A/N: Late, late, I'm very very late. It seems to be an understatement, oh I'm late, I'm late, I'm late.

Disclaimer: I ownz nothing.

All dolled up with peachy bright lipstick. No backing out of it now. Sure, she didn't love Kaoru. There was no denying the hots and warm fuzzies she felt for Kyoya. But she needed to try expanding out. She'd never dated before Miroku. Then again, she'd always hoped she'd find the one guy and that would be it, no having to search. Enough of her life had been spent searching.

Yes, guys had pursued her but she'd accepted no one. At least she could choose her own suitors rather than being set up on a blind date with Hojo.

Nervous habit had her slipping out her necklace to trace the simple band at the end as she remembered the night he'd proposed. The one guy she'd finally accepted. Leaning against her window she didn't even see the trees. Just a firm memory in her head from a lush forest in a place lost to time and cities.

She was cuddled in the arms of her sweetheart as they watched the stars peeping into view from a spot on a log. He'd wrapped his purple robe around her shoulders. Winter was coming. "I love this," she murmured dreamily. She always loved when he held her. She didn't feel safe, not when they were being attacked all the time, but she did feel loved. It made her hope for the future and the day that they would be undeniably safe from enemies. No more running or looking over their shoulders.

He froze. "You know, we could stay like this all the time."

"If we did that we wouldn't get any shards hunted." Always so literal.

"No, I mean…" She knew he was getting serious when he wasn't groping her ass. He stared down at their entwined fingers before violet eyes rose to stare at her amiably. "I know I'm just a monk. If you want riches, I'll find them." He was getting excited. "The world can be our oyster. I'll move mountains if you want." Every sentence grew with momentum. "I don't know how, but I'll find a way. Nothing's impossible-"

She placed a hand over his mouth to shut him up. "Miroku, what exactly are you saying?"

He pulled her hand from his mouth. He held it with the cursed one. Fate deemed him unfit for anyone, but she didn't think so. Kagome was the first woman to boldly hold that hand and not shirk away from it in fear. His other hand fumbled around in his pocket before slipping something over her ring finger. And then he asked well worn words that had never meant anything until then. "Kagome, will you bear my child?"

A second later they were limbs and legs as Kagome launched on Miroku in a full blown out kissing assault. "Yes! Yes!"

"You'll marry me?!"

"I'll marry you!" Happy tears wet both of their faces.

"Finally!" He gave her a long tender kiss that turned her stomach to goo before pulling away to tease her. "Way to make me wait forever!"

Which prompted the question, "How long have you been thinking about this, Miroku?" She waved the ring on her finger. The fact that he had a ring prepared… he'd been carrying it around for some time.

"Weeks. Inuyasha filled me in on the ring stuff in your time, but I didn't think of actually asking til now." There was nothing impossible, just hard to obtain thus requiring a longer wait in his eyes. Miroku was used to biding his time for what he wanted most. His eyes may have held a shine for Sango once upon a time, but their original target had always been Kagome. He'd been mesmerized by her, but pushed aside those desires when he'd seen the way she and Inuyasha had interacted. He should've went with his gut instinct and pursued her. Oh well, things happened for a reason. And it was all the sweeter now. It was a reason why he'd always evaded promises to wife the demon slayer. His heart had never been fully in it. "Wench, you had to wait so long to say yes." He slapped her rear and she punched him in the arm.

They'd known that they would be happy.

The war with Naraku had yet to come, but that was why they had needed that moment to cherish what they'd never known before. True love.

She shook her head free from memories. Miroku had often laughingly told her what a hindrance Inuyasha had been to his true conquest.

She still missed Miroku. God did she miss him that sometimes it hurt. But thankfully her sorrows had grown to a dull ache by now with the months of school and new friends keeping her occupied. On some mornings she woke up expecting a grab at her ass only to be disappointed when nothing happened. It was easier than it had been. Every not-so-subtle grope, every kiss and sigh, and most of all she missed how well he'd treated her.

But you couldn't remain in the past.

The hotheaded priestess might have agreed to this date out of spite, but it was also to prove to her late-husband that she could move on. If she didn't start stretching her legs she would get nowhere.

After nights of thinking, her anger for Kyoya had depleted. He never did anything without reason.

A simple tuck, a quick pat, and the necklace was back under her shirt right before she reached for two pairs of earrings trying to decide. "Those," said Shippo pointing. She slid on the little rose-shaped earrings as Shippo plopped on her bed. He'd been watching from the doorway silently. "I like Kaoru and I know you do too," he stated. She'd wondered when her son would rear up with his version of 'the talk'. "But you don't like him as much as you like Kyoya." He pawed a pointy ear with his sharp nails in a gesture similar to Inuyasha. And she reached out for the nail clippers and took his paws in her hands. No matter how he masked things, his nails still existed and could be felt. He wasn't that advanced in his powers yet.

Clip. Clip. Clack.

Sometimes Shippo couldn't understand humans. Why didn't they rely on instinct when it was screaming at them? "Why can't you two just be together?" Kagome wished she knew the answer to that question too. "He's your intended mate."

She paused and chuckled before writing down on her notepad that Haruhi had bought her. Light blue covered in bunnies. Classic sign that Haruhi was still a girl at heart.

Since when did you think I needed a mate?

"Don't you feel it, mama?" He scrunched up his nose. He couldn't place his paw on it, but something about Kyoya felt right. Like he fit just being with Kagome. Kind of in a familiar way. "He's the one."

She tisked and placed aside the nail clippers. It was enough having her own kid prophesize who she was meant to be with. She reached over and pulled her growing kitsune's against her chest hugging him. His nose tweaked a bit as he caught a smell from the window. "Kaoru's here, mama."

She reached over for Shippo's book bag on the floor and pulled out his agenda to steady her nerves. Yup. No matter what time period there were always the first date jitters. There were also the anxieties about leaving her kit, her son, behind to date someone. "I know, I know. I'll do homework while you're out." He pawed at her hands that smoothed over his hair. "Will you check it for me tonight?" He wasn't used to not being the center of Kagome's world, but he wanted to see her smile more. However, Shippo also wasn't ready to give up all of her attention, which was why he plied her for a promise for later. She nodded. He dutifully crawled back onto her bed to begin homework.

Shippo was an avid student. This chance was one that would've never been granted had he been stuck in the past. The son of a pauper family unable to afford schooling, but here it was offered to everyone. He'd always been jealous of how Kagome could read to him when they traveled and now he was happy to read to anyone who would listen. Trips to the library were a weekly thing.

Kagome stood in a pair of well-fitted jeans and patted down her peachy tank top. Out of the skillet and into the fire. She planned on giving the Host Club a run for their money at tracking. That's why she'd chosen sneakers. Hopefully, Kaoru was as good at running as he was at mischief. She rolled the hackles of her shoulders back at the challenge and smirked. It was time to outfox her friends.

Dammit! They'd just lost them! Kyoya and the club members were scouting high and low all the while Hikaru leaned against a lamppost radiating smugness.

"Aww! We don't get to see the date!" whined a teary eyed Honey. They were all wearing what they deemed everyday clothes, outfits that could've paid a month of electricity bills. Tamaki was crying against Mori's jacket at not being able to protect his other daughter from a knave.

"Looks like she doesn't want to be caught by you," sang Hikaru just rubbing salt in Kyoya's displeased mood. Tracing Kagome on his own phone was out of the question. And apparently Kaoru had turned his phone off. Wherever they were they were well out of reach.

While Kyoya fumed, Haruhi walked around the pole and prodded Hikaru's shoulder. She'd put two and two together. "You know where they went." A part of the reason they'd lost the duo was because of Haruhi's outfit. She was wearing cargo pants, a baggy shirt that swallowed her and made her more child-like, and pink barrettes in her honey brown hair. Tamaki had flipped out, thus costing the group the very moment when Kaoru and Kagome ducked away.

Hikaru crooked a finger. She appeased his wishes and leaned in. "Of course I do. I helped him decide."

"So, where'd they go?"

He glanced back at Kyoya who was using Tamaki's phone to call Kagome. Hikaru threw an arm around Haruhi's shoulders and guided her down the sidewalk for privacy. Her cheeks pinked and Haruhi glanced the other way pretending to be uninterested. He caught her chin and tugged it back. "The zoo." A grin spread from ear to ear. Hikaru cast an eye back at the group. Kyoya was leaving a message on Kagome's phone, Tamaki was fighting to take it from him so he could leave a message too, Honey was excited he'd found change on the sidewalk, and Mori was peering through a shop window at antique swords.

For a moment Hikaru considered if he should take his chance now with the rest of the Host Club so easily distracted.

Hell yeah!

"So Haruhi, what're your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Grocery shopping," she replied.

"Can you help me find Kaoru a birthday gift? I want it to be a surprise and you know those guys can't keep secrets." He cast a thumb in the direction of the others. Haruhi glanced at them. Hikaru was right. There was no keeping anything secret from the Host Club. They would run their mouths at first signs of a surprise.

"Sure."

Hikaru would have jumped for joy and congratulated himself but that would've been too obvious. Oh, naïve Haruhi. His and Kaoru's birthdays weren't until June, not that she had to know. "Once the coast is clear, I'll text you when I'm picking you up."

"Hey Hika-chan. Where are you and Haru-chan going?" Honey's squeaky voice chirped and they were now the focus of attention. Tamaki ran between them waving a red flag.

They'd just lost the group who'd been dogging them. There was no being inconspicuous for that lot. Kaoru spared a glance at his batch of directions. "Don't worry. I know exactly where we're heading." He'd memorized them over and over and wasn't about to ask anyone for help. It went against the man-code to ask for directions on a date. She tried to peek at the paper in his hands, but he spun around with it behind his back. "I'm not telling you where we're heading."

About twenty more minutes they walked in silence with Kaoru inconspicuously having his fingers brush her hand every so often. He and Hikaru were so used to comforting one another with an arm slung over a shoulder or batting at each other. When he brushed her hand a fourth time she reached out and tapped his shoulder.

She had an antsy look and he had the gall to laugh. "No, I'm still not telling you. So stop asking, Kagome." She stuck her tongue out. "Besides, it's the next street over." She went to run forward, but he tugged her hand right back. "A surprise is meant to be a surprise y'know. You're as bad as Hikaru sometimes." A bit of the weight fell off his shoulders at someone with a bit of his brother's spirit. It was familiar to him.

A few minutes more and Kagome found she was appropriately dressed as Kaoru dragged her to the zoo. It had been his plan alpha he'd spent the night before thinking up with Hikaru. The backup plan was just winging it. "I know it isn't fancy or anything, but I thought you might like it," he said, paying their tickets in cash. He had more money in that wallet than she had in her bank account.

She nodded and as soon as they were past the ticket booth and began trailing over to the animal petting booth that greeted them to the left. He shook his head and followed after. Of course Kagome would love wild animals. She got along with the Host Club didn't she?

It was hard to approach things without Kaoru by his side. Normally, he took the lead knowing that Kaoru would be right behind following him. But this dating business was different. This wasn't between him, Kaoru, and a group of drooling fans. This was one-on-one. Sadly, Haruhi was unaware that this was a date which made it all the harder to pursue.

And her mind wasn't exactly on him, although he took all the blame for that. "What do you think Kaoru would like, Hikaru? Clothes?"

"Nah, our mom's a fashion designer." They were swamped in the latest fashions because their mother was the top fashion designer in Japan.

Haruhi cutely wrinkled her nose. "How do rich kids buy each other things if they don't need anything?"

"Well, we want everything," he stated. He coveted her even, but he wasn't bold enough to say that.

"That's just being spoiled," muttered Haruhi as they trailed to the snack aisle. Weird flavored snacks. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw them.

He balked. "Cantaloupe flavored cookies? Banana?! Commoners eat this sort of thing?"

They were so much alike. The entire Host Club when it came to surprising them. "I think we should get Kaoru a bag of goodies for his birthday," she proposed. "Has he ever gotten one before?" She knew the answer, but wanted Hikaru to suggest it so he would feel he had a hand in deciding what to get his brother.

"Not of commoner food," remarked Hikaru. If this really were Kaoru's birthday present he knew his twin would be pleased with the gift more than any fancy gadget.

The two wound their way through the store. Haruhi was learning not just what Kaoru liked but also what Hikaru liked with every stop they made for a new item. "I love strawberry pocky. I don't know how Kaoru can eat milk flavored," he grimaced. When he glanced the other way Haruhi added a hefty bit of strawberry to her own shopping basket.

They'd been all over the park trying to guess each other's favorite animal. Kaoru was enjoying it because for once someone was listening to him and he didn't have to pretend interest like he did with host's guests. "Mmm, how 'bout the flamingo?" She snorted and popped a caramel corn in her mouth. Highly unlikely she'd pick something so ostentatious. That seemed more like Tamaki. He reached into the bag of sweetened popcorn. "Maybe the dolphins we saw earlier." She shook her head. "Okay, you've got to give me a hint. Water or land?"

She signed back.

"Land." It was actually pretty fun. "That just makes things harder." They were actually standing in front of her favorite animal.

Kagome would've never admitted it was her favorite animal aloud in the Feudal Era because Inuyasha would have heartily complained and Kouga would have taken it as a full out invitation to courtship. She stared at the wolves. One was lazing about in the sun while a she-wolf was licking at her pup. She felt a comradeship with them. They traveled in packs and watched their kin. She'd seen firsthand how they protected their own. "The wolf?"

She nodded and her fingers spoke as his mouth read aloud. "They mate for life." In his own way Miroku had been a lone wolf of sorts and he'd been drawn to her pack. "They're loyal too." She felt like she was quoting Kouga. In fact, as she stared at the wolves she had the oddest feeling that they understood her. One of them, the largest and probably the alpha of the pack, seemed to be watching her. The way it tossed its head and the fanged grin it flashed her was so Kouga.

Around the pack of mangy wolves Kagome seemed at home. Everything around her looked softer as she leaned against the metal bars. His soft inquiring voice entered her ears. "Where did you travel?"

She bit her lip and stared at the wolves as if searching for an answer. Wolves were blunt and honest. "You don't have a passport so you can't have gone far. You're a mystery. Probably why Kyoya took to you." No matter where she went or who she was with Kyoya had a way of getting into the conversation if not her thoughts. He seemed to be rooted in her mind.

She wrote down on the notepad she carried in her pocket and passed it to him. "You didn't leave Japan?"

"No." The one word she never screwed up.

"You traveled Japan?" He took a stab at it and she nodded. She knew Japan like the back of her hand. If you needed to go somewhere far off she could tell you exactly how long it would be to get there on foot and where the scenic spots were. Or rather, where they'd been hundreds of years ago.

They took to walking again. Kagome spared a look at a tiger they passed and thought of Kirara. Nekozawa's ancestor. What would a tiger look like as a human? Bright orange hair or golden white like the crest of its chest? "That's Hikaru's favorite." He smirked widely. "I've tricked you Kagome," he admitted with a lazy stretch. She cocked her head. "I don't have a favorite."

She smirked and scribbled on the note pad. He glanced over her shoulder. "I look like a fox person?" Shippo was positive the twins had been fox demons in a past life.

Thinking about what sort of animals her friends would be, it was no surprise that her mind automatically went to Kyoya. A panther. Sleek and dark. Predatory. And when he stretched after long days at the club with his shirt lifting up to reveal that sensuous happy trail… her thoughts sank haplessly to the gutter.

"Yo, Kagome? You still on planet earth?" She'd had a dreamy look on her face. She snapped back to scratch at her head embarrassedly.

He did not want to know who'd put that expression there.

They'd already spent over two hours together. This date had gone pretty well, then again, he didn't really have anything to base it on for comparison.

Like any child of the twenty-first century he had turned to the internet for help in his dire moment of need.

It had backfired in his face.

It had told him to keep up a steady stream of conversation.

Well, his date was mute.

He tried to come up with another point on the websites.

They'd told him to be considerate of his date. Kaoru reached into the bag of caramel corn and made a face when it was empty. How could he not be considerate of her? She beat him to eating the entire bag, little miss sweet tooth.

"When do you need to be home, Kagome?" She was no longer beside him though. He spun around to find Kagome frozen in front of the cheetah's den. Kaoru hustled over to her.

Pure terror was etched on her face.

But there was a fence between her and it. A huge gauge was there that the animal could never cross to get to anyone. "Kagome?" The large feline was growling and glaring. It sensed her fear.

All she saw was spotted fur stretched over taut slinky muscles that could catch up to you in a second.

And Kagome was no longer there.

Or rather. At that time and place.

She could feel the harsh breathing of it on her neck as it slammed her against one wall after the other in quick successions.

The sharp stabbing pain in her ribs when it reared a clawed hand at her.

The fangs that bared at her and Miroku as they battled the cheetah demon whom Kikyou had joined with when she'd gone to Naraku's side.

Past memories of toying yellow eyes that glowed ominously in the dark cave. They beckoned her to try her best to survive.

She could even smell the blood it had already shed from its last victims.

The sound of Shippo's whimpers and Rin's muffled sobs bounced off the walls.

This one's tail flickered mirroring the tail of the cheetah demon that had cornered her. This one was less deadly though.

Kaoru grabbed Kagome's shoulders and pulled her from the line of sight of the cheetah. Her past vanished before her eyes launching her back to the present as Kaoru dragged her far from the Alley of Cats. "I didn't know you were scared of cheetahs." There was an unasked question hanging at the end of that. Why? But Kagome was thankful this was Kaoru and not Hikaru. Kaoru knew when a subject shouldn't be broached.

Trying to distract someone of Hikaru's character hadn't been as hard as expected. Haruhi had given away a handful of change and told him to go try win a toy from the crane game. He'd given a curt salute before taking off while she paid for her basket of groceries.

Haruhi shook her head when she grabbed her bags and caught him thumping the machine and calling it a no-good-money-eater. He didn't look rich at that moment. He looked like your normal aggravated teenager. She rifled through her bags for a moment, switching her groceries to one and the gifts to the other bag.

"Hikaru," she called, getting his attention. Oddly enough it was a kind of relief hanging out with Hikaru. Unlike Tamaki he didn't swing her around and embarrass the snot out of her. He didn't charge her for things like Kyoya. Didn't adorably beg her for sweets and eat her out of her special emergency stash of goodies. He also was easy to keep conversation with and not broody in appearance like Mori.

Without Kaoru by his side he spoke enough for the two of them full of jitters. She'd originally thought that he wouldn't be up to it without his brother. Haruhi had noticed Hikaru was actually the more skittish one when it came to people even though he carried himself with such smugness most of the time. "Come on. I need to get home to cook tonight."

He sighed. Sad that he hadn't managed to snag a prize out of that machine for Haruhi. Obediently, the boy who was used to taking orders from no one, trailed after Haruhi with bags in hand.

A young man who hadn't been used to anyone encroaching on his and Kaoru's world much less offered a hand out to anyone who wasn't his brother. "Want me to carry your bags for you Haruhi?"

When he'd first joined the club he and Kaoru had been searching for a new entertainment and possibly finding out more about Tamaki. It was no longer the case as they were honestly enjoying themselves now. "Thanks Hikaru."

Kagome had been sitting on a bench, but seeing a little one tumble had sent her rushing over and immediately forgetting what had shaken her in the first place. Kaoru had dutifully left to buy her a bottle of water.

She helped up the child who oddly enough wasn't crying over a tumble like most little girls did. "Thank you missus."

Polite little thing.

Kagome bobbed her head at the girl with mousy brown hair tied up in a pink ponytail. Motherly instinct took over and she pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket and began wiping at the bit of blood scraped on the child's hands. Having Shippo underfoot prepared her for everything.

"Kagome," said Kaoru, coming towards them and capturing the child's attention. Kagome used that distraction to send a shimmer of healing powers over the girl's palm. A flash of pretty gold eyes landed on her face.

"You're different," stated the child. The one thing Kagome had yet to master. No matter what slight of hand she pulled or distraction she offered, Kagome couldn't tamper down the shine that followed from the efforts of her power. This child had caught the briefest glow and the little girl gazed down at her unmarred skin.

Pretty damned quick to have caught that.

Fervent prayers hoped this girl wouldn't say anymore.

Without any offered explanation, Kagome took the bottle from Kaoru and wiped off the perspiration with the handkerchief to use to rub off the blood from a missing wound. "Who's the kid?"

The priestess shrugged nonchalantly and stood up, patting the child on the head before turning around with Kaoru. This child could compromise what she was and children were always inquisitive. It would be hard to explain to Kaoru. Maybe she should pull a Sesshomaru and intimidate this kid so she wouldn't say anything. Kagome straightened up and cast a look over her shoulder to the child that ordered, 'Leave me alone.'

Not two minutes later there was a brave tug on her shirt. Kagome stopped walking only to have the child collide with her leg. Kaoru snickered. "What's your name? Daddy says it's improper not to know someone's name when they've helped you." It sounded like a well recited lesson. Her tiny fingers were the only thing to fidget as she hastily added, "And I want to be your friend." Ah hell. Given that response it was hard to ignore the kid.

At least she wasn't spouting off that Kagome was a superhero or something. The priestess stooped down and touched her throat. She'd hate to sound stupid to this child by trying to talk when she was still working on syllables. "Kagome," answered Kaoru, stooping down beside her.

"Kagome," squeaked the little girl. She had to be seven and easily excited. "That's my name too! But my last name's Taisho. What's yours?"

"Higurashi," answered Kaoru once more. The youngster stared between them, looking back and forth, before her brows scrunched up and she leaned forward so that she was cute round nose to nose with Kagome. "Does your throat hurt?"

Kaoru and Kagome moved to sit on the grass where quite a bunch of people were picnicking. He explained for his date, "She lost her voice. But she has a special language you have to use to speak to her." He had her wrapped around his finger. Kaoru may have only started wooing girls with his brother a year or so ago, but he was good at what he did. He was the sugar to Hikaru's salty flavor and girls couldn't get enough of that combination. "Kagome understands us, but you have to speak another language for her to speak back and for you to understand." He waggled his fingers like a showy magician. "With your hands."

"Oh cool! Show me! Show me!" Her enthusiasm to learn something new reminded Kagome oddly of Sango. Heck, she kind of looked like her. The miniature Kagome had a good strong arm on her as she tugged on Kagome's hand. The priestess turned to Kaoru to spell and he read each letter to her and then said the sentence.

"She has eyes like you," he repeated verbatim. Kaoru's face glowed and this time he was the one leaning forward to peer at the little girl with pretty honeyed eyes. "You're right. Although I don't know if her eyes are as pretty as mine." He batted his lashes at the older Kagome making her roll her own eyes. Guess the twins were similar in the ego department.

"Nu-uh. My eyes are prettier! And I don't have eyes like you, I have eyes like daddy." An impertinent one with her nose primly in the air with full snub on.

"And she acts like Hikaru," added Kaoru.

"Whose Hikaru?"

"My twin."

"My cousins are twins," said the little girl excitedly.

"And how do you tell them apart?"

"Miro smells nicer than Ship." Kagome laughed at the little Kagome's answer and the girl balked at the pretty noise. "You can't talk, but you laugh really pretty." This older woman was peculiar. She'd never met someone like this. As her father would say, this woman was 'intriguing' for sure. A real live priestess! Her daddy had told her they didn't exist anymore aside from her auntie. Boy, would he be surprised.

Kaoru was aiming to hear more of the older Kagome's laughter. He couldn't get enough of it. Besides, he was willing to do extra to swing the pendulum of affection away from Kyoya and in his direction. Dealing the comical card always swayed the girls from one host to him and his brother. "How do I smell?" He asked the girl and boldly leaned forward.

She got a good whiff and answered, "Like paint and popcorn."

Now that was odd. He'd been sure to wash off the paint he'd used this morning. It was one of his secret hobbies that no one knew about. Til now. The speculative look Kagome gave him made his face flush. "I like painting," he admitted. It was a girly thing that Hikaru teased him about in private, but he could spend hours at an easel creating something.

"How does Kagome smell?"

The little girl sniffed Kagome and froze before bestowing a smile that lit up brighter than the stars.

And the priestess suddenly knew watching this child's nose flare out that this was no ordinary child. "Like a fox," she answered. The younger Kagome's face matched the elder, both confused.

The younger was taken aback.

This priestess smelled like a fox demon.

The older was blindsided.

This was a demon's child.

This little girl was so young and so well hidden. Even Shippo's masking spell didn't work around her. Sure, he looked human, but she could feel his powers.

"How did you get such a pretty name?" Kaoru snapped Kagome out of her trance. She'd been staring at the little girl who'd been gawking right back.

The child scooted closer to Kagome, believing her to be a fox demon with possible healing powers. She confided, "I'm named after my mommy's best friend. She died a long time ago."

Kagome made a motion and Kaoru explained, "That means 'I'm sorry'." The miniature Kagome copied the action. She was quite a chatter box. Her shy eyes blinked up at Kaoru as she clutched onto Kagome's shirt. The older Kagome swung her blue eyes to Kaoru's speckled gold and she raised a brow and jerked her head at the smaller Kagome while mouthing the word 'parents' to him.

"Where are your folks?"

"Mama dragged daddy into the store so I ran away to see the tigers. They remind me of our kitty at home."

And suddenly the 'Oh-Shit!' look flew onto Kagome and Kaoru's faces. "Won't you get in trouble?"

Her reply to Kaoru was a careless one worded answer. "Hnn." And the girl stood up to brush off the grass from her pretty pink skirt. She froze in her actions and lifted up her face in a way that mirrored Shippo's when sensing someone near. "I've got to go. Daddy's angry." She hastily took off ducking through the crowd. By the time they'd gotten up both Kaoru and Kagome could see through the crowd a glowering back with a long black ponytail. They could hear the girl shout out her joy at seeing her parents and her profuse apologies.

Kagome shook her head. She was more than glad to be waylaid from what could've been impending trouble from worried parents.

"Kids," muttered Kaoru. "Was Shippo ever like that?"

She cast him a 'You have no idea' look. He took her hand and dragged her off just as a balloon cart passed by. "Want to head home?" She nodded and he tugged her to the exit.

"But mommy, I was safe. I prowmise," vowed Kagome Taisho, standing taller than before with a stiff back like she was making a solemn oath. She acted far too much like her father sometimes, though she had her mother's mouth.

Her mother's brown ponytail bounced as she shook her head and continued brushing off the grass from the bubble gum pink skirt. "I don't care if the person was nice Kagome, you've got to learn to mind us." Sesshomaru looked towards the direction his daughter had come from, but a balloon cart obstructed his view.

Kagome gave a pointed answer in return. "My instincts said she wasn't a threat and the boy with her was nice too. Besides, she smelled like a fox." Her father shook his head. Sometimes their daughter really reminded them of her namesake for how trusting she was. "It was weird though, because I thought she was a priestess at first. Daddy, can foxes heal people?"

"Hnn, some may."

"And mommy she had the same name as me, but she couldn't talk."

Her mother and father got on either side of her and held her hands every once in a while swinging her up just to hear her giggle. "But her last name was different."

"Hnn. As it would be," stated her father.

"It was Higurashi." And as her daddy was about to lift up again her mother refrained from moving. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

"Sango?" Her father asked.

Sango let go and spun around looking through the crowd. "Where were they, Kagome?" At the silence that followed Sango swooped down and grabbed her daughter's shoulders very lightly, urgency in her eyes. "Where did you see this girl?" Her daughter pointed in a direction and Sango immediately picked her daughter up and started heading that way. Her husband's long strides caught up with her. He always managed to look like he was taking his time. Never for a single day in his life had he ever looked hurried for anyone. "Sesshomaru, Higurashi was Kagome's last name," stated Sango. "Its way past the time she came through the well." They'd counted to the five-hundredth year.

They'd even visited her home.

Once.

For the birth of their friend, but after that they'd promised themselves no interfering. It hurt Inuyasha the most to be away from his best friend and her family. The only reason they hadn't returned was for the fact that she was supposed to be dead by now. It would only hurt the family more and they'd all decided to let the Higurashi's think what they would rather than know that their daughter was dead. Sometimes not knowing was the better solution than having your worst fears confirmed.

Sango's words sped Sesshomaru's feet and they made it to the grass where their daughter had been sitting. Sesshomaru could smell his daughter's scent along with two others. "Could she still be alive, Sesh?" He sniffed around. It was five hundred years, and although other demons weren't able to recall at the drop of a hat the scent of someone, he was able to pick up the smell on this bright sunny day when there was no rain to sweep away a scent.

When his golden eyes swung to his wife he confirmed her deepest hopes. "Hnn. It's her. The fox smell was the kit."

"Sure of it?"

"Positive." Shippo and Kagome were both alive! And so ensued the tracking. Sesshomaru reached out and guided his wife by the small of her back.

"Kagome, what did she look like?"

"She had pretty blue eyes like the sky. And black hair like Aunt Rin's." Yup, that fit Kagome's description.

"Can you guess how old she was?" Though demon children aged relatively slow, half-demons as well, and lived for hundreds of years before they hit maturity they acted like kids. They were able to maintain a youthful innocence like humans until they hit what was deemed 'puberty' in their culture. But they didn't miss the difference between themselves and humans. They could read the years on a human's face and were very accurate in guessing their age.

The little one pondered for a moment. She always wanted to be positive of her answers. "Eighteen." One year apart from the age Kagome was when she disappeared.

"Are you sure she wasn't seventeen?"

"Her tag said she was a junior at Ouran." Always a good eye for detail like Sesshomaru.

A junior should be seventeen, but the hitch was the academy.

"Kagome never went to Ouran, she went to Osaka High School." Sango's gait was practically walking on air. "Sesh, it's been too long. She's alive."

"And she can't speak," said Sesshomaru as he came to the end of the line where a car had picked her and her companion up. The trail was still there. He could follow the slow moving vehicles of today no matter how 'advanced' they were in speed. Nothing could ever trump Sesshomaru's swiftness. He ducked into an alley, wrapped an arm around his wife's waist, and summoned his cloud and a cloaking spell to hide their ascent to the sky. And then the real chase took place with Sango holding onto their daughter.

The most damning walk he'd ever faced. Strolling alongside Haruhi to her apartment complex. Hikaru shyly scratched his head. "Have a good night Haurhi." All instincts screamed at him to do more. To act on more. But he wouldn't. He wouldn't risk scaring her off.

The elder twin turned away and began walking back towards the awaiting car.

Haruhi watched him and the butterflies of nerves fluttering in her stomach were squished. She couldn't let him go like that. Not when she had this chance! This opportunity to let him know without anyone interfering! "Hikaru. Wait!"

He stopped in his tracks as she caught up to him and just as he'd turned around she pressed something into his hands. "A grocery bag?"

"This one's for you. Happy Birthday Hikaru!"

He felt so guilty for the little fib and was about to come clean with it. Just as he opened his mouth to apologize, well, Haruhi beat him to the punch and swooped in… or rather, swooped up, on tippy toes. Tthere was a warm pair of lips on his own. He couldn't even think straight as she kissed him, two bold hands holding onto his shoulders so she could get a more steady grip. He dropped the groceries and his hands held her waist as he tilted his head to fully access the first kiss he'd ever received. His timid lips grew bolder and a thumb gently pressed her waist. Pink faced Haruhi pulled away.

"Night Hikaru." And like that she darted back to the groceries she left by the apartment steps and ran up to her home.

And that was how Haruhi got her first male-female kiss. And the queerest thing of all, aside from it being with Hikaru… it was incredible.

A/N: Yeah, Haruhi needed a moment of boldness. I highly recommend it.