Author's Notes: Hey there, everyone! So how are you all doing? Life going alright? Life not going alright? Anyway, sorry for taking a while to get this out, but I really am just super busy. I had an audition at the University of Oregon this past weekend, and it went really, really, really well. One of the adjudicators took the time to send me an email and tell me how well I did, so I have a good feeling about this. Hopefully my St. Olaf College audition will go as well, since that's my first choice school and I desperately need scholarship money to go there…

This chapter is mostly fluff, dealing with the new relationship between Inuyasha and Kagome, so I hope that's alright with all of you. It's a filler, and probably not the best one I've ever written, but I felt it was necessary, and then we'll get back to the action in the next chapter, along with getting back to the relationship between Kagura, Sesshoumaru, and Rin…I love the fact that you are all still guessing who's going to end up with who. Ah, the power of being the author!

And finally, I'm getting tons of people telling me that they are working on fan art for my stories, so be sure to tell me where you're posting it, if you're posting it at all, so I can give you credit in my profile page! You're all wonderful, and I thank you for your continued support! Enjoy!


Plagiarizing Alert!

It was brought to my attention by one of my wonderful reviewers that the author Mist52 is plagiarizing my story The King's Mistress nearly word for word in her own story, Battle for the Crown! I looked into it, as I always want to verify such things, and it is unfortunately true. I was shocked. Honestly, rather then angry, I feel heartbroken that someone would take something I have worked so hard on, including the research to be as historically accurate as possible, and taken credit for themselves. I truly love that story, as I love all of them, and regard all my works as something akin to a treasure that I get to watch grow and develop as I hone my skills, and right now I feel as though someone has come into my home and taken one of my precious treasures away.

The reason I'm telling you all this is for two reasons: One, I don't know what the protocol is for something like this, or how it can be reported, but I do think it needs to be reported. So if you all could help me with that, I would really appreciate it. But the other reason is that I would just like to ask all of you to please, please, please not plagiarize my stories. I am not a possessive person by nature, and if you would like to use some of my ideas, original characters, or even post my stories on your own website, as many of you have done, I will always say yes if you ask permission and give credit where credit is due. But please don't just take without asking. That really hurts.

I suppose, being the positive person that I am, I could see this as some sort of deranged compliment because my stories have become popular enough that someone wants to take credit for them…but still, this hurts me deeply. Please don't plagiarize anything else.

But also, keep in mind that I did not give you the name of the author, or the title of her story, so that you can fill her review box with flames or reprimands. I simply wanted you all to go and see it for yourselves to tell me if I'm crazy or not, and then deal with it from there. Please…I'm not a cruel person, and I would not have the heart to be cruel to the author, so don't you guys be either. You're all so wonderful to me that I think it would be beneath you. Just check it out, and tell me if I'm wrong in believing she is taking my work and reprinting it, basically, word for word. Thank you.


Jav-chan: Maybe you being my beta would be a good idea, I'll have to think about it. Thanks for the offer, and as always I appreciate you pointing out some of my more awkward phrases and statements. I am truly filing them all away for when I go back and do the massive edit of this story, like I'm currently doing with my Confessions Trilogy. Thanks so much!

Myriadragon: That's a good point! I had never thought about that before…

Aeris219: I deleted it to rework it and start over. I'm not abandoning it, and I will be bringing it back. It will still have the same basic shell, but some of the meat of the plot will change a little. So don't worry, it's coming back! Thanks for being such a faithful reader of my stories that you noticed!

Qem: Good instincts…

KillaBri: Wow…that's all I can really say. I am so honored that you would give me such a compliment as to say that my writing has helped improve your own ability. I don't think anyone has ever told me that before. They've said that I've given them ideas for romance and character actions, but never specifics such as imagery and word choice. I'd have to say your review absolutely made my day. Again, wow…I just feel so honored. Now I'm going to have to go and read your stories and review! And I don't think I'm quite a master, because there are plenty of other authors who have mastered the use of descriptive language and syntax much better then I have…I just write the story. I'm still learning too. Still, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a kind review. Thank you.

Demon Girl17: Crazy doesn't do such feelings justice in my opinion. College applications, homework, senior projects, auditions…gah!


Title: Impossible Dreams

Author: dolphingirl0113

Chapter: Twenty-Three

Rating: PG-13 (rated for language, violence, and implied sexual situations)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.


DEDICATION: For Ted Dorsey, the greatest coach I will ever have, the most wonderful and patient mentor I will ever know, and the best friend I could have asked for. Thank you for everything you did for me in my life.

There was something obviously changed between Kagome and Inuyasha as the pair emerged through the cave entrance, sopping wet, a crash of thunder from outside driving home the reason why they had so suddenly dashed into the shelter of stone. And the strange thing was it was so subtle it was hardly noticeable, causing Sango to furrow her brow from where she was rubbing her Hiraikotsu with a firm square of cloth while Miroku settled for crossing his arms and staring unabashedly at his two friends as though it were his God-given right to stare at whomever he pleased.

It wasn't as though they had walked into the cave holding hands or grasping each other firmly about the waist. Kagome had come riding in on Inuyasha's back, like she had done many times before when she had grown tired, so that was nothing new.

And yet…

Sango narrowed her eyes as she noticed the way her childhood friend seemed to lean into the hanyou more then usual, her cheek on his shoulder as her lips formed silent words, to which Inuyasha responded with a snort, though his eyes went soft. That caused the former demon exterminator to straighten in full attention; since when had Inuyasha, arrogant, snobbish Inuyasha, ever looked like that towards anyone since she'd known him?

Besides…hadn't he and Kagome just had a huge fight?

Miroku too was aware of the slight shift between the pair, watching as Inuyasha carefully slid Kagome to the ground, as though she were some precious object that would break if handled too roughly. And the former monk hadn't missed the way his longtime friend had been holding her thighs a little tighter to his body when they'd first come in either.

What was going on?

For their part, Kagome and Inuyasha pretended not to notice the inquisitive gazes of their friends, knowing that if they paid it any mind they'd give themselves away instantly, something they had agreed could not happen.

Kagome sighed as she felt Inuyasha's warmth leave her, wishing she hadn't agreed to this ridiculous idea, but the hanyou had insisted that so long as they were fighting Naraku, their enemy could not know how he felt about her, because that would make her even more of a target then she already was. At first she'd hated the idea, but then he'd kissed her again, and she had, somewhere along the way, whispered an agreement.

Now she was regretting it. Oh well…there was always time for more kissing to change his mind. She grinned as the thought crossed her mind.

"Kagome!" Sango rushed forward as soon as her friend's feet touched the ground. "Are you alright? You're soaking wet…we'd better get you out of that dress before you catch a cold."

Kagome smiled fondly and waved her hand. "I'll be alright, Sango, really…it's warm in here, and by morning my clothes will be dry."

But the brunette was stubbornly shaking her head, putting her hands on her hips in a way that told Kagome Sango would be an excellent mother some day. "You will do no such thing. Now take off that dress before I have to remove it myself."

"Here!" At that, Kagome couldn't help but cover her chest protectively. She knew her friend wasn't serious, and yet Sango could sound so intimidating when she wanted to…

"Of course not here," the former exterminator laughed. "I'll take you over to a corner where no one can see you."

Kagome eyed her friend suspiciously, her arms still crossed over her chest. "And just what do you suggest I wear while my dress is drying out?"

"Um…" she put a hand under her chin thoughtfully. "I guess I hadn't thought about that."

"Oh hell!" The two women turned to see Inuyasha marching over from where he'd been speaking with Miroku, obviously having been secretly listening to the entire conversation.

"Inuyasha?" Both women questioned at once as they watched the hanyou remove his red jacket, tossing it at Kagome. She caught it without thinking, inhaling the scent, his scent, of pine trees and fresh air. She loved that smell.

"Just wear that," he commanded, a slight pink painting his cheeks as he forced himself to not meet her eyes. Kagome sighed, realizing he was more then just a little serious about keeping their newfound love from everyone.

"Th…thanks," She finally managed to stammer as Sango took her about the shoulders and led her to a corner that was guarded by several shelves of weapons.

Inuyasha watched them go, feeling some unknown muscle in his gut tighten slightly as he watched Kagome walk away from him. He cursed his stupid heart yet again, not for loving her, for he'd decided during one of their many kisses that the emotion wasn't as bad as he'd once thought…but rather, for allowing himself to become a puddle of mush, like a faithful puppy dog ready to follow his new master wherever she went.

He didn't like that image one bit.

And the frightening thing was that, unlike before with his slave masters, Inuyasha was willing to follow this particular master anywhere…even to his own death, if it meant keeping her safe. He'd never felt so strongly for anyone before.

Well, perhaps his mother…

But no, he decided, not even for her. He'd loved her, of course, and felt an immense amount of grief when she was so cruelly ripped out of his life, but, in reality, he'd been too young then to feel this way; still the little child that needed protecting and the comfort of a hug during a thunderstorm.

Now he was the protector and the one offering the comfort, and that changed everything.

The hanyou was so lost in his thoughts that he failed to notice Miroku approaching until it was too late, and jumped slightly as he felt his longtime friend place a comforting hand on his shoulder. He turned and met the man's deep eyes that were almost violet in color, but looked away instantly, unable to resist feeling like he was being scrutinized for some unseen truth.

Did Miroku know…? How could he? Were humans more astute then he gave them credit for?

"So Inuyasha," the former monk began, his eyebrows rising with meaning. "You were certainly gone with Kagome for a long time."

The hanyou let the comment fall without a response for several seconds of silence before realizing he was expected to answer and so, with an uncomfortable shrug of his shoulders, snorted, "Yeah…so what?"

"Well…what took you so long?"

"I had a hard time finding her."

"With your nose? I doubt that."

"It was raining, baka!"

"Oh, I see…" But Miroku didn't look like he believed a word, and that only made Inuyasha even more uncomfortable. He'd never been a good liar. "But why didn't she come back with Kouga?"

"I have no idea…" Actually, the hanyou had wondered that himself several times while out with Kagome in the rain. He'd seen the wolf go out, and also seen him come running back for the cave. So what had happened? He'd known the two had met, because he had caught a whiff of Kagome's scent in passing…

"Well," Miroku grinned slyly, "You do know that Kouga is now going about spouting the fact that Kagome has agreed to be his mate."

"He's what!" Inuyasha whirled around, and his voice reached such a high pitch it echoed several times, causing everyone to look at him. Blushing and lowering his voice slightly, the hanyou turned away from prying eyes and glared meaningfully at his friend. "What do you mean by that?"

The former monk didn't seem at all affected by his friend's temper…not that it was a surprise. He'd been dealing with it for years. "Just what I said. Kouga came back from his meeting with Kagome saying she'd agreed to be his mate when all this stuff with Naraku was over."

That couldn't be true! Not after everything they'd just told one another…promised each other…

But what if he'd been too late? What if Kagome had agreed to be Kouga's mate while still angry with him from their argument, and was now stuck in a situation she couldn't get out of? After all, mating was considered sacred, and once a woman was marked, she was marked for life.

But he hadn't seen a mark on Kagome's neck, where it should have been, so perhaps…

"Kagome!" Like a spoiled little child who had just been told he wouldn't be getting his favorite toy for Christmas, Inuyasha stomped off towards the corner where Kagome had disappeared, leaving a stunned Miroku in his wake.

He found her just finishing tying off his jacket, and he was reminded of that night by the stream that seemed so long ago now, when he'd promised to always protect her. The jacket was still just as short, and revealing her long, creamy white legs, while the sleeves were too long, forcing her to roll them halfway up her arms, revealing more skin. Despite his frustration, Inuyasha couldn't help the slight stir in his belly at the sight, her hair curly and wild from having been in the rain and her cheeks flushed from the cold.

She was so beautiful.

"Inuyasha!" Sango was the one to speak, exclaiming in shock as she piled Kagome's sopping wet dress into her arms. "What are you doing back here? I figured Miroku would be the lecherous spy…not you! Out! Out!"

But the hanyou just ignored the brunette, staring meaningfully instead at Kagome, who looked equally surprised by his actions. No doubt she'd heard his cry of frustration a few moments ago, just as everyone else within a two-mile radius had, and was now wondering what all the fuss was about.

"Inuyasha?" Unlike Sango, her voice held no dismay; merely questions. Her wide, doe-like eyes were full of innocence, and the hanyou already felt his anger dissipating at the sight. Surely no one so kind and pure could play two men off each other like that, right? Surely she would have told him if she had in fact agreed to be Kouga's mate…right?

"Kagome," his voice remained cold. "We need to talk."

"O-kay," she furrowed her brow, but he was glad she didn't just send him away. She glanced at Sango and gave her friend a meaningful nod. "We'll just be a few minutes."

"Are you sure?" The former exterminator seemed very reluctant to leave Kagome alone with Inuyasha, but Kagome just chuckled.

"Yes, I'll be fine…you don't have to act like you're leaving me with some barbarian." She smiled. "This is Inuyasha we're talking about. It's not like he'd ever hurt me."

"Hn, not intentionally," the brunette grunted, obviously still recalling the harsh words from earlier, and the hanyou couldn't help but wince as Sango walked by carrying the sopping wet dress, sending him a meaningful look as she passed.

Once she was gone he heard an exhausted sigh and turned to see Kagome with her hands behind her back giving him a puzzled stare."What is it, Inuyasha?"

She looked so suddenly tired that he almost felt guilty now for acting so rash…almost. "Is it true that you promised to be Kouga's mate?"

"What?" She blinked.

He grunted in annoyance. "Is it true that you…"

"I heard what you said the first time, Inuyasha."

"Well, have you?"

"No! Of course not!" Now she seemed like the angry one. "How could you think I'd say what I did to you after promising myself to another man? What kind of girl do you think I am?"

She turned away from him, and Inuyasha, strangely, felt himself panic, afraid that she was turning him away, almost as though her back symbolized her telling him she had changed her mind about her feelings for him. "Kagome, I…I didn't mean it," he whined, sounding rather pathetic.

She didn't turn around as she spoke. "If you didn't mean it, you wouldn't have said it."

"Keh," he brushed the comment away with his hand, "I say a lot of things I don't mean."

Oops…that came out wrong.

She whirled on him. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean? Does that mean you weren't genuine when you said you loved me?"

"Huh?" He felt something drop in his gut upon seeing the hurt, infuriated gaze directed at him. In response he felt himself get desperate, waving his hands before him as though to make her disappear by some ridiculous magician's trick. "No! That's not what I meant at all! I meant…"

"I know what you meant, Inuyasha…"

"No you don't!"

"Yes I do!" She crossed her arms. "You meant that even though you say you love me, you don't believe me when I say I love you. You think I'm the kind of girl who will lead you on and betray your trust in the end!"

"That's not it at all!" Damn it all, why did women have to complicate things so much? "What I said came out all wrong, Kagome!"

"Yeah right…" She looked away. "I should have known you would still be a jerk. I don't know why I keep forgiving you for saying such hurtful things to me!"

He didn't hear her last sentence. His mind couldn't get past the fact that she had just called him a jerk, and without meaning to he launched forward and grasped her firmly about the waist, pulling her roughly against his body. "Will you just shut up for one damn minute?"

Kagome froze, as though finally noticing, for the first time, all the negative tension in his body and voice. "Inuyasha…"

He interrupted her. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I was just…surprised…when Miroku told me that Kouga was announcing to everyone that you agreed to be his mate." He pulled back to meet her gaze. "What would you have thought if you'd heard something similar about me, Kagome? Honestly, what would you have thought?"

At that she looked down, feeling suddenly very embarrassed, and her entire body seemed to deflate. "I probably would have thought the same thing." She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek to his chest, and he caught the scent of salt. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha…I didn't mean to be so cruel."

He wanted to stay angry with her…really, he did…but at the sound of her voice going soft, the feel of her body against his, the smell of her oncoming tears,Inuyasha felt his frustration instantly melt away, leaving nothing behind but a ball of pure tenderness.

He chuckled inwardly, marveling at the changes already occuring in his heart. What hadthis strange, courageous, beautiful womandone to him, and how had she managed to do it so insidiously? How had he not noticed the way she was slowly settling into his heart and becoming a very part of his soul?

They remained that way for several minutes in silence before they both realized that anyone could walk up and see them, and Kagome pulled away, albeit reluctantly. "So," she met his eyes directly, "What exactly did Kouga tell everyone?" She almost didn't want to know the answer...

"That you've agreed to be his mate. The baka," Inuyasha grunted, "Why the hell would he say something like that?"

"Well," Kagome looked down at her hands, "He did ask me to be his mate."

That got the hanyou's attention. "He did? When?"

"When he came and found me. I was, well…" She blushed. "I was pretty upset, so he offered me some comfort, and I figured it was just the comfort of a friend. But then he turned all romantic on me, and before I knew what was happening he was declaring his love and asking me to be his mate." She rubbed the back of her neck nervously and looked up at the high, arching ceiling above. "I didn't know what to say."

"You didn't say yes, did you?"

"No!" Her eyes flared at that, and Inuyasha was reminded of the fight they'd just had.

"Good," he decided to ignore her look and just pretend he hadn't asked the question in such a way as to imply he doubted her. If they went down that road again, they'd neverget off this ridiculouscycle."Because you know what it means when you mate with a demon, right?"

She shrugged. "I assume it's the same as marriage."

Inuyasha sighed, expecting that answer, however wrong it was. That's what all humans thought, and he figured that, since they were now getting invovled with one another, he might as well take a moment to explain exactly what becoming mates meant. After all, he might some day want to ask...no, he shook his head. That was still way too far down the road to contemplate.

So instead he settled for a simple answer. "It's a lot more complicated then that, Kagome."

"More complicated?" She looked like the concept was impossible. "How could anything be more important or valued then marriage? It involves two people pledging their lives to one another, and promising to stay faithful."

"Yes, that's true…but it's still more then that."

"How?"

"Geez, Kagome…" Now it was his turn to rub the back of his head as he looked about, trying to decide how best to explain something so complicated in simple terms. He'd never been very good at this sort of thing. "When demons mate, they mate for life," he finally blurted.

She just rolled her eyes as though that were obvious. "Yeah, well when people get married they marry for life too, Inuyasha."

"Usually."

"Excuse me?"

"They can still get divorced if things don't work out."

She crossed her arms, looking slightly offended. Why did humans always have to take it personallyand assume that demons wereclaiming their culture was inferior?"And so? What's your point?"

Inuyasha sighed, reaching back into his mind for patience. It would do no good to get frustrated again. "My point is that when demons mate, they don't have that option. They are bound to each other for life."

Kagome gave him a hard look. "I still don't see your point."

He sighed again and made a wide gesture with his hands. "Okay look. When a male asks a female to be his mate, and she agrees, he marks her as his."

She blinked. "You mean he brands her like livestock?"

Inuyasha winced at the way she put it, but figured if that was the only way she understood, then perhaps he'd just have to go with it. "I guess it's sort of like that…the male marks the female on her collarbone by biting her, or at least that's the case with dog and wolf demons…it could be a little different for other types of demons, I don't know for sure. But anyway, he marks the female, and that mark instantly tells other demons she is not available. She belongs to the male, in a sense, for the rest of her life. But the male is equally as bound to her, and cannot mark another." He looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction to all of this. "And the final factor is that the female acquires the lifespan of the male, if they are of different species or races, which sometimes happens."

Like us, he added silently.

He finished his long-winded explanation, and waited for her to respond. But fore several minutes Kagome just stared at the ground, shuffling her feet, and Inuyasha was afraid that he had frightened her away by telling her about such a strict commitment. Perhaps she wouldn't want to be involved with someone who, in the end, just might ask her to make such a commitment herself…

"So," she finally chuckled, the sound beautiful, and as she looked up her eyes were sparkling. "What exactly happens when a demon female is in love with a human? Does the male still have to mark the female?"

He saw her sarcasm instantly, and had an image of a man trying to bite a demon's neck with his normal human canines. The image brought a chuckle to his lips, and before long Inuyasha found himself laughing aloud without restraint. Kagome soon joined him, hugging him once more and brazenly planting a light kiss on his cheek. That stilled his laughter instantly as his joy was replaced by something much more serious and mature: desire.

"Well," she pulled back slightly, though he wrapped his arms around her waist to keep her from moving away completely, "I can assure you I did not agree to be Kouga's mate. I would never enter into anything so serious with a man I did not love."

He believed her, but was still unsure of some things. "Then why would he be saying that you did agree, Kagome?"

She sighed. "Because he's a fool."

"Keh," Inuyasha grunted, but couldn't help chuckling again slightly at that. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one who thought so.

"I mean," she looked away, "He's a kind man, and he's always been good to me, even when we were still living on the plantation. He treated me with respect; and I mean the genuine kind, not the kind that was given to all masters and their families. So, in a way, I do care for him, but…" She looked up to meet a pair of stern, fierce amber eyes. "I don't love him."

Inuyasha softened at that, but still wouldn't let the issue drop. "But you still haven't answered my question."

"Which was?"

"Why he seems to think you said yes."

She looked away. "I suppose because I didn't just yell a big fat 'No' to his face. I didn't want to hurt him. But unfortunately I think that's the only way he'll realize I mean it when I say I'm not interested."

"So what were your words exactly?"

"Inuyasha…"

"I need to know, Kagome."

She nodded and sighed, once more looking tired as the spark from their argument slowly faded away. "I told him I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. I thought I was just letting him down easily, but unfortunately he assumed that meant I was simply saying I didn't want to commit like that while still fighting Naraku. He thinks he just has to wait until that's over, and then I'll say yes."

"And you didn't correct him?"

She winced at his slightly frustrated tone, and gave him an utterly exhausted look. "I guess I'm just wrung out mentally and physically right now, and I didn't have the energy to spell it out for him at that moment. I honestly didn't think he was serious when he said he was going to tell everyone."

"So you knew?"

"Sort of." She cocked her head and gave him a steady look. "Does this change the way you feel about me, Inuyasha? I mean…is this misunderstanding going to affect you too much?"

"No…" He responded too quickly, and could see that she didn't believe him. He looked away. "I can handle it, Kagome, I just, well…a part of me is now wishing I had decided to just tell everyone about what's going on between us. Then I wouldn't have to worry about it anymore."

"Then why don't we tell them?"

"Because Naraku…"

She covered his lips with her fingers, silencing him instantly. "I can handle myself, Inuyasha. I may have had some help escaping, but I still escaped nonetheless. I don't want our love to be a bad thing while Naraku is alive. That would just be one more thing he is managing to taint."

Inuyasha looked back at her face, touching her cheek with his fingers, and the hanyou found he was quickly losing himself in her eyes, forgetting entirely what they were even talking about. "Kagome…"

She smiled back up at him, and he saw mirrored in her face the same desire that was welling up in his own heart as she raised up on her tiptoes and planted her lips softly against his. He felt his heart flutter, and couldn't help but wonder if it would always feel this good to kiss her. He certainly hoped so…

"What the hell are you doing to my mate, you bastard!"

Inuyasha and Kagome jerked apart on instinct and turned to see none other than Kouga, the very subject of their conversation, standing before them looking ready to attack the hanyou at any moment.

So much for keeping their relationship a secret…

"Kouga!" Kagome exclaimed his name out of sheer surprise, and it was obvious that she was still trying to gather her wits and shift gears from what had been a romantic moment into a rather tense situation.

The wolf man didn't even acknowledge her, instead stepping forward and putting his hand over the hilt of a small red sword he had taken to wearing at his waist after finding it amongst the many weapons of the demon exterminators. His sky blue eyes had turned to ice, and he was growling audibly. "Let go of her, Inuyasha! I knew you were a bastard, but I never thought you'd stoop this low to get back at me! To think that I've found you trying to seduce her! I'll kill you for this!"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked, trying to process what was going on, but the moment it all registered in her mind all she wanted to do was fall over backwards. Kouga honestly believed this was all Inuyasha's fault? How dense…truly…could the man be? "Kouga, listen…"

But she didn't get to finish, because Inuyasha was shoving her aside and reaching for his own sword, which was belted at his waist, and all Kagome could do was…

Wait…

Sword?

She stopped everything else and noticed, for the first time, that Inuyasha was wearing the sword Kagura had shoved at her that day in Naraku's castle. That rusty old blade that had looked so feeble and weak compared to the others in the armory room.

How could she not have seen that before? She supposed it was because she had just been so preoccupied with first recovering from being drugged for a long time, and then her fight with Inuyasha which had lead up to their rather emotion-packed conversation that she hadn't really noticed anything else. Frankly, she hadn't really thought once about Kagura or her little sister Kanna, who she had promised to help as soon as she could.

"Inuyasha, stop…" She stepped forward, seeing that this would not end well because, unlike before when their squabbling was harmless and involved nothing more than fists and claws, this time the rivals had blades. It felt like two little boys who used to wrestle in the mud had suddenly grown up and were now playing with fire. She had to put an end to this now, because she truly didn't want to see either of them hurt.

But the hanyou didn't seem to hear her, or if he did, he just chose to ignore her, instead responding to Kouga's last comment. "Keh, you honestly think Kagome would let any man touch her that she didn't want?" He smirked arrogantly, and in that moment he looked more like an animal then ever before, puffing out his chest proudly like a buck showing off the fact that he had won the doe.

The imagery caused Kagome to momentarily bristle. She was nobody's property.

Kouga just grunted and drew his sword from its scabbard completely, holding the small but efficiently cut and polished blade out before him in preparation for battle. "I think Kagome can sometimes allow her soft heart to get in the way of what she knows is right. For all I know you made her feel guilty for getting angry at you earlier, and she felt the need to make it up to you…though I wouldn't know why…"

"Would you just listen to yourself, you thick-headed idiot?" Inuyasha shouted back, his hand still poised over the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it out at a moment's notice. "Kagome is not interested in you!"

"What do you know about it, dog boy? She said she wanted to be my mate!"

"She said she wasn't ready!"

"And I said I would wait for her!"

"Don't you get that she really meant no?"

"That's a lie!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

"Is not, idiot!"

"Is too, bastard!"

They were starting to attract an audience, and Kagome had to fight between the urge to run forward and stop the nonsense and just run right back out into the thunderstorm from embarrassment. Honestly, why couldn't they just grow up?

The two rivals were now circling each other like boxers and all the former slaves had formed a ring around them to see what would happen…or, more to the point, who would throw the first punch. And they weren't disappointed, because both Inuyasha and Kouga were providing a great show of throwing insults.

"I won't have you touching my mate!" Kouga finally declared, and Inuyasha just rolled his eyes.

"She's not your mate!"

"She will be!"

"She will not!"

"And what would you know about it?" Kouga smirked. "She would never confide such things in you, considering how thoughtless you are towards her. I wouldn't be surprised if you'd be happy if she ended up dead before all of this was over."

"You take that back!" Inuyasha lunged forward and started to pull his sword from its sheath, but Kagome had enough, and before the hanyou could do any damage she was between the two men, putting out her hands for silence.

"Both of you, just stop!" She snapped, and they both instantly halted in what they were doing like obedient dogs responding to their master. It would have been funny were the situation not so serious. "Honestly, you're behaving like two little children."

"But Kagome," Kouga had a pleading tone, "I was merely defending your honor."

"I was defending her honor, you bastard!" Inuyasha snapped back. "To think that you would imply that Kagome is some sort of slut who would kiss any man she came across! How dare you!"

"I never implied that!"

"Kagome kissed someone?" Everyone turned to look at Miroku, who seemed very puzzled from where he was standing beside Sango.

Shippou, perched on the former monk's shoulder, rolled his eyes and sighed. "Yeah, weren't you paying attention? Kouga saw Kagome kissing Inuyasha…"

"Inuyasha was forcing himself on Kagome," the wolf demon corrected sharply.

"Whatever, and now Kouga's really mad."

"Oh…" Miroku nodded. "I understand."

Kouga just looked back at the hanyou and growled. "I'm beyond mad. You should die for what you did to her."

"I didn't do anything! She wanted to kiss me!"

"And how would you know that?"

"Because she's the one who threw herself at me, not the other way around!"

"I beg your pardon?" Kagome rounded on her new love with a fierce gaze. Inuyasha instantly cowered slightly.

"I didn't mean it that way, Kagome…"

Kouga didn't seem to be listening. "Why would Kagome want to kiss you if she's already promised to another demon?"

"Because she said she loves me!"

"Not if she promised to be my mate!"

"But she didn't! She loves me!"

"You're wrong, baka! She loves me!"

At that, both men rounded on Kagome, waiting for an answer, as did all of the hundreds of other people in the cave. The poor girl resembled a cherry from head to toe, and had never before felt so embarrassed in her entire life. She just wanted to sink through the floor…

Seeing her friend in peril, Sango stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Kagome's shoulder, her eyes soft as she spoke. "So what's the truth Kagome? Which man do you love?"

Honestly, at the moment all Kagome wanted to say was that she would be well rid of the both of them…but then that would be a lie, despite the fact that they were infuriating.

Turning to Kouga, she clasped her hands before her and gave him her most apologetic look. "Kouga, listen…before, when you asked me to be your mate, I said I wasn't ready because I didn't want to hurt you by saying an outright no. But, well…after you left, Inuyasha and I had a, um, talk," She blushed as she recalled all the aspects of that heated 'talk', "And I admitted to him that I loved him. So, what I'm saying is that it's true: I love Inuyasha, and as such I cannot be your mate…ever…"

At first there was such a loud silence that it was almost worse then when the two men had been fighting, and Kagome watched as the expression on the normally cheerful wolf's face changed from hope to disbelief to, finally, heartbreak, and she felt her own heart twist in response.

"So…he is the one you truly love?"

There was such hurt in his eyes, and such pain, that Kagome couldn't stop herself, and before she knew what she was doing she walked forward and took his rough hands in her own, squeezing his fingers affectionately. "I love you too, Kouga…just not in the way you want me to. You've always been there for me, protecting me and defending my honor, and I will be forever grateful for that. You offered me friendship during a time when I had never felt more alone…but I just…"

He looked away and nodded, causing her to trail off. "I understand, Kagome. I…" He swallowed, and she could tell he was struggling with whatever it was he wanted to say next. "I hope…you'll be happy with your choice." He glanced up at Inuyasha and pointed his sword directly at his face. "But I'm warning you, dog boy…if you hurt her, you'll die in your sleep."

Inuyasha didn't even flinch at the threat, instead remaining surprisingly silent, his only response being to move forward and put his arm around Kagome's waist. She remained still, her back rigid like a board, and waited as Kouga turned and walked away to a far corner of the cave, the other people dispersing and returning back to their modest fires.

Finally, the only people who remained were Sango, Miroku, and Shippou, all staring at the newly announced couple, and they were all smiling as though this was what they had wanted to happen all along. And, in truth, it was.

"I'm truly happy for you, Kagome," Sango stated warmly, her brown eyes genuine, and the two women smiled at each other briefly while Miroku clapped his friend on the back.

"I never thought you'd do it, Inuyasha," he laughed, and the hanyou raised an eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"Fall in love with a woman, or even admit it once you did."

Inuyasha just blushed in response, though his eyes softened as he glanced down at the top of Kagome's head. "I guess I am pretty lucky," he finally replied, moving to kiss her cheek, but was surprised when she pulled away from his arms. "Kagome?"

She glared at him and put her hands on her hips. "I think I'm ready for a little sleep. Sango, would you care to join me? We can share your mat."

"Um…sure…" Clearly the former demon exterminator wasn't expecting that, nor was anyone else, and Inuyasha seemed very frustrated.

"What the hell did I do now, woman?"

Kagome didn't even look over her shoulder as she responded. "You acted like an immature boy, and you lied by saying I threw myself at you. I throw myself at no man."

Inuyasha stared after her retreating form and felt, for the first time in a long time, like sitting back on his haunches and whining like a little puppy dog. It wasn't fair! He'd defended her honor, told Kouga the truth, and now they were a couple for everyone to see, just like she'd wanted from the start! So why the hell did she always have to get so worked up about nothing?

And worse yet...what exactly was he going to have to do in order to get her to allow him to kiss her again? He...he wanted to kiss her damn it! He'd earned it after that embarassingly public fight with Kouga.

"Why are women so damn complicated?" He grumbled, and Miroku looked over before throwing his head back and laughing.

"They have to be because they're the ones who make relationships interesting. We men are awfully boring sometimes. Besides," he poked Inuyasha's arm playfully, "I think somehow that with you, my friend, all women would seem complicated."

"Keh," the hanyou snorted, but chose not to reply, figuring the monk was probably right for once. And what was worse, now that he had openly admitted he was in love with Kagome, it hurt all that much more when they fought. Damn it all, he wanted to just throw himself in the river! And somehow, he had the unfortunate feeling that it wasn't the last time he'd feel that way either.