Summary: Kagome brought Sango to the present with her following the deadly final battle against Naraku. A chance situation causes Kagome to meet Mikey who, much to her chagrin, has become quite protective over her. How will her presence impact the future?

Pairing: Mikey/Kagome; Draken/Sango

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Note:
Will lack canonicity in places.
Flashbacks are written in bulk Italics.

Chapter Three

She was dragged down the hall, the entire time she could feel the lingering stare from the two boys all the way. Once they'd made it to the courtyard, she was released, and, with a huff, she whirled around to face the three.

"What is your problem?" Kagome deadpanned, resting her hands on her hips as she glared at the three. Sango came up to her side, and Kagome sighed. "Really… you better have a good reason for acting like this…"

"We do!" Yuka screeched at her, and Kagome blinked owlishly. "How'd you meet them?!"

"What does that matter?" Kagome questioned. "You're acting like they're bad news."

"Because they are!" Eri squealed. "They're total delinquents. You know, gang fights and all that crazy stuff!"

Kagome arched a brow. The side she's seen from them didn't exactly concern her. "Just because they're delinquents doesn't mean they're bad guys," Kagome deadpanned, recalling how they readily came to her side when she was cornered earlier. If they were really as bad as her friends were acting, they would've gone on their way without bothering to step in. They'd done so, even though being aware she didn't need their help in the first place. That wasn't something that bad people did. "I met them the other day when some guys cornered me on my way home. They helped me."

"Eh?!" Yuka yelped. "No way, no way!"

Kagome nodded. "Those guys saw them and bolted the next chance they got," she clarified.

"I still don't think you should be friendly with them, Kagome-chan," Ayumi said, worry seeping into her voice. "After all… we've always been concerned with your type of man."

Kagome glared at her. "What's that supposed to mean?" she growled.

"Just you have questionable taste in guys," Yuka deadpanned. "Your ex was a total delinquent, too!"

The comment made her flinch, her gaze falling to the ground. They had no way of knowing, but that didn't erase the sting she felt. "I know what I've experienced from them," Kagome stated, talking about Mikey and Draken. "I really don't need you three getting worked up over this."

If she wanted to be friends with them, then she would. It was as simple as that.

"Also, I don't like them like that either," she snipped. "Friends," she remarked, "is all we will be."

Yuka sighed and shook her head. "They're bad news, girl, I'm telling you." She looked at Sango and then back at Kagome. "Talk some sense into her," she pleaded.

"I trust Kagome's intuition," Sango said without missing a beat. "I don't have a reason to dislike them," she continued. "If Kagome thinks they're okay, then I don't have a problem with them."

"Ugh," Yuka shook her head. "Whatever, just be careful hanging out with guys like that. You don't wanna get pulled into a gang fight or something crazy like that."

When the school day ended, Kagome and Sango left their classroom and said their goodbyes to the three other girls before heading to exit the school.

"So, how was the first day?" Kagome asked as they walked down the noisy halls. Sango was silent for a moment, pondering over her answer before she offered a small smile.

"It was a lot," she responded, "but I'll adjust."

Kagome smiled and reached to pat her shoulder, the touch comforting. "I know you can do it!" she exclaimed with a bright gleam in her eyes. "It'll just take a bit of time," she added, hoping her words were reassuring. They walked out of the entrance of the school, but they were stopped by the gate when a familiar figure stepped out to catch them.

"Kago-chan, there you are~"

Kagome came to a halt, Sango doing the same at her side, and they both turned to face the two blonde teenagers from before. Sango glanced at Kagome, but all she saw was the bright smile that lit up on the ravenette's face.

"Hey, Mikey, Draken," she said upon realizing it was them. She saw the prior looking around, and she wondered if he was looking to see if her other friends were around. "Why are you here if you don't go to this school?" she asked flatly. Her tone wasn't harsh, just curious.

"Well, we didn't get a lot of time to talk earlier before you got dragged off," Mikey stated, and Kagome shrugged.

"That's fair," she retorted. He laughed. "Those girls can be a little…" she trailed off, trying to think of the right word for her three friends. "Well…" She didn't want to repeat their words about him to his face. Still, she got the feeling that he already knew their thoughts on him, and that might've been why he looked around for them.

"It's good that they care about you enough to do that, though," he teased, and Kagome stifled a laugh.

"They're a little much sometimes," she stated. As true as that was, they were still her friends. It'd be nice if they could learn to give Mikey and Draken the benefit of the doubt.

"Say, why don't we go to the park?" Mikey suggested, and Kagome looked at him with wide eyes. Before she could ask why, Sango beat her to it.

"Why?" Sango questioned, folding her arms over her chest. Mikey glanced at her and smiled.

"Why not?" he responded. "It sounds fun."

000

When neither of them could decline the idea, they ended up in the park with the pair. It wasn't too crowded yet, and they easily found an empty area.

She sat across from Mikey with Sango beside her, and she observed him as they talked. She thought back to her friend's prior warnings, and she had to resist the urge to pout.

He really didn't seem that bad to her.

As she sat there, she was only half-heartedly participating in the conversation. She was distracted by a sharp pain in her abdomen, and she adjusted herself out of discomfort. It was a feeling she hadn't felt in a long time due to her abilities, and feeling it reminded her of her late cycle. The amount of stress she'd been under must've delayed it. She stood up without saying anything, and Sango glanced at her, concern clear in brown eyes.

"Kagome-chan?" Sango asked. "Is everything okay?" Do we need to go? she was asking.

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine," Kagome responded. "I'm just gonna go to the bathroom, is all," Kagome said as she picked her bag up. "I'll be back in a minute." Sango was about to stand up, as well.

"I'll walk with you," she offered, only to pause when Kagome shook her head.

"I'll only be a minute," she responded. "It's okay!"

Sango relented after a few silent seconds. She sighed and nodded. "If you're positive, Kagome-chan…"

"I am! It's just over there, anyway. I'll be fine on my own," Kagome assured as she motioned to the restrooms on the other side of the park. "I'll only be in a minute," she called over her shoulder.

Sango nodded and watched her go for a few seconds. Once she was far enough away, she sighed and turned back to the two with her.

"You're really protective of her," Mikey observed. From earlier, how she'd stood at her side, to now, that much was very obvious. Sango blinked and met his stare. A second later, she smiled.

"Of course I am," she responded as she rested her arms on the table they sat at. Especially in her current state. Her senses were still recovering, and it hindered her ability to gauge the danger of situations around her. "She can take care of herself just fine, I know, but…" her hands tightened on the table's surface, her gaze clouding over. The thought of her getting hurt, or worse, made her feel sick. "I just… don't want her to get hurt." Again.

000

Kagome stepped out of the bathroom stall. Her thoughts had been right, the red spotting on her underwear being caught just in time before it turn into a crimson stain on the back of her skirt.

As she washed her hands, she glanced down with a pout. Just her luck…

"It couldn't wait a few more days 'til I got my senses back?" she grumbled under her breath. She wasn't exactly excited to go through her period with all the symptoms she could usually ignore due to her abilities. Now she was even more impatient to get back to her usual self.

She sighed and dried her hand, collecting her bag from the counter after tossing the paper towel into the trash. When she left the bathroom, she noticed two guys hanging out by the wall, but she didn't pay them any mind. She made it a few steps before they saw her.

"Hey, little girl, looking real cute."

A hand, unwelcomed, landed on the small of her back, and she stiffened up. She reacted without warning, jamming her elbow back into his side.

"Don't touch me," she growled as he stumbled back a few paces. As he did, she kept her stare facing forward, more focused on going back to where the others were.

"Aw, watch out, the little thing's got a real temper," the second laughed, shoving his friend. He was shoved back.

"Shut up!" he growled at his friend before stalking behind her. "Hey, bitch, what gives you the right to act so high and mighty." He snatched her by her bag and yanked on it hard enough for her to turn and twist her ankle in an unnatural way. He yanked again, and this time she fell to the ground, where she landed with a yelp when her arms and legs got scratched up by the concrete. "Yeah, ain't so tough now, are ya, prissy bitch."

"Hah? How cute." his friend teased, "but aren't you a little old to be wearing Hello Kitty?"

Kagome's face burnt crimson when he called out the pattern on her underwear, reaching to tug her skirt down from where it'd gotten shifted up.

The sound of her yelp easily carried back to where the others were, and the noise pulled the conversation to a halt. Sango turned in the direction automatically, worried that she might've slipped and gotten hurt while she was still healing. However, the moment she realized what had happened, she was on her feet before the two with her could react.

Her steps were swift and precise as she easily traversed the space between them. Neither of them saw her coming before it was too late. She snatched the one leering down at Kagome by the wrist and forced him to turn and face her.

"Huh-?!"

Before he could react, she brought her fist down on the side of his face, sending him down to the concrete at their feet.

"Hey, who do you-!" The second one tried to approach her, but the moment he reached for her, she grabbed him by his arm and hauled him over her shoulder and to the ground with a loud thud. The next second, she reached to offer Kagome a hand.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she pulled the shorter girl back onto her feet. Kagome nodded, brushing dirt from her skirt as she looked herself over.

"I think so," she said, but the moment she put her weight on her ankle, a sharp pain made her rethink her weight distribution. She winced, and Sango let her lean her weight on her. "Or, maybe not?" Kagome sighed a second later. "My ankle really hurts."

"Do you want me to-"

"All right, listen here bit-"

Both girls turned to face the two clambering back up onto their feet, but their words got caught in their throat when they looked past them and to the two boys that'd come to join them seconds after.

"Hey, Kago-chan, these guys didn't try and hurt you, did they?" Mikey asked, coming up to her side. He looked her over, spotting the blood dripping down her legs and her messed-up uniform, and she knew his question had been sardonic. The answer was obvious, and he cut his eyes toward the pair. Even without her senses, she could feel how tense the air had become, and the two stumbled back.

"M-Mikey-sama, w-we didn't know she was your girl."

The comment took her by surprise, but there was no chance to correct them before Mikey approached them. His steps were confident, despite the large height difference they had on him. His form was flawless as he easily brought his foot down on the side of the first one's face, sending him back to the ground.

"Sorr-!" The apology was cut off before the word could fully be said. He was snatched by his collar before getting knocked to the pavement by a sharp punch by Mikey. For a second time, they were sprawled out on the ground. This time they showed no intent of getting back up.

There was silence until Mikey turned to face her, and she tore her gaze from the guys on the ground as he came over to her. He observed her, more so how she leaned her weight against the brunette beside her.

"Maybe we should head home," Sango suggested to Kagome. "You didn't bring your first aid kit…"

"We'll come with you," Mikey stated, and Sango glanced at him before eyeing Kagome. "No one will try and bother you if we're around, after all," he added with a smile.

"Hey, can you walk?" Draken came up on Kagome's other side.

Kagome shook her head. "Ah… no," she responded, and he nodded. Draken grabbed the strap of her bag and tugged it from her grip. He handed it to Sango the next second, using the chance to quickly scoop Kagome up in his arms. Kagome let out a surprised noise at abruptly getting hoisted up. Held like this, she felt smaller than she really was.

"Kagome-chan…" Sango looked at her, ready to step in if she needed it. Kagome looked at her and gave a smile.

"It should be fine," she assured. Sango trusted Kagome with her answer, and she nodded.

"Then it's decided," Mikey said, grinning brightly. "Well, Sango-chan, lead the way~"

"Eh?!" Sango whirled around to face Mikey. "Me?"

"Who else?" Mikey responded. "You live there."

"I-I'm new to the city!" Sango argued. "I-I haven't had a lot of time to learn the place!" Sango added, pink flushing her cheeks at his comment. She folded her arms over her chest with a huff. Kagome smiled and waved her hand.

"Don't worry!" Kagome chirped, "I'll give directions!"

000

The large staircase climbed high into the distance and they came to a halt in front of the stone steps. During the walk back, the pain had faded to a dull throb and the blood on her skin and dried.

"This the place?" Draken asked Kagome for confirmation, and she nodded.

"Yup!" she exclaimed. "This is home."

Her response was all it took for him to start heading up the stairs. Mikey and Sango followed with a matching pace. When they reached the top, turning around, it was easy to see almost the entire city from where they stood.

"Is anyone home?" Mikey asked, and Kagome glanced at him.

"Oh… no, it's just us, actually," she responded. "Sango and me."

"Then who's that?" Draken asked. At the question, both Sango and Kagome glanced in the direction he looked. Kagome's face paled at spotting the silver-haired demon standing outside the door. Beside him was another demon with long, auburn hair fixed up in a ponytail and a small girl with black hair, and, upon spotting her, her eyes lit up.

"You're finally here!" Rin was about to run over to her, only to pause when she spotted the two unfamiliar men present.

"Kagome, why is he here?" Sango questioned.

"How am I supposed to know!?" Kagome hissed in response.

He no longer wore the same clothes from the feudal era. Dressed in black pants and a white button-up with his long hair pulled back in a low ponytail. Rin, at his side, wore a bright orange dress with yellow frills. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail by an orange ribbon.

Mikey glanced at the pair, trying to gauge how they felt about that guy's presence. Were they just surprised, or…?

"Who is he?" he asked.

"That's Sesshoumaru," Kagome responded. As he did, the man in question approached them at the stairs. "He's… um…" she trailed off, trying to think of a good way to describe the icy demon lord. Nothing came to her before he ended up speaking.

"Why is my sister hurt?"

Shippo bounded up to her at last after Sesshoumaru made the first move to approach. Without warning, she was stolen from Draken's arms, and the boy was left staring in surprise as she was swept up by the auburn-haired figure.

Auroua-chan: Finally got this update done and ready! I'm so excited for the next chapter! It's longer than the prior ones to make up for the time between updates.

Kagome's friends are wary about her being friends with Mikey and Draken, but Kagome's not letting it bother her.
Some guys got the wrong impression about Kagome and Mikey (but are they really that wrong with it?) Additionally, Sesshoumaru is now here, (along with Rin and Shippo!) He's introduced himself as Kagome's brother. There's no telling what'll follow now that he's there. Not to mention Shippo… Mikey's not the only one who's gonna be bratty for her attention.

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~