ah, the relief of your addiction with another dose of fanfiction. you were waiting for this, admit it.

At this point in time I would simply like to say... I HATE SNOW! thank you.

Seriously, what kind of a self-respecting form of precipitation is snow? EVery other form of precipitation travels in a straight line. Rain comes down either completely perpindicular to the ground or at a slight angle. Hail comes straight down. Sleet comes straight down. But not snow. Oh no, snow Floats.

And what other form of precipitation sticks around and bleaches out the landscape. Too much rain browns the world with mud, but even that doesn't diminish the power of the green. even still, Rain doesn't take Months to disappear. Neither does Hail or even sleet. Only snow is so obnoxious.

Just a thought... Bet you never thought about it.

Guess what! In recent weeks I have managed to pick up 2 new reviewers. One of whom is actually making it a habit to review each chapter just like White Alchemist Taya. Kaikie, You rock! (The other I couldn't respond to privately because FFN didn't consider it a signed review, oh well.)

Rumiko Takahashi probably hadn't either.

P.S. There are only two more chapters until this part it done, and then you poor souls will have to deal with static until I get the next part finished up. Oh the nightmares you'll have... WEll deal with it, I've posted faithfully for nearly a year thus far. I'm taking a minor required vacation so to speak.

Immaturity Abounds

Kagome was coming to realize that life happened when she was stuck in school, and it wasn't the dull kind of life either. No, it was the really interesting kind of life that reality TV never quite manages to capture but tries really hard to compete with.

"I can't believe I missed all that while I was at school!" Kagome exclaimed, finding it difficult to understand. "You guys actually pushed Aki into utter collapse, relocated her to some mysterious youkai hospital, where she had a nervous breakdown because she was left alone in a sterile white room. And all before lunchtime." Kagome shook her head; "It's a wonder she puts up with any of us after what our good intentions have done to her."

"Hey!" Kaoru interrupted indignantly. "I'm not responsible for the stupidity of others while I'm not present!"

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha began harshly, "Well what about you blatantly going against what Loki ordered. You left her alone with Sesshoumaru."

"So did you," Kaoru defended herself.

"I don't follow Loki's orders," Inuyasha returned.

"Neither do I!"

"Yeah, but I don't have to put up with his wrath after I go back home," Inuyasha was sure to point out. There wouldn't really be much in the way of repercussions for his ignoring Loki's supposed rule. Kaoru on the other hand…

"I hate you!" Kaoru glowered at the hanyou.

"Would you two knock it off!" Kagome grumbled. "I can't believe you two are older than me! My brother acts more grown up than either of you!" the ninth grader declared as she pushed open the door to the strange building.

"He does not!" Inuyasha hollered indignantly. "Though he certainly seems to be more responsible than you!"

"You take that back, fat head!" Kagome screeched.

"What did you call me!"

"A fat head, you fat head!"

"My head is not fat!"

"Oh you're right, it's not your head that's fat it's your stupid ego!" Kagome yelled back.

"My ego is not stupid!"

"Ha! You're defending your ego and you don't even know what it is!"

"Shut up!" Inuyasha shouted, having nothing more clever to say.

"Children!" Kaoru yelled over the both of them. The ensuing silence was absolute. The enterprising female continued after a moment. "The rooms here may be sound proofed, but sound is only completely blocked if the door is completely closed and Aki's door wasn't."

Inuyasha blinked before he hung his head, but Kagome still didn't understand. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Aki was supposed to be resting and all the noise you guys were making may well have disturbed her sleep," Data answered before Kaoru could.

Kagome's eyes slowly grew to the size of saucers as a feverish gleam alighted inside them. In less than three seconds Kagome was down the hall and glomped onto the little male. "He's so cute!" she squealed.

"Ah! Get her off!" Data fairly screamed. This was one of the main reasons he hated going out in public. Everybody thought he was some cute little boy, but this instance may well be a lot worse. Kagome was all but claimed by the hanyou growling at him down the hall. "Help!"

Almost immediately Aki was behind him, wrapping her arms soothingly around his shoulders as she gently removed the dumbfounded teenager from his person. "Hello Kagome," Aki said quietly, her eyes slightly hooded to hide the remnants of her fatigue. "Data, this is Kagome. Kagome, this is Data my dear child-like, granther-aged medical technician."

"Eh?" Kagome asked in confusion as the words slowly seeped into her brain. "Ah, I'm terribly sorry," the girl flushed scarlet in embarrassment. "I'm still not used to seeing youkai on my side of the well," she offered in apology.

"It's okay, I just don't like to be touched," Data tried to reassure her gently as Aki removed her comforting touch.

"You don't mind the touch so much as the suddenness of it from strangers," Kaoru reached out to ruffle his hair.

Data growled ferally as he ducked from her hand. "Don't touch!"

Aki turned away from the group to walk sedately down the hall, the tips of her wings dragging feathers on the smooth floor.

"Oi, what happened to you and where's Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha called after her. The only response he received was an annoyed growl and Data's sardonic laughter. "What do you know?" he demanded from the shorter male.

"Sesshoumaru and Loki have both been put in time out," he blinked, "Or in prison depending on how you look at it." The demented little youkai cackled gleefully.

"What?" Kagome asked flabbergasted.

Data shrugged, "Nobody's precisely sure how they ended up where they are or why, but most of us figure Aki had something to do with it and that it happened shortly after you guys left and Loki returned."

"But that was hours ago!" Kaoru exclaimed in disbelief.

Data nodded, "yep, and they're still right where Aki left them."

"Why didn't somebody let them out?" Kagome asked feeling slightly sympathetic towards the two males locked up somewhere in the bowels of the building. "Better yet, why didn't they break out on their own?"

"The room Aki left them in was designed to withstand the full rage of a powerful demon lost to the power of their instincts so that they could not harm their fellow patients," Data explained. "The reason they were not immediately released is because nobody knew they were there in the first place."

"But you know now," Inuyasha pointed out.

Data rolled his eyes, "They were put there by Aki for a reason. We don't need the room right now so Mouse and I figured it wouldn't hurt anything to leave them where they were." Data suppressed a sadistic grin, "Besides, they're entertaining to watch. Neither of them is aware that people know where they are and watching them."

"I don't like the sound of that," Kagome mumbled with unease.

"Don't worry," Kaoru assured her. "Mouse won't let them hurt each other too much."

"Actually," Data decided to rain on her parade. "We'd probably wait until they knocked each other unconscious or incapable of bolting before doing anything. Then we'd go in, patch them up and leave before they can get out. Aki put them there and there they'll stay until she decides to let them out." His boyish face took on a look of mischief, "I was just going to ask Aki if I could tease them about it."

"I thought Aki was supposed to be resting after her collapse this morning," Kaoru said.

"She was, but we've found she's recovering a bit more quickly now that she's removed the bracelets and called her youkai features to bare," the voice of the pale healer floated down the hall.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked, pretty sure what Mouse had just said was something good but wanting to make absolutely certain even so.

"It means that the only way Aki could be in better shape now would be if she wasn't curse," Mouse replied as she continued to approach them. "Her main problems at this moment still include the un-healing gash, curse and some small amount of fatigue, but nothing like the debilitating exhaustion of before. Her fever is gone and her nervous system is not currently demonstrating any of the effects that arose this morning upon her collapse."

"So basically she's just as she was yesterday?" Kagome asked for clarification.

"For all accounts and purposes, yes," the healer replied not really needing introductions since everybody present already knew what was going on.

"Great! That means Aki's still cooking dinner," Kaoru hummed with delight.

"What did you pick up for her to make?" Data asked eagerly.

"I figured we hadn't had Italian for a while so," Kaoru motioned to her bag of groceries.

"Awesome!" Data Exclaimed. "I can't wait. Aki's cooking's the best!"

"You're making Aki cook?" Kagome was horrified. "Wasn't she brought here after a collapse?"

"Actually, Aki always insists on cooking," Kaoru soothed the girl. "Aki usually makes a quick and full recovery. She likes to extend her rare visits with Mouse and Data as long as possible for various reasons. Taking the time to actually cook a meal and then eat it with a group of people is a pleasant and plausible way to do it."

"Besides," Data cut in, "She's a safer cook than Tuck, who can't stand to spend any amount of time around Mouse anyway. When Aki found out how lousy a cook Mouse is – ow!" Mouse tugged on his ear blandly in reprimand. The boyish youkai glowered at his caregiver and grumbled petulantly under his breath.

"At any rate, Aki would've insisted upon cooking for us anyway," Mouse released Data's ear. "I think she enjoys cooking for us so we shouldn't over analyze it."

"Back to the subject of Sesshoumaru and Loki," Inuyasha spoke up.

"From what I've pieced together through watching them and the state Aki was in when I last checked on her before they were locked up, it appears they chose to have a pissing contest while she was trying to sleep," Mouse informed him dryly.

"A what?" Inuyasha blinked, he really wished some of the strange phrases could be weeded out of his most recent conversations; he didn't like feeling dumb.

"It's a phrase indicating an informal competition for dominance," Kaoru explained.

"Oh," Inuyasha replied. "Anybody know what started it?" Struggles for dominance he understood.

"My guess," Data began, "it had something to do with Loki's orders demanding Sesshoumaru not be left alone with Aki."

Inuyasha thought for a minute, "Yeah, that would do it."

"But it's unlike Sesshoumaru to fly off the handle over something so small," Kagome protested.

"Actually, when it comes to Aki it doesn't," Inuyasha corrected her.

"Plus several things have happened this morning to put him on edge," Kaoru reminded the girl.

"I guess so," Kagome mumbled absently. "Still, it was something so small, shouldn't we let them out?"

"Come ask her yourself if you're so concerned," Mouse turned to the lead the way.

"I'd rather go laugh at Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha mumbled and Data shared a conspiratorial laugh with him.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said sharply, instantly sobering the hanyou. "So where did Aki go?' she changed the subject abruptly.

"They had to stash her in Data's room," Kaoru answered. "Aki has a problem with sterile white medical rooms."

"Can't say I've ever heard of that," Kagome began thoughtfully.

"You have you just hadn't heard of it expressed that way," Data declared. "A lot of people just say they don't like hospitals, when really it's more specific than that. Aki chooses to be very specific. She doesn't mind Hospitals so long as she's not shut up in the sterile white rooms all by her-"

"Data!" Mouse interrupted him sharply.

The youthful youkai jumped at the hidden spur in the healer's voice. Aki's fears were not to be discussed until the woman revealed them herself.

"I stand bewildered and corrected," Kagome nodded to close the subject as they drew to a stop beside a door that was slightly ajar.

Mouse offered the girl an indulgent smile before pressing the door open.

"What did you do to my room?" Data managed to gasp in horror. The floor was completely cleared of everything, the stacks of books and clothes, his tools and various projects, all missing.

"I would think it was obvious," Mouse offered dryly. "She cleaned this room."

"It was clean!" Data all but screamed. "I'll never find anything now!"

"Then maybe you'll rethink the next time you laugh at somebody else's predicament," Aki spoke softly from her repose on the floor. "Especially when they are forbidden from doing the same to you." She cracked an eye open to send him a reproachful look.

"But," Data whine, "But my room. And I finally got it the way I wanted."

Aki rolled her eyes, "Tools are there, clothes put where they go and books stacked right there." All the places she indicated were outside the visible range of a person standing in the hallway. In all honesty she hadn't really cleaned, just shoved everything out of sight of the doorway. It wasn't neat; it wasn't really organized, just really pushed to the side. Her little brothers would have been so proud.

The sadness such a though normally would've engendered was cut down before it could take root. Company'll do that for you, especially noisy, nosy company.

"If this is what it looks like half cleaned I'd hate to see what it looked like before," Kagome mumbled.

"Thank you," Mouse said with subtle triumph. "What it was before couldn't possibly be considered clean by any stretch of the imagination."

"Oh shut up," Data grumbled.

"Actually it was merely cluttered," Aki declared mildly.

"See? Aki gets it," Data grinned at his pale housemate.

Mouse just snorted and looked away.

"If you're ready to get started," Kaoru broke in, "I bought stuff for dinner."

"Don't worry there's no Ramen," Kagome beamed.

"Keh," Inuyasha pouted.

"Like anyone would be stupid enough to waste Aki's cooking on such utter crap," Data declared.

"What am I making then?" Aki stood up fluidly. Her wings and tail had been banished to invisibility so she could move within the confines of the building with more ease. She'd found it a necessity when she'd tried to move Data's stuff around.

"Italian," Kaoru chirped happily. "I figured we hadn't had it for a while."

Aki nodded congenially, "Sounds good to me, and I actually feel hungry for a change."

Kaoru blinked, "Maybe Mouse had better check you over again. That's certainly not normal."

"You'd rather I don't cook?" Aki asked.

"She's fine! Clean bill of health and all that," Data yelled mock desperately. "Let me walk you to the kitchen."

Kaoru chuckled and whispered, "Never mess with that boy's food."

"Kaoru!" Mouse warned sternly.

"I got it, I got it," the businesswoman waved her away. Her visit wouldn't be complete if she didn't get at least one warning.

"Aki," Kagome called down the hall. "Could we let Loki and Sesshoumaru out?"

Aki paused and seemed to consider Kagome's words very carefully before giving her decision. "If they're done with their stupid posturing I suppose we can." Then she turned to continue on her way and stopped again. "On second thought, go ahead and let them out either way. Kaoru, do you think you can properly scold Loki down to two inches in height?" the American asked gently. "I'll take care of Sesshoumaru."

"You want me to scold Loki?" Kaoru asked incredulously. "Why would what I say matter? You're the one who knows what he's in trouble for."

"It sounded like you all had it figured out before," Aki assured her. "And Loki cares what you think of him, he'll listen. If he gives you trouble just threaten to force him out in public with full make up and braided hair." Aki returned to her quest for dinner without looking back.

"She's right you know," Inuyasha told Kaoru. "Loki's obviously considering you to mate."

Kaoru sucked her teeth, "stuff and nonsense."

Mouse just shook her head silently as she led the way to Loki and Sesshoumaru's prison. Kaoru wasn't likely to consider Inuyasha's words as more than hot air blown to inflate her confidence towards effectively scolding Loki.

Inuyasha greatly disliked having his words brushed aside so easily, especially when he knew he was right. He almost growled at the pink haired female, but Kagome soothed him with a hand on his arm and a soft smile. She shook her head gently just before Mouse stopped in front of yet another door.

"Wow," Kaoru breathed. "Aki must have been pissed. She picked the room farthest from where you were likely to look. How long did it take you to find them here?"

"Not as long as if might have, I had some test to run in the second lab down the hall," Mouse answered. "Otherwise it could've taken days."

"What could you possibly be running in the second lab?" Kaoru asked as Mouse opened the reinforced door.

"Nothing I'd care to disclose just now," Mouse replied.

"Where's Aki!" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"You leave her alone, you pompous assho-" Loki's voice sounded rather irritated.

"Loki!" Kaoru's eyes ignited. "That's quite enough out of you!"

Loki's eyes widened in horror. Kaoru looked quite ready to skin him alive. This couldn't possibly be good for his chances of getting the pink haired entrepreneur to fall for him.

Kaoru took a menacing step forward and Loki backpedaled. Women were unpredictable creatures, especially when angry.

"I'm afraid I'll need to borrow this room a little longer Mouse. It's bound to get noisy and I might get a little blood on the walls," Kaoru growled to the healer following Loki's retreat. "I'll try to contain the mess, but you know how Loki is. His phenomenal stupidity will hinder his ability to learn his lesson and I may have to beat it into him."

Mouse just nodded mildly and shut the door gently.

"They're not locked in there are they?" Kagome asked with worry.

"Not quite, though Loki may as well be," the healer answered and turned back down the hall.

"Hey where'd Sesshoumaru go?" Kagome asked in surprise.

"After Aki, where else?" Inuyasha pointed down the hall where the last of the older inu youkai's hair was disappearing around a corner. "And he just ran into Data out side his room," the hanyou's ear twitched.

Data was muttering under his breath about domineering cooks and messed up rooms. It would take him months to get everything straightened out again. He really wasn't paying attention until claws grabbed the front of his clothing and lifted him off his feet.

"Where is Aki?" came the gruff demand.

Oh this he didn't like, how dare this puffed up arrogant piece of ancient history exploit his height without explanation or cause! Data glared at the golden eyes narrowed down at him. "Not with me, obviously," Data grumbled angrily.

"Put him down immediately!" a voice Sesshoumaru recognized as Mouse's floated down the hallway. "Aki is still in the building you fool. It would be terribly difficult to find her after you've been thrown out!" the healer issued her icy threat.

Sesshoumaru turned and dropped Data with a frustrated growl. His eyes flashed briefly red before narrowing on them.

"She's in the kitchen," Inuyasha grumbled.

Kagome rolled her eyes, "It's that way," the girl pointed. "Follow the smell of food, that's what I would do."

"We aren't dogs!" Inuyasha growled. "We're dog demons!"

"I didn't say you were dogs, stupid!" Kagome yelled at the dog boy. "I said to follow his nose because he could, you fat head!"

"Do I have to come down there and separate you two?" Aki called down the hall from where she'd poked her head out of the kitchen. "That's quite enough."

"Sorry Aki," Kagome blushed with embarrassment.

Inuyasha crossed his arms, "Keh!"

"Osuwari!" Kagome muttered.

Mouse blinked down at the hanyou. "You might want to behave yourself while you're here. Most of the floors are reinforced concrete. I don't imagine they're too soft." Then the healer continued on her way with equanimity.

Data began to mutter with greater fervor as he walked into his room and firmly shut the door.

"Well now what do we do?" Kagome asked the mostly empty hallway.

Inuyasha pried himself off the floor and looked up at his almost constant companion. What could they do? He shook his head; everything that came to mind Kagome wasn't ready for.

"I think there was a lobby back towards where we came in, I could get a start on my homework," Kagome shrugged and began walking. She paused even with the door Aki had disappeared behind. "You think they're okay in there?"

Inuyasha glanced at her then at the door. "If they aren't, they're in the best place for the clean up."

Kagome laughed, "yeah, there's no better place to hurt yourself than a place where you can get it treated immediately." And they continued towards the lobby, leaving Sesshoumaru and Aki to take care of themselves.

In actuality, Sesshoumaru and Aki weren't really doing anything, as Aki had yet to acknowledge the youkai that had snuck into her kitchen. Perhaps the inu youkai kept his silence in fear speech would spur the cook into using her rather lethal looking chef's knife on him in an equally efficient manner as she used it on the vegetables on the cutting board. Perhaps he was just composing what to say.

Aki finished her chopping and transferred the result to the pot before starting on another ingredient. "I did not appreciate you and Loki nearly coming to blows while I was trying to sleep. I do not see why violence would result over something so asinine and normally I wouldn't care what you do, but you chose to hold the argument and very nearly the fight in a very cluttered room when I was present," she never looked up. She didn't even glance at him. "And over what? Something Loki said. Since when do I allow anyone, including you and Loki, to decide what will happen in my life, with who and when. I would think you had learned that much about me already."

Sesshoumaru blinked. She did have a point. Nobody told Aki what to do or how to do it. Occasionally she might take a suggestion, but Aki didn't take orders, not even from her own body unless she collapsed and then she only partially heeded it.

He'd been exceptionally stupid and given Aki yet another reason to disbelieve he wanted her for more than convenience. Was he never going to do this right? In anything else he could coolly plan and plot like an experienced tactician. But not with Aki.

"I will give you this though," she continued, not once changing the pace of her knife. "You didn't once refer to me as property. You got after Loki for it. You told Loki that he couldn't tell you what to do and did not once refer to me in or out of context in that statement." Finally, she looked at him. Her hair was pulled back out of the way and she wore a seemingly old apron. "You're learning. You're not there yet, but it really hasn't been that long." She turned back to her prep work.

Sesshoumaru gazed thoughtfully at the back of her head. Had he fallen so low in her opinion that such a small change seemed a big achievement for him? He could do better. He had always been able to do better than such small achievements.

The taiyoukai stalked up behind Aki as she slid the last of her ingredients into the pot. When she turned around abruptly he was practically on top of her, but she didn't appear surprised.

Wordlessly, he grabbed her hand and stepped back in order to draw her hand between them. Then Sesshoumaru dug into his pocket and pulled out her precious hair sticks and wrapped her fingers around them.

Aki stared at her hand a long time. Her grip tightening until he was afraid she would break the sticks. Instead she took a deep breath and sighed.

Then Aki stepped forward and hugged him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in her ear as he held her tight. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and whispered the words again. He had a lot to apologize for; he knew he did.

"Thank you," she whispered back, startling him. What did she have to thank him for? But Aki never said more.

He tightened his hold briefly before letting her go. "Aki," he began.

"Hmm?" she hummed at him when he stalled.

"I have, that is I want..." Sesshoumaru railed at himself. Now was not the time for such hesitation. "I have a request."

"What kind of request?" Aki turned back to stir the pot on the stove.

"I want to ask you to make me a promise," Sesshoumaru continued a little put off by her shift in attention.

"What kind of promise?" Aki asked gently.

"It won't be a difficult promise to make, that is I don't think it will be."

"That's nice to know."

"But it is kind of important – in a very quiet and personal way."

"I won't tell anyone," Aki answered.

"Well, I-"

"Yes?"

"That is, I'd like-"

"Go on," Aki was getting a little frustrated despite how cute it was to watch Sesshoumaru stumble through whatever the hell this was.

"Please promise me you won't let anybody else become your mate while I'm not with you."

Aki blinked. He wanted her to avoid mating someone else while he wasn't around? What, did he want to watch her with someone else? She almost laughed at the thought.

"What I mean is, I very much desire to have the chance to become mates again in the future. I know you refuse to consider it until you are no longer cursed and I can respect your reasons for feeling that way, but someday it will be gone, you know it will, and I want to know I'll have the first chance to have that honor. Or I at least want to be in the running before your decision is made," Sesshoumaru turned his back to her and winced. Oh she wasn't going to make the promise now. Why couldn't he have been more smooth?

Aki walked around the front of him and he tried desperately to hide the raw look in his eyes. She placed both her hands against his face and gently kissed his cheek. "If it will make you feel better, I will promise that so long as you still want me then, you can be certain you will be among the first in the ranks I would chose from." Aki smiled gently, "I'll go you one better, if you still want me then, you will be the only one I'd choose."

Sesshoumaru's heart lifted and he twirled her about the room before planting a firm kiss on her mouth. He barely restrained the laugh that bubbled up in his chest. She'd promised no one but him!

"Sesshoumaru!" Aki said sharply, barely concealing her amusement. "That day isn't today."

And he set her down. She was right. Sesshoumaru had said he respected her desire to wait until she wasn't cursed before rebuilding her family; he'd better act like it. He was just so happy she'd agreed. He no longer had to worry about it. It was so good to release the uncertainty.

Aki went back to the pot to stir it before replacing the lid.

"What are you making?" he asked just to have something else to think about.

"Spaghetti," she replied. "This is the sauce right now, it takes a while to cook. It goes over pasta that I'll make later." Aki hummed as she worked in the kitchen. "It's rare to find someone who knows how to make spaghetti sauce from scratch in this country. Then again, it's probably rare in a lot of countries. The dish originated from Italy," she smiled at him. "That's a world away from here. For a lot of people spaghetti and pizza are the most Italian you can get, though I prefer my alfredo."

Aki tasted her cooking and added a bit more basil.

"Well, I left him whimpering like a baby," Kaoru walked in briskly, interrupting Aki's pleasant humming. "Though I still think you should've done it." She blinked, "This one doesn't look any the worse for wear. Do you need me to scold him too? I'm on a roll, I could probably do it."

Aki smiled evilly at the matchmaker, "No need, he's perfectly glum. You just can't tell because he's in the same room with me and totally incorrigible."

"Ah, such magic your mere presence has wrought. You'll have to teach some of my more hopeless cases how to do that," Kaoru muttered.

"It is a natural ability, it can't be taught," Sesshoumaru declared presently.

"Is that so?" Kaoru laughed. "Well, you've got this one completely wrapped around your finger."

"Nah, I don't think so," Aki grinned. "And no you can't get a taste of the sauce now.

"But Aki," Kaoru started in her most reasonable voice.

"No," Aki pushed the lid down firmly and hid the spoon she'd used to stir with.

"Come on, just a little to moisten this piece of bread," Kaoru waved the piece of French bread she'd snitched from where Aki had just cut it.

"No bread. No sauce. Get out!" Aki ordered sternly.

"I bet you wouldn't kick Data out," Kaoru muttered.

"I already kicked Data out," Aki retorted.

"What? How could you be so cruel as to kick that poor old youkai out of the kitchen?" Kaoru tried to guilt Aki into letting her stay.

"The same way I'm kicking you out," Aki didn't feel guilty. "Now get out before I ask Sesshoumaru to escort you out."

"You're letting him stay," Kaoru whined.

"He's behaving himself," Aki replied.

"What if I promise to behave?" Kaoru asked.

"Too late now," Aki wasn't buying into that.

"Well fine," the pink haired matchmaker huffed and left the kitchen.

Sesshoumaru raised a questioning eyebrow at Aki.

"They all try to get a taste in before dinner, every time I cook," Aki explained. "You'd think there was a cash prize in it for the person that manages to pull it off."

"Has anyone succeeded?" the inu youkai inquired.

"Not yet," Aki shrugged. "One of these days I'll get smart and leave my cooking unattended for a few minutes after leaving out a decoy pot full of something foul tasting."

Sesshoumaru chuckled quietly, "That would teach them."

"Not likely," Aki muttered.

"Aki," Loki came in whining, "How could you sic Kaoru on me? I'm going to have nightmares for weeks!"

"Poor baby," she mocked him.

"The only chance for a cure is some of your cooking," Loki sighed dramatically.

"Then you'll get some…at dinner with everybody else," Aki replied.

"I can't wait that long!" Loki declared. "It'll be too late then. The nightmares will have set in for certain."

Aki patted his shoulder, "Then I guess you'll just have to prepare yourself to suffer through them."

"How could you be so cruel?" Loki cried.

"Go ask Kaoru," Aki suggested.

"No go, huh?"

"Not a chance."

"Damn," and Loki left.

Sesshoumaru's eyes were shiny with contained mirth.

"Guess who's next," Aki said to the side.

"Aki!" in walked Mouse.

"What?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to take a sample of what you're making so I can test it to make certain it can't cause you to relapse," Mouse declared seriously.

"Then I guess you can collect your sample at dinner when we eat," Aki replied.

"But you'll likely taste it between now and then," Mouse pointed out.

"Well then it's too late, I already tasted it," Aki mock gasped.

"You don't have to be so smug about it," Mouse declared sourly.

"You use the same excuse every time!" Aki cried. "It's hard not to be smug and sarcastic when I manage to come up with new ways to thwart you every time."

Mouse just turned around and left.

"Data's usually the worst one," Aki chuckled. "This time he declared, before I had even started cooking, that he'd be by for a taste later. I declared he would certainly get a taste of it – at dinner."

"Something smells good," Kagome walked in with Inuyasha at her heals, "you think I could get a taste of whatever smells so good?"

Sesshoumaru finally succumbed to his laughter. When Aki had said everybody would try to get a taste he hadn't realized she meant everybody, even the people that didn't know about it.

"What's so funny?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Oh don't worry about him," Aki smiled. "He's had a really stressful day. And you'll get to taste it at dinner Kagome, Along with everybody else." Muffled groaning sounded in the hall.

"What was that?" Kagome asked.

"Everybody else that was going to ask for a pre-dinner taste," Aki replied.

"Oh," Kagome blinked.

This was the weirdest hospital she'd ever been to!