said, "Go in my room for now, okay? It's right there."

Souta frowned but other than that he made no protest. He scrambled off into her room. Kagome shut the door of the apartment and banged her head softly against it. What was she going to do? Maybe she'd be able to cancel that date with Bankotsu then…

There was the sound of a scuffle right outside the door and Kagome only had enough time to pull away from the door before it slammed open. Sango stood there with three kids around her. One was Shippo, clinging to Sango's leg. Another one was standing next to her, taller than two other children. His dark brown hair was pulled into a bushy ponytail and he had a smattering of freckles across his nose. The last child was a little shorter than Shippo and had his (her?) hair pulled into two buns at the nape of his (once again, her?) neck.

Sango smiled and stepped into the apartment the kids following her (with the exception of Shippo, who was still clinging to her leg). "I figured you might want to meet them," she said, gesturing to the two kids Kagome didn't know. First, she pointed to the boy with the bushy ponytail and freckles. "That's Kohaku, my brother." Then she pointed to the child with the buns and said, "This is Souten, Hiten's younger sister."

Kagome gave a somewhat manic smiled and grabbed Sango's arm. "Can I ask you a favor?" Sango nodded, if a bit fearfully. "Can you watch my brother for me? He's in my room and-."

"What's his name?"

"Souta…"

Sango pulled Shippo off of her leg and straightened. "Soldiers!" she barked. The three children immediately straightened and wiped the smiles off of their faces, even though there was a sparkle of amusement in each of their eyes. "You have a mission today."

Shippo clicked his heels and saluted to Sango. "What is our mission, Lieutenant Sango?" he asked.

"Your mission is important. We must watch a fellow soldier and make sure he does not put a toe out of line. He is from another regiment and does not know our rules…despite that, I expect you to respect him and show him our ways. Do you think you can handle this mission?" The three 'soldiers' nodded. "Good. He is currently placed with Lieutenant Kagome's room. Move it soldiers!"

The kids raced off to Kagome's room and Sango turned to the amused girl with a smile on her face. "Thanks so much, Sango…" Kagome sighed.

Sango nodded. "It's okay. Shouldn't Bankotsu be here soon?"

Right on cue, there was another knock on the door. Kagome slowly pulled open the door, fearing it was going to be another unexpected guest. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it Bankotsu. He smiled charmingly at her and Kagome was so tempted to melt on the spot but there was another smirk already invading her thoughts.

She gave a shaky smile back, trying to get rid of the image of that infuriating smirk out of her head. Bankotsu offered an arm to her and she accepted it. She could hear Inuyasha snort behind her, but she just ignored it and tried to focus on Bankotsu.

Inuyasha was not fuming. He was not angry. He did not want to go and rip Bankotsu's head off. Nope. He didn't. Really.

Some divine force decided to take pity on the hanyou and two seconds later, four children were jumping on the couch and scrambling over him. Inuyasha twitched for a second and then stood. A kid clung to his arm and when Inuyasha looked over, he saw it was the fox brat, Shippo. He flung Shippo off of him and yelled, "Sango! Get these brats out of the living room!"

Sango walked into the living room and just stood there, snickering quietly to herself. Then the door to the apartment banged open and Miroku walked in. He spotted Sango and bent down. "You look lovely today, my dear Sango." Sango blushed as he stood and walked next to her.

Kohaku turned and narrowed his eyes at Miroku. Miroku, unfortunately, did not seem to notice the boy's gaze on him. Shippo, Souta, and Souten ignored Miroku and continued to scramble over Inuyasha. Inuyasha twitched once more and started trying to grab the brats.

Miroku bent down the tiniest bit and said, "You do look really good today, Sango." Sango flushed an even deeper red than before.

She stuttered out, "T-thanks…" her blush continuing to get deeper. Then Miroku grinned and Sango froze. She gritted her teeth and then slapped Miroku. "Don't grope me, you pervert!" she yelled.

Kohaku glared darkly at Miroku. Then he pointed at Miroku and cried, "He has assaulted Lieutenant Sango! Attack the enemy!" The three other kids exchanged evil grins. Then they all went after Miroku. His eyes widened to comical proportions and then started to run. The kids chased after him, Kohaku yelling at him for 'assaulting their Lieutenant!' Sango just watched in amusement as did Inuyasha.

Then Inuyasha sat back down on the couch and snorted. "Why didja bring those brats over here?"

Sango smirked evilly. "Just to annoy you." She turned and went back to watching the kids attack Miroku.

For the second time that day, the door burst open. Kouga stomped in fuming. "Shut up will ya! I can hear you all the way up in my apartment!" Inuyasha jumped to his feet, snarling.

"Deal with it!"

Kouga's cerulean eyes flashed. He lunged for Inuyasha. Inuyasha did the same. There was a crash as the two landed on the table and started to beat the shit out of each other. Sango turned her attention to them, making sure that they didn't break the table. Two seconds later, Ayame, Kouga's roommate, walked in, holding a frying pan threateningly.

"Kouga?" She saw Sango and smiled slightly. She opened her mouth, but it snapped shut when she saw Kouga and Inuyasha fighting. Her eyes went flat and her pretty mouth twisted into a frown. "Kouga…I wasn't done talking to you…" She walked closer to the fighting men. Sango grinned as the sound of a frying pan hitting a thick skull and a yelp was heard.

Kagome twisted her straw. She had a really bad feeling but she had no clue where it was coming from. Bankotsu frowned at her. "Right?" She snapped out of her daze. Bankotsu had been talking about something but that bad feeling had kept her attention away from him.

She nodded and gave a shaky smile. "Right." She glanced down at her watch. "Um, Bankotsu, I think we should be going. I was supposed to be watching my brother and I left him with Inuyasha…" She trailed off, giving a weak laugh.

Bankotsu grinned. "I get it." He stood, picking some money out of his pocket and leaving it on the table. Kagome stood and started to walk out of the restaurant. He followed. "You don't want to leave your brother with that idiotic hanyou, right?"

Kagome turned to him and snapped, "He's not idiotic!" Okay, sure, Inuyasha could be moronic sometimes, but it was the thought…right? And she had to defend him because she was his roommate…right? Stop with the questions, she told herself. She continued to stomp to Bankotsu's car.

He frowned slightly. "Sorry," he said in a completely unapologetic tone.

She gave him an icy glare. "Just take me home." Home…was that little apartment home? If it was just the apartment, then no. But add good friends and a slightly intolerable hanyou, then yes…it was home.

Bankotsu continued to frown as he drove them back to them apartments. Ten minutes passed and they got there. As they walked up the stairs, he said, "I am sorry about whatever I did to make you mad. Will you go out on another date with me?" The tone of voice was apologetic this time. Kagome felt kind of bad, already knowing what her answer was.

She turned the door knob to her and Inuyasha's apartment, about to tell Bankotsu her answer, but her mouth clicked shut when she looked inside the apartment. Sango was sitting on the couch, cackling insanely as Miroku was getting chased around by the kids (including her brother). The small table that usually stood in front of the couch was smashed, and sitting on its ruins were Inuyasha and Kouga, both extremely bruised and cut up. Kouga was getting yelled at by his roommate, who was waving a frying pan in the air, while Inuyasha looked on, smug.

Kagome raised an eyebrow at the scene before yelling, "Shut up!" Everyone stopped. She pinched the bridge of her nose and asked, "Who broke the table?"

Kouga immediately pointed to Inuyasha, while the hanyou just scoffed. "I would never break anything in your home, Kagome," the wolf demon proclaimed and stood. He walked close to her and grabbed her hands, staring into her eyes. Kagome shook her head sadly. Why did she have to attract guys, but not the one she wanted? She flushed red and then glared at Kouga. "I would never break anything within the home of my woman!" Kouga yelled.

His roommate (Kagome didn't learn her name yet) frowned and said, "What about me Kouga?"

Kouga turned to her with a snarl. "You are not my woman, Ayame! Kagome is!"

Ayame walked straight up to Kagome, eyes glittering with rage, and put her left hand up to Kagome's face. A band of gold shone on her ring finger. "Kouga is mine. Don't you dare try to take him!" Kagome's eyes widened. Kouga was engaged! But why had he hit on her then?

Kouga snarled again. "Our marriage is just to unite the wolf clans. I am not yours! I am Kagome's! Just cause we're married doesn't mean I love you!"

Kagome was the only one who saw the pain flash within the leaf-green eyes. Ayame loved Kouga, but Kouga…Kouga was an idiot. Kagome slapped him. Everybody else's eyes widened. "You are married. You are not mine. You are hers. That's what that gold ring means." Kouga made several spluttering noises in protest, but Kagome silenced him when she raised her hand. Ayame looked at Kagome with kindness. "It doesn't matter if you were married or not. I don't love you." Her mouth continued, despite her mind's protest. "I'm in love with some one else."

Kouga's eyes flashed and he rounded on Inuyasha. "It's that bastard, isn't it! I-!" Kagome placed a hand over his mouth.

"Get out." Kouga stared at her for a moment, before walking out dejectedly. Ayame gave a small, weak smile to Kagome.

"Thanks," she whispered.

Kagome sighed and extended a hand. "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Higurashi Kagome."

Ayame shook her hand. "Tsuki Ayame. Nice to meet you."

"Same here."

Ayame's cheeks tinted pink and hid the frying pan behind her back. "I'll just be going now. And if you want someone to pay for that table-."

Kagome cut her off, shaking her head. "It's fine." Ayame bowed at her, before walking out. Kagome turned to Bankotsu but he smiled sadly.

"I heard what you said. We can still be friends right?"

She nodded. Bankotsu smiled at her and then walked out of the apartment. She turned to the rest of the occupants of the room. "Okay. Sango, take Kohaku, Shippo, Souta, and Souten to your apartment will ya? Please?" Sango gave a large grin and gave her a look that said 'you-have-to-tell-me-everything-later'. "Take Miroku with you." Sango's grin became a bit larger. She grabbed Miroku's collar and started to drag him out of the apartment, ignoring his groans of pain, but was stopped when the door creaked open even more.

A woman stood there. She looked a lot like Kagome. There were only several minor differences. Her long black hair was pulled into a low ponytail and her brown eyes were icy cold. Her gaze moved around the room. It passed over the kids, Miroku, and Sango without pause, but stopped for a second when it landed on Kagome. Kagome felt ice crawl up her spine. A dark eyebrow was raised before the gaze moved to Inuyasha.

"You aren't wearing the charm I made you." The voice that emerged from the thin rosy lips was cold and emotionless.

Inuyasha had a dreamy expression on his face. Kagome couldn't help but feel jealous. This woman had placed that expression on his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver chain with the crystal drop on it. He threw it over his head and as it settled around his neck, his features changed to that of a human. "Better?"

The woman gave a small smile. "Much."

Inuyasha stood and walked over to her. They both walked out.

Kagome turned to Sango. "Who was that?"

Sango grimaced and let go of Miroku's collar. He dropped to the floor with a yelp. "That was Kikyo. She's Kaede's niece and Inuyasha's girlfriend."

"She made that necklace?"

Miroku sighed and said, "She wants to change Inuyasha into a human. She has miko powers and made the charm while she worked on a more…permanent cure."

Kagome frowned. "Why?"

Sango answered this time. "She hates demons, but she loves Inuyasha. She can't be with him if he's a demon, but she doesn't want to leave him. If that makes any sense."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know all of this?"

Sango raised her hand. "I asked her all of this when I met her."

"Okay." The jealousy continued to linger.

Several hours later, Inuyasha came back. The sun was setting and Kagome was staring at it through the window. His face still had that dreamy expression and the gold from the setting sun only highlighted his features. The jealousy flared within Kagome again. He walked to his room, totally ignoring Kagome. Jealousy and sadness mixed together. She wanted to deny those feelings but they were there. She leaned her head against the cool glass of the window and shut her eyes against the tears.