My other fics are angry with me for ignoring them for this one. Ha ha, ah well. All my writing comes in random spurts anyway – so enjoy this little bit of random updating and the next chapter! And I love that dragon. Jeep is just too cute!

Chapter 3. Accepted.

"Would you look at that." Hakkai leaned slowly against the doorframe as he stared at the pretty picture on the bed. The dog was curled up at the end in a tight little ball, with Jeep no less, and Goku was dead out to the world. He admired the scene for a moment longer before approaching the bed. He smiled as he pulled the covers up over Goku, despite the fact he'd probably kick them off again soon enough. Hakkai was surprised he hadn't kicked Sable out of the bed yet. He finished his tending by tapping Jeep on the head to wake him up. "I thought you knew better than to sneak in."

Sanzo shook his head awake when he felt Jeep fidget and let out an undignified chirp. Apparently Hakkai had caught them sneaking in, ah well. At least he got to sleep inside and on a bed instead of out in the yard. He may be lowering himself but he refused to sleep in the dirt. Sanzo yawned and stared up at the green-eyed man and made an attempt at his 'if you don't leave now I'll kill you' look. It was a shame it wasn't as effective in dog form, even a dog needed his beauty sleep and it was still dark out.

"Ha ha, what a glare." Hakkai smiled and scratched the dog on the head. "Well, despite sneaking in and all that, I'm glad you're here."

Sanzo was slightly stunned at that remark. He merely leaned into the attentions his ear was receiving and waited for Hakkai to clarify. He assumed he'd have to wait though when Hakkai removed his hand without continuing.

"Come on, let's get you two outside before you get caught. I'll sneak you out my window." Hakkai patted Sable's chest on the side and urged him up. "Oh, stop looking at me like that, it's your own fault for sneaking in. Waking up early is the least you could do."

Sanzo reluctantly followed Hakkai down the hallway and was happy that Jeep decided to switch perches to Hakkai's shoulder. About time.

Oh, you know you liked the attention. Jeep chirped.

"Here we are," Hakkai gently opened the room door. "It's a good thing it's so early or we'd definitely be caught."

Sanzo entered the room and immediately noticed Hakkai's bed was perfectly made. Hakkai was neat, but not that neat. That meant Hakkai hadn't slept last night either and that didn't sit well with Sanzo. Unfortunately his current state didn't permit him to whack the man upside the head so he settled for the only thing he could do: glaring.

"Ah, so I'm caught as well." Hakkai noticed the dog's attentions to the bed and briefly realized this dog might be more intelligent than he gave it credit for. Probably along the same lines as Jeep if that look was any indication. "Going to try and cure my insomnia now as well? Though, I'm not sure it'll work quite as well as it did with Goku. I have a feeling I'd spend the night watching you sleep more than anything. But I'm sure you'd enjoy the petting as much as Jeep does."

Sanzo stared and tilted his head. Little gears were clicking in his head but he couldn't even imagine the monkey not sleeping. It was like him not eating and that just wasn't done.

"Did you know he hasn't slept really at all since, well, Sanzo died. I'd go in to check on him, since I wasn't sleeping myself, and there he'd be, pretending to be asleep. But I knew better, that boy was wide awake." Hakkai opened the window slowly. "Nothing we could do could get him to sleep and here you come along and one snuggle puts him right out."

Sanzo was listening to Hakkai in the back corner of his mind, but his thoughts were more focused on events he saw last night. Goku was sitting up and awake when he came in. He hadn't been woken up because he had never went to sleep. That stupid monkey.

"If I had any doubts before, I know now for sure that you're good for this little group. And I'm sure even Gojyo will get to enjoy your company eventually." Hakkai knelt down and used both hands to rub at the dog's face. "Whoever owned you before, I hope they can forgive me for being selfish. But, if you can do this much good for Goku in such a short amount of time, than I really don't care how much they want you back."

Sanzo rolled his eyes at this point. All this sentimentality was making him sick. So he broke free from the petting and shook him self off a bit to stretch before climbing out of the window himself. He ignored Hakkai's look afterwards and the laugh her was sure he heard and cursed the world when Jeep reattached itself to his back. If you think you get to keep riding me when I turn back to normal you're mistaken.

Jeep watched Hakkai close the window and gave it about ten minutes before he went out for his morning shopping. Like you'd actually push me off.

Go ride Gojyo or Goku or something!

They're too active, I need someone who doesn't move. Jeep took a seat on Sanzo's neck and held on at the base of the head. It was too much fun getting under this man's skin. Well, this dog's skin at any case. Jeep snickered.

Don't think I won't remember all this shit when I turn back.

Of course. Jeep snuggled in for emphasis of his own silent point. If you turn back, but enough of that. Let's go out front and catch Hakkai when he goes shopping.

Sanzo huffed and simply walked towards the front of the building. No point in giving the little rat a reply since it was clear he agreed. He settled himself down on the front porch of the inn and waited calmly for Hakkai. At least shopping would give him something to do, being a dog was turning out to be really boring.

Hakkai opened the door of the inn and was surprised to see Sable sitting there to greet him. "Are you coming shopping with me?"

Sanzo barked in agreement. This whole thing was so degrading, but it really could be worse. He could have been a cat.

"Well then, I'll be happy for the company." Hakkai smiled and closed the door. "And we can get you a collar while we're out."

Sanzo shuttered at the idea of a collar, it was the icing on the cake that he was indeed a dog and now the pet of his old friends. Had he really been that much of a bastard to deserve this? Hakkai started walking down towards the shopping district and Sanzo followed like a good little pet. Hell, screw what they thought of him, he was never letting himself live this down. But he couldn't help it, all of these behaviors were coming so naturally. Next thing you know he'd be gnawing on shoes. He ignored the feeling that someone was laughing at him and merely sneezed.

"Bless you." Hakkai laughed. "I really am surprised at how well trained you are. You follow when told, you stay where you're put and it almost makes me think you understand what's going on."

Sanzo raised an eyebrow, maybe getting Hakkai to figure out it was him would be easier than he thought. He held back a yawn and decided that if the man could be this awake at six in the morning that he could be bright enough to figure out something that simple.

"Oh look," Hakkai stopped walking before a stand. "Aren't these collars cute, Sable?"

Cute? Sanzo twitched. Do I look cute to you?

Hakkai ignored the dog's inner protests and looked at the various collars. There were red ones, black ones, yellow ones, pink ones, and so forth sitting neatly on the stand. Hakkai pushed the tail end of his sash behind him as he squatted and held up a black one to Sable's neck. "No, this one's a little depressing. Let's try a red one. No, not that either, yellow? Oh, yellow gets lost in your fur…"

Sanzo ignored Hakkai as he held up collar after collar. Was it really such a hard choice to make? And to be honest Sanzo had liked that black one, it reminded him of his undershirt. Hakkai held up on last green collar and seemed to have made up his mind because he slipped it around Sanzo's neck. He could feel Hakkai put two fingers between his neck and the edge of the collar before he fastened it to make sure it wasn't too tight. Once the man had let go, Sanzo shook his head and let it settle on his neck.

"There we go, the green one suits you." Hakkai smiled and handed the money to the cashier. "Now let's go get the groceries before waking everyone up and showing off your new look."

Hakkai went about his shopping with the ease he usually does. He stocked up on meats at a butcher stand, and got his veggies and fruits from a stand across the way. Well, most of them. That Joe's place was charging way too much for apples, so Hakkai took his apple sales to the stand next door where they were a good thirty percent cheaper. He picked up some spare bandages and medical supplies soon afterwards and as an afterthought grabbed a bag of dog food. Soon there was only one time left to pick up. "Now, for those cigarettes."

Sanzo yawned and followed Hakkai into the nearest convenience store. Sanzo didn't know how Hakkai did this every time they were in town. He had haggled with at least four shop keeps, and managed to get everything on that little invisible list in his head. He'd never admit it to anyone, but Sanzo was starting to appreciate Hakkai's efforts just a little more every time he went out shopping. On the other hand, he decided that he definitely had justification for never going shopping with any of those idiots.

"Lets see now, Hi-Lites for Gojyo and Marlboros for…" Hakkai trailed off as his hand gripped the small cigarette box. It was half way off of the shelve and his hand was shaking slightly. Hakkai swallowed. "Right, of course."

Sanzo watched Hakkai tilt the cigarettes slowly back so they sat properly on the shelf. He then dropped his hand to his side and stared at them for a moment. To Sanzo it looked as if he was collecting himself before a break down. Sanzo cursed himself inside and threw his pride out the window.

The wave of depression that had swept over Hakkai and left him falling into himself was shattered by an outside force. Hakkai looked down to see Sable licking his hand and near whining. "Oh, I guess I forgot you for a moment. I'm sorry."

Sanzo wagged his tail a little bit to see Hakkai snap out of it. Hakkai put his basket down on the ground and the Hi-Lites fell over on their sides from the tap to the ground. Sanzo watched him kneel and give his head a good ruffle before petting his sides. Sanzo licked Hakkai's cheek for good measure and to give him a hint to knock all this depression shit off.

"Ah, down." Hakkai laughed. "But I think needed that. It might take longer than I imagined to get over this, so thank-you for being supportive, Sable."

Sanzo suppressed the urge to keep wagging his tail after Hakkai had collected his things and headed to the counter. He was acting so unlike himself, but a little nagging voice said he was better off being nicer. The louder voice in his head was saying wonderful things about his group of friends receiving heck when he got back to normal. He wasn't so much as lifting a finger after doing all this damn babysitting. Though, that nagging voice was also informing him that in reality he was just astounded by how much his death affected all of them. It was a little overwhelming and put everything into a new perspective.

"Sable!" Hakkai called when the dog didn't follow. "We have to go back now."

Sanzo broke from his revelations to trot over to Hakkai. He really needed to just give his brain a rest and concentrate on getting these three to figure out he is indeed Sanzo. But, it wouldn't hurt to get them all in better spirits before he started reminding them of himself too much. If just a look at a cigarette box caused Hakkai to break down, than a dog constantly reminding him of 'Sanzo things' just wouldn't cut it.

"I do hope the others are up by now. Then we can have breakfast and be on our way." Hakkai hummed.

Sanzo followed along with his little passenger until the reached the inn. Hakkai poured him some dry food on the porch before heading in to collect the others. Sanzo munched quietly and growled every time Jeep snuck a few bites of food. That dragon was such a pest.

Hakkai smiled as he watched the two animals bicker over the food, and in a way it reminded him of Gojyo and Goku. He laughed to himself as he went in through the door and was greeted by Gojyo. "A beer this early in the day, Gojyo?"

"Ah, I felt like I needed one." Gojyo sipped the beer. "Monkey's still asleep if you're wondering."

"That's good, I was hoping you'd know not to wake him."

"Well, now that the monkey's sleeping, I think you should copy him for a change." Gojyo's look was full of accusation.

"Ah, well." Hakkai took a seat next to his friend. "I don't seem to have a new friend to keep me company at night."

"The mutt? He got the kid to sleep?"

"It appears so. When I checked on them this morning Sable was curled at the edge of his bed and Goku was sound asleep." Hakkai smiled before ordering a flask of sake. "I think Goku needs this, just something to distract him from Sanzo."

Gojyo lifted a brow. "You mean forcing the kid to take care of something completely dependent on him should take precedence over grieving you mean."

"Something like that." Hakkai thanked the waitress when the flask and cup was placed in front of him. He poured his own. "So do try and be nicer to the dog, would you?"

"No promises." Gojyo checked his pockets. "Did you get my cigarettes?"

Hakkai threw a packet at his red-headed friend. "Of course. Awful habit as it may be, I don't forget."

"Thanks. Wasn't sure with you zoning out lately."

"Is that so?" Hakkai's eyes glinted.

Gojyo swallowed without the beer in his mouth. "Yeah."

While the two friends chatted over their alcohol of choice, Goku was noticing the room had gotten a tad chillier. He yawned into the pillow and yanked the blanket around his shoulders revealing his feet to the cold hair. It was at this point he realized his foot warmer was missing. Somehow he figured Sable wouldn't be appreciative of being called a foot warmer, but that was alright. He sat up and fumbled with the blankets. Apparently Gojyo had already gone downstairs as well. "Gojyo or Hakkai must have taken Sable and Jeep back out."

He found Hakkai and Gojyo sitting at the table, both drinking. He frowned at the thought of a drunk Gojyo this early in the morning, but then again it was only one glass. That morning afterwards, he hadn't stopped until he was passed out cold on the floor. Him and Hakkai had to drag him to bed. The sad part, was if drinking made you forget how much it hurt than Goku was almost tempted to try it. But, he knew Sanzo wouldn't be happy to see him like that. Well, as happy as Sanzo every got anyway.

"Good morning, Goku." Hakkai smiled and pointed to some plates of scrambled eggs. "Sable and Jeep are outside if you're wondering. They kept me company this morning while I shopped."

"I thought as much." Goku yawned again and plopped into the chair to take a bite out of breakfast. He looked up at could see Jeep and Sable peering in through the window and couldn't help but smile. They looked so desperate to get inside. "Have they eaten yet?"

"Hm?" Hakkai looked over towards the window. "Oh my, yes. They have eaten so don't give them any more Goku."

"Ah, but they look hungry!"

"It's not healthy to overfeed them, Goku."

"Yeah, animals are too dumb to know when they've had too much so they get sick." Gojyo added in his one tidbit for the day. "Much like you, monkey."

"Don't call me a monkey!" Goku shouted before returning to his eggs. "And Sable's not dumb."

"Stop getting defensive over something you just got yesterday." Gojyo took a gulp of his drink. Too early for beer his ass.

"Ah, but he received a collar to day which makes him an official part of the group, Gojyo." Hakkai smiled as he sipped his drink.

"Really?" Goku grinned for the first time in the entire week. "I wanna' go see!"

Hakkai and Gojyo watched as Goku sprinted outside and left his food. They could see him fussing over the dog from the window and chuckled.

"Okay, so the dog's good for him. Damn thing even made him forget food." Gojyo leaned back in his seat. "Doesn't mean I have to like the thing, though."

"Never said you had to, I just said you had to tolerate it and not insult it because we're considering Goku's feelings."

"Right, right." Gojyo crossed his arms on the table. "Stop lecturing already."

"Sorry." Hakkai stood and signaled for the check. "Shall we be on our way, then?"

"Not sure why anymore, but might as well."

Sanzo had never been so happy to see Gojyo as he had at that moment. The monkey was smothering him with love and playing with the new collar. It was making him sick with all the affection. First Hakkai getting all fuzzy in the store and now the monkey treating him like a week old puppy! It was worse than when he was human! There's only so much a dog could take in a day.

"Stop smothering the mutt." Gojyo thrust a thumb over his shoulder. "Hakkai's paying the bill so let's load up the Jeep."

Time for work! Jeep regretfully removed itself from Sanzo's comfy back to transform. Goku roughly jumped into his backseat, but nothing he wasn't used to.

"Oh hell no!" Gojyo shouted and pointed towards the ground. "Sable get down!"

Yeah, right. Sanzo snorted in his front seat position and licked his lips. It wasn't his fault the water sprite was slow. He should have known dear Sable would have taken advantage of the open door.

"Get down, now! Dogs do not get the front seat!" Gojyo stomped his foot and ignored the rolling laughter from the back of the jeep.

By the time Hakkai had left the inn he came to an amusing sight. Gojyo was screaming his lungs out at the dog who had taken refuge in the passenger seat. Gojyo tried to move the dog but was rewarded with growling and barking. He couldn't get violent with the dog because Goku was pushing him away. It was sort of sad to think that the great long-legged and handsome Sha Gojyo could be outdone by a dog, but way too amusing for comfort. "Now, now. Let's all calm down."

"Calm down? The dog's in my seat!" Gojyo regretted briefly after he'd said it, they all knew who's seat it really was, but it was too late to say anything now. "And I want the mutt out! Animals stay in the back!"

"Hey!" Goku shouted. "Then the water sprite should definitely be back here! Sable's more civilized than you, you pervert!"

"You take that back you little!"

"Enough." Hakkai said sternly. "I'm sure we can handle this peacefully."

Hakkai hummed lightly to himself as the breeze fluttered through his hair. To his side sat a very smug Golden Retriever and in the back sat an amused monkey and grumbling water sprite. It was going to be such a lovely day.

"I swear, everyone's against me." Gojyo shoved Goku. "Move over."

"There's plenty of room so you shove it." Goku shoved back.

Sanzo blocked out the fighting. He had to ignore it or he'd do something Sanzo like and that would either a) cause them to reconsider keeping a wild dog or b) break down from remember him. Either option was unpleasant and Sanzo didn't want to think of the consequences. But they were so damn noisy that he could feel his fur standing on end from the pent up anger.

"Shut up you pervert water sprite!"

"Get the hell out of my way then monkey!"

"I'm not a monkey!"

"Now, now, please."

"Monkey monkey monkey!"

Everyone in the jeep jumped when the dog let out a bark as loud as a gunshot. Goku and Gojyo paused mid-fight to stare at the animal growling at them from the front. Hakkai was staring as well and resisted the urge to slam on the breaks. In that moment they had all had a single thought: Sanzo. Hakkai was the first to break out of the memory and brush it off as only old memories and laughed. "My, I guess Sable doesn't like the noise."

"Wow he's loud." Gojyo collapsed in the seat and watched as the dog huffed and turned back towards the front. Goku beside him looked like he'd seen a ghost.

Goku suppressed every urge in his body that told him Sanzo was back. Part of him thought the dog cruel to remind them so heavily of Sanzo, but the other part, the part that was so happy to not be lonely any longer, couldn't find it in itself to blame the dog. He calmed down and stared out at the scenery blowing by. The sun lit up the area beautifully and shed light on everything from the trees to the rocks on the road. He could feel Gojyo settle into the seat beside him and snuggle into the side for a nap. He closed his eyes and decided it felt like a good idea, himself.

Sanzo had decided that the outburst left him somewhere between option a and b and while neither was good, it had the desired effect and the two idiots in the back shut the hell up. He yawned and decided to just take a nap before anything got crazy again. He hated himself for it, but Hakkai absently scratching behind his ears as he curled up in the seat felt really good. The soothing motion eased him into a quiet nap and he wondered how things would be from here on out. He hoped they'd be good and that nothing too bad came their way.