Okay, I am so sorry for not updating in like two weeks. I definitely had a near death experience and haven't been really sleeping well. So, my brain function has been on the low side, but now I'm back. I do have to say that I am trying to make my chapters longer and thus in trying to do that, it will take me longer to update. Anyway, I just want to thank you all for reviewing and I hope you'll all keep reading and reviewing! Also, as a way of saying sorry, I'm going add a lot of fluff into this chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 13 – Not Another One

Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha or any other character relating to it.

It is a calm and peacefully night. The sky is free of all cloud cover, the stars are shining brightly and the moon is casting a romantic light upon the newly discovered couple. Inuyasha and Kagome are lying on the grass with Kagome securely wrapped in Inuyasha's arms and her head resting upon his chest just below his right shoulder. They are both content with just laying upon the ground and gazing up at the stars.

Kagome smiles to herself. Every so often she would look down at the ring from her hanyou and smile knowing that he meant every word he said to her. She could still feel his lips upon hers and was wishing with all her might that Inuyasha would shift his head towards her and kiss her again and again.

Inuyasha was off in his own dream world. He is smiling like Kagome, but is thinking about their future together. For the longest time, Inuyasha never believed he would have a future, but the woman lying in his arms changed all that. She taught him how to trust, to open up, to make friends, and how to love. She gives him hope in the most hopeless situations and she is the light of his life. If Kagome never fell down the well and never released him, he would have remained asleep for a lifetime. It is because of this woman that Inuyasha was currently dreaming about the home he was going to build for them and how big it was going to be. He is imagining their pups and wishing that he would have, a little girl exactly like Kagome and a son to protect her like his father does his mother. He is imagining growing old with Kagome and that she is never going to leave his side.

He tightens his hold on Kagome when a memory of a time when he almost lost her crept up and scared him.

Flashback

(It's not going to be exact, but I'm going to try my hardest.)

They were all lying by a stream, motionless. Not even their chests were moving. He couldn't hear a thing coming from their direction. The only sound that was audible was his own racing heart beat.

'No, no, no! This can't be happening! She can't be gone, she just can't be!'

Never having actually openly cried since his mother died, Inuyasha turned away from his friends. He turned away from Kagome. He turned away from his newly found life and began thinking of what he was going to do. These three people, Miroku, Sango, and Kagome, they were his family. His pack and he failed them as the alpha male. He only had Shippou and Kirara left. He could only imagine what they were thinking.

The tears escaped his eyes and he let them fall. He didn't want to face the truth. He blocked out all sound and ignored the smells. He was alone and he was blaming himself. Kagome was died because of him. He couldn't get to her fast enough to save her from the poison. He was the one who moved her and everyone else, causing the poison to spread.

His mental guilt session was soon cut short when a certain miko's voice reached his ears. His tears of sadness instantly turned into tears of joy. Everyone was alive, but most importantly, Kagome was alive.

End Flashback

Since that day, Inuyasha vowed to himself to always protect Kagome and never quit on her or anyone else.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" asks Kagome as she sits up to look directly into Inuyasha's eyes. "What's on your mind? And don't you say nothing or 'keh' me because I know you."

Inuyasha smiles slightly at the love of his life and brings her back down to his chest. "Just thinking is all, about the time when I thought I lost you to that poison." Kagome simply nods her head and remains silent, hoping he would continue. "I vowed that day I'd never let anything like that happen again to anyone. It was hard enough thinking that I lost you once, if it happened again, I'd die along with you."

Kagome's eyes begin to shimmer with tears and she slowly sits up again. "It wasn't your fault that all happened Inuyasha. It was Naraku's. Just let to past be and look forward to the future."

Inuyasha gave Kagome a genuine smile in return. "If it wasn't for you Kagome, I wouldn't even have a future. I'd still be stuck to the Goshiboku Tree with that arrow sticking out of my chest." He grabs Kagome's hand and brings her body flush against his before devouring her lips in a soft yet passionate kiss. Kagome groans upon the contact causing her mouth to open slightly. Inuyasha, seeing this as an invitation, slips his tongue into Kagome's mouth and starts to gently massage her mouth. Kagome, liking the sensation going through her body, slides her tongue in to Inuyasha's mouth and begins a battle for dominance.

Gradually becoming bolder, Inuyasha slips his arms around Kagome's back and slowly slides his hands gently under her shirt. The desire to feel her skin upon his is building the longer his lips remain on Kagome's. Kagome instantly feels a new tingling feeling going through her body and relishes in it. It all ended much too quickly for Kagome when Inuyasha pulled away from her lips and brought his hands out from under her shirt, leaving her slightly disappointed.

"Why…why d…did you…stop?" panted Kagome while sitting up and sliding to the side and off of Inuyasha's body.

Inuyasha turns to Kagome and simply smiles. "If we would have kept going, I don't think I could have stopped," explained Inuyasha. "I want you to become my mate Kagome, but I'll wait as long as it takes for you."

Kagome sat there in stunned silence thinking to herself. 'He…he wants me to be his mate?'

'That's what he said. Do you need to me spell it out for you? M…A…T…E. Mate. Now what was so hard about that?'

'It's not that. I just didn't think he'd say something like that.'

'And why not? He said he loves you and that he wants to be with you. What else does he have to do? Get down on one knee and ask you to marry him? Just so you know that's practically what he just did!'

'He what? How do you know? Who are you?'

'I'm you, your conscious, simple as that. I know this because one of actually pays attention to the stories grandpa tells. And lastly, he proposed to you in his own way.'

"Y…you want to marry me?" asks Kagome finally snapping out of her thoughts.

Inuyasha, giving a sigh of relief that Kagome was alright, shakes his head. "Not really. Marrying is a human thing. Mating is a youkai thing. They are similar, in that they bind two people together and they both have a ceremony of sorts, but with mating it's forever. When one mate dies, the other follows. In marriage, when one dies the other can remarry and continue on with life."

Kagome sat there listening to Inuyasha's explanation and nodding her head when she thought she understood. "So since I'm human, I'll die before you, but I'll grow older a lot faster than you will," said Kagome, looking down at her hands on the brink of tears again.

"Actually, no. Since I'm hanyou, you'll live as long as I do and will age like I do. That's one of the reasons for the mating ceremony. I'll explain it all to you when your ready. It can get a little complicated."

Kagome's mood lightens significantly. Knowing that Inuyasha wouldn't have to look after her when she's old and wrinkly when he still looked fit and young, made her happy. But then a thought struck her. "Umm… Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha brought his eye level down from the sky to look at Kagome, letting her know that he had heard her. "Mama's still going to want to have a traditional engagement and wedding. I know you said it was a human thing, but I'm human and it would mean a lot to my family and I, to have a wedding in my time with my friends and family present."

Inuyasha knew she would want that. He gently took Kagome's hand in his and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss. "I wouldn't have had it any other way."

Kagome squeals in happiness and jumps up and does a little dance. Inuyasha laughs at his now fiancé, but enjoys the view of her ass that is currently shaking with in grabbing range.

'GAH! I've been around Miroku for too long.'

Sorry guys that's all I got for now. I'll try to update sometime next when I'm off work. Until then!