***I don't own Inuyasha or the characters. All rights to the respective creators I just changed it up a little bit***

Ok so I took a snippet from the show (season 5, during the part where they went to Mt. Hakurei to search for Naraku) and rewrote it as a Kagome/Koga one-shot. I have never written an Inuyasha fic before so I apologize if anyone is out of character. I tried to imagine how Koga would be if Inuyasha wasn't around to piss him off and he wanted to make his move. Enjoy! If you don't enjoy it, please be nice lol

Kagome watched on in a state of overwhelming anxiety as Mt. Hakurei collapsed. She was perched on Shippo in his pink bubble form, wrapped in Inuyasha's robe for protection from Naraku's miasma. He had volunteered to go looking for Koga in the deep pit of whatever was left of the mountain and rescue the wolf demon, without any prompting from Kagome.

"I can't see Inuyasha! Does anyone else see him?" Shippo said worriedly as he floated above the chaos with Kagome on his back.

Kilala drifted in the air a little closer, carrying Sango and Miroku.

"Maybe...he didn't make it." Miroku said somberly as he eagerly searched for any sign of the dog demon in question.

Kagome's heart clenched at hearing the words. "No!" She insisted. "Inuyasha wouldn't let himself be killed in a place like this. He'll make it!" She looked to the concerned pair on Kilala and put on a strong face. They nodded but said nothing further, they continued to watch the landscape crumbling and belching a deep purple cloud into the air. Kagome turned her attention back to the mountain and she felt her heart sink. She could say the words, but she couldn't make herself believe them. The miasma was horrific and even Inuyasha would succumb to it if he remained in there too long. Unfortunately, "too long" by Kagome's standards had long since past and she feared the worst.

"Come on! We should find a safe place to land and wait for Inuyasha!" Miroku beckoned with his hand to Kagome as Sango urged Kilala forward.

"Let's go, Shippo." Kagome patted him softly.

"Ok." Shippo agreed and he turned them to follow Kilala down to the ground near the base of the mountain. Kagome looked over her shoulder the entire ride. She could no longer sense Koga's jewel shards and that further disturbed her.

As they landed, Kagome removed the robe from her body and hugged it to her chest. She could smell Inuyasha's scent on it. It provided some comfort but she bit back tears at the thought of only having the cloth as a memento. She watched the mountain carefully.

Kagome's heart was in a few different places. Inuyasha had claimed a special place in her heart and she cared deeply for the half-breed. However, she was also in a place of dissent at the fact she could never truly capture his heart because he had given it away to Kikyo and he was not getting it back anytime soon. She cared for Koga as well. She didn't want to see the wolf demon hurt or dead and she knew Inuyasha knew that. Otherwise he would have left Koga to his fate without Kagome instructing him to save the wolf. Koga's last words to her had been "I'd never put you in danger." As he had waved off her help and let himself be swallowed by Naraku. That had hit her hard. This man had more than once expressed his feelings for her and she had always brushed it off. Koga would not be deterred though, he took it as a challenge to impress her more the next time around. She didn't want to admit it, but the attention and flattery made her feel a little warm and gooey on the inside. Of course whenever Inuyasha did anything sweet, which was not often, she felt a similar warmth but it got a little cooler with time and froze over entirely every time the word 'Kikyo' passed his lips. She felt more than a little guilty when Inuyasha had relinquished his robe of the fire rat to keep her safe and went after the wolf and here she was, safe while he might be dead and she was pining over the man he went to save. If they both died, she'd never forgive herself and the emotions she was harboring.

A familiar sensation rang through her, causing her hanging head to jolt upright. She saw them. She could feel them.

"The jewel shards!" She shouted, pointing to the mountain.

Miroku and Sango hurried over to where she was standing.

"You can sense the jewel shards, Kagome?" Sango asked.

Kagome nodded. "I'm sure of it! I can sense Koga's jewel shards. There!" She saw the twin sparkling purple lights rising from the smoke and falling boulders. Her heart soared as she saw Inuyasha flying out of the destruction with Koga's arm draped over his shoulders.

"They did it!" Shippo cheered.

"What a relief! They both made it out." Miroku offered a warm smile to Kagome.

The group watched as a boulder threatened to squash Inuyasha and Koga, but Koga took it upon himself to release his arm from Inuyasha's grip, kick off the rock with his powerful legs, and send them both flying towards the landing. Koga quickly fisted Inuyasha's mane and dragged him along for the ride. Kagome watched as the pair skidded to a stop a few meters away.

"Inuyasha! Koga!" She sprinted towards them, bursting with relief. As she neared Koga, he reached for her and grabbed her hands with both of his as he usually did.

"Kagome you're safe! Were you scared without me?" He looked into her eyes.

Kagome didn't have enough time to respond before Inuyasha's form stomped up and knocked the back of Koga's head.

"What was that?" Inuyasha growled as the wolf released Kagome's hands and spun around on him.

Kagome sighed as the two began to banter as per usual over her. On one hand, she wished they would cut it out, but on the other hand she was glad to hear both of their voices and know that they were both alive.

"Inuyasha, sit!" Kagome commanded, sending Inuyasha face first into the dirt.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" Inuyasha hollered as he raised his head out of the soil and glowered at her.

"Quit arguing! Everyone is safe, can't we just be happy with that for once?"

Inuyasha's face shifted from pissed to worried instantly. "Kikyo! I could have sworn I caught Kikyo's scent. She might be here looking for Naraku."

Kikyo. Kagome winced at the mention.

"Go. She might be in danger." Kagome said firmly.

Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet and gave her no more than a quick nod of acknowledgment before darting off. As he shrunk out of sight, Kagome slumped slightly and sighed.

That didn't take long.

Kagome was unaware of how her face had gone from overjoyed to annoyed to just downright pissed. The others took notice though and glanced between themselves.

"We should set up camp while we wait for him." Miroku broke the awkward silence. The others turned to him and nodded. They started walking off towards the forest. Kagome cast a longing glance where Inuyasha had run off before she turned to follow the group.

Koga observed Kagome as she followed Inuyasha's retreating form. He could see the pain in her eyes as she pursed her lips and let out a displeased huff of air through her nose.

The mutt took off and left her? Can't he see how sad it makes her?

He silently matched his pace at Kagome's side and walked with her, trailing behind the others. He didn't want to further upset her so he simply offered his company as the monk and demon slayer led them in search of a place to rest. Every once in a while he caught Kagome stealing glances at him and he smiled to himself. She was so beautiful and he didn't think she knew it. Her long, black hair falling in waves partway down her back. Her slender form, which she so graciously allowed him to see more of with such a short skirt and form-fitting top. Her deep brown eyes, which at the moment, were full of turmoil and he hated it.

The monk found a small clearing suitable for a fire and declared the spot for the night. Kagome offered to gather firewood, which Koga immediately refused to let her do. He gathered wood and returned it to the group. The young fox kit used his demon powers to ignite it and they all lowered their bodies to the ground and warmed themselves. They mostly continued to sit in silence while they waited.

Kagome knew that it could be hours or even days before Inuyasha returned. If he didn't find her, he'd search until he drove himself just before the brink of insanity. If he found her, well god only knows what he was going to do and how long it would take to pry him away from her. Kagome drew her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. She took a stick sitting near her and drew lines with it in the soft dirt.

The monk and the demon slayer remained in wistful silence, not for themselves, but for Kagome, Koga surmised. They tried not to stare at her but he saw them looking at her with sympathy every once in a while. The sky grew dark and the fire became more inviting as the cold set in. Kagome was still holding Inuyasha's robe and she draped it over her shoulders. Koga's jealousy flared. He wasn't sure if it would be a good idea to move closer to her.

"Are you cold, Kagome?"

She turned to him and shook her head. "I'm alright. Thank you, Koga."

The night further set in and Miroku and Sango eventually yielded to their fatigue and drifted off to sleep. Shippo had curled up with Kilala and the two of them were snoring softly near the human pair. Kagome had taken to studying in a feeble attempt to take her mind of Inuyasha's duplicity. Not that she could accurately call it that, but that's what it felt like. Koga saw that the two of them were alone and he chose to use the opportunity presented to him. He had been sitting cross-legged a few feet from her, holding a conversation with the monk and demon slayer and Kagome when she occasionally offered her input. He had been too prideful to thank Inuyasha for saving him and he knew it didn't sit well with Kagome but he also knew Inuyasha didn't want to save him, Kagome wanted him to. That had to mean something, didn't it? Had he finally won her over? It thus far been an uphill battle. She saw something in the mutt that he just couldn't fathom. She cared for him, he knew that much, otherwise she wouldn't have been so worried. His heart ticked up a notch and an uneasiness roiled in his stomach. He moved from his spot and sat down next to Kagome. She gazed up at him with an unreadable expression.

"Kagome, I need to leave soon and get back to the den." He said quietly.

She nodded. "Ok. I'm glad you're safe, Koga." She smiled halfheartedly and looked back to her book. Koga plucked the book from her hands and set it on the ground at her feet. She looked at him, eyebrows raised in surprise and confusion.

"I know that you didn't ask him to save me, but you were worried about me, weren't you?" He took her hands and held them gently.

"Of course I was worried about you. We're friends and that's what friends do. They take care of one another and worry when they're in danger." She blushed as she looked into Koga's eyes. The fire light cast an orange glow on his skin. He was handsome, she couldn't deny that. She swallowed hard as he inched closer.

"I know I've told you a thousand times, Kagome but I'll never give up on winning your heart." He looked down as he stroked her wrist with his thumb.

Kagome was speechless. Usually by now Inuyasha would have struck him and they would have argued a moment before he took off.

Inuyasha wasn't here though.

"You're sweet." Was all she could think to say, never having needed to get this far into the conversation before.

"I can see that when he leaves you to go looking for Kikyo, that it makes you sad. I would never do that to you. I would always choose you, Kagome." He lifted his right hand from hers and reached to gently brush a strand of hair from her face.

Kagome's heart was fluttering and she was blushing like mad. Her gaze flicked over the fire and she saw that everyone else was still asleep.

What should I do? Should I let him down? Will Inuyasha come barging in like he usually does? Should it matter? Will waiting for him make any difference? Will he ever choose me over Kikyo? There's a man right here in front of you that is more than eager to please you. Why should you let your heart endure more torment?

She leaned into his hand as a tear fell from her eye. His heart flipped in his chest. She had accepted his touch but she was crying. He raised his other hand to wipe the tear away and gently turned her face back to face him. She slowly opened her weeping eyes and just looked at him for a moment. She put her hands on his wrists and smiled softly.

"Thank you." Her words strummed a chord in him that inspired him to pull her to him. He guided her into his embrace, and to his surprise, she didn't try to push him away this time. Nor did Inuyasha interrupt. She smelled like him and it caused him to pause briefly but he could ignore it for now. She scooted over and wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled under his chin. The warmth she caused in him was almost too much. Her scent reminded him of wildflowers. His scent was strongly like a wolf but he also had a pleasant, earthy scent clinging to him. She felt safe and loved as he placed a hand on the back of her head and stroked her hair

"I love you." He whispered. She tensed.

Dammit. She wasn't ready for that. He blew it. He grimaced as she started to pull back and he loosened his hold so she could back up. She moved herself so that she could look in his face. He looked upset, his brows were furrowed and his jaw was set. He was waiting for her to shoot him down.

"I've waited a long time to hear those words." She said quietly.

Koga let out the breath he'd been holding in anticipation. "You're...not upset?" Koga's expression held firm.

Kagome smiled and shook her head. She wiped away another tear. "No. I just wasn't expecting it. If you need to go, you should before Inuyasha comes back. I'm sure Ginta and Hakkaku are looking for you." She sat back down next to him.

Oh yeah. I forgot about those two. They should be showing up any time now. He inwardly cursed.

"You're right. I do need to go but before I do..." He rolled onto his knees and cupped her cheek. "May I kiss you goodbye?"

Kagome's heart nearly stopped. She'd never been kissed before and she wasn't sure what the answer was. Her breath hitched in her throat and all the blood rushed to her face. She struggled to form a coherent thought as she looked into his eyes, mere inches away from her. She could feel his unsteady breath on her and could tell he was nervous too. His hand had begun to tremble against her face and the longer she didn't answer him, the more pronounced it was.

"I've...never been kissed. It might be disappointing." She squeaked, eyes widening. Koga smiled at her and she felt the tension slack a bit.

"I'd be honored to show you." He leaned forward and tilted his head. His lips pressed against hers tenderly.

The earth spun. Kagome sighed through her nose as the anxiety filtered out of her and she was washed over by a wave of warmth and comfort.

He parted his lips and kissed her again. Kagome forgot where she was as the feeling of his lips drew her into pure bliss. She'd longed to feel Inuyasha's kiss but he didn't seem to keen on the idea. Koga snaked an arm around her back and pulled her against him. His chest plate was cold and hard and she couldn't prevent herself from wishing that she could feel his chest instead. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, fanning his fingers out to brush them over her scalp. The tips of his fingers slipped through her hair and sent a rush of tingles over her skin. He opened his mouth again, and this time, she followed suit. He tentatively reached the tip of his tongue out and flicked her lip. She flinched. He smirked.

She wasn't expecting that.

She mimicked him and ran her tongue over his lip and his eyes snapped open. He wasn't expecting that. She wrapped her arms around his neck as they continued. He chuckled as she traced her fingers over the nape of his neck and toyed with his ear. He resisted the urge to lay her down in the grass and see where this went. Not only were there four sets of eyes that could be watching, the mutt might show up, or the two idiots might show up. This might have been a bad idea. Now he didn't want to leave and he hadn't thought how Kagome might feel after this about him leaving.

Moron. He almost lamented ever suggesting this.

Over time he'd genuinely grown to love the woman in front of him. At first he had been blinded by his greed for the jewel shards and knowing she could sense them would help him gather more power. Eventually, her kindness and beauty had ensnared him and if he wasn't a hopeless, lovesick fool, he wasn't anything. Her kisses got more hungry and he knew that she wasn't indifferent about him either. A giddy excitement flooded through him. He kissed her once more before he pulled back. The both of them were panting, and just looked at one another. They both were flushed with mussed hair, tangled in each other's arms. They both smiled through the rough breaths. Koga pressed his forehead to hers and held both sides of Kagome's face.

"Until next time." He promised. Another quick peck and he was gone in a whirlwind. Kagome felt the air around her whoosh and she sat there stunned and shaking. She let out a choked laugh and put her hand to her mouth. She looked straight ahead for a moment before she composed herself and looked around for the book she had been reading. She found it and picked it up, settling herself back into a comfortable position to read. She raised the book up and her gaze drifted upwards.

Miroku and Sango stared in stunned silence, eyes wide, mouths open. Kagome's stomach dropped and her blood ran cold.

Crap.