A/N: It's here! This is it! The last chapter of my story! I really hope it lives up to expectations!

Disclaimer: Nope. Inuyasha still belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, and the X-Men still belong to Marvel Comics...not me.

Chance Encounters: Chapter 7

Jubilee decided, since there was nothing else she could do, she would go ahead and take advantage of the distraction that Wolverine was causing. Hang in there, Wolvie. I'll get help. And then she activated the psychic raport that the X-Men shared, just in case. "Jean, Betsy, can one of you hear me!"

"Loud and clear, Jubilee, what's wrong?" Jean's telepathic voice replied a moment later.

Jubilee answered instantly. "Wolvie and I are under attack by the cliff. Some guy we've never seen before showed up, disguised as a ten-year-old boy and now I'm trapped in some sort of viney thing while Logan's fighting by himself. Normally I wouldn't think that's a problem, but, the guy has a barrier around himself, so Wolvie can't touch him!"

Jean hesitated a moment, finally saying, "Don't worry, we're on our way. Do your best not to let on that you've contacted me, ok? And don't panic." And then the link was dropped, leaving Jubilee once again alone in her mind. She could only pray they didn't take too long.

Meanwhile, at Xavier's, Jean's eyes had glazed over during her telepathic conversation. After a moment, she blinked and her vision cleared. Betsy was watching her, having heard the psychic summons, also. She nodded at the British-turned-Asian telepath and they both stood, effectively silencing all side conversations. Jean's eyes were focused and serious, as were Betsy's.

"What is it?" Ororo asked, recognizing their looks and standing to face them.

"I just got a 'call' from Jubilee. She and Logan are under attack. They don't recognize the aggressor, but he's got a barrier that Logan's claws can't penetrate, and she's trapped in some sort of vine, her words. We need to go help. They're at the cliff." Jean informed them quickly. By the time she was done, everyone was standing. Inuyasha's growl got their attention. "What is it?" Jean asked.

"Vines and a barrier? Sounds like Muso. You were right; those bastards are makin' their move." Beside him, Kagome nodded.

"Then we'll need to get you some arrows. Magik?" Jean stated decisively.

"Done." Illyana said simply, and suddenly a bow and a quiver full of arrows matieralized on Kagome's shoulder.

"Everyone get ready. We'll meet back here in two minutes. Magik, will you transport us to the battle?" Storm commanded. The young Russian mutant nodded as her uniform flashed on, sword in hand. Betsy sank into a black hole and reappeared a moment later in uniform as well. Jean's clothes shifted quickly and then she, too, was ready to go. Kitty and Peter ran upstairs to change. Moments later, they literally fell through the floor, landing neatly beside Illyana as Kitty jumped free of Peter's grasp. A bolt of lightening matieralized out of nowhere and struck Ororo, causing her uniform to appear. Since Gambit, Rogue, Inuyasha, and Kagome didn't have to change, they were ready to go.

"Ok, people, let's go." Illyana declared as a stepping disc appeared around them. A moment later, they were whisked away and transported to the battle.

The man, Muso, was laughing evily as Wolverine fought off the roots attempts to trap him. Jubilee got fed up with sitting back and watching, so she shouted. "Hey! Jerk! Why don't you let me go so I can kick your butt! You scared?"

Muso turned, amused at her antics. "No, woman. I merely don't think you worth the effort of fighting. Far easier, then, to leave you where you are. Do you dislike watching him fight a futile battle? I could kill him now, if that is what you desire."

"Don't you dare, you creep! Wolvie's gonna beat you, it's just takin' a few minutes, is all. Trust me; get him angry enough and no one can stop him."

"Hmm, perhaps. But, tell me, how do I get him that angry? I imagine I'd have to kill you. I suppose I could conisder that. Tell me, how do you want to die?" He asked cruelly, smirking in triumph. Jubilee spat at him in response. He merely flicked it off and smirked wider.

He failed to notice the glowing spot above him until something destroyed the roots surrounding Wolverine. He spun quickly, unsure of what had attacked him. "What!" He demanded. Logan rolled free just as another lightning bolt struck them.

"You shall not be triumphant in this battle, Muso!" Storm declared, floating between him and Wolverine.

"Ah, you must be Storm. Sinister has told me about each of you. You cannot hope to defeat me; as you cannot touch me."

"Wanna make a bet on that?" Inuyasha's voice threatened as he lept from the stepping disc and unsheathed his Tetsusaiga. Muso's eyes widened in recognition and fear as he jumped backwards, trying to avoid the blood-red sword.

"Inuyasha! You won't destroy my barrier so easily!" He hollered, sending a fresh set of roots at him. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he tried to adjust himself in mid-air. Fortunately, he didn't have to.

"Not so fast, Muso!" Kagome's voice echoed as a sacred arrow sliced through the vines and they fell, limply, to the ground before disintegrating.

"Nice shot, Kagome! Tetsusaiga!" Inuyasha called, slamming his sword down on Muso's barrier. Muso cried out and moved away just in time to avoid the shattering pieces. Off to his side, Phoenix levitated herself to level with Jubilee.

"Hold still a second, Jubilee. This shouldn't take long." She stated, raising her hand. Suddenly Phoenix was surrounded by a thin layer of flame and the vines ripped themselves apart before burning to dust. Jubilee landed gracefully on her feet and grinned.

"Thanks, Phoenix." Then she turned to the demon that had imprisoned her. "Hey, jerk!" She shouted, getting his attention again. Walking forward until only three feet separated them, she flicked her sunglasses down over her eyes, covering her glare. Then, raising her hands, she said lowly, "This is for Wolvie." And she blasted him full-force, her face a perfect mask of indifference; just like Logan had taught her. When she brought her hands down and returned her sunglasses to her head, she added, "And this is for deceiving me like that." Then she hauled back and kicked him where it hurt most. Wolverine walked up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Good moves, darlin'. My turn, now." He mumbled in her ear before walking in front of her and popping the claws on one hand.

He raised his fist and brought it down on Muso, right in his shoulder. The reincarnated demon shrieked in agony; immortal or not, it still hurt like hell to have three adamantium claws temporarily sever your shoulder-bone from your collar bone. In retaliation, he shot a root from that same arm directly into Wolverine's stomach. Of course, thanks to his metal skeleton, it didn't go all the way through, but it still hurt.

"Wolvie! You creep, back off!" Jubilee shouted, blasting Muso just as Shadowcat appeared and phased Logan away from the impaling device.

"You gonna be ok, Wolvie?" Shadowcat asked quietly, worried for her good friend and former mentor. Logan grunted and rolled away, prefering privacy to heal. Shadowcat complied and turned her back to him, joining Phoenix and Jubilee. Magik appeared on her other side with a smirk.

"So, you're a demon?" She asked curiously, hands behind her back.

"Of course I am, human wench. And here's proof!" He replied, attacking her. She made a sound that was a lot like tsk tsk and then she held up her soulsword and the roots disintegrated as they touched it. Muso had to leap to the side to avoid the chain reaction that would otherwise have severely injured him.

"Oh, did Sinister not mention me? Gee, what a shame. Well, then it's only fair you know. I'm a demonic sorceress. My SoulSword can destroy anything demonic or magical. Y'know, like you." She stated nonchalantly. He glared at her.

"What, you got a problem with defeat, bastard? Too damn bad, 'cause I'm gonna tear you apart." Inuyasha stated, coming up on the other side of him. Kagome was slightly behind him, her eyes fierce and determined. Psylocke, Gambit, Rogue, and Colossus joined them, effectively surrounding him. Storm was still hovering above them in the air. Sadly, she made a good target.

While everyone was focused on the demon that had attacked their friends, no one saw, or sensed, Sinister slip onto the scene. Taking advantage of his temporary 'invisibility', he aimed an attack at the wind-rider hovering in the air above her teammates and fired. She cried out in pain and shock as the laser hit and she fell steadily towards the Earth. He was completely unsurprised when Rogue flew over and caught her, placing her gently on the ground near Logan.

"Storm, gal, what happened?" Rogue asked worriedly, concerned for her friend. Behind her, Muso laughed.

"Too bad you'll never know!" He taunted, trying to keep them from noticing his cohort hiding not too far away. Unfortunately for him, Phoenix honed in on Sinister's thought patterns almost instantly.

"It's Sinister! He's over there, behind those trees!" She instructed, indicating where the vile villain was hiding. A moment later, Sinister's nightmarish cackle reached their ears as he stepped out from his hiding place.

"Hello, X-Men. I see you have some friends with you. How...interesting." He sneered, his fang-like teeth showing dangerously.

"Eeewwww. Has anyone ever told you that you really need to see a dentist?" Jubilee shuddered, placing a hand on her hip. He grinned broader.

"I believe you did when last we met." Then, he abruptly averted his gaze, focusing instead on the young priestess with a bow in her hand. "Ahhh, you must be Kagome. You're even lovelier in person, did you know that? My only real question, of course, is; do you taste as good as you did in your dreams the other night?" His sneer was followed up with a slick tongue tracing over his thin lips maliciously.

Inuyasha growled low in his throat, so that, at first, only Kagome could hear it. She shuddered involuntarily at Sinister's comment and her hand clenched tighter around her bow. Then she got angry. Raising her bow, she notched an arrow and aimed it directly at his heart. "I don't appreciate your sense of humor, Sinister. Are you responsible for our being here?" She demanded threateningly.

Sinister smirked again. "Techinically, yes. It was your friend's idea, though. Did you like your dreams, young priestess?"

"No. You're getting one chance. Surrender now."

"I'm afraid not. You see, your plain arrows just don't frighten me. Tell me, do you remember your first dream? Specifically, how it ended?" When she didn't answer, he continued. "Well, allow me to show you what would have happened had it not been a mere dream." He stated, raising his hand again. He released the same attack that had taken Storm down and that he'd used in Kagome's first nightmare.

Before even Inuyasha could act, Phoenix intervened. With a thought, she threw up a telekinetic force-field that deflected the attack and sent it back at their enemy. Sinister cackled again as he absorbed his attack back into his body.

"Very good, Mrs. Summers. Sadly for you, my own powers cannot harm me. Tell me, how long do you think you can keep up that shield?" He asked, an evil grin crossing his face again.

"She doesn't have to." Kagome stated, releasing her arrow. It was instantly surrounded in a bright pink aura as it flew towards the pale-skinned man. Sinister just stood there, intending to absorb the arrow. No one moved or spoke as they watched it arch towards him.

Just before the sacred aura pierced his chest, he realized that the energy would harm him. His eyes widened and he turned to dodge it a moment too late. The sacred arrow pierced his chest anyway, though thanks to his actions it missed his heart. He screamed in agony and clutched his chest, collapsing to his knees while his body began trying to repair the gaping whole in his chest.

"I-impossible! How did you-?" He choked out. The X-Men's eyes immediately turned to Kagome.

"It'll be up to you to defeat Sinister; we'll help where we can, but most of our abilities are useless against him. How can we kill Muso?" Phoenix declared in Kagome and Inuyasha's minds.

"Killin' Muso ain't gonna be easy. If you can get him an' Sinister together, I might be able to take 'em out. What d'ya say, Kagome?"

"What are you proposing, Inuyasha?"

"Remember how we killed Hyoga?" He smirked and she nodded, recalling easily how they'd slain the powerful demon.

"Then we'll work on that. X-Men, take them down!" Storm's mental command resonated throughout their minds and only then did they notice that she and Wolverine were both back on their feet. The X-Men, Inuyasha, and Kagome nodded simultaneously and turned to face their opponents. Sometime during the melee, Muso had crawled away from his 'captors' and was standing beside Sinister, who'd managed to climb back to his feet, though he still had a small whole in his chest. They took that as a good sign.

Phoenix, Rogue, and Storm took to the sky above their teammates; Wolverine and Inuyasha on either end of the group, Kagome beside Inuyasha and Jubilee beside Wolverine. Colossus was in the center, Shadowcat on one side, Magik on the other; Gambit was beside Jubilee and Psylocke beside Kagome. Storm's eyes narrowed and nearly-black clouds matieralized overhead and a loud, dangerous, thunderclap sounded above them. Lightning was flowing through the clouds, and then, suddenly, it struck the ground in front of Muso and Sinister. Raising her arms skyward, she spoke, her voice carrying on the wind, sounding more like an echo. "Whatever you have planned, it will not come to pass. This ends now!" And then she swung her right arm forward and a bolt of lightning shot forth, forcing Muso and Sinister to jump to either side. The X-Men took their leader's hint and surged forward as one.

Inuyasha raised his Tetsusaiga and slashed through Muso's newest barrier before it had even truly been erected. Phoenix telekinetically grabbed hold of the roots that were popping out of the ground around her teammates and friends and crushed them in her firey grasp. Colossus smashed through some that had tried to form a wall; Rogue doing the same a few feet to the side. As Muso moved to hide behind the trees, Gambit tossed four cards, fully charged, and they connected solidly with the demon's torso, knocking him to his knees. As the demon began to regrow his missing body-parts, Psylocke appeared behind him. She pulled him up by his hair and shoved her fist, psychic-knife exposed, into his temple without hesitation or remorse. He screamed in agony as she twisted it around before she released him and dropped her fist to her side. Muso slumped to the ground, writhing in pain. Magik walked calmly over and stood over him, opposite of Psylocke. With a small grin, she raised her soulsword. His eyes opened just in time to see the demonic sword swinging down on him. He didn't have time, let alone energy, to put up a barrier. When her sword had sliced completely through him, he screamed again and then his flesh disintegrated, leaving only his skeleton in his place.

Meanwhile, the others were focused soley on Sinister, who was putting up a better resistance than his companion. He was firing lasers at anyone who came within range, connecting sometimes, missing others. He aimed a blast at Jubilee and Wolverine, who were running towards him, intent on double-teaming him, but the feral mutant saw it and grabbed hold of the young firecracker, pulling her down beneath him. The blast passed harmlessly over them, destroying a tree a short ways away. "Thanks." Jubilee muttered, blushing from the close contact. He just grinned and helped her to her feet before they turned back to their target once more.

"Y'know, shooting at mah friends ain't exactly a way t' thrill me, sugah." Rogue drawled, flying at Sinister with her fists out. Sinister shot at her a couple of times and then dodged her physical attack when her eyes shut to avoid the blasts. Unfortunately for him, he landed not two feet from Colossus and Shadowcat. Sinister looked up enough to see steel legs and blue tights and tried to roll away.

Colossus' hand came down and lifted up the evil man, so they were eye-to-eye. "Nyet, comrade, you shall not escape us." And then he tossed the villain back onto the ground. Sinister made to get up, when he was suddenly lifted up by a small tornado and spun enough times to make him want to puke. Then he was unceremoniously dropped back down.

"I had believed that you were smarter than that, X-Men. Restoring me to my own two feet enables me to do this." And he leveled a laser blast at them, as they'd all gathered around. Only then did he notice his own mistake when he saw the priestess with another arrow notched on her bow. As his attack returned to him via Phoenix's telekinetic shield, he turned to the young Japanese woman. Hands

outstretched, he sent another blast at her.

"Bad move, bastard." Inuyasha growled, stepping in front of Kagome and raising his Tetsusaiga. A wind instantly picked up and Sinister heard two words that held no meaning to him, though he had a bad feeling about them. "Backlash Wave!" Just as the sword's technique began racing towards Sinister's attack, it was joined by a bright pink sacred arrow. All Sinister could do was watch as the two attacks combined with his own and together they flew back at him. He knew instantly that he'd be unable to absorb this one.

"Congratulations, X-Men. It shall be a while before you see me again." He stated a moment before the attacks hit. When the smoke cleared afterwards, he was gone. They had won.

"Sweet! We won!" Jubilee's happy shout reached her teammate's ears and many smiled in overall agreement with their friend's statement. "That was some pretty cool sword-work, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha grinned cockily and sheathed his sword. "That wasn't too hard. Wish Naraku was that easy." Beside him, Kagome nodded, replacing her bow on her shoulder.

"Ya'll are pretty good fighters. Nice job." Rogue commented, coming to land on the ground beside Gambit with a hand on her hip.

"Now that that's done, I'm hungry. Can we all go home yet, Storm?" Magik asked, standing beside her best friend.

"Yes. There is no other reason for us to remain. Logan, Jubilee, will you be taking the motorcycle home?"

"No one else is gonna drive, 'ro. We'll catch up."

"Very well." Then, turning to Illyana, she said, "Take us home, child." With a nod, the stepping disc appeared underneath them and they vanished instantly.

"Time ta go, Jubes." Logan stated, turning to face the young woman standing nearby. She nodded with a smile, clearly thrilled with their victories that afternoon. He grinned, shook his head slightly, and headed towards his bike. Jubilee followed him silently, her mind racing a million different directions. Logan handed her her helmet, which had fireworks splattered over the back and her name engraved on the bottom. It had been her birthday present a couple of years ago. She took it and quickly buckled it underneath her chin, watching him swing onto the back. Once he was on, she swung on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist tightly. An instant later, the custom-made Harley was roaring to life beneath them and they were off, taking the long way back home.

The rest of the X-Men, and guests, appeared in the living room and then many disappeared to change out of their uniforms. After a couple of minutes, everyone was back in the living room and they were resting, recuperating from the fight. Though they'd won, it had still taken a toll on some of them. There was a long silence as they all contemplated what had happened, and what may still happen. Jean, Betsy, and Ororo took up one couch; Illyana, Peter, and Kitty another. Rogue and Remy were occupying a loveseat; Inuyasha and Kagome sitting on the other. Lockheed chose that moment to fly downstairs and join them, landing on his mistress' shoulders and cooing. "Hey, Lock." She mumbled, scratching his ears gently and earning an appreciative lick for her efforts.

About ten minutes later, they heard the distinct rumble of Logan's Harley pulling into the driveway and parking in the garage off to the side. A few moments later, Jubilee and Logan walked into the mansion. Jubilee flopped down on the remaining couch while Logan headed straight for the fridge. He came back out, a beer in one hand, a bottle of water in the other. He handed Jubilee the water and took a seat on the couch, slicing off the top of his bear bottle and downing it in three gulps.

"A little early for a beer, don't you think, Logan?" Jean asked rhetorically. He grinned as he put the now-empty bottle on the table beside the couch.

"Not if it don't do anything to ya, Red. Take a lot more'n one beer to get me drunk." His grin broadened as she shook her head in surrender.

While the X-Men were slowly beginning to talk amongst themselves, Inuyasha lost himself in thought; not for the first time that day. With a sideways glance at the woman beside him on the 'loveseat', who was talking to Kitty, he sighed quietly and shifted his gaze to the ceiling above him. If Muso and that other guy were the reason we're here in the first place, then why the hell ain't we been sent home yet? Is there somethin' else goin' on that we don't know about? Or that Kagome ain't mentioned? DAMNIT! I hate this! I want to get home; where I know how to deal with things an' where I know I can keep Kagome safe. I don't know what's goin' on here; nice as these people've been, I don't know 'em. I don't know if I can trust anyone around here. How the hell am I supposed to protect her if I'm as stuck an' unaware as she is? Damnit to hell this is really startin' to piss me off! He growled frustratedly and forced himself to take a deep breath before he did something stupid. Of course, his actions had caught Kagome's attention.

"Inuyasha, you ok?"

"I'm fine." He growled, not meeting her gaze. She wasn't so willing to ignore his lie this time.

"No, you're obviously not 'ok', so tell me what's wrong?" She demanded, placing her hand on his shoulder. He ignored her, his eyes shut. She took a deep breath and said, "Listen, if something's bothering you, you'll feel better after you've talked about it, alright? I just want to help. Please, tell me."

"No." He said bluntly, standing quickly, forcing her to release him. Without glancing back at her, or meeting anyone's gaze, he strode purposefully towards the door, intent on heading for the trees outside. At this point everyone was silent, watching and waiting to see what was going to happen. They didn't have to wait long.

Kagome stood, aggrevated at his rude behavior, a dangerous look in her eyes that Inuyasha couldn't see. Taking another deep breath, she ground out, "Inuyasha, sit boy!" And then the rosary around his neck flashed pink and he was suddenly face down on the floor, unable to stand. Those that were unaware of this trick gasped in shock; those that hadn't witnessed it first-hand found themselves trying not to laugh. Those that had seen it before were having a harder time not laughing than the others.

At the precise moment Kagome told Inuyasha to 'sit', the front doors opened wide and Scott Summers and Professor Charles Xavier bore witness to Inuyasha's least favorite moment of the day. There was a silence that descended on the room from all but the two misplaced travelers. Kagome stalked forward, not yet registering the newcomers, hands on hips. She stopped once she was standing beside him and staring straight at him. They all heard him grumble something derogative and the gathered super-heroes flinched. Her eyes opened wide and her voice spat venom. "I can't believe you, sometimes! Just, SIT already! You're such a jerk!" She declared, tears forming, unbidden, in her eyes. With a final glare his way, she spun around, about to walk away, when she noticed them. A bright blush invaded her cheeks and she bowed her head politely. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you! My name's Kagome Higurashi; it's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Like hell it is!" the half-demon grumbled, mistakenly attempting to right himself.

"Sit, boy." She said calmly. She bowed again to the men whose names she didn't yet know, and then she quickly turned and ran upstairs, the tears finally falling down her face. Silence stretched until they heard the door slam shut. Then Jean stood.

"Welcome home. Sorry you had to come home to that; it seems they had an argument. How was your trip?" She asked, crossing the living room and allowing herself to be enveloped in her husband's arms.

"It went well, Sweetheart. Are these the people you told me about?" Scott replied, placing a loving kiss on her temple.

"Yes. This is Inuyasha; you've already met Kagome." As they spoke, Inuyasha stood, albiet slowly, and brushed himself off. He took a defensive step backwards as the bald man in the fancy chair moved towards him.

"My apologies, friend. I am Professor Charles Xavier. You must be Inuyasha. It's a pleasure to meet you. My companion is Scott Summers." He indicated the tall man beside him with a wave of his hand.

"Charles and Scott aren't your enemies, Inuyasha. You can relax." Jean coaxed, recognizing his stance.

"Keh. Yeah, right. Look, nothin' personal, but I got things t'do." He stated, turning around and jumping up the stairs. He was out of sight in two leaps. Only Logan heard the door shut when he'd reached his destination.

"Come, have a seat. We'll fill you in on what you've missed." Jean stated, taking a seat on the previously occupied loveseat. The doors shut behind them as Scott sat beside her and Charles manuvered his hover-chair to the other side of the small sofa. Once everyone was ready, she began the story.

Upstairs, Kagome was face-down on the bed, her face buried in a pillow and her body heaving with the effort of trying to restrain her sobs. She never even heard the door open, let alone close, as Inuyasha entered the room. The smell of salt assualted his nose and he nearly recoiled; but he knew he had to apologize, since it was his fault she was crying. Again. Damnit, how the hell do I always manage to make her cry when all I'm really doin' is worryin' about her? I'm gonna have to calm down if I expect her to listen to me; damn it all to hell. Taking a deep breath, he strode to the bed and paused, contemplating what his next move should be. Finally, he shoved his pride aside and crawled next to her. She stiffened instantly, though not in fear; she knew it was him, she'd been expecting him to come and yell at her for all those 'sit' commands. Why he felt he had to be on the bed to yell at her, she didn't know.

Maybe he figures that it won't hurt as much this way if I 'sit' him aga-. Her thoughts trailed off when his surprisingly gentle voice met her ears.

"Kagome, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have bitten off your head like that. Please don't cry." He pleaded, amazed he'd actually said it the way he'd intended to that time, since his words usually sounded worse once spoken. To prove to her that he meant it, he lightly placed his clawed hand on the small of her back and rubbed gently, soothingly. He noticed with satisfaction that she relaxed automatically with his touch. She was silent for a few moments, focusing on his words and the motions of his hand; which were actually thoroughly confusing her, but they felt great.

After a minute or two of silence, she finally spoke, turning her face towards him so he could better hear her. "It's...ok. I mean, I should've known that you wanted to figure it out for yourself and that you'd just get angry if I pushed. I'm sorry, too, Inuyasha. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Keh, don't be ridiculous. 'Course not; I'm built harder'n you, remember?" He reminded her for the umpteenth time, leaning forward and wiping the remains of her tears off of her cheeks. He lost himself in her eyes for a moment and accidentally let his knuckles graze the side of her face a bit longer than he'd intended. He didn't snap out of it until she slightly inclined her head towards his hand.

He blinked rapidly a moment, re-focusing on reality and nearly yanked his hand away when hers came and held it were it was. He froze, eyes shifting to lock on with hers. Her eyes were filled with emotion; an emotion that, though he recognized it, he couldn't bring himself to believe it was really there. She smiled, her eyes shining, and she sat upright on the bed, reluctantly releasing his hand. The look that flashed across her eyes as she let go of his hand and tried to avert her gaze before he could see caused something to snap inside of him, and he quickly reached out and pulled her into his lap, once again burying his nose in the crook of her neck. The difference this time was that he knew what he was doing, and though the stubborn part of him refused to believe he'd seen what he'd seen, he recognized the look all the same; he'd had it himself many times before. And he was tired of pretending that he didn't care even half as much as he did. "Kagome." He murmered, his lips once again brushing her neckline. After a moment's hesitation, she slipped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder, holding on tight.

Kagome was too afraid that he'd push her away again if she spoke, so she stayed silent, waiting for him to do something. She had no problems with being held like this, even though she feared that his eventual rejection would only hurt more in the long run. That day was still a far ways away, so she pushed the thought out of her mind and focused on the feel of his arms around her waist, his lips grazing her neck as he whispered her name so quietly she could barely hear him. Her eyes drifted shut as her body relaxed in his arms. She didn't even realize that one of her hands had strayed until it was too late. She began rubbing one of his ears absent-mindedly; not registering this action until a moment or two after she'd started it. She paused, telling herself to pull her hand away, when Inuyasha's voice reached her ears again. "You don't have to stop, Kagome. I don't mind; I never have." Her hand instantly returned to what it had been doing and she snuggled closer, somehow, than she had been a moment ago. Inspiration struck her, and she suddenly considered that maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't pull away if she spoke. Making a decision, she spoke softly, hoping that her tone would encourage him.

"I don't understand, Inuyasha. Why...why are you holding me like this?" She made sure not to move in any way that would mistakenly cause him to think she was uncomfortable in any way. Inuyasha was silent for a moment, just long enough to cause Kagome to worry that she'd made a mistake and ruined whatever was happening between them. Then he spoke, his voice equally soft.

"I've always wanted to hold you like this. I've just never been able to bring myself to. Or to tell you what I'm about to tell you." He paused, praying he wasn't about to ruin his future, and then he said, "I love you, Kagome. I have for a long time, now." He heard her breath catch in her throat, felt her body freeze much like his had earlier, and his heart stopped, his life hanging on her reply.

She couldn't believe what she'd just heard; what he'd just said. To her. She forced herself to release the breath she'd been holding, and then she replied, a smile in her voice and a tear in her eye, "I love you, too, Inuyasha. So much."

Inuyasha allowed himself to breathe again, knowing his gamble had paid off. One thing still bothered him, though. Pulling back enough to look into her eyes, he asked, "Then why're you still crying?" Kagome laughed softly and smiled up at him. "They're happy tears, Inuyasha. Nothing to worry about."

"Good." He stated, grinning for an instant before he leaned in, his lips descending on hers for the first time. She reacted instantly, tightening her arms around his neck and allowing him to pull her closer. She nearly gasped when she felt his tongue tracing her lips teasingly. Knowing what he wanted, and wanting it herself, she opened her mouth obligingly and moaned, leaning into him, when their tongues collided for the first time. Thank goodness I'm sitting down already. She thought. God, that's so cliche. Her thoughts were distracted as one of his hands came up to support the back of her head so he could deepen the kiss. She complied without hesitation. Feeling adventurous, she slipped her tongue into his mouth and lightly traced his fangs. He growled contentedly in response; she thought it sounded more like a type of purr. She slipped her hand up to massage his ears once again and his content growl returned for a moment. She decided to keep that in mind for later use.

Eventually, they parted, both breathing raggedly. Wondering why she'd been so worried about rejection, she collapsed against him, revelling in the new sensations he was providing. She felt him nuzzle her neck again and she sighed happily. She gasped as his tongue came into contact with her bare skin, caressing the crook of her neck gently, enticingly. After a moment, his tongue vanished from her neck and she felt him nuzzle her once more before pulling back again. She met his gaze calmly, her eyes smiling brightly. He smiled back briefly before speaking.

"We've got a lot to discuss, you know. There're a couple of things that I need to explain to you. I'd rather not have that conversation 'til we're somewhere...we know. Is that ok?"

She nodded. "Of course it is. Whatever you have to say, say it where you're most comfortable. Don't force anything, Inuyasha. I can wait. Promise me something, though." When he nodded, she got a serious look and she said, "Don't ever leave me, alright? I don't think I could live without you."

He nodded again, knowing exactly what she meant; it was exactly how he felt. "You don't have to worry about that, Kagome. I couldn't live without you, either, and I'd never leave you alone in this world. Your era's no safer than mine these days." The last part was said with a grin, and she chuckled, nodding her head.

"It sure seems that way."

"C'mon, I think we may have a way home, but we have to go downstairs first. Think you're fit for public company?" He teased lightly, cupping her face with his hand one more time before he stood. He waited patiently by the foot of the bed as she slid off and joined him. Together they exited the room for what they hoped was the last time.

The X-Men were talking amongst themselves in the living room still when Inuyasha and Kagome entered. Logan had smelled them coming and knew instantly what had gone on between them, but he neglected to comment or otherwise acknowledge that he knew. It wasn't his business. Charles, Jean, and Betsy were the next to notice their arrival. Jean smiled kindly and greeted them.

"I hope you resolved everything?"

"Yeah, everything's been worked out. Sorry about the specatcle earlier." Kagome replied, blushing in embarrassment.

"You have nothing to apologize for; far worse has gone on inside this house." Charles stated kindly, extending a hand. "We were not properly introduced, my dear Miss Higurashi, I am Charles Xavier, founder of the X-Men. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Kagome shook his hand with a smile and Scott spoke up. "I'm Scott Summers, co-leader of the X-Men."

After everything had been cleared up, Scott spoke. "I hear you could use a lift back to Japan?"

"Yes, actually. We'd really like to go home." Kagome replied, hope lighting up her eyes again.

"Well, it just so happens that we have a jet full of fuel; how about we take you home." Scott offered, standing up. Kagome and Inuyasha stood after him, as did Jean, Logan, and Jubilee. Jean glanced over at them, curious.

"Got business to take care of in Japan, figured we'd catch a ride." Logan stated nonchalantly. Scott sighed.

"Fine, Logan, go get your things. If you're not ready to go in ten, we're leaving without you." He decided, heading to the elevator. Jean, Inuyasha, and Kagome followed while Logan and Jubilee ran upstairs to grab their bags. The other X-Men called out their 'farewells' to their new friends, some waving good-bye, some not.

Eight and a half minutes later, the Blackbird was airborne and its six occupants were settled in for an uneventful--with any luck-- plane ride. Cyclops was in uniform in the pilot's seat, Phoenix beside him in the co-pilot's chair. Both were about as relaxed as they ever got when flying the jet, occasionally checking the navigation equipment to make sure that they were still on course. Inuyasha and Kagome sat next to each othe in the seats behind Cyclops and Wolverine and Jubilee sat together behind Phoenix. The first half of the trip was relatively quiet. After a couple of hours, however, Inuyasha began to get restless. He shifted a few times in his seat, tugging lightly at the strap that was restraining him. He really wanted to be back on his side of the well, where he felt comfortable. Though he wasn't in the mood to deal with their friends just yet; he wanted more time with Kagome first, to talk about things that really needed to be said. Kagome's hand fell comfortingly onto his knee and he stopped shifting, glancing over at her. She smiled reassuringly and then adjusted herself so that she was leaning on his shoulder instead. "Mind if I nap?" She asked quietly. He shook his head, relaxing a bit once more. Soon she was asleep, catching up on some of the sleep she missed during the past two nights.

The others were watching silently, each returning to their own business after it seemed obvious that Kagome was, indeed, sleeping. Jubilee leaned back in her seat with a soft sigh. Logan arched an eyebrow curiously at her and she grinned sheepishly. Then she took a cue from the young Japanese girl two seats away and laid her head on Logan's shoulder. "Hold still, Wolvie, I'm tired." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around his bicep and letting her eyes drift shut. He leaned back, his head falling against the headrest on his seat.

"You're tired? Or bored?"

"Prob'ly bored. Wake me when we land, ok?"

"Sure, darlin'." He replied quietly, shutting his own eyes to catch some sleep.

Phoenix glanced sideways at her husband and smiled. "Looks like our traveling companions are all asleep, Sweetheart."

"It sure looks that way, Hon. Anything on your mind? No pun intended."

"Not really, I was just making conversation, Mr. Summers." Phoenix stated, chuckling slightly.

"Just checking, Mrs. Summers." Cyclops replied, grinning a bit. Phoenix returned her gaze out the windshield, but her focus was anywhere but on the scenery. She could sense the difference between Inuyasha and Kagome; their new closeness. She didn't know them all that well, but a telepath could always sense these things. She was happy for her newest friends. She was also glad that the threat seemed to be over; she doubted they'd have had such a peaceful flight if someone was still after them.

Hours later, Cyclops landed the Blackbird in a meadow in the middle of a park near Higurashi Shrine. Making sure the cloaking device was still on, he unbuckled and stood, as did Phoenix. "Ok, people, rise and shine. We're here." Wolverine and Jubilee woke instantly, as did Inuyasha. Kagome woke slowly. Blinking, she rubbed her eyes to clear them and stretched, yawning simultaneously.

"We're here?" She repeated.

"Yes. Higurashi Shrine is only half a mile from here." Phoenix explained helpfully as the door to the jet opened and fresh air filled the cabin.

"C'mon, Kagome, I can smell that 'school' o'yours; I know how to get us home." Inuyasha stated, standing up and helping her do the same. With a smile, she turned to the four gathered X-Men.

"Thank you for your help through all of this."

"It was nothing. If you're ever in need of our help again, please don't hesitate to call. You have our number, right?" Jean asked. Kagome nodded. "Good. Well, then, until next time. Be careful and good luck."

"You, too. All of you. Come on, Inuyasha, I want to go home." She stated, turning to the man she loved with a smile. He grinned and knelt down, his back to her.

"Get on, then. It'll be quicker this way." She waved politely and climbed onto his back. He stood, adjusted her weight, gripped hold of her thighs firmly and nodded at their audience. Then, with a leap, they were gone, on their way back to her shrine and through the well. Shortly after their departure, Logan and Jubilee grabbed their bags and hopped off, too. Logan started up the bike he'd put in the cargo hold and they drove off. Moments after that, Cyclops and Phoenix started up the Blackbird again and took off, headed back to Xavier's.

It took five minutes, give or take, for Inuyasha and Kagome to reach her family shrine. He paused, waiting for her to tell him where to go. Her decision surprised him. "Through the well. They don't know that I came back, and Mom'd only worry if we tried explaining it, let's just go back. Then you can tell me whatever it is you wanted to earlier."

"If you say so." He stated, leaping towards the well-house. In a matter of seconds, they were once again in Feudal Japan. Inuyasha paused at the bottom of the well and sniffed twice. Satisfied that no one was waiting for them nearby, he jumped out and headed straight for the sacred tree. Once they were on a sturdy branch, he swung Kagome around so that she was in his arms and not on his back, and then he settled against the tree. She adjusted herself a bit until she was comfortable and then looked at him expectantly. He took a deep breath and began what could be an uncomfortable conversation.

"Has Sango told you anything about how demons mate?"

"A little. It hasn't really come up, though."

"Ok, then I'll explain it. After I'm done explaining this, Kagome, I want you to think about something for me, ok?" When she nodded, he continued, "Dog demons, all canine demons, mate for life. I'm sure you've heard that before. Once a demon chooses a mate, he'll never so much as consider another woman, no matter her blood-line, in a similar manner as the woman he chooses to be with. That's why it's such a big deal. The thing is, demon's don't usually have mating instincts unless his heart has already chosen her. In my case, whether or not you believe me, I'd never thought about mating with Kikyo while we were together. Not once. The truth of it is, when it comes to you, I've thought about it a lot. I want to take you as my mate; I want to be with you for as long as I live. Which brings me to my next point. In the case of a demon, or half-demon, mating a human--a mortal--something...odd happens. You see, since a demon is immortal, and half-demons are pretty damn near immortal, and most demons mate for life, a demon who chooses a human would die in every way except physically if his mate died before him. Therefore, when a demon mates a human, the human becomes as immortal as the demon they've mated with. In the case of my mother, since my father was killed before her natural life-span was over, she died at a mortal age. Had my father lived, she would still be here, too. Does any of this make sense so far?" She nodded again, and her scent told him she wasn't lying. Taking another deep breath, he continued again. "There is...another catch, though. In our case, if we were to mate, there is the possibilty that we'd have human pups. We'd have pups with demonic powers, too, and they'd probably live as long as a half-demon, but, the human pups...they'd live mortal lives. Unless, of course, they mated a demon. Now that I've said everything I needed to, I have a question that I have to ask you-."

"Yes, Inuyasha. I know what you're going to ask, and the answer is yes. I understand what you're saying; I know you're warning me that I'll probably out-live some of our children, and I know that'll be hard, but it's a risk I'm willing to take. They would still get the chance to live, and we could make the most of that. More importantly, we could do it together. We could be together. That's what I want. More than anything."

He smiled at her smile, and bent down to kiss her lovingly. After a moment, he drew back. "Thank you, Kagome. I promise I'll make it worth it."

"I know you will." She replied, kissing him again, more passionately this time. He returned it equally, inwardly amazed that she'd accepted, and he knew he'd never regret this day. Or forget it. He deepened the kiss, tightening his grip around her, and reveled in the feel of her in his arms.

Right then, however, the scent of human blood and two demons nearby reached his nose and he growled in frustration. Kagome pulled back, confused and curious. He took a deeper breath and cursed under his breath. "Damnit!"

"What?"

"Demons. Let's go, Kagome. We've got work to do."

With a sigh, she nodded. "Ok." Then they were off, Inuyasha racing towards the village, Kagome in his arms. They stopped by Kaede's to grab a spare bow and some arrows, then they headed to other side, where they would find the demons. Half way there, Kagome realized with a start that there were two Sacred Jewel Shards to be had in this fight. Relaying the information to Inuyasha, he picked up speed. They landed on a hut just in time to hear "Hiraikotsu!" echo through the air, as the big boomerang sliced through one of the demons. They saw the other demon plunge it's claws into the dead demon's chest moments before it fell.

"He just absorbed the other demon's Jewel Shard!"

"Then he has two. No big deal. You ready?"

"You know it." She stated, notching an arrow and planting her feet firmly on the roof-top. With a nod in her direction, Inuyasha leapt off the hut, aimed straight for the demon. He smirked as Kagome's arrow sped past him and pierced the demon's shoulder. It hollered in pain and spun, intent on eliminating the cause of his pain.

"I don't think so, demon!" Then, unsheathing his Tetsusaiga, he added with a smirk, "Wind Scar!" In a flash, the demon was nothing but bones. Inuyasha returned to the roof and picked up Kagome, landing beside the demon's remains. With a small shudder, she stepped forward and scooped up the shards, which instantly purified with her touch.

"Kagome! Inuyasha! You're back!" Shippo's young, happy voice cried as he flung himself at his surrogate mother. She caught him with practiced ease, a smile lighting up her face.

"Shippo! It's so good to see you again! I'm sorry I didn't bring you anything this time." Kagome said apologetically. Shippo curled into her arms, blaming Inuyasha for her abscence and his lack of treats. "Now, Shippo, it's not his fault that I wasn't able to bring you anything."

"What do you mean, Kagome? Is everything alright?" Sango asked, walking up, Kilala at her feet. The small two-tail mewed cutely in greeting.

"We'll explain everything, but first, I'm starved. What's for dinner?" Kagome asked, shaking her head as Inuyasha grabbed Shippo and handed him to Sango before he picked her up and made a simple declaration.

"We'll meet ya at Kaede's." Then he took off. As soon as they were out of sight of their 'friends', he stopped and kissed her firmly for a moment before leaping onto the roof-tops so as to beat the others to the old priestess' hut. They got there about 30 seconds before the others, Kaede served up stew, and they all gathered around the fire while Kagome and Inuyasha explained what had happened on the other side of the well. Their friends stayed silent through the whole story. What shocked them most was the end of it. When Inuyasha informed them that he and Kagome were together and he didn't want to hear one joke about it. This last comment was, of course, directed at Miroku the lecherous monk. Shortly after all this, the group settled in for the night. The last sound anyone heard that night was a firm, unyielding--and undoubtedly painful--slap. Inuyasha snorted and muttered something about a stupid monk. Kagome sighed and rolled towards him. He wrapped an arm around her and buried his nose in her hair. They fell asleep like that, and slept peacefully the whole night through.

The End

A/N: That's that. I really hope you liked it. Please don't forget to R&R. Thanks to all of you who read the entire thing...hope it wasn't disappointing.