A/N: As always, thanks for reading and reviewing...especially reviewing...please?

Disclaimer: Never has been, never will be…it's my lot in life…sigh.

The Way It Has To Be

Chapter 4 – Childish Behaviour

Miroku awoke somewhat reluctantly, dragged from a very restful sleep by the nagging sense that something was different this morning. The first thing he noticed was the strip of material lying loosely across his nose. He rolled his head slightly to shift it – and froze at the sight of a peacefully resting Kagome not three feet from him. Memories of the previous evening's events rushed back, making him grin. 'Ah, that's right. I fell asleep listening to Kagome's voice. I'm surprised she let me stay in 'her' corner all night.' He held himself perfectly still, not daring to move a muscle for fear of waking the exhausted girl.

Unfortunately for him, Shippo shifted in his sleep…brushing the monk's nose with his very fluffy tail. Miroku couldn't help it. "Aa…aaa…ACHOO!"

Kagome came awake with a start, blinking blue eyes groggily at the source of the noise. "Miroku-sama! What on earth…?" She rubbed her eyes with her knuckles, looking almost unbearably cute – and to his immense chagrin, Miroku found himself blushing. How embarrassing.

'This is ridiculous…I DON'T BLUSH!' He was supposed to be the quintessential ladies' man, for crying out loud – he was meant to make them blush, not the other way around!

But then, he would have to be the first to admit that Kagome was rather…unique in many aspects. Apparently, the ability to make him blush was one of them. "I apologise, Kagome-sama. I didn't mean to wake you –"

"Oh, that's alright," she yawned tiredly. "It was time to wake up anyway." She looked around, seeing the other inhabitants of the small hut still asleep. "Erm…Miroku-sama, could you watch Inuyasha for me? I, ah, I have to…um…"

He looked knowingly at her – she looked good when she was flustered. "Have to?…"

"Have to…argh! You know!"

"No," he said innocently. "What?"

Her eyes flashed. "You…just stay there. Got it?" He watched her leave, getting the distinct impression that if she had not wanted to avoid waking anyone, she would have stomped out of the hut. "Now that's more like it, Kagome," he murmured, pleased.

"Huh. It's not like he's going anywhere," a small voice piped up unexpectedly, making the unflappable monk jump a mile high.

MkMkMkMkMkMk

Shippo was becoming increasingly worried about his friend from the future. She was the closest thing to a mother that he had, and she was fading away right in front of him.

In the aftermath of that titanic battle with Naraku, everyone (himself included) had been pretty much in a state of shock. He hadn't been surprised to note that Miroku, ever the cool, calm and collected member of their group, was the first to regain his bearings. But the little kitsune could only watch as Kagome seemed to willingly slide into darkness – and he didn't like it!

It was clearly time to enlist some help.

"Huh. It's not like he's going anywhere," he commented. Miroku's face was almost comical to watch as he seemed to only just then notice that Shippo was awake.

"Gah! Shippo!"

"Well, who else would it be?" the youkai huffed at him irritably. "She really is taking the 'overprotective' thing a bit too far, isn't she?

Miroku leaned down to stare him in the face. "Will you help me snap her out of it?" he asked seriously.

Shippo gave him a surprisingly wicked grin. It was a youkai grin – all pointy teeth. The monk caught himself nearly moving back instinctively. "What did you have in mind?" Shippo asked slyly.

Miroku blinked, then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Just how old are you?"

That feral grin was his only answer.

MkMkMkMkMkMk

Unbeknownst to the others, a pair of empty brown eyes were systematically observing their activities. They betrayed no expression of their owner's thoughts, which were hopelessly muddled.

'Too many people…too close…'

'I'm the last one left! The very last one…'

'Poor Kagome-chan, she looks tired…'

'Too close!'

'They're smiling…'

'How dare they be smiling!'

'Someone's coming…stay back…back!'

'They look happy…'

'So lonely…'

'GET AWAY FROM ME!'

The last thought was a scream in her mind, but the only outward sign ws the icy cold glare that she turned on Kaede, who had been coming over to see if she was alright. The old woman froze midstep, eyes wide. Sango rose to her feet and stalked through the doorway, leaving a stunned silence in her wake. Kirara looked around, mewed softly as though apologising for her mistress' behaviour, then followed her outside.

Sango didn't stop until she reached the cover of the forest, thoughts still racing around like mad in her head.

'You scared them…'

'Good.'

'No, not good. They're your friends…'

'Don't need them.'

'This is stupid.'

'Leave me alone!…'

MkMkMkMkMkMk

Shippo watched as Kagome eased herself gingerly onto the floor, muscles stiff from not moving for a long time. Behind coppery bangs, his green eyes twinkled. 'Time to start this little game…'

"Kagomeeee," he whined loudly, "I'm boooored!"

The girl in question sighed, absent-mindedly laying a hand on Inuyasha's forehead to check his temperature as she replied. "I'm sure there's something you can do quietly, Shippo-chan. Look in my bag, I think your drawing stuff is in there somewhere."

Hiding a grin, the kitsune hopped over to the yellow monstrosity and started rummaging around. His head stuck deep inside the opening, he yelled, "I can't find anything, Kagome! They're not here!" Well, they were, but she didn't need to know that.

Kagome sighed heavily. "I packed them last time I was home, so they must be there. Just…look harder."

So he did. Books, sweaters and pens started flying about the little room with reckless abandon.

"Shippo!" She frowned at his innocent look. "I said 'look harder', not 'destroy everything I own'!"

"But I am looking harder," he complained, "and it's not there, and I'm still boooored!"

"Okay!" Kagome cut him off before the whine started giving her a headache. "What do you want to do, then?"

'Gotcha'.

"Play a game!" he squealed excitedly. "Hide and seek!"

She looked around the open space of the hut dubiously. "Shippo-chan, there aren't many places to hide in here…"

"Pleaaaaase?" He concentrated, knowing she couldn't resist this…cute, wide, shiny eyes, just a hint of a quiver at the bottom lip…she never even had a chance.

"Oh, very well. I give. Who's seeking first?" Shippo ducked away and hid in reply. "I guess it's me then," she remarked dryly. "One….two….three…"

MkMkMkMkMkMk

Miroku watched from behind a convenient tree as Shippo came dashing out of the hut in a blur of red. A short while later…Kagome stood framed in the doorway, her eyes darting in every direction as she searched for her missing charge. 'Great Buddha…the kid actually did it.'

"Shippo?" Kagome called, not worried…just a tad annoyed. "Shippo-chan, where are you?"

"You're not supposed to know, that's the whole point!" the kitsune blurted, suddenly clapping his paws over his mouth – too late.

"Ha! I heard you! You're over there!" Kagome called, walking quickly over to a shrub. "Got y-" A googly-eyed mushroom stared back at the perplexed girl. "Gah!" She quickly recovered, giving the strange-looking thing an angry glare. "I'm never going to get used to that trick," she muttered to herself. Then Kagome lifted her head, the challenge in her voice loud and clear.

"Ready or not, you little devil, here I come!"

Miroku stifled a most unmanly giggle at the sight of Kagome running about, ambushing every large-ish plant and shrub in the hopes of finding her little runaway. It was like going back in time…she was laughing, joking, pretending to be angry (one of his personal favourites) and generally having a good time. However, he unwisely became preoccupied by his thoughts and didn't notice someone closing in on him.

"Found you!" The branches concealing his hiding spot were pushed aside. Then…"Eep!"

He looked up into astonished blue eyes. "I guess I'm 'it', then?" he smiled.

Until next time - bye!