Kagome opened the door to her family home. "I'm back!"

Kara Higurashi stepped out from the living room to greet her daughter. "Kagome, you're rather late tonight." Her dark eyes scanned her daughter, seeing the exhaustion in her drooping frame.

"Yeah," Kagome answered, removing her coat and shoes. "Nonstop all day, and then I had to go to the station and finish paperwork. I'm beat."

Smelling the smoke emanating from her daughter, Kara jumped into action. "Well dear, head upstairs for a shower. I'll go heat you a plate and bring it up for you, okay?"

Sending her mother a grateful smile, Kagome moved to do just that. "Thanks, mama!" A shower was just what she needed!

As the hot water streamed over her skin, Kagome thought about her family and all the things that had brought her to this point. She had been an A student in high school, and had been taking the first core college classes at the same time. Her aim was medical school and she was well on her way, when her father was diagnosed with cancer.

She'd had to pull back from her extra studies to help her family. She'd assisted her mom in caring for her dad, both at home and ferrying him to doctor appointments. She'd helped her grandfather with the shrine, and small though it was being the only Shinto Shrine in the upstate New York area, it had taken up a great deal of time. She had cared for her younger brother Sota, getting him up, fed and off to school each day. She had also helped him with homework and attended his soccer matches.

Eventually, Kagome had taken a job to help supplement their income and her dreams of medical school had vanished like fog under the sun. Her father had lost his battle, and it had taken a few years before they were all back on their feet, both emotionally and monetarily. The shrine now had several volunteers that lessened her grandfather's load, her mother was back at her job teaching kindergarten in the local elementary school, and Sota was a freshman in college studying for who knew what. He was still undecided.

She herself had eventually managed to fit in classes for her EMT certificate, and now, here she was. It wasn't the big dream of her own office with her name on the door but it payed the bills and let her fulfill the need to help people through medicine.

As she stepped out of the shower and dried off with a fluffy towel, she thought back to earlier that night at dispatch. Koga Ookami was her superior, and did nothing to hide his interest in her.

"You know you're welcome to crash at my place, Kags." He'd told her. She knew the offer was sincere, with no strings attached. But she didn't like Koga like that, and she was pretty sure that Ayame WhiteFeather would object. The red haired wolf youkai was determined to nab Koga for her own, and Kagome wanted no part of a catfight with her over something so trivial.

Sighing as she dressed and moved to her room, she was glad to be off the next day. Eight days of Koga's over flattering attention was entirely enough. She supposed she should feel something for him. He was strong and attractive, with inky hair and bright blue eyes. He was a good boss, fair and disciplined but he didn't make her pulse pound and her thoughts scatter.

As she settled into bed, taking up the plate her mother had left on the nightstand, her thoughts drifted back to InuYasha. He had sounded sincere when he'd asked her to visit, despite the wink he'd thrown her. She frowned, thinking.

He loved to tease her, and it seemed to her that he was more open about it lately. He would sometimes tug her hair or bump shoulders with her as he joked and kidded, if he was sure no one was looking.

Kagome wanted him. In all the ways a woman wants a man, but did he feel the same. As she took a drink of her tea, she thought again of that request. Could it be possible that he finally saw her as more than a tagalong pest? Was there a possibility for a relationship between them?

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, chewing on her chopsticks and musing. She was brought to reality when her mother knocked on the door, come to take her plate down to the kitchen. Her mother was the best, Kagome thought.

Stifling a yawn, she turned out the light and burrowed under her comforter. Maybe she would take the hanyou up on his offer after all…

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Next morning found Kagome at loose ends. With no work to occupy her time, and the house and shrine in good order, she was quickly becoming bored. It was nearly lunch time when she wandered into the kitchen and slumped into a chair.

Seeing her dejection, Kara spoke up. "Why don't you call up Rin and Sango and have a girl's day out?"

Kagome smiled at the mention of her best friend. Sango Yamaguchi, wife of Miroku and regional manager of her family's chain of dojos in and around the Albany area. She would have loved to meet up with her friend, but knew from previous phone calls that this weekend was a no go.

"Sango's in Chicago, mama. Some martial arts conference or something. Her dad's looking to expand." She told her mom.

"Again? Well, that family is certainly doing alright." Her mother mused. "What about Rin?"

Kagome sighed. "Two weddings and three funerals."

"Goodness, that girl is drowning in flowers!"

Kagome laughed. Rin's flower shop Blooms was indeed flourishing, and she was very happy for her friend. Still, it left her with few options for companionable entertainment.

"How about InuYasha?" Her mother asked, careful to hide her sly smile. She knew her daughter was head over heels for the hanyou and did her best to gently encourage them at every turn.

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed. "I forgot to tell you last night. That crazy baka fell off his roof, and on his human night too."

Her mother gasped. "Is he alright? What on earth would make him do something so foolish?"

Her daughter grinned. "WWE."

Seeing her mom's confusion, she explained. "Wrestling. His satellite went out and he was trying to adjust it. He turned human and fell off. I suspect he lost his balance in the wind, but he won't admit it."

Kara Higurashi shook her head. "So what did he break this time?"

Kagome sighed. "He dislocated his shoulder, but that's about it."

She hummed a bit, thinking. "He's probably already up and into something else."

"Well, dear why don't you drop by and make sure he's okay?" Kara encouraged. "You can take him some of my Oden, it will be ready soon."

"Oden?" Kagome yelped. "Mama you're the bomb!"

Kara laughed, shooing her daughter off. "That I may be, but until it's done why don't you go see if you can get your grandfather to come in and rest. He was up before the sun this morning."

Kagome did as requested, her mood considerable lifted at the prospect of her favorite dish. Of course, some of that happiness could be blamed on having an excuse to see InuYasha. Who knew, maybe they could share it if she could get him to sit down long enough.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

It was just past lunchtime when she pulled into InuYasha's driveway. She was glad to see his truck in front of the garage, indicating that he was home. He hadn't answered when she'd called earlier. Probably forgot to charge his phone, she thought. Again.

Gathering up the crock containing her mother's oden she made her way to the service door on the side of the house. InuYasha opened the door on the third ringof the doorbell.

"What brings you here, wench?" He tried not to show how pleased he was to see her, how his heart sped up and he got all jittery.

Kagome raised an ebony brow. "You did ask me to check on you, baka. And, I brought lunch!"

Giving an experimental sniff, his now present dog ears went straight up and his golden eyes gleamed. "Oden!"

"Yes, oden," Kagome affirmed. "And it's getting heavy, so how about you either move and let me in or help me out here?"

Blushing, a bit off kilter because she had actually come to see him he took the crock from her and headed to the kitchen. His house was small; no more than he needed being a bachelor but it was very well designed.

Kagome came in behind him, glad to shut the door on the brisk weather. Winter would be coming soon to the upstate area. She shrugged off her coat and went to help dish up their food, at ease in his house as she was in her own.

InuYasha prepped glasses with ice for water, and set the kettle on to boil for tea. As he watched her move around his kitchen, he thought about how right she looked, handling his things, completely at ease. He sighed, wishing this were an everyday occurrence.

Kagome sent him an inquiring glance. "Everything okay? Is your shoulder still bothering you?"

He pushed off the counter where he was leaning. "Nah, I'm good. Just thinking."

"Well, don't hurt yourself. You know you're not used to that," she kidded.

"Oi!" he exclaimed, but with no real heat. He might have been furious had someone else suggested he was stupid, but he knew Kagome was teasing.

As they sat to their meal, she looked at him curiously. "Why aren't you at work today?"

"Keh," he answered around a mouthful of oden, "I'm in between jobs. Got today and tomorrow off."

"Oh, I wondered if I'd find you here. When you didn't answer your phone I mean," Kagome explained.

He blushed a bit. "Forgot to charge it."

She laughed. Seeing her smiling face, he found himself chuckling too.

"How about you? They got you on the late shift again?" he asked.

Carefully swallowing her bite, and taking a sip of tea before answering Kagome answered. "Nope. I'm off today; sweet freedom!"

His mind was instantly working. "So, what are you doing this afternoon? Got plans?"

"No," she told him, "Sango's out of town and Rin is working. You're it for entertainment, Dogboy."

He didn't miss the blush that colored her cheeks so prettily. Maybe she wasn't as far out of his reach as he thought.

Careful to keep his tone nonchalant he asked, "Well, then. Want to hang out with me? I thought I'd head to the lake for a few hours."

Kagome's heart sped up. Calm down, girl. It's just an afternoon with a friend. Nothing more. But she couldn't keep from beaming as she answered a definitive "Yes!"

SSSSSSSSSSS

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Also, I've got a new story up (IY, of course). Laundry Mix-up Fix-up, it's sweet and funny (I hope) so go give it some love (leave me a review, pls)!