A/N: Alright let's not talk about how long it took me to update this story. I just got into a blockage and have been going back a forth with my Betas Sango-Change753 and Narujensen92 for months now. They have helped me dish this one out and get me back on a flow. So many thanks to them and my readers for the patience and love you all have. I hope you like this chapter and I hope to update pretty soon, not going to duck out for another year!

Enjoy and always remember to R&R!

Love Kagome-Chan753

Chapter 8

Sango stared at Inuyasha's back confused, she walked up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder; in which he shuddered beneath. "Inuyasha, what are you talking about?" He was silent for a long while and moved out of her rang and back over to the punching bag, "Nothing, forget it. Something in the past." Sango sighed and watched her friend continue to take his anger and depression out on the punching bag.

"How about I make you dinner, and we can catch up?" She said trying to change the subject and be a bit more cheerful. He hesitated a few moments then answered. "I don't have much food." Sango smiled, "That's alright I can figure it out with what you have. I will go start on that, while you go take a shower and clean up okay?" He turned and looked at her solemnly for a moment then nodded.

Sango sighed as she left the room, she walked down the hallway to the stairs and down to the kitchen, and the house was so dark with no lights on. "I am so concerned about him. What happened to him out there, is something that won't heal quickly." She thought to herself as she entered the kitchen and tried to find food.

As Sango was cooking, Inuyasha had taken her advice and went to go take a shower, he entered the bathroom but refused to look at himself in the mirror. He knew what would be looking back at him, not a face he recognized as his own, but a stranger with a dark, lifeless expression. He turned to the shower and turned on the water as hot as it would go and the room filled with steam. He took a good long shower and then once dressed in some clean clothes, he headed downstairs.

Sango was sitting at the table with two bowls, all she could find other than alcohol in the pantry was ramen. Inuyasha gave a small smile at the familiar smell. He also noticed that she had cleaned up the kitchen. He sat down next to her at the bar. She turned towards him and smiled, "So Inu, are you enjoying your new house?" He had already started eating his ramen, but he turned and looked at her, swallowed and then answered. "It's a bit large for me, but my mom insisted I buy it." She gave a small laugh, "Your mom always wants the best for you, and she really did miss you while you were gone. We all did."
"I missed being back here too." He replied, and she could tell he wasn't finishing the thought he had and wondered if he was thinking of Kagome.

They made small talk for a while as they ate and laughed as Sango explained her day to him. "You know, I thought it was crazy that I come back and you all have little families, but it sounds like you have a zoo!" he said with a laugh, she gave a small laugh, 'I think we all do.'
"Kagome with Kisa has a lot going on, between work and everything else, especially now with everything with Kikyo. I honestly don't know how she manages it all." She said just speaking her mind, then realized she was trying to not bring up Kagome, so she took a big gulp of water from her glass and looked away from him.
"Her husband doesn't help out?" He asked, baffled. Sango slightly choked on her water, "well uh… I mean not really. It's not that simple.." She rambled, Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and looked over at her. "What do you mean, it's not that simple, either he does or he doesn't."
Sango sighed, and rubbed her eyes. "Kagome is gonna kill me" she thought, "She doesn't have a husband Inuyasha." He shook his head, "I don't understand, where is Kisa's dad then?"
"Oh Kagome is definitely gonna kill me." She thought and then continued, "She doesn't have one, well I mean obviously she does, but he's never been in the picture. He left while Kagome was pregnant, never came back."

Inuyasha stood up and went to put his dishes in the sink, "What kind of guy leaves something like that. I mean Kagome wouldn't have let herself get caught up in a guy that wouldn't stick around." He was starting to get angry, "Kagome isn't that dumb Sango. Who is this guy anyways? Some guy she went to school with?"
Then he had a flashback to the night he left.

"I'm sure you were at his house not at the library." Kagome gasped and grabbed his arm and spun him around, "You actually think I would be at his house fooling around!" He shoved her hand off of him, "I don't know what you do anymore Kagome, but lately you have been nothing but a bitch about everything!" He then was over cooking and flipped off the burning and threw the pan in the sick causes Kagome to jump from the loud noise; then he continued to yell, "ever since you started medical school you have spent more time with you dumb lab partner than your boyfriend. I'm tired of being here by myself while you're off with Hojo fooling around." Kagome was silent for a few minutes and then said something, barely above a whisper. "Get out." Inuyasha looked straight at her bewildered, "W-What?" He stammered

He shuddered as he remembered the anger and hurt in her voice. "Inuyasha." Sango said a bit agitated. He didn't respond, being too lost in his thoughts of that night and a knot grew in his stomach. "No wonder she won't talk to me. I left her, and now she has a daughter with some guy who wouldn't even stay with her." "Hello?! Earth to Inuyasha! Are you in there?" Sango exclaimed, waving her hand in front of his face, he instinctively grabbed it, and she gasped. Instantly snapped out of his thoughts, He looked at her apologetically and quickly loosened his grip "Sorry Sango, I was lost in thought." He released her hand. Sango nodded, he looked down at her hand worried he hurt her. She smiled and touched his arm, "Yeah, figured that much out and stop that. I'm fine, you just surprised me is all." She said with a laugh, he smiled back.

They spent the rest of the evening cleaning up the house, Sango insisted and she wouldn't take no for an answer. Inuyasha thanked her for coming over and getting him out of his rut for the night. "Anytime Inu and I mean that" she said looking at him sternly for a moment that turned thoughtful "I should probably go though. I'm sure the kids have murdered Miroku by now, I should go save him." They both laughed as they walked over to the door. "Thanks again Sango." She smiled and hugged him, "Talk with you later Inuyasha."

Kagome had just dropped Kisa off at school and was headed to the grocery store to grab some things for dinner tonight as Rin and Sesshomaru were coming over. Rin had wanted to come and see Kikyo since the whole thing with Naraku, she had been worried.

She was walking down the aisle and stopped to look at snacks for Kisa, whom had started asking for fruit snacks after she was just introduced to them at preschool and now she seemed obsessed with them. As she backed up to examine the different kinds, she bumped into someone. "Oh! I am sorry, I wasn't paying at-"Her vocals gave out when she saw it was Inuyasha.

"Sorry." She said again in a low voice after a moment, he gave a small smile. "It's okay." They stood there for a moment and just looked at each other.
"How are you Kagome?" He asked, she broke eye contact and looked back at the shelves. She picked up a box of princess fruit snacks, "I am doing well. How are you?" He was shocked that she actually spoke back to him, "I...I am okay. Just figured I would come get some food for my place. All I have is ramen."
Kagome gave a small laugh as she threw the box into her cart, he smiled at the sweet sound. "You always just had ramen, I swear I had to teach you how to grocery shop when we got our own place." He laughed at the memory of him coming home with ramen, cereal and soda. She flipped out and had to go back to the store with him and show him what to get. Kagome noticed he was in thought and started to feel awkward, "Uh, it was nice seeing you, but I have to get going." "Yeah." He said, she turned and started to walk further down the aisle, thinking to herself, "Kagome don't be stupid, just walk away just leave it alone. Just keep walking." She turned around, "Hey Inuyasha." She called to him, he turned around, "hmm?" "Sesshomaru and Rin are coming over for dinner tonight. Would you like to maybe come over? Kisa has been asking about you anyways and she been wanting to see you again, so I mean you are more than welcome. We will have enough food and I am sure Rin would be happy to see you." Inuyasha laughed at her ramble, and nodded. "Sure, sounds good. I could use a good home cooked meal...we both know mine's terrible." She smiled "See you tonight then, around 7." He nodded, "See you then."

She turned and walked away. "Oh lord did I just do that?" She thought to herself as she continued to shop.

"Kagome, relax. I don't think you need to worry about tonight. Though I am surprised you invited him over." Sango said over the phone to Kagome. Kagome was putting away her groceries, "What is that supposed to mean?" "Oh come on Kagome, you wouldn't even talk to him the other day, you barely acknowledged he was even there. I told you if you guys would just talk, then maybe you can work something out. You know he should know about Kisa."

Kagome rolled her eyes and shut the fridge, she had just put the last thing away, as she folded up the brown paper bag and put it in her pantry she sighed.

"Sango, I am not going to just come out and tell him that, I just...I don't know, I felt bad I guess. He was buying food and I know he hasn't eaten a good meal recently. Plus Kisa has been asking about him since he was over that day." Sango laughed, "She has asked me a few times as well."

Kagome sat down at her kitchen table, "It will just be dinner, so Kikyo can have some other people around. I just know she is trying to get back into some kind of a routine, some sense of normalcy." Sango nodded on her end of the phone, "Yeah I know she is needing a change of pace. I was wondering if we should maybe help her in trying to find a place." "Yeah I haven't brought it up, I don't want to upset her." Sango sighed, then moved the phone from her ear to her chest so she didn't scream in Kagome's ear. "Kouta! Get OFF of that Counter RIGHT NOW young man or you'll break your neck!" Sango yelled on the other end of the phone, then returned the phone to her ear. Kagome laughed, "Sango, I will let you go deal with that. I have to start cleaning up anyways." Sango laughed, "Alright, sounds good. Talk to you later Kags." "Bye San." With that they both hung up.

Kagome had just finished cleaning the house when it was time to go get Kisa from school. As she sat in the parent pick up line waiting for the dismissal she let her mind wander. She had been thinking about Inuyasha since she spoke with him this afternoon, and was thinking of what Sango said.

'Maybe I should let Inuyasha into her life, she does need a good man in it, other than Souta.'

She thought, and then has a flashback.

Flashback

"Kags I think we should go out this weekend. Just you and me, I know you have been really stressed about waiting to hear back about your acceptance. How about I take you to your favorite restaurant? You can get all dressed up and not have to worry about anything." Inuyasha said to her over the phone as he went through their closet trying to find his favorite dress of hers. She sighed on the other end of the phone, "That' sounds amazing! I just want this to be over and to be in college." Inuyasha laughed over the phone, he finally found her red spaghetti strapped dress. He loved this dress on her, it was a long dress with a small spit up the side. He also pulled out a small black cover up wrap top to go over the top, so it toned it down and bit and made it less dressy. "Baby I promise you will get in, you have been working towards this since you could pronounce stethoscope" Kagome gave a small giggle. "I hope you right Inu. I want this more than anything. Well except having a family, but you know what I mean." Inuyasha was silent for a moment on the phone as he smiled. Kagome gave an aggravated sigh, "Got to go Inu I'm at work! I'll see you in a few hours after work, I can't wait for dinner! I love you!" "I love you too, see you later baby." With that the line clicked off. Kagome smile at the memory of coming home that evening to a spotless apartment and then her dress laid out on the best with the wrap top. Then she was so excited to see the stiletto heels she fell in love with at the mall on the bed as well.

End Flashback

Kagome was broken out of her thoughts by Kisa opening the back door, "Hi mommy!" She said jumping into her car seat. "Hi baby, how was preschool?" Kagome asked and she grabbed her backpack from Kisa and placed it in the front seat. "It was good. We made macaroni pictures!" Kagome smiled and she pulled out of the parking lot, "That's sounds fun. What was your picture of?" "We had to make it of a new friend we made. So I made a picture of Inuyasha!" Kagome was surprised by this and almost missed the turn to their street and had to make a sharp quick turn. "Whoa!" Kisa said, and then began to giggle in glee. "That was fun mommy, can we do it again!?"

Kagome shook her head and gave a small laugh, "No baby that was just an accident. I am sorry." As she pulled into the driveway, she saw Kikyo's car in the driveway. 'Hmmm Kikyo must have gone to her house to get her car. I hope everything is okay, especially if she went over there alone.' Kagome thought to herself as she got out of the car and went to the back to open the door for Kisa. Kisa hopped out of the car and ran inside holding her stuffed animal Kara.

As Kagome entered the house she noticed all the lights off which she found odd, being Kikyo was here. "Kikyo!" She called out loud, after a moment there was no response. "Kikyo are you here?" She called again up the stairs, just as Kisa squeezed by her leg to run up the star she called out as well. "Auntie Kikyo are you home! Come out come out where ever you are!" With that she disappeared up the stairs and Kagome laughed.

She walked over to the fridge and saw a note in graceful cursive handwriting she noticed as Kikyo's.


"Kagome I went out with Rin for a bit before dinner tonight. She wanted to take me shopping for some new clothes. We will be back in time for dinner.

Love, Kiki"

Kagome smiled at the note, and turned toward the clock on the wall, it read 3:15. She had some time to go upstairs and clean up a bit before she started cooking.

Inuyasha was in the kitchen and trying to focus on something other than that night coming up. He was freaking out about going over to Kagome's house. 'Why am I so nervous it is everyone I know for goodness sakes? This isn't a first date, this is just dinner with friends. Pull yourself together Inuyasha.' He thought as he put away the last thing in his pantry. He decided to go sit and try and watch some TV maybe that would take his mind off of this.

When he sat down he flipped through the channels trying to find something, and there was nothing. He became agitated, as this was not the 3rd time of him overlapping the channels.

As soon as he turned the TV off, the phone rang making him jump slightly at the alarming noise. He walked over to the phone on the kitchen counter and say that the ID said "MOM", he sighed a deep breath to make himself sound normal before answering. "Hi mom." "Oh honey hi! I was just calling to see how you were doing, your brother mentioned going to Kagome's tonight for dinner. Then I got a text from Rin and she said you were coming too!" She continued on in a happy voice, "Are you excited to have a big get together since your time back?" She asked, Inuyasha rolled his eyes and gave a small chuckle, "Mom it is just dinner with Kagome, Kikyo, Sesshomaru and Rin. Nothing major." He swears he could see his mom roll her eyes as she sighed, "Oh Inuyasha, I remember when you were little and used to get so excited to be at the same table with Kagome. In fact I used to make it like a date for you. Do you remember?"

Inuyasha stopped for a minute and flashed back to him and Kagome and the young age of 5.

Flashback

Izayoi had just finished putting a little bow tie on Inuyasha and sitting him at the table out on the back porch. The porch was cover with a gazebo and had vines growing up the side with sakura flowers surrounding it. As Inuyasha sat there he figited with the small cuff on his sleeve. When suddenly he heard a small clacking noise come from the door behind him. He turned in his chair o see his mother standing there hold a little Kagome's hand, she was wearing a pink sundress and white strap sandles. She smiled at him and gave a small blush as she walked with Izayoi over to the seat. She climbed into the chair where Izayoi oushed it in so she was close to the table.

"On the menu today we have grilled cheese with crackers or chicken nuggets with apples. What will you have miss Kagome?" Izayoi asked in a fancy accent, which made the kids giggle. "Uh I want the chicken nuggets please!" Izayoi nodded and turned to Inuaysha, "And you sir?" "I will have the same, but with ketsup." Izayoi nodded, I will be back with some drinks." And with that she was gone.

"You look really pretty Gome" Inuyasha said looking down at his cuff again with his cheeks red from blush, Kagome grinned. "You too! I like your bow tie!" Kagome said with a big smile, Inuyasha looked up. "Kagome boy aren't pretty they are handsome! Like one day when we get married you will be beautiful cause you're a girl and I will be handsome cause I'm a boy." Kagome gave a slight glare, "No uh Inu guys can be beautiful too!" he shook his head, as his mom came back and started to ask her before Kagome caught him off, "Miss Izayoi! Boy can be beautiful too right?" Izayoi set down the juice boxes for the kids and then laughed, "Yes my dear. Inuyasha is my beautiful little boy. But one day he will be handsome." "See Kagome! I am right." She stuck her tongue at him and he did back at her as well

End Flashback

"Yeah mom I remember. Like it was yesterday." He said.

A/n: I hoped everyone like it! I know this was a filler chapter, and I know you can't wait for this dinner coming up. Should be lots of fun, hopefully ;)

Well until next time guys and hopefully not a long wait!

Remember to review! I love the feedback!

Love Kagome-chan753 3