She sucked in her cheeks, her hands balking up over and over in nervousness, she was going to do it. She was finally going to do it. But how would she do it? How could she bring it up and tell him?

She let out of a breath of air, pacing around the room, her room? No she was merely a guest while she decided what she was going to do. But she had to do it. She had spent the entire night memorizing her little speech. Would he be angry at her? Upset at her? No, he wasn't that type of person, she couldn't imagine him getting angry at, but he may be flustered about it. She sighed and dropped to her bed, closing her eyes, trying to calm her nerves.

"Alright...alright..you can do this Kagome, you can do it." she finally got the nerve to get up. She walked out of her room, into the main den, only seeing a few people there, a few smiled at her and she waved at them.

She saw ayame sitting at a makeshift table, chatting with a few women.

Ayame saw her and waved her over, a polite smile plastering her face, "Kagome! Good morning, how are you?" she asked.

"I'm well Ayame, how are you? Did you sleep well?" she asked sitting down across from her, she was feeling rather awkward after hearing the conversation from last night, after all they were practically screaming at each other.

Ayame's smile wavered, but also sensing the miko's unease "I slept okay...are you hungry? The men aren't back yet but we probably have some vegetables or fruit if you want," she gestured at an apple, they never had fruit , why would they? But Kouga had gone out early and had brought back different things for his guest , 'it's not like I'm going to eat them' she thought bitterly, of course it was a little effort, but it was more effort that kouga had ever put in with her.

"Oh, I'm not too hungry," she grabbed the apple, "but an apple wouldn't hurt...wait they aren't back from their hunting trip yet?" she bit into her apple, noting that it wasn't quite ready yet, but she couldn't blame them, she knew that fruit was not really on top of their list.

Ayame narrowed her eyes at Kagome's interest, "no not yet, they should be home soon though, why?"

"Oh it..it's nothing , I just had to talk to Kouga about something." Kagome nervously said.

Ayame didn't pressure her any longer but felt mistrust, she understood that her husband didn't love her, but she wasn't sure how the Miko felt about him, after all it had been years since she had seen Kagome, and the last time she had, she had rejected Kouga , but feelings could change, and unfortunately his did not for her.

The two woman sat and chatted for what seemed like an uncomfortable eternity, when they heard a group enter.

"We're back!" kouga announced, as he dropped a deer from his back, while a few of his men carried boar inside, and one newcomer carried in a small sack.

Ayame walked up and greeted her husband, helping take off his armour, he smiled at his wife greeting her in return, and he waved to Kagome, still feeling uneasy ayame hugged him. Not wanting to embarrass her, he returned her hug half heartedly, but he knew that that hug was a warning for kagome, and their hug was also for show. Everyone knew though, this was their show but chose to either ignore it, or be respectful about it, whether they liked ayame or not, they had to respect her, after all she was their leader's 'mate'.

Kouga left to his room to get changed, with ayame following closely behind.

"How was your trip?" she asked, putting his armour down on a makeshift chair or pelts.

"It was fine," he looked at his springs, wanting to take a bath, not that he particularly liked them but he did have a guest "you should go eat" he hadn't turned to look at her.

He was trying to dismiss her, hell be damned if she was going to be dismissed. She wanted to talk to him.

"Can we talk?"

He finally turned around, oh boy, this wasn't going to go well.

"What about?"

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

"ayame" he wasn't in the mood," don't start please."

"I guess that's an answer," she pursed her lips, "why not me?" she felt tears start to prick at her eyes, she had always known, but why did it still hurt? Why did her heart still ache for him.

"Ayame…" he hugged her, rubbing her back, she wanted to push him off but she enjoyed his closeness, "I'm sorry, I love you...like a friend loves a friend, you deserve so much more than that.."

She wiped her face off, trying to calm herself.
"Go freshen up, I'll wait until you're out so we can go out together."

He didn't argue, in fear of upsetting his wife even more.

They came out with Ayame holding on to his arm, he made no attempt in shoving her off, not wanting to humiliate her further, after all he knew everyone could hear them.

"Where's kagome?" he asked , taking a bite out of the boar, everyone had been decent enough to cut at the meats now that kagome had been near, everyone knew humans ate differently, they ate oddly with a plate and cut up pieces of meat and cooked it.

"Uhh, she's out tending to that newcomer, who is he?" a member answered.

"Oh him? Ezume, he was hunting, he's from another tribe"

"I'm fine woman! I don't need help especially from a human" the man muttered yanking his arm away from her

"But you're bleeding! Just let me help you," this man was stubborn, really stubborn, having insulted her from the start, even though his movements had made his bleeding worse, man had that boar really gotten him.

"I'm fine! Leave me alone bi-" he was cut off by kouga yanking him up from his armour, Ezume grunted at his armour tugging on his wound.

"Don't ever speak to kagome that way," kouga glowered at the man, when he had overheard ezume speaking to kagome his blood boiled, "don't misunderstand that just because I invited you here, that I can't kick you out got it? She's pack, and my guest, understand brother? " kouga growled out dropping ezume.

Ezume scowled, "sorry" he mumbled

Kagome looked at kouga, seeing his jaw tense up, she knew he wasn't happy with ezume's response, but not wanting there to be anymore blood shed she tried changing the subject

"It's okay! I'm okay, I was pushing him too much," she paused looking at Ezume, "I can still help you if you want" she offered.

Ever so gentle kagome kouga thought

"I'm fine thanks" he practically spat

Boy you are not making this easy

Before Kouga could say anything again she interjected, "so kouga! You're back!"

"Have you eaten Kagome? We brought back meat," he said, trying to calm down from Ezume's words thrown at Kagome, even if she wasn't his woman, he wouldn't stand for it.

"Yes! I'll eat in a bit...but..umm" how was she going to phrase it, she stared at the ground trying to find her words.

He looked at her, puzzled, he could smell her nervousness, and then he felt dread, what if she wanted to leave him and go back to the mutt?

"Can I talk to you later?" she asked, "after eating of course!" she was trying to sound positive'

He paused, "yea sure...later is fine,let's go eat"

Breakfast was just as awkward as kagome had feared, while kouga's tribe was very chatty to everyone else, the head table where kouga and ayame sat was very quiet, with bits of conversation going here and there and then ultimately stopping to awkward silence.

"So ezume, where are you from?" ayame asked the new guest as she moved around her food awkwardly, not being quite used to a fork, food was awkward in general with kouga, but having his first love there really soured things for her.

"Not too far from here, just a few more villages away" he replied, staring at Ayame, she was cute with her red hair and big green eyes. He wondered what kouga saw in the miko, everyone knew he had loved her once, but why? She seemed so boring.

"Ah I see.." more awkward silence, "has kouga shown you around?"

"No. not yet"

"Actually ayame, I was hoping you could show him around," he hoped his wife would be okay with that, he was feeling anxious about his talk with kagome, and didn't want any distractions

"I would love to, but why can't you come?" she was hoping it didn't have to do with kagome

"I..I need to talk to kagome about something"

Ayame nodded, "okay" why did she feel so betrayed?

"So, what did you want to talk about?" kouga asked, walking next to her, they had decided on going on a walk, away from everyone, he didn't want anyone to hear them, he could not concrete on his food when they were eating, he kept feeling anxious, and the awkward silence had not been particularly helpful.

He sensed her anxiety spike, "well kouga.." she stopped walking, turning to stare at him, "I want to start off by saying thank you for letting me stay, I really really appreciate it...but I don't belong here,"

"Kagome? What are you talking about, is my tribe not making you feel wanted, if so I can talk to the-" he was ready to rip a few heads off

"No, no not that kouga," she sighed, "I literally do not belong here, I come from another world, the future, do you remember when I would wear different clothes? Well that was from the future…" she felt her throat choke up, "well...I choose to stay in this world because of Inuyasha, I could come to this world through a well, it stopped working until a few years ago, when it worked once, and that was to come back here..for him.. To stay here for good...but.." she angrily brushed her tears off, "well obviously it didn't work out, I was never enough, I wasn't her, and I need to find a way to go back to my own land. I miss my mom...my brother...oh god grandpa...I don't even know if he's alive.." she was sobbing now.

He wanted to rush to her, to hug her, to take away her tears, her pain, he wanted to kill the mutt, but he opted to rubbing her back, like a friend would do, because that's what they were, friends.

"It's okay..don't cry.."

She took a few deep breaths, "w-what I'm trying to say is that...I want to try to use the well again..and maybe go back"

Go back- Go back it was like she had splashed him with cold water, and his heart fell, of course she would want to go back, the mutt didn't work out so there was no point in staying.

"Will...will that make you happy?" he continued rubbing her

She thought about it, looking down at the ground, "I...I don't know," she admitted, "I miss my family and I feel like I have nothing to do here anymore...I just feel so lost and so sad."

He nodded, "if that's what you want kagome, if that's what will make you happy, I will take you to the well," he looked at the sky, watching birds fly around, it was still early and the trip would be easy to make, "get on my back" he kneeled

"Thank you" she whispered and she climbed onto his back

She stared down at the well, but felt nothing, when the well did work, she could sense it, but she felt no power, her shoulder slumped, looking worriedly at her friend. He smiled at her a sad but encouraging smile, he just wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't in this world

"Well...here goes nothing!" and she jumped.