HEEY! This chapter's up a little late comparedv to the other ones, but I hope you enjoy it! Please Review and don't flame me please! I do well with constuctive criticism but not rude, unhelpful comments. ENJOY!

The next day was Friday and Kagome was a little sad. Sure, she could see her friends on the weekends, but it was more fun at school when everybody was together. She trudged out of her apartment and walked to school, meeting up with Uo and Hana as per usual. They made it through the first half of the school day without falling asleep and finally it was time for the hour of freedom: lunch.

Kagome was the first to the Sakura tree and she sat down hesitantly. She didn't like to be first because then she could be an easy target for the Prince Yuki Fan Club girls. And speaking of the she-devils-

"Higurashi!" Motoko, the president of the Prince Yuki Fan Club, barked. "You've been hanging around Prince Yuki for a month now like poison ivy. You had better stand down!"

"And if I don't?" Kagome asked tiredly. She was sick of being wary around these girls and she was confident that they couldn't hurt her.

"Well then… Help me out here!" Matoko demanded, turning to her minions.

"Listen Matoko," Kagome stood and allowed a bit of her power to be released to blow her hair around menacingly. "I don't take crap from anyone, do you hear me? If Yuki-kun doesn't want me around I'll leave, but he's been nothing but welcoming since I was introduced to him. So leave me alone and I'll leave you alone." When Matoko didn't look convinced, Kagome added, "And I won't have Hana's little brother curse you." The group of girls visibly blanched.

"Fine Higurashi. You win this round. But we will have Prince Yuki one of these days!" Matoko declared as she and the rest of the fan club turned and flounced away.

"Miss Kagome!"

Kagome turned at the sound of her name and smiled softly. "Hey Kyo-kun, hey Yuki-kun!" she missed the two of them blush, especially Kyo since he hadn't been the one to call her name.

"Was Minagawa-san bothering you?" Hatsuharu asked as he came up behind them.

"Hey Haru-kun! No, she wasn't. We were just talking." Kagome smiled softly.

"'Gome-chan!"

Kagome smiled at Uo, Hana and Tohru. "Hey guys!" The group sat down and pulled out their bentos. Kagome ended up sitting between Kyo and Yuki and across from Haru and Momiji. Tohru was sitting on the other side of Yuki and Hana and Uo were sitting between Haru and Tohru. The two girls may have adopted Kagome into their group, but their main focus was still on the well being of Tohru. Kagome didn't mind though. She understood that Tohru had been there first and she was okay with that. The boys seemed to be treating her and Tohru equally, so that was fine by her. And that was also why she turned to them when she needed help with something.

"Hey Yuki," she began. "I need to find a quiet place to study, but I don't want to use the library. Could you give me a full tour of the school so I can find a good spot?"

"Yes, it would be my pleasure." Yuki replied as he prepared to stand up. He held out his hand to help Kagome to her feet. She took his hand and blushed prettily, still not being used to his polite manner considering InuYasha had hardly been chivalrous unless the situation was dire.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"Don't do anything inappropriate you two!" Uo spoke up.

Now it was both of their turn to blush. "Thanks Uo-chan," Kagome grumbled as she pulled Yuki toward the school by his hand. Nobody noticed Kyo's mouth tighten into a firm line as the two walked quickly toward the school hand in hand.

"So Miss Kagome, why do you need a quiet place in the school?" Yuki asked, trying to break the awkward silence that had descended on them.

"Oh, I just like to have a place I can go to if I need to get away. Sometimes the apartment just isn't enough."

"You live in an apartment?"

"You've never been to my apartment before? Yeah, I do." Another awkward pause fell upon the two of them. This time Kagome tried to break it. "So Yuki, leeks or carrots?"

"What?"

"Leeks, or carrots?"

"Definitely leeks. I grow them actually."

"Leeks?" Kagome asked incredulously. "Carrots are so much better!"

Yuki laughed softly at Kagome's reaction and said, "My turn now. Rats or cows?"

"Hmm, that's a strange question. How 'bout dogs?" At Kagome's answer Yuki tripped and almost fell flat on his face, except Kagome caught him. Around the waist. She steadied him and pulled him back to his feet with her arms still around his waist.

"Um, are you okay?" Kagome asked. Yuki was staring at her with eyes as big around as tennis balls.

Yuki shook himself out of his stupor and blinked rapidly. "Kagome," he paused and Kagome drew away.

"I-I'm sorry Yuki-kun. I-I didn't mean to. I was just trying to stop you from falling."

Yuki was still staring at Kagome and it was making her uncomfortable. Suddenly he stepped closer to Kagome and said softly, "Can I please hug you again Miss Kagome?"

"What?" Kagome exclaimed.

Her shocked cry seemed to shake Yuki out of his stupor and he stepped away. "I'm sorry Miss Kagome. Never mind."

"No problem, just, why would you want to hug me? I thought you and the rest of your family didn't like to be touched."

"That's not it. It's just we… well, if you come over to our house this afternoon I'll tell you. I promise."

Kagome looked curiously at Yuki. He seemed to be very talkative for some reason. "Okay Yuki-kun. I'll come over today right after class, but I want to know everything. I can kind of tell you and your family are different, but I'm not sure how and maybe I can help you in exchange for information."

Yuki now looked surprised but he shrugged it off and nodded. "After school then."

"Well, maybe not right after school." Kagome digressed. "I have something to do then I need to take a shower. I also have work with Tohru, so maybe I can come over tonight. I'll walk Tohru home and maybe stay the night with you guys if that's okay?"

Yuki nodded numbly and walked Kagome around the rest of the school in silence. This one wasn't awkward though, it was contemplative. Kagome was studying Yuki's aura and Yuki was thinking about what Kagome had said. "I can kind of tell you and your family are different." He would have to ask her about that later.

A sudden thought hit him. "Miss Kagome, the streets are dangerous at night. Especially at the time you and Tohru get off."

"Don't worry Yuki-kun. I have been walking myself to and from work for the past three and a half weeks and I've already taken care of some of the perverts who thought they could have me as an easy prey. It'll be easy to get to your house and make sure Tohru is safe at the same time."

Yuki's violet eyes bored into Kagome's as he looked to make sure she was being honest. What he saw nearly knocked him off his feet. There was determination, confidence, happiness and sadness swimming in their oceanic depths. "Okay Miss Kagome. We should be heading back to the tree now to get our things. Shall we?" Kagome giggled and took Yuki's proffered arm as he led the way back to the tree and their friends.

People, i hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review kindly! and thank you to all of my reviewers. I love you all so very much! I'd love to put your names in here, but I don't remember them all and I'm kind of too lazy to look them up, Just know that your support means soooo much to me! please Review!